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Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City may be going through a dark time of it late, but they do still have a chance of winning the FA Cup after defeating fellow Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth last weekend.

With no top-flight title or Champions League in sight, there will likely be a changing of the guard at the Etihad this summer, with faces such as Kevin De Bruyne perhaps leaving the building for some fresh blood to then excite the City masses.

One position that is dire need of refreshing is the right-back spot with new reports suggesting that City have a target in mind to begin such a transformation.

Man City looking at signing new full-back

With Kyle Walker departing on loan to AC Milan in January and academy graduate Rico Lewis not preferred in recent times, signing a new right-back should be one of their top priorities this summer.

Well, according to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, plenty of top-flight clubs in England, including City are considering an approach for 22-year-old right-back Kiliann Sildillia, as current employers SC Freiburg brace for lots of activity involving their star-man.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion are all named as interested parties, but City will hope they can race to the front of the queue for Sildillia’s services shortly, with recent weeks suggesting that Guardiola and Co have been watching the defender’s matches in the Bundesliga intently.

How Sildillia can become Cancelo 2.0

The right-back position in Manchester is lacking in numbers, with Matheus Nunes notably struggling up against Andoni Iraola’s challenging Cherries.

Indeed, Simon Bajkowski, chief Man City writer for MEN, gave Nunes a 4/10 for his showings, stating that he was “abysmal” for the goal.

Therefore, the attack-oriented Sildillia could be the perfect choice in this problem area, with the Frenchman perhaps becoming the faltering team’s next Joao Cancelo down the line.

Cancelo was a beloved figure at the Etihad for many of his successful years donning sky blue, with the expansive Portuguese defender going on to notch up an impressive nine goals and 21 assists from 154 clashes.

Unfortunately, the end of his time in England turned sour, leaving City with a lack of personnel down both the left and right flanks, with Cancelo comfortable in both slots in Guardiola’s XI.

Sildillia’s numbers for Freiburg by position

Position

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RB

60

3

3

CB

18

0

0

RM

17

0

0

RW

2

0

0

LM

1

0

0

CM

1

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, the new City target is also capable of being versatile for the cause like Cancelo, with Sildillia lining up all over the pitch for Freiburg from his 102 appearances and counting.

But, it’s clear his most comfortable position is in the right-back area, with six goal contributions coming the Frenchman’s way from 60 contests in this spot on the pitch.

Two of those contributions have come this very campaign in the Bundesliga, with Sildillia managing to solidify himself as a trusty first-team option in Germany for both his attacking prowess and his ability to resiliently defend.

From those 16 clashes, Sildillia has managed to tally up a promising six clean sheets, with 3.3 duels won on average per league outing also matching that of Nunes back in Manchester.

But, Guardiola might be hesitant to stick it out with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man, especially if the former FC Metz ace is available, knowing full well that adding in fresh, young bodies defensively can work wonders in the case of rising star Abdukodir Khusanov.

Likewise, Nunes’ natural position isn’t on the right flank, with the attacking energy of Sildillia also potentially gifting City their next “complete” star – as he has been labelled by scout Jacek Kulig – in a similar mould to Cancelo.

Related Better than Marmoush: Man City want to sign "one of the best CFs in Europe"

One of the world’s best young strikers is available on a free this summer, and Manchester City are reportedly “interested” in his signature.

Posts ByBen Gray Apr 1, 2025

Iconic former England allrounder set for first professional coaching job with Northern Superchargers

Matt Roller25-Jul-2024There was no smoke on the water, but Andrew Flintoff’s emergence from Headingley’s home dressing room in deep purple training kit on Thursday marked the start of a new chapter in his career. On Friday night, Flintoff will sit in the dugout as a head coach for the first time in his new role with Northern Superchargers, the Leeds-based Hundred team.It is not a natural fit: Flintoff’s name has been associated with Lancashire since he was nine years old, and continues to be through his sons Rocky and Corey, who have played for their 2nd XI this summer. As PCA president, he criticised plans for a franchise-style competition like the Hundred, citing his “real pride” representing his county; he used to joke that the best thing about Yorkshire was “the M62, back to Lancashire”.His new team, Superchargers, lost their final five games last year to finished bottom in the men’s Hundred. The team’s board – along with Marcus North, their head of cricket – announced in mid-November that James Foster would not have his contract as head coach renewed. Five days later, Flintoff was announced as his successor, with his old Lancashire team-mate Kyle Hogg acting as his assistant.Related

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Morgan denies England white-ball coach link with Mott under pressure

There is one huge reason why the details of his appointment might seem trivial. Flintoff’s return to the professional game comes after he was involved in a horrific car crash in December 2022 while filming an episode of . He spent nine months out of public life after suffering terrible injuries: he said last year that these had been among “the hardest times” of his life, but cricket has helped him through them.He had already started to come back to the sport, not least through the BBC series . The show saw him return home to Preston, assemble an unlikely team of teenagers and introduce them to cricket. It changed lives, most obviously of Adnan Miakhel, an Afghan refugee who now studies at Rossall School on a sports scholarship and plays for Lancashire’s Under-18s.But Flintoff’s appointment to a plum job in the Hundred still came as a surprise. At the time, his only senior coaching experience was a month in an informal role with England’s white-ball teams. He has since worked as a consultant coach on a tour to the Caribbean, a home series against Pakistan and at the T20 World Cup, and with the Lions on a camp in the UAE.And his fast-tracking raises awkward questions about recruitment processes: the Superchargers role was not publicly advertised, and Flintoff was the only candidate. It is common in sport for teams to make direct appointments, but even the English FA published a job advert for Gareth Southgate’s successor as England football manager last week.For the last four years, the ECB’s inclusion and diversity strategy has recommended the adoption of the Rooney Rule to ensure that non-white candidates are interviewed for major roles. It is a recommendation rather than a regulation but one that the Superchargers did not follow, opting against an open process and approaching Flintoff directly.

Flintoff is the only English head coach in the men’s competition and perhaps it is no surprise that he has been fast-tracked. He is an icon to most current players, who grew up watching him star in the 2005 Ashes

Flintoff also has close relationships with two of the most influential men at the ECB: men’s managing director Rob Key, a friend and former team-mate, and chairman Richard Thompson, who is also chair of M&C Saatchi Merlin, the talent agency who have represented Flintoff for more than a decade. It was Key who helped him back to public life and to the game last summer, though there is no indication that either was involved in the process.Naturally, there are compelling reasons that Flintoff might be seen as an exception to most rules. There is a huge sense of empathy towards him after his near-death experience, which resulted in broken ribs and severe facial injuries which he spent months covering up when in public. His legal team described them as “life-altering”, and agreed a reported multi-million pound settlement with the BBC.And Flintoff remains one of very few cricketers who could legitimately be described as a household name in the UK. At a time when it is struggling to stay relevant – not least in a low-key Test summer, which is competing with Euro 2024 and the Olympics – the sport is understandably desperate for him to turn his early forays as a coach into a long-term career.”After a review of last year, it was identified that we wanted to appoint a new men’s head coach,” a spokesperson for the Superchargers board told ESPNcricinfo on Thursday. “It was identified by the Northern Superchargers board that we wanted an inspirational figure with leadership qualities who would be able to excite fans, players, staff and media.”Andrew Flintoff was our first choice to become the new men’s head coach, and when it became clear that it was an opportunity he wanted to pursue, we moved to contracting. We are very excited to have appointed a young English coach with the pedigree and stature of Andrew Flintoff, and we’re excited about what he can bring to Northern Superchargers this season.”The ECB declined to comment, and indicated that Hundred team boards are fully responsible for recruitment. A spokesperson emphasised that the process for hiring Flintoff was not unique. Since the Hundred’s first season, there have been four changes of men’s head coach across the eight teams: two were publicly advertised and two were direct appointments.And the Hundred may prove a good place to start. Flintoff is managing a squad who will earn £1 million between them over the next month, but the competition is low-stakes and low-scrutiny: there will hardly be Superchargers fans demanding he is sacked if it goes badly. There are minimal media expectations compared to most jobs, to the extent he has declined to speak to any independent outlets.Superchargers finished bottom of the men’s Hundred in 2023•Getty ImagesHe is the only English head coach in the men’s competition and perhaps it is no surprise that he has been fast-tracked. Flintoff is an icon to most current players, who grew up watching him star in the 2005 Ashes: if anyone can succeed as a coach relying on vibes alone, it might well be him. Regardless, it is surely a frustration to other young coaches that they did not even have the chance to interview.”If you could design the perfect head coach development programme… Flintoff is going on a brilliant journey,” Key told the earlier this year. “[He is getting] relevant experience, much more than sitting on a Zoom call listening to someone tell you what to do.” That is undeniably true – but those opportunities do not present themselves to everyone.The early indications are that Flintoff intends to be a hands-off coach. Harry Brook, who will take over from Matthew Short as captain after England’s Test against West Indies, said this week that they would try to create a “fairly chilled” atmosphere: “I think we’ve said that all training will be optional… just be chilled, relaxed, go out there and express yourself and play.”Superchargers will be light on resources this week, with Brook and Ben Stokes with England’s Test squad, Mitchell Santner at Major League Cricket, and Reece Topley at least a week away from selection with a finger injury. They should get stronger soon, but Friday’s opener against Trent Rockets could be a challenging start with a threadbare squad.There has been speculation swirling around Matthew Mott’s future as England’s white-ball coach and Flintoff has been mentioned prominently as a potential successor. At this stage, it seems too early for a man who has never coached a professional team – but the next four weeks should give an indication as to just how much that matters.

Veteran will provide constant presence as Lancashire host Essex in Blast quarter-final

Paul Edwards06-Jul-2022Croft of Lancashire. It has a ring to it; an intimation of loyalty beyond question and certainly beyond contracts. It was the same with Stewart of Surrey (both of them), and one would like to think it will be the same with Fletcher of Nottinghamshire and Abell of Somerset. Some of the very best things in life are non-negotiable and it’s surely absurd to think of Steven Croft representing a county other than Lancashire.It’s hardly likely to happen, of course. Crofty is 37 now – that seems even dafter, by the way – and on Friday evening he will play his 224th T20 game when Lancashire host Essex in the Vitality Blast quarter-final. Those statistics include a record 148 consecutive appearances, the most by any player in English cricket and second in global terms only to Suresh Raina’s 158 appearances for Chennai Super Kings. Since he made his short-form debut for Lancashire in 2006, Croft has scored 4810 runs at a steady average around 30, he has pouched 130 catches and he has taken 78 wickets with his occasional off-spin. (His CV includes eight matches for Auckland in 2008-09 but those games hardly change the overall picture.)This year the off-spin has become very occasional indeed; in fact, there’s only been one over of it and maybe this is not surprising in a team that has often included Matt Parkinson, Liam Livingstone, Tom Hartley and Tim David. But if Croft’s bowling hasn’t been needed as much in 2022, his batting has become ever more valuable. He is Lancashire’s leading scorer with 422 runs at an average of 35.16 and he has notched three fifties, two of them at Blackpool, his old club. Going in at No.3, he has almost had time to build innings and to score important runs, even in a side that has included Livingstone, David, Salt, and Jos Buttler for one game.”My role’s changed a little bit,” Croft said. “I’ve always enjoyed batting at No.3 in the Blast, I’ve done a bit of it in the past and it’s nice to go in when the ball’s a bit harder. It suits my game to bat in the opening overs and I’ve been enjoying it. You think you’ll be in early and I always see that as an opportunity to stay positive. There’s not much of a lull after the Powerplay these days, everyone just keeps going. You might pick your bowlers and your ends but you go hard all the way through.”That reference to going hard runs a little counter to Rob Key’s view, which was expressed a few years ago, that twenty overs is longer than people might think. There is, so Key implied, time to take stock. But Croft’s career can be seen as a prism through which the development of English cricket can be viewed and T20 is now a format in which quiet overs are wasted overs. What’s more, everyone is expected to be able to bat and field and if you can chip in with a couple of cheeky overs of something funky, that’s all the better. And the need for all players to be able to bat was made clear on Sunday evening when Hartley marked the arrival of a new bat by hitting his first sixes in professional cricket, blows which ensured Lancashire bagged a home quarter-final.”It has been coming for Tom,” Croft said. “He’s always had that potential with the bat and he works on it but it was nice to see him get us over the line. But all the lads work on multiple skills and that includes the fielding as well. Even at 9, 10 or 11, you have to find a way to score and it’s the same with the ball. I’ve taken a back seat with that this season but I may need to do a little more on Friday.”Lancashire’s need for Croft’s all-round skills has been heightened by the fact that Livingstone, Salt, Parkinson and Gleeson have all been named in Buttler’s England squad for the three-match T20 series against India. Essex have not been weakened at all by international calls but maybe that balances things out a bit. After all, Lancashire have not lost a home T20 match for two years and Croft is grateful that he won’t be spending a big chunk of two days on a coach down to Chelmsford, a ground where he recalls the atmosphere being “boisterous to say the least” the last time Lancashire played a quarter-final there in 2010. They were hammered by eight wickets on an evening when New Writtle Street bore a passable imitation to Upton Park.”Being unbeaten at home for 14 games is a great feat and I think we’re up there in terms of matches won,” Croft said. “So we can go into this match with a degree of confidence, not just in historical terms but also based on our recent record. We’ve played some really great cricket at Emirates Old Trafford this season.Related

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“But it’s also useful in terms of preparation because we don’t have to get on the coach again or spend another night away from our beds. It’s saved a lot of miles on the round-trip and we’ll also have a couple of days practice at home. It’s nice to be back at Old Trafford where we all have our own space and our own lockers.”As to the absences, Croft insists Lancashire have coped with such things before but he acknowledges that T20 is such a skittish game that one over or even a couple of balls can transform a match. Just ask Hartley.”If you get out of your group, anyone can have a field day against you in the shorter formats,” Croft added. “All you can do is be on it all the time but even the best teams in the world have a win rate around 60%.”And should Lancashire qualify for their ninth Finals Day, Croft hopes that England’s next white-ball series – a 50-over series against India – will not prevent any county fielding its strongest side.”There’s an England match either side of T20 Finals Day but that Saturday in Edgbaston is one of the biggest occasions in the calendar,” he said. “You want to play with the best against the best and then no one has any excuses. It’ll be disappointing if our England lads aren’t available but we understand that there’s a hectic international schedule. At the same time, I’d love to see everyone available to play in front of a packed house at Edgbaston.”

We look all the standout numbers from his international career as captain, batter, wicketkeeper, and…wait for it…bowler

Gaurav Sundararaman and Shiva Jayaraman15-Aug-2020ESPNcricinfo Ltd Dhoni the batsman 50.57 Dhoni’s average in ODIs. Only Virat Kohli has a better average among those who have scored 10000 runs or more in ODI cricket. In fact, only Dhoni and Kohli average above 50. Sachin Tendulkar is placed third, with an average of 44.83. 47 Instances of Dhoni remaining unbeaten in successful chases in ODIs. No other batsman comes close. Jonty Rhodes is second, with 33 such not-outs. Incidentally, India have lost only two matches when Dhoni was not out in a chase: against Pakistan in Kolkata in 2013, and against England at the 2019 World Cup. 9 Instances in which Dhoni completed a successful ODI chase with a six. No other player has achieved this feat more times than him. 229 Sixes hit by Dhoni in ODIs. Only Rohit Sharma has hit more sixes for India than Dhoni, who is placed fifth on the all-time list for most sixes by any player. 7 Centuries scored by Dhoni at No. 5 five or lower – joint-highest for any team along with Yuvraj Singh and Jos Buttler. Two of his best hundreds in ODIs came early in his career while batting at No. 3 when he scored 183* and 148 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Dhoni the captain 3 ICC tournaments won by India under Dhoni; it is the most by an India captain. Only Ricky Ponting has won more ICC titles as captain than Dhoni. 332 Most matches as captain in international cricket. Dhoni led India in 200 ODIs, 72 T20Is, and 60 Tests. He also has the second-most wins in limited-overs international games – 151 – behind only Ponting’s 172. 53.55 Average for Dhoni as a batsman while captaining in ODIs. Only Kohli has a higher average among batsmen to score more than 5000 ODI runs. In terms of runs alone, only Ponting fared better as captain. 2 Losses for MS Dhoni in ODI World Cup matches as captain. Only Ponting and Clive Lloyd have a better win-loss ratio than Dhoni. His record in ODI World Cups was almost impeccable, with his two losses coming against South Africa (in the league stage of the 2011 World Cup) and Australia (in the semi-final of the 2015 World Cup). His record in the T20 World Cups, however, was modest, with 20 wins and 11 losses.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Dhoni the wicketkeeper 444 Dismissals by Dhoni in ODIs – third-most in the format. However, his 123 stumpings are the most by any wicketkeeper. No other keeper has 100 stumpings. His 91 dismissals in T20Is, including 34 stumpings are also the highest for any cricketer in the format. 6641 Runs scored as captain-wicketkeeper in ODIs. No other batsman has scored as many runs while leading their team and donning the gloves. Dhoni was India’s captain and gloveman in 200 matches. Apart from him, no other keeper has led his country in more than 46 games. In terms of runs scored as a captain-keeper, Kumar Sangakkara is a distant second with 1756 runs from 45 matches.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Dhoni the bowler Lest you forgot, Dhoni has bowled, too. He has one ODI wicket against his name – that of Travis Dowlin from the match against West Indies in 2009.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has explained the thinking behind leaving the Lionesses duo of Ella Toone and Jess Park on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League defeat to eight-time winners Lyon. Although already assured of a play-off berth, the Red Devils needed a positive result to improve their seeding and to push for automatic qualification. Skinner's starting XI raised plenty of questions before his side were given a 3-0 thumping.

Park, Toone & Skinner's eyebrow-raising team selection

It wasn't just the absences of Park, in excellent form, and Toone, leading the Women's Super League for assists this season, that left many perplexed. Skinner also named Dominique Janssen, a strong performer at centre-back, to his bench and Julia Zigiotti Olme, who has been excellent since arriving from Bayern Munich in the summer. It was a gamble that didn't pay-off either, with United not really in the game until Skinner brought on all of Park, Toone and Zigiotti at half time. Even then, there wasn't enough time for the Red Devils to turn things around, with them dealt a 3-0 loss.

AdvertisementAFPExplained: Why Man Utd benched Park, Toone & more for Lyon clash

"You can lose a game against Lyon on set pieces, on physicality, so we had to have balance," Skinner said, explaining his team selection. "We needed to match them physically from the first half, and then always adapt it and change it second half. I felt that, first half, we physically were matching them, especially from set pieces, but we probably didn't get enough pressure on them in moments, so I adapted it half time, got a little bit more ball possession."

Asked what the reactions of players like Toone, Park and Zigiotti was when they were told they weren't starting this big game, Skinner replied: "When they had the reasons and rationale explained, they understood. They don't want to not play but I always explain the reasons. I don't leave any players blind to what the decisions are. That's my job, to make tough decisions."

When asked about Skinner's emphasis on Lyon's physicality, Jonatan Giraldez, head coach of the French giants, said: "For sure, we have top players, technical players, tactical players and also physical players but I don't think that only the physicality has been key. I think as a team, we have done a very good job today."

Busy January coming? Man Utd in need of extra depth

It wasn't just about what Skinner felt was necessary for this particular match-up, either. United don't have the biggest squad, with many of those on the bench on Wednesday having played a lot of minutes as a result. As such, there was also a touch of loading factored into his selection against Lyon.

"We've got four games in 10 days, so we've got to be able to rotate," he added. "I won't have anyone go, 'Oh, well, you don't rotate', and then you do rotate, and it's not right. You've got to. There's got to be a plan ahead of all of the games."

Skinner has been keen to point out that his squad needs reinforcements in January, after a summer transfer window in which fewer were brought in that he would've liked. "It's nothing to do with the quality in my squad right now. It needs support and it needs numbers of quality," he said on Wednesday, emphasising the need for more depth to compete on four fronts. "I don't want to diminish anything from my squad. I love [the players] and what they do. It's not about replacing them, but it's about trying to grow the team."

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Getty Images SportWho will Man Utd face in the Women's Champions League play-offs?

While United have already secured a spot in the Champions League league phase play-offs, an automatic qualification spot remains up for grabs, though it is harder for the Red Devils to secure after this defeat. Skinner's side travel to Juventus next week hoping for a win that could sneak them into the top four, but they will need results to go their way elsewhere as well.

United are currently ninth in the UWCL standings, which would leave them unseeded in the play-offs. As it stands, they could be playing Wolfsburg or Arsenal, though that is all likely to change after next week's final games. Creep into the top eight, however, and the Red Devils could get a much more favourable draw, with the likes of Paris FC, OH Leuven and an Atletico Madrid side they beat earlier in the league phase all in the mix.

The positive is that this is just the club's first stage in the Women's Champions League proper and they will be getting out of the league phase. Who they will face in that next round will all be determined next week.

MatériaMais Notícias

Herói da conquista da Copa Libertadores de 2023, John Kennedy não compareceu ao treinamento do Fluminense realizado no último domingo (28), no CT Carlos Castilho, para os atletas não relacionados para o confronto diante do Corinthians, e pode ter sua punição aumentada pela diretoria tricolor. As informações foram divulgadas pelo jornalista Victor Lessa.

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A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

A conduta de John Kennedy irritou as principais lideranças do elenco, que se esquivaram do assunto após a partida na Neo Química Arena. Segundo informações de Lessa, o grupo de jogadores teria solicitado à direção que o atacante não seja reintegrado ao elenco.

O jogador está afastado da equipe em razão de atos de indisciplina cometidos durante a concentração do Fluminense antes do clássico contra o Vasco, realizado na última semana.

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PUNIÇÃO POR INDISCIPLINA

Na última terça-feira (23), o Fluminense anunciou que os atletas John Kennedy, Kauã Elias, arthur e Aleksander foram afastados por atos de indisciplina na concentração do Fluminense antes do clássico contra o Vasco.

O quarteto convidou mulheres e organizou uma festa dentro do hotel em que a equipe realizava a concentração, localizado na região do Parque Olímpico, Zona Oeste do Rio de Janeiro.

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FluminenseFutebol NacionalJohn Kennedy

Rain seems to be following NZ at this World Cup and there is more expected in Visakhapatnam

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Oct-20254:21

Preview: Will England’s middle order step up?

Big picture: Can New Zealand salvage some pride?There is very nearly nothing on the line. If England win, they finish No. 2, which does not change their semi-final tie – they will play South Africa regardless. But that little bump up the table will certainly help them progress if the Guwahati knockout is subsequently rained out.New Zealand leave themselves at risk of slipping down to No. 7 or 8 if they lose, but even that is unlikely – Bangladesh having to beat India by a significant margin. The White Ferns will nevertheless be intent on salvaging a victory from an otherwise disappointing campaign. They had had to endure two washouts in Colombo, but have only beaten Bangladesh in their completed matches, going down comfortably to South Africa, India, and Australia.It is also Sophie Devine’s last match in the ODI format, with New Zealand’s captain having announced her retirement at the end of this World Cup. Devine is 36. Team-mate Suzie Bates, who is 38, could also be playing her last World Cup match, though she has not herself announced a retirement.England, meanwhile, may use this as an opportunity to tune up ahead of the final. They have consistently put up the same XI most of the way through the campaign. Perhaps they will give some tired bodies a rest.New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England•ICC/Getty Images

Form guideEngland: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sophie Devine and England’s spin trioOne-hundred-and-fifty-eight matches, 4,256 runs, 110 wickets – whichever way you slice it, Sophie Devine’s numbers are immense. She had been the form batter of the tournament weeks ago, when she hit 112 against Australia, 85 against South Africa, and 63 against Bangladesh. The back-to-back washouts might have broken a litttle of her rhythm however. Can she regain it for her final ODI innings?Between Sophie Ecclestone (11), Linsey Smith (9), and Charlie Dean (7), England’s frontline spinners have 27 wickets in the tournament. None of these bowlers have gone at more than five an over (Dean has been by a distance the most expensive, with an economy rate of 4.73). They’d mostly had a quiet game in the loss to Australia. They will attempt to reimpose themselves.Team news: Will England rest key players?England may ring in the changes. With Sophia Dunkley not having made a major impact this tournament, could Danni Wyatt-Hodge come in? Could legspinner Sarah Glenn give one of the frontline spinners a rest?England (possible): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley/Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone/Sarah Glenn, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellFor New Zealand, there’s a little scrutiny on the place of Eden Carson, who has taken two wickets in the tournament.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine, 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10, Lea Tahuhu, 11 Eden Carson4:19

Healy, Knight, Mandhana, Devine, Dottin – analysing the best six-hitters

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?You won’t believe this, but there are rains forecast for Visakhapatnam on Sunday, with a cyclone supposedly brewing in the Bay of Bengal. So far this venue has seen medium-to-high scores during this World Cup, with India and Australia both having made more than 330 here in one match.Stats and trivia: NZ’s poor record vs England Sophie Ecclestone has taken at least one wicket in every match she has played so far this World Cup. Although she’s played only four innings, Devine is still among the tournament’s top five run-scorers, with 266 runs at an average of 66.50. New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England – a stretch that goes back to September 2021.

Ben Duckett set for final outing of busy summer before being rested for T20Is

Matt Roller06-Sep-2025Ben Duckett has been backed to end his international season in style in Southampton on Sunday, keeping his place for the third ODI against South Africa despite England’s decision to rest him for next week’s T20Is.England have made a single change from the team that lost by five runs at Lord’s to go 2-0 down in the three-match series, with Jamie Overton replacing Saqib Mahmood. It means that they will again be relying on Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and potentially Joe Root to share the workload of a fifth bowler, after Bethell and Jacks returned combined figures of 1 for 112 in 10 overs on Thursday.Duckett is one of three England players – along with Harry Brook and Jamie Smith – who has featured in all 14 of their home internationals this season: six Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is. Since the start of the Hundred last month, he has only gone past 20 once in 10 innings and followed his 5 in the first ODI at Headingley with an uncharacteristically scratchy 14 off 33 balls at Lord’s.Related

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England blown to bits-and-pieces as part-timers' bowling strategy backfires

Sam Curran added to England T20I squads as Ben Duckett takes break

He has since spoken to Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, and reached the decision to miss next week’s T20Is, with Sam Curran replacing him in the squad. Marcus Trescothick, one of McCullum’s assistants, said that the call was designed to ensure Duckett is “firing” ahead of a busy winter schedule, which includes the Ashes in Australia followed by a T20 World Cup.”Brendon spoke to him over the last few days, trying to get a gauge of where he’s at,” Trescothick said. “You look at every situation individually and in its own way, looking at the volume of cricket they’ve played and by chatting with them to see how they’re feeling… This is the best [decision] to maximise performances going forward as we head into a big winter.”We need certain players to be firing, and Ben is certainly one of those… We need the boys firing going into November, December, January. That’s an important time. It’s not to say things aren’t important coming up, but sometimes you just have to take your foot off the gas a bit and rejuvenate the mind. Then, you can get back on the horse and crack on.”ESPNcricinfo LtdDuckett’s retention means that Tom Banton, the spare batter in their squad, will not feature in the series barring a late withdrawal. But he has not been released to play for Somerset in their T20 Blast quarter-final against Warwickshire on Saturday night, and will instead stay in Southampton on standby.McCullum took over England’s white-ball teams in January – becoming coach across formats – but has failed to address their slide in 50-over cricket. They have lost eight out of 11 ODIs this year, including all three matches at the Champions Trophy, and sit eighth in the ICC’s rankings after a sustained run of poor results.Eight teams will qualify for the 2027 World Cup automatically via the rankings – with South Africa and Zimbabwe guaranteed spots as Full-Member co-hosts – so England would likely have to slip below both West Indies and Bangladesh to miss out. But the mere notion of having to play in the global qualifier is a source of embarrassment for the 2019 world champions.”We’re in an interesting position where we need to climb those rankings,” Trescothick said. “Longer term, there’s a bigger picture: we need to look at being at the top of those rankings and beyond. We want to go and compete in the biggest competitions and we’ve got to be a team that has grown from where we have been to compete like we did in 2019.”The journey hasn’t been easy, of course not, but I definitely feel we’re improving and moving in the right direction even though the last two results have been disappointing… We’ve made a few changes in recent times since Brendon took over, and we feel like we’re starting to play better cricket generally.”Overton’s inclusion means he will make his first appearance for England since his decision to put his red-ball ambitions on hold took the team’s management by surprise. Rob Key, England’s managing director, said Overton’s decision was “unexpected”, but his selection for the third ODI confirms that he remains part of their white-ball plans.England XI for the third ODI vs South Africa: 1 Jamie Smith, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Jacob Bethell, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Adil Rashid

Pakistan batter Haider Ali has been placed under criminal investigation by the Greater Manchester Police, and has been provisionally suspended by the PCB pending the outcome of the inquiry. While no details about the nature of the criminal offence have been released, ESPNcricinfo understands Haider is not currently in custody in the UK, but was interviewed under caution by GMP.The PCB issued a statement it had been “made aware” of the investigation, with the incident in question occurring during Pakistan Shaheens’ recent tour of England, which concluded on Monday. The PCB has confirmed it is providing Haider legal support “to protect his rights throughout this process”.”The PCB has been made aware of a criminal investigation currently being conducted by the Greater Manchester Police involving cricketer Haider Ali,” the PCB statement said. “The investigation pertains to an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheens’ recent tour of England.”The PCB fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of allowing the investigation to run its due course. Accordingly, the PCB has decided to place Haider Ali under provisional suspension, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. Once the legal proceedings are concluded and all facts have been duly established, the PCB reserves the right to take appropriate action under its Code of Conduct, if necessary.”Haider, 24, has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan, and was a senior player on the Shaheens’ UK tour. He played all three 50-over games against a first-class XI, as well as two three-day games.

أدى منتخب مصر للناشئين مواليد 2009 مساء اليوم الأربعاء، مرانه الختامي استعداد لمواجهة نظيره الأردني مواليد 2009 وديًا.

وخاض منتخب مصر مرانه على الملعب الذي يستضيف المباراة في العاصمة الأردنية عمان، في الرابعة مساء الخميس.

طالع.. خاص | اتحاد الكرة لن يتحمل تكاليف مشاركة منتخب 2009 في دورة بولندا الودية

ويلعب منتخب مصر 2009 أمام نظيره الأردني يومي الخميس والسبت، في إطار استعدادات الفراعنة للتصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لكأس الأمم الإفريقية للناشئين.

طالع.. خاص | بعد رفض الالتماس.. منتخب مصر يفقد لاعبه أمام سويسرا في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

وحرص حسين عبد اللطيف خلال المران الرئيسي على التركيز على الجوانب الفنية بعد أن شاهد اللاعبون أكثر من محاضرة بالفيديو لطريقة لعب المنتخب الأردني.

وشهد المران الكابتن علاء نبيل المدير الفني للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم ورئيس البعثة، والذي طالب اللاعبين بتحقيق الفوز.