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Throughout the years, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been truly blessed with the chance to watch numerous elite-level attackers feature for the club.

Players such as Heung-min Son, Teddy Sheringham and Harry Kane all managed to make themselves club-legends in North London, with the latter breaking nearly every record in sight.

The 32-year-old currently sits at the top of the Lilywhites’ all-time scoring charts on 280, which saw 208 of his efforts come in the Premier League – with only Alan Shearer scoring more.

However, Spurs’ lack of success on the pitch ultimately led to his departure in 2023, which has left boss Thomas Frank unable to have the chance to work alongside the talisman.

He will no doubt want his own elite-level talent within the final third, potentially landing a player of that calibre during the upcoming January transfer window.

Spurs’ hunt for new attackers in January

Over the last couple of months, Spurs have been just one Premier League side linked with a potential deal for Porto star Sami Aghehowa in the winter window.

The Spaniard has been in tremendous goalscoring form during the early stages of 2025/26, as seen by his remarkable tally of 13 goals in his first 22 appearances across all competitions.

However, the Portuguese outfit don’t want to lose their star man anytime soon, subsequently slapping an €80m (£70m) asking price onto the 21-year-old’s head.

He’s not the only centre-forward in their sights ahead of the upcoming window, with Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta another player being considered by Fabio Paratici.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Lilywhites are seriously considering tabling a bid for the Frenchman in January, as his contract talks at Selhurst Park look to have stalled in recent weeks.

It also states that the Eagles may be forced to offload the 28-year-old in the near future to avoid losing him for nothing, with his current deal set to expire in June 2027.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s next Mbeumo

During Frank’s time in charge at Brentford before taking the Spurs job, he often had numerous top-level attackers at his disposal, which helped make the Bees an established top-flight club.

The Dane mainly relied on forward Bryan Mbeumo during the latter years of his spell at the GTEC, with the Cameroonian international providing a constant source of goals in the Premier League.

During the 2024/25 season, the 26-year-old netted a career-best 20 league goals, ending the campaign as just one of five players to achieve the feat in the division.

He no doubt thrived under the 52-year-old across the capital, so much so that the manager made a fierce attempt to land his signature after taking the reins in North London.

However, a reunion just wasn’t meant to be, as Mbeumo opted for a move to join Manchester United during the summer, subsequently leading Frank to hunt for a new talisman.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison have often provided the goods in attacking areas for Spurs this campaign, but Frank could get his new star forward with a move for Mateta this winter.

The Palace star has registered 30 goals in the last two full seasons in England’s top-flight, whilst already making huge waves during the first 15 games of the new campaign.

Mateta already has seven goals in 2025/26, but it’s his underlying stats from his outings at Selhurst Park that would make him Frank’s next star attacker in the capital.

The French international, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has registered 1.6 shots on target per 90 this season, which such a tally ranking him in the top 7% of all players in the league.

Jean-Philippe Mateta – PL stats in 25/26
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	15
Goals scored	7
Shots on target	1.6
Dribbles completed	53%
Crosses completed	75%
Aerials won	2.5
Touches in opposition box	4.1
Recoveries made	3.5
Stats via FotMob

Such a figure showcases his relentless nature in front of goal, handing the Spurs side the constant nuisance and goal threat they have lacked since Kane’s departure.

He’s also completed 53% of his attempted dribbles to date, whilst achieving a 75% cross completion rate – highlighting his all-round nature within the final third.

His biggest asset is his hold-up play, which could allow the Lilywhites to have the needed focal point they’ve craved, with the striker winning 2.5 aerials per 90 so far this season.

It could hand Frank the aerial presence needed to dominate in the 18-yard box, but also an option to help link the play and create intricate moves off a direct ball into the striker.

Whilst he operates in a different role to Mbeumo, the pair have both demonstrated their goalscoring prowess in recent times, with clinical goalscorers often hard to come by in the modern game.

Mateta could provide Frank with exactly what he wants in the January window, with such a move handing the Dane the perfect attacking option to kickstart his career in charge of the Lilywhites.

Their new Son: Spurs have held advanced talks to sign a future £100m player

Tottenham are looking to add fresh quality to their attacking flanks in 2026.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

3 days ago

Everton chiefs are now confident in their bid to sign a “menacing” forward who has a £34 million release clause, according to a new report.

David Moyes wants midfield reinforcements at Everton

Heading into the new stadium, it is clear to see that David Moyes is keen to put together a squad at Everton that can look up the table rather than over their shoulder. The Toffees are unlikely to have lots of money to spend this summer as like everyone else they dance around PSR, but Moyes will have no intentions of another relegation scrap.

Everton in race with West Ham to sign midfielder who can leave for £25m

Everton are now involved in a Premier League race to sign an experienced international midfielder.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 26, 2025

Strengthening his midfield appears to be high on the list, and that can be shown with their latest transfer targets. According to talkSPORT, Everton have returned to Wilfred Ndidi as a potential target this summer. The midfielder could cost Everton as little as £9 million, due to a release clause that has now been activated due to Leicester City suffering relegation.

As well as looking at Ndidi, the Toffees have reportedly registered their interest in signing James McAtee from Manchester City. The attacking midfielder is expected to leave the Etihad due to his lack of game time last season, and he could be available for around £25 million.

There is now a new name on their midfield list, and that is Raphael Onyedika from Club Brugge. Everton are said to be in pole position to sign him, with Club Brugge looking to get £25 million for his services.

Everton confident in their bid to sign Thierno Barry

But as much as Moyes wants a new midfielder, that may have to wait, as the Toffees focus on securing their top striker target. According to TBR Football, Everton are now ready to accelerate talks to sign Thierno Barry from Villarreal.

The Toffees’ interest in Barry emerged at the very start of the summer transfer window, but they have had to be patient when it comes to a transfer, as the forward has been away with France at the U21 Championships, only knocked out by Germany on Wednesday.

Despite interest from other teams across Europe, The Friedkin Group are confident they can sign Barry this summer. The forward’s representatives have already held talks with the Premier League side, and he is now open to the move. The fact that Barry has a £34 million release clause makes the deal easier to do, but the Toffees may even end up paying slightly more than that if they do the deal in installments.

Apps

35

Starts

25

Goals

11

xG

12.41

Total shots per game

2.1

Big chances missed

15

Chance conversion

15%

Assists

4

Big chances created

7

Barry, who has been dubbed “menacing” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, joined Villarreal in August 2024, and in his first full season, the striker scored 11 goals in 35 La Liga appearances.

His presence and ability to find the net have made him a target for Everton, who lacked a serious presence at the top end of the pitch last season and now look set to lose Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the end of this month.

MatériaMais Notícias

da imperador bet： A relação entre o mascote e um clube de futebol está ligada intrinsecamente. Ter uma representação que seja a ‘face’ do clube publicamente é crucial para um time vencedor, sobretudo por conectar diversos elos, como crianças, adultos e idosos. Não sendo diferente, o Vasco da Gama já teve representantes ao longo de sua história, mas afinal, qual a verdadeira mascote do Vasco?

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da bet7： +Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Gigante da Colina com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

DON CORVO I, o vitorioso

A relação entre Don Corvo I e o Vasco da Gama teve início em 1947, quando dois chargistas inseriram o animal em um de seus desenhos sobre o clube. Criado por Álvaro do Nascimento Rodrigues, colunista do Jornal dos Sports, e ilustrado pelo chargista Otelo Caçador, a ave era constantemente vista na caravela cruzmaltina nas charges.  Na Europa, o corvo é sinônimo de azar e agouro, contudo, foi ”importante” para uma das fases mais vitoriosas do clube carioca, o ”Expresso da Vitória”, época a qual o Gigante da Colina conquistou títulos como o Campeonato Carioca de 1947, 1949, 1950 e 1952 e o Sul-Americano de 1948. Nesse meio tempo, surgiu a necessidade de uma representação emblemática para os times; e o Vasco já tinha um mascote, o Almirante, entretanto, o corvo já estava inserido na torcida o suficiente para ser mais adorado. Como não havia corvos no Brasil, a ave foi trazida de Portugal no fim de 1947, e chegou a visitar uma rádio e até ”falar”. A ideia morreu na década de 60, quando o animal faleceu e o Vasco entrou em uma seca de títulos. Após isso, o clube retornou para seu mascote original, o Almirante. 

ALMIRANTE, o mascote do Vasco

O Almirante é, oficialmente, o mascote do Vasco. Criado em 1944, pelo argentino Lorenzo Molas, o mascote é uma forma de homenagear o navegador português Vasco da Gama, que batizou o clube. Nas primeiras ilustrações, o indivíduo era caracterizado com feições marcantes, como seu bigode longo, ausência de cabelo e sobrepeso. A primeira charge foi ao ar no dia 30 de junho de 44, com o Almirante representando o vascaíno na proa de uma caravela com a cruz de cristo, e desde então, foi adotada rapidamente pela torcida do time e passou a figurar mais desenhos do autor. O mascote sempre era acompanhado de uma navegação portuguesa, sendo considerado um “verdadeiro lobo do mar, em sua caravela, sempre pronto a navegar e enfrentar todas as tormentas”, como diz o dono do Jornal dos Sports, característico da época. Tempos depois o clube o adotou como mascote oficial, devido a seu sucesso. No ano de 2012, o Almirante foi alterado, recebendo traços mais infantis, o que não foi aprovado, tanto que, em 2018, o mascote voltou para suas expressões sérias, recebendo o apelido de “Almirante Pistola”. 

BARBOSINHA, o infantil

O Barbosinha é a representação mais infantil que se tem no mascote do Vasco da Gama. O mascote é uma homenagem ao goleiro Barbosa, um dos maiores atletas da história do clube e do esporte. A ideia nasceu em 2020, quando o clube abriu uma votação para que os sócios do clube votassem no nome do novo mascote do Cruz-Maltino, o qual Barbosinha venceu a disputa e ganhou o cargo de mascote oficial, assim como o Almirante. Barbosa foi o goleiro do Expresso da Vitória, a fase mais vitoriosa do clube. O atleta disputou mais de 400 partidas pelo Gigante da Colina, entretanto, teve um marco em sua carreira, a copa de 1950, o qual sofreu o gol que o condenaria por muitos anos de sua vida. Barbosa sofreu um tento de Ghiggia, atacante uruguaio, na final da Copa, da qual o Brasil perdeu de 2 a 1. Em 7 de abril de 2000, o atleta faleceu em São Paulo, deixando um legado extremamente vasto para o esporte. Posteriormente, o CT do Vasco foi apelidado com seu nome, além do Mascote Barbosinha, que ganhou vida em uma tentativa de homenageá-lo. 

EDDIE, o força jovem

Por fim, o zumbi Eddie não é oficialmente um mascote oficial da instituição Vasco da Gama, contudo, é a representação da torcida organizada Força Jovem Vasco, a principal do time. Apesar de não ser vinculado diretamente ao time, o personagem é uma das principais imagens do time no exterior, devido ao sucesso da persona. Eddie é uma criação da banda de rock Iron Maiden, uma das mais famosas do mundo. O Vasco é o único time do mundo que pode utilizar imagens do grupo em suas ideias. E assim, criou o Zumbi Eddie como mascote do Vasco, mesmo de forma não oficial. A estranha relação começou em 1989, quando os torcedores passaram a usar Eddie como símbolo da FJV, utilizando-o em seus itens, como bandeiras e roupas. Em 2001, Janick Gers e o baixista Steve Harris foram convidados para assistir o jogo entre Vasco e São Caetano no Maracanã, na final da Copa João Havelange, antes de se apresentarem no Rock in Rio, festival musical do Rio de Janeiro. Desde então, a torcida e a banda criaram uma relação de amizade, sempre um prestigiando o outro, e Eddie tornou-se símbolo oficial da maior torcida organizada do clube. Os integrantes do clube, sempre que vêm ao país, são homenageados e vistos durante as partidas do Vasco. 

This promises to be a very busy summer for Rangers at Ibrox.

New manager of the Gers, Russell Martin, is going to want to oversee a mass-overhaul of his squad, with plenty of ins and outs expected in the coming weeks.

So, could the Light Blues be about to land the first signing of the Martin era?

Rangers targeting defensive reinforcements

Things are ramping up at Ibrox right now with a move for winger Kwame Poku reportedly set to be wrapped up.

However, that’s not the only deal edging closer to completion.

Indeed, according to a report in Spain, Rangers have reached an agreement with Bournemouth to sign Max Aarons on a season-long loan, adding that an agreement is “nearly finalised”.

The 25-year-old full-back burst onto the scene with Norwich City, making 213 appearances for the Canaries, 70 of which came in the Premier League, touted as the next big thing, almost joining Tottenham Hotspur for £15m when he was still a teenager.

This big move never came to fruition, moving to Bournemouth two summers ago, but making very little impact on the South Coast, thereby actually spending the second half of last season on loan at Valencia, albeit he featured only five times for los Che.

Nevertheless, still only 25, Aarons is a player with plenty of potential, so could have a big impact in Govan.

Why Max Aarons could be Rangers' next loan star

Rangers have had plenty of players arrive on loan and have had a big impact throughout history, as the table below outlines.

Černý

2024/25

52

Not set to return

Sima

2023/24

39

Did not return

Diomandé

2024

19

Made permanent £4.3m

Tillman

2022/23

43

Did not return

Hagi

2020

13

Made permanent £3.5m

Defoe

2019

20

Made permanent free

Ojo

2018/19

36

Did not return

Kent

2018/19

43

Made permanent £7.5m

Weiss

2010/11

35

Did not return

Diouf

2010/11

22

Did not return

Rangers have had plenty of loan players in recent seasons and throughout history, but few have had as big an impact as Ryan Kent, underlined by the fact his move from Liverpool was made permanent for £7.5m, a club record for modern times.

Kent would go on to make 218 appearances for the club, scoring 33 goals and providing 56 assists, winning the Premiership title and the Scottish Cup, a key figure in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team that reached the Europa League Final.

The winger now plys his trade in Major League Soccer for Seattle Sounders, starting the Rave Green’s Club World Cup opener against Botafogo last Sunday, preparing to take on Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the coming days.

So, why could Aarons be Rangers’ latest superstar loanee?

Well, writer Kai Watson labels him a “great athlete”, while Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines believes the full-back offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’, claiming he has the talent to be one of English football’s ‘brightest stars’.

So, while Aarons hasn’t played a lot of football in recent years, he’s far from finished at 25 years old, and still has plenty left to offer.

What the arrival of a new right-back, who will surely have been guaranteed minutes, means for captain James Tavernier remains to be seen, but Aarons is surely just the first of many highly-rated Premier League or EFL players on their way to Ibrox this summer.

Tavernier didn’t particularly enjoy his best season at Ibrox, anyway, so this is certainly a deal worth getting over the line as Martin seeks to improve the squad.

He's Vaclav Cerny 2.0: Rangers are now set to sign "unplayable" star

Rangers are reportedly set to complete a deal for a star who could be Vaclav Cerny 2.0.

ByDan Emery Jun 16, 2025

da betobet： If there is one area of the team Arsenal need to strengthen this summer, it’s the attack.

da leao： While Mikel Arteta’s side finished a distant second to Liverpool in the Premier League this season, they ended the campaign with a better defensive record than anyone in the league but with 17 fewer goals scored.

So, with this apparent weakness compared to their title rival, it’s hardly surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers, like Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins, in recent weeks.

However, the North Londoners could also do with more options off the left, which would help to explain the links to a player who could be their next Lukas Podolski.

Arsenal's winger search

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over some of the other wingers who have been linked with Arsenal this summer, like Nico Williams and Rodrygo.

Transfer Focus

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

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The former has been a long-term target for the club and has a release clause worth around £50m, which doesn’t seem too unreasonable for a 22-year-old international who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games this season.

Rodrygo, on the other hand, could cost as much as £85m, but considering he’d be moving from Real Madrid and has produced 24 goal involvements in 51 appearances this year.

However, while both players would be excellent additions to the Gunners’ squad, neither one can really be compared to Podolski, unlike Leroy Sané.

Interestingly, according to a recent report from German outlet BILD, the Bayern Munich star, who is out of contract this summer, could be on the move, and when it comes to English clubs, he would only be interested in joining Arsenal, with his desire to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur ‘low.’

It would appear as if there is some degree in the player from the Gunners as well, as earlier this week, it was fairly widely reported that talks had taken place between his representatives and the club.

It might not be the most exciting transfer, but Sané has more than proven himself over the years, and there are certain elements to this potential deal that could make him become a new Podolski for the club.

Why Sané could be Podolski 2.0

So, before getting into some of the other reasons why Sané would be a good signing, it’s worth addressing why we look at him as a potential Podolski 2.0.

The first is that both players would have joined the club from the Bundesliga as German internationals, and furthermore, while the former Gunners ace joined from Koln in 2012, he too had spent time and won titles with Bayern Munich.

Secondly, both players are positionally versatile, with the Bayern star mainly playing off the left but being able to play off the right as well, while the 40-year-old was also primarily a left-winger at the Emirates but has spent more time up top in his career.

On top of that, the pair are both left-footed, and while they can easily create and score goals, they have tended to favour the latter throughout their careers.

For example, the former Manchester City ace, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “world-class,” has scored 133 goals and provided 125 assists in his 496 appearances, while the Koln legend has found the back of the 238 times and provided 138 assists in 700 games.

Sané & Podolski

Bundesliga

Sané

Podolski

Appearances

200

210

Minutes

12501′

15482′

Goals

51

70

Assists

47

37

Goal Involvements per Game

0.49

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

127.56′

144.69′

Premier League

Sané

Podolski

Appearances

90

60

Minutes

6089′

3268′

Goals

25

19

Assists

30

12

Goal Involvements per Game

0.61

0.51

Minutes per Goal Involvement

110.70′

105.41′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Last but not least, given the fact he’s 29 years old and would be joining for free, the Essen-born international could have a similar impact as his senior compatriot did at the club, in the sense that he could come in, spend a couple of seasons as a useful offensive option and then move on, without being a significant financial burden.

Ultimately, Sané is still a brilliant footballer, and considering he’d be available for free, bringing him to the club feels like a no-brainer for Arsenal.

Related Their own Kane: Arsenal begin talks to sign "exceptional" £42m goalscorer

The promising poacher could develop into something special at Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 5, 2025

Xabi Alonso has admitted that Real Madrid face a major challenge to reach the level of Paris Saint-Germain after a humbling 4-0 defeat in the Club World Cup semi-final. The new Los Blancos boss described the loss as 'painful' and a clear wake-up call, vowing that the team must now begin a new era with 'fresh minds' and stronger unity ahead of next season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Alonso calls 4-0 Club World Cup loss 'painful'
• PSG’s unity exposes Madrid’s tactical flaws
• Real Madrid to 'start a new age' next season

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid were thoroughly outclassed by Paris Saint-Germain in a 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final defeat. Alonso’s decision to abandon the back-five in the absence of Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold backfired as Madrid conceded twice in the first nine minutes. The 15-time European champions never recovered from the early hits and made little impact even after tactical changes.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The clash against Paris Saint-Germain was Real Madrid’s first major test under Alonso, who only took charge weeks ago, and the result exposed the gap between his side and Luis Enrique's well-oiled European champions. Les Parisiens looked sharper, more cohesive, and far more clinical. Alonso acknowledged that Los Blancos must now rebuild with a renewed focus on collective play and cohesion.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• WHAT ALONSO SAID

  Speaking to the media, Alonso said: "We were two goals down and we couldn't find our footing. It was a painful defeat, we must admit that we were not up to standard today. We had some shortcomings at some points and sometimes it's good to see our mistakes, and you can draw lessons for the future.

  "We start a new age after a break, with fresh minds," he said. "We want to build a team that plays as a unit, with everyone playing together… We were one match away, and it's painful, and let's see what happens now."

  When asked if PSG were the best team in the world, the Spaniard added: "I would say that, they have been playing together for years and play at a top, top level. They play together as a team and it is tough to play against them. For sure, this is a challenge for us to improve."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Alonso has promised a 'new age' at Real Madrid starting next season as Los Blancos look to steady themselves after a trophyless season under Carlo Ancelotti. He stressed the need to learn from the defeat and build a team that functions well together. They will now shift their focus to preparing for the 2025/26 season, with a long-term plan under their new manager.

It’s Mr Cool’s 39th birthday. So, time to test whether you’ve been watching closely and taking notes on how to be not just cool but MS cool

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2020

The allrounder overcame injuries and mental-health issues to end up with a T20 World Cup winner’s medal

Annesha Ghosh20-Mar-2020Soon after touching down at Melbourne airport a fortnight ago, Australia allrounder Sophie Molineux told reporters she hoped to make the most of pop star Katy Perry’s presence at the MCG for the T20 World Cup final. “Hopefully, I am dancing with her at the end,” she said a day after taking the key wicket of South Africa opener Lizelle Lee in Australia’s thrilling semi-final win at the SCG.Twenty-two-year-old Molineux got what she wished for, leading her team-mates down a runway at the MCG and dancing with Perry after Australia beat India in the final and won their fifth T20 World Cup.

That’s how you celebrate a win. pic.twitter.com/vEUsUTINZ1

— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_Meadows) March 8, 2020

But it was almost a miracle that her World Cup campaign ended on so bright a note, given the trajectory of her career over the past 12 months.In March last year, Molineux, a left-arm spin-bowling allrounder underwent surgery for a dislocated shoulder she suffered while training with her state side, Victoria. She made her way back into the Australian team over the next six months, with a superlative Test debut in the Ashes in England, but then missed the tour of the Caribbean and the home series against Sri Lanka as she entered an extended period of recovery.Having overcome the injury-related setbacks, she decided to take a break in the middle of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) last November to focus on her mental health, which made the prospect of her inclusion in the World Cup squad far from likely. Molineux admitted she is fortunate things took a turn for the better.”It’s been a pretty funny few months. I think I am really lucky because the World Cup was definitely not on my mind back then,” she told ESPNcricinfo. “There’s never going to be a perfect time to take a break, especially when you’re in professional sport. There’s always going to be some cricket coming up. I was playing Big Bash at that time, but I knew I had to do it. I knew there was a World Cup coming up, but whether I would be there, I wasn’t really sure. So I wasn’t going to spend time worrying about that because it was far too out of my control.”But looking back, to have been able to play the World Cup and then win it is pretty cool. [That] Sunday night was special. To be able to run out in front of 90,000 people, to do that with ten of your best team-mates, lift the World Cup… it has all been pretty special and still feels quite surreal.”But that’s what sport is all about, isn’t it? The highs and the lows… And winning the World Cup at the MCG was certainly a high.”Her decision to step away from the game came around the same time as a raft of withdrawals from the men’s senior and A sides. The Victorian trio of Glenn Maxwell, Nic Maddinson and Will Pucovski took breaks from their cricketing commitments to deal with mental-health challenges, and the summer before, Molineux’s Australia team-mate Nicole Bolton had stepped away from cricket due to her own mental-health issues.

“There’s never going to be a perfect time to take a break, especially when you’re into professional sport; there’s always going to be some cricket coming up. I was playing Big Bash at that time, but I knew I had to do it”Molineux on her break due to mental-health issues

That Molineux found it relatively smooth to ease back into the national side, she said, was down to Cricket Australia’s support and an ecosystem that encourages players to monitor and, as recent evidence testifies, open up about their mental-health concerns. Australian players, besides discussing their state of mind with coaches, medical staff and team psychologists, have the option of reporting problems or spiralling feelings using the wellness apps used to track their physical and mental well-being.”It’s sort of funny that I took the break when I did,” Molineux said. “You take such breaks focusing on the needs of the immediate present without thinking much about the future. You try and stay in the present and work through each day, each week. And it’s important you have the right people around you in such times.”The support I got at the time from Motty [head coach Matthew Mott] and Meg [Lanning, the captain], and everyone from Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria, my team-mates, my family… after such highs in your career, when you look back, you tend to realise and appreciate even more what having someone’s back at such moments can do. [Through] that period I realised how lucky I was to have that support around me, and really, Cricket Australia and our support staff have been amazing.”Just before this year’s World Cup, though, Molineux found herself pegged back once again. She sustained a thigh injury during the last stretch of the home tri-series involving England and India in early February, and while she was named in the World Cup squad, she hurt her other thigh too in the meantime and was sidelined till the last league game of the world tournament.”She had two corked thighs for this World Cup,” Mott told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the team’s celebrations in Federation Square in Melbourne the morning after Australia thumped India in the final. “There is a bit of dispute on how she actually got the second one. I think she actually landed on the square again. It is a bit of a mystery [even now].”Credit to our medical team, though. Honestly, I thought she was pretty much done for the tournament. The scan I saw looked horrific – there was a lot of blood around her leg, and we just thought there was absolutely no chance of getting her back out there, but they kept the faith, kept her around…”That Molineux slotted straight back into the XI upon recovering just in time for the knockouts was down in part to a tournament-ending hamstring injury to Australia’s premier allrounder, Ellyse Perry, ahead of the semi-finals. The wicket of Lee in her first over in the semi-final would mark the beginning of Molineux’s first home World Cup. Two nights later she would get opener Smriti Mandhana with her first delivery in the final.”As soon as she took that first wicket in the final, I think everyone just went, ‘You beauty!'” Mott said. “You don’t like taking injured players into big matches, but I definitely think that was a big part of it, trying to get her up for that game. Obviously you lose Ellyse Perry, but you add another world-class allrounder in there.Mott said the team management wasn’t confident they would be able to get Molineux up for the semi-final, and that even if they did, it might have been just that one game they would “get out of her” given the protracted recovery. “But we needed it,” Mott conceded.It wasn’t until 9.30 on the morning of the final that Molineux would be declared fit. To see her dealing India a telling blow, winning the World Cup and capping off a roller-coaster ride of a season dancing to the other Perry’s chartbusters on stage was incredible to him.”It was touch and go right to the 11th hour,” Mott said. “When you see her dancing that night you find that hard to believe!”

This was Qalandars’ fourth defeat in a row, with Sahibzada Farhan’s unbeaten 72 going in vain

AP and ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2024Karachi Kings clinched a last-ball thriller to hand two-time defending champions Lahore Qalandars their fourth straight loss in the Pakistan Super League on Saturday.Kings won by two wickets after defying a much-improved Qalandars pace attack, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi (1 for 34), to reach 176 for 8 in exactly 20 overs in reply to Qalandars’ 175 for 6.Qalandars were asked to bat first by Kings, and opener Sahibzada Farhan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 72 off 45 balls. South African George Linde provided the late flourish with a breezy 26 not out off 13 balls.Kings’ Kieron Pollard (58) and Shoaib Malik (39) led the chase with their 95-run fifth-wicket stand after their team had stuttered at 44 for 4 inside the powerplay.But their departures in successive overs brought Qalandars back into the game, with Afridi featuring in both dismissals. Pollard skied an easy catch to cover against the left-arm fast bowler in the 16th over, and Afridi took a brilliant catch running backwards from mid-off to dismiss Malik in Haris Rauf’s next over.Rauf (1 for 22), who had taken just one wicket in the previous three games and conceded 110 runs, got his rhythm back before suffering a shoulder injury late in Kings’ chase.Zaman Khan (2 for 25) bowled Daniel Sams, and that gave the inexperienced spinner Ahsan Hafeez 11 runs to defend in the last over.Hasan Ali hoisted Hafeez for a six over wide mid-on off the first ball. After the scores were level, Rauf damaged his shoulder while holding on to a spectacular diving catch to dismiss Hasan. Mir Hamza cut Hafeez to deep third off the final ball to raise Kings’ second win in four games. Kings are third with four points, behind Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators.Earlier, Farhan had counterattacked in the second half of the innings as Kings’ pace and spin pinned down Qalandars to 59 for 3 in ten overs.Shai Hope (21) smashed Tabraiz Shamsi (2 for 42) for 16 runs in the spinner’s final over. Farhan and Linde combined in a 54-run stand off the final 26 balls.

Lucknow Super Giants claimed their third win in a row, and first over Gujarat Titans in five attempts, with a fighting defence of 163 in Lucknow. Marcus Stoinis’ first half-century of the season provided the ballast after the home side had chosen to bat first and, although Titans started well in their run chase, Yash Thakur claimed a maiden five-for to help demolish the innings.The LSG batting effort was rarely fluent, captain KL Rahul and Stoinis opting for accumulation after Umesh Yadav had struck twice with the new ball. Both fell when looking to up the ante and it needed flashes of power from Nicholas Pooran plus a cameo from Ayush Badoni to get them up to a respectable score.Related

• Mayank 'seemed okay, which was quite a relief' – Krunal

In their favour was the fact LSG had never been beaten defending a target of 160-plus. Titans looked set to threaten that record after racing to 54 without loss inside the powerplay, only for a stunning collapse of 8 for 48 to make it 13 from 13 for LSG. After Yash skidded one through Shubman Gill, Ravi Bishnoi’s spectacular caught-and-bowled dismissal of Kane Williamson provided the spark, while Krunal Pandya raced through his four-over allocation for figures of 3 for 11 as Titans imploded.That they managed such a comfortable defence was even more remarkable given LSG lost the services of their new pace sensation, Mayank Yadav, after just a single over due to a side strain – the one sour note as Rahul’s team moved to six points and third in the table.Titans start strong then stumble
Chasing what seemed a middling target, Titans eased out of the blocks with a fifty opening stand inside the powerplay. Sai Sudharsan was all poise and wrists, hitting four early boundaries – including two off Mayank in his only over, during which the LSG fast man barely breached 140kph – while Shubman Gill looked to play himself in. With Mayank having to leave the field and M Siddharth struggling with front-foot no-balls, Titans looked to be cruising.Krunal Pandya finished with three wickets•BCCI

However, the dismissal of Gill from the final ball of the sixth over sparked an extraordinary collapse. Krunal whizzed through a tidy over, before Ravi Bishnoi struck with his second ball, leaping to hold a brilliant one-handed return catch off Kane Williamson, Titans’ impact sub. Sudharsan then holed out to deep square leg from the first ball of Krunal’s second over, which was followed by BR Sharath top-edging a sweep to deep backward square. Titans had shipped four wickets for seven runs in the space of 18 balls and suddenly had it all to do.Yash we can!Titans’ chase never recovered. Krunal claimed a third wicket as the asking rate rose towards 12 an over, with the canny Yash returning to dismiss Vijay Shankar and Rashid Khan in the space of four balls to leave the score 93 for 7. Rahul Tewatia presented the only danger of an upset, twice clearing the ropes in 30 off 25 balls, but he picked out deep square leg before Yash wrapped up the innings for career-best T20 figures.Rahul’s slow-and-steady rebuild
LSG were after a fast start against the new ball, with Quinton de Kock marking his 100th IPL appearance by clattering Umesh Yadav into the stands second ball. He didn’t survive the over, however, an attempted repeat resulting in a big top edge to deep third. With Devdutt Padikkal notching a fourth single-figure score in a row for his new franchise, Lucknow were 18 for 2 in the third over and looking vulnerable.Marcus Stoinis and KL Rahul rebuilt after two early blows•AFP/Getty Images

Rahul is the perfect man for a rebuild, though, and he helped resurrect the innings in the company of Stoinis. After taking three boundaries off Spencer Johnson’s second over, the pair batted watchfully through the middle of the innings, until what almost appeared to be Rahul’s first shot in anger, in the 13th over, as the LSG captain attempted to hit Darshan Nalkande over long-on only to hole out. The partnership was worth 73 from 62 balls but ended just when LSG were hoping to push on.Spinners squeeze but Pooran finishes
Stonis should have been dismissed in the following over, mishitting Noor Ahmed straight up only for Rashid to grass the chance running in from long-off. Noor bowled his four overs off the reel for just 22 runs – conceding a single boundary – and although Stoinis broke the shackles to pump Nalkande twice over long-on for a 40-ball half-century, he fell trying to target the same bowler, top-edging a skier to the keeper.With two new batters at the crease going into the death overs, and Rashid still with two up his sleeve, LSG were facing an uphill struggle. Rashid conceded five singles off the 17th, but Pooran and Ayush Badoni released some pressure by taking Mohit Shah for three boundaries in the next. Although Badoni holed out looking to take on Rashid, Pooran carted the legspinner over midwicket for the only boundary of his allocation, with another six in the final over – in which Johnson conceded just eight – taking LSG beyond the magic 160-mark.