All posts by h716a5.icu

Raucous win over Trent Rockets puts Sam Billings’ side on the cusp of a third consecutive title

Matt Roller22-Aug-2025Can anyone stop Oval Invincibles? They gunned down a target of 172 inside 89 balls against Trent Rockets, their nearest challengers, at The Oval on Thursday night, all but confirming their progress to the knockout stage. One win in their last two group games should be enough to take Invincibles straight through to next Sunday’s final at Lord’s, as they chase a third title in a row.This was an exhilarating game decided by two extraordinary innings: Sam Curran belted 52 off 24 balls, including six sixes in an eight-ball stretch, and Jordan Cox smoked 58 not out off 32. Invincibles needed 102 off the last 40 balls when David Willey took the Rockets’ strategic time out; it took them just 29 more to finish the chase. It was stunning ball-striking under the pressure of a run chase.Cox made the first play, hauling Willey over the short boundary towards the dugouts, before Curran went on a rampage. He had scored just 7 off 12 balls at the time out, but resolved that every ball had to go thereafter: “I knew it was six or out for me, because I was struggling a bit.” Ten balls and six sixes later, he raised his bat to acknowledge the applause for an outrageous fifty.Invincibles still needed 38 off 24 when Curran was dismissed. Cox took the baton, hoisting Marcus Stoinis over wide long-on, and then reverse-ramping him for four. Donovan Ferreira cracked his third and fourth balls for sixes before Cox finished things off with consecutive boundaries, punching the air in celebration.Sam Curran and Jordan Cox’s ten-ball charge put Invincibles in control•Alex Davidson/Getty Images”It felt like we were in a really strong position, but you have to give credit to the opposition sometimes,” Joe Root, who had scored 76 in 41 balls for Rockets, said. “There was great ball-striking and that phase of ten balls in the middle really changed the momentum and made it very difficult for us to get a hold back on the game… Clearly, [Invincibles] have got a formula that works, with some extremely good players.”The Oval was raucous. “It’s our first midweek game: a lot of people come in from the city and enjoyed the evening. You get a couple out of the middle, and the fans kept going and going,” Curran beamed. “It almost felt like one of those games in India, where there’s so much energy… You forgot about the situation, and you just remember how cool this is.”Since England left Cox and Curran out of their white-ball squads last Friday, they have scored 338 runs off 173 balls between them, including 26 sixes. Rob Key, England’s managing director, told the podcast on Thursday morning that Curran had to force his way back in through weight of runs. This knock was as clear a message as he could have ever hoped to send.”They’ve been pretty clear with me what I need to do,” Curran said. “I’m chasing three trophies at the moment: the Hundred, the Championship, and the T20 Blast for Surrey… Normally guys come into September with an end-of-season feeling, so to be able to say I’m pushing for three trophies and enjoying my cricket is a nice place to be.”Invincibles sealed back-to-back titles last year•ECB/Getty ImagesA three-peat would be a phenomenal achievement. The Hundred – like most short-form leagues – is designed to ensure competitive balance, with its strict salary bands and annual drafts devised to uphold the theory that anyone can beat anyone. In practice, Invincibles have beaten everyone: across the last three seasons, they have won 19 games and lost only four.The secret is an open one: continuity is key. They identified a core of local players ahead of the first season and have tried to minimise squad turnover. Will Jacks, the Curran brothers, and Sam Billings have generally been the stars, but Cox, Nathan Sowter and Saqib Mahmood have all been retained throughout the tournament’s short history.”Our roles are so consistent,” Curran said. “We’ve been very smart with the way we’ve signed players… Guys like Rashid Khan comes in for [Adam] Zampa last year, and then [Jason] Behrendorff comes in for Spencer Johnson. It’s pretty smooth planning. We turned up two days before the tournament and there weren’t too many meetings, because we knew our roles.”They have actively avoided speaking about the prospect of a third successive title. “We know it’s quite a dangerous thing to do,” Curran warned. “We know there are a lot of teams that are playing really well and are a lot more settled. The Hundred’s into its fifth season, so guys know how to play the format, and we’ve kept our side pretty solid as well. One game at a time.”Rashid Khan is done for the season with Invincibles•ECB via Getty ImagesThursday’s win was Rashid Khan’s final appearance of the season – he is heading to Sharjah for Afghanistan’s tri-series with UAE and Pakistan – and he will clearly be missed. He was the game’s standout bowler, taking 2 for 19 from 20 balls, and his googly to clean up Root with the final ball of his spell was a turning point.Rashid had one off-night, conceding 59 runs against Birmingham Phoenix when Liam Livingstone took him down; in his other five appearances, he has combined figures of 12 for 105 from 100 balls. Invincibles will go into their final two group games with two overseas players, with Zampa – last season’s leading wicket-taker – set to return for the knockouts.It should be another seamless transition, for which Tom Moody and Billings – as coach and captain – deserve substantial credit. The Hundred may only be in its infancy, but a third consecutive trophy would be an achievement that only a handful of teams in the history of short-form cricket can match.

The United Kingdom has launched a joint bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are hoping to host the tournament in just under a decade, with the proposal including 22 stadiums. The competition would be the largest single-sport event ever staged in the UK and the first FIFA World Cup hosted on these shores since 1966.

'All Together' Women's World Cup vision

The English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh Football Associations have banded together to put forward this World Cup bid. Of the 22 proposed stadiums, 16 will be in England, three in Wales, two in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland across 16 host cities. The English FA says the bid is built on the vision of 'All Together' – a rallying cry for women's football and 'sport more broadly to empower worldwide'.

A joint statement from the CEOs of the FA, Irish FA, Scottish FA, and FA of Wales reads: "Hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup would be a huge privilege for our four home nations. If we are successful, the 2035 tournament will be the biggest single-sport event held on UK soil with 4.5 million tickets available for fans. We are proud of the growth that we’ve driven in recent years across the women’s and girls’ game, but there is still so much more growth to come, and this event will play a key role in helping us deliver that. Working together with FIFA, a Women’s World Cup in the UK has the power to turbo charge the women’s and girls’ game both in the UK and globally. Our bid also demonstrates our commitment to leaving a lasting legacy, in the run up to 2035, and the years afterwards.  Together, we want to welcome the world to the UK to celebrate and enjoy an unforgettable tournament."

AdvertisementAFPFour nations' three key pillars

As part of this plan, the four countries are committed to a lasting legacy of women's football. And they want to deliver that through the three pillars of Participation, Leadership, and Commercial Growth. For one, this involves increasing access locally and worldwide, and focusing on underrepresented communities. Secondly, the goal is to empower women in leadership, to double female officials by 2035, and deliver global mentoring and education programmes. Finally, they hope to transfer the sport's commercial potential, attract new fans and partners, and reinvest revenues into grassroots and elite pathways.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer added: "Our bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup shows the UK’s passion for football. The Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK. With significant investment in school sport and grassroots facilities through our Plan for Change, we’re creating opportunities for girls to play for their national team."

What stadiums will be included?

While it has not been built yet, Manchester United's proposed new Old Trafford Stadium is one of the 22 venues included in the UK's bid to host the 2035 World Cup. The full list of stadiums are below. Birmingham City's newly proposed ground has also been included. If United's redevelopment plans don't go ahead, Old Trafford will still be considered in its current iteration.

Windsor Park (Belfast)Sports Quarter Stadium (Birmingham)Villa Park (Birmingham)American Express Stadium (Brighton & Hove)Ashton Gate (Bristol)Cardiff City Stadium (Cardiff)Principality Stadium (Cardiff)Easter Road (Edinburgh)Hampden Park (Glasgow)Elland Road (Leeds)Hill Dickinson Stadium (Liverpool)Chelsea Stadium (London)Emirates Stadium (London)Selhurst Park (London)Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)Wembley Stadium (London)Etihad Stadium (Manchester)St James' Park (Newcastle)City Ground (Nottingham)Stadium of Light (Sunderland)Old Trafford (Trafford)Stok Cae Ras (Wrexham)ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportAny rival bidders?

According to BBC Sport, the UK's joint bid is currently unopposed. This could be ratified by a vote in a FIFA congress next year. So it may not be long before the four nations find out if their proposal is successful. Incidentally, from 2031, the Women's World Cup will be contested between 48 teams.

Half-centuries from Kurtis Patterson and Moises Henriques gave New South Wales 331 before their bowlers, led by Sean Abbott, stopped Western Australia 87 runs short

AAP09-Oct-2025Western Australia teenager Albert Esterhuysen gave Sam Konstas an almighty send-off but it was New South Wales who had the last laugh in the One-Day Cup clash at the WACA Ground.Esterhuysen, playing just his second one-dayer for Western Australia, bowled Konstas for 40 and then unleashed an extended roar and stare-down in the Test opener’s direction during an emotional celebration.Konstas entered Thursday’s match desperate for a big score to mount a solid case for an Ashes call-up, but he couldn’t go on with the job after a strong start.Half-centuries to Kurtis Patterson (66 in 71 balls) and Moises Henriques (54 in 66) lifted New South Wales to a formidable 331. In reply, Western Australia were bowled out for 244 in 46.5 overs, with the returning Mitchell Marsh making just 2 as New South Wales cruised to an 87-run bonus-point victory.The result left Western Australia nursing a 1-2 record, while New South Wales (2-1) moved into second spot, behind unbeaten Tasmania (3-0).Western Australia’s innings never got going, despite boasting a stacked batting line-up that had Cameron Bancroft batting at No. 7.Sam Konstas loses his stumps•Getty ImagesMarsh, who came in fresh off his unbeaten 103 in Australia’s T20I victory over New Zealand, was out in just the third over when he was caught on the boundary slashing at a wide Sean Abbott (3 for 28) delivery.Joel Curtis (15), Sam Fanning (8) and Cooper Connolly (5) all came and went as Western Australia crashed to 45 for 4 in the tenth over.Sam Whiteman received a huge life on 2 when he was caught at slip – only for Jack Edwards’ delivery to be deemed a front-foot no-ball. Whiteman went on to make 52 off 56 balls, but his departure in the 24th over at the hands of Tanveer Sangha was a bitter blow to Western Australia’s victory hopes.Bancroft (48), Ashton Agar (44) and Aaron Hardie (37) all produced handy knocks, but with the required run-rate soaring out of control, Western Australia were never truly in the hunt following the top-order collapse.Earlier, Konstas struck seven fours in a quickfire knock before chopping on 19-year-old quick Esterhuysen (2 for 58).New South Wales slumped from 203 for 3 to 225 for 6 largely thanks to Bryce Jackson’s double-strike in the 30th over that sent Patterson and Edwards packing in the space of four balls. But Western Australia couldn’t complete the job, with handy runs from Henriques, Abbott (35) and Charlie Stobo (39 in 20 balls) getting New South Wales well beyond 300.

As Brandon Woodruff took the mound for the Brewers on Wednesday, he faced a different kind of pressure than on a typical start. Not the heat of building on the league's best record or their division lead over the Cubs, but the opportunity to win hundreds of thousands of free burgers for the people of Wisconsin from the chain George Webb.

George Webb, the founder of the beloved Wisconsin restaurant chain, would famously predict back when Milwaukee only had a minor league team that it would win 12 straight games, and was believed to have declared that if the local team won 12 consecutive games, they would give away free burgers. His son, Jim Webb, would later make the deal official in 1970.

The Brewers came to close to winning free burgers earlier this season when they had an 11-game winning streak from July 6 to July 21, but lost the 12th game 1–0 to the Mariners. They have won free burgers for fans twice, in 1987 and 2018.

With a third opportunity to win free burgers on the line, Woodruff delivered. The two-time All-Star pitched four scoreless innings as Milwaukee got off to a 6–0 lead. The Pirates made things interesting after Woodruff exited, putting up five runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Brewers offense responded with six more runs and won 12–5.

“It's awesome. I was telling my wife last night I was more nervous, I wanted to win the burgers for everybody in the stands, including myself," Woodruff told reporters after the game. "It was fun, it's a cool thing. You could tell the energy around today on a day game was a little bit more than usual. Seriously, I wanted to win those burgers bad.”

The Brewers and the fans can celebrate with their free burgers, which will be given out on a date the restaurant plans to announce on Thursday. They can also celebrate a team that not just came through on the free burgers, but holds a league-best 76–44 record as the final month of the season approaches. No team is playing better than the Brewers, who can set their sights on going after their first World Series title.

India conquering Gabba, or the Ben Stokes one-man show at Headingley, or India felling Australia at Eden Gardens – which one is your pick?

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2001 Kolkata Test has been voted by fans as the greatest Test of the 21st century so far.India crush Australia’s dreams, Kolkata, 2001Australia had won the first Test of the series Steve Waugh had famously called the “final frontier” in Australia’s charge towards world domination. This, the second, started with Waugh winning the toss and choosing to bat. Batting last was going to be tough, after all. And they did everything right for the first two-and-a-bit days, scoring 445 and then bowling India out for 171 for a 274-run lead.Harbhajan Singh had picked up seven wickets – including a hat-trick – in that first innings, so Australia knew what they were risking when they enforced the follow-on. But how much of a risk was it? They were 274 ahead. How much would India score: 200? 300? 400? The answer was 657 for 7 declared. All courtesy one of the greatest partnerships in Test history, between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.They came together late on the third day, when India were 232 for 4, still behind. They batted, and they batted, and they batted, all the way into the final day. And Australia, ragged by then, had 384 to chase. In the time left, there wasn’t much hope of winning. But they could still draw it. Not with Harbhajan, again, and Sachin Tendulkar whipping up some magic. Harbhajan took six, taking his match tally to 13, while Tendulkar got three – including Shane Warne with a googly – and India were celebrating, at Eden Gardens, outside Eden Gardens, and everywhere they could.Stokes’ one-man show, Leeds, 2019England, 286 for 9 in a chase of 359. Against Australia. Against Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon and James Pattinson. All over?But two men believed. One believed that he could smash the 63 runs that were left. The other that he could just hang in there, keep an eye on what the other man does. And between them, Ben Stokes and Jack Leach pulled off one of the great miracles in Test history.And to think that it had come after England had rolled over for 67 in the first innings.Australia took a lead of 112 and bolstered it with a second-innings total of 246 to set a steep target. Three-fifty-nine looked steeper when England went from 141 for 2 to 159 for 4, and then 245 for 4 to 286 for 9.Then Stokes and Leach came together. At the time, Stokes, the No. 5, was on 61. Off 174 balls. He then hit four fours and seven sixes, keeping Leach away from the strike as much as possible, before finishing it off with a flay through the covers off Cummins. Leach contributed 1 from 17 balls – the greatest ‘1’ in England’s Test history, perhaps?India conquer Gabba, Brisbane, 2021When Mayank Agarwal became the fifth India batter out, they were still 63 away from victory. Against Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, on a fifth-day pitch, albeit in Brisbane, and Rishabh Pant as the only recognised batter left, it was Australia’s game to lose. But that’s what they did. As Pant, batting with Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini – some of those, like some others in the series, not meant to be in India’s starting XI at all but forced to because of injuries – knocked off the runs. Pant’s 89 not out, included a six and nine fours, the last of which brought up victory, giving India a 2-1 series win.It didn’t look likely when Australia, opted to bat and took a 33-run first-innings lead. That feeling stayed as Australia then put up 294 in their second to set India a daunting 328 for the win. There was no Virat Kohli – as was the case after the first Test – and the batting, as the side on the whole, wore an inexperienced look.India pulled it off, though. First, Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara put up 114 runs for the second wicket, and it was game on. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, scored a quick 24, but Agarwal fell cheaply, and then it was five down with a lot to get. Not for Pant, though, not on the day, and not for Washington, who chipped in with a 29-ball 22.

The draws for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Women's League Cup have been announced, with all of the Women's Super League's top-four sides still in the competition. The draw offered good news for all of the quartet, who avoided each other in the last eight, but some intriguing semi-final clashes could lie in wait. The quarter-finals will take place between December 19-21, with the semis taking place a month later on 21-22 January.

WSL top four avoid each other in League Cup quarter-final draw

The draw for the last eight of the competition is as follows: Liverpool vs Chelsea, Crystal Palace vs Arsenal, Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United vs Manchester City.

Third-placed Man Utd vs fifth-placed Spurs stands out as a fixture to watch out for in the draw, while relegation strugglers Liverpool and West Ham will be underdogs alongside WSL2 side Crystal Palace, who were relegated from the top flight last season.

The draw for the final four has also been made, with the winners of Crystal Palace vs Arsenal set to host the victors of United vs Spurs in the semi-finals, whilst the winners of West Ham vs Man City will host the winners of Liverpool vs Chelsea.

AdvertisementIntriguing set of quarter-final and semi-final fixtures await

Six of the eight teams who made last year’s quarter-finals of the competition have reached the same stage once again, but last year’s quarter-final Manchester Derby meant that United missed out on a place in the last four. This time around, the four regular title challengers have all avoided each other at this stage.

Defending champions Chelsea won the League Cup in 2024-25, beating Man City 2-1 in the final at Derby’s Pride Park Stadium, in what was the first year since the competition was rebranded from being the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup (often known as the Conti Cup) to its new official name of the Subway Women’s League Cup. It is now more commonly referred to as the League Cup alone.

The four quarter-final clashes will make intriguing viewing as the WSL’s top sides aim to avoid an upset on their way to challenging for the first major trophy up for grabs this campaign.

Bompastor's words after first trophy win in League Cup final

Though Chelsea would go on to win the domestic treble last season and were unbeaten in the process, the 2024-25 League Cup final in March became Sonia Bompastor’s first trophy in charge of the Blues since taking over from the legendary Emma Hayes.

Bompastor said of the victory over Man City in the final: "We are really happy for sure. You know when you're in a final, it's always the main thing is to win. The game was not easy, but I'm really happy with the win.

"The first trophy in the season, it's always important. I just told my players it's really important that today, we are about to turn the words into actions.

"We worked so hard every day from the beginning of the season and today was huge positivity from the players to perform and win a title.

"I'm really happy with that. I think it's really deserved for all of the work we have been doing.

"City had a good performance, it was a difficult game for us, we knew that. It was important again that we found a way to win. That's what I'm most of proud of."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Chelsea remain the only unbeaten team in the WSL once again so far this season, but three draws have meant that Man City lead the way at the top of the table after nine matches played.

The League Cup represents the first opportunity for any of the eight sides remaining in the competition to get their hands on silverware for the first time in 2025-26.

With the top four all avoiding each other in the quarter-finals, we could be set for a blockbuster pair of semi-final clashes on January 21 and 22, if any major upsets can be avoided.

Both the semi-finals and the final have reserve days, which could come into play given the forecasts in Navi Mumbai and Guwahati

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2025England have set up a Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final clash against South Africa in Guwahati on Wednesday, while defending champions Australia will meet hosts India at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium on Thursday. The semi-finals line-up is a repeat of the 2017 edition of the tournament.Australia finished the league stage of the competition undefeated – the only team with no losses at this World Cup – with six wins from seven games. They topped the points table with 13 points following their latest victory against South Africa in Indore on Saturday. South Africa, meanwhile, are second with ten points, having registered five wins and two losses.With nine points from six matches, England – currently placed third – can move up to second if they beat New Zealand. India have won three and lost as many games in six matches, with one fixture remaining against Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai. Both matches are scheduled for Sunday.ESPNcricinfo LtdAs far as the weather is concerned, showers are expected in Guwahati on the day of the first semi-final. In Navi Mumbai, too, conditions are likely to be cloudy, with a thunderstorm forecast in the evening, followed by a few late showers. The semi-finals and the final – scheduled for November 2 in Navi Mumbai – will have reserve days, which will be used to continue the incomplete match from the scheduled days. However, “every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs,” and only if the match does not produce a result on the scheduled day, despite reduction in overs, will it continue into the reserve day.The ICC’s playing conditions also cited two examples that if the match starts as a full 50-over game on the scheduled day and, say, a rain interruption at 19 overs reduces it to 46 overs per side. But if no further play takes place after the reduction of overs on that day, the action will resume on the reserve day for a full 50-over match. But in case the overs are reduced to 46 per side because of rain and play does resume on the scheduled day for a truncated match, and rain arrives again to abandon play for the rest of the scheduled day, the reserve day will resume the match for a truncated game, 46 overs, subject to further reduction if there is more rain.In case of a no-result in either semi-final, the team that finished higher on the points table will progress into the final. If no result is possible in the final, the trophy will be shared.Australia have met India three times in Women’s World Cup knockout games, winning twice and losing once. England have defeated South Africa twice in knockout matches in 50-over World Cups.

Hampshire openers rack up 152-run stand to set up thumping win in rain-reduced contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Sep-2025Leaders Hampshire Women clinched a semi-final berth in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup after a convincing nine-wicket victory with 13.2 overs to spare against Durham Women at the Banks Homes Riverside.The defeat leaves Durham in fifth place with two rounds to play, one point behind fourth-placed Surrey with the two sides meeting in the final group match at Chester-le-Street next Saturday.Initially chasing a target of 225, Hampshire opening pair of Maia Bouchier and Rhianna Southby produced an attacking start that saw 74 runs arrive from the 10-over powerplay and they had raced along with some fine strokeplay to reach 144 for 0 from 19 overs when rain took 13 overs out of the game.A revised DLS target of 171 in 37 overs made little difference, and despite the loss of Southby for 58, Bouchier and Freya Kemp quickly scored the 27 needed to clinch an impressive victory.Earlier, a fighting 88 by captain Hollie Armitage had given Durham some hope with the hosts posting 224 for 9 after a poor start. Armitage came to the crease in the eighth over and batted through to the last, hitting nine fours, but found partnerships difficult to come by until Grace Thompson finally provided great support for the eighth wicket. The pair added 72 to rescue Durham from a perilous 144 for 7 with 18-year-old Thompson contributing a List A career-best 39.Georgia Adams with 3 for 41 led an excellent bowling effort by the visitors with Freya Davies impressive with 2 for 30 along with Bex Tyson (2 for 40).Southby and Bouchier made a strong start to the Hampshire run chase, the pair attacking effectively to race to their fifty partnership from just 41 balls in increasingly gloomy overhead conditions that required the use of the floodlights.Bouchier was the first to reach her half century – her fifth in this season’s competition – from 47 balls hitting eight fours, with the century partnership arriving moments later from only 86 balls as Durham struggled to exert any control with the ball.Southby hit the first six of the game on her way to a 45-ball fifty that also included eight fours as the Hampshire openers raced along at nearly eight runs per over to put the outcome in little doubt.It was an impressive display, with Bouchier not out on 76 from 67 balls and Southby unbeaten on 56 from 50 balls when rain stopped play at 3.30pm with Hampshire 144-0 after 19 overs. After an 80 minutes delay, the target was reduced to 171 from 37 overs and Durham finally made a breakthrough when Thompson bowled Southby for 58 to end a fine 152-run partnership.Bouchier and Kemp then eased their way to 174 for 1 in the 24th over to clinch the win.After opting to bat, Durham lost both opening batters in the powerplay, Mia Rogers run out for 6 and Emma Marlow caught at cover for 12 during an impressive five over spell of 1 for 9 by Davies.Armitage and Mady Villiers had begun to fashion a recovery with a steady partnership of 30 before Villers on 19 was tempted into a drive off left-arm spinner Tyson that ended up in the hands of Mary Taylor at mid-on. That also proved to be the fate of Emily Windsor when she picked out Bouchier off Adams for 13 who then had Bess Heath caught behind three balls later to leave Durham struggling on 89 for 5 in the 22nd over.It left a lot resting on the shoulders Armitage, and she responded with a determined innings, passing fifty off 65-balls for the fifth time while becoming the second batter to pass 500 runs in the competition this season. But Durham continued to lose wickets at the other end. Having taken 1 for 14 from a six-over spell, Tyson returned to bowl Phoebe Turner around her legs for 18 while Adams picked up her third wicket when trapping Katherine Fraser lbw sweeping for 4.An excellent innings by Thompson finally lent Armitage the support needed over the final 15 overs, the pair adding 72 off 86 balls – easily the highest partnership of the innings – with Armitage’s excellent effort ending in the final over as Durham posted a far better total than had looked likely earlier, but one the visitors comfortably hauled in.

Zimbabwe’s towering fast-bowling totem talks about his recent form, taking on Bazball and the chance to make history

Alan Gardner19-May-2025Blessing Muzarabani smiles a lot. He smiles when asked about the UK weather, which he knows well from two seasons as a Kolpak signing with Northamptonshire. He smiles when talking about the prospect of bowling to England’s little-and-large opening pair, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. He smiles when we come to the question of his own height, which ESPNcricinfo has wrongly recorded as 6ft 6in. “I’m six foot eight, actually,” he grins.Does he enjoy using that towering advantage to intimidate batters? Another smile. “My greatest weapon is my height,” he says, before alluding to the temptation to pitch the ball short: “Sometimes I get carried away.” You can’t imagine that Curtly Ambrose or Courtney Walsh, two of the fast bowlers that Muzarabani modelled himself on growing up, would admit quite so readily to overdoing it.But Muzarabani is used to having to go about things differently. Zimbabwe do not have a great fast-bowling lineage to call on, in the way West Indies do. Muzarabani has had to travel the world to learn his trade, from a gangly youth at the Takashinga Club in Harare, via his time in Northampton – one of the least-glamorous stops on England’s county circuit – to proving himself in Test venues as far flung as Bulawayo and Belfast, Abu Dhabi and Sylhet.Related

RCB bring in Muzarabani as Ngidi's temporary replacement

Zimbabwe seal Sylhet thriller to complete first away Test win since 2021

Large and in-charge: Muzarabani proves too big a hurdle for Bangladesh

From poverty to plenty: 2025 is a bumper Test year for Zimbabwe like none before

Chivanga replaces injured Gwandu in Zimbabwe squad for England Test

The fruits of those labours are beginning to appear. Across four Test appearances in 2025, Muzarabani has taken 26 wickets at 18.61 – more than half of his career tally of 51. In the first three of those matches, he claimed innings figures of 6 for 95 (against Afghanistan in Bulawayo), 7 for 58 (against Ireland in Bulawayo) and 6 for 73 (against Bangladesh in Sylhet), making him the first pace bowler to take hauls of six-plus wickets in three consecutive Tests since Malcolm Marshall in 1988. The only other quicks to achieve the feat are Imran Khan and, in the 19th century, George Lohmann and Tom Richardson.Although that run came to an end in Chattogram, Muzarabani has already shot up to eighth on the all-time list for Zimbabwe. With another seven Tests scheduled in a bumper calendar year, he could well catch Ray Price (80) and end it behind only the peerless Heath Streak (216) for his country. Becoming only the second Zimbabwean to take 100 Test wickets is a realistic goal.”Yes, that’s a great thing,” he says. “Because I feel like Test wickets are really hard to get, actually, so getting 100 wickets is a big achievement for any fast bowler. That would be really special. I’m working through my processes and everything that happens, of course, we work hard to make sure those things happen. But, as well, I’m not really looking at wickets.”Contributing to victories, as Muzarabani did for only the second time in his 12-Test career in Sylhet, is the priority. “That is something that I would really love to do, to make that impact for the team, get those big wickets, so we can win more often. This is a big journey, playing against big teams. But, of course, I can’t be worried about what I’m going to do, thinking too much about it. The goal is just to win more games.”

“In T20 leagues, you learn a lot of things. You meet new people every day. You have to try to understand the captain that you’re working with. Of course, it’s not every captain that will believe in you, so you have to prove your point and try to improve yourself”

Whether sought after or not, wickets have come in a flood since his return to playing Test cricket for the first time in three years in mid-2024. No Zimbabwean who has taken 10 wickets can get close to Muzarabani’s career average (21.84) and strike rate (43.70), not even Streak. For his recent success, he credits the work put in with Zimbabwe’s bowling coach, former South Africa international Charl Langeveldt.”I’m really just enjoying my Test cricket. Working with my bowling coach, it’s about understanding the lengths to bowl in Test cricket. I feel like the more I play, the more I understand how I get my wickets. [Langeveldt] is the guy who has been working with me on my lengths and all the skills that I’m trying to use. He’s been really helpful in the things he’s saying.”While growing up in Zimbabwe honed his ability to “hit the deck” rather than look for swing, Muzarabani is well aware from his time with Northamptonshire of the importance of trying to pitch the ball up in English conditions. “For me, it’s about bowling a touch fuller. Yes, of course, my natural length can work, but also you have to be much fuller [to make the ball move].”Especially with me being tall, you can get carried away. In England the pitches are slower, sometimes when you bowl back of a length, guys can pull you and take you on. But the swing is something that can make you lose your control, so you have to find a balance. I learned a lot [in county cricket].”Muzarabani has played at Trent Bridge before, albeit only in pre-season for Northants six years ago. The ground’s reputation for swing (it is the English venue where James Anderson, with 73 wickets at 19.23, has the lowest average) has faded over the last few years, but Zimbabwe will hope for at least some bounce, allowing Muzarabani to operate at his favoured “ribcage length”.That, of course, will differ markedly for England’s opening pair of Crawley (tall, long levers, loves to drive) and Duckett (short, punchy, quick to pull and cut). Muzarabani knows the latter from his Northants days, although they barely overlapped before Duckett made Trent Bridge his home with Nottinghamshire. He knows both will look to take him on, but will lean on his own new-ball partner, the shorter, stockier Richard Ngarava, who has been Muzarabani’s counterpoint as a left-arm swing bowler since their days coming through together with Takashinga.Muzarabani spent two seasons at Northamptonshire on a Kolpak deal•Getty Images”It’s great bowling with Richie, we pick each other up. When it’s not going our way, we tend to communicate. When my head is going down, he will come to me, he knows my action. We were both playing together when we were really young, 9 or 10. So you know what to say because we know each other.”Just as important as a swift appraisal of conditions may be Muzarabani’s recent experience in franchise T20 cricket, which has seen him feature in the CPL, PSL and ILT20 – with a potential IPL debut on the way. Playing regularly overseas has added to his durability and skill set; against England’s Bazballers, with Crawley and Duckett in the vanguard, he knows he will need to have his wits about him.”To be honest, they [England] play almost like T20 sometimes. So for me, I’m trying to figure out the plan because they are not often going to get caught defending. It’s just more like backing yourself and being positive, because those guys are some of the best in the world. You can’t be worried about what they are going to do. You just have to worry about your lengths and your field.”In the leagues, you learn a lot of things. You meet new people every day. You have to try to understand the captain that you’re working with. Of course, it’s not every captain that will believe in you, so you have to prove your point and try to improve yourself. So I feel like it is good. You’re not in your comfort zone, but you have to learn. I feel like it’s something that’s really helping with my awareness and my T20 cricket.”With the red ball, he will fall back on a simple mantra: “Just hit your length. You can’t start thinking about those guys [what they are going to do], you get confused. Just trust yourself and trust your lengths.”Learning how to make the best of his natural advantages while overcoming the disadvantages – notably economic – of his background, it has been a significant journey for Muzarabani to get to this point. At 28, he should be at the peak of his powers as a fast bowler, and he is relishing the opportunity provided by Zimbabwe’s current glut of Test fixtures.”Playing for your country is always the best feeling, because you are representing your family. Of course, playing franchise cricket, you have extra money and you see the world, you get experience. But the first thing is always playing for your country. For me, that’s the number one thing.”Walking out at Trent Bridge next Thursday for Zimbabwe’s first Test match against England since 2003 will be, he says, “the greatest feeling ever for me and for the team. I’m just looking forward to showing everyone what we can do. It’s just a dream come true, for sure, getting to play [England in England]. No doubt that everyone is excited for the opportunity.”We believe we can actually cause an upset. I believe we are all good enough to really put on a good show. So I’m sure if we just come in and then do everything that we have to do, we are doing everything right, we’re going to come out in a good position in the game.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been hunting for a new talisman over the last couple of seasons, but none have been able to emulate the incredible levels achieved by Harry Kane.

The 32-year-old rose through the ranks in North London, even being sent on numerous loan spells in the EFL, before making himself a fan-favourite in the Lilywhites’ first-team.

He would spend a decade scoring goals for fun in the Premier League, subsequently achieving a total of 280 strikes for the club – the most of any player in their history.

Such a feat highlights his incredible goalscoring prowess, but his ability to score 30+ goals in 50% of his ten years in North London further showcases his eye for the back of the net.

However, after numerous failed trophy attempts, the hierarchy were left with no choice but to sell Kane to allow him to further his career, with the forward subsequently joining Bayern Munich for £82m in 2023.

In the years since his move, countless options have tried to fill the void, but many have failed, leading to one player assuming the responsibility under Thomas Frank in 2025/26.

How Kolo Muani compares to other strikers in the PL in 2025/26

With Dominic Solanke, Spurs’ club-record signing, struggling with an ankle issue, the Lilywhites hierarchy decided to back new boss Frank with added reinforcements in the centre-forward area.

Richarlison assumed the role of operating as the number nine, but the Brazilian’s injury record ran the risk of potentially having to call upon an academy star to fill the void.

As a result, French international Randal Kolo Muani was signed on deadline day, with the hierarchy securing his signature on a season-long loan from PSG.

A loan fee in the region of £5m was forked out for the 26-year-old’s signature, with the deal appearing as a potential risk-free and bargain deal until the end of 2025/26.

Such a deal generated excitement within the fanbase, after the centre-forward netted 10 goals in just 24 appearances during a separate spell on loan at Juventus last season.

However, a little over two months on from his move, Kolo Muani has struggled with the expectations placed upon him, subsequently only featuring four times in the Premier League and failing to score a single goal.

His underlying figures also highlight the struggles he’s endured in North London, with the Frenchman ranking lowly in numerous key figures for a lone number nine.

He’s only registered a total of 0.47 shots per 90 in England’s top-flight – with such a tally ranking him in the lowest 1% of all other attackers in the division this season.

Kolo Muani’s other tallies of 1.4 touches in the opposition box and 0.4 aerials won per 90 also place him in the first percentile – further highlighting his lack of positive impact to date.

He suffered a broken jaw in the draw with Manchester United last weekend, potentially seeing him spend time on the sidelines – which could give the striker a period to reflect on his dismal start in England.

The Spurs star who could end Kolo Muani’s Spurs career

Kane’s departure, coupled with Kolo Muani’s lack of form, has certainly rubbed salt into the wounds of the Spurs faithful, with their loss now Bayern Munich’s gain.

The Englishman has carried on his tremendous goalscoring form away from North London, with the striker reaching the next level in his career after his big-money transfer.

Kane has netted a staggering 108 goals in his 113 appearances for the German outfit, with his numbers this season simply eye-boggling and certainly leaving the fans wishing he was still on their books.

He’s already scored 26 times in all competitions in 2025/26, with the entire Lilywhites senior squad only scoring 29 times combined during the same period.

Players like Kane don’t come around very often, with their Spurs faithful extremely lucky to have been able to witness his goalscoring antics first hand between 2013 and 2023.

Kolo Muani has so far failed to live up to the heights many expected, with his temporary deal in North London not expected to turn into a permanent one, given his recent lack of form.

However, the club appear to already have the perfect solution to their long-term centre-forward issues in the form of academy graduate Will Lankshear.

The youngster only joined the club’s youth setup back in August 2022, subsequently making the move from Sheffield United at the tender age of just 17.

Upon his switch to the capital, he linked up with the U21 side, but rapidly caught the eye with his goalscoring ability – with his 2023/24 campaign his best to date.

He found the net a staggering 32 times in just 35 appearances, leading to his first-team debut under Ange Postecoglou during the injury-hit campaign in 2024/25.

Lankshear managed to appear in six separate matches for the Lilywhites, half of which came in the Europa League, with the 20-year-old netting his first senior goal against Galatasaray.

However, he’s followed in Kane’s footsteps in moving into the EFL for valuable senior minutes to continue his development, with the youngster spending the current season on loan at Championship side Oxford United.

He’s already made an immediate impact at the Kassam Stadium, scoring four times in his 14 league appearances to date – leading to one analyst calling him a “Harry Kane regen”.

Games played

14

Goals scored

5

Shot on target accuracy

43%

Passes completed

75%

Dribbles completed

50%

Touches in opposition box

2.9

Fouls won

1.5

Chances created

1.2

Lankshear’s underlying stats from the ongoing season highlight his incredible nature in the final third, which could see him be catapulted into the first-team reckoning in 2026/27.

He’s achieved a 43% shot on target accuracy rate and scoring with 50% of the efforts he’s registered – offering the clinical nature that Kane possessed in London.

The youngster is also keen to get on the ball whenever possible, ranking in the 80th percentile for passes completed, whilst also completing 50% of the dribbles he’s attempted.

Whilst Kolo Muani will need to be cut some slack for his lack of impact, he’s ultimately failed to hit the heights expected of him, with other options needing to be considered.

Lankshear will no doubt be chomping at the bit to make an impact in North London, with Frank desperately needing to hand him the chance to impress upon his return from his loan spell in the summer.

Spurs have "one of Europe’s best finishers" & he could end Richarlison's stay

Tottenham Hotspur can offload Richarlison if Thomas Frank shows faith in one other squad member.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 14, 2025