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“You gain experience from being in those situations, knowing that the game is never done”

Matt Roller23-Jun-2024A perfect record of six wins from six might suggest that the T20 World Cup has been as easy as a stroll along a Caribbean beach for South Africa. But the nature of those wins tells a very different story: two nervy run chases on dicey pitches in New York, and a combined margin of victory of 30 runs across their last four matches while batting first.”We like making them tight,” Tristan Stubbs told ESPNcricinfo, sipping on a cold beer in the South African dugout after they snuck past England at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia. “Winning’s a habit and we’ve been on a roll, winning the tight games. You can never go wrong with that.”It’s nice to keep the scoreboard going in terms of wins. Personally, on the field, I think ‘surely we can’t do this again?’ and then we keep winning the tight ones. It’s always better to win the tight ones [than one-sided games]… You gain experience from being in those situations, knowing that the game is never done.”Related

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It has belied the national stereotype of South African cricket of struggling under pressure, and should set them up well for a potential semi-final or final. Their bowlers have had more match practice bowling at the death than any other team at this World Cup: against England, they conceded 17 runs in the final three overs with a solitary boundary.It may just be the type of random pattern that T20 can throw up but Stubbs believes there is more to it than that. For the past two years, South Africa’s squad have regularly played high-stakes cricket in their franchise league, the SA20, and Stubbs is one of four – along with Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen and Ottniel Baartman – to win back-to-back titles with Sunrisers Eastern Cape.”It helps to play in all the different comps,” Stubbs said. “You play in a lot more knockout games. Nothing compares to a World Cup, but there is the pressure of knockout cricket. We never win comfortably [at SEC]: we always seem to have four runs here, last over there. I wouldn’t say it’s nice to get used to it, but it’s nice to win in those close games.”Tristan Stubbs has been on the right side of many close finishes for Sunrisers East Cape•SA 20Stubbs also had to cope with the burden of a substantial price tag in the SA20, after his R9.2 million sale in the tournament’s initial auction. “The first year I struggled with it, but this year I didn’t let it worry me too much,” he said. “I went with the approach of, I’m just going to enjoy it and not let it weigh me down. That’s when I play my best.”It has been a relatively quiet World Cup for Stubbs though his tournament aggregate – 105 runs in six innings, with a strike rate of 91.30 – reveals little. He started with three grinds from No. 4 in New York – 13 off 28, 33 off 37 and 0 off 5 – and has not been dismissed since South Africa arrived in the Caribbean, with a vital cameo in the one-run win over Nepal.”We’ve played in New York so as a batter, anything else is better than that,” he said. “These wickets in the Caribbean are similar to some of the coastal wickets back home: you’re probably looking at flat fours rather than sixes because you have to really hit it, and the wind’s playing a big factor so you can’t take on the windy side. It’s been a big factor.”It has required a huge adjustment from the IPL, where he hit more sixes (26) than fours (24) and breezed along at a strike rate of 190.90, finishing the tournament as Delhi Capitals’ second-highest scorer. “It’s been completely different,” Stubbs said. “It’s been challenging, even in the Caribbean: the wickets are good up front and then it gets harder through the innings.”Stubbs has relished this World Cup, not least the opportunity to visit new places. “In New York we were a bit out of town but I went into the city twice and it’s amazing: I went to the 9/11 memorial and as a team we went to Times Square. The Caribbean has been awesome. It’s really easy to switch off. The beaches have been so … it’s been beaches, and a couple of rum punches.”But they are also determined to make the most of their chance to win this tournament, with Stubbs a rare exception in a squad filled with players in their early 30s who are at the peaks of their careers. Their next task is to beat West Indies in Antigua on Sunday – though they may not need to, and will know the scenarios by time they play at 8.30pm.”I’m sure it’ll be sold out: watching their games on TV has been awesome, and I think it’ll also be a benefit to us to be playing last. The first goal will be to win, then we’ll go from there. We’ve not got ahead of ourselves and we’ve played each game as it comes… but I think a lot of the guys see it as a great opportunity to try and win the trophy.”

Katherine Brunt provides vital support in sixth-wicket stand after India post 222 target

Annesha Ghosh30-Jun-2021England Women 225 for 5 (Dunkley 73, Winfield-Hill 42, Brunt 33*, Poonam 2-63) beat India Women 221 (Raj 59, Verma 44, Cross 5-34, Ecclestone 3-33) by five wicketsKate Cross’s second career five-for and a second successive three-for from Sophie Ecclestone, followed by a sixth-wicket unbeaten 92 stand between half-centurion Sophia Dunkley and Katherine Brunt set up England’s five-wicket win in the second ODI as Mithali Raj’s second fifty in as many games was in vain.India scored 71 off their last 15 overs to set England 222; the hosts needed 65 off theirs to clinch a second straight win and bolster their lead to 6-2 in the seven-match multi-format series. By then, Dunkley, batting for the first time in ODIs having made her debut in the format on Sunday, had put on 24 with Brunt. It took the duo less than 13 of those 15 overs to overhaul the target as Dunkley finished on 73 not out and Brunt on an unbeaten 33.Exuding the nerveless, clear-headed approach that underpinned her 74 not out on Test debut earlier this month, Dunkley steadied England’s chase after the home team lost half their side with 79 still needed. Her release shot – an imperious six into the long-on stands off pacer Shikha Pandey in the 34th over – put England in the driver’s seat after intermittent strikes had denied England’s top five any fifty partnerships.A maiden from Pandey in the first half of the Powerplay set the tone for India’s defence, under stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur as Raj didn’t field owing to neck pain. Jhulan Goswami drew first blood with a jaffa in the fifth over. Landing one on a good length, Goswami had it seam away slightly after pitching on middle, when, as replays suggested, the original line had been heading down leg. The misreading of the line caused the in-form Beaumont to be bowled for just 10.Beaumont’s opening partner, Lauren Winfield-Hill, showed early promise with a bouquet of cracking drives through the covers and over the bowler’s head. She hit four fours and a six en route to her 42 but fell to a feather of an edge in Pandey’s second spell thanks to brilliant Taniya Bhatia, standing up, with the gloves.Pandey could have had a second wicket a ball later. Kaur claimed a low catch diving forward to a Sciver lofted drive to mid-off, and was adamant her fingers were under the ball as she did so. The on-field soft signal, however, was not out, and was duly upheld, much to her displeasure, when the zoomed-in TV replays proved inconclusive.Kate Cross claimed a five-for as England took control of the second ODI•PA Photos/Getty Images

It could have proven to be a pivotal flashpoint. Instead, on 92 for 3, with Sciver having added another six runs since the close shave, offspinner Rana caused her to edge to Bhatia for the second of the wicketkeeper’s superb takes. Poonam picked up Amy Jones in the 29th over, keeping India’s chances alive, until Brunt and Dunkley staged a meticulous rebuild.As with their bowling performance, with the bat, India showed better intent than the first ODI. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s fifty opening stand came up in the 11th over, but in the next over, the introduction of England’s third pacer, Cross, led to the first breakthrough, with Mandhana chopping on a good-length, scrambled-seam delivery that nipped away from the bat.England had turned to spin as early as the ninth over, with Ecclestone bowling six overs for 20 runs and picking up the wicket of Verma in her first spell. Badly dropped on 21 by Winfield-Hill at mid-off, and parched of runs in the first three balls of the 17th over, Verma, six shy of a maiden ODI fifty, trotted down the pitch but was stumped adeptly by Jones as Ecclestone dragged her length back.No. 3 Jemimah Rodgriues, replacing Punam Raut as one of three changes to India’s XI, struck two emphatic fours in Ecclestone’s fifth over. That’s all she could score in her 15-ball stay before coming down the wicket to Cross, and offering up a leading edge for Brunt to complete an easy take.After India slipped from 56 for 0 to 77 for 3 in the space of 29 balls, Raj and her deputy, Kaur, strung a fourth-wicket stand of 68 runs, their third fifty-plus stand in their last four ODI innings together, to lift India to 145 for 4 by the 34th over. Their stand ended with Cross eliciting a cavalier hoick off Kaur that ended up in a benign top edge for the bowler herself to gobble up.Related

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The next-best partnership was worth just 15, between Raj and Deepti Sharma, whose flick found Dunkley in the deep, as Cross made giant strides on her merry march to the Player-of-the-Match honours. Sharma’s wicket capped off Cross’s four-for, the first by an England bowler in a home ODI since Anya Shrubsole’s epochal five-for in the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s.Cross sealed her five-for with the wicket of Sneh Rana, who made the XI at the expense of Pooja Vastrakar. Drawing a leading edge similar to Rodrigues’, Rana was held at the second attempt by a relieved Heather Knight, as England celebrated with a group hug to mark a fine performance from a popular player.Ecclestone followed up her 3 for 40 in the first game with 3 for 33 in the second, Bhatia her second scalp at Taunton. In Shikha Pandey, Sciver picked up her 50th ODI wicket.Raj found support towards the end of the innings from No. 10 Goswami, who pulled Brunt twice with aplomb in her unbeaten run-a-ball 19. Regular dismissals at the other end meant Raj dropped the scoring pace somewhat as she neared her fifty, a highlights-worthy compilation of back-foot punches, cuts, trademark cover drives, and a failed attempt at pulling a superb Cross bouncer in the 36th over.On 48, Raj copped a bouncer from Cross on the front of her grille, but quickly shook it off to bring up a half-century, her 57th in the format. However, she was run out nine runs later, after a terrific recovery from Dunkley on the deep square boundary. After recovering from a misfield, her bullet throw was well gathered in front of the stumps by Jones, who whipped off the bails to claim the key scalp among her day’s four dismissals.A 29-run tenth-wicket stand between Goswami and Poonam Yadav, who was picked over Ekta Bisht as the second frontline spin-bowling option, dragged India past 200. Ecclestone bowled Yadav for a 15-ball 10 off the final delivery of the innings. And though India bettered their 201 tally in the first post 221 in the second, it again proved insufficient to get the better of England.

Former France president Nicolas Sarkozy has explained the benefits of life at PSG without Lionel Messi, Neymar, David Beckham and Kylian Mbappe.

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• Ligue 1 giants collected superstars
• Have moved all of them on
• Focus on the team under Enrique

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since welcoming considerable funding from Qatar Sports Investments to Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain have made a habit of snapping up superstar performers – as they mimic the ‘Galacticos’ recruitment model of Real Madrid.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT SARKOZY SAID

  Some of the greatest players from the modern era have turned out for the Ligue 1 giants, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic another household name to have graced their books, but a change in approach has been implemented by Spanish head coach Luis Enrique. Sarkozy has told of that: “The era of PSG with stars was undoubtedly necessary to create an international brand image. And I won't forget the joy of having seen Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Messi, Beckham, Mbappe play… It was exceptional. It was probably time to remind people that team play takes precedence over the quality of a player. That's the exact philosophy of the current coach.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbappe was the last of the superstars to depart, as he left for Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer of 2024. Sarkozy added on the way a World Cup-winning Frenchman set about forcing a move away from his homeland: “Kylian gave seven years to the club – you can’t forget that. He gave us extraordinary emotions. He illustrates what we always see as a temptation; we always think that the grass is greener on the other side. I can understand that he wanted to leave. I understand his dream but I find it more difficult to understand the way in which he carried it out, but it’s his choice.”

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Mbappe, who is PSG’s all-time leading goalscorer, opted against signing a new contract and earning his former employers a transfer fee when deciding to head for Spain. Enrique’s side have fared admirably without him, picking up 13 points from five Ligue 1 games this season.

In a proposed takeover, Lasry would assume control of Courage from current owner Steve Malik

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• Marc Lasry nearing NC Courage takeover
• Deal valued at $108M
• Offer is for 60% of NWSL side

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry is nearing a deal to buy a control stake in the NWSL‘s North Carolina Courage from Steve Malik at a roughly $108 million valuation, Sportico reports.

  Lasry has long shown interest in purchasing a stake in the NWSL, with the report noting that he's previously expressed interest in the Seattle Reign, and was in contention alongside Disney CEO Bob Iger and wife Willow Bay before the duo became the controlling owners of Angel City earlier this year.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Winners of the 2018 and 2019 NWSL championships, the Courage became an immediate powerhouse after their founding in 2017. However, they have since become one of the lowest revenue earners in the league, per the report. Lasry, the Courage and the NWSL declined to comment to Sportico.

  Lasry proposes to take on a 60 percent stake as principal owner, with the remaining 40 percent shared by minority owners, including four-time Grand Slam tennis champion Naomi Osaka.

  The deal would be subject to board approval. Per , Lasry is valued at $1.9 billion.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lasry sold a 25 pecent stake in the Bucks franchise in 2023, per Forbes. At the time of the sale, the NBA team was valued at $3.5 billion.

• USA TODAY Sports
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR THE COURAGE?

  NC are back in action this weekend when they travel to Lynn Family Stadium to take on Racing Louisville in NWSL action. Currently fifth in the league standings, the Courage will look to build on their five-point lead over sitxh-place Portland, while closing on on fourth-place KC Current.

As England begin search for new white-ball coach, they should examine what support captain needs

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jul-2024″That didn’t interest me because the team is flying,” Brendon McCullum told New Zealand’s SENZ radio back in May 2022 after being appointed as England Men’s Test coach. “I wasn’t interested in a cushy kind of gig.”The “gig” in question was the England white-ball job, one McCullum was touted for but neither applied for nor was offered. It was instead given to Matthew Mott. And as Mott leaves his post on Tuesday, two years into a four-year contract, he will be the first to tell you it has been anything but “cushy”.When Mott took the reins, England were indeed flying – to a point – in limited-overs cricket. They held the ODI World Cup and finished the 2021 T20 edition as disappointed semi-finalists. Mott would add the 2022 men’s T20 World Cup to a crowded mantlepiece after a hugely successful time leading Australia Women. But the sands were shifting as Test cricket became England’s outright priority after years of underperformance in whites.That manifested itself in different ways. Mott rarely had access to his full squad, meaning continuity and defining roles were left to the eve of major tournaments at a time when personnel shifts should have been constant given the age profiles and trajectories of established and establishing talent. A dire defence of the ODI title last winter showed that did not happen fast enough.Related

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On three occasions – his first engagement in the Netherlands, a ludicrous series against Australia a week after the 2022 T20 World Cup and an inconvenient three matches against Ireland at the end of the 2023 summer – he was essentially working with a second/third-string hybrid squad. Even when he did have a full deck, external awkwardness brought its own challenges.The contract stand-off at the end of last summer, as the ECB introducing new multi-year deals spilt over into the start of the 50-over World Cup, created an awkward mood in the England camp. While the conversations with players began during the summer, by the time the contracts were officially announced at the end of October, the defending champions had lost three of their first four group matches. David Willey, one of the few players to perform in the first four weeks of that tournament, was the only member of the squad without one of the 26 deals. Announcing his retirement while voicing his displeasure at the decision was indicative of a sour atmosphere.Managing director Rob Key is right to state the team “needs a new direction”. But Mott certainly did not have full control of the wheel or the pedals. The key event of his tenure, one which will also influence the question of who takes charge after Marcus Trescothick sees out the summer as interim, was set in motion on June 20, 2022.That Monday morning, Eoin Morgan woke up in the WestCord Fashion Hotel, Amsterdam, and decided to retire, 33 days after Mott had singled out his “astute leadership” as a key reason for becoming white-ball coach. Mott was intended as a facilitator as Morgan continued to drive the agenda. With Jos Buttler taking over, the job spec had changed dramatically.Individually, Mott and Buttler worked well. Mott maintained calm within the dressing room, most notably during the recent T20 World Cup when rain and a defeat to Australia put England on the brink of another failure. Buttler has long emboldened those around him, both as a conscientious person and one of the best limited-overs batters on the planet. But as a combination, blindspots emerged.1:57

Roller: Buttler captaincy a bigger issue than the coach

By and large, Buttler’s instincts are sound, but they could be stronger. At times, he was too rigid in the field, sticking too long to plans even as they started to unravel. His decision to field first against South Africa in the sweltering Mumbai heat at the 2023 World Cup was followed at the T20 World Cup by bowling Will Jacks to Australia’s left-handed top order, with a short leg-side hit made to seem even shorter by the wind blowing across the Kensington Oval.Unlike Morgan, Buttler wears disappointment visibly. A byproduct of always being locked into the game as wicketkeeper? Buttler continues to insist the all-compassing nature of his work behind the stumps does not affect his captaincy. But at times, he could have done with a stronger, disagreeing voice in his ear. Mott was never that.Ultimately, Mott makes way because it is easier to replace a coach than a captain, particularly with a leadership void in the white ball set-up. Key’s priority is finding a seasoned coach with strong franchise and international groundings, with no desire to restrict the search to identifying an English candidate. But working with Buttler means there are parameters to instill. Whoever comes in needs to be a counterpoint to a captain who, at 33, is entering his endgame.England will not opt for a contrarian – Key dislikes the idea of “good cop, bad cop” pairings believing it only promotes disagreements, which is hardly conducive to a healthy dressing room – but they do need a firm hand.Of the names linked so far, Kumar Sangakkara could offer that given his pre-existing relationship with Buttler as Rajasthan Royals head coach, and wealth of experience as Sri Lanka captain. Ricky Ponting, let go last week by Delhi Capitals, also fits that bill. Andy Flower has gone on to be regarded as one of the best short-form minds on the circuit without totally losing the strict demeanour that oversaw the kind of success with the England Test team that McCullum is desperate to replicate.England ran out of road at the T20 World Cup against India in Guyana•CREIMASMahela Jayawardene is arguably the most standout candidate, encompassing every facet of playing experience and franchise success. But he would take some turning to depart Mumbai Indians, where he is head of global cricket with further expansion of the Ambani family’s reach – notably into the Hundred – on the horizon.Though lacking coaching experience, Mike Hussey impressed while on deck with England for the 2022 World Cup win, unafraid to challenge batters while also offering reassurance by way of insight. If a lack of international playing experience is no barrier, Mike Hesson is another name to consider – one who does not seek the limelight but has no problem pulling up those in it.Undoutedly a few will have spotted the scrutiny Mott faced and wonder if it’s worth the hassle. It would take a lot for them to turn their back on whatever plum gigs they have, particularly as franchise owners seek greater loyalty from their employees.The ECB is willing to exercise a degree of flexibility, appreciating the very best coaches are ones in demand in world cricket’s ever-changing landscape. Mott was understood to be on around £200,000 a year – a figure not set in stone and likely to be greater for a higher profile applicant – and there will be chunks in the calendar available for other opportunities.The risk here is if a coach does not give as much of themselves to it, that ‘England white-ball coach’ just becomes another job on their docket. It could also lend itself to conflicts of interest, though that is not restricted to this particular avenue, or cricket as a whole. Morgan, who dismissed talk of replacing Mott last week but is still thought of as a great option, is close to Buttler. Andrew Flintoff, popular with this group of players and currently in his first head coach role with Northern Superchargers, is a long-time friend of Key, but is unlikely to be considered this time around.There is much to consider, though time for consideration. The new coach will ideally begin from the end of the summer onwards, with a white-ball series in the Caribbean followed by the 2025 Champions Trophy in February. It is an ideal opportunity to start again, albeit with the same captain and similar challenges in the immediacy given that West Indies series is sandwiched by Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.If the “gig” seemed “cushy” back in 2022, it certainly is not in 2024. Nor is the job of identifying and convincing Mott’s replacement.

After watching on as Celtic fell further behind in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, Chris Sutton and Kris Boyd had a lengthy chat about Brendan Rodgers’ future.

Rodgers blasts unacceptable Celtic

The Scottish Premiership champions are beginning to falter under Rodgers. The Bhoys now find themselves as many as five points behind Hearts and Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Dundee only compiled their misery.

With their European form creeping into their domestic outings, questions will continue to be asked about Celtic’s summer recruitment. Many around Celtic Park were far from confident that club chiefs had done enough in the summer and have since been proved right.

Rodgers, however, took aim at the players that he did have at his disposal against Dundee rather than those that Celtic missed out on in the summer.

The former Leicester City manager told reporters: “I just said that this is where you really have to be a man, because at Celtic it’s great from the outside when you look in and you win in trophies and playing great football, but you’ve got to deal with pressure.

“And also the result and performance today isn’t good enough or acceptable for Celtic. I’ve come here a number of times over a number of years, and that today is not the level, so we have to find it.”

At a time when Rodgers’ future remains so uncertain, the Bhoys’ current form is far from ideal. The manager is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal and one Sky pundit has already delivered a worrying verdict about his time at Celtic.

Sutton reacts to damaging Rodgers claim

Speaking about the future of Celtic’s manager after his side’s defeat against Dundee, Sutton reacted to Boyd’s claim that Rodgers is publicly looking for a Premier League job.

Sutton replied to Boyd’s verdict by asking: “Did he say that?

“I think he took a bit of responsibility there [in his post-match interview]. He said it was his issue to get the team playing better.

“He will point – and I think fairly so – to rotten recruitment.

“You look in the final third for that spark and the players who have left and have they replaced them. I get the argument but should the team be playing better?”

Whether Celtic are in for a repeat remains to be seen, but they must turn their form around with or without their manager. Up next, the Scottish champions play host to SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League, where they’ll hope to pick up the first win of their European campaign.

Forget Yang: Rodgers can solve Maeda blow by unleashing Celtic star in new role

Celtic could solve their Daizen Maeda injury blow by unleashing this star in a new role.

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Dan Emery

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Then, as if things couldn’t get more difficult, the Bhoys travel to face league leaders Hearts. Lose that and they will be as many as eight points behind the unexpected leaders with plenty of football left to play. Simply put, it is a massive week for Celtic’s season.

The group of 38 would be able to take a charter flight out of the Maldives via Malaysia to Sydney on May 16

Daniel Brettig13-May-2021Australian cricketers, coaches and media currently stranded in the Maldives may be able to return to home shores as soon as Sunday.Cricket Australia, the Australian Cricketers Association and the BCCI are still awaiting confirmation from the Australian government that citizens who have recently been to India will be allowed to return to home shores after May 15 as previously flagged.However, under plans currently being thrashed out on that condition, the group of 38 would be able to take a charter flight out of the Maldives via Malaysia to Sydney on May 16, where they would then serve their mandatory 14-day quarantine period.Related

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Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association have been at great pains to ensure that this return would take place over and above the allowable cap of overseas arrivals to New South Wales so that no other inbound travellers miss out as a result.”The BCCI is putting in place the best possible arrangements. We’re not seeking any kind of special exemptions whatsoever,” CA’s chief executive Nick Hockley said when addressing the matter on May 5.”We will – any kind of quarantine arrangements would be over and above the cap. So our main priority is we would work with the Australian government and the relevant state governments to make sure that we’re not taking spaces of anyone else that’s available. So, you know, certainly that’s what we’re committed to do.”It would be the second time in less than a year that the New South Wales government has answered a plea from CA for players to quarantine in the state, after the arrival of the Indian touring team last summer was flown into Sydney to quarantine after lengthy negotiations with Queensland were unsuccessful.

West Bromwich Albion had a serious overhaul this summer as a new dawn under Ryan Mason beckoned.

Indeed, various first-team regulars from their promotion near-miss all left the Hawthorns behind, whether that be John Swift and Grady Diangana exiting at the expiry of their contracts, or Darnell Furlong, Tom Fellows, and Torbjørn Heggem seeking out big moves away from the Baggies.

Heggem won the Championship side a whopping £10m when moving onto the Serie A with Bologna, with Mason then using this added cash to purchase sparkling new gems such as Aune Heggebo and Nathaniel Phillips.

Still, West Brom do look to be heading to another crucial summer in terms of who will be staying and leaving when 2026 rolls around, with some key first-team personnel yet to pen extended deals past June of that year, worrying the rookie boss.

West Brom's contract situation heading into 2026

Mason will be thinking long and hard about the futures of many of his camp, especially those who only have their contracts in play until next June.

Josh Maja will hope – despite his injury issues – that he will be putting pen to paper on an extension shortly.

He has fired home 14 goals to date for the West Midlands side, one of which came before the international break when he was reinstated into his new manager’s first-team plans against Norwich City. With goalscorers often hard to come by, the ex-Sunderland striker should be staying put.

On the contrary, despite bagging 17 Championship goals when fit, the plug must surely be pulled on Daryl Dike’s Baggies career soon – as his contract is also up in June.

The injury-prone American last featured for Mason’s men at the end of last season, way before the ex-Tottenham Hotspur coach was handed the Hawthorns gig.

Jed Wallace will also be fearful regarding his expiring deal next summer, despite still being the West Brom captain.

He has only been handed four league starts by his new manager and with only six starts under his belt last season, too, the 31-year-old might well be on serious borrowed time in attempting to stake a serious claim to remain.

There is another face that hasn’t been mentioned yet that will also be seen as being close to the exit door, despite once costing a big-money fee to be tempted to the Hawthorns.

West Brom "goalscorer" now on borrowed time at the Hawthorns

In recent memory, West Brom haven’t been known to splash the cash, even if their new Nordic recruit in Heggebo did cost a significant £4.7m to obtain during the hectic transfer window this summer.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

That feels like a small amount to fork out when you weigh up that deal next to Karlan Grant’s £15m arrival from Huddersfield Town in 2020.

At the time, Grant was seen as a hot commodity worthy of such a lavish fee, having fired a lethal 19 goals for the Terriers in second-tier action across the 2019/20 campaign.

Further hailed as a “natural goalscorer” by his former Huddersfield boss Jan Siewert, the world would have been expected of the London-born attacker to dazzle in his new surroundings at West Brom.

Unfortunately, away from flashes here and there of his goalscoring excellence, it’s largely been a hot-and-cold time for Grant in the West Midlands, with just one goal picked up during his debut season, starting his Baggies tale off on a wobbly footing.

He has since bounced back to resurrect his faltering playing days, with his ex-teammate in the aforementioned Furlong even lauding him as “unstoppable” on his day when powering home seven strikes last season.

But, he has been firmly put to one side under Mason currently, with no Championship minutes afforded to him since a 30-minute run-out against Portsmouth in August.

With a respectable 54-goal haul in the second tier to date, Grant will surely be considering his options away from the Baggies moving forward.

West Brom will no doubt want to sell on their former £15m buy for some sort of a fee when the transfer window reopens, over risking losing him for absolutely nothing, like the Diangana situation that transpired last summer.

West Brom have a "magical" academy star who is shades of Price & Fellows

West Bromwich Albion have a magical academy star who is shades of both Isaac Price and Tom Fellows.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 14, 2025

Blazing half-centuries from Markram and Klaasen, and a fine spell from Shamsi, went in vain

Danyal Rasool10-Apr-2021Pakistan achieved their highest-ever T20I run-chase to take a 1-0 lead against South Africa, sneaking home with a ball to spare. Mohammad Rizwan, whose purple patch shows no signs of receding, was the star man once more, staying unbeaten through the chase and scoring 74 off 50. Little of it looked likely, though, with South Africa well ahead in the game for much of the final stages, but a combination of poor bowling and fielding and brave hitting from Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali saw the win snatched away from the home side at the death. That a heavily depleted South Africa got so close might satisfy Mark Boucher when they reflect upon this game, but for now, this will be a cruel defeat to bear.South Africa had opted to bat first after winning the toss, flying in the face of history; only twice in six previous games had the side making that decision ended up winning the game. It seemed to be paying off for much of the first innings, with most of the top order stepping up in the absence of the senior players in a big way. Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen set South Africa the perfect platform, storming to 159 for 3 in 16 overs, before wickets from Pakistan pulled them back at the death.South Africa didn’t allow Pakistan to get off to a flyer in the Powerplay, but a 20-run over from debutant Sisanda Magala got them going. While Babar Azam fell soon after, Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman were in full flow. Zaman smashed three consecutive boundaries off George Linde to keep the asking rate in check, but when Tabraiz Shamsi removed him, things began to get tight.Wickets continued to fall and Pakistan looked to have lost their way, but the inexperience of the South African side told in the end. A number of the errors they made were unforced, and Pakistan, smelling blood, capitalised. The final run scored was an overthrow, perhaps a fitting exclamation mark to a sloppy finish by the hosts without which, despite the odds against them, they could have taken the series lead.Pakistan’s bowling woes
Pakistan’s T20I bowling is by far their strongest suit. But little of that was in evidence today as they turned in a strikingly disappointing performance, one that might have led to an uglier scorecard if Mohammad Nawaz hadn’t stood head and shoulders above the rest of his colleagues. Shaheen Afridi struggled to deal with Janneman Malan’s belligerence, with the South African apparently set on targeting Pakistan’s best bowler, and achieving great success in that endeavour. Usman Qadir, true to legend, bowled worse than he arguably ever has in a Pakistan shirt after having shaved off his flowing locks, while full-tosses and slot deliveries from the quicker bowlers abounded, and were consistently punished.Jeinrich Klaasen and Pite van Biljon put on a solid stand for the fourth wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan managed to turn this around for most of the final five overs after Klaasen was dismissed, with the number of absences in South Africa’s middle order meaning power-hitting was in short supply by that stage. The lines were more accurate, and the men at the other end less capable, allowing Pakistan to rein South Africa in below 200.Shamsi’s heroics

While most of South Africa’s best players are at the IPL, they will be very glad to retain the services of the current number-one T20I bowler. Shamsi’s spell was perhaps the only time through the chase the hosts were confident they had a master of his craft at work. It was a bewitching period of play, with Shamsi danging one up on a wider line to tempt Fakhar Zaman out, while using the googly to devastating effect. The batsmen always seemed to be kept guessing, and on his watch, the asking rate crept above 12. Mohammad Hafeez’s dismissal was a particular highlight, with the batsman hopelessly unaware of the impending danger as he danced down the tracking without bothering to get to the pitch. The ball spun away, leaving Klaasen with a simple stumping, and Shamsi unfurled that iconic shoe-phone celebration.The endgame

When Beuran Hendricks removed Haider Ali and Mohammad Nawaz off successive balls to start the 16th over, the game looked like it had swung decisively. Rizwan and Ashraf allowed Pakistan to hang on for about ten minutes, sneaking in the odd boundary as they took the contest deep. Ironically, though, it was Hendricks’ following over that burst the game back open for Pakistan, with Rizwan taking 14 off his first 3 balls to put Pakistan back in control. With 11 required in the final over, South Africa’s nerves would get the better of then, with Faheem dropped off the first ball, while the youthful Lizaad Williams missed his lines, allowing Hasan Ali to get six off his first two balls. Needing three off two, Pakistan squeezed in another two, before Williams fumbled a throw from the deep, and Rizwan and Hasan scampered another run to wrap up an unlikely win.

Mason Greenwood has credited Roberto De Zerbi for his and Marseille's strong performances in Ligue 1 this season. The former Brighton head coach has been in charge at the club from southern France since the start of last season and is once again showing why he is considered one of the brightest tactical minds in Europe, with Greenwood delighted to be learning from the Italian.

• Marseille chasing Lens and PSG

  Until this weekend, Marseille had looked most likely to upset the Paris Saint-Germain apple cart and were mounting a strong title challenge in the French top flight. Monaco sprung a shock win over the Parisians on Saturday and have opened the title race up for others to take advantage of Luis Enrique’s team’s slip-ups.

  Marseille will be frustrated to have thrown away two points late on against Toulouse at home on Saturday. Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had put the visitors ahead in response to Emersonn’s opener for the visitors. However, Santiago Hidalgo shocked the French giants with a 92nd-minute equaliser to steal a point.

  Despite the minor setback, Marseille remain in contention to lift the Ligue 1 title for the first time since 2010. The club have won the division ten times, but with just one trophy in almost 34 years, De Zerbi and his squad will be determined to restore Marseille to the top of French football.

  The Italian’s team are just two points off the summit and are hot on the tails of Lens, in first place, and PSG. Greenwood is currently top scorer in the division with ten goals and believes that his team can win the crown.

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  De Zerbi praised by Greenwood

  Speaking to , Greenwood said: “I’m in a really good place thanks to the coach and my teammates.

  “I feel good and I hope to improve, to win more awards this season. Roberto De Zerbi? He’s the brains of the team, the architect of our game. He helps me understand football much better, he helps me improve every day.”

• Recruitment pays off for Marseille

  Greenwood added that Marseille's summer recruitment drive has put them in a much better position to fight for silverware. “We’ve signed quite a few players, very, very strong players,” he said. “We’ve improved in certain areas. I feel like we’re a bit more of a team this season; we’re all on the same wavelength, you can see it. We’re [third] and I hope we can keep fighting to be number one.”

  The club have added a whole host of key players, with varying levels of experience. In forward areas, Paixao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have already earned their side points on their own, with the latter starring for the French side in the Champions League with a brace against Newcastle. The former Arsenal star has shown glimmers of the levels he once possessed back in France after a spell in the Middle East.

  In midfield, Arthur Vermeer, Matt O’Riley and Angel Gomes have bolstered De Zerbi’s creative options in the middle of the park. Meanwhile, Benjamin Pavard, Nayef Aguerd and Facundo Medina have all strengthened the Marseille backline with heaps of experience.

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  PSG remain favourites for Ligue 1

  PSG are still heavy favourites for the Ligue 1 title and cannot be written off as the likely champions of France. The Parisians have had a mixed start to their domestic season, but possess quality that few others in the division can match and have the squad depth to match.

  Marseille have been performing well under De Zerbi and also have a strong squad, but will need to remain at their absolute best if they are to kick on and truly maintain a title challenge. The next test of such a challenge comes on Friday when they have to travel north to take on Lille, behind them by just three points, in a chance to really demonstrate whether they have the acumen to mount a serious run to become champions.