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Arsenal have splashed the cash this summer in a bid to win their first Premier League title in over 20 years, and Mikel Arteta may not even be done there.

While a move for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze grows more and more unlikely by the day, amid stiff competition from Tottenham, who are now in talks for the England international, Andrea Berta could still go after a left-winger.

This would be dependent on one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli leaving in the next two weeks, or perhaps both, but Arteta has already confirmed that Arsenal are still looking at opportunities after signing Kepa, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres.

“Let’s see,” Arteta said when asked about Arsenal’s transfer plans for the rest of the window.

“Let’s see what happens, in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks.

“But, we are actively looking at options. As well, there are a few players, maybe, that they have to leave as well. So, we will be open to see what happens.”

It’s important to note that a move for Eze still hasn’t been entirely ruled out by credible media sources, but Tottenham appear to be taking pole position for him right now amid their glaring need for a playmaker to replace the injured James Maddison.

Arsenal’s hesitation is a result of their already-stocked central attacking midfield (talkSPORT), with club captain Martin Odegaard set for another key role going forward and Ethan Nwaneri tipped for more minutes after committing his future to the Emirates Stadium.

In truth, Arteta is very well reinforced in midfield, having also welcomed the arrivals of Zubimendi and Norgaard to replace Jorginho and Thomas Partey – who both left N5 after their contracts expired.

Norgaard in particular already boasts considerable Premier League experience from his time at Brentford, where he captained the Bees and stood out as perhaps one of their more underappreciated key players.

Mikkel Damsgaard says Arsenal have made a "surprising" signing in Norgaard

His former teammate at the Gtech Community Stadium, Mikkel Damsgaard, is convinced that Norgaard will be a quality signing for Arteta – albeit a “surprising” one.

Speaking to Danish news outlet Tipsbladet, via Sport Witness, Damsgaard says his fellow Dane is a hard-working player and backs him to succeed in north London.

Interestingly, former Tottenham director Frank Arnesen echoes this sentiment – calling Norgaard the “whole package”.

The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract with Arsenal, who spent an initial £10 million, plus £5m in add-ons, to secure his signature.

Brazilian coach Abel Braga is bothered by Carlo Ancelotti's nationality and has claimed the Italian won't win the World Cup with the Selecao.

Braga targets Ancelotti ahead of Bolivia gameManager bothered by Italian's nationalityBrazil yet to lose under former Real Madrid bossFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Experienced Brazilian manager Braga has been critical of Ancelotti's appointment, casting doubts over his suitability to the role because of his nationality. While the 73-year-old agreed that the team have shown improvement under the Italian's mentorship, he feels a foreign coach cannot be as committed to the cause as one from Brazil. 

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After Real Madrid relieved him of his duties in the summer, Brazil appointed Ancelotti as coach Dorival Junior's replacement. While his tenure had a rough start as they drew 0-0 with Ecuador in June, they bounced back with a narrow win against Paraguay and saw further improvements last week as they ousted Chile 3-0. With Brazil now second in the World Cup qualifying table, Braga acknowledged their progress under the new boss, but admitted that Ancelotti being Italian "bothers" him.

WHAT BRAGA SAID

Braga said to : "It bothers me. I'm not talking about the quality of the person; everyone who knows him personally says he's very good. It's just that when you open his jacket, his skin isn't green and yellow. The five world titles were won by Brazilians, so there's a certain sadness, because no one believes in the Brazilian coach. The results are the same at clubs. Ancelotti's first game was ugly, terrible, the team nervous, sitting back. I was surprised to see the comments the next day. They didn't talk about the performance; they said Brazil was closer to the World Cup. If it had been Dorival or Diniz, it wouldn't have happened like that; there would have been criticism all the time. Since there was such relief from the press, that carried over to the other games."

He further commented about Ancelotti failing to deliver the World Cup in 2026: "I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think he'll be a world champion. We'll have to wait a little longer. That other generation, with Endrick, Estevao, those guys are going to conquer. They're all outstanding."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BRAZIL?

Brazil will play their next qualifier against Bolivia today. They currently sit second in the standings, 10 points behind Argentina.

“What’s in my power right now is to play the Buchi Babu tournament, go on to play the Duleep Trophy and then see what happens”

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2024Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, wants to have some “red-ball fun” but is aware the road back to the Test side will not be all that straightforward.As things stand, there are at least four others, including his Mumbai team-mates Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer, along with KL Rahul and Rajat Patidar, ahead of him in the pecking order. But he wants to give the long-form cricket another proper crack in a bid to add to his one-Test appearance last year, against Australia in Nagpur.”There are a lot of people who have worked really hard to earn their place and even I want to earn that spot again,” Suryakumar told reporters in Coimbatore on Monday after Mumbai’s training session on the sidelines of the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament.Related

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“I made my debut for India in Tests. After that, I got injured as well. There were a lot of people who got an opportunity and have done well too. They deserve that opportunity right now.”Going forward, if I have to play, then I will automatically play. That’s not in my control. What’s in my power right now is to play the Buchi Babu tournament, go on to play the Duleep Trophy and then see what happens. But yes, I’m really looking forward. There are ten Test matches lined up and I’m obviously excited for some red-ball fun.”Suryakumar hasn’t played a first-class fixture since last year’s Duleep Trophy 13 months ago. Between then and now, he has recuperated from a groin surgery in Germany that kept him out of action for three months. During this period, he was part of the ODI and T20 World Cups.Suryakumar Yadav recently led India to a 3-0 sweep in the T20I series in Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesHe was named full-time T20I captain after Rohit retired from the format following India’s title win in the Caribbean. Recently, he led India to a 3-0 T20I series sweep in Sri Lanka. After the Buchi Babu fixture, he will head to Anantapur for the Duleep Trophy, where he has been named in the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India C squad.”Red-ball cricket has always been my priority,” Suryakumar said. “When I grew up in the maidans of Mumbai and played a lot of local cricket, I started playing with the red cherry. The love for the longest format began there, and has always been there.”I have taken part in a lot of first-class matches for more than ten years now and I still cherish playing this format. There’s no question about it and that’s why I’m here before the Duleep Trophy.”I will always look for an opportunity to come and play for Mumbai, be it in first-class cricket or a tournament like the Buchi Babu. A lot of international players have played in this competition before and have gone on to represent the country.”Suryakumar’s return to long-form cricket comes at a time when India are slated to play ten Tests over the next four months, starting with the two-Test series against Bangladesh on September 19. That will be followed by three against New Zealand and five away, in Australia.

“I still cherish playing this format. There’s no question about it and that’s why I’m here before the Duleep Trophy”

For Suryakumar to make a pitch for a Test recall, he will need a series of tall scores. He is looking at the upcoming opportunity for Mumbai as a blessing to acclimatise to red-ball cricket quickly before the domestic season begins.”We are fortunate to have this tournament because we don’t get many multi-day games back home during this weather,” he said. “Yes, you can practise for a couple of hours, but standing in the heat for six hours and doing that three or four days in a row is only possible through a game. That’s very important going forward in the Duleep Trophy and, hopefully, in Tests.”Suryakumar has a decent red-ball record, having scored 5628 runs in 82 first-class matches at an average of 43.62. This includes 14 hundreds and 29 fifties. He could be a key player on turning tracks, where he can bring his attacking game to the fore. But he underlined the need to tailor his game to suit the demands of the format, and not bat like he would in a T20 game.”It’s necessary to adapt to the conditions well,” he said. “In Mumbai, you have red soil, but here [in Coimbatore] it is black soil and the wickets are a bit different. You have to be one step ahead in the challenging longest format and can’t bat like how you would in a T20.”But at the same time, intent is imperative. Everything else will take care of itself when you play. You can’t go into the game and ponder too much. You just have to go out, put your heart into it and enjoy the game. Stay humble if you do well. Go back to the drawing board and start again if you don’t.”

New Zealand produce their best batting performance of the series to offer a contest

Valkerie Baynes03-Jul-2024

Lauren Bell claimed her first five-wicket haul•Getty Images

Nat Sciver-Brunt’s unbeaten 76 and Lauren Bell’s five-wicket haul ensured England’s 3-0 sweep of the ODI series against New Zealand despite a vastly more spirited performance by the White Ferns.Amelia Kerr led the tourists with her half-century and England’s batting depth was called upon for the first time in the series as Hannah Rowe and Molly Penfold made early inroads in Bristol. The hosts had lost three wickets across the first two matches but today were 33 for 3 inside the powerplay, reduced to eight overs when rain delayed the start by 95 minutes and cut the match to 42 overs per side.Player of the series Maia Bouchier couldn’t push on from her unbeaten century in Worcester on Sunday but Sciver-Brunt, who had facilitated that milestone, produced a typically cool-headed innings to lead England out of danger and ultimately to victory. She and Amy Jones rescued England from 72 for 4 with a fifth-wicket stand worth 90 off 86 balls, Jones posting a run-a-ball fifty as the duo lifted their side 50 runs shy of the 212 target.Tammy Beaumont was put down by wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze off the first ball of the run-chase, a full delivery from Rowe, which swung away and caught the edge of Beaumont’s attempted drive. But then fortune swung New Zealand’s way just four balls later when Beaumont was given out lbw and declined to review with replays showing that the ball would have missed leg stump.When Heather Knight sent a leading edge straight back to the same bowler, England were 29 for 2 and Bouchier fell on the penultimate ball of the powerplay with an aborted pull shot off Penfold that ballooned to the keeper.Her dismissal brought Sophia Dunkley to the crease, back in the starting XI for the first time since a disappointing tour of New Zealand earlier this year as England shook up their team for this dead rubber. It was a nervy start for Dunkley, who faced six balls to get off the mark then overturned an lbw decision off Kerr’s fourth ball of the innings, a wrong’un which brushed her back leg high up as she lunged forward and was ultimately shown to be going over the stumps.Heather Knight lifts the series trophy after England’s 3-0 win over New Zealand•Getty Images

Two balls later, Dunkley managed to steer Kerr for four past short third and, settling into a rhythm, she then punched down the ground for another, more authoritative, boundary off Kerr’s next over when Sciver-Brunt also chimed in through midwicket. But Kerr curtailed Dunkley’s comeback via an inside edge as the batter shaped to cut and was caught behind for 15 off 24 balls.Sciver-Brunt brought up her 21st ODI fifty with a glorious drive down the ground for four off Rowe and Jones raised hers with a chipped single off Kerr towards point. Moments after Jones fell edging Brooke Halliday behind, Sciver-Brunt was dropped on 63 by Georgia Plimmer at cover. By that stage, England needed 49 from 69 balls and Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey eased their way home.Earlier, Bell’s five-wicket haul and Kerr’s fighting half-century gave a more even complexion to the contest than in the first two games, when New Zealand had struggled to string significant partnerships together and batters made starts without converting them to impactful innings.Kerr struck 59 and shared partnerships with Sophie Devine and Halliday worth 68 and 65 runs respectively to push the White Ferns to a good total, by far New Zealand’s best of the tour after they had been bowled out for 156 and 141 previously. But Bell’s 5 for 35 from nine overs kept the target manageable, especially in light of England’s current batting form, or so it seemed before the top-order collapse.In New Zealand’s innings, a sublime throw by Charlie Dean, firing the ball in from backward point, removed Plimmer and, though Kate Cross was expensive early, she made it 46 for 2 when Jones took an excellent catch off Suzie Bates.With Sophie Ecclestone rested for this match, Devine stepped up the rate against the home side’s other two spinners. She struck Sarah Glenn for two fours in three balls, through the covers to bring up the fifty stand with Kerr and to deep midwicket, then crunched Dean through the covers for another boundary in the next over.But Devine’s reaction said it all when Bell returned to the attack and struck with her second ball back, one that angled in from a full length as Devine shaped to cut and chopped onto her stumps, dropping her bat and throwing her head back in exasperation as a promising innings ended on 43.With Maddy Green having fallen to a marginal lbw decision to Cross while the DRS was unavailable, Kerr forged another partnership with Halliday, who made 51 in the series opener and 31 here.But Kerr and Halliday both fell within three balls of one Bell over, Kerr pinned lbw and Halliday caught behind down the leg side as the White Ferns went from 181 for 4 to 182 for 6. Bell and Sciver-Brunt then teamed up twice to remove Gaze and Lauren Down, Sciver-Brunt’s safe hands helping Bell to her maiden international five-for.Encouragingly for England, Sciver-Brunt sent down eight overs and, even though she went wicketless, it was her heaviest workload so far this series, having been restricted to spells of four and five overs in the previous two games as she manages her recovery from a knee problem.

Everton are beginning to make big changes after a positive end to the season and could now have an advantage in the race for a prolific striker, per a report.

Everton announce departures after victory at Newcastle United

In the immediate aftermath of an impressive triumph at Newcastle United last weekend, Everton have announced that loanees Jack Harrison, Armando Broja, Orel Mangala and Jesper Lindstrom have returned to their parent clubs.

Carlos Alcaraz is still in discussions over a permanent move to the Toffees, while confirmation on others is expected shortly as the end of the campaign enters full swing.

Ashley Young will leave the building before a new era begins at the Hill Dickinson Stadium that could see a spate of new arrivals to excite supporters ahead of pre-season.

In controversial fashion, Liverpool winger Ben Doak is a surprise target for Everton and could complete an unexpected move across Merseyside, breaking a 33-year record since the last time the two rivals conducted business.

Lindstrom and Harrison’s departures have left the Toffees light on the right-hand side, so it is reasonable to suspect there will be movement across the front four positions.

Moyes already has Everton's Doucoure replacement in future "top PL player"

With Abdoulaye Doucouré set to leave Everton after Sunday’s visit to Newcastle, does David Moyes already have a ready-made replacement?

By
Ben Gray

May 23, 2025

Centrally, Everton could now have a major advantage in their efforts to bring in a prolific striker following recent developments that have left the man in question impressed.

Liam Delap could join Everton after positive meeting

According to journalist Simon Phillips on Substack, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has been impressed by Everton’s pitch to him after a meeting over the England Under-21 international’s future, which still hangs in the balance.

His camp are set for a fresh round of talks with Newcastle United, and a decision on his next destination is expected this week as clubs battle to win the race for his signature amid his £30 million relegation release clause, but the striker was very happy after speaking with Goodison chiefs.

Liam Delap in 2024/25 – Premier League
Shots	68
Shots on target	32
Chances created	21
Expected Goals	9.34
Successful dribbles	40

Exceeding his expected goals total, Delap registered 12 goals in the top-flight this term alongside two assists in 37 appearances, which is a fine total in a first debut season for a side that eventually got relegated.

There is plenty of competition for his signature, but a likely shot at being the leading Everton striker in competition with Beto would see the former Manchester City star gain plenty of opportunities to continue developing under David Moyes.

Delap clearly likes what he sees from the Toffees’ initial discussions over a move to Merseyside, so it will be intriguing to see if a deal can be thrashed out between all parties.

Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this afternoon was enough to secure the club Champions League football ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Levi Colwill’s strike just minutes into the second half was enough to secure all three points for Enzo Maresca’s men, ending the year in fourth during the Italian’s first season at the helm.

Such an achievement is exceptional, handing the hierarchy a needed boost in the financial department, certainly aiding the current PSR standing and easing any concerns.

The win in the East Midlands was certainly a hard-fought contest, with the side deserving of a place among Europe’s elite, having the opportunity to claim a third European Cup.

However, despite the triumph, numerous players struggled to make the desired impact on Trentside, potentially putting their place in the side at risk over the summer transfer window.

Chelsea’s poor performers against Nottingham Forest

Midfielder Enzo Fernández has been widely linked with a move away from Chelsea in recent weeks, with Real Madrid the main outfit in the race for his signature.

The Argentine struggled to produce his best display in the win, failing to win a single tackle and only managed to complete 70% of the passes that he attempted.

He wasn’t alone in failing to impress, with attacking midfielder Cole Palmer once again disappointing and needing to recapture his best form in 2025/26.

The 23-year-old failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, and registered a measly completion rate of just 17% from the crosses he put into the box.

However, despite the showings from the aforementioned duo, one other first-team regular was unable to extract his highest performance levels, putting his long-term future at Stamford Bridge at huge risk.

The 5/10 Chelsea star who may never play for the club again

This summer is now likely to be an exciting one for Chelsea supporters, with the manager now able to have the extra funds to make the changes he desires to his playing squad.

He’s done a magnificent job in leading the side to a place in the top five, deserving the chance to land any targets he feels would improve the options at his disposal.

However, he will likely want to move players on in the process, with winger Jadon Sancho still having a huge question mark next to his future in West London over the coming months.

The 25-year-old joined on loan from Manchester United last summer, with an obligation to buy for £25m, but they could pay a fee in the region of £5m to send him back to his parent club.

However, his showing in the East Midlands was one that wouldn’t have satisfied the hierarchy, which could spell the end of his stint as a Chelsea first-team player.

Sancho featured for 62 minutes of the contest, failing to register any efforts on goal and was unable to complete any dribbles, showcasing his lack of impact in the final third.

He also only registered a measly tally of 32 touches, a figure that was lower than that of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who managed a total of 44.

Minutes played

62

Touches

32

Shots taken

0

Dribbles completed

0

Tackles won

0

Aerials lost

100%

Possession lost

6x

The loanee also failed to win a single tackle, whilst losing 100% of the aerial duels he entered, showcasing his inability to impress across all areas of the pitch.

As a result of his disappointing showing against the Reds, he was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by The Standard’s Malik Ouzia – highlighting the disappointing performance he produced.

Such a display will put doubt in Maresca’s mind over his long-term future, potentially saving them £20m to invest in other targets if they send him back to Old Trafford.

It’s safe to say that his time with the Blues has been well below the levels many expected, with the hierarchy needing to make sure that his outing today was his last for the club.

Their new Palmer: Chelsea lining up move for "direct" £75m PL star

Chelsea are again forecast to be busy in this summer’s transfer market, so could they sign a “direct’ Premier League star to be the next Cole Palmer?

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Tottenham Hotspur are in contact with a former Bayern Munich boss to potentially replace under-pressure head coach Ange Postecoglou, according to reports, with the clock seemingly ticking on his stay in N17.

Tottenham likely to part ways with Ange Postecoglou

The prospect of Postecoglou’s departure from north London is gaining more and more traction.

Jamie O'Hara thrilled by "brilliant" new manager Tottenham could appoint

He’s got credentials.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 24, 2025

This week, The Telegraph reported that Tottenham could relieve Postecoglou of his duties, regardless of whether the Lilywhites end their 17-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Even an historic night in Bilbao may not be enough to save the Australian, with Spurs on course for their worst ever Premier League season to date. They’re just one loss away from equalling their record for most defeats in a single domestic season, and it is highly likely Postecoglou is bestowed with that dismal record as champions elect, Liverpool, await them next at Anfield.

The 59-year-old has faced an uphill battle all season long, having lost a plethora of key players to injury for extended periods on a consistent basis, but 16th in the table is arguably still nowhere near good enough – even when factoring in their serious bad luck.

Attention is already turning to who could succeed Postecoglou, and there is no shortage of candidates linked to the potentially vacant role.

Mauricio Pochettino would privately love a return to Tottenham, according to reports, while the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all been linked recently.

Now, a new name in the form of ex-Croatia captain and former Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovač has emerged as a managerial target.

Tottenham make contact with Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovač

The 53-year-old was appointed by Borussia Dortmund on an 18-month deal to replace the sacked Nuri Şahin, and he’s since done a solid job, as Kovac attempts to spearhead European qualification after a previously disappointing campaign for the Bundesliga heavyweights.

The tactician, who’s previously won a German title with Bayern and two German cups – one with the Bavarians and one at Eintracht Frankfurt – has now turned heads at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

According to newspaper Bild, via Sport Witness, Tottenham have made contact with Kovac, via an intermediary but not directly with the club, as chairman Daniel Levy casts his net to Europe in search of a new head coach.

Spurs are said to view him as a good fit due to his intense and aggressive style of play, but as things stand, he doesn’t have an interest in leaving Dortmund. If this stance changes, Kovac’s reputation as a true leader appears to be exactly what Tottenham are crying out for.

“He [Kovac] has experience, he was a very good player and was the captain of the Croatia national team,” said Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus.

“He has charisma, he has passion, he knows about football. He was a leader as a player and is showing this as a coach too.”

Their captain looked underdone with the ball, and their fielding was patchy, as Australia had another bad day in Perth

Alex Malcolm23-Nov-20241:39

McDonald: ‘Second new ball could be our entry point back’

Mitchell Starc has never had a great poker face. Frustration was writ large all over it after Usman Khawaja was unable to grasp a rare low edge offered by Yashasvi Jaiswal at first slip.India were 104 without loss, leading by 150, on the same surface they had been bowled out on for 150 just 24 hours earlier. The same pitch which Australia had been bowled out for 104 on earlier in the day.It was the same exasperated look Starc had cut before tea when he was bowling around the wicket to Jaiswal with four men in the deep with a 22-over old ball.It was the same exasperation he had shown the night before in the post-day press conference, when he bristled at the idea that the pitch was too spicy to bat on.”The bowlers are allowed to bowl good balls,” Starc said. “There’s a lot spoken about when there’s a lot of runs, it’s like, the bowlers bowled badly. When there’s wickets, the [pitches] are tough. You’re allowed to bowl good balls. Maybe credit should go to both teams’ bowlers.”Despite 20 wickets falling in four sessions, the pitch was now deemed so flat that Starc was replaced by a batter to bowl bouncers with a 24-over old ball that still had a decent shine and Kookaburra’s gold lettering on it. The seam movement had diminished quite a bit in the middle session of day two, as the warm Perth sun and several extra rolls had helped settle the surface. But it hadn’t diminished so much as to warrant Pat Cummins abandoning all plans of standing the seam up on a good length and using Marnus Labuschagne to bowl bouncers after 24 overs.Australia had a bad day. They’ve had two bad days in a row. By the close, India’s lead had swelled to 218 and the opening partnership remained unbroken on 172. It was such a bad day that coach Andrew McDonald did the post-play press conference in a sure sign that things had gone rapidly awry after six months of careful planning.Starc was entitled to be frustrated by it all given he has been one of their standout performers over two poor days with both bat and ball. He had survived nearly the same number of deliveries as Australia’s entire top six combined while batting on this pitch.But it is rare to see this Australian unit so frazzled. Calm and consistent is their mantra. They have been anything but. They will never say it publicly, but there is no doubt Starc and his fellow bowlers were frustrated at the batting unit. These types of tensions happen all the time in cricket teams all over the world. It was clearly there today, exacerbated by the wonderfully controlled partnership between Jaiswal and KL Rahul who deserve an enormous amount of credit for grinding some excellent bowling down over a long period with outstanding decision-making and execution.But truthfully, Starc and Josh Hazlewood aside, Australia’s side have not looked particularly sharp overall.Related

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Cummins has epitomised that lack of sharpness. He came in deliberately undercooked. He was the only one of the three fast bowlers not to play a Sheffield Shield game before the Test series. He said before the Test that he prefers to be underdone ahead of a big series.It has shown across two days. He has been the most expensive of the quicks and the least threatening.The opposing captain, Jasprit Bumrah, had hardly overpitched in 18.2 overs of flawless bowling to tear through Australia’s batting line-up. Cummins’ lengths were nowhere near as precise by comparison. He is one of the few bowlers in the game to have been driven down the ground on multiple occasions.He dropped Rishabh Pant on 26 on the first day and failed to take a review that would have dismissed Nitish Kumar Reddy on 11, having burnt two reviews earlier on frivolous appeals.He bowled a bouncer late on the second afternoon that went for five wides. It is rare to see Cummins perform so far below his high benchmark.The pressure mounted on Pat Cummins and Australia on day two in Perth•Getty ImagesAustralia’s fielding has not been flawless either. Khawaja has dropped two chances across two days. One cost very little, the cost of the other is still counting.Just after his miss, Steven Smith had a run-out chance following a mix-up between Jaiswal and Rahul. But Smith’s throw to the non-striker’s was wide and wild, giving Nathan Lyon no chance of gathering cleanly.McDonald presented a picture of calmness, despite how his team had performed.”Morale is always good,” McDonald said. “It’s a pretty level team, whether it’s a good day or a bad day. We’ve got some problems to solve ahead of us. There’s no doubt we’re clearly well behind the game at this stage.”McDonald showed sterner defence than his batter’s had the day before, dead-batting questions around his team’s body language and the fact that his bowling coach, Daniel Vettori, was on the other side of the world preparing for the IPL auction with another employer after the bowlers had gone wicketless through 57 overs.”In terms of the way that we bowled, I don’t think was too dissimilar [to yesterday],” McDonald said. “Potentially, early on, we may have been a fraction short if I was to be critical, but I thought they went about their work well.”Beneath that calm exterior, it is clear though that the change in pitch conditions have flummoxed a team that is meticulous in its planning, with the ball-tracking data they base a lot of their plans around suggesting the swing and seam movement had all but disappeared by the end of day two.”The surface looked considerably drier today, it dried out fairly quickly,” McDonald said. “We thought there may have been a little bit more there. I suppose, if you want to say that we’re a little bit surprised, yeah, there wasn’t as much seam movement or swing, and I think the bowlers were presenting the same in a similar fashion to the way they were yesterday.”Australia have three days to avoid exasperation turning to despair and there is a lot of cricket left in this series to fight their way back.But cracks are appearing in Perth. Just not the kind they were hoping for.

Morgan scored a majestic 87* off 35 against Warriors, while Pollard made a seven-ball 26 against Bulls

Aadam Patel01-Dec-2022In terms of making statements, two wins in less than 24 hours is some way to go about business and that is exactly what New York Strikers have done at the Abu Dhabi T10.Since losing their first game on opening night, Kieron Pollard’s side have won five on the trot and after Eoin Morgan’s majestic 87* off 35 deliveries on Wednesday night against Northern Warriors, it was the turn of Pollard for some last over heroics against Delhi Bulls.With 22 runs needed off the last over in the first game of Thursday’s triple-header, Pollard stepped up to the plate and hit Dwayne Bravo for two sixes and then two fours to seal yet another victory. Morgan may have done it on the last ball. Pollard ensured there was none of that drama and did it with two to spare.In truth, a target of 113 should not have posed a serious challenge, especially the day after Strikers had chased down 144 and scored the highest total of the tournament thus far.After winning the toss, Tom Banton’s 46 off 23 allowed the Bulls reach three figures in a game where Rashid Khan made his eagerly-awaited debut for the Strikers franchise and without taking a wicket, showed his class with a tight couple of overs.Morgan’s heroics the night before meant that Strikers opted for the rather experienced if not unusual pairing of himself and Paul Stirling to open the batting. It was a strange sight for a man regarded in his prime as one of the great finishers but this is T10 and anything goes. The former England captain was in the runs again but failed to accelerate and when he was dismissed for 32, his side was still up against it, requiring 40 from 15.Step forward Azam Khan and Pollard. The floating powerplay in the penultimate over went for 16 and it came down to the heavyweight contest between Pollard and Bravo and a battle of two men who know each other so well.Bravo’s first delivery was a slower ball and Pollard landed the first punch and when Bravo’s second ball went the distance as well, the game was as good as done. By now, Bravo had lost his composure and his full toss was sent to the ropes, before Pollard finished the job with another boundary.It was a knockout blow that was celebrated with a clenched fist and a welcome knock for the skipper after a barren run in the competition, despite the form of his side. Since scoring 45* on opening night in a losing cause, Pollard had managed just one run in three innings but Thursday night in Abu Dhabi offered a reminder of his ruthless finishing ability and why he is still feared by bowlers around the world. That knack of hitting sixes at will sets him apart and if he carries on over the next few days, then there is every chance that the Strikers strike gold at the first time of asking.And while the Strikers seem to be hitting form at the right time, Team Abu Dhabi are also hitting the correct notes. It was the second successive night they restricted their opposition to a total of under 75 and again, they chased it down with relative ease.Once the in-form Iftikhar Ahmed was dismissed for two, Bangla Tigers struggled to get going and eventually ended on 74 for five. Chris Lynn’s unbeaten 34 navigated his side to the end before Brandon King hit the winning runs by sweeping Jake Lintott for six.Friday night’s last group game between the Strikers and Team Abu Dhabi is set to be a clash between two sides that are getting better and better as the tournament goes on and it would hardly be a surprise if the two teams were to meet again on finals weekend.

And is Joe Root’s 5 for 8 the best bowling performance by an England captain?

Steven Lynch02-Mar-2021Was last week’s two-day Test at Ahmedabad the shortest of all? asked Baskar Raghavan from India
The third Test in Ahmedabad lasted just 140.2 overs – or 842 balls – in all. That puts it seventh on the list of the briefest completed Test matches: it’s the shortest since 1934-35, when England beat West Indies on a rain-affected pitch in Bridgetown, in a match that lasted only 112 overs (672 balls).Three years earlier, on a similarly spiteful track in Melbourne, Australia beat South Africa in the shortest completed Test of all. It lasted just 109.2 overs (656 balls): South Africa were bowled out for 36 (left-arm spinner Bert Ironmonger, who was two months short of his 50th birthday, took 5 for 6) and 45 (Ironmonger 6 for 18).For the list of the shortest Tests of all, click here. (Note that this table includes drawn games; to see the shortest matches with a positive result, look down the fifth column to see the winners.)Overall, as this list shows, the Ahmedabad Test was the 22nd to be finished inside two days. A lot of those were early matches played on uncovered pitches – there have been only eight two-day finishes in more than 2000 Tests since 1946. The last time England lost inside two days was almost 100 years ago, in May 1921, when Australia won by ten wickets at Trent Bridge.Axar Patel took a wicket with the first ball he bowled in both innings of the third Test. Has anyone ever done this before? asked Mithun Pandey from India
Rather surprisingly perhaps, that feat by India’s Axar Patel, who took a wicket with his first delivery in both innings of the recent two-day Test in Ahmedabad, appears to have happened only once before (full details are not available for all Tests, but there don’t seem to be many other candidates). The other man known to have done it was also an Indian left-arm bowler: Zaheer Khan dismissed the Bangladesh opener Javed Omar for a king pair in Mirpur in May 2007, striking with the first ball of both the first innings and the follow-on.Gubby Allen’s 7 for 80 against India at The Oval in 1936 remain the best figures by an England captain•Getty ImagesAxar Patel has 18 wickets after two Tests. What’s the record? And with another Test at Ahmedabad coming up, what’s the best for three? asked Jeremy King from England
Axar Patel is one of five bowlers who took 18 wickets in their first two Tests: the others were John Ferris and Clarrie Grimmett of Australia, Alf Valentine of West Indies, and Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka. Five others took more: Sydney Barnes of England and Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan had 19, Bob Massie of Australia 21 and England’s Alec Bedser 22, while the Indian legspinner Narendra Hirwani led the way with 24 wickets after two Tests.The number for Patel to shoot at in the final Test is 31, by Hirwani again – so he needs the little matter of 14 wickets to beat that. Charles “Terror” Turner of Australia had 29 wickets after three Tests, and a more recent Aussie, Rodney Hogg, had 27. Then come Mendis and Australian legspinner Herbert “Ranji” Hordern with 26, and Bedser, Ferris, the South African seamer Vernon Philander, and England’s Fred Trueman with 24.Where does Joe Root’s 5 for 8 rank on the list of best bowling figures by an England captain? asked John Lynch from Vanuatu
There have been only three statistically better bowling analyses by England captains in Tests than Joe Root’s 5 for 8 in Ahmedabad last week. Bob Willis claimed 6 for 101 against India at Lord’s in 1982, while Sussex’s Arthur Gilligan had phenomenal figures of 6 for 7 as South Africa were bowled out for 30 at Edgbaston in 1924. But the best bowling figures of all by an England captain remain Gubby Allen’s 7 for 80 against India at The Oval in 1936.It’s an indication of the scarcity of bowling captains, especially for England, that there have been only 15 five-fors by their skippers in Tests.Ishant Sharma hit the first six of his career in his 100th Test. Has anyone taken longer to hit their first six? asked Sanjit Srivastava from Canada
There is only one player who waited longer for his first Test six than Ishant Sharma, who celebrated his 100th cap in Ahmedabad by finally clearing the ropes: Glenn McGrath of Australia collected his first (and only) six in his 102nd Test. The most matches in a complete career without a single six is 86, by England’s Derek Underwood, and the most Test runs without one is 3835, by another England player, Jonathan Trott. For that list, click here.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions