أعلن علاء عبد العال، المدير الفني لنادي غزل المحلة، تشكيل فريقه لمواجهة الزمالك، في اللقاء الذي يقام بينهما اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
ويلتقي الزمالك مع غزل المحلة، في إطار مواجهات الجولة العاشرة من عمر مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري، ذلك على ملعب ستاد هيئة قناة السويس.
ويحتل فريق نادي الزمالك، المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 17 نقطة، إذ في 5 مباريات وتعادل في 2 وخسر في مواجهتان.
بينما على الجانب الآخر، فريق غزل المحلة، يتواجد في المركز الرابع عشر في ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 10 نقاط.
طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام غزل المحلة في الدوري المصري.. ظهور أول لصفقة جديدة تشكيل غزل المحلة اليوم أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري
حراسة المرمي: عامر عامر.
خط الدفاع: أحمد العش، أحمد شوشة، يحيي زكريا وعبد الرحيم عموري.
خط الوسط: رشاد العرفاوي، موري توريه، سعيدي كيبو ومعاذ عبد السلام.
اتخذ المجلس الأعلى لتنظيم للإعلام، برئاسة خالد عبد العزيز، أولى قراراته بشأن الشكوى المقدمة من محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي الأهلي ضد الإعلامي مدحت شلبي.
وتلقى المجلس الأعلى لتنظيم الإعلام، شكوى رسمية من محمود الخطيب، ضد شلبي والذي أكد فيها أن الأخير ارتكب خلال حلقة البرنامج التي بثت بتاريخ 23 سبتمبر 2025 عدة تجاوزات مخالفة للأكواد والمعايير الصادرة المجلس.
طالع.. نادِ كبير يزاحم الأهلي على برونو لاج
وكان مدحت شلبي قد تحدث خلال الساعات الماضية، مدعيًا أن سبب غياب الخطيب عن السفر إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية مع بعثة الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية هو عدم حصوله على التأشيرة، وليس المرض كما قيل وقتها.
واستند رئيس الأهلي في شكواه إلى نصوص المواد 4 و16 و19 من القانون رقم 180 لسنة 2018 بشأن تنظيم الصحافة والإعلام والمجلس الأعلى لتنظيم الإعلام.
وأحال المجلس الأعلى لتنظيم الإعلام الشكوى إلى لجنة الشكاوى، برئاسة عصام الأمير، وكيل المجلس، لدراستها واتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة وفقًا لللوائح المنظمة.
وكان الأهلي، قد أعلن وقت سابق عن شكوى مدحت وتقديم بلاغ ضده للنائب العام واتخاذ كافة الإجراءات القانونية.
Tottenham Hotspur are a side that have fallen below the expectations set for them in the Premier League in recent years, as seen by their standings last campaign.
The Lilywhites ended the year in a measly 17th position, only one place above the relegation zone and becoming the first side to survive in the division after losing 22 matches.
As a result, Ange Postecoglou lost his job, with Thomas Frank the man tasked with building on their European triumph and transforming their league form.
The Dane has already wasted no time in the role in North London, targeting countless players who could help improve the current situation at the club.
Whilst no first team additions have yet been agreed, work has been conducted behind the scenes, in an attempt to catapult the side to added success in 2025/26.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer
Mohammed Kudus has been a player firmly on their radar in recent days, even making a £50m offer for the West Ham United star, but the offer was swiftly rejected.
The Ghanaian was said to be wanting a move to join Frank’s men this window and The Athletic’s David Ornstein has since revealed that a £55m total agreement has now been struck for the 24-year-old.
However, despite the interest in the former Ajax star, moves have been made elsewhere, with Southampton star Tyler Dibling once again in their sights, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.
He claims that the Lilywhites have made an approach for the 19-year-old star, despite suffering relegation back to the Championship with the Saints last season.
He also claims that Nottingham Forest and West Ham are other teams keeping tabs on the teenage star, who could be available for around £55m this summer.
Why Spurs’ £55m target could be a bigger talent than Kudus
Over the last couple of months, Spurs have showcased the attacking threat they possess, registering 64 goals in their 38 league outings last season.
Brennan Johnson ended the year as the club’s top scorer, notching 18 goals across all competitions, including in the Europa League final, subsequently ending the club’s 17-year drought.
Other players such as Dominic Solanke and James Maddison also managed to achieve double figures, highlighting the strength in depth currently at Frank’s disposal.
However, such depth clearly isn’t enough, especially considering the rumours around moves for Kudus and Dibling over the last couple of weeks.
Both would represent impressive options for the Dane, but given the nature of the fees touted for each player’s signature, it is crucial they land the right one during the off-season.
When comparing their respective stats from the Premier League last time out, the Saints’ youngster managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, despite the relegation – highlighting why he’d be a better addition.
Dibling, who’s been labelled “incredible” by former boss Ivan Juric, managed to register a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, whilst matching the Hammers star for goals per shot on target – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses.
Games played
33
32
Goals & assists
2
8
Shot on target accuracy
32%
28%
Goal per shot on target
0.2
0.2
Progressive passes
3.1
2.7
Passes into final third
1.9
1.6
Carries into final third
2.4
2
Fouls won
2.4
2.2
He also managed to register more progressive passes per 90, and more passes into the final third, subsequently having the tools to provide some of the aforementioned talents with added opportunities in front of goal.
The teenager’s dominance doesn’t end there, producing a higher tally of carries into the final third, whilst also drawing more fouls – showcasing the threat he poses to the opposition at any given time.
Whilst £55m may appear to be a huge risk for such a young talent, he’s already showcased he can thrive despite featuring for a side who fell well below the expectations set in 2024/25.
There’s no denying that Kudus would also represent an excellent pickup, but ultimately, Dibling has already outperformed him and has the tools to rapidly develop further, given his tender age.
Spurs eyeing "immense" £40m Kudus alternative who'd be their own Rodrygo
Despite the Premier League’s PSR deadlines approaching, Aston Villa have now reportedly opened talks to sign a former Championship midfielder in a deal worth £17m this summer.
Aston Villa closing in on PSR deadline
As things stand, Aston Villa have five days to ensure that they comply with the PSR rules on June 30. The Midlands club are already set to sell Philippe Coutinho to Vasco da Gama, but there remain question marks over whether that will be enough to keep them within the PSR guidelines. Of course, if it’s not, then Villa face a hectic few days.
To that end, the Villans still have a number of players who could be sacrificed. Reports have suggested in recent days that the likes of Lucas Digne and even Emiliano Martinez could be among those reluctantly shown the door in a last-ditch attempt to ease their off-pitch troubles.
Emiliano Martinez in action for Argentina.
Martinez’s departure would be particularly frustrating if it is Manchester United that take full advantage. Losing one of Unai Emery’s best players would be an undeniable blow and losing that same player to a Premier League rival would only add salt to that painful wound.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently delivered his verdict on Villa’s PSR problems, telling Sky Sports earlier this month: “I think of the 20 Premier League clubs, Villa are the ones who we’re most concerned about.
“Last season, when they did qualify for the Champions League, for every £100 of revenue that Aston Villa brought in, they spent £91 on wages. Those players will have had contract step-ups for qualifying for the Champions League.”
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Missing out on Champions League football on the final day of last season could see Aston Villa suffer a major setback if they do not sanction at least one more sale in the coming days. If reports are anything to go by, however, their PSR problems are not standing in the way of any attempt to welcome incomings this summer.
Aston Villa make contact to sign Gabriel Sara
According to Calcio Mercato’s Santi Aouna, Aston Villa have now held talks to sign Gabriel Sara from Galatasaray and have also held separate talks over deals to sell both Digne and Martinez to the Turkish club this summer.
Although separate deals, Aston Villa and Galatasaray could work together to appease all parties involved. Those in the Midlands could get the sales they so desperately need while Galatasaray could receive part of the funding to make such deals happen through the sale of Sara to Villa Park.
The Turkish giants reportedly value their versatile midfielder at around €20m (£17m) in a deal that could finally see Sara receive his Premier League chance one year on from leaving Championship side Norwich City.
Described as “incredible” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, It was during his time at Norwich that Sara impressed the most – scoring 14 goals and creating another 13 in all competitions in his final season at the club.
Continuing a frantic summer transfer window, Manchester United have now reportedly been offered the chance to sign a former Premier League midfielder in a shock swap deal which would involve Antony.
Man Utd on the verge of Mbeumo agreement
After the Premier League fixture release handed them the toughest start on paper, some around Old Trafford may already be dreading Manchester United’s return to domestic action in August. Ruben Amorim is unlikely to be among those, however. The Red Devils boss has instantly been backed by INEOS this summer and after already welcoming Matheus Cunha, he is reportedly closing in on welcoming Bryan Mbeumo.
In an instant, Mbeumo and Cunha should transform Manchester United’s blunt frontline which has featured the struggling Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in the last 12 months.
Combined last season, Hojlund and Zirkzee managed just seven Premier League goals. Mbeumo alone, meanwhile, reached the 20-goal mark whilst Cunha scored as many as 15 for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
INEOS may not be done there, however. The transfer rumours are still coming thick and fast amid reports that Emiliano Martinez is waiting on Manchester United to make their offer to complete a shock summer move.
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In similar fashion to Cunha and Mbeumo, Martinez would be an instant upgrade on Andre Onana this summer. The World Cup winner has played a crucial role in Aston Villa’s recent rise under Unai Emery, but could now be set to leave amid their PSR problems.
Signing Martinez is not the only blow that United could hand Aston Villa, though. The Red Devils have also now reportedly been offered the chance to sign a former Villa Park fan favourite this summer.
Man Utd offered Douglas Luiz swap deal
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Douglas Luiz in a shock swap deal for want-away winger Antony. Former Juventus director of football Cristiano Guintoli, who has now left his role, reportedly explored the deal in what would have killed two birds with one stone for INEOS this summer.
Now that Guintoli is no longer at the Italian club, the big question will be whether Juventus are still keen to take a look at such a deal. There’s no denying that Luiz desperately needs a fresh start following a tough first year in Turin, as is the case with Antony at Manchester United, which means that the deal should certainly still make sense for all parties.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
Whilst Antony enjoyed quite the revival at Real Betis, the Brazilian remains a player who is likely for the exit door at Old Trafford and United should take full advantage of his rejuvenated form to either cash in or sign Luiz.
It wasn’t so long ago that the Aston Villa sporting director, Monchi, was praising Luiz as a “strong player” and even after a tough year at Juventus, the midfielder remains a player who would improve Manchester United’s midfield.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will have a host of difficult decisions to make when it comes to the playing squad during the summer transfer window, which opened for business on Sunday.
As well as deciding on players to join the club this summer, with Kieran Tierney already one star who is set to join at the start of next month, the Hoops boss will also have to sanction exits from Parkhead.
It has been reported that winger Luis Palma is working with his agents to seal a permanent or loan exit from Glasgow this summer, after Olympiacos did not take up their option to sign him permanently.
The Honduras international spent the second half of this season on loan with the Greek giants, and is now set to look elsewhere to find a home for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.
Palma has had his moments in a Celtic shirt, with ten goals and ten assists in 48 matches, but the Hoops are now looking to part ways with him this summer.
One player who has already been ruthlessly ditched by the Scottish Premiership giants this summer, though, is experienced goalkeeper Scott Bain.
How Celtic have reshuffled their goalkeeper ranks
With Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo the clear first and second-choice options for Rodgers between the sticks, Bain was set to be the third choice once again heading into next season.
The Scottish shot-stopper did not play a single minute across any competition for the club this season, and only played three times in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign.
At the end of last month, the club confirmed that the 33-year-old had left the club, despite having a year left on his contract, as they mutually agreed to part ways.
It has since been confirmed that Bain has agreed a one-year contract to join newly-promoted Falkirk in the Premiership, which could give him a better chance of playing regular football next season.
Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph reported last month that Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan has agreed to join the club on a free transfer to replace Bain as the third-choice at Parkhead.
24/25 Premiership
Ross Doohan
Appearances
15
Saves
33
Successful run-outs
20
Penalties saved
1/1
Duel success rate
100%
Clean sheets
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Doohan played 15 times in the Premiership this season and could be a decent enough option to call upon if Schmeichel and Sinisalo are both unavailable and the third-choice is needed.
The goalkeeping department is not the only area of the squad that should be addressed, though, as Rodgers should also ruthlessly axe Auston Trusty, after just one year in Glasgow, if there is enough interest in him from elsewhere.
Why Celtic should move on from Auston Trusty
At the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Liam Scales was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year for his performances in the left-sided centre-back position for the Hoops in the Premiership.
Despite the Ireland international’s form, and Cameron Carter-Vickers, Stephen Welsh, and Maik Nawrocki being in the squad, Rodgers opted to further bolster his options at the back by signing Trusty.
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Celtic reportedly splashed out a fee of £6m to sign the USA international from English Championship side Sheffield United, which shows that they were willing to commit a significant portion of their budget to bring him to Parkhead.
Looking back, it was a slightly strange decision to spend so much money on another option in the left-sided centre-back position when Scales, who is only 26, played in 34 of the club’s 38 Premiership matches last season on his way to being in the Team of the Year.
This did not suggest that there was an imminent need for £6m to be splashed on a new centre-back unless they were a clear and significant upgrade on Scales.
Unfortunately, though, Trusty’s performances in his debut season in Scottish football were not of a high enough standard to prove that he is a better option, and the Irish central defender ended the campaign as the first-choice next to Carter-Vickers once again.
At the start of the year, Rodgers said that Trusty had to do better against Dundee and claimed that he contributed to the team being “a bit soft”, as he was beaten too easily in the air in the clip above to make it 3-3.
24/25 Premiership
Liam Scales
Auston Trusty
Appearances
26
22
Clean sheets
14
10
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.9
2.3
Dribbled past per game
0.2x
0.5x
Error led to shot
1
4
Error led to goal
0
1
Duel success rate
72%
64%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the American flop made far too many errors at the back in the Premiership, making four more errors leading to shots or goals in four fewer appearances than Scales.
The Ireland international was also stronger in his duels and did not allow opposition forwards to get the better of him in dribble attempts, which suggests that he was more reliable for Rodgers.
Liam Scales
That could be why Scales ended the season as the first-choice left-sided centre-back, including starting the SFA Cup final, and that is why it has been a dismal first year in Glasgow for the £6m signing.
Nawrocki also caught the eye in his three rare Premiership outings, winning 65% of his duels and being dribbled past just once, as he did not make a single error that led to a shot or goal.
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Therefore, Rodgers should instantly and ruthlessly part ways with Trusty after just one year in Glasgow because Scales and Nawrocki appear to be more reliable and quality options ahead of him, which is why Celtic should attempt to recoup as much of the £6m they spent on him as possible this summer.
Celtic are through to the final of the SFA Cup after they cruised their way to a 5-0 win over Scottish Premiership side St. Johnstone at Hampden Park on Sunday.
The Hoops scored four times in the first half to blow their opponents away and seal their spot in the final with ease, thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and strikes from Callum McGregor, Adam Idah, and Jota.
There were a number of impressive performers on the pitch for Brendan Rodgers in this comfortable win, including Japanese forward Maeda.
Daizen Maeda's performance against St. Johnstone
The Japan international started the game on the left flank, with Idah through the middle as the centre-forward, and extended his tally to 33 goals in all competitions this season.
St. Johnstone (SFA Cup)
2
0
Kilmarnock (Premiership)
1
0
St. Johnstone (Premiership)
0
0
Hearts (Premiership)
2
0
Rangers (Premiership)
1
0
Hibernian (SFA Cup)
1
0
St Mirren (Premiership)
1
0
Aberdeen (Premiership)
2
0
Hibernian (Premiership)
1
0
Bayern Munich (Champions League)
0
0
As you can see in the table above, Maeda has been in exceptional form, particularly recently, with 11 goals in his last ten games in all competitions.
Both of his goals in this clash with St. Johnstone came in similar circumstances. The first was a pass from McGregor that provided him with a chance to roll the ball into the bottom right corner, before he faced up a defender and rolled the ball into the same corner for his second goal, just inside the box on the left side.
Daizen Maeda
Maeda was not the only top performer at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops in this semi-final clash, though, as Reo Hatate was even better than him and proved why he is even more important than Engels.
Why Reo Hatate is more important than Arne Engels
The Japan international delivered a sensational performance in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants, particularly in the opening 45 minutes, and was even better than Maeda, as he was involved in three of the goals.
He was directly involved in the opening goal from Callum McGregor with a clever, inventive, backheel to the skipper on the edge of the box, teeing him up to find the back of the net.
Hatate, who earned a player rating of 8/10 from 67HailHail, then made a brilliant run down the left and delivered a perfect cross for Adam Idah for the third goal, putting the ball on a plate for the striker to convert.
The Japanese midfielder completed his hat-trick of assists with his play in the clip above, dribbling into the box to tee up Maeda for his second of the game. These three assists show that he was even better than his international teammate because he was at the heart of everything for the Hoops, whilst the winger provided the final action for just two of the goals and did not register any assists.
Hatate has now hit ten goals and nine assists in all competitions in the current campaign, and all of those goals came from open play. Whereas, Engels has scored two goals and provided 12 assists, excluding the eight penalties he has scored, which means that the Japan international has provided more at the top end of the pitch from open play.
Engels, who earned a player rating of 6/10 from 67HailHail against St. Johnstone, has not been as consistent as his midfield teammate as a goalscoring threat, as is to be expected of a young player in his first season in Scotland.
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In the here and now, though, Hatate is even more important than Engels on current form with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, after another stunning display on Sunday.
After defeat against Aston Villa highlighted Nottingham Forest’s lack of firepower without Chris Wood, the Champions League hopefuls have now reportedly made contact over a deal to sign an impressive Manchester United target.
Nottingham Forest's search for a striker goes on
It may come as a surprise that those at the City Ground have set their sights on an attacking reinforcement, but as good as Wood is there is no denying that he won’t be at the peak of his powers for much longer. At 33 years old, the New Zealand international has shocked the Premier League by scoring as many as 18 goals to help his side edge closer and closer to Champions League qualification.
Premier League Golden Boot race
Goals
Mohamed Salah
27
Erling Haaland
21
Alexander Isak
20
Chris Wood
18
Bryan Mbuemo
16
Without their star striker, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were always likely to struggle, but that won’t take away from the disappointment of defeat at Villa Park on Saturday evening.
Speaking about the defeat, Espirito Santo told reporters: “We didn’t start well, Aston Villa controlled our chances. The second half was different, we had the chances but we couldn’t score. The first half was not good, we were not organised.
“We tried to find solutions. The boys showed a better game. It was one of the matches that we created the most in but didn’t take anything from the game. When you lose, you don’t recover so well. The miles come to your mind. It’s always easy when you are in a good moment. Now it is not so good and it requires a bit of patience.”
Meanwhile, when asked for an update on the likes of Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi, the Forest boss said: “I don’t know [when they will be back]. It is going to be day-to-day. He [Taiwo Awoniyi] felt something in his hamstring.”
In the final stretch towards Champions League qualification, Forest will now be desperate to get over the line and turn their attention towards summer reinforcements.
Nottingham Forest make contact to sign Mateta
One striker who would instantly solve Espirito Santo’s pending striker problem is an option who has been in excellent form this season. According to Rudy Galetti for TeamTalk, Nottingham Forest have now made contact over a potential deal to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta, who Crystal Palace value at around £40m ahead of this summer.
Jean-Philippe Mateta for Crystal Palace.
The Frenchman has also attracted the interest of Manchester United and did nothing to harm his chances of earning a big move in the coming months this weekend, scoring a stunning goal against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion. Dubbed “amazing” by Oliver Glasner earlier in the campaign, Mateta looks unlikely to slow down anytime soon.
Scoring his 16th goal of the season in all competitions, Mateta has almost gone stride for stride with Wood for goals throughout the current campaign and could now emerge as an ideal candidate to replace the Forest star this summer.
Ranchi result elicits rare display of defeatism after Bazball fails its India acid test
Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Feb-20241:00
Manjrekar: India won the little battles inside the big battle
In the end, it was a bit of an anti-climax.Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel, 24 and 23, respectively, knocked about the remaining 72 runs with ease, giving us a preview of what Indian cricket might look like for the next decade. Teams come here, graft, sweat and, sometimes, get ahead. Then at the end of it all, India win.Much like the last decade, to be honest. Which is why, on the face of it, a first defeat in eight series for England under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum is not all that bad.Ahead of the tour, Stokes regarded victory in a single Test as success. England achieved that at the first attempt in Hyderabad. What followed, as India roused themselves to take the next three, vindicates the point he was making. Nevertheless, at the end of an undulating fourth Test in Ranchi, he cut a forlorn figure.Related
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“3-1 doesn’t look great,” conceded the England captain, still wearing the toil of the day’s 53 overs on his whites and face. For a good chunk of the middle of that, his side felt on the cusp of something extraordinary.”We didn’t have a chance in hell of even competing with India,” Stokes said on the overall match-up. “But even today, that wasn’t an easy win for India, and I think they would admit that.”The assessment of his team’s chances was at odds with some of the key tenets for England under Stokes. Ironclad belief, competing no matter what, focus on bringing out the best of yourselves, and not thinking about the opposition.Perhaps he was just being realistic, considering a “young, inexperienced team” was up against one unbeaten at home for the last 11 years. He spoke of the pride he had for the way the players “reacted to everything, even being on the wrong end of three results”. But it was certainly his most negative, even defeatist, soundbite since taking on the role full-time at the start of the 2022 summer.Maybe that’s because this is the first time he has had to swallow defeat of this kind. Stokes, for all his altruistic qualities as a leader, has long been the worst loser in the England dressing room. That won’t have changed as a skipper, and it probably makes the losses sting a little bit more. There had only been four in 18 matches leading into this trip. Having remained upbeat for every day of his 21 months in charge, here was an understandable first slip.Ben Stokes leads his team off after India secured victory•Getty ImagesFaith in the principles remained, and certainly, as the fourth day in Ranchi progressed, Stokes had full faith a result would come with it. He was constantly tweaking fields, managing his bowlers and applauding between deliveries, bellowing instructions and encouragement throughout. When England took 5 for 36 to leave India shaken in their pursuit of 192, he was in his element.That collapse, triggered by Joe Root, facilitated by Tom Hartley and then intensified by three wickets from Shoaib Bashir, was exactly what Stokes had promised them the night before. The players returned to the dressing room late on Sunday afternoon, gutted by how a day that began with them 134 ahead ended with India needing what can now be described as a modest 152 more for victory.But Stokes, with support from McCullum, lifted their spirits and dared them to dream. As Bashir proclaimed on Sunday evening, having just pocketed his first five-wicket haul in professional cricket, “We’ve got a chance to be heroes.”2:05
Harmison: India won it more than England lost it
Bashir’s display put him front of the queue for that mantle, now with more than half his first-class wickets coming in two tastes of Test cricket. Together with fellow rookie Hartley, India were tied down, especially when 31 overs went by without a boundary coming off the bat. The spell was broken when Jurel laced Bashir through cover, which felt like a counterpunch to the gut given how few runs there were left to play with.”They’ll be able to leave at the end of this tour with their heads held very high,” Stokes said of his two spinners.As for the rest, Dharamsala offers some scope for solace. But as they split for the upcoming break ahead of that fifth Test – a handful, including Stokes, heading to Chandigarh, while the majority of the squad and the coaching staff travel to Bengaluru for a few rounds of golf – the opportunities spurned for what would have been a spectacular decider in the foothills of the Himalayas should rankle.
“This is by no means a weak India side, but it was a newer one getting to grips with itself. England preyed on those uncertainties at various points, but only made it count once”
A result such as this, with the odds against England from the start, is no time to reassess ideologies, and they certainly won’t. But the question to be asked is if they were the best versions of themselves, for long enough. The answer is probably not. Eventually, they will have to wrestle with “why?”England did not lose this series on Monday, just as India did not make it 17 home series victories in a row simply because of the class and poise of Gill and Jurel. But like the Ashes last summer, key moments have not been seized.They had India 177 for 7 on day two here, after fighting tooth and nail for an excellent first innings of 353. They allowed India back in with a passive opening session on Sunday. Stokes opted to start with Ollie Robinson, who bowled as incisively as you would expect a man who had not played a competitive match since July, despite looking sharp in the nets.It compounded matters when Robinson dropped a catch at midwicket that allowed Jurel to turn 59 into 90. And then during England’s second innings, even in conditions Stokes said made it “nigh on impossible” for the batters to impose themselves in their usual manner, they were 110 for 3 before losing 7 for 35.Rajkot, though, was the real killer. India were 33 for 3 on the first morning of the third Test after winning the toss, but were able to emerge with 445. England, in reply, were 224 for 2 before Joe Root played shot to set off a collapse of 8 for 95, giving up a 126-run deficit. All while the hosts were a bowler down after R Ashwin was ruled out of the match with an urgent family matter. He returned on the final day to pick at the carcass of the fourth innings as England crumbled.Consider India’s absentees, too. The world-class duo of Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami have played no part, while KL Rahul has been missing from the first Test onwards. Ravindra Jadeja missed the second Test, and Jasprit Bumrah was rested for this one. This is by no means a weak India side, but it was a newer one getting to grips with itself. England preyed on those uncertainties at various points, but only made it count once.A project that has largely been successful will now faces its own mortality for the first time. And it does so as gleeful critics who predicted previous missteps that did not quite eventuate, now have a humbling defeat in India to feast on.Shoaib Bashir’s eight-wicket haul was a bright spot for England•BCCI”That is something that will be said [now] that we have lost our first series,” Stokes said of negative reactions to come.”A lot of talking points are after the fact of them happening. That is something I have come to terms with, something the team has come to terms with. But the way we play is pretty simple.”You can have it all taken away from you at the click of a finger, so why not enjoy every opportunity you have to play, and make sure you are doing it with a smile on your face regardless of what is happening? It is a very short career, so why not make it as enjoyable as you can?”Outwardly, there are no regrets, and they do have positives to nourish them. But winning, as they well know, would have made this more fun. And the common denominator between this right here and against Australia last year is a sense England simply were not ruthless enough to seize the initiative – something they talk about often – when games were in the balance. Not that Stokes agrees.”Ruthlessness? What is it? How does it show itself? Everyone goes into the game with their best intentions, when it doesn’t pay off people say we’re not ruthless but when they do, they say we are.”I don’t really understand the saying. That’s from my point of view; we try to do what we think is the best way to win the game. It can be a throwaway comment when people say we’re not ruthless enough. What does it mean?”It was a defensive answer from a leader who always covers for his players. A character trait that, all told, is why England were able to have regrets against such dominant opponents.At the same time, they now possess a glum-looking form sheet. Barring a victory over Ireland in a one-off Test at the start of last summer, England have not won their last three multi-match series, having drawn with New Zealand and Australia in 2023. They have lost five and won just four of their last 10 matches.Context is important. Australia are the reigning World Test Champions, and India, the beaten finalists, have been the standard-bearer for the format across both cycles of the competition. The two-match series with New Zealand – outside the WTC schedule – was not shown the same level of vigour.So, here we are. All done and dusted with a Test still to go. For the first time under Stokes and McCullum, the team must rouse themselves for one final push with little on it but pride in the shirt and pride in the process. The last match of the series must be the start of a new iteration of an approach that has breathed life into English Test cricket and jolted the format but needs refinement. For the time being, a group of talented cricketers will rue what might have been for the second time in nine months.The haters said Bazball could not work in India. And the haters were correct. Honestly, great call from the haters.
One of the key figures behind the scenes in WA cricket reflects on the season
Alex Malcolm13-Feb-2022Perth Scorchers became only the second club to win both the BBL and WBBL titles in the same season. The BBL team achieved it while playing just one match at home having been shut out of Western Australia due to border closures. Perth Scorchers and WA cricket general manager of high performance Kade Harvey spoke to ESPNcricinfo about how they pulled off the feat and some of the broader issues.The tournament just gone was an incredible challenge for everybody in the competition but Perth Scorchers in particular. What was the hardest moment across the four months of WBBL and BBL? I felt like the WBBL was what it normally is. We managed to dodge Covid. The schedule allowed us to play in green zones. We were able to play some really good cricket there in the normal framework of how a team might move around the country. But I suppose the challenge for most teams was that you didn’t have much downtime, especially when you made the final. At short notice, we hosted the final at Perth Stadium, which a lot of work goes into, and before we blinked, we were straight in the BBL.You probably felt that the BBL was going to be a little bit more challenging just on the back of the border changes that were happening through that period. Just rolling from one to the other, for all the support staff who work across both programs, particularly for WA cricket, that had its challenges.Every day I’d wake up to a whole heap of WhatsApp messages with PCR and RAT results, saying who was available and if we had dodged a bullet. Certainly, that first and second week in January was probably the toughest period I’ve seen in cricket, where we’re on the road and Covid was really threatening to take a hold of us. To get through that and put 17 players fully fit players on the park, maybe besides one Mitch Marsh dodgy hamstring, is a real credit to our team and the decisions that we’ve made throughout the tournament.Related
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Can you give some insights into the WBBL and BBL programs in terms of building those lists and whether there are different philosophies or the same philosophies for both? I suppose they are the same and different in the same breath. The biggest thing was who was providing leadership? Hopefully everyone sees that [CEO] Christina Matthews is a great leader of Western Australian cricket, and her impact flows through the business. I think if you get your captain and your coach right, particularly in franchise cricket, that was my number one focus. We lost Lisa Keightley [as WBBL and WCNL coach] when I first took over the job. We had a call to make on how we wanted to move going forward based on where we thought the group was at the time and it came to me pretty much straight away that we needed to split [the WBBL and WNCL coaches] and create a bit of a separate identity for the WBBL girls and that’s where my search landed Shelley Nitschke.She’s a great leader. It was her first crack at head coaching but I had great faith that she was ready for that opportunity and from the back of that you then start a recruiting drive based on what she thought and I thought and you end up with Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney and from there, you can’t really go wrong. It was about defining the leadership. Making sure we had great people running the programs and leading the programs and I suppose that’s a commonality between the two.Sophie Devine brought quality and power to Scorchers’ top order•Getty ImagesThat was part of backing Adam Voges in with a three-year deal when his first contract expired. I had great confidence that he was the right person to lead WA men’s cricket. I think what we saw in Ashton Turner this year was just the emergence of a fantastic leader who was in Mitch’s shadow there for a while and he clearly stepped out of that and provided great direction, strength and tactical awareness, and relationships with our coaches that really means that we were connected on and off the field. The things that we talked about off the field with our planning and different things we wanted to be able to see that connection on-field and we saw that in both programs across the year.You’ve had to regenerate both lists over the last few years and you’ve had to make some tough decisions. Shaun Marsh’s exit a couple of years ago was one and Fawad Ahmed more recently. Can you give some insight into some of the thinking behind some of the moves that you and the list management team have made? We struggled post-Justin Langer leaving. I think Justin as coach and Adam as captain was utopia and we struggled to recapture that leadership connection in the first couple of years. It was a big hole to fill. It took us a couple of years to work it out. That’s where Liam Livingstone and Jason Roy came in [last year]. We thought we needed to be more aggressive upfront, particularly when we played on the east coast. We made a few calls there that we needed to regenerate the playing list a little bit. But I don’t think there were major changes, they were more subtle.With the Fawad one, we just felt like with Peter Hatzoglou that we had someone that could bowl really well at Perth Stadium. We felt like he had a lot of upside and Fawad, whilst he had been brilliant for us, he probably was at the back end of his career. We could get Hatzoglou and younger guys into our group and that hopefully will pay off in years to come. It’s what we did with Turner, Richardson, Behrendorff, Agar, they all came through as younger players and are now BBL champion winning players. So that’s always been the philosophy.Peter Hatzoglou’s signing was with an eye to the future•Getty ImagesThere were some tough conversations. Particularly Shaun was a tough one. But we just felt like with Josh Inglis coming along and the way our top order was going, we needed to be a bit more aggressive upfront. But players like Colin Munro last year and bringing Laurie Evans this year, that experience on those slow wickets that those guys have played a lot on was certainly part of the thinking.How did the Tymal Mills deal come about because he played an important role in the absence of Jhye Richardson in the middle phase of the tournament?He was huge. That was sort of a fortunate one. We felt like we needed cover with a bit of ball speed and we just got lucky with Tymal being available and being keen. We knew that he was going to be leaving in mid-January. We were hopeful of getting Richo at the back end of the tournament. We kept some money aside and that third overseas option alive in the background, not really knowing when we would need it. To be honest, I thought Tymal was injured from the World Cup and we just ended up having some conversations with his agent that he was keen. He was outstanding. He’s a high-quality character. He was messaging our boys during the final. So a bit of luck as always is the case with these things and good timing more than anything else. But he certainly took on being a Perth Scorcher, which was awesome.The overseas draft is a concept that is bubbling away in the BBL. What are your broader thoughts on an draft versus an open market where teams can handpick overseas players from anywhere for their own needs? I’ve probably ebbed and flowed over the journey. With Covid, at one point you could see the merit of a draft. But I think having seen how it played out that I’d still like the [current] option for us because I still think part of the skill of a T20 tournament is how you list manage, how you put your squad together, how you have your depth, and I think teams should get rewarded for having those relationships with players. You can’t imagine Rashid Khan wants to play for anyone apart from Adelaide [Strikers]. I’d like to see that be a really strong part of what we do going forward and the ability to take a punt on a Laurie Evans or bring in Tymal, I think that was a good combo for us.Kade Harvey would like to see loyalty rewarded with overseas players•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesSo my preference going forward is for there to be an open market and you bring in the players as best you can. Personally, I think the way it’s working at the moment doesn’t need to be tinkered with especially in the women’s game. The WBBL, with the national team players and your overseas players, I’m just not sure a draft would work there given the connection to teams.Players, ultimately, I don’t think want to be moving around every different year to play like they do in the IPL. I think in the IPL they do it because they’re getting paid a lot of money. I think in tournaments like ours, we want to be able to let players play where they’ve got strong relationships and can play their best cricket. So that’ll be our strong recommendation going forward. Whether that carries any weight or not I’m not sure.Following on from that, Steve Smith’s unavailability for the finals was a problem for the competition. Where do you sit on having to hold Australia representatives on your list, paying them as part of the salary cap and hoping that they’re available for you, versus an ability to have them outside the salary cap?I don’t have the answer to that but there’s got to be one that’s better than what it is at the moment. I think we all understand that we want Steve Smith to play but it’s got to be within a framework that everyone understands before the competition starts. For mine, with the Steve Smith scenario, we were changing one rule for one player for one club. And to me, that’s not healthy in a tournament. But again, I don’t disagree that we want the best players playing but it has to be within a framework of the rules.And if that means that Australian players are signed to a team and whenever they’re available it’s part of their Australian contract or retainer I’m not sure. But that’s the sort of discussion that we need to have in the off season to make sure that if those guys are coming back, it’s not just one player, it’s actually a case that we all really understand the rules and know how those players come into the competition in a fair and equitable way. Clearly, the ACA [Australian Cricketers’ Association] needs to be part of that conversation as well. But we certainly need a fix for that so that scenario doesn’t present itself again.How do Perth Scorchers get better? How do you improve again on what you’ve achieved?Look, it’s always tough. It’s always probably tougher to back up, as the hunters become the hunted. Hopefully by winning both titles we’ve given the players and the staff a sense of what it takes to achieve and there’s also the opportunity to go and do it again. It’s probably a little bit harder because you’ve got to get back there. The girls had never won it, and the boys, we’d been out of the game for a couple of years. Hopefully, that in itself is enough motivation to keep people striving to get better.We’ll need to continue to evolve the list and develop talent to play the roles that we want them to play. I was lucky enough to be at the stadium when the girls won, it was a hugely satisfying moment. Our job is to make sure that we’re developing the talent that can come in and play those roles. Hopefully within WA cricket, the people who have experienced it want to do it again, and those that missed out maybe want to work a bit harder to be able to be there and I think that’s what we’ve done well over a period of time. I don’t think there’ll be any lack of motivation going forward to try and stay up on top.