Legspinner released from tour squad to manage workload ahead of busy rest of winter
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2024Jafer Chohan, the Yorkshire legspinner, is to return home from England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean before he has had a chance to make his international debut, with the team management choosing instead to manage his workload ahead of the forthcoming Lions tour of South Africa.Chohan, 22, made history last month when he became the first graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to be named in an England squad. Launched in 2021 by Dr Tom Brown, the academy aimed to remedy the under-representation of British South Asian players in the professional game, with Chohan’s opportunity with Yorkshire arising after he had been released by Middlesex as a 17-year-old in 2019.Chohan will not, however, be making the step-up to England international status just yet. Instead, he will fly home on Monday, with the rest of the squad relocating from Barbados to St Lucia, having last night taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, following a comfortable seven-wicket win.In addition to the Lions tour, which takes place from November 20 to December 14 and will be Andrew Flintoff’s first outing as head coach, Chohan is also due to play for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, with that tournament commencing on December 15.Related
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His release from England’s white-ball squad is a reflection of the T20I team’s current success, as well as the wealth of spin options already available to Jos Buttler and Marcus Trescothick, the interim head coach.In addition to Adil Rashid, Chohan’s mentor at Yorkshire, with whom he has been working in the nets for the past fortnight, England also have Rehan Ahmed waiting in the wings as a back-up legspinner, plus Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley and Will Jacks in the current starting XI.Nevertheless, his fast-tracking into the England set-up remains a notable achievement, given the distance he has come since 2022, when he was playing National Counties cricket for Berkshire.”SACA helped me a hell of a lot,” he told ESPNcricinfo in the wake of his call-up. “I felt like my game was in a pretty good place, but there’s no real way in, once I got out of the system. It was really tough to think, ‘Okay, I want to become a pro cricketer, how can I actually do it?’ And SACA provided that opportunity for me.”
While it’s all gone quiet on the pitch for Chelsea, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll continue to be busy in the transfer market.
It’s now almost a week since the Blues were crowned champions of the world, to the surprise of many, demolishing Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the Club World Cup Final last Sunday, with Cole Palmer scoring twice at MetLife Stadium.
Enzo Maresca’s side won’t be seen again until they welcome Bayer Leverkusen and then AC Milan to Stamford Bridge for pre-season friendlies on 8 and 10 August respectively, just a week before the start of the Premier League season, but how many new players will they have to unveil by then?
Chelsea's search for more attacking talent
As we’ve come to expect during the Todd Boehly era, Chelsea have made plenty of signings this summer already, as the table below documents.
Mike Penders
Genk
Goalkeeper
£17m
Liam Delap
Ipswich Town
Striker
£30m
Dário Essugo
Sporting CP
Defensive mid
£18.5m
Mamadou Sarr
Strasbourg
Centre-back
£12m
Kendry Páez
Independiente del Valle
Winger
£17.3m
João Pedro
Brighton & Hove Albion
Forward
£50m
Jamie Gittens
Borussia Dortmund
Winger
£48.5m
Estêvão Willian
Palmeiras
Winger
£29m
Total outlay:
£222.3m
Following the arrivals of Estêvão Willian, Jamie Gittens, and Kendry Páez, to add to existing squad members Pedro Neto, Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, Tyrique George, and João Félix, fair to say Maresca has plenty of wide attacking options.
Nevertheless, that has not stopped Chelsea continuing to recruit in the past, and, after Noni Madueke was sold to Arsenal for £52m this week, it would shock no one if they reinvested that money back into the squad.
Thus, according to reports in Spain, Chelsea are preparing to make a move for Morgan Rogers, making the Aston Villa midfielder, who is valued at around £78m, their number one priority.
They add that the Villans’ ‘reluctance to negotiate’ could prove a stumbling block although, speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Dan Bardell stated that he expects Villa will need to sell a ‘big player’ this summer to comply with the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules, so could this see Rogers move to Chelsea?
How Morgan Rogers would improve Chelsea
Rogers only joined Aston Villa from Middlesbrough for £15m as recently as January 2024, but has certainly burst onto the scene in the Midlands.
Last season, the 22-year-old scored 14 goals and registered 13 assists across all competitions, with former England manager Glenn Hoddle labelling him “wonderful” and “excellent” following his maiden international start against Latvia at Wembley in March.
Kurosh Moghtader of Total Football Analysis asserts that he is a ‘superb talent’ who operates best as an attacking midfielder.
Meantime, Ryan Benson of Opta’s the Analyst, believes he was amongst the ‘standout players’ in the Premier League last season, adding that his ‘ominous bursts and tidy footwork’ make him ‘a joy to watch’, describing him as robust yet graceful, like a raging bull on ice skates.
But how does he compare to the departing Madueke?
Let’s find out.
Appearances
54
46
Minutes
4,496
2,647
Goals
14
11
Assists
15
5
All statistics below are on a per 90 basis:
Shots
2
2.6
Chances created
1.5
1.4
Successful dribbles
2.2
1.4
Take-on success %
51.7%
49.5%
Touches
46
47
Average Sofascore rating
7.03
7.03
As the table below outlines, it is Rogers who comes out on top for the vast majority of attacking statistics, which suggests that he would be a huge upgrade for Chelsea at the top end of the pitch.
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
The Aston Villa star racked up a staggering 4,753 minutes for club and country, featuring in all but one of the club’s Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup fixtures, which is testament to his durability.
Nevertheless, even on a per-90 basis, when compared to Madueke, Rogers boasted better numbers in terms of chances created and dribbles, so he would surely be an excellent addition for Chelsea, even if a very expensive one.
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Leeds United are not messing around in their efforts to build a squad that can avoid being relegated from the Premier League at the first time of asking next season.
It is clear that Daniel Farke and the recruitment team have placed an early emphasis on strengthening the defence, as three of the club’s four summer signings so far are defenders.
Leeds officially completed the signing of Sweden international left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille on Tuesday, to replace Junior Firpo as the first-choice left-back at Elland Road next term.
The Championship champions have also added two new central defenders to their squad this summer, as Sebastiaan Bornauw and Jaka Bijol have joined the club, from Wolfsburg and Udinese respectively.
Leeds will need to turn their attention to the attacking areas of the park before long, though, to make sure that their attack is ready for the Premier League.
TEAMtalk recently reported that the club would like to sign Manor Solomon permanently, but that negotiations have reached a deadlock, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he will be returning to West Yorkshire.
Why Manor Solomon would be a risky signing for Leeds
Bringing the Israel international back to Elland Road ahead of a season in the Premier League could be a risky move for the club, given that he previously played at that level and had to drop down to the Championship.
Solomon first made the move to England with Fulham in 2022 and the winger enjoyed a decent, yet unspectacular, time at Craven Cottage, with a return of five goals in and zero assists in 24 matches in all competitions.
The 25-year-old then signed for Tottenham Hotspur the following summer and managed zero goals and two assists in six games for Spurs in all competitions before joining Leeds on loan last year.
Premier League
Manor Solomon
Appearances
24
Goals
4
Big chances missed
0
Big chances created
1
xA
1.43
Assists
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Solomon was far from an outstanding performer during his time in the top-flight, as he rarely contributed as a scorer or a creator of goals for Spurs or Fulham.
However, the right-footed sensation did produced ten goals and 12 assists in 39 appearances in the Championship for Leeds last season, as he hit his stride on the left side of Farke’s 4-2-3-1 system.
This shows that he knows the system and has proven that he can deliver in the pressure cooker that is Elland Road, but there is no guarantee that the forward will translate those performances up to the Premier League.
That is why Solomon is a potentially risky signing for the Whites to make this summer, and may be why they are looking at an alternative target.
Leeds submit bid to sign new winger
According to Africa Foot, Leeds United have made contact to sign Jeremie Boga from OGC Nice before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Premier League side have already submitted an offer of €15m (£13m) to snap up the Ivorian talent, although it remains to be seen whether or not that is enough to tempt the French club to part ways with him.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Boga’s contract with the Ligue 1 side is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and this means that the current window could be their last chance to extract maximum value out of him, as he will only have one year left on his deal next year.
The outlet adds that there is interest from teams in the Turkish Super Lig, which could offer competition to Leeds, but it does not reveal whether or not they have also made offers for the 28-year-old attacker.
Africa Foot does state, though, that the former Chelsea youngster, who also played for Birmingham City, would not be against a return to England this summer.
Why Leeds should sign Jeremie Boga
Leeds should push to win the race for the 28-year-old attacker because he could be an even better option than Solomon to fill the hole on the left wing for Farke in the Premier League.
Whilst he has not played, bar one game for Chelsea, in the English top-flight, Boga has proven his qualities in Ligue 1 and the Serie A during his career, two of Europe’s biggest leagues.
The Ivorian ace is coming off the back of a disappointing season, with three goals and one assist in 24 games for Nice, but Leeds could see that as a positive as it could allow them to land a bargain deal for the forward, who has offered far more in front of goal in previous campaigns.
In fact, Boga’s performances in the 2023/24 campaign in Ligue 1 for Nice suggest that he has the ability on the ball to offer even more to the team in the Premier League than Solomon.
23/24 Ligue 1
Jeremie Boga
Percentile rank vs wingers
xG
4.23
Top 22%
Goals
6
Top 13%
Shots on target
19
Top 16%
xA
4.26
Top 18%
Assists
6
Top 15%
Chances created
33
Top 21%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea youngster ranked highly among his positional peers in Ligue 1 as both a scorer and a creator of goals, ending the season with more goals and more assists than Solomon has managed in the Premier League in his career to date.
On top of that, Boga, who was hailed as a “unique” talent by coach Michael Beale, also showcased his quality in Italy with Atalanta and Sassuolo, with 20 goals and 13 assists in 136 matches in the Italian top-flight.
The Leeds target, who scored 11 Serie A goals in the 2019/20 season, is an experienced and quality left-sided attacker who has shown that he can deliver goals and assists in multiple major European leagues.
There would be some concern over his disappointing form last term, though, but Farke will surely back himself to help Boga to get back to his best, which would make him an even better option than Solomon, who has not delivered anywhere near the same level of quality in a major league.
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Manchester United will want to improve all areas of the pitch during the summer transfer window, needing to right the wrongs of the 2024/25 campaign, which was certainly one to forget.
The Red Devils lost in the Europa League final and also finished 15th in the Premier League, with no European football present at Old Trafford next season.
Such a failure will certainly have an impact on finances at the club, restricting any funds that boss Ruben Amorim may have had at his disposal had they claimed victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Ruben Amorim
However, it could be a blessing in disguise, handing the manager the opportunity to work closely with his players and mount a serious charge for the Premier League’s top four in 2025/26.
Regardless of the terrible form, the hierarchy look set to give Amorim the benefit of the doubt and hand him funds to change their fortunes, with numerous players already on the manager’s radar.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo and Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap have been on United’s radar in recent days, with the hierarchy holding talks with the Cameroon international over a switch to Old Trafford this summer.
The club have been quoted a fee in the region of £50m for the 25-year-old star, who’s managed to score 20 goals in the Premier League this season, but could face competition from Newcastle United for his signature.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
However, the other end of the pitch is also in need of investment, with Burnley shot-stopper James Trafford emerging as a summer target, according to GIVEMESPORT.
The report claims that the club are exploring potential reinforcements to bolster the ranks, with the future of Andre Onana at United uncertain given his recent showings.
It also states that it’s unknown how much Scott Parker’s side will demand for the signature of the 22-year-old, who kept a staggering 29 clean sheets in the Championship last season, but prior reports this year suggest it may be around £30m.
Why Trafford could be the next Sancho
Winger Jadon Sancho joined United in a £73m deal from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021, but it’s safe to say his time at Old Trafford has been a disaster.
Jadon Sancho
The Englishman has made 83 appearances for the club, scoring just 12 goals and being sent on various loan spells – including back to the side which the Red Devils landed him from.
The 25-year-old is currently on loan at fellow Premier League side Chelsea, but could well be back in Amorim’s side ahead of next season if the Blues trigger his £5m cancellation fee after originally joining with an obligation to join permanently.
He’s only scored four times in his 40 appearances across all competitions in West London, with the club undoubtedly set to lose a small fortune on their investment in the near future.
However, the club could land a repeat of Sancho in a summer move for Trafford, with the goalkeeper following a similar path in his career to the winger over recent years.
James Trafford for Burnley.
The pair both came through Manchester City’s academy, before moving elsewhere to make their name and potentially costing the Red Devils a small fortune in the process.
Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the shot-stopper would set the hierarchy back this summer, it’s one they should look to avoid with better options available in the market.
Games played
28
38
Goals conceded
62
58
Save percentage
65%
75%
Saves made
3.7
3.9
Clean sheets
2
9
Clean sheet percentage
7%
23%
Pass accuracy
65%
73%
Trafford, who’s been labelled “world-class” by current boss Parker, was unable to better current ‘keeper Onana in numerous key areas during his last stint in the Premier League, even dropping to number two in the pecking order as a result.
Whilst there’s no denying that a new goalkeeper needs to be on the agenda this summer, Amorim and the board should be exploring other options, with a more experienced head needed between the sticks.
Given the similarities between him and Sancho’s career path, it’s another reason as to why they should steer clear – needing to find value for money elsewhere given the financial constraints.
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After another season of failing to pick up any silverware, Arsenal need a massive summer.
Mikel Arteta has done a brilliant job taking the team from midtable mediocrity back in 2019 to perennial challengers today, but to make that final step up, the board must back him with some serious signings.
Fortunately, that seems to be what’s happening, as the last few weeks have seen the club linked with a number of incredible internationals, with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo perhaps being the most exciting of all.
However, if recent reports are to be believed, Arteta might be going down a different route with a player who might just be a bigger prospect than the Brazilian.
Arsenal transfer news
Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other truly exciting players Arsenal have been linked with in recent weeks, such as Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could cost up to £100m this summer, but with a tally of 14 goals and 15 assists in 53 appearances from midfield and out wide, it would be hard to argue that’s not a fair valuation.
Likewise, while £68m is a lot of money, Eze has proven that he’d be more than worth the investment, as in 42 games for Crystal Palace this season, he has scored 14 goals, provided 11 assists and won the FA Cup.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
However, for a signing to be considered a ‘bigger prospect’ than Rodrygo, they’ll have to be someone younger and with immense potential, someone like Nico Williams.
According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Athletic Bilbao ace.
The report has revealed that Arteta has now held personal talks with the Spanish international, and while Chelsea are also keen to sign him, these talks appear to have made the Gunners the current frontrunners for his signature.
To complete the deal, the North Londoners will still have to activate the winger’s release clause, which currently stands at about £50m, but even then, it would be more than worth it to sign a player who’s arguably a bigger prospect than Rodrygo.
Why Williams is a bigger prospect than Rodrygo
So, the first thing to say is that Rodrygo is a simply sensational footballer, and if Arsenal signed him, then we’re sure he’d do a brilliant job for them.
However, given their tendency to focus on younger players in the past, the Gunners might opt instead to sign Williams, and while that could upset some fans, we’d argue that they’re simply going with the bigger prospect in this scenario.
The first argument for this viewpoint is that the Bilbao ace is two years the Real star’s junior, and yet he’s already established himself as a key man for one of Spain’s biggest clubs and the national team for that matter.
Moreover, while he’s not been as prolific as the Brazilian this term, he was near enough unstoppable last season, which might be an indication of how he’d fare in a better team, such as Arsenal.
For example, in just 37 appearances, totalling 2729 minutes, the 22-year-old “nightmare for defenders,” as analyst Ben Mattinson described him, scored eight goals and provided 18 assists, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or every 104.96 minutes.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
In contrast, the Osasco-born ace scored 18 goals and provided nine assists in 52 appearances, totalling 3777 minutes, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.92 games, or every 139.88 minutes.
Moreover, and this may surprise some people when we compare their underlying numbers from the start of last season to today, it’s the Spaniard who actually comes out on top despite playing in a weaker team and being younger.
Non-Penalty G+As
0.65
0.59
Progressive Passes
2.99
3.81
Progressive Passes Received
11.6
10.5
Progressive Carries
5.70
5.17
Shots on Target
0.94
1.24
Goal per Shot on Target
0.32
0.30
Passing Accuracy
71.3%
86.7%
Key Passes
2.02
1.85
Expected Assists
0.24
0.17
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.73
1.26
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.62
0.12
Shot-Creating Actions
5.08
4.22
Goal-Creating Actions
0.74
0.48
Tackles
1.09
0.92
Successful Take-Ons
3.30
2.06
Ball Recoveries
4.64
2.68
Aerial Duels Won
0.38
0.30
For example, he comes out ahead in metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes and passes into the penalty area, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, goals per shot on target and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, signing either player would make a massive difference to Arsenal’s attack this season.
Still, based on their ages and performances over the last two campaigns, it looks like Williams is the bigger prospect.
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Everton are believed to have agreed a deal to sign a teenage player who could be a future star, according to a fresh transfer rumour.
Everton preparing for vital summer
David Moyes may have impressively steered the Blues away from the Premier League relegation zone, but there is still a clear need for reinforcements this summer, with only one win coming their way in their last eight matches, including Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Manchester City.
Auxerre left-back Clement Akpa has been linked with Everton, who have been boosted by the news that he is likely to leave his current club at the end of this season. Wolves are also battling to sign him, however, so the Merseysiders face competition.
The Blues also reportedly remain confident of snapping up West Brom youngster Tom Fellows, who was a rumoured target throughout the summer transfer window. The Englishman has shone for the Baggies throughout this season, registering 13 assists in the Championship.
Tom Fellows in action for West Brom.
A new striker is needed at Everton, especially if Domini Calvert-Lewin moves on, with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap named as an option to come in, as well as Brighton ace Evan Ferguson. While signing proven players is key this summer, planning for the future is also essential, and a young target has now emerged.
Everton agree deal to sign "excellent" young defender
According to a new report from Football Insider, Everton have “agreed a deal” to sign Hearts teenager John Dodds, with the 16-year-old an “extremely highly-rated” player.
They have had a “bid accepted” for the young centre-back, ahead of what is described in the report as a “transformational summer window”, which will excite Blues supporters.
Little is likely to be known about Dodds from the Everton fanbase, given his age and the fact that he is yet to represent Hearts at senior level.
He is clearly a special young talent with a high ceiling, though, so the fact that the Blues appear to have snapped him up should be considered a big positive.
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4
By
Ross Kilvington
Apr 19, 2025
Dodds would clearly be a work in progress to begin with, spending time in the youth team to develop, but it may not be too long until he shows Moyes that he is worthy of a first-team place, with Hearts’ academy hailing him as “excellent” on X in the past.
Signing the brightest young British talent around should always be a priority for a club with the tradition and history of a club like Everton, so this is a major plus for them, as Moyes looks to slowly bring the glory days back and develop talented stars.
Australia’s one, two and three smashed quick centuries, the last of them off just 47 balls
Namooh Shah24-Aug-2025276 – Australia’s margin of victory in the third ODI, the biggest defeat for South Africa in ODIs (by runs) going past the 243 runs they lost by in the 2023 World Cup to India. It is also the second-biggest margin of victory for Australia in ODIs, only behind the 309 runs against Netherlands in 2023.It is also the fourth-biggest margin of victory by runs in ODIs among Full Member teams, with the top two spots taken by India followed by New Zealand at three.431 for 2 – Australia’s second-highest total in an ODI, bettered only by the 434 for 4 also against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006.Australia’s total is also the highest in an ODI in Australia and the second-highest against South Africa behind that 434 for 4.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 – Australia’s top three of Head (142), Marsh (100) and Green (118*) scored centuries, making it only the second such instance in ODIs. The first was by South Africa against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015.250 – Head and Marsh’s opening partnership, the fifth-highest in ODIs for Australia. The last Australia pair to stitch a double-century partnership for any wicket was by Maxwell and Pat Cummins for the eighth wicket in Mumbai in 2023.431 – The runs added by the first three Australian wickets is also the second-highest in an ODI, only behind South Africa’s 439 against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015.47 – Green took 47 balls to complete his maiden ODI century, the second-fastest by an Australia batter behind Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball effort against Netherlands in Delhi in the 2023 ODI world cup.Green’s 47-ball century is also the fastest against South Africa, bettering the 66-ball hundred by Matthew Hayden by some way.ESPNcricinfo Ltd12.14 – The scoring rate of the Green-Alex Carey partnership of 164 runs for the third wicket, the highest for Australia (min 150 runs), bettering the record of Maxwell and Shane Watson, who scored 160 at a rate of 11.70 against Sri Lanka in 2015.13.28 – Wiaan Mulder’s economy rate – the second-poorest in ODIs (six or more overs), behind Kevin O’Brien’s 13.57 against South Africa in 2015.22y 2d – Cooper Connolly’s age when he took his maiden five-wicket haul, becoming the youngest Australia bowler to do so, going past Craig McDermott, who took a five-for at 22 years and 204 days against Pakistan in 1987.5/22 – Connolly’s are the best bowling figures for an Australia spinner in an ODI, bettering the figures of Brad Hogg (5 for 32) against West Indies in 2005.
Polarising opener might not have converted the doubters but he could yet help win the Ashes
Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Jul-2023He is playing Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc better than anyone this Ashes series. His strike rate of 79.67 is the highest among those on either side to have played more than one of the three Tests. All while nestling in the run-scorers’ charts ahead of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.He is Zak Crawley. No, really. Don’t refresh just yet. He is him. The most-polarising cricketer over the last 15 months is thriving as the one Bazballer truly nailing his brief.Taking the attack to the opposition, quite literally from ball one when his crunched cover drive off Cummins on that first morning of the first Test in Birmingham set this madcap show on the road. Indulging the licence to be streaky handed down by head coach Brendon McCullum with scores of 61, 7, 48, 3, 33 and 44 – the last of which got England to 93 in the 20th over of the fourth innings as they hunted a target of 251 that was eventually reached after 50, with three wickets to spare.Related
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Cummins, boogieman to Joe Root and a few other diners at Test cricket’s top table, has failed to dismiss Crawley in 96 deliveries so far, with 69 runs taken off him in languid fashion. Starc’s devastating left-arm whip has accounted for Crawley once, and even that was a tame flick down the leg side at Lord’s. The other 48 deliveries have been taken for 42.An opening partnership with Ben Duckett that began last winter in Pakistan has now produced 814 runs across 18 first-wicket stands, averaging 47.88. The pair are ideally suited, left-right, short-tall and both with an insatiable appetite to feel bat on ball and get the scoreboard moving. Their relationship has blossomed and as individuals, they are comfortable with where they are and what they are doing.There’s a lot to be said for that, particularly Crawley’s side of it. A dispiriting 2022 summer averaging 23 led into disappointing winter of 29.30 on flatter decks. And when he started this season stating he did not need to work on his defensive technique and dismissing public comments on his form as ill-judged, ill-informed and unwarranted, you wondered if he was leaning too heavily into a villain arc he could not pull off.Thankfully, he hasn’t. He has retained his sense of self, particularly in a dressing room where he remains a vocal member of an upbeat group thriving in each other’s company.The investment made by McCullum and Ben Stokes at the start of all this is beginning to show returns. At stages last summer, coach and captain took it upon themselves to get around Crawley. More often than not a beer, cigar and a willing ear. On one occasion, they manufactured a three-ball group on a golf day to ensure they had 18 holes with their opener to ease his worries, either through airing or forgetting them.
“If you were unconvinced Crawley was the right man to open the batting, this series is unlikely to have changed your view. Since McCullum and Stokes took over to ‘liberate’ Crawley, his career average has increased by 0.05”
Crawley does seem surer of himself this summer. Perhaps less in need of reassurance because, well, he is doing his job. He is certainly more inclined to let his personality out. It’s worth noting his comment ahead of the Lord’s Test that England would win by “I don’t know, 150” – instead they lost by 43 – was one given in jest, while twirling back-and-forth on an office chair in the Times Radio studio. The video shows the jovial nature of the prediction which got lost in print.Perhaps the most visible representation of his comfort has come in the field. Not only has he taken the third-most catches by an outfielder this series (five, with no drops) he regularly chimes from second slip or in the deep with tactical suggestions for Stokes.The journey to this point has been long, at times arduous. But here he is: able to judge himself on how he has executed the role has without worrying about how things used to be done. Basically, that means not measuring his performance by traditional batting metrics.At this point, we should introduce those “traditional metrics” to this conversation. Because for all of the above, they’re still pretty relevant. Crawley is averaging 32.66 from 196 runs this series. To cynical eyes – the majority on this topic – they tell a familiar story of spurned-starts and non-starts.If you arrived into this series unconvinced Crawley was the right man to open the batting, the last six innings are unlikely to have changed your view. Since McCullum and Stokes took over to “liberate” Crawley, his career average has increased by 0.05 to 28.65. Pretty much everyone else, working within the same parameters, has enjoyed a more significant bump.Peer across the divide and you will see Australia’s selectors mulling over David Warner’s position. Though Warner is having a poor series – 141 at 23.50 – his substantial body of work suggests dropping him is riskier than keeping him. Crawley on the other hand, has nothing like the same credit. Indeed, the idea of him is built upon future earnings. Were they in each other’s shoes, Warner would coast through this tour, and the latter probably wouldn’t be on it.Zak Crawley drives through cover•Getty ImagesIn a way, Warner’s predicament highlights the difficulties of opening the batting in England. And Crawley’s management acknowledges the toughness of the role, maybe even the need to be insulated from the discourse and your own numbers.Those two aspects go hand-in-hand when it comes to Crawley. But we are now at the stage where the extremes are so set in stone that even the mother of all purple-patches won’t tailor the conversation.On one side, an England team and management who laud world-class abilities, extrapolating these smaller contributions in the process. On Monday, Moeen Ali became the latest to step up on that front.”I think when you’re on his side, you think he’s an absolutely gun player,” Moeen said. “It’s almost like the faster and the better the bowler, he plays better. In my opinion, he’s one of the best players around. I know his average probably doesn’t say that, but the way he bats, he’s proper. Hopefully, when it clicks for him, he’ll score a lot of runs.”Then there’s the other end of the spectrum, those who see Crawley as the perfect embodiment of elitism and favouritism. A fee-paying school attendee, from a wealthy family – his father, Terry, was at one point the fifth-richest Briton on the Sunday Times rich list – whose mentor, Rob Key, is now ECB managing director of men’s cricket. The picture painted with broad strokes are of a nepo-baby of Brooklyn Beckham proportions, with an inexplicable Greg from permanence as one of three players, along with Stokes and Root, to have played all 16 Tests of the new era.Many within that second camp are not for turning, and you can understand why. Some of the factors at play are beyond Crawley’s control. It has been two weeks since the ICEC published their report which skewered the ring-fencing of the game, particularly how beholden it is to the private school system. Crawley, a product of that system, is no more the cause than he can be the antidote.As always with matters of privilege and fortune, wasting both would be far worse than having them in the first place. Having made it this far and looked at his most comfortable against the best bowlers in the world, Crawley must continue this rise in form. It may not convert the doubters, but it could yet win England the Ashes.
Joe Root fronts up, but ECB is to blame for end to seven-year home record
George Dobell13-Jun-2021There was to be no miracle. Even before the clock on the Thwaite scoreboard at Edgbaston had ticked round to 11 o’clock, England’s second innings had been ended. And a target of 38 in a minimum of 177 overs was never likely to test New Zealand.Before noon, they had completed their first Test series win in England since 1999 (and their third in all) and England had succumbed to their first home Test series defeat since 2014. New Zealand were, indisputably, the better side. India and Australia will be, figuratively at least, licking their lips.It is inevitable at such a moment that we will look for quick fixes. And it’s true that the form of senior players such as Joe Root (whose top-score was 42) and James Anderson (who took three wickets in the series; none of them with a new ball) did nothing to help. Equally, a well-balanced side would no doubt have included a spinner. But that’s not what cost England in this match.No, England’s problems are more substantial than that. And they basically come down to this: if you take one brick out of a dam it will probably hold. If you take two, three or even four it might well hold. But when you start removing foundations, you risk the viability of the entire structure. Eventually, the dam breaks.That’s what’s happened in England cricket. Instead of nurturing and protecting our County Championship, we have squeezed it into the margins of the season and robbed it of many of its best players. We have played it in conditions which bear little relation to Test cricket in the rest of the world and in circumstances where spinners and fast bowlers become close to irrelevant.Meanwhile, we have pushed a generation of experienced county performers into premature retirement by introducing incentives for young players; we have encouraged the government to end the Kolpak influence and we have made it ever more difficult to make overseas signings. Our best Test players have been encouraged to pursue opportunities in T20 cricket ahead of sharing their wisdom in county cricket or working at their games against the red, moving ballAt the same time, we’ve given the prime weeks of summer to limited-overs tournaments and prioritised white-ball success. Young batters have been encouraged to learn short-format skills and excel at performing in conditions where the pitches are perfect and the white-ball hardly leaves the straight. They can afford to be mediocre in the first-class game. Attack has been prioritised over defence.Joe Root has fronted up for England’s failures on and off the field, but the ECB has been silent•PA Photos/Getty ImagesTechnical coaching has been replaced by something very close to cheerleading – correcting a player’s technique is believed to undermine their confidence, though less than failing at international level, you would have thought – and a scouting system has been introduced which has led to such gems as Jason Roy opening and James Bracey keeping in Test cricket. Really, whoever thought those were good ideas needs to be in a different line of work.English cricket might have been able to withstand one or two of these errors. But in combination, they have decimated the competition which develops Test players. For it’s not one or two top-order batters who have failed. It’s a generation of them. And when that happens, you have to look at the system. Finally, the dam has broken.England has, in the past, masked some of these issues with an ability to utilise home advantage. For just as only very fine teams win Test series away in India or Australia, it has tended to be only very fine teams who win away in England.But the current management have decided to try to do things differently. In an attempt, essentially, to prepare for the Ashes, they have challenged their players to perform in conditions where they can expect far less assistance from the Dukes ball and seaming surfaces. They have basically unpicked something that works in the hope of building back better.That is not by any means an unreasonable tactic. It may even be viewed as brave and ambitious. But there is not another country in the world who would spurn home advantage in the same way. England are becoming terrifically generous hosts.Related
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It was telling that it was Root who appeared before the media after this defeat. Just as it was telling that it has been Root (or other members of the playing and coaching staff) who has been obliged to answer questions about the Ollie Robinson affair, a rest-and-rotation policy over which he has little control, or a million other issues.Root was in an impossible position here, really. But he defended his team, he took responsibility for underperforming personally and he refused to hide behind excuses. Some will never take to Root’s style – his soft voice, his refusal to roar and his inclination towards consensus- but there are different ways to lead. Root really wasn’t dealt a fistful of aces with this team.And that’s relevant. For while Eoin Morgan is about to have his strongest squad – injuries permitting – for a second successive T20I series, Root has probably not had his strongest squad available to him since the first Test of the series against Pakistan at the start of August. That’s 11 Tests ago. England’s priorities are very clear.In contrast to Root, Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, hasn’t given an open press conference this year. For any National Governing Body, that seems odd. For one which is currently introducing a new format of the game; contesting allegations of institutional racism, and wrestling with the issue of historic social media posts which demonstrate the sexist and racist attitudes which pervaded in the past, it feels inappropriate. Now is the time for some accountability in English cricket.So let us not quibble over whether Jack Leach should have played at Edgbaston or whether England’s slip cordon is standing at the correct angle. The problems go far deeper than that.
Yankees star Aaron Judge said he's unsure whether he'll require surgery on his right elbow this offseason while speaking to reporters following New York's season-ending loss to the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday night.
"We'll do some work on it [the elbow]," Judge said. "We'll do some work on it and get it right."
When asked whether he'll have surgery, Judge replied, "I'm not a doctor, I don't know."
When did Judge suffer the elbow injury?
During the seventh inning of a July 22 win over the Blue Jays, Judge grimaced in pain after throwing the ball into the infield following a running catch. He was in the Yankees lineup as the designated hitter the following day, then experienced discomfort while playing the outfield in a July 25 loss to the Phillies. He underwent tests on the elbow, which revealed no damage to the ulnar collateral ligament, but Judge on July 26 was placed on the 10-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right elbow.
He returned to the lineup on Aug. 5 as the designated hitter, but didn't resume throwing to bases until Aug. 24. In the midst of Judge's six-week throwing rehab, Yankees manager Aaron Boone raised eyebrows when he said he doubted Judge would get back to "throwing like he normally does at any point this year." Judge himself pushed back against the comments and Boone later walked them back.
How did the injury affect Judge's arm strength?
But upon Judge's return to the outfield on Sept. 5, the Blue Jays tested his throwing arm, and the hulking slugger lacked the velocity on his throws from the outfield that he had prior to sustaining the elbow injury. Judge, who routinely hit 90-plus mph on the radar gun on throws from the outfield, had just two throws exceed 80 mph during his return to the outfield in the regular season, which saw him split time between right field and designated hitter. During the wild-card series, the Red Sox tested Judge's throwing arm in a key situation, leading to a slower throw from the Yankees outfielder, who downplayed the lower velocity number after the game.
And while his throwing arm remained somewhat compromised, he did hit 90.2 mph on the radar gun on one throw during Game 1 of the ALDS.
Fortunately for the Yankees, Judge's bat was not compromised. On the heels of winning his first batting title and compiling his second straight season with 50-plus home runs, Judge authored his best playoff performance to date, slashing .500/.581/.692 with one home run, a pair of doubles, seven RBI and five runs scored in seven games played.
Judge is the odds-on favorite to win his second straight AL MVP award.