Thiago Alcantara has started his new role as Barcelona assistant coach under Hansi Flick, bringing his vision and experience to the first-team setup.
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Essex skittled Notts for 96 in their first innings before the visiting captain’s century earned back some respectability
ECB Reporters Network11-Sep-2024
Jamie Porter took his third five-wicket haul of the summer•Getty Images
Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer shared nine first-innings wickets as Essex skittled Nottinghamshire for 93 on a morning of utter carnage at Chelmsford.Seam bowler Porter took his third five-wicket haul of the season, and second in consecutive Vitality County Championship matches, to finish with 5 for 35, season’s best figures that included three wickets in five balls.Simon Harmer also claimed his best bowling figures of the summer with 4 for 16 from 12.5 overs and then took the first two wickets of Nottinghamshire’s second innings. Allied with a season’s best 51 in Essex’s 457, it was a welcome return to form for the off-spinning all-rounder who has been dogged by persistent injury.Nottinghamshire’s inability to cope with Porter’s pace and Harmer’s guile on a wicket that had become less benign overnight, left them 364 runs adrift on first innings. When they followed on, captain Haseeb Hameed led the fightback with a patiently crafted unbeaten 100 from 151 balls and put on an unbroken 131 with Joe Clarke (62 not out) for the third wicket. At the close, Nottinghamshire were 180 for 2, still 184 runs from making Essex bat again.It was the perfect repost from Essex on the day the ECB confirmed their 12-point deduction after opening batsman Feroze Khushi was found to have used an illegally-sized bat in the reverse fixture at Trent Bridge in April. It does, however, end their dwindling hopes of challenging for the title.Nottinghamshire’s first innings fell apart spectacularly on a sunny, though chilly morning as 48 for 1 became 93 all out, with nine wickets clattering in 87 minutesThere was no sign of what was to come in the first half-hour as Ben Slater and Freddie McCann added 31 to their overnight score. But then Harmer came on and struck first ball when McCann moved forward half-cock and was the first of five LBWs in the morning. Harmer had two of the next three wickets to fall as Ben Slater was snaffled at slip and Jack Haynes was the second lbw victim.In between Porter replaced the unlucky Sam Cook, who had discomforted McCann on several occasions and might have had something to show for a venomous opening spell had Matt Critchley not dropped Joe Clarke at gulley. It did not prove too expensive as Porter had Clarke pinned lbw in his first over.Nottinghamshire’s South African wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne came out all guns blazing, reverse-sweeping Harmer for four and driving Porter over the long-off boundary. However, his nine-ball cameo ended on 12 when he drove Porter uppishly into the covers.Lyndon James departed to a stunning full-length dive low to his left by Michael Pepper to spark Porter’s three-quick-wicket burst. Luke Fletcher, first ball, and Liam Patterson-White fell lbw before Harmer wrapped things up by having Rob Lord caught at bat-pad.Following on, Hameed and Slater looked comfortable for a dozen overs after lunch before Slater misjudged a delivery from Harmer that beat the outside edge and bowled him. The teenaged McCann was bamboozled for a second time by Harmer, the sixth player to go lbw during the day.Hameed was particularly strong off the back-foot, punching the ball through extra cover for a succession of boundaries, and reached his sixth fifty-plus score of the season from 70 balls. That Nottinghamshire made a better fist of it in the second innings was illustrated by the fact they had overhauled their first-innings total by tea for the loss of just two wickets.Hameed found a willing partner in Clarke and the pair steadied things by putting the first fifty of their stand in 14 overs, taking another 15 for the second fifty. As confidence grew, Clarke came down the wicket and smashed Harmer over midwicket for six on the way to reaching his half-century from 105 balls.A quick single took Hameed to three-figures just before stumps off his 151st ball.
Batter calls time on England having not featured since 50-over World Cup in 2023
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2024Dawid Malan, England’s former No.1-ranked T20I batter, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37.Malan, who played 22 Tests, 30 ODIs and 62 T20Is, is one of only two England men’s batters (alongside Jos Buttler) to have made centuries in all three international formats. However, he had not featured in an England squad since the 50-over World Cup in India last year, and confirmed his decision after his omission from the forthcoming white-ball series against Australia.”It has been an incredible journey since July 2017,” Malan said. “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to play for England in all three formats.”Cricket, like most sports, is an industry where almost everyone eventually retires wishing they had done that little bit more. Whether you’ve played ten Tests or 100, many step away regretting not playing just one more, scoring a few more runs, or winning more trophies.”Right now, as I retire from international cricket, I can say I am genuinely satisfied. It has not been easy. It may be my nature, but for whatever reason, it has always seemed that I had something to prove and often felt as if I was playing for my place. The pressure goes with the territory, but it does take a mental and physical toll. Even so, I look back with pride on what I have been able to achieve.”Despite announcing himself with a free-flowing innings of 78 from 44 on his T20I debut against South Africa in 2017, Malan’s initial breakthrough with England came on the following winter’s Ashes tour, where he made his only Test hundred, 140 from 227 balls, in partnership with Jonny Bairstow at Perth.However, it was in the T20I format that he truly made his name, most particularly in the aftermath of England’s ODI World Cup victory in 2019, when he forced his way into the team’s 20-over plans through his sheer weight of run-making, including a 48-ball hundred at Napier on that winter’s tour of New Zealand.In September 2020, he reached the top of the ICC’s batting rankings for T20I cricket, and the following March, he became the fastest men’s player to reach 1000 runs in the format, from just 24 innings, all but one of which had been at least double-figures. He was also a T20 World Cup winner in Australia in 2022, although he missed the knock-out stages after tearing his groin in the field against Sri Lanka.Due to the success of the 50-over squad, Malan took longer to break into the ODI team – despite the prevailing sense that it was the format for which he was best suited, with his tendency to begin an innings cautiously before unfurling his full range of strokes at the back end often attracting criticism during his T20I performances.Nevertheless, he seized his chance when it came, scoring five ODI hundreds in the space of 15 innings between June 2022 and September 2023, to make an unequivocal case to replace England’s incumbent opener, Jason Roy, in the 2023 World Cup squad. He then added a sixth hundred in the second match of the tournament to guide England to victory over Bangladesh in Dharamsala, but he could not survive the fall-out from the team’s disappointing overall campaign.Speaking to The Times, Malan said that he had “exceeded all expectations of myself in white-ball formats”, but admitted that his inability to forge a more consistent Test career would be a regret. Ten of his 22 appearances came on consecutive tours of Australia in 2017-18 and 2021-22, where his average of 33.00 is bettered only by Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow among regular England performers of the past decade. However, he never played the format again after England’s 146-run defeat at Hobart in January 2022.Related
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“Test cricket was always the pinnacle for me growing up,” he said. “At times I played well but in between just wasn’t good enough or consistent enough, which was disappointing because I felt I was a better player than that.”I took all three formats extremely seriously but the intensity of Test cricket was something else: five days plus the days building up. I’m a big trainer; I love hitting lots of balls and I’d train hard in the build-up, and then the days were long and intense. You can’t switch off. I found it very mentally draining, especially the long Test series that I played, where my performances dropped off from the third or fourth Test onwards.””But, you know, on the field I always did what I felt was right to win a game for the team. I never walked off the field if I got runs not caring about whether we had won or lost. It was always about winning and I’d always question myself as to whether I’d made the right decisions on the field to do that.”Malan is likely to be in high demand on the T20 franchise circuit with his England career behind him. He was most recently in action for Oval Invincibles, helping the team to victory in the Men’s Hundred, two years after he was part of the Trent Rockets squad that claimed the 2022 title. Last winter, he helped Sunrisers Eastern Cape win the second season of the SA20, and was also in action for Multan Sultans in the PSL.Rob Key, the managing director of England Men’s Cricket, added: “Dawid Malan retires after an excellent international career marked by resilience and determination.”Early on, he had to fight for every opportunity, often facing some of the best teams in the world. His contributions were pivotal, particularly during the memorable World Cup victories in Australia, where he played an integral role in the team’s success.”His legacy will be remembered as one of tenacity and achievement on the international stage – traits any player would be extremely proud to have.”
Fulham have now opened talks to sign a “spectacular” U21 European Championships star, having expressed a concrete interest in securing his signature, according to a report from Sky Sports.
Cottagers set sights on U21 Euros star
Several players put themselves in the shop window courtesy of their performances at the recent U21 Euros, with former Fulham man Harvey Elliott playing a vital role in England’s triumph, picking up five goals throughout the tournament.
The Cottagers have expressed an interest in signing Elliott in the past, and the midfielder’s recent performances are only likely to have driven up his value, with Liverpool now thought to be holding out for a fee of £40m.
However, the Liverpool ace was not the only midfielder who excelled at the tournament, with a report revealing Marco Silva’s side have now taken steps towards securing the signature of a different midfielder…
Leeds leading Fulham in race to sign £8.5m defender alongside Bornauw
Leeds United are now in a race to sign a defender who has been impressing in Germany.
ByBrett Worthington Jul 1, 2025
According to Sky Sports (via Sport Witness), Fulham have now expressed a concrete interest in signing Borussia Monchengladbach’s Rocco Reitz, submitting an enquiry over a potential summer deal.
Reitz has a £17m release clause which becomes active next summer, and he is attracting widespread interest from within the Premier League, with West Ham United thought to be leading the race for his signature.
Monchengladbach are worried by the interest in one of their key players, with the German club determined to retain his services, but the fact the midfielder is set to be available for £17m next year could lead them to auctioning him off this summer.
"Spectacular" Reitz impressing for Germany U21s
Germany ultimately came up short in the U21 Euros final, with England prevailing 3-2 after Jonathan Rowe’s extra-time winner, but Reitz impressed throughout the tournament, being singled out for high praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Fellow scout Antonio Mango has lauded the maestro as “spectacular” in the past, and he has proven himself to be exceptional at winning back possession, ranking in the top 1% for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
After losing Joao Palhinha last summer, Fulham brought in Sander Berge, but there are signs the Mönchengladbach midfielder could be more of a like-for-like replacement for the Portugal international, considering his defensive qualities.
As such, Reitz could be a shrewd acquisition for Silva this summer, and the manager will be hoping that Fulham finishing higher than West Ham last season will give them the edge over their Premier League rivals in negotiations.
Alexander Isak’s form in the 2024/25 campaign for Newcastle United has been sensational. Around a month ago, at the end of April, Jamie Carragher described the Swede as the “best striker in the Premier League right now”, and looking at the numbers, it is not hard to see why.
In 33 games in the English top flight, the striker has scored 23 goals and grabbed six assists. He has featured for 2,684 minutes in the Premier League, leaving him with an extraordinary average of one goal every 116 minutes.
With Isak’s superb form, it is no surprise Newcastle are looking to bolster his attack and bring him even more support in forward areas ahead of next term.
There might not be a more eye-catching signing to go along with Isak and winger Anthony Gordon in the Magpies’ attack than Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens. It has been an impressive campaign for the Englishman, and he could well leave the Bundesliga this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a report from former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, in conversation with Football Insider, Newcastle ‘are working on a move to sign’ the young winger this summer. Brown confirmed that the North Eastern side have ‘had scouts watching him this season’ and could now swoop in to sign him.
Surprisingly, although Gittens is a player with high potential, this is a deal that could come cheap.
A report from talkSPORT last month claimed he is valued at just £35m by Dortmund. However, they also link Chelsea to a move for the winger, meaning Newcastle might face strong competition.
It has been a strong campaign for Gittens, despite a tough time of it as a team for Dortmund. Described by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley as “England’s best winger in 24/25”, the 20-year-old has certainly made a difference at times in that famous Black and Yellow shirt.
In 48 games this season across all competitions, Gittens has managed to find the back of the net on 12 occasions and has also created five goals for his teammates. In total, 12 of those goal involvements have come in the Bundesliga.
However, if there was one game where Gittens really showed what he can do, it was away to Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage. The former Manchester City academy man impressed against the La Liga giants, executing an incisive counter-attack to give his side a 2-0 lead.
One thing that really stands out about Gittens is his ability with the ball at his feet. He is a fantastic ball carrier, deadly in one-vs-one scenarios and confident in taking a defender on and beating him in those situations.
In fact, the stats on FBref from the Bundesliga season show just how good he is when carrying the ball. For example, Gittens averages 5.73 progressive carries and 3.9 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, both of which rank him in the top 1% of wingers in the Bundesliga.
|
Gittens dribbling numbers in 2024/25 Bundesliga |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Number |
Percentile vs. attackers |
|
Take-ons attempted |
8.67 |
99th |
|
Take-ons completed |
3.9 |
99th |
|
Progressive carries |
5.73 |
99th |
|
Carries into final third |
2.84 |
94th |
|
Carries into penalty area |
3.19 |
99th |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
Well, Newcastle will be hoping that Gittens can replicate Isak’s impact at St James’ Park. Just like the young England U21 star, Isak was formerly a Dortmund player, where he made 13 appearances but only scored once.
However, his impact in the North East has been colossal, proving that you can certainly make a fine transition from Germany to English football.
108 games and 62 goals later, he is, as Carragher said, one of the stars of the Premier League, and a far better player than he was at Dortmund all those years ago.
Newcastle would surely love for Gittens to replicate that sort of impact. He could well become the second coming of Isak, that is to say, a former Dortmund player who has a fantastic impact on the North Eastern club.
At just £35m, Gittens seems like a bargain, and this feels like a move Newcastle must do, to further elevate their attack.
A dream for Isak: Newcastle plotting move for £50m "wonderkid"
Howe has sent scouts to watch a Bundesliga wonderkid for Newcastle United.
By
Ross Kilvington
May 17, 2025
Chelsea now want to trigger the £70m release clause included in the contract of an “unbelievable” Premier League star, according to a report.
Blues set for exciting end to the season
As the season approaches its climax, the Blues still have everything to play for, with the result in next Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest set to decide whether Enzo Maresca’s side return to the Champions League next season.
Not only that, but the west Londoners also have the opportunity to become the first club to win all three major European trophies, should they defeat Real Betis in the Conference League final at the end of the month,
In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Gus Poyet recently spoke about the importance of Maresca winning the Conference League, despite it not being the most prestigious competition, saying: “I think for him, Chelsea winning the European competition will be the platform to build on for next season. It’s always important winning a trophy for Chelsea and you cannot lose that.
£172k-per-week star keen to join Chelsea regardless of Champions League race
He’d want the move to Stamford Bridge no strings attached.
13 ByEmilio Galantini May 17, 2025
In order to compete for the more major honours next season, however, Chelsea may need to strengthen this summer, and a report from Spain has now revealed they are lining up a move for Eberechi Eze, fresh off the back of the winger scoring the winner in the FA Cup final.
Such is the Blues’ level of interest, they are willing to trigger the £70m release clause in Eze’s contract, but there may be competition for the Crystal Palace star’s signature, with Manchester City also making moves.
Palace are, understandably, reluctant to sell the 26-year-old, but the England international thinks this summer could be the perfect time to leave and start competing for major trophies more regularly elsewhere.
Eze could be "unbelievable" signing for Chelsea
The 26-year-old could now be tempted to remain at Selhurst Park beyond the summer, with his goal in the shock 1-0 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City securing Europa League football for the Eagles next season.
However, the London-born attacker has certainly earned a big move this summer, having regularly provided goals and assists in all three of the domestic competitions he has competed in this season.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Premier League
32
7
8
FA Cup
5
4
1
EFL Cup
4
2
2
The Palace star has been performing at a very high level for quite some time, having been lauded as “unbelievable” by Statman Dave last season, so it is little wonder that some of the Premier League’s top clubs are queuing up for his signature.
Right now, Eze will undoubtedly want to revel in the glory of securing a first-ever major trophy for Palace, but the Englishman will have a difficult decision to make this summer, as a move to Chelsea could be of great appeal, should they manage to qualify for the Champions League.
In mid-December, Chelsea moved within touching distance of leaders Liverpool after beating Brentford 2-1 in the Premier League. However, Enzo Maresca was quick to dispel claims that his team were title challengers.
Such words were met as being overly pragmatic, but there has been a fair bit of prescience through a number of the Italian’s comments, also calling for more productivity from his forwards to ease the burden on Cole Palmer’s shoulders.
Palmer, so effortlessly untouchable last season, has been in the mire over the past few months, with Saturday’s victory over Everton taking his goalless run to 17 matches in all competitions.
The England international will be back in the limelight before long, and no mistake, such is his top-grade quality. Maresca, in any case, has proven himself to be an expert tactician, albeit a tad set in his ways.
But he is open to change, which was perfectly illustrated by the decision to unleash Noni Madueke on the left wing at the weekend.
Noni Madueke's new role
Madueke has ebbed and flowed for Chelsea this season, starting off to a flyer but peeling away in recent months, only scoring twice across 13 recent Premier League outings.
He didn’t score, nor did he claim an assist, but Madueke was an absolute menace up and down that left channel, darting this way and that while getting stuck in to win balls off his opponents and beat them in the duel.
Minutes played
78′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots (on target)
4 (4)
Accurate passes
20/25 (80%)
Key passes
0
Dribbles
4/6
Duels won
9/13
Tackles
2
Maresca will also have been pleased to note that the left-footer managed to hit the target with all four of his efforts on goal, certainly suggesting he could find himself featuring in this new role with regularity over the closing weeks.
The London Standard were impressed, giving the 23-year-old an 8/10 match rating after his excellent display, noting that he terrorised Toffees right-back Nathan Patterson throughout the afternoon.
This is all well and good, especially with Jadon Sancho not quite hitting his full stride and Mykhaylo Mudryk remaining unavailable for selection, but it’s not going to change Chelsea’s approach this summer.
The Londoners want a new left-sided winger, and they may well be circling in on an upgrade on Madueke.
Chelsea make contact for new winger
As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea have made contact with Jamie Gittens’ management team as they look to complete a deal this summer.
Prepared to double the Borussia Dortmund prospect’s salary, Chelsea appear to have found the perfect player to strengthen their wide flanks, especially since the Bundesliga club would be willing to do business.
Former €100m (£87m) demands have been whittled down given sixth-place Dortmund’s struggles this season, with Chelsea confident they can get a deal done for €60m (£51m).
Why Chelsea should sign Jamie Gittens
A product of Manchester City’s youth academy, Gittens left his homeland and signed for Bor. Dortmund in 2020, when he was just 16.
It was a bold move, but one that has paid dividends for a rising talent now regarded as “England’s best winger in 2024/25” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, having made prolific headway this season.
24/25
45 (33)
12
5
23/24
34 (18)
2
8
22/23
20 (5)
3
1
21/22
4 (1)
0
0
Now 20, Gittens has added goals to his name, having demonstrated his creative flair in the past, and it’s frightening to think that he’s still so young.
The addition of goals to his game makes for a nice showcase, but Gittens’ nuts and bolts derive from his athleticism, his pace and running power. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90.
His goalscoring sense, combined with the ferocious wheels, make Gittens a contender for superstardom down the line. It’s not out of the question to claim that he’s already performing above Madueke’s level, something echoed by the aforementioned Critchley.
Having outscored his compatriot, Gittens has also averaged 2.7 dribbles and won 5.2 duels per Bundesliga game this term, as per Sofascore.
These are skills that bespeak a successful career in the Premier League, with Madueke recording inferior metrics: 1.3 dribbles and 3.3 successful duels per fixture.
Gittens really does have the world at his feet, with his ball-striking catered toward various angles, capable of arcing efforts across goal or angling strikes into the close corner.
His quick feet and intelligent touches allow him to connect with teammates and burst through the lines to find space in the danger area. This is something which could work a treat with Palmer, whose central influence would appear to be perfect for such a darting wide partner.
He’s also proven himself in the Champions League, actually praised by Fabrizio Romano earlier in the campaign for his “special” game against Club Brugge to kick off the term, bagging twice off the bench in a 3-0 win.
The £49k-per-week prospect has everything in his locker to become a top-performing star for Maresca’s Chelsea, bearing a ball-playing capacity and smartness on the ball that echoes that of Madueke while developing a goalscoring sense that could tip the odds in his favour as he strives for that regular starting berth in the years to come at Stamford Bridge.
Best signing since Palmer: Chelsea make big offer for "world-class" gem
Chelsea appear to be edging closer to landing their first signing ahead of the summer window.
ByEthan Lamb Apr 25, 2025
The top order and the spin department are areas of major concern as the selectors sit down to pick the Bangladesh squad for the Champions Trophy 2025
Mohammad Isam10-Jan-2025Top order a major issue to addressBangladesh’s top three has been a major source of worry in the last couple of years. So much so that the selectors recently held a meeting with Tamim about making a comeback, though that avenue is now closed. Bangladesh have the worst-performing top order over the last two years among teams that will feature at the Champions Trophy.Related
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Tanzid Hasan hasn’t established himself after being chosen ahead of Tamim for the 2023 World Cup. He couldn’t quite get a big score against West Indies last month, and his opening partner Soumya Sarkar has not fared much better of late. Also, Soumya is recovering from a finger injury, which forced him out of the ongoing BPL. The selectors are hoping that he recovers in time for the Champions Trophy.Litton Das’ woeful form in white-ball cricket – he averages 13.13 in 25 ODIs and T20Is in 2024 – has continued at the ongoing BPL (three single-digit scores and only one more than 31 in his first five games). The Gazi Ashraf Hossain-led selection panel previously dropped Litton from the ODI squad in March last year, will they do it again for the Champions Trophy?On the plus side, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s return from injury will be a relief.Does Shakib, the batter, fit into the middle order?Mushfiqur Rahim and Towhid Hridoy will be shoo-ins for the middle order and Mahmudullah is a middle-order mainstay. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has taken on big responsibilities in this area. And Jaker Ali has been Bangladesh’s batting revelation in the last 12 months, particularly in the West Indies where he batted well in all three formats.Shakib Al Hasan is waiting on results of his bowling-action testing in Chennai•Getty ImagesSo where can Shakib – as welcome as the addition of someone of his skill and experience would be – fit in? Will it be a little unfair on the rest of the middle order if he can’t bowl? Maybe results from his bowling reassessment in Chennai will come in in time and make things simpler.Other candidates include Afif Hossain, who returned to the ODI side against West Indies recently, and the big-hitting Shamim Hossain.The other question mark is concerning who keeps wicket. Litton’s batting form means Mushfiqur or Jaker might have to step up in that regard. Mushfiqur is returning from multiple injuries including a finger blow. Whether Bangladesh want to rely on Jaker for this job is another talking point.Problem of plenty in the pace attackTaskin Ahmed is the leader of the pace attack, while Nahid Rana is their sharpest weapon at the moment. Mustafizur Rahman remains the white-ball mainstay, especially for the death overs. Which leaves a question mark next to Shoriful Islam’s name – a tough call given his new-ball capabilities.Hasan Mahmud and Tanzim Hasan are strong third-seamer options, but the selectors will also consider the recovered Ebadot Hossain. The pace department will be a good headache for the selectors.With Taskin Ahmed and Co firing, pace is one area Bangladesh have no worries•Cricket West IndiesMehidy’s bowling form a concernGoing against the grain, Bangladesh’s spin attack is an area of concern. Mehidy’s bowling form hasn’t been great while Taijul Islam and Nasum Ahmed haven’t been able to grab the left-arm spinner’s role in ODIs at least. Taijul has done well in Tests recently, while Nasum has had a mixed bag since returning against Afghanistan in November.Mahedi Hasan did brilliantly in the T20Is against West Indies, winning the Player-of-the-Series award. But Mahedi is a T20I specialist, so a spot in this squad would be a huge surprise.
With Afghanistan securing their place in next year’s World Cup, there’s only one spot left for automatic qualification
Sampath Bandarupalli28-Nov-2022Afghanistan became the seventh team to secure direct qualification for next year’s 50-over World Cup following the rained-off ODI against Sri Lanka on Sunday. Afghanistan, alongside the World Cup hosts India, England, New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, will occupy the top seven spots in the Super League, barring points deductions for slow over-rates.That means only one of West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Ireland have a realistic chance for the remaining spot to avoid the qualifiers. The maximum number of points the current six teams in the bottom can achieve is 109, while each of the top six teams have 120 and more. Afghanistan, currently placed seventh with 115 points, still have ten matches to be played. It is unlikely they will slip below 109 with over-rate penalties due to their spin-heavy bowling unit and having not lost a point yet.Related
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West Indies
West Indies are the only side to complete their 24 fixtures of the Super League. For West Indies to make it through to the World Cup directly with 88 points, none of Ireland, Sri Lanka and South Africa should win more than two of their remaining matches. West Indies could see themselves tie on 88 points with Ireland (if they win two of their remaining three), but they will be ranked higher based on the number of wins.Ireland
Ireland would need to win their remaining three matches to have any chance of direct qualification for the World Cup. That, however, won’t be enough if either Sri Lanka or South Africa win all their remaining matches. Ireland’s chances will improve only if both Sri Lanka and South Africa don’t win more than three games from hereon.Getty ImagesSri Lanka
Sri Lanka need to win at least three of their remaining matches to have a chance of direct qualification for the World Cup. In the scenario of three wins, they need to hope South Africa don’t win more than three while Ireland don’t win more than two of their remaining games. Even if Sri Lanka win their remaining four games, they still need South Africa to lose a game.It also won’t be easy for Sri Lanka going ahead as their remaining games are New Zealand in New Zealand after the last ODI against Afghanistan. Sri Lanka have not won an ODI series in New Zealand since 2001 and New Zealand not losing an ODI at home since 2019.South Africa
South Africa still have eight matches to be played, but three of those are against Australia, a series for which they will lose points due to forfeiture. South Africa can qualify for the World Cup irrespective of other results if they win the remaining five games. They must, however, win at least three matches to have a chance of a No.8 finish.Three wins will be enough for South Africa if Sri Lanka and Ireland don’t win more than two matches, but they have to win four if any of Sri Lanka and Ireland bag three wins. South Africa will be in a must-win scenario for their remaining five matches if Sri Lanka manage to win their remaining four.South Africa should fancy themselves to win their remaining five matches as all those games will be at home, including two against the Netherlands, placed at the bottom of the Super League. The remaining three are against England, staged between the inaugural SA20 to ensure maximum availability for the home team. But England could miss a few key players who will play in the International T20 League, scheduled in UAE simultaneously.
From Wellington 1978 to Lord’s 2015, we pick some of the most memorable England vs New Zealand encounters
Andrew Miller31-May-2021Trent Bridge, 1973 – Congdon scales the heights
England had won 20 and drawn the rest of their 42 previous encounters with New Zealand going into the 1973 series, so when they rolled their opponents for 97 in the first innings at Trent Bridge, it seemed like business as usual. But then, without warning, the worm began to turn. Despite being hit in the face by a John Snow bouncer, New Zealand’s captain Bev Congdon endured for 377 balls and the best part of seven hours, grinding his way towards a target of 479 so ethereal it felt like “climbing Mount Everest without thinking you’ll need more oxygen”. He was finally prised out by Geoff Arnold for a career-best 176, but Vic Pollard joined forces with the wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, whose intermittent swings for the fences encouraged New Zealand’s belief that glory was within their grasp. They carried the chase past the 400 mark, but then dared to look at the scoreboard and lost their footing. The last five wickets tumbled for 38, a figure that matched their eventual margin of defeat. A fortnight later, New Zealand came agonisingly close once again, Congdon making 175 this time, only for Keith Fletcher’s rearguard 178 to spare England’s blushes at Lord’s. Order was restored with an innings win in the third Test at Headingley, but New Zealand had dropped a hint that that elusive win was not far off.Bev Congdon cuts a ball from Geoff Arnold•PA PhotosWellington, 1978 – Hadlee delivers elusive maiden win
That 1973 near-miss had featured a tearaway fast bowler who returned figures of 1 for 143 in his maiden overseas Test. But five years later, Richard Hadlee was a very different beast – a lithe, whippy, channelled operator with effortless pace and a despotic command of seam and swing. His first-innings figures of 4 for 74 eked out a 13-run lead in a low-scoring tussle, and as John Wright and Geoff Howarth dragged that advantage towards three figures with just one wicket down, the Wellington crowd dared to think the unthinkable. Cue an England fightback that ought to have been decisive. Bob Willis harnessed a wind that had swirled all match long to wreck the innings with figures of 5 for 32, as New Zealand lost their nine remaining wickets for 41. On an increasingly uneven surface, however, Richard Collinge made a target of 137 look improbably daunting as he reduced England to 18 for 3, his scalps including the crucial road-block of Geoff Boycott, England’s new and soon-to-be-deposed captain, for 1. Brian Rose then retired hurt with a bruised forearm, whereupon Hadlee rounded up the stragglers with 6 for 26, and match figures of 10 for 100. England had been rolled aside for 64, and after 48 years, and at the 48th time of asking, New Zealand had secured their maiden victory over the Mother Country.Related
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Christchurch, 1984 – England disappear in a puff of smoke
Rumours and innuendo stalked England’s tour of New Zealand in 1983-84, which in a previous era might have been far enough out of sight to be out of mind to the wider British public. But with Ian Botham approaching his mid-1980s zenith of tabloid notoriety, the squad’s burgeoning tendency to generate newspaper headlines meant they were pursued even to the land of the Long White Cloud – a cloud, on this occasion, that was widely reported to include a puff of cannabis smoke. Whatever their off-field recreations, the effect on England’s batting in the Christchurch Test was catatonic. “An exhibition that would have shamed a side in the lower reaches of the County Championship,” harrumphed a nonplussed Wisden, as Hadlee, that man again, claimed match figures of 8 for 44 to rout England for 82 and 93 in consecutive innings. His most telling contribution on this occasion, however, came with the bat – a blistering innings of 99 from 81 balls in New Zealand’s only innings that left the debutant Surrey seamer Tony Pigott wondering exactly why he’d agreed to postpone his wedding to shore up England’s bowling stocks.Christchurch 1997 – Atherton’s redemption seals the spoils
Plenty has been written about the one that got away on England’s 1996-97 campaign – the first Test at Auckland, where New Zealand’s No. 11 Danny Morrison belied his world-record haul of 24 ducks to dig in for 133 balls in the final two sessions to guide his side to a scarcely credible draw. The best contest by far, however, was the third Test at Christchurch – a personal triumph for England’s besieged captain Mike Atherton, who had faced calls for his resignation after a miserable first leg of the winter in Zimbabwe, but whose match tally of 212 runs for once out put a very personal seal on a 2-0 series win. Atherton’s first task was a familiar one: rescue England’s batting from a habitual malfunction, after New Zealand had posed a handy but hardly decisive 346. He duly carried his bat for an unbeaten 94, limiting the deficit to 118, and was soon back at the crease for the run-chase after Phil Tufnell and Darren Gough had combined to limit England’s target to a tantalising 305. Throughout the final day, all four results were distinctly possible, as New Zealand’s teenaged spinner Dan Vettori bowled with precocious discipline to finish with 4 for 97 in 57 overs. He was too young even for Harry Potter jibes (the first book would not be published for another four months), but at 231 for 6, with Atherton finally extracted for 118, he seemed odds-on to deliver a share of the series in only his second Test. John Crawley, however, found typically indomitable support from Dominic Cork at No. 8, as their unbeaten 76-run stand sealed England’s first overseas series win for five years.Mike Atherton carried England’s batting effort at Christchurch in 1997•EMPICS via Getty ImagesThe Oval, 1999 – England hit rock-bottom at long last
The final summer of the 1990s, and the final fiasco from an England team that was about to reach rock-bottom after a decade in which they’d been pummelled by allcomers without ever quite facing up to their structural inadequacies. Intermittent triumphs – a Barbados win here, a Melbourne win there – had masked the team’s overall woefulness, and something similar seemed to be on the cards after the first Test at Edgbaston, when nightwatchman Alex Tudor blasted a matchwinning 99 not out to gloss over the fact that England had been 45 for 7 in their first innings. By the fourth Test at The Oval, however, all the pretence was done. England really were the worst Test team in the world, as a disgruntled crowd confirming by booing the new captain Nasser Hussain during the post-match presentations. The iconic aspect of their 83-run loss was the selection of surely the most inept tail in Test history – a nine, ten, Jack of Alan Mullally, Phil Tufnell and Ed Giddins was bad enough even without Ronnie Irani as a not-very-pivotal No. 7. But the decisive aspect was the flourish of a genuine Test allrounder in New Zealand’s ranks. Faced with a collapse to 39 for 6 on the third afternoon and the potential for another fourth-innings scalping, Chris Cairns crashed onto the offensive, slamming eight fours and four sixes in a 93-ball 80. He had set his side up with 5 for 31 in England’s first dig; and now their target of 246 was simply too daunting. Mike Atherton, as so often, held the line for a three-and-a-half-hour 64, but as soon as he was extracted, the last seven wickets tumbled in eight overs.Christchurch, 2002 – Astle’s astonishing onslaught
Drop-in pitches have had a bad rap in recent times – blame the MCG’s despicably dull surfaces for that. But no one could quibble with the entertainment on offer at Christchurch in March 2002, lopsided though it may have been, when the Lancaster Park authorities popped a fresh green sod of grass in the middle of their rugby stadium and left England and New Zealand to squabble for four extraordinary days. Days one and two were as wild as a white-water ride – England were 0 for 2 after five balls and looking par for the course, yet chiselled an 81-run lead thanks to Nasser Hussain’s mind-over-matter 106, and a howling display of swing bowling from the greenhorn Matthew Hoggard, who racked up a then-best of 7 for 63. But then, overnight, the grass died, the mud dried, and the contest became a two-innings turkey shoot. Graham Thorpe cracked 200 not out from 231 balls, which seemed fairly brisk in the circumstances, as he and Andrew Flintoff set a target of 550. Cue Nathan Astle, and the most preposterous day’s tonking ever witnessed in Test history. His 222 from 168 balls went into overdrive as England claimed the new ball with New Zealand seemingly done at 302 for 8. Flintoff and Hoggard were clubbed for six fours in nine balls, each of them a golf swing through the line, but his most murderous blows were reserved for Andrew Caddick, who at one stage was clattered for five sixes and three fours in eight legal deliveries. Cairns, at No. 11 due to injury, was the ideal sidekick as England’s anxieties reached fever-pitch. But then, just as the requirement dipped below 100, Hoggard lured one wipe too many, and that was the end of that.Wellington 2008 – Anderson and Broad take the stage
Peter Moores’ twin stints as England coach both ended in ignominy, but his reputation for bringing out the best in young players was eternally vindicated at Wellington in 2008, with his backing of two men who may yet find themselves sharing the stage at Lord’s this week for the 122nd time. Three years on from the 2005 Ashes, the time was ripe for new England heroes, though it took a spineless defeat in the series opener at Hamilton to prove it. While their batting was ultimately to blame as they slumped to 110 all out in the second innings, the vacant displays of Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard were the most troubling aspects, especially given that Ryan Sidebottom had carried the fight single-handedly with 10 wickets in the match including a hat-trick. So Moores bit the bullet, and pushed both men to the margins. In their places, came James Anderson – an England cricketer for five years already but never yet trusted to be the attack leader – and Stuart Broad, whose beanpole seam had been limited to a solitary Test on a Colombo featherbed before Christmas. The pair gelled from the outset – Anderson claiming five first-innings wickets to set up the series-leveller, as Broad slotted into an unlikely enforcer’s role, pushing New Zealand on to the back foot in a series of aggressive displays that had Michael Vaughan hailing him as the “most intelligent bowler I’ve ever worked with”. The series was sealed with another doughty display in Napier, as the framework for England’s Test revival was hoisted into place.Ben Stokes inspired England the last time they met New Zealand at Lord’s•Getty ImagesLord’s 2015 – The start of something new
Quite possibly one of the finest England team performances of all time, and unquestionably one of the most timely. The roar of acclaim as Moeen Ali snaffled the catch at third man to deliver a 124-run victory on the fifth afternoon was like nothing that England had heard for months. It marked the team’s emergence from an 18-month slump, encompassing the 2013-14 Ashes debacle and the subsequent sacking of Kevin Pietersen, and culminating at the disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign, in which New Zealand’s crushing victory at Wellington had been the unquestionable nadir. The need to reconnect with the English public was overwhelming, but it seemed unlikely to happen at the first time of asking as England slumped to 30 for 4 on the opening morning. In response, New Zealand were at one stage 403 for 3 in reply. But in between whiles, something extraordinary stirred within the England dressing room. Ben Stokes followed up his first-innings 92 by slamming an 85-ball century in the second – the fastest at Lord’s in Test history – and while Joe Root twice missed out on three figures, his twin innings of 98 and 84 reaffirmed his status as England’s coming man. And then, in response to a deficit of 134, there was the captain, Alastair Cook, chugging along to a magnificent, unflustered, nine-hour 162, keeping the beat while his young guns riffed around him. Stokes sealed the turnaround with three key wickets on a pulsating final day, as news of the impending appointment of Trevor Bayliss as head coach confirmed the sense that this was the start of a new chapter for English cricket – one that would culminate, four years later, on the very same ground against the very same opponents.