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Test teams are looking for solidity at the top, and batsmen are comfortable specialising in the format that suits their style

Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Feb-2017January 3, 2017. It is close to half-past noon at the Sydney Cricket Ground when David Warner manoeuvres Wahab Riaz through backward point, runs three, and leaps, fist pumping the air. He has become only the fifth batsman to score a hundred before lunch on the first morning of a Test match.At that point Warner is batting on 100 off 78 balls, and he has hit 17 fours. At the other end, Matt Renshaw, having faced two more balls than his opening partner, has made 21 with two fours.Warner falls in the sixth over after lunch, for 113 off 95 balls. Renshaw bats on until the sixth over of the second morning, when he is dismissed for 184 off 293 balls.Warner, 30, and Renshaw, 20, both bat left-handed and throw right-handed, but the paths they took to the Australian Test team couldn’t have been more different. Warner made his T20 debut for Australia before he had even played first-class cricket. Renshaw had only played 14 first-class matches before making his Test debut, but was – and is – yet to play T20 at any level, international or domestic.At first glance, Renshaw should be the anomaly and Warner the prototype of the Test-match opening batsman in the T20-dominated cricketing landscape they inhabit. This, however, is not so. A majority of the world’s Test line-ups now begin with a pair of opening batsmen who are not part of their country’s first-choice T20 side. Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed. Tom Latham and Jeet Raval. Kraigg Brathwaite and Leon Johnson. Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva. Azhar Ali and Sami Aslam.Ten of those 12 have never played T20s for their country. Neither of the other two – Alastair Cook and Latham – has played one since November 2015. Brathwaite – who has been a first-class cricketer since 2009 – and Hameed, like Renshaw, haven’t even played T20s at the domestic level.As a result of this, the way Test teams combat the new ball has changed.Eight of the ten most prolific opening batsmen of this millennium have scored their runs at a strike rate of 50 or more. Four of them – Virender Sehwag, Warner, Chris Gayle and Matthew Hayden – have done so at 60-plus strike rates.KL Rahul is one young batsman who can adapt his style to any format•AFPSehwag, Gayle, Hayden and Tillakaratne Dilshan were thought to have changed Test cricket forever with their aggressive approach at the top of the order. That hasn’t been the case.The generation that has followed them seems to have retreated from “see ball, hit ball” to “see off new ball”. Only two of the ten top run-getters among openers since the start of 2015 – Warner and Martin Guptill – have scored their runs at 50-plus strike rates.Aakash Chopra, the former India opener, suggests teams worldwide are looking for solidity at the top of the order to try and arrest the trend of collapses that has beset Test cricket over the last few years.”I think technique has become slightly compromised a little bit in the recent past,” he says. “The number of collapses is unbelievable – if there’s anything in the pitch, you’ll see a collapse – whether it’s spinning, it’s swinging, whatever. If there is something out of the ordinary, there is an issue. So that fact perhaps explains that teams maybe realise you need openers with better skills.”Given that the skills required to open in Test cricket are so different from those required to open in T20, Chopra says a number of batsmen have realised they might be better off specialising in the format they are best suited to.”I feel the time has come when people have realised that as a Test opener, I’m okay being a Test player, I’m okay not to play T20 cricket. And the people who are playing T20 cricket are perhaps also okay with the fact that they’re only going to play T20. There will still be exceptions; KL Rahul is an exception, because I actually see him as this modern-day batsman who will fit into all three formats.”Someone like M Vijay, I think, has made up his mind, that Test cricket is my first priority, everything else is okay. Same is the case with Tom Latham – he’s again a Test batsman in the Test mould.”Virender Sehwag came to T20 as a fully formed Test batsman, unlike young openers of today•Getty ImagesThere is, concurrently, a parallel universe of openers who only play short-format cricket, containing the likes of Jason Roy, Johnson Charles and Aaron Finch. The few that have crossed over to Test cricket, such as Guptill and Alex Hales, have generally struggled to express themselves. England dropped Hales after he averaged 27.28, and scored at a strike rate of in his first 11 Tests.A group of attacking openers who made eye-catching starts to their Test careers – Adrian Barath, Phillip Hughes, Hamish Rutherford, Shikhar Dhawan – have not made a sustained impact, for one reason or another, and of their generation only Warner and Tamim Iqbal have gone on to establish themselves as regulars.Perhaps this could be because the likes of Sehwag and Gayle came to T20 late in their careers, by which time they were already successful long-format batsmen. Their style of play happened to suit T20 as well. The generation that replaced them had to adjust to T20 before they were fully formed.Chopra expects the next generation to be more comfortable shuttling between formats, and sees Rahul – who has scored hundreds for India in all formats – as a prototype of that new kind of opener.”It’s a process. There will still be exceptions to the rule,” Chopra says. “I keep mentioning KL Rahul because he that modern-day batsman. Sometimes we underestimate evolution, we believe that this is how it should be, but some humans have evolved so much that they say a Test opener can easily be a one-day opener or a T20 opener.”And it doesn’t even have to be a Sehwag. KL Rahul is otherwise a very correct kind of, straightforward kind of batsman.”Chopra says Vijay is similar to Rahul in the sense of having an orthodox technique as well as an ability to hit over the top, but found it more difficult to adjust between formats than Rahul – who arrived later on the scene – has done so far.”Temperamentally, for a while, [Vijay] was shuffling between Test, one-day, T20,” Chopra says. “He wasn’t sure of what he wanted, and therefore he was highly uncertain, but now he’s made up his mind that, okay, he’s solely a Test player.”So it’ll be interesting to see. In five to seven years, you’ll find another new phase coming in. You’ll have batsmen coming in who are equally successful in Test cricket, equally successful in one-day cricket, and will not even have to slog in T20.”

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship once again this evening as they prepare to welcome Norwich City to Elland Road, with the chance to move top of the league with a win.

Sheffield United’s comeback against Swansea on Tuesday night placed them at the top of the second tier, but three points for the Whites tonight would immediately put them back in first place.

Daniel Farke’s side should be high in confidence ahead of this clash with the Canaries after they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 last time out on Sunday.

The West Yorkshire outfit could end the night level on points with Burnley, if they win their match, and only two points ahead of Sunderland if Norwich come to Elland Road and claim three points.

That illustrates how tight it is at the top of the Championship table and that is why Leeds may still be looking at their options in the January transfer window to see if they can improve the squad before the deadline.

The Whites have reportedly set their sights on attacking reinforcements as they have been linked with an interest in a forward who could become the manager’s next Emi Buendia…

Emi Buendia's magic for Farke

Leeds are reportedly battling it out with unnamed clubs from LaLga to land a loan deal for the Aston Villa attacking midfielder, as the Whites boss looks to reunite with the talented playmaker.

Farke worked with Buendia during his time at Norwich City, signing him from Getafe in the summer of 2018, and won two Championship titles in three seasons with the right-footed magician.

The German head coach lifted the second tier trophy in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns, with the Argentina international an influential figure in both of those successes due to his ability to score and create goals from an attacking midfield or wide position.

As you can see in the table above, Buendia played a key role in those two promotion-winning seasons by contributing with 23 goals and 28 assists combined.

The 28-year-old star has, therefore, proven that he has the quality to make a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch at Championship level, whilst working under Farke, and that is why he could be a terrific signing for Leeds this month.

If Leeds are unable to strike a deal to sign Buendia, though, due to interest from LaLiga, then the German boss could unearth his new version of the former Norwich sensation by securing a deal to sign someone else.

Leeds in the race to sign Burnley star

According to Belgian outlet Voetbal Nieuws, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are one of a number of clubs lining up a move to sign Burnley attacking midfielder Mike Tresor this month.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that the 25-year-old wizard is looking to move on from Turf Moor before the end of the January transfer window, as an outing in the FA Cup against Reading earlier this month was his only appearance of the season so far.

It states that the Clarets are also keen to part ways with the Belgian dynamo, who they signed on a permanent deal from Genk last summer after having him on loan in the Premier League last term, but it does not reveal exactly how much they are looking for in return for his services.

Voetbal Nieuws adds that Belgian sides Anderlecht and KAA Gent are also interested in a swoop for the Burnley outcast, whilst Dutch giants Ajax are among the clubs eyeing him up and are said to be Tresor’s preferred destination at this moment in time.

This suggests that this could be a difficult deal for Leeds to get over the line, given the competition for his signature and the fact he plays for a direct rival in the Championship, but it could be one that is well worth pushing for.

Tresor could arrive at Elland Road as Farke’s new version of Argentine magician Buendia. Here’s how they compare…

Why Tresor could be Farke's new Buendia

It is fair to say that Tresor has endured a difficult time in England since his initial move to Turf Moor on loan from Genk in the summer of 2023.

He only started three of his 16 appearances in the Premier League under Vincent Kompany in the 2023/24 campaign and has yet to play in the league under Scott Parker this term.

The 25-year-old gem has, therefore, not had many opportunities to truly showcase his quality in England, with just three starts, and Leeds could offer him a chance to play week-in-week-out to get back to his best on the pitch.

Tresor’s form for Genk in the 2022/23 campaign, before his move to Burnley, suggests that the potential is there for him to be a Buendia-esque talent for Farke if he can hit his stride in the final third again as an attacking midfielder or wide player.

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian sensation, whose form was praised as being “absolutely sensational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a creator.

The Leeds target has the vision and technical ability in the final third to consistently unlock opposition defences to create high-quality chances for his teammates, which could help the likes of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph to thrive in the second half of the campaign.

He was directly involved in 32 goals in those 38 games, and that is more than Buendia was ever involved in in one season for Norwich, with 31 in the 2020/21 campaign being his best return, which speaks to his potential to make a huge impact as an attacking force.

Joseph upgrade: Leeds considering bid to sign "powerful" £4m striker

Leeds United are one of the clubs reportedly interested in the striker in January.

By
Dan Emery

Jan 21, 2025

Therefore, Farke could unearth his new version of the Argentine ace, and forget about a swoop for the Aston Villa man, by securing a deal to sign Tresor from Burnley this month, because he has the playmaking and goalscoring tools to emerge as a star for Leeds.

Manchester United have certainly got a lot of work to do if they want to salvage the season. Ruben Amorim’s side sit 12th in the Premier League, with 29 points to their name. The Red Devils are currently 12 points outside of the top four, and if they are to reach that kind of level, it would be an impressive end of the campaign.

The Portuguese manager has a bit of an underwhelming record during his time at United so far, winning eight times, losing seven and drawing two in the 17 games he has managed. That is certainly going to have to improve if United want to qualify for Europe.

To help boost themselves up the table, United are targeting reinforcements in the January transfer window, including looking to strengthen in midfield.

Man United’s midfield target

The player in question here is Juventus and Brazil international midfielder Douglas Luiz. It has been a tough first season in Turin for the 26-year-old, and he has been heavily linked with a move away from the club in the winter.

According to a report from The Mail, the Red Devils are believed to be one of the sides interested in a move for Luiz. United are thought to be ‘ in the wings’ waiting to pounce and complete a deal for the Brazilian if the chance arises.

However, they will likely face tough competition from some of their Premier League rivals. Closest to home is Manchester City, who are believed to be ‘contemplating a loan’, hinting at a temporary switch to United, too. Nottingham Forest and Fulham are also keen.

Why Luiz would be a good signing

It has not quite been the season Luiz might have expected when he first put pen to paper in Turin, after his £42.35m move from Aston Villa in the summer.

The Juve man – who’s previously been dubbed “one of the best in the world” in his position by Sky Italia journalist Cristiano Giuntoli – has played just 18 times in all competitions, although did face a spell on the sideline with muscle fatigue.

However, he has certainly not played as much as he might have liked. Incredibly, the Brazil international has featured for just 566 minutes in all competitions, the equivalent of just 6.2 full 90-minute games. Given it is the end of January, that is an outrageously low number.

Yet, the midfielder is clearly an excellent player, as he showed during his time at Villa Park. In fact, football statistician Statman Dave described him as the “best box-to-box CM in the Premier League”, which is high praise indeed.

He played 204 times for the West Midlands side, scoring 22 goals and grabbing 24 assists. The Brazil international particularly excelled in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring nine times and grabbing five assists in 35 games, an excellent record in midfield.

Luiz could be a brilliant replacement for Casemiro, who is linked with a move to AS Roma. Like his countryman Luiz, he has not played much this season and has been an unused substitute in United’s last six games.

Jamie Carragher thought his time at the top level was up last season, famously telling the midfielder to “leave the football, before the football leaves you”, after a 4-0 thrashing away from home against Crystal Palace.

The stats on FBref suggest that a move for Luiz as a Casemiro replacement could be a smart piece of business for United. He is better in many metrics than the Red Devils’ number 18, implying he would be a big upgrade.

For example, over the past two seasons, the Old Lady midfielder averages 5.2 progressive passes compared to just 4.98 per 90 minutes for Casemiro. He also averages 1.99 progressive carries, with the former Real Madrid star averaging 0.48 each game.

If United can do a deal for Luiz on loan, it could be an excellent piece of business for Amorim’s side. Not only would they be able to offload Casemiro, who is a high earner and doesn’t play, but they have a replacement for him ready to go.

As far as United’s push for European qualification goes, Luiz could be the perfect player to help push them up the table.

Amazing Hojlund upgrade: £58m "monster" now wants to sign for Man Utd

Manchester United are looking to bring in this new attacker before the transfer window closes.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 28, 2025

Winless on the tour, it took a century from the New Zealand captain to help turn around their fortunes in Delhi

Arun Venugopal21-Oct-20161:46

Agarkar: Once Williamson gets a start, he gets big runs

It’s easy to picture Kane Williamson as a school head boy. Like the best of them, he is extremely talented, has a fine work ethic and seen to be an ‘all-round good bloke.’As with all good head boys, Williamson finds himself at the nervecentre of every activity. Team meeting? Call Williamson. Press conference? Williamson will tackle it.

Williamson on…

Winning and getting a hundred
“It’s great that we showed some signs of improvement from the previous game which is always our focus. Although there were a lot of dots which is sort of the nature of the surface there was also boundaries which allowed us to score at a reasonably good rate. So it was nice to get that partnerships saying if we were able to perhaps get a few more in the later overs, we could have gotten an even better score.”
Boult
“Boult was extremely clever the way he tried to swing the ball early and then made the adjustment to come round the wicket just so with the low bounce not to give width. He was extremely accurate and I think a huge part or a huge reason why we got over the line today is his 10 overs.”

There is also the inevitable comparison with his predecessor – Brendon McCullum – to contend with. While McCullum had the class of 2015 rapping to the tune of fearless, attacking cricket, Williamson’s imprint is still work in progress.The class of 2016 does not comprise slackers – most of McCullum’s merry men continue with the good work – but the India tour has proved to be overwhelming for many of them. Martin Guptill has resembled an agonised drifter, while Ross Taylor seems to have gone uncomfortably numb. After the Test series whitewash, the free fall continued in the first ODI in Dharamsala. Who do they call on to arrest it? You hear a chorus, “Captain Kane!”It is not like Williamson has had it all worked out himself. While he has looked good on different occasions during the tour – never mind the bullying by R Ashwin – he had not managed a century. “That is a good place to start,” Mike Hesson, the headmaster, may possibly have told Williamson on the eve of the game. “And, for heaven’s sake, win the toss.” No pressure, Kane.Hours later, Williamson loses another toss. Minutes later, he watches Guptill’s bat stay away from the ball’s path. Seconds later, Williamson walks out. India’s new-ball pair of Umesh Yadav and Hardik Pandya has a skinny leg-side field, and they keep the off side interested by bowling well outside off. Further, the slip goes out to short cover, and a gully is in place to shut down the dab to third man, one of Williamson’s strong scoring zones.Williamson, standing on middle and leg stump, moves closer to the off stump. The counter-strategy is to enable him to connect deliveries outside off better, and also create an angle favourable for leg-side play. And so, Williamson flicks and tucks balls that remotely veer towards middle and leg, while flaunting his cover drive when the bowler overcorrects and goes too wide outside off.MS Dhoni is doing everything to seal the off side, especially in front of square on a dull track, but there is the left-hand solidity of Tom Latham to contend with as well. Like many head boys, Williamson has a geeky, loyal sidekick in Latham, who refused to abandon the crease in Dharamsala even as the rest of his mates loped off.1:46

‘Fantastic effort from our seam bowlers’ – Williamson

The pitch has by now begun misbehaving, and the balls keep low as promised. But Latham is driving and pulling smoothly, as is Williamson, who does so by going down on his knee. At the start of the 13th over, he stays low and bashes Axar Patel through midwicket, and two balls later steps out to loft him over mid-on for six. The next delivery is flat and fast. Williamson lets the ball go past him and taps it on its head past gully. When Wiliamson is not playing these strokes, he is sweeping firmly and wristily. He has scored a half-century, but there is no theatre. The celebrations can wait. New Zealand, though, are breathing more easily at 115 for 1 in 20 overs.That soon changes as Kedar Jadhav dismisses Latham with his Virender Sehwag-esque offbreaks. Jadhav’s larger contribution, however, is drawing Taylor out of the dressing room. For the next 10 overs, Taylor is swiping at everything, but mostly air. Attempted cuts are inside-edged and slower ones are missed. The bowlers are now bowling further away from off stump. When one of Taylor’s desperate swishes lands into the fielder’s hands, New Zealand have scored only 38 runs in the 10.3 overs since Latham’s dismissal.Williamson knows the momentum has been snatched away. The bowling side is on top. He merely looks downwards with one hand on his waist. There is no discernible emotion otherwise. There is Corey Anderson on the comeback trail, and together they attempt to rebuild, brick by brick. As Williamson nears his hundred, the exertions are showing. On a day of unusual injuries – Rohit Sharma later seems to have a bicep cramp – Williamson’s forearms are cramping. Massages are given and fluids are administered, literally, as he is not able to hold the bottle.But, Williamson gets back to work, drives crisply to gather the two runs needed for his century. The bat is held up momentarily and the helmet is off, more as a polite ‘thank you’ than in any sense of accomplishment. Soon, he watches Anderson depart. Not long after, he departs, too, after battling three flanks – India’s tactics, his team-mates’ inadequacies and his own body.New Zealand’s last ten overs are a laborious blur and they only just manage a par score. But, as the night comes to a close, the head boy is making his victory speech. Unlike whatever he has done on the field, it is vanilla and free of passion. The good head boy is glad to keep it this way.

South Africa A finished the day on 299 for 9 despite a 100-run partnership between Hamza and Jordan Hermann

Shashank Kishore30-Oct-2025Rishabh Pant spent an entire day on the field, seemingly untroubled by his foot, as he returned to action after more than two months in rehab for a foot injury sustained while batting during the fourth Test in Manchester.N Jagadeesan wasn’t as lucky, after B Sai Sudharsan’s spikes got stuck into his right hand during a training session on match eve. The selectors were forced to summon Ishan Kishan as cover. Jagadeesan’s injury meant an opportunity at the top of the order for Ayush Mhatre, the Mumbai opener, who was originally set to play only the second four-day fixture.All eyes were on Pant when he arrived early and began the day with warm-ups, timed sprints and a batting hit prior to the toss, which he won to put South Africa A in to bat. On a green surface at the Centre of Excellence, which offered plenty of seam movement and swing, the decision seemed justifiable. But gritty efforts from Jordan Hermann and Zubayr Hamza drove South Africa A to 299 for 9 at stumps. Nonetheless, they will be disappointed with the total, because there was the promise of a lot more earlier in the day.India A’s efforts in the field were led by Tanush Kotian, the offspinning allrounder, who picked up four wickets. He wheeled away for much of the second and third session, and was complemented by Manav Suthar, who was unlucky to have only two wickets next to his name at the end of a day where he got the odd ball to turn sharply, and jump up at the batters, whenever they seemed indecisive.Jordan Hermann used sweeps to great effect•PTI

Among the fast bowlers, Gurnoor Brar was potent but had just one wicket to show after 15 overs of toil himself. But the wicket he prised out – of Hamza for 66 – exhibited the virtues he’s been picked for. Gurnoor can hit hard lengths, hustle batters for pace, and have them hopping. This was exactly how Hamza fell, when he tried to evade a well-directed short ball to break a 130-run second-wicket stand.But Hamza had several moments he will look back on fondly from his innings. His manner of tackling spin against Tanush Kotian and Manav Suthar will stand him in good stead, if he gets an opportunity to feature in the two Tests that follow later this month. He didn’t let Kotian settle down, and used his feet superbly to hit him over mid-off repeatedly in his first two overs.Then, Hamza drove Kotian against the turn through extra cover, with Pant keen on leaving cover open to try and trap him into a false stroke. Against Suthar’s left-arm spin, he used his feet well to step out and cover the line to flick him against the turn through midwicket. One such stroke brought up his half-century.Hermann was more sedate after a fiery start. He began with square drive off Khaleel Ahmed, and was quick to pounce on anything short. Once Hamza took charge, however, Jordan slipped back into a more tempered pace, playing himself into the innings. Along the way, he was challenged by Brar’s pace and late movement.India A attacked with close-in fielders before stumps•PTI

Once spin came on, Jordan eased himself against Suthar by playing the lap sweeps and paddles, one of which had him fall over in a manner reminiscent of Pant’s red-ball pyrotechnics. He also played the shot of the afternoon – a sumptuous flick through midwicket, off Khaleel, in the first over after lunch. But he was eventually dismissed on 71, lbw while stuck on the crease to play Kotian against the turn.Shortly prior to his wicket, captain Marques Ackermann perished to Kotian when he tried to step out and flick, unable to get to the pitch and chipping one straight to Suthar. This dismissal briefly brought together Jordan and his older brother, Rubin Hermann, to the crease.The latter did a fine job, after it looked at one point as if India A would run through the lower middle-order, when Rivaldo Moonsamy fell just after tea to leave them 197 for 5. Ruben drove through the line fearlessly as Khaleel went searching for some reverse in the final session, and had a slice of luck when Sai Sudharsan put him down at deep backward square leg on 38.But it didn’t cost India A much as he was out soon after. He was bowled by Kotian for 54, to a delivery that kept low after he was too early into a pull shot. Shortly after, Kotian scalped up a classic offspinner’s dismissal, when he bowled Prenelan Subrayen through the gate, to claim his fourth towards the end of the day’s play.As stumps approached, Pant employed as many as six fielders around the bat, with South Africa A’s lower order at the crease. The tactic worked when Tiaan van Vuren’s top-edge off a slog sweep was lapped up by Devdutt Padikkal. India A then enjoyed the perfect finish to the day, when Khaleel trapped Lutho Sipamla lbw, to help them take the honours on the opening day.

Stats highlights from the fourth day in Kanpur where India inched closer to victory against New Zealand as R Ashwin became the second-fastest bowler to reach 200 Test wickets

Bharath Seervi25-Sep-20161 Bowlers who reached 200 Test wickets in fewer matches than R Ashwin, who achieved it in his 37th Test. Clarrie Grimmett, the fastest, got there in 36 Tests. The previous quickest India bowler to achieve this was Harbhajan Singh in 46 Tests. Ashwin was also the fastest from India to reach the milestones of 50, 100 and 150 wickets.51.4 Ashwin’s strike rate, the best among all 19 spinners who have taken 200 or more Test wickets. The next best is Stuart MacGill who struck every 54 balls.21.03 Ashwin’s average in Tests in India, easily the best among the ten bowlers who have taken 100-plus wickets. Bishen Singh Bedi comes next with an average of 23.99.2 India players who have achieved the double of making a score of 50 or more and taking a five-wicket haul in the same Test against New Zealand. Before Ravindra Jadeja in this Test, who picked 5 for 73 in the first innings and then made an unbeaten 50 in the second innings, Javagal Srinath had done this in Auckland in 1999.1 Number of higher targets set by India against New Zealand, than the 434 in this match. They had set a target of 617 in Wellington in 2009 and New Zealand had managed to draw that with two wickets remaining.5.40 Run rate of the partnership between Rohit Sharma and Jadeja – second-highest for a century stand for India against New Zealand for any wicket (where ball-by-ball details are known). The pair added 50 runs in 56 balls and completed 100 runs in 111 balls before India declared.10 Wickets taken by the New Zealand spinners in this Test – third-most for them against India. Their spinners had taken 19 wickets in Nagpur in 1969 and 12 wickets in Ahmedabad in 2010.593 First-class runs accumulated by Cheteshwar Pujara this month, in just five innings. Before making 62 and 78 in this match, he had scored 166, 31 and 256* for India Blue in the Duleep Trophy.7 Innings without a fifty for Rohit before his unbeaten 68 in the second innings of this Test. He had scored only 111 runs in those innings at average of 15.85. His last fifty came against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year.6 Number of scores between 50 and 80 by the top three batsmen in this Test – joint-most in any Test. There were six such scores in Brisbane Ashes Test in 1962-63 and between India and Australia in Chennai in 1997-98.

In accordance with the rule of a maximum of four overseas players, ESPNcricinfo had to sacrifice one big performer in the best XI of BPL 2016

Mohammad Isam10-Dec-20161 Tamim Iqbal (476 runs at 43.27, SR 115.8)
Given his top position among the run-scorers, Tamim was an automatic choice. He spent much of the tournament trying to ensure his runs mattered for Chittagong Vikings, who failed to make it past the eliminator match despite having a strong line-up.2 Mehedi Maruf (347 runs, SR 135.54)
Maruf’s strike rate was the highest among openers who played at least 10 innings. He did not make many big scores but always provided Dhaka Dynamites with a fast start in the Powerplay. He is a good fielder too, and affected a crucial run-out to dismiss Sabbir Rahman in the final.3 Sabbir Rahman (377 runs, SR 117.81)
Sabbir edged out Mohammad Mithun by virtue of one innings. His 122 against Barisal Bulls was the tournament’s only century. Mithun had a better average and appeared more stable, but you would always want a gun batsman like Sabbir at No. 3.Mahmudullah was declared Player of the Tournament•BCB4 Mahmudullah (396 runs at 33; 10 wickets, 7.41 RPO)
He was often a one-man show for Khulna Titans. For his exploits with bat and ball, Mahmudullah was the Player of the Tournament. He was consistent with the bat despite having to switch between roles of anchor and slogger, and though he bowled less this year, his last-over heroics in two matches ultimately took Khulna to the playoffs.5 Mohammad Nabi (overseas, 230 runs, SR 174.24; 19 wickets, 6.47 RPO)
Chittagong had great service from Mohammad Nabi, who won them matches with bat and ball. His reputation grew from the 2013 BPL, when he appeared for Sylhet Royals, but this time he was more involved by bowling up front and batting higher up the order.6 Darren Sammy (capt) (overseas, 276 runs, SR 174.68; 6 wickets, 7.54 RPO)
By pulling Rajshahi Kings to the final with his leadership and crucial runs, Sammy was chosen ahead of Kumar Sangakkara, who made 370 runs, in the XI. Sammy brought his ability to inspire to a franchise that was making its debut in the BPL. His team talks, some of which were seen in the middle, seemed to bring everyone together. His big-hitting also won them a few matches, and there was also the odd breakthrough with the ball.7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) (341 runs at 37.88, SR 134.78; 7 dismissals)
Because Sangakkara could not be fit in because of the limit on overseas players, Mushfiqur made it. He was the lone light in a dreary season for Barisal Bulls, who finished at the bottom. There was a marked improvement in Mushfiqur’s wicketkeeping.8 Dwayne Bravo (overseas, 104 runs; 21 wickets, 7.55 RPO)
Dhaka Dynamites wouldn’t have been champions without Bravo’s effervescence with the ball. He failed to take wickets in only two matches and collected at least three wickets in four matches. He was the highest wicket-taker of the tournament, which helped him stretch his lead as T20 cricket’s highest wicket-taker.Arafat Sunny bowled tightly for Rangpur•AFP9 Arafat Sunny (13 wickets, 6.29 RPO)
Sunny edged out Sunzamul Islam, Nazmul Islam and Rangpur Riders team-mate Sohag Gazi because he conceded only 4.02 per over in wins. Sunny was also the only Bangladeshi spinner among the top ten wicket-takers this season. But he had one sour note: his bowling action was reported by umpires for one delivery.10 Shafiul Islam (18 wickets, 7.78 RPO)
In this unusually long injury-free period, Shafiul bowled better than he has ever done in a tournament. He ended with more wickets than Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Shahid and Taskin Ahmed, becoming the highest Bangladeshi wicket-taker in the tournament. But he eventually suffered a hamstring injury and missed the second qualifier for Khulna.11 Junaid Khan (20 wickets, 6.09 RPO)
Junaid was the second highest wicket-taker in the tournament, grabbing the attention with a four-wicket haul in Khulna’s first game. His pace, lengths and variation impressed even Wasim Akram, who tweeted that the performance should be noticed by Pakistan’s selectors.

Eden Park likes to produce a tight game. Six of New Zealand’s last eight ODIs here can certainly lay claim to the tag of a nipper. On the eve of the decider against South Africa (these two have history at the ground) here’s a rundown

Andrew McGlashan in Auckland03-Mar-2017Lost by two wickets v West Indies, 2013Darren Sammy carried West Indies over the line in a low-scorer•Getty ImagesFor all the talk of short boundaries at Eden Park, the bowlers have more than their fair share of moments. Having been put in, New Zealand crashed to 156 all out (98 of the runs coming from the McCullum brothers) as firstly Jason Holder and Ravi Rampaul – plus one of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor’s mix-ups – then Dwayne Bravo did the damage. But West Indies made heavy weather of the chase as Mitchell McClenaghan took 5 for 58. The innings had barely passed halfway when Holder fell leaving them needing 10 to win with two wickets in hand. Darren Sammy was not taking any chances, clubbing McClenaghan for a six and a four in the space of three balls.Tied v India, 2014Ravindra Jadeja starred in 2014 when India earned a tie•Associated PressA Martin Guptill century had anchored New Zealand towards 314, although India’s bowlers fought back when it looked like 350 was touchable. In turn, they were swiftly out of the blocks but 64 without loss became 79 for 4. MS Dhoni helped rebuild, but when he fell for 50, brilliantly caught by Tim Southee, the game again looked lost at 184 for 6 in the 36th over. However, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja produced a rollicking stand of 85 in nine overs yet when last man Varun Aaron walked in, 29 were needed off 13 balls. Jadeja was given a life in the penultimate over, still 12 off three balls was cutting it fine. A four and six later it was two off one, but he could only drill the next delivery to one of the cluster of in-fielders. All square.Won by one wicket v Australia, 2015Six to win. Job done•Getty ImagesA bizarre game. Australia’s 80 for 1 became 106 for 9 in one of the most dramatic World Cup collapses (for an hour or so, anyway) as Trent Boult curved the ball through the middle order with five wickets in 17 balls. They scrambled to 151, but Brendon McCullum made minced meat of the new ball with 50 off 24 deliveries. When he found mid-off, New Zealand were 78 for 2 in the eighth over. It wasn’t even the dinner break. Then it was over to Mitchell Starc. Either side of the interval he castled Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott with consecutive balls. Still, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson got New Zealand to within 21 when Anderson slogged to mid-on. In the blink of an eye, and a flash of zing bails, Boult walked in with Starc on a hat-trick and six required. Boult somehow survived, but Williamson wasn’t going to wait to see for how much longer. The next ball he received he drilled Pat Cummins over the short straight boundary. It wasn’t even dark, but everyone needed a lie down.Won by four wickets v South Africa, 2015Grant Elliott soaks it all in after his matchwinning innings in the World Cup semi-final•Getty ImagesDale Steyn. Grant Elliott. Six. That’s almost enough to say, but a magnificent game had many strands. South Africa were threatening to cut loose through AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis when one of the most important showers in New Zealand history blew through and zapped South Africa’s momentum. David Miller’s 18-ball 49 ensured it remained a daunting chase, but New Zealand didn’t feel it was out of sight. It was firmly in view when McCullum plundered 59 off 26 ferocious deliveries in an opening stand of 71 in 6.1 overs. Elliott arrived with consolidation needed and alongside Anderson added 103 in 16.2 overs. It came down to 23 off two overs. After Elliott was dropped, it was 12 off the last (or 11 for the tie which was also good enough for New Zealand) then 10 off 4. Daniel Vettori squirted the most important boundary of his life. Elliott was back on strike with five needed off two. It was back-of-a-length from Steyn. Elliott saw it early. Swung for the hills. Connected.Won by three wickets v Pakistan, 2016Mitchell Santner kept his cool after a chase against Pakistan got a little tight•Getty ImagesSomething a little more mundane this time, but still a frantic finish. New Zealand had appeared to time their chase pretty well needing 41 off the last five but there wasn’t much room for error. Then Anderson was given a reprieve when Billy Bowden didn’t spot an edge off Rahat Ali (Pakistan had used up their review) which was followed by consecutive sixes – 26 off 24 left breathing room and 13 off 18, after Mohammad Amir’s last over went for 13, should have been a cakewalk. Somehow, though, Pakistan pushed it out to six off the final over. Mitchell Santner pricked the tension with a crunching cover drive and after two teasing dot deliveries drilled the winning hit down the ground.Won by six runs v Australia, 2017Australia celebrate after clinging on for victory after Marcus Stoinis’ onslaught•Getty ImagesThis wasn’t looking like a thriller. For the third consecutive time at Eden Park, Australia’s top order had been blown away. From 67 for 6 chasing 287, they would even do well to just make a game of it. Marcus Stoinis, in just his second ODI, was 73 off 84 balls when Cummins, who had 36, was stumped with Australia needing 91 off nine overs. Then Stoinis really started swinging. Three sixes came off the next over from James Neesham. But just defiance, right? Starc came and went: 61 off 42 balls with one wicket in hand. Stoinis’ sixth six brought up a stunning century and three more followed off the next seven deliveries. He then survived a run out chance and a huge appeal for caught behind. Nineteen needed off 24, astonishingly the run rate wasn’t an issue. Two sixes later and the target was in single figures, the stand was worth 52 and Josh Hazlewood hadn’t faced a ball. Queue lengthy field changes. Southee them jammed in a yorker, Stoinis dug it out to Williamson at short mid-on (one of those field changes) but Hazlewood, similarly to Allan Donald in 1999 World Cup semi-final, had charged up the pitch. Williamson collected the ball, wasn’t balanced but somehow managed to back-hand it into the stumps.

Wayne Parnell’s career has been dented by injuries, exclusions and inconsistency. Now without Dale Steyn and Kyle Abbott, South Africa could be helped by Parnell’s improved and refined avatar

Firdose Moonda05-Jun-2017The most exciting thing South Africa offered at a major tournament in England since their 1999 semi-final at Edgbaston was Wayne Parnell. A decade after the drama of the tie, Parnell, then a 19-year old left-arm quick, tore his way through England and West Indies at the World T20 to put South Africa on course for the cup. We all know how that turned out, but we may have forgotten how Parnell did. Eight years later, he is back to show us.Not all of that time has been kind to Parnell. After the novelty of his potential faded into inconsistency, he struggled to keep his place. And then injuries struck. A groin strain suffered at the IPL robbed him of what would have been a crucial second bite at a global event – the 2010 World T20 – and most of the next season. So began a topsy-turvy period in and out of the national side, which only stabilised after Parnell played a full summer of domestic cricket, six years into his professional career.Parnell was left out of all formats of the national team in the 2015-16 summer and spent time honing his craft at Cape Cobras. Though he was hampered by a foot niggle for some parts of the season, he played more regularly than in previous years, was tasked with greater responsibility which even included opening the batting in some limited-overs’ matches (Parnell was initially touted as an allrounder, remember?) and he accepted it with aplomb. He finished as the third-highest wicket-taker in the 2015-16 season domestic One Day Cup and led Cobras to the final. At their awards ceremony that year, he scooped four titles, including Player of the Year, and it was around then that talks of a comeback began.Last February, Russell Domingo explained how despite Parnell’s reputation for being erratic, he remained valuable because things happened around players like him. By the time South Africa went to the Caribbean in June to play a triangular series, Parnell was back in the mix and had begun to have serious discussions with Domingo about his future. “Over the last 12 months, I sat down with Russell and tried to figure out a way that I could play more consistently in this one-day outfit,” Parnell said in Birmingham, where South Africa are preparing for their second Champions Trophy game against Pakistan on Wednesday. “Consistency was one thing that was mentioned.”Parnell knew that he had to become more reliable in his contributions to the team but for that to happen, he also needed more certainty over his role. That only came at the start of the 2016-17 season, when injuries to the lead pacemen, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, and the Kolpak-enforced departure of Kyle Abbott allowed Parnell to establish himself as a new-ball bowler. He has opened the bowling ten times in 13 ODIs since September 2016 and taken 18 wickets at 24.77 with an economy rate of 5.63, which is much-improved on the 18 times he opened the bowling in 51 matches before that. Then, he took 34 wickets at 28 with an economy rate of 6.21; so not only has Parnell become more dangerous but he has also learnt greater control.That was evident in his performance against Sri Lanka on Saturday, when he went wicketless but returned from a first spell that cost 45 runs in five overs to concede only nine runs in his next five overs. Sri Lanka’s situation had changed from the start of their innings when Upul Tharanga was on the attack to a more resigned pace of scoring in response to the inevitability of not being able to chase 300, largely because of Imran Tahir, but the way Parnell pulled things back was a good sign for South Africa.”It was about staying in the moment, staying in the game. The first five overs didn’t go according to plan. When AB [de Villiers] called on me for the last five overs, it was about doing what was needed in that particular time,” he said. “I’ve got plans in place that I want to try and implement. It’s about being smart.”Parnell thinks Pakistan may provide a similar challenge, which may mean South Africa will opt for a similar attack that could include both specialist quicks, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel, and only two of the four allrounders. Parnell is one of them but does not see himself fighting for a place against Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius.Rather, he considers himself a cog in a South African wheel which will turn depending on conditions. “For me it is not a case of competing with somebody else. I bring a different skill set to this bowling unit. It’s just about trying to be the best version of myself,” Parnell said. “We are at a stage where everyone is comfortable with staying and sitting out at different times. We’ve developed a culture of horses for courses. It’s more about what’s needed at the different venues than performances.”Regularly impressive performances have told the story of Parnell’s coming of age. More of them could turn back the years to the glory of 2009, except that this time, he will want to take the team one step further.

Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten run across all competitions has now extended to three games across all competitions after Tuesday’s Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

The Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory in Europe after penalties from Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and an own goal from opposition defender David Zima.

Thomas Frank looks to have finally found a winning formula, as seen in recent weeks, after previously failing to win in any five matches, four of which came in the Premier League.

Some may argue that the Dane is starting to get the best out of his current playing squad, with a period of adaptation evidently needed after his summer appointment.

However, despite the three-goal triumph in North London last night, the manager will no doubt have seen some glaring flaws that will need correcting in the weeks ahead.

Spurs's biggest underperformers against Slavia Prague

After starting each of the last four games on the substitutes bench, winger Wilson Odobert was handed the chance to start from the off against Slavia Prague.

However, the Frenchman struggled to make the desired impact, as seen by his tally of 86% duels lost, leading to his withdrawal in the 76th minute of the clash.

Other figures, such as zero dribbles completed and two big chances missed in the final third, also highlight his lack of positive impact despite Frank’s faith shown in the youngster.

He wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver during the win, with Pedro Porro unable to produce the regular attacking quality the fanbase have become accustomed to in recent years.

The Spaniard only managed to complete one of his five attempted crosses, whilst completing just 66% of the passes he attempted – largely being ineffective when in possession.

He also failed to win any tackles against the Czech side, whilst failing to complete any of his attempted dribbles – showcasing his lack of quality at both ends of the pitch in North London.

Spurs star needs to be dropped after Slavia Prague

Spurs have spent heavily over the last couple of years to try and be competitive in the Premier League and try and compete for titles under Frank in the years ahead.

In the recent summer alone, the Lilywhites hierarchy backed the manager with over £120m worth of funds to make an immediate impact during his first year at the helm.

Xavi Simons was just one of the additions made by the hierarchy during the off-season, but he’s struggled to make an impact across various competitions in recent months.

He went 17 games without a goal until last week, but the Dutch star has started to find his feet – as seen by his tally of two goals in his last two games for the Lilywhites.

The same can’t be said for striker Richarlison, who has constantly struggled for consistency after his own £50m transfer from Everton back in the summer of 2022.

The Brazilian international has been Frank’s starting centre forward for the majority of 2025/26 to date, subsequently managing to net a total of seven goals across all competitions.

Whilst such a tally may seem respectable, he’s often gone missing in major moments this campaign, as seen against Slavia Prague in the meeting on Tuesday.

He was once again handed a start at the top end of the pitch, but he was unable to provide the goods in front of goal and was subsequently replaced in the 68th minute.

Richarlison was only able to register a measly tally of 22 touches, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who managed 50 – showcasing his lack of impact in North London.

He also only managed to complete nine passes and lost possession on seven separate occasions, further highlighting his lack of positive impact during the Champions League clash.

The Brazilian also missed one big chance in front of goal and won just 50% of his aerial battles, often struggling to provide the focal point Frank has massively craved.

As a result of his showing, the striker was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by Football London’s Alasdair Gold, further showcasing his struggles in North London.

After such a showing, Frank must certainly be left with no choice but to drop the forward and hand the likes of Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani the chance to stake their claim for the number nine role.

Richarlison has no doubt been a decent option for Spurs over the last couple of years, but it’s becoming increasingly evident week on week that he’s not at the level needed for success.

Frank's new Mbeumo: Paratici set to make Spurs bid to sign "world-class" CF

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to land a new talisman in the upcoming January window.

By
Ethan Lamb

3 days ago