NZ’s openers Conway and Young surpassed Zimbabwe’s total of 125 on their own

Firdose Moonda07-Aug-2025Matt Henry’s sixth Test five-for eclipsed Brendan Taylor’s international comeback, and entrenched questions over Zimbabwe’s batting in the longest format. Zimbabwe were bowled out for their lowest total in nine innings, and second-lowest since 2023, with Taylor’s 44 and Tafadzwa Tsiga’s 33 the only individual scores over 11. That Taylor and Tsiga never batted together further underlines the issue, as Zimbabwe mustered a best partnership of only 29 on a surface where they chose to bat first.There was some early movement but with less bounce on offer than last week, and the quality of New Zealand’s seamers shone through. Henry led the attack, but debutants Zakary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher were also impressive. They varied lengths well, and bowled tight lines to a plan to give New Zealand’s line-up the best of the batting conditions.In response, Devon Conway and Will Young put on New Zealand’s third-highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe, and New Zealand’s first opening stand of over 150 in almost three years. It was their fourth century stand together, and first for the opening wicket. Though separated late in the day, Conway and Young put New Zealand ahead, and memories of Taylor’s slog earlier in the day already far from mind.Related

Brendan Taylor grateful for second chance with Zimbabwe

Taylor was called into action immediately on his comeback after a three-and-a-half-year ban when he was elevated to open the batting – something he had only done six times before – in place of Ben Curran. The reason for that became obvious as Taylor looked, by a distance, the most aware of his off stump, left well, and defended solidly.With all those qualities on display in the morning, he will be livid with the manner of his dismissal shortly after lunch. Taylor became Henry’s third wicket when he popped a tame catch to stand-in captain Mitchell Santner at extra cover to end a two-hour-and-23 minute stay at the crease.By then, Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble. They had already lost the rest of their top order thanks to poor shot selection in the face of excellent bowling. Brian Bennett, who partnered Taylor, was out as early as the ninth ball when he chased a delivery that shaped away and edged Henry to second slip, and will have to address his technique going forward.Brendan Taylor scored 44 on his return to Test cricket•Zimbabwe CricketHenry should have had Nick Welch off the next ball when he edged a good-length delivery. But Will Young, who took the catch that dismissed Bennett, could not hold on. Welch was beaten on the outside edge at least twice more by Henry, who then beat his inside edge and had him out lbw.Zimbabwe would have hoped an experienced middle order would stabilise them, but Sean Williams and Craig Ervine went cheaply. Williams was worked over by Foulkes, who moved the ball away late, and edged to third slip, where Young took a diving catch to his right. Then, on the stroke of lunch, Ervine reached for a full, wide ball, and handed Young a third catch. Zimbabwe went to the break on 67 for 4, with Taylor on 33 and well set. His shot of the session was an upper cut off Duffy that was struck powerfully and placed well.The same could not be said of the shot Taylor played in the afternoon, when Henry bowled on a good length outside off, and Taylor tried to drive off the back foot but chipped the ball to Santner. At the start of the next over, Foulkes set a leg-side trap for Sikandar Raza, and banged it in short and Raza walked straight in. He moved to the off side, and guided the ball into Rachin Ravindra’s hands. That was the third time in as many innings in this series that Raza was dismissed by the short ball.Foulkes had Trevor Gwandu lbw three balls later, and Zimbabwe had crashed to 83 for 7. The end of the innings was only a matter of time. Henry picked up his fourth when Vincent Masekesa played down the wrong line and the ball hit the top of off stump, and his fifth when Blessing Muzarabani backed away and was bowled. Foulkes also chased a fifth, but Tsiga and Tanaka Chivanga resisted with a 25-run last wicket-stand.Will Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test•Zimbabwe CricketTsiga played a couple of well-timed shots through deep third and midwicket, and offered a rare glimmer of hope for Zimbabwe’s batting. But he ran out of partners when Chivanga failed to use his feet and drove Fisher to mid-off to give him a wicket on debut. Zimbabwe were bowled out inside 49 overs.In response, New Zealand raced to 57 without loss after ten overs, and 40 of their runs came in boundaries. Conway got hold of fuller deliveries from Chivanga, while Young, who was struck on the glove, took on Muzarabani’s short ball. Zimbabwe’s new-ball pair then adjusted their lengths, but when Muzarabani and Chivanga went full, it was too full, and Conway cashed in. Chivanga’s fourth over cost 14 runs as Young cut him twice and then edged a back-of-a-length ball over the slips to bring up New Zealand’s fifty.Gwandu’s introduction quietened things down, but only a touch, as New Zealand accumulated with ease. Chivanga changed ends, and it was off him that Young brought up his 11th Test fifty and New Zealand’s hundred with a flick through midwicket.Zimbabwe’s best chance came shortly after the day’s final drinks break when Muzarabani drew Conway’s edge, but the chance died on Ervine at slip. Muzarabani also found the inside edge, but the ball raced away for four. Conway rode his luck, and then brought up his 13th Test fifty. New Zealand were in the lead with 14.4 overs left to play on the opening day.They were 33 runs ahead when Masekesa thought he had the breakthrough. He hit Conway, on 72, in front of middle and leg, and appealed for lbw but it was turned down. Zimbabwe finally had some joy when Young tried to pull Gwandu but chopped on. Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test. Conway finished the day on 79* alongside nightwatcher Duffy.

It has been a disappointing year for India in the shortest format but they have a positive record against in-form West Indies

Sruthi Ravindranath14-Dec-20242:52

Harmanpreet: Australia series was learning experience for young bowlers

Can India end their gloomy T20 year on a high?Despite winning 13 out of 20 T20Is they’ve played so far this year, it’s been a disappointing year for India in the format. After starting the year with a series loss to Australia in Navi Mumbai, India bounced back with a dominating 5-0 win against Bangladesh away. In July, they went unbeaten into the final of the Asia Cup but suffered a heartbreaking loss to Sri Lanka. The heartbreak continued in the T20 World Cup in October when they were knocked out in the group stage after losses against New Zealand and Australia. The next World Cup, in the ODI format, is set to take place next year in India, but this T20I series is not without context, especially for the hosts. It is a chance for them to rethink their approach in T20Is, especially in crunch games, and also start building their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup in England.Related

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Harmanpreet points to players' 'mindset' for India losing big games

WI’s chance to improve their record vs IndiaWhile West Indies arrived in Navi Mumbai a week early to acclimatise, India have been dealt with a rough schedule. They have barely had time to prepare after finishing the ODI series in Australia, which finished on December 11, and took a day off on Friday to rest it out. That they lost 3-0 to Australia in that series also doesn’t help their case. West Indies will want to use this opportunity to improve their record against India.The results between these two sides have been one-sided, with West Indies losing 13 out of the 21 matches they have played against India. In fact, West Indies have lost their last eight games against India. But an overall improved form this year, where they have won six out of their last eight T20Is and also made the semi-final of the T20 World Cup, will add to their confidence.”We’ve been working really hard and been really focused on our game and what we can improve,” West Indies captain Hayley Matthews said on the eve of the first T20I. “Coming up against a team like India, we know it is going to be a tough assignment. But we have been playing some really positive cricket over the last year and back ourselves to hopefully go out there and be able to change things around a bit.”Harmanpreet Kaur keeps an eye on proceedings•PTI Are India too dependent on their Big Two?Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur are among the top three for most T20I runs in India this year. That Mandhana and Harmanpreet were the top run-scorers in the Asia Cup final and the T20 World Cup match against Australia, respectively, highlights India’s dependence on the duo. India have also lacked firepower in the middle order, with the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and D Hemalatha (dropped for this series) struggling to score consistently. Rodrigues, Deepti, Mandhana, Yastika and Hemalatha also played in the recently concluded WBBL but none of them had great returns.Selection questionsIndia have dropped Arundhati Reddy and Shafali Verma from both ODI and T20I squads. When asked about the reason behind it, Harmanpreet said the question should be directed to the “right people”.Reddy was the joint-highest wicket-taker for India at the T20 World Cup. Shafali, who was dropped for the Australia ODIs as well, has been racking up the runs in the domestic one-day tournament where she’s currently the highest run-scorer for Haryana and second-highest overall with 330 runs in six games with one century and two fifties. She even took three wickets with her offspin in Saturday’s match against Vidarbha to go with her 68 off 39 with the bat.There’s also been plenty of chopping and changing. Hemalatha, who played eight matches, has been dropped from this series. Amanjot Kaur, who last played in the Australia T20Is earlier this year, has not found a spot since. Uma Chetry has been travelling with the team since her call-up for the South Africa series in July but has played just four T20Is so far.The likes of Priya Mishra, Saima Thakor, Minnu Mani and Titas Sadhu have also been named in the T20I squad as well, but whether they will get their chance to play remains a question. Seamer Thakor, who had a breakthrough WPL 2024, may earn her T20I cap and take Reddy’s place having already played six ODIs. India have also handed maiden call-ups to Uttarakhand batters Nandini Kashyap and Raghvi Bist. Both players are known for their big-hitting abilities and are coming off good domestic seasons, and India might want to try them out as they look for fresh faces to build for the next T20 World Cup.Deandra Dottin has been a key figure for West Indies since her international return•Getty ImagesThe Dottin impact for WIWest Indies have hugely benefited from Deandra Dottin’s return to internationals. She was their top run-scorer at the T20 World Cup, scoring at a strike rate of 162.16 and hitting most sixes (9) in the tournament. She singlehandedly threatened to take the semi-final away from New Zealand, first taking four wickets and then scoring 33 off 22 in the chase. Her wicket was the turning point in the game as West Indies lost by eight runs.She has also had success with the ball, highlighted by her recent performances in the WBBL, where she finished with ten wickets in Melbourne Renegades’ title run. Matthews has been excellent as an opener, but West Indies rely on Dottin’s power game for quick runs in the middle and death overs.”She is an impact player on the whole,” Matthews said of Dottin. “She is obviously a very dangerous player out on the field. When you speak about something in T20 cricket, what’s very important is boundary-hitting and six-hitting and there are probably not many people in the world that can strike a cricket ball like her. So it’s just been great to have her back. She has really enjoyed being back in the group, and I think everyone is taking her in well again. It has just been good to have it back on and off the field.”

Everton spent a lot of time spinning their wheels with Farhad Moshiri at the head of the table, but David Moyes is working well within the Friedkin Group’s parameters, and there’s a new sense of belief on the blue half of Merseyside.

There’s no question the Blues have improved since the Scotsman’s exciting return, almost 12 years after closing the door on his dynasty and succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, but more is needed to hit that elusive next level: contending for a seat at the European table.

While there may be an acceptance that the Toffees need external solutions, there’s one player plying their trade elsewhere who’s guaranteed a shot in Moyes’ squad next season, given that they are contracted to the Hill Dickinson Stadium already.

Indeed, Harrison Armstrong’s loan spell with Preston North End is drawing many plaudits, suggesting he is destined for success in the Premier League.

Why Harrison Armstrong is Everton's future

Armstrong, 18, has been at Everton since he was five years old. He is young and raw, but the talent has been clear from the get-go, with Sean Dyche featuring him three times in the league last season.

This season, the athletic, progressive centre-midfielder racked up two assists for Everton as they beat Mansfield Town in the Carabao Cup second round, ahead of his season-long switch to Preston in the Championship.

He’s making good progress in the second tier. The 18-year-old was praised for a statement showing against Sheffield United recently, winning six of eight contested ground duels and completing both of his dribbles.

There was much to like on loan at Derby County last year, but Armstrong has evolved and developed since the summer, and that bodes well for his future in the Premier League.

Preston fans are certain Armstrong “will play for England one day”, and Everton must ensure they keep him on the books and help nurture him to the fore.

And the same must be applied to one of the youngster’s Toffees teammates, a rising star who might even be a bigger talent.

Everton have a bigger talent than Armstrong

This summer, Moyes oversaw sweeping changes as Everton moved house. Among the most high-profile and exciting deals was the £42m signing of Tyler Dibling from Southampton, the teenage talent having broken out on the south coast last term.

The 19-year-old only scored four goals and provided three assists across all competitions last season, but Southampton were in a dire state and he was a shining light throughout, blending pace and power and potency down the flank.

This season, Dibling has featured only four times in the Premier League, hooked at half time during his only start, the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.

It’s been a slow start, but he’s immensely talented and has the potential to outstrip all his teammates in Moyes’ system.

With a natural ease when carrying the ball that will only develop over the coming years, Dibling is also positionally dynamic and has effortless balance.

Output and effectiveness are two facets he needs to keep working on, but there’s no question that Everton have a gem on their hands, potentially an even bigger talent than someone like Armstrong.

Mateus Fernandes

4

3.64

Ryan Manning

1

2.80

Yukinari Sugawara

1

2.46

Kyle Walker-Peters

2

2.30

Tyler Dibling

0

1.46

Despite entering the professional scene for the first time, despite trying to find success as a creator in a, frankly, dismal Saints side, Dibling showcased his quality, backing up the claims of his former youth coach Andy Goldie that he is a “world-class talent”.

Given Everton paid a hefty figure for the teenager’s services, and that he has a full Premier League campaign under his belt, it’s certainly not unjust to suggest that Dibling is a bigger talent than Armstrong, who may be thriving at Deepdale but has even further to climb if he wishes to successfully wedge his way into Moyes’ plans.

In any case, this all serves as an exciting nod toward the future for the Merseysiders.

Everton's £45k-p/w talent is now giving "Pienaar 2.0 vibes" under Moyes

Everton have already hit the jackpot on this talented first-teamer.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has fired back at Cristiano Ronaldo and urged the club to look to the future, rather than focus on the mistakes made under his regime and those made by previous managers. The United manager has also highlighted the key problem "he cannot allow" to continue holding his team back this season.

• Ronaldo wades in on United slump

  In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo criticised Man Utd's continued struggles, stating the club "don't have a structure" and are "not on a good path". He expressed sadness over the team's decline, despite still loving the club. Ronaldo claimed that Amorim could not perform "miracles" with the current set-up and that some players don't have the right mentality for a club of United’s stature. The comments came nearly three years after his explosive 2022 interview with Morgan, which led to his departure.  

  The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said: "You have to follow with the intelligent people, smart people, to create a base for the future as Manchester United have (done) so many years ago. Nicky Butt, Gary (Neville), Roy Keane, (David) Beckham, they became big players but they had youth. So Manchester United right now, they don't have a structure. I hope that changes in the future, present/future, because the potential of the club, it's amazing. It's one of the most important clubs of the century. 

  He added: He's (Amorim) doing his best. What are you going to do? Miracles? Miracles is impossible. We say in Portugal, 'miracles is only in Fatima', and he's not going to do miracles." 

  The Miracle of Fatima occurred in Portugal in 1917,  where observers claimed to have seen the sun dance, spin, and appear to fall towards the earth. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Let's continue and forget the past'

  Amorim said: "Of course, he knows and he (Ronaldo) has a huge impact in everything he says. What we need to focus on is the future. We know that we as a club made a lot of mistakes in the past and we are trying to change that. Let's not focus on what happened, let's focus on what we are doing now and we are doing that. We are changing a lot of things in the structure, the way we do things and want the players to behave. We are doing that and we are improving, so let's continue and forget the past."

• Amorim identifies key problem

  Amorim added: "I think you can attack really well. Sometimes when you defend better, you attack better. I think it's not that, it's the way we defend the box, but the last game we struggled inside the box because we allowed the crosses into the box without any pressure.

  "These small details that you watched during the last game, we have worked on that. In our last game, they had 17 shots and we cannot allow that. It's something we need to change. We can attack the same way, score even more goals, but we need to defend better."

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• AFP
  

  United Spurred on for revenge

  United face Tottenham this weekend, the first time the two teams have met since the Europa League final in May, which the Reds lost 1-0. Spurs have an excellent away record, but have been woeful at home and Amorim believes his side have improved since losing the final in Bilbao. 

  Amorim said: "The characteristics of the players, we have different characteristics in our team, but we also have a lot of players who played last year. We are a better team, we play better and we understand the game better. We are more confident. At this moment, we play with a different confidence. We manage better the moments of the game, but if you remember that game, they had that shot on the goal and won the game. I expect a different game. We can play better, but also have a little bit of luck to win the game."

  He added: "I think we are more confident. We believe more that we can win any game and we prove already that we can win any game. The last game was tough on us because in some moments we weren’t the team we were supposed to be in every minute. And compare that against Brighton, it was a different thing.”

Kellaway, Crane claim three wickets apiece as Lancashire’s slim hopes unravel

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Aug-2025

Glamorgan 261 and 348 for 7 dec (Northeast 132, Carlson 108) beat Lancashire 137 and 318 (Wells 102, Harris 61) by 154 runs Glamorgan extinguished any hope of a record-breaking run-chase from Lancashire as they wrapped up a vital 154-run victory at Emirates Old Trafford which keeps them on course for promotion from Rothesay County Championship Division Two.After a delay for rain, in which 20 overs were lost, the hosts were faced with scoring 247 runs with five wickets in hand off the 76 remaining overs but with Marcus Harris at the crease accompanied by nightwatchman Tom Bailey, the Red Rose still held ambitions that a win could be salvaged from a game in which they had been dismissed for 137 in their first innings.It took just 45 minutes before lunch for Glamorgan to make huge strides towards the victory with Bailey bowled by a brilliant Asitha Fernando inswinging yorker for 16 to make it 259 for 6, with all-rounder Chris Green following 18 balls later, top edging a sweep to Kiran Carlson off Ben Kellaway for 9 to leave the score 270 for 7.With Harris remaining, Lancashire still harboured a glimmer of a chance, and the Australian reached a battling half-century off 89 balls. But when Harris was out for 61, caught at short leg by Carlson off the impressive Mason Crane, the game was well and truly up, with Tom Hartley and George Balderson left with an almost impossible task.Hartley, who had scored his maiden first class century in the previous match, could not repeat his heroics and was out bowled Kellaway, who finished with 3 for 82, for 5, to leave skipper James Anderson joining Balderson in the middle.The England bowling great brought out a few trademark reverse sweeps to elongate proceedings with Balderson also swinging his bat to good effect as the last pair put on 25 for the final wicket.The final act came at around 2.20pm when Anderson missed a sweep to hand Crane his third wicket of innings to finish with match figures of 9 for 126 and leave Glamorgan celebrating a first win at Emirates Old Trafford since 1993.For Lancashire it is a defeat which sees them further adrift in the Division Two promotion race with the result leaving the Red Rose 38 points behind a gleeful Glamorgan with three games remaining.

Premier League legend Rory Delap has revealed that his son Liam was reduced to tears as a child as overzealous parents accused him of "ruining the game" with his long throws. The 49-year-old was the long throw-in king during his playing days, and as a result, his offspring appear to find it hard not to be tarred with that same brush. And when Liam was at primary school, one incident stung the Delap family.

Delap a throw-in legend

The 49-year-old became synonymous with long throws during his days at Stoke City, as defences quivered in fear at his javelin-like delivery into opposition boxes. While Delap senior became a cult figure for his howitzer set pieces in the 2000s, there appeared to be a negative knock-on effect for his son. Rory recalled how he agreed to stand in for Liam's coach for one game when he was at primary school – and it left a lasting impression. 

Talking to the Derbyshire FA/DerbyUniFootyJournos podcast On The Grass, Delap recalled: "The coach wasn’t able to be there and the game would have been postponed, so he asked me to take it for him. Unfortunately, in the game, the team was losing. And then there was 30 seconds left or something. Liam took two long throws, I’m talking aged seven or eight. We scored from them. Their parents are going berserk: ‘You’re ruining the game!’ So Liam was in tears even though they’ve won. That’s probably the last time he took a throw in. And that was the end of my grassroots coaching career.”

AdvertisementAFPDelap 'proud' of his son Liam

The 22-year-old has had a bright start to his career, graduating from Manchester City's academy to their first-team, securing a move to Ipswich Town, where he impressed in the Premier League, and then sealing a £30 million ($39.5m) summer move to Chelsea. Naturally, the former Southampton and Derby County man is very proud of what the striker has accomplished thus far.

"I’m immensely proud of Liam, of all three of my sons and my daughter," he said. "People think Liam’s had an easy route, and it’s anything but. He’s had his ups, his downs, but he’s always stayed focused that he could make it. He had to leave home, make a decision to leave home at 16, go to Manchester not knowing really what the situation was, but he’s always backed himself. I’ve always said, ‘if you work as hard as possible so there’s no excuse, you never know where it’s going to get you – treat people with respect, see where it takes you’. He’s not there yet. He’s had a big move in the summer to Chelsea, a big opportunity for him. Liam’s been unfortunate with the (hamstring) injury, he started well in America and then the start of the season, but he’s got a lot to do to force his way into the team now."

Success of long throws a consequence of Guardiola's style

Among many talking points this season, the return of long throw-ins has been a big one. Arsenal, Brentford, and Sunderland have utilised the tactic well as teams look to find other ways to unlock defences. And according to Delap, this trend is partly in response to Pep Guardiola's tactics being so effective in the past 15 years or so.

He added: "If you look over the last 10 years, Pep’s had a big influence on how teams, not just in the Premier League play, but across the board. Pep’s always had the best players in the world to work with, which makes things a lot easier. You can go down to the non-league divisions and see it there as well – where teams are trying to play their way out. It’s the same with academies, the majority of the teams will look to play out and they want technical players. The consequence of that is you end up with the defenders that can’t defend and head the football. That’s become prevalent, that people are putting more long balls in because the lads that have come through the academies don’t understand how to defend that type of situation. So you’re seeing the longer balls, throw-ins, set plays. There’s a correlation in a lot of teams having set play coaches, but it’s a bit disrespectful to say that’s a new thing, because it’s not. It was just that before it was the coach’s or the manager’s job to do it as part of the plan, the programme. So it’s no less or no more important today than it was. Teams are doing it because they’re getting success."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Delap, who has just returned from a hamstring injury, is not on long throw-in duty for Chelsea. However, he will hope to be very effective for Enzo Maresca's team when they host Premier League basement side Wolves on Saturday.

It has not been the start to the season that many Chelsea fans were hoping for in the summer.

Enzo Maresca’s side are not necessarily playing poorly, but as things stand, they are ninth in the Premier League and have lost three of their last five in the competition.

The good news is that they have progressed to the next round of the League Cup, and Jamie Gittens finally put in a sensational performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His three goal involvements in that game should take some of the heat off him, although with him starting to perform, another summer signing is looking even more perplexing, a signing who could be the new Jadon Sancho.

Sancho's record at Chelsea

Contrary to what many non-Chelsea fans believe, the Blues did, at one point, intend to sign Sancho upon the completion of his loan last season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The deal they agreed with Manchester United the previous summer included an obligation to buy for £25m or a fee of £5m to send him back, and so initially, the club looked to keep him on a permanent basis.

However, according to reports, the reason they eventually paid to send him back to Old Trafford was because the Englishman refused to accept a pay cut to his massive weekly wage of up to £300k-per-week.

Such an astronomical salary would have been a ludicrous waste of money, as while the former Borussia Dortmund star had his moments here and there, he never blew anyone away during his time at Stamford Bridge.

For example, in 41 appearances across all competitions, the 25-year-old was only able to score five goals and provide ten assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.73 games, which is hardly the output of someone who can demand the wages he did.

Moreover, those numbers start to look even worse when you dig a little deeper.

Games

41

Goals

5

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

For example, two of his goals and five of his assists came in the Conference League, and while it was great that the club won the competition, the opposition they faced to do so were subpar at best.

In all, while it seemed like a good idea at the time, signing Sancho on loan last season was probably not worth it for Chelsea, and it looks like they made a similar mistake this summer.

Chelsea's Sancho repeat

While they haven’t all settled in just yet, it would be fair to say that Chelsea made several quite exciting signings this summer.

However, one signing that baffled fans and pundits alike at the time, and remains even more confusing, is that of Facundo Buonanotte.

The Blues signed the Argentine ace from Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan with no option or obligation to buy, and while it’s not a terrible signing, there are a few reasons which make it a poor one.

For example, and this is a crucial one, he didn’t exactly light the world alight last season.

In his 35 appearances for Leicester City, the supposedly “magnificent” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored six goals and provided three assists, with seven of those goal involvements coming in the league.

Such a middling return just makes the Blues’ decision to bring him to the club on a short-term basis all the more baffling, as it’s not like he was an output machine last year.

This leads to the second problem with the move, which is that, if he’s only meant to play the less important games, why couldn’t the club give their own academy products that chance?

Surely it makes more sense to build up the experience of your own prospects over that of Brighton’s.

Finally, when he has actually played for Maresca, he’s not impressed.

In his five appearances thus far, the Pérez-born gem has scored a single goal, and that came against the mighty Lincoln City in the League Cup.

Ultimately, Buonanotte’s lack of impact last season, his underwhelming displays so far this season, and the fact that he could be blocking the pathway for a Cobham graduate just make his loan move more baffling with every passing gameweek.

Maresca can soon unleash "phenomenal" Delap upgrade at Chelsea in 2026

Delap’s place in the Chelsea side could soon be under threat.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 31, 2025

IPL 2025 is knocking on our doors. As we welcome the tournament’s 18th season, here is all you need to know about it

Hemant Brar20-Mar-2025When does IPL 2025 start and when is the final?IPL 2025 will start on March 22 when defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens. Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will be played in Hyderabad on May 20 and 21, respectively. Qualifier 2, on May 23, and the final, on May 25, will be in Kolkata. In all, 74 matches will be played across 13 cities over two months. Here is the full schedule.Thirteen cities? This means some teams have more than one home venue, right?Yes, just like in 2024, Delhi Capitals will play their home matches in Delhi and Visakhapatnam, Punjab Kings in Mullanpur and Dharamsala, and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur and Guwahati. The remaining seven teams have only one home base each.Related

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Not having Bumrah at the start a challenge, says Jayawardene

So no changes in format?Correct. The ten teams have been divided into two virtual groups.Group A: Chennai Super Kings, KKR, RR, RCB and PBKS
Group B: MI, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, DC and Lucknow Super GiantsEach team will play the other teams in their group twice. They will also play one team from the other group twice – that’s determined by seeding – and the other four teams once. Eventually, every team will have played 14 matches, seven at home and seven away. After that, the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.What are the match timings?All evening games will start at 7.30pm IST. The afternoon games – there are 12 double-headers – will begin at 3.30pm IST.ESPNcricinfo LtdIs there anything new in IPL 2025?A lot, actually. To start with, as many as five teams have new captains. Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to the title in 2024, will captain Punjab Kings this time. Ajinkya Rahane has replaced him in that role at KKR. Rishabh Pant was released by DC before the mega auction. He is now with LSG as their captain. DC, meanwhile, have handed over the reins to Axar Patel. Rajat Patidar, who is yet to play a T20I for India, will lead RCB.A couple of franchises have to cope with a temporary switch of leadership. Hardik Pandya will be unavailable for MI’s first game, against CSK, as he will be serving out an over-rate related ban from the last season. Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, will lead MI in his place. Similarly, Sanju Samson will play RR’s first three games as a batter due to a finger injury he sustained in February. Riyan Parag has been handed the armband.Among other major changes, KL Rahul has moved to DC, Yuzvendra Chahal to PBKS, R Ashwin to Chennai Super Kings and Mohammed Siraj to Gujarat Titans. You can learn more about those changes here.Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, the top two most expensive players in IPL 2025, will lead LSG and PBKS, respectively•BCCIWhat about the support staff?They, too, have undergone an overhaul. Ricky Ponting, who was DC’s head coach till last season, will don the same hat at PBKS. Hemang Badani has replaced him at DC. DC have also brought in Kevin Pietersen as mentor.Rahul Dravid, who coached India to the T20 World Cup title last year, is now the head coach of RR. Dwayne Bravo has replaced Gautam Gambhir as KKR’s mentor. Matthew Wade, who was with GT as a player till 2024, is now their assistant coach. Check our IPL Newsfile for all other changes.Who are the most expensive players at IPL 2025?Pant is the most expensive player; LSG signed him for INR 27 crore (USD 3.21 million approx.) at the mega auction. Shreyas Iyer is not too far behind, signed by PBKS for INR 26.75 crore (USD 3.18 million approx.). KKR’s Venkatesh Iyer is third on the list at INR 23.75 crore (USD 2.83 million approx.). He is followed by Henrich Klaasen, who was retained by SRH for INR 23 crore (USD 2.74 million approx.). You can check which player was signed for how much and by whom here.How could CSK retain MS Dhoni for just INR 4 crore (USD 0.48 million approx.)?Because the IPL brought back an old rule under which an Indian player can be retained as an uncapped player if his last international match was more than five years ago. Since Dhoni last played for India at the 2019 ODI World Cup, he qualified under this rule. RR also retained Sandeep Sharma under this rule.MS Dhoni will play as an uncapped player•Associated PressAny other new rules?Fielding teams during the second innings of an evening game can now get the ball changed once anytime after the tenth over*. This rule has been brought in to counter dew. In another good news for the bowlers, the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball has also been revoked. Apart from that, Hawk-Eye will be used to judge off-side and head-high wides, in addition to waist-high no-balls.Are any big names missing from action?Jasprit Bumrah will miss the first few games for Mumbai Indians as he continues to recover from a back injury. Injuries have also ruled out AM Ghazanfar and Lizaad Williams for MI. Mujeeb Ur Rahaman and Corbin Bosch have replaced them.At LSG, Mayank Yadav is set to miss the first half of the season with a back injury, while Harry Brook has pulled out amid speculation about England’s white-ball captaincy. As per the IPL rules, Brook cannot participate in the next two seasons either. Mitchell Marsh, who missed the Champions Trophy with a back injury, has been cleared for LSG as a specialist batter.A toe injury has ruled out Brydon Carse for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has been replaced by Wiaan Mulder.Where can I watch IPL 2025 live?Australia: Foxtel and Kayo Sports
England: Sky Sports
India: Star Sports and JioHotstar
New Zealand: Sky Sports
South Africa: SuperSport
UAE: Starz On
USA: Willow TVAnd will this be Dhoni’s last IPL?Shhh…

A maiden IPL contract has been followed by his first New Zealand call-up, but he doesn’t want to settle as a “one-dimensional player”

Abhimanyu Bose23-Dec-2024″If you told me this would happen a month ago, I probably wouldn’t believe it.”It has been that kind of a month for Bevon Jacobs. In late November, Jacobs was in for a surprise when he found out he was joining his compatriots Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner at Mumbai Indians for his first IPL gig. Just a month later, he has earned his first international call-up, for the upcoming home T20Is against Sri Lanka.Jacobs, 22, has just 12 List A and nine T20 games under his belt, and made his first-class debut only last month in the Plunket Shield. This handful of games were, however, enough for him to showcase his hard-hitting abilities.”It’s always something I’ve tried to aim for and, you know, it came a little bit quicker than I anticipated,” Jacobs said after the New Zealand squads were announced. “But, you know, I’ll grab the opportunity and I’m just going to be happy to be in that environment and try and learn heaps.”Related

• Jacobs gets maiden NZ call-up for Sri Lanka T20Is

• Who is Bevon Jacobs, MI's latest under-the-radar recruit?

• Santner named New Zealand's white-ball captain

He admitted it was “pretty full circle” that he found out about his international call-up while in Lincoln, where he was part of the rain-hit T20 warm-up against the touring Sri Lankans but didn’t get to bat. Jacobs had begun his cricketing journey, which he describes as “bit of left and right there and thereabout”, in Auckland before moving to Canterbury, where he made his List A and T20 debuts in 2023.After an impressive first season, Auckland signed him back, and he has already impressed with scores of 75, 79, 44 and 80 in his first four red-ball games.”Obviously growing up in Auckland, that was awesome, and age-group cricket, but I spent three good years down here [in Canterbury] and I really enjoyed it, and so to have it announced here, it’s not the worst situation ever,” he said.The IPL 2025 auction was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, so Jacobs only found out his fate the following morning New Zealand time, much to his disbelief. When he went to wake his father up to break the news, Jacobs senior woke up in a panic, thinking someone was trying to break in. “I was like, ‘no, no, I’ve just been picked up in the IPL’. So that was a pretty good laugh,” Jacobs had said at the time.Making the New Zealand squad, however, was a more emotional moment for his family.

“They were both pretty big surprises. IPL feels like such a slim chance but Black Caps is something that I’ve dreamed about since a kid. I think IPL was kind of a focus or like a goal maybe set a little bit later”Bevon Jacobs

“I called my dad first and he shed some tears over the phone. So that’s pretty special, something that we’ve been working hard together for many years,” Jacobs said. “He’s put a lot of sacrifice and effort into it, and the same with the rest of the fam. He was pretty happy and pretty proud, as were they all.”I’ve got a really nice support group, friends and family, but mum’s put a lot of time into it, dad’s put a lot of time into it, endless net sessions and hours and sometimes giving to cricket and giving up something that they might want to do outside of the game just so they could support me.”And scraping together everything, it’s not exactly a cheap sport. You put cost as well as time into it and so I think I’m really grateful for them to have backed me to get to this point and so hopefully I can make them proud.”So what was a bigger surprise for him – the IPL gig or getting called up to play for New Zealand?”That’s a tough one. They were both pretty big surprises,” Jacobs said. “IPL feels like such a slim chance but Black Caps is something that I’ve dreamed about since a kid. I think IPL was kind of a focus or like a goal maybe set a little bit later.”Black Caps has always been the dream so I think that’s probably the one that hit me the hardest. But, obviously, both really special and just glad to have the opportunity.”Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner will be Jacobs’ team-mates at Mumbai Indians too, in the IPL•AFP/Getty ImagesJacobs has a reputation for the big hits, and in his first Super Smash season, he was employed in a finisher’s role and hit 134 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 188.73. The only batter among those who faced at least 50 balls in the tournament to have scored quicker was Doug Bracewell (200.02).”I guess the job for me will probably just be to go out there and try and hit it as hard as I can and hopefully get some runs on the board, some quick runs for the team and if that’s the position I’m put in, then yeah I’ll give it my best shot.”But Jacobs has bigger ambitions than just being a power-hitter.”I don’t want to be a one-dimensional batter,” he said. “Obviously I like to bring that power game into the team but I think going for that longer-format stuff is definitely something I want to work towards and be recognised as going forward.”After an impressive start to his first-class career, Jacobs is averaging 41 from seven knocks with three half-centuries. He believes the direction Test cricket is headed in – with more attacking batting and higher strike rates – it does have space for his quick-scoring abilities, but he also wants to be able to put in the grind when needed.

“I think if I can rub shoulders with those guys, scratch their brains and just see how much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think there’s much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for me”Bevon Jacobs on joining the New Zealand change room

“I mean there’s obviously been some common trends with some extra power, some more creativity coming into the red-ball set-up,” he said. “I think it’s more just about how everyone goes at their own sort of way. And if that’s the way that I can bring an impact in that situation then that’s what I’ll try and do. But if it’s something a little bit more that I need to develop then I’ll work on that as well.”His long reach aside, Jacobs’ strength helps him hit a long ball, as he showcased during his stint in the Queensland T20 Max, in Australia, where he smashed 100 off 40 balls on the final day of the competition for South Brisbane against Toombull.But it was in Lincoln, Jacobs said, where he “fell in love” with the fitness side of the game.”I came down to Lincoln on a cricket scholarship and I got sorted with the strength and conditioning programme here and then I kind of just fell in love with that sort of side of the sport, getting in the gym, and it’s just something that I like to tick off pretty frequently.”Now, Jacobs is looking forward to soak in the “special” experience of rubbing shoulders with players he “grew up watching” and while scoring runs is on the agenda, his main focus is to grow as a cricketer.”I mean, obviously, you want runs on the board but I think it’s mainly just going to be a big learning experience. I think if I can rub shoulders with those guys, scratch their brains and just see how much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think there’s much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for me.”

Barcelona's promising winger Roony Bardghji has decisively shut down speculation linking him with a January exit, insisting that he "feels great" in Catalonia and has no desire to leave. Despite limited playing time since his summer move from FC Copenhagen, Bardghji affirmed that both manager Hansi Flick and the football club have put their trust in him.

• Bardghji dismisses January transfer rumours

  Bardghji has made it clear he intends to remain at Barcelona, despite recent media speculation about a potential January departure. The Swedish international, who joined the Catalan giants from Copenhagen in the summer, has not enjoyed extensive minutes on the pitch but remains committed to the club.

  In an interview with Fotbolskanalen, cited by Mundo Deportivo, Bardghji addressed the rumours directly: "That’s what the media writes. But I have had a great time and I have a good relationship with Hansi, who is an amazing coach. He and the club trust me, which means a lot. I feel great. I’m improving every day and learning a lot. I’ve had quite a bit of playing time, so I feel great. I am patient. I’ve been here for three or four months."

  Bardghji has made nine appearances in all competitions for Barcelona, with only two of those coming as starts. His total playing time amounts to approximately 173 minutes in La Liga and 22 minutes in the Champions League. Despite these limited minutes, the 20-year-old winger expressed satisfaction with his progress and adaptation to life in Catalonia.

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  Confidence from Hansi Flick and the club

  A key factor in Bardghji's decision to stay is the evident confidence placed in him by head coach Hansi Flick and the Barcelona hierarchy. Sport newspaper reported that Flick and his staff "have no doubts: the winger has a great future ahead." This internal belief seems to outweigh any external pressure or the player's current reduced role.

  Bardghji himself highlighted his strong relationship with Flick, calling him "an amazing coach." This positive dynamic suggests that the manager sees long-term potential in the Swedish talent, even if immediate regular starting berths are challenging to secure due to intense competition, particularly from the likes of Lamine Yamal on the right wing.

  The club's financial struggles and the necessity to return to the 1:1 rule have often fuelled speculation about player sales. However, Bardghji's firm stance indicates that some players, especially young talents with high ceilings, are considered integral to the long-term project.

• Reflecting on El Clasico experience and standout moments

  One of the highlights of Bardghji's early Barcelona career was his late substitute appearance in El Clasico, a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Despite the disappointing result for his team, Bardghji described the experience as memorable.

  "It’s the most important game and you could feel it in the media, everywhere, even before the game. There was a lot of intensity on the pitch and afterwards. I didn’t participate (in the scuffle at full time), but a lot of things happened. There is a lot of emotion, because it is an important match and a great rivalry. It’s normal, but it was amazing to be there," he recounted to Fotbolskanalen.

  Beyond El Clasico, Bardghji has already produced a "standout image of the season" with a curling finish he scored against Olympiacos, a moment he described as "great" and "went a bit viral afterwards." These glimpses of his talent, even in limited minutes, have reinforced the club's belief in his abilities.

  Bardghji faces stiff competition for a starting spot, most notably from the highly-rated Lamine Yamal. However, the Swedish international remains patient and focused on his development. He sees his time at Barcelona as a continuous learning process, stating: "I’m improving every day and learning a lot."

  Barcelona acquired Bardghji from Copenhagen for several million euros plus add-ons, a "low-risk operation" to secure a "gem of Swedish soccer." Clubs like Porto and Stuttgart have reportedly inquired about a potential loan move in the winter market, but Bardghji's firm intention to stay indicates he believes his development is best served at Camp Nou.

  Bardghji has also recently made his first senior international appearance for the Swedish national team, further underscoring his rising profile in European football.

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  What next for Bardghji and Barcelona?

  Bardghji's immediate future remains at Barcelona. He will continue to train under Flick, seeking to earn more playing time and develop his skills within the demanding environment of La Liga and the Champions League. His commitment allows Flick to maintain squad stability during the winter transfer window, a period where the coach reportedly prefers not to make major changes.

  For Barcelona, retaining Bardghji is a vote of confidence in their long-term project and their ability to nurture young talent. As the club navigates its financial constraints, relying on promising youth players like Bardghji will be crucial. His patience will be tested, but his determination to succeed at Camp Nou is clear as he aims to become a more integral part of the first team in the coming months. Barcelona will now be seen in action against Athletic Club in LaLiga before taking on Chelsea in the Champions League.