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“He gave me a few words in terms of how the wicket would play… He read the wicket to the tee.”

Mohammad Isam23-Oct-2024Keshav Maharaj said that he benefited from Tamim Iqbal’s advice about the Dhaka pitch. The left-arm spinner has taken six wickets in the opening Test match against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium so far, bowling almost the perfect line and length in conditions that have assisted both seamers and the spinners. South Africa are in a good position in the game, needing three more wickets to bowl Bangladesh out in their second innings with the hosts leading by 81 runs.”I just sent Tamim a message,” Maharaj said. “I have got a good relationship with him. Obviously we played in the BPL. I just asked for some advice based on conditions and how to go about the business. He gave me a few words in terms of how the wicket would play. It wasn’t wrong. He read the wicket to the tee.”Maharaj played under Tamim for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024. He took three wickets in three matches, but all of them were at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Maharaj is playing his first match in Dhaka and so he did what other overseas bowlers visiting the subcontinent do. In 1998, Shane Warne got in touch with Bishen Singh Bedi so that he could be better informed about how to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar.South Africa began the third day’s play with three wickets in the first 30 minutes before Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali put on 138 runs for the seventh wicket. Maharaj bowled 37 overs, taking 3 for 105.Related

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Mehidy 87*, Jaker 58 help Bangladesh fight back on truncated third day

“It’s nice to get a marathon spell out of the belt,” he said. “I love bowling. We should get a little bit less [square] cut balls at the start of the spell, but I think I settled in quite nicely. When the ball got a little bit older, there wasn’t much reaction from the wicket so I tried to keep it as tight as possible.”Maharaj’s discipline allows him to play both attacking and defensives roles based on the match situation. He helped keep the pressure up from the other end when Kagiso Rabada was running hot in the first session and then later South Africa looked to him to pose as the primary threat, which he did to break a big partnership and pick up Jaker’s wicket.”We have a four-bowler line-up in our attack,” Maharaj said. “My job, apart from trying to create opportunity, was to hold up an end. I think this morning when I bowled in tandem with KG [Rabada], you could see that his tail was up and got the ball to do a little bit.”So my job at that stage was to try and hold up an end, and then when the switch came, I posed a little bit more when the ball started to spin. I think as a spinner you want to allow yourself to settle in and get those long spells on a wicket like this, knowing that there is a ball that will turn and be in your favour. Luckily enough, towards the back end in the middle of my spell, I got some reward from that.”Maharaj gave credit to Mehidy and Jaker for putting up the rearguard action. He said that South Africa tried really hard to remove the pair, but couldn’t do it for a long period. “I think yesterday was probably the day that we went a little bit searching (for wickets), if I’m honest. And then we got the three wickets, and I think Mehidy and Jaker Ali played really well.”We threw everything at them, and I don’t think it was a case of us taking our foot off the gas. I think they played really well, and you must give credit towards the batters in that situation,” he said.

Crystal Palace have now made an approach over a deal for an “amazing” defender, journalist Mike McGrath has revealed.

Crystal Palace set sights on Guehi replacement

Marc Guehi will forever be remembered for being the first captain to lead Palace to a major trophy, but with two Premier League clubs battling it out for his services, it is looking increasingly likely that the Englishman could be heading for the exit door sooner rather than later.

Newcastle United and Liverpool are keen on the defender, who could be available for around £60m, and the centre-back’s departure could be a real blow for Oliver Glasner, considering he was among the Eagles’ most consistent performers in the Premier League last season.

Crystal Palace’s best performers 24/25

Average rating (WhoScored)

Daniel Munoz

7.11

Eberechi Eze

7.09

Trevoh Chalobah

6.92

Maxence Lacroix

6.88

Marc Guehi

6.81

Amid doubts over Guehi’s future, the Eagles have started identifying potential replacements, and Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande has emerged as a major target, having tabled a bid for the Ivorian.

However, in a report for The Telegraph, McGrath has revealed there is another option from much closer to home, with Crystal Palace submitting an enquiry over a potential loan deal for Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong.

Palace have a history of doing deals with their London rivals, and Acheampong is now of interest, although only on a loan deal, with the reported asking price of £35m perhaps deemed to be too high.

Crystal Palace could make swift move for defender who pocketed Kvaratskhelia

The Eagles are very interested in signing a full-back, and could make an approach in the very near future.

ByDominic Lund Jul 8, 2025

Only one loan is allowed from a Premier League rival, and the defender has been identified as the perfect addition to Glasner’s squad, given that he is versatile, with the defender comfortable playing at both centre-back and right-back.

"Amazing" Acheampong could be fantastic signing for Crystal Palace

The 19-year-old is still in the early days of his career, but he is clearly very highly-rated in west London, having been praised by Enzo Maresca after impressing in the Europa Conference League last season.

Maresca said: “The one that I fell in love with [tonight] is Josh Acheampong, because potentially he can be a fantastic player for this club, and for football in general”.

Teammate Tosin Adarabioyo has been left similarly impressed by his fellow defender, saying: “Josh has absolutely everything to be a top, top defender. He’s quick, he’s strong, he’s amazing on the ball, and he has a lot of confidence which I love to see in a young defender.”

The teenager is still inexperienced at first-team level, having made just 14 appearances for Chelsea, but he is clearly very talented, and Palace have a good history of signing young defenders on loan from their London rivals.

Chalobah impressed Glasner during his brief spell with the Eagles last season, prior to being recalled, and the manager will be hoping that Acheampong can have a similar impact at Selhurst Park, should the Blues be open to a loan deal.

FSG’s transfer ethos – getting their work done nice and early – often leaves Liverpool somewhat in the corner of the room while rivals party late into the market, enjoying the thrill of Fabrizio Romano and the rest’s transfer updates.

There are worse problems to have, it must be said. And the real success is found on the field. Liverpool are on the verge of signing Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez, having already added Jeremie Frimpong.

Now, it’s time to sign a centre-forward, for Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota left plenty to be desired as Arne Slot’s focal frontmen last season, actually paling in comparison to Liverpool’s wider forward.

Mohamed Salah

38 (38)

29

18

Luis Diaz

36 (28)

13

7

Cody Gakpo

35 (23)

10

5

Diogo Jota

26 (14)

6

4

Darwin Nunez

30 (8)

5

3

Federico Chiesa

6 (1)

0

0

Luis Diaz was even called into play as a makeshift number nine for much of the campaign, his false-nine-type qualities proving invaluable for the Reds as they marched toward the Premier League title.

Who, then, to sign? Targets like Hugo Ekitike, Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen would all do a job, but Alexander Isak is the cream of the crop, and sporting director Richard Hughes would rake in the plaudits if he got that one over the line.

The latest on Alexander Isak to Liverpool

It’s pretty clear Liverpool will sign a striker this summer. However, who that player might be is less certain. Liverpool can dream, though, and signing Isak would be an incredible way to cap off a wonderful summer.

As per transfer insider Ben Jacobs for GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are prepared to break the British transfer record to sign Isak this summer, with Newcastle United valuing their striker at over £150m.

The “unstoppable” Isak, hailed by pundit Ally McCoist as “the best out-and-out forward in the league”, was outscored only by Mohamed Salah in the Premier League last season, his 23-goal return illustrating his elite ability.

However, Newcastle’s position on their talisman’s unavailability has been absolute (insofar as any stance can be absolute in the transfer market). Liverpool can dream, and it appears they will try, but don’t hold your breath.

Luckily, Liverpool are one of the most astute transfer operators, and they’ve already lined up the perfect alternative.

Liverpool line up Isak alternative

As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool have sounded out a potential move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez this summer, and while the La Liga side would be looking for an unrealistic £160m figure, Anfield hold a trump card.

Indeed, Diego Simeone is interested in bringing Nunez to the Wanda Metropolitano this summer, and previous reports even suggest personal terms have been agreed for around a month. As a result, TEAMtalk suggest that a swap deal is an avenue they are exploring this summer.

This would no doubt be a difficult one to get over the line, but Liverpool’s interest is long-standing and the Argentina forward would be perfect for Slot’s system.

Why Julian Alvarez would be perfect

Alvarez had been tracked by Liverpool during his time at Manchester City, where he scored 36 goals and laid on 19 assists across two trophy-laden campaigns, earning an £81.5m transfer to Atletico Madrid last summer.

His first term in Spain was his finest yet, posting 29 goals and seven assists across 55 matches, blending newfound potency with his robust and dynamic attacking style. Making a direct comment on his exploits in Spain, journalist Roy Nemer even described the player as “the best forward in the world.”

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of strikers across Europe last year for passes attempted, shot-creating actions and progressive carries, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.

Already something of a nomad, the 25-year-old has demonstrated continual development and would now prove the perfect alternative to Isak, who is actually considered by the data-driven site as being one of Alvarez’s most comparable players.

River Plate

122

54

31

Manchester City

103

36

19

Atletico Madrid

53

29

6

Argentina

44

12

33

Liverpool need a new goalscorer to perch at the front of their ship, but they also need a centre-forward who will play with flair and bring the attacking players together.

One of the Merseysiders’ attacking staples is that when the frontline clicks, they perform in concert, effectively unplayable. Isak aligns perfectly in this regard, but Alvarez too could dovetail into Slot’s set-up and provide a higher level of goalscoring threat while using his technical skills and off-the-ball intelligence to open up a new dimension.

Isak’s completeness is echoed by Alvarez, but the roots of the South American’s style are shaped by a natural quality in front of goal. As per Sofascore, he only missed seven big chances in La Liga last season, scoring 17 goals and creating nine big chances too.

And this isn’t a simple anomaly. Across his two campaigns in the Premier League, the 2022 World Cup winner scored 20 goals from 44 starts, only missing 14 big chances.

It’s pretty clear he’d prove an upgrade on Nunez, and while Isak is FSG’s first-choice pick, Alvarez might just be the perfect fallback if ambitious efforts to bring Isak over from St. James’ Park don’t pull through.

The winds of change are blowing at Anfield, all right, but there’s more still to come for the Premier League champions, who are packaging a proven squad with exciting additions who might just solidify Slot’s early success, shaping it into a dynasty.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold made his debut for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 19, 2025

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is desperate to bolster his attacking options this summer, and Hugo Ekitike is a major target.

The Blues face competition from Manchester United, however, as the Red Devils have entered the race for the young Frenchman.

This could put Maresca on high alert, and he will do everything he can to try to lure the Eintracht Frankfurt striker to Stamford Bridge.

He isn’t the only transfer target to emerge from the Bundesliga, as news has emerged about their potential interest in a current RB Leipzig starlet.

Chelsea could target Bundesliga sensation

If a move for Ekitike does go through, Maresca will be keen on linking up with players who will be able to provide him with plenty of chances in the final third.

Of course, Cole Palmer will be ideal for him, but how about having a talent like Xavi Simons available?

Writer Bobby Vincent stated during a Q and A for football.london could perhaps be a target.

“As for Xavi Simons, I’ve heard his name mentioned a couple of times this summer as a potential option but nothing absolutely concrete yet,” said Vincent.

“He is someone who has cropped up in the past as well, so there is definite interest there.”

The Dutchman is still only 22 years of age and would make an ideal long-term option for Maresca, especially as he could work wonders with Ekitike.

Why Chelsea must sign Xavi Simons

Last season in the Premier League, Palmer created 24 big chances. Next on the list were Enzo Fernández with 13 and Pedro Neto with 11. These were the only players with over ten big chances created.

By signing Simons, Maresca would be getting a player who will be able to generate plenty of opportunities for Ekitike, who scored 22 goals in all competitions for Frankfurt this season.

Indeed, across 25 domestic matches last season, the youngster created 12 big chances, while also averaging two key passes per game and recording seven assists for Leipzig, which speaks to the kind of quality that he could provide the French striker with in front of goal.

Metric

Bundesliga

Champions League

Goals

10

0

Assists

7

0

Big chances created

12

4

Key passes per game

2

1.4

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

1.4

Via Sofascore

It is no wonder he has been hailed as a “fantastic talent” in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig. Now, Simons is finally delivering on his massive potential.

While Leipzig may have underwhelmed in the Champions League last season, Simons, who has been hailed as a “pocket rocket” by analyst Raj Chohan, shone from an individual perspective.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the tournament, the 22-year-old ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and total shots per 90 (2.69) while also ranking in the top 9% for successful take-ons (1.88) and in the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.49) per 90.

This set of statistics proves that Simons is among one of the finest attacking midfielders on the continent when it comes to creating chances, which is why he would be a dream signing alongside Ekitike as they could link up in the final third with the Dutchman creating chances for the striker to tuck away.

It could be a dream duo for the club next season, and if the club go far in the Club World Cup, there will be money to spend.

Chelsea can sign a bigger talent than Ekitike with move for £65m "maverick"

Chelsea could have the chance to reignite a move for a former target

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

This summer simply has to be a seismic one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou and his squad turned what could have been an utterly disastrous campaign into an iconic one with their Europa League triumph in Bilbao last week, and now it’s Daniel Levy and Co’s turn to deliver.

With Champions League football secured, the Lilywhites board should be able to push the boat out that bit more in the transfer window and bring in the right stars to ensure their Premier League campaign next year can be just as memorable as their European one this year.

Fortunately, that seems to be happening, as recent reports have linked the North Londoners with one of the most exciting players on the continent and someone who could send Son Heung-min packing.

Tottenham transfer news

Before getting to the young superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other impressive players who have been linked with Spurs in recent weeks and months, such as Marc Guehi and Leroy Sané.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could cost up to £50m, and while that is a lot of money, he’d bring plenty of experience at the domestic and international level while also potentially being the perfect replacement for Cristian Romero should the World Cup finally move on this summer.

Sané, on the other hand, would be completely free thanks to his contract expiring in June, and while he’s nearer to the end than the start of his career, he’d undoubtedly add something to the Lilywhites attack, as in just 45 games this season he has scored 13 goals and provided six assists.

However, another more exciting major target for Tottenham has now entered the picture: Xavi Simons.

According to a recent report from ESPN, Spurs are interested in the RB Leipzig star, although they are certainly not the only ones.

Other stories from earlier this month have also credited the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United with an interest in the Flying Dutchman, who could cost around £67m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Simons’ incredible ability and potential, it’s one well worth fighting for, especially as he could be the perfect Son upgrade.

How Simons compares to Son

So, the first thing to say is that one of Simons’ biggest strengths is that he can play off the right or in attacking midfield with relative ease, but considering Brennan Johnson has been in fine form in the former and James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski occupy the latter, it seems likely that he’d come in as a left-wing option.

Therefore, one of his primary competitors for game time, and the man he’d ideally be the long-term heir to, is Son, so who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, it’s the former Pairs Saint-Germain gem, with 11 goals and eight assists in just 33 first-team appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games.

Appearances

33

46

Goals

11

11

Assists

8

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

0.50

In contrast, the former Bayer Leverkusen star has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in 46 appearances for the North Londoners this season, which comes out to a goal involvement every other game.

Okay, what about their underlying numbers from this year? Which winger comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?

Unfortunately for the Chuncheon-born icon, this is another battle he loses, as in most relevant metrics, bar a few here and there, the 22-year-old “game-changing signing,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, comes out comfortably ahead.

These metrics include, but are not limited to, non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, goals per shot and shot on target, passes into the final third and penalty area, expected assists, tackles won, interceptions, blocks, clearances, successful take-ons, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.67

0.64

Progressive Passes

5.86

4.74

Progressive Carries

3.56

4.10

Shots

2.09

2.35

Shots on Target

0.96

1.02

Goals per Shot

0.20

0.11

Goals per Shot on Target

0.43

0.25

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

78.9%

Expected Assists

0.25

0.22

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.51

2.18

Passes into the Final Third

3.31

1.75

Live Passes

44.4

36.5

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

4.99

Tackles

1.17

0.73

Tackles Won

0.88

0.38

Blocks

0.79

0.47

Interceptions

0.50

0.21

Clearances

0.79

0.73

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

1.24

Ball Recoveries

5.36

3.63

Aerial Duels Won

0.79

0.26

Finally, the Amsterdam-born “superstar,” as dubbed by Mattinson, is a decade younger than the captain, so there is every chance that he’ll continue to get better and better in the coming campaigns, which is a scary thought indeed.

Ultimately, Son has been an incredible player for Spurs over the years, but Simons looks to be better than him in practically every way, so Levy and Co should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.

Spurs star who's shades of Mousa Dembele must not play for the club again

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 29, 2025

Even though this season is still ongoing, there’s only one question on Rangers supporters’ minds: who will be the next manager in the Ibrox dugout?

Barry Ferguson is still yet to oversee a home win for Rangers in five attempts during his interim spell, following Sunday’s 1-1 draw in the derby, hoping to change that at Ibrox this weekend.

So, as much as he might want it, it’s very unlikely that he is going to get the job full-time and, while there appear to be two clear front-runners to be appointed right now, should Rangers turn their attention to a “world-class manager”?

Rangers new manager latest

At the time of writing, there are two clear favourites to be appointed as the next Rangers manager.

One is Steven Gerrard, with Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider reporting that he is ‘now the leading candidate’ to be re-hired, just under four years after leaving the club for Aston Villa.

Gerrard has been out of work since January, when he was sacked by Al-Ettifaq after, as John Duerden of the Guardian puts it, a generally ‘underwhelming’ spell in charge of the Saudi Pro League club.

Thus, a report by TEAMTalk claims that Gerrard ‘would be very open’ to the possibility of a return to the Ibrox dugout.

The other manager seemingly in the fray is Marco Rose, with Mark Pirie of the Daily Record stating that the German is ‘being considered’ by Andrew Cavenagh, Paraag Marathe and the rest of 49ers Enterprises, ahead of their proposed takeover.

The 48-year-old is also currently out of work, having been sacked by RB Leipzig in March; he’s previously been in charge of RB Salzburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.

Both would be intriguing appointments in very different ways, but should the 49ers actually attempt to appoint a manager with vastly more experience?

Rangers could land a world-class manager

A report by Mark Pirie of the Daily Record back in March claimed that Rafa Benítez is a candidate to become the new Rangers manager, stating that the Spaniard is ‘aware’ of speculation linking him to the vacancy.

Few active managers on the planet can boast quite as impressive a CV as Benítez, as outlined in the table below.

Real Valladolid

1995-96

25

Osasuna

1996

9

Extremadura

1997-99

92

Segunda promotion

Tenerife

2000-01

46

Segunda promotion

Valencia

2001-04

162

La Liga X2

UEFA Cup

Liverpool

2004-12

350

Champions League

FA Cup

UEFA Super Cup

Internazionale

2010

25

FIFA Club World Cup

Supercoppa Italiana

Chelsea

2012-13

48

Europa League

Napoli

2013-15

112

Coppa Italia

Supercoppa Italiana

Real Madrid

2015-16

25

Newcastle United

2016-19

146

EFL Championship

Dalian Professional

2019-21

38

Everton

2021-22

22

Celta de Vigo

2023-24

33

Benítez’s credentials are there for all to see, having won the Champions League, two La Liga titles and the Europa League twice, as well as various other trophies, managing some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool, Real Madrid, Inter and Chelsea.

His successor at Newcastle United, Steve Bruce, said that Benítez is unquestionably a “world-class manager”, even if his last two jobs, in charge of Everton and Celta Vigo, have both gone pretty disastrously.

He was never likely to succeed at Goodison was he, becoming only the second man, after William Edward Barclay in 1892, to manage both Merseyside giants.

Nevertheless, Dietmar Hamann, who played for Benítez at Liverpool, alongside Gerrard of course, described his former boss as a “genius” and a “fantastic manager”, adding that Rangers “could do a lot worse” in their search for a new head coach.

So, if the 49ers are looking for a manager who has vast experience when it comes to both British and European football, could the 65-year-old be the man tasked with overseeing the Rangers rebuild, pipping his former captain – and Rose – to the post?

Rangers: "Outstanding" 4-4-2 manager explodes into race to replace Ferguson

A high-profile European coach is now among the main contenders to become the new manager of the Gers.

ByDominic Lund May 1, 2025

England spinner hopes to play big role in Somerset’s relaunch, as thoughts turn to Heather Knight’s successor

Valkerie Baynes27-Mar-2025Heather Knight’s departure as England Women’s captain last week inevitably sent a set of names fluttering around with absolutely no conviction as her replacement and all carried more arguments against than for.But there is a name, spoken more quietly than the others – much like herself, which is perhaps why she hasn’t gained more traction in the debate: Charlie Dean.A 24-year-old offspinning allrounder with 82 England caps, Dean is a new recruit for Somerset in Tier 1 of the rebuilt women’s domestic structure, a competition which has among its chief functions producing and nurturing national-team players.She has bought a house in the area, becoming what she describes as a “real adult” in the process, after coming up through the ranks at Hampshire Women and Southern Vipers.”This is a very young team and the set-up down here is brilliant,” Dean told ESPNcricinfo at Somerset’s pre-season media day. “That really brought me in to potentially play a role with bat and ball and hopefully have some match-winning contributions. Changing to the county system, it was almost the perfect time for that transition.”Sophie Luff is captain at Somerset, where Knight will also play, which limits Dean’s opportunities to further develop her leadership skills.There is also a question over whether England can pin the captaincy on their second-choice spinner. Dean forms part of a three-pronged spin attack with Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn which was expected to do great things at the T20 World Cup but, along with other departments – including fielding in particular – fell short as England were knocked out in the group stage.”It’s nice to be held in high regard in that way,” Dean said of talk about her taking on the England captaincy. “If I’m learning and getting better and growing into leadership roles when the opportunity comes, I encourage that. Whether I’m ready for that yet, I’m not sure, but it’s nice to be held in those conversations. I think I’ve still got a bit of growth to go.”Dean was part of England’s grim campaigns at the T20 World Cup and the Ashes•Getty ImagesLet’s look at the names already out there.Nat Sciver-Brunt, the current vice-captain, has expressed predictable willing when asked but didn’t fully grasp the role in England’s time of need when Knight went down with a calf injury during their T20 World Cup exit, and was also found wanting when, with Knight again injured, the side fell short of a medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.Amy Jones, thrust into the role when Knight was injured and Sciver-Brunt was taking a mental wellbeing break later in that 2022 season, said at the time that on-field leadership was “definitely not something that comes naturally to me”.Ecclestone, also part of the team’s leadership group under Knight, shoulders huge responsibility in the bowling attack and might need to polish her technique in interviews – when she gives them. Her apparent refusal to talk to former team-mate turned commentator Alex Hartley during the ill-fated Ashes tour has been frowned upon by the management.Related

• Heather Knight's captaincy ends but her work as a leader goes on

• Where it went wrong for Jon Lewis and where to now for England Women

• Kate Cross: Cultural change required as England women seek to rise from Ashes

• Alex Hartley: Sophie Ecclestone 'refused TV interview' after Ashes loss

Grace Scrivens, the former England Under-19 and Sunrisers captain, is set to lead Essex in the new era of domestic cricket. Earlier this week, she captained England A to victory in the first T20I in Australia, but is just 21 and hasn’t played a senior game for her country. Without massive buy-in from all of the above, what hope does she have to exert influence and control on a team buckling under what senior bowler Kate Cross described recently as “cultural” issues?Tammy Beaumont, the hugely experienced opening batter, would be an excellent choice but realistically only for a limited time at the age of 34. It doesn’t help that she has hasn’t managed to regain her place in the T20I line-up.And yet, while Dean is adding her voice to those not jumping at the England captaincy, and hasn’t spoken to anyone at the ECB about the prospect, her quiet, thoughtful manner has a knack of encouraging people to listen.Dean and Sophie Ecclestone are part of England’s vaunted spin attack•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesPlus, she has some experience, having captained London Spirit during the same Knight absence that thrust Jones into the England role briefly, and she has also led the England A side.Dean said she was shocked by Knight’s removal as England skipper in the wake of the 16-0 Ashes drubbing after nine years in the role.While the pair will be team-mates at Somerset, there is a further line of symmetry – through her long association with Southern Vipers and Hampshire – with Charlotte Edwards, the favourite to replace England head coach Jon Lewis, who lost his job the day before Knight.The ECB haven’t given a timeline for naming a replacement captain or coach but, in the meantime, there is a chance for candidates to make their cases.”There’s probably been statements that there are no other natural leaders in our team,” Dean said. “I think everyone leads in their own way. It’s now a great opportunity for those people to come through and hold their hands up.”Everyone’s had their specific role with Heather – Nat as vice-captain and Amy and Sophie Ecclestone all had their roles on the pitch. We’re not shy of those characters, but it’s almost giving more opportunities for them to, I guess, flourish in roles that maybe aren’t as natural.”It came as a bit of a shock to me. So it’ll be interesting how this next year goes.”And Dean, part of England’s ill-fated Ashes campaign, admits there’s only one acceptable direction of travel.”Well, the only way’s up isn’t it, in terms of performances? It’s just a sense of excitement and feel that there’s maybe a new era coming,” she said. “Impressing the new head coach is probably the way you go about it.”Cricket’s always full of up and downs, isn’t it? You can score a hundred one week and then get a duck the next. So it’s always humbling. We’ve maybe been humbled a bit more than we wanted to be this winter, which is disappointing, and you can’t look past that.”We didn’t perform as well as we wanted to, but I think that also brings in a sense of refreshment and renewal. You can draw a line under that and look towards putting in some good performances for your county before the England international stuff picks up again. It’s a great opportunity to assess where you’re at with domestic talent in this country, and put a line in the sand and just concentrate on getting better and performing.”

And is Ishan Kishan the youngest and fastest to score a double-hundred in an ODI?

Steven Lynch13-Dec-2022England won the first Test in Rawalpindi despite facing only 35% of the overs in the match. Was this any sort of record? asked Richard Anderson from England

England faced 136.5 overs and Pakistan 252 in the match in Rawalpindi, so England faced only 35.2% of the overs, yet still ended up winning. Rather surprisingly perhaps, they come in only seventh on this particular list, which is headed by India, who faced just 30.9% of the overs in beating New Zealand in Delhi in 1964-65. India made 465 for 8 declared in 113.4 overs and 73 for 3 in 9.1, and bowled New Zealand out for 262 (125.1 overs) and 272 (149.2).There are three other Tests in which the winning team faced less than half the overs of the losers: South Africa (50 overs) against Zimbabwe (106.2) in Cape Town in 2004-05, Australia (80.2) vs India (165.4) in Mumbai in 2000-01, and England (118) vs South Africa (239.4) at Lord’s in 1924.Abrar Ahmed took the first seven wickets to fall on his Test debut in Multan. Has anyone ever done better than this? asked Zeeshan Mohammad from Pakistan

That remarkable debut by the Pakistan legspinner Abrar Ahmed against England in Multan last week wasn’t quite a record: playing for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1950, the Jamaican slow left-armer Alf Valentine took the first eight wickets to fall. The only other man to take the first five wickets to fall in his first Test was George Bissett of South Africa, against England in Cape Town in 1927-28.If we include the second innings of the match, their sides having batted first, the England pair of Bill Lockwood (against Australia at Lord’s in 1893) and John Lever (against India in Delhi in 1976-77) took the first six wickets available to them on their debuts. Fen Cresswell (New Zealand vs England at The Oval in 1949) and Lester King (West Indies vs India in Kingston in 1961-62) collected the first five. King, who was playing in only his third first-class match, had not taken five wickets in an innings before.Is Ishan Kishan the youngest and fastest to score a double-century in a one-day international? asked Jigna Devalia from the United Arab Emirates

Ishan Kishan’s amazing 210 against Bangladesh in Chattogram at the weekend did contain the fastest double-century in a one-day international so far. Kishan zoomed to 200 in just 126 balls, 12 quicker than the previous fastest, by Chris Gayle for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Canberra during the 2015 World Cup. Virender Sehwag needed 140 balls for his double-century for India against West Indies in Indore in December 2011.And Ishan Kishan is also the youngest to score an ODI double-century. He’s 24, two years younger than his captain Rohit Sharma was when he made the first of his three doubles, against Australia in Bengaluru in November 2013.Of the other ODI double-centurions, Fakhar Zaman and Martin Guptill were 28 (with Fakhar a couple of months younger), Virender Sehwag 33, Chris Gayle 35, and Sachin Tendulkar 36. Here’s the full list of the highest individual scores in ODIs.There is, however, a younger double-centurion in women’s ODIs. New Zealander Amelia Kerr was only 17 when she hit 232 not out – and then took 5 for 17 – against Ireland in Dublin in June 2018. Australia’s Belinda Clark was 27 when she made 229 not out – the first ODI double-century by man or woman – against Denmark in Mumbai during the 1997 women’s World Cup.Devon Thomas received his Test cap nearly 12.5 years after his debut ODI•Mark Brake/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesI noticed that Devon Thomas made his Test debut for West Indies more than 13 years after his first one-day international. Has anyone had a longer gap between debuts? asked Kris Jurgensen from Australia

That’s a good spot: Devon Thomas made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in Dominica in July 2009, as part of a rejigged West Indian team during a contracts dispute. Fast-forward to last week, and Thomas made his Test debut against Australia in Adelaide.The gap of nearly 12.5 years between Thomas’s ODI and Test debuts is indeed a record, by over a year. The previous longest gap belonged to Aminul Islam, who played his first ODI for Bangladesh in Chittagong (now Chattogram) in October 1988, and his first Test nearly 12 years later, at Dhaka in November 2000; he made up for lost time by scoring 145. That was Bangladesh’s inaugural Test: Tamim Iqbal’s uncle Akram Khan, who also played in it, had made his ODI debut two days after Aminul.Next come Ed Joyce and Kevin O’Brien, who both played (Joyce for England) in Ireland’s first official one-day international, in Belfast in June 2006; both were still around for Ireland’s inaugural Test, against Pakistan at Malahide nearly 12 years later in May 2018.The previous-longest gap by someone whose country was playing Test cricket throughout his international career belongs to the Hampshire offspinner Shaun Udal, who played his first ODI for England vs New Zealand at Edgbaston in May 1994, and his first Test 11.5 years later, against Pakistan in Multan in November 2005.I just noticed that Usman Khawaja top-scored in all five of Australia’s innings in Pakistan earlier this year. Has this ever happened before? asked Leo McGuinn from Australia

Usman Khawaja’s success in Pakistan earlier this year, when he top-scored in all five of Australia’s innings in the Tests, turns out to be unique. Bobby Abel (for England vs South Africa in 1888-89), Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka vs New Zealand in 1992-93), Dave Houghton (Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka in 1994-95) and Hashim Amla (with 253 not out, 114 and 123 not out for South Africa against India in 2009-10) top-scored for their teams in all three innings of a Test series (Houghton in three matches, the others in two). The West Indies pair of Desmond Haynes (against Pakistan in 1992-93) and Brian Lara (in Sri Lanka in 2001-02) both top-scored in five out of six innings in a series.Only a handful of men have top-scored more than five times in any Test series. The most recent was Joe Root, in six out of nine innings in the split series between England and India in 2021 and 2022. The others with six were Eric Rowan (South Africa vs England in 1951), Clyde Walcott (West Indies vs Australia in 1954-55, a series in which he scored a record five centuries), Sunil Gavaskar (in his first series for India, against West Indies in 1970-71), Mohinder Amarnath (India vs West Indies in 1982-83), Andrew Strauss (England vs South Africa in 2004-05), and Steve Smith (in the 2019 Ashes series).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Root becomes the only England captain to score more than one double-century in away Tests

S Rajesh16-Jan-20211 – England batsman who has reached 8000 Test runs in fewer innings than Joe Root’s 178: Kevin Pietersen got there in 176. Four other England batsmen reached the mark in fewer than 200 innings. In all, 19 batsmen have made it to 8000 runs in fewer than 178 innings, of which Kumar Sangakkara’s 152 is the lowest.7 – England batsmen with 8000-plus Test runs. Among these players, Root’s average of 49.09 is the best, while Alec Stewart’s 39.54 is the lowest.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 – Double-centuries by England batsmen in Asia. Root’s 228 is the second-highest among them, after Alastair Cook’s 263 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2015. Mike Gatting and Graeme Fowler scored their double-hundreds in the same innings, against India in Chennai in 1985.4 – England captains who have scored double-hundreds in an away Test (including neutral venues); the others are Cook, Len Hutton and Ted Dexter. Root is the only England captain to achieve it twice: he also scored 226 against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2019. Among all captains, only Graeme Smith (four) and Stephen Fleming (three) have more than two double-hundreds as captain in away Tests.3.65 – England’s run-rate in their last seven innings in Sri Lanka, since the start of the 2018 series. Their run-rate in the first innings here was 3.59. Before 2018, their scoring rate here was 2.58.7 – Instances of Sri Lanka conceding a first-innings lead of more than 250 in a home Test. They have lost each of the six previous matches. The last time they batted first in a home Test and fell behind more than 250 was way back in 2000, against Pakistan also in Galle. Three of the seven instances were in one series, against India in 2017; each time India batted first and piled up huge totals.

PHILADELPHIA — In the bottom of the second, he helped give away two runs. In the top of the seventh, he drove in three. This is the Teoscar Hernández Experience, and for the most part, the Dodgers have decided, it’s worth it. 

“At the end of the day, for me, anything that happened before a big moment like that, it’s in the past,” Hernández said after Los Angeles put the finishing touches on a 5–3 win over the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League division series. “I try to put it in the trash and just focus on the things that I need to do in that at-bat and especially in plays on defense and just trying to help my team.”

He has had plenty of practice. In Game 2 of the wild card series, he camped out under a two-out fly ball, stuck up his glove—and missed the ball. Afterward, he apologized to righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whom he believed he cost an inning or two by forcing him to pitch around the mistake, and promised to try harder. Five innings later, Hernández clubbed a two-run double to pad the lead. The Dodgers won that game, as they did the game before (Hernández home run) and the next one (Saturday’s Hernández home run).

Saturday’s miscue was less egregious, although potentially more costly. With the score tied at zero and runners on first and second, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto lined a ball to right-center field. Hernández is not terribly fleet of foot under the best of circumstances, but he averaged 28.0 feet per second running home to first this season. On Saturday, his rate to the ball was 25.0 feet per second. Center fielder Andy Pages beat him there; by the time the ball made it back to the infield, both runners had scored and Realmuto was at third base. 

“He wasn’t not trying,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “But, yeah, that’s a ball that you don’t want Realmuto to have a triple, certainly a short right field.” 

This sort of inconsistency is easier to swallow when Hernández is hitting, as he did last year, when he had an .840 regular-season OPS and almost singlehandedly won three playoff games en route to the 2024 title. It was that performance that made him beloved in Los Angeles and led the front office to sign him to a three-year, $66 million deal before his age-32 season. But Hernández missed two weeks with a strained groin in May, then battled bruising after fouling a ball off his left foot in July. He has insisted all season that those ailments have not slowed him, but he had a .933 OPS before the groin strain and a .672 OPS afterward. 

For a while, he became a symbol of a team that seemed to be recovering from a World Series hangover. The Dodgers wilted down the stretch, playing .417 ball in July, then coming close to letting the division slip away in August and September. Hernández was certainly not the only problem—the bullpen had a 4.90 ERA in the final month—but his mistakes were glaring. In August, he failed to come up with an easy ninth-inning pop-up; two pitches later, that run scored to give the historically awful Rockies a walk-off win. Reporters and fans began speculating that Hernández might be moved out of right field. The team insisted that was not the plan—if only because the Dodgers were too banged up to accommodate a positional shift. A week later, Roberts benched Hernández for two games. 

“He’s an every-day guy, but I do think that where we’re at, you’ve got to perform, too, to warrant being out there every single day, regardless, right?” Roberts said.

A few days later, Roberts lamented to reporters that he felt Hernández lacked focus. “He’s a guy that I really admire, because he can balance the fun part of baseball but also have that edge,” the manager said. “And I think we’ve lost a little bit of that edge over the last couple months. So I think, for me, I want to see that edge, that fight, that fire, and I’ll bet on any result.”

He had already spoken with Hernández himself. “He was, like, ‘You know what, I’ve got to be better, I gotta play better, I gotta play better defense, I’ve got to dial up the offense,’” Roberts recalled on Saturday. “We talked about it. And he delivered.”

Hernández told reporters he thought he was pressing. He felt a bit of that unhelpful energy early on Saturday, when he chased pitches well below the strike zone—two in his first at-bat, one in his second, another in his third—against Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez and struck out three times. So for his fourth at-bat, this one against lefty Matt Strahm with two runners on, Hernández decided to simplify his approach and just look for a pitch up. 

“Not trying to do overswinging or anything like that,” he said. “Maybe a hit. Try to bring in one run to tie the game.”

He brought in three to win it, and to ensure that the Dodgers get to enjoy the Teoscar Hernández experience at least a few days longer.