Fast bowler deserves happy ending to mighty 16-year career, but form is a concern for NZ

Vithushan Ehantharajah07-Dec-2024The cheers were loud. Too loud considering the on-field celebrations were muted.Tim Southee’s four-over spell before tea had seen off Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett as both rounded on centuries. Steady into the nineties, they found themselves on the wrong end of a veteran seamer who has made a healthy career out of ending dreams on a fourth-stump line. Shifty positions on the crease from around the wicket felt like a throwback. The only thing missing was joy from the man responsible.In the stands and on the grassbanks they hooted and hollered rather than roared: more for Southee, in his final appearance at the Basin Reserve, than the situation. England had taken care of New Zealand’s first innings quick enough to begin their second innings at 11:54am with a lead of 155. They were 366 in front when Duckett, on 92, lazily guided Southee onto his stumps when aiming down to third. Bethell’s earlier push-drive looked borne out of nerves on 96 – a new personal best – one shot away from his first century in professional cricket.Southee’s disposition throughout was distinctly Danny Glover. One match away from retirement, tired and, aged 35 with the creak of over 23,000 deliveries in his joints, finally too old for this for this s***.The ignominy of being the final skittle of Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick felt unbecoming, especially in only the second of 153 innings as a No.11. His own imperfect hat-trick duly followed; opening up England’s second innings and seeing the first two deliveries blazed through cover for successive boundaries by Zak Crawley. Crawley, a man averaging 9.44 in New Zealand, who just over 24 hours earlier had hit a six in the first over of the Test when he sent Southee back over his head.When Southee announced this series was to be his last, there was a romanticism about calling time against the same side he faced on debut back in March 2008. The reality has been far from idyllic. An awkward nightmarish mix of politeness and brutality.England have targeted Southee – as well as every other Kiwi bowler, to be fair – after he troubled them on day two of the first Test, in seam-friendly conditions. Since taking 2 for 85 in the first innings at Hagley Oval, Southee had gone 0 for 136 runs in the 22.5 overs up to Bethell’s dismissal. Should he not add to the two wickets he currently has – for 72 runs so far in 14 overs – it will be 24 innings since he last took three or more wickets (against Sri Lanka in February 2023).His bowling average has now crept the wrong side of 30. His pace, naturally, is down to 128kph in this Test. The conclusion of the farewell tour in Hamilton next week will be Southee’s 11th Test of 2024. It has been the busiest year of his Test career, one in which he also relinquished the Test captaincy. With just 15 wickets at 61.66, it is also comfortably his worst.There is no denying this has been a grizzly final stanza to a genuinely great career. But great things do not always have great endings.Related

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• New Zealand in need of another fightback at scene of epic one-run win

France’s legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane bowed out too literally, sent off after burying his head into the chest of Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup Final, which Italy went on to win. See also: Don Bradman’s duck in his final knock. And the last season of Test careers, in particular, are tricky to end. It was only five months ago that James Anderson, now sitting on the England balcony as a bowling consultant, was bumped off, forced to call it a day after a one-Test finale at the start of the summer. The game’s most productive seamer, an artist, discarded then repurposed like scrap metal.At the end other end of the spectrum was Stuart Broad’s note-perfect walk into the sunset at the end of the 2023 summer. A rare combination of pageantry and high drama, Broad was celebrated for the last two days of the Oval Test, before finishing it off with the last Australian wicket with his final delivery, earning his side a 2-2 draw in the Ashes.Whisper it, but Southee’s retirement parade is feeling a lot like more like Anderson’s when the desire would have been Broad’s. Inevitable yet no less emotional, but with a nagging sense the time to move on might have already passed.Anderson has spoken since about wanting to cling on, largely because the decision came against his will. Southee at least has the comfort of personal closure. “I’ve really loved working with these exciting young bowlers and watching them perform at the highest level,” he said last month. “Now it’s their turn to take this team forward and they know I’ll always be there to support, from near or far.”Truth be told, it should have been “their turn” here in Wellington. The sentimentality of this series is weighted heavily on that final Test at Seddon Park, Southee’s home ground. Resting for this second Test would have been the smart play on a number of fronts, though Black Caps skipper Tom Latham said pre-match that the thought of parking Southee was never entertained.With three matches back-to-back, it was always going to be a stretch, physically, to make it through intact. Now the issue is seemingly on merit.Not that New Zealand will make that decision. That would be wildly out of sync with how the current set-up operates and the deserved last rites of a legend.But it is hard to shake the fact that Southee’s situation represents a wider stasis with the team. A chastening Saturday highlighted that, with New Zealand already out of this second Test with three days still to play. Likewise the continued absence of Will Young, player of the series in a 3-0 victory over India that looks more and more like an outlier each day.On the flip side, no amount of revisionism can dull what Southee has achieved, regardless of how the next three days here play out. But he would certainly wish his final weeks as a Test cricketer were more enjoyable than this.

علق أسامة نبيه لاعب الزمالك السابق، على أداء وفوز الفريق على زيسكو الزامبي، في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين، مساء أمس الأحد، ضمن منافسات كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

وفاز الزمالك على زيسكو، بهدف دون رد، في إطار الجولة الأولى من مواجهات المجموعة الرابعة لمنافسات كأس الكونفدرالية، في المباراة التي أقيمت في القاهرة.

وقال نبيه خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “الفوز على زيسكو مهم، بداية المشوار في الكونفدرالية، الفريق يمر بظروف صعبة ولكن المكسب يدفعك للتقدم ويضعك في موقع أفضل، بغض النظر عن الأداء والشكل”.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة الزمالك في الكونفدرالية بعد الفوز على زيسكو الزامبي

وأضاف: “ثلاثة نقاط، وفريق المصري أيضًا ثلاثة نقاط، نتمنى إن شاء الله إن هذه المجموعة يتأهل منها الزمالك والمصري، ويصلان إلي المباراة النهائية من كأس الكونفدرالية”.

وتابع: “الزمالك يعاني مشاكل فنية، بجانب المشاكل الإدارية والمالية، نتمنى إن شاء الله أن نصل لحل في النواحي الإدارية ونتداركها، وعلى النواحي الفنية نتداركها، وعلى النواحي المالية نتداركها”.

وأتم: “كل هذا يحتاج إلي تكاتف وعمل كبير وقوي من كل أفراد المنظومة، وأنا آسف، نرغب في تدخل من الدولة، إن شاء الله تساعد نادي الزمالك في أزماته التي يمر بها”.

There were also call-ups for legspinner Shariz Ahmed and left-arm pacer Ben Fletcher

Mohammad Isam20-Aug-2025Vikramjit Singh is one of three players poised to make a return into the Netherlands squad for their three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, to be held later this month. The left-handed opener wasn’t in the side during their T20 World Cup qualifiers at home, having last played in the tri-series in Glasgow in June.Apart from Vikramjit, there were call-ups for legspinner Shariz Ahmed and left-arm pacer Ben Fletcher, who also last played in the Glasgow tri-series. Shariz returns after his last international in Muscat last year.Left-arm quick Fred Klaassen and left-arm spinner Tim Pringle have also been included in the squad, with both having last appeared for Netherlands in the format in 2024.Netherlands will be without experienced allrounders Bas de Leede and Roelof van der Merwe, both having excelled with the ball during the World Cup qualifiers. Batter Michael Levitt misses out, as do Zach Lion-Cachet and Hidde Overdijk.Netherlands, however, have most of their squad members from the previous assignment. Captain Scott Edwards is their batting lynchpin, along with Max O’Dowd, who top-scored for Netherlands in the T20 World Cup qualifier.Pacer Kyle Klein, who took seven wickets in the qualifiers, is in the squad alongside Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt. Shariz is also an interesting choice, if he can master the conditions in Sylhet, where the three T20Is will be played on August 30, and September 1 and 3.IN: Vikramjit Singh, Shariz Ahmed, Ben Fletcher, Fred Klaassen, Tim PringleOUT: Bas de Leede, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Hidde Overdijk, Roelof van der MerweNetherlands squad: Scott Edwards (capt, wk), Noah Croes, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Saqib Zulfiqar, Ryan Klein, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Shariz Ahmad, Ben Fletcher, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Tim Pringle

England allrounder continues remarkable personal match with Derbyshire on ropes

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025

Derbyshire 189 and 98 for 4 need another 347 runs to beat Leicestershire 398 and 236 for 9 (Holland 90, Reece 5-64, Thomson 4-81)Leicestershire closed in on another victory with England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed again playing a starring role on day three of the Rothesay County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby.Ahmed claimed 4 for 41 and 10 wickets in the Division Two match at the Central Co-op County Ground to leave the hosts on 98 for 4 at the close, still 347 runs away from a notional target of 446.Luis Reece celebrated career-best match figures of 11 for 120, taking 5 for 64, before Leicestershire declared on 236 for 9 with Ian Holland scoring 90 from 98 balls and Ben Green 45.Derbyshire chances were always slim at best on a used pitch and despite 41 from opener Caleb Jewell, they were sliding towards defeat when bad light halted play with seven overs still to bowl.Once Leicestershire decided not to enforce the follow-on, it was a question of how quickly they could get to the sort of lead that would put the game beyond Derbyshire.Reece had run through them on the second morning and he threatened to do the same again, removing both openers in his first three overs.Rishi Patel prodded a simple chance to short cover which gave Wayne Madsen his 100th first-class catch at Derby.Madsen held another one to remove Sol Budinger and after some typically flamboyant strokes, Ahmed pulled Reece to deep mid on.When Reece trapped Peter Handscomb lbw, there was still a chance Derbyshire could restrict Leicestershire to a target they had a realistic chance of chasing down but Holland dashed those slim hopes.Although Alex Thomson removed Lewis Hill, Liam Trevaskis and Louis Kimber before lunch, Holland was four short of 50 at the interval with the lead a daunting 345.Holland and Green took that past 400, adding 89 from 85 balls before Green was bowled by Reece who had now taken five wickets in both innings of a match for the first time.The declaration came when Holland drove a return catch to Thomson which left Derbyshire a highly improbable target on a challenging pitch.They made a decent start until Ahmed made his latest mark on the match, taking three wickets either side of tea.David Lloyd pulled a short ball to mid on and Harry Came edged a cut into the gloves of Handscomb in the last over of the afternoon.When Madsen went cheaply for the second time in the match, seeing a defensive shot spin back onto the stumps, his side was in trouble on 52 for 3.Jewell resisted for 110 balls before he was lbw playing back to Ahmed and Leicestershire will be confident of completing a sixth victory on the final day to take another step closer to promotion.

The Philadelphia Phillies know how to have a good time.

During Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Phillies gave their home fans at Citizens Bank Park a show with a hilarious parody of the viral kiss cam moment that happened at a Coldplay concert earlier this week.

During the standard kiss cam segment of the game, and with Coldplay's "Clocks" playing in the background, the jumbotron showed none other than Phillie Phanatic cozying up to a female mascot in the stands. Phillie Phanatic looked startled as ever to be caught on camera and dove to the ground in the same panicked manner as the Astronomer CEO, eliciting lots of laughter from the crowd.

The stadium played an audio clip of Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin during the parody: "Uh-oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy."

Just too good.

On top of that, the stadium's cameras panned to another couple right after and showed the man holding a sign that read, "This IS My Wife"—a very necessary clarification during these chaotic times.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will be delighted with where the team is currently at, after moving up to third in the Premier League table on Sunday.

The former Brentford boss inherited a team that finished 17th in the division under Ange Postecoglou last season, despite winning the Europa League, which makes their current form all the more impressive.

Spurs travelled to Merseyside to take on Everton at the Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday in the Premier League, and came away from that match with a 3-0 win.

Central midfielder Micky van de Ven took his tally for the season to five goals with two strikes in the first half, before Pape Matar Sarr added a third late on by heading in from close-range after Richarlison nodded the ball back across goal.

You would often be hard-pressed to find many negatives from a 3-0 win away from home in the Premier League, but there were some for the Lilywhites on Sunday.

For example, there was another fairly underwhelming performance from summer signing Xavi Simons in the middle of the park, and he needs to step up for Spurs in the coming weeks and months.

Why Xavi Simons needs to step up for Spurs

The Europa League champions splashed out £52m to sign the Netherlands international from RB Leipzig, possibly with the intention of him replacing James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.

It is easy to see why they were willing to splash the cash on the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona youngster, as he produced consistent quality in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons.

As you can see in the table above, Simons racked up 18 goals and 26 ‘big chances’ created as an attacking midfielder or winger, proving that he can make a big impact in the final third.

However, the Dutchman has no goals and one assist, which came from a corner, in ten appearances in all competitions for Tottenham since his move to the club in the summer window.

Simons, as of yet, has been unable to translate his influence in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League. Whether that will come with more time and experience in England, it remains to be seen.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder played 62 minutes against Everton on Sunday, per Sofascore, and came off the pitch without any shots on goal or any chances created to show for his efforts for the Lilywhites, which shows that it was an ineffective performances in the final third.

Along with his struggles in the Premier League, Simons also has no goals, one key pass, and no ‘big chances’ created in three appearances in the Championship for Tottenham this term.

This shows that he has been struggling domestically and on the continent stage, which will be a concern for supporters and Frank at this stage, as the Dutch star is clearly capable of much better than he is showing, given his output for Leipzig in his two full seasons in Germany.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With the £52m signing’s struggles at the top end of the pitch, though, it could be the right time for the Danish head coach to provide a young player with an opportunity to step up.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for the club in the League Cup in a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers, and he could emerge as a surprise upgrade on Simons.

Spurs travel to Tyneside to take on Newcastle United in the League Cup on Wednesday night, which could be the perfect opportunity to offer the teenage starlet a chance to shine.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could be a Xavi Simons upgrade

The 17-year-old star’s form for the club at academy level this season suggests that he has the potential to be an exciting player for the first-team if he can make the step up.

As aforementioned, Simons has not stepped up to deliver goals and assists since his big-money move from Leipzig, with a goal contribution every ten matches on average so far.

Williams-Barnett, meanwhile, has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 12 appearances in all competitions this season, including a three-minute cameo for the first-team, per Transfermarkt.

On top of his exceptional form in front of goal in the current campaign for Tottenham’s youth teams, the England U18 international also scored 20 goals in all competitions last season.

As you can see in the table above, Williams-Barnett has provided goals and assists on a consistent basis since the start of last season, averaging a goal or an assist every hour or so over the past 18 months.

U23 scout Antonio Mango went as far as to call him the “most underrated talent in English Academies”, which speaks to how impressed he has been with the Spurs youngster’s performances.

His talent has been recognised this season, though, as he won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for his displays at U21 level in September.

With all of this in mind, and the fact that his main position is as an attacking midfielder, it could be the right time for Frank to provide him with another chance to impress at first-team level after his debut against Doncaster last month.

Spurs have unearthed their new Vertonghen & it's not Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur may have found their next Jan Vertonghen, and it is not Micky van de Ven.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 27, 2025

He has shown unbelievable form and consistency for the academy team for more than a year, and his numbers at youth level suggest that he does have the potential to be an upgrade on the currently underperforming Xavi Simons, if he can make the step up.

Former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes that Manuel Neuer could come out of retirement and return to the national team if he continues his current form for Bayern Munich. With current first choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen struggling at Barcelona, the national team hero suggested Neuer is the natural choice to fill in should his compatriot fail to find a new club in January.

Neuer still shining under Kompany

Germany are facing a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With Ter Stegen sidelined due to an injury suffered before the 2025-26 season and his replacement, Oliver Baumann, lacking international experience, questions have emerged about who will guard the posts for Die Mannschaft. In this context, speculation has grown around the possible return of Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024. The veteran goalkeeper has experienced a remarkable resurgence under Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich, playing a key role in their 2024-25 Bundesliga triumph. Kompany’s tactical system and strong man-management have revitalised Neuer, helping him maintain top form even at the age of 40. His leadership, composure, and consistency have impressed Bayern’s hierarchy, who are reportedly in talks to extend his contract. If his form continues, Neuer’s return to the national team could become a real possibility for Germany’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

AdvertisementAFPWill he come out of retirement?

In an interview with , Hamann expressed his belief that Neuer is likely to feature for Germany at the 2026 World Cup, saying: “I think it's very likely that Manuel Neuer will play in the World Cup.”

Wishing the veteran goalkeeper good health, Hamann added that if Neuer continues performing at his current level, a national team return would be inevitable. He said: “I hope Manuel Neuer stays healthy. If he continues to perform as he is doing now in April, then it will happen – it has to happen – that he will be asked.”

However, Hamann acknowledged that recalling Neuer could be tough on Baumann, noting: “If he wants to, that would be tough for Oliver Baumann.”

Ter Stegen's poor season at barcelona

Ter Stegen’s situation at Barcelona has taken a dramatic downturn under Hansi Flick, who has demoted the German to third-choice goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny this season. Tensions between Ter Stegen and the club began in the summer when Barcelona pursued Garcia without informing him, a move the long-serving keeper viewed as deeply disrespectful after years of loyalty and leadership. Matters worsened when Barcelona needed Ter Stegen to sign off on a medical report declaring a long-term injury so they could register Garcia for the domestic campaign. Initially, the German refused, prompting the club to impose disciplinary measures and strip him of the captaincy. He eventually relented, signing the report to facilitate Garcia’s registration. However, Germany coach Nagelsmann has already made it clear that Ter Stegen will only feature at the 2026 World Cup if he plays regularly, while former Barcelona and Germany star Bernd Schuster has warned that a move away is now essential. With less than a year to go for the 2026 World Cup, time is running out for the Barcelona veteran. Unless he secures regular playing time soon, he risks losing the Germany No. 1 spot he has long pursued but never fully claimed with Neuer around. And now, with the Bayern veteran being urged to return, the pressure on him is only increasing.

Hamann echoed Schuster’s views, saying that Ter Stegen needs to find a new club, preferably one competing in Europe, if he hopes to regain his place as Germany’s No. 1 goalkeeper. Saying: “Marc-Andre ter Stegen first has to find a new club, ideally one that plays in Europe. As harsh as it may sound, for me the train has left the station.”

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Getty ImagesNagelsmann's hope

Nagelsmann will hope that Ter Stegen can secure a move in the winter transfer window to regain his place and stay match-fit ahead of the 2026 World Cup. However, if Ter Stegen is not ready in time, Nagelsmann will count on Neuer to come out of retirement and answer his country’s call once again.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris admitted to making a sly tactical tweak to try and prevent Arsenal's long throws. It was one of those epic Premier League encounters that saw Arsenal’s title charge momentarily halted by the fearless Black Cats, who matched the intensity of their more illustrious rivals in every department and also employed some unusual help.

• A thrilling night at the Stadium of Light

  Dan Ballard gave Sunderland a surprise lead midway through the first half. He headed home from close range after Arsenal failed to clear a corner. It was absolutely deserving for the hosts to have their noses in front after a spell of intense pressure that rattled Mikel Arteta’s men. 

  Arsenal regrouped after the interval and eventually found their rhythm as they pinned Sunderland back. Bukayo Saka drew the visitors level with a poacher’s finish in the 54th minute, and 20 minutes later, Leandro Trossard produced a moment of brilliance by curling a stunning strike into the top corner to give Arsenal a 2-1 lead. At that point, it looked like the league leaders would grind out yet another comeback win. However, Sunderland had other ideas. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Ballard flicked on a hopeful long throw into the Arsenal area. Fortunately, it fell for Brian Brobbey, who contorted his body mid-air to steer a bicycle kick past the onrushing David Raya. The excitement hit the roof as the Dutch striker had secured a point for Sunderland out of nowhere, as Arteta looked on in despair. 

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  Le Bris spills the beans

  After the game, Le Bris revealed that the Black Cats had moved the advertising boards closer to the touchline before kick-off. This drastically cut down the run-up space that Arsenal’s players use to hurl the ball deep into the penalty area from a throw-in. Hence, the Gunners were robbed of one of their growing set-piece weapons. And, as it turned out, the tactic actually worked. Arsenal had limited potency in their aerial assaults and failed to take advantage of their usual dominance from throw-ins. After the game, Le Bris could barely hide his satisfaction when asked about the subtle act of gamesmanship.

  He told BBC Sport when quizzed about the hoardings: "Yeah, we tried to find the details to win the game. They are really strong on set-pieces, and we were good as well. It was absolutely obvious this threat was really important for this game, and in the end, it was balanced."

  For Le Bris, the result was a validation of his team’s belief: "The lads worked hard to the end. They believed it was possible to change the dynamic. It was a tough game, as we expected. They are probably one of the best teams in Europe. We struggled, but we still believed it was possible to score one more goal. Our fans helped a lot. We showed before that it was possible [to score late goals], so now we have this faith, this belief that until the final whistle, anything is possible. We were on the edge sometimes, but we’re a new squad, we’re young. We felt their pressure, their intensity. We felt the quality. We were on the edge during the second half."

• Arteta was frustrated but proud

  Arteta was visibly frustrated after the final whistle. Arsenal had dominated large stretches of the match and appeared poised to claim another victory before Brobbey’s late strike.

  "Really tough test, we knew that. The way they set up, credit to them because they made it difficult for you," he said.

  "They take the game constantly to the areas that they want. You have to deal with that and very unfortunately, at the end, we conceded a goal. The time that was added tells you the story of the game. It's normal, each team tries to do their best and we do the same. Yeah, it is two direct balls and we lose the flicks – it is the same action. Credit to the opposition, it is not the first time they've done it. They committed a lot of players forward at the end with Ballard and created chaos – in any moment they can score a goal. That is the reason they are where they are."

  Yet, Arteta lavished praise on his players for their efforts and said, "So overall, we’re disappointed with the result, but so proud of the players because putting into perspective what they’ve done in the last 10 games, winning all of them with the amount of clean sheets that they had, with seven players injured."

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  A history of smart tactics

  Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Sunderland have used this advertising-board trick, as they reportedly employed the same tactic during last season’s Championship play-off clash against Coventry City. It worked then, too. Sunderland went on to beat Coventry and later Sheffield United, sealing promotion to the Premier League. Next up, Sunderland face a tricky trip to Fulham, while Arsenal prepare for the north London showdown with Tottenham after the international break.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also want to “work on batting” after below-par performances at the T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda15-Oct-2024Pakistan will seek new batting talent in the aftermath of the T20 World Cup, where they once again failed to make it out of the group stage. Their exit was confirmed after they were dismissed for 56 by New Zealand to add to a string of poor performances at the event.”Our problem area is batting, our line-up, and I think it’s about time we move forward,” Mohammad Wasim, their coach, said after the last group-stage match. “We need to change the mindset of this team, especially in batting.”We have seen glimpses of that but we haven’t seen it consistently. If we talk about the next World Cup, we will have to go for fresh blood, and we will have to do some new inductions in the team. The seniors in the team have to step up. Unfortunately, the seniors have not stepped up in the crunch batting moments. So that’s why I said that we need to move on and bring some new faces.”Related

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The places of former captain Nida Dar, who was replaced by Fatima Sana six weeks before the tournament, and others such as Sidra Amin and Iram Javed may be at risk. Dar batted at No. 5 in the first two matches, No. 4 in the third and No. 7 in the last game, and did not cross 30 in any of her innings. She last managed a 30-plus score 24 innings ago, against South Africa in September 2023, and has not scored a half-century since November 2022. Amin had a high score of 12 at the tournament and has one score over 30 in her last 12 T20Is, while Javed has recorded five ducks in her last ten T20I innings.While Wasim values the experience these players bring to a team, he also wants them to contribute more. “Consistency is the key for everything, to be honest,” he said. “But when you talk about consistency, then there’s a limit also. There’s a limit for the players also. We have changed many coaches. We have changed most of the staff. But it’s about time we need to look at the player side also.”He suggested Pakistan would look at their age-group structures as a starting point for new talent, especially as they have recently had an Under-19 tournament and another is ongoing.”If you look at this year’s domestic cricket schedule, you will see that women’s cricket is getting more importance than before,” he said. “There are U-19 matches starting, then there will be matches for seniors and different formats. So I hope we will get talent in the future. This is not an excuse that you have no talent, so carry on with the same thing.”When results are not coming, then you see what other options you have. It’s not that we don’t have talent. We are doing domestic; we will closely watch what replacements we have. Because we have time before the next event.”That next event is the ODI World Cup in India, which is exactly a year away. Pakistan have not automatically qualified, and currently sit seventh on the Women’s Championship table. India, as hosts, and the top five teams, are guaranteed a spot. Since Pakistan have played all of their matches, they have no chance to advance without finishing in the top two of a six-team qualifying tournament to ensure they make a fifth successive 50-over World Cup appearance.Bangladesh’s batting was their undoing at the T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty ImagesBangladesh, Sri Lanka also look for batting liftThat tournament will also be on the minds of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who too depart the T20 World Cup but remain in the running for one of the six automatic ODI spots. Bangladesh are in ninth place, with six matches left to play – three each against West Indies and Ireland – and must win at least five of those matches. The importance of that was not lost on their captain Nigar Sultana, who turned her attention to it as soon as their T20 World Cup campaign was over.”We want to play the ODI World Cup without qualifying, that’s why we need some points. So our eyes are on that right now,” she said after their defeat to South Africa on Saturday.Like Pakistan, Bangladesh’s batting was their undoing at this tournament, where they won their opener against Scotland, but could not get more than 106 against any of England, West Indies or South Africa. While Sultana celebrated the lone victory, she was critical of their lack of intent in run-scoring.”We’ve been waiting for a win for the last ten years, and we got that. But as a batting unit, we learnt a lot of things,” she said. “We should be more positive, and what happened is that we were behind sometimes in the middle overs. Our thought process was not working. Sometimes we went away from our thought processes, so this is what we need to work on.”Sri Lanka seemed over-reliant on their captain Chamari Athapaththu•Getty ImagesSimilarly, Sri Lanka also identified their batting as a weak spot after they were held to under 100 in their first three matches, and then made only 115 against New Zealand in their last match. Sri Lanka lost all four games, which made it the first time they have not got a win in a T20 World Cup, and their defeats stung all the more because of the expectation with which they entered the tournament: over the last 18 months, Sri Lanka have beaten England and South Africa in series away from home, won the Asia Cup, and cruised through the World Cup qualifiers.”Everybody expected us to be not the top dog but [rather] the top underdog, so to speak, as the team which would beat the best teams. I think the expectations got to the team,” Rumesh Ratnayake, their coach said after their loss to New Zealand.He blamed “poor cricket in all three departments” for their underperformance, but was also repeatedly asked about their batting over-reliance on captain Chamari Athapaththu. Ratnayake acknowledged that she is key to Sri Lanka but also pointed to other important performances, such as Harshita Samarawickrama’s 69* in the Asia Cup final, and believes there will be more players to come.”The pathways are sort of sorted out back home and those things are happening,” he said.Sri Lanka’s increased focus on development through their school and age-groups structures is welcome news after they were graded “amateur” by the global player association FICA’s (now known as WCA) 2022 Women’s Global Employment Report, released ahead of last year’s T20 World Cup. Their domestic programmes were described as “underfunded”, and that “developing a depth of talent and progression up the rankings remains a significant challenge”. But in a short space of time, that has changed.Pakistan and Bangladesh were categorised as “fledgling professional”, with the hope that a women’s PSL and more investment into the game in Bangladesh, respectively, would aid growth in these nations. The former has not yet happened, and Bangladesh has since been through civil unrest which resulted in the ongoing T20 World Cup being moved out of their country while the economy took a hit. Ultimately, the lack of structural and financial support may only explain why these countries have performed poorly at the tournament.The three teams, and subcontinental giants India, have all not progressed to the semi-finals, despite suggestions that conditions would suit them. Their bowlers, especially their slow bowlers, made batting particularly difficult for opposition line-ups but their batters were unable to respond. All four will need to go back to the drawing board and rethink their approach to tournament cricket while the ongoing World Cup concludes without them.

Sixth-wicket stand of 111 leads response to Derbyshire’s 377

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025 Northamptonshire 265 for 5 (Broad 64*, Bartlett 60*) trail Derbyshire 377 (Andersson 105, Procter 71*, Chahal 6-118) by 112 runsGeorge Bartlett and Justin Broad shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 111 to lead the Northamptonshire recovery in response to Derbyshire’s total of 377 at Wantage Road.Bartlett equalled his season’s best of 60 not out, made in the opening round of the Rothesay County Championship, while Broad struck an unbeaten 64 as the pair batted through the evening session, having joined forces at 154 for five.Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter anchored his side’s innings with a gritty 71 at the top of the order before becoming one of a trio of departures in quick succession prior to tea.Earlier, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal picked up the final two Derbyshire wickets to register figures of six for 118, his best in the County Championship.Derbyshire resumed on 348 for eight and Ben Aitchison wasted no time in securing their third batting bonus point, clubbing Liam Guthrie’s first delivery of the morning to the cover fence.Aitchison looked on course to reach a first-class half-century for only the second time in his career, but he departed five short of that landmark, chopping Chahal back onto leg stump.The spinner soon wrapped up Derbyshire’s innings as Blair Tickner – having blazed a couple of boundaries off George Scrimshaw – took an ambitious swing and was caught at slip off a thick edge.With ball in hand, Tickner then sent down a fiery opening spell, generating plenty of pace and bounce and earning his reward by removing Ricardo Vasconcelos with a delivery that swung in to hit the left-hander on the pads.Procter and Lewis McManus – who was awarded his county cap prior to the start of play – saw their side through to lunch, not without the odd scare as debutant Joe Hawkins’ first ball found the edge of the skipper’s bat but fell just short of slip.The visitors struck in the first over after the interval, when McManus misjudged the line from Zak Chappell and was caught behind, but James Sales started perkily as he dispatched Hawkins for two cover boundaries.Meanwhile, Procter withstood a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Tickner, emerging unscathed after he ducked into a bouncer and continued to accumulate, guiding Aitchison to the rope at third man to bring up his half-century.Northamptonshire’s third-wicket partnership yielded 74 before Luis Reece achieved the breakthrough, tempting Sales to drive outside off stump and Harry Came clasped the catch at cover.Reece prised out Procter, foxing the batter with a slower ball that trapped him in front and Derbyshire also removed the in-form Saif Zaib on the stroke of tea, caught behind to provide Hawkins with his first senior wicket.Bartlett made a scratchy start but began to open up in the wake of Procter’s exit, lifting Hawkins over the top for four and responding to another pounding by Tickner with a classy straight drive back over the bowler’s head.He was soon overtaken by Broad, whose tendency towards the pull shot almost proved his downfall when he miscued Tickner to leg slip, only for the ball to drop just in front of the stretching Caleb Jewell.However, it was Bartlett who won the race to 50, pummelling Reece for six and four in quick succession and Broad soon followed suit, capitalising on the left-armer’s full toss to find the boundary.