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.”

Plenty of Premier League clubs have been looking to sign a striker this summer, and Manchester United are no different.

However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are feeling the ramifications of a woeful campaign, slumping to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League and missing out on European football altogether after losing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

Ready to dip into the transfer market, Ruben Amorim’s side have already been foiled in their bid to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, the rising striker instead joining Chelsea after his £30m release clause was activated.

More recently, the Red Devils have been bruised following news that Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyökeres does not want a reunion with Amorim but instead has his heart set on a move to Arsenal.

United have already hit the jackpot in signing Matheus Cunha, also engaged in talks with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo, who has reportedly expressed his preference to move to Old Trafford. But a number nine is desperately needed, with Rasmus Hojlund falling by the wayside last term.

The latest on Rasmus Hojlund

When Manchester United signed Hojlund from Serie A side Atalanta in July 2023, they acquired the services of one of Europe’s most talented young strikers. The £72m fee certainly reflected that, with talent scout Jacek Kulig even naming him a “monster in the making”.

But this monster has sadly been tamed by the rigours of English football, with his second season in the Premier League leading to a lowly return of only four goals across 32 matches.

Content creator Rory Jennings called him “one of the worst footballers” he has ever seen, although this is rather harsh; the Denmark international is simply at a low ebb, having fronted a malfunctioning United system.

Even so, the 22-year-old would probably be best served with a change of scenery, and Inter Milan are reported to be doing everything they can to bring him back over to Italy.

While the likes of Gyokeres may not sign for Man United this summer, there is another striker set to move who could prove a big upgrade on Hojlund.

Man Utd chasing new striker

According to GIVEMESPORT’s Ben Jacobs, Man United are awaiting talks with Dusan Vlahovic’s representatives as the centre-forward seeks a route out of Juventus this summer, though they will need to offer him wages of around £200k per week.

It’s understood that the Old Lady have failed to convince the Serbian to agree to a new long-term deal, and as a result, he’s been offered to United, Spurs and Aston Villa. Previous reports suggest that he could arrive for a shrewd £25m fee.

Saying that, there is plenty of further interest in his signature, with Newcastle United previously revealed to be leading the race.

Why Man United should sign Dusan Vlahovic

Vlahovic has had something of an up-and-down career with Juventus, never quite reaching the heights that saw him arrive in Turin from Fiorentina, but he’s still a fantastic striker who could reboot his career with a summer switch.

Once regarded as the “new Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Juve star, who is still only 25, needs to rediscover his finest form quickly as his prime years approach.

But the proof is in the pudding, and he’s showcased a high level before. Given the bloated nature of the modern market, United could probably do a lot worse than snapping him up on the cheap and marrying him with wide forwards Cunha and Mbeumo.

Dusan Vlahovic in Serie A (past 5 seasons)

Season

Club

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

24/25

Juventus

29 (21)

10

4

23/24

Juventus

33 (27)

16

3

22/23

Juventus

27 (22)

10

2

21/22

Juventus

15 (12)

7

1

21/22

Fiorentina

21 (21)

17

4

20/21

Fiorentina

37 (34)

21

2

Stats via Transfermarkt

Despite his issues, Vlahovic still ranked among the top 10% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last year for touches in the attacking box and the top 11% for total shots taken per 90, as per FBref, emphasising his natural instinct.

He might not have the 97-goal return of Gyökeres across the past two years, but the Serbia star has arguably been playing at a higher level, and his robustness and cheaper value could see him prove an astute piece of business from Jason Wilcox and co.

Gyökeres might have the better track record over the past few years, but at least Vlahovic has gained a wealth of experience in one of the biggest clubs in one of Europe’s top five leagues, notching 87 goals and 17 assists across 202 Serie A outings.

Moreover, Juventus paid £67m to sign Vlahovic from Serie A rivals Fiorentina in 2022, after he had emerged on the scene with prolific performances to behold. This erstwhile valuation stands as a yardstick of his ability, and maybe Amorim feels he could succeed in recapturing that at the beginning of a new journey in Manchester.

Even last season, with Juventus struggling initially to find attacking fluidity under Thiago Motta’s wing and Vlahovic restricted to only 21 league starts across the season, he still returned ten goals.

His season-and-a-half in Italy’s top flight with Fiorentina is not an outlier but rather an illustration into the potential that the 25-year-old could yet realise. He’s physical. He’s dynamic. He’s explosive.

Such facets are also attributable to Gyökeres, who has been labelled a “powerhouse” of a striker by analyst Ben Mattinson. Thus, Vlahovic is a man who has what it takes to hit the ground running under Amorim’s wing.

Sure, the risk of it going wrong is there, but isn’t this the case for any centre-forward hailing from abroad? At £25m, he’d be a steal.

Would United prefer a more goal-proven striker in Gyökeres, who understands Amorim’s tactical vision? Likely so. However, Vlahovic has been hailed as a “real superstar” by reporter Andrew Cesare, and a change of setting might just see him rise back to the fore along with the Theatre of Dreams.

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St Lucia Kings have signed South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen and Afghanistan wristspinner Noor Ahmad for the 2024 edition of the Caribbean Premier League 2024 ahead of the player draft.Faf du Plessis, whose stint with Kings last year was cut short due to injury, has been retained. Namibia allrounder David Wiese and Sri Lanka batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa are also among the overseas retainees.Kings have 12 confirmed players for the season and will have five spots to fill at the draft in July. They have retained the core of Caribbean players, which includes Johnson Charles, Alzarri Joseph, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde and Khary Pierre. Fast bowlers Shadrack Descarte and McKenny Clarke round out their retentions. Colin Munro, who was named du Plessis’ replacement last year, has been released, and so have Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams and Chris Sole.Klaasen has been in phenomenal form in T20s since 2023. He finished as the second-highest run-getter in the SA20 earlier this year and was in top form in the IPL as well with 479 runs in 16 games . His strike rate in the format since 2023 is 176.80. This will be Klaasen’s second stint in the CPL, having represented Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2022 where he made 118 runs in five games.Kings made their fourth consecutive playoffs spot in 2023 but lost in the Eliminator against Jamaica Tallawahs.The 2024 edition of the CPL is set to run from August 30 to October 7. Kings will open their campaign against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on September 1 in Basseterre.

The legspinner picked up 4 for 28 before Taylor anchored the chase with an unbeaten 28 off 26 balls

Madushka Balasuriya26-Jun-2024Stafanie Taylor scored an unbeaten 28 off 26 balls after Afy Fletcher’s four-for had kept Sri Lanka under check, as West Indies secured a six-wicket win in a rain-affected game in Hambantota to level the three-match T20I series 1-1. This was also West Indies’ first win of the tour.Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 99 in 15 overs, Taylor and captain Hayley Matthews provided the visitors with an ideal start of 44 runs in 6.5 overs, and in the process ensured West Indies were always ahead of the DLS-par score.After Matthews fell to a Sachini Nisansala arm ball, Taylor then ensured she was around to anchor the chase.In an 18-ball 24-run second-wicket partnership with Shemaine Campbelle, she took a backseat choosing to give strike to her more aggressive partner, who contributed 16 off 13. The subsequent dismissals of Campbelle, Qiana Joseph and Chedean Nation came about as a result of West Indies’ positive approach, but the required rate was always below run a ball.Aaliyah Alleyne then finished off any lingering hopes Sri Lanka might have harboured with a trio of boundaries off Kavisha Dilhari in the penultimate over of the innings.At no point though had West Indies let the game get out of hand. While Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu were going strong in their 44-run opening partnership, that had still come at a touch under run a ball. And once Fletcher spun one past Athapaththu to disturb her stumps, none of the other batters could up the scoring rate on a sluggish surface.Gunaratne hung around for a laboured 24 off 35, but was trapped lbw in the 14th over by a Fletcher googly. Earlier, the legspinner, who had utilised the strong cross breeze to good effect, snuck one under Imesha Dulani’s attempted sweep and then had Harshitha Samarawickrama top-edging on the way to figures of 4 for 23.Dilhari had briefly shown some promise of a late counterattack scoring 14 not out off just six balls that included two boundaries when rain brought the first innings to an abrupt end after 15.2 overs.

Likely to be Nottingham Forest’s first departure of the summer, Lyon have now reportedly reached an agreement to sign one of Nuno Espirito Santo’s players who earns around £40,000-a-week at the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest write to UEFA about Crystal Palace spot

Whilst transfer rumours rumble on, Evangelos Marinakis is also attempting to improve Nottingham Forest’s position away from the pitch and before a ball has even been kicked next season. The Greek owner has reportedly written to UEFA in an attempt to take Crystal Palace’s Europa League spot amid concerns that the Eagles could be in breach of multi-club ownership rules.

Those at the City Ground certainly aren’t out to make any friends in South London with their reported letter. What they are out for is an upgraded European spot. Of course, had it not been for Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win, Nottingham Forest’s seventh place finish would have been enough to secure a spot in the Europa League rather than the Europa Conference League.

Now that Palace could be kicked out of European competition due to John Textor’s involvement with both the South London club and Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League, Forest seemingly want to take full advantage.

Whether they’re successful with those attempts remains to be seen, but a Europa League spot could go a long way towards both boosting Forest’s finances and welcoming key players.

What it may not stand in the way of, however, is an exit for one particular player. With Morgan Gibbs-White already at the centre of speculation amid Manchester City’s reported interest, one Nottingham Forest player now looks to be on his way out.

Lyon reach agreement to sign Nottingham Forest's Matt Turner

According to Fabrizio Romano, Lyon have now reached an agreement to sign Matt Turner from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth just €8m (£6.7m) this summer. The backup goalkeeper, who cost £10m, looks destined to be the first out the door at Forest at a loss and will clear around £40,000-a-week from the Midlands club’s current wage bill.

Although Turner eventually lost his starting place to Matz Sels, the American still had moments to savour at the City Ground and during his time at Arsenal, earning plenty of praise as a result.

When at Arsenal, the goalkeeper found himself at the centre of Mikel Arteta’s praise with the Spaniard telling reporters after Turner kept a clean sheet against Bodo/Glimt: “He was much better in the first half than in the second half in my opinion. We could have had some more control.

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“But I think he was phenomenal in the goal in situations especially when defending the area in behind the centre halves, and in the one-against-one situations he was really good.”

It’s been a crazy few weeks for Tottenham Hotspur.

After delivering the North Londoners their first piece of major silverware for 17 years, it was announced that Ange Postecoglou was sacked on Friday afternoon.

While the timing of the decision may feel harsh, it’s not that difficult to see why Daniel Levy and Co made it, as the Australian had won just 47 of 101 games in charge of the club.

While nothing has been officially announced at the moment, it is looking more and more likely that the next man in the Lilywhites hot seat will be Thomas Frank, and based on other reports, he’s already told the club to sign someone who’d be a dream Brennan Johnson upgrade.

Tottenham's transfer targets

Now that Spurs appear to have identified their new manager, it’s worth looking at some of the talented players they’ve been linked with in recent weeks and months, such as Eberichi Eze and Xavi Simons.

Transfer Focus

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

The former enjoyed a superb season with Crystal Palace this year in which he helped the team win the FA Cup and racked up a tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in just 43 games, in turn, more than justifying the £68m release clause reportedly in his current deal.

Likewise, Simons managed to score 11 goals and provide eight assists in 33 games for RB Leipzig this season and would cost around as much as the Englishman at £65m.

However, to really upgrade on Johnson this summer, Tottenham would need to sign an out-and-out rightwinger, someone like Bryan Mbeumo.

Well, according to a recent report from the Mirror, that might be what they end up doing.

The report claims that Frank has instructed Spurs that he wants the club to sign the Cameroon international and make him his first summer acquisition.

To do that, the North Londoners would have to stump up a fee of around £60m and, more crucially, hijack Manchester United’s now well-documented efforts to bring him to Old Trafford.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but one well worth fighting for, as Mbeumo would be the ideal upgrade on Johnson.

How Mbeumo compares to Johnson

Now, while Mbeumo can play up top or even as a second striker, his most played and unquestionably best position is off the right, which would put him in direct competition with Jonnson next season.

So, with that said, who comes out on top when we compare the two?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, it’s actually the often “unplayable” Brentford star, as dubbed by Frank, who comes out on top, with 20 goals and nine assists in 42 appearances, totalling 3577 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes.

In contrast, the former Nottingham Forest star scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3316 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 132.64 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Welsh international, the one-sided nature of this comparison only grows when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Mbeumo vs Johnson
Statistics per 90	Mbeumo	Johnson
Non-Penalty G+As	0.58	0.58
Progressive Passes	3.72	2.93
Progressive Passes Received	9.26	8.14
Progressive Carries	3.43	2.48
Shots	2.08	2.23
Shots on Target	0.90	0.83
Passing Accuracy	66.1%	70.4%
Expected Assists	0.25	0.08
Key Passes	1.85	0.79
Passes into the Final Third	1.66	1.03
Passes into the Penalty Area	1.56	1.45
Crosses into the Penalty Area	0.50	0.25
Live Passes	30.7	25.8
Shot-Creating Actions	3.80	1.90
Goal-Creating Actions	0.53	0.29
Tackles	1.29	1.61
Successful Take-Ons	1.37	0.79
Ball Recoveries	4.12	2.60
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

For example, the “incredible” Bees star, as dubbed by Frank, comes out ahead in the vast majority of relevant metrics, such as progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, shots on target, successful take-ons, expected assists and many, many more, all per 90.

Ultimately, even though Johnson enjoyed a decent campaign for Spurs this season, Mbeumo is the superior winger in every measurable way.

Therefore, the club should do everything possible to sign the Brentford star this summer and reunite him with their soon-to-be-manager in North London.

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Whilst they are yet to officially get their summer business underway, Nottingham Forest have reportedly set their sights on several rising talents and that includes a young Bundesliga left-back.

Nottingham Forest reject Elanga bid

As those at the City Ground push to welcome the likes of Timothy Weah and Samuel Mbangula, they also face a fight to keep hold of Anthony Elanga amid interest from Newcastle United. The Magpies reportedly formalised their interest with a bid worth £45m earlier this week only for Nottingham Forest to reject that bid without any counter as they look to keep hold of a key player.

Whether Newcastle return to the negotiation table remains to be seen, but Forest’s stance may not change anytime soon. The Tricky Trees will be desperate to enjoy a repeat of last season, if not better, when August arrives and keeping hold of players like Elanga will play a large part in matching those ambitions.

Given that Botafogo duo Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus are also reportedly on their way, it’s clear that Evangelos Marinakis is only in pursuit of boosting Nuno Espirito Santo’s attacking options rather than selling key men for profit.

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One player that the Greek owner will need to replace, however, is Harry Toffolo. The experienced left-back is now a free agent following the expiration of his contract at the City Ground and Forest would be wise to find a replacement.

To that end, it looks as though those in the Midlands have set their sights on young options who could challenge the likes of Neco Williams for years to come and that may see one particular Bundesliga talent arrive.

Nottingham Forest join Ullrich race

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Lukas Ullrich from Borussia Monchengladbach this summer. The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in the Bundesliga last time out and has since played his part in helping Germany reach the semi-final of the U21 Euros.

The Gladbach man particularly impressed against Elliot Anderson’s England side in the group stage, providing an excellent assist as Germany ran out 2-1 winners.

Anderson received a first-hand glimpse of the type of quality that he could benefit from next season if Nottingham Forest push on with their move to sign Ullrich.

It won’t be an easy race to win, however, given that they are joined by Premier League rivals Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in pursuit of the Bundesliga talent.

Gladbach, meanwhile, may not be keen to lose their defender who manager Geraldo Seoane has not been shy to praise. The manager told reporters when asked about Ullrich: “You can see that he’s got pace going forward and that he has a very good mentality. He’s confident, he’s active and he makes runs in behind. He brings a lot to the table playing as an attacking left-back.”

Southampton are building for a campaign back in the Championship and could now be about to make a transfer statement ahead of the new season, according to reports.

Will Still begins to lay down authority at Southampton

Despite suffering relegation in acrimonious circumstances last term, Southampton appear to be heading back in the right direction after appointing Will Still to lead them forward.

The former RC Lens coach has added Paul Trollope to his staff as an assistant, which is something Rickie Lambert believes can have a major impact behind the scenes in the Saints’ quest for promotion.

He explained: “Trolls has bought me twice, at Bristol Rovers and at Cardiff. He’s an excellent manager. I went to see him and Rob Edwards at Luton to see how they were working together there. Honest to god, the way they worked together was one of the best I’ve seen.

“Trolls as a person is one of the best. His sessions are brilliant, his knowledge about the game…he’s an excellent addition to Southampton.”

In the field of recruitment, Southampton have turned their attention to Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, and their interest could intensify if Aaron Ramsdale’s relegation release clause is activated this summer.

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Finances could be available for Saints to spend over the next couple of months. Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been the subject of a rejected £19 million bid from Porto, and he may be a candidate to bring in funds for Still to ignite a rebuild on the South Coast.

Paul Onuachu is moving to Trabzonspor after an uninspiring spell at St Mary’s. His departure may now have paved the way for an exciting new arrival, per recent developments.

Southampton agree deal to sign Damion Downs

According to Sky Sports journalist Marc McAdam, Southampton have agreed a deal to sign FC Koln striker Damion Downs and the ‘finer details’ of his move to the South Coast club will be ironed out after the United States international returns from the Gold Cup.

Believed to be coming in for £6.8 million, he will likely take Onuachu’s place in the squad ahead of the new campaign. He is set to be involved in the Gold Cup final against Mexico on Monday, 7th July.

Earning plaudits after a return of 11 goals and six assists in 32 appearances across all competitions for FC Koln, the Werneck-born man also managed to direct 25 of his 60 shots on target in Bundesliga.2.

Fresh faces are needed for Southampton to gain the hunger needed for a tilt at promotion back to the top-flight, and Downs is someone who could now have a big part to play under Still’s guidance.

Leeds United now hold an advantage in the race for a £17m midfielder, who Red Bull will know “all about”, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed.

Leeds eyeing midfielder after missing out on Diarra

After being promoted from the Championship alongside Sunderland, it is no surprise that Leeds have identified similar targets to the Black Cats, and they will be extremely disappointed to have lost out to the play-off final winners in the race for two midfielders.

Habib Diarra had been on the Whites’ shortlist prior to the 21-year-old’s move to the Stadium of Light, and they now appear to have missed out on a deal for Noah Sadiki, with the Union Saint-Gilloise maestro set to complete a move to Wearside.

As such, Daniel Farke’s side will now be forced to move on to different options in the middle of the park, and Bailey has dropped a more promising update on their pursuit of Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach.

The transfer expert told Leeds United News that the Whites’ Red Bull connection should give them the edge over their Premier League rivals in the race for the German’s signature, given their minority owners’ involvement in the Bundesliga.

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Bailey said: “He’s on the list I’m told. Hoffenheim are not keen for him to go. Leeds aren’t the only ones interested from what I’m told. A very good player and obviously through Red Bull, Leeds are well-versed on him.

“They’re ahead of many other Premier League teams when it comes to German-based talent. So, it’s not a surprise, you know, it’s not going to be a huge surprise. If there’s a good one, Leeds know all about it.”

"Underrated" Stach could be better signing than Sadiki

Leeds will be frustrated that Sunderland were able to pip them to Sadiki’s signature, but there are signs that Stach could be a better signing than the Belgian-born midfielder.

Firstly, the two-time Germany international is more experienced in a top league, having made 122 Bundesliga appearances, while Sadiki remains unproven outside Belgium.

Not only that, but the “underrated” Hoffenheim star excels defensively, outperforming the new Sunderland signing across a number of key metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Anton Stach

Noah Sadiki

Interceptions

1.65 (93rd percentile)

1.08 (55th percentile)

Blocks

1.60 (85th percentile)

1.34 (64th percentile)

Clearances

3.65 (99th percentile)

1.34 (38th percentile)

Aerials won

1.83 (88th percentile)

0.30 (8th percentile)

Stach should be available for a fee of around £17m, which seems a reasonable fee, given the level of his performances for Hoffenheim, and it could be a blessing in disguise that Leeds missed out on Sadiki and Diarra.

Sophia Dunkley guided Welsh Fire to victory over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford in the Hundred, navigating a mid-innings wobble to see her side over the line with four balls to spare.Dunkley’s 69 from just 47 balls formed the backbone of her side’s response to the home side’s total of 113 for 7, and it required some late acceleration from her to get the job done after Manchester Originals’ spin duo of Sophie Ecclestone and Fi Morris had stemmed the scoring rate and pegged Welsh Fire back.With 12 runs needed from the final 10 balls, it was Dunkley’s calculated risk-taking against Ecclestone that proved most crucial, slapping her England team-mate for four through the covers and then repeating the dose behind square on the off side with a reverse-sweep.Captain Ecclestone’s 15-ball 27 – including two customary lusty blows for six – had earlier given her Originals side something to bowl at after an underwhelming effort with the bat.Her innings was the lone Originals knock of note, excluding the opening pair of Laura Woolvardt and Beth Mooney who started the day in imperious form, racing to a partnership of 58 with Woolvardt in particular playing some shots for the purists.Dunkley’s half-century continued a trend of England Women’s players standing up to the big occasion in the Hundred, following her teammates Alice Capsey and Heather Knight – off the back of head coach Jon Lewis challenging his charges to dominate throughout the competition.Meerkat Match Hero Sophia Dunkley said: “It definitely got a bit closer than we thought. I didn’t really feel in the innings for the first half of it. It was quite hard to time the ball, so I found it really difficult. But once you got the pace of the wicket it was easier. At the end I had to take some calculated risks and it got a bit close but luckily we got over the line.”We were really happy with how we bowled and how we controlled the innings. Spin was definitely quite hard through the middle, and pace off the ball, so we knew it was going to be difficult but we were definitely pleased at the half-way point.”I couldn’t time it too well throughout the middle. I tried to over-hit a little bit. I had to tell myself to keep calm, strike the ball and keep my head still – and managed to get a few away. I moved a little bit better towards the end and we got over the line, which was great.”We were definitely heartbroken at the end of last year [exiting at the Hundred Eliminator] so we’ve got that grit about us that we want to try and go all the way, and redeem ourselves a little bit. We’re just really looking forward to getting going in the competition.”