نجح محمد الشيبي، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بيراميدز، في رفع رصيده التهديفي بجدول ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري الممتاز، بعد تسجيله هدفين في مباراة فريقه مع طلائع الجيش، والتي انتهت بفوز السماوي 4-0.
والتقى فريق نادي بيراميدز أمام طلائع الجيش، على أرضية استاد الدفاع الجوي، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري المصري الممتاز موسم 2025-2026.
طالع|فيديو | محمد الشيبي يسجل هدفين لـ بيراميدز أمام طلائع الجيش
وجاء هدف بيراميدز الأول في الدقيقة 42 عن طريق محمد الشيبي، من تسديدة قوية خارج منطقة الجزاء سكنت الشباك.
وفي الدقيقة 45+1 أضاف محمد الشيبي الهدف الثاني، بعد هجمة مرتدة وعدة تمريرات انتهت عند الشيبي داخل منطقة الجزاء ثم سدد كرة قوية سكنت المرمى.
واستطاع محمد الشيبي رفع رصيده إلى هدفين في جدول ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري، وذلك بعد 9 جولات.
وفي مباراة أقيمت أيضا اليوم، سجل صلاح محسن هدف التعادل لفريقه المصري في شباك بتروجيت في الدقيقة 62 من تسديدة صاروخية، وأحرز عمر الساعي زميله الهدف الثاني للمصري في الدقيقة 66، ليرفع الأول رصيده إلى خمسة أهداف في الصدارة، بينما الساعي يصل رصيده إلى 4 أهداف، في لقاء انتهى بفوز بتروجيت 3-2.
ويتصدر ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري، حتي الآن، نجم النادي المصري، صلاح محسن برصيد 5 أهداف، ويليه عبد الرحيم دغموم وعمر الساعي زميليه في الفريق برصيد 4 أهداف. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري
أعلن ميلود حمدي المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الإسماعيلي، قائمة اللاعبين لمواجهة الزمالك، في الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وتقام المباراة بين الزمالك ومنافسه الإسماعيلي غدا الخميس على أرضية استاد هيئة قناة السويس، وذلك ضمن لقاءات الجولة السابعة من الدوري المصري.
طالع.. الزمالك يوضح حقيقة استثمارات كريستيانو رونالدو في شركة كرة القدم
ويدخل الدروايش المباراة بحثًا عن نتيجة إيجابية أمام الأبيض بعد الخسارة المباراة الماضية أمام زد في الدوري، ويحتل الإسماعيلي المركز الثامن عشر برصيد 4 نقاط فقط، من فوز وتعادل وأربع هزائم. قائمة الإسماعيلي أمام الزمالك
حارس المرمى: عبد الله جمال – عبد الله محروس.
الدفاع: محمد عمار – عبد الله محمد – محمد إيهاب – حماده صلاح – إبراهيم النجعاوي.
الوسط: محمد عبد السميع -عبد الرحمن الدح -إبراهيم عبد العال – محمد وجدي – محمد سمير كونتا – عمر القط – محمد خطاري – عمرو سعيد – محمد بحيرى – إريك تراوري.
الهجوم: خالد النبريصي – أنور عبد السلام – نادر فرج.
It is fair to say that it has been a frustrating summer for Tottenham Hotspur and new head coach Thomas Frank since the transfer window opened for business.
In terms of first-team additions, Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United is the only new player to arrive in the building, along with permanent deals for last season’s players Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel.
The Lilywhites did think that they were on course to seal a deal to sign Nottingham Forest star and England international Morgan Gibbs-White to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
However, the Tricky Trees prepared legal action after what they deemed to be an unlawful approach from Spurs, and they have now agreed a new contract with the player.
Along with missing out on Gibbs-White, Tottenham may also lose captain Heung-min Son this summer amid interest from MLS outfit LAFC, who are willing to pay £15m for the attacker.
A decision will reportedly be made on his future after the club’s pre-season tour of Asia, but the Europa League champions are open to cashing in on him.
Why it could be the right time for Spurs to sell Heung-min Son
Son turns 34 next month and is reportedly the highest-paid player at the club on a wage of £190k-per-week, which means that the club would save a lot of money if they were able to move on from him this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur'sSonHeung-minreacts
Due to his age, there has been a natural regression in his performances on the pitch for the Lilywhites. His return of 11 goals in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign was his lowest goal tally since his first year in England in the 2015/16 season.
24/25
46
11
23/24
36
17
22/23
47
14
21/22
44
24
20/21
49
21
19/20
41
18
18/19
48
20
17/18
53
18
16/17
47
21
15/16
36
7
As you can see in the table above, Son has consistently delivered in front of goal for the majority of his career in England, but his powers are waning and now may be the right time to move on from him.
The South Korea international may not be able to get back to scoring 20 or more goals a season at the age of 34, given his decline last season, which is why the club should consider accepting the £15m offer from LAFC this summer.
Whilst it would be sad to see Son move on from Tottenham after ten years of service, his exit would create room for new heroes to emerge, and one of those new heroes could be a controversial figure.
Spurs eyeing swoop for Arsenal forward
According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a potential move to sign £45m Arsenal centre-forward Gabriel Jesus.
The report claims that Inter, Milan, Newcastle United, Barcelona, and Spurs are all keeping tabs on his situation at The Emirates, with a view to a possible swoop for his signature.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds, though, that a move in the January transfer window may be more realistic for the Brazil international, because he is currently sidelined with an ACL injury and is not expected back until around October.
This would be a controversial move because Spurs have only ever signed two players from Arsenal at first-team level in their history, William Gallas on a free transfer in 2010, and Laurie Brown all the way back in 1964.
However, Jesus has the potential to be an exciting addition to the squad if Frank can get him fit and firing, as he could be a dream replacement for Heung-min Son.
Why Spurs should sign Gabriel Jesus
If it gets to January and the Brazilian forward is fit and available to step in and play immediately, it is a deal that could be worth exploring for the Lilywhites because of the quality that he can provide on the pitch.
Like Son, Jesus is a versatile right-footed attacking player who is comfortable playing through the middle as a centre-forward or as a winger on the left flank, which means that he could slot in and play in the two main roles that the South Korean star currently plays.
There will, of course, be concerns over the fact that he currently plays for the club’s biggest rivals, Arsenal, but if the player is willing to make the move then it should be welcomed, as he is a Premier League-proven attacker who can make a big impact when fit.
Jesus has scored 76 goals and provided 45 assists in 229 matches for Manchester City and Arsenal combined in his Premier League career to date, which shows that the forward can offer quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
24/25
6
3
0
23/24
17
4
5
22/23
24
11
6
21/22
21
8
8
20/21
22
9
4
19/20
21
14
7
18/19
8
7
3
17/18
19
13
3
16/17
8
7
4
As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old attacker has delivered 76 goals in 146 starts in his Premier League career, just shy of one every other start on average.
This shows that Jesus, who was once hailed as “exceptional” by Pep Guardiola, is a consistent and clinical goalscorer when fit and available, which is why signing him could be a worthwhile gamble for Spurs this summer or in January.
The Brazilian attacker could be Frank’s new Heung-min Son as another versatile attacking option who has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis when at his best.
At the age of 28, he is also almost six years younger than the South Korea international, which means that Spurs could get more out of him in the long-term if they decide to cash in on their captain in order to fund a controversial move for the Arsenal man.
Worth more than Gibbs-White: Spurs have struck gold on "unbelievable" star
Tottenham Hotspur have already shown their excellent business with the signing of one star.
ByEthan Lamb Jul 27, 2025
There may be a fair bit of opposition to this, due to the Arsenal part of it, but purely based on Jesus and his quality as a player, it could be a good move for Spurs as Frank’s next version of Son.
Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.
Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid
After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.
There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.
If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.
YunusMusahof the U.S. in action with England's Jude Bellingham
Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.
The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.
Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "elite" new star after Weah rejection
They’ve instantly turned towards another option.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025
Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.
Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe
According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.
An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Pepe
Elanga
Minutes
1,991
2,501
Goals
3
6
Assists
2
11
Key Passes
31
50
The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.
As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.
Questions have been asked about Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca during his spell in charge after being appointed as Mauricio Pochettino’s successor last summer.
The Italian led Leicester City back to the Premier League, but jumped ship to take over at Stamford Bridge, with many wondering whether he would be the right man for the job.
However, nearly 12 months on from his appointment, he’s exceeded all expectations, showcasing he’s the right man for the job based on his success to date.
The 45-year-old has secured the Blues a place in the Champions League for next season, whilst also claiming Europa Conference League glory against Real Betis on Wednesday night.
It’s been a campaign to remember for Maresca, but if he wants to continue his progress in the role, he will need added funds provided by the hierarchy to help him in his quest.
The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for new signings this summer
Over the last couple of hours, Chelsea have made huge strides in a deal to sign Liam Delap, with the 22-year-old agreeing to a move to join the Blues this summer.
It was confirmed that he has rejected offers from multiple other Premier League sides, leaving Maresca’s side to trigger his release clause and complete the formalities before announcing his move to West London.
However, despite the progress made on a deal for the Ipswich Town star, another name in the form of Viktor Gyokeres has once again entered the mix, according to Record Portugal.
The report claims that the Blues have made an enquiry to sign the 26-year-old this summer, after his stupendous record of 54 goals in just 52 matches across all competitions.
It also states that they face stern competition from Juventus for the Swedish international’s signature, with Sporting CP demanding a fee in the region of £60m to part ways with the talisman this window.
Why Chelsea’s £60m target would be a better signing than Delap
With Delap’s move appearing to be moving closer to completion, Maresca could finally be about to land the new striker that he’s been craving in recent months.
Liam Delap
Nicolas Jackson has been his main talisman since his arrival, with the Senegalese international scoring 10 times in the Premier League during the Italian’s first year in charge.
Such a record is respectable, but if the side are to reach the next level under his guidance, they will need that proven goalscorer to fire them towards the top end of the table.
Delap has shown he’s capable of doing just that, scoring 12 times in the Premier League for the Tractor Boys, with such a record being an impressive one given their relegation this season.
However, when comparing his stats to those of Gyokeres, the Swede has showcased that his performance levels are night and day – proving that he would be a far better addition than the Englishman.
The Swede, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has massively outscored him in 2024/25, whilst also posting a higher shot on target rate – showcasing the clinical nature he possesses.
He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst also registering more progressive carries per 90 – having the skillset to hand other players around him the best chance of improving their own tallies.
Games played
33
37
Goals & assists
46
14
Shot-on-target accuracy
52%
43%
Pass accuracy
72%
61%
Progressive carries
4.3
2.1
Take-ons completed
1.9
1.3
Aerials won
51%
42%
Fouls won
2.5
1.7
Gyokeres has also won more of the aerials he’s entered and draws more fouls, offering Maresca that focal point he’s craved, something which Delap may struggle to provide.
Given the progress on the deal for the Ipswich talisman, the hierarchy will have to act quickly to complete a deal for Gyokeres, or they could potentially miss out on his signature.
Nothing suggests that the club may not target both talents in the coming months, handing the Blues an added dimension in forward areas that could bolster their title charge in 2025/26.
As bad as Gusto: Chelsea's 4/10 flop must never play for the club again
Chelsea secured the Europa Conference League last night, but multiple players failed to deliver.
The India wristspinner picked up a five-for in unfriendly bowling conditions by beating batters in the air and keeping the wickets in play
Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Oct-20251:15
Chopra: Not a surface Kuldeep would love
Angles. Over the wicket creates an entirely different angle to around the wicket, and while left-arm over and right-arm around create a broadly similar angle, they’re still a little different because of how the human body works. The right-arm-around bowler can deliver from far wider on the crease than the left-arm-over bowler, and the left-arm-over bowler from significantly closer to the stumps.All this, quite naturally, brings us to Kuldeep Yadav, the most artful employer of left-arm over in the history of Test-match spin bowling.That’s quite a claim, but it’s easily backed up, because left-arm wristspin has been such a rare sight in Test cricket. Left-arm fingerspinners bowl over the wicket too, but it’s the mirror image of vanilla when they do it against left-hand batters, and a defensive tactic against right-hand batters. For the left-arm wristspinner, over the wicket is the default setting.Related
'It's about taking the right options' – Gill on first series win as Test captain
'Test match still on' – West Indies 'hope to make a game out of' India's follow-on gamble
Hope and Campbell fight back after Kuldeep five-for forces WI to follow on
'Impact injury' keeps Sai Sudharsan off the field on the third day
And no left-arm wristspinner in the history of the sport has taken even 100 Test wickets. Johnny Wardle took 102 but primarily bowled left-arm orthodox. Garry Sobers took 235 but mostly bowled left-arm seam and left-arm orthodox.Kuldeep, playing just his 15th Test match, is already the most prolific Test bowler of his kind. He has 65 wickets at an average of 21.90, and if that isn’t impressive enough, his strike rate of 37.00 is the best of any spinner, of any kind, ever, with a cut-off of 50 Test wickets.Kuldeep Yadav has the most wickets – 65 – by a left-arm wristspinner in Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesIt’s the record of a generational talent who combines the often hard-to-reconcile skills of spinning the ball furiously out of the hand and landing it exactly where intended in a manner that only a handful of wristspinners, right- or left-arm, have ever managed. It’s the record of a wristspinner with an exquisite feel for the combination of line, length and trajectory that the batter would be least comfortable facing each time he skips into his run-up. And it’s the record of a master at using the left-arm-over angle.Take two balls that Kuldeep bowled on Sunday morning to send back Shai Hope and Tevin Imlach in quick succession after they had put on 49 for the fifth West Indies wicket.First to go was Hope, who last week in Ahmedabad had been bowled while trying to drive Kuldeep against the turn. The angle across him, accentuated by away-drift, had drawn his bat wider and wider, opening up a huge gate for the ball, which turned sharply into Hope, to burst through.Here in Delhi, Hope was no doubt extremely vigilant about the threat to his inside edge when he stretched forward to defend as Kuldeep floated another ball across him from left-arm over. Even before the ball landed, it began opening up a weakness in Hope’s defence: his front foot went straight down the pitch, toe roughly in line with middle stump, when the ball was already drifting away towards off.Hope correctly read the ball out of Kuldeep’s hand, picking the stock ball that would turn into him, but guessed wrongly about the degree of turn. The ball only really straightened down the line, going past the outside edge to hit the top of off stump.The ball to Imlach was another stock ball, only a little slower and a touch shorter and straighter. It happened to hit a part of the pitch from where the ball turned far more sharply while skidding through slightly low. Imlach, playing back, was lbw, beaten on the inside edge while making a hurried attempt to flick.2:05
Ten Doeschate: Mystery element makes Kuldeep effective
Two stock balls, both angled across the right-hand batter and turning in the same direction. One pitched roughly in line with off stump, one in line with middle or thereabouts. One beat the outside edge, one beat the inside edge. Both ended up hitting the stumps or being projected to hit the stumps.Those two balls summed up the fundamental difficulty of facing Kuldeep as a right-hand batter. He delivers from left-arm over, and from so close to the stumps that he typically releases from somewhere above the umpire’s right shoulder. Delivered from there, his stock ball can land anywhere from leg stump to a fair way outside off stump, turn or straighten inwards, beat either edge, and remain on course to hit the stumps, giving him a seemingly endless range of pitching lines and degrees of turn with which he can get batters lbw or bowled.All this with just his stock ball and his angles. All this before we throw in all the ways he can scramble batters’ judgment of line and length with variations in pace, drift, and dip. He might look to straighten the ball from a middle-stumpish line if he senses that you tend to get closed off, and force you to play around your front pad. He might float the ball slower and wider if he senses that you’re petrified about lbw, and hesitant to get your front foot across the stumps, to try and get you playing away from your body. He might push one through flatter if you tend to camp on the back foot, inducing you to play the trajectory rather than the length. He might do any of these things while keeping both edges the stumps in play.All this before he even feels the need to slip in his wrong’un. It’s no surprise that he uses that variation sparingly against right-hand batters and frequently against left-handers. He does everything in his power to constantly keep the stumps in play.The geometry of Kuldeep’s bowling ensures that he traces a wicket-to-wicket path all the way from pitching point to stumps more often than most spinners, and ball-tracking data supports this notion.In Test matches in India since the start of 2022, spinners on average have pitched in line finished within the stumps with roughly 7% of their balls to right-hand batters, and roughly 5% of their balls to left-hand batters. India’s spinners, unsurprisingly, have done better than the average spinner. R Ashwin has done this with 7% of his balls to right-hand batters and 11% of his balls to left-handers. Ravindra Jadeja has gone at 9% to left-handers and 15% to right-handers.If these two great fingerspinners have shown a greater tendency to be stump-to-stump against their preferred match-ups, Kuldeep has shown no evidence of having a preferred match-up. He’s bowled stump-to-stump deliveries with a frequency of 13% against right-hand batters and 13.5% against left-handers. No surprise, then, that there’s barely any difference between his averages against right-hand batters (21.94) and left-handers (21.73).Kuldeep’s fifth Test five-for might make it harder for India to leave him out in overseas Tests•PTI And keep in mind that these numbers are based on precise ball-tracking, and exclude all the balls that pitch an inch wide of the stumps, or are projected to turn or bounce just enough to miss off stump or leg stump by an inch. Add all those balls to the count, and you begin to see how often Kuldeep makes batters fear for their pads and stumps, and how much error he induces by doing this as often as he does.On Sunday, this relentless stump-to-stump examination produced one bowled and two lbws within the first hour of play. It was exactly the kind of bowling India needed on a slow, low Delhi pitch where edges were unlikely to carry to fielders, and where the ability to keep the stumps in play was priceless.It showed, all over again, what a treasure Kuldeep can be on pitches without too much help for spinners. He’s likelier to beat batters in the air than most fingerspinners, and he turns the ball both ways, but he often doesn’t need to because of his mastery of his stock angle and stock ball.Sunday morning’s display — and the threat he still presents West Indies on this docile track despite their fightback after being asked to follow on — will only have convinced Kuldeep’s fans that India ought to have played him at some point during their recent tour of England. He never got that chance, and India drew 2-2. Did that scoreline vindicate his non-selection, or did not selecting him keep India from winning the series?No one knows, but his fifth Test five-for made one member of India’s coaching staff wonder what could potentially have been.”It’s very difficult,” India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said at his end-of-day’s-play press conference. “I just cast my mind back to all the discussions around teams and how we tried to fit him in. But one thing, I think we got the [reading of] wickets pretty spot-on in England. It was very high-scoring Tests, so we were always trying to balance playing the batting all-rounder or do you play three guys at the end who don’t really bat?”But I guess [Kuldeep has] shown here, even on an unresponsive wicket, it does maybe make you think, oh, what happens if we had played him in Manchester, or what happens if we had played him at Headingley? But those are calls you have to make in real time, and we always try to figure out what’s best, then we go with the call and the players have been brilliant at buying into it.”But I think he’s done himself some favours, looking forward, if we do have to make the brave call where we want to win Test matches, maybe we do go a batter light and play Kuldeep, judged on how he’s bowled again in these two Tests.”If you’re one of the many vociferous fans who believe Kuldeep has to play no matter where India are playing, those words may have left you feeling vindicated, if his bowling on Sunday morning hadn’t already done that job.
Having started to play from when he was four years old and inspired by Shai Hope, Jewel Andrew finally has a chance to make his name
Firdose Moonda23-Jan-2024Jewel Andrew was four years old when his future was put in his hands, literally.He was sitting boundary-side at the Young Masters Sports Club in Antigua, watching his brother Hillroy play but unable to join in because he was too young for a team of six-year-olds. “But one of the boys hit a six and Jewel collected the ball and threw it in. The coach said he could join the next day,” Veronique Hill, Jewel’s mother, told ESPNcricinfo.That was exactly what Hill, a single mom, hoped would happen when she took her sons to the club. “We were living in a bad neighbourhood so I didn’t want them to get into trouble,” she said. “And I grew up watching cricket with my father on a black and white television so I knew I wanted my kids to play this sport.”Related
Teen star Jewel Andrew wants to 'average 50 like Shai Hope and play for West Indies for a long time'
Famous surnames at the Under-19 World Cup: Shah, Rowe, Khan and others
All you need to know about the men's Under-19 World Cup 2024
Vidler and Straker dismantle Namibia for 91 to hand Australia opening win
Hill was raised on the triumphs of West Indies’ attack and grew to admire Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose but not for the obvious reasons. “They bowled very well but couldn’t bat to save their lives. Especially Walsh. He was so clumsy with the bat and I quite enjoyed that.”Her sons turned out to be the complete opposite. They prided themselves on run-scoring and spent their time determined to outdo each other. “If one scored runs on one day, the other would say, ‘wait until tomorrow and I will show you what I can do’,” she recalled, laughing. “They were so competitive as young kids and they still spend all day talking about cricket.”Not just talking. Analysing. Strategising. Experimenting. And of course, playing. For that to happen, they needed equipment. “That was really hard for me,” Hill said. “Cricket gear is expensive.”Hill’s income from a store she runs that sells bags and was not enough to afford everything the boys needed. Instead, they relied on support from well-wishers, including donations given to the sports club from former players and found a way. The more exposure they got, the clearer it became that Jewel “was really good.”The little hands that threw the ball when he was four years old ended up being used both to bat and to keep wicket. He rose through the age group structures in Antigua, scored five successive centuries in a schools’ league, captained the Leeward Islands under-15 side and played in the Cool & Smooth T20 tournament, a local event intended to assist in the development of players in the region. He also found someone to model his game on in Shai Hope. “He would watch videos of Shai Hope and every shot that he played and then try to copy that. Soon, I started to see a little Shai Hope in him,” Hill said.Veronique Hill always wanted her sons, including Jewel Andrew, to play cricket•Veronique HillLate last year, Jewel had the opportunity to meet his hero when he was selected as the flag bearer for the start of the ODI series between West Indies and England. “That was really special and he could feel one step closer to someone like Shai.”But just when it seemed everything was aligning for young Jewel, he suffered a setback. “They had a tournament to select the Under-19 squad and he just wasn’t getting off. He was scoring 30s and 40s and crying himself to sleep,” Hill said. “And then before the last day, he said to me that he was not going to worry about anything or what anyone said, he was just going to play his own game and see if that could get him in. I send him a bible verse every morning to help him believe in himself and I did it that day as well. He scored 126 and that was how he got selected for the Under-19 side.”When Jewel called his mom to tell her the news, he was filled with emotion. “He cried and I cried along with him,” she said. “He said to me, ‘Mom, I am living my dream. I will give you something to watch’.”And he kept his word. In their first game of the tournament, West Indies found themselves in pursuit of 285. Jewel kept West Indies in the fight and Hill awake from 2 am, with a 96-ball 130, that ultimately went in vain and left her with mixed feelings. “I am happy for him but I was a little disappointed too. I could see his disappointment too.”There’s time to turn that around. West Indies have two more group matches against Scotland and England this week and victory in at least one of them will give them a chance of advancing to the Super Sixes. And for Jewel personally, there is a chance to establish himself as among the top batters in the competition, secure a spot for the next tournament and even earn a regular place in the Leeward Islands’ team.”He is still young and can play another Under-19 World Cup but he also wants to make the step up to the regional side. Jewel is all about Leeward and West Indies cricket,” she said. “He is very focused and doesn’t have time to do anything besides cricket. He runs every morning for 45 minutes and then he works on his game. He knows he has made all of us in Antigua very, very proud.”So Jewel is living up to his name but why was he given it in the first place? “I had a difficult time having him. He was two weeks overdue and wouldn’t come out,” Hill said. “When he eventually did, he was so loving and I just thought to myself that he was a special baby, a precious baby. That’s why I called him Jewel.”
Magnificence of 700-minute epic at odds with the needs of the modern game
Andrew Miller19-Mar-2022Shortly before lunch on the fourth day in Barbados, the final whistle blew in Cardiff as Italy ended a 36-match losing streak in a Six Nations thriller against Wales. Moments earlier, Charles Leclerc seized pole position for Sunday’s Formula One curtain-raiser in Bahrain, and within minutes of the close of play at the Test, France had sealed the Grand Slam with victory over England in Paris.Overnight, the Women’s World Cup had served up another humdinger with Australia’s record run-chase against India; and by the time play finally finished in Bridgetown, another was set to begin, as England and New Zealand prepared to land perhaps the first decisive blows of a fascinatingly poised competition.Wherever you turned on this Saturday of sporting jeopardy, there were stories taking shape to pique the interest at least, and maybe even stir the soul – not least the remarkable tale of Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the Ukrainian high-jumper who won gold at the Indoor Championships in Belgrade only days after fleeing the Russian invasion.But then there was the Test match. And frankly it was a miracle if anyone other than the sun-seeking punters packed into the Kensington Oval gave it more than a passing nod of recognition. Randomly, their number included Manchester United’s interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, who must surely have ranked among the most baffled guests-of-honour since President Eisenhower watched Pakistan grind out 104 runs in a day against Australia in Karachi in 1959, and reputedly asked his advisers: “when does the action begin?”None of which is to denigrate West Indies’ magnificent defiance, as they stretched their first innings across 187.5 grimly chiselled overs to leave England needing snookers if they are to prise out a series lead. In Kraigg Brathwaite, they had a captain and an opener willing to suck the marrow from the contest, a talent that goes way beyond the physical realm of mere stamina and hand-eye co-ordination, and deep into meta-levels of bluff and existentialism.For if you don’t start to question your life choices at some stage of a 700-minute grind, then you must truly be a zen warrior. Even the mighty Jason Holder – the man who saved the Antigua Test with his final-day lockout – could not prevent his own doubts from creeping into the narrative. It was as if Holder had spent the tea-break sobbing in the toilets, to judge by his world-weary hack at the second ball of the resumption. Either way, it gifted Saqib Mahmood a maiden Test wicket, just when he might have started to believe there was no point to his existence either.”To come off the field, there was a lot of relief among that bowling group. I can tell you that,” Mahmood said, after overcoming the horror of his maiden-wicket no-ball to return the creditable figures of 2 for 58 in 27 overs. “I’m relieved more than anything. I felt like the biggest criminal out here last night, so when I got that one today I had a little check to make sure there were no dramas or anything.”Some of the boys out there said it was one of the harder ones,” he added. “It was like diving in the deep end but I just wanted to make sure I stayed disciplined throughout, by sticking to my plans and trying and do something the whole time.”At these clutch moments of the sport’s inherently paranoid existence, you can always rely on some defender of the faith to trot out that tediously parroted line: “That’s why they call it a Test match”, and yes, it’s true, there is something magnificent about the nonsensically quirky stats that can crop up on a day like this. Jack Leach, for instance, bowled 212 balls at Braithwaite alone, the equivalent of more than 35 of the 69.5 overs that he churned out in the course of West Indies’ innings – the most by any England bowler since Phil Tufnell at Wellington in 1992.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I thought he was superb,” Brathwaite said of Leach, whose final figures of 3 for 118 were instrumental in holding West Indies to a run-rate of barely two an over, and included the ball of the match so far to dislodge West Indies’ main man. “Probably out of those balls, I could count how many short balls he bowled, so I was defending on the front foot a lot. Even if he didn’t get five wickets, the pressure he created was a superb effort.”Last week was the 145th anniversary of the inaugural Test between England and Australia at Melbourne in 1877, and Brathwaite’s efforts were worthy of being framed in sepia: 160 runs from 489 deliveries, with 17 fours and – would it surprise you? – an all-run eight when the ball got lodged in a rabbit hole on the edge of the square.”It was obviously a long knock,” Brathwaite added. “It was time spent out there for the team. Tomorrow is another big day and we’re going to have work extremely hard. Scoring runs as an opener is always a great feeling. I’m happy to get a hundred here at home with my family here.”All of which is unquestionably laudable, and who knows, Brathwaite’s grind could yet have set up a grandstand finish – much as we almost got in the first Test in Antigua, where England’s morning declaration so nearly unlocked the final afternoon. But if Sunday does end up being an exciting fifth day of the Test match, that is not remotely the same as saying this has been an exciting five-day Test. That ship has sailed more emphatically than a cruise liner from Bridgetown harbour.The ends in Test cricket cannot be allowed to endlessly justify the means, because the sport needs to fall back on more than just its own context for sustenance. It’s no longer acceptable to point out that Shivnarine Chanderpaul, say, batted 510 balls for 136 not out against India in 2002, and therefore dirges of this ilk need to be accepted as part of the game’s rich tapestry – any more than the snore-draw in Rawalpindi earlier this month deserves a free pass simply because Australia hadn’t played a Test in Pakistan for 24 years. However much of a Test-cricket aficionado you might be, you’d have to agree, that spectacle was hardly the way to encourage a rematch any time before 2046.And it matters also because of the zeitgeist within which Test cricket is trying to stay relevant. Even if you find the ECB’s recent obsession with data points and strategy documents infuriating, it’s hard to deny they have a point about the number of competing pastimes that are queuing up to cramp the style of the grand old game – and even when it’s not the final day of the Six Nations hogging the limelight, cricket’s own cannibalistic tendencies cannot go unnoticed either.Related
England's rookies learn the lessons of a hard day in the dirt
Brathwaite and Blackwood leave England blunted and bruised
England extend lead to 136 after Brathwaite's epic stand
Had Mark Wood, for instance, not already gone lame with an elbow problem – the consequence, dare one say it, of too many dead overs in too many one-sided Ashes Tests – he would surely have been busting a gut for the cause on this frighteningly unforgiving pitch … and to what end? Next week, the IPL begins, and had Wood been fit, he would have been raking in a cool £735,000 as Lucknow Super Giants’ marquee signing.Instead, Wood’s now worse off in body and pocket, and arguably the only people who have truly benefitted from his endeavours are CWI, whose lifeless surfaces have guaranteed five full days of gate receipts, concessions takings and hospitality windfalls from the thousands of England fans whom Phil Simmons, the home team’s coach, wistfully claimed had turned the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium “into Trent Bridge” last week.But still, there’s always the “honour” of playing Test cricket to fall back on when adversity strikes.”This is the kind of day you play for, when there’s nothing going on and it’s hard work for bowlers,” Mahmood claimed, and as the new boy, it’s fair to believe him for now. “You want to be the guy the captain throws the ball to, to break partnerships and take wickets. That’s the stuff I get satisfaction from. On green seamers, every seamer feels in the game but on ones like this, I really want to be a guy who can stand up and break a partnership. It’s been hard work but that why we play the game.”But it is really? Because it is hard to believe that spectacles such as the ones currently panning out are why anyone would still watch the game.
Shea Lacey has been “tearing it up” in Manchester United training, leaving Ruben Amorim impressed, following a behind-the-scenes change from the manager.
Amorim has been blending youth with experience in his starting XI so far this season, with the likes of Amad Diallo and Leny Yoro emerging as regular starters, alongside Casemiro, and the Brazilian midfielder has enjoyed a resurgence.
At the moment, the manager seems to have found the right balance, as United have won three games on the spin in the Premier League, and their summer signings have been particularly impressive, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring a brace against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.
Given that Matheus Cunha is also now off the mark, it may be difficult for any other forwards to force their way into starting contention, but a youngster has started impressing in first-team training…
Lacey impressing Amorim in Man Utd training
As reported by GiveMeSport, Amorim has made a behind-the-scenes change by introducing more and more youth players to first-team training, with the manager eager to restore the link between the academy and the senior squad.
The 40-year-old wants youngsters to start pushing for places in the first team, and Lacey, an 18-year-old winger, has been impressing staff and teammates, with one source saying: “He’s been tearing it up – fearless, creative, and always looking to make something happen. He’s really caught the eye.”
Amorim has personally taken notice of the starlet, and there is a feeling he could be introduced to the match-day squad before the end of the campaign if he maintains his current standard.
Bringing through youth players is in United’s DNA, with the ‘Class of 92’ famously going on to play a major role in Man United’s dominance of English football during the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
As such, it is always good to see youngsters progress through the ranks, and the Liverpool-born winger is held in high regard by scout Jacek Kulig, who singled the Englishman out for praise after his debut for the Three Lions U17 side.
Not only has Lacey impressed in first-team training, but he is also off to a flying start in the Premier League 2 this season, picking up two goals and an assist in his opening four games.
With Mbeumo and Cunha impressing, the England U20 international may find it tricky to get into the starting XI in the Premier League, but it would be good to see him get a run out in the FA Cup later this season.
Shea Lacey could take the #7 shirt off Mason Mount Watch out Mount: Man Utd's "incredible" talent can steal the no.7 shirt
Manchester United have a star on their hands who could take the number seven shirt off Mason Mount.
Shubman Gill is set to miss India’s second Test against South Africa starting on Saturday after failing to recover sufficiently from the neck injury he suffered last week. Vice captain Rishabh Pant will stand in as captain in Guwahati.It is understood that, according to medical advice, Gill is at risk of further neck spasms if he plays so soon. He has been advised more rest. The development could also impact his selection in the ODI squad for the three matches against South Africa starting on November 30. The squad for that series is expected to be picked on November 23.With Gill set to miss out, India may have to choose one of B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal and Nitish Kumar Reddy as his replacement.Related
Gill discharged from hospital but remains doubtful for Guwahati Test
Left-hand or left-field – who fills in for Gill in Guwahati Test?
Gambhir's India – close fights, costly calls, and a growing Test crisis
Gill was admitted to hospital after the second day of the Kolkata Test, following the decision to retire hurt after facing only three balls in India’s first innings. On the morning of the third day, the BCCI said he would take no further part in the Test. India went on to lose the match by 30 runs, after getting dismissed for 93 in a chase of 124 on a pitch with uneven bounce. Gill had missed a Test against New Zealand in October 2024 due to a neck spasm too.On Thursday, before ESPNcricinfo learned that Gill is set to miss the match, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had said in a press conference that the team would not risk playing him if there was any chance of the spasm recurring.”He is definitely recovering really well,” Kotak said. “Now, the decision [whether to play him or not] will be taken tomorrow evening. The physios, doctors, they will have to take a call that, [even] if he is fully recovered, [during the] game, he should not get that spasm again.”[…] If we have a, guarantee that, very likely, he won’t have this issue again, then he will play. If there is a doubt, then I am sure, he will take rest [for] one more game, because it won’t be helpful to the team [if he plays].”Nitish Kumar Reddy put in the hard yards at the nets in Guwahati•AFP/Getty Images
One of the concerns for India as they figure out Gill’s replacement is the surfeit of left-hand batters in their squad. They had six in their XI in Kolkata – five in their top eight – and Sai Sudharsan and Padikkal, the two specialist batters vying to come into the line-up, also bat left-handed. The left-hander-heavy nature of India’s line-up had advantaged offspinner Simon Harmer, the Player of the Match in Kolkata, significantly.Kotak suggested there had been undue focus on the offspinner-vs-left-hander match-up, and pointed out that South Africa also played Keshav Maharaj, a left-arm spinner, at Eden Gardens, which should have advantaged India’s line-up.”You tell me one thing, they had a left-arm spinner also. If we had seven right-handed batsmen, then? They had a left-arm spinner also, and an offspinner also. I believe that you have to play well. Offspinner bowling to left-hander does not mean left-hander has to get out. We had two left-arm spinners [in the first Test], they had nine right-handers; did they get out? So maybe that thing is a little overrated.”Overrated or not, India will still likely mull over the match-ups even as they prepare for a Guwahati track that is set to be more forgiving to the batters than Kolkata was.India’s mandatory practice session two days out from the match gave some indication of who might come in for Gill. The first four batters who came out to bat in the nets were Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar and Dhruv Jurel. The first three had been India’s top three in Kolkata, and Jurel had batted at No. 4 in the second innings, in Gill’s absence. Sai Sudharsan was next into the nets.Padikkal, meanwhile, did not bat in the early part of the practice session, but was seen bowling part-time offspin in the spinners’ net.Seam-bowling allrounder Reddy, who was released from the squad in Kolkata so he could play in India A’s limited-overs series against South Africa A, was back in training, and bowled alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep in the fast bowlers’ net.Axar did not bowl initially, and only joined his team-mates some 45 minutes or so into the session.None of this necessarily points to India’s possible selection. Players have their own individual preferences for what kind of training they do, and how much, leading into games.But with a more balanced pitch than Kolkata expected on Saturday, India may not feel the need for a fourth spin bowler and a second left-arm orthodox spinner. If Sai Sudharsan replaces Gill, Reddy coming in for Axar would help India maintain the same balance of left- and right-hand batters they had in Kolkata. With a decent amount of grass on the pitch two days out from the Test, there is a chance Reddy could be a useful option with the ball too.