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Allrounder heaps praise on head coach Aavishkar Salvi for his development as Punjab crush Baroda in Mumbai

Shashank Kishore15-Nov-2022Ramandeep Singh, the Punjab allrounder, had a moment to cherish on Tuesday when he picked up a hat-trick at the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Baroda. He finished with figures of 5 for 17 as Punjab shot out Baroda for 81 and then chased down the score with nine wickets in hand and 228 balls to spare in Mumbai.The match wasn’t televised, and those following it through scorecards would only know each of his three wickets in the hat-trick were “caught” by a fielder. Where was it caught? What balls did he bowl? What was his thought process? Here’s Ramandeep in his own words.Related

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“The first wicket, I got a little lucky,” he recalled to ESPNcricinfo. “I wanted to bowl an inswinger, but ended up straying down leg, and [Vishnu] Solanki flicked it straight to fine leg.”The second ball, I decided I’ll bowl short. On red-soil decks in Mumbai, if you hit the deck hard, you get good purchase. So, I knew if I bang it in properly and beat them for pace, I could have a chance if they went for a hook. He [Ninad Rathva] went for a hook and top-edged a catch to fine leg.”From the corner of his eye, as Ramandeep watched Ambati Rayudu take guard for the hat-trick ball, he decided to bluff the batter. The square leg fielder went back, fine leg remained where he was, and the field was positioned for a short ball.”I just had a hunch the short ball was probably at the back of his [Rayudu’s] mind, so I set fields for it, but wanted to bowl full and get the ball to move away. I happened to land it in the right area – bowled full, it nipped away a bit – and he nicked behind to our wicketkeeper Anmol Malhotra. I’ll remember the wicket because it happened to be a quality batter.”It’s all the more special because this is my first hat-trick at the senior level.”After the game, having done his job with the ball, Ramandeep went out range hitting at the Bandra Kurla Complex for a better part of the next hour before returning to his Mumbai hotel to take congratulatory calls.Among the first things he found out when he returned was that Kieron Pollard, the man who had given him his Mumbai Indians cap in Pune earlier this year, had retired from IPL. Ramandeep was, however, delighted to know Pollard wasn’t going anywhere and that he’d continue to be able to pick his brains when he joins the IPL camp in March.Ramandeep Singh was picked up by Mumbai Indians at last year’s auction•BCCIRamandeep is an allrounder, like Pollard. Until recently, he was a gentle 125kph “trundler” – in his own words. Last year, a 23-ball 54 against Odisha at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy proved to be a turning point as he was soon invited to trial with Mumbai Indians. At the February auction, Ramandeep was picked up at his base price of INR 20 lakh.Having made his way into the setup, he quickly realised the need to be multi-skilled and began working on his bowling. But it wasn’t until August this year, when Aavishkar Salvi, the former India fast bowler, took over as Punjab coach, that Ramandeep began working on his bowling seriously.”Among the first things he [Salvi] told me when he took over and watched me bowl in one or two training sessions is, ‘you can’t be a medium pacer. There’s no way you’re a part-timer. I will play you as a third pacer in the team. You’re that good. You should be bowling 140kph, not military medium. But I can’t make it happen unless you believe in yourself.'”No amount of praise is enough for him. Whatever issues I’ve had with my bowling, whether its rhythm or consistency, it’s a lot better now and it’s because he’s spent time and effort into making me the bowler I am. His simple message was: ‘don’t worry about looking for swing or nipping the ball around. You just focus on hitting the deck hard, you have the height, if you can do that, rest will take care of itself.’ I’ve just followed that,” Ramandeep said.

“We have seven or eight players who feature in the IPL, so there’s definite quality. Now, there’s belief too.”Ramandeep Singh on Punjab’s chances

Three months on, the results are slowly bearing fruit. Ramandeep believes he’s a lot more confident, less shy and on top of his game. In July, a month after his maiden IPL stint with Mumbai, Ramandeep captained Reliance, the owners of Mumbai Indians, on their tour of the UK.It was a preparatory tour aimed at giving their local Indian players, along with some of their overseas players, like Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brewis, exposure as they toured the country for multiple T20 games against several counties.”Just the captaincy was such a big boost, I loved having that extra responsibility,” he said. “I got a pair of 40s as a finisher, with the ball in one of the games, I conceded just four runs off the penultimate over with us defending 18. Playing on different wickets, working on skills, training to play with specific goals – it was a lot of fun.”Ramandeep’s immediate goals are now to win a domestic title for Punjab, something that eluded them at the Syed Mushtaq Ali this year, where they lost in the semi-finals to Himachal. With two wins in as many games, Punjab are second on the points table in their group. He knows there’s a long way to go but is confident they have the team to lift the title.”We have seven or eight players who feature in the IPL, so there’s definite quality. Now, there’s belief too. Not that it wasn’t there earlier, but the vibe within this group is different. Salvi sir deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s turned around a group of motivated players into a winning unit. Hopefully, if we can go all the way, that’ll be the best reward we can give ourselves.”

Skipper’s woes show state of South African cricket, and the magnitude and multitude of roles they ask him to fill

Firdose Moonda29-Nov-2020″Get me outta here,” Quinton de Kock seemed to gesture as he attempted to escape a toss-time interview. The technical difficulties and the repetition of who was in and who was out aside, de Kock had a real reason to want to run away. This captaincy thing is getting tough.De Kock has been in charge for 10 T20s, and South Africa have lost seven of them. That is not necessarily an indictment on de Kock, it is an illustration of the state South African cricket finds itself in, and the magnitude and multitude of the roles they have asked de Kock to fill.Not only does he have to open the batting and keep wicket (although Kyle Verreynne could relieve him of that if Verreynne ever makes it into the XI), but he also has to field pre- and post match questions, when it is clear public speaking is not his forte, and jump through South Africa’s many selection hoops. He doesn’t do the last of those alone and is doubtless being guided by coach Mark Boucher and the selection convener Victor Mpitsang, but it is quickly becoming the trickiest part of the job.ALSO READ: Malan fifty sees England home for 2-0 series leadSouth Africa have had overt transformation targets since the Vernon Philander/Kyle Abbott drama at the 2015 World Cup and which they usually meet. They are required to field, on average over the course of a season, six players of colour of which at least two must be black African. That means tough decisions have to be made on occasion, like the one to bench Anrich Nortje for the series opener, for example.Few other teams would have been able to excuse leaving out someone who clocked 156.2 kph on a speedometer a month ago, and the conditions at Newlands almost gave South Africa the reason they needed, but the threat Nortje posed immediately at Boland Park, suggested otherwise. Of course, there are all sorts of other combinations of the XI that could have seen Nortje slot in at Newlands (like playing Reeza Hendricks ahead of Pite van Biljon) but that causes other problems in the line-up like the one we saw today.In order to play both Temba Bavuma and Hendricks in this match, they had to bat Hendricks out of place. Previously, Hendricks has opened in 92 of his last 93 T20 innings but today he came in at No.3. That may not be such a big deal except that it also pushed Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s best batsman from Friday, to No.4. Du Plessis has not batted outside the top three in a T20I since the first game of the 2016 World T20.And all that’s is not even getting into what would need to happen if they also wanted to fit Janneman Malan in. The problem is that South Africa’s squad is top-order heavy and middle and allrounder light which continues to leave them unbalanced. Then, layer the impact of the coronavirus and how that affects player availability and you have a perfect storm.Quinton de Kock looks on as Dawid Malan is interviewed as Player of the Match•Getty ImagesOn Friday, du Plessis explained that the issue is that South Africa don’t have enough allrounders, and in this series, that’s true. Dwaine Pretorius is out with a hamstring injury. Andile Phehlukwayo, who is the other frontline two-in-one player is unavailable for selection at the moment. If not for George Linde, the margin of South Africa’s defeats may only have been bigger. Other players they have to consider in the squad are Jon-Jon Smuts, who is in the squad and Wiaan Mulder, who is not. All but Phehlukwayo are white.South Africa’s franchises are not producing enough batsmen of colour and it is beyond the scope of this piece to analyse the various socio-economic or circumstantial reasons why. Suffice to say that Hashim Amla and JP Duminy’s retirements have not helped, neither has overlooking Zubayr Hamza, who was the second leading run-scorer in the domestic one-day cup last season.And that’s just what’s happened in the last 18 months. Historically, actions like taking Khaya Zondo on a tour to India and not playing him, even when an opportunity an arose, or not finding room to cap Henry Davids more than twice in T20Is can also be pointed out as examples of where a different decision may have resulted in an entirely different calibre of player being available for South Africa now. But it is not too late to start changing the way things are being done.Of the batsmen of colour on the scene, apart from Hamza, there is at least one other player worth discussing. Sinethemba Qeshile played two T20s against Sri Lanka in early 2019 and does not have a huge amount of experience in domestic T20 cricket but is being talked about as one of the most exciting prospects for the future. Keeping him close to the national side won’t hurt, and though it might not solve immediate problems, South Africa have to play the long game.They can’t say the same about this series, which is gone, or the questions that are going to be asked of some of de Kock’s on-field decisions. On Friday, his choice to give Heinrich Klaasen an over, against Ben Stokes, opened the door for England’s victory; today, the last-minute decision that saw Lungi Ngidi bowl the 18th over in place of Nortje all but ended the game.T20 cricket is about these seemingly small decisions that ultimately make the difference between winning and losing. Get too many of them wrong, suffer too many defeats and suddenly a team that was able to explain mistakes away as part of the process of rebuilding is looking like one that can’t get off the starting blocks.De Kock is hamstrung by what is available to him. South Africa have gone into both matches with only five frontline bowlers which (and apologies for bringing him up again) du Plessis has repeatedly said is not enough. A team only needs one of those bowlers to have one bad over and the game could be lost. This series is a case study in that.It’s difficult to say what South Africa need more of apart from consistency from their quicks and the ability to land the yorker. In this match, they could also have used another over or two of spin and because it’s unlikely they will have room for three spinners, a batsman who could turn his arm over would be useful. And we don’t mean Klaasen. Smuts is a good candidate and has been overlooked so far, which may also have something to do with the top-heavy nature of the squad.The dead-rubber might give South Africa the space to experiment with some of the combinations mentioned here and others we haven’t thought of. But unless it brings a win, it probably won’t allow de Kock to get any closer to piecing together the puzzle he needs to be complete in a few months, for the T20 World Cup. And the more the losses mount up, the more he might feel like he just wants to get out of the position he is in, and of all the things South Africa can ill afford, that is the biggest one.

Ahead of Manchester United’s trip to face Liverpool, club legend Paul Scholes has taken aim at three Old Trafford stars who are “not capable” of playing their part.

Fernandes calls for "stability" at Man Utd

While a trip to Anfield will bring back bad recent memories for United, Ruben Amorim’s side are actually facing the Reds at a good time.

Liverpool entered the international break off the back of three-straight defeats in all competitions, and are potentially vulnerable to another upset on Merseyside.

United, meanwhile, defeated Sunderland in comfortable fashion before the break in a game that featured a second goal in as many games for Benjamin Sekso and a solid debut performance from Senne Lammens. The victory has, at least somewhat, eased growing pressure on Amorim — but club captain Bruno Fernandes is still calling for more “stability”.

For the time being, Amorim’s job is safe even after another disappointing start.

As the rumours continue to surround potential candidates to replace the former Sporting CP boss, including the likes of Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, INEOS are seemingly ready to back their man.

That’s not to say that things won’t change, however, and club legend Scholes has now slammed three players who are “not capable” of helping to save Amorim’s job.

Scholes slams Man Utd trio who are getting "found out"

Speaking to The Times, Scholes slammed Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Casemiro — describing them as “not capable” and “not strong enough” in a scathing review.

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All in their 30s, Scholes may have a point. Although Maguire has rediscovered some of his best form at times, questions are still asked about his ability to take United back into European football.

Shaw, meanwhile, continues to struggle on the injury front and remains a player that United should have replaced at this stage. Similar can also be said for Casemiro, even after he put a very bad run of form behind him not so long ago.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was thrown in at the deep end at Ibrox after the Kevin Thelwell and Russell Martin double act lasted less than half a season.

The former Gers sporting director left the club a few weeks after Rohl’s arrival, and the German manager will now have an opportunity to spearhead recruitment heading into the January transfer window.

It will be interesting to see which areas of the squad he deems need to be added to after working with the group for the last couple of months, as a central defender will surely be on his agenda.

Why Rangers need to sign a centre-back

Rangers currently have Derek Cornelius, John Souttar, Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, and Clinton Nsiala as their centre-back options, whilst Dujon Sterling and James Tavernier are full-backs who can also play at centre-back.

On paper, that is a healthy set of options when they are all fit and available. However, the Gers have conceded 11 goals in six Europa League outings and 13 goals in 15 games in the Scottish Premiership, which shows that they have not had a tight defensive unit.

Nsiala has not played a single minute in any competition this season, per Transfermarkt, and may want to move on from Ibrox to pursue game time elsewhere.

That could open the door for Rohl to target a new centre-back addition, perhaps an experienced operator, because Fernandez and Djiga’s collective efforts have left a bit to be desired in recent weeks.

The German boss must find a way to drop both of them from the starting line-up because they look like they belong in the Pedro Caixinha era together.

Why Rohl must drop Fernandez and Djiga

Football FanCast recently noted that Djiga looked like the most improved player under Rohl, after he was dubbed a “rotten” player by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar earlier this season.

Chalkboard

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

Unfortunately, the Burkina Faso international, who is off to the African Cup of Nations after Monday’s game, regressed to his old self against Ferencvaros.

The Wolves loanee looked shaky throughout the match, losing 100% of his aerial duels (3/3), per Sofascore, and his central defensive partner, Fernandez, was arguably worse.

The English defender lost five of his nine aerial duels and five of his ten ground duels, per Sofascore, whilst he was caught out by Varga’s movement for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Fernandez left Ally McCoist, as shown in the clip below, lost for words as he somehow ended up facing the wrong way as their forward scored from close range in a bizarre moment.

Unfortunately, that mistake came only a couple of matches after he was beaten far too easily by Zac Sapsford in the 2-2 draw with Dundee United for the opening goal in that game, making it two high-profile errors in the last three matches.

During Caixinha’s time at Rangers, the club finished third in the Premiership in the 2016/17 campaign and were sat in third when he was sacked at the start of the 2017/18 season, per Transfermarkt, which speaks to the state that Ibrox giants were in before Steven Gerrard came through the door.

Djiga and Fernandez’s performances in recent matches suggest that they belong in that era of the Gers, as they have not shown that they can deliver consistently quality performances befitting of a team that wants to win trophies.

The English defender made two high-profile errors in the games against Dundee United and Ferencvaros, whilst Djiga lost three of his four aerial duels against the former and all three of his aerial duels against the latter, per Sofascore.

This shows that neither of them have shown that they have the consistency or quality, at this moment in time, to be relied upon by Rohl in the present day, which is why the manager should ruthlessly ditch both of them from the starting XI.

Djiga, of course, will have to come out of the team after the clash with Hibernian because of international duty, but Fernandez should also come out to provide another player with an opportunity to play, whether that is Sterling or Nsiala, or both of them.

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Then, when the January transfer window opens, Rangers will have an opportunity to find a permanent solution to that position by signing a new option.

Tottenham Hotspur fell to an embarrassing 4-1 defeat against bitter North London rivals Arsenal this afternoon, with the result heaping more pressure on Thomas Frank.

The Dane’s side came into the encounter unbeaten away from home in the Premier League, but such a record has been wiped out after the demolition job at the Emirates.

He switched to a 5-2-2-1 system against Mikel Arteta’s men, but it quickly backfired, with the Lilywhites already three goals down after just 47 minutes of the clash.

Former transfer target Eberechi Eze netted a hat-trick in the humbling defeat, further rubbing salt into Spurs’ wounds after their failure to land his signature in the summer.

Numerous players also failed to rise to the occasion across the capital, with the manager desperately needing to drop numerous players from his first team squad in the weeks ahead.

The Spurs players who massively struggled against Arsenal

Despite not scoring since the middle of September, Frank decided to stick with Richarlison at the top end of the pitch against Arsenal, with the Brazilian finally ending his goal drought despite the loss.

His 50-yard strike wasn’t enough to gloss over his struggles in North London, as the 28-year-old registered the least amount of touches of any player with his total of just 24.

He was dominated aerially, losing 100% of his battles at the Emirates, with the former Everton man unable to offer the hold-up play needed to release some of the pressure placed on the Lilywhites.

Djed Spence was given the responsibility of starting at right wing-back, but the England international struggled to match the huge expectations he’s set for himself in recent months.

He featured for 78 minutes before being withdrawn, but his substitution was warranted after completing none of his attempted dribbles, whilst also failing to find a teammate with any of his crosses.

Neither of the aforementioned players managed to rise to the occasion this afternoon, which could put their starting positions at risk ahead of the Champions League clash with PSG.

The Spurs player who’s now looking “non-league” level

There is little denying that today’s performance from Spurs was one of the worst of the Frank era, with the manager needing to take huge responsibility for the defeat.

His decision to switch to a back five will no doubt have contributed to their inability to create opportunities in the final third, resulting in a total xG created of just 0.07.

The withdrawal of Kevin Danso at the break no doubt signalled that he made the wrong decision to start with such a negative system against their bitter rivals.

However, it wasn’t the only decision that proved to be the wrong one, with the Dane deciding to start the clash with Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur as a double pivot at the heart of the side.

The pair have previously showcased that they can’t play progressively alongside one another, further highlighting the negative approach taken by the manager in North London.

Bentancur has constantly come under scrutiny for his lack of positive impact, something which has become apparent once again after the clash against Arsenal.

The Uruguayan international featured for 66 minutes but failed to prevent the onslaught from Arteta’s men – resulting in 100% duels lost and the player picking up a yellow card.

Minutes played

66

Touches

26

Passes completed

16

Passes into final third

0

Duels lost

100%

Tackles won

0

Dribbled past

2

Fouls committed

1

He also failed to win any of the tackles he entered, whilst being dribbled past twice and unable to provide the ball-winning presence Frank would have craved with the double pivot.

Other figures, such as 26 touches of the ball and zero passes into the final third, also demonstrate his lack of quality when in possession, resulting in some hugely vocal criticism of his display.

After his dismal showing at the Emirates, one content creator labelled Bentancur as a “non-league” footballer, further showcasing his dismal form for the Lilywhites.

As a result, the manager desperately needs to exclude the Uruguayan international from his first-team plans, with it being clearly evident he’s not at the level required for success.

His continued struggles make the decision to extend his contract in North London an even more baffling one, with other options desperately needing to be utilised after the embarrassing Derby Day loss.

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It's a wild time to be a fan of American soccer, leaving those who follow it plenty to be grateful for this holiday season

Ah, Thanksgiving – what a holiday. Cooked turkey, family time, maybe, if you want, some time watching the football. It isn't a traditional soccer holiday, although there are Europa and Conference League games on this year for fans who need their holiday dose of footy.

Even for fans who prefer the American side of the sport, there’s plenty to take stock of this holiday. There’s a lot to be thankful for – and even more to look forward to – no matter your lane. MLS fan? There’s a ton happening right now. USWNT diehard? Some fun matches are on the way. USMNT supporter? The World Cup will be here before you know it.

With that in mind, GOAL looks at the people, moments, and developments that American soccer fans can be thankful for.

Getty Images SportMore Messimania

You can't really talk about American soccer without mentioning the world's most famous Argentine. As long as Lionel Messi remains in MLS, he will largely be the face of the American game, and what a face he is as he continues to run laps around the competition.

Despite all he's already done in MLS, Messi might actually be in his best form yet heading into this year's Turkey Day. He's running riot throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs, making Inter Miami look like a legitimate juggernaut capable of cruising to a trophy. Whether that happens or not surely matters, but Messi's recent run also matters, too, as he continues to take the league seriously while also making it all look so easy.

Say what you want about how Messi being a spokesman for MLS and his PR "requirements", but every week, he steps onto the field and makes magic happen, and there's no better advertisement in the world than that. So, while that is happening, be thankful for it because, regardless of what team you support, you have to acknowledge that Messi brings something unlike anything you've ever seen.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe upcoming dose of Espresso

It's all been up and down for Trinity Rodman since the Olympics, and, in truth, there have been more injury downs than ups. She is, however, a special player when healthy, and the good news is that her top running mates will be back alongside her, too.

Throughout this year, one of USWNT manager Emma Hayes’ biggest challenges was navigating life without Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson. She’s handled it well. New faces have emerged in the attack, and when healthy, Rodman has been every bit the superstar American fans expect. And Wilson and Swanson will be back soon, too – which is pretty exciting.

Rodman, meanwhile, faces a massive club decision as her contract with the Washington Spirit winds down. And that, in itself, is something to appreciate: Rodman looks poised to redefine the market for the women’s game’s top stars – and potentially change the NWSL for good.

Some time soon, though, this trio will be back on the field together as they begin a new fight for places in a forward group much deeper than the one they left behind.

Getty Images SportPoch's culture shift

All year long, Mauricio Pochettino talked about the importance of culture. The USMNT needed a foundation – only then could anything meaningful be built on top of it. Over the course of 2025, that foundation has started to take shape, and as the year winds down, it’s clear what Pochettino is putting in place ahead of the World Cup.

It wasn't an easy year. March's Nations League exposed flaws, while the Gold Cup began the process of fixing them. By the time Pochettino and his team got to the fall, though, the work began to pay off. The USMNT closed the year on a five-game unbeaten run, one which saw them play their best soccer against multiple teams bound for the World Cup next summer.

Pochettino isn't done, of course, and that'll be good news for USMNT fans. There's plenty of reason for optimism, though, as the coach's vision has truly come to life ahead of this holiday season.

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Getty Images SportHayes builds the pool

At this time last year, Hayes was just beginning a process. While Pochettino was taking a stunted USMNT back down to studs before rebuilding it, Hayes was taking an Olympic champion and rebuilding that team on the fly. In some ways, they reached the top quicker than expected, but that didn't mean Hayes would rest on her laurels.

Over the last year, Hayes has made that clear. In total, including the run to and during the Olympics, Hayes has coached 28 matches for the USWNT. In that time, players have earned their first senior team caps. Hayes has begun a total turnover while still keeping her most important pieces in place. It's been wildly impressive.

Throughout 2025, we've seen multiple players blossom. Young stars have become stars. New faces have become USWNT mainstays. All the while, the old guard continues to thrive and contribute, helping usher in a new generation that should keep the USNWT near the top of the game for years to come.

With Hayes leading the charge, there's little concern about dropoff or steps back. No, she simply keeps building, which is why this team is in an even better place than it was 12 months ago.

South Africa’s former captain Dane van Niekerk is “definitely not part,” of their plans for the upcoming World Cup despite coming out of retirement and being included in an ongoing pre-tournament training camp. National coach Mandla Mashimbyi confirmed that van Niekerk will only be considered for future series “when she ticks all the boxes.”That means van Niekerk, who is 32, may not play at another 50-over World Cup after missing out in 2022 as she recovered from a broken ankle. She has appeared in three previous editions and led South Africa in 2017, where they suffered a semi-final defeat to England. She has also played in seven T20 World Cups but did not feature in the home event in 2023 after failing to meet Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) fitness requirements. It was then that she announced her retirement from international cricket.Van Niekerk has since come back to domestic competition, u-turned on her international retirement and was called up to a 20-player squad for a week-long camp in Durban ahead of South Africa’s World Cup squad selection. But her name will not be among the final fifteen that will be announced next week. “She’s just part of the bigger or broader base of players that we’re trying to bring into our environment,” Mashimbyi said. “She’s definitely not part of this World Cup. She’s not going.”Related

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So why was van Niekerk brought into a squad specifically put together, “in preparation for the upcoming Pakistan tour and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 held in India and Sri Lanka,” according to a CSA press release? To see what she needs to do in order to get back in.”We wanted to bring her in and actually expose her to the environment so that she can understand what the expectations are,” Mashimbyi said. “Hopefully she can carry on from here onwards and really understand how she wants to go about things. And then one day when she gets a call up, you know, she can come in and have an impact immediately.”Strictly monitored running times are no longer part of the expectations, which will come as a relief to van Niekerk who was left out of the 2023 T20 World Cup squad because she could not run two kilometres in under 9:30. Now, CSA leaves selection to the coach and convener’s discretion but there is still an implicit understanding that fitness standards need to be at a high level and van Niekerk knows it. “I’ve seen the standards in the last two years. I’ve been in and around the team, commentating and even though I was really not involved I knew how the team was evolving when it comes to the physical sides of things,” she said. “There’s a massive difference from two years ago. The players have evolved, got stronger, smarter you can really see the work ethic around the group as well.”Van Niekerk, who plays for Western Province but does not have any franchise deals at the moment, conceded that she still has some work to do to catch up. “I know I’m probably not where everyone’s at at the moment. I understand where I need to be for the team. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but I definitely wouldn’t have gone through all of this if I’m not willing to put that in,” she said. “This is almost a baseline for me to really gauge where I’m at when it comes to the physical side, when it comes to the skill side, and all those things. Hopefully, I can have a clearer view after this camp. I’d know with the conversations we’ve had where I need to be in the next few months.”While she will not be part of the action over September and October, van Niekerk may be eyeing a home comeback later this year. After the Women’s World Cup, the South Africa’s women’s team’s series against Ireland and Pakistan will headline the international summer as the men only host West Indies for five T20Is next year. The women’s team will play at all the country’s big grounds including Newlands, the Wanderers and van Niekerk’s home venue – St George’s Park – where she has never played an international. That will be followed by preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup, which both her and Mashimbyi may also have in their sights for her future.Mashimbyi acknowledged that it would be “false of us to not think that Dane is an important cog in the bigger scheme of things,” because of her experience. “She’s captained the team. She’s played for a long time, and she was successful in doing that. Bringing a player like that back into the environment for me was a no-brainer,” he said.But he also made it clear that she won’t receive any special treatment based on that history. “She’s like any other player now. You know, she needs to work her way up again. She needs to earn a place as well.”

Stand-in captain promises to bring the fight with England already 2-0 down in five-match series

Andrew Miller03-Jul-20250:46

Beaumont: Unknown India names will throw ‘unexpected challenges’

Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s captain, has been ruled out of the third T20I against India at the Kia Oval on Friday, and could miss the remainder of the five-match series, after suffering a groin strain during her side’s 24-run defeat in Bristol on Tuesday.Tammy Beaumont will step in as captain, for the first time in her 247-match international career, with Sciver-Brunt set to undergo further scans to assess the severity of the injury. She was forced to leave the field for large parts of Tuesday’s contest, with Sophia Dunkley, her official vice-captain, taking the reins in her absence. However, with England slipping to a 2-0 series deficit with three matches remaining, Beaumont’s greater experience has been called upon for now.”It’s real pride and honour to have the captain’s armband tomorrow, albeit in difficult circumstances,” Beaumont said. “Charlotte [Edwards, head coach] asked to meet me this morning, and straightaway I said, ‘Yep, thank you very much, I’ll give it a good go’. I guess we need a bit of fight to come out in this series, and I’m probably someone who likes to get in a battle, so can understand why.”Related

Beaumont talks India, T20I comeback and women's health

Sciver-Brunt plays lone hand as England get a reality check

Rodrigues, Amanjot help India breach fortress Bristol

The setback is a blow, not only for England’s hopes of bouncing back in a series in which they have been comprehensively outplayed by their opponents, but also for their bid to forge a new team identity in the wake of Heather Knight’s removal as captain earlier this year.The new captain-coach partnership of Sciver-Brunt and Edwards began the summer with a comfortable clean sweep of West Indies across ODI and T20I formats. However, England have found the step-up in class of India’s batters especially hard to counter, with Smriti Mandhana’s century in the series opener setting up a crushing 97-run victory at Trent Bridge, before Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur combined to post another imposing total of 181 for 4 in Bristol.”The worst thing we could do right now is panic,” Beaumont said. “Obviously, it’s not the circumstances we wanted to be in. We didn’t want to be 2-0 down, and we didn’t want our captain and best batter to be out of the team. But we’re here where we are, and that’s what we’ve got to do.”We’ve got to try and bring some calm to it, and some rationale, some logic. We certainly believe we can come back and win this. Full credit to India. They’ve challenged us. They’ve pushed us so far, but I hope that we can respond, and I’m certainly intending on getting the girls to try and respond to what’s happened so far.”Sciver-Brunt had already been unable to bowl this series, with England managing her workload prior to this setback. However, she was their lone source of resistance with the bat at Trent Bridge, making 66 from 42 balls out of England’s total of 113. Beaumont, however, had been in fine form in the West Indies series, with two hundreds in the ODI series, and top-scored for England in the Bristol match, making 54 from 35 balls before being run out.Tammy Beaumont scored her first T20I fifty in four years, and will now lead England for the first time•ECB/Getty Images”Obviously it’s pretty amazing to be back in the T20 side,” Beaumont said, having been a peripheral figure in the format since the 2021-22 Ashes. “It’s a slightly different role [at No. 4], but something that I think I’ve got the skillset to be able to do.”Asked whether she expected Sciver-Brunt to be ready in time for next Wednesday’s fourth match at Emirates Old Trafford, Beaumont said the picture was currently unclear, but that she was braced to take on the captaincy role for as long as needed.”That’s something we don’t know just yet, our medical team are doing all they can,” Beaumont said. “She’s got a scan today, so we’ll know more, but I think it’s in the balance for Manchester. But, whether it’s one game or a couple, I’m just hoping to put my hand up for the team and do the best I can, and will welcome Nat back with open arms whenever she’s fit.”England’s struggles against India have come as a reality check for the team, which has got used to winning comfortably on home soil in recent years, including an unbeaten summer campaign against New Zealand and Pakistan in 2024, before coming unstuck at the major tournaments – including last winter’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and their 16-0 points loss in the Ashes.1:01

Beaumont: Nat Sciver-Brunt is a ‘complete natural’ at juggling motherhood and captaincy

In those circumstances, Beaumont agreed that the challenge that India were mounting could prove to be a blessing in disguise in the long run.”That’s what we keep talking about,” she said. “We’ve wanted more challenge [on home soil] for a long time. We’re well aware that our results in world tournaments and big series haven’t been what we’ve wanted them to be for a number of years now.”It’s only going to happen by being pushed more in bilateral series and feeling that pressure, and experiencing that, and taking learnings from it, and getting better each time. It’s happened quite early on, and it may come as a bit of a shock, but we are doing the hard work behind the scenes.”We had another really good meeting this morning, with some really honest reflections from a lot of players. A lot of players were being vulnerable, and that’s the only way that you can learn. Unfortunately, at the moment, we’re going through a tough time, but I’m a firm believer that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. We’re trying to become really tough people in this team and keep moving forward.”

Arsenal's Eberechi Eze has shared that he was ready to sign for the Gunners' rivals Tottenham Hotspur before a call with Mikel Arteta sealed his move to the red side of north London. The former Crystal Palace star had agreed a move to Spurs, but when Arsenal swooped for his signature at the last moment, he never had any doubts about moving to the club he supported as a boy.

• 'One chat with Mik Arteta…'

  On August 19, Eze had seemed set to join Spurs in a blockbuster move that would underscore the club’s ambitions under new boss Thomas Frank. Daniel Levy had all-but sewn up the minor details and the England international looked certain to make a switch to north London.

  One day later, the midfielder made a final call to the Arsenal boss with a desperate plea. The FA Cup final hero had supported Arsenal as a youngster, even playing for the club’s academy, and wanted to make a late check that there was no way to move to the Emirates. By the evening, Arsenal had struck the same deal with Palace and completed the hijack of Spurs’ top transfer target to send the footballing world into meltdown.

  Speaking about that phone call, Arteta explained: “That shows you how much he wanted to come. It's very different sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players as they have to make decisions in their careers but I'm delighted to have him. I'm delighted to have him, I can tell how much it means to him and his whole family."

  A few days later, Eze was unveiled to the raucous Gunners crowd ahead of their victory over Leeds United and, in showing the cold shoulder to their bitter local rivals, had ensured he was already considered a fan favourite.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  Eze goes back to school

  Now with a handful of games and a goal under his belt at Arsenal, Eze is a key man in the Gunners’ midfield and will face his former club on Sunday. Eze will play against Palace for the first time since making his £60 million ($81m) move and, ahead of the crucial game, returned to south London to visit a school.

  As per , Eze was put in the hotseat and thrown a barrage of questions from excited students – including one pertaining to that last-minute Spurs snub. Asked whether he would have signed on the dotted line for the Lilywhites, Eze admitted that “I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them”.

  Gazumping Spurs has already paid dividends for the Gunners, who had initially been planning to use the Englishman on the left-wing. Following the injury to Martin Odegaard, Eze has been deployed centrally in midfield and provided a creative spark that was missing from the Gunners midfield when they also lost their captain to injury last season.

• Arsenal look to strengthen grip on top

  Despite a string of impressive performances, Eze is yet to truly explode at Arsenal. He has chipped in with a handful of assists and scored his first goal in the Carabao Cup, but will now be looking to get on the scoresheet in the Premier League against Palace. He is no stranger to goals in this fixture either, having found the back of the net with a sumptuous volley at the Emirates last season.

  Should Arteta’s men see off the Eagles, they will maintain, or potentially extend, their advantage at the top of the division. They are three points clear of second-placed Manchester City and four clear of champions Liverpool as their quest for a first Premier League title since 2004 continues.

  With just three goals conceded across all competitions this season, the Arsenal defence has provided an impeccable foundation for the club’s attacking players, now featuring the mercurial Eze, to make the difference. The new Gunners’ new look attack is yet to truly fire on all cylinders, but with Eze starting to find his groove, Arsenal could start to stamp their authority on their lofty perch.

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  A first encounter against Palace

  Sunday will provide an emotional encounter to Eze, who departed the Eagles as a hero. The Englishman scored in both the semi-final and final of the FA Cup to write his name into the history books at Selhurst Park. As well as FA Cup success, he helped the club beat Liverpool to lift the Community Shield and provide the Palace fans with yet another special day at Wembley.

  Despite his affinity with the club, the 27-year-old will have to avoid letting the occasion get the better of him if the Gunners are to take the maximum points available and compound Palace’s recent disappointing run of form.

It was yet another devastating result for Manchester United. The Red Devils slumped to another defeat, this time losing 3-1 away from home to Brentford. Ruben Amorim’s side have now lost three games in the top flight this season, winning just two and drawing the other.

That is merely a continuation of the dismal form shown under their Portuguese manager. United have only won 12 games under Amorim in not far off one year, and are yet to win back-to-back games in the Premier League.

Their trip to the Gtech Community was a chance to do just that. However, two first-half goals from Igor Thiago in the first half, and a late strike from Vitaly Janelt were enough to seal the three points for the Bees.

The only real positive for United was the fact that Benjamin Sesko bagged his first goal for the club. It was a strike that showed lots of fight, scrapping for a ball in the penalty box before finally firing a shot into the back of the net.

It was another disappointing day at the office for Amorim’s side. No one really covered themselves in glory. One player who struggled was defender Luke Shaw.

Shaw’s performance vs. Brentford

One of the Red Devils’ most experienced players, Shaw, once again started as the left centre-back in Amoirm’s infamous back three system. He has certainly had better performances in a United shirt.

The England international, who is normally excellent on the ball, was surprisingly poor in possession in West London. Out of possession, he struggled against the physicality of Brentford’s forwards, including goalscorer Thiago.

In terms of his numbers from the lunchtime kickoff, the 30-year-old had 71 touches, losing the ball 17 times. He only won one duel from four attempted, and made one error, which led to a Brentford shot, per Sofascore.

Goal journalist Richard Martin seemingly agreed that the experienced defender did not put in his best performance against the West Londoners. He gave him a 5/10 for his efforts and highlighted his struggles with the ball at his feet, describing him as “sloppy in possession.”

It was certainly not Shaw’s best day at the office, although he was not United’s worst player at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The United player who worse than Shaw

Shaw was certainly not the only player in a United shirt who struggled against the Bees. Harry Maguire was at fault for the first goal, and goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could have done better for the second strike.

However, Bruno Fernandes put in a surprisingly poor performance. The United captain had his afternoon summed up by Statman Dave, who called the situation a “nightmare.” Indeed, he struggled to get involved creatively and, crucially, missed a penalty.

That effort from 12 yards was certainly not his finest moment of the season. The second penalty he’s missed in West London this season, Fernandes struck his effort low to the goalkeeper’s left, which Caoimhin Kelleher easily managed to tip away.

It was a moment that summed up Fernandes’ afternoon. The Portugal international, once again operating deeper in a pivot, struggled to create a chance, playing just one key pass, and losing the ball 18 times.

Touches

81

Pass accuracy

78%

Passes completed

54/69

Ground duels won

3/6

Number of times ball lost

18

Long balls completed

5/11

Penalties missed

1

Key passes

1

Indeed, Martin seemed to agree that the United captain had a day to forget at the Gtech Community Stadium. He gave Fernandes a match rating of 4/10 and, unfortunately, did not have anything positive to discuss from his performance.

United’s number eight certainly was not involved enough creatively, either. Perhaps that is more on Amoirm rather than the reflection of a poor showing. Fernandes would surely be able to create more chances if he were playing further forward, rather than in a pivot. With that being said, perhaps you’d have expected him to create more with United chasing the game.

It was definitely a day to forget for Fernandes. Normally, such a consistent penalty taker, he missed from the spot to make it 2-2 and give United a fighting chance of getting a positive result.

Not just Obi: Man Utd have "dangerous" attacker who can be the next Rooney

Man United fans can get excited about this player’s talent.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 26, 2025