Hardik Pandya and his team-mates (first XI plus the impact sub Karn Sharma) have all been hit with fines for Mumbai Indians’ (MI) slow over-rate in their loss against Gujarat Titans (GT) at home on Tuesday night. For the winners, head coach Ashish Nehra has been penalised for “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”.In the stop-start second half of the IPL 2025 game between MI and GT, when rain took the players off and brought them back in a few times, MI had to bring an additional fielder into the 30-yard circle for the final over – the 19th – of the chase as is the in-game penalty norm in the IPL. GT needed 15 runs to get off that Deepak Chahar over and got over the line off the last ball.Hardik was fined INR 24 lakh, since this was the second time MI had committed the offence under his captaincy this season. His team-mates were each fined either INR 6 lakh or 25% of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.Nehra, meanwhile, was at his animated best in the dying minutes of the game, when it looked like he wanted the umpires to restart the game after the latest rain interruption. He was fined 25% of his match fee and also handed one demerit point for breaching Article 2.20 of the IPL code of conduct, though the IPL didn’t state what exactly his offence was.This is the second time a coach has been penalised with a demerit point for a breach of the IPL’s code. Munaf Patel, the Delhi Capitals (DC) bowling coach, was similarly penalised after their Super Over win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Delhi on April 16.Hardik has a lot of compatriots for company: Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson, Rajat Patidar and Riyan Parag.
Sai Sudharsan continues to lead the Orange Cap table, followed by Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-20253:10
Rapid Fire: Did DC get their tactics wrong?
For a change, there was no change at the top of the IPL 2025 Orange Cap table after Tuesday night’s match between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. On the Purple Cap table, though, Mitchell Starc and Varun Chakravarthy climbed a few steps. Here’s a look at the standings.Purple Cap tableRoyal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) Josh Hazlewood remains at the top of the bowling chart with 18 wickets from ten games. Just one wicket behind him is Gujarat Titans’ (GT) Prasidh Krishna, followed by Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with 14.With his three-wicket haul on Tuesday, DC’s Starc has drawn level with Noor in terms of wickets but is at fourth spot because of his inferior economy rate – 10.16 compared to Noor’s 8.03. KKR’s Varun, who picked up 2 for 39, is fifth and leads the pack of four bowlers with 13 wickets each. The other three are Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Trent Boult, RCB’s Krunal Pandya and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) Harshal Patel.Orange Cap tableThe race for the Orange Cap is pretty intense with only 52 runs separating the table-topper B Sai Sudharsan (456) of GT and sixth-placed Nicholas Pooran (404) of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).A couple of days ago, Suryakumar Yadav (427) of MI had toppled Sai Sudharsan and then Virat Kohli (443) of RCB had gone past both of them but Sai Sudharsan regained his position since then.Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is at No. 4 with 426 runs and Jos Buttler, the GT No. 3, at No. 5 with 406.Meanwhile, here’s what the ESPNcricinfo MVP table looks like at this stage.Here are some other IPL 2025 tables that might interest you.Highest batting strike ratesBest bowling economy ratesMost sixesBest bowling figures in a match
United States international Haji Wright maintained his strong scoring form with Coventry City's third goal in their commanding 5-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Oct. 4. The American striker's latest finish brings his Championship tally to eight goals in just nine appearances this season, with that rising to 10 goal contributions in 11 appearances across all competitions.
Getty Images SportWright extends remarkable scoring run
The 27-year-old American showed predatory instincts to convert his opportunity, tapping home his header from point blank range as he helped secure their third consecutive league victory and extend their unbeaten run to nine matches. This has been a dominant week for for the forward, as he also scored two goals against Millwall on Oct. 1.
Wright's eight goals in nine Championship appearances represent his best start to a league campaign since joining Coventry in August 2023. The striker's consistent performances have played a crucial role in Coventry's strong early-season form, with the club now occupying the top spot in the Championship table after nine matches. His goal contribution accounts for nearly a third of Coventry's total league goals this season, with Wright a key figure
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Getty Images SportUSMNT next
Wright wasn't called up for the USMNT in September, but he is on the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Ecuador and Australia in October. He will have an opportunity to prove to U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino that he deserves to be on the squad when the 2026 World Cup kicks off next summer.
Despite a late red card being picked up by Darnell Furlong, West Bromwich Albion kicked off their fresh tenure under Ryan Mason with a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Up next in the Championship, however, the Baggies have a tough away trip on the cards to Wrexham, who will be reeling themselves after a late 2-1 slip-up to Southampton at St. Mary’s.
Portsmouth and Stoke City then see out August as West Brom’s next opponents, with the second-tier table no doubt an intriguing read by the end of the action-packed month.
One or two new faces might even be donning Baggies’ blue and white for these tense contests, as Mason and Co. now weigh up a move for this former EFL ace to join the building.
Tottenham Hotspur assistant coachRyanMasonduring training
West Brom express interest in ex-EFL attacker
It has been a lively transfer window for the West Midlands side so far.
The main notable purchase to date has been Aune Heggebo leaving Brann behind for pastures new in England for around the £4.7m price range, with the Nordic centre-forward already up and running in the EFL when he assisted Isaac Price’s goal on the opening day.
Away from this standout buy, the Championship promotion candidates have also been linked with some exciting new additions, with Cadiz attacker Chris Ramos reportedly on their radar to compete with Heggebo, presumably.
A fresh report by Hayters TV has also revealed that West Brom are contemplating dipping their toes into the German market to land St Pauli attacker Dapo Afolayan.
The report states that Mason’s men have expressed an interest in snapping up the Bundesliga forward, but further interest is also there from second-tier rivals Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers, and Swansea City.
Having once ripped up the EFL with Bolton Wanderers, Afolayan could welcome a return to familiar shores with the Baggies, as the Championship outfit attempt to secure their next Grady Diangana by landing the 27-year-old’s services.
West Brom winger Grady Diangana.
How Afolayan can be the next Diangana
Mason underwent a clear-out of some of West Brom’s most experienced EFL personnel this summer as Diangana left the Hawthorns behind at the expiry of his contract.
This must have been a sad exit for the Congolese international who had amassed 26 goals and 22 assists for the Baggies from 206 appearances, as per Transfermarkt, with a creative hole in the side now needing to be filled by a new, gung-ho forward capable of playing down both the left and right flanks.
Afolayan might just be what West Brom desire, therefore, away from sticking with what they already have, when you consider his blistering exploits for Bolton in a number of different attacking positions.
In total for the Trotters, the 27-year-old would fire home a hefty 21 goals and pick up nine assists from 101 appearances, with a further 16 efforts finding the back of the net in Germany when plying his trade for St. Pauli, as three of those came about in the Bundesliga just last season.
LW
72
16 + 6
CF
60
12 + 4
RW
53
16 + 5
AM
27
7 + 2
SS
11
1 + 1
LM
11
2 + 0
The London-born attacker’s similarities to Diangana are even clearer to see when studying the table above, with Afolayan spreading his career goals and assists all across the forward positions, as the St Pauli number 17 even gifts Mason another option up top.
Diangana also lined up as a lone striker on occasion at the Hawthorns – as seen in a quickfire four goals coming his way from this spot on the pitch from just seven outings – with Afolayan also capable as a number ten, too, much like his former West Ham United counterpart.
Coincidentally, the 27-year-old also came through the Hammers academy system before making a name for himself elsewhere, with a hope he can blossom into a Championship star – like Diangana – by following his career path even more closely.
Once lauded for his “first-class” attitude by former Bolton boss Ian Evatt, Mason will hope adding in Afolayan before September’s deadline is yet another sprinkle of quality that pushes his side into the promotion reckoning.
West Brom could sign Heggebo upgrade in "extraordinary" £3m "monster"
West Bromwich Albion still have time to seal a deal for this EFL star who is even better than Aune Heggebo.
After the spinners limited England to 132, India’s batters aced the chase to go 1-0 up
Vithushan Ehantharajah22-Jan-20251:34
Manjrekar: India’s spinners made it impossible for England to recover
India brutally cast aside England in the first T20I at Eden Gardens, as Abhishek Sharma’s 79 from just 34 deliveries munched a meagre target of 133 with 43 balls to spare.Abhishek’s third 50-plus score in the format capped an accomplished all-round performance from India. A combination of Arshdeep Singh’s 2 for 17 up top and Varun Chakravarthy’s 3 for 23 through the middle accounted for England for 132, scuppering their attempts to mark Brendon McCullum’s first match in charge in the format with the attacking verve he craves.But for Jos Buttler’s 68 – his 26th T20I fifty – things could have been worse. Buttler’s evening had begun by losing a crucial toss to Suryakumar Yadav. With the 7pm start in Kolkata, moisture was in the air throughout, and dew a factor in the first innings itself. Both captains wanted to bowl, and only one got the chance.Related
Can England's batters find a way to test India's bowling depth?
Varun's overspin renaissance shows no sign of slowing down
Abhishek: 'I have been told to keep my attacking intent'
Arshdeep made the best of the conditions, removing openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett in his first 11 deliveries. Those dismissals took the left-arm seamer to 97 wickets in T20Is, leapfrogging Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s top wicket-taker in the format.By the time Buttler departed in the 17th over, he had provided 68 out of the 109 on the board, with Harry Brook the only batter to reach double-figures before Jofra Archer pitched in with 12 from No. 9.Brook’s 17 was part of a stand of 48 with Buttler, the vice-captain and captain setting about a rebuild that was ended by Varun’s googlies. Varun bowled Brook and Liam Livingstone in the space of three deliveries to turn England back to rubble. His third was Buttler, holing out to deep square-leg.Whatever little jeopardy there was in the chase, was restricted to just the fifth over, when Archer removed both Sanju Samson – who had done the early running – and Suryakumar for a duck in four deliveries. Archer, who bowled his four overs on the bounce having opened the innings, was comfortably the pick of England’s bowlers with 2 for 21. By contrast, Gus Atkinson was taken apart for 38 runs across his two overs, with his first blitzed for 22 by Samson.The onus was then on Abhishek, who was put down by Adil Rashid on 29 off 16. He would bring up his half-century just four balls later.Though Rashid eventually got his man, India had all but established a 1-0 lead in this five-match series by then. A top-edged four from Tilak Varma off Mark Wood’s bouncer off the penultimate ball of the 13th over confirmed it.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Arshdeep Singh sets the toneBefore England were choked through the middle by a three-pronged spin attack, they were clipped up top by the lone Indian full-time quick. Since debuting in 2022, Arshdeep has been a new-ball banker for India’s shortest format. Consistently devastating and devastatingly consistent.It was fitting that on the night he became India’s leading T20I wicket-taker, he reinforced his credentials as one of the format’s leading seamers in an opening three-over spell of 2 for 10. Movement away and up off a good length did for Salt, who could only sky a leading edge, and it was followed by nip the other way that left the left-handed Duckett for a similar demise.Of those initial 18 deliveries, a remarkable 12 were dots, which saw him get the better of Buttler and Brook without reward. On another day, their feelers outside off stump may have resulted in edges, bringing more joy Arshdeep’s way. But rather than bemoan missing out on those extra notches in the wicket column, he seemed happy enough with his work, having opened the door for his spinners.Jos Buttler top-scored for England with 68 off 44 balls•Getty Images
Familiar failingsThere is no shame in falling to India’s spinners in any format, least of all when they are operating at home. But there was a haunting familiarity about England’s failure at Eden Gardens – and it has nothing to do with what happened here in that final in 2016.Eight years on from that heartbreak, England were roughed up in 2024’s semi-final in Guyana, as Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja combined to take 6 for 58 from 11 overs. Only Axar remained this time around, but the results were about the same – 12 overs of web-spinning prising out five for the concession of just 67.It is easy to say the likes of Brook, Livingstone and Jacob Bethell should have taken cues from Buttler, particularly his ability to pick length. But Buttler’s vast IPL experience and superior ability makes that hard to replicate. Credit belongs to the bowlers, particularly Varun.Despite the grass on the surface, the spinner was unperturbed. His IPL nous came to the fore at a ground where he has taken 24 wickets at 22.20 from 16 appearances.A holding pattern of deliveries just short of a length kept the ball out of hitting arcs, and he was not pre-occupied with spinning the ball past the edge – even though he beat the insides of Brook’s and Livingstone’s bats. “Bowling sidespin, I cannot beat batsmen with sidespin. The only way I can beat batsmen with bounce,” Varun, as he nursed a deserved Player-of-the-Match award, said. Perhaps most galling for England is he rated his display a humble “seven out of ten”.Nitish Kumar Reddy took a running, tumbling catch to send back Jos Buttler•AFP/Getty Images
India’s cleaner handsBethell’s drop of Abhishek, charging in from deep midwicket, tracking the ball all the way only to see it spill through his hands as he dived forward, did not matter.A ball later, Abhishek was caught at longoff. An over later, India had confirmed their win. But the sight of one of England’s best fielders fall short in that moment highlighted the gap between the two fielding efforts on Wednesday evening.It would have been one hell of a take, but still not the best of the night. That honour belonged to Nitish Kumar Reddy, who pulled off a tougher version of Bethell’s effort, sprinting in at a greater rate of knots and intercepting the ball so close to the ground that the umpires asked for a second look. Buttler, whose charge was halted by that brilliance, had already made it back to the dugout when the television umpire finally gave it the all-clear.Despite playing no part with bat or ball, Reddy got plenty of airtime, taking a simpler catch to remove Jamie Overton and scurrying about the deep on a one-man mission to restrict England’s boundary count. That endeavour was matched by those in the ring, with Rinku Singh setting the tone when he claimed a leading edge off Duckett that required him to sprint back from cover with one eye over his shoulder.Of course, Bethell’s drop was not even the worst off Abhishek. Rashid’s was a far simpler caught-and-bowled chance. The legspinner was duly punished when the left-hand batter blitzed three boundaries – the last two sixes over midwicket, then straight down the ground – off the remainder of his over. England’s heads dropped – a nod to the nourishing effect of taking your catches.
There’s much fanfare around Liverpool’s pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, and rightly so.
Hugo Ekitike has left Eintracht Frankfurt and signed for the Premier League champions in a deal worth an initial £69m, but the hungry Reds want more, want to consolidate their imperious position at the summit of the mountain.
Isak, 25, has informed Newcastle that he wishes to pursue a move to Anfield, and with sales of stars like Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, it might just be possible.
However, it’s not just the frontline that Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes are hoping to improve before the window slams shut.
Liverpool's summer transfer plans
Away from the front of the ship, Liverpool also plan to add some depth at the back, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi having emerged as the top target over the past several weeks.
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However, Tottenham Hotspur are also eager to make their own bid, and so the Anfield side appear to have lined up a potential alternative who has taken his first strides onto the senior stage.
Indeed, as per Corriere dello Sport – via Sport Witness – Liverpool have initiated contact with Serie A club Parma as they look to swipe their rising defensive star Giovanni Leoni.
Napoli's Romelu Lukaku in action with Parma's GiovanniLeoni
Leoni, 18, exuded confidence and quality across his breakout campaign in Italy, and Inter Milan are also looking to sign him this summer.
Previous reports have suggested Leoni would be available for a fee of around €40m (£34m).
Why Liverpool want Giovanni Leoni
Liverpool made an attempt to sign Bournemouth’s Dean Hujsen in May, seeking to activate the young Spaniard’s £50m release clause.
He signed instead for Real Madrid, but Liverpool’s intent was clear.
Leoni fits a similar profile, and in this way, he could turn out to be an even more exciting talent than Guehi, who, aged 25, is one of the Premier League’s standout performers.
Though Liverpool wouldn’t be signing the same level of ability in the 6 foot 4 Leoni, he has the chance to leap ahead of the Palace captain, having been hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig as “one of the most complete teenage centre-backs in Europe.”
That roundedness is better highlighted through data-led platform FBref, who ranked Leoni among the top 17% of centre-backs across Europe last season for goals scored, the top 38% for successful take-ons and the top 17% for passes blocked per 90, highlighting that blooming technical variation.
Guehi is, of course, riding the crest of a wave as one of Europe’s most talented defenders, but Leoni would be cheaper and could be shaped by Slot’s coaching expertise over the next several years, absorbing the fruits of Virgil van Dijk and Konate’s labours (should the latter stay put).
Matches (starts)
34 (34)
17 (14)
Goals
3
1
Assists
2
0
Touches*
64.9
46.9
Pass completion
84%
89%
Key passes*
0.5
0.1
Ball recoveries*
4.3
2.0
Dribbles*
0.4
0.2
Tackles + interceptions*
2.6
1.7
Clearances*
4.6
3.6
Duels (won)*
4.9 (59%)
2.5 (61%)
Errors made
2
1
As you can see, Guehi far outstrips his younger positional peer, but there’s a lot to like from the Italian, who has established himself as a crisp passer and a defender who is strong in the duel.
Also, Leoni made just one error across the campaign, which bespeaks his composure and coolness under pressure. A calm head is something that has proved a staple of Guehi’s skill set over the past few years.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehi
Leoni is a work in progress, but Slot is a master at bringing up-and-coming prospects to the fore. Given the cheap price tag and the existing completeness about Leoni, he might just come to prove the bigger talent in the long run.
Isak's new Gordon: Liverpool lining up "explosive" £51m Diaz replacement
Liverpool are still ready to be active in the summer transfer market.
Jude Bellingham is edging closer to making his return to the Real Madrid team after stepping up his recovery from injury.
Bellingham recovery acceleratingCould return to full Madrid training imminentlyLos Blancos stars on international dutyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The English midfielder had been carrying a shoulder injury for over a year following a dislocation against Rayo Vallecano in November 2023, but following the Club World Cup, he underwent surgery to fix the long-term issue. Bellingham has since followed a "special recovery plan" to help get him ready for the new season as soon as possible, and it looks like it might be paying off. Initial reports suggested he would be out until the end of October, but he may well return sooner than expected.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
According to , Bellingham is preparing to return to the training pitch on Monday and will make the first significant step back towards pulling on the famous white jersey again. Despite this speedy progress, Madrid are insistent that they will not take any risks with his fitness. explained that there is a "zero risk" policy when it comes to Bellingham's fitness and Los Blancos will be hoping to navigate the opening months of the season without their star midfielder.
DID YOU KNOW?
With Bellingham out for at least another month, he will miss the club's opening La Liga fixtures and a couple of Champions League clashes. With the first El Clasico of the season scheduled for the end of October, Bellingham will be in a race to be fit for a potential title deciding fixture.
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?
With most of their squad away on international duty, Madrid will only have their full squad back in training later this week. They will then have a couple of days to prepare for next weekend's clash against Real Sociedad.
Conway will take up a deal in the SA20 in January, following the path taken by Kane Williamson
Andrew McGlashan15-Aug-2024
Devon Conway remains available for all New Zealand’s upcoming Tests•AFP/Getty Images
Devon Conway and Finn Allen have become the latest New Zealand players to turn down central contracts, but Conway has signed a casual agreement similar to Kane Williamson and has made himself available for all internationals except for the Sri Lanka white-ball matches in January when he will take up an SA20 deal.ESPNcricinfo understands that Conway is set to play for Joburg Super Kings in what will be his first appearance in South Africa since leaving the country and moving to New Zealand in 2017.Allen, the hard-hitting white-ball opener, will pursue franchise opportunities and has not been offered the same agreement by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) although remains eligible for selection on a case-by-case basis. ESPNcricinfo understands that Allen is expected to sign for the BBL. Both Conway and Allen had been included in the contract list last month and will now be replaced.Related
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Latham says New Zealand need to be 'fluid' with player contracts
Conway, who has been named in the Test squad to face Afghanistan and Sri Lanka next month, is available for all of New Zealand’s nine upcoming Tests and has also committed to warm-up matches ahead of the Champions Trophy in February which include an ODI tri-series in Pakistan.”Firstly, I’d like to thank New Zealand Cricket for their support through this process,” Conway said. “The decision to move away from a central playing contract isn’t one I’ve taken lightly, but I believe it is the best for me and my family at this present time.”Playing for the Blackcaps is still the pinnacle for me and I’m hugely passionate about representing New Zealand and winning games of international cricket.”I’m excited to be part of the upcoming Test squads for an important period in the ICC World Test Championship cycle and am looking forward to being involved in the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan next February if selected.”NZC chief executive Scott Weenink reiterated that casual contracts were only an option for a select number of the leading players but believed it was a prudent way to manage the evolving landscape of franchise cricket.”We’re delighted with Devon’s decision to commit to the Blackcaps – he’s a quality player who’s made a strong contribution to the team over the past few years,” he said. “In the current environment it’s important to have flexibility in our system to navigate some of the challenges posed by franchise cricket – and this is another example of how we’re working hard to retain our best players.”Speaking last month, Test vice-captain Tom Latham said that New Zealand had to be flexible with their contracting system.Conway and Allen join Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne in moving away from central contracts although Williamson, who will also play the SA20 in January, has not ruled out taking one in the future.Under the NZC system, to be eligible for a central contracts players need to make themselves available for the domestic Super Smash tournament when they aren’t playing international cricket.
Shoaib Bashir’s first five-wicket haul on English soil sealed victory inside four days for the hosts, after Joe Root and Harry Brook had set England up against West Indies in the second Test at Trent Bridge.Root and Brook each scored centuries before the hosts were bowled out for 425 in their second innings – the first time in England’s history that they had scored 400 in both innings of a Test – setting West Indies a target of 385.Then, at 20 years and 282 days, off-spinner Bashir became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test at home, beating the previous record of just-retired seamer James Anderson. His 5 for 41 gave England the win, by 241 runs, and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series being played for the Richards-Botham Trophy.On a flat batting track and with a monumental run-chase at Headingley nearly seven years ago still in the recesses of some memories – certainly captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s – the task was still steep, not to mention in light of an innings defeat at Lord’s in the first Test of this series, even if Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis made a bright start by taking West Indies to 61 without loss.But Chris Woakes and Bashir put it out of reach as West Indies lost 5 for 21 in the space of 35 balls and Bashir finished things, West Indies losing 10 for 82 in all as they were bowled out for 143.Woakes struck with the first ball after the evening drinks break, a length ball outside off stump that lured a faint edge behind from Louis. Moments later, Kirk McKenzie fluffed an attempted drive off a Bashir short ball and fell to a sharp catch by Jamie Smith behind the stumps.Brathwaite, on 47, edged Woakes to the keeper and Bashir drew another edge to Root at slip off Alick Athanaze with one that dipped and turned appreciably. In between, Bashir had pinned first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge lbw, and after three overs, Bashir had 3 for 8.Mark Wood, who had bowled with jaw-dropping speed in West Indies first innings, produced venom of a different kind to remove Kevin Sinclair, his short ball spitting up higher than the batter expected and, as Sinclair put his hands in front of his face, it rapped the wristband of his glove and was taken at second slip.Joshua Da Silva, who had scored an unbeaten 82 in the first innings, started playing some shots, pulling Gus Atkinson through midwicket for four and crunching Bashir over the fence at wide long-on. But Atkinson responded in his next over with one that moved back in from outside off to strike Da Silva on the back pad in line with middle stump and, two balls later, he put England on the brink of victory by bowling Alzarri Joseph.No sooner had Jason Holder taken him for six and four to move to 37, and Bashir rattled off stump with a gem that turned in and beat the edge as Holder pressed forward, leaving West Indies nine down.Bashir then bowled Shamar Joseph with a fuller ball on middle stump to the absolute delight of his captain, Ben Stokes, who grinned broadly as his young charge took a third five-wicket haul in just his fifth Test.Harry Brook is congratulated by Joe Root after his first century at home•Getty Images
Earlier, Root was serene in posting 122, his 32nd Test century having moved to eighth on the all-time Test run-scorers’ list with 11,940 during the course of his innings.Brook had reached 109 in similarly unruffled style, the pair putting on 198 runs for the fourth wicket. That was after Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett had fallen in quick succession on the third day, themselves having each passed fifty and put on 119 runs together.Seales broke through with a double-strike on the fourth morning and another wicket on the last ball before lunch to Sinclair lifted West Indies from a position where the match looked to be slipping beyond their reach as Root and Brook settled into their stand. They added 100 runs to England’s overnight score but the hosts lost three wickets for 19 runs in 7.2 overs.Brook brought up his fifth Test ton – and first on home soil – nudging Alzarri Joseph for a single to mid-on and, two balls later, Root clipped one to the leg side to bring up his fifty, and the 150 partnership.But, after a near-flawless innings, he fell wafting at a Seales delivery that moved away slightly off the seam, found the edge and sailed through to Da Silva behind the stumps.Seales struck again when he removed Stokes cheaply, turning a short ball straight to Alzarri Joseph at backward square leg.That brought Jamie Smith to the crease and he managed only 6 before Sinclair drew a faint edge with a delivery on off stump and Da Silva collected.Moments after Woakes edged a rising Shamar Joseph delivery towards second slip, where the towering Holder took a strong catch moving to his left with arms stretched above his head, Root raised his century with a thumping drive through deep point for four off Alzarri Joesph.Holder returned to the attack with great effect, Root smashing a full, wide delivery straight to Kirk McKenzie at cover. Root departed to hearty applause from the crowd and handshakes from his opponents.Seales saw two slips catches put down off Wood in successive balls, but made no mistake with the third when he bowled Wood for a duck with the next, a fuller ball just outside off which seamed in and clattered into the top of off stump. Seales’ fourth wicket ended England’s innings, Bashir the last man out, bowled by a yorker.
Arsenal have come an incredibly long way over the last few seasons.
Just four years ago, Mikel Arteta’s side were languishing down in mid-table, and in the campaign after that, were unable to make it into the top four.
Since then, the North Londoners have made it to the quarter-finals and then semi-finals of the Champions League while also finishing as runners-up in the Premier League three campaigns on the bounce.
19/20
9
6
5
8th
20/21
18
7
13
8th
21/22
22
3
12
5th
22/23
26
6
6
2nd
23/24
28
5
5
2nd
24/25
20
14
4
2nd
However, the time has come for the club to make good on their transformation and finally lift some major silverware next season, which could explain recent links to a superstar attacker who has won comparisons to serial winner Kylian Mbappé.
Arsenal transfer news
With the club being so close to achieving something great over the last few years but still coming up short, it’s not been much of a surprise to see them linked to several attackers who could provide them with that extra push in recent weeks; stars such as Morgan Rogers and Nico Williams.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could be available for a fee as high as £100m this summer, but while that’s an astronomical amount of money, it would be hard to say he wouldn’t be worth it, as in 54 appearances for Aston Villa this season, he scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists.
Williams, on the other hand, wasn’t quite as productive, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 45 games for Athletic Bilbao, but then again, he’d also cost a lot less, with a release clause reportedly worth around £50m in his current deal.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliams
Yet, while both players would certainly improve Arteta’s side next season, they might not utterly transform it, unlike Viktor Gyokeres.
Yes, according to reports from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Sporting CP striker ahead of the transfer reopening next week.
In fact, the report has revealed that, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United, the Gunners have already submitted an offer for the Swedish star.
However, it would appear as if the Portuguese outfit now want €80m, which comes out to about £68m.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
While it would represent a serious financial investment to match that fee, Gyokeres’ incredible ability and record suggest it would be one worth making, especially as he’s won comparisons to Mbappé.
How Gyokeres compares to Mbappé
Before going over some of the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Gyokeres this summer, it’s worth examining this comparison to Mbappé and where it’s come from, as the Real Madrid forward is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in world football.
Well, in this case, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Champions League this season and then created a list of the ten most comparable players.
By doing this, it concluded that the Frenchman was the number one most similar forward to the Swedish international in the entire competition this season.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.70
0.77
Progressive Carries
4.26
4.24
Goals per Shot
0.18
0.14
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.03
0.96
Shot-Creating Actions
3.85
3.52
Carries into the Penalty Area
1.91
1.92
The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to assists, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, goals per shot, passes into the penalty area, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.
With all that said, while a comparison to one of the best and most exciting players in the world is certainly encouraging, there is another enormous reason why the Gunners should be doing all they can to sign the former Coventry City star: his ridiculous output.
In his first season with Sporting, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, was able to rack up a sensational haul of 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 appearances, totalling 4169 minutes, which equates to an average of 1.16 goal involvements per game, or one every 71.87 minutes.
Then, as if on a one-man mission to prove he wasn’t just a one-season wonder, the 27-year-old marksman did even better this year, scoring 54 goals and providing 13 assists in 52 appearances, totalling 4248 minutes, which comes out to a frankly absurd average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.
Ultimately, Gyokeres is a lean, mean goalscoring machine and, like Mbappé, is someone who could potentially lead a team to multiple league titles, and therefore, is someone Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign this summer.
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