Afghanistan will host Bangladesh for three ODIs in the UAE in November. While the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) did not announce which cities would host the games exactly, it was confirmed that these ODIs are in lieu of the all-format tour that was supposed to happen earlier this year between the two sides as per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP).The BCB had declined to tour the UAE or India in late June this year, to play Afghanistan, due to the summer temperatures. That forced the postponement of the tour, which has now been redesigned to include just the three ODIs, on November 6, 9 and 11.”Following extensive discussions, both boards have agreed to proceed with just the ODI leg, which will be crucial in both teams’ preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is set to take place in Pakistan in February next year,” the ACB’s press release said.BCB president Faruque Ahmed had said last week that he met with ACB officials on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Malaysia. The BCB was keen on pursuing the idea of three ODIs, as Bangladesh have played only three ODIs so far in 2024. They have three more against West Indies at the end of the year, but the BCB felt that alone would not be adequate preparation for the Champions Trophy.”I spoke to the officials of Afghanistan Cricket Board in Kuala Lumpur recently,” Ahmed said. “We [were] trying to schedule three one-day matches against Afghanistan on our way to the West Indies.”After the Afghanistan ODIs, Bangladesh will go to the Caribbean to play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is from mid-November.Afghanistan have played eight ODIs this year, including a 2-1 maiden ODI series win against South Africa earlier this month. After the Bangladesh series in November, Afghanistan will tour Zimbabwe to play all three formats.
Everton only went from strength to strength to strength when the Friedkin Group ended Farhad Moshiri’s dysfunctional reign toward the end of 2024, moving swiftly to replace Sean Dyche with David Moyes in the dugout.
Relegation candidates in the bleak of winter, Everton played to Moyes’ tune across the second half of the campaign, finished comfortably in 13th place in the Premier League.
Everton manager DavidMoyesbefore the match
The Scotsman has overseen a slow start to the transfer window, albeit with chief executive Angus Kinnear settling in and dealing with an overload of potential departures. Albeit, Charly Alcaraz’s loan spell has been made permanent for a £13m fee.
Much has been made of the need for forwards, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin going and the Toffees closing in on his replacement in Villarreal striker Thierno Barry, 22, who has a £34.5m release clause.
But Everton may yet need to package their midfield with one or two impactful additions.
The latest on Everton's midfield situation
Everton always knew this was going to be a significant summer, with so many comings and goings taking place. Midfield is indeed more settled than other areas of the field, but the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure have departed, and with Alcaraz now a permanent feature, Everton might want to invest in a deeper-lying replacement.
There is, however, hope on Merseyside that 35-year-old star Idrissa Gana Gueye might renew his Everton vows to spend a year at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Gueye is still an effective player, but he’s a veteran, and it might be good to seek a replacement, one who could contest for that starting spot next season. That man might prove to be Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi, who has emerged as a top target for Everton.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That’s what Football Insider believe, having detailed Everton’s desire to rival Manchester United for the Nigeria international by making a formal offer for the player.
Suitors are lining up as he is entering the penultimate year of his contract at the King Power, Leicester having been relegated from the Premier League last season.
GIVEMESPORT have also chimed in, stating that the Foxes recognise that clubs might not fancy paying the full release clause and might instead settle on a more agreeable £5m figure.
Part of this is due to Ndidi’s high £75k-per-week salary.
What Wilfred Ndidi would bring to Everton
Leicester signed Ndidi from Belgian side Genk way back in January 2017, when he was only 20 years old. Arriving in a deal worth £15m, he always had a huge task in replacing N’Golo Kante, but he’s done himself justice over his years on English soil.
Everton's Dwight McNeil in action with Leicester City's WilfredNdidi
Still only 28 years old, Ndidi has featured 303 times for his current club, notching 40 goal involvements and playing a tackle-heavy defensive role that has since bloomed into something more dynamic and modern, the anchor raised.
In this way, he could prove to be a fantastic replacement for Gueye but also an upgrade on the older man, bringing to Everton a fitting combative style but also a slick passing game that can help the evolution of Moyes’ system.
1.
Idrissa Gueye
Everton
123
2.
Daniel Munoz
Palace
109
3.
Noussair Mazraoui
Man Utd
102
4.
Moises Caicedo
Chelsea
100
5.
Joao Gomes
Wolves
99
Remarkably, no Premier League player won more tackles than Gueye in 2024/25, the veteran belying his age to play a priceless part in the stabilisation of a side that stared down the barrel of a smoking gun.
Everton need someone to step into his boots and emulate such qualities. Ndidi could be that man. Indeed, as per FBref, the 6 foot 2 star ranked among the top 5% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues last season for tackles, the top 7% for blocks, the top 3% for clearances and the top 4% for aerial battles won per 90.
Leicester City's WilfredNdidiin action with AFC Bournemouth's Marcus Tavernier
He also averaged assists at a rate of 0.19 per 90, which underscores a ball-playing side to Ndidi’s game that could prove invaluable as Everton look to break free from the pragmaticism which has defined so much of their football in recent years, and instead become a force to be reckoned with in England’s top flight.
Gueye, by contrast, averaged 0.09 assists across all competitions in 2024/25. This was hardly to the detriment of Everton’s fluency and success; it wasn’t within the ball-winner’s jurisdiction. However, it illustrates the presence they would sign by reeling in Ndidi, for sure.
Last season, Ndidi served in a collapsing Leicester system, but he still plied his trade dutifully. As per Sofascore, across his 28 appearances in the league (all starts), the African midfielder racked up five assists, created five big chances and averaged 0.6 key passes per game.
Moreover, he won three tackles, 6.3 duels and made 4.5 ball recoveries on average each Premier League outing. Thus, his ability to slot right in and claim the torch from Gueye is highlighted.
Leicester were abject last year, but Ndidi has long been a pillar of strength in the Midlands. One FIFA expert even named him “the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League” back in 2020, while ESPN’s Colin Udoh described him as an “absolute monster”.
Of course, there’s hope that Gueye will be staying put over the coming year, but he will indeed turn 36 around the start of the campaign, and Everton will need to cover him – especially as the versatile midfielder Doucoure has left.
Moyes has succeeded in stabilising the club, and Kinnear will know, of course, that the wage bill has been slashed by the recent exodus, thus putting the high-salary Ndidi in an attainable bracket.
With Barry potentially shoring up the frontline for a hefty £34.5m fee, Everton could hit the jackpot in shrewdly signing Ndidi, for he could absorb some tricks of the trade from his older positional peer before emphatically replacing him down the line.
Calvert-Lewin upgrade: Everton advancing in talks to sign £34m striker
Everton are edging closer to signing a La Liga forward
Arsenal have made a real splash in the market this summer, completing an array of high-profile deals with more to follow, but they’ll also need to sell this summer.
The north Londoners, once they announce their £50 million-plus deal for Noni Madueke, will have spent around £125 million on transfers, and that isn’t including their potential moves for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£75m
Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres, according to credible media sources, and the Swede is even refusing to train as he eyes a dream move to the Emirates Stadium.
Meanwhile, positive discussions have been held with Eze’s representatives too, and the 27-year-old could join Arsenal in an entirely separate deal to Madueke – so Andrea Berta could easily take Arsenal’s spending to over £200 million if these moves come to fruition.
The signing of Madueke has brought up question marks surrounding both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s futures.
Given Arsenal need to balance the books, either one of the left-wingers could realistically depart, with The Athletic previously reporting that Arsenal are not averse to a suitable bid for Martinelli and will consider selling for the right price.
The Brazilian’s contract also expires in 2027, but Arsenal do have an option to extend it by a further year. However, the same cannot be said for Trossard, who’s now entered the final 12 months of his deal, and this window represents a final opportunity for Berta to make any cash back off the 30-year-old’s exit.
Fenerbahce "working tirelessly" to sign Leandro Trossard from Arsenal
According to Turkish news outlet Ntvspor, via Fener Ajans, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce could give Arsenal an avenue to agree Trossard’s departure before his contract expires.
What’s more, they could do it in imminent fashion, with Fenerbahce “working tirelessly” to sign Trossard for pre-season, which begins in just three days, as the Süper Lig giants fly out to Portugal and begin their camp on July 14 (Daily Sabah).
The Belgian has been a very useful impact player for Arteta since his move from Brighton, and perhaps underrated, with Trossard featuring in every single Premier League game for them last season.
Trossard also bagged 10 goals and 10 assists across 56 appearances in all competitions during 2024/2025, and he’s thought of highly by Arteta, so his departure would certainly come as bitter-sweet.
“Trossard, great player. He’s a little magician,” said Arteta about Trossard in 2024.
“He can score on any surface, and he’s a big threat; so composed, so cool, he can play in different positions. It’s just a joy to have him in the team.”
A superb display of clean hitting from Oliver Price and Ben Charlesworth propelled Gloucestershire to a thrilling five-wicket triumph over arch rivals Somerset in a Vitality Blast derby encounter to remember at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol.Coming together with the score on 108 for 5 in the fourteenth over, Gloucestershire’s young guns staged a blistering unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 82 in 32 balls as the home side chased down a target of 189 with eight balls to spare, Price top-scoring with 43 from 15 deliveries and Charlesworth contributing a 19-ball 36.Somerset had no answer as Price accrued four sixes and three fours, while Charlesworth mustered two sixes and a quartet of fours to bring a sell-out crowd of 7,000 to their feet.Tom Banton had earlier posted a high-octane 79 from 53 balls, smashing eight fours and three sixes and dominating crucial stands of 66 and 76 with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Abell for the second and third wickets respectively as the defending champions ran up 188 for 4 after losing the toss.A first defeat in five games saw Somerset miss out on a chance to take over leadership of the South Group, while Gloucestershire’s third win on the bounce improved their prospects of reaching the knockout stages.Gloucestershire made an important breakthrough in the second over, Will Smeed pulling Josh Shaw’s first delivery to deep mid-wicket. Banton was then fortunate to survive, dropped at long-on by Jack Taylor off the bowling of David Payne on 1 as the home side’s seam attack applied early pressure on a used pitch.Seizing upon his good fortune, Banton helped himself to four boundaries in one Shaw over to afford the innings momentum, while Kohler-Cadmore launched Matt Taylor for a huge six over long-on and a brace of fours as Somerset recovered to reach 50 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. Kohler-Cadmore had harvested 25 from 21 balls when he carved Beau Webster to short third with the score on 70 in the ninth, much to the relief of Gloucestershire supporters in a near-7,000 sell-out crowd.But Banton adapted his game to suit the conditions and go to 50 via 41 balls before pressing on the accelerator. Abell played his part, pulling Shaw backward of square for a startling six as he, too, scored at better than a run a ball.Banton received another life on 65, dropped by Miles Hammond on the long-on boundary off the bowling of Shaw as Gloucestershire passed up a rare opportunity to redress the balance in the fifteenth. Making good his escape for a second time, Banton helped himself to two further sixes off Marchant de Lange before hoisting the South African to Price in the deep and departing for 79.Abell made 39 from 23 balls before driving Shaw to cover, but lusty hitting from Sean Dickson and Lewis Gregory, who staged an unbroken fifth-wicket alliance of 31 in 17 balls, ensured the cider county finished with a flourish.With rain forecast to arrive at around mid-evening, Gloucestershire were aware of the importance of keeping up with the required rate, and Hammond crashed three boundaries off the third over, sent down by Josh Davey, to give the reply a solid start.Riley Meredith then produced a wonderful yorker to pin fellow Australian Cameron Bancroft lbw for 9 as umbrellas began to go up inside the ground. With rain falling steadily, Hammond managed a fortuitous top-edged boundary off Gregory in the next over and Bracey plundered three fours off Meredith as Gloucestershire attained 50 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, slightly ahead on Duckworth Lewis.Warming to their task, the second-wicket pair continued to find the boundary with sufficient regularity to stage a stand of 41 and remain ahead of the required rate. Somerset desperately needed a wicket and wily spinner Roelof van der Merwe obliged, bowling Hammond for 39 in the eighth as the rain eased.Bracey picked up the cudgels thereafter as Gloucestershire advanced to 88 for 2 at halfway, requiring a further 101 runs from 60 balls. The left-hander had scored a 30-ball 44, with five fours and a six, when he hit England spinner Jack Leach straight to long-on with the score on 101 in the twelfth. Jack Taylor was held at the wicket off the bowling of Ben Green in the next over, at which point the home side were 106 for 4 with Somerset back ahead on Duckworth Lewis. Leach then accounted for Webster, caught on the long-off boundary, as Somerset tightened their grip.Price and Charlesworth smashed 24 off the fifteenth, bowled by Green, and Leach conceded 21 off the next as Gloucestershire’s sixth-wicket pair mustered a blaze of boundaries to raise a 50 partnership in 18 balls and tip the scales in favour of the home team.
Leeds United are close to securing their first signing of the 2025 summer transfer window. The Whites are now back in the Premier League following promotion success in the 2024/25 campaign, and are now seemingly ready to splash the cash in order to survive, something that has been a struggle in recent seasons for newly-promoted sides.
Highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano gave his famous “here we go” tagline to Leeds’ move for Jaka Bijol.
The Slovenian centre-back will join the club for £18.7m from Italian side Udinese, as their first major signing of the summer.
Daniel Farke’s side are now lining up their next signing, who could prove to be an even better addition than their new centre-back.
Leeds' next signing after Bijol
It is certainly an early statement of intent from the Yorkshire side. Bijol is an “immense” player according to Sky Sports’ Dougiue Critchely, so for Leeds to have all but confirmed his move to Elland Road is a strong start to the window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Things could be about to get even better for the 2024/25 Championship winners. TEAMtalk are now reporting that Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz is a target, with Leeds ‘ready to make a fresh push’ for the 24-year-old Brazilian.
However, this will not be an easy deal to do, with the report describing it as ‘difficult’.
The two clubs are some way apart in their valuation of the striker at this stage. Whilst the West Londoners want upwards of £50m, Leeds are hoping to do a deal around the £35m mark. Thus, ‘there remains lots of talking to be done’ in order for this transfer to progress.
Why Muniz would be a good signing
Bringing Muniz to Elland Road could be a huge addition for the Whites this summer. Crucially, he is a Premier League-proven player, with a track record of scoring goals in the English top flight during his two seasons at Craven Cottage.
Last term, the former Flamengo player found the back of the net on eight occasions in 31 appearances, grabbing an assist along the way, too.
He played just 950 minutes, the equivalent of ten full 90-minute games, meaning he was not far off a goal per game on average.
There is no doubt that Bijol is an excellent addition for the Whites. Pundits like Critchley rate him highly, and he helped keep eight clean sheets in 34 games last season for Udinese, captaining them at times, too.
He will certainly help to strengthen at the back at Elland Road, and will add some more leadership to Farke’s squad. That will be invaluable going into what will be a tough campaign in 2025/26, avoiding relegation.
Jaka Bijol in action for Udinese.
However, perhaps there is a strong case to be made that Muniz will be an even better signing for Leeds, and for one reason. He is a proven Premier League goalscorer, having notched up nine in 2023/24 and, of course, eight last term.
In the last two seasons, all six newly-promoted sides have been relegated, and Leeds have a chance to buck that trend. Well, an experienced top-flight striker will count for lots. They will surely need his goals.
Of those six relegated sides, he was outscored by two Luton Town players in 2023/24, namely Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo, who scored 11 and 10, respectively. Last season, Liam Delap, now a Chelsea player, scored 12 goals, and the evergreen Jamie Vardy outscored him by one.
That said, Muniz was not always a regular starter and did actually score considerably more goals per 90 minutes which bodes well should he become Farke’s number one choice.
Relegated sides’ top goalscorers in last 2 seasons vs. Muniz
Player
Club
Goals
Goals per 90
Liam Delap
Ipswich
12
0.42
Carlton Morris
Luton
11
0.35
Rodrigo Muniz (2023/24)
Fulham
9
0.51
Jamie Vardy
Leicester
9
0.29
Rodrigo Muniz (2024/25)
Fulham
8
0.75
Jacob Bruun Larsen
Burnley
6
0.33
Brereton Diaz/McBurnie
Sheffield United
6
0.25 & 0.42
Paul Onuachu
Southampton
4
0.34
Stats from Premier League
Generally speaking, you need a top striker to regularly score goals and help keep you in the Premier League. Well, Muniz could be the guy for Leeds.
Not only did he score eight times in ten full 90-minute games last term, but his non-penalty expected goals of 0.75 per game as per FBref, was among the best 5% in the top flight.
He has the potential to explode if given a run of games by Farke. He could become a “revelation” in a Leeds shirt, a word football talent scout Jacek Kulig once used to describe him. £50m is a big investment, but it could be worth it if Leeds stay in the top flight.
A Chris Wood repeat: Euro club in talks to sign "dynamite" £13m Leeds star
This Leeds United attacker is in talks to move on from Elland Road this summer.
Targeting attacking reinforcements this summer, the 49ers are now reportedly leading the race to sign an impressive 21-goal striker for Leeds United in the coming months.
Leeds set to back Daniel Farke with new striker signing
If recent reports are anything to go by, then Leeds are set to go all out in preparation for the Premier League this summer. The 49ers seem determined to back manager Daniel Farke, who will be looking to earn Premier League redemption of his own following previous relegations with Norwich City.
There was a stage in which rumours were emerging that Fake wouldn’t get that chance, however, with those at Elland Road unsure on his top flight record. Club chairman Paraag Marathe has since put those rumours to bed, telling reporters in the middle of Leeds’ title celebrations: “I’m very excited to run it back with Daniel and collaborate with him.
Leeds have "fantastic" Man City target "on their radar" as 49ers plot move
They could pull off a shock hijack…
1 ByTom Cunningham May 16, 2025
“I’m under no illusions that it is going to be easy. The past two seasons the three promoted teams came straight back down but we have something they don’t have, we have Daniel Farke first of all. I have ended the speculation. He is my man.”
Desperate to avoid the same mistakes that Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town made this season, Leeds have reportedly set their sights on signing proven Premier League players this summer, with names such as Kostas Tsimikas and even Jamie Vardy already mentioned as potential targets.
Tsimikas would be a particularly strong signing, given that he’s fresh from becoming a Premier League champion with Liverpool. The Greek left-back would instantly replace Junio Firpo, who is currently on course to leave Elland Road at the end of his contract next month.
Although the focus on Premier League targets is clear, however, the 49ers have also reportedly set their sights on an impressive goalscorer from outside of English football.
Leeds leading race to sign Vanat
According to reports in Ukraine, as relayed by Sport Witness, the 49ers and Leeds are now ahead in the race to sign Vladyslav Vanat from Dynamo Kyiv this summer alongside fellow Premier League side Fulham. The 23-year-old has enjoyed an excellent season, scoring 21 goals and creating a further eight in all competitions, and could now be on the move as a result.
Dubbed an “all-round centre-forward” and praised for his “powerful ball-striking” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leeds could welcome a hidden gem by signing Vanat this summer.
Whilst his name wouldn’t steal the same headlines as the likes of Vardy, his numbers suggest that he could be an even better signing than the Premier League veteran. Racing against Fulham for his signature, Leeds should push on and formalise their interest in signing Vanat when the summer transfer window swings open.
Manchester United are now plotting a move to sign a £50 million star quickly and make him their first signing of the summer transfer window, according to a new report.
Man Utd cast eyes over two goalkeepers as replacements for Onana
Given how this season has gone for United before and after Ruben Amorim arrived at Old Trafford, there are a number of positions the Portuguese would like to strengthen this summer. Signing a new goalkeeper was probably not going to be a discussion for the Red Devils, given Andre Onana has not long been at the club, but given his inconsistency this season, Amorim appears to be in the market for a new number one.
Free transfer: Man Utd eyeing move to sign "fantastic" ex-Newcastle player
He could earn Premier League redemption.
ByTom Cunningham Apr 7, 2025
It was reported last week that United were progressing in talks to sign Mike Maignan from AC Milan. The France international is considered to be a ‘top priority’ for United, and negotiations between the player and the Premier League side are said to have advanced.
The next step is for the Red Devils to make contact with the Italian giants, who could demand as much as £67 million for Maignan, which may be a stumbling block, given how United’s budget will look this summer.
AC Milan's MikeMaignanreacts
Therefore, United may have to consider cheaper alternatives, and according to Alan Nixon, United are keeping an eye on Freddie Woodman, who currently plays for Preston North End. The 28-year-old looks set to become a free agent this summer, and the Red Devils have been keeping an eye on his performances before he suffered his recent ankle injury.
Man Utd want to beat Arsenal to £50m Brentford star Mbeumo
Signing a goalkeeper is not the first priority for United, as according to a report from Spain, Man United are looking to act fast and make Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo their first signing of the summer transfer window.
Brentford's BryanMbeumolooks dejected after the match
The report states that United chiefs are already putting plans in place to make additions to their attack this summer, and Mbeumo is seen as a player who can offer immediate solutions to their team and fits into Amorim’s system. Furthermore, the fact that Mbeumo is out of contract in 2026 means United could sign the forward on a cut-price deal.
Brentford are believed to be aware of the interest in their striker, and it is considered quite ‘inevitable’ that he leaves the club. Therefore, the Red Devils are looking to secure a transfer and, most importantly, act quickly, as they want to beat other potential teams who are also keen on Mbeumo and make him their first signing of the summer.
Apps
129
Goals
38
Assists
26
Arsenal have also been heavily linked with a move to sign the 25-year-old, who has scored 16 goals in 31 league games this season, and it’s been reported that the Gunners are ready to revisit a move for Mbeumo this summer, as Brentford look to get around £50 million for their star player.
Mikel Arteta wanted to sign Mbeumo last summer but missed out, and United will hope the same happens again, as they believe he will fit into what Amorim wants from his attacking players at Old Trafford.
England captain provides the missing link as defending champions stride into semi-finals
Sidharth Monga23-Jun-20241:56
Rapid Fire Review: Has Buttler peaked at the right time?
The other day the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, sauntered into the press box of Kensington Oval. Having set the country an ambitious target of producing all its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, she might want to have a stern word with Jos Buttler. We can’t have these batters come and destroy the solar panels strategically installed on the roof of Kensington Oval.Playing against USA, Buttler broke a couple of them, while sending two of his seven sixes to the top. Having looked a little scratchy all World Cup – out four times in 82 balls for 108 runs – Buttler got that timely confidence-building innings in as England ensured their progress into the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024. Now that he is among the runs, England have a good chance of making it back to Kensington Oval on Saturday. It’s not quite the last piece of the puzzle, but a significant one.Buttler is among the best T20 batters of all time. Much like Chris Gayle, arguably the greatest of them all, Buttler takes his time at the start of an innings. He is the sixth-highest run-getter in all T20 cricket this year, but his strike-rate in the first 10 balls of an innings is the 18th-best among the 41 batters who have faced 200 such balls. During the IPL, the impression you got was that of a scratching and clawing batter even though he still struck at 141 while averaging 40.Related
Tactics Board: The Bumrah, Archer and Kuldeep overs will be pivotal
Rain threatens high stakes India-Australia clash at T20 World Cup
Hat-trick hero Jordan enjoys dream homecoming in front of his family
Jordan, Rashid and Buttler lead England's charge into the semis
Reunion in Barbados: Aaron Jones faces childhood friend Archer where it all began
Buttler’s response to any struggle has always been to give himself more time in the middle, which in T20 cricket can gnaw at the nerves of the observers. You just don’t have that much time in the format. However, he is one of those rare batters with whom you can afford to be patient because the array of his game is so wide that he can make up for it in no time. And when he does, like Gayle, he often makes a high impact.Buttler is England’s captain so his place is never in doubt, but this quality of his ensures that teams are almost always willing to carry him because when he comes off, he wins them matches. However, even batters of his ilk need runs on the board to feel good about themselves, especially when they are the captain and going all in on themselves.Jos Buttler took command as England finished off the chase of 116 in 58 balls•Getty Images”Really important,” Buttler told the broadcasters when asked about his return to form (so to speak). “I’ve been feeling good all year, to be honest. You don’t always get the results, but I feel like I’m hitting the ball well and it’s nice to get that confidence. And then it’s important to look after my own game as well. As much as you’re trying to be captain and have a broad view, I’m still one of 11. I’ve got to do my job.”To his team, though, it was never a concern, as Chris Jordan made clear. “I wouldn’t describe it as a relief at all because seeing him doing it on so many occasions, he really is the leader of the group in every single way,” he said. “He’s our best player, that’s for sure, and when he’s in that mode, we definitely tend to follow it. That was just a Jos special today. You get to a point where you could think that it’s just normal, but you actually have to take a step back and realise how special he is, and how lucky we are to have him on our side. So I’m definitely glad I’m not bowling at him.”Definitely not [a concern that he hadn’t scored big so far]. He’s got so much on his plate anyway. The way Jos plays, his class will always shine through at some point. It’s just inevitable, I feel, because he’s that good a player and we have that much belief in him.”Thanks to the bowlers’ effort in restricting USA to 115, Buttler could afford to give himself a sighter or 11, even though he knew the net run-rate was important. At 6 off 11, he started flexing his muscles, which reached a crescendo with four successive sixes off the left-arm spin of Harmeet Singh.The second of these was peak Buttler. Having driven one over long-off, he pressed forward, but was actually waiting for the drop in length. It wasn’t even a short delivery, but he managed to play the Heinrich Klaasen-style vertical-bat pull for a six over midwicket. A reliable sign that he was well and truly back.That is not good news for other teams in the semi-finals. Or for the solar panels at Kensington Oval.
Captain Elgar encourages him to keep an eye on the gun as his team needs the gas
Firdose Moonda20-Aug-20223:02
Nortje on Elgar: Nice to have honesty from captain
Anrich Nortje was looking at the speed gun. He probably saw it clock a delivery at 152 kph (95 mph), which is almost double the speed of the average springbok – not the rugby-playing type – and quicker than any other non-winged creature on earth. He would have been quietly chuffed even as he told himself not to get too carried away by the numbers on the screen and stay focused on the feeling of the ball leaving his hand.”When the rhythm is there sometimes it feels like it is a lot slower but the speed gun says something different and sometimes it feels faster and the speed gun says it is slower. It is something I notice but I don’t really pay too much attention to it,” Nortje said after South Africa’s emphatic innings-and-12-run win at Lord’s.For the rest of us, it’s almost impossible not to pay attention to pace when Nortje is sending balls down at 145kph-plus consistently. Many of them are aimed at the batters’ noses, whizzing past with a whisper of danger. Often what comes next is a delivery that zones in on the toes. By mixing up his lengths, Nortje can create something of a time lapse and the innings seems to go by a lot quicker, with batters hurried into shots they otherwise wouldn’t play.The best example of that was Jonny Bairstow in the second innings, when he was drawn into driving at a 147kph ball that he could have left, and nicked off. It was the second time Nortje dismissed Bairstow in the match, after bowling him through the gate in the first innings. After the summer Bairstow has had, he is England’s most important wicket and when South Africa claimed it, it sent them into wild celebrations that someone will make memes out of. In the second innings Nortje brought out a blood-vessel-bursting chainsaw that made Dale Steyn’s look tame. He later said he was “just very happy with the way things happened,” an understatement, if there ever was one, but a fair reflection of the state of mind of a player who has been through the challenges he has.Related
South Africa pace quartet give reason for tempered excitement
Welcome to Bouchball, a work in progress
Dean Elgar revels in South Africa's 'positivity' after winning Lord's Test in style
Dean Elgar's quiet achievers lay another marker for resurgent South Africa
Ben Stokes urges England to keep the faith as rollercoaster hits first dip
Nortje spent six of the last nine months on the sidelines with a mystery hip and back injury that he picked up at the T20 World Cup, which ruled him out of the 2021-22 summer and caused him discomfort almost every time he bowled. He eventually returned to action at the IPL and had not played any red-ball cricket in more than a year before the Lord’s Test, not even the warm-up match against the Lions in Canterbury last week. There must have been times when Nortje wondered whether he would play Test cricket again and though he said he was joking when he revealed he is able to bowl quickly thanks to “lots of pain medication,” it’s unlikely to be that far from the truth.Now that he is back, Nortje has a very specific role in a line-up that has changed from the one he made his debut in. It has more pace, in general (with the retirement of Vernon Philander, the return of Lungi Ngidi and the emergence of Marco Jansen) and more options. In that, Nortje’s job is, “to try and bring some energy,” he explained. “My job is to try and bowl quick, to try to bring energy and momentum for the team. It is generally later on in the day when it happens.”At Lord’s, Nortje was used as the second-change bowler – something he has only done three times previously in his career – coming on after Kagiso Rabada, Ngidi and Jansen. In other conditions he may be called on earlier but in England, where there is more assistance for seamers from both overhead and underfoot conditions, it makes sense to open with Rabada and Ngidi and use the express duo of Jansen and Nortje when the ball might be swinging less but they can still rush batters with pace.That means Nortje could find himself bowling more to the middle and lower order but he is cautious not to see that as an invitation to bounce them out, which was England’s tactic to the South African tail. “It might happen where they expect another bouncer so the follow up ball is important most of the time. It is very important to try and take the feet away for a short period of time but you still have to bowl a proper ball the next ball. Sometimes we tend to bowl a half-volley the next ball because we want to try and get it full so the guy nicks off,” he said. “It is trying to stick to the basics for as long as you can. One short ball and then back to the basics.”Captain Dean Elgar is elated after Anrich Nortje dismissed Alex Lees and Ben Foakes in the space of three balls•ECB/Getty ImagesMost of the deliveries Nortje bowled at Lord’s were just short of a good length (ESPNcricifo’s ball-by-ball data calculated 43 deliveries in that area out of the 120 Nortje delivered) and he took four of his six wickets with good-length balls. Nortje was also South Africa’s most expensive bowler, with boundaries coming off anything he offered that was too wide, and to Stuart Broad, too short. That’s something he is working on with the help of his captain. “Sometimes you think you’ve bowled the right ball but it goes to the boundary. Then you have your captain in your ear saying ‘it’s a good ball, so keep going, keep going,’ and I think that helped me at stages,” he said.Dean Elgar has been credited with bringing the best out of his resources before – like when he gave Rabada a talking to after the first day of the Boxing Day Test against India last summer that ended with him finishing that match with seven wickets and the series as the leading bowler. He is doing the same with Nortje now, as he encourages him to keep an eye on the speed gun because the team needs the gas.”Dean is quite straight forward. If he thinks you’re not playing your A-game, he’ll tell you and the whole team respects that. We need that. You need someone to tell you and not to beat around the bush,” Nortje said. “He encourages me to bring energy and bowl quick. He encourages me to be myself and to try to express myself as a bowler. I am really enjoying having him as a captain and it is nice to have that honesty from a captain as well.”
In a time of pandemics, lockdowns and bio-secure bubbles, the team needs a character like Doug Walters to bring levity and ease tensions
Ian Chappell05-Jul-2020International cricket is finally returning after a Covid-19-induced hiatus with an England v West Indies Test series. It won’t quite be cricket as we’ve known it, but nevertheless it will be something to watch – at least on television – after months of lockdown and longing. For the players it will be a case of trying to perform at their best in a bio-secure bubble without crowds.This will require the obligatory talent and determination to prosper at the highest level, along with the odd slice of luck. However, there’s another ingredient that teams may find helpful in an era of extra tension: the dressing-room pest.The guy who, despite all the pressure that builds during a five-day contest, still retains the ingenuity to drive his team-mates to distraction with a series of practical jokes. Oh, and it also helps if that same guy can hold up his end of the bargain on the field; it’s better his team-mates are laughing with him and not at him.In an era of lockdowns, isolation and bio-secure bubbles, this type of character will be even more important to a team’s success.I had the good fortune to play with such a cricketer for the bulk of my career: Kevin Douglas Walters.First off, Walters was a match-winner. A player of exceptional skill who scored a century in each of his first two Tests and often had the happy knack of claiming a “B-b-b-bloody beauty, one for none” when thrown the ball. A player who, despite impersonating an owl (he did a lot of hootin’ and hollerin’ late at night), still managed to average 48 in his Test career.Just for good measure, three of his 15 Test centuries were completed inside a session. He was also the first Test batsman to score a double and a single century in the same match. That’s his cricketing credentials out of the way. Now for another of his talents – enacting the role of dressing-room pest.On tours of the UK, his first stop was Carnaby Street, not because he sought the fashions of the day, no. He headed straight for the magic shop where he gleefully pounced on such unconventional items as itching powder and disappearing ink.ALSO READ: Doug Walters’ surprise breakfast (2013)When he wasn’t playing cards and smoking in the dressing room, he would wander around patting team-mates on the back of the neck. This apparent gesture of encouragement was greatly appreciated until his team-mate realised they now had an itch they couldn’t scratch.Our amiable assistant manager on the 1968 tour, Les Truman, purchased a white suit, which was more appropriate for the warm climes of his hometown Perth than a grim London day in May. Truman erred in proudly displaying his new purchase in the Lord’s dressing room at a time when Doug was writing his daily letter home.Suddenly in dire need of a refill for his fountain pen, Doug tripped on a strategically placed cricket bag and spilled the contents of his ink bottle over Les’ brand new suit.Les was apoplectic, cursing Walters with, “Who uses a fountain pen these days anyway?”Doug was apologetic and quickly grabbed a towel to mop up the stain. Despite Les’ howls of “get away from me”, Doug insisted on helping and asked, “Now, where’s the spot on your suit?”When Les pointed to the area, all that remained was a small, clear wet spot. At this point the dressing room erupted in laughter and Les, like many an Australian player before him, was forced to choose between joining the frivolity or smacking Doug on the jaw.This was Doug Walters on a normal cricket tour; I hate to think what dastardly deeds he would devise with the extra time on his hands provided by lockdown mode.I sense that nothing would change my tune. I’ve often said I would have hated to tour without Walters. Every team needs one, a dressing-room pest who keeps the team loose in times of great tension.