Tag Futebol

Leeds United are in the market for Premier League experience and have now been offered the chance to sign an established star who wants to return to England, according to a report.

Leeds United take strict stance on transfers

Despite the urge to get quality through the door at Elland Road, Daniel Farke won’t be bullied into carrying out drastic measures to improve the chances of his side surviving in the top-flight this term.

Providing a case study, Alex Crook has confirmed Leeds United have dropped their pursuit of Dominic Calvert-Lewin due to the England international’s exorbitant £150,000 per week wage demands.

He stated on talkSPORT’s Youtube channel: “I was told that Calvert-Lewin is looking for 150k a week. Which is why he held talks with Leeds and they backed off.”

Moving on to other matters, Leeds have made contact with Benfica over midfielder Florentino Luis and the Primeira Liga giants may be willing to offload the 25-year-old after Ricardo Rios joined from Palmeiras.

Galatasaray’s Gabriel Sara has emerged as a Whites’ alternative to Igor Paixao after Farke’s men lost out on the Feyenoord man to Marseille, illustrating their willingness to move swiftly in the market when things take a turn in the wrong direction.

Related Leeds now in talks over deal for "elite" £30m striker with 21 G/A last season

The Whites have lodged an enquiry over a centre-forward, who is also being targeted by West Ham United.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 30, 2025

Through the middle, Roma striker Artem Dovbyk could be a high-profile Leeds addition, offering a major upgrade on the likes of Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph amid the duo being set to leave the Yorkshire giants.

Introducing top-flight experience will also be key to staying up, and Farke has now been offered the chance to bring in a Premier League veteran who wants a return to familiar surroundings.

Leeds "offered" chance to sign Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with Leeds United News, Leeds have been offered the chance to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Lyon as they search for full-back options.

He stated: “Leeds are one of the clubs who have been offered Ainsley Maitland-Niles. I’m told lots of Premier League clubs have been offered him. He’s the sort of player Leeds need in terms of both full-back positions.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the Premier League

Appearances

109

Goals

1

Assists

5

“Leeds are one of the teams who have been offered him. He’s available, intermediaries doing the work, he’s been pushed to a few clubs. What I can say, is he does want to come back to England.”

With the former Arsenal man keen on a move back to the Premier League, Leeds fans will be encouraged to note that he registered one goal and seven assists in 44 appearances last season.

Versatile by nature, the 27-year-old can feature in either full-back slot or in midfield, while he would also carry the carrot of being a homegrown star in line with squad regulations.

The London-born man has two years left on his deal at Lyon, opening up the prospect of a financially favourable deal in light of the French giants’ recent financial problems.

Everton boss David Moyes is a man with a lot on his plate.

However, he’s proven his aptitude as a high-level manager across many years at various outfits – including two stints with the Toffees.

It’s been a long old journey for Everton and their legion of supporters, but having emerged from troubled waters with a vision and a plan to reach that horizon, it’s a journey which may open up new possibilities.

Just consider the micro successes. Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new contract; Thierno Barry, billed a superstar in the making, has signed for £27.5m and will replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Such transactions will come together to present a clear vision at the macro scale. Everton have a new kind of attention to detail and structure, which Moyes is directing.

And he plans on making one or two more exciting signings ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.

Everton planning more signings

The arrival of the 6 foot 5 Barry feels a very apt signing. He is a powerful and potent striker, raising the goalscoring bar as Everton step into a new home at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

But he could still do with some more support. As per i News, Everton have established contacts with Manchester City for playmaker James McAtee; the competition for his signature, however, is thick.

Everton would be wise to demonstrate their diligence by proving they have alternative picks on the radar, so too not be left adrift if McAtee’s signature is drawn by another.

Well, Omari Hutchinson is anticipated to be on the move this summer following Ipswich Town’s relegation from the Premier League, and Everton have been reported by journalist Graeme Bailey to be gearing up for a move now that Barry is a Blue, alongside West Brom’s Tom Fellows:

“In terms of what’s next, Everton want wingers — I think Tom Fellows and Omari Hutchinson are very interesting, I think they’re under the radar as well.

“I think you could see both come in because they are very different wingers, one is inverted and one’s not, I think Moyes would love them both.”

The English attacking midfielder has a £35m release clause in his contract, but it’s clear to see this could prove a bargain if he reaches his full potential.

Why Everton want Omari Hutchinson

After completing a successful loan spell in the Championship with Ipswich, Hutchinson joined Kieran McKenna’s outfit from Chelsea last summer for a £20m fee.

Considered by analyst Ben Mattinson to be among a “ridiculous” crop of rising talent at Chelsea before his permanent switch, Hutchinson proved himself capable in the Premier League last year and could start to catch a few eyes in a more stable system on Merseyside.

He only registered five goal involvements in the Premier League last season, but Hutchinson managed to demonstrate enough of his quality to impress, with The Football Terrace’s Dean Jones even calling him “similar to Cole Palmer”.

Matches (starts)

28 (27)

Goals

3

Assists

2

Shots (on target)*

1.3 (0.6)

Big chances missed

1

Pass completion

84%

Big chances created

5

Key passes*

0.9

Dribbles*

1.6

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

Duels won*

4.3

As you can see from the round-up of Hutchinson’s statistics above, his crisp and creative passing, clinical finishing (only missing one big chance while converting three more) and natural defensive application all suggest he’s got what it takes to become a complete attacking midfielder of a similar mould to Chelsea’s superstar, who has scored 41 goals and supplied 28 assists across 96 matches since leaving Manchester City.

Palmer is defined by his skilful style, emerging onto the scene with a rare confidence, unburdened by so-called inexperience and leaving the likes of Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher marvelling that he’s “the best player in the Premier League”.

Does Hutchinson have the same high-rise roof? Perhaps not, but then we have yet to see the 21-year-old realise his full potential, performing in a team looking to challenge in the higher levels of the Premier League. Thus, the gap could be limited, but by how far is uncertain.

In any case, Hutchinson’s silkiness and dynamism suggest he would be a fantastic fit in an Everton team now preparing for life with a robust and reliable striker, and indeed developing further Moyes’ system, more ranged and layered than before.

Everton would only improve with a player of Hutchinson’s ilk added to Moyes’ squad. Hailed a “special talent” by scouting consultant Felix Johnston, he has the playmaking ability and winged footwork to become Everton’s own version of Palmer, maybe not reaching the same giddy heights but filling a similar gap.

The dream squad Everton can build: £88m quintet & "beast" sign after Barry

A look at how Everton’s dream squad could shape up next season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Jul 10, 2025

He played four Tests between 1964 and 1967 and was the first Pakistan batter to score a century on Test debut

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2024Former Pakistan allrounder Billy Ibadulla died on Friday at the age of 88. He had a short, but notable international career, playing only four Tests for Pakistan between 1964 and 1967, but became the first from his country to score a hundred on Test debut.Ibadulla made his Test debut against Australia in Karachi in 1964, one of six Test debutants in that game as Pakistan regenerated after their early years of success. Ibadulla had been drafted into the side at the insistence of the captain Hanif Mohammad and he immediately repaid that faith, with 166 in the first innings.He was part of a 249-run opening partnership with fellow debutant, and wicketkeeper, Abdul Kadir. It remains the highest partnership between two debutants for any wicket in Test cricket, and was a national record for the first wicket until Aamer Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed broke it in 1997.He would only go on to play three more Tests though, instead building a fine career with Warwickshire. He was one of the first Pakistanis to play county cricket (AH Kardar had played for Warwickshire for three seasons when Pakistan were not a full member and Khan Mohammad played one game for Somerset), after being overlooked for Pakistan selection for the 1954 tour to England. Unhappy, he came to England to forge a career as a professional cricketer and did so successfully, playing for nearly 18 seasons.That included key roles in two limited-overs cup titles in three years; he took 3-25 and scored 28 in Warwickshire’s four-wicket win in the 1968 final.After he finished at the county, he became a coach at a school in the UK, a sign of things to come. Soon after he moved to New Zealand to play for Otago (and some games for Tasmania in Australia) as well as do some coaching, He played a key role in the early development of Glenn Turner, one of New Zealand’s greatest batters.He ended with a prolific first-class career, scoring 17,078 runs at 27.28 and picking up 462 wickets at 30.96. Of his 417 first-class outings, 377 were for Warwickshire, for whom he played for more than a decade.”He was a special cricketer, one of the greatest, and we had lots of fun times together,” Warwickshire president Dennis Amiss, who played alongside Ibadulla at the club, wrote in a tribute to his former team-mate. “He could be really naughty at times, lots of mickey taking and he gave as good as he got. We loved him at Warwickshire.”In 64 List A matches, Ibadulla scored 829 runs and took 84 wickets. He also stood as an umpire in 20 first-class matches and 12 List A games. He also ran a private coaching clinic in New Zealand.His son, Kassem Ibadulla, also played 31 first-class games and 19 List A games for Gloucestershire and Otago.

Glasgow Rangers are currently searching for their next head coach after they ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts.

The Light Blues had to watch on as Aberdeen secured silverware by beating Celtic on penalties in the final of the SFA Cup, a competition the club were knocked out of by lower league outfit Queen’s Park in one of Philippe Clement’s last matches in charge.

Rangers opted to relieve the Belgian head coach of his duties shortly after that dismal result in the cup, and Barry Ferguson came in as the interim head coach until the end of the season.

The former Scotland international, who played for Rangers in his playing days, only won six of his 15 matches in charge in all competitions, and ended his tenure with a 2-2 draw away at Hibernian.

It has since been confirmed that Ferguson will not be offered the job on a full-time basis and that he will return to his ambassador role at Ibrox.

This means that the job is still available to a head coach from elsewhere, and Davide Ancelotti is a name that continues to be linked with a switch to Glasgow.

Why Rangers should not appoint Davide Ancelotti

RangersReview reported that claims from Spain that the Italian coach is close to being appointed as the next manager are premature, but that there are further talks planned with the former Real Madrid assistant.

Ancelotti and his father Carlo said their goodbyes to the Real Madrid supporters after their final match against Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday, with his dad set to join the Brazilian national team.

It remains to be seen whether or not Davide will join him in Brazil or take up a post elsewhere, but Rangers should opt against a move for him this summer.

The Light Blues need a manager who can bring success back to Ibrox and hiring the former Real assistant would be a massive risk, because he has not managed a team in his senior career to date.

As you can see in the table above, Ancelotti has only worked under his father as a fitness coach or as an assistant to date, which means that he is unproven as the main man leading a team.

His vast experience at gigantic European clubs, like PSG, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, is a plus in his column, but there is no guarantee that he can use that as a head coach in his own right.

That is why Rangers should not appoint Ancelotti as their next head coach, particularly when they are reportedly eyeing up a manager who would be a much better option on paper.

Rangers have held talks with 3-4-3 manager

According to the BBC, Danish head coach Brian Priske has emerged as a contender for the vacant managerial position at Ibrox ahead of next season.

The report claims that the manager, who was sacked by Feyenoord earlier this season, has already held talks with the Scottish giants over a possible move to Glasgow.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

It states that the process is ongoing and that Priske is one of a number of candidates they have lined up to permanently replace Clement, following on from Ferguson’s departure at the end of the season.

The BBC adds that Ancelotti and former Southampton head coach Russell Martin have also been named as managers who could be in the frame alongside the Danish tactician.

With this in mind, the 49ers, Patrick Stewart, and Kevin Thelwell must all agree to pursue Priske further, beyond the initial talks that have been held, because he would be miles better than Ancelotti.

Why Rangers should appoint Brian Priske

Rangers should swoop to appoint the 48-year-old tactician because he is a proven winner who has won league titles in the top divisions in multiple other countries.

Priske, who typically deploys a 3-4-3 system, is an experienced manager who has been there and done it. Whereas, Ancelotti has it all to prove and is yet to show that he has what it takes to lead a team to success on his own.

Rangers will want to get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership to prevent Celtic from winning a fifth title in succession, which is why they should appoint a manager who has a proven track record of success when it comes to winning leagues, or at least coaching a winning team.

Priske won two league titles during his time with Sparta Prague in Czechia and won a league title in his first season in management with Midtjylland in the 2019/20 campaign in his home country.

As you can see in the table above, the Danish boss has never finished below fourth in a league season, although Feyenoord dismissed him earlier this term with his side in third, so it could have gone either way if he had been kept on.

This shows that Priske has won two league titles in the last three seasons, and three in six seasons as a manager, which is why he would be miles better than Ancelotti as an option for the Gers.

He has the relevant experience and success to suggest that Rangers would be making a brilliant decision to bring him in, whilst Ancelotti would be a huge gamble given his lack of experience as a first-team head coach.

Priske also won the Dutch Super Cup with Feyenoord and the Czech Cup with Sparta Prague, which shows that he can also handle cup competitions and has the potential to deliver success in the League Cup and the SFA Cup.

49ers can finally axe Propper by signing 6 ft 4 titan for Rangers

Rangers could turn to the Premier League for their first signing this summer.

By
Ross Kilvington

May 25, 2025

Therefore, the Light Blues must swoop to appoint the Danish head coach as their permanent replacement for Philippe Clement because he appears to be the ideal candidate on paper.

Fulham have now made a move to sign a 28-year-old La Liga midfielder when his contract expires this summer, according to a recent report.

Fulham plan for summer amid Marco Silva uncertainty

Given how well the Cottagers have done in the Premier League this season, it may not be too much of a surprise to see their manager, Marco Silva being linked with a move away. The Portuguese coach, who is reported to have an £8 million release clause in his contract, has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, as they keep their options open over a possible new manager.

Fulham identify young £5m coach as exciting option to replace Marco Silva

Fulham chiefs are already looking at managers who could replace Silva should he leave.

1

By
Brett Worthington

May 7, 2025

It’s not just Spurs though, as Saudi side Al Hilal want to appoint Silva as their new manager. They want to appoint a new boss before the Club World Cup and it’s even being reported that Silva has already agreed to leave Fulham and move to the Saudi Pro League.

Therefore, the Cottagers may need to start looking for replacements, and according to Sky Germany, Fulham are interested in appointing Danny Rohl as Silva’s successor.

The German is an emerging coach who has done an excellent job in a tricky situation at Sheffield Wednesday and is now on the radar of a few teams in England’s top flight and beyond.

Fulham make move to sign 28 y/o midfielder on free transfer

However, the Premier League side will of course hope Silva remains put, and are already working on potential business they would like to conduct under him this summer. According to TEAMtalk, Fulham have made an enquiry to sign midfielder Yvan Neyou, who will leave Leganes at the end of the campaign.

The report states that Neyou, who has been with the Spanish side on a permanent basis since 2023, will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires, given they look set for relegation. That has alerted several teams who are interested in a possible deal. Fulham have made contact in a bid to understand if he would be interested in a move to Craven Cottage, but they are not alone in the race.

Crystal Palace have also made an enquiry about signing the 28-year-old, but TEAMtalk reports that it is Valencia who are currently leading the way when it comes to signing Neyou. It is claimed that his consistent performances, good defensive awareness and composure on the ball have made him a standout performer for Leganes in what has been a struggle of a season for them.

His arrival might be a priority given Tom Cairney is coming to the end of his contract at Craven Cottage, and Neyou could be seen as a like-for-like replacement for the long-time servant with more time on his side.

When it rains it pours for Ruben Amorim. Walking into Manchester United, he will have been under no illusions that the size of his task at Old Trafford was a colossal one.

However, not even he would have envisaged the opening months of his tenure to play out like this.

Indeed, as Newcastle battered the Red Devils 4-1 inside St James’ Park in the Premier League on Sunday, Amorim walked back down the tunnel having not won for the 20th time in 33 matches at the helm.

Erik ten Hag hardly left this side in the best of states but you’d expect better results, even if the Portuguese is still relatively new to the role.

Alas, football is a cutthroat sport and he will need to get it right sooner rather than later.

Still, at least he’s not afraid of making the big calls, dropping Andre Onana from his squad entirely this weekend. Sadly, his deputy didn’t cover himself in too much glory either.

Bayindir's performance vs Newcastle

Last week, goalkeeper Onana engaged in a war of words with former United star Nemanja Matic who was in the Lyon squad to face them in the Europa League on Thursday.

Matic noted that the Cameroon stopper was “the worst ‘keeper in Manchester United history” and to the script, Onana had a howler in France, spilling a ball from out wide into the net in the first half.

So, in a bid to take him out of the firing line, Amorim decided that Onana would not travel to the north east this weekend.

As a result, Turkish stopper Altay Bayindir stepped in to take the gloves. While he hasn’t been handed too many opportunities this term, he was the FA Cup hero when United beat Arsenal in the shoot-out back in January.

While he could have done little about three of the four Newcastle goals, scored by Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, he did make a mistake of his own.

Up to that point, it honestly hadn’t been a bad afternoon for Bayindir but his error, right when he needed to coast through a game unnoticed, will not have done him many favours.

Eddie Howe’s side were already 3-1 up at this point when the Turk inexplicably chipped the ball straight to Joelinton. The Brazilian lept high and headed it into the path of Guimaraes who wasn’t going to miss.

Speaking after the game, Amorim was asked what he said to the goalkeeper at full-time: “Nothing, I’m going to continue to do the same. We are going to analyse the game, but we need to focus on the next one. We cannot change this one.”

It was an error-filled game for United, with Noussair Mazraoui also at fault, slipping in the build-up to Barnes’ second goal and effectively handing them a second on a plate.

Still, at least they had their good moments. Bayindir, despite conceding four, was not at fault for any of the other goals.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

They weren’t the only two who deserve a bit of flack come full-time, however.

4/10 Man United star must be given the boot

While the defensive display left plenty to be desired, there were some positives from a United point of view, none more so than Alejandro Garnacho’s goal, fed nicely by a rampaging Diogo Dalot who looked in fine form moving forward.

There was also a first-team debut for 18-year-old Harry Amass, who in the words of Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst, ‘did not look remotely out of his depth.’

Luckhurst was not complimentary of everybody, however, notably Christian Eriksen. While he deemed Bayindir and Mazraoui worthy of 5/10 match ratings, their Danish teammate only picked up a 4/10 rating with the reporter noting that he was ‘often off the pace amid the intensity’ of the game at St James’ Park.

The fact of the matter is that Eriksen should not be starting for United on the best of days, let alone against a fast-paced Newcastle side.

The playmaker has been a wonderful servant to the Premier League, but it’s so obvious that his best days are behind him now. Indeed, writer Sam Pilger suggested that he “should be nowhere near the the starting line-up”, accusing the veteran of lacking “muscle and pace”.

Minutes played

90

Touches

54

Accurate passes

42/47 (89%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/1

Accurate long balls

1/2

Shots

0

Successful dribbles

0

Duels won

2/4

The Denmark international’s display was summed up by his involvement in the third goal, scored by Barnes.

While Mazraoui slipped, his teammates, notably Leny Yoro, Victor Lindelof and Eriksen, hardly did much to disrupt the Newcastle number 11 from bearing down on goal. Neither Yoro or Eriksen could get close enough to the Toon attacker who was allowed to just surge towards the goal with ease.

The Dane’s numbers were hardly very pretty either. He did complete 89% of his passes but did not have a shot, complete a key pass, register a dribble or make an interception, just to condemn his woes from a defensive point of view.

Ahead of a vital second leg against Lyon on Thursday, Amorim must ensure that the 33-year-old isn’t in his starting lineup.

A bigger talent than Cunha: Man Utd ready big bid to sign £42m "genius"

Man Utd could be plotting to sign an exciting alternative to Wolves’ Matheus Cunha

ByRobbie Walls Apr 13, 2025

MCC’s incoming president on the challenge of engaging with Tech Titans, and opening Lord’s up to state schools

Andrew Miller11-Nov-2025″For a lot of my life, I’ve been a little bit unsure about spending so much time thinking about sport,” says Ed Smith, the newly installed president of a 238-year-old sporting institution. “Is it disproportionate, should I do something else? Actually, the way things have gone in the last 15 years, I feel that sport really has never been more important, more useful, if that doesn’t sound too utilitarian.”There’s plenty to unpick in that soundbite from Smith, the former national selector whose latest role in cricket would appear to be rather more ceremonial in nature. After all, the list of his predecessors as MCC president reads like a print-out of Burke’s Peerage – among them, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who served two terms in 1949 and 1974. With the greatest respect to the status of Smith’s new office, utilitarian principles haven’t traditionally seemed like a key criterion at Lord’s.And yet, it’s hard to imagine many more fascinating years to be at the helm of Marylebone Cricket Club, the modernisation of which has been one of English cricket’s subplots for decades. The club’s reputation may have been built on exclusivity, but the current remit is to broaden its appeal – and 2026 promises progress on two distinct, but complementary, fronts.First, there are the implications of the Hundred equity sale. In commanding an astronomical valuation of £295 million, MCC’s co-owned franchise, London Spirit, has demonstrated – in stark, financial terms – the central importance of Lord’s to the whole edifice of English cricket. Without the history and prestige of its grandest ground, the sport in this country would be significantly diminished.At the opposite end of the pyramid, meanwhile, there is next year’s maiden staging of the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup, a newly conceived state-schools competition that will culminate in a Finals Day for boy’s and girl’s teams at Lord’s in September, and has already attracted entries from 1,084 teams across 750 schools, or one in five in the country.Smith served as England’s national selector from 2018 to 2021•Getty ImagesBetween these two apparent extremes sits Smith, with his remit to be a forward-facing, welcoming ambassador for the club – very much a non-executive, but a potentially crucial executor of MCC’s soft power, as it were.”I don’t like the word brand, but there is a brand power to Lord’s, and I would love that to be used for good and to widen access to cricket,” Smith tells ESPNcricinfo. “I’m very excited to do what I can do, and hopefully we can do a little bit of good in a year.”He pushes back at the suggestion that his role will mainly entail “pressing flesh” with the rich and famous who cross his path in the pavilion and president’s box. However, he doesn’t entirely dismiss the importance of his hosting role, particularly when it comes to engaging with the tech entrepreneurs who coughed up £145 million for their 49% share in London Spirit, and who are likely to pop along at some stage next summer to savour the spoils of their investment. To give him the credit that his intellectual reputation has earned, he potentially offers a higher-brow level of small talk than some of his forebears.”Yes, watching cricket at Lord’s with very interesting people is one of the things that happens in a president’s year,” he says. “People love coming to Lord’s – its draw has been clear in the partnership with the Tech Titans – so that’s not to be underestimated, even though there’s more to it than that.”Having spent a bit of time with some of them over the summer, I think they’re keen on winning and growing the franchise, and having some fun too. And there’s a fast-tracking potential here for some really exciting innovations, just because of the people involved and their opportunity to have a canvas.Related

England will miss Smith's defiant independence as he leaves selector role

The 'rationally irresistible' rise of Jos Buttler, T20 opener

MCC appoints Ed Smith as next president

Lord's to host annual Knight-Stokes Cup for state-school pupils

London Spirit investors believe Hundred can rival IPL

“It’s a really exciting partnership, but I’m just keen to get stuck in and do some hard graft behind the scenes, and not just on the major match days.”It’s clear, however, that Smith’s main passion for the coming year lies at the grassroots end of the club – in particular, making sure that the inaugural Knight-Stokes Cup is as much of a success as it needs to be.”I come from a family of teachers,” he says. “Both my grandfathers were state-school head teachers, and my mum’s dad founded a secondary modern school in 1953 outside Bristol. He’d lock his office door and go and roll the cricket square, because he believed you build a school’s community and identity through doing things together. Sport is one of, if not the pre-eminent, way of coming together as a community.”He accepts, however, that the world has moved on since the 1950s, and that harking back to times long gone is clearly not the way to resolve the disconnect that has opened up between the nation’s summer sport and its largest pools of future fans and players.”There are all sorts of ways in which teachers’ time has become precious,” Smith says. “Their roles have become much more regulated, what they do is much more scrutinised by the state. However, the need for them to do lots of different things hasn’t gone away, and amid the rise of smartphone addiction and social media, I think this is the moment for us to restate the case for sport in education.London Spirit was the most sought-after franchise in the Hundred equity sale•ECB/Getty Images”People being distracted is a commercial driver of a lot of modern life. Sport is a way that we can lose ourselves in play, while also pursuing mastery. Whether you end up being very good or no good at all doesn’t really matter. If you’re lost in doing something, and the concentration and the absorption that comes with that, then you’re probably going to get an awful lot out of it.”Smith has a vested interest in the debate, seeing as his own son and daughter, aged 12 and 9, are budding cricketers whose school was one of the first to sign up for the regional qualifiers.”It was great to see the excitement that comes from a good idea that’s been well launched,” he says. “To see that interest and excitement in young peoples’ faces at home on that first day was great, and shows what can be done.”Let’s be realistic. No one believes it’s the total solution to nurturing, reigniting and elevating cricket in state schools. There need to be other contributions from other perspectives, whether that’s the state, whether that’s the schools themselves, whether that’s counties running their pathways.”There’s lots of different pieces that have to come together if there’s going to be a real transformation. But this is a very good contribution, it’s a start that everyone at the MCC is really determined to build on, and I’ll be doing everything I can to support it this year.”It should be said, there has been a certain degree of revisionism regarding the origins of the Knight-Stokes Cup. From the outset last summer, and in subsequent communications from the club, the project has been framed as an MCC-led initiative when, in fact, the creation of a “national Under-15 state school finals’ day for boys and girls” was one of the specific recommendations of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), whose damning report in 2023 castigated English cricket in general, and MCC in particular, for institutional “sexism, classism and elitism”.Smith doesn’t dispute that the club is still playing catch-up in terms of its public image (he unapologetically ducks the thorny issue of Eton-Harrow, stating that it falls outside the remit of his one-year term). He does, however, point out that MCC has long had genuine advocates for state-school cricket among its leadership: most notably, Mark Nicholas, the club chair, and Lord King of Lothbury, his own predecessor as president.In 2005, those two (along with the former Worcestershire chair Duncan Fearnley) were co-founders of the charity Chance to Shine, which has taken cricket back into hundreds of primary schools in the intervening 20 years, and given a first taste of the sport to literally millions of pupils.

“Amid the rise of smartphone addiction and social media, I think this is the moment for us to restate the case for sport in education”Smith is an enthusiastic advocate of MCC’s new state-schools competition, the Knight-Stokes Cup

“There’s obviously a huge amount more for the game to do, I don’t think anyone doubts that,” Smith says, “but they’ve done so much to get cricket bats into the hands of boys and girls at a really young age, and help them fall in love with the game.”We often talk about sport at the sharp end – what it looks like by the time it’s very visible to us, and when it’s manifested as elite teams and national teams. But of course, all that relies on what happens beneath the waterline of the iceberg, and the health of the game more generally.”Some of that, Smith adds, was on display at the MCC Foundation’s national hubs final in September. It was the fifth such staging of a competition that attracted teams from 164 regional sites across the country, and for whom the prospect of competing at such a prestigious venue was a significant drawcard.”I attended the finals day at Lord’s with my family, and I was partly watching the cricket and partly watching the crowd,” he says. “Whether it was a player or a parent, or a sibling, or a supporter, I watched them file out of the ground, and I saw a lot of smiles on a lot of faces. Your expectation is that their love of cricket would be deeper and stronger after that day. That’s one of the things that Lord’s can do.”Plenty other issues will fall across Smith’s desk in the course of his presidency. In particular, there’s the juicy prospect of the maiden Hundred auction in March – an event that surely cannot help but whet the appetite of a former England selector? On the contrary, he’s keen to be respectful of his designated place within the club structure.”I’m very interested in recruitment and selection, but the people who are living it every day are the best in the business,” he says, deferring to London Spirit’s management duo of Mo Bobat and Andy Flower, who will take charge of all such matters. “I’ve got a lot going on, and hopefully I can add value as president, but in a good organisation, you want people to be given clear authority and role clarity about what they’re up to.”

He has been Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in 2023, but has just two wickets at an average of 63 so far this World Cup

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2023As Bangladesh gear up to face India in Pune in their fourth match of the 2023 World Cup, there are two things that they will be keenly looking at: what speeds Taskin Ahmed clocks, and what lengths he hits.With just two wickets in three games at an average of 63 and an economy rate of 6.30, Taskin has been completely off-colour so far in the World Cup. His pace has been down and his lengths short, an issue that has been recognised both by the team management and his bowling coaches.Arguably one of Bangladesh’s most improved bowlers in the last few years, Taskin has delivered with such consistency that the rest of the bowling attack – fast bowlers and spinners – has operated with a certain degree of comfort. But having started off the World Cup sedately, his fellow fast-bowling colleagues Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam have had to pick up the pace so to speak, while captain Shakib Al Hasan has provided most of the breakthroughs.Related

• Chandika Hathurusinghe hoping World Cup upsets inspire Bangladesh against 'scary' India

• Taskin: 'Whether I break or die, I'll wear the red-and-green jersey again'

• Bangladesh's Plan A(wry) – 'No excuses,' says shaken Taskin

• Inconsistent selection, lack of role clarity mar Bangladesh at World Cup

• Bangladesh hopeful of Shakib getting fit for India clash

Just the fact that Taskin hasn’t bowled his full quota of ten overs in any of the three matches comes as a surprise given his recent stature in the attack. He came into the World Cup as Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs in 2023, with 21 strikes in ten innings at 16.85 following up on a strong 2022 and 2021, where he was among the wickets consistently.Taskin’s importance to the national team can be underlined by the fact that the BCB, fearing any risk of injuries, denied him the NOC to participate in the IPL last year and two more T20 franchise tournaments this year.But things haven’t come together for the 28-year-old in the World Cup thus far. The key to that could be in his lengths. Before the start of the tournament, 60.47% of Taskin’s deliveries in the first powerplay in 2023 pitched outside off either on a length, short of a good length or on a full length. But in the World Cup, Taskin hasn’t bowled enough in the first powerplay, and in the little that he has, his short balls outside off stump have been dealt with easily.Khaled Mahmud, Bangladesh’s team director, said that they have had a discussion with Taskin regarding the drop in pace and the shortened lengths.Taskin Ahmed has managed just two wickets in three games so far this World Cup•Getty Images”We have spoken about it, and Taskin is already working on it,” Mahmud said. “It will be fixed. We have been telling him this. I have a video on the phone. I spoke to him, but Allan [Donald, the bowling coach] takes care of it. We had a plan to bowl short against some teams. But he will come back, I am sure. The pace too was down. I think there was a bit of overwork, so we have given them a break. We want them to come back refreshed.”When it comes to the game against India, Taskin should certainly avoid going short to Rohit Sharma. The India captain has already hammered five sixes against seven short balls in the World Cup, striking at over 400. And it is something Taskin knows all too well. Rohit has a strike rate of 200 against Taskin’s short deliveries in ODIs. However, the same set of data also shows that Rohit has a hard time getting Taskin away when the bowler sticks to length balls.Ultimately, it is any length that’s not too short where Taskin has usually succeeded. It is also true that Bangladesh targeted the Afghanistan batters with quick short balls in the first game, which ultimately helped Shoriful and Mustafizur. It wasn’t a tactic they used against England and New Zealand, though.Taskin’s most effective wicket-taking delivery since the start of 2021 has been the one that holds its length without any movement, bowled at times with the wobble seam. That delivery has fetched him 28 wickets at an average of 26.89, while the offcutter has given him ten wickets at 19.9 during the same period. But Taskin hasn’t been able to do much damage with either type of delivery in the World Cup.Taskin Ahmed has been Bangladesh’s most dependable bowler in 2023•Associated PressMahbub Ali Zaki, the fast-bowling coach who helped Taskin through two tough periods in the last seven years, said that he did notice the drop in pace, but expects Taskin to bounce back quickly.”I have been following Taskin, definitely,” Zaki said. “The pace seems to be slightly down. If you compare his bowling in the World Cup with the New Zealand series last year, I feel that the intent is missing. But when you have worked with a top-class player like Taskin, you will have the highest expectation. He will have his pace up. He will beat their bat. He will take wickets. That’s what we can expect from them.”Taskin’s previous experience with a drop in pace is not a happy one. Six years ago, during Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa, his speeds were consistently on the decline. It was quickly identified that he wasn’t fit enough, and then during the Nidahas Trophy a few months later, he ultimately lost his spot in the team. Lack of pace was again the problem, and it kept him out for around three years.Mahmud’s point that a bit of rest in Pune could recharge Taskin could be crucial. His coach Zaki also believes that “fatigue could be a factor” in his reduced pace. It is now up to Taskin to regather his wits and re-calibrate his bowling, for a lot of Bangladesh’s success hinges on how he goes.

Allrounder carries New Zealand to victory after years of near-misses and heartbreak

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Nov-20213:40

Jayawardene: Daryl Mitchell drank the magic potion

Jimmy Neesham’s first six is a mishit over the deep midwicket boundary. He’d come to the crease with his team needing 59 runs off 29 balls. He’d faced a wide first up; Liam Livingstone firing one down leg side. The next ball Neesham had tried to bash across the line, but managed only to get it as far as midwicket. A single. Even the wide and the single put together wasn’t much help. The required rate was over 14.

Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the USA. Match highlights of the first semi-final is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

The six at the start of the next over, though, provides some small squirt of hope. It isn’t a giant Livingstonesque hit. It isn’t a lusty Asif Ali blow. Chris Jordan misses his length a touch, and because Neesham swings at this with every molecule of his being in the direction he seems most comfortable swinging in, he hits it well enough to clear the midwicket boundary by five metres, even off the inside half of the bat.Relax, though. New Zealand still need 51 off 23.It wasn’t quite enough.

****

Lance Cairns hit one over the ropes one-handed. Brendon McCullum occasionally rolled towards point as he scooped balls over fine leg. But arguably the most iconic six in New Zealand’s modern history came in semi-final in 2015. Dale Steyn, one of the greatest cricketers ever to play, needed to defend five runs off two balls, and conceded a six against Grant Elliott, whose selection for that World Cup might fairly be described as one of New Zealand’s most unexpected payoffs.Perhaps Neesham should have been picked ahead of Elliott. But when Elliott hit that six, Neesham was ecstatic. “Holy f***** shitballs,” he had tweeted. “This is the best day of my life.” An allrounder who had taken his place, clinching a tight semi-final.Neesham himself, though, hadn’t been required in a World Cup campaign that players described as “the time of their life”.Related

• Neesham: 'You don't come halfway across the world just to win a semi-final'

• New Zealand always believed – Daryl Mitchell

• England's imbalance comes back to bite them at the death

• Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham pull off heist as New Zealand storm into final

He was a talented allrounder, having done well in Tests, plus having been impressive in limited-overs cricket.Much as Neesham promised at the time, though, he hadn’t done anything like Corey Anderson’s record-breaking ODI hundred.And for that reason, it seemed as if what Neesham offered – it wasn’t enough.

****

Neesham’s second big shot went in that arc between long-on and deep midwicket.Ben Stokes had once hit that boundary at Lord’s – remember? He’d hit a ball over wide long-on, and although the fielder Trent Boult had taken the catch, he’d touched the boundary with his boot.Pretty much the same thing here. Neesham had launched one over wide long-on, but although Bairstow took the catch, he touched the boundary before he flicked it back infield. When the replays are consulted, it’s clear it’s six.Jonny Bairstow’s knee touches the rope before he can flick it back in•Getty ImagesBut then, England are masters at the death.It wasn’t quite enough.

****

For followers of Neesham, these sixes over midwicket are not unfamiliar shots.In the climax of probably the best limited-overs game in history, he had swung in the same direction. On that occasion, it had been Jofra Archer, in the second (legitimate) ball of the Super Over, who missed his yorker slightly, Neesham stepping across the stumps, whipped it waaay over deep midwicket, deep into the stands. He brought his team’s required runs down to seven runs from four balls.He hit the next two balls for twos and then managed a single. But with two required off the last delivery, his partner Martin Guptill couldn’t quite get back for the second, and Jos Buttler took the bails off in one of modern cricket’s iconic plays.Neesham had claimed his team’s best figures of 3 for 43. He had been trusted to hit big in the Super Over, and had struck 13 off 5.But even though New Zealand didn’t clinch that World Cup. Neesham did plenty.Still, it wasn’t quite enough.

****

The third of Neesham’s sixes is the ugliest. He’s a leftie, and as such, has the match-up against Adil Rashid. He gets down on one knee and throws his entire life into a slog over midwicket. He connects and gets six. Nobody thinks this is a pretty shot. But also nobody cares.This is the last of Neesham’s big shots, though. He gets a single. And when he gets the strike later in this over, tries to hit an offside four, and gets out. By this stage, New Zealand need 20 off 12 balls.Ideally, Neesham would have hung around, hit another one of his big leg-side shots, and even perhaps scored the winning run. But then, for a player who had been through this much, this was asking a lot. When he’d arrived at the crease a New Zealand victory was barely conceivable. Through the course of his 11 balls at the crease, he’d swung the match definitively in New Zealand’s direction.There are two photographs doing the rounds on social media. One in which the entire New Zealand team are ecstatic, celebrating the win (Daryl Mitchell hit the winning runs) while Neesham is sat expressionless in his plastic chair, in front of the dugout.

Job finished? I don’t think so. https://t.co/uBCLLUuf6B

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 10, 2021