South Australia lost their first three wickets without a run on the board and the theme continued
AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2024
Marnus Labuschagne fought hard in tough conditions•Getty Images
Bowlers held sway on a chaotic 17-wicket first day of the Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval. On a decidedly difficult green-tinged pitch, the ball reigned supreme as the home side were routed for 132 and Queensland struggled to 112 for 7, with out-of-form Test No.3 Marnus Labuschagne top-scoring with a 112-ball 38 in his first Shield match as captain.After a disappointing Test summer when his form came under the microscope, Labuschange defended for his life against the Redbacks in his only Shield match before the tour of New Zealand.Related
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Like most batters on day one, Labuschange looked shaky and survived multiple scares during his battling stay at the crease. He fell to Nathan McAndrew late in the day as South Australia closed in on an unlikely first-innings lead.Opener Matt Renshaw endured another failure in his last match before going on the New Zealand tour as a spare batter.Dismissed for 2 in both innings against Tasmania earlier in February, Renshaw was out for 8, caught off the outside edge by Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey off Jordan Buckingham.Renshaw’s best score from his past 12 innings in first-class cricket, domestic one-dayers and T20s is the 40 he made in last month’s BBL final.The day started as it finished – with wickets tumbling. After winning the toss, South Australia were quickly on the ropes at 0 for 3 in the fourth over.In-form Queensland quick Xavier Bartlett carried his sparkling form from the recent ODI series against the West Indies into the Shield, dismissing maverick opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and Nathan McSweeney.But Carey and captain Jake Lehmann saved the Redbacks from complete embarrassment, putting on a crucial 64-run fourth-wicket stand. Lehmann and Carey were the only South Australian batters to reach double figures in the hosts’ 40.3 over innings.In reply, Queensland stumbled to 13 for 3 and 77 for 5 before mounting some late resistance but again lost wickets towards the close.
Shubha, Rodrigues, Bhatia and Deepti all scored half-centuries to steer India past 400
Valkerie Baynes14-Dec-2023
Satheesh Shubha and Jemimah Rodrigues added 115 for the third wicket•BCCI
Impressive debuts from two young players at opposite ends of the experience spectrum led India to an imposing first-innings total on the opening day of their Test against England.Satheesh Shubha, representing her country for the first time, and Jemimah Rodrigues, playing her maiden Test after 113 white-ball appearances for India, both scored half-centuries on an accommodating pitch in Navi Mumbai as India posted 410 for 7, the second-highest total by a team on the opening day of a women’s Test behind England’s 431 for 4 against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1935, having bowled their opponents out for 44.By midway through the first evening session of this four-day fixture, the hosts’ run rate hadn’t dipped below 4.5 per over. Yastika Bhatia and Deepti Sharma, with three Test caps between them heading into the match, also racked up fifties and each played roles in key partnerships – Bhatia with Harmanpreet Kaur, who fell agonisingly short of her half-century in a strange yet familiar run out, and Deepti with Sneh Rana.Shubha’s selection was a surprise. She hardly played for Railways this season amid a lack of opportunities after moving from Karnataka, but was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the WPL. And the 24-year-old left-hander gave more than a glimpse of what her franchise can expect as she eased to 69 off 76 balls, coming in at No. 3 with her side 25 for 1 after they chose to bat.Smriti Mandhana, dropped on 5 by Tammy Beaumont running back from short leg to catch a top edge that ballooned straight up in the second over, managed just 17 before she chopped onto her stumps off Lauren Bell. Kate Cross then sent Shafali Verma’s off stump cartwheeling with a delivery that moved away just enough to beat the bat, leaving India 47 for 2.But then Shubha and Rodrigues settled into a 115-run partnership that not only steadied the innings but kept the home side scoring at an impressive rate, the 23-year-old Rodrigues finding the gaps seemingly at will as Shubha looked right at home. When the latter cut Cross through backward point with ease, using the pace of the ball for one of her 13 fours, a half-century was just one more stroke away. She produced that three balls later, driving so sweetly down the ground it looked like she had been doing this forever.Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma steered India past 400•BCCI
Heather Knight couldn’t cling onto a sharp chance to her right at slip that would have given Sophie Ecclestone her first wicket of the match when Shubha was on 51. That was the last ball before lunch and the India duo picked up where they left off after the break until Ecclestone broke through to remove Shubha, who picked out Nat Sciver-Brunt at short midwicket.Rodrigues forged ahead, bringing up her fifty with the first of two fours in three balls, a beautiful off-drive off Bell. Back-to-back boundaries off Ecclestone followed next over for Rodrigues, driven through the covers and swept fine, but she eventually fell to Bell in a moment of indecision that left her neither playing forward nor back and bowled between bat and pad.Bell put down a sitter to let off Bhatia on 15, her top edge off Charlie Dean looping up but going through Bell’s hands as she ran in from mid-on. Bhatia and Harmanpreet’s union for the fifth wicket was unbroken on 71 at tea, India having scored 125 runs in the afternoon session.They bettered Shubha and Rodrigues’ stand by one off the same number of balls (146) before Harmanpreet was run out right when she should have had an overthrow to bring up her half-century. Having pushed the ball towards covers, she set off but had to turn back. As Danni Wyatt hit the stumps direct with an underarm throw, Harmanpreet’s bat got stuck in the pitch just short of her crease. The dismissal went from the realms of bizarre to ignominious given that she had been run out in a similar way in India’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia in February.Bhatia produced some wonderful drives and rammed home her authority on the innings with the first six of the match, pulling Lauren Filer over deep-backward square leg to bring up her fifty. But Bell made up for her earlier mistake when she held a catch at mid-on to give Dean the wicket she should have had earlier and send Bhatia on her way.Rana was off the mark immediately, turning Dean through fine leg for four on the next ball and she settled into a 92-run partnership with Deepti, who produced nine fours and an emphatic six off Ecclestone over wide long-on. England’s bowlers lacked penetration and their tiring fielders were left to rue those missed chances. Then Deepti brought up her third fifty from as many Test matches with a four off Bell through square leg late in the day.That was before Sciver-Brunt ripped out Rana’s leg stump, and Pooja Vastrakar negotiated a tense final over from Ecclestone as the opening day of the first women’s Test hosted by India since 2014 and England’s first on these shores since 2005 ended up very much in the home side’s favour.
The Nike jerseys were developed in collaboration with multiple U.S. players, honoring the legacy and passion of the American game
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U.S. Soccer releases new 2025 kits
"Heartbeat" and "Brilliant" jerseys
Both will wear "Heartbeat" shirt, USWNT will rep "Brilliant" kit
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WHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. Soccer has released two new kits to be worn by both the U.S. men's national team and the U.S. women's national team through the remainder of the 2025 year.
The "Brilliant" kit, a white shirt, draws details from past USWNT kits, while adding modernism to the shirt to reflect the evolution of the game. The kit will strictly be worn by the USWNT.
"This collection represents Nike's deep commitment to women’s soccer as an undeniable force that continues to elevate the game globally,” said Maggie Gauger, Vice President/GM, Nike North America Women's Business. “The refreshed designs honor the brilliance of the U.S. Women’s National Team — celebrating 40 years of legacy, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements both on and off the pitch.”
The "Heartbeat" kit, a dark shirt, is a tribute to the fans. It's designed with a street-style aesthetic that is a reflection of the heartbeat that fans give the national team program.
“As the game evolves, the style evolves,” said USMNT player Mark McKenzie. “There's a modern edge to this [Heartbeat] kit, a sleekness that catches the eye. But it doesn't lose sight of what this crest stands for, the history etched in the Red, White, and Blue threads. The kit pays tribute to our fans and the importance of their connection to the team. It's a reminder of who we play for and what we represent every single time we step onto that field. Not much more you can ask for!”
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
In addition to the two new kits, U.S. Soccer has released a pre-match top that features the iconic "One Nation, One Team" slogan, along with an anthem jacket that features abstract red and blue stars in U.S. national team colors. The jacket is meant to be wearable with both kits.
“To me, the kits represent the USWNT mentality of always pushing forward,” said USWNT player Biyendolo. “I know I can speak for my teammates when I say that every time we put on the uniform, it brings a great sense of pride. When we represent our country, our team and ourselves, we know we are doing so while standing on the shoulders of giants. The Brilliant Kit is just another way to honor our past and the women who played before us.”
WHAT THE U.S. SOCCER FAN COUNCIL SAID
“We look forward to seeing stadiums full of these kits as we cheer on our teams with the heart and passion that they represent,” commented Liz Lafitte, chair of the U.S. Soccer Fan Council.
WHAT NEXT FOR U.S. SOCCER?
The USWNT will wear the Brilliant and Heartbeat kits through the remainder of the 2025 schedule, with the Brilliant kit debuting on May 31 against China.
The USMNT, meanwhile, will wear the Heartbeat kit while continuing to wear their existing white home kit through the remainder of the calendar year. They will debut that kit on June 7 against Turkey in an international friendly.
Everything you need to know about Justin Bijlow's salary details playing for Feyenoord
Dutch goalkeeper Justin Bijlow has been a Feyenoord loyalist since his youth days. He spent ten years in the club’s youth academy before making his first-team debut in 2017.
Despite struggling with recurring injuries and limited playing time early in his senior career, Bijlow chose to stay at the club and fight for his place in the starting XI, earning widespread praise from Feyenoord supporters.
Now, eight years after his debut, the Dutchman has become an indispensable figure and the club’s first-choice goalkeeper – when fit.
Bijlow has been rewarded generously for his loyalty, currently standing as Feyenoord’s highest-paid player under a contract that runs until 2026.
So, exactly how much does the Dutch star earn?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
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Justin Bijlow's wages at Feyenoord in numbers
As per the terms of Justin Bijlow’s existing contract with Feyenoord, the Dutch player receives a remarkable weekly salary of €56,538, positioning him as the top-earning player within the current team lineup. His yearly earnings total to an estimated €3 million.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Justin Bijlow
Dutch
€56,538
€2,940,000
AdvertisementAFPTop earners at Feyenoord
As previously mentioned, Justin Bijlow is currently recognized as the highest-paid player at Feyenoord, with Calvin Stengs and David Hancko following closely in second and third positions, respectively.
In the meantime, Algerian international Ramiz Zerrouki and Igor Paixao round out the top five, holding the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Justin Bijlow
Dutch
€56,538
€2,940,000
Calvin Stengs
Dutch
€47,115
€2,450,000
David Hancko
Slovak
€45,192
€2,350,000
Ramiz Zerrouki
Algerian
€33,846
€1,760,000
Igor Paixao
Brazilian
€33,846
€1,760,000
Top earners in Eredivisie
Jordan Henderson, who was formerly with Liverpool, now earns the highest salary in the Eredivisie. Following him is Sergino Dest from PSV. Daniele Rugani, an Italian player, holds the third position, while Ajax's Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis are in fourth and fifth places respectively.
Player
Club
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Jordan Henderson
Ajax
€90,000
€4,680,000
Sergino Dest
PSV
€75,385
€3,920,000
Daniele Rugani
Ajax
€75,385
€3,920,000
Brian Brobbey
Ajax
€57,692
€3,000,000
Steven Berghuis
Ajax
€56,731
€2,950,000
AFPHighest paid players in the world
Salaries of Eredivisie players are significant, yet they remain lower compared to those of the world's top footballers, with none reaching the highest echelons.
The highest-paid players are found in the Saudi Pro League, where Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr holds the top salary position.
Karim Benzema, who previously played for Real Madrid, ranks second, followed by Riyad Mahrez, who moved from Manchester City to Al-Ahli, in third place.
Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both hailing from Senegal, occupy the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
James Anderson has admitted that the Edgbaston pitch for the first Ashes Test was “like kryptonite” for him, and warns that if the surfaces for the remaining four matches of the series prove to be similarly flat, then he will be “done”.Anderson, who turns 41 next month, returned the disappointing figures of 1 for 109 in 38 overs during Australia’s two-wicket win in the first Test, and was noticeably overlooked for the crucial new ball when England were striving for a breakthrough on the tense final afternoon.He was unlucky in his first spell of the second innings, when Usman Khawaja – Australia’s player of the match – edged at a catchable height past Jonny Bairstow in Anderson’s first over. But overall, he conceded that his body had felt rusty in his first outing since picking up a groin strain while playing for Lancashire in the County Championship last month.Related
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“This is an Ashes series. It is a big deal,” Anderson wrote in his column in The Telegraph. “When you play on a flat pitch like the one at Edgbaston and take a wicket, a bit more emotion does come out because you have worked extra hard for it.”That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace. I’ve tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. It’s a long series and hopefully, I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series.”With Anderson below his best, England struggled for penetration at key moments at Edgbaston, and having encountered some difficulty in dislodging Ireland on the final day of their recent Test at Lord’s, there will doubtless be some temptation to bring in the extra pace of Mark Wood for next week’s second Test at the same venue.Anderson, however, is confident that he will be better for the game-time, regardless of his disappointing showing.”There was a bit of rustiness but I gave it everything I could,” he said. “Having played for a long time, I realise you can’t take wickets every game. Sometimes it is not your week. It felt like that for me. I know I wasn’t on top of my game this week. It was not my best performance. I know I have more to offer and contribute to the team.”The body felt quite good. There is some stiffness but I put that down to the unique conditions. We were running in on a very soft outfield then landing on a rock-hard pitch and that takes its toll on the body more than normal. All the bowlers were feeling that a bit.”Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson led the line for England’s quicks at Edgbaston, with Robinson returning the commendable figures of 40.4-12-98-5 across the two innings. However, his performance was equally notable for his on-field run-in with Usman Khawaja, which has since developed into an ongoing feud with Australia’s media as a whole, following more outspoken comments in his column for Wisden.com.Anderson even stepped in to pull Robinson away from a contratemps with Khawaja in the second innings, but insisted in his column that he wouldn’t be encouraging him to tone down his attitude as the series progresses.”I don’t want Ollie to change,” Anderson said. “I like him getting fired up. He bowls better when he is in that mood. From personal experience, I know I bowl better when I am a bit more aggressive and intense.”I stepped in to chat to Ollie when he and Usman were having an exchange of views in the second innings. It was gentle stuff, they were just talking cricket.”Whenever I watched cricket as a kid I wanted to see bowlers fired up. It makes for better theatre and is a lot more enjoyable to watch. Everyone is just encouraged to be themselves in our team. Some people don’t like getting into a verbal battle. Some do. Robbo thrives on it.”
da dobrowin： O técnico Luís Castro já sabe que não contará com um jogador para montar o meio de campo do Botafogo diante do Athletico-PR, pela última rodada do Brasileirão. Na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Santos, o volante Gabriel Pires recebeu o terceiro cartão amarelo e terá de cumprir suspensão automática.
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da roleta： O mais cotado para entrar na vaga é Patrick de Paula. Porém, Jacob Montes, Lucas Piazon e Gustavo Sauer também podem ficar com o lugar na equipe.
+ Botafogo pode se classificar direto para fase de grupos da Liberta
No entanto, o técnico Luís Castro vai ter as voltas do lateral-esquerdo Marçal e do atacante Victor Sá na próxima rodada. Ambos cumpriram suspensão automática diante do Santos.
Seamer earns praise from both captains after player-of-the-match performance
George Dobell28-Aug-2021A “real find” was Virat Kohli’s description; “phenomenal” was Joe Root’s word: whichever way you look at it, England have a man for the long haul in Ollie Robinson.Robinson was named player of the match as England completed an innings-and-76-run victory in the third LV= Insurance Test at Leeds. He claimed 7 for 81 in the match, including 5 for 65 in the second innings. With James Anderson and Stuart Broad coming towards the end and Jofra Archer facing an uncertain future, in Test cricket at least, Robinson’s emergence gives England great reassurance for the future.Robinson took 4 for 25 in eight metronomic overs on the fourth and final morning. Running in from the Kirkstall Lane End, he quickly settled on a consistent length which threatens the stumps and both edges of the bat. Yes, he had a new ball with which to work. But the pitch was flat and the sun was hot. These were not easy wickets picked up on an English seamer.It was interesting to hear Robinson credit the influence of Anderson after the second five-wicket haul of a career which is only four Tests old. For almost as impressive as the statistics with Robinson is his apparent ability to pick up new tricks. Here, in the lead-up to the game, he noticed Anderson was gripping the ball slightly differently to other bowlers. Reasoning that there was nobody better to learn from, he quickly picked Anderson’s brains.”I noticed Jimmy held his wobble grip slightly different to how I and a few others held it,” Robinson said. “I spoke to him when we got to Headingley after the break and just tried to practice it in the nets. It went quite nicely. I tried it in the game and it worked quite well. It’s something I need to practise a bit more, but learning off Jimmy is invaluable at this stage of my career and luckily it came off today.”Related
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This ability to pick-up skills from other bowlers is nothing new from Robinson. He grew up idolising Glenn McGrath and then played Grade cricket in Australia with Josh Hazlewood. Their influence can be seen both in his wonderfully smooth, repeatable action and his ability to thump out an excellent, consistent, probing length. Earlier in the series, he produced a knuckle ball – changing his grip even as he gathered to deliver – which also demonstrated his wide range of skills.He says his stock ball is the one delivered with a wobble seam which he hopes will hold up and leave the right-hander. And it was just such a delivery which accounted for Kohli, whose habit of flirting a little outside off stump was punished when Robinson persuaded one to bounce and at least straighten.But equally dangerous is the one which darts back into the batters. And while Robinson’s bounce – even from a pretty full length, Hawkeye tends to show the ball bouncing over the stumps – and the sometimes prodigious nature of his inswing might render leg-before dismissals a little more rare than you would expect (Mohammed Shami was, at one stage, reprieved by DRS when it looked for all the world as if he had been trapped in front), the fact that he can move the ball in both directions creates confusion. That’s why Cheteshwar Pujara left one which would have hit his off stump and Kohli fiddled with one he could have left. The fact that it’s all delivered with the nagging accuracy of toothache just wears at the batters’ concentration. It’s a terrific package.It was interesting that Kohli, while offering praise afterwards, also added a caveat. “He understand his skills really well,” Kohli told the BBC. “He swings the ball both ways and he’s very consistent; especially in these conditions. He is a real find for them.”No doubt there will be days, in Asia in particular, when that “these conditions” line proves true. But Robinson might enjoy South Africa, Australia and, depending on the surfaces, the Caribbean, too. He has played a fair amount of Grade cricket already and, while he is unlikely to gain the same amount of swing from a Kookaburra ball, he may well enjoy the extra bounce off the pitch. He’ll still hit the seam; he’ll still bowl an impeccable length. These are skills that should render him a useful addition to the attack in most conditions.Virat Kohli leaves the field after being dismissed by Ollie Robinson•Getty Images”My strength is consistency,” Robinson said. “It’s something I look at with the analyst and the bowling coach, Jon Lewis, every day after I bowl. I see how I’ve bowled and check my lines and lengths. If I can be as consistent as possible, not go for runs and build the pressure, then hopefully I’ll get wickets with that.”My stock ball is just to wobble the seam and try to get it to hold away from the right-hander. I’m learning a few things at the moment that I won’t reveal, but I’m trying to improve myself all the time, really. Learning from Jimmy, speaking to Jon Lewis – trying to improve myself all the time to become the best I can be really.”The one doubt England had about Robinson was his ability to back up performances. But he has managed to bowl more overs than anyone else this series and generally retained both his consistency and pace.”It’s been phenomenal to watch him perform as he has,” Root, his grateful captain, said. “He’s had big influences on all the Tests he’s played. We’ve known how skilful he is. It was a question of whether he’d be able to back it up in his third spell with the ball a little older. And he’s shown huge skill in being able to do that time and time again with big workloads under his belt. He’s shown what he is capable of doing and long may that continue.”Robinson said: “I was confident I could perform at this level. Over the last three or four years in county cricket, I’ve been up there with leading wicket-takers and getting good players or overseas players out often. So I knew that if I stepped up to Test cricket I could do the same and luckily I have been able to.”It feels like a very special day. It’s one of the great days in my cricket career: to get my first Test win and to take the vital wickets is really special. The noise when we got Kohli out was deafening. It was just an unbelievable experience and feeling to get that wicket.”So, yes. I’m very happy. I’ve had to wait a while for my chance, but hopefully I’ve taken it now and it will keep me in the team for years to come.”There seems every chance of that.Craig Overton celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesCraig Overton had a decent game, too. With bat, ball and in the slips, he looked a sound addition. He may well struggle to retain his place if and when Archer, Broad and Woakes return. But his consistency and his obvious relish for the challenge render him a decent option at this level. He may well have moved ahead of Sam Curran in the pecking order now.In the short-term, England remain hopeful that Woakes and Mark Wood may be available for the fourth Test, which starts on Thursday at The Kia Oval. Both have bowled in the last day or so – Woakes in The Blast and Wood in training – and will be monitored to see how they recover. The extra day off won’t have done anyone involved in this game any harm, either.But Jos Buttler looks less likely to feature. Root would neither confirm or deny, but Buttler may be absent on paternity leave for either or both of the next two Tests. With his enthusiasm to tour Australia in current circumstances also doubtful – quite understandably, it should be added – there is a possibility (just a possibility) he could have played his last Test. Jonny Bairstow is likely to replace him with the gloves at The Oval, if required, with Ollie Pope set to come into the middle-order. Dan Lawrence has been released to play County Championship cricket from Monday.Such issues can wait until next week. For now, we can relish the prospect of an increasingly intriguing series which will remain ‘live’ right to the end. Every ball counts, you know.
Big picture: Can West Indies deepen England’s white-ball funk?
Plenty has gone on since Jos Buttler led his players off the field at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, following a comprehensive defeat to India in their World Cup semi-final. Matthew Mott vacated his post soon after, leading to Brendon McCullum’s appointment as cross-format supremo and, while Buttler was retained as captain, he has not hit a ball in anger since, due to a persistent calf injury that caused him to miss the Hundred, as well as ODI and T20I series against Australia and then the West Indies one-dayers.There will be added significance, then, to his comeback for five T20Is in the Caribbean. In the last 12 months, Buttler has overseen two doomed World Cup defences – and the window is already narrowing for England to get their white-ball show back on the road in time for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February. (Whether the schedule is helpful in that regard – England have the same split of three ODIs and five T20Is in India as part of their build-up to the tournament – is a moot point.)Buttler’s enthusiasm for England duty should have been sharpened by time spent on the sidelines – as well, perhaps, as his release by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL auction later this month. He joined up with the squad in Barbados earlier this week, with interim head coach Marcus Trescothick describing him as “progressing really nicely” ahead of the T20Is.At the very least, his return will put a stop to the revolving door of captaincy understudies, with three different men (Phil Salt, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone) in charge for the three engagements against Australia and West Indies. And while England’s squad is otherwise the same as that beaten 2-1 in the ODI leg, there is far greater T20 experience to call on – even from the tyros in the group, such as Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley.Jos Buttler speaks to the media ahead of his England comeback•Getty Images
West Indies also carry some hurt with them from the T20 World Cup, after failing to make the semi-finals despite strong form going into their home tournament. They have already begun the process of moving on, sweeping the beaten finalists, South Africa, 3-0 in August before going down 2-1 in Sri Lanka last month – albeit Daren Sammy, West Indies’ head coach, called it a “moral victory” for his side. England know all about those.Sammy and Rovman Powell, the captain, have dovetailed to good effect in managing the complex relationships between West Indies’ star players and the global franchise circuit. Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer and Akeal Hossein were all absent from the Sri Lanka tour for personal reasons but have returned to take on England. Having not qualified for the Champions Trophy, West Indies can already start to focus on the next T20 World Cup, set to be played in India and Sri Lanka in early 2026.One player who won’t be involved over the weekend, however, is Alzarri Joseph, with the fast bowler banned for two matches by Cricket West Indies after apologising for storming off the pitch during the deciding ODI in Barbados. Proof that even when you’re winning, things don’t always run smooth.
Form guide
West Indies LLWWW England WLLWL
In the spotlight: Andre Russell and Jos Buttler
Andre Russell has not pulled on a West Indies shirt since they lost their de facto quarter-final against South Africa in Antigua in June – with many having assumed that, at 36, the T20 World Cup would be his international swansong. Russell has since confirmed a desire to play on until the 2026 edition, though his workload is likely to be carefully managed by Sammy and the West Indies hierarchy. His last international comeback, against England in Barbados less than a year ago, saw him win Player of the Match, and judging by a fiery post in the wake of Trinbago Knight Riders’s CPL exit, the passion for the game remains.England followers will not be looking past Jos Buttler, assuming he is passed fit ahead of the game (and then even if it he isn’t). There has been nothing wrong with Buttler’s T20 form in 2024, albeit he was unable to shape England’s key World Cup encounters with Australia and India – but he had cut an increasingly tetchy figure as captain, particularly in the build-up to their campaign in the Caribbean. McCullum has pinpointed cheering up a “miserable” Buttler as his first job in charge of the white-ball set-up, and an unfettered return – free from injury, ideally at the helm of a winning side – over the next nine days would be a good start.
Team news: Big names back for both sides
The T20 big guns look set to regain their places in West Indies’ XI – although there might be a temptation to include some top-order insurance in the form of Shai Hope or Roston Chase. Romario Shepherd was fit to be included in the squad after being diagnosed with cramp following his tumble in the third ODI.West Indies: (possible) 1 Brandon King, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Roston Chase/Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Gudakesh Motie, 10 Matthew Forde, 11 Shamar JosephSalt has been confirmed as wicketkeeper, with Buttler looking to lighten his load on comeback. Mousley could make his T20I debut after scoring a maiden England fifty in the Barbados ODI, while the other two uncapped squad members, John Turner and Jafer Chohan, will hope to join him at some point during the series.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Jos Buttler (capt), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jacob Bethell, 6 Dan Mousley, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jamie Overton/Saqib Mahmood, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Reece Topley
Pitch and conditions: Something for everyone – possibly including rain
Kensington Oval was the third-highest scoring venue during the World Cup earlier in the year, and one of only two to see a total of 200 – when Australia left England trailing in their Group B encounter. The ODI surface offered a bit for seam bowling first up but became much easier to bat on under lights. The forecast in Bridgetown is for another hot day with a chance of showers.
Stats and trivia
West Indies beat England 3-2 in both of their previous bilateral T20I series, in 2021-22 and 2023-24.
England’s last series win over West Indies in either white-ball format came back in 2018-19, when they swept the T20Is 3-0 – although they did also beat the hosts in their World Cup Super Eights fixture in June.
Salt needs 56 runs to reach 1000 in T20Is; Hetmyer is 67 short of the same mark.
Quotes
“It’s a definite loss for us, he’s the spearhead of our attack and one of our more experienced bowlers. But having said that we have capable replacements, when you look at the bench strength and guys that are in the wings waiting, it’s good also. It’s an opportunity for somebody to step up and be counted.” “You walk into breakfast and you see the guys that they bring back and there’s some real superstars – Pooran and Russell. They’re a really strong team and they’ve been a strong team for a really long time and have guys who are well suited to the format. It’s a great challenge.”
Leeds United are ramping up their transfer activity as the new Premier League season edges ever closer.
Former Manchester City youth starlet Lucas Nmecha has now joined the ranks from Wolfsburg to enhance the Whites’ attacking options. It’s surely only a matter of time before Jaka Bijol is announced too, after he has allegedly undergone a medical at Elland Road.
Jaka Bijol in action for Udinese.
The next logical step would be to add some reinforcements in the middle of the park, therefore, and Leeds’ wish could be granted if they were to land a former Premier League ace.
Leeds interested in deal for £25m star
Strengthening the midfield ranks is evidently a key priority for Leeds this summer with moves for the likes of Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki reportedly lined up.
Diarra seems to be a more concrete target at the moment with fresh claims suggesting that they made a bid worth £21m.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Slow progress is being made on that deal, so the Whites are seeking alternatives. Well, according to a new report from Italian outlet Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, Leeds are in the picture to land former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer.
The report states that Luiz will be allowed to leave Juventus this off-season after a mediocre stint in Turin, but Leeds could well be put off by the Serie A giants and their asking price, with Igor Tudor’s men having purchased the Brazilian for a bumper £42m fee.
The move could still have legs on a loan-to-buy basis, however, with the report clarifying that such a deal would only cost Daniel Farke’s men £25m down the line. That marks a sharp decrease from Luiz’s staggering £100m valuation back in 2023.
Thus, that £25m fee feels like a reasonable fee to pay for the South American, with his reputation needing to be repaired, and that could occur back in England, where he once starred for Unai Emery’s men regularly.
Why Luiz could become Leeds' new Raphinha-like star
Luiz could come in and seriously improve Farke’s midfield options, with this deal having a similar feel to when Leeds purchased another Brazilian from Europe in the form of Raphinha for a bargain £16m, with the rest now history on the end of the Barcelona superstar.
Obviously, Raphinha didn’t have the backdrop of flopping at Rennes before he relocated to West Yorkshire, but it would have been seen as a savvy deal at the time, with Leeds only having to fork out a modest fee to win the slick winger.
The 34-time Brazil international would go on to cement himself in Leeds hearts everywhere with his skilful performances throughout his short stay, leading to the now Barca number 11 collecting 17 goals and 12 assists from 67 appearances, with his efforts as the Whites’ top goalscorer during his swansong season at Elland Road helping Leeds to just about beat the drop.
Luiz might well follow in Raphinha’s footsteps and be the energetic presence Leeds need to secure their Premier League status this coming season, with the Rio De Janeiro-born midfielder a proven top-flight performer.
Farke would love to call upon Luiz as an additional central body, therefore, with the vibrant Brazilian capable of getting stuck in when needed. Like Raphinha, who’s now a firm Ballon d’Or contender, he’s got fine pedigree, notably hailed as “one of the best 6s in the Premier League” and “one of the best [midfielders] in the world” by Sky Italia.
That’s showcased perfectly by his numbers for the Villans, where he ranked within the top 7% of midfielders in the Premier League in 2023/24 for goals, demonstrating his attacking flair to go alongside his defensive qualities.
Games played
36
33
34
37
35
Goals scored
3
0
2
6
9
Assists
2
2
3
6
5
Touches*
46.1
55.6
56.9
60.6
70.1
Accurate passes*
27.7 (83%)
36.8 (86%)
37.1 (87%)
39.6 (86%)
50.4 (89%)
Big chances created
3
4
2
7
10
Tackles*
1.3
1.5
1.7
2.0
1.7
Clearances*
1.3
1.2
0.6
0.6
0.5
Total duels won*
4.1
4.9
4.4
4.4
4.2
Luiz only got better and better the more his Premier League journey at Villa Park went on, culminating in him firing home a ridiculous nine Premier League strikes during his final season in the West Midlands.
He would even be labelled as “world-class” during his celebrated stay with the Villans by teammate John McGinn, with Raphinha once also talked about in the same glowing manner in West Yorkshire when heralded as “special” by Marcelo Bielsa.
Everything is pointing in the direction of this being a superb deal, with Luiz potentially going on to be their new Premier League saviour, just as Raphinha was once upon a time.
He's better than Diarra: Leeds now looking at deal to sign £26m "threat"
Leeds United are eyeing up a midfield star who could be even better than Habib Diarra.
He seems more hesitant and is moving his feet a lot less against pace
Aakash Chopra20-Jul-2021Cheteshwar Pujara: 86 Test matches. 6267 runs. 18 centuries. 46.08 average.These are stellar numbers, ones that demand and command respect. Add to those the many invaluable Test innings Pujara has played to rescue India in tough circumstances.He is always the one who grits it out in trying times – the team’s insurance policy, which allows others to bat with freedom if they wish, in the knowledge that he will hold one end up.It’s not often that an India batter defines a Test series in Australia, but Pujara did exactly that in the 2018-19 series.Related
Headingley showed Cheteshwar Pujara is back to focusing on what's important
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It's not lack of intent, it's Pujara's method and it works for him
'I worried that T20 would affect my Test technique, but I'm over that'
Does Pujara need to show more intent? (2018)
His style of batting is built on patience but it would be grossly unfair to assume that Pujara is only about patience. Then again, patience must not be underrated because it’s a tough skill to acquire. It involves, among other things, the ability to switch on and off, and the ability to absorb relentless pressure over extended periods of time.Having said that, one could have all the patience in the world but if you don’t have the game to keep the good balls out, ball after ball, you won’t get far. That’s the other side of Pujara – he has the batting skills that allow him to not just keep the good balls out but also to score truckloads of runs in cricket’s toughest format.Pujara is exceptional, and aggressive, against spinners. He might bide his time against quick bowlers but he takes on spinners from the get-go. His use of feet against spin is a masterclass. He dances down the track to get to the pitch of the ball against offspinners, and uses the depth of the crease against left-armers or legspinners, to play off the back foot. He does not go aerial against spin, and he doesn’t sweep much either, but he still makes quality spinners ineffective. Against pace, he has always preferred to play the waiting game, but it wasn’t for the lack of strokes: he would punch, drive, flick, and occasionally pull and hook too.While his game against spin is still intact, his technique against fast bowling has been under scrutiny of late. Since we started this article with some numbers, let’s look at some others for context.Pujara played in all the Test matches that India played in the first two-year WTC cycle. His average of below 30 in that period can no longer be seen as an aberration.Getty ImagesIt’s not that he didn’t play critical knocks (Sydney and Brisbane come to mind immediately) but his numbers are middling.What is going wrong with Pujara? Has his technique changed?To focus on that second question: he seems to be moving his feet a lot less against pace than before, and that has resulted in fewer strokes.For a lot of batters, stroke-making is about the position of the feet at the crease, and Pujara is definitely one of this breed. He is not Chris Gayle, who would muscle the ball, and he’s not Rohit Sharma either, who uses the beautiful downswing of his bat, and the appropriate body-weight transfer, to make up for the lack of foot movement. Pujara doesn’t have a high backlift, and he holds the bat near the bottom of the handle, which reduces the bat-swing significantly. That means his stroke-making needs to start with getting the body into the right position to execute shots.Lately, that has not happened. The front foot hasn’t been going down the pitch, and the back foot hasn’t been going inside the box either. While there is still a sincere attempt to play the ball on its merit, which is the core of Pujara’s batting DNA, the lack of foot movement on either side has compromised his efficacy.That was the reason for the pattern of dismissals against Pat Cummins in Australia – the ball going away ever so slightly after pitching and finding the outside edge of the bat (which, to be fair, wasn’t really hanging outside off). If you looked closely at most of those dismissals, you would find that Pujara was always stuck on the crease. Any ball that doesn’t allow you to go forward is meant to be played off the back foot. Of course some balls will induce an error of judgement and you’ll get stuck in the crease, but if that’s happening too often, the alarm bells should ring.In my humble opinion, the time has come for Pujara to have a closer look at his foot movement, for that is slowing him down more than the conditions and the situation call for. He has immense belief in his ability to occupy the crease for long durations and he has built a game that’s nearly risk-free (the bat rarely goes out past his body) which will hold him good stead often. But if he is not moving his feet to create scoring opportunities – and this has nothing to do with the much-talked-about “intent” or lack of it – he is increasing the chances of getting a ball that breaches his defences sooner rather than later.Getty ImagesJust like during the WTC cycle, Pujara’s average in England over nine Tests and two tours is below 30 again, with just one century. What has gone wrong for him in England could be the subject of a longer and deeper assessment. Overseas tours to any country happen only once every few years, and how you’re placed with regard to your personal form at those times must be scrutinised closely.Let me make it very clear that I’m not suggesting even entertaining the thought of replacing Pujara for the England series, for India need an anchor in Pujara for the other batters to flourish.I remember my time with Pujara in the Kolkata Knight Riders camp in 2008 and one incident stands out. Both he and I were born with two left feet, and while I never took to the dance floor, Pujara did, ever so often. He said the reason was because dancing would improve his foot movement while batting. Trust him to think about batting when in a discotheque!I admired his honesty and simplicity in saying so, and I’ve long been a vocal admirer of Pujara on the whole. They don’t make them like him anymore: he is keeping a certain brand of batting alive.Perhaps, it’s time for him to put on the dancing shoes and hit the dance floor one more time.