Yorkshire lose last five wickets cheaply before Essex comfortably bat out the day
ECB Reporters Network08-May-2022Alastair Cook recorded a century in both innings for the first time in his illustrious career as Essex and Yorkshire fought out a sluggish LV= Insurance County Championship draw. Cook, England’s leading Test run-scorer and a veteran of 19 years at first-class level, had never previously reached three figures twice in a match – but he rectified that omission on his career record with an unbeaten 102 in the dying embers of this Chelmsford stalemate.Any outside prospect of a positive result evaporated on the final morning as Yorkshire – needing to build quickly on their overnight advantage of 22 – lost their last five wickets for 39 and were dismissed for 465. That left Cook, who had scored 107 first time around, and opening partner Nick Browne under little pressure in their second innings and the pair eased comfortably past the deficit with an unbroken partnership of 167 before the captains agreed a draw at 4.50pm.Resuming on 425 for 5, fast scoring appeared to be a necessity for the White Rose – but they displayed little attacking intent, garnering only three runs from the first six overs of the day.Dawid Malan’s hopes of converting his 87 into a century disappeared when he clipped his first ball of the morning, a Shane Snater half-volley, into the hands of square leg, while Harry Brook showed none of the fluency that had already brought him a hundred. Brook eventually fell for 123, caught behind wafting at a short delivery from Sam Cook, who was also unlucky not to claim the wicket of Harry Duke when he struck off stump – yet the bail refused to budge.Cook had to be content with figures of 3 for 78, while Snater finished off the innings with his third by having Dom Bess caught behind, leaving Essex with a deficit of 62 and half an hour to negotiate before lunch.They might have gone in a wicket down, with Jordan Thompson finding the edge of Cook’s bat in his third over but Duke, diving across in front of the slips, was unable to cling onto a difficult catch.After that, the former England captain looked completely in command and, while Browne’s progress was more sedate, he gave only one chance en route to his 50 not out, a stumping opportunity off Adam Lyth that Duke failed to execute. It was Cook who took centre stage and he brought up his 72nd first-class hundred from 178 deliveries, pulling a long hop from Joe Root to the fence shortly before stumps were drawn.
Manchester United’s Carabao Cup campaign for the 2024/25 season came to an end on Thursday night. The Red Devils lost 4-3 to Tottenham Hotspur in North London, in one of the most chaotic games of the season so far.
Tottenham were 3-0 up with half an hour to go, but two goalkeeper blunders from Fraser Forster gifted two goals to United, with Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo profiting from his errors to give United hope. Spurs scored directly from a corner to make it 4-2 and managed to avoid a late scare despite Jonny Evans scoring in stoppage time.
United played well on the night but there were some poor performers. Two of their worst players were signings made by Erik ten Hag.
The Ten Hag signings who struggled vs Spurs
Former Red Devils manager Ten Hag loved to sign his players from his old club Ajax. Two of those he brought with him to the Red side of Manchester were Antony, who cost £81.3m, and Lisandro Martinez, for whom the club paid £56.7m.
It was those two who struggled against the Lilywhites in the Carabao Cup. Antony put in an incredibly frustrating performance and was subbed off after 55 minutes. Playing as a number 10, he failed to create any chances, which was noted by the Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.
He gave Antony a 4/10 for his efforts against Spurs and was incredibly critical of the United number 21. He explained that he ‘did not make United play’ even though he was one of the key attacking players in the team.
Martinez was also poor, and at fault for arguably two goals. His clearance for Dejan Kulusevski’s strike to make it 2-0 essentially put it on a plate for the Swede.
Then, for Dominic Solanke’s second of the night and Spurs’ third, he played the striker onside and then failed to put in a challenge, as the England international burst past him and fired home.
Just as he did for Antony, Luckhurst gave the Argentine World Cup winner a 4/10 for his performance. He was critical of Martinez’s ‘weak clearance’ for the opener, before explaining he was ‘even worse’ for Solanke’s finish.
Those two Ten Hag signings certainly let United down at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but there was arguably one who was even worse, goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
The Man Utd star who needs to be sold
It was a tough night for Turkey international Bayindir, who has barely played this season or last, acting as second choice to Andre Onana. In total, the 26-year-old has played just four times, conceding eight goals in that time.
Against Spurs, he was poor. The Red Devils’ number one received a 3/10 rating from Luckhurst for his performance, who left him a scathing review. He described his efforts for the first goal as ‘shoddy goalkeeping’, and explained he was ‘pathetic’ for Son’s strike.
Indeed, the former Fenerbahce man had some dismal stats from the game according to Sofascore. His kicking was inaccurate, and he completed just 61% of his passes, which included two from 12 long balls. The goalkeeper also made one error that led to a goal.
Stat
Number
Pass accuracy
61%
Touches
38
Passes completed
17/28
Long balls completed
2/12
Saves
2
High claims
1
Errors leading to goal
1
Interestingly, however, his value has risen by 100% since he joined. He cost the Red Devils £4.3m two summers ago, and is now valued at €10m (£8.6m), according to Transfermarkt.
Given that spike in value, perhaps Ruben Amorim will choose to cash in on Bayindir as he looks to freshen the squad up.
It might well be time to cash in on this calamitous Ten Hag signing. Bayindir – who reportedly wants to leave in January – has not exactly covered himself in glory for United, although his opportunities have been limited during his time at the club.
Amorim must axe 4/10 Man Utd star who looks a "shadow of his old self"
Man Utd crashed out of the Carabao Cup after a crazy encounter…
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with the impressive performance level of his team throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far.
The Hoops remain unbeaten in the Scottish Premiership, top of the table by 14 points, with 16 wins from 18 matches ahead of the Old Firm clash with Rangers on this afternoon.
They have also already won the League Cup, beating their Glasgow rivals on penalties in the final at Hampden Park, after they failed to secure the trophy last season.
The team’s fantastic form across all competitions this term, however, has not stopped Rodgers from wanting to add new players to the squad during the January transfer window, which officially opened for business earlier this week.
Celtic’s manager is reportedly seeking a reunion with Scotland international Kieran Tierney, with the club said to be eyeing up a pre-contract agreement to sign him in the summer on a free transfer from Arsenal – the side that signed him from the Hoops in 2019.
The Gunners left-back is one of many stars who consistently performed for Rodgers during his first spell in charge at Parkhead, and another one of those players was midfielder Tom Rogic.
Tom Rogic's form for Brendan Rodgers
The Northern Irish head coach spent just under three years in Glasgow during his first stint at the club between the summer of 2016 and early 2019, before his move to Leicester City.
In that time, Rogic made 105 appearances for Rodgers in the middle of the park, which places him within the top ten for appearances as a Celtic player for the manager – with Tierney, Callum McGregor, and James Forrest included in the nine spots ahead of him.
Former Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic.
This illustrates how much faith the Hoops boss had in him, as he was a regular fixture in the team during those three years, to perform week-in-week-out across all competitions.
Rogic, who left the club in the summer of 2022 and retired a year later, was a left-footed central or attacking midfielder who looked to impact matches by stepping up with goals and assists for his team.
Appearances
37
41
35
Goals
12
8
5
Assists
6
9
6
As you can see in the table above, the Australia international made a consistent impact in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals throughout Rodgers’ time at the club.
Rogic was a proven performer who could be relied upon to step up at the top end of the pitch, and the manager found his new version of him in Matt O’Riley, who scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists in the league, last season.
The Danish wizard, of course, left to join Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer and Rodgers is back on the search for another left-footed magician to light up his midfield, with reported interest in a Rogic-esque midfielder from the Premier League.
Celtic's interest in Premier League ace
It was recently reported by The Boot Room that Celtic are one of a host of teams interested in a swoop to sign Manchester City central midfielder James McAtee in the January transfer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report claimed that the Hoops have made enquiries about a potential swoop to sign the left-footed star, although it is unclear if it is for a permanent or loan move, but they are set to face stiff competition from plenty of clubs across Europe.
Brentford, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Bologna, Fulham, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest are just a few of the many sides eyeing up a deal to snap up the England U21 international for the second half of the campaign.
Manchester City'sJamesMcAteecelebrates after the match
The Boot Room added that Pep Guardiola would prefer to keep hold of the young talent to bolster the depth of his squad, but the Spanish head coach will also not stand in McAtee’s way if the player decides that a move away from The Etihad is the best option for him.
This means that it could be a difficult deal for Celtic to complete for a multitude of reasons, as they will need to convince Manchester City and McAtee to agree to the move, whilst also fending off interest from numerous teams across Europe’s major leagues.
Why James McAtee could be Tom Rogic 2.0
The Hoops should push hard to win the race for his services because he could arrive at Parkhead as Rogic 2.0 for Rodgers in the second half of the season.
Like the former Celtic star, McAtee is a left-footed midfielder who can play in a central or attacking role and has the quality to make an impact at the top end of the pitch by providing goals and assists from the middle of the park.
He has not started any of his three Premier League appearances for Manchester City so far this season, but has scored four goals and provided one assist in four caps for England at U21 level this term.
McAtee, who was described as “special” by Guardiola, also produced three goals and three assists in 20 starts in the English top-flight, whilst on loan with Sheffield United, in the 2023/24 campaign, which speaks to his attacking potential.
His best form at the top end of the pitch, however, came during his loan with the Blades in the 2022/23 Championship season, as the young dynamo scored nine goals and created six ‘big chances’ in 21 starts in the second tier of English football.
Non-penalty goals
0.43
Top 1%
Expected Assisted Goals
0.20
Top 7%
Shot-creating actions
3.41
Top 18%
Progressive carries
3.89
Top 7%
Successful take-ons
1.85
Top 1%
As you can see in the table above, McAtee ranked incredibly highly among Championship midfielders that term as a scorer and a creator of goals, as well as being a threat in transition with his dribbling skills.
The midfield star’s performances made former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba compare him to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, telling the Football Heaven podcast: “He’s like Odegaard. You play him in midfield so he’s defending for you, he’s another body for them to try and navigate away from but he likes the ball 30 yards out because he can go past you like you’re not there.”
Manchester City's JamesMcAteeduring the warm up before the match
At the age of 22, the Manchester City outcast still has plenty of potential left to fulfill and a loan to Celtic in the second half of the season could help him to find his rhythm by playing in a dominant team that would allow him to flourish as an attacker, as Rogic did during his time under Rodgers.
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The absence of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney from Wrexham games has been explained, with Hollywood co-owners still fully invested.
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Completed stunning takeover in 2021Have been regular visitors to North WalesIntend to head over again this seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Celebrity chairmen have been regular visitors to SToK Racecourse since completing a stunning takeover in 2021. They have witnessed some memorable encounters during a meteoric rise for the Red Dragons.
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Back-to-back promotions have been caught on camera by the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary, with a third in the process of being chased down. A-list guests have taken in League One action this season, but visits to North Wales have been less frequent.
WHAT HUMPHREY KER SAID
Pressed on that subject by the podcast, Wrexham director Humphrey Ker said: "It’s funny, I noticed people saying that. Maybe I’ve not been tracking it as much, or maybe I’ve not been tracking it at all, but I don’t think they are any less engaged or involved in it. They are still watching every single game and talking about it.
"I think it’s maybe just the function of, last season Ryan was shooting Deadpool in London for a large chunk of it and that meant that he was in the country already and when he had a weekend off he could come up more easily. Rob, I think, was…
"I know they are going to be over a fair bit between now and the end of the season. By the time we get to the end of the season, you might find that the average amount of games they’ve seen per year is about the same."
Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
Wrexham, who sit second in the third tier table as they look to make history by becoming the first EFL side to secure three successive promotions, have just seven games left to take in this season. The first of those will see them travel to struggling Cambridge on Tuesday.
“That is why I had tears in my eyes; without my father, I would be nothing. He has never left my side”
Shashank Kishore and Afzal Jiwani23-Jun-2022Behind the warm smile, the runs and the , there is a deeply emotional side to Sarfaraz Khan. It comes up almost always when he talks about his cricket. No conversation ever passes without the mention of his . On Thursday, after scoring his fourth hundred of the season, and eighth overall in first-class cricket, Sarfaraz was a man in demand.Sunil Joshi, the national selector, caught up and had a lengthy conversation with the Mumbai batter. Then, it was Harvinder Singh’s turn. A few minutes later, as he jogged up the stairs towards the dressing room for a team meeting, he promised to return shortly to chat with journalists waiting besides the boundary.Related
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Sarfaraz was chirpy, candid, and spontaneous, just like his batting. Over the past three weeks, no two interactions with him have felt alike. It can with so many cricketers of the current generation, because they’re always focused on the ‘process’ and not the ‘results.’ Sarfaraz is driven by results. Driven by the desire to score big runs, every time he goes out to bat. This perhaps explains why six of his eight hundreds are all 150-plus scores.One moment, Sarfaraz had everyone in splits with his jokes and how a “yes, I’ll hang in, you bat your way” from Tushar Deshpande can only mean a wild slog off the next ball. Next, he was teary eyed and ever-so-grateful to his , for his sacrifices in making Sarfaraz and Musheer Khan, his younger brother who is also part of the Mumbai squad, cricketers of some standing.Musheer, incidentally, is yet to make his first-class debut, but recently led Mumbai to the final of the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, a tournament where he made 670 runs and took 32 wickets to be named Player of the Tournament.Sarfaraz’s tears stemmed from a sense of gratitude and respect towards his .”You all know the roller-coaster ride I’ve had, if not for my father, I wouldn’t have been here,” he said, wiping tears off his face. “When we had nothing, I used to travel with my father in trains. When I started playing cricket, I dreamt of scoring a century for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. That was fulfilled.”Then I had another dream of scoring a hundred in a Ranji final when my team needed it the most. That is why I got emotional after my century and had tears in my eyes, because my father has worked very hard. All the credit for my success goes to him. Without him, I would be nothing. He has never left my side.”Many times, I feel bad thinking about him, because he has always stood by me. He is very happy. In life, some dreams get fulfilled even if it takes time, but I’m happy I have my dad who has bailed me out of tough situations.”The century, Sarfaraz said, was dedicated to late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. As he got to the landmark, Sarfaraz slapped his thigh, pointed his index right finger to the sky – Moosewala’s signature move – and then belted out a roar towards his applauding teammates.”I have a mindset that to score a century, I need to play at least 200 balls. I can’t have that mindset that this can be achieved hitting consecutive sixes. I can score big only after playing many balls. I tried to play three-four overs from each bowler. Once I start getting used to the pitch and know their plans, I know the runs will flow because I have all the shots.”Sarfaraz hoped Mumbai would display “tremendous discipline” on Friday, the third day of the final, if they are to restrict Madhya Pradesh, who went to stumps comfortably placed at 123 for 1 in response to Mumbai’s 374.”This match is not over yet, there’s a long way to go,” he said. “I’ll be jumping the gun if I say anything right now. I’m confident we can take the lead, but even if we don’t, MP will be batting last in the fourth innings, and it won’t be easy for them.”After two successive seasons of 900-plus runs, Sarfaraz is now firmly on the radar of the national selectors. However, he is focused firmly on the present. “As far as Team India’s selection is concerned, I’m working hard. My focus is to only score runs. Every person has dreams. It will happen if it is written in my destiny.”
Derbyshire coach says it’s “unacceptable” for the Blast to be given “so much disrespect”
David Hopps08-Jul-2022Mickey Arthur has condemned the failure to ring fence the Vitality Blast knockout stages and give them their own place in the cricket calendar as a decision that shows “disrespect” to the county game.Arthur, one of the most respected international coaches of the past 20 years, has guided Derbyshire to the Blast quarter-finals in his first season coaching at county level.He is mystified by the fact that the knockout stages of England’s long-running professional T20 tournament are drained by England call-ups at a time when its appeal should be at its highest and feels it shows scant regard for the overwhelming majority of professional cricketers.Related
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Arthur said: “Surrey played Yorkshire this week with only a few international cricketers because there is an England series on at the same time. For me, that is unacceptable.”The absence of England players – they are engaged in a T20I series against India this week – might be viewed as a potential opportunity for Derbyshire who are one of the more unsung counties without any players currently in the England senior squads.If they beat Somerset on Saturday night, their future opponents could conceivably have to face further withdrawals because of England’s primary claims in a series against India that by then has moved on to a 50-over series, with the third ODI due to be played the day after Finals Day.But Arthur has no interest in main chancing. His concern is the message that not giving the Blast a dominant week in England’s cricket calendar gives to the county professionals.”100%, the Blast knockout stages should be ring-fenced,” he said. “For our players, it is the showpiece of the summer. Take the Hundred out of the argument for a moment. For the Blast to be given so much disrespect is not great for the counties. I am quite strong on that view.”Chris Jordan, Surrey’s captain, missed their quarter-final defeat on Wednesday•Associated PressEngland’s willingness to release players has been described as “fluid” with “fairness” to both counties involved in a tie regarded as the main criteria.That meant when Ollie Pope played for Surrey in Wednesday’s quarter-final, only 24 hours after the rescheduled fifth Test against India, but Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow opted for rest ahead of the ODI series, that England’s white-ball set-up agreed to release Yorkshire’s captain, David Willey.Willey’s call-up was so late that he realised he was short of county kit and travelled from the Ageas Bowl to the Kia Oval in a shirt bearing the name of his Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook.Eight players missed Yorkshire’s dramatic victory over Surrey at the Kia Oval: Dawid Malan, Root, Brook and Bairstow for Yorkshire; Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jason Roy and Reece Topley for Surrey.Unless there is a late release of players, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Matt Parkinson and Richard Gleeson are expected to be missing for Lancashire’s quarter-final against Essex Eagles on Friday, though Phil Salt is expected to be made available.Late decisions could also be a feature of Finals Day on July 16 because it must compete with international demands. England face India at Lord’s on Thursday and again at Old Trafford on Sunday and a new white-ball team of Buttler, the captain, and coach Matthew Mott are likely to be resistant to all but the most token flexibility in releasing players.It would be understandable if a former international coach of such repute – Arthur has variously taken charge of South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – responded with horror towards the lack of preparation time on the county circuit. Arthur’s natural response is to make light of the rigours of a non-stop schedule although he is not blind to the difficulties it creates.”I’ve really enjoyed it because I could be on a cricket ground every day of my life, but it challenges everyone without a doubt,” he said. “I’ve often sat with the coaching staff and when we’ve been talking and planning, particularly with the strength and conditioning guys a lot, is ‘how are you feeling?’ And he says ‘I’m slightly tired’. Imagine then how the players are feeling? It’s been a very, very taxing programme.”I don’t know what’s going to happen if we get some rain in Taunton on Saturday because we start a four-day game in Durham on Monday morning. So that kind of highlights the fixture schedule. But, you know, we’ve just had to get on with it. And the one thing we’ve been very strong on within our dressing room is that we can never use that as excuse.”
Real Betis are open to trying various methods to ensure Antony stays at the Spanish club beyond the end of his loan deal with Manchester United.
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Antony flourishing in La LigaBetis say he wants to stayDirector & CEO have high hopesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Brazilian winger ended a miserable spell at United in January when he moved to La Liga until the end of the season and he has thrived from the beginning. He has scored four goals and made as many assists in 13 games, with Manuel Pellegrini's men losing just twice in all competitions in that run.
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Betis have been vocal about their desire to make the 25-year-old's deal a permanent one this summer, with a club chief saying Antony wants to stay and co-star Isco calling for them to start crowdfunding for a transfer. While the Seville club will have a tough time matching United's demands for a player they paid £85 million ($98m) for in 2022, sporting director Manu Fajardo suggested they will do their best to work something out.
WHAT BETIS SAID
He told : "It is a source of satisfaction on a personal level [bringing Antony to Betis], but it is the result of teamwork. Although I am responsible for the sporting management, there are many people involved in this signing. It is still early days, but we will try, in different ways, to do everything to continue enjoying Antony."
Meanwhile, chief executive Ramon Alarcon told that he has high hopes: "The vice president said it the other day and I agree. When we talked about bringing him in in January it was a more remote possibility than the one there is now [of being able to keep him]. Manchester United and the player have realised that Betis is a great place for him to develop his football. Nowadays I see it as more likely that he will stay. There is a World Cup in 2026 and the English club wants him to increase his value. It will be difficult, but I am more optimistic than I was in January. I am moderately optimistic."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?
A month on from their 2-1 win against Real Madrid, Betis earned a 1-1 draw at Barcelona at the weekend. With six wins and two draws across their last eight matches, they will hope to extend that run when they meet Jagiellonia Bialystok in the Conference League this week.
Aston Villa are now in talks with a new January transfer target who is appreciated by Unai Emery and NSWE, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Aston Villa latest news
Villa jumped up to eighth position in the Premier League over the weekend as they beat struggling Leicester City 2-1 at Villa Park.
Goals from Ross Barkley and Leon Bailey were enough to cancel out Stephy Mavididi’s strike and win all three points for Emery’s side, who seem to have come through their poor patch which saw them win just once in eight games between mid-September and early December.
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Speaking to the press after the game, Emery said that his side are “feeling the confidence again.”
“Those three points are very important. We keep trying to get stronger. Our challenge now is to play two away matches in a row against Everton and Arsenal. I hope we can get enough points to be in the top 10 or top eight.”
Barkley, who was making just his third start in the top flight this term, said: “It felt great. It felt like we needed to get another win. Important three points.”
Aston Villa start talks to sign Mingueza
While Villa now seem to have rediscovered their best form, their continued inability to keep a clean sheet will no doubt be a worry for Emery. Villa have just two in 20 games this term, which is the joint second-lowest total in the top flight alongside Ipswich Town and Southampton. Only Leicester have kept fewer.
To help solve their defensive problems, Villa have now reportedly begun talks about a potential deal for Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza, Romano revealed on X on Monday, making a move to Villa Park one to watch with the player appreciated by the board and Emery.
Mingueza, 25, came through Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and went on to make 66 appearances for the Catalan club before moving to Celta in 2022.
The versatile star, who typically plays as a right-back, has since been a key player for the Sky Blues, making 82 appearances, scoring four goals and producing eight assists.
Speaking to Catalunya Radio, per Barca Blaugranes, earlier this year, Mingueza said that his former Barcelona manager Xavi was the reason he decided to leave the club.
“When Xavi arrived we didn’t fit in well. He didn’t like me or whatever. He told me I would play 10 game. I don’t think I had the best mentality in the world either. I was going to train to train, play to play. That’s why I left Barça, to try to regain the motivation to play, to enjoy and improve my football.”
Scrimshaw, Eskinazi, Mousley also in contention for deals ahead of second tournament
Matt Roller06-Jul-2022Richard Gleeson is top of several teams’ shortlists ahead of the Hundred’s wildcard draft on Thursday after his stellar form in the T20 Blast for Lancashire earned him a first full England call-up at the age of 34.Gleeson is not expected to play in Thursday’s first T20I against India at the Ageas Bowl but looks certain to be picked up as a £30,000 wildcard signing earlier in the day. He was due to play for Manchester Originals in the inaugural competition but withdrew due to his back injury, and their coach Simon Katich will be able to use their ‘right-to-match’ card if another team attempts to sign him first.The wildcard draft will see each of the eight men’s teams add one final player to their squad based on performances in the Blast. Last year, Jake Lintott was picked up as a wildcard by Southern Brave and finished the season as their leading wicket-taker as they won the inaugural tournament.Teams will pick in reverse order to last year’s wildcard draft, meaning Birmingham Phoenix will pick first and Northern Superchargers will pick last. Last month, each team also picked a wildcard overseas player.Along with Gleeson, George Scrimshaw is likely to be picked up after his performances for Derbyshire earned him selection in the England Lions squad to play South Africa in two 50-over games next week. Middlesex captain Stephen Eskinazi, Warwickshire batter Dan Mousley and Leicestershire allrounder Ben Mike have also been mentioned in conversations with teams as possible wildcards.The ECB have also confirmed to teams – though not to media – that Toby Roland-Jones has been signed by London Spirit as a replacement for Blake Cullen, who will miss the second season of the Hundred with a back injury.Related
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ESPNcricinfo understands that Northern Superchargers have lined up Michael Pepper, the Essex wicketkeeper-batter, as a replacement for Luke Wright, who is expected to withdraw from the tournament to fulfil his coaching commitments with New Zealand, though the deal had not been officially confirmed to other Hundred teams by Wednesday evening.Wright is approaching the end of his playing career and played only eight of Sussex’s 14 T20 Blast games this season, struggling with a foot injury. He is due to act as an assistant coach on New Zealand’s white-ball tours to Europe and the Caribbean and will be part of Auckland’s support staff from this winter onwards, though he intends to see out the final year of his Sussex contract next summer.The move would mean that Wright, the all-time leading run-scorer in English domestic T20 cricket, may never play a game in the Hundred, having been an unused squad member at Trent Rockets last summer.Pick order: 1 Birmingham Phoenix, 2 Welsh Fire, 3 London Spirit, 4 Manchester Originals, 5 Southern Brave, 6 Trent Rockets, 7 Oval Invincibles, 8 Northern Superchargers
With the drama of the January transfer window beginning to turn up a notch or two, Aston Villa have reportedly submitted a new offer to sign an attacking reinforcement in a deal that is seemingly in its final stretch.
Aston Villa transfer news
Suggestions that Aston Villa must sell before they can buy have seemingly been proved right, with Jaden Philogene’s reported £21m move to Ipswich Town only igniting rumours over incomings of their own in the Midlands. The young winger initially rejected the interest of the Tractor Boys in the summer in favour of a return to Villa Park, only to struggle for game time and eventually find himself on his way to Portman Road.
Banking an impressive fee, Villa have already been linked with a number of names who could arrive in place of Philogene, including Donyell Malen.
The Borussia Dortmund winger has been the subject of Villa’s interest since the turn of the year, resulting in two initial bids and reports which indicated that the winger does, indeed, want to complete a mid-season switch to the Midlands. Now, another update has emerged.
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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 9, 2025
According to BILD, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa have submitted an improved offer for Malen and the deal is now entering the final stretch in what could see the Midlands club instantly spend the €25m (£21m) they’re set to receive for Philogene.
More experienced than the Ipswich-bound winger, Malen would get the chance to rediscover his best form at Villa Park if all parties reached an agreement this month.
"Dangerous" Malen an instant upgrade on Philogene
When Philogene came full circle and completed a move back to Aston Villa just one year after he decided to swap his boyhood club for the chance to become a star player at Hull City, he would have been in dreamland. At the second time of asking, however, not much changed. The young winger – much like his first spell – struggled to break into Unai Emery’s starting side and, as a result, struggled to find his best form.
It’s an issue that the more experienced Malen should not run into if he completes such a move before the end of the month. Whilst the Dutchman has stagnated somewhat at Dortmund, he still offers plenty of threat at his best – as summed up by previous praise.
Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen celebrates
Former Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze told the official Bundesliga website: “Donyell is extremely fast and very dangerous. If he has a chance, it’s usually a goal, too. He’s still young, but has really good abilities.”
Given that Leon Bailey only recently scored his first goal of the season, that right-wing spot is certainly up for grabs in Emery’s strongest side as Malen potentially arrives.