Category Uncategorized

Scotland Under-19s beat Kenya Under-19s by 15 runs in a low scoring match at Woodvale Road, Eglinton, to stay at the top of the points table. After choosing to bat, Scotland were in trouble at 77 for 6 before a 65-run partnership between Anjan Luthra and Sam Page revived the innings. Page, who top scored with 48 built another handy stand with Kyle Smith as Scotland reached a respectable 188. The only substantial contributions in Kenya’s chase came from opener Rushabh Patel – who scored 50 – and No. 3 batsman Duncan Allan, with 43. The pair added 83 for the second wicket, but once they were dismissed in consecutive overs, the chase faltered, with Kenya managing only 173 for 8 in their 50.Wicketkeeper Mathew Cross, who had been the lone performer among Scotland’s top order and was part of five dismissals in the fiels – including those of Patel and Allan – was named Man of the Match. “We would have been happy with a score of 210-220, but still, to reach 188 after being six down early on was a big effort,” Cross said. “When Kenya batted, we felt that one wicket could change the match. Allan fell at the right time for us to fight back. We dried up the runs [after that] and the asking-rate increased.”At Lodge Road, Coleraine, Nepal Under-19s beat Papua New Guinea Under-19s by 29 runs and moved into the second spot on the points table. Batting first, Nepal scored 277 for 7, driven by a fluent 91 from Rajesh Pulami Magar. Magar’s knock, which included eight fours and a six, was cut short when he was run out by PNG keeper Dogodo Bau. Opener Sagar Pun and Pradeep Airee also scored half-centuries as Nepal finished with 277 for 7. Vagi Oala and Christopher Kent were the main contributors in the chase, scoring 64 and 80 respectively. However, a penetrative spell from left-arm fast bowler Avinash Karn – he picked up a five-for in 6.3 overs – made sure PNG were always behind, eventually folding for 248 with three balls to spare.Magar, who was named Man of the Match, said his team was wary of PNG replicating their successful chase against Canada in the previous round of matches. “We lost a few wickets early on, so I had to stay at the wicket and build a partnership,” he said. “PNG chased down Canada’s score of 266 yesterday and we were a bit wary of their ability to chase the score. But our bowlers bowled brilliantly and restricted them very well.”Canada Under-19s eased to a five-wicket win against USA Under-19s at the Bready Cricket Club No2 Ground, Magheramason. Asked to bowl, Canada shot out USA for 101 in 40.3 overs, courtesy a six-wicket haul from opening bowler Manny Aulakh. The chase was steered by a rapid 42 from Rayyan Pathan, who struck five sixes in his 42 off 29 balls. Though USA managed to pick up five wickets, Canada were never stretched, getting home with 16.4 overs to spare.Aulakh, the Man of the Match, said the pitch assisted the quicks. “There was something in the pitch for the fast bowlers. We stuck to the basics and they [USA] made a few mistakes. This was one of my best spells.”At the Bready Cricket Club Afghanistan Under-19s registered a comprehensive nine-wicket win against Vanuatu Under-19s. Afghanistan justified their decision to bowl, running through Vanuatu in 26.2 overs. The attack was led by left-armer Sayed Shirzad, who claimed 5 for 38 in nine overs. He was well supported by Yamin Ahmadzai and Abdul Naseri, who picked up two apiece. Chasing 112, Afghanistan lost an early wicket, but were solid thereafter with Javed Ahmadi and Hashmatullah Shaidi knocking off the target at over seven runs an over.Man-of-the-Match Shirzad said Afghanistan were pumped up as it was a must-win match for them. “It was do or die for us, we had to win to stay in the hunt,” he said. “I bowled wicket to wicket and that paid rich dividends.”Ireland Under-19s‘s match against Namibia Under-19s at New Strabane Park was washed-out after only eight overs. The match will be replayed on Monday. Ireland need a win to regain the second spot on the points table.

Tottenham Hotspur have wrapped 2025 up with a win. Victory against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park has rekindled hopes of securing a place in next season’s Champions League, but there is a very long way still to go.

Thomas Frank was delighted with a spirited and resilient performance, but he will, of course, know that improvements are needed.

The Lewis family need to welcome investment in the January transfer window, adding fresh technical quality to Frank’s central midfield.

Spurs' plan to sign a midfielder

Last season’s winter transfer market was a busy one, and that trend is likely to continue next month. Tottenham have to ensure they are in amongst the big spenders, with tactical imbalances and less-than-impressive players hindering Frank’s project.

It’s worth issuing a reminder that both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are expected back in the New Year after battling through long-term issues. Neither has featured under Frank’s management.

Tottenham need more control, though. An anchor in a deeper berth. Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha have flattered to deceive in the middle of the park.

Adam Wharton would be a significant upgrade, with TEAMtalk insider Dean Jones claiming that the north Londoners are ready to step up their long-standing interest in the Crystal Palace midfielder.

Palace value Wharton, 21, as high as £100m, but with a host of elite suitors circling, Tottenham might be wise to pay the figure in 2026. It would enhance Frank’s system and then some.

Why Wharton would be an upgrade on Bentancur

In Bentancur’s defence, he has spent a lot of his time in Tottenham battling against injury. But Bentancur’s defence is shaping up to be is only positive attribute this season, leaving much to be desired on the ball, layering his team’s attacking efforts.

Analyst Raj Chohan has even gone as far as to claim that the 28-year-old is a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”. Wharton, on the fast track at Selhurst Park, would add youth and energy to a midfield that desperately needs all of the above.

Bentancur is an established and technically gifted international. He has a wealth of experience at the highest level. It is not too much to ask that he pass the ball forward every once in a while.

Wharton trumps him in that regard. The “passing machine”, as he has been described by prominent journalist Henry Winter, has been instrumental in Oliver Glasner’s title-winning success across the past year, so composed and collected from the heart of the Eagles system.

Premier League 25/26 – Bentancur vs Wharton

Stats (per 90)

Bentancur

Wharton

Goals scored

0.08

0.00

Assists

0.08

0.14

Touches

58.64

55.69

Pass completion (%)

84.6

75.2

Progressive passes

2.75

5.83

Progressive carries

0.55

1.25

Shot-creating actions

1.34

3.47

Ball recoveries

6.05

5.76

Tackles + interceptions

3.62

3.26

Aerial duels won

1.89

0.83

Data via FBref

Wharton, moreover, is an able defender. Sofascore show that he has won 56% of his ground battles in the Premier League this season, averaging 1.9 tackles per game.

Subscribe for in-depth Spurs transfer insight and analysis Join the newsletter for deeper Spurs transfer context: clear analysis of targets like Adam Wharton, tactical fit in Frank’s midfield, and what signings would mean for team balance—high-value coverage focused on transfers and tactics.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

And he’s only getting better. The England international has much more to his game than Bentancur, who has become stodgy and uninspiring beside a partner in Palhinha whose defining attribute is his tough-tackling combativeness.

There isn’t enough variation and nuance.

To give rise to Tottenham’s sleeping sparkle, Wharton must be signed. Though Palace would play hardball over a winter signing, Spurs might be richly rewarded for biding their time and striking during the summer, perhaps having addressed a number of different positions in January.

Tottenham’s new hierarchy must showcase their ambition by adding quality to Frank’s squad next month. Bentancur is limited in what he can do, and placing Wharton as the nucleus would only reinforce the bench, tidy up the centre and add new dimensions to Spurs’ creative efforts.

Related Semenyo upgrade: Spurs pushing to sign £295k-p/w "superstar" for Frank

Tottenham are planning to strengthen their frontline in the January transfer window.

Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair

Chris Gayle: ‘I cannot stress enough that we must not take Zimbabwe for granted’ © Imran Khan

It’s an honour to captain the West Indies cricket team anytime I’m asked, and therefore, when invited to do so for the upcoming tour to Zimbabwe, I readily agreed to serve in that capacity.I have always stood up to and enjoyed challenges and I think this series will be a great opportunity for me to continue in that vein and I will definitely try to make the best of it for the team’s benefit. It will be important to motivate the players, to ensure we play to our potential and deliver the maximum output in every match, starting with the first one-day international versus Zimbabwe tomorrow (Friday).I’m well aware that leading West Indies to victory over England in the one-day international series in England last summer would certainly have influenced the selectors’ decision to appoint me as captain for this assignment. It’s a position I don’t take lightly at all but, at the same time, I know that I need to maintain a calm frame of mind and not put too much pressure on myself. Overall, I am confident that I am capable of getting the job done and of handling the increased responsibility, particularly regarding on-field tactics.Captaincy of an international cricket team, especially one that’s endured mixed results in recent years as we have, is the kind of test that builds character. I expect that this experience will give me a lot more courage and even greater belief in myself and will be a positive step in my continued development – both on and off the cricket field.I’m quietly looking forward to this encounter and optimistic about the team’s fortunes as well as my own.Returning to Zimbabwe – I left Jamaica on Saturday while most of the touring party flew from the Caribbean on Sunday – is special for me and evokes several fond memories of past success and celebrations. It was the scene of my maiden Test century in July 2001 (175 at Queen’s Sports Club in Bulawayo) and some good one-day knocks too.Naturally, I would love to pick up the rich batting form which I have enjoyed over here on previous tours. However, personal exploits – while very important – will be secondary to team goals. I cannot stress enough that we must not take Zimbabwe for granted. They can beat the best of teams on their day and the last thing we need is to fall victim to a bad case of complacency against a talented unit which has nothing to lose in front of their home crowd.We in the West Indies have the ammunition – including batting newcomer Brenton Parchment who has been in the reckoning for regional selection for a while – to defeat this opposition. Now, we just have to execute our plans and take our chances in batting, bowling and fielding.And I will be aiming to lead by example.

ScorecardHalf centuries by Neal Parlane and Matthew Bell helped Wellington beat Northern Districts by 43 runs in a high-scorer at the Basin Reserve. The home side piled up an imposing 291, batting the opposition out of the game as Northern Districts managed 248.Parlane and Bell added 147 for the second wicket after captain Michael Parlane decided to bat first. Both fell short of their respective tons but laid the platform for a big score. The middle order, led by Jesse Ryder, chipped in with valuable cameos to lift the total to 291.Peter McGlashan led chase with a half century but once he was dismissed, half the side was back in the pavilion with only 138 on board. Ian Butler scored a fluent 47 off just 37 balls but it wasn’t enough as Northern Districts were bowled out in the 50th over. Seamer Grant Elliott was the most effective bowler, taking three wickets.

Umar Gul, the fast bowler, celebrated his recall to the Pakistan A line-up for next month’s tour opener against the Indians with a five-wicket haul for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) against Pakistan Customs on the opening day of their Group A fourth-round Patron’s Trophy Cricket Championship match at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex Ground No.1 at Karachi.Umar’s figures of 5 for 64 in 19 overs had Customs bowled out for a modest 199. By the close of play, PIA had reached 46 for 2 after having lost Yasir Hameed and Agha Sabir rather cheaply. Customs were well served by a 130-run fourth-wicket partnership between Kashif Siddiq and Fawad Alam, both left-handers, but the last seven wickets crashed for the addition of a mere 38 after the score at one stage had been an impressive 161 for 3. Fawad, 20, top-scored with a mature 79, made off 114 balls in a little over two hours at the wicket, while Kashif’s 58 came off 126 with six hits to the ropes.Umar was ably supported by Tahir Khan, whose offspinners captured him 4 for 65 in 19.2 overs as three Customs batsmen failed to get off the mark. Both Customs and PIA have played two matches each in the five-team Group A, with six points each to their credit. They are aiming to be in the top two that will qualify for the tournament’s Quadrangular Stage round.Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) did their chances of averting relegation to next season’s Grade-II circuit no good when they spent the entire opening day of their fourth-round Patron’s Trophy match against Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex in Karachi struggling to get a poor total of 195 for 8.The new-ball pair of Sajid Ali and Asad Ali plucked five of these wickets as KRL, after having been put in first, had half their side back in the pavilion with only 108 on the board. Saeed Anwar Junior, the left-handed opener, and Mohammad Wasim, who has earned a call-up to the Pakistan A team for the opening warm-up game against the Indians, perished at the same score of 19. The third wicket fell at 31.Mohtashim Ali and Usman Saeed, both youngsters, then retrieved the situation with a 67-run fourth-wicket stand. Mohtashim, 24, made 32 with two fours off 90 balls while Usman, 19, top-scored with 34 off 90 deliveries with two hits to the ropes.The later batsmen all got runs but did not last long. Azhar Ali, the allrounder, was unbeaten on 31 in a patient display having negotiated 111 balls with a solitary boundary.With him is Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, with an unbeaten 18 in just short of an hours’ batting. The unbroken ninth-wicket stand has so far produced 32 invaluable runs. Sajid Ali, Lahore’s left-arm fast-medium, finished the day with figures of 3 for 33 in his first match of the season. Mohammad Salman, the SNGPL wicketkeeper, held four catches in the innings.KRL have already lost their first three matches in the tournament and are placed at rock bottom in the five-team points table. Another loss here will definitely get them demoted to the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II competition next season. After two matches, SNGPL are currently at second place behind Habib Bank, with a total of nine points. The two top teams from the two groups qualify for the Quadrangular Stage round that gets underway from January 15.In a truncated opening day’s play, Service Industries scored 174 for 6 in their fourth-round Patron’s Trophy match against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the Sheikhupura Stadium.Of the 83 overs to be bowled during a day’s play, 68 were actually sent down yesterday after Naved Ashraf put Service Industries in first. The first five wickets fell with only 72 on the board, of which Shaiman Anwar scored 33 off 62 balls with six boundaries.Khurram Shahzad and Mustansar Ali, the middle-order batsmen, then got involved in an invaluable sixth-wicket partnership of 102. While Khurram was dismissed shortly before the match was called off, for 48 off 131 balls in almost three hours with four fours, Mustansar remained unbeaten on 55 with six fours and a six in a little over two and half hours’ batting. For ZTBL, Tanvir Ahmed, the opening bowler, took 2 for 41 while Bilal Asad’s medium fast bowling earned him figures of 3 for 25 from 15 overs.ZTBL, four-time champions of the competition, have collected no points in the ongoing tournament. Service Industries had qualified for the first-class tournament after winning the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II title last season. They appear to be going towards demotion again.Only 7.3 overs of play was possible due to bad weather and poor light on the opening day of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP)’s Group B fourth-round Patron’s Trophy match against Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), here at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground.In the 45 deliveries bowled in the day, WAPDA, who had been asked to bat first, managed just 14 runs. Adil Nisar, the captain, and Ahmed Said, the wicketkeeper, remained unbeaten on 7 and 3 respectively. While WAPDA have been strengthened by the inclusion of Mohammad Yousuf and Mushtaq Ahmed, both players with national experience, the NBP line-up has in its midst Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Sami, all national representatives.Sami bowled 3.3 overs yesterday and, although he sent down no maidens, he conceded just four. Wasim Khan, his bowling partner, had figures of 0 for 6 off four overs. WAPDA, who were the tournament runners-up in 2003-04, are at second place in the five-team Group B table with 12 points from two matches. NBP have been Patron’s Trophy champions on five occasions and are the third spot with a tally of nine points.

Jamie Cox earns a recall for Tasmania’s ING Cup final squad© Getty Images

The experience of Jamie Cox, the former captain, has won him a surprise place in Tasmania’s squad for the ING Cup final against Queensland at the Gabba on Sunday. Tasmania, whose only domestic trophy is the 1978-79 Gillette Cup, have named Cox as 13th man in a bid to settle the side’s nerves.Cox played the last of his 75 one-day games for Tasmania in 2003, but has been in excellent form in the 2nd XI Cricket Australia Cup, including scoring 162 in the current match against Western Australia. "He will bring invaluable leadership and experience to the dressing-room and support for the younger less experienced players," a Tasmania Cricket spokesman said. Cox, who averaged 46 in the County Championship for Somerset last winter, is the only change to the side that lost to South Australia last Sunday.Queensland’s disrupted run into the ING Cup final did not stabilise with the naming of their 12-man squad on Tuesday. The Bulls, who were thrashed in their past two matches, decided against risking the injured Martin Love and Shane Watson while Lachlan Stevens remained under a cloud with a calf problem.Love is still recovering from split hand webbing and Watson was ruled out of Australia’s one-day squad with a side strain, which pushed James Hopes into the New Zealand tour party. Michael Kasprowicz and Hopes will both be missing from the side that lost by 57 runs to Western Australia on Friday, and the batsmen Aaron Nye and Daniel Payne have come into the squad.Nye has played five games this season while Payne was 12th man against Tasmania in December. Stevens, the allrounder, collected 0 for 14 and 8 on his Queensland debut against the Warriors, and is not expected to train with the team until tomorrow.Queensland Jimmy Maher (capt), Lachlan Stevens, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Aaron Nye, Brendan Nash, Wade Seccombe (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Hauritz, Mitchell Johnson, Daniel Payne.Tasmania Daniel Marsh (capt), Michael Di Venuto, George Bailey, Michael Bevan, Travis Birt, Luke Butterworth, Jamie Cox, Michael Dighton (wk), Xavier Doherty, Brett Geeves, Adam Griffith, Scott Kremerskothen, Damien Wright.

Shane Warne, who was banned for 12 months last February for testing positive to an illegal diuretic, wants to be back in the Australian Test team for their upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka. It has just been announced that Australia will tour the subcontinent in February and March where they will play five one-day internationals and three Tests.Warne recently attended the Wisden Electrolux awards evening in Bombay where he was given an award for the best Test-bowling performance of the year. At the function, he admitted going through a “tough time for six to seven months”, but hopes to “come back in February.”A return in February 2004 was the only option for Warne as he refused to let the ban end his career, claiming that “it’ll actually help me in the long run”. He also added, “I think I’ve got two or three years left in the game and the enforced layoff is probably going to help me add another one at the end of my career”.During the winter, Warne started to train with his state side, Victoria, to maintain his form and fitness but was banned from even doing that after the Australian Sports Commission advised Cricket Australia that the anti-doping policy included national, state and district training. This was a major blow for Warne as the Australian selectors had asked him to join their sessions too.Warne’s recent award, for his excellent performances in Pakistan in October 2002 shows that he won’t be kept down for much longer. He has already served close to nine months of his 12-month ban and if he makes the Sri Lankan tour he will attempt to become the second bowler ever to take 500 Test wickets.

Wellington’s second loss of the weekend to Central Districts ushered Canterbury through a wide open door to win the right to meet Auckland in the final of the women’s State League next weekend.Wellington batted first and after plummeting to 21 for five wickets, had Maia Lewis to thank for dragging it through to 143 before the side was all out in the 50th over.Lewis was eventually run out for 42 but in the process she added 56 with Anna Corbin (32) and 30 with Amanda Cooper.Aimee Mason bowled from the outset and took three wickets for 12 runs off 10 overs while Kate Pulford backed her up with two for 21 from eight overs.CD took 41.1 overs to hit the winning runs. Nicole Thessman scored 46 not out off 79 balls while Pulford scored 26 and Mason scored 34 off 45 balls.Canterbury assured themselves of a place in the final when dismissing Otago for 81 in 34.2 overs in Oamaru. Extras of 21 were the top score for Otago while Rachel Pullar scored 16.Helen Daly took three for 14 off 10 overs while Rebecca Steele took three for 10 off six.Canterbury raced to an eight-wicket victory, and the bonus point as they scored the runs required off 20.2 overs.Nicola Payne scored 26 and Haidee Tiffen 25 off 27 balls. Pullar provided something of a test for the batsmen in 10 overs of fire and brimstone as she took two for 23 from her 10 overs.Auckland warmed up for the final by taking a 10-wicket win out of Northern Districts. ND scored 107 with Victoria Brown scoring 22 and Anna Wilkins 13. However, there was one concern for Auckland, they bowled 26 wides.Paula Gruber took four for 15 from 9.2 overs while Natalie Scripps took two for 23 off 10 overs.Auckland raced to victory in 15.5 overs. Rebecca Rolls, thankful for missed catches when on 0 and five, scored 58 off 46 balls while Michelle Lynch hit 36 off 50 balls.

The East Zone Ranji Trophy encounter between Bihar and Orissa whichwitnessed tall scores at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur drifted to adraw with Orissa getting five points due to their 186-run firstinnings lead. Bihar had to be content with three.Resuming at 470 for 7, Orissa’s overnight batsmen P Jai Chandra andDebasish Mohanty added eight more runs before RR Parida declared. JaiChandra who remained unbeaten on 95 the previous evening reached hiscentury and remained unbeaten on 101 off 188 balls. He hit ten foursand a six.Bihar in their second innings batted out the rest of the day whilemaking 213 runs for seven. The main contributors were skipper RajivKumar (33), Sunil Kumar (46) and A Hashmi (49). Sunil Kumar and Hashmiwere involved in a 67-run fourth wicket stand which went a long way insalvaging a draw for the hosts. The spoils were shared all around withMohanty (2 for 42) and Barick (2 for 63) being the pick.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side returned to winning ways against St. Mirren on Wednesday night, with second-half goals from Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor being enough to secure a 2-0 win at Parkhead.

However, despite the Bhoys’ typical domination – enjoying a 76% share of possession, completing 696 passes and having 21 shots at the Saints’ goal – the 56-year-old’s side once again struggled in the final third – creating just one big chance over the course of the 90 minutes, as well as hitting the target with just six of their 21 shots.

Indeed, the fact that the Hoops required goals from their centre-back and holding midfielder in order to take all three points against a side who now sit ninth in the Premiership table perfectly highlights the poor form of the Celtic front three – with Jota, Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada all offering very little in the way of creativity and cutting edge in the attacking third.

However, it will undoubtedly be 20-year-old Abada most disappointed with his performance on Wednesday night, as the Israeli international saw his run of failing to hit the back of the net or register an assist extend to six games in all competitions.

Lost 71% duels

Indeed, over his 65 minutes on the Parkhead pitch, the right-winger failed to make any real impact on the game going forwards, having just one shot at the St. Mirren goal, failing with his one attempted dribble, finding his man with only one of his four attempted crosses and completing just 29 passes – the second-least of Celtic’s starting outfielders.

The £4.05m-rated forward also offered little in a defensive capacity, winning just two of his seven duels – a failure rate of 71% – being beaten by an opponent once and losing possession of the ball on 12 separate occasions.

These returns saw the £15k-per-week attacker earn an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.8 – ranking him as Postecoglou’s worst-performing starter on the night.

As such, while Abada is undoubtedly a fantastic talent who is much better than his recent form would suggest, it is nevertheless true that the 20-year-old let his side down on Wednesday night – something that could well see Postecoglou give one of Karamoko Dembele or James Forrest a shot from the off at Livingston on Sunday.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Indeed, should the player who Pat Bonner claimed is a “huge problem” for defenders continue this run of form much longer, he could well start to become a huge problem for his own side, rather than the opposition.

In other news: Postecoglou must avoid disaster on “special” Celtic sensation, he’s a massive “talent”