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Williamson finishes on losing side in maiden appearance as Robinson three-for seals victory

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-May-2025Sussex 202 for 4 (Coles 77*) beat Middlesex 186 for 7(Geddes 51, Higgins 44, Robinson 3-27) by 16 runsJames Coles smashed a career-best unbeaten 77 from 44 balls to set up a winning start to the Vitality Blast for Sussex Sharks as they held off Middlesex at Lord’s.The 21-year-old’s destructive knock, which included five sixes and five fours, underpinned his unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 88 from 47 with Tom Clark and ensured that last year’s Blast semi-finalists totalled 202 for four.That proved to be enough as the home side fell just short at 186 for seven in reply, despite a maiden T20 half-century by Ben Geddes (51 from 37) and Ryan Higgins’ fearless late display of hitting to rack up 44 from 16.Middlesex made an early breakthrough after winning the toss and opting to bowl, with Noah Cornwell’s opening delivery dragged on by Harrison Ward before John Simpson (22 from 12) and Daniel Hughes really got the scoreboard moving.Hughes began to open up after Simpson’s departure, flaying Henry Brookes for successive leg-side sixes but the Australian’s knock of 38 from 20 came to an abrupt end as Tom Helm’s fingertips deflected Coles’ drive onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end.Luke Hollman’s astute spell of one for 38 prevented Sussex from gaining greater traction – although the legspinner’s figures were dented by a trio of sixes from Coles, who advanced to his third T20 half-century by drilling Cornwell over his head for four.With Clark (26 from 21) taking on a supporting role, Coles scooped Higgins for another maximum as the pair accelerated during the death overs, taking 29 from the final nine balls of the innings to clamber above 200.Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, making his Middlesex debut, provided brief fireworks at the start of their reply, hitting two sixes in 14 from 12 before he fell to Ward’s smart diving catch on the point boundary.But, although Geddes pummelled both Tymal Mills and Brad Currie over the fence, Sussex’s seamers achieved a degree of accuracy that had eluded the home bowlers and the required run-rate soon soared.Stephen Eskinazi (34 from 30) shared a partnership of 58 from 45 with Geddes before he fell to another boundary catch off Currie (two for 38), while Leus du Plooy and Jack Davies both departed cheaply as Sussex turned the screw.However, a flurry of boundaries from Hollman (20 from nine) lifted the tempo and Higgins took up the baton, hammering Mills for two enormous sixes and two fours in the penultimate over to keep Middlesex’s faint hopes alive.But Ollie Robinson (three for 27) kept his cool to send down a near-flawless final over, having Geddes caught in the deep and then yorking Higgins to seal Sussex’s victory

Celtic fans, preparing for the big game on Thursday, have taken to social media to vent their frustration at a rumour linking star striker Odsonne Edouard away from the club.

The Daily Mail are reporting that Napoli are “preparing” a £30m bid for January, and the story is all over the internet. Other outlets, like The Sun, have picked up the story already.

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Celtic fans aren’t pleased at such an unwelcome development, as these social media responses show, with a range of gripes including the timing of the story – the Bhoys face Rennes in the Europa League on Thursday night – the potential transfer fee and indeed the likelihood of Edouard actually moving to Serie A.

First, here’s what some of the Twitterati think of it.

The Sun’s story got short shrift from this guy.

Some people think the price is just ridiculously low as well …

The reaction on Facebook was just as dismissive, even angry – and there was more discussion of the likely fee.

One fan even suggested reasons why Edouard himself may not entirely fancy a move there …

Celtic fans are seemingly in no mood to see another top star depart, especially when they have lost Kieran Tierney over the course of the summer, which is unsurprising considering Edouard has nabbed six goals and five assists already this term.

The sale of another top player might bring in huge sums of money, but it would unlikely be a popular move. Right now fans are more angry with the media than they are upset over the prospect of losing Edouard, but the board will find themselves with questions to answer if January comes around and a deal is sanctioned.

Both teams have been in good form in IPL 2025

Himanshu Agrawal21-Apr-20254:15

Is Rahul emotionally charged this season?

Big picture: KL Rahul against his former side

Last IPL, KL Rahul was into his third season at Lucknow Super Giants. Up until the point they had to face Sunrisers Hyderabad, things were going okay. And then in one night – actually in just 9.4 overs – everything broke. Live visuals of the LSG team owner chastising his own captain went around the world. There was no coming back from that.Rahul is with a different team now and his meeting with Sanjiv Goenka would’ve happened sooner, but he missed the first time Delhi Capitals played LSG for the birth of his child. Former players coming back to hurt their old teams has been a theme in IPL 2025; Rahul has had a piece of that action already when he made a match-winning 93 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Will he be similarly motivated on Tuesday night?LSG replaced Rahul with Rishabh Pant and he is still finding his way. The new captain has scored only 106 runs in seven innings. But despite his low returns, injuries to their bowling attack, and starting with a loss against DC, LSG seem to have exceeded expectations. They have won five of their last seven games, including four really tight ones. A win in Lucknow would help LSG displace DC at No. 2 on the points table.

Form guide

Lucknow Super Giants: WLWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Delhi Capitals: LWLWW

In the spotlight: Abdul Samad and Mitchell Starc

Playing as a finisher for LSG, Abdul Samad has scored 111 runs at a strike rate of 222. In their last game, Samad smacked Sandeep Sharma for four sixes in the final over to finish with 30 off just 10 balls. Earlier in the season, Samad also successfully went after Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel and Adam Zampa. With all the attention on LSG’s top three and on Pant, it is Samad who has propelled his side from down the order.2:50

Pujara: There is a lot of pressure on Pant

With an economy rate of 10.68, Mitchell Starc is the second-most expensive bowler among those who’ve bowled at least 25 overs this season. He had started with eight wickets in two games, but has struck only twice in five matches since. But last week, it was primarily due to Starc’s reverse-swinging yorkers that DC first forced Rajasthan Royals into a tie, before winning the Super Over.

Team news: Will Mayank Yadav finally play?

Mayank Yadav was fit for LSG’s previous game, against RR, and started as an Impact Sub option. But three early wickets batting first meant LSG tapped Ayush Badoni instead. It’s likely he’ll be returning to action tomorrow.Lucknow Super Giants (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Ayush Badoni, 5 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Prince Yadav/Mayank Yadav, 11 Digvesh Rathi, 12 Avesh KhanThe injured Faf du Plessis is recovering well, and hit the nets for a batting session, but nothing has been decided on his inclusion yet.Delhi Capitals (probable): 1 Abishek Porel, 2 Faf du Plessis/Donovan Ferreira/Sameer Rizvi, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohit Sharma, 12 Mukesh Kumar

The big question

LSG’s Digvesh Rathi and DC’s Vipraj Nigam are two Indian youngsters who have made a name for themselves this IPL. Numbers wise, there isn’t much to separate them: while Rathi has bagged nine wickets at an average of 26.44, Nigam has seven wickets at 27. Expect one or both of them to have a say if the pitch in Lucknow helps spinners.2:47

Finch: Marsh loves opening the batting

Pitch and conditions

It will be a red-soil pitch at Ekana Stadium on Tuesday. LSG had played Punjab Kings (PBKS) on the same kind of surface earlier this season, and lost by eight wickets. After that game, LSG’s mentor Zaheer Khan was left so frustrated he said “it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here”.

Stats and trivia: Pooran vs Kuldeep

• Forty batters have faced at least 100 balls this season, and Pant’s strike rate of 98.14 is the lowest. Nicholas Pooran, though, leads the charts with 205.58.
• Pooran started this IPL by bashing 75 from only 30 balls against DC. But facing Kuldeep, he managed only 10 runs off 6 deliveries. Kuldeep has the wood over Pooran, who has scored only 74 runs from 70 balls in T20 cricket, and has fallen to the wristspinner five times.
• DC’s entire top seven against GT – Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, Rahul, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma and Nigam – have a strike rate of at least 147 this season.
• DC have so far used four opening pairs this season, the most by any side. Their average first-wicket stand of 21.28 is the lowest of the 10 teams.

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According to The Mirror, Paris Saint-Germain are considering a £100m swoop for Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha before the European transfer window closes.

Indeed, the report claims that the French champions view Zaha as a potential replacement for Neymar, who continues to be linked with a return to Spain.

The Eagles forward had been tipped to join either Arsenal or Everton during the summer transfer window before ultimately remaining at Selhurst Park.

However, The Mirror claim that PSG are preparing to send a delegation to London with the view to discussing a swoop for the Ivory Coast international.

Zaha helped his side record a 2-1 win over Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

However, the 26-year-old is yet to get off the mark in terms of goals or assists in the early stages of the 2019-20 campaign.

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The Palace fans have been reacting to the transfer rumour on social media – a selection of which can be seen below:

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Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered another batting malfunction even though Rashid Khan went wicketless again

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-20253:33

Bishop: Siraj has overtaken Shami on recent form

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) suffered another batting malfunction in IPL 2025, this time on a black-soil surface at home, managing 152 for 8 against Gujarat Titans (GT). At one point, they went 36 balls without a boundary and had to wait until the 13th over for their first six. It was Heinrich Klaasen who hit that six, and in the final over of the innings Pat Cummins (22* off nine balls) cleared the boundary to give their attack something to defend.Rashid Khan went wicketless for a third successive game and after four games this season, he has figures of 1 for 143 in 14 overs. Mohammed Siraj, though, was at his best, especially in the powerplay, and then came back in the end overs to york Aniket Verma, SRH’s last recognised batter, and Impact Player Simarjeet Singh. Hyderabad boy Siraj came away with his career-best T20 figures of 4-0-17-4.Siraj had started SRH’s slide when he dismissed both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma in the powerplay. In the very first over on the day, he had Head chipping a catch to midwicket for 8 off five balls. Abhishek picked four fours before Siraj had him caught at mid-on in his third over of the powerplay. Abhishek became Siraj’s 100th victim in the IPL and sixth in the powerplay in IPL 2025. No other bowler has more wickets than Siraj in the first six overs this season.R Sai Kishore, the left-arm fingerspinner, then stifled SRH in the middle overs with his control and variety. He cut Klaasen’s innings short on 27 off 19 balls when he knocked him over with a quick fizzer. He went onto have Nitish Reddy holing out for 31 off 34 balls. GT had handed a franchise debut to Washington Sundar but they didn’t even need him with the ball.Captain Cummins then made a sparkling cameo to push SRH past 150. He was the only SRH batter in the top eight to have a strike rate of over 160.

Despite numerous key names being absent, New Zealand have dominated the series against a side trying to refine their approach

Danyal Rasool24-Mar-2025

Big picture: New Zealand’s depth shines through

This is a dead rubber in a dead series. It is the fifth T20I with the home side 3-1 up a fortnight after a Champions Trophy campaign that was draining for New Zealand and demoralising for Pakistan. New Zealand have rested key players while others are unavailable due to the IPL, while Pakistan have rung the changes in the hopes of a fresh start that will snap the game out of its current rut. If there was little on this series, there is even less on this particular game.This is the third time a New Zealand-Pakistan series clashes with the IPL in three years, and once more, New Zealand’s strength in depth has lived up to the test. Barring Pakistan’s white-hot brilliance in their Auckland chase, the hosts have found themselves in more or less complete control throughout. Where Pakistan’s powerplay bowling has been expensive, New Zealand have been productive, striking early and several times through the fielding restrictions to stifle Pakistan’s ability to take risks on high-scoring surfaces.Related

• Rauf backs Pakistan's youngsters: 'Give them 10 to 15 matches, that is how they become players'

• Allen, Duffy lead rout of Pakistan to seal series win for New Zealand

• Kelly, Abbas get maiden NZ call-ups; Williamson unavailable for Pakistan ODIs

If Pakistan hoped this series would be akin to England’s ODI series against New Zealand in the wake of their humiliating exit at the 2015 World Cup, events have not shown themselves to be quite as conveniently linear.However, there is a sense of excitement at what appears a tonal shift in philosophy to T20 cricket, with Pakistan – at least for now – encouraging all-out attack. That will present problems and frustrations as has been evident for in this series, but that Eden Park onslaught – coupled with irregular flashes of quality through this tour – has suggested there may be diamonds to be had amidst all the roughness.This game, and this series, will hold little value in the short-term. Both sides will move on to a seemingly equally context-free ODI series over the following week, before Pakistan’s players shift to the PSL while the IPL dominates this slice of the calendar.But with the T20I World Cup a year away, New Zealand, venerated for their far-sightedness, will view this series as the moment when the first building blocks for an attempt at yet another ICC trophy are made. Pakistan, on the other hand, may look back upon it as the time they lifted themselves up off rock bottom.However, history suggests they have not earned the trust for observers to begin viewing it that way just yet; it may just as easily be a footnote in yet another attempted overhaul. Given the seemingly impulsive nature of decision-making in Pakistan cricket, perhaps the final match may well carry a certain value if it can convince the PCB to stay the course.

Form guide

New Zealand: WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: LWLLLJacob Duffy has taken the chance to establish his T20I credentials•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Jacob Duffy and Mohammad Haris

He might not be the star of New Zealand’s bowling line-up but Jacob Duffy has taken a shine to Pakistan. He has more T20I wickets against this opposition than all others combined and at the best strike rate. Duffy was brought into the Champions Trophy squad last month and while he did not play a game, he has not appeared rusty, playing in all four matches. He is the leading wicket-taker, the most economical bowler, and boasts the lowest average across the series. He was instrumental in demolishing Pakistan’s top order in Mount Maunganui as New Zealand coasted to a series victory. He is well placed to finish the series as its standout performer and push his T20I credentials even when New Zealand do not have players away at the IPL.Mohammad Haris‘ whirlwind 41 may have set Pakistan on their way at Eden Park, but across these four games, he – and Pakistan – expected bigger contributions. Early dismissals for a batter taking such high risk are hardly rare, but at this point, Haris looks some way off the player who lit up the 2022 World Cup partway with his assault on South Africa in Sydney. That cameo appeared to personify Haris, but since the end of the World Cup, they have dried up almost completely. That score in the third T20I remains the only time in nine innings he has crossed 15 since that World Cup in Australia, and the fluid nature of Pakistan’s selection philosophy means another failure in the final game can hardly bode well for him.

Team news: Pakistan could rotate

New Zealand have named the same squad for the fifth T20I, and with the fourth producing a near-perfect performance, an unchanged eleven would be unsurprising.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tim Seifert, 2 Finn Allen, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Jimmy Neesham, 6 Mitch Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell (capt), 8 Zakary Foulkes, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Will O’RourkeShahid Afridi called for Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan to be rested with the series lost. Right arm fast bowler Mohammad Ali awaits may get more game time if that comes to pass, while Usman Khan, yet to get a game this series, is a potential beneficiary of rotation.Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Haris (wk), 2 Hassan Nawaz, 3 Salman Ali Agha (capt), 4 Irfan Khan/Usman Khan, 5 Shadab Khan, 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shaheen Afridi/Mohammad Ali, 9 Haris Rauf, 10 Abbas Afridi, 11 Abrar Ahmed

Pitch and conditions: Weather set fair

Conditions in Wellington are expected to be near-perfect for cricket, with dry and slightly cool weather in the evening. The most recent T20I here saw the second and third-highest scores at this venue, when New Zealand posted 215 last year, only for Australia to chase it down off the final delivery.

Stats and trivia

• Jimmy Neesham requires another 45 runs to reach 1000 in T20I cricket
• New Zealand and Pakistan have more prolific wickettakers in T20I cricket than any other side. Each have three with more than 100 T20I scalps, something no other side can manage. All three of Pakistan’s – Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi are in Pakistan’s current squad
• Pakistan have an abysmal recent record in T20I cricket since the start of 2024. Excluding games against Ireland, USA, Canada and Zimbabwe, they have won four of 22 T20Is in this period

Off-spinner claims 4-36 in just her second match after Wyatt and Farrant spare hosts’ blushes with the bat

Valkerie Baynes19-Sep-2021Youth and experience combined superbly to deliver England an unlikely 13-run victory over New Zealand in Worcester for a 2-0 lead in their ODI series.Young off-spinner Charlie Dean, playing just her second international match, claimed 4 for 36 from eight overs as England defended a paltry total, the visitors falling short in pursuit of a revised target of 183 from 42 overs under the DLS method when they were bowled out for 169.Danni Wyatt’s unbeaten half-century upon returning to England’s one-day side limited the damage for the hosts after New Zealand won the toss and sent them in, then bowled them out for 197 halfway through the 44th over.Had it not been for Wyatt’s 63 not out, and her record 10th-wicket partnership for England Women with Tash Farrant worth 51, the equation could have been much worse for the home side.Wyatt became the seventh woman to make 200 appearances for England when she came in at No.7 for the resting allrounder, Katherine Brunt. It was Wyatt’s 78th ODI but first since February in New Zealand, having been overlooked for the 50-over leg of India’s tour although she regularly opened with Tammy Beaumont in T20Is through the summer.Interestingly, Wyatt was involved in a messy run-out with the player she is in most direct competition with for a World Cup berth. With England struggling desperately at 85 for 5, Wyatt and Lauren Winfield-Hill put on 33 runs together before a mix-up resulted in both being stranded at the non-striker’s end. Bowler Leigh Kasperek threw the ball, initially fired in from square leg, to wicketkeeper Katey Martin, who whipped off the bails, sending Winfield-Hill on her way for 39 after Wyatt had retreated halfway through the second run and got back inside the crease with her batting partner right behind her.Wyatt struck four fours on the way to her score, plus two sixes off Hannah Rowe, while Farrant chimed in with three fours of her own from No. 11, eventually falling for 22.New Zealand ended the Powerplay 44 for 1, compared to England’s 59 for 1, Kate Cross having had opener Suzie Bates caught by Wyatt for 28 in the ninth over.When England then took two wickets in three balls via Sophie Ecclestone and Cross, it looked like the visitors might mirror their collapse. Indeed, they slid to 85 for 4 after Cross had Amy Satterthwaite caught behind, but then Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday steadied, pushing the score to 111 for 4 when rain halted play after 24 overs, at which point the White Ferns were comfortably ahead on the DLS method.When play resumed, New Zealand needed 72 off 18 overs but then Nat Sciver claimed the crucial wicket of Devine, bowled through the gate without adding to the 28 she had before the rain interruption to keep England in with a chance.Dean, who had made her international debut just three days earlier in Bristol, returned to the attack, having conceded two swept fours in one over to Devine. After Martin sent her third ball back to the boundary through deep third, Dean responded immediately with a gem of a delivery that beat the outside edge and clattered into the stumps.Despite their tail wagging in the first ODI, wickets became the most pressing issue for New Zealand when Dean struck again to remove Rowe lbw. At that point, New Zealand needed 48 off 63 balls but they only had three wickets in hand.Dean then drew Brook Halliday out of her crease with a wider delivery, which Amy Jones snaffled for a stumping to swing the momentum firmly in England’s favour.Dean had her fourth trapping Leigh Kasperek lbw and then Farrant backed up her contribution with the bat to claim the final wicket, Lea Tahuhu caught at cover by Heather Knight.Earlier, Beaumont struck three boundaries off Devine’s first over to cruise to 12 off six balls but her knock ended when she misjudged Devine’s sixth ball, the 12th of the innings, shouldering arms to one that nipped back slightly to take the top of off stump.Rowe entered the attack and struck first ball, drawing Knight into a drive with one that swung away late and found an edge, which Martin collected behind the stumps.Rowe was finding subtle but devastating movement and she made it 2 for 2 with her seventh ball as Sciver’s search for runs continued. Sciver, who has only once reached double-figures during New Zealand’s tour with 14 in the opening T20I, fell for 1 when she drove Rowe to Maddy Green at cover.Jones fell cheaply when Devine brought herself back into the attack and struck with an inswinger, taken by Halliday at midwicket as England slumped to 68 for 4.Sophia Dunkley’s dismissal, chipping Tahuhu to substitute fielder Hayley Jensen at short midwicket for just 11 had England in dire trouble until the Wyatt-Farrant rearguard rescued them.

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After being tasked with the responsibility of replacing fan favourite Rafa Benitez, Steve Bruce no doubt is going to have a difficult task in bringing the feel-good factor back to Newcastle.

Benitez had etched himself into the club’s folklore by guiding the side back to the Premier League from the Championship and then establishing the Magpies as a solid outfit in the top-flight.

Following a 1-0 defeat in his first league game in charge against Arsenal, Bruce may have fancied his side’s chances against newly-promoted Norwich, who had conceded four against Liverpool.

However, the Magpies fell to a humbling 3-1 loss to Daniel Farke’s side, and it ensured they remained rooted on zero points after their opening two games.

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Following their team’s result, Newcastle fans took to Twitter to share their concerns about the club’s situation.

Many supporters of the Tyneside club have already turned on Bruce, requesting for him to be sacked, while others simply fumed at the disappointing start to the season and one fan even alluded to  relegation back to the Championship.

In short, the Toon Army have already gone into meltdown mode – perhaps a little prematurely considering there are 36 games left to play this term.

Check out some of the furious reaction from Newcastle fans below:

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Virat Kohli turned his arm over as India looked to explore bowling options

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2021A rollicking fifty by Rohit Sharma led India to a comfortable nine-wicket win against Australia in both teams’ second – and final – warm-up game ahead of their main T20 World Cup campaign. India’s bowlers, led by R Ashwin’s 2 for 8, had kept Australia to 152 for 5, and the batters then motored through the chase.Rohit retired out after getting to 60 in 41 balls, leaving Suryakumar Yadav to apply the finishing touches to a chase that had been well set up by an opening stand of 68 between Rohit and KL Rahul.Rohit had captained India in this game, with Virat Kohli sitting out of the batting innings, though he did play an active role in the first innings, being on the field and even bowling two overs.India had Australia in early trouble after Aaron Finch had chosen to bat first, reducing them to 11 for 3 in the fourth over, striking with spin through Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. India had rested both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in this game, and turned to the spinners for half of the powerplay overs. Ashwin, sharing the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, made an immediate impact, having David Warner lbw for 1 and then Mitchell Marsh caught at slip next ball to rock Australia early.An over later, Jadeja trapped Finch in front, and it was left to Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell to rebuild. Maxwell was uninhibited despite the loss of wickets, playing his reverse hits whenever he saw an opportunity. The two had added 61 runs in 52 balls before Maxwell dragged on against Rahul Chahar.Australia found a bit of a finishing kick via Marcus Stoinis, who stayed unbeaten on a 25-ball 41, while Smith also picked up his pace in the death overs, to drag the score beyond 150.India used seven bowlers, but Hardik Pandya was not among them. However, with Kohli turning his arm over, it suggested India were looking at giving themselves bowling options.India’s chase was largely untroubled, Rahul reprising his attacking role and not reining himself in as he has done often in the IPL. He didn’t always connect with his attempted big hits, but the intent was unmissable. He had three sixes, and was out trying to hit another to Adam Zampa for 39 off 31.Rohit had started rapidly and then played anchor, but he sped up again once Rahul was out. He was on 28 off 25 when Rahul fell, and blasted 32 from his next 16 balls. He retired when 26 were needed in the last 30 balls, allowing Hardik to have a hit. Suryakumar stayed unbeaten on 38 off 27.Ishan Kishan, the back-up opener, has also been in terrific form, but it seems likely he’ll not be in the first XI. Suryakumar and Hardik getting time in the middle further pointed to them being part of the team’s preferred starting XI.Like India had done, Australia also used the warm-up game to allow overs under the belt for a variety of bowlers, using eight overall in 17.5 overs, though none of them posed any sustained threat. However, their key takeaway was Stoinis bowling two overs after recovering from an injury.India had won their first warm-up match against England, while Australia had beaten New Zealand in their previous warm-up fixture.Australia will open their T20 World Cup campaign against South Africa on October 23, while India will face Pakistan in their first game, on October 24.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

As per Sky Sports, Everton’s deadline day move for Marcos Rojo collapsed after they failed to agree terms with Manchester United over the Argentina international.

What’s the word?

The Toffees had been after a centre-back for virtually the entire summer, and had lined up Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori as transfer targets.

However, following the Blues’ reluctance to do business with the pair on either a permanent or temporary basis, Marco Silva’s side turned their attentions towards Rojo on deadline day.

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It was previously reported that Everton had entered into talks with United over a possible swoop for the 29-year-old, but Sky Sports have now claimed the Toffees pulled out of negotiations after being put off by the club’s valuation.

Verdict

So the Everton and Rojo love story still doesn’t get its fairytale ending. The Toffees attempted to sign the 29-year-old last summer but saw a move fail to materialise, and now head into the upcoming campaign with a feeling of deja vu.

Silva’s side are likely to be aggrieved in not landing one of their centre-back targets for this summer, and the frustrations in trying to negotiate a deal with some of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ is likely to linger for some time. But if, as reports claim, the Toffees pulled out of talks with United due to the Manchester side’s valuation of Rojo, then Everton simply must be applauded.

The Merseyside club could have easily blinked in the face of pressure and simply thrown money at United to desperately try and get a deal done. Instead, the Toffees used some rationale and logic and refused to be drawn into this increasingly wild transfer market. Missing out on Rojo may sting in the short-term, but the 29-year-old’s injury history and age should act as a comforting blanket for those who think they may regret it.

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