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تم الكشف بشكل رسمي اليوم الخميس، عن التميمة الخاصة ببطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل، والتي سوف تقام في كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم في الفترة بين شهري يونيو ويوليو في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك، بينما ستقام قرعة البطولة خلال شهر ديسمبر المقبل.

وكان كأس العالم الأخير قد لعب خلال عام 2022 في قطر، حيث توج به منتخب الأرجنتين للمرة الثالثة في تاريخه، عقب الفوز على فرنسا بركلات الترجيح في المباراة النهائية.

ويقام كأس العالم العام المقبل بنظام جديد تمامًا، حيث يشارك 48 منتخبًا لأول مرة في تاريخ المسابقة الأكبر في كرة القدم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: تغيير جديد قد يحدث على نظام كأس العالم

وأشار الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم ”فيفا” اليوم الخميس، أن هناك ثلاث تمائم لبطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل.

وتعتبر هذه الثلاث تمائم هي الجغور ”Zayo” باللون الأخضر، والذي يرمز إلى المكسيك، والنسر الأمريكي ”Clutch” باللون الأزرق والأبيض، والذي يرمز إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، ومابل ”Maple” باللون الأحمر، والذي يرمز إلى كندا.

ويرمز الجغور ”Zayo” إلى المهاجم الصريح والذي يعكس كرة القدم الهجومية التي يقدمها منتخب المكسيك عبر تاريخه وهو رمز ارتبط أيضًا بالقوة والشجاعة، أما إسم كلاتش ”Clucth” فيرمز إلى حارس المرمى الأمريكي وهو النسر الأصلع الذي يمثل شعب الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، وأخيرًا مابل ”Maple” بالقميص رقم عشرة والذي يمثل الشعب الكندي.

وقال رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، جياني إنفانتينو، تعليقًا على تميمة كأس العالم في تصريحات نقلتها “نيويورك تايمز”: “مابل وزايو وكلاتش مفعمون بالبهجة والطاقة وروح التآخي تمامًا كما هو الحال في كأس العالم لكرة القدم نفسها، أستطيع أن أتخيلهم بالفعل على قمصان الأطفال وهم يصافحون أساطير كرة القدم وفي سابقة أخرى في هذه البطولة، يشاركون في ألعاب الفيديو التي يلعبها الملايين حول العالم”.

Leeds United officially completed their third signing of the summer transfer window on Tuesday when they unveiled Sebastiaan Bornauw as their new centre-back.

The Belgian giant has joined on a four-year contract on a permanent deal from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, following the arrivals of Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha.

Bornauw played 15 times for Wolfsburg in the German top-flight last season and will provide competition to the likes of Bijol, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, and Pascal Struijk in the centre-back positions.

This means that Leeds have now brought in two new central defenders and one centre-forward, in Nmecha, but they are yet to add to Daniel Farke’s options in the middle of the park.

One central midfielder who will not be signing for the Championship champions, though, is Senegal international Habib Diarra, who has signed for Premier League rivals Sunderland.

Leeds reportedly made a bid of around £22m to sign the star from Strasbourg last month, but the Black Cats have now snapped him up for a club-record fee of £30m.

What Habib Diarra could have brought to Leeds

The 21-year-old midfielder could have been an interesting signing for the Whites as a young midfield talent who has shown promise in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg.

Diarra could have provided a decent threat at the top end of the pitch from a central midfield position after a return of four goals and five assists in 30 appearances in the French top-flight last season.

However, he is far from the finished article at the age of 21 and still has a lot to learn, as his defensive work in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg left quite a bit to be desired.

Whilst his contributions at the top end of the pitch were notable for such a young player in a major European league, Diarra’s all-round play in midfield was not at a particularly high level.

Progressive passes

4.44

Bottom 41%

Progressive carries

2.33

Top 27%

Successful take-ons

0.50

Bottom 29%

Tackles made

0.84

Bottom 4%

Interceptions

0.50

Bottom 15%

Blocks

0.84

Bottom 21%

As you can see in the table above, the Senegal international ranked within the bottom half of midfielders in Ligue 1 in a host of defensive metrics, as well as in-possession attributes.

So, whilst he may be a promising young player with the potential to improve, Diarra may not have been an instant star for Leeds in the Premier League because of his lack of defensive nous and physicality in the middle of the park.

Because of this, it may be a good thing that the Whites missed out on a deal for the £30m-rated midfielder, amid reported interest from the club in another midfield target who would be a better signing.

Leeds eyeing Championship midfielder

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Southampton central midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.

The report claims that the Saints, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are preparing to lose several key first-team stars in the coming weeks, and the Portuguese ace is one of them.

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It states that former Sporting prospect is expected to be snapped up by another club before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September, and that Leeds and Crystal Palace are both lining up moves to sign him.

Previous reports have claimed that the Championship side are looking for a fee of around £30m for the midfield star, but it remains to be seen if that has changed.

It is now down to Leeds to fight hard to win the race with Palace for his signature in the coming weeks, to ensure that they do not lose out to another Premier League rival like they did with Diarra.

Why Leeds should sign Mateus Fernandes

The Whites should be pushing to sign Fernandes from Southampton because he would arrive at Elland Road as an even better signing than Diarra would have been.

At the age of 20, the Portuguese talent is even younger than the Senegalese ace and, therefore, has a similar potential to grow and develop over the years to come, which would make him an ideal long-term signing.

However, Fernandes has the quality to make an even bigger impact than Diarra in the short-term, based on his performances for the Saints last season.

Despite Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, the 20-year-old starlet caught the eye with some impressive displays in the middle of the park, scoring two goals and providing four assists.

The £30m-rated star, who also scored against Cardiff in the League Cup, offered more to his team than just goal contributions, though, as he is an all-action and dynamic midfielder.

Appearances

36

30

Goals

2

4

Assists

4

5

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

0.4

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

1.1

Blocks per game

0.6

0.2

Ground duel success rate

53%

49%

Aerial duel success rate

63%

43%

As you can see in the table above, the Southampton ace has far more to his game than Diarra does as a central midfield option, due to his defensive and offensive qualities.

Fernandes, who was once hailed for his “exceptional” passing quality by analyst Ben Mattinson, may not have produced as many goals and assists as the former Strasbourg star, but he offered significantly more to his team defensively.

As aforementioned, Diarra may have been a liability defensively for Leeds due to his lack of physicality in Ligue 1, but that would not be the case for the Saints midfielder, who has been there and done it in the Premier League.

Fernandes has shown that he can handle the physicality of English football, to be a standout in a poor Southampton team, and that means that the Leeds target could hit the ground running at Elland Road if they sign him, which may not have been the case for Diarra due to his lack of experience in England.

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Therefore, Leeds should swoop to sign the relegated midfielder after missing out on Diarra because he has the qualities, potential, and experience to be an even better signing than the club-record Sunderland ace.

Still on the hunt for incomings even with Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on the way, Manchester United are now reportedly battling against clubs in the Saudi Pro League to sign a midfield ace.

Mbeumo waiting to undergo Man Utd medical

After going back and forth in negotiations with Brentford, it looks as though Manchester United have finally taken a step closer to signing Mbeumo this summer. The Red Devils are now reportedly finalising any add-ons in an offer that will exceed the £60m mark, while Mbeumo is now waiting for approval to undergo a medical at the club.

The forward is on course to become United’s second arrival of the window, but he’s unlikely to be the last. If recent reports are anything to go by then INEOS are still on the hunt for a goalkeeper and a striker this summer.

The big question on that front has been just who will arrive to fill that quota. The likes of Emiliano Martinez have been among the headlines on the goalkeeper front, but whether Aston Villa sell one of their star men to a rival even in the face of PSR troubles remains to be seen.

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Meanwhile, when it comes to strikers, it did look as though Ruben Amorim could get a shock reunion with Viktor Gyokeres. United were certainly in the race, reportedly making the Swede their No.1 target, but ultimately he set his sights on Arsenal with negotiations still ongoing.

That may not be the last time that the Red Devils interact with his representatives, however. Reports are now suggesting that another one of their clients are on United’s radar this summer.

Man Utd now battling to sign Ndidi

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Manchester United are now battling to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer. The experienced midfielder is attracting plenty of interest following the Foxes’ relegation, including from the Saudi Pro League, and is now free to leave the King Power Stadium if his £9m release clause is triggered this summer.

Represented by the same agent as Gyokeres, United shouldn’t find it too complicated to open discussions for a midfielder who could provide Amorim with a bargain solution to his Casemiro problem.

Starts

28

18

Progressive Carries

0.70

0.24

Interceptions

1.20

0.84

Ball Recoveries

4.92

6.20

While Ndidi’s arrival wouldn’t steal the same headlines as Cunha or Mbeumo, it would have importance in its own right. Carrying the ball at a far better standard while proving more effective off the ball, Ndidi is more athletic than the ageing Casemiro and could crucially offer the quality in depth that Amorim requires.

Earning around £75,000-a-week at Leicester, Ndidi wouldn’t exactly disrupt United’s wage bill either. That, alongside his £9m release clause, makes him a viable option for INEOS and the Red Devils in the coming months.

With Emiliano Martinez seemingly bidding a tearful farewell to Villa Park last week, Aston Villa have reportedly been given the green light to sign a Premier League-winning shot-stopper.

Aston Villa's goalkeeper search continues

All signs are pointing towards the end for Aston Villa and Martinez after he was pictured saying an emotional goodbye to the home fans following victory over Tottenham Hotspur last time out. Unai Emery also failed to rule out an exit for the goalkeeper to only add to the belief that the Argentine will be playing his football elsewhere next season.

The Villa boss told reporters: “We will see. Of course, it is the last match here [this season], and I don’t know. We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field.”

Ever since that potential goodbye, the rumours have been circling. Both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have already been linked with moves for Martinez, whilst Villa themselves have set their sights on replacing their No.1.

Names such as Lucas Chevalier have already been mentioned in what would certainly be an excellent move for both the LOSC Lille star and those at Villa Park. One of the most promising young goalkeepers around, the big question will be whether the Villans can win the race for his signature.

Meanwhile, Espanyol’s Joan Garcia is also a name that has been in the headlines as of late. The talented goalkeeper, like Chevalier, has been fantastic this season and is one of only a few options who could seamlessly replace Martinez in the Midlands.

Amid competition for both of those players, however, Villa may yet turn to an option far closer to home amid reports that they’ve been handed a major boost in pursuit of a Premier League-winning goalkeeper ahead of the summer window.

Aston Villa receive green light to sign Kelleher

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa have now been given the green light to sign Caoimhin Kelleher by his current club, Liverpool. The Reds have Giorgi Mamardashvili on his way and already have Alisson Becker to call on, meaning that the door has swung open for Kelleher to depart.

Already thought to be high on Villa’s list of targets, the Irishman will leave Merseyside somewhat of a cult hero, having often stepped up in place of Alisson amid his injury issues, and particularly starred whenever given the opportunity to feature in a number of Wembley finals.

However, he is now ready to become an undisputed No 1, with the latest claims suggesting that Liverpool “will accept the right offer” for Kelleher should one come forward.

Starts

10

36

Saves per 90

2.40

2.60

Save percentage

67.6%

67.9%

Clean sheets

4

8

When compared, it’s clear that the Liverpool man would not be a significant downgrade on Martinez. In fact, at 26 years old, there’s an argument to be made that Kelleher could yet become better than the Argentine shot-stopper if he pushes on from here in the coming years.

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Dubbed “fantastic” by Premier League legend David Seaman following last season’s Carabao Cup final display, Kelleher has been ready to take hold of the opportunity that Aston Villa may hand him for some time.

Tottenham Hotspur are now keen on signing an “amazing” defender, who is likely to be tempted by a move away from his current club in the summer, according to Graeme Bailey.

Tottenham eyeing defender amid Romero uncertainty

Tottenham have fallen way short of expectations in the Premier League this season, with Ange Postecoglou’s side on course for a 17th-place finish, so it is little wonder that one of their key players has little interest in sticking around beyond the summer.

Back in April, it was revealed that Cristian Romero is now pushing to leave Spurs, with Daniel Levy cancelling talks over a new contract, which means the chairman could be tasked with bringing in a replacement at the end of the season.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is among the more ambitious targets, with the Lilywhites recently being linked with a £50m swoop for the Spaniard, who is also wanted by Real Madrid, while they remain keen on signing Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi after making a £70m bid in January.

Huijsen and Guehi have established themselves among the Premier League’s best defenders with their performances this season, but there have also been suggestions that Spurs could make a move for more of an unproven quantity.

According to Bailey, in a report for EFL Analysis, Tottenham are now keen on signing Sutton United defender Jack Taylor, having conducted checks on the 20-year-old this season, alongside a whole host of other clubs.

Teams from across the EFL pyramid are interested in signing Taylor, including Bristol City, Millwall and Portsmouth, with West Ham United and Brentford likely to be the main rival suitors from within the Premier League.

The centre-back is set to enter the final year of his contract, and he is expected to be tempted by a move elsewhere this summer, despite Sutton’s eagerness to tie him down to a new deal.

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ByDominic Lund May 11, 2025 "Amazing" Taylor impressing at Sutton

Given that the defender played in the fifth tier in the 2024-25 campaign, he is unlikely to be capable of making the step-up to the Premier League in the near future, but there are some signs he could be a solid long-term addition to the squad.

Sutton manager Steve Morison expressed his disappointment when the youngster suffered a season-ending injury back in March, saying: “That’s probably his season done. We’re at the backend of the season now so anything over a couple of weeks; you’re not going to get them back, but he’s pulled his groin and it’s gutting because he’s been amazing.”

That said, Tottenham should also look to bring in a ready-made replacement for Romero alongside Taylor, given his inexperience, and there are a number of potential options on the shortlist.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Dean Huijsen

AFC Bournemouth

£50m

Marc Guehi

Crystal Palace

£60m

Eric Garcia

Barcelona

£17m

Isak Hien

Atalanta

£26m

Piero Hincapie

Bayer Leverkusen

£60m

Manchester United are preparing a bid to sign a Paris Saint-Germain star who is statistically similar to Bruno Fernandes.

Onana errors cost Man Utd against Lyon

Ruben Amorim’s side failed to return from their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon with an advantage after being held to a 2-2 draw in France.

It was another game to forget for goalkeeper Andre Onana, who made two errors, the last of which came in stoppage time to allow Rayan Cherki to equalise.

The build-up to the game was overshadowed by Nemanja Matic’s comments on Onana, with the Red Devils ‘keeper hitting back at the former United midfielder.

Onana’s days at Old Trafford could be numbered, with a new shot-stopper on the radar in Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen.

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1

By
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Apr 11, 2025

Contact has been made over a move to sign the Dutchman to replace Onana, and by the looks of things, INEOS are looking to make a marquee signing further up the pitch.

Man Utd prepare bid for £250m+ PSG star Doue

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd are preparing a bid to sign PSG star Desire Doue. The Red Devils have ‘strongly reactivated its interest’ in the 19-year-old, who those at Old Trafford see ‘as a figure capable of making a difference’.

Doue, who PSG value at up to €300m (£261m), scored a brilliant goal against Aston Villa in the Champions League recently. The report adds that United see Doue as a top-level target, however, PSG aren’t looking to sell the teenager who’s been likened to Neymar and idolises the Brazil legend.

Interestingly though, as per FBRef, over the last 12 months Doue also compares stylistically to United skipper Fernandes, and has ranked in the top 1% for take-ons and assists when compared to other attacking midfielders.

Wingers and midfielders Doue has been compared to	Club
Bruno Fernandes	Man Utd
Bukayo Saka	Arsenal
Rodrygo	Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz	Bayer Leverkusen
Phil Foden	Man City

Luis Enrique has also praised Doue, who can turn out on the wing or as an attacking midfielder, saying: “I remember you criticised him. Today it’s praise, but one day the criticism will return because the elite level means you have to accept that when you’re not at your best. Doue needed months to adapt. Succeeding at PSG as a Frenchman is tougher.

“At Rennes, we saw his technical ability, physicality, and personality. Now, he’s reaping the rewards of his hard work. There’s still plenty to do, but he’s at the right place and club to grow and play high-stakes matches. The Champions League level, as I tell the players, is like international duty – you’re up against the best players and coaches.”

A move to Manchester could well be one to keep an eye on, but with a staggering asking price, INEOS will need to break the bank to bring Doue to England.

They left Maheesh Theekshana out against Bangladesh, as rapid, round-arm and two-arm bowlers unsettled the opposition

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Sep-20252:42

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If you doubt things have shifted for Sri Lanka, please consider that before they had stepped on to the field in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on Saturday, they had decided to leave out their mystery spinner.For Sri Lanka men’s earliest T20I teams, mystery spinners were vital. Muthiah Muralidaran had the killer doosra, Ajantha Mendis had batting orders wrapped around his fingers, Akila Dananjaya was picked from obscurity at age 18 for a World Cup campaign, Sachithra Senanayake, Tharindu Kaushal… you get the picture. Even Rangana Herath had a carrom ball.So central was mystery spin to strategy that Sri Lanka’s captains would even occasionally hide mystery spinners during group matches to keep their secrets shrouded till the knockouts.Related

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But it’s 2025. Times have changed. Horizons have broadened. Sri Lanka have rapid bowlers. They have round-arm bowlers. They have two-arm bowlers. Against Bangladesh, they turned up, totted up their options, and decided the mystery spin of Maheesh Theekshana was surplus to requirement. They fielded three frontline fast bowlers. This was in Asia, on a track that always looked like it would take turn.It is an interesting trio of quicks. Two of them bowl roundarm. Two bowl fast. Two are good in the powerplay (each of those descriptions fits a different pair). For the team management, it’s also likely that different calculations recommended each of these bowlers. Dushmantha Chameera, the most senior fast bowler in the squad, had the form coming into this match – plus the experience. Nuwan Thushara had been expensive in the last game he had been picked for, but the man had 12 wickets in five matches against Bangladesh – plus an economy rate of 6.57. These are not numbers worth ignoring. Matheesha Pathirana had much worse numbers against Bangladesh in T20Is – and an economy of 10.09 in three matches – but perhaps there was a hunch that roundarm bowlers rattle this particular opposition.It would turn out that Pathirana would bowl a wild final over, and finish with bad figures. But it didn’t matter, because even without him, Sri Lanka’s seamers had still set this game up in the first two overs. Thushara bowled an airtight first over, looking for that swing into left-hand batter Tanzid Hasan, before zooming through the gate with one that straightened off the last ball. Chameera was even better following up from the other end, finding pace and pitch-perfect lengths in the channel before nicking Parvez Hossain Emon off.Sri Lanka wrecked Bangladesh to 0 for 2 in two overs•Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty ImagesThushara and Chameera had each bowled a wicket maiden, and Bangladesh were 0 for 2. Rarely are T20 matches decided in the first two overs, but by this stage, Bangladesh had used up 10% of their overs, lost 20% of their wickets, and wasted a third of their powerplay for zero runs – a situation they had never been in before. Batting teams also don’t tend to spring out of holes like that.Worse, Thushara’s next over brought only four runs, and Chameera’s next just three, all of which meant batters were taking risks they otherwise might not have. In the middle of the fifth over, Towhid Hridoy was caught short by a direct hit from Kamil Mishara from the deep, as he attempted a dodgy third run. From 11 for 3 after 4.3 overs on a decent track, a competitive score tends to require minor miracles.Spin, meanwhile, was entirely ineffective for Sri Lanka. I’m joking, of course – Wanindu Hasaranga came in to spin googlies into pads, dust off some celebrappeals, and take two wickets, which was more than any of the quicks. This being a Sri Lanka match at an Asia Cup, familiar decorum must be maintained. And yet it was Thushara and Chameera’s identical figures – four overs, one maiden, 14 runs, for one wicket – that both broke the game open for Sri Lanka, and depressed Bangladesh’s final score most.There are signs now that following a 10-year lurch, Sri Lanka might be entering a period of stability. There are several reasons for this, two of which are the domestic structure having improved significantly since the introduction of the National Super League, and consistency from the selectors headed over the past two years.Wanindu Hasaranga took two wickets against Bangladesh•Asian Cricket CouncilOn the fast-bowling front, what this has meant is that quicks aren’t rushed from T20s to Tests to ODIs the moment they begin to prosper at the international level, and Sri Lanka have been able to develop a pace battery for each format. Thushara and Pathirana only really play T20s, for instance. Dilshan Madushanka is solely an ODI bowler for now. Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara are Test specialists.The coaching staff also seem to have had an effect. Chameera has always had a decent yorker, but he is currently deploying them more consistently than he ever has in the death overs. On Saturday, he bowled the 20th over against two set batters, and conceded only eight runs.The era of the mystery spinner was Sri Lanka’s greatest in white-ball cricket. Those teams made five global finals between 2007 and 2014, winning one. But sometimes the past needs letting go. This team could still play mystery spinner Theekshana through the course of this tournament. But they have built up options.

He almost took the Chinnaswamy pitch out of the equation, forming a potent partnership with Vidwath Kaverappa

Himanshu Agrawal07-Jul-2023The 35th over of North Zone’s second innings of the Duleep Trophy semi-final began with a change in plan from South Zone: after continuing to pitch the ball up for a while under overcast skies to try and find movement and wickets, South switched to the short-ball strategy.Prabhsimran Singh and Ankit Kumar, who had got together at a tricky 61 for 3 after North had only squeezed out a three-run first-innings lead, were starting to steady the innings. Their partnership soon crossed fifty and they looked good for even more, thanks to the new-found nimbleness of Prabhsimran, who, until then, had struck eight of his 11 boundaries on the third morning itself.With a short leg, straightish fine leg, deepish fine leg and deep square leg in place, Prabhsimran swatted at a short ball from around the wicket from Vyshak Vijaykumar. Vyshak continued with the plan in the 37th over – the fourth delivery of the over was pulled by Prabhsimran between midwicket and mid-on. However, Vyshak had the last laugh when Prabhsimran found deep square leg with another attempted pull.Related

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That wicket started a collapse as North lost 7 for 65 to fold for 211. That wicket fell in the second over of Vyshak’s third spell in the second innings. After his third spell, his figures read 9-0-54-2, and that trigger helped him end the day with 15-0-76-5.While that final economy rate was still on the higher side, Vyshak showed the willingness to hit back before the game slipped out of South’s grasp. He looked confident after every short ball he banged, almost taking the slowness of the pitch out of the equation. Prabhsimran had slammed two fours off the short balls, and the boundaries at the Chinnaswamy Stadium were short too, but Vyshak tirelessly dug the ball into the pitch.”I thought that [in] the second innings, the wicket was a little flatter. So I had to pull my lengths back,” Vyshak said after the third day’s play. “Prabhsimran was batting really well, so the plan was to get him to pull, and it worked. I got my rhythm back.”Vyshak continued to stay on the shorter side, and took three more wickets with that length. On the fourth ball of the 46th over, Jayant Yadav got an inside edge on to the stumps as he looked to block a good-length ball angling in from outside off. Two balls later, Pulkit Narang was cramped by a short ball that came into him and ended up slashing to slip.He got his fifth wicket with another one which rose sharply, this time at the left-handed Nishant Sindhu, who ended up gloving a pull behind to the wicketkeeper. It invited an animated celebration from Vyshak, whose roar reverberated around the quiet and empty Chinnaswamy.Since Vyshak’s first-class debut for Karnataka in February 2022, only Krishnappa Gowtham has taken more wickets for the side. While Vyshak has 38 wickets in the period, Gowtham has 48. However, Gowtham (506 overs) has had the benefit of bowling more overs than Vyshak (291) during the time.South also had Vyshak’s new-ball partner Vidwath Kaverappa to thank for helping restrict North. Kaverappa had extracted two of the three wickets on the second evening, and Vyshak spoke of their rapport, which has brought success for Karnataka too.Since June 2022, when Kaverappa made his first-class debut, the pair has combined to pick up 78 wickets at 19.77 in games where they have played together. That is the second-best among all bowling pairs in the format in India, among those to have taken a minimum of 75 combined wickets at an average of less than 20. That includes combined figures of 59.3-11-177-13 in this match, where Kaverappa grabbed 5 for 28 in the first innings. So what makes them click?”He was telling me what we can do. I was trying to bowl quick, and he said that if you try to backspin, you will get bounce from this wicket,” Vyshak said. “The partnership is working out well. We exchange thoughts, and our understanding is good.”Set 215 to enter the final, South are now 194 away from victory ahead of the final day’s play. Much of that credit goes to Vyshak and Kaverappa. There is promise, and with that, the prospect of shining again in the upcoming Ranji Trophy.

Cathartic moment for player who thought his chance for an England century had gone

George Dobell13-Jul-2021Poor Italy. They’ll never know the joy of winning the Royal London trophy.Okay, so this won’t make up for Sunday. Not in the eyes of most English sports fans, anyway. But, given the circumstances, this has been a deeply impressive performance by an England team that was thrown together at the last minute.Let us not forget: this was effectively an England third XI. They had one training session ahead of this series and they were playing a side which could have risen to second in the World Cup Super League table had they won.And they left their most impressive performance until last. In previous games, England had effectively blown Pakistan’s batting away with a bit of seam movement. But here, having conceded the largest total by an England team in an ODI at this ground, they were forced to demonstrate their temperament as much as their talent. That they were able to pull off a record run-chase in an ODI at Edgbaston – it actually broke the previous record by more than 50 runs – while sustaining a record which leaves them undefeated here in this format since 2016.If you were looking for a symbol for this side, you could do much worse than James Vince. A week ago, he could have been forgiven for thinking his England career was over. But in a matter of days, he’s scored a long-awaited maiden international century and played a key part in a memorable series win in which he was his side’s top-scorer.This was Vince’s 50th international innings, after all. And his 44th international match. He’s 30 now. These chances don’t keep coming.He might have thought his international career was over several times before – at the end of 2016, for instance, when he had played all seven Tests of the home summer but never made more than 42 and averaged under 20. Or at the start of 2018, too, when he was dropped after a further seven Tests which edged that average up to 24.90. And, most of all, after the 2020 ODI series against Ireland when, after his stand-in role at the 2019 World Cup, he failed to pass 25 in three innings.Ben Stokes and his team pose with the series trophy after their 3-0 clean sweep•Getty ImagesYou can see why the selectors keep going back to him, though. So sweetly does he time the ball, so clearly does he have the time to play even the quickest bowling, that it’s hard not to be seduced by the sense of what he could achieve, not what he has so far. He’s the ex with the winning smile.”This time last week I didn’t expect [to be in the squad] at all,” Vince admitted afterwards. “It wasn’t that I had given up [on playing for England]. But I did have a bit of a shift in mindset. I’d had a realisation I wasn’t going to be in the squad and that I wasn’t high up in the pecking order.”I know the opinions people have on my career: that I get starts but don’t go on and make big contributions. And opinions are like that because it’s been the case. This innings is a bit overdue.But hopefully this will give me more confidence. And other people as well. Hopefully some other people in the dressing room will know that I’m capable of doing it now.”While keen not to make excuses, Vince did make the point that many of his white-ball experiences had come as a replacement. As a result, he was generally on borrowed time, knowing he had one or two opportunities to impress. It probably hasn’t helped.”My opportunities have been quite spread out over four or five years,” he said. “I’ve usually been filling in for Alex Hales or Jason Roy. That white-ball team has done so well. I’ve always been on the fringes and playing here and there. Coming into this series and playing three in a row was quite nice.”He is realistic about the future, though. He knows that, with Jos Buttler and Joe Root, among others, to return, the competition for places remains intense. He will be aware of the example of Michael Lumb, who played only one ODI series, made a century in it and was never selected again.Related

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“I don’t know when the next opportunity will be or if there will be another one,” he said. “It’s one innings in white-ball cricket. Hopefully it keeps me on the radar. But I’m not going to get my hopes up. I’ve proved something to myself and hopefully others. But I’m realistic. I know how well the squad have done.”He’s not alone there, either. Despite this success, it’s perfectly possible a few of this squad might not play a lot more international cricket. So John Simpson’s brilliant anticipatory catch at Lord’s, Phil Salt’s bludgeoning half-century in the same match or even Lewis Gregory’s all-round excellence throughout the series could prove cherished memories of brief moments on the biggest stage. For Vince, too, it’s clear that this experience – in front of a celebratory Edgbaston – was very special.”I’ll never forget today,” he said. “It was, without doubt, one of the best days I’ve had.”To be able to score a hundred for my country was one of my dreams growing up. I didn’t know if this moment was ever going to come. It’s very special for me.”The crowd was awesome and to make a contribution to us winning… I don’t normally show too much emotion, but that moment was pretty special.”He was, quite rightly, generous in praise of his colleagues. While Salt may be something of a slugger, he is a selfless one. And his commitment to the cause had ensured England were well ahead of the required run-rate. As a result, Vince had time to play “the ball on its merits” as he put it.Gregory, too, played a vital role. While few would pretend he is a cricketer with the ability of Ben Stokes, here he actually provided a lesson in calm game management to the England captain. Just as at Lord’s, where he lost his off stump attempting an unnecessarily aggressive shot, this was a Stokes innings that suggested he felt he needed to stamp his authority on the chase and the team. He had been dropped twice before he fell.But Gregory, an experienced player in his own right, played it beautifully. Happy to provide a supporting role for Vince, he ran hard and put away the poor ball with style. In a different playing age, he is the sort of cricketer who might have played all formats of the game for England.It’s true, Vince wasn’t quite able to see England home. Indeed, with 38 required from just over seven overs, his dismissal threw the game back in the balance. But Vince wouldn’t be Vince if he didn’t leave you hungry for just that little bit more, would he?

Daniel Farke is battling to keep his job at Leeds United and a fresh update has now dropped regarding his future at Elland Road.

The Whites now sit 18th in the Premier League table, having lost five of their last six games in the competition, heaping the pressure on Farke with Leeds already linked with new managers such as Brendan Rodgers.

Former scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that 49ers Enterprises were even looking to make a change during the summer.

He wants to join: Leeds choose number one manager candidate as Farke nears sack

The Whites have a Premier League-experienced boss ready to come in at the expense of Farke.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025

Opinion is split amongst Leeds fans about Farke’s future and what the next steps should be, with Adam Pope providing insight on the situation this week.

Pope makes new claim about Farke succession plan

Speaking on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast [via MOT Leeds News], Pope shared an update on Farke’s position at Leeds. While the BBC journalist stated the 49ers do not currently have someone “waiting in the wings”, he was then asked if they have someone they’re “looking at”, providing an intriguing response.

This now feels like a critical period for Farke, with Leeds’ results simply not good enough after some better ones earlier in the season, leading to them sliding into the relegation zone.

The German will know that improvements have to happen or 49ers will have to make a big decision, but unfortunately for him, next up is a trip to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, which is nearly as tough as it gets.

He's a lot like Bielsa: Leeds could sack Farke for "special" 4-2-3-1 manager

Leeds United could finally dismiss Daniel Farke and replace him with their next Marcelo Bielsa.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

An ugly scoreline at the Etihad would crank up the pressure to new heights, and it would be a surprise if the Whites weren’t eyeing up potential replacements for Farke, with Rodgers perhaps the most likely given his status as a free agent with top flight experience.

He wants to join: Leeds choose number one manager candidate as Farke nears sack