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We assess the Division One contenders in our County Championship preview

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2023EssexLast season: 4th in Division One
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer, Doug Bracewell
Ins: Adam Rossington (Northants)
Outs: Adam Wheater (retired), Jack Plom (released)Essex were nothing if not entertaining last season, in an up-and-down campaign that never really threatened to become a serious push for their sixth red-ball title in seven seasons. Two one-wicket wins – at Taunton and Headingley – as well as a 12-run margin against Hampshire showed the resilience of Tom Westley’s side, which has not changed a great deal since their 2016-2020 golden period. But they only won one of their first five games and there was a fragility to the batting, never more evident than when they were bowled out for 59 chasing a target of 98 to beat Lancashire on a spicy Chelmsford deck that drew a curt verdict from the visitors.That Alastair Cook, now in his 39th year, remains their key batter is not quite the comforting thought it once was for Essex fans – though they will be banking on at least one of Westley, Dan Lawrence and Matt Critchley averaging more than 30 this year. The club’s decision-makers obviously retain their faith, having signed two overseas allrounders – the first, Will Sutherland, had to withdraw due to injury – to supplement Simon Harmer’s perennial guile. The bowling looks strong, as ever, although Jamie Porter will be looking to rediscover his mojo after managing just 19 wickets at 30.89 in 2022.One to watch: Feroze Khushi made his first-team debut as a 21-year-old in the Bob Willis Trophy but has had to keep knocking at the door. Last year, he made career-best scores in all three formats, including a maiden first-class hundred that he extended to 164 during an innings win at Canterbury. Like most of his top-order colleagues, his was plagued by inconsistency, scoring 86 runs in nine other Championship knocks – but he clearly has the talent to push for a regular starting spot. Alan GardnerRelated

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Bet365: 5/1HampshireLast season: 3rd in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
First team manager: Adrian Birrell
Captain: James Vince
Overseas: Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas
Ins: Benny Howell (Gloucestershire)
Outs: Lewis McManus (Northamptonshire)
Hampshire won more matches than any side in Division One last season (nine), although their four defeats compared with champions Surrey and Lancashire brought them undone, as shown in the 77-run loss at home to Kent in September which crushed their title hopes. So there is an air of atonement about 2023 and with an highly experienced core of James Vince, Liam Dawson, Keith Barker and overseas stars Kyle Abbott and Mohammad Abbas, they have the goods.Throw in the return of another seasoned campaigner, Benny Howell, who began his career at Hampshire before joining Gloucestershire a decade ago, and last year’s form batter Nick Gubbins, who scored centuries in both innings against a Lancashire line-up featuring none other than James Anderson, and they should be contenders again. Ben Brown made a seamless transition after moving from Sussex to be the club’s fourth-highest run-scorer with an average of 38.66, while Felix Organ’s move to the top of the order brought rewards – more of the same will aid Hampshire’s cause.One to watch: Will this finally be the summer that Aneurin Donald hits the big time? With two injury ravaged seasons behind him, this attacking middle-order batter is primed to deliver on the promise that saw him once thrash 234 off 136 balls as a teenager with Glamorgan. Made an encouraging 398 runs from nine outings last year but will be looking to go better. Valkerie BaynesBet365: 4/1Ben Compton enjoyed a stellar 2022 campaign•Getty ImagesKentLast season: 5th in Division One
Director of cricket: Paul Downton
Head coach: Matt Walker
Captain: Sam Billings
Overseas: George Linde, Arshdeep Singh
Ins: Joey Evison (Nottinghamshire), Michael Hogan (Glamorgan)
Outs: Ollie Robinson (Durham), Matt Milnes (Yorkshire), Harry Podmore (Glamorgan), Darren Stevens (released)
Ben Compton set Kent off on the right footing, racking up four centuries by mid-May and not scrimping on the fifties either as he made his way towards becoming the second-highest run-scorer for the season in Division One. He has extended his contract and spent the English winter playing first-class cricket in Zimbabwe. Also renewing with the club were stalwart Joe Denly, promising 22-year-old opener Tawanda Mueye, Hamid Qadri and Nathan Gilchrist, Kent’s leading wicket taker in the 2022 Championship.George Linde, the South African spin-bowling allrounder, will return for the second half of his two-year stint as an all-format overseas player in a bowling line-up bolstered by the signing of Arshdeep Singh, India’s left-arm swing bowler who has agreed to play five Championship games through June-July. Allrounder Joey Evison makes it official after joining Kent midway through last season on loan as part of the Darren Stevens succession plan. He will be looking to make the most of opportunities which were thin at Nottinghamshire.Meanwhile, the availability of captain Sam Billings from the start of the Championship after he opted out of this year’s edition of the IPL could provide a big, early boost as Kent look to build on their four wins of last year.One to watch: Tawanda Muyeye is averaging 29.57 after 10 first-class matches, having made his debut in 2021. His season-high 85 as Kent defeated Somerset by an innings and 151 runs last September was an encouraging way to end 2022, a year in which he also broke into Vitality Blast reckoning, although he may have to fight his way back into the starting XI this summer. VBBet365: 16/1LancashireLast season: 2nd in Division One
Director of cricket performance: Mark Chilton
Head coach: Glenn Chapple
Captain: Keaton Jennings
Overseas: Dane Vilas, Colin de Grandhomme, Daryl Mitchell
Ins:
Outs: Liam Hurt (released)There is comfort to be had for Lancashire fans at finishing second two years on the bounce – though you could argue 2022’s position was not entirely accurate given they finished a point ahead of Hampshire by beating a Surrey team well into their title celebrations during the final round. Nevertheless, theirs is a squad full of red-ball campaigners with varying claims for England call-ups -and the international programme this summer is such that their depth won’t face too stern a test. Even the fact they begin without Liam Livingstone and Phil Salt (both at the IPL) is tempered by the presence of James Anderson for the first six rounds, provided England don’t fancy wrapping him up in cotton wool ahead of the Ashes.Keaton Jennings, Division One’s top-scorer last season, was a tourist in the operative sense in Pakistan and is unlikely to move beyond a squad opener this summer. Josh Bohanon, the next cab in the previous Test regime, has moved a little further back down the rank. Factor in the signing of Daryl Mitchell (913 in his last nine Tests, of which 538 came in England last summer from six innings) and the experience of Colin de Grandhomme, and you’ve pretty much got an international batting card. And we haven’t mentioned Luke Wells (991 runs in 2022), Steven Croft (837) or Dane Vilas (567), who should be liberated by handing over the captaincy to Jennings.The loss of Hasan Ali to Warwickshire is a blow though Saqib Mahmood’s availability after last year’s back stress fracture brings similar incisive qualities. Tom Bailey, 51 and 52 first class wickets in 2021 and 2022 respectively, will be eyeing up another half-century. The towering seamer is building a reputation not too dissimilar to his coach as one of the best operators on the circuit seemingly out of sight of the England selectors. In Kiwi Will Williams, he has the ideal front-pad targeting new-ball partner to complement his back-of-a-length ways. The county have also yet to really reap the benefits of an allrounder of Luke Wood’s class. First title since 2011, anyone?One to watch: The last 12 months have been dispiriting for Matt Parkinson. An England Test debut in June, after Jack Leach suffered concussion at Lord’s, a sixth T20 cap in July against India, and then nothing. Perhaps even less than nothing: last month, after a quiet winter, Parkinson went undrafted in the Hundred. At 26, he is at a fascinating juncture in his career – once the future of English legspin and now seemingly out of sight and mind. Missing the Pakistan tour was compounded by the emergence of shiny new thing Rehan Ahmed, who has charmed hipsters and mainstream audiences alike; Parkinson only really had command over the latter. A stint in Zimbabwe for Mashonaland Eagles helped him tick over in pre-season and, armed with something to prove, expect a naturally combative cricketer to dial it up a few notches this summer. Vithushan EhantharajahBet365: 5/1James Anderson will be available for Lancashire’s first block of games•George FranksMiddlesexLast season: 2nd in Division Two
Head of men’s cricket: Alan Coleman
First team coach: Richard Johnson
Captain: Toby Roland-Jones
Overseas: Pieter Malan
Ins: Ryan Higgins (Gloucestershire)
Outs: Eoin Morgan (retired), Nathan Sowter (Durham)A season of heightened scrutiny would appear to be on the cards following Middlesex’s admission of financial difficulties – the legacy of both the pandemic and an error in pension payments. But if the chief executive Andrew Cornish’s optimistic outlook is to be believed, then that is in no small part down to the endeavours of the playing staff, who helped to swell the coffers in forging a path back to the top flight last season, for the first time since 2017.Whether their squad is strong enough to stay there is a different matter, however. The signing of South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj could have offered a seasoned spin option to their seam-dominant attack, but he suffered a dramatic Achilles tendon rupture while celebrating a wicket against West Indies last month, and is out for the foreseeable. In his absence, the likes of Thilan Walallawita and Luke Hollman may need to step up. Toby Roland-Jones offers a wise old head as the new red-ball captain, with Tim Murtagh moving into a player-coaching role, while the likes of Tom Helm, Ethan Bamber and Blake Cullen should ensure that the wicket-taking side of the bargain is met.With the bat, the former England openers Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman make a compelling alliance, alongside Stephen Eskinazi, whose recent Hundred deal was confirmation of the extent to which his stock has risen in recent years, and Middlesex’s other South African import, Pieter Malan, retained after his role in the 2022 promotion push.One to watch: Ryan Higgins’ departure from Middlesex in 2017 was symptomatic of the club’s post-Championship-winning malaise – a hugely promising young allrounder, frustrated by a lack of opportunities, and seeking pastures new while the team slumped towards relegation. He’s proven his point in the intervening seasons, driving Gloucestershire’s promotion push in 2019 as well as their T20 Finals run in 2020, but now – after a loan spell last summer – he’s back at Lord’s for good, and this time as a seasoned pro at the age of 28. His established middle-order flair and attack-balancing medium-pace could be just the tonic the squad needs.Bet365: 20/1NorthamptonshireLast season: 6th in Division One
Head coach: John Sadler
Captain: Luke Procter
Overseas: Sam Whiteman, Chris Tremain, Lance Morris
Ins: David Willey (Yorkshire), Ollie Sale (Somerset)
Outs: Brandon Glover (Durham), Nathan Buck, Ben Curran, Charlie Thurston (all released)Northamptonshire have been a fascinating red-ball outfit in the last 10 years: engaging and cavalier bordering on reckless. Crap shooters with big hearts, both traits admirable though hardly conducive to sustaining themselves in the top-flight. That was until last season when, for the first time in four attempts, they were able to survive after earning promotion from Division Two.Achieving that feat relied upon taking fewer chances. Wantage Road was deliberately flat – in turn, Northants picked up six of their seven draws at home. At the same time, you could see they were adopting a more workmanlike approach to their red-ball cricket, almost in the image of Luke Procter, who leads them into the new campaign after Ricardo Vasconcelos stepped down midway through last season. The former enjoyed stellar form with the bat (961 runs at 53.38) while the latter (576 at 25.04) dramatically underperformed for his undoubted talent and will hope less weight on the shoulders will lead to freer arms. The reliability of their seam bowling is carried by the relentless Ben Sanderson and late bloomer Jack White, the pair combining for 78 wickets between them.The club have recruited well on the overseas front, exclusively with Australians: prolific Sheffield Shield run-scorer Sam Whiteman is on board until August, while Chris Tremain (first three games) and exciting speedster Lance Morris (the next three) will reinforce the bowling stocks. Surviving another season in Division One will be tough, but Northants love nothing more than sticking it to the doubters.One to watch: This could easily have been a section reserved for Emilio Gay, an exciting left-handed batter who looks ready to step up and make some big noise after a breakthrough 825 runs last season. But with Gay out until the middle of May following surgery on a stress fracture of his left knee cap, let’s talk about Rob Keogh. Yes, there’s the 1570 runs split fairly evenly over the last two summers. But it’s his spin bowling that warrants inclusion in this section. He finished as Northants’ third-highest wicket-taker in 2022, with 34 dismissals at a respectable average of 30.23 for a guy who hasn’t always taken the craft seriously. Observers note his action is stronger, tactics more refined as per his 5 for 31 which helped beat Kent last July for one of Northants’ two wins. VEBet365: 25/1Olly Stone has made the move from Edgbaston to Trent Bridge•Nottinghamshire CCCNottinghamshireLast season: 1st in Division Two
Head coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Steven Mullaney
Overseas: Dane Paterson
Ins: Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Tom Loten (Yorkshire)
Outs: Joey Evison (Kent), Zak Chappell (Derbyshire), Sol Budinger (Leicestershire)
In the midst of his international career revival, Ben Duckett seems likely to start the season for Notts in his familiar No. 3 spot despite looking set to open for England against Ireland at Lord’s in June. With opener Haseeb Hameed second on the Division Two run charts last season and Duckett and captain Steven Mullaney also in the top 10, Nottinghamshire are solid with the bat – albeit that they will be tested more concertedly and for longer in the top tier.South Africa seamer Dane Paterson was right up there in the bowling department along with Liam Patterson-White, who enjoyed a standout 2022 as the division’s most successful spinner, taking 41 wickets at 27.95. The county’s successful bid for promotion came after two winless years in 2019 and 2020 and a gut-wrenching third-place finish under the conference system used in 2021 – Notts shook off the demotion on the return to two divisions and produced a campaign that brooked no arguments. They are a side that have consistently show they are on the up and, if they can call on the formidable Stuart Broad when England Test duties allow, their trajectory looks even better.One to watch: A wretched run of injuries puts Olly Stone under the microscope – not least from an England point of view. His comeback from a back stress fracture was punctuated by a finger injury and followed up with a move from Warwickshire, with whom he couldn’t secure a long-term extension. But he showed glimpses of a return to form with England and at the SA20 over the winter and will hope early season contributions for his new county can put him in the Ashes frame. VBBet365: 8/1SomersetLast season: 7th in Division One
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Tom Abell
Overseas: Peter Siddle, Matt Henry, Cameron Bancroft
Ins: Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Yorkshire), Sean Dickson (Durham), Shoaib Bashir (unattached)
Outs: Marchant de Lange (Gloucs), Ollie Sale (Northants), James Hildreth, Max Waller (retired)There was an end-of-era feel to Somerset’s 2022 campaign. So near and yet so far over the previous decade and more, last summer they were left scrambling for salvation in a Championship campaign that began with three consecutive defeats and would surely have resulted in relegation but for the steadfast leadership of Tom Abell. His five centuries dragged them kicking and screaming out of the bottom two and, had it not been for injury, he would have been rewarded over the winter with an England cap.Instead, his primary mission is to galvanise a rejigged team, one that will – for the first time in 20 seasons – be lacking the services of James Hildreth following his retirement last autumn. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, eager to impress after his departure from Yorkshire, is an excellent candidate to fill his sizeable shoes, while Sean Dickson – latterly a Durham stalwart – is another shrewd signing. On the bowling front, Peter Siddle and Matt Henry offer a potent Antipodean pairing, to give extra heft to a seam attack also featuring Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory and the ever-improving left-arm allsorts of Tom Lammonby.One to watch: As Rehan Ahmed has already demonstrated, the talent lurking within England’s age-group set-up is itching to break into the big time, and few batters come with a higher standing than James Rew. His 95 in last year’s Under-19 World Cup final rescued his team from a sickly 91 for 7 against the eventual champions, India, and he’s since gone on to feature for the England Lions in Sri Lanka. Though still only 19, the timing of Somerset’s reboot could well work in his favour. Andrew MillerBet365: 12/1Surrey will again rely on a strong squad for the title defence•Getty Images for Surrey CCCSurreyLast season: 1st in Division One
Director of cricket: Alec Stewart
Head coach: Gareth Batty
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas: Kemar Roach, Sean Abbott, Tom Latham
Ins: Dom Sibley (Warwickshire)
Outs: Hashim Amla (retired)Squad depth to the Nth degree saw Surrey triumph in 2022, but the defence will test just how strong and deep the reserves truly are. The loss of Hashim Amla to retirement and Jamie Overton for most of the summer to injury robs them of a consistent performer and a difference-maker, respectively. Will Jacks will also begin the season on the sidelines, nursing a thigh injury picked up on England duty. They are also without Sam Curran until June, and maybe further afield if England call.Dom Sibley returns home to fill the Amla-shaped gap. The move away from south London in 2017 was ultimately through a lack of opportunities and there is something quite neat about Sibley coming back with greater respect on his name. The time away could not have been more productive: 3875 first class runs, 12 centuries and an average of 44.03 for Warwickshire, as well as 22 England caps. The availability of Ollie Pope (who will bat at No. 3) and Ben Foakes for the first six rounds before the first Test of the summer against Ireland at the start of June is also a boost. By that stage of last season, Surrey had three wins and three draws – two with full bonus points – establishing a 16-point lead at the top. Given Surrey play Lancashire (2nd in 2022) and Hampshire (3rd) twice – who only play each other once – a similar start is required if they are to go back-to-back.An Overton-less pace attack does lack a bit of oomph, though Sean Abbott could plug that gap. The absence of Jacks, whose emergence as a handy offspinning allrounder resulted in an England Test call, disrupts what had been an enviable balance. The lack of a Curran – Sam is at the IPL, Tom injured after announcing an indefinite break from red-ball cricket – and uncertainty over how much Championship cricket is on the agenda for Reece Topley chips away at options. After a fine start to his Surrey career as leader of the attack, Dan Worrall will have more on his shoulders this time around.One to watch: It may seem contradictory to talk of a 25-year-old’s career just getting started, but fast bowlers get that leeway and Gus Atkinson is just that. How fast? Well, fast enough. He earned wider repute for Desert Vipers in his 10 appearances at the ILT20, building on his Blast form with Surrey. But there is plenty to excite the traditionalists with a strong, repeatable action, a natural away-swinger and a developing ability to manipulate his lengths without too much of a tell. He has played just nine first class matches, but the last four in 2022 reaped 13 Championship dismissals at 28.84. It felt like the beginning of a coming-of-age story for a player who has had an unfair share of injuries. Recently added to a scouting longlist of prospective England players, there is every chance he moves further up it this summer. VEBet365: 10/3WarwickshireLast season: 8th Division One
Performance director: Gavin Larsen
Head coach: Mark Robinson
Captain: Will Rhodes
Overseas: Hasan Ali
Ins: Moeen Ali, Ed Barnard (both Worcestershire), Chris Rushworth (Durham)
Outs: Dom Sibley (Surrey), Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire), Adam Hose (Worcs), Matt Lamb (Derbyshire), Ryan Sidebottom (released)They survived the drop by the very skin of the teeth in 2022, with Liam Norwell’s stunning final-day nine-for clawing the club over the line against Hampshire at Edgbaston, and so condemning Yorkshire to relegation instead. But the euphoria of that get-out could not distract from a worryingly limp campaign from the reigning champions, especially given that Norwell himself managed just four matches in another injury-plagued season. Bowling reinforcements have arrived in the off-season, with the surprise signing of Durham legend Chris Rushworth offering a quick fix as he approaches the last hurrah of his fine career, and allrounder Ed Barnard joining his team-mate Moeen Ali in making the trip up from New Road – although Moeen, of course, is a white-ball-only signing. However, the arrival of Pakistan’s Hasan Ali, following his telling displays for Lancashire last summer, is perhaps the strongest statement of intent from a club that expects much more than previously delivered.With Paul Farbrace transferring his duties down to Sussex, New Zealand’s Gavin Larsen takes over as performance director, and plenty of focus will be on Warwickshire’s batting too, which leant heavily on Sam Hain’s 1137 runs last summer but has been shorn of Dom Sibley’s services following his return to Surrey. In Sibley’s absence, Will Rhodes and Rob Yates are likely to resume their Championship-winning opening partnership, while Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley – bit-part campaigners last year but England Under-19 starlets of recent vintage – may be among those expected to step up.One to watch: In the summer of 2021, Rob Yates looked the real deal at the top of Warwickshire’s order. His 907 runs at 39.43 included five teak-tough centuries, including an outstanding unbeaten 120 against Essex in April that involved blunting the deadly Simon Harmer to seal a fourth-innings run-chase. Last year, however, his form fell off a cliff … right up until the moment it mattered most when, in the final match of the campaign, he produced a third of his season’s runs in a single innings of 104 against Hampshire, to set up the win that saved Warwickshire’s bacon. At the age of 23, time is very much on his side to reaffirm his credentials, but there’s no time like the present to make the case. AMBet365: 14/1

There’s not a lot in it at the moment, but there could well be in future

Gaurav Sundararaman07-Dec-2020In the third T20I between England and South Africa last week, England’s analyst Nathan Leamon trialled a signal system for communicating with players, by propping up pairs of placards bearing a letter and a number each on the balcony. It was done, England explained afterwards, with permission from match officials but almost immediately, a broader question arose. Does this kind of real-time support from the coaching staff represent an evolution, or does it constitute too much tinkering with the game?Cape Town wasn’t the first instance (England actually used it through the series). Earlier this year Leamon and his team at the Multan Sultans used a similar signal strategy. More controversially, during the 1999 World Cup, Bob Woolmer communicated with Hansie Cronje on-field through an earpiece.ALSO READ: How T20 went from being a bit of fun to downright futuristicInformation has traditionally been passed from coaches to players on the field during designated drinks breaks, strategic time outs, or when bats or gloves are sent out to the field. In some cases, the 12th man or the coach talk to the captain boundary side. All of that still happens but what England did could spark a change in how this is done, eventually bringing it up to the level of such sports as the NFL or the NBA. Of course, one of the fundamental differences between those sports and cricket is that the manager or coach are the primary decision-makers there, while in cricket the captain is. As a result, historically, the involvement of coaches and support staff in real-time decision making has been limited in cricket.Cricket has predominantly been played out on skills and technique. But T20 has allowed data-based strategy and tactics to come to the forefront. For example, data-based decisions can lead to your weakest bowler bowling the first over of an innings, knowing that the particular opening batsman up against them takes some time to settle; or not sending out your best batsman in his usual position because he has a below-par average against legspin. You would never see this happen in the longer format.Thanks to franchise cricket around the world, there is also a greater amount of data to work with in T20, compared to Tests and ODIs, for which teams tour a country once every three or four years – so much can change in that period that it leaves a fair amount of data irrelevant.ALSO READ: ‘MS Dhoni a pure instinct man’ – Rahul Dravid, N Srinivasan discuss data and leadershipMost cricketers have grown up without data, though, so the ability to understand, filter and use it correctly needs time, education and experience. That is why the relationship between the captain and the analyst is crucial. Both need to understand that data-based decisions should not be judged on outcome alone. What data does is help provide logical justification for decision-making, and in many cases validates the instincts of the captain.The format is still young enough to have teams at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to use of data. At one end you have MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings making the IPL playoffs ten years out of 11 using instincts and experience, and at the other are Rohit Sharma and the Mumbai Indians winning five titles with data underpinning heavy research and meticulous planning. But as the format evolves and grows, it will be important for captains to adapt and remain open to tools and techniques that can give them an advantage over their peers.Since the captain is the primary decision-maker on the field in cricket, the involvement of analysts, coaches and support staff is still limited•Getty ImagesAt the moment most of the use of data in T20s is to do with match-ups and venue-related information. Neither of these really requires signals from off the field. Venue details are easy to understand, while a captain can easily remember match-ups, since it is just six to seven batsmen to plan for. And anyway, you have time outs and water breaks to send the message across if needed.However, signals could be useful to remind the captain of plans if bowlers drift away from them. For example, if the strategy is to bowl wide yorkers to Hardik Pandya at the death and the first two balls of an over are short and hit for six, it makes sense for a signal to be sent out immediately to correct course. You might think this is something captain and bowler should be able to do by themselves on the field but you’d be surprised how many still don’t orchestrate execution to such a specific degree. Waiting for an over to finish might make it too late. An alphanumeric code grid used to communicate details of line and length can be a simple and powerful way to minimise damage and remind a captain of plans.Another potential instance where signals could help is to make sure not only that the right field is set, but that the right fielders are in the right positions.ALSO READ: Nathan Leamon: ‘Analysis is easy. The trick is turning it into info players can use’Think about the possibilities that open up if wearable technologies such as RFID chips or smart watches are allowed, which can provide real-time data on performance and movements in the field. Once these technologies trickle in, we could see involvement from specialised coaches and analysts in real time, leading to strategic field changes in the middle of an over. If there are real-time stats tracking player fatigue, informed decisions can be made whether they can continue or be taken out of the attack, if they are a bowler; or whether to hit out and get out, or retire out, if they are a batsman. Potentially, you could change a game as a coach on the back of a finding in real time.Although there is a lot of noise and interest around data analytics in T20 at the moment, its use is at a nascent stage. Compared to sports like football and basketball, where thousands of data points are collected, cricket is still far behind. The first step towards catching up is to capture as much data as possible: more data on fielding, on tracking player movements through the day, on real-time health parameters, on players’ speeds. None of this is collected currently, let alone organised coherently.Cricket needs more investment, but also regulatory support from the ICC in allowing wearable technologies, or in-stadia cameras to capture relevant data. As data collection evolves and league cricket flourishes, such signals will add new dimensions not only in the aspect of high performance but also for broadcasting and fan engagement. For instance, after an IPL season or a Test series, a team could potentially release recordings of the interactions that the support staff and captain had during the season to fans. We’re still far from that, but for now England have started something. It is only a matter of time before others get better at it.

يستعد فريق إنتر ميامي، بقيادة النجم ليونيل ميسي، لخوض مباراة نهائي بطولة الدوري الأمريكي لكرة القدم، نسخة 2025، مساء السبت، للمرة الأولى في تاريخ النادي.

ويستضيف ملعب “لوكهارت” مباراة نهائي نسخة 2025 من بطولة الدوري الأمريكي، بين فريقي إنتر ميامي وفانكوفر وايت كابس.

كان إنتر ميامي، بقيادة النجم ليونيل ميسي، قد أصبح بطلًا للقسم الشرقي بعدما فاز على نيويورك سيتي بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف.

من جهة أخرى، حقق فريق فانكوفر وايت كابس، الذي يحترف في صفوفه توماس مولر، فوزًا على سان دييجو بثلاثة أهداف لهدف، في نهائي البلاي أوف للقسم الغربي، ليضرب موعدًا مع إنتر ميامي. موعد مباراة إنتر ميامي وفانكوفر اليوم في نهائي الدوري الأمريكي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 9:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10:30 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة إنتر ميامي وفانكوفر اليوم في نهائي الدوري الأمريكي

تُذاع مباريات الدوري الأمريكي عبر APPLE TV.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Sunderland fans had waited a decade for this moment, as their beloved Black Cats finally faced off against their arch-rivals Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League.

The match didn’t disappoint, either, from a Sunderland perspective, as Regis Le Bris’ men secured the bragging rights when Nick Woltemade unexpectedly headed back Aaron Ramsdale, just as the second half got underway.

A real sickener for the Toon proved to be the fortuitous match-winner for the hosts, as the lofty German striker wanted the ground to swallow him up, after his connection from an inviting Sunderland delivery beat the ex-Arsenal goalkeeper.

While the ex-Stuttgart forward’s embarrassing lapse of judgment stole the headlines come the full-time whistle, many of Le Bris’ first teamers also stood out throughout, as Granit Xhaka cut an assured figure again, all across the 1-0 win.

Xhaka's performance in numbers

Come the end of the match, Sky Sports’ Micah Richards would rightly hail the Black Cats captain as an “absolute warrior”, as the ever-present midfield battler barely put a foot wrong again.

He did give away possession 16 times, but the Swiss would constantly recover and retrieve the ball, with all 100% of his tackles successfully won.

Le Bris would have known it was vital that Sunderland won the midfield battle to get the better of Eddie Howe’s visitors, as the likes of Sandro Tonali won no tackles, up against a far stronger Xhaka.

Moreover, the tenacious number 34 has the know-how of how to win these sorts of crunch affairs, having become well accustomed to the North London Derby at the Emirates, with Xhaka subsequently standing out from minute one. He would amass the most touches of any player in the first half at 50 touches, alongside calmly spraying the ball about at 43 passes.

Visibly cut at the full-time whistle, too, having given his all, it must be hard for Sunderland fans not to just constantly wax lyrical about their Swiss warrior. Yet, he wasn’t the only star showered with praise at the end.

Sunderland star was the "standout player"

Sunderland looked in control of the game from the minute Woltemade placed an effort past his own ‘keeper, as the rock-solid Black Cats defence stood firm once more this season, against a tired Magpies attack.

In particular, Reinildo shone down the left flank for Le Bris all match long, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley hailing him as Sunderland’s “standout player” in a lively first 45 minutes. Fellow journalist Andy Sixsmith also went out of his way to praise the ex-Atletico Madrid full-back by stating that he didn’t give a ropey Anthony Elanga a “sniff” when he was on the Stadium of Light turf.

Reinildo’s performance in numbers
Stat	Reinildo
Minutes played	90
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	48
Accurate passes	27/32 (84%)
Successful dribbles	1/1
Tackles won	2/2
Interceptions	1
Clearances	4
Blocked shots	1
Ball recoveries	7
Total duels won	6/8
Stats by Sofascore

Away from completely nullifying the former Nottingham Forest attacker, Reinildo would also play with the same energy and determination that Xhaka displayed in spades, with the Brazilian even coming off at the end with the same amount of tackles won as the high-octane number 34.

He would even better Xhaka in terms of duels won, having won six compared to the ex-Arsenal man’s five, while also managing to complete all 100% of his dribbles as a force willing to push his side up the pitch, away from thwarting Newcastle forwards throughout.

Having arrived on a free transfer in the summer, Reinildo will surely now be seen as an unbelievable diamond that has been unearthed, with all 100% of his duels won against Liverpool, too, away at Anfield.

The celebrations at the end of the 1-0 victory will live long in the memory at Sunderland, as both Reinildo and Xhaka rightly jumped for joy, as their combined efforts ensured a tight three points were clinched.

Now sitting even prettier in seventh spot, five spots above their sworn enemy from Tyneside, it really was an all-round perfect day for Le Bris’ hosts, as Reinildo rubber-stamped why he should be the Frenchman’s starting left-back week in week out.

Not O’Nien: Sunderland have their new Kevin Ball in £110k-per-week star

Regis Le Bris now has Sunderland’s new Kevin Ball at his disposal ahead of the feisty Tyne-Wear Derby.

By
Kelan Sarson

2 days ago

Even two-time MVPs are in awe of three-home run games.

New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez joined the storied franchise's record books in a 10-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. Dominguez belted three home runs in the game, becoming the youngest player in team history to hit three long balls in one contest. And Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, no stranger to awe-inspiring performances himself, was more than impressed.

"That was incredible," Judge, who himself had a three-homer game this season, gushed. "Just even going back to spring training—a guy [Dominguez] goes out there, wins a job. The work I saw him put in on the back fields when no one was really looking. On the defensive side, to the work in the cage and then to see him have a game like this tonight. Three homers, it's just special."

"I think you see the excitement on everybody in the dugout on each homer," Judge continued. "I'm happy for him. He's going to have a fantastic year. This was another special night that we got to watch."

At 22 years and 91 days old, Dominguez surpassed Baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio as the youngest Yankee to hit three homers in one game. DiMaggio accomplished the feat in 1937.

That's incredible enough as is, but when you have a player like Judge, widely regarded as the best hitter walking the planet, using words like "incredible", "special", and "impressive" to describe your performance, you know you did something unforgettable.

Dominguez's first two home runs of the night were solo shots. His third dinger was grand—literally. The 22-year-old blew the game open and rewrote the history books with a grand slam. He finished the contest with seven RBI. After the game, he told reporters that he kept saying "no way" to himself as he ran around the bases.

"A 3-homer game, I'll remember that for the rest of my life," Dominguez said.

Manchester City might have closed the gap on Sunday, but this season feels different for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been almost faultless over the last couple of months, so much so that a point away to the high-flying Sunderland feels like a defeat.

Moreover, while the Gunners finally conceded against the Black Cats, they remain unbeaten in 14 games across all competitions and are still top of the Premier League.

One of the reasons why Arsenal have been so successful is how quickly their summer signings have adapted. However, there are now reports that they could be interested in someone who could be an upgrade on Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal target world-class midfielder

Since arriving in North London for around £58m, Zubimendi has been an ever-present figure in Arsenal’s midfield.

Transfer Focus

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

The Spaniard has already made 14 competitive appearances for the side, in which he has scored two goals and provided one assist.

However, his place in the side might not be as secure as it seems, with the Gunners now interested in another world-class midfielder.

At least that is according to a report from Caught Offside, which claims that Arsenal are interested in Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha.

The report has revealed that, alongside Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus, the Gunners are monitoring the midfielder’s situation.

However, in addition to convincing him to leave the reigning European Champions, the North Londoners would have to stump up an enormous fee of around €130m, equivalent to approximately £114m.

With that said, if this is a deal that can be done, it’s one Arsenal should pursue, even if that’s bad news for Zubimendi.

How Vitinha compares to Zubimendi

The first thing to note is that Zubimendi is doing a brilliant job for Arsenal so far this season and could be a key reason why they finally win the Premier League.

However, just because a player is performing well for a side, it does not mean they cannot be upgraded upon, so would Vitinha be that upgrade?

Well, both midfielders are capable of playing in central and defensive areas, so neither one takes the lead when it comes to versatility.

However, when it comes to their output, it’s a different story entirely.

For example, while the Gunners’ ace has two goals and one assist to his name this year, the PSG star already has a staggering tally of two goals and eight assists in just 16 appearances, totalling 1237 minutes.

In other words, he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.6 games, or every 123.7 minutes, which goes some way to justifying respected analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s “the Xavi of this generation.”

Unfortunately for the former Real Sociedad star, he also comes out second best when it comes to major honours, as while he has a Copa del Rey and Euros to his name, the Portuguese star has won the Champions League, the Nations League, three Ligue 1 titles, two Portuguese League titles and a plethora of French Cups.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.24

0.13

Progressive Passes

14.7

6.25

Progressive Carries

4.02

1.06

Shots

2.29

0.86

Shots on Target

0.80

0.29

Passing Accuracy

93.6%

88.7%

Key Passes

1.84

0.87

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.84

0.87

Shot-Creating Actions

4.92

2.21

Goal-Creating Actions

0.91

0.29

Tackles Won

0.92

1.06

Shots Blocked

0.23

0.10

Clearances

0.80

1.83

Carries

103.8

42.9

Finally, it is once again the former Porto star who comes out on top when comparing their underlying numbers.

For example, “the best midfielder in the world,” as dubbed by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, comes out way ahead in crucial metrics such as progressive passes and carries, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions and shots blocked, all per 90.

In fact, the only metrics in which the Spaniard does better are some of the defensive ones, and even then, it’s not by a significant amount.

Ultimately, Zubimendi has been unreal for Arsenal so far this year, but if Vitinha is attainable, the club should do everything possible to bring him in.

Arsenal star set to miss North London Derby and will be last to return from injury

The Gunners have a long list of unavailable attackers.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 11, 2025

تحدث الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، المدير الفني السابق لفريق الأهلي، عن الفترة القصيرة التي قضاها داخل صفوف القلعة الحمراء، كاشفًا أسباب رحيله.

وكان الأهلي قد قرر توجيه الشكر إلى المدير الفني الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، بعد الهزيمة من بيراميدز في الدوري المصري، وتولى بدلًا منه عماد النحاس، قبل إسناد المهمة إلى ييس توروب.

وقال ريبيرو في تصريحات نشرها موقع “sabcsport” الجنوب إفريقي، إن فترته القصيرة مع النادي الأهلي كانت جيدة رغم إقالته بعد خوض 7 مباريات فقط مع الفريق.

طالع | منتخب سلوفينيا يوضح لـ”بطولات” سبب غياب جراديشار أمام السويد.. هل هناك إصابة؟

وتابع ريبيرو، أنه كان يشعر بالثقة في ترك بصمة مع الأهلي، لكنه فوجئ بعدم صبر مسؤولي القلعة الحمراء عليه، وعدم منحه الفرصة بشكل أكبر.

وكان ريبيرو تولى قيادة الأهلي خلال الفترة من 29 مايو حتى 31 أغسطس 2025، ولم يقدم أي نجاحات مع القلعة الحمراء، حيث قاد الفريق في 7 مباريات رسمية.

وواصل: “للأسف، لم نتمكن من البدء بالطريقة التي أردناها، أعتقد أن الناس أدركوا أننا نحاول القيام بشيء مختلف مع المجموعة، وتغيير أسلوب لعب الفريق في فترة زمنية قصيرة جدًا”.

وكشف: “لم يكن لدينا سوى 10-11 حصة تدريبية قبل انطلاق كأس العالم للأندية، وانضم العديد من اللاعبين الجدد إلى الفريق، كنت سعيدًا جدًا بالأداء، وكان رد فعل الجماهير إيجابيًا للغاية، لكن للأسف، لم تكن بداية الموسم كما توقعنا، ولم يستغرق الأمر سوى أربع مباريات حتى فقد مسؤولو النادي صبرهم”.

وأكد ريبيرو أنه لو حصل على المزيد من الوقت لكان بإمكانه تحقيق النجاح خلال فترة وجوده مع الأهلي، مضيفَا: “لم يكن الأمر يتعلق بالنتائج فقط، بل أردنا أن نفعل المزيد عندما وصلنا، ولكنك تحتاج إلى الدعم المناسب للقيام بذلك، ولم يكن لدينا هذا الدعم”.

واختتم ريبيرو تصريحاته، مشيرًا إلى أنه اضطر للرحيل مبكرًا عن فريق أورلاندو بيراتس الجنوب إفريقي، قبل نهاية الموسم، بسبب شروط عقده مع الأهلي.

Chelsea are reportedly making some transfer plans ahead of the January window to reinforce some pretty weak areas of the squad, with BlueCo now offered a pretty golden opportunity to do so.

Chelsea fragile at the back after key injuries

Before the Blues’ 2-1 win over Premier League champions Liverpool just prior to the international break, Enzo Maresca was left desperately short of defensive options.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill were all unavailable for the clash, but Chelsea somehow still managed to seal a dramatic win despite their major lack of choices.

Youngster Josh Acheampong was given the nod at the heart of their defence for that game, and again away to Nottingham Forest, with Tosin, Fofana and Chalobah since becoming available once again.

However, the same cannot be said for Benoit Badiashile or Colwill, with the pair sidelined through long-term injuries, especially the latter, who won’t return until 2026.

Chelsea absentees

Problem

Potential return date

Cole Palmer

Groin

December

Benoit Badiashile

Muscle

December

Dario Essugo

Thigh

Early 2026

Liam Delap

Hamstring

October 29

Levi Colwill

ACL

Spring 2026

Malo Gusto

Suspended

October 29

Maresca publicly stated that he wanted a new centre-back in the summer transfer window, only for BlueCo not to grant his wish, and this has threatened to have dire consequences.

However, it is believed by some media sources that Chelsea are now prioritising another defender in January as one of their key objectives, in a bid to rectify their summer mistake.

Some reports even suggest they’ve held talks with Marc Guehi’s camp ahead of a potential winter move (Simon Phillips), while others state that Chelsea have been offered Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.

If the club do decide to make a mid-season addition or two, all signs point towards it being a centre-back, or potentially a goalkeeper.

Amid ongoing concerns surrounding Robert Sanchez’s pedigree as a ‘title-winning’ shot-stopper, Chelsea have attempted to bring in a world-class option this year, most notably AC Milan’s Mike Maignan.

Chelsea tried and failed to sign Maignan last summer, but it is an opportunity that is expected to open up again soon with the France international’s contract expiring in 2026.

The 30-year-old would be a fantastic choice as Chelsea reportedly prepare to approach Maignan over a pre-contract in January, but according to journalist Graeme Bailey and TBR Football, they could have a much more immediate alternative.

Chelsea offered Marc-André ter Stegen on Barcelona loan deal

Bailey reports that Chelsea are one of the sides to be contacted by representatives about Marc-André ter Stegen and the Barcelona captain’s availability.

The 33-year-old, who boasts a Champions League winners medal and six La Liga titles from his time at the Camp Nou, is currently out with a back injury but could make his long-awaited return in December — just before the window reopens.

Much has been made about Chelsea’s very young squad and the lack of experience in it, so a deal for ter Stegen would certainly help to balance this issue by bringing proven top-level know-how to the dressing room.

The German would also provide very good competition for Sanchez, or even replace the ex-Brighton man entirely, and Barça are willing to green-light an initial loan before negotiating a permanent exit in the summer.

The prospect of ter Stegen coming to London is a very intriguing one, but there are a few key hurdles to consider.

For one, he earns around £280,000-per-week, so Chelsea would need to agree a favourable split of his salary with Barca before green-lighting this move.

Ter Stegen’s injury history lately isn’t exactly encouraging either, with the keeper playing just nine times for Hansi Flick since the start of 2024/2025.

Sunderland, after returning to the Premier League in 2025 for the first time in eight years, splashed the cash in the transfer market.

The Black Cats spent more than £150m on new players, however, they also cashed in on a couple of Stadium of Light stars.

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Here’s a look at Sunderland’s 20 biggest sales of all time, with a detailed view of the top 10.

Sunderland’s most expensive sales of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Sold to

Year

1

Jobe Bellingham

£27.8m

Borussia Dortmund

2025

2

Jordan Pickford

£25m

Everton

2017

3

Jordan Henderson

£20m

Liverpool

2011

4

Darren Bent

£18m

Aston Villa

2011

5

Jack Clarke

£15m

Ipswich

2024

6

Patrick van Aanholt

£12m

Crystal Palace

2017

7

Simon Mignolet

£11m

Liverpool

2013

8

Tom Watson

£10m

Brighton

2025

9

Connor Wickham

£9m

Crystal Palace

2015

=10

Kenwyne Jones

£8m

Stoke

2010

=10

Ross Stewart

£8m

Southampton

2023

=12

Wahbi Khazri

£6m

Saint-Etienne

2018

=12

Asamoah Gyan

£6m

Al-Ain

2012

14

Stephane Sessegnon

£5.5m

West Brom

2013

15

Fabio Borini

£5.3m

AC Milan

2017

=16

Pierre Ekwah

£5m

Saint-Etienne

2024

=16

Paddy McNair

£5m

Middlesbrough

2018

=16

Don Hutchison

£5m

West Ham

2001

=16

Michael Bridges

£5m

Leeds

1999

20

Sebastian Coates

£4.25m

Sporting CP

2017

10 Kenwyne Jones £8m to Stoke, 2010

Starting the top 10 list is Kenwyne Jones, who moved to the Stadium of Light in 2007 from Southampton.

The powerful forward made just over 100 appearances for the Black Cats, scoring 28 times, and he appeared to love playing in red and white stripes, as the Trinidad and Tobago striker would go on to join Stoke City.

9 Connor Wickham £9m to Crystal Palace, 2015

Connor Wickham made more appearances for Sunderland than any of the other 10 clubs he represented during his career, with the forward spending four years in the north east.

Signed for around £8m, Wickham was sold to Crystal Palace in 2015 but would struggle with numerous injuries on the books at Selhurst Park.

8 Tom Watson £10m to Brighton, 2025

Sunderland’s playoff hero at Wembley against Sheffield United was Tom Watson, who’s last kick as a Black Cats player was a stoppage time winner to send the club up.

A deal with Brighton was already done which saw Watson head south for £10m.

7 Simon Mignolet £11m to Liverpool, 2013

Simon Mignolet’s first taste of English football came with Sunderland, with the goalkeeper costing just £2m back in 2010 from Club Brugge.

Steve Bruce was in charge at the time, and Mignolet would go on to make over 100 appearances before being sold for a tidy profit to Liverpool.

6 Patrick van Aanholt £12m to Crystal Palace, 2017

Two years after sealing a deal for Wickham, Crystal Palace called Sunderland again, this time to sign left-back Patrick van Aanholt.

After coming through at Chelsea, Sunderland was Van Aanholt’s next permanent home, costing under £2m. Three years later, the Black Cats made £10m on the speedy Dutch full-back.

5 Jack Clarke £15m to Ipswich, 2024

Jack Clarke got his career back on track at Sunderland following a failed move to Tottenham from Leeds.

The winger initially helped the Black Cats win promotion from League One and would spend two full seasons at the Stadium of Light before Ipswich Town offered him Premier League football in a deal worth £15m.

4 Darren Bent £18m to Aston Villa, 2011

Scorer of that beachball goal against Liverpool in 2009 at the Stadium of Light, Darren Bent netted 24 Premier League goals in his first season as a Sunderland player.

Costing an initial £10m from Spurs, Sunderland would only have Bent for 18 months, and after handing in a transfer request, was sold to Aston Villa for £18m.

3 Jordan Henderson £20m to Liverpool, 2011

Boyhood Sunderland fan Jordan Henderson came through the club’s academy and would go on to captain the Black Cats, making 79 appearances prior to his move to Liverpool.

The Reds paid £20m for the midfielder, who would go on to captain at Anfield, lifting the Premier League and Champions League.

2 Jordan Pickford £25m to Everton, 2017

Another Black Cats supporter who came through Sunderland’s academy to earn the club big money was goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

England’s number one only made 35 first team appearances at the Stadium of Light and was loaned out to six different sides as a youngster before Everton came in and offered £25m.

1 Jobe Bellingham £27.8m to Borussia Dortmund, 2025

Top of the list as Sunderland’s record sale is Jobe Bellingham, who followed in the footsteps of his brother Jude by joining Borussia Dortmund.

Bellingham made 90 appearances for the Black Cats, the last of which was the playoff final, and he scored 11 goals, leaving for just under £28m at the age of 19.

Aston Villa are now racing Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for the signature of an “electric” Premier League star, who has made a very impressive start to the campaign.

Villa join race for new forward amid lack of goals

It would be fair to say Unai Emery’s side fell below their usual lofty standards at the beginning of the Premier League season, with the 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace likely to be particularly concerning, but they have since managed to get back on track.

Indeed, the Villans have won their last two matches in all competitions, most recently picking up their first league victory of the campaign courtesy of a fantastic second-half display against Fulham, which culminated in a 3-1 win.

Emery will be relieved his side are finally starting to look better in front of goal, but after failing to score in their opening four league matches of the season, the manager may still be worried about his side’s lack of firepower.

As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Aston Villa have now joined the race for AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, but there could be fierce competition for the Ghanaian’s signature, and it may take a huge fee to get a deal done.

Tottenham, Man United and Manchester City are also named as potential suitors for Semenyo, who was valued at £70m back in the summer transfer window, amid links with Spurs.

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Transfer expert Graeme Bailey also makes it clear that a winter exit is very unlikely to be on the cards, saying: “As it stands, Bournemouth are intent on making progress this summer and that means no sales.

“They have lost the likes of Huijsen, Kerkez and Zabarnyi in recent months and they are insistent Semenyo won’t be following them through the exit doors in January.”

"Electric" Semenyo has made flying start to the season

It is no surprise that Bournemouth are reluctant to sanction a January departure, given just how well the 25-year-old has performed in the early stages of the new season, being dubbed “electric” by broadcaster Kris Temple.

The Cherries are currently sixth in the Premier League table, and the Ghana international has been paramount to their success, receiving Bournemouth’s Player of the Month and Goal of the Month award for August.

That follows on from a very impressive 2024-25 campaign, during which the winger picked up 11 goals and six assists in the Premier League, helping his side surpass expectations and finish ninth.

There is every indication that Semenyo could be a success at Villa Park, but Aston Villa are well-known to be struggling PSR-wise, which means forking out the potential £70m asking price could be an issue.