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Leeds United are stepping up their pursuit of reinforcements and could now be set to land a talented midfielder for free, according to recent developments.

Leeds United beginning to make swift moves

In recent days, Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri’s imminent move too Elland Road has stolen the headlines, in a transfer that is set to cost the Whites roughly £15 million, and, in turn, solve their uncertain situation between the sticks.

With an arrival set to occur, Don Goodman believes Leeds stopper Illan Meslier could restore his confidence at Leicester City amid reports he could be set for a switch to the King Power Stadium.

He stated: “I think obviously if you could get the absolute best version of Illan Meslier then that would be good, but obviously he’s on the back of a very difficult season where, ultimately, Daniel Farke – who is extremely loyal to players but particularly goalkeepers – felt the need to replace Illan Meslier towards the end of last season.

“There were just too many errors that were costing Leeds United points so it’ll be an interesting one, as I said sometimes goalkeepers can have seasons where they’re not quite at their best.”

Rodrigo Muniz could bolster Farke’s forward line at Leeds, though it remains to be seen whether he would be tempted by the prospect of swapping Craven Cottage for Elland Road.

Better than Paixao: Very good chance "unplayable" £20m star signs for Leeds

Leeds United are weighing up a move for this phenomenal £20m ace.

2 ByKelan Sarson Jul 24, 2025

Bringing proven Premier League experience to Yorkshire will be paramount to the Whites’ chances of securing survival. Nevertheless, finding new faces to add impetus to a freshly-promoted squad is never without its challenges.

However, they could now be set to land a familiar face on a free transfer if reports are to be believed.

Kalvin Phillips could join Leeds United for free

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with Leeds United News, Leeds could land former star man Kalvin Phillips on a free transfer as Manchester City may opt to terminate the remainder of his £150,000 per week deal.

He stated: “I’m increasing in belief that Leeds are waiting for Phillips, as well. I’m even hearing Man City might pay him off. It might cost City a lot, but I think he will end up at Elland Road.”

Kalvin Phillips at Leeds United

Appearances

234

Goals

14

Assists

13

Earning promotion with Leeds in 2020, Phillips has since went on to be a peripheral figure at Manchester City and spent last season on loan at relegated Ipswich Town, registering a solitary strike in 22 appearances.

Sean Longstaff has joined the Whites from Newcastle United and Anton Stach is also in the building, so it would be hard to envisage where Phillips would fit in should he return to the scene of his former glories.

Ultimately, the final decision on that will lie with Farke, who may need to weigh up whether having the England international come into the picture is too good a scenario to turn down without having to pay a transfer fee.

Derby County have submitted a bid worth more than £5 million to sign a “great” player who wants to join the Rams, according to a recent report.

Derby re-sign Andi Weimann on a free transfer

The Rams have decided to bring back Andi Weimann to Pride Park for what will be his second spell at the football club. The forward joined the club at the start of the 2011/12 season and stayed until the summer of 2015, during which he scored 24 goals in all competitions.

He's spoken to Eustace: Derby now in talks to sign "wonderful" new winger

The Rams are looking to land their second signing of the summer.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jun 30, 2025

The versatile forward has now returned to Derby, as John Eustace reunites with the player after signing him for Blackburn Rovers last summer. The 33-year-old has signed a one-year deal with the Rams, and he’s told the club’s official website that he is “delighted to get the deal over the line”, and one of the reasons he decided to return was because of “the gaffer”.

Weimann said: “I’m happy to be back. I’m delighted to get it over the line now, and I am ready to crack on. I signed 10 years ago, and I left seven years ago. I had some good times, definitely, and I enjoyed my time here. Obviously, there were some disappointments because we lost in the play-offs twice, so maybe I’ve got a little bit to point to prove here.

“There are a couple of factors, to be honest. One is the gaffer. I loved working with him last year. I’ve obviously known him for a long time; I played with him at Watford when I was 19. Last year was the first time I worked with him [as a Head Coach]. I loved it and working with his staff as well. I enjoyed working with them. As someone around the training ground or the squad and everyone else involved, it’s brilliant. It was a big part of my coming here again and wanting to work with him for a bit longer.

“[My role is] similar to last season; I’m one of the more experienced players now. I’m nearly 34, so I’ve been around a long time, and I feel he likes what I can bring on the pitch but just as much off the pitch. I’d like to say I’m a good lad around the place; I think he liked that last year.”

Derby make £5m+ bid to sign "great" player for Eustace

Despite already wrapping up deals for Weimann and Carlton Morris, according to The Athletic, Derby have now submitted a bid to sign Patrick Agyemang from MLS side Charlotte FC.

The report states that the offer is worth $8 million, which is roughly £5.8 million, and while that has yet to be accepted by the MLS side, Agyemang has already been given the go-ahead to join the Championship side this summer.

The 24-year-old, who has been dubbed “great” by USA teammate Tyler Adams, joined Charlotte FC in 2022, and in the 2024 season, the versatile forward scored 10 goals in 31 MLS games. Agyemang was on course to beat that tally in the 2025 season, as he’s already scored six goals in 16 games.

Apps

72

Goals

22

Assists

5

The USA international is out of contract at the end of 2025, so Derby will be hoping that fee is enough for them to get a deal over the line and add Agyemang to their long list of exciting attackers ahead of the new season kicking off.

Rashid Khan wishes “we could do something and wish there was a solution for it” but can’t do much about “some things which is not under the control of anyone in cricket.” The Afghanistan T20I captain was responding to whether beating Australia at the T20 World Cup on Saturday night in St Vincent gave them extra satisfaction.The backdrop to the question was in relation to Cricket Australia’s decision to not play Afghanistan bilaterally due to “a marked deterioration in human rights for women and girls” in the country. Earlier this year, Cricket Australia postponed a scheduled three-match T20I series with Afghanistan. CA have also postponed the hosting of a one-off Test for the same reason.”Well, we are sportsmen, and we love sports,” Rashid said at the post-match press conference. “People back home love sports. And I mentioned earlier, cricket is the only source of happiness back home. That’s the only source left in Afghanistan where people could celebrate. And if we keep that source away from us, I don’t know where Afghanistan will remain.Related

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“We sportsmen only think about the cricket. Everyone is saying sports bring the nation together and bring everyone together. So, for me, we’re always happy to play against any side, and that’s the only way where our cricket can improve day by day. Some things which are not under the control of anyone in cricket, and that’s something we can’t do anything about it. Wish we could do something, and wish that was a kind of solution for it, we would have been happy, but I don’t know what’s the solution for that.”Rashid had threatened to withdraw from the Big Bash League in 2023 after CA decided to postpone their ODI series. Rashid’s public stance joined a chorus of protests from Afghanistan’s male cricketers soon after ACB had termed CA’s statement over refusing to play Afghanistan due to the human rights crisis as “pathetic”.Rashid Khan reiterated Afghanistan are happy to play Australia•ICC/Getty Images

Rashid eventually softened his stance and put his name up in the drafts but was forced to miss the tournament through injury. On Sunday, Rashid reiterated they’re happy to play the team, but have no direct control of things that happen beyond cricket.”We’re happy to play any side, but as I mentioned earlier, some things, government, and political things, I don’t know much about these things, and I don’t like it as well. So, I have no answer for this, but my only thing always in mind is I love to play against the big teams. I love to travel all around the world to play and I have received so much so much love from everyone.”Whenever I go to Australia for Big Bash, I think I have got so much love and support from the fans there. They have given me so much love. In 2022 T20 World Cup, when we were playing in Adelaide against Australia, I got more support than them. And that was so satisfying.”Rashid reminisced the love and support he received in the aftermath of his father’s passing during the BBL in 2019, and termed fans in Adelaide [he plays for Adelaide Strikers] as “family”, while maintaining “cricket isn’t the solution for politics.””Playing in Australia, I’ve got massive support in every city. The hospitality I got in Australia, especially during the tough days in 2019 when my dad passed away, that was the hardest time for me when I was in Australia. And the amount of love and support I got from everyone in the team, and also the fans [was immense], I think I call them a family.”But as I said, I love to play all around the world. And those things which are not under the control, and cricket is not the solution, I don’t think we can bring sports into that. If there is another solution, you can take that. But don’t think cricket is the solution of politics and things like that.”So, yeah, if we play in the World Cup, why don’t we play in bilateral series? I think we’re happy to play against the best side. We learn from them. We get better day by day. But that’s the only thing I can say.”

And with that, the Premier League is done and dusted for another year. Arsenal, the division’s second place side, ended things with a win but the real work starts now for new sporting director Andrea Berta.

Mikel Arteta declared post-game on Sunday that work for the new season would commence quickly.

Where do they need to strengthen?

It’s pretty obvious unless you have been living under a rock.

For the first time since the 1923/24 season, yes, over 100 years ago, Arsenal failed to find a player who scored double figures in a league season.

Injuries have no doubt led to this but so has the club’s poor recruitment over the last 18 months.

A new striker and potentially also a winger simply has to be sourced this summer.

Arsenal’s transfer plans post-season

It’s set to be out with the old and in with the new this summer for the Gunners.

Kieran Tierney scored on his final outing for the Gunners at Southampton but it may not have been just his final outing.

Indeed, Raheem Sterling will head back to his parent club while Thomas Partey and Jorginho see their contracts expire in a few weeks time.

Leandro Trossard – linked with Saudi last January – could sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium this summer, but that is unlikely to have an impact on whether or not they sign a new forward.

For that central berth, the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko seem the most likely of candidates but there’s also the potential for a new winger to arrive in the shape of Real Madrid star, Rodrygo.

The Brazilian isn’t the only wide player on their shortlist with reports in recent weeks suggesting that Arsenal have been working on a deal for Rafael Leao.

The Milan star is also wanted by Bayern Munich this summer but there’s has been a new development in Arsenal’s chase.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s according to French publication, Foot Mercato, who suggested over the weekend that while the Portuguese winger is on the club’s ‘shortlist’, Berta actually had a phone call with the player in the last two weeks.

The purpose of that call was to tell Leao that there is definite interest in him from the Gunners.

Arsenal don’t have an endless supply of cash this summer, and with other areas needing to be improved, they will have to spend wisely. Thus, a reported £145m release clause is unlikely to be met too well by the club’s recruitment team.

How Rafael Leao compares to Rodrygo

Speaking last week ahead of the game with Southampton, Arteta was actually asked about the prospect of signing Rodrygo from Real Madrid.

While he didn’t explicitly reveal that Arsenal were interested, he was slightly more open to the prospect of discussing transfers than he was a week or two ago, stating: “If you want to win titles, you have to be the best in the market. The teams that win have the best players.”

Well, speaking of the best players, who would be the better option here?

Rodrygo is an electrifying talent and there is a belief that if he moved away from the Bernabeu and was the main man, he’d be a genuinely scary proposition. After all, this is a player who has scored 50 goals since the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

In comparison, Leao – who’s actually been compared to a young Thierry Henry for his play style on the left flank – has scored 43 times in the same time frame.

So, with fewer goals, why is the Portuguese more exciting?

Goals

0.40

0.34

Assists

0.31

0.24

Shot on target %

36.0%

36.3%

Key passes

2.06

1.91

Progressive passes

4.12

3.76

Shot-creating actions

4.60

4.71

Successful take-ons

2.64

2.56

Progressive carries

5.20

5.63

A genuine speedster, the Milan forward has notably been described by the Athletic’s Alex Barker as “one of the best dribblers in the world”, the numbers certainly showcase that.

He ranks within the top 5% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues this season for successful take ons per 90 minutes with 2.84. In contrast, Rodrygo only ranks among the best 23% with 2.08 per 90 mins in 2024/25.

Evidently both very capable dribblers, over the last three seasons it’s the Milan superstar who comes out on top in most areas, most importantly producing more end product (goals and assists) every 90 minutes.

Leao isn’t just a dribbler and a goalscorer, but he’s also capable of providing assists, delivering more key passes and progressive passes than Madrid’s wing sensation.

It’s likely the latter would be a cheaper acquisition but based on the numbers it’s the Portugal international who looks like the more exciting talent.

Combine that with comparisons to Henry and you have a genuine world beater here capable of getting Arsenal fans off their seats again.

It’s safe to say they’ve lacked that star quality and X factor on too many occasions this season.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 22, 2025

Not many Liverpool fans would’ve expected the side to go all the way and claim the Premier League title during Arne Slot’s first season at the helm.

However, the Dutchman has created a seamless transition after taking the reins from fan-favourite Jürgen Klopp during the summer just under 12 months ago.

He’s won 68% of the matches across all competitions, losing just nine times in his 56 outings – with only two of which coming on home soil against Nottingham Forest and PSG.

Despite such an impressive first year at Anfield, the 46-year-old has already made it clear that he wants new signings to help strengthen his first-team squad on Merseyside.

With the window just around the corner, the hierarchy have already wasted no time in pursuing moves for two players from the same outfit during the summer market.

The latest on Liverpool’s move for Wirtz & Frimpong this summer

Over the last couple of days, a deal has rapidly progressed for right-back Jeremie Frimpong, with the Dutch international set to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold on Merseyside.

The Reds are set to pay £29.5m for his services, with the 24-year-old flying to England over the last few days to complete his switch to link up with Slot’s side.

He could be joined at Anfield by current Bayer Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz next season, with the attacking midfielder also holding talks with the club’s hierarchy over a potential move during the off-season.

It’s been reported that the 22-year-old has chosen the Reds over Manchester City and Bayern Munich, but the two sides will need to agree a fee, which could prove to be over £100m and a new club-record.

Both players would add drastic quality to the current squad at Slot’s disposal, but it may require some players being offloaded to help balance the books given the figures involved in such deals.

The player who Slot needs to sell this summer

After such an impressive season in 2024/25, it would be harsh to offload many players from the Liverpool squad, but Harvey Elliott may want to depart the club for a new challenge elsewhere.

The 22-year-old has dropped down the pecking order after the Dutchman’s arrival last summer, making just 18 league appearances in 2024/25 – only two of which came from a starting position.

He’s since been linked with moves away from Merseyside ahead of the summer window, with Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers just two options on the table for the youngster.

He could be joined out of the door by winger Federico Chiesa, who’s struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League after his £10m switch from Juventus last summer.

The Italian has only made six league appearances in 2024/25, starting just once and featuring for a total of just 104 minutes and failing to register a goal or an assist.

He did manage to find the back of the net in the Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United back in March – which has undoubtedly been the best moment during his time in England.

Many have said that the 27-year-old will need time to settle in England, but after a year, he’s shown little signs of living up to the promise he arrived with – costing them a pretty penny in the process.

Games played

14

Cost per game

£557k

Minutes played

465

Cost per minute

£16.8k

Goals scored

2

Cost per goal

£3.9m

Assists

1

Cost per assist

£7.8m

Chiesa, who has been labelled “world-class” by journalist David Reverter, currently earns a staggering £150k-per-week, a figure that sees him take home £7.8m per sseason – a staggering figure given his lack of impact on Merseyside.

If the club are to take the jump and maintain their success, they will need to invest well this summer, with Wirtz seemingly the big-money signing that the hierarchy are desperately wanting to complete.

Given the German’s tally of 30 combined goals and assists in 2024/25, it’s a no-brainer for the board to try and land him this summer, injecting further quality into the side, which will likely drop Elliott and Chiesa further down the order.

It’s been an unfortunate spell for the Italian winger, but given his mammoth earnings every season, it’s a hefty figure that’s unjustifiable given his lack of impact on the side on Merseyside – allowing for needed funds to secure a deal for the Leverkusen sensation.

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Zak Foulkes made a huge impact in New Zealand’s 3-0 sweep of England and Peter Fulton expects him to be an all-format allrounder soon

Deivarayan Muthu04-Nov-2025The OG swing kings Trent Boult and Tim Southee are done with their New Zealand playing careers. Matt Henry is currently on the sidelines with an injury, and is approaching the wrong side of 30. But there’s a new swing bowler in New Zealand cricket. Meet 23-year-old Zak Foulkes, who is “almost Trent Boult-ish,” according to New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram.In his first ODI bowling innings in Mount Maunganui against England last month, Foulkes made the world sit up and take notice of his swing, more specifically his late swing, when he stormed through the defences of Joe Root with a hooping inswinger in his first over. It was full, but not a drive ball, and veered back in late to make a world-class batter look like an amateur. The wind was blowing from left to right and Foulkes harnessed it to his advantage like Southee and Boult used to do back in the day. Then, in the third ODI in Wellington, Foulkes bested Root with another booming inswinger, this one rapping his pads.Foulkes made a huge impact in New Zealand’s 3-0 sweep of England, coming away with seven wickets in three innings at an average of 14.42 and economy rate of 5.05. Only Blair Tickner took more wickets than Foulkes.Related

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Foulkes’ stock ball to the right-hand batter is the inswinger and to the left-hand batter, it’s the outswinger. After his 4 for 41 in the first ODI, Oram was so impressed with Foulkes that he likened his skills to Boult’s.”It’s his talent and composure,” Oram said. “We know he can swing it at a decent enough pace – mid-130s – and he’s got a bit of a funky release point, which is a bit different for batters to get used to. The fact that he swings it and swings it late is so handy and you saw that ball to Root that went late through the gate and also to left-handers. It’s tough to play, almost Trent Boult-ish with the swing away from the lefties to play and when he gets it right, it’s hard for batters to overcome.”Late swing is Foulkes’ forte, according to former New Zealand batter and current Canterbury head coach Peter Fulton, who has had a front-row seat to Foulkes’ rise from domestic cricket to the New Zealand team.

“His action is just a little bit unusual – he doesn’t quite bowl off the wrong foot, but I think just the nature of his action means he rushes on to guys a bit quicker than probably what the speed gun shows”Peter Fulton on Zak Foulkes

“Look, he swings the ball late, which is a really good attribute to have,” Fulton tells ESPNcricinfo. “Probably, there’s not too many players in international cricket that swing it into the right-hander the way or as much as what he does. So I guess that gives him a little bit of an advantage because it’s not that common.”Foulkes usually operates in the lower 130-kph range, but has the tendency to get the ball to skid off the pitch and hit the bat hard.”Probably the other advantage he has is his action is just a little bit unusual – he doesn’t quite bowl off the wrong foot, but I think just the nature of his action means he rushes on to guys a bit quicker than probably what the speed gun shows,” Fulton says. “So yeah, he’s certainly a little bit quicker than probably what he appears to be.”There was a bit of a running gag that Foulkes could only dismiss left-hand batters – “[Mitchell] Santner was leading that charge,” Foulkes had joked at a press conference – but the twin dismissals of Root provided ample proof of his ability against right-hand batters.Zak Foulkes can bat too, but hasn’t got too many chances to prove that internationally yet•AFP/Getty Images”There’s strengths and weaknesses for every bowler,” Fulton says. “He’s been very, very dangerous to left-handers [in domestic cricket], especially with the ball swinging from around the wicket. But there’s no reason why he can’t be equally as threatening to right-handers. He’s got Joe Root twice now, who is obviously one of the top batsmen in the world. So, Zak is certainly not a one-trick pony.”In his first full Super Smash season, Foulkes was entrusted with the responsibility of bowling the difficult overs and he responded by emerging as Canterbury’s joint-highest wicket-taker, with 12 strikes at an economy rate of 7.36 in their run to the final. Two years on, he took a match haul of nine wickets on Test debut in Zimbabwe and made a striking impression against England in his first ODI innings.Club and T20 stints in England have contributed to his development as a bowler. Besides playing for Warwickshire and Durham in the T20 Blast, Foulkes has turned out for Lytham, a club that Fulton had also played for in the past, as an overseas professional.

“I have no doubt in the next two or three years, if he gets those opportunities with the bat, then hopefully he can be the guy that maybe bats at seven in all three forms for New Zealand”Peter Fulton on Zak Foulkes’ batting

“It [playing in England] definitely helped,” Foulkes said at his press conference after the first ODI against England. “Just being around the type of guys like… played a few games with Jacob Bethell a couple of years ago and played with Matt Potts at Durham. Familiar with a few players, which is cool, and you just learn as much as possible from those guys and hopefully holds me in good stead to go forward.”Foulkes hails from a cricketing family – his father Glen and his brothers Liam and Robbie have all represented Canterbury country. Robbie also played for New Zealand in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.Fulton reckons that Foulkes’ time away from his family in New Zealand and taking on the responsibility as an overseas professional in England have also shaped Foulkes as a person.”It was probably just a good life experience for him to be away from friends and family,” Fulton says. “I suppose, you have to sort of stand on your own two feet. I was happy to obviously send him to a club where I knew people and knew he was going to have a good experience. Then he picked up some county opportunities with Warwickshire and with the [Birmingham] Bears. So, those sorts of experiences have probably also helped him as a cricketer. I’m sure it’s definitely helped him as he’s made that transition to international cricket.”Foulkes is also a capable batter. He had slotted in at No. 3 for St Andrew’s College in the Gillette Cup, a one-day competition for secondary schools boys, before bowling became his primary skill. In the third ODI against England in Wellington, he showed his batting chops with an unbeaten 14 off 24 from No. 9, which helped seal New Zealand’s 3-0 series win. Fulton believes that Foulkes’ ceiling is so high that he can bat at No. 7 and become an all-format player for New Zealand in the future.Ben Foulkes’ emergence will give New Zealand’s selectors a happy headache when the likes of Will O’Rourke, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears and Adam Milne are back•Getty Images”I think all through age-group cricket and high school cricket, Zak was probably more of a batsman,” Fulton says. “He probably bowled medium pace. He finished school and maybe just got a little bit fitter and stronger and decided to run in a little bit harder and try to bowl a bit quicker. Yeah, the part about his game that really excites me is his batting; there’s a lot of potential there.”He’s shown glimpses of that at first-class level for Canterbury, but he just hasn’t had the opportunities in international cricket yet. I have no doubt in the next two or three years, if he gets those opportunities with the bat, then hopefully he can be the guy that maybe bats at seven in all three forms for New Zealand.”Foulkes’ immediate challenge is a five-match T20I series against West Indies, who are coming off a 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh in Bangladesh.”They [West Indies] are obviously a great team and they have been in Bangladesh recently,” Foulkes said on the eve of the first T20I in Auckland. “We know they’re going to come pretty hard with the bat, especially in this T20 stuff. Things I’m expecting as well, which is quite cool.”Foulkes’ emergence will give New Zealand’s selectors a happy headache when the likes of Will O’Rourke, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears and Adam Milne are fit. It’s also a reflection of New Zealand’s depth despite a limited talent pool.

Bavuma says South Africa are confident and won’t be haunted by the ghosts of 2022 when they step on the field against Netherlands

Firdose Moonda16-Oct-2023South Africa insist they are not bothered with the past and this time, they sound believable.As narratives around their victory over Australia last Thursday wound back to 1999 and Herschelle Gibbs’ dropped catch and found poetic justice in the fact that Australia, on their way to a second-straight defeat at this year’s tournament, had missed six chances, South Africa barely seemed to notice the parallels. Who can blame them? All of the current squad were only children back then, with only Rassie van der Dussen’s age in double digits, and Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee had not even been born.Unlike someone like Dale Steyn, who was 16 at the time, they won’t remember crying in front of the television. So it’s understandable that beating Australia did not come as a big surprise to a group of players who have been part of 15 wins in their previous 20 matches over Australia, including a series win in preparation for this tournament. Lucknow was a continuation, not a balm. This generation does not have those kinds of scars.Related

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• Sybrand Engelbrecht, the World Cup debutant who had walked away from cricket

• Can Netherlands surprise red-hot South Africa once again?

But that doesn’t mean they have none. Less than a year ago, ten members from the same squad who are at this World Cup were in the T20 group that were knocked out of the tournament by Netherlands: a team they had never lost to before and will face again on Tuesday.You’d think there has to be some historical pressure to ensure they don’t slip up against an Associate outfit whose touring party includes seven of their countrymen, right? Wrong.”The last time we played Netherlands was back home in South Africa and we needed those points to qualify for the World Cup. The performances that we showed were critical. Our victories there were emphatic, in my view. In terms of the confidence and belief within the team, without us being arrogant or loud about it, I think it’s still up there,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s captain said in Dharamsala.Quinton de Kock is one of ten South Africa players in this World Cup squad who were part of the 2022 T20 World Cup side that got knocked out by Netherlands•AFP/Getty ImagesIn March this year, South Africa had to beat the Dutch in their last fixtures of the World Cup Super League, where thanks to a combination of their own mistakes and their board’s, they found themselves outside the automatic qualification zone. On-field, they had lost series to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh and they weren’t able to get on the field against Australia after CSA opted to forfeit the series to launch the SA20. After beating England 2-1 in January, the two matches against the Dutch were must-win. So, if there were any ghosts from the T20 World Cup, they would have come back to haunt South Africa then.That they didn’t is partly a sign of the exorcism South Africa have been able to do and partly a change in format.”It’s a different format, a different ask in terms of your skills, and being able to do your skills for a longer period of time. That’s something that I think we all need to appreciate,” Bavuma said.It speaks to the idea that the shorter the format the closer the match-ups could be, and Netherlands see ODI cricket as a version that allows them to show their patience game.”We don’t get to play any Test cricket or anything like that, but we play a lot of fifty-over cricket, and we understand the consistency that needs to come with playing good 50-over cricket for long periods of time,” Ryan Cook, the Dutch coach of South African origins said.Unfortunately for the Dutch, the top-tier teams, led by England, have moved beyond seeing ODIs as a condensed form of Tests and adopted a far more aggressive approach to their batting. South Africa are among them and have promised to continue taking calculated risks with their powerhouse top six.Bavuma called it being “opportunistic as batters,” who are “looking to take the game on”. But he’ll know that even the pioneers of that approach – England – have recently been forced into a more tentative game plan and were beaten by Afghanistan, so anything is possible even though South Africa are determined not to be led down a memory lane of failure.”The past is the past. The only thing you can do is learn from it,” South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter said. “If we carry that burden, it uses up energy. [We know] if you don’t rock up on the day, you could find yourself under pressure. We don’t disrespect any opposition by viewing them as weaker opponents. We have very little focus on what’s happened and more emphasis on what we can control.”South African teams have said this before, usually with a touch of irritation in the tone and then we, as the listeners, knew it was getting to them and they, the opposition, knew which buttons to push.Now, there’s a neutrality to the conversation. South Africa acknowledge their embarrassing defeats like the one against Netherlands and own their errors. It’s the best way to make sure those mistakes don’t come back to own them.

There is no need for rash judgements but a few questions loom ahead of the England series

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Jun-20213:57

What’s ailing Cheteshwar Pujara?

As the sun set on a glorious summer’s day at the Ageas Bowl, India, who finished second at the World Test Championship final, were still at the ground. While Virat Kohli’s team ruminated on the events over the course of this rain-truncated six-day Test at the on-site team hotel, at the opposite end Kane Williamson’s team was toasting to the victory along with food in the dressing room. The pandemic had created this surreal moment where the defeated could hear the celebrations of the winner. You don’t need to play sport to understand how much that hurts.Immediately after Ross Taylor flicked the winning runs Williamson had skipped merrily towards his team-mate to hug and celebrate this historic moment in New Zealand’s cricket history. Metres away, with pursed lips, Kohli shook hands with his team-mates first. Then with the rest of the India squad and the coaching staff followed by the New Zealand team.A proud man, who would never show defeat in his body language, Kohli climbed the two-tier staircase towards the Indian dressing room with his head bowed. In the adjacent Shane Warne stand Indian fans tried to cheer him up, but that had no effect. Later he would walk back alone dejected towards the team hotel with his India blazer in one hand, holding a bag of sweaty gear in plastic bag in the other hand. Wondering what might have happened.This was for third global tournament where Kohli’s India had failed to win the title: the 2017 Champions Trophy, the 2019 World Cup and now in the WTC final. All three defeats have come in England. All three times the reason has been the same: batting failure.Related

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In the 2017 Champions Trophy final India could barely breathe once Mohammed Amir hit India in the solar plexus by removing Rohit Sharma and Kohli in quick succession. In the 2019 World Cup semi-final, Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri said India had lost their head in the half hour period where the top order fell apart against New Zealand. In the WTC final, under sunny skies, India’s batters were unraveled expertly by the sustained pressure employed by New Zealand’s four fast bowlers. What happens to India’s batting in global tournaments?It would be foolish to rush into any rash judgement. Unlike New Zealand, who entered the final on the back of a two-Test series against England, Kohli’s men had not played any cricket since early May during the IPL and then landed in Southampton where they played a three-day intra-squad match which was in sunny weather. Then last Saturday they were put into bat in the most difficult conditions – dark, gloomy overcast skies. None of the India batters got a 50 as Kyle Jamieson troubled them with his high release point. He would do the same once again in the second innings as the batters crumbled under pressure.Kohli summarised the defeat saying India had allowed New Zealand bowlers to dominate because they did not look to score. But is that really the case? This Test was played on a pitch made for fast bowlers. However, even the bowlers themselves had to work hard and find the right lengths to make the batter play and draw the false stroke. Only Jamieson succeeded in both innings without breaking much sweat. The rest of them had to work hard to succeed and even then some like Jasprit Bumrah struggled.

There is no lack of self-belief in this India squad. Otherwise they would have never won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia with a second-string team in the absence of a host of key players including Kohli. Senior batters like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Sharma will need to assist Kohli in being the backbone of India batting

In a match where the average scoring rate was hovering around the two runs-per-over mark, batting was never going to be easy. Yet you had to find a way. And one batter who stood out was the best in this match: Williamson. In both innings Williamson displayed a masterclass in not just being patient but in playing the ball late, playing with soft hands, leaving balls that he did not need to play, riding his luck, and then accumulating runs at a steady clip once the bowlers tired.On Wednesday afternoon as R Ashwin roared and soared into the air having tricked Tom Latham and Devon Conway, India were threatening to make an improbable comeback. But Williamson did not want to counterattack. He was well aware that there were enough overs left in the afternoon and his priority was to bide time before seizing the moment at an opportune time.The New Zealand captain’s patience paid off. The India pace bowlers were weary having bowled tirelessly on Tuesday. Ashwin, too, became relatively easy to deal with. The runs started coming as the bowlers offered width and bowled short. Willliamson along with Taylor picked the right deliveries to attack while taking minimal risks. It was a strategy opposite to the one Kohli was suggesting.India were not as well-prepared for the final as New Zealand which may have contributed to the batting problems•Getty ImagesIndia also need to work out their team balance. They announced their XI on June 17, the eve of the WTC final. The next day was a washout but India retained their team. As Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Bumrah tired out, the question about whether India could have done with an extra seamer remained alive throughout. But as India move their focus towards the five-Test England series, they might even need to consider whether they need batting cushion with a sixth specialist in Hanuma Vihari.On the 2018 England tour Kohli was the best batter on both sides, the only one to aggregate over 500 runs in the five-Test series which India lost 4-1. Kohli said England allrounder Sam Curran was the difference between the two teams as the left-arm bowling allrounder created an impact with both ball and bat. In the WTC final it was Jamieson.There is no lack of self-belief in this India squad. Otherwise they would have never won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia with a second-string team in the absence of a host of key players including Kohli. Senior batters like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Sharma will need to assist Kohli in being the backbone of India batting. The success of these men will invigorate Rishabh Pant and Shumban Gill who can score at a fast clip and take the game away in a matter of a session.Pant nearly did that on Wednesday but paid the price for playing the stroke after lunch on the sixth day which firmly tilted the contest in New Zealand’s favour. Pant is young and the team management wants to give him the long leash which will help him understand his responsibility. But even the seniors like Pujara, who has been one of the weakest batters for India in the WTC, need to figure out a way to work for the team’s goal.After the defeat Kohli gave a big nod to the WTC saying Test cricket is the “heart beat” of international game. He knows Test cricket is a mountain that cannot be scaled at one go. It needs a lot of planning and then a lot of things to fall in place, some of which are not in your hands. But one has to be prepared, both mentally, physically and skillwise. Otherwise one can very easily slip and fall. India’s batters have a mountain to climb soon when they embark on the five-Test series against England. Can they make a difference?

The MLB hot stove continues this offseason with another mid-week trade. On Wednesday night, the Astros sent infielder Mauricio Dubón to the Braves in exchange for fellow infielder Nick Allen. Dubón won his second Gold Glove award this season, whlie Allen was a finalist for the award for the first time in his career.

Dubón spent the last three and a half seasons in Houston. He helped the team win the 2022 World Series, then he earned his first Gold Glove award in ‘23. He typically splits his time between second base and shortstop, but he also has made an appearance in every defensive position apart from pitcher and catcher. He’ll become a strong utility player in Atlanta.

This past season, Dubón averaged .241/.289/.355 with 89 hits, seven home runs, 43 runs and 33 RBIs. He also produced a 1.7 dWAR to help him earn his Gold Glove.

Allen spent just one season with the Braves after he was traded there from the Athletics. He averaged .221/.284/.251 in 135 games he appeared in this past season. At shortstop, he was named a finalist for the Gold Glove.

This trade came shortly after Braves signed pitcher Raisel Iglesias to a one-year, $16 million contract to return to Atlanta for a fourth season.

On paper, this trade appears to be pretty equal—we’ll see how it turns out for both the Braves and the Astros in the 2026 season.

Orioles pitcher Brandon Young was four outs away from a perfect game Friday night at Daikin Park in Houston.

With two outs in the 8th inning, he did all he could to try and save his perfect game and no-hit bid on a slowly hit ground ball by Astros second baseman Ramón Urías. Young picked up the bouncing ball with his bare hand and made an off-balanced throw to first base to try and get Urías but the throw went wide and past first baseman Coby Mayo.

The play was ruled an infield single, breaking up both the perfect game and no-hitter, plus a throwing error by Young which allowed Urías to get to second.

He struck out the next batter, which ended his night as Yaramil Hiraldo came in for the ninth to close out Baltimore's 7-0 victory. Young threw eight scoreless innings on 93 pitches and 61 strikes, striking out six batters and allowing just the one costly hit.

It was a close call for what would've been the first no-hitter this season and only the 25th perfect game of all time. The last perfect game was thrown by Domingo Germán for the Yankees during the 2023 season. Before that, the previous perfect game took place more than a decade earlier when Félix Hernández accomplished the feat in '12.

Nevertheless, it was a masterful outing by Young. He made his MLB debut earlier this season and had an 0-6 record and 6.70 ERA over 10 starts heading into the night. He did throw an immaculate inning earlier in the season though, completing an inning by retiring three batters on nine straight strikes.

This certainly qualifies as a memorable first major-league win.