Celtic enjoyed a mostly successful night at Parkhead as they beat Sturm Graz 2-1 to secure their first win of the league phase of the Europa League on Thursday night.

Goals from Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren turned the game around after the Hoops found themselves 1-0 down to a wondergoal in the first half.

There were also some negatives to take away from the game, though, unfortunately, as Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston both came off with injuries in the opening 45 minutes.

Speaking after the match, Brendan Rodgers provided an update on both players: “The first two doesn’t look great, it looks like hamstring. But okay, that’s what happens.”

Iheanacho came off with that hamstring injury in the opening four minutes of the game, which is a concern, and it remains to be seen exactly how long the Nigeria international will be out of action for.

Johnny Kenny was brought off the bench to replace the former Manchester City striker for the remainder of the game, but it is now down to Rodgers to decide whether he sticks with him for Sunday’s huge game.

Why Johnny Kenny may not start against Hearts

The Celtic head coach may take a cautious approach with this match because they are away from home against the team that are currently five points ahead of them in the Scottish Premiership table.

This means that Rodgers may not want to put his full trust in the inexperience of Kenny to lead the line for the Hoops in such a crucial match in the league season, despite a promising performance off the bench against Sturm Graz.

Minutes

86

xG

0.98

Shots

6

Goals

0

Dribbles completed

2/4

Pass accuracy

40%

Duels won

9/15

Possession lost

13x

As you can see in the table above, the Irishman got into plenty of positions to have shots at goal, taking six in total, but he gave the ball away a bit too much and failed to take the chances that came his way.

On top of some of those performance-related concerns, there may also be a concern over his lack of experience. Kenny has started one Premiership game for Celtic in 2025, per Sofascore, and scored his first league goal for the club against Aberdeen in May.

The 22-year-old centre-forward has not started a game in the Premiership for the Scottish giants so far this season, coming off the bench four times, but did score a goal in the 3-0 win over Livingston in August.

This means that Kenny may not be viewed as the best option to be given the nod as the starting centre-forward against Hearts, because he is inexperienced and raw as a young striker.

Rodgers may, instead, turn to another player to fill that position to replace the injured Iheanacho, by unleashing one of his players in a new role in his Celtic career.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Benjamin Nygren has played all of his appearances for the Scottish giants so far this season as either a central midfielder or a right winger, per Transfermarkt, and he played off the right against Sturm Graz.

However, the Sweden international has played 39 times as a centre-forward in his career, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is capable of operating as a central striker.

Why Celtic should start Benjamin Nygren as a striker

With Iheanacho out injured and Kenny lacking in experience and goals for the Hoops, playing Nygren as a centre-forward could make sense for this clash with Hearts.

The 24-year-old star has already played over 1,000 minutes and contributed with five goals and four assists in 15 appearances for Celtic this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is a dependable squad member for the manager.

Rodgers clearly trusts him to deliver on the pitch, hence his minutes on the pitch, and that is why the head coach may want to unleash him in a new role, in terms of the current campaign, as a striker against Hearts.

Nygren, above all else, is a player who has proven that he can consistently get into goalscoring positions and score goals to win his team matches, which is a valuable trait to have.

The left-footed star missed four ‘big chances’ in the win over Sturm Graz, but his misses did not deter him from going on to score the winning goal with an excellent close-range header from Arne Engels’ corner.

Nygren, who has scored four goals in eight appearances in the Premiership for Celtic, is no stranger to the centre-forward position, or to finding the back of the net. In fact, speaking on TNT’s coverage of the win on Thursday, former Hoops boss Neil Lennon described him as a constant “threat” in front of goal.

Right winger

77

27 + 13

Centre-forward

39

16 + 3

Central midfield

20

5 + 4

Left winger

15

6 + 1

Attacking midfield

8

2 + 0

Right midfield

7

1 + 1

Left midfield

3

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, centre-forward is his second-most featured position in his club career to date, only bettered by right wing, which shows that he is more than comfortable in that role.

His return of 16 goals in 39 appearances as a striker also suggests that he can carry his goalscoring qualities over to playing in that position, rather than only providing a goal threat from a central midfield or right wing position.

Therefore, it could make a lot of sense to unleash Nygren as a centre-forward against Hearts because the left-footed ace is experienced, has proven he can score goals for Celtic, and has played as a number nine for previous clubs.

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This Nakamura-esque Celtic star was even better than Benjamin Nygren against Sturm Graz.

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This would allow Rodgers to keep the inexperienced Kenny on the bench as an option to bring on when needed to add some energy, possibly in the second half.

Arsenal continued their strong run of form in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Greek outfit Olympiacos and picked up their second win of the campaign.

The Gunners ran out 2-0 winners in the end, and while they could have scored plenty more, the visitors put up more of a fight than some would have been expecting.

With that said, almost everyone who featured for the hosts put in a strong showing, including someone who could end up becoming a new Bukayo Saka for Arsenal.

Saka's rise at Arsenal

Saka was handed his Arsenal debut by former manager Unai Emery back in November 2018. He came off the bench in a game away to Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava, and then made his full debut for the club a few months later at home against Qarabağ.

However, while the Hale Ender showed some real promise early on, he didn’t make all that many appearances under the now Aston Villa coach.

In fact, before Arteta was appointed in December 2019, the dynamic winger had made just 16 appearances for the first team, most of which came on the left-hand side, either in left midfield or at left-back.

Fortunately, the 24-year-old began to be moved over to the right more in the following campaign, and by the start of the 2021/22 season, he was well and truly established as the Gunners’ first-choice right-winger.

More than that, though, the youngster would then develop into the team’s most important attacking outlet, a role he still fulfils to this day, as reflected in his incredible numbers.

For example, despite still being only 24 years old, the talismanic winger has made 269 appearances for the North Londoners to date, scoring 72 goals and providing 72 assists.

Unfortunately, with him being so key to the club’s attacking threat, the last couple of years have seen opposition teams double and triple up on him, making it far harder for the incredible talent to create opportunities for Arteta and Co.

Appearances

269

Starts

233

Minutes

20358′

Goals

72

Assists

72

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

141.37

The good news is that Arsenal have added more quality to the side to help mitigate that problem, including someone who could be like a new Saka for the side.

The Arsenal star becoming a new Saka

Arteta and Andrea Berta did well to add a few new attacking talents to this Arsenal squad over the summer, from the direct and tricky Noni Madueke to the versatile and mercurial Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, when it comes to the player who has the best chance of embodying some of the things that make Saka such a star for this team, it has to be Viktor Gyokeres.

Now, some of you will rightly point out that the pair play in different positions, and that, as things stand, the former Sporting CP star has not scored as many goals as some would’ve hoped.

Yet, there are still elements in his game that are similar to the Hale Ender’s, most notably his gravitational effect on the game.

That might sound like an odd way to talk about a footballer, but this essentially means that, just as the Englishman has spent the last few years being double and triple-teamed by defenders, the Swedish international is already dragging opposition defenders all over the pitch this season.

He might not be scoring with the regularity that some would like, but the 6 foot 2 “powerhouse”, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, is already starting to make the right runs, get into the correct positions, and this, combined with the fact that he has a lethal shot on him, means that defenders cannot leave him alone.

This was on full display on Wednesday night, particularly for the first goal, as his charge towards the penalty area saw two defenders converge on him and left space for Gabriel Martinelli to tap the ball into the back of the net after his shot was saved.

Just imagine the gravitational impact he’s going to have on defenders when he’s up to speed and putting away the chances so many know he can.

Ultimately, Gyokeres isn’t on the same level as Saka and has plenty of differences in his game with the Englishman.

However, he is one of the few players capable of striking a similar level of fear into opponents and one of the few attackers who’ll force them to converge on him.

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Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United dynasty went down like a lead balloon after the legendary manager called it a day back in 2013.

Nothing can take away the incredible, matchless success that the Scotsman forged down at the Theatre of Dreams over so many years, but United have never quite been the same since, still searching for their first Premier League and Champions League titles in this post-Fergie world.

A revolutionary, one of the greatest managers in the history of football, Sir Alex will have been among those to have smirked on Sunday evening, when that glorious final whistle rang across Anfield and it was confirmed: the Red Devils had beaten Liverpool in their own backyard.

Ruben Amorim’s had it tough since replacing Erik ten Hag in 2024, but this was a staggering achievement, with the summer signings coming together and producing strong showings on Merseyside.

This new batch of talent might just have the minerals to turn things around at Old Trafford, and if United wish to return to even the outer reaches of their former glory, they will need to start pulling off consistent transfer success in a similar vein to Ferguson in his heyday.

Ranking Fergie's greatest Man United signings

How could we start anywhere other than with Cristiano Ronaldo? One of football’s greatest players, CR7 arrived as a boy from Sporting Lisbon in 2004, for a £12m fee, before growing into a superstar and claiming the Ballon d’Or, before Real Madrid came calling and he left for a record fee.

With 145 goals from 346 appearances, three Premier League titles and a maiden success across an incredible career of triumph in the Champions League, the Portugual legend was fashioned by Ferguson, hailing the manager as his “football father”.

Ronaldo was hardly the extent of Ferguson’s transfer market success, though. Eric Cantona deserves a mention. Swiped from Leeds United for a shrewd £1.2m fee, the combative forward would prove one of the most influential additions in Premier League history, with such strength and style and flamboyance on the field.

And, perhaps the club’s greatest player of the Premier League era, Wayne Rooney, is a further example of Sir Alex and his coaching staff’s talent radar and insistence on securing their quarry, having poached him from Everton for about £26m when he was only 18 years old. The rest, of course, is history.

The list could go on and on, and likely makes for rueful reading if you are of a United persuasion, for such deals have truly been few and far between over the past decade.

There have been one or two, though. Bruno Fernandes is inarguably the best piece of business United have pulled off in a long time, and there would have been a place for the Portuguese Magnifico in many of Man United’s finest squads of the past.

But, while INEOS have faced their share of criticism since Sir Jim Ratcliffe first took his seat in the Old Trafford head office, they might just have pulled off a signing this summer that could be the best since those halcyon days of the past.

Man United's potential "all-timer"

Manchester United supporters have been treated to some of the finest players the Premier League has ever hosted, but there’s no denying that, in spite of the staggering spending over the past ten years, few have pulled their weight.

Well, perhaps that is now changing, with Amorim’s side putting in quite the performance to sink Liverpool in their own backyard, Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire bagging the goals.

And, though his wait for a first goal in a United shirt rages on, Matheus Cunha looks every bit the superstar signing he promised to be when joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £62.5m in July.

He worked like a dog, making six recoveries, winning five duels and completing both of his attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Given that the 26-year-old Cunha’s work rate had been questioned at times during his career at Molineux, it’s fair to say he is looking to quash such claims now that he has arrived at the club of his dreams, showing few – if any – signs of such hesitance or reluctance this term.

Seven matches into his Premier League career with United, Cunha has yet to break his duck. This is something he will hope to rectify swiftly, but it’s perhaps a measure of Cunha’s quality that he has not faced the criticism of some other big-money signings in the Premier League this season.

The principal reason is that the Brazilian forward has played with gusto and clarity, and given that he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe for non-penalty goals scored per 90 over the past 12 months, it’s surely just a matter of time until he finds his form in front of goal.

Matheus Cunha in the Premier League (by year)

Season

Apps

Goals (assists)

25/26

7

0 (0)

24/25

33

15 (6)

23/24

32

12 (7)

22/23

17

2 (0)

Data via Transfermarkt

This has all been picked up by those of an Old Trafford persuasion, with writer Wayne Burton claiming he’s got the “potential to be an all-timer”, with such quality that he might even be “the best player we’ve had since Fergie retired”.

There is certainly something nostalgic about watching Cunha romp about the final third, and when he starts to add goals to his game – and he will – the silky striker might just find himself stepping up as Man United’s main man.

Their finest since Fergie retired? It’s too early to tell. But there’s no question that he has the talent and the desire to hit elusively high heights as Amorim’s project starts to get going.

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Mikel Arteta has built a superteam at Arsenal over the last five years.

While the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba were signed under Unai Emery, and Bukayo Saka made his debut under the former manager, the Gunners’ former captain has signed a host of world-class players since taking the job.

Arguably, the best player to join the North Londoners over the last few years has been Declan Rice, who is now undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, if not the world.

So it’s encouraging that Arteta already looks to have his ideal heir for the Englishman in the squad today.

Rice's development at Arsenal

This season is Rice’s third at Arsenal, and while he’s been a crucial member of the team since his first, his role has changed year-on-year.

For example, he spent most of the 23/24 campaign playing at the base of midfield, as the club’s go-to six, making 31 appearances there, 19 in central midfield and just one at centre-back.

However, towards the end of that first year and most of last season, Arteta decided to move him slightly further up the pitch, into the left-eight.

In all, the Englishman ended up making 37 appearances in the middle of the park and just 15 in defensive midfield, which helped him end the campaign with an impressive tally of nine goals and ten assists, although plenty of the latter came from set-pieces.

Going into this season, most fans and pundits alike expected Arteta to keep playing his £105m further up the pitch, especially as he proved himself to be a brilliant box-crasher last season.

CM

64

12

16

DM

51

5

8

CB

1

0

0

However, while his statistics do show him starting more games in central midfield – eight to five – he is actually now playing that little bit deeper again, often interchanging with the sensationally gifted Martin Zubimendi.

The former West Ham United captain has even said as much, telling reporters after England’s game against Wales earlier this month that the manager has “adjusted my position at Arsenal a bit this year to give me a bit more freedom to drop deeper but to also get in the box when I can.”

You can see evidence of him playing that little bit deeper at times this season in his underlying numbers.

For example, according to FBref, he is completing 7.47 progressive passes and 2.91 progressive carries this year, compared to 6.11 and 2.87 last season.

In all, Rice remains one of Arsenal’s most important players and an archetypal all-action midfielder, so it’s good news that Arteta and Co already have his perfect heir in the squad.

Arsenal's Rice heir

Now, upon first glance, it might not be immediately apparent who the Rice heir in Arsenal’s squad is.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

After all, Christian Nørgaard is 31, and Zubimendi is the same age as the Englishman at 26.

However, instead of being among the club’s current crop of midfielders, the ideal long-term replacement for the former West Ham United captain is down as a defender, and it is, of course, Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale End gem, whose “talent is scary” according to one content creator, might play almost exclusively as a left-back for the first team, but he spent much of his time in the junior game playing in the middle of the park, and the skills he picked up there have shone through for the senior side at times.

For example, against Atlético Madrid, he picked up the ball in the middle of the park, drove past half the side and delivered the ball into Gabriel Martinelli’s feet for the Gunners’ second goal.

That run demonstrated several skills needed to make it as a top-quality central midfielder, such as the physicality to hold off defenders, the close control to get past them, the understanding of space, and, crucially, the weight of the pass at the end.

Moreover, the ability to drive with the ball like he did is one of Rice’s best traits, so while Arteta and the coaching staff will have to work on transitioning the teenager from full-back to midfield over the coming years, they can rest easy knowing he’s already an elite ball player.

There are other reasons why the Islington-born gem could become as sensational an eight in the future, though, such as his mentality.

For example, it’s so easy to forget that he is still so young, as it seemingly does not matter who he is up against, be it Real Madrid or Manchester City, the Hale Ender is, as Rice put it himself, utterly “fearless.”

It’s this willingness to challenge any attacker or try to beat any defender without hesitation that has also led club insider Hand of Arsenal to label the young gem a “future captain,” a title many have also given the former West Ham star.

Ultimately, given Rice’s age, Arsenal do not need to worry about replacing him just yet. Still, when they do eventually have to, they’ve already got the perfect candidate in Lewis-Skelly.

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حقق فريق تشيلسي فوزًا ثمينًا على خصمه ولفرهامبتون، مساء السبت، في إطار مباراتهما في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لكرة القدم، موسم 2025/26.

واستضاف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة فريقي تشيلسي وولفرهامبتون، في أطار منافسات الجولة الحادية عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث حقق أصحاب الأرض فوزًا بثلاثة أهداف دون رد. أهداف مباراة تشيلسي وولفرهامبتون اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

وسيطر التعادل السلبي على مجريات المباراة في شوطها الأول، حيث لم تهتز شباك أي من الفريقين طوال الدقائق الـ45 الأولى، ولكن تغير الوضع في الشوط الثاني.

وتمكن تشيلسي من تسجيل هدفه الأول في الدقيقة 51 عن طريق اللاعب مالو جوستو، قبل أن يحرز زميله جواو بيدرو الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 65.

في حين جاء الهدف الثالث لكتيبة إنزو ماريسكا، تشيلسي، في الدقيقة 73، والذي سجله لاعب الفريق بيدرو نيتو.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد تشيلسي إلى 20 نقطة في المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي بشكل مؤقت لحين خوض باقي مباريات الجولة، بينما تجمد رصيد ولفرهامبتون عند نقطتين فقط في المركز العشرين والأخير.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em noite chuvosa no Heriberto Hulse, o Cricíuma venceu o Vitória por 1 a 0, pela 31ª rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. O resultado positivo foi garantido por Eder, autor do único gol da partida.

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Agora, a equipe de Santa Catarina chega aos 51 pontos e está na sétima colocação, ainda na luta para chegar ao G4. O Vitória segue na liderança da tabela, com 58 somados.

CINCO LANCES QUE MARCARAM A PARTIDA

> !QUE DEFESA! No primeiro tempo, o goleiro Gustavo fez uma linda defesa e salvou o Criciúma após uma finalização perigosa do Vitória. Aos 11 minutos, Iury Castilho cruzou para Léo Gamalho, que com força chutou e contou com a grande defesa do adversário.

> !CRICÍUMA ABRE O PLACAR! Em um momento onde o Vitória era superior, o Criciúma conseguiu abrir o placar. Aos 21 minutos do primeiro tempo, Eder aproveitou o cruzamento de Hygor e empurrou para o gol na pequena área.

> !LUCAS ARCANJO! Logo na volta do intervalo, Lucas Arcanjo deu seu nome. O Criciúma começou a trabalhar uma jogada pelo lado direito e, mais uma vez, a bola parou com Eder. O atacante arriscou, mas Lucas Arcanjo fez uma baita defesa após o forte chute.

>!QUASE EMPATE! Por pouco o Vitória não conseguiu empatar. Aos 36 minutos do segundo tempo, Mateus Gonçalves cruzou para Zé Hugo, que chutou forte. Por pouco, graças a mais uma boa defesa de Gustavo, a equipe não empatou.

>!AINDA NA LUTA! Quase ao apagar das luzes, o Criciúma ameaçou mais uma vez. Em um último contra-ataque, Marquinhos Gabriel tocou para Hygor, que arriscou na entrada da área. Porém, o chute foi bloqueado.

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COMO FOI O PRIMEIRO TEMPO?
A partida começou com domínio do Vitória. Entretanto, quando o Criciúma começou a oferecer mais volume de jogo, a equipe catarinense conseguiu abrir o placar. Aos 21 minutos, Claudinho cruzou para a direita, e em uma falha de Rodrigo Andrade, Hygor aproveitou e tocou para Eder. O camisa 23 não pensou duas vezes e empurrou para o gol. O Vitória tentou reagir, mas todas as bolas paravam na defesa do adversário.

E A ETAPA FINAL?
O segundo tempo começou com pressão do Criciúma. Logo no minuto inicial, Eder quase marcou o segundo da equipe. Após uma jogada que começou a ser trabalhada pelo lado direito, Eder finalizou, mas contou com a ótima defesa de Lucas Arcanjo. Nos minutos finais, o Vitória ficou mais intenso e começou a ameaçar mais o adversário. Duas grandes oportunidades foram criadas. Uma aos 36 minutos, quando Zé Hugo recebeu um passe de Mateus Gonçalves, mas que contou com a defesa de Gustavo. Poucos minutos depois, mais uma vez Mateus Gonçalves apareceu, com liberdade, e tentou a finalizou. Entretanto, mandou muito para cima. Assim, a partida terminou em vitória por 1 a 0 para o Criciúma.

NÚMERO DAS PARTIDA

O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
Agora, o Criciúma volta a campo na sexta-feira (13), às 21h30 (de Brasília), contra a Chapecoense, em nova partida no Heriberto Hulse. O Vitória joga no domingo (15), contra o Guarani, às 18h (de Brasília). O jogo será no Barradão.

FICHA TÉCNICA
CRICIÚMA 1 X 0 VITÓRIA
31ª RODADA DA SÉRIE B

Data:8 de outubro, domingo
Horário:18h (de Brasília)
Local:Estádio Heriberto Hülse, em Criciúma, Santa Catarina

Cartões amarelos: Arilson (CRI), Dudu, José Hugo (VIT)
Cartão vermelho:-

CRICÍUMA (Técnico:Cláudio Tencati)
Gustavo, Claudinho (Jonathan, aos 16´/2ºT), Rodrigo, Rayan, Hélder (Marcelo Hermes, aos 44´/2ºT); Arilson, Barreto (Rômulo, aos 44´/2ºT), Fellipe, Mateus; Fabinho (Marquinhos Gabriel, aos 32´/2ºT), Eder (João Carlos, aos 32´/2ºT) e Hygor.

VITÓRIA (Técnico:Leonardo Condé)
Lucas Arcanjo, Railan, Camutanga, Wagner Leonardo e Edson Lucas (Giovanni Augusto, aos 35´/2ºT); Dudu (Gegê, aos 35´/2ºT), Rodrigo Andrade, Matheuzinho; Osvaldo (Mateus Gonçalves, aos 25´/2ºT), Léo Gamalho (José Hugo, aos 23´/2ºT) e Iury Castilho.

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ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Jul-2025

Kiran Carlson top-scored for the home side•Huw Evans Picture Agency

Glamorgan finished their Vitality Blast campaign in bitter-sweet fashion, completing a 52-run win over Middlesex but failing to qualify for the knockout stages at the final hurdle.Kiran Carlson led from the front for Glamorgan with a rapid 19-ball 49 sending his side to a 77-run powerplay before finishing on 184 for 9 with support from Welsh Fire’s Hundred wildcard recruit, Ben Kellaway scoring 40.Noah Cornwell took three wickets in four balls for the visitors to claw back their chances with Kane Williamson striking a stylish 63 in vain for Middlesex before Dan Douthwaite finished off the Middlesex tail for 132 with figures of 4 for 22.Despite the comprehensive victory, results elsewhere left Glamorgan short of qualification while Middlesex finished the campaign in a disappointing eighth with just three wins.Carlson won the toss and elected to bat on the second use of a double-header pitch at Sophia Gardens. With Middlesex unable to qualify, eyes turned to Glamorgan, who needed losses from both Kent and Sussex to sneak through.Pressure on the home side was not obvious, Carlson striking a straight six off the back foot against Zafar Gohar in the first over, followed by a nonchalant flick off the pads against Cornwell in the next to set him on his way.Glamorgan’s powerplay score of 77 without loss put Middlesex behind the eight ball, with 18-year-old James Feldman conceding 19 from his first over in professional cricket.Luke Hollman contained, with just 11 coming from the legspinner’s first three overs, while Glamorgan lost two wickets for nine runs, both set openers perishing as they sized up a 200-plus total. Feldman claimed Carlson as his first professional wicket, while Will Smale fell to Gohar.Kellaway refreshed Glamorgan with reverse-sweeps and destructive drives. He and Douthwaite added 44 in quick time to lift Glamorgan from 126 for 5. Feldman broke through again, before Cornwall picked up three wickets in the 19th over.If Glamorgan’s powerplay was significant for setting a tone, Middlesex’s was also – albeit for the wrong reasons. Seven balls into proceedings they were 2 for 2, a mix-up leaving Stevie Eskinazi well short of his ground before Timm van der Gugten found Max Holden’s edge.Williamson was typically classy, leading Middlesex’s recovery despite movement under lights and keeping the chase a possibility. In an attempt to dampen Glamorgan’s qualification hopes, the New Zealander started slowly before driving, both elegantly and destructively, on his way to a half-century.Ben Geddes and Leus du Plooy made starts but both were undone by Glamorgan’s top wicket-taker of the campaign, Ned Leonard, who fought back after 14 runs were taken in his first three deliveries.After Williamson’s departure on 102 for 6, a disciplined and economical display, particularly from Imad Wasim and Dan Douthwaite, always kept Glamorgan in front, even if it was not enough for a quarter-final spot.

“I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2025Ajinkya Rahane, 37, hasn’t played a Test in two years now, but has reiterated his “hunger and passion” for the game and red-ball cricket, even though he has “got no response” from the selectors.”I still want to play Test cricket,” Rahane, currently in London, told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with Sky Sports. “I’m really passionate about playing Test cricket. I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment.”I’m here just for a few days. I carried my trainers and my training clothes so that I can keep myself fit. Our domestic season is starting, so preparations have just begun.”When asked about the challenges of making a comeback, particularly with the team management placing greater emphasis on younger players following the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Rahane said his focus remains on “controllable things.”New captain Shubman Gill has taken over Kohli’s No. 4 spot, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant slotting in at No. 5. Of the old guard, KL Rahul appears to be the only one still firmly in the selectors’ plans. Despite the stiff competition, Rahane remains unfazed, reaffirming his dedication to domestic cricket as he works toward a comeback.Since losing his Test spot, Rahane has led Mumbai in two straight Ranji Trophy seasons, winning their 42nd title in 2023-24, while they finished runners-up in 2024-25. He was also part of Mumbai’s title-winning Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) squad.Rahane hit 467 runs in 14 innings at an average of 35.92 in the 2024-25 Ranji season, with one fifty and a hundred. He was the highest run-getter for Kolkata Knight Riders during a disappointing IPL 2025, where they finished eighth out of ten teams. Rahane hit 390 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.27.”For me, it’s all about focusing on the controllable things,” Rahane said. “Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control. I got no response. As a player all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball, it’s a passion. The love for the game keeps me going.”

Spin-bowling allrounder Liam Dawson is in line to make a Test comeback after eight years after he was added to the England squad for the fourth Test against India, starting on July 23 at Old Trafford.Dawson, who last played a Test in July 2017, comes in after offspinner Shoaib Bashir was ruled out of the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with a fractured finger on his left hand.Related

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Dawson has played just three Tests but has been a consistent performer for Hampshire in recent years, winning the PCA Player-of-the-Year award in 2024 and men’s domestic MVP in 2023. In the current County Championship, he has played all nine games for Hampshire to collect 21 wickets at an average of 40.04. More recently, he has been in action in the Vitality Blast, picking up 11 wickets in ten games.”Liam Dawson deserves his call-up. He has been in outstanding form in the County Championship and consistently puts in strong performances for Hampshire,” national selector Luke Wright said in an ECB statement.Dawson, 35, has played all three formats for England, most recently in T20Is. It was in 2016 that he made his international debut, and he was a member of England’s 2019 ODI World Cup-winning squad before falling out of favour. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo last year, Dawson had even said Test cricket was “completely off the radar” for him. He recently earned a T20I recall after nearly three years, playing in three games against West Indies last month, where he claimed his best international bowling figures of 4 for 20.England currently lead the five-match series 2-1 after a dramatic end to the third Test at Lord’s where Bashir took the last wicket of Mohammed Siraj to seal England’s slim 22-run win.

England squad for fourth Test against India

Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

Shimron Hetmyer was Seattle Orcas’ hero for the third straight time, scoring an unbeaten 78 off 37 balls, consigning San Francisco Unicorns to their second loss in MLC 2025.Hetmyer, who was coming into this game on the back of an unbeaten 97 off 40 balls and 64 not out off 26, was once again the backbone of Orcas’ stumbling chase. Having restricted Unicorns to 168 for 5, Orcas slipped to 56 for 4 in the tenth over. However, Hetmyer stitched important stands with Heinrich Klaasen and Aaron Jones to give Orcas a last-over win for the third game running by four wickets.Orcas’ 169-run chase started on the wrong foot, with Xavier Bartlett ending opener Steven Taylor’s misery for a ten-ball duck. Bartlett struck in his next over again, this time taking out Kyle Mayers.Shayan Jahangir and Sikandar Raza forged a 38-run third-wicket stand, with the former the aggressor. But both batters fell off consecutive deliveries in the tenth over, and Orcas’ chase started falling apart.Then Hetmyer happened. He was out and about in quick time, smashing two sixes in his first three balls. Even as the batters at the other end fell, Hetmyer did not curb his attacking flair. He reached his fifty off 23 balls with a straight six down the ground and ensured the required rate never got out of hand.Sanjay Krishnamurthi top-scored for San Francisco Unicorns with a 28-ball 41•MLC

With 30 needed off the last three overs, he started by smashing Brody Couch over deep backward square leg before going after Bartlett, bringing the equation down to eight in the final over. Hetmyer then deposited Romario Shepherd for a 102m six over long-on before casually finishing off the chase with a couple of runs and three balls to spare.Earlier, sent into bat, Unicorns were rocked early with left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh snapping up Matthew Short with his fourth ball. Jake Fraser-McGurk thrashed Harmeet for three back-to-back fours, while Finn Allen also struck a few telling blows with the duo adding 49 off 31 balls for the second wicket.Left-arm fast bowler Ayan Desai, however, struck in the final over of the powerplay, removing Allen while captain Raza saw the back of Fraser-McGurk soon after. Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Unicorns’ top-scorer, whacked left-arm wristpinner Waqar Salamkheil for two sixes on the bounce and then smoked two more against Raza as Unicorns raced to 94 for 3 after ten overs.But Orcas staged a comeback, conceding just 34 runs in the next seven overs, with Krishnamurthi also falling. Unicorns required Shepherd to thump two sixes off his three balls faced to take them past the 165-mark. For the longest time, it seemed the total would be enough. Then came Hetmyer.This was Orcas’ third win after five straight losses, while Unicorns, who won six consecutive matches, have now gone down twice in two games.