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Villarreal boss Marcelino insists Thomas Partey is 'mentally prepared' to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Tuesday, just 24 hours before the midfielder appears in court over multiple rape charges. The former Arsenal star denies all allegations but will line up against his old rivals in north London before attending his plea hearing at Southwark Crown Court.

• Partey to appear in court after Champions League clash with Spurs

  Partey was charged in July with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to alleged incidents between 2021 and 2022 while he was at Arsenal. He joined Villarreal on a free transfer in August and has already featured in all four of their Liga matches this season. On Wednesday, the Ghanaian will face a plea hearing in London after travelling with Villarreal for their European clash.

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  Marcelino says Partey 'mentally prepared' to face Spurs

  Speaking on Monday, Marcelino backed the midfielder to perform against Spurs: “He (Partey) is with the group. I’m totally convinced that he is mentally prepared, technically prepared, to play the game tomorrow night. For sure, he’ll be ready.

  He added: “We are really happy that Thomas is with us for his football capacity and ability, and his presence as a human. He’s a great player with lots of experience… I think he will get back to his top level which we all know that he’s got and I’m very happy he’s with us in the team.”

• AFP
  

  Partey's rape charges from time with Arsenal

  The five rape charges relate to alleged incidents between April 2021 and June 2022, while Partey was still at Arsenal. The sexual assault charge involves an incident alleged to have taken place in February 2022. Partey has been granted conditional bail, which requires him to inform police of international travel and prohibits any contact with the complainants.

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• Villarreal aware of rape charge before signing Partey

  Villarreal signed Partey knowing he was under investigation, stressing their respect for the presumption of innocence. The Spanish side have leaned on his top-level experience as they begin their Champions League campaign. His ongoing legal battle, however, threatens to overshadow his contribution on the pitch.

It would be fair to say that last season was something of a disappointment for Arsenal.

Instead of finally getting over the line, Mikel Arteta’s side had to make do with a third successive runners-up finish in the Premier League, only this time they ended up a distant second to eventual winners Liverpool.

However, while it wasn’t all doom and gloom, as last year also saw the incorporation of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri into the first team, with the former making 39 appearances and the latter 37, in which he scored nine goals and provided two assists.

Yet, while Lewis-Skelly has signed a new long-term deal, Nwaneri has not, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be about to sign someone who’d be bad news for the Enfield-born gem.

Arsenal target star who could be bad news for Nwaneri

After coming up through the Hale End academy, making his first team debut in 2022 and being regarded as one of the most exciting talents in the game, Nwaneri put pen to paper on his first professional contract in March 2024.

Transfer Focus

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

Since then, the young Englishman has continued to develop, and although he’s not a regular starter for the first team, he’s shown real glimpses of quality and made quite a name for himself, despite being just 18 years old.

However, over the last week or so, there have been reports suggesting that talks over a new deal haven’t been progressing as well as some would have hoped, with the main sticking point being gametime.

While it still appears that this issue will be resolved, it’s a problem that could resurface in a few years, especially as the North Londoners look set to sign a player who could pose a threat to Nwaneri.

Indeed, amid reports of Viktor Gyokeres impending arrival, journalist Sebastien Vidal has reaffirmed that Arsenal are incredibly interested in signing Eberechi Eze this summer with Arteta ‘ready to hit hard’.

He has revealed that the Gunners are planning to submit an offer for the Englishman worth up to £60m in three instalments of £20m.

It’s not yet clear if that’s something Crystal Palace will accept, as per plenty of other stories this summer, the talented playmaker has a release clause worth around £68m in his current deal.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has proven he’d be worth it, even if his arrival could spell trouble for Nwaneri.

Why Eze could be bad news for Nwaneri

The primary reason Eze’s arrival at Arsenal could be bad news for Nwaneri is pretty straightforward: game time.

Based on the stories we have seen this week, that seems to be the teenager’s biggest concern at the moment, and that is something he could see reduced if the Palace star were to move to the Emirates.

For example, while the 27-year-old is unlikely to take minutes away from him off the right, he would be yet another established international who’d be ahead of him in the pecking order for midfield minutes.

Therefore, if the Hale Ender wanted to gain more experience in the role, so many believed his ultimately destined play, he’d need to outperform Martin Odegaard and the Greenwich-born ace, which, based on his form last season, seems like it would be a tough ask.

Indeed, the Eagles’ incredible “duel monster,” as dubbed by reporter Simon Collings, was able to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists in 43 appearances, which came out to a goal involvement every 1.72 games.

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

Moreover, the former QPR gem has demonstrated that he has the mentality to make a difference in big games, scoring in the quarter-final and semi-final of the FA Cup before then scoring the only goal in the final as well.

Ultimately, while signing Eze might not have a massive impact on Nwaneri’s game time off the right, as a backup to Bukayo Saka, it would undoubtedly impact his potential game time in the middle of the park.

Therefore, while Arteta and Co should still look to bring in the Palace monster, they should do so while looking to give more minutes to the Hale End phenom.

Talks open: Arsenal submit offer to sign "standout" 17 y/o after Zubimendi

The midfielder is the Gunners’ second summer signing.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2025

Glasgow Rangers kicked off the Russell Martin era with a big result on Tuesday night in the Champions League at Ibrox, as they beat Panathinaikos 2-0.

Goals from Findlay Curtis and Djedi Gassama in the second half of the match, aided by a red card for the away side, secured the victory for the Light Blues, who now take a two-goal advantage over to Greece next week.

Whilst it was not a perfect performance from the Scottish Premiership giants, as they needed goalkeeper Jack Butland to pull off a number of impressive stops, there cannot be too many complaints about a 2-0 win in a European match.

Especially when you consider that the likes of Gassama, Cyriel Dessers, and Hamza Igamane were resigned to the bench and Thelo Aasgaard was missing through injury.

Due to various fitness issues, Martin opted to go with Brazilian centre-forward Danilo through the middle as the starting number nine against Panathinaikos.

He failed to register a goal or an assist in his 74 minutes on the pitch, but did not have a single ‘big chance’ in front of goal, and there could be more to come from the striker this season.

What Danilo needs to be successful at Rangers

Possibly the biggest hurdle the 26-year-old marksman needs to jump over to be successful at Rangers is avoiding injuries, as he has been absent for far too many matches since his move to the club in 2023.

The Light Blues reportedly paid a fee of up to £6m to sign the attacker from Dutch giants Feyenoord two years ago, but the clash with Panathinaikos was only his 49th appearance in all competitions.

Type of injury

Broken cheekbone

Knee injury

Knee injury

Date of injury

September 2023

December 2023

September 2024

Return date

October 2023

May 2024

November 2024

Days out

43

171

65

Matches missed

9

32

12

As you can see in the table above, Danilo has missed 53 games through injury since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with two knee injuries and one broken cheekbone, which led to him having to wear a protective face mask.

The Rangers number 99 has showcased his quality when he has been available, as rare as that has been, though, with a return of 12 goals and nine assists in his 49 appearances.

Last season, Danilo scored five goals, created eight ‘big chances’, and registered four assists in 23 matches in the Premiership, despite only starting eight of those games.

But the Brazilian attacker did not get any service against Panathinaikos, and that is why the Gers need to sign more creative players to provide the striker with the opportunities he needs to score.

Rangers told to pay record fee for creative star

Rangers may have to pay a club-record transfer fee to land one of the creative stars on their wishlist for the summer transfer window, though, as per a fresh report.

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 IbroxNews, the Scottish giants will need to pay a fee of around £15m to sign winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Premier League side Crystal Palace.

The report claims that the Eagles would prefer to sell the 22-year-old forward, rather than send him out on loan, and they will want a fee of at least £15m to part ways with him.

Tore Andre Flo’s £12m move from Chelsea in 2000 remains the club’s current record signing to this day, which means that a £15m splurge on Rak-Sakyi would smash that.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed that Rangers have had an offer of a loan with an obligation to sign the forward for around £10m turned down by Palace, and they may now have to break their transfer record to bring the Englishman to Ibrox this summer.

Why Rangers should sign Rak-Sakyi

Splashing out a club-record fee of £15m would be a huge gamble by Rangers because there would then be immense pressure on Rak-Sakyi to be a superstar in Scotland.

The left-footed winger would have to win the club many trophies and or go on to be sold for a healthy profit for the transfer to be viewed as a success, which may be why the Gers may be hesitant to commit such funds to a deal.

However, Rangers could land an excellent right-wing prospect and reignite Danilo’s career at Ibrox if they decide to sign Rak-Sakyi, or if they are able to negotiate a loan deal with Palace.

The 22-year-old starlet, who was likened to a “slalom skier” by former boss Dean Holden, has shown great promise in his loan spells away from Palace so far, shining in League One with Charlton and in the Championship with Sheffield United.

Appearances

43

34

Starts

40

22

Goals

15

7

Minutes per goal

233

248

Big chances created

5

3

Key passes per game

1.3

0.9

Assists

8

2

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi has scored 22 goals and provided ten assists in 77 games in the EFL in his career to date, which shows that he has the potential to score and create goals from the right flank.

At the age of 22, he also has the time left ahead of him to continue to grow and develop as a player, which is why he could be an investment that has the potential to grow in value, even if the club smash their club-record to sign him.

The left-footed wizard could also help to reignite Danilo’s Ibrox career by providing the striker with a winger who can score the ‘big chances’ that he creates, whilst also being able to offer creativity from the flank to ensure that the forward has opportunities to score.

Of course, the Brazilian forward also needs to work on his fitness to ensure that he is available for Martin to select week-in-week-out in the 2025/26 campaign, but if he can do that then Rak-Sakyi could be a dream winger for him to play with.

Worth more than Gassama: Rangers hit gold on Ibrox star who Chelsea wanted

Rangers have hit the jackpot on this star who is now worth even more than Djeidi Gassama.

ByDan Emery Jul 24, 2025

Whether that means that the Palace youngster is worth £15m is hard to say, as it will depend on how his career at the club ultimately plays out, but he is a quality winger who could thrive alongside Danilo and be a strong addition to the squad, however a deal gets done for him.

تحدث الدولي الفرنسي كيليان مبابي عن معادلة عدد أهداف الأسطورة تييري هنري مع منتخب فرنسا بعد هدفه أمام أوكرانيا في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم 2026 بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وعادل مهاجم ريال مدريد رصيد أسطورة آرسنال السابق بـ 51 هدفًا مع منتخب الديوك بعدما سجل هدفا رائعًا أمام أوكرانيا بالمباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات كأس العالم 2026.

وأصبح اللاعب البالغ من العمر 26 عامًا بفارق 6 أهداف عن الرقم القياسي لمنتخب فرنسا الذي يحمله أوليفييه جيرو والذي يبلغ 57 هدفًا.

وقال مبابي، في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة “بي بي سي سبورت”: “أشيد بتيتي (هنري)، ولكنني الآن أريد أن أتفوق عليه”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ديمبلي: لم أكن محظوظًا في برشلونة.. ولن أتوقف عن تناول الهامبرجر والبيتزا

وأكمل: “إنه لشرف لي أن أعادل لاعبًا مثل هنري، فالجميع يعلم ما يعنيه لنا نحن الفرنسيين وخاصةً للمهاجمين، إنه شخص مهد الطريق لنا وأكن له احترامًا وإعجابًا كبيرًا”.

وأضاف: “الرقم القياسي يقترب لكنني لا أفكر فيه، لا أعلم إن كان عدم تفكيري بسبب اعتقادي بأنني قادر على تحطيمه أم لأن هناك أمورًا أهم”.

وأتم: “الوصول إلى هذا الإنجاز وأنا في سن الـ 26 من عمري أمر جنوني لكنني أحبه، أريد الاستمرار والأهم من ذلك الفوز بالمباريات والألقاب”.

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.

As Tottenham prepare to take on Manchester United in Bilbao in a Europa League final that will save one side’s season from disaster, we sat down with former Spurs midfielder and top flight manager Gus Poyet to chat about the two men in the dugouts.

Pressure mounting on Postecoglou

No doubt aware of the importance of the showdown in Spain not just for Tottenham but for his own future, Postecoglou has been in no mood to joke around with reporters in the build-up to the final.

Asked about a comment by Ruben Amorim that the Red Devils couldn’t possibly lose to the Lilywhites a fourth time this season, the former Celtic boss responded: “I’m sure in there, there’s some Portuguese humour. There’s a little irony there. I’m sure Ruben doesn’t think that way. We’ve had some good games against United this year and last year, and we have come out on top, but it’s the final of a major tournament.

“I think the one thing you don’t look at is previous head-to-head comparisons. They become irrelevant, it’s all about who performs on the day.”

There have indeed been widespread reports that the 59 year-old will be sacked if Spurs do not end their wait for a trophy next week, and speaking to Football FanCast in partnership with BetBrain, former White Hart Lane midfielder Poyet insisted the game is bigger for Ange than for his Portuguese counterpart: “I would think Ange (has more pressure), because of his words a few months ago when he said ‘I always win a trophy in my second season.’

“When you commit like that, it’s a big commitment because it’s not easy, especially at Tottenham. Now, the opportunity is massive, so it will be amazing if he wins it.”

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He’d be an ideal replacement for Postecoglou.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 14, 2025 Amorim regretting "dream" Man Utd move

However, with United also toiling domestically, sitting just one point ahead of Tottenham with an abysmal goal difference of -11, the Uruguyan revealed there may be some regrets seeping in for the former Sporting CP boss: “I think for Amorim, it (winning the final) would be a plus to have an OK season. Maybe personally for him it would be important.

“But for the club, Man United, we all dream of managing one of those big clubs, but when you see what is happening he’s probably thinking ‘What did I do?’, and that’s a really bad feeling.”

Matches

25

Wins

6

Draws

6

Losses

13

Points

24

Goals for

30

Goals against

41

Indeed, the 40 year-old’s top flight form has been nothing short of embarassing – by his own admission – having gathered just 0.96 points per game since arriving in November of last year, which would return just over 36 points in a full campaign. Since the switch to a 20-team competition in 1995/1996, the average points needed for Premier League survival has been 37.86, meaning the Red Devils are well and truly in relegation form since Erik Ten Hag was replaced.

With the Premier League still yet to be decided, Liverpool still need to win four games to claim the title after only a second league defeat against Fulham yesterday.

Arne Slot’s men simply weren’t at the races, unable to produce the performance that they have done so many times over the last couple of months, which has led them to the summit of the division.

The Reds will be hoping to make amends against West Ham United next week, aiming to close in on a first league title since Jürgen Klopp’s triumph back in 2019/20.

Despite the heights achieved during the Dutchman’s first year at the helm, the showing against the Cottagers was one of the worst of the campaign with countless players way off the pace.

As a result, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see various players dropped from the starting eleven, with changes needed to prevent such a defeat from occurring in the near future.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Fulham

Curtis Jones has been forced to operate at right-back in recent weeks after the injuries suffered by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley – doing an admirable job against local rivals Everton.

However, the same can’t be said for his showing in the capital yesterday, contributing to an error that led to a goal, whilst also failing to win any of the two tackles he entered.

He wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with Dominik Szoboszlai producing one of his worst displays in recent memories, uncharacteristically so given his rise under Slot.

The Hungarian failed to create a single chance for any of his teammates, whilst also losing 100% of the ground duels he contested, ultimately being a passenger during the loss.

Despite the showings from the aforementioned players, one other star failed to deliver, with the manager needing to offload him when the summer transfer window opens.

The Liverpool player who’s become the new Fabinho

Brazilian midfielder Fabinho was a fan-favourite during his time at Anfield, starring in the heart of the side and making over 200 appearances during his five years as a Red.

However, his last season on Merseyside was one to forget, falling way below the expectations he’d set for himself given the heights he achieved after helping Klopp’s side win the league title.

He would leave in a £40m deal to join Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023, with one player potentially suffering the same fate in the form of left-back Andy Robertson.

The Scottish international will go down as one of the biggest bargains in the club’s history, making over 300 appearances and notching 66 assists after joining for just £8m back in 2017.

Whilst he’s achieved some impressive performances over the years, he’s rapidly declined in recent months, with the club targeting Milos Kerkez as a replacement this summer.

The 31-year-old once again failed to impress against Fulham, also making an error leading to a goal before being replaced with just eight minutes remaining.

He also failed to complete any of his attempted crosses, coming out on top in just 50% of his tackles and being dribbled past once in the process.

Minutes played

82

Touches

59

Crosses completed

0/2

Tackles won

1/2

Possession lost

10x

Dribbled past

1x

Errors leading to goals

1

Robertson also lost possession 10 times during the defeat and was unable to produce the goods as he did during his early days as a player on Merseyside.

As a result of his showing, he was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by The Express’ Jack McEachen, with fellow journalist Lewis Steele labelling his showing as “awful”.

Given his age, it’s likely that he’s going to continue declining over the next couple of years, with Slot needing to offload him this summer to allow for fresh blood in the backline.

He’s been an incredible servant to the club, helping them win countless major honours, but ultimately his showing against the Cottagers was further evidence that he’s unable to cut it at the top level.

Kane & Alvarez hybrid: Liverpool open talks to sign "world-class" striker

Liverpool are looking to replace Darwin Nunez in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 4, 2025

New white-ball captain prepares to turn team’s results around in first assignment at the helm

Vithushan Ehantharajah28-May-2025During last year’s men’s Hundred, Harry Brook received a light-hearted but necessary reprimand from Sky Sports commentator Mel Jones.Brook, in his first season as captain of Northern Superchargers – his first leadership role in professional cricket – had made a habit of forgetting team news. On one occasion, Jones offered some polite advice: “Come on Harry, you need to get better at this – you’re going to do a lot more of them!”On Wednesday in Birmingham, in Brook’s first pre-match press conference as white-ball captain, he flexed his improvement, running through the XI for Thursday’s series opener against West Indies. Barring a momentary hesitation when moving from the middle order into the tail – “Bethell six… Jacks seven… ermmm… Overton eight” – a full team, in order, was read off the dome.Granted, this is the least you’d expect from an England captain in a sport so beholden to detail. But the bar is on the floor as far as English white-ball cricket goes. Every win, no matter how menial, should be savoured.Related

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Harry Brook to shelve franchise cricket as England captain

Jofra Archer ruled out of West Indies ODIs due to thumb injury

Even more so on the field. Three poor global outings, an ODI record of 13 lost out of the last 17 – seven of them in a row – and the loose threat of not qualifying for the 2027 ODI World Cup mean the issues of the last era hang over this group. The first job of any new leadership team is to fix previous mistakes.And yet, arguably the biggest part of the last regime remains integral to this revamp. Jos Buttler’s part in the solutions to the problems he failed to avoid has him back in his most comfortable position behind the stumps. He has not kept in ODIs since 2023’s tour of West Indies, though he did marshal from that position during last summer’s T20 World Cup.”I think Jos is the best white-ball batter in the world,” crowed Brook. Whether that remains true, the fact is his numbers bear out that he is a better player with the gloves and without the captaincy, in every metric. His work with Gujarat Titans – “he’s been banging it in the IPL,” – is further testament to this particular combination of keeping without wider responsibility.Buttler was not at Edgbaston on Wednesday, another perk of being unburden by captaincy meaning he can lean on the fact sessions are optional. Having trained on Tuesday, Buttler opted for an extra night at home having only just arrived back from India at the start of the week.Both Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks got back to the UK in the last 48 hours, which is far from ideal but with them comes the variation in the slow-bowling department which was absent during the Champions Trophy and high on the wish list when Brook had his initial conversations with managing director Rob Key. Bethell’s return comes after injury, and as such is as you were. But Jacks’ – high-class and under-utilised – is a nod to doing things differently.Jamie Smith as an opener that straddles both camps, as a newer take on an old thought. An inkling head coach Brendon McCullum had during the Champions Trophy – where Smith averaged 8 at No.3 – that moving further up the order might suit him better. Pushing Smith towards the danger which, in this case, seems to be the new ball.”He [McCullum] actually said it in Pakistan to me, and a few lads… he just had this burning desire (sic) that Smudge could be an amazing opening batter in one-day cricket. So, we’re giving it a crack and see how he goes, hopefully he does well.”The travails at first drop against the white ball highlight the punt being taken. Smith’s professional opening experience amounts to 22 T20 and three first-class innings. Set against his success down at No.7 in Test cricket, and the fact a swap with Jacks, who is actually an opener, puts players in more familiar roles – it seems a peculiar move. But, crucially, a positive one in the minds of a captain, coach and management set-up who cannot quite fathom why a bunch of undoubtedly talented players have been in such a funk.The group will be challenged early on under Brook, as is his wont, and the loose promise to England’s new skipper at this juncture he will be afforded his full wares for each series. And while that is clearly at odds with the lay of the land, notably limited overs tours of New Zealand and Sri Lanka that sandwich the Ashes, patient improvement is the name of the game. Returning to those glory days set in motion by Eoin Morgan will take time.Nevertheless, West Indies arrive respectfully wary of their hosts for that recent history. Shai Hope had no problem lauding England as trend-buckers while also reiterating they are not here simply to be a character in someone else’s story. Indeed, they have their own redemption having missed 2023s ODI World Cup altogether. Now ninth in the ICC rankings, three points behind England, automatic passage to 2027’s edition is far from guaranteed.”As a opposition coming in to play against them, you certainly want to showcase your best skills because they kind of set the benchmark of one-day cricket,” Hope said.”But again, I’m not going to focus too much on what they’ve done in the past. I know they’re going to be looking at us as trying to start their new winning streak. It’s within our power to make sure that we don’t let it happen.”

India’s wicketkeeper-batter came into the game on the back of immense scrutiny of his Test form that eventually led to him losing his place

Shashank Kishore17-Mar-20232:41

Jaffer: When he’s on song, Rahul is a treat to watch

“Strike rates are overrated.”It’s a KL Rahul quote that gets played out often on social media even if the context in which he said it tends to get ignored conveniently.But if there is an innings he could pick out to throw light on what he actually meant – not that he needs to – Rahul need not look any further than his match-winning 75 not out in the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai.Rahul walked in with India’s top order having been blown away in a small chase of 189. At 16 for 3 after the fifth over, India needed a rescue act. There was swing, zip off the pitch and lateral movement, elements that make Mitchell Starc menacing.Related

• Rahul, Jadeja stay cool to seal tough chase of 189

It couldn’t have been a tougher return. Rahul at No. 5 has been prolific as a finisher in ODIs over the last two years, but the Rahul who came into this series was doing so on the back of immense scrutiny of his Test form that eventually led to him losing his place to Shubman Gill for the last two Tests.However, that he was played as a frontline wicketkeeper despite Ishan Kishan’s inclusion in the starting XI in Mumbai was a mark of the team management’s confidence. All said, this wasn’t a role that came about because of Rishabh Pant’s unavailability.Rahul had been backed to do the job even with Pant in the mix. This was, in a sense, a mere reiteration of the management’s belief in Rahul’s abilities. After all, the Rahul who now runs the ship did a similar job two decades earlier for the sake of team balance.The day began with an excellent catch diving to his right to dismiss Steven Smith. Rahul moved swiftly to cover enough ground to his right before putting in a dive to pouch Smith’s slash and celebrated wildly, the satisfaction of having pulled off the catch showing. The awkward landing, however, may have twinged a neck muscle or two, something that became apparent as he walked out to bat later.Needing to avert a Starc hat-trick, Rahul allayed nerves by opening his scoring with a neatly-timed cover drive first ball, but soon enough found himself challenged by Sean Abbott’s away-swingers. But Rahul had decided he wasn’t going to be bogged down.At the first sign of the bowler dropping short, Rahul brought out the cut. It’s a shot he profited the most from during his 91-ball knock in which he had an impressive control percentage of 83, as per ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball logs.A perfect high-elbow push through off from KL Rahul•Getty Images”I saw three wickets fall early, and Starc was really swinging the ball. When he gets the ball back in, he’s a dangerous bowler,” Rahul told Star Sports after India’s five-wicket win. “So I just wanted to bat through the first 15-20 balls and take it from there.”I wasn’t really thinking about runs, it wasn’t a big total, so I just wanted to give myself time, play normal cricket shots and not go searching for runs. A couple of boundaries early on settled my nerves a bit and got me going.”Just as Rahul began to settle in, he saw Gill get out to a loose drive to backward point. At 39 for 4, India were in dire need of a partnership. Rahul managed to find that support, first putting on 44 with Hardik Pandya and then an unbroken 108-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja, who was playing his first ODI in eight months. Rahul had a slice of luck on 41, when an outside edge flew wide of Smith at slip. That aside, it was a blemish-free knock.”Whoever I batted with, the talk was there’s a bit of help in the wicket, but we can’t go into our shell and look to play out a certain bowler,” Rahul explained. “[The mantra was to] just be positive in your mind and if the ball is there and if you can play proper cricket shot and gets some runs, that’s the only way you could put the pressure back on the bowlers.”We didn’t want to go into our shell and keep defending. We wanted to run hard, and put the loose balls away. We spoke of what are the shots we can play on this pitch. Any width we get, we can play the cut and if you’re good with your footwork, you can still survive get some runs and survive and get some runs. The guys I played with did that beautifully, it was fun batting with Hardik and Jadeja.”Rahul was particularly pleased batting alongside Jadeja. They ran well, and the left-right combination that can often throw bowlers off gear with their lines played into India’s hands. Adam Zampa may have prepared for a match-up with Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, but here he was to contend with a left-right pair in Jadeja and Rahul. He delivered six wicketless overs for 37.”The minute a left-hander walked in, I got a few loose balls as well, and that happens to the best of bowlers,” Rahul said. “A left-hander walking in helped at that stage. He’s been in great form and he batted beautifully. He’s played a lot of cricket and knows exactly what to do at that position. We enjoy batting together. He runs fast, and I love someone who can run fast, run hard and put the pressure on the fielding team and bowlers. I’m happy we could do that today.”Nothing, however, brought a bigger smile to Rahul’s face than when he was asked about his wicketkeeping. Did he enjoy it?”Yeah, I did,” he smiled. “When there’s bounce, I really enjoy keeping. On low wickets, it’s a challenge physically. I enjoy playing here at the Wankhede. It was fun. The ball was doing a bit but as a ‘keeper, I was always in the game.”There were edges coming, and a few balls were down leg. On wickets where there’s help, you know the fast bowlers are going to try a little extra and spray the ball here and there times. That gave me an opportunity to dive and showcase my keeping skills which was fun.”

Not for the first time in this series, Bangladesh’s quicks have given them a chance, and that’s rare for them in Test cricket

Mohammad Isam30-Apr-2021Taskin Ahmed hands his hat to his captain, takes the ball, grips it with his index and middle fingers, and gives it a bit of a flip… all fast bowlers do it, but it has been a curiously reassuring sight for followers of Bangladesh cricket in the ongoing Test series.That Bangladesh pace attack, led by Ahmed, nearly derailed Sri Lanka in the morning session on the second day of the second Test in Pallekele, and both Abu Jayed and Shoriful Islam supported Ahmed with meaningful spells. Maybe so little is expected from the Bangladesh pacers that even a three-wicket session is seen as a triumph but it can’t be denied that they made themselves relevant on the day, and that’s rare enough to be remarkable.The morning session was the third time in this Test series that the Bangladesh bowlers seemed to be getting things right.On the third evening of the first Test, Ahmed had Oshada Fernando caught down the leg side, after which Angelo Mathews fell to Taijul Islam. Dhananjaya de Silva came in, edged a couple that could have gone to hand with the right field placements, and Taijul couldn’t reach a caught-and-bowled chance from Dimuth Karunaratne. And the initiative was lost.Related

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The quicks were impressive at the start of the second Test, too. They bowled 20 out of the first 26 overs – spin is usually in for Bangladesh by that stage – and Ahmed and Shorfiul got the batters to play and miss on a number of occasions before Ahmed found Karunaratne’s edge. But Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped the dolly at slip. And the initiative was taken away.Sri Lanka ended the first day on 291 for 1, so when Bangladesh again started well on Friday, it seemed like only a matter of time before they would run out of steam – Sri Lanka would turn a corner with a spate of boundaries, or the heat of Pallekele would have a say, or the unresponsive pitch would break their will.But after Sri Lanka got 18 runs in the first hour, Mominul Haque did the wise thing by bringing back Ahmed and Shoriful for second spells. Ahmed had already beaten the bat a number of times in a tight first spell, so he had his tail up, looking for wickets. He zeroed in on more length and short-of-length deliveries – he conceded just three runs off the 20 deliveries he bowled on these lengths, picking up one of his two wickets. The other one came from a short ball down the leg side. Shoriful and Jayed also targeted the good length; Jayed bowled a few more full deliveries than the others, but the general plan was to offer fewer half-volleys.As the first session on the first day, there wasn’t any swing on offer, but the bowlers found a bit of movement off the pitch. More crucially, they bowled consistent lines.Sri Lanka perhaps expected their ultra-defensive batting plan could be built upon once the bowlers tired. But Bangladesh remained disciplined, and they cashed in on the home side’s caution.Enthusiasm might help him get through this Test, but giving Shoriful Islam more long-form experience is key•AFP via Getty ImagesBangladesh’s pace bowlers also ended up giving the spin duo of Mehidy Hasan and Taijul a good platform. It is usually the other way around. But Ahmed’s improved consistency and the strong support acts made it a different sort of day for Bangladesh.Jayed may not have picked up a wicket in the series so far, but he is the highest wicket-taker among the pacers in the Bangladesh squad. They have got three four-wicket hauls out of him in the last 18 months, and he has bowled well in India, New Zealand and the West Indies, and recently at home too.Shoriful impressed on debut, not much by using his height or pace but by being consistent outside the off stump. He is young, having been fast-tracked from the Under-19 set-up, and this was his first first-class game in more than two years. Enthusiasm might help him get through this Test, but giving him more long-form experience is key.The three pace bowlers perhaps could have bowled a little better against Niroshan Dickwella and Ramesh Mendis later in the day, but better hands in the slips could have helped too – Ahmed did get Mendis’ edge, but Shanto dropped that.This day could, however, be a turning point for Bangladesh’s pace-bowling strategy – or the lack of it until this series. There hasn’t been much in the conditions, but the pace trio has kept Bangladesh going for much of the day. This isn’t common for them, not in the subcontinent.