Happy Hump Day! It’s a great day for an entire day of major league baseball.
If you want to get in on the action, I’ve found a couple of appealing plus-money strikeout props for you to consider: one for the afternoon and one for the evening slate.
Let’s have some fun!
MLB Best Bets Today
Framber Valdez under 4.5 K (+120) at San Francisco Giants
Jun 7, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco Giants' low strikeout rate has me looking at the under on Framber's K-prop today. The Giants have a 21.3% K-rate this season, resulting in an average of eight strikeouts per game. That K-rate drops even further to 20% when they face lefties.
Framber Valdez pitched a complete game in his last outing, punching out eight Los Angeles Angels. That's likely why we're getting good plus-money today for this under, even though Framber's 63.9% ground ball rate is the highest among starters with 40+ innings pitched and he is striking out batters at just seven per nine innings.
Framber is averaging five strikeouts per game this season, so this isn't without risk, but the payout is appealing. He has gone under this prop in five of 10 starts this season.
Nick Pivetta over 5.5 K (+105) vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Sep 29, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Nick Pivetta (37) throws a second inning pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Am I wrong, or is Nick Pivetta consistently under-appreciated?
Pivetta is striking batters out at nearly 11 per nine, and his walk rate is among the best in the league. That strikeout rate is even better when he is pitching at Fenway. Pivetta has a K-rate of 12.23 at home this year.
Philadelphia is not a high K-rate team, striking out just 20.4% of the time vs. righties this year (eighth-best in MLB), but historically, Pivetta has struck out this Phillies lineup at a rate of 26.8%, according to Statcast.
Pivetta has exceeded this prop in five of eight starts this season, including four of his last five. I'll take the value and bet he gets to six today.
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso provided a key update on Kylian Mbappe's fitness ahead of the club's La Liga fixture against Getafe this weekend. The star forward picked up an injury while on international duty with France. He limped off the pitch late on during Les Bleus' clash with Azerbaijan and missed their World Cup qualifier against Iceland after being released from the French squad.
Mbappe suffered ankle knock against Azerbaijan
Mbappe's participation in their first World Cup qualifier of the October international break was hanging in the balance due to an ankle injury he sustained while playing for Madrid against Villarreal in La Liga. Despite the knock, the France captain took to the the field against Azerbaijan last Friday but he suffered another ankle knock and had to be subbed off in the 83rd minute.
The attacker was subsequently released from the France squad so that he could work on his recovery back at Madrid's facilities. A statement from the French Football Federation read: "Upon the French delegation's return to Clairefontaine, the French team captain spoke with Didier Deschamps. The national coach has confirmed his absence. Kylian Mbappe has been released to his club and will not be replaced."
Advertisement
(C)Getty Images
Alonso provides key update on Mbappe
Ahead of Los Blancos' upcoming La Liga match against Getafe on Sunday, manager Alonso provided a key update on Mbappe's condition. Speaking to reporters at the pre-match press conference, the Spanish coach said: "Yes, Kylian Mbappe is back and can also start against Getafe."
Mbappe's recovery comes as welcome news for the Spanish giants, who will aim to occupy the top spot in the league ahead of their Clasico fixture against arch-rival Barcelona next week. The French star is currently enjoying a remarkable scoring run, having scored in his last 10 consecutive matches for both club and country. His recent scoring streak includes goals against Ukraine, Real Sociedad, Kairat, and Espanyol, with the 26-year-old hitting the net in multiple competitions. He also broke the deadlock in France's 3-0 win against Azerbaijan with his 17th goal in 13 appearances for club and country this season, which also marked his 53rd international goal for France, meaning he is now only four goals away from Olivier Giroud's record as Les Bleus' all-time top scorer.
Mbappe wants to help Alonso win many trophies
Alonso created shockwaves in Europe after his scintillating stint at Bayer Leverkusen, where he helped the German side win the Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season. Following his brief stint as a manager at Leverkusen, the Spaniard returned to Real Madrid, where he had previously played with distinction. Mbappe, who is in fine form, lavished praise on the manager while claiming the Madrid players want to help Alonso with as many trophies as possible.
Speaking about Ancelotti and Alonso's managerial style, Mbappe had to : "They're different, two generations of coaches who have crossed paths. Ancelotti is one of the best in history. When you arrive, you're happy to play for him; he's always close to the players. Xabi wants to help a lot, but he's younger. He has more need and desire to prove himself with Real Madrid, to achieve things in his first big opportunity at the best club in the world. We're going to try to help him win as many titles as possible. It's an important year for Real Madrid and the national team. We're starting to understand what the manager wants from us, but we have to improve to get where we want to be."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
AFP
Real Madrid facing hectic fixture list
Alonso will have to rotate his squad as much as possible in the next few matches, as they face a hectic fixture list that involves playing four matches in a span of 13 days, starting this Sunday. The fixture list also includes a key Champions League game against Juventus on October 22 and El Clasico in La Liga four days later. Madrid are currently at the top of the table with 21 points from eight matches.
The Real Madrid boss says he's taking one game at a time: "For me, the next one is always the toughest when I'm going through a block. This one with fewer games because we've had a clean week, but we want to keep making progress, being consistent in all competitions. We're thinking about what's coming next, which is Getafe. We're not looking any further ahead. We're aware of what's coming, obviously, but what we've talked about internally is tomorrow's opponent, which will be very demanding. So far, we've been very consistent and reliable, but we can't let our guard down."
O campeão brasileiro com menos pontos na era dos pontos corridos foi o Flamengo, em 2009, com 67 pontos, apenas dois a mais que o vice-campeão Internacional. Foi uma das edições mais disputadas da história do Brasileirão, com o título sendo decidido apenas na última rodada.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalClubes da Série A do Brasileirão podem contratar jogadores da Série B até quando?Futebol Nacional08/08/2023PalmeirasJoia do Palmeiras leva prêmio de melhor jogador de torneio em excursão do sub-19 na EuropaPalmeiras08/08/2023SantosSantos pode receber grana alta com possível saída de Neymar do PSGSantos08/08/2023
+ Qual foi o time com menos pontos que não foi rebaixado no Brasileirão?
O rubro-negro só assumiu a liderança pela primeira vez na 37ª rodada, quando venceu o Corinthians no Brinco de Ouro e contou com a derrota do então líder, São Paulo, para o Goiás no Serra Dourada. Assim, o Flamengo entrou em campo contra o Grêmio na partida final dependendo apenas de si, e a vitória por 2 a 1 no Maracanã deu o título aos cariocas após 17 anos de espera.
+ Veja as chuteiras dos craques no Campeonato Brasileiro 2023
O início daquele Brasileirão não foi tranquilo para o Fla. A mudança veio a partir da 14ª rodada, quando Andrade, campeão da Libertadores, do Mundial e tetracampeão brasileiro pelo clube como jogador, assumiu o comando técnico do time, substituindo o demitido Cuca. O rubro-negro ocupava apenas a 11ª colocação e, liderado por Adriano e Petkovic, arrancou para o título a partir dali.
continua após a publicidade
Curioso é que o Flamengo também é o campeão brasileiro com mais pontos, quando conquistou o heptacampeonato, em 2019.
Australia are likely to have to alter their top order for the Champions Trophy semi-final after Matthew Short picked up a quad injury against Afghanistan which is expected to rule him out.Short suffered the injury late in Afghanistan’s innings and though he did open the batting alongside Travis Head, laboured between the wickets and was largely restricted to trying to hit boundaries.He managed to club his way to 20 off 15 balls in what became a useful opening stand of 44 in 4.3 overs before being caught at mid-on but captain Steven Smith admitted time wasn’t on Short’s side.”I think he’ll be struggling,” Smith said at the post-match presentation. “I think we saw tonight he wasn’t moving very well. I think it’s probably going to be too quick between games for him to recover.”Related
Steven Smith withdraws run-out appeal against Noor Ahmad
Australia seal semi-finals spot after rain spoils Head's party
Travis Head, Australia's everyman, enters his box-office era
Jake Fraser-McGurk, himself a replacement for the injured Mitchell Marsh, is the spare batter in the squad and would be a like-for-like swap for Short at the top of the order. However, there are other options Australia could consider with allrounder Aaron Hardie a possibility if someone else is moved up to open.”We’ve got a few guys there to come in and we’ll be able to fill a job,” Smith said.Cooper Connolly, the left-handed batter and left-arm spinner, is a travelling reserve and could come into the squad if Short was officially ruled out for the rest of the tournament.Matt Short injured himself in the field•AFP/Getty Images
Short’s absence would also remove a spin-bowling option from the attack. He did an excellent job against Afghanistan with his seven overs costing just 21. However, Australia do have a number of batters who can bowl spin with Head and Marnus Labuschagne, who took two wickets against England, not used on Friday.Australia suffered a number of injuries leading into the tournament with Marsh (back), Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip) and Mitchell Starc (ankle) all missing while Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement.A complicating factor for both the teams who qualify from Group B – South Africa are favourites to join Australia – is that they won’t know whether they are playing the semi-final in Dubai or Lahore until the conclusion of the India-New Zealand game on Sunday night.Group B finishing positions will be known after South Africa play England on Saturday but while India (Dubai) and New Zealand (Lahore) are locked into their venues for the semi-finals their final group position will determine who they face.If South Africa beat England and top the group, Australia will play the winner of New Zealand-India; if England win, Australia will face the loser of that game.Both qualified teams will fly to Dubai early, to give whoever plays the first semi-final an extra day to prepare, but one side will then have to return to Pakistan*. Conditions in Dubai, where India play all their matches, have provided some assistance for the spinners. Australia do have legspinner Tanveer Sangha as another frontline option in their squad.Playing in Lahore would provide more familiar conditions for Australia with two of their group matches having taken place there including the one victory when they chased 352 against England. But there would still be a chance of them needing to travel to Dubai with the final hosted in the UAE should India qualify, otherwise it will be played in Lahore.10.30am GMT: This story was updated after confirmation of travel schedules
Rashid Khan and Nicholas Pooran set to move teams to align with other global franchise ties
Matt Roller19-Feb-2025The Hundred’s incoming investors are already wielding their influence on the tournament, with several teams using a revamped recruitment system to sign players who represent their new partners’ other overseas franchises.The new ‘direct signing’ model allows each team to sign two players – one men’s, one women’s – among their retentions before next month’s draft. New joint-venture agreements are still being thrashed out but ESPNcricinfo has learned that several teams are already leaning on their partners’ global networks to recruit talent for the Hundred’s ‘transitional’ 2025 season.Rashid Khan has agreed a deal with double-defending champions Oval Invincibles, having played for their new co-owners Reliance’s teams in the ILT20, SA20 and MLC. Manchester Originals have been discussing a short-term deal for Nicholas Pooran, who plays for their new joint-venture partners RPSG Group’s IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants.Southern Brave, where the GMR Group are taking over, are working on a deal to bring in Faf du Plessis, who they signed in November for the IPL franchise they co-own, Delhi Capitals. Elsewhere, Welsh Fire are in talks with Steven Smith – who plays for new partners Washington Freedom in MLC – and hope to finalise his signing before Sunday’s deadline.Steven Smith is in talks with Welsh Fire•Major League CricketRashid and Pooran’s deals are particularly notable because they played for other Hundred teams last year: Trent Rockets and Northern Superchargers respectively. Rashid was the first pick at the Hundred’s inaugural draft back in 2019 and has been retained ever since, but is instead moving to The Oval.”The point of the direct signings was to attract high-end, better-quality overseas stars and I can only see it as a positive,” Daryl Mitchell, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) told ESPNcricinfo. “There will be regulations in place, but there are always going to be relationships in cricket – long-standing ones in some cases.”Mitchell said it was “par for the course” for players to extend their links with global franchises, though he encouraged the ECB to pay close attention. “The way that players move has been going on in cricket for a long time. There are always relationships that are already established between directors of cricket, list managers or coaches with certain agents and certain players.”Related
Hundred squads face 2026 'reset' in bid for competitive balance
Jason Roy handed Hundred lifeline with Southern Brave
Lancashire: Originals not a consolation prize for LSG owners
MCC 'leaning towards' egg-and-bacon kit for London Spirit
Gould: Hundred IPL links won't affect Pakistan player involvement
The ECB has raised top men’s salaries from £125,000 to £200,000 for 2025 to ensure that the Hundred can compete with MLC and the CPL (which overlaps) for talent. The PCA criticised incremental increases to lower salary as showing a “lack of respect” for domestic players in December and are pushing for further increases when new owners are fully ensconced in 2026.The moves represent the latest step in a gradual shift towards a global contracting network in the T20 franchise world, though others will play against teams affiliated to their own IPL franchise. Trent Boult, who has played for several Reliance teams, has signed for Birmingham Phoenix, while David Miller, Pooran’s LSG team-mate, is set to join Northern Superchargers.The same dynamic is not yet affecting English players, who cannot move directly from one team to another without relying on the uncertainty of the draft. But the ECB have previously told prospective investors that they may be able to lock in England players on multi-year contracts in future years, meaning some could move teams based on their associations with IPL franchises.
“There is an obvious opportunity for collaboration.”Manchester Originals chair James Sheridan on their new partnership with Lucknow Super Giants
Players have represented franchises across multiple leagues ever since Kolkata Knight Riders made the unprecedented move to buy the Trinidad and Tobago CPL team a decade ago. But the trend has accelerated in recent years, especially after the 2023 launches of both the ILT20 and SA20, where IPL owners are heavily represented.”If you take a very long-term worldview, maybe, at some point, it wouldn’t be crazy to see some kind of roll-up of these teams and a combination of these tournaments,” James Sheridan, who chairs Manchester Originals, said last week. “That would need tectonic plates to shift quite a lot. But it wouldn’t surprise me if, in 10 years’ time, we are looking at something like that.”Sheridan suggested that the Originals, the Super Giants and Lancashire will create “joint development activities” in the years to come, but cautioned: “Contracting isn’t as straightforward as people might think in franchise cricket. You’ve got auctions, you’ve got drafts… But there is an obvious opportunity for collaboration.”Insiders believe that the Hundred teams whose new owners do not have links to other franchises overseas will face challenges when recruiting in future as a result. This applies particularly to Rockets – who have signed Marcus Stoinis after losing Rashid – and Phoenix, with the pull of Lord’s playing in London Spirit’s favour under their new Silicon Valley co-owners.The Hundred’s eight franchises are valued at nearly £1 billion between them•Getty Images for ECBKane Williamson was announced as the Spirit’s new men’s captain this week, and his deal also covers a stint with Middlesex, who are MCC’s tenants at Lord’s. Some host counties are keen for closer alignment in personnel with their Hundred teams, both in domestic and overseas players, which Mitchell believes has already started to happen.”The reality is that over the last four or five years, there are probably elements of county players aligning with Hundred teams,” Mitchell said. Is that likely to continue? I’d have thought so. The host counties are potentially going to be in control of the budgets of both the county and the Hundred teams as well.”Mitchell said the PCA’s priority is to ensure that players retain confidence that Hundred squads will be picked on merit. “Over the next 12-18 months, it’s about making sure there are guard-rails in place to make sure players are picked on performance and that everyone’s got a fair shot of getting an opportunity.”The ECB will retain overall control of the Hundred but is forming a new committee with representation from each franchise, which will discuss issues like recruitment. There is a growing expectation that the draft could be tweaked or revamped after this season, with an open-market system and an auction both raised as potential alternatives.The influence of new owners in recruitment has largely been confirmed to the men’s Hundred so far, with the women’s franchise circuit still in a nascent phase. Amelia Kerr (Manchester Originals) and Laura Wolvaardt (Southern Brave) were both confirmed as direct signings last month, with the Originals also retaining Beth Mooney.
Tottenham players have been assigned small three-digit numbers, which are printed on the back of their shirts. The numbers are unique to each player and they have been sporting them since 2023. After finishing 17th in the Premier League in a dismal 2024-25 campaign, Spurs have made a strong start to the new season, sitting third in the table after five matches.
Spurs players wearing unique three-digit numbers
Every Spurs player has been given a unique three-digit number, which is printed just below the collar on the back of their shirts (except summer signing Kota Takai, who has yet to be assigned one). The players have been carrying those numbers on their shirts since their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in 2023.
AdvertisementAFPWhy Tottenham stars have small numbers on their back
The small three-digit numbers on the back of the players' shirts are called "legacy numbers". The numbers are assigned once they make their competitive debuts for the Premier League side. Tottenham started the initiative to commemorate the contributions of every player who has represented the club.
Simons & Kolo Muani latest to be assigned legacy numbers
New signings Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani were the latest Spurs stars to be assigned the "legacy numbers". While Simons was given 898 on his debut in their recent win over West Ham, Kolo Muani got 899 when making his bow in their Champions League clash against Villarreal.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportUp next for Spurs: Doncaster then Wolves
After a thrilling 2-2 draw against Brighton at the weekend, Thomas Frank's Spurs side will now turn their attention to a clash with Doncaster in the Carabao Cup third round. Tottenham are due back in Premier League action at home to Wolves three days later.
A new update has emerged regarding an “exceptional” Everton transfer target this summer, with just shy of £22m needed if the Blues want to snap him up.
Moyes provides transfer update at Everton
The start of the 2025/26 Premier League season is now just a couple of weeks away, with Everton beginning their campaign with a trip to Leeds United on August 18th.
It has been a frustrating summer transfer window for the Blues, however, in terms of the volume of players signed, with David Moyes admitting that his side don’t feel fully ready going into the new campaign.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
“We’ve got huge priorities as far as where we would like to try and buy the players if we could do. But also, we’ve got a numbers situation as well, we’re short in numbers, so there’s a bit of both. We’re trying to get the pieces we really want first, and that’s what we’ve been fighting to do. So hopefully we can, hopefully things will fall into place.
“But we’re just beginning to think, my goodness, we’re just not getting enough over the line. Because we are actively working to try [and] it’s not as if we’re a club who are saying [that] we’re waiting to sell a player before we can bring one in. But it’s not really the situation. We’ve got money to spend, and we’ll have to try and spend it wisely.”
Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz has been mentioned as a summer option as Everton look to upgrade in midfield, but it’s Benfica’s Florentino Luis who was the subject of a Toffees approach this week, and now a fresh update has dropped regarding the latter.
Everton find out asking price for "exceptional" ace
According to Record [via Sport Witness], Everton will need to pay €25m (around £21.7m) to have a chance of signing Luis this summer, with fellow Premier League clubs Burnley and Leeds United also in the race to bring him in.
No official bid has been tabled yet, with the aforementioned enquiry the most progress made, and it remains to be seen if the Blues will push forward in their efforts.
A midfielder is paramount for Everton in the coming weeks, in terms of quality and depth in the middle of the park, especially after the exit of Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Luis looks like an ideal option to bring in, with the 25-year-old racking up 176 appearances for Benfica and winning two Primeira Liga titles with Benfica, as well as being lauded by former manager Rui Vitoria.
“Florentino Luis is an exceptional talent. He has the qualities that every coach would want in a midfielder: tenacity, intelligence, and technique.”
He's better than Fofana: Everton make contact for £51m "offensive menace"
Everton are pushing to sign a new right-sided forward this summer.
1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 31, 2025
Luis is at a point in his career where a move to the Premier League could appeal, allowing him to test himself abroad, and he has the defensive quality and technical ability to shine there, having averaged 4.2 tackles per game and enjoyed an 87.8% pass completion rate in the Champions League last season.
Manchester United fans may be feeling a sense of disappointment after it was confirmed that Viktor Gyokeres would be joining Arsenal over a move to Old Trafford.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that a deal had been reached between the Gunners and the 27-year-old for a fee in the region of £63.8m including add-ons.
Ruben Amorim will undoubtedly have wanted to secure a reunion between himself and the forward after enjoying a successful stint together at Sporting CP.
However, his loss is Mikel Arteta’s gain, with the Red Devils’ hierarchy needing to identify other targets to help strengthen the club’s frontline ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Numerous players have previously been mentioned as possible targets, potentially needing to re-enter negotiations with multiple talents after missing out on Gyokeres’ signature.
The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer
During the current transfer window, United have been touted with moves for a whole host of attacking stars who could change the club’s fortunes in front of goal.
The likes of Dušan Vlahović, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ollie Watkins have all been discussed as possible targets, but as of yet, no deals have been agreed for any of the aforementioned trio.
Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic
However, moves have been made elsewhere, including a deal for Benjamin Sesko after progress was made for his signature, according to TEAMtalk.
They claim that the Red Devils have already made contact with RB Leipzig over a move for the 22-year-old, who netted 21 goals for the German side across all competitions last season.
It also states that United’s director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, has pushed a move for the Slovenian international, who’s available for £67m, after missing out on a deal for Gyokeres’ signature.
Why United’s £67m target would be Amorim’s next Gyokeres
Given Gyokeres’ tally of 54 goals in his 52 appearances last season, it’s no surprise to see the Swede being a man in demand this window, having the tools to inject quality into any frontline.
Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres.
Having previously featured under Amorim before, a move to Old Trafford would’ve made sense for all parties, but ultimately, the club’s lack of Champions League football has cost them in their pursuit.
The prospect of facing the 27-year-old in the Premier League is certainly a frightening one for the Red Devils, undoubtedly highlighting the talisman they missed out on this summer.
However, the hierarchy shouldn’t be disheartened, desperately needing to back Amorim in his quest for success and pushing for other alternatives before the end of the window.
Sesko could prove to be the perfect alternative, being a younger option than Gyokeres, but also a just as effective striker given the stats produced by both last campaign.
When comparing their respective figures, the Leipzig talent managed to outperform him in various departments, handing the manager his next version of the impressive talisman.
Sesko, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by analyst Antonio Mango, may have been outscored, but did post the same goal per shot on target rate – highlighting he’s just as clinical with the opportunities that fall his way.
Games played
33
33
Goals & assists
18
46
Goals per shot on target
0.4
0.4
Key passes made
1.1
0.5
Take-ons completed
52%
45%
Carries into final third
1.4
1.3
Aerials won
2.7
1.2
Aerial success rate
59%
50%
He also registered more key passes per 90 and completed more of the take-ons he attempted, subsequently able to get the ball into attacking areas and finish chances himself or provide others with the opportunities to improve their own tallies.
The Slovenian’s dominance doesn’t end there, winning more aerials and more of the battles he contested – handing Amorim the focal point he craves at Old Trafford.
£67m may appear to be a steep fee for a player who’s never played in England, but it would be a shrewd investment given the stats produced and the potential he holds.
Missing out on Gyokeres would’ve been a bitter blow, but ultimately it could be a blessing in disguise if Sesko can build on his impressive form from the 2024/25 campaign.
Better deal than Mbeumo: Man Utd preparing bid for "superstar" £39m CF
Manchester United appear to be making another huge move within the transfer market.
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.
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.”
****
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.”