Category Uncategorized

The T20I series ends 1-1 with Glenn Phillips also playing an important role

Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Nov-2024Roughly 20 days after the women’s team won the T20 World Cup, and about a week after the men’s Test team completed a whitewash of India at home, New Zealand’s cricketers continue to do the near-impossible.On this occasion they defended 108 all out on a tricky – but far from unplayable – Dambulla surface. Lockie Ferguson bowled only two overs before having to leave the field because of a calf injury, but he claimed a hat-trick to rip out Sri Lanka’s top order, as he collected figures of 3 for 7.As has often been the case on this long South Asian sojourn, Glenn Phillips was vital to New Zealand’s victory too. He’d been out for 4 off 9, but took three wickets in the final over – which he had only had to bowl because of Ferguson’s absence. The most prized of those wickets was that of Pathum Nissanka, who had been Sri Lanka’s backbone, making 52 off 50, until he tried to smash Phillips over long-on, but could not clear the fielder.He was the last recognised batter to be dismissed, however. Zakary Foulkes, Mitchell Santner, and Michael Bracewell had all been effective in keeping Sri Lanka on a leash, as they squeezed wickets out of the batters’ frustrations. New Zealand have never defended a lower total in T20Is. Only twice have Full Members failed to finish off a chase of such modest proportions. (Zim vs Nam in 2023 and WI vs Zim in 2010)Sri Lanka would have thought themselves almost certain to win, when they earlier had the opposition 52 for 6 in the 11th over. But New Zealand cobbled together what looked an unimpressive total between Will Young’s 30, Santner’s 19, and Josh Clarkson’s 24. All of those innings came at less than a run-a-ball.This result ties the series 1-1, Sri Lanka having eased to victory on Saturday.Ferguson takes out 3, 4, and 5Although Ferguson only bowled half his overs (he’d only just recovered from a right hamstring complaint to make it into this XI), he essentially broke the game open in overs six and eight. Having allowed only three singles off his first five balls, he delivered a spectacular, swinging almost-yorker just on off stump, to take Kusal Perera’s outside edge, nicely caught by a diving Mitchell Hay.Next over, he nailed Kamindu Mendis in front of the stumps with a rapid yorker the batter was way to late on, and for his hat-trick wicket got a little luck. He pushed the ball – another attempted yorker – to Charith Asalanka a little far down leg. But Asalanka, in good form, got a little edge to that ball, which Hay received, low to the ground.Sri Lanka, suddenly were 34 for 4.Wanindu Hasaranga picked up four wickets while playing through an injury•AFP/Getty ImagesPhillips puts in a death-bowling shiftWith Ferguson unavailable through the back end of the innings, and Santner choosing to keep the pressure on Sri Lanka by bowling his frontliners relatively early, it fell to Phillips to bowl the big-pressure final over.Sri Lanka needed eight from it, which is not a huge amount when you have a top-order player batting on a half-century at the crease. Phillips found a way.When Nissanka got on strike for the second ball, he went down low and tried to slog-sweep it, only to find the long-on fielder. Next ball, Phillips slid a ball past the outside edge of Matheesha Pathirana, who stumbled forward, and was duly stumped.Sri Lanka could have still won – or at least tied – the game going into the final two deliveries. Maheesh Theekshana, who can occasionally produce boundaries, was on strike. But Phillips bowled bravely, slowing up a big offbreak outside off, with a little extra top spin. Theekshana swung, and only got a top edge, that Hay tracked down with his gloves to spark New Zealand jubilation.Hasaranga bosses the first innings on one legIt was clear there was big turn on this track from the outset. On top of which, Wanindu Hasaranga was in especially devastating touch. First ball, he bowled Phillips attempting what may have been a pre-meditated reverse slap. It was the googly that did that damage. Later in the over, he ripped a big legbreak, bowled slow through the air, beat Bracewell’s outside edge and took the top of his offstump – a classical legspinner’s dismissal.Hay was dismissed similarly next over, before getting Young overbalanced attempting a sweep, with Kusal Mendis collecting the ball down the leg side and flinging down the stumps while Young was out of the crease – an especially sharp piece of wicketkeeping after Mendis had been struck on the knee the previous over.That Wanindu did all this with a leg injury he’d picked up early in the game, made it even more impressive. He was hobbling through many of his deliveries.

The cogs are whirring away down Anfield Road, and Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes must be pretty pleased with Liverpool’s progress in the transfer market.

But they have more work still to do. In spite of signing Hugo Ekitike for £79m, Liverpool are mooted to remain in the market for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, who has informed his club that he wishes to explore a move away this summer.

And though the Sweden international has many admirers, it is the Reds who lead the race.

They couldn’t, could they? Unfortunately for those not of a Liverpool persuasion, they could. FSG have run the club expertly in recent years, managing the finances with a deft touch to be in a position for big-money moves across the summer.

And while the Premier League champions have already broken their transfer record by signing through the addition of Florian Wirtz, the £100m figure potentially stretching to a British-record £116m, they are primed to break it once more here.

However, a few outgoings may be needed.

The players who might be leaving Liverpool

With Trent Alexander-Arnold having already left Liverpool for Real Madrid, there’s a chance that Ibrahima Konate might follow. The French defender has entered the final year of his contract, and negotiations over a renewal have yielded little fruit thus far.

From an attacking standpoint, the signing of Ekitike and the potential arrival of Isak would surely see Darwin Nunez leave. The 25-year-old has fallen down the pecking order in Arne Slot’s system and is being chased by Saudi Arabian suitors.

Liverpool seem happy to let him leave, but are less inclined to accept Bayern Munich’s advances for Luis Diaz, having rejected a £58.5m offer. The Bundesliga champions are expected to return for the versatile forward, who was so important for Slot’s title-winning side.

While Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon has been touted as a possible replacement for the Colombian, he’s been priced at £100m.

And when a cheaper and exciting alternative is available, the track to head down becomes clear.

Liverpool lining up Diaz replacement

According to Fabrizio Romano, Lyon’s Malick Fofana is one of the names on FSG’s list as they consider replacements for Diaz, who may indeed have played his last competitive game for the Reds.

The 20-year-old has put his name on the map over the past 18 months in France, and is also courted by Bayern, though their curiosity will fade away in the case they do sign Diaz.

Fofana might be young, but his talent is clear. Lyon recognise this, and as such have priced him at €60m (£51m).

Why Liverpool want Malick Fofana

Hailed for his “explosive” athleticism by analyst Ben Mattinson, Fofana has established himself over the past few years, leaving his Belgian homeland in January 2024 when joining Lyon from Genk for a €22m (£19m).

That figure made an interesting comment from the off regarding Fofana’s skill set, and having now featured 62 times for the Ligue 1 side, scoring 15 goals and supplying eight assists, he’s shaping into quite the interesting winger.

While Isak would be replacing Diaz at centre-forward, the 28-year-old is typically a winger, and someone like Fofana would be a more direct heir.

And given that he might end up costing around half of what has been demanded for the Prem-proven Gordon, FSG may well opt to sign the lesser-known talent, especially since the likes of Wirtz and Cody Gakpo already reside in the Liverpool ranks.

Matches (starts)

29 (16)

34 (28)

Goals

5

6

Assists

4

5

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.5)

1.7 (0.6)

Big chances missed

4

10

Pass completion

84%

81%

Big chances created

6

6

Key passes*

0.9

1.5

Dribbles*

0.8

1.1

Tackles*

1.1

0.9

Duels won*

2.9

4.4

Sure, Gordon rode the crest of a wave after the 2023/24 season, awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year, having notched 22 goal involvements in the Premier League, but that year was followed by a regression in output and confidence.

His creativity and tenacious style were still clear, but Fofana is showing himself to have the making of a clinical winger beyond the goalscoring level of Gordon.

Does Gordon’s progress warrant the £100m fee? He’s a fine player, to be sure, with a Merseyside connection besides, but there’s little sense in forking out such a sum when there’s a player like Fofana waiting for his breakout move.

While Gordon has forged a slick partnership with Isak over the past few years, Fofana is considered by data-driven site FBref to be a statistically similar player to the England international, so he has the athletic, snappy style to thrive alongside the Swede.

It’s chalked down that the Belgian ranked among the top 10% of positional peers last term for non-penalty goals scored and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.

Isak’s quality is such that he could elevate the level of any winger worth their salt, but Gordon is indeed tactically aligned with the number nine to a higher degree.

By signing Fofana as Diaz’s replacement this summer, Slot could capture that synergy and use it to Liverpool’s gain, fashioning another angle out of his burgeoning superpower.

Gakpo 2.0: Liverpool now eyeing "one of the best young talents in football"

Liverpool still have a few more transfer targets in their sights this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 24, 2025

West Ham United have now agreed a deal to sign a “powerful” player for a fee of £19m plus add-ons, who is set to become their first new summer signing, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Hammers in need of major summer rebuild

West Ham fell below their usual standards in the 2024-25 campaign, finishing in 14th place, while the recent departure of Mohammed Kudus only exacerbates the need for Graham Potter to make a number of additions to his squad this summer.

There have been suggestions that Kudus’ departure, which raised £55m, could help fund the rebuild, with Potter in need of younger players, having fielded the oldest average starting XI in the Premier League last season.

However, like many clubs, it has become difficult for the Irons to abide by PSR rules, especially now they are having to go without European football, which could make it difficult to bring in a new striker, goalkeeper, central midfielder and left-back.

Related Talks open: West Ham in direct negotiations to sign £12m La Liga defender

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Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 14, 2025

That said, it appears as though they are now very close to strengthening one of those positions, with Romano recently taking to X to reveal that a deal has been agreed to sign Slavia Prague left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The Hammers have recently submitted an improved offer of €22m (£19m) plus add-ons, which has been accepted by the Czech club, and Diouf has been given permission to travel to London for his medical.

The defender has been a key target for quite some time, as revealed by ExWHUEmployee, who said: “We have been targeting the player for a while as we exclusively revealed and he ticks a number of boxes. He has a physical presence, he has pace, he is only 20 years of age and his career can only progress further from this point. This is the sort of value for money that West Ham have been looking for.”

"Powerful" Diouf could be solid signing for the Hammers

Not only does ExWHUEmployee believe the youngster can kick on at the London Stadium, but he has also received high praise from U23 scout Antonio Mango, who once described the full-back as a “powerful dribbler”.

West Ham certainly need to bring in a left-back this summer, given Aaron Cresswell’s departure, and the starlet already has a great deal of experience at first-team level, having made 50 senior appearances for Slavia Prague.

The Senegalese defender is particularly impressive from an attacking point of view, having collected nine goals and four assists during that time, courtesy of often playing in a slightly more advanced role.

Diouf could be a solid signing for the Hammers, and barring any late hiccups, it appears as though he is set to become their first signing of the summer.

Match details

England vs Namibia
June 15, Antigua, 1pm local time

Big picture: England breathe easier after statement win

Have the real England stood up at last? The jury, if truth be told, is probably still considering its verdict. For if one and a quarter matches was an insufficient sample size to assess their early-tournament woes against Scotland and Australia, then a 19-ball run-chase against an outclassed Oman can hardly count as proof that all is right once again with the defending world champions.But at least the speed and certainty of that Oman performance – conducted against the clock as much as their opponents – has placed England’s progress back in their own hands… sort of. By vaulting their net run rate up over that of the Scots’ (3.08 to 2.16), they can now breathe easier in the knowledge that another comfortable victory against Namibia should be enough to keep them on course for the Super Eight.Of course, there is – and will remain – a seed of uncertainty so long as Scotland still have a chance of landing the shock of the tournament by beating Australia in Group B’s final match on Sunday, but with Pat Cummins having officially declared that the Spirit of Cricket is at stake in that contest after a week of speculation about go-slows, it’s safe to assume that the Aussies will give their all, as they invariably do on the world stage.England put in a commanding performance against Oman to revive their qualification hopes•ICC via Getty Images

They certainly did just that in bowling Namibia out for 72 in Antigua on Tuesday. It was a performance of near-identical dominance to England’s crushing of Oman – it was all wrapped up in a 34-ball run-chase, to England’s 19, by nine wickets to England’s eight, and with their star legspinner Adam Zampa claiming 4 for 12 to Adil Rashid’s 4 for 11. The only real difference was in the resistance offered by Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, in his doughty 36 from 43 balls.England have no room for complacency given their uncertainties of the past week, but if this team truly is forged in the image of its captain Buttler, then confidence surely begets confidence. They have restored a degree of agency to their tournament narrative. It would be one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history if they let that qualification chance slip now, before Scotland have had their shot at ruining the party on Sunday.

Form guide

England: WLWWL
Namibia: LLTWW

In the spotlight – Adil Rashid and David Wiese

He took a couple of matches in this tournament to get fully back up to speed – which isn’t entirely surprising seeing as his displays against Pakistan last month were his first competitive outings since February – but against Oman, Adil Rashid‘s game was in perfect working order. His analysis included a remarkable 20 dot-balls, as his command of flight and variation demanded guesswork from an inexperienced Oman middle-order, and if he can produce a similar four-over display against Namibia, that ought to be ample to expose the gulf between the teams. Looking ahead to the Super Eight (as England, tentatively, can now allow themselves to do), the sight of a settled Rashid, growing into his work, augurs extremely well for the defending champions’ prospects.Never say never, but at the age of 39, and with at least two years until Namibia’s next shot at an ICC world tournament, this could be a last hurrah on the big stage for the mighty David Wiese – a mainstay of Namibia’s fortunes since he transferred his allegiance back in 2021, having previously played 26 matches for South Africa, including a role at the 2016 World T20. He was integral to their only victory so far in this campaign, with three wickets against Oman allied to a stellar Super Over display, but he was less effective against Scotland and Australia. A reversion to his best could yet cause England a few jitters on Saturday.

Team news

England’s attack nailed its brief in the Oman rout, with Reece Topley’s inclusion for his first match of the tournament providing an awkward left-arm point of difference to complement the 90mph-plus pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. It was all too hot to handle for Oman’s line-up, although there may well be a temptation to rest either or both of the latter given the two-day turnaround between matches, especially now that any old victory will keep England on track for qualification. Sam Curran, the star of England’s title win two years ago, is waiting in the wings for a first outing of the campaign, while Chris Jordan could slot back in too.England (possible): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Jofra Archer/Sam Curran, 9 Mark Wood/Chris Jordan, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Reece TopleyNamibia mixed things up in their last outing against Australia, with Ben Shikongo and Jack Brassell making their first appearances of the campaign – and potentially last as well, after being launched for a combined tally of 33 runs in ten balls in a one-sided run-chase. Of Namibia’s 15-man squad, only the 20-year-old batter Dylan Leicher has yet to be given an outing. With their qualification hopes over, there may be a temptation to reconfigure once again.Namibia (possible): 1 JP Kotze, 2 Nikolaas Davin, 3 Jan Frylinck, 4 Gerhard Erasmus (capt), 5 Malan Kruger, 6 Zane Green (wk), 7 David Wiese, 8 Ruben Trumpelmann, 9 JJ Smit, 10 Bernard Scholtz, 11 Tangeni Lungameni

Pitch and conditions

England found themselves pleasantly surprised by both the carry in the surface for the Oman game, as well as the degree of spin that Rashid extracted. After damp conditions in Barbados, the Antigua leg has been conducted under clearer skies, so another full contest is in prospect.

Stats and trivia

• Namibia have faced England just once before in a full international contest – at Port Elizabeth during the 2003 World Cup, when Rudi van Vuuren and Jan-Berrie Burger starred in a spirited 55-run defeat.
• Moeen Ali needs one wicket to reach 50 in T20Is.
• Erasmus has the potential for twin milestones: he needs three wickets to reach 50 in T20Is, and 60 runs to reach 1500.

Quotes

“There were obviously a few negatives flying around and questions being asked, and I’m really pleased for the bowling unit that we came out and managed to put on a performance.”

While Arsenal have plenty of talented players in their squad, there is one star who most fans would now class as their best: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon has become a lean, mean output machine in recent seasons, as even though he missed over three months of action this year, he ended the campaign with a sensational haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.

Unfortunately, Mikel Arteta’s options for off the left have not been nearly as effective, with Gabriel Martinelli chalking up 16 goal involvements in 51 games and Leandro Trossard doing marginally better with 20 in 56 games.

So, with that in mind, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the club linked with a host of brilliant left-wingers in recent weeks, with one of the most notable links being to Rodrygo – although recent reports have now touted a player compared to the Brazilian and Saka for a move to Arsenal this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

As mentioned, the last few weeks and months have seen Arsenal linked with many talented left-wing options, from the versatile Xavi Simons at RB Leipzig to the soon-to-be free agent of Leroy Sané.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yet, one of the names that has caused the most excitement among the fans, and understandably so, has been Rodrygo.

The 24-year-old has won all there is to win in the club game with Real Madrid, and according to most reports from the last month or so, could be available for around £85m unless something changes with new boss Xabi Alonso.

However, with the required fee being so high, it’s unsurprising to see the club continue to be linked with other options, and now someone who has been compared to Saka and the Brazilian has reentered the frame in a big way.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have retained their intense interest in Nico Williams.

In fact, the report has now revealed that the Gunners are ‘very close to signing’ the Athletic Bilbao star, despite the La Liga side’s desire to keep him for another season.

The report has revealed that for the North Londoners to get their man, whom Arteta has made ‘a priority,’ they’ll have to pay his release clause, which, according to stories from earlier this week, stands at about £50m.

While it would be a lot of money to spend on a 22-year-old, it would be more than worth it thanks to his ability and the comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Williams compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So before addressing the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Williams this summer, it’s important to examine these comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo and where they come from.

In both cases, they stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each.

In this instance, it was concluded that the Brazilian was the most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard across the last 365 days, while the Englishman was the tenth most similar.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.35

0.32

Non-Penalty G+As

0.45

0.51

Progressive Carries

5.32

5.28

Shots

2.43

2.52

Shots on Target

0.86

0.93

Expected Assists

0.19

0.20

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.31

1.21

Shot-Creating Actions

5.05

4.95

Blocks

0.90

0.84

The best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which the players rank closely, which, in the case of the Real Madrid star, include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

For the Gunners’ gem, the metrics in which he’s incredibly similar to the Bilbao star include things like tackles won, clearances, carries into the penalty area and non-penalty goals per 90, suggesting he can do some of the defensive work the Englishman so often carries out for the Gunners.

Non-Penalty Goals

0.23

0.26

Tackles Won

0.81

0.78

Clearances

0.41

0.42

Carries

31.4

32.7

Carries into the Penalty Area

2.61

2.66

Aerial Duels Won

0.50

0.52

On top of these flattering and incredibly encouraging comparisons to two of the best wingers around, Arteta and Co should also be going all out to sign the 22-year-old “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, because he’s a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, since the start of last season, the Pamplona-born dynamo has scored 19 goals and provided 25 assists in 82 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

Ultimately, while some fans may prefer the bigger name in Rodrygo, it looks like Arsenal are on track to sign one of the most exciting wingers in the game in Williams, and given his age, there is plenty of scope for him to get even better.

Their answer to Cherki: Arsenal close in on first summer signing for £38m

The incredible prospect could be sensational at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 5, 2025

Already planning ahead for life without loanee Marcus Rashford, Monchi is now battling to sign an alternative option for Aston Villa in a deal that could be worth just £35m this summer.

Aston Villa keep pressure on Champions League places

With just three Premier League games remaining, Aston Villa ensured that they kept hold of a glimmer of hope in the race to secure Champions League qualification by defeating Fulham 1-0. Coming courtesy of Youri Tielemans’ header, those in the Midlands have kept the pressure on Chelsea and Nottingham Forest as they desperately await a crucial slip.

Manager Unai Emery had his say on what was a narrow but all-important victory at Villa Park, telling reporters: “Today we wanted to be closer to qualifying for European football so it is fantastic. If we had not won, forget it (Champions League) completely.

“The best gift we can achieve is the Champions League and we are not the favourites to get it, but we will fight for it. We must now focus on Bournemouth next weekend which is so, so difficult. Villa Park is very important and we feel so strong here. The supporters are fantastic and we can feel that it is our fortress.”

Aston Villa now prioritising move to sign "fantastic" Real Madrid player

The Villans could make their move…

ByTom Cunningham May 3, 2025

There remains plenty of questions to be answered away from the action as well as on the pitch in the Midlands and one of those centres around Rashford. Following an impressive loan spell at the club, Aston Villa could look to land the winger’s signature on a permanent basis. It remains to be seen whether Rashford feels the same way about Villa Park, however, leaving the club to find an alternative option.

Monchi battling to sign Hutchinson for Aston Villa

According to Caught Offside, Monchi and Aston Villa have now joined the battle to sign Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town this summer in a move that would see Villa welcome their Rashford alternative. The deal could yet be a routine one to seal too, given that the winger reportedly has a release clause of just £35m after Ipswich suffered Premier League relegation.

In a difficult campaign, the 21-year-old has only been able to show glimpses of his quality – scoring three goals and creating another two – but will be desperate to stay put in the top flight.

Despite a disappointing output, Hutchinson still found himself at the centre of praise from manager Kieran McKenna, who told reporters earlier this season: “I think its enjoyable seeing a hungry, talented, young player getting to grips with the league and trying to make his impact – discovering the things that are different, the things that are an increasing challenge for him. And also finding the things that work for him and where he can have his impact.”

A player who Aston Villa’s recruitment team ‘rate Hutchinson highly and consider him a smart investment for the future’, so he could be one to watch if the Villans fail to sign Rashford this summer.

Newcastle United have already ensured that they will play European football in some form in the 2025/26 campaign after they won the League Cup before the international break.

The Magpies beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley in the final last month and that victory secured them a place in the Conference League, as well as their first piece of silverware in 70 years.

Eddie Howe’s side can move up in the European pecking order before the end of the current campaign, though, as they compete for a place in the Europa League or the Champions League by finishing higher up in their domestic division.

The Magpies are currently sixth in the Premier League table and sit two points behind Chelsea in fourth place, with ten matches left to be played and one game in hand over the two teams above them.

Newcastle can take another step towards a top four finish in the division this evening when they welcome Brentford to St. James’ Park, with the chance to move above Chelsea – who do not play until Thursday – with a win.

Despite flying down to South America to play for Brazil during the international break and racking up plenty of miles, Bruno Guimaraes should be one of the first names on the teammsheet against the Bees.

Why Bruno Guimaraes is a guaranteed starter for Newcastle

The Brazil international, who played one game for his country – against Colombia – at the end of last month, has started all 28 of his appearances in the Premier League for the Magpies this season.

In fact, Guimaraes has started all 97 of his Premier League games for the club since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, having started 11 of his 17 outings in the second half of the 2021/22 season after joining from Lyon.

This shows that the Brazilian maestro, ignoring the very early stage of his career in England, starts whenever he is available and that is why the midfielder should be in the starting line-up this evening.

Bruno Guimaraes’ passing quality

24/25 Premier League

Per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

Assists

0.22

Top 11%

Expected Assisted Goals

0.19

Top 18%

Passes into final third

5.05

Top 19%

Passes into penalty area

1.97

Top 8%

Progressive passes

7.32

Top 8%

Key passes

1.32

Top 32%

Shot-creating actions

3.38

Top 34%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Guimaraes has been among the best passers in the Premier League as a midfielder this term, ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of key passing and creative metrics.

One Magpies player who does not rank as favourably in those metrics, however, is Italy international Sandro Tonali, who has had an up-and-down time at St. James’ Park.

Why Sandro Tonali can be a liability in possession

The former AC Milan star is, essentially, in his first full season on Tyneside after returning from his ban and has started 18 of his 26 appearances in the Premier League this term.

Tonali offers plenty of grit and hard work in the middle of the park, winning 53% of his duels and making 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, but his use of the ball has left a bit to be desired.

The Italian ace ranks within the bottom 49% or lower of midfielders in the Premier League for pass accuracy (83%), progressive passes per 90 (4.11), Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.03), and shot-creating actions per 90 (2.19).

This suggests that Tonali has struggled with the ball at his feet in the top-flight this season, by failing to find his teammates at an efficient rate without creating much for the team.

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

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The 24-year-old battler played the full 90 minutes against Liverpool in the League Cup final and lost six of his seven duels, whilst completing just 67% of his attempted passes.

In front of their home support this evening, Newcastle may want more quality in possession to put themselves on the front foot against Brentford and that is why Tonali should be ruthlessly axed from the starting line-up by Howe, who should replace him by finally unleashing Lewis Miley from the start.

Why Lewis Miley should finally be unleashed

The 18-year-old dynamo has had an injury-disrupted campaign, missing nine matches with a foot injury, and has only started one of his eight appearances in the Premier League this term.

Miley did, however, start 14 of his 17 outings in the division last season, in what was his breakthrough year at senior level, and that showed that he does have the capability to play week-in-week-out as a starter in the top-flight.

The teenage sensation’s only start in the Premier League so far this term came in a 4-3 win over Nottingham Forest back in February, as he started alongside Guimaraes and Joe Willock.

Vs Forest

Lewis Miley

Minutes

90

Goals

1

Pass accuracy

81%

Key passes

1

Duels won

6/11

Tackles + interceptions

4

Dribbled past

0x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the England U19 international made the most of his chance to impress, by scoring a goal and catching the eye with his defensive work.

Miley, as shown in the highlights above, scored Newcastle’s first goal in the match with a terrific touch and finish inside the box to make it 1-1, as he showcased his quality and composure in the opposition’s third.

The Magpies academy graduate has not played enough minutes to qualify for ranking this season, but he did rank within the top 15% of midfielders in the Premier League last term for assists (0.22) per 90 – with three assists in 14 starts.

Miley, who was described as “very special” by journalist Mark Carruthers, is a midfield player with the potential to offer a threat at the top end of the pitch with his goalscoring touch, as shown in his only start this season in the league, as well as his creative ability, as evidenced by his form last term.

This means that the 18-year-old ace could be the perfect player to come in and partner Guimaraes in midfield, as they both have on-ball qualities that Tonali has failed to show consistently during his time on the pitch this season.

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It is now down to Howe to ruthlessly ditch the Italy international from the starting line-up in order to finally unleash Miley alongside Guimaraes, as the pair could be fun to watch with their respective qualities in possession.

Karachi Kings are in a spot of bother and Azam Khan is making his presence felt

Danyal Rasool05-Mar-2024Sultans supremacyThe Sultans rank third on the overall wins table at the PSL, and if that doesn’t seem remarkable, it should. They started out two full seasons late, and yet just two other teams boast more wins than their 43, with their win-loss ratio of 1.535 comparing very favourably with teams in the other big franchise leagues (IPL, BBL, CPL, SA20, T20 Blast, the Hundred, BPL and LPL). In fact, it’s pushing up to top-10 levels. And it’s because every year, they seem to put together the sort of season they’re having now.Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy, from his charisma to his tactics, is unmatched across the league. A set-up that blends local with foreign coaches, and more groundbreakingly boasts the only female coaches in the league, would have likely received significantly more scrutiny if results had gone awry. Instead, their on-field performances have been near-flawless, with the league’s two top wicket-takers, a spinner and a fast bowler, hailing from the franchise. Just about every single win has been comfortable, and as the table takes shape, it’s hard to argue they aren’t the best team in the competition.The last four seasons have seen the Sultans finish top or second after the league stages, and they have made three of the last four finals. While history suggests anything can happen in the knockouts, Sultans’ league supremacy remains unrivalled.Karachi (the Kings, the crowd)If the Kings lose a game but no one shows up to watch it, did it actually happen? The team is under new management and captaincy, but all they’ve accomplished so far is demonstrate that they are slightly better than a Qalandars side at its worst. Seems like a lot of effort for little reward.The first leg was played in Lahore and Multan, and the Kings might have hoped moving to Karachi would help reinvigorate them but it hasn’t worked out like that. Then again, is it really home advantage if the home crowd doesn’t show up? The relatively sparsely populated stands in ostensibly Pakistan’s most cricket-mad city stood in stark contrast to what Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan offered.Karachi’s absent crowd is a regular whipping boy for the other franchises, especially the only one below them on the points table. But if you’ve ever been to the National stadium without a media or VIP pass, you’d be surprised that anyone shows up at all.No one quite knows how to get there on matchday, with security protocols maddeningly random, and ticket printing booths far away. And while at Gaddafi stadium, it can almost seem like there’s no bad seat, in Karachi, there’s barely a good one. Chain-link fences obstruct the view for anyone sitting closer to the front, and if you move further back, you can barely make out the players let alone the ball.It’s not the spectators who’ve let that stadium down, but the other way around. And, for now, the Kings haven’t exactly given them a reason to turn up, either.Azam Khan has come back from a quiet start with two blistering knocks•PCBThe Azam Khan culture warThe Azam Khan culture wars take on a fresh dimension every week, and after a feeble start to the PSL, two blistering innings have demonstrated the batter’s value to his side. He isn’t Pakistan’s best keeper, fielder, or runner, and so it can seem as if he has more going against him than for him. But there is perhaps no one in Pakistan cricket who can overpower a bowling attack towards the backend of a T20 innings like the Islamabad United wicketkeeper, making up for lack of agility with fearsome strength and the sweetest timing.Tim David once told ESPNcricinfo he’d consciously worked on becoming a lower-order hitter because everyone wanted to bat in the powerplay in T20 cricket. As Pakistan wrestle with how to fit an expanding pool of top-order players into the top three, Azam continues to press his case at a time of the innings few put their hands up.The PSL’s unusual spinnersWhile the national side has suddenly run dry of T20 spinners, the PSL can’t get enough of them. Leggie Usama Mir is now the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, while mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan place third and fourth.But Abrar isn’t the only unorthodox spinner in the PSL this season. Peshawar Zalmi’s Arif Yaqoob, who has barely played any first-class cricket, took four wickets in an over to deny United at the death, and has an action so uncanny you can barely keep an eye on his wrist, let alone the ball. Quetta Gladiators’ Usman Tariq, meanwhile, breaks off all his momentum by coming to a near standstill at the moment of release, and then holding the pose like a penalty taker waiting for the goalkeeper to commit.Salman Fayyaz of Qalandars appears to fall away as he sends down his legbreaks, though he did remain upright enough to take a sharp return catch and get rid of Alex Hales. Sultans have tried out Faisal Akram, perhaps best described as a left arm wristspinner with a googly for a stock delivery.Abrar remains a cut above the rest, but the emergence of the others suggests an experimentally permissive culture at the PSL. For spinners, history suggests that can only be a good thing.

All the important numbers from the first Test between England and New Zealand

Sampath Bandarupalli05-Jun-2022277 – The target chased by England in the first Test is the third-highest successful chase by any team at Lord’s. West Indies had hunted down 342 against England in 1984, while England successfully chased 282 against New Zealand in 2004.ESPNcricinfo Ltd210 – Runs scored by England after the fall of their fourth wicket. These are the ninth-most runs scored by a team in a successful run chase, after being four down. These are also the second-most runs that England have recorded after losing four wickets in their fourth innings, behind the 232 they scored from 31 for 4 in pursuit of 263 against Australia in 1902.1 – Joe Root became the first player to reach the milestone of 10,000 runs in Test cricket within ten years of making his debut. It took Root nine years and 174 days to reach the 10,000-run mark, since first turning out for England in 2012. He is also the second England player after Alastair Cook (12,472 runs), to reach the milestone.ESPNcricinfo Ltd120* – The stand between Root and Ben Foakes is the second-highest unbroken partnership for the sixth wicket or lower during a successful fourth-innings chase in Test cricket. The highest is a sixth-wicket stand of 189 between Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga, against Zimbabwe in 1998.15 – Test hundreds for Root in England, the joint-most for any batter in the country. Graham Gooch, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook also have 15 Test tons in England.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – Root’s unbeaten 115 at Lord’s is his maiden hundred in the fourth innings of a Test match. His previous highest score in the fourth innings was 87 against Australia, during the 2013 Adelaide Test.3 – Players to score a century in the fourth innings of a successful run-chase at Lord’s. Apart from Root’s 115 in the first Test, the list includes Gordon Greenidge’s 214* against England in 1984, and Nasser Hussain’s 103* against New Zealand in 2004.14.56 – The partnership average for the first four wickets in this Test, the fifth-lowest in a Test match, since 1960 (matches where the first four wickets fell in all four innings). It is also the second-lowest average in the last 20 years, behind 10.56 during the Bridgetown Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka in 2018.

Captain leads from the front on Finals Day as champions prove value of experience

Matt Roller05-Oct-2020It was typical of Nottinghamshire that, after losing 37-year-old Chris Nash to injury in their semi-final win against Lancashire, the average age of the side for the T20 Blast final on Sunday evening increased. In came Peter Trego, in his first Blast appearance for the county at the age of 39, to smear five fours and a six and provide middle-order impetus to their successful run-chase.Notts have been the Blast’s oldest team this season, with an average age above 30 and over 1700 T20 appearances between the XI that played the final. Their success confirmed their captain Dan Christian’s pre-tournament proclamation that “old blokes win stuff”, as they followed West Indies, Chennai Super Kings, and many other teams around the world by translating experience into titles.”I’m always going to say that because I’m an old bloke,” Christian, 37, laughed. “It’s an embarrassment of riches really, to lose someone like Chris Nash and replace him with someone like Peter Trego.”

#oldblokeswinstuff

Over 30’s brigade.

The kids helped too to be fair pic.twitter.com/r6WTFsC23u

— Dan Christian (@danchristian54) October 4, 2020

Experience has come to the fore throughout their knockout games. Samit Patel, the 35-year-old allrounder, had faced only seven balls before the quarter-final against Leicestershire, but his cameo of 28 not out off 16 took them through; Henry Heimlich would have nodded approvingly at Patel’s success in preventing a choke.”We played around with our order a little bit today, [but] we’ve generally had Samit Patel coming in at eight and Imad Wasim coming in at nine,” Christian said. “Let’s say there are roughly 500-odd [478] games of experience there in the bottom of the order. Samit’s [one of] the highest run-scorers in the history of this competition and Imad has batted in the top six for Pakistan.”To have that kind of depth in your order is just massive for us and it gives the top order so much freedom to be able to go out and play shots and try to knock games on the head, particularly when we chase. We’ve been a really good chasing team all year and that showed again tonight: to be three for not many and Peter Trego comes in for his first game [having] played for 20-odd years – we’re just really lucky to have that kind of experience and that kind of depth.”Dan Christian was Player of the Match in Nottinghamshire’s semi-final and final•Getty ImagesFor Christian, this was the eighth T20 title of his career – only five men have more worldwide – and his second as captain, both of them with Notts. The Blast’s Finals Day has been dominated by talismanic captains in the last five seasons, but few have performed with Christian’s cold-blooded temerity.In the semi-final, reduced to 11 overs after a weekend of persistent October rain, Notts were threatening a wobble with 29 needed off 23 balls; Christian’s response was to heave four consecutive sixes into the empty Eric Hollies Stand at deep midwicket off Liam Livingstone, ending the game as a contest.”I decided that was going to be the over I would try and target to knock the game on the head and not let it get to the last over,” he explained. “Once I got the first six away I thought I might as well go again. Then I got the second one away and thought I might as well go again, and then just kept going. Having that depth and knowing you’ve got the guys behind you, you can play with that kind of freedom.”And against Surrey in the final, he took 4 for 11 from his two death overs to keep Surrey to 127 for 6 from their 16-over allocation – they had looked on course for 150 when he brought himself back on – before firing 21 off 11 balls from No. 6 to kill the game with time to spare. That meant player-of-the-match awards in both the semi and the final.”You have the odd day out,” he said, “but it’s always nice to do it when it really matters in a final and when the game’s on the line – and a semi-final, when you need to get your team over the line.”I’ve generally been pretty ordinary bowling here in England, particularly at Trent Bridge, so it was nice to get a couple of wickets. It was a good day for me personally, but I think everyone played really well. We were dominant all the way through – I think we dominated the semi-final and then we dominated the final as well.”ALSO READ: Duckett seals Nottinghamshire’s second Blast title in four yearsThat domination extended across the tournament. Not since 2004, and the days of a five-match group stage, has a team won the competition with only one defeat in their season, as Notts managed this year. They did so with Alex Hales averaging 18.36, Luke Fletcher left on the bench, and Harry Gurney missing throughout with a shoulder injury.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”[Gurney] has been a mainstay of our attack for the last six years since I’ve been here at Notts,” Christian said. “[We were] going in with a bit of a different make-up this year, just playing the one quick with myself as the second seamer. The boys handled it really, really well.”It will be an arduous journey home for Christian, with strict Covid-19 restrictions in Melbourne leaving open the prospect of 28 days’ quarantine in all before the start of the Big Bash, but another T20 title will make that easier to stomach.Notts were again the Blast’s best team: they have won two of the last four titles, have won more games than anyone else across the last four seasons, and have reached the knockouts every year since 2015.Under Peter Moores’ stewardship, they have often resembled a T20 franchise more than a county, recruiting the best young talent from local teams, compiling a squad with the depth to leave Blast stalwarts on the bench, and opting to sign two overseas players this season when most counties had none. It has been an inexorable pursuit of short-form success, but the results are indisputable: with Christian at the helm, Notts have blown their competition away.