And the ECB’s HR has New Zealand on speed dial

Alan Gardner16-May-2025Stop all the clocks, put the Kohli-cam on pause: Virat has decided that he’s had enough of nicking off on sixth stump. Never again will we see that totemic cover drive unleashed in Test whites, or watch him race up from the slip cordon with his finger pointed in the air like an angry PE teacher. Never again will we wonder if he really would deliberately shoulder-barge a teenager just to gain his team a competitive edge (he would).Kohli confirmed he was out with an Insta post soundtracked by “My Way” – Frank Sinatra, rather than the Limp Bizkit version, somewhat disappointingly. There was always something nu-metal about the way Kohli played the game, with all the screaming and pouting and mic drops. Although even the younger version, who famously let his middle finger do the talking after being abused by a section of the SCG crowd, might have blanched at Fred Durst’s 47 f-bombs on “Hot Dog”.Anyway, we digress. You know Test cricket is in a tough spot when the most diehard Test fanatic EVER!!! (copyright all news outlets) decides he doesn’t have enough energy for the format anymore. Rohit Sharma had got in there with his red-ball retirement first and Kohli wasn’t going to be talked around by BCCI bigwigs intent on protecting commercial interest run-scoring potential for India’s tour of England, nor mollified by Gautam Gambhir suggesting he could “jolly well play till 45” if he wanted to, in the manner of the Famous Five discussing their future over toffee apples and ginger beer.Related

• 'Nothing for me to decide as of now' – Dhoni on his IPL future

• Virat Kohli has been Indian cricket's most influential figure

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Presumably someone involved in the discussions might have mentioned the fact that a certain James Anderson is no longer around for England, bending the Dukes to his will (although that decision was made very much against his will). But then again, knowing what we know of Kohli’s competitive fires, perhaps the lack of such a challenge would have counted against carrying on?Certainly the series will be lacking something without either’s involvement – and we don’t just mean contributions to the swear jar. But the Light Roller isn’t so worried about the future of Tests, eulogised by Kohli for “the quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.” Old Blue Eyes might have struggled to be so poetic, never mind Durst. Yes, Virat clearly knew what made our game special, and not just because he hasn’t (yet) won an IPL.

****

One cricketer not going anywhere in a hurry (not with those knees, hoho) is ageing yellove guru MS Dhoni. Which is great news for those of us who like to recycle old material. “I only play two months in a year and now after this IPL gets over, I have to work hard for another six to eight months just to see if my body will be able to take this kind of pressure and everything,” he said after CSK had trundled to a stop outside the playoffs for a second year running. “So nothing for me to decide as of now, but I feel the love and affection wherever I’ve been.” Including, no doubt, from the cottage industry of people writing clickbaity headlines about whether MS will or won’t be involved in IPL 2026.

****

England’s cricketing debt to New Zealand is long-standing, from Andy Caddick to Ben Stokes to the 2019 World Cup final – and that’s before Brendon McCullum arrived to beguile the stuffed suits at Lord’s with his laid-back credo. Now we can add Tim Southee to the list, after the recently retired Black Cap was appointed as England’s “specialist skills consultant”, aka the team’s bowling coach, replacing the semi-retired-though-still-not-entirely-happy-about-it Anderson. Is it a coincidence that Southee is one of McCullum’s mates from their decade of sharing a dressing room? Probably not. But then this is the ECB, where Andrew Flintoff was handed a succession of plum appointments seemingly on the basis that he is a long-time pal of Rob Key. Only if England replace Jeetan Patel (another Kiwi) with Nathan McCullum should we start to get worried.

He didn’t get off to his usual quick start, yet ended up with an unbeaten 73 on a slow wicket to secure MI’s playoffs dream

Sidharth Monga22-May-20252:17

Aaron: Bowlers’ Plan B is Suryakumar’s Plan A

Suryakumar Yadav has a general cheery disposition towards life, but at the break between innings at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, he sounded extra pleased with himself. This had been one of his anomalous knocks: he was barely a run-a-ball in the first 20 balls, got to fifty in 36, and ended up with a strike rate of 169.76 despite playing for as long as 43 balls.Yet Suryakumar knew he had taken Mumbai Indians (MI) to an above-par score on a slow pitch where the ball gripped for the spinners and the fast bowlers who bowled cutters into the pitch. Now imagine the level of adjustment needed. You think a night match at Wankhede, you think you need to score 200 at the very least if you lose the toss. Here, Suryakumar batted thinking 160 was par, and 180 came about only because the last two overs went for 48.At the break, Suryakumar said this was an innings he had been hoping for a long time. “That it’s a difficult situation, I go into bat and try to bat till the end. And get a score that is above par,” Suryakumar told the broadcast.Related

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Du Plessis: MI's counterpunch cost us in last two overs

Suryakumar, Santner and Bumrah lead MI into playoffs

Now Suryakumar has had the most unbelievable run of 13 consecutive scores of 25 or more, which is now a world record, but that is not enough for him. He was waiting for an innings where he stood out. “It’s been 13 games now,” Suryakumar said later. “My wife told me a sweet story today. She said, ‘you have got all the awards except Man of the Match’. So this award is really special today. From the team’s point of view, this knock was important. Also this trophy [was important] for her.”Elite athletes want to win games, but they also want to do as much as they can on their own. So far Suryakumar hasn’t really had a shot at a solo showing. With their qualification for playoffs on the line, this game was as good a time as any. As he said, it didn’t come easy. He walked in at 48 for 2 in the last over of the powerplay. It became 58 for 3 soon, and the spinners handcuffed him and Tilak Varma soon after.It is rare to see Suryakumar get beaten four times in the first eight balls of spin he plays. He just couldn’t get the right length to attack. You wondered where the sweep shot was. It arrived against the ninth ball of spin, and even that a mis-cue. This was a slow pitch not conducive to dominating spin. Suryakumar would have to adjust his sights much lower and bide for his opportunity.Suryakumar Yadav unlocked deep pockets to write Mumbai Indians’ playoffs story•BCCINot a fan of taking it deep, Suryakumar was forced to do so here as Delhi Capitals (DC) kept bowling their best slower bowlers to try to get him out. He scored just 27 off 23 balls from Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam and Mustafizur Rahman.Suryakumar said he knew the pitch was going to be slow so it wasn’t really a shock to his system, but even that par assessment of 160 looked in doubt when the last two overs began. They would need to score 30 off the last two to give themselves an even chance, that too provided there wasn’t any dew.When he finally got pace on ball, Suryakumar scored 28 off eight balls in those last two overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera. With a little help from Naman Dhir, he had taken MI to 180. He scored only 26 of his 73 runs behind square, which is a rare event for Suryakumar. The conditions and smart bowling forced him to look deeper into his drawer. The most complete T20 batter of this age showed the drawer has deep pockets.

After a run of poor results, Chelsea got back to winning ways in the Premier League, overcoming Everton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

It is the first time since 22nd November that Enzo Maresca’s side have tasted victory in the top flight.

It only took the Blues 21 minutes before they went 1-0 up. On his first start at the Bridge since August, it was always going to be Cole Palmer who fired Chelsea into the lead.

It was a well-taken goal, too, with the England star making a well-timed underlapping run between the Everton defence and firing home past Jordan Pickford.

Chelsea had chances to double their lead, which they squandered. However, they did find the back of the net again on the stroke of half-time. It was Malo Gusto who got on the scoresheet this time, capping off an incisive counterattack by slotting home Pedro Neto’s cross.

It was a fantastic performance on the whole from the West Londoners. They shoot up to fourth in the Premier League, although most teams around them have a game in hand. Maresca will be hoping his side can build some momentum ahead of a busy few weeks.

There were a couple of real standouts for the Blues, and not just Palmer and Gusto…

Chelsea's best players vs Everton

It was inevitable, in many ways, that Palmer was going to have his say on this game. His first home start in months did not disappoint, with the Wythenshawe-born attacker proving why he is one of the Premier League’s most dangerous players.

It was a showing worthy of an 8/10 rating from Goal journalist Richie Mills. He said the Chelsea number 10 ‘showed good speed and a smart finish’, describing his performance as ‘a good day at the office’ in front of the home faithful.

The same could certainly be said for Gusto. He set Palmer up with a through ball that threaded the needle superbly, before getting on the score sheet himself for the second time in that famous Blue shirt.

Indeed, his stats from the game are superb. Gusto was constantly involved, having 81 touches, and completed 90% of his passes, as per Sofascore. Not only did the Frenchman create two chances, but he also made four ball recoveries and was impressive off the ball.

However, Palmer and Gusto were not the only two Chelsea players who stood out against Everton.

Chelsea duo look made for Mourinho

It was yet another clean sheet for the centre-back pairing of Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana. As a partnership, they have begun to string together some impressive performances and have become more than reliable for Maresca.

That was no different against the Toffees. They each received a 7/10 rating from Mills for their afternoon’s work. The journalist was full of compliments for the pair and said they are perhaps the ‘best centre-back pairing’ available to the Blues at the moment.

The stats from the game show just how well the pair, who earn a combined £250k per week, performed against the Toffees.

Some of the standouts included Fofana’s impressive 11 clearances and Cobham graduate Chalobah’s five successful duels out of seven.

Pass accuracy

97%

99%

Touches

84

83

Clearances

11

9

Ball recoveries

5

3

Duels won

6/15

5/7

Looking at the numbers in more detail, the West Londoners are unbeaten in their last seven games when the Frenchman and their academy graduate have started together.

Six of those games have been clean sheets.

Those numbers are superb and would certainly not look out of place in the era of Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese manager famously oversaw a team that conceded just 15 league goals in a single season in 2004/05 – still the best-ever record in the division.

With the performances that Chalobah and Fofana have put in this season, it certainly feels very Mourinho-era coded. The ex-Blues boss is a famously pragmatic coach, so he would no doubt appreciate a record like six clean sheets in seven games.

Indeed, it is helping Maesrca’s side, and the current Chelsea gaffer surely has his centre-back pairing locked in for the foreseeable future.

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Chelsea have made one player their top target ahead of the upcoming January window.

ByEthan Lamb 3 days ago

Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Leeds United have received a response after making contact to sign an “outstanding” attacker in the past few days.

Leeds showing fight in battle for survival

Heading into a tricky three-game run against Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, Daniel Farke would’ve been fearing the worst, given the widespread speculation about his future, but his side have managed to amass a very respectable four points.

Even in the 3-2 loss at the Etihad Stadium, the Whites showed heart, fighting back from 2-0 down, which will be very encouraging for Farke, and the 2024-25 Championship title-winners remain outside the relegation zone for the time being.

That said, it is still very close near the bottom of the Premier League table, with both Nottingham Forest and West Ham United starting to pick up better results since hiring new managers.

Consequently, it is little wonder Leeds have started looking at new signings ahead of the January transfer window, recently making an approach for Tromso star Jens Hjerto-Dahl, and they have now set their sights on £21m summer Como signing Martin Baturina.

That is according to Romano (via Leeds United News), who said: “Baturina is a player Como still wants to focus on, they’re not thinking about a January exit. I’ll tell you the behind-the-scenes story. In the last few days, Leeds has been in touch, the teams are starting to move.

“Leeds has proposed opening talks with Como and the player’s agents about a possible transfer, even a permanent one. Leeds would have practically repaid Baturina to Como,”

“The response I understand from both Como and the player was ‘No, thanks’. Baturina wants to stay at Como, he believes in the project Como is happy with Baturina, with how he trains, the potential he has.

“Baturina continues to work hard, but the door has been closed for Leeds. In short, it also marks some clarity regarding the rumours that have been circulating about the future of the Croatian midfielder.”

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He’s one to watch.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 5, 2025

"Outstanding" Baturina could have bright future ahead

Leeds will be frustrated they didn’t receive the ideal response after making a move for the 22-year-old, given just how impressive he was at Dinamo Zagreb, registering 22 goals and 39 assists in 165 outings, while he has also now scored his first goal for Croatia.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also waxed lyrical about the attacking midfielder, saying a little over a year ago: “His vision and weight of pass is outstanding.”

However, the former Dinamo Zagreb man hasn’t exactly hit the ground running since moving to Italy, being benched for the majority of Como’s Serie A matches this season, having recorded just one goal contribution in his first seven outings.

As such, Baturina clearly isn’t the finished article just yet, so it is not majorly disappointing that Leeds appear to have missed out.

عاد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك إلى القاهرة بعد الانتهاء من مواجهته أمام كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الأفريقية.

وحسم التعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل فريق نتيجة لقاء الزمالك وكايزر تشيفز، الذي أُقيم يوم السبت الماضي على ستاد بيتر موكابا ضمن الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات.

ويقع الزمالك في مجموعة تضم كلًا من: كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي – المصري البورسعيدي – زيسكو يونايتد الزامبي.

طالع أيضًا | يانيك فيريرا يكشف كواليس مثيرة بشأن رحيله عن الزمالك: عرضت أموالًا على اللاعبين.. وتم طردي

وكانت البعثة قد مكثت في مطار جوهانسبرج ترانزيت لمدة 4 ساعات، بعد مغادرتها لمدينة بولوكواني، قبل أن تستقل طائرة العودة إلى مطار القاهرة الدولي.

ومن جانبه، قرر أحمد عبد الرؤوف، المدير الفني للفريق الأول بنادي الزمالك، منح اللاعبين راحة لمدة يومين بعد العودة إلى القاهرة، قبل استئناف برنامج الإعداد.

ومن المقرر أن يستأنف الفريق تدريباته يوم الخميس المُقبل على ملعب الكلية الحربية، استعدادًا لمواجهة كهرباء الإسماعيلية يوم 9 ديسمبر الجاري في بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has his work cut out for him at Parkhead after a frustrating first match in charge of the club against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

A 2-1 defeat to the league leaders proved that the Frenchman has plenty of issues to solve and plenty still to learn about the squad of players that he has at his disposal.

The former Columbus Crew head coach has a big group of players to work with in Glasgow, and there are a number of stars who he should give an opportunity to in the coming weeks.

The rarely-seen Celtic stars Nancy should unleash

Kelechi Iheanacho, for example, was an unused substitute against Hearts after returning from injury, and he should be given a chance to lead the line after Daizen Maeda missed two ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, on Sunday.

The Nigerian centre-forward has scored three goals in eight appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Sofascore, and could emerge as Nancy’s first-choice number nine.

Another rarely-seen star who could benefit from the change in shape to a 3-4-2-1 could be Dane Murray, who has started two league games this season, as he is a naturally right-sided centre-back who can provide balance when playing out from the back.

Auston Trusty played in that role on Sunday, as a left-footed player, and was slow to bring the ball forward and progress the play, as he was on his weaker side, which could open the door for Murray to come in and take that spot.

Colby Donovan was also snubbed in Nancy’s first game, playing zero minutes, but he could emerge as the manager’s own Kieran Tierney in the right wing-back position, having been set to leave in the summer window.

Wilfried Nancy is brewing the next Tierney

The 19-year-old academy graduate was “set to join Dundee on loan for the season”, per journalist Josh McCafferty, in the summer transfer window, before an injury to Alistair Johnston meant that he was needed as a first-team option at Parkhead.

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Donovan has gone on to play 716 minutes across 12 appearances for the first-team, per Sofascore, since the decision was made to keep him at the club, instead of sending him out on loan, and he has shown real promise.

The Scotland U21 international is looking to follow in Kieran Tierney’s footsteps in Glasgow, as the left-back came through the academy to provide a big threat down the left flank as an attacking full-back.

In his first spell with the club, as shown in the graphic above, the Scotland international provided an eye-catching 37 assists in 170 matches for the club, and Donovan has the potential to provide a similar threat in this new system.

Hyun-jun Yang started at right wing-back against Hearts. However, Nancy could move him over to the left and unleash the academy graduate on the right to provide crosses on that side.

25/26 Premiership

Donovan per 90

Rank vs RBs

xA

0.14

Top 28%

Assists

0.28

Top 1%

Long pass accuracy

46.2%

Top 23%

Chances created

1.12

Top 39%

Successful crosses

1.12

Top 25%

Touches in opposition’s box

2.80

Top 14%

Stats via FotMob

Donovan, as shown in the statistics above, has stood out as one of the most impressive creative right-backs in the Premiership this season under Brendan Rodgers and Martin O’Neill, whilst playing as a right-back.

Playing as a wing-back under Nancy would give him even more opportunities to push forward and show off his creativity in the final third, which could improve his output as a creator and make him a Tierney-esque threat on the right-hand side.

Whilst Johnston is still to return from his injury eventually, unleashing Donovan in this new role could provide him with a chance to nail down a regular starting spot in the team to become the next academy graduate to become a star at Parkhead, like Tierney.

His emergence in the first-team this season, after being set to go out on loan in the summer, is perhaps a lesson that Celtic can learn from, as they could give more opportunities to their academy players to see if they have what it takes to play for the senior side before letting them move on, permanently or on loan.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery 6 days ago

It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

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This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

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This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.

Are Tottenham Hotspur finding their feet under Thomas Frank’s stewardship?

Certainly, we have seen green shoots in recent matches. After that dismal home defeat to Fulham at the end of November, Spurs battled to a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park before beating Brentford in the Premier League and Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Two clean sheets from two games, but Tottenham still could do with reinforcements in the rearguard. Namely, ENIC Group are planning to help Frank piece together a lasting project with a new left-back.

Destiny Udogie picked up a hamstring injury against Newcastle United and will be out until the New Year. But the Italian defender has been out of sorts this season anyway, and Tottenham are ready to take action.

Spurs' search for a left-back

Udogie quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous up-and-coming full-backs in Europe after joining Tottenham from Hellas Verona. Better known for his time on loan with Udinese across multiple years, the Italian was hailed as “the best left-back” in the country by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport a few months into his arrival under Ange Postecoglou’s wing.

However, Udogie’s persistent injury issues have stunted his growth, and the 23-year-old has been told he “needs to wake up” by one coach this term, lacking awareness and dynamism. With Ben Davies getting on – and rarely getting off the bench – competition is needed, especially with the Lilywhites making headway in the Champions League.

That’s why Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are circling in on Eintracht Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown, with TEAMtalk revealing that the 22-year-old German international is on Tottenham’s wishlist ahead of the winter window.

A versatile wideman with no qualms about playing further upfield, Brown would add depth and new dimensions to Frank’s team, though this is a sentiment shared with rivals, Arsenal and Manchester United also among the suitors named.

He would cost upwards of £50m, but Brown has the potential to become one of the best in the business, and he would slot right into Frank’s set-up.

What Brown would bring to Spurs

Brown, a German-born player with American heritage, boasts blistering pace and a desire to progress play whenever he can. However, he is also defensively sound, mixing between duties seamlessly.

As per FBref, Brown ranks among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 3% for tackles per 90, underlining his dynamism and ability to mix defence with attack.

In this, he has something of a likeness to Udogie, the finest iteration of the Italy star, and while Spurs’ talented wide defender has fallen by the wayside of late, his profile remains tailor-made for a starring role in one of Europe’s top outfits.

Brown, moreover, is on an upward trajectory, with analyst Spencer Mossman claiming earlier in 2025 that he is “one-two years away from being the most coveted left back” in the world. Already, several of the Premier League’s biggest sides want to bring him over, suggesting that he is indeed ahead of that prediction already.

Frankfurt has a rather porous defence this season, and that is a concern, but Brown is one of the standouts, showcasing an impressive mix of qualities. Furthermore, he rode the crest of a wave into the current campaign, having played so well in the Bundesliga last year.

Matches (starts)

10 (6_

6 (6)

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

2

Touches*

47.5

47.8

Accurate passes*

26.8 (85%)

25.7 (84%)

Chances created*

0.7

1.0

Succ. dribbles*

0.3 (27%)

0.5 (38%)

Recoveries*

3.8

3.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.1

Clearances*

1.1

1.2

Duels (won)*

2.9 (46%)

3.8 (51%)

As we can see from the respective left-backs’ Champions League campaigns, Brown is enjoying greater success, with his staggering duel success rate something to note.

Last season, talent scout Jacek Kulig said Brown is “moving to another level”, so perhaps it is the right time for him to take the leap of faith over the channel and down N17 to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What Tottenham decide to do remains to be seen, but Frank needs a few more instruments in his tactical toolbox, and Brown could mark his crowning signing as improvements start to reveal themselves.

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History is against West Indies – they last won a Test in NZ in 1995 – and they have more questions than answers when it comes to their playing XI

Deivarayan Muthu01-Dec-2025

Big picture – all eyes on Kane WilliamsonThe Christchurch Test against West Indies will mark the start of New Zealand’s World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle and Kane Williamson’s return to Test cricket.Williamson’s previous Test was in December last year, and quite a lot has happened since.He has tapered back his international commitments, playing more games for others during this period. He has also retired from T20Is, and the entire cricketing landscape seems to be changing in New Zealand as well, with plans being developed for a T20 league in the country in 2027.After the three-match Test series against West Indies, New Zealand fans may have to wait until late 2026 to watch Williamson in Test action at home again (if he continues to play on). This is a rare chance for them, then, as speculation around his international future grows.Related

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Roach, Hodge recalled to WI squad for NZ Tests

Williamson returns for WI Tests; Jamieson held back

While New Zealand have won 11 ODI series in a row at home, their recent home Test record isn’t as formidable. They have won just two of their last seven home series, with one of those coming against a second-string South Africa side. A number of New Zealand players are currently injured – or working their way back from injuries – but despite that, they will start as favourites because West Indies have bigger problems to deal with.Both the Josephs – Alzarri and Shamar – are nursing injuries, and West Indies have sent an SOS to Kemar Roach, who hasn’t played Test cricket since January. They have also called up Ojay Shields, a former high-school PE teacher. While Jayden Seales is available for this Test series, before joining the ILT20 in the UAE, there are serious concerns around West Indies’ depth, or lack of it.John Campbell and Shai Hope offered a sliver of hope with the bat in decent batting conditions against India in Delhi, but can they do the job on potentially green pitches in New Zealand? Who should be their No. 3, Alick Athanaze or Brandon King? Can West Indies relieve Hope of wicketkeeping duties, trust Tevin Imlach, and find the right balance? Johann Layne or Anderson Phillip? The visitors find themselves with more questions than answers.History is also against West Indies: the last time they won a Test in New Zealand was way back in 1995.An on-song Jayden Seales can single-handedly carve up batting line-ups with his swing, bounce and control•AFP/Getty Images

Form guideNew Zealand: WWWLL
West Indies: LLLLLIn the spotlight: Tom Latham and Jayden SealesSince leading New Zealand to a historic 3-0 sweep of India in India in November last year, Tom Latham has endured a difficult time. He oversaw New Zealand’s 2-1 defeat to England at home last December and then missed the Zimbabwe Test series with injury. His last Test hundred came in December 2022, but he has some recent form on his side, having compiled a half-century for Canterbury in the second round of the Plunket Shield. Prior to that, Latham had hit two fifties in three innings in the one-day Ford Trophy, which had kicked off New Zealand’s domestic seasonJayden Seales barely found support at the other end in India, and could face a similar scenario in New Zealand. But an on-song Seales can single-handedly carve up batting line-ups with his swing, bounce and control. His battle against Williamson is one to watch out for – the two have never faced each other in international cricket before.Against West Indies, New Zealand will have to choose between Devon Conway and Will Young•Zimbabwe Cricket

Team news: Devon Conway or Will Young?With Williamson back, New Zealand will have to choose between Devon Conway and Will Young. On the bowling front, they might also have to choose between Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner. Local boy Zak Foulkes addressed the media on the eve of the game, which was perhaps a hint that he may play. Daryl Mitchell, one of the mainstays of the batting line-up, has recovered from a groin injury that had kept him out of the last two ODIs against West Indies.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Devon Conway/Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner/Michael Bracewell, 8 Zak Foulkes, 9 Nathan Smith, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Jacob Duffy/Blair TicknerWest Indies’ team management had suggested they had picked Alick Athanaze in India for his ability to counter spin. In seam-friendly New Zealand, they might consider bringing back Brandon King, who is proficient against pace, and leaving out left-arm fingerspinner Jomel Warrican for an extra seamer. It remains to be seen if Jamaican fast bowler Shields gets a debut at 29. Captain Roston Chase could pitch in with his offspin when the quicks need a break.West Indies (probable): 1 John Campbell, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Alick Athanaze/Brandon King, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Kavem Hodge, 6 Roston Chase (capt), 7 Tevin Imlach (wk), 8 Justin Greaves, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Jayden Seales, 11 Johann Layne/Anderson Phillip/Ojay ShieldsNew Zealand have beaten West Indies in their last five Tests•Associated Press

Pitch and conditionsThe conditions at Hagley Oval aid swing, though New Zealand surfaces are often misleading with the grass at the toss rarely lasting much beyond the first session. The weather is likely to be clear on the first day, but some showers have been forecast for the second in Christchurch.Stats and trivia Matt Henry has a good Test record at his domestic home ground: 36 wickets in seven games at an average of 23.91, including two five-fors. Since his debut in November 2022, Tagenarine Chanderpaul has faced 1564 balls in Test cricket. Only Kraigg Brathwaite (2376) has faced more balls than Chanderpaul for West Indies during this period. New Zealand have beaten West Indies in their last five Tests, including three innings wins at home.Quotes”It’s the purest form of the game, really, and it’s the first Test series for me at home, and I’m really excited. In December, the Test cricket arena is always the best time of the year, and [this is] certainly a format this team prides itself on playing well.”
“Any bowler will want to come in these conditions and bowl because it’s not too hot. So when it’s nice and cool, the fast bowlers like to bowl very long. The ball is bouncing and seaming around, so the guys are very happy about that and ready to bowl.”

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Botafogo e São Paulo já estão de férias, mas vão ter pelo que torcer neste domingo (14). Além da disputa pelo título, as semifinais da Copa do Brasil atraem olhares daqueles que esperam a definição da vaga restante na Libertadores de 2026, que pode ser definida antes mesmo da decisão. Para isso, Cruzeiro e Fluminense precisam reverter as desvantagens nos jogos de volta.

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➡️ Botafogo e São Paulo mantém contato por negociações importantes

Ainda na luta pelo troféu do mata-mata nacional, Raposa e Tricolor já estão garantidos na próxima edição da Libertadores via Brasileirão; as equipes terminaram o torneio em terceiro e quinto lugar, respectivamente. Desta forma, caso um dos clubes conquiste a Copa do Brasil, abre-se mais uma vaga no Campeonato Brasileiro.

Nesse cenário, os clubes afetados seriam exatamente Botafogo e São Paulo, sexto e oitavo colocados do Brasileirão. Com o atual G-7 — que já tem vaga extra por conta do título do Flamengo na Liberta —, o Glorioso está confirmado nos playoffs da competição continental, enquanto o Soberano tem vaga garantida apenas na Sul-Americana. Em caso de G-8, os cariocas iriam direto para a fase de grupos, enquanto os paulistas herdariam um lugar nas fases eliminatórias.

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Por isso, Alvinegro e Tricolor Paulista torcem por um título de Cruzeiro ou Fluminense. A situação, no entanto, pode se resolver antes mesmo de conhecermos o campeão: se ambos times chegarem juntos à final, a vaga extra automaticamente vai para o Campeonato Brasileiro; se forem eliminados neste domingo (14), acabam as chances de Botafogo e São Paulo.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Botafogo
➡️Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

continua após a publicidadeCruzeiro e Fluminense buscam viradas na Copa do Brasil

Apesar da torcida extra de alvinegros e tricolores paulistas, Cruzeiro e Fluminense estão em contexto adverso nas semifinais da Copa do Brasil. Ambos perderam os jogos de ida para Corinthians e Vasco, respectivamente, e vão precisar de uma reviravolta no placar agregado para avançar à decisão.

O Cabuloso encara o Timão às 18h (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP), e terá de reverter o 1 a 0 conquistado pelos paulistas em pleno Mineirão. Do outro lado da chave, às 20h30, o Flu mais uma vez enfrenta o Vasco no Maracanã após a derrota por 2 a 1 no jogo de ida.

➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro
➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

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