Glamorgan eased to only their third victory in this season’s Vitality Blast as they beat Sussex Sharks by 24 runs under the DLS method at Hove.The visitors laid the foundations for a huge total of 235 for 6 – the third-highest in their Blast history – when they plundered 81 in the powerplay as Sussex badly missed the control with the new ball normally offered by Ollie Robinson, who was absent with a back niggle.It’s debatable if even Robinson would have been able to tame Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson, who hit a career-best 87 off 47 balls before he was caught at extra cover in the 19th over, one of four wickets for Sussex skipper Tymal Mills who is now the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 19.Daniel Hughes led Sussex’s response with 74 off 38 balls, his fourth half-century in this season’s competition, but having been set an unlikely 79 from 28 deliveries following a 50-minute rain delay they finished on 190 for 8 and slipped to their third defeat of the season, although they remain second in the South Group.Carlson and co. set the tone by thrashing 75 in the first five overs after Glamorgan were put in, including 60 in boundaries. It needed a great slower ball by Mills to stymie their progress which Will Smale pulled to midwicket after hitting eight fours and a six in a stand of 79 from just 33 balls. Carlson then put on 72 off 37 with Tom Bevan and 47 off 24 with Colin Ingram to maintain their momentum.Mills was the only Sussex bowler in the first half of the innings to concede less than ten runs in an over and his mood didn’t improve when Tom Clark dropped the ball over the rope while failing to take a catch on the midwicket boundary offered by Bevan.Glamorgan might have fancied posting a score of 250-plus when they had 194 on the board after 15 overs but, spearheaded by Mills, Sussex dragged it back slightly by taking four wickets and only conceding 39 in the final five.Mills led the way with 4 for 29 as Ingram missed a straight one and Marnus Labuschagne drove to mid-on before he snared Carlson, who struck three sixes and nine fours, only to be foxed by Mills’ speciality slower ball with a century in his sights.Sussex were left needing to score at nearly 12 an over but after losing Harrison Ward in the second over Australian Hughes and another left-hander, Clark, added 55 in 27 balls to keep their challenge alive.But legspinner Mason Crane made an immediate impact when he came on in the seventh over with two wickets in his first three balls. Clark was stumped when he missed a googly and James Coles lost his middle stump heaving across the line.Hughes and John Simpson shared 49 off 31 balls but the required rate had climbed to 14.75 when Simpson failed to clear long-on in the 12th over. Hughes hit two sixes off Chris Sole when play resumed at 10.10pm but then he holed out to deep backward-square to effectively end Sussex’s hopes.
With The Friedkin Group looking to make some impressive statements in their first summer at the helm, Everton are reportedly ready to open talks to sign a Premier League-winning attacker.
Everton announce retained list
With the Premier League season concluded and the summer now underway, Everton have announced the list of players they remain in negotiations with in pursuit of fresh deals at the club. The Merseyside club confirmed that they are set to offer new deals to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, whilst negotiations are ongoing with the representatives of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane.
Everton make approach for £29m McNeil upgrade who Van Dijk called "difficult"
Everton are planning to make some attacking changes in the transfer market this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair Jun 9, 2025
Announcing the news in a statement on their official website, Everton said: “The club is offering new contracts to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gana Gueye, while we continue to liaise with representatives of Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the current deals of all four players expiring at the end of June.
“As previously confirmed, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ashley Young, Joao Virginia, Asmir Begovic, Mason Holgate and Neal Maupay will leave Everton when their current contracts expire at the end of this month, with loanees Jack Harrison, Jesper Lindstrøm, Orel Mangala and Armando Broja returning to their parent clubs.”
Calvert-Lewin’s situation is particularly one to watch. Concerns over his Everton future have been rumbling on for some time now and links to the likes of Manchester United have hardly helped speculation. Now, into the final weeks of his current deal, the Toffees are still attempting to secure the forward’s future at the club.
Everton's DominicCalvert-Lewincelebrates scoring their first goal
What Calvert-Lewin’s departure would do, however, is clear room for potential arrivals. And that could yet include a Premier League winner for David Moyes this summer. In an impressive move, Friedkin have reportedly set their sights on welcoming a wantaway attacking addition who could revive his career in Merseyside.
Everton ready to open talks to sign Grealish
According to TeamTalk, Everton are now ready to open talks to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City in a complex deal, having already identified the winger as a transfer target in recent weeks. The deal won’t come cheap, though, even if the Toffees secure the loan deal that they prefer to a permanent deal.
Jack Grealish for Manchester City.
Grealish reportedly earns a hefty £300,000-a-week at Manchester City, which translates into £15.6m-a-year. Whether Everton are both willing to match that salary and can afford to spend such a price will be the big question this summer, especially since Grealish would instantly become their highest earner by some distance.
Jack Grealish
£300,000
Jordan Pickford
£130,000
Idrissa Gueye (*offered new deal)
£120,000
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
£100,000
James Tarkowski
£100,000
Earning over double Everton’s current highest-earner in Pickford, Grealish would simply have to rediscover his very best form to make any deal worthwhile for the Toffees next season.
At his best, the former Aston Villa man has earned some impressive praise, including from Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss dubbed Grealish “aggressive” following a pre-season draw with Barcelona last summer, only to limit the Englishman’s game time in the months that followed.
Manchester United will quickly want to forget the 2024/25 campaign with the club registering their worst ever Premier League finish and points tally – ending the year on a measly 42 points.
Ruben Amorim took the reins back in November, but he was unable to transform their fortunes, with this summer vital if he is to be a success at Old Trafford.
The January window was his first opportunity to make the changes he desired to the squad, but ultimately it wasn’t long enough to make the wholesale transfers needed.
However, work has already commenced this summer to make key additions, with attacker Matheus Cunha the first player to make the move, joining in a £62.5m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If they are to push up the table and return to any form of European football at the end of 2025/26, more signings are needed across the board, with work already being conducted behind the scenes.
The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker
Over recent days, United have been pushing hard to try and land the signature of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, looking to secure a reunion between the forward and the Red Devils boss.
However, it was confirmed that the Swede is only interested in a move to Arsenal this summer, with the hierarchy desperately needing to pursue other options before the end of the summer.
It appears as though Jason Wilcox has wasted no time, already making a move to land Eintracht Frankfurt’s talisman, Hugo Ekitiké, according to Foot Mercato.
The report claims that United are leading the race for the 22-year-old striker, who also has interest from Liverpool and Chelsea after netting 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.
It also states that they have commenced talks, overtaking the other English sides in the race for his signature, but any deal could set the hierarchy back €100m (£84m) during the off-season.
Why Ekitike could be United’s answer to Kane
Harry Kane has been a striker who has been a thorn in United’s side over the years, often producing the goods against them and stopping them from success.
The England international has scored 213 goals in England’s top flight throughout his career, before making the switch to Bayern Munich back in the summer of 2023.
Despite departing for Germany, the 31-year-old has still managed to haunt the Red Devils, scoring against them in the Champions League, registering 11 combined goals and assists in his 21 outings against the club.
It’s safe to say United have been lacking such a goalscoring presence over the last couple of seasons, but that could be about to change with the signing of Ekitike this summer.
The Frenchman has been labelled as a similar player to Kane by FBref, with the Frankfurt star matching or bettering him in numerous key areas – showcasing why he would be an excellent addition despite the mammoth price tag.
Ekitike, who’s been labelled “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but he’s managed to post a higher goal per shot on target rate – subsequently demonstrating his edge in front of goal.
He’s also managed to complete more take-ons and carries into the final third, highlighting the threat he poses when getting at the opposition with the ball at his feet.
Most combined goals & assists in the Bundesliga (2024/25)
Player
Team
Games
G&A
Harry Kane
Bayern Munich
31
34
Michael Olise
Bayern Munich
34
27
Omar Marmoush
Eintracht Frankfurt
17
24
Hugo Ekitiké
Eintracht Frankfurt
33
23
Serhou Guirassy
Borussia Dortmund
30
23
Tim Kleindienst
Borussia Mönchengladbach
31
23
Florian Wirtz
Bayer Leverkusen
31
22
Stats via FotMob
The former PSG star has also come out on top in more aerial battles this campaign, offering Amorim the focal point that he’s craved since taking the reins back in the winter.
Whilst £84m may appear to be a small fortune for a player who’s never played in the Premier League, it presents a fresh opportunity to land a star that could take them to the next level.
Should he get close to the levels produced by Kane in England’s top flight, it would be an excellent pick-up, with his skillset certainly pushing the club back in the right direction.
He's like Gyokeres: Wilcox in talks to sign £26m "goal machine" for Man Utd
Anyone seen a striker? Man Utd are in need of one…
June is nearly upon us, yet Glasgow Rangers still don’t have a permanent manager. Philippe Clement was sacked 96 days ago, and ahead of the most important in the club’s recent history, the onus is on the board to bring the right man to Ibrox.
Whenever there is a managerial vacancy, plenty of names have been linked with a move to Glasgow.
At the start of the month, Marco Rose and Danny Rohl were named potential Rangers managers, yet the links died down after a few days.
Steven Gerrard’s name has been mentioned over the past few months regarding a potential return to Scotland.
Between 2018 and 2021, the former Liverpool captain took over a shambles of a club and returned them to the summit of Scottish football within three years.
Recent news suggests that he wont be the next manager of the club, however, leaving Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti as the leading candidates.
Steven Gerrard
Whatever happens, getting someone in swiftly should be the main priority for the board. With pre-season set to start in a few weeks, plus the prospect of Champions League qualifiers in mid-July, the longer the wait goes on, the worse it could turn out for the Light Blues.
Latest on Davide Ancelotti's move to Rangers
With Gerrard now out of the frame, it appears as though Ancelotti is the frontrunner for the vacant role.
The Italian has held talks with the board and is currently a free agent, having not joined his dad, Carlo, on his adventure with the Brazil national side.
“Davide is thinking [about] what to do for the future,” said the elder Ancelotti. He’s in talks with other clubs as he tries to be first coach, and he knows if he doesn’t find the opportunity, he will be here with me.”
Having assisted his dad at clubs such as Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Everton, Davide has a plethora of experience in a coaching capacity.
Tavernier would love him: Rangers in talks to hire "sought-after" manager
95 days after Philippe Clement’s sacked as Rangers manager, they could finally be closing in on a successor, one who could be a dream for Tavernier.
ByBen Gray May 29, 2025
The younger Ancelotti was the brains behind Madrid’s tactical approach, which saw them win two La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies between 2021 and 2024.
A fluid approach to the game, which means his team can play across multiple formations at will, is certainly a positive.
Davide Ancelotti
The caveat being that he hasn’t managed a side on his own. While the pressures of Ibrox may be slightly different to those at the Bernabeu, the desire to win every game remains the same.
Should he win the race and get the job, it would be an almighty gamble for the board, no doubt about that. Is there a better option currently available, however?
Rangers search for a new manager
Now, a new name has entered the fray. According to the Herald journalist, Stephen McGowan, Rangers have now reportedly held talks with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
The Italian left the Dutch side following their Eredivisie collapse, which saw them lose the league title to PSV Eindhoven, despite being nine points clear with five matches left.
He dragged Ajax from fifth the previous season to the brink of the title, while securing a return to Champions League football for 2025/26.
Farioli reportedly blamed a difference in ‘visions and timeframes’ from the Ajax board as to why he quit the role after just a single season in the Netherlands.
When Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked in November 2022, the former Nice manager was sounded out to be his replacement. In the end, it was Michael Beale who eventually took over the role. Might things be different three years later?
Why Rangers must hire Francesco Farioli
Of course, fingers will be pointed following Ajax’s major collapse over the final five matches of the season. Considering that the Dutch giants endured their worst season in living memory just a year ago, however, getting that far was certainly a step forward.
Journalist Lars Jesse praised the 36-year-old after he left the club, saying: “Francesco Farioli has achieved something unique at Ajax. After years of incompetence, uncertainty, and misery, he brought back calm and structure.”
Club
Date appointed
Games in charge
Points per game
Ajax
July 1, 2024
54
2.09
Nice
July 1, 2023
38
1.68
Alanyaspor
December 31, 2021
48
1.54
Karagümrük
March 22, 2021
27
1.52
During the 2023/24 season, Ajax lost eight league games, scored 74 goals and conceded a staggering 61 times.
A year later, they may have scored four fewer goals throughout the campaign, but the club lost just four times and conceded 32 goals, a major improvement.
Farioli tends to utilise an attacking 4-3-3 system, which could be a wonderful fit for some of the current Ibrox squad. He will also be keen on signing his own targets for the club during the transfer window.
Across his 54 matches in charge of the Dutch side, Farioli’s side scored 115 goals – 2.1 per game – while he accumulated 2.09 points per game.
This focus on dynamic attacking football would certainly win over the Ibrox faithful, who have had to endure Clement’s distinct lack of style. Despite his tender years, the Italian manager has managed an impressive 167 senior games throughout his managerial career to date.
Coming so close to success with Ajax will hurt, but it might give him the confidence that he can lead a fallen giant back to its previous glories.
In that regard, taking on the role of Rangers manager would suit him nicely. A total cultural reset is required at Ibrox this summer, and only by bringing in someone who is able to provide a fresh start will that happen.
Much will depend on whether Farioli wishes to jump straight back into a hot seat so soon after his Ajax departure. If so, then the board must be doing everything it can to convince him that Rangers are the right choice.
Like any managerial appointment, bringing Farioli will be a big gamble – although considering his recent experienced in a top job at an elite club, he would certainly be less of a gamble than Ancelotti.
A great Cerny replacement: Rangers looking to sign "incredible" new forward
Rangers could sign an impressive replacement for Vaclav Cerny.
There was certainly no shortage of drama as Manchester United played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Lyon on Thursday night, with the Europa League first-leg tussle living up to the billing following some notable pre-match jibes.
Much of the talk heading into the trip to France, of course, was centred around the war of words between Andre Onana and former United man, Nemanja Matic, with the Serbian giant branding the current Red Devils star “one of the worst keepers in Man Utd history” during the pre-match press conference.
Onana – who had ignited such criticism after stating that Ruben Amorim’s side are “way better” than their opponents – proceeded to hit back with a reference to the lack of silverware that Matic was able to achieve at Old Trafford, with the Cameroonian posting an image of him holding the FA Cup trophy aloft on his social media accounts.
Andre Onana
That trading of verbal blows set things up nicely for the game itself, although while Lyon’s veteran midfielder watched on from the from the bench, United’s first-choice goalkeeper continued to dominate the headlines, having been arguably at fault for both of the hosts’ goals.
Talk is now rife regarding the 28-year-old’s future at Old Trafford – amid claims he could be dropped for Sunday’s clash away at Newcastle United – with it looking as if the former Inter star could even be on his way this summer, after just two years in Manchester.
Matic, meanwhile, may be hoping to be involved in Thursday’s reverse fixture, with the 36-year-old seeking to get one over on his former employers.
Nemanja Matic's Man Utd record
Following in the footsteps of the likes of Juan Mata before him, the towering midfielder was plucked from rivals Chelsea on a £40m deal in the summer of 2017, with the one-time Benfica star having just played his part in claiming Premier League title glory under Antonio Conte.
The ability to snap up a then-28-year-old Matic appeared to be a real coup for Jose Mourinho and co, not least with the aforementioned Conte seemingly displeased at the nature of the sale, having described the exit as a “great loss” for the Blues.
Having ultimately decided to reunite with Mourinho, the left-footer – who ranks fifth with regard to appearances made under the Portuguese coach in his managerial career – went on to rack up 189 appearances in all competitions for United over the next five years, while scoring four goals and registering 11 assists.
A pillar in the United midfield in those early years, he was even dubbed an “island of personality and desire and control” by his manager following a narrow FA Cup win over Brighton in 2018, with Mourinho singling him out in relation to his underwhelming colleagues.
As stated, such displays could not inspire the Red Devils to any form of silverware, although Matic certainly had his moments, including netting a stunning long-range volley to seal a 3-2 win away at Crystal Palace in 2018.
Frustratingly, however, the subsequent arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw the oft-maligned Fred and Scott McTominay partnership take precedence, with the ageing Matic becoming ‘something of an issue”, as per The Athletic’s Carl Anka, due to his lack of mobility.
There were still moments of quality, prior to his exit on a free transfer in 2022, with the 48-cap international memorably teeing up Cristiano Ronaldo with a delightful dink in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in that final campaign.
As Anka noted, while he may have been a ‘flawed signing’, when the now-veteran ‘was good, he was very good’, with his experience and quality shining through, even as his athletic qualities began to fade.
Could history be repeating itself with Casemiro?
Man Utd have now unlocked the new Nemanja Matic
In many ways, the capture of the Brazilian mirrors the signing of Matic, with United – then managed by Erik ten Hag – moving to land the Real Madrid man on a £70m deal in 2022, having been in need of a short-term, instant fix at the base of the midfield.
Games (starts)
28 (24)
36 (35)
Goals
4
1
Assists
3
1
Big chances created
7
2
Key passes*
1.0
0.7
Pass accuracy*
79%
88%
Dribbled past*
1.6
1.3
Tackles*
3.2
1.9
Interceptions*
1.2
1.8
Total duels won*
55%
58%
Again, like Matic, Casemiro did enjoy a fruitful first season at the Theatre of Dreams, as the Red Devils finished third and claimed Carabao Cup glory, with the serial-winning star even scoring the opener in that Wembley showpiece.
As the £350k-per-week star has since admitted himself, that 2022/23 campaign was individually the “best season” of his entire career, with Ten Hag dubbing him the “cement” in the side due to the influential nature of his displays.
Frustratingly for all concerned, the 33-year-old has been unable to build on that early promise amid United’s collective woes since then, with pundit Jamie Redknapp even suggesting last season that Casemiro looked like “he’s in Soccer Aid”, amid the dire nature of his displays.
Former Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher also famously suggested that the ex-Madrid man should “leave the football before the football leaves you”, with Casemiro going on to play a bit-part role in the early knockings of the current campaign.
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro
Speculation continues to link the ageing talent with a move away from Old Trafford, despite his public desire to see out his contract, although in recent weeks, he has begun to find his groove again under Amorim.
Like Matic, the mobility may no longer be there, although Casemiro continues to show his class when utilised correctly, having notably put in a “monster shift” in the recent Manchester derby, as per Statman Dave, after winning 11 tackles on the day.
Even despite his age, the one-time Porto man appears to have ousted Manuel Ugarte as Amorim’s go-to figure in the midfield two, with the United boss admitting that he is now “learning how to use” the Selecao star.
The old cliche of ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ certainly applies in the case of Casemiro, much like Matic before him, with Amorim wise to be maximising everything he can out of a player who has enjoyed such a storied, successful career to date.
Yes, the legs may have gone, but as that derby display, in particular, showcased, the fight remains. There’s life in the old dog yet…
Huge Onana upgrade: Man Utd make contact to sign "unbelievable" PL star
Manchester United appear to making stride to landing a deal to replace Andre Onana.
Explosive TNPL batter eyes IPL breakthrough with fearless batting and consistency
Deivarayan Muthu16-Aug-2025He has been dominating bowlers, including Varun Chakravarthy and R Ashwin, with his explosive batting over the past two seasons of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Apart from opening the batting, he can also keep wicket, which makes him an exciting package, especially in T20 cricket. He has also had a brief stint with Tamil Nadu’s white-ball sides and emerged on the IPL’s radar.Meet Tushar Raheja, who has earned the sobriquet ‘Rocket Raheja’ in the TNPL circles. An aggressive left-hand batter, Raheja has a wide variety of shots in his repertoire. The 24-year-old has always been proficient against pace and in TNPL 2025 he levelled up, disrupting both Varun and Ashwin during Tiruppur Tamizhans’ run to their maiden title. His franchise and state captain R Sai Kishore was so impressed with Raheja’s takedown of spin that he came out publicly and said the wicketkeeper-batter was ready for the IPL.Raheja had attended multiple trials before and during IPL 2025, including a mid-season one, but couldn’t break into the big league. He’s taken feedback and learnings from those trials and has strengthened his case for the upcoming auction with a chart-topping 488 runs in nine innings at an average of 61 and strike rate of 185.55, including 77 in the final against Ashwin’s Dindigul Dragons.”I thought I did well at the Delhi trials and then I was called again during the tournament as well,” Raheja recalls, speaking to ESPNcricinfo. “That was again a good experience and that helped me evolve as well. I was amongst people who got picked in this year’s IPL like Priyansh Arya. After the auction, I tried to compare myself to them in terms of seeing what they are doing right and what I’m not.”Seeing them at trials, going back and seeing their videos and seeing them in the IPL – that gave me a lot of learning. Being amongst Hemang Badani, Rahul Dravid and other Indian cricketers gives you a lot of confidence, which I’ve tried to carry into this season.”Tushar Raheja emerged as the player of the tournament in TNPL 2025•TNPL/TNCARaheja has IPL ambitions, but he doesn’t want to look too far ahead. “I would like to focus on the Syed Mushtaq Ali [tournament], which would take me a step closer,” Raheja says. “I’m trying not to think about it but obviously, it’s human tendency again to start thinking about it. I will be lying if I say I’ve not thought about it.”When he was younger, Raheja admits to being carried away by the “adrenaline rush” but now he’s learnt to control his emotions and thoughts with help from Raymun Roy, a mental conditioning coach, who has also worked with India internationals Washington Sundar and B Sai Sudharsan.”Roy has played a big role in this aspect, where basically you are controlling your heartbeat,” Raheja says. “Like, when you are playing a match or when you are under pressure, what brings a lot of thoughts is your heartbeat and at the time, your mind will be running fast. So, I’ve tried to keep that in check and not have too many thoughts.”We do a lot of quantum breathing exercises off the field and some of these are simple exercises that I can do while batting also. So, even when I’m batting in between balls, there are a lot of small exercises that I do, which help me not think, if that makes sense.”
“From last year or even the year before that, after the powerplay, I was slowing down. Most of the time, it is spinners bowling to you after the powerplay. So, I did a lot of drills against spin, getting my bat swing a lot better against spin and trying to pick length a lot better.”Tushar Raheja
Raheja has also expanded his range, and he credits his personal coach TV Ramkumar for it. While the slog-sweep comes naturally to him, he had to spend more time on hitting straight during the off-season in the lead-up to the TNPL.”What I have put in a lot of work into is hitting straight, hitting over covers and mainly hitting straight,” Raheja says, “because if you are able to hit straight, the other things will come with your bat swing. But the hardest thing to do is hit a bowler, especially a spinner, straight. I’m looking to hit them straight on the ground, over long-off and long-on.Related
Suryakumar picked in Mumbai squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy
Hungry and on the move, C Andre Siddarth sets sights on Ranji Trophy glory
IPL star Priyansh Arya sets sights on Ranji Trophy
Meet the future stars from India's state T20 leagues
“I’ve been training with Mr. Ramkumar for three years now and I’ve understood my game because of him. I feel from last year, every time after the powerplay or even the year before that, after the powerplay, I was slowing down. So, I tried to put in a lot of thought into how I can keep that momentum going. Most of the time, it’s spinners bowling to you after the powerplay. So, I did a lot of drills against spin, getting my bat swing a lot better against spin and trying to pick length a lot better.”When he was six years old, Raheja had enrolled himself into a tennis academy but switched to cricket after watching MS Dhoni lead India to T20 World Cup glory in 2007. Raheja idolises Dhoni and also has fond memories of watching Matthew Hayden bashing bowlers in the IPL at Chepauk. It may not be too long before Raheja himself breaks into the IPL.”I was always a fan of Dhoni,” Raheja says. “When Matthew Hayden used to play for CSK, I used to go to Chepauk to watch a lot of matches. So, I was fascinated by the way he took down fast bowlers. I was also fascinated by Yuvraj Singh but I’ve always idolised Dhoni mainly.”Tushar Raheja asked coach RX Murali to make him open the batting and since then has transformed himself into an intent machine•TNPL/TNCARaheja didn’t start as an opener at Tiruppur but was promoted to the top after coach RX Murali (also the batting coach of RCB Women) saw a spark in him during a practice game. He has since transformed himself into an intent machine.”I was batting in the middle order in the TNPL for a couple of seasons,” Raheja says. “I used to ask him: ‘Sir, give me a shot at opening’. He then gave me an opportunity and he really liked my attacking intent. He has worked with some of the top cricketers in the country. His inputs have been valuable, and it helps working with someone who has so much T20 experience.”While white-ball cricket is his calling card right now, Raheja doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a white-ball specialist. He has dreams of representing Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy after playing eight white-ball games for them last season.With Sai Sudharsan likely to be on India or India A duty during this season, Raheja has a chance to stake his claim for a red-ball slot in the upcoming Buchi Babu tournament, which will kick off on August 18 in Chennai. Raheja and TNCA XI will run into a Mumbai side featuring Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan.”I wish to do a lot better in the red-ball format than I’m [doing] right now,” Raheja says. “I am working hard on my red-ball game as well. I don’t want to be just branded as a white-ball only player. I know I have the game for the red-ball format as well.”I have a lot more work to do, which I am working on in that format. But those ambitions are definitely there, and I want to break into the Ranji side as well. But that will come with more performances in the [first division] league and the Buchi Babu, which is coming up. I’m excited to express myself there.”A big domestic season could propel ‘Rocket Raheja’ into Tamil Nadu’s batting core and the IPL.
Belief in the brand remains strong despite ego-bruising defeat to arch-rivals Australia
Vithushan Ehantharajah21-Jun-2023″Losing sucks.” To some England fans, it might be a relief to hear that. A day before this first Test at Edgbaston, Ben Stokes stated it would not be “the end of the world” if the hosts left Edgbaston one-down. This was not “a results-driven team”, even though they had won 11 out of the previous 13. Even an Ashes series would not change any of that.Now trailing Australia 1-0, there remains plenty of truth to that. Four more Tests and enough from this loss, along with what has been banked over the previous 12 months, can be enough to overturn that scoreline.But as the England captain sat in his post-match press conference, physically and emotionally drained by the events of a compelling final day, it was clear this was a tough result to swallow. Even with a Kool-Aid mixer, a two-wicket defeat to your arch-rivals tastes just as bitter. It, as Stokes said, sucks.Related
Ponting: If Robinson hasn't learned already … then he's a slow learner
Did England go too hard? (And is that even the right question?)
Ben Stokes defends controversial declaration as England's 'chance to pounce' on Australia
Ice cool Cummins has the last laugh
England confident weary bowlers will be ready for Lord's
“I know everyone who came out and supported us, bought a ticket this week, would have loved to see us win,” Stokes added. “Everyone who was watching on TV would have loved to see us win.”We’re desperately upset for them that they didn’t manage to see England get over the line. If people haven’t been on the edge of their seat for this entire Test match, or any situation the game found itself in particular the last hour, I’m not quite sure what will in cricket.”Dismay at defeat and appreciating the thrill of the spectacle are not mutually exclusive. But the manner in which England contributed to the latter directly influenced the former. This match went back and forth, as all the best Tests do, though until the final stand between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, Australia only had the initiative when England handed it over. Mostly in instalments.An England side that likes to dangle the carrot ended up presenting the patch. Day one’s declaration on 393 for 8 when a modern great in Joe Root is seeing it big on 118 with a capable Ollie Robinson at the other end. The drops of Alex Carey and missed catch when Usman Khawaja had just four – all through to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow – cost 100 runs across both innings. The missed stumping of Cameron Green when on nought allowed him to reach 38 on day two. The 23 no-balls were slack, with one allowing Khawaja to bolster a century from 112 to 141.Jonny Bairstow misses a stumping off Cameron Green•Getty ImagesWas Bazball the problem? Well, no.”Not putting the result at the top of everything that we think about actually really helps us go out and play free-spirited cricket,” corrected Stokes when asked why this hurt as much as it did.Not since 2015 has England met Australia’s eye line and forced them to blink with defensive fields and a slower pace of play. With talk dominated by how 2005’s meeting on this ground played out with a two-run victory the other way, the temptation with hindsight is to peg this instead as the meeting of that series at Lord’s. An Australian win with plenty of English encouragement.The main takeaways for the time being will be around better execution of the brand. A declaration that may already be consigned to infamy could have been regarded as a tactical masterstroke had the four overs on Friday night reaped any reward. At the time, and definitely so now, it looks like an unnecessary risk.When set on a turgid pitch, Root and Harry Brook were right to attack Lyon in the second innings. But there were better options than charging a delivery that was too short and cross-batting one too full.Bairstow’s run-a-ball 78 in the first innings vindicated the part of his selection that would always be vindicated. Yet he ultimately finished in arrears because of the errors behind the stumps. The calculation of his selection as the keeper-batter ahead of Ben Foakes was sound. Alas, the variables proved too volatile.Moeen Ali’s recall out of retirement was exactly as he and history told you it would be: three pearlers – two accounting for number-three ranked batter Travis Head – amid full tosses, long hops and, at the end of it all, a reopened wound on his right index finger. The low floor of the spinning allrounder is well-known, but his ceiling as a red ball off-spinner is apparently lower than ever.Moeen Ali suffered a blister on the index finger of his right hand•Visionhaus/Getty ImagesPerhaps most galling was limiting Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith to 35 runs across the match and still finishing second. All the plans, all the effort, and intricacies involved in reducing two of the leading Test batters in the world to bit parts, seemingly for nothing. It was a microcosm of the game. England set up the chess board, enacted various openings and took key pieces, only for Australia to beat them with checkers.There have only been three defeats under head coach Brendon McCullum out of 14 Tests, but at this juncture, it’s worth considering the nourishing qualities they’ve had on the victors. A by-product of this sliding-doors cricket has seen England act as matchmaker for others to have their own dates with destiny.South Africa lived it up at Lord’s last summer, replicating the celebrations after their first success there in 1994 by draping their country’s flag over the away dressing room balcony. Blackcaps wicketkeeper Tom Blundell had the honour of organising the now traditional limo for the bowlers up Mount Victoria to watch the sunrise after victory in Wellington. The customary champagne and cigars will have tasted better after a hellacious one-run win.Cummins now ranks this match at number one as his best-ever Test, a week after winning the World Test Championship Final no less. And as his squad lauded it up in the changing rooms as they did in 2019, with the odd player drifting onto the deserted outfield to call loved ones just waking up to the news back home, an already confident touring party will strut into the remainder of the series a little taller.How this all plays out in the court of public opinion will be another matter. A home Ashes audience is as public as you can get, and as much as cricket is glad for the eyes, it is an inconvenience for believers how easily digestible the match-losing moments were.The home dressing room, however, remains a haven of ideology. There were no nerves to speak of in the morning. The rains that delayed the start until 2:15pm allowed England to arrive at the ground at a more leisurely 9:50am. They killed time with card games, crosswords and even the odd nap. No anxiety around the seven wickets required against Australia’s need for 174 more runs. Just anticipation of another great day to come.Well after the 7:20pm finish, as they sat in the dressing room, overhearing Australia’s jubilation, belief in the process is said to remain strong, even if egos and spirits have been bruised. They have the next five days off to compute the loss before reconvening in London for the second Test next week. The message from Stokes was clear – this still works, even in defeat.”The conversation in the dressing room there at the end, even some of our support staff, their kids want England shirts now,” said Stokes. “I had a message from my neighbour saying his son was playing cricket on the weekend and he did what England would do in his situation.”But don’t get me wrong in what I’ve said there. Losing sucks. We always want to win.”Now trailing 1-0, they have to.
And what’s the highest score made by an opener in a Test innings in which his partner made a duck?
Steven Lynch14-Dec-2021The two Tests of the India-New Zealand series featured four different captains. Has this ever happened before?asked Sree Dev from India
Ajinkya Rahane and Kane Williamson captained in the first Test of the recent series, in Kanpur, then Virat Kohli and Tom Latham took over for the second, in Mumbai. This was only the second two-Test series to feature four captains – the other was South Africa vs England in 1888-89, when Owen Dunell and Aubrey Smith (later a famous Hollywood actor) skippered in the first Test in Port Elizabeth, and William Milton and Monty Bowden in the second, in Cape Town.There have been seven longer series in which successive Tests were presided over by four different captains. These were England (Arthur Carr, then Percy Chapman) against Australia (Warren Bardsley and Herbie Collins) in 1926. West Indies (George Headley and Gerry Gomez) against England (Ken Cranston and Gubby Allen) in 1947-48. England (Colin Cowdrey and Peter May) against Australia (Neil Harvey and Richie Benaud) in 1961. England (Cowdrey and Tom Graveney) against Australia (Bill Lawry and Barry Jarman) in 1968, where Cowdrey and Lawry, recovered from injury, took over again for the next match. West Indies (Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards) against England (Graham Gooch and Allan Lamb) in 1989-90. England (Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain) against Australia (Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist) in 2001. and Australia (Michael Clarke and Steve Smith) against India (Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni) in 2014-15.I heard that Alex Carey equalled the record for catches by a wicketkeeper on Test debut at the Gabba. Who does he share this record with?asked Steve McArthur from Australia
Alex Carey’s five catches behind the stumps in England’s second innings in the first Test in Brisbane did equal the record for most catches in an innings by a debutant keeper there, set by Queenslander John Maclean against England in 1978-79. Only two keepers have made six dismissals in a Test innings on debut anywhere – Wally Grout for Australia against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957-58 (all catches), and Chris Read for England vs New Zealand at Edgbaston in 1999 (one stumping).Carey took eight catches in the match, beating the old ground record of seven dismissals by a debutant – four of them stumpings – by Gil Langley against West Indies in Brisbane in 1951-52. And Carey’s eight dismissals equalled the record for any debutant wicketkeeper, set by Australia’s Brian Taber against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1966-67, and equalled by Read in 1999. Both their hauls included a stumping, though, so Carey’s eight is a new record for catches on debut.Were Ajaz Patel’s figures in Mumbai the best in an innings and a match for someone who finished on the losing side in a Test?asked Derek Horsfield from England
The short answer is yes – slow left-armer Ajaz Patel established new records for both with his 10 for 119 in the first innings in Mumbai, and overall match figures of 14 for 225.The previous-best innings figures in a losing cause were Kapil Dev’s 9 for 83 for India against West Indies in Ahmedabad in 1983-84. Three others have taken nine in an innings in a defeat: Jack Noreiga (9 for 95 for West Indies vs India in Port-of-Spain in 1970-71); Subhash Gupte (9 for 102 vs West Indies in Kanpur in 1958-59); and Keshav Maharaj (9 for 129 for South Africa against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2018).Javagal Srinath’s 13 for 132 for India against Pakistan in Kolkata in 1998-99 were the previous-best match figures in a lost cause. Three other 13-wicket hauls weren’t enough to prevent defeat: Sydney Barnes took 13 for 163 for England against Australia in Melbourne in 1901-02; Merv Hughes 13 for 217 for Australia vs West Indies in Perth in 1988-89); and Tom Richardson 13 for 244 for England against Australia at Old Trafford in 1896.Chris Gayle’s opening partner Wavell Hinds fell for a first ball duck while Gayle went on to make 317 against South Africa in Antigua in 2005•AFPWhat’s the highest score by an opener in a Test innings in which his partner made a duck?asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England
Top of the list here is the “Universe Boss”, Chris Gayle, who made 317 for West Indies against South Africa in St John’s in Antigua in 2005. His opening partner Wavell Hinds was out first ball. It was a batting paradise – West Indies answered South Africa’s 588 with 747, and a record eight centuries were scored – so Hinds no doubt felt he’d missed out! Next comes Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, who made 253 after Marvan Atapattu fell in the first over to complete a pair against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 2004-05.Who has scored the most runs in the Australian Big Bash? And who is the leading overseas player?asked Josh McAllister from Australia
The big-hitting Queenslander Chris Lynn is well clear at the top of this list at the moment. As I write he has 2826 Big Bash runs for Brisbane Heat, around 400 ahead of Aaron Finch. Six others – Glenn Maxwell, D’Arcy Short, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Jonathan Wells and Moises Henriques – have more than 2000 runs, and Matthew Wade (1944) should join them soon. The leading overseas runscorer is England’s Alex Hales, who currently has 1484.In the Women’s Big Bash, the leader is Beth Mooney, with 3674 runs, comfortably ahead of Ellyse Perry (3360), and Sophie Devine of New Zealand (3076).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
The once-white-hot Chicago Cubs have been playing rather docile baseball as of late—they entered Thursday just 5-5 in their last 10 games.
However, they received some good news as a crucial piece of their collective puzzle returned Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs activated pitcher Shota Imanaga from the 15-day injured list and watched him pitch five shutout innings against the Cardinals.
Imanaga, 31, had been out since May 4 with a left hamstring strain. He is 3-2 on the season with a 2.83 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings.
To make room for Imanaga, Chicago designated pitcher Michael Fulmer for assignment. The 32-year-old has bounced around the big leagues since an excellent mid-2010s debut that saw him win the American League's Rookie of the Year award in 2016. He was named an All-Star with the Detroit Tigers in 2017.
The Cubs are currently 47-33; they lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 2.5 games in the National League Central Division.
Kylian Mbappe's injury has forced Xabi Alonso to launch a 'desperate' Real Madrid tactic in the fight to save his job against Manchester City. Alonso could turn to out-of-favour forward Endrick in the absence of their star attacker. The Frenchman was absent from Los Blancos' open training session the day before the game against Pep Guardiola's side at the Bernabeu.
Injury scare for Real Madrid ahead of Man City clash
A day before Madrid's crucial Champions League fixture against Premier League giants Manchester City, star forward Mbappe missed the club's open training session, alongside compatriot Eduardo Camavinga. While Alonso did not mention anything about injuries in his squad, in the training session following the manager's pre-match press conference, Mbappe was a notable absentee.
Spanish radio station also reported that the France international had suffered an injury in his left leg, making him a serious doubt for the game with City at the Bernabeu.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMbappe's injury major blow for Alonso
Mbappe has been Los Blancos' standout player in the 2025-26 campaign, with 25 goals across La Liga and the Champions League, plus four assists. He is also on course to break Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the most goals for Real in a calendar year. The Frenchman has been responsible for half of the team's goals in the Spanish top flight and a remarkable 75% of their goals in Europe's top competition, netting a stunning four strikes in his last continental outing against Olympiacos.
Head coacg Alonso is under huge pressure following Madrid's dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, which also saw Alvaro Carreras and Fran Garcia sent off and key defender Eder Militao hobble off with a muscle injury that is set to keep him out for up to four months. The loss meant that their gap with league leaders Barcelona increased to four points. Alonso's side have won just two of their last seven games in all competitions.
Alonso focusing on Endrick
With Mbappe out injured, reported on Tuesday that the Madrid boss paid special attention to out-of-favour forward Endrick in the training session and even individually spoke to the Brazilian, something he never did since joining the club in the summer.
The special attention towards the attacker clearly indicates that the youngster is likely to feature in the club's matchday squad to face City on Wednesday, which has been dubbed 'Plan Endrick'. If Endrick starts against the English giants, it will happen for the first time this season. If he comes off the bench, he would feature in a game for the first time since November 1, when he played a few minutes in the club's win over Valencia.
Other than Endrick, another forward option for Alonso ahead of the City clash is Gonzalo Garcia. The Spaniard has played more minutes than Endrick this season and is likely to get the preference ahead of the Brazilian in the European clash.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWill Endrick leave Madrid in January?
Endrick has been linked with a temporary move away from Madrid since the start of the new season and the player's frustration has only grown after repeatedly being ignored by Alonso. With just over six months left for the 2026 World Cup to start, the youngster is naturally desperate for game time and could consider moving away from the Bernabeu.
Endrick's father recently showed his support by writing on social media: "I know, my son, how hard you work and how much you dedicate every minute of your day. I know everything you're capable of. You're a winner and you're showing everyone that you're a true warrior. Your star will continue to shine, even though some try to dim your light. I believe your future lies right there."
It remains to be seen now how many minutes Endrick manages to accumulate in Mbappe's absence in December and depending on his opportunity, the teenager will take a final call on his future.