Tottenham Hotspur are now in talks over a move to sign a £60m+ defender who has been likened to Virgil Van Dijk.
Tottenham kick off pre-season with win at Reading
Spurs began their preparations for the 2025/26 Premier League season on Saturday afternoon, with new manager Thomas Frank seeing his side in action for the first time against League One side Reading.
Two second-half goals in the space of four minutes from Will Lankshear and Luka Vuskovic were enough to seal an opening pre-season victory for Spurs and Frank.
It was the first time supports got to see teenage defender Vuskovic in action, and he impressed with a goal, assist and clean sheet, saying after the game: “Everything is perfect. The club is behind me. The players, the staff, the coach, everyone is helping me a lot and I’m really happy.”
Meanwhile, Frank also liked what he saw from the Croatian teenager, adding: “Luka deserves the praise as well. A great header. Showed his physicality and his composure on the ball. He’s not getting stressed when opponents get close. And what a strike.”
Vuskovic could well rival the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin for a spot in the squad over the coming months, however, Spurs are also looking at another defensive addition.
Frank's own Xavi Simons: Spurs hugely keen on signing "magic" £50m star
Tottenham are looking to sign an attacking midfielder in the summer transfer market.
ByAngus Sinclair Jul 20, 2025
Reports have linked Tottenham with a move to sign Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabarnyi, with claims suggesting Spurs and Daniel Levy are ready to pay more than £60m for the Ukraine international.
Tottenham open talks for £60m+ Bournemouth star Zabarnyi
According to information from The Boot Room, Tottenham have been in contact with Bournemouth over a deal for Zabarnyi.
However, the report says Spurs have a difficult job on their hands trying to convince the defender of a move to north London, as he has already agreed terms in principle with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Now, Caught Offside have revealed that Tottenham have opened talks over a deal for Zabarnyi, with Spurs “willing to pay the full asking price” of around €70m, something which PSG aren’t prepared to do at this moment in time.
Labelled a “dominant” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Zabarnyi is still just 22 years of age and appears to be a star in the making.
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool
Levi Colwill
Chelsea
Antonio Rudiger
Real Madrid
Jules Kounde
Barcelona
Gleison Bremer
Juventus
As can be seen via Football Transfers, the Bournemouth star is already being likened to Liverpool captain Van Dijk and numerous other impressive centre-backs following his eye-catching two-and-a-half-year spell with the Cherries.
Spurs may have to look elsewhere for their defensive addition, though, or place more trust in Vuskovic with the games set to come thick and fast in 25/26.
Australian was halfway through four-year contract, Marcus Trescothick will take over on interim basis
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-20242:32
Miller: Mott was most dispensable of an uninspiring pairing
Matthew Mott has stepped down as England Men’s white-ball head coach with immediate effect.Mott was halfway through a four-year contract, during which time he presided over triumph at the 2022 T20 World Cup as well as the side’s failure to defend that title this year or the 50-over crown they won in 2019 at the 2023 edition, where they won just three of their nine games.He will be replaced by assistant coach Marcus Trescothick on an interim basis for the rest of the home summer, which includes three T20Is and five ODIs against Australia in September.Related
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Key, Mott in spotlight as England white-ball team reaches crossroads
On Sunday, Mott met with Rob Key, ECB managing director of England men’s cricket, to gauge his view on the last nine months as part of a review into the drop in team’s limited-overs performances.”I am immensely proud to have coached the England Men’s team; it has been an honour,” Mott said. “We have put everything into trying to achieve success over the past two years, and I am incredibly proud of the character and passion that the team has displayed during that period, including a magnificent T20 World Cup victory in 2022.”I would like to thank the players, management, and everyone at the ECB for their commitment, support, and hard work during my time. I leave with many great friendships and incredible memories. Finally, I would like to thank the England fans, who have always backed us and given us fantastic support wherever we have travelled around the world.”Appointed in May 2022, Mott also led England to white-ball series victories against Australia, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand and Pakistan. But it appears that England’s most recent campaign, where they were knocked out of the T20 World Cup in the semi-finals by eventual winners India, was pivotal to the decision.Matthew Mott was halfway through his contract•Getty ImagesKey said the search for a full-time replacement would begin immediately. He believed the rapport between Trescothick and white-ball captain Jos Buttler “will help us maintain continuity and stability”.”On behalf of everyone connected to England cricket and me personally, I would like to thank Matthew for all he has done for the team since his appointment,” Key said. “He can be proud of his achievements as he leaves his post as one of only three coaches who have won a Men’s World Cup with England.”After three World Cup cycles in a short space of time, I now feel the team needs a new direction to prepare for the challenges ahead. This decision was not made lightly, but I believe it is the right time for the team’s future success. With our focus shifting towards the Champions Trophy early next year and the next cycle of white-ball competition, it is crucial that we ensure the team is focused and prepared.”Trescothick, added: “England cricket is in a strong position, and the potential is huge, given the quality we have available. It is about harnessing that potential and developing the work that has already been put in place by Matthew Mott and the rest of the set-up. I’m excited about the challenge and shaping how we want to play.”Eoin Morgan, England’s former World Cup-winning captain who now works as a commentator, recently dismissed reports that he could replace Mott as nothing more than “speculation”.Other names such as Andrew Flintoff, currently in his first coaching role with Northern Superchargers in the men’s Hundred, Mike Hussey, who was part of the coaching staff for the successful 2022 T20 World Cup campaign, and Kumar Sangakkara have also been touted for the role. However, it is understood no prospective successors to Mott have been sounded out at this juncture.
Bangladesh could qualify even if they lose, but one more point will assure them of the Super Eight spot
Mohammad Isam16-Jun-2024
Bangladesh are close to the Super Eight, and one more point will seal the deal•ICC/Getty Images
Match detailsBangladesh vs Nepal June 16, Kingstown, 7.30pm localBig picture: Bangladesh on the cusp of Super EightBangladesh’s Super Eight fate in the T20 World Cup 2024 is in their own hands as one more win is all they need to go through.The only way Bangladesh can miss out is if they lose big against Nepal, and Netherlands beat Sri Lanka by a big enough margin with that game scheduled an hour after Bangladesh vs Nepal. Bangladesh will fancy sailing through as they have looked like the second-best team in Group D so far. They know they can’t take Nepal lightly, more so after their close game against South Africa.But Bangladesh are high on confidence, a side on the mend that, only recently, went down in a T20I series against USA. Their top-order batting remains a concern but their middle-order batters and bowlers have carried them to this promising position.Legspinner Rishad Hossain is the surprise package, with his seven wickets. He has often picked the crucial scalps and his skilful bowling has lifted Bangladesh’s morale. The pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan have provided a strong backbone, and their relentless accuracy this tournament has often brought about well-timed breakthroughs.Nepal are still smarting from their one-run loss against South Africa. They were left wondering how they messed up a chase where they were ahead at one point. Gulsan Jha’s run out on the last ball left their legion of fans heartbroken, but their overall performance against one of the tournament’s top teams gives them confidence for the next challenge. Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee shared seven wickets against South Africa at the same ground, while Aasif Sheikh comes in fresh off a stylish 42. Their big hitters are an X-Factor too.Nepal have enough firepower to win, but Bangladesh, at this tournament, have shown an appetite for staying in the fight for longer periods. Key battles will be fought between their middle-order and Nepal’s spinners, particularly how they play Sandeep Lamichhane. Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, meanwhile, will look to exploit any lack of experience among the Nepal batters.With Nepal wanting to finish the tournament with one win and Bangladesh equally motivated to take two points, expect another tight game in a T20 World Cup full of thrillers.Form guideBangladesh WLWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first) Nepal LLLLWIn the spotlight: Tanzid Hasan and Aasif SheikhTanzid Hasan hasn’t done anything special yet in the T20 World Cup but the left-hand opener played an attractive innings against Netherlands. His glut of powerplay boundaries gave Bangladesh their best start in the first six, since arriving in North America four weeks ago. Tanzid is strong on both sides of the pitch and shows presence of mind whenever the bowlers ask him tough questions. It is now a matter of staying long enough for a big score.Aasif Sheikh was better known as the Nepal wicketkeeper who won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award in 2022 for not running out the stumbling Andy McBrine. Those watching him bat for the first time against South Africa saw the other side of Sheikh: an attractive opener who can wow with his flicks. Sheikh’s off side strokeplay also looked promising. After making 42 against South Africa’s attack, he will aim to get even better.Nepal will have to lift themselves after suffering a heart-breaking defeat against SA•ICC/Getty Images
Team news: More spinners in the offingBangladesh shouldn’t tinker ideally, but they could consider either left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam or offspin-bowling allrounder Mahedi Hasan on a spin-friendly pitch.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Najmul Hosain Shanto (capt), 3 Litton Das (wk), 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Taskin Ahmed 11 Mustafizur Rahman.Nepal have left-arm spinners Lalit Rajbanshi and Sagar Dhakal if they want more bowing options.Nepal (probable): 1 Kushal Bhurtel, 2 Aasif Sheikh (wk), 3 Rohit Paudel (capt), 4 Anil Sah, 5 Dipendra Singh Airee, 6 Kushal Malla, 7 Gulsan Jha, 8 Sompal Kami, 9 Karan KC, 10 Sandeep Lamichhane, 11 Abinash Bohara.Pitch and conditionsArnos Vale became a spin haven in the Nepal-South Africa match, producing 12 wickets for the spinners. There’s light rain forecast for Sunday evening in the area and in case there is a washout, Bangladesh will be through to the Super Eight.Stats that matter Mustafizur Rahman boasts the lowest economy rate (minimum three overs), of 2.25 per over, among bowlers in the last four overs at this T20 World Cup Aasif Sheikh’s 42 against South Africa in their previous match is Nepal’s highest score against a Full Member side. Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Sompal Kami are the only survivors from the Bangladesh vs Nepal match in 2014 – their only previous encounter – when they faced off at that year’s T20 World Cup.Quotes”If we were going to play on the same wicket, we could say it’s going to be a battle of spin. But we are playing on a completely different wicket, a fresh wicket. So we will expect normal behaviour. We are not thinking anything differently until we bowl the first ball. After bowling the first ball, we might be able to read the pitch.” “If I had to only speak like a fan from outside, I know that they are capable more than that. But just as a fan who loves the game, I would say Nepal definitely have left their footprints with that game and to let the Test nations know, the world cricket know that they belong. I have a strong belief in this class of 2023, the players who have come together.”
Tottenham Hotspur face a significant summer of changes, both in the dugout and at squad level, with the future of a key player seeming far away from north London.
Ange Postecoglou facing Spurs exit after dismal campaign
Spurs could still qualify for the Champions League next season by winning their first major trophy since 2008.
Tottenham: Robinson thrilled after hearing Levy could appoint 52-year-old
Spurs are said to be closing in on his arrival.
2 ByEmilio Galantini May 13, 2025
All eyes are on the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21, which has the potential to save Tottenham’s season in a crunch, all or nothing encounter against Premier League rivals Man United, who’ve also endured a horror-show season.
Ange Postecoglou led Spurs to their 20th top-flight loss of the season against Crystal Palace last weekend, breaking their all-time record for most recorded Premier League defeats in a single campaign, with the 59-year-old under intense scrutiny.
Son Heung-min
7.05
Pedro Porro
6.98
James Maddison
6.98
Dominic Solanke
6.88
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
More and more credible media sources are reporting that Postecoglou could leave Spurs regardless of whether they win the Europa League, and he’s likely to be joined by some big-name players.
Cristian Romero linked with Spurs summer exit
One of them, star defender Cristian Romero, is a top target for Atlético Madrid and Diego Simeone.
Some reports even suggest that Romero has already agreed terms on a move to Atletico, but both the Lilywhites and La Liga side are yet to find any common ground when it comes to the 26-year-old’s final price tag.
According to information from Marca, there is still negotiating to do when it comes to Spurs and Atlético shaking hands on a fee.
Cristian Romero clear he wants Atletico move amid £84m plan
As per the Spanish newspaper, relayed by Sport Witness, Romero is clear he wants a move to Atlético from Tottenham, but the Premier League side value him at around £59 million and are very unlikely to go anywhere below £42 million.
It is unclear whether Simeone’s men will reach their minimum figure, but they’re set to open talks, and are planning a spending spree worth up to £84 million this summer.
Taking into account they wish to use this cash on a host of other targets, despite Romero’s obvious quality when at his very best, Atlético want to whittle his price down as much as possible.
“He’s the best centre-half at the club,” said pundit Paul Robinson about Romero in 2022, to Football Insider.
“I think they probably tried to get one in during the window but it didn’t work out. But in Romero they have got a phenomenal defender. He makes others around him better.
“What they have got isn’t enough. They need more, but he is certainly the best that they have got. He could play in any side in the top four of the Premier League. He is a Champions League player, a top player.
“If Spurs are going to go places Romero is the type of player they will need to keep and build around.”
Liverpool and high-class forwards have long stood in a productive affinity, even before Jurgen Klopp changed Anfield’s direction, previously spiralling out of control under Brendan Rodgers’ wing.
There have been many. Mohamed Salah is the cream of the Premier League’s attacking pool right now, indeed one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, but Arne Slot’s recognised strikers, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, have been beset with problems this year.
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
Nunez, in particular, has been a massive let-down. No transfer figure spent in Liverpool’s long history stretches north of the Uruguayan, who joined from Benfica for £85m in 2022 but, now aged 25, is set to depart this summer having failed to ever reach his potential.
He certainly hasn’t succeeded in replacing Bobby Firmino, one of the greatest modern forwards to grace Merseyside.
Why Bobby Firmino was so special
Liverpool signed Firmino from German club Hoffenheim for £29m in 2015, months before Klopp’s appointment changed everything.
Silky and stylish, he was perfect for Klopp’s gegenpressing style of football, an industrious worker, an intelligent technician and a balletic dancer across the frontline.
Distinctive and the connecting axis from which Salah and Sadio Mane swooped and struck from either flank, the Brazilian left at the end of his contract in 2023 with a legacy that most players could only dream of.
His brilliance is all the more sorely missed due to Nunez’s failure to live up to the billing, and Liverpool appear to yearn for that presence at number nine, ramping up their interest in the next version of the South American star.
Liverpool lining up their next Firmino
As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are looking to repeat their Firmino trick in signing an up-and-comer from the Bundesliga this summer, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike in FSG’s scope.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
Ekitike has been one of the most talked-about forwards of the current campaign, with his performances catching the eyes of numerous high-profile suitors. Liverpool scouts, indeed, were in attendance when he scored against Tottenham in the Europa League one week ago.
And it’s thought that Liverpool are now moving the 22-year-old up to the top of their summer shopping list, though they would be required to fork out €85m (about £73m).
Why Hugo Ekitike would be perfect for Slot
Alexander Isak would be the dream. But dreams aren’t often bedded in reality, and Newcastle United’s £150m demands are sure to act as a strong repellent on FSG.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
And that’s completely fair enough, especially when Ekitike – who data-driven site FBref record as one of Isak’s most statistically similar players – is ostensibly available for half the price.
One of the most attractive parts about Isak’s skill set is that he can marry varying parts of the striker’s game, unleashing himself as a truly dynamic and fearsome force.
Ekitike can be that focal point for Liverpool, indeed replicating Firmino in the process.
Hugo Ekitike takes a penalty for Frankfurt.
Ekitike, like Bobby Dazzler, would be signed from Germany as an up-and-coming attacking talent, albeit with a higher stock.
But the likeness doesn’t end there. Ekitike is not just “one of the best strikers out there,” according to analyst Ben Mattinson, but his protean approach mirrors that of Firmino’s, with Frankfurt correspondent Christopher Michel piling on the praise and claiming “his technique is one of the best in Europe and his foot is like glue for the ball.”
Having struggled to get going as a youngster at Paris Saint-Germain moved on loan to Frankfurt for the latter half of the 2023/24 season before signing permanently for a reported €35m (£30m) fee.
The first impression at his new home was one of promise. He struggled to acclimatise as winter turned to spring, though he finished the campaign off on firm footing, firing home in four of Frankfurt’s final five league matches of 2023/24, assisting in the other.
This season, the seeds of success have bloomed, with the France native having posted 21 goals and nine assists across all competitions, showcasing a balance of output that Firmino would be proud of.
Let’s look at how the players compare. Firmino didn’t play all that much during his final season at Liverpool but you can clearly see the similarities between the two silky forwards, with Ekitike actually proving he has a charged athleticism that could outstrip the Brazilian even in his heyday.
League Stats 24/25 – Hugo Ekitike vs Bobby Firmino
Stats (* = per game)
Ekitike (24/25)
Firmino (22/23)
Matches (starts)
28 (26)
25 (13)
Goals
14
11
Assists
5
4
Touches*
34.9
31.2
Shots (on target)*
3.6 (1.4)
1.6 (1.0)
Big chances missed
12
6
Pass completion
77%
80%
Big chances created
9
4
Dribbles*
1.6
0.5
Ball recoveries*
3.1
4.7
Tackles + interceptions*
0.8
1.0
Duels won*
4.0
2.0
Stats via Sofascore
This energetic and clinical quality would give Liverpool exactly what they need next season, easing Salah’s burden while giving the likes of Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz (should he stay put) greater license to strike on goal and raise their scoring numbers.
Ekitike is what Liverpool thought Nunez would be, and while he hasn’t yet step foot on Premier League grass, the talented Frenchman has the perfect skill set to front Slot’s system and the data to back it all up.
Hugo Ekitike for Eintracht Frankfurt.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 7% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 9% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for all of progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.
To put that another, more digestible, way: Ekitike is technically gifted, an able runner who not only drives his way into dangerous positions but maximises his chances of making things happen once arriving at such crucial junctures.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
He’s got Liverpool written all over him, and while £73m or thereabouts would put him among the Anfield side’s most expensive signings in history, the pointers suggest this would be a road worth heading down.
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And who has played the most Tests without ever taking a catch?
Steven Lynch19-Aug-2025Bob Simpson, who died recently, had a ten-year gap in his Test career – was this the longest for Australia, or indeed anybody? asked David McCormack from Australia Bob Simpson, who sadly died last week at the age of 89, had played 52 Tests when he originally retired, aged only 31, after the 1967-68 Australian season. But he returned to captain them again in 1977-78, when several first-choice players were unavailable as they had joined Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket. Simpson was 41, but scored two centuries against India before captaining in the West Indies (which he had done before, in 1964-65). In all he played 62 Tests, scoring 4869 runs at 46.81. The highest of his ten centuries was his first, 311 against England at Old Trafford in 1964.There was a gap of nine years and 305 days between Simpson’s 52nd Test (against India in Sydney in January 1968) and his 53rd (also against India, in Brisbane in December 1977). That’s the longest such gap for Australia in Tests, but leaves him quite a way down the overall list.The offspinner John Traicos tops the list: he went 22 years 222 days between playing for South Africa in March 1970 and appearing in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test, against India in Harare in October 1992. George Gunn of England and Pakistan’s Younis Ahmed both went more than 17 years between Test appearances.Simpson missed 71 Test matches during his absence, and lies third on that particular list for Australia, behind Brad Hogg and Tim Paine, who both missed 78. The overall list is headed by the England offspinner Gareth Batty, who was not selected in 142 successive Tests between June 2005 and October 2016.Who has played the most Test matches without ever taking a catch? And what’s the record for ODIs and T20Is? asked Zaheer Ahmed from the United States I’ve answered this before, but not for a while I think, and it’s worth doing again as Zimbabwe’s Tendai Chatara has (possibly temporarily) joined four other men who have played ten Tests without ever taking a catch. The others are Australia’s Chuck Fleetwood-Smith, Imran Khan of Pakistan (the recent bowler, not the famous captain), India’s Abey Kuruvilla and Jayananda Warnaweera of Sri Lanka.In ODIs, the Pakistan seamer Ata-ur-Rehman played no fewer than 30 matches without ever holding on to a catch: he’s well clear of the next man, Zimbabwe’s Piet Rinke with 18.In T20 internationals, Chirag Suri of UAE has played 31 matches so far without taking a catch, while Hungary’s Ali Farasat has drawn a blank in 22. Australia’s Billy Stanlake has played 19 T20Is without a catch, as has Rwanda’s Yvan Mitari.For the women, Pakistan’s Sharmeen Khan played 26 ODIs without taking a catch and Jiska Howard of Netherlands 21. In T20Is, the Singapore offspinner Haresh Dhavina has so far played no fewer than 49 matches without a catch, and Harjivan Bhullar 43 for Austria.Has any captain ever done less than Mitchell Santner in the second Test against Zimbabwe? He only bowled one over and didn’t bat… at least he took a few catches! asked Christopher McKenna from New Zealand I don’t suppose Mitchell Santner was too bothered by his slim pickings in Bulawayo, since his side won by an innings and he ended up with two wins out of two as captain! He wasn’t required to bat, bowled one over for four runs, but did take three catches.There are 18 instances of a captain not batting or bowling in a Test, most of them rain-affected matches – it includes successive games for England’s Arthur Carr during the 1926 Ashes, and rival captains Tom Lowry (New Zealand) and Harold Gilligan (England) in a soggy match in Auckland in February 1930. The previous two instances were both in 2023, by Ben Stokes for England against Ireland at Lord’s in June, and the injured Temba Bavuma for South Africa vs India in Centurion in December.There’s one other instance of a captain not batting but bowling just one over in the Test, by Jackie Grant in West Indies’ innings victory over England in Kingston in 1935.Ben Stokes neither batted nor bowled but did take one catch when he captained England to a ten-wicket win against Ireland at Lord’s in 2023•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesOn his Test debut in 2019, George Linde scored the most runs in the match and also took the most wickets for South Africa. Has anyone else done this on debut? asked James King from South Africa South Africa’s George Linde scored 37 and 27, and also took 4 for 133, on his debut against India in Ranchi in 2019.He was only the second man to make the most runs and take more wickets than any other team-mate on his Test debut, after Roger Blunt, who scored 52 runs and also took five wickets with his legbreaks against England in Christchurch in 1930, in New Zealand’s first-ever Test match.Two other players scored the most runs, and were the equal-top wicket-taker in their first Test: Tinashe Panyangara, with 50 runs (from No. 11) and three wickets for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in Harare in 2004 (Blessing Mahwire also took three wickets), and Alick Athanaze, who top-scored in both innings with 47 and 28 and also took a wicket for West Indies vs India in Roseau (Dominica) in 2023. Athanaze was one of five West Indian bowlers who took a solitary wicket in that match.As a follow-up to last week’s question about Brendan Taylor, did Zimbabwe have the oldest average age for any Test team? asked Anandh Subramanian from India The team in Bulawayo was Zimbabwe’s oldest in a Test, with an average age of 32 years 111 days: apart from the nearly-40s, most of the others were relatively young. Zimbabwe’s previous-oldest team was against England at Trent Bridge earlier in the year, with an average age of 31 years 133 days (Taylor wasn’t in that one).Buit it’s a long way down the overall list of the oldest teams: there have actually been 156 XIs with a higher average age. The top four places are occupied by England in the four Tests in the West Indies in 1929-30, when their side included two 50-year-olds in Wilfred Rhodes (who was actually 52) and George Gunn, two fortysomethings in Nigel Haig and Patsy Hendren, and 39-year-old Andy Sandham, who scored Test cricket’s first triple-century in the final Test in Kingston, when the team’s average age was 37 years 188 days.The oldest in the current century was Australia’s team in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June 2025, which had an average age of 33 years 156 days – only Cameron Green was under 30.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
He’s returned from a serious injury with remarkable speed, right at the moment when New Zealand need his skillset most
Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Oct-20232:11
Who does Kane Williamson replace in the XI?
The world of 2023 is profoundly different to the world of 2019, but some things have endured. Kane Williamson is one of them. He’s the only guy from this photograph to feature in this one.He’s done this against all odds, recovering with remarkable speed from a knee injury that had all but ruled him out of this World Cup, and on Thursday afternoon he brought to Chepauk the warm glow of the familiar.Here he was, in that knowing way of his, choosing the blandest possible response to every press-conference question. Here he was, in that diffident way of his, making his way to the nets, his head momentarily turned by the noise of a dozen cameras snapping at him in burst mode. Here he was, in that finicky way of his, choosing which ball to force square on tiptoe and which ball – near-identical to the watcher from afar – to dab fine.Related
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NZ look to make it 3/3 in Chennai amid their captain's big return
'Just great to be sitting here now' – Kane Williamson all set to go
Here he was, New Zealand’s captain, preparing for his first game of his fourth World Cup.Much has been made of this tournament showcasing a format going through an existential crisis. At the same time, though, this World Cup also showcases a format that’s experiencing a rare period of stability, with no major rule changes taking place between 2019 and 2023. For all of T20’s growing influence, Williamson doesn’t think ODIs have changed to any great degree in this time.”Yeah, I think with the number of T20 sort of World Cups that we’ve had, it’s probably meant that there’s been a lot more T20 cricket building up to those events,” he said. “Yeah, I mean it probably keeps evolving a little bit and there’s probably a bunch of things that still remain quite similar that you do need to still keep considering […] We saw in 2019 where there were expectations that there’ll be scores of 400-plus where in fact they were probably more [in the] 250 to 260 range, and so there’s still a lot of adjustment and adapting to the way you play that gives you the best chance, and I think every team does it a little bit differently.”New Zealand have brought to this World Cup a squad that allows them to bat differently in different conditions, and they’ll be thrilled at the timing of Williamson’s return. They won their first two games while rattling away at well over a run a ball on flat surfaces in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, but Chennai promises to be different. It’s here, perhaps, that they will most need Williamson’s skillset.Kane Williamson bats at the nets•ICC/Getty ImagesNo team has made 300 in the last 12 ODIs at Chepauk, and Sunday’s World Cup clash between India and Australia was decided by Test-match virtues. India won because they bowled with better control for longer, and because their batters showed greater staying power in tricky conditions.New Zealand already possess plenty of staying power in Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham – all proven Test batters – but in conditions that are likely to bring spin into play, and against a Bangladesh attack made for those conditions, they’ll gladly welcome more of it.You don’t need reminding of all the times Williamson’s staying power has won New Zealand World Cup games, but here’s a recap anyway. Auckland, where Mitchell Starc looked all but unstoppable. Birmingham, where Williamson masterminded a seesawing chase of 242. Manchester, where he turned 7 for 2 into a total of 291. Manchester, again, where he scrapped away in seaming conditions to give New Zealand a total they could bowl at.For every ODI that looks like an extended T20 slugfest, there’s one that ebbs and flows like a condensed Test match. These tend to occur quite often at World Cups, for a number of reasons. They feature a number of matches on used pitches, for one. Perhaps more crucially, teams bring their best attacks to these tournaments, having spent much of the build-up resting key bowlers and testing out new faces.It’s against the best attacks and in less-than-ideal conditions that the best batters stand out from the crowd.This is why teams won’t worry too much about their linchpins even if they’ve not scored too many runs in the lead-up to the tournament. Joe Root scored one fifty and made seven scores of 11 or less in his last nine ODI innings before this World Cup, but it was no surprise to anyone that he began the tournament with back-to-back scores of 77 and 82. Williamson, dogged by injury, has played only 12 ODIs since the 2019 World Cup, scored his runs at a strike rate of 70.33 – well below his career figure of 80.97 – and hasn’t featured in the format since January.It’s likely, though, that none of this will matter on Friday. There’s every chance, instead, that Williamson will mark his guard, waggle his bat behind him in that twitchy way of his, and flow into his drives like 2019 never went away.
The England allrounder talks about facing India again, and what he has learnt during his time with the Chennai Super Kings
Interview by Alan Gardner03-Aug-2021It’s three years since you made your international debut, which was followed by winning Man of the Series for the Tests against India. Is that something you reflect on often? I do. I’ve always said that summer was pretty amazing. Making my debut against Pakistan at Headingley probably came out of nowhere, but I managed to get through that and get picked for that first game [against India] at Edgbaston. It’s three years, but probably doesn’t feel that long ago. With the Indian side coming over, naturally I’ll have that at the back of my mind. Thinking how that series went gives me great confidence going into Trent Bridge. I haven’t played much Test cricket in the last six months, so it’s exciting for me to hopefully try and replicate 2018. India are a fantastic side, so I’m sure it’s going to be a fantastic series.You had quite an amazing impact – five wickets and a vital half-century at Edgbaston, top scorer at the Ageas Bowl, played a part in all four wins. Everything seemed to click for you. As a player, you naturally have periods where you’re in form and you’ve got to ride those good waves. I always remember the exciting parts of that series. Luckily for me, it went well with bat and ball and we managed to win 4-1. Looking back on it, it gives you great confidence when you perform against that type of opposition. For me, there’s no better feeling. I always look back on that, thinking, yes, I can perform at this level. Naturally, anything that goes well gives you confidence, so it’s definitely been good and probably helped my game across all formats. It gives you belief that you can perform against high-quality players.Did you actually surprise yourself with how well you performed? I wouldn’t say surprise yourself – you probably do better than you think [you would]. It probably helped me that I got called up due to Stokesy [Ben Stokes] getting injured [against Pakistan]. When you don’t have to actually think about what’s ahead of you, you go in with an open mind and perform like you’re in a county game. But when I’m in a tough place, I probably look back on series like that and that’s what gives you confidence.Related
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What was your standout memory of the series? That Edgbaston Test was my favourite, the way we won that game on the last day, last session, where it could have gone either way. I think we needed four-five wickets. And yeah, the way I batted, the way I bowled. The whole atmosphere at that stadium – it was my first experience of Edgbaston, so great memories.You’ve not played a Test since Sri Lanka in January. What is your ideal preparation like? Do you like to keep it simple, or do analysis on who you’ll be coming up against? I wouldn’t say I’m a very technical person. I don’t do too much analysis or overthinking. I’m quite an in-the-moment type of person, just reacting to situations. That’s what I feel is best, because if I’m overthinking things, I don’t think that’s a good place to be.Kumar Sangakkara, who was a team-mate of yours at Surrey, said you had very good “situational awareness”. Do you think you have a natural sense for the game? I always feel I perform my best when I’m in the moment. I’m quite an instinctive player when it comes to deciding things. Don’t really watch too much in terms of analysis, what the bowlers do, what the batters do. I go on my gut feel quite a lot. I think a lot of players do that. There are players who love looking back on things, but I’m pretty easy in terms of moving on. More that I don’t want to overthink my game, because for me personally, that’s not helpful.You started so young – making your debut for Surrey at 17, England at 19 – but you seem to know what works for you. The next couple of years, I may fall into wanting to do different things, but for now I just love the responsibility of playing for England, trying to perform in front of the amazing support. I never really get too down, because cricket’s a sport where you get so many ups and downs. But the pride of walking out for England in a Test match – there’s no better feeling.”I look up to someone like Stokesy [Ben Stokes, hugging Curran in photo], who scores big runs and takes loads of wickets”•Michael Steele/Getty ImagesYour exploits against India also helped win you an IPL contract when you were picked up by Kings XI Punjab in the 2018 auction. You must look back on it as a life-changing summer? That’s how it worked out. I played that India series and then went to the IPL, and things progressed quite quickly. I’ve just enjoyed the journey so far. I’ve learned a lot of things. I guess I was pretty new to the scene then, but I feel like now I’ve played quite a bit in all formats, where you learn things, you improve on things, you find out things – certainly different players at the IPL, where you can pick their brains, especially the foreign players and the local Indian players. That’s benefited my game quite a bit.Moving to Chennai Super Kings for 2020, you had an immediate impact – albeit the team didn’t have a great season. I think it’s a tournament where I got very lucky. I got thrown into it quite young, moved from Kings XI to Chennai, which worked out pretty well in terms of coming to a team where you had Stephen Fleming as coach, MS Dhoni as captain, some big foreign players. It’s just an environment where you eat and sleep cricket. You’re always around the guys and you can ask questions, see how guys train, learn new tricks. It’s an environment where you come across guys you never see in day-to-day life. It’s been fantastic for me. It gives you great confidence when you perform. At the IPL there’s no weak team, so whenever you play, you’re under so much pressure. You just go out there and do what you do and if it goes badly, you learn from it. If it goes well, you take confidence. It’s a great tournament for me. I’ve loved every minute of it.Dhoni called you a “complete cricketer” during that IPL out in the UAE, where you were used in a variety of roles and even opened the batting. That must have felt pretty good? A player like Dhoni, he’s got such a big presence in the game. He’s achieved so many amazing things. Naturally you get confidence from that. There’s nothing better for me as a younger player to get put in those scenarios. It wasn’t the best season for the team but you learn so much and obviously this season when the IPL was going ahead [in India], we were second on the table. It’s a great franchise and hopefully I can contribute more in the coming years.”At the IPL there’s no weak team, so whenever you play you’re under so much pressure. If it goes badly, you learn from it. If it goes well, you take confidence”•Arjun Singh/BCCIIn Mumbai earlier this year, with Andre Russell on the rampage for Kolkata Knight Riders, you came on and bowled him around his legs as he attempted to leave. It was just [one of] those moments when you come across players like that, where it’s you or him in the moment. He’s one of the most powerful hitters and you bowl to him: you execute and you get him out. If you don’t, you’re going into the stands. It really tests your game and that’s why I really do feel like I’ve benefited from being around such high-quality players and hopefully I bring that form into playing for England. I’d love to be part of a World Cup, so fingers crossed I can make the squad.Your flexibility is clearly an asset. Is that something you think can help your case with England? You’ve seen how good the England white-ball sides are. Any time you get picked in the XI, you’re very proud and honoured to be playing, because it’s a phenomenal squad and whoever gets picked, you know you’ve got to keep performing because there’s so much depth. You saw that with the Pakistan series, where guys who hadn’t really been playing put on such a good performance, so it’s a great place to be.Will there be some messages flying around with the CSK guys ahead of the India Tests? Guys like Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur go from being team-mates to the opposition. There are a couple of guys I got friendly with at the IPL, but come the series, they’ll obviously be enemies. They are really nice guys that I played with at Chennai and there’s a few I look forward to seeing.Going back to into Test cricket – this will actually be the fourth format you’ve played in the last month or so, after playing the opening game of the men’s Hundred, as well as ODIs and T20Is with England. Do you find it hard to make the switch? I haven’t played a red-ball game for a while, so I feel pretty fresh. Got away from the game for a bit in terms of getting a rest. The basics stay pretty similar. The patience element comes into it a bit more [in Tests], but I don’t change too much. You’ve got to be prepared for bowling a lot more overs, batting a longer period of time. Fielding’s a longer situation. The group had a training day the other day at Loughborough, where we went through some nice bowling spells, getting those overs back in the body.High five: Curran took his first international five-wicket haul, against Sri Lanka at his home ground, The Oval, last month•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesWhat are you aiming to do once you get to the top of your mark in a Test? I’m pretty open going into the game. Like I said, I don’t analyse too many players. I try and stick to my strengths and go out there with a clear mind. If I do play, it will be pretty stock standard how I go about trying to contribute – take a few wickets, score a few runs. Really excited – five Tests against India in England with the crowds back. I love playing in front of the fans. It gives you that extra adrenaline and rush to keep performing.For all your success with England so far, your first five-for only came last month, in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at The Oval. The way you celebrated suggested it was quite a significant moment for you? That was really special that day – home ground at The Oval, played there so many years. I think it was just relief. It was my first five-for for England. Such an amazing feeling, one of those moments you cherish. You dream of scoring hundreds, taking five-fors, winning games. To do it on your home ground, with family there, it was very special.You also made 95 not out in an ODI against India in March, nearly getting England over the line chasing 330. Was that just a case of breaking it down ball by ball in your head or feeling it in the moment? A bit of both. You try and read the situation, and we got very close. But you take confidence from doing well. I’m that type of player. Hopefully, the next couple of weeks and months will be good for myself and the team.You’ve made a couple of 90s in first-class cricket for Surrey as well. Presumably you’re keen to convert one? Yeah, of course. I don’t think about those things too much. It’s in your head, but I don’t want to look too far ahead. Fingers crossed it comes soon.”I always feel I perform my best when I’m in the moment. I’m quite an instinctive player when it comes to deciding things”•Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty ImagesWhat do you make of the theory that you might one day end up as more of a batting allrounder? Yeah, I love contributing. I look up to someone like Stokesy, who scores big runs and takes loads of wickets. That’s someone I want to emulate, keep try to improve day by day and keep getting better.Eoin Morgan has said that you and your brother Tom are among the most competitive people he’s ever met. Where does that come from? We’re a competitive family – three brothers [Ben plays county cricket for Northamptonshire]. My dad played cricket. In the back garden, messing around, you’ve got to be competitive. I love winning, I hate losing. It’s just in our blood. When you’re in a tough situation, I just try to get in the battle. I’m not a bad loser, but I don’t like losing.Did your dad being an cricketer, playing internationally for Zimbabwe as well as having a long career in county cricket, help with your drive to play the game professionally? I think just being around cricket, my dad coaching, always being on a field messing around on the boundary while teams were playing. We just lived cricket, sleep cricket, a big cricketing family, loved the game. I’m sure he would have loved to be here to see us [playing now].Did you know that no left-armer seamer has ever taken 100 wickets for England? You’re already almost halfway there at the age of 23… I’m not a massive stats person, but I just want to play as much Test cricket as I can through my career – it’s obviously the pinnacle, so fingers crossed I can become the first.You’re a multi-format player, but is Test cricket still the ultimate? Absolutely. That’s why I think the next six weeks are really exciting. Sure, it’s going to be a fantastic series and I hope I can be involved in any way, shape or form. Just got to try and get in the side and never lose my spot.Have you heard the phrase, “Sam Curran: makes things happen”? What do you make of it? I have come across it, yeah. Any player tries to make things happen. I don’t know why I’ve got that tag. I just love trying to impact games, whether that’s with bat, ball or in the field. I’ll keep trying to make it happen.
The Tigers might be poised to do what was once unthinkable.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Jorge Castillo discussed the two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, in a piece recapping the winter meetings. He said the most interesting thing he heard this week was that a Skubal trade is now likely.
That is quite a bombshell, but not entirely unexpected.
Skubal will almost certainly garner the biggest contract ever given to a pitcher—not including two-way star Shohei Ohtani. Yoshinobu Yamamoto currently has the biggest contract of any MLB pitcher, clocking in at $325 million over 12 years. Skubal should blow that number away and is likely to have an average annual value in the $40 million range. It’s unlikely the Tigers would be able to shell out the $400-plus million it might take to lock him down, so the team is smart to consider moving him while it still can.
He has been MLB’s most dominant presence on the mound over the past two seasons, and all 30 teams would want him. Starting a bidding war for his services is a no-brainer at this point.
In 2025, Skubal turned in what was easily his best season. He went 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and 241 strikeouts against 33 walks in 195 1/3 innings. His 6.6 fWAR led all MLB pitchers, while he was second in FIP (2.45) and xERA (2.72).
That improved on an equally remarkable 2024 campaign in which he went 18-4, with a 2.39 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts against 35 walks in 192 innings.
At 29 years old, Skubal has plenty of his prime years left and seems be getting better.
If Skubal was going to move, the Dodgers would, of course, be in the mix. L.A.’s farm system could easily provide the prospects to satisfy the return Detroit would be looking for, and the Dodgers could also move a piece from their deep MLB rotation to help the Tigers. Tyler Glasnow’s name was tossed around at the winter meetings, and he’d be a fit atop Detroit’s rotation.
Other teams that would make sense are the Mets, Astros, and Red Sox, and no one should ever count the Padres out as long as A.J. Preller is still manning the ship. The Orioles appear to be all-in and have a ton of young players, so they could also be a player.
Trading Skubal would be painful for the Tigers, but they are likely to lose him in free agency next offseason, and the haul he’d bring back could set the franchise up for success long term.
Delhi Capitals’ Australian allrounder opens up about her fielding, her success across formats and levels, and growing up in a cricketing family
Sruthi Ravindranath14-Mar-2025You had an excellent summer with Australia that ended with the Belinda Clark medal. How do you reflect on the season gone by?It feels like it’s been a long summer with lots of cricket, starting with that World Cup [in October 2024 in the UAEI’ve sort of moved series to series, tournament to tournament. There’s so much cricket on so it’s hard to look at it as a whole. Hopefully when WPL [is over] – and we’ve got a couple of games against New Zealand, and then the season’s officially done – I think when there’s a bit more of a break there, then I’ll be able to reflect a bit more. Proud I’ve been able to contribute to especially the Australian team and stand up in different moments, which has been nice.You got going with the ball in the very first match after coming from the Ashes in Australia. What did you have to do differently to adjust to Indian conditions?I don’t think there’s one specific thing. I think I’m quite versatile in terms of the change-ups I’ve got – I’ve got decent pace too – so I think it’s just about assessing the conditions every wicket you play on – even if it’s the same ground, it is a little bit different – and trying to work out what’s working as soon as possible. We’ve got a great bowling attack, very experienced with Kappy [Marizanne Kapp] and Shikha Pandey as well, who often start us off really well and [I] can get some good information from those guys before I come on, sort of more through the middle. But enjoying the challenge of often batter-friendly conditions and trying to navigate through a bowling innings when batters are going hard, and the boundaries are pretty short and the outfield’s fast too.You have an effective offcutter, which you’ve used quite a bit in these conditions.I think [I developed it] early on in WBBL when I was really young. I realised I had to work on a change-up to make it a little bit harder for batters. So I’ve got a couple of change-ups now. The offcutter is my go-to one early.Related
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Given my action, it was probably the easiest one to bank on. But I think I’ve definitely worked on it to make sure no matter what kind of conditions I’m playing in, it can work. I’ve got really good control over length, and I think it’s a big one for me to be able to use it in any condition and any format.Are there any other variations you have an eye on?Not that I’m willing to reveal . I’m always working on different things, but that’s for everyone to see on the field.Your fielding, specifically the catching, once again stood out in the WPL. Is there any specific training you do for catching under lights?It’s probably more about volume, trying to get comfortable under the lights and get used to the conditions. I think every stadium’s a bit different where the lights are at. The ball can get caught in the lights so it’s about just kind of picking up the depth. It can change or vary depending on the ground. So it is also about challenging yourself and not just practicing easy catches. You want to be dropping catches at training because that means they’re hard and you’re going to be ready for the game. That’s how I think about it.What makes Delhi Capitals such a good fielding side?We’re a really athletic team. Even someone like Niki Prasad – she’s young, but you can see how well she moves in the field. She’s taking some really high-quality catches and doesn’t look out of place at all. I think that’s no fluke. Everyone puts in a lot of time as they should, because it’s such a key part of the game, particularly in T20 cricket. It can turn a game and the momentum can shift. We know how important that is. It’s something we pride ourselves on at Delhi Capitals, that we want to be the best fielding team in the competition. I think we’re up there at the moment.How does WPL compare to the challenge of playing in the WBBL?Culturally, there’s a significant difference with the Indian local players. I’ve really enjoyed spending time and getting to know [them], that’s a pretty cool part of playing the WPL. The WBBL has gone for ten years now. I think domestic players [there] are probably a bit more experienced. I think they have a certain level of calmness about them – which I think the Indian players will keep improving on – given the amount of cricket the Aussie girls have played at that professional level. I think the more you play, the better you get in different pressure situations.Annabel Sutherland has taken eight wickets in as many games going into the WPL final•WPLObviously, the crowds are insane over here. It’s been lots of fun to play in front of some really good crowds with lots of noise at the Chinnaswamy [in Bengaluru]. The last game we played against RCB, it was super loud and we were able to quieten the crowd in our batting innings, which was nice. The crowds are certainly a highlight playing over here.You were part of Australia’s T20 World Cup win at the MCG in 2020. Coming to the Chinnaswamy, would you say the stadium atmosphere was on par? Did you feel intimidated by the crowd at any point?Not intimidated. I think you’re going to embrace it. It’s definitely part of the game, particularly in India. They’re probably louder than 86,000 at the G. They put up pretty good competition for that in terms of noise, but atmosphere-wise, it’s pretty hard to go past the MCG final.With the ODI World Cup coming up in India later this year, how important is it for you to play the WPL, especially in venues like Vadodara and Lucknow?The key part of a World Cup is you’re moving around changing venues. You want to get as much intel as you can before playing the game. I think it’d be at the back of everyone’s minds that [the World Cup] is coming up.As a youngster, what are the pressures of playing in a team like Australia where the standards are so high?I think that’s all external pressure, to be honest. We’ve got a really good environment in our Australian team. We know how hard everyone works, and we set our own standards probably higher than the external people do. That’s all the training and the work we do behind the scenes. I think cricket’s a tough game. We pride ourselves on our standards, so the pressure is kind of external noise.The Australian team’s depth is incredible. Would you say that perhaps puts you under pressure a little bit, that there’s always someone behind you?Yes, I think so. But I think if you’re doing the work, that’s all you can do at the end of the day. It’s a positive sign of where Australian cricket is at. There’s so much depth and our domestic cricket is really strong. We’ve seen with injuries and different things that happen that we’ve got great coverage across the country. Yet, at the same time, you got to be working on your game all the time trying to get better, because there’s people that are knocking on the door who are pretty hungry to play for Australia. That’s why you got to work hard and I know everyone’s doing that at the moment.Annabel Sutherland and Meg Lanning were part of Australia’s T20 World Cup win in 2023•Getty ImagesYou’ve played together with Meg Lanning for Victoria, Australia, Melbourne Stars in the WBBL and now at Capitals in the WPL. Is there anything as too much Meg Lanning? How big is it for you to play alongside her and pick her brains?There’s no such thing as too much Meg. She’s a superstar of the game. Just being able to play under her… she’s had a big impact on me. She’s super competitive. I love the way she plays the game. She would do anything to get the team over the line and get a win. I love that she trusts her instincts. She’s got a real good intuition of the game and more often than not she gets the right call.You grew up with a lot of cricket around you, with your father being involved in the sport and your brother playing professionally as well. How competitive were you with your siblings growing up when it came to cricket? Have you ever hit a saturation point with the game?Having two brothers sort of means everything’s going to be pretty competitive. We all loved sport growing up. In the backyard, there was a lot of competition, a few tantrums – that was all part of it. Cricket was one of the sports we played a lot, and we all love it. That [is why] we are still playing it now. It’s a nice thing to share with my siblings.I think it’s important given how much cricket’s on at the moment to have a healthy balance in terms of when you do get time off, whether it’s days or weeks between tours and tournaments, you need to make sure you have a really good balance of being away from games. I got real good people around me in terms of my friends and family who keep that balance, which is nice.