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No thrilling finish but draw with Gloucestershire is enough for Foxes combined with stalemate at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025There was no thrilling finale on the field but Leicestershire could celebrate nonetheless after securing the draw with Gloucestershire that, in the event, ensured their promotion to Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.With two fixtures still to play, the result at the Uptonsteel County Ground combined with the draw between Middlesex and Derbyshire at Lord’s guarantees that Leicestershire will finish in the top two in Division Two and end a 22-year-exile from the top division.Set 316 to win from a minimum 74 overs when Gloucestershire, who felt their outside chance of a promotion required them to win here, declared four overs before lunch on 175 for 3 in their second innings, Leicestershire were 93 for 1 from 30.3 when the afternoon’s third interruption for rain proved heavy enough for the final day’s play to be abandoned at around 4.10pm.It is a first promotion for Leicestershire since the County Championship adopted its current two-division format in 2000. Led for most of the season by Australian international Peter Handscomb – now back home preparing for his domestic season – Leicestershire have been the dominant side in Division Two all season after winning five of their first seven matches and suffering only one defeat.They last played in Division One in 2003 and have since become almost perpetual stragglers, finishing bottom of DivisionTwo on eight occasions. In four of those, the last as recently as 2022, they failed to register a single victory, famously going 37 matches over 933 days without a Championship win between September 2012 and June 2015.Leicestershire, whose next target is to secure the points they need to guarantee they are crowned Division Two champions, went into the final day in the comfortable knowledge that while a victory would seal the deal in terms of confirming promotion, a draw might do it anyway depending on the result at Lord’s, or at worst leave them needing minimal gains from their final two fixtures.Gloucestershire’s need for a win, therefore, put the onus on them to set up a finish, to which end they added 165 in 21 overs before declaring just before lunch, setting the home side 316 to win in a minimum 74 overs.Against a Leicestershire attack that was a man down because of Ben Mike’s ongoing hamstring problems, 21-year-old opener Joe Phillips further enhanced his growing reputation with an unbeaten 69 from 73 balls.Ben Charlesworth cleared the midwicket boundary off Logan van Beek and landed back-to-back sixes off Chris Wright in his 56-ball 61 before a miscue to deep third man ended his charge. Ian Holland limited Ollie Price to just 8 but Miles Hammond plundered another 28 from 26 before top-edging into the off side, Holland veering away in his follow-through to be under the ball when it came down.Gloucestershire asked Leicestershire to face four overs before lunch possibly more in hope than expectation. The wicket of Sol Budinger perhaps came as a bonus, the opener making no attempt to rein in his natural attacking instincts but perishing after just 13 deliveries, tempted by a widish ball from Ajeet Singh Dale despite having collected three boundaries already and picking out the fielder at wide third.The visitors’ cause was not helped by showers after lunch, which eventually washed out 43.3 overs of the scheduled 74.Yet there never seemed enough jeopardy in the fourth-day surface to make 10 wickets a realistic possibility. Rishi Patel finished unbeaten on 42 with acting captain Holland on 27. Gloucestershire’s frustration was cushioned a little by taking 15 points for the draw, but the gap between themselves and second-placed Glamorgan remains at more than 30 points.

West Ham United are now preparing the documents to sign a “special” attacker, who could be Nuno’s first signing.

Nuno still searching for first win as West Ham boss

After Graham Potter became the second managerial casualty of the Premier League season, West Ham thought Nuno would be the man to turn things around, but the former Nottingham Forest boss hasn’t made the greatest of starts.

The 51-year-old is still searching for his first win since replacing Potter in the dugout, with the Hammers losing their last three games on the spin in the Premier League, which leaves them in 19th place and four points adrift of safety.

The most recent result is likely to be the most concerning, with the Irons falling to a 2-1 defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road, in what could prove to be a real six-pointer come the end of the season.

It was a very poor performance from Nuno’s side, who recorded an xG of just 0.65, which suggests they need to bolster their forward line in the January transfer window if they are to stave off fears of relegation.

According to reporter Alan Nixon (via Caught Offside), West Ham are now preparing the documents to sign Barcelona attacker Dro Fernandez, with a major January recruitment drive now on the cards as a result of their very poor start to the season.

Nuno offered "world class" West Ham signing on loan and it isn't Toney or Endrick

The Hammers need reinforcements in January.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 24, 2025

Fernandez has now emerged as a serious target for the Hammers, and they are looking to be savvy by getting a deal done before his valuation goes through the roof, with the attacker in line to become Nuno’s first signing as manager.

However, the La Liga giants are well-aware of the 17-year-old’s potential, meaning he is likely to have a high valuation, which could potentially be prohibitive.

"Special" Fernandez could be destined for the top

It would perhaps be a surprise if Barca were willing to sanction the teenager’s departure, considering he clearly has a lot of potential, having received very high praise from former coach Javi Roxo in the past.

Roxo said: “Dro was always very special, he has a gift for touching the ball and has always been very creative.

“Dro is capable of everything and if Flick puts him on the wing he can also do well, it won’t be Raphinha but he can look like the Iniesta who played on the left. If he relieves himself of pressure and plays freely, he is capable of anything, his talent is infinite.”

Despite his age, the young Spaniard has already forced his way into first-team contention too, with scout Jacek Kulig left impressed after his recent display in the Champions League.

That said, it would be a gamble for West Ham to sign Fernandez in an effort to get them out of relegation trouble, given his lack of experience, and it may be a better idea to target proven Premier League players.

Newcastle United have won five of their six matches across all competitions in October, and the latest phase in Eddie Howe’s plan is starting to take shape.

It’s another trip to St. James’ Park for Fulham in December, with Newcastle drawn against the Cottagers for the Carabao Cup quarter-final. Tottenham Hotspur were put to the sword on Wednesday evening, and the cup defence moves forward.

Howe made changes after that weekend win over Fulham, whose grit was spilt open when Bruno Guimaraes struck low and true on 90 minutes to seal a 2-1 win and allow United to make headway in the Premier League.

Sandro Tonali was rested for that one, replacing Lewis Miley after the hour mark. Against Spurs, the Italian took centre stage, and he dominated and dictated and took home the Player of the Match award.

He really is the difference-maker for the Magpies.

Why Sandro Tonali is Newcastle's main man

It wasn’t always this way. After Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan for a hefty £55m fee in 2023, he would struggle to adapt to the Premier League climate before being hit with a lengthy ban for betting breaches, cutting his debut campaign short, with just 12 appearances made.

But he bounced back last year, forming an ever-tighter relationship with Guimaraes and Joelinton in the centre of the park. The synergised midfield charged a wonderful winning run of form and carried the Toon toward Wembley and victory in the Carabao Cup final.

Now, Tonali is “the best midfielder in the Premier League”, according to pundit Paul Scholes. Whether this is true is open to debate, but he’s certainly in amongst the pack, and the fans would not see him swapped for any other number six in the business.

Against Tottenham, Tonali ran the show, effortlessly good as he defended and attacked and guided the flow of the contest where he pleased.

So energetic and enterprising in his central berth, Tonali covered so much ground against Thomas Frank’s side, and it was his whipped delivery that found Fabian Schar’s head in the box and set the home side on their way.

Newcastle have hit the jackpot with this Serie A star, and, while the season is still young, they appear to have done it again.

Newcastle's new version of Tonali

Newcastle are well-stocked across the field. Tonali is the superstar in the centre, but Guimaraes is too, and Howe has recrafted a frontline with talents like Nick Woltemade, who scored against Spurs and has the potential to be one of the best forwards in the country.

But there was a need to reinforce the St. James’ Park defensive line, too, and Malick Thiaw was chosen to join the project this summer, following the footsteps of his former teammate Tonali at AC Milan.

Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle signed Thiaw in a £35m deal this summer. A talented defender, the German international had suffered regular injury setbacks in Milan, never starting more than 19 Serie A games in any one of his three campaigns.

But he has long been regarded as a “monster in the air” by the likes of journalist Martino Puccio, and he has developed one of the most underrated passing games from any centre-back across Europe.

Now, having started Newcastle’s past five Premier League fixtures and having excelled once again in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham, it’s safe to say Howe has got bang for his buck.

Against the Lilywhites, it was an all-encompassing performance, one that has only reaffirmed his quality and potential inside this squad. Marvelling at the display, Sky Sports’ Keith Downie hailed the player as being “an incredible piece of business” for the club.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

0

Touches

50

Shots (on target)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

38/39 (97%)

Big chances created

1

Possession lost

2x

Tackles won

1/1

Interceptions

3

Recoveries

1

Duels won

2/7

Thiaw’s teething problems have been far less painful. Upon arrival, it was clear Newcastle had landed a progressive centre-half with qualities to advance Howe’s vision. As per data-driven platform FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90.

He is, quite simply, a cut above, and the Chronicle Live handed the ace an 8/10 match rating after he was done with Tottenham, remarking that he didn’t put a foot wrong.

In truth, that score could have been higher still. Not only commanding defensively, Thiaw also got stuck in from an attacking standpoint, winning the ball and adding to the attack ahead of Woltemade’s second-half strike.

In the Premier League, in fact, Sofascore record that Tonali has won 71% of his duels so far this season, completing 88% of his passes and recovering four balls on average each match.

There’s a long way still to go this season, but Newcastle’s two Milan-schooled talents are shaping up to be two of the key components in a campaign which promises so much for the outfit.

Given that we can reasonably expect Thiaw to polish and refine his skillset over the coming months, there’s a sense that United might even have landed one of Europe’s most talented in their position. And in that, he might soon sit alongside Tonali.

Not just Joelinton: Newcastle's "true legend" may now be on borrowed time

Newcastle may well part ways with this Howe mainstay at the end of the campaign.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

Chelsea have built a squad full of brilliant players over the last few years, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella all being genuinely world-class.

However, it would also be fair to say that, so far, their summer signings have not exactly hit the ground running.

In particular, Jamie Gittens has failed to live up to the expectations people had of him after his impressive campaign with Borussia Dortmund last year, during which he recorded 17 goal involvements.

So, it’s not a surprise to see reports linking Chelsea with an exceptionally exciting winger who could end up being a significant upgrade on the Englishman.

Chelsea target Gittens upgrade

With the transfer window less than a month away from reopening, Chelsea have once again been linked with a plethora of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, while there has been plenty of talk about Emmanuel Emegha, the Blues have also been linked with his free-scoring teammate, Joaquín Panichelli.

On top of that, the West Londoners have also been one of several sides linked with Nottingham Forest’s imposing Murillo.

However, while both players would improve Maresca’s squad, because of where they play, neither could be described as an upgrade on Gittens, unlike Yan Diamonde.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a handful of top teams interested in signing the Ivorian winger.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues’ board are convinced about the 19-year-old wonderkid and see him fitting into the team perfectly.

However, on top of having to get ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, the Pensionsers would also have to stump up a lot of money to secure the player.

According to the report, RB Leipzig would want up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m, but even so, Diomande looks like a player Chelsea should go all out for, especially as he’d be a significant Gittens upgrade.

How Diomande compares Gittens

Now, while Diomande is someone who can play on both flanks and has actually spent a little more time on the right recently, he is seen as a left-sided player.

Therefore, were he to join Chelsea next month, one of his main rivals for game time would be Gittens, but who is the better player?

Well, when it comes to raw output, which is fundamentally the most crucial metric of all, it’s not even close.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

In stark contrast, the Englishman has scored a single goal and provided five assists in 18 appearances this season, totalling 830 minutes.

That comes out to a pretty underwhelming average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 138.33 minutes.

Moreover, a caveat about the Reading-born ace’s age cannot be made, as the Leipzig star is just 19 and already running games in attack.

On top of having the better output, the Abidjan-born superstar in the making also has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the competition is less fierce, it is impressive that the Ivorian monster has already won four senior caps for his country, compared to none for the Englishman.

Ultimately, Gittens may well come good, but at the same time, Diomande is massively outperforming him and looks like someone Chelsea should break the bank on.

Fewer touches than Sanchez & 70% duels lost: Chelsea flop must be dropped

It was another night to forget for Chelsea, especially for one starter who Enzo Maresca must now drop.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

2 days ago

The country’s first dedicated and fully equipped cricket venue will host its first international match this weekend

Firdose Moonda10-Oct-2025Never before have Namibian cricketers had their own facility to train and play at, but as of 2025, that’s changed.Construction of the Namibia Cricket Ground (NCG) was finished in August, and it’s now officially open, complete with an indoor centre and a gym. On Saturday it will host its first international match, between Namibia and their neighbours South Africa, the highest-profile fixture on Namibian soil to date.”It really feels like a new dawn and new age for the sport,” Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia’s captain says. “It’s our first high-performance venue and the first time that as sportsmen, we don’t have to drive around to two or three different venues in a day to go to different training sessions. That’s what it means for the players, but what it means for the community is also massive.”Cricket isn’t even one of the biggest sports in the country [but] all the tickets [for the one-off T20I] were sold out so quickly. People are buying their blue Namibia Eagles shirts in numbers from the offices, so we feel very proud. Usually, rugby and soccer are sports where you hear stories about full stadiums and lots of vibe, and it’s so cool that this is our first event and we’ll have 4000 people and everybody’s almost fighting each other in town for a ticket. I never thought I would say that as a cricketer.”Related

• Namibia to play South Africa for first time in new Windhoek stadium in October

• What does the path to the 2027 ODI World Cup look like?

The draw of seeing a South African side headlined by Quinton de Kock’s international return could be one reason for the interest in the match, but the thrill of watching their own national side at a brand new, centrally accessible venue is another. The NCG has been built in the heart of the country’s capital, Windhoek, in a precinct where the streets are named after different sporting codes. There’s Netball Street, Rugby Street, and even, you guessed it, Cricket Street, where a new paved road leads into and out of the stadium. The ground itself features one main building and grass embankments, giving it a hybrid feel – part big stadium, part club ground. All of this infrastructure is ensconced in an area dedicated to physical activity.Just next door is the national rugby stadium and a few blocks away is Independence Stadium, which hosted some of Namibian cricket’s early matches. Since then, fixtures have been played about five kilometres away at a privately owned club ground called Wanderers, which Cricket Namibia had to rent to use. Wanderers is a multi-sport facility that is also used by club members, which Erasmus has previously described as “not ideal” to have as a home base.Captain Gerhard Erasmus is hopeful of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, part of which will be played in Namibia•ICC via Getty”We’ve all grown up at Wanderers and trained around there, but we didn’t really have our own home,” he says. “Now we have one and it’s right next to the other stadiums. Because it’s newly built, it really feels like a refreshment in that vicinity.”For Erasmus, the unveiling of a cricket-specific venue – especially when other sports are seeing a downturn – is also a reward for what Namibian cricket has achieved since 2021, when they qualified for their first T20 World Cup. The national rugby team have missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup for the first time since 1999, and the football team are on the verge of being knocked out of contention for the next year’s World Cup. But cricket continues to enjoy success.Last week, Namibia secured a fourth successive T20 World Cup qualification and dominated all their opposition until they lost to Zimbabwe in the final, a result that was irrelevant to their participation at the World Cup. In the four matches that mattered, Namibia posted totals over 200 twice and JJ Smit and Jan Frylinck both registered maiden T20I hundreds. Though their batting strength throughout the qualifiers was notable against opposition like Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi, none of whom have played at a T20 World Cup, Erasmus is careful not to get too far ahead of himself. “In all fairness, it was probably one of our easiest qualifications. It felt like it was written in the stars that we had to qualify because there’s lots of things going for us,” he says. “We’ve played most of our games at Harare Sports Club, so there were no upsets in terms of conditions. We really had it nice. As cricketers, you always tend to moan when it goes badly. This time around, it all went swimmingly.”Again, the importance of a dedicated venue was underlined but it is not the only reason Namibia enjoyed a good week in Zimbabwe. Erasmus also credited a change in approach, which has come with new management and head coach, Craig Williams, Namibia’s leading all-format run-getter. “With the new set-up and the new coach in the last couple of months, pressure has been taken off us in terms of having to score, having to bat a certain way or having to do a certain thing. It’s more of an assess-and-react blueprint we tend to follow,” he says. “Guys are much calmer and they’re setting a better foundation. We’ve always been known to hit the ball very well. We’ve got power and everybody knows our six-hitting ability, but [the ability] to construct an innings has sometimes been lacking. It feels like it’s really changed in the last couple of months. Even domestically, we have lots more hundreds over the recent past.”Wanderers, a multi-sport facility that also hosts rugby, hockey and netball, among others, was the principal venue for cricket in Namibia earlier•Getty ImagesNow that needs to translate into the 50-over game, because Namibia are not guaranteed a place at the 2027 ODI tournament – played across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia – and have a long way to go in qualifying. They are currently in sixth spot on the eight-team ​​World Cricket League Two table, 11 points off the leaders Scotland, with 12 matches left to play. Irrespective of where they finish on that table, they will still have a chance to get to the World Cup. The top four teams progress directly to the World Cup Qualifier and the bottom four to the playoffs, so the possibility of playing in a home World Cup is still alive and Erasmus knows how crucial it is that they give it their best shot.”For Associate nations it’s very important to qualify to stay relevant in world cricket,” he says. “Obviously we have fewer opportunities than Test nations, and in T20 World Cups we have the carrot dangling every second year, but even then, like you would have seen with Scotland, there’s big repercussions to not qualifying. As players as well, you feel like you’re missing out.” And missing out on their own party and their own venue in two years’ time is not something Namibia want at all.

Wrexham, owned by Hollywood icons Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have been boosted by a public grant from the government of Wales worth an astonishing £18 million. The funding is set to help the club in their ambitions to rebuild StoK Cae Ras into a world-class arena that meets UEFA's stadium requirements, with the goal of hosting prominent international fixtures in the future.

Wrexham received hefty public grant from Welsh government

Wrexham have received nearly £18 million (€21m/$25m) in non-repayable public grants from the Welsh government – far more than any other football club in Britain, according to UK government state-aid disclosures. Local officials had previously said that Wrexham would get a "substantial amount" of a £25m (€29m/$34m) Welsh government grant earmarked for redeveloping the area around Wrexham General train station, which sits adjacent the Racecourse Ground. What hadn’t been made public until now is that the club itself would receive the majority of that funding directly.

The club, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has also enjoyed a surge in commercial success. Their involvement has helped secure major sponsorships from global giants such as Meta, United Airlines, and TikTok. The public grant will only strengthen their already healthy financial situation.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA positive step towards Wrexham's bid to meet £350m valuation

Back in June, reported that owners Reynolds and McElhenney were considering selling a minority stake in a valuation of the club at £350m (€400m/$475m), having bought for just£2m in 2021. Earlier this year, Wrexham hit the £100m valuation mark following a 15 per cent stake acquisition by New York's Allyn family. More investors are being sought according to the report, with internal talks having taken place already. The Welsh government grant will further strengthen the owners' bid to transform Wrexham into the most expensive club in the Championship and solidify their push to achieve a record-breaking fourth-successive promotion, which will take them to the Premier League. 

"This looks like an £18m nonrepayable subsidy to a privately owned business now flirting with a £350m valuation. Its existing owners are US-based and very wealthy and liquid private individuals," said Stefan Borson, a football finance expert who works as the head of sport at the McCarthy Denning law firm.

"The club, and its owners, will benefit from the stand for the next 50 years, yet at no point would the taxpayer be repaid or directly profit from the club’s rise. The current ownership have put Wrexham on the global map but it is hard to understand why funding this stand in this way would be a priority for the government.

"So many. I don't want to say to the world that I'm the best because there’s no truth to that. In my mind, I'm the best version of myself, if you know what I mean? It's different when you say you are the best in the world to the world. 'There are so many good players in my position. I'm doing my best. But I need to show more because I feel like I can do more. With goals, with assists, I can feel it.'"

Wrexham's StoK Cae Ras ambitions

Reynolds and McElhenney have reiterated their desire and ambition to convert StoK Cae Ras – the oldest international football stadium on the planet – into a world class venue. "We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides. It's hard to say for sure, butwe think we could get between 45,000 and 55,000 people in there," McElhenney told last year.

With the renovation of the Kop Stand, the capacity will exceed 12,000. When that happens, it will comply with UEFA stadium requirements, having already been selected as one of the venues when Wales hosts next year's European Under-19 Championship. What's more, the Racecourse Ground has also been included in UK's official bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup.

A council spokesperson said: "The Racecourse is an important cultural and heritage asset for the city of Wrexham and we are obviously keen to protect it for the future.

"Utilising grant funding from Welsh government, the council have provided funding to the football club to enable the redevelopment plans to be enhanced to a standard to enable international matches to be hosted in Wrexham once again."

A Wrexham spokesperson added: "The impact of these improvements, and the ability to host international sporting events in north Wales, will create both a catalyst for local job creation and provide an overall economic uplift to the region due to the increased number of visitors attracted to the events and their economic activity while they are in the area."

Meanwhile, the Welsh government is certain that the funding "will make the crucial difference between the club satisfying league requirements and meeting the more demanding international fixture standards," adding that, consequently, StoK Cae Ras "can host competitive international football at the world's oldest international stadium, boosting the local economy and delivering a fitting landmark for Wrexham."

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Getty Images SportWrexham pushing for Championship playoff spot

Phil Parkinson's men enjoyed an excellent November, going unbeaten in England's second tier after a difficult start to the season at the club's highest level in over 40 years. Their last defeat came over a month ago against Stoke City, and since then they’ve put together a strong run of form, remaining undefeated and collecting 15 from a possible 21 points. 

They find themselves in 10th position on the league table, just two points behind sixth-placed Ipswich Town. If they can now find a bit of long-term consistency, Wrexham will fancy their chances of securing a promotion playoff spot, which would put them on the brink of the Premier League.

Siddique took a four-for in the chase where Oman crumbled in the powerplay

Alagappan Muthu15-Sep-2025

A skillful half-century from Alishan Sharafu and a dogged one from Muhammad Waseem took UAE to 172 for 5, and then a 42-run victory as well, in their Asia Cup game against Oman on Monday.Sharafu’s methodBoth teams were searching for their first points of the tournament and their challenge in Abu Dhabi was to negotiate a slow and low pitch. Sharafu did so by charging out of the crease. Twelve attempts just within the powerplay fetched all six of his fours.On the back of that, UAE, who were 11 for 0 after three overs, collected 39 runs off the next three and never looked back. Sharafu’s best shot, though, came outside the field restrictions, an inside-out drive over cover for six against legspinner Samay Shrivastava.Waseem’s recordWaseem became the fourth-quickest batter to 3000 T20I runs, behind Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. He wasn’t really at his best in this game. The 69 off 54 balls was often a struggle, but there were also clever moments, like when he saw a new bowler – Aamir Kaleem – coming on in the powerplay and smashed him for three fours in the over. Waseem went to his fifty with a trademark six down the ground.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Oman didn’t help themselves in the field. They had a chance to dismiss Waseem on 27 off 22 but the fielder wasn’t all the way back on the long-on boundary, and not only did he miss the catch but he also let it go for four. Then with Waseem on 34 off 33, Shakeel Ahmed dropped a dolly at short fine leg.UAE finished on 172 for 5 with their middle-order players chipping in with crucial runs. Harshit Kaushik and Muhammad Zohaib put together hit 40 off 21 balls.Oman’s collapseJatinder Singh briefly looked like the best batter on show as he found ways to time the ball in slow and low conditions. He raced to 20 off 10 but soon enough hitting through the line on a surface where the ball wasn’t coming on came back to bite him. The Oman captain dragged Junaid Siddique back onto his stumps during a period where his team lost three wickets in 14 balls.The powerplay was still going and Oman had lost nearly half their side. Four of their top five bagged single-digits and from a start like that – 32 for 4, then 50 for 5 – all they could do was try and play out the overs. Siddique threw a spanner in those works too, taking two wickets in the 16th over and finishing with 4 for 23. Oman were bowled out for 130.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has responded to an approach by Juventus this week as the Serie A giants search for Igor Tudor’s replacement.

It’s been an extremely mixed start to 2025/2026 for Maresca after delivering two major trophies in the space of a few months earlier this year.

A win of four straight wins in all competitions before their damning loss to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last weekend best sums up their inconsistency thus far, with Chelsea only just getting past Premier League bottom side Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

The west Londoners were 3-0 up and cruising thanks to first-half goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao, but the home side seriously threatened an unlikely comeback when Tolu Arokodare and David Wolfe pulled it back to 3-2.

Summer signing Jamie Gittens was then on hand to score Chelsea’s fourth and his first ever goal for the club, which ultimately sealed their place in the quarter-finals, even if Wolfe bagged another for Wolves in added time to make Maresca’s side sweat.

The 4-3 win at Molineux was overshadowed somewhat by Liam Delap’s needless red card, with Maresca lambasting his two bookable offences as “embarrassing”.

Delap is now set to miss Chelsea’s crunch clash against Tottenham this weekend through suspension, despite only just returning to the fold after weeks on the treatment table with a hamstring injury.

Away from the pitch, Juve are believed to have contacted Maresca’s entourage on the same day that Chelsea edged past Wolves.

Enzo Maresca responds to Juventus approach with Chelsea demands clear

Reports earlier this season suggested Maresca’s long-term future at Chelsea is far from certain, with tensions existing between the Italian and his club hierarchy.

As well as this, journalist Simon Phillips reported that both Cole Palmer and Reece James aren’t fully behind Maresca’s methodology, so if results continue to be topsy-turvy, this situation is worth keeping an eye on.

Now, Phillips has provided another update on the 45-year-old’s future.

Writing via his Substack, the reporter shares news that Juve approached Maresca’s camp on Wednesday amid their search for a new manager.

However, the tactician’s response is clear — he’s not looking to leave midway through the campaign.

While a move to Turin at the end of the season isn’t ruled out, Chelsea will demand a huge compensation fee — which could reach up to £10 million.

Chelsea are braced for a crucial run of games from now till the end of November, including Spurs, Arsenal and La Liga champions Barcelona in the Champions League.

Given their pretty weak defence and lack of options, particularly at centre-back, the Blues could also look to reinforce Maresca’s ranks in January.

Chelsea hold talks with Premier League centre-back over cut-price January move.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph in the 2024/25 campaign allowed numerous players to write themselves into the club’s history books forever.

The Lilywhites ended their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware, and did so in tremendous fashion after defeating fellow Premier League side Manchester United in Bilbao.

Ange Postecoglou handed the fanbase memories to last a lifetime with the triumph, but it wasn’t enough to maintain his position as manager in North London.

Thomas Frank was elected as the man to take the reins during the summer, with the Dane handed the responsibility of taking the club to the next level after the European success.

However, his appointment has prevented numerous players from kicking on in their careers, with the first-team members often struggling to replicate the form they demonstrated under the Aussie.

The biggest losers from Thomas Frank's appointment at Spurs

Yves Bissouma was often one of Postecoglou’s first names on the teamsheet during the 2024/25 campaign, as seen by his tally of 44 appearances across all competitions.

The Malian international featured in 11 of the 15 club’s European outings last campaign, but it’s safe to say his spell under Frank has been far from successful to date.

He was left out of the club’s UEFA Super Cup final after being late numerous times, resulting in missing out on the club’s Premier League squad for the current 2025/26 campaign.

However, he’s not alone in that regard, with Brennan Johnson one of the Lilywhites’ most important players in the previous campaign, as seen by his phenomenal goalscoring record.

The Welshman scored 18 times across all competitions – even netting the winner in the Europa League final – subsequently ending the year as the club’s top goalscorer.

Like Bissouma, he’s struggled for consistency this time around, with the 24-year-old only starting five league games out of a possible 11 since Frank took charge in the summer.

Mohammed Kudus’ arrival has no doubt pushed him down the pecking order, with the manager seemingly preferring the Ghanaian international over him at present.

Spurs star is no longer "one of the best in the world"

Spurs’ £120m spending spree during the summer window has made competition for places even tougher in 2025/26, with the first-team now having incredible depth in certain areas of the squad.

Given the number of competitions the Lilywhites are currently featuring in this season, it’s crucial Frank has the ability to rotate and rest certain players when needed.

Competitions such as the Premier League and Champions League will likely take priority, which has seen numerous players have to settle for minutes off the bench as a result.

Djed Spence has taken his career in North London to the next level over the last couple of years, with the full-back taking advantage of the injury crisis last campaign.

The Englishman made himself a regular starter under Ange last campaign, which has resulted in the 25-year-old now becoming an international regular under Thomas Tuchel.

His starts at right-back has provided competition for Pedro Porro in such an area of the pitch, with the Spaniard often missing out from the starting eleven as a result in recent months.

The 26-year-old has become known for his ability in possession rather than out of it, with Spence the complete opposite and making him an excellent fit for Frank’s system.

In 2024/25, Porro registered nine assists across all competitions, the most in a single season since his move to England – resulting in one journalist labelling him the “best in the world”.

However, in the ongoing campaign, the full-back has only registered one assist to date – showcasing his struggles – with his underlying stats also a cause for concern.

He’s completed just 72% of the passes he’s attempted to date, with such a tally ranking him in the bottom 8% of all players in England’s top-flight this season.

Games played

11

Goals & assists

1

Passes completed

72%

Crosses completed

17%

Duels won

3.9

Times dribbled past

1.3

Fouls committed

1.3

Dribble success

42%

Porro’s crossing success has also taken a massive hit in recent months, as the Spaniard has only completed a total of 17% of his efforts as of the middle of November.

Out of possession, he’s struggled just as much, as seen by his tally of just 3.9 duels won per 90, with such a figure placing him in the bottom 25% of all defenders in the league.

His lack of defensive talent is also evident in his tally of being dribbled past 1.3 times per 90, which is higher than 82% of other full-backs in the division at present.

Such numbers will certainly be a cause for concern to the manager, especially given the quality of players such as Spence already on the books in North London.

Despite his form under Ange, Porro could now find himself on borrowed time in the near future, with the hierarchy potentially tempted to cash in on him and invest in other areas of the squad.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur have a star who could end Rodrigo Bentancur’s career in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 19, 2025

With the top order coming unstuck on the big night, it fell on Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube to win it for India, and they did just that

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-20252:49

Was Haris Rauf’s 17-run over the turning point?

Shivam Dube is a T20 World Cup winner. But the impact of his cameo – a 16-ball 27 – in the final against South Africa in Barbados was lost amid the euphoria of Suryakumar Yadav catch and the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja soon after.He had been picked to play a certain role: destroy spin in the middle overs. Because, between January 2023 and April 2024, Dube’s numbers were elite. He had hit 367 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 166 while being dismissed just five times. But after that, his numbers began to drop alarmingly. Between May 2024 and midway through the Asia Cup, the strike rate had dropped significantly, to 120, while he had been dismissed 13 times.Also, hardly bowling in IPL 2025 because of the Impact Player rule didn’t help his cause. Dube needed big performances at the Asia Cup.Related

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But his three innings leading into Sunday had brought him only 17 runs. And then he was faced with his toughest job yet: a quad injury to Hardik Pandya needed him to step in as a frontline bowler after the team chose batting insurance in the form of Rinku Singh ahead of an extra bowler in Arshdeep Singh. Then Suryakumar handed him the new ball. He didn’t do badly – 3-0-23-0 was respectable enough.Set 147 to win, Dube wouldn’t have known that his biggest contribution was to come yet. He played his part with a match-defining 33 off 22 balls, which was arguably at par with, if not better than, his Barbados cameo.

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Tilak Varma’s twin hundreds in South Africa last November ought to have put to rest any doubts over his ability as a top-order batter. But when his strike rates were questioned at IPL 2025, and he was even retired out on one occasion, it seemed like a mini setback.A county stint in England brought the confidence back leading into the Asia Cup. And through scores of 31, 29, 30*, 5 and 49*, he had shown sparks of that old consistency. Yet, there was a sense that the one defining knock hadn’t come.On Sunday, in Round Three against Pakistan – in a final, no less – with India’s top order having floundered and the scoreboard reading 20 for 3, there was that defining knock, an unbeaten 53-ball 69 that helped India get past the wobble to blaze past the finish line.

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Between the end of the IPL and the start of the Asia Cup, Dube had prioritised fitness to help improve his pace. He also worked on his variations, while also fine-tuning several facets of his batting. His specific target areas were to get better against spin and be effective against high-pace, short-pitched bowling. Essentially, it was a proper reboot.2:55

Aaron: ‘Dube is one of those priceless players’

Last week against Bangladesh, the spin-basher aspect of his game was tested when he was promoted to No. 3 to be a good match-up against left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and legspinner Rishad Hossain. But when he was out for 2 off 3, miscuing a googly to long-off, there was a sense he had missed out again.On Sunday, Dube was held back. To be a finisher, rather than an enforcer.India had relied all tournament on Abhishek Sharma’s big starts that covered for the underwhelming returns from Shubman Gill and Suryakumar.In the final, Abhishek was out in the second over, leading to a proper top-order meltdown.Dube had a job to do when he walked out with the side needing 70 off 46. It was the kind of situation where a cameo would only do so much, but a false shot could prove catastrophic. He needed to be the consolidator and the finisher.And so he stood, facing up to scoreboard pressure, the pressure of the occasion and the charged setting, and the pressure of having to prove himself again.Dube scratched around early – three off five balls – and then nearly ran out Tilak before something clicked. Haris Rauf’s high pace and width allowed him to flick a switch as he slapped the bowler through the covers to break the shackles. Suddenly, the shoulders loosened and he was away.It helped that Tilak managed to accelerate too. Getting 47 off 30 wasn’t going to be a cakewalk, but Dube had at least got his eye in. And the moment Abrar Ahmed bowled length into him, the elite spin-hitter from 2023 took over. Dube unlocked the six-hitter he has always been known to be, muscling one with the spin over deep midwicket.When Rauf returned, his famed bat-swing and long levers helped make sweet connection with a low full toss as he clobbered another over deep midwicket to bring the equation down to 17 off 12.Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube’s brisk stand took India to the doorstep of victory•Getty ImagesEvery time India needed a big hit, he provided one to ease the pressure on Tilak. Dube was reasserting himself in the role he had been picked for. But when he fell, caught at long-off, with India needing ten off six balls, he was distraught.Sat on the edge of the steps to the dressing room, face looking down as his forehead rested on the bat handle, Dube wasn’t making eye contact with those around him.Two balls into the final over, when Tilak walloped Rauf over deep square for six, Dube was still distraught, running through the what-ifs possibly. It wasn’t until Rinku hit the winning runs that the pent-up energy burst forth – there was wild fist-pumping, high-fives, back slaps. Dube was back on his feet.He hared out of the dressing room, not particularly running in any one direction – the elation was visible.

****

Dube’s relief was as palpable as Tilak’s joy at having seen this chase through, but he was nearly not the man for India on the night.In the 14th over, after he had done the hard yards and given himself, and India, a chance to breathe, he lay flat on his stomach, scrambling every possible inch he could with his long reach to make the crease with a full-length dive.As the dust off the turf flew into his face, he didn’t want to look up the replays on the big screen. Tilak might have thought that his bat had dangled in the air briefly before he was inside the crease. Unaware, of course, that there was a minuscule portion of his blade that was in safety zone.2:03

Chopra: Tilak understood the need of the hour

It helped that Mohammad Haris may have been a tad late to break the stumps. Tilak had a second chance. He had been on a near run-a-ball 37 at that point, but with the equation down to 64 off 36, he needed to change gears.That started in the following over, when he backed away to first slap Rauf past mid-off for four, and then play a nonchalant pick-up flick to send the ball over deep-backward square-leg – a shot that was all hands and Rauf’s pace. That 17-run over brought it down to 47 off 30.This was when Dube began to feed off Tilak’s form. But with Dube gone, with an over left, it was all left to Tilak. When he hit the second ball – a slower delivery on a length – off Rauf deep into the stands at backward square-leg with a ferocious pull, Gautam Gambhir’s stoic expression changed to full-blown fire, the coach thumping the desk in front of him wildly.And when the job was done, Tilak went on a celebratory run, towards the dugout – pointing to the India crest, saluting the fans and the dressing room… And just like that, any inkling of doubt had gone far away. He was India’s hero on the night, who had unlocked the finisher in him, in the most extreme pressure, of the kind he hadn’t faced in international cricket until that point.For Dube, it was a night that yet again served as a reminder of what he could still bring to this team. With the ball in the powerplay and with the bat under pressure. For Tilak, it was the night he stopped being the promising kid and became the man for the big occasion.