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Australia remain hopeful that Alyssa Healy will be fit to feature in the day-night Ashes Test at the MCG, and have named her in a 13-player squad, but it will be as a batter only if she does recover in time.Healy was ruled out of the first T20I at the SCG with a stress reaction in the same foot that she injured at the T20 World Cup. With Healy not keeping Beth Mooney will take the gloves for the Test, which may result in her moving down the order, which would increase the chances of a debut for Georgia Voll.If Healy ultimately did not make the Test, then Tahlia McGrath would again stand in as captain.Related

• Healy trains strongly ahead of historic Test, Australia delay selection call

• Swing in, speak out: the story of Megan Schutt

• Australia show off their depth in dominant Sydney display

• Alex Hartley: Ecclestone 'refused TV interview' after Ashes loss

Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner is expected to recover from her calf strain in time for the Test but is doubtful for the final T20I in Adelaide. Heather Graham has been added to that squad as cover.”We’re pleased with the form of the 13 players that have taken part in the series to date and feel it’s a squad that offers a variety of options when it comes to selecting the makeup of the Test side,” national selector Shawn Flegler said. “Alyssa has been named in the squad as a batter only and we’ll give her as much time as we can to prove her fitness ahead of the match. Ash will continue to be assessed daily… at this stage, she is on track to be available for the Test match.”Mooney’s experience wicketkeeping in longer-form cricket is limited and she is aware it will be a new physical challenge.”I don’t think I’ll be able to walk after if I have to keep but we’re pretty lucky in the Australian team where we’ve got lots of players that can step into different roles,” she said after the first T20I. “But when [Healy’s] been out, I’ve been able to step into that role and got some good feedback along the way, so just happy to do what’s required of the team.”If Voll did debut at the MCG, it would complete a full set across the three formats in less than two months following the start of her ODI career against India and then a T20I debut at the SCG.Beth Mooney on keeping in a Test match: “I don’t think I’ll be able to walk after”•Getty Images and Cricket Australia

“I’m more than happy to try and do a job up the top of the order,” Voll told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday. “I love batting there and batting up the top with Beth Mooney was pretty cool [in Sydney]. I’m more than happy to fit in wherever the team needs.”Megan Schutt has again been named in a Test squad despite often saying her days in the format are over, but the pink-ball day-night element to this game may see her come into consideration for the final XI.The other decision that will need to be made is whether to play both Alana King and Georgia Wareham, who have caused England huge problems in the limited-overs matches.The match will be the first day-night Test at the MCG and the first women’s Test match at the venue since 1948-49.

Australia squad for Ashes Test

Alyssa Healy (capt), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney (wk), Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Ivan Toney has shockingly claimed that the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League and insisted that Al-Ahli would compete for a top four finish if they competed in the English top flight. Toney left the Premier League last summer when joining Al-Ahli from Brentford. The English forward has already won two titles in his first year in the Middle East.

• Toney compared SPL to Premier League
• Won two titles with Al-Ahli already
• Talks up strength of Saudi football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Saudi Pro League's biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has repeatedly claimed that the competition should be considered among the top five leagues in the world. He even aimed a dig at his eternal rival, Lionel Messi, by saying that the Saudi league is already better than Major League Soccer in the United States and France's Ligue 1.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT TONEY SAID

  Former Brentford star Toney has now gone one step further than Ronaldo, claiming that the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League. Speaking to , the England international said: "Ronaldo has been around the world and probably knows a lot more than me, as I have only played in the Premier League, the Championship and Leagues One and Two. For me, [the Pro League] is on a par with the Premier League. If [Al-Ahli] were in the Premier League, we’d give it a good go and we’d be close to the top four. It is a quality league and people should not turn their noses up. We saw Al-Hilal play against Man City [at the Club World Cup] and beat them."

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Toney enjoyed a successful first season in Saudi Arabia as he scored 23 league goals in 30 appearances, two short of Ronaldo's tally. Pairing up with the likes of Roberto Firmino – who left Al-Ahli this summer – and Riyad Mahrez in the attack, Toney also helped the club win the AFC Champions League title last season. At the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Al-Ahli lifted the Saudi Super Cup.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR AL-AHLI?

  Toney and Al-Ahli will be back in action this Friday as the Saudi giants take on Al-Ettifaq in a league clash.

The 2024/25 Premier League season was disappointing for West Ham United with the Hammers coming 14th in the Premier League.

Whilst they were never in any real danger of relegation, they would have been hoping for a much better performance across the board. They lost 17 games in total in the top flight.

It could be all change for Graham Potter this summer with some big outgoings on the cards. One of those is Mohammed Kudus, who, as recently as the 6th of June, was reportedly offered to Chelsea, according to Sky Sports.

If someone as prominent as Kudus does leave the London Stadium this summer, they will, of course, need a replacement.

West Ham's potential Kudus replacement

It does indeed seem like Kudus could be on his way out of West Ham this summer and considering his performances since moving to the English capital, he will be hard to replace.

Fortunately, the Irons seem to have someone in mind already.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, if the Ghanaian attacker does leave West Ham in the next few weeks or months, they could be set to replace him with Anderlecht attacking midfielder Mario Stroeykens.

A report from Belgian outlet Votebal Belgie suggests that he has been on the Hammers’ ‘wish list for some time’.

In fact, they are already believed to have made a bid for the talented 20-year-old.

The report suggests West Ham made an £8.5m offer, which was promptly rejected by the Belgian giants. Instead, they could ask for as much as £17.1m to make a deal happen.

Why Stroeykens would be a good signing

Belgium U21 international Stroeykens has certainly made a big impression for Anderlecht last season. After coming through the club’s youth academy, the attacking midfielder has gone on to become a key player.

Last season in all competitions, Stroeykens featured 39 times across all competitions, contributing to five goals and seven assists. After starting the season strong with nine goal involvements in 13 league games, he suffered from a ligament injury, which slowed his progress.

The 20-year-old, who was born in Zellik, just outside of Brussels, would also bring European pedigree to the London Stadium. He played 430 minutes in the Europa League last term, both scoring and assisting in that time. The goal he scored was a sublime effort, showing his excellent technical quality.

Replacing the 24-year-old Kudus would not be easy for Stroeykens. The Ghana international has impressed for the Hammers in the 80 appearances he has made, scoring 19 times and registering 13 assists.

His first season in Claret and Blue saw him score and assist 23 times, including five goals in nine Europa League appearances. However, last term was not as fluid, with the Hammers’ number 14 managing just nine goal involvements.

Despite the struggles Kudus endured last season, there is no doubt about his importance to Potter’s side when at his best. That leaves Stroeykens with a big job to replace him, but as football scout Antonio Mango said, he is a “creative force” and can certainly look to match the output of the Ghana star.

The underlying stats via FBref suggest that the Belgian youngster, who tends to operate as a number 10, can indeed step up in Kudus’ absence.

For example, last term he averaged 1.54 key passes and 6.63 progressive passes each game, compared to 1.08 key passes and 2.74 progressive passes per 90 minutes for the Hammers star.

Those stats highlight the creativity that Mango was talking about. They certainly suggest that Stroeykens has the ability to step into Kudus’ boots and take on some of the creative burden that will be there if, or when, he leaves.

For just £17m, this could be a brilliant addition for the Hammers, who will be hoping Stroeykens can become a key player for the club in the long term.

Free transfer: West Ham in contact to sign £100k-p/w star who Potter loves

The Hammers could land themselves a bargain.

2

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 15, 2025

Arsenal have been in talks over a contract extension for star midfielder Thomas Partey for weeks, but as the clock ticks down towards June 30, manager Mikel Arteta faces the very real prospect of losing him for nothing.

The Ghanaian’s resurgence, after a 2023/2024 campaign blighted by injury, has been nothing short of exceptional.

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He’d be quite the addition to Arteta’s dressing room.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 17, 2025

Partey was a mainstay under Arteta throughout last season, impressing in a variety of roles at right-back and in midfield, going on to finish the year with 52 appearances under his belt across all competitions.

His stellar form over the last 10 months prompted Arsenal to open talks with Partey over fresh terms, with the club announcing that they were in dialogue about a new deal by not including the African on this year’s official retained list.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Arteta also confirmed in a press conference that he wants the £200,000-per-week veteran to remain right where he is, after what was arguably his best-ever season at the Emirates Stadium.

“Yeah,” said the Arsenal manager when asked if he wants Partey to stay.

“In regards to Thomas, consistency-wise, it’s been his best season. I think the way he’s played, performed, his availability has been exceptional, and he’s a really important player for us.”

However, talks have been going since late April, and there has still been no official confirmation from Arsenal that Partey has indeed extended his stay in N5.

Naturally, the 32-year-old is attracting serious interest from elsewhere. Both Fenerbache boss José Mourinho and AC Milan’s Max Allegri have personally held talks with Partey, according to CaughtOffside.

Thomas Partey gives Arsenal ultimatum amid "concrete offers"

The outlet also reports that Fenerbache and Milan have made Partey “concrete” proposals to join them, so Arsenal have major competition in their bid to keep him.

CaughtOffside have shared that Partey’s agent has given an ultimatum to Arsenal during new deal talks, namely that the ex-Atlético Madrid star will leave if they don’t increase their salary offer.

Arsenal are currently determined not to increase their initial offer, so talks are now at a roadblock and in serious danger of collapsing.

Arteta will be hoping for a swift resolution. Even taking into account the pending arrival of Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, who’s still expected to join Arsenal with a deal agreed, the Gunners are poised to be a star midfielder short if Partey does leave, given Jorginho’s free transfer to Flamengo.

Arteta needs a rejuvenated and star-studded squad if he wishes to close the gap on English champions Liverpool, and losing Partey would be a disastrous summer blow ahead of what is a crucial campaign for Arsenal’s head coach.

The pressure is truly on for him to win a piece of major silverware, five years after their FA Cup final triumph in 2020, so keeping a player of Partey’s quality/experience is a must.

In pursuit of a future star, Crystal Palace are now reportedly plotting a summer hijack to sign a defensive reinforcement ahead of their Premier League rivals in the coming months.

Crystal Palace still have European hope

One defeat too many may mean that their hopes of securing European qualification through the Premier League is almost over, but Crystal Palace still have all the hope in the world in the FA Cup final. With Wembley awaiting, the Eagles have the chance to end a 29-year wait for silverware and shock Manchester City in the process.

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Crystal Palace recruitment staff are big fans of a Premier League midfielder.

1 ByBrett Worthington May 9, 2025

Oliver Glasner’s side have the chance to create club history all whilst qualifying for the Europa League by picking up the FA Cup next weekend. The Austrian is already proud of his side for their place in the final, but will be desperate to see them go all the way in England’s oldest cup competition.

Glasner told reporters after Crystal Palace eased past Aston Villa in the semi-final: “No. It’s better not to (dance). “And with all the happiness and pride, it was not the last step. It was one more step, but an important step. When you play the final, you want to win it.

“I’m really proud. I’m enjoying walking in front of the stands seeing how happy people are. In the dressing room, it’s a great mood. I think (if) I started dancing, I (would have) destroyed this moment.”

There’s no overstating what European football would do for this Palace side, either, on both the incomings and departures front. All of a sudden, players who have been linked with moves away such as Eberechi Eze could decide to stay put. Meanwhile, signing instant upgrades in the summer transfer window would become that much easier.

Crystal Palace eyeing Nathan Zeze hijack

According to Foot Mercato, as relayed by Sport Witness, Crystal Palace are now eyeing a summer hijack to sign Nathan Zeze ahead of Bournemouth. As things stand, it is the Cherries who lead the race having reportedly submitted a verbal offer worth €15m (£13m) the Nantes defender, but those at the Vitality Stadium are yet to match the French side’s €20m (£17m) valuation.

Mentioned alongside the likes of Leny Yoro and Jarrad Branthwait in a group of “elite young players” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, the only way is up for Zeze, who is still just 19 years old.

Whether that means a move to Bournemouth or, indeed, Selhurst Park is awaiting remains to be seen, however. What is for sure is that both sides should be desperate to win the battle for his signature.

Declan Rice’s magical free-kick double reignited Arsenal’s season as they thumped European champions Real Madrid on a historic Champions League night at the Emirates Stadium.

The England midfielder’s superb brace was even more incredible considering he had never scored a direct free-kick in his senior career.

Now a hero in N5, he joins a list of great free-kick goalscorers for the Gunners. Here, we rank some of the best free-kicks scored by those in red and white down the years.

10 best Premier League free-kicks of all time (Ranked)

David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored two of the best free-kicks in recent history, but who has scored the greatest in the PL era?

ByLewis Thompson Jun 15, 2024 9 Mesut Ozil v Liverpool 2014/15 Premier League

Arsenal were flying when they took on Liverpool at the Emirates in April 2015, with Arsene Wenger’s side coming into the game on a six-game winning streak.

Backed to see off the Reds as they looked to overtake Manchester City in second place, the Gunners went ahead just before the break through Hector Bellerin.

Minutes later, Arsenal were awarded a free-kick on the right-hand side, with Mesut Ozil standing over it.

And despite placing it on the ‘keeper’s side, the German doubled Arsenal’s lead with a superb effort, which set the Gunners up for a 4-1 victory.

8 Cesc Fabregas v Aston Villa 2009/10 Premier League

With their title bid threatening to falter, Arsenal were struggling to break down a stubborn Aston Villa team that had been a thorn in the Gunners side.

Level on points with their opponents at the time, it was a must-win game. But with Arsenal toiling, a less-than-fit Cesc Fabregas was summoned to give the home side the advantage they craved.

Around 25 yards out, the captain stepped up to put his team in front with a superb curling effort that Brad Friedel could do nothing about.

7 Robin van Persie v Sunderland 2007/08 Premier League

Robin van Persie’s strike against Sunderland would probably still be travelling had it not nearly shattered the Emirates crossbar back in 2007.

His thumping early free-kick against the Black Cats was past Craig Gordon like a bullet, and was one of those you could watch over and over again.

The Dutchman then popped up late on after the Gunners had dropped a two-goal lead to take them to the top of the table.

6 Thierry Henry v Roma 2002/03 Champions League

Thierry Henry had such a knack for scoring great free-kicks, he could have his own ‘best of’ compilation.

But one of his finest has to be his clincher in the Stadio Olimpico against Roma in the Champions League, which not only secured a superb away win in the second group phase for Arsenal, but a magical European hat-trick.

Goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli had absolutely no chance.

5 Mikel Arteta v Aston Villa 2011/12 Premier League

Some free-kicks just stay hit, and Mikel Arteta certainly proved this against Aston Villa in the 2011/12 season.

During a routine victory for the Gunners, Arteta put the icing on the cake with a screamer into the net from miles out.

Shay Given appeared to have been expecting a shot into the opposite corner, but once he’d made the wrong decision, the ball was already past him.

4 Declan Rice v Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League

This may be fresh in the memory, but Declan Rice’s first strike against Real Madrid was befitting of the occasion, not to mention a thing of beauty.

Having spotted the potential to curl one around the outside of the wall, Rice’s strike lit up the Emirates, handing Arsenal the lead over the European champions.

It was also Arsenal’s first direct free-kick goal since Martin Odegaard scored against Burnley in September 2021. The relief and ecstasy was tangible.

For the moment alone, it will likely be a special memory for years to come.

3 Thierry Henry v Wigan 2005/06 Premier League

Thierry Henry was up to his old tricks against Wigan in 2005, producing a superb free-kick – with a cold celebration to go with it.

Having built a reputation for taking free-kicks quickly, referee Graham Poll made it very clear he had to wait for the official’s whistle.

Clearly disturbed by this, Henry responded by placing an inch-perfect free-kick in off the post, leading him to ask the referee, “is that enough?”.

2 Santi Cazorla v Hull 2013/14 FA Cup

Arsenal had often been accused of lacking leaders, and when the Gunners were 2-0 down to Hull City in the 2014 FA Cup final, it looked like those concerns would re-emerge as their trophy drought threatened to extend further.

But after being handed a free-kick, Santi Cazorla scored perhaps his greatest Arsenal goal under the Wembley arch by torpedoing a strike past Allan McGregor in the Tigers net.

It set Arsenal up for the dramatic comeback that won them the trophy, and gave the supporters a moment to treasure forever.

1 Declan Rice v Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League

The term ‘top bins’ has been around for a while now, but this may well be the ultimate epitome.

Having just scored a screamer past Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal, Declan Rice lined up what he hoped would be another screamer.

Buoyed by his earlier effort, Rice smashed home an all-timer to double the Gunners’ lead on the night and score what is surely the best free-kick the club has ever seen, with the ball arrowing into the top corner.

When you consider the importance, the opposition and the perfect execution, it is going to be hard for anyone to top this.

Ranking The Top 10 Free Kicks Of All Time

Football Fancast runs down the top ten best free kicks in football history.

ByAlex Roberts Dec 10, 2023

Having established himself in the Delhi Capitals top order, the keeper-batter from Chandannagar is poised to play a major role for Bengal in the 2024-25 season

Himanshu Agrawal13-Aug-2024Arguments over the merits and demerits of the Impact Player rule have raged ever since its introduction during IPL 2023, but Abishek Porel is unlikely to be drawn into them. He owes his IPL breakthrough to this rule.At the start of IPL 2024, it seemed unlikely he would get much game time. With Rishabh Pant back as wicketkeeper and captain, Porel was fighting with Kumar Kushagra, for whom Delhi Capitals broke the bank with an INR 7.2 crore winning bid, to be the team’s second wicketkeeper. DC also had Tristan Stubbs.But when they were in dire need of momentum in their tournament-opener at 138 for 7 against Punjab Kings, Porel got his chance. He came off the subs bench and blitzed an unbeaten 32 off 10 balls to take DC to 174. That cameo made such an impression that Porel ended up playing all 14 games, and DC’s then head coach Ricky Ponting went on to call him a “very special talent”.Related

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Ponting on Porel: The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was special

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“Ponting said, ‘Just believe in yourself.’ When a legend like him motivates you, then obviously you are moved,” Porel tells ESPNcricinfo. “Pant also told me, ‘ [You can do it]’. Personally, I also felt like I just had to perform this time.”It wasn’t Porel’s first brush with the IPL. He had been part of DC’s squad in 2023 too, having been picked out of a trial in which the franchise looked at six other keepers. Porel remembers being intimidated just being around the coaching staff when he arrived for his first training session.”I was definitely nervous seeing Ponting,” Porel says. “But he was a down-to-earth person, and helped me understand [things] well. Moreover, once I was in Delhi, Ponting, Sourav [Ganguly, director of cricket] sir and Shane Watson [assistant coach] were guiding us nicely, and treating me like one of their own. If there is anyone who knows me today, it is because of DC and Sourav sir.”Porel finished IPL 2024 with 327 runs including two match-winning half-centuries and a number of useful cameos. He struck his runs at 159.51, which put him behind only Jake Fraser-McGurk and Stubbs, and ahead of Pant, among the DC batters who scored at least 200 runs.”I was just prepared for the opportunity,” Porel says when asked if the prospect of fighting for a spot with three other wicketkeepers was intimidating. “The fight was always with myself, because it is me who is my competitor. I knew that if I performed well, I would be able to keep my place.”He particularly enjoyed batting with Australia’s rising star Fraser-McGurk, with the two adding 176 runs in three first-wicket partnerships. Their run rate of 14.46 was the best of any opening pair with at least 175 runs that season.”He seemed to have that magic bat from (a Bollywood movie from 2007),” Porel says with a laugh. “He was swinging it in all directions, and I kept turning my neck to watch the ball fly on both sides of the ground!”Abishek Porel is likely to play as a specialist batter for Bengal this season, with Wriddhiman Saha back in the fold•PTI As a left-hand batter from Bengal, there’s little doubt who Porel idolises. “I obviously want to be like Sourav sir,” he says. “If I end up achieving even a percentage of what he did, then that would be massive. I really like his debut Test hundred; I have watched highlights of it multiple times.”The Porel of 2024 is confident and clear about what he can offer. This sets him up nicely for the upcoming season, where it’s likely he’ll play as a specialist batter for Bengal with Wriddhiman Saha back in the fold after two years away at Tripura.Porel broke through in 2022 only because of Saha’s departure. And like Saha, whose journey from Siliguri to Kolkata is well documented, Porel has walked a long road too, from Chandannagar, a quiet city in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, to Kolkata and beyond.That Porel is firmly established as one of Bengal’s rising stars is a source of extra delight for his extended family, with first cousin Ishan a key fast bowler in the team’s attack alongside India Test players Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep.”It was when (big brother, here referring to Ishan) was representing Bengal Under-14 and Under-16 that I also started getting interested in the game,” Porel says. “He took me to the National Sporting Club in Chandannagar, where I met my childhood coach for the first time.”Barely 11 then, Porel did not have it easy at first. Sometimes he’d have to wait until sunset, when other, older batters would finish, to get an opportunity. He would unfailingly grab his chance.He was “a step ahead of his peers”, according to Parthasarathi Bhattacharjee, who was Porel’s coach when he played for the Bengal Under-23s. But long before that, Bhattacharjee had been impressed by his ability as a puny teenager, when he captained Porel at the Bhowanipore Club.”Abishek could play some terrific shots,” Bhattacharjee says. “People at that age are usually defensive, but he was always gutsy. He was dominating even the senior bowlers, never giving the impression that he had come over from Under-16s.”In 2021-22, as Bengal’s captain in the Cooch Behar Trophy, Porel smashed 716 runs at an average of 89.50 and a strike rate of 82.11 in six games, including three hundreds.It led to his name doing the rounds among the junior selectors, and when five players from the Under-19 World Cup squad contracted Covid-19 in the Caribbean, Porel was called up as a reserve.Porel believes he can break into the India squad if he breaches the 1000-run mark in consecutive first-class seasons•PTI “I was really upset when I hadn’t got the call-up for the original squad,” he says. A chance in the playing XI eluded him, but he took away quite a lot from the experience. “I understood what it means to tour, and got a feeling of what it means to represent the country.”Upon his return, circumstances helped Porel break through in the Ranji Trophy. Saha had left, and Shreevats Goswami wasn’t in the scheme of things anymore. Porel’s first-class debut was a baptism by fire. Bengal were shot out for 88 on a Cuttack greentop by Baroda, but Porel made 21 off 19 balls.Then, in the second innings, Bengal were 242 for 6 chasing 349 when Porel joined Shahbaz Ahmed. They added an unbroken 108, of which Abishek scored an unbeaten 53 off 70, as Bengal sealed victory in what remains his “favourite match”.”We won, and to score runs in that situation – and that too on debut – was special,” Porel says. Bengal made the semi-finals, and Porel scored 303 runs at an average of 33.66 that season, including three fifties, to repay the faith shown by Bhattacharjee, who was then part of Bengal’s senior selection committee.”[Arun] Lal ji was the coach then, and even he told me that he had rarely seen such stroke-making and fearlessness at that age,” Bhattacharjee says.That match was also memorable for other reasons. On the first morning, Porel teamed up with his cousin as “c Porel b Porel” made its first appearance on a first-class scoresheet.Porel made enough of an impact in that first season to earn a Duleep Trophy call-up – he scored an unbeaten 50 against North Zone in his only game – but he hasn’t yet translated his promise into consistent big scores at the first-class level. He currently averages 33.50, and has scored just the one hundred in 23 games.It’s early days still, of course, with Porel only turning 22 in October, but it’s possible he may not enjoy the standing he has today without that opening as an impact sub in IPL 2024. “Life has certainly taken a jump,” he says. “People in Chandannagar have started recognising me.”How is Porel preparing for the new season and the prospect of teaming up with Saha again? “Now that Wriddhi is back, I can chat with him [about my game],” Porel says. “He is like my own , and a guide to me. Even during the IPL, he tells me I can speak to him if I face any problem.”I aim to play all three formats for India – and play regularly. If I get 1000 runs in first-class cricket for two seasons in a row, and hit 500-600 runs in the IPL, I believe a door will certainly open for me.”

NSW keen to avoid last finish, as South Australia and Victoria also need a lift amidst absence of Australia’s Test stars

Tristan Lavalette08-Feb-2023After a spectacular end to a thrilling BBL season, there is a quick turnaround in Australian domestic cricket with the resumption of the Sheffield Shield. The Shield paused in early December after six rounds, and teams have a further four matches left before the final starts on March 23. Here is a look at how the six teams stack up before the competition restarts on Thursday.

Western Australia (32 points)

Riding high after Perth Scorchers’ successful BBL defence, Western Australia will be hoping the momentum continues in the longer format which they dominated before the break. With four wins and 11 points clear on top, defending champions WA are almost certain to host the Shield final for the second straight season.Underling the wealth of talent in WA cricket, there are a number of selection dilemmas, as skipper Shaun Marsh is set for his first game of this Shield season, against South Australia on Thursday. Such is WA’s depth that wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe might be left out, while Scorchers captain Ashton Turner remains on the outer in four-day cricket but Marcus Stoinis is in the line to play his first first-class match since March 2020.Meanwhile, spearhead Jhye Richardson will be missing the match against South Australia as he continues to battle a hamstring injury, which had sidelined him for the second half of the BBL.WA will also be without tearaway Lance Morris, who is on Australia’s tour of India. He is the Shield’s leading wicket-taker this season with 27 wickets at 18.4. Spin-bowling allrounder Ashton Agar is also in India, but has only played one Shield match in the past two seasons.

Queensland (21 points)

Much like WA, Queensland have to bounce back quickly after Brisbane Heat’s emotionally-draining finals campaign. Queensland are joint second on points with Tasmania, as their campaign resumes against Victoria at the MCG on Thursday.Veteran opener Joe Burns has recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in the BBL season opener in a boost for the Bulls, who will be without Test batters Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Matthew Renshaw. Legspinner Mitchell Swepson is also touring with the national side, although his 12 wickets have cost 39.66 each in five Shield matches this season.Six Heat players who experienced the agony of the BBL final are set to line up against Victoria.Captain Will Sutherland needs to continue as Victoria’s ace bowler in the absence of Scott Boland•Getty Images

Tasmania (21 points)

Tasmania have a great opportunity to start strongly when they play bottom-placed NSW at the SCG starting Saturday. They will hope to secure victory because what follows are back-to-back matches against WA, which could make things become more difficult for them.Tasmania looked a formidable side before the break, as 24-year-old Tim Ward was the standout of a solid batting order with 421 runs to be the third-highest run-scorer this season. Their attack is also led by veteran seamers Jackson Bird and Peter Siddle, who have combined for 44 wickets this season.

Victoria (16 points)

Victoria will be lacking batting firepower as they eye a lift up the ladder. Regular skipper Peter Handscomb is in India, and Glenn Maxwell remains on the path back from a broken leg sustained last November.Nic Maddinson will also be missing the rest of the domestic season having suffered a serious knee injury during the BBL, while Will Pucovski, who has made his return from personal leave only in Melbourne grade cricket, won’t be playing against Queensland.Victoria’s attack will be without seamer Scott Boland and spinner Todd Murphy who too are in India. Thus, there will be more burden on emerging allrounder Will Sutherland, who has bagged 23 wickets this season and taken over the captaincy reins from Handscomb.NSW will look on the experienced Moises Henriques and co to get them out of the doldrums•Getty Images

South Australia (15 points)

Redbacks face a tough test first up against WA, as they look to avoid a sixth straight bottom-placed finish. They are without Test players Travis Head and Alex Carey, with the onus on captain Henry Hunt, who is seen as a future opener for Australia.After top-scoring for Heat in the BBL final, Nathan McSweeney looms as key for Redbacks, and he had batted impressively before the break as well. Their lead quick Wes Agar will hope to continue after his strong first half of the season, where took 23 wickets.

New South Wales (7 points)

Blues are hoping to move on from a disastrous start to the season, where they were winless from six matches, and are staring down the barrel of finishing last for the first time in 14 years.Coach Phil Jaques was a casualty, with Sydney Sixers mastermind Greg Shipperd taking over in the interim.There is little room for error for Blues, who will rely on experienced campaigners Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques and Sean Abbott to get them out of the doldrums.

New ball not bringing them wickets, their two wristspinners separated, India have major bowling issues to address

Sidharth Monga29-Nov-2020Now that Hardik Pandya has shown – or has been forced to show because of a second-successive collective bowling breakdown – that he is not too far from being the sixth bowler that India need, we can move on to the more pressing matter. It is okay to bemoan the lack of multi-dimensional cricketers, and something to work on with the next crop, but Indian bowling’s first dimension has been below par for a while now.As has been pointed out widely, India have taken only three powerplay wickets in eight ODIs this year, but let us not cherry-pick a small sample from what has been a dismal year for them. At the start of the last year, they won their first bilateral series in Australia and also finished top of the table in the league stages of the World Cup in England. Let’s go back to that time.Since the start of the last year, only Scotland and Bangladesh have a worse bowling average than India’s 51.52 inside the first ten overs. India have played more ODI cricket over this period than any other side. Out of 36 bowling innings, they have been wicketless in 15 powerplays. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played 19 of these 36 matches; that average comes down to 33.73 in those. In the 17 matches that Kumar has not played, India have picked up just eight powerplay wickets.It might be simple enough to surmise that in Kumar’s absence India don’t seem to have enough menace with the new ball, which sets up the tone for ODI innings. However, these numbers aren’t as straightforward. Mohammed Shami, for example, has a better average in the powerplay than Kumar: 34.53 to 38.9. Batsmen have been least in control when facing Jasprit Bumrah: 69.3% to 72.8 for Shami and 76.84 for Kumar. Moreover, it is arguable that Kumar would not have made any difference in this series, for example, because the ball has not swung for anyone.ALSO WATCH: Kohli falls for 89 (Indian subcontinent only)Whether it is the lengths that Kumar bowls – which makes him likelier to get a wicket when he draws indecision – or whether it is just freak numbers, one thing can’t be denied: the absence of Kumar has had a knock-on effect on the middle overs. From immediately after the Champions Trophy to early 2019, India became the best ODI side in the world because of their middle-overs potency, which was attained through the wristspin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. Kumar, Chahal and Yadav have played 27 ODIs, winning 20 and losing seven.However, this was a combination they justifiably had to break. Kumar was losing pace and fitness, and in England they would need Shami’s striking abilities more. In a perfect world, you would want to be aggressive and replace an extra batsman with Shami, but that would mean having Kumar at No. 7 followed by four Nos. 11. If India didn’t do it then, imagine playing both Chahal and Yadav now with even Kumar unfit. In this squad that leaves you with Shardul Thakur as your best No. 7 batsman.Not quite at full pace, but Hardik Pandya turned his arm over after a long gap in international cricket•Getty ImagesYadav’s replacement, Ravindra Jadeja, has held his own as far as a classic fingerspinner can do in modern limited-overs cricket, but India have consequently been a much-less threatening team in the middle overs, too. It is remarkable that Jadeja has gone at just 5.1 an over since the start of the last year, but that is not what India are after from their specialist bowlers. This is exactly why he was dropped in the first place. He is now getting a wicket every 69 balls; Chahal and Yadav wait for 30 and 40 balls.Another way of taking wickets in the middle overs on flat pitches – as seen in the World Cup – is extreme pace and/or tall fast bowlers banging the ball in the middle of the pitch. India are not blessed in that department either.At their most adventurous, India might still think of going with Kumar at No. 7 in order to bring together the two wristspinners, but with Kumar beginning to pick stress-related injuries more often as he gets older, his return doesn’t seem like a middle-to-long-term solution. Deepak Chahar’s name has been discussed because he does a similar job with the new ball. He might be worth a shot, but he won’t magically give India the striking ability through the innings. He might still be a better pick than Navdeep Saini in current form, though. Not least because he will leave Bumrah more overs with the older ball, which he seems to prefer.What will happen in the long term, though, is that Bumrah will definitely get better than he has been in the first two games. Even if the wickets don’t come readily, he won’t be bowling as many boundary balls as he has in these games. Chahal will improve too. Pandya will start to bowl more. A home World Cup might mean India could even playing Jadeja and both the wristspinners if Pandya can give Bumrah and Shami a hand in the first ten.However, on flat pitches – which is the norm in ODIs – India have too many holes: no extreme pace, no attacking bowlers who can also bat – to be considered a par bowling unit. For which that will have to make up with exceptional individual performances or the batting.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is enjoying his All-Star break elsewhere, but he may have won the Home Run Derby night with an unbelievably funny sequence of posts on his X account as he watched with the rest of us.

The fourth-year first baseman got all his thoughts down on the internet and provided some colorful commentary as the drama unfolded at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Pittsburgh Pirates star Oneil Cruz put on a show in the first round, smashing 21 home runs including a 513-foot bomb. He smacked line drives so hard that the youth fielders shagging balls could only run to get out of the way. In case any fans questioned that incredibly savvy business decision, Pasquantino assured everyone that he feels the same way when playing against Cruz:

Later, he had a hilarious post about Seattle Mariners star catcher and Major League home-run leader Cal Raleigh putting on a show just like he has the whole season:

In case anyone thought he was serious—don't worry, it was just a joke:

He also made an incredibly honest admission when he noticed Paul Skenes with Spanish-speaking stars Elly De La Cruz, Ketel Marte and Fernando Tatís Jr.

He had some thoughts on Raleigh advancing on an extremely close longest home run tiebreak over Athletics slugger Brent Rooker:

He took to X a couple weeks ago to make a joke about being the batter for two of Shohei Ohtani's fastest pitches thrown, too. Never change, Vinnie. Never change.