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Bangladesh’s Player of the Match against Netherlands credits the bowling unit for the crucial win

Mohammad Isam13-Jun-20241:42

Maharoof: Shakib was prepared for Netherlands’ short-ball tactics

Shakib Al Hasan walks out for Bangladesh’s warm-up session ahead of the match against Netherlands in Kingstown wearing a neck brace. Has he hurt himself? But then he does his batting drills with the brace on. What’s this about? Turns out he is fine, he was just trying to keep his head in place while having a hit.It has been an issue for him since the 2023 ODI World Cup. He sported the neck brace at the nets then too. And then during the BPL, emphasising just how important a still head position is to him.Coming into the Netherlands game, Shakib had scored 8 against Sri Lanka and 3 against South Africa in his two innings, out to a bouncer both times, and the form of Bangladesh’s top-order batters had also been a worry. On the day, it was 23 for 2 in 3.1 overs when he walked out. He stood tall at the crease with a high back-lift – possibly for the first time in his career.Related

Shakib: 'Happy with the way I contributed, it wasn't an easy wicket'

Shakib, Rishad, Mustafizur take Bangladesh closer to Super Eight

At the other end, Tanzid Hasan was striking the ball well, and Shakib got going with a cover drive off Paul van Meekeren, before going after Logan van Beek in the sixth over, hammering short wide balls for two fours before pulling one over short fine-leg. He finished the over with a slice through backward point. It was a 19-run over, and Shakib had got to 25 in a T20I for the first time this year.Then came a straight-bat shot through midwicket, off Tim Pringle. It is an unfamiliar Shakib shot, given that he has mostly resorted to hacks and slogs in the last couple of years in T20Is. This shot in particular drove home the point that he was not going to throw it away in the middle overs. Beating Netherlands was important for Bangladesh, but also, it was important for Shakib to score runs, and he knew it.Later in the innings, he allowed Mahmudullah to go for the big hits, as the experienced duo kept Bangladesh on course for a strong total. Shakib reached his fifty, his first in T20Is since October 2022. It was also his first fifty in a T20 World Cup since 2016. Shakib and Jaker Ali then ensured Bangladesh had a strong finish, as they added 54.They had also scored 54 (for 2) in the powerplay. These are significant numbers. This was the first time since coming to this part of the world in mid-May that Bangladesh had scored 50-plus in the first six and the last five overs. All of it, and key wickets from Rishad Hossain (3 for 33) and Mustafizur Rahman (1-12), gave Bangladesh a 25-run win and a great shot at making the Super Eight.Shakib Al Hasan walked out to warm up with a neck brace on•ICC/Getty Images”I thought we assessed the wicket brilliantly. It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on at the start,” Shakib said in the press conference afterwards. “Scoring became easier once the ball got older. I think the wicket got easier in the second half but our bowlers did a tremendous job. Rishad and the Fizz changed the momentum with their later overs.”

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Shakib felt that it was the bowling attack that got Bangladesh the victory in the end. Netherlands went from 111 for 3 to 134 for 8 in the last 32 balls.”It was a challenging total, so we had to bowl well. The match was 50-50 till the 12th over. Credit to Mustafizur and Rishad. They bowled really well at that stage,” he said. “Our bowling unit is doing well consistently for a while now, especially pace bowlers. Rishad’s addition has also worked for me.”I think [Rishad] showed great character. The full bowling unit did well. Everyone did their job responsibly. Mustafizur, Taskin [Ahmed] and Tanzim [Hasan] have all bowled well, so it helps the rest of the attack too.”1:06

Aaron: ‘Rishad bowled with flight and guile, was fearless’

Shakib finished unbeaten on 68 off 46 balls. It was the sort of innings that would have been out of place at, say, IPL 2024, but is gold dust at this T20 World Cup where batters have generally struggled.He wasn’t making runs before this game. He had a weakness against the short ball. He could have thrown away his wicket. He has done so well over the years that a blip may not have registered much. “I have never taken personal goals seriously. I would have batted differently if I was playing for personal goals. I batted for the team. I got runs. It is the most important thing.”Shakib had faced a lot of criticism over the last couple of weeks back home, particularly for his dismissals against Sri Lanka and South Africa. He is also still without a wicket.”A player doesn’t come to give answers. He has to contribute for the team. He has to bat well. If he is lucky, he can get wickets. His job is to save runs and take catches. There’s nothing more to say,” he said in response to a question on the subject. “I think it is important for a current player that he is contributing to the team. If he doesn’t, there will be talk, but I also don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

He also says it would be “a real honour” if he is picked to replace Kane Williamson as New Zealand’s new ODI captain

Andrew McGlashan17-Jul-2024Tom Latham, who could be New Zealand’s next ODI captain, has said that the team will have to become increasingly flexible with how they adapt to players opting out of central contracts to take up franchise deals.Kane Williamson, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne made themselves unavailable for the latest batch of contracts although former captain Williamson, who will play the SA20 in January, was given a casual agreement to reflect his continued standing among New Zealand’s most important players.Williamson will probably only miss a handful of limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka, and at the time of announcing his new arrangement insisted he remained fully committed to international cricket, but it marked another significant shift in the game following Trent Boult’s decision to decline a contract two years ago to allow him more T20 league opportunities.Related

Conway offered casual contract, Allen declines New Zealand deal

There are central contracts, and then there are offers you can't refuse

Ravindra and Sears offered New Zealand central contracts

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia locked in for New Zealand's home summer

“Think at the moment where cricket’s going in New Zealand is slightly different,” Latham said. “It’s certainly not a black and white situation, and certainly changing with all these leagues popping up. Guess everyone is in a slightly different boat in what their future may look like depending on their age or stage they are in life.”We’ve got a lot of cricket in the summer [and] got an ICC pinnacle event [the Champions Trophy] which is exciting to look forward to. So whether it be with different personnel, whether it be with the guys we are used to having, whenever we can have them I’m sure that will be great, but think we’ve certainly got to be pretty fluid with what things look like in the future.”New Zealand have become used to playing white-ball series without key players either through rotation or due to a clash with the IPL and the latter is set to happen again next season when they face Pakistan in late March. Latham added that the New Zealand contract system had worked well since its inception but suggested those in charge might see this as a time to review whether it fits the modern game.”Don’t know what the right system is, there is a lot of flexibility within our contracts at the moment, but think with the changing landscape of cricket I’m sure it will be something that New Zealand Cricket and the players’ association look at and try and come up with something,” he said.”We’ve seen over many years now, at times we haven’t had those senior guys. That gives me an opportunity as a senior player to step up and lead as well. But also other guys who haven’t necessarily had opportunities in the past to step up in different leadership roles. It’s never great when you miss guys of Kane’s calibre, but it gives opportunities to other guys to put their best foot forward.”Latham’s captaincy ambitionsLatham himself is not at the forefront of those deciding between international and franchise cricket given he is primarily a Test and ODI player. “There’s no Test franchise stuff…if that comes out, that would be great,” he joked.However, in a bid to find more T20 opportunity he had been due to head to Canada for the Global T20 tournament until he recently picked up a broken finger in training which will sideline him for four weeks. But it shouldn’t leave him in doubt for the start of New Zealand’s run of Test cricket in September when they are due to face Afghanistan in a one-off match before tours of Sri Lanka and India.There could also be a significant promotion in the pipeline with him among the candidates to succeed as ODI captain after Williamson had to relinquish the role with his contract decision. Latham has regularly stood in over the years, leading in 44 ODIs including last year’s World Cup when Williamson suffered a broken thumb.”It would obviously be a real honour,” Latham said. “For me it’s always been about trying to put the team first as best as possible and I’m sure they’ll have those discussions around what they want from a team point of view and certainly if I get the opportunity to do that it would be really special.”But if NZC wanted to unite both white-ball sides under the same person, to avoid three different leaders with Tim Southee the current Test captain, they may need to look elsewhere.”We’re not at the stage of confirming it yet, so I don’t want to speculate whether Tom will be or not,” coach Gary Stead said. “But he’s certainly one guy that will be in discussions around that role. The important thing is whoever is in place, we want in place for two to three years or so, leading to that next [ODI] World Cup. That will be one of the important decision-making factors that we discuss.”New Zealand will play six ODIs during their home summer, three apiece against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, before taking part in a tri-series in Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy.

How to stop the rot? In fairness, it’s perhaps unfair to assess Ruben Amorim at this early stage of a potentially long Manchester United tenure. The Portuguese tactician needs this pre-season to implement his teachings.

In fairness, the 46-year-old left a Sporting Lisbon side which he grew into a comparative superpower, surpassing Porto and Benfica and now two-in-a-row Liga Portugal champions. He didn’t lift the title for a second time, but it was his team, his framework.

In fairness, Amorim took over an Old Trafford side in disrepair, and judgment should be reserved until a few months into the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Matheus Cunha has been added to the first-team ranks; a brilliant signing. Heading out the door, Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof have all gone, and Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho are all wide forwards touted for exits.

But who else might the Red Devils be looking to reel in?

Man United's summer transfer plans

It’s taking a while, but Bryan Mbeumo should sign from Brentford to Man United this summer. Sights remain fixed on the goalscoring winger, with a series of bids already rejected.

Whether Rasmus Hojlund stays or goes remains to be seen, but it’s clear attacking investment is the club’s priority. However, it’s not the only port of call, with Jason Wilcox pushing to strengthen Amorim’s midfield too.

Well, former Nigeria international, Julius Aghahowa, believes that Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi would like to join Man United this summer, despite growing interest from Everton.

Aghahowa said: “While Everton and Al Ahly are clearly interested, Ndidi hopes to join Manchester United. He wants to take a step up by signing for a big club like Manchester United. This would be an excellent move for someone I consider one of the best African midfielders of recent years.”

Ndidi is still only 28 and has a vast wealth of experience at the highest level. The Foxes might have fallen by the wayside last term, but he maintained a high standard and would be a shrewd signing indeed, valued at just £5m amid summer interest from United.

Why Man United want Wilfred Ndidi

United are forking out a fair bit of cash this summer, but then they need to. Last year’s woes must not, cannot, be repeated, lest this behemoth of the English game sink into an unescapable pit.

But the transfer progress is slow but steady, and Ndidi would be an effective and pragmatic addition, for sure. Once described as an “incredible” talent by Brendan Rodgers and an an “absolute monster” by ESPN’s Colin Udoh, the Nigeria international has been at the King Power Stadium for a minute, joining from Belgian club Genk for £15m in January 2017.

He’s hit some highs, winning the FA Cup, and indeed suffered some lows, being relegated from the Premier League twice in the past three seasons. However, Ndidi is a tough-tackling and intelligent midfielder, with robust athleticism and an eye for goal.

Given that Bruno Fernandes often plays a bit deeper these days, this could be the perfect move to ensure the Portuguese skipper maintains his high level, having notched 19 goals and 19 assists apiece in 2024/25.

Fernandes’ creativity could also help the number six toward promotions his own attacking game, Ndidi having ranked among the top 13% of central midfielders across Europe last season for touches in the attacking box and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

But, of course, the £75k-per-week talent’s bread and butter is his combative quality, his protective presence in front of the backline.

Transfer Focus

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

As per Sofascore, he averaged three tackles, 4.5 ball recoveries and 6.1 duels per Premier League match last year – you can only imagine how far Leicester would have sunk without his presence in the centre.

This is perfect for a player like Fernandes to skip from the centre toward the danger area, advancing with winged feet to thread passes through to the forwards. Despite United’s struggles for creativity last season, Fernandes stood strong as one of the most effective playmakers in the country.

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But then we know Fernandes. We know he’s great.

He needs support, though, and Ndidi could prove the perfect player to arrive and add some stability to the centre of the park, reinforcing Amorim’s midfield with steel but also adding to the ball-playing focus, adding to the forward flow.

Cunha 2.0 for Amorim: Man Utd in talks to sign "unstoppable" £35m star

Manchester United are still planning to make some attacking signings this summer.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

In another world, Blast matchwinner would be lining up for Oval Test; instead he’s off to Finals Day

Matt Roller04-Sep-2024It is not hard to imagine a world in which Ollie Robinson spent Wednesday preparing to lead England’s attack against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Instead, with weeks left to run on his central contract, he spearheaded Sussex’s charge into T20 Blast Finals Day at a sold-out Hove – first with the ball, and then in the field with a bullseye run-out of Liam Livingstone.It was a performance that left Sussex’s captain, Tymal Mills, pushing Robinson’s credentials on the franchise circuit. “Hopefully, he picks up some more T20 gigs off the back of it,” Mills said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with him England-wise in red-ball cricket, but he’s shown he’s a very skilful new-ball bowler.”Even with Jos Buttler missing, Lancashire fielded seven internationals to Sussex’s five but were totally outplayed, with Robinson instrumental. On a fresh, grassy pitch, he struck with the first ball of the match, bowling Phil Salt – returning to his old club – via his pad with an in-ducker, then yorked Keaton Jennings in the seventh over after being swung over mid-on for a pair of sixes.Jennings’ dismissal for 37 sparked a slow-motion collapse of 5 for 14 in four overs, before Livingstone took charge of the game: he twice crunched Mills over square leg, and launched Jofra Archer over long-off. But on 43, after steering to short third, he was sent back by Luke Wood, sprawled at full stretch to make his ground, and was beaten by Robinson’s direct hit.When Archer, playing his first game in the Blast since 2021, rearranged Saqib Mahmood’s stumps, Lancashire had been bowled out for just 114, the lowest first-innings score at Hove in eight years. Brad Currie struck twice with his inswingers, while spinners James Coles and Jack Carson kept the brakes on through the middle – but Robinson was the star.”I didn’t expect to have him much at all in the Blast,” Mills said. “But once it looked like he was getting left out of the England team, he was with us from the start and has been fantastic. He’s been thinking about the game, helping me out in the field, and I can’t speak highly enough of him. It’s been a huge boost to have him.”Robinson is not renowned as the most athletic fielder but was quick to point out on Sky Sports that his direct hit was his second of the season. “He’s in excellent shape,” Mills said. “He’s clearly enjoying his cricket. He’s really committed down here — he’s signed a contract extension for next year — and is in a really good place at the moment.”When Stuart Broad retired at the end of last summer’s Ashes series, Robinson looked like the obvious replacement. Instead, he has played a single Test since, bowling 13 wicketless overs in Ranchi while struggling with a back issue. Even with James Anderson following Broad into retirement and Mark Wood injured, Robinson is nowhere to be seen.There is little doubt about Robinson’s ability – he still has an exceptional Test record, with 76 wickets at 22.92 – but he has often faced questions about his fitness and his desire. It was only last week that Luke Wright, England’s national selector, challenged him to “show that he’s robust enough to be able to stand up to the rigours of Test cricket.”Jofra Archer and Tymal Mills were also in action for Sussex•Getty ImagesIt remains to be seen if Robinson can shake the perception that he has blown one chance too many at Test level. Brendon McCullum, England’s new supremo, has often been informed by his mantra: ‘If you can’t change a man, change the man.’ The implication of Robinson’s non-selection throughout the summer is that the change has been made for good.Either way, this was a promising showing: on an admittedly helpful pitch, Robinson bowled with decent pace, nipped the new ball around and showed his skills to york Jennings. He has 18 Blast wickets at 20.38 this season to supplement 30 at 28.16 in the Championship, and will relish the chance to perform on the big stage at Finals Day next Saturday.This was an exceptional night for Sussex, and the mood at Hove has changed considerably. Only two years ago, they finished second-last in the County Championship with a single win in the season, and won four T20 games out of 14. Now, they are three games away from clinching promotion in the Championship and two away from the Blast title.The County Ground was sold out, and the crowd welcomed Salt and Luke Wells back with pantomime boos as their names were announced on the tannoy. Sussex will not have Archer available at Edgbaston on account of England’s T20I series against Australia – but after this 10th T20 win of the season, they have reason to believe they can break a 15-year wait for this trophy.

It’s been an absolutely frantic last 48 hours at Tottenham, and that isn’t just concerning their dramatic move for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White after confirming the arrival of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.

Tottenham talks held with £50m star amid Gibbs-White chase, Frank's a fan

Spurs have discussed another potential deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025

Spurs announced Kudus’ signing in a deal worth £55 million on Thursday evening, with the versatile Ghanaian becoming the first player to swap West Ham for the Lilywhites since Scott Parker in 2011.

The 24-year-old has already promised to excite supporters on the field when speaking in his first interview as a Tottenham player, and there was a real expectation that Gibbs-White would immediately follow Kudus to N17.

Son Heung-min

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James Maddison

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Pedro Porro

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Dominic Solanke

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via WhoScored

Tottenham talks for the England international accelerated rapidly on Thursday, with reliable media sources reporting that the 25-year-old was all set to join Thomas Frank’s side and a medical had been scheduled for Friday (Fabrizio Romano).

However, in an absolutely stunning turn of events, Forest put a stop to the deal and are considering legal action against Spurs, over what they perceive to be an illegal approach for their star forward.

While Gibbs-White’s move could still happen, with the expectation being that Forest can’t completely block it, this transfer will at the very least be delayed, as first reported by Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett.

With Tottenham now braced for a legal saga surrounding their potential deal for Gibbs-White, the club do remain in the market for other transfer targets, and they still maintain a serious interest in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa.

Yoane Wissa pushing to leave Brentford amid Tottenham interest

Reports earlier this week claimed that Tottenham have made contact with Wissa’s representatives, with talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook now sharing an update on the situation.

Crook states that Wissa is keen to reunite with Frank at Spurs, and the Congolese centre-forward is now “pushing” for an exit from the Gtech Community Stadium as he seeks a high-profile move.

The 28-year-old is currently in his prime and in the form of his life, having netted 20 goals in all competitions last season, and this has motivated Brentford chiefs to slap a £50 million price tag on his head.

Brentford have already lost a few key men this summer, including Frank, with Christian Norgaard joining Arsenal and Man United still locked in talks over a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.

The Bees will likely dig their heels in when it comes to letting yet another “exceptional player” leave, but Wissa would come as an excellent potential replacement for Richarlison, who’s reportedly attracting interest from Brazil.

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign a free agent striker who has held talks with Manchester United, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa chasing first-team arrivals

It’s been a very low-key transfer window for the Villans so far, but with the Premier League season set to get underway in less than three weeks, the Midlands side are now stepping up their plans as they look to improve on last season’s standings.

Aston Villa now racing Wolves to sign "quality" £40m Ligue 1 goalscorer

Aston Villa are among several Premier League teams interested…

ByBrett Worthington Jul 23, 2025

According to The Athletic’s David Orstein, Villa have now placed a bid to sign Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse. The bid from the Premier League side has been rejected, but the Villans are continuing their pursuit of the centre-back, who is viewed as a top prospect. It is believed that Toulouse values Canvot in the region of £17 million, and they will be hoping the next offer is closer to that value.

Meanwhile, it was reported last week that Villa are in a race with Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign striker Mika Biereth. The AS Monaco forward, who is highly rated by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, scored 13 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games in the second half of last season, and that form has now put him on the radar of clubs around Europe.

Despite being under contract until 2030, Monaco are said to be opening to letting Biereth leave, but only if they receive a fee of around £40 million

Aston Villa join Calvert-Lewin race

According to The Sun, Aston Villa have now asked about Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s demands, as Unai Emery looks to bolster his attacking options.

Calvert-Lewin left Everton at the end of last season after nine years at Goodison Park, and while he continues to search for a new team, he has already spoken to interested parties. AC Milan and Newcastle United are two teams who are interested in signing the striker, but it is Manchester United who have held talks with Calvert-Lewin to gather information on his demands.

It’s been reported that the Englishman is looking to earn £100,000 a week at his new club, and while it is unclear if this would fit into Villa’s plans, they do need to bolster the attacking ranks after allowing Marcus Rashford to leave the club following his loan spell.

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Calvert-Lewin is a player Villa are very familiar with, as the 28-year-old, who has been labelled a “top striker” by Jürgen Klopp in the past, has played against Villa 10 times in all competitions, during which he has scored twice at Villa Park, one coming last season in the Premier League and one in the EFL Cup during the 2023/24 campaign.

India spinner completes nine-wicket match haul after Currie resists with century

ECB Reporters Network19-Sep-2024Scott Currie’s valiant maiden first-class century proved in vain despite helping to stage a remarkable Leicestershire fightback as Northamptonshire completed back-to-back first-class victories for the first time in five years to the day.Sent in as nightwatcher, Currie kept his calm as Leicestershire lost three early wickets on the third morning of this Vitality County Championship match at Wantage Road, slumping to 92 for seven, still 88 runs behind. The arrival of Tom Scriven (48 off 66 balls) heralded a complete change of approach though as he and Currie wrestled back the initiative in an attacking partnership of 101 in 21 overs either side of lunch.With the momentum shifting and Leicestershire building a slender lead, Currie was joined in another big stand worth 110 in 23.3 overs by Sam Wood who smashed 57 off 91 balls (5 fours, 3 sixes). Currie’s lengthy vigil eventually ended after more than four hours at the crease, having faced 192 balls and hit 15 fours and two sixes.Those partnerships allowed Leicestershire to set their hosts 137 to win and while they claimed one early wicket, George Bartlett (54 off 91 balls) and captain Luke Procter (68 off 76 balls) both scored half-centuries in an unbroken stand of 120 to seal victory by nine wickets.Earlier Indian international Yuzvendra Chahal (5 for 134) claimed a five-wicket haul for the second match running, while Northamptonshire stalwart Ben Sanderson also nipped in to claim his 400th career first-class wicket.At the start of the day, Leicestershire resumed on 69 for four, still trailing by 111 runs. They soon lost skipper Lewis Hill (14) as Chahal got into his work. Keeper Lewis McManus completed the stumping as Chahal turned one which pitched on middle and beat Hill’s outside edge.Ben Cox (8) then became Sanderson’s landmark scalp when he was trapped lbw before James Sales took a sharp catch at short leg off Chahal to dismiss Liam Trevaskis (2).Currie, meanwhile, on a season-long loan deal from Hampshire, had proved a stable presence at the other end. He played a textbook cover drive off Sanderson but was otherwise content to bat within himself.Scriven however provided the impetus the innings needed as Leicestershire pressed the accelerator rather than wait for wickets to fall. Scriven took the positive route from the outset, striking Chahal over mid-on to bring up Leicestershire’s 100 in the 58th over, before pulling Sanderson for another four.Currie too started to play his shots. He had made just 16 off 72 balls when the seventh wicket fell, but quickly moved up several gears. He took the attack to Chahal, swinging dismissively through midwicket and dispatching him over long-off. The leg-spinner conceded 19 in one expensive over, as Currie pulled for six before Scriven deployed the slog sweep and reverse sweep for consecutive boundaries to bring up the 50 partnership.While Scriven was dropped at short midwicket, he continued to attack, muscling Chahal over long-on for a huge six as Leicestershire went into lunch on 172 for seven, trailing by just eight runs, an unlikely prospect earlier in the day.They resumed after the interval in bright fashion, Currie driving Justin Broad for four to take Leicestershire into the lead. Broad though soon made the breakthrough, denying Scriven a well-earned half-century when he knocked middle stump out of the ground.Currie continued to find the boundary, pulling Broad confidently before smashing him through deep point as he passed his previous highest best score of 72. He eased into the eighties with a fluent cover drive off Chahal and moved on to his century off 159 balls.Meanwhile, Wood picked up where Scriven had left off, crunching Chahal down the ground for three sixes and cutting and driving fluently along the turf.Chahal finally ended Currie’s long stay, picking up his fifth wicket in the process with one that turned and took the edge to be caught behind by McManus. Louis Kimber came out at number 11 after injuring his hand in the field yesterday and made four before Saif Zaib bowled him to wrap up the innings.Gus Miller (11) kicked off Northamptonshire’s run chase by driving Holland for four but had his stumps rearranged by Wood with the hosts 17 for one, but Bartlett and Procter played the seamers with relative ease, starting to knock off the runs required in ones and twos and some streaky boundaries.Procter greeted Rehan Ahmed by sweeping him high over deep midwicket for six, while Bartlett took another maximum off the England leg spinner a few overs later, this time over long-on. Procter hit Wood for consecutive boundaries to bring up the 100 partnership off 124 deliveries before hitting the winning runs with a boundary down the ground off Sol Budinger. Both not out batters finished with seven fours and one six apiece.

‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results’. Well, Manchester United are finally mixing things up a bit this summer.

Indeed, the recent captures of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha – signed for a combined fee of around £130m – point to the Red Devils going down the Premier League-proven route, something that has hardly been the norm in recent years.

Since the summer of 2019, for instance, the only player plucked from a top-flight rival for a significant fee was that of Mason Mount, with then-boss Erik ten Hag dishing out £55m to prise the Englishman from Chelsea.

Of course, that statement deal has hardly worked out, considering the injury-hit playmaker has scored just four goals in two years, although the warning signs were there, with Mount scoring just three goals in his final year with the Blues.

Such woes hopefully won’t be replicated with regard to Cunha and Mbeumo, however, with the pair fresh off the back of having scored 35 league goals combined in 2024/25 – just nine fewer than United recorded collectively last season.

Ruben Amorim’s forward line has been given a much-needed fresh lick of paint, although a new number nine still remains elusive. Might there be an option within the Premier League to consider?

Premier League striker wants to join Man Utd

£64m was spent on Rasmus Hojlund in 2023. A further £36.5m was dished out on Joshua Zirkzee a year later. And yet, here we are, still waiting for a reliable and clinical centre-forward to arrive at Old Trafford.

The most prominent name to have been linked in recent weeks is Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, with recent reports indicating that talks have been held regarding a potential move for the 29-year-old.

That said, the Midlands side appear to have rebuffed such interest amid their desire to keep hold of the Englishman, with alternative options also being considered by Amorim and co.

Transfer Focus

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

As per GIVEMESPORT, United have been presented with a chance to sign Nicolas Jackson from Stamford Bridge, with the Senegalese striker said to be keen to join the club this summer.

The report adds that contact has been made to gauge whether or not the Red Devils would be interested in pouncing on that potential opening, with Jackson’s role at Chelsea under threat following the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.

While the west Londoners’ would surely need to compromise on their reported £100m asking price for the 24-year-old, an affordable deal could well be one for United to consider this summer.

Why Jackson could be a clever capture for United

On the face of it, plucking the former Villarreal man from his current home might not be too popular a move for those of a United persuasion, with Jackson enduring a mixed time of things in English football.

The mercurial talent notably came under fire for his recent red card in the defeat to Flamengo at the Club World Cup, having also been sent off against Newcastle United at the tail-end of the Premier League season.

He can undoubtedly be erratic – as evidenced by his 19 big chances missed in 2024/25 – although there is reason for optimism, with the forward boasting a respectable record at top-flight level to date.

Across his two seasons at Chelsea, the £100k-per-week marksman has hit double figures for league goals in each of those campaigns, scoring 14 and ten times, respectively, for the Blues. He’s a player who has got “Louis Saha vibes”, according to Rio Ferdinand.

That solid record would certainly be an upgrade on what United’s current options have to offer, with Hojlund and Zirkzee scoring just seven league goals between them last time out.

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Goal frequency

200min

224min

Big chances missed

24

19

Goal conversion

18%

13%

Assists

5

5

Big chances created

8

6

Key passes*

1.1

0.9

Successful dribbles*

1.5

0.6

What that impact also points to is that – like with Mbeumo and Cunha – Jackson has proven that he can make the difference at Premier League level, having even been dubbed a “monster of a striker” by John Obi Mikel.

Cunha, for instance, has scored 27 league goals across the last two campaigns, while Mbeumo – who did endure a spell out with injury in 2023/24 – netted 29 times in that same period, with the pair only just ahead of Jackson’s return of 24.

Throwing that ‘proven’ trio into the mix to lead the line for Amorim could well be just the solution to help steer United back toward European qualification. Yes, it might not be a title-winning combination, although needs must as far as the Red Devils are concerned.

Jackson wouldn’t be the most glamorous of additions, but, with Alexander Isak noted as the most statistically similar striker to him in Europe – as per FBref – perhaps there is a diamond there waiting to be unearthed.

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Hampshire quick focussed on vindicating his fast-tracked England selection after maiden international wickets

Cameron Ponsonby03-Nov-2024″I’ve seen a few things on Twitter asking if I exist,” jokes John Turner. Five England squads and 15 months after his first call-up, he finally earned his debut in Antigua this week.A first appearance came on Thursday and a first wicket arrived on Saturday, when Brandon King’s flashing drive was brilliantly caught by Jordan Cox at backward point.”It’s nice to have been involved in the last few months, but now to get that opportunity to actually play is really exciting,” explains Turner. “To get your first wicket is really cool and is probably a moment I’ll never forget.”One of the founding members of England’s ‘pace project’, Turner was plucked from obscurity last year when he went from professional debut for Hampshire to an England call-up in 70 days. The ECB have since doubled-down on their punt by handing Turner another 12-month development contract.”I think the whole ‘pace project’, as they call it, is really exciting,” Turner said. “There’s quite a lot of us that’s in and around. I think just being in and around the squads is really exciting to try and put my name in the hat for a spot on the Test team, or the T20 team. I think I’m still very raw, I’m very young and still have a lot to learn.”Turner’s two outings so far have been a qualified success. On debut, he beat King and Evin Lewis regularly without reward, while in his second appearance he dismissed both within his first seven balls. In both instances, you looked at the scoreboard and were surprised to see he’d conceded his runs at 5.2 an over and then 7 an over. But a couple of pulled sixes on each occasion will do that.Handed his cap by Jofra Archer, the Bajan-born quick announced to the world that Turner was the best player of PIG, the football-based headers and volleys warm-up game England play, in the squad. This was a lie. Turner is bottom of the pile.Which, if anything, is a relief. A better hockey player than cricketer growing up, Turner completed his degree in economics and finance at Exeter University over the summer which he had been studying for full-time. A year ago, if you walked through the team hotel of this same tour, chances are you’d have seen Turner with his head buried in his books and a laptop with a coffee on the go.Turner removed Evin Lewis for his second wicket•Getty Images”I’m obviously not planning on using it right now,” Turner commented. “But I think I’ll probably end up doing a masters at some stage in the next few years, just to add to my CV and keep ticking over.”During this year’s Hundred, Turner finished a match for Trent Rockets in Birmingham on a Monday night, drove back to Exeter where he arrived at 2:30am, sat his exam at 9:30am, and then drove back to Nottingham the next day for the Rockets next match. He passed.One of the first picks of this England generation to be selected on attributes as opposed to a proven body of work, Turner appreciates the benefits and also the slightly awkward nature of leapfrogging those who have been putting in the hard yards for years.”It’s obviously really exciting that someone sees something in you,” he says. “Probably before you see it yourself.”Cricket is a stats game, but you need those attributes to prove yourself or be successful at the top level. And whether I’ve got that, or whether some other guys, younger guys, have got that, no one really knows until you’re put in this environment and either succeed or you fail.”You see guys doing really well in county cricket, and not necessarily getting opportunities in the national setup. And you feel for them, it’s tough grinding away and almost you’re not tall enough or not big enough, and you’re being labelled as that’s why you’re not going to succeed. But on the flip side, I’m fortunate enough to be benefiting from this and, hopefully, just make the most of it and take whatever opportunity I’m given.”Turner’s pace, he admits, has been down this tour and is something he’s looking to address.”It’s one of my biggest attributes but I feel like I’ve been down on that in the last few games. I reckon I’ve been low 80s when I prefer to be high 80s. I know in The Hundred I was high 80s with one or two in the 90s.”So I know I can get there. It’s just, what am I not doing and I need to figure that out and put that into practice and hopefully get up there.”But then again, it’s something to improve on and then just trying to hit the deck hard and make life uncomfortable for the batter. Use whatever the surface has to offer – so whether that’s going to nip around, or stay low, pop up – just trying to take advantage of that. [I want to] be really attacking and try and be that point of difference.”

There are nerves in the air at Leeds United at the moment as the brand new Premier League season gets closer and closer by the day.

The newly promoted Whites have been very active in the transfer window so far, as seen in seven fresh faces joining Daniel Farke’s ranks this summer to date, but the German is still hesitant about his side’s top-flight acumen heading into the anxious opening run of matches.

In particular, the German is concerned about the options he has at his disposal up top, with both Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford out of his first-team plans.

Whilst adding in more depth up top looks to be crucial, Leeds wouldn’t say no to additions elsewhere, as a fresh midfielder is now also eyed up.

Leeds pushing for move for £100k p/w star

Before exploring further as to who Leeds could add to the midfield department, it’s clear that the Whites want more Premier League-capable striker options, and fast.

Beto, who Leeds were linked with earlier in the transfer window, has reportedly come back onto their shopping list as he weighs up moving away from Everton, with the Whites’ interest in Fulham ace Rodrigo Muniz also long-standing.

Away from the plethora of names filtering through in the centre-forward areas, Leeds have also been credited with interest in free agent midfielder Josh Brownhill, as per a new report by GIVEMESPORT.

The report further reveals that Everton is also trying to push through a deal for the ex-Clarets captain, but a tricky stumbling block has emerged for both parties.

The hurdle both sides will have to try and overcome is the spending power of MLS side Toronto FC, who are willing to offer the Manchester-born star a £100k-per-week deal to leave England behind for Canada.

It remains to be seen what Brownhill’s short-term future looks like, but if he does decide to relocate from Lancashire to Elland Road, over pastures new in Canada, he could be just what Leeds need in terms of an attacking outlet centrally, away from the more defensively sound members of the squad from the middle of the park.

Why Brownhill's addition could be perfect for Stach

Indeed, out of all the midfielders at Farke’s disposal, new £17.4m recruit Anton Stach is the most content with just sitting back and doing his defensive dirty work.

So much so, Stach can even line up as a centre-back if needed – as seen in his 16 career appearances from this part of the pitch – alongside the fact that the Whites number 18 singled out his “aggressive” nature as one key attribute to his game when speaking just after his move to Leeds had been confirmed.

Games played

30

42

Goals scored

1

18

Assists

2

6

Touches*

66.8

52.1

Shots*

1.2

1.6

Accurate passes*

41.9 (83%)

31.8 (82%)

Key passes*

0.9

1.2

Tackles*

2.2

1.5

Ball recoveries*

5.7

2.8

Total duels won*

5.6

3.4

The German’s aggressive approach on the pitch is certainly more evident when looking at the table above, with Stach greatly trumping Brownhill when it comes to tackles made, ball recoveries made, and total duels won per match last season in their respective leagues.

Having such a lively, fierce anchor in the side means Brownhill will be able to focus even more on his explosive attacking game at Elland Road, with the 29-year-old’s stunning output of 18 goals and six assists last season for Burnley clinching automatic promotion out of the Championship, alongside Farke’s title-winners.

With six goals and six assists already next to his name in the Premier League, too, both Brownhill and Stach could be components of a new-look midfield that just work alongside each other, as the EFL “superstar” – as he was once dubbed by former manager Lee Johnson – attempts to become a top-flight regular wearing Leeds white.

Of course, the £100k-per-week salary at Toronto might prove to be too tempting to turn down.

But, with steady teammates such as Stach next to him, Brownhill could shine as a gung-ho midfield presence up a division, as Leeds attempt to make survival less of a chore with entertaining displays.

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