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Renuka Singh and Radha Yadav derailed Bangladesh’s innings, before India’s in-form openers finished the small chase themselves

Shashank Kishore26-Jul-2024

Renuka Singh struck three times inside the powerplay to dent Bangladesh•Getty Images

As far as wins go, it couldn’t have got more dominant than this. Bangladesh’s attempt to inflict scoreboard pressure fell flat, with Renuka Singh and Radha Yadav picking up six wickets between them to ensure India had a small target to chase. Their in-form openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma then got the job done themselves, with nine overs to spare. On Sunday, India will have a chance to clinch an incredible eighth Women’s Asia Cup crown (across white-ball formats), when they meet the winner of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan which will be played at the same venue later today.Related

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Renuka stings Bangladesh in powerplayRenuka’s form had been on a decline leading into the Women’s Asia Cup. She was left out for two of the three T20Is against South Africa after an unremarkable 4-0-42-0 in her only outing in that series. Her early reputation as a powerplay swing queen was seemingly fading, especially on flat decks.With young Arundhati Reddy challenging for her spot – it’s likely India will most often accommodate only one other seamer alongside Pooja Vastrakar in their first XI – Renuka needed a big tournament here. On Friday, she delivered. Renuka’s powerplay salvo left Bangladesh with no answers, her three wickets in three overs upsetting Bangladesh’s plans of going on an all-out attack.Dilara Akter muscled Renuka for a six off the third ball, but holed out to deep square off the fourth. Ishma Tanjim bailed out of a slog to get a leading edge to Tanuja Kanwar at short third, and Murshida Khatun mistimed a heave to midwicket two balls after being reprieved by Deepti Sharma at slip.Bangladesh had been reduced to 21 for 3 inside five overs.Nigar resists, Radha thrivesFrom overs six to nine, Bangladesh managed a solitary boundary, hit by Nigar Sultana, and played out 19 dots. They were looking for the release they simply didn’t get because India’s bowlers kept coming at them.Introduced in the 10th over, Radha struck off her very first delivery when Rumana Ahmed, Bangladesh’s second-most experienced batter, was put out of her misery when she played all around a straight ball to be bowled.Rumana Ahmed was castled by Radha Yadav for 1 off 11•Getty ImagesStill, Bangladesh tried to keep attacking. Rabeya Khan’s attempt to flat-bat Pooja Vastrakar led to a miscue that was brilliantly taken by Shafali Verma at mid-on in the 11th over.This forced Nigar to shelve any plans of a counter-attack, the focus quickly shifting to survival mode against the supremely-skilled trio of Deepti, Tanuja Kanwar and Radha Yadav – each very different from the other. Deepti kept them quiet with flight, Kanwar got the ball to drift and turn, while Radha troubled them with deliveries that didn’t turn.It was only in the 14th over, when Nigar was joined by Shorna Akter that they managed some kind of a move on – overs 17 to 19 brought 27. Then Radha produced a double-wicket maiden in the 20th, in which she had Nigar and Nahida Akter to finish with 3 for 14.The Mandhana-Shafali partyIndia could’ve experimented if they liked. They could’ve seen what Uma Chetry, who replaced D Hemalatha at No. 3, brings to the table. They could’ve given Deepti some batting time. Or maybe even a hit-out to Jemimah Rodrigues. But they stuck to their tried, tested and in-form opening combination, who promptly delivered the knockout blow on Bangladesh.Mandhana challenged herself to take fielders on and cleared them at will, Shafali swept seamer Marufa Akter off her lengths in front of square, and the boundaries flowed. Mandhana treated the small crowd to her trademark drives, while Shafali shovelled and flat-batted the bowlers.Bangladesh missed two chances on the field. First a run out in the fifth when Mandhana was ambling down, with Nahida firing a wayward throw with no one backing up at the bowler’s end. In the ninth, Nahida grassed a sitter at long-off to reprieve Shafali. And between those two, there was also a Mandhana reprieve off a no-ball.Mandhana continued on her joyride, hitting three back-to-back fours to get to a half-century and also seal a victory that was never in doubt from as early as the powerplay in Bangladesh’s innings.

Birmingham City are not slowing down in the summer transfer window in their attempt to bolster their squad ahead of a return to the Championship next season.

The Blues recently confirmed the signings of James Beadle, Tommy Doyle, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Demarai Gray to improve their options across the pitch.

They are not done there, though, as L’Equipe recently reported that Rennes striker Kyogo Furuhashi is closing in on a move to Birmingham for a fee that could rise as high as £10m, which is how much the French side paid to sign him in January from Celtic.

Kyogo, who failed to score in six matches for Rennes, is not the only player who is reportedly on the verge of making the move to St. Andrew’s to join Chris Davies’ squad.

Birmingham City set to complete double deal

A fresh claim from GIVEMESPORT backs up L’Equipe’s news that the Japanese striker is closing in on a transfer to the Championship side this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The report adds, though, that the League One champions are also set to sign attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto on a free transfer, following his exit from Gil Vicente.

GIVEMESPORT claims that both Kyogo and Fujimoto are ‘expected’ to join the club before the end of the weekend, as the Blues close in on a big double deal.

The outlet reveals that Birmingham kept tabs on the former Gil Vicente star throughout the 2024/25 campaign, and they are now making their move for him.

Why Fujimoto is even more exciting than Kyogo for Birmingham

Despite Kyogo being set to sign for £10m and Fujimoto due to arrive on a free transfer, the latter looks to be the most exciting signing out of the two players.

Birmingham are signing Kyogo off the back of a very difficult season for him. As aforementioned, the striker did not score in six league games for Rennes before being immediately sold six months after joining.

The 30-year-old forward also only scored ten goals from 14.14 xG in a dominant Celtic team in the Premiership during the first half of the season, which shows that he significantly underperformed in front of goal.

This shows that Birmingham are spending a huge fee on a player who is declining and heading into the latter stages of his career, which is a big risk because there is a chance that his form does not improve.

xG

4.00

Top 4%

Goals

5

Top 3%

Shots on target

13

Top 5%

xA

2.77

Top 14%

Assists

5

Top 3%

Chances created

35

Top 8%

Successful dribbles

19

Top 16%

Whereas, as you can see in the table above, Fujimoto is arriving at the club off the back of a very impressive season with Gil Vicente in the Portuguese top-flight.

At the age of 26, he is coming into the prime years of his career and appears to be at the top of his game, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals in Portugal.

Fujimoto was once described as a “silky dribbler who’s dangerous in the pockets behind the striker” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and his statistics back that up, as he ranked highly as a dribbler to go along with his goal contributions.

The Japanese ace is a midfielder who can score and assist goals efficiently, outperforming his xG, and has the performances to suggest that he can hit the ground running at St. Andrew’s.

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This is why he is an even more exciting signing for Birmingham than Kyogo, who is coming off the back of a poor year in France and in Scotland, and is not in the prime of his career anymore.

Sri Lanka captain also explains why they’ve been hard to come by

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Sep-2024It’s the batters, batters, batters. Right through the series, Sri Lanka have emphasised that it was their batting order that was letting the side down. Four innings in, with Sri Lanka never having got close to 350, with none of their top seven having got to triple-figures, captain Dhananjaya de Silva has reiterated the importance of top order runs again.In the first Test, Sri Lanka were 72 for 5 in the first innings. In the second Test, they were 83 for 5 in the first innings. Here’s where de Silva believes they lost.”Our batters have to score runs, and that’s the biggest issue we’ve had, ” he said. “Those who got starts didn’t turn them into hundreds and 150s. If you look at Joe Root on their side, he’s consistently made runs and it’s around him that others made runs. That’s what someone on our side needs to do as well, so we can get to 300 or 350. First-innings runs are what’s crucial to victory.”Related

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The only Sri Lanka batter to make serious runs on tour has been Kamindu Mendis, who batting at No. 7 has made scores of 113 in Manchester and 74 at Lord’s. He arrives at his sixth Test with a batting average of 78.87, having made six fifty-plus scores in nine innings, and having gone onto triple-figures on three of those occasions.Sri Lanka would have been tempted to shunt him up the order for this match, given not only his form, but the fact that he bats in the top and middle order frequently for domestic sides. But they will leave him where he is, for now, de Silva said.”I think if Kamindu plays well down there there’s no reason to change what he’s doing and put him in trouble. If he’s scoring there, it’s good for his career as well. In the future, maybe we will talk to him, about his plans as well and see what changes we can make. But right now we’re thinking of him as a No. 7.”The remainder of the batting order, even those on their third tour of England, have struggled badly against England’s seamers meanwhile. A lot of this has to do with their discipline, de Silva said.”They [England] have a lot of control in addition to their experience. They have great control of line and length and we don’t get many loose balls in England. We need to be prepared for that and our plans have to take that into account. That’s just what you get in England. In the two previous matches they didn’t let us execute our plans. That’s why they were successful.”Root, who has made 350 runs in four innings so far in the series, has also helped pound Sri Lanka to a 2-0 scoreline. Earlier this week, Dimuth Karunaratne spoke about Sri Lanka needing to go back to square one with their planning for him. De Silva hopes they’ve now got something together that will surprise Root, at the very least.”It’s not that our plans against him didn’t work – he just very quickly recognised what we were trying to do and countered it. That’s what world class players do, and that’s why he scored runs. We’ve hopefully come up with something now that he won’t expect.”

Tottenham Hotspur will have to balance the books soon by making key player sales, especially with the plethora of non-locally trained players in their squad, which could result in them having to submit a weakened Champions League squad.

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Spurs need to sell players due to a key UEFA rule.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2025

Due to UEFA rules, Spurs require at least eight ‘locally trained’ players to be named in their 25-man list, and if they cannot meet this quota, then their total of A-list players will be reduced to make up the deficit.

While Morgan Gibbs-White’s potential arrival – which has now been delayed due to legal complications – could have a positive impact on this, given he came through the Wolves academy, their recent signing of Mohammed Kudus means that the north Londoners currently boast around 24 non-locally trained players in their current squad, even if this does include the likes of Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Yang-min Hyeok, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Taking this into account, The Telegraph reports that Tottenham will need to sell at least one player this summer, and there are plenty of candidates.

Gil and Solomon are very likely to be sold after spending 2024/2025 out on loan at Girona and Leeds United respectively, with the former already confirming his intention to leave N17 in the coming weeks.

“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham,” said Gil to Estadio Deportivo in April.

“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”

Son Heung-min has entered the final 12 months of his contract and may be sold by Spurs, according to recent reports, with Yves Bissouma also attracting interest from Turkey.

However, another option could be injury-plagued striker Richarlison.

Richarlison likely to leave Tottenham as Vasco de Gama phone him

They’re very unlikely to make a substantial fee back off the £60 million they paid Everton to sign the Brazil striker in 2022, but Tottenham’s signings of Gibbs-White and Kudus will only push him further down the attacking pecking order.

Spurs are also still interested in signing Brentford star Yoane Wissa, and if they were to sensationally bring in the Bees star too, it would surely draw the curtain on Richarlison’s north London career.

The 28-year-old, barring a fine purple patch under Ange Postecoglou midway through 2023/2024, has found life very difficult at Spurs overall – with journalist Leonardo Lacerda, via Bolavip, sharing that clubs in Brazil could offer him a route back home.

Lacerda is quoted saying that Vasco de Gama president, Pedrinho, has personally phoned Richarlison to gauge the possibility of a transfer, but the ex-Watford man also has admirers in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s happening! President Pedrinho, accompanied by a member of the Vasco leadership, contacted Richarlison directly through a phone call,” said Lacerda.

“The goal was to get a closer look at the striker’s situation, as he’s unlikely to remain at Tottenham next season. In addition to Vasco, the striker is attracting interest from Fluminense, Flamengo, and Palmeiras. Two Saudi Arabian clubs have also entered the fray—Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.”

With Richarlison emerging as a real man in demand, it is now Levy’s task to set a realistic asking price, with reports suggesting Spurs will let him go for around £20 million.

“It will be a challenging series but we have the extra confidence from the Pakistan series”

Mohammad Isam15-Sep-2024Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto says his side is confident going into the first Test against India in Chennai, after their 2-0 win against Pakistan earlier this month. The two-match Test series against India starts on Thursday, followed by three T20Is.”It will be a challenging series but we have the extra confidence from the Pakistan series,” Shanto said in the pre-departure press conference in Dhaka. “I guess the whole country has that confidence now. Every series is an opportunity. We want to win both Tests, but we have to stick to our process. If we do our job, we can get a good result.”They are well ahead of us in the rankings. But we did play well recently. We want to play well for five days, that’s our goal. We want to get the result in the last session of the Test match. At that time, the match can go in any direction. It is an opportunity [to get our first win in India]. We will play with a win in mind. But we don’t want to think too far ahead. We want to do well for five days, and play to our strength. That’s most important.”Related

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Bangladesh played an inspired brand of cricket in Pakistan where their batters and bowlers combined to beat the home side by ten wickets in the first Test and by six wickets in the second. Much of the focus was on their fast bowlers who combined to take all ten wickets in the Pakistan second innings in the second Test, a first for the country.Shanto knows Bangladesh’s pace attack is not as experienced as India’s, but the recent success will keep them in a positive frame of mind. At the same time, he feels Bangladesh’s spinners – Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz – are much closer to India’s.”We are in a good place with our bowling attack, both spin and pace,” he said. “Perhaps our pacers are behind them in terms of experience but our spin attack is close to theirs. They can bowl in any conditions. All I can say is that our pacers, spinners and batters will give 100%.”I think we can make a difference only if we play as a team. It is not just the spinners but the pacers and the batters also. The whole team has to play together.”Shakib Al Hasan, here with Alec Stewart, picked up nine wickets in the match for Surrey•Getty ImagesBangladesh’s batters also made an overall recovery of their form. They had an ordinary time in the last 12 months, particularly against Sri Lanka earlier this year when the team crossed 300 only once during the home series. But they batted splendidly in the first Test in Rawalpindi, with Mushfiqur Rahim getting 191 and three other batters crossing fifties. In the second Test, too, they fought hard despite a top-order collapse. Litton Das struck his fourth Test century, and Mehidy his second fifty in the series.Shanto and Shakib, though, could not get a half-century in Pakistan. Shanto hasn’t emulated his 2023 form when he scored 1650 runs across formats, with five centuries. He has scored only one century so far this year. Shakib has scored just one half-century in 16 innings. But he has continued his strong bowling form, and took nine wickets for Surrey against Somerset recently. He will join the team in India directly from London.”My personal goal would be for the team to win,” Shanto said. “I want to contribute as a batter, for which I have prepared to the best of my ability. I am hopeful [Shakib] will do well. The expectations are always the same with him. He is in good form with the ball. He didn’t get runs [for Surrey], but he had a good outing with the ball.”Before the Pakistan series, the new BCB president, Faruque Ahmed, had said that he did not want Chandika Hathurusinghe to continue as head coach, but he has reportedly toned down that rhetoric. On Sunday, he also said that the team would donate a portion of their bonus for winning the Pakistan series.”The captain [Shanto] has said that they will contribute a portion of their bonus to the flood-affected people and those who were affected in the student-led people’s movement,” Ahmed said. “The amount is BDT 3.2 crore [approx. US$270,000] for winning two Tests and the series. Some different bonuses have added up also. A portion of the amount will go to the chief advisor’s relief fund for the flood-affected people.”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has now personally identified one former Chelsea star as a top target for the Lilywhites this summer, according to a report.

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Spurs are currently working to reinforce their squad with more quality options as Frank gears up for his first ever campaign as a Champions League manager, not to mention his debut season in charge of a ‘big six’ Premier League side.

The pressure is truly on Frank, to a much greater extent than any of his previous managerial roles, especially after his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, ended the club’s 17-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Tottenham have promised Frank that they will invest significantly in the transfer window this summer, according to some reports, and they’ve so far made good on that pledge by striking deals for Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus.

By all accounts, Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White should’ve joined them a while ago, but the club’s unprecedented threat of legal action against Spurs, for what they consider an ‘illegal approach’, has significantly delayed the Englishman’s move (Sky Sports).

Gibbs-White was scheduled to have a medical at Spurs around a fortnight ago (BBC), and if they’re currently in the middle of a tense standoff with Forest, it is believed that Tottenham remain in pursuit of the 25-year-old.

Fabrizio Romano has said Spurs are still confident they can strike a deal for Gibbs-White, but in the meantime, reports continue to surround the potential addition of a new midfielder.

Tottenham have repeatedly been linked with a move for Bayern Munich ace Joao Palhinha for that role, but as things stand, it hasn’t stretched beyond interest, contrary to some reports.

Interestingly, £150,000-per-week Atlético Madrid star Conor Gallagher is another target on their midfield shortlist.

Tottenham prioritise Conor Gallagher after Thomas Frank decision

Spurs were believed to be suitors for Gallagher before he opted to join Diego Simeone’s side in La Liga last summer.

The England international went on to score four goals and register another six assists in 50 total appearances for Atlético during his debut season, including a strike against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and it is believed that Tottenham are keen on tempting him with a return to the Premier League.

According to reports from Spain, Tottenham have placed Gallagher at the “top of their list” of potential midfield reinforcements, after Frank decided that the 25-year-old is a player he “needs” in north London.

Gallagher can play as a number six, traditional centre-midfielder and even as a left-winger when required, but it is currently unclear what the boyhood Chelsea supporter would think about joining an arch Blues rival.

“When we think of him we think of his youth, energy and intensity in the game. He also strikes the ball very well,” Simeone told reporters about Gallagher before a match against Real Valladolid.

“It’s never easy for players coming from England to adapt to the Spanish championship, to the language, he has competed very well in different places and in positions where he doesn’t feel more comfortable.

“He will evolve, he has room for growth. He is very intense in offensive and defensive play, he brings a lot to us.”

Newcastle United’s search for a new striker has moved into overdrive.

With Alexander Isak pushing for a move and Liverpool having lodged their first bid, the Magpies appear resigned to a future without their star striker.

Isak’s decision to skip the club’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia and train independently at Real Sociedad has only added to the growing sense of inevitability.

Eddie Howe’s side are determined to act decisively.

They don’t just want a short-term solution; they want someone who can lead the line for years to come.

The ideal target? A striker who has already adapted to the Premier League, blends physical presence with technical quality, and is ready to shoulder the scoring burden once carried by the Swede.

All signs now point toward a player who checks those boxes, and who has already made a name for himself in England’s top flight.

Latest on Newcastle's search for a striker

According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are considering a move for Jørgen Strand Larsen, who enjoyed a standout debut campaign with Wolves.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking in a Q & A on Thursday, the Newcastle insider suggested that Larsen has been ‘described as the ‘dark horse’ from the list of possibles’, with his performances having ‘not gone unnoticed’ at St James’ Park.

The 25-year-old Norwegian scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season, the most ever by a Wolves player in their first season at the club, surpassing the previous record held by Raúl Jiménez.

Larsen joined Wolves from Celta Vigo in July 2024 on an initial loan, with the option to buy. That clause was activated earlier this summer, with the deal believed to be worth £23m.

Despite the club’s modest position in the table, Larsen quickly emerged as a key figure. His goals included a run of three in three during April, which earned him a nomination for the Player of the Month award.

Reflecting on his season, Larsen told reporters: “It’s been a good first season in the Premier League.” I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’ve been able to take the steps quite earlier than I’ve done before.”

As already stated, his performances haven’t gone unnoticed.

Alan Shearer, speaking on Match of the Day, highlighted how Larsen stepped up in the absence of Matheus Cunha:

“The question was how they were going to get on for the four games without their best player [Matheus] Cunha. I actually think they’ve looked a better team.”

“He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent, and I thought his touch and his control were superb.”

The Norwegian international, who has 21 caps and 3 goals for his country, has seen his market value rise to €30m (£26m).

Standing at 1.93m, he has the physical profile of a traditional No.9 but also brings a versatility that makes him appealing to Newcastle as they look to evolve their attack in the post-Isak era.

Why Strand Larsen Might Be a Smarter Fit Than Šeško

Benjamin Šeško has long been admired by Newcastle’s recruitment team. At 1.94m, he draws obvious comparisons to Erling Haaland and fits the club’s typical age preferences.

He scored 21 goals in 45 games for RB Leipzig last season, including 13 in the Bundesliga, and would represent a clear signal of ambition, with prior reports suggesting an agreement had already been struck.

But there are growing doubts over whether Šeško will end up at Manchester United instead, as well as whether he is actually the right man for the job. For starters, the Slovenian’s numbers don’t surpass those of his Norwegian counterpart.

Strand Larsen outscored Šeško in league competition last season – 14 goals to Šeško’s 13, despite playing in a less dominant team and having far fewer chances created for him.

According to data from FBref, Šeško’s underlying stats also suggest that there is still room for growth.

His non-penalty expected goals (npxG) last season was 8.4, with 11 non-penalty goals scored – a good conversion rate, but not exceptional.

Larsen, by comparison, ranks in the 99th percentile for shot-on-target percentage at a remarkable 61.1%. His npxG per shot (0.19) places him in the 84th percentile, indicating smart, high-quality shot selection.

He also ranks highly for aerial involvement, underlining his all-round centre-forward credentials. There’s also the matter of adaptation.

Šeško would require time to acclimatise to the intensity of the Premier League, while Larsen has already proved he can deliver.

Financially, the move for Larsen also makes more sense. Šeško is tied to a long-term contract at Leipzig until 2029, and the German side are unlikely to sell for anything less than £60–70m.

In contrast, Wolves may be willing to negotiate a deal closer to the £25m they paid, especially if Newcastle structure their payments creatively.

Strand Larsen’s profile – similar to Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest) or Ante Budimir (Osasuna) – may not sound glamorous, but it’s highly effective.

His hold-up play would complement Newcastle’s wide runners like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, while also giving them an added dimension from set-pieces.

Newcastle won’t rush into a decision and are likely to explore both options thoroughly. But if they’re after an immediate impact, a proven Premier League scorer, and a more affordable route to replacing Isak, Jørgen Strand Larsen might just be the smarter bet.

Newcastle enquire for £33m Sesko alternative who made the Ballon d'Or top 30

The Magpies could take full advantage of the situation.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 31, 2025

The 20-year-old was allowed to leave Nottinghamshire despite having a year remaining on his contract

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2024Worcestershire have signed Nottinghamshire spinning allrounder Fateh Singh on a three-year deal after the 20-year-old impressed during a loan spell at the club over the summer.The slow left-arm spinner impressed at New Road during the One-Day Cup, taking 15 wickets at 24.13 – the second-most for the county, with a career-best 4 for 52 against Somerset. He went on to make his first-class debut at the end of the 2024 season for Northamptonshire during another stint on loan.A former England U19, Singh was part of the cohort that reached the final of the 2022 U19 ODI World Cup, though made just two appearances at the tournament.He was contracted to Nottinghamshire until the end of the 2025 season, having been a part of the county’s set-up since the age of nine. However, the club were happy to facilitate a move away from Trent Bridge for the good of his development. He made just 12 appearances for Nottinghamshire – all in the One-Day Cup – and had been usurped by 16-year-old off spinner Farhan Ahmed.Singh will get the opportunity to further his career at Worcestershire, who cemented their Division One status with an impressive sixth-place finish last season – their highest since the two-tier County Championship structure was introduced in 2000.”I’m absolutely thrilled to sign this contract and be back with Worcestershire long term, I had such a great experience with the Club last summer,” said Singh, in a statement released by Worcestershire on Wednesday.”Playing regularly and contributing with wickets as part of a young attack was very rewarding. I was made to feel so welcome, and I found a strong rhythm with the ball. With several players out injured, everyone stepped up, which was brilliant to see.”I’m excited to be back at a club known for nurturing young talent, and I hope to follow in the footsteps of players like Jake Libby, who has thrived since joining from Nottinghamshire.”I’m committed to continuing my development and aiming to make an impact.”Worcestershire chief executive Ashley Giles said: “We’re delighted to secure Fateh’s signing, which is a crucial step as we continue to build our squad.”Fateh demonstrated his potential last summer in the One Day Cup, and strengthening our spin department has been a priority.”We are putting together a team capable of competing at the highest level and building on last season’s successes.”The move reinforces Worcestershire’s spin stocks after they were rocked by the tragic passing of left-arm spinner Josh Baker at the start of the summer. The club opted not to secure the services of Amar Virdi following his release from Surrey despite the off-spinner undertaking two loan spells at the club.

Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels has named Cristiano Ronaldo the Premier League's greatest ever player ahead of Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah.

Sels names PL's greatestPuts Ronaldo top of pileHenry in second with De Bruyne thirdFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

In an exclusive interview with GOAL at the PFA awards, Sels was asked to pick between a series of Premier League icons in a winner-stays-on game. The Forest shot-stopper started by choosing Eden Hazard over Riyad Mahrez, and stuck with the ex-Chelsea winger against Robin van Persie, before dropping him for Wayne Rooney. He then sided with Rooney against Erling Haaland, Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez, but eventually traded him out for Salah. Sels immediately discarded Salah for Kevin De Bruyne to set up a battle between the Manchester City legend and Thierry Henry, and he gave the nod to the latter. Ronaldo was put forward as Henry's final opponent, and the Belgian ultimately sided with the former United striker.

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Ronaldo scored 103 Premier League goals in 236 appearances across two spells for United. He helped the Red Devils win three successive Premier League titles and the Champions League between 2006 & 2009, winning his first Ballon d'Or along the way.

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Ronaldo is still going strong at the ripe old age of 40 with the Portugal national team and Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr. He scored two goals in his latest international outing against  Armenia as Portugal recorded an emphatic 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory.

Jacob Bethell continued his serene start to life in an England shirt by hitting the winning runs in Christchurch

Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Dec-2024Hitting the winning run in a Test match that takes you to a half-century on debut. Walking off alongside England’s all-time leading run-scorer, Joe Root. Sunday was just another of a series of bucket-list moments for Jacob Bethell.Since September, the 21-year-old has enjoyed life in England’s priority lane, ticking off T20I and ODI caps against Australia and West Indies, registering three white-ball half-centuries against the latter. This first against the red was right out of his limited-overs playbook, taking just 37 deliveries, as the tourists chased 104 inside 13 overs to beat New Zealand by eight wickets in Christchurch. They take a 1-0 lead to Wellington.”[It was] a hell of a lot of fun yeah,” Bethell said. “And to walk off with Rooty [who made 23 off 15] at the end there was pretty special.”To come out in the second innings and have a chance to walk off with an England win was at the forefront of my mind and luckily I was able to do that.”Related

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The second-innings speed run was in keeping with how England attack smaller targets. Barring a thick inside edge to get him off the mark, the other eight boundaries were real statements shots. Especially a pull for six on to the grass banks of the Hagley Oval off fellow debutant Nathan Smith.Smith did not take kindly to Bethell’s onslaught, having copped four boundaries off the left-hander in his first over, and went to bouncers. Bethell, however, is no stranger to short-pitched bowling. He was reared on it as a kid born in Barbados and later raised the UK – a scholarship to Rugby School brought him over aged 12 – as a regular target of the intimidatory tactics of bigger kids.”I was very small growing up so I didn’t really get a lot in my half up until I was about 16 or 17 when I got a bit bigger,” he said. “I never had as much power on it but I could still play it well. And now it’s just a decision on whether to hit it on the ground or hit it for six.”Such confidence, delivered with a mixed Bajan and Brummie accent that has a distinctly Welsh feel – which almost makes sense as the crow flies – is why England had no qualms placing him at No. 3. Even his first innings was met with something of a shrug.Conditions were tough, New Zealand’s seamers up and at them. Bethell backed himself, but managed just 10 from 34 balls – only getting off the mark with his 13th, still on one after 26 – before Smith snicked him off. Root’s dismissal then had England reeling on 45 for 3 at lunch on day two.”That’s part of the game, isn’t it?” Bethell said, like he’d been here before. “I saw it [as] if I got through to lunch, it looked like a different pitch after lunch. It does help when you’ve got Harry Brook batting, he makes it look quite easy.

“Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it”

“I think it could have been a different story, I battled hard and unluckily didn’t make it through to lunch but another day you get through and go on to make a big one.”Ben Stokes singled out those 34 deliveries after the match rather than the half-century, clearly buoyed by the way someone so young owned his space during those first 49 minutes as a Test batter. “If he sticks to having that attitude, that swagger about him, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be alright,” Stokes said.Bethell’s selection for the tour outright was a huge show of faith, picked as the spare batter despite a first class average of 25.44 from 30 innings – none of which had come higher than No. 5. Not that he was worried.”Pretty much every time I’ve played against better people, I’ve played better,” he said. “Step up to the Hundred, played better. Straight into internationals, played better. I didn’t really have a doubt in my mind that coming into Test cricket that I’d have done well.”The strut, the talk, the arrogance, reinforced by what was only his sixth first-class fifty, could see Bethell retain this new spot for the series. It would require Ollie Pope to keep the gloves and stay at No. 6, meaning Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson, who arrived on Saturday as Jordan Cox’s injury replacement, waiting his turn.England still regard Pope as their No. 3, and the man himself spoke forcefully that he still wants to make the position his own after his innings-saving 77 on day two. It is clear Pope wants that spot back for series against India and Australia next year.Bethell, however, is hopeful he gets a chance to show he can thrive up top, something he wants to do at Warwickshire but has not yet been able to make a solid case for.”I like batting up the order so, yeah, I was really happy that opportunity arose,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to bat in the top four so three is perfect.Bethell his eight fours and a six in his maiden Test fifty•AFP/Getty Images”I think my game is fit to play any style. On Sunday we saw a bit more of an attacking style. I can also absorb a bit of pressure, so I’m sure at times in my career there will be times to do that as well.”As a multi-format batter already, inevitably there will come a time when Bethell is pulled a few different ways. It may already be happening.Following the conclusion of this Test series, he will head to Australia to fulfill his overseas commitments with Melbourne Renegades. And just last week, he was one of 12 English players picked up in the IPL mega auction, earning a maiden gig with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a tidy sum of £245,000. It will also see him miss the first seven rounds of Warwickshire’s County Championship campaign.He will join England team-mates Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone at RCB. No surprises, though, for guessing who he is most looking forward to rubbing shoulders with.”It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it?” Bethell said, with a wry smile. “Virat! He’s a great of the game so… King Kohli.”Like all young players at the premier franchise competition, he wants to be a sponge. “Any kind of overseas player that’s gone over there has come back with a wealth of experience.”But this first taste of the longest format has him craving more. With an Ashes tour on the horizon – England’s successful 2010-11 tour was his formative series – this format, and this team, are where he wants to truly establish himself.”It’s everything I’ve dreamed of to be honest,” Bethell said of Test cricket. “Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.”And then since Baz [Brendon McCullum] took over with Stokesy, I’ve always watched it on TV and gone ‘how fun that does that look’ and it lived up to expectation. It was so fun.”