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Sir Alex Ferguson always had an eye for homegrown talent, building his Manchester United dynasty on the backs of British and Irish stars like Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane.

The legendary Scottish manager was well known for not always seeing eye to eye with even his greatest stars however, and was not afraid to dish out punishment to some of the biggest names in the game.

Gary Neville recalled a dispute after he swore at the 83 year-old during their time together at United: “He fined me a week’s wages, battered me after the match.

“Did it again the day after in his office. Then he proceeded to leave me out for the next two weeks, put me on the bench. He shouted something on to me [in the game] and I knew it. I spent the next 15 minutes of the match thinking, ‘I am done. I’m done.’”

Perhaps the most well-known case of ‘Fergie’ taking on one of his own players came in 2005, leading to Keane’s departure as Red Devils captain.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder had been in and out of the team since an injury sustained due to a poor tackle from Liverpool’s Luis Garcia, and had also taken issue with the quality of the team’s accommodation during a pre-season camp in Portugal.

And after an outburst criticising his teammates on MUTV as well as several rows with Ferguson and assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, Keane left Old Trafford by mutual consent in November 2005.

Ferguson: Gerrard was the best midfielder in the Premier League

Suddenly United had a gaping hole in a team that had dominated the Premier League for years, and Sir Alex has since revealed the only man capable of filling that void at the time was Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

It’s little surprise the Scot was so appreciative of Gerrard’s talents either. At a time when United were dominating their north-west counterparts domestically, Gerrard was the sole constant thorn in their side.

The Premier League has seen some of the best midfielders in the world throughout the years, leading to fierce debates as fans rank the likes of Keane, Gerrard, Vieira, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard.

20 Best Midfielders in Premier League History Ranked

Where does Man City icon Kevin De Bruyne rank?

By
Charlie Smith

May 8, 2025

Sir Alex wasn’t the only one full of praise for Liverpool’s skipper though, with the legendary Jose Mourinho once admitting he tried to sign him both with Internazionale and while he was in charge at Chelsea.

It’s truly difficult to comprehend how England’s ‘golden era’ was unable to succeed with the likes of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes leading the charge.

All the issues and implications surrounding a landmark county cricket deal

Matt Roller30-Sep-2024

Have Delhi Capitals bought Hampshire?
Not quite. Delhi Capitals are an equal-share joint venture between the sports arms of two Indian conglomerates: JSW Group and GMR Group. GMR bought the Delhi franchise – initially named Delhi Daredevils – ahead of the inaugural IPL season in 2008, and sold a 50% stake to JSW in 2018. GMR are the only relevant party in the Hampshire deal.So who are GMR, and why have they invested in cricket?
The group describe themselves as “a leading infrastructure developer” who own and manage projects in a number of different areas. They own and run six airports, including Delhi and Hyderabad. GMR says its sports division has the “social objective” of “promoting and nurturing potential talent at the grassroot level” in Delhi while the IPL has proved a lucrative investment: having paid US$84 million for the Delhi franchise in 2008, they sold a 50% stake in 2018 for US$66m.Do GMR own any other teams?
Yes. GMR are the owners of Dubai Capitals in the UAE’s ILT20, India Capitals in the Legend League Cricket (LLC), and have a stake in Seattle Orcas (MLC). JSW, their IPL co-owners, run Pretoria Capitals in South Africa’s SA20, and the two companies also co-own Delhi Capitals Women in India’s WPL. GMR also own teams in the Indian sports kabaddi and kho-kho.And have they taken over at Hampshire?
Hampshire announced on Monday morning that GMR have acquired a majority stake – understood to be around 53% – in Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd, and will complete a full acquisition over the next two years. Rod Bransgrove (chair) and David Mann (chief executive) will retain their respective roles during that transition period.GMR have a 50% stake in Delhi Capitals in the IPL•BCCI

What does this mean for the Hundred?
The ECB started the process of selling stakes in the eight Hundred teams at the start of this month. The proposed model would see the ECB sell 49% stakes in each team to private investors, with 51% transferred to the host venue or county – in Southern Brave’s case, Hampshire.So will GMR become majority owners of Southern Brave by default?
No, not necessarily. The ECB’s sales process includes a mechanism which gives the ECB discretion over whether or not to transfer 51% stakes to hosts. They could opt to retain it if they feel that an investor is attempting to circumvent the wider sale process or buying a franchise via the back door. “The deal is not contingent on getting a Hundred franchise,” Bransgrove said.But in practice…?
The ECB have spoken to every IPL and WPL franchise about the prospect of investing in Hundred teams, and GMR appear highly likely to bid for the remaining 49% of Southern Brave as part of the sales process. If GMR’s bid is successful and is considered by the ECB to represent fair market value, Hampshire would then be transferred the other 51% and GMR would effectively become 100% owners of the Hundred franchise.What’s in it for Hampshire?
Most obviously, money. Hampshire said in their statement that the deal was “designed to strengthen the financial position” of their parent company, which also runs the on-site hotel and golf course at the Utilita Bowl. GMR will provide “a material injection of capital to reduce the leveraging” of the company – in other words, starting to pay off Hampshire’s £60 million debt.Bransgrove said GMR were chosen after a “thorough selection process” because of their “shared values and commitment to our vision”. The Utilita Bowl has been awarded its first men’s Ashes Test in 2027, and Bransgrove said investment was necessary to ensure Hampshire can stay “at the top table… in a leadership position”.What do the ECB make of it?
Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, welcomed GMR to English cricket in a statement. Gould said: “I am pleased to see their commitment to continuing to develop Hampshire’s cricket teams and pathways and enhance facilities at Utilita Bowl, and their respect for the traditions of the game in this country.” After recent criticism of the Hundred’s sale from Lalit Modi, Gould said that the deal “demonstrates the global interest” in investing in English cricket.Related

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Didn’t Hampshire do something like this before?
Yes. Hampshire were previously part of a short-lived tie-in with Rajasthan Royals in 2010, which saw them spend four years playing as Hampshire Royals as one of five ‘Royals2020’ teams around the world. The deal was quietly shelved amid a dispute between Rajasthan’s owners and the IPL which briefly saw the franchise expelled from the league.How long has this been planned?
Hampshire said that the principal terms and conditions of their agreement with GMR were “formally agreed upon by the parties a year ago” and Bransgrove clarified that talks started “the best part of two years ago”. The reported in January that the two parties were in advanced talks and in February, Bransgrove and Mann were GMR’s hospitality guests at the ILT20. Discussions have continued through the year, with GMR representatives attending England’s T20I against Australia at the Utilita Bowl earlier this month, and the deal has now been announced publicly.What’s KP got to do with it?
Kevin Pietersen played an informal role in helping to broker the deal as a “common link” between Bransgrove and GMR’s Kiran Kumar Grandhi. Pietersen represented both Hampshire and Delhi Daredevils (as they were then known) during his playing career, and described Monday as a “historic day” for English cricket.Will Hampshire’s deal be the first of many in county cricket?
Maybe, although not imminently. Hampshire are one of only three counties – the others are Durham and Northamptonshire – who are private limited companies rather than member-run mutual ‘societies’, though Yorkshire’s chair Colin Graves is attempting to demutualise the club to open up the possibility of private funding.The majority of counties are heavily reliant on central ECB funding for income and may consider private investment an attractive alternative. “I’m absolutely certain that we will not be the last to go down this route,” Bransgrove said.

اتخذ مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب، قرارا مفاجئا بشأن مشاركة الفريق في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية لليد في المغرب، وكذلك بطولة كأس الكؤوس الأفريقية المؤهلة للسوبر الأفريقي.

وكانت قرعة بطولة إفريقيا للأندية قد أسفرت عن تواجد الفريق الأول لكرة اليد بنادي الزمالك، على رأس المجموعة الثالثة بجوار فرق: “منتدى المغربي، والصداقة الكاميروني، وكريكوس الأثيوبي”.

طالع.. مواعيد مباريات الزمالك في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية لكرة اليد

وعلم بطولات من مصادره أن فريق الزمالك قرر الاكتفاء بالمشاركة في بطولة كأس الكؤوس الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى بطولة السوبر الإفريقي. 

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة اليد أعلن في وقت سابق عن جدول مباريات بطولة أفريقيا للأندية لكرة اليد، والتي ستقام في المغرب خلال الفترة من 10 إلى 19 أكتوبر المقبل.

على جانب آخر، يقع فريق الأهلي على رأس المجموعة الأولى بجوار أندية، النجم الكونغولي، ميكيلي الإثيوبي، سي إف جي الكونغولي.

ومن المتوقع أن تشهد المجموعات منافسة شرسة بين جميع الفرق، حيث يسعى كل فريق لتحقيق الفوز في كل مباراة والتتويج باللقب الغالي.

An intrepid visitor to The Oval was among 1000 people helping trial the return of crowds to sporting events in the UK

Tawhid Qureshi27-Jul-2020Choice of game
A tumultuous few months, when the prospect of watching any kind of live sport seemed distant, gave way to hope and optimism as I happily passed through the Oval’s Alec Stewart Gate. I was there to watch perhaps the most significant friendly game of cricket ever played, ironically between traditional rivals, Surrey and Middlesex. I was one of the fortunate 1000 Surrey members who had patiently dialled and then several more times redialled the ticket office, to be rewarded with a ticket for the first spectator-attended sports event in England for four months. The match in essence was a glorified practice session for both sides, but the occasion itself was of far more importance, a government-endorsed test of how cricket could function as a spectator sport, against the backdrop of Covid-19.Although the surroundings of The Oval were comfortingly familiar, Surrey had clearly gone to huge lengths to make sure that the venue fully complied with new Covid-19 guidelines. The detailed four-page spectator guide emailed in advance was a taste of what to expect, including rather comical instructions to avoid hugs and to take care when celebrating. Hand sanitiser was placed at the entrance and throughout the periphery of the ground, arrows clearly directed a one-way walking system and stewards politely asked that face coverings be used in the enclosed parts of the ground. These measures seemed very sensible and a minor inconvenience in order to experience the normality of hearing leather on willow.Key Performers
The lack of genuine intensity in the game was forgivable, particularly as both teams had agreed to bat for exactly one day regardless of the number of wickets lost, indeed Surrey continued to bat after losing 10 wickets and the unlucky Ryan Patel was out twice in the same innings. Pre-season friendlies are usually a good time to give debuts, and Middlesex’s tall 18-year-old Blake Cullen will certainly remember his first ball in senior cricket, as he claimed the wicket of Will Jacks, caught at slip. His second spell after lunch signalled how much of an exciting prospect he is, as he ran in hard from the pavilion end and picked up a second wicket.Jacks began his innings with dazzling strokeplay, fluently driving the ball towards the boundary, and he looked disappointed to be dismissed after reaching his half-century. Surrey have contributed several players to the current England set up, Jacks will be hoping the season ahead means that he’s next in line. Scott Borthwick shared the most significant partnership of the innings with Jacks and eventually top scored with 87, and some late order hitting from Jordan Clark was also eye-catching.Wow Moments
Allrounder Clark’s clean hit for six over midwicket against a tiring Middlesex attack illustrated his ability to score quickly and his importance as a multi-format cricketer. The other memorable moments of the day involved sharp catching from the Middlesex fielders, despite a long gap from playing the game, most of the fielding didn’t show any sign of rustiness. Captain Stephen Eskinazi and Nick Gubbins both made difficult catches look simple.One Thing I’d Change
The overall organisation of the event was superb, but perhaps so much attention had been placed on ensuring the new social distancing guidelines were followed that communicating the quirky playing conditions was almost forgotten. Basic information about the playing XI wasn’t easily obtained but in the grand scheme of things this was a very minor gripe.Back in business: Will Jack and Scott Borthwick got going out in the middle•Getty ImagesThe Crowd
The bulk of the 1000-strong crowd were seated in a few blocks of the newly named 1845 Stand – beneath the famous gas-holder – albeit with many gaps in between, the idea being to test crowd management and social distancing within a relatively confined space. This meant warm applause greeting each Surrey boundary and subsequent landmarks was satisfyingly amplified, even if the vast empty stands opposite made the ground look lop-sided. The crowd itself was always good natured, even a rain delay and darkened clouds were unable to dampen spirits and the sense of appreciation.One of the pleasures of watching first-class county cricket at The Oval is the chance to regularly change seats and take in different views of the middle, unallocated seating being the norm. Understandably on this occasion the PA system regularly reminded people to remain in their allocated seat. Another new experience took place in the morning; a crisply struck cover drive from Jacks sent the ball speeding towards the boundary rope and then deflecting into the stands; as a spectator went to fetch the ball from under his seat, those around him anxiously told him not to. Instead the ball was kicked towards the bottom of the stand and retrieved by a fielder. The issue of touching the ball, perhaps unhelpfully and confusingly highlighted by Boris Johnson, is another part of the new Covid-19 world that we must adjust to.Marks out of 10
A triumphant 10. The hard work that Surrey had put in behind the scenes meant that the day went as smoothly as possible. Once I was safely seated, it was easy to focus on the contest in the middle and engage in sorely missed conversations about who should open the batting – the value of such seemingly mundane chat now priceless. I can only hope the success of the day results in more cricket for spectators at The Oval and beyond, a safe environment for watching cricket is clearly achievable and hugely desired by countless supporters everywhere.
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We’ve picked 20 landmark moments from the first 1000 T20Is. Vote for your favourite

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2019From the very beginning, T20s at the international level have been a sporadic exercise, coming into focus during the World Cups played every few years. A number of memorable moments have come in those World T20s, with a few record-breaking feats coming in bilateral games. We’ve picked 20 landmark moments from the first 1000 T20Is. Which of these is your favourite?Is there any big one that pops up in your mind that we’ve missed? Let us know by tweeting us or mailing [email protected]

da supremo： The summer transfer window is fast approaching, and Liverpool are set to spend big as they prepare for Arne Slot’s second, Premier League title-defending season at the helm.

da dobrowin： Of course, the top-flight trophy isn’t yet wrapped up, but the Reds need just two wins from their remaining six fixtures to put things beyond Arsenal’s reach.

Sporting director Richard Hughes has wrapped up Mohamed Salah’s new contract; captain Virgil van Dijk’s fresh deal is soon to follow. Now, focus can be turned to the upcoming transfer window, with Liverpool expecting flurries of activity through the summer months.

While signing a centre-forward, left-back and central defender are the priorities for the Reds, Slot would be wise not to neglect his midfield.

Liverpool – Remaining Premier League Fixtures 24/25

Date

Venue

Opponent

20/04/25

King Power Stadium

Leicester City

27/04/25

Anfield

Tottenham Hotspur

04/05/25

Stamford Bridge

Chelsea

11/05/25

Anfield

Arsenal

18/05/25

AMEX Stadium

Brighton & Hove Albion

25/05/25

Anfield

Crystal Palace

Liverpool’s midfielders have been immense through the 2024/25 campaign, but they aren’t infallible. There’s been a lack of bite and physicality at times of late that suggests a new addition to the engine room could go down a treat.

Why Slot shouldn't neglect Liverpool's midfield

When Liverpool fell from grace under Jurgen Klopp in 2022/23, the German manager knew he needed to repackage his side’s long-serving midfield.

Jordan Henderson was a first-standard leader but was starting to look a weak link from a technical standpoint, while Fabinho’s legs had gone after so many years serving as a world-class anchor at the heart of one of the highest-octane squads on the globe.

Their replacements, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, have been immense this season (and last) as Liverpool’s mainstays in the middle, but there’s no denying Liverpool have lacked a combative sheen and that extra bit of dynamism at times recently, namely being overrun by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Newcastle United at Wembley.

Liverpool have won more duels than their opponents in just one of their past 11 matches across all competitions, denoting fatigue and a lack of sharpness that opponents are capitalising on.

Though packing quality across more needy areas will ultimately hold sway for Liverpool, there’s no question that a high-class midfielder would elevate an already immense team.

It’s something FSG are bearing in mind.

Liverpool lining up marquee midfielder

According to Italian outlet InterLive.it, Liverpool’s interested in signing Nicolo Barella this summer is said to be ‘serious’, with Inter Milan anticipating offers for their midfield linchpin after yet another standout campaign.

Now, Barella, 28 years old, is contracted to the San Siro until 2029 and thus Inter are in a commanding position regarding his future and have listed him at €100m (about £87m).

Liverpool’s interest is confirmed to be serious, however, and given the Serie A leaders are keen on Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa, a deal wouldn’t be out of question.

What Nicolo Barella would bring to Liverpool

Described as “the best Serie A midfielder of the 2020s” by journalist Zach Lowy, Barella has already won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles with Inter Milan, joining from Cagliari in 2019.

Having featured 277 times for I Nerazzurri, Barella has scored 25 goals and supplied 59 assists. He’s not the most prolific of midfielders, but then that’s not really his jurisdiction.

With Simone Inzaghi’s side battling it out with Napoli for the Italian title, Barella has been the architect of his team’s challenge, averaging 1.9 key passes, 4.7 successful duels and 5.2 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, illustrating his wide range of quality.

Of course, the Italian has also been immense in Inter’s quest for the Champions League trophy, with outlets stating that he delivered a career-defining performance at the Allianz Arena last week, taking a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich back to the San Siro.

Talent of this level suggests that Liverpool could be getting their mitts on one of the most gifted midfielders in many years, one who could stand out above the current Anfield crop.

He might even prove to be Liverpool’s best midfielder since Fabinho.

For the uninitiated, Fabinho was absolutely spellbinding in his role as Klopp’s number six, so cultured and commanding as he held together a hard-grafting midfield that worked around the clock to facilitate the attacking successes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Bobby Firmino.

Once hailed as “one of the best in the world” by Klopp, Fabinho truly was a core part of the most illustrious era in Liverpool’s modern history, joining from Monaco for roughly £40m in May 2018 and going on to play 219 times for the Reds before his legs finally failed him.

When in his pomp, the Brazilian was truly one of the most dominant forces out there, and now Barella could emulate him and become Liverpool’s new centrepiece, perhaps unlocking the next level in Slot’s existing options.

Tough-tackling, tenacious and iron-willed, Fabinho performed dutifully and blended his natural qualities with a sharpness of mind and quickness of reaction that differentiated him from his positional rivals.

The Italy international has the experience and the multi-skilled ability to be a real standout for Liverpool over the next several years, with his FBref data discussed above suggesting the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Pedri are among his most statistically similar players.

Such ball-playing specialists, maestros and conductors wrapped into one, would fit snugly into Slot’s system – just look at how Gravenberch has got on this term.

Barella, then, would fit right in. He’s a world-class player, dubbed a “genius” on the pitch by sports editor Mike Pielluci, and a trophy winner besides, and if Inter are willing to discuss deals containing the likes of Nunez and/or Chiesa, Liverpool might just sign their best midfielder since Fabinho.

Related Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid

Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Apr 14, 2025

Now is the time to marvel and wonder, to congratulate and celebrate. Thanks to Stokes, cricket in England seems relevant again

George Dobell in Leeds25-Aug-2019Of course Headingley was the scene of the miracle.Of course, on the ground where England’s last irrefutably great allrounder cemented his reputation, Ben Stokes enshrined his own legacy with a performance that will be spoken of for decades to come. A performance which those fortune enough to witness will never forget and for whom the scars of tinnitus – this really was a remarkably vocal crowd – will be considered a price worth paying. Maybe Brian Lara’s innings at Bridgetown in 1999, also against Australia, was its equal, but Stokes is in exalted company here.At the end, every security guard, every steward, every opponent and every supporter – Australian and English – was on their feet and offering thunderous applause. For this was a display that transcended patriotism, professionalism and partialism. A display that left those who thought they had seen it all with their jaws open and head shaking. A display that left the jaded and disappointed whistling as they skipped home.ALSO READ: One of the ‘top two moments I’ve ever had on a cricket field’ – StokesThere will be a time to reflect on England’s wretched first-innings batting. There will be a time to focus on their bowlers’ poor use of the conditions in the first innings, the dropped catches that allowed Australia to stretch their advantage beyond 300 in the second and, yes, there must be a time for reflecting on the standard of umpiring in international cricket. It isn’t good enough and it would be disingenuous to pretend England haven’t been the beneficiaries here and in the World Cup final. Still, Australia will reflect that, had they not squandered their final review moments earlier, Stokes would have been trapped leg-before with his side still two short.Now is not that time, though. Now is the time to marvel and wonder. To congratulate and celebrate. To shake our heads ruefully and count ourselves fortunate. So dramatic was the finish of this game that play was, apparently, halted at other venues so that everyone present – even the players and umpires – could watch and the result was announced during Tottenham Hotspur’s game against Newcastle. Cricket seems relevant again in England and it hasn’t for a long time. Stokes is a huge part of that resurgence of interest.Ben Stokes reverse-pulls a six over cover•Getty ImagesFirst, the science bit. This was England’s highest successful fourth-innings run chase, their highest 10th wicket partnership to win a game (it is just the second-highest in the history of all Test cricket) and the first time any side has won having failed to reach 70 in the first innings in 131 – yes, 131 – years. Oh, and it was also a second century in successive Tests for Stokes in a result that ensures the fight for the Ashes continues into the final two Tests.The most revealing moment in Stokes’ prestige – the word innings seems a bit insufficient for this bit of magic – was when he reached his century. He did not so much as twitch a smile. There was no raising of the bat or lifting of the arms. Instead he remained absolutely focused on his objective – the team’s objective – which was winning.”I didn’t really care,” he said later about reaching his century. “Personal milestones, especially in that sort of situation, mean absolutely nothing. There were still a lot more runs to get; I wasn’t bothered about how many I had.”This provides quite an insight into Stokes’ motivations. And it ties in with the manner in which he took responsibility in the field when England appeared to be falling apart on the third evening. For while his bowling figures in the second innings – 24.2-7-56-3 – look unremarkable, the bald statistics conceal the fact that it was bowled in one remorselessly hostile spell split only by the close on day two and four balls delivered by Jofra Archer before he left the field with an attack of cramp. It was, as his captain put it afterwards, “super human” and it undoubtedly kept his side in the game.”He’s the ultimate team man,” Root said. “On the third night, when things weren’t going for us and we got sloppy, he stood up. Jofra went off with cramp, but you couldn’t get the ball out of Ben’s hand. He wanted to do everything he could to keep us in that match and that’s what you want form your senior players. He bowled pretty much 20 overs on the bounce with a night in between. That’s an incredible achievement in itself.”Such testimony is worth remembering the next time you hear somebody tell you Stokes can’t be considered a great allrounder as he doesn’t average 40 with the bat or below 30 with the ball. You can’t judge everything with statistics and Stokes is a far from average cricketer. While others may protect their figures, he remains utterly committed to the result. And it is meant to be a team game, after all.Headingley rises as one to applaud Ben Stokes•Getty Images”Whatever the stage of the game, whether it’s with bat or ball, the team that I’m playing for is going to get everything from me,” Stokes said. “That spell was a time to stand up and deliver. I really enjoy being the person that Joe turns to when it isn’t going our way. I don’t want to do the easy things; I want to do the hard yards as well.”But if that lack of celebration was the most revealing moment, it was far from the most staggering. For that moment you can pick between the switch-hit six – it was more of a reverse-slog-sweep, really; Stokes did not swap his grip – off Nathan Lyon, a sweep for six off Josh Hazlewood; yes, Hazlewood, the man who had taken nine wickets and bowled with unrelenting menace, or the ramp off Pat Cummins that went for six more. Each one of them was staggeringly good.Don’t make the mistake of thinking this was one of those belligerent Stokes innings where he simply chanced his arm, though. It was a long time in development. After 73 balls, he had scored just three runs and his 50 occupied 152 balls. That is easily the slowest of his career.When the acceleration came, however, it was dramatic. By the end, he had struck eight sixes – beating Kevin Pietersen’s old record for England in Ashes cricket – with his second 50 taking just 47 balls. And while one or two – ok, three or four – of those sixes appeared to pass only just over the boundary fielders, you could almost believe that Stokes was toying with his prey like a cat might a mouse. He didn’t give an actual chance until he had 116.England had no chance when the last wicket-pair came together. Yes, Stokes was set, but there was too much to do, surely, and he had for company a man who is averaging 4.66 in the County Championship this season (an average artificially boosted by three not outs) who had to wipe his spectacles between every delivery. The groundstaff had gathered; the presentation party had assembled; the ICC even tweeted – if only for a moment – their congratulations to Australia on retaining the Ashes.Ben Stokes ramps a six over fine leg•Getty ImagesBut so well was Stokes striking the ball by this point that Jack Leach faced only 17 balls in their 62-ball stand. That over from Hazlewood – the one with the swept six – went for 19. As thunderously supported as the two sixes and a four, was the perfectly weighted two that Stokes guided to backward point and the single that followed it ensuring Leach had only one delivery to face. It was enough to see Hazlewood, who had just replaced James Pattinson, out of the attack. For perhaps the first time in the match, Australia looked out of options.And, under pressure, it was Australia who blinked. Marcus Harris dropped a tough chance off Stokes – a sliced edge – running in at third man when England still required 17 and then Lyon, inexplicably, fumbled and failed when he had a simple run-out chance (Leach having over enthusiastically backed up) with just two required.”I think Jack must have been watching Monty Panesar at Cardiff,” Stokes said with his face behind his hands as he recalled the moment. “I could not believe when I looked up and saw him so close to me. He said he thought I was coming down, but I said mate, ‘I was nowhere near running’. That was huge panic stations because he was so far out.”Stokes was sympathetic to Lyon, though. “Pressure situations can really affect what a human does,” he said. “Nine times out of ten Lyon would pick that ball up and take the stumps off. But you have to take into account the pressure he is under.”Such moments don’t seem to bother Stokes, though. Quite the opposite, really. He has done it in a World Cup final and a key Ashes Test now. Like the best before him – Shane Warne, MS Dhoni, Viv Richards – he appears to blossom in the heat of competition just as others wilt.England have a gem in Stokes and his brilliance has kept them in this Ashes series.

The offspinner is also confident the current Australia Test side can stay together until the next Ashes

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2024Nathan Lyon was impressed with how England’s inexperienced spinners acquitted themselves in India, even though the visitors lost 4-1 having won the opening Test, as he prepares to join forces with one of them, Tom Hartley, for a county season with Lancashire.In two of the five Tests England fielded Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed as a spin trio. Hartley played the whole series and finished with 22 wickets at 36.13 after stunning with 7 for 62 on debut in Hyderabad. Bashir appeared four times after a delayed arrival due to visa issues and claimed 17 wickets at 33.35 including a maiden five-wicket haul in Dharamsala.How much Hartley and Lyon play together in the early rounds of the County Championship remains to be seen, but the England spinner has already joked Lyon will be “fed up of me” by the end of the season.Lyon, who said he was “absolutely glued” to the India-England series, also believes Bashir could have “something special” and has the potential to be successful in Australia.Nathan Lyon will team up with Tom Hartley at Lancashire•Getty Images

“All three of them to be honest with you,” Lyon said on the podcast when asked who stood out for him. “And I’m not just saying that to be kind. They had a pretty hard introduction into Test cricket. That’s one hell of a way to start your Test career, come over and bowl to Rohit [Sharma] and [Shubman] Gill and everyone else.”But I’m looking forward to getting over to Lancashire and meeting Tom [Hartley] and bowling with him and just having discussions about left-arm [orthodox], right-arm offies is a pretty similar craft. It’s going to be interesting to see the mindset, his reflections. I’m looking forward to hopefully playing a bit with him over there as well which will be good.Related

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“Bashir looked like he had something special as well. I like that he went over the back of it [the ball], so he could be a threat down here for sure.”The next Ashes series will take place in the 2025-26 season in Australia with England trying to build a side that can win down under for the first time since 2010-11 and only the second since 1986-87.From Australia’s point of view, there is debate starting about how much turnover there will be on the Test side following David Warner’s retirement earlier this year and the fact Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne were the only players under 30 during the recent series in New Zealand.Nathan Lyon is confident the current Australia Test side can reach the next Ashes•AFP/Getty Images

Most conjecture tends to surround Steven Smith who is non-committal on his future whenever asked, but Lyon does not foresee any further departures from the Test group in the next 12 months and is confident everyone can reach the Ashes.”We’re definitely getting closer to the end than the start,” Lyon said. “But I think also where we are in our careers is that we’ve done the hard work when we’re continuing to do the hard work in our preparation, our recovery, our rehab. There’s no reason why we can’t keep playing on for three to four or five years.”The only thing going to stop blokes is potential injuries and how the body holds up. The skill is always going to be there. The guys have played long enough now and they know what to do and how they go about it. And another thing is that, especially within the bowlers, under Pat [Cummins], Pat gets it as well. He understands when the bowlers are cooked…he understands the importance of managing [our] bowlers pretty well.”

Former Bangladesh captain says he had no input to cricketing decisions during the tournament

Mohammad Isam03-Nov-2023Khaled Mahmud has said he regrets taking up the role of Bangladesh team director for the World Cup since realising he wouldn’t be allowed to provide any technical or cricketing input during the tournament.Mahmud’s role, which in his words is now limited to travelling with the team and maintaining discipline, had come under scrutiny after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed S Sriram as technical consultant shortly before the World Cup. It meant that the team had, in addition to the five specialist coaches, three heads in Mahmud, head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, and Sriram, who was Bangladesh’s head coach during the 2022 T20 World Cup.Earlier in Dharamsala, Hathurusinghe had said he was fine with the make-up of the management, but Mahmud felt differently three weeks later in Delhi.Related

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“I am performing only the role assigned to me by the BCB,” Mahmud said. “I don’t have the decision-making role as I have had in previous tours as a selector. Previously, I tried to keep myself involved with the team. This time, I don’t have a cricketing role. Firstly, I don’t want to be in this role like this. I have cricket in my blood. Coaching is my profession. But I am not involved with coaching with the Bangladesh team.”I had a technical role even at the last World Cup when I could speak to players. But this time, I am keeping myself away. I am definitely not enjoying this role as the head of the delegation. I am just roaming around, playing the role as a guardian to the players. I am taking care of discipline, but this is not really my work. If I knew this was my role, I wouldn’t have come to the World Cup.”Mahmud pointed to Bangladesh’s series against New Zealand in Dhaka (Mirpur) prior to the World Cup to suggest their preparation was not well planned. Bangladesh had played most of their ODIs in 2022 and 2023 in Chattogram and Sylhet to get used to good batting conditions, but then went to Mirpur just before the World Cup.”I don’t know what I was thinking when I said before the World Cup that we’d play the semi-final,” Mahmud said. “Maybe I had seen the boys’ body language and playing style. I honestly thought they would do well in Indian conditions. I had great expectations. But I am feeling very bad that we just don’t have a fighting mentality.

“I was not in favour of playing against New Zealand in Mirpur before the World Cup. Why did we have to play on those spinning pitches? Why did we want to win that series?”Khaled Mahmud

“I was not in favour of playing against New Zealand in Mirpur before the World Cup. Why did we have to play on those spinning pitches? Why did we want to win that series? We should have played in Chattogram and Sylhet. We lost the series despite New Zealand not bringing their main players. We should have been more serious, well before time, about the World Cup.”Bangladesh have lost the last six of their seven matches so far in the World Cup, and were the first team to be knocked out of contention for the semi-finals.”We have to play our best cricket in the next two matches. We must beat Sri Lanka,” Mahmud said. “Our players aren’t in a great mood. They have to do everything as they do, but they also are hurting. We had high expectations. We haven’t done well as a team. They [the players] feel that they have failed. The dressing room has become very quiet. We came here as a good team but we couldn’t perform as a team.”Bangladesh are currently in ninth place at the World Cup and need to finish in the top eight to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Their last two matches are against Sri Lanka in Delhi on November 6, and against Australia on November 11.

Aston Villa have a variety of attacking options that Unai Emery will be hoping can claw them up the Premier League table and into a spot for a European finish. They’re currently tenth in the top flight, with 42 points to their name, but just four off a top-four spot.

Three January additions helped to strengthen in attack, with Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio joining the club on loan, and Donyell Malen permanently from Borussia Dortmund.

They have been added to the firepower in forward areas that include the likes of Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey, all of whom are flying this season.

Another attacker who Emery has in the squad is Leon Bailey, but he has struggled this season.

Bailey’s 2024/25 campaign

Bailey is into his fourth season at Villa Park, after his summer move in August 2021 from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen. They paid the 2023/24 Bundesliga champions just £25m to sign the winger almost four summers ago.

The Jamaican has had an up-and-down time of things at Villa Park. This season has been a real struggle, after registering 28 goal involvements last term. In 33 games across all competitions, he has scored one goal and has three assists to his name.

Things have been especially tough going for the 27-year-old in the Premier League this term. Bailey, who has operated on both flanks, has managed just one goal and two assists in 22 games, with his sole strike coming in a 2-1 win over Leicester City.

It has certainly been a tough season for the Villans number 31. With his disappointing performances this term, it might not be a surprise to see that Bailey’s market value has crashed to as low as £31.4m, according to Transfermarkt.

Incredibly, that is not as low as one of his former teammates, despite impressing since his move.

The former Villa player worth more than Bailey

Over the past few seasons, Villa have done a lot of business which has enabled them to spend so heavily and build a squad that has taken them to the Champions League. One of their biggest sales was that of Moussa Diaby.

Market Movers

The Frenchman left Villa Park just one year after joining, also from Leverkusen. Villa were able to sell him for an impressive £50m, with the former PSG academy star moving to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Ittihad.

Diaby performed well for Villa during his one-season stint in that famous Claret and Blue shirt and was described as “electric” by Statman Dave. In 54 games for the club, he scored ten goals and grabbed nine assists, with his 14 goal involvements in the Premier League crucial for helping his side into the Champions League.

Since his move to the Middle East, it has been a mixed bag for Diaby. He has performed well, but the winger has missed a substantial portion of Al-Ittihad’s season through injury. The French winger has been unavailable nine times this term.

However, he has been an assist machine for the Saudi side. In 17 games across all competitions, the 25-year-old has scored once, but managed 13 assists, including grabbing two against Al-Hilal.

Despite his impressive performances, the winger’s value has dropped dramatically. As per Transfermarkt, he is now worth just £28.9m, almost half of the amount that they sold him for in the summer – and even less than Bailey.

Although Diaby has had a better campaign than Bailey this season, the values suggest that Villa made the right choice with who to sell. Getting £50m for the Frenchman has proven to be an excellent deal given his injury issues. Perhaps the Villans made the correct call with who to sell after all.

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