Liverpool are well on course to clinch a second Premier League title in the club’s history as they sit six points clear of Arsenal, with a game in hand still to play.

The Reds ensured that the gap remained at six points over the weekend with a convincing 4-1 win over newly-promoted side Ipswich Town at Anfield.

Two goals from Cody Gakpo, after strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai and Mo Salah, secured all three points for Arne Slot’s team, which meant that the Gunners did not gain any ground on them.

The Reds, who are also top of their Champions League group, have benefitted from Manchester City having their first huge wobble in the Premier League in many years.

Pep Guardiola’s team have lost six of their 23 matches in the division, leaving them 12 points behind Liverpool, having played a game more, as it stands.

The reigning champions have, however, dipped into the market to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season and that may be a concern moving forward, more so for next season, after they swooped to sign Omar Marmoush this month.

Why Omar Marmoush could concern Liverpool

Back in October of 2024, Sky Germany reported that Liverpool were in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over a deal to sign the Egypt international to bolster their attacking options.

This suggests that the recruitment team, and Slot, viewed Marmoush as a player with the quality, or potential, to come in and improve the team’s attack with his play as a centre-forward or out wide on the left.

Manchester City, however, ultimately won the race for his signature and reportedly paid a fee of £59m to bring him to The Etihad, before he made his debut in a 3-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday.

The 25-year-old star was signed by the Cityzens, and wanted by Liverpool, after a return of 37 goals and 20 assists in 67 matches for Frankfurt in all competitions during his time with the German outfit.

Marmoush racked up 20 goals and 14 assists in 27 outings in all competitions in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he has arrived in England in red-hot form in the final third.

As you can see in some of the clips above, Marmoush is a direct, fast, and dynamic forward who can score all types of goals from different positions across the pitch with his exceptional footwork, speed, and finishing ability.

This is why Liverpool may be concerned about City’s deal to sign the forward, because he has the potential to be a big signing for Guardiola who can help to bring them back to their best, whether that happens this season or for their title-challenge next term.

The Reds could, however, sign their answer to Omar Marmoush by dipping into the market to land their own right-footed left-sided attacker from the Bundesliga.

Liverpool's interest in Bundesliga forward

German journalist Christian Falk recently revealed, whilst speaking on The Daily Briefing, that Liverpool are one of a number of clubs that are interested in a deal to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund.

Transfer Focus

The reporter claimed that Dortmund would prefer to sell him to a team from abroad, amid interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, which could provide the Reds with a boost in their pursuit of the England U21 international.

Speaking on The Daily Briefing, as transcribed by CaughtOffside, Falk said: “It’s true. Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are also in the transfer race with Bayern for Jamie Gittens.

“Dortmund are currently looking for a transfer fee of €100m. Should Premier League clubs bid for the Englishman, Bayern are aware that completing a transfer on their end will be difficult.”

This means that Liverpool would have to splash out a mega transfer fee of £84m to secure a deal for the 20-year-old youngster, although it remains to be seen whether the interested parties want to get a transfer done now or if they are willing to wait until the summer.

If the Reds can see off interest from the likes of Chelsea and Bayern Munich, Slot could land his own version of Marmoush by signing the former Manchester City academy starlet.

Why Jamie Gittens could be Liverpool's Omar Marmoush

The obvious connection between the two players is that they have both starred in the Bundesliga this season and are both right-footed players who can operate on the left side, cutting in on their favoured foot, or in central areas.

Gittens has not quite matched Marmoush’s incredible haul of 34 goal contributions in 27 matches in all competitions for Frankfurt, but the Dortmund dynamo is five years younger than the Manchester City signing and has shown immense potential with his performances in the German top-flight and the Champions League this term.

In Europe, the English whiz has racked up four goals and two ‘big chances’ created in seven appearances – six starts – in the league phase, which shows that he has made a big impact in the final third in that competition.

The £84m-rated star, who was once described as a “pure difference-maker” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the pace, technical quality, and movement to constantly make things happen at the top end of the pitch, much like Marmoush.

24/25 Bundesliga	Jamie Gittens
Starts	15
xG	2.44
Goals	7
Big chances created	5
Assists	3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Gittens has also offered plenty of quality in the Bundesliga this season, with 12 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 15 starts.

Overall, the England youth international has contributed with 11 goals and seven ‘big chances’ created in 21 starts in the Bundesliga and the Champions League combined, which shows that he could arrive at Anfield to make a big impact in the final third on a consistent basis.

Best January move since Van Dijk: Liverpool plot bid for amazing defender

Liverpool could sign a “magnificent talent” who would be their best January signing since Van Dijk

By
Connor Holden

Jan 27, 2025

Therefore, the 20-year-old starlet, who still has plenty of time left to develop and improve, could be Slot’s own version of Marmoush on the left flank if the club can secure a deal for his services this month or in the summer.

Up against more than just the opposition, South Africa displayed grit and determination to conquer Perth again, finding fresh heroes while they were at it

Firdose Moonda07-Nov-2016In the summer, Perth suffers from extreme heat but there’s a doctor to cure it. The Fremantle Doctor. The wind that blows from the nearby coast cools down the surrounding suburbs, but at a cost. It sends beach-goers away and ruins barbecues, and for those having a jog on the Swan River bank, it presents a challenge similar to the one South Africa experienced at the WACA over the last five days: the challenge of being pushed back while trying to push forward before ultimately prevailing.Faf du Plessis described it as one “one of the most special experiences” he has been involved in. “To turn around 360 degrees from day one when we were under the pump and under a lot of pressure, day two was one of the best days of cricket I have been involved in,” he said.South Africa’s problems started before the first day, even before they even reached Perth. AB de Villiers was ruled out of the series a month before it began, which robbed them of their captain and their best batsman. If anyone thought that was a blessing in disguise, they wouldn’t have dared to do anything other than whisper it. Even though Faf du Plessis’ leadership credentials were lauded after the 5-0 whitewash of Australia in the home ODIs and JP Duminy was starting to show signs of form, South Africa without de Villiers is a without the .South Africa had almost the same team as the one that lost in India and against England at home, but were different from the side they had become since Australia last saw them. That’s not even taking into account Graeme Smith’s retirement, which took place almost three years ago. It sometimes seems like South Africa are yet to recover from it. They had not found an opener with Smith’s sheer and consistent bloody-mindedness, at least not until day three.The pressure on Hashim Amla is also taking its toll. This is the first time in a decade that Amla had contributed just one run to a team effort. If there is a sign that winds of change were starting to blow in South Africa’s batting line-up, that is the strongest one.In the first innings, South Africa were blown away for 242 but the knowledge that 225 was enough four years ago would have given South Africa something to work with, even when David Warner made it look as though 600 would not be enough. The only time doubt might have swirled in their mind would have been 42 minutes before lunch on the second day when Dale Steyn went down clutching his shoulder with a look that said his Test series was over.’To have a seamer down the whole Test match and do what we’ve done… it’s 99% impossible to win’ – Faf du Plessis•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesNever mind the wider consequences of Steyn’s injury – and those will be felt over the next six months – in that moment, it meant South Africa’s head-wind had become a solid barrier. With two frontline seamers and a left-arm spinner on debut, South Africa had to take nine wickets and ensure Australia did not get too far ahead. Then, they would have to take ten more. The only person looking forward to figuring out how to make that work was du Plessis.”There was a lot of emotion of [knowing] it’s going to be really tough to get a victory from here. To have a seamer down the whole Test match and do what we’ve done – we always joke that if you lose a seamer in a three-seamer attack, its 99% impossible to win the Test because there’s just too much of a workload. But it’s a nice challenge. I enjoy strategic challenges where you can test yourself and do things a little bit out of the box,” du Plessis said.Steyn had already got some reverse swing. Du Plessis was sure Rabada and Philander could exploit that but he needed an older ball. For that, he needed other bowlers and Maharaj was his man. “He relentlessly bowled in a good area and made sure we could rotate guys. There was a period of dead cricket. We knew Vernon and KG [Rabada] weren’t going to bowl much so it was a process of getting there. That time in between getting the ball to reverse was the time to completely kill the game and that was Keshav. That allowed us to play around with our bowlers and luckily, the bowlers stepped up and we got the wickets.”Within two sessions, South Africa had escaped the eye of the storm. It’s little wonder that Steyn was shooting the breeze that night, walking the streets of Perth, fresh off a train journey from visiting his father’s brother, who lives 40 minutes outside the city. His father had made the trip this time, to visit his sibling and watch his son. He only really got to do the former.Steyn was in pain and held his right arm at ninety degrees to protect it from excess movement. He was resigned to his fate, disappointed. Several people stopped to ask Steyn for selfies and he obliged every one. He flew out of Perth on Sunday night and landed home just in time to watch the last wicket.”Massive effort,” Steyn tweeted, the same words he used to describe JP Duminy and Dean Elgar’s hundreds which allowed South Africa to direct the gusts Australia’s way. Then, they just copied what they did in 2012, almost to script. A big partnership put the target beyond Australia’s reach and the declaration came with more than enough time to bowl them out again, even though Australia showed a lot more resistance.Rabada’s fitness was the hallmark of their second-innings triumph. He bowled two eight-over spells on the fourth day and an opening spell of six overs on the fifth morning. Du Plessis could not get the ball out of his hand, except to give it to to Temba Bavuma, who is emerging as a cult hero in this country. “He could have a three-for,” du Plessis reminded us.Ultimately, it was Bavuma who was the microcosm of South Africa’s performance. In the face of adversity as stiff as the Fremantle doctor, they needed each other and when they gave all they had, they reclaimed Perth and the wind stopped blowing.

Babar Azam brought up his fifth consecutive ODI century in the UAE

Bharath Seervi16-Oct-2017Pakistan’s young sensation Babar Azam raced to his seventh ODI century in just his 33rd innings, making him the quickest to the mark. He got there eight innings quicker than, who scored it in his 41st innings. Among Pakistan batsmen, the quickest was Zaheer Abbas in 42 innings.The century in the second ODI was Azam’s fifth successive one in the UAE. He’s the first ever player to score five consecutive centuries in a country. He had hit three in three games against West Indies last year before this series. The previous record holder in this case was AB de Villiers with four tons in a row in India. Among Pakistan players, Zaheer Abbas and Saeed Anwar had scored three successive tons in the UAE. Azam’s five tons are now the second-most by any player in the UAE, trailing the seven scored by Anwar and Sachin Tendulkar

Most consecutive ODI centuries in a country

Batsman 100s Country PeriodBabar Azam 5 UAE 2016-2017AB de Villiers 4 India 2010-2011Zaheer Abbas 3 Pakistan 1982-1983Saeed Anwar 3 UAE 1993Quinton de Kock 3 South Africa 2013Kumar Sangakkara 3 Australia 2015Azam scored his first century on September 30, 2016 and has made seven since. All other Pakistan batsmen have a combined three hundreds in this period: one each for Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik and Fakhar Zaman. David Warner is the only other player to score seven centuries in this period.ESPNcricinfo LtdOne thing that has stood out in the last 13 months is his Azam’s conversion rate of fifties into hundreds. In the 18 innings since the start of series against West Indies last year, Azam has failed to make a century only once after going past 50. That was against Australia at the WACA, when he was dismissed for 84. In 15 innings prior to this period, he had scored five fifties but couldn’t convert any of those into hundreds. Out of 11 players who have scored three or more centuries in this period, no other player matches the fifties to hundreds conversion rate of Babar’s 87.50%. Warner is next on the list with 77.78% – with seven hundreds from nine 50-plus scores.Azam averaged 37.57 from his first 15 innings, but since unravelling his century habit, he has averaged 75.53 in 18 innings. Only Virat Kohli (81.84) averages higher than Azam in this period among 41 players scoring who have scored a minimum of 500 runs.

Split-up of Babar Azam’s ODI career

Span Runs Ave 100s 50sFirst 15 inns 526 37.57 0 5Last 18 inns 1133 75.53 7 1All seven of Azam’s hundreds have come at the No. 3 position. In 17 innings, he has scored 1118 runs at that position at an average of 79.85. His average at No. 3 is the best among 58 players with a minimum of 1000 runs. He has already reached seventh position among batsmen with most centuries at the No. 3 position. Overall, his average of 57.20 is second only to Ryan ten Doeschate among 358 players with a minimum of 1000 runs. No Pakistan batsman who has batted more than 10 innings at No.3 averages more than 50.

Jos Buttler has barely played red-ball cricket since being dropped from the Test side in 2015, and he believes that has helped him discover his game

George Dobell in Mumbai09-Dec-20161:05

Buttler calls for more consistent bowling

Jos Buttler has credited a lack of first-class cricket as a crucial ingredient in his successful return to the Test team.Buttler made 76, his second highest Test score, to help England reach 400 in their first innings in Mumbai. It was an impressive contribution for a number of reasons, not least the restraint Buttler exhibited against testing bowling. It was also his first half-century in first-class cricket since May 2015.More pertinently, it was just his fifth first-class innings since he was dropped from the England Test team in the UAE in October 2015.But far from seeing that lack of red-ball cricket as a disadvantage, Buttler insisted it was a factor in his relative success.”I don’t feel like having not played first-class cricket mattered to me at all,” Buttler said. “Probably the best thing for me is having not played any red-ball cricket for a year and having some time to think about my game.”We play so much cricket that sometimes there isn’t enough time to think, break down your game and work out what is vital to get the best out of yourself. I feel like the last year I’ve probably learned the most about myself and about cricket in my whole career.”While Buttler’s words clash with conventional wisdom – Alastair Cook described Buttler’s lack of first-class cricket as “clearly not ideal” ahead of the Mohali Test – there appear to be a growing number of players arguing for the benefits of a fresh body and mind over the virtues of regular games. Certainly Eoin Morgan has previously said he felt “twice the man” for a month’s rest ahead of an ODI series – while Kevin Pietersen has often remarked that England’s cricketers are obliged to battle not only their opponents, but their own schedules.At the time Buttler was dropped from the Test side, he seemed confused and lacking in confidence. He had failed to reach 50 in his 12 most recent Test innings – he had not reached 10 on six of those occasions – and later admitted he was “relieved” to have been left out.”I got to a stage where I was not concentrating and did not want to be there,” Buttler told The Telegraph this time last year. “It was a relief to get dropped. I was not enjoying walking out there and feeling like I didn’t know where the next run was coming from.”Crucial to Buttler’s improvement now – and it does have to be said, these are early days in his recall and the returns, while pleasing, are relatively modest – has been a renewed belief in his own abilities. And while these haven’t been demonstrated in copious amounts – or even sparse amounts – of first-class runs (injury and white-ball commitments limited him to a single County Championship match in the 2016 season), they are real nevertheless.Jos Buttler’s highest Test score carried England to 400•AFPAfter all, Buttler is the scorer of the three quickest ODI centuries made by an England player. He has shown, in many T20 and List A situations, that he has a rare ability. Few doubt his talent.But, after a series of failures in Test cricket, he had begun to doubt himself. And without the time and space to reflect and then work on his game, he felt he was sinking deeper into the mire with every dismissal.”I’ve learned one of the big things you have to have, that the top players have, is belief in your own game,” he said. “You have to be confident that, when you get a chance, you’re going to perform.”You’re your own best coach. There’s plenty of people out there to speak to, but probably one of the things I was doing when I struggled was speaking to too many people. It is better bringing it back to a few close people you trust and to yourself. No one can do it for you.”You can receive great advice, but you’ve got to believe in yourself.”Part of the reason for Buttler’s limited appearances in first-class cricket in 2016 was a decision to appear in the IPL. While there still appears to be some controversy about such decisions in English cricket, Buttler’s decision was fully supported by the ECB – indeed, they currently encourage players to gain experience in high-profile T20 leagues – on the basis of their increased prioritisation of white-ball cricket.If Buttler goes on to help England to that elusive global ODI trophy – and he may well – it may well be credited as a contributory factor. Anyway, had he not subsequently broken his thumb playing T20 cricket for Lancashire, he would still have been able to play several Championship matches.Besides, he feels the experience of representing Mumbai Indians in the IPL may have helped him deal with the conditions and the environment in Mumbai.”It probably helps, having practised and played here,” Buttler said. “Having experienced IPL, you get used to the noise and chaos going on around you. You learn to deal with it and not get distracted. I think familiarity is good and definitely helps.”Might there be a bit of contradiction there? After all, he argues that “familiarity is good” when it comes to batting in Mumbai, but freshness is best when it comes to building an innings against a red ball.It doesn’t really matter. Just as Ben Duckett’s success in the English domestic season didn’t much matter when he came up against Ravi Ashwin and co. And just as Mark Ramprakash and Graeme Hick’s century of first-class centuries didn’t matter when it came to Test cricket. Success in county cricket is no guarantee.All that matters is whether their method works in Test cricket. So while you would think that Buttler would benefit from more experience, while you would think he would benefit from learning how to build an innings – he has, after all, a modest first-class record (just four first-class centuries and an average of 32) – if he can demonstrate that his method works, he should be encouraged to embrace it.This was an impressive innings. While Parthiv Patel’s description of the early part of it as “very lucky” is somewhat graceless (and antagonistic), it is not entirely without truth. But while Buttler found batting a desperate struggle against the spinners on the first evening, he had the confidence and composure not to try and thrash his way out of trouble.While there were glimpses of the fine limited-overs player he has become – a few reverse-sweeps and one heave over mid-on for six – it was the less eye-catching skills that helped him here: his patience; his soft hands (not least when playing Jayant Yadav in front of leg slip when he had scored only 1), his ability to manoeuvre the ball and his maturity in dealing with the periods of pressure. Only once – in his 73 against New Zealand at Leeds in 2015 (his most recent half-century before this) – had he faced more deliveries in a Test innings.The game has changed. We live in an age where players reach centuries on debut with reverse-sweeps, where catches are routinely taken by fielders using the both sides of the boundary, where switch-hits and doosras have become part of the lexicon of the game. If Buttler wants to do things his way – and if it works – that should be just fine.

The 21-year old has the same wiry frame and is said to be rather slippery off the pitch, even if he doesn’t quite have the same outswinger

Daniel Brettig13-Jan-2018It’s a fair measure of Australia’s investment in bowlers of high pace that the quickest stuff Steven Smith has faced all Ashes summer came in a Sheffield Shield match, from a young West Australian who is now part of the ODI squad to face England. Jhye Richardson clocked in the region of 148kph at Hurstville Oval, faster than Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood or Pat Cummins in the same fixture.Unlike the New South Wales trio, 21-year-old Richardson is not particularly tall and still building strength around his 178cm frame. But fast-twitch muscle fibres and a rigidly locked front leg at the point of delivery have contributed to a whippy, slippery bowling method that now means Smith will have a different shot in his locker, both for this series and in other assignments for the future.”It is something different, it’s nice to have different bowlers so you don’t get in a rhythm as a batsman, so he does bring something different, but he’s very good as well,” Smith said of Richardson. “He bowls with good pace, he swung the ball both ways in the nets, he’s got some really good skills, and having played a Shield game against him earlier in the year I got to see those skills first-hand, which was really nice. I thought he bowled really well on a pretty flat wicket at Hurstville, so he’s a bright prospect and he’ll get his opportunity at some point throughout this series.”The impression Smith formed at Hurstville was definitely the kind that Richardson was trying to create, sustaining his pace late in the game to demonstrate durability and an appetite for hard work. Managed carefully like all others deemed “super fast” by the Australian set-up, he was equally notable for being able to get through four out of the first five Shield fixtures while scooping 17 wickets at 26.29, the most for his state.”[Hurstville] was a pretty flat wicket, quite a slow wicket, so I think the plan was to try to bowl a few bumpers at him so I started charging in, as you do as a fast bowler, you want to get up someone when you’re trying to run in and bowl short at them, so I ramped it up a little bit,” Richardson said. “I like bowling fast and running in fast.”When it gets hot, bodies are going to get tired, even the main fast bowlers will say they get tired at some point. So that’s the struggle of fast bowling, being out there in 40C heat and you have to bowl a lot of overs at 140kph, it’s a tough trade, but that’s what we train to do, and I think I’ll be quite equipped for it.”We had a plan at the start of the year, which I completely understood. They explained it all to me and said ‘our plan for you is probably to have a rest at some point’ and I was completely okay with that. I understand what has to go on to get you through a Shield season, and I’m happy with how I played, being on the park. Having played the Big Bash last year I didn’t play any Shield games, so to have played four or five already is awesome.”Jhye Richardson celebrates the wicket of Travis Dean•Getty ImagesBatsmen have reported that Richardson’s skid and swing make him an awkward opponent, with the extra pace adding further discomfort. There are certain parallels with a young Dale Steyn, and Richardson was not shy in saying he had been inspired to bowl fast by watching the South African, who has prospered with a similar height and wiry frame.”Early age there was a lot of talk about how tall I was going to be, but I didn’t really think about it too much,” Richardson said. “Someone like Dale Steyn, he’s proved to everyone that you don’t have to be tall and you don’t have to be a solid bloke to be able to run in, bowl fast and bowl well, so I think it just comes down to you being a different fast bowler. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be better or worse, it just means you’ll be a little bit different.”I think [speed] helps, but being in the West Australian set-up quite early I think has been the main one, being able to develop with the coaches that we’ve got in WA, someone like Justin Langer, Adam Griffith when he was there and now Kade Harvey our bowling coach, they’ve been the key guys that have helped me to develop so quickly, I’m becoming more confident with my game, every training session and every game I play. Without those guys I wouldn’t be here.”Bowling fast helps, we have quite good wickets in Australia so that is definitely a help, but it’s more of a development process and for me to be able to stay on the park and bowl good balls. I was still quite quick when I was young but being in the WA squad, being able to get in the gym and strengthen up, I’m still not a big guy, but being able to strengthen the areas that need to be from an early age has helped me to be able to bowl quicker, become stronger and stay on the park for a little bit longer.”With Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc all set to rest at various points of the series, Richardson can expect to play, and to be asked to fulfil numerous roles by Smith. One adjustment he will need to make is from the 24 balls required to bowl in a Twenty20 match rising to 60 in an ODI.”That’s something we have to sum up when we play,” Richardson said of his role. “I could come in and need to play a different role than being the impact bowler. I could have to come in and try to tie up an end during a period where they’re going really well. I’m ready for whatever challenge pops up, if I do get to play and I need to come in and do a particular job then I’m ready for it.”You have to be quite disciplined, you’ve got 60 balls, not 24. In the Big Bash, you can go for a few boundaries but one dot ball out of 24 is [more important] than one out of 60. But having said that, if you go to the boundary more often in a one-day game, you’ve got 60 balls to do that, so you’ve got be quite a lot more disciplined in the sense that you’ve got a lot more balls to bowl, a lot more good balls.”It’s not all about pace, we get told that quite early. Especially at this level, you can bowl as fast as you want but if you’re not bowling well it goes to the boundary just as quick.”Close observers of WA have noted that Richardson’s progress appears to be trending sharply up, and he was one of the players who surprised Marcus Stoinis when he returned home to play for the Warriors between seasons. “He’s really turned it up this year,” Stoinis said. “Can bowl bloody quick and shorter, so it’s quite skiddy. Super-talented, skilful. Looking to take wickets all the time. Then his batting has improved out of sight. I was quite surprised moving back to WA to see how well he was batting. And he’s a jet in the field – so he’s a good all-round package.”

And who is the youngest player to feature in the IPL?

Steven Lynch01-May-2018Is Mujeeb Ur Rahman the youngest overseas player to feature in the IPL? asked Qadir Ahmed from Pakistan
The Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was born on March 28, 2001, and so was only 11 days past his 17th birthday when he made his debut for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in Chandigarh on April 8 this year. That doesn’t just make him the youngest overseas player in the IPL (a record formerly held by the Australian allrounder Mitchell Marsh, at 18 years 170 days in 2010), but the youngest from anywhere.Mujeeb took the overall record from Sarfaraz Khan, who was aged 17 years 177 days when he made his IPL debut, for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru in 2015. Four other 17-year-olds have appeared in the IPL: Pradeep Sangwan (for Delhi Daredevils in 2008), Washington Sundar and Rahul Chahar (both for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017), and Ishan Kishan (Gujarat Lions 2016).The oldest man to appear in the IPL is the Australian spinner Brad Hogg, who was 45 years 92 days old when he played his last match for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2016. Praveen Tambe (43), Muttiah Muralitharan (42), Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist (41), Sanath Jayasuriya, Rahul Dravid, Azhar Mahmood and Sachin Tendulkar (40) all played when they were over 40 years of age. Tendulkar’s last IPL match, in Mumbai in 2013, came 19 days after his 40th birthday.Is it true that Frank Worrell’s batting average never went below 50 until his final Test? asked Craig Lewis from Barbados
The great West Indian batsman Sir Frank Worrell played 51 Tests, and finished with a batting average of 49.48 after being bowled by Brian Statham for 9 in his final match, at The Oval in 1963. Before that his average had been 50.01.After his first two Tests – against England in 1947-48 – brought innings of 97, 28 not out and 131 not out, Worrell had an average of 256. Not surprisingly it dropped a little after that, but it was still over 70 after 14 matches (by the end of West Indies’ tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1951-52). It remained over 50 almost throughout the rest of his career – but did dip just below that during the first two matches of India’s tour of the Caribbean in 1961-62. A duck in the first Test, in Port-of-Spain, took him to a career-low 49.79. An innings of 58 in the next Test took it back to 49.91, then 77 in Bridgetown got the average back above 50, where it stayed until his final Test, by which time Worrell was 39. For his averages throughout his Test career, click here.The only two players who maintained a batting average of over 50 throughout their Test careers were Herbert Sutcliffe of England, whose lowest was his final mark of 60.73, and Pakistan’s Javed Miandad (a lowest of 51.75).Australia’s 209 for 4 against England last month is the highest innings total in a women’s T20I•AFPWas Australia’s 209 the other day the highest total in a women’s T20 international? asked Jamie Stewart from Canada
Australia’s 209 for 4 against England in Mumbai last month was indeed the highest score in women’s T20Is. The only other total above 200 is South Africa’s 205 for 1 against the Netherlands in Potchefstroom in October 2010. Then comes England’s 199 for 3, to overhaul India’s 198 for 4 in Mumbai last month (six days before Australia’s record). Not surprisingly, that match, which featured 397 runs in all, had the highest aggregate for any women’s T20I.I wondered who the leading allrounder was in men’s T20 internationals – has anyone yet scored 500 runs and taken 50 wickets? asked David Powell from England
At the moment there are six men who have reached both 500 runs and 50 wickets in T20Is. The man nearest to the 1000-run/100-wicket double is Shahid Afridi: he’s the leading wicket-taker overall, with 97, and also scored 1405 runs – but he played the last of his 98 matches in March 2016.The others to have done it are Dwayne Bravo of West Indies (1142 runs and 52 wickets), Mohammad Nabi of Afghanistan (961 runs and 61 wickets), Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien (702 runs and 54 wickets), Thisara Perera of Sri Lanka (959 runs and 50 wickets), and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (1237 runs and 75 wickets)Will the ECB’s new 100-ball competition require a whole new set of statistical records? asked Martin Sanders from England
I imagine it will: I can almost see some of the technical boffins in ESPNcricinfo’s offices scratching their heads about it even now, especially how to cope with the idea of a ten-ball over. (Bowlers everywhere are presumably doing the same.)I suppose it might be possible to lump the figures together with the T20 ones, perhaps calling it “short-form” or some similar name. The existing List A figures, after all, include matches played over a variety of innings lengths. In England alone there have been regular competitions over 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 overs (and even 65 in the earliest days of the Gillette Cup), and all these are treated as one format for stats purposes.

ESPNcricinfo previews Lancashire’s prospects for the 2017 season

David Hopps31-Mar-2017Last season:

In: Dane Vilas (Kolpak), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Kolpak), Brooke Guest
Out: Tom Smith (retired), Nathan Buck (Northamptonshire), Gareth Griffiths (Leicestershire), Luis Reece (Derbyshire), George Edwards, Alviro Petersen (both released)
Overseas: Ryan McLaren (SA), Junaid Khan (Pak, T20)2016 in a nutshell
Since they pulled off a wholly unexpected Championship triumph in 2011, Lancashire’s two subsequent seasons in Division One had ended in relegation. At the last in 2016, they avoided an unwanted hat-trick, but after leading the table by winning three of their first five matches, they failed to win again and ultimately only made sure of their first division status on the final day. Once Neil Wagner departed for New Zealand duty and James Anderson did likewise with England, they looked pedestrian, apart from Kyle Jarvis who bowled quickly at times as he took 51 wickets. At least there was satisfaction in the emergence of Haseeb Hameed and Liam Livingstone, as unalike in their approach as any batsmen in the country, but both brimful of promise. Lancashire’s limited-overs cricket was disappointing. Fancied to make a strong challenge in the Blast, they failed to qualify, and once again their 50-overs cricket was desultory as they finished bottom of the group.2017 prospects
Lancashire are another county to have gone down the Kolpak route over the winter, adding the old barnacle himself, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Dane Vilas, an attacking wicketkeeper-batsman to their squad. Chanderpaul is still grinding out hundreds for Guyana, at 42, and Vilas’ first-class average is close to 40, although he lacks the batting pedigree of two recent South Africans at Lancashire, Alviro Petersen and Ashwell Prince. Ryan McLaren, 34 and another South Africa international, moves from Hampshire as a serviceable but hardly exciting overseas signing. It all feels like an attempt to shore up a Division One spot rather than an assault on the title, as well as lift performance levels in the Royal London Cup where the effects of a thin squad are often most felt. The spin of Arron Lilley and Stephen Parry, perhaps enhanced this season by Livingstone’s mix of offspin and legspin, should again serve them well in T20. Lancashire’s academy has been productive of late, with Rob Jones and Saqib Mahmood also worthy of mention, and Glen Chapple, the head coach, contends that opportunities for all are inevitable, but it remains to be seen if they can create a successful blend.In charge
Ashley Giles has returned to Warwickshire, his first love, and in his place Lancashire have appointed two of their own. Chapple and his assistant Mark Chilton both had many years of service to the Red Rose, with nearly 1100 appearances between them. In an age of overseas coaches, to appoint from within, remarked Lancashire’s chairman Michael Cairns, would “create a model of aspiration for the wider club, especially the younger players coming through”.Key player
Livingstone, who first came to prominence as a limited-overs hitter, pressed Giles into giving him an opportunity in the Championship last season and the results were impressive: 815 runs at 50.93, although he is the first to accept that much of his success came batting down at No. 7. A rewarding England Lions tour of Sri Lanka has smoothed away a few more rough edges and Lancashire will be eager to see proof of that in all three forms of the game from a batsman whose impressive power can turn a game in a trice. Lions coach Andy Flower, not a man giving to exaggeration, says he has seen few people strike the ball harder.Bright young thing
Mahmood, a former England U-19 fast bowler, has appeared in this section before, and with several attempts to strengthen their fast-bowling stocks from outside the county coming to naught, Lancashire’s need for him to impress is now more pressing. Mahmood bowls with good pace and a low, whippy action and made his Championship debut on a flat pitch against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl last August. He also joined England’s Pace Performance squad in South Africa in the winter and featured in the recent North v South series.ESPNcricinfo verdict
Lancashire were tipped for relegation by some when they won the Championship in 2011 so assessing their chances is not always a simple task, but they do not immediately have the look of trophy winners. Survival in Division One will not be straightforward unless they get another early-season flyer when Anderson is around.Bet365 odds: Specsavers Championship, Div 2: 14-1; NatWest Blast 12-1; Royal London Cup 14-1

It has been nearly six years since England had a long-term stable opening partnership in Test cricket

George Dobell30-May-20181 Nick Compton2012-13 (and 2016)

Tests as opener: 10
100s: 2. 50s: 1
Highest score: 117
Average: 31.12

Back-to-back centuries in New Zealand suggested Compton had what it takes as a Test opener. But he never again reached 20 as an opener and was dropped ahead of the 2013 Ashes. Perhaps with more sensitive man-management, he might have fared better, but when recalled for a stint at No. 3 (he had one more innings as an opener), he again started well and then faded.2 Joe RootGetty Images2013 (and 2016)

Tests as opener: 6
100s: 1. 50s: 2
Highest score: 180
Average: 41.70

Promoted to open in the 2013 Ashes, Root made one memorable century at Lord’s – during which he was dropped early – but otherwise only passed 30 once in the series. In retrospect it was a premature elevation for a man still learning his trade. After briefly losing his place at the end of the 2013-14 Ashes, he returned to establish himself as one of the best middle-order players in the world. Briefly returned, with success, to the top of the order in the Mohali Test when Haseeb Hameed was indisposed.3 Michael CarberryGetty Images2013-14

Tests as opener: 6

100s: 0. 50s: 1
Highest score: 60
Average: 28.75

One of the more unfortunate players on this list, five of Carberry’s six Tests came against an outstanding Australia attack featuring Mitchell Johnson at his best and Ryan Harris not far from his. Carberry performed as well as anyone: he faced more balls than any England player in the series and only Kevin Pietersen scored more runs. But having passed 50 only once, he was dropped as England looked to rebuild at the end of the series.4 Sam RobsonPA Photos2014

Tests as opener: 7
100s: 1. 50s: 1
Highest score: 127
Average: 30.54

Born in Sydney but with a mother from Nottinghamshire, Robson represented Australia Under-19s before committing his future to England. A century in his second Test promised much but some uncertainty around off stump – he was bowled four times and caught in the cordon five times in 11 Test innings – undermined his progress. He was dropped at the end of the 2014 English season, having failed to reach 40 in his final four Tests.5 Jonathan TrottGetty Images2015

Tests as opener: 4
100s: 0. 50s: 1
Highest score: 64
Average: 19.37

An ill-fated return as opening batsman in the Caribbean in early 2015 never threatened to work out. Although he made one half-century in helping Cook post an opening stand of 125 in Grenada, Trott was dismissed for three ducks and two other scores under 10 in six innings. He later admitted he knew he was “screwed” as soon as he walked out to bat in the first Test of the series, with the anxiety issues that had previously plagued him returning with a vengeance.6 Adam LythGetty Images2015

Tests as opener: 7
100s: 1. 50s: 0
Highest score: 107
Average: 20.38

Like Robson, Lyth also made a century in his second Test – in front of his Yorkshire faithful at Headingley, no less. But he was unable to kick on from that solid beginning. He only reached 20 once more and never again passed 40 – his next highest score of 37 came in the opening Test of that summer’s Ashes, in Cardiff. Increasingly loose outside off stump, he averaged just 12.77 in the series.7 Moeen AliMoeen Ali helped England reach the close on 56 without loss•Getty Images2015-16

Tests as opener: 3
100s: 0. 50s: 0
Highest score: 35
Average: 14

Moeen’s promotion from No. 8 (he had actually batted at 9 in two of the final three Ashes innings of August 2015) was always likely to prove testing, but with England looking for a way to squeeze a second spinner into the side for their three-match series in the UAE, Moeen was – as ever – the man asked to compromise. He started well enough, adding 116 with Cook in the first innings of the series, but from there his form and confidence fell away sharply. In five other innings he failed to reach 25.8 Alex HalesGetty Images2015-16

Tests as opener: 11
100s: 0. 50s: 5
Highest score: 94
Average: 27.28

After a tricky start against South Africa, there were times Hales seemed close to cracking it in Test cricket. Three times in five innings he passed 80 against Sri Lanka without converting to that elusive maiden century. He was also never quite able to convert the fluency of his limited-overs cricket to the longer game, and after averaging 18.12 in the four-Test series against Pakistan, the selectors let it be known that he would not have been taken to Bangladesh even if he had not opted out of the tour due to security fears. With the opportunities available to him (and the demands placed upon him) in limited-overs cricket it is entirely possible that future Test opportunities will elude him.9 Ben DuckettAFP2016-17

Tests as opener: 2
100s: 0. 50s: 1
Highest score: 56
Average: 23

Promoted on the back of an outstanding county season, Duckett’s struggles demonstrated how great the divide between Division Two of the county championship and Test cricket has grown. He was perhaps unfortunate to make his debut on tracks offering substantial assistance to spin bowlers but some technical flaws were soon exploited and though he made one fine, counterattacking half-century before being moved down the order, it was an exciting rather than secure innings. He is young and talented enough to come again.10 Haseeb HameedGetty Images2016-17

Tests as opener: 3
100s: 0. 50s: 1
Highest score: 82
Average: 32

By the time the India tour finished, it looked likely that Hameed would be installed as Cook’s opening partner for years to come. He had, after all, set a new highest score for a teenager in Test cricket for England (and only missed out on a century on debut as he attempted to up the pace and set up a declaration) and demonstrated both technique and temperament while batting 50 overs for 25 as England battled for a draw in Vizag. Arguably his best innings was made at No. 8 after sustaining a badly broken finger, but it was made, in part, against the new ball and demonstrated a wider range of strokes than had been apparent before. He endured a horrid start to the County Championship season though – he didn’t register a first-class half-century until August – and the selectors reasoned it may do him more harm than good to expose him to the South Africa attack. You’d still expect him to be back sooner rather than later, though.11 Keaton JenningsGetty Images2016-17

Tests as opener: 6
100s: 1. 50s: 1
Highest score: 112
Average: 24.50

Called up following an outstanding domestic season (in which he scored more Division One runs than anyone), an injury to Hameed and the loss of form of Duckett, Jennings made a century on debut in Mumbai having been dropped before he had scored. He made 54 in the next match, too, but back in England his difficulties around off stump were exposed and he averaged just 15.87 (without a half-century) in the four-match series against South Africa. He was dropped before the West Indies series but recalled less than a year later.12 Mark StonemanGetty Images2017-18

Tests as opener: 11
100s: 0. 50s: 5
Highest score: 60
Average: 27.68

The 12th man to open with Cook since the retirement of Strauss, Stoneman owed his call-up to some consistent form in county cricket – 2017 was the fifth successive season in which he has registered 1,000 first-class runs – and, it has to be said, the failure of almost all other competitors. He was the oldest specialist batsman to win an England Test debut this century. The early signs were promising as he fought hard but, whether by coincidence or not, from the moment he was struck by a bouncer at the WACA the returns diminished. A brace of unconvincing fifties in New Zealand earned him the first chance this season, but Lord’s was an awful experience for him.*Individual records reflect innings played as opening batsmen only. This is an updated version of a story first run on December 7,2016 when Keaton Jennings was called up

From growing up in Kasur to his exploits in domestic cricket, everything you need to know about Pakistan’s rookie sensation

Umar Farooq30-May-2017Where’s he from?
He was born in Kasur, a city close to the Indian border, and about a 45-minute drive from Lahore. You might know the city for the shrine of Bulleh Shah, the celebrated Sufi poet-saint, and also as the birthplace of Noor Jehan, one of Pakistan’s most famous singers. If he plays for Pakistan, Ashraf could become another reason the city is known for – he would be the first from Kasur to play for Pakistan.Tell me a little about his riseThough Kasur is close to Lahore, for the PCB, the district comes into the Faisalabad region, and this is where Ashraf started his competitive cricket, playing in the inter-district Under-19 competition in 2010. He turned out for Kasur at the time as a fast bowler, picking up 10 wickets in 2010, and 15 in 2011. He was promoted to the Faisalabad Under-19 team and wasn’t able to make a major impact, taking 14 wickets, apart from 117 runs, batting with the tail.So what caught the selectors’ eye?In 2013, at a senior district-level tournament, he became the top wicket-taker for Kasur with 22 wickets at 11.13 and also scored 189 runs with the help of two half-centuries. Those performances won him a ticket to first-class cricket, as he broke into the Faisalabad team for the 2013-14 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.I see. And how did that go?Pretty good. He hit a hundred on first-class debut against Multan, at a healthy 60-plus strike rate. Since then, he has played 31 first-class matches, scoring 1207 runs at 32.62 – not a bad haul for someone selectors essentially consider a lower-order batsman. Oh, and he’s also picked up 94 wickets at 26.63. His List A numbers are decent, too, though it is with the ball that he has shone in that format: 60 wickets in 38 games, at a strike rate of 28.1.Any other performances I should be able to reel off like I’m a selector?He might not have compiled remarkable numbers, but with Ashraf, the cameos are the ones that are remembered. He scored 44 against WAPDA at a time when his side, HBL, was languishing at 21 for 6 in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Handily, that was in front of the selection committee last year in Karachi, and he has been on their radar since. He made it to the Pakistan ‘A’ team that played against Zimbabwe and England Lions recently, and 19 wickets in the Departmental One-Day Cup – the highest in the tournament – earlier this year meant he was pushing for an international debut.Is he the answer to…
Pakistan’s ongoing, eternal search for an allrounder? Hold your horses just a second and take a reality check. He is, currently, a kind of leader of the tail, batting mostly between Nos. 7, 8 and 9 for his domestic sides. He averages less than 16 in the format he is likely to make his Pakistan debut in. With the ball, he is usually first or second change, unless an especially grassy pitch presents itself, when he has been known to open the bowling. His nine overs in the two warm-up games have gone for 65, without a wicket, so…Still, don’t just take our word for it.
When he was working his way up from district level and onto the first-class scene, the current national selector and former offspinner Tauseef Ahmed was keeping an eye on him. Tauseef had a chance to monitor Ashraf closely in 2015 while at National Bank of Pakistan (he has since moved to Habib Bank). There, Ashraf made some valuable runs with the tail (271 altogether, at 38.71) and picked up 23 wickets. His ability to strike the ball clean and provide regular breakthroughs – in addition to the ferocity and confidence with which he played the hook shot – was something that stuck with Tauseef.”I actually saw him when he was playing for NBP, and his ability to strike the ball was impressive,” Tauseef said. “What else does a team want when a batsman batting with the tail can get a run-rate between 8 and 10 an over? He has great firepower, and I have seen him doing that quite often on the domestic circuit.”

da bwin： Liverpool are now preparing to make an offer to sign a “superb” attacking player who Manchester United have already offered £70 million for, according to a new report.

Liverpool chasing new attacking talent for summer additions

da luck： Agreeing a new contract with talisman Mohamed Salah is excellent news for the Reds, but it doesn’t appear to be stopping the soon-to-be Premier League champions from looking at players who they believe will improve their attack for next season.

Related Liverpool player has now joined Van Dijk and Salah by signing new contract

The Reds are putting their contract mess behind them.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Apr 17, 2025

Given how Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez, and at times Luis Diaz have struggled for consistency this season, Arne Slot looks to be in the market for new arrivals that can take the pressure off Salah.

It’s been reported that Liverpool are ready to make a £130 million offer to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. The Sweden international is considered to be a priority for the Reds, and they hope this mouth-watering offer is enough to persuade Newcastle to agree a transfer.

It’s not just Isak that the Reds are looking at, as according to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool are also lining up a move to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. The forward is now expected to leave the Bees this summer, and a bid of around £50 million would be enough to secure a transfer.

Liverpool preparing offer to sign Aston Villa star Rogers

The list of attacking options doesn’t stop there, as according to Empire of the Kop, Liverpool have placed Morgan Rogers at the top of their transfer list and are preparing an offer to sign him from Aston Villa.

The report states that his performances for Villa throughout this season have placed him on Liverpool’s radar, and the Reds are now planning a ‘serious’ move to bring him to Anfield. But they are not alone in this race, as the report does add that Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and both Manchester clubs are also interested in the attacking midfielder.

In fact, Man United have already made a bid for Rogers worth £70 million, but it isn’t clear if he would be interested in a move to Old Trafford. Liverpool club chiefs have been left impressed by Rogers’ pace, dribbling and his ability to create clear-cut chances.

Rogers, who has been dubbed “superb” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, has scored eight goals and recorded eight assists in 31 league games this season, making him one of Villa’s key attacking players.

Morgan Rogers’ 24/25 Premier League stats

Apps

31

Starts

31

Goals

8

xG

5.81

Assists

7

xAG

3.91

Shots per game

1.5

Big chances created

12

Key passes

1.4

Successful dribbles per game

1.8 (46%)

A factor that Liverpool fans will hope works to their advantage is that Rogers is sponsored by Adidas, and the Reds have recently secured a £60 million deal per season with Adidas to be their new kit sponsor, perhaps increasing the motivation for FSG to complete a deal for a player who will see them thrive both on the pitch and off it.