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Regular white-ball captain Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra return from injuries

Deivarayan Muthu12-Oct-2025Kane Williamson will miss the T20I series at home against England, but targets a return for the following ODI series. Williamson, who had returned to New Zealand from overseas on Thursday, had last played international cricket in the Champions Trophy final against India in Dubai in March earlier this year.Williamson, 35, is among a group of players who have a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC). He had earlier made himself unavailable for the three-match T20I series against Australia and missed the Zimbabwe tour to play county cricket and the Hundred as part of his deal with Middlesex.New Zealand coach Rob Walter said that Williamson was also dealing with a “minor medical issue” in the past month and that it was agreed that he needed more time to recover.”He’s obviously a world class player and we’re hoping these two weeks will ensure he’s ready for the ODIs against England and the following tour by West Indies,” Walter said in a statement.Regular white-ball captain Mitchell Santner returned from an abdominal surgery to take charge of the team while fast bowler Ben Sears was sidelined with a left-hamstring injury, sustained during training last week. An MRI scan revealed a hamstring tear, which will require three-four weeks to recover.Sears’ good friend and Wellington team-mate Rachin Ravindra, though, is set to return to action after being ruled out of the Australia T20Is with a facial injury. The allrounder had collided with the boundary boards during fielding practice at Bay Oval in the lead-up to the first T20I.Finn Allen (foot), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Lockie Ferguson (hamstring) were all unavailable due to injury.There was no room for wristspinner Ish Sodhi, who became New Zealand’s most-capped T20I player earlier this month. Ravindra will be the third spin-bowling option behind captain Santner and Bracewell. Mark Chapman can also pitch in with left-arm spin, if needed.”It’s great to have Mitch back,” Walter said. “Alongside being our leader, he’s one of the very best white-ball spinners in the world and his skills and experience will be a welcome addition.”Likewise, it’s nice to welcome back Rachin who was unlucky to miss out on Australia and I know is really excited for this series.”Auckland mates Jimmy Neesham and Bevon Jacobs are part of New Zealand’s T20I squad•Zimbabwe Cricket

Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes have all been retained along with allrounder Jimmy Neesham.Neesham had originally been picked as a replacement player for the Australia T20Is after Ravindra had hurt his face, but he was particularly impressive in the third T20I in Mount Maunganui where he cut through Australia’s middle order with figures of 4 for 26.Neesham, who turned 35 last month, has ambitions of playing for New Zealand in the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.”I want to win a World Cup for New Zealand and that’s the reason I’m still playing and I’m still available,” Neesham said at his press conference after the third T20I against Australia. “It’s a very, very clear goal of mine. What happens with selection in the six months leading up to the tournament is up to powers above me. But no, I’ll just stay ready. If I’m in the squads or not leading up to the tournament, I’ll just take that in my stride and try and provide performances as best as I can when I’m selected in most teams.”The T20I series against England will kick off at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 18. Hagley Oval will also host the second T20I, on October 20, before the teams will shift to Auckland for the third – and final – T20I. The three-match ODI series will run from October 26 to November 1.Williamson could make his New Zealand return at his home ground, Bay Oval, on October 26.

NZ T20I squad

Mitchell Santner (capt), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert (wk)

Celtic have now reportedly been “made aware” of an opportunity to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea in the January transfer window, with the winger still frozen out at Stamford Bridge.

It’s a busy time for the Hoops, who were thrown into chaos when Brendan Rodgers made an unexpected decision to resign earlier this season – sparking the return of Martin O’Neill on an interim basis.

Celtic keeping tabs on "brilliant" Serie A gem who starred vs Rangers last season

He’s now struggling for form in Italy.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

Since then, the 73-year-old has turned back the clock to get Celtic back on track and send the rumour mill into overdrive that he could yet extend his second stint in charge of the club.

O’Neill, however, has often distanced himself from the permanent job and candidates such as Wilfried Nancy and Kjetil Nkutsen are beginning to emerge as potential options to take the reins.

The next two weeks should be crucial for Celtic in their managerial search, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll have a new name in charge by the time that the international break comes to an end.

If their search is ongoing, then O’Neill has reiterated that he’ll be happy to stick around until the club no longer need his services – telling reporters: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that.”

Of course, whoever is in charge will have plenty of work to do in the January transfer window, with Celtic in need of reinforcements and a number of potential options already coming to the fore.

Celtic "made aware" of Raheem Sterling option

As Graeme Bailey told 67 Hail Hail, Celtic have now been “made aware” of the chance to sign Sterling in January, as Chelsea continue to give the four-time Premier League winner the cold shoulder in West London.

Without an appearance all season, the former Manchester City winger desperately needs a move this winter, but must face up to the reality of a significant pay-cut if he is to move onto a club like Celtic. As things stand, Sterling earns an eye-watering £16.9m-a-year at Chelsea.

To put that figure into context, Celtic’s record signing, Adam Idah cost them £11m so, in one swoop, Sterling’s wages alone would beat the Bhoys’ record transfer fee and that’s simply not doable in Glasgow. The Chelsea man will need to make a major sacrifice.

There would also be question marks over Sterling’s ability to make an instant impact. Although former Chelsea boss Graham Potter dubbed the winger “excellent” during his time at the club, those days are long gone and he hasn’t played a senior game since a loan spell at Arsenal last season. Even if he were to halve his salary, it would be an expensive gamble for Celtic.

Desmond set to hold talks with "amazing" 4-2-3-1 manager this week

It would be fair to say that this season is going about as well as any Arsenal fan could’ve hoped for back in the summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side are three for three in the Champions League without conceding a goal and currently sit atop the Premier League, seven points ahead of defending champions Liverpool.

However, the North Londoners have to shift their focus from the major competitions ahead of their League Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.

The Gunners must do better in the domestic cups this season, but even so, Arteta should look to replace Declan Rice in the lineup with another international star.

Changes Arteta should make to the team

While this isn’t a game Arteta should take lightly, it is nowhere near as important as the league, and therefore, with the squad he has at his disposal, he should be looking to make some changes.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Starting in goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga should be given another start, and to ensure William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães are given a rest, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie should start together for the first time.

Likewise, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are in need of a rest, and in their place, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White should come back into the side.

At the base of midfield, Martin Zubimendi should be replaced by fellow summer signing Christian Nørgaard, and while there is an argument to also rest Eberechi Eze, it might be good for him to stay in the team following his goal on the weekend.

Moreover, by keeping the former Crystal Palace star in the lineup, Arteta can start Ethan Nwaneri on the right in place of Bukayo Saka, who was reportedly unwell against the Eagles, and therefore shouldn’t be anywhere near the team on Wednesday.

Finally, injuries once again leave the manager with few options when it comes to changing the striker and left-wing setup.

For example, while it would be great to hand Viktor Gyokeres a rest, the fact that Gabriel Martinelli is now out means he’s unlikely to get one.

This is because Leandro Trossard will now have to stay out wide instead of starting down the middle.

With all that said, there is one more regular starter who should be replaced: Rice.

The Arsenal star who should replace Rice

Like many of the other stars in the team, Arteta simply must drop Rice to the bench for the game against Brighton on Wednesday for a couple of reasons.

First of all, he just needs a rest as he’s already played 937 minutes of football for Arsenal this season, and he came off with a slight knock on the weekend.

Second, his importance to the side is massive, as on top of everything he does in open play, his deliveries are also one of the main reasons the team have been so utterly incredible at set-pieces.

With that said, who should come in to replace him?

Well, with Norgaad replacing Zubimendi and Eze potentially keeping his place in the team, the most obvious and best option would be Mikel Merino.

The Spanish international might be just a step below the former West Ham United captain, but he remains a top-level midfielder and someone who is capable of impacting the game in all phases of play.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won, the top 2% for non-penalty goals and touches in the opposition’s penalty area, the top 11% for through ball and more, all per 90.

Average Shot Distance

11.10

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 1%

Aerials Won

3.08

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.32

Top 2%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.92

Top 2%

Goals

0.32

Top 3%

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.24

Top 3%

Shots on Target

0.74

Top 3%

GCA (Shot)

0.07

Top 3%

xG: Expected Goals

0.24

Top 5%

npxG + xAG

0.35

Top 6%

Goals – xG

+0.08

Top 6%

Goals/Shot

0.17

Top 7%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.08

Top 7%

Progressive Passes Rec

4.52

Top 8%

Shots Total

1.82

Top 8%

npxG/Shot

0.13

Top 8%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.56

Top 8%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.04

Top 8%

Shots on Target %

40.4%

Top 11%

Through Balls

0.42

Top 11%

Moreover, he has also transformed into a lean, mean goalscoring machine for club and country this year.

Since the start of 2025, he has scored nine goals and provided three assists for the Gunners.

On top of that, the 6 foot 2 titan has scored eight goals and provided one assist for Spain this year, which is a run of form that has seen his manager, Luis de la Fuente, claim he is “on the same level as Pedri and Rodri.”

Ultimately, Merino has proven himself to be an excellent player in most areas of the pitch, and therefore, he should be the one to come in for Rice against Brighton.

Arteta's £120k-p/w "wild horse" looks like this season's Timber at Arsenal

Just like Timber, the international monster is having an incredible season at Arsenal this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 28, 2025

Notts on verge of Championship as hosts do their utmost to stay in Division One

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Sep-2025Hampshire 154 for 3 (Albert 37*) lead Surrey 147 (Sundar 3-5, Abbott 3-27, Fuller 3-46) by seven runsSurrey were rolled out for 147 to all but snuff out their Rothesay County Championship title-winning hopes, as Hampshire boosted their chance of remaining in Division One.The defending champions went into the last round 14 points behind Nottinghamshire – whom they lost to last week – but after they collapsed, their hopes of a fourth successive crown dwindled further.Kyle Abbott led the rout with three for 27 – taking his 50th Championship scalp of the season in the process – with James Fuller and Washington Sundar also picking up three-wicket hauls.Hampshire had eased themselves into a first-innings lead, picking up three vital bonus points in their fight for safety.Surrey chose to bat first and gave 17-year-old Ralphie Albert his first-class debut. The all-rounder wasn’t even born when Hampshire’s Liam Dawson made his professional bow.Surrey were massively depleted with Gus Atkinson, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Tom Curran, Jordan Clark and Cam Steel all unavailable, but even still their display was surprising.Dom Sibley had already been dropped at second slip before he was lbw to Abbott, before the South African drew a loose drive out of Ryan Patel to celebrate his 50th wicket of the season.It is the sixth Championship campaign that Abbott has reached the landmark, and he would later add No. 51 when he bowled Albert.Fuller also grabbed three wickets to gut the rest of the top order, as Rory Burns wafted to a juggling Sundar at first slip before Ben Foakes was bowled by a nip backer and Dan Lawrence skied an attempted pull – the latter walked before the ball was caught having scrapped hard for his innings-high 36.The back end of the innings saw wickets fall to spin. Indian international Sundar was particularly wily in his 20 balls, in which he only conceded five runs while taking three wickets.Ollie Sykes went back to one that skidded into his stumps, Matt Fisher was undone by a stunner that ripped across him and into off stump, while compatriot Rahul Chahar guided to first slip. In the middle of it, Tom Lawes was caught and bowled by Dawson.Surrey were bowled out for 147 inside 44 overs – their lowest total of the season at the least opportune moment as the title slipped away from them.The pitch had offered a fair amount of movement, but not excessive, and wickets were mostly down to batting errors and high-quality bowling rather than the elements.Hampshire further suggested a poor pitch wasn’t to blame as Ali Orr glided through the opening overs.He smashed 18 of the second over of the innings and by the fifth over had already secured a partnership higher than anything Surrey had managed in their innings – their best being the 32 between Lawrence and Sykes.Orr’s fast start was undone by a careless swing down leg side but Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins put on 50 to set the sort of foundation that the visitors couldn’t lay.Both the bowled Gubbins and leg-before Middleton fell to Lawrence – who ended the day with two for 12 after an exceptional nine-over spell of off-spin.But Hampshire avoided any serious wobble as Toby Albert and Ben Brown stayed cautiously positive to take them to close with a lead – despite 13 wickets falling on the opening day.

Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Celtic’s clash with Dundee at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night will be his final game as the interim manager.

The experienced Northern Irish coach has revealed that Wilfried Nancy will take charge for the clash with Hearts at the weekend, ending his time in the dugout.

Speaking after the 2-1 win over Hibernian, O’Neill said: “He (Nancy) is the man that will be coming in. I thought it was over on Sunday, but there’s some paperwork still to be dealt with. Wednesday will definitely be my final game.

The interim boss has won six of his seven matches in his second spell with the Hoops, winning all four of his league games, and there have been several players who have been big winners from the change in manager.

The biggest winners from Martin O'Neill's time as interim Celtic manager

Callum Osmand, who is currently out with a hamstring injury, was one of the early winners from Brendan Rodgers’ departure, after he scored one goal in three games for O’Neill, having not played a single minute under the previous boss.

On the topic of strikers, Johnny Kenny was another winner of O’Neill’s tenure because the Ireland international scored four goals in the manager’s first four matches in charge, per Sofascore, which has shown that he can deliver quality at first-team level for the Hoops.

Reo Hatate has also improved under the interim boss. He has provided two goals and three assists in seven games for the Northern Irishman, per Sofascore, after a return of one goal and no assists in 13 games for Rodgers.

The biggest winner of O’Neill’s tenure, however, has been centre-back Auston Trusty, who has played every single minute of the seven games, having only made two appearances as a substitute in the league for the last manager this season.

Why Wilfried Nancy may drop Auston Trusty

Despite playing every single minute of the last seven Celtic games, the USA international is one of the players who could be on the chopping block when Nancy finally comes through the door.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Trusty has been playing as a right-sided centre-back because of the injury to Cameron Carter-Vickers, and the French tactician may want a naturally right-footed option in that position.

If Nancy wants that natural balance at the back, whether that is by signing a centre-back in January or giving a chance to another player in the squad, then Trusty could have to compete with Liam Scales for a starting berth as the left-sided centre-back.

24/25 + 25/26 Premiership	Trusty	Scales
Appearances	28	39
Clean sheets	13	22
Dribbled past	11x	8x
Error led to shot	5	2
Error led to goal	1	0
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Ireland international has been the more reliable performer for the Scottish giants at the heart of the defence in the Premiership since the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

Trusty, who was hailed as a “powerful” player by Rodgers, made an error leading to a shot with a loose pass on Sunday, and that was his fifth in just 28 league games for the club.

He has also been dribbled past three more times than Scales, despite the Irishman playing 11 more games, which shows that opposition players find it easier to play against him than his fellow left-footed defender.

Trusty, to his credit, has been solid in his duels in the Premiership this season, winning 62% of his physical battles, per Sofascore, but his errors over the past 18 months or so and the fact that he is currently a left-footer playing on the right may come into consideration ahead of the January transfer window.

Nancy may want to bring in a naturally right-footed player to start games in that role, leaving Trusty and Scales to compete for one place. That is why he may end up dropping the American, who has been the biggest winner from O’Neill’s tenure, once he has a right-footed defender available to select.

His performances at Premiership level since his £6m move from Sheffield United suggest that Scales would be the better option for the new boss at left-centre-back, but we will have to wait and see how it plays out in reality.

Celtic flop who was "really shaky" v Hibs is the first player Nancy must bin

This Celtic flop is the first player who should be sold by incoming manager Wilfried Nancy in January.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 30, 2025

Tarik Skubal won the American League Cy Young award in 2024 by winning the pitching Triple Crown and leading the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA. In 2025 he proceeded to have an even better statistical season, lowering his ERA and WHIP and striking out even more batters than he did during his Cy Young season.

About to enter his age 29 season, Skubal has one more campaign under Detroit's control before he becomes a free agent. As of right now, he's due to make $22.5 million next season, which is about half what Max Scherzer got annually from the Mets when they signed him to a three-year deal back in 2022.

The Tigers made Skubal an offer last offseason that was deemed "non-competitive" and it seems that another incredible season on the mound did not convince them to make whatever he considers a competitive offer.

According to Jon Heyman of the , the two sides are about a quarter of a billion dollars apart. No, seriously. In the words of Heyman, "Yep, that’s not a misprint. It’s close to $250 million."

While the total money or number of years is not clear, Heyman says that the "baseline for Skubal is seen as $400M." So the Tigers could be doing anything from making an insultingly low offer to being right there on the average salary, but far apart on the length of the contract.

Either way, they're going to have to pay Skubal to keep him.

Who is the highest paid pitcher in MLB?

For Skubal to crack the top five highest-paid pitchers, he'd need more than $35 million a year, which is exactly what Corbin Burnes is getting from the Diamondbacks. Shohei Ohtani has an average salary of $70 million, but unless Skubal can hit 50-plus home runs a season as a designated hitter, he should probably focus on what these guys are making.

Here are the five pitchers with contracts worth an average annual value of over $30 million, when they signed those deals and how long they are.

Pitcher	Average Annual Value	Signed	Contract Length
Zack Wheeler	$42,000,000	2025	3 years
Jacob deGrom	$37,000,000	2023	5 years
Blake Snell	$36,400,000	2025	5 years + club option
Gerrit Cole	$36,000,000	2019	9 years
Corbin Burnes	$35,000,000	2024	6 years

Aitana Bonmati has been forced to withdraw from the Spain squad after she suffered a fractured fibula in a training session. The Barcelona star could miss a number of months of football in a massive blow for both her club and national team. The three-time Ballon d'Or winner has already returned to Catalonia to begin her recovery with the Blaugrana.

• Spain must face Germany without star player

  Spain will have to face Germany in the second leg of the UEFA Nations League final without their best player on Tuesday. The sides played out a goalless draw in Germany on Friday in the first leg and their task of taking the title will be made more complicated without the presence of Bonmati in the middle of the park.

  Spain, who have already missed out on one major title in 2025 having lost to England on penalties in the European Championship this summer, will be determined to lift the Nations League trophy at the Metropolitano in Madrid.

  Success in the Spanish capital is not a foregone conclusion though, with Germany providing consistent stubbornness against La Roja. In the European Championship, the Germans held strong to take the semi-final into extra-time, but could not keep Spain and Bonmati out forever and the superstar eventually broke through Ann-Katrin Berger’s defiance to fire Spain into the final.

  The scars are still fresh for Germany, who will be determined to avenge their late heartache and will be boosted by their nemesis’ absence.

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• Getty Images
  

  RFEF confirm news

  The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a statement confirming the worst fears of Barcelona and Spain fans. The association explained that the midfielder had "finished the morning [training] session at the Ciudad del Futbol in Las Rozas in pain after a bad landing in an accidental action".

  The statement continued to explain that Bonmati underwent scans to try and diagnose what the pain she had been feeling was. Following tests by the medical team on Sunday, Bonmati was found to have suffered a fracture to her left fibula.

  The RFEF added: “The player, originally from Ribas, will return to Barcelona and rejoin her club to begin her recovery period.”

• Bonmati sidelined for months

  According to , the initial understanding is that Bonmati will have to sit out of all football for a minimum of two months. Should the Spanish player not need surgery and the bone can heal on its own, the eight-week lay off would be the likely time spent out of action. This could see Bonmati miss key games for club and country, including the final group stage games of the Champions League.

  Her absence could be exacerbated further if it is deemed that Bonmati required surgery on the fractured fibula. The expected time out for the midfielder would be closer to four months, should an operation be deemed a necessity.

  Bonmati joins Patri Guijarro in the Barcelona medical room, with her midfield partner also out with a fracture. Patri suffered a stress fracture in her navicular bone in her right foot.

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  Barcelona's Champions League dream

  If Bonmati needs to have surgery on the fractured bone, she will face a race to be fit for crucial games for Barcelona in the spring. The Champions League quarter-finals are scheduled to take place in late March and the Blaugrana will be desperate to have the midfielder ready and back to her best in time for that challenge.

  Barcelona and Bonmati will be dreaming of making amends for their performance in last year’s Champions League final. The Blaugrana were second-best against Arsenal and were punished by a late Stina Blackstenius goal. The 1-0 victory for the Gunners ensured the trophy was returning to England for only the second-time, following Arsenal’s first success in the tournament in 2006.

  Barcelona have made good strides in this year’s tournament, leading the group stage table with three wins and one draw after four games. The club will not have been too disappointed with their one slip up either, coming in a controversial 1-1 draw away at English champions Chelsea.

England’s focus may be elsewhere at end of long season, but for hosts, this is the be-all-and-end-all

Andrew Miller16-Sep-2025

Jacob Bethell and Paul Stirling pose with the series trophy at Malahide Cricket Club•Getty Images

Big picture: Big-ticket visit, but small beer for visitorsIt’s a state of affairs that sums up the imbalances of international cricket. England and Ireland are about to play their first-ever bilateral game of T20 cricket – even though the format has consumed the sport in the course of the past two decades – at a moment in the respective itineraries of the two nations that could scarcely be more polarized.On the one hand, there’s the visitors England, girding their loins for one final push after an exhausting home season comprising a five-Test series against India, while already casting their eyes forward to the single biggest date on their 2025 calendar: November 21, and the start of their legacy-defining Ashes campaign.Despite the notable pick of Jacob Bethell as captain, they’ve arrived in Dublin with something close to their first-choice XI, or at least the version that took the field with such stunning success in their most recently completed match, against South Africa at Old Trafford last week.Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett were scarcely missed while Phil Salt and Jos Buttler were blazing England towards that record 304 for 2, but they remain in mothballs alongside the regular captain Harry Brook and Jofra Archer – each of whom, with as much respect as can be mustered in such circumstances, has bigger fish to fry in the coming months. As indeed has the head coach, Brendon McCullum, who has already flown home to New Zealand.And then, there’s the hosts Ireland – for the most part exiles in their own land, given how rarely they are able to attract the quality of opposition that justifies the outlay required to accommodate them. This three-match series is their biggest ticket since India popped over for three T20Is in August 2023 (one of which was abandoned).Sure enough, Malahide has rolled out its temporary stands (at considerable expense) to take the ground’s capacity to around 4,000 for these three games. Happily, Friday and Sunday are already sold out, while Wednesday’s series opener should be at least 80% full, with tickets still available. Given that last year’s visit by Australia was canned on the grounds that even those broadcast rights couldn’t have covered Cricket Ireland’s costs, their financial tightrope is real and terrifying.For both teams, however, this series remains a key staging post for a significant and looming peak. England’s thoughts will have to turn to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka almost before they’ve completed their Ashes comedown, and such are the reasons why experimentation for this leg has been relatively limited, even if the conditions in Malahide will be as far removed from those in the subcontinent in February as can be imagined.For Ireland, however, that focus will be nothing less than full-bore. So much of their raison d’etre revolves around ICC events, from the long and anxious qualification bids that precede them, to the crucial exposure and funding that their moments on the big stage provide. But here, in a slender weather-threatened five-day window, that stage has at long last come back to their own shores.Form guideIreland LLWLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
England WLWWWIn the spotlight: Jordan Cox and Ross AdairAll he ever seems to get are scraps from the table, but to Jordan Cox’s immense credit, he has not yet been consumed by frustration at an international career that simply cannot stick a landing. The false starts have been numerous – most gallingly the broken thumb that robbed him of three guaranteed Tests in New Zealand last winter – while his two previous T20I appearances, against Australia last year, were – just like this potential recall – tacked onto the end of a long international summer. But his belated call-up to the squad is entirely on merit, after his MVP displays for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred. Given half a chance, he is still hungry to make the most of it.At the age of 31, and having parked his previous career in rugby union, Ross Adair is a significant bolter for this winter’s T20 World Cup. His last-but-one international innings was a storming knock of 100 from 58 balls as Ireland beat South Africa in Abu Dhabi this time last year, and as he told ESPNcricinfo this week, the explosive nature of T20 cricket means there are plenty of transferrable skills from his previous incarnation as a winger.Team news: Calitz, Baker in line for debutsIreland could hand a maiden cap to Ben Calitz, the 23-year-old Canada-born batter, with Paul Stirling, their captain, saying they were “crying out” for a left-hander in their middle order. Their bowling stocks have taken a hit with Josh Little and Mark Adair both absent for this series – Little has played just once for Middlesex in two months as he nurses a side injury. Matthew Humphreys is set to lead the attack once more, after impressing in his only outing against West Indies in June.Ireland: (possible) 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Ross Adair, 3 Harry Tector, 4 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 5 Ben Calitz, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Curtis Campher, 8 Barry McCarthy, 9 Graham Hume, 10 Matthew Humphreys, 11 Craig Young.Sonny Baker seems in line for a maiden T20I outing, and ideally a less brutal return to England colours, after being launched for 76 runs on his wicketless ODI debut against South Africa earlier this month. Cox is the obvious replacement for Brook in the middle-order, with England likely to persevere with their spin-heavy attack in preparation for the T20 World Cup.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell (capt), 4 Jordan Cox, 5 Sam Curran, 6 Tom Banton, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Luke Wood, 11 Sonny Baker.Pitch and conditionsDublin in early autumn is unlikely to be the sort of batting paradise that England encountered in that Old Trafford contest. Stirling predicted conditions would be as “alien” to those at next year’s World Cup as you could imagine: “September in Ireland is going to be green, it’s going to nip a little bit, and it’s going to be slightly slow.” The weather for Wednesday is mostly set to be clear, though torrential overnight rain is anticipated, which may well influence the decisions at the toss.Stats and trivia England and Ireland have played only twice before in the T20I format – at the T20 World Cups in 2010 (then the World T20) and 2022. Ireland memorably won the second of those at the MCG and might well have won the first but for a washout. England, remarkably, recovered from those set-backs to claim the title on each occasion. At 21 years and 329 days, Jacob Bethell is set to become the youngest captain in England’s history, beating the mark currently held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 and 144 days when he led England against South Africa at Cape Town on the Test tour of 1888-89.Quotes”It was fantastic viewing… Hopefully it’ll be a bit different than Old Trafford, where the pitch didn’t seem to be doing much. Coming here, it might be a bit slower, it might do a bit more, and hopefully we can catch a team off-guard that way if things go our way – maybe win the toss and go from there.”
“I’ve played with Paul Stirling myself, and I’ve seen how destructive he is at the other end. He’ll be someone we’ll be looking to target early and try to get him walking back into the sheds.”

Ireland spinner was suspended from bowling earlier this year after her action was found to be illegal

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2025

Aimee Maguire has played 11 ODIs and nine T20Is for Ireland•BCCI

Ireland left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire has been cleared to resume bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.Maguire, 18, was suspended from bowling earlier this year after being reported during the first ODI against India in Rajkot on January 10. Her action was deemed suspect under the ICC’s Illegal Bowling Regulations.Maguire has since remodelled her action and subsequently underwent an independent re-assessment at an ICC-accredited testing centre where she was cleared.”An independent assessment of Maguire’s remodelled bowling action at an ICC accredited testing centre concluded that the amount of elbow extension was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations,” an ICC release said.Maguire made her ODI and T20I debut against West Indies in July 2023. She has so far played 11 ODIs, where she has picked 16 wickets, with best bowling figures of 5 for 19 against England last year. Maguire has also played nine T20Is, where she has nine wickets at an economy rate of 7.20.The 18-year-old is not part of the Ireland squad that faces Pakistan in a three-match T20I series, which begins in Dublin on Wednesday.

Manchester City have hit some extraordinary heights under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage. The Spanish coach will go down as one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his Citizen side have written themselves into the English and European history books.

Last season, City fell off a proverbial cliff, their four-in-a-row domination of the Premier League coming to an end. They rallied, but it was a campaign to forget about, and many felt that it marked the end of Pep’s illustrious tenure.

But he’s not done yet, rebounding emphatically after signing a two-year contract extension last November. And Guardiola isn’t the only one who is resurgent at the Etihad, with this optimistic new season coinciding with the tentative resurgence of Phil Foden.

Why Foden is improving for Man City

There’s no denying it: Foden fell by the wayside last season. But he’s picked himself back up. The Three Lions superstar still has gears to shift through before he recalls his finest form, but this is an essential comeback, should City hope to reclaim their Premier League title and ensure the peerless Erling Haaland has a strong complementary force in the final third.

He hasn’t found prolific form yet this season, but the 25-year-old is undoubtedly producing more polished and cultured results, having been placed deeper to influence and dictate play.

He has been more convincing in the duel and is seeing more of the ball on average. There is also a clear tactical maturity, Pep’s teachings seeping into Foden’s brain. He might not be the headline stealer at this stage, but Foden is unquestionably operating at a higher level, and City’s wider system are feeling the benefits.

Phil Foden’s Premier League Improvements
Stats (*per game)	24/25	25/26
Matches (starts)	28 (20)	9 (8)
Goals	7	1
Assists	2	1
Touches*	43.5	59.4
Accurate passes*	27.0 (89%)	39.7 (89%)
Chances created*	1.5	2.3
Dribbles*	0.5	0.7
Ball recoveries*	2.2	4.1
Tackles + interceptions*	0.8	1.3
Duels (won)*	2.3 (45%)	3.1 (54%)
Data via Sofascore

Foden is one of the best in the Premier League, and he is on his way to reminding everyone of that fact. However, he’s not the only member of City’s squad doing such a thing right now, with his younger countryman emerging as the latest starboy fashioned under Guardiola’s wing.

Man City's homegrown talent is now one of PL's best

Manchester City’s academy is a thing to behold. Truly, the dominant Premier League force have welcomed some of the country’s most exciting talents to the scene, and the likes of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are among those plying their trade elsewhere, such is the bloated nature of the club’s youth scene.

But City learn from their mistakes, and when Chelsea came calling for Nico O’Reilly in January, they were flat-out rebuffed in their advances, despite The Athletic’s David Ornstein confirming the interest was very much genuine.

This time last year, the 20-year-old was on the fringes of Guardiola’s outfit. Now, he is emerging as the first-choice left-back for club and country.

He impressed for the Three Lions after making his debut last week, playing 90 minutes against Serbia and then Albania, keeping clean sheets on both counts. As per Sofascore, he lost only one duel across those two clashes, recovering eight balls and completing 92% and 93% of his passes.

Already, he has nailed down a prominent position in City’s first team. Naturally a centre-midfielder, the boss has repeated hisown spectacular trick and redefined his technically sound up-and-comer into a dynamic, inverted full-back. O’Reilly has started seven of the last eight Premier League matches, defending resiliently and getting forward and arcing inward to create overloads and help service Haaland.

Continuing to look at it from a wider scope, the 6 foot 4 star ranks among the top 16% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking box, and the top 6% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

He’s only going to get better, and given the high regard he is held in by Guardiola and for the Three Lions under Thomas Tuchel, there’s little question that City have found their latest superstar in the making.

It is important, typically, not to overburden up-and-coming prospects. But O’Reilly is different, so cultured and convincing across the various phases of play.

One Man City content creator was left speechless after the club’s recent win over Liverpool, hailing O’Reilly as “our best academy graduate since Phil Foden”.

That might just be the case. Even Roy Keane agrees. The Manchester United legend remarked that the versatile defender “could surprise everybody” by securing a starting berth at the 2026 World Cup next year. Clearly, this is a player becoming one of the best in the Premier League, if not the world.

Perfect for Haaland: Man City can sign Foden 2.0 in "Ballon d'Or level" star

Another Phil Foden-esque talent could elevate Man City’s final third quality even more

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 20, 2025