Kylian Mbappe scored a ton of goals in his first season at Real Madrid, but he has backed two ex-team-mates to land the coveted Ballon d'Or.
Mbappe says he won't win Ballon d'OrBelieves Demeble or Hakimi more likely to winCeremony takes place on September 22Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
France star Mbappe has reacted to news of his own nomination for the award by claiming he won't win it and gone on to name two former team-mates he'd like to see land the crown. Mbappe believes Paris St-Germain pair Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele are best-placed to secure the big prize this year.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
A Ballon d'Or winner from PSG is the obvious starting point for this year's crown. The Paris giants landed a historic treble last season, including the club's first-ever Champions League crown, during their thrilling run to the final which ended in the 5-0 thrashing of Inter.
WHAT MBAPPE SAID
Mbappe told : "I can't win this year. I can't choose between two friends. What matters is that their performances are recognised. And, for both of them, I would be very happy either way."
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?
Mbappe is humble enough to concede he won't win Ballon d'Or this year and he only has a matter of days to wait for the star-studded ceremony which takes place in Paris at the Theatre du Chatelet on Monday, September 22.
Leeds United have now officially unveiled Sean Longstaff as their fifth summer buy after promotion to the Premier League.
This is the first time this summer that the Whites have actually purchased some experience of the division; however, with Longstaff able to boast a mammoth 171 Premier League appearances for former employers Newcastle United – with ten goals and nine assists tallied up along the way – before Elland Road came calling.
Still, there are more exciting signings potentially on Leeds’ radar than the 27-year-old’s £12m switch to West Yorkshire, as a versatile forward presence is now eyed up.
Leeds ready to hijack deal for £12m star
A far more eye-catching pick-up than Longstaff’s arrival onto the scene would surely come in the form of Rodrigo Muniz entering Daniel Farke’s ranks, with recent reports suggesting that Leeds are continuing to pursue a move for the Fulham attacker who has a healthy 17-goal return in the top-flight.
Moreover, Igor Paxiao is also on the Whites’ agenda from Feyenoord as they try to replicate their Crysencio Summerville magic, but a move might be on the table for Juventus star Timothy Weah, too, if Leeds can hijack Marseille’s advances at the final hour.
Indeed, as per football journalist Mirko Di Natale, via his X account, Leeds and Everton remain in the background for the hunt for Weah, but a hijack could be on the cards owing to no agreement being reached yet between Marseille and the Old Lady.
The interest is still there – and at a reported £12m – this might well go down as one of the standout deals from Leeds’ hectic transfer window, with Weah potentially going on to be a far more exciting buy than the ex-Toon midfielder.
Why Weah would be a more exciting signing than Longstaff
Longstaff does have that added boost of plenty of Premier League experience, but it will be a competition for the 27-year-old to make Farke’s XI from the get-go, when considering the Whites’ already stacked midfield options.
The German already has Ao Tanaka at his disposal centrally, who is fresh from a standout Championship season where he collected seven goal contributions in total, on top of also having the steady presence of Ilia Gruev by his side.
Newcastle United's SeanLongstaffarrives at the stadium before the match
The brand new Leeds purchase will also need time to get up to speed with proceedings, having only made eight starts in league action last season for Eddie Howe’s Magpies as a rotation member of his squad.
Weah did also struggle for consistent first team minutes in Turin last campaign, with 18 starts being handed his way in the hustle and bustle of Serie A, but the “versatile” ace – as he’s been praised in the past by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley – has still managed to shine in spurts across various positions on the pitch for Igor Tudor’s giants across 78 clashes.
Weah’s numbers for Juventus by position
Position played
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
RM
32
2
1
RB
11
1
1
RW
10
3
1
LM
6
0
0
CF
3
0
0
LW
3
2
1
LB
1
0
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Despite such limited opportunities, Weah would manage to chip in with an impressive five strikes last campaign for his Italian employers, with the American even lining up in defence on occasion.
This flexibility for the cause will be music to Farke’s ears, considering the ex-Norwich City boss loved utilising a similarly fluid body in the form of Archie Gray when he was situated at Elland Road.
Away from his adaptable nature piquing Farke’s interest, Weah would also be capable of pushing Daniel James all the way to a starting spot on the right channel when you weigh up the Welshman’s previous Premier League difficulties – with only 12 goals next to his name in the daunting division – next to the 25-year-old’s more assured presence in Serie A.
This isn’t to say that Longstaff won’t be a valued member of Farke’s squad, with his know-how of the taxing league no doubt coming in handy.
Juventus forward Timothy Weah
But, the “wonderful” £12m star – as he’s been labelled by ex-boss Brendan Rodgers – might just be a slightly more captivating signing to someone peeking in, when you take into account his malleable nature and his bursts of quality at the very top of Serie A.
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Southampton are looking to bounce back to the Premier League and could be set to pounce for a talented star if they lose one of their higher-profile assets this summer, according to a report.
Southampton look to build with Kamaldeen Sulemana funds
With the window underway at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton have sold Kamaldeen Sulemana to Atalanta for £18 million as they begin to clear the decks ahead of returning to competitive action.
Will Still’s men have also inserted a sell-on clause in the agreement, which will see the Ghana international link up with Ivan Juric after the pair worked together last season.
Chelsea's KiernanDewsbury-Hallin action with Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana
Joshua Quarshie has come in from Hoffenheim and there will be more signings to come at Saints, with FC Köln striker Damion Downs reported to be on their list.
Previewing how his potential arrival could unfold, German journalist Constantin Eckner has pleaded for caution as the United States international continues to develop.
He stated: “He’s still an up-and-comer with little experience but has developed into an interesting striker. He’s more of a project rather than a finished product.”
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Bobby Clark is reportedly keen on a move to Southampton after being left out of RB Salzburg’s squad for the Club World Cup, and he has all the hallmarks of a smart acquisition that could add some fresh legs in the engine room.
On the other hand, any fee for Downs would likely sit just below £7 million, which would represent good value for money after his return of 11 goals and six assists last campaign.
Making tracks, Southampton could now swoop for a reliable stopper between the sticks who has proven pedigree in the EFL Championship.
Southampton enter race to sign Anthony Patterson from Sunderland
According to Football Insider in conversation with former scout Mick Brown, Southampton are in contention to sign Anthony Patterson from Sunderland as a potential replacement for Aaron Ramsdale.
He explained: “Patterson is a top young goalkeeper and he’s got a good reputation. I personally still have some doubts about him, and it looks like Sunderland might share those.”
Anthony Patterson in 2024/25 – Sky Bet Championship
Appearances
45
Goals conceded
45
Clean sheets
14
Save percentage rate
70.3%
Shots on target against
128
He added: “I’m told Southampton are one of the clubs looking at him because they expect Ramsdale to leave. He’s got a release clause in his contract and clubs have been looking at him.”
Labelled “excellent” by Simon Moore, the Black Cats seemingly do hold conerns over Patterson as they close in on Djordje Petrovic, making first-team minutes difficult to come by at Sunderland, who are worried by his lack of top level experience.
Brown made it clear the ball will be in his court, but Southampton will hope they can convince Patterson to make the move south if Aaron Ramsdale indeed does leave the club for a new challenge.
When it comes to their summer recruitment drive, Chelsea haven’t been distracted by the ongoing Club World Cup campaign.
Enzo Maresca and co are looking to mount a serious CWC challenge in the States with as much as £97 million worth of prize money on offer, but in the background, Stamford Bridge chiefs are working to strengthen ahead of a pivotal next season.
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Spurs are set for a transfer tussle with their London rivals.
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As things stand, Chelsea are prioritising a new winger right now, with the club back in talks over a potential deal for Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens after seeing three June 10 deadline bids rejected for the Englishman.
As well as Gittens, Chelsea have their eyes on West Ham star Mohammed Kudus (Simon Phillips), not to mention Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho, so supporters can fully expect at least one new wide player to come in.
However, they’re also believed to be targeting a new centre-back.
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Uncertainty surrounds the long-term futures of Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and even Wesley Fofana (Foot Mercato), who’s suffered from repeated injury problems since his £75 million move from Leicester City.
This has resulted in Chelsea considering Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, among other names, but the Toffees could demand up to £80 million to part company with the commanding centre-half before deadline day on September 1.
“Chelsea intend to push for him [Branthwaite] again and there is a possibility that they offer players to Everton in an attempt to get the fee down and make the deal more appealing on both sides,” said journalist Simon Phillips recently, via his Substack.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
“The other further info we have received from SPTC sources is that there’s a feeling now that Branthwaite could actually leave Everton this window for a Champions League club – which puts Chelsea in a strong position.”
However, a far more obtainable defender, who comes with a £68 million release clause, is starting to turn Chelsea’s head as well.
Enzo Maresca wants Ousmane Diomande at Chelsea
As per TEAMtalk and journalist Rudy Galetti, Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande is “firmly” on their shortlist, despite both Real Madrid and Newcastle’s serious interest in signing the Ivorian.
The 21-year-old was a mainstay under both Ruben Amorim and Rui Borges last term, making 46 appearances in all competitions and helping the Primeira Liga heavyweights to their first domestic double in two decades.
Maresca is a “huge fan” of Diomande, and has personally listed the African as one of his top defensive targets for the summer, so this could be one to watch as Chelsea seek a good-value backline addition without paying over the odds.
Sporting are apparently braced for a ‘bidding war’, though, and Chelsea will be hoping that no other suitor decides to go beyond Diomande’s release clause so they can win the race for his signature.
Every year, there are thousands of players coming to the end of their current deals – some high-profile, others further down the footballing pyramid.
This opens up the opportunity for these players to move on in the summer, with a number of stars set to be available for free, whether they have been unable to agree on fresh terms or simply come to the end of their time at their current clubs.
Here, we look at some of the best players who could be looking for a new club for 2025/26.
High-profile Bosman moves
Player
Departed
Joined
Year
Gianluca Vialli
Juventus
Chelsea
1996
Steve McManaman
Liverpool
Real Madrid
1999
Sol Campbell
Tottenham
Arsenal
2001
Michael Ballack
Bayern Munich
Chelsea
2006
Raul
Real Madrid
Schalke
2010
Andrea Pirlo
Milan
Juventus
2011
Robert Lewandowski
Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich
2014
Zlatan Ibrahimović
PSG
Manchester United
2016
Sergio Agüero
Man City
Barcelona
2021
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
PSG
2021
1
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Everton
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin
It looks as though Dominic Calvert-Lewin is heading towards the end of his Everton career, with several high-profile clubs expected to make an offer to secure his signature.
AS Monaco were one of those interested in the English striker back in January, but the Toffees stopped short of claiming a fee for Calvert-Lewin, leaving them open to a free sale.
There is speculation that Newcastle United are an interested club, with Calvert-Lewin set to call time on his stay on Merseyside.
2
Jonathan David
Lille
Many feel that Lille have made a massive mistake by allowing the contract of star striker Jonathan David to run down, meaning they will likely lose out on a significant transfer fee.
There appears to be no shortage of offers for the forward. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth claimed in January that two Serie A sides had made offers, while four Premier League teams were reportedly keen on striking a pre-contract agreement with David ahead of next season.
However, it feels like Serie A champions Napoli are close to securing an agreement with the Canadian, despite interest from rivals Juventus. Whoever manages to sign him will be securing one of the most coveted strikers in Europe.
3
Ben Davies
Tottenham Hotspur
Fresh from winning the Europa League with Tottenham Hotspur, it appears as though Ben Davies will be leaving N17 in the near future.
The Welshman joined the Lilywhites from Swansea City in 2014, becoming one of the first to join under former manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Leeds United and Burnley were both linked to the full-back recently, so Davies may end up staying in the Premier League.
4
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
Manchester City's KevinDeBruyne
Kevin De Bruyne was so often at the heart of the success Manchester City achieved since he joined in the summer of 2015.
With 422 appearances for the Etihad side, De Bruyne has been their talisman, never more so than during the 2022/23 season as they won the treble. Indeed, he registered 41 goal contributions for the club that year.
Napoli are the team most strongly linked with the Belgian, with Antonio Conte’s side intent on building on their Scudetto success.
5
Abdoulaye Doucoure
Everton
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
Abdoulaye Doucoure revealed he would be leaving Everton at the expiry of his contract in the summer. The midfielder bowed out after helping the Toffees to a final-day win over Newcastle in the Premier League, and will now be looking for a new club ahead of 2025/26.
A £20m signing from Watford in 2020, Doucoure scored one of the most important goals in the club’s history as they survived relegation at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
It appears that a move to the Middle East is on the cards as it stands, with multiple Saudi Arabian clubs among the interested parties for the Malian’s services.
6
Angel Gomes
Lille
Angel Gomes is another player set to leave Lille in the summer, alongside teammate Jonathan David. The midfielder, who made his England debut in September, joined the French outfit from Manchester United in 2020 on a free transfer and will again be on the move for nothing.
His old club are among the clubs interested in his signature, while Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping the promise of Champions League football will sway things in their favour.
7
Victor Lindelof
Manchester United
With first-team opportunities turning into a premium in recent seasons, it is no surprise that Swedish defender Victor Lindelof allowed his deal at Manchester United to run down.
Lindelof struggled with injuries and started just six times in the league in 2024/25, with his role in the side further diminishing amid a number of centre-back arrivals in recent windows.
There are plenty of clubs lining up to sign him, including four Premier League clubs and former side Benfica.
8
Tyrick Mitchell
Crystal Palace
Despite starring for the Eagles in the FA Cup final, Tyrick Mitchell is yet to publicly commit his future to Crystal Palace. That said, Mitchell may not be about to see his deal at Selhurst Park expire, with conflicting reports over the status of his contract.
Nevertheless, he continues to be linked away, with Milan among his potential suitors, though whether the Rossoneri would have to pay a fee remains to be seen.
9
Thomas Partey
Arsenal
Thomas Partey’s contract at Arsenal is up in the summer, though his time in N5 may not be as close to ending as it may seem.
That’s because Mikel Arteta has previously stated his desire to keep the Ghana international at the club, so a new deal may be in the offing.
Partey has been linked away in previous windows, with interest coming from Italy and Saudi Arabia in the past. This time around, Juventus, Barcelona and former club Atletico Madrid have all been mentioned as potential destinations.
10
Leroy Sane
Bayern Munich
It may have come as a surprise to many when Leroy Sané swapped Manchester City for Bayern Munich, especially with the Pep Guardiola era in full swing, but the German has been a crucial player for the Bavarians.
Indeed, he ended the 2024/25 season with 116 goal contributions – 61 goals and 55 assists – in 220 appearances since joining, a rate of one goal involvement every 1.9 matches, marking a spectacular record.
If a club can secure his signature for nothing in the summer, they would be signing a player still at the peak of his powers.
An “outstanding” Rangers player has reportedly been left in limbo regarding his future at Ibrox, as Birmingham City consider making a move for him in the summer transfer window.
Rangers manager search continues
It always felt likely that Barry Ferguson would only be in interim charge of the Gers until the end of the season, even though he did his chances no harm after an impressive start, helping his side reach the Europa League quarter-finals.
Rangers have now officially confirmed that Ferguson will be moving on, with a club statement saying: “Everyone at Rangers Football Club would like to pass on their heartfelt thanks to Barry Ferguson and his staff, with yesterday’s game at Hibernian being their final match in charge.”
Rangers interim managerBarryFergusonbefore the match
It’s now a case of the Scottish Premiership giants bringing in the ideal successor this summer, with David Ancelotti a leading target. The son of Carlo Ancelotti, he is the assistant to his father at Real Madrid, and may thwart interested parties by sticking by his Dad’s side on the Brazil coaching staff.
Meanwhile, reports linking Steven Gerrard with a return to Rangers still aren’t going away, with the Liverpool legend guiding the Gers to title glory in his first go round. Now, a new transfer update has emerged that is directly related to the managerial situation at Ibrox.
Ben Davies in limbo over his Ibrox future
According to a new report from Give Me Sport, financial powerhouses Birmingham City are keen on signing Rangers defender Ben Davies on a permanent basis this summer, having spent this season on loan at the Midlands side, helping them achieve promotion from League One to the Championship.
The Blues are one of the biggest teams in the English second tier despite having only just gone up, with reports suggesting they are set to spend on par with the three teams relegated from the Premier League this summer.
That said, the update states that the Gers’ “search for a new boss is preventing them” from sorting a deal. Birmingham are being forced to wait “until Rangers decide whether or not to keep” Davies which can only happen once a new boss comes in and assesses his squad.
Ben Davies
Unless Rangers’ next manager rates Davies highly, which would arguably be a surprise after being shipped off on loan by Philippe Clement, it makes complete sense to sell him this summer.
A permanent switch to Birmingham could easily appeal to the English centre-back, considering he was such an influential figure throughout their promotion campaign, starting 32 games in League One and averaging 4.1 aerial duels wins per match.
Davies was also hailed by former Rangers manager Michael Beale, who said of him during their time working together: “What about Ben Davies? Comes into the season injured and misses up until after the international break. A lot has been said about him outside and the last two performances from him have been outstanding. Two clean sheets, coming back into the team.”
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Ultimately, it hasn’t quite worked out for Davies since his £4m move from Liverpool, even though he has still managed 58 appearances overall, scoring and assisting once apiece in that time. For that reason, a new challenge would benefit everyone, especially as he only has one year remaining on his current Gers deal.
Everton responded well at the weekend, clawing back to draw against Arsenal after losing the Merseyside derby at Anfield, a result which ended David Moyes’ nine-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.
Things have changed at Goodison Park, which is preparing for its emotional swansong not in the throes of a relegation battle but instead playing with a freedom that has come from Moyes’ return to the dugout and the consequent tactical and mental improvements.
However, Everton’s owners, The Friedkin Group, know that a range of signings are needed this summer, and with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and loanee Armando Broja both set to leave in a few months, bagging a striker has got to be the first port of call.
Everton join race for coveted striker
It’s an ambitious one, but TEAMtalk have revealed that Everton have joined the race for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, with neighbours Liverpool also keen, along with many more top-flight sides.
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Indeed, both the Toffees – and Brighton and Hove Albion – are said to have gathered ‘updated information’ on the youngster in recent days, with the two clubs keeping ‘close tabs’ on his situation.
Delap has been one of the Premier League’s breakout stars this season despite his team’s woes. That plays into the forward’s suitors’ favour, though, for his £40m release clause activates upon the Tractor Boys’ relegation.
And Ipswich will be relegated. Valiant fight, but the gulf in quality between England’s top two tiers continues to yawn wider, and now a team like Everton could strengthen further at their rival’s expense by stocking up with a young striker, 22, who’s demonstrated his high-ceilinged potential superbly this year.
Why Everton want Liam Delap
Tussling with such high-profile competition, you’d be forgiven for taking the news that Everton are interested in Delap with a pinch of salt.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapapplauds fans after the match
Ipswich have played well in the Premier League this season, competitive after back-to-back promotions, but it has proved a step too far for Kieran McKenna’s men, whose defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday has stretched the gap from safety to 12 points.
Delap, of course, got his name on the scoresheet in that 2-1 loss, and it was a fine goal at that. The 6 foot 1 striker is powerful and athletic, ranking among the top 17% of positional peers across Europe over the past year for progressive carries and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
Is it any surprise that the Manchester City youth product has been described as a “wrecking ball” by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones? These talents highlight exactly why the Toffees should make a concerted push for his signature, especially since FBref have suggested that Moise Kean is among his most tactically similar players.
Kean flopped hard during his stint on Merseyside but has built himself back up in Italy, thriving for Fiorentina. He’s scored 22 goals and provided five assists for La Viola this season, also hailed for his “remarkable” hold-up play by Serie A reporter Marco Messina.
Matches (starts)
28 (27)
30 (29)
Goals
17
12
Assists
3
2
Shots (on target)*
3.1 (1.4)
2.0 (1.0)
Big chances missed
14
10
Pass completion
72%
62%
Big chances created
4
3
Dribbles*
1.4
1.2
Duels won*
4.8
4.7
Above, you can see Kean and Delap’s statistics across respective league campaigns this year. Both rank similarly across clinical, ball-carrying and duelling metrics.
It’s also important to note that Delap is competing within the Premier League, an ostensibly tougher division, for imperilled Ipswich, whereas Kean’s Fiorentina are eighth, fighting for European qualification.
Delap boasts a profile that seems perfect for Moyes’ dynamic but gritty system, and if TFG manage to pull this off, it might just go down as one of the biggest coups in Everton’s modern history.
Everton struck gold on “constant threat” who’s worth more than Longstaff
Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett are set for debuts in Melbourne while West Indies hope to ride the wave of Test glory
Alex Malcolm01-Feb-20241:09
Finch: You can start to future proof the Australia team
It has been a week of celebration in Melbourne for both West Indies and Australia. The smiles on the faces of the West Indies team after their Test heroics on Sunday in Brisbane will last for a long time. And despite being on the losing end of an epic, Australia have also had cause to celebrate.On Tuesday night every member of the winning World Test Championship and ODI World Cup teams, bar David Warner and Marcus Stoinis, gathered at the Eureka Tower Skydeck, with the players receiving commemorative rings. They doubled down on Wednesday at the Australian Cricket Awards where Mitchell Marsh was the toast of the night, winning the Allan Border Medal as Australia’s best international player over the last 12 months.Related
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But while Marsh was flying back to Perth on Thursday morning, a young fresh-faced Australian squad gathered for an optional training session at the MCG ahead of the first ODI since that World Cup triumph and scarcely a player skipped the session.Both sides are missing some big names for a variety of reasons, but the series looms as a very early fact-finding mission for the 2027 World Cup, while Australia also have the 2025 Champions Trophy in sight.
Australia’s youth get their chance
The post-Warner era begins for Australia in ODI cricket, but Australia’s selectors have also rested Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood from the World Cup-winning team while Stoinis is playing franchise cricket after discussions with selectors about a desire to give youngsters some opportunities.Australia are set to field one of their most inexperienced attacks in quite some time with two debutants likely to play at the MCG in Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett, while allrounder Will Sutherland may well get a chance at some stage later in the series.Hard-hitting allrounders Matt Short and Aaron Hardie are set to play in their first ODIs on home soil while Cameron Green comes back into the XI after being squeezed out during the World Cup.Jake Fraser-McGurk, Will Sutherland, Xavier Bartlett and Matt Short ahead of the ODI series against West Indies•Getty ImagesDeveloping some lower middle-order batting depth in ODI cricket is a key part of the selectors planning for this series with Short and Hardie, who open and bat No. 3 in BBL cricket, set to be trialled down the list in the opening match at least. The selectors’ reasoning is that they have enough knowledge of what those two are capable of at the top of the order in domestic cricket and would like to give them some time in the tougher middle-order roles at international level, given they do not get a chance to bat there at the level below.While Short would prefer to open, as he has done with great success for Adelaide Strikers in the BBL and Victoria in the 50-over Marsh Cup competition, he understands that there is potentially a chance to grasp a permanent place in the middle-order.”I do feel more confident at the top of the order but any opportunity you get playing for your country, whether it be through the middle or at the top, I guess that’s the challenge,” Short said. “If the spot is there to be taken, if that’s the only way in, you just have to take that opportunity and try and do as best you can and sort of wait your turn.”
Likely Australia XI
1 Travis Head, 2 Josh Inglis, 3 Cameron Green, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Matt Short, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Lance Morris
Short has spoken to Stoinis about the transition from being a BBL and one-day opener to becoming a middle-order finisher at international level.”He’s been in a similar boat,” Short said. “He was really dominant at the top of the order throughout the BBL and probably didn’t quite have the spot available for him at the international level. So he’s sort of changed his game a little bit, obviously batting through the middle and finishing innings. I spoke to him a little bit just on that role change and starting with the field out. But I think it’s still having that same positive mindset.”Australia are also set to trial Josh Inglis at the top of the order in ODI cricket for just the second time in his career, having been an important middle-order contributor in the World Cup after replacing Alex Carey. Inglis has contracted Covid in the lead-up to Friday’s series opener at the MCG but was still able to train on Thursday and is expected to play, with some precautions taken in terms of his interaction with team-mates as was the case with Green during the Brisbane Test.Shai Hope and Steven Smith will captain the ODI series•Getty ImagesIt means there is likely no spot for exciting young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk in the series opener, but he will get the chance to play during the three matches, and it did not go unnoticed during the pre-series photo opportunity that he was wearing the No. 23 on his back, the same number worn by two of Australia’s great showmen, Shane Warne and Michael Clarke.If history is any guide, Australia’s XI on Friday could form the backbone of the side at the 2027 World Cup. Australia’s first ODI XI after the 2019 World Cup featured six of the XI who played in the 2023 final, with Marnus Labuschagne debuting in that game. But Travis Head, Marsh and Maxwell were all left out of that 2020 side on form before being matchwinners in the World Cup three years later.
West Indies look to build depth
Kavem Hodge could get the chance to bring his Test form into the ODIs•Getty ImagesWest Indies’ journey to 2027 has already begun with an excellent 2-1 series win over England at home in December. The ignominy of missing qualification for the 2023 World Cup is disappearing in the rearview mirror. Given the qualification for 2027 will likely be done on world rankings, the match-by-match pressure of the ODI Super League has been relieved, however, there is a need to be consistent.Coach Daren Sammy reiterated his captain Shai Hope’s statement that West Indies are trying to build some squad depth.”It’s about giving exposure, getting a core of guys,” Sammy said. “What I’m really happy about is the competition for places. And it’s competition from performance, not the lack thereof. If you give somebody an opportunity to play in your spot, sometimes you might not get it back. As you saw through the Test match, seven guys who have not played [performed].”Sammy was hopeful his ODI squad could be inspired by the deeds of the Test team. From the side that beat England last December, Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford have been released to play franchise T20 cricket while Shimron Hetmyer has been dropped. It opens the door for three batters to make a name for themselves.Kavem Hodge performed exceptionally in the Brisbane Test and could win an ODI recall having played three matches in 2023. Justin Greaves also showed promise in the Tests and could play his first one-dayer since 2022 while Grenadian top-order batter Teddy Bishop and Guyanese wicketkeeper-batter Tevin Imlach could make their ODI debuts.Sammy urged his inexperienced group to follow the lead of the Test side and adapt quickly to the style of cricket required in Australian conditions.”I’m looking at the MCG there, you got to adjust,” Sammy said. “Unlike most grounds where the square boundaries are short, Australia poses that challenge with big square boundaries. It means the ball will be more back of a length, shorter than fuller. So the ability to adjust and that’s the brand. Understanding what’s required. Everybody is clear about their roles.”Ever since I came in myself, and Shai, we’ve always tried to be clear with what’s required to help us with matches. To me adaptability here in Australia is key. The Test team did it. [It’s the] first ODI series in 2024 for us, we’ve got to come here and be adaptable in these conditions.”
The squads
Australia: Steven Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam ZampaWest Indies: Shai Hope (capt), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Dour application and discipline from MP’s top four kept Siddarth Kaul and co. at bay
Daya Sagar07-Jun-2022The first four overs of the day were all maidens. The first 11 yielded just 14 and not a single boundary. By the time a four was struck in the 30th over, the score had swelled to a grand total of 56 for no loss.In era of T20 cricket, the way Madhya Pradesh went about their batting would probably be classified as “super-slow”. The KSCA stadium in Alur is hosting three quarter finals of the Ranji Trophy, and while they just can’t stop scoring at Mumbai-Uttarakhand, Karnataka-Uttar Pradesh is just producing wickets by the bucketful. Over on the corner ground, there are no such events worth talking about between Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.For the Punjab bowlers, the lack of wickets was not down to lack of effort, but for their opposition, the slow run rate was a clear sign of game awareness and a considered strategy. One that helped them push ahead in the contest in the closing stages of the second day.For Punjab, the experienced new-ball pair of Siddarth Kaul and Baltej Singh started well after their batters had put together 219. There was a generous cloud cover and a breeze blowing cross-field, and Kaul and Baltej kept bowling in a good channel outside off, varying their lengths ever so slightly, to keep Yash Dubey and Himanshu Mantri quiet. A wicket looked imminent at all times. Punjab would have to wait till the 33rd over for their breakthrough, though, as Dubey fell to an injudicious slog-sweep against Mayank Markande.That was half of all the success Punjab would have as a bowling side on the day, with Madhya Pradesh finishing the day at 238, with a handy lead of 19. With eight wickets in hand and three whole days to play, they have the perfect opportunity to put this match beyond the reach of Punjab. While Madhya Pradesh managed a century, an 89 and a pair of round 20s on the day, the manner in which they scored these runs were a throwback to the best traditions of red-ball batting. They left as many balls as possible while it was new, and scored at a fairer clip once the bowlers had tired and the ball had softened. For Chandrakant Pandit’s wards, this was the perfect game-plan given the conditions and the match situation.The right-handed Dubey faced 89 balls for his 20 and didn’t hit a single boundary. He left so many deliveries outside off that it drove the Punjab bowlers to offering some loose balls, which his left-handed partner Mantri pounced on. Mantri was the more enterprising of the two, striking Vinay Choudhary for a couple of sixes in the first session. However, it was only after tea that he exhibited a wider repertoire of cuts, drives, flicks and inside out shots. His 89 was his first half-century in first-class cricket, and he would have been disappointed with his mode of dismissal, when in sight of a century, stumped off Markande.Their best batter of the day was No.3 Shubham Sharma, though, who struck nine fours and a six in a 211-ball 102 which oozed both control and discipline. Shubham had only three centuries in his first eight years since his debut in 2013, but this year he has already struck his third hundred in five innings. Like his predecessors, Shubham wasn’t ‘excessively slow’ in his approach and took full toll of all scoring opportunities at his disposal. Against the quicker bowlers, he was happy to respond with cuts, drives, back-foot punches, pulls and flicks, but used his feet well against the spinners.He was lucky too, with a couple of edges falling short of fielders when he tried to take the attack to the spinners. As they say, fortune favours the brave. Or in the case of the Madhya Pradesh batters on Tuesday, it smiled on the traditional and the disciplined.
Frank Worrell came to the West Indies captaincy late and died young but left an indelible mark on the game
Paul Edwards30-Jun-2020Some cricketers change the games in which they play. In the early 1960s, Frank Worrell changed the game everybody played. It took him 15 matches to do it although some would say that simply walking out to toss up with Richie Benaud before the famous tied Test at Brisbane was enough. And that fine historian Hilary Beckles argues that his appointment as the first black West Indies skipper was the “grand historic moment”. George Headley led the team against England at Bridgetown in 1948 but Worrell had been made captain with tenure. Thousands of people across the Caribbean wondered what he would make of the job.Weaker men would have been weighed down by the expectation but the 36-year-old Worrell had both long experience in the game and a natural capacity for leadership. He fully understood that the significance of that Australian summer extended far beyond five games of Test cricket, albeit the 60-61 series, which Australia won 2-1, is still seen as one of the finest ever played. “Had Frank failed on that tour it would have set back West Indies cricket, and especially the black cricketer, by twenty years”, wrote his opposing skipper, Richie Benaud. As it turned out Worrell triumphed so spectacularly that when a note was placed in the on the eve of the team’s departure stating West Indies would be driving round the city the following day on their way to a civic reception, over half a million people turned up to bid them farewell. There was tickertape and there were tears. Every subsequent series between Australia and West Indies has been played for the Frank Worrell Trophy.Worrell’s team won eight of their next ten Tests under his leadership. It might be suggested that a team containing Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai, Garry Sobers, Wes Hall and Lance Gibbs would have done quite well with anyone in charge but that would be to underestimate West Indies’ previous capacity to splinter into island cliques. Worrell would have none of that and, as so often with him, there were incidents which transcended the to-and-fro of each series. India were beaten 5-0 in the Caribbean but when Nari Contractor ducked into a short ball from Charlie Griffiths in the game against Barbados, Worrell was the first to give the blood that helped save the batsman’s life.ALSO READ: Odd Men In – George CoxBarely a year after that home series Worrell led West Indies in England in what would be his farewell to top-level international cricket. Test matches in that era were sometimes rather dull affairs, characterised by attritional batting and cautious captaincy. Yet as in Australia, West Indies sought to attack whenever they could and their 3-1 series victory was welcomed. “No more popular side has ever toured in the old country,” said the team’s scorer, George Duckworth, whose memory stretched back over 40 years to his playing days with Lancashire and England. And the series again produced one classic when the Lord’s Test was drawn with England needing six runs to win but having only one wicket in hand.Film survives of the final day of that game and participants recall how Worrell was almost the only man on the ground who retained his composure. Indeed, it was said his leadership was so undemonstrative that those watching his teams play could not tell who was captain. Perhaps so – few skippers have been less given to flamboyant gestures – yet it is also true that no member of a team captained by Worrell had any doubt who was in charge. He rarely sought to suppress the natural volatility of players like Kanhai and Hall but he always sought to harness it. For every rule there was a reason.Jack Fingleton’s book had described the game at the Gabba in the detail it deserved. Now Alan Ross’s accorded comparable honour to the drama in St John’s Wood. Ross also considered the next three Tests before ending with his own tribute to the tourists: “No one applauds in the Press Box, but if words can carry feelings as well as facts, then Worrell’s West Indians, back now in their Caribbean islands, must know of them. Images, after all, mean more than statistics and with these they were lavish. Enriching the common idiom of the game, they restored to it not only spontaneity, but style.”
Having disposed forever of the argument that a black man might not be worthy to lead the countries of the West Indies in unity, he seemed set for other honours, both in international cricket and in the wider political ferment of Caribbean politics
Worrell retired from Test cricket immediately after the England tour and played only ten more first-class matches. He was 39 and had long known that his powers were declining. It was nearly 20 years since he had shared in two first-class stands of over 500, the first with John Goddard, the second with Clyde Walcott. Those stands for Barbados against Trinidad were followed by a first Test cap in 1948. Some glorious seasons followed, summers at home and abroad in which West Indian cricket was dominated by Worrell, Weekes and Walcott, by the spin bowling of Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine, by the first flowering of Sobers and Kanhai.There seems little dispute that Worrell was a cricketer of world class during many of those post-war seasons. Yet each of the game’s eras produces players worthy of such an accolade and the back pages of the newspapers make much of their exploits. Worrell, rather by contrast, did things in the last years of his career which attracted the interests of the news editors and political columnists. As ever, cricket became a lens through which social change could be assessed. Writing for in May 1967, CLR James moved with typical ease from Worrell’s cricketing achievements to a wider impact.”Worrell made the tremendous decision to restore to Tests the spirit of the game he had learnt in Barbados… Having rapidly created his instrument, Worrell initiated a regeneration. Benaud, the Australian captain, met him halfway and the result was the most exciting Test series in living memory.”He has shown the West Indian mastery of what Western civilisation had to teach. His wide experience, reputation, his audacity of perspective and the years which seemed to stretch before him fitted him to be one of those destined to help the West Indies to make their own West Indian way.”Yes, . James was writing an obituary for a dear friend who had died of leukaemia less than two months earlier at the brutally early age of 42. In the months after the England tour Worrell had been showered with honours, some from the West Indies, others from the English league clubs he had represented when not required for a tour. He was knighted in the 1964 New Year’s honours list and had become Warden of Irvine Hall at the University of the West Indies, as well as being appointed to the Jamaican Senate. Counterfactuals are pretty tedious exercises but historians still ponder the contribution Worrell might have made to public life in the Caribbean and beyond had he been granted a full lifespan. Having disposed forever of the argument that a black man might not be worthy to lead the countries of the West Indies in unity, he seemed set for other honours, both in international cricket and in the wider political ferment of Caribbean politics.West Indies team manager Gerry Gomez and captain Frank Worrell are cheered by a huge crowd in a parade through the streets of Melbourne•Getty ImagesWorrell was also the first sportsman to be honoured with a memorial service at Westminster Abbey and EW Swanton gave the address before a congregation of 1500 that included the great, the good and the humble. “He was essentially a bringer together by the sincerity and friendliness of his personality,” Swanton said. “In the television age men famous in the world of games have a formidable influence and strange figures are sometimes magnified into heroes. Frank Worrell was the absolute antithesis of the strident and bumptious… He was a federalist, nearest whose heart was the unity of the West Indian peoples in all their diversity… Under the subtle knack of his personality, differences of colour and island prejudices seemed to melt away.”Over fifty years later one does not have to search hard for tributes and memorials to Frank Worrell. Banknotes and stamps have featured his image; sports centres, streets and halls of residence have been named in his memory. A monument to Worrell, Weekes and Walcott, all three of whom were knighted, can be found surrounded by tropical flora in the park opposite the 3Ws Oval at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus in Barbados. Both Worrell and Walcott are buried in the grounds of the campus on a hill overlooking the square.And next week West Indian cricketers will begin another Test series against England. It cannot be called a tour since it appears Jason Holder’s players will be visiting just two cricket grounds and one airport. And it is probably overstraining the metaphor to describe them as Frank Worrell’s grandchildren; too much has changed in fifty years. But were they to be reminded of their former leader’s contribution, Holder’s cricketers might be honoured to be thought of in such terms. The great West Indian teams that followed Worrell certainly knew what they owed him but so did some people in the Caribbean who would never pick up a bat. And Beckles links that historic appointment in 1960 to both nation-building and anticolonialism:”The cricket hero… became a demigod, a role model, placed socially above community, and invested with popular expectations that suggest iconographic worship and idealisation. Frank Worrell was the epitome of it all: graceful, sincere, smart, mature, sound, visionary, morally correct and successful – all the things that a young nation state should be. Within this paradigm, Worrell was the symbol of nationalist pride, anticolonial achievement, and sociopsychological liberation. He represented West Indians at home and abroad as a statesman and ambassador.”Worrell, himself, might be a little amazed by all that. Humility often goes with greatness. Yet his was a black life that mattered, not simply for its own sake, as all do, but for the impact he made on thousands of other black lives in the Caribbean. Revolutions are rarely so gentle.