Renegades have produced a terrific turnaround between seasons while Heat are aiming to become the first team to win three titles

Tristan Lavalette30-Nov-2024Big picture – History on the line for Renegades and HeatThe stakes are obviously huge as the 10th edition of the WBBL culminates on Sunday at the MCG.Both teams have history on the line, but for vastly different reasons. Melbourne Renegades have struggled for most of the tournament’s history. Other than fellow stragglers Hobart Hurricanes, Renegades have been the only team to never reach the final, and they finished with the wooden spoon last season.But they’ve been the competition’s success story this year after producing a remarkable turnaround to finish on top of the ladder and secure a home final. Their off-season recruiting spree has paid dividends, while skipper Sophie Molineux has led from the front with her stellar all-round season rewarded after being named captain in the WBBL team of the tournament.After vaulting into the final, Renegades have been in the midst of an extended break having not played since November 23. They are giddily eyeing a first WBBL title but will confront a confident Brisbane Heat side that tuned up for the final with a nine-wicket shellacking of Sydney Thunder at Allan Border Field on Friday.Heat have similarly been in rich late-season form as they look to make amends for last season’s heartbreak of falling short to Adelaide Strikers in a thrilling final.A powerhouse of the competition, having qualified for seven straight finals series, Heat are aiming to become the first team to win three titles after back-to-back triumphs in WBBL 04-05.Galvanised by captain Jess Jonassen, Heat have brilliantly weathered off-season departures of several key players along with a coaching revamp to reach a fourth final from the last seven seasons.With compelling storylines and a contest between two red-hot teams, this mouth-watering final shapes as a fitting way to end a shortened WBBL season that broke several attendance and broadcast records. It will also be the first standalone WBBL final played at the iconic MCG.Form guide(Last five completed matches; most recent first)
Melbourne Renegades WWWWW
Brisbane Heat WWWWW
In the spotlight – Deandra Dottin, Grace HarrisSome eyebrows were raised when Renegades selected Deandra Dottin with the third pick of this season’s draft. She had not played a professional match for almost a year to that point, but Dottin fitted Renegades’ plans to be more aggressive and unshackle a conservative approach that had long weighed them down. Given her ultra-attacking ways, she hasn’t always come off but Dottin’s assertiveness has rubbed off on her team-mates. Her strike rate of 151 is the sixth highest in the competition, while she has also taken nine wickets with her pace bowling.Featuring in all 10 seasons, Grace Harris has been one of the very best players in the WBBL’s first decade. Even after all these years, she is still the ultimate match-winner for Heat if she gets going at the top of the order. Harris has scored the most runs for Heat this season although her strike-rate of 134.46 is well down on her staggering T20I mark of 153.86. Harris started the season spectacularly but has gone off the boil recently with three single-digit scores in her past four innings. But Harris will relish the big stage and she’ll be extra motivated having been overlooked for Australia’s ODI squad against India.Jemimah Rodrigues could miss the title clash after retiring hurt in the Challenger final•Getty ImagesTeam news – Injury concerns for RodriguesThere are fears over the fitness of India star Jemimah Rodrigues, who had to retire hurt in the Challenger final after the 10th over of Heat’s chase. She aggravated a left-wrist injury sustained earlier in the field while attempting to save a boundary in Thunder’s innings. But Heat coach Mark Sorell said the initial assessment by the team’s medical staff was “quite positive”. If she can’t recover in time then it could open the door for talented 19-year-old allrounder Sianna Ginger, who has played six WBBL matches this season. But she has batted previously at No. 8, so a reshuffle of the batting order would be required if Rodrigues is ruled out.Brisbane Heat (probable): 1 Grace Harris, 2 Georgia Redmayne (wk), 3 Jemimah Rodrigues/Sianna Ginger, 4 Charli Knott, 5 Jess Jonassen (capt), 6 Laura Harris, 7 Lauren Winfield-Hill, 8 Lucy Hamilton, 9 Shikha Pandey, 10 Nicola Hancock, 11 Grace ParsonsRenegades are well rested and likely to field an unchanged XI from their previous match against Thunder.Melbourne Renegades (probable): 1 Courtney Webb, 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Sophie Molineux (capt), 4 Deandra Dottin, 5 Georgia Wareham, 6 Naomi Stalenberg, 7 Nicole Faltum (wk), 8 Grace Scrivens, 9 Georgia Prestwidge, 10 Sarah Coyte, 11 Milly IllingworthPitch and conditionsThere has been heavy rain in the lead-up and further showers on Sunday are forecast in Melbourne, a city well known for its fickle weather. The conditions might prove favourable for bowling and the ground’s large boundaries could ensure this is a low-scoring final.Stats and trivia Heat have won 11 of 18 matches overall against Renegades, including a 28-run victory at Allan Border Field on October 30. Renegades won their only fixture at the MCG this season having beaten cross-town rivals Stars by nine runs on November 15. Renegades batters Molineux, Dottin and Rhys McKenna are ranked in the top six for highest strike rates this season.Quotes”We’ve been a pretty successful team over a long period of time. We have made Big Bash finals and WNCL finals so it is not an unfamiliar challenge for us.”

A “great” Liverpool player has now reportedly held talks with a foreign club’s sporting director over a summer move there, with a four-year deal being offered to him.

Liverpool handed potential fresh Isak boost

The Reds have had a summer transfer window to remember, with the likes of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez hopefully taking them to new heights under Arne Slot.

After smashing their transfer record on Wirtz, Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has now emerged as Liverpool’s next dream target, although the Magpies are refusing to budge currently after rejecting an opening offer for the Swede.

A new update from The Athletic‘s David Ornstein does claim that Isak is “adamant he will not play for Newcastle again”, however, adding that even if he stays put at St James’ Park, he has “no wish to reintegrate” with his teammates.

This acts as a boost to Liverpool, who clearly still want to sign the 25-year-old, but the coming weeks have the potential to be unpredictable, as the Premier League champions consider a second offer, hoping that the Magpies’ stance softens at the same time.

While plenty of focus is on Isak, and a possible new centre-back signing, a new claim has dropped regarding the future of a current Reds player.

"Great" Liverpool player in talks with foreign club

According to a new report from Caught Offside, Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott’s move to RB Leipzig this summer could be edging closer, with the Reds wanting £47m with a buyback option or £56m without during discussions.

The Bundesliga club have now offered the 22-year-old a four-year contract, and it is claimed that “manager Ole Werner and sporting director Marcel Schafer have already held direct talks with the player, outlining their vision for him to become a central figure in the team’s attack-minded system.”

Elliott is a popular figure at Liverpool, helped by the fact that he grew up supporting the Reds, but now feels like the right time for him to enjoy a new challenge, and the report says he is open to an Anfield exit.

The Englishman isn’t a regular starter under Slot, and that won’t change unless there are serious injury problems, and he has reached a point in his career where he needs to be playing week in, week out.

Elliott could be a great signing for Leipzig, and an ideal potential replacement for Xavi Simons, as the report alludes to, with former Liverpool man Joe Cole hailing him earlier this summer.

“I love the kid, he plays football the right way. I am excited for his future. He has done a great job for Liverpool, but if he decides to move on, there are levels to move on again. That passion, he can show every week.”

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Whether Leipzig agree to a buyback option remains to be seen, but even if they don’t, this is the right time for Liverpool to sanction Elliott’s exit, allowing him to kick on elsewhere, not to mention ensuring the Reds receive good money for him.

Sunderland’s long wait to bring Granit Xhaka to the Stadium of Light this summer now looks to be over.

Indeed, the whole saga to bring the Swiss international back to English shores has seemingly concluded, as the ex-Arsenal enforcer looks set to complete a medical imminently after landing in Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen.

For £17m, it could well be Sunderland’s most important signing of the summer in offering Regis Le Bris’ troops some much-needed Premier League experience.

However, although experience has been sought after in clinching the 32-year-old’s signature, the Black Cats will also look to the future when making other standout summer purchases, knowing the success they’ve had with starlets such as Chris Rigg.

Sunderland show strong interest in £38m talent

Of course, the Wearside outfit will also be prioritising more Premier League-ready captures, away from going all in on their young and hungry model.

Stefan Ortega is the next top-flight star on their radar, having impressed in spurts as Manchester City’s back-up goalkeeper, with a surprise move for Jamie Vardy also allegedly on the cards after he waved goodbye to Leicester City recently.

But, there has also been apt time for Sunderland to scout out some promising talents who could go on to the club’s next big thing, with Fiorentina’s 20-year-old centre-back Pietro Comuzzo catching the eye in this regard.

As per reports from Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, Sunderland, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest are all showing a strong interest in the up-and-coming Italian, with no offers coming Fiorentina’s way, just yet.

It could cost Sunderland a substantial £38m to get the deal over the line, however. But, this might be a worthwhile investment to make, if he suddenly explodes into life in the Premier League, much like Rigg managed under Le Bris’ wing in the second tier.

Why Comuzzo could be Sunderland's next Rigg

Rigg had already amassed 25 first team appearances at the Stadium of Light before the Frenchman’s inspired appointment.

But, he would really come into his own under the watchful eye of the ex-Lorient manager, who has even been hailed as a “father figure” in his approach with youngsters, according to journalist Luke Entwistle.

In total, the exciting 18-year-old midfielder would make 47 appearances last season as Sunderland triumphantly secured promotion, with four goals and one assist also coming his way to play a pivotal part in his side’s whirlwind ascent back to the Premier League.

Knowing what their team has managed to achieve with Rigg in such a short space of time will make the Wearside masses even more eager to see what Comuzzo could achieve in his fresh environment, with the 20-year-old already in and around the senior Italy circles as an international, after looking way beyond his years in his native country last season, much like the teenage sensation.

Comuzzo’s breakout campaign, which saw him collect a promising six clean sheets from 33 Serie A appearances, has led to him gaining many plaudits, with his former Fiorentina manager, Raffaele Palladino, hailing him as “extraordinary” for the maturity he displays when throwing himself into 3.6 duels on average in the testing terrain of the Italian top-flight.

That has further led to Palladino donning him a “soldier” for this resilience and energy, away from also being labelled as an “old-fashioned defender” by Italian scout Michele Fratini for his willingness to get stuck in, even as a 20-year-old still learning the ropes.

He will look to continue his upward trajectory on Wearside, with Comuzzo already one season down in a taxing top-flight environment.

This breakout offering in Florence has even seen him be shortlisted for the 2025 Golden Boy award, as he aims to become the next top starlet at the Stadium of Light in a similar vein to Rigg and other notable names before the 18-year-old.

Their new Defoe: Sunderland submit offer to sign "world-class" striker

Sunderland could soon win the services of this potent striker as their next major purchase.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 29, 2025

Chelsea are leaving no stone unturned as the club chases glory on all fronts this season. Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro have arrived to bolster the attack.

Pedro has made an instant impact already, registering three goal involvements in as many matches at the Club World Cup for the Blues.

He might be joined by Xavi Simons, who looks close to sealing a deal to join the Blues in the coming days.

This squad depth would make the Stamford Bridge side a force to be reckoned with under Enzo Maresca, especially if he can work out a system that could benefit his attacking players.

Despite the lavish spending, it appears as though Maresca isn’t finished yet…

Chelsea eyeing another attacking signing

With Simons looking like he will be the next big arrival, Maresca has turned closer to home for another potential signing.

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have offered two players plus cash in a deal to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.

Nicolas Jackson and Tosin Adarabioyo are the two players mentioned, while it remains to be seen how much money they have offered as part of the deal.

Villa value Rogers at around £100m, and they will do anything to keep hold of the playmaker this summer.

If the Blues strike a deal, it would be a major statement. Several of the team will benefit from Rogers’ arrival, none more so than Pedro.

Why Morgan Rogers would benefit Joao Pedro

Last season, Pedro scored ten Premier League goals for Brighton, adding six assists in the process.

He has settled into the Blues’ squad nicely indeed. Across three games at the Club World Cup, the Brazilian netted three goals while averaging one key pass per game.

Ahead of the new Premier League campaign, just how good can Pedro become with a player such as Rogers operating directly behind him?

Well, the Englishman enjoyed a stunning breakthrough season himself in the top flight during 2024/25.

Not only did he score eight times, but Rogers generated ten assists as Villa just missed out on Champions League qualification. He notably shone in Europe too, netting eight goals, including three which came in one game against Celtic.

When compared to his peers in the Premier League, the former Manchester City starlet ranked in the top 7% for through balls (0.64) per 90, along with ranking in the top 20% for take-ons attempted (4.62) per 90 across last season.

Furthermore, the youngster even created a staggering 16 big chances (the 11th best tally in the division) while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game for Villa.

Shots per game

1.5

Big chances created

16

Key passes per game

1.4

Total duels won per game

4.7

Big chances missed

11

Touches per game

41.3

These statistics demonstrate just how effective he is behind the centre-forward, something which Pedro can take full advantage of.

Hailed as “unstoppable” by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher last term, Rogers has all the tools in his armoury to be a success at Stamford Bridge.

The offer to Villa sounds like it might be tempting for Unai Emery to accept, especially given their need to balance the books.

Will Rogers be the final piece of the attacking jigsaw for Maresca ahead of the 2025/26 season? Only time will tell.

Way better than Simons: Chelsea preparing offer to sign £100m "machine"

The dynamic attacker would be a better signing for Chelsea than Xavi Simons.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 22, 2025

Where will Newcastle United’s striker search take them next?

The Magpies were in the race to sign Benjamin Šeško, even agreeing a £70m fee with RB Leipzig, but the Slovenian chose to move to Manchester United instead, a transfer that was officially announced on Saturday morning.

So now, has Eddie Howe identified his latest top target?

Newcastle's striker search

It’s been a busy summer in terms of Newcastle United strikers, both in terms of players at the club, as well as ones they’d like to bring to Tyneside.

Callum Wilson was released earlier this summer, while Alexander Isak is yet to feature in pre-season, as he aims to force through a move to Liverpool although, as reported by Luke Edwards of the Telegraph, the Swede has been informed he ‘will not be allowed’ to move this summer, the latest twist to this saga that is drawing no closer to a conclusion.

Meantime, on top of Šeško, the Magpies have failed in their attempts to sign fellow strikers João Pedro, Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitiké and Matheus Cunha, all of whom have joined Premier League rivals, while they’ve also seen a £25m bid for Yoane Wissa rejected by Brentford.

Sam Tabuteau of the Evening Standard believes that the Magpies are ‘preparing a fresh bid’ for the DR Congo international, but should they go for a different striker from within the Premier League?

Well, according to Ed Aarons of the Guardian, Newcastle currently lead the race to sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, adding that the Senegalese striker has informed the Blues of his desire to leave, falling down the pecking order following the arrivals of the aforementioned Pedro and Delap.

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Aarons adds that Jackson has ‘trained alone’ at Cobham, valued at around £80m by Chelsea, albeit the Blues are ready to ‘accept’ a fee closer to £65m.

So, could Jackson soon swap West London for the North East?

How Nicolas Jackson would improve Newcastle

Despite often being widely ridiculed, Jackson’s statistics since arriving at Chelsea two summers ago are largely impressive.

He scored 17 goals during his debut campaign in England, before adding a further 13 goals to his tally last time round, despite sitting out around three months of the campaign due to a hamstring injury.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him an “extraordinary” talent, while Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines praises his work rate and ‘ability to get into goal-scoring positions’, projecting he will become a ‘top striker’.

Liam Twomey and Mark Carey of the Athletic agree, outlining his ‘excellent’ pressing, with Ed Dove of ESPN documenting how Chelsea’s form nosedived during his injury last season, describing his ‘broader contribution… without the ball’ as invaluable.

So, would Jackson be a better signing than Newcastle’s other target, Wissa?

Let’s compare the pair to find out.

Appearances

65

69

Minutes

5,050

5,437

Goals

24

31

Assists

10

9

Shots

2.8

2.61

Shots on target %

46.2%

41.4%

Goals – xG

-7

+1.9

Shot-creating actions

164

133

Touches

30

28

% of touches in the box

17%

17%

As the table documents, Jackson and Wissa are stylistically very similar players, emphasised by the fact they accumulate a very similar number of touches per-90, registering an identical percentage of these touches in the opposition’s penalty area.

Jackson’s most eye-catching statistic is the fast he has underperformed his expected goals by seven across the last two Premier League seasons, missing a whopping 43 Opta-defined big chances, which is significantly more than anybody else.

Flipping that into a positive, it proves that the Senegal international is getting into good positions but just not taking these chances, a skillset he could improve in the future.

Still only 24 years old, while Wissa’s 29th birthday is coming up next month, Jackson would represent the more shrewd investment from Newcastle, given that the pair are pretty similar in quality at this very moment, but the current Chelsea forward has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the Premier League in the longer terms.

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England recover from nadir of 45 for 3 as six dropped catches allow fightback

Andrew Miller28-Nov-2024You have to make hay while the sun shines, as Harry Brook proved in two distinct interpretations of that hackneyed old adage. His seventh Test century – and sixth away from home – was a magnificent and crucial contribution to a day of wildly contrasting weather patterns, as England recovered from a torrid working-over under overcast morning skies to storm towards first-innings parity by the close, as the sun broke back through for the day’s final two sessions.But rarely can New Zealand have clouded their own fortunes with a spate of fielding lapses to match those that they served up on this enthralling second day. Six clear-cut chances went begging in the course of England’s 319 for 5, including four for Brook alone – and at almost rhythmical interviews too: on 18, 41, 70 and 106, as if designed to douse their bowlers’ morale any time they looked ready to turn back the tide.The upshot is a match situation that now feels like England’s to blow. The sense after they’d prised out eight first-day wickets after choosing to bowl first was that this wicket would get better and better for batting, and so it seemed to prove. Brook himself built key stands of 151 for the fifth wicket with Ollie Pope, who responded to his wicketkeeping reshuffle with an excellent 77, and an unbeaten 97 with his captain, Ben Stokes, who was ominously placed on 37 from 76 at stumps. Stokes did, however, get a life of his own on 30 in the day’s closing overs, as Tom Latham spilled catch No.6, and his third of the day, this time at short cover.But England had not bargained for the mayhem that greeted them while the clouds were in situ for the first three hours of play. The hot, windy weather that had greeted the first day’s play was replaced in the morning by cooler, overcast conditions with a gentle breeze that proved perfect for helping the ball talk, with the degree of swing on offer being almost double that which England had managed. The upshot was that New Zealand found themselves bowling in the conditions that England themselves had envisaged exploiting after winning the toss.Nathan Smith celebrates Joe Root’s chop-on•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesAnd once New Zealand’s first innings had been wrapped up for 348, after the addition of 29 runs in 40 minutes, the ferocity of their bowling onslaught had echoes of their astonishing 46-all-out display against India in Bengaluru last month.Zak Crawley was the first to go, lbw to Matt Henry for a 12-ball duck that left his average against New Zealand at a grim 10.43, but the most stunning blows were struck by the debutant Nathan Smith in the final over before lunch, as he extracted his fellow newbie Jacob Bethell for 10, then, critically, England’s kingpin, Joe Root, also for a duck.Bethell’s maiden innings at No. 3 could scarcely have unfolded in tougher conditions. He was made to wait 13 deliveries before nudging his first run through the leg-side, and hadn’t added to his score in 13 more, until the introduction of Smith allowed him to free his arms with a brace of boundaries: one off the pads, the other through backward point.Related

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Smith, however, got the last laugh at the start of his second over – and then some. With just minutes of the session remaining, he served up a perfect seaming delivery, which angled in at the left-hander from round the wicket, then held its line as it bit and climbed into the edge.Smith had an agonising wait while the third umpire checked for a no-ball, but with the euphoria still surging, he finished the session with an even more critical incision. Root faced down three deliveries, two of which were called as no-balls this time, but his fourth was on a wider line and nipped back off the surface, taking an under-edge into the stumps. It was an astonishing introduction for a bowler with a bustling energy and action redolent of Australia’s Andy Bichel, and as the teams left the field, New Zealand looked good for several more such moments.Glenn Phillips gets funky during his half-century•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesBen Duckett at least resisted in his idiosyncratic fashion, bashing six fours in a 62-ball 46, but he didn’t so much ride his luck, as turn it into a bucking bronco. He survived the day’s first missed chance, to Latham at second slip on 23 off Henry, then got away with two further inside-edges and a spliced pull over deep third before the beanpole seamer Will O’Rourke induced a fatal top-edge to deep backward square.At 71 for 4, England were reeling, and their predicament could have been insurmountable had Brook fallen to the first of his four lives in the very next over, a bad miss at gully by Glenn Phillips on 18 that looked all the more glaring when, some 30 overs later, he pulled off a one-handed screamer at backward point to end Pope’s doughty stay. Smith had been the luckless bowler, as was the case when Brook was on 41, as Latham spilled his second of the innings, another bad miss at first slip.By then, however, the sun was beginning to creep through, and England’s unquenchable desire to be proactive was already clawing back some of the lost ground. Pope, at No. 6 for this Test – ostensibly because he is keeping wicket, but also as a consequence of his grim tour of Pakistan – was once again frenetic from the outset, as he took on O’Rourke’s height and bounce with a series of streaky slaps over the cordon, one of which he knew very little about.But, with Brook following suit with a startling flick for six over fine leg off Henry, England’s run-rate began to creep back towards the habitual 4-an-over pace with which they have subdued so many bowling attacks in the recent past. By tea, both men had marched through to their fifties against a now middle-aged ball – Brook with a second six over fine leg, Pope with a nudge to leg from a brisk 59 balls – and as they kept up that intensity into the evening session, New Zealand’s errors continued to stack up.Devon Conway spilled chance No.4 at deep midwicket, as Brook wound into a slog-sweep on 70 off Phillips, and by then his century was pre-ordained. He duly moved deep into the 90s with an outrageous lap-scoop over the keeper’s head off Southee, whom he then cracked through deep point to bring up his century from 123 balls. Earlier he had become the eighth fastest player, in terms of innings, to reach 2000 Test runs, and second only to Duckett in terms of balls faced: a brisk 2300. There was time yet for one last let-off; a clanger behind the stumps from Blundell down the leg-side, although seeing as the umpire also missed the edge and singled four byes, maybe there really was no way of dislodging him.Matt Henry trapped Zak Crawley lbw for a duck•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesThe day’s dramas had been telegraphed during the end of New Zealand’s own innings. Phillips converted his overnight 41 to an unbeaten 58, but it was not an easy stay, as epitomised by his audible cry of “oh you weasel!” as Chris Woakes beat him with an outswinger. He also had a scare on 42 when Carse, generating a good head of steam, smacked him hard in the grille via a top-edge off the splice, and in a sign of things to come, was also dropped in the same over by Root at slip, a tough diving chance to his right.But Carse had already done for Southee with his first ball of the day, and eventually plucked out O’Rourke’s off stump with an outswinging yorker, to close out the innings with career-best figures of 4 for 64 in his third Test. It was a reminder that England too have the bowlers to compete on this intriguing surface. If they have the catchers too, they will believe this game is back in their grasp.

Head coach Phil Simmons lauded Bangladesh’s mental shift from trying to survive to trying to win, after they beat West Indies by 101 runs on the fourth evening of the second Test in Kingston. Simmons said their decision to bat first – after they had lost the first Test by 201 runs – paid off in multiple ways and that the batters will now have confidence that they can bounce back in tough conditions.Bangladesh were bowled out for 164 in the first innings, but they came strongly with the ball and skittled the home side for 146. They had an improved batting performance in the second innings and made 268, weathering a barrage of bouncers and verbals on the third afternoon to get into a winning position.”I loved the way the batters came out with a positive attitude,” Simmons said on the official broadcast after the game. “They had a survival attitude in the first few games [since I took charge]. On the third day, you saw that they were saying, ‘I have come to play the game’. I loved and enjoyed it. I made sure that they know that it is the way we have to play from now on. The Test win is something that these young players were looking forward to. It is nice to see them come back in their way after losing the first Test match. It’s total joy for me.Related

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“I think when we had the delay [due to wet outfield on the first day] and the sun was out, as hot as I felt in Jamaica for a long time, there was no question that we had to bat first. The wicket had dried out. We had to make the running in the Test match, as were down 1-0. The decision to bat wasn’t a difficult one. I think breaking it to the batters… It is a team that likes to bowl first to see what’s there. Giving them the confidence that I believe in you, that you can bat first here, I think that led to how we batted in the second innings. We just needed to do better than the first innings.”Bangladesh had several performers in the Jamaica Test win. Nahid Rana led the fight with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, before Jaker Ali held the second innings together with his 91 in the second innings. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam then took a five-for on the fourth and final day, with Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud picking up two wickets each in the final push for victory.Simmons praised Jaker’s ability to switch gears after a slow start. He was also impressed with Mehidy Hassan Miraz, who captained the side in Najmul Hossain Shanto’s absence after the regular captain ruled out of the Test series because of a groin strain.”Jaker scored three fifties in successive Tests, so he knows his game. We saw that he can also take on every bowler. He needs to take what he gets from here, and try to improve on it. This is not always going to be the way it is,” Simmons said. “I have been impressed with [Mehidy]. He took over from Shanto in short notice. He has taken the job and run with it. Mehidy and Taijul complement each other. Mehidy is a little bit faster and straighter, whereas Taijul uses his variations a lot.”Taijul loves hitting the stumps, so he bowls more arm balls than [conventional] spinners. He seems to be getting better every game. You could see that there was more thought in his bowling here in every session.”Having missed the first Test to manage his workload, Rana hit West Indies with rapid pace in Kingston for a match haul of 6 for 93. He now has 20 wickets in six Tests after making his debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year.”I was even more impressed [with Rana in Jamaica] than I was in Sharjah where he made his ODI debut, ” Simmons said. “For him to be so consistent on this wicket and hitting his lengths. At the end of the day yesterday, he was bowling in his mid-140s. We under-rated the young fast bowler’s ability to assess the situation.”The things he tells me before going on to the field, I wonder whether he is playing his fourth or fifth Test match. He is impressive with pace, but also with his hunger to learn. He keeps growing, and I am sure we will see a lot more of him.”

Sri Lanka need another 143 runs on the final day, with five wickets in hand but a long tail to follow

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Dec-2024

South Africa took major strides towards wrapping up a series whitewash on day four in Gqeberha, dismissing Sri Lanka’s top five after setting a mammoth 348 to win.An unbroken 83-run stand between Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis has given Sri Lanka mild hope going into the final day. But they are still 143 runs shy, and are the last batters are shielding a particularly inept tail – Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Asitha Fernando all having been No. 11s in other Sri Lanka sides. To win, Sri Lanka would not only have to defy South Africa’s bowling with the second new ball (due in 28 overs), they’d also have to contend with morning conditions, which have tended to be trickier than afternoon or evening ones so far this Test.Sri Lanka will perhaps, take some heart from their previous chase in Gqeberha, however, which came in 2019. On that occasion they had needed 137 to win overnight, with eight wickets in hand, and got to the target without losing a wicket the following morning. It had been Kusal who had led that chase. He and de Silva were both 39 not out at stumps here.Keshav Maharaj, working now with a pitch that was taking some turn on the fourth afternoon, made the most critical strikes to the Sri Lanka chase. Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis had struck up a 53-run stand, and had appeared to see off the worst of the seam-bowlers’ spells. But Maharaj slipped a straighter, flatter ball under Mathews’ big slog sweep to end the partnership, before, in his following over, he had Kamindu caught bat-pad by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, who dived desperately to get his glove under the dying chance. That double-strike had left Sri Lanka at a near-hopeless 122 for 5, until de Silva and Kusal defibrillated the innings.Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates with Dimuth Karunaratne after getting David Bedingham•Associated Press

Earlier, the quicks had dismissed Sri Lanka’s top three with the new ball. In the third over, Rabada rapped Dimuth Karunaratne in front of the stumps to dismiss him cheaply for the fourth time in the series. Pathum Nissanka, who had previously overturned an lbw call against him, nicked off driving at a full, wide, swinging delivery from Paterson, in the 13th over. Paterson would also dismiss Chandimal with an inducker, which Chandimal’s review suggested would have just grazed leg stump. He’d made 29 at that point.Before that, it had been largely Sri Lanka’s day, as they claimed the seven remaining South Africa wickets for 126 runs. That they hung in the game was down largely to Prabath Jayasuriya, who racked up his 10th five-wicket haul, and his first overseas, in the morning session. He had tangoed with the rough outside the right-hander’s leg stump during many of his 14 day-four overs, and for his excellent control and variety, claimed three wickets to finish with figures of 5 for 129. The frontline seamers took one day-four wicket apiece.The most dramatic dismissal of the day was the first. Tristan Stubbs and overnight partner Temba Bavuma had begun the day brightly, and had extended their fourth-wicket stand to 103, when Bavuma clubbed a Lahiru Kumara ball to deep midwicket and took off for a tight two. Stubbs hesitated upon turning for the second however, and attempted to turn Bavuma back but did so too late. The pair were caught mid-pitch for long enough that Kumara could get back to the non-striker’s stumps and run Stubbs out with ease. He was out for 47.Temba Bavuma reached fifty off 83 balls•AFP/Getty Images

Bavuma, who early in the day completed his fourth half-century of the series (one of these had also been a hundred), then put on a 41-run stand with David Bedingham, whom Sri Lanka tested with the short ball with a stacked legside field (he had been dropped twice trying to pull in the first innings). South Africa got through that period, but Bavuma could not defy Jayasuriya forever. He was bowled trying to sweep the spinner, the ball leaping out of the rough. With this 66, Bavuma has 327 runs for the series.Bedingham batted with much more caution than he had displayed in the first innings but edged Jayasuriya to slip on 35, the ball once again kicking off the surface to take the outside edge. Jansen attempted to hit out against Jayasuriya, and was caught on the deep midwicket boundary.South Africa’s tail made what may turn out to be crucial runs after lunch though, with Maharaj, Rabada and Paterson clubbing two sixes and five fours between them. The last two wickets had also been costly for Sri Lanka in the first innings, when the ninth and tenth-wicket partnerships were worth 89 put together.

The two new arrivals from Bayer Leverkusen have had fitness issues whereas the Hungarian has hit the ground running this season

Liverpool made a succession of significant signings during the most sensational transfer window in the club's history. The summer-long pursuit of Alexander Isak obviously dominated the headlines, given the saga was only concluded on deadline day, but the acquisition of Florian Wirtz was the deal that nobody saw coming.

The common consensus was that if Bayer Leverkusen were to actually sanction the sale of their most prized possession, he would go to Bayern Munich or Manchester City. However, Liverpool suddenly and surprisingly emerged as the frontrunners in the race to sign Wirtz at the start of June before agreeing to pay an initial £100 million (£135m) for the attacking midfielder.

The news understandably sparked mass excitement around Anfield. Fenway Sports Group (FSG) had finally decided to splash the cash – and one of the finest young players in world football was on his way to Liverpool.

Amid all of the hype and hysteria, Dominik Szoboszlai was largely forgotten. The Hungarian had played a pivotal part in last season's title triumph yet the presumption was that he'd simply accept a supporting role in Arne Slot's squad.

Szoboszlai, though, has been Liverpool's star performer during the first three rounds of the new Premier League season – and even with Isak now on board, there's no reason to think that he'll suddenly be relegated to the bench.

On the contrary, Szoboszlai has arguably made himself un-droppable – because he's not just posing a threat to Wirtz's status as a starter, he's also emerged as an attractive alternative to another summer signing from Leverkusen, Jeremie Frimpong, at right-back.

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  'Runs for two players'

  Jurgen Klopp once described Szoboszlai as "a joy to work with" – and Slot quickly came to understand why. As the Dutchman said in January, "Dom's work-rate is un-be-lievable! He just keeps on running with the highest intensity and that is so important for a team that wants to compete for something."

  Slot wasn't wrong. Szoboszlai's pressing was a key component in Liverpool's game plan all season long, while he also made some decisive contributions in massive matches – most notably his goal and ingenious assist in the 2-0 win at Manchester City on February 23, and the opener in the victory over Newcastle three days later that effectively sealed a record-breaking 20th championship.

  "He wins the ball back for us, he runs for two players," Slot enthused at the time. "That probably deserves even more credit than him scoring a goal."

  Despite pointing out that Szoboszlai's importance to Liverpool was "underestimated", the £60m (£81m) signing still came in for criticism last term for his perceived lack of end product. The 24-year-old may have been directly involved in more Premier League goals during the 2024-25 campaign than the likes of Declan Rice, who was nominated for Player of the Season, Martin Odegaard and Kevin De Bruyne, but his numbers still became a big topic of debate.

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  Ominous arrival

  Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, for example, made no secret of the fact that he was "not Szoboszlai's biggest fan" and felt that the Reds were entitled to expect more from a player who was regularly deployed as an attacking midfielder.

  "I know he's a completely different player, and he's got great energy, but when you think of what Arsenal have got in Odegaard, what Man City had in De Bruyne in the past, what Chelsea have got in Cole Palmer, you want someone who’s going to get you close to 15, 20 goals a season from that position," Carragher told the 'Stick to Football' podcast. Essentially, the England international was arguing that Liverpool need to sign a more productive No.10 during the summer – which is exactly what they did.

  Unbeknownst to the fans, Liverpool had been exploring the possibility of signing Wirtz for some time and their interest in the 22-year-old's services made perfect sense. The Germany international is a very different type of attacking midfielder to Szoboszlai. He's a proper No.10, an old-school trequartista with a very modern approach to pressing.

  As well as being a wonderful dribbler, Wirtz has a wonderful gift for finding space and picking out passes in between the lines – as he demonstrated during the first half of the Community Shield clash with Crystal Palace.

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  Slot's masterstroke

  Given his cost and his qualities, then, Wirtz was always going to play in his preferred position when Liverpool began their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on August 15. Szoboszlai started, too, of course but as part of a midfield pivot with Alexis Mac Allister due to the unavailability of the suspended Ryan Gravenberch. It was, thus, thought that when the latter returned to the starting line-up for the game at Newcastle on August 25, Szoboszlai might drop to the bench.

  Slot had a problem, though. Not only was Mac Allister missing for the trip to Tyneside due to the birth of his first child, Frimpong was ruled out through injury and the obvious replacement at right-back, Conor Bradley, wasn't match fit. Consequently, Slot picked Curtis Jones to replace Mac Allister in midfield and asked Szoboszlai to fill in for Frimpong. Remarkably, it proved a masterstroke. 

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  'Absolutely outstanding'

  Szoboszlai was sensational at St. James Park, first doing an outstanding job in nullifying the threat posed by Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes, and then, after being moved into midfield, effectively creating the winning goal for Rio Ngumoha with an outrageous dummy.

  As he didn't touch the ball, Szoboszlai wasn't credited with an assist (Thierry Henry argued he should have been!) – but his characteristic selflessness was rightly and widely lauded, with even Carragher lauding him for an "absolutely outstanding" all-round display. As for Slot, he felt Szoboszlai personified his side's winning mentality.

  "It is not easy to play as a full-back if you've only been a midfielder in your career," the Reds boss said after the 3-2 victory. "He played there once in pre-season – I think it was against Stoke when we played behind closed doors – but in that game we only had the ball and now he had to defend a lot. For him to put in a performance like that, you can say a lot about his character."

Ruben Neves has hit back at a Portuguese magazine over speculation around his relationship with Diogo Jota's widow Rute Cardoso following the Liverpool forward's tragic death.

Neves issues furious response on InstagramPortuguese outlet TV Guia made the claimsDiogo Jota tragically passed away in JulyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The football world was left devastated after Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 25, died in a car crash in the Spanish province of Zamora in July. Father-of-three Diogo married his long-term partner Rute just 11 days before the accident.

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Portugal international Neves, who played alongside Jota at Wolverhampton Wanderers, accompanied Cardoso as the Midlands club paid tribute to her late husband before their opening fixture of the 2025-26 Premier League season against Manchester City on August 16. However after Portuguese magazine TV Guia produced a front-page cover focusing on Neves' support for Cardoso – alongside the caption "Ruben Neves and Rute United After Death: How Diogo Jota's widow leans on her best friend" – the midfielder issued a strong rebuke of the article on Instagram.

WHAT NEVES SAID

Commenting on TV Guia's post on Instagram, Neves – who has been married to Debora Lourenco for over a decade – said: "I always believe in the good in people, I've been warned not to do so, I've been wrong, and I never wish harm on anyone.

"The person who put this photo on the magazine cover doesn't deserve to be happy, just as their choice wasn't a happy one. My wife, Debora Lourenco, and I have been together for over 11 years, happy, with a family that makes me proud, and in 11 years we have never been involved in any controversy.

"We've done our best to help Rute and her family in the best way possible. The choice of this photo is as unfortunate as the person who chose it and the person who posted it. I respect that everyone has their own work, I respect that everyone wants to do their best, and I don't respect those who don't respect others."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool announced plans for a permanent memorial sculpture at Anfield in tribute to Jota and his brother Andre on July 26. The Reds also confirmed they had retired the No. 20 shirt which Jota wore during his five-year spell at the club.