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Arsenal are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP. The news comes just days after the Swede refused to report for pre-season with the Portuguese side. Mikel Arteta has prioritised the 27-year-old as his new No. 9 and a five-year contract is ready, with The Athletic suggesting the deal is worth €73.5 million (£63.4m/$86m).

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Arsenal near Gyokeres dealArteta identified striker as key summer signingPackage includes upfront fee of €63.5m with €10m in add-onsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per , Arsenal have agreed terms with Sporting CP to sign Gyokeres. Arsenal’s offer is said to be worth €63.5 million (£54.8m/$74.2m) in fixed fees plus €10 million (£8.6m/$11.7m) in add-ons, which is just over the €70m release arrangement that Gyokeres believed he had in place with Sporting before they reportedly went back on their gentleman's agreement. The striker has skipped the start of pre-season training in Portugal amid frustration over stalled talks.

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Gyokeres emerged as Arsenal’s top target to lead the line this season after a lack of consistency in the centre-forward role at the Emirates. Despite interest from other clubs, he has made it clear he only wants to join Arsenal. Arteta views him as the final piece in an already impressive summer rebuild for the Gunners.

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Arsenal have already signed Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Noni Madueke also set to arrive soon. Gyokeres is expected to sign a five-year deal for a reported fee of €73.5m, making him the club’s most expensive signing of the window.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GYOKERES?

Arsenal aim to finalise the transfer within the week to allow Gyokeres to link up with the squad before the start of their United States pre-season tour. Sporting had been opposed to the idea of letting their star striker leave under the release clause mentioned in his contract, but it looks like they have given up after the Swede's pre-season training snub.

The pair took nine wickets between them to restrict South Africa to their lowest ODI total at home

Sidharth Monga17-Dec-20232:09

Arshdeep: Last night, we were thinking of restricting South Africa under 400

India’s pace attack for the Pink Day ODI came in with seven wickets between them, but took only 13 overs to double that tally and then went past it to bowl South Africa out for 116, their lowest total at home. India chased down the total with ease to hand South Africa only their third defeat in Pink Day ODIs.While Arshdeep Singh took five wickets and Avesh Khan four, Mukesh Kumar was no less incisive as he started with a first over in which Reeza Hendricks couldn’t lay bat on ball.Both sides wanted to bat first because the match was being played on the same strip that hosted the final T20I between the same sides three days ago. On that night, India’s spinners enjoyed plenty of assistance, both sideways as well as up and down.In a day match, though, South Africa turned out to be the unfortunate side to win the toss and have their death wish on a treacherous pitch with both seam and swing readily available to go with uneven bounce.Still nursing the World Cup heartbreak, the losing finalists and the losing semi-finalists came into the match with their frontline fast bowlers resting and preparing for the Test series. South Africa retained their middle-order core, but India’s line-up looked completely raw. Captain KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav were the only ones who played the World Cup final.Rahul was in action immediately as Mukesh appealed vehemently first ball. The inswinger seemed to have trapped Hendricks right in front but two sounds misled both umpire and Rahul. It was neither given out nor was the decision reviewed.Mukesh continued to play around with both his edges in the rest of the over, a repeat of the third T20I three days ago when Hendricks couldn’t touch Mohammed Siraj for a whole first over. Arshdeep didn’t move the ball as much as Mukesh did. Hendricks saw a wide one and had a go, and ended up playing it on for an eight-ball duck. Arshdeep then bowled the perfect inswinger to trap Rassie van der Dussen in front for a golden duck.4:40

Manjrekar’s praise for Arshdeep and Avesh

Aiden Markram survived the hat-trick ball and went on to add 39 for the third wicket with Tony de Zorzi, who countered the movement by walking at the bowlers and then responded to the consequent short balls by punching and pulling them for two sixes. Visually he looked at odds with Markram, who struggled to come to terms with the uneven bounce from the pitch.Eventually de Zorzi made a mistake on 28 off 21, pulling a ball not short enough, and the big top edge settled with Rahul. Arshdeep continued the damage with seam movement back in to Heinrich Klaasen, taking his leg bail with the last ball of the tenth over.Usually in ODI cricket, even if the new ball does a lot, the movement seems to die down pretty quickly. Here, though, after an average swing of 1.4 degrees and average seam of 1.2 degrees in the first ten overs, the ball was still doing plenty for Avesh, the first-change bowler. At the start of the 11th, one nipped back in and had Markram playing on when looking for a regulation single to deep third. The next ball was a peach, seaming away like a legcutter, getting Wiaan Mulder lbw.Arshdeep bowled two more overs, but couldn’t get the fifth wicket he was after. Avesh, though, kept striking. In his seven-ball stay, David Miller was given two sucker balls. He resisted the first one, but ended up edging the other. Keshav Maharaj soon chipped one to cover as it got big on him.Mukesh went for a few in his second spell as Andile Phehlukwayo middled a few shots, which gave Arshdeep a second shot at the five-for. In his last over, Arshdeep, who had taken no wickets in his first three ODIs, picked up the fifth, trapping Phehlukwayo lbw on a slog.Avesh got one more over to try to get his own five-for, but Tabraiz Shamsi enjoyed luck with a couple of slogs. Kuldeep Yadav then wrapped the innings up with a wrong’un.Arshdeep said they were themselves caught by surprise at how much the ball did for the seamers, and once they realised that, it was all about bowling a disciplined line and length and letting the pitch do the rest.The conditions weren’t quite as helpful by the time the second innings began at 1pm. It showed in how South Africa pulled their lengths back pretty early. They did manage to get the early wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad, though.In a short innings, Sai Sudharsan found enough time to make an impressive debut. The first ball he received was a half-volley, which he cover-drove for four. Soon he was reprieved as his bat hitting his boot created two noises to mislead both the umpire and the fielding team, who didn’t review it.The class was soon apparent, though, as he drove with ease, used his feet against spin, pulled down every chance he got and brought up his half-century off just 41 balls. Perhaps the on-drive against Tabraiz Shamsi’s turn, after having danced down the pitch, stood out.Iyer, Sudharsan’s partner for 88 runs, contributed to the highlight reel with a lovely cover-drive on the up as Burger looked to tuck him up. He scored 52 off 45 and perished as he looked to end the game in a hurry. India still won with more than 33 overs to spare.

Chelsea superstar Lauren James has joked that she doesn't 'go up for headers' as she showed off a black eye. She was also seen with an ice pack on her face on the bench after she made way for Chloe Kelly during England's 4-0 win against the Netherlands in Euro 2025 at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich.

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James scores brace for the LionessesEngland win 4-0 but James picks up knockJokes about her facial injury afterwardsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

A lot of expectation has been placed on James' shoulders heading into the European Championship in Switzerland, as the Lionesses went into the tournament with a somewhat new-look side. The Chelsea superstar showed off her mettle with a brace against the Netherlands in their second group stage game of Group D to help Sarina Wiegman's side won 4-0.

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James suffered an unfortunate knock to her head when she went for a header, and after her substitution, she was spotted with an ice pack to her eye as she looked to relieve the swelling. In the post-match interview, she joked about not wanting to 'go up for headers'.

WHAT JAMES SAID

Speaking to the media after the game, James said when asked about her facial injury: "For sure, that is why I don't go up for headers! It's a nasty one."

She added: “The win is massive. As long as I am helping the team in every way I can, whether that is providing or scoring, I just try and do my best each game. Hopefully, as the games keep going on, I keep getting more involved.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

The Lionesses are up against Wales in the final game of Group D in Euro 2025, and James will be a certain starter for the game on Sunday, July 13. A win would very much see England through to the knockout stages.

Hope takes the glory in opening contest as teams go again at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium

Alan Gardner05-Dec-20232:33

Hope: Romario Shepherd is an impact player

Big picture – England in a rum spot (again)Talk about another bloody day in paradise. England arrived in Antigua looking to launch a new chapter for their one-day cricket, after the disappointment of the World Cup, but were instead given a reboot up the backside by a feisty West Indies batting display, led by Shai Hope’s scintillating, MS Dhoni-inspired hundred and ably supported with unfettered contributions from the likes of Alick Athanaze and Romario Shepherd.Not for the first time, things haven’t gone to script for England in the Caribbean – and instantly it feels like there is more of an edge to this ODI series, with two matches still to play. West Indies, who lost to Zimbabwe, Netherlands and Scotland during their abject World Cup Qualifier earlier in the year, have plenty of ground to make up if they to return to the big time in 2027, but there was enough about their performance to suggest that they still have the talent to compete.This team, after all, was missing potentially key personnel – with Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder sitting out the format for now – and saw the build-up overshadowed by another predictable row about selection. Once the action got underway, they recovered from a poor start with the ball to prevent England getting away completely, and then staged another impressive revival from 213 for 5 in the 39th over – still needing 113 from 68 balls.Related

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Sad Jos Buttler, Sad England

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West Indies still had Hope, though, and come the end the glory, too, after pulling off their second-highest successful chase in ODIs. Already the team’s star batter, Hope has taken his game to another level since being appointed captain, but he spoke afterwards only of West Indies winning and learning how to back up their performances.England, meanwhile, still have much to ponder in a format that has suddenly slipped out of their clutches, like an inflatable picked up by a gust of wind at the beach. Jos Buttler extolled the positives in defeat but came across looking like the bowler-hatted dog in the “This Is Fine” meme; more than three months after England began their ODI World Cup preparations against New Zealand at Chester-le-Street (three days after Buttler’s Manchester Originals were beaten finalists in the Hundred), he is beginning to look like a man who could do with some actual beach time.Not that there weren’t one or two reasons for encouragement from an English perspective. Phil Salt and Will Jacks lit the royal blue touchpaper to give the innings a blistering start, and have now put on 219 runs from 178 balls in three opening stands together (a scoring-rate far in excess of even their most belligerent forebears). Harry Brook, one of the World Cup survivors, looked in good touch for his third ODI fifty and there was a reminder of the value of lower-order batting depth as Sam Curran and Brydon Carse helped add more than 80 runs for the last three wickets.West Indies fought back well to win the first ODI•Getty ImagesThere was also a display full of nous from 19-year-old Rehan Ahmed with the ball, but that was one of the few bright spots of the second half of the game. Buttler, coming off another failure with the bat, could not marshal an effective response from his bowlers at the death – not helped by Curran, the senior-most member of the attack, having an all-timer of an off day, his 0 for 98 the worst analysis by an Englishman in ODIs.Another shoddy display at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will see the series concluded early – and give West Indies their first bilateral ODI success over England since 2007. There is also the small matter of the ICC rankings, which with the scrapping of the Super League will determine qualification for 2027. England, in sixth, still have a small cushion from the teams below them but the recent trend has been down; West Indies need to lift themselves from tenth to avoid further Qualifier indignities down the line.This series is also England’s last ODI commitment until September 2024, by which time – post T20 World Cup – we might be talking about the reboot to the reboot. Buttler, in particular, needs to feel the sun on his shoulders and the wind at his back. As ever, such things can’t be taken for granted by an English cricketer in the Caribbean.Form guideWest Indies WLWLL
England LWWLLIn the spotlight – Alick Athanaze and Jos ButtlerEngland’s openers were in party mood from the outset but it was Alick Athanaze who best combined aggression with staying power to put the West Indies chase on track, scoring the lion’s share of a 104-run first-wicket stand with Brandon King. Athanaze took a while to convert the promise of being the leading run-scorer at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup – just ahead of Shubman Gill, no less – into a chance at senior international level, but with his flowing cuts and pulls he certainly looked the part in his fifth ODI appearance. Now, in the words of his captain, it’s about producing big top-order runs consistently, “not just a one-off to show the world you can do something”.Jos Buttler has spent much of his career in the spotlight – but these last couple of months he has felt the glare like no time before. Quite apart from England’s stuttering performances as a group, his own returns are beginning to look untenable (or they would be were he not perhaps his country’s greatest limited-overs batter ever). Out for a scratchy 3 on Sunday, caught off the glove playing one of his trademark reverse-sweeps, Buttler has now gone 13 innings without an ODI fifty – a rut without precedence, outside of his stop-start form in Tests. “It’s never as bad as you think it is and it’s never as good as you think it is,” Buttler said before the series, reflecting his sense of perspective. But now would be a good time to prove the first part true.Team news – Few changes expectedWest Indies may wish to stick with a winning XI, with almost everyone contributing in the first match – although young allrounder Matthew Forde could push for a debut.West Indies (probable): 1 Alick Athanaze, 2 Brandon King, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt & wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Yannic Cariah, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Oshane ThomasEngland went for batting depth and Liam Livingstone delivering a full quota of overs, only to see their three seamers all go at more than a run a ball. The uncapped John Turner has reportedly bowled with pace in the nets, while Tom Hartley offers another spin option.England (probable): 1 Will Jacks, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 Ben Duckett, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Rehan Ahmed, 11 Gus Atkinson.Pitch and conditionsThe surface for the first ODI belied North Sound’s slow-and-low reputation, with more runs scored in an ODI at the ground than ever before – and that despite some variable bounce and assistance for spin. The second match, a day-night fixture, will be played on a fresh strip, with a forecast for warm and humid conditions.Stats and trivia England’s 325 all out was the highest ODI total at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium – until it was bettered by West Indies in their chase. Hope’s 82-ball hundred in the first match was the fastest of his 16 one-day tons. He also became the joint-third fastest man to 5000 ODI runs during the course of his innings. Hope is 86 runs shy of overtaking Gordon Greenidge and moving into the top ten of West Indies men’s ODI run-scorers. Buttler needs 36 runs to also reach 5000 in ODIs. However, he has passed that total just once in his last 10 innings. Curran’s concession of 98 runs from 9.5 overs narrowly eclipsed the 0 for 97 achieved by Steve Harmison against Sri Lanka at Headingley in 2006.Quotes”Obviously, he’s gone through a bit of a lean patch recently but as we see with so many of the great players I’m sure he’ll come straight out of that and will be scoring runs freely soon.”
“Any time you cross the line, the main focus has to be to win. Every time you play cricket for West Indies, it’s so much more than just development. Yes, it’s a big thing for us, especially now, but we want to win this series, we’ve got a great chance to win this series.”
Shai Hope is concerned about one thing only

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka post wins to put themselves in a comfortable position

Shashank Kishore29-Jan-2024We’re halfway through the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy. No team has broken away from the pack but 41-time champs Mumbai are looking good for the knockouts despite being stunned by Uttar Pradesh. Saurashtra, the defending champs, are in a pickle, while Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are on an upswing. Here are the highlights from the fourth round of matches.Himmat the hero as Delhi clinch thrillerYou concede a 97-run lead. Then you’re 11 for 5 in the second innings, with the top four all dismissed for ducks. Your captain has been sacked midway, and the team is in the midst of administrative turmoil. The selectors aren’t on the same page. Senior players have quit the team to play elsewhere. Another 100-Test veteran, Ishant Sharma, is absent. Relegation is a realistic possibility.Related

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Stats: Tanmay Agarwal smashes fastest triple-century in first-class cricket

Rana breaks century drought against Mumbai, and is now hungry for more

These aren’t the kind of circumstances you wish for in your first few games as a new captain wanting to make a mark. But it’s what Himmat Singh walked out to, trying to save his side from further embarrassment.A counter-attack that turned into full-blown consolidation eventually ended in an unreal 217-ball 194, comprising 27 fours and a six, as Delhi set Uttarakhand a target of 173, competitive at best if not match-winning.Young seamer Himanshu Chauhan, all of four games old, then picked up his maiden five-for to ensure Uttarakhand were bowled out for 165 as Delhi squeezed home by seven runs to lift themselves off the bottom of the group.UP halt Mumbai’s winning runElsewhere at the Wankhede Stadium, Uttar Pradesh, after three weather-interrupted games, finally put their pieces of the jigsaw together to hand Mumbai their first defeat. UP’s two-wicket win was scripted by Aryan Juyal (76) and Karan Sharma (67) as they helped chase down 195.UP seemed to be cruising at 145 for 4 when offspinner Tanush Kotian ran through the middle and lower order to pick up five wickets, before UP held their nerve. Some of the other contributors for UP were Nitish Rana, the captain, who struck 106 in the first-innings and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who picked up five wickets in the match.Despite the loss, Mumbai still top Group C. Andhra and Bengal, who beat Assam with a bonus point, are second and third respectively.File photo: Vijaykumar Vyshak put up an all-round show for Karnataka•PTI TN, Karnataka recoverA week after making a match-winning 245*, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan smashed 321 to help the side to a bonus-point win over Chandigarh. This has helped TN storm back into knockouts contention after they started with an outright loss to Gujarat followed by a weather-interrupted fixture against Tripura.Meanwhile, Karnataka overcame a mid-tournament stutter to pull off a tense win over Tripura, their second in the season. After a stunning collapse against Gujarat followed by a drawn fixture against Goa where they only managed first-innings honours, Karnataka needed a massive win to bounce back into knockouts reckoning.They did just that in Agartala, with debutant middle-order bat Kishan Bedare chipping in with two crucial knocks – 62 and 42. He wasn’t the only one with key contributions. Vyshak Vijaykumar, the seam bowler, displayed his all-round chops by hitting 50 to help Karnataka make 241. Then in the second innings, he picked 3 for 62 as Karnataka defended 193 in style.Other significant results:Defending champs Saurashtra in choppy waters after Services result
Umesh Yadav’s four-for helps Vidarbha bounce back to top Group A
Hanuma Vihari’s 183 helps Andhra beat Chhattisgarh in Group B
Hyderabad run-away Plate toppers after Tanmay Agarwal’s record triple

Declan Rice had a personal message delivered to Noni Madueke on his arrival at Arsenal, with some bold words on what they will achieve together.

Rice message for new signing MaduekeSaid he was a "statement" signingPredicted Gunners success togetherFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In a video uploaded to Arsenal's X page, Madueke is seen reading out a letter containing a personal message from new team-mate Rice. Madueke expressed his appreciation for the 26-year-old's kind words, which spoke of his confidence in Madueke as a player and how he will contribute to success at the Emirates.

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Rice and Bukayo Saka are said to have played a role in Madueke's arrival at the club, having already been good friends with the former Chelsea winger from their time together playing for England. Madueke received criticism from large sections of the Arsenal fanbase before he even signed, so it is important to the club that the likes of Rice change the narrative around the signing as the Gunners approach a make-or-break season.

WHAT RICE SAID

Rice wrote in the letter: “Welcome to the Arsenal family. Noni, my brother. I’m buzzing for you to join the club. We’ve got an unbelievable group and everyone is looking forward to playing with you. We are going to enjoy special moments together and bring success to this club, which everyone wants, and you are going to be a massive part of that.

“Knowing you as a person and as a player, your arrival is going to be a big statement, and I know you’re going to be incredible for us. You have so many qualities already and so much capacity to keep growing with us. Looking forward to seeing you in person and if you need anything, shout me. Big love, bro. Dec.”

Madueke said in response to Rice's message: “Appreciate you bro, thanks.”

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MADUEKE, RICE AND ARSENAL?

Madueke and Rice will both be more than aware of how important the new season is for Arsenal. The Gunners have made big moves in the transfer market over the summer and the imminent signing of Viktor Gyokeres would solidify that, but rivals Liverpool and Manchester City have vastly bolstered their squads too. Both England stars will be hoping that Rice's words prove true and the pair are able to enjoy trophy success together at the Emirates, which Madueke has revealed is his goal at the club.

Packed stadium, lesser known domestic talent stepping up, capped players trying to be relevant – the RCB vs DC clash is tantalizingly poised

Shashank Kishore16-Mar-20243:10

Mandhana recalls being awestruck by Lanning

Big Picture: A celebration of talentRaging debates about the need for a tournament like the WPL feel all too recent.They said there wasn’t enough talent depth to split into enough teams to form a league and captivate audiences. On Friday evening, 25,000 fans packed into the Arun Jaitley Stadium to witness Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.On Sunday, the same crowd will turn fanatical in their support for Delhi Capitals, who will have a second shot at WPL glory. Last year, they let nerves get the better of them against Mumbai. Things may turn out differently this time with a stadium full of people cheering them on.Related

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'She's a real fighter' – Nitschke praises Jonassen's response to axing

New and improved Shafali has brought method to her madness

Perry: 'We're lucky to play in front of such big and fanatical crowds'

Innovative Rodrigues makes it count with boundary-laden half-century

Capitals have got here on the back of a dominating run in the group stage. Twice in two seasons now, they’ve made the finals directly by topping the pool. RCB’s journey has been bumpy. Having opened with two wins, they suffered a mid-season slump, before putting it past the defending champions twice to make it here.Not surprisingly, the history of both these sides, in the IPL, has been brought up quite a bit. Capitals and RCB have part of that tournament since 2008 but neither of them have won anything – Capitals have made only one final previously, RCB three. So this much is for sure: one of them will be making space for a first trophy.Both teams have invested heavily in their scouting system. Asha Sobhana’s nerveless final over on Friday night to dethrone Mumbai was a ringing endorsement of this. At 33, it’s possible she would have been a mere footnote in several domestic scorecards if not for an opportunity at the WPL.Capitals have identified a core group of young Indian players to drive them forward. Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav, who hadn’t been in the conversation as far as the Indian team goes, are part of this. Compelling performances here, a byproduct of fierce backing from Meg Lanning and the coaching staff. Now, a national call-up won’t seem so surprising.Shafali Verma’s chats with Lanning about becoming ruthless and consistent and adding new gears to her game are bound to have a ripple effect. Minnu Mani’s smile and Lanning’s embrace after she spun one past Ash Gardner’s defence told you of how a team culture that empowers young players to discover themselves and grow as individuals has already reaped dividends.2:51

Lanning: Mandhana is starting to get the ins and outs captaincy

Shreyanka Patil, a find of WPL 2023, has come on leaps and bounds from there. She fought through a hairline fracture, resisting the idea of rest to prevent aggravating her injury to play Friday’s Eliminator and delivered a clutch performance.Stories of hope, inspiration and glory will once again play out on Sunday evening on the biggest stage of them all. And it will culminate in the WPL having a new winner. It feels fitting.Form guideDelhi Capitals: WWLWW (Last five games)
Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWLLWIn the spotlight: Asha Sobhana and Jemimah RodriguesTwice this season, Asha Sobhana has helped RCB complete a sensational last-over defence. She defended 10 runs in the opener against UP Warriorz. Against Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, she defended 11. That she has been preferred ahead of regulars like Renuka Singh reflects the confidence Smriti Mandhana has in her. At 33, Asha is not a newbie, but her exploits could put her in contention to be in India’s T20 World Cup squad in Bangladesh later this year.After a slow start, Jemimah Rodrigues has hit form towards the business end. She has scored 38*, 58, 17 and 69* in her last four innings. Unlike last year, where she was largely an accumulator, Rodrigues has added a robust power game to help finish off innings. This versatility gives her a massive edge in India’s World Cup plans.5:43

Rodrigues: I’ve learnt from Kohli how to hit sixes while hitting in the gaps

Likely XIsDelhi Capitals: 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Alice Capsey, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Jess Jonassen, 6 Marizanne Kapp, 7 Minnu Mani, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Shikha PandeyRCB: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Disha Kasat/S Meghana, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Sophie Molineux, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Shreyanka Patil, 9 Renuka Singh, 10 Asha Sobhana, 11 Shradda Pokharkar/Ekta BishtPitch and conditions: Something for the bowlersA fresh pitch, right in the centre, will be used. Delhi has ensured decent bounce and carry for seamers, while the absence of dew has helped spinners also have a say. Toss hasn’t been as big a factor, with teams happy to bat first, like RCB did in the Eliminator.Stats and trivia: RCB have never beaten Capitals Ellyse Perry’s 6 for 15 in the final league game against Mumbai are the best figures in WPL’s short history. Lanning has never been out in single digits in 17 WPL innings. But two of her lowest scores have come against RCB. Marizanne Kapp’s economy rate of 6.50 is the best among those who’ve bowled at least 15 overs this season. Out of the five T20 finals she has played since 2021, Kapp was Player of the Match in the Hundred in 2021, WBBL 2021 and Hundred 2022. Seven out of ten matches in the Delhi leg of this WPL have been won by the side batting first. Shafali’s 17 sixes are the most by a batter so far this season. Mandhana is next best with 10. RCB have never beaten Capitals in four attempts so far.Quotes”We were just thinking we’re only two seasons into this, so let’s not take too much stress about what has happened over the last 15 years or correlating with similarities [to the men’s team].”
“It is a nightmare having a 40-meter boundary on one side. That is one thing I haven’t necessarily enjoyed as a captain. There’s so much more power and strength in the game now that people are clearing the ropes pretty easily.”

Wrexham have confirmed the signing of Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien in another statement of intent in the transfer window.

Wrexham announce O'Brien transferAnother statement Red Dragons signing Preparing for Championship seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Championship new boys have announced the arrival of the midfielder on a three-year deal in what is their fifth signing of the summer. Following his switch from Forest to Wrexham, the 26-year-old expressed his delight at the move.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT O'BRIEN SAID

He told Wrexham's website: "I’m absolutely buzzing. It’s been a long time coming, but to be here is great. The last couple of years has been a whirlwind for me and my family, but to sign a long-term contract and find somewhere I can call home is a great feeling. After speaking to everyone here, it’s a club with a lot of ambition. I want to be part of that journey, and take Wrexham to where they want to be."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

After securing a record third-straight promotion in as many years, Wrexham are beginning to make waves ahead of the new season. The Welsh outfit smashed their transfer record to sign Liberato Cacace from Empoli for around £2.2 million but this O'Brien deal is reportedly more than that. The Red Dragons could even break their transfer record again this summer as they aim for yet another promotion, this time to the Premier League.

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Manager Phil Parkinson added that he is looking forward to working with the former Huddersfield Town star, who has played more than 150 games at Championship level.

He said: "I’m delighted to welcome Lewis to the club. He’s a player with a lot of experience at this level and will be a great addition to the group. We’re looking forward to working with him."

Sanju Samson got a chance at the top of the order but he was lbw for 1

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-2024India sprang a surprise at the start of their T20 World Cup warm-up game against Bangladesh in New York, sending Sanju Samson out to open the batting alongside captain Rohit Sharma.Samson’s stay was brief: he was lbw to Shoriful Islam for 1 in the second over of the match.Rohit, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli are the three regular openers in India’s 15-member squad. Kohli wasn’t available to play in the warm-up game, having only arrived in New York on the eve of the match. Samson is one of two wicketkeeper-batters in the squad alongside Rishabh Pant.Pant batted at No. 3, replacing Samson at the crease.India’s opening combination was a topic of debate in the lead-up to the tournament, with Rohit, as captain, expected to take one of the two opening slots.Kohli, who has spent most of his T20I career as a No. 3 batter, comes into the World Cup on the back of a hugely successful IPL at the top of the order, topping the run charts with 741 at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69, and showcasing an improved ability to access the boundary against spin in the middle overs – this had been an area of concern in recent seasons.Jaiswal, meanwhile, offers India a high-intent, left-hand option with the tactical advantage of preventing oppositions from bowling left-arm spin in the powerplay – a style of bowling both Rohit and Kohli have struggled to score quickly against in the past.Given that this is a warm-up match where both teams can use their entire squads – with a maximum of 11 allowed to bat and 11 fielding at any given time – not too much can be read into the choice of Samson as opener and Pant at No. 3. It’s possible that India may be looking to have a good look at both their keepers before deciding on whom to pick in their tournament-opener against Ireland on June 5.

Liberato Cacace has revealed he snubbed interest from other clubs in Italy in order to move to Wrexham after being impressed by the club's documentary.

Cacace moves to Wrexham from Serie AReveals he was a big fan of club's documentaryHelped convince him to make moveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Cacace swapped Serie A side Empoli for Wrexham this summer after arriving on a three-year deal. The transfer has been seen as something of a coup by the Welsh side and is part of a big-spending summer following promotion to the Championship for the 2025-26 season.

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The left-back has penned a three-year deal with Wrexham despite having offers from elsewhere. Cacace has spoken about his move, revealing how much he loved the club's 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary and how that played a big role in his decision to head to the side co-owned by Hollywood superstars Reynolds and McElhenney.

WHAT CACECE SAID

He told BBC Sport Wales: "It's a great doco, and I've watched all the seasons. There was interest in Italy, but for me, I'm a big football fan as well. I watch a lot of football and I've always watched English football, from the Premier League to the Championship as well so I know the level I'm heading into. It was always a big dream of mine to play in the UK. Obviously Wrexham having so much publicity in the media as well you could see what the club was like. It's a very exciting project and I'm also very excited to start the season as well."

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Cacere also revealed how Wrexham staff visited his father's restaurant during their pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia while he was in Wales tying up his transfer. 

He added: "Yeah, it was a crazy circumstance, a weird coincidence that they were over in my home country and I was here in Wrexham for the first few days. But it was a great touch from the staff and from the manager, to go over and say hello to Mum and Dad. I think it was a really good touch from them."