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Cristiano Ronaldo says it is “good to be back” after rejoining the fold at Al-Nassr following his disappointing showing at Euro 2024 for Portugal.

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• Disappointment at European Championship
• Has enjoyed extended break since then
• Back alongside colleagues at club level

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The five-time Ballon d’Or winner played more minutes for his country at that tournament than any of his international team-mates, but went goalless through the competition and was left in tears after missing an extra-time penalty in a last-16 showdown with Slovenia.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo had headed into another European Championship – the 11th major tournament of his remarkable career – after registering 50 goals for Al-Nassr in the 2023-24 campaign. Questions are, however, being asked of his ability to contribute at the very highest level after turning 39.

• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  CR7 has made a habit of making doubters look foolish down the years, with the intention being to do that again in the 2024-25 season. He is back alongside club colleagues following an extended break, with the evergreen frontman all smiles as he reported for pre-season training.

• WHAT NEXT?

  Al-Nassr have a friendly date with Spanish outfit Granada to take in on Sunday, before opening their first quest for silverware in the new campaign when facing Al-Taawoun in the semi-finals of the Saudi Super Cup on August 14.

A former Premier League CEO has shared what “close sources at West Ham” have been saying to him about manager Julen Lopetegui and his future at the London Stadium, amid calls for David Sullivan to part company with the Spaniard.

Lopetegui facing West Ham axe after lacklustre start

The 58-year-old has guided West Ham to just three league wins so far this season, which wasn’t exactly the hope when technical director Tim Steidten finished splashing out more than £120 million on summer signings.

£38m West Ham star could be close to Saudi move with next few days decisive

The Middle East is a very serious option for him.

By
Emilio Galantini

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West Ham arguably have no clear sense of identity on the pitch, and Lopetegui has been criticised for his tactical choices, faith in out-of-form players and general approach to crucial matches.

There are even suggestions that senior West Ham players are not behind Lopetegui, with the Spaniard failing to impress after jumping into David Moyes’ shoes – a man who guided the club to their first major trophy since the 1980s.

Mohammed Kudus is among the West Ham players “frustrated” by this current situation, according to reports, with Liverpool and clubs in Saudi Arabia potentially looking to take advantage of this situation.

Lopetegui is facing attacks from all angles, and former footballing CEO Keith Wyness now says the tactician is in a very tough spot.

Lopetegui "right on the edge" of West Ham dismissal

Speaking to Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, via GiveMeSport, Wyness claims Lopetegui is “right on the edge” of being sacked by West Ham – sharing what “close sources” have told him about what’s going on “behind the scenes”.

“I’ve spoken to some close sources at West Ham. He’s being backed publicly but behind the scenes,” said Wyness.

“There is a lot of unhappiness. If he survives the international break, then he’ll get through to Christmas, and he’ll be reviewed again then.

“But he’s right on the edge at the moment. It’s not surprising. The style of play is lacklustre, as far as West Ham fans see it. It’s a case of be careful what you wish for, because Moyes has gone and they’re now in the same place – if not worse.”

West Ham face Newcastle United at St. James’ Park right after the international break, and a result there could alleviate the pressure after a lacklustre 0-0 draw at home to Everton.

Former South Africa captain wants the team to play their best attack, comprising five match-winning bowlers

Sruthi Ravindranath03-Dec-2022With South Africa still figuring out their best XI for the Test tour of Australia, former captain Graeme Smith believes they should stick to an “aggressive mindset” and play six batters and five bowlers.”I’d like to see South Africa back their six batters,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo. “I think there’s always that fear because the batting has been weak. They’ve always looked to play the extra batter. Maybe that can be a defensive mindset and not an aggressive mindset. I’d like to see them take an aggressive mindset.Related

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• Kagiso Rabada hopes for Test turnaround in Australia after 'disappointing' T20 World Cup

• Smith hopes SA20 will help end South Africa's World Cup wait

“You’ve got Lungi Ngidi, you’ve got Marco Jansen. You’ve got [Kagiso] Rabada and Anrich Nortje, and you’ve got Keshav Maharaj, who are all outstanding Test bowlers and can really win you games single-handedly. Work on the batters, get the six batters to bat in partnerships and get totals. If you get the totals you want, bowlers can win you games. And South Africa should pick the bowlers who can win you games.”South Africa’s Test captain Dean Elgar had suggested they were still “in a bit of debate” about playing an extra batter to lengthen their line-up. South Africa are presently second in the World Test Championship table, but their batters haven’t been racking up big numbers in the last few years. Since the start of 2020, they have had just six centuries in 19 games, the fewest among the teams part of the WTC. In their previous Test series, which they lost to hosts England 2-1 in August-September, they had just one batter among the top five run-getters. They also got bowled out under 200 four times in that series.Smith also said South Africa needed to focus on building partnerships. They have had just nine century stands in the last two years, which is again the fewest among the nine teams that are part of the World Test Championships.”If you can get those partnerships together over 100-150, you start to make an impact on the team’s innings. I think when you’re under pressure, you tend to focus on yourself and the pressure just grows, how you can work together as a batting unit to post totals there in Australia is going to be key. You obviously need some of your big players to perform well and take the pressure off the youngsters.”South Africa’s bowling continues to remain their biggest strength. Their bowling average of 24.94 is the second lowest while their strike-rate of 46.7 is the best among the Test-playing teams in the last two years.Among the standouts in this department has been Rabada, who’s been their kingpin across formats. Among the bowlers to take 50-plus wickets since 2020, only his team-mate Nortje has had a better bowling strike rate than him. Rabada is the only fast bowler who was part of South Africa’s successful Test tour of Australia in 2016, when he took 15 wickets in six innings.”The thing about KG is that he’s the center piece for South African cricket at the moment so whenever he doesn’t play it’s noticeable,” Smith said•Getty Images

Ahead of this tour, however, Rabada admitted that the amount of cricket being played was a concern and that it needs to be “managed”.”The thing about KG is that he’s the centre piece for South African cricket at the moment so whenever he doesn’t play it’s noticeable,” Smith said. “But it’s about producing enough talent that you can afford to rest a player here and there. At the moment you know in a World Cup, and a big tour to Australia, he has to play his roles there. And also as he gets more experience, he will learn to manage himself and stay focused on what’s important.”With Elgar saying his side was prepared for a “feisty” series against the current No. 1 Test team, Smith, who has been part of three bilateral tours to Australia, said South Africa should solely focus on competing on the field.”I think whenever you tour Australia you got to be prepared for being in someone else’s country for a period of time. Crowds.. and the players playing the game hard so definitely you’ve got to be mentally prepared. I think the key is always playing good cricket. It’s the only way that I’ve found over the years, having lost really badly once and won twice, if you can play really good cricket and you turn everything around and the home team gets under pressure. So I hope that South Africa focus on their performances, in particular their batsmen. There is some talent in the bowling ranks, [but] if the batters can get some runs in Australia it gives you a chance to beat them.”The first of three Tests between Australia and South Africa starts on December 17 at the Gabba in Brisbane,

The Argentine came off the bench and scored with the final touch of the game in stoppage time

Lionel Messi made a dramatic return Thursday evening in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, scoring Inter Miami's second goal with the final touch of the match as the Herons defeated Jamaican Premier League side Cavalier SC 2-0 (4-0 on aggregate) to advance to the quarterfinals. The Argentine had missed three straight matches due to "load management" but came off the bench in the second half to help secure the win.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a 37th-minute penalty, converting clinically to give Miami a three-goal aggregate lead. The penalty was earned after Tadeo Allende showed slick dribbling on the edge of the box before being taken down by a defender.

Messi padded Inter Miami's aggregate advantage in the 92nd minute, poking home from close range after a Santiago Morales assist set him up on his left foot – a chance he wasn’t going to miss.

Miami controlled the match comfortably, with few clear chances for either side as play largely unfolded in midfield or Cavalier's defensive third. The result was never in doubt.

A sold-out national stadium in Kingston saw 35,000 fans turn out to watch Messi and support their local club. The match was moved from Cavalier’s 3,000-seat home stadium to Independence Park to accommodate the crowd. It was Cavalier's most high-profile match since 1971, when they hosted Brazilian legend Pelé and Santos at the same venue.

With the aggregate win, Miami advances to the quarterfinals to face MLS rivals LAFC and France’s all-time leading scorer, Olivier Giroud, in a two-legged series for a spot in the semifinals.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from their Leg 2 win in Jamaica…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Oscar Ustari (6/10):

  Made one big save in the 74th minute to keep a clean sheet. Job well done.

  Ian Fray (6/10):

  Playing at right back, Fray adapted well and communicated well next to Falcon and Redondo. However, he was rarely tested.

  Maxi Falcon (8/10):

  Impressive on set pieces and rock-solid defensively. One of their best performers on the day.

  Noah Allen (7/10):

  Overshadowed by Falcon, but Allen was fantastic in playing out of the back. Crucial in maintaining possession, he was everywhere across the back line in transition.

  Jordi Alba (7/10):

  Inverted when asked, and navigated his flank to a precision. Locked up Cavalier defensively, and influenced the attack in transition.

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  Midfield

  Sergio Busquets (7/10):

  Ran the midfield show to a precision. Classy as always, the veteran held his own in the pivot, and allowed Redondo to push forward in transition.

  Federico Redondo (6/10):

  Didn't particularly impress, but didn't put in a foot wrong either. From a midfield perspective, that's a solid performance.

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  Attack

  David Ruiz (N/A):

  Subbed off early in the first half after pulling up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

  Telasco Segovia 7/10):

  Impressive set piece delivery throughout the match, and a really solid performance in an attacking midfield role.

  Tadeo Allende (7/10):

  Earned the first half penalty, and was a menace in and around the box for Cavalier. Great performance.

  Luis Suarez (7/10):

  Clinical with his penalty kick, and navigated the final third of the pitch rather well.

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  Subs & Manager

  Benjamin Cremaschi (6/10):

  Replaced Ruiz and did his job well. Had a great 1v1 chance in the second half, but squandered it looking a bit nervous in a tight angle.

  Lionel Messi (7/10):

  Scored with the final kick of the game in the 92nd minute after a lively cameo off the bench. A welcomed return.

  Yannick Bright (6/10):

  Replaced Busquets and locked down the midfield in a roughly 40-minute cameo.

  Tomas Aviles (N/A):

  Subbed on with 15 minutes to spare to close out the game.

  Santiago Morales (7/10):

  Introduced in 75th minute as the 18-year-old gained important senior minutes, and capitalized on the opportunity with a late assist to Messi.

  Javier Mascherano (7/10):

  Tactically, he emphasized putting pressure on their defense, and it worked early as Cavalier were forced into committing a foul in the box to hand Miami its spot kick. Perhaps he could have rotated more without using Messi due to the state of the pitch – the grass in the stadium was torn to shreds, with clumps and holes scattered everywhere. However, the club did what was asked of them, and Mascherano has them onto the quarterfinals. Job well done.

Tim David defended 10 in the last over after the visitors had been comfortably on track in a low-scoring match

Tristan Lavalette25-Jan-2023Tim David held his nerve with the ball as Hobart Hurricanes kept secured a remarkable two-run victory over in-form Brisbane Heat in Launceston. This gave them a slim chance of making it through to the BBL playoffs – provided Melbourne Stars stars beat Sydney Thunder during the second game of the day. That did not happen and now Hurricanes are out of the competition.The Heat, meanwhile, were booted out of the Knockout Final and ended up in the Eliminator after fluffing a chase of 121. On a two-paced surface, which proved difficult for batting, they appeared on course at 103 for 4 in the 17th over.But they stumbled and it came down to a dramatic last over where Heat needed 10 runs to lock up third spot and a home knockout final. David did enough against James Bazley but Hurricanes knew they needed another result to go their way. And in the end, it didn’t.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Meredith and Ellis star before David’s late heroics

Hurricanes’ finals chances were almost dead and buried with their hopes resting with star quicks Riley Meredith and Nathan Ellis.They obliged in menacing early bursts with Meredith removing Usman Khawaja and then Ellis knocking over Marnus Labuschagne’s off stump with a gem of a delivery to revive Hurricanes.Hurricanes were suddenly in the box seat when Heat lost wickets in consecutive deliveries in the sixth over when Matthew Renshaw was run out by a brilliant gather and direct throw from Zak Crawley.After Meredith’s initial three-over spell, Hurricanes weren’t as threatening and clearly missed left-arm spinner Paddy Dooley, who has starred in a breakout season but missed due to a groin injury.With Jimmy Peirson and Sam Hain holding firm, Meredith desperately returned in the 15th over but couldn’t breakthrough although his last searing delivery smacked Hain on the right wrist. Ellis returned and snared the key of Peirson as Hurricanes’ season went down to the wire.With their frontliners bowled out, Hurricanes fortunes rested on David and he delivered with accurate full deliveries to fluster Bazley. He helped run out non-striker Matthew Kuhnemann on the third delivery before the twists continued when David bowled a full toss that Bazley hit for six. He recovered to thwart Bazley on the final two deliveries to keep Hurricanes’ season alive at least momentarily.

Heat fall apart at the death

Heat will be ruing letting third spot slip through their fingers. They struggled early before a composed Peirson and Hain combined for a 73-run partnership to dig Heat out of a hole.Peirson, who was Heat’s most reliable batter during their early season struggles, mustered his wealth of experience while Hain showed why he’s become a key part of the middle-order with clever flicks on the leg-side.Hain also showed his toughness after the blow from Meredith and remained at the crease, but fell shortly later with Heat still 18 runs short. Peirson then Bazley were unable to be the hero as Heat finished fifth and prepare to take on the Thunder in the Eliminator on Friday.Marnus Labuschagne held a brilliant catch in the outfield•Getty Images

Swepson continues strong rebound ahead of India tour

Legspinner Mitchell Swepson was dropped earlier in the season and failed to take a wicket in his first five innings that he bowled.But he’s hit back hard recently and bowled particularly tidily in a much-needed tonic ahead of a defining Test tour of India for Swepson. He continued his strong bounce back with a menacing spell to tie down Hurricanes’ powerful batters in the middle overs.Swepson conjured sharp turn although his only wicket was rather fortuitous when a long hop snared struggling Ben McDermott, who was brilliantly caught by a diving Marnus Labuschagne.He conceded just one boundary in his four-over spell to finish with 1 for 17 to play his role in a disciplined attack with seamer Michael Neser claiming the spoils with a four-wicket haul.

Hurricanes’ rejigged batting order struggles

Hurricanes on paper have arguably the most explosive batting order in the competition. But they’ve badly underperformed and Hurricanes entered the clash on the brink.With their backs to the wall, Hurricanes decided to go for broke and rejig their misfiring batting order. D’Arcy Short, once a BBL star but whose batting has spiralled the last two seasons, was dropped for Macalister Wright who made his season debut after impressing in local cricket.Opener McDermott, another out of form batter, moved down to No. 4 and replaced skipper Matthew Wade who shifted to No. 6 – a position he occupies for Australia but hadn’t batted for Hurricanes since BBL07.The changes didn’t provide the necessary spark with Hurricanes losing wickets regularly. McDermott and Wade both fell cheaply with only Wright saving Hurricanes from embarrassment with a run-a-ball 56 after a watchful start.He upstaged his more high-profile teammates and his knock proved the standout in a low-scoring contest.

Chelsea’s transfer strategy has seen them sign and sell an enormous number of players over recent years, and while it has worked, they’ve also lost out on some brilliant talent.

For example, FA Cup winner Marc Guehi was sold to Crystal Palace for just £18m in 2021, and has since become one of the very best defenders in the Premier League.

He has also become a key player for England, starting both games during the international break and scoring his first international goal against Serbia.

However, there is another Cobham graduate who was sold too soon, someone arguably more exciting than Guehi and who looks destined to become an England star.

Ex-Chelsea players to play for England

Due to the sheer number of players Chelsea have sold or released over the last decade or more, it’s hardly surprising that there are quite a few who have gone on to play for England.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

For example, Declan Rice was famously a part of the group of Cobham gems that included Mason Mount, but was released at 14 years old and ended up joining West Ham United.

The 26-year-old would go on to make 245 appearances for the Hammers and captain them to Conference League glory before joining Arsenal for £105m two years ago.

He made his debut for the national team in March 2019 under Gareth Southgate and has since become one of the most important players for the side, accumulating 68 caps during which he has scored six goals, provided six assists, and played in two European Championship finals.

Other former Chelsea players who have pulled on the Three Lions after leaving Stamford Bridge, but aren’t as crucial to the teamlike Dominic Solanke, who made his debut while playing for Liverpool.

While none of those players have gone on to be stars for the national team, another Cobham graduate, who might be more exciting than Guehi, appears to be on track to be one.

The Cobham gem primed to be an England star

While Guehi received plenty of attention for his impressive performance on Tuesday night, and rightly so, there was another former Cobham gem playing alongside him: Tino Livramento.

The Croydon-born full-back joined Chelsea as a child and made quite a name for himself coming up through the academy, even winning the player of the year award in the 20/21 season.

However, after failing to agree on terms on a deal, the Blues sold him to Southampton for around £5m, where injuries would limit him to just 34 appearances in two years.

Yet, those 34 appearances were still impressive enough to convince Newcastle United that he was a player worth signing, so in August 2023, they spent around £32m rising to £40m to bring him to St James’ Park.

Since then, the 22-year-old has gone from strength to strength, making 83 appearances for the Toon, in which he’s produced four goal involvements, averaged 1.77 points per game, played on both sides of the defence and most importantly, helped the club with their first silverware since the 50s.

All of this was enough for him to win his first senior cap for England under Lee Carsley last November, and then this international break, Thomas Tuchel played him in the first game and started him against Serbia.

Moreover, it looks like he could become a star for the side, as according to some reports, the German has told his staff he views the Toon ace as someone who can become his ‘first-choice left-back.’ Theo Walcott has even stated in the past that he believes Tuchel may have a “future England captain” at his disposal, such is his presence.

Finally, on top of passing the eye test and still having plenty of time to develop, another reason why the former Cobham gem might be even more exciting than Guehi is the fact that his underlying numbers are already stellar.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 4% of full-backs in the league last season for ball recoveries, the top 6% for long pass completion, the top 11% for passes blocked, the top 13% for progressive passes and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it’s challenging to predict how a youngster will develop, it feels like Chelsea made a significant mistake in allowing Livramento to leave in 2021.

The Chelsea academy star turning Maresca's head after Nicolas Jackson praise

Chelsea’s manager is keeping a close eye on him.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 11, 2025

Robinson, a standout for Fulham and the USMNT, insisted that he isn't thinking about a summer move

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• Antonee Robinson quashed rumors of a summer transfer
• Has been linked with a move to Liverpool
• Has 10 assists in Premier League this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Antonee Robinson insisted that a move away from Fulham isn't on his mind, despite speculation that he could leave the club this summer. Robinson has been a standout for Fulham this season in their unlikely European push, and has been named among the best full backs in the Premier League.

  There have been long-term links with Liverpool, while Manchester United are among reported contenders for his signature.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Robinson, 27, has been a journeyman for most of his footballing career, but has settled under Marco Silva at Fulham. His 10 Premier League assists this season has him within touching distance of the 13 set by Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 2019-20 campaign.

• WHAT ROBINSON SAID

  Robinson addressed his future in an interview with : "I've been in the game long enough now to kind of know you have to block out the outside noise and things like that because I've been on the end of it when I've not been playing well. I saw criticism when I was younger, seeing people doubting me and things.

  "So I know that there's two sides to the coin. You just have to take everything with a grain of salt. You have to believe in yourself and when things are going bad, focus on yourself, and when things are going good, focus on keeping going.

  "So, transfer rumors and stuff like that, I try not to look at. Especially like with the Liverpool one – all my friends and family are from Liverpool, so it's more of them messaging me than me seeing newspaper stuff. And I have to say, 'Look, it's just, just a story in the paper and anyone who's doing well is going to get linked to a team.' "

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ROBINSON?

  The left back was named in the USMNT squad for their upcoming Nations League finals fixture against Panama on March 20. Before that, he is set to feature for Fulham as they host struggling Tottenham on Sunday.

NWSL sides San Diego Wave and Kansas City Current will join the World Sevens Football tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in December, the organization announced. The two clubs join an Americas-focused iteration of the tournament, which now has seven teams committed to play. The debut edition of the tournament featured entirely European clubs.

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  A necessary addition

  The inclusion of two NWSL teams would seem a no-brainer for an American-based event. The Current and Wave are two of the most well-regarded franchises in the league, with the former playing in a state-of-the-art new stadium, complete with celebrity backing. 

  “We are thrilled to welcome the Kansas City Current and San Diego Wave FC to our exhilarating 7v7 tournament, where they will compete against top clubs from across the Americas," CEO of W7F Sarah Cummins said in a statement. "This high-stakes competition showcases the talent and ambition fueling the women’s game today.

  "We know the fans will come out and cheer on these world-class teams as they compete for the title and a significant prize, reflecting our ongoing commitment to creating opportunities that reward excellence and elevate women’s football on the global stage."

  The first iteration of the seven a side tournament was held in Portugal in May, and drew a series of high-profile clubs from across the world. Bayern Munich were crowned champions.

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• 'Top clubs from across the Americas'

  The Current and Wave join several highly-regarded sides, including Canada's AFC Toronto, Mexico's Club America and Tigres Femenil, Brazil's Flamengo and Colombia's Deportivo Cali. The seven sides will compete for a prize pot of $5 million, divided among the clubs – with the majority going to the winning team.

  The Current, who are currently top of the NWSL standings, expressed their excitement.

  "Our team thrives on intensity, creativity, and competition, which fit perfectly with the 7v7 style of play," assistant coach Milan Ivanovic said in a statement. "This tournament is an incredible opportunity for our players to test themselves against some of the world's best in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The growth of women's football is accelerating globally, and events like World Sevens Football help showcase the skill and excitement that define our sport.

  "We can't wait to bring the KC Current energy to Fort Lauderdale."

• 'Not easy to navigate'

  W7F was successful in its first iteration, but faces a problem in terms of scheduling. Much like the men's game, the women's soccer schedule isn't consistent around the globe. The event this winter, then, will be held two weeks after NWSL championship, between international windows. 

  "The women's football calendar is not the easiest to navigate," Adrian Jacob, head of World Sevens Football, said. "There's a lot of overlapping and a lot of gaps there. It's trying to find those gaps where you can have more than one continent playing."

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  A highly-anticipated tournament

  The second edition of the tournament is set for Dec. 5-7, just seven months after a successful debut competition. That version featured European only teams, with Bayern Munich winning the final. The organization promised "fierce competition and unforgettable moments."

  To date, it is the only small-sided women's soccer setup that allows professional clubs. 

Travis Head earlier completed his maiden first-class double century in a huge South Australia total

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2021Cameron Bancroft scored his second Sheffield Shield century of the season to lead a strong Western Australia reply to a huge South Australia total based around Travis Head’s maiden first-class double hundred.Bancroft, who made the most of a life on 13, reached his hundred shortly before the close as he and Cameron Green guided the home side into a position from where they will feel comfortable avoiding any potential follow-on then closing in on the Redbacks’ score.The third-wicket stand was worth 120 at stumps and ensured Western Australia did not suffer further setbacks after Sam Whiteman was caught at slip off a beauty from Dan Worrall then Shaun Marsh clipped a full toss from the part-time offspin of Will Bosisto to midwicket on the stroke of tea. That would be Bosisto’s only over of the day.South Australia’s pace attack toiled hard during the final session on a surface that has not offered much for the seamers. Green, as is his style, took time to get his innings up and running – he was 2 off 31 balls early on – but had collected seven boundaries by the end of the day.South Australia had resumed handsomely placed on 4 for 368 and Head went to his double hundred in the second over of the day with consecutive boundaries off Liam Guthrie. His 245-ball innings was eventually ended when he was superbly caught at slip by Marsh.The visitor were taken beyond 500 by Worrall and Jake Lehmann, the former hitting 39 off 41 balls before his dismissal brought the declaration.

Chief executive says commitment to the women’s game remains “as strong as ever”

George Dobell26-Sep-2020Tom Harrison has insisted the ECB’s commitment to the women’s game is “as strong as ever”, despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.Harrison, speaking on the day that England’s women played their first match on the BBC since 1993, said he believes that 2020 “could have been a year of oblivion for women’s cricket” but has instead been “positive.” In particular, he welcomed the visit of West Indies – which ensured international cricket for the England side after other series had been cancelled – the launch of the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy and the implementation of retainer contracts.But while he welcomed such advances, Harrison accepted there was “a danger that women’s cricket’s development becomes isolated in the strongest countries” and feels the ECB must be “a leading voice” in the continued growth of the sport.”For us to get the West Indies over was hugely important,” Harrison said. “We just couldn’t have a situation where we didn’t play international women’s cricket here. I’m really pleased to see this series come together.ALSO READ: Sciver seals series as Dottin riposte proves in vain“I’m probably even more proud about the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy and the implementation of a professional set-up, the retainer contracts that we put in place for the 25 professional players, the commitment to, next year, take that on to 40 professional players plus the centrally-contracted players. We feel like there’s momentum building up and we feel like 2020, when it could have been a year of oblivion for women’s cricket, has been a net positive. It’s something we are very proud of.”But there is a danger that women’s cricket’s development becomes isolated in the strongest countries. With the stress on the finances of global cricket, you can see countries around the world really feeling the pressure not to invest into what they see as development areas as opposed to commercially generating areas.”I do think that’s an area of focus for the world game. And I think the ECB will be a leading voice in saying work needs to be done here to ensure the women’s game continues to be funded and the funding generated from the women’s game goes into the development of the women’s game, which is not always the case.”But while Harrison said that “ring-fencing” funding for the women’s game is “the kind of language” required, he conceded that “nothing can be ring-fenced” at present.”People have often talked about ring-fencing and that’s the kind of language that needs to be attributed to the women’s game,” he said. “The reality is the impact of the pandemic on our finances is massive.”We’re in a position where nothing can be ring-fenced but don’t read that into that any dilution on our commitment. None of our ambition is being diluted by the pandemic’s impact on our finances.”It is a really, really tough moment but our commitment to the women’s game is as strong as ever. You’ll see a continued to commitment to growth in this part of the game which is so fundamental to our future.”ECB chief executive Tom Harrison•Getty Images

With all national cricket boards struggling with their finances as a result of the pandemic, Harrison accepted there would be increased pressures on funding. But he insisted that the sport will prove more relevant and more commercially viable if it embraces the women’s game.”There are some serious financial challenges going around the world of cricket at the moment and that is not going to help women’s cricket,” Harrison said. “But I think the women’s game has a real role to play in the re-emergence of the international game as a much more globally relevant sport that can help us look at the next 100 years of cricket as an exciting opportunity.”What we need to be doing is passing on the evidence that the women’s game can generate two things: firstly, commercial value and secondly, a sustainability plan for your sport when it’s asking questions the financial crisis will inevitably ask. We are working on a big piece of work to understand how we commercialise the women’s game.”ALSO READ: Adams’ journey from a farmer’s field to an Edgbaston finalHarrison also reiterated his commitment toward greater diversity – both in terms of gender and ethnicity – at all levels of the game, including within the administration of the ECB. But he did hint that more progress was required at county level, or from “our stakeholders” as he put it.”Where this comes is demonstrating our commitment to accessibility across the board, whether it’s the men’s or women’s game; girls or boys,” he said. “It’s about creating an environment where everybody feels they have a place in the game. That is the most important piece of work we have to do over the next 10 years in this game and I’m absolutely committed to achieving that.”I inherited a team where there was very little diversity of any kind in my leadership team but we’ve gone beyond the Sport England governing code. We have a fully independent board and we are benefitting massively from the kind of experience and balance and decision-making [that] proper diversity can give you. I have three women in my senior team. We’ve work to do on the BAME diversity and we’re working on that right now.”I welcome the pressure on this. It helps us put pressure on through the game which is where I think more work needs to be done through our stakeholders where progress is a little slower.”There’s a journey we’re on and I’m extremely passionate about the inclusion of the diversity agenda. We’ve already made progress but there’s a lot more progress required. The ECB’s improving dramatically in terms of its gender representation.”