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The seamer looks back at his epic stand with Kusal Perera, his bowling, and his sudden call-up to Sri Lanka’s Test side

Interview by Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Feb-2019You were in Sri Lanka playing domestic cricket, and there were five seamers with the Sri Lanka squad. They suddenly started getting injured and you got a call-up to Australia. Was it unexpected?I didn’t think I’d have a comeback into the national team this quickly, to be honest. I had had a lot of injuries, and I was playing the domestic season. I was training hard. I only came for the second Test in Australia, and I wasn’t thinking of any further tours. I was able to get a few wickets there. So, I’m happy to even be here in South Africa.You’d been bowling an average of less than six overs an innings in domestic first-class this season. Were you worried you’d pick up an injury with the Test workload in Australia?I was a bit nervous before the game, just because I hadn’t bowled much. But then when the match started, that fear disappeared. All I was thinking was: how do I get the ball off the captain and into my hands? There are reasons why fast bowlers don’t get to bowl much in Sri Lankan first-class cricket, but on Australian pitches, I knew I’d have to bowl a lot.What did you learn from that Test that helped you in South Africa?Playing a Test for the first time in one-and-a-half years gave me a lot of confidence. I got a couple of wickets with the new ball as well. So, I was feeling good. But it was also important to realise how to bowl after 15-20 overs have gone. I didn’t do well with the older ball there, so that was the biggest lesson. Once the shine goes, you’ve got to bowl really tight to keep Test batsmen quiet. Our line and length wasn’t great in Australia.You got four wickets in the first innings at Kingsmead. What did you do right?I’d known that South Africa pitches helped quicks. I hadn’t come here even on a Sri Lanka A tour, but we did watch videos of previous Durban Tests. I had belief that I could do something with the new ball. In the first over itself, I knew that it was helping me out. They had some of the best batsmen in the world in their top order, so it’s a big thing that I was able to get them out. I got the wicket of Dean Elgar in the first over itself, and I think that confidence carried me right through the Test. Then Hashim Amla should have been out in the same over, but the umpires didn’t allow our review.Having been the most successful bowler in the first innings, you must have gone into the second innings with a lot of belief?I did. But because we were almost 50 runs behind after the first innings, we had to both take wickets, and cut down the runs. Thankfully we were able to do that.When South Africa were almost 300 runs ahead with five wickets in hand, it looked like they were well in control. But then you and Lasith Ambuldeniya managed to shake things up, and get Sri Lanka back in the game. What were you thinking when you came in for that spell?I’d leaked a few runs in the first couple of overs I’d bowled that day. There was a ball that went through the slips as well. When I came back in the afternoon, I thought that would be my final effort. If they were going to get 350 or 400 runs ahead, we knew we were dead. I didn’t know if it would be my last spell in the game. I was able to bowl really well there. I do come around the wicket to the right-hander with the old ball. I’d been practicing that in the nets, and it worked in the match.Vishwa Fernando traps Faf du Plessis lbw•AFPSo you’d taken eight wickets in the match, and once their innings was over. Did you think your job for the game was complete?I was pretty happy with my eight wickets, but there was also a feeling that I shouldn’t have given away so many runs (his match figures were 8 for 133), and should have done a little bit more. But in the end I’m happy with the performance because we did end up winning.You’re in the dressing room now, and you’re watching the tailenders get out quickly, one after another. What’s going through your mindI didn’t have my pads on when Dhananjaya [de Silva] and Kusal [Perera] were batting. When they were batting together, I had a lot of hope we could win. Their quicks had stopped bowling, and South Africa had gone to spin. But then Dhananjaya got out, and Suranga Lakmal went out and got out first ball, unfortunately, and I had to start putting my pads on. I was pretty sad, to be honest. I felt like we had too many runs to get, and too few wickets. They had a 75-80% chance to win. But then I got to the middle, I felt differently. I told Kusal straight away that I wasn’t going to give away my wicket.Kusal said you’d told him you’d hit the ball with your body if nothing else. Did you say that?(Laughs) Yes I did. My job was to protect my wicket, not to score runs. So I told Kusal you score the runs. Let’s get 10 runs closer, and another 10 runs closer, and take it from there.South Africa weren’t that interested in getting Kusal’s wicket, and they were really targeting you. Were you afraid?I wasn’t afraid. Well, I wasn’t afraid that I would get hit, at least. I was afraid that I would lose my wicket. Kusal can’t play the whole over. I had to bat one or two balls at least. There was a lot of pressure. The fast bowlers were having a go at me, and the close fielders were having a go at me. I did say a few things back.Sometimes when a bowler bowls, he’ll come and give you a stare. I’ve done that plenty of times to batsmen, and they’ve looked away. I didn’t want to give the South Africa bowlers that satisfaction. I stared at them back. I didn’t want to show that I was afraid. I wanted them to know I wouldn’t throw away my wicket.Do you usually have a good technique against fast bowling?(Laughs) I’m not going to even talk about technique! I can hang on to my wicket. I don’t have very good technique, but I can hit a ball with my bat.You ducked a lot of balls. Is that something you do well?I do it a lot at club level. But there were about two times in domestic cricket when I was in the same situation and had to play a lot of balls, but I wasn’t able to do it on those occasions. This is the first time I was able to do it. This was the fastest bowling unit that I’d faced. And they swung it a lot as well.Were they reversing the old ball?Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada were reversing the old ball a bit. Duanne Olivier was trying to bounce me out. I played a couple of overs of Keshav Maharaj as well, and that was a different challenge. He was the guy who’d just taken a lot of wickets.Early on in your innings, did you think there was a chance of victory?My first goal was to hang on until Kusal got his hundred, because he was on about 80 when I walked in. But even after he got there, we still had another 50-odd to get. So we just broke it down, and said let’s take it 10 runs at a time. We’ve got all the time in the world. I told him I’d somehow play the two or three balls an over I had to face.When did you feel you could actually win it?Kusal is someone who can hit 15-20 runs in one over if he has to, so we were trying to slowly get it down to roughly that amount. So when it got down that low, that’s when I really started thinking that we can’t get it to this stage and end up with a loss. But then it was around then that South Africa took the second new ball. Still, I thought: I’m not going to give away my wicket.Was there more pressure when a win actually became possible?There was crazy pressure. I can’t put that into words. I’m a bowler, not a batsman, so I was massively worried. But I was intent that I wasn’t going to throw it away. If I’d played a dumb shot, or backed away from the wicket and got out, then that would have been wrong. But if I got out defending, and they nicked me off or something, I could live with myself. Once they took the second new ball, Kusal and I didn’t even talk about it, because there’s nothing to do. Though I think that although he was earlier happy to let me bat two balls in an over, he tried to give me only one ball.Vishwa Fernando in action•AFPThere was one over when Rabada bowled two bouncers to Kusal to finish an over, and he ducked both balls. It seems like he did actually trust you a bit?Kusal did trust me from the start. Aftar that Rabada over, Steyn bowled a few balls at me and luckily I was able to get a run away in the middle of the over. I edged it and it fell short of the slips. I saw Kusal running at me, and I ran to the other end as well.You had to dive once to make your crease as well…Yeah, we had to get two runs off that shot for Kusal to keep the strike, but we decided late that we were going to run. So that’s why there was a run-out chance. I dived from very far away from the crease. (Laughs.)So they’ve got the second new ball now. Were they swinging it?They were. And there was definitely enough swing to get a batsman out. But I knew as a bowler, that after they take the second new ball, they’d be trying to get me out with the fuller ones – either bowled, lbw, or caught behind – rather than with a bouncer. So that’s what I was expecting.Around about then, Kusal hit two incredible sixes off Steyn. How did you feel at the other end?I’ve got no words to describe them. If you can hit those sixes off bowlers of that stature, then you’re a great batsman. Sanath Jayasuriya is the only other batsman I’ve seen who can hit those shots off those balls. That’s incredible talent. When I saw that, it helped me keep going. I thought as long as I stay here, he will win it.Describe what you felt when Kusal hit the winning run.It’s hard to describe. It’s one of the happiest days of my life. We had been wanting a win so badly, so it was big for us.A couple of days later, how do you reflect on it?I’m so happy to have been a part of a win like that. Hopefully, a lot of people in Sri Lanka enjoyed it as well. I hope that like they are with us after a win, that they will be with us if we lose as well. You do win and lose in cricket. There’s luck involved as well as talent.Any personal goals for the second match?I had a chance to get five wickets in both innings in Durban, but couldn’t get there. I don’t have a Test five-wicket haul yet. So That’s my big target, as long as the team wins.

There was speculation the enclosure would be renamed due to the political dynamics in the country

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2025

The PCB has dismissed speculation that former captain and politician Imran Khan’s name would be removed from an enclosure at the recently-renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore owing to his imprisonment on charges of corruption.Speculation was doing the rounds that PCB had removed Imran’s name due to the current political situation in Pakistan. The Gaddafi stadium has been renovated for the Champions Trophy that starts on February 19.The Imran Khan enclosure, which is one of the VIP stands in the stadium, has been a permanent fixture at the venue since 1992, when he led Pakistan to victory in the ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Tickets for Champions Trophy games in Lahore are being sold online under the ‘Imran Khan Enclosure’.Imran is presently in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi and has denied allegations of corruption, insisting he is a victim of a political vendetta. However, a court recently convicted him and his wife Bushra Bibi in a corruption case, sentencing them to 14 and seven years respectively in prison.Imran, who leads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, is currently in opposition to the ruling coalition government of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party. The Punjab province is governed by a PML (N) government led by Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier, Nawaz Sharif.

Seamer agrees two-year deal after promoted White Rose trigger clause in contract

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2024Yorkshire have signed Northamptonshire seamer Jack White on a two-year contract after activating a clause in his contract allowing him to move to a Division One club.White, 32, only made his debut in 2020 but has built a strong record, particularly in red-ball cricket where he has taken 114 wickets 25.18.”I’m incredibly honoured and extremely excited to begin this new chapter with Yorkshire,” White said. “Headingley is a special place to play and having had discussions with the coach and the leaders of the club I’m looking forward to continuing to develop my game and playing my part in achieving success for Yorkshire.”Yorkshire finished second in Division Two last season, securing a return to the top flight for the first time since 2022.Gavin Hamilton, general manager of cricket for Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted Jack has committed his future to Yorkshire. He is a brilliant addition to the team – offering up another dimension to our bowling attack.”He’s someone who puts in the hard work and came into the professional game at a later stage of his development. He is the kind of player and person who will continue to add to our dressing room, and we look forward to working with him at the club.”Northamptonshire said they were “disappointed” to lose White, who was under contract until the end of the 2025 season.”While it is a real shame that Jack has decided to move elsewhere, everyone would like to thank him for his efforts in a Northamptonshire shirt and we wish him the best moving forward,” chief executive, Ray Payne, added.

Tottenham Hotspur have now held direct talks to appoint an “outstanding” manager, with Ange Postecoglou heading for the exit door, according to a report.

Ange could be set to leave despite Europa League triumph

One year ago, INEOS arguably made the mistake of keeping Erik ten Hag in the Manchester United job after the Dutchman led them to victory in the FA Cup, and it appears as though Daniel Levy doesn’t want to make the same error this summer.

Indeed, widespread reports are now suggesting that Levy is set to sack Postecoglou, despite the historic Europa League triumph against Manchester United last month, which puts captain Son Heung-min among some esteemed company.

It may be a divisive decision to sack the manager responsible for leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, but appointing a top-quality replacement could go some way to getting the fans back on side, and contact has now been made with a coach who could be in that category.

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna on X, Tottenham have now made “direct contact” with Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who spoke about his project and potential targets for the summer transfer window.

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Several candidates are said to be under consideration as potential replacements for Ange, but Frank is believed to be “high” on the list, and Spurs have now made their first move to appoint the Danish manager.

In another report from France, it is detailed that Ange’s future remains very much up in the air, with talks to discuss his position as manager due to take place at some point in the next week.

Frank could be "outstanding" Ange replacement

Deciding whether to sack the 59-year-old will no doubt be a difficult decision for Levy, given that Tottenham’s torrid Premier League form cannot be ignored, finishing 17th as a result of collecting just 38 points across the entire 2024-25 campaign.

However, the former Celtic boss has suggested his side’s first experience of success will make them more eager to make sure they’re in the same position again, saying: “I also wanted us to think about what’s next, you know — don’t settle for this. We’ve got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club’s got a taste for it. Well, let’s make sure we’re back here again.”

Should Levy decide to sack Ange, there are signs Frank could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “outstanding” manager by Troy Deeney, while leading Brentford to a very respectable 10th-placed finish last season.

Having transformed the Bees from a Championship club into a solid Premier League side, the 51-year-old, who utilises a 4-3-3 formation, has earned the opportunity to prove himself at the top level, showing a knack for turning attacking talents into some of the biggest stars in their division.

Said Benrahma, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay all thrived under his guidance, with only Watkins able to replicate that form elsewhere, while current forwards Yoane Wissa (19) and Bryan Mbeumo (20) combined for nearly 40 top flight goals this season.

With T20I and ODI World Cups looming, her ODI bowling workload will be carefully managed, but she remains confident of playing full all-round role in T20s

Andrew McGlashan13-Aug-2024Marizanne Kapp has revealed that she had decided to retire from international cricket earlier this year, but was talked out of it and is now grateful she didn’t go through with it as she feels at the peak of her powers.The toll of balancing franchise cricket with being a vital all-round cog in a rebuilding South Africa side, alongside the fitness controversy around her wife Dane van Niekerk, had become almost too much.But CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe urged Kapp not to rush into a decision. They have since worked together to look at her workload, and Kapp is now committed to South Africa for the foreseeable future, which includes T20I and ODI World Cups over the next 12 months.Related

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“I did retire earlier this year – or asked to retire – and luckily I didn’t,” Kapp told ESPNcricinfo. “I spoke to the director of cricket, and he actually asked me to just hang on, think it through, [and] don’t make decisions too quickly, and I’m glad that I didn’t go through with it because I feel like I’m at the peak of my career.”The older I get, I’m getting better. So it would be a shame to have worked for all those years, and now [when] I’m at my peak, I retire from international cricket. I’ve loved playing in all these leagues, but playing for your country and at World Cups is a different level. CSA have been so good to me in helping manage my workload. Now I’ll play for as long as I can contribute.”Had Kapp, who had produced an all-round display in South Africa’s first ODI win over Australia in February, retired, it would have continued a significant loss of big names from South Africa in recent years, including van Niekerk, Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee and Shabnim Ismail.Kapp’s ODI bowling workload will be carefully managed, but she remains confident of playing a full all-round role in T20s for both – her franchise sides and her country. She has committed to playing all ODIs which are part of the Women’s Championship and count towards World Cup qualification, but will miss some T20Is including November’s series against England, which overlaps with the end of the WBBL, where she has signed a three-year deal with Melbourne Stars.Marizanne Kapp on her Test hundred in 2022: “When I had that big knock, it was like, ‘I can do this, I don’t have to prove myself'”•Getty Images”They [CSA] have been so good to allow me to play in the leagues where I can,” she said. “With T20, it’s not too hard to manage [the workload]. But in ODI cricket, I’m not 20 anymore, and my workload has been so high with the bat that it makes it impossible to continue to bowl ten overs [in every game].”If you look at the make-up of the South African team, we are a bit light on the batting front. So I am needed more with the bat. So the bowling will probably take a bit of a backseat just in ODIs.”A major factor in Kapp’s three-year deal with Stars was working with coach Jonathan Batty and playing alongside Meg Lanning – all three are part of Delhi Capitals in the WPL. The long-term offer was also key for her to have a chance to settle with one team. Last WBBL season, she was picked up by Sydney Thunder as the No. 1 draft pick, after Perth Scorchers opted to retain Sophie Devine ahead of her, but endured a torrid campaign, averaging 9.40 with the bat and taking ten wickets at 37.40.”I’m a player that’s actually very insecure, to be honest,” Kapp said. “Moving [is hard] because I always feel like you now have to prove yourself. Then you try too hard, and things get worse and worse. Unfortunately, last year when I got to Thunder, I was ill, [and] missed a lot of training. And am the type of player that if my preparation is good, then I have more confidence.”So I was low on confidence. Then you are in a new team, so it was nothing on the club or coaching staff; they were amazing to me. It’s probably not my strongest attribute, but I’m just happy I know I’m going to Stars, and they are people I’ve worked with before.”

“My faith has been a massive part of it as well, having struggled with off-field matters, everything that happened with Dane, and with Covid. I spent so much time in my room reconnecting with the Lord”Marizanne Kapp

Overall, though, Kapp’s belief that she is at the peak of her career is backed up by numbers, particularly with the bat: in all T20s this year, her average is 33.06 and her strike rate at 142.97, both considerably up on her career figures, with Kapp saying strike rate had been a particular focus for her.Meanwhile, in ODIs since 2023, she is averaging 62.63. She traces the success back to the Test century against England in 2022, but admitted it had been a difficult journey.”It’s probably been my toughest couple of years; it’s not been easy,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed my batting… but [I used to] feel like the world was always so focused on my bowling and wouldn’t speak about my batting, and that makes you lose confidence. When I had that big knock, it was like, ‘I can do this, I don’t have to prove myself’, and from there on, I’ve had a different confidence in my own ability.”My faith has been a massive part of it as well, having struggled with off-field matters, everything that happened with Dane, and with Covid. I spent so much time in my room reconnecting with the Lord.”

Manchester City now want to sign a “world-class” £67m full-back, and he could join alongside Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer, according to a report.

City making progress in Ait-Nouri pursuit

Man City have set their sights on signing a new left-back this summer, with Pep Guardiola perhaps not overly convinced by Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly, and there has been a recent update in their pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ait-Nouri.

Indeed, reliable reporter David Ornstein has now revealed that City “expect” to complete a deal for the Algerian this summer, although there is still work to be done before they are able to strike an agreement with their Premier League rivals.

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Ait-Nouri’s arrival would leave Guardiola fairly well-stocked at left-back, given that Gvardiol and O’Reilly featured in that area regularly throughout the 2024-25 campaign, but a new report has suggested the manager could be keen to bring in another full-back who can play on both flanks.

According to GiveMeSport, Man City now want to sign Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso, with the Italian being shortlisted by Guardiola, who has also personally requested the defender in the past.

It could be difficult to agree a deal for Cambiaso, with his current employers making it tricky to enter talks, but the full-back, who was valued at £67m back in the January transfer window, remains of interest to the Blues.

Guardiola’s side are confident about sealing the arrival of Ait-Nouri, but the Juventus star could join regardless of whether they complete a deal for the Wolves man, given he can play in a back four or five on both sides of the defence.

Cambiaso putting in "world-class" performances for Juventus

The 25-year-old is particularly impressive in an attacking sense, as highlighted by his dribbling ability, which is important for City, considering they are likely to be the main aggressors in the majority of the Premier League games they play next season.

Journalist Zach Lowy has also been left particularly enamoured by the Italy international’s ability to create chances for his teammates in the past, singling him out for praise last April.

That said, with Gvardiol and O’Reilly already on the books, and the move for Ait-Nouri seemingly advancing well, there are doubts over whether the full-back would be a necessary signing for Man City.

£67m is a huge asking price for any player, and it may be wise to invest the money into other areas of the squad, perhaps between the sticks, having been keen on signing an Ederson replacement for quite some time, and City have a number of options in mind.

Goalkeeper

Current club

Potential cost

Gianluigi Donnarumma

PSG

£25m+

Joan Garcia

Espanyol

£21m

Diogo Costa

FC Porto

£51m

Senne Lammens

Royal Antwerp

£21m

da lvbet： And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to an underwhelming end.

da stake casino： Mikel Arteta’s side might have made it to their first Champions League semi-final since the 08/09 campaign, but on the domestic front, it’s been a disappointing year.

An astounding 14 draws in the Premier League ensured they finished a distant second to Liverpool, and were it not for a brilliant strike from Martin Odegaard late on yesterday afternoon, it would’ve been 15 draws.

With that said, it’s not been a good season for the Gunners’ captain either, although based on the star recently liked with the club, 25/26 could be a whole lot better.

Arsenal transfer news

With the rumour mill now in full swing, Arsenal have been linked with a host of incredibly talented footballers in recent weeks, such as Rafael Leao and Ademola Lookman.

Transfer Focus

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

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The former could cost an eye-watering £145m this summer, but as he’s racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances for a lacklustre AC Milan side this season, he may just be worth it.

Lookman, on the other hand, could cost a far more reasonable fee of around £55m, and as he’s managed to find the back of the net 20 times in 40 games and provided seven assists for good measure, he may be too good of a deal to pass up on.

However, to really help Odegaard get back to his incredible best, Arteta and Co need to improve the club’s striker options, which is where Benjamin Sesko comes in.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal remain incredibly interested in the RB Leipzig striker ahead of the summer window.

In fact, Plettenberg has revealed that the Gunners’ new Sporting Director, Andrea Berta, has been in “direct contact” with his opposite number at the German club and that the club “have to sell Sesko in order to generate income.”

The report does not mention a potential price, but according to stories from earlier this month, the Slovenian’s release clause may now stand at about £75m due to his impressive performances this season.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but given Sesko’s ability today and future potential, it is one well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a dream for Odegaard.

Why Sesko would be perfect for Odegaard

Despite finishing second in the league, not a single Arsenal player hit double figures for goals in the competition, so it’s abundantly clear that a more prolific centre-forward could be the difference between a fourth runners-up medal and finally getting over the line next season.

This is where Sesko could come in, make a massive difference to the team’s fortunes, and, specifically, help Odegaard get back to his very best.

For example, in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes, this season, the Slovenian “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 21 goals and provided six assists.

That converts to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

In contrast, Kai Havertz scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 140.45 minutes.

Sesko vs Havertz 24/25

Players

Sesko

Havertz

Appearances

45

36

Minutes

3258′

2809′

Goals

21

15

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

0.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

120.66′

140.45′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, according to Understat, the Leipzig star’s 13 Bundesliga goals have come from an expected goals figure of just 10.84 this season, whereas the German’s nine league goals have come from an expected goals figure of 11.83.

So, just imagine how many more assists the Gunners’ Norwegian maestro would be able to rack up with a far more clinical striker in front of him.

Furthermore, as he’s still just 21 years old, there is no telling how much more effective the Radeče-born poacher could be in three or four years.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to sign a new striker this summer, and while he won’t come cheap, Sesko looks like someone who could lead the line for years to come and help get Odegaard back to his mercurial best.

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da 888： Newcastle United are now planning to hold face-to-face talks over a summer deal for an “unbelievable” forward this week, according to a report.

Magpies eyeing new forwards with Wilson heading for exit

da 888casino： It would be fair to say Callum Wilson has been a fantastic servant to Newcastle, with the striker making 129 appearances for the club, but it looks as though his time at St. James’ Park is now set to come to an end when his contract expires this summer.

The Englishman has suffered with injuries throughout the campaign, while often being limited to appearances as a substitute, and he is now starting to attract attention from elsewhere, with Leeds United believed to be leading the race for his signature.

As such, Eddie Howe’s side have now started to run the rule over potential replacements, with the manager particularly keen on signing versatile Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, who is among the Premier League’s top scorers this season.

Player

Premier League goals

Mohamed Salah

28

Alexander Isak

23

Erling Haaland

21

Chris Wood

19

Bryan Mbeumo

19

Mbeumo is not the only Premier League forward of interest, however, with a report from talkSPORT revealing Newcastle are now planning to hold face-to-face talks over a deal for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap this week.

Delap is planning to hold in-person discussions with all his potential suitors ahead of the summer window, and the Magpies are the latest English side to express an interest in triggering the £30m release clause in his contract.

Howe is keen on bringing in another striker to ease the goalscoring burden on Alexander Isak, with the manager looking to strengthen his squad in a number of different areas this summer.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall May 20, 2025 "Unbelievable" Delap could push for Isak's starting spot

Understandably, Wilson’s game time has been very limited this season, given that Isak has enjoyed his best season to date in a Newcastle shirt, leading his side to EFL Cup glory and scoring 27 goals in all competitions.

However, the Ipswich star has also started to make a name for himself this season, finding the back of the net 12 times in the Premier League, with teammate Luke Woolfenden lauding him as “unbelievable”.

Howe has also been impressed by the start the 22-year-old has made to life in the Premier League, saying: “He’s a pivotal player for [Ipswich], there’s no denying that. I think he’s had a very good season. “He’s got big strengths, very strong, powerful runner.”

The only concern for Newcastle will be that Delap may not be tempted to move to St. James’ Park this summer if he doesn’t have guarantees of being a regular starter, and that is unlikely to be the case unless Isak decides to move on.

Essex Eagles claimed their third successive Vitality Blast victory after overcoming Middlesex by 16 runs in their heavily rain-affected South Group game at Lord’s.The visitors reached 129 for 4 after 12.4 overs, with Jordan Cox unbeaten on 31 from 19 balls when a heavy downpour enveloped the ground.Middlesex’s target was revised to 143 from 12 overs – and subsequently 80 from six after another rain stoppage, but that unlikely equation proved beyond their reach.Despite a valiant effort by Max Holden, who hammered an undefeated 41 from 24, the home side fell short on 63 for two.After an initial 25-minute delay due to earlier showers, Adam Rossington immediately set about Middlesex’s bowling in the powerplay with two sizzling cover boundaries off Tom Helm.Rossington bludgeoned his way to 20 before slicing Noah Cornwell into the hands of deep third and the young left-armer, who took 2 for 29, also castled Michael Pepper (23 from 12), swinging across the line.Dean Elgar (28 from 17) was next to depart, with Luke Hollman taking a skier off his own bowling, but Cox looked assured straight away, dispatching his first ball for four with a classy straight drive.Although Ryan Higgins bowled Walter around his legs, pinpoint placement brought Cox successive boundaries off Blake Cullen and he also launched Hollman into the grandstand before rain returned, resulting in a delay of more than an hour.When the pitch covers were eventually removed, Holden and Stephen Eskinazi had barely taken guard when another heavy shower descended and the players left the field without a ball being bowled.The equation morphed into 80 from six overs when the game’s final instalment began and Eskinazi did his best to sustain Middlesex’s pursuit, hitting successive Shane Snater balls for four and six.However, Walter effectively settled the contest by capturing the wickets of Eskinazi and Higgins during his first over, which went for just four runs – and, although Holden kept the battle going, it was not enough.

Sheffield United’s automatic promotion dream is now over with Burnley and Leeds United confirmed as Premier League-bound on a disappointing Easter Monday for the Blades.

Earlier in the day, before United’s pivotal showdown with the Clarets, Leeds resoundingly thumped Stoke City 6-0 in the Championship, with Daniel Farke and Co then needing Chris Wilder’s men to slip up and lose to seal a return to the top-flight.

Their wish would come true to the dismay of the away side at Turf Moor, with their pain only intensified when you consider the hosts also clinched a dramatic passage back up to the top-flight when beating the visitors 2-1.

Anel Ahmedhodzic suffered from a rare off-day in Lancashire, with his clumsiness right before the half-time whistle gifting Josh Brownhill the decisive spot-kick that sent the Clarets up a league.

Ahmedhodzic's off-day at Turf Moor

Ultimately, United’s dismal run of four losses from their last five Championship outings has cost them the glory of automatic promotion, but the Bosnian brute certainly didn’t help matters when putting in a rare bad performance.

The number 15 was definitely fired up for the crunch contest, but it resulted in his overall game looking rash and hot-headed rather than focused, culminating in him clattering into Hannibal Mejbri to gift the home side a golden penalty.

Brownhill would calmly tuck away the opportunity to juxtapose Ahmedhodzic’s reckless approach, with the out-of-sorts 26-year-old going on to commit four fouls in total, on top of uncharacteristically winning just 33% of his duels.

Wilder will need his usually reliable colossus to be more switched on ahead of some huge playoff clashes to come, but whilst Ahmedhodzic did cost his team dear, there was one underperformer for the Blades who was just as bad as the defender in offering very little throughout.

The Blades dud who was just as bad as Ahmedhodzic

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Blades to get the better of a dogged Burnley side, considering the stern hosts have only shipped 15 strikes all season long.

Tom Cannon did manage to break his goalscoring duck at Turf Moor to raise a smile, but it was the efforts of Ben Brereton Diaz down the right wing that would have worried away spectators, irrespective of the ex-Leicester City man managing to salvage some personal pride.

Minutes played

60

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

16

Shots on target

0

Accurate passes

5/9 (56%)

Total duels won

0/4

The numbers from the table above do make for some dire reading, with the Chilean only managing a meagre 15 touches of the ball from his forgettable 60-minute stint.

On top of that, Brereton Diaz also failed to register a single on-target effort at James Trafford’s formidable goal, alongside only managing to muster up a weak five passes of the ball that found their intended target.

Whilst Ahmedhodzic was notably poor, he did manage to at least win three of his duels during the contest, with Brereton Diaz then unsurprisingly hooked off by Wilder for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to gain a run-out.

After all, Rak-Sakyi had at least bagged in United’s last away contest before this miserable outing to Lancashire, with his late efforts at Turf Moor seeing him conjure up one successful dribble among other promising moments.

If the Blades are to bounce back from this agonising promotion near-miss, Wilder could now have to axe Brereton Diaz from his forthcoming lineups, knowing full well that lethal displays are needed in the lottery of the playoffs.

Sheffield United sold a star for £2m, now he's way better than Cannon

The former Sheffield United striker is now way better than Tom Cannon.

ByDan Emery Apr 16, 2025