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With English cricket heading down a new path, it leaves Australia as the outlier in terms of private investment in their domestic league

Matt Roller31-Jan-2025Australian cricket is watching the ECB’s introduction of private investment into the Hundred with interest as the Big Bash League looks to “stay ahead of the game” following a successful 2024/25 season.Hobart Hurricanes’ maiden title, on the back of Mitchell Owen’s 39-ball century, put the seal on a campaign that demonstrated the BBL’s “strong momentum and growth”, the league’s general manager Alistair Dobson told ESPNcricinfo. It has given both him and Cricket Australia the chance to think to the future after spending multiple seasons in “reset mode”.After four seasons of the Hundred, the ECB is selling 49% stakes in each of its eight teams to private investors in a process that got underway on Thursday, leaving the BBL – which is owned and run entirely by CA and its states – as an outlier. Dobson declined to comment on whether the BBL will follow suit imminently, but remains open-minded about the league’s future.Related

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“The BBL has been successful almost from the very beginning,” Dobson said. “It has been able to deliver a really strong product and return to Australian cricket, which has meant that the model we have has been really successful – hence why there has been limited momentum in changing that model historically, because it’s been so strong.”The world’s shifting, and we’re always looking at other leagues and other models around the world to make sure we still have the right one for us… Every part of the global game is evolving really quickly and we learn bits from everyone. The process that the ECB is going through with the Hundred looks like an interesting one – it’ll be fascinating to see how that unfolds.”Dobson travelled to the UK to watch several games of the Hundred’s 2023 season and has kept close tabs on the competition’s first four seasons. “We can and do learn from the Hundred around continuing to innovate, in the way that the Hundred was prepared to try something different,” he said. “We have plenty to learn from each other.”Both leagues have that philosophy of continuing to be fan-first. From the outside looking in, it appears that they’ve taken a lot of the BBL’s DNA – the colour, fun, new audiences, new brands – and have created a product that seems to have connected quite strongly with the fanbase, and is bringing new fans into the game.”The Hundred has changed the landscape of English cricket•ECB via Getty ImagesCA’s decision to expand the BBL from 43 games to 59 (and later 61) from 2018/19 until 2022/23 brought several challenges, with attendances and TV viewership suffering. But since returning to a shorter window last season – squeezing into the school holidays – it has managed to hold its own through a “quality over quantity” approach, despite clashes with the ILT20 and SA20.”For the past three or four years, we’ve been building the competition back after some challenging years through Covid and otherwise,” Dobson said. “It’s not until the last 12 months where we’ve had the momentum to be able to look at the future… I wouldn’t comment on any specific opportunities, but the world’s moving pretty fast and it’s important that we stay ahead of the game.”The availability of the world’s best players – both from Australia and elsewhere – remains a sticking point for the BBL, with only three out of six overseas spots filled in Monday’s final and Test series against India and Sri Lanka at either end of the season. But Dobson believes that the player pool remains healthy, with competitive top-end salaries of AUD$420,000.”The global landscape is moving really fast,” he said. “We hear a lot from players that playing in front of big crowds in iconic stadiums with great wickets and facilities is still really important, so we feel like we’re in a good position on that front… The other leagues around our window have created some interesting challenges, we feel like we are in pretty good shape.”Guys like Chris Jordan for the Hurricanes and Sam Billings for the [Sydney] Thunder have become really engaged in their clubs. Combining that with the iconic players in our competition – whether that’s Glenn Maxwell, or increasingly Mitch Owen – and then when we get a glimpse of Steve Smith, or David Warner… our strength is the mix of all those player groups.”Owen earned worldwide attention in his breakthrough season – not only for his brutal hitting, but for his obvious affinity for the Hurricanes. He grew up supporting the club from the grass bank at Bellerive Oval in Hobart and described his starring role in their first trophy win, aged 23, as a “childhood dream”, underlining the BBL’s longevity compared to many T20 leagues.’You start to get kids coming through who grew up barracking for and supporting their BBL team, evolving from young fans into opening batters’•Getty Images”It’s a great story for us,” Dobson said. “I mean that not just individually for Mitch and the Hurricanes, but also, it’s a really strong signpost for us on the maturity and evolution of our competition, where we now have kids that have grown up supporting their BBL team, and we’re old enough for those kids to see their way through to play – and win – for that team.”We see it in other codes around the world – whether that’s football or other sports – where you want to play for the team you grew up supporting… Once you get through 14 seasons, you start to get kids coming through who grew up barracking for and supporting their BBL team, evolving from young fans into opening batters. That’s a really cool place for us to be.”The BBL will again overlap with a major series next summer, with Australia’s Test players unlikely to be available until the second half of the season following the Ashes. And while the majority of boards now reserve a space for their short-form leagues in their international calendar, Dobson insisted that the BBL works best when it operates “in harmony” with headline Test series, allowing cricket to capitalise on its window in the Australian sporting calendar.”Test cricket is still the pinnacle for our fans and our players,” he said. “For the BBL to run alongside that with its own offering and its own strengths is still the right model for us… There’s always talk about whether the BBL and the Test season should be separated to allow more player availability, but there’s also an element where those two things can work in harmony to create a really strong offering.”

Despite just welcoming Mikey Moore on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, Rangers are reportedly back in the Premier League market and have opened talks to sign a talent who the 49ers know well.

Martin "thrilled" to welcome "aggressive" Moore

It’s been an impressive overhaul by Rangers this summer and Moore instantly stands out as one of their best arrivals. The exciting 17-year-old often showed glimpses of what he is capable of whenever given the opportunity at Tottenham and a loan move to Rangers should provide him with the platform to begin realising what is incredibly high potential.

Speaking for the first time since sealing his loan move, the young winger told Rangers’ official website: “I’m excited to get going. As soon as I heard Rangers were interested and wanted me to come, it was a massive opportunity for me.

“I’m excited to be here and hopefully I can show the fans and everyone what I can do. I’ve always loved Rangers as a club. My family have always loved them. I think with the new boss and the way that we play, it’s a great place to be at the minute. It was a pretty easy decision for me to come here.”

Russell Martin was also thrilled to get the deal over the line, saying: “We are thrilled to bring Mikey on loan for this season. His profile as a brave, aggressive attacking player is one that we were keen to add to the squad, and he is certainly a player who, despite his age, can make an impact on the team from day one.

More exciting than Gassama & Moore: Rangers must sign "tenacious" £5m star

Rangers must swoop for this £6m star who would be even more exciting than Djeidi Gassama and Mikey Moore.

ByDan Emery Aug 2, 2025

“He is a player with huge potential, and it is testament to his quality that he has been entrusted by Spurs in both the Premier League and UEFA Europa League with such regularity over the last 18 months.”

Those at Ibrox aren’t done there with their shopping in the Premier League, however. Reports are now claiming that they’ve opened talks to sign a young talent who the 49ers know well.

Leeds open talks to sign Joe Gelhardt

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers have now opened talks to sign Joe Gelhardt in a permanent deal from Leeds United, who are also owned by the 49ers.

The 23-year-old forward spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City, having struggled for game time at Elland Road, and ended his spell with five goals to his name. It was a loan move which, ultimately, lacked consistency but one that seemingly showed Rangers enough to warrant a summer move.

Whilst Gelhardt struggled for starts at Leeds, Martin and Rangers could yet provide him with the platform that he has desperately needed for the last 12 months.

It’s then that he could realise his best form and prove Jamie Rednkapp right, who said when speaking about Gelhardt in 2021: “He’s like a human wrecking ball. I like him; he’s really exciting. He’s fast; he’s aggressive; he gets on the ball, he takes people on.”

Manchester United have finally announced the signing of Bryan Mbeumo, with a £71m deal agreed, finally, on Friday.

Weeks of negotiating had cast a grey cloud over the exciting transfer, with doubts beginning to creep in as to whether the Cameroonian would actually be plying his trade as a Red Devil next season.

Mbeumo, 25, is one of the Premier League’s most talented and prolific forwards, posting 20 goals across 38 matches last season. The likes of Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur all registered their interest, but it was Old Trafford that Mbeumo’s heart was set on.

With Matheus Cunha on the opposite flank, the right-sided forward may well wreak havoc under Ruben Amorim’s wing next year, in a new-look United frontline tasked with leading the revival.

However, a new striker is still required.

Man United's need for a new a striker

Rasmus Hojlund appears committed to the United cause. Amorim needs, truly needs, to ensure that an upgrade is signed this summer, even if the 22-year-old remains in the first-team squad.

This wouldn’t actually be the worst thing in the world, for it would package some depth while easing Hojlund’s weight of responsibility, perhaps allowing him to work on his weaker points.

But United need a new centre-forward all the same.

According to Football Transfers, that man might be Nicolas Jackson, who is open to swapping Chelsea for United.

That follows positive talks between Jason Wilcox and the player’s representatives, with discussions still ongoing over personal terms for Jackson.

Chelsea have lowered their exorbitant £100m asking price to £70m; however it’s likely that United will still seek to whittle that figure down.

What Nicolas Jackson would bring to Man United

The duality of Jackson. At times, a rip-roaring, barnstorming menace of a striker; at other points, wasteful and lacking authority at number nine.

However, 24 goals and ten assists across two Premier League seasons is nothing to be sniffed at, especially when considering that only 59 of his 65 fixtures have come from the outset.

Jackson tapered off across the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, but he posted nine goals and three assists across his opening 15 league games, thus proving that with some more consistency, he could become one of the leading goalscorers competing in England.

And partnered with someone like Mbeumo in United’s frontline, he could finally reach the level that his natural talent suggests is attainable.

Mbeumo is chiefly a deadly goalscorer, but he’s also a robust athletic profile and a creative presence besides.

As per Sofascore, he created a whopping 17 big chances in the Premier League last season, averaging 1.8 key passes per game.

In this way, he could be perfect for Jackson, feeding the Senegalese star balls while maintaining his own top-class goalscoring threat.

And Jackson, who has been hailed in the past as a “special” striker by journalist Rahman Osman, is hardly one-note himself, ranked among the top 17% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last year for progressive carries and the top 22% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

Ultimately, this would be a calculated risk from INEOS for a talented striker who has yet to bring it all together and sustain it in the English game.

But with Mbeumo partnering him up top (and Cunha too), Jackson might just prove to be an astute signing for a resurgent Man United side.

Bigger star than Mbeumo: Man Utd discussing £78m move to sign "new Haaland"

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim wants to sign an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 21, 2025

أعلن علي ماهر، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي سيراميكا كليوباترا، التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة الأهلي، بعد قليل في الدوري المصري.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، على أرضية استاد القاهرة، في إطار لقاءات الجولة السابعة من الدوري المصري،.

طالع.. فيديو وصور | محمود الخطيب يظهر في اجتماع الجمعية العمومية لـ الأهلي

يتواجد سيراميكا كليوباترا في المركز السابع بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، ولديه 10 نقاط من 5 مواجهات، فاز في 3 وتعادل في لقاء، وتلقى هزيمة وحيدة.

ويحتل الأهلي المركز السادس عشر بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 6 نقاط، من 5 مباريات، حقق الفوز في مباراة وتعادل في ثلاثة، وتلقى هزيمة واحدة. تشكيل سيراميكا كليوباترا اليوم أمام الأهلي

حراسة المرمى: محمد بسام.

خط الدفاع: حسين السيد – رجب نبيل – چاستيس آرثر – محمد عادل.

خط الوسط: عمرو السولية – ابراهيم محمد – إسلام عيسى – مروان عثمان – صديق ايجولا.

خط الهجوم: فخري لاكاي. بدلاء سيراميكا كليوباترا أمام الأهلي

محمد كوكو – محمد مغربي – خالد عبد الفتاح – كريم نيدفيد – كريم الدبيس – محمد صادق – أيمن موكا – محمد رضا – أحمد بلحاج.

India captain signs off as the highest run-scorer in the format

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-20241:35

Rohit Sharma announces retirement from T20Is

Rohit Sharma has joined Virat Kohli in retiring from T20 internationals after India won the World Cup by beating South Africa in a thrilling final in Barbados. He confirmed that he would continue to play ODIs and Tests.”This was my last [T20I] game as well,” Rohit said at the press conference after the final. “No better time to say goodbye to this format. I’ve loved every moment of this. I started my India career playing this format. This is what I wanted, I wanted to win the cup.”I wanted this badly. Very hard to put in words. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was very desperate for this title in my life. Happy that we eventually crossed the line.”Related

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Rohit leaves the format as its highest scorer – 4231 runs in 159 matches – and also holds the record for the most centuries (five) in T20 internationals. He’s won two T20 World Cup titles: the inaugural one as a player in 2007 and now as captain in 2024.Rohit and Kohli’s retirement from the T20I format was not entirely unexpected. Both players had not played any T20Is after India’s semi-final defeat in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, and only resumed playing T20Is in January this year – with the focus on the 2024 T20 World Cup.Rohit finished the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer – 257 at a strike rate of 156.70 – in difficult batting conditions in the USA and the West Indies. He took on the responsibility of giving India fast starts with his attacking approach, and scored crucial match-winning half-centuries in their last Super Eight game against Australia and the semi-final against England.

Youngster sees Essex home after seven-wicket collapse is instigated by legspinner

ECB Reporters Network07-Jun-2024Essex 168 for 8 (Rossington 48, Benkenstein 35*, Crane 4-25) beat Glamorgan 165 for 8 (Ingram 52, Sams 3-28, Walter 3-33) by two wickets Luc Benkenstein provided the maturity to get Essex over the line to beat Glamorgan by two wickets in a nerve-jangler in the Vitality Blast.Benkenstein, the 19-year-old son of Lancashire head coach Dale, arrived with Essex requiring 61 from 56 but in the midst of a mega-collapse of seven wickets in 31 balls – as Mason Crane spun a Blast best four for 25.But the No.9 came in clutch with an unbeaten 35 off 21 in partnership with Shane Snater – who grabbed 20 himself – to chase down 165 with eight balls to spare.Paul Walter and Daniel Sams took three wickets apiece as Colin Ingram restarted his Essex domination with 52 – but it wasn’t enough as both sides have two wins after four matches.Put in, Eddie Byrom was bowled attempting a ramp by Sams in a wicket maiden to start the innings – it was first of three for the Australian.Things didn’t get better immediately for Glamorgan when Sam Northeast steered to a short third as the visitors were 31 for two after six overs.But they fought back in the middle overs as Kiran Carlson pumped Simon Harmer for consecutive sixes, before Ingram got moving against the South African – the spinner’s second two overs went for 35.Carlson and Marnus Labuschagne put on 63, and after both fell in quick succession – the latter giving Walter the first of his three for 33 – Ingram and Chris Cooke continued the momentum with 48 for the fifth.Ingram has been a historical menace to the Eagles. He had blasted two centuries and two fifties against them between 2015 and 2018 but since then had been rather barren.He exploded back into life with a 28-ball half-century to take him to 548 T20 runs against Essex but more immediately important, got his side to a half-defendable total of 166 for eight.Rossington quickly past the three runs needed for 500 T20 runs for Essex and the nine to reach 3,000 in all T20s before finding his range with some thumping strikes.Dean Elgar got a life on two before Jamie McIlroy crashed into his stumps, but not after he’d played anchor in a 43-run stand with Rossington.Elgar’s exit meant last week’s centurion Michael Pepper could unleash himself, and he didn’t take too long to continue when he left off against Middlesex.Timm van der Gugten bore the brunt with a six and three fours in a 23-run over, with five overthrows added into the mix.But the leg-spinning duo of Hampshire loanee Crane and Labuschagne turned things with six wickets in 19 balls.Labuschagne had Rossington caught at long off trying to reach his fifty, before Jordan Cox and Michael Pepper fell in the same Crane over, and then Carlson spectacularly caught Paul Walter.Sams slapped to long on and then Matt Critchley was powerless to a googly as Crane took himself to four for 25.After a wicketless over, Labuschagne caught and bowled Harmer, but Benkenstein used his cricket sense to ease his side away from danger with risk-free play.His six was placed rather than bludgeoned over the ropes and with Snater they reached the winning line in a 45-run stand.

Arsenal have now been contacted by the entourage of a Manchester United star, ahead of a potential summer move, according to a report.

Gunners stepping up winger pursuit

With Mikel Arteta’s side poised to finish second for the third year on the bounce, the board are set to spend big in the upcoming window, and The Mirror’s John Cross has revealed there are two key areas in which the manager is looking to strengthen.

Bukayo Saka’s lengthy spell on the sidelines this season underlined his importance to the Gunners, but there may be some concerns about Gabriel Martinelli’s attacking output, with the Brazilian hardly setting the world alight in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old picked up just eight goals and four assists in the 2024-25 campaign, and the north Londoners could now be presented with the opportunity to raid one of their Premier League rivals for a potential replacement.

Indeed, according to a report from The Boot Room, the agents of Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho have now been in contact over a potential move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, with the left-winger set to be sold.

Garnacho is frustrated about not being included in the starting XI for the Europa League final, and having accepted he needs to leave Old Trafford this summer, the Argentine is keen on a switch to Atletico Madrid, while Napoli are also in the picture.

It remains to be seen whether the 20-year-old is tempted by a move to Arsenal, but any deal is expected to amount to around £51m.

£359k-per-week striker would join Arsenal "immediately", Berta wants him

He’s apparently very keen.

ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025 "Generational" Garnacho needs summer move

Much like a whole host of other top players, the Argentina international’s career has stalled at Old Trafford, picking up just six goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, but there are plenty of signs the youngster could be a success elsewhere.

Lauded as “generational” by Statman Dave, the starlet holds the record for most goal involvements by a teenager in United’s history, while he has also received praise for his ability to create chances.

That said, Arsenal have identified a number of other winger targets, and it would be a risk to take a punt on Garnacho, rather than a player who is more proven at the top level.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Rafael Leao

AC Milan

£145m

Nico Williams

Athletic Club

£49m

Ademola Lookman

Atalanta

£55m

Rodrygo

Real Madrid

£85m