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He delivered more overs than any other bowler, was faster and better than any other, but was the most expensive of the three specialist quicks

Danyal Rasool27-Dec-2024Like blindly following the recipe book for an exotic dish, it was hard to say what Naseem Shah was cooking up at first this morning. He began groggily, throwing the ball up in search of swing as if this was a Rawalpindi winter day and not a Centurion summer one. He barely broached 135kph, and was much too wide, so any away movement only meant an extra lunge for Mohammad Rizwan. If something was brewing, it was difficult to tell what that might have been.But it was that kind of morning session, a bowling effort on psychedelics, balls just floating into the ether, hovering there briefly as if the laws of gravity had briefly been suspended, and barely kissing the surface before dancing away into the wind. On a pitch where banging the ball into the surface has been the most proven way to get results, Naseem was rejecting conventional wisdom, no discernible logic behind this iconoclasm. Mohammad Abbas, 13 years his senior, tried following the rulebook to a tee, bless him. But at his pace, with little work going into the ball off his wrist, even the Centurion surface struggled to give him a leg up.So Shan Masood took him off after a four-over burst. Naseem has built up quite the oeuvre of glorious failure, the universe seemingly conspiring to refuse to give him what he was owed. But he knows, better than most, how frugal with the distribution of joy the world can sometimes be, and he will have known that on this occasion, his empty-handedness was well-deserved.Related

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“You have to learn to adjust in new conditions,” Naseem admitted after the match. “It’s not easy but you have to be disciplined and adjust to different conditions quickly. The pitch here is at a bit of a height and the ground at a depression, so I think you have to adjust as a bowler, and it took me a few overs to do that.”But there was something Test cricket saw in Naseem, something it liked. In a country that has recently seen its express quick either lose their pace, or their interest in Test cricket, or both, Naseem still has it all.By his second spell, he was pushing up as high as 145.9kph, he had dragged his lengths back. The rebellious streak was gone, the spell was beginning to come of age, and the recipe book was being faithfully followed. When it still wouldn’t produce a wicket, Naseem dealt with the setbacks with wistful smiles rather than visible agitation. After all, he had seen from the dugout the fickle nature of Test cricket’s generosity; Kagiso Rabada had bowled better than any of the Pakistan bowlers without being rewarded for it.David Bedingham had ridden his luck against Naseem, surviving a review off the first ball of Naseem’s return spell. Pakistan, to be fair, managed their reviews about as efficiently as many lottery winners do their prizes, but it did signal a shift in intensity from a bowler whose ceiling remains a formidable force to handle. Bedingham soon paid the price for his insouciance when a shade of extra bounce, thanks to improved lengths and higher pace, became too hot to handle, and Naseem had begun to put a spell of proper old-ball Test match fast bowling together either side of lunch. Kyle Verreynne was goaded into a similar shot, and outdone by a similar delivery.By now, the crowd by Castle Corner had broken out into a chorus of grudging respect; South African spectators cannot help, it would seem, but respect a fast bowler operating at the top of his game. Chants of “Naseem! Naseem” began to go up every time he walked back to the mark, but it was the afternoon, and they were well lubricated by now, so you may be able to put some of the generosity down to that. Apparently, SuperSport Park sold more than 1 million Rand worth of alcohol on day one; the eye test would suggest day two wasn’t far behind.

“You have to learn to adjust in new conditions. It’s not easy but you have to be disciplined and adjust to different conditions quickly.”Naseem Shah

Naseem knew, though, that this day had been generous to Pakistan; none of the other bowlers had come close to matching his quality, and yet South Africa were suddenly seven down; the woefully out of form Marco Jansen was meat and drink for Naseem. By then Naseem’s second spell was a match-turning one: 3 for 28 in five overs, and the question turned from the size of South Africa’s lead to the possibility they may not get one at all.On other occasions, in other countries, that might have been work done for a brittle, express pace bowler, but Masood felt Pakistan had no other well to turn to. He tied Aiden Markram up at one end, inducing him into a false shot against Khurram Shahzad at the other end. And still Naseem bowled, him powering on from the media end blending into the background of the day. Drinks came and went, and Naseem was still there, pace slightly down, but banging it into the pitch and asking the same questions.”Fast bowling is not easy but you have to be ready. I always try to work hard and bowl more in the nets and even in domestic cricket.”The team needed it, and obviously when the captain asks you, you have to be ready. That is my habit as a fast bowler, to accept the ball when needed. I hadn’t known it would happen, but the captain thought about which bowler would be more impactful, and asked me to bowl. My body’s fine.”However, the good balls were no longer producing edges, and the occasional loosener that crept into his spell was being put away by Corbin Bosch, exactly the sort of player who Pakistan tend to allow dream career starts. There were five overs between Naseem getting a break, and the captain turning right back to him, but now, Test cricket was playing hard-to-get with him once more.The field had been spread out for Bosch, the sniff of optimism from the early afternoon had gone. The
crowd, too, began to treat Naseem as the figure of heroic failure he was becoming as the innings dragged on, playfully booing every appeal, and then shouting “review it” once Pakistan’s profligacy had squandered them all.South Africa had added 88 for the last two wickets, and, despite delivering more overs than any other bowler, faster than any other bowler, better than any other bowler, Naseem’s figures showed he was the most expensive of the three specialist quicks. It is a wonder Naseem plays Test cricket with a smile on his face, but Pakistan are fortunate he does. And perhaps, a pleasant festive afternoon when Test cricket briefly smiles back is all the reward he needs.

A fixture that was once dominated by Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo is now being reinvigorated with younger, fresher blood

Matt Roller07-Apr-2023Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are Indian cricket’s versions of Real Madrid and Barcelona, the biggest and best teams in the IPL’s history. Even after propping up the table in 2022, they are the rivals whose meetings still attract more interest than any other fixture in the tournament.But Saturday night’s marks a changing of the guard, one that could be detected in their most recent meeting at the Wankhede. That night, with both teams languishing at the wrong end of the table, Dwayne Bravo played his 116th and final match for Chennai, bowling two wicketless overs; Kieron Pollard, a Mumbai stalwart since 2010, was dropped from their side, never to return.For all the brilliance of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, those two men, who grew up 10 miles apart from one another in North-West Trinidad, have defined this rivalry. At least one of Bravo and Pollard has featured in each and every one of Mumbai and Chennai’s 36 previous encounters, 34 of them in the IPL and two in the Champions League T20. In those games, nobody has taken more wickets than Bravo, and nobody has hit as many sixes as Pollard.Related

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This weekend, they will sit in their respective teams’ dugouts as bowling and batting coach. Both men still play around the world, and lined up together for one of Mumbai’s team in the UAE’s ILT20 earlier this year, but announced their retirements from the IPL in late 2022 and have taken up roles on the support staff.”I look forward to my batters coming up against DJ and his bowlers,” Pollard said on Friday evening. “Hopefully we can see how that goes, and who can be singing at the end of it – or who will be singing, and who will be crying.” History is on his side: Mumbai have won 21 times and lost 15 against their rivals.If Chennai have not yet identified a long-term successor to Bravo, Mumbai’s replacement for Pollard is clear. The end of last season’s basement battle offered a glimpse of the fixture’s future: Mumbai’s low-key victory was sealed by a 6ft 5in power-hitter, who faced seven balls and swung two of them over midwicket for towering sixes; this time, it was not Pollard but Tim David who clinched the points.The pair worked closely last year. As Pollard’s own form fell away, David became Mumbai’s designated finisher, after unexpectedly finding himself out of the side during the middle of the season.Confronted with the realisation that he was no longer in the franchise’s strongest XI, Pollard took it upon himself to act as David’s mentor.Kieron Pollard has slipped into a new role, as batting coach, at Mumbai Indians•Mumbai Indians”Polly did the role for 12 years for Mumbai Indians, and did an unbelievable job – but Tim has got a very similar skillset,” Aaron Finch, who as Australia captain played a role in the selection of David ahead of Steve Smith at the start of last year’s T20 World Cup, told ESPNcricinfo. “They can chip in with the ball and are always in the hotspots in the field, and with the power that they’ve got, you feel as though the game’s never out of reach when you’ve got guys like that in your side.”Mumbai shelled out INR 8.25 crore (A$ 1.5 million approx.) to sign David in 2022 and while they only picked him eight times last season, his strike rate of 216.27 was enough to earn him a retention for 2023. David made a false start at the Chinnaswamy on Sunday night with a 7-ball 4, but on Saturday he returns to a ground where he faced 36 balls across last season, and hit ten of them for six.”Over a 14-game IPL season, you’re backing those guys to win you two or three games,” Finch added. “I don’t think Tim will ever be a guy that you’re banking on to consistently get 500 runs in a tournament – but you don’t buy him for that. You buy him to have a huge impact, a huge strike rate.”The similarities between the pair extend beyond the field of play. David attended Scotch College, a prestigious private school in Perth’s western suburbs. But unlike Cameron Green, three years his junior at the same school, he was not a childhood prodigy who had been marked out as a future international.Instead, he forced his way on to the franchise circuit by taking up every opportunity that came his way during the pandemic and becoming a freelancer – just as Pollard had, more than a decade ago. David is an outlier in the Australian system, playing for the national team without a central contract, or even a state one.2:22

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There is mutual admiration between them. “Polly has been a pioneer with his career, David told this website last year. “I definitely look up to him and I love the brand of attacking cricket that he plays.”Pollard passed on not only specific batting advice, but also tips as to how David could stay “fresh throughout a two or three-month tournament – and also when you’re playing all year round”.”Tim is a very, very intelligent young man, who knows what he wants to do,” Pollard said. “He has taken a different path as an Australian. He’s gone around the world, trying to get experience in different conditions. Now he’s entrusted with a job here at Mumbai Indians, and he’s doing it.”As I know, batting at that number, sometimes it’s not the greatest position to be in,” Pollard added with a smile. “If things don’t happen, they blame you; if things go well, you go dormant and no-one praises you. He has great power. He can hit the ball, he’s a strong guy, and it’s just a matter of trying to do that consistently whenever the team needs him.”The nature of the position means that there is no guarantee David will succeed on Saturday, as the Wankhede welcomes back a capacity crowd for an IPL game for the first time since 2019. But if he does, he could become the new poster boy of a fixture that is evolving in front of our eyes.

Life has taken a turn for the better, but the fast bowler has his sight set on greater success

Shashank Kishore22-Nov-2020″It’s like a joke in Punjab. They don’t ask you what you want to do after Class XII. They just ask, ‘When are you going to Canada to settle?’ We all go there to make a life, get a job, earn money. I was also about to go. And then my life changed.”Arshdeep Singh, the Punjab left-arm fast bowler, remembers having this hard conversation with his father in 2017. He had struggled to get opportunities in age-group cricket. Unsure if there was a future in the game, his father wanted Arshdeep to follow the footsteps of his older sibling, who had migrated to Brampton in Canada, first for academics and then to “settle”.Arshdeep mustered the courage to request his father for one year to make a life in cricket. And that year turned out to be memorable. It started with him finding a way into Punjab’s Under-19 squad on the back of some solid performances in district cricket. The crowning glory came in New Zealand, when he was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning squad of 2018.”If I ever go to Brampton now, it’ll be for a holiday, not for anything else,” Arshdeep laughed.The last four months have been a “dream”, he said, fresh off a second IPL stint with Kings XI Punjab. Much like the dream of 2018. When he was part of a dressing room under Rahul Dravid, and “enjoyed the time of my life”.At the nets, Arshdeep received constant words of encouragement from Anil Kumble, the Kings XI head coach. He enjoyed time conversing with “Universe Boss” Chris Gayle, and got bowling tips from Mohammed Shami. On the field, he nailed yorkers in the final over to win a game, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Andre Russell and Manish Pandey with his variations among others.Overall, he played in eight out of the 14 league games for Kings XI, picking up nine wickets and conceding at 8.77 an over. His impact went beyond just the numbers though. A calm approach in the death overs, immaculate control in the middle overs, and the willingness to experiment with changes in pace all came in for special praise from several quarters.A rookie who hadn’t played much cricket – Arshdeep played only three first-class matches for Punjab last season – left a mark in a bowling line-up that had the likes of Shami, Chris Jordan and Sheldon Cottrell. His rise could also be gauged by how much more game-time he got – up from just three games in IPL 2019, under a different team management.So what changed?”Last year, they didn’t have a chance to look at me much,” Arshdeep said, when asked to compare his two IPL seasons. “I hadn’t played a lot of domestic cricket either. But I got some confidence when I did well for India Under-23 in the series against Bangladesh U-23 in Lucknow last year.

“If I don’t have that confidence in myself, then I’m not giving out good vibes for the team. So for me, however big the batsman was, my focus was on just getting my execution right.”ARSHDEEP SINGH

“That is when I got noticed, I guess. But this year, the month-long camp before the IPL really helped, because the coaching staff had enough time to look and assess every single player in the squad. I picked a lot of wickets in the practice games, so I guess it all started from there. Anil Kumble had told me before the season itself that I could get chances early and asked me to be ready. I carried the confidence of having bowled well in the nets and practice matches.”Arshdeep spent four months in lockdown training with his father, a former cricketer and a retired officer of the Central Industry Security Force (CISF), at their small home gym. Once restrictions were eased in Chandigarh, Arshdeep was a part of a training camp that Yuvraj Singh put together for the young Punjab players. At the time, it wasn’t yet confirmed if IPL 2020 would happen.Once at the IPL, he struck a very cordial rapport with Shami and Jordan. He used the time to talk to them about bowling. “Shami is a world-class bowler, and has a lot of experience that he is willing to pass on to the youngsters,” Arshdeep said. “Things like ‘How do you think when you’re under the pump?’ He told me my skill sets are good. He stressed on the need to back yourself under pressure and be mentally strong. He wanted me to work on my seam position, which he felt I could improve.”I still remember, in the game against Mumbai Indians, I was bowling the last over and Kieron Pollard hit me for two sixes. After that, he chatted with me and asked me to just back my execution and bowl my best ball, without looking at who the batsman was. He said, even if it went for sixes, it shouldn’t matter.”So did that help him change his mindset? “Yes. When I am bowling to a big player, I try to remain calm, remain blank. I don’t think of too many things. At the meeting, plans are discussed for different batsmen, so I try to follow that. It also depends on how the wicket is behaving. It’s a one-on-one battle, a coach or captain can’t do much, so I have to give them the confidence that I can do it.”If I don’t have that confidence in myself, then I’m not giving out good vibes for the team. So for me, however big the batsman was, my focus was on just getting my execution right. And if it didn’t come off, I wanted to ensure the next time I am in that position, I don’t repeat the same mistakes. You can’t be harsh on yourself, but you have to quickly learn.”Arshdeep bowls at 130 clicks, has the ability to swing the ball. Irfan Pathan’s hat-trick against Pakistan in 2006 is among his early memories of watching the game on TV. Pathan immediately became his idol. To hear his idol speak good words about his skillsets means a lot to Arshdeep. These days, he watches a lot of Mitchell Starc, even though his persona is very different to Starc’s.Arshdeep Singh celebrates after a key strike•BCCI”I’m working with my coach Jaswant Rai, looking to increase my pace,” he said. “I’m working on developing my arm speed and getting better rhythm in my run-up to help my consistency. I took a week off after the IPL, but since then, I’ve returned to training, trying to work up pace off a shorter run-up than what I’ve been used to. That is something Shami too said I could do if I made a few tweaks. So yes, generating faster arm-speed is something I am consciously working on.”Arshdeep is aware of where his game is at and knows what his priorities are. One of them is to “not lose sight” of the end goal, and “not get carried away by the IPL adulation” as a lot of his seniors and family have advised. On the field, he wants to make “history for Punjab” and knows it is well within his grasp if he can continue to take the kind of strides he has in recent times.”I want to be successful in red-ball cricket, and take Punjab to the Ranji Trophy knockouts first,” he says. “I don’t know when we last even won, so I want to be part of history. Take them to the knockouts and once there, maybe even a Ranji title. In white-ball cricket, I want to be consistent and be a dependable bowler.”Arshdeep isn’t much of a cricket watcher. He’d rather be out there playing. “I’ve only ever watched one game at the stadium,” he laughed. “It was a Champions League T20 game between Auckland Aces and Kings XI Punjab six years or so ago.”I used to watch a lot of hockey, though,” he said. “In Punjab, hockey is big and my dad used to take us to watch hockey games. I remember when we were four of us on a scooter. Me standing in front, dad riding, my sister and mum at the back. That time, my dad kept saying, ‘When you become big and do well in life, get a big car and we can all go and watch sport comfortably, I still remember.'”Arshdeep has now fulfilled that dream. He owns an SUV, a Toyota Fortuner. Drives to the stadium have gotten more comfortable, and now it’s the drive to succeed in all formats and, perhaps one day, play for the country that pushes him. And he now has all of this with his family’s support. Canada has well and truly been put on the back burner.

The gloom of the fog hanging over San Francisco could be felt in the Giants' clubhouse after a 2-1 loss to the Pirates in extra innings and the team trading reliever Tyler Rogers to the Mets.

The Giants sent Rogers to the Mets Wednesday in exchange for prospects Blade Tidwell, Drew Gilbert and reliever José Butto. Rogers, who is 4-3 with a 1.80 ERA across 50 innings pitched this season, leaves after spending all six and a half seasons of his MLB career with the Giants until this point.

Giants starter Logan Webb, who allowed 1 run and struck out 11 in the loss, simply said of the Rogers trade, "The Mets got a good one."

"Ty's one of my best friends in baseball," Webb also said. "We live right near each other in the offseason. Our entire big league careers, we've been together. … Sucks we're losing a guy like that, but at the end of the day it's what happens. … He's saved me a lot of times, he's saved the Giants a lot times. He's been one of the best relievers in baseball."

The trade not only signified Webb's close friend moving away, but that the Giants would be sellers—rather than buyers—at the deadline this year. After getting off to a hot start this season, they have lost 10 of their 12 games since coming back from the All-Star break. They are 54-55, and reality is setting in as they currently sit outside of the wild card conversation in the National League.

"It sucks," Giants All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman said. "We lost the last six in a row. We haven't given Buster [Posey] and the front office any reason to add. We did it to ourselves. Obviously you can tell that everybody's pretty upset, and it's not how we saw this thing going. … When you trade one of your best arms in the bullpen, I think it shows where we're headed."

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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ByEthan Lamb 5 days ago

Liverpool have been so vulnerable this season, with Arne Slot having struggled to come up with solutions to opposition set-ups and his own squad’s staggering capitulation, having dominated and cantered toward the Premier League title last season.

To say Virgil van Dijk’s backline has been leaky would be an understatement, and that is the crux of the Reds’ troubles, their form the stuff of relegation, two wins from ten in the top flight.

However, the defenders aren’t solely to blame, with Liverpool lacking creativity and sparkle in the final third.

The form of Alexander Isak has been a particular concern, with the Sweden international having endured a slow and stodgy start to the season, months into a British-record £125m transfer that secured for the club “the best striker in the centre-forward” in England last season “by a country mile”, as had been said by pundit Ally McCoist.

The latest on Alexander Isak's fitness

It’s not been plain sailing for Isak since forcing a record-breaking move to Merseyside on transfer deadline day. In fact, the 26-year-old has only scored twice across all competitions, and once in the Premier League.

Injuries and missing out on pre-season have stunted his seasonal development, and Slot issued an unwelcome update on Friday morning: Isak picked up a knock at the San Siro, and he may be sidelined for the Anfield clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.

This is just the latest in a growing line of setbacks. Liverpool signed Isak for six years, but the fact remains that more would have been expected from such a world-class talent at this stage.

Indeed, few would have expected Isak to have flattered to deceive as he has so far this season. Regardless of Liverpool’s crisis, this is a proven and world-class striker; he tore defences apart last season, including Liverpool’s, and on multiple occasions at that.

Isak only had four goals for Newcastle at this stage last season. Food for thought. And he’s not the only one who’s struggled since making his summer move to Merseyside, with a fellow recruit having left everything to be desired so far.

Liverpool signed a bigger problem than Isak

Like Isak, Jeremie Frimpong has been plagued by injury problems since joining Liverpool this summer, but unlike Isak, he has been sidelined for a longer spell, and there is less optimism that he will pick himself up and become a major player for the Anfield side.

Sporting director Richard Hughes activated Frimpong’s £29.5m release clause at Bayer Leverkusen at the start of the summer, bringing to Merseyside one of the fastest right-siders in the game, hailed as “a monster” in the attacking third by The United Stand’s Beth Tucker.

However, the Netherlands man, 25, has only started once in the Premier League this season due to injury, and this is a concern given he had navigated through his years in Germany without any detrimental fitness setbacks.

Isak has been a worry for Slot’s side, but he has also proven himself in the harsh English climate, one of the best in the world. Frimpong, however, is more of an unknown, and the £100k-per-week star’s first few months at Liverpool have hardly been propitious.

Moreover, Frimpong’s preference to play in a wing-back role could see him struggle to find his feet in his best position.

Right wing-back

140

26 + 35

Right-back

133

7 + 20

Left-back

18

1 + 2

Right wing

5

3 + 0

Attacking midfield

4

0 + 0

The issue: Liverpool do not use a system which employs wing-backs, and Frimpong perhaps lacks the economy of strength and the awareness to nail down a starting berth as Liverpool’s right-back in the Premier League.

For example, he only won 44% of his duels in the Bundesliga last year. Liverpool correspondent Dominic King noted this week that the Dutchman “has not had a great start” to life back in England, and with Conor Bradley and even Dominik Szoboszlai as his positional rivals, Frimpong might have a tough time establishing himself at the club, even when back to full fitness.

Could it be that he is simply not a stylistic fit? Liverpool have a host of problems they need to fix, and with Mohamed Salah’s future uncertain, the signing of a new right-sided forward would deepen Frimpong’s struggles, leaving him struggling to show FSG that they have got bang for their buck.

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2 ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

What a win for Newcastle United on Saturday evening. They beat Manchester City 2-1 at St James’ Park to pick up a huge three points, propelling them up the Premier League table.

Remarkably, it is the first time they have beaten the Citizens in the top flight since 2018/19, a game which they also won 2-1.

There were chances for both sides in the first half, with Harvey Barnes having a couple of opportunities which he squandered. The Citizens also came close through England international Phil Foden, but his shot fizzed wide.

It was Barnes who ended up giving the Magpies the lead in the second half. It was a smart finish from the winger, playing a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes before firing first time past Gianluigi Donnarumma to put his side a goal ahead.

City equalised moments after, thanks to a deflected strike by Ruben Dias. However, a 70th-minute goal from Barnes gave Newcastle the lead from close range. St James’ Park waited with bated breath as VAR checked an offside, but it was given and Eddie Howe’s men held on for all three points.

There were standout performances across the pitch for the Magpies, but Guimaraes and midfield partner Sandro Tonali were two standouts once again.

How Guimaraes and Tonali performed vs. Man City

It was another commanding performance from the Newcastle midfield pairing of Guimaraes and Tonali. The Brazilian grabbed an assist for the first goal, linking up with match-winner Barnes in a slick move, to help give his side the lead.

Indeed, the former Lyon midfielder stood out to Lee Ryder, the chief Newcastle writer for the Chronicle. He gave Guimaraes an 8/10 for his efforts in the middle of the park, describing his second-half display as “superb.”

However, it was not just the Magpies’ number 39 who shone in midfield. Tonali, described as “one of the best midfielders in world football right now” by Ryder, was completely dominant, especially out of possession.

It was a wonderful performance without the ball from Newcastle’s midfield general Tonali. The Italian worked hard all night long, winning 100% of his tackles, making seven recoveries and winning six duels, as per Sofascore. He also managed 47 touches of the ball and created one chance.

It was a typically dominant midfield showing by the pair, but they were arguably not the best Newcastle duo on the pitch against City.

Newcastle's best duo vs. Man City

As well as Guimaraes and Tonali performed, Newcastle fans might have been left more impressed with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.

The Magpies’ first-choice full-back pairing were back in the starting lineup together, and were “the best players on the pitch” according to journalist Andy Sixsmith.

It was certainly not an easy day for either of them. Livramento was up against the tricky Jeremy Doku, but kept him quiet, winning two tackles and making eight recoveries.

As for his compatriot Hall, he ensured Rayan Cherki had his work cut out, winning six from seven duels and making three recoveries.

Touches

45

40

Pass accuracy

85%

79%

Ball recoveries

3

8

Duels won

6/7

3/4

Clearances

3

3

Their performances stood out to Ryder. He gave the pair of them 9/10s for their efforts, explaining the right-back gave the Magpies “a different dimension” and the left-back “made a monumental difference” to the side.

It is easy to see how this pair could be the new version of Guimaraes and Tonali for the Magpies. The England internationals, who are both likely to stake a claim as part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad in the summer, are already fan favourites at St James’ Park.

Their quality speaks for itself, as they showed against City. The manner in which they coped with the Citizens’ tricky wide men was impressive, and their on-ball quality was obvious against Pep Guardiola’s side, too.

Livramento is just 23 years of age, and Hall is 21. They’ve already demonstrated high levels of ability, and could certainly become even more important than Guimaraes and Tonali, the longer they build up this full-back partnership.

When pitcher Roki Sasaki announced he would sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, baseball fans were predictably peeved. Three months after winning the World Series, the Dodgers appear poised to dominate for the foreseeable future.

However, there's a difference between a mere vulgar display of power and a signing that actually breaks MLB rules—and according to a baseball official, the Sasaki signing was not the latter.

"According to a league official, MLB conducted an investigation prior to authorizing Sasaki’s posting to 'ensure the protocol agreement had been followed,'" Jack Harris of wrote Saturday.

That would mean making sure that Sasaki had not agreed to a handshake deal with Los Angeles or any other team.

"Another person with knowledge of the situation, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, said the league interviewed 'numerous parties' in its probe, but found no evidence to substantiate" rumors of an informal deal, Harris wrote.

The Dodgers may be innocent of any wrongdoing, but that will do little to assuage 29 fanbases envious of one of world sport's few true modern juggernauts.

It’s been two months now since the Chicago White Sox stopped trying to outrun history. Players and coaches struggle to point to a date—the losses long ago started to run together—but it came around the lowest point in a season without highs. 

Interim manager Grady Sizemore, elevated in early August to replace the fired Pedro Grifol, surveyed the room and made a decision. The team was barreling toward the single-season loss record of 120 games, set by the impossibly inept 1962 New York Mets. That group was an expansion team in its first season. This one was three years removed from winning the division. Sizemore could manage each game like the postseason, stealing outs from his starters and overusing his top relievers, fighting to lose only 119 games in 2024, or he could start thinking about 2025. 

“Whether you lose 100 or 110, it doesn’t matter,” he says. (Evidently 121 does not even merit mention.) “You’re not going to the playoffs. At this point, we can’t focus on the record. It’s: How do we get better for next year? Who are the core guys that are coming back? How do we make them better? How do they fit into a winning team? How do we develop that team that we have in there right now into a productive, winning team next year, a competitive team that can play .500 baseball?”

In the meantime, history did come for them. On Friday, they lost their 121st game. All week they had insisted it would be just another loss, and indeed it was: The starter—this time lefty Garrett Crochet—pitched well, as they often have. The bullpen—this time lefties Jared Shuster and Fraser Ellard—gave up a couple of runs, as they often have. And the offense managed virtually nothing, as they often have. They lost 4–1 to the Detroit Tigers, their league-leading 46th time scoring fewer than two runs. 

The players and coaches say they still expect to win every night. A player who was with the White Sox earlier this season disputes this: “They’re going in hoping to win,” he says, “But expecting to lose.”

They have had plenty of practice. They lost 22 of their first 25 games, tied for the worst start to a season in the wild-card era. Then it got worse. They lost 14 straight, then 21 straight, then 12 straight. They have staged one single successful comeback after the sixth inning all year. They are 0–102 when trailing after eight. They have held a lead in 95 games this season; they have lost 56 of those. According to FanGraphs, they have held a 0.0% chance of making the playoffs since April 7. They are 43 1/2 games back in the division … of fourth place. 

All in all, it’s been the most stomach-turning summer in Chicago since Dave Matthews’s bus drove over the Kinzie Street Bridge. 

“When you lose 21 in a row, it’s kind of like, ‘What the f—?” says Crochet. “You kind of get to the turning point of, like: All right, now it’s like, do you win? You do the [little] things. You get guys over. And I feel like we’ve done a better job than that as of late.” He grins and adds, “The record might [suggest] otherwise.”

It’s the worst year in history. They might as well get something out of it. 

The rain-hit affair was the last league match of GSL 2025 with Riders already in the final and Stags knocked out

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2025

Match abandoned The last league match of the Global Super League (GSL) 2025 was replete with rain interruptions, and eventually inclement weather had the final say.A downpour in Guyana in the morning delayed toss by 45 minutes. Nurul Hasan called right and Rangpur Riders opted to bat – despite the weather around – but had to wait more because rain returned. The game began 90 minutes later than scheduled time as a 17-over contest.Central Stags opened their bowling with spinners from both ends and pegged back Riders twice inside the powerplay: Soumya Sarkar holing out off offspinner Angus Schaw second ball and Ibrahim Zadran falling to left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox. The heavens opened up again and this latest stoppage meant the game was further reduced to 14-overs-a-side affair.Upon resumption, fast bowler Blair Tickner broke the back of the Riders middle order. He accounted for Mahidul Islam Ankon, Iftikhar Ahmed and Nurul Hasan to leave Riders reeling at 66 for 6. Schaw and Lennox returned to mop up the tail as the Bangladesh Premier League side folded for a mere 79. Which was when another spell of heavy rain forced abandonment.Riders are already in the final with Stags finishing third in the season.