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Alyssa Healy wary of the Chamari Athapaththu threat; Bangladesh dropped four catches in win over Scotland

Vishal Dikshit04-Oct-20243:19

Who will be the breakout star of this T20 World Cup?

Australia vs Sri LankaSharjah, 2pm local timeAustralia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla VlaeminckSri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika KumariRelated

Healy: 'Not here to defend the title, here to win it'

Wise beyond her years, Alice Capsey is forever learning

England the heavyweights in Group B

Tournament form guide: After warming up with victories against Bangladesh and Scotland, Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka lost their tournament opener to Pakistan in Sharjah. Australia, not surprisingly, beat England and West Indies in the warm-ups, after batting first in both games.News brief: Sri Lanka are in a spot, having lost their opening match to lower-ranked Pakistan, that too by being restricted to 85 for 9 in a modest chase of 117. They will now play a day game against Australia in the heat of Sharjah – the same as their first game – so team changes may not be no the cards. Sri Lanka will have to pull up their socks on the field after putting down three catches, which cost them heavily on Thursday. Australia might go spin heavy too, like the teams did on the opening day, and they have enough allrounders to do that.Australia have never lost to Sri Lanka in T20Is, the last of which came in the 2023 T20 World Cup that saw Sri Lanka on the receiving end of a ten-wicket drubbing. Australia will, however, not want to be “Atha-ed”, what Alyssa Healy said is being smashed by Chamari Athapaththu.Player to watch: Player of the Tournament in the 2023 edition, Beth Mooney has had a few low scores in the lead up to the tournament, not managing to go past 15 in her five T20I innings. She did score 50 in the England warm-up, but she would want a big score in the main tournament too, along the lines of her unbeaten 99* off 54 balls in the Women’s Hundred not too long ago for Manchester Originals. A strong start with Healy at the top could flatten Sri Lanka early, batting first or second.Bangladesh put down four chances in their tournament opener against Scotland•ICC/Getty Images

Bangladesh vs EnglandSharjah, 6pm local time Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha Biswas England squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni WyattTournament form guide” In what is a ‘home’ World Cup for Bangladesh, they started things off on a positive note, with a 16-run win against Scotland, after they had also beaten Pakistan in the second warm-up. England started their warm-ups with a 33-run loss to Australia, before beating New Zealand by five wickets.News brief: Bangladesh now run into a much stronger side in England, who are more aggressive than their 2023 version, and are carrying spinners aplenty for this edition. England also have a fully fit team to choose from. Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith has returned, and also present are Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn and Alice Capsey, with her handy part-time offbreaks. England are likely to go with three frontline spinners for a pitch that aided turn and didn’t see much bounce.Bangladesh were restricted to 119 for 7 by Scotland in the opener, and scoring bigger or quicker against England will be a lot tougher. Bangladesh were the worst fielding side on the opening day, having put down four chances, and they will have to tighten that aspect if they want to think about beating England for the first time in women’s T20Is. This is an evening game, yet not as much dew is expected in Sharjah compared to Dubai, which might have been the reason why Pakistan opted to bat in the evening game here on Thursday.Player to watch: Ecclestone is, without doubt, England’s best spinner, but don’t take your eyes off legspinner Sarah Glenn. She has been England’s second-highest wicket-taker since the end of the 2023 T20 World Cup, with a tally of 26 just behind Ecclestone’s 29. But Glenn has gone for much fewer runs per over with an economy rate of 5.27, compared to Ecclestone’s 6.25. A handy bat down the order, this will be the third T20 World Cup for Glenn at the age of just 25.

Wrexham are currently preparing for a season in the Championship after they finished second in League One to earn promotion up to the second tier.

The Red Dragons are yet to make their first signing since the end of last season, but there will be plenty of work going on behind the scenes to identify targets to improve the team.

Phil Parkinson will have to judge which of his players are ready to make the step up to the Championship after a season in League One, which means that some difficult decisions could have to be made.

Why Thomas O'Connor may be replaced

One player who could be replaced as a regular starter is left-sided central defender Thomas O’Connor, who has been at the club since they were in the National League.

The former Southampton academy graduate has never played above League One level in his career to date, and was a regular starter – starting 25 of his 31 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign – for Wrexham this season.

O’Connor was, however, an unused substitute in five of the last seven matches and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to handle the step up to the Championship, a level that he has never played at before.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The BBC reported earlier this month that Wrexham, Norwich, Birmingham, and Sheffield United are among the teams interested in a deal to sign Harry Darling on a free transfer from Swansea City.

His contract with the Welsh side is due to expire at the end of this month, and the Red Dragons are one of the sides looking to snap him up for nothing.

Why Darling would be an upgrade on O'Connor

Parkinson must push to convince Darling to make a move across Wales rather than joining Birmingham, Norwich, or Sheffield United, as he would improve the club’s options at the back.

Despite being right-footed, the 25-year-old Englishman often plays on the left-side of a centre-back pairing and this means that he could take O’Connor’s place as the left-sided centre-back in a back three at Wrexham.

Unlike the current Red Dragons defender, Darling is an experienced Championship defender who has made 108 appearances at that level, which means that he would arrive at the Racecourse as a proven second tier star.

He would be a relatively risk-free signing as someone who has been there and done it and could immediately improve Wrexham’s team, particularly when you take his performances this season into account.

Appearances

31

39

Goals

0

5

Clearances per game

2.9

5.0

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.3x

Ground duel success rate

53%

66%

Aerial duel success rate

57%

64%

As you can see in the table above, Darling’s defensive work in the Championship, in terms of his success rate in duels and how often he was beaten by opposition attackers, was more impressive than O’Connor’s was at a lower level.

This suggests that the Swansea star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Luke Williams, is a big upgrade on the current Wrexham left centre-back, particularly from a defensive perspective.

Darling also, as shown in the table, scored five goals from centre-back, compared to O’Connor’s barren return in League One, and this suggests that he would offer a much greater goal threat in the 2025/26 campaign.

The English titan, who ranked in the top 31% of centre-backs in the league for progressive passes per 90 (3.70), is a ball-playing defender who has shown that he can mix technical quality and class on the ball with strength and reliable out of possession at Championship level.

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Therefore, he would be the perfect signing, as a proven second tier star, to come in as a big upgrade on their left-sided centre-back position this summer.

Nepal and UAE will kickstart the tournament in the afternoon game on July 19 while India and Pakistan will play in the evening

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2024

India are the defending champions of the women’s Asia Cup•Asian Cricket Council

The Asian Cricket Council [ACC] has tweaked the schedule of the women’s Asia Cup 2024, and defending champions India will play Pakistan on July 19, the opening day of the tournament. Nepal and UAE will start the tournament off in the afternoon that day, with the India vs Pakistan game in the evening.Those two games were originally slotted for July 21. In that schedule, Nepal and Pakistan were scheduled to play the opening game with India vs UAE in the second game. Those matches will now be held on July 21. The rest of the schedule remains the same.The tournament will run from July 19 to 28 with all matches in Dambulla. It will be an eight-team affair this time, featuring one additional team from the previous year.Unlike the last edition, where the teams played each other once before the semi-finals, this year they are split into two groups, A and B. Group A has India, Nepal, Pakistan and UAE, while Group B has hosts Sri Lanka along with Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, to be played on July 26. The final will be played on July 28.The last edition of the women’s Asia Cup was held in 2022 in Sylhet, where India defeated Sri Lanka in the final by a comfortable eight-wicket margin. India, with seven titles, are the most successful team in the tournament. After playing Pakistan and UAE on July 19 and 21, they will face Nepal on July 23. The only day game they play in the group stage of the tournament will be against UAE on July 21.Like the last edition, the tournament this year will also feature an all-female team of umpires and match officials. The Asia Cup will be followed by the women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Bangladesh from October 3 to October 20.Women’s Asia Cup 2024 updated scheduleJul 19: Nepal vs UAE (2pm); India vs Pakistan (7pm)
Jul 20: Malaysia vs Thailand (2pm), Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh (7pm)
Jul 21: India vs UAE (2pm), Pakistan vs Nepal (7pm)
Jul 22: Sri Lanka vs Malaysia (2pm), Bangladesh vs Thailand (7pm)
Jul 23: Pakistan vs UAE (2pm), India vs Nepal (7pm)
Jul 24: Bangladesh vs Malaysia (2pm), Sri Lanka vs Thailand (7pm)
Jul 26: Semi-final 1 (2pm), Semi-final 2 (7pm)
Jul 28: Final (7pm)

Turning their focus towards summer arrivals, the Friedkin Group have now reportedly made their first contact in the race to sign an award-winning Championship star for Everton.

Everton confirm departures

After their season ended with an unexpected victory over Champions League-chasing Newcastle United, who qualified nonetheless, Everton confirmed the news that a number of stars will be leaving the club next month. The Toffees have said farewell to Ashley Young, Asmir Begovic, Joao Virginia and, most surprising of all, Abdoulaye Doucoure ahead of the summer transfer window.

Doucoure came as a surprise following how important he became under Sean Dyche and then David Moyes, but it is a decision that Everton have decided to make. The French midfielder announced his departure, saying: “I am going to leave the football club at the end of the season. After five wonderful years, my time at Everton came to an end.

“Everton means a lot to me, the past five years have been hard but I will always remember my time as a dream for me to play for Everton Football Club. Obviously I am sad to leave the club but I feel the time has come for a new chapter for me and the club as well.

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“I will be always grateful for what the club did for me. My best memory will be the goal I scored against Bournemouth to keep the club in the Premier League. This is something I will always be proud [of]. It was a wonderful moment for me and my family and the club as well.”

As one key man departs, it will be important for Everton to get their recruitment right in the coming months. So far, reports have certainly been positive on that front too, with rumours linking them to Liam Delap and now a Championship award winner.

Everton make first enquiry to sign Sheffield United star Hamer

According to Ben Jacobs, Friedkin have now made their first enquiry to sign Gustavo Hamer from Sheffield United this summer. The midfielder won the Championship’s Player of the Season award, but ultimately missed out on promotion in heartbreaking fashion against Sunderland in the playoff final. If ever there was a player who deserves a place in the Premier League, however, it is Hamer.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder is one of many who is well aware of the quality that Hamer possesses and knows that quality is always bound to attract other suitors.

He told reporters at the end of April: “When Gus speaks, everybody listens. And rightly so, there should have been interest in him in the summer, because of how outstanding he was in an incredibly disappointing campaign for us.

“He cleaned up in the Player of the Year awards, so there was always going to be interest in him. I’m okay with stuff like that, because he’s a good player, and I would not expect anything different off the back of that.”

Patrick Dorgu has become a key player at Manchester United since his January move from Lecce. The Dane, who cost the Red Devils £25m up front, has already played ten times for his new club this term, although he did miss three games due to suspension.

The 20-year-old is yet to score or assist for the first time in a United shirt. However, he did win a penalty, which Bruno Fernandes converted in the Europa League Round of 16 against Real Sociedad, showing just how deadly he can be.

With that being said, it has not all been smooth sailing for the wing-back. Aside from his red card, he was recently rotated out of the team for United’s 4-1 loss away to Newcastle United, with Harry Amass stepping into his shoes.

Amass’ full debut for United

For a football fan, there probably aren’t many better birthday presents than making your professional debut, and for Man United, nonetheless. Well, that was the case for Amass, who made a substitute appearance away to Leicester City in the Premier League on his 18th birthday.

Just weeks later, the youngster, who was born in London and played for Watford’s academy originally, made his first start in the top flight. The youngster was selected to start ahead of Dorgu at left wing-back.

Indeed, it was an impressive showing from Amass, as the stats on Sofascore reflect. The 18-year-old had 31 touches of the ball, completed 85% of his passes and won two duels. He certainly performed well.

That was certainly a sentiment that football statistician Statman Dave seemed to agree with. He was full of praise for Amass, explaining that he “didn’t look out of place in senior football” at St James’ Park last weekend.

There is certainly no worry about squad depth for the Red Devils at left-wing back, with the emergence of Amass and the signing of Dorgu. Incredibly, they are adding to that depth over the summer with another new signing.

United’s latest left wing-back signing

One of the continents where big European clubs tend to find hidden gem players is South America. Well, United may have pulled off a masterclass of their own in that sense, with the signing of youngster Diego Leon.

In the middle of January, it was confirmed by BBC Sport that the 18-year-old undertook a medical at United’s Carrington training ground. The reported fee is £6m, with the left-back set to join in the summer.

Now, United are not just signing a player without first-team experience who could one day break into the fold at Old Trafford. No, Leon has actually had years of experience at first-team level for Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno.

He has already played 26 times for the club over the past couple of years, and has even managed three goals in that time, from left-back. His 2092 minutes so far equate to 23 full 90-minute games, showing his importance to the Cerro Porteno side.

In fact, his underlying stats via Sofascore from his time in professional football so far are impressive. For example, Leon played nine key passes last term, and five this season, as well as making 45 tackles and interceptions in 2024, and 11 in 2025.

Minutes

1643

450

Key passes

9

5

Pass accuracy

71.5%

76.8%

Tackles and interceptions

45

11

Aerial duels won

21

11

One person who rates the youngster highly is football analyst Ben Mattinson. Discussing Leon in December 2024, just one month before his United medical, the analyst said he “runs like a steam train”, highlighting the physicality he will bring to Old Trafford.

Leon certainly seems like a player United fans can get excited about. The 18-year-old will bring first-team experience with him to the Premier League, and he clearly has final-third flair. He could be the perfect player for Amoirm to add to his wing-back options.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Both Amass and Dorgu may well need to watch out…

Upgrade on Rashford: Man Utd leading the race to sign £30m "monster"

Man Utd are looking for attacking reinforcements this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2025

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will expect to end this campaign with another three medals in his cabinet, but a former international has now intimated that one of the Hoops’ old bosses could be open to an emotional return to replace the Irishman.

Brendan Rodgers in the hunt for a domestic treble at Celtic

Despite a frustrating defeat at St Johnstone last weekend, Celtic remain on course to claim the Scottish Premiership crown and could still mathematically confirmed as champions should they defeat Kilmarnock followed by Aberdeen seeing off Rangers at Pittodrie.

In a potentially decisive few weeks for Brendan Rodgers, he could also take one step closer to winning the Scottish Cup if his side can dispose of St Johnstone at Hampden next Sunday.

With the Premier Sports Cup already in the bag, the Irishman could finish this campaign by inheriting a 13th trophy in charge across two spells, which would place him third in Celtic’s all-time most successful managers list.

Nevertheless, Rodgers will demand significant backing at Parkhead this summer in his mission to elevate the club’s standing in comparison to those on Europe’s biggest stage.

After leading Celtic to the Champions League knockout playoff phase, the 52-year-old wants to build on their continental success by securing talented arrivals to prop up a squad bristling with talent.

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He had a poor game in the defeat to St Johnstone.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 7, 2025

By nature, most managers in Glasgow have a shelf life. Whether it be a consequence of admiration from the Premier League or failing to deal with the unique level of pressure associated with coaching one of the world’s most reputable brands, there is never a true sense of permanence in the dugout.

Casting a tentative eye towards the future, Celtic have now been told one of their former managers could be open to completing a sensational Parkhead return later down the line.

Ange Postecoglou tipped for dramatic Celtic return

Ange Postecoglou hasn’t had it all his own way at Tottenham Hotspur. The 59-year-old has been in charge for the best part of two seasons in North London, but pressure is mounting on the Australian due to a series of inconsistent results with the Lilywhites.

Now, per reports via The Glasgow Times, former Greece international Giorgos Karagounis has hinted that Postecoglou could be open to a Celtic comeback story in the future due to the immense success he had north of the border.

Brendan Rodgers vs Ange Postecoglou at Celtic – how both managers have fared

Ange Postecoglou’s managerial record at Celtic

Trophies

2x Scottish Premiership, 2x Scottish League Cup, Scottish Cup

Points per game

2.64 PPG in normal time, 1.80 PPG in post-split fixtures

European record

Finished third in Europa League group 2021/22 (knocked out of Europa Conference League by Bodo Glimt at Round of 32 stage). Finished bottom of Champions League group in 2022/23 on two points despite admirable performances against Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Fan approval

Loved for daring style of football and commitment to play on front foot at all costs.

Brendan Rodgers’ managerial record at Celtic

Trophies

3x Scottish Premiership, 3x Scottish Cup, 4x Scottish League Cup

Points per game

2.45 PPG in normal time, 2.20 in post-split fixtures

European record

Finished fourth in Champions League group 2016/17. Finished third in Champions League group 2017/18 (knocked out of Europa League Round of 32 by Zenit St Petersburg). Finished second in Europa League group 2018/19 (knocked out at Round of 32 by Valencia). Finished bottom of Champions League group 2023/24 Qualified for Champions League knockout playoff phase in 2024/25 (narrowly beaten by Bayern Munich).

Fan approval

Seen as a proven winner who rarely falters on big occasions.

Karagounis stated: “Ange Postecoglou did a great job with Celtic, a fantastic job, so one day I think we will see him back there.

“Having said that, at the moment, he is at another great team in Tottenham, and of course, he’s coaching in the Premier League, so I don’t think he’ll want to go back to Scotland straight away.”

Commended for his “excellent” work at Celtic by Martin O’Neill, Postecoglou is someone who is deeply admired by supporters, but it remains to be seen if a future return is something that could come to fruition.

“It doesn’t matter where they bowl, once it’s in that arc, I’m just going to smack it”

Srinidhi Ramanujam23-Feb-2025″When he hits it, it stays hit. So, you know, it’s just, something that I do.”Chinelle Henry looks up to her fellow countryman Andre Russell. Her wild innings of 62 against Delhi Capitals that propelled UP Warriorz to their first win of WPL 2025 did remind many of his power-hitting and the ability to snatch the momentum and turn the team’s fortune around.Henry, though new to WPL, isn’t new to T20 cricket. The West Indies allrounder has been playing international cricket for more than a decade now and is a regular in the WCPL. As a senior player in the Warriorz set-up, Henry has eased into the WPL, thanks to her role clarity which stemmed from conversations she had with the head coach Jon Lewis.”I knew the task, I knew what I had to do,” Henry said after Saturday’s match. She went on to elaborate that it’s “the freedom to go out there and bat” from Lewis that “put her in a better space”. This power of her uncluttered mind was visible in tangible terms, in her performances so far: an unbeaten 33 off 15 and a 23-ball 62, both against Delhi Capitals, in Vadodara and Bengaluru, respectively.Related

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The latest knock had an even better impact with Henry coming in at No.8 when Warriorz were reeling at 89 for 6 in 14.4 overs, and lifting them to a match-winning score of 177 for 9. Until she arrived, the atmosphere at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was somber. Though it was a Saturday evening, the neutral game did not witness a sell-out crowd. A quick look at the stands also revealed there were many people in Capitals jerseys, cheering for the likes of Indian superstars Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma. Yellow and violet jerseys? One could count them.But it took only four deliveries for Henry to make the Chinnaswamy roar in joy and disbelief. She first smashed a slower, short ball from Arundhati Reddy with ferocious power over deep midwicket for an 81-metre six to start the proceedings. Reddy changed her length and bowled full on the stumps, but Henry still deposited this one over the same region. The crowd, which had not seen Henry until then in the flesh, was now well and truly alive with people up on their feet, clapping joyously to each of her sixes.”Obviously, I went to bat with my team in a little bit of trouble,” she said. “I knew the task, I knew what I had to do. You know, before I went to bat, John just said to me, just do what you do and have fun. And, you know, the freedom that I get to just go out there and bat, regardless of the situation the team is in, just put me in a better space to perform. And I think, you know, that’s what happened tonight.”In the next over, she got a life when Marizanne Kapp dropped a chance at deep midwicket, and Henry made sure Kapp would not forget that costly mistake.Though the ball was doing a bit off the seam whenever Capitals bowled slower balls, Henry “didn’t really pay attention to any of that.” Shikha Pandey, bowling the 17th over, was not spared either. Length balls outside off stumps were slashed towards extra cover and short third as if Henry was waiting for it. When Pandey bowled in the slot, Henry launched one six over long-on and another over the bowler’s head. Pandey ended up conceding 24 runs in six balls.Henry was not done yet.Meg Lanning brought in Annabel Sutherland, who is usually effective with her variations, but it didn’t work against the West Indian. A full ball bowled wide of off and a slower back of a length ball on her pads were both sent to boundaries. Henry would later reveal that a lot of “range-hitting at the nets” helped to straightaway swing her bat at the death.”Obviously, most of the time they were bowling to my strengths, and it was just about backing my ability, backing my strengths,” she said. “And tonight it paid off. And that’s just something that I will continue to do throughout the tournament.”When we go to training, you know, the head coach, the first thing he asks is what you want to do, obviously, is what you’re going to do in the game. So make sure you get what you want out of training that you’re going to do in the game. And obviously, when we go in the nets, for me, basically, it’s just about throwdowns. Range hitting, I do that a lot.Chinelle Henry went on a six-hitting rampage at the death•BCCI”Because most of the times when I go into bat, it’s probably like five overs to go. That’s the time that I have to go. So when I’m in the nets training, that’s basically what I do.”Reddy came back for the penultimate over with a bag full of variations and still perished against Henry. A full toss was followed by a slower delivery, and even though Henry was beaten by pace, she somehow managed to put both these deliveries to the fence. Henry then swiveled and pulled a short ball to equal the record for the fastest fifty.”That’s just what I practice in training all day, every day, once I have a T20 cricket,” Henry explained her role as a finisher at Warriorz.”You know, some of the times they would obviously test, the weakness, which is obviously bowling into the pads, because that’s obviously something that I need to work on. But most of the times, it’s just my strengths, which obviously, for the past two games, is what I’ve been doing well.”And it doesn’t matter where they bowl, whatever the ball is doing, once it’s in that arc, I’m going to back my strengths, I’m going to back my ability, and I’m just going to smack it.”On Saturday, she smacked eight sixes and two fours overall.Russell may not be around in India yet but surely, we can get used to Henry trying to emulate her idol with her own explosive and inspiring knocks.

Young captain earns rewards after steering tight-knit team to memorable win at Trent Bridge

Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Sep-2023Lewis Hill has been at Leicestershire for the last 16 years, earned his first professional contract in 2014 and stepped up as club captain this season. If anyone has a full scope of the ups and downs of the county, it’s him. A player who pushed to realise a dream that has, up until now, been punctuated by crises rather than glory.As he sat at a table within the depths of Trent Bridge, Metro Bank One-Day Cup winners’ medal around his neck, guffawing through every answer in his post-match press conference, his joy was infectious, even uncomfortable. While his team-mates were bouncing off the dressing-room walls after a remarkable two-run victory over Hampshire to seal their first trophy since 2011, Hill was almost physically fighting to suppress his emotions to find the words to contextualise the proudest day of his career.He was able to, of course, summoning similar levels of composure that he had displayed in the field as Leicestershire defended their 267 for 7. It was a total built off the back of a remarkable unbeaten 117 from Harry Swindells, and 60 from Sam Evans. Hill’s own 42 should also be registered, stemming the flow after the top-order had been blitzed to leave them 19 for 4 inside seven overs.It helped that Hill’s words were merely variations of a speech he had been giving behind closed doors for a while. Promises made to the squad that had now come to fruition.”I kept saying at the start of the year that we could do something special with the group of players that we had,” Hill said. “We have done that.”We have pictures at Grace Road of T20 Blast wins, and we said at the start of the year: ‘Guys, let’s get up there; 20 years on, when you come to come to watch Leicestershire County Cricket Club, you see the people who won a trophy for the club.’ That means a lot.”Leicestershire’s wall of champions will now get an overdue update, with this group emulating the Blast winners of 2004, 2006 and 2011, while becoming the first team since 1985 to bring a List A trophy back to this corner of the Midlands.Leicestershire celebrate after Josh Hull closed out victory off the final ball•Getty ImagesThat Hill was in this position, not just a winning captain but captain outright, is down to a malaise all too familiar with Leicestershire. A winless County Championship campaign in 2022 was followed by Callum Parkinson declining a contract extension – he departs for Durham at the end of this summer – and brought a change in leadership. Maybe Hill was chosen because he was already a popular figure, maybe because – as per those who know him – he is an empathetic soul, but this season has carried an unfamiliar optimism, even after the departure of head coach Paul Nixon in July.Leicestershire are still just about in a promotion push, though they will rely on other results to go their way in the final two rounds. They came within 16 runs of a successful chase of 499 against Sussex last week, which would have been their fourth Championship win of the season. It would have also repeated their trick in 2023’s Division Two opener when they pulled off a bumper fourth-innings victory over Yorkshire – the first time they had triumphed in a first-class match at Headingley since 1910. Suddenly, a county regularly mooted as an irrelevance, always first for the chop in any blue-sky thinking into the future of the domestic game, were fighting back.”I just wanted to be myself through the whole summer,” Hill said of his approach to leadership. “It has been a lot of man-management because I think that is how you get the best out of your players. We stuck together – obviously we had a bit of a hiccup in the middle of the year – but we really stuck together while the outside world kind of pelted at us a little bit.”To stick together the way we have, I’m really proud of every player, and I’m really pleased for not just the players but everyone associated with Leicestershire – members, supporters, people who have worked there – to see some success. I am really happy that they can see us do this.”It’s worth exploring the man-management element of all this. Leicestershire only lost once in the group stage but were dealt a blow when Peter Handscomb, their leading run-scorer, returned home to Australia after helping them over the line in the semi-final against Gloucestershire. Evans, the designated next man in, having already made two appearances in the competition, knew last week that he would be replacing Handscomb in the final.By contrast, Swindells was only made aware of his call-up on Friday after Matt Sailsbury picked up a hamstring injury. And after deliberating with coaches Alfonso Thomas and James Taylor, Hill reckoned he could cope with just the four seamers and Colin Ackermann’s offspin, and figured giving Swindells the gloves could ease his own workload. It proved an inspired decision and, of course, damn lucky, which is not to detract from Hill’s game-management. Some of cricket’s greatest captains have fortune on their side.Leicestershire have sealed their first List A title since 1985•Getty Images”Do you know what, it’s one of the best innings I’ve seen live,” Hill said of Swindells’ century. “To come in under that pressure, to have not played a game in the competition. Like, to play like that – him and Sam Evans – was absolutely outstanding. And they deserve all of it because they train hard, and I’m over the moon for them.”I don’t have words for it really. To come in and do what he did is a testament to his character, his skill level. It speaks to everything about him; he trains hard. He is a cracking individual on top of being a really fine player. He is a Leicester lad as well, so I’m sure it means as much to him as it does to me and a few others.”Not keeping wicket allowed Hill to pull the strings more effectively in the field. Hampshire botched their chase at crucial junctures, with errors from experienced heads in Ben Brown, Joe Weatherley and Liam Dawson. But the pressure sustained in the ring and well-placed catchers in the deep – in particular setting fine leg back for the Dawson ramp-shot that ultimately clinched the game midway through the final over – was a feather in Hill’s cap. And, of course, those of his attack.Josh Hull was the standout – literally at six-foot-seven. The left-arm seamer was identified during the winter as a unique talent. “This guy has got something good,” Hill recalled himself saying aloud in the off-season when watching the 19-year-old in the nets. That “something” came to the fore at the death.Having removed Hampshire’s own impressive youngster Tom Prest for 51 earlier in the piece, Hull held his nerve for the final over to concede just five when eight was needed. It was all the more impressive given his penultimate over – the 48th – had been taken for 14 to swing the game Hampshire’s way. He finishes the campaign with 17 wickets at 24.23 from nine matches, with an economy rate of 5.45, and a few extra admirers after pushing the speed-gun into the late eighties during a televised game.”He has played loads of games this year, and he didn’t have his best day with the ball until the final few overs, but to come back and bowl like that and to have clear plans like that – he told us what he was bowling, and that is what I want in a young bowler, and he executed really well. I’m really proud of him.Related

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“I have never seen a guy who takes information in so young, so quickly and so well. Honestly, I think he has a massive future ahead of him. He has a cool head on his shoulders, a fantastic family that supports him and has done a lot for him early in his career, driving him around. He is definitely one to watch in the future.”Difficult decisions were made, too, such as leaving out Parkinson and Rehan Ahmed – one of the most talented youngsters going in English cricket – which could have come back to haunt Hill but didn’t. This success was as much about nurturing homegrown talent and arms around shoulders as assuming a more ruthless approach.And if the club are to shed the “little old Leicestershire tag”, it will be through bloodying the noses of the established forces on the field rather than cosying up to them off it. Even in the shadow of the Hundred, the manner of this One-Day Cup run has earned some much-needed respect and given them an extra chip to play in recurring discussions over their merits as an organisation within English cricket.”I’ve been at Leicester for eight or nine years as a professional, starting when I was 16,” Hill said. “I have seen some of the darker times at Grace Road, so it was great to see good times returning – the way we’ve played cricket this year, and this trophy, shows that we’re going the right way. Teams like Leicestershire are needed in county cricket.”

ESPNcricinfo looks at where these players stand after their contributions in the series wins in Australia and against England at home

Himanshu Agrawal08-Mar-2021Mohammed Siraj4:20

Bell: Siraj could be effective with the Dukes ball in English conditions

Where was he? Part of the Test squad in Australia only because of an injury to Ishant Sharma.Opportunity: Further injury to Mohammed Shami during the Adelaide Test in Australia, which pushed Siraj for a debut in Melbourne.Contribution: With 16 wickets in his first five matches, Siraj has carried his stellar run with the red ball to the highest level against quality oppositions. On debut in Melbourne, he first foxed a set Marnus Labuschagne with the leg-side trap before setting up Cameron Green with outswingers only to pin him in front with one that came in. He carried forward that success into the series decider in Brisbane, where he bagged his maiden five-for and set up a memorable win. In the fourth Test against England in Ahmedabad, Siraj got rid of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow at a crucial stage in the first innings, as India went on to wrap up the series.Chances of playing the WTC final: Only if one out of Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Shami is injured.Axar Patel3:22

What made Axar Patel so effective against England?

Where was he? Part of the Test squad for the England series but because Ravindra Jadeja was out injured.Opportunity: Made his Test debut in the second Test in Chennai after missing the first match due to a last-minute injury.Contribution: Patel has burst on to the Test scene and achieved immediate success as a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja. He replaced Shahbaz Nadeem from India’s loss in the first Test against England and pocketed 27 wickets in three games at a staggering average of 10.59. His first Test wicket was Root, who top-edged a sweep to short fine leg while trying to play against the turn. Patel even grabbed three consecutive five-fors across the second and the third Tests and added a fourth to the list in the next game, as England struggled to find answers to him. He also contributed with 43 in a crucial century stand with Washington Sundar to extend India’s lead in the last Test.Chance of playing the WTC final: Only if Jadeja is unfit and Hardik Pandya doesn’t bowl, and India want to play five bowlers.Washington Sundar2:59

Manjrekar: Can only marvel at Washington Sundar’s talent

Where was he? Travelled to Australia as a spare bowler due to enlarged squads during Covid-19.Opportunity: R Ashwin was out with an injury in Australia after the third Test, and Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion would have made the tail longer, which led to Sundar’s Test debut in Brisbane.Contribution: Sundar’s major contributions have come with the bat in his four Tests so far. He has three half-centuries in just six innings, including two match-defining knocks of 62 on debut in Brisbane and 96 not out in Ahmedabad. While the former brought India’s innings back on track in a 123-run stand with Shardul Thakur, the latter ensured India built a solid lead after being in a dicey situation. But that doesn’t take away his efforts with the ball: he removed a stable Steven Smith as his first Test wicket to finish with 3 for 89.Chance of playing the WTC final: Very low unless there are multiple injuries because he is behind Ashwin, Jadeja and Patel in the spinners’ queue.T NatarajanT Natarajan made an impressive Test debut in Brisbane•AFP via Getty ImagesWhere was he? Picked as a net bowler for Australia tour after his success in the IPL.Opportunity: Handed ODI and T20I debuts after Varun Chakravarthy and Navdeep Saini were ruled out with injuries, and Test debut after none of India’s first-choice quartet of Sharma, Bumrah, Shami and Yadav was available.Contribution: Though Natarajan has played just one Test, he delivered instantly in Brisbane by breaking open the match on the first day with the twin wickets of Labuschagne and Matthew Wade who had put on a century partnership. Natarajan brings the left-armer’s angle into play, something India have been missing since Zaheer Khan retired. He also has an accurate yorker, aside from variations of slow cutters and low full tosses dipping onto the batsmen.Chance of playing the WTC final: Almost impossible given India already have a string of pace bowlers who are ahead of him.

Shardul ThakurLike Sundar, Shardul Thakur has proved useful with both bat and ball•AFP via Getty ImagesWhere was he? Much like Sundar and Natarajan, Thakur stayed back as a net bowler for the Tests in Australia.Opportunity: Drafted in for the Brisbane Test as India struggled to put together an XI following a long injury list.Contribution: Thakur answered the call with both bat and ball in what was just his second Test – he had limped off on debut against West Indies in 2018 – as India made history. He struck with his first ball back on the way to three first-innings wickets before contributing with a fighting 67 to limit Australia’s lead. Not just that, when the hosts threatened to post a hefty total in the second innings, Thakur returned figures of 4 for 61 by rocking Australia’s lower-middle order.Chance of playing the WTC final: Like Natarajan, almost impossible.

Hanuma VihariA hamstring injury didn’t stop Vihari from saving a Test for India in Sydney•Getty ImagesWhere was he? Part of the Test squad in Australia, but he has so far played only overseas Tests.Opportunity: Played the first three Tests in Australia before getting ruled out of the fourth due to injury.Contribution: Vihari’s valiant vigil in Sydney in the company of Ashwin went a long way in India securing a draw, and in turn also booking a place in the WTC final. He had tweaked his right hamstring early in India’s second innings and had only Ashwin and the tail for company, as he showed courage to battle against Australia’s bowlers. Vihari’s innings of 93 in North Sound, and 111 and 53 not out in Kingston in 2019 helped India gain an early advantage in the WTC table on the way to a 2-0 sweep of West Indies.Chance of playing the WTC final: Little chance if India stick to playing five bowlers, but may get the nod at No. 6 or 7 if they decide to play an extra batsman.

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، عن تطورات جديدة في ملف الصفقات المقرر انضمامها إلى صفوف الأهلي خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية القادمة.

وتتابع لجنة التعاقدات عدداً من الأسماء العربية التي ظهرت بقوة خلال الفترة الأخيرة أهمها يزن النعيمات مهاجم الأردن بعد تألقه في بطولة كأس العرب.

طالع | الكرمة العراقي يوضح عبر “بطولات” موقف علي علوان بعد اهتمام الأهلي

وقال أحمد شوبير في تصريحات إذاعية عبر إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “بالنسبة لـ يزن النعيمات، فالأمور واضحة؛ الأهلي أنهى كل شيء مع اللاعب، كل الأطراف راضية وسعيدة”.

وأكمل: “أنا أنقل هذه المعلومات من منتخب الأردن ومن داخل الأهلي أيضًا، رغم أن البعض في النادي يحاول (ترقيصي)، لكنني حارس مرمى، و(مش هترقص) بسهولة”.

وواصل: “الصفقة منتهية تمامًا، والعائق الوحيد المتبقي يتعلق بـ نادي العربي القطري؛ فالأهلي لن يلجأ إلى تفعيل الشرط الجزائي لأنه يرتبط بعلاقات طيبة مع الأندية القطرية، والمفاوضات كانت تسير بشكل جيد”.

وأتم: “اعتبروا حسين الشحات أصبح قريبًا جديدًا من تجديد تعاقده مع الأهلي، إن لم يكن جدد بالفعل، وسيتم الإعلان عن تجديد العقد في الوقت المناسب”.