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Sunderland will be apprehensive heading into the nitty gritty of the transfer window that awaits them, knowing a number of their top talents could be poached, as a consequence of such a dreadful Championship season that has just passed.

The Stadium of Light wasn't exactly the most upbeat environment for a player to thrive in last campaign, with a number of managerial switches not exactly helping the Black Cats whatsoever in trying to leap into the top half of the table, but the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Jack Clarke and even 16-year-old Chris Rigg managed to lift the sour mood with top displays when needed.

Even as his brother lifts the Champions League with Real Madrid, and a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad looks set in stone for the world-class talent, Sunderland's very own Bellingham is making strides of his own, with the likes of Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur battling it out for his signature now, despite only being situated in Wearside for one season.

The underwhelming Black Cats might be powerless to the situation unfolding in-front of their eyes, especially if significant wads of cash are thrown about for the teenage sensation soon.

The latest on Bellingham's future

TEAMTalk revealed recently that interest was coming in the form of Ange Postecoglou's Spurs and that contact had even been made, who have been noted as wanting a new midfielder for some time, with Bellingham potentially ticking all the correct boxes for them.

The report also further confirms Crystal Palace's interest, alongside throwing another London-based club from the top-flight into the mix in the form of Brentford, with journalist Ed Aarons further speculating that a fee in the region of £20m+ would be enough for Sunderland to part ways.

After tearing the Championship apart last season in patches by scoring seven goals, with inconsistent displays commonplace for a player still learning the ropes as 18 years of age, Sunderland will just be thankful that they would be able to make some hefty profit on the teenager if sold on in the off-season, having paid what looks now like a measly £3m to land him last year.

Sunderland will know that their in-demand youngster leaving won't be the be-all and end-all of their chances to have a positive season when a ball is kicked to start the 2024-25 campaign, however, worrying more so about losing another focal point in Clarke, after Bellingham starred but also faded into the background at points as his side slumped to a 16th overall placed finish.

Bellingham's numbers this season

Bellingham will also know that he was afforded the best possible platform to make errors and not be completely chucked to one side at the Stadium of Light, with the club's reputation for nurturing youngsters a selling point as to why he jumped ship from Birmingham to join his current employers in 2023.

Only missing one league game all season long, Bellingham's seven goals was a promising return for a starlet only playing his second proper full campaign in men's football, with a slightly lacklustre one assist mustered up showing there's room for improvement.

Struggling as well when isolated up top last season when picked as a lone centre-forward, seen in his poor passes completed number above, Bellingham bowed out of the campaign with no goals managed from his last seven second-tier clashes too.

Who could replace Bellingham

The gigantic leap up to the Premier League might come too soon for the 18-year-old, therefore, but if he is to move away this approaching transfer window, Sunderland will have plenty of replacements in mind, with current FC Basel man Liam Millar reportedly on their radar yet again after previously being on their agenda during his Liverpool youth days.

The Canadian attacking midfielder, who can be utilised as a second striker, a striker or down the wings much like Bellingham can be deployed, bettered his Sunderland counterpart's numbers in the Championship on loan at Preston North End, despite all the fanfare surrounding his name, with 10 goal contributions amassed for the Lilywhites in all competitions.

Ryan Lowe's men will want to keep him around permanently at Deepdale, but with Sunderland in need of a new tricky attacking midfielder if Bellingham ups and leave, the Stadium of Light could be a perfect next destination for Millar with his Basel contract running out next year and interest heating back up in his services.

Liam Millar's numbers this season for Preston

Not only could Millar fill the void left behind by Bellingham's exit, but he could also be a new star in attack the Black Cats need even more if the squad is depleted further by 15-goal star Clarke also leaving.

Millar blows Bellingham's FBRef numbers out of the water, when comparing the two, with the Canadian midfielder managing more shots totalled on average over the last year per 90 minutes at 2.12, more progressive passes received at 7.49 and much more to show to the Wearside outfit that losing their much-talked about starlet wouldn't be the end of the world, particularly if he can be replaced by someone as electric as Millar.

Millar would come in just below Clarke, and above Bellingham by two, if it was just based on Championship numbers during the regular season alone in Sunderland's top five scorers and assist-makers, and so getting in the 24-year-old – who was worth just £1.3m when Basel purchased him off Liverpool in 2021 – could be a smart and shrewd buy, having proven himself to be a nuisance in the second-tier with Preston.

This signing could also give Sunderland the upper hand over potential promotion rivals if the Black Cats are striving to be towards the spots at the top of the division, knowing that Millar absolutely terrorised Archie Gray when Preston played Leeds on Boxing Day in 2023, with the young defender dribbled past three times, as the Canadian attacker continually slalomed forward.

Sunderland will feel like they'll never truly see Bellingham at his best if he does move on, having only really been the club to set him on his way to stardom rather than actualising it.

But, bringing in Millar – who was once described as possessing the "X-Factor" by ex-Canada manager John Herdman – would be more than a satisfactory replacement if everything comes together smoothly.

Sunderland could sign £0 Clarke replacement who scored in the playoffs

Sunderland could sign this absolute bargain to replace Jack Clarke.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 3, 2024

Seamer making headlines for the right reasons with maiden Test five-wicket haul

George Dobell06-Aug-2021Whatever happens over the next couple of days of this intriguing Test, England can take heart in the emergence of a cricketer who should serve them well for the next four or five years.But for England’s poor fielding – and we’ll come back to this – Ollie Robinson really should have taken a five-wicket haul on his Test debut at Lord’s. On that occasion, though, Stuart Broad put down Tim Southee at mid-off and Robinson was denied. So it was probably fitting that Broad, running around the fine-leg boundary and pulling off a diving catch, should take a substantially more difficult chance to complete the milestone here. There’s no reason at all it shouldn’t be the first of many.In between times, though, Robinson has seen his career flash in front of his eyes. Even as he was impressing on that debut performance at Lord’s, the existence of vile social media posts made by him several years ago was coming to light. No sooner was the game finished, then Robinson was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing. He admits now that, in those days, he feared his England career may be over.”I definitely had doubts over my career,” Robinson said. “There was a time I was speaking with my lawyers and we were looking at the fact I could be banned for a couple of years. That would have taken me up to the age of 30 and someone else could have come in and taken my spot. So yes I had doubts over my career. I thought I might never play for England again.”It was tough. Probably the toughest few weeks I’ve had in cricket to be honest, or in my life, actually. It affected not only myself but my family. But luckily it all came good today.”Ollie Robinson celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

In truth, there wasn’t much luck involved. Robinson has looked every inch a Test-quality bowler in both his performances to date and richly deserved this maiden five-wicket haul. While he is not especially quick – his stock ball tends to be somewhere around 130 kph (just over 80 mph) – his bouncer is notably sharper (up around 137 kph) and ensures batters aren’t able to simply get on the front foot. He’s tall, too – around six feet five (that’s 198 cms) – so gains bounce which threatens the shoulder of the bat even while he bowls a probing, full length.It’s no surprise at all to hear that his cricketing role-model, initially at least, was Glenn McGrath. It would be stretching a point to say that Robinson is good. But with an apparently easy action, an impressive control of line and length and the ability to hit the seam and move the ball both ways, the comparison is not ridiculous, either. Later he played Grade cricket in Australia with Josh Hazlewood. These are the best in the business and he has clearly learned his lessons well.It was noticeable that he was often preferred to Broad at key moments in this innings. At the start of the third day, for example, it was Robinson and James Anderson who Joe Root asked to bowl. Later Robinson also took the second new ball. He bowled more overs than anyone in the innings not just because he is younger but because he looked more likely to strike. He also conceded fewer runs per over (3.16) than either Broad (3.50) or Sam Curran (3.80). It would be premature to suggest he is ready to usurp Broad – given England’s schedule, there is plenty of room for several reliable seamers – but he did suggest there is, in that area at least, some depth. That can only be a good thing.None of this makes the social media comments OK, of course. But they were a long time ago – he was 18 at the time the most unpleasant of them were posted – and he has now been punished (he was fined £3,200 and suspended for eight games; five of them suspended) and rehabilitated with various courses and a commitment to work with the PCA (the Professional Cricketers’ Association; the players’ union) to ensure he shares his experiences. He doesn’t try to excuse what he did – there’s no mileage in that – but it is clear he is a very different man now.Related

• Ollie Robinson taking 'short break' from cricket after social media furore

• Ollie Robinson cleared for return to cricket after receiving fine and suspension for historic tweets

• Rahul, Jadeja drive India's dominance before rain arrives

• KL Rahul curbs his enthusiasm to make his comeback count

“I was a young, naive guy,” he says. “I made a lot of mistakes. Not just those tweets. I had negative press when I got sacked from Yorkshire as well.”But I’ve learned a lot. I have grown as a person in that time. I’ve tried to develop myself as a person in the last ten years. I am father now, as well, and I have just tried to make myself the best person I can be. I hope people will be able to see that.”Ultimately, Robinson will be judged by what happens from now onwards. But it was interesting to note that, even at a time when he might have felt under great scrutiny, he maintained the aggressive manner that has characterised his cricket at county level. So, there were plenty of grumpy stares in the direction of the batters and even something of a send-off once he dismissed Ravi Jadeja. This won’t be to everyone’s taste, of course. But, on hot days in Perth or Chennai, you suspect his captains might appreciate this competitive edge.”It was friendly banter,” he says. “I was trying to get them out of their bubble and play a few shots. They were batting well. But they were pretty defensive and I wanted KL Rahul to play some shots. It was all good fun out there.”But it was important for me to show everyone that I am the real deal on the field and try to get the scrutiny off me. It was a proud moment for myself and my family; a moment I’ll cherish for a long time.”And so he should. Robinson has made a lot of headlines in his short international career. Here, at least, they were for entirely the right reasons. You suspect there are many more positive stories to come.

Opener celebrated emotional eighth Test hundred, but knows job is not yet done

Firdose Moonda13-Jun-20252:23

Day 3 review: Markram’s knock could be career-defining

Aiden Markram flicked Josh Hazlewood off his pads, watched the ball roll through midwicket, then raised his arms, removed his helmet, and wiped away a tear. He might even have allowed himself to think that he was in the midst of the most significant Test century of his career, and perhaps in South Africa’s history, too.Temba Bavuma, his partner at the other end, hung back and let Markram take it in. He watched, with what looked like nothing but deep respect, as Markram saluted the sun as it ducked behind the clouds – they did not form through the bulk of the best batting conditions. When the two batters met mid-pitch for the hug, they allowed themselves the briefest of revelries at what Markram had achieved, and you could almost hear them willing each other on. “It’s not done yet,” the fist bumps seemed to say. And it isn’t. Victory is still 69 runs away. Markram is 102 not out and there is work to do, which he knows.But later, when there is a moment to reflect, whatever the final result, Markram’s century will be engraved into the annals of South African cricket history as one of the great fourth-innings responses. Already, Markram is second-only to Graeme Smith (who made four) when it comes to centuries in the second innings for South Africa. This one could prove more crucial than any.Related

• 'Just stay calm…' South Africa fight fatalism as greatest prize draws near

• SA had to make 'big call' on whether Bavuma should retire hurt

• Markram and Bavuma put South Africa in sight of glory

It started under immense pressure for both Markram and South Africa. In much better batting conditions than the previous two days, Australia added 63 runs to their overnight total of 144 for 8. That meant South Africa would have to pull off the second-highest successful chase at Lord’s, while making the highest score of the match. Markram was coming off a duck in the first innings, when he chopped a Mitchell Starc inswinger on to his stumps, and a reckless 13 off 15 balls in the warm-up match, where he was caught flicking to square leg.Given that only Bavuma is more experienced at Test level than Markram in this side and the task that faced South Africa, he was shouldering responsibility from the moment he padded up. He would face Starc again, this time with no swing, and his first ball was a gentle push that allowed him to get off strike. Just that tap and run was a sign that South Africa’s mindset was switched on. Unlike their first innings, in which they employed an ultra-defensive approach against high-quality bowling, this time South Africa immediately showed some intent.Even when Ryan Rickelton nicked off early and Wiaan Mulder, under the microscope at No. 3, came in, Markram took the opportunities where he saw them. He punched Hazlewood off the back foot through the covers and got down on one knee to drive Starc square through point before playing him off his hips for a leg-side four. Markram scored 18 off the first 21 balls he faced, South Africa were 47 for 1 after ten overs, and there was impetus and energy in the chase.But the examinations would come. Nathan Lyon was brought on in the 11th over, and immediately got one to dip and turn. Pat Cummins drew Markram’s edge but it didn’t carry and Starc had Mulder caught at cover with a ball that seemed to stick in the surface. The sternest test was when Bavuma pulled his hamstring shortly before tea and hobbled through two overs. Would Markram be able to bat alongside a struggling but vital partner? And more specifically, would Markram be able to change his game, hold himself back if needed to, so that South Africa’s best batter of the last six years could do his bit for the chase?2:00

Hayden: ‘Defensive Cummins missed a trick’

At the interval, Markram “was adamant”, in the words of batting coach Ashwell Prince, that Bavuma should continue because “the partnership was key”. Markram was also well aware that he would have to curb his intensity in terms of running between the wickets “to allow Temba to ease his way through it,” Prince said.The pair’s first post-tea run was a single off a mistimed Markram drive that took him to fifty, and it seemed the run rate might drop as Bavuma’s injury was managed. The boundaries came occasionally, Bavuma’s hobble improved in parts, then worsened, and both got through threatening spells from Hazlewood and Cummins with much tighter techniques. Markram’s in particular was more cautious than it has been recently and Prince confirmed there was a focus on playing closer to the body, especially since the opposite can happen because of a deluge of T20 cricket.”He’s done a little bit of technical work, not a lot,” Prince said. “In the last little while, he’s just had a little tendency of his hands pushing away from his body and cutting across the wall but it wasn’t a big fix. As soon as he saw a few videos of himself doing that, it was quite a simple fix.”There was also Markram’s traditional strength on display: his strong off-side play. He drove and cut with confidence and scored 65 runs in that area of the ground. He also got more comfortable against the turn, even though it was never easy and every ball seemed an event. Markram spent 22 balls in the 90s as tension grew. South Africa would already go to sleep with the nerves of knowing it was not over, but would Markram also clock off without reaching the milestone he had worked so hard for?3:33

Prince: This team’s greatest strength is its unity

Seven balls before the close of play, he got there, and acknowledged the moment with the right mix of celebration and seriousness. . He has done it, for himself, but he hasn’t done it all yet. Markram said later that he was “overwhelmed with emotion” as he looked to the London skies and let a few tears out. But he kept himself together to take South Africa to the close of play and the doorstep. He will also want to take them across it.”We certainly know that he’s someone for the big occasion,” Prince said. “When I talk about his ability to play big innings – albeit in a losing cause [against India] at Newlands on a very, very difficult pitch – he played an unbelievable innings. Everybody else was really struggling, and he got a hundred on that surface. So we know what he’s capable of.”That was the last century Markram scored, 16 innings ago, in the first Test of this WTC cycle. Since then, he has contributed three half-centuries, including an 89 in the Centurion Test against Pakistan where South Africa qualified for the final, but there was a sense that more that needed to come from him. As an opener, as one of the few batters with Test experience that goes beyond a season or two, and as someone who was once labelled the golden boy of South African cricket.Markram is the only South African captain to have held a World Cup trophy aloft, when his team, which included Kagiso Rabada, won the Under-19 World Cup in 2014. Great things were expected of him from that day. His two hundreds in three Tests suggested they were coming, and his 152 against Australia in 2018 seemed to confirm it. He has since been dropped from the Test side twice, most recently for the tour of Australia in 2022-23 just before the Shukri Conrad era began. Conrad brought Markram back and he rewarded him with a century on his return. Two more came after that, the Cape Town one Prince spoke of and this one, which no one will forget.

Emma Hayes has returned to England to watch her former club Chelsea take on rivals Arsenal in a mammoth Women's Super League clash.

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• Hayes back in England
• Will watch Chelsea take on Arsenal in WSL
• Left Chelsea to join USWNT this summer

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The English manager returns to her homeland for the first time since leaving Chelsea to become the United States women's national team head coach in the summer. Per ' Sam Blitz, Hayes will be in attendance at Emirates Stadium on Saturday and watch her beloved Chelsea from the director's box as the reigning WSL champions take on London rivals Arsenal in a crucial clash.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 47-year-old, who won a host of silverware with the Blues during her time in England including a record seven WSL titles, has started on a positive note in her new project. Under the 47-year-old coach's tutelage, USWNT have remained unbeaten thus far and have won three out of the four matches they have played, taking gold at the Paris Olympics.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  After failing to make the Chelsea line-up against Real Madrid in the midweek Champions League encounter due to illness, England international goalkeeper Hannah Hampton is back in Sonia Bompastor's starting eleven to face the Gunners.

• WHAT NEXT?

  The reigning English champions will aim to grab top spot in the WSL table as they eye all three points and will want to extend their winning streak to three games on Saturday.

Tottenham Hotspur had a positive first Premier League season under Ange Postecoglou, improving drastically by challenging for a Champions League spot despite the absence of former star striker Harry Kane.

The club’s fortunes dramatically shifted in 2024/25, however. Despite thriving in the Europa League, they will finish in the bottom half of the division, very close to the relegation places. Yikes.

Many of the club’s managers over the years haven’t quite aligned with the ethos of the club, and there are only a select few who will be remembered as club legends.

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By
Charlie Smith

Sep 24, 2025

So Football FanCast has named Tottenham Hotspur’s 10 best permanent managers of all time based on win percentage. Remarkably, Postecoglou no longer ranks amongst them.

10

Harry Redknapp – 49.5%

Harry Redknapp was made Spurs boss in October 2008, taking over a side that had made the worst-ever start to a season in the club’s history, winless in their opening eight games.

Redknapp steered the Lilywhites to a commendable eighth-placed finish and a League Cup final before guiding them to fourth the following season whilst winning the Premier League Manager of the Year award.

Across his four-year spell at White Hart Lane, the former West Ham United boss oversaw just shy of 200 games and played an attractive brand of football.

2010/11 saw his side compete in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s history, where they progressed to the last eight of the competition before suffering defeat to La Liga giants Real Madrid.

9

Tim Sherwood – 50%

Tim Sherwood’s spell at Spurs was pretty brief, only managing 26 games in total. His appointment was supposedly on a temporary basis but was given an 18-month contract, though he was sacked less than five months into it shortly after the 2013/14 season ended.

During his short reign, his side endured heavy defeats to Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, which were perhaps the catalyst for his early departure.

Even still, he managed a creditable win percentage that saw him win half of his games in charge, leading the north Londoners to a sixth-placed finish.

8

José Mourinho – 51.16%

The legendary Portuguese head coach was appointed Spurs’ boss in November 2019 and his arrival was met with great optimism by fans.

Many expected him to end the club’s trophy drought, and he may well have done, had he not been sacked less than a week before his side’s League Cup final against Manchester City.

His 17-month spell in charge of the Lilywhites certainly wasn’t below par results-wise, but rather uninspiring with fans often critical of his style of play.

At the time of his sacking in April 2021, Mourinho’s side had won the fourth-most number of Premier League points across his 58 games since his arrival.

So, all things considered, he was a good manager for the club and perhaps his tenure is unfairly frowned upon, even if his football was rather dull at times.

7

John Cameron – 52%

John Cameron was the player-manager for the Lilywhites over an eight-year period between 1899 and 1907. He managed over 500 games with an admirable win percentage of 52%.

He guided the club to its first-ever FA Cup win in 1901 and also led his side to two second-placed finishes in the Southern League.

As a player for Spurs, Cameron racked up an impressive 139 goals across 293 appearances.

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These teams are proof you don’t have to be in the Premier League to enjoy an FA Cup run…

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 27, 2024

6

Antonio Conte – 54%

When Antonio Conte joined the North Londoners in November 2021, it was seen as a real coup for the club, having won the Serie A title with Inter a few months prior.

His arrival came after the sacking of Nuno Espírito Santo, with the club languishing in ninth but the Italian quickly changed the fortunes of the side, propelling them to a fourth-placed finish ahead of rivals Arsenal, thus qualifying for the Champions League.

Though, the following season, despite a strong start, results began to turn and a 10-minute rant – where he criticized his own players and the club – appeared to be the final straw before receiving the sack in March 2023.

Despite a sour ending, he left the club in fourth, two points clear of Newcastle United. The Lilywhites ended up finishing eighth.

5

Mauricio Pochettino – 54.27%

Mauricio Pochettino is certainly one of the most popular managers in Tottenham’s history, though, that mantle may have dampened a little after becoming Chelsea boss.

Notwithstanding that, Pochettino’s five-year spell in charge of the North Londoners was fantastic. He established the club as a Champions League regular, finishing inside the top four in four successive seasons and even reached the final of the illustrious competition in 2019.

The 2016/17 campaign saw Spurs finish as Premier League runners-up, amassing a commendable 86 points whilst playing an attractive free-flowing brand of football.

His impact on the football club will have a lasting effect, with foundations and a tremendous culture laid down during his tenure.

Many Spurs fans wanted the Argentine to return following Conte’s dismissal, which evinces his continued popularity despite being sacked in November 2019 following a poor run of form.

4

David Pleat – 54.9%

During a brief stint as full-time Tottenham boss lasting less than 18 months, David Pleat steered the Lilywhites to a third-place finish above rivals Arsenal in 1986/87.

They also reached the League Cup semi-finals and the FA Cup final, where they lost to Coventry City.

The next campaign was not so fruitful for Spurs, with Pleat leaving in October 1987 after claims surrounding his private life came to light. Despite being five points off the top upon Pleat’s departure, they ended 13th under the guidance of Terry Venables.

Pleat left having won over half his matches as Spurs’ permanent manager, with 39 wins from 71 matches. He later returned as caretaker boss on three occasions.

3

André Villas-Boas – 55%

André Villas-Boas replaced Harry Redknapp as Tottenham Hotspur manager in July 2012 and went on to manage 80 games for the Lilywhites across a 17-month stint in charge.

During his reign, he became the first Spurs manager to win at Old Trafford in the Premier League era and was awarded Manager of the Month twice.

2012/13 saw his side amass 72 points – the highest Premier League points tally the club had ever recorded at that time – though, it wasn’t enough to qualify for the Champions League, as they finished in fifth, one point adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal.

He was sacked in December 2013 following a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, with his side in seventh.

Nevertheless, his 55% win rate is certainly praiseworthy and places him among the best-ever Spurs managers.

2

Arthur Turner – 55.1%

Arthur Turner was a servant of Tottenham Hotspur for an extraordinary 43 years between 1906-1949 in various different roles. One of his roles was as manager, first taking on the mantle in 1908 before Peter McWilliam was appointed in 1912.

He again assumed responsibility in 1942, helping Spurs through the remaining period of World War Two and the most challenging time in its history.

The Football League had been suspended during the war, but Turner’s efforts saw Cup Competitions and friendlies fulfilled.

Across his two stints as manager, he won 27 of his 49 games in charge, only conceding defeat on 11 occasions.

1

Frank Brettell – 58.7%

The manager with the best win rate is Frank Brettell, who managed Spurs for 11 years between 1888 and 1899. He won 37 of his 63 matches in charge before resigning to join Portsmouth, who offered him a more lucrative deal.

During his tenure, he signed a number of players from the north of England, including Everton’s John Cameron, who became his successor in 1899 and makes this list in sixth.

Of course, it would be unfair to include Ange Postecoglou in the list at this stage as he’s not long been in charge of the north London club, but if things carry on in the direction they’re currently going in then he could just make it onto this list once he has a bigger pool of games to draw stats and comparisons from.

MI now have a 17-0 record in the IPL when defending 200 or more

Sampath Bandarupalli01-May-20256 Consecutive wins for Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2025 after starting with four defeats in the first five matches. It is their joint-longest winning streak in the IPL, alongside the six they won in 2008 and 2017.3 MI’s win, by 100 runs, against Rajasthan Royals (RR) was their third victory in the IPL by 100 or more runs. Only Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have done it more often, with four such wins. MI’s win also took them to the top of the points table for the first time in the IPL since April 17, 2021. For RR, it was their second-biggest defeat by runs behind the 112-run loss against RCB in 2023.217 for 2 MI’s total against RR is the joint-highest in the IPL at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, equalling Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) 217 for 6 against RR in 2023. This is also the highest total for MI against RR in the IPL.2012 The previous instance of MI winning an IPL match in Jaipur, a ten-wicket victory. MI lost all four IPL matches against RR, which they played at this venue between 2013 and 2024.Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma set base with a century stand•Associated Press4 Batters scored 40-plus runs for MI in Jaipur. It is only the fourth instance of four batters scoring 40 or more runs in an IPL innings. Only once before each of the top four scored 40 or more in an IPL innings – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against RR in 2011.11 Consecutive scores of 25-plus for Suryakumar Yadav in IPL 2025. It is the longest streak of 25-plus scores for any batter in the IPL, bettering Robin Uthappa’s run of ten innings in 2014.6024 Runs scored by Rohit Sharma in all T20s for MI. No player has even 4000 T20 runs for the franchise. Rohit is only the second batter to score 6000-plus runs for a team in T20s, after Virat Kohli, who has 8871 runs for RCB.ESPNcricinfo Ltd29 Balls MI took to pick up the first five RR wickets, the fewest they have needed to do so in an IPL innings. Only four times did a team lose their first five wickets in the IPL in fewer than the 29 balls.17-0 MI extend their unbeaten record while defending targets of 200 or more in the IPL. Alongside being the only team to defend all the 200-plus targets they set in the IPL, the 18-0 record of MI in all men’s T20s defending 200-plus targets is the best for any team.281.81 Strike rate of MI batters against the short of good lengths and short lengths against RR pacers on Thursday. They scored 61 runs off 22 such deliveries, with ten fours and two sixes. In return, RR batters scored only 34 off 38 balls on those lengths and lost five wickets.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been told that a Lionel Messi-esque quality makes him a better player than Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior.

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• Teenage forward breaking records
• Brazilian in line for Ballon d'Or
• Global audience being wowed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Two superstar wingers plying their trade in La Liga are considered to form part of the global elite. Yamal has been breaking records since the age of 15 – and is a European Championship winner at 17 – while Vinicius is the strong favourite to walk away with Ballon d’Or honours in 2024.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT MARCOS SENNA SAID

  Both are capable of conjuring up moments of magic – much like Barca and Real icons Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo before them – but Yamal is considered to be the hotter of the two prospects. That is the opinion of former Spain international Marcos Senna, who has told : “They are both great players, but I like Lamine much more. The reason is that he has pace. When I was asked before who I preferred, Messi or Cristiano, I always preferred Messi because of that, because of the pace. He had more presence in the game. More diversity in passing… other things.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Senna, who savoured Euro 2008 glory with Spain, added on giving the nod to exciting teenager Yamal: “Vinicius sometimes makes passes that are brutal. The other day he gave one to Rodrygo with Espanyol that looked like [Luka] Modric had given it. But Lamine hits it much better and in one-on-ones, he catches the eye more. If he already had Vinicius ‘ speed he would be the perfect dribbler.”

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Yamal has been showcasing those talents again in 2024-25, registering five goals and six assists for Barca, and continues to earn obvious comparisons with fellow La Masia academy graduate Messi – despite being eager to play down talk of treading a similar path to the Argentine legend.

Kyle Mayers and Kevin Sinclair have missed out on selection

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2021Shimron Hetmyer, Sheldon Cottrell and Roston Chase are set to make ODI comebacks during West Indies’ upcoming three-match series against Australia, which will begin on July 20 in Barbados.Related

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The trio had missed out on selection for the team’s last 50-overs assignment, against Sri Lanka in March, for failing to meet the team management’s fitness standards.Allrounder Chase and middle-order batter Hetmyer featured in the Test and T20I legs, respectively, of the just-concluded home series against South Africa, but Cottrell, the left-arm quick, has not played for West Indies since November 2020.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Batting allrounder Kyle Mayers, who made his ODI debut against Bangladesh earlier this year, and offspinner Kevin Sinclair, who is uncapped in ODIs, didn’t find a place in the squad, but Anderson Phillip, the fast bowler who made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in March, kept his place in the side.”This squad is coming off a comprehensive series win against Sri Lanka which should boost their confidence going into what is expected to be a tougher contest against Australia, chief selector Roger Harper said. “The return of Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase and Sheldon Cottrell adds greater depth and experience to the squad.”Playing in familiar home conditions, hopefully will bring out the best in each player thereby enabling the team to perform at a consistently high standard.”The ODIs will be played on July 20, 22 and 24, and will be part of the ODI Super League for automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup in India.Before the ODI series, West Indies will face Australia in five T20Is in St Lucia, from July 9 to 16. The same squad that featured in the T20Is against South Africa is set to play this series and the upcoming one against Pakistan as well.

West Ham are entering the market for a new striker in January as injury-prone flop Niclas Füllkrug prepares to leave the London Stadium, according to multiple reports.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are facing a critical winter transfer window as they scramble to address their striker shortage, with Fullkrug’s impending departure forcing manager them to accelerate plans for attacking reinforcements.

While free agent summer signing Callum Wilson is proving he can lead the line, having scored four goals in four starts already this season, West Ham will definitely need another number nine soon.

Fullkrug has informed the club of his intention to leave when the winter window opens, bringing a premature end to what has been a disastrous spell at the club.

The Germany international, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £27 million in August 2024, has failed to score a single goal this season across seven appearances, with injuries severely limiting his availability and impact.

His agent, Thorsten Wirth, publicly acknowledged the transfer has been a failure, stating that it “might make sense to make a change” and admitting “the transfer didn’t work”.

The 32-year-old striker is reportedly desperate to secure regular playing time to boost his chances of making Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad, having made just two international appearances in the past 12 months amid persistent injury problems.

However, the Hammers will only sanction his departure if they can secure a suitable replacement or receive a substantial offer, unwilling to leave themselves dangerously thin up front while battling relegation.

The club are actively pursuing multiple striker targets as they seek to avoid repeating past recruitment failures, and AC Milan’s Santiago Gimenez has emerged as a primary target.

West Ham told they can sign Santiago Gimenez for £30 million

The Mexican bagged 22 goals in all competitions across his total appearances for both previous club Feyenoord and Milan last season, including six strikes in seven Champions League outings.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola will remember Gimenez’s strike at the Etihad when Feyenoord sealed a shock 3-3 draw. Meanwhile, Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany won’t have fond memories of the 24-year-old’s brace against them when Feyenoord thrashed the Bundesliga giants 3-0.

Make no mistake, on his day, Gimenez is a big-game player.

However, the North American is yet to score this campaign, and reports suggest that the Rossoneri are underwhelmed by their 2025 signing as they ponder a January sale.

According to Hammers News, West Ham have been told they could strike a £30 million deal for Gimenez when the window reopens, and going by his age, potential and previous exploits, this could actually prove to be a bargain.

Milan’s interest in Fullkrug has even opened up the possibility of a swap deal, so Gimenez’s price tag could be brought down even further as West Ham look for that perfect number nine mid-season.

The former Cruz Azul sensation stands out as one of January’s best-available forward men if he can rediscover his past form, so he’ll undoubtedly be under serious consideration at Rush Green.

Sharjah remains a throwback to the 1990s – indeed, not much has changed at the ground – when some of the most memorable ODIs were played at the venue

Shashank Kishore11-Oct-2024Fifty-four all out.If you grew up watching Indian cricket in the late 1980s and early ’90s, you don’t need much more than just that number to feel the agony. A team with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly in their pomp, was humbled by Chaminda Vaas & Co after their chief tormentor from the time, Sanath Jayasuriya, had sent them on a leather hunt in shirt-soaking humidity.That afternoon, Jayasuriya had threatened to raze down Saeed Anwar’s once seemingly unsurmountable 194, another number from that era no Indian fan needs any reminding of, except when you were battling for one-upmanship in a game of cricket trump cards. Jayasuriya fell five short, stumped only because he had nothing left to give, needing IV fluids to recoup after batting for 161 balls.Related

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It was a jolt for Indian fans of that era, who had grown up with Desert Storm, a spectacle livened by Tony Greig’s booming voice that brought to life “dancing in the aisles”. Or for those who watched Tendulkar’s riposte to Henry Olonga 26 winters ago.Who knew it would be among the last few chapters of India in Sharjah for over two decades – blame match fixing.That long wait for “India” to return to Sharjah will have spanned 23 years, 11 months and 14 days when Harmanpreet Kaur’s team sets foot inside the storied venue to play Australia in a women’s T20 World Cup fixture on Sunday with everything to play for. It’s possible the venue’s glittering, though not unstained, history will not evoke any sense of nostalgia within the current group – Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia and Shreyanka Patil weren’t even born when India last played here.For that alone, Sunday promises to be quite an occasion – when the baton will be passed, figuratively of course, from the Sachin era to the Shafali era, with an entire generation in between – MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli… – missing out on the allure of the Friday afternoon magic in Sharjah, where India didn’t just have to counter reverse swing but also a vociferous crowd.Between then and now, we have had the IPL – in 2014, 2020 and 2021 – and the Women’s T20 Challenge 2020 (the precursor to the Women’s Premier League) – making pitstops in Sharjah, while the showstoppers have been reserved for Dubai. And, in this period, while India’s standing in the game, both as a team and financially, has grown several folds, Sharjah continues to remain a throwback to the good old 1990s.The only brush Indian women have had with Sharjah was during the 2020 Women’s T20 Challenge•BCCIFlakes of rust come off steel pillars that hold the top tier of the main pavilion block that has remained untouched. The structure of VIP enclosures that used to house the who’s who of Bollywood – and many others, some savoury, some not – have remained the same, except for old chairs being replaced with cushy leather seats. The long-stemmed ceiling fans continue to be the biggest source of relief, even though those in the media centre have been given the added luxury of coolers. The steel gates that separated the players’ area from the hospitality and media boxes are still present even if it takes little effort to jump over them.It’s not just the inner surroundings that have retained the old-world charm. The (call to prayer) from the mosque nearby echoes around the open ground, bringing work, around the factories and warehouses in the vicinity, to a standstill five times a day. The shop – immune to the concept of digital payments – remains a source of relief to the massive gig-worker population that lives and works in the industrial area.If some of them are lucky enough to afford the time to watch some cricket, they will realise how close they are to the action, looking straight down from the low-built stands, especially from the main block. The hooting and chanting remain, along with the added flavour of Sri Lanka’s papare band that has fans, even the cricketers at times, crooning to ballets and blockbusters of the past.Mazhar Khan, whose association with the venue as general manager spans over four decades now, continues to overlook all the decking up. “Fourteen thousand tickets, all sold,” he says as he continues to receive messages requesting for the prized pieces of paper. “So much has changed in Indian cricket, and world cricket. But it’s impossible to cater to everyone’s demand for tickets.”The more things change, the more they remain the same. Like Sharjah.