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After a whirlwind introduction to Test cricket in 2018, Dom Bess has had to bide his time. But, he knows that a good showing on the Lions tour is an investment in his England future

Sruthi Ravindranath in Wayanad14-Feb-2019A youngster, coming from a family of cricketers, chooses cricket for a career over the other sport he equally loves. He goes on to make his Test debut on the hallowed turf at Lord’s just two years later.Sounds like the plot of a feel-good film, doesn’t it? Well, it also happens to be Dom Bess’ real-life story. A keen rugby player, all it took for the England allrounder to pick cricket was just one winter at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide.”I think I’ve really kicked on the late development bit, though I’m just 21 now,” Bess tells ESPNcricinfo. “When I was about 18, I didn’t get a contract so I went to Australia for a winter after school. My game hadn’t really kicked on until then. I loved rugby but I was never good enough to play it professionally. But if cricket hadn’t worked for me, I’d be playing rugby now.”That’s when I went to the Lehmann Academy. After that, once I came back, I started playing continuously for the next one and a half years. Living by yourself when you’re 18 … I matured that way as well. As I went on, I performed in the second team at Somerset, playing games in the end. I played in the U-19s. I took two five-fors and it all rolled into one. After that winter in Australia, I knew I wanted to be a cricketer.”An offspinning allrounder? How did that happen?”I have three cousins who are older than me who play cricket.  As a family we play a lot of sport, rugby being one. Especially if I was to be with my grandfather, I always had to pick up the ball. My older cousins would also always want to bat. So that’s why bowling came easier to me, my batting came much later on.”In 2018, Bess made his England debut against Pakistan at Lord’s. An injury to his Somerset team-mate Jack Leach had opened the door for him in the first Test of the summer. He went wicketless on debut, but impressed with a hard-fought 57 in a losing cause, and followed up with three wickets and a 49 as nightwatchman in the win at Leeds.But the big break did not mean it would all be rosy for Bess from then on. With Leach back from injury, he found himself going from the Test team to Somerset’s second XI in a span of four weeks. He did not make the squad against India and Sri Lanka later that year. Since that memorable debut series, he has been travelling with the England Lions, who are currently playing in India.”It’s been unbelievably tough actually,” Bess says. “A lot of that happened very quickly. The dream come true, the rise and until now. It was the quickest three weeks I had in my life and it just flashed by. For me, after it finished, it was all about sitting and taking in that fact.”When he [Leach] came back from the New Zealand tour [in 2017-18], we were fighting for that Somerset spot as well. From then until now, I haven’t played much cricket. Since then I’ve been trying to get myself back into the county side with every opportunity I get. One thing is that I’ve had massive highs and massive lows, so I understand it’s going be a long journey.”After that winter in Australia, Bess had a meteoric rise. He found himself in the limelight on his Championship debut in 2016 where he picked up 6 for 21, the best figures by a Somerset championship debutant since 1961, on a rank turner in Taunton.He found success bowling alongside Leach in 2017, when Somerset were fighting relegation, taking 36 wickets at 23.42. Somerset beat Middlesex in their last match to stay in the top tier and both Leach and Bess ended up in the Lions side. A whirlwind of a year then followed.Dominic Bess with Saqlain Mushtaq during a practice session•Getty ImagesThe fact that that whirlwind has now blown over hasn’t brought him down though. He knows England’s tour of India is not far away and is well aware of what he can bring to the team in those conditions.”Firstly, Andy Flower [England Lions head coach] is here, who was a key in Ashes wins, and the India win back here [in 2012-13]. He knows the conditions and the set-up in India. The selectors will go to him and he surely knows what we’re doing – especially if we perform here and with the India tour [2020-21] not far away.”This is a key development and learning curve. As soon as you know how to play out here, it’s going to put you in a good stead. If people adapt quicker here, it’s a place to show the coaches and selectors what you can do.”That England’s selectors have been looking at youth over experience is good news for the likes of Bess. He is looking to turn that to his advantage, especially with the senior team’s batting under scrutiny after the series loss in West Indies.”If I think about my batting right now, one thing I need to do is score regularly,” he says.”I’ve got to get those 100s. I’ve got one, and I’ve got one 90. Getting better at batting will only open doors for me. If I’m making runs, I can obviously ask the question why can’t I bat higher, apart from bowling. If you’ve got an early game at home and you need only one spinner, I’m just going to be knocking on the door by scoring runs as well. You might get in the team that way.”While he was not a part of the series against India at home last summer, he trained with the senior side and played in the tour match against India A. That’s when he caught up with the legendary Saqlain Mushtaq, the team’s spin-bowling coach, who he feels has “done wonders” for his spin compatriots. Bess also admits to having learned a few tricks from the former Pakistan offspinner.”When India had come to England I was with the group unofficially, I worked with Saqlain for a little bit. He’s fascinating. He’s a subcontinent spinner, I feel like his bowling style is way different to a traditional English spinner. To get his views and beliefs on spin is fascinating.”He talks more of the spin coming off the finger, which I haven’t thought of before, to add to my technique, so that’s a great understanding for me. That’s one big thing I picked from him. Hopefully, if I find my way back into the Test side I’ll get to interact with him a bit more. He’s done wonders for Mo [Moeen Ali] and Rash [Adil Rashid], and now for Leach as well.”With Bess and Leach vying for the same spot in the England and Somerset line-ups, Bess is looking to use the competition to his benefit.”It’s a fascinating relationship. But at the end of the day we’re betting against each other. We also work together, we try to figure out from each other how we can improve. I think that’s how you can see why we’ve had a rapid rise. Of course, we’re challenging each other at the same county. At times it’s harder when it comes to the England side because we’re fighting for the same spot.”I’ve been on two England tours and Lions tours. I’ve had people like Leachy at my county to compete with, and he’s helped me. It’s made him better as well for him to be one step ahead in preparation. I saw him come back from Sri Lanka, he’s on a different level. He’s found another gear, now I’ll have to keep up with him.”

The selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar will meet on Friday to pick India’s squad for the last three Tests against England

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Feb-2024

Retain Shreyas Iyer or drop him? That is set to be one of the first questions for the selection panel when it meets on Friday evening to pick India’s squad for the three remaining Tests of the England series.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Iyer had informed the team management that he had experienced back spasms a day or two after the end of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which India won to level the series 1-1. The BCCI medical staff, though, are understood to have cleared Iyer for selection.Apart from Rohit Sharma, Iyer is the only senior India batter to not register a significant score in the first two Tests – he made 35 and 13 in Hyderabad and 27 and 29 in Visakhapatnam. Considered one of India’s best batters against spin, Iyer has, however, struggled to find fluency, struggling both in his defence and in his strokeplay.Related

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Insiders believe Iyer’s struggles could be a result of him feeling stiffness in his back as he bats for long periods. A pinched nerve in his lower back flared up originally during the fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2023. Last April, he had undergone back surgery to deal with a slipped disc, which had caused him “excruciating pain” and made him doubtful about his future.Iyer then missed the IPL, where he leads Kolkata Knight Riders, but returned to play for India in the Asia Cup. However, recurring back spasms restricted his involvement to just two matches. But a successful ODI World Cup, where Iyer played impact innings in the middle order – including in the semi-final against New Zealand – suggested he had completely recovered.Dropped from India’s T20I squad in the home series against Afghanistan in January, Iyer tested his match fitness for the England Test series by playing a Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai against Andhra, where he batted once and scored 48.2:58

Are captaincy duties affecting Rohit’s batting?

While he was in the squad for the first two Tests, there was no assurance that he would be in the XI – he was competing with KL Rahul for one middle-order slot. But once Virat Kohli ruled himself out for the first two Tests for personal reasons, and could be out for longer, Rahul and Iyer got into the XI for the first Test.Rahul, who was ruled out of second Test because of a quad niggle, is expected to be fit for the second part of the England series. Now the selectors have to decide whether they want to retain Iyer or place their faith in Rajat Patidar, who made his debut in the second Test and impressed with his technique and composure. Not to forget, Sarfaraz Khan was also in the squad for the second Test, but didn’t get into the XI.Bumrah to be rested for fourth or fifth Test?One other significant talking point for the selectors will be Jasprit Bumrah, who is the leading bowler so far in the series with 15 wickets. While Bumrah has shown no fitness concerns since resuming to play at the World Cup after undergoing back surgery last March, the selectors are understood to have acknowledged the point made by the BCCI medical staff about manging the workload of Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, both all-format players.Siraj was rested for the second Test, but is expected to return for the third in Rajkot starting February 15. Bumrah, too, is set to play the match, but is likely to get a break for one of the two final Tests – in Ranchi and Dharamsala.

An opening Pakistan game at a World Cup is usually a bustling affair, but Friday’s contest at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium is unlikely to be played to a packed house

Danyal Rasool05-Oct-20232:59

Middle order and spin department a concern for Pakistan

Big pictureAfter years of will-they-won’t-they, months of administrative bickering and weeks of visa uncertainties, the moment has finally arrived. Pakistan will take to the field in a World Cup match in India, Hyderabad the somewhat unassuming venue, Netherlands the slightly inauspicious opponents. It’s a gentle start rather than an explosive one, but it’s a start nonetheless, between a side that at times felt like it didn’t really want to come to India, and one that would have done absolutely anything to be here.An opening Pakistan game at a World Cup is usually a bustling affair, though this one at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium is unlikely to be played to a packed house. With the ticketing rollout little short of shambolic, and almost all Pakistani citizens still waiting on their visas, the crowd may lack some of the atmosphere Pakistan games usually play out to. But it’s a city where they were made to feel extremely welcome, and they enjoyed warm support from the locals in the warm-up match against Australia. Pakistan won’t be in town too often, let’s be honest, so the opportunity to watch the likes of Babar Azam or Shaheen Shah Afridi in the flesh is difficult to scoff at.Related

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Pakistan thought they were in pole position less than a month ago when their three prime fast bowlers were fit and firing, but things have taken a nosedive since. Pakistan finished bottom of the Super 4s at the Asia Cup and Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the tournament since.Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman’s poor form has become something of a rut, and the warm-ups saw Pakistan lose by six overs to spare after posting 345 against New Zealand, before conceding 351 against Australia. They should be good enough for this Netherlands side not to worry them too much, but taking things for granted in a World Cup is dangerous business.Netherlands’ major disappointment stems from both their warm-up games being rain-affected – with one completely washed out – which means the last 50-over game of any sort they collectively played came in the final of the World Cup Qualifier three months ago. The gained momentum at that tournament as it went on, and towards the end demonstrated their quality and ability to cope with pressure few sides at the World Cup proper have to deal with. Their batting is the stronger suit, which may prove handy if the pitch is as flat as Hyderabad was for the two warm-up games held here. But with Roelof van der Merwe looking tidy against Australia, and an attack that includes Shariz Ahmed, Paul van Meekeren and Bas de Leede, Netherlands have something to work with.Form guideNetherlands LWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLWWWBabar Azam is all smiles at Pakistan’s training ahead of their World Cup opener•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightThere is truly only one man in this conversation. No one has the gaze of a quarter of a billion people fixed quite so forensically on them as Shadab Khan in this Pakistan side. The vice-captain’s indifferent form, particularly with the ball, and especially in this format, have seen once-unthinkable calls for his omission from the starting line-up.A poor Asia Cup saw him concede 218 runs in 35 overs at 109 per wicket in his last four matches, and he was similarly ineffective in the warm-up game against Australia. With little by way of runs to compensate either, Usama Mir’s legspin stock has risen over the past few weeks. While Shadab’s place shouldn’t be in danger against the Netherlands, his performance might well determine if that remains the case as the World Cup goes on.The defining image of the last Netherlands-Pakistan match in Perth last year featured Haris Rauf asking after Bas de Leede’s health after a bouncer from the bowler had given him a concussion and a nasty cut under the eye. “Go well,” Haris had said then, and de Leede has done just that. A few months earlier, he had sparkled during an ODI between the two sides in Rotterdam, narrowly missing out on a century. But it was in the qualifiers for this World Cup that he really shone, scores of 41, 33, 41, 39 and a stunning 116-ball 123 catapulting his side towards the World Cup. That remains the last ODI he played, and a year out from that unfortunate Perth encounter, he has the opportunity to show how well he’s going.Netherlands have had little 50-over practice since the World Cup Qualifiers, with both their warm-up matches being affected by rain•Getty ImagesTeam newsMohammad Wasim bowled a fair bit during training on the day before, but Hasan Ali should get the nod over him. Pakistan’s combination is an issue if they want to fit Usama Mir in, which invariably comes at the expense of a batter.Pakistan (possible XI): 1 Fakhar Zaman 2 Imam-ul-Haq 3 Babar Azam (capt) 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 5 Saud Shakeel/Salman Ali Agha 6 Iftikhar Ahmed 7 Shadab Khan 8 Mohammad Nawaz 9 Hasan Ali 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Haris RaufNetherlands (possible XI): 1 Vikramjit Singh 2 Max O’Dowd 3 Wesley Barresi 4 Bas de Leede 5 Colin Ackermann 6 Scott Edwards (capt &wk) 7 Ryan Klein 8 Logan van Beek 9 Roelof van der Merwe, 10 Shariz Ahmed 11 Paul van MeekerenPitch and conditionsThere was rain in Hyderabad during a warm-up game the previous week, but none is expected on Friday, with the weather expected to be hot and dry. Expect another high-scoring contest.Stats and trivia Babar Azam is 26 runs away from becoming the first active Pakistan batter to make 500 ODI World Cup runs. Pakistan have lost the first World Cup match at the last two tournaments, and four of the last five. Netherlands have won just two of their 15 World Cup matches, their last success coming in 2007 against Scotland.

MatériaMais Notícias

da apostebet： O Corinthians não conseguiu sair do zero com a Portuguesa pela oitava rodada do Paulistão, e o estado do gramado Mané Garrincha foi bastante criticado pelos torcedores. Após o jogo, Fausto Vera foi perguntado se o qualidade do campo atrapalhou a atuação do Timão. O meia reconheceu que a grama na Arena de Brasília não era das melhores, mas não quis usar esse argumento como desculpa pelo empate.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCom quadro de virose, Cassio faz aquecimento, mas desfalca o Corinthians contra a PortuguesaCorinthians12/02/2023CorinthiansApós ganhar a Supercopa Feminina com o Corinthians, Tamires critica diretoria do FlamengoCorinthians12/02/2023CorinthiansPouco inspirado, Corinthians empata com a Portuguesa em jogo sonolento pelo PaulistãoCorinthians12/02/2023

da betsul： +Saiba quais são os clubes com mais títulos de Mundial desde 1960

-Sim, é um estádio bonito, mas o gramado está um pouco lento. Mas não é desculpa, temos que seguir trabalhando, melhorando, o grupo está bem – disse Fausto ao Premiere.

+ Veja as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

O argentino avaliou a partida do clube alvinegro e lamentou a falta de capricho na hora de concluir as jogadas contra a Portuguesa.

-Foi um jogo chato, muito intenso. Criamos oportunidades de gol, faltou efetividade, mas tem que olhar para frente, continuar trabalhando muito, o grupo junto, para encarar o que vêm – concluiu Fausto Vera.

O duelo contra a Lusa marcou o retorno do camisa 5 ao time titular. Após se recuperar do trauma no tornozelo direito e das dores nos pés, ele foi reserva nas partidas contra Botafogo-SP e São Bernardo.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Campeonato Paulista

O Corinthians volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira (16), onde a equipe encara o Palmeiras, em Dérbi disputado na Neo Química Arena, às 21h30.

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After losing Edu Gaspar at the end of 2024, Arsenal are still on the search for a new full-time sporting director at the Emirates Stadium.

The Brazilian resigned from his Gunners role to take up a position alongside Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Olympiacos and Rio Ave.

The man tasked to fill in for Edu on an interim basis is Jason Ayto, who first joined Arsenal back in 2014 as a scout. But who could the Gunners bring in on a full-time basis as their new sporting director to work closely with manager Mikel Arteta?

Recent reports have claimed that Arsenal are starting to whittle down their options, with a March appointment thought to be likely:

Here, we’ve looked at a number of names the Gunners could target.

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ByRoss Kilvington Nov 5, 2024 1 Roberto Olabe Real Sociedad

There were claims late in 2024 that Arsenal were in advanced talks to bring Roberto Olabe to north London.

The Real Sociedad sporting director is on course to leave the club at the end of the current season after joining back in 2018. During that time, he played a part in signing Alexander Isak, who is now starring at Newcastle United, and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, who was on loan at Sociedad from Real Madrid.

2 Tomas Rosicky Sparta Prague

Former Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has also been linked with a return to north London to fill the gap left by Edu. Currently at Sparta Prague, Rosicky is thought to be a leading candidate after working with the side following his retirement in 2017.

He has overseen Adam Hlozek’s move to Bayer Leverkusen and Tomas Cvancara’s transfer to Borussia Monchengladbach – two big-money exits for Sparta Prague, who have gradually been improving in Europe in recent years.

3 Luis Campos PSG

Arteta has reportedly asked Paris Saint-Germain chief Luis Campos to move to Arsenal, with the 60-year-old seemingly open to leaving the French giants.

Formerly on the books of Real Madrid as a scout and Monaco as a sporting director, Campos helped secure deals for Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, Anthony Martial and James Rodriguez as young players, all of whom went on to enjoy successful careers.

4 Andrea Berta Unattached

Rumours have begun to swirl around the potential appointment of Andrea Berta, who was at Atletico Madrid until January. As per Football.london, Spanish sources had claimed that an agreement was close between the two parties.

Berta worked his way from the scouting department to the sporting director role in Madrid, during which time Los Colchoneros reached two Champions League finals, with Atleti winning the Europa League following Berta’s promotion to sporting director.

5 Thiago Scuro Monaco

Thiago Scuro emerged as one of the early candidates to come in for Edu, with the Monaco man moving to the Ligue 1 side as their sporting director in 2023 from RB Leipzig.

Since then, Scuro has helped Monaco make some shrewd moves in the transfer market, bringing in Folarin Balogun from Arsenal, as well as adding the likes of Denis Zakaria, Wilfried Singo and Thilo Kehrer to the French side.

6 Simon Rolfes Bayer Leverkusen

Arsenal were reportedly offered Simon Rolfes’ services following Edu’s departure, with the former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder doing a solid job behind the scenes since 2022.

The German assisted Xabi Alonso in building the history-making squad that finished the 2023/24 campaign unbeaten domestically, with Leverkusen winning their first Bundesliga title.

7 Monchi Aston Villa

Someone who has already rejected Arsenal’s sporting director role in the past is Monchi. Now at Aston Villa, Monchi snubbed the Gunners back in 2019 in order to return to Sevilla, and he has struck up a great partnership with Unai Emery, firstly in Spain and now at Villa Park.

Arsenal may have recently contacted Monchi after attempting to sign Ollie Watkins, and who knows, the 56-year-old director could be on their radar again.

8 Jason Ayto Arsenal

Ayto, the current interim sporting director, is another candidate for the full-time sporting director role at the Emirates Stadium. That’s according to recent claims from football.london, with Ayto working behind the scenes on targets which include Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

However, Ayto and Arsenal’s failure to sign a new striker in January may not have done him many favours.

9 Per Mertesacker Arsenal

Another potential option who is already on the payroll at Arsenal is Per Mertesacker.

The former towering Gunners defender is currently overseeing the club’s academy and reports after Edu’s departure claimed that Mertesacker is “highly appreciated” by Arsenal. A former teammate of Arteta, Mertesacker could slot in well, albeit in a largely different role to his current position.

10 Dan Ashworth Warwickshire County Cricket Club

Dan Ashworth’s time at Man Utd was short and not so sweet, departing after just five months at Old Trafford, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Red Devils spending more time chasing him than having the former FA man on the books.

However, after successful stints with Brighton and Newcastle, Arsenal could look at offering him another role in football, as he is now currently advising Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

MatériaMais Notícias

da pinup bet： O Palmeiras praticamente selou a saída de Danilo para o Nottingham Forest-ING e, com isso, perde mais um titular importante das últimas temporadas históricas do clube. Sem ainda ter contratado e com aposta na permanência de uma espinha dorsal, o Verdão contará ainda mais com o trabalho e os planos de Abel Ferreira. O ano de 2023 promete ser daqueles que colocará muito coisa à prova.

> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2023 clicando aqui

Antes do jovem meio-campista, o Alviverde já havia perdido Gustavo Scarpa, melhor jogador do Brasileirão-2022, e talvez o melhor palmeirense da temporada. Até o momento, não houve reposição para essa saída e a tendência é de que nem haja, pois é um atleta com status de insubstituível por tudo o que conquistou e representou nos últimos anos. O jeito é buscar alternativas para ele.

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da bet nacional：
O mesmo sentimento vale para Danilo. Por mais que se busque um substituto, dificilmente será encontrado um jogador do mesmo nível e que se encaixe perfeitamente nesse esquema vencedor que vem desde 2020. É um garoto diferenciado, raro no mercado. Novamente, o jeito será criar alternativas para suprir a ausência, seja com reforços, seja com os famosos planos de Abel Ferreira.

Todos os movimentos do departamento de futebol para esta temporada apontam para essa aposta na capacidade de Abel. Não é à toa, ele já mostrou que é um profissional competente e que apresenta resultados, mas não deixa de ser curiosa essa centralização das expectativas.

>Veja os clubes da Série A que mais anunciaram reforços até aqui para 2023

Claro, não podemos nos esquecer que o clube renovou o contrato de quase todos os titulares, que tiveram suas permanências garantidas por, pelo menos, mais duas temporadas. No entanto, a aposta também está aí, quando se acredita ser possível manter um grupo motivado e competitivo para buscar novas conquistas mesmo sem trazer reforços. A crença é que Abel promova tudo isso.

Talvez por tudo o que essa equipe já ganhou e já mostrou, a temporada de 2023 seja mesmo uma espécie de entressafra. Ou seja, mesmo que não conquiste títulos, a ideia é que se tenha a noção que o trabalho permanece sendo feito, e essa etapa é uma transição para a montagem de uma nova cara para o time, principalmente com os novos garotos da base subindo. Não deixa de ser uma prova de fogo, até para sentir o quanto a torcida entenderá o momento e confiará em Abel Ferreira.

> Veja as principais transferências no Mercado da Bola do LANCE!

A verdade é que qualquer equipe que perca jogadores de alto nível como Danilo e Gustavo Scarpa, sentirá falta e terá dificuldade para se adaptar à nova realidade. Isso evidentemente vai acontecer com o Palmeiras, que tem o trunfo de contar com Abel Ferreira, melhor técnico em atividade no país e há mais de dois anos no cargo. A aposta é alta, mas cai no colo de quem pode sustentá-la.

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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has told the Gunners they need to make changes after being beaten by PSG in the first leg of their Champions League tie.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• PSG win first leg in north London
• Hold the advantage ahead of return in Paris
• Henry says French side were the better team

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mikel Arteta's side face an uphill task if they want to qualify for the Champions League final after losing the first leg 1-0 of their semi-final tie at the Emirates on Tuesday night. An early goal from Ousmane Dembele did the damage, although the visitors also hit the woodwork twice in an impressive showing.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal defender William Saliba has admitted PSG made the Gunners "suffer" but has said he's hopeful the team can turn things around. Former striker Henry feels Arsenal will have to make plenty of changes if they are to prevail in Paris and says Luis Enrique's side will be even stronger in front of their own fans at the Parc des Princes.

• WHAT HENRY SAID

  He said on CBS Sports: "PSG were much superior, for me, in this match. There are a lot of things that need to change for Arsenal to beat PSG. You never know what can happen. I think of PSG against FC Barcelona last season . Everyone thought it was over, but they [Paris] ultimately won the return leg easily."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Only two teams have reached the final of the Champions League after losing the first leg of their semi-final tie at home – Ajax in 1995-96 and Tottenham in 2018-19.

The allrounder is still building up to full capacity but Australia are never short of options with the ball

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2023Ellyse Perry’s knee injury could keep her from bowling for the entire white-ball series against West Indies that kicks off the women’s home summer.Perry hurt her left knee playing the second one-day international of Australia’s series against Ireland in July. The injury forced her out of the final match against the Irish, as well as England’s franchise tournament the Hundred.In early September, Cricket Australia (CA) named the 32-year-old allrounder in the squad for the white-ball series against West Indies that begins with a T20I at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.CA said at the time Perry was expected to be “fully available” for the six-match series, and on Tuesday she had her first competitive hit-out since July in a one-dayer for Victoria against Western Australia.Related

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Perry did not bowl in that match and said she may not do so again until after the West Indies series finishes in mid-October.”Nothing’s wrong, it’s just building workloads back up again so I’m fully prepared for the summer,” she said. “In terms of my full fitness, bowling will probably be something that I still work through across this series.”It might mean that I’m not available to bowl until late in the piece or perhaps towards the start of the WBBL.”Australia used Perry’s bowling sparingly during the white-ball legs of the women’s Ashes that preceded the Ireland tour and she has not sent down more than two overs in a T20I since the 2020 T20 World Cup.Australia are rarely short of bowling options in their limited-overs teams. Fellow allrounders Ash Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen and Georgia Wareham have all been selected in the squad to face West Indies.Perry shrugged at criticism of CA’s decision to schedule the first match of the women’s summer on the same day and in the same city as the NRL grand final.”The summer scheduling, and how much cricket we need to fit in, you can’t always get things 100 percent in a clear window,” she said. “Given the time of the match, being played early in the day, at a wonderful venue, there’s plenty of value in this fixture. I’m sure we’ll get a good crowd.”Perry played alongside Meg Lanning as Australia’s captain made her return to cricket this week following a four-month medical absence.Lanning hit a half-century in the first of two matches and CA is hopeful she will return to the national side later in the home summer. Perry heralded Lanning’s return to state cricket as a big step towards an Australia comeback.”That’s absolutely significant,” she said. “At the same time, it’s just significant that she’s back and she’s enjoying playing her cricket. She really just picked up where she left off in terms of her batting.”

da bwin： BlueCo, assisted by co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, are busy laying the groundwork for potential summer signings at Chelsea behind-the-scenes after an uneventful January – with one Atlético Madrid star apparently high in their thinking.

Chelsea preparing for busier summer transfer window

da betsul： Much has been made of the club’s lack of new attacking signings in the winter market, despite reported interest in some noteworthy players.

Related Chelsea could sign £50m striker before June 15 with groundwork "done"

The west Londoners did a lot of it in January.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Feb 11, 2025

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano shared towards the back end of last window that Chelsea were in contact over a deal for Mathys Tel, who eventually ended up joining Tottenham on loan, while there was also interest in Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho (Matt Law).

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Brighton (away)

February 14th

Aston Villa (away)

February 22nd

Southampton (home)

February 25th

Leicester City (home)

March 9th

Arsenal (away)

March 16th

Interestingly, there was even talk of a potential Chelsea swap deal involving Christopher Nkunku, but those negotiations ultimately failed to get off the ground.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca reportedly wanted both a midfielder and a forward to come in after they activated their recall clause in Trevoh Chalobah’s loan deal at Crystal Palace (Simon Phillips), with the Italian ultimately getting Mathis Amougou through the door but no new striking option.

There is a belief that Chelsea will look to rectify this in the summer, with the Blues laying “significant groundwork” on a deal for Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap already, even if he isn’t their only option (Simon Phillips).

Nicolas Jackson is expected to return from injury for Chelsea’s next game against Brighton, but the Senegalese has been out of form recently, while striking counterpart Marc Guiu could be out for months with a long-term problem.

Chelsea could yet add another midfielder to their ranks at the end of the season as well, with Amougou expected to head out on loan to sister club Strasbourg for the 2025/2026 campaign.

Chelsea prepared to bid £58 million for Atlético Madrid star Pablo Barrios

According to reports from Spain, Atlético sensation Pablo Barrios is an option they’re seriously considering.

The 21-year-old has started 17 La Liga games under Diego Simeone this season, and is currently the sixth-highest performing player by average match rating according to WhoScored, explaining why he’s turned some heads within Chelsea.

Right now, it is believed that Chelsea are the most interested team in signing Barrios, and they’re prepared to bid around £58 million for his services this summer as they ponder enticing him to the Premier League.

Simeone has praised the midfielder’s quality for a couple of years now, especially lauding the fact he can play “several” different roles.

“I’ve talked to him about his role,” said Simeone on Barrios. “He has a fantastic game, and I told him that we’re going to work to shape it. Koke is there now (at the ‘5’) and we are trying to bring out Pablo’s full potential. He has to grow, but he’s doing very well. I’m excited. He’s a kid from the academy, and he can play several roles.”

Once again, England have slipped behind after the first Test in Australia. The recent omens aren’t great

Andrew Miller13-Dec-2021England have not won a Test match in Australia for 11 years and counting, in which time they have lost ten and drawn one across three separate series. As the attention shifts to the second Test at Adelaide, here’s a run-down on a decade of defeat … ranked in order from the moderately competitive, to the downright hideous10. Second Test, Adelaide 2017-18
Lost by 120 runs Two pink-ball Tests in this Ashes series could in theory play to England’s advantage, but aside from speculating about the cooler evening conditions and the sense that swing is good for England and bad for Australia, all there is to go on is a solitary precedent on the 2017-18 tour. And seeing as England’s 120-run defeat in that match is their narrowest loss in Australia this decade, then they might as well consider it a floodlit life-raft. More pertinently, the match featured a James Anderson masterclass in the second innings – his 5 for 43 routed Australia for 138 and briefly aroused hopes of a miracle, much as his impending recall is likely to do now. Mitchell Starc, however, is still around to ensure it won’t be forthcoming.9. First Test, Brisbane 2017-18
Lost by 10 wickets England still wonder how this one got away, let alone with such a gory final margin. From first day to last, Australia absorbed England’s energies as if it was fuel to their own internal fires – most extraordinarily Steve Smith, whose magnificent 141 not out from 326 balls included a passage of play so glacial that he added just 17 runs on the third morning. With Pat Cummins alongside him, he turned what looked like being a 100-plus deficit into a lead of 26, and so drained England’s bowlers in the process that David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were able to knock off an eventual target of 173 with contempt. The first day, meanwhile, had been lit up by the most sumptuous 83 of James Vince’s life. Had he not been run out in full flow by Nathan Lyon’s direct hit, who knows where this one would have ended up. (With an Australian victory, probably…)Ben Stokes made his maiden Test century at Perth in 2013-14•Getty Images8. Third Test, Perth 2013-14
Lost by 150 runs Sometimes all you can ask is for someone to put up a fight. That, frankly, is all that England got to take home from the 2013-14 Ashes – the cast-iron proof that, in Ben Stokes, they possessed a gem of a Test cricketer, even if it would take a few months of false starts and punched lockers for his raw ability to be fully harnessed. Elsewhere on a WACA flyer, Australia’s dominance was unequivocal – James Anderson was ransacked for 28 runs in an over by George Bailey, after centuries from Warner and Shane Watson had broken all resistance, then Alastair Cook was bowled by Ryan Harris’s ball of the century for a first-ball duck. But Stokes fronted up in pursuit of an impossible 504 target, driving with a clean straight blade and leathering the short ball with fearless resolve. The battle was lost but the respect was won.7. Fourth Test, Melbourne 2013-14
Lost by eight wickets The Ashes were gone, and Kevin Pietersen was weeks away from banishment too – the Melbourne Test of 2013 was the scene of the infamous team meeting at which his fate as an England cricketer would be sealed. But before all that blew up, KP’s twin scores of 71 and 49 gave England just something to work with, as Mitchell Johnson ripped another gale through a shellshocked batting line-up. Their first-innings 255 seemed typically insufficient, until Anderson and Tim Bresnan – in an echo of the efforts that had routed Australia for 98 in the previous Boxing Day Test – combined with Stuart Broad to seal a handy lead of 51. Nathan Lyon, however, popped up with five second-innings wickets to limit the target to 231 and make it clear that his fellow offspinner Graeme Swann, who had retired mid-series with an elbow problem, was likely to be a significant absentee. Sure enough, a Chris Rogers century and 83 for Watson rushed Australia to a 4-0 lead.Mitchell Johnson was startlingly rapid during the 2013-14 Ashes•Getty Images6. First Test, Brisbane 2013-14
Lost by 381 runs Ah, the innocence of Brisbane 2013 … when England arrived in Australia with designs on a fourth Ashes victory in a row, only months after securing a misleadingly absolute 3-0 win at home. The build-up was dominated by a media vendetta against Broad, who took a rolled-up copy of the Courier Mail into his first-day press conference after starring for England with five wickets. Heady days … and then, mayhem. Johnson, so often a figure of fun, bowled like a banshee for match figures of 9 for 103; Warner and Michael Clarke piled on second-innings hundreds to confirm the gulf between the sides. Soon after the rout, Jonathan Trott quit the tour citing burnout, the first fatal crack in the disintegration of a world-beating Test team. Objectively it deserves to be lower in this list, but England were genuinely caught cold.5. First Test, Brisbane 2021-22
Lost by nine wickets In terms of wickets, this was England’s least-worst defeat at the Gabba for 35 years, which isn’t saying much. The series build-up was extraordinary – a combination of Covid and rain kyboshing both teams’ preparations, but Australia’s residual faith in their home conditions shone through as England faltered fatefully in the contest’s clutch moments. They were 11 for 3 inside six overs after winning the toss, then lost 8 for 74 on a miserable fourth morning, just when it seemed that Joe Root and Dawid Malan had set the stage for a fightback. A first-innings deficit of 278 was too much to overcome, however, as Warner rode his luck for 94, before Travis Head slaughtered a tiring attack for a 148-ball 152.That lonely feeling: James Anderson wanders off as Australia seal the Ashes at Perth in 2017-18•Getty Images4. Third Test, Perth 2017-18
Lost by an innings and 41 runs England’s record in Perth, with one win in 14 visits and eight consecutive losses since 1990-91, is about as abject as their recent run across the whole of Australia, so it’s potentially a relief not to have to venture out west on this latest tour. That said, on their last trip four years ago, the now-defunct WACA ground was the scene of perhaps England’s most dominant position of the whole tour, as Malan and Jonny Bairstow racked up a fifth-wicket stand of 237 to give the impression that the series was still alive. It didn’t last long. England’s last six wickets tumbled for 35 runs for a total of 403, and the inadequacy of their efforts were confirmed as Smith alone surpassed that partnership with a career-best 239. Mitchell Marsh, a WACA homeboy, also climbed into a toiling attack with a Test-best of 181 as Australia declared on 662 for 9. Josh Hazlewood’s five-for confirmed they wouldn’t need to bat again.Related

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3. Fifth Test, Sydney 2017-18
Lost by an innings and 123 runs The most crushing defeat of the era, and the most evocative one as well, thanks to Root’s exhaustion at the end of his futile attempts to keep pace with Australia’s juggernaut. He missed the post-match presentations after passing out in the dressing-room, his twin fifties in Sydney’s furnace-like heat no match for an Aussie line-up in which both Marsh brothers made centuries and Usman Khawaja top-scored with 171. Mason Crane, the Hampshire legspinner, was clonked for 193 runs in his only appearance to date. Australia’s victory was so clear-cut from so far out, there was time even to erect a provocative victory podium, featuring a four-fingered salute for each of Australia’s wins, and a clenched English fist to confirm, once again, they hadn’t even made it on to the board.Australia celebrate their 4-0 Ashes victory in 2017-18•Getty Images2. Second Test, Adelaide 2013-14
Lost by 218 runs Squelch. Forewarned for England most certainly was not forearmed, as Johnson followed up his Brisbane onslaught with one of the greatest displays of flat-deck fast bowling in Test history. England had been ground into the dirt over the first two days, with centuries apiece from Clarke and Haddin in a massive total of 570 for 9 declared. But Johnson ignited expectations by beating Alastair Cook for sheer pace before the close, then transcended the conditions with irresistible heat on day three. Armed with a 50-over-old ball, he torched England’s middle and lower order with five wickets in the space of 18 balls, including a triple-wicket maiden, en route to innings figures of 7 for 40. England’s second whitewash in three tours had been ordained there and then.1. Fifth Test, Sydney 2013-14
Lost by 281 runs Probably the most dysfunctional performance in England’s history. By the fifth Test in 2013-14, the mighty Test team that had ruled the roost for the previous three years had been ransacked and into the fray came a trio of debutants – two of whom, Scott Borthwick and Boyd Rankin, were so horribly exposed that they would never play another Test for England. The rancorous mood within the squad spilled into every facet of the performance, with the honourable exception of Stokes, whose 6 for 99 in the first innings was followed by a top-score of 47 in England’s first innings. He made 32 from 16 in the second as well, but by then his team-mates were on the plane home. England were rolled aside for 166 in 31.4 overs, nearly a run a ball of slap-happy surrender.Alastair Cook poses with his name up on the wall at the MCG’s Percy Beames Bar•Getty Images

And the one that got away…

Fourth Test, Melbourne 2017-18
Match drawn Cook batted, and batted, and batted, his 244 from 409 balls setting a new highest score by a visiting Test batter at the MCG. Unfortunately no one else in England’s line-up managed more than 61, meaning that the weight of England’s eventual 174-run first-innings lead was insufficient to force any pressure on a soporific drop-in wicket. Smith, inevitably, responded with a hundred, as the match died a death on a tedious fifth day.