Tag Futebol

Mining the talent pool is top of mind for both teams with an eye out for the T20 World Cup in 2026

Firdose Moonda26-Sep-2024It’s time for a fresh start in the shortest format for both Ireland and South Africa after they experienced contrasting fortunes at this year’s T20 World Cup. While Ireland (admittedly in a tough pool) lost all three matches they played – including one to Canada, South Africa went where they have never gone before and reached the final, only to fall agonisingly short of the trophy.Their snatching-victories-from-the-jaws-of-defeat run lasted eight matches and proved they can step up when the moment calls for it, but maybe not always otherwise. They were blanked 3-nil by West Indies either side of the tournament and while those defeats could be explained by South Africa not having their first-choice squads available, they also pose worrying questions about their depth.Mining the talent pool is top of mind for both teams as they look ahead to the 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup, which means there are certain boxes they’ll hope to tick in this two-match series.Related

• Balbirnie dropped for SA T20Is as Ireland seek 'new dynamic' at top of the order

• Ireland to host South Africa in Abu Dhabi

By the way, if you’re wondering why these matches are taking place in the UAE, and not in either of the two countries playing, it is because Ireland were due to host this series and had to come up with what their CEO Warren Deutrom called a “creative way to overcome infrastructure constraints,” which is another way of saying it’s more affordable to play in the UAE. If that sounds difficult to believe, consider that Ireland do not have a permanent home stadium and have to pay rent and bring in temporary facilities every time they play at home, and it’ll all add up. While Ireland are building a new stadium that will be functioning by 2028, the fact that Abu Dhabi is more economical as a venue currently tells you something.Will conditions be the great leveller?The almost-40 degree heat and slow, dry surfaces are foreign to both South Africa and Ireland, and could bring the sides closer together. As things stand, they are as far apart as two teams could on the T20I competitive scale as South Africa have won all five of the games they’ve played against each other. They also have the advantage of having been in the UAE for an extra week so the heat feels “a little bit more normal,” according to captain Aiden Markram.For their part, Ireland are not complaining about the lack of home comforts, as they see the importance of experience in conditions they will come across at the next T20 World Cup, hosted by Sri Lanka and India, in particular.”It helps for a number of reasons. We play a lot away from home now, so it’s getting used to new conditions again and we’re playing a lot on the subcontinent where huge competitions are going to happen in the future, and the next T20 World Cup is the main one,” Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain said. “It has its advantages and I think as an organisation we need to get that balance right. You want to play in front of your home supporters and your home crowd but I think it’s okay if you occasionally play the odd away game, which is your home series.”Ireland exploring top-order options – and South Africa should tooAndy Balbirnie is Ireland’s leading run-scorer in T20 cricket this year, with 298 runs from 12 matches, but has been left out of these matches as Ireland focus on “introducing a new dynamic,” according to national selector Andrew White. Balbirnie’s strike rate of 113.74 from his 12 matches in 2024 suggests Ireland want more firepower upfront. Heinrich Malan confirmed that Lorcan Tucker, with a T20I strike rate of 123.32, will open the batting for the first time with Harry Tector, Curtis Campher and Neil Rock to come in at No.3, 4 and 5.Likewise, South Africa may find themselves at a crossroads with Reeza Hendricks, who has struggled through much of this year. He has only gone past 20 five times in fifteen T20Is and faces competition from Matthew Breetzke and Ryan Rickelton. The problem is neither Breetzke nor Rickelton, who have dominated run-charts at domestic level, have made the most of his international opportunities. Breetzke has a top score of 19 from six T20Is and Rickelton a top score of 27 from six T20Is. This is the series for at least two of three to make the opening spot their own.Some relief from spin for South Africa (or maybe not) Just last week, South Africa registered their second-worst performance against spin in any bilateral series where at least 40 overs of spin were bowled at them. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Nangeyalia Kharote and Mohammad Nabi took 16 South African wickets between them in three ODIs. What was clear from the way the South African batters were dismissed was their struggles in reading the turn, especially against Ghazanfar, a mystery offspinner, who coach Rob Walter said they had not seen before.They won’t want to use the same excuse against Ireland and to a large extent, they can’t. South Africa have played against George Dockrell and Ben White and the other spinner Gareth Delaney, has not made the trip after suffering what captain Stirling called an “unfortunate accident,” in the last week. That leaves left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, who has one T20I cap, and Gavin Hoey, who has flown in for the T20Is, as an unknown. And, no disrespect to Ireland, but this quartet is not expected to pose quite the same challenge as Afghanistan, even in what could be favourable conditions. This may be South Africa’s opportunity to re-find their confidence against spin and show that things are not quite as bad as they seemed against Afghanistan.Who’s got the variations?Seamers have been seen to suffer on surfaces in the UAE unless they have an adequate number of variations, and it will be interesting to see how they approach things in this series. Lungi Ngidi set the tone in the series against Afghanistan, in Sharjah, where he delivered a selection of offcutters and proved difficult to get away. South Africa didn’t use either of Ottneil Baartman or Lizaad Williams in those matches, but both are capable of doing the same and should be given a run in these games.Ireland are without left-armer Josh Little, who is at the CPL, and will lean on Craig Young and Fionn Hand, both swing bowlers who may be able to make things happen under lights but all eyes will be on Mark Adair. He enjoys the challenge of the death overs, has a wide range of deliveries in his arsenal and is a genuine wicket-taker, who last year became the sixth-fastest to 100 in T20Is. Expect some fireworks.

With the January transfer window only a few weeks away, Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will already be thinking about the positions that he wants to strengthen in.

There are several areas of the squad that could do with improvement ahead of the second half of the season, given that the Gers are nine points adrift of first place, and attacking midfielder is one of those positions.

Thelo Aasgaard was brought in from Luton in the summer transfer window, as one of 12 arrivals, and the number ten has failed to deliver regular quality on the pitch, with as many red cards (one) as goals (one).

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 22 appearances, per Transfermarkt for Rangers, and his assist was a simple pass to Djeidi Gassama, who raced forward and scored from distance against Dundee.

Rangers told to sign Championship star in January

Now, the Light Blues have been predicted to make a move to re-sign one of their former players, who would arrive at Ibrox as an upgrade on Aasgaard.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Livingston first-team coach Marvin Bartley has tipped Rangers to bring Joe Aribo back to the club in the January transfer window.

When asked about a possible deal, Bartley said: “I think that is one that could happen.”

“When a player enjoys somewhere, and obviously he had to leave because it was a really good offer that he got down the road, and he has not played as much football as he wanted to play. He is still a really, really good footballer and did well for Rangers. I wouldn’t be massively shocked if he came back in January.”

The Scottish Sun explains that Aribo is reportedly set to leave Southampton, whom he joined from Rangers for £10m in 2022, and could be available for a fee of £1.5m, amid interest from teams in Turkey.

Why Rangers should bring Joe Aribo back to Ibrox

For a fee of £1.5m, a deal to bring the Nigeria international back to Ibrox seems like a no-brainer on paper, because he still has plenty left to give at the age of 29 and has already proven himself in a Rangers shirt.

Plenty of players, most recently Steven Davis, Leon Balogun, and Allan McGregor, have returned for second spells in Glasgow, so it is not out of the ordinary for the club to re-sign one of their former stars.

Aribo’s current availability, as he has not started a league game for Southampton this season, provides the Light Blues with the perfect chance to bring him back for a fraction of the fee they raked in for him in 2022.

The left-footed star is a proven performer in Scottish football. During his time at Ibrox, the 29-year-old midfielder scored 26 goals and provided 25 assists in 149 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the £70k-per-week ace offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Ibrox giants, whilst playing as a central midfielder, as an attacking midfielder, or on the right wing.

As you can see in the table above, Aribo was as impressive at scoring goals as he was at creating them in the Premiership during his three season stint in Glasgow, which shows that he knows how to deliver quality in the top-flight.

Aasgaard, however, has failed to show that he has what it takes to be a consistent and reliable performer for Rangers in any competition, let alone the Premiership, which is why Rohl should be looking for an upgrade on him in January.

Aribo, who Ezri Konsa said has a “languid” style, has scored nine goals in 111 matches for Southampton to date, per Transfermarkt. He has not been as prolific as he was for the Gers, but 53 of those games came in the Premier League against high-quality opposition.

However, returning to the Premiership could reignite his career because it is a level that he is comfortable at and knows how to perform in, as evidenced by his time with the Gers before he moved to England.

Rohl must replace Rangers star who's having an "amazing time" at Ibrox

Danny Rohl must replace this Glasgow Rangers star when the January transfer window opens for business.

By
Dan Emery

3 days ago

Therefore, Aribo could return to Ibrox as a big upgrade on Aasgaard in the number ten position as a player who can deliver goals and assists, to win crucial points for the team, on a regular basis, whilst the Norwegian has struggled on both fronts.

The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a dream start to their postseason run, jumping out to a 2–0 series lead over the New York Yankees to open the American League Division Series.

Starring for the Blue Jays is slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has six hits in nine at-bats so far in the series, and a home run in each game, including a grand slam that sent the Toronto crowd into absolute elation on Sunday.

The Blue Jays are no strangers to the postseason, having played playoff baseball in three of the past five seasons, but this is already their first trip past the wild-card round since 2016, and if they can make a run to the World Series, it will be their first appearance since taking back-to-back titles in 1992 and ‘93.

Guerrero, who has spent the entirety of his career in Toronto, was asked if he felt there was something different about this year’s team compared to others. Through a translator, he provided a succinct answer.

"Today was optional for everyone here,” Guerrero said. “And we're all here."

The Blue Jays will have the chance to put away the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS on Tuesday night. If Guerrero can keep up his astounding run at the plate, they should have a good shot at finishing the job.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have “spoken” to representatives of Erik ten Hag regarding their vacant managerial role and his stance on the position has now been made clear.

After 10 games in the Premier League this season, Wolves have acquired two points from an available 30. Without a win in those matches, Vitor Pereira was sacked following a 3-0 loss to Fulham, despite the Portuguese having signed a new contract just weeks earlier.

Wolves will, no doubt, hope to make a swift appointment to replace Pereira. The Old Gold have an interim manager in place for their game against Chelsea in the shape of James Collins, as they consider a wide range of options who could succeed Pereira.

Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards appears to be the top target for Wolves, even though Boro are reluctant to let Edwards, who only joined in the summer, depart for Molineux, where he has spent time as both a coach and player.

According to Football Insider, however, the club are seemingly interested in bringing one particular manager back to the Premier League.

Erik ten Hag open to Wolves role

Recent reports have indicated that not only have Wolves spoken with ten Hag’s representatives, but that the Dutchman would be “interested in speaking to Wolves about the job”.

No stranger to the Premier League, ten Hag moved from Ajax to Manchester United in 2022. Across the following two years, he won an EFL Cup and FA Cup, but struggled to enjoy much consistent success in both domestic and European football.

Sacked in 2024, ten Hag spent almost a year without a job until being hired by Bayer Leverkusen to replace Xabi Alonso in the summer of 2025. After taking charge of just three matches for the German side, however, ten Hag was sacked and remains a free agent.

Though recent seasons have not been the kindest for ten Hag, he remains a well-thought of coach. Thierry Henry, as per Manchester Evening News, has spoken positively of the Dutchman in the past.

The next Wolves manager must have a quick start at Molineux, due to the club’s current predicament in the league. As somebody who is “firmly in the running,” ten Hag would certainly be a bold appointment, given the misfortunes he suffered both at the end of his tenure at Man United and with Leverkusen.

"One of the best men" in football considered by Wolves

Sparkling innings from replacement keeper turns close game for home side

ECB Media16-Aug-2025

Trent Rockets 145 for 6 (Moores 55, Banton 49) beat Southern Brave 140 for 4 (du Plooy 55, Stoinis 2-18) by four wicketsA brilliant innings on his home county ground by Tom Moores saw Trent Rockets to a four-wicket win over Southern Brave in the Hundred men’s competition.Moores, making his first appearance in this year’s competition having only just arrived as an emergency wicketkeeper replacement, hit 55 in a partnership of 76 with Tom Banton as Rockets got home with four balls to spare.Rockets chose to bowl first on a slow surface and struck early when James Vince was bowled by one that ran across him from David Willey.Jason Roy and Leus du Plooy began to get to terms with the surface, Roy scooping Marcus Stoinis’s first ball for four. Left-hander du Plooy then slog swept Callum Parkinson for six and smashed Lockie Ferguson for a maximum over long-off.Stoinis returned to bowl Roy for 23, but du Plooy kept his own momentum going, switch-hitting Calvin Harrison into the stands and bringing up his half-century with another six off Parkinson.The game then was forced to pause for a while, the players leaving the field as Adam Hose received medical treatment after a nasty slip on the leg-side boundary. Trent Rockets later confirmed Hose had dislocated his ankle and been taken to hospital for further assessment.When play resumed, Brave looked to accelerate through Michael Bracewell and James Coles. Coles struck Ferguson for two boundaries in the final set to see the Brave reach 140 for 4, a competitive total on this Trent Bridge surface.Trent Rockets came flying out of the blocks – Banton hit the first two balls of the chase for four and then reverse-swept Coles for six from the fourth.Jordan Thompson picked up Joe Root for 6, before Jofra Archer was pulled for fours by both Banton and Rehan Ahmed as Rockets closed the powerplay on 41 for 1.Rehan then went well caught by Roy off Tymal Mills and Max Holden followed, caught by Archer off Danny Briggs. Bracewell removed Willey with his first ball but was later deposited over midwicket for the first of Moores’ five sixes, the left-hander’s arrival shifting the momentum of the match.Mills picked up his 50th wicket in the Hundred, but it came too late as Rockets reached their target.Moores, the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “It was a little bit slow at times but ultimately I felt it was a pretty good wicket. It was a nice win.”It’s great to bat with Tom [Banton], he was keeping me nice and calm and we just tried to bat together really and bounce off each other. We score in different areas so we complemented each other well.”The way I play, I’m always trying to take it to the bowler if I can. It’s always nice to do it in front of a home crowd and I thought the boys stuck at it really well after a tough thing in the field that happened to Adam [Hose] and we hope he’s all right.”

TN are facing a tough build-up to the start of the new season with their main spinners Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram injured

Deivarayan Muthu27-Aug-2025 • Updated on 30-Aug-2025Allrounder Vijay Shankar has made a last-minute decision to move out of his home state Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. Vijay, 34, has been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and *will be joining Tripura to play alongside Hanuma Vihara and his TNPL team-mate Swapnil Singh as professionals.Vijay had turned out for the TNCA President’s XI in the opening round of the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament in Chennai against Himachal Pradesh but ESPNcricinfo has learnt that he decided to switch states, after he was left out of the second round against Maharashtra, in search of more consistent opportunities across formats.In the 2024-25 domestic season, Vijay sat out Tamil Nadu’s first two Ranji Trophy matches and also spent a chunk of the 20-overs Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the bench.Related

• Hungry and on the move, C Andre Siddarth sets sights on Ranji Trophy glory

This brings the curtains down on Vijay’s 13-year stint with Tamil Nadu during which he had captained the state to the Vijay Hazare, Deodhar and Syed Mushtaq Ali titles. After making his Ranji Trophy debut in December 2012, he stepped into S Badrinath’s shoes and led Tamil Nadu’s middle order in the Ranji Trophy along with B Indrajith.Vijay leaves Tamil Nadu with 3142 runs in 81 Ranji innings at an average of 44.25, including 11 centuries and 16 fifties. He also picked up 43 Ranji wickets with his medium-fast bowling, at an average of 53.93. His breakout Ranji season came in 2014-15, when he scored 577 runs in 11 innings at an average of 57.70. He then emerged on the India A radar and made India’s 2019 ODI World Cup side as a wildcard.