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Former Tottenham star Ramon Vega has launched a scathing attack on Spurs boss Thomas Frank after their 5-3 loss to PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Tottenham show flashes but fall to PSG defeat in Paris

Spurs’ unbeaten European run came to a grinding halt in spectacular fashion as the European champions powered to a thrilling victory at the Parc des Princes, with midfielder Vitinha stealing the headlines by scoring a sensational hat-trick.

Frank’s young side showed tremendous character by twice taking the lead in a pulsating encounter, only to be overwhelmed by PSG’s attacking quality during a devastating second-half spell.

The match showcased both the promise and vulnerability of Spurs’ inexperienced squad, with teenagers Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray impressing before defensive lapses proved costly.

Vitinha’s treble told the story of the evening. The Portuguese thundered home a spectacular long-range equaliser just before halftime, curled in his second to restore parity after the break, then sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot following Cristian Romero’s handball, with his performance epitomizing PSG’s clinical edge when opportunities arose.

Randal Kolo Muani was another positive for Tottenham, scoring twice against his parent club and notching an assist for Richarlison to briefly give Spurs hope of an unlikely win.

PSG 5-3 Tottenham – best performers	Match Rating
Randal Kolo Muani	8.7
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia	8.4
Vitinha	8.4
Willian Pacho	8.1
Joao Neves	8.0
via WhoScored

However, Fabian Ruiz’s composed finish and William Pacho’s close-range effort during PSG’s dominant period ultimately proved decisive.

The defeat leaves Tottenham precariously positioned sixteenth in the league phase standings after five games, significantly increasing pressure on Frank ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Fulham.

The Dane has attracted, to say the least, very mixed reviews since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer. Frank’s spell has been marred by concerns surrounding creativity and a ‘boring’ style of play, with Spurs nearly bottom of the pile for numerous attacking metrics so far this season.

This includes an expected goals (xG) of just 11.0, which is the fourth worst in the entire Premier League.

25/26 Premier League	Spurs	League rank
xG	11.0	17th
Non-penalty xG	11.0	16th
Progressive passes	413	12th
Shots	110	19th
Shots on target	40	15th
Average shot distance	15.6 yards	17th
Stats via FBref

Many are wondering if Frank really is the right man to take them forward, and their crushing North London derby loss last weekend didn’t exactly plead his case.

Ramon Vega makes scathing Thomas Frank claim after Tottenham defeat

Speaking to talkSPORT, former Lilywhites player Vega made his thoughts on Frank crystal clear this morning — even stating that Postecoglou was the better man for the Spurs job.

Vega also says that the dressing room doesn’t appear to have that same respect for Frank, with the pundit questioning his ability to be a leader.

Given Frank is now starting to attract these kinds of opinions, absolutely nothing but a win will do at Fulham this weekend.

However, he’ll have to make do without star defender Cristian Romero, who’s suspended for the clash.

She’s now the No. 1 allrounder, the No. 2 batter and No. 3 bowler in the ICC rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2025

Two explosive hundreds at the World Cup have propelled Ashleigh Gardner six slots up the ODI batting rankings•Getty Images

Ashleigh Gardner’s storming Women’s World Cup 2025 has put her at a level seldom, if ever, attained by any allrounder, of any gender, in any format, in the history of the sport. She sits, following the latest update to the ICC rankings, among the top three batters, bowlers and allrounders in Women’s ODIs.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

Gardner has been one of the most important drivers of Australia’s unbeaten run in the tournament so far, scoring 265 runs at an average of 88.33 and a strike rate of 128.01, and taking seven wickets with her offspin at 30.00. Four visits to the crease have brought her two hundreds, both coming in tense situations.When she walked in against New Zealand, Australia were 113 for 4, which soon became 128 for 5. She smashed 115 off 83 balls to lead them to a total of 326.Then, in a chase of 245 against England, Gardner entered with Australia 86 for 4. She scored an unbeaten 104, off just 73 balls, and put on an unbroken 180 with Annabel Sutherland to clinch victory with a whopping 57 balls to spare.Those knocks have propelled Gardner up six slots, from No. 8 to No. 2, in the latest update of the ICC’s ODI rankings, with only India’s Smriti Mandhana above her. Gardner has, meanwhile, kept hold of her top spot among allrounders and the No. 3 spot among bowlers.England’s Sophie Ecclestone sits on top of the bowlers’ chart with Australia legspinner Alana King, who took a World-Cup-record 7 for 18 against South Africa, in a career-best second place, having shot up five spots.

Club also fined £5,000 for “below average” pitch preparation during defeat to Sussex in May

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2025Hampshire are facing a battle to stay in the top flight in this season’s County Championship, after the club were docked eight points for the preparation of a “below average” pitch for their fixture against Sussex in May.Hampshire, who are currently taking on Sussex in the return game at Hove, have slipped from fifth place to eighth in the first-division standings following Thursday’s ruling from the independent Cricket Discipline Panel (CPD). With a revised tally of 124 points, they are now just six clear of Durham in the relegation zone, with two further rounds of the Championship to come.The contest in question took place at the Utilita Bowl from May 23-25. Sussex won the match by nine wickets, with their spinner Jack Carson claiming second-innings figures of 5 for 26 in ten overs. On June 3, Hampshire were charged with a breach of the Pitch Regulations, following a report from match umpires Rob White and Tom Lungley, match referee Wayne Noon, and an investigation by the Cricket Regulator.Related

• Hampshire slip into relegation mix as Sussex escape with draw

• Carson spins Sussex to emphatic nine-wicket victory

• Wickets tumble at Hove as Abbott, Fuller strengthen Hampshire's hold

• Wash-out at Hove leaves Hampshire, Sussex frustrated

In addition to the eight-point penalty, Hampshire have also been fined £5000 for their breach of the pitch regulations. In its full judgment, compiled after a hearing on September 2, the CDC cited consistent unevenness of bounce, and excessive spin from day two onwards.Ben Brown, Hampshire’s captain, stated in his match report that he was “really disappointed” with the surface that had been prepared by head grounds manager, Simon Lee, adding that “batting on it was a lottery”.”We wanted a good batting wicket so that we could optimise batting points, but we also wanted a pitch that would bring our spinner, Liam Dawson, into the game, when foot holes became a factor,” Brown had added in his report.Paul Farbrace, Sussex’s head coach, stated in the CDC report that Hampshire were “entitled” to prepare a pitch where spin was a factor, but in opting to play on a recently reused surface, they got it “horribly wrong”.”It was not in their interest to deliberately plan an uneven pitch,” Farbrace said. “They have excellent fast bowlers, and would have expected to win with their seam attack. This is not an example of a home side deliberately cheating … the pitch was set up for spin, and I saw a cloud of dust when the hover cover went off. But the pitch was too dry, and I note the fact that they decided to re-use a pitch not that long after using it before.”Hampshire enter the final day of their rain-affected fixture at Hove needing nine wickets for victory, while Sussex need 241 further runs – but after the third day was washed out, rain again prevented play before lunch. They face a tricky run-in in the Championship, with an away fixture to Somerset prior to a final home game against Surrey, the reigning champions who may also need to win to secure their fourth title in a row.In addition, Hampshire are competing on three fronts, with the prospect of two white-ball trophies in the coming weeks, following their progression to T20 Finals Day and the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final against Worcestershire. Adi Birrell, their long-standing head coach, is set to depart at the end of the season.Durham, who are likely to emerge with a draw from their ongoing fixture at Essex, face bottom side Worcestershire in their next Championship fixture at Chester-le-Street on Monday, ahead of a final-round trip to Yorkshire.

Washington joins for relegation battle

Washington Sundar impressed for India in the Test series against England•Getty Images

In a bid to strengthen their hand, Hampshire announced on Thursday morning that they have signed India allrounder Washington Sundar for the games against Somerset and Surrey. Washington, who scored his maiden Test hundred as well as taking seven wickets on India’s tour of England earlier in the summer, has previously appeared in county cricket for Lancashire.The 25-year-old has not played since featuring in India’s dramatic win at The Oval at the start of August, having missed out on selection for the Asia Cup.”We’re delighted to bring Washington to the club for the County Championship,” Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, said. “He had an excellent series against England this summer and he’ll play a key role with two big games coming up against Somerset and Surrey.”

Liverpool’s defence have borne the brunt of the criticism for the club’s landslide in form this season. Such reproval has hardly been undue. However, Arne Slot’s forwards have also struggled to implement his tactics.

The plain truth is that the Reds have so many punctures across their system, and the boss has an increasingly slim period to overturn the plummet in form that has led to nine defeats across 12 matches in all competitions.

Ahead of their trip to West Ham United on Sunday, Liverpool languish in 13th place in the Premier League, and there are so many creases for Slot and his staff to iron out if a turnaround is to be found.

Mohamed Salah has for so long been an unstoppable force for the Anfield side, but he’s been among the most disappointing members of the team this season, and the right wing is becoming a weak link.

Liverpool considering Mo Salah successor

If Salah sees out the £400k-per-week contract he extended back in April, he will leave Liverpool in 2027, marking a decade on Merseyside.

He has scored 250 goals and provided 116 assists across 419 appearances in a Liverpool shirt, and he is one of the greatest players in Premier League history.

Mohamed Salah’s Premier League Form

Stats (per 90)

24/25

25/26

Goals scored

0.77

0.34

Assists

0.48

0.17

Shots taken

3.23

2.43

Shot-creating actions

4.51

3.27

Touches (att pen)

9.50

6.21

Pass completion (%)

70.6

68.1

Progressive passes

3.84

4.19

Progressive carries

4.14

3.94

Successful take-ons

1.55

0.92

Ball recoveries

2.70

2.77

Data via FBref

But there’s no denying the 33-year-old has been miles south of his usual standards this season, wasteful in the final third and drifting on the edge of Slot’s malfunctioning system.

There remains hope that Salah will rediscover his form, but a success plan needs to be put in place, and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh has been earmarked as a possible option.

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are ‘seriously considering’ a move for the 21-year-old winger, who has established himself in the Premier League since the start of last season.

It’s unclear at this stage what Brighton would demand for their rising star, but he wouldn’t come cheap, certainly more than the £35m figure the Seagulls paid Newcastle to bring him to the south coast in 2024. Some sources suggest discussions could enter the £100m ballpark.

Why Liverpool want Yankuba Minteh

Minteh has actually worked under Slot’s wing before, scoring nine times across 36 matches on loan during the 2023/24 season, assisting five goals too.

Newcastle were then forced into selling their Gambian prospect to ease PSR-related concerns, and he has become a star in the Premier League, hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig as “one of the standout wingers” in the division back at the start of the term.

While he’s only scored once across 12 matches, Minteh has assisted four goals and maintained the kind of athletic level of performance that would raise the bar at Liverpool, with Sofascore recording that he has averaged 2.5 dribbles and won 6.3 duels per game.

His qualities are further underscored by FBref’s data. In the Premier League this term, Minteh ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for progressive carries and successful take-ons, the top 1% for goal-creating actions and the top 11% for tackles won per 90.

This blend of physicality and potency – the wide forward scored seven goals last year – is almost reminiscent of Sadio Mane in his Liverpool pomp.

This was actually picked up by one football scout, who has said that Minteh can “can reach Sadio Mane[‘s] level” if he continues to foster his natural qualities.

Minteh is still so young. He is 21. Mane, for what it’s worth, was 24 when moving from Southampton to Liverpool in a £34m deal.

Mane didn’t match Salah’s jaw-dropping output, but he certainly came close, and 120 goals and 46 assists over 269 outings during Jurgen Klopp’s golden years is hardly a poor return.

Unlike Salah, the 34-year-old always had a bit more fury in his game, so combative and electric on the ball.

If Minteh could capture even a portion of the form Mane projected at Anfield over so many years, he would more than endear himself to the Reds fanbase.

But, as those in the know would tell you, he has what it takes to emulate the Senegalese icon.

Related He'd revive Isak: “Best manager in the world” now Liverpool's top target

Arne Slot is losing grip on his position as Liverpool manager after a shocking run of form.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025

The Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has apologised to the PCB in their ongoing dispute concerning the PSL, though in a manner that could escalate rather than defuse matters. The PCB had sent Tareen a legal notice charging him with breaching a clause in their franchise agreement and demanding an apology for his recent public criticism of the league.In a nearly five-minute-long video released on his social media accounts, Tareen apologised for his comments on the PCB in a tone heavy with sarcasm, while continuing to taunt the board, claiming it wanted to be surrounded by “yes-men and minions”.”You don’t even want to work with your stakeholders,” Tareen said, while flashing the legal notice the PCB sent him. “You cannot bear any criticism from anyone. If you were even remotely competent, you would have known this is not the way to manage things.”Only a big man apologises. I apologise for wanting to make the PSL better. I apologise for raising my voice when I saw problems. It is my fault, not yours, that I was dissatisfied with your mediocre mindset. I apologise for being unhappy that you give yourselves so much credit for doing so little.”Related

• Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi agree to extend PSL ownership rights for another ten years

• Multan Sultans only PSL franchise yet to receive ownership renewal offer

• Multan Sultans owner faces threat of 'blacklist' from PCB

He went on to further criticise the handling of the PSL, referring to the player draft, where issues with microphones persisted through the event, and for lip-syncing rather than live singing through the opening ceremony.He concluded the video by saying, “I hope you like my apology video,” holding the legal notice up to the camera and ripping it in half.ESPNcricinfo reached out to the PCB for comment, and understands the board will consult with its legal team before determining what, if any, further action to take, or whether to accept Tareen’s “apology”. While it does technically satisfy the PCB’s legal demand for a public apology, it appears set to only escalate the feud between the two sides.ESPNcricinfo has also seen a copy of the legal notice the PCB sent to Tareen on September 12. It accuses Tareen of breaching his franchise agreement and making “false, malicious, baseless, and defamatory allegations” in the build-up to the tenth season of the PSL. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, Tareen had become increasingly trenchant in his public criticism of the PSL management for what he believed was a lack of communication, ambition or transparency from the league, while deriding them for their incompetence.While the PCB had maintained a public silence in the months since, the legal notice threatens the most severe action the board, and the league, are in a position to take: blacklisting Tareen from franchise ownership, effectively stripping Multan Sultans away from him. Most seriously, Tareen is accused of deliberately seeking to devalue the PSL brand – with each franchise set for reevaluation at the end of the year – in order to pick up ownership rights to the Sultans at a lower value.The PCB also claims other franchise owners had urged action against Tareen earlier “for deliberately attempting to sabotage the marketing campaign and value of the PSL brand.”Amid the serious legal language, there are also allegations that display the triviality to which this feud between league and franchise owner has devolved. The PCB letter mentioned a video in which Tareen was filmed speaking to the Sultans players, telling them to target the opposition batters with bouncers in exchange for financial reward if they hit the helmet. The PCB called this “reprehensible,” accusing Tareen of disregarding players’ mental health and seeking to destroy their livelihoods.Tareen claimed the video was a joke and taken down, with Multans Sultans telling ESPNcricinfo their bowlers had bowled “the fewest bouncers in the league” last season, and accusing the PCB of desperation in their attempts to malign Tareen.Some aspects of the feud also appear to boil down to personal tastes. In the letter, the PSL called their trophy reveal at the opening ceremony “creative”. The trophy was unveiled as part of a short film that depicted it as lost at sea, with a military helicopter and expert divers sent to retrieve it. Tareen sarcastically called it a “game-changer” saying that it “gave me goosebumps”.While the nature of the feud may have become petty, its consequences are potentially severe for both the league and Tareen. The PSL could, in theory, preclude Tareen from rebidding to purchase Multan Sultans, meaning he would not be a part of the PSL as owner in the upcoming season. There remain plenty of unanswered questions for the PSL, too. Two new teams are to take part in the upcoming season but the PCB has not made any public statement revealing their identity or the date of the PSL draft.

Tottenham have been given a clear path to sign Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo following an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

The 25-year-old, who has marked himself out as one of the Premier League’s most devastating forwards these last 12 months, is attracting serious interest from across England and beyond, with Spurs believed to be firmly in the mix for his signature.

Semenyo’s been involved in nine of Bournemouth’s 11 total goals scored in the league so far, contributing to 81 per cent of their total attacking output, which is the highest percentage of any Premier League player this season (The Analyst).

The African also boasts 10 goals from his last 18 top flight appearances going back to April, with a total of six goals and three assists this season alone thus far. Man City boss Pep Guardiola is among the experts to laud Semenyo’s “extraordinary” form, and Tottenham recruitment chiefs are said to be massive fans of his too.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

The former Bristol City star signed a brand-new contract earlier this year, which quashed hopes of Tottenham or any other Premier League giant tempting him away from the Vitality last summer.

Semenyo extended his deal until 2030, giving the Cherries plenty of negotiating power to demand a club-record fee for their star player.

However, while reports have suggested that Bournemouth value him at around £75 million, Spurs could now sign him for significantly less in January.

Tottenham given clear Antoine Semenyo path as David Ornstein update leaves Bournemouth exposed

That is because Semenyo’s new deal, according to Ornstein on X, contains a £62.5 million release clause which becomes active for a limited time when the transfer window reopens.

In Ornstein’s words, the clause leaves Bournemouth ‘powerless’, and could allow Tottenham or any other interested suitor to bypass negotiations with Andoni Iraola’s side and head straight to Semenyo’s representatives — giving the north Londoners an obvious route to his signature as early as the winter.

The links to Spurs are nothing new, and Frank has already made his feelings about Semenyo pretty clear when speaking to reporters about the player last season.

Semenyo’s potential arrival holds even greater appeal due to the fact he won’t be competing at the African Cup of Nations this season, with Ghana failing to qualify for the tournament in what is a serious boost for Frank, considering the Dane also gets to keep hold of Mohammed Kudus.

The prospect of Semenyo playing on the left and Kudus playing on the right is a very exciting one, but it is worth noting that they’ll have to contend with a host of rivals for his services as well, perhaps even more so after the news of a tantalising release clause.

Australia 412 (Mooney 138, Voll 81, Perry 68, Reddy 3-86) beat India 369 (Mandhana 125, Deepti 72, Harmanpreet 52, Garth 3-69) by 43 runsCricket was played at a breakneck speed in Delhi on Saturday with close to 800 runs scored at a rate of over eight per over. Australia’s 412 was fuelled by what was then the second-fastest ODI century from Beth Mooney. India – and in particular Smriti Mandhana – came out hunting for both those targets. They got one – Mandhana is now the second-fastest centurion – but India fell just 43 short in the series decider.In the end, Australia protected a proud record of never losing a bilateral ODI series in India as they prepare to defend their crown in exactly these conditions.

India fined for slow over rate

India were fined 10% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate. They were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC code of conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

With just ten days to go for the Women’s World Cup 2025, a world record chase was attempted for a second day in a row after Pakistan almost chased down 313 in Lahore on Friday. Faced with a mountainous target of 413, India galloped at a high speed to be placed 204 for 2 in just 20 overs. But Australia gave a reminder of why they are the defending world champions by keeping at it, and striking regularly, to win the series 2-1Riding on a 57-ball century from Mooney and aided with misfields aplenty from India, Australia equalled their highest total. Strange as it may sound, their final total seemed to fall short of what they were likely to score before a late collapse of 6 for 34 ended their innings in 47.5 overs.India’s turbo-charged response was led by vice-captain Mandhana. She added 121 in just 69 balls with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, as Australia searched for ways to plug the flow of runs. It inadvertently came through Harmanpreet’s knee injury break, after which India lost three wickets in 19 balls.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Deepti Sharma, batting at No. 5 in Jemimah Rodrigues’ absence, continued to keep India’s hopes alive with a counter-attacking half-century. She scored a 58-ball 72, and her strike rate of 124.13 was her quickest for a knock above 20 runs. She added 65 off 54 balls for the eighth wicket with Sneh Rana to take India closer to the target. But with 59 needed off 46 balls, she holed out to deep midwicket to dash India’s hopes of a miracle.Mandhana started from where she left off in New Chandigarh, hitting Megan Schutt for three successive fours in the third over. She also greeted her nemesis Ashleigh Gardner with a six and four, before smashing Kim Garth for two fours and a six in the space of five balls. Earlier in the evening, Australia had scored 77 for 1 at the end of the first powerplay – a score India easily surpassed in seven overs. They were 96 for 2 in ten overs, which is the second-highest total in the first powerplay in women’s ODIs.Mandhana showed no signs of slowing down, getting to her half-century in 23 balls, before reaching her hundred in just 50 balls. She bettered her own mark of 77 balls from a few days ago, and also relegated Mooney’s 57-ball effort from earlier in the game to joint third-fastest. At the other end, Harmanpreet showed her silken touch as well as brute force on her way to a 32-ball fifty. But once Harmanpreet and Mandhana fell in consecutive overs, India’s challenge fizzled out.But for India’s fielding missteps earlier in the afternoon, which cost them 26 off 11 balls as per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, the result might have been different. Fielding has been one of the focal points under head coach Amol Muzumdar’s regime, and India looked to have turned a page with a clinical show in England. However, after dropping four catches in the first ODI, India grassed three chances on Saturday.Getty Images

Georgia Voll was the beneficiary of all three – first, when Richa Ghosh was wrongfooted and couldn’t hang on to the outside edge in the seventh over, and then twice by Radha Yadav. First on 23 when Radha only got her fingertips to a powerful swipe at square leg, and then on 36 when Radha misjudged the pace of Voll’s flick and was late on the jump at midwicket. Voll scored 81 before top-edging a sweep to substitute Uma Chetry at short fine leg.The tone was set early by captain Alyssa Healy, who wanted India to “run around in the heat”, and opted to bat. She attacked India’s new-ball bowlers and Australia managed to hit two fours in each of the first five overs. Kranti Goud then dismissed her for the third time in three games but Voll kept attacking, with Ellyse Perry offering stability during a fluent innings of her own.After Voll’s fall in the 22nd over, Mooney came in and never let the momentum shift. She found gaps at will, used the crease well to access empty parts of the field, and got to her fourth ODI century. The highlight of her innings was how she kept going in the hot and humid conditions, and scoring at a high rate while taking minimum risks. She added 106 from 72 balls with Perry, and then 82 off 46 with Gardner, to set the platform for Australia to post the highest total in women’s ODIs against India.It was only the seventh time a team crossed the 400-mark in women’s ODIs. That India responded with a strong challenge and posted the highest total in a chase in this format will give them solace with a World Cup on the horizon.

The fast bowler hurt himself when he dived full-length in an attempt to prevent a boundary

Sreshth Shah10-Dec-2025New Zealand fast bowler Blair Tickner, their standout performer on the opening day of the second Test in Wellington, suffered a suspected dislocation of his left shoulder and was taken off the field on a stretcher.Tickner had earlier torn through West Indies’ batting with a four-wicket haul, but injured himself in the 67th over while attempting to prevent a boundary at fine leg. Chasing a flick from Tevin Imlach, he dived full-length near the rope and stayed down immediately, prompting concern from his team-mates. The medical staff from the New Zealand camp and the venue attended to him on the boundary edge before he was stretchered off – sitting upright – to warm applause from the Basin Reserve crowd.”He [Tickner] left the field with a left shoulder injury and was transported to hospital shortly afterwards,” NZC said in a release. “Once the medical team and local doctors have done their work with him an update will be fed back.”Related

• Henry, Santner, Nathan Smith ruled out of rest of WI Test series

Playing his first Test since early 2023, Tickner had been drafted into the XI for this match after injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith in Christchurch. His 4 for 32 from 16 overs made him comfortably New Zealand’s best bowler on the day. His injury, however, adds to an already lengthy list of unavailable fast bowlers this series, which includes Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke and Matt Fisher.New Zealand are now facing the prospect of losing a third fast bowler mid-Test this series. They were similarly reduced in Christchurch, which had a knock-on effect and allowed West Indies to bat out for a draw. The setback also dampened the mood at the Basin Reserve among the fans and the New Zealand players, following what had been an upbeat second and third sessions for the hosts.Before being forced off, Tickner trapped Brandon King (33) and Kavem Hodge (0) lbw, used a sharp bouncer to dismiss Shai Hope for 48, and uprooted Roston Chase’s leg stump to put New Zealand firmly in control.Should Tickner be ruled out of the remainder of the match, it would be a major blow to an already inexperienced seam attack of Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes and debutant Michael Rae. Remarkably, New Zealand’s top two wicket-takers in the Test so far are part-timers Glenn Phillips (31 Test wickets) and Kane Williamson (30).This Test is also New Zealand’s first in 13 years where they have fielded a seam-bowling unit with fewer than 50 career Test wickets between them – the last instance coming in Kingston in 2012, the match in which Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner first played together.

Spinner thrives once more despite lack of county hinterland, as Cook’s struggles show dangers of expectation

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-May-2025It would be wrong to judge Sam Cook as a Test cricketer based on one appearance.Cook’s previous 321 red-ball wickets had come at 19.85, earning him the right to 31 overs across both innings of this Zimbabwe Test, even if they only produced 1 for 119. But as that first-class average ticks above 20, a little of the lustre has dulled from a bowler broadly accepted as a true master of his craft. Nevertheless the 27-year-old’s overdue Test debut will, for now, be front of the queue for examples of the difficulties with transferring form from the County Championship to the Test format.And yet, the man leading Cook and his new England teammates off the field at the conclusion of the first Test of the summer was Shoaib Bashir, saluting all corners with the match ball as he went. Somerset’s unwanted offspinner, who had taken two wickets at an average of 152 during a three-game loan spell with Division Two Glamorgan, had career-best figures of 6 for 81 – and consequently best match returns of 9 for 143. Not only did he walk off as the matchwinner – for the second time at this ground in an 18-month-old international career – but also as the youngest Englishman to reach the 50-wicket mark.Before the cascades of “yeah but the average is 36.39”, “yeah but he’s bowled more overs than anyone” and “yeah but it’s Zimbabwe”, consider this… it’s Shoaib Bashir. A 21-year-old who still talks about himself as “a work in progress”. Everything he says is tempered with gratitude and a competition-winner sparkle in his eyes that has not dulled since this six-foot-four, six-first-class-match-experience youngling was thrust into the spotlight of an India tour.The contrast between the lots of Bashir and Cook are clear, but perhaps more pronounced are what they tell us about this Test side Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have concocted out of salt and spirit. Cook’s nerves, even after pocketing his maiden dismissal three overs into his debut, spoke of an anxiety at wanting to prove he deserved to be at this level, even if he was backed with the new ball and crowded slip cordons. Bashir, on the other hand, has never exuded anything other than belief he belongs at this level despite evidence to the contrary.It is as much an orchestrated feeling as one hinging on the fact that, unlike Cook, Bashir has no base to retreat to. Prior to his temporary move to Cardiff at the start of this season, Stokes gave him a call and essentially told him not to worry – he’d be back home soon. Even his travails at the start of the year on the Lions tour of Australia, taking just four wickets after a difficult finish to the New Zealand series at the end of 2024, were set against unwavering support from the England management. As Bashir said on Friday evening, “England cricket is my happy place.”The trust in him to bowl long spells allows him to bed in, as he did in the first innings during a stint that began as first-change and was only ended in his 13th over by a botched caught-and-bowled chance that ripped open his left ring finger. All but one of his 18 second-innings overs came on the bounce from the Radcliffe Road End on Saturday.Crucially, this has not simply been a case of Stokes tossing Bashir the ball and hoping for the best, plugging him in for long stretches to make the prospect of wicket-taking merely an act of probability – an obscure strand of privilege, like some kooky Guinness World Record holder who just so happens to have a really big bath and ready access to that many tins of baked beans.Sam Cook endured a tough Test baptism, in which his first-class average ticked above 20•Getty ImagesOver the last year, Bashir has adjusted his release points. This Test, he has been 5cm closer to the stumps when operating over the wicket, with a more noticeable 8cm closer when around, as he was often to Zimbabwe’s left-handers. He has also worked on his approach, after realising he needed to be a little bit straighter having noticed an issue when poring over the 524.3 overs he sent down last year.”My run-up is a bit straighter,” Bashir said. “It just allows me to finish off my action a little bit more.”It also allows me to get better shape on the ball so I can land the ball on the seam and then, if I want miss it for the ball to go straight on, I can do that as well. It just builds into my action nicely and yeah, I just feel like it’s quite natural to me.”Granted, the sample size is just the 34.4 overs over the last couple of days, but the results are promising. His lines are neater, with just 16 per cent of his deliveries down the leg-side in this Test, compared to 32 per cent previously. His proportion delivered in the channel outside off has almost doubled in this Test compared to his six previous home Tests.And of course, there were a few gifts among Saturday’s six as Zimbabwe’s middle- and lower-order had a dart for a few souvenir runs of this first English Test in 22 years. But there was enough within, say, the first-innings snaring of visiting captain Craig Ervine at first slip and the two bowled dismissals of Tafadzwa Tsiga, both spinning through the gate, that spoke of a personal development that has meant he can meet his captain more than halfway.On day two, Stokes made a note of imploring Bashir to be a little more patient. Previously, he would have not let any negativity pass his spinner’s ears nor tried to overcomplicate matters for a player still working out his place in the game with the gifts he has.Related

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“He’s got some unbelievable natural ability, his height and how much he puts on the ball and the ability to change from square to upright seam,” Stokes said. “The skill is undoubted, but a big progression with him, I think, is working out building towards a dismissal – not getting too giddy.”That was the word that he used out there – not getting too giddy with things. He’s always in the competition and you can see when he’s in the battle.”For a young inexperienced individual to have those characteristics whilst also wanting to constantly get better and make little tweaks and working with Jeets (Jeetan Patel, spin bowling coach) the way that he does – it’s very, very exciting.”It speaks to where England are with Bashir that even Stokes admits it is “an odd story”. This kid plucked from obscurity and left exposed in fame ever since.There are still plenty more chapters to go, all of which Bashir’s Islamic faith tells him have already been written. What is clear is that the challenge of India to come next month will determine just how exposed he is – or just how far he has really come.

Captain says he needs at least four weeks of bowling in the nets to prepare for a Test match and he has only just started running again following his back injury

Alex Malcolm12-Oct-20257:05

Advantage England if Cummins misses first Ashes Test?

Australia captain Pat Cummins says he is “less likely than likely” to play in the first Test against England as he begins running for the first time following his back injury with less than six weeks to go before the series starts in Perth.Cummins’ back has been almost a daily talking point in Australia since it was revealed he has a lumbar bone stress issue in early September. He has not bowled a ball since Australia’s last Test series in the Caribbean in July.Speaking at Kayo Sports’ Summer of Cricket Launch in Sydney on Monday, Cummins was sober about his chances of playing in the first Test in Perth against England on November 21.Related

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“I’d say probably less likely than likely,” Cummins said. “But we’ve still got a bit of time.”I’m running today and running kind of every second day, and each runs a little bit longer, and then we get into bowling prep next week. So I’m probably a couple of weeks away before actually putting on the spikes and bowling out on the turf. But it’s been a good couple of weeks. Each session feels better and better.”Cummins was asked how long he would actually need to prepare his body to play in a Test match.”You’d want probably at least a month in the nets,” he said. “If you are to play in a Test match, you want to make sure you are right to bowl 20 overs in a day and you don’t have to think about it. Four weeks is pretty tight, but I think somewhere around that mark.”Cummins added his back was feeling better having taken a long time to settle after the lumbar bone stress was initially diagnosed.

“Some days I’m kind of annoyed because it’s the Ashes, and it’s a big summer and then other days I’m kind of realistic. I’ve had the last seven or eight years of almost uninterrupted home summers, so I felt like I’ve had a really good run as a fast bowler. Someone like Josh [Hazlewood], he’s been a little bit more unlucky, so maybe it’s my turn.”Pat Cummins on the timing of his back injury

But he outlined that even going from low level running to bowling is going to be a slow process as he needs to do specific gym work to reactivate his bowling muscles and see how his back responds before heading to the nets.”It’s kind of a little bit stiff, just probably a little bit from the injury but then also because it hasn’t been used for a while,” Cummins said. “Each session you do a little bit of run and make sure you pull up alright. So I’m actually feeling really good at the moment. A few of the symptoms hung around for a little bit longer than I would have liked but they’re all gone now. I’m just trying to kind of increase the workload and make sure body’s responding.”Some of the gym work becomes a bit more bowling prep work. So you do a lot more kind of getting your muscles ready, side holds to try to simulate that. Maybe some med ball work, but trying to kind of transition before you actually go into the nets and start bowling.”Pat Cummins says ‘he’s less likely than likely’•Associated PressAustralia coach Andrew McDonald said last week that a decision on Cummins’ availability for the first Test would likely be made on Friday following a week of increased running and gym work. But the coach was confident his skipper would play a part in the Ashes even if he wasn’t ready for the first Test. Cummins was cautious about specifying how many Tests he could play in the series.”I think it’s a bit early to know,” Cummins said. “With these things it’s pretty hard to go from not bowling or anything at all to suddenly playing five Tests. First steps are trying to kind of give us a shot at being right, and then we’ll work it out a bit closer to time.”Cummins admitted he had some level of frustration surrounding the timing of the injury and the prospect of missing part of the Ashes series.”Some days I’m kind of annoyed because it’s the Ashes, and it’s a big summer and then other days I’m kind of realistic,” Cummins said. “I’ve had the last seven or eight years of almost uninterrupted home summers, so I felt like I’ve had a really good run as a fast bowler.”Someone like Josh [Hazlewood], he’s been a little bit more unlucky, so maybe it’s my turn. But it’s such a big summer ahead. Obviously, you want to be in a mix, even with the India One-Day series and T20 series, I wish I was part of that. But it’s not to be. It’s part of cricket. You’re going to get injuries.”Cummins was confident that the injury would not affect him long term given Australia has huge period of cricket looming in 2026 and 2027 beyond this summer’s Ashes and T20 World Cup.”It’s a back injury that I haven’t had for about seven or eight years, and I’ve played a lot of cricket between that,” he said. “So if anything looking back when I was, say, 20 years old and I had this injury, I was a bit worried about what my body could actually handle. But I know in myself that if I get it right, do it properly, when I come back I shouldn’t have to worry about it all. And hopefully I can play as much, even more cricket than I had previously in the last few years.”