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Will Beer and Michael Yardy bowled Sussex to a five-run NatWest T20 Blast victory over Somerset at Taunton

ECB/PA22-May-2015
ScorecardWill Beer continued his good form with three wickets to help set up a Sussex win•Getty ImagesWill Beer and Michael Yardy bowled Sussex to a five-run NatWest T20 Blast victory over Somerset at Taunton. The two spinners shared five wickets for 46 runs as the hosts plunged from a promising 78 for 1 to 96 for 6, chasing what looked a reasonable target of 176. Beer claimed 3 for 23 and Yardy 2 for 23.Somerset were eventually restricted to 170 for 8, Jim Allenby marking his T20 debut for the club with 79, including seven fours and three sixes. Earlier, Luke Wright, Mahela Jayawardene and Chris Jordan had ensured Sussex of a competitive 175 for 6, while another spinner, Max Waller, conceded only 20 from four overs.After the early loss of Chris Nash, leg before to a full ball from Alfonso Thomas, Sussex soon gathered momentum through Wright and Jayawardene, who took the score to 62 by the end of the six overs of Powerplay.Jayawardene looked in great form and had hit four fours and two sixes in facing just 23 balls when well caught by the diving Tom Cooper at short third-man off Allenby in the eighth over.Insights

For nine overs of Somerset’s chase the match was evenly poised, they then proceeded to lose 5 for 18 in four overs and were playing catch-up thereafter. It was Sussex’s spinners, Mike Yardy and Will Beer, who did the damage, the pair ultimately combining to take 5 for 46 from eight overs, ripping the heart out of Somerset’s strong middle-order which collapsed from 78 for 1 to 96 for 6.

Still the visitors flourished until in the 13th over, bowled by Jamie Overton, two sensational catches off successive balls interrupted their progress. First Lewis Gregory raced in from the cover boundary as Wright skied in his direction, eventually talking the ball inches off the ground. Then, after the batsmen had crossed, Allenby dived to grab the ball one-handed as Craig Cachopa slashed to point.Wright had hit four fours and two sixes in his 35-ball innings. With Waller bowling tightly at the River End, Somerset at last gained a measure of control until Jordan’s late assault. The powerful allrounder blasted three fours and two sixes to ensure a respectable total, despite some impressive bowling from Sohail Tanvir (1 for 28) on debut.Somerset looked favourites when Marcus Trescothick and Peter Trego helped Allenby give them a decent start, which saw 54 come off the first six overs. But the course of the game changed in the ninth over when Trego carelessly pulled a short ball from Yardy straight to Jordan at midwicket.Yardy and Beer then took control, the former removing James Hildreth to a catch at the wicket, while the latter sent back Tom Cooper, Sohail Tanvir and Lewis Gregory in quick succession with a superb spell from the River End.Allenby watched the procession before moving to a fluent 39-ball half-century, with six fours and a six. Abdur Rehman produced some lusty blows in belated support, but it was too little too late and 31 were needed off the final two overs.Jordan made sure of victory by having Rehman caught at cover for 24 while conceding only seven off the 19th and Allenby was left frustrated after a fine individual effort, ended when he was run out in the final over. Waller came in to hit a six off his first ball, but with another maximum needed to tie the game, he could score only a single.

For the fourth time in four games, Netherlands batted first and set Nepal a challenging target, but unlike the previous three matches, the visitors held their nerve to register a consolatory three-wicket win in Rotterdam

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Paras Khadka hit six fours for his maiden T20I fifty•Peter Lim/ACCFor the fourth time in four games, Netherlands batted first and set Nepal a challenging target, but unlike the previous three matches, the visitors held their nerve to register a consolatory three-wicket win in Rotterdam. Netherlands took the series 3-1.Set 140 for the win, Nepal looked to be heading for a 0-4 whitewash when they fell to 76 for 4 by the 13th over. However, their captain, Paras Khadka, steered the team back on track with a crucial half-century, his first in T20Is. Khadka scored 54 off 40 balls, with six fours, and anchored a match-changing 44-run stand for the fifth wicket with Sharad Vesawkar. Khadka took Nepal to within 10 runs of victory, but his dismissal off Mudassar Bukhari in the penultimate over offered Netherlands a glimmer.Sompal Kami, the No.8 batsman, then stroked the first delivery he faced for four, reducing the equation to six needed off the last over. Ahsan Malik bowled Pradeep Airee first ball, but Kami and Basant Regmi held on to take Nepal home with two balls remaining, Kami sealing the win with a cover drive for four.Earlier, a poor start from Netherlands saw them restricted to 139 for 7. With Sagar Pun (3 for 26) and Regmi (2 for 31) striking at regular intervals, the hosts soon found themselves struggling at 83 for 7. Roelof van der Merwe, who switched permanently to Netherlands on Tuesday, counterattacked by blasting a 27-ball 40, but it would not prove to be enough.

ESPNcricinfo previews the two World Twenty20 Qualifier playoff matches on Thursday

Peter Della Penna in Malahide22-Jul-2015Afghanistan v Papua New GuineaThe hunters have become the hunted at this year’s World Twenty20 Qualifier, and nowhere is that more evident than in the case of Afghanistan. A group-stage loss to Oman in Scotland has now been followed by their first ever loss to Hong Kong in T20 cricket.Afghanistan must now win against Papua New Guinea on Thursday, or be left home for next year’s World T20 in India. The pair of losses for Afghanistan coincided with strike bowler Hamid Hassan being out of the line-up after taking six wickets in the first three games. His possible return may galvanise the team in the field, but if he can not go again, PNG will be very much in the contest.On the batting side, Samiullah Shenwari has been relatively quiet since scoring 44 and 30 not out in the team’s first two wins over Netherlands and UAE to start the qualifiers. He is one of only three batsmen in the side, along with opener Mohammad Shahzad and captain Asghar Stanikzai, to pass 100 runs for the team. Najibullah Zadran has the capacity to devastate in the middle alongside Shenwari, but his aggression has backfired in the two losses to Oman and Hong Kong, scoring just 2 and 5. Shenwari and Najibullah must back up the good starts laid at the top.PNG flew out of the gate with three straight wins, including a stunner over Group A favourites Ireland in Belfast. However, having three games scheduled back-to-back in Dublin clearly took its toll on the team. After a straightforward win over Nepal to kick off that stretch, they were beaten by Namibia. A tired bowling and fielding effort against USA followed, and it cost them a chance at the top spot and an automatic berth to India.The one positive to finishing fourth on net run-rate behind Hong Kong and Namibia despite being equal on points, is that they got three days to rest instead of one. A fully charged PNG unit will be a handful for Afghanistan to deal with, and will help close the talent gap between the two sides.On the whole, though, PNG’s batting unit has struggled. The team’s highest individual score has been 34, made by both Assad Vala and Tony Ura. Only once have PNG had a fifty-plus stand in the whole tournament, between Vala and Ura against Namibia, tied for the fewest in the tournament. If it were not for the No.10 batsman Norman Vanua’s four sixes against Ireland, they may not even be in this game. The batting needs to pick up the slack to have any chance against Afghanistan’s bowlers.Namibia v OmanAn Oman win against Namibia will make them the lowest ranked team to qualify for a World Cup•ICC/Donald MacLeodAfter blowing two chances to qualify for the World T20 in 2012, Namibia tripped up again on Tuesday against Netherlands. The tournament’s most explosive batsman, Gerrie Snyman, was run out before facing a ball while fellow opener Stephen Baard, the tournament’s leading scorer, fell for single digits and from there, Namibia had little chance against a clinical Netherlands outfit.Of Namibia’s five highest partnerships during the tournament, four have involved Baard. He is arguably more crucial to Namibia’s hopes of putting up a defendable total than Snyman just for his consistency.Bernard Scholtz almost single-handedly kept Namibia in the match against Netherlands with his slow left-arm spell of 3 for 13. He now has 13 wickets in the tournament, but lack of support from the seamers continues to be a problem hindering Namibia’s performance on the field. To make matters worse, JJ Smit left the field during the Netherlands chase with what appeared to be a rib injury. If he can not go on Thursday, more responsibility will fall on Jason Davidson and Sarel Burger to pick up the slack with the ball.Oman currently sit in World Cricket League Division Five and have a global ranking of 29th, which pits them seventh among Asian Associates behind even Singapore and Malaysia, who sit in Division Three. If Oman were to continue their remarkable journey through this tournament with a win over Namibia, they would become the lowest ranked team to qualify for a World Cup.Foremost among their heroes in Scotland is allrounder Zeeshan Maqsood. In their first win of the tournament over Canada, Maqsood raced to an unbeaten 86 off 41 balls, a knock which Oman technical consultant Derek Pringle told ESPNcricinfo was Chris Gayle-esque. He also took 4 for 23 in the 40-run win over Afghanistan.But Maqsood has not done it alone. Slingy fast bowler Munis Ansari’s 4 for 15 against Netherlands reduced them from 134 for 5 to 135 all out. No.3 batsman Jatinder Singh then struck an unbeaten 65 not out to round out their first shock win before sucker-punching Afghanistan. If Oman can outlast Namibia on Thursday, it would make a fantastic fourth win and a spot in India will be theirs.

Zimbabwe legspinner Graeme Cremer and pacers Luke Jongwe and Neville Madziva have been ruled out of the World TwentyT20 after they sustained injuries during practice matches in the UAE, according to Zimbabwe Cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2016Zimbabwe legspinner Graeme Cremer and pacers Luke Jongwe and Neville Madziva have been ruled out of the World TwentyT20 after they sustained injuries during practice matches in the UAE, according to Zimbabwe Cricket. Their replacements in the squad are allrounder Chamu Chibhabha, fast bowler Tawanda Mupariwa and Donald Tiripano, who was on the stand-by list when the team for India was first announced. Chibhabha and Tiripano were with the team in the UAE for the practice matches.Cremer suffered a fracture in his left forearm while batting in the first practice match against West Indies in Sharjah on Saturday. In the same match, Madziva hurt his right thumb while attempting a return catch.Jongwe, meanwhile, injured himself while attempting a return catch against Sharjah Cricket Club on Tuesday. Having been hit on the right eye, Jongwe has been advised three-four weeks of rest by a neurosurgeon, to give the injury time to heal.Mupariwa played his last T20I match in October 2008, while his last international game for Zimbabwe was during the tour of Pakistan in May 2015. Both Tiripano and Chibhabha last played for Zimbabwe against Afghanistan in January. Chibhabha was a part of the squad for Bangladesh but did not get a game in the four-match T20I series.Zimbabwe are in Group B of the first round in the World T20, along with Afghanistan, Scotland and Hong Kong. They will play their first match against Hong Kong in Nagpur on March 8. The top team in Group B will join England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 10s stage.

The India-Pakistan World T20 match on March 19 has been moved to Eden Gardens in Kolkata, because of security concerns over the original venue Dharamsala

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-20161:35

The Ind-Pak decision wasn’t taken lightly – David Richardson

The India-Pakistan World T20 match on March 19 has been moved to Eden Gardens in Kolkata, because of security concerns over the original venue Dharamsala. The ICC chief executive David Richardson made the announcement in Delhi on Wednesday, ending weeks of uncertainty over the fixture, which began with the Himachal Pradesh chief minister saying his government would not be able to provide adequate security for the match.The PCB, however, has continued to delay the departure of the Pakistan men’s and women’s teams to India pending assurance from the BCCI or the Indian government. “The PCB has also today conveyed to ICC and BCCI that our government is expecting an assurance to Pakistan against specific threats to the Pakistan team from various political parties and groups during the tour,” the board said in a release. “Pending this assurance and in accordance with the recommendation by the security delegation, the PCB has decided to defer the departure of Pakistan men and women teams to India.””The decision to relocate the match has been made for security reasons,” Richardson said in Delhi. “The concerns initially arose following alleged public comments recently reported by the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, warning of demonstration and attempts to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the match. Our concerns relate both to uncertainty as to the level of those threats as well as the level of commitment to implement any security plan developed to mitigate such treats.”The decision was not taken lightly. The ICC and the BCCI understand the disappointment that is likely to be felt by many over the decision to move the match. But the safety and security of the event is of paramount importance to the ICC and we have taken into consideration the concerns shared with us by our security advisors as well as Pakistan Cricket Board.”As far as those who have purchased tickets online for the match, they will be offered the choice of a full refund or the opportunity to exchange their tickets for ones for the Kolkata match.”Finally, I would like to confirm that the ICC has been assured by all relevant state authorities that all adequate security measure are in place and will be implemented to ensure that the event is staged in a safe and secure environment for all stakeholders.”Though the PCB had always expressed reservations about playing in Dharamsala once the issue began, the BCCI and the ICC remained confident the game would go ahead as planned. However, the problems came to a head this week after a three-man security delegation from Pakistan inspected the venue and was unhappy with the preparations. Their report to the PCB on Tuesday recommended that Pakistan not play at the venue, and the ICC announced the change in venue the next day.

Chris Gayle could yet return to the Melbourne Renegades next summer, after the team’s coach David Saker described the controversy surrounding his sideline interview with broadcaster Mel McLaughlin as “a bit of a beat-up”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-20161:35

‘Meant no disrespect towards reporter’ – Gayle

Chris Gayle could yet return to the Melbourne Renegades next summer, after the team’s coach David Saker described the controversy surrounding his sideline interview with broadcaster Mel McLaughlin as “a bit of a beat-up”.Gayle sparked outrage in January when he used a mid-match interview to ask McLaughlin out and told her “don’t blush, baby”, which Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland at the time described as “borderline harassment”. The Melbourne Renegades fined Gayle $10,000 but stopped short of suspending him over the incident.Sutherland said last month that Cricket Australia was unlikely to ban clubs from signing Gayle for next summer’s BBL, although it still appeared unlikely he would return to the competition in any case. Saker said that while Gayle’s conduct was wrong, it would not be cause not to sign him again if the Renegades decided he would help their chances of winning the title.”That doesn’t enter my mind,” Saker told the . “I just pick a squad of players. If the hierarchies or people in higher positions than myself come down on that, they do. All I try to do is pick a squad to win.”We know it was the wrong thing to do and he probably identified that quite quickly. We all did. But I think what happened afterwards was a bit of a beat-up. We really want women in sport and I think in Australia we’re embracing that quite well. Mel does a fantastic job with what she does. We know it was wrong, but a lot of people put their two bobs-worth in that probably didn’t need to.”Saker said he was not aware of any directive, either official or unofficial, from Cricket Australia declaring that Gayle was persona-non-grata in the BBL.”Not to me. It might have come to our CEO, but not that I know of and I don’t think that would happen,” Saker said. “It was the wrong thing to do, but it’s not the end of the world, I wouldn’t have thought.”Despite Saker’s comments, it remains to be seen whether the Renegades would want to re-sign Gayle from a pure cricket point of view. Last summer he scored 260 runs at 32.50 and managed just one half-century from his eight appearances. Saker foreshadowed his team needing an overseas bowler, although he said it was still possible they could sign Gayle again.”There’s still a chance of that,” he said. “To be fair we probably need an overseas bowler though. We’re looking at whether to go down that track or to recruit a bowler from inside Australia. So we’re going through whether we need to re-sign Chris Gayle.”

Joe Denly made his first century of the season but four wickets after tea left the opening day between Northamptonshire and Kent quite even

ECB Reporters Network15-May-2016
ScorecardMonty Panesar celebrates his first Northamptonshire wicket since 2009•Getty ImagesJoe Denly made his first century of the season but four wickets after tea left the opening day between Northamptonshire and Kent quite even, with the visitors closing 300 for 7 after winning the toss. There were also two wickets for Monty Panesar – his first for Northamptonshire since 2009 – on his return to the county where he started his career.Denly’s only previous innings of note was a half-century against Glamorgan but here he looked assured, drove the ball smartly, and went through to three figures in 207 balls with 12 fours.He might have departed for 26 had Panesar, on his comeback, claimed a sharp caught-and-bowled chance; one of three missed chances for the hosts in the morning session. But Denly took advantage and, having resumed 92 after tea, drove Panesar for four in the second over after the break and was soon celebrating a third Championship century back in Kent colours, having rejoined at the start of last season.Panesar’s return was for the most part less noteworthy, wheeling away for 31 overs on a docile wicket, but he did claim a second caught-and-bowled opportunity, this time offered from Sam Northeast on 49, that he took low down by his left boot, before having Calum Haggett caught behind four overs from the close. It was a fair return, seven years on from his last appearance for Northants.”I’ve really enjoyed my first day back,” Panesar said. “It was nice to get a good workload in. I was nervy first thing but I got some rhythm going. The first chance came at me harder than expected but the second chance was one of my best catches.”Northeast’s wicket was the first of several tame dismissals that saw Kent fail to take full advantage of their strong position. At 202 for 2 they were in control of the day but after Northeast departed, no other partnership breached 30.Sean Dickson tried to lift Rob Keogh – also making his first appearance of the season – down the ground, only for Alex Wakely to leap to his right from mid-off and claim a stunning one-handed catch. The celebration was surely learned from Shahid Afridi in his time at Wantage Road last season.Darren Stevens fell in the first over of the second new ball, clipping Rory Kleinveldt straight to square leg. Adam Rouse fell in similar fashion looking to hit Kleinveldt through the leg side, only to get a looping leading edge to cover giving Wakely a much easier catch.Northants should have been in a much better position earlier in the day, having broken Kent’s opening stand in the fifth over, Wakely helping to run out Tom Latham.Panesar’s miss of Denly was the second of the three early chances to go down. Richard Levi twice spilled Daniel Bell-Drummond in the slips, first on 9 and then on 26. But Bell-Drummond couldn’t take full advantage as Northants finally did hold a catch after lunch with Kleinveldt taking Bell-Drummond for 47 at first slip. By then he had helped Denly put on 85 for the second wicket as Kent made a solid start.

With Barcelona having stolen Malcolm away from Roma at the 11th hour, Goal looks back at other deals involving dramatic u-turns

Getty ImagesDimitar Berbatov to Man City

With both Manchester sides battling to sign Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov in 2008, the Bulgarian frontman had a difficult decision to make. Spurs had accepted an offer from City, though the striker wanted to sign for United.

When Berbatov flew into Manchester to speak to City officials, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was at the airport to pick him up, much to the player's surprise. United then got their man for a price lower than City had offered.

"I am flattered that he [Ferguson] gave me so much of his time," Berbatov said. "He personally came to pick me up at the airport. It was a shock to me, but it was a pleasure to get to know him." 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRomelu Lukaku to Chelsea

After a 25-goal campaign with Everton, Romelu Lukaku had his pick of Champions League clubs to join ahead of the 2017-18 season.

As the reigning Premier League champions, Chelsea were the clear frontrunners, with manager Antonio Conte desperate to sign a striker who had been discarded by the Blues during Jose Mourinho's tenure at Stamford Bridge.

However, much to the Italian's disappointment, United were ultimately willing to stump up more cash for the Belgium international, who moved to Old Trafford for a whopping £75 million.

Lukaku has proved worth every penny, though, netting 27 times in his first year on Manchester before then proving himself one of the world's elite forwards with his performances at the 2018 World Cup.

Getty ImagesPedro to Man United

With Chelsea and Manchester United locked in a battle to sign Pedro from Barcelona in 2015, it was a matter of urgency which closed the deal.

United officials had flown to Spain to talk to the forward but the winger's agent later said that the Manchester side had, metaphorically speaking, "fallen asleep" during the protracted negotiations, thus allowing Chelsea to swoop in and take Pedro to west London for £19m. 

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GettyEmmanuel Petit to Tottenham

As the story goes, Emmanuel Petit was in London for talks to sign with Tottenham in 1997.

During discussions with Spurs chairman Alan Sugar, the Frenchman became aware of interest from north London rivals Arsenal, who told Petit not to put pen-to-paper at White Hart Lane until he had spoken with compatriot Arsene Wenger.

With his options now open, Petit was sent back to his hotel in a taxi paid by Spurs to think things over, only for the World Cup winner to take a detour to Highbury and sign with the Gunners instead.  

With the Premier League transfer window now closed, Goal ranks the completed deals based on value, quality and potential improvement to teams involved

Getty Images20Adama Traore: Middlesbrough to Wolves (£18m/€23m)The former Barcelona man was unquestionably one of the most exciting forwards in the Championship last season and it proved only a matter of time before he was again handed an opportunity to perform in the Premier League. Newcomers Wolves added the explosive winger to their squad ahead of the new season for a club-record £18 million and will be sure the 22-year-old will finally leave his mark in the top flight.AdvertisementGetty19Bernd Leno: Bayer Leverkusen to Arsenal (£19m / €22m)Veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech has held the title of first-choice shot-stopper at Arsenal for three seasons but is now 36 years of age and often faced widespread criticism last season. As a result, the Gunners penned a deal to sign the Germany international. Cech may be afforded the start of the season to prove his worth but Leno's technical ability and composure on the ball will ensure he will immediately be on his team-mate's toes.18Riyad Mahrez: Leicester City to Man City (£60m/€68m)Pep Guardiola required minor tweaks to his Manchester City squad this summer, with Riyad Mahrez again being a target to strengthen his attacking options. The £60 million switch from Leicester City was duly completed and the Algeria international took to the field in his new colours during the International Champions Cup and in City's 2-0 Community Shield victory against Chelsea, immediately impressing his manager. While the price is perhaps a touch heavy, Mahrez's arrival ensures City's strength in depth in attack is unrivalled.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images17Felipe Anderson: Lazio to West Ham (£33.5m/€37m)The 2018-19 Premier League season stands as a decisive one for West Ham, with the relationship between the club chiefs and fans strained. The financial backing Manuel Pellegrini has received as manager offers hope of improvement for the Hammers, with Felipe Anderson's arrival a particularly exciting one. The 25-year-old can be inconsistent but has incredible talent, with brilliant dribbling qualities and lightning pace – and he was one of the best players in the Europa League last term.

From Megan Rapinoe calling out Donald Trump to Eni Aluko speaking out against racism in her own dressing room, these women are making a difference

Goal has rounded up the most inspiring women in football, from those who take to the pitch to those who report from the sidelines and, in doing so, encouraging young girls to do the same.

These women are record-breaking international stars to acclaimed media personalities; from female referees breaking the glass ceiling to professionals using their platform to advocate for equality across the boards of gender, race and beyond.

GettyMegan Rapinoe

Megan Rapinoe is probably one of the most important and impactful footballers in the world right now, for her on-pitch and off-pitch contributions.

How many athletes can you name who managed to win a World Cup and be named the tournament’s best player, all the while sparring with the president of the United States – and coming out on top?

Rapinoe is an openly gay footballer and a vocal LGBTQ+ advocate, and is outspoken about social and political issues.

At a time where so many high-profile figures are wary of intersecting their personal politics with their platform, Rapinoe didn’t bat and eyelid when she publicly refused an invitation to the White House in the event that the USWNT win the World Cup (they did).

She was the first white footballer to kneel while the U.S. national anthem was played, following in the footsteps of Colin Kaepernick, and continues to fight the battle for equal pay in the women’s team. Every athlete should strive to be like Megan Rapinoe.

AdvertisementGettyMia Hamm

Arguably the most famous and recognisable female footballer of her time, Mia Hamm was a household name to even non-sports fans due to her success with the U.S. national women’s team in the ‘90s to early ‘00s.

A football icon of the women’s game, Hamm held the record for most international goals scored – by a woman or man – until 2013 and remains in third place behind former team-mate Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair.

She is frequently quoted as a huge influence and inspiration for both professional and amateur players alike, inspiring young girls to take up the sport – perpetuating the idea that representation, in all industries, is vital. You can't be who you can't see.

GettyMarta

When you’re rattling off the likes of Pele, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as your GOATs, Marta deserves a mention in the same breath. She has scored more World Cup goals than any man or woman alive (17) and was christened “Pele in skirts" by Pele himself.

Minutes after her Brazil side were eliminated by France in the 2019 World Cup, she gave an impassioned speech that implored young Brazil girls to take up the sport.

“Women's football depends on you to survive," said the 33-year-old, with tears in her eyes. "Think about it, value it more. It's about wanting more, it's about training more, it's about looking after yourself more, it's about being ready to play 90 minutes and then 30 minutes more.

"So that's why I am asking the girls. There's not going to be a Formiga forever, there's not going to be a Marta forever, there's not going to be a Cristiane. We are trying to represent women and show how women can play any type of role.”

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WarnerJess and Jules from Bend it Like Beckham

Ask a sports-mad woman of a certain age and they'll probably tell you that Bend it Like Beckham had some sort of influence on them.

Teenage girls are extremely impressionable, and if you were a teenage girl watching Gurinder Chadha’s 2002 classic about two women as they try to make it as footballers against the backdrop of the patriarchal industry, you were bound to be a little bit inspired to take up the sport, too.

Bend it Like Beckham follows Jess Bhamra as she dreams of playing football professionally, though hindered by her traditional Indian parents and the gendered social norms surrounding women playing football.

Jess’ plight as a character – more specifically, that of a brown girl – was particularly enlightening. The film, which navigates the struggles of a second-generation woman living in the UK, explores not just gender discrimination, but issues of race, social class and differing cultures in a predominantly white male environment.