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Former Liverpool winger Jordan Ibe has signed with Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Sofia. The 29-year-old will represent the club until 2027. The sensational switch comes just two weeks after Ibe put pen to paper at Kent-based side Sittingbourne. Once considered a future star of English football, the nomadic midfielder has bounced around non-league football in recent years.

Ibe looks to revive career in Bulgaria

The 'Railway Workers' announced the deal on their Facebook account earlier today. 

Ibe had signed with Sittingbourne, currently playing in eighth tier of the English football pyramid, on October 31. He said he hoped the deal would help him "rediscover his love of football", after a switch to the Swedish second division with Umea fell through in the summer due to work permit issues. The ex-Bournemouth star has been open about his struggles with depression in the past few years. 

AdvertisementJordan Ibe: Future Liverpool star to football nomad

Ibe's move to Bulgaria is adds another chapter to a nomadic career that started with immense promise. He first caught the attention of the football public as an academy star with Wycombe Wanderers. In 2011, he joined Liverpool's youth setup and was widely tipped to be a future regular in the England team. During his tenure at Anfield, he made 58 appearances, scoring four goals and logging seven assists. 

A £15m transfer to Bournemouth in 2016 was supposed to accelerate his development, however an inconsistent four-year spell on the south coast ended in his release in 2020. Ibe made 92 appearances for the Cherries in all competitions. 

A year on the books at Derby County resulted in just one league appearance, as Ibe revealed he was suffering from depression. The club and player agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent. 

After a few months in Turkiye with Adanaspor, Ibe would spend the next few years bouncing around non-league outfits, making appearances for Ebbsfleet United, Hayes & Yeading United, Hungerford Town and Sittingbourne. 

Lokomotiv Sofia's statement on Ibe's arrival

Lokomotiv Sofia currently sit in 11th place in Bulgaria's First League. Originally founded in 1929, the club was wound up in 2015 due to insolvency, with a phoenix club founded in the resulting year. The original club won four league titles and four Bulgarian cups, and is historically considered one of the country's biggest clubs. 

A club statement announcing Ibe's arrival read: "After a few difficult seasons, Jordan is ready to revive his career, and we all believe that this will happen at Lokomotiv.

"The management of Lokomotiv wishes Jordon Ibe much health, happiness and success with the red and black jersey."

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Lokomotiv SofiaWhen will Ibe make his Lokomotiv Sofia debut?

Due to a lengthy winter break, Lokomotiv have already played half of their 30 league fixtures this season. The club has just four league games left this year, before play pauses until the first week in February, giving Ibe little time to get games under his belt if he's not deemed fit enough to start immediately. The Railway Workers' season continues with an away trip to Cherno More on November 22, with a home game against Arfa on November 28. 

Jamie Vardy rolled back the years with a superb solo goal for Cremonese against Juventus – something that sent the home fans in the Stadio Giovanni Zini into a 'frenzy'. The 38-year-old scored his second goal in three Serie A games, but it wasn't enough to prevent his team from falling to a 2-1 defeat. However, the veteran still showed he can deliver at the highest level with his clinical effort.

• Vardy thriving in Serie A

  The former England international ended a 13-year spell at Leicester City over the summer, before moving to newly-promoted Cremonese on a free transfer in a switch that surprised many. After a couple of substitute outings for the Italian team, Vardy bagged his first goal for his new club in a 1-1 draw against Atalanta last month, and on Saturday, he scored again, this time at home to Juventus. The arch poacher showed he is still a handful on his day when he shrugged off Juve centre-back Federico Gatti, before holding off the recovering defender and slotting past goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 83rd minute. Cremonese came away with nothing, however, as goals from Filip Kostic and Andrea Cambiaso secured all three points for the Old Lady. But Vardy's display shows he has more to give in the game.

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• Vardy an 'agent of chaos'

  The striker, who was watched by his wife Rebekah and his four children, received mixed reviews from the Italian press following his goal against Juve. gave him a 6.5/10 but stressed that he is still very capable of producing moments of magic.

  They wrote, "Encouraged by his small tribe (wife Becky and four children), squeezed by the Juventus vice, fails to make an impact. Then, with seven minutes to go, he burns Gatti and sends the stadium into a frenzy."

  Meanwhile, hailed him as his side's best player.

  "The experienced English forward picks up his second goal of the season, with a fine finish after a counterattack to give the hosts a glimmer of hope late on. Worked hard tonight and showed the hunger to pick up his goal," they wrote.

  Meanwhile, talked up his evergreen capabilities. 

  The fanzine wrote, "Jamie Vardy scoring against Juventus in the year 2025? Really now? But Vardy is Vardy and will forever be Vardy as long as he’s playing. He’s scored so many damn goals like the one he did against Juventus during his time in England. He’s out here counting how many seconds Michele Di Gregorio had the ball in his hands while also standing right next to him and barely giving him any room to actually kick the ball upfield. That’s just Vardy being Vardy, folks. He is an agent of chaos if there ever was one in this game."

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  What comes next for Vardy?

  Vardy, who turns 39 in January, will hope to continue his good form when Cremonese travel to relegation-contenders Pisa in a battle between 17th and ninth respectively in Serie A on Friday. If results go their way in the next round of league fixtures, Vardy's side could jump into the European football qualification spots.

While it wasn’t the perfect weekend for Manchester City, it wasn’t far off.

The Citizens claimed all three points in what was a relatively routine win over Everton, while Liverpool lost at home to Manchester United.

So, while they are still three points behind Arsenal, Pep Guardiola’s side are now a point clear of the Reds in second place and look set to mount a proper challenge for the Premier League title.

Moreover, with Erling Haaland back to his very best, there is no reason they couldn’t overtake the Gunners, especially when another of Pep’s best signings is playing so well.

Pep's best Man City signings

On top of revolutionising the way the game is played in this country, Guardiola has also signed some of the very best players to grace the Premier League.

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

For example, while he was already performing at a high level for Tottenham Hotspur, it would be hard to deny that Kyle Walker massively improved during his time in the North West.

During his time with the club, the Burnley ace made 319 appearances, during which he scored six goals, provided 23 assists, averaged 2.33 points per game and won everything there is to win in the club game, including a Champions League and six league titles.

Appearances

319

Starts

286

Minutes

25710′

Goals

6

Assists

23

Points per Game

2.33

Another stalwart of Pep’s best sides has been Rodri, as before his injury problems last season, he was one of the very best players in the world.

After all, the Spaniard is the only defensive midfielder to ever win the Ballon d’Or.

Moving on from defensive players, it’s hard to look past Bernardo Silva when it comes to the iconic manager’s best City signings.

The former AS Monaco dynamo moved to Manchester in the summer of 2017 and has since made an astounding 417 appearances across all competitions, in which he has scored 72 goals, provided 74 assists and dazzled fans all over the country with his mercurial abilities on the ball.

Finally, it would be impossible to talk about some of Guardiola’s best signings and not bring up Haaland.

The former Borussia Dortmund star made his way to the Etihad in the summer of 2022, and to say he has been a successful signing would be a laughable understatement.

Appearances

156

Starts

148

Minutes

12774′

Goals

138

Assists

22

Goal Involvements per Game

1.02

Minutes per Goal Involvement

79.83′

Points per Game

2.12

At the time of writing, the Leeds-born force of nature has scored 138 goals and provided 22 assists in 156 games for the club, totalling 12774 minutes.

In other words, the 25-year-old monster has averaged 1.02 goal involvements per game, or one every 79.83 minutes since joining City.

In all, it would be fair to say that Guardiola has signed more than his fair share of stars over the years, and it looks like he might have just landed his best since Haaland.

Guardiola's best signing since Haaland

Fortunately, there are a few players who could claim this title, from Josko Gvardiol to Savinho, but in this instance, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to look past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Yes, the Italian international only joined City this summer, but he is already putting in brilliant performances for the club.

And while some may say he lacks the ball-playing ability of Ederson, he more than makes up for it with his shot-stopping, which is surely what matters most with a goalkeeper.

His game-saving abilities were on full show in the match away to Brentford, when he came out on top from a one-on-one situation with Igor Thiago.

Moreover, while it is still early on in his time at the Etihad, the numbers are already showing that he should be in the same conversations with the very best in the league.

For example, he has conceded just two goals, which works out to 0.40 per 90 and puts him just behind David Raya who many would consider to be a part of the best defensive unit in the league, if not the world.

Finally, on top of the promising start to his time in the North West, there are also plenty of examples of him putting in game-saving performances for Paris Saint-Germain and Italy over the years.

For example, in the Champions League semi-finals last season, he prevented 2.09 goals across both legs against Arsenal, which was enough to send the Parisians through and see Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta label him “the best in the world.”

Ultimately, so long as Donnarumma can keep up the form he is already showing this season, and replicate some of his incredible performances of seasons prior, then it might soon be a commonly held opinion that he’s City’s best signing since Haaland.

Man City eye South American star who may follow in Julian Alvarez's footsteps

The Citizens could follow a familiar trend in their latest pursuit.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 19, 2025

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Erick, atualmente no Ceará e futuro reforço do São Paulo para 2024, compartilhou uma foto nas redes sociais acompanhando o duelo entre o Tricolor e o Flamengo pela final da Copa do Brasil, no Maracanã.

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O jogador postou a foto em seu story no Instagram. No registro, está em um hotel acompanhando o duelo. O atacante deve chegar ao clube apenas em janeiro de 2024. O vínculo do jogador com o Vozão se encerra no fim deste ano e, por isso, assinou um pré-contrato com o Tricolor para a próxima temporada.

Erick foi umpedido do próprio Dorival Júnior, que trabalhou com o jogador no Ceará em 2022. Na visão da comissão técnica, o jogador seria a opção ideal para suprir a ausência de um atacante de velocidade, capaz de quebrar linhas de marcação com o drible.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

As tratativas com o atleta estavam acontecendo desde julho. Assim, a expectativa é que tudo seja concretizado pensando na temporada que vem.

Veja a foto postada por Erick nas redes sociais:

Pant chose pace over spin, possibly keeping Dube in mind, even though captains have turned to spin at the death to keep Dhoni quiet

Vishal Dikshit14-Apr-20254:32

Why did Pant not give Bishnoi another over?

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) legspinner Ravi Bishnoi doesn’t know why he didn’t get a fourth over against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) despite returns of 3-0-18-2, but feels the captain, Rishabh Pant, would have had his reasons.LSG were defending 166 at home against CSK, but fell short after a rare off-day for Nicholas Pooran as Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni finished the job with three balls to spare by taking down LSG’s pace bowlers in the death overs.”I didn’t really talk [to Pant] about it, but I went to the wicket a couple of times [to check] and I think he had plans in place he wanted to execute,” Bishnoi said at the press conference after the game. “In such situations, the captain is better placed, and he keeps wicket, too, so he understands things better. According to me, he took the decision he thought was better.Related

Jaffer: Pant 'needs to get better at rotating strike'

Dhoni effect on show as CSK find a way

Dhoni: Tweaked attack gives 'more manoeuvrability for the captain'

Dhoni, Noor and Jadeja snap CSK's losing streak

“He was clear in his mind and it’s better in such tense situations that the captain thinks with a clear mind.”Bishnoi had dismissed Rahul Tripathi and Ravindra Jadeja in the ninth and 13th overs respectively, and nine of his 18 balls had been dots. He didn’t bowl his fourth, but the less experienced Digvesh Rathi and part-time spinner Aiden Markram finished their quotas.”There was a lot of time when I thought about bowling him [Bishnoi] that [fourth] over,” Pant said after the game. “But we discussed with a lot of players and just couldn’t let him bowl. We thought let’s take it deeper, and that didn’t happen for us today.”Rathi and Markram had finished bowling in tandem by the 15th over when CSK needed 56 runs from 30 balls, and Dhoni had just joined Dube. Dube’s presence, and his reputation as a six-hitter off spin, might have forced Pant’s hand.Bishop: ‘I wonder why Rishabh didn’t go for Bishnoi’3:43

Bishop: LSG quicks lacked execution in the end

At the ESPNcricinfo studio, it was a major point of debate, with Abhinav Mukund saying the game was lost on that decision, and Wasim Jaffer calling it “a major point” for LSG going down.”I know Dube was batting, but Dube couldn’t get hold of him [Bishnoi] before that anyway. And he has that googly,” Ian Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut. “I wonder why Rishabh didn’t go for Bishnoi – 2 for 18 from three [overs] just stands out like a beacon in all of that.””If you got a wicket there, and you’ve got Jamie Overton to come, I felt it was very defensive to go for the faster-bowler strategy at that point, because you are actually thinking that you didn’t want Dube to get a couple of sixes off Bishnoi,” Abhinav said. “This is something that you see in the IPL, or any form of cricket, where captains tend to sort of… they like a certain type of bowler because they are uncomfortable against it, and sometimes the converse also happens.”As a left-hander, possibly Rishabh is thinking, ‘I can smash Bishnoi out of the ground, so I don’t want him to face off against Dube. ‘ Just a hypothetical theory I am planting here.”Whether that’s what Pant had on his mind or not, he had got the ball changed after the 16th over and switched to his faster bowlers. “Bowling Bishnoi to Dhoni and Dube at that point wasn’t a gamble because [with 44 needed in four overs] the way this game has gone, we didn’t see a 20-run over,” Abhinav said. “You were still in the game. It was the best time to make that call and then decide what you want to do after that.”

“I know Dube was batting, but Dube couldn’t get hold of him [Bishnoi] before that anyway. And he has that googly”Ian Bishop

But Pant stuck to his pace-bowling options, even though a lot of captains have turned to spin against Dhoni in the death overs, especially in CSK’s last three chases.Sanju Samson had given the 18th over to Maheesh Theekshana in Guwahati when CSK needed 45 from 18 and Theekshana conceded just six runs. Axar Patel bowled himself in the 17th over – which was his first that day – when CSK needed 72 from 18, and gave away just five runs. In CSK’s last chase, Shreyas Iyer handed Yuzvendra Chahal the 17th over with 68 to win from 24 and he gave away just nine runs. In all these cases, Dhoni failed to hit a single boundary against the spinners.Since IPL 2020, Dhoni has struck at only 94.23 against spin, with 14 fours and nine sixes in 243 balls.To Pant, perhaps, the set Dube appeared a bigger threat. But once Dhoni got pace on the ball, he ended the 16th over, bowled by Avesh Khan with two consecutive fours, dispatched a Shardul Thakur slower delivery on the leg side for six even as one hand came off the bat, and hit his next ball, from Avesh, for four. The game tilted in CSK’s favour when – with 24 required from 12 – Dube started Thakur’s over with a four and six to the deep-third boundary and it turned out Thakur had also overstepped for the second ball.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras está em meio a uma sequência pesada de confrontos decisivos pelo Brasileirão e pela Copa do Brasil. Apesar de já ter passado por alguns deles, os resultados não foram tão bons. O problema é que não há tempo para lamentação, pois os duelos dessa grandeza continuam para o Verdão. Neste sábado (8), no Allianz Parque, o time de Abel Ferreira recebe o Flamengo, mas ainda terá São Paulo, Internacional e Fortaleza nessa mesma jornada.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Podemos pegar o início dessa sequência no duelo com o Botafogo, que poderia valer a liderança do Brasileirão para o Alviverde. No entanto, mesmo jogando em casa, o time foi derrotado por 1 a 0, com direito a pênalti perdido por Raphael Veiga. Logo em seguida, o Palmeiras recebeu o Bolívar-BOL, pela Libertadores, no jogo que valia a liderança do Grupo C e a melhor campanha geral da fase de grupos da competição. A goleada por 4 a 0 garantiu os objetivos ao Verdão, que respirou um pouco após a decepção no Brasileiro.

+ Torcedor do Palmeiras, ajude a escolher o nome da área dedicada ao seu time no Lance!

Mas poucos dias depois havia o Athletico-PR, fora de casa, pelo caminho. Outro adversário na mesma faixa da tabela, que valeria pontos importantes na luta pela parte de cima da classificação. Apesar de abrir 2 a 0 no placar, o Alviverde teve um jogador expulso e acabou levando o empate. Outra vez havia pouco tempo para lamentar e o Palmeiras teria que pensar nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil contra o São Paulo, no Morumbi, pela partida de ida. O resultado, novamente, não foi o esperado e o time de Abel Ferreira saiu derrotado por 1 a 0 do estádio do rival.

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Agora, neste sábado (8), será a vez de receber o Flamengo, para o duelo que colocará frente a frente o terceiro contra o quarto colocado do Brasileirão. Caso o Verdão vença, passará o rival carioca na tabela e pode assumir a terceira posição na classificação.

+ Próximos jogos do Palmeiras: onde assistir ao vivo, datas, horários e calendário

Nesta quinta-feira (13), o Palmeiras terá outra parada dura, que é a volta do confronto com o São Paulo, desta vez no Allianz Parque, precisando vencer por um gol de diferença para levar a decisão para os pênaltis, ou por dois ou mais gols para decidir no tempo normal.

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E a dureza não para por aí. Já que os próximos jogos pelo Brasileirão são contra clubes da mesma faixa da tabela, ou seja, confrontos diretos. Primeiro contra o Internacional, no dia 16 de julho, fora de casa, e contra o Fortaleza, no Allianz Parque, no dia 22.

Alejandro Grimaldo has admitted he could have joined either Real Madrid or Barcelona in the summer transfer window, only for both moves to fall through. The Bayer Leverkusen star revealed that Los Blancos opted for Alvaro Carreras instead, while discussions with the Catalan giants and Atletico Madrid also failed to materialise.

• Grimaldo reflects on missed La Liga switch

  Leverkusen left-back Grimaldo was heavily linked with a return to Spain during the summer window, with both Madrid and Barcelona considering the 30-year-old as an option. Known for his dangerous set-pieces and attacking threat, the defender looked close to moving back to La Liga before the deals collapsed. Instead, Los Blancos opted for Carreras, while Barca trusted Gerard Martin.

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  Grimaldo: Talks with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico went nowhere

  The Spaniard explained that talks did take place but ultimately led nowhere, despite the speculation around his future.

  "There was always the possibility of going with Xabi, but in the end it didn't happen," Grimaldo said. "They signed Carreras. There was also the possibility of going to Barcelona, which also didn't happen. You have to face the challenge of being here with a lot of motivation. There are always options, things are talked about. But if they don't happen in the end, it's because they weren't meant to be.

  The defender also acknowledged Atletico’s interest, but again insisted nothing concrete came of it.

  "Atletico is the same; there have been talks, but practically nothing has happened. In the end, in the transfer market, when left-backs are needed, they talk to agents and there may be a possibility, but it hasn't happened."

• Leverkusen benefit from failed move

  Despite missing out on a move to Spain, the former La Masia product has continued to thrive in Germany. He has already registered four goals and two assists in eight appearances this season, cementing his reputation as one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking full-backs. His form has helped Die Werkself maintain their decent start domestically.

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  Future transfer to Barcelona or Madrid still possible

  Grimaldo’s current deal runs until 2027, but his performances ensure he will remain on the radar of top La Liga clubs. A return to Spain remains a possibility next summer, potentially on a cut-price deal. For now, though, his focus is on Leverkusen’s Bundesliga clash with Union Berlin this weekend after their midweek 1-1 Champions League draw against PSV.

Major League Cricket (MLC), the fledgling T20 tournament in the USA, is set to expand from six teams to eight by 2027, with a move into Canada being explored in developments that could have wider implications for the sport.Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto, cities with significant South Asian communities, are on the shortlist with final decisions expected this year. Market potential and local government support in helping build stadium infrastructure will be among the determining factors.Expansion officials travelled to Chicago recently and were believed to be encouraged by the local support. Visits to the other cities are expected in the coming months.MLC co-founder Satyan Gajwani will launch one of the franchises, while fellow co-founders Vijay Srinivasan, the league’s chief executive until recently, and Sameer Mehta will helm the other. Investors are likely to partner up with them once the two cities have been selected.Three of the six teams in the MLC are owned by IPL team owners – Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings – while Seattle, the only small-market franchise in the league, have ties with Delhi Capitals. San Francisco and Washington don’t have any IPL attachments, but have partnerships with Cricket Victoria and Cricket NSW respectively.”We have options ahead of us. I don’t think we’re committed one way or the other right now,” Gajwani told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s realistically a decision we will take closer to launch.”Expansion will likely lead to more games and a longer duration of the competition. MLC power brokers do eventually want a home-and-away season – where the teams play each other twice – to underpin the tournament.Last year’s second season ran for 23 days in July and overlapped with the Hundred in the UK. This season’s scheduling has not been announced, but a lengthier tournament is expected, although it might start earlier in June.The well-heeled MLC’s emergence has become a major talking point in English cricket, heightened when Jason Roy opted out of his ECB contract to represent LA Knight Riders, who have the same owners as KKR.”There are many cities in America that have large populations of people who already love cricket. But the goal is to grow the game and that means expanding beyond that fan base,” Gajwani said. “America is the largest sports market in the world. It’s also very competitive, and continuing to be relevant will be a challenge.”But I think the economics of sport in America are pretty robust. The NBA and NFL are in 28 cities. We’re in six right now. We still have a lot of headroom for growth in the medium to long term.”The tournament’s first two seasons were entirely played at the 7200 capacity Grand Prairie Stadium, a redeveloped baseball ground, near Dallas and the more modest Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina.Existing franchises – other than Dallas-based Texas Super Kings – have faced challenges getting suitable infrastructure off the ground. But there is confidence that San Francisco Unicorns will start playing home games this season at the iconic Oakland Coliseum, which up until recently was the long-time home of the Athletics in the MLB. The new franchises hope to play at home grounds from the start.Jason Roy opted out of his ECB contract to represent LA Knight Riders at the MLC•MLC

“In the ideal case, we firm up on the city, lock up a land deal and then build a stadium – whether retrofitted or building from zero,” Gajwani said. “The ideal outcome is that we play at home for our first game in 2027.”There is this balance of wanting to build something that’s right for where the market is, but have the flexibility to grow with the market. Every city will have its own dynamics.”The cities in the running may be further incentivised by the prospect of potentially hosting cricket matches at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket will end a 128-year Olympic drought but venues have yet to be determined, with the men’s and women’s competitions possibly extending beyond Los Angeles.”There’s the added element that a fully-fledged cricket venue up and running by 2027 could possibly host matches at the Olympics,” Gajwani said. “The IOC or the LA Organising Committees will make that decision. But they openly said they’re looking for infrastructure that can host Olympic matches. It’s definitely a factor that we’re all thinking about.”The league also announced Johnny Grave as its new CEO, replacing Srinivasan. Grave is a prominent figure in cricket administration, having most recently served as CEO at CWI for seven years. He was previously the commercial director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) in England.”I am honored to lead the league at this transformative time,” Grave said in a statement. “Cricket is beloved globally and I am thrilled to see its fan base growing rapidly in the United States. I look forward to working with the MLC team to help elevate the league, engage with fans, and build a thriving, sustainable future for cricket in America.”

The former allrounder and national selector replaced the outgoing Martin Snedden

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2024New Zealand Cricket has elected former allrounder and national selector Dion Nash to its board.Nash fills the vacancy left by Martin Snedden, who had to step down by rotation following a lengthy service to the game as a player, chief executive, board member, chair of the board and ICC director.”It’s good to have someone with Dion’s cricket and business experience coming onto the board at a time when Martin is stepping down,” NZC chair Diana Pukepatu-Lyndon said. “Dion has a strong interest in not just the playing of the game but [also] the business of the game, and that should help stand us in good stead.”Nash played 32 Tests and 81 ODIs from 1992 to 2002, and was part of New Zealand’s title-winning squad in the 2000 ICC KnockOut, which was later rebranded as the Champions Trophy. In just his fifth Test, he scored a half-century and grabbed ten wickets at Lord’s.When regular captain Stephen Fleming was injured in early 1999, Nash stepped in as skipper for seven ODIs and three Tests. After retirement, he was appointed as selector for the men’s team in 2005, before going on to make a career in business.

Tristan Stubbs admitted that he was “proper nervous” and just tried to control his breathing as he struck an unbeaten 47 off 41 balls to shepherd a tricky chase and take South Africa over the line by three wickets in the second T20I against India.”I was just trying to breathe,” he said with a smile after the game. “It’s my favourite place to play cricket and I was nervous, proper nervous, so I was just trying to control my breathing.”Stubbs grew up in Knysna, a small town about 260 kilometres up the road from Gqeberha and has played all his domestic and franchise cricket at St George’s Park. This knock was even more special for Stubbs as it was his mum’s birthday and he had plenty of his family and friends in the crowd who had driven down to the ground to celebrate.”Normally there’s a whole bunch of them [his friends and family], probably I reckon 30 to 35 of them,” Stubbs said. “They come through normally once a year for the SA20 and they’ve made a trip now. It’s my mom’s birthday too, so it’s sort of a celebration.”Before I met the team I went and said hello to everyone at the house that they’re staying at. So yeah, it’s been a really good day.”Coming into bat at 33 for 2 in the sixth over with South Africa chasing 125, Stubbs saw his side slip to 66 for 6 in the 13th. That soon became 86 for 7 in the 16th, but he got vital support from Gerald Coetzee with whom he shared an unbroken 42-run stand for the eighth wicket off just 20 balls.”Fortunately, the run rate never got away from us,” Stubbs said about the chase. “Once we lost the wickets, I had 30 in mind off the last three and then G [Coetzee] really came and played an innings to help that out and then, fortunately, we got over the line.”He walked in and he said straight away we can win this. I believed it all the time. We were always two hits away from being back to run-a-ball and then we had the crowd behind, which was just amazing.”Stubbs was caught right in the midst of an intense Varun Chakravarthy spell, who ran through South Africa’s middle order with a career-best 5 for 17. Ravi Bishnoi also kept things tight at the other end, but Stubbs bided his time before taking on the fast bowlers at the death. He later admitted the South Africa batters were out-skilled by the two spinners on a surface that was “typically staying low” but was pleased to stay till the end to take his side home.’They got the better of us in the middle there by just outskilling us,’ Stubbs said of India’s spinners•AFP/Getty Images

“They both [Chakravarthy and Bishnoi] were doing just enough to beat you on either side,” he said. “It wasn’t easy to come in and just rotate even, let alone take them on. They are two of the best spinners in the world so when they are on, it’s really tough and they got the better of us in the middle there by just outskilling us.”So yeah, it was really nice to get the team over the line and be there not out at the end. I think as someone who bats in the middle, that’s your whole goal when chasing, get the team over the line but do it by being not out at the end.”It’s been quite the breakthrough year for Stubbs. In February, he became just the 11th batter to score a first-class triple-century in South Africa while in the last month and a bit, he’s racked up his Test and ODI centuries. Stubbs also played a key role in Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s second-successive SA20 title while he finished the IPL 2024 as Delhi Capitals’ second-highest run-getter with a terrific strike rate of 190.90.What’s brought about this maturity in Stubbs’ game?”I don’t actually know how to answer that. It’s just been nice,” he said. “I really enjoy the longer format because you can spend more time in the middle without feeling like you need to play a big ball and I really enjoy the graft of batting long.”I think the longer form cricket just naturally helps your T20 game and the batsmanship and spending time in the middle and not having to make a play really helps the rest of the formats. So I think that’s been the biggest thing.”