All posts by n8rngtd.top

A list of players who have moved franchises and those that have been released ahead of the 2019 IPL player auction

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2018Royal Challengers Bangalore
In: Marcus Stoinis
Out: Quinton de Kock, Mandeep Singh, Brendon McCullum, Chris Woakes, Corey Anderson, Sarfraz Khan
Retained: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Parthiv Patel, Washington Sundar, Pawan Negi, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kulwant Khejroliya, Nathan Coulter-Nile
Salary cap available: 18.15 croresRCB traded South Africa wicketkeeper de Kock to Mumbai Indians in a cash deal – Mumbai Indians paid them the INR 2.8 crore (USD 437,000) RCB had bought de Kock for in the 2018 auction. They also traded batsman Mandeep (INR 1.4 crore, USD 218,000) to Kings XI Punjab for Australia allrounder Stoinis (INR 6.2 crore, USD 968,000).Mumbai Indians
In: Quinton de Kock
Out: Mustafizur Rahman, Pat Cummins, Akila Dananjaya, JP Duminy, Saurabh Tiwary, Tajinder Singh, Mohsin Khan, Pradeep Sangwan, MD Nidheesh, Sharad Lumba
Retained: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Evin Lewis, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Jason Behrendorff
Salary cap available: 11.15 croresMumbai bought de Kock from RCB and to offset the deal, released Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur (INR 2.2 crore, USD 343,000) and Sri Lankan offspinner Dananjaya (INR 50 lakh, USD 78,000), who played just one match in the 2018 season. They also released Australia fast bowler Cummins (INR 5.4 crore, USD 843,000) – Australia players are expected to play a limited role in IPL 2019, with Cricket Australia outlining plans to have their players prepare for the World Cup by playing ODIs and being available for the pre-tournament camp.Delhi Daredevils
In: Shikhar Dhawan
Out: Gautam Gambhir, Jason Roy, Gurkeerat Mann, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Shami, Dan Christian, Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sayan Ghosh, Liam Plunkett, Junior Dala, Naman Ojha
Retained: Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Manjot Kalra, Colin Munro, Chris Morris, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Harshal Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Sandeep Lamichhane, Avesh Khan
Salary cap available: 25.50 croresIn a deal involving both trades and cash, Delhi Daredevils brought in local player Dhawan (INR 5.2 crore, USD 812,000) from Sunrisers Hyderabad and in return gave them allrounder Shankar (INR 3.2 crore, USD 500,000), under-19 batsman Abhishek Sharma (INR 55 lakh, USD 85,000), who impressed with an innings of 46 not out off 19 balls last season, and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (INR 3.2 crore, USD 500,000).Since the combined value of those players was more than Dhawan’s, Sunrisers had to pay Daredevils an extra INR 1.75 crore (273,000). Dhawan was released by Sunrisers after a six-year stint with the team because he was unhappy with his auction price.Sunrisers Hyderabad
In: Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem
Out: Shikhar Dhawan, Sachin Baby, Tanmay Agarwal, Wriddhiman Saha, Chris Jordan, Carlos Brathwaite, Alex Hales, Bipul Sharma, Syed Mehdi Hasan
Retained: David Warner, Yusuf Pathan, Rashid Khan, Shakib Al Hasan, Billy Stanlake, Kane Williamson, Mohammad Nabi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, T Natarajan, Ricky Bhui, Sandeep Sharma, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, Basil Thampi, Deepak Hooda
Salary cap available: 9.70 croresIn addition to the Dhawan trade, Sunrisers released eight other players whose combined worth is INR 9.8 crore (USD 1.53 million). Among them was Alex Hales, who was moderately successful as an opener last season, Brathwaite, who played the final, Jordan, who is known as a specialist death bowler, and Wriddhiman Saha, who has been out with a long-term injury sustained during the last IPL season.Chennai Super Kings
In: None
Out: Mark Wood, Kanishk Seth, Kshitiz Sharma
Retained: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, M Vijay, Shane Watson, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, David Willey, Dwayne Bravo, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Sam Billings, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Karn Sharma, Dhruv Shorey, N Jagadeesan, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Chaitanya Bishnoi
Salary cap available: 8.40 croresMark Wood, who cost INR 1.5 crore (USD 234,000), played just one game last season for CSK and conceded 49 runs in four overs. He was released along with two uncapped players. Super Kings retained both New Zealand allrounder Mitchell Santner, who missed the 2018 season due to a knee injury, and his replacement David Willey, who featured in just three games for them during the season.Kolkata Knight Riders
In: None
Out: Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson, Tom Curran, Cameron Delport, Javon Searles, Ishank Jaggi, Apoorv Wankhade, Vinay Kumar
Retained: Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna
Salary cap available: 15.20 croresStarc has missed the previous two IPL seasons – in 2017, he parted ways with RCB to focus on international cricket and in 2018, after being bought by KKR for INR 9.4 crore (USD 1.47mn), he was ruled out due to injury. KKR have decided to release him. They also retained pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who was injured last season and didn’t play a game, and his replacement, Prasidh Krishna.Kings XI Punjab
In: Mandeep Singh
Out: Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Aaron Finch, Mohit Sharma, Barinder Sran, Yuvraj Singh, Ben Dwarshuis, Manoj Tiwary, Akshdeep Nath, Pardeep Sahu, Mayank Dagar, Manzoor Dar
Retained: Chris Gayle, David Miller, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, R Ashwin, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye, Mujeeb ur Rahman
Salary cap available: 36.20 croresKings XI had retained Axar Patel before the big auction in 2018, but opted to let him go this time. Other significant releases include Yuvraj Singh, who was picked in the starting XI at the beginning of last season but was benched later on due to failures, Manoj Tiwary and Mohit Sharma.Rajasthan Royals
In: None
Out: Jaydev Unadkat, Anureet Singh, Ankit Sharma, Jatin Saxena, D’Arcy Short, Ben Laughlin
Retained: Steven Smith, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ish Sodhi, Ajinkya Rahane, K Gowtham, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Gopal, Aryaman Birla, S Midhun, Prashant Chopra, Stuart Binny, Rahul Tripathi, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mahipal Lomror
Salary cap available: 20.95 croresThe release of Jaydev Unadkat came after Rajasthan bid INR 11.5 crore for him at the 2018 auction. Unadkat had an underwhelming season, getting 11 wickets in 15 matches, with an economy rate of 7.80.

Shreyas Gopal got them out similarly last year. He’s had the last laugh here too

Sidharth Monga and Gaurav Sundararaman02-Apr-2019These are batsmen of such great stature that their emphatic dismissals stand out in memories. And when it happens so often, even Shreyas Gopal’s reaction of disbelief is not enough to make you look away. In their clashes last IPL, Shreyas removed AB de Villiers twice and Virat Kohli once. In the first match of this IPL, too, he took them out both with wrong’uns. And he might have had Kohli lbw a ball before he bowled him. It is clear neither of them is picking the wrong’un.Here are the numbers. De Villiers averages 5.2 and strikes at 83.87 against the wrong’un in IPL since the last edition. Kohli averages six and strikes at 104.35. Later, in the chase, Ajinkya Rahane, too, fell to a wrong’un from Yuzvendra Chahal.ESPNcricinfo LtdAnd it is not just them: last year MS Dhoni and KL Rahul struggled badly too. You don’t see either Kohli or de Villiers struggling against the wrong’un in Tests. So it is quite possible that they watch it less closely in the shortest format where the focus is on hitting it.Experts on Star Sports’ “Dugout” believe if you are not picking the wrong’un, you can either move your guard across a little to cover the stumps a little, and with some bowlers – such as Shreyas and M Ashwin – play them as offspinners and let the legbreak, which they bowl about as regularly as the wrong’un, beat the outside edge.Another suggestion: just watch for the legbreak and not for the variation because then all variations look different and scramble your mind. Try to read every legbreak first.BCCIParthiv Patel stays alive
Royal Challengers Bangalore is infamous for not giving players a long rope, but one man to benefit from it might be Parthiv Patel. Many believe he is the rare wicketkeeper in this age playing just as a wicketkeeper and not adding much value with the bat.On paper, Parthiv’s role is similar to Sunil Narine’s: just hit big in the Powerplay. His attacking shot percentage keeps up with that role – next only to Narine’s – but his effectiveness doesn’t. Among batsmen who have opened at least 40 times in the IPL, his strike rate is the third-worst. And he has a low average to boot. Parthiv’s average has crossed 25 only once in the past five seasons, with his strike rate hovering in the 110s almost throughout. So despite his intent, Parthiv is neither Narine nor a Shikhar Dhawan.In this game, though, he performed that role perfectly, racing away to 22 off 13 in the Powerplay, allowing Kohli to knock the ball around. However, in this game Kohli and de Villiers fell when they should have capitalised on this start. And once again, now in the second half of the innings, Parthiv’s lack of power hurt him a little. He couldn’t kick on in the latter half of Royal Challengers’ innings, scoring only 19 off the last 16 balls he faced.Parthiv has managed to show there is utility to him, but he will have to keep doing it again and again because he has had a rope the length of which must make every other Royal Challengers player envious.Where is Washington?
As you waited to see some sort of spin in the Powerplay from Royal Challengers, mind went to Washington Sundar, who was acquired by them last year for that precise reason. In 2017, he held the fifth-best Powerplay economy rate for those who had bowled at least 15 overs with the field restrictions on. This was a performance that even got him an India debut.In 2018, Sundar comes to Royal Challengers, and bowls just six overs inside the Powerplay in the whole season. Two of these six overs came in his first match where he happened to be at the receiving end of a Sunil Narine onslaught and conceded 29 runs. He played eight of the 14 matches last season, and is yet to start this year. Have Royal Challengers wasted a player by playing him out of position?

Imam, Babar and Fakhar have not been able to convert their starts into big scores and that’s been affecting the team’s performance at the World Cup

Sharda Ugra, Bharath Seervi and Shiva Jayaraman22-Jun-20190:50

Social media comments hurt us – Sarfaraz

At a fairly civilised media scrum at Lord’s Friday evening, as Mohmmed Amir was whizzing past his batsmen in the nets, Wahab Riaz was asked about Pakistan’s bowling being responsible for the state the team was in at the World Cup. Wahab was reasoned in his response and talked about the lack of wickets upfront, manfully bearing the burden alongside his comrades. Well, ahem.Pakistan’s pride in its bowlers may have led to the interrogation and while Wahab did admit to their errors, the blame for his side teetering at the edge in the World Cup needs to be spread around a little more fairly. A sizeable amount should land at the door of the batsmen, particularly the trio at the top who came into the tournament as well prepared as a set of pre-World Cup batsmen could possibly be.Imam ul Haq, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam were given challenging contests – ODI series in South Africa and England – the security of their place in the team – a break against Australia in the five-match ODI home series in UAE – and were to max their chances, getting into a good run of form. Plus Pakistan ensured there were three other batsmen – Abid Ali, Shan Masood and Haris Sohail – all bedded in as back-ups in case needed. The top-quality top-order batting preparation for a World Cup had been so smartly calibrated that management schools could reach out for tips from the PCB as to how to plan random campaigns.And it looked like it was paying off.Babar Azam sweeps for a boundary•Getty ImagesBefore the World Cup, Pakistan’s totals in England in four completed matches were: 361, 358, 340 and 297. Before the World Cup, between them the Uber Order of Imam, Fakhar and Babar (who can be condensed into the single acronym IFB) had scored four centuries and seven fifties in series in South Africa and England. Yet as the tournament began and the early summer rain fell, the best laid plans appeared to have unravelled.ALSO READ: Criticise us but don’t abuse us – Sarfaraz AhmedPakistan’s World Cup totals so far are 105, 348, 266 and 212, the 348 bringing about their only victory against England. No plan, the generals say, survives contact with the enemy, but in the case of Pakistan’s top order, they appear responsible for their fates, operating on a self-destruct mode set on a timer. Like the Mission Impossible message, around the time an IFB innings crosses 33, it goes kaboom.The numbers prove it. At the World Cup, IFB have played a total of 12 innings and they have been dismissed without getting ‘set’ – that is in single-figures – only three times. In the other nine, there are no centuries, only three scores between 50 and 65 and six scores between 20 and 48.Imam-ul-Haq plays a cut•Getty ImagesThe combined IFB scores and averages in the four series played this year is a startling contrast. From the high of averaging 55.07 between themselves in the five-match series against England, they now average 32.41 in the World Cup. Their combined form is a reflection of Pakistan’s tottering campaign.When the ESPNcricinfo stats team dug deeper, they were to find a greater relation between the Pakistani top order and the state of their game. In the past, whenever any one of IFB have scored a century – that’s nine in all, Pakistan have crossed 300 on seven occasions and the average innings score is 329. While crossing 300 is no guarantee of an ODI victory – and Pakistan’s performance during the ODI series against England was proof – setting up the total at least puts out the stall. In the 300-plus scores at this World Cup, 16 in all, only one team has lost after setting a target and that was West Indies to Bangladesh.ALSO READ – How Pakistan’s fielding hit a fumbling block since Steve Rixon’s exitJust like Wahab admitted to the bowlers’ inability to take top-order wickets, the flip side of the coin was the impact that those wickets had on teams going ahead. It is Pakistan’s top-order hiccups that have led the opposition to get stuck into the line-up and seize control of the game.Examine this: against Australia, Fakhar (0) and Babar (30 off 28), were gone by the 11th over (56 for 2). Imam soldiered on for 15 more, before being caught down the legside for 53.Fakhar Zaman reaches out for a square drive•Getty ImagesAgainst India, after Imam was out for 7, Fakhar and Babar had settled in at a good clip taking Pakistan to 117 before Babar fell at the end of the 24th over, though it took a magic ball from Kuldeep to get him at 48. Eight balls later, it was Fakhar, top-edging a sweep to Kuldeep, out for 62. Rather than take on the role of helmsmen during game-changing moments, each of the top three turned into rusty anchors and broke loose.When asked about the lack of heft of his top three, Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed said he believed the pitches that his team ran into during the bilateral series were considerably different from the ones in use at the World Cup. The weather in England may have also played its part, and Sarfaraz said, “But it is right to say that our top order is scoring runs but not converting them into big runs. We have talked about this with our batsmen, and I am sure that the players will convert them into big scores in the matches ahead.”Sarfaraz also pointed out that in this World Cup it was the top orders of the teams who were making an impact on controlling the tempo of matches and results. “We are trying hard to ensure that the top order performs, whether we bat first or chase, that will make a big difference.”For Pakistan however nothing depends on what the captain says. It hinges on what his top three do, that could decide the fate of this World Cup campaign.

The Maharashtra batsman was going through a lean patch when he decided to seek some advice. What happened next? A brilliant hundred in the Duleep Trophy

Shashank Kishore in Alur25-Aug-2019Ahead of the 2019-20 season, which has officially begun with the Duleep Trophy, Ankit Bawne texted a friend for advice. That friend was Mayank Agarwal, who was to link up with India’s other Test specialists in Mumbai before flying out to the West Indies.Bawne’s 2018-19 season was poor. He was low on confidence and needed a helping hand. He had seen first-hand, in 2017-18, how Agarwal turned his form around after a pair in his first match of the season. Against a Maharashtra side captained by Bawne, Agarwal slammed a triple-century. As frustrating as it was to watch from the infield, Bawne says the innings taught him “life lessons”.”That innings told you everything about Mayank the person, his methods, his approach, his attitude and hard work,” Bawne says. “I just asked him what went through his mind as he took strike, having made a pair in the previous game. And then the pressure he was under, and how he turned the season and maybe even his career around.”It’s no throwaway line. Agarwal followed up that innings of 304* with scores of 176, 23, 90, 133*, 173 and 134 on his way to ending the season atop the Ranji Trophy charts with 1160 runs at 105.45. The runs kept coming, across formats, and propelled Agarwal towards international selection, with his Test debut arriving at the MCG on Boxing Day last year.Agarwal’s reply to Bawne’s text was, to begin with, this simple message: “Give yourself a chance to make friends with the pitch, and everything will follow.”Bawne chuckles as he remembers that chat. “He made it sound so easy. I asked him again, ‘man, how did you do it?’ And then he told me seriously: ‘Just because you get a 100 or 200 in one innings, you don’t start the next innings on the same score. You’re still zero not out. Once you get a start, then the confidence of all those runs you’ve made kicks in. Try getting into that zone.'”He’s also an inspiration because he got into the Test team at 28. It shows if you perform, age is no bar. I’m 26, I should be on top of my game. I have no reason to believe I can’t make it. So as a batsman, he has inspired me a lot. He’s an example of how the domestic grind can reward you and take you places. You just have to be patient, honest with yourself, and keep that passion and hunger.”Mayank Agarwal takes a big stride forward to drive•Getty ImagesIn his first full outing after that phone call, Bawne was in that zone, along the way carving a superb century in the Duleep Trophy, an unbeaten 254-ball 121 that nearly helped India Blue secure a first-innings lead against India Red in Alur. It was an innings where Bawne shelved his ego and the big shots early on, overcame a bouncer barrage, ignored all the chirping around him, batted maturely with the lower order, and, once in his zone, nonchalantly picked off the gaps in the deep even with six men patrolling the boundaries.Bawne has faced numerous challenges in a first-class career that has already spanned more than a decade. He has grown from being a brash teenager who captained the junior India team until an age-related controversy forced him out of contention for the Under-19 World Cup. He is admittedly a calmer version of his previous self, and has grown more consistent, with more focus and direction in his cricket and life in general. He has grown into a middle-order linchpin at Maharashtra, known for his solid technique and calming influence on the dressing room.His record is impressive; his hundred for India Blue was the 18th of his first-class career, and he has an average of over 50 in the format, from 92 matches. But he hasn’t hit the peaks of some of his contemporaries. He has never had a 1000-run Ranji season – his most productive one remains 2013-14, when he made 731 runs to help Maharashtra reach the final.ALSO READ – Self-taught Bawne gives Maharashtra solidity“Who wouldn’t love to get 1000?” Bawne asks. “As a batsman, I do realise at No. 5, chances to make big hundreds may not always come. So I can’t be obsessed about 1000 all the time. I have to be realistic. Mostly, it’s the top three who get those kind of runs, but having said that, consistency is what I’m after. The hard work in the off-season pays off. Sometimes, as an individual, you don’t get time to think and reflect, you’re always on the move. But I think about my game, I know this is what I’ve been after, and nothing comes easy.”Numbers don’t often say how a fighting 75 in Lahli can sometimes be worth as much as a 200 not out in Rajkot or Hyderabad. If you look at the scorecard from his innings on Sunday, it won’t tell you about the kind of command he had over the bowlers, how he read their minds, and how nothing – not even India Blue losing five wickets for 15 runs – affected his concentration.Bawne made his first-class debut as a 15-year old, in 2007, and played his first game for India A only a decade later, in 2017. Since then, he has been in or around the A team, and has even captained it, but hasn’t quite nailed down a spot. Even so, when he bats, he always looks self-assured.”What I’ve learnt over time is the need to change my game to different wickets,” he says. “Early in my career, it was just one way, one tempo. On different surfaces, the awareness to temper your game is what defines you as a batsman. This is what I’ve learnt from [India A coach] Rahul Dravid. Over time, that understanding has helped me become a better batsman. Apart from that, I’ve also had to consciously work on my fitness, which has helped me in batting long periods.”Ankit Bawne goes for the sweep•ESPNcricinfo LtdBawne has tried his hand at boxing, which he says has improved his reflexes, both while batting and fielding in the slips. He’s also tried different kinds of cardio exercise. Here too, he fielded for 124 overs and then batted for a majority of his team’s 83.2 overs.”It has given me focus, the push to run those extra singles and twos, to hold an end up and fight through pain,” Bawne says. “In general, fitness work has been a major contributing factor to my game. Now I feel I’m better equipped, personally and also as a batsman. I’ve figured out my routines, what works for me and what doesn’t.”If I’m out to a good ball, I’ll accept that. But I don’t want to be out because I’m tired or have played a tired shot at the end of a long day because I’m not fit or don’t have the strength. In fact being fit has helped me pocket those extra runs at the end when everyone else is tired.”While he’s been around the domestic circuit for 12 years, it’s only since 2017 that he has believed he can graduate to the next level. The belief came during a four-day game against New Zealand A in Vijayawada, where Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson were bowling at their quickest. Bawne copped blows to the body, survived, and made an unbeaten 162.”Nothing prepares you to face 150 clicks until you have actually faced it,” he says. “You don’t face it in Ranji Trophy. It’s like they’re coming at your throat. Your body, your mind, your instincts – you can so easily freeze. That’s when instincts take over. That knock injected belief, because those guys were seriously quick and the pitch was doing something. That felt like magic, that’s the moment I realised maybe I can play for India and get Test hundreds.”You need one or two games like that to get the confidence that you belong to the next level. Since that my mindset has been different. I know I can play, I can score. As a batsman, if I can be in that zone, that kind of high when I’m batting, I know I will be in a very good space. Like I was today, which was among my better knocks in recent times since it came against three quality fast bowlers – Varun Aaron, Avesh Khan and Jaydev Unakat.”

Bharath Seervi01-Aug-20199- Number of centuries for Steven Smith in The Ashes. Only three batsmen have scored more hundreds in Ashes history: Don Bradman (19), Jack Hobbs (12) and Steve Waugh (10). Wally Hammond and David Gower also got nine Ashes tons. Smith has scored nine tons in 42 innings and averages over 60 in The Ashes. Five of the nine hundreds have come in the last seven Ashes Tests.ESPNcricinfo Ltd24- Hundreds for Smith in Tests, in 118 innings. Only Bradman, in 66 innings, got his 24th century in fewer innings. Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar took 123 and 125 innings respectively. Smith is now equal with Greg Chappell, Viv Richards and Mohammad Yousuf on 24 tons. Only six Australia batsmen have more Test centuries now.162- Runs accumulated by Australia’s ninth and tenth wicket partnerships, after being eight-down for 122. Smith added 88 for the ninth wicket partnership with Peter Siddle and 74 with Nathan Lyon for the last wicket. It was the first time since 1993 that Australia had fifty partnerships for the last two wickets in the Ashes. The 162 runs by last two wickets are the seventh-highest for Australia in any Test innings.

57.04- Percentage of runs contributed by the ninth and tenth wicket partnerships in Australia’s innings – the fifth-highest for any team in an innings of 200-plus runs in Test history. The highest is 74.51% for Pakistan against England at The Oval in 1967 when they recovered from 66 for 8 to 255.102- Runs added by Smith in the partnerships with Siddle and Lyon, off just 109 balls. At eight-down, Smith was on 42 having a strike rate of 38.18. He added 43 off 55 in the stand with Siddle and 59 off 54 with Lyon. His scoring at a quicker pace helped Australia get to a decent total of 284.

2015- The last time Stuart Broad picked up a five-wicket haul in Tests in England. That occasion was also in the Ashes, when he took his career-best 8 for 15 that got Australia for 60 all out at Trent Bridge. Broad also completed 100 wickets in the Ashes with the final wicket of Smith. He has dismissed Smith seven times in Tests; the most Smith has got out to any bowler.

Defeats on the field, retirements of major players, a board that’s faltering on almost all fronts – and that’s not all

Firdose Moonda15-Nov-20192:27

Has there ever been a worse year for South African cricket?

February

• Duanne Olivier goes Kolpak just after finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the Test series against Pakistan. Olivier took 24 wickets, seven more than Kagiso Rabada, at an average of 14.70.
• South Africa lose a Test series 2-0 to Sri Lanka at home. It is the first time an Asian team has won a Test series in South Africa.

ALSO READ: SA will lose a lot of players to Kolpak in near future – Morne MorkelMarch

• Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi are ruled out of the IPL with a shoulder injury and a side strain respectively. This goes on to have major implications for South Africa’s World Cup campaign.

April

• CSA unveils Project 654, a plan to limit the damage as losses to the tune of R 654 million [USD 44.2 million approx] are projected over the next four-year cycle. The losses will come from a dearth of lucrative incoming tours, a sparsity of sponsors, and the Mzansi Super League (MSL), CSA’s franchise T20 tournament which is in its second year. Project 654 includes restructuring the domestic system, eliminating the franchise tier completely, and resorting to a 12-team provincial structure.
• Dale Steyn withdraws from the IPL with a shoulder injury after two matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

It hasn’t been a good year for South Africa, on or off the field•Getty ImagesMay

• SACA launches a legal challenge against CSA over the proposed domestic restructure. SACA claims that 70 cricketers could lose their jobs.
• Nortje is ruled out of the World Cup after breaking his thumb in the nets. Chris Morris is called up as his replacement.

ALSO READ: AB de Villiers sought World Cup recall, SA team management said noJune

• South Africa lose their first three World Cup matches, and four of their first five, making them the first team to be knocked out. Hashim Amla is hit on the helmet by a Jofra Archer bouncer in the tournament-opener, and he misses the next game. Steyn does not play the first two matches and is ruled out of the tournament soon after with a shoulder injury. Ngidi pulls up with a hamstring injury in the second match and misses the next three games.

July

• Imran Tahir and JP Duminy call an end to their ODI careers. Duminy also reverses his decision to be available for T20Is.

August

• Otttis Gibson and his entire support staff are sacked as CSA announces a new structure for the national team: a director of cricket will be put in place to oversee all CSA’s cricket structures, and the national men’s team will be managed by a team director, who will appoint his own backroom staff.
• Amla retires from all formats of international cricket.
• Steyn retires from Test cricket. He is left out of the T20I squad to tour India over fitness concerns but says on social media that he was available.
• Quinton de Kock is named T20I captain for India, with Faf du Plessis left out, casting doubts over his future as captain in the white-ball formats.

Hashim Amla has quit all international cricket, while Dale Steyn will only play the shorter formats•Getty ImagesSeptember

• CSA announces an annual loss of R 200 million (USD 13.24 million approx) as a direct consequence of footing the entire bill for the inaugural edition of the MSL and incoming tours by non-lucrative visitors Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• CSA suspends the board of the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) and places the union under its own administration over concerns relating to their financial affairs, and threatens to take the New Year’s Test away from Newlands.

ALSO READ: Lessons from the whitewash: Six things for South Africa to focus onOctober

• South Africa lose a Test series 3-0 in India, which includes their first back-to-back innings defeats since 1936.
• The WPCA takes CSA to court, challenging the suspension of its board amid assurances that the New Year’s Test would not be moved.
• CSA launches an inquiry into the Cape Cobras, who had missed their transformation target in a four-day franchise match.
• Amla signs a Kolpak deal with Surrey.
• SACA tables a legal dispute against CSA over unpaid commercial rights fees from the 2018 MSL.
• CSA suspends three senior members of staff including the interim director of cricket, Corrie van Zyl, for alleged dereliction of duty with regards to the unpaid commercial rights fees.
• SACA calls for an external inquiry into the commercial rights dispute and points the finger at CEO Thabang Moroe for his role in the payment delay. CSA replies saying it will not conduct an independent investigation.

November

• Graeme Smith confirms to ESPNcricinfo that he has been interviewed for the director of cricket position. Six days later, he issues a statement on social media saying he has withdrawn his interest.

It’s a massive season-defining week for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are still technically in the Premier League title race, but with Liverpool now 11 points ahead with seven games to play, it is all but over.

The Champions League, however, is most certainly not. The Gunners play host to European royalty Real Madrid on Wednesday, and to ensure they have the best chance of heading to Spain with a lead to protect, Arteta has to make a few changes.

Heroes could certainly be made but whether Jakub Kiwior goes on to evoke memories of Philippe Senderos and Co remains to be seen.

Why Arteta has to drop Kiwior

Kiwior played most of the game against Fulham last week and then started against Everton on the weekend due to Gabriel Magalhães’ recent hamstring injury.

To his credit, the Polish international was fine against the Toffees, but against the Cottagers, some of the same issues which have plagued him throughout his time in North London showed themselves again, such as lacklustre ball-playing and questionable positioning.

For example, he was partially to blame for their late goal after getting into and losing a tussle with the rapid Adama Traore.

Moreover, we’ve already seen how he fared against top European opposition in the past, when he started at full-back at home to Bayern Munich last time and seriously struggled, picking up a 3/10 match rating from the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, who described him as ‘flat-footed’ while content creator and fan Alexander Moneypenny labelled him as “shakey.”

In all, while Kiwior is a useful squad player and perhaps someone who can come on towards the end of the game, he’s not got the quality to start, especially when there is already a perfect replacement in the squad.

Chalkboard

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

The Arsenal star to replace Kiwior

So, given the extent of the injuries to the team’s defensive options at the moment, there are only really two options to replace Kiwior at centre-back tonight, and Arteta should go with Ben White.

The Englishman started at right-back at the weekend and, when fit, has almost exclusively started off the right of a back four across the last three seasons.

However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace was initially signed as a centre-back and spent the majority of the 21/22 campaign there, with 34 of his 37 appearances that year coming in a back two.

In fact, across his career to date, it’s been his most played position by quite some margin.

He has made 208 appearances there, so he should be able to slot in without an issue.

Moreover, by starting the Gunners’ “warrior,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, alongside Willliam Saliba, Arteta can once again start Jurrien Timber at right-back, where he has made 26 appearances this year.

Doing this would at least keep most of the team as they have been for much of the season, and when coming up against a team like Real, the rest of the starters need to be confident that those around them will know exactly what they are doing.

Ultimately, it’s not an ideal solution, but Kiwior has not shown enough in his limited appearances to warrant starting a game of this magnitude.

In contrast, White has been Mr reliable during his time at Arsenal and has yet another chance to show why his £50m price tag was more than justified all those years ago.

His agents will be in London: Arsenal step up move for £58m Sesko upgrade

The “complete” striker would be incredible for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 7, 2025

Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal are extremely keen on signing a £50 million player, following other reliable reports that talks have already been held with his representatives ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arsenal set for summer rebuild under Andrea Berta

The season is by no means over for Mikel Arteta and co, who have a golden opportunity to make history and win the club’s first ever Champions League title after sensationally knocking out Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Their new Ian Wright: Arsenal want to sign "one of the best CFs in Europe"

Arsenal are looking at signing a striker who could be their next Ian Wright in north London.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 22, 2025

Ligue 1 champions PSG await the Gunners in a mouthwatering semi-final clash, and it is truly a tie which will make or break Arsenal’s campaign.

However, another hot topic at the Emirates Stadium right now is new sporting director Andrea Berta’s looming summer rebuild ahead of next season. There are suggestions that Arsenal are looking to strengthen all areas of the squad, including between the sticks, in defence, midfield and further forward.

£300 million could even be spent doing so, according to GiveMeSport, amid Berta’s “insatiable” desire to build winning teams.

“Anyone who knows football knows Andrea is an impressive figure,” said co-chairman Josh Kroenke after Berta’s appointment.

“He has vast knowledge of the game, a great track record, a strong network and an insatiable desire to build winning teams. Andrea will be a great addition to our club. He understands our values and what we stand for, and we have no doubt he will help us push on and take the next steps in our bid to win major trophies.

“We undertook a thorough recruitment process, and we were hugely impressed with the level of all the other candidates, but it was Andrea’s experience and the success he has enjoyed that stood out.”

Defensively, it is believed Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen is emerging as a top target for Berta.

The reliable David Ornstein recently reported that Arsenal have held talks with Huijsen’s representatives, alongside the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham, with elite clubs taking note of the Spaniard’s £50 million release clause.

Arsenal "really" interested in signing Dean Huijsen

Following this development, another credible and trusted media source in Romano has shared another update on Berta’s pursuit of the former Juventus defender.

He reports to GiveMeSport that Arsenal are “really” interested in signing Huijsen this summer after his excellent debut campaign in the Premier League, but the competition remains fierce.

“From what I’m hearing, Arsenal are also interested. Newcastle dream of him, but I think for Newcastle, it is going to be very difficult to get the deal done now with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal. These three clubs are really interested, so I think he’s going to stay in the Premier League.”

Huijsen recently expressed his excitement over being linked with a move to Real Madrid, but right now, it is unclear whether Los Blancos view the “sensational” centre-back as a priority target.

Bramley Moore looms large for those of an Everton persuasion. In fact, David Moyes will lead his troops out just twice more before hallowed Goodison Park will be consigned to history.

Time was when Everton would fail to mark this new era with impactful activity on the transfer front, in the planning room. But this is an exciting new project on Merseyside and Moyes is back to front it.

While the Scottish tactician will expect powers to bring in a wealth of fresh quality this summer, he will of course need to part with a few of the rusted-over parts of the Toffees make-up.

And he won’t be afraid to do it.

Why Moyes will get rid of Everton's deadwood

Everton have no less than 15 players reaching the conclusion of their contracts this summer – some are out on loan or indeed are reaching the end of their loan stints at Goodison Park.

Abdoulaye Doucoure, for example, is expected to leave. Sure, he scored the winning goal at the City Ground last weekend, but the 32-year-old isn’t popping up with such moments with the frequency to justify his £130k-per-week salary, the loftiest at the club.

Moyes isn’t afraid to cut ties with his higher-profile stars, something he’s going to need to enact with another member of the squad, a player shaping up to be the 61-year-old’s next version of James Beattie.

Beattie spent two-and-a-half seasons under Moyes’ management at Everton, signed from Southampton for £6m in January 2005 after rejecting a move to Aston Villa.

Beattie was a talented centre-forward, hard to handle and powerful in the final third. He likely didn’t make too many friends with opposing defenders. He also didn’t make a friend out of Moyes, it would appear…

Across 85 appearances for the Merseysiders, Beattie only managed to score 15 goals, interestingly with 11 of them posted across the 2005/06 season before he provided a woeful product on his final term as a Toffee.

A five-cap England international, Beattie moved on to Sheffield United in 2007, the Blades breaking their transfer record and paying £4m for a player who had fallen by the wayside at Everton.

In fact, Moyes and his number nine had come to blows on numerous occasions, having to discipline his man after a headbutt on William Gallas in 2005 and Beattie later suggesting Everton didn’t treat him with respect while he played there.

His talent and focal presence got him far, but Moyes showed that he’s willing to make a tough decision for his team, and he’s going to have to make a similar one in the weeks ahead, with Everton needing to part ways with their new version of Beattie.

Moyes' new James Beattie

While he’s served at the club for a long time, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s best days appear to be long past, with The Athletic’s Paddy Boyland noting he has been “struggling” through the 2024/25 season.

Out of contract at the end of the season, Calvert-Lewin – who the Toffees signed from Sheffield United in 2016 – has toiled through what looks to be his final campaign as an Everton player, with a cruel injury picked up in January stunting any budding rebirth hinted at after Moyes’ return.

Still out of action, the 27-year-old surely needs to be axed this summer, with his inconsistencies and past successes suggesting that he is in a similar boat to Beattie way back when, albeit the older man being actively shoved out to sign for the Blades.

Though DCL doesn’t share Beattie’s supposedly volatile temperment, he has been chained down by injuries and consequent issues, with his wasteful finishing and heavy wage rubber-stamping the expected decision to cut ties.

Calvert-Lewin has given Goodison Park so many fond memories. In his pomp, the long-discarded England international was among the most dangerous strikers in the Premier League, leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to remark in 2020 that “Carlo Ancelotti created a monster.”

But the truth is Calvert-Lewin’s finest days are behind him, at least in Evertonian Blue. With Beto looking like twice the player he was since Moyes came along and funding being handed ahead of the summer window, parting with the striker is sure to be the right decision.

Moyes proved before, with Beattie, that he’s not afraid to make a cut for the greater good of the team, and he must maintain this approach now.

He won't start again: Everton's £40k-p/w star looks finished under Moyes

Everton are undergoing a series of changes with David Moyes back at the wheel.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 15, 2025

And just like that, Tottenham Hotspur have one foot in the Europa League Final.

Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Norwegian outfit FK Bodø/Glimt last night in what could have been a real banana peel sort of fixture.

However, instead of wilting under the expectation and pressure, as they have so often this season, the North Londoners showed everyone just why they were such firm favourites heading into the tie.

The Lilywhites ran out 3-1 winners, and while most of the starting lineup put in a good showing, there was one player who once again stood up and showed he could be something of a new Son Heung-min for the club.

Spurs' top performers

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of Spurs’ other top performers from last night, such as Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth man was under immense pressure to score his penalty in the second half, but he didn’t seem to care, as he calmly stepped up and put it away, as he did in Germany.

It wasn’t just the goal, though, as his simple presence at the tip of the attack and his tireless running was a real pain for the Norwegians’ defence.

Another Englishman who stepped up in a big way was James Maddison, who, on top of scoring the Lilywhites’ second goal, was running things from the middle of the park.

The mercurial midfielder left quite the impression on GOAL’s Sean Walsh as well, who awarded him a 9/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he delivered a ‘statement performance’ for his team.

However, there was another starter from last night who put in a strong showing, a player who can divide opinion among fans and pundits alike but is showing why he could be something of a new Son for Tottenham in the coming years.

Spurs' new Son

So, while the likes of Pedro Porro, Richarlison and even Yves Bissouma all put in solid displays last night, none of them could be described as being remotely similar to an on-song Son.

Brennan Johnson, on the other hand, could.

Chalkboard

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

Okay, so before the torches and pitchforks come out, we are not saying that Johnson is anywhere close to being as talented as the South Korean superstar, nor do we think he’ll ever reach that near enough world-class level either.

However, and this is an important point of comparison, last night was another reminder that even when he’s not at his best, the Welshman can put the ball in the back of the net when starting out wide.

For example, before the clock had even hit a minute, the former Nottingham Forest star, who picked up an 8/10 match rating from Walsh, found himself just a few yards out when he headed it home to open the scoring and set the mood for the whole game.

Granted, he probably should have scored another at some point, but for all the derision he gets for having the odd drop in form here and there, the “frightening” winger, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, has been an essential source of goals for Postecoglou this season.

For example, he has now scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 47 appearances this year, totalling 3077 minutes.

In other words, the Nottingham-born star is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.95 games or every 128.20 minutes of action.

To put that into context, Son has produced 23 goal involvements in 43 games, totalling 3062 minutes this season, which comes out to an average of one every 1.86 games, or more crucially, one every 133.08 minutes.

Finally, on top of his surprisingly impressive goal involvement per minute ratio, the 23-year-old dynamo is also comfortably the club’s top goalscorer this season, with Solanke lagging behind in second place with 14 goals to his name.

Ultimately, while Johnson is not going to reach the same levels in his all-around play that Son did in his peak, he has shown this season that he could at least replicate the South Korean’s raw output, and with potentially six games left of the season, he could hit 20 goals in all competitions.

Better than Iraola: Spurs could hire "incredible" Europa League winner

The experienced manager would be an excellent hire for Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 1, 2025