New Zealand register a narrow win over USA while the England vs Nigeria game was abandoned without a ball being bowled
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2025Australia and South Africa moved closer to the semi-finals of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 with dominant shows on the opening day of the Super Six stage.Australia registered a seven-wicket win over West Indies in Bangi in the morning fixture. After opting to bowl, Australia struck immediately and reduced West Indies to 7 for 3. West Indies never recovered from the early blow and kept losing wickets regularly. Fast bowlers Eleanor Larosa, Caoimhe Bray, and legspinner Tegan Williamson each picked up two wickets and eventually West Indies were all out for just 53 runs in 16.3 overs.Despite a brief rain delay, Australia reached the target in 10.5 overs, with captain Lucy Hamilton top-scoring with 28 runs off 29 balls. Larosa was named the Player of the Match for her figures of 2 for 6 in three overs.Ritu Singh’s 5 for 15 against New Zealand went in vain•ICC/Getty ImagesNew Zealand produced an 18-run win over USA at the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangi. In a low-scoring Super Six game, New Zealand were all out for 97 after they were put in to bat, thanks to offspinner Ritu Singh’s 5 for 15 in 3.5 overs. However, New Zealand’s collective bowling effort triggered the USA lower-order collapse as they went from 73 for 5 to 70 all out.For New Zealand, none of the batters converted their starts. There were only two noteworthy stands: a 32-run opening partnership between Kate Irwin and Emma McLeod and a 34-run stand between Hannah Francis (25 off 33) and Rishika Jaiswal (17 off 27) for the seventh wicket. Ritu accounted for three out of the top five batters and picked up two more wickets in the final over.In reply, USA lost opener Chetna Pagydyala for a first-ball duck in the second over, but Disha Dhingra held fort with a 24-ball 30. However, when she was dismissed in the seventh over off Anika Tauwhare, USA struggled to keep their innings going. Ritu also contributed 14 with the bat but was run-out in the 13th over. Jaiswal and Irwin starred with two wickets each to bundle USA out in the 18th over.Monalisa Legodi rattled Ireland with four wickets•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa continued to stay unbeaten in the tournament as they crushed Ireland in their rain-affected match in Kuching. The contest was reduced to 10-overs-a-side and Ireland, after opting bat first, kept losing wickets regularly from the second over and were all out for just 35 in 9.4 overs. Fast bowler Monalisa Legodi offspin all-rounder Kayla Reyneke were the star performers, picking up four and three wickets respectively.South Africa chased down the target in just 6.1 overs, but lost three wickets in the process. Captain Reyneke remained unbeaten on 16 to take the team home. With this win, South Africa topped the Group 2 with six points.The England vs Nigeria game was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.
Manchester United are in the hunt for new arrivals this window and could be set to make a statement on the market under Ruben Amorim with the competitive kick-off approaching, according to a report.
Fernandes demands Manchester United signings after Everton draw
Manchester United won the Premier League Summer Series after a 2-2 draw with Everton, but that didn’t stop Bruno Fernandes demanding that his side make new signings in a passionate post-match interview.
He stated: “It’s improving, but it’s not where we want it to be. It’s a game of football, there’s always passion there. Whatever happens, happens.”
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Later, he added: “I don’t want to have a dig at anyone, but I think the club is doing the best they can in terms of all the financial situations they talk about. I don’t know about it, I’m not involved in that. But obviously, it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here.”
In light of some strong words from the Portuguese international, Manchester United intend to bid for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who has shot onto their radar as a key target following his exploits in Germany.
Raising funds will be important to ensuring there is an adequate budget available for Amorim to spend, and Alejandro Garnacho’s potential departure to Chelsea could place some vital financial capital into the coffers at Old Trafford.
Alejandro Garnacho.
With the new league season now less than two weeks away, there is still plenty of work for Manchester United to carry out as a new dawn comes into play, and they could now be set to up the ante on that front amid recent developments.
Man Utd look to assemble explosive front three with Vinicius Junior
After the arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, Manchester United are ‘preparing’ a bid for Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to make a ‘flagship’ signing during the early part of INEOS’s reign.
The Brazil international is out of contract in 2027 and is yet to pen an extension in the Spanish capital due demands to be placed alongside Kylian Mbappe in their wage structure. Now, reports in Spain reveal the Red Devils are ‘willing’ to make a ‘monumental proposal’ worth around £174m, which would eclipse the British transfer record by a wide margin.
INEOS want to ‘assemble an explosive offensive trio with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha’, and Vinicius’ future has taken an ‘unexpected turn’.
Last season, the Brazilian superstar registered 22 goals and 19 assists in 58 appearances across all competitions. Still, he could now be set for a surprise new challenge with Florentino Pérez not willing to bring him to parity with Mbappe’s pay packet.
Financially, Manchester United would be stretched to put together a package worthy of tempting the world-renowned star to England, though Ratcliffe and company do seem like they are willing to put their best foot forward.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are convinced they can sign a high-profile Chelsea player for just £35 million this summer, with BlueCo apparently weighing up the possibility of taking a significant loss on his sale.
Chelsea open talks for "new attacking priority" with near-£40m deal possible
He’s already expressed his desire to join them.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025
The west Londoners have a glaring need to balance the books after their recent pact with UEFA.
Chelsea essentially agreed to balance out transfers through player sales this summer, or risk not being able to register new signings for their Champions League squad next season (Kaveh Solhekol), and there are many players in contention to leave Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Any potential incomings, like their current pursuit of RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, could well hinge on their ability to offload certain squad members.
Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Nicolas Jackson, João Félix, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile and Alfie Gilchrist have all been mentioned as players who could depart Chelsea before deadline day on September 1, with versatile attacker Christopher Nkunku also attracting serious interest.
The Frenchman actually racked up 15 goals and five assists in all competitions last term, including some noteworthy displays at the Club World Cup, but Nkunku has apparently been told that he’ll be a squad player next season if he stays.
In terms of potential suitors, Man United are said to have explored a swap deal for Nkunku involving Alejandro Garnacho, and fellow Premier League side Newcastle United have registered an interest in the 27-year-old too (Simon Phillips).
However, according to a report by TEAMtalk, both teams face stiff competition from Vincent Kompany’s Bayern.
Bayern Munich convinced they can sign Christopher Nkunku for £35m
Nkunku actually “100%” agreed personal terms over a move to the Allianz Arena in January, according to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, and it appears the Bavarians haven’t given up hope of bringing the former RB Leipzig star back to Germany.
TEAMtalk claim there is a belief at Bayern that they could sign Nkunku for as little as £35 million – £17m less than the £52m Chelsea paid for him in 2023 – and the report suggests that is actually a very realistic possibility.
United are named as rival suitors in the race for Nkunku, so Kompany won’t have a free run, but Nkunku is believed to remain keen on a move to Bayern with the European heavyweights also “prioritising” a move for him.
Maresca is on record stating he ‘loves’ Nkunku, but the competition for places in his squad means that he could find better luck getting minutes elsewhere.
There is no denying his quality, though, as evident by his return last season, with teammate João Félix calling him a “top player” and a pleasure to play with too.
Thomas Frank has the responsibility of leading Tottenham Hotspur to the next level, after taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou earlier this summer.
The Dane will have some adaptations to make in North London, needing to evaluate the options at his disposal before making any key decisions on the futures of multiple players.
There’s no denying that the new boss will need backing from the board if he is to build on the Europa League triumph and make the Lilywhites serial winners, as stated in his first interview.
However, to have the funds he desires, he will likely have to move on numerous players already on the books, freeing up key wages and budget to enable him to dip into the transfer market.
With the current transfer window now in full swing, numerous players have been mentioned with a potential switch to join Frank’s side, handing the supporters a reason to be excited about the new era.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer
Bryan Mbeumo is a player who has been firmly linked with Spurs over the last couple of weeks, unsurprisingly so given his spell under Frank at Brentford.
However, a move now seems extremely unlikely, with the Cameroonian wanting a move to join Manchester United, with the Red Devils already submitting two bids for his signature this window.
His rejection has led to other targets being considered in North London, with Inter Milan wing-back Denzel Dumfries on their radar, according to FC Inter News.
Their report claims that the Lilywhites have made an enquiry to land the Dutch international, who’s set to be available for a fee in the region of €25m (£20m) this summer.
It also states that fellow Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester United have also asked for further information over a deal for the 29-year-old star.
Why Spurs’ £20m target would be a better signing than Mbeumo
Frank’s ability to transform Brentford into an established Premier League outfit was mainly down to the talents of Mbeumo, with the winger often producing the goods within the final third.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
After Ivan Toney’s departure to Saudi Arabia last summer, the 25-year-old claimed the responsibility of leading the line for the Bees – something which he managed to achieve throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
He managed to score 20 times in England’s top flight last season, leading to major interest in his signature over the past couple of months – arguably being one of the most sought-after stars this window.
However, now that a move to North London appears all but over, it’s allowed Frank to focus on other talents, with Dumfries just one of the players he’s set his eyes on during the off-season.
The wing-back wouldn’t be a direct alternative for Mbeumo after missing out on his signature, but he does hand an excellent versatile option to the squad ahead of 2025/26.
He can play at full-back or on the right side of midfield if needed, having the talent at both ends of the pitch, as seen with his tallies throughout last season.
The “world-class” star, as labelled by StatMuse, registered 11 goals and five assists across all competitions, with five of his efforts coming in the Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona.
Games played
29
Goals & assists
9
Pass accuracy
77%
Tackles won
72%
Duels won
5.2
Touches in opposition box
4.6
Aerial success rate
72%
He’s demonstrated he can thrive in forward areas despite his defensive role, also being able to do so in Europe’s biggest club competition – something that will be vital next season for Frank’s side.
The Dutch star has also won 72% of the tackles he entered throughout the last campaign, winning 5.2 duels per 90 and offering the Lilywhites a real dominant option at both ends.
Denzel Dumfries for Inter Milan
Dumfries would also be a much cheaper option for the hierarchy this summer, having the talent to operate in any right-sided role required, potentially being an important squad option throughout 2025/26.
There’s no denying a move for Mbeumo would’ve injected serious quality into the frontline, but a move for the Inter star would improve multiple areas, handing Frank the depth he needs, given the quantity of competitions the side are in next year.
He'd be Frank's next Mbeumo: Spurs in talks for "sensational" £40m talent
Tottenham Hotspur could hand Thomas Frank a star who could match Bryan Mbeumo’s achievements.
Newcastle United are confident that they will keep Alexander Isak in the squad this summer, but a new striker is being chased all the same.
Eddie Howe wants more firepower in the attacking third, with Callum Wilson ageing and out of contract, and William Osula, 21, drifting through his maiden year as a Magpie.
Well, The Telegraph understand talks with Brighton & Hove Albion are on the brink of kicking off for the transfer of Joao Pedro, who is valued at £60m and who the Seagulls are willing to sell this summer.
Newcastle open talks for sought-after star
Pedro, 23, is proven in the Premier League and has the dynamic faculties to complement Isak, rather than outright replace him. However, there may be an even bigger fish Howe could add to the Tyneside pond.
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Newcastle have held talks with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, putting their name in the hat as Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all tussle for the striker’s signature.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike might be the talk of the town, but it doesn’t seem like any suitor would be willing to meet the Bundesliga club’s €100m (£85m) valuation of the 22-year-old. Saying that, the player’s entourage have informed the relevant parties that a reduced figure may yet be agreed.
Newcastle agreed an initial £26m deal to sign Ekitike when he was at Stade de Reimsway back in 2022, but he rejected their interest when Paris Saint-Germain came calling.
What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Newcastle
Newcastle might have felt the force of Ekitike’s rejection in the past, but he was a teenager who had been presented with a proposal to remain in his homeland with the cream of Ligue 1’s crop.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike.
PSG didn’t work out for him, only scoring four times across 33 senior showings before being rehoused in Germany with Frankfurt, but it’s here where the striker has found his feet, with his first full campaign at the club ending with 22 goals and 12 assists across all competitions.
His displays have actually led analyst Ben Mattinson to praise him as “one of the best strikers out there.”
As far as Pedro’s concerned, Ekitike is the superior player, and if Bailey’s on the money (quite literally) with his claims that Frankfurt’s £85m demands might be slashed, putting every effort into convincing the Frenchman feels like a no-brainer.
Goals scored
0.53
0.46
Assists
0.28
0.28
Shots taken
4.00
1.94
Shot-creating actions
3.55
3.33
Touches (att pen)
6.88
5.64
Progressive passes
1.86
3.60
Progressive carries
3.27
3.05
Successful take-ons
1.83
1.34
Ball recoveries
3.06
2.73
Tackles + interceptions
0.81
1.16
As you can see, the two forwards are matched up rather well, but Ekitike clearly has the edge, outperforming his South American counterpart across most relevant metrics.
Indeed, should you strip away Pedro’s penalties in the Premier League last season, he would rank among the bottom 21% of the division’s forwards for goals scored per 90.
Oh, Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard has praised the Brighton man’s “magical” ability on the ball, but Ekitike might just be ‘Europe’s most elegant striker’, so say the Bundesliga, in any case.
But the proof is in the pudding, and Frankfurt’s number nine passes the eye test, all right. There’s a certain lightness to his dribbling, with an underlying creativity that would see him hit the ground running on English pitches, in Howe’s system.
Pedro is a talented footballer, but Ekitike is simply that bit better, and Newcastle have got to aim for the stars as they go from strength to strength.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Talent scout Jacek Kulig believes Ekitike “could reach world-class striker levels.” Pedro is a talented guy, but is the same scale of potential also applicable to him?
This is a tough case, with Frankfurt proving stubborn in their appraisal of the striker and rival interest against top-drawer outfits making PIF’s task difficult.
But just imagine if they pull it off; it would remind the footballing world that there’s a new superpower on the block.
Schar upgrade: Newcastle among favourites to sign "unbelievable" £40m star
Newcastle will be looking to improve their defence this summer
On Stick to Football, Roy Keane bemoaned Liverpool for taking their foot off the gas well before the season has been wrapped up, for partying abroad ahead of a Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion, a match they lost.
Well, Liverpool were crowned champions almost one month ago, having been head, shoulders and torso above the rest of the pack since the start of the season.
Arne Slot has achieved something truly special, and after upholding such high and inflexible standards across the lion’s share of the year, can surely be afforded some leeway for loosening his grip with his deserving squad now relishing their new status as Premier League winners.
The truth is, Liverpool can do what they want, so long as they return fresher than ever for pre-season duties. Of course, one man who won’t be taking his foot off the pedal is sporting director Richard Hughes, tasked with making sweeping changes in the transfer market this summer.
Jeremie Frimpong is on the brink of being announced as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s replacement, and the man himself, The Athletic’s David Ornstein, has issued an exciting revelation as Liverpool fight for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.
The latest on Florian Wirtz to Liverpool
Bayern Munich and Liverpool have both pushed to sign Wirtz in recent weeks, laying the foundations ahead of the summer transfer window.
But, as Ornstein reveals, Liverpool have taken the lead in the race, with Die Roten swallowing a bitter pill in accepting Anfield looks the likely destination for the playmaker, should he leave Leverkusen this summer.
In fact, the esteemed reporter has gone as far as to suggest the Bundesliga champions believe he will not join them this summer, and actually favours a move to Merseyside.
Manchester City no longer have a vested interest in the German, who is valued at €150m (£126m), and have instead shifted their attention to Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
Wirtz is only 22, but he’s already got a case toward being the best midfield playmaker in the world, having posted 69 goal contributions for Die Werkself across the past two seasons, the first of which he won DFB-Pokal and Bundesliga titles undefeated, picking up the German Player of the Season award.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtzreacts after the match
If Liverpool can get this one over the line, they’d surely be favourites to win the Premier League once again next season. And that’s without even considering a striker.
Darwin Nunez is set to be sold, and FSG have already made contact with their dream replacement.
Liverpool approach new striker
According to RMC Sport, Liverpool have made an initial approach to Eintracht Frankfurt for their star striker Hugo Ekitike, having also held talks with the player. Arsenal and Chelsea have also opened discussions, with the 22-year-old’s club looking for a minimum fee of €80m (£68m) for his sale.
It’s worth noting Chelsea have been singled out as the frontrunners due to their degree of interest, though their hopes of playing Champions League football hang in the balance ahead of Sunday’s final round of fixtures.
And whether any suitor would be willing to meet Frankfurt’s heavy valuation of their player, who is immensely talented but not the finished article, remains to be seen.
Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike
Liverpool’s dream is to sign Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, but any move for the Sweden star seems unlikely this summer: Eddie Howe views him as untouchable and will be reinforced in his stance should the Magpies qualify for the Champions League.
However, Ekitike would be a stunning alternative, making headway this season as he sharpens his goalscoring sense while also bearing one of the more dynamic striking skill sets on the market right now.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
As per FBref, Ekitike ranks among the top 8% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues in 2024/25 for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, and the top 4% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, emphasising his athleticism and fast pace.
It also shows that Slot would get his hands on a new profile who could solve Liverpool’s number nine conundrum, such as it is, while dynamising the frontline too, adding a player capable of supplementing Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo, who both arc inwards to strike on goal in such deadly fashion.
Comparing Ekitike’s Bundesliga campaign with the tired terms of Nunez and Diogo Jota in the Premier League, you begin to see why Slot so desperately wants a fresh profile, one who can enforce a sustained offensive as Liverpool chase down a range of trophies.
Ekitike vs Liverpool Centre-forwards (24/25)
League Stats (* per game)
Ekitike
Nunez
Jota
Matches (starts)
33 (31)
29 (8)
25 (14)
Goals
15
5
6
Assists
8
2
3
Shots (on target)*
3.5 (1.5)
1.1 (0.4)
2.0 (0.5)
Big chances missed
16
7
13
Pass completion
76%
71%
72%
Big chances created
12
3
3
Key passes*
1.3
0.3
0.4
Dribbles*
1.6
0.3
0.4
Duels (won)*
4.2
2.1
2.4
Stats via Sofascore
Wirtz is good, but he’s not superhuman, and if Liverpool don’t address their striking issues the 22-year-old will struggle to find a focal point from which he can channel his playmaking skills, described by Hansi Flick as an “outstanding technician” who is “very creative.”
Furthermore, his sharp transitional ability would combine wonderfully with Wirtz`s ball-playing game. Ekitike has only missed 16 big chances in the league this term, scoring 15 goals, as per Sofascore. He’s been hailed for his “incredible” attacking performances by teammate Rasmus Kristensen.
Meanwhile, FBref record Wirtz to rank among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90.
Adding two new profiles to the team, Slot would be taking Liverpool to another level, maintaining a brilliant sense of creativity in spite of Alexander-Arnold’s departure while solving the centre-forward conundrum that has plagued the club all year long.
Just imagine this Liverpool side with an out-and-out striker providing a prolific touch across the duration of the campaign, and supplied by a ten such as Wirtz at that.
Bigger talent than Salah: Liverpool make offer to sign "world-class" star
Liverpool are ready to defend their Premier League title by attacking the transfer market.
Arsenal are now in the race to sign an “entertaining” attacking midfielder who’s been likened to Eden Hazard, with Mikel Arteta believed to be a fan of the player, according to a report.
Gunners set sights on attacking midfielder
Injuries suffered by the likes of Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz have undoubtedly hindered the Gunners in their pursuit of the Premier League title, but questions also have to be asked about the performances of some of their other key players this season.
Martin Odegaard, for instance, has fallen short of his usual lofty standards, with the Norwegian on course for his worst full season, in terms of attacking contributions, since arriving at the Emirates Stadium, having picked up just two goals and seven assists in the league.
As such, Arteta may feel that new options are required in the attacking midfield area, and sporting director Andrea Berta is personally pushing for the signing of Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-In, with the French club now willing to sell the South Korean.
Arteta has also sanctioned a move for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss, with a £22m offer for the 21-year-old now in the works, having been a bright spark in a very poor Foxes side this season, but another option is now emerging from further afield.
Like a younger Isak: Arsenal already doing work to sign "electric" £70m gem
It’s clear that Arsenal need to sign a striker and, given that they’re unlikely to land Alexander Isak, have they found an electric £70m alternative?
ByBen Gray May 10, 2025
According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now pushing for the signing of Las Palmas maestro Alberto Moleiro, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Newcastle United also keen.
Moleiro has been closely monitored for months, and Arteta believes the 21-year-old could provide a fresh injection of quality, into an area of the pitch where a lack of depth has been an issue.
Alberto Moleiro for Las Palmas.
The starlet has a €60m (£51m) release clause included in his Las Palmas contract, but there is a feeling the Spanish side would be willing to sanction a departure for a lower price, given that his current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2026.
"Entertaining" Moleiro likened to Hazard
The Spaniard has caught the eye with some of his performances in La Liga this season, picking up six goals and one assist for Las Palmas, while football scout Ben Mattinson has claimed he is an exciting player to watch.
Not only that, but Mattinson has claimed the youngster reminds him of former Chelsea great Hazard, given the way he dribbles, and he ranks in the 84th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders.
Of course, Arsenal should persist with Odegaard as their first choice attacking midfielder, despite the Norway international’s drop-off in form this season, but it would be useful to have a solid alternative option, and Moleiro could be an exciting long-term addition to the squad.
The former Australia batter relives the adventure of a lifetime, on and off the field
Vishal Dikshit28-Oct-2025It’s not too long now before the champions of Women’s World Cup 2025 will take home an unprecedented USD 4.48 million. Rewind to 1997, the second time the tournament was held in India, when Australia became the champions for the fourth time. When they returned home with the trophy, Lisa Keightley came back with food bills she had footed worth nearly AUD 2,500.The 1997 World Cup existed in a world that barely intersected with the five-star hotels and top-notch facilities that international players now expect in India. The BCCI was yet to take Indian women’s cricket under its wing, and the ICC was yet to take over the organisation of Women’s World Cups.Keightley, a top-order batter who was 26 at the time, had never ventured out of Australia and New Zealand when she was called-up for her maiden World Cup with the experience of just 14 ODIs.Related
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“It was just exciting, it was new, it was hustle and bustle,” Keightley says of her first India impressions, speaking to ESPNcricinfo. “It was just very different from Australia, and when we catch up with the players I played with in that ’97 World Cup, some of our funniest stories and experiences are what we had on that tour.”Over the course of the tournament, Australia voyaged almost all across India, playing their league games in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Nagpur and Lucknow.”Our accommodation was really poor. I remember people getting sick and it was definitely a lot different than it is now,” Keightley says. “I remember my first accommodation when we got off the plane. I went into my room, I went to turn the shower on, and the shower taps were cemented and they didn’t move. I think the bath taps worked but the water was brown and then I went to turn on the telly and it just didn’t work. And the beds had looked like they’d been there for a very long time.”But I suppose it brings a group together. We definitely didn’t let that stop us from wanting to win the World Cup and, I suppose, sticking together as a group and enjoying each other’s company. I think that was a trip where you could say that drew us together.”Keightley was among the less-experienced members of the side and she sat out Australia’s first two games. She was, however, among the best-prepared players, even for some of the off-field eventualities. She carried an extra bag to India stuffed only with food items from back home, but she probably hadn’t accounted for her team-mates, who soon began lining up outside her room. They soon gave her a new nickname.The victorious Australia squad pose with the World Cup trophy•Craig Prentis/Getty Images”I was called the Tuckshop, which in Australia is a place where you go and get sweets,” she says. “So my little bag was full of sweets and lollies and chips and all the stuff that we felt we wouldn’t get in India. And people used to barter with me because I had such a big array of options, they were getting sick of theirs. So they’d say, ‘I’ll give you a muesli bar if you give me whatever.'”Navigating the streets of India might have been a challenge, but negotiating with her team-mates came naturally to Keightley.”Usually, I got a lot more than what they got. So I could get two and three of theirs and it was quite harsh. And I’d just give them like a packet of chewing gum or they would choose what they wanted. And then I had the choice of saying, ‘well, okay, one’s not going to cut it for a packet of chewing gum. I would like two muesli bars and a packet of chips’, or something like that.”I had this caramel-coated popcorn that was very popular. And that was just so different from anything we get in India. So that went for a high price. I usually got a few good things for the popcorn.”Keightley made her maiden World Cup appearance when Australia got to Hyderabad, where they bundled Pakistan out for 27, still among the lowest totals in women’s ODIs. With some spare time in hand before heading to Mumbai for their next fixture, Keightley, Mel Jones and wicketkeeper Julia Price thought it was a good time to go shopping before leaving Hyderabad. They journeyed to the old city, famous for its jewellery.”So we had put our luggage in the hotel, jumped in tuk-tuks, went to this strip where you could buy gold. And when we went to leave, we had no idea of what our hotel name was!” Keightley laughs. “And we had to go to a police station, then they helped us find where we were staying. Then they took us home in the police car.”In Mumbai, Denmark suffered the ignominy of watching Australia amass 412 for 3, only the second ODI total that had breached the 400 mark, with captain Belinda Clark scoring a record 229* and becoming the first double-centurion in women’s ODIs. Keightley played second fiddle, scoring 60 in a first-wicket stand of 168 with Clark. Denmark were rolled over for just 49, losing by a gargantuan 363 runs.Belinda Clark scored a double-century against Denmark and 52 in the final•Getty Images”I remember it was really hot,” Keightley says. “And Belinda was one of the fittest players going around in the Australian team. So to score that many runs was amazing. I do remember there was a tree on the ground in one of the corners and the boundary came in and around the tree. Yeah, she makes my small little 60 look insignificant, doesn’t she?”We just took a picture of the scoreboard. And congratulated Belinda and took a lot of photos. And that was probably about all we did, really. I don’t think we realised at the time that it was the record until the game finished. And then we thought, ‘oh, we better take a picture of the scoreboard and have something to remember it by.'”Australia were on a hot streak. They bundled England for 95 in Nagpur, hammered Netherlands by 115 runs in Lucknow, and were set to take on India in the semi-finals. All this while they sustained on ” bread, Vegemite, and eggs.” They almost left Jones and Price behind in a plane before realising they were sleeping in the last row and also survived a bomb threat on a flight before getting the all-clear with no bomb found in the luggage.They made it to Delhi for their semi-final on Christmas Eve, and the accommodation, once again, left something to be desired.”We lived in where they played the Delhi Open (an ATP tennis tournament), they had rooms around the tennis court,” Keightley said. “And someone was cooking from the kitchen, and across the road, there was the Hyatt. I do know I came back from that tour with an expensive food bill, because we all started to get a bit sick, so we’d go and eat in the five-star hotel wherever we were.”So I came back with a AUD 2000-2,500 food bill, but we did all take different options in food.”Keightley paid all of that out of her own pocket. She was working at the time with Cricket New South Wales, her home state, who granted her paid leave to play the World Cup.”I was one of the lucky ones,” she says. “Not everyone had that opportunity. I just went home and paid my bill and got on with life. It was just the way we did it back then. Usually, you didn’t get allowances. And if you did, it was very, very small and it didn’t cover too much. So usually we would finish the tour with an expensive bill.”A game in Delhi in winter usually means plenty of fog and bad light, and the semi-final was reduced to 32 overs a side.”We ended up playing the semi-final in an army barracks where there was a ground,” Keightley says of the Harbax Singh Stadium that was then the home ground of the Services team in men’s domestic cricket. “And we had no crowd because of a late change in venue. And I remember it being very, very close.”A large number of women and girls thronged Eden Gardens for the 1997 World Cup final•Craig Prentis/Getty ImagesIndia fell short by 19 runs and Australia were off to Kolkata to play the final against New Zealand at Eden Gardens, which could cradle nearly 100,000 people at the time. And there was something to celebrate off the field too.”We loved the final because we went to a five-star hotel and were there for about seven days, for five days or so before the final,” Keightley says. “And it was amazing compared to what we had been staying in. And we loved it because we had time and we went shopping and we went to the market. Obviously, we trained as well. And then it was probably the first time we got to play in one of the main stadiums in India. And the change rooms had fans and the toilets were nicer than we had.”And when we got there, we heard that they were going to try and do a record of the most females watching cricket in a ground. So they shipped in all these schoolgirls to watch the game. And you could not hear a thing. It was so loud. And we had never experienced anything like it.”I suppose it’s very similar to the WPL when you play RCB. That’s what it felt like for us. You had to yell. So, it was our first experience of, ‘wow, this is what the men would experience every time they play against India and Australia.’ We definitely enjoyed that.”It turned out to be a record crowd, ranging between 60,000 and 70,000, among them a 15-year-old ball girl named Jhulan Goswami. Watching the likes of Clark and speedster Cathryn Fitzpatrick kindled in Goswami the dream of taking up the sport as a profession and fast bowling as a passion.Australia kept New Zealand to 164 and took home the trophy with a five-wicket win, along with memories, anecdotes and experiences of a lifetime. Who wanted a million dollars?
He’s playing his role to perfection in the World Cup and both team and country are loving it
Sidharth Monga05-Nov-20231:29
‘Ridiculous!’ – Anil Kumble marvels at Virat Kohli’s ODI numbers
The path Virat Kohli chose in Pune was a dangerous one. He possibly didn’t even choose that path but was led down it by KL Rahul. Not the path where he tried to hit sixes to get his 48th hundred even as India were running out of runs to chase. But the one where they started manipulating strike to get him there.India had plenty of overs and wickets in hand, so there was no risk of losing. Let’s also put aside the possible disrespect to the opposition – telling them you are beating them with plenty of time to spare – because there are arguments against that too. It was the attention he was drawing to himself. Telling the whole country, which hangs on to his every word and gesture – that he is so keen to get to No. 50 that he is willing to do something he has never done.Remember the 2014 T20 World Cup semi-final when MS Dhoni blocked the last ball of the 19th over so that Kohli, who had fashioned the chase, could hit the winning runs? Then you also probably remember Kohli’s reaction. He was baffled Dhoni would do something like that. If that man is now manipulating strike for a hundred – and he went on to do that in a much closer game than the one in Pune – he is telling the nation he wants to get this thing done with.Related
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Remember what Sachin Tendulkar went through when he was stuck on 99? These are his words: “Wherever I went, the restaurant, room service, everyone was talking about the 100th hundred. Nobody talked about my 99 hundreds. It became mentally tough for me because nobody talked about my 99 hundreds.”Did Kohli really need that kind of attention in the middle of a World Cup? He perhaps had a split second to decide when he hit a ball into the deep against Bangladesh, and Rahul asked him to stay at his end and go on to get the hundred.Kohli made the decision, his team-mates backed him – in fact they revelled in it – and not for the first time, he didn’t worry about the optics and committed fully to his decision. There he is different to Tendulkar. Kohli’s conviction that what he does is right for the team is so absolute it can border on the self-righteous. And looking at his body of work, with good reason.Birthday boy Virat Kohli was the centre of attention at Eden Gardens and he did not disappoint•ICC via GettyKohli never second-guesses himself. If he does, he gets over it before he comes to work. Even though events some might view as inauspicious have happened twice: those narrow misses in Dharamsala and Mumbai. They tend to create a self-perpetuating cycle. The more you miss out on hundreds, the more the focus on them, the more it could affect you.Hang on. Who hurt this writer? 464 words of gloom when India is enjoying a big party along with one of its biggest icons. Kohli is the last person to be affected negatively by all this. Or narrow misses. And you need such people in a team because not everybody likes the spotlight. You need those who will revel in it. You need those who can handle the scrutiny that comes with the territory.We don’t know if Kohli has done anything specific in his personal time to shut out the noise, but he’s been full of joy at the nets and at the grounds. He’s been full of joy at the foot-volley games India play to warm up before training. After his team won before the net session at Eden Gardens, Kohli ended by kicking the ball onto Shubman Gill’s bum at close range. On a difficult practice pitch that was seaming and bouncing funny, Kohli looked in great touch. Nobody else batted in that net after Kohli. Fitness training, skills training, being mentally happy, he has not missed a step.On the field, Kohli has conducted crowds like an orchestra. Whenever the song “My Name is Lakhan” plays in the stands, he makes sure he does a little dance, sending fans into a frenzy. That’s his little thing. Direct communication. They have now started chanting, ” [Give Kohli a bowl].” Rahul Dravid is using Kohli’s “wrong-footed inswinging menace” to ward off questions about the lack of a sixth bowler.The beauty of it is, just like the regular festive season in India, the celebrations are not affecting business. In the form that Kohli is in, every innings is looking like a possible century. He has got his processes and preparations spot on. The team’s strategy needs him to play according to the conditions and situation while Rohit Sharma at the top and others in the middle order force the pace. Is there anyone better at doing that?It doesn’t matter how loud it gets, Virat Kohli doesn’t let the noise get to him•Associated PressKohli batting without the pressure of run-rate is dangerous for the opposition. Which is not to say he has been slow. His 543 runs at a strike rate of 88 have been scored according to the team’s plan for the conditions. The pitches on which India have played their eight league games have tended to slow down. The pitch in Kolkata became more difficult than some of the previous ones. Keshav Maharaj pitched outside leg, ripped the ball past Gill’s bat, and hit the top of off stump in the 11th over.Ravindra Jadeja, who later took five wickets, said the pitch had been more difficult to bat on in the afternoon. Not only was it turning, it was slow too. He gave Kohli and Shreyas Iyer all the credit for denying Maharaj any more wickets and still managing to score at a decent rate during their stand of 134 off 158 balls. Rohit of course set up the innings with 40 off 24 balls, but Kohli took it to its fruition, which has been his role in the side.Twelve years ago, Kohli carried his hero Tendulkar on his shoulders after India won the World Cup, and said it was only fitting they carried him after he had carried India for so long. With 58,000 people singing happy birthday for him, Kohli equalled Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries, a record that looked unbeatable 12 years ago.The party is not over. The crowds will follow him everywhere. They want both: the World Cup and Kohli’s 50th. It won’t bother Kohli. It won’t bother India. There is too much positivity and festivity around them, and with good reason.
Autobiography provides insight into defining traits of England’s new MD
Matt Roller18-Apr-2022Rob Key was appointed as the ECB’s new managing director of men’s cricket on Sunday. A leading broadcaster for Sky Sports since his retirement from the professional game, Key has often been forthright in his opinions about English cricket and his new role casts a different light on his previous takes.As well as Sky podcasts and columns for the , Key brought out an autobiography two years ago, titled . He told ESPNcricinfo at the time that it contained “a few tales, and a few views on the good things and the bad things” about the game, but with several big decisions due over the next two months, some excerpts now read like Key’s own manifesto.CoachingKey has often been cynical about the value of coaches, to the extent that one chapter of his book is called ‘A Coach is What You Get to the Ground In’. He hinted earlier this year that he believes England should split the role in two: a Test coach and a white-ball coach.”Essentially, there are three types of coaches,” he wrote. “Those who have a positive influence, those who have a negative influence, and those who are neutral. While many coaches would like to see themselves as a positive influence, the truth is, such people are actually few and far between.”Key sees a major difference between coaches at county and international level, suggesting that Peter Moores struggled with the step-up because he failed to take into account that “he was dealing with elite players”. “An international coach is more of a manager,” he writes. “They don’t actually have to do much. In fact, they are better off doing nothing.”Australian coachesKey’s own career was influenced by Neil ‘Noddy’ Holder, the batting coach who encouraged him to keep his backlift high, and John Inverarity, who coached him at Kent. Do not be surprised if he hires an Australian as England’s coach.”Aussie coaches, with their ‘can do’ attitude, certainly offer a refreshing and powerful input,” he wrote. “They have the ability to set off little explosions in your head. When the fog clears, you see everything with absolute clarity.”Steve Harmison, Rob Key and Andrew Flintoff played significant roles in England’s 2004 series win against West Indies•Getty ImagesCaptain-coach relationshipKey will need to ensure that his new Test captain and coach do not clash. “[There is] one absolute truth about the captaincy/coach dynamic,” he wrote. “It’s imperative they’re on the same page.”He details the failings of England’s Ashes tour in 2006-07, and the shortcomings of Duncan Fletcher’s relationship with Andrew Flintoff. “[Flintoff] would still end up trying his very best to make sure that that partnership worked,” he writes. “The question is whether he had any give or take coming back to him.”I know how important co-operative thinking is,” he continued. “As Kent captain, I found Graham Ford a great coach to work with… we had a joint focus on taking the team forward. Because of our shared attitude to betterment, we never really had a clash.”Test captaincyKey was highly critical of Joe Root’s captaincy during England’s Ashes defeat and Ben Stokes is the early favourite to replace him. While some have raised parallels with Flintoff’s ill-fated stint as captain, Key’s own view of his close friend’s time in charge suggests that will not put him off.Related
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“Fred was a better England captain than he – and many others – ever thought,” Key wrote. “The circumstances were tough… he simply couldn’t have picked a worse time to be captain of England. The team had gone from the perfect balance of 2005 to Saj Mahmood batting at number eight. It was always going to be 5-0. They were throwing stones at bazookas.”He is full of praise for Stokes, too, who would fit Key’s idea that a captain should be an inspirational figure. “Since the nightclub incident in Bristol, Ben Stokes has put so much into his game,” he said. “He trains so hard – harder than anyone around him, by a distance. Great talent delivers a focus. It did so for Fred in 2005 and is doing the same now for Stokes. Without the hardship, neither would have reached those incredible high points.”White-ball captaincyKey’s relationship with Eoin Morgan dates back to 2009, when he was captaining England Lions on a tour to New Zealand. “What I found was a cricketer who never missed a trick,” he wrote. “When the coaches asked who should be vice-captain, straight away I said Morgs. I saw somebody who wasn’t willing just to say what people wanted him to say.” They are unlikely to clash too much.Style of playKey favours an attacking style of play in Test cricket, which could spell bad news for Alex Lees, Rory Burns and Dom Sibley. “We accuse people of playing too many shots but as a batsman your only currency in the game is runs,” he wrote. “For some reason, we seem to be happier if people are out blocking.”I admire Trevor Bayliss because is a believer in positive cricket. His view is that it’s possible to defend positively as well as attack. That means committing to the shots, having purpose. Is scoring 10 in a hundred balls all right? I don’t know if it is.”Often players get blamed for losing their wicket by using an attacking mindset, as if they never get out while playing defensively. When Jason Roy was opening in the Test team… pundits were saying there are no good old-fashioned openers anymore. The fact is, we had already tried ten openers, most of whom were exactly that.”Rob Key captained Kent in their promotion-winning season in 2009•Getty ImagesCounty cricketPerhaps Key’s biggest challenge will be leading the ECB’s high-performance review into the domestic game. He has previously outlined a draft schedule for the English season featuring a one-day competition in April, a ‘best of the rest’ first-class tournament running parallel to the Hundred, and three divisions of six teams in the Championship.In , it seems he views the county game through the prism of England’s Test team, rather than something valuable in its own right. “Four-day cricket as a business is completely bankrupt,” Key wrote. “It makes no money and costs a hell of a lot to put on. Compared to other formats, it simply makes zero financial sense.”Championship cricket really has only one card up its sleeve. The TV rights for the game are linked to Test cricket, and Test cricket can only survive so long as there is a production line of players from the Championship.”County cricket exists only because of the money from Test cricket, the England Test team only because of the Championship conveyor belt. They are the ultimate odd couple: worlds apart, but unable to get divorced because they are so utterly reliant on each other.”