Temba Bavuma made a valuable fifty in the Perth Test, bowled useful overs to help ease the burden of Dale Steyn’s absence, and then dismissed David Warner with one of the all-time great run-outs

Firdose Moonda in Perth08-Nov-2016Kagiso Rabada commanded respect and Keshav Maharaj sparked curiosity, but Temba Bavuma has crept into Australian hearts as a pint-sized talent with a Midas touch. The called Bavuma the “X-factor” in South Africa’s WACA win, with praise for his stoic batting, stunning fielding, surprisingly effective bowling, and continuous quest to seek out a high-five.”Everybody loves him at the moment.He is a guy that things seem to happen around,” said South Africa coach Russell Domingo.Bavuma’s fielding first caught international attention last November , when he was substituting for an injured Dale Steyn in Mohali. Bavuma was positioned at short leg when M Vijay inside edged a googly from Imran Tahir to his left. He dived full length to take the catch.Later in the tour Bavuma impressed again when, with the series already lost, he was asked to open the batting in the final Test in Delhi. In an unfamiliar position, Bavuma scored 22 and 34 but spent more than four hours at the crease, longer than his predecessor Stiaan van Zyl had in five innings before he was dropped. That innings showed Bavuma’s temperament to bat in Test cricket but few outside the team guessed he could bowl at this level too.”Temba does a bit of bowling in the nets and everyone is like, “Woah, Temba, that’s pretty good,”‘ Rabada said.Most were pleased to hear that Bavuma can catch Rabada’s attention somewhere, because he can be easy to miss on the field. When Rabada bowled Usman Khawaja on the second day of the Perth Test – South Africa’s first wicket after Steyn had left the field with a broken shoulder – Bavuma waited and waited for his chance to congratulate Rabada. Eventually, it needed a tap on the shoulder before Rabada responded. The video went viral, watched many more times than training footage of South Africa’s bowling coach Charl Langeveldt in discussion with Bavuma.The conversation – which Langeveldt later said was about using the seam – hinted that Bavuma might be called on to make up for some of Steyn’s absence. Australia’s batsmen must have been looking forward to the relief. At 1.61 metres tall, with only 200 first-class balls to his name before the Test, how dangerous could Bavuma really be?Dangerous enough to hit a crack, move back in and hit Usman Khawaja plumb in front of leg. Had Bavuma not overstepped, he could have been only the 21st bowler in Test cricket to take a wicket with his first ball. That his delivery stride occupies the entire area from the bowling crease to the popping crease will only add to his budding cult aura. The beamer that unsettled Josh Hazlewood the ball before Bavuma claimed his first Test wicket delighted his team-mates and the small WACA crowd.For all the fun of his on-field heroics, Bavuma himself was ultra-serious in his analysis when he spoke to “I was obviously quite disappointed at that. We’ve spoken long and hard about no no-balls,” he said. “As one of the batters who keeps on shouting at the bowlers for a no-ball, obviously it’s not a great thing. I was happy to get a chance to bowl and things went decently (after that).”Domingo confirmed Bavuma was similarly critical about his half-century in the first innings, knowing the responsibility he had in the middle order. “He will be the first to say he is disappointed that he didn’t kick on after getting fifty,” Domingo said. “He played really beautifully in that first innings and held it together for us. He is still learning but he is a good kid and a great asset for our team.” newspaper agreed, calling Bavuma a “competitive and wily” cricketer. For South Africans to see their players being so warmly embraced at what was once seen as among the most hostile places to tour, is a reassurance that the stresses of last summer may be overcome after all. For them to see their players of colour – long suspected of being included in squads to make up numbers – attract so much admiration and awe is another reassurance that this time, cricket’s efforts to embrace change could be genuine, that opportunities are being provided to the right people, and that they are taking them, making names and winning hearts.

The Sri Lanka opener’s best knocks have often come in the second innings, when his team is playing catch-up, but the Pakistan series featured a welcome departure from that norm

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Oct-2017In being out for a duck in his maiden Test knock and then making an unbeaten 60 in the second innings of that match, Dimuth Karunaratne had set down the template to which the first few years of his career would roughly conform.Consider his ten most-recent first-innings scores before the UAE series: 4, 25, 2, 25, 7, 30, 0, 24, 5, 26. Now take a gander at his returns from the second innings, across those very Tests: 16, 141, 97, 49, 126, 32, 50, 6, 43 and 88. There is something amiss here, right? Karunaratne plays most of his cricket in Sri Lanka, where almost without exception, run-making is significantly more difficult in the second innings than in the first. Yet, there he was, 42 Tests into his career, averaging only 26.71 in the first dig, but 44.10 when balls were turning out of the rough, and quicks were finding easy reverse swing.But for Karunaratne, there was something unsatisfying about the timing of his big innings. They were hard-earned runs for sure, but Sri Lanka had often given up such substantial first-innings leads that his best work was of little consequence. His two most recent hundreds, before the Pakistan series, were a case in point: the very good 126 against Bangladesh, and the sublime 141 against India (perhaps the highest-quality innings of his career) could not prevent substantial losses.Little surprise then that his batting in this series against Pakistan has felt like a breakthrough for the man. Not only was he by a distance the standout batsman of the series, hitting 306 runs at an average of 76.50, but in positioning his best innings at the front end of each Test, Karunaratne has seen his team make two strong first-innings scores that led to wins. The 196, it would turn out, had particularly far-reaching consequences. Not even a sub-100 score in the second dig could wipe out the advantage Karunaratne had earned with his nine-and-a-half-hour innings.”I had got some good confidence during the India series, and wanted to continue that, but the one thing was that I’ve not been able to bat well in the first innings,” Karunaratne told , after Sri Lanka had swept Pakistan 2-0. “Before this series, when I analysed my batting, although I had batted well, I hadn’t been able to provide runs that helped the team win. But in this series, I think because I did well in the first innings, the team had the strength to win. More than the Man-of-the-Match and Man-of-the-Series awards, the joy of being able to contribute to a win is in my heart.”That in Dubai, Karunaratne had not merely stopped at three figures, and instead progressed to a truly match-winning total is unsurprising. Of his seven Test tons, three have been scores of more than 150. Additionally, no opener has faced 300-plus balls in an innings on more occasions than Karunaratne over the past three years. He has produced four such knocks – one better than Alastair Cook and Azhar Ali.”For me, my stamina is the key – I can bat longer periods,” Karunaratne told . “That is the main thing for my success. The team needs me to play a long time. If I play a long innings, the others can play their natural game. In Sri Lanka, we do a lot of fitness and gym work during the weekdays. In the weekends, I run on my own. Maybe that’s the key. In this heat, it isn’t easy to bat. But for the players and for the team, I have to sacrifice myself and bat longer. I’m not looking too much at my runs. I just need to bat on for a day or two days – whatever I can.”But if Karunaratne’s runs put Sri Lanka ahead in each match, the onus still fell on the bowlers to capitalise on a strong first-innings score. Fielding a five-man attack through both Tests, Sri Lanka’s bowlers outspun, and perhaps even outseamed, the Pakistan outfit – no mean feat given the conditions, Karunaratne said.”After a really tough series against India, a hard-fought win like this gives us a lot of joy. I can’t really put it into words. The bowlers put in so much effort. In this country, in this heat, I didn’t think it would be easy to get 40 wickets. We have to be really thankful to the bowlers for dealing with tough conditions the way they did.”The support staff have also sweated a lot for this win. You can see how happy everyone is, and that’s the result of our effort. I think this win will put us in good stead for the next series, against India.”

They kept losing close games at the start of the tournament, but on Sunday they made sure they didn’t lose their way in the pressure moments

Vishal Dikshit at the Wankhede06-May-2018Mumbai Indians lost a number of close matches early in the season, largely because of their end-overs struggles while defending totals after losing the toss. Sunday evening was unfolding in similar fashion when Dinesh Karthik asked Mumbai to bat again, and the death overs played a vital role once more. This time, however, Mumbai won the clutch moments and kept their playoff hopes alive. What did they do differently?Bumrah and Hardik keep KKR quietEarlier in the tournament, Rohit Sharma had the cushion of two specialist death bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah and Mustafizur Rahman to defend totals. Now that Mumbai have dropped Mustafizur for Ben Cutting, the onus has fallen almost solely on Bumrah.KKR needed 54 off the last four overs with Karthik and Andre Russell at the crease. Bumrah had two overs in the bank. Rohit decided to give him the 17th and 19th overs and push the equation beyond KKR by the time the final over began.Bumrah gave his captain the perfect 17th over. To Karthik, he mostly bowled wide outside off, making him reach for the ball and denying him his favourite scoop over short fine leg. Against Russell, Bumrah avoided the full length he so relishes and cramped him with his angle into the body. The first three balls produced only singles, and with the pressure mounting, Russell top-edged another short ball from Bumrah, and Krunal Pandya pouched a spectacular catch running from short fine leg towards the square leg boundary.The baton passed on to Hardik, who had figures of 2 for 13 with one over remaining. KKR needed 43 from 18 balls, and Hardik bowled a succession of slower balls and cutters to Sunil Narine and Karthik. Apart from one wide ball that Karthik cut for four, there was hardly any pace onto the bat, and Karthik kept swinging hard and failing to connect cleanly.Only six came off that over, and even a 14-run 19th over from Bumrah – compounded by a drop from JP Duminy on the leg-side boundary – wasn’t enough to swing the momentum back in KKR’s favour.The short-ball planThe Wankhede pitch has plenty of bounce in it, but you need to know how to use it. Where KKR’s fast bowlers conceded 8.40 per over while pitching short or short of a good length, Mumbai’s quicks only went at 7.75.They bowled 29 of those short or shortish balls in the Powerplay, with Mitchell McClenaghan leading the way. In the third over, he kept bowling short despite having only one fielder back on the leg side – deep backward square leg – for Chris Lynn. Lynn pulled one short ball to the midwicket boundary, and another just wide of the man at short fine leg, but McClenaghan didn’t change either his length or his field. Off the fifth ball of the over, Lynn pulled again but straight into the hands of short fine leg.When Hardik returned for his second spell in the 14th over, KKR needed a gettable 69 from 42 balls with seven wickets in hand. He kept bowling back of a length and conceded only five in the over. The third ball was banged in short at Nitish Rana, angling across the left-hander. Looking to pull from outside off stump, he failed to get on top of the bounce and skied a top-edge to deep square leg.A batting-order rejigEver since his 94 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai have maintained that Rohit Sharma will continue to bat at No. 4. On Sunday, though, he came out at No. 3, a position that has traditionally worked better for him. Mumbai also batted Hardik above Krunal, which hadn’t been the case early in the tournament. The opening stand had lasted nearly 10 overs, and when the second wicket fell, only 50 balls were left in the innings. When Hardik came in, Mumbai were losing some momentum, with Rohit falling for a run-a-ball 11 and a fatigued Suryakumar Yadav slowing down after a brisk start.Hardik got going quickly, lofting a one-handed six off his third ball, and failed to score off only three balls in a 20-ball innings. Even as the batsmen at the other end struggled to score quickly – JP Duminy finished on 13 off 11 – he went at a strike rate of 175, which proved crucial to Mumbai getting past 180.

Stats highlights from Bangladesh’s convincing 90-run win against Sri Lanka in Dambulla

S Rajesh25-Mar-20175 Wins for Bangladesh in 39 ODIs against Sri Lanka – they have lost 33 while one was washed out. However, this is their first win when batting first; their previous four victories had all come in chases. This is also their second win against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, after the three-wicket triumph in Pallekele in 2013.324/5 Bangladesh’s total, their third-highest in ODIs, and their best away from home. Their two higher totals – 329 and 326 – have both come against Pakistan in Mirpur. This is their tenth 300-plus total, but their first in an away game against a higher-ranked team.90 The margin of victory, in terms of runs. Only once have they beaten one of the top eight teams by a larger margin, when they beat West Indies by 160 runs in Khulna in 2012.127 Tamim Iqbal’s score, the seventh-highest in ODIs for Bangladesh. Tamim features five times in the top eight ODI scores for Bangladesh.144 The partnership between Tamim and Shakib Al Hasan, which is Bangladesh’s fourth-best for the fourth wicket in all ODIs, and their best for any wicket against Sri Lanka. In fact, this is only their second century stand in ODIs against Sri Lanka: the previous one came almost 13 years ago in Colombo, when Manjural Islam Rana and Mohammad Ashraful added exactly 100 for the fifth wicket.14/8 Bangladesh’s win-loss record in ODIs since the 2015 World Cup, with five wins in seven series. Among teams which have played at least 20 ODIs during this period, only South Africa and England have a better win-loss ratio.9.25 Lahiru Kumara’s economy rate – he leaked 74 in eight overs. It is the worst economy rate for any bowler who has bowled eight or more overs in an ODI against Bangladesh. The previous worst was 8.50, by Mitchell McClenaghan, who went for 68 in eight.

A look back at matches involving Afghanistan that wrote themselves in the history books

Shashank Kishore26-Sep-2018ESPNcricinfo LtdZimbabwe v Afghanistan, World Cup Qualifiers, Harare, 2018Afghanistan had lost their opening game to Scotland, and defeat to Zimbabwe looked all but inevitable when Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the ninth man out with Afghanistan still needing 20. But the Zadrans – Dawlat and Shapoor – weren’t giving up yet. In a tense half hour where every ball was an event, the pair slowly ate into the target, batting out 49 deliveries to add 17. It was now down to three runs off four deliveries. A mini-conference on the field kept Afghanistan on tenterhooks. Then Brian Vitori slanted one full, drew the edge from Shapoor and Brendon Taylor held on to give Zimbabwe a two-run victory. A packed Harare Sports Club went into delirium. Shapoor, a picture of dejection and angst, had to be literally forced off the field in disappointment. Afghanistan’s campaign had been jolted.West Indies v Afghanistan, 1st ODI, St Lucia, 2017Rashid Khan had 212 to defend on a sluggish surface. The four previous occasions that he had picked four or more wickets resulted in wins. West Indies were steady at 68 for 2, when Rashid struck off his first two deliveries in the 23rd over to crack the game open. Then he struck off consecutive deliveries in his second over, the 25th, to be on a hat-trick twice during his opening spell that read 4 for 1 at one point. Even the lone run conceded came courtesy a dubious wide call. Rashid scythed through the lower order too, finishing with 7 for 18, the fourth-best haul in ODI history as West Indies were shot out for 149. The 63-run victory for Afghanistan was their first in this format over a Full Member other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.Afghanistan v Scotland, 2015 World Cup, DunedinAfghanistan looked down and out when they slumped to 97 for 7. The slide was sparked by Richie Berrington’s accurate seam-ups that triggered an epic 5 for 12 collapse after Javed Ahmadi’s brisk half-century. Samiullah Shenwari, however, had other ideas. He was consuming too many balls, he was struggling to rotate strike, but buckled down and gave himself time. His calmness and a partnership of 35 for the eighth wicket with Dawlat brought them back. But Dawlat slogged across the line to be caught at mid-off.Shenwari made his disgust obvious much before the catch had been taken. Then there were calculated blows, frantic running, pure unbreakable belief and some breathtaking six-hitting with Afghanistan needing 38 off 24. Shenwari hit three sixes in four balls and was caught trying to hit a fourth. It eventually boiled down to five off the final over, and four off four balls. Shapoor had dead-batted expertly, but he had to look for the boundary now. Iain Wardlaw went for a yorker, missed and slipped a low full toss down leg. Shapoor picked it behind square and raced off in celebration the moment it crossed the infield. This was a victory for Associate cricket. This was for Afghanistan. A first World Cup win had been achieved.2:05

What do Afghanistan need to do to reach the next level?

Bangladesh v Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2014, FatullahRashid was still two years away from international cricket, Mujeeb three. Afghanistan were playing only their fourth match against a major team, and in Fatullah, they not only defeated Bangladesh, the Test-playing hosts, but nearly sneaked out a bonus point too. The foundation was laid by a stunning 164-run partnership between Asghar Afghan and Shenwari to lift them from 90 for 5 in the 27th over. After being hauled to 254, they bowled and fielded like Tigers – a name their opponents are fondly referred to by the fans. Shapoor generated enough pace in his first over to rattle the openers. He capped it off with a wicket off the fifth ball. Hamid Hasan, the headband, tattoo and heart-on-his-sleeve bowler, bristled in from the other end and struck vital blows. Bangladesh’s chances of revival rested on their captain, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mominul Haque but once Afghanistan found their way past, there was a sense of despondency in the Bangladesh camp.Afghanistan v Ireland, 4th ODI, Greater Noida, 2017Afghanistan were tottering at 142 for 8, before Shafiqullah and Dawlat hauled them to 220. Ireland, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, had every reason to be happy. Mohammad Nabi spun out the top order with his guile to leave Ireland hanging by a thread. Their problems were compounded when Kevin O’Brien had to retire hurt because of a hamstring injury. Then he returned with Ireland needing 91 with four wickets in hand and counter-attacked at the first sign of Afghanistan’s spinners switching off. In a 10-minute passage, O’Brien went berserk, the ferocity of his onslaught offsetting the top-order collapse. Gary Wilson held his own and the series had been tied.Three other historic Afghanistan winsJersey v Afghanistan, final, World Cricket League Division Five, 2008: Chasing 81, Afghanistan won by two wickets.Afghanistan v USA, World Twenty20 Qualifier, Dubai, 2010: Afghanistan defended 135, to win by 29 runs.Afghanistan v Ireland, final, World Twenty20 Qualifier, Dubai, 2010: Afghanistan won by eight wickets to qualify for the World T20 in West Indies..

In showing no bias in pointing out various conflicts, and in naming names, Ramachandra Guha has penned a document that is bold and unprecedented

Sidharth Monga02-Jun-20174:22

Sambit Bal: “Guha saying CoA hasn’t fulfilled its mandate”

When Ramachandra Guha was appointed to the Committee of Administrators, there were sniggers from various quarters. What did a historian living in an imagined utopia know about running Indian cricket, it was asked. Having found the kitchen too hot, it will be said, he has quit. He has quit all right, and arguably without accomplishing the primary objective of seeing the reforms through, but he has left with an important piece of what all his detractors consider him good for: writing.Not many pieces have said more about the state of Indian cricket administration than Guha’s resignation letter to Vinod Rai, the chairman of the CoA. The superstars of Indian cricket, of the recent past and present, stand exposed as lacking accountability and conscience. The BCCI has been reaffirmed as a manipulative body that allows the excesses of these superstars to keep them on its side. In the case of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev, their cheerleading of the board comes as a bonus.Not all of this is new but it is coming from a man who had the mandate from the highest court of the country, a man who spent four months in the system and was clearly frustrated by the inaction.He saw the BCCI subvert a Supreme Court order, and he saw his colleagues not do much about it. He saw the old guard try to hold a world event hostage, and he saw his colleagues let it happen before swooping in at the last minute. He is seeing a coach being shunted out to supposedly appease a superstar captain, and he sees his colleagues – by the virtue of their silence – complicit in it. Perhaps the CoA can provide a counter-argument because the BCCI old guard will be happy with this chaos and confusion.Guha would have done well to mention the irony that Kumble himself was appointed coach through the subversion of another process last year. Otherwise, from Dravid to Gavaskar to Dhoni to Kohli to Ganguly, Guha has mentioned them all. In Dravid’s case, allowance could be made that his BCCI contract allows him to work in the IPL for two months a year; and he has also asked the board for clarity on his role in the past. He might be making a fair point, but Guha might also have been better off leaving Dhoni’s contract grade to the men charged with these decisions: the national selectors.However, in showing no bias in pointing out the conflicts of interest, in naming names, and in the clarity with which it does so, this is a bold and unprecedented letter. It says a lot that such a brave assessment can only be made by someone on the outside and with no designs of gaining materially from Indian cricket.

Rai and Limaye are practical men from the practical world who seem to be looking for practical solutions, but they could have done more to take along with them a man with intentions as noble as Guha’s

These are not concerns that have emerged overnight out of love for Kumble, with whom, and Bishan Bedi, Guha had once taken a selfie and tweeted, “two of my greatest heroes”. Guha has quoted emails in his letter to indicate that he has had these concerns ever since he joined the CoA, and that they had not been acted upon. Those who know him say he has been frustrated for a long time.To be fair to Guha’s colleagues at the CoA, their hands have been tied in certain cases by what is, in parts, an ambiguous order from the Supreme Court. In many instances, the CoA was reduced to going back to the Court for instructions. For example, when the CoA intervened to prevent disqualified members from attending BCCI meetings, the court order put the onus on the members to judge for themselves if they were disqualified or not. Or else. Such “or elses” have clearly not worked because N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah, to name two of the disqualified members, attended the BCCI SGM in Delhi.Perhaps, in a hyper-nationalistic age, the CoA didn’t want to come across as the one who lost the BCCI part of what it used to get from the ICC, though the BCCI’s insistence at the cost of globalisation is a bit like the USA pulling out of the climate deal. Perhaps it was also mindful of any disruptions to India’s showcase event, the IPL, which is why it hasn’t yet shown the old guard the full might of its mandate.The CoA has also been looking at pushing for constitutional changes with minimal controversy as its primary objective. There is nothing stopping the committee from working on the issues Guha mentions – it did take up player contracts – but its bigger concern is the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s reforms, which the BCCI old guard keeps resisting.Even having made these allowances, the CoA has been slow and cautious, arguably overcautious. Whatever the reasons, it had the mandate to block some of these unfortunate events. For example, it intervened only one day before the BCCI was set to pull out of the Champions Trophy.Rai and Limaye are practical men from the practical world, who seem to be looking for practical solutions, but they could have done more to take along with them a man with intentions as noble as Guha’s. If a lawyer was changed – as alleged – without taking Guha into confidence, it could say a lot about what the committee thought of him and arguably, by extension, his concerns. If a man within the committee began to doubt the committee, those outside are bound to question whether the committee has forgotten its mandate.It will be all too easy to say that if Guha cared so much he should have stayed and tried to change the system, but that is also to say that Indian cricket is no place for straightforward men with straightforward intentions, even if they come armed with Supreme Court orders.Perhaps we are better off looking at the circumstances that led to this. Perhaps this jolt will bring the urgency that Guha wanted to see in the CoA. Perhaps this is, as ESPNcricinfo’s editor-in-chief Sambit Bal put it in the video above, a plea to the Supreme Court to unshackle the CoA a little. If that happens, it might be worth a couple of clinking glasses in the BCCI old guard.

Regardless of what happens in the Europa League and with Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham Hotspur need a massive summer in the transfer market.

From defence to attack, the North Londoners need to dramatically improve their squad to avoid having another domestic season as bad as this one next year.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and Co seem to agree with this sentiment, as, on top of the near-constant rumours around the manager’s position, we are starting to see stories linking the club to some brilliant players.

In fact, if recent reports are to be believed, the Lilywhites have now set their sights on one of the most exciting strikers in the Premier League, someone who’d be an enormous upgrade on Richarlison, who looks like he could be on the way out as well.

Spurs' striker search

So, before we get to the forward in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other strikers Spurs are supposedly interested in from outside the Premier League, like Jonathan David and Tim Kleindienst.

Transfer Focus

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

The former is set to be available for free this summer, and with a sensational tally of 25 goals and 12 assists in 47 games this season, the Canadian international would be an incredible addition to the North Londoners squad.

Kleindienst, on the other hand, could cost around £30m this summer, and while that isn’t chump change, it would still represent fair value, as the German international has scored 16 goals and provided ten assists in 32 games this year.

Yet, Levy and Co might prefer to shop closer to home and sign a more Premier League-proven marksman like Liam Delap.

Yes, according to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are one of several teams incredibly interested in the Ipswich Town goalscorer.

In fact, while the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and West Ham United are all also keen, the report has revealed that the Lilywhites are now ‘planning to make an offer’ for the Englishman, who now has a £30m release clause in his contract.

It might be a complicated transfer to get done with how many interested parties there are, but it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an incredible Richarlison upgrade.

How Delap compares to Richarlison

So, if Spurs are able to get ahead of the chasing pack and bring Delap to N17 in the summer, it’s almost certain that, to begin with at least, he’d play second-fiddle to club-record signing Dominic Solanke.

Therefore, he’d either be in direct competition with Richarlison or be his replacement should he be moved on, so how does he stack up to the Brazilian?

Well, the most important metric for a centre-forward is their raw output; in this case, the Englishman comes out comfortably on top.

For example, despite playing for a relegated side, the 22-year-old “wrecking-ball,” as dubbed by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones, has managed to score 12 goals and provide two assists in 37 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.64 games.

In contrast, the former Everton star has scored five goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances this season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.85 games.

Appearances

37

20

Goals

12

5

Assists

2

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.37

0.35

Moreover, besides being the more dangerous forward and five years younger, the former Manchester City gem has one other massive advantage over the Nova Venécia-born ace: his fitness.

For example, across his career, the Winchester-born monster has missed just 16 games, and that was down to a single knee injury he suffered last season, which has since not resurfaced.

In stark contrast, the 48-capped Brazilian has missed a whopping 78 games for club and country across his career and suffered from 20 injuries.

Ultimately, while he’s still somewhat raw, it’s abundantly clear that Delap would be a massive upgrade on Richarlison in almost every way, so Spurs should do what they can to sign him this summer.

Conte 2.0: Spurs looking at hiring "phenomenal" Postecoglou upgrade

The vastly experienced manager would be an incredible hire for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2025

Aston Villa are thought to be in talks to sign two Barcelona players this summer, according to a new report.

Aston Villa looking to overturn two-goal deficit against PSG

The Villans and Unai Emery suffered defeat in their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening. After going ahead thanks to a first-half goal from Morgan Rogers, Villa fell to a 3-1 loss and have it all to do at Villa Park on Tuesday night.

Goals from Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes have given the Ligue 1 giants the advantage, however, talking after the game, Emery was in a defiant mood.

“The last goal is a little bit disappointing for us because it was in the last minute but it is not changing much, or our belief.

“It is not changing a lot because at 2-1 we were thinking, in the next match, we have to play to win. With 3-1, it is still the same. We need to win the next match, and not only [score] one goal but [at least] two. We were close to getting a good result.

“At the end with this goal it is still more or less the same because we still need to win next week. Villa Park is our home and hopefully we can be stronger and win more of our duels. They showed their power and individual qualities. The result is not the best but it’s not the worst. There are still 90 minutes to play, a second leg, and maybe extra time.”

Offer made: Aston Villa make approach to sign £12.5m "generational talent"

The Villans have now moved ahead of Manchester City in the race for his signature.

ByDominic Lund Apr 9, 2025

Villa are also competing in the Premier League to finish in one of five Champions League places for next season, so there are plenty of big games coming up.

Away from the pitch, though, Monchi, Villa’s president of football operations, appears to be working on possible summer signings, and a double deal from La Liga leaders Barcelona appears to be of interest to Villa.

Aston Villa in talks to sign two Barcelona players after Emery green light

According to reports from Spain, Aston Villa and Monchi have initiated talks to sign Barcelona duo Marc Casado and Andreas Christensen.

Emery has given the green light to deals for the pair as he is ‘convinced that both players can raise the team’s competitive level and establish the club among the best in the Premier League’.

It is claimed that Christensen could leave if an offer in the region of €20m, whereas Casado appears to be surplus to requirements under Hansi Flick. Christensen has experience of the Premier League after a previous stint with Chelsea and can play as a centre-back or even as a holding midfielder if required.

Meanwhile, Casado can play as a holding or central midfielder and is still only 21 years of age after coming through the famous La Masia academy.

A Spain international, Casado is currently out through injury, but by the looks of things, a double deal for the midfielder and a return to England for Christensen is on the cards.

Matt Beard passed away earlier this month, with news of his death rocking the football world and prompting outpourings of emotional tributes. Beard was known to have taken his own life following a devastating social media post from his son urging that suicide is "never the answer". The cause of death has now been confirmed at a coroner's court hearing in north Wales.

• Initial evidence heard at inquest

  At the coroner's court, it was heard that paramedics were called to Beard's home in Flintshire when the two-time WSL-winning manager was found hanged. He was taken to hospital in Chester, where he later died at 9:15pm on September 20, after his family agreed for life support to be turned off. Proceedings have now been adjourned and a full coroner's inquest will be held at a future date to establish more detailed circumstances of Beard's tragic passing.

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  A legend of women's football

  After starting his coaching career in men's and women's football in and around London, Beard got his first managerial gig at Millwall Lionesses in 2008. From there, he moved to Chelsea, ultimately laying the foundations for the success that Emma Hayes would later have, before being appointed by Liverpool in 2012. The Reds won the WSL title in both 2013 and 2014, with Beard then trying his hand in the United States with Boston Breakers.

  A return to English football saw him take West Ham to their first ever FA Cup final in 2019, with the team's overall journey captured in a BBC reality series. Beard went back to Liverpool in 2021, taking over a side that had by then been relegated from the top flight, restoring them to the WSL and overseeing a hugely impressive fourth place finish in 2023-24. That saw him named Manager of the Season. Beard left Liverpool a second time in February 2025, with his final job a short two-month spell at Burnley over the summer.

• Beloved by many

  The football community collectively stood together to mourn Beard. Liverpool's WSL fixture the day after his death was postponed out of respect, while his picture was shown on big screens at the league's other games that day and a moment's silence was observed prior to kick-offs.

  Former Liverpool player Fara Williams became tearful during the BBC's live broadcast of Manchester United vs Arsenal, saying that "he meant so much to all of us". United boss Marc Skinner referred to Beard as an "incredible human" and "iconic". Hayes, his successor at Chelsea, referred to him as "absolutely one of the best humans" and "one of the good guys". Ex-West Ham forward Alisha Lehmann recalled that he believed in her when no one else did.

  Liverpool captain Grace Fisk said in a tribute from the club: "It's rare for a football manager to be so loved by so many players. He coached hundreds of players but had interactions with many more and he just had this way of drawing people to him."

  Liverpool returned to WSL action for the first time since Beard's passing on Sunday, with banners honouring Beard displayed in the stands for the visit of Manchester United, and fans putting on another tribute with applause in the 13th and 14th minutes to commemorate his WSL titles.

  A fundraising page set up by football broadcaster Jacqui Oatley to support Beard's wife and children has received more than £54,000 from well over 1,000 donors.

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  Celebrating Beard's life

  A service of commemoration for Beard will be held at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on October 17, where fans and well wishers will be able to celebrate his life and the impact he had on so many.

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da dobrowin： No último fim de semana, o goleiro João Paulo, do Santos, passou por cirurgia para reconstrução do tendão de Aquiles do tornozelo esquerdo após lesionar o local em confronto contra o América-MG, pela Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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da betano casino： ➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

A ruptura ocorreu ainda no primeiro tempo da partida, em um erro de domínio de bola. O lance, inclusive, gerou muita polêmica por conta da falta de fair play por parte do atacante Renato Marques, do Coelho, que marcou o gol enquanto João Paulo estava caído, pedindo para paralisar a jogada.

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– O tendão de Aquiles é um dos mais fortes do corpo. Então, praticamente em todas as rupturas, o atleta tem uma tendinose prévia, um processo degenerativo de desgaste prévio à ruptura. O Aquiles quase nunca se rompe se estiver completamente saudável – explica Ricardo Vidal, fisioterapeuta que integra a Sociedade Nacional de Fisioterapia Esportiva e Atividade Física (Sonafe).

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A tendência é que o arqueiro retorne aos gramados apenas em 2025, mas existe a possibilidade de que ele esteja em condições de jogo na reta final da Série B deste ano, tudo dependerá da evolução clínica e física.

– Ele terá que passar um período imobilizado, com restrição de carga, e então usará uma bota ortopédica no pós-operatório. Após isso, será uma longa jornada de reabilitação, que dura normalmente entre oito e dez meses. O processo inicia com o restabelecimento da amplitude de movimento, depois da capacidade de produção de força e, por último, há o restabelecimento da capacidade de produzir potência, onde ele será reinserido gradativamente nas atividades dentro de campo – complementou Ricardo Vidal.

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Apesar dos avanços médicos, é possível que João Paulo encontre dificuldades para atuar no nível em que estava antes de romper o tendão. De acordo com o fisioterapeuta, estudos apontam que a taxa de retorno aos gramados varia de 60 a 100%, e a grande maioria apresenta perda de performance.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

– É notório que o atleta que opera o tendão de aquiles após uma ruptura comumente no futebol tem uma queda de performance. Mesmo os que voltam a jogar, é muito comum que tenha uma perda de performance. Os atletas que mais sofrem são os que realizam tarefas de muita impulsão vertical, que é o caso do goleiro que tem que saltar muito mais que o atleta de linha, e ser goleiro é um fator agravante para perder performance – finalizou o fisioterapeuta da Sonafe.

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