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Pakistan’s T20I captain feels they played the same way in the last two series – against New Zealand and Bangladesh – for contrasting results

Danyal Rasool02-Jun-2025

A lot has changed between Pakistan’s last T20I series and this one. That took place in New Zealand in the wake of a disastrous home Champions Trophy campaign, while this one, against Bangladesh, happened at home on the other side of PSL 2025. Pakistan have a new coaching staff, and produced a markedly different result – a 3-0 rout of Bangladesh as opposed to a 4-1 reverse in New Zealand.What satisfies Salman Agha, though, is that Pakistan’s style of play, he feels, did not change. Their commitment to reduce the role anchors play in a batting innings continued, and a number of young players called up for that New Zealand series played starring roles in this one. The ephemeral nature of any game style or philosophy in Pakistan – often dictated by one or two bad results – means this stylistic continuation across these two series is notable in itself.For Salman, the man at the helm for both tours, it is also non-negotiable. “As long as I’m captain this is how we’ll play,” he said after Pakistan’s seven-wicket win in the third T20I. “I think this is the way to play cricket going forward; that’s how the world is playing. You need to put the bowlers and batters under pressure. In New Zealand, this is what we tried to follow, but conditions didn’t allow it. But the boys who went there learned a way to be fearless without being careless. That is something we’ve balanced perfectly this series.”Related

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That balance is notoriously difficult to define, let alone achieve; Shane Warne’s famous exhortation to “tee off (not recklessly)” perhaps crystallises the extent to which the final outcome dictates how this approach is ultimately viewed. For Pakistan, it is perhaps the performances of Mohammad Haris across these games which appear to suggest they ended up on the right side of that balance. After a pair of early wickets in the first games, Haris began slowly, scoring seven runs in his first eight balls before adopting that fearless approach Salman mentioned; he would smash 24 in his next nine, and Pakistan ended up scoring over 200.In the next two games, with no such pressure at the outset, Haris would target the bowlers from the get-go, culminating in that memorable unbeaten 46-ball 107 to seal the whitewash. For a player often criticised for rash strokeplay and an inability to build an innings that lasts longer than a handful of deliveries, this series showcased the potential of Pakistan’s new approach applied properly.”Haris gets accused of not using his brain during T20 innings,” Salman said. “In this series, when we were 5 for 2 [in the first game], he took calculated risks, and the same today. I think Haris, Saim [Ayub] and Hasan [Nawaz] are players I’d like to turn into matchwinners in my captaincy. These players can perform wonders for Pakistan cricket.”While Salman promised “the door is not closed for anybody” in his T20 set-up, the message of who is being moved on from is fairly unmistakeable. Pakistan have long tried – and ultimately failed – to shut the door on Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s days, as Pakistan’s primary T20 openers feted for their consistency but slated for their conservatism. Even in the recent past, their place at the top was justified due to an absence of players who could construct innings if they fell too early. These three games might not have been against an elite T20 side, but early wickets did not sound alarm bells for Pakistan’s innings as they have in the past, with Salman keen to take encouragement from it.”I’m very happy with this team and the environment we’re creating,” he said. “I think the team has begun to move in [the right] direction. If conditions change, we’ll respect it. Modern-day cricket doesn’t mean disrespecting conditions. For me, modern cricket is beating par by about 10-15 runs – both with bat and ball – so you make it easier for the bowlers or the batters. Whatever the conditions, we’ll follow what we feel the par score is and then try to beat it.Salman Agha said that Pakistan’s batting order, apart from the top three, is flexible•PCB

“Openers’ positions don’t change. Haris is a player at No. 3 for us because he’s a keeper and we like to give him a little rest after that. Hasan is a middle-order hitter, and my number with him is interchangeable. The top three are set, and the rest is situation dependent. I was going to play at No. 4, but we saw we hadn’t lost more than one wicket after 10 overs. And we’ve seen how dangerous Hasan is against spin in the PSL and this series. So we keep the batting order flexible and expect players to be ready to come in.”Salman is well aware of how quickly positions of power within Pakistan cricket can be undermined, but for now, he speaks with the authority and stature of a Pakistan captain who has the breathing space to look beyond just the next game or series. With Mike Hesson, his coach at Islamabad United in the PSL, now Pakistan’s white-ball coach, there is a sense the team and the management are on the same page, with the board having given them license to pursue a fresh start however they choose.”I’m very happy. The young boys performed,” Salman said. “The result doesn’t matter for me, what matters is how we play cricket. We need to play cricket the way we played these games, and to entertain people. If we put the opposition under pressure, we’ll win more games than not.”There’s a year to go for the T20 World Cup, so you can’t say it’ll be the same players. But I think the core will be the same because I’d like to give these boys as much of a chance as possible. We’d like to have a playing XI for the World Cup ready with players who have experience of playing in this team. This is a young side with 25-30 matches to go. But the core is the same.”

Warwickshire inflicted a third Metro Bank One-Day Cup defeat of the season on Surrey at a bracing and blustery Beckenham. Surrey’s 313 for 7, adorned by a century from Sophia Dunkley, never quite looked enough on a cracking batting surface and positive batting from Davina Perrin and Nat Wraith broke the back of the chase before Beth Ellis played an assured finishing role.Warwickshire’s chase was the second-highest ever in women’s List A cricket (Bengal hauled in Haryana’s 389 for 5 in Rajkot in December 2024) and the highest ever in England.Surrey were given a flying start by Bryony Smith and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 59 coming off the first six overs as the bowlers, perhaps excited by a bit of pace and bounce in the wicket, didn’t get it right, bowling too short and too wide. Issy Wong finally saw Wyatt-Hodge toe-end tamely to Perrin at point but Surrey’s 71 for 1 was still the highest Powerplay score in the competition to date, and that with just 12 coming from overs 7-10.Alice Capsey burned brightly but briefly and Dunkley and Smith put on 76 to keep the innings moving. Smith then sliced Bethan Ellis to backward point for a fine 72-ball 78 and Alice Davidson-Richards and Paige Scholfield both hit 26, while Dunkley just kept batting.Her hundred, off 109 balls, with seven fours and one six, came off the penultimate ball of the innings, Surrey’s final total imposing but less than they would have been looking at after 40 overs when they were 241 for 4.Warwickshire’s openers looked to attack but the Surrey bowlers were disciplined, openers Meg Austin and Abigail Freeborn both perishing trying to hit over the top, caught at mid-on and mid-off respectively. Captain Katie George sparkled briefly but then went the same way, caught at mid-on to give Alice Monaghan her second wicket.Warwickshire scored 66 for 3 in their powerplay, up with the rate but seemingly having lost perhaps one wicket too many. But then Perrin and Wraith put on a century partnership, at one stage benefiting from an unusual five penalty runs for intimidatory fielding by Dani Gregory.Having made 69, Perrin chipped Capsey to long-on, where Scholfield took her third catch but with the run rate under control it was a surprise when Wraith ran herself out for a fine 54. A calm half-century partnership between Em Arlott and Ellis took the visitors within 80 but Capsey then took her second wicket when she bowled Arlott.Ellis carried on calmly picking up singles with the occasional boundary and Charis Pavely gave her good support, the two calmly combining in another half century partnership. Pavely went just before the end but Warwickshire sealed their record-breaking victory by three wickets with 3.3 overs to spare, Ellis finishing unbeaten on 63.

Manchester City’s 4-0 opening day success over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League now feels like an awfully long time ago.

Indeed, since Pep Guardiola’s men romped home to a resounding victory at Molineux, the Citizens have tasted defeat two times in quick succession, with Tottenham Hotspur proving to be their kryptonite once more in a 2-0 home loss, before travelling to Brighton and Hove Albion and coming unstuck late on in a 2-1 defeat.

This poor start to the season, after a topsy-turvy 2024/25 campaign, will be seriously worrying to those who fill out the Etihad week in, week out, who will now be fearing a defeat in the Manchester Derby later on today.

Suffering those two defeats on the spin does look to have jolted City into life as to what they could do when transfers are back in play, with one new defensive target already reportedly on their shopping list who could soon call Gianluigi Donnarumma a teammate at the back.

City's potential transfer business

It will be interesting to see if the former Paris St. Germain goalkeeper gets the nod to start over James Trafford against Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils, having now sealed a move to England.

Guardiola might well favour his new recruit over the young Englishman, considering City have conceded four goals across their last two defeats, with one effort conceded against Spurs all Trafford’s own making.

The Spaniard might also have a move for Marc Guehi up his sleeve to further improve his defensive personnel, with Football Insider recently revealing that City could soon beat Liverpool to the signature of the Crystal Palace centre-back.

Amazingly, the leaky former Premier League champions might even be able to snap up Guehi on a free transfer, with it going down as a big coup to snatch the England international away from the reaches of Anfield for nothing.

Just fresh off scoring his first-ever England goal during the international break, Guehi will hope he can land a bumper move in the near future to the likes of City, having seen a deadline-day move to Liverpool heartbreakingly fall through.

However, the inconsistent Citizens might well be brewing their own homegrown version of Guehi right now, who has been showered with some very high praise already, despite only being 17 years of age.

Man City's own homegrown Guehi

After all, the sparkling success story of Rico Lewis in the first team picture at the Etihad is enough to give City great confidence in the next generation of talents coming through, with Lewis recently penning a new contract at his boyhood club that takes him to 2030.

By that point, City academy starlet Stephen Mfuni will be hoping he’s making waves in the senior picture himself, having already been branded as “one of the most talented teenage CBs in world football” by scout Jacek Kulig last year.

Kulig further expands to state that Mfuni is both “dominant” and “elegant” with his general play out from the back, with the teenager now hopeful he can be a similar Lewis-style revelation in the City first-team and perhaps save Guardiola and Co. some hassle in the market by further being a Guehi-like presence.

After all, the in-demand Eagles defender is also a well-rounded player in his own right at Selhurst Park, having had to wrestle with the difficulties, too, of being a promising youngster himself at Chelsea.

He boasts an 85% pass accuracy in the Premier League this season, also matched by his ability to win four duels on average per clash as a dominant force aerially.

Games played

3

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

85.0

Accurate passes*

68.3 (92%)

Key passes*

1.7

Ball recoveries*

2.7

Clearances*

3.7

Total duels won*

4.3

Mfuni has also displayed this same forceful presence in the air when heading home a recent goal in U18 action versus the Red Devils last season, with his overall numbers for the England U19s in the recent U19 Euros – as seen above – further showing off a talent that’s both calm on the ball but fierce in a battle, much like the soon-to-be out-of-contract warrior.

Of course, it would be foolish to anticipate that Mfuni would be able to come into the first-team picture right away and be as confident as Guehi, with the 25-year-old having to fight hard himself to become a Premier League-established star, as seen in his top-flight debut not coming until he was 21.

Yet, the hope will be – down the line – that the teenage sensation can be City’s own homegrown version of Guehi, regardless of whether Guardiola and Co. get their hands on the 6-foot titan or not.

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BySean Markus Clifford Sep 13, 2025

What a sensational start it was for Jack Grealish as an Everton player. The Toffees’ first professional game at their state-of-the-art new ground, the Hill Dickinson Stadium, was memorable thanks to a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Grealish made all the difference for David Moyes’ side, assisting both of the goals to help secure the three points for his new club, including a fizzing left-footed cross to pick out Illiman Ndiaye for the opener.

Grealish could prove to be one of Everton’s best pieces of business in the transfer market this summer, and more signings might yet join him.

Everton plotting late move for £50m addition

The Toffees were able to secure the signing of Tyler Dibling from Southampton in the last couple of days. The Saints academy graduate made the move to Merseyside for a fee in the region of £40m, including add-ons.

Transfer Focus

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

However, he might not be the last addition made by Moyes this summer. According to a report from TBR Football, Everton are one of the sides in the race to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher.

They are said to be one of the sides who could ‘make a late attempt’ to bring the former Chelsea star to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

However, this will not be a straightforward battle. Gallagher is wanted by five other Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, where he was once on loan, and Manchester United.

As for a price if he was to make a permanent move, it was revealed in July that the England star is available for £50m.

Why Gallagher would be a good signing

If the Toffees were to acquire the services of Gallagher before Monday’s deadline, they would be bringing a “special” midfielder to the club, as Statman Dave described him. He has played in the top flight for Chelsea, his boyhood club, as well as loan spells at Palace and West Brom.

At just 25 years of age, Gallagher is an incredibly experienced player. He has played 136 times in the top flight of England, scoring 18 times and assisting 13. He has also shown great versatility, playing mainly as an eight but also as a defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder and out wide on the right.

Of course, the Cobham graduate has spent the past 12 months in Spain playing for Diego Simeone’s Atleti. He made 52 appearances last term for the club, chipping in with ten goals and assists. That included a strike against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

This potential Everton move for Gallagher is certainly Grealish-esque, in a couple of ways. Firstly, the former Aston Villa star is an England international just like Gallagher, with the pair having played together five times for the Three Lions, as per Transfermarkt.

On top of that, they have both departed some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Grealish switched to Merseyside from Manchester City on a loan deal that could turn permanent, and, of course, Gallagher will be departing the Spanish capital and Atleti to join Moyes’ side.

If Gallagher can have anything like the sort of impact Grealish has already had for Everton, he will be well on his way to becoming a successful addition.

As per Sofascore, Grealish created three chances and won six duels on his home debut, setting up both his side’s goals.

Gallagher will bring tenacity off the ball and a goal threat in possession. The stats from his two Premier League seasons with Chelsea highlight just that, with the defender averaging 3.8 and 3.6 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes in each of the respective seasons, and had an expected goal involvement tally of 0.23xGI and 0.22xGI each game, respectively.

It is easy to see how this move could be similar to that of Grealish. The 25-year-old would also be leaving one of Europe’s biggest clubs for the Blue half of Merseyside, and is looking to secure his England place in a World Cup year.

For both club and player, this could be a fantastic move ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.

Dream Grealish repeat: Everton enter race to sign "mind-boggling" £40m star

Everton could seal a stunning Jack Grealish repeat by snapping up this exceptional ace.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 27, 2025

Real Madrid’s appeal against Dean Huijsen’s red card against Real Sociedad has been rejected, with the 20-year-old defender handed a one-match ban. The decision leaves Xabi Alonso short of defensive options as Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold are both sidelined. Madrid will now turn to the Appeals Committee in a last-ditch effort to clear Huijsen for Saturday’s clash with Espanyol.

• Huijsen banned after appeal rejected

  According to a report by Huijsen will miss Real Madrid’s next La Liga match after the Spanish Football Federation’s Competition Committee upheld his red card from Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Sociedad. The Spain international was dismissed for pulling down Mikel Oyarzabal in the 32nd minute, with referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruling the foul denied a clear goalscoring chance. Madrid’s initial appeal was dismissed on Wednesday.

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  Madrid frustration over refereeing call

  The club had argued that Oyarzabal was still around 40 metres from goal and that Eder Militao was close to covering the attack, making the dismissal excessive. Their complaint was further fuelled by the CTA’s post-match review on ‘Review Time,’ which suggested a yellow card would have been a more appropriate sanction. Despite that analysis, the disciplinary body stood by the referee’s original interpretation.

• Madrid to take appeal higher

  Madrid have reportedly confirmed they will escalate the case to the Appeals Committee in an attempt to overturn the ban before Saturday. If unsuccessful, Huijsen will miss the Espanyol clash, adding to Alonso’s mounting selection problems. The disciplinary decision comes amid growing tensions between Madrid and Spain’s refereeing body.

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  Alonso’s defensive crisis deepens

  The ruling leaves Alonso in a difficult position ahead of Saturday’s game against Espanyol. Antonio Rudiger is sidelined with a muscle injury while Trent Alexander-Arnold limped off during the Champions League win over Marseille. Without Huijsen, Madrid may have to turn to fringe players like David Alaba or Rafa Marín to partner Eder Militao at the back.

Matt Short is in the Victoria squad and Spencer Johnson included for South Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2024Adam Zampa could play his first red-ball cricket since the 2022-23 season after being named in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield squad to face Tasmania while Australia white-ball quick Xavier Bartlett is set for a first-class return after injury.Zampa last played a first-class match in February 2023 but has a window in his schedule before the BBL to make a rare Sheffield Shield outing. He has previously spoken of still having ambitions to play Test cricket with an eye on the tour of Sri Lanka early next year. Zampa takes the place of young legspinner Tanveer Sangha for the game at the SCG.Related

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“Adam is a very experienced cricketer who is a great addition to our group,” Greg Mail, the Cricket NSW chief of cricket performance, said. “To have Zampa, Sean Abbott and Josh Philippe come back into the side after a fantastic win over South Australia in the last round is a bonus.”Zampa’s last Shield game was also against Tasmania at the SCG in where he claimed 3 for 41. Overall in first-class cricket he averages 46.98 but has only played six games since 2017.Bartlett, meanwhile, returned to action in the recent T20I series against Pakistan, where he took five wickets in three matches, after picking up a side strain on the UK tour in September. Queensland’s game against Victoria will be a day-night contest, alongside the South Australia-Western Australia fixture in the same round which begins on Saturday.Victoria have been able to include Matthew Short for his first Shield game of the season after he completed his white-ball duties for Australia.Spencer Johnson is in South Australia squad following his impressive performances against Pakistan.Western Australia named their squad on Thursday, which includes both Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson.New South Wales squadSean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards (capt), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Adam ZampaQueensland squadMitchell Swepson (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Tom Whitney, Jack WildermuthVictoria squadPeter Handscomb (capt), Ash Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers, Matt Short, Peter SiddleSouth Australia squadBen Manenti (capt), Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Conor McInerney, Henry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott

West Indies succumb to brutal batting from Salt and Bethell as 183-run target is hunted down

Valkerie Baynes09-Nov-2024A superb unbeaten century by Phil Salt led England to a convincing eight-wicket victory over West Indies for a 1-0 lead in their five-match T20I series in Barbados.Saqib Mahmood took career-best figures of 4 for 34, including three wickets in the powerplay and a tight over at the death, but in the meantime West Indies blitzed their way through three key partnerships to set England a lofty target, despite having lurched to 117 for 8.Nicholas Pooran, who top-scored for the hosts, and captain Rovman Powell put on 41 runs together from just 17 balls but it was Pooran and Andre Russell who defied a steady flow of wickets to add 39 from 26 and then tailenders Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd with 49 off 26 who pumped up the hosts.Their efforts were ultimately futile, however, in the face of Salt’s remarkable 103 not out off just 54 balls in which he attacked from the outset, helping himself to 22 runs off one Shamar Joseph over and never looked back.It was a case of two second-home lads doing good as Salt, who spent six of his pre-teen and teenage years living in Barbados, shared an unbroken 107-run stand with Jacob Bethell, the latter raising his maiden T20I fifty to enthusiastic support from the crowd, having been born and raised in Barbados up to the age of 13.All-out (as)SaltWhen Salt struck five consecutive boundaries off Joseph to take his side past the 50-mark in the fourth over of the run-chase, England looked all business. He brought up his own half-century off 25 balls with the second of three sixes to come off Motie’s first over, crunched over deep midwicket before Will Jacks launched the third over long-on. Jacks fell on the next ball, bowled middle stump attempting to sweep, but by that time England had closed out the powerplay at 73 for 1, compared to West Indies’ 58 for 3. Motie couldn’t stay away from the action, his brilliant one-handed take at third removing Jos Buttler, batting at No. 3 on his return to action after a five-month injury lay-off, for a first-ball duck.For all his big hitting, Salt’s deft punch for four just behind backward point off Joseph in the ninth over was prettier than any of his four sixes up to that moment and highlighted the range of shots which comprised his innings. Bethell mimicked the shot, slightly finer off Shepherd, as he settled into just his third innings in T20Is, playing the perfect supporting role to Salt, his unbeaten 58 coming off 36 balls and including an elegant six over cover off the penultimate ball.He followed that immediately with the winning runs, pulling Shepherd for two to seal victory with 3.1 overs to spare. Salt had moved into the nineties swinging Shepherd to square leg, where the ball shot through the fingertips of Sherfane Rutherford as he tumbled over the boundary for six more before he brought up his ton in what turned out to be the last over of the game with four down the ground. It was Salt’s third century in T20Is, all of them coming in the Caribbean against West Indies.Saqib Mahmood celebrates dismissing Brandon King•Getty ImagesIn the MahmoodMahmood struck early when Brandon King, a centurion as West Indies won the third and final ODI for a 2-1 series win, slammed his fifth ball – the 11th of the match – straight to short cover. In his next over, Mahmood had two wickets in as many balls as Bethell took an excellent low catch running in from the rope at deep backward square to remove Evin Lewis and then luring Shimron Hetmyer with a superb length ball that moved away ever so slightly as it took an edge through to Salt. It was quite the comeback from Mahmood, playing just his third T20I since January 2022 after suffering two stress fractures in his back. His two other matches in the format since had yielded 2 for 21 and no wicket for 37 against Australia in September, but now he had 3 for 12 from two overs.Meanwhile fellow seamer Reece Topley conceded 20 runs from 15 balls, including Powell’s nurdled four through deep third then six over square leg immediately before Topley slipped in his follow-through clutching his right knee. Topley was visibly limping as a brief rain shower arrived, sending the players from the field for just over half an hour. Topley returned after the stoppage, only to be greeted by a lofted drive for six by Powell and that was enough to send the bowler from the field for the rest of the innings with what was later confirmed as a jarred knee as Jamie Overton finished his third over. Mahmood returned to have his figures blighted by conceding 18 runs off his third over, Pooran heaving over the fence at wide long-on, threading four through deep backward point and swinging over deep midwicket for another six.No fearAdil Rashid entered the attack in the seventh over and struck with his second ball, Powell going big again but unable to clear a leaping Overton just inside the boundary at long-on. Although he had handed the wicketkeeping gloves to Salt, returning captain Buttler sprung with the reflexes of a cat to snare a brilliant one-handed catch at slip in Rashid’s next over to remove Rutherford. Pooran and Russell forged a defiant partnership, Russell slamming back-to-back sixes off Rashid and moving to a 16-ball 30. But Liam Livingstone managed to end their union when he responded to seeing his third ball deposited back over his head for six by having Russell caught at deep cover by Dan Mousley. Pooran followed for 38, falling to another spectacular catch by Buttler, launching himself high and twisting in the air in the covers off Overton.West Indies looked determined to go down blazing. Rashid claimed his third when he pinned Akeal Hosein at the second attempt with an excellent leg-break. But just as it looked like the hosts’ fightback might fizzle, Motie strode to the crease at No. 10 and struck 16 runs off the first three balls he faced, including back-to-back sixes off Rashid. He had raced to 33 off just 14 balls by the time Mahmood had him caught on the deep midwicket boundary to claim his fourth wicket of the match. It ended Motie’s ninth-wicket stand with Shepherd, who ended with an unbeaten 35 off 22, their union helping West Indies to a total which had seemed so unlikely earlier.

Fast bowler expected to win debut during five-match ODI series against Australia

Matt Roller17-Sep-2024England will test out their fast-bowling depth when they unleash seven seamers across their ODI series against Australia. A tight schedule of five matches in 11 days – starting at Trent Bridge on Thursday – will demand some degree of rotation, which could aid Hampshire’s John Turner in his long-standing bid to make his international debut.Turner is 23 and only finished an economics and finance degree at Exeter University this summer, but has been on the fringes of England white-ball selection for over a year. He was first named in a squad for last summer’s T20I series against New Zealand, but was ruled out through injury, and was then an unused member of the touring party in the Caribbean in December.After running the drinks during last week’s drawn T20I series, Turner looks set to win first cap at some stage in the Australia ODIs – not least with Jofra Archer’s workload being managed, and three of England’s seven fast-bowling options (Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Olly Stone) flying to Pakistan for October’s Test series days after the final ODI on September 29. Saqib Mahmood’s late addition to the squad on Tuesday further underlined that there will be regular changes through the series.”Just being in the squad is a cool experience for myself,” Turner said. “But you obviously want to and hope to debut at some point, and hopefully that comes at some stage in this series… being in and around the squads and the players, you naturally improve and you naturally learn.Related

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“I definitely would say I’m in a much better place now than I was this time last year, but I’ve still got quite a long way to go: I’m not anywhere near the finished product… The way you approach the game with different ideas for different batsmen and different scenarios, that’s what I end up taking from these types of environments.”Turner has an unmistakable South African accent and only moved to the UK four years ago. But his pace piqued England’s interest during his first T20 campaign for Hampshire last summer and he has taken regular wickets throughout his young professional career, with a bowling average below 20 in all three formats.England are still hoping to identify a middle-overs wicket-taker in the Liam Plunkett mould and Jos Buttler – who will watch this series from the sidelines due to his calf injury – hinted last week that Turner could be used in a similar role. “[It’s about] finding ways to break partnerships and take wickets, which is crucial in those 50-over games,” Buttler said. “Having high pace is certainly a way of doing that.”Turner broke the 90mph/145kph barrier while playing for Trent Rockets this year and describes himself as “naturally competitive”. His Hundred season started in bizarre fashion – he was removed from the attack with figures of 0-0-5-0 against London Spirit after consecutive beamers – but he quickly recovered, taking five wickets in his next two games.He has enjoyed the challenge of playing in the Hundred – “constantly bowling against the best… you’re always under pressure” – and in particular, having his speeds tracked. “Post-game, I’ll probably end up watching every single ball back to see what speed I was at… it’s quite handy to know at times: almost don’t try too hard and it works itself out.”Turner believes that there will be “healthy competition” among England’s fast bowlers in their ODI series. “I’ve never played in the same team as Jof, and I probably won’t be as quick as him. But if I’m bowling with him, if I see his speed on the board, I’ll be like, ‘let me see if I can match him.’ I’m naturally competitive and I’ll naturally want to try and be the quickest.Turner jumps in celebration during the Hundred•PA Images via Getty Images”It’s probably healthy competition if we have that as well… Pace is my point of difference, but around that, I want to have the skillset also to be able to compete. It’s always exciting to have a full stock of fast bowlers: the crowd enjoy watching sixes and boundaries, but I think it’s quite enjoyable watching guys bowling 85-plus and pure speed.”Despite having played only twice in the County Championship this year, Turner’s ambitions extend across formats. He missed the start of the season with a knee injury and has struggled to break into a Hampshire seam attack which boasts both Mohammad Abbas and Kyle Abbott as spearheads.”Just being in and around them has been a good learning area for me: they’ve helped me improve my game immensely,” Turner said. “That’s definitely the way I want my career to pan out. I’d like to be an all-format [player]: Test cricket, white-ball and franchise stuff. I don’t really want to put myself into a single category.”John Turner was speaking at Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl to mark the installation of 1044 solar panels at the venue, as part of an industry-leading partnership with Utilita Energy

Arsenal are searching for a number nine this summer and have identified a new target who may strengthen their forward line for a cheaper fee, according to a report.

The latest on Arsenal's search for a striker

Undoubtedly, the Gunners’ search for a striker has become something of a saga in the last few weeks, and it doesn’t look like there will be an end in sight anytime soon despite Mikel Arteta’s advances.

Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as Arsenal’s most talked-about summer pursuit. However, Sporting won’t let the Sweden international leave on the cheap, which has compelled the Londoners to assess potential alternatives such as Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Of course, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has also been courted by Arsenal over the duration, and Ben Jacobs has confirmed that they are still in the picture to land the Bundesliga sensation.

“They have discussed whether or not there is flexibility beneath the variable release clause, set at the moment around €80 million. That’s why that one’s taking time, because Arsenal want to do Sesko for €70 million, or within that ballpark.”

Saudi Arabian clubs are also believed to be at the table, creating another layer to what is turning out to be a complicated search for a goalscorer in light of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus being stricken by injury last term.

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The Premier League title is on the line and Arsenal need to make sure they get this one right if they are to unseat Liverpool at the summit, so it is only natural that time is being taken to assess all contributing factors.

However, they could now opt to move in a completely different direction from the names mentioned if reports elsewhere are to carry weight.

Arsenal set to court Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic

According to Tutto Juve, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has become a concrete option for Arsenal due to their ongoing frustration in the pursuit of Gyokeres.

Should their chase of the former Coventry City man fall by the wayside, the Serbia international may enter their thoughts more prominently due to the Old Lady’s willingness to listen to offers, providing they recoup a satisfactory outlay for the Serie A marksman.

Labelled “lightning” and “ridiculous” by former teammate Micah Richards, Vlahovic registered 15 goals and five assists in 41 appearances across all competitions last term as Juventus scraped into the Champions League on the final day of the campaign.

Now on Club World Cup duty, the ex-Fiorentina man has only one year left on his contract in Turin and it remains to be seen whether he would fancy the prospect of a move to England, but his contract situation would make him a cheaper option than the likes of Gyokeres.

Although he isn’t the first name on Arsenal’s list, Vlahovic’s name could be one to watch out for in the Gunners’ search for a high-profile striker to lead the line in 2025/26.

Leeds United now know what their opening set of fixtures in the Premier League look like, with August appearing to be a tough starting month for the already nervous Whites.

Indeed, top-flight stalwarts Everton, Arsenal, and Newcastle United all come in quick succession for Daniel Farke’s men to get the new season underway, with Leeds fans just praying an early result can be picked up to ease the expected anxiety around Elland Road.

Of course, there is still some time to go before Leeds’ Premier League adventure kicks off, with the off-season handing the newly promoted team plenty of opportunities to snap up some top-flight-ready talents.

Leeds in talks to sign £17m star

Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha – who both played in the Serie A and the Bundesliga last season – have already entered the building but there is plenty more on the way for Leeds.

Indeed, the West Yorkshire titans could be about to secure an even better signing than their new 6-foot-3 Slovenian, with a Premier League-proven battler now on their shopping list.

According to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, Leeds are in talks regarding the signature of Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio.

The report states that significant funds have come Leeds’ way after the glory of promotion, with the Whites desiring a player of Igor’s characteristics to try and consolidate as a Premier League-capable outfit.

Valued at around the £17m mark according to Transfermarkt, it will be intriguing to see who comes out on top in the race to land the Seagulls’ number three, with the report revealing that Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers are other keen parties from England.

Leeds will hope they can put their newfound millions to good use by landing the Brazilian, with Igor already having an upper hand over his potential new teammate in Bijol in being instantly ready for the challenge ahead of the English top-flight.

Why Igor would be an even better signing than Bijol

Of course, plenty will be expected of Bijol on his arrival in England, but it will take him time to get up to speed with his daunting new environment.

On the contrary, the imposing South American already has two top-flight campaigns under his belt on the South Coast, with the 27-year-old consistently sticking out as a reliable member of the Seagulls camp when thrown into action.

Games played

24

13

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

70.4

63.9

Accurate passes*

55.3 (94%)

50.8 (93%)

Ball recoveries*

4.4

3.2

Total duels won*

3.0

1.8

When glancing at the table above, it’s clear that the Brazilian shines with the ball planted at his feet, with a stunning 94% pass accuracy averaged during his debut Premier League campaign for Brighton.

This unerring ability to pick out a pass under pressure will stand him in good stead to shine under Farke’s wing, therefore, with Leeds defensive mainstay Joe Rodon successfully completing 92% of his passes last season.

This is where Bijol falls flat in comparison, with the Slovenian only average an 84% pass accuracy across the same time span.

On top of that, Igor has even more top-flight experience on his side when weighed up next to the ex-Udinese man, notably when on the books of Fiorentina.

104 Serie A appearances came his way when plying his trade in Florence. To add context, Bijol falls short of that amount by 14 games.

Of course, Bijol will have a key role to play next season as Leeds adjust to their new level.

But, having also recently been lauded as an “animal” by ex-Seagulls coach Inigo Calderon, picking up Igor could be just what Leeds crave in winning a battler ready to roll his sleeves up for the cause, with the 27-year-old well aware of what it takes to be a success in such a gruelling division.

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