Shoaib Bashir takes CWC Young Player; Sophie Ecclestone and Ryana MacDonald-Gay also among winners
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2024
Gus Atkinson celebrates his maiden Test century•AFP/Getty Images
Gus Atkinson has been awarded the Bob Willis Trophy for England’s Player of the Year after a debut Test summer in which he collected 34 wickets as well as scoring his maiden hundred.Atkinson collected the award, voted for by members of the Cricket Writers’ Club, at the Kia Oval on Tuesday. The annual awards ceremony also saw Shoaib Bashir named NV Play Young Player of the Year, the latest winner of the CWC award dating back to 1950.Sophie Ecclestone won the JM Finn Women’s Cricket Award, while Ryana MacDonald-Gay was voted Emerging Cricketer. Liam Dawson, last month named the Professional Cricketers’ Association men’s player of the year, claimed the County Championship prize.”I was just hoping to make my England Test debut, and to have the summer that I’ve had, it’s a huge honour and to get this award at the end of it tops it off,” Atkinson said.”My debut, obviously taking 12 wickets was very special, and playing in Jimmy Anderson’s last Test was a big honour. Probably my favourite moment was that century against Sri Lanka.”Bashir has gone from virtual unknown to England’s first-choice spinner in the last 12 months, claiming three Test five-fors – including a match-winning haul in the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge. He picked up the prestigious CWC award for players under the age of 21 at the start of the summer.”Two years ago, I didn’t have a county,” Bashir said. “It’s been really special. With a lot of hard work, I’m thankful to be playing for my country. Long may it continue.”It was very special, first time I’d played at Trent Bridge. For me to take that last wicket and seal the deal to make it 2-0 in the series, it was one of the highlights of my season.”Other winners of the CWC awards included England Physical Disability opening batter Brendon Parr, who was presented with the Lord’s Taverners charity’s Disability Cricketer of the Year award.James Anderson and the cast of Tailenders took the Peter Smith Award for outstanding presentation of cricket to the public, and the Derek Hodgson Cricket Book of the year was won by David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts for.Cricket Writers’ Club chair Dean Wilson said: “Huge congratulations to all our award winners, reflecting another terrific year of cricket for all members of the media to cover.”At a time of unprecedented change in the game on and off the field, there are precious few opportunities to pause and reflect and honour the efforts of those who bring so much joy.”Whether it is the skill and guile of Sophie Ecclestone and Shoaib Bashir, or the excellence of Gus Atkinson or Brendon Parr, there has been much to admire. Long may that continue.”
Manchester United are looking to add to their squad while not overstepping the mark financially, and they have now reportedly made an enquiry for a Brazil international, according to reports.
Man Utd eye shock Dominic Calvert-Lewin deal
The Red Devils and INEOS are looking to add to the pack after Matheus Cunha’s arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers and find themselves pushing to land Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. Diego Leon has also finalised his move to the club.
Reports suggest a deal could be finalised by Monday that would see the Cameroon international head to Old Trafford. At the same time, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins and Nigeria hitman Victor Osimhen have also been touted as potential offensive recruits.
However, Manchester United could sign free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a squad rotation option. However, journalist Ben Jacobs believes he may need to lower his wage demands before a deal for the ex-Everton striker can become viable.
He stated: “Calvert-Lewin’s wage demands are very high, and therefore it is unlikely that Man United will move in that direction unless the demands decrease or they have a hole in the squad later in the window. As a free agent, the player will be rigid on his demands.”
Premier League experience will become paramount for the Red Devils in their rebuilding phase. Ruben Amorim is likely to have one game a week to manage most weeks, offering the possibility of focusing solely on the club’s league position without external commitments.
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Cup football will also present a chance at silverware. Nevertheless, there is plenty of work to be done in the market before Manchester United are back challenging for honours, though their latest pursuit wouldn’t be a bad step in the right direction.
Man Utd make Douglas Luiz enquiry
According to reports relayed by FootballTransfers, Manchester United and therefore INEOS have submitted an enquiry regarding Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz’s availability following a frustrating campaign that has seen the Brazil international be placed on the transfer list.
Everton and Fulham are also in pursuit of the ex-Aston Villa man, who made 27 appearances across all competitions for the Old Lady last season.
He has previously been lauded as a “very underrated” engine room presence by Paul Merson, with the former Arsenal man claiming Luiz was every bit as good as the likes of Declan Rice and Rodri while he plied his trade in the West Midlands.
Douglas Luiz in 2024/25 – key statistics in Serie A (Fotmob)
Tackles won
8
Duels won
36
Pass accuracy
90.4%
Recoveries
31
Long ball accuracy
75%
Earning £138,000 per week in Turin, there is also talk that Luiz could be used as a part of a swap deal that would see Juventus land Jadon Sancho, albeit aforementioned striker Vlahovic is also mentioned, making the saga a possibility and nothing more.
Injury problems hampered the 27-year-old last term, and a return to the English top-flight could now be on the cards, though there would be other considerations to take into account for Manchester United.
Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are two existing deeper-lying midfield options, while Kobbie Mainoo can also operate in the six, so Amorim would potentially need to think about cutting someone loose to ensure his side had the space to acquire Luiz.
The season proper might have come to an end in European glory for Chelsea, but Enzo Maresca’s men have a busy summer ahead of them.
The West Londoners will be looking to keep the good times rolling by winning the revamped Club World Cup and heading into next season’s Premier League in red-hot form.
However, to ensure the squad can build upon their top-five finish and make it deep into the Champions League, the board need to keep up their efforts in the transfer window and bring in even more talent.
Fortunately, recent reports have now linked the Blues with a talented goalscorer who could be an even better signing than Jamie Gittens.
Chelsea transfer news
Chelsea have already been incredibly busy this summer, securing the services of Ipswich Town star Liam Delap, Strasbourg’s Mamadou Sarr and Sporting CP’s Dário Essugo, yet they look likely to sign more talents in the coming weeks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
One of the names most heavily touted for a move to the Blues has been Borussia Dortmund star Gittens, with reports linking the Englishman with the club dating back as far as October last year, but seriously heating up in recent weeks.
In fact, stories from this week claimed that the winger was now a top priority for the West Londoners, and yet, as things stand, he is still very much a player for the German giants.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittensin action with Lille's Bafode Diakite
Now, while he would undoubtedly be an exciting addition to Maresca’s squad, another player has now been touted for a move to Stamford Bridge, a player who’d be an even better signing: Joao Pedro.
According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are now interested in the Brighton & Hove Albion star, who is “highly appreciated” by many at the club.
Furthermore, the Italian journalist claims that initial contact has already been made and that the player will be allowed to leave this summer.
However, it might not be all that straightforward, with Newcastle United also said to be interested, while other reports claim that it’ll take a fee of around £70m for the Seagulls to let him go.
Brighton forward Joao Pedro
It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but with Pedro’s ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Gittens.
Why Pedro would be a better signing than Gittens
So, the first thing to make clear is that both Gittens and Pedro would be great signings for Chelsea this summer, but there are a couple of reasons why, at the moment anyway, the latter would be the better acquisition for the Blues.
Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro tackles Brentford's Bryan Mbuemo.
The first is that he’s simply the more productive attacker and, therefore, is more likely to come in and hit the ground running in West London.
For example, in 30 appearances, totalling 2136 minutes, the “insane” Ribeirão Preto-born monster, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored ten goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.76 games, or every 125.64 minutes.
Appearances
30
49
Minutes
2136′
2803′
Goals
10
12
Assists
7
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.56
0.34
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.64
164.88′
In contrast, the Englishman scored 12 goals and provided five assists but did so in 49 appearances, totalling 2803 minutes, which comes out to a significantly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.88 games, or one every 164.88 minutes.
On top of him simply being more effective than the 20-year-old, the former Watford ace has also got far more experience, and most crucially, the experience of playing and thriving in the Premier League.
Now, that might sound like an unfair stick to beat the Dortmund star with, but as the Blues will be looking to do better than simply qualifying for the Champions League again next season, they’ll need attackers who can come straight into the team and impress from the word go, which might not happen for someone coming from another league.
Ultimately, while both Gittens and Pedro are talented players who could bring a lot to Maresca’s squad this summer, the latter’s experience and proven level of output mean he’d be the better signing.
Chelsea open discussions over signing £86m Club World Cup sensation
It is the start of a new era at Ibrox after Glasgow Rangers confirmed that Russell Martin is their new head coach, which came shortly after their takeover was finalised.
They also have a new sporting director, in Kevin Thelwell, and will be attacking the summer transfer window with a view to creating a team that will compete for trophies next season.
Martin and Thelwell are tasked with making changes to a squad that ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts.
The former Scotland international has already confirmed, though, that James Tavernier will retain the captaincy, and that a change in management will not result in a change in leadership.
Of course, the English defender keeping his role as the club captain does not mean that he is guaranteed to start week-in-week-out next term.
Why James Tavernier's position could be in danger
The veteran full-back should not be a guaranteed starter at right-back under Martin because of his defensive deficiencies that have cost Rangers on many occasions.
As recently as April, broadcaster Graham Spiers posted this on X: “The criticism that has been cast at James Tavernier all his career – defensive negligence – strikes again.”
That comment was in reaction to the goal in the clip above, as Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams ghosted in behind the Rangers skipper to score at the back post.
Tavernier, who former Gers full-back Steven Whittaker once claimed “needs to look” at the defensive side of the game, did not enjoy the best season in the Scottish Premiership from a defensive perspective either.
Appearances
33
Goals
4
Assists
8
Dribbled past
17x
Error led to shot
4
Duel success rate
56%
As you can see in the table above, the 33-year-old captain made four errors that directly led to shots for the opposition, which is twice as many as any other Rangers defender made in the division this season.
Errors have simply become too commonplace for the English full-back, whether that is giving the ball away to set up a shot for the opposition or by failing to track a runner at the back post, and that is why his spot as a regular starter should be in danger heading into next season.
Rangers are now reportedly eyeing up a new right-back to bolster their squad, and it could mean that Tavernier starting regularly next term is even less likely.
Rangers eyeing deal for new right-back
According to Hull Live, Rangers are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Hull City right-back Cody Drameh in the summer transfer window, which reopens next Monday.
The report claims that the Gers are ‘huge admirers’ of the English defender, as they line up a swoop to sign him from the Championship side ahead of next season.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that Derby County, who are also in the English Championship, have already had one bid turned down for the former Leeds United full-back, but they remain determined to snap him up.
The outlet reveals that as many as nine clubs are eyeing up moves to sign Drameh this summer, with Preston North End and Strasbourg named alongside Derby and Rangers.
Cody Drameh in action for Hull City.
Hull Live reveals, though, that the Tigers are not ‘actively’ looking to cash in on the defender, although they would be prepared to consider offers in excess of £1m for his services.
Rangers should, now, push hard to win the race for Drameh’s signature before the end of the summer transfer window, because he could improve Martin’s options at right-back.
Why Cody Drameh could be an upgrade on James Tavernier
As aforementioned, Tavernier’s defensive work has left a lot to be desired for Rangers and bringing in the Hull star could improve the team defensively because of the qualities that he can provide down the right flank.
The 23-year-old star, who was once described as a “Duracell bunny” by former Cardiff City boss Steve Morison, is a solid defender who can lock up opposition wingers week-in-week-out.
Ex-Leeds player Ben Parker previously hailed the full-back’s defensive qualities, saying: “Cody Drameh, his strength is one v one defending. He loves defending. There has not been too many players I’ve seen this season that gets the better of him in a one v one duel. I love to see that.”
Drameh has averaged 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game across his entire club career to date, compared to Tavernier’s 3.1 per match, and his defensive statistics in the 2024/25 campaign in particular suggest that he could be a terrific addition for Rangers.
Tackles
4.04
Top 1%
Tackles in defensive third
2.57
Top 1%
Dribblers challenged
4.15
Top 1%
Dribblers tackled
2.46
Top 1%
Tackles + interceptions
5.08
Top 1%
Errors
0.0
Top 23%
As you can see in the table above, the Hull star ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in the Championship in a host of key defensive metrics, winning tackles and challenges in his own half and preventing wingers from getting by him with dribbles.
He also ended the Championship season without a single error that directly led to a shot or goal for the opposition, compared to Tavernier’s four, which suggests that he would be far more reliable in the right-back slot.
As Parker claimed, Drameh ‘loves defending’ and the same could not be said of Tavernier after aforementioned his mistakes for the Gers, which have cost them, particularly in the Europa League.
The Hull defender is also ten years younger than the Rangers captain and could be the long-term option for Martin in the right-back position, as a big defensive upgrade on the former Newcastle man.
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Five teams are eyeing up a deal for a Rangers flop should be sold as well as Robin Propper.
Liverpool are now “seriously pursuing” a £34m defender, and advanced talks have already taken place, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.
Liverpool searching for Trent replacement
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s time at Anfield isn’t ending the way he would’ve liked, having confirmed his decision to leave his boyhood club at the end of the season, with the right-back entering the field to a chorus of boos after being brought on as a substitute against Arsenal on Sunday.
Jamie Carragher has since criticised the reaction to Trent entering the field, encouraging supporters to sing other players’ names, rather than booing one of their own.
Conor Bradley, on the other hand, received a good reception on Sunday, but having made an error in the build-up to the Gunners’ first goal, Arne Slot could have some reservations about the Northern Irishman becoming the first-choice right-back immediately.
As such, Slot may choose to enter the transfer market to find a replacement for Trent, and Plettenberg has now taken to X to provide an update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies in action with Bayer Leverkusen'sJeremieFrimpong
The Sky Sports reporter states the Reds are now “seriously pursuing” Frimpong, with the right-back “planning to move this summer”, and he should be available for a relatively affordable fee, given that he has a release clause of around €35m – €40m (£29m – £34m) in his contract.
The 24-year-old is also described as “one of the top options” to replace Alexander-Arnold at the end of the season, underlining the Merseysiders’ level of interest, with advanced talks taking place.
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"Monster" Frimpong could be ideal Trent replacement
Trent has received criticism for his defending during his time at Anfield, but the England international has more than made up for it with his quality going forward, picking up three goals and seven assists in the Premier League this season.
Much like his potential predecessor, the Leverkusen star also excels on the front foot, ranking in the 93rd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, and the 89th percentile for assists, when compared to other full-backs.
Amid previous links to Manchester United, the Dutchman was also described as a “monster” in the attacking third by the United Stand’s Beth Tucker, which is underlined by his contributions going forward over the past three Bundesliga seasons.
Season
Bundesliga appearances
Goals
Assists
2022-23
34
8
7
2023-24
31
9
9
2024-25
33
5
6
A fee of just £29m – £34m could be a bargain for Frimpong, who could be the ideal replacement for Trent, given his attacking quality, although it would also be good to see academy graduate Bradley receive more game time next season.
With no Premier League game this weekend, every Arsenal fan will have their eyes firmly on their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint Germain next week.
However, while Mikel Arteta’s side have a real chance of doing something sensational on the continent, it would be impossible to describe their domestic form as anything other than disappointing.
The Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup and League Cup, and should Liverpool pick up even a point at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, they’ll be crowned champions with four games to spare.
While injuries have certainly played their part, poor performances have been just as big of a problem, with club captain Martin Odegaard’s drop in form emblematic of the season overall.
The Norwegian international may well get back to his mercurial best next year, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club may have already identified someone who’d be an upgrade, someone who’s won comparisons to the incredible Jude Bellingham.
Arsenal transfer news
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other incredible names Arsenal have been linked with in recent weeks, such as Raphinha.
FC Barcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates scoring their fourth goal
The Barcelona superstar would reportedly be available for about £86m in the summer, and while that is a lot, it could be a fee worth paying as he’s already scored 30 goals and provided 23 assists in 49 games this year.
A cheaper player touted for a £43m move to the Emirates in recent days has been Andrey Santos.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Chelsea loanee is having a stellar campaign in France with Strasbourg, amassing 15 goal involvements in just 30 appearances from central and defensive midfield.
However, the most exciting name touted for a move to N5, and the one who could replace Odegaard is Désiré Doué.
Yes, according to reports from Spain, Arsenal are one of several Premier League sides interested in signing the Frenchman this summer.
Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are keen on the talent.
However, Paris Saint-Germain are not planning on selling the teenage sensation unless a monster offer of around £86m is made.
It looks like it could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Doué’s immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be a dream Odegaard replacement and has been compared to Bellingham.
How Doué compares to Odegaard and Bellingham
So, the first thing to say is that while Doué has spent more time on the wings this season, he has still made nine appearances as an attacking midfielder this term and has even been described as a “true 10” by respected analyst Ben Mattinson.
Real Madrid'sJudeBellinghamcelebrates
With that out the way, it’s worth examining this comparison to Bellingham and where it comes from before looking at how he stacks up against Odegaard.
In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the number one most similar midfielder to the PSG gem.
Doué & Bellingham
Statistics per 90
Doué
Bellingham
Progressive Passes
7.19
7.29
Goals
0.35
0.34
Assists
0.35
0.30
Goals per Shot
0.12
0.14
Goals per Shot on Target
0.30
0.39
Carries
45.4
43.2
Aerial Duels Won %
43.8%
46.9%
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, progressive passes, goals, assists, goals per shot and shot on target, carries and more, all per 90.
So, with his apparent statistical similarities to the Real Madrid star, how does the Angers-born ace compare to the Gunners’ captain?
Well, from a pure output perspective, he comes out miles ahead.
For example, in 46 appearances, totalling just 2538 minutes, he’s scored 13 goals and provided 12 assists.
That means the “absolute genius,” as dubbed by Mattinson, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.84 games or every 101.52 minutes.
For his efforts this year, the Drammen-born star has scored just five goals and provided ten assists in 39 appearances, totalling 2982 minutes.
Therefore, the 26-year-old is averaging a goal involvement every 2.6 games or every 198.8 minutes, which is undeniably disappointing.
Ultimately, while he might cost a huge sum of money, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Doué this summer, as not only has he won comparisons to Bellingham, but he could be a younger, more exciting upgrade on Odegaard.
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As Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future continues to come into question, Crystal Palace could now reportedly receive the opportunity to sign a struggling striker in a swap deal for the Frenchman.
Crystal Palace could be offered shock swap deal
The interest in Mateta should come as no surprise. The forward has found a new level under Oliver Glasner and has just over a year left on his current contract. As negotiations continue to rumble on over a new deal, the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa have both been linked with moves to sign the Frenchman in what would deal those at Selhurst Park an instant blow.
For Mateta, meanwhile, he’s at a crucial point in his career. At 27 years old and at the peak of his powers, he may not get the opportunity to complete a mega move again in his career and must simply get his next decision right.
That said, Mateta’s decision could yet provide the Eagles with an unexpected opportunity. According to Football Transfers, Manchester United could now offer Rasmus Hojlund in a swap deal to sign Mateta this summer in what would see their transfer flop finally bring an end to his Old Trafford nightmare.
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Left benefitting is potentially Crystal Palace. Whether they accept the chance to sign the Dane with talks over Mateta already reportedly open with Manchester United remains to be seen, but it would at least end their search for a replacement swiftly.
Crystal Palace perfect fit for struggling Hojlund
Whilst he has far from lived up to his reported £72m price tag, there’s been enough evidence over the years to suggest that the blame may not fully be on Hojlund at Old Trafford. He’s not the first fresh arrival to face new struggles at United and he certainly won’t be the last.
Now, like others before him, he needs to move on and become the player that many believed he would become for the Red Devils. And that’s where Palace could come in.
As relayed by Football Transfers, Palace have a ‘club fit’ of 76/100 with Hojlund – an algorithm which measures potential development, a side’s system and the game time that certain players will receive. All signs suggest that the Dane would finally thrive away from Manchester United and under Glasner.
At just 22 years old, there’s ever chance that Hojlund could still realise his potential like many have by leaving Old Trafford. It wasn’t so long ago that he even found himself at the centre of praise from around the media, with Times reporter Charlotte Duncker among those with plenty of positives to say.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, Duncker described Hojlund’s work off the ball as “underrated” last season in something that he now needs to bring back to his game if he completes a move to Crystal Palace.
And was England’s 22-run win at Lord’s the closest there by margin of runs?
Steven Lynch22-Jul-2025Is it right that England’s win last week was the closest in a Test at Lord’s? asked Dennis McKinlay from Scotland Last week’s exciting Test against India at Lord’s was the 149th to be played there, so it was something of a surprise to discover that 22 was indeed the narrowest victory margin by runs in any of them. The previous closest was 43, when Australia beat England in 2023. South Africa beat England by 51 runs in 2012, and Australia beat England by 61 in 1888.There have been two two-wicket victories in Tests at Lord’s, by Pakistan against England in 1992 and by England against West Indies in 2000. However, perhaps the closest Test of all at Lord’s finished in a draw: at the end of a famous match against West Indies in 1963 England were nine down but needed just six to win.West Indies were 11 for 6 during their horrendous collapse in Jamaica. Has the sixth wicket ever fallen at a lower score in a Test innings? asked Jason Cameron from Trinidad The dismissal of skipper Roston Chase in the second innings in Kingston last week left West Indies perilously placed at 11 for 6. The only team to lose their sixth wicket earlier in a Test were Australia, who dipped to 7 for 6 in the follow-on against England at Old Trafford in 1888. Australia were also 11 for 6 at The Oval in 1896.That 1888 series, incidentally, is the only one of three or more Tests in which the highest score in the series was lower than the 75 (by Brandon King in Grenada) of the recent encounter in the Caribbean – England’s Bobby Abel made 70 at The Oval. There have only been five other such series which did not feature an individual century from either side.West Indies made it to 26 for 6 before Scott Boland’s hat-trick, and were grateful to a misfield for the chance to avoid equalling the lowest total in Test history, New Zealand’s 26 against England in Auckland in 1955. They still suffered the second-lowest; West Indies’ worst before this was 47, against England, also at Sabina Park, in 2004.Justin Greaves has been part of both 2025’s Test hat-tricks. Has anyone else been part of two in Tests? asked Colin Henderson from England The unfortunate Justin Greaves was the first victim of Scott Boland’s hat-trick in the third Test in Jamaica last week, just as he had been when the Pakistan spinner Noman Ali achieved the feat in Multan in January.Greaves was the fourth man to be part of two Test hat-tricks. The first was arguably the most notable: the South African wicketkeeper Tommy Ward, making his Test debut in the Triangular Tournament at Old Trafford in 1912, was the third victim of the Australian legspinner Jimmy Matthews in both innings, thus completing a king pair.Another Australian legspinner, Stuart MacGill, was the middle man in the hat-tricks of Darren Gough (in Sydney in 1999) and Jermaine Lawson in Bridgetown in 2003), while the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana was the first victim of Wasim Akram (in Lahore in 1999) and Abdul Razzaq (in Galle in 2000). Akram took hat-tricks in successive matches against Sri Lanka, but the batters were all different.England’s Stuart Broad remains the only man to be involved in three Test hat-tricks. He took two – against India at Trent Bridge in 2011, and Sri Lanka at Headingley in 2014 – and was the final victim in Peter Siddle’s birthday hat-trick for Australia in Brisbane in 2010.Boland was the tenth Australian man to take a Test hat-trick.Only Stuart Broad has been part of three hat-tricks – as the perpetrator or two, and a victim in the third•Getty ImagesThe just-retired Angelo Mathews, the Waugh twins, and Steve Smith were all born on June 2. They have amassed more than 37,000 Test runs between them. Is this the most Test runs “born” on a single day? asked Siddiqui Saleem from the United States It’s a reasonable guess – and a correct one! In total there have so far been 38,282 runs scored in men’s Tests by players born on June 2: that’s 10,927 by Steve Waugh, 10,477 by Steven Smith, 8214 from Angelo Mathews, 8029 by Mark Waugh, 416 from Lindsay “Dad” Weir of New Zealand, 213 from England’s George Lohmann… and not forgetting six by Jayantha Silva of Sri Lanka. Second on this particular list is October 27, with 32,417. That includes 12,400 from Kumar Sangakkara, 8786 by David Warner, and Mark Taylor’s 7525.The best day for bowlers is July 3, with 1104 wickets, the main contributors being Richard Hadlee (431), Harbhajan Singh (417), Ewen Chatfield (132) and Henry Olonga (68). A close second with 1074 wickets is June 24 – made up of 604 from Stuart Broad, 246 byGraham McKenzie and 224 from Vernon Philander.Apparently there’s someone who played in the same Test side as Victor Trumper and Don Bradman. Who was it? asked Michael Hunter from Australia Victor Trumper, who played 37 Tests between 1899 and 1911-12, and Don Bradman, whose 52 matches came between 1928-29 and 1948, are the two most famous Australian batters of the past – Bradman because of his phenomenal scoring feats, and Trumper because of the unusual elegance of his batting. Both have inspired shelves full of books.As Trumper played his last Test before the Great War – he died of Bright’s Disease in 1915, aged only 37 – it needed a long career to have played alongside both him and the Don. My first thought was that it might be another fondly remembered batter, Warren Bardsley, but although he made his Test debut alongside Trumper in England in 1909, he played his last Tests in the 1926 Ashes, aged 43, a couple of years before Bradman’s debut.And it turns out that the man who played with both is a less celebrated figure. The New South Wales allrounder Charles Kelleway made his Test debut against South Africa in 1910-11 alongside Trumper (and Bardsley). He appeared in most of Australia’s Tests from then until 1924-25, but missed the 1926 tour of England – but was recalled after three years out of first-class cricket for the first Test of the 1928-29 Ashes tour, in Brisbane, where one of his team-mates was Bradman, making his debut. It wasn’t a happy occasion for the Australians, who lost by a whopping 675 runs: Kelleway bowled 34 wicketless overs and was out for 8, and then went down with food poisoning, missed the rest of the match and never played again; Bradman was out for 18 and 1 and was dropped for the only time in his life.Eighteen months later, after Bradman scored a century in the first Test of the 1930 Ashes series in England – he went on to amass a record 974 runs in the series – Kelleway, who was in a unique position to judge, was asked whether he was a greater batsman than Trumper. “It is very sad, because it is very nearly true,” he said. “In a century there will be only one Trumper, and in a century there would be only one Don Bradman.”Three England players – Jack Hobbs, Phil Mead and Frank Woolley – opposed both Trumper and Bradman in Test matches.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
They’ve posted three of their four highest ODI totals in their last six matches, and along the way an exciting top-order talent has come of age
Firdose Moonda03-Jul-2023Coming into this World Cup Qualifier, Netherlands’ batters had only once scored two hundreds in one ODI series or tournament in the last 15 years. They’d done this at the 2011 World Cup, where Ryan ten Doeschate had made centuries against England and Ireland. They’ve done it once again now, thanks to Vikramjit Singh and Teja Nidamanuru.It may not immediately strike you as an achievement worth headlining but consider that the Netherlands squad came into this tournament with only one ODI century between them. Netherlands’ batters had only made 11 in their ODI history. You can see, then, why hundreds are much vaunted in their camp.”That’s one of our KPIs. It’s called “lids off,” which means someone needs to get a hundred in the game,” Vikramjit said at the post-match press conference following Netherlands’ 74 run win over Oman.Related
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The phrase refers to the way a batter typically celebrates a century: by removing their helmet (read: lid) and raising their bat, and it’s something that has been rare for Netherlands in the past. Before this World Cup Qualifier, the most recent Dutch batter to score a century was Nidamanuru – against Zimbabwe in March – and before that, no Dutch batter had raised his bat to three figures in more than nine years, since Wesley Baressi in 2014.Now, in the space of a week, the team has two hundreds and the latest one was scored by the batter who has been talked up as one of the most talented in the country. Vikramjit moved to the Netherlands as a child and was coached by his father before going through the age-group ranks. He had a reputation as an aggressive strokeplayer and a consistent contributor. He had only averaged 28.35 in 17 ODIs before this Qualifier, but it was notable that he had only been dismissed three times in single figures. He’d made three half-centuries but his highest score was only 65.It was clear he could get in and make a start; his challenge for this tournament was to keep going and convert.In Netherlands’ first match against Zimbabwe, he eased his way to 88 before miscuing a sweep shot straight to deep square leg. He was then out cheaply against USA, feeding a catch straight back to Ali Khan, but then got 30 and 37 against Nepal and West Indies respectively. He was dismissed by spinners on both occasions – pinned on the back foot by Sandeep Lamichhanne and then not getting to the pitch of a Roston Chase ball and slicing it to deep midwicket – but showed glimpses that his preferred style of play is to attack. It shouldn’t be any other way for someone who models his game on Quinton de Kock, except that there are occasions when it should be. Like this morning.Vikramjit Singh brought up his first ODI century, off 102 balls•ICC via Getty ImagesIn cloudy, cool conditions in Harare – not yet seen at this tournament – the ball was moving even more than usual. Vikramjit was squared up by the first one he faced and edged it behind as it shaped away. The chance fell short of first slip and it allowed him to score his first run, but it was a warning that sometimes batters have to defend. For the next over, that’s what he did. He scored just four runs off 12 balls before a drizzle halted play, and returned to be beaten by a beauty from Bilal Khan, which swerved away from him as he went fishing. He tapped the next ball to mid-on for one. Lesson learnt.But Vikramjit did not have to wait too long to get deliveries he could go after. Kaleemullah offered width and Vikramjit cracked him through the covers for a trio of fours. Bilal overpitched and he leaned into a drive; then he bowled a half-tracker which Vikramjit sent over deep backward square for six. And power was not the only aspect of his game. He opened the face late to steer Fayyaz Butt past backward point and got inside the line of a Kaleemullah ball to send it fine past the wicketkeeper for four. Despite his slower-than-usual start, his fifty came up in 52 balls, and he kept his scoring rate high even after the loss of his opening partner Max O’Dowd.The shots of Vikramjit’s innings were a pull over midwicket off Ayaan Khan, because of how quickly he picked the length, and a delicately laced cut between point and backward point off Aqib Ilyas, but the hallmark of his second fifty was his strike rotation. He scored only one boundary between his 80th and 100th run but ran five singles, four twos, and a three. The Dutch had shown their skill and speed in running between the wickets in their epic chase against West Indies, and a similar urgency was on display here. They have another mantra: “at least 22 twos,” because “we like to run a lot of twos, put other teams under pressure and have that intent,” Vikramjit said.In this match, Netherlands ran 31 twos compared to Oman’s 19, and though that was not the deciding factor in the end, it helped push the score up. Netherlands ended up posting their second-highest ODI total, a week after they made their highest ODI score – 374 for 9 against West Indies in one of the greatest matches the game has seen – and two weeks after they equalled their previous-highest ODI score of 315. While conditions in Zimbabwe have suited run-scoring, the runs still have to be scored and the Dutch have been consistent and clinical in doing that.They’ve also established some individuals around whom they can build their batting line-up and Vikramjit is one of them. This innings was perfectly balanced, with an equal number of runs scored on the off and on side, and it laid a foundation for Wesley Baressi to plunder 97 off 65 balls. He was set for a century of his own but won’t be too upset to have missed out because the team needed acceleration at that point.Netherlands’ victory means they are still in contention for the World Cup, albeit with an outside chance. They need to depend on Scotland beating Zimbabwe and then beat Scotland themselves on Thursday but they’re not too concerned with looking that far ahead. Instead, their focus is on making sure they can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the teams at this event, and the World Cup if they do get there, and to prove that the experience they gained in the World Cup Super League (where they won only three out of 24 matches) has made them better.”Everyone wants to win. Everyone is very competitive. There’s a good atmosphere,” Vikramjit said. “There’s a lot of talk about Associate teams and for us that’s almost a swear word in the changeroom. We’re just the Netherlands’ cricket team. We don’t call ourselves Associates.”
Time for Joe Root’s men to set aside their baggage and take on the old enemy once again
Andrew Miller06-Dec-2021Until Covid struck, it was a long-standing tradition for British TV executives to dispatch a team of personalities down to Australia for the festive build-up, to perform daft tasks for the delectation of their armchair viewers, under the permanent gaze of the all-seeing TV eye.It soon transpired that English cricketers – well used to the strange combination of terror and boredom on their more conventional visits to Australia – were unusually well disposed to the dynamics of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. In its second season, way back in 2003, Phil Tufnell romped to victory through a combination of sardonic wit, enthusiastic bug-eating, and an ability to sleep his troubles away.Nearly 20 years later, it is as if England’s cricketers have been transported en masse back to that Queensland rainforest, given the extraordinarily soggy build-up to Wednesday’s first Test at the Gabba. But the conditions for this contest – for Joe Root’s men as well as their equally disorientated opponents – may have rather more in common with the plot from fumble too…All of these and more will be packaging up their memories – good, bad and distinctly ugly – and launching them into the maelstrom come Wednesday morning. The sport has been through the mill for all manner of reasons in recent months. But it would not be a newsworthy endeavour were it not for occasions such as these. The Ashes are back, but not as we know them. Settle into that armchair, and load up on the bushtucker. Because who knows where this one is headed.