It wasn’t a classic, but Arsenal did what they had to in their League Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta named a significantly changed team to the one that beat Crystal Palace, and still ran out 2-0 winners, and are now set to face the Eagles again in the quarter-finals.

With all that said, while it wasn’t the most thrilling of games, the Gunners did play reasonably well, and aside from a few moments early on, were far and away the better team.

Moreover, there were a few starters who made a strong case for staying in the side, including two gems who are looking like the new Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.

Arsenal's standout performers vs Brighton

One player who should not be in the team for Burnley this weekend, but still made a good impression on Wednesday night, was Andre Harriman-Annous.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The academy gem was handed his first senior start for the side, and while he didn’t score a goal, he was a handful all night and made several intelligent runs.

Moreover, it was his shot that led to Saka scoring his goal and sealing the deal for the side, so even though he should not play at the weekend, the 17-year-old is someone to keep an eye on.

A youngster who does deserve to make it into the travelling squad for Saturday is, of course, Max Dowman.

The “certified worldie of a talent,” as dubbed by analyst Rohan Jivan, was utterly incredible in his first senior start, and the Seagulls had no option but to double- and triple-team him when he had the ball, he was so dangerous.

Finally, even though they lacked some synergy in the first half, the entire backline came out of the game looking good, with the centre-back pairing of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie looking particularly sturdy.

With all that said, there was another duo who did themselves proud, a duo who could be the new Saka and Smith Rowe.

Arsenal's new Saka and Smith Rowe

With Dowman already mentioned, it will come as no surprise that the two youngsters who could be Arsenal’s new Smith Rowe and Saka are, of course, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Now, this doesn’t mean the pair exactly mirror the former Hale Enders, nor does it mean they’ll follow their exact footsteps, especially as injuries unfortunately saw Smith Rowe left behind by the project.

However, like the duo that came before them, the two 18-year-olds are of the same academy cohort and, most importantly, play incredibly well together.

For example, it was the Gunners’ exciting young left-back that provided the assist for Nwaneri to open the scoring midway through the second half.

Moreover, while they only combined for a single goal, there were other moments in the game in which the “fearless” Lewis-Skelly, as dubbed by Declan Rice, charged into the middle of the park and played some quick passes with his “phenomenal” teammate, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock.

Including Wednesday night’s game, the pair have now made 28 senior appearances together, totalling 765 minutes, in which they’ve combined for two goals and averaged 2.14 points per game.

Finally, on top of their connection on the pitch, the youngsters have made it clear in numerous interviews that they are incredibly close friends, which can surely only improve their in-game synergy.

Ultimately, it’s still early in their careers, but it looks like Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly could be Arsenal’s new Saka and Smith Rowe.

Not Zubimendi: Arteta has found Cazorla 2.0 in Arsenal's "little magician"

The international monster has been one of Arteta’s best signings at Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 29, 2025

Jadeja’s game has turned him into a globally respected cricketer who remains somewhat under-analysed, and whose nuts and bolts remain somewhat underappreciated

Karthik Krishnaswamy09-Oct-20255:13

Jadeja on vice-captaincy, batting higher and playing without Ashwin

Sometimes, great bowlers bowl balls of high quality at such frequency that the viewer doesn’t quite realise how good they are. Take the ball Ravindra Jadeja bowled to dismiss Brandon King on day three of the Ahmedabad Test between India and West Indies. The trajectory drew the batter forward, and the length didn’t let him get near the pitch of the ball.Having put King in that position, the ball could have had him in trouble no matter what it did next. On this occasion, it turned sharply to find the outside edge of the sticker on King’s hesitantly prodding SS bat.It may have looked, to the viewer, like this ball hung momentarily above King’s eyeline – and it did – but it still left Jadeja’s hand at 91kph. Generations of visiting left-arm orthodox spinners have watched Jadeja bowl ball after ball on Indian pitches with this combination of pace, trajectory and fizzing revolutions, and watched him do this with a run-up and delivery style that looks utterly natural, and utterly effortless. They’ve all tried to match him, and most have only discovered how difficult it is to do what he does.Ask Jomel Warrican. He has a terrific record in every other Asian country. In nine Test matches in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, he has 52 wickets at an average of 19.92, with two five-wicket hauls. West Indies have won three of those nine Tests.Related

'It's about taking the right options' – Gill on first series win as Test captain

Can Rahul close gap between his stats and his ceiling?

India trying to ready Reddy for greater challenges

India look for clean sweep in cool Delhi as West Indies continue search for solutions

In India, however, Warrican has taken four wickets in three Tests – including one against Afghanistan – at 67.25. While those numbers might have looked better had he had the chance of bowling on the dustbowls India have prepared in many of their series in recent years, all his Tests against India in India have come on true, traditional Indian pitches.On pitches like that, you need Jadeja’s combination of pace, revolutions, trajectory and accuracy to make an impact on batters.Throughout India’s innings in Ahmedabad, Warrican struggled to achieve the full combination. He naturally bowls at a slower pace than Jadeja, typically in the 77-81kph range, and like so many visiting spinners before him, he tried to bowl quicker: this was how he began his first spell. But his lengths suffered, and his fields, even at the start of his spell, suggested he was aware this might happen, with deep point back on the boundary for damage control on the occasions when he dropped short.Ravindra Jadeja celebrates his sixth Test century•Associated PressWhen he came back for his later spells, Warrican mostly bowled at his natural pace, and his lengths immediately improved. But the slower pace gave India’s batters time either to go deep in their crease or step out to get to the pitch of the ball, so the better lengths did not trouble them unduly.And to one of India’s batters, the lengths simply didn’t seem to matter. That batter, of course, was Jadeja, who stepped out gleefully to Warrican and launched him for five big sixes, hitting cleanly and with the turn, on his way to a breezy, unbeaten 104.Given how dominant India were, Warrican didn’t do all that badly: 29 overs at an economy rate of 3.51, and the wicket of KL Rahul achieved via a clever change of pace and line. India’s other batters scored 55 off 105 balls off Warrican. Jadeja knocked him around for 47 off 69.Put yourself in Warrican’s shoes. You’re a left-arm spinner who’s trying extremely hard to do what Jadeja does with the ball. You do an honest job, within your limitations. Then Jadeja himself comes along, bat in hand, and makes you look utterly ineffectual.ESPNcricinfo LtdQuite naturally, Jadeja ended the Ahmedabad Test with the Player-of-the-Match award. It was his 11th in Test cricket; since his debut, only Joe Root, Steven Smith (both 13) and Ben Stokes (12) have won more. If that’s elite company, how about this three-man club he’s 10 runs away from joining? Or this one-man club that’s also, quite possibly, within his reach? Jadeja and Kapil Dev. We are going to hear a lot of conversations involving both those names.That’s the level of cricketer Jadeja is, while being a batter and bowler of deceptively simple processes that are all about repeatability and percentages. The high level at which he executes these processes, ball after ball, isn’t immediately apparent to the viewer, and the subtleties of his craft, such as his clever use of the bowling crease to vary his angles, only really come alive from watching him over long periods. He doesn’t make any special effort to illuminate his methods to his fans, and he routinely tells mediapersons at press conferences – often framing this in humour – that he doesn’t want to give away his secrets.All this has turned him into a globally respected cricketer whose game remains somewhat under-analysed, and whose nuts and bolts remain somewhat underappreciated. So go watch that ball to King again, and give it the reverence it deserves. Go back and watch all those other seemingly routine dismissals of all those batters from all those teams over all those years, and marvel. You’ll miss the inevitability of Jadeja’s excellence when it’s no longer running live on your screen.

MLB's hot stove cooked up a stunner during the winter meetings on Tuesday, as three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, who was being pursued by both the incumbent Mets and the defending champion Dodgers, chose to leave New York for Los Angeles on a three-year, $69 million contract. The deal set an average annual value record for a relief pitcher.

It was a major coup for the Dodgers, who, despite spending big on two relievers last offseason, never had a reliable closer emerge throughout the regular season.

But it was a big blow to the Mets, who seemingly did everything they could to bring back the talented reliever. New York's offer was reportedly $66 million over three years.

So why didn't Díaz return to Queens if the money was similar between the Mets' and Dodgers' offers?

Díaz miffed by Mets, Dodgers' recruitment aided by brother

Díaz was reportedly unhappy with the Mets' decision to part ways with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, according to Mike Puma of . While manager Carlos Mendoza's status was safe in the aftermath of New York's stunning collapse, Hefner was one of five coaches New York decided to let go in a coaching staff shakeup on Oct. 3. Evidently Díaz, who recorded the three lowest ERA marks and two highest strikeout rates of his career during the six seasons Hefner was with the club, was not pleased to see the coach heading out the door.

Plus, Los Angeles, already a desirable destination with the Dodgers coming off back-to-back World Series titles, had a secret weapon in its free agent recruitment of Díaz: Díaz's brother. Alexis Díaz, an All-Star in 2023, was acquired by Los Angeles in May of 2025 but he struggled to the tune of a 5.00 ERA in nine innings pitched for the Dodgers. Los Angeles in September of 2025 designated Díaz for assignment. But he still spoke glowingly of the Dodgers organization to his brother, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN and Puma.

Prior to Díaz's departure, the Mets signed free agent reliever Devin Williams to a three-year, $50 million contract. According to Passan, Díaz was unhappy that Mets brass did not give him a heads up about the signing of Williams. New York president of baseball operations David Stearns, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, couldn't acknowledge the Díaz deal but seemed to indicate that the Williams signing impacted the club's desire to bring back Díaz.

“I'm not going to talk about any specific negotiation," Stearns said. "What I'll say is once you add to a certain part of our team that will change the calculus in how you look at your team in general.”

Gerardo “Tata” Martino has returned to Atlanta United as manager on a two-year contract, the club announced Thursday. The 62-year-old reunites with the team where he enjoyed his greatest success, winning the 2018 MLS Cup and being named Coach of the Year. Martino aims to restore Atlanta’s status as a contender after inconsistency since his 2018 departure.

Getty Images SportA familiar face returns

The 62-year-old coach replaces Ronny Deila, whose tenure ended after a 14th-place finish in the Eastern Conference this season with just 28 points – despite having MLS's third-highest payroll at $28.5 million. Martino will also reconnect with one of his former stars in Miguel Almiron, who also rejoined the team last year after a stint with Newcastle United. 

“I want to thank Arthur and Chris for the opportunity to return to the club and a city where we hold wonderful memories and maintain great relationships,” Martino said in a statement. “This is a different project than my first stint with the club, however, with great ownership and the collaboration of the players, coaching staff and everyone at the club, our objective will always be to form a winning team that makes our fans feel proud and well-represented every time that they go to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA proven winner

Team owner Arthur Blank stressed the move to bring back Martino wasn't about trying to recreate the past and stressed the Argentine manager was hired to build a new foundation with the club. 

“Tata is an exceptional coach who set the standard for excellence within our club,” Blank said. “This is not about recreating the past, but about building a new foundation.” Martino’s career spans over 25 years and includes 11 trophies with clubs and national teams – from Barcelona and Newell’s Old Boys to Argentina, Paraguay, and Mexico.

Getty Images SportRecent success in Miami

Before returning to Atlanta, Martino managed Inter Miami during the early Lionel Messi era, capturing the 2023 Leagues Cup and 2024 Supporters’ Shield. His deep understanding of MLS and tactical identity made him the top choice for Atlanta’s front office.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportRebuilding the five stripes

During Martino’s first stint, Atlanta compiled a record of 42 wins, 20 losses, and 16 draws, setting club marks for points (124), goals (140), and goal difference (+56). Now, with a Designated Player core of Emmanuel Latte Lath, Alexey Miranchuk, and Miguel Almirón, Martino faces the challenge of reviving the Five Stripes’ competitive edge ahead of 2026.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Internacional visita o ASA-AL nesta quarta-feira (28), pela primeira fase da Copa do Brasil. A bola rola a partir das 20h (de Brasília), no Estádio Coaracy da Mata, em Arapiraca, com transmissão da Amazon Prime Video.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
ASA-AL x INTERNACIONAL
1ª fase da Copa do Brasil

Data e horário: quarta-feira, 28 de fevereiro de 2024, às 20h (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Coaracy da Mata, em Arapiraca (AL)
Onde assistir: Amazon Prime Video

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

ASA-AL
Bruno; Rômulo, Roni Lobo e Benné; Paulino, Colina (Allef), Wescley, Didira e Gabriel; Keliton e Flávio Souza. Técnico: Rodrigo Fonseca.

continua após a publicidade

INTERNACIONAL
Anthoni; Bustos, Vitão, Robert Renan e Renê; Aránguiz, Mauricio, Bruno Henrique e Wanderson; Alan Patrick e Valencia (Alario). Técnico: Eduardo Coudet.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilInternacionalOnde assistir

Left-armer will lead Australia’s pace attack in the opening Ashes Test in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood

Alex Malcolm19-Nov-2025The last man standing of Australia’s big three, Mitchell Starc, says he may take on a little bit of extra responsibility as the senior man in their new-look pace attack. But he believes Scott Boland’s experience and Brendan Doggett’s form will hold them in good stead in the opening Ashes Test in Perth.Starc, 35, is Australia’s ironman having not missed a Test through injury since he broke his finger on Boxing Day in 2022. He reached his 100th Test and took his 400th Test wicket in Australia’s last Test match in July. He will lead the attack in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in Perth and remarkably will be the only one of Australia’s quicks to have bowled in a first-class game at Perth Stadium, with Boland and Doggett having only played BBL matches at the venue.Related

• Hazlewood out of Ashes opener with hamstring injury

• 'Greyhound' Doggett in line to become Australia Test Cap No. 472

• Ashes FAQ: Do England really have a chance?

• Marsh set for surprise Shield return with an eye on the Ashes

But Starc is confident both men will handle the big occasion at the start of the series. “I think we’re all pretty clear on what our roles are,” he said on Wednesday.”Obviously I’ve got a little bit more experience there. Scotty’s been around for a fair while now, so it’s not like I’m telling him what to do. We’ve got Patty in the sheds with us anyway. So yeah, I may take on a little bit of an experienced role, if you like. But we’ve all been around the traps for a while, so it’s just staying together as a group.”Starc believes Doggett will be able to handle the pressure of an Ashes series as he seems certain to debut as Australia’s third quick in the attack. Starc first met Doggett in 2018 when they toured the UAE together for a series against Pakistan and believes he has come a long way since his first tour with Australia’s Test squad.”Brendan was a lot younger and rawer then,” Starc said. “We knew what he was about, and since then he’s made the change to South Australia. I think he’s come in red-hot. He’s had a good couple of weeks. We as a group know what he’s capable of, and the skills that he presents. And being a little bit older than back in 2018, he’s probably a little bit more comfortable in his own skin and around the group. So really excited if he gets his opportunity this week to see what he can do on a Test arena. Having had him around the group for a while over the years, I think he’s certainly in a great headspace.”Starc and Doggett put on a clinic in the Perth Stadium nets on Wednesday morning under overcast skies after Australia’s training was delayed briefly due to a lightning strike.Brendan Doggett and Mitchell Starc warm up at Australia training•Getty Images

The Perth Stadium nets have been tough work for batters all week and the pair peppered Steven Smith, Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in a hour-long spell. Starc nicked off Smith and looked in superb rhythm having rediscovered something during his recent Sheffield Shield outing after shaking out some rust in the ODI series against India.He admitted he didn’t bowl as well as Cummins did in the nets on Monday. Cummins did not bowl on Wednesday but was at training after missing the optional session on Tuesday. The injured skipper is edging closer to a return in Brisbane having pulled up well from his eight-over spell on Monday.”Probably understand why he doesn’t train much, because when he does, he makes us all look silly,” Starc said. “He was really, really sharp the other day. Sounds like he’s pulling up pretty well. So very positive.”Cummins’ absence with the ball is a major blow but his absence with the bat is arguably harder to cover. Doggett’s first-class average is just 8.57 and he’s never made a half-century although he has a top score of 49. He will likely bat at No. 11 behind Boland with Nathan Lyon elevating to No. 9 and Starc returning to No. 8, a spot he has been trying to avoid for a number of years as his batting has declined quite steeply since his significant early career contributions.”I’ve been trying to get rid of No. 8 for a while, and now I have to go back there,” Starc said. “You all think we fight about getting higher up the order. We all fight to get lower.”We know how important, how beneficial contributions there can be to first innings, second innings, setting up a total, whatever it may be. That’ll play a part. I will keep working on it.”

The three players will start with their new state by playing in the Uttarakhand Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025Left-arm spinner J Suchith, opener Prashant Chopra and batter Bhupen Lalwani have moved to Uttarakhand ahead of the domestic season in 2025-26. The three players will start with their new state by playing in the Uttarakhand Premier League.Suchith, who represented Karnataka before playing for Nagaland, first played domestic cricket in April 2014 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before going on to make his List A and first-class debuts in the coming seasons. He played for Nagaland only for one season, in 2024-25, where picked up 43 wickets in six first-class matches and was the highest wicket-taker in the Plate group.Chopra, meanwhile, made his debut for Himachal Pradesh as an 18-year-old in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in February 2011, and has represented them in his entire domestic career so far. Last season, he made 386 runs in seven first-class matches, which included 171 against Uttarakhand. Overall, he has played 81 first-class matches and scored 5093 runs and hit 14 hundreds. He has also notched up 4012 runs in 103 List A games at an average of 41.79, and 2035 runs in 70 T20s at a strike rate of 114.58.Lalwani has represented Mumbai and Chhattisgarh in a short domestic career so far that started in January 2020. He switched to Chhattisgarh ahead of the 2024-25 season, where he played just two first-class matches for them. Overall, he has played 16 first-class matches and three List A games.The change of teams continue a bunch of transfers ahead of the upcoming domestic season, the most notable among them being Karun Nair returning to Karnataka, Harshal Patel switching back to Gujarat from Haryana, and Jalaj Saxena moving from Kerala to Maharashtra.

David Warner made his first half-century in the Hundred to see London Spirit take the spoils against Welsh Fire in Cardiff, despite a thrilling, unbeaten 86 from Jonny Bairstow in response.Like a boxer on the ropes, Bairstow sat back and absorbed the blows as his Fire team fell to 55 for 6 at the halfway point of their reply, before launching a high-octane counterattack that took them close to a famous victory.Bairstow’s 50-ball innings contained six sixes, and saw 74 runs plundered from balls 66 to 95, leaving 17 required off the last five of the innings. As the Sophia Gardens crowd belted out “Wales, Wales, Wales!” it appeared that Bairstow – ably supported by Chris Green – would pull off the comeback but Luke Wood got Spirit over the line.Warner’s innings was a different affair, but was equally effective in driving the visitors – the Australian legend using his experience and nous to work out a defendable total on a track that had something for the bowlers.David Warner made his first fifty of the Hundred•Getty Images

With the ball, before the Bairstow show, Liam Dawson and Richard Gleeson were both parsimonious and though they may briefly have feared that their hard work would be undone it was runs on the board that emerged victorious in the end, Kane Williamson and Justin Langer getting off and running and consigning Fire to a second defeat in two.Warner, the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “That got very close at the end, and credit to the way Jonny and Greeny batted. They were absolutely superb. The partnership they built was fantastic, and what it did do was what we’re trying to do here – entertain the crowd and hopefully everyone was excited by that game.”I think what the guys were saying there was that across the last 25-30 balls it wasn’t that stoppy. It skidded, but it was still slow in the wicket. We tried to execute as well as we could but Jonny was on fire there, he was hitting the ball cleanly and obviously we got over the line but it was a good effort by them.”When you’re out there batting, the five balls and then 10 balls from one end – you think you have to change ends as a batter. I’m getting used to it, but what I am loving is the crowds. It’s fantastic. It’s all about the kids, and us trying to put entertainment on the TV – credit to everyone who came out today, thank you.”This is a really important win for us. We lost our first game at home but we’ve got an away game in Manchester coming up, and hopefully we can tick that off.”

No shortage of allrounders in the final XI and perhaps a controversial call or two

Andrew McGlashan26-Oct-2024Ahead of the tenth season of the WBBL we thought it would be fun to select an all-time XI. The aim was to try and pick a balanced side with players as close to their usual positions as possible, or a role that they could fill. There are a few particularly notable omissions, with the top-order and spin options especially stacked.

Beth Mooney

The leading run-scorer in the competition’s history heading into the tenth season, Mooney’s consistency has been remarkable. Only twice has she averaged under 42 for a season; one of those was the first year of WBBL in 2015-16 and the other was 2018-19 when she was still able to score a hundred and then play the defining innings in the final for Brisbane Heat. Her most prolific campaign was 2019-20 with 743 runs at 74.30 – she has followed that with four more seasons of over 500 runs following her move to Perth Scorchers.Related

• Third umpire for every WBBL match, increase in DRS

• Ten moments that have made the WBBL

• Perth Scorchers sign Indonesia's miserly pacer Ni Made Putri Suwandewi

Alyssa Healy

In this XI, Healy forms her international opening combination with Mooney. It won’t always be about volume of runs for Healy – the way she plays means low scores are part of the risk – but when things click she can be unstoppable. She has the most centuries (five) in WBBL history and the second-highest strike rate of those with at least 1000 runs. In 2019, during which she added a tournament-record stand of 199 with Ellyse Perry, and then 2020, Healy had the eye-watering strike-rates of 155.69 and 161.44. The following two seasons were less productive (albeit including 107 off 64 balls against Perth Scorchers) and the dog-bite incident meant she missed all but one game last summer.

Grace Harris

One of the WBBL’s most iconic figures. Harris’ three centuries all come with great stories: she struck the first in the competition’s history, then made the fastest off 42 balls and last season surged to 136 off 59 balls with one of her sixes coming with a broken bat. “Stuff hit, I’ll hit it anyway,” was the viral quote. As with a number of players in this side, there is a high level of risk vs reward and there will be lows amid the highs. But Harris can win a match on her own.Sophie Devine has regularly made an impact with bet and ball•Getty Images

Sophie Devine

The most formidable allrounder in WBBL – and there’s good competition for that title. An ever-present across the nine seasons, split between Adelaide Strikers and Perth Scorchers, things started a little slowly for Devine in the first year but then she found lift-off with 103 not out off 48 balls against Hobart Hurricanes. Barring a tough 2022 season, she has remained ultra consistent. The 2019 edition was a stunning one where she averaged 76.90 with the bat and claimed 19 wickets. She remains the only player in the tournament with a half-century and a five-wicket haul in the same game.

Ashleigh Gardner

It’s possible to argue that Gardner has underperformed overall with the bat in the WBBL. But her strike rate remains in the top 10 for those with at least 1000 runs, and in the middle order it’s about the impact a player can have over a shorter period. Initially it was Gardner’s batting that led the way – including the magnificent 114 off 52 balls against in 2017 – but the last two seasons has seen her offspin excel. In the 2022 edition she managed to bring both aspects together with a player of the tournament return where she averaged 28.25 with the bat, alongside a strike rate of 150.66, and claimed 23 wickets.

Marizanne Kapp

Kapp gets into the side for her bowling, which includes the stand-out economy rate of 5.59 – the second best in WBBL history with a minimum of 200 overs – while providing a middle-order safety net with the bat. Until last season, where she admitted she had a torrid time at Sydney Thunder, Kapp had been the epitome of consistency. Her peak all-round seasons came in 2019 and 2020 when she averaged 32.61 with the bat and 19.82 with the ball across the two editions for Sydney Sixers. Then, having moved to Perth Scorchers for the 2021 season, she was player of the match in the final against Adelaide Strikers.Amanda-Jade Wellington has produced some remarkable figures•Getty Images

Jess Jonassen

The leading wicket-taker in the competition, Jonassen has been an ever-present for Brisbane Heat. She has never had a poor season and peaked with a brilliant all-round double of 419 runs at 38.09 (strike rate 133.01) and 21 wickets at 19.19 in the second of their back-to-back titles in 2019. In the last two seasons she has taken a combined tally of 70 wickets across 46 games.

Sammy-Jo Johnson

The pace-bowling allrounder has been a key figure in two tournament deciders for two teams: in 2019 she broke open Heat’s run chase with 27 off 11 balls against Adelaide Strikers, then in 2020, having moved home to Sydney Thunder, took 2 for 11 off her four overs to set-up victory over Melbourne Stars to take the title. That capped a season where she was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. In the 2018-19 edition, the first of Heat’s back-to-back titles, she produced a memorable all-round display with 260 runs and 20 wickets, becoming the first player to complete a 250 run/20 wicket double for a season. Last summer she joined the century of wickets club.

Amanda-Jade Wellington

It’s a tough race to be the legspinner in this team. In another era, Wellington would have played a lot more for Australia. Few bowl a harder-spun leg-break. Instead, she has been an integral figure for Adelaide Strikers with the last few seasons seeing her game go to another level. Across Strikers’ back-to-back titles she has taken 46 wickets. For 12 months she held the best figures in the tournament’s history with 5 for 8 against Heat in the 2021 Eliminator final, a return she matched against Renegades a year later, and she was player of the match in the 2023 final. Across all nine seasons only once (2016-17) has she not taken at least 10 wickets.

Molly Strano

Like Wellington, Strano is unfortunate not to have played more international cricket. She led the way from the WBBL’s launch, initially for Melbourne Renegades, and was the first bowler to reach 100 wickets. In 2019-2020 she was the leading wicket-taker in the season with 24 and only once has taken fewer than 13 in a campaign. Her best figures of 5 for 15 came in the first season of WBBL against Melbourne Stars

Megan Schutt

As one of the leading pace bowlers in the world for a number of years, it’s little surprise that Schutt is the most successful quick in the WBBL although it is over the last two seasons where her wicket-taking numbers have really exploded including the 6 for 19 which are the best figures in the competition. While she wasn’t always a prolific wicket-taker, her economy rate has often been a standout: as low as 5.06 during the 2016-17 season never higher than 6.46 in any edition.

كشف ليونيل ميسي، أسطورة كرة القدم ونجم نادي إنتر ميامي، عن طموح منتخب الأرجنتين في منافسات بطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل، كاشفًا في الوقت ذاته عن أفضل مدرب في التاريخ من وجهة نظره.

ميسي سبق وأن صنع المجد مع الأرجنتين، حيث قاد منتخب بلده إلى الفوز ببطولة كأس العالم عام 2022، والتي أقيمت في قطر.

ويتطلع ميسي إلى كأس العالم العام المقبل، والتي سوف تلعب في كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، بينما يمتلك منتخب الأرجنتين تشكيلة قوية.

وأكد ميسي في مقابلة مع شبكة ”ESPN”، على رغبة لاعبي منتخب الأرجنتين في صنع التاريخ مرة أخرى والحصول على لقب كأس العالم.

وقال ميسي: “الفوز بكأس العالم صعب للغاية، أي فريق يمكنه أن يصعب الأمور عليك ويقصيك، قد تصطدم الكرة بالقائم وتخرج، أو تصطدم بالقائم وتدخل وهكذا تنتهي رحلتك، أو قد تخسر بركلات الترجيح”.

وأوضح ابن الـ38 عامًا: “في كأس العالم الأخيرة، كان الحظ حليفنا، فرغم تفوقنا الكبير في مباراتينا ضد هولندا وفرنسا، انتهى بنا المطاف بالفوز بركلات الترجيح”.

وأردف ميسي: “خلال ركلات الترجيح، كان لدينا إيميليانو مارتينيز الذي قادنا للفوز، لكن من الممكن أن تصل إلى ركلات الترجيح ولا تفوز، من الصعب جدًا الفوز بكأس العالم”.

طالع .. الذكاء الاصطناعي يتنبأ ببطل كأس العالم 2026.. وحظوظ المغرب

وتابع: ”نعم، أعتقد أن هذه المجموعة ستحاول الفوز بكأس العالم مرة أخرى وستبذل قصارى جهدها وتقاتل”.

وأثنى ميسي على مدربه السابق في برشلونة والمدرب الحالي، لمانشستر سيتي، بيب جوارديولا، موضحًا أن الأخير هو أفضل مدير فني في التاريخ.

وواصل ميسي: “بالنسبة لي، جوارديولا فريد من نوعه، هناك مدربون ممتازون للغاية لكنه يمتلك شيئًا مختلفًا، بالنسبة لي هو الأفضل بينهم جميعًا”.

واستكمل ميسي في حديثه: “عندما يتعلق الأمر برؤية الأمور، والتحضير للمباريات، والتواصل مع اللاعبين، فهو متكامل للغاية”.

واختتم: “إنه الأفضل، وكنا محظوظين بوجوده في برشلونة، لقد اجتمع مع اللاعبين الذين كانوا لدينا وتشكلت العناصر المناسبة لتحقيق ما أراده، وتحقيق كل ما تم تحقيقه”.

واعترف ميسي بأن عائلته وقفت بجانبه تجاه الانتقادات التي كان يتلقاها من قبل جماهير الأرجنتين، حيث قال: “عائلتي هي كل شيء بالنسبة لي. كانوا دائمًا بجانبي فهناك لحظات صعبة مررنا بها مع المنتخب الوطني”.

وأضاف ميسي في حديثه: ”كنا نتحدث عن كل مباراة قليلًا من قبل، كنت أفكر في المباراة القادمة وكنت أعود من الأرجنتين وألعب بعد ثلاثة أيام مع برشلونة، كنت أعيش واقعين مختلفين”.

وأوضح: ”في برشلونة، كنا نفوز بكل شيء، كنت ألعب بشكل جيد وأسجل الأهداف، ثم أذهب إلى المنتخب الوطني ولا أحقق النتائج المرجوة. كانوا يلعنونني. كانوا يقولون لي أشياءً كثيرة، مثل أنني لم أعد أشعر بالقميص أو أنني لست أرجنتينيًا أو أنني لن ألعب بعد الآن، أو أنه لا ينبغي لي حتى أن أكون هناك”.

وأردف: ”كانت عائلتي تمر بوقت عصيب للغاية، وفي تلك اللحظة بالذات، تقدر أكثر كل الحب الحقيقي الذي يكنّه الناس لك ووقوفهم بجانبك”.

وتابع: ”ولطالما كنت محظوظًا لأن عائلتي قريبة مني جدًا ، نحن متحدون جدًا، تمامًا مثل عائلة زوجتي وهذا يسهل كل شيء لأنهم يتصرفون مثلنا”.

وأشار ميسي إلى رغبته في المشاركة في كأس العالم، حيث قال: “آمل أن أكون هناك، لقد قلت سابقًا إنني أرغب في ذلك”.

وأضاف: “في أسوأ الأحوال، سأكون حاضراً لأشاهدها مباشرة، لكنها ستكون بطولة مميزة. كأس العالم مميزة للجميع، لأي بلد وخاصةً لنا، لأننا نعيشها بطريقة مختلفة تماماً”.

وأشاد ميسي بكثرة المواهب الأرجنتينية خلال السنوات الأخيرة، حيث أوضح: “يستمر ظهور لاعبين جدد، فإلى جانب اللاعبين الحاليين  تستمر الوجوه الجديدة في الظهور، عندما تكون هذه المجموعة كهذه يسهل على اللاعبين الجدد التأقلم”.

واعترف ميسي بأنه ليس مهووسًا بالأرقام القياسية والإحصائيات، إذ أردف: ”يركز الناس اليوم كثيرًا على الإحصائيات وأنا شخصيًا لا أحب الإحصائيات، لا أعتقد أنني مضطر للتسجيل أو التمرير فقط لتحقيق رقم قياسي أو تجاوز لاعب آخر”.

واختتم: ”أعيش اللعبة وأستمتع بها، أحب أن أكون حاسمًا ومنخرطًا في مجرى المباراة لكنني لا ألعب من أجل الإحصائيات ولم أعطها أهمية قط، كل شيء حدث بشكل طبيعي، ليس لأنني كنت أسعى لتحقيق أرقام أو محاولة تجاوز أي لاعب، الأمور حدثت ببساطة لأنها حدثت”.

واعترف ميسي بأنه يرغب دائمًا في تحقيق الانتصارات، حيث قال: “لطالما كنت تنافسيًا، أحب الفوز وأسعى إليه، مررت بفترات صعبة ولحظات صعبة خلال مسيرتي لكنني دائمًا ما أواصل المحاولة وأنهض من جديد، باحثًا دائمًا عن الأفضل”.

وأضاف: “العديد من الأمور التي حدثت لي لا أدركها أو أقدرها إلا الآن، عندما تكون مركزًا أو منغمسًا في روتينك اليومي، يكون الأمر صعبًا للغاية، طوال مسيرتي كنت ألعب كل ثلاثة أيام ودائمًا ما أخوض مباريات مهمة، وأُكافح دائمًا من أجل تحقيق أهداف مهمة”.

وأوضح: “كنا نفوز بمباراة وبعد شهر نخوض مباراة أخرى، أو يبدأ عام جديد ويكون علي الالتزام بالفوز بكل شيء، متطلبات اللعب في نادي كبير مثل برشلونة والأمر نفسه ينطبق على باريس، وكذلك على الأرجنتين حيث عليك دائمًا بذل قصارى جهدك للفوز”.

وأردف: “في معظم الأحيان لا يحدث ذلك أو يكون صعبًا للغاية، ولكن منذ البداية تكون عقليتك هي الفوز بكل شيء، ويمنعك روتينك اليومي من الاستمتاع بالأمور”.

وتابع: “ما هو قادم أهم مما حدث ومع مرور الوقت، تبدأ بتقدير الأمور أكثر بكثير”.

واعترف ميسي بأنه يحلم في العودة مرة أخرى إلى نادي نيولز أولد بويز، والذي بدأ معه مسيرته الكروية، حيث قال: “لطالما قلت إن حلم طفولتي كان اللعب مع الفريق الأول لنادي نيولز، كنت أذهب إلى الملعب وألعب هناك، وحلمت بأن أصبح لاعبًا محترفًا في الدوري الإسباني،  ثم تغيرت حياتي تمامًا لأنني غادرت في الثالثة عشرة من عمري وظهرت لأول مرة مع برشلونة، وكل ما حدث بعد ذلك”.

وقال: “إنه شيء لم أتخيله أبدًا ولا حتى في أفضل أحلامي، عشت تجارب أكبر بكثير مما كنت أحلم به”.

وأضاف: “الحقيقة هي أنني لطالما كنت متهورًا بعض الشيء في الملعب، عندما تدخل الملعب تتغير شخصيتك، خارج الملعب كنت خجولًا ومنطويًا وفي الملعب كنت أتحول ، أصرخ، وأجادل، وأريد أن أفعل كل شيء بشكل صحيح، وما زال هذا يحدث حتى اليوم”.

وأوضح ميسي: ”إنه جزء من اللعبة وكل شيء يبقى فيها، ألعب دائمًا للفوز وأشعر بالغضب، وفي تلك اللحظات لا أستطيع التحكم بمشاعري،  بالنسبة لي كل ما يحدث يبقى في الملعب”.