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Fast bowler joins fellow rookie John Turner on sidelines, will also miss Hundred Eliminator

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2023England have suffered another injury setback ahead of their T20I series against New Zealand next week, with Josh Tongue being withdrawn from the 15-man squad to be replaced by Chris Jordan.Tongue, who impressed in his two Test appearances against Ireland and Australia at Lord’s this summer, had been expected to make his white-ball debut in the course of the four-match series, with England’s selectors keen to expand their pool of fast-bowling options ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.However, ESPNcricinfo understands that Tongue has suffered a pectoral injury, meaning he will also miss the final stages of Manchester Originals’ Men’s Hundred campaign. Originals are due to play Southern Brave in the Eliminator at the Kia Oval on Saturday, and if successful, will face Oval Invincibles in the tournament final at Lord’s on Sunday.Tongue joins John Turner on the sidelines for the T20I series. Both men are capable of bowling in excess of 90mph, and alongside their fellow uncapped pace bowler, Gus Atkinson – who has also been named in the provisional squad for the 50-over World Cup – they had looked set to offer England a potent range of options in next week’s matches against New Zealand.Now, however, the selectors have reverted to the tried-and-tested. With 96 T20I wickets in 87 appearances, Jordan, 34, is England’s leading wicket-taker in the format, and has been in stellar form for Southern Brave in this year’s Men’s Hundred, claiming eight wickets at an economy of 6.88 in their run to the play-offs.Both Jordan and his Southern Brave team-mate Tymal Mills, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps, had been overlooked in the original squad in a deliberate attempt to broaden the squad’s bowling options, as Jos Buttler, the white-ball captain, reiterated on the eve of the Hundred Eliminator, prior to the news of Tongue’s injury.”The T20 squad has been picked with a view to having a look at a few other guys,” Buttler said. “That’s been communicated [to Mills and Jordan] as well. We want to try and broaden that talent pool and expose some people to international cricket to see where they’re at.”Death bowling is obviously a big focus in short-form cricket and we want to see where certain people are at, and give them a chance. Of course, no one’s ever ruled out, but in terms of needing extra motivation, every player should always be motivated in my eyes.”

It was the sixth time Knight Riders bowled out their opposition for a sub-100 total

Sampath Bandarupalli07-Oct-20212:30

Gambhir: As ruthless as you can expect from KKR

86 – Margin of Rajasthan Royals’ defeat in terms of runs, their worst loss in the IPL. Their previous biggest loss was by 75 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009 while chasing 134.2 – The 86-run margin is also the second-biggest win in terms of runs for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Their biggest win came against Royal Challengers on the opening night of the IPL in 2008.

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Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the IPL live in the US. Match highlights of Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

175 – Total runs scored by Royals across their last two matches, the lowest by any team across two completed innings in the IPL. The previous lowest was 183 runs by Kochi Tuskers Kerala, who made 109 and 74 in successive games in 2011, while Royal Challengers also aggregated 183 runs in 2017 when they recorded totals of 49 all out and 134 all out.35 – Royals’ total at the fall of the seventh wicket in this game, the lowest a team scored before losing their seventh wicket in an IPL innings. Royal Challengers’ 42 runs was the previous lowest for a team at the fall of the seventh wicket in IPL, when they folded for 49 in 2017, also against Knight Riders.6 – Instances of Knight Riders bowling out an opponent for a sub-100 total in the IPL, the joint-most for any team. Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers have also had their opponents bowled out under 100 in the IPL on six occasions each.1 – Royals’ 85 is their third-lowest total in the IPL and the lowest by any team in Sharjah. Royals’ 90 for 9 against Mumbai on Tuesday was the previous lowest IPL total at the venue.51.76 – Percentage of Royals’ total scored by Rahul Tewatia, the highest proportion of a team’s total scored by a player at No. 7 or lower in the IPL in a completed innings. The previous highest was 50.40% by MS Dhoni, scoring 63 runs out of the total 125 for Chennai Super Kings in the 2013 final against Mumbai.

Cast your mind back to August 2022, with Liverpool seeing off rivals Manchester City in the campaign curtain-raiser to claim the Community Shield, with club-record signing Darwin Nunez scoring a late clincher to mark his arrival into English football.

The Reds may well have won the battle that day, although it was their opponents who ultimately won the war, with Nunez’s centre-forward foe, Erling Haaland, shaking off that initial disappointment to become a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.

Since both men arrived at their respective clubs that summer, Haaland has netted 121 goals in just 142 games for the Citizens, 85 of which have come in only 97 top-flight outings.

As those on Merseyside are fully aware, their Uruguayan number nine has barely come close to reaching such heights, having thus far plundered only 40 goals in 143 games in all competitions.

With Haaland in the picture or not, a return of 25 goals in 95 league games simply isn’t up to scratch for Liverpool’s centre-forward, with it no surprise that the 25-year-old looks destined for a summer exit. The only issue is, just who will replace him?

Latest on Liverpool's search for a striker

Arne Slot’s side stormed to the title without the need for an orthodox striker, but whether that is a long-term solution remains to be seen, with a dream target still in the equation in the form of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

There has been tentative talk that a bid is even being readied for the Magpies talisman, albeit with Eddie Howe’s men having claimed Champions League football ahead of next term, prising the Swede from St James’ Park would be more than an uphill task.

With that in mind, other options are still being considered, with GIVEMESPORT reporting that FSG are holding internal talks over whether to move for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, with Liverpool said to be ‘turning their attention towards recruiting a proven goalscorer’.

Transfer Focus

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

The Nigerian’s name has come up during in-house recruitment meetings, albeit with there said to be an acknowledgement that the 26-year-old is likely to end up back at Galatasaray, having spent 2024/25 on loan in Turkey.

Osimhen’s £400k-per-week wage demands had previously appeared to be a stumbling block too, although the piece outlines that he may consider lowering that figure, having already turned down a lucrative £625k-per-week offer from Saudi side, Al Hilal.

The belief is that the Lille man is keen to stay put in European football, amid rival interest from the likes of Manchester United, ensuring the door has opened slightly for FSG to pounce.

How Osimhen compares to Alexander Isak

Isak is – and rightly so – the figure that most of Europe’s elite clubs would wish to sign if handed the opportunity, having been hailed as the “best striker in the Premier League” by national team boss, Jon Dahl Tomasson.

With 44 league goals across his last two seasons at Newcastle, the ex-Real Sociedad star is a Premier League-proven talent, no doubt about it, having given a raft of top-flight defenders a torrid time of things.

That said, there is an argument to be made that despite having yet to try his hand in English football, Osimhen would actually represent an upgrade on Isak, having also been dubbed the “best striker on the market” by Statman Dave.

Indeed, 2024/25 ended with Osimhen eclipsing his centre-forward counterpart’s goalscoring record, with the in-demand sensation scoring 37 times during his stint in Istanbul, 26 of which came in the Super Lig.

Isak, meanwhile, scored ‘just’ 27 goals in all competitions back on Tyneside, with that including 23 league goals.

Equally too, while both enjoyed a similar record with regard to their creative prowess, having both created 11 ‘big chances’ in league action, it is Osimhen who appears to be the more dominant, physical focal point.

That is evidenced by the fact that he won 55% of his total duels and 60% of his aerial duels, as per Sofascore, while Isak, by comparison, averaged just 33% for both of those metrics in the Premier League.

Stretching back further than 2024/25 too, Osimhen has also been more prolific in front of goal during his senior career thus far, having netted 151 goals in just 264 club career games, across his time in Italy, Turkey, France, Belgium and Germany.

Isak, by comparison, has scored just 134 goals in 301 senior games during his spells in England, Spain, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, with that showcasing that it is Osimhen who is the greater clinical threat.

On the Champions League front too, the latter man has netted nine times from 17 games in the competition to date, while Isak has scored only once in six outings in his career thus far.

Yes, the Newcastle star has been a revelation for the Magpies, yet Osimhen has been a goalscoring monster at almost every club he has been, excluding a goalless, 16-game spell at Wolfsburg.

While the major caveat remains whether the Napoli man can repeat those heroics in the Premier League, all the signs point to him being the next centre-forward to rip it up in England’s top tier.

Whisper it quietly, but he might even be better than Isak…

A bigger mistake than Diaz: Liverpool now in talks to sell £50m star

Liverpool should think twice about parting ways with this talented first-teamer.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 12, 2025

“Faf has lent on him quite a lot and we’re pretty sure that Rajat will be leaning on him too,” RCB’s director of cricket says

Ashish Pant13-Feb-20252:25

Why did RCB overlook Kohli as captain?

Virat Kohli might not be the new Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain, with the franchise opting for Rajat Patidar, but for Mo Bobat, RCB’s director of cricket, Kohli does not need a “captaincy title” to be a leader in the team.”Of course, Virat was an option and that goes without saying and I know that the fans would’ve probably lent towards Virat in the first instance, but we’ve seen a lot of love for Rajat too,” Bobat said in an event in Bengaluru where Patidar was unveiled as the captain for IPL 2025. “Look, my point on Virat would be that Virat doesn’t need a captaincy title to lead. I think leadership, as we’ve all seen, is one of his strongest instincts. I think it just comes naturally to him. He leads regardless.”Kohli led the RCB franchise from 2013 to 2021 before he stepped down from the role. He led the team for three matches in 2023 when regular captain Faf du Plessis was injured and played as an Impact Player.Related

• RCB hope 18 is the charm as hunt for IPL glory continues

• Rajat Patidar appointed new RCB captain for IPL 2025

Bobat was confident that despite Kohli not being the designated captain, Patidar would lean on him like his predecessor du Plessis did.”Everybody in the country and everyone in the world knows that Virat’s a leader in every sense of the word,” Bobat said. “Andy [Flower, head coach] and I lean on him quite a lot. Faf has lent on him quite a lot and we’re pretty sure that Rajat will be leaning on him too.”Even last year with Faf as captain, we saw every bit of that. He leads as an example with the bat, the volume of runs and the strike rate that he scored at last year was so impressive and so important for us. He set the tone, he leads in the field. I can think of two or three specific instances where he’s actually created run-out chances and wickets from nothing. Everyone in the field knows that they’ve got to be up to their standards because of him. He sets the tone with his energy. Everyone has seen how much he likes a fight and a scrap and how much he wants to be the person getting us over the line.””His experience and ideas will definitely help me in my leadership role,” Patidar said of Kohli•BCCI

Bobat also said that Kohli was actively involved in discussions surrounding Patidar being named captain.”Andy and I spent some time with Virat earlier this week actually in Ahmedabad and it was really nice getting some time with him and talking things through with him [about captaincy],” Bobat said. “And what was so obvious was he had so much energy and excitement for this decision and this appointment. He’s so pleased for Rajat, like us. He knows how deserving Rajat is of this opportunity and is right behind him.”Kohli was front and centre of RCB turning their season around in IPL 2024. Having won just one out of their first eight games, RCB won six on the bounce to make a miraculous entry into the playoffs. While they went down in the eliminator, Kohli, with 741 runs in 15 innings, won the purple cap.
“I think Virat’s energy and motivation and drive is really something special to behold in a 36-year-old cricketer that’s done everything in the game,” Flower said. “I really respect him for it and it’s great role modelling for the younger players and younger overseas players to come and work with him as well. It was nice to watch it from within the same dressing room last year.”My experience with him, particularly in the first half of the last season when we were struggling and he was a huge part of turning that season around for us, in the way that he carried himself in his role modelling of how he works at the day and thinks about the day, that experience with him only made my respect for him grow. And I would say the same thing about our discussions over the captaincy of RCB coming season.”Patidar also said that having had plenty of good partnerships with Kohli over the years, he does not mind leaning on him for suggestions and that it would help him in his leadership role.”It’s a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best,” Patidar said. “I have had a lot of partnerships with him, so I think I know him very well. So yeah, his experience and his ideas will definitely help me in my leadership role.”

The Dutch playmaker looks destined for the elite stage after a stunning breakout campaign at the AFAS Stadion

The Netherlands has often been described as 'the world's biggest football talent factory', having produced legends such as Marco van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp and Arjen Robben. These players were the embodiment of the 'total football' model designed to optimise creativity, skill and versatility that the Dutch national team still aims to uphold to this day, though it's fair to say they have been starved of game-changing performers of the same ilk in recent years.

However, according to , that may be about to change. The Spanish newspaper has claimed that the next 'total footballer' to come out of the Netherlands is Kees Smit: the 19-year-old who has become an overnight sensation at AZ Alkmaar.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have all been linked with Smit in recent weeks, and AZ face a real fight to keep hold of the teenager beyond the 2025 summer transfer window. has even claimed that Ronald Koeman is considering drafting Smit into the Netherlands' senior squad later this year, which is a testament to how far he has come in such a short space of time.

Smit could soon get the chance to test himself on the biggest stage, and all the early signs suggest he will thrive under the pressure of expectation. The question is: what exactly is it that makes the AZ playmaker such a unique talent? GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the Oranje's potential new superstar…

• Where it all began

  Smit was born in Heiloo, a town located in the North Holland Province of the Netherlands, on January 21, 2006. Encouraged by his parents, Smit immersed himself in Dutch football culture from a young age, and took his first formal steps into the game with local club De Foresters.

  It was clear early on that Smit was an exciting prospect. "He was a very quiet kid, but he let his feet do the talking," former Foresters youth coach Milo Blei has told Dutch outlet . "He was only seven years old, but he already had so much control on the ball."

  Just three years later, AZ swooped for Smit, and drafted him straight into their Under-12s team. He displayed a maturity belying his tender years right from the off, and showed impressive leadership qualities as he made his way through AZ's academy, eventually inheriting the captain's armband.

  Smit's rapid development piqued the interest of Bayern, who tried to convince him to join their youth ranks, but the midfielder ultimately signed his first professional contract with AZ in January 2021. "I did think about it for a bit," Smit admitted to when quizzed on Bayern's approach. "But I'm in a good place here. You see other guys often struggle when they go abroad at a young age."

  That turned out to be a wise decision. Smit started training with the AZ first team in December 2022, and the following month, he went viral for scoring an incredible solo goal for the club at the five-a-side indoor REWE Juniorcup tournament. After dribbling past three Fulham players, Smit smashed the ball at the wall so it rebounded into the net past the perplexed opposition goalkeeper, with fan culture website calling it "one of the cleverest goals we've ever seen".

  It was a memorable moment that led to Smit being handed his debut for Jong AZ just three days after his 17th birthday. He played 16 minutes off the bench in an Eerste Divisie – Dutch football's second tier – match against Helmond Sport, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

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• The big break

  Smit also played a key role in the AZ U19s' surprise run to the UEFA Youth League title in 2022-23. AZ thrashed Barcelona and Real Madrid en route, with Smit scoring what was undoubtedly the goal of the tournament in the 3-0 win over the former.

  After picking the ball up inside his own half, Smit sauntered towards the top of the centre-circle, spotted the Barca 'keeper off his line, and produced a perfectly weighted lob that dropped into the net off the crossbar. The technical difficulty of that long-range effort was off the charts, but Smit executed it in such a nonchalant fashion that it was like he was just enjoying a kick-around at the park with friends.

  Despite his impact in the Youth League, Smit was made to wait for his senior AZ debut, and continued his development in the reserve side throughout the 2023-24 campaign until he was finally given his Eredivisie debut in March 2024 at 18 years and 48 days old, coming on as a late substitute in a 4-0 victory over Excelsior.

  It was Maarten Martens who gave Smit that opportunity, having replaced Pascal Jensen as AZ head coach at the start of 2024, and Martens subsequently began using Smit more frequently last season, with his big breakthrough moment coming in a Europa League group-stage clash against Fenerbahce.

  Smit scored a superb goal and provided an assist in a dazzling 26-minute cameo to inspire AZ to a 3-1 victory, and went on to impress in his first pair of Eredivisie starts against Sparta Rotterdam and Heracles before the end of the year, earning special praise from Martens. "He sees things that other players don't see," declared the Belgian manager.

• How it's going

  Surprisingly, Smit's momentum stalled in the first three months of 2025 as Martens went back to carefully managing his minutes. He was only given 19 in a 1-0 home win against Fortuna Sittard on February 23, and allowed his frustrations to boil over after the final whistle.

  "I just want to play. I understand why I'm not always in the starting line up, or why I'm not always substituted, but I don't have a lot of patience," Smit admitted to . "I think I should be playing, and I believe it will happen. I'm just trying my hardest every day, and then I hope I might get to play a bit more soon. Apparently, I still have some work to do."

  Questioning Martens' decision-making in public was a risky move that could easily have backfired. But fortunately for Smit, the AZ boss took it as proof of the teenager's strength of character, and put more trust in him down the finishing stretch of the season.

  Smit started six of AZ's final eight Eredivisie matches as they secured a top-five finish, and made Martens' line up for their KNVB Cup final clash with the Go Ahead Eagles, which they lost after an agonising penalty shootout. Smit did, however, get another chance to finish the season on a high when he was named in the Netherlands' final squad for the U19 European Championship.

  He grabbed it with both hands, too, scoring in each of the Netherlands' first four wins against Germany, Norway, England and Romaniam before putting in a Man-of-the-Match performance in their 1-0 final triumph over Spain. As if inspiring his country to their first U19 Euros title wasn't enough, Smit also won a share of the Golden Boot and the Player of the Tournament award, with coach Peter van der Veen describing him as a "joy to watch".

  Smit did his best to remain modest, though. "I'm playing pretty well," he said with a smile after the semi-finals. "It's taking some getting used to, all this attention." You wouldn't know it from how the Dutch ace is performing. It's still very early in his career, but Smit looks like he was made for the big occasion.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Biggest strengths

  "I think he's special," former AZ winger Kenneth Perez told after watching Smit in AZ's KNVB Cup semi-final win against Heracles. "He has very strong legs. He dares to ask for the ball every time and generally does good things every time. Sometimes you can't quite explain it, but you can tell it's not a coincidence. There's a thought behind every single move. Not everything works out, far from it, but when you see him… This is just different, I think."

  That was a long-winded way of explaining that Smit possesses the footballing intelligence needed to reach the top. He always seems to be one step ahead of his opponents and demonstrates mastery of the ball with both feet when it comes to dribbling, passing and shooting.

  Smit also has the pace and strength to thrive in one-on-one situations, as well as the awareness and composure to operate in the smallest pockets of space. He never seems to run out of energy either, which bodes well for his chances of succeeding in one of Europe's major leagues, where the intensity is far greater. Until he makes that step, we won't know for sure how high Smit's ceiling is, but it's already fair to say that he has all the makings of an elite player and athlete.

Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Arsenal and their plans to sign a new striker, amid their widely reported talks for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal hold talks over signing Benjamin Sesko

Near the end of May, it became evident through reliable media sources that Sesko had emerged as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta’s prime striker target.

David Ornstein: Arsenal consider deal for player as "done and signed"

Gunners chiefs are extremely confident.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 11, 2025

Arsenal entered “concrete” negotiations with Leipzig over a deal for the Slovenia international, who’s fresh off the back of a productive campaign where he scored 21 goals and six assists in all competitions.

Since then, talks have been ongoing and advancing cautiously (Fabrizio Romano), with reliable journalist Ben Jacobs sharing that the major sticking point in this potential transfer is Leipzig’s financial demands.

According to his information, Arsenal want to strike a deal for Sesko at around £60 million, whereas Leipzig want to sell for nearer £70 million.

“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million,” said Jacobs on The Football Terrace last week.

“That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”

Sesko is also attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, even if his priority is to stay in Europe (The Telegraph), but so far, no middle ground appears to have been found on the final price, despite some reports that the 22-year-old has already agreed personal terms.

If they cannot reach an agreement with Leipzig over Sesko, Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres apparently remains on their radar as an alternative.

Viktor Gyokeres on Arsenal list if Benjamin Sesko talks fail

That is according to Romano, who reports in his GiveMeSport newsletter that Gyokeres is on Arsenal’s target list in case talks for Sesko fall through.

“It’s an open race for Gyokeres,” said Romano.

“He remains on Arsenal list in case Sesko deal doesn’t happen, Man United have called his agents again over the weekend.”

The “underrated” and “exciting” 26-year-old bagged an incredible 54 goals and 13 assists last season, spearheading Sporting to their first domestic double win in 20 years, but it is worth noting that he might not be much cheaper than Sesko.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas poured cold water over reports that Gyokeres and the club have an agreement that he can leave for £59 million this summer, telling the Portuguese press that he will indeed cost more.

“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.

“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”

While this comes as a statement which Arsenal need to be aware of, Varandas does guarantee that Gyokeres will leave for less than his £84 million release clause.

“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.

“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now. For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old, and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m euros or 90m euros.”

If England pull this off, they will owe a huge amount to their captain

George Dobell07-Aug-2021There were a couple of moments, ahead of this Test, when you sensed the burden of carrying this England batting line-up was starting to get to Joe Root.For one thing, he requested that the pre-match captain’s press conference – which has, for many years, taken place the day before the game – be moved to two days ahead of the match to allow him time to focus before the game. And then, while talking about Ben Stokes, his voice caught for just a moment as he discussed the phone call in which his friend had told him he needed a break.Root was, no doubt, aware of how much Stokes would be missed as a player. But the sense was much more of someone who simply felt for a colleague who was going through a tough time. You wondered whether Root might not be experiencing some of the same emotions. We really do ask quite a lot of our cricketers.But whatever the pressure he was feeling ahead of the match, Root has shouldered his burden magnificently. Here he produced one of his finest Test centuries – there are now 21 from which to select; none of them have, to date, come in a losing cause – to keep his side in with a fighting chance in this match. Without him, England would have been blown away.Related

• Chris Silverwood tells England batters around Joe Root to 'step up'

• Joe Root on Ben Stokes: 'I just want my friend to be okay'

• The slips just keep on coming: How England's fielding is undermining their Test ambitions

• Root ton, Bumrah five-wicket haul set up intriguing final day

• Jasprit Bumrah-led pace attack leaves India on strong footing

There was a period, not so long ago, when there were a few whispers about Root’s batting. It wasn’t that the runs had dried up exactly; it was more that the bigger scores had tended to come in relatively low intensity situations. In 2019, for example, there was a century in St Lucia, by which time the series had already been lost, and there was a double-hundred in Hamilton on a pitch so horrendously flat that only 22 wickets fell across five days.There are no such caveats about this innings. It came against an outstanding attack, on a surface upon which other batters have struggled and when his side – still 49 behind and two wickets down when he strode out to bat – were in some trouble. Not only that, but it came at the start of a series with everything still to be defined. It was his first Test century in England since 2018 but his best at home since at least 2017 when he made 190 in the first Test of a series against South Africa.To put his predominance in perspective, while he has made 109 and 64 in this game, the next highest score of his teammates across both innings has been Sam Curran’s 32. It is, according to BBC statistician Andy Zaltzman, only the fourth time in Test history that a player has made a century and half-century in a match where nobody else in the team has made even 35. Increasingly, Root is looking a giant among them. Take him out of this side and you wonder where they would drop in the rankings. Outside the top six, you suspect.His skills were put into greatest context during his partnership (worth 89 in 28.5 overs) with Dom Sibley. While Sibley’s crease occupation was valuable, you couldn’t help but admire how much easier the business of batting looked for Root. So vast is his range of stroke, so adaptable his feet and the angle of his bat, that he is rarely kept scoreless. He faced only two maidens in his entire innings – one of them during a nervous passage of play when he had 97 – and has a late cut which allows him to score from deliveries other players would look to leave well alone. Sibley made just 12 of their partnership.But it was surely the drives, played off both front and back foot, that will linger longest in the memory. Certainly they had a packed Trent Bridge purring in delight. The on-drive that brought the century was just a little reminiscent of the shot with which Sir Geoffrey Boycott reached his 100th first-class hundred. The celebration – by Root’s standards sustained and expressive – showed how important this innings was. He knew his team needed this.Joe Root has stood tall for his team•AFP/Getty ImagesMore than that, though, he had made a conscious effort to try and enjoy these pressures. This is what he had dreamed of as a kid, after all. So instead of focusing on those negative thoughts – the sense that his side would collapse if he failed – instead of allowing himself to become careworn, he tried to remember he was playing the game he loves, for a team he loves and on the grandest of stages. Put simply, he tried to remember it was meant to be “fun”.”There’s been a lot to handle,” he admitted afterwards. “But it’s important you find ways to handle that. You can let it weigh you down but you have to find solutions. It’s about trying to deal with what’s in front of you and not letting anything overwhelm you.”This morning I said to myself and to the group: just remember what is fun about cricket. It might be tough sometimes, it might be hard, but it’s fun. And it’s really important we all embrace that. Whatever the situation, whatever the conditions and wherever you are in your own game, it’s important you go out there, enjoy the moment and make the most of it.”It felt pretty good to get a big score and get us into position to give us a chance of winning this Test.”He reckoned that batting in the ODI series against Sri Lanka had helped him regain his batting rhythm. He made 68 and 79 – both innings unbeaten – in that series and reasoned that the required tempo – positive, but without the urgency of T20 – was helpful to his game.”I’ve actually felt a real benefit from playing some white-ball cricket,” he said. “I know it would be nice to have some red-ball cricket coming into this game but, from my point of view, playing 50-over cricket gave me some rhythm back in my batting.”I felt I got forward and back better. I was standing a lot taller a lot earlier, picking my bat up a lot earlier, I feel like I’ve got rhythm back in my hands. I find 50-over cricket can be a massive help to my red-ball game.”Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised. Root has risen in stature in recent months, producing a string of huge scores in Sri Lanka and India (228 and 186 in Galle and 218 in Chennai) that led his side to memorable victories. And while Root at times made those surfaces look pretty flat, it’s worth remembering that no-one else in his side made centuries. Indeed, the next-highest score when he made that 186 was just 55.He’s already made 1,064 Test runs this year. So, with up to seven further Tests available to him this year (there are only three Ashes Tests scheduled before the end of the year this time and it’s entirely possible none of them will take place), he has given himself a chance of breaking Mohammad Yousuf’s record of 1,788 runs in a calendar year. More revealingly, however, the next-highest contributor for England in 2021 is Dan Lawrence with 354. In all, Root has scored 29.19 percent of England’s Test runs in 2021.Whether all this is sustainable in the long-term is debatable. At some stage, there is a danger the burden will break even Root. It is really is imperative England find a way to coax more runs out of the rest of their batting line-up. Right now, though, Root has given his side a chance to win a game they could easily have lost already without his intervention. If they pull this off, they will owe a huge amount to their captain.

TORONTO — Remember, Shohei Ohtani wanted to remain an Angel. Freddie Freeman all but begged to stay in Atlanta. Mookie Betts thought he would spend his entire career in Boston. 

Max Muncy was released by the A’s. Tommy Edman was traded while on the injured list. Blake Snell was available to anyone on the open market—twice. 

And it’s the who are ruining baseball?

Sure, the money helps. The team that is headed to its second straight World Series, and fifth in the last nine years, with a chance to win three in that span, boasts, at $329 million, the highest payroll in the sport. After winning the World Series last season, they added $450 million worth of new players. Their local TV deal pays them $334 million a year, and this year they launched a paid fan club in Japan, with membership tiers ranging up to $500 per person. 

But the No. 2 Mets ($323 million) didn’t make the playoffs. The No. 3 Yankees ($288 million) were bounced in the American League Division Series. And 48% of that TV money and 97% of that fan club money goes into revenue sharing, so everyone else is benefiting from it, too. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have given out only three of the top 30 most lucrative deals, and so far all three look worth it: $700 million over 10 years for Ohtani (and that is an unusual case, because 97% of the money is deferred, so the contract functions as a credit card), $365 million over 12 years for Betts and $325 million over 10 years for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani is the biggest star in sports. Betts is a three-time World Series champion, twice for the Dodgers, an eight-time All-Star and a finalist for this year’s National League Gold Glove at shortstop—a position he never played professionally before last season. Yamamoto is their ace and just threw a shutout in the National League Championship Series. 

Mostly the Dodgers excel at evaluating players, and then they excel at developing them. And then, once they’ve done all that, they excel at keeping them. 

Angels owner Arte Moreno, incredibly, reportedly balked at the deal structure Ohtani offered. Atlanta GM Alex Anthopoulos didn’t want to give Freeman the sixth year he sought. Red Sox owner John Henry—estimated net worth: $5.7 billion—wasn’t interested in coughing up the $350 million or so it would take to lock up the franchise’s best homegrown young player since Ted Williams. Those were all mistakes of evaluation. 

Luca Toni has outlined why Juventus signing two players from the Premier League could be decisive in catching up with Napoli and Inter this season.

• Toni calls for Juventus to sign Tonali and Chiesa
• Turin club must invest after key departures
• Vlahovic’s uncertain future amid AC Milan reports

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Italy striker Toni has urged Juventus to strengthen their squad by targeting two Premier League players for a return to Serie A. Toni, speaking from his perspective as one of Italy’s best ever forwards, highlighted the need for the Bianconeri to close the gap on rivals Napoli and Inter by making significant additions, especially if key attackers like Dusan Vlahovic depart. He specifically recommended a move for Sandro Tonali, who could bolster the midfield, and Federico Chiesa, who has struggled at Liverpool and expected to leave.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Juventus find themselves in a crucial phase of squad rebuilding, following key departures and uncertainty around Vlahovic’s future. Toni believes that without two or three major signings, Juventus risk falling further behind reigning champions Napoli and Inter in the Scudetto race. He also pointed out that the competition at the top has intensified, with Napoli reinforced by the signing of Kevin De Bruyne and Inter retaining much of their core squad. Despite setbacks, Toni is confident that Juventus, under new manager Igor Tudor, can compete if they act decisively in the transfer market.

• WHAT LUCA TONI SAID

  Speaking on signing Premier League stars, Toni said told : "Juventus must step up their game if they want to get close to the top teams and get back into the Scudetto race… I'd try to sign Tonali forever: he's expensive, but he's someone who can change your midfield. If I were Juventus, I'd bring Chiesa back on loan. He's out of the Liverpool project, so I'd bet on his desire to redeem himself."

  Highlighting the transfer window situation, he added: "The departures of some key players are slowing down the Bianconeri's transfer window, but if you let Vlahovic go, you need two or three big signings. Right now, there's a long way to go between Juventus and the Napoli-Inter duo. And Massimiliano Allegri's Milan, lacking the European competition, will be able to focus solely on the league. Sometimes it's an advantage to have just one fixture, even if European fixtures bring excitement. The Bianconeri are missing something, but I'm confident they'll make the right move, and Tudor will ultimately be competitive."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

  Juventus continue their search for reinforcements, with the transfer window open and speculation mounting over possible incoming and outgoing players. The club’s pre-season under Tudor is expected to clarify strategic decisions, especially regarding the pursuit of Tonali and Chiesa. Attention will also turn to Vlahovic’s situation and whether Juventus will secure a prolific striker if he leaves.

Leeds United have now identified a “world-class” goalkeeper as a prime target to replace Illan Meslier, with Daniel Farke now open to sanctioning the Frenchman’s departure, according to a report.

Leeds planning to replace error-prone Meslier

Speaking back in February, former Leeds man Paul Robinson praised Farke for the way in which he had dealt with Meslier, saying: “He’s a confidence goalkeeper and the manager has been excellent with him. That’s one thing you can ask for as a goalkeeper.”

However, the 48-year-old ultimately lost faith in his goalkeeper, with Karl Darlow being given the nod between the sticks during the promotion run-in, and the manager’s lack of trust in the shot-stopper may have damaged his confidence.

With Meslier’s blunders costing Farke’s side 10 points last season, it would be a huge risk for the manager to persist with the 25-year-old as his number one, and a report from TEAMtalk has revealed the German is now open to a sale this summer.

Leeds United in talks over personal terms to sign £17m "absolute hero"

The Whites have stepped up their pursuit of a midfielder, with discussions ongoing.

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By
Dominic Lund

Jun 11, 2025

It is also detailed that Leeds have now identified Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic as a prime target to replace Meslier, with the Blues making the decision to place the Serbian on their transfer list, and they are open to offers of around £25m.

The Whites have registered their interest in Petrovic, but there is widespread interest in the goalkeeper’s signature, with the likes of Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brenford also keen, alongside some top clubs from across Europe.

The Championship title-winners are seemingly very keen to get a deal done, despite potentially having to do battle with Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen, with the report stating they are now ready to step up their pursuit of the goalkeeper.

"World-class" Petrovic could be ideal Meslier replacement

It is no surprise that Farke is willing to cash-in on Meslier this summer, and there are plenty of indications the Chelsea shot-stopper could be an ideal replacement, with his performances on loan at Strasbourg last season deemed to be at a very high level.

Indeed, manager Liam Rosenior was left enamoured by the Serbia international’s development, saying: “We have seen huge progress from Petro.

“He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day and it is still paying off today.”

It is a bold claim to put the former New England Revolution man in the world-class category, but to a certain extent Rosenior’s assessment is backed up by the underlying data, as his save percentage over the past year has been very impressive.

As such, it could perhaps be considered a little unusual that Chelsea are willing to part ways with Petrovic this summer, but their loss could be Leeds’ gain.