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If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series

Shashank Kishore08-Oct-2024

New Zealand recently toppled India at the 2024 T20 World Cup•Getty Images

New Zealand will tour India for three women’s championship ODIs later this month. The series, part of the women’s FTP for the current cycle, had been postponed indefinitely in July last year due to a crowded calendar, where India hosted England and Australia.All three ODIs, on October 24, 27 and 29, will be played in Ahmedabad, with both teams expected to fly in straight from the women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series.The late addition to the cricket calendar means a number of first-choice players across both sides, including India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia and D Hemalatha could miss at least the first few games of the 2024-25 WBBL season.Mandhana was among the WBBL’s big-ticket pre-draft signings by Adelaide Strikers. Meanwhile, Sophie Devine, the New Zealand’s captain and Mandhana’s WPL team-mate, will also be unavailable for the first few games of the tournament for Perth Scorchers.Related

Mandhana joins Adelaide Strikers to complete pre-draft signings

With eight wins in 18 matches, New Zealand are currently placed sixth, a spot below India, in the women’s championship table. With West Indies and, theoretically even Bangladesh, capable of leapfrogging them on the points table, the series is crucial for New Zealand as far as direct qualification is concerned.The hosts along with five top-placed teams will earn a direct entry to next year’s 50-over World Cup in India. Two others will be identified through a global qualifier, where the bottom four from the championships and four associates will compete.New Zealand last played ODIs in India in 2015, during the first iteration of the women’s championships. Back then, New Zealand overturned a 1-0 deficit to clinch the series.

While they haven’t hit the heights they did at Highbury, Arsenal have been blessed with an abundance of incredible players since moving to the Emirates two decades ago.

For example, the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães wouldn’t be out of place alongside some of the club’s very best players.

Moreover, even during Arsène Wenger’s later years, fans and the Premier League as a whole were treated to some truly mercurial talents, such as Mesut Özil and Santi Cazorla.

Yet, when it comes to arguably the best attacker the Emirates faithful have had the joy of watching, it is hard to look past the force of nature that was Alexis Sanchez.

So, fans should be ecstatic that it looks like the club is about to sign someone who could be Mikel Arteta’s own version of the Chilean.

Arsenal target game-changing attackers

While reinforcing the rest of the team is a smart move from Arsenal, it goes without saying that adding more goals to the side is priority number one.

Transfer Focus

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

Therefore, talk of signing Eberechi Eze for around £60m makes perfect sense, as while he’s not necessarily an out-and-out attacker, the Crystal Palace star did rack up 25 goal involvements in 43 games last season.

Likewise, while fans might not be delighted with the links to Noni Madueke, he had a reasonable return of 11 goals and five assists in 2449 minutes last season.

However, although both players are likely to improve the North Londoners’ overall attack, more so the Eagles star, neither is expected to have the same impact as Alexis did when he joined the club, which might not be the case for Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from A Bola, as relayed via Spanish media, Arsenal have maintained their determination to sign the Sporting CP star.

More than that, the report has revealed that talks between the two sides are at such an advanced stage that an agreement in principle has been reached.

The report claims that the Gunners are set to pay an initial fee of €65m, with add-ons, which should bring the final price to around €80m, equivalent to approximately £69m.

It’s a lot of money to spend on one player, but Gyokeres has proven himself to be worth such a fee, and he could develop into Arteta’s own Alexis.

Why Gyokeres could be Arteta's Alexis

So, to get it out of the way right away, there is one massive, unavoidable difference between Gyokeres and Alexis: their positions.

The former was, at his best, a devastatingly effective winger, and the latter is an out-and-out striker, but that doesn’t matter.

Our argument is not that the Swedish international will replicate the Chilean’s exact playstyle, but rather that he could come in and have a similar impact on the club.

Appearances

166

Minutes

13556′

Goals

80

Assists

44

Goal Involvements per Match

0.74

Minutes per Goal Involvement

109.32′

For example, in his first campaign at the Emirates, the former Barcelonian star was nothing short of game-changing, and ended up bagging an absurd tally of 25 goals and 12 assists in 52 appearances.

He then followed that up with 17 goals and ten assists in 41 games the following season.

When he finally left the club, the Tocopilla-born dynamo had racked up a monstrous haul of 80 goals and 44 assists in 166 games.

Interestingly, when you watch back his highlights, it becomes clear that it was a combination of technical skill and sheer determination that helped him score so many goals.

Now, the former Coventry City star might not have the technique of the 36-year-old, but he undoubtedly has that same brutal determination to his game, potentially even more so than the former Arsenal ace.

Don’t just take our word for it, though, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson has claimed that one of the Swede’s biggest strengths “is his mentality,” he has “an obsession with scoring goals” and that he’ll “have utter confidence in his ability to be the main man.”

We’ve seen this single-mindedness to make things happen off the pitch as well, with reports emerging earlier this week claiming that he is willing to give up almost €2m of his salary to help make this transfer happen.

Finally, away from the psychoanalysis, the Stockholm-born “monster,” as dubbed by Mattinson, also shares the trait of being an output machine with the former Emirates star, and can take the game by the scruff of the neck that way.

Appearances

50

52

Minutes

4169′

4248′

Goals

43

54

Assists

15

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.16

1.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

71.87′

63.40′

For example, in 52 appearances for the Lisbon outfit last season, totalling 4248 minutes, he scored a mammoth 54 goals and provided 13 assists for good measure.

That means the international poacher maintained an out-of-this-world average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Ultimately, the Gyokeres might not be as technical a player as Alexis was, but thanks to the sheer weight of his determination and the number of goals he’s capable of scoring, there is every chance he could be to Arteta what the Chilean was to Wenger.

Eze & Gyokeres will love him: Arsenal explore signing £65m "mini Salah"

Just imagine this player alongside Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 8, 2025

There could be plenty of change at the top end of the pitch for Leeds United ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, after they made their first signing of the summer on Sunday.

The Whites officially confirmed the signing of Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, with his contract at the Bundesliga side due to expire at the end of the month.

He is a centre-forward by trade, playing 193 career matches in that position, but the German attacker has also played on both the left and right flanks in his club career, which means that he could provide useful versatility across the frontline for Daniel Farke next season.

24/25 (Wolfsburg)

8

20

3

23/24 (Wolfsburg)

39

4

2

22/23 (Wolfsburg)

17

18

4

21/22 (Wolfsburg)

9

31

10

20/21 (Anderlecht)

0

37

18

19/20 (Wolfsburg + Middlesbrough)

4

25

0

18/19 (Preston North End)

0

41

4

As you can see in the table above, though, Nmecha looks set to be a risky signing for Leeds because he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and has failed to deliver goals on a regular basis since the 2021/22 campaign, which included two goals in five Champions League outings.

The 26-year-old star, who was described as a “complete” striker by Vincent Kompany during his time at Anderlecht, could be a quality option for Farke if he can regain the form that he displayed in front of goal in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.

With Nmecha’s arrival, and the news that they are after another number nine, Leeds may have to part ways with some of the strikers already at the club, and avoid a Chris Wood repeat.

How Leeds fumbled Chris Wood

The New Zealand international enjoyed a prolific spell at Elland Road between 2015 and 2017 after his move from Leicester ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

As you can see in the graphic above, Wood, who joined the club at the age of 23, averaged a goal every other game for the Championship side, but he never got the chance to play in the Premier League because of his £15m move to Burnley in 2017.

The Kiwi marksman left before the Marcelo Bielsa revolution in West Yorkshire, and has gone on to prove himself to be a very impressive goalscorer in the top-flight.

Wood, who scored 20 goals in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest in the 2024/25 season, has racked up 89 goals in 263 top-flight games in his career for Burnley, Newcastle United, and Forest combined.

This shows that Leeds fumbled a brilliant Premier League striker option because they cashed in on him before he got the chance to his his peak at Elland Road, and they could be about to repeat a similar blunder with Mateo Joseph.

The latest on Mateo Joseph's future

Earlier this month, journalist Graeme Bailey told Leeds United News that Real Betis had agreed a fee worth up to £8.5m to sign the Spain U21 international this summer.

However, Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, then rubbished that claim and reported that a deal between the two clubs is nowhere near complete.

In fact, Estadio Deportivo stated that there was a big gap between what the LaLiga outfit would be willing to pay for Joseph and what the Championship champions want for their back-up forward.

Now, Sunday’s edition of ABC Sevilla, as relayed by Sport Witness, reports that Real Betis are currently in talks with the striker and his representatives over the possibility of a move to the club.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that Betis, who will play Europa League football next season, are planning to convince the player to make the switch before they enter serious negotiations, after making initial contact with Leeds to gauge a price tag for him.

That price tag is reported to be as high as £13m, as per Mundo Deportivo’s separate report on Sunday, which is not all too dissimilar to the fee that the Whites received for Wood from Burnley.

Why selling Joseph could be a Wood repeat

As aforementioned, the New Zealand international moved on from Elland Road for a big fee before he had the opportunity to fulfill his potential as a Premier League goalscorer.

Joseph is not in the exact same situation as Wood was in, as he only scored three goals in 39 matches in the Championship this season, but it would be a similar move in the sense that he would be leaving before fulfilling his potential.

The Spanish marksman produced three goals and three assists in just 11 starts, mainly coming off the bench, as he found himself behind Joel Piroe in the pecking order.

Selling him now would mean that Leeds will never see him flourish at first-team level, which would be a shame when you consider the level that he could reach in the future.

Non-penalty xG

0.36

Top 29%

Shots total

2.73

Top 11%

Shots on target

1.05

Top 17%

Non-penalty goals

0.21

Bottom 34%

xAG

0.13

Top 20%

Assists

0.21

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

2.31

Top 20%

Touches in the opposition’s box

5.25

Top 10%

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old marksman showed plenty of encouraging signs in the Championship, as he regularly got shots on target, got himself into great postions to score, and was effective at creating chances for his teammates.

However, Joseph, who was hailed as “dynamite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, needs to find consistency in his finishing, because that appears to be the one area of his game that is letting him down.

The Leeds youngster, though, scored 19 goals in 33 games for the club’s U21 team and has scored eight goals in 11 caps for Spain’s U21 side, which suggests that the potential is there for him to deliver goals on a regular basis.

Given his impressive scoring record at youth level and the great situations he is getting in at first-team level, it could be down to confidence or nerves in front of goal that is stopping him from exploding for Leeds.

This is why Joseph leaving to sign for Real Betis, amid talks with the Spanish outfit, could be a Wood repeat for Leeds because it could be another case of a promising young forward leaving to fulfill their potential elsewhere.

The Championship champions could end up watching on as Joseph finds his feet in front of goal to become a regular scorer for Betis, given that the rest of his game already appears to be at a high level.

Terms agreed: "Dominant" £17m star says yes to signing for Leeds United

Leeds United appear to be closing in on their first signing of the summer window.

ByDan Emery Jun 15, 2025

The signing of Nmecha has put another hurdle in front of Joseph at Elland Road, but the club should avoid selling him for now due to the potential he has to be a star in the future.

Aston Villa missed out on Champions League football for next season with a controversial 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday.

Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen’s goals in the second half secured the win for Ruben Amorim’s side, confining Unai Emery’s men to Europa League football.

The Villans were handed an uphill task after goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was given a straight red card after taking out Rasmus Hojlund after Matty Cash’s under-hit back pass.

However, the result could’ve been different for Emery’s men, after Morgan Rogers was adjudged to have fouled goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, leading to the club making a complaint to the Premier League over the officiating decisions.

Despite the defeat and the questionable decisions made by the officials, numerous players failed to deliver, leaving the club with some big decisions to make during the off-season.

Aston Villa’s poor performers against Man Utd

As previously mentioned, goalkeeper Martinez made a huge mistake that handed Villa a tricky task to try and claim all three points against the Red Devils.

The Argentine has been linked with a move away from the West Midlands in recent weeks, meaning that his disappointing display at Old Trafford may be his last for the club.

However, he wasn’t alone in producing a disappointing display, with left-back Ian Maatsen struggling to impress, even giving away the penalty for Eriksen’s goal.

His poor showing didn’t stop there, losing possession a staggering 13 times, whilst also losing 100% of the ground duels he entered, looking way off the pace and contributing to the defeat.

Both will likely be frustrated with their lack of impact, but despite their respective outings, one other player massively struggled, with Emery needing to make a bold decision on his future.

The 5/10 Villa star who needs to be sold this summer

After missing out on the Champions League, Villa now have a huge summer ahead of themselves to prevent breaking the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.

The club have had to make sales over the last couple of summers, with this one likely to follow in the same vein given the failure to secure a place in Europe’s biggest competition.

Martinez is just one player touted with a move away from Villa Park, with midfielder Rogers another star who could see his future lie away from the club.

However, Emery must boldly sell fellow first-team member Ollie Watkins this summer, needing to cash in on the 29-year-old whilst his stock is at its highest.

He was subject to interest from Arsenal during the January transfer window, but the hierarchy rejected offers for their talisman, enabling him to play a key role in their Champions League aspirations.

However, his showing at Old Trafford was nothing short of a disappointment, failing to deliver the goods and once again going missing in a key encounter.

The England international featured for the entirety of the contest, registering just 21 touches – the fewest of any player who started the game – highlighting his lack of impact.

Minutes played

90

Touches

21

Shots taken

0

Dribbles completed

1/2 (50%)

Duels won

5/15

Passes completed

6/15 (40%)

Possession lost

12x

He also failed to register a single effort on goal and only completed 50% of his dribbles, further highlighting how poor he was when the ball fell his way.

Watkins’ disappointing showing didn’t end there, only winning five of the 15 duels he entered, often being dominated by the Red Devils’ backline in the defeat.

As a result, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Birmingham World’s Charlie Haffenden – further demonstrating how poor he was yesterday.

After such a showing, the manager should look to offload him during the off-season, handing the opportunity for another player to thrive at the top end of the pitch.

Given the current financial situation, the hierarchy will face over the coming months, Watkins should be the first player sacrificed, offering Emery the chance to mount another Champions League push next season.

Their next McGinn: Aston Villa enter the race to sign £30m "top talent"

Aston Villa could strengthen their midfield this summer by signing this star.

ByRoss Kilvington May 25, 2025

Chelsea booked their place in the Europa Conference League final last night with a routine 1-0 victory over Swedish outfit Djurgarden at Stamford Bridge.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half strike was enough to secure a 5-1 aggregate win, with Enzo Maresca’s side facing Real Betis in the final at the end of the month.

The Blues have reached their eighth major European final, looking to add to their two Champions League and two Europa League triumphs in previous years.

Given their form in the competition, it would be a surprise to no one that Maresca’s men are the favourites to go all the way – topping off a superb first year in the role for the Italian.

Numerous players impressed during the second leg victory, potentially handing the manager a selection headache ahead of the remaining Premier League fixtures.

Chelsea’s star performers against Djurgarden

Alongside scoring the goal that clinched another win, midfielder Dewsbury-Hall enjoyed an evening to remember, producing numerous impressive figures throughout.

The 26-year-old created three chances – the most of any player in the match – whilst also completing 100% of the dribbles he attempted, showcasing the threat he carried in attacking areas.

He wasn’t the only star to impress at the Bridge last night, with 16-year-old academy graduate Reggie Walsh getting the opportunity to start from the off after his cameo last week.

The teenager impressed with the opportunity, completing 91% of the passes he attempted, whilst winning four fouls and posing a serious threat to the opposition despite his tender age.

However, despite the showings by the aforementioned duo, one other Blues star managed to impress, with the boss simply unable to drop him from the side after such a positive showing.

The Chelsea star who now looks undroppable after Djurgarden

The Europa Conference League run has been extremely beneficial for Maresca over the last few months, handing the manager the opportunity to fully evaluate the players at his disposal.

Many players, like Walsh, have taken the chance handed to them with both hands, but the same can’t be said for others, with departures likely over the summer window.

That being said, investment is also to be expected in West London as the club looks to push towards the summit of the Premier League during the 2025/26 campaign.

However, such events shouldn’t affect youngster Josh Acheampong, who’s managed to go from strength to strength after originally being frozen out during the early stages of the Maresca reign.

The 19-year-old featured for the entirety of the clash once again last night, thriving in the side as the Blues booked their place in the final of yet another final.

He registered a staggering 122 touches on the ball, completing 85 passes at a completion rate of 91% – not looking out of place in the first-team ranks despite his youthful years.

Acheampong also managed to make 10 passes into the final third and won two tackles, having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch during the triumph – leading to journalist Nizaar Kinsella labelling him as “Chelsea’s best player”.

Josh Acheampong’s stats for Chelsea against Djurgarden

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

122

Passes completed

85/93 (91%)

Passes into final third

10

Tackles won

2

Fouls won

4

Duels won

9

Stats via Sofascore

To top off his magnificent showing, the teenager was handed a 7/10 match rating by The Express’ Dom Smith, highlighting how impressive he was during the meeting at the Bridge.

After such a display, Maresca can’t drop the academy gem, handing him a selection headache ahead of the weekend’s huge clash with Newcastle United.

The Blues need an excellent end to the campaign if they are to secure Champions League football for next season, with Acheampong deserving of the opportunity to help the club in their quest.

Related He's better than Gittens: Chelsea in talks to sign "world-class" £64m star

Chelsea are making moves over a deal to land new attacking stars ahead of the summer transfer window.

Posts ByEthan Lamb May 8, 2025

Leeds United are now eyeing a move for a “world-class” Premier League goalkeeper, who could be brought in as a replacement for Illan Meslier this summer, according to a report.

Meslier mistakes could be costly in promotion race

Meslier has cost Leeds several points in the Championship this season, which could prove to be costly in the promotion race, with Daniel Farke’s side now at serious risk of missing out on the automatic promotion spots.

The goalkeeper’s latest blunder came in the 2-2 draw against Swansea City last weekend, dropping a cross, which resulted in Harry Darling scoring for the visitors, meaning the Whites now sit level on points with third-placed Burnley.

There have already been widespread calls for Farke to replace the Frenchman this season, and the manager may be even more inclined to do so after his latest error, which could hinder his side’s promotion push considerably.

Huge upgrade on Meslier: Leeds big move for "world-class" GK

Leeds United could land a player who could end Illan Meslier’s time at Elland Road.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 1, 2025

A report from TEAMtalk has now revealed there are a number of options on the shortlist to replace the 25-year-old, who is not guaranteed to keep his place as number one next season.

One target is Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who has spent the current campaign on loan at Strasbourg, and his impressive performances in Ligue 1 mean he could be in line to become the Blues’ number one next season.

As such, Enzo Maresca’s side are currently unwilling to talk to potential suitors, but Petrovic remains on Leeds’ shortlist, despite the fact the 25-year-old could well be a part of Chelsea’s plans next season.

Should Meslier fail to prove himself to Farke between now and the end of the season, a move for Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher could also be considered, with the Irishman proving himself as a reliable deputy to Alisson whenever called upon.

"World-class" Petrovic could be Meslier upgrade

With Maresca ultimately opting to make Robert Sanchez his number one, the Serbian has been out on loan at Strasbourg this season, but his performances this season indicate he could deserve a second chance in the Premier League.

The Strasbourg loanee has been singled out for high praise from manager Liam Rosenior, who said: “We have seen huge progress from Petro. He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day and it is still paying off today.”

As per WhoScored, the Serbia international is the best-performing goalkeeper in Ligue 1 this season, having made some fantastic saves for the French side.

Petrovic’s performances indicate he may be in line to replace the much-maligned Sanchez at Stamford Bridge next season, but if Chelsea choose to sanction the £14m goalkeeper’s departure, he could be a real upgrade on Meslier.

The spinner explains he decided not to take a domestic contract with WA to maximise playing opportunities globally while he remains intent on playing for Australia

Alex Malcolm20-Apr-2024Ashton Agar has become the latest Australian player to make the bold decision to become a freelance global gun-for-hire, and he couldn’t be more excited about it.But the 30-year-old says he remains committed to trying to play for Australia in all three formats, including Test cricket, and playing domestic cricket for Western Australia when he’s available despite opting not to sign a state contract for 2024-25.The decision was made following lengthy and collaborative consultations with WA’s general manager of high performance Kade Harvey, WA coach Adam Voges, Australia coach Andrew McDonald and chairman of selectors George Bailey after Agar did not receive a Cricket Australia contract for 2024-25.Related

• Takeaways: Why Fraser-McGurk and Smith missed out on T20 World Cup selection

• Agar, Stoinis, Behrendorff and Tye go freelance without WA contracts

• Stoinis and Agar lose CA deals while Bartlett earns full contract

• 'Blank page' for Australia's Test batting reserves and Agar's strong World Cup chance

• From Test No. 2 to going home: the bizarre handling of Ashton Agar

It was driven partly by the lack of cricket Agar played at the back end of last summer following the BBL. He found himself playing just three Marsh Cup games and grade cricket after the BBL finished in late January, as Corey Rocchiccioli had established himself as WA’s No.1 Sheffield Shield spinner.Agar did briefly head to South Africa to try and play as a replacement player in the SA20 but did not get an opportunity, before his contract with CA and WA meant he was required to return for the end of the Marsh Cup.Not taking a domestic deal for next summer will free him up to play overseas during the Australian domestic season given he won’t be under contract, as tournaments such as the SA20, the ILT20, the PSL and the BPL all fall in the summer window.”The timing was right,” Agar told ESPNcricinfo. “There’s a lot of things that have been taken into account here. Obviously coming off my Cricket Australia contract and not playing the last couple of games for WA in the red-ball space and just assessing the cricket landscape over the last couple of years and seeing the way that cricket is trending and the way my cricket has been trending, this decision just made a lot of sense to me.”To not take a state contract gives me the flexibility to take opportunities that may pop up around the world.”It allows me to still play for Western Australia. But it doesn’t lock me into just playing state cricket. And I think as someone with aspirations to play at the highest level, which is international cricket, for as long as possible, playing cricket as much as you can is the only thing that gets you there.”WA will still support Agar in terms of allowing him to be part of their squad when he is in Perth. He will have access to the facilities, coaches and medical staff, which is something he is incredibly grateful for.

“Playing for Australia doesn’t mean you have to have a state contract at that time. You just need to be putting your best foot forward for whichever team you’re playing for.”Ashton Agar is committed to play for Australia despite not taking a WA contract

He would also still be eligible for an upgraded state contract if he plays four Marsh Cup games and will still put his hand up to play Shield cricket if the opportunity arises.”My chats with Kade Harvey and Adam Voges have been that whilst I’m not going to be a WA-contracted player, when I’m available to play one-day cricket, I’ll still play one-day cricket for WA and they will support me as a WA cricketer,” Agar said.”I’ve been told I’m going to have that support network around me and I’m super grateful to Western Australia for allowing me to still have that privilege. That means a hell of a lot.”I think the beauty of this decision, it allows me to be available for everything. Obviously, if there’s a white-ball [franchise] opportunity that comes up I’m able to take that now. But if there isn’t and I am available to play a Shield game for WA, of course I would take that opportunity. This decision is all about playing as much cricket as possible.”Agar feels no ill will towards Rocchiccioli’s rise, especially after the offspinner has spoken emotionally and glowingly of Agar’s influence on his own career. Despite making the choice to go freelance, Agar still wants to help the younger generation of WA spin bowling talent when he’s around.”I really love that role of trying to mentor guys like Corey Rocchiccioli, like Hamish McKenzie and even Cooper Connolly to an extent as well,” Agar said. “It’s something that’s really exciting for me.”Agar has taken inspiration from Tim David who has forged an exceptional freelance career without holding an Australian domestic contract. David has become a staple of Australia’s T20I side even after being allowed to miss what would have been his first series for Australia in early 2022 to fulfil a contract in the PSL.Australia’s current selection panel have shown they have no issues picking players who aren’t part of the domestic system, with David making his ODI debut last year having played just one Marsh Cup game.Agar’s situation, however, is more akin to that of Matthew Wade who was able to mix Shield and Marsh Cup commitments for Tasmania in recent years with franchise opportunities, while still being part of Australia’s T20I team including being a stand-in captain.The selectors have also shown they are prepared to pick white-ball specialists for Test tours in certain conditions without playing Shield cricket. Glenn Maxwell was called up for the Sri Lanka tour in 2022 without playing Shield cricket and was very close to playing. Maxwell would likely have been on the India Test tour last year had he not broken his leg and he remains in the frame for the Sri Lanka Test tour next year despite not playing any Shield cricket last summer.Ashton Agar in his delivery stride•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaAgar has not played a first-class match since his last Test in January 2023. He did go on the tour of India but came home after not being selected for the first two Tests to get some games in for WA ahead of the ODI series. Rocchiccioli’s emergence has made it difficult to find opportunities since.Whilst Agar understands the realities of the decision to go freelance, he is confident that he would not be precluded from selection for an overseas Test tour even if he was not playing Shield cricket.”My chats with Andrew McDonald and George Bailey have all been about playing as much cricket as possible,” Agar said. “Playing for Australia doesn’t mean you have to have a state contract at that time. You just need to be putting your best foot forward for whichever team you’re playing for.”Taking this step probably means I’m going to be playing a bit more white-ball cricket than red-ball cricket. And that’s just the reality of this decision. But the Australian selectors have shown over recent history that they’re willing to pick guys based on conditions and that’s a really exciting thing.”If there was a subcontinent tour and my skillset was required, and I was playing well at the time, then I think maybe I still would be a chance for that and that’s quite an exciting proposition regardless of how much red-ball cricket I’ve played at the time.”Agar is essentially betting on himself and is invigorated about exploring what opportunities could come his way. He is currently preparing for the T20 World Cup at home in Australia and appears set to be part of Australia’s 15-man squad as the second spinner alongside Adam Zampa. He did explore flying to India to train with an IPL franchise but the travel schedules of the teams made it too difficult.He is hopeful of potentially signing an MLC or Hundred deal for later in the year but now also has the flexibility to sign deals in the SA20, ILT20, BPL or PSL either side of his BBL deal with Perth Scorchers.Agar has taken inspiration from watching Sunil Narine batting at this year’s IPL•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesHe is also working hard on his batting with personal batting coach Viv Paver and WA’s batting coach Beau Casson to become a true allrounder in T20 cricket. Agar’s batting potential has been evident since his stunning 98 on Test debut in 2013. His best BBL innings, 68 off 34 in 2016, came batting at No. 5 and he has even opened the batting for his country in two T20Is in 2022, as Australia looked for ways to find him a role in the top seven to give them a fifth specialist bowler in the XI.He said he learned a lot from that experience and has taken inspiration from watching Sunil Narine’s late-career batting renaissance in the IPL this season.”I love seeing him opening the batting and playing with such freedom,” Agar said. “I think we’ve actually got quite similar bat swings. Getting that opportunity would probably be the next step. Having a real crack at the top of the order would be something I’d love to do. But there’s a hell of a lot of work that has to go in into that.”I really think I can bring value to teams with the bat. But it’s up to me to keep putting in the work. This opportunity now gives me the chance to specialise a little bit more: take it away from the red-ball style of batting and really get specific on what I need to do to be a really effective hitter in white-ball cricket all throughout the order.”

They have now failed to defend targets in three successive overseas Tests, but is it just an India thing?

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Jul-20222:45

Is it time to start worrying about India’s bowling?

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Birmingham. India have now failed to defend targets in three successive overseas Tests. Each time, the targets were sizeable – 240 and 212 in challenging batting conditions in South Africa, and 378 on a flat pitch against England – and each time, India only picked up three final-innings wickets.It’s a jarring run of results, and a particularly concerning one for India, given how much they pride themselves on the ability to take 20 wickets in all conditions. So what has gone wrong?Related

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Is it just an India thing?
We’re just over halfway into 2022, but there have already been six successful chases of 200-plus targets this year. One more, and 2022 will equal 2008’s all-time record.Overall, teams have averaged 34.27 runs per wicket in the fourth innings this year. It’s been the best year for batting in the fourth innings since 2008, and not only that, this year of plenty has followed more than half-a-decade’s drought. From 2014 to 2021, teams averaged 27.50 or less in the fourth innings.England, of course, have been – as a team – and has been – as a host country – responsible for four of the six successful 200-plus chases of 2022 – three times against New Zealand and once against India. Never before has one team pulled off four such chases in a single year, and England have achieved this unprecedented feat by batting in a near-unprecedented manner in conditions that have been unusually batting-friendly.Both India and New Zealand toured England in 2021, played each other once, and then played against the hosts, going away with a 1-0 series win and a 2-1 series lead respectively. The England of 2022, however, was a land of flatter pitches and a batch of Dukes balls that lost most of its sting after around the 30-over mark. The England of 2022 were also a team that batted in a proactive manner that both befitted the conditions and made them even harder to bowl in, reducing the bowlers’ margin for error significantly. For both New Zealand and India, touring England in 2022 was like visiting an entirely new cricketing nation.A common factor across India’s three fourth-innings reverses was a worrying lack of support for Bumrah and Shami•Getty ImagesHave India missed Ishant Sharma?
One common factor across India’s three fourth-innings reverses was a worrying lack of support for Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Mohammed Siraj, who was injured during South Africa’s first innings in Johannesburg, only bowled six overs during their chase and struggled for rhythm. Umesh Yadav, who replaced Siraj in Cape Town, failed to sustain the pressure created by Bumrah and Shami, conceding four an over during the fourth innings. At Edgbaston, both Thakur and Siraj went for more than a run a ball across the two England innings.In India’s last four away Tests, including their win in Centurion, Shami and Bumrah bowled nearly 60% of their fast bowlers’ overs, and the reason for this has been obvious: they have been India’s biggest wicket threats while also offering the most control of all their seamers. In these four Tests, they were the only two seamers with an economy rate of less than 3.5, with Thakur going at 3.76 and Siraj and Umesh conceding more than four an over.In Johannesburg, Cape Town and Birmingham, India’s bowling often lacked both potency and control when Bumrah and Shami took breaks between spells. At these times, they seemed to miss a third seamer in the mould of Ishant Sharma, who, in the 14 Tests he played alongside Bumrah and Shami, had both the best average (20.46) and economy rate (2.56) of all of India’s quicks.Ishant was part of India’s squad in South Africa but didn’t get to play, with Umesh chosen ahead of him when Siraj picked up his injury, and was dropped from the squad for the Edgbaston Test. He was a key contributor to India’s win at Lord’s last year, but he was down on both pace and accuracy in the next Test in Leeds, where he went at more than four an over in an innings defeat. He has only played one Test since then, in Kanpur last November.It’s unclear if Ishant remains in India’s long-term plans, but it’s clear that they need someone who can do what he did in his best years, whether it’s a rejuvenated Ishant, or Prasidh Krishna – the successor India seem to have identified for the tall, hit-the-deck fast bowler’s role – or simply Siraj with improved control.Mohammed Shami started poorly on the fifth day•Associated PressHave the fast bowlers over-attacked?
England’s chase at Edgbaston had a few broad similarities to their unsuccessful chase of a similar target in the fourth Test at The Oval last year. Their openers put on a century stand, before India struck back with quick top-order wickets, including the run-out of a left-hand batter during a Ravindra Jadeja over.But where Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed took 40.4 overs to put on 100 at The Oval, Alex Lees and Zak Crawley only took 21.4 overs to add 107 at Edgbaston. While England had an entirely new batting philosophy and the conditions were quicker-scoring, India’s bowling had also changed.In the first 30 overs of England’s chase at The Oval, India’s fast bowlers were relentless with their lengths, hitting a good length 63% of the time, according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data. This despite not taking a wicket in that period. In the first 30 overs at Edgbaston, however, they only hit a good length 39% of the time, with more frequent forays into the full and short-of-good-length zones, and also slipping in the odd attempted yorker or bouncer, which they didn’t try at The Oval.A lot of this was down to the conditions, of course. The pitch was benign, and where the Dukes ball has generally gone flat after around the 30-over mark during this English summer, even the new one India picked out at Edgbaston did very little. It’s always easier to bowl a good length when a bit of help is available. At The Oval, Burns and Hameed scored at just 1.61 per over off good-length balls. At Edgbaston, good-length balls went at four an over even when the ball was less than 30 overs old.To add to this, England’s top order made every effort to put India off their lengths. Lees made the gameplan very clear in just the second over, when he stepped out of his crease and swiped Shami through the leg side. Crawley would soon show a similarly adventurous spirit too, frequently driving on the up and on one occasion whipping a fourth-stump ball through midwicket.Even so, should India have deviated so much from a good length? And the events of Edgbaston weren’t a one-off. In Cape Town, you could have made the same case against India’s bowlers in far more helpful conditions.On the fifth morning of that Test, they took the high-risk, high-reward option of bowling full lengths to Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen, and suffered when luck went South Africa’s way. Bumrah and Shami beat the bat repeatedly without creating outright chances, and also went for quick runs. It was a gamble that could have come off on another day, but might India have been better served by hammering away on a good length, given the help on offer?The South Africa tour and Edgbaston Test were India’s first overseas assignments under Rahul Dravid and Paras Mhambrey. It’s too early to tell if this tendency to search for attacking lengths – if two examples can point to a tendency in the first place – is part of the new coaching staff’s wider gameplan, but it’s clear enough that the coaches and the bowlers need to spend a lot more time together before we get a coherent sense of their ideas.India squandered a glorious chance to bat England out of the game in the third innings•PA Photos/Getty ImagesDid the batters do enough?
In Cape Town, India took a narrow first-innings lead before their batting collapsed around a sensational third-innings hundred from Rishabh Pant. Conditions were tricky to bat in, but there was one passage of play that India may have rued, when Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Shardul Thakur were all out to drives away from the body, and 152 for 4 (effectively 165 for 4) became 170 for 7. Rather than set South Africa upwards of 250, as seemed likely when Kohli and Pant were batting, India ended up setting them 212.The third innings at Edgbaston – particularly in the light of how easily England ran down their target – could be seen as another missed opportunity. From 153 for 3, India only added another 92 runs to their total, with Cheteshwar Pujara and Pant falling to attacking shots when well-set, Shreyas Iyer falling into a clearly telegraphed short-ball trap, and the lower order bounced out in a hurry. India had the series lead. They had a significant first-innings lead, and the ideal batting conditions in which to extend it. They had the chance to bat England out of the game, and they failed to take it.

The Blue Jays were defeated Wednesday by the Red Sox in an AL East rivalry clash, and the last out was certainly one the team will be hoping to forget.

Catcher Alejandro Kirk hit a line drive into right field and began making his way to first base. He certainly didn't run with too much urgency, as despite the ball reaching the outfield, he was thrown out by Wilyer Abreu at first base.

Addison Barger, who was the runner on first base, looked on in disbelief after his teammate was thrown out at first base to end the game, clearly displeased with what had transpired.

Toronto had been held off the scoresheet until the ninth inning when Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a solo shot to get them on the board. A win was unlikely given the six-run deficit, but Kirk getting thrown at first base was certainly an unceremonious way to end the game.

With the Blue Jays losing and the Yankees beating the White Sox, the teams are now tied atop the AL East at 90-68. Boston meanwhile, is three games back in the division with four to play, but is inching closer to clinching a wild card spot.

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Os torcedores do Botafogo que estavam presentes no Estádio Metropolitano, na Colômbia, foram retirados do estádio 15 minutos antes do término do confronto contra o Junior Barranquila, na Fase de Grupos da Libertadores, pela polícia local.

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🗒️ CONFIRA A NOTA PUBLICADA PELO BOTAFOGO:

”O Botafogo vai relatar à CONMEBOL o tratamento imposto aos seus torcedores por parte da Polícia de Barranquilla, que os retirou do estádio cerca de 15 minutos antes do término da partida. O Clube aguarda providências e lamenta o desrespeito. O Botafogo agradece a cada um dos alvinegros que estiveram presentes na Colômbia”, diz o comunicado divulgado pelo Botafogo.

Artur Jorge lamentou o ocorrido, em coletiva de imprensa.

”Fico desiludido pelo o que os torcedores passaram aqui na arquibancada e tiveram que abandonar o jogo faltando 15 minutos, quando era o momento que precisávamos deles. Foram exemplares hoje. Poderiam ter sido importantes para a parte final da partida”, disse o treinador.

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