An all-round show from Ahmed Daniyal and a three-wicket haul from Khushdil Shah helped Lions keep their campaign alive, as they held on for a 12-run victory in the Champions One-Day Cup Eliminator against Stallions in Faisalabad. Lions will now face Markhors in the second Eliminator on Friday, with the winner facing Panthers in Sunday’s final.Opting to bat, Lions were in a spot of bother at 43 for 3, before Sharoon Siraj (38) and Mohammad Taha revived the innings with a 77-run partnership. However, Stallions kept chipping away, resulting in another slide for Lions, who went from 120 for 3 to 140 for 7 in the space of five overs. With Lions staring at the possibility of a sub-200 total, Daniyal and Aamer Yamin launched a counterattack, their 81-run eighth-wicket stand eventually guiding the team to 263 for 9. While Yamin was run out for 46, Daniyal remained unbeaten on 65 off 59 balls, with two fours and five sixes. For Stallions, seamer Ubaid Shah was the pick of the bowlers, ending with 3 for 46.Stallions began their 264 chase well, courtesy an opening stand of 64 between Yasir Khan (39) and Maaz Sadaqat (27). However, three wickets in successive overs saw the team stumble to 68 for 3, with Khushil accounting for both Sadaqat and Adil Amin. Another threatening partnership – 69 for the fourth wicket between Tayyab Tahir and Hussain Talat – appeared to give Stallions a way back into the game, but Daniyal broke through to halt their momentum in the 30th over.Stallions captain Mohammad Haris and Jahanad Khan provided a late surge, but Lions stayed ahead with regular wickets. Stallions needed 23 off the last two overs, but they only had two wickets in hand, and Lions finally bundled them out for 251. Khushdil finished with 3 for 40 while Daniyal took 3 for 59.
Chelsea have signed plenty of attacking players from fellow Premier League clubs over the years.
Some have performed well and lived up to expectations at Stamford Bridge, whereas others have struggled.
Fernando Torres cost the Blues £50m when he joined from Liverpool in January 2011. Considering he was one of the finest forwards in Europe, the expectation was enormous.
A return of just 45 goals in 172 matches didn’t exactly see him shine at Stamford Bridge. Raheem Sterling was another attacking player who failed to star at the club, despite a big transfer fee, ultimately shipped out on loan to Arsenal after being excluded by the manager.
In comparison, Cole Palmer has been a massive hit, registering 68 goal contributions across 94 matches for the Blues since joining from Manchester City.
Elsewhere, Nicolas Anelka, Joe Cole and Eidur Gudjohnsen have all made the move from other Premier League sides to Chelsea since the turn of the century and significantly impressed in their own way.
Now, Enzo Maresca is looking to wrap up a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro.
If a deal can be sealed in the coming days, the manager will be hoping he will turn into a Palmer 2.0 rather than a Torres.
Chelsea closing in on signing Joao Pedro
The Italian has made no secret that he is looking to bolster Chelsea’s attacking options this summer.
Jamie Gittens is someone whom the Blues have been tracking for quite some time, and they even had a bid rejected a few weeks ago.
Their £55m bid a few days ago was accepted, however, and the English winger is set to undergo a medical in London.
Jamie Gittens
Could Pedro follow suit in the coming days? According to The Athletic, Chelsea have reached an agreement with Brighton regarding a move for the Brazilian, and it is in excess of £50m.
His medical looks set to take place over the next few days, and the Blues are closing in on adding another top-class forward ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Pedro has scored 22 goals and grabbed ten assists across 88 Premier League games in his career. This is perhaps a decent record rather than spectacular, but Pedro offers more than just a clinical threat in front of goal.
Goals
10
Assists
6
Big chances created
11
Key passes per game
1.1
Successful dribbles per game
1.1
Shots per game
1.7
When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Pedro ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions (3.33) and successful take-ons (1.34) per 90.
Additionally, the Brazilian forward also ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries (3.05) per 90 while also ranking in the top 4% for progressive passes (3.6) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
These statistics indicate that Pedro could be an exciting signing indeed, especially with his wonderful attacking traits.
Combine this with the fact that he can operate either as a centre-forward or as a shadow striker will give Maresca plenty of flexibility in where he deploys the Brighton star.
With a move close to completion, Pedro could link up extremely well with another Chelsea target – Mohammed Kudus.
Chelsea exploring move for Premier League star
While Gittens looks like he is closing in on a move to the Stamford Bridge side, he isn’t the only winger Maresca is eyeing up.
Blues insider Simon Phillips provided an update on the Blues’ pursuit of Kudus on X, saying that “Chelsea still trying for Kudus as well” amid the recent speculation.
Indeed, the club had made a proposal worth around £50m to West Ham United regarding the Ghanaian winger, yet this was rejected rather swiftly by the Irons as the player has an £85m release clause.
West Ham's Mohammed Kudus
Maresca appears keen on landing the player, however, and he could well go back in and make an official bid to test West Ham’s resolve.
If he can land both Pedro and Kudus this summer, the pair could work well together. That’s for sure.
Why Chelsea must sign Mohammed Kudus
Pedro will be signed to challenge Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson for a centre-forward role, with Maresca keen on making use of his strengths in the opposition penalty area.
As such, Kudus would be deployed on the flanks, where he can deliver crosses and provide a host of chances for the Brazilian.
During his two seasons with West Ham, Kudus has scored 19 goals and recorded 13 assists across 80 matches. This works out as a goal contribution every 2.5 games, which is a more than respectable figure.
In the Premier League last term, the former Ajax starlet succeeded with an impressive 2.9 dribbles per game, while also creating four big chances and averaging one key pass per match.
His ability to beat his opposite man was certainly on display throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Indeed, he ranked in the top 3% for successful take-ons (3.2) per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues.
Furthermore, Kudus also ranks in the top 17% for crosses into the penalty area (0.52) per 90 and in the top 20% for ball recoveries per 90.
Journalist Gary Al-Smith hailed the African winger as a “generational talent” back in 2023, just a few months after he made the move to West Ham and while his second season might not have been as impressive as his maiden one at the London Stadium, Kudus would still be an excellent signing for Chelsea.
Not only would he add some competition to the wide areas, but his abilities would work in tandem with Pedro, allowing the duo to flourish in the Premier League and Champions League next season.
That ability to beat a man won’t only open up more goalscoring opportunities for Chelsea’s forward line, but it would also drag more players towards him, thus opening up more space in the final third for the likes of Pedro and Co.
Much will depend on the fee West Ham demand, especially if the Blues are paying over £100 to sign both Gittens and Pedro in the coming weeks.
Brighton striker Joao Pedro
If several players, such as Christopher Nkunku and João Félix, can be moved on, this will give Maresca the money to spend on bringing Kudus to Stamford Bridge.
If he manages to get all his transfer targets in the door before the start of next season, Chelsea could be a team to watch, that’s for sure.
A better signing than Gittens: Chelsea offered "world-class" £45m PL star
Chelsea could seal a better deal than Jamie Gittens joining the Stamford Bridge ranks by winning this £45m star.
Goals, goals and more goals; if there is one thing Arsenal lacked this season, it was goals.
Mikel Arteta’s side finished second in the Premier League for the third season on the bounce this year and produced the best defence in the competition.
Yet, the North Londoners scored 17 goals fewer than champions Liverpool and three fewer than Manchester City, who finished in third.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetareacts
So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to a Premier League-proven goalscorer, who’d be a significant upgrade on Kai Havertz.
Arsenal's striker search
It feels like every other transfer story concerning Arsenal this summer has been related to a striker, specifically Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres.
According to reports from earlier this week, RB Leipzig are holding out for up to €100m for the Slovenian star, which is about £85m, while the Sporting CP star might be available for up to €70m, which is about £60m.
However, with progress seemingly stalling with both, another name has re-emerged: Ollie Watkins.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a recent report from Gary Jacob of the Times, Arsenal could go back in for the Aston Villa star this summer.
The Gunners had an offer of around £40m for the Englishman turned down in the winter window, but according to other reports from earlier this week, an offer of that much might be enough to seal the deal this summer.
It might not be the striker signing fans were hoping for or even expecting at the start of the window, but Watkins is Premier League-proven and would be a massive upgrade on Havertz.
How Watkins compares to Havertz
Now, even though Watkins can play in a few positions across the frontline and even played in midfield in his younger days, his best position remains up top, leading the line, so much so, in fact, that podcaster Rohan Jivan described him as “one of the best centre-forwards in Europe.”
Therefore, with Gabriel Jesus set to be out for the rest of the year, his main competitor for game time at Arsenal would be Havertz, but who comes out on top when we compare them?
Well, when it comes down to their raw output, which is ultimately what matters most for a centre-forward, it is the Englishman who comes out on top.
For example, in 54 appearances this season, totalling 3578 minutes, the former Exeter City gem scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.74 games, or every 115.41 minutes.
In contrast, the Gunners’ number 29 scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 140.45 minutes.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.59
0.57
Non-Penalty G+As
0.76
0.58
Progressive Passes
1.07
2.93
Progressive Passes Received
5.71
5.43
Progressive Carries
1.90
1.68
Shots
2.84
2.54
Shots on Target
1.25
1.01
Passing Accuracy
72.4%
78.4%
Key Passes
0.83
0.82
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.45
0.43
Shot-Creating Actions
1.84
2.02
Goal-Creating Actions
0.42
0.14
Successful Take-On %
24.4%
23.7%
The comparison isn’t much better for the German international when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers, either.
For example, while he does better in some areas, such as progressive passes, shot-creating actions and passing accuracy, the Claret and Blue star comes out on top in the vast majority of relevant metrics, like expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, goal-creating actions, shots and shots on target, key passes and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, Havertz is a useful player and will likely continue to be next season, but if Arsenal want to genuinely upgrade their frontline, then they could do a lot worse than signing Watkins this summer.
Benjamin Sesko has now made "unusual" demand in Arsenal transfer talks
The Slovenia international wants something out of the ordinary.
After losing Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Championship forward this summer.
Cunha officially joins Man Utd
In one of the earliest, though perhaps least surprising moves of the summer, Cunha has now officially swapped Wolves for Manchester United. In truth, as soon as the Brazilian’s £63m release clause came to light, his exit seemed inevitable. For Wolves, it’s now more important than ever that they spend the money well and replace their talisman in seamless fashion. That, however, is easier said than done.
Matheus Cunha at Wolves
Record (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances
92
Goals
33
Assists
15
Cunha’s record speaks for itself. The former Atletico Madrid man particularly found his best form throughout the 2024/25 campaign and replacing his impact will undoubtedly be Wolves’ toughest task this summer.
Whilst it’s easy to assume the worst, Wolves already experienced a glimpse of life without Cunha throughout the season when he was missing through injury and suspension. It was then that Vitor Pereira’s side proved that they’re more than just the Brazilian, securing three of their six impressive consecutive wins to send a statement in the battle to secure their Premier League status.
With that top-flight status secured and £63m to spare, Wolves should ensure that life without Cunha remains blissful rather than the nightmare many have envisaged in the past.
To that end, who could arrive remains to be seen. Stars such as Harvey Elliott have already threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks and signing a Premier League champion would certainly do no harm.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
Whether the former Fulham gem is capable of producing the same output as Cunha is the big question, though. Instead, Wolves could push on to sign a proven goalscorer in the coming months.
Wolves "monitoring" Ivanovic
According to South London football reporter Richard Cawley, Wolves are now “monitoring” Mihailo Ivanovic following his excellent debut season at Millwall. The Serbian striker scored 12 goals in his first Championship campaign and only looks set to get better at just 20 years old.
Given how he starred in his first season, Millwall may naturally be reluctant to let their forward leave so soon after he initially arrived. But the Premier League call is certainly a difficult one to turn down.
Millwall manager Alex Neil has been among those full of praise for Ivanovic in recent months, telling reporters in April: “Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship and can get nearly [10 goals], and he’ll get double figures before the end of the season.
“If you do that, that’s an unbelievable season and it won’t be surprising me if people start talking about him. I’ve already seen something the other day talking about the top 10 young talents in Europe – he’s one of them.”
Having lost a top talent in Cunha, if Wolves managed to sign one of the top 10 young talents in Europe – as Neil believes Ivanovic is – then that should be seen as excellent business.
He had gone for more than a run-a-ball in the first innings but found his length second time around
Alex Malcolm23-Nov-2025There were fears for Scott Boland after the opening day of the Ashes series.The pre-series assertion of former England captain Michael Atherton that England did not fear him proved prophetic as they clattered him for 62 from 10 overs on a surface where 19 wickets fell in a day and Mitchell Starc took a career-best seven-wicket haul.With Pat Cummins still a 50-50 proposition to play in Brisbane, as well as doubts over his ability to play in consecutive Tests, and fears over Josh Hazlewood’s involvement in the series at all, their would have been genuine questions about where Australia’s selectors could turn if Boland was Bazballed out of the series inside two days.Related
Flattened by Archer, lifted by Head: Weatherald's wild Test debut
Head adds to career catalogue of mind-blowing knocks on the biggest stage
From Ahmedabad to Perth, Head's greatest hits: which was the best?
Michael Vaughan: 'Amateurish' if England don't play PM's XI fixture
But all fears were quelled with a match-turning spell on day two, taking 3 for 3 in 11 deliveries including the prized scalps of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, on his way to figures of 4 for 33 that silenced the doubters and restored his astounding home average to 13.47.”I thought Scotty got his line and lengths and movement right today,” Steven Smith said post-match on Saturday. “That’s the Scotty Boland that we’re used to. And he took some really key wickets.”There was a sense, which was backed up by Ben Stokes in the aftermath, that England had let Boland back into the series via timid batting that was the complete antithesis of what their approach stood for, and what had kept Boland under the thumb previously.That may be true. But England hardly needed to whack Boland off his length on the opening day because he never found it.Bowling for the first time at Perth Stadium, Boland had strayed way too full and straight in his first spell with the new ball. Duckett hadn’t needed to charge at him. He merely stood still and drilled half-volley after half-volley down the ground. It was only later when the ball was softer, and had turned into a “hockey puck” according to Starc, that Brook charged at him to launch him over wide mid-off.It could well have been nerves for Boland. He had admitted to a large media gathering in the build-up that he had been thinking about this series for two years, having ruminated on what happened in 2023 for a long time. Boland is an introvert. It is easy to see how he may have overthought the moment.He also hadn’t been bowling quite at his best in Sheffield Shield cricket in the lead-up. He did take five wickets in a victory over New South Wales, but that had come after he was clattered at a run-a-ball in his first couple of spells, with discarded Test opener Sam Konstas reverse ramping him for six and Ollie Davies thumping him repeatedly through cover. Boland admitted he had struggled for rhythm that day, explaining that he can occasionally get out of sync in his run-up which can then get in his head.Scott Boland removed Ben Duckett straight after lunch to spark a collapse•Getty ImagesBut like he did at the Junction Oval, he made the adjustment on the second day in Perth. England did try to unsettle him but Boland unsettled them.His first ball of the second innings to Duckett reared from a length and thudded into his gloves. Duckett charged at the second and edged it along the ground to third slip. Duckett charged at the fifth at very nearly chopped on.Against the last ball over Boland’s second over, Duckett charged again and swung wildly with the thick edge flying safely over gully. Boland could claim a “moral victory”.A switch of ends brought more close calls but no wickets before lunch. Duckett charged again and got hit on the bottom glove by one that nipped and bounced at him. Pope played and missed trying to drive on the up. It would be the first of six such drives from Pope at Boland, all of which beat the edge.England were hardly timid to him. Boland had adjusted his lengths and lines to ask them to hit more difficult deliveries. The pitch, the overheads, and potentially a better ball all helped to make that task a challenge.Boland thought he had Duckett on the stroke of lunch, pinning him on the crease to see umpire Adrian Holdstock raise the finger. But Duckett was rightly reprieved by the DRS as it had pitched outside leg.Boland was finally rewarded post lunch. Duckett was stunned when he nicked a ball that pitched well outside his leg stump and nipped across him. The floodgates opened.Pope finally nicked one two overs later. Brook did not get six play and misses before he nicked his second ball attempting another booming drive on the up. The game swung wildly in the space of 11 balls. Boland returned to hero status in the eyes of the home fans.”Scotty started getting one of his rolls again,” Jake Weatherald said on Sunday. “[He] obviously gets it right very often in first-class cricket, and he got it right in that second innings for sure. And he understood what he need to do. He bowled more of a back of a length and a bit wider and really challenged their ability to drive the ball and make good decisions outside off stump.”England might blame themselves for letting Boland into the series, but take nothing away from a spell that added to his extraordinary record on home soil.
A five-for on his first appearance of the tournament might encourage India to rethink their team balance
Shashank Kishore22-Oct-20231:29
Pujara: Shami is ‘always mentally ready’ for games
Mohammed Shami’s numbers at the 50-overs World Cup make for impressive reading: 12 matches, 36 wickets at an average of 15.02 and an economy of 5.09. They’re the kind of big-tournament numbers teams yearn for. Teams go any lengths to wrap such performers in cottonwool for the fear of injury.There’s little doubt that Shami is one of India’s main fast bowlers. But so far at the 2023 World Cup, he hadn’t quite been one. Until Sunday, of course, in Dharamsala, when he left an indelible mark against New Zealand: immaculate control up front bookended by death-overs mastery. Not even a sublime Virat Kohli innings couldn’t quite shade Shami’s second World Cup five-for under the Himalayan mist.From being an out-and-out strike bowler across phases, Shami has had to watch much of the early parts of the campaign from the sidelines, not because he’s less skilled than those preferred above him, but because the team management has drawn comfort from having some batting insurance at No. 8, provided by Shardul Thakur.Related
Shami has no regrets sitting out earlier World Cup games
Shami vs Thakur – the debate that never was
Live Report – India vs New Zealand
Rohit credits bowlers for fightback against New Zealand
Shami and Kohli put unbeaten India top of the table
Last month, in the run-up to the World Cup, India were forced to abandon a chase of 352 against Australia in Rajkot because of the lack of batting depth. Rohit Sharma turbocharged to 81 off 57, Kohli made a near run-a-ball 56 and Shreyas Iyer 48. They only needed one other batter to go big. Eventually, Ravindra Jadeja was forced to treat the end game as an extended net because their lower-order batting was too thin.For Sunday’s match, an injury to Hardik Pandya forced the team management to make one change at the very least; but they made two. While Suryakumar Yadav for Hardik seemed straightforward, playing Shami for Shardul was a bolder call because they were sacrificing this batting depth, which has been a bugbear, against a gun line-up that had the wood over India in ICC events.But as New Zealand’s innings progressed, it became clear why they’d preferred Shami, even if they wouldn’t have perhaps realised immediately the potential this move can unlock for the rest of their campaign. After all, there was a target to chase – 273 no less – under lights against Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, protagonists of their biggest heartbreak in recent memory.India could’ve so easily have been chasing 320, but for Shami reining in an innings that seemed set to go into overdrive; they were gasping in the end. The trigger was the dismissal of a set Rachin Ravindra for 75.With Kuldeep Yadav having been taken for 48 off his five overs, India may have been yearning for a sixth bowling option. But an over into his second spell, Shami’s subtle variation – a cutter into the pitch that seemed to hold up a fraction more than we’ve seen in the previous games – proved devious as Ravindra picked out long-on.Mohammed Shami picked his second World Cup five-wicket haul•Associated PressIt wasn’t a typical fast bowler’s wicket, but in the set-up lay Shami’s understanding of the surface and the adjustment he made. The end result wasn’t so subtle. That Shami wicket, which broke a threatening 159-run stand, had a trickledown effect on the rest of the bowlers, most definitely Kuldeep, who bounced back to end strongly with 2 for 25 off his next five overs. In all, India picked up New Zealand’s last six wickets for 30, Shami claiming three of them.How did he do it? Mostly by staying true to his virtues of trying to hit the stumps. In the death, going cross-seam appeared a prudent call on a two-paced deck. But there’s more than an element of skill involved in executing deliveries you plan in your head at the top of your mark, as Shami showed. Mitch Santner is a big hitter, and a six here or a four there in the 48th could’ve potentially added a few more to New Zealand’s total.But Shami bounded in to deliver the prefect yorker from around the stumps, one that kept curving back, cutting through thin air at 140 clicks to crash into the furniture before Santner could bring his bat down. Simply facing bowlers with skillsets such as Shami’s can be pressure enough. You know what’s coming, like Santner did, but it truly crushes you when you can’t do anything about it.Henry found that out next ball. He was perhaps watching for his toes and hanging back, until he realised just how quickly a length ball had angled in and decked back further to beat his swing. This was proper fast-bowling royalty, delivering the kind of visceral thrill we knew Shami can deliver but didn’t know if he would at this World Cup.All the hoopla around Shami’s magic may have yet vanished into thin air had India stumbled in their chase. They did have their fair share of nervy moments, like when KL Rahul and Suryakumar were dismissed in quick succession with the target still 83 away. But Jadeja’s composure backed India’s rip-roaring top order and could yet mean Shami may have a bigger role to play as the World Cup veers past the halfway mark.Yes, it may cost them lower-order potential. But what if the lower order isn’t needed at all, like it wasn’t against New Zealand? It’ll be a big call either way, and Shami hasn’t made it easier.
The left-arm spinner mainly bowled the one that spun and the one that didn’t, the latter with a little underspin. In Galle, that’s often enough
Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Nov-2021Bowling his eighth delivery of the second day, Veerasammy Permaul comes around the wicket to the right-handed Pathum Nissanka. Oshada Fernando had been out just before, but Nissanka is set, on 73, and Sri Lanka have plenty of batting to come. It could be a slow morning. It could be a slow Tuesday.Permaul’s first over of the day, bowled exclusively to Angelo Mathews, had largely been populated by darters – balls that kept Mathews pinned to the crease, but were unlikely to bring a dismissal. Maybe Permaul was nervous. This was his first Test in more than six years, and on day one, Nissanka had hit him for six early in his five-over spell. This is Galle, on whose bone-dry dust spinners are expected to be magic. But in his first foray to the bowling crease, Permaul had barely created a chance.Related
Permaul, Warrican give West Indies nine-wicket morning
Thigh strain could restrict Mathews' participation in Test
But this ball, delivered with a little underspin, misses the seam as it pitches, and shimmies into Nissanka’s front pad – the batter having expected the ball to turn. And wow! It’s plumb. Nissanka doesn’t bother with a review. Permaul hasn’t played Tests since going for runs against Australia in August 2015, so this is his first Test wicket in six years. But he doesn’t celebrate like a dam has burst.Something does give way, though. Sri Lanka had been 106 for 0, then 139 for 1. Nissanka played a chancy, but brave, innings for his 73. Now, there are two new men at the crease, on a track that is famously unkind to new batters. Perhaps it’s the confidence of that first wicket, but two balls later, Permaul slows one up outside off stump, gets it to bite, and draws a mistake – Dhananjaya de Silva following the ball with his hands, to give an edge to the wicketkeeper.Next over, suddenly, Permaul is floating everything up. He dares debutant Charith Asalanka to try something fancy, like the reverse sweep for four he had played to get his first Test runs. Asalanka refuses to be tempted, but on a Galle track such as this, you don’t always have to make a mistake against the spinners to be dismissed. Last ball of that over, Asalanka pushes out at one, and the surface does its thing. There’s a puff of dust as the ball pitches, and there is drastic turn. The inside edge hits the pad and pops up to short leg. In Permaul’s last match, in Kingston, way back, he’d conceded 207 runs and taken only two wickets. Here, he’s got three in the space of 11 balls.
Although this was Sri Lankan soil he was bowling on, not Guyanese, and the Indian Ocean glittered from the distance, not the Atlantic, if you’re a spinner, and you’re willing to be brave, playing at Galle can be a little like coming home
Now there’s some hollering. Some vigour in that celebration. He’s not a fringe player battling to justify selection and keep his place in the team. He’s a lead spinner turning a match, yanking his side into the series. At the other end, Jomel Warrican is ripping it up too – more body into his action than has been seen through much of the series.Late on day one, when Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne were putting on their 100-run stand, Sri Lanka seemed headed for another 300-plus total. Yet, midway through the first session on day two, West Indies’ spinners are making it seem like there are landmines just under the surface. Warrican gets a couple in quick succession – Dinesh Chandimal trapped in front with one that dips under the batter’s sweep, before a hard-spun full delivery takes Ramesh Mendis’ leading edge and floats out to cover.Where once Permaul ambled to the crease, he is stomping to his mark now. The batters are fearful of the surface, but Permaul is suddenly bowling so well, he doesn’t need the track’s help – he’s beating his opponents in the air. Suranga Lakmal is early through a hoick to the leg side, and the edge floats directly to point, the fielder not having to move, as if he and the ball were keeping an appointment. Lasith Embuldeniya tries to play Permaul to the off side, but is defeated completely in the flight. He’s bowled. Permaul has the first five-wicket haul of his career, and is jubilant. When Warrican wraps up the innings with a superbly flighting, dipping, turning ball that tickles the top of Mathews’ stumps, the broadcast cameras sprint on the field and veer off towards deep midwicket; that’s where Permaul is.There was nothing extraordinary in Permaul’s bowling on Tuesday. He used largely two variations – the one that spun, and the one that didn’t, the latter delivered with a little underspin. But when Galle’s surface gave him something, he shot up by two feet, and as much as such a thing is possible for a slow left armer, grew a barrel chest.Over the past six years, in which he only had sporadic opportunities in the white-ball teams, Permaul must have had his share of frustrations. But although this was Sri Lankan soil he was bowling on, not Guyanese, and the Indian Ocean glittered from the distance, not the Atlantic, if you’re a spinner, and you’re willing to be brave, playing at Galle can be a little like coming home.
This weekend is arguably the biggest in Thomas Frank’s tenure as Tottenham Hotspur manager, when he leads his side out against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
The Dane has yet to get his first taste of the North London Derby, but he will be looking to get one over Mikel Arteta and secure bragging rights for the Lilywhites faithful.
Such a fixture is huge for supporters, with the meeting between the two clubs one of the first dates they look for upon fixture release day, before a ball is kicked.
However, it’s been a game that the white side of North London have often come out on the losing side away from home – subsequently winning just one of their last 32 encounters.
If Frank’s side are to write themselves into the history books, they will desperately need to keep one player quiet throughout the clash at the Emirates.
The threat Bukayo Saka poses to Spurs this weekend
Bukayo Saka may ply his trade for Arsenal, but he’s cemented himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening attackers over the last couple of years.
The Englishman has managed to register over 20 combined goals and assists in all competitions in each of the last three years – often providing the difference in such a fixture.
He’s often popped up with the goods in attacking areas, as seen by his record against the Lilywhites since his senior debut back in the 2020/21 campaign.
Saka has featured on ten occasions against Spurs throughout his professional career, racking up a total of five goals – subsequently finding the net in 50% of his outings in such a clash.
He’s also popped up with various assists in the North London Derby, with his corner to Gabriel securing the Gunners all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last campaign.
It’s evident that the winger possesses serious quality, often coming alive on Derby Day, with Frank and his squad desperately needing to silence him on Sunday afternoon.
However, he too could unleash his own version of the Englishman at the Emirates, with the Lilywhites star potentially able to inflict serious trouble on Arteta’s men.
The Spurs star who’s becoming their answer to Saka
Players such as Saka don’t come around very often, and when they do, they cost a pretty penny – many of which undoubtedly cost a small fortune in the modern-day.
Whilst Spurs are unlikely to pay over the odds for top-level talents, they have invested heavily into the frontline over recent years – as seen by their deal to land Brennan Johnson.
The hierarchy forked out a reported £47.5m for the Welshman’s signature back in the summer of 2023, with the attacker showcasing his talents in North London last campaign.
He registered a total of 18 goals across all competitions last season, the highest of any player in the squad, often starring off the right-hand side of the club’s attack.
However, he’s fallen down the pecking order in recent months, which has resulted in various options being considered within the forward line in the capital.
Mathys Tel joined the Lilywhites on a permanent basis during the summer window, with the Frenchman costing a total of £27m from German side Bayern Munich.
The 20-year-old is capable of operating off the left-hand side or even as a centre-forward, with Frank able to rely upon the youngster in a variety of different positions.
When operating on the left, he’s able to cut inside and onto his favoured foot – something which Saka has made a name for himself for in England’s top-flight.
His similarities to the Englishman are also reflected in his shot on target accuracy, with Tel matching the winger with his tally of placing 33% of his efforts between the posts.
The Frenchman has previously impressed in his professional career, but has transferred his skills over to the Premier League, as seen by his tally of two goals in the league this season.
Games played
8
Goals scored
2
Shot on target accuracy
33%
Pass accuracy
73%
Dribble success
50%
Long ball success
83%
Aerials won
1.2
Mins per goal
124.5
Tel’s efforts in attacking areas have led to huge praise from numerous outlets, with Bayern Chairman Herbert Hainer labelling him “one of the biggest talents in Europe”.
However, he will need consistent first-team minutes to reach the heights many have touted him to, with Frank needing to trust him in the near future to reap the rewards.
He’s shown that he’s capable of producing the goods in attacking areas, potentially able to provide the difference in the clash against the Gunners on Sunday.
Tel has proven he’s able to be the club’s answer to Saka, but it remains to be seen if the manager will show faith in him to allow the youngster to continue on his upward trajectory.
Spurs must sell "one of the worst signings in PL history" to fund Semenyo
Tottenham Hotspur must sell one player if they are to land Antoine Semenyo in January.
“It doesn’t matter where they bowl, once it’s in that arc, I’m just going to smack it”
Srinidhi Ramanujam23-Feb-2025″When he hits it, it stays hit. So, you know, it’s just, something that I do.”Chinelle Henry looks up to her fellow countryman Andre Russell. Her wild innings of 62 against Delhi Capitals that propelled UP Warriorz to their first win of WPL 2025 did remind many of his power-hitting and the ability to snatch the momentum and turn the team’s fortune around.Henry, though new to WPL, isn’t new to T20 cricket. The West Indies allrounder has been playing international cricket for more than a decade now and is a regular in the WCPL. As a senior player in the Warriorz set-up, Henry has eased into the WPL, thanks to her role clarity which stemmed from conversations she had with the head coach Jon Lewis.”I knew the task, I knew what I had to do,” Henry said after Saturday’s match. She went on to elaborate that it’s “the freedom to go out there and bat” from Lewis that “put her in a better space”. This power of her uncluttered mind was visible in tangible terms, in her performances so far: an unbeaten 33 off 15 and a 23-ball 62, both against Delhi Capitals, in Vadodara and Bengaluru, respectively.Related
Gujarat Giants look for top-order runs and first win in Bengaluru
Stats – Henry smashes joint-fastest fifty in the WPL, Harris third to take a hat-trick
Henry's onslaught, Harris and Goud's dream spells get Warriorz off the mark
The latest knock had an even better impact with Henry coming in at No.8 when Warriorz were reeling at 89 for 6 in 14.4 overs, and lifting them to a match-winning score of 177 for 9. Until she arrived, the atmosphere at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was somber. Though it was a Saturday evening, the neutral game did not witness a sell-out crowd. A quick look at the stands also revealed there were many people in Capitals jerseys, cheering for the likes of Indian superstars Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma. Yellow and violet jerseys? One could count them.But it took only four deliveries for Henry to make the Chinnaswamy roar in joy and disbelief. She first smashed a slower, short ball from Arundhati Reddy with ferocious power over deep midwicket for an 81-metre six to start the proceedings. Reddy changed her length and bowled full on the stumps, but Henry still deposited this one over the same region. The crowd, which had not seen Henry until then in the flesh, was now well and truly alive with people up on their feet, clapping joyously to each of her sixes.”Obviously, I went to bat with my team in a little bit of trouble,” she said. “I knew the task, I knew what I had to do. You know, before I went to bat, John just said to me, just do what you do and have fun. And, you know, the freedom that I get to just go out there and bat, regardless of the situation the team is in, just put me in a better space to perform. And I think, you know, that’s what happened tonight.”In the next over, she got a life when Marizanne Kapp dropped a chance at deep midwicket, and Henry made sure Kapp would not forget that costly mistake.Though the ball was doing a bit off the seam whenever Capitals bowled slower balls, Henry “didn’t really pay attention to any of that.” Shikha Pandey, bowling the 17th over, was not spared either. Length balls outside off stumps were slashed towards extra cover and short third as if Henry was waiting for it. When Pandey bowled in the slot, Henry launched one six over long-on and another over the bowler’s head. Pandey ended up conceding 24 runs in six balls.Henry was not done yet.Meg Lanning brought in Annabel Sutherland, who is usually effective with her variations, but it didn’t work against the West Indian. A full ball bowled wide of off and a slower back of a length ball on her pads were both sent to boundaries. Henry would later reveal that a lot of “range-hitting at the nets” helped to straightaway swing her bat at the death.”Obviously, most of the time they were bowling to my strengths, and it was just about backing my ability, backing my strengths,” she said. “And tonight it paid off. And that’s just something that I will continue to do throughout the tournament.”When we go to training, you know, the head coach, the first thing he asks is what you want to do, obviously, is what you’re going to do in the game. So make sure you get what you want out of training that you’re going to do in the game. And obviously, when we go in the nets, for me, basically, it’s just about throwdowns. Range hitting, I do that a lot.Chinelle Henry went on a six-hitting rampage at the death•BCCI”Because most of the times when I go into bat, it’s probably like five overs to go. That’s the time that I have to go. So when I’m in the nets training, that’s basically what I do.”Reddy came back for the penultimate over with a bag full of variations and still perished against Henry. A full toss was followed by a slower delivery, and even though Henry was beaten by pace, she somehow managed to put both these deliveries to the fence. Henry then swiveled and pulled a short ball to equal the record for the fastest fifty.”That’s just what I practice in training all day, every day, once I have a T20 cricket,” Henry explained her role as a finisher at Warriorz.”You know, some of the times they would obviously test, the weakness, which is obviously bowling into the pads, because that’s obviously something that I need to work on. But most of the times, it’s just my strengths, which obviously, for the past two games, is what I’ve been doing well.”And it doesn’t matter where they bowl, whatever the ball is doing, once it’s in that arc, I’m going to back my strengths, I’m going to back my ability, and I’m just going to smack it.”On Saturday, she smacked eight sixes and two fours overall.Russell may not be around in India yet but surely, we can get used to Henry trying to emulate her idol with her own explosive and inspiring knocks.
Shohei Ohtani, now in his second year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, still has yet to pitch for the team. He's recovering from a UCL repair that kept him from the mound all of 2024. Despite that, he's still been incredibly worth-it, winning an MVP en route to a World Series win in 2025, but part of the reason he was given such a high-value contract from Los Angeles is he can play both sides of the ball at an elite level.
All signs are pointing toward Ohtani pitching this season, with him taking his second session of live batting practice on Saturday afternoon. Manager Dave Roberts was pleased with the overall direction of the simulated pitching, but did admit that his control is still coming along.
Longtime player Alex Rodriguez thinks returning to pitching this year would be a mistake, though.
"If Ohtani gets hurt and makes it 15 pitchers on the IL, the season's over. So for me, the risk and reward is not there.
"Something else to think about, he's not a finesse pitcher, he's a power pitcher. Fastball, tight slider and split. He's already had two Tommy John injury [sic], he had a separate shoulder injury in the World Series. I would let that lie. I would have a whole offseason and spring training to set this up physically, emotionally and mentally," Rodriguez said.
It's an interesting thought, but detractors of the idea might not see a world in which the Dodgers can win it all risking a bit, especially after their injuries to the pitching staff already this season. Another point to make is that Ohtani's second UCL repair was slightly different than his first: Dr. Neal ElAttrache utilized InternalBrace augmentation along with the Tommy John repair. The modern technology is thought to be better for aiding recovery and healthspan.
Plus, it's hard to imagine the Dodgers putting him out on the mound if they genuinely think he's at serious risk of reinjury.
That said, we've seen pitchers who miss out on the spring training process struggle to get in a groove, so Rodriguez might have a point to just waiting a year and giving Ohtani even more time to rest, recover, and return to dominance on that side of the field.