After winning an unprecedented Champions League title back in May, expectations were high for this Arsenal side coming into the 2025-26 season. Could the Gunners use their European success as a springboard and really challenge for the Women's Super League title this time around? Could they finally end Chelsea's incredible dominance which has now seen them claim each of the last six league crowns, as well as 13 of the last 18 domestic honours?

So far, the answers to those questions appear to be unchanged and, as such, negative. Before the international break, Arsenal endured a four-game winless run for the first time since January 2022, and although they were able to stop the rot with wins over Brighton and Benfica before players headed off on national-team duty, neither performance was particularly convincing. As they prepare to resume WSL action this weekend, the Gunners are five points behind leaders Chelsea, having won just three of their first six games, and sit fifth in standings, behind north London rivals Tottenham.

It was only five months ago that this Arsenal team, under new head coach Renee Slegers, stunned Barcelona in the Champions League final having enjoyed an historic comeback victory over Real Madrid in the quarter-finals before battering eight-time European champions Lyon in their own backyard in the semis. So why have they been unable to build on that at the start of this season and what can they do to reignite what has so far been a sluggish and disappointing campaign? 

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  Be temporarily pragmatic

  One of the most notable struggles Arsenal have had in the early stages of this season has come in the form of high-profile mistakes when playing out from the back. That's been a particular issue amid the absence of Leah Williamson, whose quality in possession is a big reason why the Gunners are usually so good in building out from the defence, and whose spell on the sidelines has certainly had a negative impact on that facet of the team's game thus far this season.

  Encouragingly, Slegers took steps to address these errors, explaining after the win over Brighton: "We’ve been working on the build-up and, when the ball is in our own half, how we can have more forward intent so we don’t have to go backwards and teams can just go high and player for player and everyone is under pressure."

  It has had an immediately positive impact, not just because Arsenal have won their last two games but because they've kept two clean sheets in them, at least in part due to the fact that they've not been putting themselves in precarious situations in possession.

  A few days later, Slegers explained that she saw this as a "medium- or long-term" measure. "We want to find ways to beat that press but also not to invite the press and that is what we have been working on," she added.

  It's vital that, despite turning things around a little in recent weeks, Slegers sticks with this for the time being and doesn't allow those errors to creep back into Arsenal's game, especially while Williamson remains sidelined. If those issues return, it would be seriously problematic. 

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  Show more positivity and urgency in the final third

  Arsenal have been underwhelming in attack too, particularly with the lack of urgency shown in the opposition's half. Take the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, for example, where the Gunners were 1-0 up until a late, late equaliser from their visitors punished them for not finishing the game off.

  "I just don’t think we have the intensity and urgency in and around the box to kill the game, because we get an early goal," Slegers noted after that result. "But as long as it’s 1-0, the opposition always feels like they’re still in the game. You only need one moment and that’s what happened today."

  That felt like the case in the 1-0 win over Brighton, too, despite Arsenal's lead coming about as a result of a rather lucky own goal. Fortunately, the Seagulls were unable to make them pay for that lack of chance creation as the Gunners ended their winless run.

  But Slegers' side should absolutely not be resting on their laurels in these games. If they want to really turn that form around and reel off the results that are needed to get them back into the WSL title race, while proving that they can put up a sturdy European title defence, they have to show more urgency and positivity in the final third and a greater will to get shots off when the space opens up, rather than passing up the opportunity to get a strike on goal, regardless of the scoreline.

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  Create chances for Russo

  It's especially important for Arsenal to look more dangerous in the final third because Alessia Russo, who had her best goal-scoring season to date last term, has been starved of service. In the WSL, the England international ranks 16th for shots and 31st for shots on target, per 90 minutes, with her able to score just one goal from open play, and one penalty, in the competition as a result. That simply has to improve if the Gunners are to return to their best.

  It's not really on Russo, either. To watch Arsenal is to watch some great build-up and some especially electric wide play, only for the final ball to disappoint. So often, the crosses from the wings are particularly poor, which has been frustrating given how great a lot of the work before that is. Russo's movement, positioning and awareness in the box has come on leaps and bounds, and her team-mates need to improve balls into the area for her to allow her to continue to showcase that and make Arsenal a more efficient and effective team going forward.

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  Reignite Kelly's form

  Factoring into the need for that service for Russo to improve is the form of Chloe Kelly, which Arsenal need to reignite to make themselves a more dangerous attacking prospect. The England star was outstanding after signing for the Gunners on loan back in January, providing a series of game-changing moments and performances during her four months back in north London, so much so that the club opted to make the move permanent in the summer.

  Despite continuing that theme of being an elite difference-maker at the European Championship, where her heroics were key to England's second successive continental triumph, Kelly has struggled for form at the start of this new season. That is clearly down to fitness to some degree, with some heavy strapping on her knee visible earlier this month. If the Gunners can nurse her back to full health, though, she could provide a real boost to a team that has lacked attacking spark on more than one occasion, with her quick-thinking assist for Russo in the win over Benfica just before the international break a great reminder of as much.

Green made his first half-century at No.3 for Australia and hopes it’s a sign of things to come

Andrew McGlashan06-Jul-2025

Cameron Green made a vital 52•Associated Press

Cameron Green hopes that his vital half-century on the third day in Grenada can kick-start his career as a Test No. 3 having battled conditions where he admitted batters were often left “praying” that they weren’t undone by the unpredictable bounce.Having survived the second evening against a fired-up Jayden Seales, Green navigated a ball that was still new on the third morning, largely alongside the faultless Steven Smith in a stand of 93 that provided a cornerstone for Australia’s innings.After an early rain interruption, Green saw a delivery from Anderson Phillip shoot low past his off stump, beat wicketkeeper Shai Hope and run away for four byes. “Praying…that’s all you can really do,” he said. “You just try and forget about it as much as possible.”Related

Starc, Hazlewood make quick work of West Indies to help Australia retain Frank Worrell Trophy

Half-centuries from Smith and Green give Australia control

Hard work done but no pay day for Green as questions linger

Green was able to keep his focus and compile a 122-ball half-century that was brought up with a crunching straight drive, only to under edge his next delivery into the stumps and he tossed his bat to the ground in frustration.Still, this was Green’s most substantial contribution yet since being handed the No.3 role against South Africa in the World Test Championship final last month. It was a much-needed encouraging sign at a time when Australia’s top three remains under significant scrutiny.”You always need innings here and there just to get you back and get you going, hopefully today was certainly one of those,” he said. “A lot of good things I can get out of just spending time in the middle. I think the ball’s faced has been trending up. The runs haven’t been there, but there’s certainly little positives I can take out of it.”Hopefully my output can be a little bit better than it has been, but today was a nice sign that things are hopefully trending well.”Green, who fell four balls after being given a life in the first innings, added he does not take notice of what is being said about his game outside of the changing room, but he isn’t blind to the expectations of an Australia top-order batter.”You all know when you’re playing that there’s runs that need to be made certainly when you’re batting up the order for Australia,” he said. “It’s a tough game, so being able to bounce back from tough times is equally as important.”Unsurprisingly, it was a surface where Green never felt fully ‘in’ given a ball was rarely far away from playing a few tricks although he admitted it may not always have looked that way when Smith was on strike.”Certainly, last night was tricky [and then] with the new ball today you had to start again and there were a few ball changes, so I never really felt at any point it looked that good,” he said. “You’d probably ask a different question to Steve. I think he was batting on a different wicket. He’s clearly a class above and that’s a tough wicket, so to play as well as he did was incredible.”Cameron Green dropped his bat in frustration after being bowled by Shamar Joseph•AFP/Getty Images

Smith was so alert to the challenges of the pitch that after facing an early delivery from Phillip which kept low, he altered his trigger movement to stay stiller at the crease.”This innings, I decided to bat on middle to stay a bit more still [to] try and negate lbw as much as possible with the ball shooting a little bit low,” Smith told the broadcast after play. “Try and use my full face as much as possible. I thought I did that pretty well. Then anything loose, just try and cash in on it. You’ve got to try and put the bad balls away to put the pressure back on the bowler. It was a nice partnership with Greeny. I thought he played really nicely and sort of set us up for the rest of the innings.”Smith termed Australia as being in a “nice spot” with a lead of 254 and three wickets in hand heading into the fourth day although added a target over 300 would be the aim.”I don’t think the wicket is going to get any better to bat,” he said. “They’ll probably be a few more tricks, particularly with the newer ball. I think we saw today when they had that ball change, it started to do a few more things, and it was tricky. I think the new ball is going to be pretty crucial for us when we get that opportunity.”West Indies believe the chase remains within their grasp although allrounder Justin Greaves, who claimed the wickets of Smith and Beau Webster, said they need to take some lessons from how Australia’s middle-order has played.”The new ball does pretty much everything,” he said. “As soon as the ball gets a bit softer, it gets a bit easier for batting. Whatever score we can limit Australia to, possibly under 300, we’ve got to try and believe we can get it.”We just need to be positive when we go to bat. Probably taking some notes from both Travis Head and Beau Webster throughout the series…just having that positive mindset.”

Association with Taunton included two KSL titles with Western Storm prior to the county era

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2025

Griffin won two KSL titles as Western Storm head coach•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Trevor Griffin, Somerset Women’s head coach, has decided to stand down at the end of the season, following the club’s disappointing results in the first year of the Tier 1 professional era.Griffin was named in the role in October 2024, having previously overseen the fortunes of Taunton-based Western Storm. However, Somerset finished bottom of the standings in the Blast, and are currently sixth out of eight in the 50-over competition, facing a battle to reach the semi-finals. They were also eliminated at the first hurdle in the Women’s County Cup, following a Super Over loss to Durham.”Now feels like the right time for the team to hear a new voice and for me to start my next chapter,” Griffin said. “The role of any leader is to identify what their team needs in order to continue to develop and grow, and I feel this is the best thing for the squad and for me. I feel that I need to recharge before focusing on my next opportunity.”I’m incredibly proud to have been the first Women’s Head Coach at Somerset and it’s been an honour to wear the Wyvern. I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all at the club for agreeing to this and I’d also like to thank the Members and supporters because it’s been a genuine privilege to be part of this journey. The backing from the fans has meant a great deal, and I’ll always be grateful for the support shown throughout my time here.”Griffin’s spell at Taunton was stretched across two separate spells with Western Storm, initially from 2017 to 2019 – during which time the team twice won the Kia Super League – and a second stint from 2022 onwards. He also coached at Sunrisers and Sydney Thunder in the BBL, as well as working with London Spirit in the Women’s Hundred.”I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far,” he said. “Winning the KSL twice with Western Storm was very special. I was the first women’s coach to secure a role overseas and the first to win the Women’s Big Bash.”I’ve absolutely still got the coaching bug and my love for cricket remains as strong as ever. There are exciting opportunities on the horizon both here and abroad and I can’t wait to embrace these new challenges; I’m really energised and excited about what my next role will bring but Somerset will always hold a special place in my heart.”Somerset Director of Cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “Trevor has been synonymous with elite women’s cricket in the region for many years and everyone associated with the Club would like to thank Trevor for his hard work, dedication and passion over the years.”As the first professional Head Coach of Somerset Women, Trevor will always be a part of the history of the Club, and he leaves behind incredibly strong foundations on which the team can build and progress.”

Cristiano Ronaldo has laughed off questions regarding his 1,000th goal being scored in the 2026 World Cup final, suggesting that anybody expecting that to happen has “been watching too many movies”. CR7 admits that such a scenario would be “perfect”, but prefers to keep his focus locked on the present – with the all-time great also reluctant to speculate on his potential involvement at Euro 2028.

• Individual targets: Prolific Ronaldo sets personal goals

  Having achieved just about everything – a World Cup triumph aside – Ronaldo has to set more individual targets during the latter stages of his record-shattering career. One of those sees him chasing down four figures on the goal front, with that milestone very much in sight.

  Given how prolific he has been for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team – with 143 efforts recorded for his country – it may be that Ronaldo further cements his legacy before gracing another international tournament.

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  Dream ending: Could Ronaldo reach 1,000 goals in World Cup final?

  He will be heading to a sixth World Cup regardless of what he has achieved on the personal front, with the evergreen 40-year-old as hungry as ever to savour tangible success. He has written plenty of Hollywood scripts down the years, allowing the history books to be rewritten, but is not giving too much thought to delivering a fairytale ending on American soil.

  Quizzed on whether his 1,000th goal could come in the game that lands him a World Cup winners’ medal, Ronaldo said: “You've been watching too many movies, that would be too perfect. Getting back to reality, all this data makes me happy. A national team never depends on one player, but I like being able to make a difference with goals. It's always good to score goals, that's my position. I want to play in this next World Cup, otherwise I wouldn't be here, but let's take it step by step. If that happened, it would be a good sign, I'd end my career on a high note.”

• Evergreen at 40: How Ronaldo moves with the times

  Ronaldo is showing no sign of slowing down on the goal front, with the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward priding himself on being able to move with the times. He added on being prolific at an age that few reach as a professional: “Scoring goals is the hardest thing in football. I think I was smart to adapt to modern football, physically and mentally, to different club contexts, the national team, different leagues. I think a truly intelligent player adapts to the circumstances of football, and that's how it should be. I'll think like that until I retire from football. You have to adapt; football isn't the same as it was five years ago. What makes the difference between great players is their brains, their heads.”

  While retirement does not dominate his thoughts at present, Ronaldo has admitted that a day in which his boots are hung up for the final time may come “soon”. He has conceded that the 2026 World Cup will be his last.

  He has, however, signed a contract with Al-Nassr until 2027 and stated that: “Let's be honest, when I mean soon I mean probably one, two years. I'm enjoying the moment. But when I mean soon, it's not really soon, because I give everything for football. I'm in the game for the last 25 years, I did everything. I have many records. I'm really proud. So let's enjoy the moment, live the moment.”

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  Will Ronaldo play at Euro 2028? Portuguese GOAT responds

  With Ronaldo’s fire still burning, and many tipping him to play on beyond the age of 42, could he grace another European Championship – having previously captured that crown with Portugal in 2016? Ronaldo said when that question was put to him: “The important thing is to focus on this game. The national team is here to play in a final stage. It's another very important competition for the country, for the players, for me too, and everything else isn't relevant right now. Now it's about enjoying the moment.”

  Euro 2028 will be heading to the UK and Ireland. Ronaldo has some happy memories in England from his two spells at Old Trafford and is preparing to line up against Irish opposition on Thursday as Portugal seek to wrap up automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup.

Away from narrowly scraping past Everton 1-0 on the opening day, Daniel Farke’s Leeds United have only tasted victory once more in Premier League action.

That was on the road back in September when the top-flight newcomers convincingly got the better of bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1.

Anton Stach’s glorious free-kick hitting the back of the net was the pick of the strikes from this comprehensive win, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin also broke his Whites duck when heading home the initial equaliser.

Those with connections to Elland Road would have hoped this would be the kick-starter the ex-Everton marksman needed to then find himself deep in a purple patch of form.

Yet, he was frustratingly back to drawing blanks heading into the international break…

Why Calvert-Lewin is struggling at Leeds

The 28-year-old is arguably a streaky centre-forward, with the hit-and-miss number nine scoring seven of his 16 Premier League goals for ex-employers Everton during the 2020/21 season within his first five outings.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t sparked into life as a similar goal machine just yet in West Yorkshire, with both the 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth and the loss to Tottenham Hotspur before the break seeing Calvert-Lewin spurn chances galore, instead of adding to his early Leeds tally.

Minutes played

89

90

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Shots

3

2

Shots on target

3

1

Big chances missed

3

1

In all fairness, Calvert-Lewin is getting into some great positions to try and score – with nearly all of his efforts across the two league clashes being on target.

However, despite accumulating four on-target efforts, he failed to find the back of the net.

When the pressure is ramped up towards the back end of the season, Farke might not feel too comfortable relying on the Sheffield-born striker to deliver the goods, with ex-Leeds legend Nigel Martyn even once stating that Calvert-Lewin doesn’t strike him as a “natural finisher” when he was also spurning chances regularly on Merseyside.

With Joel Piroe also not Premier League-recognised in reserve, Leeds must now wish they could turn back time to a player who could easily take Calvert-Lewin’s number nine shirt from him.

Former Leeds star now worthy of the number 9 jersey

The 6-foot-2 striker’s difficulties in the injury department haven’t even been mentioned yet, with a worrying 21 games missed over his previous two seasons for Everton owing to extended periods in the treatment room.

Where Are They Now

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

Former Thorp Arch prodigy Max Dean has also had his fair share of injury troubles since leaving West Yorkshire behind, with a cruciate ligament tear completely derailing a positive 2024/25 season for the promising Englishman in Belgium.

Still, when he has been fit, he has left Calvert-Lewin completely in the dust with his goal-scoring prowess.

Indeed, while Calvert-Lewin could only collect a meagre three goals all of last season, Dean was a man possessed for KAA Gent, with a blistering 13 strikes amassed from just 1,497 minutes of action.

Of course, injury disaster then struck, but with the former England youth international now edging ever closer to being back available for the Jupiler Pro League outfit, some regret must still be lingering that Leeds didn’t persist more with one of their own, considering he also put away a stunning 16 goals for their U23s from 38 total appearances.

Games played

73

Goals scored

33

Assists

7

Value when leaving

£700k

Value now

£4m

With a goal-heavy stint at MK Dons also under his belt, netting 20 in 43, it’s clear that Dean was prematurely let go by Leeds in 2023, having actually never made a senior outing.

As a marker of his impressive rise, his transfer value now stands at an impressive £4m according to Football Transfers. When he first made the switch to Milton Keynes, he was worth far less at an estimated £700k.

Dubbed as “special” player by his ex-Gent manager in Wouter Vrancken, the 21-year-old will just be aiming to get amongst the goals again for Gent when he’s finally fully fit, away from any talk that he could have stolen Calvert-Lewin’s number nine shirt if still at his boyhood side.

It’s sad, though, that Leeds has had such little bearing on his fledgling career in reality, as Farke now strives to get a tune out of Calvert-Lewin in tense games to come.

Leeds outcast is quickly becoming Farke's new Bamford & it's not DCL

Leeds might see a repeat of the Bamford sitution

1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 14, 2025

Fan of the Philadelphia Phillies didn't have much patience on Sunday.

It didn't take long for Phillies fans to jump on their team during Game 2 of the NLDS against the New York Mets. After their team fell behind 2-0 early, Philadelphia's fans began booing their own players after they went scoreless in the first four innings. The boos were not subtle and came on every at-bat.

Nick Castellanos seemed to get it the worst.

Say what you want, but it appeared to work. The Mets were up 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth when Bryce Harper launched a two-run home run and Castellanos followed that up with a solo shot to tie the game at 3-3.

The Phillies led 1-0 for most of Game 1, but a five-run eighth inning rally helped the Mets take the lead for good in a 6-2 victory. Game 2 is still up for grabs.

Arsenal are now looking to get ahead in the race to sign Levante striker Karl Etta Eyong, amid widespread interest from some top Premier League clubs.

The Gunners made it nine wins on the bounce in all competitions on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of a 2-0 victory at Burnley, with their backline once again looking very strong, limiting the Clarets to an xG of just 0.41.

Goals from Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres secured all three points, with the latter bagging his first Premier League goal since September, displaying his striker’s instincts by nodding home from close range.

Mikel Arteta is very well-stocked in attacking areas on paper, although Gabriel Jesus has suffered persistent injury issues and Kai Havertz has featured just once in the Premier League this season due to a knee problem.

As such, it could make sense to bring in a new striker to compete for Gyokeres’ starting spot, and the north Londoners are now looking to sign a highly-rated young forward.

Arsenal looking to get ahead in Etta Eyong race

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now looking to get ahead in the race to sign Levante striker Etta Eyong, who is being targeted by a number of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Manchester City and Manchester United also keen.

Signing a new striker isn’t a priority for the Gunners, but the 22-year-old is of interest, and a release clause of around just €40m (£35m) means he would be an affordable option.

Ideally, however, the forward would prefer to play in La Liga, so it remains to be seen whether the interested English clubs are able to tempt him into a move.

Stan Kroenke & co clearly mean business, having set out to sign another striker, despite Arteta already having the likes of Gyokeres, Havertz and Jesus to choose from.

With Arsenal looking to compete on all fronts, however, it makes sense to have squad depth, and the Levante star could be an exciting addition, having been lauded as “powerful” by journalist Kai Watson.

The Cameroonian has certainly hit the ground running at Levante since arriving from Villarreal in the summer, scoring five goals in his opening seven games for the La Liga side, while he also has three assists to his name this season.

There are question marks over whether Etta Eyong would be a necessary signing, but he is showing very promising signs in La Liga, and £35m would be a reasonable fee.

Viktor Gyokeres named as one of the best strikers in the world The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup returns this week, with Glamorgan defending the title they won at Trent Bridge in 2025. Here are the runners and riders in Group A:

Derbyshire

Captain: Brooke Guest
2024 Position: Fourth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Harry Came (281)
2024 Most Wickets: Zak Chappell (17)
Why they can win the competition: Although Wayne Madsen, Aneurin Donald and Pat Brown are playing in The Hundred, Derbyshire could go deep into the competition if players like Chappell and Australian opener Caleb Jewell fire. The return from injury of all-rounder Luis Reece adds quality and experience while Ben Aitchison brings a cutting edge to the seam attack.Player to watch: Martin Andersson has played some significant innings in the Rothesay County Championship since he made the switch from Middlesex and with Madsen and Donald missing, this is a chance for him to play a leading role with the bat in the white-ball game. An outstanding fielder, his seam bowling will provide Guest with another option.Young gun: Joe Hawkins impressed on his step up to the first team in the County Championship at Northampton and the 18-year-old off-spinning all-rounder is expected to get further chances to show his potential in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. A recent call-up to the England Under-19 squad is a measure of his progress and this competition provides a platform for him to build on that.Final thought: The Falcons were expected to be a contender in the Vitality Blast but after a disappointing tournament, they now have another opportunity to show they are a better one-day side than those results suggest. On their day, they have the players to mount a strong challenge and the disappointment in the T20 format could be a motivating factor over the next few weeks.

Essex

Captain: Tom Westley
2024 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2024 most runs: Robin Das (309)
2024 most wickets: Jamal Richards (15)Why they can win the competition: With only four players seconded to The Hundred – compared with six last year – Essex will in theory have a larger pool of players to pick from. However, their plans were disrupted when Indian pace bowler Khaleel Ahmed belatedly pulled out of his all-formats contract; Essex are busily trying to sign an overseas replacement for at least part of the competition.Player to watch: Robin Das top-scored last year, topped by an unbeaten century in a rare win at Trent Bridge. He has not built on that this season with only a couple of disappointing outings in both the Rothesay County Championship and Vitality Blast. If he finally rediscovers his form, it could reignite his career and lead to a memorable few weeks.Young gun: Though still only 20, Luc Benkenstein has been a mainstay of Essex’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup team since his 2021 debut. He made his mark the following year with 6-42 against Glamorgan, though barely bowled last season because of injury. Now a Blast regular, the leggie will boost the spin options as well as adding big-hitting cameos down the order.Final thought: Essex have won just seven of 24 One-Day Cup fixtures since they reached the semi-finals in 2021 – and four of 16 in the past two seasons – with some heavy defeats along the way. It is going to take a massive improvement in performance from essentially the same group of players, allied to some astute tactical acumen from captain Tom Westley, to turn around their white-ball fortunes after a torrid Blast campaign.Carlson raises the Metro Bank One-Day Cup for Glamorgan•Getty Images

Glamorgan

Captain: Kiran Carlson
2024 Position: Champions
2024 Most Runs: Colin Ingram (297)
2024 Most Wickets: Andy Gorvin & Dan Douthwaite (19)Why they can win the competition: As defending champions, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup has felt like a homecoming for Glamorgan, reaping their most success in recent years, winning in 2021 also. David Harrison will lead the team (Richard Dawson away with Welsh Fire) after he was interim head coach and assistant for their previous two success and can lean on a new exciting support staff including Ian Harvey who supported Dawson to success in this competition with Gloucestershire.Player to watch: Billy Root in a crucial stage in his career could have a more senior, important role to play. The 32-year-old in his final year contracted at Glamorgan has spent most of the season in the 2ndXI, often captaining, however came into his own with 296 runs in this tournament in 2024. With Mason Crane and Ben Kellaway selected in The Hundred, Root could be turned to with ball in hand also.Young gun: Jersey international Asa Tribe has shown significant signs of improvement from last year where he top scored with just 26 across six matches. A first red-ball century followed by an ever-present status in the Vitality Blast middle-order, Tribe’s influence on the Glamorgan side has come from nowhere. The 21-year-old with an ODI century on his record will look to play a big role at the top of the order this time around.Final thought: Glamorgan will be missing a key part of their team’s success in this competition of recent years – Colin Ingram. The 40-year-old South African taking up a first assistant coach role is still eligible but is expected to step back from playing for this competition. Despite the lack of a frontline spinner, Andy Gorvin and Dan Douthwaite were joint top wicket takers (with Ed Barnard) in 2024. Douthwaite will be missing early as a short-term injury replacement in The Hundred, but if they can replicate that success with the step up from younger squad members, there’s no reason why this side can’t go back-to-back.

Gloucestershire

Captain: Jack Taylor
2024 Position: Fifth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Miles Hammond (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Ajeet Singh Dale (13)Why they can win the competition: Less affected than most rivals by call-ups to The Hundred (only four), Gloucestershire proved themselves a one-day force by winning last season’s Vitality Blast. Despite making a nightmare start to that competition this summer, they reeled off four successive group wins at one stage, beating the likes of Hampshire and Essex.Player to watch: At the age of 32, Gloucestershire’s red-ball captain Cameron Bancroft boasts more than 3,000 runs in List A cricket at an average of over 40, with five hundreds, and will provide a wealth of experience at the top of the batting order. The Australia Test player has already produced innings of 163 and 176 in the Rothesay County Championship this season.Young gun: Seam bowler Aman Rao signed for Gloucestershire just before the start of the Vitality Blast and played in the first two group matches against Kent and Sussex. The 21-year-old Loughborough University student is sure to be given more opportunities in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and his height combined with an ability to swing the ball could see him make a significant impact.Final thought: With head coach Mark Alleyne involved in The Hundred, bowling coach Mark Thorburn takes charge for the second successive year and will be determined to make a better start that last season when the team lost their first two group matches before winning four of the next five and just failing to reach the knock-out stage.Fletcha Middleton in action for Hampshire•Getty Images

Hampshire

Captain: Nick Gubbins
2024 Position: Quarter-finals
2024 Most Runs: Ben Brown (286)
2024 Most Wickets: Brad Wheal (13)Why they can win the competition: Hampshire have been a force in 50-over cricket for a couple of generations, having only failed to qualify for the knockouts in one of the last six editions of the One-Day Cup. With largely the same set of players to pick from as 2024, Hampshire have experience at all ages. Scotland international Brandon McMullen’s arrival from August 13 knits the team together with bat and ball, while Indian sensation Tilak Varma will be around for the opening three fixtures.Player to watch: Eddie Jack might still only be 19, but he has certainly graduated from simply being a “young gun”. The tall and very quick fast bowler put Test players KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in his back pocket when playing for England Lions earlier in the summer, where Andrew Flintoff became a big fan. Expect him to be in the top wicket-taking reckoning.Young gun: Given his first professional deal to play in the competition, Ben Mayes comes with a gigantic reputation in age-group cricket. The 17-year-old batter is on England’s long-term radar with Under 19s and Professional County Club Select XI recognition this summer. Come for the wristy hockey-influenced boundaries, stay for the big scores. Fast bowler Manny Lumsden is also worth keeping an eye on.Final thought: Three successive progressions from the group stages, three heartbreaks in the knock-outs – with the last two inflicted by Leicestershire. Could this be the year they take the final leap to silverware? Former captain Jimmy Adams – a winner in two List A finals and now a highly-regarded coach – will step up to lead the side, with Adi Birrell leading Southern Brave Men in The Hundred. It may well be a good audition to taking the top job full-time when it next becomes vacant.

Leicestershire

Captain: Peter Handscomb
2024 Position: Semi-finals
2024 Most Runs: Peter Handscomb (539)
2024 Most Wickets: Tom Scriven (18)Why they can win the competition: Winners in 2023 and semi-finalists last year, Leicestershire are a side brimming with confidence and no shortage of quality. Current man-of-the-moment Rehan Ahmed will be otherwise engaged, but overseas batting stars Peter Handscomb and Shan Masood and explosive opener Sol Budinger will compete for the spotlight in his absence. Why would they not fancy themselves for more 50-over glory?Player to watch: After a relatively modest contribution to the Foxes’ Vitality Blast campaign, Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will be keen to make his mark in this competition, playing a format in which he has enjoyed considerable success, averaging 52.48 with 15 hundreds. That could make the left-hander a dangerous opponent.Young gun: Josh Hull may be unavailable due to The Hundred, but Leicestershire can replace him with another 6ft 7ins fast bowler in Alex Green, who may still be growing at just 18 years old. Genuinely quick, Green took four wickets in three appearances in the competition last season and has further underlined his potential for England Under-19s against their India equivalents this summer.Final thought: The 2023 Metro Bank One-Day Cup Final will be forever remembered for wicketkeeper-batter Harry Swindells producing the match of his life, making a career-best 117 not out to rescue his side from 89 for six and set up an unlikely Foxes victory. It is a little poignant then, on the eve of this year’s tournament, that the Leicester-born player has had to announce his retirement from cricket at the age of just 26 because of a persistent finger injury.

Nottinghamshire

Captain: Haseeb Hameed
2024 Position: Fourth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ben Slater (398)
2024 Most Wickets: Rob Lord (11)Why they can win the competition: The Outlaws lacked consistency last year but with confidence high after a good season with the red ball they have enough quality – especially in the batting – to mount a challenge, even if call-ups to The Hundred will test the depth of their bowling resources, with the likes of Rob Lord and James Hayes hoping for the opportunity to impress.Player to watch: Opener Ben Slater is a batter opponents always hope to see the back of early, given an apparent penchant for List A cricket. His 68 appearances in the format have yielded more than 3,000 runs at a remarkable average of 52.75. A career-best 164 in a win over Surrey at Guildford last year took his List A centuries tally to eight.Young gun: The outstanding batter in Nottinghamshire’s Second XI this season with close to 700 runs, 18-year-old right-hander Sam Seecharan is highly thought of at Trent Bridge and after making his senior debut in the last of the Outlaws’ Vitality Blast fixtures is likely to be given a chance to shine in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.Final thought: The One-Day Cup sees Notts stalwart Paul Franks take on the role of head coach, with Peter Moores joining up with Trent Rockets for The Hundred. Franks – 20 years a Nottinghamshire player – has been assistant head coach since 2017, helping the county win the Blast (twice), the One-Day Cup and promotion to Division One in the Rothesay County Championship in that time. This is his first opportunity to lead the county to a senior title in his own right.Josh Blake struck a maiden List A century last season•Getty Images

Surrey

Captain: Rory Burns
2024 Position: Eighth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ryan Patel (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Cameron Steel (17)Why they can win the competition: It will be a tough ask given the absence of 15 leading players at The Hundred, but as in previous seasons Surrey will be approaching the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a positive vision of the competition giving precious first-team experience to a raft of youngsters. There is still a hard core of senior players, too.Player to watch: Cameron Steel will be looking at this year’s competition as the perfect opportunity to showcase his proven all-round talents as a middle-order stroke-maker and leg-spinner with a knack of taking important wickets. A comparative lack of game time in Surrey’s Rothesay County Championship side this summer will only add to that desire.Young gun: Ollie Sykes has already been blooded in all formats, including making 11 appearances to date in the Vitality Blast. But it was in last year’s One-Day Cup, when the big-hitting 20-year-old left-hander made his first three starts in the competition, that he initially gave notice of his huge promise with 87 not out against Essex at Chelmsford.Final thought: With no overseas player available, Surrey will be relying on the international experience of skipper Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Ben Foakes and fast bowler Matt Fisher – plus the know-how of Steel and Ryan Patel – to steer a predominantly youthful line-up in which the performances of the likes of Sykes, Josh Blake, James Taylor and Yousef Majid will be carefully monitored.

Worcestershire

Captain: Jake Libby
2024 Position: Quarter-final
2024 Most Runs: Jake Libby (526)
2024 Most Wickets: Jack Home (16)Why they can win: Worcestershire are blessed with the availability of many first-team regulars who are not affected by selection in The Hundred, meaning the majority of Alan Richardson’s first-choice eleven will be involved for the Rapids across the tournament. Skipper Jake Libby and mid-season signing Khurram Shahzad will look to show their quality and blend with some exciting youngsters to compete for silverware.Player to watch: Tom Taylor. Having registered the most wickets for Worcestershire so far this season, the right-arm seamer has been in stand-out form across all formats this summer for his side. The 30-year-old has made his name as a frugal opening bowler and will be looking to continue his consistent performances that have yielded him an impressive average of under 25 across both formats.Young gun: Henry Cullen. The exciting 22-year-old wicketkeeper featured during this year’s Vitality Blast having been on the radar for some time at Visit Worcestershire New Road. His eye-catching displays for the 2nd XI have forced an opening into the senior set-up, with this competition the perfect platform for the cultured and efficient young batter to show off his skills.Final thought: A promising end to the Vitality Blast campaign will offer supporters hope that the Rapids white-ball form can extend further into the summer, with the likes of Ethan Brookes central to any hopes of bettering last year’s encouraging quarter-final finish. Having lacked consistency throughout the summer, the exciting crop of youngsters will be looking to breakthrough and enjoy successful campaigns in a side more than capable of challenging deep into the tournament.

The three wickets Rashid Khan took in the chase took him to No. 1 on the wicket-taker’s list in men’s T20Is

Danyal Rasool01-Sep-2025Afghanistan survived a brief scare from Muhammad Waseem to ultimately secure a comfortable 38-run victory, their first of the competition, on Monday. As so often, it was Rashid Khan who led the way for them, his 3 for 21 derailing the UAE at a critical juncture midway through their innings just when they looked to have made a fist of chasing 189. He also became the highest wicket-taker in men’s T20Is in the process.That target was set thanks to half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal, whose 84-run partnership put their side on course after the early loss of Rahmanullah Gurbaz. UAE turned in a better bowling performance than they did against Pakistan, with their seam bowlers keeping Afghanistan quiet for the most part through the powerplay and then in phases during the middle overs, but paid the price for losing their discipline at the death. A priceless cameo from Karim Janat in the penultimate over meant 22 runs were added, and helped Afghanistan finish above par.UAE rely so often on Waseem for a realistic shot, and that’s exactly what he provided as he flew out of the blocks. They suffered none of the early difficulties Afghanistan had at the start as they stayed ahead of the asking rate thanks largely to their captain. But it always had the feel of a solo effort, and when he was dismissed, no one could replicate that scoring rate, and Afghanistan had enough on the scoreboard, and with the ball, to make the win look cushier than it once looked.Early jittersThe pressure was squarely on Afghanistan at the start, having lost the toss and beginning the day at the bottom of the table. That pressure was compounded after Junaid Siddique and Muhammad Rohid got through three tight overs that allowed just 16, before Rohid drew an edge from a struggling Gurbaz to send him on his way. Atal and Ibrahim saw through a further couple of overs with the first five overs of the powerplay decisively going the home side’s way.Afghanistan turn it aroundBut UAE introduced seam bowler Saghir Khan for the final over of the powerplay, and the pair saw an opportunity. A slot ball first up was whipped over midwicket, and Saghir’s lengths didn’t improve as the over went on. Afghanistan plundered 18 from it, and it set the partnership on its way.Atal picked his moments through the remainder of the partnership, finding a four or a six just about every over, with Ibrahim cashing in when Dhruv Parashar sent down an errant over. It wasn’t until the Afghanistan 100 was brought up that UAE finally broke the partnership, but with eight overs to go, Afghanistan had the platform they needed to launch.Ibrahim Zadran made 63 in 40 balls•Emirates Cricket BoardDash at the deathAnd launch they did. Throughout much of the innings, UAE had held on to Afghanistan’s coattails, making sure they never pulled too far ahead. That faded in the final four overs, though, as the wheels came off for the hosts and Afghanistan’s lower-middle order plundered 49 off the following three overs.Azmatullah Omarzai – whose cameo was pivotal to his side’s acceleration – triggered the gear change with a six over the on side, with Ibrahim matching him later in the over. Omarzai would go after Saghir too, but it was Janat’s takedown of Rohid – who had given away just 12 in his first three and taken two wickets – that took the game out of the UAE’s hands. Two sixes and two fours saw Rohid bleed 22, and though Siddique would follow with a sensational final over, the damage by now had been done.Rashid triggers implosionTalismanic captain Waseem had put UAE on course with another excellent display that combined power with timing and judiciousness, keeping up with the asking rate without appearing to take too many risks. There were imperious signs that belligerence would continue unabated when he piledrove Rashid for a straight six over the sight screen in his second over; by the end of the ninth over, they required just over nine with eight wickets still in hand.All of that changed in four deliveries. Waseem miscued one off Sharafudin Ashraf and was gone for a 37-ball 67, leaving Asif Khan to try and repeat the heroics that came in vain against Pakistan.The first ball he faced off Rashid, though, Asif misread the turn, and found his off stump rattled. UAE’s two main attacking threats gone and the asking rate climbing, Rashid sliced through the batting, polishing off Ethan D’Souza and Parashar to finish his spell. By now, the asking rate had climbed to nearly 16, and only an unbeaten half-century from Rahul Chopra, achieved with a six off the game’s final ball, reduced Afghanistan’s margin of victory.

Harry Kane has admitted he wants to win the Ballon d'Or and compared himself to Manchester City hitman Erling Haaland as the strikers battle for glory. Kane is one goal off matching Pele's international haul and will hope to match or better the Brazilian when England face Albania in their final World Cup qualifier on Sunday night as the Three Lions look to maintain their 100% record.

Getty Images SportKane expected to start against Albania

England have won all seven 2026 World Cup qualifiers following their 2-0 victory over Serbia on Thursday night. Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze netted either side of half time to wrap up another three points at Wembley, as the Three Lions eased to next summer's showpiece.

Thomas Tuchel's men have scored 20 goals in qualifying, of which Kane has netted six, and have the chance to make it eight wins from eight when they face off against Albania on Sunday evening. And with no other out-and-out striker in the squad, the 32-year-old has a great opportunity to add to that haul and go level with Pele for international goals.

Pele scored 77 times for Brazil during a legendary career, while Kane sits on 76 for the Three Lions. The England skipper netted in the reverse fixture, a 2-0 win at Wembley back in March, and will feel confident about his chances of scoring against the Red and Blacks, who are guaranteed a play-off spot following their 1-0 victory at Andorra on Thursday.

Advertisement'To be around a name like Pele speaks for itself'

Kane has confessed that he relishes reaching such milestones, stating: "To be around a name like Pele speaks for itself. Sometimes when you're in it, it's hard to process some of the names you're around or the things you're achieving. You just want to go onto the next one.

"Hopefully to score tomorrow and go level with Pele, who had such an inspirational international career, just shows how far I've come through my career."

Getty Images SportKane makes Ballon d'Or claim with '100 goals' warning

Kane doesn't just have Pele's international goal record in his sights, but the Ballon d'Or, too. Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 accolade, pipping Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to the award after the Frenchman's role in PSG's Champions League triumph over Inter last season.

The Bayern forward, who is England's leading marksman in history, insists he won't win the individual accolade, even if he scores '100 goals this season'. "I could score 100 goals this season but if I don't win the Champions League or the World Cup, you're probably not going to win the Ballon d'Or," Kane said.

"It's the same with Erling Haaland, it's the same with any player. You have to be winning those major trophies. With the way the season is going as a team with Bayern Munich, it looks like we're in great shape.

"It looks like we're one of the favourites for the Champions League, for sure. So that maybe makes the odds a little bit more in my favour. Same with England. I think we're going to go into the tournament as one of the favourites.

"Whenever you are going into a year, like a World Cup year, there is a lot of excitement, a lot of talk, a lot of noise around everything. You have to try and stay focused on the now.

"From my point of view, I've got six more weeks before I get a nice break. I am feeling good. And that break will help for us but hopefully if things go my way for club and country then I'm definitely going to be in the conversation for a trophy like the Ballon d'Or."

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Haaland instrumental in Norway's qualifying campaign

Haaland himself has been in sensational scoring form for both club and country this season. The 25-year-old has scored in all but two games for Manchester City and Norway in the 2025-26 campaign, failing to net in defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa.

The City star has been rampant for Stale Solbakken's side in qualifying having scored 14 goals with Norway on the cusp of reaching their first World Cup since 1998.

Norway have won all seven matches so far and face Italy in their final round of qualifiers on Sunday night. The Azzurri have won six of their seven games, but would need to win 9-0 in Milan to pip Norway to top spot in Group I.