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He underwent scans after reporting soreness following the third ODI, where he bowled a spell of sustained short balls

Andrew McGlashan27-Sep-2024

Australia face a nervous wait on the fitness of allrounder Cameron Green after he was ruled out of the final two ODIs against England with a back injury.Green underwent scans after reporting soreness following the third ODI in Durham, where he bowled a spell of sustained short balls, and will undergo further assessment on returning home to understand the full extent of the injury. He has already left the tour.”Cameron Green has sustained a back injury and will play no further part in the ODI tour of England,” a Cricket Australia statement said. “Scans in London overnight revealed the injury after Green reported soreness following the third ODI against England in Durham. He will return home for further assessment where his return to play management plan will be determined.”Green has previously suffered stress fractures of the back as he was coming through the domestic system and again in 2019, the year before he made his Test debut.”Obviously disappointing for him,” Travis Head said after the Lord’s ODI. “He’ll go home and get things sorted. I don’t know a hell of a lot of details but he’s been through these things before, Cam, it’s disappointing but he’ll know the way to get back.”While no timeline has yet been laid out for any potential layoff, if Green was sidelined for an extended period, it would have various knock-on effects to Australia’s planning for their home summer, and particularly the Test series against India, beyond the fact Green was appearing to re-establish himself in the Test side after the 174 not out in Wellington.Related

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Cummins: Having allrounders in the top six 'huge'

If not Steven Smith, then who? Australia's opening debate

He is currently a key figure amid the debate about the structure of Australia’s top order and where Steven Smith bats. If Green wasn’t available there would be a middle-order vacancy which would allow Smith back to No. 4 and the potential of a specialist opener coming in alongside Usman Khawaja.Earlier this month, head coach Andrew McDonald said the incumbent top six of Australia’s Test side would, barring injury, be the players who start the series against India but whether Smith will open was up for debate.If there was a need to bring in a player from outside that group it would open the door for the likes of Cameron Bancroft, Matt Renshaw and Marcus Harris. Renshaw was the reserve batter during the series against West Indies and New Zealand earlier this year following David Warner’s retirement.Then there would be the loss of Green’s overs. Last month Pat Cummins talked about his expectations that Green and Mitchell Marsh would have a vital role to play in sharing the workload with Australia’s frontline attack during the Tests. If it was only bowling that proved an issue for Green there would be the option of playing him as a specialist batter.”We know with Cameron Green, he has had stress fractures in his back in the past. Let’s hope it’s not that,” Ricky Ponting said on . “They still have the option of playing him as a batsman if it’s not too bad.”Without Green’s bowling it would put the spotlight back on Marsh’s role. He had not bowled since picking up an injury during the IPL until taking the ball at Lord’s where he removed Will Jacks in his second over. Marsh’s lack of recent bowling had not been a significant concern for the limited-overs teams with a number of pace-bowling allrounders available.Green had been expected to feature in at least one Sheffield Shield match in October before the start of Australia’s home international season. Pakistan visit for T20Is and ODIs ahead of the Tests against India which start on November 22 in Perth.

Arsenal are attempting to sign another player with Brentford’s Christian Norgaard and Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with the Gunners reliably reported to be closing in on deals for the latter two.

Agbonlahor slams "very odd" Arsenal transfer decision as Berta agrees deal

The Gunners are shopping “at Asda”.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 27, 2025

Earlier this week, following quick-fire talks with Brentford, Arsenal agreed a fee of around £10 million, plus an additional £5 million in add-ons, to sign the Denmark international as a replacement for Thomas Partey.

Norgaard has also been allowed to undergo a medical at Arsenal before signing his contract as the north Londoners’ third signing of the summer, following the reliably reported arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Straight after sealing a move for the 31-year-old, sporting director Andrea Berta immediately began work on Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera too. Arsenal opened talks with the La Liga side over a deal for Mosquera on Thursday, and he could cost under £17 million given the player is entering the final 12 months of his contract.

The 21-year-old can play both as a right-back and centre-back, with Mosquera said to have already agreed personal terms over a switch to the Emirates Stadium. Amidst all of these negotiations, though, Berta is still trying to bring in a new striker for Mikel Arteta.

The Italian has been simultaneously laying groundwork on moves for both Sporting CP’s iktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, before deciding which transfer is most feasible for Arsenal to pull off (BBC).

News surrounding the centre-forwards has been more scarce than usual this week, thanks to Arsenal’s many other transfer deals, but an update has now come to light on their chances of signing Sesko.

Arsenal in ongoing talks for Benjamin Sesko who wants to join

As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, the Slovenia international wants to join Arteta’s side, and he’s posing absolutely no issues when it comes to agreeing personal terms, contrary to some reports that he wants high wages.

Arsenal remain in ongoing talks over a deal for Sesko, and negotiations are ongoing with both the player’s representatives and Leipzig themselves. O’Rourke’s sources insist that this potential move isn’t being held up by the 22-year-old’s demands, so the indication is it must be a club-to-club issue.

It’s an increasingly confusing situation, as while reports suggest Sesko has a release clause near £70 million, others state that Leipzig could still demand as much as £85 million to let their star striker leave.

He bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season, his best return to date since moving to Germany, and Sesko has been praised for his physicality in particular.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Manchester United have already wasted no time in the transfer market, already making huge additions to the first-team squad, after the window opened on Sunday.

Matheus Cunha has already been confirmed as a Red Devils player, costing £62.5m from Wolverhampton Wanderers, looking to hand Ruben Amorim a new option in attacking areas.

However, after the club finished 15th in the Premier League this season, it’s evident that more changes are needed to prevent such a situation from reoccurring in the future.

It presents the manager with the perfect chance to overhaul the squad and recruit players he wants to fit the 3-4-2-1 system after taking the reins back in November.

Hefty funds are likely to be spent this summer to try and right the wrongs of 2024/25, with countless names continuously being linked with a switch to Old Trafford during the off-season.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

All areas of the United team have been subject to improvements during the ongoing window, with various names from all over the world touted for moves to join Amorim’s side.

Ronald Araujo, Ederson and Gonçalo Ramos have all been mentioned as potential summer targets, but no deals have been completed for any of the trio as of yet.

However, progress appears to have been made on a deal to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo after the Cameroonian confirmed he wanted to join the club earlier this week.

Man United Sources’ latest update confirms that an agreement for personal terms is edging closer, with the club and player set to agree on a £175k-per-week contract.

It’s been reported elsewhere that the Bees are demanding a package in the region of £70m to part ways with the 25-year-old, who’s scored 20 league goals this season.

Why United’s £70m target could be Amorim’s next Amad

Amad Diallo is a player who has taken his career to the next level at United this season, cementing himself as a key player within Amorim’s system at Old Trafford.

The Ivorian was given a chance to star by the 40-year-old after previously being handed limited opportunities by former boss Erik ten Hag – something which he’s taken full advantage of.

The 22-year-old has registered 11 goals and eight assists across all competitions, with eight of his efforts coming in the Premier League – making him the joint-top scorer along with Bruno Fernandes.

Amad can operate in a wing-back or attacking midfield role, often liking to cut inside onto his favoured left foot and get shots off, which has led to his impressive numbers in 2024/25.

Mbeumo could replicate such success at Old Trafford, given the fact he plays in a similar position and has also been known to cut inside off the right at Brentford.

His underlying stats in the Premier League this campaign are just as impressive, managing to better Amad in various key areas, which will inject added quality into the manager’s side.

The Bees star, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, has registered more combined goals and assists, along with a higher shot on target accuracy rate – handing the manager an added threat in front of goal.

He’s also managed to complete more progressive passes and more passes into the final third, allowing the players ahead of him to improve their own tallies as a result.

Mbeumo’s dominance doesn’t end there, winning more of the tackles he’s entered, whilst making more clearances – having the tools to star in a right wing-back role if needed.

£70m may seem like another mammoth investment from the board, but it’s one that would massively improve the options available to Amorim in various key areas.

The prospect of the Cameroonian at Old Trafford is certainly an exciting one, potentially being a deadly player in the final third – especially if he manages to follow in Amad’s footsteps in the North West.

Dorgu upgrade: Man Utd make "one of the best LBs in the PL" a top target

Man Utd could look to strengthen their wing-back options this summer

By
Robbie Walls

Jun 4, 2025

It might’ve only opened a few days ago, but the transfer window is already in full swing, and Arsenal need to get a move on.

After three years of coming close but failing each time, Mikel Arteta’s side need to ensure they finally get over the line in the Premier League next season, although to do that, the board need to provide them with some game-changing additions, or they’ll be left behind by their rivals.

For example, Manchester City have signed Tijjani Reijnders, Chelsea are close to signing Liam Delap, and perhaps most worrying of all, Liverpool look dead set on securing the sensationally gifted Florian Wirtz as soon as possible.

Yet, there might not be a need for fans to worry too much, as reports are now linking Arsenal to another tremendously exciting talent who could be their own answer to the Bayer Leverkusen gem.

Arsenal's transfer news

Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other potentially game-changing players Arsenal have been linked to and could still sign in recent weeks, like Eberechi Eze and Rafael Leao.

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 has a release clause in his current deal, reportedly worth around £68m, which would be a fee more than worth paying, as in just 43 appearances for Crystal Palace this season, the FA Cup winner scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists.

Likewise, Leao enjoyed a stellar campaign of his own, scoring 12 goals and providing 13 assists in 50 appearances, although with a release clause reportedly worth a staggering £145m, he might just be out of reach this summer.

However, there is another, arguably even more exciting, name now linked with the North Londoners: Xavi Simons.

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are one of several teams keen on the RB Leipzig star this summer.

The report has revealed that, alongside the Gunners, rivals including Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all interested in signing the Flying Dutchman, who is valued at about £65m by the German outfit.

It would be a costly and somewhat complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he could be their answer to Wirtz.

Why Simons would be Arsenal's answer to Wirtz

So, there are actually several ways in which Simons could be looked at as Arsenal’s own Wirtz – should this transfer happen – and the first is that he’s already won comparisons to the Leverkusen star.

For example, FBref compared players in similar positions in the Bundesliga this season and came to the conclusion that the German was the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dutchman.

The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, passing accuracy, passes into the penalty area, tackles and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.48

0.50

Non-Penalty Goals

0.21

0.23

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

78.3%

Key Passes

2.13

2.18

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.51

2.49

Tackles

1.17

1.23

On top of their undeniable statistical similarities, the pair would also seriously improve the attacking output of the teams they may be set to join.

For example, in the league alone this season, the Liverpool target racked up a brilliant haul of ten goals and 13 assists in 31 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.34 games.

It’s safe to say the former PSV star has really showcased why he’s “one of the best 10s in the world” in the words of one analyst on social media, scoring ten goals and providing seven assists in 25 league appearances, which comes out to a still sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.47 games.

Finally, both stars would be moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League at 22 years old to inject more creativity and cutting edge into two title rivals for next year.

Ultimately, while he might not be as exciting a name, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Simons this summer, as he could very much be their answer to Wirtz.

The dream XI Arsenal could build: £85m star & the "new Haaland" both sign

After another disappointing season, Arsenal have a big summer of transfers ahead of them.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 3, 2025

Chelsea are now preparing a £21m offer for a “dominant” defender, having been in regular contact over a deal, according to a report.

Blues set sights on new centre-back

The Blues are looking to bolster their defensive options this summer, and AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen has emerged as one of their key targets, although it may be difficult to win the race for the Spaniard, with a number of Premier League clubs in the race.

As such, the aforementioned report states the west Londoners could look to bring Marc Guehi back to Stamford Bridge, and a £40m move is being plotted, with the Englishman potentially in line to join for a cut-price fee, given that his contract expires in 2026.

There is no shortage of options from within the Premier League, with Nottingham Forest’s Murillo also being identified as a target, although the Brazilian will not come cheap, with a £80m asking price being touted.

He's better than Hato: Chelsea in the running to sign £68m "elite talent"

Chelsea could shift their focus away from signing Jorrel Hato if they can land this defensive titan instead.

ByKelan Sarson May 5, 2025

Not only are Enzo Maresca’s side considering moves for some of the Premier League’s top defenders, but they are also making moves to sign a young centre-back from La Liga.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now preparing a €25m (£21m) opening offer for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, who has been one of the revelations in La Liga this season.

Mosquera has been a key player for Valencia, and his impressive performances have led the Blues to make regular contact, with several other unnamed European clubs also expressing an interest.

There is a feeling that the 20-year-old could be allowed to leave this summer, given that his contract is set to expire in 2026, and there is a feeling that a bid of around £21m could be enough to get a deal over the line.

"Dominant" Mosquera impressing in La Liga

The Spanish youngster has managed to establish himself as a key player for Valencia this season, featuring 33 times in La Liga, and his performances have caught the eye of football scout Ben Mattinson, who believes he is underappreciated.

Mattinson points out that the Valencia ace is comfortable in possession, which is exemplified by the fact that he ranks in the 87th percentile for his pass completion rate per 90 over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs.

Of course, in a Maresca system it is important for every player to have quality on the ball, so Mosquera could be a perfect fit, and the proposed £21m fee should be no problem for a club of Chelsea’s stature.

Victory in the Merseyside derby appears to have been a false dawn, with Liverpool’s late-season decline very much still here after an error-strewn display saw Fulham claim victory over Arne Slot in the Premier League.

It was actually the first time that Liverpool and Slot had tasted defeat on the road in this term’s top flight, but stepping into the bracing summer air feels a distance away yet, for Fulham benefitted from some elementary defensive mistakes from the away side’s experienced and successful defenders.

Virgil van Dijk’s concerning but perhaps overblown dip in form continued, rarely at ease against the Londoners’ frontline and notably turned inside out by a Bergkamp-esque touch from Rodrigo Muniz, who proved to seal the win by scoring Fulham’s decisive third goal before the break.

However, Van Dijk, 33, is still one of the – if not the – best centre-backs in Europe; tying Liverpool’s captain down to one final contract is crucial.

The same can’t be said for Andrew Robertson, whose unwavering belief in his ability is admirable, but not enough given errors and a startling drop in athleticism and creativity have put his performances under a microscope this year.

Why Andy Robertson needs to be replaced

Robertson joined Liverpool way back when. Hull City’s talented full-back couldn’t save the Tigers from relegation in 2016/17, and so Jurgen Klopp saw an opportunity, swooped in and snapped him up for a cool £8m fee.

Now, he’s entering the twilight stage of his trophy-adorned career. Aged 31, Robertson has spent many years playing expertly in a high-octane, big-expectation outfit, but he’s past his best, with the defeat at Fulham the latest game in which he’s been culpable for a “dreadful error,” as was remarked by The Athletic’s James Pearce.

The Scotland captain also ceded possession on 12 occasions despite failing to complete a single key pass to help Liverpool’s attacking fluency, as per Sofascore.

It would be unfair to rebuke Robertson too harshly. He might be something of a weak link but he’s still been an important part of Liverpool’s campaign and is heading toward his second Premier League title.

But he needs replacing, for sure.

Plans have been mapped out already, it seems like Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is one of FSG’s most pressing transfer targets ahead of the summer window.

However, Robertson’s not the only player who showed in the capital that they need to be sold, with a ‘world-class’ star potentially having played his last.

Liverpool need to sell "world-class" star

Replacing Robertson would be for the greater good of Slot’s project, but there are one or two more regular starters on Merseyside who might also be cashed in this summer.

Caoimhin Kelleher being one of them. The goalkeeper has been brilliant as Liverpool’s back-up between the sticks, featuring 67 times in total for the first team, but his unconvincing performance against Fulham underscored the reasoning behind FSG’s decision to allow him to move away, to sign a replacement.

Fulham put three past their opponents at the weekend despite only accumulating an xG total of just 0.79, which basically means that Liverpool should really have prevented two, if not all three, of the strikes.

It’s becoming clear that Kelleher needs to be sold, having risen from Liverpool’s academy graduate to achieve a sort of cult status, so instrumental in winning domestic cups over the past few seasons.

Praised as a “world-class” shot-stopper by his skipper, Van Dijk, Kelleher cannot abide another campaign playing second fiddle and fair enough to him. A swarm of clubs were intrigued in signing the £35m-rated star last year, but he ultimately stayed put.

However, the Irishman has pulled no punches in expressing his desire to take the next step in his career and “leave and be a number one.”

However, he’s hardly failed to earn any attention at Anfield. Slot, to whom Alisson is “the best goalkeeper in the world,” has been forced to make do without his number one on many occasions this season. In fact, the 26-year-old’s skills have been called into play regularly over the past couple of years.

24/25

20

9

23/24

26

5

22/23

4

2

21/22

8

4

20/21

5

2

19/20

4

2

With Alisson unable to shake persistent injury problems, Kelleher has featured 46 times since the start of last season. His Brazilian counterpart has featured 60 times over the same period.

The Liverpool Echo certainly weren’t impressed, handing Kelleher a 5/10 match rating. While correspondent Ian Doyle noted that the Ireland international could do little about Ryan Sessegnon’s parity-restoring strike, there’s a case to be made that the following strikes could have been prevented, albeit with Iwobi’s shot taking a nicking deflection off the guilty Robertson.

With Giorgi Mamardashvili set to arrive from Valencia in the summer, it makes perfect sense to bank a fee for Kelleher before his deal expires in 2026.

Especially when the Georgian goalkeeper, still only 24, is putting in performances like that of last weekend, when Real Madrid was foiled in their own backyard.

Football is a fickle game and revisionism must be ignored as Liverpool enter this final stretch of the campaign a little sapped and disjointed.

If anything, such a dip would have told Slot more about his tools than the hitherto strength that allowed him to carve through so many of his club’s opponents for the lion’s share of the season.

Liverpool have suffered a few blots on the copybook of late, but make no mistake, this is an extraordinary feat acheived down Anfield Road. The Reds are heading toward the Premier League title, but change is sure to be afoot in the market this summer.

In west London, Kelleher, like Robertson, may well have shown why he needs to be sold this summer.

Worse than Salah: Slot must axe 5/10 Liverpool ace who made just 2 passes

Liverpool suffered just their second Premier League defeat of the season this afternoon.

2 ByEthan Lamb Apr 6, 2025

GT’s No. 4 talks about his first full-fledged IPL season and his hopes to lift the trophy

Deivarayan Muthu and S Sudarshanan28-May-20252:34

Rutherford: “Important for me to keep learning and adding to my game”

Sherfane Rutherford is a two-time IPL winner, but he didn’t play any matches in those tournaments. He was a reserve with Mumbai Indians in 2020 and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. Across five seasons and five franchises (he was with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021 as a replacement, but again, didn’t play) before IPL 2025, he batted in only ten games, but this year he has finally shed his tag as a back-up for players like Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell and carved out his own identity with Gujarat Titans.While Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler have piled on the runs at the top for GT, Rutherford has been a silent contributor in the middle order, scoring 267 runs in ten innings (as of May 27) at a strike rate of 157.05, which is higher than that of other overseas middle-order batters in the league, such as Tristan Stubbs and Shimron Hetmyer.Not many expected Rutherford to start the season ahead of Glenn Phillips, let alone bat at No. 4, but head coach Ashish Nehra and the team management saw his potential to anchor an innings as well as to finish it.”The IPL has always been one of the biggest learning curves for me,” Rutherford says. “Every time I come to the IPL, I try to learn as much from the players and coaches. I think coming into GT this year and having the chance to play [regularly] has been good for me.Related

• 'He timed it beautifully and got his match-up' – Williamson and Powell laud Rutherford

• The middle-order silver lining in Gujarat Titans' heavy defeat

• Three games, 664 runs conceded – GT bowlers 'losing form at the wrong time'

“It’s an opportunity I’ve been looking forward to for my whole IPL career. I think it’s important for me to keep learning, keep looking to get better, keep trying to take those opportunities given to me. And hopefully, I can make this IPL a good one for myself and for my team.”Rutherford had a rough initiation into the Titans set-up when he failed to seal a chase of 244 – at one point seeming within his grasp – against Punjab Kings. After hitting two sixes and a four off his first five balls, he got stuck against Vijaykumar Vyshak’s wide yorkers for two overs, though he has had a strike rate of nearly 180 against balls wide outside off since the start of 2021.”Hitting the ball over cover, hitting the wide ball, has been something that I’ve been known for in CPL,” Rutherford says. “My whole life, growing up, I have been good at hitting the ball on the outside. I spoke to a few players as well. One thing I learned is that it happens, and on that day, I wasn’t up to the mark for playing the wide ones.”But I feel like it is something I am good enough to do, and I’m willing to accept that challenge again. Some days it’s good to accept it and just move forward and not to dwell on it for too long.”Rutherford put that game behind him. Less than a month later, he helped finish a match against Delhi Capitals, coming to the crease when GT needed 130 off 75 balls. With Buttler in boss mode at the other end, Rutherford played a measured innings, scoring 43 off 34 balls, as Titans successfully chased a 200-plus target for the first time in the IPL.”Jos is very calm, very experienced,” Rutherford said. “The important thing in that conversation was, ‘Just play the ball and forget about the score. Just read the situation, play every ball at its merit.'”I’m a natural hitter of the ball. I can hit sixes when I want. It was important for me to just know which ball I’m going to hit and which ball I’m going to take on and just keep going, keep batting and take it as deep as possible.”Rutherford (centre) chats with Rovman Powell (left) and Dwayne Bravo, who has had a big impact on Rutherford’s career: “Ever since he came to the [CPL] squad, he was like, you’re going to bat at No. 4. He gave me that role”•BCCIA key moment in Rutherford’s evolution as a versatile middle-order batter came in the 2024 T20 World Cup game against New Zealand. On a tough Trinidad pitch, where West Indies had lost four wickets in the powerplay, Rutherford repaired the innings and then gave it a finishing kick, targeting Daryl Mitchell, the weakest link in the New Zealand attack. During his unbeaten 68 off 39 balls, he displayed a combination of skill and sense.”It was a game that needed batsmanship and I thought I did well,” Rutherford recalled. “I think as a player, I want to be that guy more often than not. As I said, cricket is a game where you have to keep trying. Once you keep trying, you know you’re in. I learned that I can always make up in the end. It’s important to rotate strike, get off strike, hit those gaps, capitalise on bad balls, and once I’m in, I can always make a difference.”It’s important for me to evolve. The game is evolving, so I want to be evolving. I made a promise to myself that I just don’t want to be a hitter. I want to be a batter. So, you know, I’m still learning, and I’m still trying to add more to my game. And I think it’s important for me to just keep learning and keep adding.”Dwayne Bravo has had a strong influence on Rutherford’s progress, having captained and mentored him during St Kitts and Nevis Patriots’ run to win their maiden CPL title, in 2021.Rutherford (second from right) celebrating a win with his St Kitts and Nevis Patriots team-mates during their title-winning campaign in 2021•Randy Brooks/CPL T20/ Getty ImagesRutherford made his T20I debut for West Indies in 2018, but it was only after the 2021 CPL title under Bravo that he believed that he could cut it at the top level. He has since become a sought-after player in T20 leagues. After the IPL, he will head to MLC to play for Los Angeles Knight Riders and then join Barbados Royals in the CPL.”Bravo has always been like a brother to me,” Rutherford says. “He has been one of the coolest guys I’ve worked with as a player. And even as a coach, when he came to St Kitts that year, I could remember that he was like, ‘You’re going to bat at No. 4.’ He said, ‘You have the ability. You’re going to bat at four, so just make sure you are ready.'”I was very happy because, as I said, I always want to be a batter, not just a finisher. I think he saw that in me and gave me that role. Ever since then, I try to keep working on batting. Even when I’m in the nets, I don’t really do any big hits. I just try to play good cricket shots and get in a good position.”That didn’t happen in GT’s heavy defeat against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, where Rutherford ended up flapping Anshul Kamboj to mid-on for a duck. H e has a chance to remedy that and win his first IPL title as a playing member of a team.”Yeah, it [winning the IPL title with GT] will mean a lot,” he says. “I had this conversation with a few of my West Indies colleagues, but yeah, it’s going to be better. I kind of feel better playing… being a part of a team and contributing to a win. So I’m really excited and looking forward to it this year.”

The first fortnight of the tournament has been a mixed bag for most teams, save for India and New Zealand, who have been in impressive form

Ian Chappell22-Oct-2023Each 50-over men’s World Cup provides its share of surprises but I wasn’t expecting two favourites, England and Australia, to be struggling to keep their heads above water.England’s loss to Afghanistan was a huge upset and it means they now have to be near flawless to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament. This won’t be easy; they face some tough opposition.Australia’s batting was dismal in their two lacklustre losses, but they at least showed improvement in beating both Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Australia’s inability to cope effectively with good spin bowling was no great surprise but it did confirm their deficiencies. This signal is not one to send their more fancied opponents. However, it was their shoddy fielding that stood out in Australia’s losses – a failing that often relates to a loss of confidence.They were able to regain their poise in claiming back-to-back victories and those wins came via a much needed improvement in both their pace and spin bowling, and encouragingly against Pakistan, a mammoth opening partnership. The scintillating form of both David Warner and Mitchell Marsh provides a huge fillip to their prospects.Related

The World Cup has progressed as expected – except for England's total disintegration

The price of being Babar Azam

Slow and steady England not winning the powerplay race

NZ keep perfect record as Afghanistan fall apart in chase of 289

How will India fill the Hardik Pandya hole against New Zealand?

If Australia’s fielding was shoddy, Pakistan’s was absolutely abysmal and left them with a tough qualifying proposition. Australia, on the other hand, are talented enough to make the semi-finals but the major concern is their frailty in coping with good spin.England’s bowling has generally been profligate and their out-and-out speedster Mark Wood deserves an opportunity to use the new ball.The most impressive aspect of Afghanistan’s victory was their attacking attitude and ample spin-bowling threat. I first met the Afghanistan players in the Caribbean during the 2010 men’s T20 World Cup. They expressed the sentiment that they were not there to just make up the numbers. While this is regularly said but not necessarily true, the Afghanistan team – although short on batting talent – lived up to that impressive approach on the field.They have since added to their batting skill while retaining their aggressive attitude. Their spinners attacked, looking for English wickets, and they were backed by thoughtful field placings. When you compare the positive attitude of Afghanistan with the often disappointing negativity that surrounds Bangladesh’s performances, it’s a case of chalk and cheese.

If Australia’s fielding was shoddy, Pakistan’s was absolutely abysmal and left them with a tough qualifying proposition. Australia, on the other hand, are talented enough to make the semi-finals, but the major concern is their frailty in coping with good spin.

England have looked surprisingly tentative and Jos Buttler now has the difficult leadership task of galvanising his team. This will be a demanding test as both his batting and keeping have been disappointing so far, along with an absence of Eoin Morgan-like leadership aptitude.It was a matter of when, not if, South Africa would falter in a 50-over men’s World Cup – it’s their history. The fact that it came against Netherlands, who have many players with South African links in their squad only added to the drama.The skirmish between leading teams India and New Zealand today will be informative as it will provide an insight into the likelihood of their progress to the semi-final stage. In addition to their consistency, both sides have produced the right ingredients for success in the tournament. The two teams have individuals performing effectively in both run-scoring and wicket-taking.The injury to Hardik Pandya is a major concern for the otherwise in-form India, who will anxiously hope the vital allrounder still has a role to play in the tournament.The early stage of the World Cup has involved a lot of pushing and shoving but we now enter the do-or-die stage. The early stage has demonstrated how upsets influence the latter stages of the tournament. However, setting aside New Zealand’s perennial ability to punch above their weight in men’s World Cups, it should concern the ICC that it is the financial heavyweight teams that are once again flexing their muscles when it matters most.

India become the first side to lose 20 wickets in a Test match as a result of catches

Sampath Bandarupalli13-Jan-20221 Rishabh Pant’s century was the first for India in an all-out total under 200 in Test cricket. Twelve players before Pant have scored a Test hundred in an all-out innings of less than 200, but none while batting at No.6 or lower.58.82 Percentage of team runs contributed by Pant in the second innings. Only one batter made a higher contribution for India while batting at No. 6 or lower in a completed Test innings – 62.32% by Kapil Dev with his 129 against South Africa in 1992.