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With talisman Jasprit Bumrah not available, captain Rohit Sharma also hinted their starting XI could feature players who haven’t played the IPL before

Vishal Dikshit29-Mar-20232:57

Does T20 cricket need workload management?

Jasprit Bumrah made his IPL debut in 2013 and, for the first time since, Mumbai Indians will be playing an entire season without him. To fill that massive gap, apart from making use of the new Impact Player rule, Mumbai plan to unleash a couple of young bowlers and their head coach Mark Boucher said their bowling attack will be their “surprise package”.”Losing Bumrah has been a big loss for us, I’ll be honest with that,” Boucher said in Mumbai on Wednesday. “But by losing a player sometimes you get opportunity. The way Mumbai Indians have selected their squads over the last few years has been…how you select your playing XI and then your back-up XI and then you invest in a couple of youngsters for the future. It’s now time for those youngsters to show up and basically get the opportunities.”For me, the big thing about this season for our bowling line-up is we have got experience, but we’ve got one or two little spaces for couple of the juniors to come through and showcase their skills. I’m looking forward to seeing them. The IPL is a massive event and it’s going to be a great opportunity for some of our young boys to really show up. We’ve got some great variation in our bowling attack; I think our batting is very very strong. But our bowling is almost going to be a surprise package.”Related

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Mumbai are without Bumrah and Jhye Richardson this season and will name at least one replacement in the next couple of days, captain Rohit Sharma said. Rohit also said they had zeroed in on nine-ten players for the final XI and hinted the couple of vacant spots could be taken by players who haven’t played the IPL before. Mumbai play their first game on April 2 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.”Leading into that first game guys pretty much know what we are expecting out of them but the last thing I want to do is put too much pressure on them,” Rohit said. “I think it won’t be fair, especially the guys who have not played IPL before. And there are a few guys in our squad who have not played IPL before. But if they get an opportunity to play, my job is to keep it very simple with them, and make sure that how they play their first-class game for their state, what they do in Ranji Trophies, in club cricket, try and replicate the same in IPL as well.

“We’ve got a couple of guys who can do that job for us which Bumrah used to do. We’ll keep an eye on that and hopefully whatever space Bumrah was in, the other guys can come in and do the job for us”Rohit Sharma

“We’ve got a couple of guys who can do that job for us which Bumrah used to do. We’ll keep an eye on that and hopefully whatever space Bumrah was in, the other guys can come in and do the job for us. And wherever those guys have played, they’ve done that job for that particular team.”Among the uncapped fast-bowling options, Mumbai have two left-arm quicks in Arshad Khan (from Madhya Pradesh) and Arjun Tendulkar, and Uttarakhand’s Akash Madhwal. Boucher pointed out that Arjun joined the squad with a niggle, and they will have a better idea of his fitness after watching him in a practice game on Wednesday night.”He’s been playing quite a bit of cricket in the last six months as a bowler, it’s been very good for him,” Boucher said. “If we can have him available for selection, it will be very good for us.”Jofra Archer was bought by Mumbai Indians before the 2022 auction•Getty ImagesRohit could be rested for one or two games; focus on Jofra ArcherComing into the IPL after playing back-to-back home series against Sri Lanka (T20Is and ODIs), New Zealand (ODIs), and Australia (Tests and ODIs), Rohit will now lead Mumbai and then head to England for the World Test Championship final starting June 7, just 10 days after the IPL final in Ahmedabad. Boucher had “no problem” in Rohit resting for one or two games, if the requirement arose. Who will lead Mumbai in that case is as yet unknown because they haven’t officially named a vice-captain.”He’s the captain, hopefully he gets into good sort of form and hopefully he doesn’t want to rest,” Boucher said. “We’ll adapt to whatever the situation is. If I can get the best out of him as a captain and as a player, it’ll be great. If it means that he’s going to rest one or two games, then I’ll do that, absolutely. Not a problem.”In terms of runs scored and average, Rohit had his worst IPL season last year when he managed only 268 runs at 19.14, and his strike rate of 120.17 was also his second-worst in his 15-year IPL career, second only to 114.97 in 2009. It was also the first time Rohit didn’t score a half-century in an IPL season.Boucher also said they will rest a couple of international players who have had a busy schedule in the recent past. One such player to watch out for could be Jofra Archer, who was bought by Mumbai before the 2022 auction and resumed playing competitive cricket in January this year after a long injury layoff that kept him away from international cricket since March 2021. Since he returned to the field, Archer has featured in SA20 for MI Cape Town (taking 10 wickets in six games), played two ODIs each against South Africa and Bangladesh for a combined 12 wickets, followed by three T20Is in Bangladesh.Archer too will play Mumbai’s warm-up game on Wednesday night which the coaches will watch from the sidelines.”Jofra has come off a major injury and he’s been playing a lot of cricket of late which is good,” Boucher said. “He’s in a good space at the moment, he’s really ready to get out there and perform. Hopefully he can kickstart the IPL with a bang.”

Hamsphire fight back after Surrey dismantle top order

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Apr-2023Surrey 37 for 0 trail Hampshire 254 all out (Brown 95, Lawes 4-58) by 217 runsIf you come to this part of south London, you’re guaranteed at least two things – Portuguese restaurants and wicketkeepers.There is a high concentration of both in this corner of Lambeth. As many as 10 of the former within a one-mile radius of the Kia Oval and four of the latter within the ground as part of Surrey’s XI for the visit of Hampshire. Probably more coincidence than anything else, but who could blame you for indulging the fan fiction that Alec Stewart’s penchant for a pastel de nata bred an Iberian culinary turf war?Nevertheless, if you want the best of either, this is a good part of the country to seek it. Usually, anyway. On Thursday, patrons of the Kia Oval for the defending champions’ 2023 homecoming were informed that one of the best wicketkeepers around was not part of the four. Ben Foakes, England’s incumbent behind the stumps – a position surely reinforced by 76 and 103 not out against Lancashire last week – was out with back issue. Not enough to raise concern, but enough to urge caution and bring a sense of disappointment no amount of custard tarts could overcome.Shorn of theirs and England’s number one, locals made do with Jamie Smith, a long-term international prospect, as deputy. Ollie Pope, who did it twice on the Test tour of Pakistan, was also a potential option, though he seemed happy enough standing at second slip. Skipper Rory Burns was once considered a capable understudy many moons ago. Trawl through the annals, and you’ll even find under-17 scorecards of allrounder Jordan Clark with a dagger by his name. By stumps, however, the leading wicketkeeper turn came from the opposition.Ben Brown stood above his peers with a diligent 95, holding Hampshire together on day one of this first battle of the summer between two title rivals. That the visitors made it to 254 in their first innings was a minor miracle, and Surrey’s score of 37 for no loss at stumps put the under-performance of Hampshire’s top-order into perspective.Brown arrived at the crease on 39 for 4, after James Vince had won the toss and chosen to bat first under bright blue skies. Kemar Roach worked over Felix Organ for his 50th first-class wicket for Surrey, then fortuitously bowled Nick Gubbins – the left-hander defending a ball that bounced and spun back onto his leg stump – for 51. At the other end, Vince had poked at Sean Abbott’s first delivery before Tom Lawes knocked out Liam Dawson’s off stump.Alec Stewart – a case of mild indigestion perhaps?•Getty ImagesThe 14th over hardly called for a “traditional” wicketkeeper in the modern sense. There was little to riff off beforehand and counter-attacking against a bowling group as rampant as they were relentless would have only gone one way. Just as well then that Brown strolled out.He is more batter-keeper than keeper-batter, and thus something of an anomaly among his full-time contemporaries. One who gets bowlers to come to him rather than the other way around, rarely straying from a self-imposed box, whether punching drives off the front foot or swivelling off the back foot to anything short. There are not many misjudgements, which makes the life he got on 3 all the more noteworthy.A hook off Sean Abbott burst through the hands of Lawes out on the square leg fence. Lawes would profit from Brown’s next error 146 deliveries later when the right-hander drifted across his stumps and was trapped in front, missing out on a 24th career century. The 20-year-old seamer made further amends to remove Keith Barker, the only other batter to offer resistance, before yorking Kyle Abbott to finish with 4 for 58.Brown used the time between his errors wisely, ticking over the scoreboard without taking undue risk, even for the 11 boundaries he managed. Even with the losses of Fletcha Middleton – caught behind for 32 after Smith had dropped him on 0 – and Ian Holland, Brown did not panic and go into cavalier mode. In Barker, he found an accomplished ally for a ball shy of 35 overs before their stand ended on 95.Brown has a degree of misfortune in that the gloves seem to distract from his batting, which is worthy of merit on its own. The straightforward methodology and average of 40.45 suggest he could have done it as a full-time pursuit, something lost by being a first-choice gloveman.That average has been steadily improving since 2015 and ticked over the magic 40 mark at the end of the 2021 season, where it has remained ever since. All the while, his keeping remains tidy, and in turn his value to Hampshire rises in tandem with the frustration of Sussex supporters. It remains a mystery why he was managed so poorly back in that 2021 summer when he was stripped of the captaincy. A mutually-agreed release from Hove two years ahead of time came to pass at the end of the year, ending an association that began as an under-11.Aged 34, international honours for a former England under-19 are probably gone, even if Brown has publicly stated he will keep pushing for a Test cap even when he’s 40. That he has rarely been mentioned in the numerous conversations around England’s keeping position over the years is best reflected in the “Foakes or Bairstow” one happening at the moment. The reliability of Foakes’ conventional batting is taken as read rather than a tick in his box.Brown falls into the same category. But, like Foakes, taking that for granted would be a mistake. Without his efforts, Hampshire could have been staring at a similar innings defeat they suffered here last season. Now, thanks to Brown, they will return with something to work with on day two.

Arsenal have seemingly fallen short in their title challenge, leaving supporters expecting some statement arrivals this summer to ensure a similar tale doesn’t occur next season at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal's injury problems paint obvious summer transfer picture

Mikel Arteta and the Gunners were optimistic about their chances of inheriting silverware at the start of the campaign. However, injury problems in key areas have allowed Liverpool to sail into an unassailable lead at the Premier League summit.

With only nine games left to play, it would take an extraordinary collapse from Arne Slot’s men to see their prospects of only a second title since 1990 arrive at Anfield collapse due to their 12-point advantage.

In fairness, Arsenal will hope they can pull off some Champions League heroics to claim a first trophy since 2020. If it weren’t for injuries to the likes of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus this term, Arteta could be looking at a far rosier appraisal than the one he may receive in May.

Frustration has begun to pave the way for transfer action at the Emirates Stadium. Lille’s Jonathan David is now on the Gunners’ radar to address a striker search likely to dominate the headlines in North London.

Arsenal’s forward line this season – G/A across all competitions

Kai Havertz

15 goals (34 appearances)

Gabriel Jesus

7 goals (27 appearances)

Bukayo Saka

9 goals (24 appearances)

Leandro Trossard

6 goals (43 appearances)

Gabriel Martinelli

7 goals (38 appearances)

Raheem Sterling

1 goal (23 appearances)

Ethan Nnaweri

8 goals (29 appearances)

Arsenal have also commenced groundwork on Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko, signifying that this year could be the one when they finally enter the market for a premium striker to spearhead their hunt for glory.

Improving the supply line has also emerged as a priority for Arteta, who, in an exciting turn of fate, has turned his attention to one of Europe’s hottest properties.

Arsenal make contact regarding £75m+ Juventus star Kenan Yildiz

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have made initial contact with Juventus over a summer deal to sign Kenan Yildiz as the Turkish international is someone the Serie A giants are open to cashing in on once the window opens.

Mooted to retain a £75.7 million price tag, the 19-year-old has registered four goals and six assists in 41 appearances this term. He is also attracting interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.

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Once labelled as a star who will have a “brilliant career” by Massimiliano Allegri, Yildiz has managed to create 36 chances on league duty this season and has shown his capacity to weave past defenders by completing 45 dribbles in total.

Loanee Sterling is almost certain to return to Chelsea this summer, and it remains to be seen if Arteta will sanction exits for any of his other options on either flank. If that occurs, their pursuit of Yildiz may accelerate as a matter of priority if recent reports are anything to go by.

Pep Guardiola has provided a surprising update regarding Manchester City's uncertain goalkeeper situation amid reports of Ederson's exit.

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Man City expected to see goalkeeper changes Guardiola claims that Ortega and Ederson will stayPraises Espanyol's Garcia – but disregards reports Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

City's goalkeeper situation has been uncertain over the last year as injury-prone and error-prone Ederson has been linked with an exit from the Etihad, while backup keeper Stefan Ortega is not considered to be a game-changer in goal. As such, the eight-time Premier League champions have been linked with the likes of Porto's Diogo Costa and Espanyol's Joan Garcia.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ederson has been a person of interest for a number of Saudi Pro League sides since last summer, and it is expected that offers could be lining up for the Brazilian yet again. As for Ortega, the German goalkeeper is entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Etihad, with a renewal nowhere on the horizon. However, Guardiola has claimed that City are not expecting any changes in regards to their goalkeeping option ahead of next season.

Getty ImagesWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: "I don't know much about goalkeepers [joining/leaving City]. I tell them to stay. We've talked about the situation of the squad, and the two goalkeepers we have will stay…"

Talking about Espanyol's Garcia, the Catalan coach added: "Joan García is a really good goalkeeper, but City are linked with 500 players in every transfer window.

"He's an Espanyol player and I don't know what happen, but I'm told by the Espanyol guys [playing in the golf event] he's an extraordinary goalkeeper. The references we have are very good."

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WHAT NEXT FOR CITY?

Guardiola's side will be in action later this month in the Club World Cup in the United States, where Ederson will most likely be the starter. However, whether the Brazilian will stay put this summer will depend on City's willingness to sell and the offers Ederson receives.

The U.S. lost their third straight match, falling to Turkey in a game defined by two mishaps, not a lack of intensity

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – In the moments following the U.S. men's national team's loss to Turkey, coach Mauricio Pochettino was, generally, pretty happy. The soccer? Good. The energy? Good. The mistakes? Definitely bad but, after spending the spring discussing mentality and intensity, Pochettino was admittedly relieved to get the chance to break down the game on the field.

"I am just so glad we're talking about soccer," Pochettino said.

On Saturday, the soccer wasn't perfect. When you lose 2-1 to Turkey, it's not perfect. Two defensive breakdowns cost the U.S., squandering an early Jack McGlynn stunner. Johnny Cardoso's giveaway and a disastrous series of clearances doomed the U.S., but, those were soccer mistakes, not effort issues.

This was a new beginning, of sorts. A rough one, but a beginning nonetheless. Several individuals got off to inauspicious starts, namely Cardoso, who will have plenty of questions to answer because of it. There were standouts, too, players who made their own Gold Cup cases.

Tuesday will represent another chance in another friendly against another good team, Switzerland, who rolled past Mexico 4-2 on Saturday. Pochettino is glad a tone has been set, despite the loss.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Pratt & Whitney Stadium.

Getty ImagesLOSER: Johnny Cardoso

You know that narrative about Cardoso's performances in a USMNT shirt? It's not going to be silenced by giving away a goal in your own box.

That's what Cardoso did midway through the first half, directly handing Turkey their equalizing goal and McGlynn had give the U.S. the lead in the first minute of the game.

It was a simple one, really: Cardoso got a bit too comfortable on the ball, allowing Turkish prodigy Arda Guler to slide in and poke it right into the back of the net. It was so completely avoidable, and so completely out of character for the version of Cardoso everyone saw at Real Betis this season.

That remains the problem with Cardoso: that version of him has never shown up to USMNT camp. Often error-prone and seemingly never confident, Cardoso looks like a completely different player when he plays for the U.S., like one who had Space Jam's Monstars steal away whatever good vibes he has over in Spain.

And so the narrative continues. Cardoso will need to silence it by the end of this summer. Fortunately, there's still plenty of time. This was a tough start, though, one that will only make the criticism grow louder around a player that has done little to really quiet it.

"He's a top, top player in his position," said Adams as he backed his teammate to recover going forward. "He's played in so many big games now and obviously, had a great season with Betis as well. You have those moments in your career, and sometimes it feels like the world's going against you. He's a top pro.

"The way that he trains every single day, the way that he brings his mentality every single day, he'll make a turn, and it will be fine. He's going to be an important player for us."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWINNER: Jack McGlynn

The scouting report is out there: McGlynn has a world-class left foot. Don't let him onto it. When he does hit the ball with that foot, it ends up going exactly where he wants it to go.

That's what happened just 60 seconds into Saturday's match. Turkey let McGlynn cut in and that left foot did the rest, curling home what might end up being the goal of this USMNT summer.

goal is his second this year for the USMNT, his first being another stunner back in January camp. It's pretty clear that McGlynn has these moments in him and, by creating one early against Turkey, he proved he can do it at a much higher level. This wasn't a January camp game; this was a good matchup against a good team, and McGlynn was still able to do his thing.

In MLS, McGlynn has played higher up, allowing him to use that left-foot to create closer to the goal. It's been a big change from his time in Philadelphia, where he generally played as a deep-lying midfielder.

"I think he can be a great midfielder," Pochettino said after the game. "He can maybe start outside for now in a position like a winger but, when he has the ball at his feet, everyone can rest a bit. I can rest a bit because I really trust him to make the play. His teammates rely on him and trust him with the ball.

"He needs to improve in other games to be a player to reach the highest level, but we work with him. His evolution isn't in the position he was in today. I think it's more inside, like an eight or a 10."

If Saturday was any indication, the USMNT will want him as close to goal as possible because, once he gets there, he has the ability to strike in ways most players can't.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Tyler Adams

Of the USMNT's go-to, locked in, A-tier players, Chris Richards was the only one in Saturday's the starting XI. He was joined by Adams in the second half and, from the moment the 2022 World Cup captain took the field, it was impossible not to notice the pure quality he brings to the team.

This isn't even a Cardoso-Adams comparison – realistically, there is no comparison there. Adams is a level above just about everyone in this USMNT player pool, and it's never more apparent than in games like these. As always, Adams was a menace in defense, helping the U.S. seize back control after surviving a Turkey tidal wave in the first half.

"Even today, coach told me I wasn't going to play, and I just wanted to set the example with a positive attitude" he said, "and just make sure these guys are ready to go. Again, they showed it today."

He added value in the attacking half, too, setting up Malik Tillman for a close-range header that could have been – and probably should have been – a goal.

"I tell all the guys, when you put this jersey on, we go to war for each other," he said. "That's what the U.S. is built off of and that's why we're special. I think our talent starts to speak for ourselves now. We have guys playing at a very high level.

"But it doesn't really mean anything when you come into an international football setting because it all about the collective and how you're able to bunker down and win games. It's about setting the standard in training and making sure we're ready to go."

The USMNT will need Adams in the Gold Cup. He's the only truly elite player in this squad right now and, for this team to have a chance, Adams will need to be the lynchpin that makes it all happen.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: USMNT width

As constructed, the USMNT roster doesn't have a great deal of pace out wide. There's no altering that or changing it; it's the way things are. Pocehttino, though, is trying to find ways to make that width work and, while it worked at times, there were moments where it didn't.

With McGlynn generally playing out wide on the right, Max Arfsten provided most of the width on the left. McGlynn's mandate, meanwhile, was to cut in, leaving Max Arfsten as the only one really stretching the field out wide. Because of that, Turkey often packed the middle, knowing that the U.S. didn't have the wide pace to beat them out there.

"The gameplan was to have Diego [Luna] going inside very close with Malik [Tillman]," Pochettino said. "Luca de la Torre and Johnny stayed inside, and then Jack was a little bit on the side but cut inside the way he scored the goal. I wanted him to have the freedom on the one side, and the idea was to use Max and Alex [Freeman] to stay a little bit more wide.

"That was the idea. It's all new, and we only trained for a few days. Then you go against a team like Turkey."

Turkey had the quality to play through the middle. Not every team will. Still, as this Gold Cup beckons, the U.S. will need to find ways to spread out the field if they are to break teams down.

Sutherland hundred sets up Australia but Ecclestone, Knight, Sciver-Brunt keep hosts in hunt

Valkerie Baynes23-Jun-2023Tammy Beaumont’s unbeaten century put England back in contention after Annabel Sutherland’s own hundred had put Australia on top in the Women’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.It had looked as though Sutherland would own the day with her unbeaten 137, the highest score by a batter at No. 8 or lower in a Women’s Test, having reached the fastest Test hundred by an Australian woman, off 148 balls. Australia’s 473 was the highest first innings in a women’s Test and came despite Sophie Ecclestone’s maiden Test five-wicket haul, a herculean effort which ended in her 47th over when she removed last wicket Darcie Brown.Sutherland also made an early breakthrough as Australia’s first-change bowler, after their new-ball pairing of Brown and Kim Garth had largely struggled for length and rhythm, an uncharacteristic rash of full tosses doing nothing to dent England’s efforts to overhaul their opponents.Beaumont, off the back of an unbeaten double-hundred in last week’s warm-up match, kept the hosts in the hunt with her 100 not out as she became just the second Englishwoman behind captain Heather Knight to score a century in all three formats. That she got there sprinting for a second run after clipping Sutherland towards square leg after spending a day and a half in the field only added to the magic of her innings. Knight contributed 57 to the cause as the pair put on 115 runs for the second wicket and Nat Sciver-Brunt cruised to a brisk 41 not out.While Brown and Garth were struggling to nail their lengths early, Beaumont edged Brown towards second slip where Phoebe Litchfield appeared to get a fingertip to a difficult chance, but otherwise accumulated nicely, punishing any bad balls to the boundary.Sutherland entered the attack in the 10th over and struck with her sixth ball, enticing a drive from Emma Lamb with a fuller ball on off stump which sailed to Jess Jonassen, who swallowed the catch low at second slip. She bowled 13 dot-balls before conceding any runs, Beaumont dispatching a full toss to the boundary through mid-on.Annabel Sutherland acknowledges the applause for her maiden Test hundred•Getty ImagesBeaumont moved to her third Test fifty by pulling an Alana King delivery to the fence beyond deep midwicket and, two balls later, she swept her fine for another boundary, her 11th of the innings. Beaumont enjoyed a stroke of luck on 61 when umpire Anna Harris turned down Australia’s hearty appeal for a catch by Litchfield at short leg and the tourists declined to review, with replays showing Beaumont had struck King’s fuller ball onto her boot before it looped directly to Litchfield. Later, on 88, she just managed to evade Jonassen’s dive at slip.Knight unleashed a reverse-sweep for four against Ashleigh Gardner, brought on at the start of the last hour as Australia searched for a wicket, and she pierced the slips with a boundary off Garth to bring up her fourth Test fifty. Gardner finally lifted Australia when she removed Knight by enticing an edge with a fuller, slower delivery and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy did the rest.Earlier, Sutherland and King added 34 runs to Australia’s overnight 328 for 7 and extended their union to 47 before a Lauren Bell inswinger crashed into the top of King’s off stump. Ecclestone had earlier thought she had King out lbw with her third ball of the day but she survived on umpire’s call when England reviewed, with Hawk-Eye showing that the ball was just clipping leg stump.Sutherland expertly marshalled a 95-run partnership with Garth, the former Ireland international making her Test debut for Australia. She brought up Australia’s 400 and moved into the 90s with a punch to the boundary through extra cover off Ecclestone and, next over, she raised her century with a four through deep midwicket off Lauren Filer.Sutherland had entered the game off the back of a century in Australia’s three-day warm-up against England A and here she played with great tempo and poise, the only half-chance she offered came shortly after reaching her ton when she edged a Filer short ball outside off stump, which flew just beyond the grasp of a leaping Knight in the slips.Related

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Ellyse Perry: Getting out for 99 is a 'bummer' but life goes on

Australia’s ability to build partnerships was key to their innings with Sutherland also putting on 77 runs for the seventh wicket with Gardner, while Ellyse Perry, who fell on 99, shared a 119-run stand with Tahlia McGrath after adding 48 with Beth Mooney.After Bell’s initial breakthrough, England were frustrated. Down a seam-bowling option with Sciver-Brunt bowling just five overs the previous day because of an apparent knee complaint, debutant Filer couldn’t add to her two wickets of the previous day. It fell to Ecclestone, back into the action after bowling a mammoth 28 overs on the trot on Thursday, to eventually take the remaining wickets.When she beat the inside edge and rapped Garth on the back pad in her 45th over, there was no free-wheeling round the outfield. Instead she slumped, hands on knees as her team-mates ran to pat her on the back. Sutherland dispatched Ecclestone over deep midwicket for six but Ecclestone was able to muster enough sprightliness to snaffle a return catch off Brown to close out the innings and end her heroic toil with an exclamation mark.

Chelsea are now determined to move ahead of Real Madrid in the race to sign a “phenomenal” £50m defender who’s been compared to Sergio Ramos, according to a report.

Blues considering defensive rebuild

The Blues have continued their approach of signing up-and-coming talents, recently sealing out-of-window moves for Sporting CP youngster Dario Essugo, who operates in central midfield, alongside 17-year-old winger Geovany Quenda, who is set to arrive in the summer of 2026.

However, there are also indications Enzo Maresca’s side could look to upgrade their defence this summer, with targets being identified at both full-back and centre-back.

There could be a departure from the west Londoners’ usual focus on youth, with a deal for 28-year-old Nottingham Forest right-back Ola Aina now being worked on, following the defender’s impressive performances in the Premier League this season.

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Another Premier League defender enjoying a solid campaign is AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, with David Ornstein recently revealing the centre-back is being looked at closely by the Blues ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.

There has now been a further update on Chelsea’s pursuit of Huijsen, with a report from Spain revealing they are now determined to move ahead of Real Madrid in the race for the 19-year-old’s signature.

Maresca’s side could be the club most willing to shell out the €60m (£50m) release clause included in the defender’s Bournemouth contract, despite widespread interest in his signature, with Newcastle United, Bayern Munich and Liverpool also keen.

Interestingly, the report states the Blues could look to make an ‘aggressive’ offer to ensure they win the race for the Spaniard, which may include tabling a more financially appealing contract than Madrid would be willing to offer.

"Phenomenal" Huijsen likened to Ramos

The teenager spent time with Malaga as a youth player, where he attracted attention from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, so it is perhaps a little surprising he ultimately ended up at Bournemouth, arriving on a six-year deal last summer.

However, the youngster’s decision to sign for the Cherries has been validated by the amount of game time he has received this season, making 23 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he has scored two goals.

The Spain international’s goal-scoring ability has drawn comparisons to Madrid legend Ramos, who was his idol growing up, and he once scored 12 goals in half a season during his time with Malaga, despite featuring at centre-back.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded Huijsen as “phenomenal” after a solid performance against Newcastle United earlier this season, and his performance on several key defensive metrics over the past year indicates he could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

2.16 (99th percentile)

Blocks

1.66 (87th percentile)

Clearances

6.73 (96th percentile)

Wyatt also played a vital hand to make the Ashes 6-4 in a rain-adjusted chase

Valkerie Baynes08-Jul-2023Alice Capsey found some timely form to help England to a thrilling victory which sealed the T20I leg for the hosts and kept their Ashes hopes alive.Chasing a revised target of 119 from 14 overs, Danni Wyatt’s 26 from 15 balls started the rain-reduced run chase off brightly but it was Capsey’s 46 from 23, including a stand of 68 off 44 balls for the third wicket with Nat Sciver-Brunt that gave England enough of a buffer ahead of some late drama in the form of wickets to Georgia Wareham and Jess Jonassen in the last two overs.England, playing at Lord’s for only the second time since their 2017 World Cup victory, thrilled a crowd of 21,610, a record for a women’s bilateral fixture in England, with their five-wicket victory, the first time Australia have lost a series since the 2017-18 Ashes, when they also lost the T20 leg. Australia still lead this multi-format series by six points to four, with England needing to win all three ODIs if they are to win back the Ashes.Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner both contributed 32 runs and Ellyse Perry was pivotal in adding 34 off 25 balls to help rescue the Australians from 66 for 3 and post a respectable target of 156. That was revised when the rain which had briefly halted play during Australia’s innings returned during the interval and delayed the restart considerably.Capsey comes goodWyatt picked up from her match-defining half-century on Wednesday to set England’s run chase off to a bright start with six fours on her way to 26. Wyatt, so strong against spin, crunched the offspin of Gardner for back-to-back fours through the covers and crashed Megan Schutt for three more, including a deft steer through deep third so that by the time she edged behind attempting to cut at the end of the shortened four-over powerplay England were 39 for 1. Dunkley skied the very next ball from Darcie Brown down Jonassen’s throat at backward point but then Capsey stepped in.Capsey, who had scores of 3 and 5 in the first two matches, found some fine touch at the perfect moment. She launched Jonassen for six over deep midwicket and after seven overs, the halfway point of their innings, England were 65 for 2. A clever scoop by Capsey to the rope through third brought up the fifty-partnership with Sciver-Brunt and England needed 26 off four overs.Wareham conceded just four runs off the 11th but then Capsey unleashed a massive six into the stands over deep midwicket off Schutt followed by four down the ground to release the pressure on England. She holed out to Gardner four runs shy of her half-century but her stand of 68 off 44 balls with Sciver-Brunt was decisive. There was to be more drama though, Sciver-Brunt bowled by Wareham with England still needing two runs off the last seven balls and Jonassen trapping Heather Knight lbw with the first ball of the final over. Then Dani Gibson, who made her international debut in the first match of this T20 series, calmly reverse-swept Jonassen for four to seal victory with four balls to spare.Amy Jones’ outstanding glove work was on display at Lord’s•Getty ImagesDream start for EnglandOffspinner Charlie Dean opened the bowling and conceded 10 off the first over, including back-to-back fours through the covers and fine leg by Alyssa Healy. But a switch to the Nursery End in the fourth over yielded a wicket first ball when Dean pinned Healy back in her crease and struck the front pad directly in line with middle stump. Mooney was slow to get going with just four runs off 11 balls after four overs. She broke the shackles somewhat with a sweep off Dean which beat a sprawling Lauren Bell at square leg and then Dean parried a sharp caught-and-bowled chance, which umpire Sue Redfern managed to evade with a sway of the head.At the end of the powerplay, Australia were 36 for 1 and they were 37 for 2 a short time later when Tahlia McGrath lofted Gibson’s back-of-a-length ball straight to Capsey at mid off. By the time she fell attempting to lap Sciver-Brunt only to see her stumps splayed, Mooney had reached 32 from 27 balls, including three fours off Sarah Glenn’s first over, twice through midwicket and then down the ground and Australia were 66 for 3 at the halfway point of their innings.Prime PerryEngland negated the threat of Gardner on 32 from 25 deliveries with a superb take over head height by Amy Jones off Sciver-Brunt with Perry still settling in. Perry had almost seen her side home with a barnstorming 51 not out from 27 balls in Australia’s three-run defeat at The Oval and, after a brief rain interruption with Australia 106 for 4 after 15 overs here, she went on the attack again. Perry pulled the first ball after the rain break, from Gibson, over backward square leg for six and helped herself to 17 runs off Sciver-Brunt in the 18th over, including three fours in four balls, all behind the wicket.Perry was adjudged lbw to Bell in the 19th over and, given the stage of the game, she called for a review. But with the DRS down, she had to abide by the on-field decision, which replays later showed was the right one. Grace Harris took up the task with an effective 25 from 15 after Bell dropped a sitter at backward point off the first ball of the final over.Harris was put down by Gibson at long on next ball then capitalised by finding the boundary wide of long on. Sophie Ecclestone took matters into her own hands when she bowled Annabel Sutherland with the penultimate ball of the innings, with Harris run out on the last.

John Terry made a brutal Chelsea admission while expressing his thoughts on the current Chelsea side, claiming they are not good enough to win titles.

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Terry makes brutal Chelsea predictionBelieves the Blues have long way to go before winning big titlesWants former side to win titles to attract best playersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Terry spoke about his former side Chelsea's chances of winning Premier League again, brutally admitting that Enzo Maresca's troops still have a long way to go before they can clinch the coveted trophy.

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Chelsea's latest Premier League win came at the end of the 2016-17 season, when they collected 93 points under Antonio Conte. Since then, the Blues have missed out on Champions League football thrice, even hitting the embarrassing low of finishing 12th in the 2022-23 season. This season, they finished fourth under Maresca.

WHAT JOHN TERRY SAID

“I get frustrated because I want Chelsea to be winning the biggest trophies. Are we close? I think we are still a few years away from competing for the Premier League again," Terry acknowledged in an interview with the Mirror.

"We need to catch Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool to even have a chance of doing that. I think we need experience. I think it’s through winning. If we’re competing for a top striker, a top keeper, I know where I’d be going.

“Fans need to understand that to sign top players and improve your group then you have to attract the best players then you have to win and compete for the biggest trophies. That’s the Champions League, the Premier League and we’re not doing that at the minute. We probably have to say: ‘we’ll take the second best striker, the third best striker, whatever that looks like.’ That’s where we are.

“That’s probably why we’ve gone down the younger route at the minute and we haven’t got players of the calibre of Didier, Hazard and these guys wanting to come to Chelsea because we are the best and we are guaranteed to win a trophy.”

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The Blues will be aiming to gain momentum ahead of the 2025-26 season by winning the Club World Cup. They will be playing their opening game of the tournament on Friday, June 20, against Brazilian side Flamengo.

Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney confirmed his plans for the future after Sunday's Soccer Aid charity match.

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Rooney plays for England at Soccer AidQuizzed on future plans after gameConfirms he's happy with punditry roleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rooney was back on the pitch on Sunday and rolling back the years as he scored after just four minutes for England against a World XI. The game ultimately ended in disappointment for Rooney's side as they lost out 5-4, but it was still a successful night for all as £15 million was raised for charity.

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The former Manchester United star was quizzed on his future after the clash. Rooney was sacked as manager of Plymouth at the end of last year and has since been linked with a return to coaching. Yet Rooney has also been enjoying some punditry work and says that is where he plans to stay for the time being.

WHAT ROONEY SAID

He told talkSPORT: "Obviously just doing some TV work at the minute, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m enjoying it. So, that’s where I’ll be."

The former England captain also spoke about the game after the final whistle: "We knew it was always going to be a tough game. They had some really good players in the team. But I thought it was a good game for everyone who came to watch. Unfortunately we didn’t win, obviously that was the fun but the main reason we’re all here today is to try and raise money."

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Viewers can now expect to see more of Rooney on screens as he enjoys his new life as a pundit. It remains to be seen if he will return to coaching in the future or if he's decided to call it a day after spells in charge of Derby, Birmingham, DC United and Plymouth.