AC Milan will be without star forward Rafael Leao for their Coppa Italia clash with Lecce as he continues his recovery from a muscle injury. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has ruled him out of Tuesday's game but has now targeted this weekend's crucial Serie A fixture against Napoli for his potential return.
Brisbane Heat are the defending champions while eyes will be on whether the Melbourne teams can rebound
Tristan Lavalette and Andrew McGlashan12-Dec-2024Adelaide Strikers(Tristan Lavalette)Captain Matt Short
Coach Tim Paine
Fixtures Click hereSquad* Fabian Allen, James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Travis Head, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton, Lloyd Pope, Ollie Pope, Alex Ross, D’Arcy Short, Matt Short, Henry Thornton, Jake WeatheraldHow they stack upStrikers struggled for consistency last season, but a stunning upset of Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium in the knockout final has them believing they aren’t far off the pace. They had a significant off-field change with coach Jason Gillespie departing for Pakistan and replaced by former Test captain Tim Paine, who was an assistant with Strikers last season. For the second straight season will be without legspinner Rashid Khan, who opted to skip the tournament after missing last season with a back injury. Strikers pre-signed England Test batter Ollie Pope before retaining allrounder Jamie Overton with their platinum selection. They also selected West Indian Fabian Allen in a bid to strengthen their middle-order and spin stocks. South Australia quick Jordan Buckingham has effectively replaced Wes Agar, who was traded to Sydney Thunder.Player to watchMatt Short did not make the most of his opportunities at the top of the order in the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan as the Champions Trophy approaches. He will be aiming for another big BBL campaign after smashing 541 runs at 60 with a strike-rate of 153 last season to claim back-to-back BBL MVP awards. Short’s handy offspin, often used to start an innings, and strong leadership makes him Strikers’ talisman.Availability issuesChris Lynn will be available for the entire season having previously left early for the UAE league, while Pope will miss the early stages due to England’s current tour of New Zealand. Overton and Allen should be free throughout, while Test players Travis Head and Alex Carey may be available for three games at the backend of the regular season before they fly off to Sri Lanka.Can the defending champions back it up?•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesBrisbane Heat(Tristan Lavalette)Captain Usman Khawaja
Coach Johan Botha
Fixtures Click hereSquad Tom Alsop, Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Paul Walter, Jack Wildermuth, Jack WoodHow they stack upAs the defending champions, after a memorable finals campaign, Heat as expected have made few changes. Perhaps their most significant is off-field with Johan Botha replacing Wade Seccombe as coach. Heat did lose big-hitting Josh Brown, who starred in last season’s finals, to Renegades and Sam Billings to Thunder. But Colin Munro and left-handed allrounder Paul Walter, who became a fan favourite, will return. Heat drafted English Tom Alsop to specifically help provide middle-order depth and he can also take the gloves.Player to watchAfter a breakout season in 2022-23, Spencer Johnson was one of the very best bowlers in the BBL last season and a key in Heat’s triumph. He is now on the fringes of Australia’s white-ball teams and produced a maiden five-wicket haul in international career after destroying Pakistan last month at the SCG. His fiery left-arm bowling is particularly challenging on the bouncy Gabba surface, while his new ball partnership with seamer Xavier Bartlett often ignited Heat last season.Availability issuesOverseas players Munro, Walter and Alsop are available for the entire season. Test players Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Nathan McSweeney, who captained Heat to last season’s title, will have a window of availability in the backend of the regular season. They are likely to be part of the Sri Lanka tour, while spinners Matthew Kuhnemann and Mitchell Swepson could also be in the selection mix.Can Hobart Hurricanes break their BBL duck?•Getty ImagesHobart Hurricanes(Tristan Lavalette)Captain Nathan Ellis
Coach Jeff Vaughan
Fixtures Click hereSquad Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Paddy Dooley, Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, Peter Hatzoglou, Shai Hope, Waqar Salamkheil, Caleb Jewell, Chris Jordan, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim, Mac WrightHow they stack upApart from Melbourne Stars, Hurricanes are the only team without a BBL title and have missed the finals in three of the past four seasons. They have a familiar core, but their big addition is West Indies batter Shai Hope, who is hoped to strengthen a top-order that has misfired in previous seasons. Hurricanes selected Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain with their third pick in the overseas draft, but he has since been ruled out of the entire tournament due to international commitments and the Bangladesh Premier League. Afghanistan left-arm wrist-spinner Waqar Salamkheil has been signed as an overseas replacement. English quick Chris Jordan returns as their direct overseas signing, while Indian Nikhil Chaudhary will be back after his powerful middle-order batting provided a bright spot for Hurricanes during a breakout last season.Player to watchTim David’s struggles mirrored Hurricanes’ woes last season after he finished with just 112 runs at a modest strike-rate – by his standards – of 134.94 from nine innings. There has been debate over the years on whether David should be moved up the order from his specialist role as a finisher, which he occupies for Australia, but he is likely to remain at No. 6 to start the season. David has gone off the boil at the international level ever since a subpar T20 World Cup and he had little impact against Pakistan in the recent T20I series. He will be keen for a big BBL campaign to ensure he remains firmly part of Australia’s T20 plans.Availability issuesHope will miss the early stages due to West Indies’ white-ball series against Bangladesh before being available for a block of matches until the ILT20, while Salamkheil can play the first six matches before he also departs for the Dubai league. Jordan along with Matthew Wade and legspinner Peter Hatzoglou will only leave for the ILT20 after the BBL. They are unlikely to have anyone in contention for the Sri Lanka tour.There will be plenty of eyes on Jacob Bethell during his short stay with Renegades•Getty ImagesMelbourne Renegades(Tristan Lavalette)Captain Will Sutherland
Coach Cameron White
Fixtures Click hereSquad Jacob Bethell, Josh Brown, Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon, Laurie Evans, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Hassan Khan, Nathan Lyon, Fergus O’Neill, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Gurinder Sandhu, Tim Seifert, Will Sutherland, Jon Wells, Adam ZampaHow they stack upAfter a disappointing seventh-placed finish last season, Renegades have overhauled their roster and transitioned after the retirements of stalwarts Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh, while skipper Nic Maddinson moved to Thunder. Will Sutherland will take the captaincy reins, while Cameron White has replaced David Saker as coach. They went about replenishing the batting by selecting Laurie Evans, who last season was dynamic for Scorchers in the middle-order, with their platinum pick in the draft and signing Heat title-winning opener Josh Brown. Fresh off a couple of eye-catching innings during England’s Test tour of New Zealand, left-handed Jacob Bethell enters with a lot of expectation and adds firepower along with New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert. Marcus Harris brings experience to the batting, while USA spin-bowling allrounder Hassan Khan was added as a replacement player. Completing Renegades’ overhaul, Thunder stalwart Gurinder Sandhu along with Xavier Crone and Fergus O’Neill have been recruited to strengthen their pace stocks.Player to watchWill Sutherland steps into shoes previously held by Maddinson and Finch but can lean on his experience captaining Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and the One-Day Cup, while he was also interim skipper of Renegades for four games last season. Sutherland is working his way back from a side strain, which has kept him on the sidelines since early November, and his form this season might dictate how the Renegades fare. His aggressive pace bowling and destructive batting at the death make him a potential match-winner. Having played a couple of ODIs last season, Sutherland is firmly on the radar of Australia’s hierarchy.Availability IssuesEvans will be available for around six games until the ILT20, while Bethell will likely be free to play a block of three or four games between international commitments. Nathan Lyon will have availability for a few games in January before heading off to the tour of Sri Lanka, while Seifert and opener Jake Fraser-McGurk will play the entire season before heading to the ILT20.Can Glenn Maxwell find his best form?•Getty ImagesMelbourne Stars(Tristan Lavalette)Captain Marcus Stoinis
Coach Peter Moores
Fixtures Click hereSquad Scott Boland, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke, Brody Couch, Tom Curran, Ben Duckett, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Glenn Maxwell, Hamish McKenzie, Jon Merlo, Adam Milne, Usama Mir, Joel Paris, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mark Steketee, Marcus Stoinis, Doug Warren, Beau Webster.How they stack upThe high-profile Stars have never won a title and also failed to reach the finals over the past four seasons. They are hoping for a turnaround amid a significant leadership change with Glenn Maxwell handing over the captaincy reins to Marcus Stoinis. They lured allrounder Tom Curran from Sydney Sixers before selecting England opener Ben Duckett with the top pick in a draft selection that surprised some observers. Usama Mir was selected to bolster their spin options, but he will miss the first three matches of the season with New Zealand quick Adam Milne signed as a replacement.Player to watchAfter five seasons as captain, Glenn Maxwell can now purely focus on his batting and he’ll be keen to recapture his brilliant best following a modest T20 World Cup. He mostly struggled in the recent white-ball series against Pakistan although did rewind the clock with a 19-ball 43 in a rain-affected T20I match at the Gabba. But he suffered a hamstring injury in the final match in Hobart and faces a race against time to be fit for the season opener against Scorchers. If he is fit and firing this season then it could lift Stars up the ladder.Availability issuesDuckett will miss the opening three games of the BBL season as he completes his Test duties in New Zealand with Joe Clarke set for his second stint at Stars as a replacement. Duckett is also set to miss the backend of the season due to England’s white-ball tour of India. Scott Boland and allrounder Beau Webster may miss the early stages while part of Australia’s Test squad. Stoinis and Curran are available for the entire BBL season before flying off to leagues in South Africa and the UAE respectively.Josh Inglis could open the batting for Scorchers•Getty ImagesPerth Scorchers(Tristan Lavalette)Captain Ashton Turner
Coach Adam Voges
Fixtures Click hereSquad Ashton Agar, Finn Allen, Mahli Beardman, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Matthew Hurst, Josh Inglis, Bryce Jackson, Keaton Jennings, Matt Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matthew Spoors, Ashton Turner, Andrew TyeHow they stack upPerth Scorchers’, the BBL’s powerhouse, bid for a hat-trick of titles last season ended with a whimper after they were thrashed by Adelaide Strikers in a home knockout final. But as they eye a record-extending sixth title, Scorchers have backed their blueprint of continuity and sticking with a local core. There have been minimal changes, but they did recruit explosive New Zealand batter Finn Allen and he should address their issues at the top of the order which plagued them last season. Due to a salary cap squeeze, Scorchers were unable to retain Laurie Evans, who starred last season in the middle-order, but they got creative in trademark style and filled positions for need by drafting young English wicketkeeper-batter Matty Hurst and top-order batter Keaton Jennings. Scorchers are set to have some injury season injury issues, especially in the spin department with Cooper Connolly and Ashton Agar currently on the sidelines and so too skipper Ashton Turner, who bowls handy offspin. Quick Bryce Jackson, who has played three List A matches for WA, has been signed as a local replacement playerPlayer to watchIt’s been a whirlwind start to the season for wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, who has captained Australia’s white-ball sides and been in the Test squad after being arguably the standout batter in domestic cricket. Even though he’s racked up plenty of miles crisscrossing the country recently, Inglis should be fresh heading into the BBL after watching on during the Test matches. Inglis has mostly batted in recent seasons for Scorchers at No. 4 or 5, where his prowess at facing spin can be well utilised, but he’s belted two T20I tons at No. 3 and is also well suited to opening. It might be tempting for Scorchers to use him as an opener after they had top-order struggles last season.Availability issuesSignificantly, overseas signings Allen, Hurst and Jennings have full availability. Test allrounder Mitchell Marsh is unlikely to figure this season, while Inglis could be in the frame for Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka. In a significant blow, allrounder Aaron Hardie could be out until Boxing Day as he recovers from a quad injury and then is likely to play as a specialist batter.Sean Abbott is one of a group of pace-bowling allrounders for Sydney Sixers•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesSydney Sixers(Andrew McGlashan)Captain Moises Henriques
Coach Greg Shipperd
Fixtures Click hereSquad Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Jafer Chohan, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Akeal Hosein, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti, Todd Murphy, Kurtis Patterson, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, Steven Smith, James VinceHow they stack upContinuity continues to be the watch word for Sydney Sixers who put great stock behind the stability of their list. Akeal Hosein, the West Indies left-arm spinner, is a new face to them having been their pre-draft signing to fill gap left by the retired Steve O’Keefe. James Vince again returns as a consistent presence in the top order. Sixers also continued their theme of going left-field for their final overseas player by taking little-known English legspinner Jafer Chohan with their final draft pick. They will hope to get a few games out of Steven Smith between the India and Sri Lanka Test series in January while they are well served by domestic allrounders in Sean Abbott, Jack Edwards, Hayden Kerr and Ben Dwarshuis. The attack may be missing someone at the higher end of the pace bracket.Player to watchTodd Murphy becomes the senior domestic spinner in the side after the retirement of O’Keefe and it will be interesting to watch his T20 development after managing four wickets in nine matches last season but with a very impressive economy rate of 6.15 – the best of any bowler with more than 10 overs. He has put in some encouraging performances in the One-Day Cup this summer for Victoria. One of Murphy’s challenges could be maintaining his red-ball preparation if, as expected, he is part of the squad to tour Sri Lanka in late January.Availability issuesSmith will only have a small window between Test commitments but could get four games depending on when the squad flies to Sri Lanka. If Murphy also tours he would miss finals should Sixers qualify. Abbott may also be with the Test squad on occasions during the India series. Hosein will miss the first game then be available for the next six before leaving for the ILT20 while Vince also has a deal with that competition.David Warner’s availability is a big boost for Sydney Thunder•Getty ImagesSydney Thunder(Andrew McGlashan)Captain David Warner
Coach Trevor Bayliss
Fixtures Click hereSquad Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings, Ollie Davies, Lockie Ferguson, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Sherfane Rutherford, William Salzmann, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David WarnerHow they stack upIt feels like Thunder, under the guidance of new general manager Trent Copeland, have had a very good off-season. They have secured Sam Billings on a multi-year deal with full availability, have the hard-hitting left-hander Sherfane Rutherford in the middle order and the express pace of Lockie Ferguson for seven games. On the domestic front, Wes Agar has bolstered the fast-bowling attack. Meanwhile, David Warner is available for a full season for the first time and has been named captain after his leadership ban was overturned. They have also recruited Nic Maddinson although a broken finger has put his season in doubt. With offspinner Chris Green and legspinner Tanveer Sangha they would appear to have a lot of bases cover.Player to watchSam Konstas has been at the centre of a lot of conversations this season when he was among the contenders for a Test call-up, and since being overlooked has strung together some eye-catching innings. He has yet to make his T20 debut but the injury to Maddinson may create a vacancy at the top of the order. As ever with a young player, there will be a focus on how he transitions between formats but this generation barely breaks sweat at such challenges.Availability issuesRutherford and Ferguson both have ILT20 deals so will leave in time for that tournament. Warner is also bound for Dubai but will play the full BBL, including finals if Thunder qualify. On the domestic front, Thunder may escape any disruption from Australia calls unless Sangha or Konstas get an unlikely call-up for Sri Lanka.Squads all subject to change
Mitchell Starc also dismissed Marcus Harris for 26 while Peter Handscomb and Campbell Kellaway made half-centuries
Alex Malcolm20-Oct-2024
Sean Abbott was outstanding on the opening day at the MCG•Getty Images
Sean Abbott put his name in the queue of back-up Test quicks with an outstanding spell while Mitchell Starc won a key battle over Marcus Harris that could shape Australia’s side as New South Wales took the ascendency against Victoria on the opening day at the MCG.In front of a lively Sunday crowd of around 1800, Abbott took four wickets and arguably deserved more on the back of some high-quality sustained fast bowling across the day, including an incredible spell after tea that yielded 3 for 0 in 15 balls and the swung the momentum NSW’s way.Related
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Peter Handscomb and Campbell Kellaway made fighting half-centuries in challenging conditions that favoured the seamers.Harris was unable to kick on after batting the entire first session for 26. Starc bowled impressively in the morning but went unrewarded despite finding swing and extra bounce while operating at high pace. Harris fought hard and played reasonably well without being able to score freely. Shortly before lunch, Starc pinned Harris on the underside of his left arm to leave a large egg-shaped bruise.The left-armer returned after the break to first beat Harris on the inside edge and nearly bowl him, before picking him up caught down the leg side. Harris bemoaned his misfortune but Starc’s extra pace and bounce meant he was not in control of the leg glance.NSW did not claim another wicket for the next 34 overs as Kellaway and Handscomb shared a century stand against some excellent bowling. Abbott and Starc in particular beat the bat regularly. Abbott had a number of half-shouts turned down while Starc broke Handscomb’s bat with a searing delivery that climbed from a length and cracked the splice of his blade.Kellaway and Handscomb defended against that duo and then expanded against Nathan Lyon. Kellaway launched him for a huge six over wide long-on while Handscomb played him with typical class.Jackson Bird broke the stand after tea, finding the outside edge with a superb off-cutter to dismiss Kellaway for 55 from 160 deliveries.Abbott then returned to wreak havoc. Handscomb, on 64, attempted a drive at a fuller length, but Abbott managed to get the ball to straighten a touch and Steven Smith held the edge at second slip.In Abbott’s next over he removed Sam Harper in similar fashion. Abbott went wide of the crease and dragged his length back as Harper shuffled forward. Again the ball straightened off the seam and caught the edge with Nic Maddinson claiming the chance sharply at third slip. Abbott should have had another two balls later but Maddinson grassed an easier catch that went straight to him off Will Sutherland’s outside edge.It cost nothing as Abbott nicked off Sutherland again to the safe gloves of Josh Phillippe. When Lyon had Sam Elliott caught at short leg, Victoria had slumped from 164 for 2 to 185 for 7.”I thought we bowled pretty well,” Abbott said after play. “But equally, I think the Vic boys batted very well on that wicket.”It felt a bit frustrating at times. We went past the bat a lot. It was just nice to get some reward late in the day after some hard toil all day.”Tom Rogers took 37 balls to get off the mark while watching three of his team-mates fall at the other end. But he and Fergus O’Neill mounted a rearguard against the second new ball with a 58-run stand before O’Neill fell late in the day for 28. Jack Nisbet picked up a second when he had Todd Murphy caught behind in the shadows of stumps.Handscomb was pleased with Victoria’s score given how much pace and seam movement there was in the surface and how well New South Wales bowled.”They bowled beautifully,” Handscomb said. “They’re always going to be there or thereabouts, and not really give you any loose balls.”We just kept telling each other just to try and fight and keep getting through. Because it’s tough for us out there but it’s also going to be tougher for the next bloke coming in.”I think it’s a really good day for us today. We’re really happy with that situation. I think when you get sent in here day one where, if we can get somewhere between 180 to 220, we tend to feel like we’re still in the game.”
Celtic’s winning start to pre-season continues.
On Tuesday evening, the Hoops beat Cork City 2-1 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, with Luke McCowan breaking the deadlock, before young defender Colby Donovan forced home a late winner.
Next up, Brendan Rodgers’ side are in Portugal to face Estrela da Amadora behind-closed-doors on Saturday, before a green-and-white Clásico against Primeira Liga champions Sporting CP at Estádio Algarve next Wednesday.
Back at home, Peter Lawwell and the recruitment team continue to be busy in the transfer market, so could Celtic soon sign a new striker?
Fair to say, Celtic will need to add more attacking firepower in the coming weeks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Kyōgo Furuhashi has not been replaced, after being sold in January, while Nicolas Kühn is on his way to Como for a reported fee of £16.3m.
Meantime, Benjamin Nygren has arrived from Nordsjælland for around £1.7m, but supporters are demanding more reinforcements, so could that be about to arrive?
Well, according to a report by Japanese outlet Hochi News, Celtic are ‘close’ to signing striker Shin Yamada from Kawasaki Frontale.
Martin McMillan of the Glasgow Times adds that a fee of £1.5m has been agreed between the two clubs.
The 25-year-old is currently representing Japan at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship, a tournament for East Asian nations, with the Samurai Blue facing China on Saturday and then hosts Korea Republic on Tuesday, after which Yamada will travel to Glasgow to finalise his move.
He will become the tenth Japanese player to represent Celtic, joining fellow new recruit Hayato Inamura, so will he be a massive success like new teammates Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and the aforementioned Kyōgo?
Yamada began his senior football career at college side Toin University of Yokohama, before joining Kawasaki Frontale in 2022, scoring 32 goals in 121 appearances for the Sky Blue and Blacks.
The club’s biggest achievement during this period came back in April, reaching the AFC Champions League Final for the very first time, dumping out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the semis, before a 2-0 defeat to Al-Ahli in Jeddah, with Yamada introduced as a half-time substitute in that final.
Yamada’s own personal breakout campaign was the 2024 J League season, scoring 19 times in the league last year, bagging 21 goals throughout the calendar year across all competitions, so let’s assess his statistics.
|
Shin Yamada 2024 J League statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Yamada |
J League rank |
|
Goals |
19 |
3rd |
|
Goals per 90 |
0.85 |
1st |
|
Goals + assists per 90 |
0.98 |
1st |
|
Shots |
80 |
12th |
|
Shots on target |
37 |
5th |
|
Shots on target % |
46.3% |
10th |
|
Big chances missed |
14 |
8th |
|
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore |
||
As the table outlines, only two players, namely Brazilian duo Anderson Lopes and Leonardo, scored more J League goals than Yamada last year, with the Japanese forward averaging a goal every 105 minutes, an impressive tally for the team that finished tenth.
This form led to Ryo Nakagawara of Shogun Soccer describing him as “fantastic”, adding that he is a “natural finisher” who possesses “excellent movement” in the box, while also offering a threat in-behind due to his “quick acceleration”.
So, why might the Japanese international prove to be a better signing than Nygren?
Let’s take a look at their respective statistics.
|
Shin Yamada vs Benjamin Nygren (Jan 2024-present) comparison |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Yamada |
Nygren |
|
Appearances |
83 |
32 |
|
Minutes |
4,212 |
2,995 |
|
Goals |
26 |
19 |
|
Assists |
8 |
4 |
|
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt |
||
Yamada was absolutely on fire last season, starring in, according to Global Football Rankings, the 23rd best league in the world, which is 20 places higher than the Scottish Premiership.
Japanese players Maeda, Kyōgo and Hatate have all arrived at Celtic and hit the ground running, and Yamada could surely do the same, considering he’s in the middle of his domestic season and currently playing at an international tournament.
Meantime, Nygren hasn’t been in action since Sweden’s 4-3 friendly win over Algeria at Nationalarenan on 10 June, so may require some time to get up to speed, while he also isn’t a guaranteed starter, if other winger targets were to arrive.
Indeed, it is centre-forward where Rodgers is truly in need of depth, amid Kyogo’s prior departure, hence why Yamada could prove to be a better and more important signing than the Swede.
Celtic could sign their new Van Dijk in a star who once silenced Gyokeres
Celtic are interested in signing a defender who could be Virgil van Dijk 2.0 at Parkhead.
By
Dan Emery
Jul 10, 2025
Surrey end run of five straight defeats to dent Leicestershire’s knock-out hopes
ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2024In-form Dom Sibley’s second hundred in three matches spurred Surrey to end a run of five straight defeats with their first Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory of the season, dealing a blow to Leicestershire’s hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages.Sibley followed his 149 against Warwickshire and 72 versus Nottinghamshire with 105, sharing stands of 138 for the first wicket with Ryan Patel (72) and 111 for the second with Ben Geddes (61) as Surrey totalled 296 for 6. It proved enough despite losing five wickets in the last eight overs.The Foxes were given a chance as opener Sol Budinger maintained his place as the competition’s leading run scorer by hitting 70 from 68 balls and Tom Scriven’s career-best 55 raised hopes of a gripping finish for a crowd of almost 1,400 but ultimately proved in vain, leg-spinner Cameron Steel taking 3 for 48 for the victors.All-rounders Ian Holland, with 2 for 50, and Scriven, with 2 for 51, were the pick of the Foxes bowlers, with 19-year-old seamer Sam Wood taking 1 for 34 on his List A debut.If the Foxes finished well with the ball, the start provided by Sibley and Patel with the bat was comfortably Surrey’s best of the season.Asked to bat first on an overcast morning, Surrey were 51 without loss from 10 overs and were 125 for nothing by halfway, Sibley having gone to fifty from 59 balls with Patel reaching his from 72.Patel suffered an unlucky dismissal. Shaping to hook the tall Wood, he seemed to be hit on the shoulder before the ball deflected off his helmet on to the stumps.Geddes maintained Surrey’s positive start. Dropped by Chris Wright at fine leg on 35 off Liam Trevaskis, he cashed in to the tune of 26 more runs before falling to a catch at deep midwicket off Roman Walker.Sibley had gone to his hundred from 115 balls in the 42nd over with his 11th four but soon miscued to long-off, giving Scriven wickets in consecutive overs after Rory Burns was bowled sweeping.Holland then had Josh Blake caught at backward point and 19-year-old Surrey debutant Ollie Sykes at long-on, a fifth wicket to fall in seven overs with Surrey slipping from 249 for 1 to 286 to 6.The Foxes’ chase suffered a double stumble to leave them 49 for 2 from 10 after Holland picked out deep backward square off James Taylor and Lewis Hill was caught behind off Conor McKerr.Ajinkya Rahane had an escape when he was spilled at cover on four off McKerr, which was beginning to look like an expensive drop by Steel as he and Budinger began to accelerate, the latter passing fifty for the fourth time in five innings, the run including 120 against Essex at Chelmsford. But Rahane could make only 27 before he was caught at midwicket off Patel, the ball perhaps sticking in the pitch a little.Budinger and Peter Handscomb shared a match-winning 113-run partnership against Essex on this ground last year but could add only 48 this time before Budinger holed out to deep midwicket.It felt like a significant moment at 142 for 4 in the 26th, one that was amplified two overs later as Handscomb hit straight to cover, both batters falling to Steel.Trevaskis was bowled by left-arm spinner Yousef Majid and Cox fell leg-before to McKerr. Scriven’s 45-run eighth-wicket stand with Wood, stumped off Steel for 22, kept the contest alive, Scriven hitting two sixes, but 20 off Taylor in the last over was always unlikely and the match ended with Scriven falling to a stunning catch by Patel at backward point as Leicestershire were all out for 279.With three wins from five, qualification for the knock-out stages is still possible, although Group B leaders Warwickshire and Glamorgan both have five wins from five.Both sides wore black armbands and a minute’s silence was observed at the start of the match as the cricket world mourns the loss of great England and Surrey servant Graham Thorpe.
Only one wicket falls all day as Somerset toil in vain at Trent Bridge
ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-2024
Ben Slater pulls the ball away•Getty Images
Nottinghamshire 360 and 425 for 2 (Slater 168*, Hameed 91, Young 68*, Stone 63) drew with Somerset 470 (Abell 111, Pretorius 95*, Pennington 5-96) Nottinghamshire opener Ben Slater turned the 13th hundred of his career into an unbeaten 168 but a lifeless final-day pitch had consigned this Vitality County Championship match to a draw long before that conclusion was reached with an exchange of handshakes at ten minutes to five as the home side declared on 425 for two.Only one wicket fell in 72 overs on the day, Slater finishing on a score he has bettered only twice in his career, with overseas batter Will Young making 68 not out after Olly Stone had been out for 63 nine overs after lunch, the England fast bowler again showing off his batting skills with a half-century in each innings for the first time in his career.There was too little in the pitch to encourage much interest for the bowlers, however, and it was hardly surprising that Nottinghamshire showed no interest in setting Somerset a target, given that their prospects of taking 10 wickets were almost non-existent.The 13 points they take ensure they remain at a comfortable distance from the relegation places in the Division One table; Somerset’s 15 keep them third.After sharing an opening partnership of 172 with Haseeb Hameed that was broken shortly before Tuesday’s close, Slater found two more long-term companions in Stone and Young.Stone ostensibly joined him as nightwatchman with Hameed’s demise but is making a strong case to be recognised as a genuine all-rounder.The 30-year-old England fast bowler had made only one half-century in 47 first-class matches before surprising onlookers with a very good 90 against Lancashire on this ground in May but now has three in his last five innings.This time he chipped in with 63 to go with his first-innings 83 batting at nine. Not all of his nine boundaries came off the middle of the bat, yet his defence was solid and he had helped Slater add another 136 before Jake Ball, using a belatedly taken second new ball, thudded one into his front pad as he played across the line.Slater, meanwhile, whose stand with Hameed had been the highest for Nottinghamshire’s first wicket since two shared an unbroken 236 against Worcestershire in 2021, was by then into three figures for the first time this season, reaching the century mark with a six and 12 fours, a good proportion of which clunked into the advertising boards on the short Bridgford Road side as the left-hander cut and pulled to profitable effect.When Stone departed, Nottinghamshire’s lead was 198 and, with little in the pitch to excite bowlers of any variety, Somerset could only hope a declaration might keep them in the game.Yet the docile surface meant that realistically there could be only one winner in such a scenario and there was nothing in the way Slater and Young went about their business to suggest that such a course of action was even being considered.Meanwhile Slater – dropped on 21 – pushed on past 150 for the third time in his career, having ticked off that milestone from 317 balls with 19 fours to go with the one six. By tea, at 396 for two, the lead was 286 with 37 overs remaining.New Zealand Test opener Young, whose only noteworthy score in a disappointing season so far was his unbeaten 174 in the drawn match between these sides at Taunton, almost missed out on a half-century, dropped at short midwicket by James Rew, who had handed the wicketkeeper’s gloves to Tom Kohler-Cadmore and later became the ninth Somerset player to have a bowl.
Plans for Tottenham Hotspur’s summer rebuild are already underway.
Having won just one of their last nine, Spurs are languishing 16th in the Premier League, thereby on course for their lowest finish since being relegated in 1977.
However, Ange Postecoglou’s team could, of course, salvage the campaign in a big way, preparing for the Europa League Final against Manchester United later this month, with both silverware and a place in next season’s Champions League on the line.
Of course, Champions League qualification would massively help their summer transfer plans, both financially and in terms of prestige, although, regardless of the outcome in Bilbao, this squad requires serious surgery, but do Tottenham already boast a more valuable attacker than their potential new signing?
Tottenham's search for attacking reinforcements
As previously reported by Danny Rust and Dean Jones of Give Me Sport, Tottenham are ‘planning to make an offer’ to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer.
Having scored 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys this season, the 22-year-old is certainly a man in demand, with Wayne Veysey of Football Insider noting that Chelsea, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest are amongst his potential suitors.
This is surely partly due to the fact that, as reported by Jacob Steinberg and Nick Ames of the Guardian, Delap has a £30m release clause, following Ipswich’s relegation, which looks a major bargain for a player Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels an “absolute beast”.
Thus, Delap appears as though he would be an excellent addition for Spurs, but do they already boast a better attacker?
Tottenham's most valuable attacker
When Brennan Johnson joined Tottenham from Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £47m in September 2023, a few eyebrows were raised, but he has certainly proved his worth, as the table below outlines.
Brennan Johnson
17
7
24
Dominic Solanke
15
8
23
Son Heung-min
11
12
23
James Maddison
12
11
23
Dejan Kuluševski
10
11
21
Pedro Porro
4
9
13
Pape Matar Sarr
6
3
9
Richarlison
5
2
7
As the table shows, no Spurs player has been directly involved in more goals than Johnson, 11 of which have come in the Premier League, also contributing four en route to Bilbao in the Europa League.
Paul Taylor of The Athletic labels Johnson “electric”, while Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst, outlines how the Wales international quickly went from Tottenham’s ‘lightning rod’ to their most important, most prolific attacker.
Meantime, Liam Tharme of The Athletic documents how ghosting in at the back post to score with a first-time finish has become Johnson’s trademark goal, making him a pivotal figure in Postecoglou’s team.
These performances mean Johnson is now Tottenham’s most valuable attacker, as the table below outlines.
Brennan Johnson
£60m
Dominic Solanke
£44m
Son Heung-min
£26m
Mathys Tel
£48m
Richarlison
£22.5m
Wilson Odobert
£21m
Liam Delap
£31m
Based on these market values, Delap’s aforementioned £30m release clause actually offers pretty fair market value, but the £47m fee paid to secure Johnson’s services was, in retrospect, actually a bargain, considering his current value of £60m.
So, while Delap may be a great signing for Spurs, whatever they’re planning for the summer, they need to ensure this gets the best out of their already excelling attacker.
Paratici tells Spurs to hire £105k-per-week manager with Ange "set to leave"
The incoming ex-managing director has preference.
ByEmilio Galantini May 9, 2025
Barcelona vs Real Madrid is La Liga’s showpiece fixture. Over the years, plenty of star players have made their mark for the Catalans or Los Blancos – or both. And for some, they thrived under the pressure of appearing in El Clásico without being asked twice.
Here, we have taken a look back through the history books and found the last 15 players to score on their league El Clásico debut.
The Top 11 El Clásico Goalscorers This Century
Who has scored the most often in El Clásico since 2000?
1 ByBarney Lane May 10, 2025 1 Jude Bellingham (2023/24) 28th October 2023: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham announced himself as a Real Madrid hero when his brace defeated Barcelona in Catalonia thanks to a last-minute winner.
Bellingham was appearing in his first El Clásico clash following his move from Borussia Dortmund, with the English midfielder scoring goals for fun in his early Madrid career.
His double against Barca was not only his first Clasico goals, but also saw him reach 10 La Liga goals in 11 matches. He ended with 23 in all competitions, winning the league and the Champions League.
2 Ilkay Gundogan (2023/24) 28th October 2023: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
In that same game in late 2023, Ilkay Gundogan briefly threatened to overshadow Bellingham’s big day when he netted six minutes into his first El Clásico matchup.
Gundogan had joined after leaving Manchester City in the preceding summer, having just led the Citizens to their historic treble.
While the move didn’t work out for the former Germany international, he did briefly have his name up in lights before Bellingham stole his thunder.
3 Ferran Torres (2021/22) 20th March 2022: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona
Having joined Barca from Manchester City in January 2022, the £55m signing was just two months into his career at Camp Nou.
At the time of the 2021/22 season’s first Clasico, Madrid were flying high at the top of the table, whilst Xavi’s Barcelona were languishing some way behind in third – meaning the hosts were certainly heading into the affair as the favourites.
But nobody could’ve predicted what ensued. The subsequent title winners were thumped 4-0 on their own patch, and Ferran Torres netted the third for his first strike in this fixture.
The fleet-footed wide player drifted in from the left and thundered home Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s audacious cut-back to score on his El Clásico debut.
4 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2021/22) 20th March 2022: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a brace on his El Clásico debut in the aforementioned thumping Barca dealt Real in early 2022.
Like Torres, the Gabonese forward left the Premier League in favour of a move to the Catalan club and was signed during the winter transfer window that year.
Following a goal-littered four-year stint with Arsenal, Aubameyang opted to begin a new chapter in Spain and found the net 13 times in 24 outings for Barca.
5 Sergio Agüero (2021/22) 24th October 2021: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
Following his departure from Manchester City in the summer of 2021, Sergio Agüero was assigned as Barca’s new centre-forward.
After an injury-stricken start to life back in Spain, the Argentina international was making only his second appearance of the season, coming on as a second-half substitute for his El Clásico debut.
With the hosts 2-0 down, Agüero pulled one back after stroking home Sergiño Dest’s cross in the seventh minute of stoppage time, though it ultimately came too late.
6 David Alaba (2021/22) 24th October 2021: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
Prior to Aguero’s consolation, David Alaba opened the scoring quite brilliantly after powering home a well-struck left-footed effort into the far corner, leaving Marc-André ter Stegen helpless.
It was the Austrian’s first goal for Los Blancos following his arrival from Bayern Munich, which ended a trophy-laden 13-year spell with the Bundesliga giants.
Alaba and his side went on to win La Liga, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup that year, so it was not a bad first season in Madrid.
7 Óscar Mingueza (2020/21) 10th April 2021: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
With the visitors 2-0 down 30 minutes from time, La Masia academy graduate Óscar Mingueza pulled one back for Barcelona with a neat finish to give his side a lifeline in this La Liga clash.
Barca midfielder Ilaix Moriba came inches away from completing a remarkable turnaround as his effort struck the woodwork in stoppage time.
Victory for the hosts moved them to the summit of the league table, whilst Ronald Koeman’s team dropped to third, a point behind their bitter rivals.
Mingueza went on to make 66 appearances for his boyhood club before departing for Celta Vigo in 2022.
8 Arturo Vidal (2018/19) 28th October 2018: Barcelona 5-1 Real Madrid
Barcelona completed a demolition job against Real, who were struggling under the stewardship of former Spain boss Julen Lopetegui in the opening stages of the 2018/19 season.
Lopetegui received the sack a day later as Los Blancos languished in 9th, seven points adrift of league leaders Barca.
Former Liverpool duo Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suárez netted to put their side 2-0 up heading into the break, before the Uruguayan forward added a third and fourth in the second half to complete his hat-trick.
And with three minutes of normal time remaining, El Clásico debutant Arturo Vidal headed home a fifth to make matters worse for the visitors.
9 Jesé (2013/14) 26th October 2013: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid
Barcelona summer arrival Neymar broke the deadlock in the 19th minute of the first Clasico of the 2013/14 season before Alexis Sánchez netted an exquisite chip 12 minutes from time to extend his side’s lead.
Real Madrid’s Jesé, then 20 years old, scored a stoppage-time consolation goal assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo. Regardless of the result, it will likely remain a joyous memory for the Spaniard, who was playing in his first clash against Barca.
Premier League fans may be familiar with the former Real winger’s brief time with Stoke City, though his sole season with the Potters wasn’t particularly inspiring, scoring just once in 13 outings.
10 Neymar (2013/14) 26th October 2013: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid
Unsurprisingly, Neymar, the player who went on to become the world’s most expensive footballer, scored in his first El Clásico.
Having signed following a mega-money transfer from Brazilian outfit Santos, expectations were high upon the forward’s arrival.
He was already a global superstar after lighting up Brazil’s top flight, with many of his skilful montages going viral, so fans waited in anticipation to see how he’d fare against one of the continent’s most feared sides.
In spite of the pressure, Neymar took centre stage and opened the scoring for the Catalan club, striking a low effort into the bottom-right corner.
Neymar went on to score 15 goals that year, laying on as many assists.
The South Africa batter on finding his touch, dealing with conditions in the UAE, navigating a packed cricket calendar, and more
Ashish Pant26-Sep-2024It has been a strange 2024 for Aiden Markram. As captain, he has been phenomenal. He started the year leading Sunrisers Eastern Cape to their second successive SA20 title and then became the first captain to guide South Africa into the final of a men’s T20 World Cup in June. The T20I series loss against West Indies was little more than a blemish on his record.But his returns with the bat have taken a hit. There was a breathtaking century against India in the second Test in Cape Town in January, but barring that, his only 50-plus score this year across formats is the unbeaten 69 he hit in the third ODI against Afghanistan last week. It was a crucial innings in many ways, helping South Africa avoid a 3-0 clean sweep, but Markram’s form in general has been a concern. This becomes especially true in T20Is, where he last scored a half-century in October 2022.Markram, however, isn’t concerned about his lean patch, insisting he has felt “quite good with bat in hand.”Related
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“I mean, it’s all just cricket, really. You can feel as good as you want and not score runs, and that’s just the nature of the beast, unfortunately,” Markram told reporters in an interaction organised by ahead of the two-match T20I series against Ireland.”Some challenging wickets at the World Cup, but all in all, been feeling quite good with bat in hand. Obviously, was nice to get some runs in the last ODI, but a lot of the time I just measure form as to how much I can contribute to my team winning games and not necessarily the amount of runs that I’m scoring.”So that’s what I’m going to take with me moving forward, and hopefully, I can score some runs so that the team is in a good position and can win games are cricket.”Markram will hope to quickly find his 20-over rhythm, especially after South Africa’s heavy defeats to Afghanistan in the ODIs and the fact that they haven’t brought their strongest set of players on this UAE leg.Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Kagiso Rabada are some of the key names missing from the squad for the Ireland series. Nine of the 15 players in the T20I squad are yet to play more than ten T20 games. Add to that Reeza Hedricks’ lean run and that leaves a South Africa unit devoid of experience and form.Markram, though, feels that the players selected for this tour all have what it takes to succeed at the international level.”There’s a few guys that have put up their hands domestically back at home in the SA20 itself as well,” he said. “You look at a guy like Wiaan Mulder come on. Matthew Breetzke had a really good SA20. And then Nqaba Peter, of course, he’s got that X-factor. He’s still really, really young and really raw, but he has a lot of those attributes that we like as a team.”So there’s a few guys that deserve to be here firstly, and deserve to have that opportunity to grow their games as cricketers and get exposed to international cricket. And hopefully, if they get a fair opportunity and feel really comfortable in the environment, they can start putting in some nice performances for the team.”Markram became the first South Africa captain to lead the team into a World Cup final•Getty ImagesAnother thing that the South Africans have had to contend with on this UAE tour is the conditions. In sweltering heat in Sharjah during the ODI series, they often found themselves under the pump. The conditions are unlikely to change much when it comes to Abu Dhabi, but Markam feels having been in the UAE for a while should hold them in good stead.”From your heat point of view, it’s just as hot here [in Abu Dhabi], if not hotter and slightly more humid [than Sharjah]. So, it’s nice to have been here now for a while and played in an ODI series going into this T20 series. That’s a big positive for us,” he said. “Sharjah obviously spun quite a bit, or at least a fair amount, and the wicket was pretty placid. I think Abu Dhabi, I haven’t played too much cricket here, but I don’t think it’s going to be as bare a wicket as maybe Sharjah was.”If I look at our nets that we had last night, it’s actually a little bit of movement off the wicket, and they left quite a bit more grass on it compared to Sharjah. We’ll have to be sharp. We’ll have another look at it today at training and try get as much info as we can, just from looking at it with the naked eye. But it’ll ultimately come down to us assessing it in the first few balls, first over tomorrow, and coming up with those plans.”The last time South Africa faced Ireland in an international game was back in 2022 and while the Irish spinners might not trouble the South African batters as much as Afghanistan’s did, Markram is not taking them lightly.
“It is quite a busy schedule, but if you’d offered this to us as a kid growing up, we would have given lots for it”Markram on the cricket calendar
“We’ve all seen how good the Irish team has been over the last few years, and how much they’ve progressed as a team” he said. “Naturally, we don’t face them maybe as much as other teams, so it’ll just be trying to get accustomed to that as quick as we can, and trying to get an understanding of their plans as quick as we can, so that we can try to combat it ourselves.”South Africa have a busy schedule in front of them. After the T20I and ODI series against Ireland, they next travel to Bangladesh before going back home for a T20I series against India. Then they host Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home followed by the SA20 before they travel to Pakistan for a tri-nation series, also involving New Zealand.Markram, however, feels that a packed cricket schedule has become the norm and rotating and managing players will be the way forward.”Yeah, there’s lots of cricket. But we’re not the only team that’s playing lots of cricket. All the teams around the world are playing lots of cricket,” he said. “It’s down to the individual to manage their time wisely, look after their body, and give themselves the best chance of being really sharp for each and every series.”It is quite a busy schedule, but if you’d offered this to us as a kid growing up, we would have given lots for it. That’s sort of how we try to see it, and we take each series on as best we can.”
And has any team made more than England’s 170 to win a T20I by ten wickets?
Steven Lynch15-Nov-2022Ben Stokes has now played in three World Cup finals – is that the most for England? And who’s played the most all told? asked Richard Baker from England
Ben Stokes has now appeared in three World Cup finals – one of 50 overs and two T20s – and has played a central role in each. He’s one of five England players to have played in three, after Graham Gooch (two of 50 overs and one of 60, all lost), Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan and Adil Rashid.In all, 26 men have played in three World Cup finals, and four in four. But a distinguished quartet of Sri Lankans lead the way with five final appearances: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga and Kumar Sangakkara all appeared in the 50-over finals of 2007 and 2011, and in the T20 in 2009, 2012 and 2014.In women’s World Cups, three Australians have played in seven finals. Alyssa Healy has appeared in six in T20s (between 2010 and 2021), to go with the 2022 50-over World Cup, in which she hammered a record 170 in the final; she has an unrivalled collection of six winners’ medals. Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry have both played in two 50-over and five T20 World Cup finals.England scored 170 without loss to beat India last week. Was this the highest score to win a T20I by ten wickets? asked Kris McKenzie from England
England’s 170 for 0 to overhaul India in last week’s semi-final in Adelaide was a record for the T20 World Cup – it beat Pakistan’s 152 for 0, also against India, in Dubai in October 2021.But there have been two higher totals to win by ten wickets in all T20Is. The record was set only about six weeks ago: Pakistan scored 203 for 0 to defeat England (199 for 5) in Karachi in late September. The previous record was New Zealand’s 171 for 0 to defeat Pakistan (168 for 7) in Hamilton in January 2016.Gibraltar, batting first, scored 213 for 0 against Bulgaria in Marsa (Malta) in May 2022, and won by 21 runs.I was admiring Jim Laker’s performances in the 1956 Ashes. In five successive innings, he took 34 wickets – is this the overall record? asked James Harrison from England
The England offspinner Jim Laker holds the record for the most wickets in two successive Test innings (19, all Old Trafford in 1956), three innings (25 wickets) and four (30; he had taken 5 for 58 and 6 for 55 in the previous Test against Australia, at Headingley).Laker then took 4 for 80 in the first innings of the fifth Test at The Oval, to give him 34 wickets in five successive Test innings, which equalled another Surrey bowler, George Lohmann, in South Africa in 1895-96. He took 7 for 38 and 8 for 7 in Port Elizabeth, 9 for 28 and 3 for 43 in Johannesburg, and 7 for 42 in Cape Town.Laker took three wickets and Lohmann one in the sixth innings of their sequence, but have to give way to Sydney Barnes, who proved almost unplayable for England against South Africa in 1913-14. Barnes, who had already taken ten wickets in the first Test of the series, collected 8 for 56 and 9 for 103 in Johannesburg, 3 for 26 and 5 for 102 in the next match, also in Johannesburg, and 7 for 56 and 7 for 88 in what turned out to be his final match, in Durban, giving him 39 wickets in his last six innings, and a record 49 in the series.Shakib Al Hasan is only the third player to make a century and take ten wickets in the same Test in men’s cricket•AFP/Getty ImagesShakib Al Hasan scored a century and took ten wickets in a Test in Bangladesh in 2014 – how many others have done this? asked Masud Hasan from Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan followed an innings of 137 with 5 for 80 and 5 for 44 as Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 162 runs in Khulna in 2014-15. Shakib was only the third man to score a century and take ten or more wickets in the same Test, as this list shows.England’s Ian Botham hit 114 in between taking 6 for 58 and 7 for 48 against India in Bombay in 1979-80, and Imran Khan made 117 and took 6 for 98 and 5 for 82 while captaining Pakistan against India in Faisalabad in 1982-83. The only other man to achieve the “match double” of 100 runs and ten wickets was Alan Davidson, with 80, 5 for 135, 44 and 6 for 87 against West Indies in the tied Test in Brisbane in 1960-61.All the above gentlemen were preceded in women’s Tests by Australia’s Betty Wilson, who had scarcely credible figures of 7 for 7 and 4 for 9 to go with her 112 against England at St Kilda in Melbourne in 1957-58. She was followed in 1979 by 38-year-old Enid Bakewell, who carried her bat for 112 not out in England’s second innings (having scored 68 in the first) and took 3 for 14 and 7 for 61 against West Indies at Edgbaston.Victoria were shot out for 63 the other day. Was this their lowest in the Sheffield Shield? asked Marcus Corbett from Australia
Victoria’s 63 against Queensland at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane last week was actually their fourth-lowest in the Sheffield Shield. They were skittled for 31 in 1906-07 and 35 in 1926-27, both times by New South Wales in Sydney, and for 43 by South Australia in Melbourne in 1895-96. None of those three lower totals was the first innings of the match, though.Victoria were 47 for 8 at lunch on the first day in Brisbane, their worst-ever start to a match. But it wasn’t quite a record for the domestic competition: in Sydney in 2004-05, South Australia were bowled out for 29 in 14.4 overs by New South Wales, who had scored 12 for 0 themselves by lunch. They went on to a total of 430, and won by an innings.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions