All posts by h716a5.icu

After agonising rain delay, defending champions overcome early stumble against Namibia

Valkerie Baynes15-Jun-20241:46

Do England have the bowling attack to win the World Cup?

Watching rain fall doesn’t sound like a nail-biting pastime but for England the hours waiting to start their final group match of this T20 World Cup, against Namibia, were gripping. England’s eventual victory, by 41 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per side in Antigua on Saturday, was pure relief for the defending champions.No result other than a win would have kept England in contention for the Super Eight phase but they had to get on the park for that. After the toss was delayed by three hours – won by Namibia, who chose to bowl first – they finally had the chance to control their own destiny, to a point. The equation was simple. England had to beat Namibia and then wait to see whether Australia defeated Scotland – which they duly did, though not without a struggle – to ensure England joined the Australians in progressing from Group B.Showers before the scheduled start returned to Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the form of a torrential downpour just as it looked like the covers would be lifted. England had to hold onto hope of a reduced-overs match despite the rain appearing to have set in. Eventually, play began at 4pm local time, reduced to 11 overs per side, which became 10 when rain intervened once more, albeit briefly, with England 82 for 3 after eight overs.Harry Brook’s unbeaten 47 off 20 balls and Jonny Bairstow’s 31 off 18 steadied them from a perilous 13 for 2, the pair sharing a 56-run stand for the third wicket to help lift their side to 122 for 5. With Namibia chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 126, England’s bowlers didn’t allow them to score fast enough and secured a comfortable victory, after a torturous wait.Namibia’s dream, England’s nightmareDavid Wiese conceded just a solitary run from the first over on an understandably tacky wicket, testing England openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt by varying his lines and lengths. Then Ruben Trumpelmann removed Buttler for a four-ball duck with a wonderful inswinger that crashed into leg stump with the second ball of the next over in a dream start for Namibia. It wasn’t until 10 balls into the match that England scored their first boundary, which became two when Salt lofted wider deliveries from Trumpelmann for four down the ground and over deep third. When Wiese returned for a second over on the trot, he had Salt caught behind off an excellent knuckle ball, delivered slow outside off stump and finding a thick edge to put England in trouble at 13 for 2 inside three overs.Bairstow unleashedLeft-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz came into the attack in the fourth over and in for some Bairstow treatment, reverse-swept for four and muscled over long-on for six next ball. Bairstow skied Gerhard Erasmus’s third ball back over his head and, to England’s relief, the ball plugged in a gap between an advancing long-off, long-on and the bowler running back. He crashed the next through the leg side for four. Brook chimed in with a powerful six over deep midwicket off Jack Brassell and sent the next through point for four to bring up England’s fifty off 34 balls. When Erasmus returned, Bairstow immediately nailed a six over midwicket.Bairstow survived a run-out chance on 31 and hadn’t added to his score when he top-edged an attempted cut off Scholtz towards short cover, where keeper Zane Green collected. Bairstow’s 18-ball knock was his first foray into double figures in three innings at this tournament and his highest score at a T20 World Cup, setting a solid platform after England’s shaky start before more rain arrived to halt play.Brook in on the actAfter such a long wait to learn whether they would get to play again, England’s innings was further reduced to 10 overs when rain caused another 10-minute stoppage, by which time Brook and Moeen Ali were left with twelve balls to set an imposing target. They took 19 runs off Brassell in the penultimate over, 18 of them to Brook, who finished with 4,6,4 to take England past the 100 mark. Moeen fell for 16 off six balls but Liam Livingstone blasted the first two balls he faced from Trumpelmann for six before he was run out on the last ball of the innings and left the field clutching his side in some discomfort. Ben Duckett’s appearance as substitute fielder in his place raised further concerns over Livingstone’s fitness.Davin makes way for WieseReece Topley conceded only two runs off the opening over of Namibia’s pursuit, one of them a front-foot no-ball on the first delivery of the innings. England’s bowlers were keeping a lid on Namibia’s scoring and, needing 83 more off the last four overs, Nikolaas Davin retired out on 18 off 16, the first player to do so at an ICC event, making way for the vastly experienced Wiese. He clubbed the first ball he faced – off Sam Curran, making his first appearance at this World Cup – for four through backward point. Wiese proceeded to smash back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid over long-off and deep midwicket then pierced the covers for four.But they needed 55 off the last two overs and Michael van Lingen holed out to Brook off Chris Jordan, brought into the side for Mark Wood on the strength of his death bowling, on the final ball of the ninth. When Jofra Archer removed Wiese, again via a Brook catch in the deep in the final over, the 39-year-old walked off amid handshakes from several England players, a fitting international farewell in his last game for Namibia, the nation he transferred his allegiance to in 2021 after 26 matches for South Africa.

Sunderland now know who they will face in their opening set of Premier League fixtures.

It will have suddenly become very real for those with connections to the Black Cats when looking at the list of clubs Regis Le Bris’ men will soon face, with August throwing up fixtures against West Ham United, Burnley, and Brentford to kick off their daunting top-flight survival mission.

Le Bris will hope his newly promoted side can steadily adjust to their intimidating level, with plenty of signings still needed to help keep their heads above water.

Sunderland have already had success in this department when securing the permanent services of Enzo Le Fee, but another midfield talent might soon join the ranks to link up with the skilful Frenchman.

Sunderland monitoring bargain midfielder

As per a report by OnTheMinute, Sunderland are now monitoring the situation of Clermont Foot midfielder Habib Keita.

The report states that Keita has become a much sought-after talent after impressing in Ligue 2, with QPR, Stoke City and Crystal Palace all said to be keeping tabs on the promising 23-year-old.

Valued at just £1.2m via Transfermarkt, this could go down as another steal utilising the French market, much like when Le Fee joined the building initially on loan.

How Keita can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

With Jobe Bellingham also now gone, which has left a considerable hole in the midfield areas, this would be a shrewd pick-up as Sunderland attempt to acclimatise back to the challenges of the Premier League.

After all, Le Bris has presumably had the Malian on his radar for quite some time now, with the ex-Lorient boss no doubt a keen fan of the 23-year-old when still situated in the managerial dug-outs of his native France.

Much like Le Fee at Le Bris’ ex-employers, Keita would have been viewed as an exciting talent when rising through the Lyon ranks as a youngster.

But, in a similar fashion to the now Sunderland number 28, his career hasn’t been without its obstacles, resulting in the midfielder moving out to Belgium after exiting the Groupama Stadium, before returning to France reinvigorated with Clermont Foot.

Last season, even as his Ligue 2 employers struggled in 16th position in the league standings, Keita still managed to come away from the campaign with a goal and four assists to his name, meaning he might well thrive in another basement battle to follow with Sunderland.

Games played

27

15

Goals scored

1

1

Assists

4

1

Touches*

52.1

55.8

Accurate passes*

31.1 (85%)

28.5 (84%)

Key passes*

0.8

1.3

Big chances created

6

2

Ball recoveries*

5.3

3.6

Total duels won*

4.6

5.5

The table above certainly reinforces the idea that Keita could go on to be an even better talent under Le Bris’ wing, like Le Fee, with the midfield duo notching up similar numbers when comparing their statistics from last season, as seen in their similar passing numbers.

But, away from their ability to carve out an opening, the midfield pairing also excel as energetic bodies, with a high amount of duels won, which will come in handy as games become more attritional and tensely fought in the Premier League.

Much like Le Fee too, who can happily line up down the wings away from slotting in the middle of the park, Keita is also capable of being flexible with eight of his overall career appearances seeing him come into an XI as a number ten, alongside another four clashes where he’s been deployed down the right flank.

The worry will just be if the Malian can instantly hit the ground running in his new terrain. But, if Le Fee is anything to go by, Keita might well be the next sensational capture from Le Bris’ homeland.

Sunderland in advanced talks to sell "fantastic" 22 y/o in permanent deal

Would moving him on be the right decision?

ByHenry Jackson Jun 22, 2025

Chief selector Upul Tharanga said Angelo Mathews was not being considered for selection in T20Is any longer

Madushka Balasuriya24-Jul-2024Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of Sri Lanka’s home series against India with bronchitis and a respiratory infection. Asitha Fernando is his replacement in the ODI and T20I squads.Chameera played for Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) earlier this month, though he wasn’t picked in the side towards the end of the tournament.”Only yesterday did we get back the reports, and it can be confirmed that he will miss the T20Is and ODIs against India,” Sri Lanka’s chief selector Upul Tharanga said at a briefing, alongside newly appointed interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya on Wednesday, where he outlined the road ahead for Sri Lanka in T20 internationals.Related

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What next for Angelo Mathews?Mathews had received an unexpected recall to the T20I side at the start of the year, ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June. However, despite scoring 261 runs at a strike rate of 151.74 in the LPL, he was not in the squad to face India.While Mathews is yet to retire from T20Is, Tharanga seemed to confirm the 37 year-old was no longer being considered as Sri Lanka build towards the next T20 World Cup in 2026.Chief selector Upul Tharanga said Angelo Mathews is not part of Sri Lanka’s T20I plans•Bangladesh Cricket Board”When we came in [as selectors] we spoke to Angie about playing in this past World Cup, that was the plan,” Tharanga said. “But after the tournament we spoke again, and this time we told him he wasn’t in our plans for the next World Cup.”But during the brief time he was in the side after we brought him in, he played well. And in the LPL as well he did will as a finisher. But we need to look to the future. There’s a big gap to fill when it comes to an allrounder in the side – we have about two-three new players in mind to slot into that role. We’ll give them an opportunity and get them ready for the next World Cup.”How do Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera fit in?Chandimal and Perera had excellent performances in LPL 2024, scoring 287 and 296 runs respectively at exemplary strike rates while opening the innings.But competition is tough at the top of Sri Lanka’s batting order, with Tharanga confirming Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis as first-choice openers. It’s also likely that Kamindu Mendis will slot in at no.4, with Avishka Fernando – who also had an impressive LPL – the back-up.Dinesh Chandimal is back in Sri Lanka’s T20I side after an impressive LPL season•SLCCaptain Charith Asalanka will remain at no. 5, which leaves one spot – at no.3 – for either Chandimal or Perera.What will Sri Lanka’s attack look like against India?With all three T20Is being played in Pallekele, a venue that has offered more pace and bounce than anywhere else in the country, Tharanga said Sri Lanka’s could play three fast bowlers.Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando and Matheesha Pathirana could be the first-choice combination, with each offering something different in the powerplay and death. Dasun Shanaka is another seam option at no. 6, with the uncapped allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe serving as a back-up.On the spin front, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana will play, with Dunith Wellalage an option if Sri Lanka want an extra spinner.What can we expect from Jayasuriya, the coach?Jayasuriya’s international career spanned 22 years. After retiring in 2011, he remained in the game in different capacities: most recently he was cricket consultant for SLC, overseeing players and coaches at the high-performance centre. The home series against India will be his first as a head coach of the national side.Sanath Jayasuriya was Sri Lanka’s cricket consultant during the T20 World Cup 2024•ICC/Getty Images”I was here as a consultant, I’ve played for Sri Lanka for 22 years, and I’ve worked under a lot of great coaches. I think whatever I can do, I will do with the side,” Jayasuriya said when asked about his new role. “Yes, I don’t have experience as a head coach, but I will try and do my best with this challenge. That said, I’m only in the role on an interim basis, so we will have a permanent coach coming in soon.”How have Sri Lanka prepared for India?Every member of the squad played in the recently concluded LPL. They will be familiar with the conditions in Pallekele, having played one of the legs of the tournament there.The team is currently having a training camp in Kandy ahead of the series and is working with Rajasthan Royals high-performance director, Zubin Bharucha, on a short-term basis. The move was facilitated by former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, who is the director of cricket at RR.”It was great training with Zubin, as we did a lot of things that we had not done before,” Jayasuriya said. “There was a lot of work done with him, we learnt a lot from him, and I hope the players have learned about more optimal practicing and techniques. So I think preparations have been really good – and we have another two more days in Kandy.”

Tottenham are preparing for a crucial first campaign under new manager Thomas Frank, but that doesn’t mean everyone will be along for the ride.

Player expected to join Tottenham "as soon as next week", medical scheduled

Spurs are closing in on a summer signing.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 4, 2025

The Spurs squad responsible for clinching the club’s first major trophy in nearly two decades will go down in Lilywhites folklore, though reports suggest that a few members of that side could be facing their final few weeks at the club.

Chief among them is star defender Cristian Romero, who could be at the centre of a tug-of-war between Real and Atlético Madrid this summer as both Spanish capital sides eye an audacious move for the Argentina international.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Real are expected to make an approach for Romero, according to some media sources, while others claim that Atletico have already offered Spurs around £56 million for his signature.

There is also a belief that Romero is keen on a move to Atlético in particular and will soon discuss his future with chairman Daniel Levy, so the saga surrounding his potential exit is unlikely to go away any time soon.

Meanwhile, Spurs legend Son Heung-min may also be sold before deadline day (The Telegraph), having entered the final 12 months of his contract.

The Saudi Pro League is targeting Son to join their division’s host of illustrious stars, and Levy could use this as an opportunity to raise some revenue off a player who’s arguably been on the decline this past year.

“Son would be a very valuable asset for Saudi Arabia,” said former Everton CEO, Keith Wyness, to Football Insider last month.

“At 32, it’s probably the right time for him to go if Spurs are going to maximise his value. I think Tottenham won’t find a better deal if they leave it later than right now. I believe they could even get something like £40-50million for him.

“That would be incredible, and I suggest that deal could be done. It might be in everyone’s interest to get him down to Saudi Arabia this summer.”

According to journalist Jorge Nicola this week, Saudi are actually targeting another Spurs forward with Son as well.

Tottenham put Richarlison up for sale amid Galatasaray and Saudi interest

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Nicolas reports that the man in question is striker Richarlison.

The Brazil international, who cost £60 million to sign from Everton three years ago, has been called an “underrated” member of the squad during his time in London (Micah Richards), and enjoyed a real purple patch of form under Ange Postecoglou midway through the 2023/2024 season.

However, barring that flash in the pan, Richarlison has largely failed to justify his mammoth price tag, partly due to injuries.

Nicola states that Tottenham are actively looking to sell Richarlison, and have held recent exit discussions amid serious interest from Saudi, who’ve been in contact for the last month.

As well as this, Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray are expected to make an offer for the 28-year-old in the next few days, so Richarlison isn’t exactly short of suitors.

With a place in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad potentially at the forefront of his mind, Richarlison’s next move will be absolutely crucial.

What started as a rather miserable summer with the sacking of Ange Postecoglou has turned into what could be a brilliant one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Thomas Frank has a massive task ahead of him both domestically and on the continent next season, but Daniel Levy and Co appear intent on giving him what he needs.

After making the required signing of another young prospect in Japanese defender Kota Takai, the North Londoners made the massive £55m purchase of Mohammed Kudus.

The former West Ham United star is undoubtedly going to add something special to Frank’s attack, and now the club appear likely to land another Premier League star who’d be his dream ten.

Tottenham Hotspur target Premier League stars

In an understandable bid to improve their terrible domestic form ahead of next season, Spurs have seemingly made a concrete effort to target players who did exceptionally well in the Premier League last season.

Transfer Focus

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

One of those is Yoane Wissa, who, according to reports, could be available for around £50m.

That might sound like a lot for a 28-year-old Brentford player, but with 20 goals and five assists to his name in 39 appearances last season, he’d be more than worth the outlay.

That said, being a centre-forward, he is obviously not the target who could be Kudus’ dream ten; that tag goes to Morgan Gibbs-White.

Yes, in what is now turning into the latest transfer saga involving the North Londoners, a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Spurs have maintained their desire to sign the Nottingham Forest star.

The Italian journalist has claimed that, despite the Tricky Trees threatening legal action following the Lilywhites’ activation of the Englishman’s £60m release clause, the club remain confident that they will get their man.

That’s undoubtedly due to the player’s desire to make a move happen, with journalist Graeme Bailey also reporting that Gibbs-White has told Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis that he wishes to sign for Spurs. That’s despite interest from Manchester City.

Indeed, earlier in the window, it was reported that the Citizens have been working on a deal to sign the creative midfielder this summer and had allegedly already agreed on personal terms. Yet, they have preferred other options up to this point, namely new signing Rayan Cherki.

This deal would represent a serious financial commitment from the Europa League champions, but given Gibbs-White’s form last season, it’d be one worth making, especially as he’d be a dream ten for Kudus.

Why Gibbs-White would be a dream ten for Kudus

While there are several reasons why Gibbs-White would be a dream number ten for Kudus, one of the most crucial is simply his output.

For example, in just 34 appearances last season, totalling 2824 minutes, the “exceptional” midfielder, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, scored seven goals and provided ten assists.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every other game, or one every 166.11 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact that Forest only scored 58 goals in the league.

Appearances

34

Minutes

2824

Goals

7

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.5

Minutes per Goal Involvement

166.11′

Just imagine then how many goals and assists the former Irons star could amass playing alongside someone that creative and effective.

Moreover, when we take a look at the 25-year-old’s underlying numbers, we can see some of the ways in which he could get the ball up to his potential future teammate.

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers for passes into the final third in the Premier League last season, and the top 9% for through balls, per 90, demonstrating exactly why some analysts believe that he is a “monster” in transitional phases of play.

Finally, it’s easy to overlook the simple fact that the Stafford-born ace is already proven in the league, so there should be little need for a bedding-in period, and therefore, he could start providing chances for the Ghanaian international from day one.

Ultimately, it will be an expensive deal, but Spurs look to be onto a winner with Gibbs-White, especially in tandem with Kudus.

Gibbs-White will love him: Spurs huge admirers of £80m Premier League star

Tottenham Hotspur’s huge transfer window has shown no signs of slowing down in recent days.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 14, 2025

“We are not ashamed of talking about it – there is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma,” Thorpe’s elder daughter Kitty says

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2024 • Updated on 13-Aug-2024Former England batter Graham Thorpe died after being struck by a train at Esher railway station, Surrey, the opening of an inquest into his death on Tuesday has heard. On Monday, Thorpe’s family had confirmed the 55-year-old took his own life following a battle with depression and anxiety.Speaking on Tuesday at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking, coroner Simon Wickens said Thorpe had suffered “traumatic injuries” after being struck by a train on the morning of August 4. Wickens offered “sincere condolences” to Thorpe’s family and to “all those touched by his life and career”. A date for Thorpe’s full inquest will be fixed at a later time.The coroner had received a referral regarding the incident from British Transport Police (BTP). On August 5, a spokesperson for BTP issued the following statement: “Officers were called to Esher railway station at 8.26 am on 4 August to reports of a casualty on the tracks. Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.”The loss of Thorpe was felt by all throughout the world of cricket, with many former and current players paying their respects to the left-handed batter, who later went into coaching. The Surrey and England man represented his country 182 times, and scored 16 hundreds in 100 Test matches.Thorpe had not worked in cricket since he was removed from his role as one of England’s assistant coaches in the aftermath of their 4-0 defeat in the 2021-22 Ashes. He was due to take over as Afghanistan’s head coach but never did after a previous attempt on his own life in May 2022. At the time, he was described as being “seriously ill” in hospital.Related

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“For the past couple of years, Graham had been suffering from major depression and anxiety,” Amanda, Thorpe’s wife, told the . “This led him to make a serious attempt on his life in May 2022, which resulted in a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit. Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe. We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately none of them really seemed to work.”Graham was renowned as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and he was in good physical health. But mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone. Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better. He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life.”She described Thorpe as “a free spirit” and said that he had been well enough to attend a dinner at The Oval in late 2022. “He had his own mind and his own way of going about things,” Amanda said. “My favourite memory of him is in Barbados, which he loved, enjoying a rum punch and listening to his favourite reggae after a swim… He was funny and he made us all laugh so much.”Thorpe’s elder daughter, Kitty, said, “We are not ashamed of talking about it. There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma. We were trying to help him get better before and trying to protect him, which is why we said nothing. This is the time now to share the news, however horrible it is. We’ve wanted to be able to talk and share and we’d now like to raise awareness, too.”He had loved life and he loved us but he just couldn’t see a way out. It was heartbreaking to see how withdrawn he had become. He was not the same person. It was strange to see this person trapped in the body of dad. That’s why we’ve been so happy that the many reflections have been about his life before this illness took over. I’m glad that’s how everyone does remember him, rightly so, as the complete character he was.”

Promising allround display comes after promotion to No.4 for series against Australia

Matt Roller12-Sep-2024Liam Livingstone believes he can use promotion in England’s T20I team to pitch his case for a recall to their ODI set-up. England have used Livingstone as a finisher in each of the last three T20 World Cups but he top-scored with 37 from No. 4 in their defeat to Australia at the Utilita Bowl on Wednesday night, having earlier taken 3 for 22 with his legbreaks.Along with Sam Curran, Livingstone was one of two headline omissions from England’s squad for the five-match ODI series which starts next Thursday, effectively losing his spot to Jacob Bethell. Livingstone said he was told he had been dropped by Rob Key – “the old good news, bad news” – in a brief phone call, and is unclear how he can win his place back.England’s top white-ball players no longer feature in their domestic 50-over competition, which clashes with the Hundred, and Livingstone has not played in the County Championship for two years. While he could feature in November’s ODI series in the Caribbean, with Test players unlikely to be available, his chances of featuring in February’s Champions Trophy likely rest on his T20 form.”I don’t really know – that’s one of my challenges,” Livingstone said. “That’s why I’m happy that I’ve got an opportunity to bat up the order [in the T20Is]. I feel like I’ve shown over the last couple of weeks, maybe a month, that the longer I get to bat in games, the more of a chance I have to affect games.”I feel like I’ve done that in 50-over cricket as well: if you take away the World Cup, I feel like I’d done that further down the order. But it is what it is: I’m 31, I’m not going to sit here and cry about not being picked. There’s plenty of cricket to be played around the world, and if I’m not involved in the ODI stuff then there’s plenty more opportunities.Related

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“I want to play as much cricket for England as I possibly can. Unfortunately, I won’t be playing in the ODIs but it’s still not something I’m giving up on. I’ve had a difficult couple of years. My body has probably let me down a little bit, and maybe I haven’t been up to scratch physically, with a couple of niggles here and there.”Livingstone’s breakthrough as an international cricketer was remarkable. Recalled to the T20I side after a four-year absence, he was the undisputed star of the 2021 English summer, hitting a 42-ball century against Pakistan and launching Haris Rauf for a 117-metre straight six at Headingley. He was also the inaugural Hundred MVP, and impressed at the 2022 IPL.But since then he has faded, and is playing for his international future this week. If England’s Test batters had been available for this series – including Ben Duckett, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith – then Livingstone’s spot in the side would have been at risk. Instead, he has been promoted to No. 4 and was their best performer on Wednesday night.Livingstone blames regular injuries for his drop-off, having rushed back from an ankle injury to be fit for the 2022 T20 World Cup and injuring his knee on Test debut weeks after the final. He is now fully fit: “I can run around at 100 percent in the field and I can bowl and bat to the best of my ability, which is something I probably haven’t been able to do for two-and-a-half years.”He has been told that he will get a run at No. 4 in this series, a role he prefers to being a finisher. “It’s up to me to make sure I try to do as well as I can and give them a bit of a headache for the next series,” he said. “I don’t think you’ll see anybody that wants to bat lower down the order.”I want that responsibility. I want to try to win games of cricket for England, and the higher up the order, the more chance you have of doing that. There’s less people that can play that role [at No. 6] and sometimes you’ve got to take it on the chin… [but] this is a chance for me to stake my claim.”At 31, Livingstone is the second-oldest player in England’s squad for this series behind Adil Rashid. “It feels weird, but I feel really old in this team,” he said. “I’ve got to give the younger boys a steer and take a bit of pressure off them. I enjoyed the responsibility.”There’s a bit of a fresh look, a fresh environment,” he added. “Things are going to change. That naturally happens when you bring in new players, but especially when you bring in new coaches as well. Things have felt different: it’s like a new beginning.”

The show must go on at Crystal Palace even as they await their European verdict, and that show could yet feature a fresh character as the Eagles reportedly step up their chase to sign a £20m midfielder.

CAS confirm Crystal Palace appeal

As expected, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has now confirmed the news that Crystal Palace have appealed UEFA’s decision to demote them to the Europa Conference League for violating multi-club ownership regulations.

A decision is now expected by August 11, at which point Crystal Palace will be hoping for a different outcome. Whether that is a realistic possibility remains to be seen, however. Club chairman Steve Parish, as well as many others involved at Selhurst Park, has already shared his disappointment at the situation and he’ll be desperate to see his side take the spot they earned by winning the FA Cup last season.

Alas, as ever, the world keeps on spinning and Palace must still keep one eye on the transfer window. On that front, the South London side have already welcomed left-back Borna Sosa and goalkeeper Walter Benitez, but their best signing could yet be on the horizon.

Crystal Palace confident they'll win Hackney race

As reported by Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now set to accelerate their move to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer. The Championship side are reportedly keen to get any business done early so they can focus on incomings of their own, and have set a £20m price tag for their impressive midfielder.

Despite interest from Everton, Palace are confident that they’re in position to win the race for Hackney’s signature even as the likes of Bayer Leverkusen and Porto set their sights on the England U21 international.

The £20m star earned plenty of praise last season, including from former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, who told reporters: “We were playing against two very good central midfielders. I’ve watched Hayden Hackney from afar, seeing his career flourish.

“There’s no better teacher for him than Michael, and he’ll enjoy the way Middlesbrough play. He’s a super player, and Morris is a good player in there too.”

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A player who is Premier League-ready, Crystal Palace could at least welcome some good news and an impressive signing if they manage to secure Hackney’s signature ahead of fierce competition this summer.

Glasgow Rangers booked their place in the next round of Champions League qualifiers after a 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos in Greece on Wednesday night.

The Light Blues rode their luck at times before they eventually went 1-0 down in the 53rd minute, only for substitute Djeidi Gassama to score his second goal in as many games for the club just seven minutes later.

Whilst it was another positive result for the Gers, who beat the Greek side 2-0 at Ibrox last week, there were some concerning moments and performances on the pitch for Russell Martin’s side.

The team news was met with some surprise as Gassama was initially left on the bench again and Kieran Dowell was selected from the start, and the former Norwich man failed to justify the manager’s continued faith in him.

Why Rangers should drop Kieran Dowell

With the Gers travelling to Motherwell for the opening game of the Scottish Premiership season on Saturday, Martin must drop the English winger from the XI.

Performance in Numbers

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Dowell started the first leg against Panathinaikos at Ibrox last week, on the right wing, and produced zero shots on target and zero key passes in 75 minutes before being taken off, whilst he also missed a ‘big chance’.

This time around, the Everton academy graduate had zero shots on goal and created zero chances in 74 minutes on the pitch on the right wing, which shows that he was equally as ineffective.

This is why Dowell, who has not offered any threat in front of goal as a scorer or a creator, should be dropped for the clash with Motherwell, but he is not the only player who should face the axe.

Why Rangers should drop Max Aarons

Summer signing Max Aarons was selected at left-back once again and looked too uncomfortable away from his favoured position at right-back for most of the match, before switching to the right for the last 17 minutes.

The former Norwich man, who was handed a 4/10 player rating by The Scotsman, made an almost costly error early on in the match when he failed to deal with a through ball and allowed their forward to race clear on goal, only for Jack Butland to make a vital save.

That mistake seemed to set the tone for Aarons for the rest of the night. He looked hesitant to be aggressive with his defending and looked uncomfortable trying to push forward on his weaker left foot, which is why he was just as bad as the ineffective Dowell.

Jefte came on, replacing Dowell, in the second half, and looked far more comfortable at left-back, as you would expect given that it is his natural position, and should be given the nod over Aarons on Saturday.

Minutes played

90

17

Tackles + interceptions

1

2

Ground duel success rate

83%

100%

Pass accuracy

89%

100%

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Error led to shot

1

0

Crosses attempted

0

2

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian defender won more tackles and attempted more crosses in 17 minutes than the Bournemouth loanee managed in 90.

Jefte, as a left-footed player, is more comfortable progressing with the ball to take up crossing positions and more confident at going in for tackles with his left foot, which is why it was not a surprise to see him put up superior statistics in his short time on the pitch.

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It is now down to Martin to ruthlessly axe his new signing from the starting XI, unless he plans to drop the captain James Tavernier from right-back, in order to have a natural left-back in the team on that side.

Wrexham, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney calling the shots, have been told what they must change in order to avoid a relegation scrap.

Records broken with three successive promotionsAdjusting to life in second tier of English footballParkinson advised to tinker with tactical approachFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons have enjoyed a meteoric rise, with the EFL history books being rewritten when celebrating three successive promotions. Hollywood co-owners have helped to lift the Welsh outfit into the second tier of English football.

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Competing in the Championship was always going to be difficult, even with big spending taken into account, and Wrexham have picked up four points from as many games at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. They have been warned that they could be dragged into a basement battle if Phil Parkinson does not tinker with his tactical approach.

WHAT GOODMAN SAID

Former Football League star turned pundit Don Goodman told : “If you look at those first five games in all competitions, they conceded 12 goals, so I think the clean sheet away at Millwall will please Phil Parkinson. It's been a baptism of fire. They found it tough. It may surprise some people that they’ve found it difficult because I think some people got a little bit carried away with this rise through the leagues. But I'm really confident it hasn't surprised Phil Parkinson. He would have understood the big, big gulf for most League One teams between League One and the Championship, and that's why there's been so many new signings.

“They've signed Ben Sheaf, and that just tells me there is a recognition that they need to change the way they go about things. Because I think in the Championship, you tend to be in a relegation battle if you're in the low 40s in terms of possession. That's where Wrexham are at, there's only a couple of teams that have had less than them.

“I think only Derby County and Oxford United at this point have averaged less possession than Wrexham, and neither of those two teams have won a game of football yet. The trend is usually that clubs with super low possession, and high thirties or low forties is super low, usually end up in a relegation fight. That is pretty factual, I would say. So, currently I do think that the gap remains similar because Wrexham have got work to do.”

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Goodman went on to say, with it being pointed out that Tom Brady’s Birmingham appear better suited to life in the Championship, as, after landing the League One title with 111 points last season, they like to see more of the ball: “Wrexham, on the other hand, you feel are going to have to adapt a little bit more. But when you look at them bringing in the likes of Conor Cody, Callum Doyle, Lewis O'Brien and Ben Sheaf, these are players with quality on the ball. I do think that Phil Parkinson will recognise that if he wants to win games and get points, they're going to have to control the ball. I'm not saying they need to have 55% of the ball, I'm saying there are pockets of games. where you're going to have control of things. I think the signings that they've made are maybe a slight recognition of that.”