All posts by h716a5.icu

The fast bowler hit his stride in the Perth nets three days from the start of the Ashes

Vithushan Ehantharajah18-Nov-20257:21

Can Ollie Pope reward England’s faith?

Mark Wood’s chances of playing the first Test against Australia took a positive step forward on Tuesday with a 40-minute spell in the nets at Perth’s Optus Stadium, where the Ashes begins on Friday.Returning from a hamstring scare during the warm-up match against England Lions last week, Wood, left leg heavily strapped, watched on initially as England returned to training after a couple of days off. However, he was soon into meaningful work with the ball, with Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum taking a closer look at their prized asset from the standing umpire’s point-of-view.Related

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“He was absolutely rapid today, I can tell you that firsthand,” said Jamie Smith, who was one of the batters facing Wood. “He’s definitely one to avoid on the list. He’s near enough full tilt so it’s good signs for us.”England are expected to opt for an all-pace attack on a pitch regarded as one of the fastest in the world. They had their first look at the surface, which was watered yesterday, ahead of training.Wood is a key component of their plan, not just as the quickest in the touring party – and, perhaps, the circuit – but also as the only specialist bowler with previous Ashes tour experience. Wood was the standout quick during the 2021-22 series, taking 17 wickets at 26.64, with a number of batters he troubled still part of the current Australia side.Mark Wood steams in at training•Getty ImagesMuch will depend on how Wood pulls up on Wednesday, and whether he can get through another session later in the day. He has not played competitive cricket since February, spending the last nine months recovering from left knee surgery, having suffered a stress fracture of the right elbow in September 2024.Selecting Wood remains a risk, albeit one that will be cushioned among four other quicks, including Stokes, and with Jofra Archer able to provide further support on the express pace front. It is also a risk England are more than willing to take.The management were not overly worried when Wood left the field against the Lions with a tight hamstring after two four-over spells. The soft outfield at Lilac Hills contributed to that discomfort in what was Wood’s first bowl since England’s penultimate Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan, on February 26. And given the investment in Wood, which includes a three-year central contract with this Ashes in mind, there is a sense now is the time to cash in.Josh Tongue, the likely beneficiary if Wood is deemed unfit for selection, reiterated that sentiment: “It feels like if he’s good to go and the management feels he’s good to go, I don’t see why not.”

In an early blow for new manager Wilfried Nancy, Liverpool have now reportedly agreed terms to sign a young Celtic defender.

Nancy outlines "proactive" style as Celtic announce manager

Celtic took their time, but the Bhoys finally have their new manager in the form of Nancy. The Frenchman has arrived fresh from MLS side Columbus Crew and will be looking to pick up where interim boss Martin O’Neill left off. The 73-year-old took the Scottish giants from title despair back into the race with Hearts, but now it’s up to Nancy to complete the job.

Speaking to reporters after arriving, the new manager said: “I don’t consider myself as a boss. I am a leader. And for me the definition of a leader is create a good environment to help people express themselves. For me, that is so important. Because of my background, I was able to connect with people.

“My style of play is about the way I live. I like to be proactive in my life, I like to discover things. I also like to try things because the more you try things, the more you learn and the more you’re going to maximise your chance to have success in your life.

“We want to take care of the ball. The ball is the only tool in our life, without talking, that we can connect people. So can we use the ball to create emotions? Can we use the ball to score goals? Can we use the ball to have messages between us? So that’s why I want proactive football.”

Doak 2.0: Celtic lost "superstar" for £225k, now he's worth more than Engels

Celtic lost a young talent last year who is now valued at more than club-record signing Arne Engels.

1 ByDan Emery 6 days ago

Before the new manager’s even had the chance to look at emerging stars, however, he’s set to lose young defender Dara Jakiemi to Premier League giants Liverpool.

Liverpool agree terms to sign Jakiemi

As reported by The Secret Scout, Liverpool have now agreed terms to sign Jakiemi from Celtic. They described the 15-year-old defender as “aggressive” and there’s no doubt that he would have been one to watch in Scotland. Now, however, Nancy will seemingly never get the chance to work with him.

Whilst Jakiemi is one for the future, it still represents a frustrating blow for Celtic and shows where they’re at right now. Having lost the likes of Ben Doak in previous seasons to Liverpool, the last thing the Bhoys would have wanted is a repeat.

Nancy should be keen to turn towards the academy if given the chance, even if he is to lose one of his young defenders in the early stages of his tenure. An emerging star would, of course, save Celtic the desperate need of adding several January additions.

Celtic star with 'high ceiling' could be biggest winner of Nancy's arrival

In less than an hour’s play on an epic 25th morning, England and India’s series touched rare heights

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Aug-20255:16

Harmison: Siraj never looked like running out of steam

56 minutes of hell. 56 minutes of heaven.56 minutes of the wildest ride of your goddamn life. 56 minutes that will change you forever.It is enough time to move from the northern-most part of the Victoria Line to its lower reaches, brush shoulders as you walk up the escalator of Vauxhall Station and turn into the Harleyford Road to see the Kia Oval on the horizon. Enough time to find yourself a whole new world.Enough time to believe in new heroes. Enough time to laud old ones. Enough time to have your heart broken. Enough time to count yourself lucky that Test cricket, handed down by older generations more than it is ever picked up by newer ones, was handed to you.Related

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Siraj goes on and on and on, tired but undeterred

Enough time, on this rare occasion, to pick it up as a new convert. Because there would have been some in this pocket of south London who will have experienced Test cricket for the first time on Monday. Firstly, welcome. Usually, it lasts longer than this. And no, you will never see anything like this again.The very existence of List A and T20 cricket – and yes, the Hundred, which begins on Tuesday – comes from the idea that the longest format is too long, too convoluted, too inconvenient to really grab you. Who knew all it takes was a small taste of the hard stuff to grab you by the throat and stir your soul.This was 100% proof, undiluted, unhinged Test cricket. All you needed was a shot of 56 minutes. No human body, not even those reared on it, including those out there providing the action, could have dealt with much more.Day five at the Kia Oval was sold out well before this match threatened to spill over from Sunday’s longer-form chaos. The gripping finale of the third Test, on the other side of the river at Lord’s, had resulted in Surrey selling over 5000 day five tickets in 24 hours. Eventually, 17,545 punters had what, unbeknownst to them, would prove to be the most golden of tickets.At only £25 a pop for adults (20 for members) and £1 for kids, it was a sound investment given that refunds would be given if the day saw no play. Rarely has just 8.5 overs felt like a steal.The Indian team celebrates their Oval win•Associated PressSuch pricing usually brings a different kind of crowd to the first four days – especially at Lord’s – but, down at The Oval, the mix of English and Indian fans was as it had been throughout the match already. The state of the game, however, created a more feverish atmosphere, making this bowl ground feel taller and deeper, and even more self-contained. For 56 minutes, there was no outside world, for the outside world was every bit as transfixed with what was going on in here. Even the construction on the new apartment blocks in the old Gasholders ground to a halt.The clamour as the players entered the field was louder than it had been all match. The English roars when Jamie Overton pulled the first ball for four were more guttural. The Indian jubilation when victory was sealed in Mohammed Siraj’s 186th over of the series came crashing back and forth like Atlantic-sized waves in a goldfish bowl.The overnight break helped add to the tumult, even amid the fury of Sunday’s hastily called stumps, though an extra night’s sleep brought anything but. A new day’s new opportunity was now riddled with even more jeopardy.How on earth did 35 more runs turn into the impossible job when 301 of the 374 had been cleared with such ease? Since when has getting through a tail that includes a man with only one functioning arm come replete with truly eternal legacy-making rewards and, thus, incomprehensible pressure?There were simpler questions, too. Who wanted it? And the one we were all asking ourselves – who could bear it?Gus Atkinson loses his off stump as India seal their narrowest Test win•Getty ImagesA familiar trope of Test cricket is that, at its best, it is a universal force. Happening to people, beyond their control and comprehension.But that does a disservice to the protagonists. To Joe Root and Harry Brook, who dragged this fourth innings into legendary territory. And, finally, Siraj, who had bowled on 18 of the 25 days of these five Tests, sending down 50 or more balls on 12 of them. And his 1122nd delivery (including extra balls), sent down with as much vigour as the previous 1121, was his fifth-fastest of them all at 89mph/143kph. And the one that will live forever.Moments like these always give you heroes. But they also give you kindred spirits. Those you are drawn to as much for their heroics as their fallibility.Akash Deep, face down in the green beyond the boundary at midwicket, palms still stinging from Gus Atkinson’s heave to cow, wondering if he’d be to blame for an impending loss. Dhruv Jurel wanting that same turf to swallow him as Siraj and Shubman Gill berated him for missing the stumps with an underarm that would have sealed the match. His shot at immortality scuttled a yard past the striker’s stumps.1:15

Monga: India’s series was all about Mohammed Siraj

Atkinson crestfallen, one hit away from a tie that would have given England the series win, doubled over, smelling the earth where his off stump used to be. A lionhearted Chris Woakes, dislocated left shoulder strapped to his torso, secured by a sleeveless jumper, arm guard on his “wrong” side with a view to batting southpaw.Even umpire Ahsan Raza, assuming the role of good Samaritan, helping the infirm Woakes readjust himself after sprinting the bye Jurel failed to prevent, a moment that left his left arm loose despite all the binding.And hey, let’s hear it for the Dukes ball. Pilloried for the last seven weeks but thriving in its final 85.1 overs of the English Test summer.Was 2-2 a fair result? On balance, yes. But England’s failure to punch their card for a hat-trick of 370-plus chases against India should be regarded as a misstep from 301 for 3 and 332 for 4.That only enhances India’s feat in squaring the series, even if they will depart a long tour with issues of their own. Selection decisions remain inconsistent, and their batting needs to take cues from their bowling when it comes to getting a grip of sessions that are turning against them.1:50

Miller: Bazball’s legacy in danger without wins

With the best will in the world, who cares about any of that right now? As both sets of players reflected on how such a hard-fought series could reach such a climax, they would do well to appreciate how lucky they were, too.Test cricket has been going on for almost 150 years, and we were still treated to a one-of-a-kind finish. And perhaps more importantly, at a time when other Test-playing nations are unwelcome and unable to participate in series that allow such fairytales, both sides should count themselves lucky. Lucky to play regularly in a format that can lift you to higher plains. Lucky to afford to do it.As it happens, Monday was the 20-year anniversary of the start of the 2005 Edgbaston Test between England and Australia. A Test that, ultimately, defines an Ashes series regarded as the greatest ever.That two-run victory was England’s slimmest margin. Here in 2025, India bagged theirs, by six. Maybe the universe is up to something.Many have wondered throughout these five Tests if the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy could rival 2005’s offerings. In these 56 minutes, it did.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has enjoyed a perfect start to life in the Scottish Premiership, with three wins in his first three matches in charge.

The Light Blues had only won one of their first eight games in the division under Russell Martin and Stevie Smith, which is why the German manager’s fast start is particularly impressive.

Rohl has already showcased his pragmatism and adaptability with formation changes through all three matches, playing variations of a 3-4-2-1, a 3-4-3, and a 4-2-3-1.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will surely have been pleased with his side’s performance in their last game before the international break, as they won 3-0 against Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday.

Rangers head into the international break on a high, possibly for the first time this season, and they will be looking to continue their strong form against Livingston at Ibrox next week.

The German manager’s arrival at Ibrox has been a breath of fresh air in recent weeks, and it is clear to see that several players have benefitted from his appointment.

The Rangers players who have benefitted most from Danny Rohl's appointment

One of the players who has benefitted the most from Rohl joining the club is Brazilian forward, Danilo, who had fallen out of favour under the previous management team.

The Brazilian striker played one game, against Sturm Graz in the Europa League, between August and Martin’s exit last month, yet has featured in all six of the games under Rohl.

Danilo has scored two goals in three Premiership matches under the German head coach, which shows that he is thriving in the new system and is trusted by the manager.

Possibly the most obvious player to benefit from the change in management is Nicolas Raskin, who was dropped from the squad for several games during Martin’s tenure. The midfielder even said that his future at Ibrox depended on the “coach” during the September international break.

The Belgium international has featured in every match under Rohl so far and scored his first goal in the Premiership so far this season with a header against Dundee.

Minutes

90

Goals

1

Key passes

2

Pass accuracy

93%

Dribble success rate

100%

Tackle success rate

100%

Ground duels won

7/12

Interceptions

2

Dribbled past

0x

As you can see in the table above, Raskin put in a brilliant all-round performance at Dens Park, as he showcased his qualities in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

The Belgian star’s quality on the ball was on full display, whilst he was also impressive physically out of possession as a defensive force, which is why he is such a key player for the Gers when at his best.

It is fair to say that Danilo and Raskin are two of the players who have benefitted the most from the change in manager and change in style of play, given their respective situations under Martin and how important they have been to Rohl in his first six matches in the dugout.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, there is still time for the German boss to assess the squad and the upcoming international break will be his first chance to take some time and look deeper into the team and the academy, to see what he has to work with for the rest of the campaign.

With this in mind, the former Sheffield Wednesday tactician should look to reward Clinton Nsiala with a chance to impress after the break, after the central defender did not get a look-in under Martin.

How Danny Rohl can unearth his own Virgil van Dijk for Rangers

Rangers swooped to sign the French centre-back from AC Milan in the summer of 2024 after his contract at the San Siro came to an end, and he was given some opportunities by Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson.

The left-footed star played 13 times in all competitions for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign, along with four appearances in the Trust Trophy for the B team, per Transfermarkt.

Nsiala also scored the first senior goal of his career against Fraserburgh in the SFA Cup at the start of the year, which was his only goal in those 13 appearances last term.

Unfortunately, though, the central defender has not played a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, as Martin decided to leave him out of the squad for all of his matches in charge, per Transfermarkt.

Nsiala was in first-team training ahead of Rohl’s first game against Brann, though, which suggests that he is still around the group and available to be considered for selection.

Last season, Rangers winger Ross McCausland, who left on loan this summer, described the French colossus as a “a left-footed Van Dijk”, which was considerable praise, as the former Celtic centre-back has won the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool, the club he now captains.

In the 2024/25 campaign, Nsiala played 11 times in the Premiership for the Light Blues and helped the team to enjoy a fairly impressive run of form in those matches.

Dundee

1-1 draw

St Johnstone

3-1 win

Aberdeen

3-0 win

Dundee United

3-1 win

Ross County

4-0 win

Hearts

3-1 win

St Mirren

2-0 loss

Kilmarnock

4-2 win

Celtic

3-2 win

Aberdeen

2-2 draw

St Mirren

2-2 draw

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old talent has only lost one of his 11 appearances in the Premiership to date, winning seven, whilst the Gers only won one of the seven league games they played under Martin before his exit last month.

That is not to say that all of those results were down to Nsiala’s performances, of course, but it does show that he can be a key part of a team that wins week-in-week-out in the league, as he started ten of those 11 games.

The French star, who won 52% of his aerial duels in his 11 league outings (Sofascore), is a young player who has shown potential in a Rangers shirt, which is why Rohl should consider unleashing him as his own left-footed van Dijk.

Nsiala could come in as an alternative to Derek Cornelius, who came off on Sunday with a knock, as a natural left-sided centre-back. Nasser Djiga and John Souttar are both right-footed defenders who are better suited on their natural side, which is why it could make sense to bring the ex-Milan ace in if Cornelius misses any matches through injury.

Move over Moore: Rangers star proved why he's their "best player" vs Dundee

Rangers demolished Dundee 3-0 at Dens on Sunday and Danny Röhl’s “sensational” star was as key as Mikey Moore in this Scottish Premiership victory.

ByBen Gray Nov 9, 2025

The left-footed brute was forgotten about by Martin, given his complete lack of minutes, but Rohl still has the chance to bring him into the fold after the international break.

“You’ve got to have a bit of trust in what you’re trying to do,” Smith says after scoring his 34th Test century on a heady day for Australia

Alex Malcolm27-Dec-2024Just before Steven Smith raised his arms to celebrate his 34th Test century, there was a little knowing nod to the dressing room.It wasn’t the release of emotion that erupted from him after his drought-breaking century at the Gabba. The running joke within the Australia team at the start of each summer is that Smith has found his hands again. This nod suggested he had found something else, his old self.His 140 against India at the MCG was the closest Smith has resembled to the run-making machine he once was. The movement patterns, the scoring shots, the defensive strokes, the calmness and the ease of his accumulation all looked familiar. There was an air of inevitability about his century. It was a matter of when, not if, as it had been so often in the past.Related

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The nod was telling when juxtaposed with Smith shaking his head as he walked off Adelaide Oval three weeks ago, having been strangled down the leg side for 2.Then, he wore the look of a man bereft of answers, exasperated to the point of exhaustion that he could not find his old self. He was averaging 23.20 for the calendar year at that point and 10 in his last seven Test innings. The move back to No. 4 had yielded scores of 0, 17 and 2. Ten-thousand Test match runs was only 296 away but it was starting to feel like a matter of if rather than when.Three hits later, there was a moment at the MCG where he looked like he might get there before tea, until he was bizarrely bowled 51 runs short of the milestone after scoring a second century in as many Tests.”You’ve got to have faith,” Smith said after play. “You’ve got to have a bit of trust in what you’re trying to do. I’ve played the game for long enough now to know that you can have your ups and downs. Sometimes you can be hitting the ball really nicely, which, I think I said when I wasn’t scoring the runs, I actually felt like I was batting pretty well. And there’s a difference, I think, between being out of form and out of runs.”I think you need a lot of luck on these wickets to get big runs as well.”Australia will be grateful Smith has found his old self again. It may be a fleeting plateau amid a gradual decline. It could also be a regression, as he would hope, in the opposite direction back towards his extraordinary mean.As always with Steven Smith, it didn’t always look orthodox, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?•Getty ImagesBut it comes as Australia have found a functioning batting order. That too may be fleeting. It also could be because the MCG pitch has finally given the batters some grace.”This one’s probably offering a little bit less perhaps, than some of the others,” Smith said. “That’s probably more the ball getting a little bit softer quicker than the other wickets, but yeah, there’s certainly still something on offer”Coincidentally, the order has functioned as a collective for the first time in a long time. Sam Konstas’ extraordinary and chaotic innings dragged Australia’s struggling top-order in its slipstream. Each of the top four passed 50 for the first time in 28 Test matches. Smith walked out to bat in the 45th over, the first time he had faced his first ball as deep into an innings in 32 walks to the crease, during which time he had averaged 36.32.Australia piled up 474 without the need for an exceptional rearguard from Travis Head or Mitchell Marsh, who contributed just four runs between them.And apart from finding his old self, Smith found a rare ally at No. 8. Pat Cummins made an excellent 49 in a stand of 112 with Smith. It was the highest score by an Australia bowler at No. 8 in six years. Only Alex Carey has reached 50 batting in that position in that time due to a nightwatcher dropping him down one spot.

“I thought Patty played really nicely, really good, positive intent,. We were able to get a nice partnership together and sort of take a bit of a momentum of the game from that point”Steven Smith on the partnership with Pat Cummins

Cummins has been a clutch contributor for Australia with the bat in the last 18 months. But his heroics at Edgbaston, Brisbane and Christchurch had all come at No. 9. For all the talent that he and Mitchell Starc possess with the bat, they both average 14 at No. 8 in Test cricket. It is the reason they have switched positions as often as they have. Cummins has repeatedly spoken about how little batting positions matter when talking about his top order, yet it seems to matter a great deal to him and Starc as both have declared a preference to bat at No. 9.Of the 18 players to have batted at No. 8 more than 25 times since Cummins’ Test debut in 2011, only New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell has a worse average than Cummins and Starc.Starc averaged 25.40 in his first 18 innings in the position but has averaged 9.33 in his last 34 since 2017, hence Cummins has taken the role this summer.Getting such poor contributions from No. 8 has meant Australia’s batters have not been able to form lower-order partnerships. In the last ten years, Australia had only four century stands for the seventh wicket or lower. Only Ireland and Afghanistan have had fewer.Steven Smith and Pat Cummins put together a century partnership for the seventh wicket•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesBut Cummins, like Smith, looked as comfortable as he had all series. Like the top-order batters, he has been tormented by Jasprit Bumrah. In his career, Cummins had been dismissed by Bumrah eight times for just 45 runs at an average of 15.75 deliveries per dismissal. Having entered against the second new ball on the first evening at 299 for 6, and then faced Bumrah again on the second morning, he was able to survive 20 balls against him without being dismissed.Smith and Cummins then attacked at the other end. They rattled along at five-an-over to grind India down. Smith got inside the line and hooked two balls for six, including one of Bumrah. Cummins stayed leg side and carved balls either side of point.”I thought Patty played really nicely, really good, positive intent,” Smith said. “We were able to get a nice partnership together and sort of take a bit of a momentum of the game from that point.”They needed the stand. Without it, a score under 350 would have looked vulnerable on a surface that became splendid to bat on in the afternoon. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli were made Australia’s attack look toothless for significant period in the afternoon. But the scoreboard pressure they had created with that first innings total played a part as India imploded late via a calamitous run-out and another special MCG spell from Scott Boland.”We’ve posted a nice score and we’re in good spot,” Smith said with another knowing nod. “That last hour, that was a big last hour in the game.”

The Baltimore Orioles' match-up against the New York Mets on Thursday included a bit of pregame entertainment that admittedly wasn't for everybody.

Electronic musician Dan Deacon performed his unique rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Camden Yards which, well… you can listen to below. Deacon, who has been meandering down his own psychedelic-esque path of music since the early 2000s, created a kooky, experimental piece that deviated from what one might expect for a standard national anthem performance and immediately elicited polarizing reactions from MLB fans.

Some called it bizarre. Others called it genius. One fan shared a video of Deacon's performance and wrote in the caption, "I think the Orioles have officially hit rock bottom."

That prompted plenty of people on social media to come to Deacon's defense, declaring that the Baltimore-based electronic composer is a legend in his own right. Judge it for yourself:

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was visibly taken aback when a journalist praised him for the work he is doing at Premier League-chasing Coventry City. The former England international took over the Sky Blues just under a year ago when they were hovering above the Championship relegation zone; but now, they are top of the division. And when it was put to him what a great job he was doing, Lampard was touched.

Lampard moving on from Chelsea failure

When former Manchester City man Lampard was sworn in at Coventry nearly a year ago, he had a point to prove. Not only because his last managerial stint as Chelsea's caretaker manager was a disaster but his predecessor, Mark Robins, was a very popular figure at Coventry Building Society Arena, having earned them two promotions from League Two, guided them to EFL Trophy success, and led them to an FA Cup semi-final and a Championship play-off final. Now that they are top of the Championship under Lampard, talkSPORT reporter and Coventry fan Anil Kandola took the time to express his gratitude to the ex-Chelsea midfielder.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLampard having 'special' impact at Coventry

Kandola told Lampard – who nearly led Derby County to the Premier League in 2019, only to lose in the final to Aston Villa – that the impact he has had on Coventry is like nothing he has ever seen before. He also complimented him for igniting the same passion that Robins showed at the club. 

He said: "My final point is not a question, it's more of a thank you. So obviously you won't know, but I'm actually from Coventry, so I can see probably a lot more than you do in terms of the impact it has in the pubs and the bars everywhere across this city. The impact you’ve had on this team Frank is something I’ve never seen before. The way that this crowd here, on the road and in the pubs, It’s truly special what you’ve created here. Mark Robins, he was so loved before you came in here, and there was a real hesitation, not just from you, your perspective, but just in general, can they really ignite that passion and the love for the game? And you've done that in abundance, so thank you so much for what you've done and best of luck for the rest of the season."

Coventry leading the way

Coventry are top of the Championship with 31 points after 14 games. They hold a four-point lead over second-placed Stoke City and have lost just once this season. Lampard has got Sky Blues fans dreaming of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2001, and it seems he believes as well. 

He replied: "Well, thank you, and that's an amazing thing that you said there. I'm not stupid. I know we've got some results and we're in a better position now, and I realise that fans are happy with that. But when you say that personally, you talk about pubs and around the city or whatever it is, travelling to games in our bubble sometimes you miss that. You just try and strive to win every game that you possibly can. So when you say that and it feels as big as that, then I really appreciate it and I'll keep trying to keep you happy and try to do the right thing."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Coventry?

Coventry, who made it to the Championship play-offs last season before losing to eventual winners Sunderland in the semi-finals, face, arguably, their biggest test of the season when they travel to second-placed Stoke on Saturday in a top-of-the-table clash. If they can come through that unscathed, the Sky Blues may believe the promised land of the Premier League is within their grasp. If they did that, it would be a remarkable turnaround from being in League Two just seven years ago. However, there is still a very long way to go.

After a season with Kerala, the allrounder is back at Karnataka and is geared up to make an impact

Shashank Kishore05-Nov-2024At 31, Shreyas Gopal believes he’s at his bowling peak. Glimpses of this were evident last week when he single-handedly delivered Karnataka’s first win of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, against Bihar.Sure, the opponents weren’t the most-fancied, but with two set batters – Babul Kumar and Sakibul Gani – having put together a century stand on the final day, Karnataka were running out of time. But when Mayank Agarwal, the captain, threw the ball to Shreyas in a last-ditch effort to salvage something, the tide turned.Shreyas picked up four wickets in a hurry as Bihar lost 8 for 76 to set up a 69-run target, which Karnataka achieved easily under fading light. Shreyas finished with a match haul of 8 for 98.Related

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For Shreyas, who is seven short of 250 first-class wickets, creating an impact and delivering under pressure has been a prime focus. This performance must have underlined those attributes.With K Gowtham not in the reckoning, Vidwath Kaverappa injured, and Prasidh Krishna with India A in Australia, the timing of Shreyas’ performance couldn’t have been better.”I’m delighted to be back where I belong,” he says. “Last year I went to Kerala only because I was guaranteed to start across all formats. Towards the end of my first Karnataka stint, I wasn’t getting chances consistently across formats. I had lost my IPL contract as well [in 2023].”Shreyas didn’t perform all that badly for Kerala. During the 2023-24 Ranji season, he picked up 16 wickets in six games, and hit one century and one half-century in his 272 runs, largely in the lower middle order.His white-ball numbers were a lot better. At the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he picked up 12 wickets in eight games at an economy of 4.96, while at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, he picked up 12 wickets in seven games at an economy of 7.66.

“[Chahal] is one of my favourite bowlers currently and there’s no shame in saying that. The way he uses his variations and when he uses them is really phenomenal”

Those performances went a long way in Mumbai Indians picking him for the IPL. But with Piyush Chawla preferred as their No. 1 Indian spinner, Shreyas played just three games. Yet, the confidence from his domestic season was reassuring.”Those innings and wickets gave me that confidence,” Shreyas says. “I want to try and set that bar as high as possible and give it to the next generation to take over. My whole thing is to do as well as I can [once again for Karnataka].”Over the years, Shreyas has enjoyed learning his craft. In this journey of self-discovery, he has had a number of fruitful conversations with Yuzvendra Chahal. “He is one of my favourite bowlers currently and there’s no shame in saying that,” Shreyas says. “The way he uses his variations and when he uses them is really phenomenal.”The one thing they share in common is the love for bowling at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the key to success is “overcoming fear of being hit” as much as it is about consistency and variations.”It’s always difficult to bowl here,” Shreyas explains. “But again, if you keep saying ‘difficult, difficult’ when you get the ball, you’re not helping matters. You have no choice but to bowl here. You have to try and look at the conditions. There has to be something in it that you can try and extract.”Whether it is angles, whether it is the wind, whether it is the longer boundary, whether it is speed or trajectory – anything. You have to try and evolve. I’ve focused on that over the years.”Shreyas believes he is a lot more mature and calmer to take setbacks in his stride now, like missing an IPL season or not being an all-format regular for Karnataka previously. He wants to channel this maturity now.”A 20-year-old version of myself wouldn’t have this experience,” he says. “The first few games of my IPL, even in the odd game, when I got taken for a few runs, it used to really affect me a lot more.”But it takes a lot of bowling and a lot of matches, whether it is IPL, SMAT, Ranji, India A – it takes a lot of games to be able to come to a stage where you’re like, this has happened, these are my learnings, and I take this from here and I ensure I don’t keep making the same mistakes.”Shreyas Gopal has six hundreds in first-class cricket•PTI While continuing to evolve as a bowler, Shreyas has also fine-tuned his batting. Six first-class hundreds and nearly 3500 runs are the proof. Much of these have been in the company of the lower order, because he has primarily batted at No. 6-7, unlike in age-group cricket where he was a top-order batter.”Very honestly, when I was in my early 20s, there were a couple of years where I didn’t do very well with the bat,” he says. “So, it kind of took away a little bit of confidence. But then, you do realise that you have scored so many runs for a reason and there has to be a way to come out of it. And it’s probably just bad form.”It’s something that you’ve not dealt with, or you’ve not thought about it. So I did start putting a lot of thought in it in the last five-six years about my batting. I wanted to take it to the next level. I wanted to win matches with the bat as well. I was winning matches with the ball.”I’m glad that in the last few years, I’ve been able to do that. And, you know, I’m very happy sometimes when people ask me, are you a bowler who can bat or a batsman who can bowl that? I still want to be someone that when I walk into bat, they’re like, this guy can score a lot of runs.”Looking ahead, Shreyas realises India could be amid a spin transition at some point in the immediate future. And he wants to put his hand up to join what seems like a long queue already, with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Saurabh Kumar and Manav Suthar in it.Shreyas is focused on impact performances – like the one he came up with in Patna – rather than setting any numbers.”It’s about creating an impact, adding value, whether it’s a four-wicket haul instead of five, or a 60 on a tough track instead of 120 on a flat track. If I can do these consistently and we win, I’ll automatically put my hand up to be noticed.”That’s what I want to do. Help the team win titles, like we did when I first came into the team.”

Kellaway, Crane claim three wickets apiece as Lancashire’s slim hopes unravel

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Aug-2025 Glamorgan 261 and 348 for 7 dec (Northeast 132, Carlson 108) beat Lancashire 137 and 318 (Wells 102, Harris 61) by 154 runs Glamorgan extinguished any hope of a record-breaking run-chase from Lancashire as they wrapped up a vital 154-run victory at Emirates Old Trafford which keeps them on course for promotion from Rothesay County Championship Division Two.After a delay for rain, in which 20 overs were lost, the hosts were faced with scoring 247 runs with five wickets in hand off the 76 remaining overs but with Marcus Harris at the crease accompanied by nightwatchman Tom Bailey, the Red Rose still held ambitions that a win could be salvaged from a game in which they had been dismissed for 137 in their first innings.It took just 45 minutes before lunch for Glamorgan to make huge strides towards the victory with Bailey bowled by a brilliant Asitha Fernando inswinging yorker for 16 to make it 259 for 6, with all-rounder Chris Green following 18 balls later, top edging a sweep to Kiran Carlson off Ben Kellaway for 9 to leave the score 270 for 7.With Harris remaining, Lancashire still harboured a glimmer of a chance, and the Australian reached a battling half-century off 89 balls. But when Harris was out for 61, caught at short leg by Carlson off the impressive Mason Crane, the game was well and truly up, with Tom Hartley and George Balderson left with an almost impossible task.Hartley, who had scored his maiden first class century in the previous match, could not repeat his heroics and was out bowled Kellaway, who finished with 3 for 82, for 5, to leave skipper James Anderson joining Balderson in the middle.The England bowling great brought out a few trademark reverse sweeps to elongate proceedings with Balderson also swinging his bat to good effect as the last pair put on 25 for the final wicket.The final act came at around 2.20pm when Anderson missed a sweep to hand Crane his third wicket of innings to finish with match figures of 9 for 126 and leave Glamorgan celebrating a first win at Emirates Old Trafford since 1993.For Lancashire it is a defeat which sees them further adrift in the Division Two promotion race with the result leaving the Red Rose 38 points behind a gleeful Glamorgan with three games remaining.

Fran Jonas is a notable omission from the squad which will lean heavily on the experience of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2025Allrounder Flora Devonshire, who is uncapped at ODI level, has been included in New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming women’s ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.Polly Inglis, Bella James and Bree Illing, who have just eight ODIs between them, have also been included for their first World Cup campaigns.Devonshire, a 22-year-old left-arm spinner, made her T20I debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year and was part of the New Zealand A tour of England in June and July. Her inclusion in the 15-player squad meant that fellow left-arm spinner Fran Jonas, who has 26 ODIs to her name, was a notable omission.Related

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“It’s never easy when you have multiple players pushing for the same spot and that of course made for some tough selection calls,” head coach Ben Sawyer said. “Having to leave out the likes of Fran in favour of Flora was a tough decision. We know Fran is a quality player and at 21 we believe she still has her best years in front of her.”Left-arm seamer Illing took four wickets in her first ODI series against Sri Lanka, while James made her ODI debut against Australia late last year. Inglis, who hit an unbeaten 34 off 21 balls in her second outing against Sri Lanka in March, will also provide wicketkeeping back-up to first-choice Izzy Gaze.”I’d like to especially acknowledge the four players set for their first World Cup – they’ve all earned this opportunity and I’m excited to see what impact they can have on the tournament,” Sawyer said. “I’m really pleased with the balance of the squad. I think we’ve got the right mix to tackle what we’ll come up against in terms of conditions and opposition.””Bree puts batters under pressure early with her swing and has great ability with the new ball. Her and Flora have both shown they can consistently bring the stumps into play, which will be effective in the conditions we’re going to face.”Flora’s got an attacking mind and skillset with the bat, which is valuable down the order. Bella’s a versatile batter who can hit 360 degrees around the ground and can bat in most places in the line up.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Polly gives us another option with the gloves within the squad, and she possesses great grit and determination, which are qualities that will be important in trying conditions.”The experienced core of the squad includes captain Sophie Devine, who will retire from ODI cricket after the World Cup, Suzie Bates, Lea Tahuhu, Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr.”I can honestly say that in the four world events I’ve been part of with this group, we are the best prepared we’ve ever been,” Sawyer said. “Having no international cricket in our calendar since April has given us the ability to work really hard on our physical skills in particular, which is something that could be the difference in India.”The squad leaves for the UAE on September 13 for a pre-tournament camp, which includes two warm-up matches against England, before heading to India. Their opening World Cup match is against Australia on October 1 in Indore.New Zealand for Women’s ODI World CupSophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu