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Rashford has been on loan at Aston Villa and faces an uncertain summer with seemingly little chance of returning to Old Trafford.

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Rashford linked with Barcelona moveEngland forward has done well at VillaGary Pallister says he can restore former valuationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester United legend Gary Pallister has backed Marcus Rashford to become a player worth £100m again but admitted the England forward may not get a move to Barcelona because of the La Liga giants' financial issues.

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Rashford made the loan switch to Villa in January after confirming his desire to leave United and try something different. He has scored four goals and supplied five assists for Unai Emery's side since, though he hasn't played in almost a month due to a hamstring problem. The 27-year-old also has a reported interest in joining Barcelona, though there are concerns his considerable £350,000-a-week wages could block any potential summer move from materialising.

WHAT PALLISTER SAID

Pallister told William Hill: "Barcelona is a great football club, they are a top team for any player. They have had financial problems, so they may find it difficult to sign Rashford in the summer. But it will also depend on whether Aston Villa decide to buy him permanently.

"He was a £100m player a few years ago, so his valuation has dropped a lot. But there is a player in there, and if he can return to that form, he can go back to being worth that amount."

DID YOU KNOW?

Rashford's current contract with United isn't due to expire until 2028 and the Red Devils would be keen to sell the England international if possible, with INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe undertaking a number of unpopular cost-cutting measures since arriving at Old Trafford.

MCC criticised for hosting annual Eton-Harrow fixture but solitary women’s ODI since 2017

Matt Roller26-Jun-2023The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) were “alarmed” by the “truly appalling” fact that England Women have never played a Test match at Lord’s, making the damning assertion that: “The ‘home of cricket’ is still a home principally for men.”In a 317-page report published on Tuesday, the ICEC highlighted the “public function” of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the private members’ club which owns Lord’s and said that recent decisions made by the club’s members have sent “a very public signal about the club’s values”.Specifically, the ICEC recommended to MCC that the annual Eton-Harrow and Oxford-Cambridge fixtures should no longer be staged at Lord’s after 2023, and that they should be replaced by a national Under-15 state school finals’ day for boys and girls, and a national university finals’ day for men’s and women’s teams.”We respect and value many of the traditions of cricket generally, and Lord’s in particular, but not all,” the commission wrote in its report. “Some no longer have a place in contemporary Britain.”Guaranteeing a tiny number of schoolboys the right to play at Lord’s every year when millions of children are denied that right is completely unacceptable. So too is the fact that the schoolboys of two expensive and elite institutions get to play at Lord’s every year when the England Women’s national team have yet to play a Test Match there.”The Oxford and Cambridge match has also had its time and should no longer be played at Lord’s. It sends a similar message of elitism, entrenching the position of certain institutions to which only a small minority of school pupils will gain access.”Related

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England Women have played at Lord’s only once in any format since they won the 2017 World Cup final there six years ago – though are due to return on July 8 for the third T20I of the ongoing Ashes series.England Men, by contrast, have played two Tests and at least one limited-overs international at Lord’s every year since 2000 – except for the pandemic-affected 2020 summer.Richard Thompson, ECB chair, told BBC Radio 4’s programme: “That’s unacceptable, and we’re going to ensure that there will be a Test match by the England Women in 2026 – and that should have happened sooner. So that has been addressed and will be addressed in 2026 when we also host the Women’s T20 World Cup which is a real moment for women’s sport in this country. Clearly, we hope that will be a celebration of cricket.”The commission highlighted the successful attempt by MCC members to challenge the decision of the club’s committee to move the “historic fixtures” away from Lord’s as “an illustration… of the obstacles placed in the way of those seeking to modernise the game”.It added: “MCC may be a private members’ club, in which some members may resent ‘interference’ with their right to make their own decisions, but it is also a club that benefits from substantial amounts of money from the general public through ticket sales for major matches, with all the accompanying publicity and prestige.”Those who argue for the continuation of the Historic Fixtures do not seem to understand the damage they are doing to the reputation of MCC and Lord’s in the public imagination – compounding a view, whether fair or not, that MCC members are out of touch, elitist and unrepresentative of both the wider population and those who play cricket.”As the game strives to become more inclusive, as it clearly must, decisions such as these at ‘the home of cricket’ do more harm than some people appear to realise.”Lord’s was also singled out as the only major venue in the country that does not permit the use of musical instruments, which the commission gave as an example of “ways in which authorities have sought to sanitise the atmosphere at grounds”, saying the ban “had a disproportionate impact on ethnically diverse communities, particularly those from Caribbean communities”.In a statement, the MCC Chief Executive & Secretary, Guy Lavender said: “Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) received the report published by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) earlier today. We recognise that it will make very difficult reading for everyone involved in cricket in this country. This is a vitally important piece of work and all stakeholders in the game must now reflect on the contents of the report.”MCC is named in the report and we will be analysing the findings in detail. We are committed to playing our part in ensuring cricket is the most inclusive sport in this country and that Lord’s is a place where everyone feels welcome.”

Mason Greenwood scored a stunning individual goal to help secure Marseille a return to the Champions League in style.

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Marseille win 3-1 at Le HavreGreenwood scores stunning goalSecure Champions League qualificationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Marseille looked like they would drop points in the Champions League qualification race on Saturday at Le Havre, but ex-Manchester United man Greenwood rifled in a superb strike from 25 yards to settle the away team's nerves. They went on to win the game 3-1, which meant with one game remaining, they cannot drop out of the top four and the Champions League spots.

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Greenwood has now scored 20 goals in his debut season for Marseille, but this campaign has not been without its troubles. The forward has been criticised for his "nonchalant" attitude, benched by head coach Roberto De Zerbi for a perceived lack of effort, and reports have suggested he could make a Premier League return due to homesickness. But his efforts have secured Marseille their return to Europe's elite competition for the first time since 2021 and that should not be overlooked.

AFPWHAT NEXT?

Marseille, who sit second in Ligue 1, will try to finish the season on a high when they host Rennes next Saturday. They are currently one point ahead of third-placed Monaco.

Bayern Munich have been told to ditch Leroy Sane after a shock contract U-turn amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.

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Sane has not yet signed an extensionBayern have given him 10 days to sign the dealDidi Hamann wants him out of BayernFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern are understood to have given Sane a 10-day deadline to put pen to paper on a proposed new three-year contract. The club has made it clear there will be no further negotiation: the current terms are final, with no room for added bonuses or a larger signing-on fee. Should the 28-year-old fail to comply within the window, Bayern are prepared to allow him to leave on a free transfer at the end of his current deal.

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If Sane does choose to move on, a return to the English Premier League seems highly likely. According to journalist Christian Falk, the former Manchester City star is keen to relocate to England, where he previously enjoyed great success under Pep Guardiola. Sane’s new representative, Pini Zahavi, is expected to approach Arsenal to assess the Gunners’ interest in reigniting talks for the German international. Chelsea are also reportedly watching closely as the Stamford Bridge club is in the midst of rebuilding their attacking line and may see Sane as an ideal option to add proven experience and creativity to their youthful squad.

WHAT DIDI HAMANN SAID

Former Bayern and Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann has weighed in on the situation, suggesting the club should not cave in to increasing demands.

In his column for he wroteFor a long time, it looked like a contract extension for Leroy Sane at FC Bayern, but then the player changed his agent and is demanding more money. He's welcome to change agents, but if something has already been negotiated, the club has to stand firm.

"What Bayern are experiencing now are the consequences of the exorbitant sums they have paid in recent months. Utopian demands from their agents were approved. There was a feeling that the club did not have the final say. FC Bayern must take back control! Therefore, now would be a good time to withdraw the offer for Sane."

DID YOU KNOW?

Sane joined Bayern from City in 2020, and during his time with the club, he has amassed an impressive record. In 218 appearances across all competitions, the winger has scored 61 goals and provided 54 assists. Despite his on-field contributions, Bayern now find themselves at a crossroads with Sane. With the club determined to reassert its authority in contract matters, the coming days will be critical in determining whether the player remains in Bavaria or seeks a fresh challenge abroad.

Super Giants are quite well placed despite their recent losses, while Sunrisers are at No. 9 but very much in the race too

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2023Sunrisers Hyderabad – #9
Sunrisers Hyderabad are the only team to have played fewer than 11 matches so far – they have played only ten, while five teams have already played 12. That means the last week will be the busiest for them, but it also means they have the best chance of making up lost ground, for they could still potentially double their current points tally of eight.If SRH do win each of their last four matches and finish on 16, they will give themselves a great chance of qualification. It could still come down to net run-rate as five teams could potentially end up on 16 or more, but SRH will very much be in the mix.If they lose this one, though, they will be at the mercy of several other results going their way, for as many as six teams, excluding SRH, can reach 16.The other disadvantage for SRH is their home record: one win in five games this season. They have done better in away matches – three wins out of five – but their remaining away games are against teams which have pretty good home records this season: Mumbai Indians (four out of six) and Gujarat Titans (three out of six).Lucknow Super Giants – #5
Lucknow Super Giants have lost their way after a relatively strong start, collecting only three points from their last five games. However, they are still in charge of their own destiny: three wins in three games will take them to 17 points and assure them of qualification.One loss, however, will put them in tricky territory, as up to five teams can finish on 16 or more points. For that to happen, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings will have to win all their matches; so if LSG don’t maximise the points from their remaining games, they will have to hope that other teams slip up.Curiously, LSG can even make it to the top four with 13 points, but for that to happen, Titans, Chennai Super Kings and MI will have to win most of their games so that the other teams are stuck on 12 or fewer points.

Sevilla’s Loic Bade is holding out for a move to Inter, rejecting offers from Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth as he awaits a defensive spot to open.

Bade prioritises Inter over all offersUnder contract with Sevilla until June 202925-year-old key defensive target for NerazzurriFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Bade has made it clear that Inter is his preferred destination this summer. Despite concrete offers from Leverkusen and interest from Bournemouth and Borussia Dortmund, the Sevilla defender is prepared to wait for the Nerazzurri club to make their move. Inter, however, need to offload a defender before they can finalise the transfer.

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The Frenchman remains one of Europe’s most in-demand defenders, valued at €30 million (£26m/$33m) by Sevilla and tied to a contract until 2029. His combination of composure, aerial strength, and ball-playing ability has caught the attention of top clubs. While Erik ten Hag's team are pushing hard, and Dortmund have joined the race, Inter’s interest has taken priority for the Frenchman. However, a delay from the Serie A side could force him to reconsider other options.

TELL ME MORE…

The 25-year-old has been instrumental for Los Nervionenses, showcasing leadership and defensive stability. Piero Ausilio, Inter’s sporting director, has personally requested Bade's camp to stall negotiations with other clubs until Inter can clear squad space, reports .

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Inter must act quickly, a defensive sale will need to be finalised before any move for Bade can happen. Sevilla, meanwhile, will hold firm on their €30m valuation. If Inter delay too long, Leverkusen could pounce and seal the deal.

Chelsea are now ready to make an opening offer for Palmeiras forward Allan, but there could be competition for his signature from two of the world’s biggest clubs.

The Blues have already added one young Brazilian forward to their ranks in recent times, with Estevao emerging as a first-team regular this season, and the 18-year-old got off the mark in front of goal in the 2-1 victory against Liverpool last month.

With the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens also on the books, Enzo Maresca already has plenty of exciting youngsters at his disposal in attacking areas, and the west Londoners have now started running the rule over forwards with more top-level experience.

Maresca’s side are now ready to launch a January move for Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr, amid tensions with manager Xabi Alonso, although a deal could be on the expensive side, considering he is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world.

Chelsea ready to bid for Palmeiras forward Allan

Vinicius is not the only Brazilian forward Chelsea are looking to sign, however, with a report from Spain revealing BlueCo are also ready to bid for Palmeiras’ Allan, but there could be competition for his signature from Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old is protected by a release clause of nearly €100m (£88m), and with the Brazilian club determined to receive a large fee, akin to the money raised by selling Estevao and Vitor Reis, so a deal may need to break the bank.

With Palmeiras extending the youngster’s contract until 2029, however, they remain in a strong negotiating position for the time being.

The starlet has impressed at times for Palmeiras, being described as their “standout” player by journalist Leandro Boudakian earlier this year, and he is extremely versatile, having featured in central midfield, on both wings, and in attacking midfield for the Brazilian club.

Not only that, but the Florianopolis-born attacker has regularly displayed his dribbling and creative talents over the past year, ranking in a very high percentile on both metrics, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Successful take-ons

2.93 (99th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.93 (98th percentile)

Assists

0.42 (99th percentile)

That said, the Palmeiras academy graduate didn’t exactly set the world alight in the 2025 Brazilian Serie A, chipping in with just one goal and two assists in 21 appearances, which suggests he may be some way off first-team level at a club like Chelsea.

Allan is still very young, but the Blues have already signed a plethora of youngsters in recent times, including Gittens, Garnacho and Estevao, so it would not be the end of the world if they missed out on another.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 2, 2025

Smith insisted he had not requested a move back down the order but rather just told Andrew McDonald his preference

Alex Malcolm21-Oct-20241:36

What’s the logic of moving Smith back down the order?

Steven Smith has said Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne “hated” him opening the batting in the Test team, and believes it was a key driver behind his return to No. 4, but has insisted he did not request the move and would have continued to open if asked to.Australia’s chair selectors George Bailey confirmed last week that Smith would not be opening against India saying Smith “had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position” and that captain Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald had made the decision.McDonald stated on ABC Radio at the weekend that he and Cummins were the key decision-makers in the move, playing down Smith’s influence.Related

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Smith wanted it on the record that he had not explicitly requested to move back to No. 4 but had rather been asked by McDonald what his preferred batting spot was. He also added that Khawaja and Labuschagne had both expressed their discontent at him opening.”I got asked where I’d prefer to bat, and I said four. I didn’t ask [to move] though,” Smith said. “I also said I’m happy batting wherever. I’m not really too fussed. I got asked where my preference would be, and I said four. I saw a few things last week saying that I’ve requested to bat at four. That wasn’t the case. I said I’m happy to bat wherever you’d like me to bat but, yeah, four would be my ideal position.”Asked what had changed since earlier this year, he said: “Obviously there’s a spot there now with Greeny [Cameron Green] out. And I think just conversations we had after New Zealand with particularly Marnus and Uzzie, they hated me up top, to be honest. They wanted me behind them.”They just like the…they call it security behind them, in a way. They were pretty strong on me not batting there. So that was a big part of it. And then obviously, I’ve got a decent record at four.”It was good fun having a crack at something new, batting up top. I still feel like I could do a job there for sure. It was a pretty small sample size. But I’ve done pretty well at four for a number of years now. I feel like it’s probably where I can have my best input for this team at the moment.”Smith was set to move regardless of Green’s injury as the conversations had taken place prior to the limited-overs tour of England.He was asked whether he felt like he could have continued in the role longer term given his average of 28.50 in the four Tests in the job was not that bad as no opener averaged more than 32 across those four Tests.In his own style: Steven Smith leaves the ball alone•Getty Images”Honestly, I’m not that fussed,” Smith said. “I said it when I took that job, I’m not really fussed where I bat. The conversations I had with the other guys, they didn’t like it at all. They wanted some security, I suppose, behind them, where I’ve done really well for a number of years, and I can understand that as well. So it is what it is and I’m not going to be opening this summer. That’s it.”Smith made 3 off 29 balls for New South Wales against Victoria in his first red-ball innings since the New Zealand Test series in March and his first Sheffield Shield match since 2021.On a day when 15 wickets fell at the MCG in difficult batting conditions, Smith was upbeat about the innings despite being caught down the leg side off Fergus O’Neill.”I actually felt pretty good out there, to be honest, for the three that I scored strangely enough,” Smith said. “I felt like I was moving well. I was leaving well, and got a little bit unlucky with the one that sort of took off a little bit down the leg side. And that can happen. But I actually felt like I was getting in nice positions. My bat path was good and felt pretty good. So happy with that.”Meanwhile, Smith has been impressed with his limited time watching 19-year-old Sam Konstas who was lbw after 10 balls on the second day at the MCG”He got a bit unlucky there I reckon,” Smith said. “It looked like it might have been just darting down leg a little bit. I haven’t seen a lot of him. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of him out here in the middle for sure. But from what I have seen in the nets, he’s got a lot of time.Steven Smith threw in Nic Maddinson’s name as a potential opening option•Getty Images”He’s very organised. He plays fast bowling and spin well from what I’ve seen in the brief couple of times I’ve seen him bat, it’s looked really good. He’s a bright prospect. We’ve got to remember he’s only 19 as well so you he’s got plenty of time. But what I’ve seen so far, it looks promising”He’s got all the makings to definitely be a really good Test player. That’s for sure. Whether it’s now or in the future, time will tell.”Smith also threw Nic Maddinson’s name in the mix as a possible candidate to open the batting for Australia against India given he is a similar type of player to David Warner.”There’s a few really good candidates, guys that have, done really well the last few years,” Smith said. “[Cameron] Bancroft and the usual suspects that have been talked about. Maddo I think is also another really good candidate. He’s had a good couple of years. If you’re looking for someone similar to a Davey replacement, he gets after the ball and can score really quickly.”So he’s someone who probably hasn’t been spoken about a great deal from all you guys in the last little bit, but I think he’s someone that could definitely play test cricket and have a similar impact to what Davey sort of had at the top, the way he plays. So plenty of options. We’ll wait and see.”

Two 25-year-olds come to watch an MLC game to just knock off a bucket list item, only to return home as cricket fans

Peter Della Penna17-Jul-2023The national anthem had just finished playing at the Grand Prairie Stadium, and night three of Major League Cricket in Texas was moments away from the first ball. As the players took the field, a pair of 25-year-olds with a Jacob deGrom Texas Rangers jersey and a Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta Braves jersey walked with cups of beer in their hands toward their seats on the north side of the stadium.”Never been [to a cricket match and we’re] sports guys so I was like we might as well go watch it one time, go watch some ball and stick,” Parker Janse, who played shortstop and second base for the Stephen F Austin University college baseball team in Nacogdoches – known as the Lumberjacks – said. “I live in Dallas, it’s on the way home. We’ll stop by for the cricket for a little bit.”Janse, along with his dad Kevin – a Dallas police officer – and friend Jeremy Rodriguez, a former team-mate at Stephen F. Austin who is now on the coaching staff for the baseball team as the director of analytics and player development, were along for the ride. Earlier in the day, Janse paid US $325 for seats in the fourth row behind home plate as a birthday gift for his dad to watch the Texas Rangers beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-0. The game ended at 5.35pm, plenty of time to drive seven miles towards Dallas and stop off to buy a $30 ticket at the Grand Prairie Stadium to see San Francisco Unicorns take on Seattle Orcas.Related

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“Before this morning, nothing,” Janse said, when asked what he knew about cricket, other than that he also had an ex-girlfriend whose surname was Cricket. “We watched a few YouTube videos to get us ready for it. Kind of like a bucket list thing. We love all sports. We’re all in with the Orcas. Save the Orcas! They were handing these flags out [at the entrance gates] so it just solidified that we were going for them. We didn’t know who was playing until we walked in.””That’s not true,” Rodriguez cut in. “I texted you and said it was the Unicorns and the Orcas.””I thought that was a joke.””I was being dead serious.””I did not realise that it was actually the Unicorns vs the Orcas.””You wanna know something crazy?” Rodriguez, who is originally from Houston but now lives in Nacogdoches, 180 miles southeast of Grand Prairie, asked. “When we played baseball, we played here at the Airhogs Stadium before it became a cricket place. We used to play here a lot, actually. There used to be a swimming pool over there.” Rodriguez pointed to an area behind what used to be the outfield fence where part of the original entertainment zone, including a pool, had been removed to accommodate the renovation of the facility for cricket.A few minutes into play, Quinton de Kock tried to flick over the leg side and was bowled, drawing the first reaction out of Janse.”Ohhhh! A wicket! He’s out!” Janse shouted.”That’s our guy though,” Rodriguez shouted back. “We’re on the Orcas. So that’s not very exciting… We also know how to read the scoreboard now. Nine runs for one out for Seattle right now. The bowlers get six pitches and then they have to rotate.”A few minutes later, Orcas were back on track as Nauman Anwar hit a four back down the ground off Carmi le Roux straight towards Janse and Rodriguez.MLC staffer Christopher White shows a cricket ball for new fans and former college baseball players Jeremy Rodriguez and Parker Janse to get a feel of•Peter Della Penna”Ohhh, that’s gonna bounce over the fence. That’s gonna be four!” Janse shouted as he grabbed his Orcas flag and started waving it vigorously. “That’s four! How do you make an Orca sound? Arrrrr Arrrr Arrrr!!!” As Tajinder Singh Dhillon went to retrieve the ball near the boundary rope, Janse broke out the baseball fan-style trash talk. “Hey Dhillon! Probably wish you were on the Orcas, huh pal!”After a brisk start though, Anwar got out to a short ball he struggled to fend away, popping it up tamely to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Rodriguez didn’t hold back with his disappointment while looking at the replay on the stadium’s giant video board.”Oh, look at that checked swing, Jesus Christ,” Rodriguez blurted out before screaming towards Anwar walking off, “Hey! If you’re gonna swing the bat, swing it! Let’s go!””He got jammed!” Janse argued.”I don’t care if he got jammed. Get your bat through the zone and let it rip!”In the eighth over, cricket’s two newest fans were busy heckling Unicorns fielder Chaitanya Bishnoi. He was wearing jersey number 10 and was being shuffled around moving from deep fine leg to being asked to come back to field inside the 30-yard circle at short fine leg. “Ohhh… he is lost! Get this guy a map! Get this guy a map!” Janse shouted.But then Janse and Rodriguez saw something they had never come across on a baseball field. Shehan Jayasuriya walked across his stumps to play a ramped flick wide of the wicketkeeper for four. Initially, Janse and Rodriguez were slightly confused as Janse proclaimed, “I thought it was a foul ball to the backstop, but it’s four runs.” Then the replay of the shot was shown from the stump cam angle, eliciting a greater reaction.”Oh, my god. That was electric! That was electric!” Janse shouted before praising Jayasuriya’s shot selection further. “That’s situational hitting. He knew that number 10 was lost. He heard me tell him to get a map, so he knew that it was open out here.”At the end of the eighth over, Marcus Stoinis, wearing jersey number 17 for Unicorns, arrived nearby to field on the long-off boundary. Janse and Rodriguez didn’t hesitate to engage him.

“It’s quite a personal stadium in terms of like you can interact with the crowd. The crowd feels close, and you can hear what they’re saying and stuff like that, so it’s good to have a chat.”Marcus Stoinis

“Seventeen, I need your bicep curl routine,” Janse shouted. “That’s a hammer curl guy. You do a lot of hammers, a lotta hammer curls.”Stoinis couldn’t help but crack a smile before making the hammer curl motion while looking at Janse and Rodriguez, prompting the latter to scream, “Yeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!””I can tell you’re rippin the hammer curls,” Janse shouted out again before turning to Rodriguez with further analysis. “He’s 100% jacked. He’s humongous. He would eat me.”A short while after this exchange, two MLC employees came by to say hello to these passionate and boisterous first-time fans. They were Christopher White, brother of Unicorns squad member David White, and Zubin Surkari. When Janse and Rodriguez were informed that Surkari’s most famous cricket moment was being hit in the box by a 95 mph full toss from Shaun Tait when Canada played Australia in the 2011 World Cup in India, Janse went straight to his phone to look it up on YouTube.Rodriguez: “Oh my god. You look in agony! You’re in so much pain.”Janse: “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh…. Oh my god. I’m so sorry! Ohhhhhhhhh….”Rodriguez: “Are you friends with that guy?”Surkari: “He bought me a beer afterward.”Rodriguez: “How many sixes did you hit off him?”Surkari: “I was out next ball.”

****

A few overs later, new batter Shimron Hetmyer skied a chance over short third where Haris Rauf, wearing jersey number 97 for Unicorns, backpedalled but couldn’t hold on to a chance. As the ball was in the air, Janse could see it was going to be a tough one.”You’re not catching that…. Told you! Ohhhhhhh…. Butterfingers!” Janse shouted. “Lay off the chicken wings there 97!””Ninety-seven in speed, zero in ball skills!” Rodriguez layered on top. “It was a can of corn. All he had to do is lay out.”In the next over, Stoinis was back fielding on the long-off boundary where he ran to his right to make an athletic stop, drawing more praise.”That’s great fielding there, 17,” Janse shouted. “Yes, sir! Way to push through the ball. Yes, sir! Hammer curls! Hammmeerrrrr currrrrrlsssssss!!!”Yo 17! How many sixes you got in you today?! Five, four?””Hopefully a few!” Stoinis shouted back in between a few laughs.”I think that means four in Australian,” Rodriguez said. “He’s gotta be my favorite player. He’s 17. Hammer curls. He’s sick. He’s ripped out of his mind. You know what? I think he just requested a trade to the Orcas. He’ll be on the Orcas by the end of the week. Is there a trade deadline coming up? Don’t worry, he’s gonna be there.”Marcus Stoinis: ‘It’s great that the American crew are getting engaged with cricket’•SportzpicsA quick Google search on the phone revealed that Stoinis was nicknamed “Oil”, allegedly because his Australian team-mates caught him greasing up tanning oil in the mirror. It only endeared him to Janse and Rodriguez even more as they watched him run from long-on to long-off, pulling double-duty fielding on the straight boundary alternating between overs.”I love this guy. I love him so much,” Janse said. “He’s the center fielder, basically. That’s Mike Trout. Their best fielder and hits with some ammo. So, he’s our favourite player. We’re 100% gonna watch his highlights when we get home.”Janse and Rodriguez watched Stoinis bowl the 17th over, cheering on by shouting “Oil! Oilllllll!!” as they got up and walked next to the sightscreen before leaving to go home for the night. After looking to just knock off a bucket list item, they want to come to the stadium and watch more cricket in the future. Stoinis and Unicorns may have lost on the night, but he won two new Texan cricket fans.”It was a few good interactions,” Stoinis told ESPNcricinfo after the game when asked about his particular exchanges with Janse and Rodriguez. “A bit of the usual sort of gym questions, bicep questions and that sort of stuff. So it was good fun, good energy and good supporters. This was much less hostile. This was good banter. Usually, it’s a passionate supporter from the other team in the other country. It’s quite a personal stadium in terms of like you can interact with the crowd. The crowd feels close, and you can hear what they’re saying and stuff like that, so it’s good to have a chat with a few of the fans.”I just think it’s great that the American crew are getting engaged with it, and they obviously understand pretty quickly how the sport is going. Even just talking to a few of the security guys, they were loving it. I asked one of them if their mates would be interested in watching cricket and if they’d come down to these games and they said ‘absolutely’. So it was nice. It feels like it’s being received well. It’s exciting for cricket to be played in the US, so hopefully, more and more people come and check it out.”