Harry Brook’s scintillating maiden ODI hundred led England to victory over Australia at Chester-le-Street, a seemingly daunting chase handled with some comfort before the rain arrived to produce a 46-run margin on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. England’s first win in the format since December kept the series alive with two to play, whilst also ending Australia’s 14-game winning run stretching back to the 2023 World Cup.Brook’s inexperienced side looked to be in trouble after failing to contain Australia with the ball despite helpful conditions early on, Alex Carey’s unbeaten 77 leading the cavalry charge in the second half of the innings. England then stumbled to 11 for 2 in the fourth over, Mitchell Starc removing both openers in the space of five balls.But a stand of 156 between Brook and Will Jacks, who made 84, flipped the chase on its head. Although Jacks and Jamie Smith were both bounced out by Cameron Green, Brook was joined by Liam Livingstone in another pulsating stand that brought the requirement down to 51 from 74 balls, at which point the weather closed in.Brook walked off unbeaten on 110 from 94 balls, with 15 boundaries, having become the youngest England captain to score a century in ODIs. Australia were without a key member of their attack, with Adam Zampa missing through illness – they also opted to rest Travis Head – but this was nevertheless a hugely encouraging performance and a vital demonstration of what England’s new-look batting line-up could achieve after two costly implosions at Trent Bridge and Headingley.Australia’s greater nous had appeared likely to determine the result shortly after the innings break. Faced with making what would have been the second-highest successful chase at the Riverside – after the 311 overhauled against the same opponents in 2018 – England started badly, Phil Salt chipping Starc’s eighth ball to midwicket and Ben Duckett edging a drive to be caught at backward point.Alex Carey scored his second successive half-century•Getty Images

Both Jacks and Brook were quick to show glimpses of what they could do, even amid the wreckage. Jacks clipped his fourth ball, from Hazlewood, serenely back down the ground to long-on, while Brooks’ fifth, a slightly overpitched delivery from Starc, disappeared through extra cover.By and large they batted watchfully at the outset, occasionally attempting to play with the bowlers’ lengths such as when Jacks advanced to thrash Hazlewood through the off side. England were 45 for 2 at the end of the first powerplay – Australia had been 41 for 1 – and began to open up as Mitchell Marsh shuffled through his bowling options. Brook slapped Glenn Maxwell’s first ball over the head of mid-off, then did the same to Matthew Short with an even bigger hit that sailed all the way.Brook went to a 54-ball fifty in the same over, his first since taking up the captaincy as cover for the injured Jos Buttler. The hundred partnership arrived two balls later, before Jacks brought up his own half-century, from 55 balls, as the volume levels in the home crowd began to increase. The atmosphere only became more raucous when Starc’s sixth over was ransacked for 19, his third-most expensive in ODIs: Jacks driving and pulling fours before Brook capped the over with a lofted drive over cover.The momentum was now with England and, although Jacks fell via an uppercut to deep third before Jamie Smith’s top-edged pull ended up in the hands of deep backward square leg, Brook was unperturbed, back-to-back fours off Starc taking him to three figures for only the second time in List A cricket.Livingstone had by then already struck two of his first seven balls for six and, with the threat of rain in the air, sped England ahead of the DLS requirement with another flurry of boundaries, the result well beyond doubt by the time heavy rain arrived.Will Jacks celebrates after dismissing Marnus Labuschagne•Getty Images

Australia, having been inserted, were indebted once again to Carey – only in the side after an injury sustained by Josh Inglis during the T20I series – as he top-scored for the second game in a row. After Steven Smith laid the foundations with his first fifty of the series in testing conditions, Carey and the lower order cut loose to add 104 from the last 10 overs, with Aaron Hardie showing his power in a career-best 44 off 26 that included twice putting Jofra Archer into the stands.England only struck once during the first powerplay but there was something there for the seamers, as Brook had hoped at the toss. Short, partnered by Marsh in the absence of Head, was caught hooking Archer to deep backward square leg, two balls after hitting the same shot for six. Matthew Potts then thought he had removed Smith lbw, only for ball-tracking to show the delivery would have cleared leg stump on review.Marsh battled through powerplay while taking several blows to the body but fell straight after, Brydon Carse using home-ground knowledge to locate a nibbly Riverside length and straighten one through to Jamie Smith off the outside edge. From there Australia looked to rebuild, with the third-wicket pair of Smith and Green largely employing low-risk shots during a stand worth 84, seeing off the frontline seamers before looking to target spin, in particular the fifth-bowler combination.Jacob Bethell and Jacks leaked boundaries initially but, with Australia beginning to look well placed, both spinners struck in quick succession. First Green smacked Bethell to Jacks at straight mid-on, the fielder having just been moved back from a close-in position, then Marnus Labuschagne got in a tangle looking to scoop Jacks and popped a simple catch to the keeper.Australia were suddenly 132 for 4 and grateful for Smith’s stickability as went on to a 71-ball fifty, reaching the mark with his fifth boundary. Brook then went back to Archer and he finally won a duel with Smith, taking his wicket for the first time in international cricket as Carse pulled off a brilliant running catch at deep square leg.At 172 for 5, the innings could have fallen away but Carey put on rapid half-century stands with Maxwell and Hardie to tip the game back towards Australia. Hardie’s aggression from No. 8 stood out as 55 runs flowed from the last four overs to put England under pressure. But Brook, with the bat, had a worthy response.

The ground-staff used electric fans and even tried a grass transplant but the outfield remained unfit for play

Ekanth10-Sep-2024The second day of the only Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida suffered the same miserable fate as the first due to rain, albeit not during hours of play, and the quality of the outfield.The toss was scheduled half an hour earlier at 9am, to make up for day one being abandoned, but at 8.55 am came the announcement that conditions were unfit for play and that there would be an inspection at 12pm.The message on the broadcast at 9.10am was that “a thunderous overnight downpour last evening from 6pm, for 90 minutes, at one stage left the outfield completely and utterly flooded.” The moisture underfoot remained a major concern and there was little hope the ground would be fit for play by noon.Related

Slushy patches, wet weather prevent Test from starting in Greater Noida

Greater Noida under the weather ahead of Test debut

Opening day of Afghanistan-New Zealand Test called off due to wet outfield

A gloomy debut for Test cricket's newest venue in Greater Noida

The ground staff used electric fans to try and dry a few wet patches on the outfield. They cut out blocks of dry grass the practice nets and transplanted them on a damp region in the 30-yard circle. Despite the sun baking down, the ground wasn’t ready at noon and another inspection was planned for 3pm.New Zealand’s players arrived at the ground around 12:25pm, and a practice net was installed next to the main pitch so that they could practice. The spinners Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santer began to bowl first and were soon joined by the fast bowlers, while Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell had a hit. The Afghanistan players, on the other hand, did not arrive at the venue.Play was called off on the second day at 2.55 pm, with the toss yet to take place.

Everton’s summer rebuild is gathering pace. The £27.6m signing of Thierno Barry from Villarreal has handed David Moyes a towering centre-forward to lead the line, one capable of dominating defences with his aerial prowess, strength, and movement.

But with both Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom returning to their parent clubs, Everton’s attack is short of width and creativity.

Moyes now needs a player who can stretch defences, beat his man, and crucially, supply the service Barry will thrive on.

Everton open talks to sign Harrison and Lindstrom replacement

That search has led them to one of La Liga’s standout performers, whose skillset may be the perfect match for their new No. 9.

According to reports, Everton have already made first contact.

Transfer Focus

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

Via TEAMtalk, Everton have started talks with Real Sociedad over a potential deal for 24-year-old Japanese international Takefusa Kubo.

The former Real Madrid prospect is open to a new challenge, and the Premier League is believed to be a major draw.

Kubo is currently under contract at Sociedad until June 2029, with a release clause reportedly around £50m.

Everton are not the only side interested. Clubs from the Bundesliga and La Liga are also monitoring the situation, but the Toffees are hopeful that the promise of regular minutes and a key role under Moyes could help sway the player.

Kubo joined Sociedad permanently in 2022 and wasted no time making an impression. In his first full season, he was named the club’s Player of the Season, showcasing his ability to both score and create from wide areas.

Zinedine Zidane, who played a role in his development at Real Madrid, once called him “a very interesting player for the present and the future.”

Meanwhile, former Mallorca CEO Maheta Molango, reflecting on Kubo’s two loan spells at the club, praised his character and focus:

“I was very impressed by Kubo when I met him. He’s super humble, super down to earth. His talent is obvious, but the reason why he will one day be a football superstar is his head. He sees things that other people don’t see, the ability to see a pass and pick a long ball. His intelligence is outstanding.”

Why Kubo could be Barry’s perfect supply line

Kubo’s profile fits exactly what Everton lack. A right-footed winger who prefers starting from the right, he thrives in one-on-one situations, cutting inside to create chances or drive at goal.

He combines dribbling flair with precision delivery, making him a natural partner for a striker like Barry.

In 2024/25, Kubo played 36 games, scoring five goals and assisting several more.

According to FBref, he completed 75 take-ons, created 45 chances, produced 14 shots on target, and made 129 touches in the opposition box.

His crossing numbers are particularly impressive, averaging 3.32 per 90, ranking him in the 86th percentile among wingers in Europe’s top leagues.

For Barry, who stands at 6 foot 5 and thrives on service, those numbers are gold.

Last season, the French forward scored 11 goals from an expected goals (xG) tally of 11.7 and added four assists.

The same data reveals that he ranks among the top percentiles for runs in behind and crosses received and won nearly two-thirds of his aerial duels in the penalty area.

Barry’s combination of size, mobility, and sharp movement inside the box is exactly the kind of profile that can elevate a creator like Kubo. And in turn, Kubo’s ability to beat his marker and pick a final ball could help Barry explode in the Premier League.

Moyes’ system traditionally relies on wide players who work hard defensively but also deliver early, accurate service. Kubo ticks those boxes but adds a level of technical quality that Everton have lacked on the flanks.

With Calvert-Lewin gone, Barry now leads the line. And if Everton can land Kubo, they may have finally found the perfect partner to supply him, creating a dangerous duo built on power, and cutting edge in the final third.

Everton could hijack move to sign hulking £42m striker who'd be Lukaku 2.0

Everton will be keen on signing another striker this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 22, 2025

Aston Villa have made contact with the representatives of a £40 million Atletico Madrid ace who Unai Emery is a big fan of, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa make striker enquiry amid Ollie Watkins exit rumours

Villa may not have been expecting it, but so far in this transfer window, there has been a lot of talk about the future of star striker Ollie Watkins. The England international has been a key player for the Villans for a number of seasons now, but given the recent speculation, his time at the club could be coming to an end.

Aston Villa make enquiry to sign £60m star who scored in win at Villa Park

Aston Villa are among the teams interested in signing a Premier League striker.

By
Brett Worthington

Jul 13, 2025

It’s been reported that Manchester United are considering a bid to sign Watkins as they continue their search for a new striker. Meanwhile, Arsenal previously opened talks over a deal to sign Watkins, which may be stopped now they are close to signing Viktor Gyokeres. But Newcastle United are another team that are interested in Watkins and have placed him on their list of potential targets.

Therefore, no one can blame the Midlands side for looking at potential replacements, and according to journalist Nabil Djellit, Villa have submitted an enquiry to sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea. The forward could leave Stamford Bridge this summer and is said to have a £60 million fee on his head. Villa are not alone in their pursuit of the player, as Man United have also submitted an enquiry.

Aston Villa make contact with £40m+ Atletico Madrid star

As the Premier League side assess their forward options, they also look to be in the market for a new midfielder. According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa have made contact with Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher’s representatives in a bid to bring him to Villa Park.

The report states that despite only joining the Spanish giants last summer from Chelsea, Gallagher could be open to a return to England, as he wants regular minutes. Atletico are not actively looking to sell Gallagher, but they would be open to a departure should they receive a fee in the region of €45-50 million, which is roughly £39-43 million.

This has alerted Villa, but they do face competition from teams such as Nottingham Forest and Newcastle. However, the Villans are the only team to have made contact with Gallagher’s representatives. Villa’s interest is likely being pushed by Emery, who is said to be a big fan of Gallagher’s ‘energy and Premier League experience’.

Conor Gallagher’s Atletico Madrid stats
Apps	50
Starts	28
Goals	4
Assists	6

The 25-year-old’s search for regular minutes may come as a surprise given he played 50 times in all competitions. However, the England international, once dubbed a “pressing and transition monster”, was very much in and out of the starting XI.

He started 19 games in La Liga out of 32 but started just four of the nine Champions League games he played in. Given how Emery feels about Gallagher, a return to England could see him be a regular in the Villa side.

It would be something of an understatement to say this summer has been a busy one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s men hardly had a moment to catch their breath after winning the Conference League before they were thrown into the Club World Cup, which they then won.

Likewise, even though the board have made plenty of signings over recent years, they’ve been just as busy this summer, picking up some genuinely exciting talents like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens.

However, they aren’t done there, as they’ve also been linked with another international star, someone who’d be a far better signing than another player touted for a move to Stamford Bridge: Alejandro Garnacho.

Chelsea target massive Garnacho upgrade

While most of Chelsea’s business this summer has been conducted without much controversy or fan backlash, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that there is a portion of the fan base who wouldn’t be overjoyed with the potential signing of Garnacho.

Transfer Focus

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

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After all, the Argentine international has a massive public falling out with Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, and while he’s talented, the supposed price tag of around £40m might be too much for someone who could disrupt the dressing room.

So, it’s good news that it now appears as if the club are closing in on someone else, someone who’d be a far better signing.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sports Zone, which claims that Chelsea are now rapidly advancing with their interest in Xavi Simons.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Blues have now reached an agreement on personal terms for the RB Leipzig star, and that a first bid is expected sometime today.

While the report makes no mention of how much the Dutchman might cost the West Londoners, other stories from this month have claimed that the German outfit want around £61m.

It could therefore be an expensive transfer to get over the line, but given Simons’ ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a way better signing than Garnacho.

Why Simons would be a better signing than Garnacho

So, if we ignore all the potential off-the-pitch problems and focus solely on what they can do on the pitch, why would Simons be a far better signing than Garnacho?

Well, first and foremost, the Dutchman is simply the far more dangerous attacking outlet, and that is clearly shown in their respective output from last season.

In his 33 games for Leipzig, totalling just 2763 minutes, the 22-year-old “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

That means the former Paris Saint-Germain gem managed to average a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 144 minutes.

In contrast, the Madrid-born ace scored just 11 goals and provided ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3,568 minutes, for the Red Devils last term.

Garnacho vs Simons in 24/25

Players

Simons

Garnacho

Appearances

33

58

Minutes

2763′

3568′

Goals

11

11

Assists

8

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

144′

169.90′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, the Argentine international averaged a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes.

Unfortunately for the United ace, the one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we take a look at their national team statistics as well.

For example, the former PSV Eindhoven superstar has already won 28 senior caps for the Netherlands, in which he’s scored five goals, provided four assists, made one World Cup appearance and six at the European Championships.

For his efforts, the Argentine has won just eight caps, one of which was a substitute appearance at the Copa América, and he’s only provided one assist in that time.

Ultimately, while Garnacho has undeniable talent, Simons is simply the better and more complete player, and therefore, Chelsea should be looking to sign him over the United ace.

Related Chelsea are now "close" to signing a talent who's as big as Estevao

The seriously exciting gem could develop into a world-beater for Chelsea.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 30, 2025

Okay, while there have been some positives to take from this summer, specifically off the pitch, there have also been some worrying signs for Arsenal.

For example, Mikel Arteta’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur out in Hong Kong this time last week, and failed to bounce back with a win against Villarreal at the Emirates yesterday evening.

Not only did the Premier League runners-up lose, but they looked just as blunt in attack as they did at points last season, and, rather unsurprisingly at this point, Gabriel Martinelli was entirely ineffective.

The Brazilian is becoming a real problem for the manager, but, in good news, it looks like the club could get their hands on someone who’d be a solution.

Arsenal target Premier League problem solver

While there have been some concerning signs on the pitch this summer, Arsenal have made some positive moves off the pitch in the transfer market.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera have all massively improved the squad depth, while Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres look ready to come in and make waves in the first team from gameweek one.

Moreover, Andrea Berta and Co don’t appear to be done just yet, as the North Londoners continue to be linked with a super talent who could help solve Arteta’s Martinelli problem.

At least that’s according to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs, who on a recent podcast reaffirmed the Gunners’ interest in Eberechi Eze.

More than that, he claims that the player has “his heart set on Arsenal,” which will surely be music to the ears of the fans.

Interestingly, while the Englishman has a £68m release clause in his current deal, it reportedly expires on the 15th of this month, and it looks like Berta and Co are waiting until after that point to start negotiating a lower price.

It could still be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has proven he’s worth fighting for, especially as he’d help solve Arteta’s Martinelli problem.

How Eze would solve Arsenal's Martinelli problem

So, there are really two prongs to Arsenal’s Martinelli problem: his lack of goalscoring and the lack of chances created for and by him.

Interestingly, there are also two main ways Eze could help solve or alleviate these issues, and the first would be for Arteta to simply start him off the left in place of the Brazilian winger.

It might be the case that the Englishman spent most of last season in the middle of the park, but he’s no stranger to playing out wide, and with how ineffective the former Ituano gem has been over the last few years, we have no doubt the Palace ace would outperform him.

For example, despite playing for a team that are mid-table at best, the former QPR gem managed to find the back of the net 14 times and provide 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.

In other words, the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 was only able to score ten goals and provide six assists in 51 appearances, totalling 3564 minutes, which comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.18 games, or every 222.75 minutes.

So, simply replacing Martinelli with Eze would solve the problem of his being ineffective.

Appearances

43

51

Minutes

3303′

3564′

Goals

14

10

Assists

11

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.31

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

222.75′

Still, if the manager wanted to persevere with the 23-year-old for one more season, he could potentially give him a better chance of succeeding by starting the Eagles star as the team’s starting ten.

After all, club captain Martin Odegaard was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 games, so there is every chance we’d see more out of the Guarulhos-born dynamo with the Greenwich-born star behind him in place of the Norwegian international.

Ultimately, it’s clear that Martinelli is currently a problem for Arteta, and while it won’t be cheap, Eze could be the perfect solution for Arsenal.

A dream for Saka: Arsenal plot move to sign "world-class" £43m sensation

The incredible attacker would help Arsenal and the Englishman reach another level.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 6, 2025

Sri Lanka’s bowlers made use of dry balls and a slow pitch, but West Indies had to bowl with slippery ones

Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Oct-2024

The rain interruption came at the right time for Sri Lanka•AFP/Getty Images

West Indies have been unhappy with the state of the pitches in Sri Lanka. After their 2-1 defeat in the T20I series in Dambulla, coach Daren Sammy went as far as to claim a “moral victory” for West Indies, for having supposedly pushed Sri Lanka into producing turning tracks for games two and three.In the first ODI, West Indies didn’t just get another dry surface, the weather in Pallekele also conspired against them. Having won the toss and batted first, the rains coming through in the 39th over of the West Indies innings could barely have affected them worse.Not only did the interruption last long enough to ensure that Sri Lanka’s bowlers – who had had dry conditions to operate in before the weather arrived – did not have to bowl with a wet ball. It also meant West Indies had to contend with a slippery ball right through the second innings – something Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka noted as a factor in his team’s victory in the post-match presentation.After the game, Nishan Madushka, who hit 69 off 54 balls on ODI debut, and was part of a match-winning 137-run partnership with Asalanka, reiterated this.”Their bowlers were really good, but because of the rain around, I think they had trouble gripping the ball,” he said. “There was less turn on the wicket too, to be honest. But they still bowled well. “In fact, when West Indies still had the new balls (they use one ball at either end in ODIs) and they had not yet become especially damp, their bowlers had dominated. Sri Lanka lost three wickets inside the first seven overs, before Madushka and Asalanka produced their big fourth-wicket stand.During that partnership, the batters repeatedly hit the balls over the boundary and into areas of the ground and drainage areas that were waterlogged, thereby substantially changing the condition of the ball. In fact, West Indies’ bowlers brought this to the umpires’ attention at least twice, but were not successful in having the balls changed for drier ones.Part of Sri Lanka’s strategy at 45 for 3 may have been to hang around until bowling became significantly more difficult. “What Charith said was to take the game as deep as possible – to start with dragging the game to 20 or 25 overs, before we reassess,” Madushka said. “I think that positive mindset affected me positively as well, and helped me perform.”With the two remaining ODIs also to be played in Pallekele, a notoriously wet venue, conditions may continue to play a significant role in the outcome. So far this tour, from West Indies’ perspective, they are the side that has been at a substantial disadvantage.

كشفت تقارير صحفية، آخر تطورات المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي بعد رحيل الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو بسبب سوء النتائج.

ورحل الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو عن تدريب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي بعد الأداء السيء الذي ظهر به الفريق تحت قيادته على مدار بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025 والدوري المصري.

ولم يفُز ريبيرو سوى بمباراة واحدة في بطولة الدوري كانت على حساب فريق فاركو برباعية مقابل هدف، بينما تلقى هزيمتين وحقق 4 تعادلات.

ورحل ريبيرو بعد الخسارة أمام بيراميدز في الدوري المصري بثنائية نظيفة، عقب أداء سيء للغاية والكثير من المعاناة التي ظهرت على لاعبي الأهلي.

اقرأ أيضًا | لجنة الحكام تفاجئ الأهلي بـ رد رسمي على بيان أزمة مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا

ووفقًا لموقع TFS البرتغالي، فإن المدرب برونو لاجي، المدير الفني السابق لفريق بنفيكا، أحد أبرز المرشحين لتدريب النادي الأهلي خلفًا لـ ريبيرو.

المدرب الذي تمت إقالته قبل أسبوع تقريبًا من نادي بنفيكا رغم التأهل إلى مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا عقب الفوز على فناربخشة بقيادة جوزيه مورينيو، الذي أخلفه في تدريب النادي البرتغالي، أبدى اهتمامًا بالعرض المقدم من الأهلي لتدريب الفريق.

ووفقًا لشبكة “SAPO” البرتغالية، فإن العرض المالي المُقدم من النادي الأهلي مغريًا بالنسبة لـ برونو لاجي، إذ سيتقاضى 3 أضعاف ما كان يتقاضاه في بنفيكا البرتغالي.

ولم يتخذ برونو لاجي قرارًا نهائيّا حتى الآن بشأن عرض الأهلي، ولكن الشبكة نفسها أشارت إلى إنه من المتوقع عودته للتدريب قريبًا.

A Rangers player who was “big” under Barry Ferguson has now reached an agreement to join another club, according to their sporting director.

Gers manager Russell Martin was left hugely unimpressed after Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Motherwell, during which the hosts managed more shots despite seeing far less of the ball: “Some of them have to drop their ego, I’ll look at us tactically and accept my responsibility in it. But today, it’s not really tactical, it’s a mentality problem, and we got more than what we deserved actually.”

TalkSPORT presenter Jeff Stelling has since accused Martin of going over the same script he did during his time in charge at Southampton last season: “Listen to this. Russell Martin, and I quote, ‘there was no aggression, no courage, no intensity, I saw self-preservation on the pitch. If you don’t want to run and fight, we have a big problem’.

“Now that wasn’t yesterday…that was October 2024, when his Southampton side had lost against Bournemouth. “So this is almost a little speech that he’s got there when his team don’t perform.”

It feels like Martin wouldn’t be unhappy to see certain players leave Rangers this summer, and an exit update has now emerged regarding one member of the squad.

Club reach agreement to sign "big" Rangers player

According to a fresh claim Sports Digitale [via Sport Witness], Besiktas sporting director Serdal Adali claims Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz has reached an agreement to re-join the club. This comes after Sabah [via Sport Witness] reported earlier in the day that they have made contact over the signing of the Turk this summer.

The Gers are thought to be demanding £4.3m for his services, although a loan move is the Turkish club’s preferred option, with the defender open to leaving Ibrox before the end of the transfer window.

Yilmaz departing this summer makes complete sense, considering he isn’t part of Martin’s plans, despite Ferguson talking highly of him earlier this year when he was manager.

“He’s played in a position which is pretty foreign to him. He’s played right back for us. His natural position is left back. But he’s one player I can rely on. He doesn’t moan. I’ve asked him to play different positions. He’s become a big player. I like his attitude. His attitude has always been first class.”

Yilmaz wasn’t part of the matchday squad against Motherwell over the weekend, and it is hard to see his situation changing as the season goes on, so he needs to leave Rangers.

Appearances

77

Goals

2

Assists

6

Ideally, the Gers would receive a fee for him, however, using those funds to go towards new signings between now and the end of the window. A loan exit is the next-best option.

South Africa were being turned inside out by India’s spinners but they found a way through to level the series

Ashish Pant10-Nov-2024Tristan Stubbs admitted that he was “proper nervous” and just tried to control his breathing as he struck an unbeaten 47 off 41 balls to shepherd a tricky chase and take South Africa over the line by three wickets in the second T20I against India.”I was just trying to breathe,” he said with a smile after the game. “It’s my favourite place to play cricket and I was nervous, proper nervous, so I was just trying to control my breathing.”Stubbs grew up in Knysna, a small town about 260 kilometres up the road from Gqeberha and has played all his domestic and franchise cricket at St George’s Park. This knock was even more special for Stubbs as it was his mum’s birthday and he had plenty of his family and friends in the crowd who had driven down to the ground to celebrate.”Normally there’s a whole bunch of them [his friends and family], probably I reckon 30 to 35 of them,” Stubbs said. “They come through normally once a year for the SA20 and they’ve made a trip now. It’s my mom’s birthday too, so it’s sort of a celebration.”Before I met the team I went and said hello to everyone at the house that they’re staying at. So yeah, it’s been a really good day.”Coming into bat at 33 for 2 in the sixth over with South Africa chasing 125, Stubbs saw his side slip to 66 for 6 in the 13th. That soon became 86 for 7 in the 16th, but he got vital support from Gerald Coetzee with whom he shared an unbroken 42-run stand for the eighth wicket off just 20 balls.”Fortunately, the run rate never got away from us,” Stubbs said about the chase. “Once we lost the wickets, I had 30 in mind off the last three and then G [Coetzee] really came and played an innings to help that out and then, fortunately, we got over the line.”He walked in and he said straight away we can win this. I believed it all the time. We were always two hits away from being back to run-a-ball and then we had the crowd behind, which was just amazing.”Stubbs was caught right in the midst of an intense Varun Chakravarthy spell, who ran through South Africa’s middle order with a career-best 5 for 17. Ravi Bishnoi also kept things tight at the other end, but Stubbs bided his time before taking on the fast bowlers at the death. He later admitted the South Africa batters were out-skilled by the two spinners on a surface that was “typically staying low” but was pleased to stay till the end to take his side home.’They got the better of us in the middle there by just outskilling us,’ Stubbs said of India’s spinners•AFP/Getty Images”They both [Chakravarthy and Bishnoi] were doing just enough to beat you on either side,” he said. “It wasn’t easy to come in and just rotate even, let alone take them on. They are two of the best spinners in the world so when they are on, it’s really tough and they got the better of us in the middle there by just outskilling us.”So yeah, it was really nice to get the team over the line and be there not out at the end. I think as someone who bats in the middle, that’s your whole goal when chasing, get the team over the line but do it by being not out at the end.”It’s been quite the breakthrough year for Stubbs. In February, he became just the 11th batter to score a first-class triple-century in South Africa while in the last month and a bit, he’s racked up his Test and ODI centuries. Stubbs also played a key role in Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s second-successive SA20 title while he finished the IPL 2024 as Delhi Capitals’ second-highest run-getter with a terrific strike rate of 190.90.What’s brought about this maturity in Stubbs’ game?”I don’t actually know how to answer that. It’s just been nice,” he said. “I really enjoy the longer format because you can spend more time in the middle without feeling like you need to play a big ball and I really enjoy the graft of batting long.”I think the longer form cricket just naturally helps your T20 game and the batsmanship and spending time in the middle and not having to make a play really helps the rest of the formats. So I think that’s been the biggest thing.”