Smith insisted he had not requested a move back down the order but rather just told Andrew McDonald his preference

Alex Malcolm21-Oct-20241:36

What’s the logic of moving Smith back down the order?

Steven Smith has said Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne “hated” him opening the batting in the Test team, and believes it was a key driver behind his return to No. 4, but has insisted he did not request the move and would have continued to open if asked to.Australia’s chair selectors George Bailey confirmed last week that Smith would not be opening against India saying Smith “had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position” and that captain Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald had made the decision.McDonald stated on ABC Radio at the weekend that he and Cummins were the key decision-makers in the move, playing down Smith’s influence.Related

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Smith wanted it on the record that he had not explicitly requested to move back to No. 4 but had rather been asked by McDonald what his preferred batting spot was. He also added that Khawaja and Labuschagne had both expressed their discontent at him opening.”I got asked where I’d prefer to bat, and I said four. I didn’t ask [to move] though,” Smith said. “I also said I’m happy batting wherever. I’m not really too fussed. I got asked where my preference would be, and I said four. I saw a few things last week saying that I’ve requested to bat at four. That wasn’t the case. I said I’m happy to bat wherever you’d like me to bat but, yeah, four would be my ideal position.”Asked what had changed since earlier this year, he said: “Obviously there’s a spot there now with Greeny [Cameron Green] out. And I think just conversations we had after New Zealand with particularly Marnus and Uzzie, they hated me up top, to be honest. They wanted me behind them.”They just like the…they call it security behind them, in a way. They were pretty strong on me not batting there. So that was a big part of it. And then obviously, I’ve got a decent record at four.”It was good fun having a crack at something new, batting up top. I still feel like I could do a job there for sure. It was a pretty small sample size. But I’ve done pretty well at four for a number of years now. I feel like it’s probably where I can have my best input for this team at the moment.”Smith was set to move regardless of Green’s injury as the conversations had taken place prior to the limited-overs tour of England.He was asked whether he felt like he could have continued in the role longer term given his average of 28.50 in the four Tests in the job was not that bad as no opener averaged more than 32 across those four Tests.In his own style: Steven Smith leaves the ball alone•Getty Images”Honestly, I’m not that fussed,” Smith said. “I said it when I took that job, I’m not really fussed where I bat. The conversations I had with the other guys, they didn’t like it at all. They wanted some security, I suppose, behind them, where I’ve done really well for a number of years, and I can understand that as well. So it is what it is and I’m not going to be opening this summer. That’s it.”Smith made 3 off 29 balls for New South Wales against Victoria in his first red-ball innings since the New Zealand Test series in March and his first Sheffield Shield match since 2021.On a day when 15 wickets fell at the MCG in difficult batting conditions, Smith was upbeat about the innings despite being caught down the leg side off Fergus O’Neill.”I actually felt pretty good out there, to be honest, for the three that I scored strangely enough,” Smith said. “I felt like I was moving well. I was leaving well, and got a little bit unlucky with the one that sort of took off a little bit down the leg side. And that can happen. But I actually felt like I was getting in nice positions. My bat path was good and felt pretty good. So happy with that.”Meanwhile, Smith has been impressed with his limited time watching 19-year-old Sam Konstas who was lbw after 10 balls on the second day at the MCG”He got a bit unlucky there I reckon,” Smith said. “It looked like it might have been just darting down leg a little bit. I haven’t seen a lot of him. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of him out here in the middle for sure. But from what I have seen in the nets, he’s got a lot of time.Steven Smith threw in Nic Maddinson’s name as a potential opening option•Getty Images”He’s very organised. He plays fast bowling and spin well from what I’ve seen in the brief couple of times I’ve seen him bat, it’s looked really good. He’s a bright prospect. We’ve got to remember he’s only 19 as well so you he’s got plenty of time. But what I’ve seen so far, it looks promising”He’s got all the makings to definitely be a really good Test player. That’s for sure. Whether it’s now or in the future, time will tell.”Smith also threw Nic Maddinson’s name in the mix as a possible candidate to open the batting for Australia against India given he is a similar type of player to David Warner.”There’s a few really good candidates, guys that have, done really well the last few years,” Smith said. “[Cameron] Bancroft and the usual suspects that have been talked about. Maddo I think is also another really good candidate. He’s had a good couple of years. If you’re looking for someone similar to a Davey replacement, he gets after the ball and can score really quickly.”So he’s someone who probably hasn’t been spoken about a great deal from all you guys in the last little bit, but I think he’s someone that could definitely play test cricket and have a similar impact to what Davey sort of had at the top, the way he plays. So plenty of options. We’ll wait and see.”

There was no last-minute panic, no agonising self-destruction, just a straightforward win playing better cricket

Danyal Rasool25-Oct-2021I looked up in disbelief, mortified by how unfair things seemed. Six-year-old me had just been told, in fairly unequivocal terms, that no, I couldn’t be allowed to stay up well past midnight to watch the game right through to the end. It was much too late. That might sound fair enough, but it was June 8, 1999. Pakistan were playing India, and well, Pakistan were going to beat them.Or so I thought when I went to bed that night at the halfway stage, spending the night dreaming of a routine Pakistan win. India had set Pakistan 228; below par, one felt, even in 1999. Besides, aside from an inexplicable loss to Bangladesh in a dead rubber a couple of games before, Pakistan had sailed into the Super Sixes in red-hot form, beating West Indies, New Zealand and Australia in a World Cup classic.Related

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India, meanwhile, had begun the campaign with losses to South Africa and Zimbabwe, and only sneaked into the Super Sixes. Four days earlier, Australia had thumped them by 77 runs. It didn’t feel like they had the runs, or indeed the bowlers, to seriously challenge Pakistan – not to my six-year old self anyway.I checked the score first thing next morning. Apparently, Venkatesh Prasad had done again what I’d been told he’d done three years earlier in a World Cup quarter-final between the sides. Pakistan, who would finish top of the Super Six table, had been hammered by the side that would end up bottom; it was the only match India won against a Super Six side. My introductory experience of Pakistan vs India was perhaps the first time it really began to feel like a jinx.

****

Over the next two decades, these games – nine of them, to be precise – took on a bizarre, amnesic shade, each World Cup contest hyped and promoted as if the previous one had never happened. It was a marketer’s dream; in Pakistan, the fans were sold hope -which they bought by the crate load. In India, it was another chance to have that sweetest kind of fun – the kind that came at Pakistan’s expense. Tickets sold out in minutes, were scalped and rebought at obscene prices. The day arrived, people tuned in by the hundreds of millions, or even a billion, depending on which ratings metric you chose to believe. India cruised to victory, the cycle continued.The T20 World Cup in 2007 saw this curiously one-sided streak extend to a second format, with a group stage win in a bowl-out – which now feels like one of those science experiments too ludicrous to be allowed to happen – followed by a five-run victory in a gloriously agonising final. Misbah-ul-Haq had looked like he was making amends for the group stage with a heroic one-man counterattack but would end up giving India one of its most iconic moments of sporting triumphalism, and provide the origin myth for the advent of the IPL.It seems a long time ago, and not just because it was 2008, that Sohail Tanvir pulled one through midwicket to win his side the IPL final. At the time, this inclusive, nascent competition promised to usher in a fresh era in Indo-Pak relations. Hindsight would tell you that’s as good as it got for Pakistanis at the IPL. Or, indeed, for Rajastan Royals.Relations soured, and Pakistan found their players locked out of the IPL. The cricketing gulf between the two countries widened, both in terms of administrative power and on-field performance. By now, an Indian win over Pakistan didn’t feel like a jinx so much as it did the right cricketing result.Misery for Misbah: India win the 2007 World T20•Saeed Khan/AFPEven if the pain had been numbed by repeated exposure to it, a bruising semi-final defeat at India’s hands in Mohali stood out. It had its classic Pakistani cast of characters – Wahab Riaz playing the bowling wizard with a five wicket-haul, the highlight of which involved Player of the Tournament Yuvraj Singh being yorked for a golden duck. There was the scapegoat – poor Misbah again for supposedly batting too cautiously in the chase. There were the fielders happily putting down anything Sachin Tendulkar hit right at them. There was the conspiracy theory of Tendulkar’s non-lbw, a rabbithole best avoided here.And above all, of course, there was a Pakistani defeat and an Indian victory that saw MS Dhoni – who might have looked perfectly at home in a Pakistan side of the ’80s – lead his side to a World Cup trophy. Five further World Cup games yielded five heavy Pakistani defeats, with a famously bizarre victory in the 2017 Champions Trophy final the only balm for Pakistan’s psychological wounds.It was that context in which Babar Azam and Virat Kohli’s sides stood side by side for the anthems in Dubai on Sunday. Even when Pakistan won what looked a vital toss and began brilliantly, India’s dominance over this fixture meant it was difficult to really feel comfortable from a Pakistan perspective. Sure, the exhilaration of Shaheen Afridi’s first over was considerable, but that’s more of a universal experience, like a Jasprit Bumrah yorker or a one-legged Rohit Sharma pull. Sure, 151 in Dubai was perhaps a below-par total, but so was 227 in Manchester 22 years ago, remember?I interviewed Babar last month. It was a cordial enough chat, but there was one occasion where he’d allowed irritation to flicker on his face. I’d just asked him if opening alongside Mohammad Rizwan was indeed the most progressive thing Pakistan could do.”Yes, absolutely,” he said, irritated by the audacity of the query. “Look at how well that’s gone, at our performances in the past year, at the records he has broken. The year’s not done yet and he has already scored the most-ever T20I runs in a calendar year. What more do you need, really?”

Two men who weren’t born the first time India beat Pakistan in a World Cup match had helped Pakistan remove a stone from their shoe that had been chafing away for 29 years

If it was any other opposition, or any other tournament, you’d have known six overs into the chase that Babar and Rizwan had an unassailable, vice-like grip on this contest. The target didn’t require explosive hitting, the ball was coming onto the bat nicely, and there were no hiccups at the start. These two are the most prolific T20 opening pair since the start of the year by some distance; in April, they’d put on 197 in under 18 overs at Centurion to help chase down 205. They were in that sort of mood. But India were the opposition, so you couldn’t quite see it just yet.But the runs kept getting knocked off. Bumrah was negotiated with maturity; the whole chase in general was being pursued with a sort of cold ruthlessness completely alien to Pakistan and their supporters. Even as the asking rate was dragged down over by over, it felt as if the game was in a holding pattern; what really mattered was what happened once a wicket fell. Following the game on your smartphone was a different experience altogether, WhatsApp groups abuzz with nightmarish worst case scenarios from Pakistan fans looking to inoculate themselves from the pain when (or was it “if”?) their side found a way to muck up this chase.That, mercifully for Pakistan fans, was a sporting experience they didn’t have to endure. In the 18th over, the excitement levels rising to a crescendo, Rizwan walloped Mohammad Shami for six over fine leg. Four balls later, Babar whipped one through the leg side, called his partner over for two, and that was that. Two men who weren’t born the first time India beat Pakistan in a World Cup match – all the way back in 1992 – had helped Pakistan cricket remove a stone from their shoe that had been chafing away at them for 29 years. There is much that divides Pakistan, but for a few days, the country can bask in a therapeutic moment of harmony, fleeting and illusory as it might be.So how, then, did it feel? Well, somewhat numbing for how it happened. There was no last-minute panic, no agonising self-destruction, no letting the pressure of a nation weigh them down. There was no salvaging of national pride, no one-upmanship in a bitter rivalry. Pakistan had just beaten India in a cricket match in the only way it was possible to do so – by playing better cricket on the day.”What more,” as Babar might put it, “do you need, really?”

After a record-breaking season that ended with a Ranji title, Unadkat has made a legitimate case for a Test comeback

Shashank Kishore in Rajkot14-Mar-2020Jaydev Unadkat is big on focusing on the “small aspects”. Some of these revolve around life philosophies and finding happiness in the intangibles. An avid reader, he jots down notes and tries to incorporate lessons or insights at team meetings whenever he comes across something he believes is “interesting”. As far as Saurashtra’s cricket team goes, he’s equivalent to a CEO.One such insight that left a lasting impression on Unadkat during the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season was that decisions made in a blink – snap judgments, essentially – can also be very good. He was captivated by what he read in , by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is a series of anecdotes and psychological case studies that explore impulsive decision-making. It also delves into the subconscious mind. Little would Unadkat have realised when he read the book recently that he’d apply the lessons in the Ranji Trophy final, to deliver the knockout blow to Bengal.

“I would say I am at my peak. I’ve now got a lot of options of getting a wicket, which is always the thing a bowler looks for. You can’t be a one-trick pony.”Jaydev Unadkat

Bengal had just lost the huge wicket of Anustup Majumdar, but had the capable Akash Deep join the well-set Arnab Nandi. The lead was just 64 runs away, and Bengal’s batting stretches until No. 10. In the semi-finals, Deep had salvaged Bengal from a hopeless situation by making 44, lending support to Majumdar against a competent Karnataka attack. Saurashtra were slight, but by no means outright, favourites. It’s at this point that Unadkat brought out his “blink” moment.Deep had just been beaten, and Avi Barot, the wicketkeeper, had missed with a shy at the stumps. Unadkat was alert to the possibility of the throw missing, and had stayed where he was on his follow-through to collect the ball. Then he noticed Deep’s feet were outside the crease, and threw down the stumps. The split-second decision told you of his match awareness. The decision went upstairs and Deep was gone to what you could only call a brain fade.”To have good judgement, you need that experience to make crucial decisions in day-to-day situations,” Unadkat explains. “I have the habit of talking to the boys about such stuff, and how we can incorporate learnings from what we read or see into cricket. Most of my chats at team meetings or general pep talks revolve around life philosophies, equating it to cricket, and not by directly giving a cricket example. It helped bring a different flavour to our team meetings, it got players thinking.”As perfectly as the “blink” moment was executed, Unadkat was slightly itchy. That he’d come into the final with 65 wickets, delivering wicket-taking spells for fun. On all kinds of surfaces, with old and new ball. And when it mattered the most, he had bowled over 35 wicketless overs, had DRS calls overturn potential wickets, including the crucial one of Wriddhiman Saha early on the fourth day. The game was slipping away, but he was drawing on his reserves.”I got 65-odd wickets in 15 innings, more than four wickets per innings, and after that, everybody wanted me to strike when the team needed the most,” Unadkat says. “But I was wicketless for 30 overs. Till Thursday evening, I kept thinking that it will be that one ball which can get the crucial breakthrough. I knew if I could get that one wicket, it would mean a lot more than those previous wickets.”Chetan Sakariya started well. That first over [on the fifth day] gave us the belief that it will not be easy. I was telling myself that if I could challenge myself and bowl the ball of the season, it will help the team immensely. I was telling that to myself before every single delivery. I said that to myself before getting Anustup out.”It needed a sensational delivery to dismiss Majumdar. Bowling from around the wicket, Unadkat made the ball talk. He got one to pitch on a length outside off and jag back in sharply – a hint of reverse. The ball didn’t lose much pace off the pitch, Majumdar looked to play across the line – perhaps not the best split-second decision – and before he’d realised, the ball had thudded into his pads and the umpire had raised his finger. He was stone dead, and a polite request for a review only delayed the inevitable.”The dream season could only have been special if you actually win the title,” Unadkat says. “At the end, we had had three defeats in finals and it doesn’t feel good. It is a long season where you have put your blood and sweat. This season, I have given everything mentally and physically. I wouldn’t have enjoyed any sort of record if I hadn’t won. I wanted to do it one more time for my team. I wanted to prove I’m not just someone whose numbers are looked at only when IPL auctions come up.”

“I don’t want to end it here. Yes we have won the trophy and I am the happiest captain in the world right now, but I still want this phase to keep going on and on for me. I want to keep going and leave no stone unturned.”Jaydev Unadkat

At this point, Unadkat is asked what the turning point was in the game. In a game that was decided on the basis of the first-innings lead, there were many. The Cheteshwar Pujara-Arpit Vasavada partnership, Saha’s reprieve through DRS, Manoj Tiwary’s dismissal, Majumdar’s wicket – it was that kind of a game. It fluctuated wildly one way, then swung back on even scales, then turned the other way, and eventually when it looked even again, Unadkat grabbed the game by it’s collar and saw Saurashtra home, just like he had done in the semi-finals when it appeared as if Gujarat might end up doing the unthinkable.”Look, the Ranji Trophy is not just series played among players. A lot of families and former players who feel for the team are involved. I got a lot of messages from people who had that belief that I can do it for the team,” Unadkat says. “Those messages worked for us. We talked about it in the morning, that there was one twist left. I told our boys that ‘this is our ground and we are going to make it count.’ We did believe there was something left for us in the game and we came out with that mindset and that did the trick for us.”BCCIAfter the kind of season he’s had, it’s only natural to talk of the next goal. Perhaps an India comeback?Think Unadkat, and invariably it’s the shorter formats that come to mind, largely because of the IPL. But over the years, he has shown there’s much more to his bowling than just delivering four overs game after game in T20. For starters, he has increased his pace, can sustain his intensity through the day, and not just merely over his first spell. He’s also added the extra dimension of reverse swing, the kind Zaheer Khan made famous. Remember the around-the-wicket angle to the right-handers at his peak?”It is the best I’ve bowled, am at my peak for sure,” Unadkat says. “It’s not just about taking those wickets, but how well I am recovering game after game, how [much] fitter I am feeling. How I am bowling on a fifth day with an old ball. Those reveal a lot of things, much more than numbers or wickets I take. So in terms of those things, I would say I am at my peak. I’ve now got a lot of options of getting a wicket, which is always the thing a bowler looks for. You can’t be a one-trick pony, I have been trying to work on it. Consistency is to take wickets, and for that you have to find ways. Going through the season, fine-tuning things, changing fitness routines have all helped me be what I am.”All of this means Unadkat has definitely pitched for a Test recall too, 10 years after his infamous debut at Centurion, where his most memorable moment was when he was asked whom he wanted his Test cap from, between Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. He went wicketless, conceded 101 runs in 26 overs, and hasn’t been discussed for a Test berth since. While India’s next Test is eight months away, Unadkat has quietly put the ball back in the selectors’ court. And in Rajkot, they were all watching keenly. In a rare acknowledgment in public from a chief selector, Sunil Joshi even tweeted his appreciation for Unadkat. Does this all then mean he’s slowly building up hope for a comeback?”I have been working harder than many guys, as hard as any other cricketer in the country to earn my rewards,” he says. “It was not just the IPL on my mind at any time. Yes there was auction happening and people were talking just about that but this was something I really wanted to achieve [Ranji Trophy title]. I wanted to do it for the team, I wanted to do it for myself. I wanted to prove to myself that I don’t want to play the game for something other than cricket. I started playing this game because I was so passionate about it.”I have still got that hunger to make a comeback. The hunger has been stronger than this and that actually kept me going throughout the season. To be honest, it was challenging to physically survive the season. Bowling those long spells as a fast bowler in almost every game. But as I said, the hunger is more than ever before. I just want to keep this phase going. I don’t want to end it here. Yes we have won the trophy and I am the happiest captain in the world right now, but I still want this phase to keep going on and on for me. I want to keep going and leave no stone unturned.”How does he compare this with other achievements in his career?”If you ask me about the emotional quotient this is right at the top with everything else,” Unadkat says. “This is the moment of my career. It has never gotten bigger than this. Not just my achievement, but my state’s achievement. This team has been working really hard. People who have played for Saurashtra in the past have been wanting this trophy to come home. We have had a glorious cricketing legacy to carry as well. Maybe we just did not have the team 10 years [ago]. The team has come a long way, playing a lot of finals. Like I said it, right up there.”

This week has been a strangely newsy one for the Montreal Expos, a Major League Baseball team that has not taken the field since 2004.

The release of a Netflix documentary examining the team's demise—entitled —was long planned. However, the filmmakers probably didn't count on Canada's younger MLB team—the Blue Jays—reaching the World Series and throwing an even bigger spotlight on baseball in the Great White North.

Like many of baseball's more famous relocations—the Dodgers', the Giants', or (more recently) the Athletics'—the Expos' defection to Washington to become the Nationals marked the culmination of a long and arduous process. It was also unique in that it involved a quasi-ownership "trade" that influenced the fate of a franchise thousands of miles away from Quebec.

Here's a look at how Canada's second-largest city lost its team.

How did Jeffrey Loria buy the Expos?

Liquor magnate Charles Bronfman and five partners founded the Expos in 1969—a time when Montreal was still widely known as Canada's cultural capital (Toronto wouldn't jump it in population until Canada's 2001 census). The Expos found sledding tough in their early years, making just one playoff appearance (1981) despite numerous winning seasons. Bronfman sold the team to Claude Brochu in 1991, and after a tumultuous decade, Brochu sold a controlling stake to art dealer Jeffrey Loria in 2001.

How did Jeffrey Loria get out of his deal with the Expos?

For much of Montreal's existence, the team faced one overarching question: how would the team replace Olympic Stadium? The oft-derided building long overstayed its welcome for the 1976 Summer Olympics, and Loria quickly sought public funding for a new park. As attempts to replace Olympic Stadium dragged, MLB attempted to fold the Twins and Expos—a move only stopped by a successful court challenge. Amid this turmoil in Montreal, Loria sold the team to MLB and used the money to buy the Marlins—taking the Expos' resources with him.

How did the Expos get to Washington?

MLB's purchase of the team was effectively the ballgame for Montreal, but the years leading up to the team's relocation produced a slew of interesting what-ifs. First, in 2003 and 2004, the Expos split their home games between Montreal and San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium—routinely drawing better in Puerto Rico than in Canada. Along with San Juan, several non-Washington cities circled the Expos, with Charlotte and Portland discussed as contenders. Ultimately, the American capital won the Expos sweepstakes, and the team took on the name of several early Washington teams—the Nationals.

What is the legacy of the Expos' final years?

For many years, the legacy of the Expos' messy relocation seemed to be MLB's eagerness to avoid a repeat—but the Athletics' widely reviled, slow-motion departure from Oakland appears to have scuttled that. Montreal retains an appetite for baseball, as the Expos live on as a nostalgia item—"The DNA is still here even though they’re gone," documentary director Jean-François Poisson told 's Matthew Roberson Thursday. If expansion one day brings baseball back to Quebec, the Expos—as ever—will likely need to do something about Olympic Stadium, which somehow still stands on the eve of its 50th anniversary.

It’s entirely possible a patched-up England will lose next week, but for now the tour narrative has changed

Andrew Miller09-Jan-2022Two Sydney Tests, 11 years apart. The first of which concluded in an atmosphere akin to the Last Night of the Proms, as a packed auditorium of flag-waving England fans thronged the Brewongle and Trumper Stands to sing hosannahs to Andrew Strauss’ all-conquering heroes as they went through the final-day motions to wrap up their third innings victory of a 3-1 series win.The second occasion, on the other hand, was more like the Last Fight of the Poms – a rather more sparse choir of ex-pat Englishmen singing “Football’s Coming Home” didn’t have quite the same impact on the acoustics, even if the loins of a much-lampooned batting line-up managed to be sufficiently girded in the circumstances.And the acclaim at the moment of “victory” wasn’t quite as raucous either – more of a collective exhaling than a mass outpouring, as James Anderson did the needful to see off Steven Smith’s final legbreak of a tricksy two-over spell.Related

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Nevertheless, between those two SCG finales lies a barren wasteland of Ashes ignominy in Australia – 12 defeats in 13 Tests to be precise, and if the last one to get away, the Melbourne Test of 2017-18, was a more statistically dominant display thanks to Alastair Cook’s 244, then the moribund nature of the pitch had drained the contest of any jeopardy long before its end.So this is it then. This drawn dead-rubber contest is the high point of more than a decade of Ashes-tour batterings – a match that was still a solitary wicket away from being yet another 100-plus-run defeat, and which might have gone the same way as England’s last attempted rearguard, in Adelaide in December, but for the loss of seven crucial overs to rain.”It’s a small step forward,” Joe Root, England’s captain, rightly put it at the close. “Coming into the game, I spoke about putting some pride back into English cricket, and the fight and the desire and the character shown today, and throughout the five days, has shown that in a small way. I’m really proud of the way the guys dug in.”Celebrating a losing draw is not really the done thing in cricket – in 2005, Australia’s euphoria after clinging on at Old Trafford was seized upon by England’s captain Michael Vaughan as evidence of how the balance of that particular series had shifted, so who knows what it would have said of the current state of this rivalry if England had dared to get too giddy about this dead-rubber lock-out.And yet, sometimes, all you can ask is for someone to stop the rot. After the humiliation in Melbourne last month, where England’s final-day 68 surrendered the Ashes within barely an hour of day three, 5-0 was writ large across this contest. There was no fight left in the squad, and consequently there was no hope. And without even that to fall back on, there was no point.Now? Well, it’s a stretch to suggest that England have even turned a corner with this performance. They managed, by the skin of Anderson’s bat, to avoid losing ten wickets in a single day’s play, but they still haven’t managed a total in excess of 300 in eight innings of this campaign, while Usman Khawaja – with twin hundreds in his Player-of-the-Match display – has already made more runs in the series than any England batter bar the ubiquitous Joe Root.But there was a substance to England’s display in Sydney that simply had not materialised outside of Root and Dawid Malan’s abortive alliances in Brisbane and Adelaide. Jonny Bairstow’s pluck was backed up in both innings by Ben Stokes, who found the cussed mood that had eluded him during the sharp end of the series, when he had played like a man who was too busy reacquainting himself with his bat to get distracted by such niceties as the match situation.Stokes’ movement may have been restricted by the side strain that he suffered while bowling on the second day, but Root dropped a sizeable hint that he’ll be fronting up in Hobart, irrespective of the injury.”It seemed to refocus him when it came to him to bat,” Root said. “You could see that look in his eye which we’ve seen a couple of times before. His performance with the bat was more like Ben Stokes near his best, which is a really exciting thing to see going into the last game.”Root noticed a “clarity” in Zak Crawley’s game, which he feels will “give him a huge amount of confidence” going forward•Getty ImagesAnd then there was Zak Crawley, whose Test career reads like the static on a badly-tuned long-wave radio – intermittent bursts of clarity interspersed with frustrating hisses and wails. No England player all series long has looked as assured or domineering as he did during his 77 from 100 balls in this final innings, just as his 53 on the first morning in Ahmedabad in February had given a thrillingly misleading outlook to a match that England would lose inside two days.It takes some tekkers to make batting look quite as easy as Crawley has done on the occasions when everything has clicked – most famously during his 267 against Pakistan in 2020, which was then followed by a total of 173 runs at 10.81 in his next eight Tests in 2021. But having come into this latest contest with the bullish prediction that he’d make a century in Sydney, Crawley departs with the respect of such luminaries as Ricky Ponting, who declared on Channel 7’s coverage that “there’s something about this young man”.”You’ve got to have a really good understanding, individually, of what you need to do to score runs,” Root said. “That clarity was there for Zak in this game. His tempo, his rhythm, he looked very in control which will give him a huge amount of confidence moving forward.”With his 24th birthday coming up next month, there should be something about Crawley for many years yet, but then we were saying that 18 months ago after that gargantuan maiden hundred. The difficulty for England’s young players at present is that so much learning needs to be done on the hoof, in particular their high-profile failures – the likes of which might once have taken place in relative anonymity following a return to the county circuit.Right now, in the bubble lifestyle, there’s no alternative but to take each setback on the chin and jut it straight back out for another blow – as Bairstow did with some success in Sydney, after a mixed return to red-ball cricket in Melbourne, but which Haseeb Hameed continues to do with mounting futility after his sixth single-figure score in a row. Somewhere, within his ransacked technique, there still lurks a Test-class batter, but it’s going to take some character, above and beyond that which Root called for in this game, for him to bounce back from this ignominy.

Celebrating a losing draw is not really the done thing in cricket – in 2005, Australia’s euphoria after clinging on at Old Trafford was seized upon by England captain Michael Vaughan as evidence of how the balance of that series had shifted

But such are the reasons why this draw could yet hold a longer-term significance for England, because collectively they needed to stop free-falling. On the face of it, it’s a long way short of the 2002-03 Ashes win, again in Sydney, which saved Nasser Hussain’s men from a whitewash and served a timely reminder that even the mightiest Australia team of all time had its weaknesses, but draws are a rarer currency in Test cricket these days.Root, England’s most-capped skipper, has presided over just nine draws in 60 Tests, compared to Mike Atherton’s 20 in 54 – a difference which hints at the fast-forwarded nature of the modern game, with fewer players equipped for the long haul, and so more surprise when a team manages to steel itself as England did at the SCG.It’s entirely probable that normal service will be resumed under the Hobart floodlights next week, particularly against a patched-up England team that could have up to three enforced changes, including a debutant wicketkeeper in Sam Billings. But at least the tour narrative has been altered for now, and for that Root is happy to accept the “positives” that were so manifestly lacking when the team’s head coach, Chris Silverwood, attempted to front up after the Melbourne debacle.”It was hugely important, especially off the back of the previous Test match, which was a really dark day for English Test cricket,” Root said. “It would have been very easy for us to roll over and feel sorry for ourselves, but it was up to the guys to put some pride back into the badge and show how much they care about playing for England.”We never make it easy for ourselves,” he added. “You guys probably feel that as much as anyone watching. But we found a way to get it done today, albeit the guys at the end there had to deal with a tricky period. It was a team effort.”

After a characteristically slow start, this summer is turning into a massive one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have already announced the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and they don’t look close to being done there.

Andrea Berta and Co have finally agreed a deal in principle for Viktor Gyokeres, and then Noni Madueke’s arrival should be announced any day now.

Furthermore, links to £77m Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo won’t go away, and if recent reports are to be believed, they could soon sell a first-team regular, which could free up space and finances for the Brazilian superstar.

Why Arsenal would want to sign Rodrygo

Being the incredible player he is, there are several reasons why Arsenal would want to splash the cash on Rodrygo, such as his raw output.

Since the start of the 23/24 campaign, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has scored 31 goals and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That means even though he has played out of his favour left-wing position for most of that period, the former Santos gem was still able to average a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes.

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

Furthermore, while he would almost certainly spend most of his time at the Emirates off the left, his ability to play across the frontline would undoubtedly be another of the reasons Arteta and Co would want to bring him in.

It would allow him to cover for Bukayo Saka at times, or even start as a false nine and give the team a whole new dimension in challenging games.

Finally, the 24-year-old has also won all there is to win in the club game and played a crucial role in the Spanish giants’ multiple Champions League triumphs.

In other words, he’d bring some much-needed know-how to an already talented side who have been so close to getting it over the line on so many occasions now.

With all that said, bringing in a world-class talent like Rodrygo would be a massive financial commitment, although it looks like Arsenal might be making some changes to the squad, which could help facilitate it.

What Rodrygo's arrival would mean for Arsenal

With Gyokeres and Madueke set to join the club and then links to Eberechi Eze refusing to go away, it seems incredibly unlikely that Arsenal would sign Rodrygo without first making an attacking sale.

Transfer Focus

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

The likes of Saka and Kai Havertz aren’t going anywhere, and Gabriel Jesus is still out injured, so the options fall on the left-hand side.

Gabriel Martinelli was linked with a big-money move to Al Hilal earlier this summer, but it was then revealed to be nothing more than paper talk.

That then brings us to Leandro Trossard, and based on a recent report from Sport Bild’s Christian Falk, Bayern Munich are interested in him.

The German journalist has revealed that the Belgian international could be FC Hollywood’s “next big signing,” and while he makes no mention of how much the fee could be, reports from earlier this month claimed that the Gunners would want £20m.

According to separate reports from Just Arsenal, Bayern have already opened talks with the player’s camp regarding a move.

Appearances

54

56

Minutes

3452

3455′

Goals

14

10

Assists

11

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

138.08

172.75′

While the former Brighton & Hove Albion star has been a useful player for Arteta over the last two and a half years, it would be good money for a winger who is set to turn 31 at the end of the year, and wasn’t massively impactful last season.

For example, the “sensational” ace, as dubbed by journalist Charles Watts, produced 20 goal involvements in 56 appearances, totalling 3455 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.8 games, or every 172.75 minutes.

In contrast, the Real monster scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 54 appearances, totalling 3452 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.16 games, or every 138.08 minutes.

Ultimately, Trossard has been an undeniable success at Arsenal, but with where the team want to go and the players they need to take them there, this feels like the right time to say thank you and goodbye.

Gyokeres will adore him: Arsenal eyeing £80m star who "finishes like Henry"

The international ace would add even more quality to Arsenal’s frontline.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 14, 2025

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that the club will bring in another central defender before the transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

The Hoops swooped to sign Hayato Inamura on a permanent deal earlier this month, but the Japanese defender is one for the future and another option in that area of the pitch is expected.

Rodgers already has Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Dane Murray, Stephen Welsh, and Cameron Carter-Vickers in the centre-back positions, on top of the signing of Inamura, and they are looking for another.

CelticWay have reported that the club are weighing up a possible move to sign Dutch central defender Justin De Haas from Famalicão to add to their ranks.

The 25-year-old, left-footed, titan is valued at £3m by the Portuguese outfit, and could come in to compete for a place at the heart of the Hoops defence.

The role that Justin De Haas could play for Celtic

The potential signing of the Famalicão titan is an interesting one for the Scottish giants, because it would leave Rodgers with three left-footed centre-back options, in him, Scales, and Trusty.

Last season, the manager said that he prefers to play centre-backs on the side of their stronger foot because it “allows you to get through the pitch quicker and have more speed playing forward”, which suggests that De Haas will be competing with Trusty and Scales.

Based on their respective performances at league level in the 2024/25 campaign, De Haas’ biggest hurdle to making the starting XI could be the Ireland international.

Trusty joined from Sheffield United last summer and endured a difficult campaign in Scotland, as he ended the season as a back-up option behind Scales, and the Dutch star could come in as an upgrade on him.

Appearances

29

22

26

Goals

2

1

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.0

2.3

1.9

Dribbled past per game

0.3x

0.5x

0.2x

Clearances per game

5.4

4.0

4.8

Error led to shot

0

4

1

Error led to goal

1

1

0

Penalties committed

0

0

1

As you can see in the table above, De Haas could even offer more to the team than Scales, with more defensive actions and fewer errors leading to shots, goals, or penalties overall.

This suggests that he could be a starting-calibre left-sided centre-back option for Celtic if he can translate his form over to the Scottish Premiership, but there is also the possibility that he is a second-choice to Scales, with Trusty demoted to a reserve.

Overall, given he will need to adapt to the league, De Haas could be a back-up centre-back at first, which is why their pursuit of a new winger is an even more exciting prospect.

Celtic in talks to sign new winger

According to the Daily Record, Celtic want to spend the money they are set to rake in from Como for Nicolas Kuhn to sign two new wingers this summer.

The German forward is set to sign for the Italian side for a reported fee of £16.5m, which will provide the Hoops with funds to dip into the market themselves.

Transfer Focus

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

This latest report from the Daily Record states that the Scottish Premiership champions are locked in talks with Royal Antwerp over a deal for Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

The outlet states that Royal Antwerp value the forward at a fee of around £5m, but they may lower it in order to push a transfer through in the coming weeks.

It adds that the 24-year-old attacker, who predominantly plays on the left flank, is keen on a switch to Parkhead this summer, which suggests that personal terms would not be too much of a problem if a fee can be agreed.

Why Balikwisha would be an exciting signing

Balikwisha would be an even more exciting signing than De Haas for Celtic this summer because he could slot straight into the starting XI from the first match.

Jota is set to miss the first half of the season with a knee injury, having suffered an ACL blow last term, and that has left a vacant spot on the left wing ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Until a new senior centre-forward is in the building, Daizen Maeda could continue where he left off as the starting number nine, which means that he would not be the starter on the left flank. Therefore, Balikwisha could have a free run at the left wing position to be a starter in the Premiership.

This means that, unlike De Haas, Celtic supporters could expect to see the Belgian wizard in the starting line-up when the Hoops host St Mirren at Parkhead on the opening day in August.

As well as being a potential frontline starter, which the Dutch defender may not initially be, Balikwisha could also be a more exciting signing because he is an attacking player who has the potential to deliver goals and assists.

Starts

27

12

xG

6.46

2.65

Goals

7

4

Big chances created

6

7

Key passes per game

1.5

1.6

Assists

5

3

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha has produced 11 goals and 13 ‘big chances’ created in his last 39 starts in the Belgian top-flight for Royal Antwerp.

The 24-year-old star was described as a “creative” talent by analyst Will Glavin, which is backed up by his return of seven ‘big chances’ created in 12 starts in the Pro League last season.

Balikwisha is a winger who has shown that he has the ability to deliver goals and assists at a fairly impressive rate in Belgium, which suggests that he could thrive in a dominant Celtic team that wins week-in-week-out.

The £5m-rated star could get supporters off their feet with his quality in the final third, as the anticipation could build whenever he picks the ball up in space out on the left flank.

Celtic can sign a better ST than Kvistgaarden in "complete" £6.8m star

Celtic could forget all about Mathias Kvistgaarden by signing this striker this summer.

1 ByDan Emery Jul 6, 2025

Therefore, the Royal Antwerp wing wizard could be an even more exciting signing than De Haas due to his potential to be an immediate starter, as well as him being an attack-minded player, rather than a centre-back.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has dismissed calls from Gunners legend Tony Adams to replace Martin Odegaard as captain with Declan Rice, revealing the Norwegian was the unanimous choice in a fresh squad vote. The north London side's boss insisted there is 'no question' over Odegaard’s leadership, with players and staff fully backing him ahead of the new season.

Adams backed Rice to be made Arsenal captain

Arteta confirms Odegaard easily won Arsenal captaincy vote 

Begin new season away to Man Utd on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Adams had earlier urged Arteta to hand the armband to Declan Rice, claiming the Gunners needed a “winner” to finally secure the Premier League title. The Basque coach rejected that view, stating the decision reflected the overwhelming confidence the squad has in Odegaard. Arteta revealed that Arsenal conducted a new vote to decide their captain ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, with Odegaard winning comfortably.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT ARTETA SAID

Speaking to the media, Arteta said: “My opinion is clear. It’s not just my opinion, it’s all the staff and especially the players. I asked them to vote the captain and I got the result yesterday. And by a mile, by a big, big 100 marks, everybody’s choosing the same person, which is Martin Odegaard. That’s the clearest sign you can have of how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win.”

Arteta explained the vote was part of a wider refresh of the squad’s leadership group. He added: “We change a lot and we change all the leadership groups because a lot of the players that were there, they are gone. So we need to re-establish that, and it gives you so much information, how they feel about themselves and who they see as a leader. It was really interesting to analyse all the data and gather that information.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Odegaard has been Arsenal captain since 2022, overseeing three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League. His leadership has drawn praise for composure and professionalism, though some critics – like Adams – believe the role should go to a more vocal figure. With the Gunners aiming to finally secure the league title under Arteta, the captaincy debate has added extra intrigue before the season kicks off.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Odegaard will lead Arsenal out at Old Trafford in their opening match against Manchester United on Sunday. Rice, meanwhile, will remain a key figure in midfield as the Gunners chase domestic and European glory.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed revelling in the triumph of lifting the Europa League and restoring their place among Europe’s elite next term, but Daniel Levy’s decision to fire Ange Postecoglou highlights the hunger to sustain an even loftier level of success over the coming years.

With Thomas Frank snatched from Brentford to lead from the dugout, Spurs are in a good position to challenge at the top end of the Premier League once more, though summer signings will be needed to inject fresh quality within a tired squad, whose success has papered over what was a most difficult year indeed.

Antoine Semenyo’s name has been bandied about, but there’s one man above all others who Tottenham’s new manager would like to welcome to the fold.

Spurs make contact for statement signing

Earlier this week, Sky Sports revealed that Tottenham have been growing in confidence that they could sign Bryan Mbeumo this summer after initial discussions, having made contact with Brentford, despite the player’s preference to join Man United.

This is because the Londoners have appointed Frank, who has led Mbeumo to such impressive individual heights over the past couple of years.

And now, as per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, the Lilywhites believe that Champions League football and the chance for the 25-year-old to stay in London could play into their favour.

Mbeumo won’t come cheap after his exceptional season, with the Bees looking to bank around £60m for the right-sided forward.

What Bryan Mbeumo would bring to Spurs

Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland. Perhaps the Premier League’s three finest goalscorers. They were the only players to outscore Mbeumo last season, with Ipswich Town writer Alex Osborn hailing him as “one of the best wingers in the league.”

Premier League 24/25 – Top Scorers
#	Player	Apps	Goals
1.	Mohamed Salah	38	29
2.	Alexander Isak	34	23
3.	Erling Haaland	31	22
4.	Chris Wood	36	20
5.	Bryan Mbeumo	38	20
Data via Premier League

Not only has Mbeumo dazzled in front of goal, but he’s performed well across underlying areas. As per Sofascore, the Cameroon international averaged 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, and 4.7 successful duels last term, underscoring a roundedness that most goalscorers don’t boast.

His prolific style surely makes him a better pick than Semenyo, who is a fantastic player but would cost Tottenham in excess of £50m and only scored 11 goals in the Premier League last year, also racking up six assists across his 37 appearances.

Make no mistake, Semenyo is a talented winger who would have a big effect on reorienting Tottenham’s domestic form and fluency, but can he compete with Mbeumo, who is objectively one of the classiest stars in front of goal?

The Bournemouth man ranked among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the English top flight last year for shots taken, as per FBref, but only among the top 27% for goals scored per 90, with his efforts leading the data-driven site to draw up Mbeumo as one of his most comparable players.

If that is the case (and there are similarities: both players are physical and dynamic and potent across different positions), then surely the best track to go down would be to sign the more reliable and menacing player in front of goal.

Therefore, Mbeumo is surely the better pick to go for, especially when considering the kind of money that Bournemouth are looking to part with Semenyo.

Their next Werner: Spurs in battle to sign "special" £25m man for Frank

Spurs would be making a massive mistake signing this player.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 13, 2025

The countdown to the start of Aston Villa’s pre-season schedule is very much on.

The Villans’ will commence pre-season against neighbours Walsall at the Bescot on 16 July, taking on Hansa Rostock in Germany three days later, before a trio of friendlies stateside, meeting Eintracht Frankfurt in Louisville and then a pair of MLS outfits, namely St. Louis City and Nashville.

The Claret and Blue Army’s campaign begins for real on 16 August, welcoming Newcastle United to Villa Park on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, with supporters also eagerly awaiting the Europa League draw, coming up at the end of that month.

However, before Villa are back in action, will fans have a new signing to be excited about?

Aston Villa looking to bolster their forward line

According to widespread reports, including by Jacob Tanswell of the Athletic, it is widely expected that Monchi and Co will need to sell a key player before Monday 30 June to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.

This was a key reason why Jhon Durán was sold to Al-Nassr for a reported £71m in January, but, as documented by Chris Weatherspoon of the Athletic, Villa’s finances remain precarious, given that they have the highest wages-to-revenue ratio in the division.

Nevertheless, despite the need for cost-cutting, Unai Emery still wants to bolster his attacking options, hence why TEAMtalk documents Villa’s interest in Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze, facing competition for his signature from Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and others.

They claim that Eze’s entourage are ‘working hard and are talking to numerous suitors’, with Spurs currently leading the race to sign him, as new manager Thomas Frank targets a statement signing, following his recent appointment.

Transfer Focus

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

David Hytner of the Guardian notes that Eze’s contract contains a £68m release clause, suggesting he is unlikely to remain at Selhurst beyond this summer, with Adam Keys describing the England international as “phenomenal” and data analyst Ben Mattinson hailing him as a “superstar”.

So, could Villa convince the 26 year old to move to the Midlands?

Why Eberechi Eze would be an upgrade on Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, very much reinvigorating his career, scoring four goals and registering six assists in 17 appearances.

He also started both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, underlining that he certainly got into Emery’s good books.

However, Rashford’s reported £40m price tag is putting off a lot of potential suitors, with Jamie Jackson of the Guardian claiming that Barcelona would only be open to a loan deal, something Manchester United certainly are not keen on.

Either way, it appears very unlikely that Rashford will be donning a claret and blue shirt at Villa Park next season, so would Eze be a significant upgrade?

Appearances

41

45

Minutes

2,428

3,322

Goals

11

15

Assists

8

11

Shots per 90

2.63

3.25

Chances created per 90

1.2

2

Take-on success %

31.58%

51.94%

Shot-creating actions per 90

3.63

4.69

Touches per 90

45

55

Touches in the box per 90

4.5

3.6

As the table outlines, Eze comes out on top for pretty much every attacking metric last season, namely when it comes to goals, assists, chances created, dribbling and touches.

Sam Tabuteau of Breaking the Lines believes Eze is ‘thriving as the talisman’ at Crystal Palace, a mantle he could take up at Villa, while Daryl Gouilard of Total Football Analysis asserts that he is ready to take his game to the next level.

Thus, as outlined earlier, Aston Villa face plenty of competition for Eze’s signature this summer but, if they are able to sign him, it would certainly be a statement addition.

He pocketed Rogers: Aston Villa keen to sign "talented" £8.5m midfielder

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