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SA had some positives though: runs from de Kock, and impressive performances from spinners Peter and Fortuin

Firdose Moonda25-May-2024West Indies sealed the three-match T20I series against South Africa, with a match to spare, and successfully defended 208 in front of enthusiastic Sabina Park supporters. With all the fixtures in this series being played at the same venue in Jamaica – which will not host any T20 World Cup games – the weekend crowd were out in full force on a Saturday afternoon to enjoy another strong performance from their side.After choosing to bat, West Indies started slower than the first match (where they had reached 100 runs by the halfway mark) but paced their innings well. They accelerated in the middle and latter period, thanks to a 56-run fourth-wicket stand off 36 between Roston Chase and Andre Fletcher and a 63-run fifth-wicket stand, off only 25 balls, between Chase and Romario Shepherd. In the process, Chase scored his first T20I fifty.Anrich Nortje returned to the South African side after almost nine months on the sidelines as he recovered from a lower back stress fracture and was expensive on his return. His four overs cost 47 runs, and he went wicketless. The star of South Africa’s bowling was debutant Nqabayomzi Peter, who took 2 for 32, but is not in the T20 World Cup squad.In response, South Africa were quick out of the blocks and brought up 100 in eight overs but no-one could kick on after Quinton de Kock’s 17-ball 41. The middle-order were particularly disappointing and folded from 113 for 2 to 167 for 7, losing 5 for 54. South Africa may not be too concerned because none of Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller were involved in this series and all four will return for the T20 World Cup.Still, South Africa have not won a T20I series since August 2022, and have lost four of their last five series. Their ability against spin remains a concern and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie benefited most from that. He picked up career-best figures of 3 for 22 and has taken three wickets in each of his last three matches.Newcomer Nqaba makes a nameLittle more than a year ago, Peter was a net bowler, without a domestic contract, bowling to South Africa’s batters in their preparation for a home series against West Indies. Now, after finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker at the CSA T20 Challenge for the title-winning Lions, he made his international debut at Sabina Park and immediately impressed.Brought on to bowl just after the Powerplay, he tempted West Indies’ stand-in captain Brandon King into a big shot with his fourth ball that was full and wide outside off. King slapped it across the line but could not clear Wiaan Mulder at long-on, who took the catch over his head to give Peter the biggest name on debut. In his next over, Peter was not put off by Kyle Mayers hitting his googly for six and bowled it again. Mayers pulled to the area between deep square leg and fine leg, where Ryan Rickelton ran around to take the catch. Peter finished with 2 for 32 in his four overs.Chasing half-centuriesRoston Chase has played high-level cricket for a dozen years but this is only his 13th T20I and before today, he had yet to score a half-century. That changed with an innovative innings that held West Indies together and ensured they accelerated in the second half of their innings. Five of Chase’s six fours were scored behind square and two of them were big ones, both off short balls. The second, off Lungi Ngidi, sailed over the stands and broke a window of one of the parked cars, as he brought up fifty off 30 balls.Quinton’s quick startQuinton de Kock has not been at his most fluent since retiring from ODI cricket at last year’s fifty-over World Cup but showed signs of returning to his best as he gave South Africa a speedy start. De Kock pulled the first ball he faced to fine leg and beat Kyle Mayers to find the boundary and went on to hit four fours and as many sixes in the 17 balls he faced. The shots of his knock were back-to-back sixes off Akeal Hosein, the first off a full ball that he slammed over mid-on, and the second off a short ball that he pulled over long-on. He was bowled in the same over but was still the major contributor to South Africa’s highest Powerplay score of 85 for 2.Catches win matches Andile Phehlukwayo was promoted to No.6, above Wiaan Mulder, and was called on with eight overs left, and South Africa still 84 runs away from the target. They had not hit a boundary since the eighth over, and Phehlukwayo had no choice but to try and get one when Motie offered one full and wide. Phehlukwayo attempted a shot go over cover but Shamar Joseph moved to his right and dived diagonally to take an amazing catch in the deep. Two overs later, Hosein, at long-off, timed his jump well to end Rassie van der Dussen’s innings on 30, and with it South Africa’s hopes.

Former England Test batter was also a long-serving administrator and ICC match referee

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Apr-2024Raman Subba Row, the former England opener and ICC match referee who also had a long career in cricket administration, has died aged 92.Subba Row played 13 Tests for England between 1958 and 1961, scoring three hundreds and averaging 46.85, but retired from the game after his final international appearance, at the age of 29. He went on to found a public relations firm but remained close to the game, serving as chairman of Surrey and helping to establish the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) – the forerunner of the ECB.Prior to his death, he was England oldest living men’s Test cricketer.”We are extremely saddened to hear of Raman’s passing,” Richard Thompson, ECB chair, said. “He was a great cricket man and his remarkable cricket career saw success both on and off the field – as a player, official, administrator and Chair of both Surrey and the Test and County Cricket Board. Our sport owes him an enormous debt of gratitude, and on behalf of the ECB, we would like to send our sincere condolences to Raman’s friends and family at this sad time.”Born in Streatham, Subba Row made his Surrey debut in 1953, as part of the team captained by Stuart Surridge that won seven County Championships in a row. He left to join Northamptonshire in 1955 and became captain in 1958, winning an England debut against New Zealand the same summer.A finger injury prevented him from taking part in the 1958-59 Ashes but by 1961 he was established in the side for the visit of Australia and scored centuries in the first and fifth Tests, as England secured a 2-2 draw.Overall, Subba Row’s first-class career spanned ten years and 260 matches, during which he scored more than 14,000 runs and took 87 wickets with his legspin.After his retirement from playing, he was a key figure in the developing the commercial side of Surrey and The Oval, as well as leading the way in the foundation of the TCCB – of which he served as chairman between 1985 and 1990 – to run the English game. He also served as manager of England’s tour to India and Sri Lanka in 1981-82.In 1991 he was awarded a CBE for services to cricket. Between 1992 and 2001 he was a match referee for the ICC, overseeing 41 Tests and 119 ODIs.Wasim Khan, the ICC’s general manager of cricket, said: “It is sad to hear of the passing of Raman and I would like to extend deepest condolences on behalf of everyone at the ICC.”Raman was a respected cricketer of his era, who went on to become the chair of the Test and County Cricket Board. He was also one of the earliest ICC match referees, officiating very ably in different parts of the world.”

Australia captain “really easy” about some of the squad arriving late, having taken time off to unwind after the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2024Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s captain at T20 World Cup 2024, will not bowl in the initial part of the tournament but hopes to be able to do so in the latter stages.Marsh, who was ruled out of the IPL midway due to a hamstring tear, has had a much slower recovery than initially expected. He didn’t bowl during Australia’s warm-up matches against Namibia and West Indies either.”Yeah, I won’t be bowling early on in the tournament,” Marsh said on Saturday. “And I always joke as captain – I hope I won’t bowl late in the tournament either. But yeah, I’ll progress that slowly over the next 10-12 days and hopefully be available for them at the back end of the tournament.”Related

• Australia down to nine players for T20 World Cup warm-ups

For their warm-up matches, Australia had only nine players available from their 15-member squad. At one stage, they had four substitutes on the field comprising head coach Andrew McDonald, batting coach Brad Hodge, fielding coach Andre Borovec and national selector George Bailey.Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis were the ones who were to join the camp late. Except for Stoinis, all the others were involved in the IPL playoffs. Marsh was asked his opinion on the players having joined the camp late. Australia play their first game against Oman in Bridgetown on June 5.”For me, it’s really easy,” he said. “We really value a bit of family time. The guys have obviously been at the IPL, which I think is great preparation for a World Cup. And then, yeah, just the value of seeing their families and getting them in their own bed for one or two nights is really important. As a whole, we’ve all bought into that and it’s really easy to do.Mitchell Marsh won’t be in action with the ball for a little while yet•Getty Images

“We have still got [Mitchell] Starc and Maxi [Glenn Maxwell] to arrive this morning, or lunchtime. But after that we are all here. I think for the guys to get a couple of days at home is really important for us as a group and for them personally. Obviously, it takes a few days to get here from Australia so that adds a few challenges but they’ll be ready to go come the 5th.”Did Australia learn anything from their two warm-up games, having won one and lost the other? “I think we got exactly what we needed to get out of those games,” Marsh said. “Obviously, Hodgey won’t be available for selection, not quite up to it (laughs). So that was disappointing for him, he misses out. But yeah, for the guys who have had time off at home, to come back and get a bit of game time, that’s really all I needed from those practice games. So we certainly feel like we’re ready to go now.”This is the biggest-ever T20 World Cup, comprising 20 teams. And unlike the last couple of editions, there is no qualifying round before the tournament proper starts. According to Marsh, that adds a lot of excitement to the tournament.”I think it certainly feels like a World Cup,” he said. “I got presented a Ugandan playing shirt the other day in our team hotel and that was a really special moment. And it’s things like that, it’s not just about the cricket throughout these World Cups, it’s about opportunity and teams have earned the right to be here. I think that adds a lot of excitement to the whole tournament, so it’s really special, I think.”However, he offered dead defence when asked if there should have been a longer break between the end of the IPL and the start of the T20 World Cup.”I don’t really have an answer to that question and I don’t make those decisions – so as a group we’re here to win. Things may look a little bit disjointed at the beginning and I think most teams are in the same boat with guys that are playing the IPL or coming out of the shop. But that’s the nature of the beast of international cricket these days. We come from all over to tours and we’ll get around each other the next few days and come together and kick off on the field for us.”

Ollie Watkins has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United, as the Red Devils look to revamp their forward line this summer.

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United interested in WatkinsVilla may need to sell for PSRFuture of Hojlund unclearFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

As per The Athletic, Watkins is on United's list and is viewed as a cheaper and more reliable option than other striker targets. Old Trafford executives have been in contact with Aston Villa over potential terms of a deal for Watkins, whose current deal runs until 2028, and Villa reportedly value him at £60 million ($82m).

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A reliable Premier League striker with 75 goals in 184 games in the top flight, a move for Watkins would continue Ruben Amorim's approach of targeting already Premier League-proven forwards, following the signing of Matheus Cunha and the continued pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo. United are hoping to sell Rasmus Hojlund this summer, with Inter Milan interested despite the striker's reported desire to stay with the Red Devils.

DID YOU KNOW?

Former Brentford striker Watkins has hit double figures in each of his seasons in the Premier League with Villa, finding the net 16 times in the league in 2024/25 despite playing 600 less minutes than in the previous two seasons. A swap deal had been considered in recent months involving Watkins and Marcus Rashford, but Rashford's desire to join Barcelona put an end to those plans.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR WATKINS AND UNITED?

The Red Devils will hope to sign a striker this summer, though that may depend heavily on if they can sell the likes of Rashford, Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho, among others such as Real Betis target Antony. Their transfer business this summer could have a major impact on whether Amorim is able to build a squad capable of succeeding under his demanding system, with big-name exits just as important as incomings. Watkins has reportedly been interested by the prospect of a new challenge after previous transfer links away from Villa Park, though it is not known whether he would be open to moving to Old Trafford and missing out on European football next season.

The lowdown on all the big numbers from the mega IPL auction in Bengaluru

Srinath Sripath28-Jan-20186:20

Manjrekar: ‘A lot of cricketing sense at the auction’

As many as 19 Australian players will be part of the eight franchises this season•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Big Picture

581 players put their hat into the auction ring, for a maximum of 182 spots in the eight franchises. Only four franchises filled their full quota of 25 players, while Kolkata Knight Riders will go into the tournament with the thinnest squad, comprising just 19 players.One-twenty-five of the players sold were Indian, while the rest came from as many as nine countries, including Nepal, which had its first representative in Sandeep Lamichhane, the 17-year-old legspinner. While Lamichhane is the sole representative from a current Associate nation, Afghanistan had their richest haul at the auction, with as many as four players sold.Seven of the eight franchises ended up spending more than INR 78 crores (USD 12.2 million) out of their allocated 80, while Chennai Super Kings rounded up their squad of 25 players with INR 6.55 Crore ($1.02 million) left in the bank.The players who went for the highest multipliers from their base prices at the 2018 IPL auction•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The big gainers

Across the board, franchises were willing to break the bank for uncapped players – both Indian and those who have made a mark in overseas leagues. With their relatively lower base prices, the top five players who went for the highest multiples of their starting prices came from this category. Big-hitting Karnataka allrounder K Gowtham went for INR 6.2 crore (USD 0.97 million), 31 times his base price for the auction, while the likes of D’Arcy Short and Jofra Archer – both on hot streaks in the ongoing Big Bash League – fetched hefty sums too. Mumbai Indians using the right-to-match card for Krunal Pandya was along expected lines, and his buying price of INR 8.8 crore (USD 1.38 million) made him the highest paid uncapped player in the tournament’s history.RCB got Yuzvendra Chahal for 60 times the price he went for at the 2014 auction•ESPNcricinfo LtdCall it recency bias, call it a willingness to invest in tried-and-tested talent, the big gainers from previous auctions were players who have set recent editions of the IPL – most particularly 2017 – alight at some point. Yuzvendra Chahal, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s legspinner, got a 60-fold increase from his previous auction, all the way back in 2014. Likewise, Jaydev Unadkat, who went for his base price of INR 30 lakhs (USD 45,000) last year, saw fierce bidding from franchises hungry for Indian pacers. Eventually, his price skyrocketed to INR 11.5 crore (USD 1.8 million), making him the highest earning Indian player at this year’s auction, all thanks to his exploits during the 2017 season and the dearth of Indian left-arm quicks in the market.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

How the squads stack up

Except Knight Riders, who ended up with the thinnest squad, team compositions were largely similar among franchises. Keeping in line with T20 set-ups around the world, a number of franchises went with a horses-for-courses approach to building their squads. For instance, Super Kings ended up with as many as eight genuine spin-bowling options, while Sunrisers Hyderabad ended up with as many quicks in the squad. The preference for allrounders was evident across the board, and specialist overseas pacers like Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn found themselves without a buyer as a result.KKR ended up with six millionaires in their squad, pushing their averages up and leaving them six players short•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Who will get paid what

Knight Riders’ aggressive bidding approach early on meant they ended with as many as six US dollar millionaires in their squad, pushing their average price paid per player to INR 4.2 crore (USD 0.66 million), comfortably higher than any other franchise.While the spend per player at the auction stayed within a smaller range due to the equal purse allotted to all franchises, the median wages – the middle price when they are arranged in ascending/descending order – offer a truer indication of how franchises went about their business. Rajasthan Royals ended up with the lowest median wage in the field at less than $0.1 million, after snapping up as many as 12 uncapped players, while – no prizes for guessing – the Knight Riders’ splurge put them top of the tree, at $0.5 million.While Super Kings’ numbers and squad composition indicate that they were effective in picking up proven talent for cheap, they would look back at the auction wondering if they could have snaffled another marquee player instead of lesser known ones.Players in our unsold XI have played a total of 613 IPL games between them•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Prolific old hands that didn’t find a buyer

The players in our unsold XI have played between them a total of 613 IPL matches, and feature among them the tournament’s highest wicket-taker (Lasith Malinga) and one of contemporary T20 format’s best strike bowlers in Mitchell McClenaghan, who went unsold despite a base price of INR 1 Crore ($0.16 million). McClenaghan gave up his national contract to become a T20 globetrotter, and his non-sale was among the inexplicable events in an auction that largely played out to expectation. Hashim Amla, who scored two hundreds last IPL, also curiously did not find a buyer. Another New Zealander, Martin Guptill, who has now become something of a veteran in this category, went unsold after coming up for bidding twice in the auction.

Trevor Hohns and his selection panel made three big calls for the Brisbane Test – and they all contributed as Australia closed in on a series lead

Brydon Coverdale at the Gabba26-Nov-20170:48

‘I’d rather be in our change room than theirs’ – Starc

Australia’s selectors made six changes for this Test. That, for the mathematically challenged, is more than half the team. Not since 1998 had Australia so significantly revamped their side between two Tests – on that occasion between Bangalore in March and Rawalpindi in October. It worked: Australia won by an innings in Rawalpindi and took the series. The final outcome this time remains to be seen, but Australia’s selectors would so far be satisfied with their decisions.Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were always going to return in Brisbane after Steve O’Keefe and Ashton Agar formed part of a three-man spin attack in Chittagong, and Usman Khawaja’s recall was expected in home conditions after Hilton Cartwright replaced him for a Test in Bangladesh. But the remaining three changes were more fundamental shifts, and all three of those inclusions have contributed significantly in this Test.Shaun Marsh, chosen to replace Glenn Maxwell, contributed 51 in the first innings at the Gabba. It was a teaser of an innings, a start that will ensure Marsh retains his place in the side, but which could have turned into something bigger. Still, Marsh’s contribution to a steadying 99-run stand with Steven Smith cannot be underestimated – even if Maxwell scored 278 at the same time in a Shield game in Sydney. Maxwell is waiting, but Marsh has played a useful role in Brisbane.It was widely expected that Matthew Wade would lose his place having averaged 20.23 since his recall last summer at the expense of Peter Nevill. Wade was preferred due to his batting skills, and a lack of runs meant his position had become untenable. What was not anticipated was that his replacement would be his Tasmania team-mate Tim Paine, a man who has barely kept in the past few Sheffield Shield summers, and who had not scored a first-class hundred since 2006.Paine’s controversial inclusion, and the description by national selector Trevor Hohns of him as the best wicketkeeper in Australia, meant he would always be under immense scrutiny. A difficult dropped chance off Nathan Lyon’s bowling in the first innings was thus heavily analysed. Paine needed one really sharp piece of work to ease the pressure, and it came when his quick hands whipped the bails off when Moeen Ali leaned forward and dragged his foot on to the crease off the bowling of Lyon.Few people seemed confident in the appeal, but Paine was adamant Moeen was in trouble. The third umpire Chris Gaffaney agreed, albeit in a decision that created much debate. The dismissal of Moeen was all down to Paine, and came at an important time: England’s lead stood at 129, and Moeen’s departure precipitated a collapse of five wickets for 40, which in turn left Australia chasing a very gettable 170 for victory.Cameron Bancroft leans into a drive•Getty ImagesAnd that chase brought into play Australia’s other new man, the debutant opener Cameron Bancroft, chosen to replace Matt Renshaw, who had been struggling for runs in the Sheffield Shield. Bancroft fell cheaply in the first innings, prodding tentatively and edging behind, and the importance of this second innings for him should not be forgotten. Two failures on debut would have heaped the pressure on to a young man of intense disposition.Bancroft has incredibly high expectations of himself – he was struck on the helmet while fielding at short leg during this Test, and Mitchell Starc only half-jokingly said Bancroft was disappointed in himself at missing the chance – and likes always to be in the game. He has opened in all 123 of his first-class innings and only once, while opening with Kurtis Patterson for Australia A, has Bancroft not faced the first ball of the innings.But if Bancroft walked to the crease with a lot on the line, he left the ground on the fourth evening having banked his place in the team. His composed, unbeaten 51 had taken Australia to within sight of victory and a 1-0 Ashes scoreline, and his 114-run stand with David Warner will, barring a catastrophe on day five, become just the seventh century opening partnership in successful Australian Test chases.Bancroft looked unhurried at the crease, but was willing to attack when the opportunity presented, as when he lofted Moeen over long-off for the first six of his Test career. He is the first Australian opener to make his debut in an Ashes Test since Michael Slater in 1993 – Slater likewise scored a fifty on debut and went on to a long and fruitful career.Australia’s selectors picked Bancroft on his irresistible form, Marsh for his experience and Paine for his glovework. With Australia on the brink of victory and each of those men having made valuable contributions, Hohns and his panel will consider their decisions justified.

Toby Roland-Jones, who had a starring role on his Test debut, came through a scheme that is under threat

George Dobell at The Oval31-Jul-20174:17

#PoliteEnquiries: Does Moeen compare with Murali, Saqlain and Ashwin?

When a game finishes as dramatically as the Oval Test, it would be easy to overlook all the moments that led to the final outcome. Moeen Ali’s hat-trick – the first he has taken at any level of the game – was certainly a fitting ending to the ground’s 100th Test.It stretched a remarkable run of records Moeen is accumulating in recent times: already one of just three men to score 1,000 Test runs and take 30 Test wickets in a calendar year (Ian Botham and Jacques Kallis are the other two) after a strong 2016, he recently reached the milestone of 100 wickets and 2,000 runs quicker than Garry Sobers, Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, Botham et al, gained a place on the honours board at Lord’s denied the great Shane Warne and returned the best figures by an England offspinner at Trent Bridge since 1956. It can’t keep being dismissed as an aberration, can it?Now he has become the first man in history to take a Test hat-trick at The Oval and the first England spinner to take one anywhere since 1938. He has 18 wickets at a cost of 14.72 in this series. And, with the confidence to give the ball more air and attempt more variation, there is no reason to doubt there is more to come.But the seeds of England’s victory were sown long before Moeen claimed that hat-trick.Most crucially, they were sown on the first day when Alastair Cook negated a dangerous attack and some treacherous conditions to set a platform on which Ben Stokes was able to build. Then, after Stokes had contributed the most mature performance of his career to date, Toby Roland-Jones was able to exploit conditions which might have been tailor-made for him. An assured debut from Tom Westley and typically selfless half-century from Jonny Bairstow rammed home the advantage.While it is true Roland-Jones will rarely encounter Test surfaces offering as much assistance to his style of bowling as he found in the first innings here, his virtues – height, accuracy, an ability to hit the seam and adapt his bowling to the circumstances – will have value everywhere. That includes Australia. While he faces a huge fight to keep his place once the likes of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood recover their fitness, it would be a major surprise if he is not part of the Ashes squad now.Such was Stokes’ hostility and Roland-Jones’ accuracy, James Anderson was not called upon to bowl until more than an hour into the final day. He finished the second innings having bowled the fewest overs of the England attack; a scenario that has been unthinkable for much of the last decade, when a succession of England captains have turned to Anderson at the first opportunity.Is this an example of his waning powers?Up to a point, perhaps. There’s little doubt that Anderson’s pace is diminished and little doubt he is not too far from the end now. But it is only a Test since he claimed a five-for and, even here, he bowled 26 overs for 51 runs and claimed three wickets. At worst, he demanded respect and retained control.So he, too, will surely go to Australia. And if his diminishing role on the pitch is compensated by the wisdom and experience he provides to other bowlers, so be it. “There’s a reason he fields at mid-off,” Joe Root said afterwards. “Don’t underestimate what he brings to this team.”But it was, without doubt, England’s more disciplined and sophisticated first innings batting that set-up this win. After the laissez-faire nonsense of some recent performances, England showed a willingness to graft that will complement their natural flair. This was probably the most pleasing element of their performance.Could Toby Roland-Jones have been lost to the game?•Associated PressOther seeds were sown long before that.There were three men in this England side who had developed, in part at least, through the MCC system. Both Westley and Roland-Jones graduated through the MCC Universities scheme (MCCU), while Dawid Malan was an MCC Young Cricketer (MCC YC).Westley and Malan may well have ‘made it’ without the MCC’s assistance. Westley was already on the radar of Essex when he went to Durham University, while Malan had played first-class cricket in South Africa before benefitting from the MCC YC scheme that is designed to catch late developers and the best of those who are missed by the county system.But Roland-Jones? He had slipped out of the county scene when he went to university. Originally in the Middlesex system as a batsman, he benefited from a late growth spurt that bestowed new gifts upon him as a bowler. Had he not gone to Leeds-Bradford, he would probably have been lost to the game.The MCCU scheme is a remarkable asset to the English game. Set-up by former England opener Graeme Fowler in 1996, the aim was to ensure young people did not have to choose between education and cricket. By providing them with good quality coaching and playing opportunities at the same time as allowing them to gain a further education at one of six centres (Cambridge, Oxford, Cardiff, Durham, Leeds-Bradford and Loughborough), the scheme not only encourages some into sport who might otherwise be lost, but prepares those who do break into the professional for the life after their sporting retirement.The most famous graduate is probably Andrew Strauss, but there have been many more including Zafar Ansari, Sam Billings, Monty Panesar and Heather Knight of recent England players. At present, somewhere approaching 25% (the ratio has risen recently) of current county cricketers have come through the programme. Many more go on to coach at schools or in clubs. Nearly all finish with a degree to fall back upon when their playing career ends. It has one of the great, though largely unheralded, success stories of English cricket in recent years. It is doubtful anything has done more to avoid hardship in future generations of cricketers.But the scheme is under threat. Partly because some believe the games do not warrant first-class status – and it is true, they are sometimes uncomfortably one-sided – and partly because it is currently funded almost entirely by the MCC, it has recently been the subject of an extensive review by independent consultants, Inside Track. Now a working party (including Strauss and the MCC’s head of cricket, John Stephenson) has been formed to study the review and consider its recommendations.It is possible the universities’ first-class status will be rescinded entirely – which might well disincentive some students into attending university or pursuing a career in cricket – or, as an outside possibility, be left unchanged.A more likely option would see the university centres amalgamated – perhaps into something like MCCU North and MCCU South – for their first-class games against the counties and into a Combined MCCU team for the 50-over competition. That, it is argued, might concentrate the standard of the sides while continuing to provide the carrot of first-class cricket to prospective students. Whether it would encourage as many students into the scheme as is the case at present is debatable.There is another aspect to this. We do not have to look very far to find example of cricketers – sometimes highly successful cricketers – who have fallen on hard times after their playing career has ended. It has, at times, looked like an epidemic. While the PCA does tremendous work in helping players prepare for the challenges of life after cricket, little can help more than a good education and time to mature in a benevolent yet still high-performance environment. The one-sided nature of some MCCU contests might be considered a price worth paying when compared to such gains.While the example of Roland-Jones provides timely evidence of the cricketing merit of the programme, it is to be hoped that the working party gives proper consideration to the duty of care the game owes to the next generation of players by preparing them for more than cricket.Morally and practically, the MCCU scheme is working. Tinker with it at our peril.

What do Bangladesh, England, Netherlands and Sri Lanka need to do in their last World Cup fixtures?

S Rajesh07-Nov-2023Points tableNetherlands

If Netherlands win their last two games and finish on eight, they will ensure qualification. If they beat England and lose to India, they will finish on six, which Sri Lanka and Bangladesh can equal if they win their only remaining games. It will then come down to net run-rates, an aspect that may not favour Netherlands. Their NRR is currently -1.398; even if they beat England by 100 runs (after scoring 300), they will only improve to -0.955. The margins of the other results will then determine which two teams go through.If Netherlands lose both their remaining games, they will struggle to qualify. Even if the three other teams lose their remaining games and stay on four points, it might be tough for Netherlands to finish with a higher NRR than two of those teams. It will all come down to the result margins then.England

The defending champions have had a horror campaign, but with Champions Trophy qualification on the line, there is still something to play for. But even if they win their last two matches, they will need some help from other teams, as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh could also join them on six points if they win their last games. England’s NRR is currently abysmal (-1.504), so they will not only need wins, but wins by significant margins.If England lose to Netherlands, then they will have to beat Pakistan and hope that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh lose their last games and stay on four points. Then it will come down to NRR among England, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for one spot.Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s best bet is to beat New Zealand, and then hope that, at most, only one other team joins them on six. (Theoretically, all four teams can finish on six, if England win their last two, Bangladesh beat Australia, and Netherlands beat India.) Given their relatively healthy NRR, a win should put Sri Lanka in a reasonably strong position.If they lose to New Zealand, then it will mean hoping that other results go their way, and that two other teams don’t go on to six points.Bangladesh

Bangladesh are in a similar position to Sri Lanka, but their NRR is currently the best among the four teams who are fighting for the last two slots. Like Sri Lanka, their best bet will also be to beat Australia and end on six points. If they finish on four, they won’t be out of it, but plenty of other results will have to go their way.

Celtic made a huge decision in the recent January transfer window when they decided to cash in on Japanese centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi.

The Hoops sold the Japan international to Ligue 1 side Rennes for a reported fee of £10m after a three-and-a-half-year spell with the Scottish giants for the Hoops number eight.

Kyogo racked up 85 goals in 165 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, with 34 of those coming in the 2022/23 campaign.

The 30-year-old marksman was not at his very best in front of goal in the first half of this season, before his move to Rennes, though, and that may have played a role in the club’s decision to let him leave.

Kyogo's goalscoring record this season

Kyogo scored 19 goals in all competitions during Brendan Rodgers’ first season back at the club last term, and started the current campaign as the first-choice centre-forward once again.

However, the Japanese attacker’s wasteful finishing was noticeable in the Premiership. He scored ten goals in 22 outings in the top-flight and missed a whopping 17 ‘big chances’ along the way.

The £10m-rated star also only scored one goal from 2.47 xG across seven appearances in the Champions League, which shows that the forward was incredibly wasteful in Europe as well as in the Scottish top division.

Kyogo scored 12 goals in 32 matches in all competitions, seven short of his tally from last term, and he has yet to score in three matches for Rennes in Ligue 1 to date.

Market Movers

Despite his drop-off in form, Celtic still lost a goalscorer when they sold the striker in January, but that did not matter because Rodgers has hit the jackpot with two other goalscorers in Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah.

Celtic have struck gold with Idah

The long-serving Maeda has exploded with 27 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions, but he is not the only Celtic star who has outscored Kyogo this season.

Idah was signed on a permanent deal from Norwich City for an initial £8.5m last summer and was valued at £2.9m by Transfermarkt at the time of the move.

He has enjoyed a very steady first full season at Parkhead, adjusting to permanent life in Glasgow, and has racked up a tally of 14 goals – two more than Kyogo – in all competitions. That includes three goals in ten matches in the Champions League, whilst Kyogo only scored three goals in 19 games in his Celtic career in that competition.

Idah, who scored twice in the 4-2 loss to Aston Villa, has shown that he can step up to perform on Europe’s biggest stage, which is something that the Japanese forward struggled with.

Appearances

19

10

Starts

17

3

xG

5.68

2.22

Goals

3

3

Big chances missed

8

2

Assists

1

0

This, along with the fact that he has outscored Kyogo – alongside Maeda – in all competitions this season, suggests that Rodgers hit the jackpot by recruiting him to be Celtic’s new number nine last summer.

His market value has also soared as a result of his form for the Scottish giants this term, with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at £4.2m – more than £1m more than he was valued at last year.

Celtic will, now, be hoping that Idah can continue to shine and show that he has what it takes to be the long-term number nine for the club, replacing Kyogo, and increasing his market value to potentially be sold on for even more in the future.

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The Hoops already have a centre-forward who has provided a bigger threat in front of goal than Kyogo did immediately before his exit, whilst also having a player with the potential to leave a bigger mark in Europe moving forward.

Ipswich Town’s woes on their own patch continue on as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur ran out resounding 4-1 victors over the dejected Tractor Boys on Saturday.

Indeed, Kieran McKenna’s men have only won one Premier League clash all season long at Portman Road, with this defeat, in particular, pushing them deeper into the relegation mire off the back of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ big win on their travels to AFC Bournemouth.

Now, the Suffolk underdogs are five points off Wolves who occupy that golden 17th spot in the division, but there were some positives for McKenna to hold onto come full-time, despite the grim reality of another home loss.

Ipswich's biggest positives vs Spurs

Ipswich actually finished the contest with more shots on goal – with 17 to Spurs’ ten – alongside offering up more big chances at a slightly heftier three to the away side’s one, but all of that would ultimately amount to nothing.

Still, the likes of Omari Hutchinson would trudge off the pitch at the end pleased with their efforts, as the ex-Chelsea man got his side back into the contest with a beautifully executed strike deep into the hectic first 45 minutes.

Away from that moment of ecstasy, Hutchinson also amassed three key passes in the game to try and gift his side more of a way into the clash before an unfortunate late collapse handed Spurs all three points.

Jack Clarke stood out down the left flank too, with his assist providing Hutchinson the chance to beat Guglielmo Vicario, whilst Liam Delap was his usual energetic self minus a finish rippling the back of the net.

But, away from those lively performers up top, the Tractor Boys defence did look porous throughout, especially down the left-hand side of the pitch when Heung-min Son was twisting and turning this shaky Ipswich body for fun.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Ipswich's biggest underperformer vs Spurs

Whilst Jacob Greaves didn’t cover himself in much glory throughout, the ex-Hull City man at least lasted the full 90 minutes which can’t be said for another notable underperformer at the back.

Ben Godfrey, again, looked out of his depth pulling on Ipswich blue, with both of Spurs’ goals in the first half originating from Son constantly bamboozling the former Everton defender, before teeing up Brennan Johnson for a somewhat easy finish.

Godfrey’s horror show first half resulted in McKenna hauling him off the pitch at the half-time interval, with the ropey 27-year-old failing to win a single tackle or duel, alongside also only registering six accurate passes when attempting to build attacks away from being routinely under the cosh.

This isn’t the only time this campaign that the ex-Toffees right-back has been hooked off by his new manager after an out-of-sorts defensive showing, with Godfrey surviving just an hour or so on the pitch when Manchester City came to town in late January, as Pep Guardiola’s rampant visitors ran out convincing 6-0 winners.

Minutes played

64

45

Goals conceded

5

2

Touches

50

14

Accurate passes

34/40 (85%)

6/8 (75%)

Clearances

1

0

Blocked shots

0

1

Interceptions

0

2

Total tackles

0

0

Total duels won

2/3

0/1

Looking at the table above, it does feel as if Godfrey can’t cut it against some of the Premier League’s elite attackers, with a worrying seven goals shipped from his 109 minutes of action versus City and Spurs, among other negative statistics.

McKenna will presumably bring Axel Tuanzebe back into the side when his suspension ceases to be, with his replacement not exactly banging the door down for most first-team chances moving forward.

If Ipswich are to stay up, they cannot afford more leaky showings, with the Atalanta loanee needing to be ditched now to give his team a fighting chance at survival.

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