Category Uncategorized

States are having to delve into their reserves due to the Australia ODI and A series

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Oct-2024Josh Hazlewood will make his first appearance of the season for New South Wales as he builds up to the India Test series while Nathan Lyon has been rested.Hazlewood had been due to play last week’s One-Day Cup game against Victoria alongside Pat Cummins but withdrew on the morning of the match due to illness. It means the Sheffield Shield fixture against Queensland will be his first outing since the England tour finished in late September and will likely be his one competitive game before the first Test against India.It had been expected that Lyon would feature in three Shield matches before the Test series, but he has sent down 104 overs in the two matches he has played against South Australia and Victoria and it’s understood he is unlikely to have another run before facing India.A number of states have been significantly hit for round three of the Shield by Australia ODI and Australia A call-ups. From their previous XI, alongside Lyon, NSW are missing Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Sam Konstas and Josh Phillippe due to those concurrent series.Ollie Davies is also part of the Australia A squad but will only feature in the second four-day game next week at the MCG so is available to face Queensland. And in a boost for NSW, allrounder Jack Edwards is fit after a hamstring injury. Lyon’s absence means legspinner Tanveer Sangha will be able to return to the XI.Mitchell Swepson will captain Queensland with Marnus Labuschagne in ODI duty. They are also with Michael Neser (Australia A) and Mark Steketee (ankle), Gurinder Sandhu (calf), Callum Vidler (groin). Jimmy Peirson will be the wicketkeeper in the second Australia A match next week.Mahli Beardman is a chance to make his first-class debut for Western Australia after being named in a 13-man squad to play Tasmania in Hobart. Beardman was a shock selection on Australia’s recent limited-overs tour of the UK after playing just one List A game last summer. The Under-19 World Cup winner has played just one Second XI match for WA this summer returning figures of 1 for 30 and 1 for 25 from just 13.3 overs across the two innings. He’s also gone wicketless in his three WA premier cricket matches for his club side Melville.Uncontracted international spinner Ashton Agar has also been named in the squad with Corey Rocchiccioli rested ahead of his appearance for Australia A. Agar has not played a first-class match since his last Test appearance in January 2023. Joel Paris has been named for his first game of the Shield season. Cameron Bancroft (Australia A), Cooper Connolly (Australia A), Aaron Hardie (Australia ODI), Josh Inglis (Australia ODI) and Mitch Marsh (paternity leave) are all unavailable.Joel Curtis will keep wicket while Jhye Richardson has been named to play another Second XI game for WA as he continues to build his red-ball fitness. Lance Morris played a club T20 for Scarborough last Sunday but is still working back to full fitness from a quad injury.Tasmania have lost Beau Webster to Australia A duty but welcome back Gabe Bell and Lawrence Neil-Smith after the two seamers were rested from the last Shield clash with WA.South Australia are also missing key players with Nathan McSweeney captaining Australia A while pace bowlers Jordan Buckingham, Brendon Doggett and Nathan McAndrew are in the squad. Alex Carey, who has been in outstanding form, will captain against Victoria.Peter Siddle, who turns 40 later this month, has been recalled for his first Shield game of the season as Victoria are missing Scott Boland, Fergus O’Neill, Todd Murphy and Marcus Harris due to Australia A duty.New South Wales squad Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques (capt), Nic Maddinson, Blake Nikitaras, Kurtis Patterson, Tanveer SanghaQueensland squad 4. Mitchell Swepson (capt), Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Jack Sinfield, Tom Straker, Jack WildermuthSouth Australia squad Alex Carey (capt), Harry Conway, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Conor McInerney, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry ThorntonVictoria squad Will Sutherland (capt), Dylan Brasher, Ash Chandrasinghe, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jon Merlo, Mitch Perry, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Doug WarrenTasmania squad Gabe Bell, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Matt Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Mitch Owen, Jordan Silk (capt), Charlie Wakim, Jake WeatheraldWestern Australia squad Sam Whiteman (capt), Ashton Agar, Mahli Beardman, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Joel Curtis, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Matt Kelly, Joel Paris, Ashton Turner, Teague Wyllie

Manchester City have now engaged in talks over a deal for a Paris Saint-Germain star, who is very highly-rated by Pep Guardiola, according to a report.

Pep's Man City rebuild continues

Guardiola has rung the changes at the Etihad Stadium this summer, with two of his most long-serving players, Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, being shown the exit door, and another loyal servant could soon be on his way out of the club.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Ederson has agreed terms on a move to Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray.

Consequently, Man City may also be faced with the difficult task of finding a suitable replacement for the 31-year-old this summer, although there is certainly no shortage of exciting options on the shortlist.

Target

Current club

League clean sheets in 24/25

James Trafford

Burnley

29

Diogo Costa

FC Porto

16

Yassine Bounou

Al-Hilal

9

According to a report from The Boot Room, Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has also been identified as a potential replacement for Ederson, with City engaging in talks over a deal after being approached by the ‘keeper’s representatives.

The 6 foot 5 goalkeeper is weighing up his future at PSG, despite winning the Champions League last season, with the shot-stopper yet to commit to new terms to extend his stay at Parc des Princes beyond next summer.

Having snubbed talks with PSG over a contract extension, the Etihad Stadium has now emerged as a potential destination for the 26-year-old, although there could be competition for his signature, with Galatasaray and Chelsea also named as potential suitors.

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1 ByDominic Lund Jul 22, 2025 Pep believes Donnarumma has "huge skill"

Crucially, the £34m-valued Italian is held in very high regard by Guardiola, who once branded the goalkeeper “top”, while also claiming he has “huge skill” in 2017, and there are plenty of signs the PSG man could be a fantastic long-term replacement for Ederson.

City will no doubt be setting out to compete for a second Champions League title next season, and the towering goalkeeper has already proven he has what it takes to compete at the highest level, receiving high praise for his performance in the quarter-final against Aston Villa last term.

The Italy international also caught the eye in the semi-final against Arsenal, producing a remarkable save to deny Martin Odegaard in the second leg.

It will be a tall order to find a suitable heir for Ederson, but Donnarumma has proven he has what it takes.

Trent Rockets were victorious in a nervy must-win encounter against Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred at Edgbaston on Monday. The Rockets drew level on points with third-placed Northern Superchargers to keep themselves in the hunt for a place in the knock-outs, as they came out on top by three wickets with just three balls to go in a tense affair.Birmingham Phoenix won the toss and chose to bat, with both sides sitting on six points in the table and looking for the opportunity to keep their seasons alive. Phoenix had to make do without Sophie Devine, forced to miss out through injury.That required a batting order shuffle for Phoenix but their shuffled top order didn’t last long: three wickets fell early for the home side as they lost captain Ellyse Perry, Fran Wilson and Amy Jones in the opening 15 balls before they had reached double digits. Alexa Stonehouse grabbed the big wicket of Perry, Sciver-Brunt dismissed her one-time housemate Wilson and her maid-of-honour Jones first-ball.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I was very happy with how the ball came out today,” Sciver-Brunt said. “I probably haven’t had that much success or that much consistency, so I was very happy with my personal bowling performance today.”Phoenix’s recovery was as impressive as it was crucial, with Sterre Kalis and Indian international Richa Ghosh putting on 95 for a record fourth-wicket partnership in the women’s Hundred. Ghosh made 41 from 36 and Kalis 47 from 44 as they took the hosts to 112 for 6.After her early wickets Sciver-Brunt finished with figures of 2 for 16. Australian international spinner Ashleigh Gardner also picked up a critical late couple of wickets to take 2 for 17.Nat Sciver-Brunt and Ashleigh Gardner took two wickets each•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Phoenix needed early wickets to help them defend their below-par total and they managed just that, with Bryony Smith and Nat Wraith dismissed in the first 20 balls. Unfortunately for Phoenix, that brought Sciver-Brunt to the crease, the leading run-scorer in The Hundred this year – and indeed the record-holder for the highest aggregate ever in the women’s competition.With Sciver-Brunt and Gardner at the crease the visitors looked to be cantering in the chase, but a flurry of wickets at an inopportune moment from balls 70-80 – including a timely run-out from Perry – made things suddenly appear much tricker for the Rockets. Not for the first time, the Rockets found themselves trying to scrap over the finish line, but this time it was a must-win encounter.They benefitted from a debatable no-ball call, which saw Josie Groves reprieved having initially been given out caught, but on this occasion they had enough in the locker to get over the line – Katie George there at the end alongside Groves to keep alive Rockets’ hopes of going further in the Hundred.”In terms of the chase, we probably got ahead of it a bit earlier and gave ourselves a bit of relief towards the end, so the pressure didn’t build up too much,” Sciver-Brunt said. “For the two batters to come out at the end, who hadn’t faced many balls, they were very brave, and I was really pleased for them to get the job done.”We’ve had so many close games, so to come out on the right side of it this time feels really good. It’s still all in our hands, if we beat the Oval Invincibles in our last game then we will be in that top three.”

Arsenal are in hot pursuit of fresh squad upgrades ahead of a crucial campaign for Mikel Arteta, with the pressure on for him to deliver major silverware.

Benjamin Sesko has now made "unusual" demand in Arsenal transfer talks

The Slovenia international wants something out of the ordinary.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 20, 2025

It’s been five years since Arteta lifted his first major honour, which came at the end of his first season in charge of the Gunners. Since then, barring Community Shield wins, their trophy cabinet has remained barren, despite coming close on a number of occasions.

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

Man City edged Arsenal in each of the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 title races, with Arteta’s side battling Pep Guardiola until the very final day last year. However, it was close but no cigar, and Arsenal meekly surrendered the latest Premier League crown to Liverpool by a seismic 10 points.

After many seasons steadily building the project, Arteta has undoubtedly transformed the Gunners into an elite-level side, and this was evident in the Champions League last season when they put 15-time European champions Real Madrid to the sword.

The progress made has been clear, but Arteta has still come under fire for Arsenal’s lack of trophies over the last few years.

New sporting director Andrea Berta has been tasked with backing the Spaniard this summer, and Arsenal are set to sign both midfielder Martin Zubimendi and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (The Times) in what is a real boost.

However, their lack of a prolific striker is seen as a major elephant in the room. It is by far the position which supporters are most keen to see strengthened, with Berta working on deals for both Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Viktor Gyokeres convinced he's going to join Arsenal

The former has been central to a tense transfer saga, with Sporting publicly denying claims that Gyokeres can leave for £60 million and their president, Frederico Varandas, taking aim at the player’s agent.

The “underrated” striker’s 54-goal haul in all competitions last season helped the Primeira Liga giants lift their first domestic double in two decades, and Gyokeres won’t be leaving for Sporting until one of his suitors meets his asking price.

Arsenal do possess a trump card, namely reliable reports that Gyokeres is prioritising a switch to the Emirates Stadium (Fabrizio Romano).

Now, as per talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Gyokeres is apparently convinced that he’ll join Arsenal, and has even made this clear to his close circle.

“I had a message 24 hours or so ago suggesting that Viktor Gyokeres has told friends and family he expects to join Arsenal,” said Crook on talkSPORT Breakfast earlier this week.

“We know that Manchester United are interested in signing him as well, obviously there is that pre-existing relationship with Ruben Amorim.

“But Arsenal can offer Champions League football, maybe can offer a tilt at the title next season. Sporting are going to play hardball, there’s been a fallout between Gyokeres and the club because his agent has suggested that they had a gentleman’s agreement he could leave for £60million, I think they’re looking for nearer £80m.

“Arsenal are juggling both him and Benjamin Sesko, they’ve opened talks with Leipzig as well but at the moment, I would say Gyokeres looks the more likely.”

The player’s willingness is crystal clear at this point, but Sporting’s demands remain a major roadblock, so it will be very interesting to see how this consistently evolving story unfolds over the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites board have held fresh talks about Ange Postecoglou’s future after their glorious night in the Europa League on Wednesday, with their current stance on keeping or sacking the tactician emerging.

Ange Postecoglou's plea to Spurs board during victory parade

The 59-year-old became a Lilywhites hero overnight, guiding the club to their first piece of major silverware in 17 years and only European trophy since 1984.

Tottenham "dreaming" of signing £67m ex-PSG star after Europa League triumph

Spurs’ summer transfer window has suddenly become much more interesting.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 23, 2025

Postecoglou came under fire for a bold statement earlier in the campaign, namely that he ‘always’ wins trophies during his second season in charge, but that message will now go down as one of the most memorable quotes in recent football history after Tottenham’s Europa League triumph.

Player

Rating

Guglielmo Vicario

7.7

Yves Bissouma

7.6

Cristian Romero

7.4

Bruno Fernandes

7.4

Destiny Udogie

7.2

Brennan Johnson also etched himself into Spurs folklore with his scrappy winner minutes before half-time, with the defensive heroics of Micky van de Ven – who made a match-saving clearance off the line – and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s vital saves proving decisive on an unforgettable night for the club.

Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro’s robust defensive displays also helped to shut out a lacklustre Man United side who simply couldn’t find any joy at all in the final third, despite their dominnace in possession.

While Postecoglou’s future at Spurs remains uncertain (David Ornstein), despite their celebrations, it is pretty clear that the manager wishes to continue his mission.

The north Londoners endured a lacklustre domestic campaign, breaking their all-time record for most Premier League defeats in a single season, but Postecoglou sent a subtle message to the board during their victory parade in London on Friday.

“I told them, and they laughed,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s open-top bus celebrations.

“I told them and they didn’t believe. And here we are. I’ll leave you with this: all the best television series, season three is better than season two.”

Postecoglou’s hint suggests the ex-Celtic boss has every intention to build upon their European success, but it remains to be seen whether Levy is on the same page.

Tottenham stance on sacking Postecoglou after fresh boardroom talks

In the wake of their triumph in Bilbao, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that high-ranking Tottenham chiefs are discussing what to do next in the managerial dugout.

According to the reporter, Levy and the Spurs board held fresh talks regarding Postecoglou after their Europa League final win, with O’Rourke sharing what their current stance is about potentially sacking him.

It is believed that, following their midweek celebrations, the club are now ’50/50′ when it comes to sticking or twisting with Postecoglou – indicating that they now have much more to think about in what has suddenly become a major conundrum.

While reports in the build-up to their clash with United indicated that Postecoglou could be sacked regardless of their Europa triumph, and that apparently remains the case, the emotion of such a momentous occasion makes this call far easier said than done in practice.

In terms of possible replacements, there are no shortage of options that have been linked in a long Tottenham managerial target list which includes the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund), Edin Terzić (free agent), Xavi (free agent) and Francesco Farioli (free agent).

Chelsea are described as the main contenders to sign a highly-rated Premier League player right now, who apparently likes the “very strong” offer presented to him by Enzo Maresca’s side during talks with his representatives.

Chelsea's transfer plans this summer amid Champions League race

The Blues are currently focused on finishing this season in strong fashion, with the prospect of Champions League football firmly on the table after last weekend’s vital 3-1 win over champions Liverpool.

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A spot in season’s draw will also play a key role in determining BlueCo’s transfer plans ahead of next season, and it is widely expected that they’ll be very active once again when the window reopens for business.

Chelsea are reportedly getting busy already, with a unique window open from June 1 to June 10, prior to their Club World Cup campaign.

Chelsea’s final four Premier League fixtures

Date

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

Maresca’s side could make full use of this opportunity to seal squad upgrades before the CWC begins, with Chelsea apparently prioritising the signing of a centre-back, winger and striker.

Defensively, uncertainty surrounds the long-term futures of Trevoh Chalobah, Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, while some reports even suggest that Chelsea are becoming more open to selling Wesley Fofana given his injury problems.

Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Ajax sensation Jorrel Hato, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, Burnley ace Maxine Esteve and even former Chelsea star Antonio Rüdiger have all been mentioned as potential reinforcements for Maresca’s backline recently, but Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen is said to be a priority target.

Chelsea present "strong offer" to Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen

That is according to reliable Stamford Bridge reporter Simon Phillips, who reported earlier this week that Huijsen’s agent is pushing for him to join Chelsea.

The “sensational” defender, who commands a £50 million release clause, is also attracting interest from Arsenal and Liverpool after an excellent debut campaign in the Premier League.

However, Phillips has now shared another update on the 20-year-old’s future, with Chelsea presenting Huijsen a “strong offer” to join them. As things stand, the Blues are pushing much more than their rivals for his signature, and it is believed the Spain international has reacted “positively” to their proposal.

“Chelsea are the first and only suitor to officially lay down the project and package to Huijsen and his reps,” wrote Phillips.

“To date, no other suitor has gone as far as doing this. Chelsea are absolutely pushing the most right now and are feeling confident of getting their priority centre back target for the summer.

“Huijsen and his reps have reacted positively to the proposals and project, even his father who has been keen for him to join Liverpool over the other interested parties.

“The Spanish international defender will make his final decision when the season is over, but Chelsea feel they have a very strong offer and project on the table and the overall package as well as the promise of regular first-team football, can sway the decision in their favour.”

The former Juventus starlet is set to be one of the most in-demand defenders of the summer, but Chelsea appear to be making serious headway, as they look to win the highly competitive race for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are now considering the possibility of poaching a star from Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca now prepared to let him go.

Ange Postecoglou faces crucial Europa League quarter-final

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is currently preparing for his most important match since taking over as manager.

Collymore urges title-winning manager not to join Tottenham after Levy talks

The pundit thinks he’d be making a big mistake.

5 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 5, 2025

The Lilywhites take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, and many see the tie as pivotal in determining Postecoglou’s long-term future at N17.

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

It is truly Europa League or bust for the Australian, who is relying on a good run in Europe to have anything to shout about from this campaign. Sitting 14th in the table after 16 defeats in the league alone, Postecoglou is statistically on course to become Spurs’ worst ever Premier League manager.

He’ll be desperate to make history in the Europa and restore some of his reputation, amid protests surrounding the club’s unpopular ownership by supporters. Large sections of the Spurs fanbase rallied against Daniel Levy and ENIC again on Sunday, so there is continuous pressure on the board to start delivering on-field success.

They warmed up for their clash with Frankfurt in solid fashion, relegating bottom side Southampton, with goals from Brennan Johnson (2) and a late Mathys Tel penalty handing Spurs all three points.

As Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is repeatedly linked with becoming the new Tottenham manager to replace Postecoglou, major uncertainty surrounds the 59-year-old’s future, but the Spurs recruitment team are also planning for new players ahead of next term.

Tottenham planning "surprise" move for Chelsea star Noni Madueke

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea winger and England international Noni Madueke is on their radar.

Tottenham are planning a “surprise” move for Madueke this summer, while it is also believed that Maresca will sanction his exit, which would free up a move for the north Londoners to strike a deal for PSV Eindhoven’s ex-starlet.

At his best, Madueke has really shone as part of Chelsea’s front three this term, especially during the first half of 2024/2025, but Maresca apparently has doubts whether the 23-year-old can fit into his system long-term.

As a result, Tottenham could look to re-sign Madueke seven years after he departed their youth set-up for PSV.

“He is top,” said personal technical coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst to Sky Sports.

“For me, he is one of the best young forward players in Europe, easily. A lot of focus has been on Cody Gakpo at PSV, because of the World Cup, but Noni is up there.

“He is one of the best, if not the best, because he is so dynamic, so strong in one-v-ones, so technically gifted, so athletic.”

According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea would sell for a “marginal profit” on the £29 million they paid to initially sign Madueke, so Levy wouldn’t have to break the bank. However, they also report that Aston Villa and Newcastle are in the race.

With the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year, and limited available spots in the India squad, the WPL could be the big chance for some to make heads turn

Sruthi Ravindranath21-Feb-2024

S Meghana (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

While India have their opening spots filled in the format, a good WPL outing could keep S Meghana in the fray as back-up for Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. Meghana last played for India in the women’s Asia Cup in 2022, where she opened alongside Shafali with Mandhana playing down the order. She was part of Gujarat Giants last year, where she played at No. 3 and had an average season, her highest score being 31 off 32 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore. She was bought for her base price of INR 30 lakh by RCB in the 2024 auction, but it remains to be seen if she will get a chance to open with Mandhana, considering the franchise also has Sophie Devine, who opened last season.Related

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• WPL FAQs – Ins and outs, and everything else

Sneh Rana (Gujarat Giants)

With spin-bowling allrounders likely to be in demand at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, the experienced Sneh Rana, an India regular in the other formats, will be looking to show off her all-round skills at the WPL. Last season, Rana was made the Giants captain after an injury to Beth Mooney, and she endured a rough time in her team’s poor season. She last played for India in T20Is at the World Cup in South Africa in early 2023, where she finished with 34 runs and six wickets in eight games. India already have an experienced allrounder Deepti Sharma in the side along with the likes of youngsters Amanjot Kaur and Shreyanka Patil – who have all been part of recent T20I series – but a strong WPL season could help Rana remain in contention.

Yastika Bhatia (Mumbai Indians)

Richa Ghosh’s excellent performances in the recent home season make her the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in the national side for now, which means Bhatia needs to have another season like the last to compete for a spot.She had a solid season with the bat at the last WPL, where she made three 40-plus scores in Mumbai’s title-winning campaign. A more consistent run this season – with a couple of higher scores – could tilt the scales in her favour. She had below-par performances in the last T20I series she played for India, against Bangladesh in 2023, but is a strong alternative who can bat long and score quickly, as she has shown over the years.Kiran Navgire showed glimpses of her big-hitting ability during the Eliminator last season•BCCI

Kiran Navgire (UP Warriorz)

India need finishers in their white-ball squads. Navgire showed promise with her exploits in domestic cricket, but at the last WPL, she couldn’t quite pull it off, except in the Eliminator between UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians, where she showed what she was capable of, hitting four fours and three sixes in her 43 off 27 balls. But the big-hitter had a poor domestic season as well, where she made just 88 runs in six games for Maharashtra in the Senior Women’s T20 trophy.Warriorz coach Jon Lewis told ESPNcricinfo in December that Navgire had been “working very hard on her physical fitness during the off-season so she can be faster between the wickets”. It might be hard for the selectors to look past her if she brings her best hitting game along with some consistency to the WPL this season.

Vrinda Dinesh (UP Warriorz)

Vrinda Dinesh is just 22, hasn’t played international cricket yet, but has been all the talk ahead of WPL 2024. The top-order batter had teams tussling for her at the auction and was finally roped in by Warriorz for INR 1.3 crore.Karnataka’s Vrinda starred in the 2022-23 Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, finishing as the third-highest run-getter in the tournament – 477 from 11 innings at 47.70 – following which she impressed in the final of the ACC emerging tournament against Bangladesh in June last year, where she caught the attention of a few scouts.She also turned out for the India A side for the series against England in December. In the 2023-24 Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, she scored 211 runs at 154.01. India do have their top order in place in the format, but Vrinda could come into contention if she replicates what the likes of Shreyanka Patil and Saika Ishaque did last season.

Also, why did Chahar, Hasaranga and Hetmyer attract such big money?

Dustin Silgardo14-Feb-20225:30

Best and worst buys? Biggest surprise? Missed opportunity?

Why did Wanindu Hasaranga go for so much? Hasaranga fills two crucial roles teams look for. He can function as a wristspinner with variations, and also be used as an allrounder who can strike at 130-plus from No. 6 or No. 7. Hasaranga has established himself as one of the best googly bowlers in the world – his T20I strike rate is 12.9 and his economy rate is 6.32. And spinners with variations have traditionally done well in the IPL.Related

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• IPL Auction 2022 Stats: Harshal Patel's 5275% hike, Krishnappa Gowtham's slide, and more

But why did Hasaranga get a higher price than experienced spinners such as Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin? This is where his second skill comes in. Hasaranga can bat in the middle order and score fast – his T20 strike rate is 136.63. That kind of player was in short supply in the auction. Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja had all been retained, but that still left four teams – Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings – desperate to find explosive allrounders. No surprise that three of those teams were battling for Hasaranga. Another point to remember is that his name came up before many of the big-hitting allrounders who were sold on day two. Also, he was the only one of those allrounders who bowls wristspin.There have been questions as to why the Royal Challengers pursued Hasaranga despite having him in their squad last season and only giving him two games. But remember, last season the Royal Challengers had Chahal filling the wristspinner’s spot. This season, by having a wicket-taking wristspinner who can bat in the top seven, they have more options in terms of team combination – they could play four seamers after Hasaranga, with Glenn Maxwell as the second spinner, or make the batting deep with Shahbaz Ahmed as another spin-bowling allrounder at No.8.Why did David Warner and Quinton de Kock go for less than INR 7 crore (USD 926,000 approx)? Three reasons:

• Overseas batters have been among the cheaper buys because the supply is more.
• Every team had at least one opener pre-auction.
• A lot of teams were waiting for Ishan Kishan’s name to come up.

Warner and de Kock would probably both have been better off not being in the marquee set. Clearly, many teams had their eyes on Kishan as a keeper-batter. Once Kishan was sold, the very next keeper, Nicholas Pooran, went for INR 10.75 crore (USD 1.4 million) to the Sunrisers. de Kock could have fetched a similar price had he come up after Kishan.Another factor was that of the 31 players picked pre-auction, 11 were potential openers. Every team had at least one player who could open, so those slots were not as much of a priority early in the auction.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn recent auctions, overseas top-order batters have been among the less expensive buys. Think of it this way, if you consider six of the top-eight-ranked international teams (minus India and Pakistan) as your supply pool, each team has around four top-order batters, so the total supply is about 24 international-quality batters. But each team has a maximum of two allrounders, finishers or express pacers, so there your supply is half. It could make sense to spend on those other categories and try to pick up an inexpensive top-order player.For example, Chennai Super Kings, who were in for Warner but pulled out early, ended up getting Devon Conway for just INR 1 crore (USD 132,000), and he is still an international-level player. The auction also had a lot of Indian top-order options, so teams wanted to save their overseas slots for other areas.Of course, Warner is a special top-order player and a three-time winner of the orange cap, so if he hits top form, he could end up being the steal of the auction.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy did Shimron Hetmyer spark such a bidding war? Again, this is a function of supply and demand. Teams wanted to fill the No. 5 slot in their team with a finisher – someone who can come in and strike quickly from the off, a totally different skill from building an innings from the top. Every team wants to find their own Pollard, Russell or Pandya, but there aren’t too many of those kinds of players around. While the ideal pick is an allrounder who can also be a finisher, teams were willing to pay big bucks even for batters or batting allrounders who can play this specific role.Hetmyer has a strike rate of 150.00 from No. 5 or lower. In 23 IPL innings from No. 5 or lower, he has struck at 160.26. Shahrukh Khan, another finisher, also went for big money, as did Tim David and Liam Livingstone, though he is seen as an allrounder.Hetmyer also benefited from being in the first pool of capped batters, as a lot of the options for this role were only going to come much later on in the auction, so some teams wanted a finisher early so they didn’t have to scramble for one with a diminished purse. Delhi Capitals, the other team bidding for Hetmyer, never ended up finding a proven No. 5 and will have to use Mandeep Singh or Rovman Powell in the role, or push Rishabh Pant down the order. Why didn’t Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin get bigger bids?Ashwin and Chahal are both among the 10 highest wicket-takers in the IPL, and it isn’t like their form has dipped. No spinner took more wickets than Chahal’s 18 last season, while Ashwin’s economy-rate of 7.41 was excellent. So why did Chahal get just INR 6.50 crore (USD 860,000) and Ashwin INR 5 crore (USD 661,000)?It seems that teams came into the auction with the idea that any spinners they picked needed to be allrounders who could bat at No.7 or higher. The reason for this was that there were a lot of spin-bowling allrounders to pick from but few seam-bowling allrounders who could bat in the top seven. So a lot of teams had set up to have multiple spin-bowling options in their top seven and a maximum of one spinner occupying the bowlers’ positions.If you include pre-auction buys, 15 spin-bowling allrounders went for INR 2 crore or more, with nine earning upwards of INR 8 crore. In contrast, just seven specialist spinners earned INR 2 crore (USD 264,000) or more, and that’s including Rashid Khan, who could, at a push, bat in the top seven.ESPNcricinfo LtdHow did Deepak Chahar become the second-most-expensive buy in the auction?Seamers are always in demand in auctions – you need five or six quality seamers in your squad to allow for injuries, loss of form and confidence. But one specific kind of seamer in great demand at this auction was someone that could bat at No. 8 and provide depth, which is becoming more and more valued in T20 cricket. Having someone who can finish games from No. 8 not only adds insurance but can change the way your top and middle order bat, allowing them to be more aggressive. There are not a lot of frontline seamers going around who can also strike at 130 with the bat, and so those players went at a premium.The reason Chahar went for even more than the rest of the seamers who can hit a ball long, is that he is one of the best powerplay bowlers in the IPL and tends to win a handful of games every season just with his early wickets.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy did Mumbai Indians go hard for an injured Jofra Archer?Archer is unlikely to feature at all in the 2022 season, so why would teams want him in this auction? Why not simply wait for the next auction? By taking a gamble this season, Mumbai have actually ended up paying a lot less for Archer than they otherwise might have. A fully fit Archer in an auction could have earned massive bids. But by picking him up late in this auction, when other teams had used up most of their purses, Mumbai have actually got Archer at a bargain – remember, if he doesn’t play this season, Mumbai don’t need to pay him – and now have a formidable pace attack for 2023. They may also have been thinking of the 26-year-old Archer as someone they can retain at the end of this three-year cycle. The trade-off, of course, is that their first XI for this season is not as strong.The big question, which only Archer can answer, is why he decided to enter this auction. If he had entered the mini-auction next year, he probably would have fetched a lot more money. We will have to wait for him to answer that.Why did Kolkata Knight Riders pick Ajinkya Rahane?In four of his past five seasons, Rahane has struck at less than 120, and he was given just two games by the Capitals in 2021. But the Knight Riders wanted a steady opener to complement the aggressive Venkatesh Iyer. Their outgoing opener, Shubman Gill, also struck at less than 120 in his past two seasons but was consistent. Also, the experience and leadership of Rahane can be an asset in the dressing-room and training ground.

How should we compare Ngidi’s 3 for 41 to Tabraiz Shamsi’s 0 for 17?

ESPNcricinfo stats team23-Feb-2020In a dramatic defence of what could be considered at best a middling target, South Africa came back strongly through their fast bowlers to pull off an incredible win in the second T20I of the series against Australia, in Port Elizabeth.The home team had set a target of 159, and in response, Australia were well on track to chase it down comfortably. At the end of the 17th over, the visitors required 25 runs to win. ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster pegged their win chances at 89.67%.ALSO READ: Australia rue ‘missed opportunity’ as South Africa prove killer instincts at deathA required rate of just over eight runs an over in the last three with seven wickets in hand should’ve been a cruise. But Lungi Ngidi led South Africa’s late fightback in the match to ensure the home team won by 12 runs. Ngidi came back strongly at death – as has been his wont in recent times – conceding just five runs from the 18th over and also took the wicket of the dangerous Mitchell Marsh. His first two overs had gone for 25 runs. Australia’s win probability after the 18th over had dipped to 66.83% – a whopping drop of 23% over just six balls.Conventional scorecards don’t usually do justice to performances in T20 cricket: an economy of 10.25 in a 160-run game doesn’t say how well or badly the bowler bowled in crunch situations. How important were the wickets he took? That’s where ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats step in to provide context to the game’s fans.According to Smart Stats Ngidi’s was the most impactful bowling performance of the match. The algorithm reckons that the three wickets that Ngidi took – of Aaron Finch, Alex Carey and Marsh – were actually worth more: 4.1 Smart wickets. Finch is a quality T20 batsman whose wicket value, given the relatively small total that South Africa were defending, was worth 1.7 Smart Wickets. Marsh’s wicket was valued high more because it cut down Australia’s win chances by over 20%.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var e in a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var t=document.getElementById(“datawrapper-chart-“+e)||document.querySelector(“iframe[src*='”+e+”‘]”);t&&(t.style.height=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][e]+”px”)}})}();