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Plus: spry old debutants, and a Headingley duds XI

Andy Zaltzman09-Jun-2015The latest New Dawn of English One-Day cricket begins today, with an exciting-looking squad packed with young talents, largely unscarred by the World Cup megaglitch, aiming to fight Kiwi fire with Kiwi-style fire. If England compete on relatively even terms in this five-match series, even if they lose it, it will be a significant step forward. If they manage to perform worse than they did in Australia and New Zealand, it will be one of the most remarkable achievements in sporting history.While youth is at last being given its chance in the England ODI set-up, old age (in sporting terms) has been flourishing in the Test arena when eventually allowed its opportunity. is a tome that is still waiting to be written. Publishers have, understandably, shied away from committing their precious funds to a title that might struggle to make an impact in a competitive marketplace. They seem to fear that the younger generation of readers cares little for 33-year-old Billy Griffith’s surprise 140 in Trinidad in 1948 (his maiden first-class century, almost 14 years after his debut, when called up for a Test debut as a makeshift opener due to a fitness crisis in the England camp), or Albert Hartkopf’s sprightly 80 off 158 balls in his only Test in 1924-25, aged 35.However, they might soon reconsider after Luke Ronchi and Adam Voges made two of the finest belated entries into the Test arena. Both would have been staggering debuts at any age. Ronchi became the first man to score 30 or more at a strike rate of at least 125 in both innings of a Test (in Tests where balls faced have been recorded, at least), batting as if he wanted to condense a decade of highlights into one match.Voges became only the fifth player in Test history to score a first-innings century in a match in which no other player on either side reached 40 in the first innings. He scored 29.8% of the first-innings runs off the bat – only two others even made 30.The previous man to achieve this rare but striking feat was Kevin Pietersen, in the 2006 Edgbaston Test against Sri Lanka, when his 142 was 112 more than the next-highest first-innings score, and represented 36.8% of the batsmen’s runs. In April 1899, Jimmy Sinclair scored South Africa’s first Test century, making 106 out of 177 all out, in response to England’s 92 all out, in which he had taken 6 for 26. A tidy all-round performance, by anyone’s standards. A heroic one-man cricketing volcano by the standards of South African cricket at the time.It being still the 19th century, South Africa inevitably lost heavily anyway, but Sinclair, a player who would have had the IPL auction bidders’ eyebrows twitching like electrocuted eels had he been born 100 years later, had become the first player to score a century and take a five-for in a Test (and was one of only two to perform this double in the first innings of a Test before 1955). Sinclair’s score was 40.8% of the runs off the bat in the first innings; three years earlier, also at Newlands, England’s Arthur Hill made 124, 34.9% of the first-innings batsmen’s runs, with the next top score being 31.The most extraordinary of these first-innings stand-out hundreds was Gordon Greenidge’s 134 at Old Trafford in 1976, made out of a West Indies total of 211, in which only Collis King (32), Wayne Daniel (10), and extras (11) reached double figures. England were then destroyed by Roberts, Holding and Daniel, scuttled for 71, despite a defiant innings of 19 by extras, who were having a terrific match in the circumstances. Only David Steele, with 20, joined extras in making double figures. In all, Greenidge made 134 for 1 off 33 overs. The other 21 players managed 118 for 19 off 69.5. He scored 53.2% of the first innings runs off the bat, and hit 18 of the 30 boundaries. And then followed it up with 101 in the second innings.

There was a reasonable chance that 85-year-old Enid Snurt, who was walking her lucky iguana down the Kennington Road just as Hutton was finally out, could have made at least 30 not out in the circumstances

When Voges walked to the wicket, he passed his captain Michael Clarke, who was the last man to make a first-innings century when no other players scored a first-innings fifty (his mesmeric 151 at Newlands in November 2011). The players who have done this since 1995 are a prime selection of the greats of modern batting – Clarke, Pietersen, Kallis, Hayden, Jayawardene, Dravid and Inzamam. As well as Nasser Hussain. Who was very good, quite often. And Matthew Elliott. Who had his moments. And Kamran Akmal. Who was Kamran Akmal. And, crucially, was batting, not keeping wicket at the time. Obviously. Voges thus joins illustrious company. Mostly very illustrious.● Voges’ 130 was the higher of the two centuries scored by debutants over the age of 35, beating David Houghton’s 121 in Zimbabwe’s maiden Test in 1992. Peter Kirsten had made a 52 on his belated debut for South Africa earlier the same year – before him, there had not even been a half-century by a 35-plus debutant since 1938, when Yorkshire keeper Albert Wood made 52 a couple of days short of his 40th birthday. It was perhaps the lowest-pressure debut Test innings in history – Wood strode to The Oval wicket with the scoreboard reading 770 for 6, Len Hutton toddling back to the pavilion with a Test record 364 to his name, and the baggy green bowling attack nearing the 300-over mark. There was a reasonable chance that 85-year-old Enid Snurt, who was walking her lucky iguana down the Kennington Road just as Hutton was finally out, could have made at least 30 not out in the circumstances.Just as some final pieces of England’s Ashes jigsaw have fallen into place (while others have slipped off the table and are being chewed on by the dog), Voges, with his extensive experience of county cricket and the confidence of one of the most influential debut innings ever played, has made Australia’s line-up appear even more formidable.● When Kane Williamson – 11 years younger than Voges, but with 40 Tests more experience – tweaked his way to three wickets on the final day at Headingley, including the vital scalp of Alastair Cook, he became the 11th New Zealander to make a significant contribution to the match (even Henry, the least successful bowler, had clubbed useful runs in the first innings, and uplifting, morale-crushing sixes in the second).The Kiwi No. 3 has carved his named on more honours boards before his 25th birthday than most, but Headingley has not been kind to him as a Test batsman, despite the soft-handed, level-headed brilliance he has displayed elsewhere. He is not alone in struggling at Yorkshire HQ in Test cricket, as the following illustrious XI testifies.The Useless-at-Headingley Test XI

(qualification: two Leeds Tests minimum)1: Warren Bardsley (Australia, 1909, 1921, 1926)
Three Tests, 63 runs, average 12.6. Elsewhere: early-20th-century baggy green legend who averaged 58.9 in 18 other Tests in England.2: Ross Edwards (Australia, 1972, 1975)

Three innings in two Tests at Leeds. Two golden ducks, and a relatively epic five-ball duck. Spared an inevitable fourth duck when the pitch was vandalised in 1975. Elsewhere: averaged 45.0 in 18 Tests outside the LS6 postcode.3: Kane Williamson (New Zealand, 2013, 2015)
Two Tests, 22 runs in four innings. Elsewhere: all-conditions technical master who averaged 75.3 in the 15 Tests he played between his Headingley flops.4: Greg Chappell (Australia, 1972, 1975, 1977)
Three Tests, 90 runs, average 15.0. Elsewhere: all-time Australian great who averaged 55.7 on all other grounds in the universe.”A hundred and eighty-seven runs for one wicket?” “Quite so, marm”•Getty Images5: Ian Bell (England, 2006-2015)
Eight Tests, 309 runs at 22.0. But since his first innings at Headingley (119 against Pakistan in 2006), he has averaged 14.6 in 14 innings. And, it seems, taken to watching catches sail harmlessly past him at second slip. Elsewhere: the Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice averages 55.2 on other English grounds.6 and wicketkeeper: Les Ames (England, 1934, 1935)
Two Tests at Leeds, 30 runs in four innings. Only a single dismissal in each match. Elsewhere: the greatest keeper-batsman in the first 115 years of Test cricket, averaging 53.8 on other English grounds.7 and captain: Richie Benaud (Australia, 1953, 1956, 1961)

Three Tests, 38 runs in five innings, five wickets at 47.0, one draw and two thumping defeats, including skippering Australia to an eight-wicket drubbing in 1961 in which he bagged a pair and did not very much of interest with the ball. Elsewhere: all-round legend and captaincy whizz who spun Australia to the Ashes in the following Test at Old Trafford in 1961.8: Shane Warne (Australia, 1993, 1997, 2001)
Three Tests, one wicket in each, average 89.3. Batted twice, bagged two ducks. Elsewhere: unstoppable Ashes devastator who took 126 wickets at 20.3 at the other English venues.9: Harold Larwood (England, 1929, 1930)
Two Tests, injured in the first, chief victim of Bradman’s 300-in-a-day mauling in 1930. One wicket in each, for a total of 174 runs. Elsewhere: Bodyline annihilator in Australia, with an action that woke poets from the dead, and an average of 26.8 elsewhere in England.10: Max Walker (Australia, 1975, 1977)
Two Tests, one wicket for 187 in 81 overs. Of the 169 bowlers who have sent down more than 50 overs in Tests at Leeds, Walker has the worst strike rate. Elsewhere: averaged 26.3 and more than four wickets per match on Test grounds that were not in Yorkshire.11: Jimmy Anderson (England, 2003-2015)
Nineteen wickets at 41.3 in seven Leeds Tests – not disastrous, but he has never taken four in an innings, or six in a match, at the ground where his rather less garlanded swing predecessor Neil Mallender took eight on debut. Elsewhere: England’s leading wicket-taker, averaging 25.6 on his other home grounds. Edges out other Headingley strugglers from the England leading wicket-takers list, including Alec Bedser (16 at 36.1), Flintoff (9 at 43.0), Hoggard (9 at 43.2), Caddick (18 at 38.3). And Giles (1 at 201).12th man: Derek Randall (England, 1977-1983)
Four Tests, 59 runs in six innings, highest score 20. Elsewhere: dazzling fielder who averaged 42.8 at the other English Test arenas.

Enzo Maresca was slammed for his "boring" tactics in Arsenal defeat as William Gallas believes Chelsea should have stuck with Mauricio Pochettino.

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• Chelsea went down to Arsenal in the London derby
• Maresca under scrutiny after just four wins in 13 PL games
• Gallas believes Chelsea were better under Pochettino

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory, courtesy of Mikel Merino’s first-half header, at the Emirates on Sunday. The win solidified the Gunners’ second-place position, while Chelsea’s ambitions of securing a top-four finish took a major blow.

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• GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea’s uninspired performance has become a recurring theme in recent weeks. Despite boasting a squad valued at over £1 billion, the team has been struggling for consistency since the turn of the year. Their poor run of form, which includes just four wins in their last 13 league matches, has raised serious questions about Maresca’s tactics and decision-making.

• WHAT GALLAS SAID

  One of the biggest criticisms of Chelsea’s approach under Maresca has been their possession-heavy style that often fails to translate into meaningful goal-scoring opportunities.

  Gallas did not hold back in his assessment of Maresca’s system, describing it as a throwback to a different era. He was particularly baffled by the decision to play Reece James in midfield, likening the approach to something from decades ago.

  Speaking to Gallas said: "It was man-to-man everywhere on the pitch, I was surprised that Reece James played as a midfielder and it was like being back in 1980. We are in 2025, how can you ask your players to do that? The defenders Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill looked scared on the ball and with more pressure from Arsenal they might’ve scored the second goal, the goal they did score was from a corner.

  “For me, it was boring, especially for a London derby. I played so many of those games and it was more intense. Fans want to see the players fighting, running, and challenging, but nothing happened."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gallas believes that based on Chelsea’s recent performances, Mauricio Pochettino might have been the better option to lead the club. Pochettino was sacked in the summer of 2024 after he guided the Blues to a sixth-place finish.

  “Looking at the performance against Arsenal, you’d say that Chelsea would be better off with Mauricio Pochettino," the former defender opined.

  “What I saw of Chelsea against Arsenal, the system and how they played, I was a little bit disappointed. But right now I think Enzo Maresca is on the right path, they are still on course to qualify for the top four. Sometimes owners at big clubs are not patient.

  “The new owners have made a lot of decisions until now when they don’t see results, now it’s up to Maresca to show that he is the manager Chelsea were looking for.”

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be hoping the next few weeks are positive and that the Ibrox side can reach the turn of the year still having a chance of winning the domestic title, with the League Cup nestled away in the trophy cabinet for good measure.

It’s a lot to ask from the Belgian, but if he wishes to remain in the Light Blues dugout, then these are the targets which must be set, as second-best is not good enough, that’s for sure.

With the rumours circling around the manager amid the links to the Belgium national team job, the 50-year-old might not even be in charge for much longer.

Regardless of who is in charge, the January transfer window is a major chance for the Gers to move on some players who don’t have long left on their current contracts, while bringing in a new signing or two to bolster their squad.

With this in mind, here’s a look at a dream Rangers starting XI from January onwards, as the club look to improve during the second half of the campaign.

1

GK – Jack Butland

Jack Butland might not be at the level he displayed during his first six months at Ibrox, but the Englishman is still a dependable keeper between the sticks.

Aged only 31, his long-term future at the club looks secure. Liam Kelly is the current deputy, and he will be able to fill in whenever required, yet it will be Butland who will remain as the number-one choice over the next few months.

2

RB – Ryan Barnett

James Tavernier’s future has been heavily discussed of late. The captain is entering into the final 18 months of his deal and January could be the final chance for the Ibrox side to sell him for a decent fee.

If he does go, a replacement right-back will be required. In recent weeks, the Gers have been linked with a move for Wrexham defender Ryan Barnett, who could be an ideal replacement for Tavernier.

This season, he has recorded a goal and six assists in 18 games, showcasing his attacking talents. Could this mean he would slot into Tavernier’s role with ease?

3

CB – John Souttar

John Souttar was impressive for Scotland during the recent international break, playing 90 minutes in the wins over Croatia and Poland, even grabbing an assist during the latter tie.

For Rangers this season, the centre-back has missed only one game and while he has looked susceptible in a few games, overall, his performances have improved vastly since he first joined.

4

CB – Neraysho Kasanwirjo

The versatile defender signed on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy included in this deal. During his time on the pitch, the Dutchman has looked solid and can play across the back four.

It is at centre-back where his future should lie, however. Leon Balogun is out of contract at the end of the season, while Robin Propper hasn’t impressed, meaning the youngster should be given the chance to shine alongside Souttar.

5

LB – Jefte

Jefte may only be 20, but his exposure to senior football this season will aid his development superbly.

Yes, he will face competition from Ridvan Yilmaz when he returns from injury, but in the long term, Jefte could be the ideal Borna Barisic successor.

6

CM – Connor Barron

It was clear that a refresh was needed in the midfield during the summer. Signing Connor Barron and slotting him straight into the engine room is perhaps the most important thing Clement has done this term.

The 22-year-old has a bright future and has played a part in every single match for the club during 2024/25 thus far.

7

CM – Nicolas Raskin

The Belgian has enjoyed a resurgence of late, being someone who Clement can trust in the middle of the pitch.

Injury issues may have hampered his start to the season, but Raskin has impressed recently. Against Olympiacos in the Europa League, the midfielder made four key passes, won 50% of his ground duels and made seven tackles during the game as the club secured a 1-1 draw.

He and Barron could form a partnership which could shine for the next few years at least.

8

RW – Kwame Poku

Vaclav Cerny may be in decent form, but his loan finishes at the end of the season. According to Graeme Bailey, the Gers have been linked with a move for winger Kwame Poku of late.

The Peterborough United star has scored ten goals and recorded seven assists in just 17 games this term, which works out as a goal contribution a game.

Hailed as “unplayable” by manager Darren Ferguson, Poku could be an ideal long-term option as the right-winger for the Ibrox side, no doubt about that.

9

AM – Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian can exude his creative talents when deployed as a number ten and this could suit the team far better in the long run, allowing Barron and Raskin to sweep up everything at the base of the midfield.

Diomande has created three big chances, averages one key pass and succeeded with 1.1 dribbles per game in the top flight this term. From now on, he should be unleashed as an attacking midfielder.

10

LW – Nedim Bajrami

While not his usual role, Nedim Bajrami has taken to the left wing with ease since joining Rangers. In 14 games, he has scored three goals and grabbed one assist.

Despite Rabbi Matondo and Oscar Cortes returning from injury soon, Clement must continue to utilise the Albanian out wide, especially considering his impressive displays.

Madhya Pradesh were 15 for 3 replying to 484 and still have a long way to go

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2023Harsh Gawli and Yash Dubey put up an unbeaten 97-run stand to resurrect Madhya Pradesh’s innings after Navdeep Saini and Mukesh Kumar rattled them early with the new ball.In reply to Rest of India’s (RoI) massive total of 484, Madhya Pradesh got off to a shaky start, as Mukesh struck in the first over getting Arham Aquil to edge behind for a duck. In the next over, Saini induced a thick outside edge off Himanshu Mantri’s bat with Dhull at second slip taking a superb catch. It wasn’t too long before Shubham Sharma walked back to the pavilion after Saini pinned him in front, leaving Madhya Pradesh reeling at 15 for 3.Gawli and Dubey then came together to resist the RoI bowlers, who were made to toil without rewards for the rest of the day. After a watchful start, the pair managed to hit a few boundaries to build up the score. Dubey also brought up his half-century with a four off Saini to backward point. At stumps, Madhya Pradesh had reached 112 for 3, with Gawli on 47 and Dubey on 53.Resuming the day on 381 for 3, RoI lost their nightwatch Saurabh Kumar early in the day for a duck. Yash Dhull then joined B Indrajith at the crease, as the duo took RoI’s total past 400. While Dhull displayed an aggressive intent, picking the gaps with every chance he got, Indrajith was more sedate at the crease. Indrajith’s 72-ball stay came to an end with him edging an Anubhav Agarwal delivery to the wicketkeeper. Soon after, Dhull brought up his fifty off 65 balls with a boundary.At one point, RoI were cruising towards 500 with Dhull going strong at one end. But with Upendra Yadav’s dismissal, RoI went on to lose their last five wickets for 18 runs. Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya cleaned up Upendra for 14 before Agarwal had Atit Sheth caught behind for a duck at the stroke of lunch. Kartikeya then claimed the key scalp of Dhull, who played down the wrong line to be struck on his back pad. Saini and Pulkit Narang then hit three boundaries combined to take the total to 484 before Avesh Khan (4 for 74) struck back-to-back to finish the proceedings.

Earlier, Burl also grabbed two wickets, as the bowlers combined to restrict Ireland despite Harry Tector’s 47

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2023Player of the Match Ryan Burl went 6, 6, 4 off George Dockrell when Zimbabwe needed 23 off 15 balls and the game was in the balance. In the end, he finished with 30 not out from 11 deliveries to turn the screws in the chase of 142, as the hosts sealed the series 2-1 in Harare. That followed a haul of 2 for 28 with the ball, as the Zimbabwe bowlers combined to restrict the visitors to 141.It was a tricky situation on a pitch that continued to produce middling scores following totals of 114 and 144 in the first two games. Craig Ervine’s 54 off 43 balls set the base for Zimbabwe, for whom the required rate had touched nine an over when they had another 30 deliveries remaining. Ervine was involved in crucial partnerships of 42 for the second wicket with Innocent Kaia when Zimbabwe lost their first wicket in the third over.Another quick partnership of 24 from 14 balls was important from a situation of 92 for 4, as held the innings together before Burl, who also won the Player-of-the-Series award, got down to finish the game off.Earlier, it took a 70-run union between Harry Tector and Curtis Campher to help Ireland to a competitive total after they were 19 for 3 at one stage. Wessly Madhevere had struck in the first over to remove Ross Adair, and ended with 2 for 8 when he got rid of Tector for 47. But it was Burl who had dismissed Campher for 27 to break Ireland’s momentum, and drag Zimbabwe back in the match.Dockrell and Mark Adair added 31 to pump some life back into Ireland’s innings, but 141 proved short in the end, as Burl’s exploits ensured Zimbabwe won the match with an over to spare.

The former San Diego Wave FC coach voiced disappointment over Girma's departure, says NWSL faces challenges

• Naomi Girma signed for Chelsea in a record-breaking $1.1 million move
• Donovan questions the impact of high-profile departures on NWSL's stability
• Says league faces growing competition from European clubs for top talent

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Landon Donovan, USMNT legend and former coach of San Diego Wave FC, expressed his disappointment over Naomi Girma's recent record-breaking transfer to Chelsea. In January, Girma completed a $1.1 million move from San Diego to Chelsea, marking the first million-dollar transfer in women's soccer history.

  Donovan said that, while he understands why Girma left the NWSL for Europe, he is disappointed that the defender didn’t stay.

  “I have a lot of thoughts on all of this. Candidly for Naomi, I know she wanted to go but I don’t love it for NWSL as probably the best center-back in the world is leaving and wants to leave," he said on his podcast, Unfiltered with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard. "I understand all the reasons but in my opinion, having watched a lot of the games now and having coached in it, the NWSL, top to bottom, is the best league in the world.

  “Some of the top clubs in the world play in Europe but their leagues are not great. Chelsea can walk through four or five of those teams without breaking a sweat. So I get disappointed when a player of Naomi’s quality doesn’t want to stay here, but I get it.”

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• WHAT DONOVAN SAID

  Donovan said his chief concern over the move is that it reveals an apparant instability in the league.

  “I think the No. 1 talking point, for me, for NWSL in the offseason is there’s so much change and the league’s still feels a little instable in that way," he said. "And what I mean is that very few players get signed to three, four or five-year deals. So most players, from year to year, have the freedom to move – and historically in the league players have crazy power. If they’re not happy, they can leave.

  “And it reminds me a little bit of MLS back in the early days – like if someone wasn’t happy with someone or whatever, you just call your agent and get me out of here. And that doesn’t happen in mature leagues around the world. So I do want to see that change.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The NWSL has undergone significant changes recently, with expansion teams, ownership changes, and increasing investment. However, these developments have also brought other changes, including coaching turnover and player movement.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The 2025 NWSL season kicks off on March 14. Girma’s former side San Diego will play their first game of the season against Angel City FC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on March 15.

  Girma's next game for Chelsea is scheduled for March 15 when they face Manchester City, though Girma was recently injured and may not feature.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement had plenty of work to do during the summer transfer window, mainly getting high earners off the wage bill in order to rebuild his squad and sign his own targets.

It is certainly a work in progress, with the Belgian coming in for some criticism about how his team have performed this term, especially domestically. Indeed. The Light Blues have scored only 16 goals in 11 Premiership matches, the same as tenth-placed St Johnstone.

Moving on those who weren’t contributing is a start, but will it guarantee long-term success?

How Rangers reduced their wage bill

As the 2023/24 campaign was approaching the end, Clement had five players who were heading into the final few weeks of their contracts.

It remained to be seen just who the Belgian would keep at the club, but in the end, Kemar Roofe, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Jon McLaughlin were all told they would be free to find a new club.

This saved the club around £83k-per-week, allowing Clement some flexibility in the market.

Despite this, there is still a player who is currently on the wage bill, despite being loaned out and it is clear he should be sold at the earliest opportunity – Ben Davies.

Ben Davies' numbers in his Rangers career

Davies joined the Light Blues from Liverpool in a deal worth £4m two summers ago as Giovanni van Bronckhorst aimed to bolster a squad which had won the Scottish Cup and reached the Europa League final.

He endured a difficult start, missing several games due to injury, but by the end of the campaign, the Englishman had made 38 appearances as the club failed to win a trophy.

The defender came in for criticism following a 3-2 defeat to Celtic which practically ended the Gers title hopes, failing to clear the ball, which allowed the Parkhead side to score an easy goal.

Former Light Blues striker Kenny Miller lashed out at Davies for his error, saying: “It’s a wonderful finish. Again he’s alert, alive, ruthless when the chance drops. But it’s so poor from Ben Davies. He should be heading that out.”

Last season, Davies made just 17 appearances for the club as it became clear Clement didn’t see a future for him in Glasgow.

Over these two years, however, he has cost the Ibrox side a fortune.

How much Rangers wasted on Ben Davies

The former Liverpool defender earned £27k-per-week during his two seasons with the club, which was more than the likes of Jack Butland and Abdallah Sima.

He even took home more per week than big-money forward Danilo, who had cost Michael Beale £6m in 2023, proving just how much money was wasted on the centre-back.

Adding his £4m transfer fee to the £2.8m that he received in annual wages during 2022/23 and 2023/24 shows that the club have spent a total of £6.8m on the player.

It is yet another case of splurging on someone who failed to live up to the hype. Hopefully, Clement will avoid moves like these.

Rangers missed out on SPFL titan who's now worth £6m & better than Propper

Rangers failed to sign a player last summer who is starring in the Champions League this term

1

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 9, 2024

We asked readers what their superstitions were while watching the IPL

16-Apr-2015Navratna Ojha
I try not to miss a single ball on commentary. The moment I do, a wicket falls and this only happens with the team I support.Rahil Arora
I am a huge KKR fan from the very first IPL. My superstitions are based on the team’s previous performances. For example, KKR cannot win the IPL if they win the first match of the season! Even though I am a huge fan, I think this will be true even this season.Shivaan Shah
I’m from Mumbai and my superstition is that I never watch the toss on TV, I always read about it instead.Murali Maankar
Being a huge fan of Rohit Sharma, I try to eat when he bats; when he got his first double-hundred I was eating at a roadside shop and watching it at a nearby television.Neil Bennett
I always feed my rabbit during the strategic time-out. I don’t know why but the two minutes is just long enough to go the garden and be back in my seat ready for the resumption of play.Abhisek Bera
I have a superstition that before every KKR match, I must play all the KKR songs. If I miss it, somehow the team will lose and it happened this time around too!Subhaditya Tripathy
I sit in my favourite yellow chair with a with a blue pillow, wearing my white t-shirt and pants, and make sure no one touches me till the end of the match.Dharmin Doshi
My superstition is quite weird when it comes to my favourite team in the IPL. If something dramatic happens in favour of my favourite team and if I think of a person at that moment, then I continue to think of that person for rest of the match! Quite weird but that’s how it is.Rahul Patil
I have a superstition – while watching my favourite team play (i.e KKR), I keep the remote of the TV in my right hand and never take it in my left hand. Although it hurts sometime but this has helped my team win many times.

West Ham star Jarrod Bowen walked the red carpet with "proud" fiancee Dani Dyer at the London premiere of Danny Dyer's new film "Marching Powder".

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• The Dyer family came together for the film premiere
• Bowen joined them in tow with Dani in a tuxedo
• The couple looked dapper on red carpet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The couple posed for the paparazzi, with Dani beaming with pride as she supported her father’s latest cinematic endeavour. The former Love Island star opted for an elegant black floral-embellished dress, while West Ham and England winger Bowen looked effortlessly stylish in a navy zip-up polo layered under a matching wool coat. The occasion became a true family affair, as Sunnie Dyer, Danny’s 17-year-old daughter, also made a striking entrance in a sleek off-the-shoulder black dress.

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• WHAT DANI DYER SAID

  Dani wrote on Instagram: "What an amazing night for the premiere of @marchingpowderthemovie I am just so so proud of you @officialdannydyer I know how much last night meant to you and everyone is sooo proud, what a film!! Well done to everyone involved, I want to watch it all over again… In cinemas this Friday💋"

  Lead actor Danny, meanwhile, has claimed that ‘Marching Powder’ brings a refreshing perspective to the romantic comedy genre, offering an authentic and gritty portrayal of love from a working-class lens.

  "It is something I'm very, very proud of. Because it is a love story; it's a working-class love story," he said. "Classism is a thing, and most rom coms are never set on a council estate. There's Pride & Prejudice, there's someone in f****** britches! You know, a love story where both the man and woman say c***, but in a loving way."

• Getty/Instagram
  

  THE GOSSIP

  Beyond their glamorous public appearances, Bowen and Dani are preparing for a major milestone in their relationship. The couple are set to tie the knot this summer, with a lavish wedding ceremony in the works. Danny has openly expressed his love for Bowen, stating that he already sees him as part of the family and is looking forward to the day he gives his daughter away to a man he deeply respects and admires.

• WHAT NEXT FOR BOWEN?

  While Bowen is making headlines for his personal life, he remains a crucial figure for West Ham United on the pitch. The 28-year-old forward has continued to deliver strong performances whenever fit, scoring eight goals and providing four assists so far this campaign. He is set to return to action on Monday evening, when West Ham take on Newcastle United in a Premier League showdown.

He says his preference is to open in T20Is, while continuing to bat in the middle order in ODIs and Tests

Vishal Dikshit30-Nov-2022Rishabh Pant has said that he would prefer to open in T20Is, while continuing to bat in the middle order in ODIs and Tests. Speaking before the start of the third ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch, Pant said that he is only 25 right now, and pitting white-ball and red-ball numbers against each other should be made only when he is around 30-32, because right now there was “no logic” in such comparisons.”I’d want to open in T20s, No. 4-5 in ODIs and Tests I’m already batting at No. 5,” Pant told Harsha Bhogle on .Bhogle went on to ask indirectly why Pant’s Test numbers looked the best when he came across more as a white-ball player.Related

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“Record is just a number, my white-ball record is not bad either,” Pant replied. When Bhogle said he was merely comparing Pant’s Test and white-ball records, Pant said, “Comparison is not a part of my life, I’m just 24-25 so you can compare once I’m 30-32. There’s no logic in comparing before that.”Pant made his India debut in T20Is in February 2017, Test debut in August 2018 and ODI debut two months later in October. While his penchant for pulling off unorthodox shots makes him seem like a natural white-ball batter, especially in T20s, he is more of a certainty in India’s Test XI currently, then in ODIs, and in T20Is at last.In the recent T20 World Cup, Dinesh Karthik started ahead of Pant in the first four games before Pant was brought into the XI in the middle order mainly because India wanted a left-hand batter. Pant, however, scored only 3 against Zimbabwe and 6 opposite England in the semi-final. In the following T20Is in New Zealand, Pant opened but again failed to impress with low scores of 6 and 11 after the first game was washed out.In the ongoing ODIs, in which he is the vice-captain just like for the T20Is, Pant fell twice to the pull shot, something oppositions have planned for to get him out. He chopped on for 15 off 23 in the opening ODI and failed to keep a short ball down on Wednesday in the third ODI to hand a catch to deep square leg for 10 off 16.Pant had earlier said that he doesn’t premeditate much in ODIs, because it’s not required.”It’s mostly in T20s, not in white-ball cricket [that one has to premeditate],” he said. “There’s no real need to premeditate in one-day cricket but you have to in T20s.”Pant averages 43.32 from 31 Tests with the help of five hundreds, four of which have come outside Asia, and only one in India. In ODIs, too, he has been a middle-order mainstay, especially since the 2019 World Cup. He has averaged nearly 40 while scoring 638 runs from 17 innings while striking at 110.76, with one century and five half-centuries.