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Chelsea have already made a couple of signings during the 2025 summer transfer window, and have confirmed the addition of midfielder Dario Essugo from Sporting CP. The most recent of those signings was Mamadou Sarr, the young French centre-back who joined from sister club Strasbourg of Ligue 1.

The other addition was Liam Delap, who made the move to Stamford Bridge from now relegated Ipswich Town. He cost the Blues £30m, the price of his relegation release clause at Portman Road, although BBC Sport say he will cost Chelsea £20m up front.

Delap, a European champion with England under-21 back in 2023, might not be the only player from that successful side to join the Blues this summer.

Chelsea chasing another English talent

Delap joins his fellow under-21 European Championship winner, Cole Palmer, in the Chelsea squad. It certainly fits the transfer policy we have seen from the Blues under Todd Boehly, to sign young talents who will have an impact now and in the future.

Transfer Focus

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

The man who could join his former England teammates at Stamford Bridge is James Trafford. According to a report from The Telegraph, Chelsea could ‘enter the race’ for the Burnley goalkeeper, having kept a close eye on him ‘for more than a year’.

Indeed, the West London club do not go into the race for Trafford as favourites. Rather, they could end up hijacking the move, with fears at Newcastle United, who are ‘negotiating over the asking price’ with Clarets, that Chelsea could poach the goalkeeper.

Burnley have asked for £30m or more for the goalkeeper, a fee Chelsea would need to match to pull off the hijack.

Why Trafford would be a good signing

If Chelsea were to sign Trafford this summer, and poach him right from underneath Newcastle’s nose, he would join the club with a great reputation. It was a sensational 2024/25 campaign for the Burnley shotstopper, with football scout Antonio Mango calling him the “future England No1” based on those efforts.

Indeed, it was a magical season for Trafford, helping his Burnley side to promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. In 45 Championship games, he conceded just 16 goals and kept 29 clean sheets.

Those numbers are ridiculous. It was a team effort, of course, with a strong defence in front of him, but certainly a large part of the defensive success was down to Trafford between the posts. He conceded an average of 0.36 goals per game across the season, as per FBref.

That is one of the many metrics in which Trafford ranked first amongst Championship goalkeepers last season. Another impressive stat is his save percentage, which was 84.5% last season.

FBref stats show that he stacks up well against Premier League goalkeepers, too. In 2024/25, Trafford conceded the least number of goals compared to top-flight shot stoppers who played at least 50% of games, kept double the amount of clean sheets and had the highest save percentage.

Trafford key stats & rank vs. PL/Championship goalkeepers
Stat	Trafford number	PL rank	Championship rank
Goals conceded	16	1st	1st
Goals conceded per game	0.36	1st	1st
Saves	85	14th	=13th
Save percentage	84.5%	1st	1st
Clean sheets	29	1st	1st
Stats from FBref

Equally too, there are a number of similarities between Trafford and Chelsea’s new number nine, Delap. Not only have they played alongside each other for England under-21s, but the pair also represented Manchester City’s academy alongside each other.

In all, they have played 21 games together, and it is certainly interesting that the pair have had such a similar career. After plenty of loans across the EFL, they each left City – joining Burnley and Ipswich for £19m and £20m, respectively – forged their own paths and made a real name for themselves, before potentially reconvening at Chelsea. It is quite the story.

On top of that, the Blues also pipped Newcastle to the signing of Delap. Back in May, it was reported by TEAMTalk that they had ‘showdown talks’ with the striker. However, Chelsea won the race to sign him, and they could well be set to repeat the feat with Trafford.

Paying £30m for a goalkeeper with the quality of Trafford seems like an easy decision for the West Londoners to make. This could be one of the sagas of the window, and one Chelsea will be hoping they can win.

Better than Delap: Chelsea step up move for £85m "monster in the making"

Chelsea are looking to improve their attacking options further

1

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 9, 2025

After crashing out of the Champions League on Wednesday night, it looked like Arsenal were set to end the week with a humbling at the hands of Liverpool at half-time on Sunday afternoon.

Fortunately, Mikel Arteta’s team talk seemed to do the trick, and his side came out, fought back to parity and ensured the travelling fans at least had something to celebrate.

While a fair few of the Gunners’ starters put in a good showing in the second 45, Gabriel Martinelli was the most impressive, and thanks to his goal and general centre-forward play, he was awarded the man of the match award.

However, even though the 23-year-old looked bright, his time in the starting lineup could be coming to an end, as recent reports have linked the club with another Premier League star who’d be a significant upgrade on the Brazilian.

Arsenal's winger search

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other wide players who have been linked with moves to Arsenal this summer, such as Nico Williams and Rodrygo.

Transfer Focus

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

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The former is set to be available for just £48m thanks to a release clause in his contract, and, just like last year, has enjoyed a stellar campaign in which he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 44 games.

Likewise, Rodrygo has been relatively effective for Real Madrid this season, scoring 13 goals and providing ten assists in 50 appearances, although with a reported price tag of £85m, he might be a little out of range if Andrea Berta and Co also plan to invest heavily in a striker.

Moreover, the Gunners might want a Premier League-proven winger to come in and bolster the team, which is where Antoine Semenyo comes in.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their interest in the Bournemouth star.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that due to growing problems in the North Londoners’ attack, their pursuit of the 25-year-old, who is valued at €50m – £42m – has now gained momentum.

While he might not be the big name some fans are after, Semenyo is a sensational footballer and one Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign, even if his arrival could spell trouble for Martinelli.

How Semenyo compares to Martinelli

Now, one of the really significant advantages of signing Semenyo is that, thanks to him being so strong with both feet, he’s able to play in a multitude of positions on both sides of the pitch.

However, while this would certainly allow Arteta to rest Bukayo Saka more often, there is no way that the Bournemouth star would replace the Englishman on the right on a permanent basis.

Therefore, to get regular game time, the Ghanaian international would have to start on the left, putting him in direct competition with Martinelli, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes to the most important metric of all, raw output, it’s the Cherries ace who comes out ahead.

For example, in 40 appearances this season, totalling 3382 minutes, he’s scored 11 goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 187.88 minutes.

In contrast, the former Ituano gem has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 49 appearances, totalling 3403 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.06 games or every 212.68 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Gunners’ ace, the one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Semenyo vs Martinelli

Statistics

Semenyo

Martinelli

Non-Penalty G+As

0.43

0.40

Progressive Passes

3.18

1.88

Progressive Carries

4.08

4.71

Shots

3.60

2.07

Shots on Target

1.15

0.93

Passing Accuracy

73.1%

71.0%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.78

2.82

Goal-Creating Actions

0.39

0.23

Tackles Won

0.99

0.53

Successful Take-Ons

1.99

1.53

Ball Recoveries

4.52

3.15

Aerial Duels Won

1.85

0.65

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

For example, in almost every relevant metric, the “unplayable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Ed Aarons, comes out top; metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, passing accuracy, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, aerial duels won, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Martinelli could certainly still be an incredibly valuable squad player next season, it’s evident that Semenyo is the superior winger in practically every way. Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him this summer.

Related Shades of Aubameyang: Arsenal lead race to sign "mind-blowing" goal machine

The prolific marksman could be the difference-maker for Arsenal next season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 12, 2025

Burnley are now in a transfer battle with Leeds United as they both want to sign a “unique” Ipswich Town star, according to a recent report.

Burnley begin transfer plans as they eye midfield reinforcements

The Clarets only confirmed their promotion to the Premier League on Monday evening, but already Scott Parker and club chiefs are working on transfer business ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Burnley want to sign Fulham ace who previously won promotion under Parker

Burnley are now looking to sign a player who has worked with their manager before.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 24, 2025

It’s been claimed by EFL pundit Lee Hendrie that Jonjo Shelvey will likely not be at Turf Moor next season. The midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the campaign, and it is likely that he will not be offered a new deal, according to Hendrie.

That might be because Burnley already have his replacement in mind, as according to Give Me Sport, the Clarets are now interested in signing Harrison Reed from Fulham, a player who Parker knows well from his time working at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are said to be looking to strengthen their midfield this summer, and Reed could be allowed to leave should they receive the right offer. This has alerted Burnley, who are looking to strike a deal as the Clarets try to bring Premier League experience to their team.

Burnley in transfer battle for Ipswich star Hirst

But it is not just the midfield that the Clarets are looking to strengthen, as according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Burnley are interested in signing George Hirst from Ipswich this summer.

O’Rourke states that as well as the Lancashire side holding an interest in Hirst, Championship rivals Leeds are also keen on securing a deal for the striker, as the Tractor Boys look set to return to the second tier in English football.

However, while both sides can offer Premier League football, Ipswich are not willing to let Hirst just leave, as O’Rourke states that the Tractor Boys are desperately looking to tie the striker down to a new contract to ward off the interest, with Liam Delap expected to leave Portman Road this summer.

Hirst currently earns £27,500 a week at Ipswich, so the interested parties may have to stump up a significant increase to better whatever his current employers are offering.

Apps

76

Goals

18

Assists

11

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed “unique” by Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, has had to be very patient this season, starting just three of the 21 Premier League games he’s played. Hirst has scored two goals in the process, his latest coming in the 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in March.

The Scotland international is still under contract until 2027, so Ipswich still have time on their hands, but Burnley and Leeds can both offer the forward another chance of playing in the Premier League, and this may be too hard for Hirst to turn down.

He has transformed himself and his multi-faceted team to prioritise winning above all else

Alagappan Muthu03-Oct-20242:35

Manjrekar: ‘This is the legacy Rohit Sharma will leave as captain’

A century is a sacred thing. Everybody understands its significance, its pull. When Sachin Tendulkar was touring the world with 99 of them in his pocket, all anyone wanted to talk about was that next one, which would’ve been fine except he was trying not to think about it. It became awkward every time he went down to breakfast and they were giving him his tea with a side of knowing looks.The hundred is the most recognisable feature of our sport, to the extent that others have found reason to tap into it to generate that sweet, sweet engagement. Premier League champions Manchester City marked the occasion of their star striker, Erling Haaland, scoring 100 goals by putting a picture of him in full cricket gear on their socials.India just finished a Test match that flew in the face of all that. In Kanpur, Yashasvi Jaiswal not only had the chance to bring up three figures but do so quicker than anybody else from his country. He could’ve walked it in singles. Bangladesh had spread the field all the way out. Instead, he saw a little gap at third and went for the ramp shot. Now, there weren’t a lot of reasons for him to be in such a hurry. The one he had, though, was extremely compelling.Related

• Rohit hopes 'exceptional' series against Bangladesh doesn't go 'unnoticed'

• Rohit: 'We were ready to get bowled out for a low score to force a result'

• Stats – India extend dominance at home, at breakneck speed

• Rohit Sharma and the sixes that woke up a dead game

“When we gathered inside [the dressing room] for a small huddle, Rohit Sharma mentioned that we are going to go hammer and tongs and try and make, you know, 400 runs, probably, in 50 overs,” R Ashwin said after India found a way to win a five-day game in half that time. It involved a lot of risk. It wasn’t going to happen without a collective buy-in, especially from the batters, particularly the out-of-form ones.KL Rahul came into this series with an average of 34.08. He has only one century at home, a casualty of overarching plans to make the most of spin-friendly conditions. He might have liked to bed in at Green Park. The pitch wasn’t doing very much and time at the crease is a magical thing. It can erase all the doubt that had ever been cast on you, not from the outside, but also on the inside. It just settles you.Under a less adventurous captain, with a less willing group of men, facing a better quality of opposition and no pressure of World Test Championship points, India would’ve got in a bit of batting practice and left with a draw.”Rohit walked out and just tonked the first ball for a six,” Ashwin said. “So when you walk the talk, I think obviously the dressing room doesn’t have any other choice but to follow that same pattern. We had 50 runs out of three overs. There was no looking back after that.”Rahul made 68 off 43. He had two boundaries within the first ten balls and he was charging and reverse sweeping by the 15th.India have had many captains that have transformed the way they play. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi yanked them out of defeatism. Kapil Dev won them their first world title. MS Dhoni ended the wait for another one. Sourav Ganguly made being bad look sexy. Rahul Dravid broke the ODI chasing curse. Anil Kumble stood up right against wrong. Virat Kohli triggered a fast-bowling revolution. Rohit might just be outdoing them all because he is cutting right into one of the core values of Indian cricket.1:14

‘India exhibited a kind of dominance we’ve never seen before’

Batting means scoring big. You’re almost excused if you get out for a duck but if you get a start and then throw it away, you’re less than nothing. Rohit actually comes from the one place in India where this is basically gospel. He is Mumbai , which means come rain or shine, famine or plague, if you have a bat in hand, you have a responsibility not to get out. You are obliged to score those grand, daddy hundreds that utterly break the oppositions and make them question why they ever woke up that morning. His three double-tons in 50-over cricket are a tribute to this method and its far-reaching consequences. His next best score caused a bit of a flutter too.Rohit made 171 in Perth during a series where India faced questions about whether they cared more for milestones than victories, because their batters kept slowing down and it did have an impact on the final scoreline. Back then, the team was heavily reliant on its top order and so they had to play with a great deal of caution. It is only with time and effort and investment and experience that they now have a batting line-up with threats all the way down.In 2023, Rohit wanted to maximise that, weaponise that. So a man who used to set up to bat the full 50 overs went into a home World Cup and showed a very different side of himself. He kept hitting from ball one because he thought that was the best way for India to win. By then, he’d found strong influences that backed his beliefs.

“In the past, I know of players who have got a fifty in a game like that, they might have just walked out 52 not out. He chose to go for the gallery shot. It is just in his head to see the ball and hit it”R Ashwin on Yashasvi Jaiswal

“When Rahul Dravid was here,” Ashwin said, “he used to mention you will not remember the runs and the wickets that you take but you will definitely remember the memories that you create.”That’s so old school, right? Especially in 2024 where athletes have discovered they aren’t just people, they’re brands. There is incentive to putting themselves first; to safeguarding their success and minimising their risks. The power of a simple individual – let alone those with global acclaim – is sky high right now. It isn’t ludicrous for them to want to cash in, or at the very least have questions when their captain says things like “we’re gonna score 400 in 50 overs”. No one did in Kanpur. Even though the same social-media phenomenon that makes them walking bags of money opens them up to incredible rebuke whenever they fail. And this had potential for failure.Green Park is by no means a template. India will not be scoring at nine runs an over when they go to Australia. But even so, for Rohit to convince his men to follow him like that, in merely the hope of a result, and for them to do it, is no small thing. It’s been a hallmark of his captaincy, across formats. He helped Kohli reassess the price he puts on his wicket in T20s. He protected Jaiswal, genuinely worried he might jinx the opener during his coming-of-age performances against England. In that same series, when Sarfaraz Khan finally broke into the national team, Rohit spent an entire training session looking after him. He has been rewiring his own generation and encouraging the next one to put the win above all else.1:56

T20 champs for a reason? India break batting records in Kanpur

In Kanpur, it meant playing fast-forward cricket, the kind that didn’t just put pressure on the opposition, it caught them completely by surprise. Bangladesh admitted to needing a couple of overs to realise what was happening on that fourth afternoon when India, having batted for less than three hours, had enough on the board for a first-innings lead. Then they came out with similar intent to chase a target of 95, Jaiswal helping himself to another better-than-a-run-a-ball fifty.”It’s just the way he plays,” Ashwin said. “In the past, I know of players who have got a fifty in a game like that, they might have just walked out 52 not out. He chose to go for the gallery shot. It is just in his head to see the ball and hit it.”It’s probably the next generation of players and they are going to be like that. It’s us that need to be able to adapt to their style and be able to facilitate them with the best environment for them to be nurtured for them to prosper.”There are much sterner challenges ahead – the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starts in November and then there’s the Champions Trophy in February and, very likely, the WTC final in July. Each of them will require India to dig deep in various ways. They may come up short. It can happen. But they won’t die wondering. If there’s a chance – even the slightest, most outlandish one – they’ll grab it and they’ll run with it. Rohit won’t let them settle for anything less.

A look at the stats after a dazzling innings from the India batter

Sampath Bandarupalli07-Jan-20233 Centuries for Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is. Only one player has scored more tons than him in this format – Rohit Sharma (4). Three other batters have scored three hundreds in men’s T20Is – Glenn Maxwell, Colin Munro, and Sabawoon Davizi.ESPNcricinfo Ltd45 Balls Suryakumar needed to complete his hundred in Rajkot. It is the second-fastest century for India in T20Is. The quickest is by Rohit, who scored a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore.3 All three centuries by Suryakumar in T20Is have taken fewer than 50 balls. His previous two T20I hundreds were scored in 2022 – against England off 48 balls in Nottingham and against New Zealand off 49 balls in Mount Maunganui. Only one other batter has multiple T20I hundreds in under 50 balls – David Miller (2).ESPNcricinfo Ltd0 Players to score three hundreds while batting at No. 3 and lower in T20Is, before Suryakumar. Two of his three centuries came at No. 4, while another ton when batting at one-down. Four batters, including Suryakumar, have multiple T20I centuries while batting at No. 4 and lower.9 Sixes by Suryakumar during his 112 not out in the third T20I. These are the second-most sixes hit by a batter for India in an innings in men’s T20Is. Rohit is ahead with ten sixes hit during his century against Sri Lanka in 2017.112* Suryakumar’s score in Rajkot, the highest for a batter in the decider of a T20I series comprising three or more matches. Only two players before Suryakumar have had centuries in a T20I series decider – Rohit (100*) against England in 2018 and Muhammad Waseem (107*) against Ireland in 2021.8 Fifty-plus scores by Suryakumar out of his 16 in T20Is have come at 200-plus strike-rate, the most by any batter. The strike rate of 141.66 during the second T20I in Pune was Suryakumar’s lowest for a fifty-plus score in this format.

The rebuilding of the national side, young players to watch out for, and other talking points

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2020Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj and Rassie van der Dussen will be on an audition of sorts when South Africa’s four-day franchise competition kicks off on Monday. The quintet is considered to be in the running for the national Test captaincy and although only Bavuma is leading his franchise, the form and influence the rest have on their teams may play a role in who new convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang chooses for the most prestigious job in South African cricket.Mpitsang, who starts work full-time on Monday, will also be looking for an opening batsman after last season saw Pieter Malan fill in for an injured Markram, an opening bowler after Vernon Philander’s retirement, and potentially a middle-order batsman depending on how much longer Faf du Plessis wants to play international cricket. All that makes this season’s domestic competition even more crucial for the rebuilding of the national side. Here’s our team-wise preview and what to expect when things kick off.LionsThe defending champions have bulked up their squad with bowlers from the Cape, including Sisanda Magala and Lutho Sipamla from the Warriors and Tladi Bokako from the Cobras. They already have Beuran Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius and Kagiso Rabada in their ranks, which gives them an arsenal of fearsome quicks to call on at the spiciest pitch in the country, the Wanderers. Though they won’t want it to be too green and mean as many Lions batsmen need to be among the runs for the national side. Bavuma, who played only one Test last summer, leads the pack but van der Dussen and Reeza Hendricks are not far behind.Last season standing: Winners
Captain: Temba Bavuma
Coach: Wandile Gwavu
Keep an eye on: Wiaan Mulder did not feature for South Africa in any format last summer as he battled injury, and his team-mate Dwaine Pretorius got the Test allrounders spot and Andile Phehlukwayo the white-ball role. But at 22, and with a strong skillset, Mulder is one to watch out for the future.TitansThe Titans lost their coach Mark Boucher to national duty in the middle of last season but managed a strong second-place finish under Mandla Mashimbyi, who has taken over full-time. They are the franchise that could hold the key to the Test top-three, with Markram, Elgar and Theunis de Bruyn all calling SuperSport Park their home. Further down the order, Heinrich Klaasen also has national ambitions. Lungi Ngidi headlines their attack which includes the experience of Junior Dala and the youth of Lizaad Williams, Okuhle Cele, Dayyaan Galiem, Matthew Arnold and Ryan Cartwright.Aiden Markram pulls•Getty ImagesLast season standing: Runners-up
Captain: Grant Thomson
Coach: Mandla Mashimbyi
Keep an eye on: Thando Ntini moved upcountry from the Cape over the winter and the Highveld conditions are expected to bring out the best in him. But we may have to wait a while to see what Ntini has to offer as he is nursing a hamstring injury.WarriorsJon-Jon Smuts’ elevation to the national team meant the Warriors selected a new four-day captain for this summer. Yaseen Vallie, who is also among the senior-most members of the squad, has been asked to lead the franchise’s red-ball team. The line-up also features last summer’s second-highest run-scorer Edward Moore, who opens the batting, Rudi Second, who brings experience, and youngsters Sinethemba Qeshile and Matthew Breetzke, both of whom are regarded as future internationals. Having lost Sipamla and Magala to the Lions and Andrew Birch to retirement, the challenge for the Warriors will be to have an attack that can step up. Anrich Nortje, Wihan Lubbe, Mthiwekhaya Nabe’s roles will be crucial in that regard.Anrich Nortje lets out a roar in celebration•BCCILast season standing: Third
Captain: Yaseen Vallie
Coach: Robin Peterson
Keep an eye on: Glenton Stuurman has been touted as a ready-replacement for Philander because of his ability to move the ball both ways and his miserly average.KnightsThe only franchise with a new coach this season found the highest-profile one they could. Allan Donald has returned to Bloemfontein to take on his first head coaching gig at home and has a talented group of players to work with. Young tearaway Gerald Coetzee, who was named as one of ESPNcricinfo’s 20 players to watch in the 2020s, will lead the attack, which also includes Migael Pretorius, who has moved from Johannesburg. Equally exciting is their batting line-up which has the experience of Pite van Biljon and Farhaan Behardien, who had left the Titans to go Kolpak but has since returned to South Africa, and youngsters Matthew Kleinveldt, Jacques Snyman and Wandile Makwetu.According to Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee has the potential to be a ‘South African great’•Getty ImagesLast season standing: Fourth
Captain: Pite van Biljon
Coach: Allan Donald
Keep an eye on: Raynard van Tonder was the leading run-scorer of the tournament last season and must be among the contenders for a Test call-up, whether as an opener or a No. 3.DolphinsIn Durban, the Dolphins have been steadily building towards becoming a more competitive unit and they have the ingredients to be serious challengers this summer. David Miller has expressed an interest in pushing for a Test spot but Keegan Petersen, who was selected for net sessions under Jacques Kallis’ tutelage last summer, may beat him there. Their attack revolves around their spinners, which include Maharaj, last season’s leading wicket-taker, Prenelan Subrayen, and two-time Test cap Senuran Muthusamy, but there’s a batch of quicks bubbling under. Almost two-metre tall Kerwin Mungroo, Daryn Dupavillon and Lifa Ntanzi make up the pace pack.Keshav Maharaj celebrates a wicket•BCCILast season standing: Fifth
Captain: Marques Ackerman
Coach: Imraan Khan
Keep an eye on: Ackerman and Grant Roelofsen were respectively the third and the sixth leading run-scorers last season and although neither of their names has come up in the public discussion around the Test team, the numbers may do the talking for them and force their case.CobrasAs the only team that did not win a single four-day match last summer, the Cobras will enter this season with a point to prove. They’ve revamped their squad with the acquisitions of top-order batsman Tony de Zorzi, allrounder Corbin Bosch and offspinner Imran Manack, all from the Titans, and allrounders Calvin Savage, from the Dolphins, and Onke Nyaku, from the Warriors. They’ve also ploughed their own depths to sign Jonathan Bird, Ziyaad Abrahams and Isma-eel Gafieldien. In the Malan brothers, Janneman and Pieter, new captain Zubayr Hamza and Jason Smith, the Cobras have all the makings of a strong side but they’ll want victories to show for it.Zubayr Hamza in action for the Cape Cobras•Cape CobrasLast season standing: Sixth
Captain: Zubayr Hamza
Coach: Ashwell Prince
Keep an eye on: George Linde was named the South African Cricketers’ Association’s (SACA) Most Valuable Player last season, in recognition of his all-round excellence across formats. Linde earned a Test cap in India last October and although Maharaj will be difficult to dislodge from the South African side, Linde provides strong competition.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo sub-20 está pronto para a disputa da final da Copa Rio 2024. Em jogos de ida e volta, contra o Vasco, a equipe rubro-negra vai disputar o troféu após uma campanha de evolução, em busca do título inédito. Classificado em segundo lugar no primeiro turno, com nove pontos, a equipe B da categoria sub-20, comandada pelo técnico Raphael Bahia, eliminou o Fluminense na fase semifinal. O técnico, que foi semifinalista da Copinha 2024, compartilhou suas expectativas e análises sobre a decisão.

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➡️ Jogo pegado! Com R$100 no Lance! Betting, você ganha R$322 se Palmeiras x Flamengo terminar empatado pelo Brasileirão!

– Jogar mais uma final é importante para o processo do clube. Eu, particularmente, já tinha jogado algumas finais em outras equipes. A gente sabe que é um momento que vai ser resolvido no detalhe. Jogo final, ainda mais clássico, é um jogo bastante complicado. A gente acredita muito no potencial desses meninos pois eles vêm evoluindo muito a cada dia, entendendo um pouco mais de como a gente gosta de jogar – afirmou Raphael.

– A gente tem tudo para sair com um passo já para garantir essa conquista. E, particularmente, é muito bom chegar na final. Acho que, quando você chega em uma final, você percebe que o teu trabalho está sendo bem realizado. E ganhar o título é coroar o trabalho desse primeiro semestre que tem sido maravilhoso aqui no clube – completou o treinador.

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Para chegar até aqui a equipe teve quatro vitórias, um empate e duas derrotas, com 12 gols marcados e 8 sofridos. Já Raphael Bahia, que está na Gávea há pouco mais de um ano, acumula 51 jogos pelo rubro-negro, com 33 vitórias, sete empates e 11 derrotas, com 89 gols marcados e apenas 38 sofridos. Ele tem a oportunidade agora de conquistar seu 4º título desde então, sendo o primeiro na categoria sub-20.

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Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz drew the ire of baseball fans everywhere for his bad body language on one ugly play in Friday's game against the Texas Rangers.

In the first inning, Cruz tried to field the ball from Rangers' Sam Haggerty's single to center, but it slipped right under his glove. That's not what fans were most peeved at, however. It was what Cruz did—or didn't do, rather—afterward.

Following his fielding blunder, Cruz stood and nonchalantly watched the ball roll away for several seconds before right fielder Adam Frazier picked it up. Thanks to Cruz's error, Rangers' Josh Smith scored from first base and Haggerty got to third.

It was Cruz's league-leading seventh error in center field so far. An incriminating video of the moment showed the young star pretty much giving up on the play:

Not a good look at all.

Cruz went on to commit two other miscues in the 6-2 loss and went 0 for 5 at the plate. Though Cruz may have been upset with himself over his initial mistake, there's really no excuse for his lack of hustle, as he's more than showed off his speed this season with a career-high 25 stolen bases and counting.

Pirates manager Don Kelly frankly addressed Cruz's no-hustle play after the game:

"I think that all players deserve the opportunity to make the adjustments and have conversations like that," Kelly told Colin Beazley of the "If it continues like that, then something that we’re going to have to address in a different way, but I thought he handled it well the rest of the game and played hard and did the things he was supposed to."

Still, fans couldn't believe Cruz's unbothered attitude and total lack of effort:

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O goleiro Rafael Cabral está fora dos planos do Cruzeiro, e dois clubes brasileiros possuem o atleta no radar: Santos e Grêmio.

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A direção de futebol santista voltou a fazer contatos com o estafe do atleta, que esteve nos planos do clube alvinegro no início do ano. Porém, na ocasião, ele optou por permanecer na Raposa. Ainda assim, a volta do goleiro ao time da Vila Belmiro não é unanimidade internamente, o que pode dificultar a evolução do negócio.

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Algumas pessoas no Santos temem que Rafael Cabral não supra as necessidades da equipe, que deseja contratar um titular para a meta, após a falha de João Paulo na final do Campeonato Paulista. O histórico de falhas em Minas Gerais nesta temporada é alto. Esse é o motivo, inclusive, da saída dele do Cruzeiro.

Enquanto o Peixe vive indefinição interna sobre avançar na negociação com Rafael Cabral, o Grêmio corre por fora. O Tricolor Gaúcho discute se o goleiro seria uma boa oportunidade de mercado.

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Em Belo Horizonte estima-se que o negócio com o Grêmio possa evoluir nos próximos dias e que o destino de Rafael seja Porto Alegre.

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CruzeiroGrêmioRafael CabralSantos

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara highlighted lack of funds and technology as factors in the team’s recent decline, but also called upon the players to show more passion in order to compete better.After West Indies’ defeat to India in the first Test in Ahmedabad, Test captain Roston Chase highlighted “infrastructure problems” and the continuous “struggle for finances” in the Caribbean. This was touched upon by the cricket strategy and officiating committee of Cricket West Indies, of which Lara and Chase are both a part.”If you want to get things done, you have to have the capital to do it. So that is a major part,” Lara said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday. “But at the same time, I would like to ask Roston Chase and the other guys to… do they have the cricket at heart? Do they really want to play for West Indies? And that is the most important thing because you would find a way.Related

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“I mean we did not have better facilities 30-40 years ago. Viv Richards didn’t bat on any better practice pitches or anything. We had to do the same thing, the same grind; but the passion was different. The passion to play for West Indies was different. So I urge the young players to realise that this is a wonderful opportunity. And I am almost sure that every single one of their parents would have had in the back of their mind, their son playing for the West Indies, their son doing well for the West Indies because it meant a lot back in those days.”So I agree with [Chase on West Indies’ struggles for finances], but I still believe there is an onus on each young player to create that love and desire to play for West Indies.”Saying that, Lara also acknowledged that the players should not be blamed for seeking lucrative deals in franchise cricket, and that CWI needed to find a way to make it financially attractive for them to represent the region.”I can’t blame any single player for wanting to pursue cricket as a career outside of the West Indies – because the disparity in what’s happening, playing five or six franchise leagues, compared to playing for the West Indies, is different [in monetary terms],” Lara said. “And you have to have empathy with that player. But you also have to feel that what can we do at home to make sure that that player, or future players, understand that playing for the West Indies is also very important.5:02

Chopra: Gulf between India, West Indies there for everyone to see

“The IPL has carved out a period of time where it’s exclusive to the IPL. But there’s six or seven different leagues that’s popping up around the world, and everybody’s wanting to do it. So I think the onus is on Cricket West Indies to find a way to create, unify the efforts of the young players who want to go out, but also have them playing for us.”And a series against India, we want to play good cricket against the best team in the world. So you want your best players out there. You don’t want your best players in America or somewhere else around the world.”Lara used an example of football legend Lionel Messi, who has spent his entire club career outside of his home country, but has been an integral part of Argentina’s national team.”I mean if you look at Argentina, Messi grew up in Europe, but he plays for Argentina. But he played for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and he was allowed [to play],” Lara said. “And there’s a lot more South American footballers that do that, and eventually go back and play for their country, and have the pride to do so.”Australia is able to do it. England is able to do it, to keep their players loyal to their country. So we have to find a way to do that and there’s no pointing any fingers at anybody. It’s just that we’ve got to come together as a team, as administrators, as coaches, as players. And really and truly if you have West Indies cricket at heart, you will find a way to move forward.””I am hoping I would like to see a stronger first-class performance before you get into the international scene” – Brian Lara•Associated Press

Batting has been one department where West Indies have struggled. The squad touring India don’t have a single batter who averages 30 in Tests. They have had promising talents like Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge and Mikyle Louis break into the team, but none of them has been able to establish themselves as a regular.”I believe that if a player is being picked on potential only and he does not have the stats to go with it, it is very difficult for him now to get to this higher level, and [to] expect so much from him,” Lara said. “I believe that because of that situation, you would find players that are maturing later on. So it is either you stick with them – age 22, 23, 24, 25 hopefully reap the benefit when they get into their late 20s – or you look at players that are seasoned, Jason Holder and the guys who may have matured.”And if you remember, Graham Gooch scored the majority of his runs in his 30s. A guy like Adam Gilchrist, Mike Hussey, all these guys started playing late, and they came out to be some of the best in the world. So you are going to find, once in a lifetime, the Tendulkars. Age 16, 17, Afridi, the Garfield Sobers who were in their teenage, they were able to cope with it immediately. Everybody is not going to be blessed with that sort of talent.”So I am hoping that I would like to see a stronger first-class performance before you get into the international scene. Back in my day, you had to break records. You sat and watched cricket for two years, 20 Test matches, carry the towel, carry the water before you finally got in. And during that period of time, you grew, you matured. And some mature faster than others.”