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SA batter with big future ahead of him re-establishes his credentials after a lean run of form in Test cricket

Firdose Moonda28-Feb-2023″Fight comes from within,” Aiden Markram told his SA20 team-mates after their third loss at the tournament. He was praising the effort they showed in their five-wicket defeat to Joburg Super Kings, when they came within two balls of successfully defending 127. “It was incredible how you guys fought, it’s something you can’t teach. Every single person gave their best and more today. We should be able to sleep fine.”He could have been talking about himself, and the way he responded after his last two years as a Test cricketer; two years which had been incredibly tough.Since scoring a century against Pakistan, he went 16 innings without a hundred and in 15 of those, did not cross fifty. He was replaced by Sarel Erwee at the top of the order in New Zealand last February and only played at No. 3 because Keegan Petersen had contracted Covid-19 and could not make the trip. When more low scores followed, Markram was dropped from the Test side in England last year and then left out of their disastrous tour to Australia.”It might have been a good thing,” he said. “I was heartsore not to be in Australia but I was told quite clearly as to the reason why I wasn’t on the tour. As batters, we need runs on the board and if you are not scoring runs in a team that wants to compete with the best in the world, your position should be under scrutiny.”Despite not playing any red-ball cricket since then, Markram was recalled for this series because new coach Shukri Conrad preferred him over Erwee and has given him the opportunity to try and reclaim the opening spot again. “It felt like starting out on a clean slate,” Markram said.And it looked like it too. After 10 dot balls to open the morning, Markram was gifted a delivery on his pads that he clipped past midwicket for South Africa’s first runs of the match. He negotiated a decent new-ball spell from Alzarri Joseph, who got a few short deliveries to bounce at an awkward height but was taken off after four overs in favour of Kyle Mayers, who searched for swing. Mayers found Elgar’s edge, and the chance was dropped, but Markram settled in. He reeled off a square drive and then a cover drive which purred pure class.Aiden Markram made 115 with 18 fours•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesThose are Markram’s signature shots. That he brought them out as early as he did in this innings was a sign he felt in good touch, even though he cautioned against trying the shot too early. “It is quite difficult to drive here on day one with the slow bounce,” he said. “You have to earn the right to play a few drives or only drive when it’s extremely full.”After one more nervy moment, when he almost under-edged Kemar Roach onto his stumps, Markram had earned it and he dominated an attack that offered width, half-volleys and big gaps in the field. He hit 10 of his 18 boundaries through the offside, seven in front of square and three behind, including the slap through point that brought him his sixth Test hundred.He acknowledged it with a fist bump and a long hug with his partner Tony de Zorzi, while his team-mates, who have witnessed his struggles from close range, applauded. He also tried to contain tears. “I was fighting it a bit to be honest,” he said. “It meant quite a lot to me. It’s been a strange journey and I’m just grateful that it worked out. Scoring a hundred on your home ground in front of your friends and family also seems to be more special. And there was a lot of relief going through me.”And among cricket fans in South Africa too because Markram, who led the Under-19 team to victory in the 2014 age-group World Cup, is seen as a prodigal son. He has been touted as a future captain and, after taking on the role for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and now the Sunrisers Hyderabad, is considered the frontrunner for South Africa’s T20 side. But there is also some skepticism about how much this century should be lauded, given that West Indies are ranked No. 8 and haven’t won an away series against a top eight side since beating New Zealand in 1995.There will be those who say Markram could not have had an easier opportunity to score a century and if he hadn’t, that would be the story – even though none of South Africa’s other batters cashed in in the same way. Will that bother him? “I have pretty much binned social media. A couple of years ago, I decided to get off Twitter,” he said. “After having a tough day, there’s no point reading more negative things. If you have access to it, it prevents you from seeing it. Sometimes on social media, things can look worse than what they are. After a couple bad innings, you can feel like the worst player in the world because you are reading what everyone has to say. Some people have thick skins and they don’t mind but for me, there was no real point reading it.”Ironically, it was on social media that Markram’s message to his Sunrisers Eastern Cape team-mates got traction and showed a side of him that is more aggressive than anyone not bowling to him has experienced. “There is a lot of passion that comes out in change rooms,” Markram said. “Ultimately, you are in the public eye more often than not and you have to try and be a role model and try and make your people proud of you as well.”Today, that’s exactly what he did.

A Test specialist has very few chances of becoming as good as he can be in Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam22-Apr-2021After ten Test centuries, Mominul Haque has finally got his first on foreign soil – in the 18th game he has played away from home. That lopsided home-away record has been a cause for concern, but if you take a closer look at his record, something interesting pops up: Haque doesn’t get to play Test matches nearly as frequently as a long-form specialist like him must, but as a one-format man and now the team’s captain, he is usually expected to perform like a world-beater.ESPNcricinfo runs a global workload survey to look at cricketers’ workloads in a year. A similar survey on which cricketers have had the longest gaps between international matches might place Haque around the top of the list.Bangladesh don’t play as many Tests as the top teams. The Pallekele Test, where Haque made 127, was after a gap of two months, since the home series against West Indies. During this period, the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto played white-ball matches in New Zealand. Earlier, when Bangladesh returned to playing after the pandemic, Haque’s wait was the longest among the seniors: there were 347 days between the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in February 2020 and the first Test against West Indies in February 2021.

“I think his demenour lends him to be a very organised Test batsman. He is meticulous in his preparation. He works really hard. He knows what his strengths and weaknesses are”Russell Domingo on Mominul Haque

These are just two examples of the frustrating lack of cricket in his eight-year long career – he is only playing his 43rd Test since his debut in March 2013.In Bangladesh, it is accepted wisdom that players improve when they play international cricket. And dropping off from the top level could be the death knell for a cricketer’s career. This is mainly because of the yawning gap between international cricket and domestic cricket in the country. Bangladesh also doesn’t have a strong ‘A’ system. The difference in intensity is huge, which is why comeback stories are a rarity. Being a format specialist, especially if that format is the longest one, makes things worse.Related

Bangladesh's new, positive outlook bodes well for their Test future

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Stopping the slide – Bangladesh's six-point agenda

Mominul Haque: 'We haven't been batting up to expectations'

National coach Russell Domingo agrees that it is difficult for players like Haque, or Mahmudullah, who is now considered a white-ball specialist, to find the right intensity in competition and training sessions when they are not with the Bangladesh team.”It is a very tough one. It is something that I have been speaking to [Mahmud] quite a bit, about making sure we get some systems in place for guys when they are not with the national side. Guys like Soumya [Sarkar] and Mahmudullah, who is looking after them now? What are they doing? What facilities is available?”It is very difficult, and it is something that needs to be looked at, and provided for the players that aren’t part of various teams at certain stages. It is a challenge for us, something that we are aware of, and something that we hope to get a move on (with) in the future.”Russell Domingo and Mominul Haque – working towards a common end•AFP via Getty ImagesHaque has spent roughly two-third of his international career away from the senior set-up. He has played 77 [28 ODIs and six T20Is] out of Bangladesh’s 234 matches since his Test debut, having missed only four Tests along the way – two in 2017 when he was dropped during Chandika Hathurusingha’s tenure as coach, and two that he missed because of injuries. His longest gap between Tests has been 457 days from the South Africa series in 2015 to the England series in 2016. Bangladesh played 27 white-ball matches in between, while Haque played 14 first-class matches for Bangladesh A, Chittagong Division and East Zone.He was out of form for almost a year before he was dropped for the Dhaka Test against Australia in 2017. Four months later, he became the first Bangladesh batter to score a hundred in each innings of a Test match.Still, the gaps never went away. After that series, he waited five months for his next Test, in the West Indies. He had a six-month wait from February to September in 2019, and then came another yearlong break because of the pandemic.Meanwhile, Haque hasn’t toured Australia or England, and hasn’t played India or South Africa much either. He has been tested in New Zealand and West Indies, but again, there isn’t enough evidence to poke holes in his technique or temperament.If anything, Domingo believes Haque is a one-of-a-kind cricketer, who works relentlessly on his game to improve even as the rest of the field gathers more experience than him. “I think Mominul understands his game really well. He is a very calm person,” Domingo said. “I think his demenour lends him to be a very organised Test batsman. He is meticulous in his preparation. He works really hard. He knows what his strengths and weaknesses are.”I think he is a fantastic Test batsman. He is trying his best to lead the side. He got a hundred against the West Indies, and followed up with a hundred here again. I think he has 11 Test hundreds now, which is a fantastic achievement.”All said, Haque has played the most Tests – joint with Rahim – since his debut, and has scored the most runs for his team, as well as the most hundreds, and once scored 11 Test fifties in a row. He is yet to prove himself as a leader, and the doubts about his abilities as a top-notch Test batsman might not go away just yet, but he is getting there, leading by example.

Manchester United have now moved into pole position in the race for a “sensational” star, and a £30m offer is being prepared.

Ruben Amorim identifies top midfield target

It is becoming increasingly clear that Man United will look to sign a new midfielder in 2026, and Ruben Amorim has now identified Elliot Anderson as his top target, although a deal could be on the expensive side, with a £100m fee being touted.

However, the Red Devils may be forced to move on to alternative, potentially more affordable options, with it recently emerging that the Etihad Stadium is Anderson’s preferred destination.

It would be disappointing to miss out on the Nottingham Forest star, who is now an established England international, having picked up six caps since the start of September.

The 23-year-old is not the only English midfielder of interest to Man United though, according to a report from Spain, which states they are now leading the race for Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Spanish club.

Several Premier League clubs have emerged as potential suitors for Gallagher, but United are the frontrunners, and a £30m opening bid is in the works, with the La Liga side willing to sanction a departure for a fee in that ballpark.

With the Englishman not receiving much game time under Diego Simeone, a January move could make sense for all parties, with Man United certainly in need of additional reinforcements in midfield…

"Sensational" Gallagher could be solid addition for Man Utd

Despite not being the flashiest of signings, the former Crystal Palace man could be a solid addition for the Red Devils, who need to sign at least one new midfielder, amid the uncertainty surrounding Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo’s future.

It has now been revealed that United could be willing to let Mainoo leave this winter, should they manage to find a replacement, while Casemiro’s future is under review, with the Brazilian’s contract due to expire in the summer.

As such, two new midfielders may be required, and Gallagher could be a good squad player, having been lauded as “sensational” by journalist John Cross.

Man Utd could break club-record transfer fee to sign "amazing" £100m midfielder

Man United could shatter their transfer record to sign a top target.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 2, 2025

The 25-year-old is very experienced in the Premier League, making 136 appearances in the competition, while he has also tested himself in the Champions League, netting one goal in five appearances this term.

£30m feels like a reasonable fee to pay for the 22-time England international, so it makes sense for Man United to pursue a January move, although Anderson should remain their top target.

The Los Angeles Angels are finalizing their Opening Day roster ahead of the 2025 MLB season, and right-handed pitcher Ryan Johnson had reportedly earned his place on the 26-man roster, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Johnson, who was selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB Amateur draft out of Dallas Baptist University, will make his MLB debut this spring, despite never having featured in a minor-league game. Johnson didn't pitch in the minor leagues after being drafted last season, but he enjoyed a strong spring training and showcased to the Angels that he's ready to make the leap to MLB.

The last player to go straight from the draft to the major leagues was none other than former Chicago White Sox and current Boston Red Sox standout pitcher Garrett Crochet.

Crochet made his MLB debut in September of 2020, just a few months after the White Sox selected him with the No. 11 pick in the draft out of the University of Tennessee. Prior to Crochet, no player had skipped the minor leagues and gone straight to MLB since former Cincinnati Reds hurler Mike Leake in 2010.

Even Paul Skenes, who received Cy Young votes during his Rookie of the Year-winning campaign in 2024 made 12 minor-league appearances before receiving his promotion to the Pittsburgh Pirates in May of last season.

Johnson, 22, is heralded as the No. 7 prospect in the Halos' farm system, according to MLB Pipeline, and recorded a 3.97 ERA with 10 strikeouts across 11 1/3 innings pitched in the spring. The next time he toes the rubber will be on a big-league mound, despite not having spent any time at the organization's minor-league affiliates.

Ashes hopefuls Weatherald, Harris, Bancroft, Renshaw not included as the squad is a look towards the 2027 Test tour of India, with Connolly, Murphy and Rocchiccioli included as spinners

Alex Malcolm07-Aug-2025Sam Konstas’ bid to retain his Test place this summer will begin in India as he was named in the 14-man Australia A squad that will play India A in two red-ball four-day matches in Lucknow in September, albeit the squad has been selected with an eye towards Australia’s 2027 Test tour rather than the upcoming Ashes.Konstas was named alongside fellow Test opening candidate Nathan McSweeney and fellow teenager Oliver Peake in the squad. Promising Victoria opener Campbell Kellaway was also included among the batting group. Jake Weatherald, Jason Sangha and Kurtis Patterson, who all featured and performed well in the recent Australia A series against Sri Lanka A, were not included.Australian openers with previous Test experience, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw, were also not included in the squad. Renshaw has been on two Test tours to India previously while Bancroft has previously toured India with Australia A including making 150 in an unofficial Test in Chennai in 2015 against an India A team that featured nine Indian Test players.Related

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Konstas will play for Australia again, but will he play the Ashes this year?

It is highly unlikely that performances in India against India A in September will have any bearing on Ashes selection with the national selectors already on record saying that the first three Sheffield Shield rounds will be of most relevance. The squad has clearly been selected with a longer-term view of giving younger players experience in Indian conditions with Australia due to tour there for a five-match Test series in January-February of 2027, when the composition of Australia’s top six may look slightly different with Usman Khawaja very unlikely to still be playing by that point while Steven Smith turns 38 in June 2027.”The subcontinent provides many unique challenges and the opportunity to utilise different skills with bat and ball,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said.”We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players in developing an effective method and understanding of their game for future sub-continent tours.”Test offspinner Todd Murphy was included in the squad having taken 14 wickets in four Tests in India in 2023, including a seven on Test debut in Nagpur. Fellow offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli will also get a chance to impress having been to the MRF Academy last year and played for Australia A previously. Both men missed the recent series against Sri Lanka A due to short-term stints in county cricket in England.Left-arm-spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly, who made his Test debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year, will get the chance to gain some valuable subcontinent experience. Seam-bowling allrounders Aaron Hardie, Liam Scott and Jack Edwards were all included with the latter set to play for Australia A for the first time.Cooper Connolly will gain further red-ball exposure on the subcontinent•Getty ImagesCA contracted fast bowlers Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett were picked as was the Shield’s leading wicket-taker in Fergus O’Neill. Josh Philippe was included as the sole wicketkeeper in the four-day squad.Connolly, Murphy, Hardie, Edwards and Scott will stay on for the three 50-over matches but Bartlett, Kellaway, Konstas, McSweeney, Morris, O’Neill, Peake, Philippe and Rocchiccioli will play in the four-day matches in Lucknow only before returning to Australia for the first Shield round that starts on October 4.”For many of these players we remain interested in the development of their short-form cricket as well, but balancing out priorities meant we wanted them back and available for the start of the Sheffield Shield season,” Bailey said.”This provides opportunities for Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Tanveer Sangha, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland and Callum Vidler who will play the one-day matches in Kanpur.”Fraser-McGurk was included after losing his place in Australia’s ODI squad and he could well get the chance to keep wicket for the first time in his List A career with Shaw the only other wicketkeeper named in the white-ball squad. Fraser-McGurk is being developed as a back-up wicketkeeper for the T20I team having worked on his keeping with Australia’s fielding/keeping coach Andre Borovec on recent tours.Captains have yet to be named but there are a host of options given three state captains in McSweeney, Edwards and Sutherland will tour while Hardie has also previously led Australia A in a first-class game in New Zealand and captained Perth Scorchers.Australia A four-day squadXavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Aaron Hardie, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam ScottAustralia A one-day squadCooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Callum Vidler

Chasing 134, Ashraf took Pakistan close from a treacherous position of 15 for 5 but it wasn’t enough

Mohammad Isam22-Jul-2025Bangladesh completed their first T20I series win against Pakistan, after prevailing in an eight-run win in the second game. The packed Shere Bangla National Stadium got a thrilling finish with the hosts staving off a late Faheem Ashraf onslaught.Pakistan’s top six couldn’t reach double digits in this game, with five having missed out in similar fashion in the previous outing too. This time it was their bottom-half that gave them some hope. Ashraf top scored with his maiden T20I half-century, having added 41 runs for the ninth wicket with Abbas Afridi.Bangladesh however kept their cool, particularly their pace trio of Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan putting pressure on the visitors. Bangladesh’s start with the ball put them well in front, which also ultimately helped them get the win in the end.Pakistan hit new lowPakistan couldn’t have asked for a worse start to their 134-run chase as they slumped to 15 for 5, their lowest score after losing their first five wickets. Saim Ayub was run out in the first over after Rishad Hossain fielded superbly at deep point to create a mix-up between the two openers.Tanzim Hasan Sakib made it five down in the powerplay•AFP/Getty ImagesShoriful, replacing Taskin Ahmed for the match, struck with his third ball next over. He had Mohammad Haris pinned in front with a late-moving in-ducker for a golden duck. Fakhar Zaman, who top scored in the first T20I, fell in Shoriful’s next over, caught down the leg-side for 8.Tanzim’s double blow in the fifth over put Bangladesh further ahead. He had both Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz caught behind off consecutive deliveries, both falling for ducks.Ashraf’s valiant effortPakistan looked doomed at 47 for 7 in the 12th over. With batters running out at the other end, Ashraf chose this point to launch into the Bangladesh attack. He had already slammed Mahedi over long-on for his first six before smashing Rishad for a four and two sixes in a 20-run over. Pakistan were in with a chance needing 52 off the last five overs.Shoriful removed Abbas Afridi at the start of the 17th over, but three balls later Ashraf slammed his third six. Shoriful could have settled matters by the end of the over, but Tanzim dropped a straightforward chance running in from long-on, with Ashraf on 38.Jaker Ali top scored with 55•AFP/Getty ImagesDebutant Ahmed Daniyal picked up two fours off Rishad before Ashraf brought up his fifty with a six over long-on but fell next ball to a delivery that kept low. With 13 needed off the final over, Daniyal struck Mustafizur’s first ball for four but was then caught at the deep midwicket boundary, with Shamim Hossain taking the all-important catch.Rookies lead PakistanAshraf had also given Pakistan their first breakthrough of the match, before their rookies Salman Mirza and Daniyal rocked Bangladesh. Mirza had Litton Das caught in the deep before Towhid Hridoy was run out in the fifth over. Daniyal got into the act in the next over when Parvez Hossain Emon struck the ball down mid-on’s throat for 13. The dangerous Shamim also fell to Daniyal, when he inside edged in the 16th over.Jaker goes bigBangladesh usually expect Jaker Ali to get them out of trouble, and that’s exactly what he did. He waited seven overs before looking for his first big hit, as Bangladesh were reduced to 28 for 4. He started with a mow across the line, that caught the middle of his bat, landing deep into the backward square leg stands.Jaker added 53 runs for the fifth wicket with Mahedi Hasan, who contributed with 33 off 25 balls, with the help of two sixes. After he fell to Mohammad Nawaz in the 14th over, Jaker went for broke. He walloped Daniyal over midwicket for his second six, before Bangladesh lost three more wickets. Shamim, Tanzim and Rishad fell quickly, leaving Jaker with just the last two batters to work with.He struck three more sixes, depositing two more over midwicket, and then the last one down the ground to bring up his fifty. Those last few sixes boosted Bangladesh to an above-par T20I score at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

Marcus Rashford is reported to have made his mind up where he wants to play next season, albeit he is still only in the early stages of a loan with Barcelona and his long-term future is far from certain due to the Catalan club's delicate financial situation. The England international fell out of favour with Ruben Amorim last season at Manchester United and any sort of reunion there seems unlikely.

• Rashford's strong Barcelona stats

  Rashford is thriving in Spanish football, where there is more focus on attacking and technique. The England international has contributed a combined six goals and assists in his last seven La Liga appearances – that included setting up Barcelona's only goal strike Sunday's 2-1 defeat in El Clasico. He's also got six Champions League goal contributions in only three matches. That is a far cry from his lowly tallies in his final 18 months at boyhood club United, before first heading out on loan to Aston Villa 10 months ago when Amorim had accused Rashford of lacking the required level of application to warrant playing time. But with his loan agreement at Barcelona only including an option to buy rather than an obligation – the like of which Villa did not trigger – there is no guarantee where Rashford will be come 2026-27.

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  Rashford wants to stay at Barcelona

  According to the central European edition of out of Switzerland, Rashford wants to make his stay at Barcelona permanent. The club are described as "closely monitoring" how things are going. Already known, the option to buy stands at £28 million ($37m), which is reportedly significantly less than United would ask from other clubs – that figure is now as much as £40m ($53m). Ultimately, the better Rashford performs, the more the Red Devils might be able to demand in an open market if, for whatever reason, Barcelona do not use their lower-priced option.

  Speaking last week about his situation, Rashford told : "I'm enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour."

• Can Barcelona afford Rashford?

  Even if they want to keep Rashford from a sporting perspective because of his impressive contributions on the pitch, the biggest obstacle that may prevent the player from remaining in Catalonia is financial. Having made a net loss in 2024-25, despite revenue totalling nearly €1 billion (£870m/$1.16bn), Barcelona are still not in a place of ideal financial health.

  The same problems with player registrations that have plagued several recent summers persisted again during the most recent transfer window. Rashford had to wait for his registration until the 11th hour before the first game of the season, while it was only possible to get new goalkeeper Joan Garcia on the pitch after risking going to war with club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

  Rashford agreed to a 25% pay cut in order to join Barcelona, making it possible for the club to cover his entire salary, which was an obvious source of appeal to Man Utd when they could have been liable for ongoing costs otherwise.

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  No future for Rashford at Man Utd

  The only thing that feels vaguely certain is that Rashford, who has a contract with United until 2028, won't be reintegrated into that squad unless there are drastic changes. He seemed to point blame towards the "inconsistent environment" at Old Trafford for his drop in output since a career best 30-goal season in 2022-23, which led ex-club captain Roy Keane to hit back by saying Rashford was part of the problem. "Towards the end of his time at United, there was obviously issues," Keane during an appearance. "He was part of the problem with the environment, especially [as] one of the most experienced players at United. He should have been setting the standards and showing new people at he club what it’s like to be a United player."

  Things suddenly look much different at United, with the pressure that was building on Amorim relieved by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's public show of faith and a consistent run of improved results. From finally achieving back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since the Portuguese took charge in November 2024, United have now put together three in a row for the first time since a run of games that straddled May and August 2024.