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Nepal board took action after legspinner withdrew from the first match at the last minute

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane was suspended from his team’s second and third T20 internationals against West Indies in Sharjah, after he withdrew from the first match “45 minutes before the start.”A statement from the Cricket Association of Nepal said Lamichhane’s late withdrawal – 15 minutes before the toss – from the first T20I on September 27 had “a serious impact” on the team and Nepal cricket at large. The board said the team management had recommended that Lamichhane be benched from the remaining two games in the series.It is understood that when the team management spoke to Lamichhane later, his reason for withdrawing from the first game was that he was mentally not in a good space to play the match.Nepal beat the West Indies in the first T20I by 19 runs to record their first victory against a Full Member nation; they then won the second T20I by 90 runs to complete their first series win against a Full Member nation. They lost the third match – a dead rubber – by ten wickets.Nepal’s next assignment is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia Pacific Final in Oman, where they will be competing with Malaysia, Qatar, UAE, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea for two places in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. Lamichhane has been retained in the Nepal squad for the tournament.The nine teams are divided into three groups of three each. Nepal are in Group B along with Japan and Kuwait, whom they play on October 8 and 10. The top two teams from each group proceed to the Super Six round, and the teams that finish first, second and third there qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will be chewing on his pencil over the November international break as he works toward solutions that are so badly needed.

Fortunes have gone somewhat askew at St. James’ Park this season, with the club’s away form laying waste to Howe’s hopes of progress after a testing summer transfer window.

But it may be that the ramifications of that Alexander Isak-dominated summer are still being felt. However, tactically, things aren’t right, and the wider struggle of the summer market has led to the current issues which must be overcome if the Magpies hope to make it another positive campaign.

Where PIF have gone wrong in the transfer window

Newcastle have fallen by the wayside, but it’s hardly too late for them to pick themselves back up. But there’s no question that PIF have to learn from their recent transfer struggles, with those brilliant windows of Howe’s early reign something of a distant memory.

In 2024, Newcastle failed to sign a right-sided forward, a glaring gap in the squad. That has now been amended through the £55m addition of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, but Elanga has blanked across 16 matches for the club, and with concerns over his form, questions must be raised over the extensive scouting that led to his signature being obtained.

Interestingly, Nick Woltemade’s fine form at centre-forward has eased the Isak blow, and before the season, that would have been viewed as the biggest issue. Newcastle’s attacking problems stretch more toward the creative side, with Anthony Gordon joining Elanga in having failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League this season.

For a team whose 97 big chances created were bettered only by Liverpool in 2023/24, this is a real concern. This year, United have only created 14 from 11 matches, placing them 12th for that statistic. Gordon and Elanga must be doing a lot more, with the recruitment having felt they had hit the jackpot when shaping this wide duo.

While Newcastle have added exciting talents to their ranks this summer, Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey among those with plenty of scope for growth, this is frankly an ageing squad and one whose freshen-up needs to go a lot further.

Tactical issues this season have been suggestive of this, and considering the company Newcastle are keeping in regard to the average age of their starting 11, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that younger profiles are needed for balance and continuity.

Everton

13th

28.0

Aston Villa

6th

27.9

Newcastle

14th

27.6

Fulham

15th

27.6

Burnley

17th

27.1

The need for depth and quality on the defensive flanks is alarming. Kieran Trippier at right-back is 35 years old and out of contract at the end of the season, and Tino Livramento has been unfit at times and deployed as a makeshift left-back at others.

This is largely because of Lewis Hall’s own unavailability this season. But with the 22-year-old drawing strength and fitness once again, we are turned toward the situation of one of Howe’s mainstays.

The Newcastle star now on borrowed time

Newcastle comprise players of myriads shapes and sizes and skills. Some are renowned as being among the best in the world, but some are of a shrewder nature, like Dan Burn, who returned home from Brighton for around £12m at the start of the manager’s reign and has since become one of his mainstays.

After all, it is only the skipper, Bruno Guimaraes, who has featured more prominently for Howe’s Newcastle than him.

1

Bruno Guimaraes

170

2

Dan Burn

165

3

Fabian Schar

163

4

Jacob Murphy

150

5

Joelinton

145

The 32-year-old has done more than endear himself to the Toon fanbase since arriving, but he’s getting on a bit and has been guilty of some suspect performances at left-back this season.

Naturally a central defender, Burn ranks against Premier League full-backs this term among the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 29% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

In the first five matches of the season, he was in the centre. Six appearances since have seen the England international deployed as a left-back, and this is inhibiting Newcastle’s flow and overarching connectivity.

Quite simply, Burn is not a natural left-back, even though he has played ample football in the moonlit role. He is a centre-back. 6 foot 6 and cool and composed.

Hall is far more dynamic and energetic in his role, and this will not only widen and add a dimension to Newcastle’s backline, but it could revive the likes of Gordon up ahead.

The boy from Blyth has been a revelation at Newcastle, and, pound for pound, “one of Newcastle’s best signings” since Howe arrived, as has been said by reporter Andy Sixsmith. A small fee and an immortalising contribution at Wembley last season have made sure of that.

But Howe will be putting a spoke in his own wheel if he continues to persist with Burn on the flank, limiting his side’s progression and mobility and dynamism at the back.

With this in mind, the modern legend might find himself slipping into his obscurity over the coming months, and perhaps that will lead to a departure to make way for this new chapter on Tyneside.

Newcastle must regret signing £100k-per-week flop who's cost £3.2m per game

Newcastle United must already rue signing this expensive flop, who is draining them dry.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 13, 2025

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Com a missão de retornar à final do Campeonato Paulista após oito temporadas, o Santos encara o Red Bull Bragantino, na noite desta quarta-feira (27), na Neo Química Arena (entenda).

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Com R$200, você leva R$380 no mercado “ambos marcam” em Santos x Red Bull Bragantino!

A última vez que o Peixe disputou uma final de torneio estadual foi em 2016, quando derrotou o Audax, que era comandado à época por Fernando Diniz, na decisão.

Para o duelo decisivo, Fábio Carille terá o meia Giuliano, um dos principais destaques da equipe na competição, à disposição. O meia está recuperado de uma lesão na panturrilha direita e deve iniciar a partida entre os titulares.

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A única dúvida do Santos para o confronto é na lateral direita. Com um problema físico na posterior da coxa direita, Aderlan, titular da posição, não treinou com restante do grupo e deve desfalcar o Peixe na semifinal. Reserva imediato, Hayner deve herdar a vaga deixada pelo companheiro.

CONFIRA A PROVÁVEL ESCALAÇÃO DO SANTOS

A provável escalação do Santos para o duelo contra o Bragantino tem: João Paulo; Hayner, Gil, Joaquim e Felipe Jonatan; João Schmidt, Diego Pituca e Giuliano; Pedrinho, Guilherme e Julio Furch.

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BragantinoCampeonato PaulistaescalaçãoFutebol NacionalSantos

The Africa Cup of Nations is back this December and January, with the continent's very best set to battle it out in Morocco as they aim to take Cote d'Ivoire's crown after their unlikely victory at the start of 2024. AFCON's prestige, drama and quality remains up there with the Euros and Copa America, but the downside for European clubs is it's another tournament which falls slap bang in the middle of their seasonal calendar, meaning most teams will be losing players for up to a month.

The Premier League's growth to become a truly global competition means all but three teams – Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds United – will be affected, though some will feel the pinch a bit more than others.

We at GOAL have ranked the remaining 17 clubs based on whose prospects of a successful season will most be damaged by players leaving for AFCON. Let's dive in…

Getty Images Sport17Aston Villa

Number of absentees: 1 – Evann Guessand (Cote d'Ivoire)

Arriving from Nice as one of Ligue 1's most exciting forwards this summer, Evann Guessand hasn't quite hit the ground running at Aston Villa, scoring once in 15 games for his new club. Thus, his absence this winter shouldn't really be to the detriment of Unai Emery, who has plenty of other forwards capable of finding the net to rely upon.

AdvertisementGetty Images16Newcastle

Number of absentees: 1 – Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)

As is the case with Guessand at Villa, Yoane Wissa hasn't impressed for his new club yet. In fact, he hasn't even played a single minute for them at the time of writing. After missing part of Brentford's pre-season campaign to force through a move to Newcastle, the striker picked up an injury on duty with DR Congo and hasn't been fit since. He's expected to recover in time for AFCON and make his long-awaited Magpies debut in the near future.

Why do Newcastle rank above Villa then? Because Eddie Howe could seriously do with another source of goals, and the availability of their £55 million ($72.5m) attacker would be nice.

Getty Images Sport15Bournemouth

Number of absentees: 1 – Amine Adli (Morocco)

Another team with only one player departing in December, Bournemouth's thin squad becomes tested at the first sign of absence. Amine Adli, a Bundesliga title winner with Bayer Leverkusen, is yet to win the full trust of Andoni Iraola, but the Cherries' high intensity means they need to count on every first-team player, and they will need to find someone to replace those minutes. In better news for Bournemouth, Antoine Semenyo won't be going anywhere as Ghana somehow failed to qualify for the finals.

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Getty Images Sport14Manchester City

Number of absentees: 2 – Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)

If this were a list ranking teams by how much individual quality each team will lose for AFCON, then clearly Manchester City would be towards the very top. Yet, such are the riches of depth in Pep Guardiola's squad, they will barely be troubled by Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri's exits, especially given the Catalan manager has openly reiterated his desire to trim down his roster.

Marmoush has missed much of this season with a knee injury, while Ait-Nouri has been sidelined with an ankle injury after joining from Wolves. City will probably be just fine.

He batted like a subcontinent pro at the Chinnaswamy, putting himself firmly in the conversation around Test cricket’s future Fab Four

Deivarayan Muthu21-Oct-20241:39

Manjrekar: Very rarely did Rachin defend against the spinners

Until Sunday, the last time New Zealand beat India in a Test match in India was in 1988. Michael Bracewell’s uncle John played that game, and bagged a six-for in the fourth innings at the Wankhede Stadium. Michael wasn’t even born at the time. Neither was anyone else from New Zealand’s current Test squad other than Ajaz Patel, who was just over a month old at the time.Rachin Ravindra wouldn’t arrive in the world until 11 years later.Thirty-six years after Mumbai 1988, New Zealand finally won another Test match in India, and Ravindra was in the middle of it all, scoring a dazzling first-innings century and following up with a composed 39 off 46 balls amid the mounting tension of a small run chase. New Zealand and Ravindra had done the unthinkable at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.Around this time last year, Ravindra had announced his arrival in India, scoring 578 runs in ten matches, drawing level with Kane Williamson for the most runs by a New Zealander in a single edition of the men’s ODI World Cup. Now, Ravindra slotted into the absent Williamson’s role and lived up to his billing as New Zealand’s future batting leader.A year on from a breakout ODI World Cup, Rachin Ravindra has returned to India and shown he can be just as prolific in Test cricket•BCCIWhen India first met Ravindra in 2021, he was batting at No.6 in T20Is and even further down the order in Tests, with his utility as a left-arm spinner earning him a red-ball debut in Kanpur. There, batting at No.8 in the fourth innings on day five with No.11 Ajaz for company, he salvaged a draw against an attack that included R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.It was the first glimpse of a special talent on the world stage. Ravindra has now harnessed that talent to move up to No.4 and become New Zealand’s premier all-format batter.Cricket is veering towards a new generation, with other young, supremely talented batters also emerging. Ben Stokes thinks Harry Brook can replicate Virat Kohli’s all-format success. Rohit Sharma reckons India have found a “great” player in Yashasvi Jaiswal. Just eight Tests old, Kamindu Mendis has been ripping up the record books for fun. Ravindra is now in the same conversation around cricket’s future Fab Four.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe most striking aspect of Ravindra’s batting in Bengaluru was the assurance he showed against India’s spinners. Most overseas batters are often stuck on the crease, reduced to picking spinners only off the pitch. But Ravindra is not most overseas batters. He batted like a subcontinent batter in the subcontinent. He was right forward or right back, opening up a number of scoring options for himself.”Rachin has made every post a winner in all the games he’s played,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “He was certainly at his very best in this game and played beautifully in both innings and put us in a position that we could win.”Ravindra’s ability to pick length early also enables him to manoeurve the ball against the turn. When Jadeja erred marginally short in the 75th over of New Zealand’s first innings, Ravindra jumped onto the back foot so quickly that he could caress the ball between slip and deep third. Then, when Ashwin dragged an offbreak short and outside off, Ravindra used his rubber wrists and the depth of the crease to shovel it away against the turn.Ravindra has been a strong back-foot player right from his age-group days in Wellington. To improve his front-foot game before New Zealand’s six-Test subcontinent expedition, he went to great lengths. He arrived in India before the rest of New Zealand squad and had a four-day preparatory camp at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai in exaggerated conditions, which included batting against spin on used black- and red-soil pitches.Decisive footwork and strong wrists were a feature of Ravindra’s batting in Bengaluru•AFP/Getty ImagesThat preparation has clearly served him well. In Galle, Ravindra made a magnificent fourth-innings 92 as Sri Lanka’s spinners ran through the rest of New Zealand’s line-up. And he went even better in Bengaluru. According to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, he scored 112 of his 173 runs in Bengaluru off the front foot, and a further 22 while stepping out of the crease.”As long as I’m clear when I get out to bat and have a plan, that helps a lot,” Ravindra told the host broadcaster after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. “And also the choice – having the intent to move forward and back, not necessarily trying to attack the game but taking care of my position in this part of the world. But yeah, preparation helps. When you have six subcontinent Tests in a row, you’ve always gotta do a little bit extra whether it’s indoors at the nets or head out somewhere else and do some training.”Having conquered what is arguably the toughest challenge in Test cricket right now, scoring big runs while beating India in India, Ravindra is firmly on the path to greatness.

The debate as to who will bat No.3 for England in the first Ashes Test has been all but settled with Ollie Pope’s standout performance in the warm-up match against England Lions locking up his familiar spot for Friday’s opener in Perth.Scores of 100 and 90 saw Pope emerge from Lilac Hills in credit, hurdling the challenge put forward by Jacob Bethell, who scored 3 and 70. Named in the England side for the warm-up match while Bethell was carded three for the Lions, Pope was comfortably the best batter on show across both innings. He looked more composed, and authoritative, even if this match was a far cry from the intensity the tourists will experience at the Optus Stadium from November 21.It effectively ended what has been months of speculation over Pope’s place in the side for the start of this Australia tour. Initial doubts were triggered by Bethell’s form at the back end of the summer, including a maiden professional century in an ODI against South Africa. They then gained momentum when Pope was ditched as Test vice-captain for Harry Brook. “I respect the decision they’ve made,” Pope said. “If they think that’s the right thing for the team going forward, and obviously Brooky captaining the one-day stuff and the T20 stuff as well, then that’s absolutely fine by me and I respect the decision they’ve made.”Perhaps spurred on further by the loss of an official leadership role, Pope reinforced his reliability on the eve of the biggest Ashes series in generations. Along with an accomplished body of work at No.3 – averaging 41.60 from 57 innings since the promotion up the order, while scoring eight of his nine career centuries – he feels confident this week has ended speculation, in his favour.”I hope so,” Pope said, when asked if he had ended the debate. “I’ve got so used to those conversations being had (about the No.3 position). I don’t go looking for them but it’s pretty hard to avoid sometimes. I’m so used to seeing it, I’ve just learned to focus on my game.Related

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“I’m just trying to become a better player each time I step out and that’s all I can do. Fingers crossed to get the nod, but all the trust is in those guys and I respect the decision they make.”Pope revealed he had made a few technical tweaks which he was workshopping this week, though was unwilling to disclose what they were ahead of the series. However, he did acknowledge the challenge posed by Bethell had narrowed his focus.Both have been pitted against one another since Bethell impressed on his maiden tour of New Zealand in 2024. That opportunity was ultimately provided by Pope, who ceded the No.3 position so he could bat lower and keep wicket after an injury to Jordan Cox in the lead-up to the series, with Jamie Smith on paternity leave.It was a selfless act from Pope that, in hindsight, looked a grave error. But he believes dealing with the extra scrutiny and fighting for his place will serve him well. Amid the huge clamour for Bethell to start against India last summer, Pope struck 106 in his first innings of the series. “It’s been good for me that I’ve learnt that, under the most pressure, I’ve been able to deliver, especially in that Headingley Test. I know that I can learn how to deal with that and get the best out of myself at times.”Everyone wants to be the first name on the team sheet, that’s pretty clear. But at the same time we’re playing international sport. I’ve got to remind myself of that at times – there’s always going to be someone on your heel if you haven’t quite scored the volume of runs that you would have liked.”I’ll try and use the pressure I’m under to get the best out of myself. I think I’m a far better player than I was the last time I came out to Australia. I’ve got those experiences behind me and I know how I want to go about it. So fingers crossed that I can deliver with a lot of runs.”In truth, Pope only really had one way to go after that last tour. A torturous 2021-22 campaign saw him average 11.16 from six innings. He played the first two Tests before being axed, only to be brought back for the last match in Hobart, which Australia won to confirm a 4-0 hammering.Can Pope make this tour count? Time will tell, but the signs are promising. He has faith in the batting improvements he is keeping close to his chest, and, for the first time in a year, has certainty over his place. He may also enjoy the liberation of not having to wonder if he might have to captain, in the event Stokes gets injured, having done so five times in the space of 12 months. Whatever happens, he is raring to go again.”Everyone is just so excited for it,” he said. “There’s obviously a lot of chat from the media, everywhere you look it’s Ashes, and for us it is enjoy that, enjoy the experience of it. But let’s just remember what’s made us a real good side over the last few years, and hopefully if I do get the nod on Friday, then it’s going to be an amazing series to be a part of.”

Though just two international matches old, Rhys Mariu has given enough evidence of being a good fit for the highest level

Deivarayan Muthu23-Aug-2025Rhys Mariu was a run machine at the 2024-25 Plunket Shield, churning out 747 runs in 11 innings at an average of 74.70 for Canterbury.The 23-year-old Mariu’s remarkable consistency earned him a New Zealand ODI debut against Pakistan towards the end of the previous home summer. In his second match, he made a fairly smooth transition into top-flight cricket with 58 off 61 balls in Mount Maunganui.Mariu has always had the potential – he was New Zealand’s highest run-getter in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup. More mature now, he has found a method to pile on the runs in red-ball cricket too.Related

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“I think I found a good formula for batting last season,” Mariu told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of a camp at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in Chennai in June. “Obviously, with cricket you go through patches of scoring runs and not scoring runs. But I think I just found a good base and sort of worked through that and managed to find some success through that.”Then it was just about staying level, I guess. I was understanding that I’m not always going to be scoring lots of runs, so just trying to stay consistent with it even if it’s not successful. But at that time, I was lucky that it went well.”Mariu credits mental-skills coach John Quinn, who has also worked with Rugby NZ and Black Sticks Men (hockey team), for his success in the previous season.”Yeah, I think it’s mainly down to my mental routines and all that I’ve been working on,” Mariu said. “I work closely with John Quinn back home – a mental skills coach – and he’s really helped me sort of find a routine that I can repeat, and it just keeps me consistent. And when I am tired or things are changing, then I can just go back to that. It’s helped me play long innings as well.”Rhys Mariu hones his skills at the Super Kings Academy•Super Kings AcademyMariu hails from a cricketing family. His father Marcus and older brother Josh represented Canterbury at the Hawke Cup level. When he was younger, Mariu had even operated the manual scoreboard for Canterbury matches at Rangiora’s Mainpower Oval. Years later, he’s troubling the scorers with his prolific batting for Canterbury.”Dad played a little bit and it’s good playing with my brother,” Mariu said. “Obviously, I sort of just followed him [his father] in terms of choices to play cricket, but I was always [watching cricket] on TV and playing in the backyard, so it was good fun.”We would just sit up on the balcony and spend most of the day, especially four-dayers, just watching games and putting the numbers and names up, which was cool at the time. We just got paid 50 bucks a day [for operating the scoreboard], but it was just really good fun spending days with him [my brother] and some of our mates would also come down.”Like most New Zealanders, Mariu played a lot of sports while growing up, cycling through cricket, rugby, football and hockey. He believes that his hockey background has had a positive effect on his cricket.

“At this camp, I’ve worked on hitting straight, which is what I wanted to do coming over here […] Just keeping everything a bit more square-on and finding ways of hitting down the ground. So, that’s been the main work here”Rhys Mariu on the experience in Chennai

“Yeah, I think I’ve always been decent at sweeping just because I think that comes from playing hockey at school. That [sweep] has always come naturally to me.”Given his long reach and strong base, there are shades of Daryl Mitchell in Mariu, especially when he sweeps and reverse-sweeps. It was only fitting that Mitchell had handed Mariu his maiden international cap.”Yeah, it was pretty special with Daz presenting me that,” Mariu said. “He’s been really, really helpful with Canterbury and then making the jump up. He’s always let me know that if I have any questions or need anything, I can go to him. So, it’s nice having someone like that in your corner.”Mariu’s golden run last season included a career-best 240 in just his ninth game for Canterbury and first as captain, against Central Districts at Saxton Oval. His mammoth score led Canterbury to a ten-wicket win.”Yeah, it was a decent CD attack,” Mariu recalled. “I think the conditions were sort of in the favour of the batting team on those couple of days. And I think we just found good partners through that. Like, [Matt] Boyle was really helpful. He obviously had a hell of a knock there as well [116 from No. 4]. It was a young team and there was a really good vibe around for the whole week. Things just sort of fell into place in that game.””I think I’ve always been decent at sweeping just because I think that comes from playing hockey at school”•Getty ImagesMariu, however, wasn’t satisfied. He’s always hungry for runs and improvement. During the New Zealand winter, he travelled to Chennai and focussed on holding his shape for long enough and hitting the ball down the ground.”At this camp, I’ve worked on hitting straight, which is what I wanted to do coming over here,” Mariu said. “Sri [Sriram Krishnamurthy, former NZ pathway coach and current CSK Academy head coach] has been really good. Just keeping everything a bit more square-on and finding ways of hitting down the ground. So, that’s been the main work here.”In the recent past, Canterbury have supplied a number of players to the Black Caps, including Will O’Rourke, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay and Chad Bowes. Mariu draws inspiration from his domestic team-mates and hopes to emulate them.”Fults [Peter Fulton] and Brendon Donkers [the Canterbury coaches] have created a good environment,” Mariu said. “With a lot of Black Caps being churned out, success breeds success. It’s cool seeing those guys go up to the next level. It makes it feel like it’s less of a jump because you spend a lot of time with those guys and then you go see them play up high. It’s cool and it doesn’t make it seem too far away.”Mariu’s next assignment is an A team tour of South Africa, which comprises three one-dayers and two four-dayers. If Mariu can maintain his consistency, he might not be too far away from breaking into the Test side either.

Fast bowler impressed in maiden Tests in 2023 but has barely bowled a ball since

Vithushan Ehantharajah25-Mar-2025The 2025 season will be Josh Tongue’s second as a Nottinghamshire player. It speaks to the way things have gone for the fast bowler that he is excited to finally make his debut for the club.Tongue is no stranger to long periods on the sidelines. A previous 15-month stint prior to the 2023 summer led him to contemplate retirement and a move into coaching at the age of 25. He was suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome – a condition where nerves or blood vessel between the neck and shoulder are compressed – but Botox injections to alleviate the pressure (and pain) saved Tongue’s career.This time around, a rupture of his right pectoral muscle during the Hundred in August 2023 was followed by an aggravation at the start of last season. Having dealt with that issue, he was on the cusp of returning to action in Notts Outlaws’ T20 Blast campaign, but then he tore his hamstring. It was only at the start of 2025, on England Lions’ tour of Australia, that he made his competitive comeback.Indeed, 2024 was a bitter blow for Tongue given the strides he had made in between the two lay-offs. Having impressed on a Lions tour to Sri Lanka at the start of 2023, Tongue was thrust onto the international stage that summer, playing both Lord’s Test matches, against Ireland and Australia. He took five wickets on debut against the former, before pocketing Steve Smith twice on his Ashes bow, having already dismissed him earlier in the season for Worcestershire while Smith was playing for Sussex. He was also part of England’s limited-overs plans.Josh Tongue claimed a five-for on Test debut against Ireland•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesThat window netted Tongue the security of a two-year central contract with the ECB, who were enamoured by his high pace and impressive movement off the pitch and through the air. And the experience, along with the 10 wickets at 25.70, gave the 27-year-old something to hold onto during the toughest moments.”It was just like the end of the world,” Tongue said. “It was like, ‘How’s that happened? Really?’ Going through all my pec stuff, and then all of a sudden, I do one sprint session at Loughborough, and you just feel your hammy.”It’s just so cruel. But what I’ve been through in the past, I think that’s helped me mentally. Getting the right support around that has definitely helped me to where I am now.”I was out first with my thoracic outlet for 16 to 17 months, and then within the five, six months after that, I was playing for England. It just happened so quickly. So it’s just making sure, mentally, I’m in a good place, getting the right support. And even at Notts, Chris Marshall, our psychologist, helped me a lot during last summer. That just gives me the drive and the dedication to play for England again.”The winter has been very encouraging. Tongue attended a Lions bowling camp in South Africa last November, which led into the tour of Australia at the start of this year. His appearance against a CA XI on January 22 was his first since turning out for Manchester Originals against Southern Brave on August 23, 2023.Though Tongue went wicketless in that match, and the one-off unofficial Test match against Australia A, progress has been steady. His speeds over the off-season were consistently around the 90mph mark, and he is noticeably broader in the shoulders and chest than he was two years ago. His progress may have been stunted, but his development has not. Naturally, the ECB will carefully tailor his start to the season. It is unlikely he will play back-to-back rounds in the County Championship.”It was amazing to be back out on the field,” Tongue said. “Being out for that long, definitely, I wasn’t where I wanted to be in terms of how I was bowling. But for being out for 18 months, I knew that was going to happen. There were still snippets of my spells where I thought I was sort of back to where I was in ’23. But as the winter’s gone on, I feel like I’m getting better and better.”Related

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Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson ready to have it all – again

As expected from someone who does not want to take fitness for granted, he stopped short of admitting he had his sights set on a return to Test cricket this summer and the Ashes further along.Even the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at the end of May was waved away as something to aim for, despite the neatness of it taking place at Trent Bridge. Tongue’s focus right now is making sure he puts in performances at his home ground for his club before wondering what lies on the horizon for his country.”It’s everyone’s dream to play in an Ashes series away, and it’s natural to think like that – but I’m the sort of bloke who is focusing in the present. I don’t want to think too far in the future, because anything could happen in six, seven months.”There’s been a few people speaking about it [playing in the Zimbabwe Test]. But I want to get through that first block of Champos and make sure I’m bowling well. That’s the main thing, and my body’s holding up as well.”It is very weird,” he said of having not yet played for Nottinghamshire. “Signing, how many months ago during that Ashes (2023), but I haven’t played one game here. I’ve played here for Worcestershire and in the Hundred, but I haven’t played one game for Notts yet. But I’m looking forward to it.”

Jediah Blades briefly threatened to be the hero with an outstanding spell of 3 for 29 but West Indies’ fielding once again let them down

Alex Malcolm26-Jul-2025Another composed unbeaten half-century from Cameron Green and some stunning hitting and catching from Glenn Maxwell helped Australia post a fourth straight win over a deflated West Indies in Basseterre.Green made an unbeaten 55 from 35 to steer Australia home to a target of 206 with three wickets and four balls to spare following a middle-order collapse. The chase had earlier been set up by 51 off 30 from Josh Inglis while Player-of-the-Match Maxwell smashed 47 off 18 at the top of the order. Second-gamer Jediah Blades briefly threatened to be the hero with an outstanding spell of 3 for 29 but West Indies’ fielding once again let them down.Related

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Australia, by contrast, were flawless in the field with Maxwell taking two catches and combining with Green to complete a stunning catch on the rope to back up an excellent bowling performance. With Ben Dwarshuis and Tim David rested, Aaron Hardie and Xavier Bartlett grabbed their chance, taking 2 for 24 and 2 for 39 respectively, including three powerplay wickets to restrict West Indies. Nathan Ellis was sensational again bowling four overs for 21 runs while Adam Zampa and Sean Abbott also took five wickets between them.West Indies became the first team in T20I history to score 200 without anyone scoring more than 34, with Sherfane Rutherford top-scoring with 31.

Bartlett and Hardie take powerplay wickets

As well as Australia have bowled in this series, they had only taken one powerplay wicket in the first three games. The selection of Bartlett and Hardie changed that. Both men had success with hard lengths rather than swing up front. Bartlett cramped both Brandon King and Shai Hope on consecutive deliveries in different overs while Hardie benefitted from Maxwell’s superb catching at mid-on. Having caught Hope diving forward on the circle, he casually stretched up with the one hand to pluck a Roston Chase drive off Hardie.Jediah Blades struck crucial blows•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

West Indies kept hitting despite the regular loss of wickets. Rutherford, Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer clubbed six sixes and seven fours between them. But none of them passed 31 as they all holed out with miscues. Mitchell Owen continued Australia’s fine catching with a brilliant diving effort running in from deep backward point to remove Hetmyer. When Powell holed out to hand Hardie his second, West Indies were 119 for 6 after 11.1.

Mind-blowing Maxwell changes the game

Shepherd and Jason Holder were unperturbed by the scoreboard. Shepherd’s hitting showed he could well be used as a full-fledged allrounder in this West Indies line-up. He mixed power and touch to maul Abbott. He lifted West Indies beyond 150 before the end of the 15th over but his dismissal summed up the difference between the two sides.Maxwell not only robbed Shepherd of a certain six but he ended his innings with the same stunning act. Shepherd clubbed Zampa flat to long-on and it looked to have easily cleared Maxwell. But he defied gravity and logic to jump as high as he could at full stretch to catch it with two hands and land on his left leg, which is still full of hardware from his fracture in 2022, before flicking it back to the waiting Green while momentum carried him over the rope. Maxwell’s two catches on the scorecard will be an unjust historical record of his contribution to the match.Australia’s death bowling was superb again, conceding just 41 from the final five overs which took an additional 55 minutes to complete due to a long rain delay between Ellis’ second ball of the final over and his third.

Inglis and Maxwell cause déjà vu

There was a brief moment when West Indies’ fortunes defending a total might have taken a different turn. Blades found swing first up and pinned Mitchell Marsh lbw second ball. Marsh’s decision not to review it despite ball-tracking showing it pitched outside leg might have been the luck West Indies needed.Early swing for Blades and Holder saw a circumspect Australia score just 12 off the first two overs. But as soon as the swing disappeared, déjà vu set in. Inglis smashed seven boundaries in the next 11 balls. He added a four and a six off Matthew Forde’s first over of the series to raise a 50-run stand with Maxwell who contributed one run. Inglis reached his 50 off 28 balls and ended up facing 29 balls in the powerplay before holing out to deep square off a full toss outside leg.The lack of strike did not concern Maxwell nor did the field spreading outside the powerplay. He launched six sixes in typical Maxwell style, including three in three balls, to put Australia miles ahead of the required rate and briefly threatened to match Tim David’s record for the fastest T20I fifty by an Australian less than 24 hours after it was set as Australia cruised to 129 for 2 after 10.

It’s the hope that kills you

A Maxwell miscue off Akeal Hosein sparked a collapse and gave West Indies a chance at victory. Blades loomed as the unlikely hero. He made Owen miscue to deep cover point and Cooper Connolly to mis-hit one to mid-off in the space of three balls. He then had Hardie dropped twice in two balls, with Shai Hope spilling a catch down the leg side before Blades failed to grasp a return offering himself.But Green held his nerve to post his third half-century of the series. Every time West Indies bowlers threatened to close out a boundary-free over, he cleared the rope to ease the pressure. He reached his 50 off 30 balls with the required rate well under a run-a-ball despite Australia being six down. He offered a chance late with 11 to win, but Rutherford dropped a catch at deep midwicket to continue West Indies’ nightmare series.

TN are facing a tough build-up to the start of the new season with their main spinners Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram injured

Deivarayan Muthu27-Aug-2025 • Updated on 30-Aug-2025

Allrounder Vijay Shankar has made a last-minute decision to move out of his home state Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. Vijay, 34, has been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and *will be joining Tripura to play alongside Hanuma Vihara and his TNPL team-mate Swapnil Singh as professionals.Vijay had turned out for the TNCA President’s XI in the opening round of the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament in Chennai against Himachal Pradesh but ESPNcricinfo has learnt that he decided to switch states, after he was left out of the second round against Maharashtra, in search of more consistent opportunities across formats.In the 2024-25 domestic season, Vijay sat out Tamil Nadu’s first two Ranji Trophy matches and also spent a chunk of the 20-overs Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the bench.Related

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This brings the curtains down on Vijay’s 13-year stint with Tamil Nadu during which he had captained the state to the Vijay Hazare, Deodhar and Syed Mushtaq Ali titles. After making his Ranji Trophy debut in December 2012, he stepped into S Badrinath’s shoes and led Tamil Nadu’s middle order in the Ranji Trophy along with B Indrajith.Vijay leaves Tamil Nadu with 3142 runs in 81 Ranji innings at an average of 44.25, including 11 centuries and 16 fifties. He also picked up 43 Ranji wickets with his medium-fast bowling, at an average of 53.93. His breakout Ranji season came in 2014-15, when he scored 577 runs in 11 innings at an average of 57.70. He then emerged on the India A radar and made India’s 2019 ODI World Cup side as a wildcard.