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The Asia Cup offers the likes of Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Mithun and Mominul Haque another opportunity and a big stage to prove themselves

Mohammad Isam14-Sep-20181:51

ESPN Shorts: Mashrafe Mortaza

Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes has been positive about the team’s young batsmen, but they will begin the Asia Cup wary of their lack of consistency. This tournament offers Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mohammad Mithun, Ariful Haque and Mominul Haque another opportunity – a major one at that – to prove themselves in ODI cricket, and provide some relief to the senior batsmen.Among the current lot, Liton has shown good form recently, hitting a 32-ball 61 against West Indies in the third T20I in Florida. Mithun too was among the runs in Ireland for Bangladesh A, also finishing the tour with an explosive 39-ball 80 in the fourth T20. Rhodes thinks both batsmen’s confidence will be boosted by this, which should help them in the Asia Cup.”I am not concerned,” Rhodes said. “If I was in Liton Das’ shoes at the moment, I’d be very happy. He played a wonderful knock in the last T20I against West Indies, which was like a final. I am sure he feels confident. The other guys are also hitting it well during practice.”Mithun has been a late inclusion in the side. He has forced his way into the side on the back of performances in Ireland with the A team, as well as impressing people in the camp. We are delighted to have young players of that calibre. They need to stand up, and I am sure the expectations of them will be very strong to stand up. But I am very happy and confident that they are in good nick and will do a good job.”Liton Das celebrates his fifty•AFPNow that Anamul Haque has been dropped, Liton is the prime candidate to open with Tamim Iqbal, and Mithun is slated for a lower-middle order role. Liton has opened twice in the last three years, and was picked on his Test and T20I form as he hasn’t played any ODIs since the South Africa tour last year.The likes of Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Anamul and Mithun have opened in the last two years without much success or consistency. In this period Imrul struck the only century from the spot, apart from two fifties, in nine innings at the top, while Soumya, Tamim’s most regular partner in this phase, has only two fifties in 14 innings at an average of 21.07.Bangladesh have added Shanto as a back-up opener and Mominul as a top-order candidate, but neither are first-choice at this stage.Shakib is likely to bat at three, followed by Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, meaning the Nos. 6 and 7 slots will be filled by two out of Mithun, Ariful and Mosaddek.Mosaddek has more recent experience batting in those positions – he did so during the West Indies tour, although he didn’t bat for too long or wasn’t explosive enough. There is hope that Mithun can provide some big hits, given his middle-order stints in the Dhaka Premier League (a domestic List-A tournament) earlier this year.Ariful is the other option, but since he hasn’t really made the similar position in T20Is his own, he will have a lot to do.With Soumya and Sabbir Rahman already jettisoned, Liton, Mithun, Mosaddek, Mominul and Shanto – all touted to be Bangladesh’s next batch of big talents – need to show promise or they might face a similar sticky situation.

Bangladesh sprang a surprise with an unusual opening pair, who added a century stand, but Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav combined to throw them off their plans

Shashank Kishore in Dubai28-Sep-201820:26

Manjrekar: Jadhav has been a bonus for India in the Asia Cup

Rohit Sharma empowers his fast bowlers. He doesn’t chirp instructions by their side even if he’s inside the ring. He’s pretty laidback – often misconstrued for laziness – on the field, so when he gesticulated animatedly towards Yuzvendra Chahal in the fifth over, it was a sign that his mind was ticking much faster than the opponents have allowed it to all tournament.For the first time in the Asia Cup, a batsman had given Jasprit Bumrah the charge. Bhuvneshwar Kumar hadn’t looked threatening enough either. Bangladesh’s makeshift opening pair of Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan had put together 33 in five overs and it was time for Plan B for India.Rohit hasn’t been averse to introducing spin early, so when he brought in Chahal for the next over, it wasn’t exactly out-of-the-box. But Liton’s attempt to throw him off his plans may have been largely because a circumspect approach hadn’t paid off – he had four single-digit scores in his last five innings and an ODI average of 14.06 left his ODI spot hanging by a thread.Chahal had bowled in the Powerplays for the first time for India here in Dubai, but he’s used to bowling in this period for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the IPL. He tosses them up, expecting batsmen to go after him, a ploy that has worked for him. Here, however, Liton was a step ahead. In his second over, he cleverly got inside the line of the ball and used the skid off the pitch to muscle two sixes into the leg side.At the end of the 10th over, Liton and Mehidy had put on 65, thirteen more than the partnership aggregate of Bangladesh’s openers in their last five ODIs. Most of Liton’s plans were fuelled by Mehidy’s solidity. This was just his first innings as an opener in any form of cricket – first-class, List A or T20s – a move seemingly to lengthen Bangladesh’s batting line-up because they had went in with five genuine bowlers. But, Chahal wasn’t the only one who was attacked.Liton welcomed Ravindra Jadeja with a disdainful slap through cover point for a 33-ball half-century that had Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, punch his chest in delight in the dressing room. He would have been out two balls later had Chahal not dropped a catch back-pedalling from midwicket. India were feeling the pressure. The spinners, their enforcers here, didn’t have the cushion of a Powerplay stifle that their fast bowlers had given them before in the tournament.Associated PressBangladesh milked runs to the spread-out fields as an unlikely opening pair raised a century stand. Against Kuldeep Yadav, both Liton and Mehidy got right to the pitch of the ball while driving. Jadeja’s strengths can also be a weakness against set batsmen because when he offers pace on the ball, it becomes hittable on surfaces with not much bite. When Bangladesh were 116 for 0 in 20 overs, the three frontline spinners had combined figures of 12-0-70-0.When there’s turbulence, India have a back-up option in Kedar Jadhav, and he produced a wicket with his fifth delivery: another innocuous length ball. David Warner, Kane Williamson, Steven Smith, Babar Azam and Tamim Iqbal are among the more accomplished batsmen who have been teased into a trap by Jadhav.Jadhav saw Mehidy trying to pierce the off side, and pushed his first few deliveries slightly quicker. Then, as if he had expected Mehidy to cut, he shortened his length and bowled it slower, not allowing him to get onto the frontfoot. When Mehidy saw a rank long-hop at 58mph, he salivated at the prospect of finding the boundary when perhaps a more accomplished batsman would have bunted the ball to the vacant midwicket region. He lost his shape and ended up spooning a catch to cover.This was Rohit’s trigger to attack again, and he recalled Chahal, who went back to his traditional route – flight. He got one to spin back in to beat a feeble Imrul Kayes push to trap him lbw. Three overs later, Mushfiqur Rahim, who is adept at rotating the strike in the middle overs, pulled a long-hop to deep square leg to give Jadhav his second wicket. In trying to prove they were going to be positive all through, Bangladesh drilled themselves into a hole. When Mahmudullah slog swept Kuldeep to deep midwicket, Bangladesh had collapsed from 120 for 0 to 151 for 5.Liton, who saw wickets tumble around him, was tiring, and was forced to delay his slog. He was now like a ticking bomb ready to launch into the bowling, but dissuaded by his fears of playing a wrong shot after having finally found his feet as an ODI batsman. The authority in his batting paved way to doubts in shot selection. Within a few winks, 102 off 93 had become a run-a-ball 111. Then, he tried to hit out and was out six balls later after being deceived by Kuldeep’s flight.Liton had accounted for 64% of Bangladesh’s runs when he was dismissed, but India had wrested control. The insipid start by the spinners had turned into a telling spell. Jadhav, who had bowled only one nine-over spell in his ODI career before Friday, finished with 9-0-41-2, while Kuldeep ended with 10-0-45-3. This was yet another middle-overs mastery by the slower bowlers, who set it up for their powerful batting line-up.

Also: are there any current players whose batting average has never gone below 40?

Steven Lynch19-Feb-2019Roston Chase took eight wickets in the second innings of the first Test against England, but did not take another in the series. Is this some sort of record? asked Jerry Powell from Barbados

West Indian offspinner Roston Chase took 8 for 60 in the second innings of the first Test against England in Bridgetown last month, but no other wickets in the rest of the series, in which his combined figures were 0 for 163. This performance is indeed unique.Five men have taken seven wickets in a Test innings and no other wickets in the series, but four of them played in only one match: Tom Emmett (7 for 69 for England in a one-off Test against Australia in Melbourne in 1878-79; he took only two wickets in six other Tests); William “Gobo” Ashley (7 for 95 for South Africa v England in Port Elizabeth in 1888-89, his only Test); Bill Lockwood (7 for 71 for England v Australia at The Oval in 1899); and Franklyn Rose (7 for 84 for West Indies v South Africa in Durban in 1998-99). The man who played in two matches was James Langridge, a left-arm spinner, who collected 7 for 56 for England in the second innings against West Indies at Old Trafford on his Test debut in 1933, but failed to strike in the first innings, or his other match in that series.Australia’s Albert Trott took nine wickets in the 1894-95 Ashes series, eight of them (for 43) coming on his debut in Adelaide, while Bernard Bosanquet, the man credited with the invention of the googly, took nine in the 1905 Ashes, including 8 for 107 at Trent Bridge.I know Javed Miandad’s Test batting average never dipped below 50. Are there any current players who have never gone below 40? asked Zafar Hasan Ali from Pakistan

You’re right that Javed Miandad’s Test batting average never went below 50 during his distinguished 124-Test career – the lowest it reached was 51.75 (he finished on 52.57). The only man who can better this is the England opener Herbert Sutcliffe, whose average went down to 60.73 in his 54th Test, in 1935, at which point – presumably disgusted – he retired.Given a qualification of 30 innings, there are only 18 other players whose Test batting average never fell below 40 throughout their career. The list includes two current players: Mominul Haque of Bangladesh has never seen his average drop below 41.60, while the lowest for South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis is 40.60.The list includes four other Englishmen – Denis Compton (a lowest of 42.94), David Gower (40.53), Geoff Pullar (41.62) and the recently retired Alastair Cook (40.88). There are four Australians – Herbie Collins (45.07), Adam Gilchrist (43.50), Bill Lawry (40.29) and Doug Walters (47.03) – and four West Indians: Conrad Hunte (40.92), Alvin Kallicharran (44.31), Lawrence Rowe (43.00) and Frank Worrell (49.49). Three Indians made the list – Mohammad Azharuddin (43.96), Sourav Ganguly (40.42) and Sunil Gavaskar (47.70) – plus one Sri Lankan, in Thilan Samaraweera (40.04).In Javed Miandad’s 124 Tests, the lowest his batting average fell to was 51.75•PA PhotosSome 80 players have represented South Africa in T20Is since the format was introduced. Which country has used the most players? asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa

South Africa’s 80 different men in T20Is, since the first one was played in Auckland in February 2005, puts them joint-fifth on the list, alongside Pakistan, who have also capped 80 players. Well in front are Australia, who have so far used 93 different players; England and New Zealand come next with 82. India, Sri Lanka and West Indies have all used 78 players, Zimbabwe 51, Ireland 44 and Afghanistan 36.Shoaib Malik remains the only man on this list to have played more than 100 T20Is; he reached three figures in Harare last July, and now has 111 caps. Shahid Afridi retired after 99 T20Is, but two Indians are poised to join the 100 club: MS Dhoni has so far played 96, and Rohit Sharma 93.There were 38 wides during the third Test between West Indies and England. What’s the record? asked Victor Dubuisson from Jamaica

That total of 38 runs from wides during the recent match in St Lucia was actually the highest number in any Test. The previous record was 34, in the match between West Indies and Australia in Bridgetown in 2008. Successive matches in Johannesburg between South Africa and India, in 2013-14 and in 2017-18, produced 31 and 33 runs from wides . It should be noted that these figures show the total number of runs accrued from wides, not necessarily the amount of wide deliveries called (if a wide reaches the boundary it goes down as five extras). In the match in St Lucia there were only 18 actual deliveries that were deemed to be wides.I noticed that George Ulyett played in both Australia and South Africa’s inaugural Tests. Has anyone else achieved such a double? asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England

Yorkshire’s George Ulyett played for England in Australia’s first Test, in Melbourne in 1876-77, and South Africa’s first, in Port Elizabeth in 1888-89. That Melbourne game was also England’s first Test, so you could argue that Ulyett appeared in three countries’ inaugural matches!Using that logic, the other 21 players at the MCG in March 1877 also played in the inaugural Test for two countries. The most likely other candidates for this particular distinction were Englishmen in the period between the two World Wars, which featured maiden Test matches for West Indies (in 1928), New Zealand (1929-30), and India (1932), all of which came against England. As it turns out, no one appeared in all three, but Wally Hammond, Douglas Jardine and Herbert Sutcliffe all played against West Indies at Lord’s in 1928, and against India, also at Lord’s, in 1932 – while Frank Woolley appeared against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1929-30 and against India at Lord’s in 1932.There was an addition to the list, though: Many years later, Zimbabwe played their inaugural Test against India in Harare in 1992-93, while Bangladesh also started against India, in Dhaka in 2000-01. Sachin Tendulkar and Javagal Srinath played in both those matches.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Which players should you pick for your fantasy team? Who are the budget buys? Look no further than our daily fantasy cricket blog throughout the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff30-May-2019

Game 38, England v India, Birmingham

You know the song. You’ve seen the memes. But the tables have turned. It is the Indian fans who are singing “It’s coming home.” The big game is finally here. The two favourites go head-to-head in a high-stakes clash that has been the most anticipated of this World Cup. Edgbaston is the setting as England face a must-win scenario against a firing Indian side who’ll be decked up in a new kit.

Your five must-haves

• Rohit Sharma – The Rohit Sharma show has gone a bit quiet since his blistering start to the World Cup. He might have been unfortunate to be dismissed against West Indies and will be eager to make amends. He averages 44 against England and if you have to choose between him and Kohli, Rohit might be your differential pick. A slow track will also ease him into the game and you know what he’s capable once he gets the feel of things.
• Joe Root – When the two teams met just over a year ago, two hundreds in three ODIs from Root gave England a terrific series win. With two hundreds and three fifties in the World Cup so far, Root is not just a must-have, he could be your best pick for captain. A slow surface is perfect for Root, the master of rotating the strike. And he is not a bad player of spin either, is he?
• Kuldeep Yadav – England will not have fond memories of his six-for in Nottingham in the series last year. With spin coming into play in Birmingham, Kuldeep will be itching to let that ball rip. He has not had the best of World Cups, but with his economy rate of 4.93 in that series and the potential to put pressure on England, you can see points everywhere.
• Mohammed Shami – Picking the player in the hottest form is the fundamental rule of fantasy sports. The fire emoji has been beside Shami’s name ever since his first ball of the World Cup, and two four-wicket hauls in two games are enough reason to give him a spot in your team.
• Jos Buttler – India’s superior bowling unit will be hunting for some wickets and Jos Buttler could be in before you know it. He loves a game against the Asian sides, but India have not been his favourite so far. Despite his below-par record against India, Buttler gets the nod just on recent form, his expertise against spin and his ball-striking prowess on home conditions

The budget buys

• Moeen Ali and Kedar Jadhav – Both allrounders in their own right, Moeen more than Jadhav since he bowls a lot more. Both spinners who have conditions to be hopeful about. Both batsmen who can get you the runs when things don’t go right at the top. Potential for points is plenty and therefore both are good picks in a high-stakes game which could be decided by small margins.

What we are watching out for

England against the India spinners. We know they have good players of spin, but can they do it under pressure against an unbeaten, in-form India side? Here we go.

Game 36, Afghanistan v Pakistan, Headingley

Pakistan lost their warm-up game against the Afghans, but the tournament’s gone in different directions for the two sides since then. For Pakistan, this is the first of two must-win league fixtures to give themselves the best shot at a semi-final spot, what with England going up against India and New Zealand in the run-in. They wouldn’t want too much drama here, but Gulbadin’s men have promised to “take you down along with us”. Will today be the day?

Your five must-haves

• Babar Azam – Babar finally made good on all those eye-catching starts he’s had all tournament, on a day when it truly mattered, against New Zealand. Afghanistan’s ramshackle bunch offer a chance to build on that form.
• Mohammad Amir – He’s been one of the best bowlers of the tournament, and has found his mojo after a prolonged lull which saw him pick up just five wickets since the start of 2018. A must-have whenever Pakistan are playing.
• Mohammad Nabi – When Afghanistan beat Pakistan in the warm-up game, it was not Rashid Khan or Mujeeb Ur Rahman who troubled them, but Nabi with his canny offbreaks and pace variations. He hasn’t been among the wickets in the last couple of games, but is dependable on most days. And if Pakistan run through the Afghanistan top order, Nabi could be the rock with the bat too.
• Shadab Khan – Afghanistan have the second-lowest batting average against legspin since 2017, a struggle that has been a theme throughout this World Cup too. When Shadab has done well, Pakistan have too, so he is a fairly obvious pick for this game.
• Haris Sohail – Pakistan’s somewhat belated surprise package. Few of their batsmen have struck the ball as sweetly as he has in the past two games, at a run-a-ball or better that too. Keep him in your XI on the basis on current form alone.

The budget buys

• Najibullah Zadran – Our fantasy blog has been willing him on to come good for the past few games, ever since he returned from being benched. He hasn’t found the runs as he did at the start of the tournament, but remains Afghanistan’s most prolific middle-order batsman in recent years. Continues to strike it well, so runs should possibly not be far away.
• Shaheen Afridi – Bowled the best new-ball spell by a Pakistan pace bowler in a while, against New Zealand, en route to a match-winning 3 for 28. You wouldn’t want to keep out a fast man from Pakistan on current form.
• Wild Card – Mohammad Hasnain has been warming the bench throughout the league phase. As a young, exciting fast bowler who has breached the 150kph mark, there is word he could be unleashed on Afghanistan and, potentially, Bangladesh. He could be your x-factor, so watch out for team news at the toss.

What we’re watching out for

Will Headingley continue to be the banana-peel venue? Having thrown the World Cup wide open with Sri Lanka’s win over England, could there be another improbable upset on offer? Sri Lanka would sure hope so.
Lockie Ferguson bowls as Hashim Amla looks on•Getty Images

Game 37, New Zealand v Australia, Lord’s

The Trans-Tasman rivalry resumes and the winner would stake claim for first spot. Who are the players likely to shine?

Your five must-haves

• Mitchell Starc – Starc took four wickets against England and used his yorkers to great effect. He also took six wickets against New Zealand in the group-stage match in the 2015 World Cup. Starc has 18 wickets at 19.11 against the Kiwis and would be looking to add to the tally. Early pictures of the pitch indicate a good day for the quicks.
• Lockie Ferguson – New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker so far, Lockie has shown how raw pace can help claim wickets in the middle overs. He could play a big role against a slightly weak Australian middle order. Has flown under the radar with Trent Boult and Matt Henry around, but been the most effective of them all.
• Kane Williamson – Has 414 runs in the tournament and been New Zealand’s go-to man through this World Cup. Barring him, New Zealand’s batting has underperformed so far, so much that Williamson’s services have often been needed from the first over. He’s only been dismissed once off pace in the entire tournament, and has a good record against Starc (never dismissed in 58 balls faced). Pat Cummins has taken his wicket twice in 85 deliveries, so if he can survive the opening spell, he will be in a good position to pile up another big score.
• Aaron Finch and David Warner – The law of averages has not affected this pair so far. They have added more than 100 on four occasions and both of them have two centuries each. They play cautiously up front and set up the platform required for Australia to rack up those big scores. They average 76.6 per dismissal this tournament, the best among any Australian opening combination in World Cup history. In fact, these two have scored more runs than New Zealand, Bangladesh and West Indies’ openers put together. One of them is likely to score big, and in fantasy cricket, it is best to have both rather than hedging with one of them

The budget buys

• Trent Boult – Boult’s World Cup seems to have just begun. The last two games have been his best so far and he is coming up against opponents he does very well against. He has two five-wicket hauls against the Aussies and averages 18 and strikes once every 21 balls. If the conditions at Lord’s are similar to what we saw in the Australia-England game, Boult could be a serious threat early on. Who knows, he could be the one putting an end to the Australian openers’ hot streak.
• Martin Guptill – The leading run-getter of the 2015 World Cup seems to be struggling for form – 138 runs at an average of 27 and two first-ball dismissals sum up his tournament. Sheldon Cottrell and Mohammad Amir dismissed him early and with Mitchell Starc and Jason Beherendorff starting for Australia, Guptill could be in for some tough early overs facing left-arm swing and pace. For once, he would be looking to give Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor a platform.

Game 35, South Africa v Sri Lanka, Chester-le-Street

More than a year after England successfully chased 310 against Australia, cricket returns to the Riverside in a contest of no little interest. Both sides are bruised, but one is coming off the upset of the World Cup that has woken the tournament from its slumber. The other, unfortunately, is out of the reckoning. Hard to pick a favourite here, but Sri Lanka are certainly roaring, screaming and are up and about, unlike their opponents.

Your five must-haves

• Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis – They are not just South Africa’s two leading run-scorers this World Cup, they were also the two leading run-scorers when the two sides met just over three months ago. South Africa swept that series 5-0 and boy, was de Kock rocking. A sequence of 81, 94, 121 and 51 is no mean feat and that makes him one of the best captain picks for this game. Du Plessis had a great series as well, and if South Africa want to take anything away from their World Cup campaign – as they must – du Plessis will have to lead from the front.
• Lasith Malinga – A confident, raging fast bowler against a side that has had its worst World Cup is a dream combination. South Africa’s middle-order batsmen David Miller, Aiden Markram and JP Duminy have all had terrible tournaments, and with Malinga at the death, they may need more than a bit of skill. Expect a few wickets.
• Kusal Mendis – After two wretched games, we finally saw the Kusal Mendis we know against England. Not at his fluent best, but he showed enough to breathe some oxygen to a batting line-up that has lacked any kind of energy this World Cup. He is not the best fantasy option there is, looking at his strike rate, but if there is a top-order failure, Kusal Mendis could be the man to get you the runs.
• Rassie van der Dussen – An average of 71 from 13 ODI innings does sound nice, but pick him for his World Cup form alone. With two half-centuries and a 41 to his name, we saw the best of van der Dussen against the New Zealand attack. He kept his cool, and even took on Lockie Ferguson in the final over. Sri Lanka, who don’t boast of great middle-over bowling options, might just be the attack to spur him on to get a big one.

In a country already battling an economic meltdown, the suspension has made hundreds of people unemployed and affected several thousands more

Liam Brickhill23-Jul-2019Why were Zimbabwe suspended?The ICC met in London last week and, among other things, decided to immediately suspend Zimbabwe for, officially at least, failing to provide a process for free and democratic elections, and failing to ensure that there is no government interference in its governance.ALSO READ: Zimbabwe suspended by ICC over ‘government interference’This ruling came as a result of the decision by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to suspend the entire Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) board after elections that the SRC claimed were unconstitutional (while also raising various other issues and objections), in June. The SRC called for a financial audit of ZC, reached out to the ICC for help and guidance, and put in place an interim committee to run cricket in the country until fresh board elections, which were to be held in September next year.What does the suspension mean in effect?Zimbabwe’s funding has been cut off, and the representative men’s and women’s sides have been barred from taking part in ICC events. But given the financial state of ZC, not to mention the country of Zimbabwe, the suspension means that all professional cricket in Zimbabwe has ceased. ZC has said that Zimbabwe will no longer take part in a scheduled tri-series in Bangladesh in September, players won’t be paid salaries or match fees, and even the upcoming domestic season cannot be staged.
In a country already battling an economic meltdown, the suspension has made hundreds of people unemployed and affected several thousands more. The women’s team has been the first, and hardest, hit.ALSO READ: Zimbabwe not to travel to Bangladesh for T20I tri-seriesWhat is the Sports and Recreation Commission?The SRC is a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament in Zimbabwe in 1991 – a sort of parastatal that is guided by Acts of Parliament, and appointed by the minister of sport, but does not actually form part of Zimbabwe’s government. Its mandate is to regulate all registered sporting associations in the country, ensuring they adhere to their registered constitutions, among other things. It is chaired by Gerald Mlotshwa.Who is Gerald Mlotshwa, and why is that important?A lawyer by profession, Mlotshwa has, for a couple of years now, shown a keen interest in Zimbabwean sport. His firm, Titan Law, sponsors both rugby and polo teams; he chairs an organising committee for the Sables, the national rugby team; and his connection to Zimbabwean cricket goes far beyond his chairmanship of the SRC board. He is also the son-in-law of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and not without power.In April last year, amid the fallout following Zimbabwe’s failed World Cup qualifying campaign, Mlotshwa wrote to the SRC with a list of grievances aimed at ZC – the same as were taken up when he himself became SRC chairman. At the same time, Mlotshwa was the legal representative of the centrally-contracted players seeking their unpaid salaries from ZC, and according to communications leaked to the local press, was also thought by some players to be a good candidate to help them as they sought to unionise. He also represented former national coach Heath Streak in his defamation case against board chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani, and in Streak’s liquidation suit against ZC.Getty Images/AFPSo it was Mlotshwa who kicked the battle between the SRC and ZC off?Actually, this isn’t the first time that the SRC has attempted to alter Zimbabwean cricket’s course. In January 2004, the SRC dissolved ZC’s board in the midst of the so-called ‘rebel’ crisis, putting in place an interim committee to run cricket for six months. Again, in 2006, the SRC stepped in and dissolved all five of the existing provincial boards. In 2013, the SRC issued a directive that only former players could become national selectors, escalating a row over power and politics in the game in Zimbabwe. Ironically, it was the SRC’s dissolution of a previous ZC board that originally allowed Mukuhlani to rise to the vice-chairmanship of the ZC board under Peter Chingoka, before Chingoka retired in 2014. He later deposed Wilson Manase at the helm in 2015, having announced his candidature for the chairmanship on the morning of the election.ALSO READ: ICC bars four Zimbabwe women cricketers from Global Development SquadSo, the SRC’s move to dissolve the ZC board in June was hardly unprecedented. It was, however, one of the first actions taken by the new SRC board after Mlotshwa was appointed chairman in May. Having previously made clear his desire to get stuck into Mukuhlani’s ZC board under the guise of his legal practice, Mlotshwa made good on his plans almost as soon as he took up his SRC chairmanship. But he insists it’s “nothing personal”.If the SRC have stepped in before, why is this time any different?Good question. A quick look at the other Full Members shows that some government involvement in cricketing affairs is hardly rare. And if you’ve been following Zimbabwean cricket over the years, previous instances of government – or at the very least, politically motivated – meddling in ZC are easy to find. So, why was this time seen as so bad? One sticking point appears to be the unilateral nature of the actions taken by the SRC, the lengthy term of the proposed interim committee (15 months) and the fact that they invoked the powers of the SRC Act before meeting ZC in court (where, incidentally, ZC’s appeal was dismissed “with costs”). But while they won’t admit it publicly, the ICC also appear to believe that the SRC’s move would have led to the looting of funds coming in to ZC.So the ICC suspended Zimbabwe Cricket in order to stop the Zimbabwean government from getting its hands on ICC money?That seems to be part of it, yes. While it is true that Zimbabwe is in the midst of a serious financial crisis, it might be asked on what evidence it could be claimed that the SRC move was a front for a government money-grab. It’s unclear what exactly convinced the ICC of such, or what they have made of prior claims that ZC was already being mismanaged. But there appears to have been a complete breakdown in trust. All funding to Zimbabwe was immediately frozen when the current board was suspended, and they will receive no further funding while under suspension. ZC have called for the results of SRC’s forensic audit to be released, and said they would welcome another audit if the ICC so wish.ICC/Getty ImagesWas the SRC’s interim committee filled with government plants?The ICC’s argument against government meddling might hold a little more water were it not for the impeccable credentials of the committee set up by the SRC. Headed by David Ellman-Brown, who is a former national team manager, ZC chief executive, ICC Finance Committee member, Honorary Life President of ZC, and Honorary Life member of the MCC, the committee also included former ICC match referee (and ZC vice-chairman), Ahmed Ebrahim, and a diverse cast of experienced administrators – none of whom are politicians or civil servants. The SRC was also quick to point out that any persons recommended by the ICC could also join the interim committee.How do they compare to the elected ZC board?The board elected under Mukuhlani includes many familiar names, particularly in education and sports administration, but it cannot be said to be in quite the same league as the interim committee with regards to experience. Many of the board members have been retained, having been elected in 2015 or previously, and most have experience as provincial chairpersons, or in provincial structures. But the ZC board is not free from its own connections to government and the civil service, and it’s worth noting that Mukuhlani himself ran for the Mhondoro-Ngezi constituency as a Zanu-PF candidate last year, and is also clearly politically involved. Politics aside, why can’t the ICC let the team continue to play in ICC tournaments, as has been the case for Nepal?The ICC’s stance is that Zimbabwe’s breach was more serious than Nepal’s, and that there was a cumulative effect from the long-running saga of inconsistencies around cricket administration in the country. Zimbabwe will still technically be able to play in bilateral series, although under suspension there is no way that they could afford to host any team, or pay their players.ALSO READ: Sounds like ICC have had enough with Zimbabwe cricket – Grant FlowerSo, what now?It’s hard to escape the feeling that the ICC has finally grown weary of the perennial sagas at ZC, and has simply decided to cut them loose – at least one former player sees things that way. There appears to be no recovery plan, beyond the ICC’s directive that Mukuhlani and his board be reinstated before they look at the matter again at their October meeting. In the meantime, Zimbabwe’s men’s and women’s sides have been left without a roadmap, or much hope.Allrounder Solomon Mire has announced his international retirement, and more could follow him unless a solution is found soon. While under suspension, the women’s side will miss the 2020 T20 World Cup qualifiers next month, and the men will miss the October edition, cutting off a vital lifeline in the form of their participation in global tournaments.The ZC leadership has offered to work with the SRC to find an “amicable” solution to the crisis, but whether or not Zimbabwean cricket will be able to recover from this latest, and deepest, crisis is unclear.

After struggling to 20 off 20 balls, India’s captain fired himself up and finished on 94 off 50, his highest score in T20Is

Deivarayan Muthu in Hyderabad07-Dec-20191:32

Our discipline with the ball let us down – Kieron Pollard

Rohit Sharma has just holed out to deep midwicket for 8 off 10 balls. India are chasing 208 in the series opener against West Indies in Hyderabad. Enter Virat Kohli. The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium raises itself to a massive roar. Left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell, however, immediately hushes the packed crowd by zipping a 139.6kph short ball across the shoulder of Kohli, who swings and misses.Then, with twin midwickets in place – a catcher and another at the edge of the circle – Cottrell nails an inswinger. Kohli has a bigger swing at it this time around, but all he manages is an inside edge. He admonishes himself. Cottrell follows up with a 106kph cutter, challenging Kohli to clear the longer boundaries. The India captain can only stab the ball to the leg side.ALSO READ: I don’t come to entertain people by hitting in the air – KohliKohli keeps trying to smash the leather off the ball and keeps missing his target. The self-admonishment continues. While KL Rahul settles into his shot-making stride at the other end, Kohli tiptoes to 20 off 20 balls. Rookie legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr. then unfurls a quick fizzer, which Kohli nearly drags back onto the stumps. Walsh Jr. has his hands on his head, wondering what might have been.Jason Holder tests Kohli with a slower short ball, tucking him up for room. Kohli gets away with a top-edged six. The next ball is a full-toss which he shovels away for four, to the left of long leg. After fighting himself in the early exchanges, Kohli now picks a fight with the umpires for not deeming it a beamer.ALSO READ: Imperious Kohli writes off Williams and West IndiesIn the next over, Kohli runs into Kesrick Williams. Almost literally, as they aren’t too far away from brushing shoulders. Kohli exchanges verbals with Williams. There’s a bit of history between these two and Kohli will even recall it at the post-match presentation. We’ll get to that in a bit.Kohli is angry with himself. He’s angry with the umpires. He’s angry with Williams. The anger that’s simmering just below the surface is ready to erupt, and it does, like a volcano blowing its lid. With India needing 69 off 36 balls, Kohli blasts Holder into the second tier beyond long-off. The next ball is scythed to the left of short third man for four. The Hyderabad crowd gets behind him, chanting “Kohli! Kohli! Kohli!”Virat Kohli lofts the ball over cover•BCCIHello, again, Kesrick. He comes from around the wicket, but misses his yorker. Kohli doesn’t miss his target this time and whacks it over Williams’ head for four. Then comes moment of theatre. Williams shifts to over the wicket and although he doesn’t miss his length by a big margin, Kohli shovels a six with his powerful bottom wrist over midwicket. He immediately mimics Williams’ ‘notebook signing’ celebration. Except this is the angry Kohli version of it.Williams just about affords a wry smile as more than 32,000 spectators roar in approval of their captain’s transformation after he’d struggled to time the ball earlier in the evening.”It happened to me in Jamaica [in 2017] when he got me out, so I thought I’ll tick a few in the notebook as well,” Kohli later says at the post-match presentation.Rishabh Pant falls for 18 in the next over, but the game is all but sealed, with India needing just 26 off 18 with seven wickets in hand. Kieron Pollard then brings himself into the attack and Kohli whips him for six second ball. Kohli throws his opposite number a death stare, and Pollard returns to his mark, declining to engage in any theatrics.Kohli vs Williams isn’t done yet, though. In the 19th over, Williams goes wide of the crease and full, but Kohli lines him up and clatters him over extra-cover. Just as the ball sails over the fence, Williams slumps to his knees. Two balls later, Kohli seals Williams’, and West Indies’, fate with another six.He points repeatedly to the back of his jersey and unleashes an animated fist-pump.From 20 off 20, Kohli has cranked it up to finish on 94 off 50, his highest score in T20Is, securing India’s second-highest successful chase in the format. He ultimately laughs off the confrontation with Williams, and they exchange high-fives, but the bottom line remains clear: you just can’t mess with Kohli.After blowing off the steam, Kohli stands in the middle of the pitch and soaks in the applause. He might as well reward himself with a big, carb-heavy meal and a chocolate shake for yet another masterclass.

Tottenham Hotspur picked up a much-needed win on the weekend, just their 11th in the Premier League, but it’s done little to boost morale.

This season has been an unmitigated disaster for the North Londoners, as while there is still a chance they could win the Europa League, they look destined to finish in the bottom half of the league table, with more losses than wins.

Now, there are a few reasons for this dramatic collapse in form from Ange Postecoglou’s men, but perhaps the most significant has been the near-endless stream of defensive injuries they’ve had to deal with.

For example, neither Micky van de Ven nor Cristian Romero has made even 20 appearances this year, and now it looks like they may lose the latter for good in the summer. Still, they might also already have the perfect replacement in a youngster out on loan.

Romero's unsure future

Romero moved to Spurs on a loan deal with an option to buy back in the summer of 2021 and, since then, has become an essential part of the squad and first team.

In all, the World Cup winner has made 117 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals, providing one assist, and becoming one of the co-vice captains under Postecoglou’s tenure.

However, this rapid rise and impressive form for the team – alongside his international exploits – has seen other major teams from the continent take notice.

For example, earlier this year, it was widely reported that Real Madrid were keen on signing the former Juventus ace in the summer, while more reports from the last few weeks have revealed that Atlético Madrid are now just as interested.

In fact, just last week, it was reported that Diego Simeone had personally contacted the player and that, due to a mutual interest in making the transfer happen, he might be able to leave N17 for around £67m.

There is no doubt that losing a defender of Romero’s calibre would be a blow for Spurs, but it might not all be doom and gloom, as the club might already have the perfect replacement in an exceptionally exciting youngster.

The Spurs youngster who could replace Romero

So, if Romero does leave in the summer, the board will likely replace him with the fee he earns them, but there might already be a perfect replacement in the squad by then: Luka Vušković.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Yes, he might not be a name that everyone is familiar with yet, but based on his performances this season and the way those in the know speak about him, he most certainly will be.

The North Londoners signed the Croatian wonderkid in September 2023, but being just 16 at the time, post-Brexit rules around registering foreign players under 18 mean he cannot officially join the team until this summer.

So, with him unable to move to England this season, the “freak talent,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, joined Belgian outfit KVC Waterloo last July, and to say he’s enjoying a good season would be an understatement.

Despite only turning 18 in February, he has made 29 first-team appearances so far, in which he’s helped to keep five clean sheets. More impressive than that, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists.

This level of output for such a young defender suggests he’d be able to at least match the attacking threat Romero has, and with him already being 6 foot 4, there is no way he’d be bullied by opposition players.

Finally, he’s no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game either, with FOTmob revealing that he wins 6.09 duels and 4.05 aerial duels per 90 while also making 5.74 recoveries.

For comparison, Romero wins 5.46 duels and just 2.45 aerial duels per 90 while also making slightly fewer recoveries at 5.39 per 90.

Ultimately, we are not saying that Vušković will be able to immediately replicate what Romero can do next season.

However, he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting defensive prospects around, and with the right coaching, he could reach that level sooner than people expect, which would soften the Argentine’s departure.

He's a £101m star in the making: Spurs hit gold on "monster" Nuno signing

The incredible talent has a bright future at Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 7, 2025

If there is one thing Arsenal fans want this summer, it’s a striker.

Mikel Arteta’s side are in a marvellous position to do something spectacular in the Champions League this season, but their domestic campaign has been a real letdown, partly due to a lack of clinical finishing up top – they’ve scored 14 goals fewer than Liverpool in the Premier League.

So, it’s not been all that surprising that, over the last few months, the North Londoners have been linked with a whole host of prolific marksmen, most notably Alexander Isak.

However, with Newcastle United now looking likely to secure a spot in next year’s Champions League, it feels doubtful that the Gunners will be able to prise their star striker away from them this summer.

Fortunately, Arsenal appear to have already moved on from the former Real Sociedad star for another free-scoring forward, someone who might be a wiser signing anyway.

Transfer Focus

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

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the man in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards who have been linked with the North Londoners in recent weeks, such as Ollie Watkins.

The Aston Villa star was a surprise target for the club in the winter window, and new Sporting Director Andrea Berta is reportedly still interested in the Englishman; it’s not hard to see why, as he’s scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists in 48 appearances this term.

Another name that has popped up recently is Jonathan David, who will be a free agent in the summer and has reportedly held talks with the North Londoners quite recently.

The Canadian international has been enjoying an incredible season this year and has already amassed a tally of 25 goals and 11 assists in 45 games, although that still pales in comparison to the unreal Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, the player in question is none other than the Sporting CP superstar, and according to a recent report from Portuguese outlet A Bola as relayed by Football Transfers, the North Londoners are now in ‘pole position’ to secure the Swede’s signature.

The report has revealed that the Gunners have stepped up their pursuit of the 26-year-old in the weeks following Berta’s appointment and that the former Coventry City star will be available for around €70m, which comes out to £60m.

It would still be a costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gyokeres’ incredible output, it is one worth completing and one that could be better than signing Isak.

Why Gyokeres would be a better signing that Isak

So, it’s no secret that Isak is one of the most exciting strikers in world football at the moment, and as such, we wouldn’t be surprised if most fans wanted the club to sign him or Gyokeres, but there are a few reasons why the latter would be the wiser acquisition.

The first is simply the cost involved, as even when it looked like the Toon would miss out on Champions League football, reports were coming out that they would demand around £150m for the talisman.

So now that the Magpies look set to play in Europe’s top competition next season, it would surely take a genuinely absurd offer to tempt them into selling, the sort of offer that would scupper the Gunners’ other summer plans.

So, it feels far more sensible to spend a fraction of that on the Sporting “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, and make sure that other top players are bought in to help bolster the squad in multiple areas.

Moreover, the second reason is that the Stockholm-born poacher has shown himself to be even more of a goal threat this season.

For example, in just 46 appearances, totalling 3700 minutes, he’s found the back of the net 47 times and provided 11 assists for good measure, which comes to an average of 1.26 goal involvements every game or one every 63.79 minutes.

In comparison, the Newcastle star has scored 25 goals and provided six assists in 38 appearances, totalling 2977 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.22 games or every 96.03 minutes.

Now, it is true that the Solna-born ace is playing in a tougher league, but even with that taken into consideration, Gyokeres’ level of output is astounding.

Finally, and this is important, Isak is an injury-prone player and has missed 39 games for club and country since the 22/23 season alone, whereas the Sporting dynamo has missed just five games across his entire career.

Ultimately, while Isak is a superb player, Gyokeres would be the better signing, as not only would he cost a fraction of the price, but he’s arguably just as dangerous, and his fitness record is near enough impeccable.

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

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

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 22, 2025

Chelsea are set to make contact and hold negotiations with an in-form forward, who Serie A heavyweights Juventus wish to sign more than anyone, with BlueCo seemingly looking to spoil the Old Lady’s transfer plans.

Chelsea targeting new forward as main summer priority

Enzo Maresca and the club will look to sign a new forward as one of three main transfer aims this summer, alongside the additions of a new centre-back and winger (Simon Phillips).

£200k-a-week Chelsea ace could now join De Zerbi with sale real possibility

It would be a big decision.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 29, 2025

Depending on their Champions League qualification and player sales, they could also go for a second centre-back, left-back, new goalkeeper and attacking midfielder (Simon Phillips), but supporters will be particularly keen to see a forward arrive at Stamford Bridge.

Nicolas Jackson scored his first Premier League goal of 2025 in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Everton over the weekend, with the Senegalese largely struggling to replicate his previous scoring form since the turn of the year.

Christopher Nkunku is also likely to leave Chelsea this summer, either on loan or permanently, according to reports, after the Frenchman agreed personal terms on a move to Bayern Munich in the January window.

Taking this into account, it is clear to see why we could definitely expect an overhaul up front. Sky Sports revealed earlier this month that RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, Lille star Jonathan David, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen are all targets for Maresca’s side.

Delap is said to be a key target for Chelsea and will now be available at around £30 million, due to the release clause in his contract tied with Ipswich’s relegation, but there is no guarantee they will complete a deal with the major competition for his services. This is where a potentially fruitful alternative comes in – Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

Chelsea set for Ademola Lookman talks in bad news for Juventus

The Nigerian’s 18-goal haul in all competitions has piqued interest from England’s elite, including Chelsea, who are now believed to be eyeing up a move.

That is according to CaughtOffside, who state that Chelsea are planning to open talks with Lookman ahead of the summer. This comes as bad news for Juve in particular, who are described as “prioritising” a move for the 27-year-old.

The versatile attacker, who can play as a second striker, centre-forward and on the left-flank, as he has done under Gian Piero Gasperini this term, could be a great option to reinforce multiple areas, with chairman Todd Boehly apparently pushing the need for versatile signings behind-closed-doors (Simon Phillips).

He would cost up to £55 million, as per CaughtOffside, and given Chelsea’s need to bring in players with more experience, Lookman may well be one to keep an eye on.

“He’s [Lookman] a top player,” said Gasperini about Lookman. “In terms of character, there are perhaps players who have more continuity and are more solid, but that’s normal.

“Even his role is difficult. He always has to be very fit, but he has become a truly extraordinary player, among the best in Europe and the world. Because he has improved his consistency and in some ways, he has started to be an important Atalanta player.”

Setting their sights on commencing a new era with a bang, The Friedkin Group are reportedly serious about Everton’s dream move to sign a player who was once worth £60m.

Everton preparing for new era

With just two more games to come at Goodison Park, all eyes with be on handing one of English football’s most historic grounds the ultimate send off around the blue half of Merseyside. With their Premier League safety sealed, David Moyes’ side will play host to Southampton on May 18 looking to end on a high before beginning to write a new chapter at the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

Before that day arrives, however, the Toffees will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they square off against the relegated Ipswich Town this weekend, before travelling to Fulham in an attempt to end the season with a flourish of positive results following recent defeats against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Of course, once any emotional goodbyes are complete it will be all eyes on the summer transfer window for Friedkin, as they set their sights on making their first real mark on the club.

Just who arrives with that in mind remains to be seen, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours from coming thick and fast. Those at Goodison Park have already been linked with moves for the likes of Tomas Soucek and Clement Akpa in recent weeks, with the former potentially reuniting with Moyes in Merseyside this summer.

He won't start again: TFG must finally axe Everton's new Phil Neville

Recent results have shown Everton need a sweep of fresh faces in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 28, 2025

The West Ham United midfielder thrived under the veteran manager at the London Stadium and could now take that form to Everton should they decide to make their move. Meanwhile, Everton themselves could be set to get a dream reunion when the transfer window opens.

Friedkin serious about dream Richarlison return

According to GiveMeSport, Friedkin and Everton are now serious about a dream move to re-sign Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur this summer and the Brazilian forward could yet be allowed to leave the Lilywhites in the coming months.

Having swapped Everton for Spurs in 2022 for a reported £60m, things haven’t quite worked out for Richarlison in North London and a return to Merseyside could be on the cards as a result. A Goodison Park hero, the forward may yet get the chance to make his mark on a new Everton era at the Bramley-Moor Dock stadium.

It was at Everton that Richarlison earned the most praise of his career too, with former teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin once telling reporters following an influential display by the Brazilian: “He’s asleep in the changing rooms now, with a nice pillow and a sleeping bag!

“I thought he was fantastic today. His goal was well deserved and his play off the ball, his selflessness was the key for us today. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him again in front of the Goodison faithful.”