Left out of the side for three of England’s most recent seven Tests, veteran fast bowler works harder than ever to improve

George Dobell at Edgbaston01-Aug-2019Hold the obits; wait with the eulogies; save the send-offs: Stuart Broad isn’t done yet.Broad had been left out of the side for three of England’s most recent seven Tests and, with the team management looking at succession planning, it seemed he may be the man to make way permanently in the coming months.That’s understandable, too. James Anderson, with his skills apparently helping him defy the ageing process, is averaging 20.19 with the ball in Test cricket since the start of 2017. England don’t want to be in a position where their two opening bowlers finish at the same time and Anderson has made himself indispensable.There are younger, quicker bowlers for England to look to now. Had Jofra Archer or Mark Wood been considered fit for selection here, there is every chance Broad may have missed out. There was some thought given to selecting Olly Stone, who is a little quicker than Broad, or Sam Curran, who offers some left-arm variation, too. After many years of knowing his place in the side was secure, Broad is suddenly back in the pack, fighting for his place. And, maybe that has been key to his resurgence.Stuart Broad celebrates as Steve Smith is given out lbw, though the decision would be overturned on review•Getty ImagesBroad has had some experience of this new reality of late. He spent most of the Sri Lanka tour serving drinks to his team-mates; a task that could have proved hard to stomach for a proud man who is used to star billing. Many bowlers, with miles on the clock and legacies (and stats) to maintain, would have called it a day. It’s not as if Broad will struggle for opportunities once his playing career is over; with his looks and eloquence, it is anticipated he will join a broadcaster the moment he walks off the pitch.But Broad still loves it. And Broad still believes. So instead of moping or moaning, he used those weeks on the sidelines to tinker with his action and shorten his run-up. He reacted to the emergence of Archer by working harder than ever and showed that, even at the age of 33 and with more Test wickets behind him than any England bowler in history except Anderson, the humility and hunger to improve remained.”The crucial thing in top-level sport is to always look to improve,” he said after play on Thursday. “That’s been a philosophy of mine ever since Andrew Strauss took over as captain as he wanted his players to do that. And I felt that, aged 32 or 33, it was a good time to give my game a tweak and take it to a different level.”So I changed my run-up in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. I wanted to shorten my delivery stride to get a bit more bounce and potentially pace. And I’ve felt in great rhythm since doing that.”But that was just the start of the change. In recent weeks, he has also taken advice from the Nottinghamshire coaching staff and, in particular, former England head coach Peter Moores.”Peter and our analyst at Notts, Kunal Manek, came to me three or four weeks ago and told me my leave percentage [deliveries batsmen were leaving off his bowling] was a bit higher than my norm,” Broad explained. “So in the last month, I’ve been challenging myself to make the batsmen play as often as possible. That’s been my No. 1 goal. I’m focusing on getting the batsmen to play every ball. And today, my leave percentage was under 15%, which is really low as my average can be between 25-26%. It’s a little thing, but it’s brilliant coaching and analyst work.”The results were obvious. A harsh (and generalised) interpretation of the characteristics of Broad’s recent displays would be a decline in pace and a propensity to squander the new ball through bowling too short. Here, though, his average speed in his first ten overs – 86.54 mph – was his quickest since 2014. And, after starting with the fullest opening over of his Test career, he maintained that length for 31% of his deliveries throughout the day; his average over the last couple of years has been 23%. So even though there was little swing – “we just couldn’t buff the ball” – and even though there are no terrors in this surface (ignore the evidence of a scoreboard that read 122 for 8 at one stage; this pitch is fine), Broad’s accuracy and seam movement created problems in a batting line-up that, Steven Smith apart, looked surprisingly fragile.Broad’s fuller length directly accounted for three wickets – two leg before and one bowled – and perhaps indirectly accounted for the other two. While Cameron Bancroft could have left the ball he poked to the slips, he had managed just two scoring shots in his first 24 deliveries. He had been drawn forward and made to play so often that he jabbed at one he may have been in a better position – physically and mentally – to leave on another day. Later, Tim Paine, beaten twice by Broad early in his innings, snatched at a rare short ball and hit it directly to the man placed for the stroke.”I was surprised by the Paine wicket,” Broad admitted. “I had a short-leg and square-leg and I was trying to run it back into off stump to bring the short-leg into play. But Moeen Ali, at mid-off, told me Joe Root had asked me to bowl a bouncer. It was quite a slow pitch, so it didn’t really get up but Rooty had moved square leg back to the boundary without me knowing and Paine whacked it straight to him. Rooty knew about that plan more than me.”Stuart Broad is left stunned after Tim Paine falls into his short-ball trap•Getty ImagesAs the day wore on – as Smith settled, the ball softened and the loss of Anderson started to show in the legs of the England attack – Broad’s figures suffered. From 4 for 34 at one point, he looked disconcertingly innocuous for a while as Smith heaved him over midwicket for six or drove him back over his head for four.But he stuck to it. And midway through his 23rd over – only the third time since June 2018 that he has delivered more than 20 overs in a Test innings – he was rewarded with the wicket of Smith that completed his first five-for since April 1, 2018 and his first against Australia since August 2015 and that remarkable day at Trent Bridge. It was also his 100th Ashes wicket.”With my family history in it, I was always desperate to play in the Ashes and to have played this many series has been special,” he said. “There is no better feeling than lifting that urn. It’s the pinnacle for an English Test cricketer. It’s an honour to have taken that many wickets, but hopefully there are a few more to come.”Have I felt squeezed out in recent times? No. There are always people after your spot; that’s international cricket. But I feel very much part of the team. It’s a brilliant culture to be around.”It would be disingenuous to suggest that Archer – and in particular, his bouncers and yorkers – was not missed. Even if Smith handled Archer with comfort, it seems reasonable to presume that Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon may have been hurried and troubled. And even Smith can’t score runs without a partner.But Archer will need support. And, for at least the next six or seven weeks, Broad could still be one of the men to provide it. Still learning, still improving, still taking Australian wickets. Broad isn’t done just yet.

Pace dominates our team of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2019Two in-form openers, two steady No. 3s, three allrounders, one keeper-batsman, and four fast bowlers. That sums up the composite XI picked by ESPNcricinfo staff.ESPNcricinfo LtdFinalists England and New Zealand contribute three players each, with two apiece from semi-finalists Australia and India. Shakib Al Hasan was the only unanimous choice among the teams picked by 46 of our staff members (and the only front-line spin-bowling option), while Rohit Sharma, Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson and Jasprit Bumrah featured in over 90% of the teams. While ten spots in the XI were clear cut, the 11th was a close contest: Jimmy Neesham pipped the likes of David Warner, Babar Azam and Jos Buttler.Vote for your XI here.Jason RoyInns 7 Runs 443 Average 63.28 Strike Rate 115.36 100s/50s 1/4
Roy was the aggressor in England’s successful opening pairing. He and Bairstow had the best average and strike rate among opening pairs with at least 200 runs in the tournament – no surprise given they top those stats for any ODI opening pair with over 1000 partnership runs. Roy missed three matches due to injury; England lost two of those. His only single-digit score came in the loss to Pakistan. His 85 in the semi-final hastened Australia’s exit after the bowlers restricted them to 223.Rohit Sharma
Inns 9 Runs 648 Ave 81.00 SR 98.33 100s/50s 5/1
A record five hundreds made Rohit the leading run scorer of the tournament, and such was his form that his captain, Virat Kohli – the only one ahead of him in the ODI batting rankings now – called him the “best one-day player”. With regular opening partner Shikhar Dhawan ruled out, Rohit took on the onus of ensuring the team got off to good starts. Unfortunately for India, his run of three consecutive hundreds ended in the semi-final.Shakib Al HasanMatches 8 Runs 606 Ave 86.57 SR 96.03 Wickets 11 Ave 36.27 ER 5.39
Bangladesh’s management accepted his request to bat at No. 3, and Shakib, currently the world’s best ODI allrounder, repaid the faith with seven 50-plus scores in eight innings. His bowling was steady in a tournament where spinners struggled, but he managed to take a vital five-for against Afghanistan, becoming the first Bangladesh player to take a five-wicket haul at the World Cup, and the second to complete the double of a fifty and a five-for in a World Cup match. No wonder many felt he deserved the Player-of-the-Tournament award.Kane Williamson (capt)Inns 9 Runs 578 Ave 82.57 SR 74.96 100s/50s 2/2
As captain, Williamson would know best whether he should bat at No. 3 or not. He was New Zealand’s rock – with the bat in a fragile batting line-up and in the field in tense situations. He scored in tough conditions, and he all but led his team to the title after three straight defeats to end the league stage. He was voted the Player of the Tournament, and his composure after the cruel loss in the final will be an abiding memory of this World Cup.Ben StokesMatches 11 Runs 465 Ave 66.42 SR 93.18 Wickets 7 Ave 35.14 ER 4.83
The most runs for a batsman at No. 4 or lower in the tournament. Stokes scored five fifties in his ten innings, and remained unbeaten in the final, in which he was the Player of the Match, took a stunning catch against South Africa, and chipped in with the ball all through.Alex Carey (wk)Matches 10 Runs 375 Ave 62.50 SR 104.16 Dismissals 20
Not many would have tipped him to make this XI at the start of the tournament. Carey came up with crucial runs in close wins for Australia; Steve Waugh called him a “hybrid of Michael Hussey and Michael Bevan”. If he remains in the same league as those names, watch out for Australia in 2023.James Neesham
Matches 10 Runs 232 Ave 33.14 SR 78.91 Wickets 15 Ave 19.46 ER 5.35
Neesham was thinking of retirement a couple of years ago. Three allrounders might seem too many, but it’s hard to ignore Neesham’s all-round heroics. Can score runs, can take wickets, can pull off diving catches and have us in splits with his tweets (the last one wasn’t a selection criterion). He nearly took New Zealand over the line in that Super Over.Mitchell StarcInns 10 Wickets 27 Ave 18.59 ER 5.43 4s/5s 2/2
Like in 2015, Starc finished with the most wickets. His 27 broke Glenn McGrath’s record for a single World Cup. One could argue he wasn’t as supremely good as he was in 2015 – when he took 22 wickets at 10.18 apiece – but that would be just nitpicking. Also the only one from our 2015 World Cup XI in the 2019 team.Jofra Archer
Inns 11 Wickets 20 Ave 23.05 ER 4.57 4s/5s 0/0
Would England have been champions had they not drafted Archer into their final squad? Playing only his 14th ODI, he was entrusted with bowling the Super Over in the final, given how he had performed in the death overs. He kept New Zealand to exactly 15 runs – two off the final two balls – to clinch their first World Cup title. His 20 wickets are the best for an England player in a World Cup.Lockie FergusonInns 9 Wickets 21 Ave 19.47 ER 4.88 4s/5s 1/0
New Zealand’s strike bowler brought real pace into the middle overs at this World Cup. Always in the wickets, Ferguson was only behind Starc on the wicket-takers’ list in the tournament.Jasprit BumrahInns 9 Wickets 18 Average 20.61 ER 4.41 4s/5s 1/0
It was business as usual for the top ODI bowler in the world. Bumrah was India’s Mr Reliable, and even when those at the other end got more wickets, it was his control and frugality that stood out.Vote for your XI here.

Some fast-scorers and miserly bowlers will hope to make a name for themselves in the UAE over the next two weeks

Peter Della Penna17-Oct-2019Deunte Darrell (Bermuda)Deunte Darrell runs off after his six off Hayden Walsh Jr. clinched Bermuda’s spot in the T20 World Cup Qualifier•Peter Della PennaMost people have their attention focused on Sussex allrounder Delray Rawlins and Kamau Leverock, the big-hitting, fast-bowling nephew of Dwayne Leverock. But Bermuda have a string of fearless power-hitters scattered through their lineup and few come into the tournament with more confidence and form than Darrell.Ten years after last representing the nation at U-19 level in 2009, Darrell made his senior debut at the Americas Regional Final in August on home soil. The tall, lanky middle-order batsman punished USA’s Hayden Walsh Jr. for a string of sixes in an unbeaten 30 off 23 balls that clinched Bermuda’s place in the UAE at the expense of USA. He clubbed a rapid 47* off 25 balls in a warm-up match win over Nigeria on Monday and is a fantastic fielder, regularly patrolling long-on in the death overs where his safe hands also play a significant role.JP Kotze (Namibia)JP Kotze slog sweeps over midwicket for six•Peter Della PennaFew batsmen in Associate cricket are in hotter form than the burly left-hander Kotze. Utilising windy conditions to hit with the breeze in south Florida, he struck 11 fours and eight sixes – all over the leg side including two 100-metre hits that went over the roof and out of the stadium at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill – as part of his 136 off 109 balls against USA last month to record Namibia’s first ever ODI century.Against Hong Kong, another team featuring at the Qualifier in the UAE, Kotze brutalized their bowlers in scoring 148 off 86 balls at WCL Division Two in April, a win that clinched ODI status for Namibia. Kotze showed he can do it in T20I cricket too, scoring the country’s first-ever T20I ton against Botswana off just 43 balls in August.Ben Stevens (Jersey)Ben Stevens drives through cover•Peter Della PennaThe fulcrum of the Channel Islanders’ fortunes at bat and in the field, the tall left-arm spinning allrounder bats at No. 3 and is guaranteed to bowl a full quota in favorable conditions in the UAE. His value was underscored by his absence due to a medical issue in 2016 at WCL Division Four in Los Angeles. Having been a major cog in winning Division Five on home soil five months earlier, he watched from the sidelines in Los Angeles as Jersey finished in the bottom two to be relegated without him.He didn’t bowl much in the European Regional qualifier in June but came through with a key knock of 44 before taking 3 for 17 in a convincing win over Norway. Most recently, he played a vital role in Jersey’s pair of warm-up wins in Dubai leading into the start of the tournament by striking 32 off 19 balls to help seal a swift chase against Kenya before a miserly four-over spell of 1 for 14 helped bowl Singapore out for 112.Ravinderpal Singh (Canada)Ravinderpal Singh slogs a six over the leg side•Peter Della PennaComing off the Global T20 Canada for Toronto Nationals where middle-order opportunities were limited in a lineup featuring Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard, Ravinderpal became the first player to strike a T20I century on debut when he belted 101 off 48 balls – including 10 sixes – in a win over Cayman Islands at White Hill Field in Bermuda. He eliminated any doubt that he could produce against higher-class teams when he savaged USA legspinner Timil Patel on the way to striking 67 off 33 balls with eight sixes to cement Canada’s undefeated tournament at the regional qualifier in Bermuda.Ravinderpal has adjusted to conditions in the UAE comfortably too. Entering at 50 for 3 in the seventh over chasing a challenging target of 165 against Singapore on Tuesday, he smoked an unbeaten 79 off 38 balls that included another seven sixes as Canada managed to seal the chase with two overs to spare. In addition to his power-hitting, he’s also fairly dependable as a catching fielder at long-on in the final few overs.Tim David (Singapore)If you’re questioning why Nepal and Sandeep Lamichhane aren’t in the UAE this week, Tim David is the answer. The Western Australia-raised batsman used his experience from Perth Scorchers to burn the Nepal bowling unit with 77 off 43 balls in July in a performance that knocked Nepal out and clinched Singapore’s first appearance in the global qualifier.David hasn’t slowed down since. He was the leading scorer at the opening Cricket World Cup Challenge League series held in Malaysia with four fifties in five innings in September, and he took that one-day form back into T20 cricket by sparking Singapore to their maiden win over a Full Member when he made 41 off 23 balls in a four-run win over Zimbabwe on September 29.

During the final game of the season, we savour every ball, every leg glance, every smart stop in the field – a tug on a cap tugs the heart

Paul Edwards in Taunton24-Sep-2019This is a time of year when folk who love their cricket would like to time to dawdle.In late spring or summer’s full blazon we are content that matches unfold at their usual pace as the season takes shape. But during the final game we savour every ball, every leg glance, every smart stop in the field. A tug on a cap tugs the heart. There is no help for the condition and we do not want one. We treasure every over, even if it is bowled by Simon Harmer who, by the end of Tuesday’s play, had bowled 595.5 of them in this year’s Championship and taken 83 wickets while doing so.No slight whatever should be inferred. Harmer is a supremely skilful craftsman whose loyalty has been firmly pledged to Chelmsford. His offspin bowling helped Essex to the title in his maiden season and he is now well set to take them to another.He is a big man and strong of frame. A cricket ball is a marble in his gigantic hands and that helps him impart spin. But there are subtler skills beyond the control of length and line: the ability to bowl over or around the wicket to right- or left-handed batsmen for example, and to over-spin the ball so a batsman may be deluded into thinking that it will land nearer to him than it eventually does.Of course we have barely begun our investigation of the spinner’s arts. Yet as one sat in the Sir Ian Botham Stand before lunch on a suddenly blue afternoon and watched Harmer test the almost equally skilful Tom Abell, the battle seemed as engrossing as when one first saw a similar struggle so many summers ago.Tom Abell frustrated Essex•Getty ImagesThe brown-stoned towers of St James and St Mary Magdalene were half-silhouetted against John Clare’s woolsack clouds. There were even a few minutes of warmth. The locals encouraged Essex’s bowlers to get on with it and they applauded every run however it might have been obtained. Harmer returned to his mark and began a ten-step approach to the crease which ends with an rhythmical swirl of arms and the easiest of actions.Something comparable to Harmer’s skill was noticed by the great essayist William Hazlitt in his classic 1821 essay :In truth, though, this was not Harmer’s best day of the season. He took three wickets, including that of Abell, to complete his tenth five-wicket haul of the season but he was roughly treated by Roelof van der Merwe and finished with 5 for 105, hardly the figures of a main spinner on a helpful wicket.Yet he is only 30 years old and therefore in his prime. Retirement is beyond sight in the distance. For other cricketers the end of a season ushers in a new set of challenges. Suddenly their familiar skills have left them and it is time to go. Marcus Trescothick reached that stage much earlier this summer and one of the most reassuring aspects of his comments to the media on Monday was his acceptance of fate.ALSO READ: ‘The time is definitely right’ – TrescothickThe consequences of playing again when the eye and the skills are gone was recorded by David Foot in his essay on the tubby Somerset slow left-armer, Horace Hazell, who bowled to his hero Walter Hammond over four years after one of England’s greatest batsmen had retired.Foot omits the relevant line of the scorecard. It reads:Hammond b Hazell 7No one wants the cricket season to last all year. That would reduce county cricket to the level of top-level football, which has turned a very fine sport into a consuming leviathan. But late September carries an even sharper poignancy when it is accompanied by the departure of our favoured sons. “Ah Tres,” Somerset supporters will say to their children, “you should have seen Tres.”

Former spinner Robin Peterson on his new role as a franchise coach and what the transitioning South African squad needs to do to make up for its lack of experience

Firdose Moonda12-Nov-2019Robin Peterson was an unremarkable, unfortunate cricketer, a left-arm spinner in South Africa’s golden era of quicks, with a first-class batting average of 24.69 and a bowling average of 33.28. Swap those numbers and he still wouldn’t be among the first picks in your team. He didn’t have a cool hairstyle or a sleeve tattoo either, so if he has faded into obscurity in your memory, it wouldn’t be surprising. However, Peterson is trying to work his way back in, albeit in a completely different role.Like many other retirees, he has taken up coaching, but his is an unconventional approach: he is in the middle of acquiring a Masters in Sports Directorship from Manchester Metropolitan University. The degree is both shaping and being shaped by his work on the ground, in change rooms around the world.”It’s about how you manage people, so the degree goes hand in hand with what I am doing now,” Peterson said during his first match as interim coach of the Warriors, against the Cobras at Newlands. “You need to understand people to understand what’s going on in their heads before you can understand what they deliver.”Sometimes it’s not cricket that makes a cricketer. It’s a lot of other things – expectation, how do I train, is fitness really that important? These types of questions that might not have anything to do with seeing numbers on the board but leads up to that point of taking wickets and scoring runs.”ALSO READ: Lack of domestic depth leads South Africa into uncertain timesAnd so Peterson thinks mentorship, rather than technical expertise, ought to be a priority for South African cricket as it navigates its way through a transition phase made trickier by a talent drain. He says it’s not only the retirements of Dale Steyn from Tests and Hashim Amla from all formats that has changed the complexion of the current national side, but the reality that players who were expected to step into their shoes opted out even before Steyn and Amla made their exits.”We’ve lost a tier of players that probably would have graduated and played for South Africa for a long time,” Peterson said, referring to Kyle Abbott, Duanne Olivier, Rilee Rossouw, Stiaan van Zyl and others who have chosen Kolpak contracts in the last two years.”Now we are getting guys that are maybe a year or two out from being the players we would like them to be already. You need the experienced players back in the system, people that have been there and can accelerate their learning a little bit. I always found value in that.”Peterson is not the only person calling for old hands. On his return from the recent series loss in India, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis lamented the lack of experience in the domestic system. But then du Plessis himself did not play in the only round of four-day cricket he was available for.Peterson wants that attitude to change and has called on Cricket South Africa to prioritise the domestic game in order produce quality cricketers.It’s been around two years since Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock played first-class matches for their franchise•AFP”I’d like to know how many guys playing for the Proteas have won four-day matches for their franchises. How many were the guys that got the match-winning hundred, for example,” Peterson said. “I remember playing against Hashim Amla in his first season – the Dolphins chased down 280 and he was 120 not out.”Although it was more than 15 years ago, Peterson’s memory of that match is fairly accurate. He was playing for the Warriors, in a team that included Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini, against a Dolphins side featuring Lance Klusener and Amla, who scored 115 in a successful chase of 292. That performance helped Amla get a call-up to the Test side a month later. He played three Tests and then returned to help the Dolphins win the title (shared with the Eagles) that season, scoring 707 runs in nine games at 54.38, including two other hundreds.And Amla wasn’t the only player making a big impression at the time. “AB de Villiers also won games for the Titans, and even though we are talking about two special players now, all players need to graduate in their systems to this level, then win games at this level and bridge that gap and move to South Africa A, win games there and contribute,” Peterson said. “I don’t know if that’s happening at the moment. There is a process. We need to get back to that.”Currently South Africa’s Test players are rarely available for first-class matches, and even when they are, the selection criteria, heavily based on transformation targets, mean not all of them can play.ALSO READ: ‘I want to be a World Cup winning coach for SA’ – PetersonThe Titans, for example, could have theoretically fielded du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, and Heinrich Klaasen (and Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram, if they hadn’t been injured) in the match against the Knights last month in Bloemfontein, but all five players are white, and picking them would have required a complete rejig of the team. As it turned out, only Klaasen played. de Kock has not played a first-class game for the Titans since September 2017 and du Plessis has played only one more match since. Du Plessis, who is a proven match-winner (or, you could argue, match-saver) is not around to set an example for the next generation, and de Kock, who is among the most experienced of the current Test line-up, does not have a track record of winning matches at first-class level.Then there’s the other problem of promising players being pushed up prematurely to a level they are not ready to step up to. “I am not a fan of picking guys from Under-19 to go straight through to South Africa A or higher. I believe they need to learn their trade here at franchise level,” Peterson said.An example is fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who played only nine first-class games – only four at the franchise level – before making his Test debut.”The only way you can get better and learn is by going through a bit of pain as a spinner”•Getty ImagesThat’s why Peterson wants to be particularly careful with the young players under his watch, specifically a trio identified as part of the next generation. Batsmen Matthew Breetzke (21 first-class matches) and Sinethemba Qeshile (17), who also keeps wicket, and fast bowler Lutho Sipamla (24) are all from South Africa’s U-19 set-up and are being primed for higher honours. Peterson, who worked with them at age-group level, was careful not to talk them up too much, speaking instead of what they need to do next.”They are good players but they’ve still got a lot to learn,” he said. “It’s Qeshile’s second season now and he’s got a bit of runs, but it hasn’t quite gone his way, so he needs to learn to deal with failure and to be a little bit resilient too. That’s what’s makes you as a cricketer. You get dropped, you come back – these are skills you need to acquire if you are going to be successful.”Breetzke is a real talent. If you watch him in the nets, you’d think he is already playing international cricket, but he needs time. Sipamla has all the tools. He will develop as he gets a bit stronger and understands how to bowl in different conditions.”Peterson got Amla to attend a net session to talk to Breetzke and Sipamla, and got the youngsters to face some of the Warriors bowlers, so he could provide them with feedback. Over the course of the summer, Peterson intends to get other former players involved, including Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam and Meyrick Pringle, who are all based in the Eastern Cape, like the Warriors.Doesn’t Peterson want to see South Africa shed their spinner-averse reputation and produce a player who will be remembered more than himself was? He believes South Africa are well on their way to doing so, provided they don’t continue to negate left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj on seamer-friendly surfaces and start searching for his successor right away.”Playing last season on so many green wickets, and Maharaj not getting an opportunity – that had an impact on his career. It affects you. Nathan Lyon went through the same thing. He got dropped and Australia were looking at Ashton Agar. Then they went back to Lyon, because they realised ‘We need to invest in this guy’, and now they are reaping the rewards. We can’t just chop and change and chop and change. We know Keshav is the guy. Now we need to see who’s next in line and work with him.”Peterson even thinks that spinner could be someone like offspinner Dane Piedt, who had a woeful tour of India, or allrounder Senuran Muthusamy, who was more impressive with bat than ball in the series.”You can’t just throw them away, because they are the best in the country at the moment. You’ve got to develop them. They’ve got to play. The only way you can get better and learn is by going through a bit of pain as a spinner. You get smashed, then you come up with plans and you try and get better and then people get used to you again and then you get smashed and then you come back a better bowler.”If there’s anyone who understands that journey, it’s Peterson.

A player dubbed one of the fastest men in his league is keen on a move to Arsenal this summer, with work already done by the Gunners ahead of what would be an excellent deal for sporting director Andrea Berta.

Andrea Berta wants new forward at Arsenal

Berta has reportedly shortlisted numerous attacking targets, both out wide and further up the field in the striker position.

Arsenal set for talks to sign "underrated" star after Berta decision this week

The Italian is stamping his mark as Edu’s replacement.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Berta is targeting Mohamed Kudus (West Ham), Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa), Alex Baena (Villarreal), Yeremy Pino (Villarreal) and Arda Güler (Real Madrid), but one name is currently in pole position to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s wide options.

Berta held a widely reported meeting with Nico Williams’ camp this week, as the Italian looks to win the highly competitive race for his signature.

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

As per The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, Williams is also being chased by Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, so Arsenal face a battle to sign one of Europe’s most exciting direct wingers.

In terms of centre-forward targets, three names stand out – Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

The latter is set to be priced out of the market as Eddie Howe appears determined to keep the Swede, with a starting valuation of around £150 million mooted by various sections of the press.

Isak is Arteta’s dream signing, but it is believed that Gyokeres and Sesko are viewed as far more realistic striking options at this point.

Arsenal are apparently set to hold talks over Gyokeres, who could be allowed to leave for £70 million, lower than his £83m release clause, while Sesko will cost even less.

The Slovenia international, who’s already bettered his 2023/24 tally for goals and assists combined in all competitions this season, rejected a proposal to join Arsenal last year, in favour of remaining at Leipzig to further his development.

However, Arsenal could have a better chance of striking a deal this year.

Benjamin Sesko keen to join Arsenal with groundwork laid

According to GiveMeSport, Sesko is keen on joining Arsenal this summer, and groundwork on a deal has already been laid for Berta if he wishes to move forward with a potential transfer for the 21-year-old.

He’ll apparently command a price tag of around £60 million, which is the value of his release clause, and this could be an absolute steal considering both Sesko’s form and physical prowess.

The ex-RB Salzburg sensation, standing at around 6 foot 5, has been recorded as one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga with a top speed of 35.47 kilometres per hour (Sky Sports).

These attributes highlight him as tailor-made for the Premier League, and given Berta can bypass any negotiations with Leipzig via the release clause, this move could be seen as a no-brainer.

Manchester United are seemingly willing to sell an Old Trafford star who Ruben Amorim isn’t sure about, with Real Madrid keen on a potential deal this summer.

Man Utd suffer another defeat as INEOS eye summer signings

The Red Devils suffered yet another Premier League defeat following the international break, losing 1-0 to Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Amorim’s side had plenty of possession and more attempts than the hosts, but former winger Anthony Elanga was the matchwinner. The Man Utd boss even brought on Harry Maguire in an attacking role in the final stages, with the centre-back almost netting an equaliser.

Talking about that decision, Amorim said: “In the end of the game, when the opponent is just protecting the box, if you look at the defenders of Nottingham, they are really comfortable. And then with a line of six, not five, a line of six, we can reach the final third but then we have to put the ball inside the box because it’s hard to make the combinations to get inside the box to score goal.

“Harry Maguire, when he’s attacking in set-pieces, is maybe the best player we have in our team, so inside the box, you are not a defender, you are a striker. So it was that idea to put I one man who is really good in the air to score a goal.”

Related Man Utd now progressing in talks to sign £67m top target to replace Onana

A move appears to be advancing.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Apr 2, 2025

A new attacker to rival Rasmus Hojlund appears to be on the to-do list this summer, especially as Man Utd regret signing Joshua Zirkzee and want him sold, as per recent reports.

Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt is a Red Devils fan and appears to be a target, however, players may need to be sold in order to fund their summer business.

Man Utd ready to sell Mainoo with Amorim unsure on fitness levels

One player who could be on the way out of Old Trafford is Kobbie Mainoo. Linked with a move to Chelsea during the January transfer window, the midfielder stayed put, however, he has missed the last nine games through injury.

Now, according to a report from Spain, Man Utd appear to be willing to sell Mainoo and have set an asking price of €50m (£41.7m), with his current contract set to expire in 2027.

Real Madrid see Mainoo as ‘a serious option to strengthen their midfield for the upcoming season’, whereas Chelsea and Inter Milan are also keen.

Selling Mainoo will help generate funds for summer signing ahead of Amorim’s first full season, and it has been claimed elsewhere that the Man Utd manager isn’t the midfielder’s biggest fan.

In fact, Amorim is ‘not completely convinced Mainoo has the fitness levels to be a success in his system’, and by the looks of things, the academy product could be on the way out of Old Trafford in a matter of months.

A fortress is made impregnable not through the initial conquering but the success in defending the territory claimed over so many years, and that means Liverpool will need to strengthen their ranks this summer.

It’s clear at this point that Arne Slot is going to win the Premier League in his first term in the hot seat, an incredible feat given Liverpool were effectively written off following Jurgen Klopp’s departure at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

But Slot will want an abiding position at the forefront of English and indeed European football, and Liverpool’s frontline has looked a little out of kilter over recent months.

It’s clear that FSG are going to authorise one or two exciting summer bids.

Liverpool targeting new forwards

Mohamed Salah has meted out punishment on near every opponent he has faced this season, but Liverpool need more up front, with The Athletic among those to report Red interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.

However, number nine isn’t the only spot on the club’s radar.

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool and Arsenal are interested in signing Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze; further suitors are in the running but the Premier League’s top two share the lead here as well.

Eze’s strong and potent performances under Oliver Glasner suggest he has what it takes to thrive at a top-performing club like Liverpool, who could do with such a dynamic attacker.

Last summer, the Eagles anticipated a swarm of interest in their silky star but no one came forward. Now, the ball is in their court and demands worth £60m have been put in place.

Why Liverpool want to sign Eze

Eze packs a punch. The 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength since leaving Queens Park Rangers in the Championship in 2020 and joining the Selhurst Park ranks for a £20m fee.

Hailed as a “superstar” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, Eze has hit 12 goals and 12 assists apiece under Glasner’s wing, featuring 48 times in total.

This season alone, he’s been in fine fettle, playing a more creative role than in 2023/24 but doing so to a fine effect.

Eze’s broad skill set lends itself to multiple positions, and while he’s been fielded routinely in the middle of the park this year, he has ample experience out on the left flank.

With that in mind, Eze could be the perfect signing to upgrade on Luis Diaz, whose uncertain future at Anfield suggests a replacement will be required sooner rather than later.

Matches (starts)

25 (23)

29 (23)

Goals

2

9

Assists

6

5

Shots taken*

3.4

2.0

Pass completion

82%

86%

Big chances created

9

6

Key passes*

2.0

1.6

Dribbles*

2.1

1.6

Ball recoveries*

4.6

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1 8

1.2

Duels won*

5.4

3.8

While Eze hasn’t chalked up the greatest numbers in front of goal this season, his underlying data suggests that he’s outstripping Diaz across almost every department.

This is important. Diaz isn’t exactly revered for his clinical touch, instead effusively praised for his tricks and slicks, skill and will toward driving play forward and leaving defenders munching dust.

To sign a player who produces such qualities but to a higher standard, more relentless in the duel, creative in his playmaking duties, active in carrying the ball, it’s an intriguing proposition, one which might just dynamise Liverpool’s already progressive attacking outfit.

Moreover, Eze’s clinical side was on full show last season, firing 11 goals home across 24 Premier League appearances, missing just five big chances in an immense display of potency.

Indeed, the Englishman halted Jurgen Klopp’s bid for a farewell league triumph after scoring at Anfield in the 1-0 win in April, with journalist Keifer MacDonald noting that the playmaker had left Trent Alexander-Arnold “furious” due to his slow walk off the field when substituted late on.

Whether the Three Lions star, who scored his first international goal off the bench in a 3-0 win over Latvia last week, is bid for remains to be seen, but Eze has everything that Slot’s Liverpool need, especially if a clinical centre-forward is welcomed to the fold this summer.

In a more distinguished team like Liverpool, Eze may even find himself unlocking his full goalscoring potential. As per FBref, the £100k-per-week talent actually ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots taken per 90.

Having been described as a “wizard” by Arsenal’s Declan Rice in the past, Palace’s main man may just be on the move this summer. Diaz has been a fantastic servant for Liverpool over the past several years and will be duly rewarded with a Premier League winners’ medal in the coming months, but the time might be right for a change.

The Colombian has only scored one goal across his past 19 fixtures in all competitions for the Reds – albeit assisting in four of his past six top-flight games – and at 28 is heading into the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week deal with sights set on a new bumper package or change of scenery.

There have been whispers of late that Diaz could be sold this summer to fund a freshen-up. Barcelona have a long-standing admiration and the Saudi Pro League are also there, quietly lurking.

How much of a vested interest sporting director Richard Hughes has in Eze at this stage, we don’t know. However, his efforts in south London over the past few years certainly indicate a future at one of the division’s European competitors, and Liverpool will be right there, ready to pounce if the right opportunity presents itself.

Slot could boldly axe "special" Liverpool star who's the new James Milner

Who will stay and who will go in the transfer market for Liverpool this summer?

1 ByAngus Sinclair Apr 1, 2025

Manchester United look ready to sell an Old Trafford star who Ruben Amorim doesn’t want anymore.

Man Utd and Amorim looking to improve all over the pitch

The Red Devils and INEOS appear to be working behind the scenes on potential new signings ahead of Amorim’s first full season in charge of the club.

Talking before United’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon, Amorim revealed that Andre Onana would return to the starting line-up. The goalkeeper, who was dropped against Newcastle United last weekend, has been heavily linked with a move away and is thought to be unsettled at Man Utd.

Amorim was asked if Man Utd will consider signing a new shot-stopper, to which he said he wants to improve “every position on the field”.

“We are going to make that evaluation for any position in the squad. You can see my record [too] – my record is the worst in the team. I am also underperforming. We need to improve. We cannot change all the players.

“We need to improve every position on the field. Goalkeeper is the same; we can work with Andre. Andre Onana already proved he is a top player with Inter. Altay the same with Fenerbahce. We have some seasons where we are underperforming.”

Related Top target: £64m "Superman" now Man Utd's leading candidate to replace Onana

The Red Devils are looking to sign a new goalkeeper, with Andre Onana putting in some concerning performances this season.

Posts ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025

It could be quite the summer clearcut at Old Trafford, with reports claiming 10 players could be permanently sold by Man Utd.

Another star who has been mooted to make an exit is Alejandro Garnacho. In fact, there have been claims that Amorim wants the winger to leave Man Utd this summer.

Serie A side Napoli are thought to be keen on signing Garnacho and reportedly submitted a £67m offer to sign the Argentine. However, a new update suggests Man Utd are ready to accept a bid much lower than that figure.

Man Utd ready to sell Garnacho for £34m

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd have made a ‘surprising decision’ and have lowered Garnacho’s asking price this summer.

It is stated that Man Utd will sell Garnacho for €40m (£34m) over the coming months, with Napoli one of three clubs named as potential destinations. La Liga side Atletico Madrid and Premier League rivals Chelsea are also interested in the 20-year-old.

The winger is under contract at Man Utd until 2028 but ‘his continuity is no longer a priority’ for the Red Devils.

Garnacho’s Man Utd stats

Games

135

Goals

25

Assists

20

Minutes played

7,774

Despite Amorim’s stance on Garnacho, he has used the attacker in a variety of roles since taking over. He’s been a regular under the Red Devils boss on either wing and in an attacking midfield role, however, his days at Old Trafford appear to be numbered.

Manchester United are said to be eyeing another reunion with a player alongside Scott McTominay this summer, a fresh transfer rumour has claimed.

Man Utd keen on McTominay return

A big summer is required at Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim needing to be backed significantly in the transfer market, bringing in the right players who can suit his style of play in the Premier League.

One of the biggest surprise stories to emerge in recent weeks has been United linked with re-signing Scott McTominay, having been sold to Napoli last season.

The Red Devils wouldn’t be able to snap up the Scotland international on the cheap, however, following an impressive season for Napoli that has arguably seen his stock rise. The 28-year-old has scored nine times in Serie A, proving to be an influential figure for one of the biggest teams in the country.

Away from the McTominay rumour, United are also reportedly in pole position to complete the signing of Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo this summer. Reinforcements are called for in wide areas, especially if Marcus Rashford leaves Old Trafford permanently, and the Cherries ace could be a great addition.

Man Utd eyeing another reunion for Elanga

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are “keeping a close eye” on former winger Anthony Elanga ahead of a potential reunion alongside McTominay this summer. He could be worth as much as £43m, though, having been moved on by the Glazers in 2023.

It is claimed that “several elite clubs” are “keeping close tabs” on the progress of the 22-year-old, who has enjoyed such an impressive season at high-flying Nottingham Forest, including scoring a stunning solo effort against the Red Devils at the City Ground.

Elanga returning to United makes sense in some ways, given the manner of his performances this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo heaping praise on him after his aforementioned goal against them:

“Amazing. With the ball; so imagine (how quick) without the ball! He did it by himself. Credit to him. He has this special ability to drive with pace and still control the ball at such a huge speed. The finishing was great. It was very special. He has this ability of driving. It is the capacity to drive with the ball with pace and still be able to control it. To do that is very difficult and requires a lot of technique.”

At 22, there is still so much time for Elanga to improve as a player, and he has already looked a more polished footballer than when he was at United, bagging 14 goal contributions (six goals and eight assists) in the league.

Appearances

32

Starts

25

Minutes played

2016

Goals

6

Assists

8

Key passes per game

1.2

Shots per game

1.2

Dribbles per game

0.7

That said, some may argue that the Swede is now at his natural level, with the Red Devils instead needing to look at superior wide attackers this summer, in order to take them up a significant gear.