All posts by n8rngtd.top

Former England rugby star Joe Marler has impressed Celebrity Traitors viewers with his detective skills in the popular reality TV show, but one discovery the 35 year-old was not ready for was how much professional footballers earn.

Marler is far from the wealthiest figure on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors, with the likes of Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry, Mark Bonnar and Alan Carr all believed to hold net worths in excess of £10m.

The former England and Harlequins star retired from rugby last year, but despite spending more than a decade at the peak of his profession, was left gobsmacked when he found out how much the average footballer makes.

Speaking on Marler’s Things People Do podcast last year, journeyman footballer Jimmy Bullard revealed: “My biggest contract was £50k-a-week.”

Bullard, who never won a major professional trophy or earned an England cap and retired in 2012, refused to admit which club had paid him that figure, which totals around £2.6m annually, leaving Marler in shock.

The Traitors star and his co-host then asked for an estimate on what kind of money a “top Premier League footballer” earns today, to which Bullard responded: “I’d have to say a few of the Man City boys must be on £350k-a-week.”

In fact, Man City’s highest earner is Erling Haaland on a whopping £525k-a-week, which is over £27 million in annual salary.

For context, Antoine Dupont was recently made the highest-paid rugby player in the world, penning a £1.2 million per season deal with Toulouse, while Marler earned an estimated £300k-a-year during his last contract with Harlequins.

That means Haaland takes home Dupont’s yearly pay roughly twice a month and matches Marler’s salary in a matter of days.

Marler’s performance on the hit BBC show has seen him touted for future roles in television, with a source telling MailOnline: “The BBC is constantly looking for new talent and the second he stopped playing rugby, there were eyes on him.

“Bosses knew that getting him on Traitors would be a very good shop window for him and they could test whether or not the viewers would like him. As soon as they saw it, they knew he would be someone the British public would adore and they seem to be right.

“At the same time, he himself is ready for a new career after retiring from rugby. He has long wanted to present from a BBC sofa and The One Show is one of his favourite programmes. To anchor that would be his dream.”

Pink-ball cricket at Adelaide Oval must be the stuff of Starc’s dreams, and today they added up to career-best figures against an opponent that has traditionally had the better of him

Andrew McGlashan06-Dec-2024It was the roar. Mitchell Starc has celebrated plenty of wickets across his decorated career, but it felt as though this one had a bit more meaning than many. The first delivery thudded into Yashasvi Jaiswal’s pad as the left hander played across it and, for the third time in his career, Starc had a wicket with the first ball of a Test match.The last time a wicket fell to the opening delivery of a men’s Test was when Starc extracted Rory Burns’ leg stump with the opening ball of 2021-22 Ashes at the Gabba. That brought a wild celebration, too, but with the context of this match Jaiswal’s wicket was quite the moment. The noise from a yet-to-be-full Adelaide Oval as he departed was something to behold.There has been a lot said and written both during and after the first Test about Australia’s performance; plenty of it has been fair and balanced – it was a defeat of rare proportions on home soil – but there were extreme views and the usual collection of hot takes among it. Alex Carey talked of some surprise at the reaction, Nathan Lyon said he found parts of it humorous. But the bottom line was, Australia needed a quick response.Related

• Stats – Starc gets to Adelaide fifty, Bumrah to 2024 fifty

They could not, therefore, have asked for a better start than removing the batter who had made 161 in the second innings in Perth. Jaiswal had shown his willingness to get into a duel by suggesting to Starc that he wasn’t bowling fast enough, although in the subsequent press conference spoke of his respect for Starc and thrill of facing him. He had, however, begun Perth with a duck courtesy Starc before making his presence felt. It is shaping as one of the battles of the series.For a little while after the early breakthrough, it appeared as though Australia were losing their way. Scott Boland denied himself a first-ball wicket in his first home Tests for two years when he overstepped having removed KL Rahul – in a bizarre twist Snicko suggested there was no nick despite the batter beginning to walk before the no-ball call. Later in the same over, Usman Khawaja spilled a catch at first slip to give Rahul a second life.Mitchell Starc is a pleased bowler, walking off with a career-best 6 for 48•Associated PressIndia reached 69 for 1 by the final half an hour of the session when Starc returned, having Rahul fending into the gully and then drawing Virat Kohli into edging a rising delivery to second slip in a similar manner to his dismissal in the first innings in Perth. Both Kohli and Starc love Adelaide Oval, but it was the latter who took the honours this time. When Boland trapped Shubman Gill lbw with a full delivery, India were 81 for 4 at the dinner break.On the one hand it was no surprise that Starc was Australia’s main man, but on another it went against the grain. He has a phenomenal record in pink-ball Tests – by the end of innings it read 72 wickets at 17.81, including 4 for 53 in the corresponding Test in 2020-21 – but overall against India in Tests it’s been more of a struggle: before today he had 51 wickets at 38.72 and never more than five in a game. They are comfortably the opponents he’s been least productive against.So, in a sense, it was using one of his favourite combinations – Adelaide and the pink ball – to overcome a more stubborn obstacle. He has been in excellent rhythm this season even if he took some punishment during India’s big second innings in the first Test. “I said last week in Perth, I thought he looked as good as he’s looked in a long time,” Ricky Ponting said on .Midway through the second session Starc returned and for the third time in the day and struck in his opening over in a spell when he trapped R Ashwin lbw with a full delivery which swung back (and also caused some damage to Ashwin’s foot). The movement was again on show when he ripped one through Harshit Rana as he continued producing significant shape with a ball 39 overs old.”Ash’s dismissal was a very good example of why he is so effective with the pink ball,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said. “He’s someone who presents the seam nicely. He obviously uses that other ball very well in setting up batters. When the ball swings back to a certain degree – a lesser degree – the batters can generally figure it out. But when you’re guessing on both sides, it makes him far more effective.”When Starc closed India’s innings by ending Nitesh Kumar Reddy’s boisterous counterattack it gave him new career-best figures of 6 for 48. It bettered the 6 for 50 he took against Sri Lanka, in Galle, in 2016, which in a neat twist was the first occasion he had taken a wicket with the first ball of a Test. With his Jaiswal wicket, Starc became the second bowler to achieve the feat three times after Pedro Collins, who has the wonderfully quirky distinction of removing the same batter – Bangladesh’s Hannan Sarkar – on each occasion.Scott Boland got among the wickets after Mitchell Starc started the collapse•Getty ImagesIt was also notable that Starc’s best analysis came in his 91st Test. Only two frontline bowlers have achieved a new high watermark later in their careers in terms of matches played: James Anderson in his 128th outing and Glenn McGrath in his 103rd.But while 180 all out looked like a job well done, we’d been here a couple of weeks ago in Perth when India were bowled out for 150 leaving Australia with the final session to bat. That did not go well for the hosts and here they not only had to contend with Jasprit Bumrah, but also the night-time session.The outcome was as good as could have been hoped for. Usman Khawaja edged Bumrah to slip – meaning his form remains a watching brief – but the inexperienced Nathan McSweeney, on his adopted home ground, and the under-pressure Marnus Labuschagne made it through to the stumps.McSweeney, who was dropped on 3 by Rishabh Pant, had been goaded by Rana during the early stages of his innings, which appeared to lure him into a pull that wasn’t far from being dragged on, but he retained his composure impressively beyond that, even when the floodlights twice when out in quick succession. As the final half hour approached, McSweeney slotted away consecutive boundaries against Reddy, and in the closing moments pulled the chirpy Rana for another.A day that started with a roar for Starc, ended with cheers for a local star doing the hard yards to make sure Starc’s work didn’t go to waste. Australia needed a good day; they had an excellent one.

Cameron Green says he could play Shield cricket instead of ODIs and T20Is in the lead-up to the Ashes to build his bowling loads on return from his back injury

Alex Malcolm21-Aug-2025Australia allrounder Cameron Green is unsure if he will bat at No. 3 in the upcoming Ashes series, but confirmed his return to bowling is likely to come in Sheffield Shield cricket in the lead-in rather than at the ODI or T20I series against India that comes before into the Test summer.Green, 26, has been Australia’s No. 3 in each of their last four Test matches across the World Test Championship final and the three-Test tour of the Caribbean, which he played as a batter-only as he continues his rehabilitation from back surgery in October last year.He looked increasingly assured in the No. 3 role after a very difficult start, making scores of 4, 0, 3, 15, 26, 52, 46 and 42. While the overall returns appear lean, the last four innings were highly valued within the Australia camp, especially the 46 and 42 in Kingston, which were the second- and third-highest scores in a game where there were only four individual scores higher than 24.Related

• Webster happy to scrap for Ashes spot

• Konstas trusting advice of his 'inner circle' ahead of Ashes push

• Bailey declares Weatherald 'in the mix' for Ashes

But speaking in Mackay on Thursday ahead of the second ODI against South Africa, Green said he was unsure if he would continue at No. 3 for the first Ashes Test in Perth in November as the make-up of Australia’s top three remained uncertain.”You never know,” Green said. “I think there’s certainly a lot of guys that can fill that role. I’m really proud that I was able to do a role up there. But, yeah, wait and see.”If he does not bat No. 3 in the Ashes, it would completely change the dynamic of Australia’s top six.With Steven Smith and Travis Head locked in at four and five, allrounder Beau Webster has noted that his spot at No. 6 would come under pressure when Green’s is back to bowling. Usman Khawaja appears certain to open in the Ashes but Sam Konstas knows his place is far from guaranteed with Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald “in the mix” according to chairman of selectors George Bailey, while all eyes are on Marnus Labuschagne to see if he can regain to some form ahead of the Ashes.The scrutiny on Konstas has come following a torrid tour of the Caribbean, but Green said there wasn’t a lot to glean from the West Indies series given the nature of the pitches.”It was such tough wickets, especially for the batters, so to try and get out the series unscathed I think was a good effort,” Green said. “There wasn’t much to take away from that. I think it was just trying to survive, really, and find a way to score some runs. Yeah, I don’t think we’ll be playing on many wickets quite like that.”Green is set to be available to bowl in the Ashes. He has slowly been building his bowling loads back up at training since June after having not been allowed to bowl following his back surgery.He has not been available to bowl in either of the T20I series against West Indies or South Africa, and is also playing as a batter-only in the current three-match ODI series.Australia’s next international assignment after the third ODI on Sunday is not until October 1 when they will play a three-match T20I series in four days in New Zealand. Thereafter, Australia play three ODIs against India at home from October 19 to 25 before starting a five-match T20I series against India that runs from October 29 to November 8 with the Ashes starts on November 21.Green said it was more likely that he would focus on red-ball cricket in the lead-up to the Ashes series with Western Australia set to play three Sheffield Shield matches starting on October 4 against New South Wales at the WACA Ground, October 15 against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval, and October 28 against South Australia.Cameron Green has not bowled since injuring his back on the ODI tour of England in 2024•Getty Images

“In the past, it’s worked really well when I focused on Shield cricket,” Green said. “So I think that potentially might be the way to go down, especially with working my way back with bowling. Potentially get a few more overs over a few more days might be the best way to go about it.”I’m not quite certain on what match [I’ll return to bowling], but I’m feeling really good, in a really good spot. It’s exciting being back bowling at a reasonable intensity.”It’s been a long road back.”WA host Queensland in a fourth Shield game on November 11 but it is unlikely Green would play that close to the start of the Ashes. Green had success in 2024 when he was held out of a T20I series in New Zealand ahead of the Test series in order to remain in Australia to play Shield cricket. He scored a century for WA against Tasmania in a game that coincided with Australia’s three T20Is in New Zealand before making his highest Test score of 174 not out in the first Test in Wellington.Meantime, Green and Australia’s batting are searching for some runs ahead of the second ODI in Mackay on Friday. Green was one of five Australia batters spun out by Keshav Maharaj in game one in Cairns. But Green said the team had not dwelt on the dismal batting display.”Obviously Maharaj bowled beautifully, a couple of their batters batted really well,” Green said. “We didn’t want to debrief it too much. I think we know we’re a good team. We’ve had a lot of success the last few months. So to deep dive into it is probably not the right way to go about it. There’s certainly things we need to improve on. I think we just had a reasonable off day, but there’s plenty of one-day cricket coming up, so hopefully we can turn that around.”

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente revealed that Lamine Yamal was "very sad" to withdraw from the Spanish national team after an invasive radiofrequency therapy this week ruled him out for over a week. The Barcelona youngster has been diagnosed with pubalgia and has struggled with fitness recently, while De la Fuente's latest words add another chapter to the feud between the Catalans and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

• Yamal undergoes therapy, sidelined from Spain squad

  The Spanish national team suffered a major setback on Tuesday morning after Yamal was released from the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey on November 15 and 18. The Barcelona winger recently underwent invasive radiofrequency therapy to address his ongoing pubalgia issues and is expected to be sidelined for seven to 10 days.

  According to an official statement from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), the medical procedure came as a “surprise,” as it was “carried out without prior notification to the national team’s medical staff,” who only learned of the details upon receiving a report at 10:40 p.m. the previous night.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty images
  

  Yamal sad after withdrawing from Spain squad

  De la Fuente, speaking on , confessed that Yamal was extremely sad over his release from the national camp. “Lamine is sad. He’s a player deeply committed to the national team and very well-liked," he said. "He left very sad; he was looking forward to playing these matches. He wants to have a great season with his club, and he also has the Finalissima and the World Cup etched in his memory. He’s the one who suffers the most. He always wants to come. He left sad and hurt. Anyone who says otherwise is lying or has bad intentions.

  “I spoke with him. When we received the report last night, we let him rest. We went to his room and I spoke with him. I told him it was the first news he'd heard from the national team; I don't know if he had any information about Barcelona. He was incredibly sad and hurt. He was fine when he arrived. We didn't know anything until last night.”

• Relationship between Barca and RFEF can be improved

  During the September international break, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick sparked tensions between the club and the Spanish national team – including De la Fuente – by accusing them of "failing to take care" of Yamal as he suffered a knock on international duty. Flick's words triggered a war of words between the involved parties, with Barca and the RFEF engaging in a tense back and forth. Even De la Fuente claimed that he wasn't "interested" in what the German boss had to say.

  However, on Tuesday, he reflected on the matter. He started by revealing that Barca had not given prior notice regarding the medical procedure Yamal underwent. “Nothing more has happened than what was stated in the RFEF press release," he said. "Relations are good. I have a very good relationship with Barcelona, its president, and the board of directors. What was stated in the press release is what happened.

  "At least they should have communicated what they planned to do to him. After that, they're free to do whatever they think is appropriate for their player. Ask them (on why Barca aren't communicating). It's something that is, to say the least, surprising."

  He addressed the criticism faced by the RFEF and said that he "missed Flick's empathy." “Nothing could be further from the truth. The priority here is the person, the footballer. When that's mentioned, I'm surprised, shocked," he conceded. "There are cases of players who have been here and then had to go home. We don't take that risk with any of them, because we prioritize the footballer and we also work with a great youth academy.

  "I would do the same with Lamine; he was fit to play those matches. What we do is assess his condition, the communication he gives us… and we make the decisions.

  “Those of us who have been footballers know that taking Voltaren or a painkiller is normal. There is nothing worse than ignorance and lack of knowledge. Bad faith, too. Barca wants to defend its player, and so do we.

  “If I had something to say to a colleague, I would do it privately. I don't do it publicly because I might be wrong. I've missed Flick's empathy, because he was a national team coach. Otherwise, I have no problem with him.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  De la Fuente determined to be cautious with Yamal

  Yamal’s diagnosis with pubalgia presents a significant challenge, given that the chronic groin condition is resistant to quick recovery and can persist for extended periods. 

  "They hadn't told us anything. The footballer didn't mention any pubalgia discomfort either, only lower back pain," said De la Fuente when asked when he found out about the injury. 

  “Unfortunately, there will be other injuries. That's football. Football is high-risk and you can get injured. We're seeing injuries in all kinds of situations. That's what worries me. 

  “You can have a plan to rotate players, give them rest and opportunities, but football takes you in other directions. In theory, we try to manage their minutes carefully, keeping in mind that we have two matches where everything is at stake. But not just today, always.”

India go into the next T20I World Cup as strong favourites, but their captain isn’t fully buying into that talk

Sidharth Monga08-Nov-20254:36

It was fire and fire today: Abhishek on his stand with Gill

India have now won each of the seven T20I series they have been part of since winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. They hold a 26-4 win-loss record over this period. They still have two bilateral series at home, where they will defend their crown in about three months. Surely they are favourites given their strengths, experience and current record, but their captain Suryakumar Yadav is aware you can never say all the bases are covered.”I’m very lucky to have all these boys with different-different skills,” he said after the Brisbane washout when asked if India had all bases covered. “They bring very different-different things to the table. When we chat around about the bowling, batting, and fielding… You must have seen a lot of energy on the ground. People enjoy when they go together on the ground.”But yeah, from a batting point of view, definitely what we’ve been doing in the last six to eight months, I think we’re sticking to that, not changing anything. These guys are doing it really well. The way they bat at the top of the order, it puts a smile on everyone’s face when they’re batting together.Related

• India seal T20I series 2-1 after Brisbane washout

“And also from a bowling point of view as well, people are taking responsibility. Having an experienced bowler like [Jasprit] Bumrah around in the team and everyone chatting with him, learning a lot of skills, tricks and trade of the game, I think that’s a good thing. So there’s good friendship building up in that as well.”So we are trying to get there. There’s never anything like all bases covered. We always learn from this game, every game we play. Yeah, till now things look good, touch wood, let’s continue that.”Abhishek Sharma became the fastest batter to 1000 T20I runs by balls faced•AFP/Getty Images

One of the top-order batters responsible for putting said smiles on faces sat next to Suryakumar as the Player of the Series. During the course of this Australia tour, Abhishek Sharma became the quickest to 1000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced. He also played a more sedate innings when he judged the pitch to be a tricky one. India defended 167 successfully in that match.Suryakumar was impressed with that aspect of Abhishek’s game, joking that sometimes even a tiger has to turn herbivorous. “If the wicket is difficult, the quicker you adapt the better it is,” Suryakumar said. “The wicket was good today so they went back to normal, scoring 50-plus in four-and-a-half overs. But it was important in the last game to read the wicket well. These two [Abhishek and opening partner Shubman Gill] did that well. At this level, you only learn from experience. The way he adapted so quickly, if in the future also if we get such a wicket in the subcontinent, it won’t be something new for him.”They communicate well. They run well. They are learning quickly. Yes, there are just 120 balls, but often you have more time than you think. Sometimes if they take four-five balls extra to figure out the conditions, they are so skilled they can cover up easily.”Abhishek credited all his success to the absolute freedom given to him by the team management, who, he said, told him he will still be in the side if he scores 15 consecutive ducks. “I knew there’s gonna be extra bounce and pace, but, from a team point of view, I had a plan that I have to play the same way I’ve been playing. Because as an opening batter, it’s very easy for you to understand your role.”But I feel when you’re playing like this, when you want to dominate the opposition, you have to have that confidence and that ability. I think the captain and coach always backed me in that. I practised really hard on this because it’s not easy to come to Australia and beat them in white-ball cricket as well. So I wanted to play the same brand of cricket because we have been following that since before the Asia Cup.”

Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he plans to phone 60 unselected England players as the Three Lions boss has a blueprint set for the 2026 World Cup squad. Fresh from completing a flawless Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, with eight wins and no goals conceded, the German coach has revealed his next task is not tactical, but conversational. Tuchel is known for his meticulous planning and almost forensic attention to detail, and now he will personally contact over 50 England players in the coming months to explain their status and outline what they must do to force their way into contention.

• Tuchel opens communication drive

  Tuchel’s openness has given hope to a significant group of players who find themselves hovering on the fringes. Luke Shaw, Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker, and Alexander-Arnold, all seasoned tournament figures, are among those expecting a call. Even Danny Welbeck, whose last England appearance came in 2018, is making a fresh push to return, helped by a campaign of revived domestic form. 

  "First of all, it's my job now to make contact with everyone, players like Trent," Tuchel said when asked about Alexander-Arnold. 

  The reference to Alexander-Arnold was no accident. The Real Madrid defender did not feature in Albania, with former Liverpool teammate Jarell Quansah handed a full debut at right-back. It was a decision Tuchel justified by praising the youngster’s athleticism, build-up quality and consistency since the Under-21 Euros.  

  "Of course I have a lot of trust in Jarell," he said. "I see his talent, but I see the package. He is tall, he is fast, he is strong in build-up. He is strong in the air. I saw him playing very strong for Liverpool in this position [right-back], so I always wanted to try. And he plays every minute for Leverkusen since the Under-21 Euros, so he is at the moment a tiny bit ahead."

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Veterans waiting by the phone

  Tuchel laughs at the length of his "to-call" list, but insists it is necessary. 

  "Players that are on our long list, 55, 60 players, to reach out to them, be in touch with them, explain to them why they were not here," he said. "Explain to them what they have to do, where they can improve. Can they even do something or is it just a choice, so this is my job in the next weeks and months."

  However, the manager is not a fan of making calls and added: "Yeah, and I hate phone calls. Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. Or I need to visit them, visit training, training grounds. We can do group visits. We can do Jude [Bellingham] and Trent. And visit the clubs. And some of them we will call. Let's see. Listen, we've just finished this camp and I think it's important that I reach out to everyone, even to the guys we didn't pick so regularly to tell them where they are and give them honest feedback."

• England’s camp leaves Tuchel emotional

  The England manager appeared almost wistful as he reflected on the end of their final camp of the year, describing how deeply he has connected with the squad.

  "It hurts me honestly," he said after sending the squad off on Sunday. "I told the players, 'I have to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year now, I cannot believe it and in my heart, everything in me wants to be with you guys in Wednesday again on the sidelines and fight on Saturday again' and they sucked me into all of this. This is just amazing. It will be very, very tough for me to not have a match until March."   

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Bellingham’s world cup role still taking shape

  Bellingham’s place in Tuchel’s long-term plans is not in question. The issue is not inclusion, but impact. The Real Madrid playmaker, making his first England start since rejoining the squad under Tuchel, was seen waving his arms in frustration after being substituted for Morgan Rogers against Albania. Tuchel has an abundance of creators, from Phil Foden to Cole Palmer to Bukayo Saka, and determining who starts in a major tournament knockout match is a decision he is happy to delay. The next four months and the next England camp will help clarify that picture. For now, Tuchel is focused on communication and accountability. 

She has changed her game, and the five-match T20I series in England could be Shafali’s way back into the ODI side in a World Cup year

S Sudarshanan27-Jun-2025This will be Shafali Verma’s third tour of England, but a lot has changed since the previous ones. For starters, she is not a teenager anymore.When Shafali first toured England for the multi-format series in 2021, she was only a T20I cricketer. She made her debut in ODIs and Test cricket on that tour. Around the time of the England tour – for the Commonwealth Games followed by the bilateral series – in 2022, India were happy with the high-impact knocks she produced despite her inconsistency. It was a risk-versus-reward trade-off that worked for both India and Shafali.Cut to mid-2025, and Shafali has just earned a recall to the T20I side and is still out of favour in ODIs in a home World Cup year. After India crashed out in the league stage of the T20 World Cup 2024, Shafali’s place in the team seemed untenable. Not that India found other batters who could attack from get-go like she could – there aren’t many who can do it anywhere in the world, let alone in India. She was dropped anyway.Related

• Harmanpreet embraces 'happy headache' with India's depth on the rise

• Mandhana: 'Shafali deserves this comeback and I'm really excited to open with her again'

• Home World Cup in Beaumont's radar after three-year absence from England T20I side

• India's road to T20 World Cup 2026: what's right and what's not

• She gets knocked down but she gets up again – Sneh Rana

In hindsight, the timing of her exclusion perhaps worked well for Shafali, in that she was able to play the whole of the 50-over domestic competitions. She captained Haryana to a quarter-final finish in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy and topped the run-scoring charts – 527 runs at an average above 75 and a strike rate of 152.31. Only one other batter (Kiran Navgire) batted at a higher strike rate in the entire competition, but she scored only 116.Shafali then played the Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy, a competition in which best performers in the one-dayers are picked by the national selectors. She topped the charts there, too, as captain of Team A – 414 runs at an average of 82.80 and a strike rate of 145.26. She had scored close to 200 runs more than the next best, and no one else scored at a higher pace in the competition.In WPL 2025, Shafali was the leading run-scorer for runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) – and fourth-best overall – and she could no longer be left out of India’s T20I side. That India played only one T20I series since her axing did not matter, they have their premier opener back as the road to the 2026 T20 World Cup starts.But what has changed in Shafali’s game in the intervening period? How is she scoring with such regularity, which she couldn’t earlier?

“Her power game is natural, no one hits sixes at will like her in the women’s game. I told her to not leave behind the qualities that have brought her here. She is a different cricketer, I selected her for the first time based on that”DC assistant coach and former India chief selector Hemlata Kala

“She has worked on keeping herself cool,” DC assistant coach Hemlata Kala told ESPNcricinfo. “In the WPL, she tried to play longer innings and not getting out inside the powerplay.”Everyone said she only bats for 10-15 overs [in one-day cricket]. But she batted for longer in [the domestic] one-dayers, struck back-to-back hundreds. Even in multi-day (Senior Women’s Multi-Day Challenger Trophy) she played well. She has now consistently started playing longer innings. It is not that she didn’t do it before – she has hit 130-140 in Under-23 cricket. She has the ability, but in T20s she tries to make best use of the powerplay.”Former India international Kala was the chief selector when Shafali, aged 15, made her international debut. Apart from being with DC, Kala was also part of the coaching staff for teams in the one-day and multi-day Challenger Trophy and witnessed the damage Shafali could inflict as an opposition player.”I keep telling her, no one has the mindset she has – of hitting sixes from ball one,” Kala said. “Whenever I talk to her, I tell her, ‘don’t leave your game’. Her power game is natural, no one hits sixes at will like her in the women’s game. I told her to not leave behind the qualities that have brought her here. She is a different cricketer, I selected her for the first time based on that.”Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol have been in India’s top-three in ODIs in the recent past•SLCConsciously, though, Kala also instilled in Shafali the importance of rotating strike and not getting bogged down while going for big hits. She has worked on finding gaps when the field spreads.”As you all know, my starts are good but building an innings has been an issue,” Shafali had said earlier this year. “But now, I am focusing on how to get those singles, how to build the innings, how to do well for the team.”Some of that was on display in the WPL, where she did not seem desperate to power deliveries away. She showed restraint even in the powerplay. But she did not let it affect her overall strike rate (152.76 in 2025 vs 156.85 in 2024) much.The five-match T20I series in England could be Shafali’s way back into the ODI side. After the three games in England, India have one more series before the World Cup – a three-ODI series against Australia at home. Whether Shafali makes it there and what the implications on the other top-order batters – Pratika Rawal has been the ODI opener and Harleen Deol the No. 3 – is anybody’s guess.Third time could indeed be a charm for Shafali.

Manchester United’s 15th-place finish in the Premier League last campaign was a glaring example of the mess the club have found themselves in over recent years.

Ruben Amorim was unable to have the desired effect after taking the reins 12 months ago, as seen by their unacceptable standing in England’s top-flight during 2024/25.

However, his side have shown glimpses of their quality over the last few weeks, subsequently enjoying a four-game unbeaten run – the joint best of the manager’s tenure.

Players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro have all stepped up and produced goods, with the trio being involved in the vast majority of their recent efforts.

The same can’t be said for one other first-team member, with questions now starting to be asked about his long-term future under Amorim at Old Trafford.

Diogo Dalot’s decline at United in 2025/26

Just a couple of seasons ago, full-back Diogo Dalot would have been one of the first names on the United teamsheet to many supporters – but he’s massively failed to reach such heights in recent months.

Amorim’s arrival saw the wide switch to a 3-4-2-1 system, which placed a huge emphasis on wing-backs who are able to get up and down – allowing for a positive impact at both ends of the pitch.

However, such a formation doesn’t suit the Portuguese international’s playstyle, with the 26-year-old a more defensive option – as seen by his tally of eight goals in 148 appearances.

His latest outing against Nottingham Forest highlighted his lack of impact, featuring for 68 minutes before being the first Red Devils player to be replaced.

His withdrawal was warranted when delving into his underlying stats, with Dalot being unable to complete any of his attempted dribbles or crosses at the City Ground.

The full-back also only managed to win three of the eight duels he entered, often struggling to deal with the threat posed by Reds winger Dan Ndoye on Saturday.

The United star who’s becoming a bigger problem than Dalot

Given their current unbeaten run in the Premier League, it may come as a surprise to many to see numerous players disappoint and fail to contribute to their recent revival.

However, like Dalot, multiple first-team members have come into question for their lack of impact and disappointing showings over the last couple of game weeks.

Patrick Dorgu was once seen as the starting left-back after his £30m switch last January, but he’s since been dropped to the bench and had to settle for substitute appearances in each of the last four games.

The Dane may now be handed his chance to shine in the weeks ahead, especially after the poor performances produced by Dalot during the winning spree.

Benjamin Sesko was just one of the big-money additions made by the Red Devils hierarchy during the summer, forking out a staggering £74m to RB Leipzig for the centre-forward’s signature.

The Slovenian arrived with huge expectations at Old Trafford after netting 21 goals across all competitions last season, but it’s safe to say he’s yet to reach such heights in the Premier League.

He may have already netted twice in his first 11 appearances, but like Dalot, he failed to deliver and has now gone three games without a goal after scoring two in a row.

Sesko’s showing against Forest last weekend was yet another to forget, as he only registered 21 touches of the ball – the fewest of any player on the pitch.

He also only managed to complete nine passes and lost 100% of the duels he entered – leading to one analyst labelling his showing against Sean Dyche’s side as “anonymous”.

The 22-year-old’s lack of impact was highlighted in his inability to direct any of his efforts on target, subsequently failing to provide the clinical edge Amorim requires in front of goal.

Whilst he’s shown glimpses of his quality to date, it’s clear he’s lacking confidence in attacking areas, which no doubt will be a huge concern to the manager.

Given the amount spent on his signature, many will have been expecting a rapid start to life at Old Trafford, but up to now it’s not meant to be, with Sesko needing to find his feet quickly to avoid being the next in a long line of failed signings at United.

Casemiro isn't the only Man Utd star who has saved his career under Amorim

Manchester United drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 1, 2025

Two early wickets give visitors hope of turning the tables after being second-best for most of contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025Glamorgan 327 (Kellaway 90, Ingram 87, Agar 4-58, Parkinson 4-103) and 25 for 2 need another 163 runs to beat Kent 155 (Bell-Drummond 55, van der Gugten 3-27, Harris 3-35) and 360 (Finch 68, Stewart 63, Evison 49, Compton 48, Benjamin 46) A series of starts took Kent to a respectable second innings to add pressure onto Glamorgan’s day-four chase.Harry Finch’s 68 and Grant Stewart’s counter-attacking 63 dragged Kent back into the contest after a first innings collapse hindered their chances against Glamorgan. Partnerships of 84 and 68 for the fifth and sixth wicket, respectively took the visitors to 360 – without full use of injured Joe Denly to enforce a nervous task of chasing 189 after first innings dominance from the hosts.Kent bowlers were in high spirits, taking two wickets in an aggressive spell of 14 overs continuing their day in the driving seat to leave the Welsh county 25 for 2, requiring 164 from the final day. Chris Cooke and Timm van der Gugten’s batting capabilities remain uncertain after both being off the field for the entire day.From 106 for 1 overnight and beginning a fightback to the Glamorgan first-innings dominance, Ben Compton and Chris Benjamin started conservatively in the knowledge that they’d need to bat all day to produce a competitive day four.Trying to be cute with a paddle-sweep by way of releasing the shackles from 10 off 43 inside the first hour, Compton fell, gifting a wicket to Glamorgan. Compton fell short of a half-century (and his 1000-run season milestone), a moment which foreshadowed the remainder of the top order.Daniel Bell-Drummond found a start, before being given out caught-behind attempting to hook a bouncer that ballooned to sub-keeper Alex Horton. The second dismissal of the morning allowed Joey Evison to dismiss a Ben Kellaway loosener to give Kent the lead at 175 for 3.The theme of Kent losing their wickets rather than Glamorgan taking the wickets by force continued. Benjamin dragged on a wide half-volley before Evison chipped a standard, probing Zain Ul Hassan delivery of medium-pace to short-cover – the third batter to fall in the forties. Glamorgan’s usual fifth seamer stepping up as the pick of the bowlers in van der Gugten’s absence while eighth bowler Kiran Carlson claimed 3 for 24 after his introduction in the 105th over.After a much-needed partnership from Evison and Finch, the former fell for 49. Finch, together with the newfound aggression of Stewart, kept the momentum going against the ungiving Kookaburra ball with stand-in captain Carlson having numerous exchanges about changing the ball throughout the day.The pair’s half-centuries, making the most of the life given to Stewart on one where he was dropped at slip by Carlson off Kellaway, gave the visitors a fighting chance until further soft dismissals brought a premature end to the innings; Matt’s Parkinson and Quinn both recording pairs succeeding Stewart bringing up a half-century with three consecutive sixes off Carlson who had been proving to be Glamorgan’s golden arm.The seemingly flat pitch showed some life in the gloomy evening conditions, both Carlson and nightwatcher James Harris took the brunt of Wes Agar giving his all after both openers were dismissed.

Joining Manchester United in their pomp is easy. Joining Manchester United in their current state, fresh off the back of a worst-ever Premier League campaign at Old Trafford, requires a little bit of craziness.

Craziness to believe that you can be the man to lift the Red Devils out of their ongoing decline, with ex-Brentford talisman Bryan Mbeumo – signed on a £71m deal over the summer – already looking like he’s ready to do just that.

There may not have been the glamour attached to the deal that there was when names like Angel Di Maria or Radamel Falcao rocked up in Manchester, but that might be because this marquee move actually made sense, with Ruben Amorim and co forking out for a properly Premier League-proven figure.

Having netted 20 times in the top-flight last time out under Thomas Frank, there was a feeling that the Cameroonian was destined for the Champions League, with his former boss intent on taking him to Tottenham Hotspur.

The 26-year-old, to his credit, made it clear he only wanted United, patiently waiting out protracted negotiations to eventually seal his desired switch. Six goals in his first 12 games for the club have since followed.

Mbeumo is now the benchmark for further reinforcements to try and meet, with recent reports indicating that additional attacking recruits could potentially be in the works.

Man Utd's search for a forward

While the extent of his injury is yet to be known, the potential absence of Benjamin Sesko has brought the lack of genuine alternatives to the Slovenian into sharper focus, with Joshua Zirkzee the only other senior striker in Amorim’s ranks.

Sesko, signed for £74m from RB Leipzig, has made a promising albeit unspectacular start in English football with just two goals scored across league and cup, with questions to be asked over whether a more experienced marksman is still required.

According to reports in Spain, that very fact may well see United renew their interest in a certain Harry Kane in 2026, with the England skipper deemed to be a ‘proven solution’ to their long-standing centre-forward woes.

Transfer Focus

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

As per the report, the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea are also paying close attention to the 32-year-old’s situation at Bayern Munich, with his existing deal in Bavaria set to expire in 2027.

Kane, the piece suggests, is keen to stay at the Allianz Arena, although the presence of a reported €65m (£57m) release clause in his current contract will certainly spark a raft of interest heading into the New Year.

Whether it is January or next summer, Kane – who was Erik ten Hag’s prime target back in 2023 – would still remain a significant coup if INEOS could pull it off.

Why Man Utd could land an even better signing than Mbeumo

2023 remains a frustrating window as far as United are concerned, with Ten Hag’s apparent interest in the likes of Kane and Declan Rice ultimately counting for little, as Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Andre Onana all arrived instead.

Hojlund, as those at Old Trafford are aware, has since proved to be something of a mixed bag, having scored just 26 goals in 95 games in all competitions, alongside a further four goals on loan at Napoli this season.

Since leaving Spurs for Bayern two years ago, meanwhile, Kane has gone on to amass a ridiculous haul of 108 goals in just 113 games for the Bundesliga giants, becoming the quickest player this century to reach triple figures for a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Mbeumo might have stolen the show with a standout 2024/25 campaign for the Bees, but if it is true Premier League proven quality that you are after, then Kane is the man. 213 goals in England’s top-tier places him third on the all-time list.

Widely regarded as the best striker in the world, Kane has scored at least 17 league goals in every season stretching from 2014/15 to 2024/25. As for the new campaign, he already has 13 in ten in Germany’s top division. Mbeumo, for contrast, has five in 11.

Not your typical superstar, the former Spurs talisman is simply efficient to the extreme, with few players in the modern era having possessed such a ruthless, clinical streak in front of goal.

The beauty of Kane too, however, is that he isn’t just your average penalty box poacher. There are so many strings to his extraordinary bow.

Even deployed in almost a central midfield role at times under Vincent Kompany this season, namely in the win over Borussia Dortmund, England’s record scorer has that knack for being able to spray passes at will, having developed into an all-encompassing, playmaking number nine.

Such traits even led Tottenham great David Ginola to liken him to a legendary figure of the past back in 2022: “He is like the new Diego Maradona now. Long passes, short passes, he has it all.”

At 32, while he may be entering that ‘last dance’ territory, Amorim and United certainly shouldn’t turn their nose up at the chance to bring Kane back to England. There is Alan Shearer’s record to chase for him, after all.

Now worth more than Anderson: Man Utd star is the "nearest thing" to Zidane

Manchester United have hit the jackpot on a star who’s worth more than Elliot Anderson.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 14, 2025