All posts by h716a5.icu

He is the youngest to score a T20I century for South Africa, and also made the highest T20I score against Australia

Namooh Shah12-Aug-2025

Dewald Brevis’ 41-ball century was the second-fastest by a South African in T20Is•AFP/Getty Images

218 for 7 – South Africa’s total in the second T20I against Australia in Darwin is their highest against Australia, going past 204 for 7 in Johannesburg in 2016.125* – Dewald Brevis’ score in Darwin is the highest for South Africa in T20Is, bettering Faf du Plessis’ 119 against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015.Brevis’ performance is also the highest in a T20I in Australia; the previous best was Shane Watson’s 124 against India in Sydney in 2016.22y 105d – Brevis’ age, making him the youngest South African to score a century in T20Is. Richard Levi was 24 years and 36 days old when he scored a hundred against New Zealand in 2012.Dewald Brevis has the highest score by a South Africa batter in T20Is•ESPNcricinfo Ltd41 – Number of balls Brevis took to reach his hundred, the second fastest for South Africa in T20Is. David Miller scored a 35-ball hundred against Bangladesh in 2017.Brevis is the first batter to score a T20I hundred against Australia in Australia. He also has the highest T20I score against Australia, a record previously held by Ruturaj Gaikwad.161 – Runs added by South Africa after the fall of the third wicket, the most they have added in a T20I. Brevis and Tristan Stubbs added 126 runs for the fourth wicket against Australia in Darwin, with Brevis scoring 91 of those runs.1 for 56 – Josh Hazlewood’s figures in the second T20I against South Africa; his most expensive in T20Is.

Doubt has flooded the environment as the Stokes-McCullum cult credo reaches its fiery endgame

Andrew Miller08-Dec-20256:09

‘Australia have sat back, waited for England and pushed them over’

The Ashes are not yet over, but Bazball most emphatically is. It died, to all intents and purposes, with Ben Stokes’ shockingly frank admission after another crushing defeat, that his team of mindset-driven genre-benders have been found wanting in the heat of a battle that their entire ethos had been geared towards.Specifically, it received its terminal diagnosis under the floodlights on the third evening at the Gabba. England’s display up to that point had been deeply flawed, not unlike so many other Tests of the Bazball era, but this abject passage of play – six wickets in a session, when the daylight resumption promised a flat deck and rich rewards for any batter who could apply themselves – was its point of no return.Theologists have spent thousands of years examining belief systems, watching their rise and fall, and who rightly knows what gives some concepts more stickability than others. England don’t even acknowledge that their curious but compelling cult is actually a thing, let alone that it has a universally recognised name.Related

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But fundamentally, if you believe that there is belief within a system, then there is belief. Cogito Bazball sum, as it were. Right now, there is no sense that England believe in their methods any more. Ergo, the entire philosophy crumbles, or worse. A fiery demise always seemed a plausible endgame.And with it goes every remaining defence of the preparations that went into England’s tour. The cosiness, the togetherness, the lackadaisical attitude to warm-up matches … all of it could be justified by the knowledge that this team, with full-bore mental focus, could be capable of truly extraordinary deeds: specifically of going where their timid, samey forebears could not, and pulling off a series win in Australia for the first time in four dismal visits.That’s not to say, however, that the series has yet been surrendered. Not after a contest in which Stokes and Joe Root were England’s two stand-out performers, it hasn’t.But the circumstances for this team could not be more different from their last 2-0 deficit in an Ashes campaign, at the very height of Bazball in the summer of 2023. Back then, their surety of purpose was intoxicating – nauseating, even, to Australians who still grumble about the pursuit of moral victories – but there was simply nothing that could penetrate their firewall of self-affirmation, not even (at that heady stage of the cycle, at least…) defeat itself.Now, however, if England are to win from here, it can only be through a reversion to type: through a reliance on the sort of miracle-working that Bazball was designed to do away with, with the greats in England’s midst driving every step of the agenda, and with the rank and file falling into lock-step to meet their needs, as Will Jacks did so gamely in the opening session of Brisbane’s final day.Downed under: Ben Stokes conceded his side have not stood up to pressure in Australia•CA/Getty ImagesWhile that seventh-wicket stand was stretching into its fourth hour, we could have been thrust back into the guts of any given show of English resistance from yesteryear: Graeme Hick and Graham Thorpe batting through to the close at the Gabba in 1994-95, for instance, or Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen compiling a similar stand on the same stage 12 years later. Resistance was futile then, as it is likely to be now, as England find themselves hauled back to the standard rules of Ashes engagement, after a three-and-a-half year experiment that is already being derided down under as an absurd flight of fancy.Despite all the I-told-you-sos around England’s under-taxing preparations, there’s not a lot of point in being wise after the event. This was their plan, and they were entitled to stick to it, but only on the assumption that the players were still responding to such a permissive environment. To cut Brendon McCullum some slack, that was more or less the point he was trying to make in his post-match comments: that, in the wake of the Perth defeat, England’s sudden switch from calm visualisation to hyper-intensive net sessions was a factor in their subsequent mental fraughtness. Unfortunately, in the circumstances that have just played out, such a takeaway sounds delusional.Far more revealing was Stokes’s own declaration, that “Australia is not for weak men, and a dressing-room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either”. He might as well have been priming any number of his team-mates (and Ollie Pope in particular) for their collective launching beneath the bus. But moreover, he was reframing the debate so far as the rest of this campaign must pan out. The kid gloves are off now. Crisis has engulfed this tour, just as it did each the three previous Ashes trips that span Root’s and Stokes’ careers. They’ve never yet found so much as an emergency exit, but those players at the very least already recognise that this is not a drill.There’ll be time enough for affectionate remembrance of Bazball when its ashes have been cremated (through hours of toil in the field) over the coming three Tests. But for now, it’s worth recalling Stokes’ sentiments, in the calm before the storm at the start of 2023, when the team was riding high on nine wins out of ten, and long before its subsequent stack of missed opportunities (P33 W16 L15 since) had begun to chip away at its foundations.

“The sadness for Stokes in particular is that he has been conditioning his team to walk this tightrope for three-and-a-half years. They’ve run towards the danger, they’ve explored their line and taken it “too far”, all with half an eye on a challenge that he was willing to risk losing in order to win”

“I’m at a stage now where I would much prefer to leave a mark on other people’s careers than look to make mine more established,” Stokes told reporters on the eve of England’s last pink-ball Test, against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui. “That’s one of my goals as England captain: to hopefully let some of these guys in the dressing room here just have an amazing career and if I can influence that in any way shape or form then I’ll be happy.”It sounds positively Kumbaya, compared to his latest growl from the trenches. By ceding some of his main character energy – with Root, in spite of some acknowledged struggles, doing likewise – Stokes knew he had the means to make the collective stronger, and guard himself against the burnout that almost ended his career four years ago. There is absolutely no doubt that he achieved his aim, for as long as the vibe endured.And yet, England really hadn’t bargained for the collateral that they’ve picked up along the journey. Their failure to win any five-Test series since 2018 is deeply galling, but if Old Trafford 2023 stands out as the great what-if of Bazball’s first iteration, then their loss to India at The Oval last summer will probably come to be regarded as the moment that crushed the concept once and for all.England’s failure to close out the Oval Test against India now looks like a critical moment in the team’s development•Getty ImagesAt the time, and in keeping with so many of this regime’s ickier elements, the shattering nature of England’s six-run defeat was initially lost in the “isn’t-Test-cricket-great?” narrative. And while images of Chris Woakes’ shoulder-in-a-sling heroism abounded, rather less was made of, say, Jamie Smith’s terrible slog off his third ball of that final day, or Gus Atkinson’s inability to grind his team over the line.Even Harry Brook’s bat-flinging departure attracted less eyebrow-raising than it might have done, thanks to the magnificent century that preceded it. You can’t have the one without the other, was the takeaway he brought down under with him, en route to a truly rank dismissal in England’s first innings at Brisbane for which Australia’s tail went out of their way to shame him two days later.And as for Pope, the vulnerability that has stalked him all year long – from Jacob Bethell’s competing claims to the loss of the vice-captaincy – confirms a fact about the Bazball mindset that hasn’t been fully acknowledged since England’s first attempts to “reset” the approach after their 4-1 loss in India. Bubbles pop when you poke holes in them. The doubts had flooded into the environment months ago – including, in all likelihood, from the white-ball set-up that McCullum took over (to deeply unspectacular effect) before the Champions Trophy in January.The sadness for Stokes in particular is that he has been conditioning his team to walk this tightrope throughout these three-and-a-half years. They’ve run towards the danger, they’ve explored their line and taken it “too far”, all with half an eye on a challenge that he, as captain, was willing to risk losing in order to win.Stokes will not get another shot at repairing his legacy in the country that has so defined his career. After two ill-balanced steps, his team’s challenge is already plunging towards the abyss. England need miracles from hereon in. But when you’re all out of faith, that’s easier said than done.

Richard Thompson insists 100-ball format will not change before end of current rights cycle

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025The tight turnaround between England’s international and the Hundred is a “short-term issue” which ECB chairman Richard Thompson has pledged will be solved for the next TV rights cycle.England’s men played one day before the start and two days after the end of the Hundred this year, leaving all-format players short on relevant preparation for the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. The same scenario will play out in 2026, with the Hundred expected to start two days after an ODI series against India and three days before the first Test against Pakistan.New investors in the Hundred will expect their England players to be available throughout the tournament. Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton and Ollie Pope missed London Spirit’s first game of this season, the day after the fifth Test at The Oval, which their incoming co-owner Nikesh Arora described as “disappointing” while calling for “better planning” by the ECB.Thompson acknowledged that the schedule is too crammed, speaking in his capacity as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society during England’s third ODI against South Africa on Sunday. “There are no easy answers, but the reality is we can’t have our cake and eat it,” Thompson told Sky Sports.”We want England players to play. This is our premium white-ball competition and we want England players to play in it. What we have to do is find a way of ensuring the schedule before and after the tournament [is better]. Take this year: the gap was a day or two days… That can’t be right.Related

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“If we’re going to get this level of investment, we’ve got to commit to ensuring our England players are available. We don’t want that to be at the expense of the success of England. We need to find a balance, and ultimately we can look at the schedule and we can try and free up time.”We’ve done this deal in the middle of a rights schedule. Come ’28, when we then cut the next deal for the next four years, we can cut this in a different way. We might have a short-term issue here, but we can overcome that.”Ultimately, if a player feels they’re injured, they’re going to rest themselves. They won’t want to play on an injury. England is still everything here. But we are not prepared to accept that you can’t find a halfway house and work with the owners to ensure that the owner will get what they need, and England will get what it needs.”Thompson also said that the tournament’s format will not change from 100-balls-a-side to T20 during the current broadcast cycle, which runs to the end of the 2028 summer, and denied that the sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises equates to selling the month of August to private investors.”I can categorically tell you it’s 100 balls next year,” he said. “I don’t think anything will change in this rights cycle. Sky [the Hundred’s main broadcaster] have bought 100 [balls a side]. Sky are not going to want to change that. It’s up to the owners and the ECB to decide what that might be in the future.”This is not English cricket selling off the family silver. This is English cricket bringing in investors to enable us to have a tournament that could challenge the IPL.”

Back in his first game after 93 days, Bumrah bowled the toughest phases – one in the powerplay and two in the death – and, as expected, came out unscathed

Alagappan Muthu07-Apr-20253:56

Bangar: Bumrah has the experience to deal with injury

For a little while at the Mumbai Indians (MI) training, Jasprit Bumrah was bigger than everybody. Towering over the man that won them multiple titles and soaring above their one-of-a-kind captain. He was put there because someone had hoisted him up into the air.It is not a space Bumrah is used to. He rarely puts himself there. History is littered with fast bowlers who believed they could fly. The trigger is usually when they manage to break a set of wooden sticks that people keep putting 22 yards in front of them. Bumrah is an expert at it and though there are instances where he too indulges, for the most part he prefers being where his feet are.He showed that once more against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), when his first ball after suffering a back injury was so no nonsense. On a length. Threatening the stumps. Forcing the batter to act. It was at 139.5kph. That’s not far off his top speed. He cranked it up when Virat Kohli was on strike: 142kph. But the batter – thanks to a long history of both watching Bumrah on the field and facing him in the nets – knew exactly what he would do. Hit that length again. Keep the stumps in play again. Kohli gave up his stumps and thanks to that bit of bravery he now had the room to smash the ball over midwicket for six.Related

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It is remarkable, given the gifts that Bumrah has, how much he values the basics of fast bowling. He hits the pitch hard. He makes sure the seam is upright. He asks questions that are entirely textbook. Just that they feel out of syllabus sometimes because of his bowling action and crucially that hyperextended elbow, which shrinks the length of the playing surface. It is perhaps this adherence to the tried and tested that makes it possible for him to return to cricket after 93 days in rehab and be the only bowler who isn’t smashed all around the park.The difference in his economy rate (7.25) and the next best (10) was once again startling. Doubly so given it’s only been days since he’s been cleared to bowl after the back injury that denied him a full participation in the Sydney Test earlier this year. People expected him to be rusty. At least a little bit. And he was. There have been 19 other instances in the IPL where the difference between his economy rate and the next best was higher (only bowlers who had finished their quota of overs were considered.)As ever, he bowled the toughest phases. One in the powerplay and two in the death. He came on for the 18th over after his captain Hardik Pandya had been hit for 24 runs in the previous one. At the time, it felt like the ball had taken leave of the earth’s gravity, intent only on flying through the air. Bumrah, though, brought it back to where his feet were. Six runs in six balls. A set batter and a finisher shut all the way down. Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma couldn’t line him up. His slower balls worked. His back-of-lengths gave them no room. His full tosses – he bowled seven – might have actually surprised them. Nobody expects Bumrah to miss his mark. He might hold fire, like he did when he jogged up to collect the ball and then feign a throw at Kohli’s stumps. The two players shared a big old laugh after that.With more games behind him, he will start to trust his body and those fast-twitch fibers will make sure the attempted yorker count goes down and the executed yorker (three) count goes up. Soon he will be back to his best. A man worth more than anybody else in the MI dugout. A star who turned a two-time T20 World Cup winner into a preening fan boy. “Welcome Mufasa,” Kieron Pollard said. Bumrah came down shaking his head. He really doesn’t like getting carried away.

Liverpool made sweeping changes in the summer transfer window, going where no team had gone before in spending more than £400m in a single transfer window.

A multitude of sales meant the total net spend fell behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, but the scale of Liverpool’s transformation cannot be understated, with FSG breaking the British transfer record twice.

First, Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, and the world-class playmaker has been one of the most worrying parts of Arne Slot’s side’s struggles this season, yet to score or assist in the top flight.

Alexander Isak has been a concern too, signing on deadline day for £125m. The former Newcastle United striker was called “the best striker in the Premier League” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher last year, but injuries and a struggle to click under Slot’s wing have left him with one goal and one assist across all competitions so far.

These players have to come good. Surely they will. These are two of the world’s finest, after all. However, the blunder of the Darwin Nunez deal serves as a cautionary tale that FSG perhaps haven’t heeded.

Why Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez

Nunez is one of the biggest and most frustrating enigmas of recent times at Liverpool. A maverick of a forward, the 25-year-old was horribly inconsistent across his three years at the club, only scoring 25 Premier League goals in total and missing so many more golden opportunities.

Given that he signed from Benfica for what would have been a club-record £85m fee (not reached due to clauses being left unmet), Nunez can only be considered a flop of a signing, never able to string together the prolificness needed to lead the line at Liverpool.

The likes of Wirtz and Isak will be worried that they face assuming similar reputations, no doubt, although both have arrived at Liverpool from a higher station than Nunez, who was sold to Al-Hilal this summer.

In any case, Nunez will be remembered fondly for his efforts and, for the most part, tenacity in a Liverpool shirt, but it’s clear that had Liverpool’s fortunes been bleaker across his years at the club, he would have faced more scathing rebuke.

And that might be the case for one new Redman. This player arrived this summer for a hefty fee and looks utterly lost in Slot’s system. In this, he is in danger of falling into a similar category.

The Liverpool star in danger of becoming Nunez 2.0

Signed from Bournemouth this summer for a £45m fee, Kerkez arrived at Liverpool with a weight of expectation and a reputation as one of the most exciting young left-backs in the world.

He was breathtaking in Andoni Iraola’s team last year, but Kerkez has fallen by the wayside across the opening months of his move to Merseyside.

Kerkez’s transfer fee might come in at less than half of that of someone like Nunez, but this is still a pretty penny for a full-back, and he faces a plummet into similar territory as the Uruguayan if he fails to hit a consistent vein of form.

There’s no question that this young man has what it takes to thrive at Liverpool; he was included in the 2024/25 PFA Team of the Year, after all.

However, Kerkez has really struggled across these opening months in Liverpool, a shadow of that south coast star.

Erratic and at odds with the tactical role that has been provided for him, the 22-year-old has lost his place in the starting line-up in recent weeks, unable to effectively add to the build-up.

Last season, Kerkez ranked among the top 12% of Premier League full-backs for progressive carries per 90 (2.86), but this has been reduced under Slot’s wing, ranking among the bottom 36% this year, with a 1.55 average (data courtesy of FBref).

But the wider shift of Kerkez’s tactical role is more clearly understood when looking at the wider scope of his malaise since that big-money transfer to Liverpool.

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

10 (9)

Goals

2

1

Assists

5

0

Touches*

59.6

50.8

Accurate passes*

28.6 (80%)

27.5 (86%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.5

Dribble (success)*

0.6

0.3

Recoveries*

4.7

2.7

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.6

Clearances*

2.6

3.4

Duels won*

4.0 (54%)

3.7 (61%)

Errors made

4x

2x

The £75k-per-week talent is no longer making those overlapping runs into the box, and neither has he found fluency and balance in his creativity this season. Given that he has been branded a “nervous wreck” by pundit Jamie Redknapp, it’s hard to see what he is offering his new club at this present moment, and that is why he has been benched for the Reds’ past two matches in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Of course, it is far too early to write Kerkez off, and this argument has been formed to underline the need for improvements on Kerkez’s part, but also with the hope for patience. This is a young and talented left-back who is struggling to perform in a system that has malfunctioned across the past several months.

Let’s not forget how Robertson struggled to adapt in Klopp’s team after joining from relegated Hull City for about £8m in 2016. Imagine if Liverpool had sold the Scotsman after that up-and-down maiden year, written him off before he ripened.

Equally, we cannot ignore the depths of Kerkez’s struggles since joining Liverpool, so incongruent on the flank of Slot’s system.

Given the coach’s need for hearty contribution from his full-backs in the build-up, it’s somewhat confusing that Kerkez has been signed for a big-money fee; he is an athletic, touchline-hugging kind of player, darting up and down and getting involved in attacks and stretching the width of his side.

Whether Liverpool fashion a superstar out of this young Hungarian is anyone’s guess at this stage, but we know he needs to do more, lest he fall into a similar category as Nunez before him, signed for a big fee after hitting heights in a smaller sphere but ultimately tripping up when heading down Anfield Road and putting on the heavy Liverpool shirt.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Phil Foden has been warned that he's the attacking midfielder most likely to lose their England World Cup spot, with Jude Bellingham backed to be on the plane. The Real Madrid man's omission from October's squad cast doubt over his place in Thomas Tuchel's setup. His November recall, and especially his starting role against Albania, eased those concerns.

Bellingham dug out after being subbed

Bellingham showed clear disappointment when his number went up during the 2-0 win in Tirana. He didn’t erupt, sulk, or storm off, but he didn’t disguise his frustration either. Tuchel admitted afterwards that he hadn’t even noticed it during the match.

"I’ll have to review it," he said with a shrug. "We're about standards, commitment and respect to each other. We'll not change our decision just because someone is waving their arms." 

While all eyes were on Bellingham’s every gesture, Foden was dealing with his own storyline. The Manchester City star had not played for England since March, and his return produced a mix of bright moments and quiet frustration. He delivered an assist for Eberechi Eze in the win over Serbia and injected flair against Albania. But he also began both matches from the bench which is an unfamiliar role for one of the Premier League’s standout performers. 

The surprise was amplified by Tuchel’s promise that both Foden and Bellingham were being brought back to play central roles. Yet even with that assurance, Foden didn’t start. The manager has openly expressed reluctance to field Foden, Bellingham and Harry Kane together, believing all three operate best in central pockets of the pitch. Against Albania, he relented, but for only 22 minutes. The question now is how long Foden will accept being a rotation option when the World Cup begins. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFoden's patience could be tested in 2026

Former England forward Emile Heskey has delivered one of the bluntest assessments yet of England’s creative logjam. Asked which attacking midfielder is most vulnerable, he didn’t hesitate.

Speaking exclusively to , Heskey admitted: "It’d probably be Foden. In my eyes, I think it’ll probably be between Foden and Cole Palmer. Cole Palmer hasn’t played much, so he needs to start playing to get that fitness up, especially for a manager who’s all about aggressive running and intensity, so it’ll be out of them.

"I think Jude will go [to the World Cup], if I’m honest with you. I don’t know too much about the camaraderie and the governance within the camp that everyone keeps talking about, but if you’re just going off play, I would say Jude has to go because he comes up with vital goals at pivotal times as well."

But the former striker also highlighted another rising contender in Morgan Rogers, as Heskey could barely contain his admiration for the Bournemouth attacker.

"But then, I think Morgan Rogers is brilliant," he said. "I love the way that he plays. I love the enthusiasm that he plays with. I love the positions that he gets into. He makes intelligent runs off the ball because he creates space for others as well with his runs. I definitely think he’s pushing as a starter, not just a squad player. I think he’s brilliant in that sense. I just think he gives you so much on and off the ball with intelligent runs, and he’s having a good season for me."

Can England cope if a big name misses out?

Heskey believes England could afford to leave one, or even two, high-profile No.10s at home and still challenge for the trophy.

"Yeah, definitely. They’ve got a togetherness anyway as a squad," he said. "They’ve got some fantastic players. They’re the cream of the crop for me. I can’t see them all not being there, but I could see probably one of them not being there, or one or two of them not being there."

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Getty Images SportThe battle ahead for the Three Lions

England’s fight for creativity is a full-scale power struggle between some of Europe’s most gifted footballers. Tuchel has insisted the World Cup squad will be built on "standards, commitment, and respect."

The Chicago Cubs gave team president Jed Hoyer a multi-year extension on Monday, just days before MLB's trade deadline, Marquee Network's Taylor McGregor reported.

Hoyer's five-year deal as the Cubs' president would've expired after the 2025 season. He took over the role from Theo Epstein in 2020. Hoyer previously was the team's general manager from 2011-20.

Hoyer and Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts both released statements shortly after the news dropped.

The Cubs are tied for the second-best record in MLB right now with a 62-43 record, sitting just one game back from the league-leading Mets. Chicago is tied with the Brewers for second place, and the two NL Central teams happen to begin a three-game series against each other on Monday. There will be some shake-up in the standings based on who wins those matchups.

Hoyer's extension was the Cubs' first big move ahead of the trade deadline on Thursday. The team is expected to make some moves this week, so we'll see what Hoyer and the rest of the organization agrees on. Here's some possible options for the Cubs to sign.

Leeds United reportedly have no plans to part ways with head coach Daniel Farke after the club’s 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out in the Premier League.

Sky Sports recently claimed that there is ‘growing discontent among supporters’ over the German manager’s position at Elland Road, but the Whites are not planning to fire him.

The West Yorkshire outfit are sat on 11 points from 11 matches and are one point above the relegation zone, which means that they are currently on course to achieve their goal of survival.

However, the Whites play Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea in three of their next four matches and may find themselves in the bottom three heading into the festive period.

Aston Villa

Elland Road

Manchester City

The Etihad

Chelsea

Elland Road

Liverpool

Elland Road

Brentford

GTech Community Stadium

Crystal Palace

Elland Road

Sunderland

Stadium of Light

Whilst one reaction to a bad run of form in that tough run of fixtures could be to remove the manager, another could be to back him with the right tools in the January window.

Adding more attacking quality to the squad should be one of the board’s priorities, because Leeds have not had enough of that in the Premier League so far this season.

Leeds United's biggest xG underperformers

The Championship champions have underperformed their xG of 12.7, scoring just 11 goals, per FBref, which shows that Farke’s players have let him down in front of goal in the top-flight.

Ultimately, the German boss cannot score the goals for them. If his coaching is creating high-quality chances on a consistent basis, as the xG suggests that it is, then it should be the players who are looked at if they are not taking those chances.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, five of the seven players who have underperformed their xG the most in the squad this season have not scored a single goal, including attackers like Joel Piroe, Jack Harrison, and Dan James.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s significant underperformance in front of goal is possibly the most frustrating, as he was signed from Everton in the summer as an experienced Premier League operator.

The £100k-per-week centre-forward, whose only goal for the club so far came against Wolves in September, has scored one goal and missed ten ‘big chances’ in ten appearances in all competitions for the Whites, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the former England international has been incredibly wasteful in the final third, which is why it would have pleased Farke to see Lukas Nmecha score with a clinical finish against Forest before the start of the break.

Calvert-Lewin’s underperformance is a cause for concern and may be why the Whites are reportedly looking at another striker to potentially add to their squad.

Leeds keeping tabs on star with club-record price tag

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds United are showing an interest in FC Midtjylland centre-forward Franculino ahead of the January transfer window.

Bailey told LeedsUnitedNews: “He’s (Franculino) got a lot of teams looking at him. West Ham like him a lot, they looked at him in the summer. Midtjylland have put a £40m price tag on him.

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“Teams will possibly try to soften that by putting in lesser offers. He’s got an awful lot of interest; I’m told over 20 clubs across Europe like him. Leeds have looked at him, he’s on their radar, they’ve watched him.”

A £40m move for Franculino would be a club-record fee for the Whites, as it would eclipse the £35.5m deal they agreed to pay Hoffenheim for Georgino Rutter in January 2023.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the 49ers are prepared to break the club’s record transfer fee to bolster Farke’s squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Why Leeds United should sign Franculino in January

The Whites should break the bank to sign the Guinea-Bissau international in the January transfer window because he could come in as a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin in the centre-forward position.

Since his move from Benfica in 2023, the left-footed marksman has racked up an eye-catching 52 goals and 13 assists in 99 appearances in all competitions for Midtjylland, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has averaged a goal more than every other game for the Danish side.

Three of those 52 goals have come in his four appearances in the Europa League so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he can deliver quality in front of goal at a respectable level.

Whilst there may be question marks over how the Danish Superliga translates to the English Premier League, there is no denying that his form for Midtjylland is incredibly eye-catching.

Appearances

9

14

Goals

1

14

Minutes per goal

615

76

Conversion rate

6%

38%

Big chances missed

6

7

Big chances created

1

3

Assists

0

3

As you can see in the table above, the Guinea-Bissau international has averaged a goal every 76 minutes, with a goal every game, in the Danish top-flight, whilst Calvert-Lewin has only managed a goal every 615 minutes.

Franculino, who was described as “simply unstoppable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has offered significantly more to his team this season than Calvert-Lewin has in the final third, as both a goalscorer and a creator.

The 21-year-old star’s all-time statistics for Midtjylland also suggest that it is not a flash in the pan, as he has a terrific overall record, and that is why he could be an exciting addition to Farke’s squad to solve their finishing problems.

Calvert-Lewin’s form for Leeds since his move from Everton has not been good enough, as evidenced by his xG underperformance, and Franculino appears to be a player who could come in and be the clinical finisher that the Whites lack, which is why he may be worth paying a club-record fee for.

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ByRobbie Walls Nov 14, 2025

Leicestershire close in on victory that would sign off their Division Two title triumph in style

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Northamptonshire 189 and 120 for 5 (Keogh 42, Trevaskis 3-31) need a further 381 runs to beat Leicestershire 429 and 260 for 5 dec (Patel 76, Cox 51*, Budinger 50)Liam Trevaskis and Chris Wright sliced through Northamptonshire’s top order as Leicestershire closed in on a victory that would sign off their Rothesay County Championship Division Two title triumph in style.The Foxes, already confirmed as champions last week, declared and set Northamptonshire an improbable 501 to win at Wantage Road following Rishi Patel’s 76 and an unbeaten 30-ball half-century by Ben Cox.Left-arm spinner Trevaskis took three wickets, with seamer Wright – playing his final game prior to retirement – capturing the other two to reduce the home side to 120 for 5 before bad light halted play.Northamptonshire’s Rob Keogh top-scored with 42, passing 10,000 runs across all formats in the process, but his side’s slim hopes of staving off defeat largely rest on Saif Zaib, unbeaten on 20 at stumps.Leicestershire resumed with an overall lead of 326 and eight wickets in hand, but they were initially stifled by a tight spell from George Scrimshaw, who found some movement in both directions.However, it was a straight delivery from the seamer that removed Lewis Hill, leg-before for 38 and Patel then took command, punching a series of boundaries and bringing up his half-century with a straight drive off Stuart van der Merwe.Van der Merwe was also slog-swept for six by the Foxes opener, but there was success for his fellow rookie Nirvan Ramesh when Stephen Eskinazi reverse-swept the off-spinner and deflected onto his stumps.Although Patel’s hopes of another century to back up his 114 against Kent last week were dashed shortly before lunch when he nicked Zaib behind, the champions chose to bat on into the afternoon session.Yet Cox’s lightning half-century ensured that the innings continued for only five more overs – enough time for Leicestershire to pile up another 53 runs and extend their advantage to exactly 500.Cox bludgeoned the vast majority of those, scooping Scrimshaw for six and then flicking Ben Whitehouse over square leg and out of the ground before a booming four over the bowler’s head signalled both his 50 and the declaration.Logan van Beek and Wright gave away very little at the start of Northamptonshire’s second innings, with the ball rolling across the boundary rope just once during the first 11 attritional overs.Wright, bringing down the curtain on a 22-year professional career, dismissed both openers as Arush Buchake was caught behind pushing at a ball that left him before Lewis McManus drove straight to gully.Having edged Wright to the third boundary to reach his career landmark, Keogh gained a life soon afterwards when he nudged Josh Hull through the slips for four more, but settled down as he and James Sales steered their side to tea.The partnership progressed to 67, but Keogh’s good fortune ran out soon after the restart as he aimed an ambitious drive at Trevaskis and this time Patel safely pouched the chance at slip.Sales departed in the left-armer’s next over, caught behind off a bottom edge and Trevaskis then trapped Justin Broad lbw in a prolonged spell – partly enforced by the darkening clouds which restricted Leicestershire to slower bowling.Patel came on to deliver a single over of leg-breaks before the deteriorating light brought an end to proceedings, with Leicestershire needing five more wickets to wrap up victory on the final day of the season.

The Mumbai allrounder lifted his team from 47 for 7 and then took a wicket during an economical spell

S Sudarshanan23-Jan-2025They came to watch Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal. They ended up cheering for Shardul Thakur.Around 200 spectators had gathered at the Sharad Pawar Academy in the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, but only a little more than half had got in by the time Jaiswal and Rohit, who was playing his first Ranji Trophy game in nearly a decade, were dismissed early on Thursday morning. The home side needed at least one outright victory from their remaining two league games to qualify for the knockout round, but here they were tottering at 47 for 7 an hour and a half into the first morning against Jammu and Kashmir.It was time for Thakur’s first act: 51 off 57 balls at No. 8, and a partnership of 63 with Tanush Kotian for the ninth wicket, to drag Mumbai past 100 in tough conditions.The J&K quicks Umar Nazir Mir and Yudhvir Singh swung the ball viciously, hitting the right lines and lengths to challenge both edges of Thakur’s bat. He survived two lbw appeals in quick succession, but when a semblance of width was on offer, Thakur attacked. Thakur has fought these battles in more high-profile arenas; three of his four half-centuries in Test cricket came when India were in trouble. One of them was India’s second-fastest fifty at the time.Related

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Thakur pulled Yudhvir over midwicket to move to 49 before carving to deep point to complete a 51-ball fifty. The small crowd was delighted; several employees from nearby offices stood along the railings enjoying a lunch break well spent. Thakur finally holed out to long-on – Mumbai all out for 120 – and shook his head in disappointment all the way back to his team-mates.”I like batting in difficult situations,” Thakur said after stumps. “In easy situations, everyone does well, but how you put up the show in adverse situations matters. I see tough situations as a challenge and always think about how to overcome that challenge.”Thakur wasn’t done, though, and came out for a second act. He took the new ball and had a close appeal for lbw turned down against Shubham Khajuria in the opening over. In his second over, Thakur found Khajuria’s outside edge but Shreyas Iyer failed to hold the catch diving to his right at second slip. His only wicket – Abdul Samad caught behind – was an important one as it broke a 58-run stand for the third wicketThakur helped limit J&K’s lead to 54 runs with only three wickets in hand at the end of day one. He was Mumbai’s most economical bowler, conceding 29 in 13 overs, which was a big change from his recent performances in the two domestic white-ball tournaments.In the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he was Mumbai’s most expensive bowler (also their highest wicket-taker), and he went for more than six an over in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. And before all that, Thakur had found no buyers at the IPL auction in November and will not be part of the 2025 season.”You have to forget whatever has happened in the past; it is not going to change,” he said of those events. “It is important to be in the present and think about what you can do in the near future.”If you see the domestic T20 or one-day tournaments, most teams winning the toss won the match. Games started at 9am, there was out-and-out help for fast bowlers for 20 overs. We lost the toss against two good teams [ Karnataka and Punjab] and the pitch becomes flat after lunch. They were tracks you can hit on from ball one.”In such cases, you can’t judge bowlers. On those surfaces any top bowler get hit; take any top bowler, he will get hit. The pitches were made such that 300-350 were easily being scored, bowlers were going at an economy of six to six-and-a-half runs per over. You do not need to take those performances to heart, I think. There are ups and downs in cricket and it is important to be in the present and think about how you can do better in the near future.”The near future, for Thakur and Mumbai, is to fight back in this crucial Ranji Trophy fixture against J&K. That they aren’t out of it already is down to Thakur, and not his more high-profile team-mates.