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After a mixed start to life as Rangers manager this week, Danny Röhl and his team may now be going into a crucial fortnight with a sense of positivity.

Last Thursday, the Gers were demolished 3-0 by Brann in the Europa League, leaving them bottom of the gigantic league table, but then did manage to beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox on Sunday, thanks to second-half goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti.

This lifts the Light Blues up to fifth in the Premiership table, with some crucial fixtures ahead.

On Wednesday night, they’ll travel to Edinburgh to take on Hibs, before a League Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden next Sunday, followed by a visit from Roma in the Europa League four days later.

So, ahead of three massive tests, which Rangers star made themselves undroppable with their performance against Killie?

Nicolas Raskin's importance to Rangers

Russell Martin made many mistakes as Rangers manager, but his public falling out with last season’s player of the year Nicolas Raskin proved to be one of the most costly.

The Belgian was unceremoniously left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, before not being included in the matchday squad at all for home matches against Celtic and Hearts.

The latter, a miserable 2-0 defeat, was when the support really started to turn against Martin, with Darrell Currie perplexed as to why any coach would choose to leave their “best player in the stand”.

However, recognising the error of his ways, Raskin was back in the team a week later as Rangers beat Hibs 2-0 in the League Cup quarter-finals, the Belgian heading home the opening goal, albeit this did little to help Martin remain in a job.

Raskin has started both matches since Röhl’s appointment, a trend you can guarantee will continue at Easter Road on Wednesday, but who else has put themselves forward as one of the first names on the team sheet?

Rangers summer signing who starred vs Kilmarnock

Fair to say, plenty of Rangers’ 13 summer signings have not impressed so far; Joe Rothwell, Nasser Djiga, Thelo Aasgaard, Jayden Meghoma and Youssef Chermiti, to name but a few.

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However, the last of those signings, namely Derek Cornelius, who arrived on deadline day, could prove to be the best.

The 27-year-old Canadian international is something of a globetrotter, having played in Germany, Serbia, his native Canada, Greece, Sweden and France before moving to Scotland, arriving on a season-long loan from Olympique de Marseille, opening his Rangers account with this header on Sunday.

Overall, the late addition was ultra-impressive, as the numbers outline.

Cornelius’ stats vs Kilmarnock

Stats

Cornelius

Match rank

Goals

1

1st

Shots on target

2

1st

Dribble success %

100%

1st

Defensive actions

10

2nd

Clearances

9

2nd

Duels contested

15

1st

Duels won

8

1st

Accurate passes

75

2nd

Passing accuracy %

91%

5th*

Touches

107

2nd

Average rating

8.1

1st

*minimum 15 passes completed.

Stats via SofaScore

As the table documents, Cornelius was immense against Kilmarnock.

The defender had the most shots on target of any player on the pitch, while registering the most duels contested and duels won, ranked second only to centre-back partner John Souttar when it came to defensive actions, clearances, accurate passes and touches.

Upon his arrival in Govan, then-manager Martin highlighted Cornelius’ “experience”, while Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell heralded his “defensive and leadership abilities”.

Meantime, after games against the Netherlands and France, the latter a memorable goalless draw in Bordeaux​​​​​​​, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch praised his “incredibly strong performances”, adding that the defender is “smart, he understands a lot of the tactical responsibilities, and he’s played with a lot of confidence and belief in himself”.

Well, very early into his Rangers career, the centre-back is starting to show some of that potential, crucially forming an encouraging partnership alongside Souttar.

Thus, with games against Hibs, Celtic and then Roma next on the agenda, Cornelius has catapulted himself into the undroppable tier of Rangers players, alongside Raskin and Djeidi Gassama, but few others.

​​​​​​​

Related Holding back Raskin: Röhl must drop the "cooked" Rangers flop vs Kilmarnock

Following a 3-0 defeat to Brann in Danny Röhl’s first match as Rangers manager, he must move on from his flop holding back Nicolas Raskin.

Posts ByBen Gray Oct 26, 2025

India picked up only two wickets in the opening session including that of the centurion, Pope

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2025

Harry Brook celebrates his fifty•AFP/Getty Images

Harry Brook made India pay for their profligacy at Headingley, as England shaded the first session on the third day. Brook miscued an ugly pull to midwicket in the final over last night only to be reprieved when the third umpire spotted Jasprit Bumrah had overstepped, and got another life on 46 when Rishabh Pant failed to gather a chance off Ravindra Jadeja.But Brook put India under sustained pressure from the outset, cutting Prasidh Krishna for four then pulling him over midwicket for six in the first over on Sunday morning. He reached a 65-ball half-century shortly before lunch with a single to long-on, marking his second fifty in three innings at his home ground in his maiden Test against India.India’s seamers generally bowled with more control than they had on the second day, with Mohammed Siraj particularly impressive. Ollie Pope added only six runs to his unbeaten 100 before edging behind off Prasidh, and Siraj had Stokes caught behind to end a scratchy innings of 20 off 52 balls, prompting him to throw his bat in the air in frustration.Jadeja wheeled away from the Football Stand End, allowing the seamers to run down the hill, and could easily have had a wicket: Pant failed to gather when Brook feathered behind on 46, and Jamie Smith’s inside edge narrowly evaded Sai Sudharsan at forward short leg.Bumrah bowled six overs across two spells, the second after the ball had gone out of shape and was replaced, but failed to add to the three wickets he had taken on Saturday. He will have another opportunity with the second new ball this afternoon.

DC’s wristspin twins Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam struck vital blows

Shashank Kishore13-Apr-2025Tilak Varma was subbed out two games ago for being unable to force the pace. In his first outing after that, he made 56 off 29 in a tall run chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. On Sunday, he top scored with 59 off 43 to help Mumbai Indians (MI) post 205 for 5 after being put in to bat by Delhi Capitals (DC) in their first home game of IPL 2025 at Arun Jaitley Stadium.Tilak’s knock provided the base and Naman Dhir’s the finishing kick. The hard-hitting Dhir, a floater in the batting order, hit 38 off just 17; his fifth-wicket stand off 60 off 33 with Tilak helping them recover from the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya in the space of six deliveries.DC’s wristspin twins Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam struck vital blows, picking up combined figures of 4 for 64 off eight overs. Meanwhile, Axar Patel, the captain, bowled just two overs, seemingly mindful of match-ups, especially with Tilak at the crease.The evening began in sparkling fashion for MI when Rohit Sharma imperiously drove Mitchell Starc for two fours, and scooped him for six. But Rohit’s intent to keep going had him fall over trying to sweep Nigam off his lengths to be given out lbw for 18.Ryan Rickelton blazed away at the other end, as did Suryakumar, who flicked his first ball for six after being sent in at No. 3 for the first time this season. Rickelton was particularly impressive off Starc, picking him for two fours in the very first over when he overpitched trying to get late swing.Kuldeep Yadav got into the game in his very first over, the eighth of the innings, when he delivered a ripping goggly to breach Rickelton’s defence. That brought Tilak in at No. 4 and he was up and away immediately with a succession of sweep shots, including a reverse pick-up shot.Tilak was reprieved on 20 when Jake Fraser-McGurk put down at skier at long-on to deny Nigam, but DC didn’t have to wait long enough for a wicket as Kuldeep had Suryakumar mistime a lofted hit off a wrong’un to long-off.That turned out to be a double-strike when Nigam was rewarded for his persistence, as he beat Hardik in the air and had him slice a catch to long-off while attempting to clear the short straight boundary. That wicket brought Tilak and Dhir to the crease, who batted through the rest of the innings to help MI get past the 200-mark.

A significant update has now dropped regarding Sheffield United’s potential search for a new manager, with Ruben Selles feeling the heat.

Selles under huge pressure at Sheffield United

The Blades have made a disastrous start to the 2025/26 season, sitting bottom of the Championship and failing to pick up a single point in their opening four matches.

For that reason, the pressure is also mounting on manager Selles at United, following his arrival in place of Chris Wilder this summer, and pundit Jobi McAnuff has said there are “no excuses” for him not to improve moving forward.

“It’s been a mess of a summer – starting with the sacking of Chris Wilder. From what I’ve seen I’ve not been impressed with Ruben Selles in the way he’s set the team up – he’s not getting the best out of the group yet.

“He maybe wasn’t given the tools he needed to put a team together that can go and get results which gives him a little bit of an out but he should be doing better with the squad he has at his disposal.”But he certainly has no excuses with what he’s brought in now.”

Understandably, some names are already being mentioned as possible replacements for Selles, should he be relieved of his duties at Bramall Lane, and a key update has emerged regarding one rumoured target.

Danny Rohl to Sheffield United update

Writing on X on Sunday, BBC Sheffield’s Rob Staton claimed that Danny Rohl won’t be Sheffield United’s next manager, due to there being too much controversy surrounding it, given his past with rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

In truth, it is hard to see Rohl becoming Blades boss, given the reaction it would cause among Wednesday supporters, even though it is something that Blades fans would likely find amusing.

The 4-2-3-1-playing German is a highly-rated young manager – one who steered the Owls impressively away from safety in 2023/24, with Chris Waddle one of many left impressed by the job he did at Hillsborough.

Hopefully, a new manager isn’t needed at all for United, with Selles masterminding a revival after the international break, but it’s fair to say that the current feeling at the club isn’t too positive, with huge improvements needed, and fast.

They might not have looked great on Sunday, and we’re still unsure of the extent of Kai Havertz’s injury, but the Arsenal fanbase is still jubilant.

After believing the club had missed out on the incredibly talented Eberechi Eze to Tottenham Hotspur, the update that Arsenal had hijacked the deal on Wednesday has utterly transformed the mood around the club.

While it’s not 100% official just yet, the move has received the ‘here we go treatment’ and the Englishman is supposedly having his medical today.

It’s a potentially game-changing signing for the Gunners, and in even more good news, the club are now being linked with someone who could help Eze reach another level entirely at the Emirates.

Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze

Even before the Eze news broke, it would be fair to say that Arsenal were having a good window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

On top of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, who look ready to transform the starting lineup, Andrea Berta and Co have also massively improved the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad with players like Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

Yet, even with the Crystal Palace star to come, the North Londoners could be making another major signing this summer, one that could help the Englishman reach another level entirely.

At least that is according to a recent report from Graeme Bailey, who has claimed that Arsenal are still in the mix for Rodrygo.

Bailey has revealed that the Brazilian’s potential move to the Emirates this summer “still has some legs” and that should he continue not to get minutes this weekend, then his future is “really going to come into focus.”

A price is not mentioned in the report, and while some stories this summer have talked about a potential loan move, others have claimed that a fee of around £78m would be enough to tempt Real Madrid into selling.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Rodrygo would be more than worth the effort for Arsenal, especially as he could help Eze reach another level this season.

Why Rodrygo would be the perfect teammate for Eze

The first reason Rodrygo would be a dream teammate for Eze at Arsenal is down to his output.

Across the 23/24 and 24/25 campaigns, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, was able to rack up a sensational tally of 31 goals and 20 assists in just 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That means the former Santos gem was averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes in that period, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he was playing everywhere but his preferred position of left-wing.

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

So, just imagine the numbers he’d be able to put up playing there in this Arsenal team, with Bukayo Saka on the other wing, Viktor Gyokeres down the middle and Eze behind him.

The Brazilian would be a huge goal threat and, in turn, help send the former Palace star’s assist tally to the moon.

On top of simply supercharging his numbers, the often “unstoppable” game-changer, as dubbed by Madrid columnist Kiyan Sobhani, would also be a key teammate in Europe.

For example, in his 64 Champions League appearances, totalling 3883 minutes, the Osasco-born ace has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out as a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 99.56 minutes.

Moreover, eight of his goals have been game-winning strikes, and another eight have come in the knockout rounds.

In other words, the Greenwich-born maestro would be able to rely on the Los Blancos star to step up in the most intense and pressureised moments, which should help him to play at his very best and achieve his goals of European glory.

Ultimately, from outrageous numbers to how well he copes in the biggest games, it’s clear that adding Rodrygo to this team would help Arteat and Co get even more out of Eze.

Therefore, even if it costs an arm and a leg, Arsenal should do all they can to add the Brazilian to the squad before the window slams shut next month.

As much potential as Eze: Arsenal chasing late move for £35m "game-changer"

The tremendously exciting youngster could be just what Arsenal need after signing Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 22, 2025

Arsenal now “want to move very quickly” to sign a “special” Tottenham Hotspur target, and talks with his camp are currently ongoing, journalist Sebastien Vidal has revealed.

Gunners step up pursuit of new attacker after Lookman blow

Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman handed in a transfer request earlier in the window, which could’ve paved the way for a move to the Emirates Stadium, but the Gunners have recently been dealt a blow in their pursuit of the London-born forward.

Consequently, Mikel Arteta’s side will have to move on to alternative options, and they remain interested in signing Real Madrid star Rodrygo, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey revealing they are “waiting for a signal” from the Brazilian forward.

Tottenham are also in the race for the 24-year-old, with it recently being revealed that Thomas Frank has also approved a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, which could be a concern for Arsenal, who are also well-known to be interested.

In fact, the Gunners have now agreed a £55m fee with Crystal Palace, with the deal edging closer to completion, although there are still a few issues to sort out, such as the structure of the installments.

As such, the door could still be open for Spurs to make a late move, which is why Arteta’s side “want to move very quickly” to sign Eze, according to a recent update from Vidal on X.

Tottenham now discuss signing "genius" £25m attacker who's keen on PL move

Spurs have now held talks over the signing of an attacking midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 11, 2025

The journalist states that Arsenal representatives were sent to the Community Shield final against Liverpool, in order to “maintain contact” with the 27-year-old’s camp and “avoid any setbacks”.

Tottenham have also identified the Palace star as a “priority” target, but a deal may not be possible for either of the north London clubs until Crystal Palace secure a replacement.

"Special" Eze would surely favour move to Arsenal

While Spurs ultimately secured Champions League qualification via their Europa League triumph, they finished 17th in the Premier League last season, which is likely to be in the back of the attacking midfielder’s mind.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have been knocking on the door for the past three seasons, and having finally signed a top striker in the form of Viktor Gyokeres, this could be the year they end their long wait to win the Premier League title.

As such, the England international would surely favour a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, and barring any late hitches, it looks like the Gunners will get a deal done, which is exciting news, off the back of a very impressive 2024-25 campaign.

Lauded as “special” by members of the media, Eze is clearly now entering the prime of his career, and he could be a difference-maker for Arsenal in their pursuit of the Premier League title.

The draft for the tenth edition of the PSL will take place on January 11. The date for the draft is later than PSL drafts have historically taken place, though that is partially down to the window for the tournament being pushed back by a month; it will now take place in a four-week slot between early April and mid-May, with the PCB no longer viewing a clash with the IPL as a no-go area.While no further details of player availability have been announced, the draft is likely to heavily tap into players who went unsold at the IPL auction. One of the factors that influenced the PSL moving into the IPL’s slot was the greater degree of certainty that players not at the IPL would be available due to the near-complete lack of any international fixtures during that period.At the IPL this year, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Akeal Hosein, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and Keshav Maharaj were among the players that went unsold, and while many may have had international commitments during the PSL’s window in other years, that will not be the case this time around.Related

• Players threaten legal action over new ECB stance on NOCs

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• PSL set to go head-to-head with IPL in 2025

This does not guarantee that all those players will be available to the PSL. The England Cricket Board (ECB) is currently embroiled in a dispute with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) after they announced they would not issue NOCs for first-class cricketers to play any overseas league apart from the IPL that clashed with the domestic season. While the T20 Blast, which starts on May 29, will not clash with the PSL, the County Championship starts on April 4, and almost certainly will. What the terms of any resolution are is likely to have a significant impact upon the PSL, which has historically drawn overseas talent quite heavily from England.The move into the IPL window, which ESPNcricinfo first reported on in 2022, is one the PCB is looking to make permanent as it tries to move away from the increasingly cramped December-March window in which it operates currently, where it clashes not only with four other T20 leagues, but also a busy international cricket calendar. By contrast, moving to the April to May window means little to no Full Member international cricket and only the IPL, against which, officials acknowledge, it can’t compete but can try to co-exist with. And if, as expected, the PSL inducts two new teams from 2026, there remains potential to accommodate a longer season in that window.In the medium term, it will also help the PSL avoid being played almost entirely in Ramadan, as would have been the case in 2025. As part of the lunar calendar, Ramadan starts ten days earlier every year on the Gregorian calendar so it would clash with the PSL’s usual February-March window for the next few years. Ramadan not only affects timings of games and crowd turnout, it is also a big window for advertising; playing the PSL in Ramadan would impact advertising and sponsorship revenues for the league.The decision to switch windows was by no means one that met universal agreement. ESPNcricinfo understands a number of franchise owners were sceptical, if not outright opposed to the move at the time. However, the decision did not necessarily require the support of the franchises, with the PSL’s governing council possessing the authority to make a unilateral decision on the matter.

Dimitar Berbatov was a completely unique player during his time at Manchester United, with no player able to emulate such a skillset over the last few years.

He often looked completely uninterested, but would often come alive in and around the 18-yard box, as seen by his tally of 56 goals in his 149 appearances for the Red Devils.

The Bulgarian also had a sensational first touch and close control, as seen by his superb Elastico Spin against West Ham United back in October 2008.

Given the lack of goalscoring threat currently within Ruben Amorim’s side, as seen by their tally of 44 Premier League goals last season, the supporters must wish they had a player of the 44-year-old’s calibre.

However, the board are clearly trying to resolve such an issue this summer, leading to various top-level talents being linked with a move to Old Trafford ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have both already completed their big-money moves to join United, costing the hierarchy a staggering £130m to complete both deals.

The likes of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Dušan Vlahović have also been touted with moves to join Amorim’s side, but it appears they have been sounded out by the hierarchy.

However, the main player currently in their sights for the current window is Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins, that’s according to talkSPORT’s latest update.

They claim that Amorim desperately wants a move for the 29-year-old this window, making him his top target for the centre-forward position at the Theatre of Dreams.

Their article also states that Unai Emery’s side are reluctant to lose their main forward, subsequently slapping a £60m price tag to fend off any interest from the Red Devils.

Why United’s latest target would be the next Berbatov

Despite the interest in Watkins’ signature, RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has also been a player United have been making moves to sign this summer.

The Red Devils hierarchy have already held talks with the Bundesliga outfit over a potential move for the 22-year-old, with a real conflict over who the club should target between the boss and the board.

However, given his tally of 21 goals throughout 2024/25, he would cost a pretty penny, leading to his current employers demanding £78m to part ways with the Slovenian international.

Despite the move for Sesko, it’s clear Amorim prefers a move for Watkins, arguably a better choice, given the Englishman’s similarities to former fan-favourite Berbatov.

In the Premier League last season, the Villa forward produced numerous stats and moments that would see him replicate the Bulgarian if he moved to United.

Watkins, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist John Townley, registered 16 league goals last year, with his effort against Everton highlighting his poacher instinct – something which Berbatov also possessed at Old Trafford.

His comparison to the former professional is further reflected in his ability to produce beautiful touches, having the talent to lay off other teammates around him.

The 29-year-old’s underlying stats are just as impressive, registering 1.4 shots on target per 90, at an accuracy rate of 44% last season – having the ability to change the side’s fortunes in attacking areas.

Games played

38

Goals & assists

24

Goals per shot on target

0.4

Progressive passes

1.1

Pass accuracy

72%

Progressive carries

1.9

Carries into final third

1.3

Aerials won

1.9

Fouls won

1.2

He also notched 1.9 progressive carries and 1.1 progressive passes per 90, subsequently able to further showcase his similarities to previous players who have worn the red shirt.

Whilst the debate remains about which striker the club should go for, there’s no denying that Watkins would offer an immediate option in the club’s quest for glory next season.

If he can have as much success in Manchester as Berbatov did, it would be an excellent pickup and one that could finally end the side’s hunt for a new talisman.

Bad news for Onana: Man Utd make contact for "incredible" star after Sesko

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England suffer double blow with Duckett injury and Pope falling cheaply after stepping up to open

Alan Gardner08-Oct-2024Salman Agha became Pakistan’s third centurion to cement their dominant position in Multan, before a chaotic interlude in which England lost Ben Duckett to injury and their captain, Ollie Pope, for a duck left the touring side scrabbling for a foothold in the first match of the series.Duckett suffered a painful-looking blow to his left thumb taking the catch to dismiss Pakistan’s last man Abrar Ahmed – who had already been given two lives – meaning that when England began their innings midway through the evening session, it was with Pope walking out alongside Zak Crawley. Pope only lasted two balls, Aamer Jamal plucking a one-handed screamer at midwicket to further galvanise Pakistan and bring Joe Root, England’s designated No. 4, to the middle in the second over.The riposte, as it often does, came from Crawley, back in the side after missing the Sri Lanka series with a broken finger. He slashed his sixth ball, from Shaheen Afridi, to the boundary and did the same to Naseem in the following over, before taking Afridi for a brace of fours to end the seamer’s opening spell. That led to the early introduction of spin – and another statement of intent from Crawley, as Abrar’s first over went for 11.Crawley brought up England’s 50 in the 11th, hauling Abrar through the leg side, and he continued to go after Pakistan’s legspinner, who claimed 11 wickets as a debutant on the same ground against England two years ago. Two more fours down the ground left Abrar with opening figures of 4-0-31-0, before a ninth boundary, clipped through midwicket off Naseem, took Crawley to a 55-ball half-century.Beyond a trio of speculative lbw appeals, there was little to encourage Pakistan’s attack – as had been the case for England during 149 overs in the field – with Root slipstreaming Crawley to the close in an unbroken partnership worth 92. Although Duckett’s availability to bat later in the innings remained unclear, their position looked a little more secure.It was, nevertheless, a day in which Pakistan put a commanding stamp on proceedings. Saud Shakeel steered the innings during the first forays, quelling England’s mini-fightback from the first evening – with a little help from Naseem’s cameo at nightwatcher. Salman then set about driving home the advantage on the way to a 108-ball hundred, his third in Tests, as Pakistan reached a position from which they could hope to dictate the course of the match, even against Brendon McCullum’s Bazballers.England’s six bowlers all had something to show for their efforts, with Brydon Carse taking his first Test wickets and Jack Leach finishing with 3 for 160. They generally kept at it in the field, although there were signs that five-and-a-half sessions in the baking heat of Multan would take a toll, Jamie Smith missing a simple chance to stump Abrar and Gus Atkinson then dropping the No. 11 after he had skied a chance to midwicket.England chipped away with two wickets in each session, but Shakeel and Salman ensured Pakistan did not squander the firm foundation provided by centuries from Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique on day one. The innings progressed in fits and starts but Salman’s judicious assault on England’s spinners, in particular, helped maintain the hosts’ momentum.Salman was scoreless at lunch, but stroked the first ball after the break through the covers for four – bringing up the Pakistan 400 and signalling his own intentions. He came down the track in the same over to hit Leach through long-off, and was clearly in the mood to get the scoreboard clicking after Pakistan had added only 69 runs during the morning.His battle with Leach provided a compelling spectacle, as England’s most-experienced spinner was taken for four fours and two sixes in a four-over spell. But it almost went awry for Salman, with the first of his sixes coming perilously close to causing his dismissal: Chris Woakes thought he had done a good job as he backpedalled towards long-off, tossing the ball up as he went out of bounds to then return and complete the catch. But after lengthy deliberation and various replay angles, the third umpire, Chris Gaffaney, ruled that Woakes’ foot was in contact with the ground outside the rope as he claimed the ball a second time.Shakeel had been content to play second fiddle, even during his initial partnership with Naseem. He combined with Salman for another fifty stand but was undone by some sharp turn from Shoaib Bashir – a rare unplayable ball during a tough outing so far for the 20-year-old. Drifting into leg stump from round the wicket, Bashir found grip and then the outside edge, the ball deflecting off Shakeel’s back leg to Root at slip.Jamal fell cheaply to Carse but, with Afridi for company, that was the cue for Salman to emerge on another counter. Having moved to his fifty from 71 balls, he reverse-swept Bashir and then took him down the ground, before adding another brace of fours off Leach, followed by a single to bring up 500. In between, Pope added another burned review to the pile with an lbw appeal that was shown to have pitched outside leg.Pakistan were 515 for 8 at tea, with Salman resuming watchfully before hitting Leach over long-on to move into the 90s. He reached his hundred with a swept single, having scored 59 out of a ninth-wicket stand worth 85, at which point Afridi missed a slog at Leach to be bowled.England were beginning to look a little frazzled, and their problems had begun in the morning against the unlikely batting force of Naseem, who made his highest score in any format of the game – 33 from 81 balls – and held up a persevering attack for more than 90 minutes. His efforts, which included hitting three sixes during a stand of 64 alongside Shakeel, ensured that there would be no quick route back into the game for the tourists.With a ball only five overs old, England were hoping to get into the lower middle-order but found Naseem in resourceful – and impish – mood. He was not cowed after being hit on the helmet by Atkinson and went after Bashir and then Leach, the third of his sixes an audacious inside-to-out hit over extra cover. The stand passed 50 and Naseem was outscoring his senior partner by the time he finally became Carse’s maiden Test wicket, succumbing to a round-the-wicket barrage via an edge to leg slip.

Fast bowler marks return from injury in style to set up four-wicket win

ECB Reporters Network10-Jul-2024

Beth Langston produced a stunning display to uproot Sunrisers•Getty Images

Northern Diamonds 111 for 6 (Burns 35*, Coppack 3-35) beat Sunrisers 109 (Langston 6-24) by four wicketsSix-time England fast bowler Beth Langston made a dream return from her injury nightmare with a stunning six for 24 as Northern Diamonds continued their march towards the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy semi-finals with an enthralling four-wicket win over Sunrisers at York.Langston had – prior to this fixture – only played once for the Diamonds since the end of July 2022 and hadn’t take a 50-over wicket since the previous September following a ruptured ACL (knee) and resulting complications.However, she returned at Clifton Park to put the skids under the Sunrisers, who were bowled out for 109 inside 31 overs to pave the way for a home victory which saw Diamonds slip to 32 for four chasing. Australian overseas Erin Burns sealed the win with an unbeaten 35.Diamonds leap-frogged their fellow contenders into second place in the table with a seventh win in nine to all but seal a semi-final place with five games still to play.Sunrisers lost their third game in nine but remain handily placed inside the top four.Langston, 31, was part of England’s triumphant World Cup-winning squad on home soil in 2017 without actually playing in that campaign.She ruptured her right ACL during the 2022 Hundred (Northern Superchargers) and has struggled for fitness since.She played only one T20 match last season. But this was a seamless return, with her wickets spread across spells of six overs and four overs from the Pavilion End.After Hollie Armitage elected to bowl on a muggy, wicket-ladened Minster City day, Langston made the most of helpful conditions – sideways movement was obvious – to set her team up for their fifth straight 50-over win.After fellow pacer Lizzie Scott bowled visiting captain Grace Scrivens in the second over, Langston came into the attack to bowl the fifth.She was quickly into her stride and had opener Jo Gardner caught behind in the ninth for 21 and Jodi Grewcock lbw in the 11th, leaving Sunrisers at 43 for three.Mady Villiers was run out following a mix-up with Lissy MacLeod as they thought about three out to deep cover before MacLeod was caught behind off Phoebe Turner’s seam.And then Langston really turned the screw en-route to the best figures by any bowler in regional cricket this summer.Late away swing did for Flo Miller caught behind before Amara Carr was bowled next ball offering no shot – 54 for seven in the 15th over, the last of Langston’s first six-over spell, which yielded four for nine.But she wasn’t out of the attack – or the wickets – for long.Armitage brought her back to bowl the 23rd, by which time Sunrisers were 85 for seven.She bowled Eva Gray, offering no stroke, and then Amu Surenkumar, leaving the Sunrisers at 90 for nine in the 25th.Sunrisers limped beyond 100, with only opener Gardner passing 20. Along with seamers Scott and Turner, off-spinning all-rounder Burns also struck once as the Diamonds sparkled.But spirited Sunrisers weren’t done. Like Langston, their seamer Kate Coppack impressed.She claimed three of four wickets as Diamonds fell to 32 for four inside nine overs of their chase, removing openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Emma Marlow, added to Rebecca Duckworth’s scalp.Armitage and Burns settled the ship by sharing 43, the former making 33 before clubbing Sophie Munro’s seam to mid-on – 75 for five.Langston also fell for eight, but the presence of experienced Burns was telling. She completed victory with 25.2 overs remaining.