Balderson ends Lancashire's red-ball drought with 261-run win

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Allrounder takes four in each innings as Madsen battles to 95 not out for Derbyshire

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay02-Jul-2025 Lancashire 367 (Green 121, Jennings 106) and 406 for 6 dec (Turner 121, Balderson 82, Jones 63) beat Derbyshire 261 (Andersson 79, Madsen 70, Balderson 4-71) and 251 (Madsen 95*, Guest 46, Balderson 4-54) by 261 runs George Balderson ended Lancashire’s red-ball drought when he bowled them to a crushing 261-run victory over Derbyshire in the Rothesay County Championship match at Chesterfield.The all-rounder took 4 for 54 and eight in the game as the Red Rose finally celebrated a first Championship victory of the season with Derbyshire dismissed for 251 which ended their unbeaten run in Division Two.Set an improbable 513, skipper Wayne Madsen made an unbeaten 95 and Brooke Guest 46 but once the fourth wicket pair were parted, the hosts collapsed with Tom Bailey taking the last two wickets to finish with 3 for 39.The grey clouds over Queen’s Park suggested the conditions were good for the bowlers, especially Jimmy Anderson, and although the bat was beaten, Derbyshire survived the first hour in relative comfort.Madsen eased Anderson to the cover boundary on his way to his second fifty of the match which came off 86 balls and when the former England fast bowler failed to take a wicket in his four over opening spell, Derbyshire had achieved their first objective of the morning.With Anderson out of the attack, Madsen and Guest kept the board ticking over without taking any risks and the stand was worth 127 in 18 overs when Lancashire finally broke through.The decision to bring on Chris Green at the Lake End was rewarded when Guest tried to shovel the off spinner through mid-wicket, missed, and was lbw.That would have come as a relief to Lancashire who might have been starting to get a little anxious but they were soon celebrating again.Martin Andersson had top scored in the first innings but this time he got a good ball from Balderson that straightened to take the off stump.The morning got even better for the visitors when Anuj Dal, who has figured in several Derbyshire rearguard actions, tried to whip Green off his legs and was bowled.When Balderson again found just enough seam movement to bowl Zak Chappell, Madsen was in danger of being stranded and he saw another wicket fall in the last over of the session.Ben Aitchison edged Balderson low to second slip where Green took a good catch which meant Derbyshire had lost 5 for 33 in 11 overs.Madsen went into lunch unbeaten on 78, his eighth 50 in 15 innings this season, and it was now a question of whether he could convert that into three figures.He was denied by Bailey with the new ball which accounted for Blair Tickner and Jack Morley with Anderson taking the catch at third slip which sparked Lancashire’s long awaited celebrations.

Gambhir bats for injury replacements in Tests, Stokes finds idea 'ridiculous'

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India coach Gautam Gambhir has called for the introduction of injury replacements in Test cricket, a stance which England captain Ben Stokes considers “absolutely ridiculous”.Rishabh Pant, India’s wicketkeeper-batter, retired hurt on the first day of the drawn fourth Test in Manchester but re-emerged on the second day to resume his innings despite scans confirming a fracture in his right foot. Gambhir praised Pant’s bravery, saying “any amount of praise is not enough for him”, but said that injury replacements should be permitted in such instances.”Absolutely, I’m all for it,” Gambhir said. “If the umpires and the match referee sees and feels that is a major injury, I think it’s very important. It’s very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute – that is, if it’s very visible. There’s nothing wrong in doing that, especially in a series like this where it’s been such a closely fought series in the previous three Test matches. Imagine if we would’ve had to play with ten men against 11. How unfortunate would this be for us.”Related

  • CA to trial injury subs with tactical twist in Sheffield Shield with eye to Test cricket use

  • 'Pain is just an emotion' – Stokes likely to play Oval Test

  • Jagadeesan replaces Pant in India squad for fifth Test at The Oval

  • Gambhir: All fast bowlers, including Bumrah, are fit for Oval Test

India were able to use Dhruv Jurel, a substitute, as their wicketkeeper in Pant’s place, but he would not have been available to bat in their second innings. The ICC’s playing conditions allow teams to make replacements if a player is concussed or contracts Covid-19, but there is no scope to replace an injured player.Some boards will trial injury replacements at first-class level later this year, but Stokes said that the conversation should be “shut down and stopped” because any proposal would contain too many “loopholes” for teams to exploit.”I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that there’s a conversation around an injury replacement,” Stokes said. “I think that there would just be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your XI for a game; injuries are part of the game. I completely understand the concussion replacement – player welfare, [and] player safety. But I think the conversation should just honestly stop around injury replacements because if you stick me in an MRI scanner, I could get someone else in straightaway.”If you stick anyone else with an MRI scanner, a bowler is going to show, ‘oh yeah, you’ve got a bit of inflammation around your knee; oh sweet, we can get another fresh bowler in’. I just think that conversation should be shut down and stopped.”Gautam Gambhir on Rishabh Pant: “Any amount of praise is not enough for him, especially batting with a broken foot”•Getty Images

Pant has been ruled out of next week’s fifth Test at The Oval, which starts on Thursday, and replaced in the India squad by N Jagadeesan. Gambhir praised Pant for returning to bat and adding 17 runs after retiring hurt, and said that “generations to come forward” would talk about the bravery.”Rishabh, already it’s been declared that he’s out of the series,” Gambhir said. “One thing I want to say is that the character, the foundation of this team, will be built on something that [he] did for the team and for the country as well. Any amount of praise is not enough for him, especially batting with a broken foot.”Not many people have done that in the past, and he had put his hand up and that is why I say it. Any amount of praise [is not enough]. I can sit here and talk about this for hours and hours. I think the generations to come forward will talk about this, and generations coming forward should talk about it that there is someone who’s batted with a broken foot.”It’s unfortunate because of the kind of form he was in, but again, he’s an important member of the Test side, and I hope he recovers quickly and comes back quickly, and try and deliver again for us.”

West Indies batting flops to give Australia the advantage after 15-wicket day

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Australia now lead by 181 with four wickets in hand but West Indies had given themselves a glimmer

Andrew McGlashan14-Jul-20250:51

Khawaja and Smith both knocked over cheaply

West Indies’ pace bowlers surged under lights on the second day at Sabina Park as the Test moved at a breakneck speed, with Australia stumbling to 99 for 6 amid a torrid working over in some of the toughest conditions imaginable.Sam Konstas’ miserable series ended with a duck, leaving his Test prospects for the Ashes in jeopardy. Cameron Green, on the other hand, played outstandingly for an innings worth far more than the 42 on the scoreboard, although he could have been run out on 14. By the close of another hectic day, which saw 15 wickets fall, Australia held a lead of 181 which was already considerable in the conditions, but West Indies had given themselves a glimmer.Related

Konstas will play for Australia again, but will he play Ashes?

Earlier, West Indies had been dismantled for 143, with Australia’s bowling sharing the success. Scott Boland, who replaced Nathan Lyon in the XI, finished with three wickets. Australia took a first-innings lead of 82, but it also meant they started their second innings at the beginning of the final session, as the lights took full hold.The passage of play when West Indies took the new ball was electrifying. Konstas wasn’t able to get off the mark as he jabbed at a short-of-a-length delivery from Shamar Joseph and was caught in the gully. It left Konstas, who had been billed as the future of the top order, with 50 runs in the series at 8.33.Usman Khawaja managed to take his balls-faced tally in the series to over 300 – a not-inconsiderable achievement given the conditions – but inside-edged a big drive against Shamar Joseph into his stumps, making it all six dismissals for the series from around the wicket.

Then, Alzarri Joseph turned up the throttle against Steven Smith with a spell where he touched 147kph and produced the fastest over by a West Indies bowler in the series. He had only been able to bowl seven overs in the first innings due to back problems but was cleared after scans in hospital.Smith was dropped on 1, a low chance to Justin Greaves at second slip, and appeared to have trouble sighting the ball, which is a challenge he has spoken about in day-night Tests. With Alzarri Joseph’s 12th delivery to Smith, he found the inside edge with a fuller delivery, pinning Smith back in the crease.West Indies spurned a golden chance to remove Green when he and Travis Head were caught ball-watching over a single. The pair resisted briefly, but it couldn’t last for much longer as Head sent a low catch to second slip against Greaves.Beau Webster was defeated by late movement from Alzarri Joseph, on a virtually unplayable delivery, and Alex Carey edged a wild drive to slip two balls after being clanged on the helmet by a bouncer that necessitated repair work on it. Carey’s stroke was one of a batter not backing their chances of hanging around.Scott Boland, who replaced Nathan Lyon in the XI, finished with three wickets•AFP/Getty Images

As with the opening day, the game moved at a much more sedate pace for the first two hours. West Indies had fought hard during the morning session, which took on a similar pattern to Australia’s first innings, where the scoring rate was low. They were 73 for 3 at the interval and later 124 for 5, before tumbling in a heap thanks to a mixture of good deliveries and poor batting.Brandon King, who had opened after injuries to John Campbell and Mikyle Louis on the first day, had been solid during the opening exchanges before falling to a bail-trimming lbw against Josh Hazlewood.There was a brief moment of controversy when Campbell was nearly run out by Pat Cummins’ under-arm flick from mid-on. Nitin Menon didn’t call for the TV umpire and said Australia hadn’t appealed. Replays showed Campbell’s bat bounced but had been ground fractionally over the line beforehand. There was a heated conversation between Cummins and Menon in the aftermath.Pat Cummins celebrates dismissing Roston Chase•AFP/Getty Images

Roston Chase had battled through 70 balls when he edged a lifter from Cummins to first slip as he tried to drop the bat and gloves out of the line.Campbell, meanwhile, had shaped up well, showing good judgement with tip and runs while latching onto anything slightly lose, especially a crunching cover drive against Hazlewood. However, a moment of misjudgment ended his stay when he shouldered arms to Boland.Louis, who hurt his knee on the opening day, played the worst shot from the top order – a swipe across the line – to leave West Indies 95 for 5.But Australia were not blemish free. Carey missed two chances – the first when he dived across in front of first slip for an edge off Greaves, and then a low inside edge from Shai Hope. However, Hope fell on the next ball, when a delivery nipped sharply from Boland and scooted past the inside edge.From there, the innings – which also included Greaves being run out coming back for a third, beaten by Konstas’ excellent throw from the deep – subsided till they were all out.

OLHAR DO PORCO: O Palmeiras é gigante e está vivo no Brasileirão 2023!

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MatériaMais NotíciasRelacionadasPalmeirasVingou a Mercosul! Palmeiras encontra outro carioca para vingar uma das maiores dores da sua históriaPalmeiras02/11/2023BrasileirãoDelegação do Palmeiras sai do Nilton Santos, estádio do Botafogo, com música em tom provocativo; veja o vídeoBrasileirão02/11/2023PalmeirasAbel dá indireta para Textor e rasga elogios ao Palmeiras: ‘Só uma equipe é capaz de fazer o que fizemos’Palmeiras02/11/2023

Carlo Ancelotti makes 'dangerous' England World Cup prediction & gives Jude Bellingham verdict

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Carlo Ancelotti believes that England will be "dangerous" at next year's World Cup, while singing the praises of former charge Jude Bellingham. The Italian got to work with the ex-Borussia Dortmund star for two seasons at Real Madrid and has seen his quality at first hand. Not only did he talk up the 22-year-old's strengths, he also lauded his humanity.

  • Ancelotti and Bellingham's close relationship

    The former Chelsea and AC Milan boss was in charge at Madrid when Bellingham was signed from Dortmund for £88 million ($115m) in 2023, and in their first season together, they won a Champions League and La Liga double. Things didn't work out quite as well last season, however, as bitter rivals Barcelona pipped Los Blancos to the league and Copa del Rey. Following news of Ancelotti's Santiago Bernabeu exit earlier this year, the England international waxed lyrical about the Italian. 

    He wrote on Instagram: "Mister, thank you for everything. It was a pleasure and a great experience to learn from the most successful manager of our club and one of the greatest of all time. What you have taught me about life and football will stick with me always, and I will be forever grateful. Good luck on your next journey, I wish you, your staff, and your family nothing but happiness!"

    And earlier this week, Ancelotti was equally as complimentary about the ex-Birmingham City starlet.

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    Ancelotti defends Bellingham

    The former Everton manager said on the Rest is Football podcast that Bellingham was a top player and even likened him to Brazilian great Kaka. He also dismissed any notion that the attacking midfielder has attitude problems, a topic that has come to the fore after he was not selected for Thomas Tuchel's October England squads. 

    Ancelotti said this week, "I think Jude is a fantastic player. If I have to compare, we were talking about Kaka. He is this kind of player, a really intelligent player, who is physically really strong, fantastic to arrive in the box at the right time. He's doing really well, and maybe he had a problem with his shoulder. He was out for two or three months, now he's back. No question mark. But why do you have to put a question mark on Bellingham?"

    He added, "No, I never had a problem with Jude about his attitude. He is really professional, really serious, works hard in training, like all English players do. And no, no complaints."

    And on Friday, when asked if Bellingham was one of the best midfielders in the world, Ancelotti replied, "What do you expect me to say? Yes or no? Of course. One of the best. I had a good relationship with him. He helped me to win one Champions League in 2024. So for me, I am a little bit involved in the judgement of Jude Bellingham, but he is a good guy and a great player."

  • England backed to be a threat at World Cup

    Following England's 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Serbia, in a game where Bellingham was a second-half substitute, Ancelotti stated that the Three Lions could go deep at next year's tournament in North America.

    "England will be dangerous for sure,” he said. “They have fantastic quality, a fantastic manager. I saw them play last night against Serbia. They are a team with a lot of quality and of course. Maybe they will say they will not compete but I am sure they will compete and try to win the World Cup."

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    What comes next for Bellingham?

    While Bellingham is back fit and is making an impression at Madrid once more, scoring three goals and adding an assist in 11 games for the Spanish giants, he is being kept out of the England team by Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers. While competition for places will be fierce, Tuchel says Bellingham and Rogers are on good terms.

    "It is normal, but he's one of the best mates of Jude, so I don't think he feels that kind of pressure. They compete at the moment for the same position, and they're still friends," he said. "They are very respectful with each other and like each other. Morgan deserved to stay on the pitch because he had three fantastic performances with him and second of all we didn't know what was coming if our plan was right with the high press. It would be unfair for Jude to try to figure everything out because we changed our way of pressing in the last two camps. Declan [Rice], Morgan, and Harry [Kane] did it already in three to four matches together. I figured they could adapt a bit quicker. Once we see the formation, we can give clear instructions to Phil [Foden] and Jude and bring them from the bench."

Mohammad Mithun elected new CWAB president

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The election commissioner announced that Mithun got 154 votes, beating Salim Shahed

Mohammad Isam04-Sep-2025Mohammad Mithun has become the new president of Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) after winning the players body’s election, held in Dhaka on Thursday. Election commissioner Iftekhar Rahman announced that Mithun got 154 votes, beating Salim Shahed who was the interim CWAB convenor since May this year. Shahed got 34 votes.”We will try to solve everything through negotiation,” Mithun said shortly after the election results were announced. “If that’s not possible, as I have come here to protect the rights of the cricketers, I have to speak for them. The BCB is our guardian. We can go to our guardian with whatever demands that we have. I hope the BCB sees those demands positively.”CWAB was established in 2004 but it hasn’t had any elections in the 21 years of existence. Naimur Rahman, the former Bangladesh captain and Awami League MP, was the CWAB president for 11 years, alongside general secretary Debabrata Paul. The pair quit their posts earlier this year, before Shahed was made the interim head of an ad-hoc committee.After many years, CWAB saw involvement from the country’s top cricketers. Before Thursday’s elections, the other positions in the executive body were filled uncontested.Former batter Shahriar Hossain is the senior vice-president while Nurul Hasan is the vice president. Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shamsur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rumana Ahmed, Khaled Mashud Pilot, Imrul Kayes, Irfan Sukkur, and Akbar Ali are new executive committee members.CWAB is an affiliate of the World Cricketers’ Association (formerly known as FICA). It came under the spotlight when Bangladesh’s top cricketers went on an indefinite strike in 2019, and one of their demands was CWAB’s overhaul at the time. CWAB bosses Naimur and Paul promised elections, but it was never held in the following five years.

Somerset bid to go one better as One-Day Cup returns

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All the runners and riders in Group B of the county 50-over competition, which returns this week

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Aug-2025

Archie Vaughan was in action for Somerset in last year’s final•Getty Images

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup returns this week, with Glamorgan defending the title they won at Trent Bridge in 2025. Here are the runners and riders in Group B:DurhamPreviewed by Graham HardcastleCaptain: Alex Lees
2024 Position: Fifth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Colin Ackermann (316)
2024 Most Wickets: Paul Coughlin (12)Why they can win the competition: Durham are coming off the back of an excellent Vitality Blast campaign, which saw them finish second in the North Group. They were 50-over finalists in 2021 and will be desperate to win their first white-ball title since 2014 when they won a previous incarnation of this competition. Their squad is well balanced and hasn’t been ravaged by the Hundred.Player to watch: Ollie Robinson, the 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, hasn’t played in this competition since 2022 due to Hundred commitments. That season, he won the title as a Kent player. He scored a career-best 206 not out during that particular campaign. This season, he’s available to his county and is likely to be a linchpin of their top order.Young gun: Wicketkeeper-batter Haydon Mustard, 19, is set for his first first-team exposure of 2025 in this competition. An ever-present last year in the lower middle order, the former England U19 posted a top-score of 35. He even hit a six in a match against Lancashire at Sedbergh which was caught in the crowd by his dad, Phil.Final thought: South African overseas quick Codi Yusuf is available for this competition. He represented the county in the Rothesay County Championship during the first half of the summer before heading off to Zimbabwe in late June and early July to make his Test debut for the Proteas, taking the new ball and claiming 10 wickets in a 2-0 series victory. He returned to the Riverside on a deal until the end of the season and will add significant firepower to Durham’s bowling attack. Kent- ECB Reporters Network supported by RothesayCaptain: Grant Stewart and Harry Finch
2024 Position: Seventh (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Jack Leaning (262)
2024 Most Wickets: Matt Parkinson (12)Why they can win the competition: Only three first-teamers are playing in The Hundred and the white-ball squad looks significantly stronger than the red. Kent won this competition as recently as 2022 and six of the team that surprised a full-strength Lancashire in that final are still with the club, although whether the Warwickshire-bound Nathan Gilchrist will be selected is uncertain.Player to watch: Harry Finch keeps on reinventing himself. A player who openly admits he wasted the first part of his career with Sussex, he got a second chance at Kent, taught himself to keep wicket and this year has starred at both number three and as an opener in the Vitality Blast. Asked what he’d try his hand at next, he replied: “football”.Young gun: Orpington-born, batting all-rounder Ekansh Singh has broken into the Rothesay County Championship side this season and recently starred for the England Men U19s, making a century in the second Youth Test at Chelmsford. The 19-year-old also went to school in Tonbridge, a town that’s nurtured talent including Colin Blythe, Colin Cowdrey and Ed Smith.Final thought: Politics derailed Kent’s 2024 campaign – Ben Compton was sidelined, reportedly due to his contract situation, and Kent sorely missed his ability to pace an innings, as a bowler-heavy line-up threw away a chance of qualification. This time round the business has been done early, with Compton and Joey Evison, player-of-the-match in the 2022 final, both signing new deals while leg-spinning all-rounder Mohammed Rizvi has been signed after impressing with the 2nd XI.Josh Bohannon whips off his pads through square leg•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

LancashireCaptain: Marcus Harris
2024 Position: Ninth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Josh Bohannon (274)
2024 Most Wickets: Charlie Barnard (8)Why they can win the competition: As mixed as their performances have been in the Rothesay County Championship this summer, Lancashire were excellent in the Vitality Blast, finishing top of the North Group and qualifying for the quarter-finals. If they can transfer that momentum into 50-over cricket, they will have a chance. But their senior players have to be better in this competition than they were last year.Player to watch: Josh Bohannon is Lancashire’s linchpin batter in this format and has been their leading run-scorer in the past two campaigns, scoring a century in each of them. Former England Lions captain Bohannon is likely to bat at number three with the aim of batting through the innings and cashing in at the end.Young gun: Left-arm spinner Charlie Barnard led the way for the Red Rose in last season’s competition with eight wickets and impressed hugely on their pre-season tour of India. A wily spinner, an old head on young shoulders type, the 20-year-old took four wickets in three Vitality Blast matches in late May and early June and should be front and centre over the next month.Final thought: Lancashire, bottom of the pile last year, have not won a major List A title in more than a quarter of a century but came close in this competition in 2022 when they were beaten by Kent in a Trent Bridge final. Australian overseas batter Marcus Harris will captain the Red Rose, with Keaton Jennings and Sir James Anderson both having been selected in The Hundred. They have also signed emerging batting all-rounder Arav Shetty until the end of the season.MiddlesexCaptain: Ben Geddes
2024 Position: Sixth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Joe Cracknell (306)
2024 Most Wickets: Luke Hollman (12)Why they can win the competition: One cause for optimism should certainly be the depth of Middlesex’s pace attack. Ireland left-armer Josh Little will bring plenty of international white-ball experience to the table, supported by a clutch of exciting young talents such as Noah Cornwell, Naavya Sharma, Sebastian Morgan and Jamie Feldman – all under 21 and hungry to impress.Player to watch: Ben Geddes. The 24-year-old has performed well in both four-day and T20 formats since his winter move across the Thames from Surrey, can bat anywhere from one to seven and has earned his captaincy opportunity. With many top-order regulars involved in The Hundred, the 50-over tournament should provide further opportunities for Geddes to shine.Young gun: Naavya Sharma. The pacy 19-year-old was leading wicket-taker for England Under-19s in their Test series against Sri Lanka last summer and Middlesex were unafraid to pitch him in at the deep end for their County Championship campaign this year. Sharma bowled consistently, repaying the club’s faith by claiming six wickets in their innings victory over previously undefeated Leicestershire.Final thought: Middlesex are notoriously slow out of the blocks in this tournament, having failed to win their opening fixture since 2019 – a year that also brought the county’s most recent appearance in the knockout stages.Despite losing spinner Zafar Gohar to injury, Middlesex’s bowling options look strong. The question may be whether they can put match-winning totals on the board – the likes of Sam Robson, Ben Geddes and Joe Cracknell may need to go big more often than not.Prithvi Shaw was Northamptonshire’s top run-scorer in 2024•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

NorthamptonshireCaptain: Lewis McManus
2024 Position: Eighth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Prithvi Shaw (343)
2024 Most Wickets: Justin Broad (13)Why they can win the competition: Despite losing more players to The Hundred than ever before, Northamptonshire boast a strong squad who mounted an impressive challenge in the Vitality Blast. They are boosted by Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who has been in devastating form in the Rothesay County Championship and Tim Robinson, fresh from New Zealand’s recent white-ball tour of Zimbabwe.Player to watch: Last season’s leading wicket-taker, allrounder Justin Broad is firing with bat and ball, with back-to-back scores of 150 plus in the Championship during July.Young gun: After impressing in the Second XI and Academy, 17-year-old spinner Nirvan Ramesh recently signed a two-month rookie contract and was named in the squad for the recent Championship game against Derbyshire to give him more experience. Highly rated by the coaching staff he looks set to feature during the Metro Bank One Day Cup.Final thought: Northamptonshire need to channel the white-ball form that saw them open their T20 campaign with six straight wins. Even without key bowlers in Ben Sanderson and George Scrimshaw, Northamptonshire can call on a battery of seamers led by Broad and the experienced Luke Procter. The Steelbacks will also hope Kiwi international Robinson can help plug the run-scoring gap left by the prolific Saif Zaib on Hundred duty.SomersetCaptain: To be named
2024 Position: Finalists
2024 Most Runs: Andy Umeed (492)
2024 Most Wickets: Jack Leach (15)Why they can win the competition: The loss of eight players to The Hundred is less than last season when Somerset still finished runners-up in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, winning six of their eight group games and a semi-final against Leicestershire before losing a rain-affected final against Glamorgan. That was the third trophy to narrowly elude the team last summer and the bitter memory will strengthen resolve to go one better.Player to watch: Andy Umeed has flourished in the 50-over competition over the past two seasons, hitting three centuries in 2023 and another against Kent last year on his way topping Somerset’s One-Day Cup batting averages. Overlooked in other competitions this season, the 29-year-old Scot will be keen to reproduce the exciting form that launched his career with the club.Young gun: At the tender age of 17, Thomas Rew already boasts the fastest century for England Under-19s, made against India this summer, and looks set to follow elder brother James into the Somerset team on a regular basis, having made his debut in this season’s Vitality Blast. Long rated the club’s brightest prospect, the One Day Cup looks sure to showcase his special talent.Final thought: Even without the players on duty in The Hundred, Somerset have enough experience blended with exciting young talent to deservedly rank among the favourites for the One-Day Cup. Support for 50-over cricket remains strong at the Cooper Associates County Ground and the team are guaranteed fervent backing while looking to capitalise to the bat-friendly pitches at their home venue.SussexCaptain: John Simpson
2024 Position: Ninth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Tom Haines (326)
2024 Most Wickets: Henry Crocombe (10)Why they can win the competition: Sussex regard the Metro Bank One-Day Cup primarily as a development competition and the focus will again be on giving youngsters opportunities. Many will be better for the experience they had in 2024, even though they only won one game, and if they can make a good start they could make the knockout stages, as they did in 2022 with a similarly inexperienced team.Player to watch: Henry Crocombe was one of the stars of Sussex’s Vitality Blast campaign with 15 wickets in his nine games and he was their leading wicket-taker in the One-Day Cup last season. With his strong action, the 23-year-old is capable of bowling with serious heat and will relish his likely role as leader of the seam attack.Young gun: George Thomas has had few opportunities since his winter move from Somerset, but the opening batter offered glimpses of his potential when he broke into the Vitality Blast team. He made his maiden hundred in this competition last year for his former county and a run of games will offer the 21-year-old an opportunity he should relish.Final thought: Batting coach Grant Flower will be in charge for this competition, and it will be interesting to see his approach. Sussex only won one game last year, but they lost twice by one wicket and were competitive in most. John Simpson, who missed three games last year, will be captain for the tournament which is a welcome development. So is the return to Arundel which stages its first one-day game since 2013 against Kent as part of a four-day festival of cricket.Ed Barnard was a prolific performer for Warwickshire last year•Getty Images

WarwickshireCaptain: Ed Barnard
2024 Position: Semi-finals
2024 Most Runs: Ed Barnard (433)
2024 Most Wickets: Ed Barnard (19)Why they can win the competition: Semi-finalists last season, Warwickshire have some talented young players who drive the team in this competition. A year on from the under-performance in the last four against Glamorgan at Cardiff, those emerging players are more experienced and better-equipped to handle the bigger, make-or-break games.Player to watch: Kai Smith. The wicketkeeper batter is pushing hard to become a regular in all formats. Solid behind the stumps, he bats with a freedom and power which can transform games. His unbeaten 130 from 104 balls against Worcestershire at Edgbaston in this competition last season was a scintillating exhibition of how to turn pressure back on the opposition.Young gun: Hamza Shaikh. Although only just turned 19, top-order batter Shaikh has some first-team cricket under his belt now in both first-class and 50-over formats. His 84 and 112 as captain of England Men U19s against India at Beckenham last month suggests he is ready to take the next step and deliver match-shaping innings for his county.Final thought: Ian Westwood’s first season as head coach at Edgbaston has contained some promising signs – Warwickshire have delivered some eye-catching Rothesay County Championship wins and qualification for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals. To lift the Metro Bank One-Day Cup would assure supporters that their side is settling again after the long period of transition since winning the 2021 County Championship – and also underline Ed Barnard’s credentials to be the next club captain.YorkshireCaptain: Dom Bess
2024 Position: Sixth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Will Luxton (247)
2024 Most Wickets: George Hill (17)Why they can win the competition: Added to Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid and Joe Root, Yorkshire have – as things stand – only got two other players away at the Hundred. They are Jafer Chohan and Jordan Thompson. They are determined to put right a failed Vitality Blast campaign which saw them win only five games and finish second bottom in the North Group.Player to watch: All-rounder George Hill, aged 24, is having a great summer, especially with his seamers. He has topped the 40-wicket mark in the Rothesay County Championship and has gained England Lions recognition. In the last few years in 50-over cricket, Hill has posted a score of 130 in the middle order and has returned a haul of 6-30 with the ball.Young gun: David Lloyd lives close to top-order batter Will Bennison’s club, Sheriff Hutton Bridge, and has watched lots of the 18-year-old. Bumble even announced Bennison’s maiden rookie professional contract on Yorkshire’s social media accounts last month, saying: “He’s the real deal”. Bennison loves to score runs in big chases. Expect to see him later in the competition, as Yorkshire start off with experience.Final thought: With Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan – Yorkshire’s Championship and T20 captains – away at The Hundred, spin-bowling all-rounder Dom Bess will lead Yorkshire’s pursuit of a first limited overs trophy since 2002. They beat Somerset in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy final that year when current head coach Anthony McGrath was in the team. The White Rose will have Pakistani top-order batter Imam-Ul-Haq available to them for the duration of the competition, and look well placed to have a crack at the title.

Like Palmer: Chelsea "machine" is going to be one of the world's best

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

It’s been a confusing month or so for Chelsea fans.

One week, the Blues are beating Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur, and then the next, they’re losing to Sunderland or dropping points against Qarabağ.

However, while Enzo Maresca’s side are far from consistent at the moment, it is full of sensational talent.

In fact, there is at least one player who feels destined to become one of the best in the world, alongside Cole Palmer.

Chelsea's world-class stars

While it doesn’t feel like it at the moment, Chelsea are blessed with several players who could become some of the very best in the world in their position, if they aren’t already there.

Chalkboard

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

For example, while Moises Caicedo had a slow start to life in West London, he is now one of, if not the best six, in the Premier League.

The Ecuadorian is a monster when it comes to winning the ball back, has an underrated range of passing and can score his fair share of bangers.

Another star who is arguably the best in his position in the league is Reece James.

The Cobham gem is no longer suffering from injury after injury and, as a result, has been able to show the full extent of his exceptional ability on a consistent basis.

For example, in addition to being rock solid at the back, he is a genuine attacking threat due to both his impressive passing range and ball-striking ability.

Finally, while he’s out injured at the moment, Palmer is without doubt on his way to becoming one of the best players in the world.

He is the one who makes the Blues’ attack click, and in just 101 appearances for the club has already racked up a tally of 45 goals and 29 assists.

With all that said, there is another young Chelsea star who looks like he could be following in Palmer’s footsteps.

The Chelsea star on track to be one of the best in the world

While there are several exciting youngsters at Chelsea, like Jorrel Hato, Jamie Gittens, and even Alejandro Garnacho, the one who seems destined for the very top is, of course, Estevao.

The highly promising Brazilian gem was signed by Chelsea last year, but due to regulations surrounding players under 18, he was unable to join the club until this season.

However, it looks like that extra year in his homeland has done him the world of good, as so far this season, he has looked every bit the “future Ballon d’Or winner” respected analyst Ben Mattinson described him as.

Estevao’s Palmeiras record

Appearances

83

Minutes

5610′

Goals

27

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

133.57′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, he was arguably the Blues’ most exciting player in pre-season and injected some real life into the side when he came on in the season opener against Crystal Palace.

Then, when Palmer picked up an injury ahead of the West Ham game, Maresaca handed the youngster his first competitive start, and he looked incredible.

The Franca-born gem was running rings around the East Londoners and even picked up his first assist after a mazy run.

Amazingly, his first goal for the club came in that incredible 2-1 win over Liverpool last month.

He then quickly followed that up with a goal against Ajax in the Champions League and another against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup.

As if he hadn’t already made his mark on the team, he then scored his second UCL goal against Qarabağ.

In doing so, he became the first South American 18 or under to score in consecutive Champions League matches.

Ultimately, while it is still so early in his career, it certainly feels like Estevao is on the same trajectory as Palmer and will soon join him as one of the best players in the world.

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Not Reijnders or Nico: Man City already have Rodri deputy who's "like Yaya"

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Manchester City’s nine-match unbeaten run is over, with familiar issues coming to the fore.

On Sunday, Pep Guardiola’s team were beaten 1-0 by Aston Villa, Matty Cash the afternoon’s only scorer, condemning the Sky Blues to a third successive defeat at Villa Park for the first time since 1966.

Midfield was certainly the biggest problem position for the Citizens.

With Rodri still sidelined, and his natural deputy Nico González picking up a knock against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday, Tijjani Reijnders was deployed as a one-man midfield in the Midlands, but struggled both in and out of possession.

So, with crucial and challenging fixtures right around the corner, should Guardiola recall an experienced member of his squad who has been compared to, arguably, the club’s greatest midfielder of the Abu Dhabi-era?

Rodri's importance to Manchester City in numbers

Manchester City’s downturn in results last season was primarily put down to Rodri’s absence, seeing a miserly 73 minutes of action in the Premier League, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Arsenal.

Well, after starting only three Premier League matches to commence this campaign, the Ballon d’Or suffered a hamstring injury at Brentford earlier this month, a major blow for both the team and the player, and the date of his return is not yet known.

Since his debut at West Ham in August 2019, Manchester City have lost only 38 of 237 Premier League matches, with the Spaniard sitting out 17 of these defeats (45%), including 16 of 18 since 5 February 2023 at Tottenham.

In fact, August’s 2-1 reverse at Brighton was the first time Rodri had started a Premier League match and lost for 938 days.

In summary, to reiterate the obvious, he is very important to Guardiola’s team, who are simply not the same without their midfield fulcrum, so with both Reijnders and Nico struggling to fill his void, do Man City have the ideal candidate for this role in their squad?

Manchester City's ideal Rodri deputy

Having spent over £380m across the January and summer transfer windows, many of Manchester City’s existing players have rather been forgotten about.

Well, Mateo Kovačić certainly fits into that category, but he could certainly still be a useful contributor.

After requiring achilles surgery in June, thereby sitting out the Club World Cup, the Croatian international had not been seen in sky blue this season, before coming off the bench against both Everton and Villarreal in the last week or so.

Nevertheless, as the table below documented, Kovačić was a massively important figure in Guardiola’s team last season.

Kovačić 2024/25 stats

Stats

Kovačić

Man City rank

Goals

7

4th

Shots

51

7th

Goals – xG

+4.8

1st

Completed passes

2,020

4th

Key passes

35th

7th

Big chances created

6

8th

Passes into final 3rd

240

4th

Progressive passes

193

3rd

Tackles

74

1st

Interceptions

30

2nd

Touches per 90

87.8

3rd

Average rating

7.31

4th

Stats via FBref and SofaScore

As the table emphasises, Kovačić was one of Man City’s best performers last season.

Only Erling Braut Håland, Omar Marmoush and Phil Foden scored more goals across all competitions, while he also ranked very highly for chance creation, passing, touches and defensive metrics such as tackles and interceptions, which is a long-winded way of saying he was an all-action midfielder.

During his time at Chelsea, then manager Frank Lampard labelled him “intelligent” while, following a 3-2 win over Fulham 12 months ago, Guardiola described him as a “copy and paste” Rodri.

Meantime, former Man City defender Micah Richards described Kovačić as being “like Yaya [Touré]”, arguably the club’s best-ever midfielder, noting that the Croatian “can beat three players with his skill”, concluding that he is a vitally important player.

In his pomp, especially in the 2013/14 campaign, Touré was untouchable, both literally and metaphorically, possibly the best all round midfielder the Premier League has ever seen and, while he may not be that good, Kovačić certainly shares those same well-rounded characteristics.

Thus, with key games against high-flying Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and then beleaguered champions Liverpool all to come in the next fortnight, Kovačić’s return could be the Sky Blues’ under-the-radar secret weapon.

The Citizens travel to Swansea City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and it would probably be sensible for Guardiola to give the Croatian a run out, helping to rebuild his fitness, although who knows, those in South Wales may get a glimpse of the lesser-spotted Kalvin Phillips, after his cameo in round three.

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By
Ben Gray

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Dave Roberts Announces Dodgers' Pitching Plans for NLCS Game 2 vs. Mets

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The Dodgers are on the brink of setting MLB history, currently tied with the 1966 Baltimore Orioles for the most consecutive scoreless innings (33) in postseason history.

After blanking the New York Mets 9–0 in Game 1 of the NLCS, they will have the chance to break the record during Game 2 on Monday. Ahead of that tilt, Dave Roberts told reporters what the team's pitching plans are.

Roberts announced that the Dodgers will go with a bullpen game on Monday. It's a strategy that's already proven effective during this postseason. During their 8–0 win over the San Diego Padres in NLDS Game 4, L.A. used eight different pitchers who combined to throw nine shutout innings.

They'll lean on that strategy once again in Game 2, though Roberts did not declare who would be opening on the mound.

Roberts credited Jack Flaherty's dominant start in Game 1 as the reason the team will lean on its bullpen Monday. Flaherty threw seven scoreless innings on Sunday night, enabling Roberts to get some additional rest for most of his relievers. As such, they'll be better prepared to pitch on Monday.

First pitch for Game 2 is set for 4:08 p.m. EST from Dodger Stadium.

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