Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur now face stiff competition from a rival Premier League side in the race for a “playmaker”, according to a report, with Thomas Frank looking to reinforce his squad in a few key areas ahead of his first full season in charge.

Tottenham may hijack Nottingham Forest bid for "unbelievable" £50m forward

Spurs are in the race for a major Nottingham Forest target…

ByDominic Lund Jul 13, 2025

Spurs have made a splash in the summer market already with their £55 million deal for winger Mohammed Kudus, which ended a 14-year unofficial transfer embargo between West Ham and their London rivals.

Kudus has been pictured in Lilywhites training as the club prepare for their first pre-season game of the summer against Reading this weekend, with the Ghanaian joining Mathys Tel and Kota Takai as Daniel Levy’s first three official signings of the summer.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

In an ideal world, Kudus would’ve been joined at Hotspur Way by Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, who was expected to undergo a medical last Friday before a £60 million switch from the City Ground.

However, in a very unexpected turn of events, the Englishman’s transfer is being significantly delayed, with Forest taking legal action over what they believe was an illegal approach from Tottenham for their star attacker, as first reported by Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett.

That being said, some confidence remains that Gibbs-White will eventually seal a move to Spurs (Alasdair Gold), so their potential £115 million double-swoop for the 25-year-old and Kudus is still alive.

Forest are complaining to the Premier League, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side raising concerns over how Spurs became aware of ‘confidential details’ in his contract (Standard Sport).

Interestingly, Forest are “adamant” that Gibbs-White is not for sale (Sky Sports), but Spurs are still hopeful of doing the deal.

As Spurs wait for the green-light to sign-off on Gibbs-White’s transfer, they do have their eyes on other transfer targets, with Levy reportedly after a holding midfielder and a number six as well (TBR Football).

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported last week that Tottenham have held talks with £138,000-per-week Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz’s representatives, and the Old Lady will allow him to leave Turin this summer after a lacklustre debut campaign in Serie A.

Everton threaten to hijack alleged Tottenham talks with Douglas Luiz

Now, according to Calciomercato, Spurs may not have a free run at signing the Brazilian, with Everton threatening a move of their own.

The Italian news outlet states that Everton are ready to bid for Luiz after his alleged talks with Tottenham, and the Toffees have initiated club-to-club discussions as they attempt to back manager David Moyes for his first full season back on Merseyside.

Juve want around £35 million to part company with Luiz, and will not entertain any form of loan, as Igor Tudor’s side seek to sell him immediately and reinvest that money in their own summer recruitment drive.

Aston Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, tipped him to kickstart his career at Juve earlier this year, but it appears the South American could seal a quick-fire return to England instead.

“He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player,” said Monchi about Luiz to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“There are guys who arrive and impose themselves, others who need time. Patience is needed, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. He will become important for Juve.

“He’s a playmaker and every ball that comes out of his feet has a meaning: last year he played 90% of the games with us. He was decisive.”

Aston Villa are beginning to step up their hunt for fresh faces and have now submitted an offer for a defender viewed internally as a “top prospect” among club officials, according to David Ornstein.

Aston Villa in the market for first-team additions

Making a low-key start to the window, the Villans have brought in Yasin Ozcan, Marco Bizot, Zepiqueno Redmond, and Modou Keba Cisse to firm up their squad ahead of the new campaign.

Admittedly, most of the men in question are likely to be fringe players or developmental additions, which has only served to further supporters’ appetite for senior arrivals that will make an immediate impact on first-team affairs.

Nevertheless, new Aston Villa signing Cisse believes Unai Emery’s side are on the rise after completing a £4 million move from LASK, stating: “It is with great pride that I’ve signed for Aston Villa. I’m truly grateful for the trust the people at the club have shown in me.

“This moment marks an important step in my career, but above all, I’m aware that everything still needs to be built. Expectations will be high. Not everyone gets the chance to sign for a Premier League club.”

He is set to spend this term on loan in Austria. In other news, Aston Villa are said to be racing Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Mika Biereth in light of his excellent form at AS Monaco.

Related £70m star open to Aston Villa move, he's "heard good things" about Emery

The Villans have been handed a boost in their pursuit of a forward.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 22, 2025

Spanish coach Emery knows what it takes to secure an impressive Premier League finish. Therefore, his mission in the Midlands will be to secure individuals who move the needle alongside buying prospects. He could now be about to combine both factors if reports are to be believed.

Aston Villa submit offer to sign Toulouse defender Jaydee Canvot

According to David Ornstein, Aston Villa have submitted an offer to sign Toulouse defender Jaydee Canvot, who is viewed as a ‘top prospect’ by the club and is also attracting interest from an array of suitors.

While their bid hasn’t yet been accepted, the Villans appear to have stepped up their initial interest in Canvot amid previous reports they are looking to fend off competition for the £17 million-rated star.

Capped eight times at Under-19 level for France, Canvot made 18 appearances in Ligue 1 last term, helping his side to record an impressive tenth-place finish.

Now, he appears to be on the move, and the Villans have put themselves well in contention to bring in the versatile youngster, who turns 19 next week and can also play in midfield, potentially offering cover across two positions.

تواصل إدارة النادي الأهلي مفاوضاتها لاختيار المدير الفني الأجنبي الجديد، وسط ترقب جماهيري كبير بعد رحيل المدرب الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، حيث تسعى لجنة التخطيط لحسم الملف سريعًا قبل ازدحام جدول الفريق بالمباريات المحلية والقارية.

وارتبط اسم الإيطالي الألماني دومينيكو تيديسكو، المدير الفني لمنتخب بلجيكا السابق، بالانتقال إلى القلعة الحمراء، في ظل ما يمتلكه من خبرات أوروبية بارزة سواء على مستوى المنتخبات أو الأندية الكبرى.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خالد الجوادي: كولر تخلص من لاعب الأهلي السابق بسبب الخيانة

مصدر مقرب من المدرب كشف في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات أن مستقبل تيديسكو لم يُحسم بعد، مشيرًا إلى وجود عروض فعلية على طاولة المدرب لكن جميعها من القارة الأوروبية.

وأوضح المصدر أن تيديسكو سمع بالفعل عن وجود اهتمام من جانب الأهلي، ولكن لم يتم ترجمة ذلك عن طريق عرض رسمي والأمر متوقف على مدى قوة المشروع الرياضي.

وشدد المصدر على أن تيديسكو يرى مستقبله بشكل أكبر في أوروبا، خاصة مع استمرار العروض الجادة التي تصله من أندية مختلفة خلال الفترة الحالية.

وأكد أن المدرب البلجيكي يفضل خوض تجربة جديدة داخل القارة العجوز قبل التفكير في أي خطوة خارجها.

واختتم المصدر تصريحاته أن قرار المدرب النهائي لم يتحدد حتى الآن، وأن جميع الاحتمالات تظل قائمة، لكن فرص بقائه في أوروبا تبقى هي الأقرب في المرحلة الحالية.

الجدير بالذكر أن تيديسكو منذ رحيله عن منتخب بلجيكا في شهر يناير الماضي، لم ينتقل إلى أي تجربة أخرى قبل بداية الموسم الحالي.

The final decision was made on the eve of the game, after he passed a fitness test

Danyal Rasool08-Jun-2024Pakistan were forced into a late call over the inclusion of Imad Wasim ahead of Sunday’s group game against India, but received good news on that front: the allrounder was passed fit after a fitness test on the eve of the game. Coach Gary Kirsten confirmed this at Pakistan’s pre-match press conference.Ten days earlier the PCB had said Imad missed the final game of the T20I series against England for “precautionary reasons” with a suspected rib injury, but then he also missed Pakistan’s first game at the World Cup against USA.Imad’s return will be a big boost for Pakistan: in his absence, they had struggled to balance the side. They decided to go into the game against USA with an out-of-form Azam Khan and Shadab Khan as the only specialist spinner, despite lingering concerns about his ability with the ball.Related

The curious case of Pakistan's World Cup 15

Pakistan's predicament adds spice to India match-up in New York

Babar Azam admits Pakistan were 'not up to the mark' in bowling

Pakistan's self-doubt and uncertainty clear for all to see

Imad Wasim comes out of retirement for T20 World Cup

Azam was dismissed for a golden duck, while Shadab came in for pointed criticism by his captain Babar Azam, when he said following the loss that Pakistan’s “spinners” (Iftikhar Ahmed, the part-timer, was the other option and bowled just one over) struggled to pick up wickets.Now, Imad is likely to slot into the XI in Azam’s place.While this specific rib niggle – the PCB officially called it “discomfort in his right rib cage’ – has not been an issue for Imad in the past, he has struggled with a range of injuries. He has nursed a knee injury for much of his career which inhibited his ability to play the longer formats.Ahead of the 2019 World Cup, he was given extra time to pass a fitness test due to his chronic knee injury, and he initially retired from the international game in 2023.On his return earlier this year, he made it clear he was not signing a central contract, and had only returned for this particular World Cup.

A Manchester United star who regrets moving to Old Trafford is in advanced talks to quit this summer, according to a new update.

Players who could leave Man Utd this summer

After an early deal for Matheus Cunha, plenty of talk has been on who INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sign next for Ruben Amorim ahead of his first full season in charge at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo could well be the next to arrive for the Red Devils, however, when it comes to departures, the club may have plenty of work to do.

INEOS submit "new" £60m+ Man Utd offer to sign star likened to De Bruyne

INEOS are pushing to secure their target.

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 24, 2025

A number of big Man Utd earners have been linked with exits, including goalkeeper Andre Onana, with Amorim and co looking to bring in a new first-choice shot-stopper.

Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jason Sancho may all be on the search for new clubs after returning from their loan spells at Aston Villa, Real Betis and Chelsea respectively.

Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce could be the next destination for Sancho, with claims that the winger has accepted a £160,000-a-week offer to move to Turkey and work under the former United manager.

Earlier in the window, AI actually predicted nine players Man Utd could sell for a combined £320m this summer, one of which was midfielder Casemiro.

Marcus Rashford

£50m

Alejandro Garnacho

£60m

Rasmus Hojlund

£50m

Jadon Sancho

£35m

Antony

£30m

Casemiro

£20m

Andre Onana

£40m

Luke Shaw

£20m

Tyrell Malacia

£15m

The Brazilian reportedly regrets his move to Old Trafford from Real Madrid, despite picking up more than £18m per season and being the club’s highest earner, and a new exit update has emerged.

Advanced talks for Casemiro to leave Man Utd and join Al-Nassr

According to reports from Saudi outlet Sport Jazirah, relayed by Man Utd News, a move to the Saudi Pro League for Casemiro is at an advanced stage.

Negotiations appear to be progressing for the midfielder to join Al-Nassr and play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 33-year-old has just 12 months remaining of his £350,000-a-week Old Trafford deal, and it remains to be seen what sort of fee United could bring in for Casemiro, should he seal a move to link up with Ronaldo once more.

After signing back in 2022, Casemiro has made a total of 125 appearances for Man Utd, contributing to 29 goals and winning the FA Cup and League Cup under Erik ten Hag.

He played a key role in United’s route to the Europa League final last season with five goal contributions in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, however, his days at Old Trafford appear to be numbered.

If he does leave, Amorim could look to bring in a new midfielder, and there have been suggestions that Juventus’ Douglas Luiz is of interest to Man Utd. Richard Rios of Palmeiras is another rumoured target, so Casemiro’s exit may be the starting point of a new midfield addition at Old Trafford.

Manchester United face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight in the Premier League, entering the penultimate game of what has been a dismal year in England’s top-flight.

Ruben Amorim’s side will want to end the campaign on a high after their disappointment across the board, but all focus will undoubtedly be on the Europa League final.

The Red Devils face Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday evening, with players wanting to save themselves and prevent injury ahead of the vital clash.

However, players will still want to impress against Enzo Maresca’s side, potentially landing themselves a start against Spurs and having the opportunity to make themselves a hero and end the season on a high.

It will hand the boss a chance to assess his squad, but he should drop one player for the clash in West London tonight, after what has been a below-par year at Old Trafford.

Why Amorim needs to drop Hojlund against Chelsea

Striker Rasmus Hojlund had huge hopes of being a success at United following his £72m move from Atalanta back in the summer of 2023 – but it’s safe to say his time at the club has been a disaster.

The Danish international has often been the Red Devils’ main talisman this campaign, but has failed to deliver, netting just four league goals in his 30 appearances.

The 22-year-old even went 21 games without a goal across all competitions earlier this campaign, highlighting his lack of impact at the top end of the pitch.

His all-round play has been just as disappointing, completing an average of just 11 passes per game, unable to offer the side the link-up play needed for success within the final third.

Such a record has led to numerous links to other attackers all across Europe, with the manager needing to experiment with multiple other options against Chelsea to evaluate his side further ahead of the summer.

The United star who Amorim should start in a new role

Over the course of 2024/25, Amorim has experimented with multiple options at the top end of the pitch in an attempt to combat their issues in the final third.

Centre-back Harry Maguire has often been called upon to operate as a makeshift centre-forward this campaign, most notably against Nottingham Forest, where he had an effort cleared off the line.

He’s not been the only player to operate out of position, with midfielder Kobbie Mainoo operating in such a role during the defeat at home to Crystal Palace.

However, he could continue in such vein, by utilising Amad Diallo as a centre-forward, adding yet another position to his resume this season after switching since Amorim’s appointment.

The Ivorian has operated at wing-back and attacking midfield, starring in both positions and being one of the club’s most effective players, given his tally of 10 goals and eight assists across all competitions.

However, his ankle injury has derailed his progress, needing vital minutes before the Europa League final to hand himself the best chance of swinging the game in their favour.

Amad, who’s been labelled a “monster” by former teammate Scott Arfield, has registered 2.3 shots per 90 – undoubtedly aiding his excellent tallies, making him a superb option at the top end.

Amad Diallo’s stats for United in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

24

Goals & assists

13

Pass accuracy

86%

Shots taken

2.6

Chances created

2.4

Successful dribbles

2.1

Touches in opposition box

7.2

Stats via FotMob

He’s also completed 86% of the passes he’s attempted, and whilst creating 2.4 chances per 90 – handing the other players around him the opportunity to thrive at the Bridge.

It may seem a bold call to utilise the 22-year-old in such a role, but given the lack of impact from other players in the department this campaign, it could be another masterstroke from the boss.

Ultimately, attention will be fully on next week’s European final, but it presents another chance for the youngster to get minutes under his belt, possibly registering a positive end to what’s been a year to forget for the Red Devils.

Related INEOS now in direct talks to bring Premier League star to Man Utd with Cunha

The Red Devils have set their sights on an attacking rebuild.

Posts ByTom Cunningham May 14, 2025

Arsenal are now willing to make a £75m offer to get an “unbelievable” striker through the door quickly this summer, as they are ready to make a move, according to a new report.

Gunners pursuing top striker

Mikel Merino has performed well in a makeshift striker role, with the Spaniard bagging the third goal in the Gunners’ stunning 3-0 victory against Real Madrid last week, but Mikel Arteta remains keen on signing a top forward in the summer transfer window.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is a major target, with the north Londoners recently entering talks over a deal for the Slovenian, who’s scored 19 goals for the German side in all competitions this season.

New sporting director Andrea Berta is also likely to have a big say in which striker is brought in this summer, and the Italian has personally identified Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres as a target, given that the Swede may be more attainable than Alexander Isak.

Arsenal leading race to sign 21 y/o La Liga star with "enormous potential"

The Gunners have set their sights on a 21-year-old midfielder, who they are convinced is a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta’s system.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 13, 2025

A number of strikers are being considered from abroad, but there have also been suggestions a proven Premier League forward could be brought in, with a report from Spain revealing Arsenal are vying to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha.

The Gunners are clearly very keen on signing Cunha, as they are ready and willing to make a £75m bid to ensure they win the race for his signature, but there could be fierce competition from a number of their Premier League rivals.

A total of six Premier League clubs are set to battle it out for the Brazilian, including north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with all the interested parties now ready to make a move.

"Magnificent" Cunha impressing at Wolves

Much to Arsenal fans’ delight, it has been a very difficult campaign for Tottenham, with Ange Postecoglou’s side now 15th in the Premier League, following a 4-2 defeat against Wolves at Molineux yesterday afternoon.

Cunha was once again on the scoresheet for the Old Gold, netting his 14th Premier League goal of the season, in what has been a very impressive campaign for the Brazil international, having already eclipsed his goal tally of 12 from the 2023-24 campaign.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has also been full of praise for the Wolves star, saying: “He was unbelievable again.

“The goal he scored, the one he bent in the top corner was an unbelievable finish. He was superb, Gary O’Neil had to talk about him again after the game, there’s no doubt he’s getting the best out of him. He’s been one of the players of the season up to now, he’s been magnificent as he was again (vs Fulham).”

Cunha has proven he deserves a big move this summer, and he could be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Arteta.

Arsenal have made an offer to sign an “unpredictable” forward who’s drawn comparisons with Man City legend Bernardo Silva, with the player and his close circle reportedly already making a decision.

Andrea Berta's plans to sign new attackers for Arsenal

As per recent reports, the Gunners, now led by new sporting director Andrea Berta, could look to bring in a left-winger, right-winger and centre-forward as part of a potential £300 million summer spending spree (GiveMeSport).

Arsenal hold "high-level talks" to sign "bargain" attacker "in recent days"

Negotiations have apparently taken place this week.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 12, 2025

Berta has already held personal talks with the representatives of Spain international starlet Nico Williams, which occurred last week as one of his first acts in the job (Ed Aarons), and discussions have taken place more recently as well.

Brentford (home)

Today

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Journalist Pete O’Rourke reported on Thursday that Arsenal held “high-level” talks over a deal for Williams this week as well, but despite the 22-year-old’s reported £48 million release clause, there could still be problems when it comes to his overall package.

Other reports state that Williams wants around £250,000 per week to leave Athletic Bilbao, which would make him Arsenal’s third-highest earner behind Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, so this could still end up being a costly operation.

It is the task of Berta to scour far and wide for exciting wide options who will bolster Arsenal’s squad whilst also adhering to PSR and FFP regulations, so it is crucial Arsenal do not overspend in the market – especially if they want to strengthen other key areas.

South America has been a fruitful talent pool for the Gunners, with Gabriel Martinelli going on to be a major success following his bargain £6 million move from Brazilian side Ituano in 2019.

Arsenal scouts are reportedly aiming to replicate that success story, and they’ve got their eye on one promising young forward in particular – River Plate winger Ian Subiabre.

The 18-year-old is seen as one of Argentina’s most exciting up-and-coming forwards, with Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who compared him to Bernardo, also describing Subiabre as a “mobile” and “unpredictable” player with a penchant for “trickery”.

Arsenal make proposal for River Plate sensation Ian Subiabre

According to South American news outlet Soy del Millo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Arsenal have made an offer for Subiabre after glowing reports from the club’s scouts, but the exact nature of this bid is unclear.

What’s clear, however, is that River won’t let him depart for a penny less than his £26 million release clause. In any case, it appears they may have to wait for the player anyway, who’s already made a decision to remain at his current club.

The teenager’s family have been heavily involved in this, informing River of their desire for Subiabre to sign an extension despite offers from Arsenal and Chelsea.

While it was a “difficult” call for Subiabre and his close circle, it appears the priority right now is to further his development, which comes as a disappointment for Berta and co.

Australia’s captain suffers “acute right foot injury” after seeing Tayla Vlaeminck go down with dislocated shoulder

Valkerie Baynes11-Oct-20243:56

Takeaways: Australia win big, but at what cost?

Alyssa Healy looked shaken and an air of concern descended on her Australia side as Tayla Vlaeminck lay in a crumpled heap on the boundary’s edge, clutching her shoulder. Surely this wasn’t happening.Right-arm quick Vlaeminck had just come into the side to add “impact” to the bowling attack for their first outing in Dubai, Australia having begun their T20 World Cup campaign with two wins on a spin-friendly Sharjah pitch that swing bowler Megan Schutt had managed to master. Now, just four balls into the game, Vlaeminck was out with a right-shoulder dislocation to add to a long list of serious injuries.They clearly felt for her. Two ACL injuries, a twice-dislocated left shoulder and stress fractures to her foot had severely curtailed Vlaeminck’s career and still she’d kept fighting back. But as she received treatment, Australia entered a huddle, Ellyse Perry gave them a pep talk and they picked themselves up – then picked Pakistan apart.Bowled out for 82, the lowest total at this tournament, Pakistan – without captain Fatima Sana, who had flown home to Karachi following the death of her father on Thursday – could mount no resistance agaisnt a side whose depth is the envy of the world and would be tested further…

****

Alyssa Healy grimaced and pulled up sharply as she came back for a second run and an air of concern descended on her Australian side. Surely this wasn’t happening.She and Perry were cruising through Australia’s pursuit of 83 after Beth Mooney fell for a run-a-ball 15 and now the captain was hobbling from the field.Healy had to hop up a set of stairs leading to the changeroom and Cricket Australia later confirmed that she had suffered “an acute right foot injury”. She was set to undergo scans on Saturday after which her availability for the rest of the tournament was expected to become clearer.What is clear is Australia’s ability to overcome such setbacks.Schutt, Australia’s standout performer with the ball so far, took 1 for 7 from three miserly overs to overtake Pakistan’s Nida Dar as the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with 144.Then Ashleigh Gardner claimed 4 for 21 – including three in the penultimate over – with her offspin to record her best T20I figures since taking 5 for 12 at the previous edition of the tournament last year in Paarl.

“There were people that were obviously emotional. I think that just shows the care that we have for our team-mates. Tay has worked so hard to get back here and she’s earned it. To see her go down like that, we had to regroup really quickly”Ashleigh Gardner on Tayla Vlaeminck’s injury

Vlaeminck’s injury had hit the team particularly hard given that this was her first World Cup match since 2018 and just the second of her career.”It’s obviously horrible seeing one of your mates go down and knowing Tay’s road to get back to here,” Gardner said. “She’s someone that probably works harder than anyone else I know so to see someone like that go down with another injury, we all really felt for her.”There were people that were obviously emotional and things like that and I think that just shows the care that we have for our team-mates and especially Tay. She’s worked so hard to get back here and she’s earned it, so to see her go down like that, we had to regroup really quickly.”Pez [Perry] just brought us all in and she reverted back to the Mackay incident, where that kind of erupted pretty quickly and just to make sure that everyone was okay and to get on with it. That’s the nature of sport, unlucky things happen and then you’ve just got to get on with it and then wait until after the game to make sure that Tay was okay. She’s in good spirits which is nice to see.”The “Mackay incident” refers to when Gardner herself was withdrawn from Australia’s starting XI right before the toss in last month’s first T20I against New Zealand in Mackay when she collided with team-mate Georgia Wareham during the warm-up and suffered a knock to the jaw.Megan Schutt became the leading wicket-taker in T20Is•ICC/Getty ImagesOn Friday, Gardner conceded seven runs in the second over of the match but in the 19th, she had Tuba Hassan stumped by Healy, then took two wickets in as many deliveries when Syeda Aroob Shah spooned a catch straight to Mooney at midwicket and she pinned Nashra Sandhu lbw with one that spun back in and ripped past the outside edge.It was also Gardner who came in to bat when Healy retired hurt, scoring an unbeaten 7 off five balls while Perry remained not out 22. In mowing down their 83-run target in just 11 overs, Australia’s net run rate now sits at a healthy 2.786. But Gardner expects to face a sterner test in their final group game against India on Sunday.”I wasn’t overly happy with how I bowled that over in the powerplay,” she said. “But then to come back and change that, the bowlers that bowled before me laid a fantastic platform for me to take wickets at the back end and mop up the tail, as some would say, but it was nice to be able to get some wickets.”Certainly going to the next game I know I’m going to be challenged. I’m going to have to bowl two overs probably in the powerplay against someone like Smriti Mandana so the challenge is always there and I relish those environments. Hopefully I’m on the upper end against her.”

England opener hopes he’s turned a corner after back-to-back fifties for England and Kent

Vithushan Ehantharajah27-Sep-2022″‘Up and down’ is generous – I think it was more just down!”Zak Crawley is speaking at the end of day two of Kent’s final County Championship match against Somerset at Canterbury. Division One survival has already been secured via bonus points, following an early declaration from Warwickshire, who need to force victory against Hampshire at Edgbaston to avoid the drop themselves.Crawley played his part on that front, making an engaging 79 in Kent’s first innings which, as part of an opening stand of 176 with Tawanda Muyeye, laid the groundwork for their overnight total of 405 for seven. Coming off the back of the 69 not out that helped England secure a 2-1 series victory against South Africa in the final Test at the Kia Oval, it might be tempting to suggest that he’s rediscovered his touch.The man himself, however, isn’t quite ready to embrace that claim fully. This was, after all, just a fourth half-century in the Championship and fifth overall in red-ball cricket this summer. It is now 34 innings, split evenly between international and domestic cricket, since Crawley’s last first-class century – against West Indies in Antigua back in March.”It’s been a tough year – probably my worst summer I’ve ever had,” Crawley says, matter-of-factly. There is, however, a degree of satisfaction that he made it out the other end.”I’m pleased with myself that I could bounce back ,” he adds. “I always thought I would, so it’s fine – it just took longer than I thought. It’s nice to find some rhythm and take a bit of confidence into the winter. Hopefully, all being well, I get picked in those squads.”The squads he speaks of are those for Pakistan (three Tests) and then New Zealand (two). His uncertainty is understandable having averaged just 23 for the Test summer, bolstered by that healthy red-inker in the last of 13 innings. He was averaging just 17.25 in the 12 Tests leading up to it, and knows he is under pressure for his place from the likes of Nottinghamshire’s Ben Duckett and Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings, not to mention the precocious Harry Brook, who is currently impressing for the white-ball side out in Pakistan after a summer spent carrying drinks for all but the final Test.Crawley, however, believes he is finishing the season with renewed confidence, and that was particularly evident during this latest knock for Kent. All 13 of his boundaries were sweet, and he was particularly devastating on the pull shot – the very shot with which the Crawley infatuation began, from his days as a Kent Academy kid in the nets through to the 2021-22 Ashes and a pull shot off Mitchell Starc at Sydney that his England team-mates still talk of as if it were their own. And, as in that Sydney innings, a three-figure score looked nailed on until a Green seamer prised him out in the 70s – Cameron Green for 77 on that occasion, Somerset’s Ben Green for 79 today.Of course, you learn more from failure, and by his own admission, Crawley has had plenty to digest on that front: “I’ve learned an awful lot – mainly what not to do.” Having had some time to adjust since that last Test knock on September 12 – he only started hitting balls again a couple of days ago – he can reflect more honestly about the missteps.”When I was out of nick, I was putting restrictions on where I could score,” he admits. “I was getting more and more negative, in my shell.Zak Crawley admits he was doubting himself this summer even while England backed him to the hilt•Getty Images”It might not have come across like that in some of the shots I was playing,” he laughed. “But I find when I’m negative, I don’t move my feet very well, I’m not moving my body, so it comes across as loose shots. When I’m moving well, I’m getting in good positions and hitting those balls for four. It’s more of a mindset thing and positivity thing and stuff around my practice as well that I got slightly wrong as well, I feel.”The mention of practice is instructive. For a time during his struggles with England this summer, the only thing point the management feared he might be losing his sense of self came in August. In the lead-up to the Lord’s Test, head coach Brendon McCullum questioned why Crawley was focusing so much on the sweep shot in the nets and worried he was getting lost in his own head. The balls he was trying to sweep were ones he would usually launch back down the ground. Sure enough, in the second innings of that first Test against South Africa, Crawley dropped to one knee against the left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj and was trapped lbw for 13.It’s hard not to empathise with Crawley around stuff like this, even if you feel he has been afforded a luxury of persistent selection unheard of in recent times. Because, as much as Ben Stokes and McCullum have bigged him up publicly and privately, he admits to finding aspects of the new ethos they were pushing hard to grasp. The evidence of the summer suggested that positivity was the only way to go – four chases on the bounce against New Zealand (three) and India (one), followed by two strong performances to overturn the only defeat of the summer at the hands of South Africa – but Crawley himself found he was struggling to commit. Something he now regrets.”I’ve learned a lot from [McCullum and Stokes] this year about the way they play the game, the positive mindset and backing yourself. 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“It finally clicked towards the end of the summer, the messaging they were trying to give. I couldn’t fully… I felt under pressure for my place so it’s hard fully to buy into that. I wish I had bought into it from the start now.”There was no particular lightbulb moment, Crawley insists, although McCullum’s summer-long determination to unlock the enjoyment within the England squad did appear to pay off at the bitter end.”It was more of a gradual, over time, just decided I’ve got to back myself here,” Crawley said. “It’s a mental game at the end of the day, so if you back yourself to score runs, you’re going to score runs more often than not.”I feel like I was just tentative this year. And I decided towards the back end I was going to stop being tentative, and I’ve played a bit better.”He still potentially has one more innings this summer, though that is largely dependent on a Somerset second-innings fightback (they currently trail by 203) and the weather not interfering. Nevertheless, a return to some semblance of form, the boost of keeping Kent up, and the small comfort of moving past 3,000 first-class runs for the county could be the silver lining to a tough six months.”We’ll see what happens,” Crawley says. “I’ve got a lot of confidence going forward and in this new way I’ve been playing towards the end, a bit more positively. That suits me more.”