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He became just the second bowler to deliver four maidens in a T20I as New Zealand beat PNG by seven wickets

Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Jun-2024New Zealand signed off a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a dominant win over Papua New Guinea, chasing down a paltry target of 79 with seven wickets and 46 balls to spare at the Brian Lara Stadium, in Tarouba.The scale of the mismatch was characterised by Lockie Ferguson’s figures of 3 for 0 from his four overs. The New Zealand speedster became only the second bowler to bowl four maidens in a T20I fixture after Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar achieved the feat in 2021 when he returned 2 for 0 against Panama.Related

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Spotlight on NZ transition after Boult confirms this will be his last T20 World Cup

While Ferguson was sharp and accurate, the moisture in the pitch and what remained in the air from the morning showers that delayed the toss by an hour made it a tough ask for PNG’s batters. The weather was a primary reason Kane Williamson inserted the opposition upon winning the toss, who in turn were 16 for 2 after the powerplay.Charles Amini’s 17, the highest score of the innings, came in the most productive stand – 27 for the third wicket with Sese Bau – before he was pinned lbw for Ferguson’s second of the innings.Trent Boult, playing in his last T20 World Cup match, went on to pocket two wickets when he returned to bowl his final two overs at the death. Ish Sodhi, replacing Jimmy Neesham in the XI for his first match of the competition, also picked up a brace, taking the final PNG wickets in the 20th over as they were bowled out with two balls left in their innings.But PNG were not about to bow out without a fight. Kabua Morea, returning to the XI after playing the opener against West Indies, removed Finn Allen, caught behind, off the second delivery of New Zealand’s innings. He then pocketed Rachin Ravindra when the left-hander tried and failed to lift beyond deep midwicket at the start of the fifth over.Further excitement on the field came when Semo Kamea trapped Devon Conway on the crease. His 35 – which included two fours and three sixes – had, however, taken the sting out of the chase. Conway and Williamson added 34 runs for the third wicket – New Zealand’s highest partnership of the tournament.Williamson and Daryl Mitchell then completed the formalities, scoring the remaining 25 runs from 18 balls to earn New Zealand their second win, consigning PNG to a fourth defeat.Player of the Match Lockie Ferguson had a record outing•ICC/Getty ImagesFerguson in the record booksIt began with a wicket: extra pace across Assad Vala that enticed a drive. There was even a bit of extra bounce which only served to make Mitchell’s catch at a wide first slip that little bit tougher. From that point on, Ferguson was locked in.Did he know a place in the record books was in the offing? Probably not. But the movement through the air and off the deck, not to mention the high pace that was always going to ask unanswerable questions to a limited PNG batting line-up, meant Ferguson was likely to emerge with extraordinary figures.The 33-year-old was primarily over the wicket to the left-handed Bau, who entered the fray upon Vala’s dismissal. Having switched to over the wicket midway through his second over (the seventh), Ferguson returned for the 12th from that angle and was immediately rewarded with a delivery into Amini’s pads that skidded on with the angle so sharply it was initially given not out on the field.DRS corrected that error before Ferguson took matters into his own hands by hitting Chad Soper’s stumps for his third. Then came two leg byes down to deep third – which did not count against the bowler – and the final three deliveries, which were counted down by those in the commentary box, now fully invested in witnessing history. Kiplin Doriga’s mistimed pull almost broke the streak – though it also could have resulted in a catch at mid-off – before the right-hander charged Ferguson’s final delivery to no avail.Ferguson looked a little sheepish as his team-mates filed over to congratulate him. Nevertheless, a forgettable T20 World Cup now has a memorable sidenote.Chad Soper walks back after being cleaned up•Getty ImagesPNG batters leave unfulfilledAs valiant as PNG’s displays have been at their second T20 World Cup, there is good reason to look at their batting and wonder what might have been. Particularly when Allen and Ravindra were snared early.Signing off with a score of 78, following totals of 95 against Afghanistan and 77 versus Uganda, highlights the limitations of their batters. Even the 136 for 8 against West Indies looked light at the halfway stage, having faced 55 dot balls when setting that evening in Guyana.Even discounting the 23 scoreless deliveries off Ferguson, they failed to find a run from the 58 balls delivered by the rest of the New Zealand attack. Conditions were not kind to batters throughout, particularly those taking guard against the new ball duo of Boult and Tim Southee on a new track with variable bounce, but more intent could have been shown.Particularly against Mitchell Santner. The left-arm spinner floated plenty up but conceded just one boundary. Perhaps spooked by Bau lifting Santner into the hands of long on, it took until Santner’s final delivery for someone to land one on him, as Doriga smeared a sweep shot to midwicket for four.Of course, this match does not really qualify as a missed opportunity given New Zealand’s undoubted superiority. But it did serve as a reminder of the shortcomings that cost them victory against Uganda and allowed West Indies off the hook.Kabua Morea struck twice in his first three overs•Getty ImagesKabua Morea’s redemptionIt was 15 days between appearances at this T20 World Cup for Morea. The left-arm seamer started against West Indies, arriving into the match with the expectation he would be a crutch for the attack over the coming fortnight. He ended up with figures of 0 for 30 from three overs, the last of which went for 13 as Roston Chase profited off a couple of full tosses to take the hosts over the line with an over to spare.Morea spent the next two matches on the sidelines as PNG opted for a more spin-heavy attack. Conditions dictated as much, but Morea would have every reason to consider himself an unfortunate casualty of this shift having been the side’s leading wicket-taker at the 2021 edition.But here in Tarouba, he seized the opportunity to leave the World Cup on something of a high, returning home with figures of 2 for 4 from 2.2 overs. Allen’s hot-headed hack gave him a wicket with the second ball. And having tied Ravindra down for the rest of that first over, the Kiwi No.3 greeted his reintroduction for the fifth over with a desperate charge and swipe that nestled into the hands of Kamea in the deep.It was at this point that the rain made a return. New Zealand were 20 for 2, level with the five-over par score, which they passed when Williamson punched a single off his first ball. It was the only run off the over, with Morea boasting figures of 2 for 2 from his first two overs. As it turned out the rain did not stop play, either. While not as headline-grabbing as Ferguson’s exploits, Morea’s 11 dots against an engaging and far more equipped New Zealand batting line-up were equally impressive.

It is transfer deadline day, with the window set to slam shut until next Monday. For Chelsea and other clubs in the Club World Cup, it represents an opportunity to sign players before the new-look competition begins. Indeed, the Blues will be looking to bolster their squad ahead of their first fixture against LAFC.

Their first couple of signings are over the line this summer, already. Liam Delap has officially joined from Ipswich Town, with the Blues winning the transfer battle for him after the Tractor Boys’ relegation. Most recently, Mamadou Sarr moved to Stamford Bridge from sister club Strasbourg.

Delap and Sarr may not be the only players through the door at Chelsea before the end of the window. They are linked with someone else from the Premier League.

Chelsea’s next Premier League target

Now, it will be touch and go to see if Chelsea can bring anyone else to the club in the final throes of this mini transfer window. If that were the case, signing someone from the Premier League, especially another London club, would surely help.

Transfer Focus

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

Regardless, at some stage this summer, Chelsea are seemingly set to move for West Ham United forward Mohammed Kudus. TEAMTalk report that ‘a swap deal’ between the London rivals is ‘on the cards’ in the coming weeks.

The report suggests that Kudus ‘has been offered to Chelsea’ by the Hammers this summer, who are demanding £70m for their star attacker. However, that price could come down if Robert Sanchez goes the other way.

The Spaniard could ‘be involved in any deal’ between the two clubs, with the Blues pursuing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Why Kudus would be a good signing

Whether or not the West Ham attacker moves to Chelsea before or after the Club World Cup is irrelevant. He would certainly improve the squad at Stamford Bridge, and is a “superstar” according to football scout Antonio Mango.

In terms of Kudus’ time at the London Stadium so far, he has managed 19 goals and 13 assists in 80 appearances. Just as it was for his side, the 2024/25 campaign was a struggle, where he notched up eight goals and assists in 32 games.

However, in his debut Premier League season, the 24-year-old showed just how deadly he can be. In 33 league games, the former Ajax attacker scored eight times and grabbed nine assists, as well as five goals in the Europa League.

One look at Kudus’ numbers from the last two Premier League seasons is enough to understand what type of player Chelsea are getting. According to Sofascore, he has completed 216 dribbles during his time in the top flight.

That certainly suggests that the Blues are signing a one-vs-one specialist, someone who loves to take on defenders. His combined expected goal involvement numbers, which stand at 18.43xGI, show that Kudus will have an impact in the final third, too.

If the Blues do manage to bring the Ghana international to the club, he could become their new Joe Cole. The former England international also joined Chelsea from West Ham, for a reported fee of £6.6m, as per BBC Sport.

His fee today would be the equivalent of £37.4m according to The Transfer Index, a bargain given how good he was for Chelsea. In 282 appearances for the club, Cole, a three-time Premier League winner, scored 39 goals and grabbed 37 assists.

Another similarity between Kudus and Cole is their versatility. In a Chelsea shirt, the London-born attacker played on both wings, as a number 10 and a centre-forward.

Well, that is much like Kudus for West Ham, who has played right across the frontline at the London Stadium.

Right wing

29

16

Left wing

19

9

Centre forward

12

2

Attacking midfield

11

1

Right midfield

3

2

Left midfield

2

0

Second striker

1

1

If Kudus does join Chelsea, there are lots of similarities between him and the former Blues number 10. If he replicates what Cole did in that famous Blue shirt, then it will certainly have been a successful move.

Be it a £70m fee or a swap deal, this seems like a transfer that is too good to turn down for Chelsea, be it on deadline day or in the longer transfer window.

Better signing than Gittens: Chelsea now expect to land "world-class" star

Chelsea are looking to make a host of signings this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 9, 2025

Manchester United’s season ended in disappointing fashion when they were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Europa League in Bilbao last month.

That result means that the Red Devils will not be playing European football in the 2025/26 campaign, as they missed out on the chance to qualify for the Champions League.

This has already had an impact on their summer transfer business, as Chelsea agreed a deal to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town ahead of them. Fabrizio Romano claimed that Champions League football was key to the Blues winning the race for the England U21 international.

The 22-year-old marksman plundered 12 goals in 37 appearances in the Premier League for the Tractor Boys in the 2024/25 campaign, and will now link up with Enzo Maresca and his squad.

However, despite failing to qualify for any European competition and missing out on the signing of Delap, Manchester United have already confirmed that Matheus Cunha has joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent deal.

What Matheus Cunha could bring to Manchester United

The Brazil international appears to be an ideal fit for Ruben Amorim’s system on paper, because he played as one of two attacking midfielders behind a striker in a similar formation at Wolves.

This means that he could slot straight in as one of the number tens in the Portuguese head coach’s 3-4-2-1 system, with the hope that he can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

The 26-year-old’s form for Wolves in the last two Premier League seasons suggests that the potential is there for him to make an instant impact at Old Trafford with his ability to score and create goals.

Appearances

32

33

xG

9.49

8.63

Goals

12

15

Big chances created

7

13

Key passes per game

0.9

1.8

Assists

7

6

As you can see in the table above, Cunha delivered 27 goals and 13 assists in 65 appearances across those two campaigns, whilst no Manchester United player scored more than eight goals in the Premier League this term.

This suggests that he could immediately be Amorim’s biggest goal threat at the top end of the pitch, due to the current lack of quality in the final third for United.

Cunha, however, only scored six goals and provided six assists in 40 LaLiga outings for Atletico Madrid earlier in his career, so there may still be a question mark over his suitability for a side that is looking to challenge at the top end of the table.

Whilst there is still some doubt over whether or not he can become a star for United in the same way he was for Wolves, the Red Devils could land an even bigger signing than Cunha amid interest in a Champions League winner.

Man Utd eyeing deal for PSG star

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The report claims that Inter, Juventus, Manchester United, and Manchester City are all eyeing up a move for the shot-stopper, who kept a clean sheet in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that the Italy international’s current contract in Paris is due to expire in the summer of 2026, with contract talks at a standstill, and this has left the door open to a potential move away from the club ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

CaughtOffside adds that Juventus and Inter are the two most serious contenders to land the 26-year-old goalkeeper this summer, as they hope that a move back to Italy would be tempting for him.

The report claims, however, that Manchester United are also monitoring his situation with PSG because Amorim is unconvinced by Andre Onana could swoop for the PSG star as a replacement for the Cameroon international.

If the Red Devils can get a deal over the line for Donnarumma ahead of the likes of Inter and Juventus, the Italian colossus could be an even bigger signing than Cunha.

Why Donnarumma would be a bigger signing than Cunha for Man Utd

Unlike Cunha, the PSG superstar has proven himself at the very top level as a regular for both PSG and Italy, winning four Ligue 1 titles, one Champions League, and the European Championship with his country.

The former Milan star has been there and done it in the biggest competitions and leagues, whereas Cunha – as aforementioned – is yet to prove himself at that level.

GOAL recently posted an updated power ranking for the 2025 Ballon d’Or and placed Donnarumma in 12th place, as one of the contenders for the prestigious award, thanks to his impressive performances for PSG.

Cunha, as he has not showcased his quality on the same stages, did not rank in their top 20, which speaks to the gulf in quality between the two players.

Donnarumma would also come in as a significant upgrade on Onana between the sticks and provide United with a solid goalkeeper who could be relied upon week-in-week-out.

Appearances

15

13

Save percentage

72%

63%

Goals prevented

1.69

-1.54

Clean sheets

6

2

Error led to shot

0

0

Error led to goal

1

2

As you can see in the table above, the Italian international was significantly better as a shot-stopper in Europe this season, whilst also making fewer errors that led to goals.

The PSG star also went through the Ligue 1 campaign, playing 24 matches, without making a single error that led to a shot or a goal, whilst Onana made four errors leading to shots or goals in 34 Premier League games.

These statistics suggest that Donnarumma would be a huge upgrade on the current United number one, both as a shot-stopper and as a reliable presence in goal, which is another reason why he would be an even more important signing than Cunha.

Instead of worrying about whether or not their goalkeeper is going to make a mistake, the Red Devils defenders could be assured by the Italy international behind them, leading to greater defensive displays and fewer errors at the back.

Osimhen upgrade: Best "finisher in the world" is now Man Utd's no.1 target

All of Manchester United’s attacking dreams would come true if they landed this Victor Osimhen upgrade.

5 ByKelan Sarson Jun 1, 2025

It is now down to the club to win the race to sign the Champions League winner and Ballon d’Or contender this summer, as he could be a transformational signing due to the quality and pedigree that the goalkeeper would bring to the team.

Heading into Sunday’s clash at St James’ Park, both Chelsea and Newcastle United found themselves locked on 63 points in the Premier League.

But, come the full-time whistle, the gulf in class between the two Champions League chasing outfits was obvious, with both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes sharing out the goal-load to hand Eddie Howe’s Toon a richly deserved 2-0 win.

Of course, the Magpies’ quest for a golden three points was undoubtedly helped by Nicolas Jackson receiving a red card deep into the first half, with the ex-Villarreal striker enduring yet another torrid afternoon leading the line for Enzo Maresca’s men.

Jackson's horror show on the road

The 23-year-old does have somewhat of a healthy goal return next to his name this season at 12 strikes overall, but all the main talking points from the clash on Tyneside would centre on his dismissal, away from his hot-and-cold ability to find the net.

Indeed, after planting an elbow into the face of Newcastle defender Sven Botman, the inconsistent Blues attacker would be sent off, meaning he is now suspended until the end of the Premier League season.

There was still 65 minutes of the match left after Jackson’s moment of madness, but the damage had already been done on Chelsea’s end, meaning Newcastle eventually strolled to a 2-0 victory to gain an upper hand to finish inside the coveted top five.

Jackson didn’t even test Nick Pope with a single effort on goal before clashing with the Magpies centre-back, with Maresca now tasked with deciding who to start up top now in the remaining top-flight contests to come ahead of the suspended striker.

Other Chelsea first-teamers could also feel the wrath of the manager’s team selection moving forward, with this fellow underperformer in attack only lasting ten more minutes than Jackson before being hooked.

Chelsea's other big underperformer

Nobody wearing Chelsea blue would come away from the 2-0 defeat with much praise, with Romeo Lavia another who looked out-of-sorts in the midfield department, especially when his casual nature on the ball centrally led to Tonali’s speedy opener.

But, Lavia would at least see out 75 minutes on the St James’ turf, with Noni Madueke half a tactical substitution due to Chelsea being reduced to ten men, and half an alteration made purely out of his ineffectiveness in attack when he lasted just 45 minutes.

Madueke’s performance in numbers
Stat	Madueke
Minutes played	45
Touches	16
Accurate passes	8/9 (89%)
Shots	0
Successful dribbles	0/1
Dribbled past	2x
Total duels won	0/4
Stats by Sofascore

At times, Madueke was merely a spectator to the constant waves of Newcastle attacks, with the 23-year-old dribbled past more times than he could conjure up successful dribbles himself.

Moreover, the ex-PSV Eindhoven winger could trudge off the pitch at the half-time interval and not return off the back of failing to register a single effort on the home side’s goal, alongside failing to win a single duel from four attempts. In stark contrast, even as Newcastle bossed proceedings, Jacob Murphy would win four duels as a committed warrior for Howe’s hosts.

It could well be time for Maresca to experiment with something fresh down the left channel, therefore, with 19-year-old sensation Tyrique George capable of playing down that flank, alongside an equally hit-and-miss Jadon Sancho.

The Italian will just pray that any changes he does makes to his XI pays off, with the Blues now slipping down the league, whilst Newcastle bask in the glory of third position.

Whenever Chelsea seem to be settling into their groove, another bump seemingly appears in the road, with just two Premier League games now left for the Blues to make any European dreams come true.

The next Cole Palmer: Chelsea in contact to sign "generational" £60m talent

Chelsea are looking to make the new Cole Palmer their first summer signing

By
Ross Kilvington

May 10, 2025

He has become the kind of player that can produce something special, and still be deserving of a scolding because it is widely understood that he is better than that

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Dec-2024Before “Pathum Nissanka” was ever a search in your device, before his switch to being a primarily white-ball player, before he hit Sri Lanka’s first ODI double-hundred, he was a 22-year-old batter who averaged 63 in first-class cricket. It is worth clocking this early, very good-boy version of Nissanka, because clearly the man himself has moved on so emphatically, it is easy to forget. This guy, once, took 252 balls to hit 103 on debut in Antigua. Nerd.Since first making a name in Tests, he has crashed over 4000 limited-overs runs at pretty solid strike rates, tattoo-sleeves have appeared, and though a back injury had apparently pushed him out of Tests for a while, he’s already hit a rapid, match-winning hundred in England since returning to the longest format. Three-and-a-half years into his international journey, it feels like we’re already on Nissanka version 2.0. The man is speed-running a career.If you know where he’s come from, and how far he’s traveled to get here, you’ll respect the hustle, though. There is no doubt that he’s talented. What you frequently also hear from coaches, is that he’s hungry. You watch this latest version of him at the crease now, and you can sense he wants more than he already has. He’ll leave that ball alone, but the way he shadow-bats a drive after it’s past him, a part of him wishes he’d tried to hit it for four.Related

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There is sense, and quiet, and discipline there. But deep beneath all that, also greed.How else do you explain that dismissal? Apologies that the first mention of his 89 on day two is of him getting out, running at Keshav Maharaj, and yorking himself against an otherwise unremarkable delivery. But even batting coach Thilina Kandamby sounded pretty annoyed, after play.”The way he got out – he only has himself to blame,” Kandamby said. “It was a good opportunity to get a century in South Africa. It’s not an easy thing. Only a few Sri Lankans have ever done it. At a time when the bowlers are tired, and the pitch is flat, he let go a great opportunity. Even I can’t put my finger on what happened, except to think that he lost his concentration suddenly. It’s not easy, because he’s got to to start from zero again to get to a hundred. But he’s a young cricketer, so I think he’ll make sure these sorts of things don’t happen again in future.”If the public criticism sounds especially harsh, it is because there is a widespread acknowledgement that Nissanka has a higher ceiling than almost anyone. He is a phenomenal player of the short ball, as he proved on day two, playing that shot to vicious effect against all three South Africa frontline seamers. On top of which he can be compact in defence when he wants to be, and is devastating against spin, in the shorter formats at least. Maharaj has a slog-sweep shaped bruise in his figures to prove it.Pathum Nissanka defends off the front foot•Associated PressIncreasingly, Nissanka is the kind of cricketer from whom you expect a solid score at some point in the series. Almost seamlessly, this has become expected of him in Tests as well, even though Nissanka 2.0 feels very much like a white-ball sort of guy. Though he himself is the “next big thing” in Sri Lankan batting, in Tests at least, he has to share that space with Kamindu Mendis, whose average (and we promise we don’t mean to shame Nissanka any further on a day in which he has been outstanding) is more than twice what Nissanka’s is, in this format.But Nissanka bats in an era in which other young players are gunning to be the next big thing. Avishka Fernando is around in limited-overs cricket. Charith Asalanka has already risen to the captaincy and excels in the ODI middle order. You’ve got to work for your stardom right now, and Nissanka seems like the kind of guy who doesn’t just want a job for the next 12 years, but wants to build a legacy. He was out for 89, but it felt like he needed 89 minutes to leave the field, so slowly did he amble off it. Though, that might also be because he was steeling himself for the batting coach-bollocking.In any case, in this innings, quelling a confident attack, Nissanka produced another glimpse into his quality. If we’re already at Nissanka 2.0, and he has as much potential as his innings suggest, and as much desire as his coaches say, we may have something special on our hands.For now, he is the kind of player that can strike up a century partnership, quell difficult opening spells, defy short-ball attacks on a bouncy pitch, push Sri Lanka into a slight advantage with his 89, and still be deserving of a scolding because it is widely understood that he is better than that.

Also: what’s the most wickets to fall at the same score in an international?

Steven Lynch28-Feb-2023Is it right that Harry Brook has scored more runs in his first nine Test innings than anyone else – even Don Bradman? asked Dan Perkins from England
It is correct: after his ninth innings – 186 in the first innings of the second Test in Wellington – England’s Harry Brook had scored 809 runs. The previous record was 796, by India’s Vinod Kambli.I’m writing this before England’s second innings. If he bats in that, Brook needs to score at least 72 to stay ahead of Kambli, who had 880 runs after ten innings. After that, Kambli loses the top spot to the great West Indian Everton Weekes, who had 968 runs after 11 Test innings, and 1024 after 12. And then Don Bradman takes over: after 13 Test innings, he had scored 1196 runs. He stays ahead to the end of his career – 6996 runs in 80 visits to the crease: the next-best in a player’s first 80 innings is Weekes’s 4446 runs, just ahead of Jack Hobbs with 4384. Weekes had only one more innings, scoring 9. The fewest innings needed to surpass Bradman’s 6996 is 126 – 46 more than the Don needed to get there – by Steven Smith.Mehidy Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman put on 51 for the last wicket to beat India late last year. Was this the highest tenth-wicket stand to win an ODI? asked Roqibul Hossain from Bangladesh
That unbroken stand of 51 between Mehidy Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman in Mirpur last December was actually the fourth-highest last-wicket stand to win an ODI. Still leading the way is a memorable match from the first men’s World Cup, at Edgbaston in 1975, when Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts put on 64 to take West Indies to a one-wicket victory over Pakistan.James Faulkner and Clint McKay put on 57 as Australia beat England in Brisbane in 2013-14, and Tom Odoyo and Hiren Varaiya added 55 as Kenya beat Ireland by one wicket in Nairobi in 2006-07.Australia lost four wickets with the score at 95 in the second innings of the Delhi Test. What’s the most wickets to fall at the same score in an international? asked Aravind Subramani from the United States
Australia lurched from 95 for 3 to 95 for 7 in the recent Test in Delhi. That’s one short of the Test record: there have been four instances of a side losing five wickets at the same score, three of them by New Zealand. The first was in Wellington in 1945-46, when they went from 37 for 2 to 37 for 7 in the first innings of their inaugural Test against Australia. On a drying pitch that was giving great assistance to the bowlers, New Zealand were bowled out for 42 – and lost two more wickets at 37 in their second innings of 54 all out.New Zealand lost five wickets at 59 in the second innings against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 1964-65 (they actually lost seven wickets for two runs in this spell), and five at 133 against South Africa in Hamilton in 2011-12. A year later, Bangladesh lost their last five first-innings wickets with the score at 134 against Zimbabwe in Harare.Such collapses are obviously a New Zealand specialty, as they also hold the record for men’s one-day internationals: they lost five wickets with the score on 155 against Pakistan in Lahore in 2003-04.The record for men’s T20Is is also five, by Australia against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup match in St Lucia in 2010; Australia started their last over at 191 for 5, but finished with 191 all out, after a Mohammad Amir maiden that included five wickets, two of them run-outs. Mali equalled this record against Kenya in Kigali in 2022-23, losing five wickets with the score stuck on 8, en route to 30 all out.There are two cases in women’s T20Is of six wickets falling at the same score: by UAE against Bangladesh in a World Cup qualifier in Utrecht in July 2018 (from 33 for 2 to 33 for 8), and by Maldives against Nepal in the South Asian Games in Pokhara in December 2019, when they lost their last six wickets with the score on 8, which included seven wides. There are six cases of five wickets falling at the same score in women’s ODIs or T20s (note that we do not have full details for some games).In Kingston in 1999, 322 of West Indies’ 431 came from Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams’ fifth wicket stand – the next highest partnership was 22 runs•PA Photos/Getty ImagesEngland’s first innings in Wellington contained one partnership of 302, but not a lot else. What are the lowest Test totals that contained partnerships of 300, 200 or 100? asked Nick Jones from England
The lowest completed (all-out) Test total to include a partnership of 300 or more is West Indies’ 431 against Australia in Kingston in 1998-99: Brian Lara (213) and Jimmy Adams (94) put on 322 for the fifth wicket, but the next-biggest stand was just 22. For an innings in which not all ten wickets went down, India made 361 for 1 against West Indies in Calcutta in 1978-79, with an unbroken second-wicket stand of 344 between Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar.Australia’s total of 284 against West Indies in Brisbane in 1968-69 included a second-wicket stand of 217 between Bill Lawry and Ian Chappell (the next-highest score was 17). And the lowest completed Test total to include a hundred partnership came in Auckland in 1973-74, when New Zealand were all out for 158 against Australia despite an opening stand of 107 between Glenn Turner and John Parker. That came close to being beaten in Galle in 2021-22, when West Indies were bowled out for 160 by Sri Lanka, despite a seventh-wicket stand of 100 between Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua Da Silva, who came together at 18 for 6.Regarding last week’s question about the number of grounds used in each country for men’s internationals, does India still lead the way if you include women’s matches too? asked Samanth Karthikeyan from India
India had a comfortable lead when it came just to men’s matches – 53 grounds have so far staged internationals in the three formats, with England and Australia next on 23 – but there’s a big change if you lump in women’s games as well. Australia have staged internationals for both sexes on 63 different grounds, and India on 81 – but England (and Wales) are well ahead with 99. The main reason for this is that some very small club grounds were used for some of the early matches, especially in the inaugural women’s World Cup in 1973. To see some of them, click here for the 90 different grounds used just for women’s ODIs in England.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.An earlier version of this story featured an answer about Harry Brook being the top scorer from No. 5 on the first day of a Test, which has been replaced due to inaccuracies.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Documentary on Australia’s T20 World Cup 2020 success showcases the rise of women’s sport

Daniel Brettig11-Feb-2021If we needed any further reminder of the tenuous nature of gains made by women’s cricket, it arrives with the fact that a revealing and emotive documentary account of Australia’s T20 World Cup victory last year is being released at precisely the time Meg Lanning’s team should be playing in the ODI equivalent., produced by Angela Pippos and Nicole Minchin in collaboration with Cricket Australia, captures the moment in time when the women’s game was showcased like never before, culminating in an unforgettable finale against India in front of 86,174 spectators at the MCG. The figure was fractionally short of the world record for a women’s sporting contest alluded to in the title, but close enough that it really did not matter. This was a landmark occasion for countless reasons set out boldly over the two episodes.Most poignant among these is how the world was pitched into global pandemic mode within days of Australia’s model display in the final – there was one Covid-19 case present on the night. That has left a sense that many of the words spoken about investment in the game for the long-term have become increasingly empty amid the scramble for survival beyond coronavirus. Instead of seeking to reclaim the ODI crown won by England in 2017, Lanning and company are currently taking part in the Australian domestic league and wondering whether they will ever again see sights to match those of March, 2020.Related

• 'To see the queues and know they were there for us, it almost brought a tear to my eye'

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Their understandable scepticism about the initial plan to host the final at Australia’s largest ground is laid out nicely in the early passages of the film, best articulated by the self-deprecating but disarmingly frank Beth Mooney. CA’s strategic vision for the women’s game, rammed home strongly to the local organising committee and its then chief executive Nick Hockley as far back as 2016, was always about the need to “think big” and aim for the MCG.This documentary’s conception was weaved into the conversations that followed, with Pippos eager to build upon other projects to chronicle the rise of women in sport – whether it be a series on the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) competition entitled , or her widely lauded book on the topic, . It should be made clear from the start, however, that despite airing through the same Amazon platform, is unlike , which was based on the Australia men’s journey on retaining the 2019 Ashes post the ball-tampering scandal in 2018. With the latest documentary, the filmmakers are seen having greater editorial control although fewer chances to peek behind the dressing or the meeting room door.Pippos and Minchin might have had more as they followed the Australians around the country in February and March 2020, but for the drama of the campaign that unfolded far less smoothly than Lanning and the national team coach Matthew Mott would have preferred. A startling defeat to India – spearheaded by the spin and guile of Poonam Yadav – had got the hosts off to the worst possible start, and when they sank to 10 for 3 against an unfancied Sri Lanka side in Perth, elimination was a distinct possibility. The film crew, which the team had been introduced to a week before the tournament began, was unsurprisingly not quite so welcome at this stage; but the trade-off is for an outlandish narrative no novelist could have scripted.Ellyse Perry’s tournament had been affected due to a hamstring injury while playing•Getty ImagesAs a result, only one team meeting is captured, a somewhat clipped discussion ahead of the final pool game against New Zealand at the Junction Oval. There were also dressing room restrictions imposed by an ICC event. But the honesty and clarity with which players such as Lanning, Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes and the proudly unpolished Megan Schutt express themselves helps to bridge the gap. Dane van Niekerk, Heather Knight and Harmanpreet Kaur offer their own considered insights among opposition captains, and the former Australian skipper Belinda Clark also brings valuable context. Hockley is there too, speaking a little less guardedly than he has as CA’s interim CEO, and only the presence of the MCC chief executive Stuart Fox feels anything like superfluous.The notable absence of Ellyse Perry from the list of interviewees though might be grounds for conspiracy theories given her initially curious and ultimately painful tournament, but the truth is a little more mundane. When interviews were conducted in the days after the tournament, she had been undergoing major surgery on her torn hamstring, while scheduled on-camera time for later in the year was to be cruelled by Covid-19 lockdowns in Melbourne. Nevertheless, she still cuts an intriguing figure, especially when Lanning speaks to the contrast between Perry’s fastidious note-taking and her own far more seat-of-the-pants captaincy style.Thematically, the only major omission is the gulf between the fully professionalised Australian system and virtually all the rest; certainly, there is nothing really to stand comparison with the WBBL as a domestic T20 event. Part of Australia’s wrestle in the early games was in the gap between their “on paper” strength and the actual, anxious performance.Episode two of focuses on Australia’s three consecutive elimination games against New Zealand, South Africa and India once more in the final, with many of the documentary’s best moments emerging through the glum sight of a rain-sodden Sydney on the day of the semi-final. Healy admits she was sure that Australia would be eliminated due to rain after having finished second in their pool, as the rules stated that the team with the most points after the pool stage would qualify for the final should the semi-final be washed out. In fact, she even sent texts to van Niekerk mid-afternoon with pre-emptive congratulations on their progression to the final.As the afternoon wore on and England were eliminated when their first-up game against India was washed out, Pippos was moved to excuse herself from the hubbub of the press box under the pretext of the need for a cup of tea to curse the imminent cancellation of the project. That pressure on Australia to reach the final and so turn it into the spectacle the organisers dearly wanted makes for some sober reflections from Hockley and others about balancing such desires with the “glorious uncertainty” of sport. Healy is happy to say in the aftermath that the team “blatantly lied” during their repeated public denials of extra pressure, or of “embracing the moment” in which so much rested on their progress.History shows that Sydney’s skies did clear for just long enough, the SCG was dry enough and the Australians squeaked home by just enough – five runs – over South Africa. That set up the perfect final for the administrators; and on a pristine autumn day, curtain-raised by Katy Perry, Lanning’s team put together a performance to match even the wildest of their dreams. These moments have been captured expertly, with shot choices that emphasise the takeover of previously male-dominated halls.Cameras linger over countless images or statues of male cricketers, reminders that in terms of progress, that wondrous day in March 2020 should only really be the beginning. Overall, plays out like a better than average official film. But it is so much more powerful for being a women’s tale, pulled together resourcefully in the shadow of coronavirus.

Thomas Frank needs consistency at Tottenham Hotspur, having blown hot and cold in the months since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout.

Postecoglou won the Europa League last season, but he was dismissed from his duties – some would call it Daniel Levy’s final act – and a new era has been ushered in, with Frank making a series of signings and reworking the Spurs set-up.

Room for one more? The Londoners’ attacking efforts have left something to be desired this season, and with so much on the line this term, ENIC Group have a dream of signing Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth during the January transfer window.

The latest on Spurs' interest in Semenyo

Bournemouth supposedly rejected an offer from Tottenham for Semenyo’s signature during the off-season. But the Lilywhites are back in the running, ready to contest Liverpool and Manchester City for the Ghana winger’s services, with his £65m release clause going live in January.

It’s going to be difficult, luring the 25-year-old to north London next month. While all the pointers suggest Semenyo will leave the Vitality Stadium, he has a range of elite outfits to pick from, and Liverpool and City often get their way in the transfer market.

But Tottenham do need a talismanic force on the left flank. After all, Heung-min Son left for Los Angeles after lifting the Europa League trophy, and his presence and influence have been keenly missed.

Patience, though, is so often a virtue in football, and while Spurs don’t have a frontline firing on all cylinders right now, Frank leads a number of players who could become real stars down the line.

And there’s one in particular who has fired himself into form over the past week, with his market value a reflection of just how talented he is.

The Spurs star who's overtaken Semenyo

This summer, Tottenham completed a series of signings, and when we look back on that window, we might view Xavi Simons as being the pick of the bunch. The Netherlands star, 21 years old, moved from RB Leipzig for about £51m in August, having been pursued by Chelsea.

He hadn’t hit the ground running this season – far from it – but Simons is starting to grow into his skin, and his silky, combative style of play suggests he could have been perfect for the Mauricio Pochettino era.

Yes, Simons’ natural playmaking qualities make him a tailor-made fit for that thrilling chapter of the previous decade. He has been flagged for a lack of physicality amid early-season struggles, but Simons is beginning to put those to rest, settling into life in London.

This is a show-stopper of a midfielder, boasting something special, something different to his teammates. When Frank gets his squad playing to his tune from a creative vantage, you can bet that Simons will be smack-bang in the middle of the success.

Already he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted and ball recoveries, as well as the top 3% for ball recoveries per 90 (data via FBref).

And he’s beginning to showcase an aptitude for the defensive side of the game, working hard in recovery and getting stuck in when against the ball.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

0

Touches

60

70

Shots (on target)

4 (2)

3 (1)

Accurate passes

36/43 (84%)

35/41 (85%)

Chances created

1

0

Dribbles

0/0

1/4

Recoveries

7

2

Tackles won

0/1

1/2

Ground duels won

4/7

6/16

Hailed by statistician Statman Dave for his ability to create “magic” on the ball, Simons suffered a tough start to his Tottenham career, but he has shown flashes of elite quality throughout the campaign, and now, with two goals from as many games, there’s a sense that the Dutchman could be about to kick on.

Could we be set to return to the halycon days of Poch’s reign? Tottenham didn’t win a trophy then, but the football was good, envied, and Simons looks like he could be an architect of such a revival of creativity and sharpness in the final third.

He has just started to earn some recognition, having already proven himself on the financial front, with CIES Football Observatory suggesting his value has already skyrocketed to £95m since his summer move, above Semenyo’s maximum market value of £67m.

Semenyo would be a terrific addition, and there’s no question that offensive signings will be made in 2026, but Tottenham fans must remember that their club have signed one of the most exciting playmakers in the business, and after seeing his market value skyrocket, he’s only going to keep getting better.

Frank's answer to Declan Rice: Spurs have found a "future £100m" superstar

Tottenham’s long-term vision is among the most ambitious in all of Europe.

ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

Arsenal’s 18-game unbeaten run is over. In that time, they have defeated their arch-rivals 4-1, defeated one of the most in-form sides in Europe in the shape of Bayern Munich 3-1. They have also been to St James’ Park and to Stamford Bridge without losing.

It’s typical, therefore, that the man who Mikel Arteta succeeded, Unai Emery, brought it to an unsavoury end.

This game will always be Emery’s cup final and that showed on Saturday. The Gunners were far from their best. They looked tired, shaky at the back. A 2-1 loss occurred and after Manchester City won later in the day, the gap at the top of the table was narrowed to just two points.

How Emery got the better of Mikel Arteta

A week ago, Arsenal looked like the runaway leaders in the Premier League. They’ll definitely win the title, some cried. Well, how quickly things can change.

While Arteta’s side are still in the driver’s seat to win it next May, they will need to improve on their last two away games with Chelsea and Villa.

This match was classic Emery. He loves facing his former employers and despite amassing plenty of possession in the Midlands, Arsenal seemed powerless to stop the Villans.

While Arsenal were missing Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba due to injury, Villa’s swift transitions, counter-attacking football and their willingness to get runners in behind really made life difficult for Arteta’s side.

Ollie Watkins – who was once the subject of a bid from the Gunners – didn’t score but several times he was able to get in behind. Jurrien Timber, who was playing at centre-back, was made to look rather silly.

Watkins could well have scored the opening goal of the game when he got in behind Timber and Piero Hincapie, turning them inside out before forcing a strong save from David Raya.

The combination play between him and Morgan Rogers, as well as Youri Tielemans, posed a colossal threat. Between them, they made three key passes.

Usually an offensive line would be met with a brick wall in the shape of Saliba and Gabriel but Arsenal’s centre-backs were a shadow of what we’ve come to expect with Arteta’s usual centre-back pairing on the sidelines with injury again.

That said, it was a moment of pinball that led to the winning goal. Arsenal failed to clear their lines and despite throwing several bodies in the way, Emilio Buendia was the calmest man in the Midlands, firing the ball past Raya. Bedlam erupted inside the stadium.

Arsenal's summer signing costs them big time

The defensive line of Arsenal has undoubtedly been the best in the country this season. Before their clash with the Villans, the Gunners had shipped just seven goals in the top-flight. Make that nine now.

Any team in world football would miss players of the calibre of Saliba and Gabriel but the league leaders have found out in recent matches just how tricky life is when both of them are unavailable.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Cristian Mosquera was forced off with injury in the 2-0 win against Brentford in midweek which meant Arteta was forced to select Timber at centre-half at Villa Park. Smaller, not as physical, and keen to go to ground, he was no match for Watkins and Co.

Equally, Hincapie – who could sign permanently in a £45m deal – endured a topsy-turvy afternoon in what was just his fourth start in the Premier League. The Ecuador international is a physical beast but arguably lacks the same level of composure we’ve so often seen from Gabriel and Saliba in recent years.

He is, of course, new to the English game but his performance levels in the last two away fixtures have left something to be desired.

Against Chelsea last week, he and Mosquera looked rather unsettled and nervous. Fair enough, really, particularly when you consider they had only played together as a pairing once before.

Hincapie improved against Brentford and for the most part against Villa, he looked strong. Against a robust offensive unit, he won all three of his aerial duels, made a whopping seven clearances, six recoveries and won 50% of his ground duels.

This was not a bad performance until one mistake cost Arsenal the game. It was a moment you’d typically associate with the later days of Arsene Wenger’s reign, or even the Unai Emery era.

During those years, you’d associate Arsenal’s defenders with lapses in concentration and mistakes. Hincapie wasn’t riddled with errors on Saturday but his blunder deep into injury time cost Arsenal.

In the words of The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid, he has been “pretty poor since Spurs” and while that may well feel harsh, the inability to clear his lines late on was certainly poor.

Timber & Hincapie vs Villa
Stat	Timber	Hincapie
Mins played	90	90
Touches	66	68
Pass accuracy	94%	82%
Tackles won	3/3	1/3
Interceptions	2	1
Clearances	3	7
Recoveries	4	6
Duels won	4/8	6/9
Stats via Sofascore.

GOAL’s Charles Watts handed the defender a 6/10 rating at full-time and called out his lack of awareness at the end. He had a chance to clear his lines, but instead ran the ball out of play. It was from the Villa throw-in that they ultimately scored the winner.

It felt insignificant when it happened but there was a lack of game awareness. It was like something out of the Emery era. Saliba and Gabriel wouldn’t do that. The dogged defence Arteta has created wouldn’t do that. It could subsequently cost him his place in the team against Brugge in midweek.

Perhaps it’s time to see what Riccardo Calafiori can do at centre-half with Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back?

Fewer touches than Raya & only 7 passes: Arsenal star must be dropped

Arsenal’s title charge got a whole lot trickier after defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 7, 2025

The Boston Red Sox placed catcher Connor Wong in the 10-day IL earlier this week after he sustained a fractured finger.

Due to be without him for a while, the Red Sox made a move to shore up the position. According to Robert Murray of , Boston has agreed to a minor-league deal with two-time All-Star catcher Yasmani Grandal.

Grandal, 36, spent the 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he featured in 72 games and recorded a .704 OPS with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. The Red Sox will be his sixth home in MLB since making his debut back in 2012 with the San Diego Padres. He's also spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox.

Grandal, a 13-year veteran, last made an All-Star Game in 2019 when he was with the Brewers. That season, he slashed .246/.380/.468 with a career-high 28 home runs and 77 RBIs.

With Wong on IL, Boston currently rosters two catchers; Carlos Narvaez and Blake Sabol.