Ireland Women left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the first ODI against India in Rajkot, where she picked up 3 for 57 from eight overs.As per the ICC regulations, Maguire, 18, needs to get her action tested at an ICC-accredited testing centre within 14 days of being reported. She can continue bowling until the results of the test are known.Last month, Maguire was named in Ireland’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Since the assessment window falls in the middle of the tournament, she had to be withdrawn from it. Genevieve Morrissey has replaced her in the squad.*Graeme West, the director of high performance at Cricket Ireland, said, “The staff and players are rallying around Aimee, reassuring her that she will return with a stronger action and will continue to shine on the international stage for many years to come.”The experience and expertise that we possess within our High Performance Coaching and Support Services at Cricket Ireland will provide Aimee with the care, support and guidance to deliver the remedial programme which will begin following the team’s return from India.”Maguire made her international debut in 2023. So far, she has played 11 ODIs and nine T20Is, taking 25 wickets in all with a best of 5 for 19 against England in a one-dayer last year.Having lost the first ODI by six wickets, Ireland trail the three-match series 1-0. The remaining two ODIs are also to be played in Rajkot, on January 12 and 15.
This summer, Liverpool have shown signs that they are looking to progress from a Premier League-winning side to a Champions League-winning side.
They have added players all over the pitch, including Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong, who both bagged their first competitive goals for Liverpool at Wednesday during the FA Community Shield last weekend.
Arne Slot isn’t done with signings yet, though, as he appears to still be pushing for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and now England and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace captain looks likely to move this summer after the club’s co-owner and chairman, Steve Parish, admitted that they may have to sell him.
The current valuation for Guehi is £35 million. Slot’s summer spending won’t be ending there either, as he looks to make Guehi part of a double centre-back transfer plan.
Liverpool in "negotiations" for "really special" Italian talent
As well as Guehi, Slot is looking to bring in 18-year-old Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni. This news was shared by Fabrizio Romano, who highly rates Leoni and previously described him as “really special”.
Romano has revealed that both deals are being worked on, with Guehi being seen as a great signing for now and Leoni as one for the future.
The young centre-back won’t come cheap, as he is currently valued at £34 million, which would make him Parma’s third most expensive sale ever, behind Gianlugi Buffon and Hernan Crespo. This price may seem expensive now, but it’s reasonable given the longevity of the investment.
Leoni made 17 appearances for Parma last season and even popped up with a goal. His experience in the Serie A could make him valuable in the short term as well as the long term for Liverpool, as Slot currently faces a challenging squad depth situation.
Slot an injury away from trouble
While it has been left as one of the last positions that they will fill this window, the centre-back situation is a much more pressing matter for Liverpool than many fans realise.
Currently, Slot isn’t spoiled for options in the centre-back department. His first choices are undoubtedly exceptional, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. However, after that, their options are Joe Gomez, who missed 28 games last season through injury, and Rhys Williams, who, at 24, has never really been trusted in the first team.
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An injury to either of their first two choices would leave them in a precarious predicament. Slot could use a player from another position as a makeshift centre-back in this case, but the more sensible move would be bringing in Guehi or Leoni, preferably both.
Another issue is that Konate only has a year left on his contract and is already being looked at by Real Madrid. Van Dijk recently signed a contract extension, but only for two years, meaning both players days at the club are also numbered.
Liverpool need to bring in centre-backs this summer because their squad depth isn’t sufficient for this season, and it will only get worse in the coming transfer windows. As good as the other signings have been, if they fail to sign at least one centre-back, it will be seen as a massive blunder.
Birmingham City co-owners Tom Wagner and Tom Brady are now in very advanced talks to sign a £10m+ star for Chris Davies, according to a new transfer report.
Birmingham City seal Demarai Gray return
It has been a busy summer transfer window so far for the Blues ahead of their Championship return, with a number of new players arriving at St Andrew’s ahead of the 2025/26 season.
One of the latest additions is former academy star Demarai Gray, who has returned to Birmingham nine years on after leaving for Leicester City. The winger joins from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq and has penned a three-year deal with the Blues.
Talking after returning to the club, Gray said: “To be back here now means a lot and having tasted success a bit throughout my career, I’m hungry and I really want to do it here with Birmingham and try and help the team get back to where we belong.
“It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time. Seeing some old faces is always nice, to be back around the stadium brought back a lot of feelings and I can’t wait to get going now, get back in front of the fans and see where this season can take us.”
Birmingham City enter race to sign £6m "monster" ahead of Sheffield United
The Blues have joined the race to sign a defender from a Premier League club.
2
By
Brett Worthington
Jul 2, 2025
Wagner and Brady aren’t showing any signs of stopping, though, and there has been a promising development in the club’s pursuit of Rennes forward Kyogo Furuhashi.
Birmingham City in “very advanced” talks for £10m+ Kyogo Furuhashi
According to reliable French outlet L’Équipe, Birmingham City are now in “very advanced” talks to sign Furuhashi from Rennes.
A deal is ‘close to being concluded’ and it may be worth a total of €12m (£10.3m), the same figure Rennes paid Celtic for the Japan international earlier this year.
Furuhashi has struggled in France after leaving Glasgow, however, he certainly enjoyed his time in the UK, scoring on a regular basis and winning numerous honours with the Scottish giants.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s Celtic stats
Games
165
Goals
85
Assists
19
Minutes played
10,741
Trophies won
9
Called an “elite striker” by Brendan Rodgers during his time at Celtic, whereas Ange Postecoglou also waxed lyrical of the forward when he was Hoops manager.
Now, it looks as if Davies could have the hard-working striker at St Andrew’s potentially lining up alongside Gray and Jay Stansfield in the Championship.
With a deal agreed to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United have reportedly joined the race to sign another attacking star who is just as quick as the rapid Swede.
What Newcastle could do next after Elanga
The Magpies’ summer is finally turning around. Both James Trafford and Elanga are reportedly set to join Eddie Howe’s side to hand the manager two instant upgrades, whilst PIF’s spending could yet continue. With Champions League football to play next season, those at St James’ Park are seemingly set to hand Newcastle the squad depth that they’ve needed for some time.
For £55m, Newcastle will be welcoming a player who is likely to form one of the deadliest attacking trios that the Premier League has to offer alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon. Meanwhile, if the Magpies are looking to compete on all fronts, then the depth that Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy will offer that trio will certainly come in handy.
PIF are reportedly not done there, however. Instead, they’re reportedly keen to make a statement with further attacking incomings amid recent links to the likes of Yoane Wissa and Hugo Ekitike.
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Angus Sinclair
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Either forward would complete the set for Newcastle, who would have a group of six quality attacking options to choose from next season and two for every position.
Alas, those two aren’t the only names still on the Magpies’ reported radar. According to recent reports, those at St James’ Park have also set their sights on signing a Bundesliga star ahead of Chelsea who is just as quick as speed demon Elanga.
Newcastle now interested in £56m Karim Adeyemi
According to Bild, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now racing Chelsea to sign Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund this summer. The German international is reportedly valued at a hefty €65m (£56m) by the Bundesliga giants, which means that the Magpies will have to spend big once again if they are to secure his signature.
Even after welcoming Elanga, Adeyemi’s ability to lead the line and play on both wings has seemingly seen him keep hold of his place on Newcastle’s radar. Whether Newcastle decide to push on and reach Dortmund’s hefty asking price remains to be seen, but there’s no denying that the combined speed between Adeyemi and Elanga is a frightening prospect for any opposition defence.
Last season, the new arrival clocked an impressive speed of 36.7km/h last season to match Adeyemi’s record in 2023 and both could now find themselves leading a rapid Newcastle frontline next season.
It also goes without saying that the Dortmund star is more than just his speed, having scored 12 goals and set up another 11 in all competitions last season to justify the praise of Matthias Jaissle.
The former Red Bull Salzburg coach previously told reporters: “Karim has almost everything a striker needs. His quality and speed are incredible.”
Sunderland are set for a busy summer of transfer business before the window closes at the start of September, as they look to build a team that can compete in the Premier League.
The Black Cats have already confirmed their first signing of the summer as Enzo Le Fee has joined the club on a permanent deal, after spending the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland’s French whiz scored one goal and provided one assist, whilst averaging 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game, in his 15 appearances in the Championship as a loanee.
The 25-year-old added a touch of class to the team, as shown in the clip below, and Regis Le Bris will be hoping that he can deliver in the Premier League as well.
Le Fee was not the only loan star on Wearside during the 2024/25 campaign, though, as central defender Chris Mepham was on loan from Bournemouth.
However, they have yet to agree a deal to bring the Wales international back to the Stadium of Light for the next Premier League season, despite a recent report claiming that they were considering a permanent move for him.
Why Sunderland may not sign Chris Mepham
Football Insider recently noted that Mepham has signed a one-year extension with the Cherries, which means that he will not be available on a free transfer this summer.
This means that Sunderland would have to pay a transfer fee for the central defender to sign him from their Premier League rivals, rather than being able to snap him up for nothing.
Chris Mepham in action for Sunderland.
Whilst it remains to be seen how much Bournemouth would want for the centre-back, this could put the Black Cats off a potential deal as it may be more costly than previously expected.
Fellow newly-promoted side Burnley have also been linked with a possible swoop for the Welsh colossus, who was a solid, but not outstanding, performer for Sunderland in the second tier.
Tackles
1.3
7th
Interceptions
0.9
6th
Clearances
6.2
1st
Blocks
0.9
1st
Pass accuracy
87%
6th
Long passes made
2.1
5th
As you can see in the table above, Mepham excelled in some areas of the game, notably making blocks and clearances, but was not one of the top-performing defenders at the club when it came to making tackles or interceptions.
Sunderland may feel that they could find better value elsewhere in the market, as they look to bolster their defensive options, which may be one reason why they may not sign him on a permanent deal.
In fact, the Black Cats are reportedly looking at a Championship central defender who could be an even better signing than Mepham this summer.
Sunderland eyeing deal for Championship enforcer
According to the Daily Express, Sunderland are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Millwall centre-back Japhet Tanganga in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Black Cats, Leeds United, and Burnley all have a ‘concrete interest’ in the former Tottenham Hotspur defender, as they look to bolster their defensive options.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states Crystal Palace are also keen on a deal for the 26-year-old enforcer, and that they could have an advantage in the race to sign him as a London club and a team with European football in the 2025/26 campaign.
The Daily Express reveals that he has a £1.2m release clause, that can only be activated by Premier League clubs this summer, which means that he could be a bargain signing for any of the interested teams.
Millwall's JaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Thomas Waddingham
It also reveals that Tanganga would like his future to be sorted by the end of the month, possibly to be ready for a pre-season with a new club, but it does not state what his preference is at this moment in time.
Why Sunderland should sign Japhet Tanganga
The Black Cats must now push to win the race for Tanganga ahead of Burnley, Leeds, and Palace because he could be an even better signing for the club than Mepham would be this summer.
Whilst the former Sunderland loanee is far from immobile, there may be concerns about how he would handle the step up in intensity and pace in the Premier League.
Whereas, Tanganga is an incredibly mobile and rapid central defender who can cover ground quickly and has the physicality to deal with top-flight attackers.
Carlton Palmer told Football League World: “He is capable of playing in the Premier League, he’s got the physical tools to cope with the demands of the top-flight with his positional play and reading of the game, while he has tremendous recovery pace.”
Appearances
38
40
Tackles per game
1.4
1.4
Interceptions per game
0.9
0.9
Dribbled past
0.5x
0.3x
Duels won per game
4.9
5.9
Ground duel success rate
55%
61%
Aerial duel success rate
63%
63%
As you can see in the table above, Tanganga’s superior physical attributes in comparison to Mepham were on display in the Championship last season.
The Millwall colossus was dribbled past less frequently, which is because he has the pace to keep up with attackers when they try to knock it past him, and won a higher percentage of his duels on the ground overall.
This suggests that Tanganga would be more suited to dealing with Premier League attackers in one-on-one situations defensively than Mepham would be next season, due to his more impressive physicality.
Therefore, he could be a better signing for the Black Cats this summer because he is more likely to deal with the step up to the top-flight to help Le Bris’ side in their battle against relegation.
Sunderland now make approach for £13k-p/w defender with 25 UCL appearances
The Black Cats have launched a move for a “talented” player, who has tested himself in the Champions League.
ByDominic Lund Jun 12, 2025
It is now down to Sunderland to activate his £1.2m release clause and to convince him to make the move to the Stadium of Light, instead of joining one of the other three interested parties from the Premier League.
Everton have emerged as contenders to complete the signing of a Premier League champion, according to a fresh transfer update.
Forwards Everton could sign this summer
The Blues were relatively goal-shy last season, only scoring 42 goals in 38 league matches, highlighting the need for David Moyes to add attacking quality to his squad in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool winger Ben Doak continues to be mentioned as an eye-catching option for Everton, in a move that would cause plenty of controversy on Merseyside, with Moyes considering him a leading option to bring in ahead of next season. It remains to be seen if the Reds are willing to sell to their local rivals, though.
The Blues are also said to be willing to trigger the release clause of Villarreal forward Thierno Barry, paving the way for Dominic Calvert-Lewis to bring an end to his time at the club, as has been expected for some time now.
Meanwhile, Oguz Aydin is another reported target for Everton, with the Fenerbahce winger a player capable of bringing strong end product in the final third, following 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) in the Turkisk Super Lig in 2024/25.
Everton eyeing shock move for Man City star
According to The Daily Mail, Everton are “monitoring” Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, as they eye a “shock” move for him this summer.
The £300,000-a-week ace is expected to leave the Etihad in the coming weeks and months, and the Blues have emerged as contenders to snap him up. While no talks have taken place yet, they are “aware” of his availability, although a loan move may be most likely, due to profit and sustainability rules surrounding his wages.
Manchester City's JackGrealishduring the warm up before the match
Grealish’s stock has dropped significantly over the past year or two, hence City being willing to sell him, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t shine for Everton, having been praised by Pep Guardiola last year.
“He was aggressive. I know in controlling the ball he is good, but he made four or five shots. This is what it is – he has to prove himself, but I am really pleased with the game he played.”
There has been a feeling that Grealish’s maverick style has been stunted at City, with the Englishman having to play a more refined role where risk-taking isn’t allowed, but he could flourish if let off his leash at Everton.
The fact that Moyes is a big admirer of the 29-year-old can also only bode well, with the Blues boss calling him the “best player in the Premier League” back in 2021, which speaks volumes.
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If he believes he can get the best out of Grealish, it is a move that Everton must try and make happen, with the Englishman capable of lighting up matches with his dribbling ability and entertainment value.
Liverpool have made a shock offer for a £400k-a-week star who is now keen to play in Europe next season, according to Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
Reds' summer transfer plans taking shape
After two quiet transfer windows since replacing Jürgen Klopp in the dugout, Arne Slot will be tasked with strengthening his squad in a number of key areas this summer, and FSG are prepared to back their manager with significant financial backing.
A new striker could be required, with Darwin Nunez’s future in doubt, and the aforementioned report names Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as a potential option, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and prolific Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold recently confirming his decision to leave his boyhood club this summer, the Reds have also ramped up their pursuit of a new right-back, and David Ornstein believes Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is keen on a move to Anfield.
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Ethan Lamb
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Having perhaps overrelied on Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, there have also been suggestions that Slot could look to bring in a new midfielder this summer, and there is serious interest in Stuttgart maestro Angelo Stiller.
However, a surprise move for a Premier League attacking midfielder could also be on the cards, according to Di Marzio, with the Sky Sports journalist recently stating Liverpool have now made a shock offer for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
Manchester City's KevinDeBruynereacts
De Bruyne is set to leave Man City on a free transfer this summer, with Pep Guardiola’s side taking the decision not to extend his contract, but the Belgian wants to remain in Europe, despite widespread links to the MLS.
Napoli are making a concrete attempt to sign the 33-year-old, so there could also be competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs.
"World-class" De Bruyne likened to Gerrard
In truth, the Man City legend moving to Anfield doesn’t seem particularly realistic, given that he was in direct competition with the Reds for a number of years, during which time he impressed Klopp, who described the maestro as “world-class”.
Wayne Rooney has also likened the Belgium international to Steven Gerrard in the past, saying: “De Bruyne reminds me a bit of Steven Gerrard. He drifts out to that right-hand side and plays some brilliant balls whipped in, like Stevie used to. What I like most is he takes chances, he takes risks, he doesn’t go for the easy ball – he plays the hard pass.”
The £400k-a-week star is evidently in the twilight years of his career, given City’s willingness to sanction a departure, but he has still impressed in the Premier League at times this season, while also catching the eye in the FA Cup.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Premier League
25
4
7
FA Cup
3
2
1
As such, De Bruyne could still be a difference-maker for a top club, but a move to Anfield would be extremely controversial.
It doesn’t take a footballing genius to work out what Arsenal need this summer.
Mikel Arteta’s side failed to get over the line in the Premier League for the third time on the bounce this season, and while they sit just one place off Liverpool, they’ve scored 14 goals fewer.
Now, part of that is undoubtedly down to injuries, but it’s incredibly evident that the Gunners need a new striker once the transfer window opens, and the board seem to agree.
However, while Alexander Isak remains the dream signing for so many fans, his potentially £150m price tag makes the idea of him moving to the Emirates seem practically impossible.
Fortunately, recent reports have linked the North Londoners with someone who could be an ideal alternative.
Arsenal's striker search
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth reviewing a couple of the other striker targets linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Daizen Maeda.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could move to N5 for around £70m, and while that would make him one of the Gunners’ most expensive signings ever, he’d probably be worth it as, in just 48 games this season, he’s racked up 52 goals and 12 assists.
The latter could be available for just £25m, which might also prove to be an absolute steal, as in just 47 first-team appearances for Celtic this season, the Japanese international has scored 33 goals and provided 11 assists.
Daizen Maeda
However, Arteta and Co might want someone with more experience of football in a top-five league, which could explain the links to Ollie Watkins.
Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal are ‘planning to reignite their bid to sign’ the Aston Villa star.
The report has revealed that even though the Claret and Blue rejected a £50m offer from the Gunners in the January window, he’s back on the club’s shortlist ahead of the summer.
It’s unclear how much he’d cost, but with more time for Villa to find a replacement, it might not be far off Arsenal’s original offer, making him an incredibly appealing Isak alternative.
Why Watkins would be a great Isak alternative
Okay, so the first thing to say is that in an ideal world, Arsenal would just go out and sign Isak, but that feels incredibly unlikely to happen and points to the first significant advantage to signing Watkins over him: the price.
Ollie Watkins celebrates with Morgan Rogers for Aston Villa.
For example, if the reports are to be believed, then the Villa ace could cost as much as £100m less than the Swedish international, which in turn would allow the Gunners to splash the cash on several other first-team players, like Nico Williams, Martin Zubimendi and others.
Moreover, even though he’d cost a third as much as the Toon ace, it does not mean he’d be a third as good.
For example, in 50 appearances this season, totalling 3054 minutes, the Englishman, whom podcaster Rohan Jivan described as “one of the best centre-forwards in Europe,” has scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 111.75 minutes.
In contrast, the former Real Sociedad star has scored 26 goals and provided six assists in 39 appearances, totalling 3054 minutes, which comes out to a slightly better average of a goal involvement every 1.21 games, or every 95.43 minutes.
Finally, Arteta needs players he can rely on next season, and when it comes to fitness, the former Exeter City star is far more reliable than his potential competitor.
For example, he’s missed just three games for club and country across his entire career, whereas the Swede has already missed 67, and he’s only 25 years old.
24/25
43 days
3
9
23/24
56 days
2
12
22/23
107 days
1
18
21/22
28 days
2
5
18/19
66 days
5
15
17/18
33 days
1
8
16/17
4 days
1
0
With Isak unattainable this season, Arsenal would do well to sign Watkins as an alternative, as on top of costing up to £100m less, he’d be far more reliable.
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McGlashan: ‘Marnus has done everything asked of him’
Western Australia vs South Australia
At the WACA, there was almost as much interest in what Cameron Green didn’t do – at least in the match itself – than what he did. The full return to bowling was put on ice for another week as he was restricted to working through his loads around the game, including a bowl in the middle after the game was completed.Related
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Aside from that, Green spent useful time in the middle on the final day after his first-innings duck – a drive that he absolutely nailed, but straight to the fielder – and appeared disgruntled when given caught behind. Green has often said how he is better the more he bats in a certain format, so it will be worth watching how he starts the Ashes after somewhat disjointed preparation, although there is still a chance for a long innings in round four of the Shield.A significant performance in this game came from Brendan Doggett in his first Shield outing of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury. His 6 for 48 in the first innings could well have locked him into the squad as one of the reserve quicks. He travelled for the World Test Championship final earlier this year and was due to tour the West Indies before injury.”It’s just nice to see him come out and bowl like he did – he bowed quick [and] his body pulled up all right, which is good,” South Australia coach Ryan Harris said. “But timely to get six wickets, especially with that announcement coming up in the next few days. He’s got a bit of pace and it’s going to be a bit of a pace-off in this Ashes – England are bringing some serious pace. So he’ll fit in nicely… and if he gets the opportunity, he’ll be definitely ready for it.”Cameron Bancroft fitted into the issued-a-reminder category with a century in the first innings, but his chance of further Test cricket appears to have gone. That may not be the case for Nathan McSweeney, however, even if his next opportunity has to wait a little while. The South Australia captain put together an excellent century on the third day, and chipped in with handy wickets.Beau Webster got through a good workload with the ball on his return•Getty Images
Victoria vs Tasmania
Beau Webster has been assured of his place in the Test squad by chair of selectors George Bailey (the XI may be another matter) and the most important aspect of his outing against Victoria was the 23 overs he sent down after an ankle injury. However, he would have liked more time in the middle as he made just 11 and 6 in Tasmania’s defeat. But Webster will likely play the opening Test if there are any doubts over the volume of overs Green can send down.Jake Weatherald will be one of those hanging by the phone this week. He missed the opportunity to add further weight to his case for a maiden call-up although his two dismissals were against excellent deliveries. He may bemoan the life of an opener, having to twice come out with short periods to face before the close.Three half-centuries prior to this game, including his decisive 94 against Western Australia, arguably still makes him the most compelling option among the specialist openers, although Campbell Kellaway’s 147 further enhanced his reputation. It’s unlikely he’ll be in the frame yet, but the selectors went for Sam Konstas last season, so the precedent is set for picking a youngster.Fergus O’Neill probably won’t come into contention this home season, but he can’t do much more to push his claims than with four second-innings wickets to secure victory.Steven Smith looked in fine touch•Getty Images
Queensland vs New South Wales
Despite the selection race being tight, it’s unlikely a single innings will make a difference. However, Matt Renshaw missed a chance to build on a start against NSW to back up a strong week with the Australia ODI squad against India. Still, his versatility as a batter could work in his favour especially if the selectors want a player to cover a variety of positions in the squad. Renshaw’s dismissal came after Konstas had shouldered arms against Hayden Kerr to continue his tricky season.Usman Khawaja, who endorsed Renshaw for the opening role, put together an encouraging 87 to tune up for the first Test where the spotlight will be on him as the senior opener. If he starts poorly against England, there is a world where his position comes under scrutiny midway through the series.Marnus Labuschagne is certain of a recall, although where he bats may well not be answered until closer to the first Test. However, the manner of his dismissal at the Gabba may have caught the attention of England’s analysts. He flicked Liam Hatcher firmly off his hip to a well-placed deep leg gully. It was a well-timed shot, and he may be viewed as a little unfortunate, but it’s a manner in which he has fallen before.Steven Smith, who will captain Australia in Perth and perhaps beyond depending on Pat Cummins’ fitness, declared he was already ready for the Ashes before playing a game after arriving back from New York. After taking 20 balls to open his account, he looked in terrific order during a classy century, albeit against a much-weakened Queensland attack.Something that is worth keeping an eye on is the form of Nathan Lyon. He took 2 for 120 in this match, his wickets coming late in Queensland’s innings, leaving him with six at 45.66 so far this season, although conditions have favoured the quicks.
In the World Cup opener, England’s uncharacteristic batting innings was characterised by tentative shots more than full-blooded ones
Matt Roller06-Oct-2023As England’s players picked the bones out of the thrashing by New Zealand in their World Cup opener, Joe Root made a telling prediction. “I don’t think we’ll see guys getting caught mid-off or long-off check-driving anymore,” Root told the BBC. “They’ll be hitting it 20 rows back.”Root’s 77 was England’s top score and represented a welcome return to form for him after a quiet series against New Zealand last month. He was at the non-striker’s end for five of his team-mates’ dismissals and appeared to sense a pattern: with the exception of Harry Brook, England’s batters were not dismissed while trying to hit sixes.Take Jonny Bairstow. He fell looking to loft Mitchell Santner inside-out over extra cover, but with the ball angling straight in from around the wicket, rather than turning away, it hit the inner half of his bat and looped harmlessly towards wide long-off, where Daryl Mitchell took a good running catch to his left.Related
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At the death, with England looking to accelerate, Liam Livingstone had faced four consecutive dot balls from Trent Boult when he shaped to work a knuckleball away into the gap between midwicket and long-on. Instead, his leading edge hung in the air, giving Matt Henry time to run in off the boundary to settle underneath it.Brook’s downfall came about in a fashion that would infuriate many, caught in the deep trying to hit a fourth consecutive boundary off Rachin Ravindra during an over of drag-downs. So did Moeen Ali’s, playing across the line to Glenn Phillips. While Root himself was yorked while attempting to reverse-sweep the same bowler.But England’s uncharacteristic batting innings, scraping to 282 for 9 thanks to a 30-run last-wicket stand, was characterised by tentative shots more than full-blooded ones. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, New Zealand attacked 28% of the balls they faced; England only 17%.Even Jos Buttler fell tamely. He made a clear attempt to target New Zealand’s change bowlers, hitting James Neesham and Ravindra for straight sixes. But when Henry returned, he pushed at a ball that shaped back in – “wobble-seam, trying to use the crease,” Henry explained – and was caught behind. He immediately threw his head back in frustration.England clearly tried to target New Zealand’s allrounders. With Lockie Ferguson (back) and Tim Southee (thumb) unavailable, and Ish Sodhi left out, Tom Latham had to rely on 20 overs split between Neesham, Ravindra and Phillips, who returned combined figures of 3 for 149.
“We’re not robots: sometimes you don’t play as well as you’d like. We’ll be better for the next one”Jos Buttler
But perhaps England were too deferential against New Zealand’s three main bowlers in Boult, Henry and Santner. Their combined figures were 6 for 133 in 30; Devon Conway and Ravindra showed no such caution against England’s frontline bowlers, taking down Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood.Eoin Morgan, Buttler’s predecessor, was scathing in his assessment of England’s intent at the break, suggesting that they had let slip an opportunity to apply pressure after hitting Boult’s first over for 12. “You’d say that England didn’t throw many punches,” he said on Sky Sports. “They didn’t go hard enough.”After the game, he added, “They were so far off the mark. If you listened to Jos Buttler throughout the back-end of our summer, he continued to reiterate the message that you have to be more aggressive, to be brave… You have to be able to compete to say you were outplayed; for a lot of the game this evening, England didn’t compete.”1:45
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Root expects England to be jolted into gear by their defeat. “It reinforces what we are about as a team,” he said. “We can remember how good we are, remember how intimidating we are as a batting group and double-down on it, really put sides under pressure and get those massive scores that blow teams away.”England do not need to panic. Six wins from their next eight games is almost certain to get them through to the semi-finals, and even five could be enough. “It’s one loss at the start of a very long tournament,” Buttler said. “We’re not robots: sometimes you don’t play as well as you’d like. We’ll be better for the next one.”They flew to Dharamsala on Friday ahead of their next fixture against Bangladesh on Tuesday where conditions will be very different. The weather will be cooler, the ball will travel at altitude, and a 10.30am start should ensure more uniformity across 100 overs than on Thursday, when the ball came on to the bat much better under lights.But Buttler will be frustrated that after seeming to rediscover their groove and tempo in this format last month, his batters did not exert sustained pressure on New Zealand’s bowlers. If anything, New Zealand batted more like England than England did themselves.