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Shift of venue from Bangladesh to UAE presents unique challenge

Matt Roller29-Aug-2024England are anticipating empty stadiums at October’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, but believe that their upcoming training camp in Abu Dhabi will mitigate the impact of the late change in venue from Bangladesh to Dubai and Sharjah.The ICC confirmed last week that the tournament will no longer be played in Bangladesh after weeks of civil unrest which prompted the prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. England’s squad did not change as a result of the shift but they are expecting a difference in conditions in the UAE – not least off the field, with attendances likely to be low.”It’s going to be a bit different,” Heather Knight, England’s captain, said. “There definitely would’ve been bigger crowds in Bangladesh, having played there in 2014 in the World Cup. We actually got some really good crowds, particularly in Sylhet… It’s become the norm for us to have people around. It is something we’ll talk about, but it’s a World Cup: it shouldn’t take too much to get up for that.”Related

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Kemp, Heath in England's T20 World Cup squad but Filer misses out

England will play their first three fixtures at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (16,000 capacity) and their final group match at Dubai International Stadium (25,000). Neither venue managed to attract big crowds for games which did not involve India or Pakistan during the men’s T20 World Cup in 2021, nor do they regularly stage women’s international cricket.”Some people thrive off the noise and the energy from the crowd, so [it’s about] making sure, individually, that everyone is prepared for potentially what we’re going to get. I don’t think, suddenly, there’s going to be a big rent-a-crowd. But it is what it is, and obviously safety and things like that are probably the most important things,” Knight said.While England have spent the past 18 months planning for a tournament in Bangladesh, doubling down on a spin-heavy strategy, Knight backed the ICC’s decision to shift the venue. “It’s obviously a shame for the Bangladesh team that they’re not going to have a home World Cup,” she said. “But I think it’s probably the right decision… the conditions will be slightly different, but not hugely.”England will arrive in Abu Dhabi on September 13, three weeks before their opening World Cup match, for a training camp. “[That is] the bit that’s a big advantage for us,” Jon Lewis, their head coach, said. “We’ve asked them to prepare wickets that are similar to what you would expect in the two stadiums, so by the time we get to the tournament itself, we think we’ll be really ready.”Dubai and Sharjah have only sporadically hosted women’s T20Is: Sharjah has staged 10 – most recently in 2017 – and Dubai only five, all between UAE and Namibia a year ago. It means that England are relying on data from men’s matches in their preparation, and are wary of going into the World Cup with too many preconceived ideas about conditions.”There’s obviously not been a huge amount of women’s cricket there, so you’re going off men’s stats,” Knight said. Lewis expects the toss to play a major role in floodlit games, as in the men’s T20 World Cup three years ago: “It will be a factor,” he said. “There are some subtle differences in terms of the wickets in Sharjah and the stadium in Dubai.”Lewis and Knight confirmed that England would have selected the same squad even if the tournament had stayed in Bangladesh, and played down concerns that they are one seamer light. “I don’t feel like we are,” Lewis said. “The thing that may be trickier for the spin bowlers is gripping the ball with some dew… but we do know that spin is really effective in the women’s game in general.”Lauren Filer was the only player to feature in England’s home T20Is this summer to miss out on selection, though will travel to Abu Dhabi for next month’s training camp. She was edged out by Linsey Smith, the left-arm spinner, who Lewis suggested covered more bases: “In the Powerplay, she’s a really effective bowler, and then she can bowl through the middle and the death.”Knight described Filer as being “really unlucky to miss out” and was impressed by her performances during the Hundred, despite her only taking six wickets in eight matches. “She bowled brilliantly without taking the wickets that she deserved,” Knight said. “But the squad we’ve picked gives us the most flexibility around potential conditions that we might face.”

The promotion-winning campaign for Leeds United will live long in the memory of all supporters, taking them back to the Premier League after a two-year absence.

Daniel Farke was the man to lead the Whites back to the top division of English football, finishing top of the table and subsequently claiming the title on goal difference ahead of Burnley.

Such a feat was made all the more impressive after the sales of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, who all departed after the play-off final defeat the year prior.

However, such departures allowed the likes of Ao Tanaka to move to Elland Road, securing his place at the heart of the side and subsequently being named in the division’s Team of the Season.

The Japanese international could be about to be partnered by another star at the base of the side, as the hierarchy looks to strengthen the side ahead of their top-flight return.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new signings this summer

Over the last couple of days, Leeds have ramped up their efforts in the market as they look to provide Farke with the tools to survive next campaign.

His side have had an offer for Udinese centre-back Jaka Bijol rejected, but it appears as though they are set to return with an improved offer to force the Italian side into selling the 26-year-old.

However, he may not be the only summer arrival from Serie A, with Leeds also having keen interest in a deal to sign Juventus star Douglas Luiz, according to GIVEMESPORT.

The report claims that the Brazilian international has been offered to the Whites this summer, with the hierarchy set to schedule talks over a potential deal with the Old Lady.

It also states that he could be sold for just £30m this summer, only 12 months on from his move from Aston Villa, after making just 26 appearances across all competitions throughout 2024/25.

Why Luiz could be Farke’s very own Phillips

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips was a crucial part of the Leeds squad back in their previous stint in the Premier League, operating at the heart of the side after emerging through the club’s academy.

The 29-year-old spent 12 years with the Whites in Yorkshire, amassing a total of 234 appearances in the first team, being a mainstay in the side and enjoying a huge rise to stardom under Marcelo Bielsa.

Such form led to the midfielder being named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships back in 2020, as they fell at the final hurdle and lost in the final to Italy.

However, he would depart his boyhood side in a £45m deal to join Manchester City – a move that would subsequently ruin his career, only featuring 31 times in the last three years, with multiple loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town.

From a business perspective, it was great business for the club, with such funds allowing Farke to potentially have his own version of the Englishman in the form of Luiz.

When comparing their respective stats from Phillips’ final season at Elland Road, the former Villa star massively outperformed him, showcasing why he would be the manager’s own version of the fan favourite.

The Brazilian, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, registered more goals and assists, having the attacking threat to contribute to the Whites’ ambitions within the final third.

Games played

34

20

Goals & assists

5

1

Pass accuracy

83%

80%

Key passes

1.2

0.5

Through balls completed

0.3

0.06

Tackles won

1.5

1.4

Fouls won

1.4

1.1

Aerials success rate

45%

37%

He also managed to complete more passes and more key passes, subsequently aiding attackers ahead of him, as demonstrated by his assist tally back in 2021/22.

Luiz’s dominance doesn’t stop there, winning more tackles per 90 and coming out on top in more aerial battles, having the tools to star out of possession for the Whites.

£30m for a player of his quality in today’s market is an absolute bargain, with the 27-year-old having the experience to thrive in such a division should he return to England.

It remains unclear whether he would be open to a switch to Elland Road, but Farke and the hierarchy must work tirelessly to convince the international star to move to Yorkshire this summer.

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Leeds United are set to make a move for a star who could become a fan favourite at Elland Road.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 13, 2025

It is the start of a new era at Glasgow Rangers after Russell Martin was officially unveiled as the new head coach at Ibrox last week, shortly after the takeover was made official.

The former Scotland international has joined the club as their long-term replacement for Philippe Clement, having left Southampton at the end of last year, and is tasked with bringing glory back to Ibrox.

Rangers have failed to win the Scottish Premiership title in each of the past four seasons, and they ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts.

The Light Blues know that they will need to be active in the summer transfer window to improve their squad, as the current playing group ultimately failed this season.

This means that there could be several new stars added to the club before the deadline in September, which could create uncertainty for some of the fringe players.

One player whose future at Ibrox could be thrown into doubt by possible new additions in their position could be Brazilian forward Danilo, who has not had the easiest of times in Glasgow so far.

Why Danilo’s future at Rangers could be in doubt

The Light Blues swooped to sign the centre-forward from Dutch outfit Feyenoord in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £6m, as Michael Beale looked to improve the club’s attacking unit.

Danilo is a bit of a tricky player to judge at Rangers because there is little doubt that he has the quality to make a big impact on his day. In fact, the striker scored five goals and provided four assists in just 878 minutes in the Premiership this season.

However, the fact that he only played 878 minutes, despite his impressive statistics in that time, is part of the problem for the Light Blues marksman.

Danilo’s injury history

#1

#2

#3

Type of injury

Broken cheekbone

Knee injury

Knee injury

Date of injury

September 2023

December 2023

September 2024

Return date

October 2023

May 2024

November 2024

Days out

43

171

65

Matches missed

9

32

12

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Danilo’s injury record during his time at Ibrox so far is less than ideal, as he has missed a whopping 53 matches in two seasons.

Put simply, his injury history suggests that he will not be a player who can be relied upon by Martin moving forward, because the attacker has yet to prove that he has the durability to be available week-in-week-out at Ibrox.

This is why the Scottish head coach should consider ruthlessly parting ways with the Brazilian forward before the end of the summer transfer window, particularly when you consider the club’s reported interest in other players in his position.

Rangers eyeing up Pro League centre-forward

According to the Daily Record, Rangers are keeping tabs on KVC Westerlo centre-forward Matija Frigan, as Martin lines up a potential swoop for the gem in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that he is one of the strikers the club are watching, after a £20m cash injection from the new owners, and that they are also in talks to sign Maccabi Tel Aviv marksman Dor Turgeman after seeing an initial offer turned down for the Israel international.

Transfer Focus

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

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It does not state that they have made an offer, or that they are in talks, to sign Frigan as of yet, which means that he could be behind Turgeman on their wishlist in the number nine position.

The Croatian marksman, though, is being tracked by the Premiership side, as they weigh up their options, and could be a genuine target for Martin and Kevin Thelwell.

However, the outlet does not reveal how much the Belgian side are set to demand for their centre-forward this summer, so it remains to be seen how much the Scottish giants would have to pay for his services.

Why Rangers should sign Matija Frigan

The Gers should swoop to sign the 22-year-old forward because he could arrive at Ibrox as a big upgrade on Danilo, not least because of his reliable availability record.

He has played 69 matches in all competitions for Westerlo since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, including 39 times this term, which shows that he has been consistently available for the Belgian outfit.

Frigan’s form in front of goal in the Pro League this season also suggests that he has the quality to be a big goal threat for Martin next term, whilst also potentially exciting supporters with his skills in the final third.

The young marksman marksman, as shown in the clip above, has the technical ability to beat defenders to create moments of magic, which could be particularly useful when facing low blocks of defenders sat behind the ball in the Premiership.

Frigan’s statistics in the Pro League this season in comparison to Danilo’s also suggest that he has the potential to offer even more in front of goal than the Brazilian.

24/25 season

Matija Frigan (Pro League)

Danilo (Premiership)

Appearances

39

23

Goals

13

5

Goals per game

0.3

0.2

Big chances missed

12

5

Conversion rate

14%

11%

Big chances created

6

8

Penalties won

3

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Croatian forward scored more than twice as many goals, averaged more goals per game, and had a better conversion rate of shots to goals than the Rangers flop.

Frigan, who was once described as a “complete” striker by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could come in as a big upgrade on Danilo as a goalscorer in the Premiership, as evidenced by their respective league form, because of how clinical and reliable he is in front of goal.

The Westerlo attacker would also be a big upgrade on the Gers number 99 because of his aforementioned availability record, which suggests that he is more likely to be available to Martin on a regular basis throughout the campaign.

Therefore, Rangers should sign Frigan and attempt to part ways with Danilo before the end of the summer transfer window because it would represent an improvement in the squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Related He wants to leave: Martin must axe Rangers dud who earns more than Igamane

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Posts ByDan Emery Jun 4, 2025

Everton have been incredibly strong defensively this campaign, both under Sean Dyche and David Moyes since his arrival. However, the other end of the pitch hasn’t been as free-flowing, scoring just 34 goals so far this season from a total xG of 40.29 (4th lowest in the Premier League).

The Toffees netted just 40 goals last campaign, scoring just 34 the season prior, which shows this goal-scoring issue isn’t a new one.

Whilst Beto has done a good job since Moyes took over, scoring six Premier League goals, much of the attacking burden has fallen upon summer signing, Iliman Ndiaye, who has netted nine times this campaign in 32 appearances.

Therefore, Everton could be forced to look into attacking reinforcements next season, in order to strengthen Moyes’ squad and give him the best possible chance of bringing the Toffees back towards mid-table, with the potential to even aim for the top half in their first season at Bramley Moore.

Everton eyeing outrageous star

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Everton are planning on signing a striker in the summer transfer window and their hunt is ‘well underway’ with Monaco forward, Mika Biereth, one of the names on their shortlist.

This comes as the Toffees could be set to lose both Dominic Calvert-Lewin (contract expiry) and Armando Broja (loan) this summer.

The 22-year-old has played in England previously, coming through the Fulham academy system and finding his way to Arsenal, making 26 appearances for the Gunners U21 side, netting 12 goals and providing five assists there.

Biereth has made 16 appearances for the French outfit this season, scoring 12 goals, providing three assists, and totaling 1,186 minutes played, which means that he is currently outscoring Beto. This comes after joining the club in January, previously netting a further 14 goals for Sturm Graz in Austria this campaign.

Why Biereth could be Everton's own Haaland

According to the ‘similar players’ tool on FBref, Biereth is compared to Manchester City talisman, Erling Haaland, despite being different types of strikers.

Haaland relies more on his physical attributes, bullying defenders inside the box to carve out his goal-scoring chances. Whereas Biereth has a mixture of natural height (6ft,2) and clever movement, not possessing the same brute strength as Haaland.

Goals

0.74

0.84

0.50

Assists

0.21

0.11

0.00

xG

0.67

0.83

0.48

xAG

0.22

0.09

0.06

Progressive Carries

1.01

0.75

0.95

Progressive Passes

1.63

0.75

0.71

Shots Total

2.52

3.95

2.56

Goals/Shot

0.28

0.19

0.20

G-xG

+0.11

-0.02

-0.01

Shot-Creating Actions

2.25

2.08

1.35

Aerial Duels Won

1.35

1.66

5.71

When comparing the underlying metrics of both Haaland and Biereth alongside Beto, you can see the level of clinical finishing the 22-year-old would bring to Everton, overperforming his xG, having the best goals/shot conversion ratio, and also providing for his teammates with assists/shot-creating actions.

Biereth has been labeled “outrageous” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, after scoring his third hat trick in seven games for Monaco back in February. The goal-scoring prowess of the ex-Arsenal gem at such a young age is clearly catching the eye, with acrobatic and clever finishes inside the box reminiscent of Haaland, mixed with poachers’ goals to ensure that the tally keeps ticking upwards.

Keeping Beto around as a brilliant outlet option, especially given his upturn in form under Moyes, but also adding Biereth as a younger option with brilliant goal-scoring instincts and high potential could be a great balance for Everton next season in their striker department.

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ByAngus Sinclair Apr 25, 2025

Manchester City now find themselves deep in a purple patch of positive form in the Premier League with Pep Guardiola’s bruised side unbeaten through April to date.

City’s latest victory saw them overcome David Moyes’ determined Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday, meaning their grip on a place inside the coveted Champions League spots is strengthened even more all the way up in fourth position.

Yet, Guardiola will be all too aware that a rebuild is still needed this coming summer with his team largely underperforming for the majority of the season, with a statement move allegedly in the works to land this sensational midfield star.

Man City preparing to bid for "the best midfielder in the world"

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Transfer Focus

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

Well, as per reports from Spain, the reigning Premier League champions are preparing to ‘break the market’ to land Barcelona ace Pedri with a staggering £170m bid being prepared.

Indeed, the report states that City are looking at alternative targets away from Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz who could be set to stay in Germany over relocating to England, leading them down this new expensive avenue where a record-breaking move could come to fruition.

Of course, this will be a challenging deal to get over the line, but Guardiola and Co would be able to send shockwaves through the Premier League if the 21-year-old was to leave Catalonia behind for a top-flight adventure elsewhere.

Once heralded as “the best CM in the world” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, Pedri’s unbelievable arrival would undoubtedly improve City centrally, with the 30-time Spain international a big improvement on an ever-waning Ilkay Gundogan.

How Pedri is better than Gundogan

Much like the revered De Bruyne, Gundogan has shown off his obvious class in the top-flight previously for the Citizens, with 62 goals and 42 assists notched up from a bumper 348 appearances.

But, only seven goal contributions have come the ageing German’s way this season across 44 appearances, with a new ace arguably needed in the middle of the park at the Etihad with Gundogan no longer at his vibrant best, alongside De Bruyne exiting Manchester shortly.

This is where the elegance of City’s potential new £170m man could come in handy, with the Spaniard’s “transcendent” game in the midfield areas at the Camp Nou – as he was once lauded by ex-Barca great Xavi – aiding his side’s progression in the Champions League this campaign.

Two of Pedri’s 12 goal contributions for the season have come in the illustrious competition, with the much-talked-about 22-year-old also boasting four goals and four assists in La Liga action this season to trump Gundogan’s unconvincing five assists and zero goal haul in the Premier League.

Shot-creating actions

4.53

3.61

Attempted passes

78.87

77.57

Pass completion %

87.5%

90.2%

Progressive passes

10.14

6.34

Progressive carries

2.32

2.51

Successful take-ons

1.23

0.73

Touches in attacking penalty area

1.57

2.85

Progressive passes received

3.87

3.74

Looking at the table above, whilst Gundogan does have the better of Pedri in terms of pass completion statistics, it appears that the Barca number eight plays with a lot more intent and purpose than his former Borussia Dortmund counterpart when roaming forward, with a high 10.14 progressive passes averaged per contest across the last year.

This alone would be music to the ears of the likes of Omar Marmoush and Erling Haaland back in Manchester, knowing that Pedri could unlock a defence at a moment’s notice with a killer pass.

With Pedri also noted as being similar to Bernardo Silva’s wonderful game at the Etihad, according to FBref, this feels like a switch that would allow City to enter into a new chapter with confidence sky-high, even if that comes at a cost of having to wave goodbye to esteemed servants such as Gundogan.

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ByBen Gray Apr 19, 2025

Stats highlights from the third day’s play between England and India at Lord’s

Sampath Bandarupalli12-Jul-20251:58

Manjrekar: Rahul hasn’t put a foot wrong

9 Number of Tests in which teams have tied their first-innings scores, including the Lord’s Test between England and India.5 350-plus totals for India in five innings in this series, after they scored 387 at Lord’s. Only once before has a team had five consecutive 350-plus totals in an away Test series – India did it against England in 2002.4 Four hundreds for KL Rahul in Tests in England and all of them as an opener. No other Indian opener has more than two Test tons in England. By scoring 100 at Lord’s on Saturday, it was also the first time in his career that Rahul scored more than one century in a Test series.Related

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2 Indian batters with multiple Test hundreds at Lord’s. Dilip Vengsarkar scored three in four Tests at Lord’s, while Rahul has two, having scored one in 2021.Rahul is also one of four visiting openers with multiple Test tons at Lord’s. Bill Brown, Gordon Greenidge and Graeme Smith also have two centuries as openers at Lord’s.3 Number of 100-plus partnerships between Rahul and Rishabh Pant in Tests in England, the most for an Indian pair. Their previous two century stands were 204 at The Oval in 2018 and 195 at Leeds in 2025.8 Fifty-plus scores for Pant in Tests in England, the joint most for a visiting wicketkeeper in a country. MS Dhoni also has eight fifty-plus scores in England.36 Sixes hit by India so far in this series, the most by a team in an away Test series. The previous highest was 32 by West Indies against India in 1974-75 and also by New Zealand against Pakistan in the U.A.E. in 2014.6 Number of bowlers on both sides to bowl at least ten overs in their respective first innings at Lord’s. the last time this happened was in 2009, in the Bridgetown Test between West Indies and England.

Sri Lanka need to work on their batting in the death overs while Netherlands could do with some fixtures in the subcontinent, and a sponsor or two won’t hurt

Firdose Moonda09-Jul-2023Harare Sports Club was half-full (or half-empty, if you are that way inclined) to bid the ODI World Cup qualifier and the World Cup’s last two participants goodbye. It was a typically clear and sunny Sunday afternoon, a slight chill in the breeze as a reminder that it’s still winter, the sounds of a papare band alternating with the Shona anthems from Castle Corner and a mix of braai smoke and underwhelm in the Harare air.Maybe it would always have ended like this: a match with no context, in a format that is increasingly running out of any, between teams that had already done what they came to do – qualify for the World Cup. At best, this match was an exhibition of the skills that got them there and a (very early) statement of what they will bring to the tournament proper, albeit in very different conditions. In Sri Lanka’s case, it was also an exercise in fulfilling the expectation they had coming into this event with, which West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe had left unchecked. “As a Full Member country, it’s very important to win this series,” Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka’s captain, had stressed before the final.Why? Because as much as Associates see the narrowing gap between themselves and Test-playing nations as a sign of progress, Full Members view that in the opposite way. Just look at West Indies. Twin defeats to Scotland have led to them being knocked out at last year’s T20 World Cup and this year’s World Cup qualifier and the questions that always burbled about their decline are now being bellowed. “WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS?” That’s not a headline Sri Lanka want to read.Related

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“It’s been uncomfortable,” Chris Silverwood, Sri Lanka’s coach, said when asked how it landed at home that the team had not automatically qualified for the World Cup. “It was a responsibility that we took very heavily. We knew we had to come here and perform.”That showed. Sri Lanka dominated the group stage and the Super Six and booked their tickets to India as though they were doing it online, in just a few clicks. They had only two moments of real concern in this tournament: both against Netherlands.At 131 for 7 in the 33rd over in the Super Six game, Sri Lanka looked unlikely to get to 200 but eventually managed 213. And at 190 for 7 in the 39th over in this match, 230 seemed unlikely, but they got to 233.Those scenarios highlighted Sri Lanka’s most glaring weakness: a lack of firepower at the death. Between the 2019 ODI World Cup and the start of this qualifying event, Sri Lanka’s scoring rate in the last ten overs has been 7.38, which put them ninth out of the 12 Full Members, only above Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. In eight matches in Zimbabwe, that dipped to 6.99, only higher than Nepal’s. Going into the World Cup, where every other team has a power-hitter in the lower-middle order and totals just over 200 are unlikely to be enough, that is an area Sri Lanka will have to address, and they know it.”We’ve managed to build good platforms to go on, and then not quite finished as strongly as we would have liked,” Silverwood said. “That’s an area to try and develop. We are a developing team and that is an area we are trying to improve on.”The real story of their success in Zimbabwe lay in their bowling. Sri Lanka are the only side to dismiss their opposition in every match they played and finished with the best economy rate of all their competitors – 4.74 – and the best average – 17.75. When Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe last week, to confirm their World Cup berth, Maheesh Theekshana credited the variety in their attack for their dominance and with Netherlands reduced to 41 for 5 in the first powerplay in the final, you could see why.

“This is a call-out to anyone who wants to play us. We’d love to have a fixture or two. Our guys have not been to the subcontinent many times before so it would be good to have some fixtures somewhere in the subcontinent as well”Ryan Cook, Netherlands coach

Sri Lanka made 233 look like 400 in the final when Dilshan Madushanka’s inswing almost accounted for Max O’Dowd twice in his first over and he got rid of Vikramjit Singh, Wesley Barresi and Noah Croes in his third, fourth and fifth overs. Wanindu Hasaranga took a wicket with his first ball, a googly, and asked questions with every other delivery he bowled. The pressure so suffocated the Dutch that at the end of ten overs, their best runner, Scott Edwards, was caught short of his ground. And they weren’t even the best performers of the match. That was Theekshana, whose 4 for 31 put him one behind Hasaranga in the tournament overall.For Netherlands, who have improved their game against spin but lost 12 wickets to the Sri Lankan spinners in two games at this event, that is the most urgent area of their game to work on ahead of a World Cup in the subcontinent. The problem? They have no fixtures scheduled for the next 90 days.”This is a call-out to anyone who wants to play us. We’d love to have a fixture or two,” Ryan Cook, their coach, said with a special request about who they would like to play. “Our guys have not been to the subcontinent many times before so it would be good to have some fixtures somewhere in the subcontinent as well.”And his campaigning didn’t stop there. Despite Sunday’s result, the afterglow of qualifying for the World Cup has not dimmed and he is hopeful it will start to catch fire at home.”Hopefully we will be able to pick up a sponsor or two, and bring a bit more revenue into the game,” he said. “The players get paid quite lowly in comparison to other countries so hopefully that will give us a bit more resources to be able to do that. At the moment, we only have a coaching staff with one member full time. It will take a bit of work from our end, and here’s a full invitation to any sponsors out there who feel like being on the front and the side of the shirt in the World Cup.”Netherlands are hopeful of scheduling some ODIs before the World Cup in India•ICC via Getty ImagesThe fixtures and fundraising aside, Cook will also have a selection conundrum on his hands. Netherlands were without seven frontline players at this competition due to other commitments and will have to find a balance between rewarding the players who got them to the World Cup and taking their strongest squad there.”They wanted to be here, and they love playing for the Dutch, and they are very committed but the guys who have done well here will also be expecting to go,” Cook said. “It will be challenging.”As will the hangover in Harare after three weeks of high-octane cricket. Just as the light started to fade, the sprinkler started up and the only evidence of all the action gone past was a gathering of groundstaff, who celebrated the work they have put in. It should not go unnoticed that they have prepared good pitches for ten matches played within 22 days of each other, which is no mean feat. And they don’t stop.The Zim Afro T10 is scheduled to start on July 20 and rumour has it that the floodlights, which were first supposed to go up in 2011, will finally be installed. Happily, they are not the same lights as the ones that have sat at customs for most of the last decade but upgraded versions. When they are finally put in place, it will mean cricket matches in the night for the first time in Zimbabwe. If the last three weeks have shown us anything, it’s that the appetite for the game is massive and the next step must be laser focus on its growth.Across the four venues that have hosted matches at this event, school kids have turned up in numbers and the Cricket4Good clinics have been oversubscribed. A country whose national football federation remains suspended has now embraced cricket as the people’s game. Zimbabwe will not have World Cup berths to show for what took place over the last three weeks, but they have something else which is special: a sport that has captured hearts, minds and imaginations. In years to come, the glass will overflow.

Trent Rockets men’s coach on tactical differences of new format and England’s need for a premier short-form competition

Matt Roller19-Jul-2021Covid-19 cases are on the rise in the UK and on Monday, government restrictions were eased even further. Entire teams have been forced into self-isolation in county cricket, with Derbyshire forced to cancel their final two T20 Blast group games due to a lack of available players. Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, was firm in emphasising last week that the mental toll of bubbles meant they were no longer feasible, but the Hundred – which starts on Wednesday night – can ill-afford a spate of cases over its four-week group stage.It is a familiar scenario for those involved in the competition who have worked in franchise cricket over the last six months. Andy Flower, who will coach the Trent Rockets men’s team, is one of them: he was in India working as Kings XI Punjab’s assistant coach when the IPL was curtailed in May, either side of which he coached Multan Sultans to the PSL title, initially in Pakistan and then in the UAE after an outbreak among players caused a postponement.”I’ve been away from the UK for three-and-a-half months,” he tells ESPNcricinfo via Zoom, shortly before finishing his 10-day hotel-room quarantine period. “We talk about adaptability being really important for players in the short formats of the game and it’s equally important for us on the coaching or leadership front. One of the most important aspects in having a good chance in a franchise competition is adaptability.Related

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“Almost every franchise in every competition is being affected by late pull-outs – the Hundred is obviously being seriously affected at the moment. We had a recent situation where Wahab Riaz – who came in for Nathan Coulter-Nile – had a visa problem and won’t be available for the first few games [Marchant de Lange has been signed as his replacement]. That’s an obvious example of having to be flexible and understanding at this time.”Not that it has affected Flower’s success. He comes into the Hundred on the back of a remarkable run of results coaching franchise teams, just under two years after leaving his role at the ECB: he has won the PSL, taken St Lucia Zouks to their first CPL final, and led teams to first and second-placed finishes at the Abu Dhabi T10.Success with Multan was unexpected after they had started slowly in the Karachi leg of the PSL. “We did come from almost nowhere,” he says. “The conditions in Abu Dhabi were much fairer and made for better, more interesting cricket and suited our attack more. [Blessing] Muzarabani, the tall fast bowler from Zimbabwe, was central to our plans and was a revelation for us; Imran Tahir was solid as a rock and generally inspirational; and Sohaib Maqsood was a major difference in our fortunes.”His role at Trent Rockets, he admits, is “a bit of a play to nothing”. As things stand, he is only due to coach them in the first season of the Hundred following Stephen Fleming’s withdrawal for family reasons, and has inherited a squad already picked by Fleming, Mick Newell (general manager) and Kunal Manek (analyst). He had a meeting with Lewis Gregory, the Rockets’ captain, during the Karachi leg of the PSL about the tournament and has been in regular contact with him throughout England’s white-ball series against Pakistan.He has had some time to think through the nuances of the new format, but expects tactical trends to evolve gradually through the group stages. “I’ve been involved in T10 as well so I’m used to an even quicker, more attacking form of the game but I’d imagine it’s going to be similar to T20 – though might feel slightly different in that we’ve got these 10 balls from one end. There might be a few tactical differences and if you can get the edge on the opposition through understanding those better and quicker, then that’s what we need to do.”An area where it will feel different to T20 is the option [for one bowler] to bowl 10 balls in a row, so how do you deploy some of your more powerful resources like Rashid Khan? When he operates for his IPL side, he bowls overs 8, 10, 12 and 14 in the middle and usually people find it hard to attack him. Getting a feel for the Hundred and what it’s like to bowl 10 balls in a row and how effective that is, we’ll have to assess that in real time.”

“I’m a very big supporter of a premier short-format competition for England. We all know the power and reach of the IPL, various other countries have excellent franchise competitions. England needed its own”Andy Flower

There are a few details to iron out within the squad. Joe Root is likely to be available for the opening rounds and Flower is yet to decide which order the top four – Root, Alex Hales, D’Arcy Short and Dawid Malan – should come in. He is hoping that the strong Notts core of five players plus assistant coach Paul Franks will be able to exploit their high-scoring home ground to their advantage, though cautions against the idea that every game will be a run-fest. Franks will be joined by Mal Loye (batting), Tom Smith (bowling) and Nic Pothas (fielding) on the coaching staff, while Flower is particularly pleased that Jonathan Trott – a mainstay of his successful England side – has recently been appointed in a backroom role.As for his star batters, Flower is enthusiastic about the opportunity to deal with Hales again, having worked closely with him as a young player making his way in international cricket during his time as England’s head coach and tracked his recent progress in franchise leagues. “I’ve always been a real fan of his batting,” he says. “His skill against spin is undervalued; not only the power game, but he’s a good off-side player, and willing to sweep against spin when he needs to.”I feel for him, actually, because we all deserve second chances in my opinion. I’d don’t know what goes on behind closed doors with England but I can’t see why he would be ostracised any longer. One thing he’s done pretty well is that he hasn’t let it affect his form and I applaud him for that – he’s able to focus on what he needs to, as opposed to being distracted by the topic.”I’m not quite sure how we’ll go with the top four but they’ll all had lots of success. I think Root is an excellent T20 cricketer, actually – one of his greatest strengths, ever since he first played for England, has been that he plays at a tempo that the match or situation or his team requires. His understanding of the game is that good that he can do that. [Root and Malan] are both intelligent and skilful cricketers who will do what’s required of them.”And as for the ? Does Flower think English cricket needs the Hundred? “Without a doubt,” is the unequivocal response. “I’m a very big supporter of a premier short-format competition like this for England. We all know the power and reach of the IPL and there are various other countries that have excellent franchise competitions. England needed its own. It’s really important financially for the ECB and for the future of the game in this country that it works.”It’s great that a women’s competition is operating at the same time with the growth of the popularity of the women’s game in the UK. And the better standard of cricket is good for the future of English cricket: playing under pressure in a competition with a global reach is good for all these young English cricketers. We’ve seen what it’s done for young Indian cricketers, and I can only imagine that this is going to be a very good thing for English cricket.”

Jack Grealish peeled away in celebration. The joy on his face was palpable. Infectious. This was the moment, sending the roof off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Everton sealing a last-minute winner against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

19 games unbeaten. No more. The Eagles had been grounded and Everton had taken off. That’s 11 points on the board for the Toffees, and only seven matches played. Last year, 12 fixtures were needed to reach the same points total.

David Moyes’ squad are coming together, even with the centre-forwards still toiling. Beto is beginning to look rather stale, while £27m summer signing Thierno Barry hasn’t yet provided the quality or fluency to suggest he can lead the line.

It’s a familiar problem on the blue half of Merseyside.

Everton's striker issues

After Moyes’ appointment last winter, Beto came alive. He had previously laboured under Sean Dyche’s management, but scored five from four Premier League games to rebind the rigging and turn the ship away from relegation danger.

With one top-flight goal this season, things need to change if Beto is to retain his star spot as the frontman. Everton have been here before, with struggles at centre-forward a common theme since Farhad Moshiri first purchased a stake in 2016.

While Dominic Calvert-Lewin had some high points across his long stay in Liverpool, the tall and commanding star lacked control of his fitness levels and toiled over the final years of his Everton career.

Few and far between are the strikers who have left Everton with their heads held high, and Beto knows he needs an upswing in form if he wishes to edge away from an unwanted reputation when he does play his football elsewhere.

Everton Strikers (since Moshiri)
Player	Apps	Goals
Beto	80	17
Dominic Calvert-Lewin	273	71
Neal Maupay	32	1
Moise Kean	39	4
Richarlison	152	53
Cenk Tosun	61	11
Salomon Rondon	31	3
Stats via Transfermarkt

Here is a list of differing fortunes, but there are more than a few strikers who will look back at their time at Goodison Park with regret.

Moise Kean, for example, arrived from Juventus as a teenage prodigy with a weight of expectation. But it didn’t work out in England.

Everton's new Moise Kean

Everton haven’t always hit the jackpot in the transfer market over the past several years, but recent additions certainly speak of greater accuracy and synergy when planning for the future.

Kean, who completed a £25m move to England in August 2019, was billed as a real coup for a first-class prospect, but he never managed to make it work on Merseyside and returned to his homeland, having scored only four times and completed a series of loan spells.

Now, Kean is a superstar in Italy with Fiorentina, prolific and powerful, and Everton might want to bear that one in mind when considering Tyler Dibling, who arrived from Southampton this summer for £42m but has endured a difficult start, used sparingly by Moyes and yet to show off the skills that caused such a furore regarding his services.

Sunday’s tie was considered a huge opportunity for the 19-year-old. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was suspended, after all. But he failed to take the opportunity, with the Liverpool Echo slapping him with a 4/10 match rating and saying he was ‘anonymous at times’.

Dibling is young and talented and has demonstrated his potential already in the Premier League, but he’s a work in progress. He was hounded out of any promising positions at the weekend, and it’s unlikely he has gained Moyes’ trust at this stage.

This “world-class talent”, as he has been described by Southampton youth coach Andy Goldie, may well reach the end of the campaign with little individual triumphs to boast about. Perhaps there will be scrutiny, and knots of adversity and frustration from which he must disentangle himself and keep his head down and work hard.

Tyler Dibling – Stats vs Palace
Match Stats	#
Minutes played	45′
Goals	0
Assists	0
Shots (on target)	0 (0)
Accurate passes	6/7 (86%)
Chances created	0
Dribbles	0/3
Tackles	1
Duels won	3/10
Data via Sofascore

Dibling impressed with Southampton last year, a bright spark during a difficult year. Saints were doomed, and that was a fact long before the season curtailed. But Dibling shone, notching seven goal involvements across the term and impressing with his strength and pace and gusto.

The lesson here is that Everton have paid for a youngster who is anything but the finished product. Maybe it will take time, and maybe he will need a loan spell away to find his feet.

Perhaps he won’t. But Everton must keep the faith in a top prospect and watch him bloom into a star down the line, because Everton and Moyes know what they have paid for, and there is a lofty, grand-scale future for this one.

Moyes must ditch £56m Everton duo who have been holding Grealish back

Moyes’ Everton have made improvements but there are some stars who need to be dropped.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 2, 2025

It looked like it would be the week that would end Daniel Farke’s time at Leeds United. One that would all but condemn the Yorkshire giants to a swift return to the Championship. And yet.

While last weekend’s Etihad fight-back ultimately proved in vain, that second-half showing has sparked new life into the Elland Road side, having since claimed four valuable points at home to both Chelsea and Liverpool in recent days.

Unlike in midweek, however, the Whites were far from at their best this time around, with Hugo Ekitike surging the away side into what appeared to be an unassailable two-goal lead.

This is not the Liverpool side that claimed Premier League glory last term, though, nor is it the Leeds outfit which meekly fell to relegation two years ago – they’re made of sterner stuff.

Aided by the reckless Ibrahima Konate, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s spot-kick sparked a frantic finale at Elland Road, with Anton Stach levelling things up just two minutes later.

Man of the moment Dominik Szoboszlai then looked to have popped the Leeds balloon, before Ao Tanaka came up trumps at the death – cue bedlam, delirium, and a queue of writers not quite sure what to make of it.

Tanaka the hero in stunning second-half fight-back

It was all going so wrong for Farke and co, with Joe Rodon gifting an opener to that man Ekitike, before the Frenchman netted a second almost within a minute to make it 2-0 on the 50-minute mark.

There looked to be no way back, with Leeds drifting toward defeat, before a trio of changes sparked the game into life.

Up stepped Wilfried Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson and the aforementioned Tanaka to alter proceedings, with the three late arrivals making an impact in all three goals for the home side.

Indeed, it was Gnonto’s direct run which drew the foul from Konate for Leeds’ first, while Aaronson laid on the assist for Stach, as Farke’s men levelled things up just two minutes later.

The headline-grabber, however, was Tanaka, with the Japanese midfielder – who had been replaced by Ilia Gruev in the starting lineup – pouncing at the backpost to snatch a point in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

That moment aside, the 2024 summer signing also notably won 100% of his duels after entering the fray, as per Sofascore, with the decision to start Gruev in his place seemingly backfiring as far as Farke is concerned.

Tanaka will surely be reinstated into the fold next time around, while fellow substitute Gnonto should also be in the mix for a regular starting berth again.

Why Leeds sub now needs to start every game

While Tanaka may have stolen the show in stoppage time, the game truly appeared to change due to the added dynamism of Gnonto in attack, with Leeds looking rather blunt prior to that.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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Noah Okafor, for instance, was hooked just after the hour mark, having made just five passes in all, while registering just 14 touches, with the Whites in need of a spark to ignite their limp forward line.

As ever, it was the diminutive Italian who proved to be just that, cleverly drawing the foul from Konate with his fleet of foot inside the area, representing one of two fouls he would win in that late cameo.

Direct and penetrating, the 22-year-old also notably recorded a stellar 100% pass accuracy even while seeking to make things happen for his side, having even recorded more touches (17) than Okafor despite his limited time on the field.

From Championship hero to peripheral Premier League figure, Gnonto has not had the game time he would’ve liked in 2025/26, with a calf injury limiting him to just seven top-flight outings thus far.

Gnonto’s 24/25 Stats

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games

43

Starts

26

Goals

9

Assists

6

Big chances missed

6

Big chances created

10

Key passes*

1.1

Pass accuracy*

81%

Successful dribbles*

1.0

Stats via Sofascore

On the evidence of Saturday night, however, he should well be a regular fixture moving forward, now that he is fit and firing again, with Leeds simply looking a different team with the speedy forward spearheading the attack.

As noted by Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth, who awarded him an 8/10 match rating, Gnonto was ‘bright, lively, tricky’, having fearlessly taken the hosts forward time and again.

With a trip to Brentford now next on the agenda next weekend, the former Zurich starlet should surely be deserving of a recall to the starting XI.

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Posts ByDan Emery Dec 6, 2025