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Munro set up the chase with a 60-ball 104 before Chapman’s unbeaten 84 sealed it

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2020Colin Munro’s 60-ball 104 put Auckland briskly on course to chase down the 284 they needed to win the Ford Trophy title before Mark Chapman anchored an unbroken 32-run stand for the ninth wicket to help them seal it. Otago’s Jacob Duffy took a four-wicket haul, which included the wicket of Martin Guptill for a second-ball duck at the start of the chase, and then the wicket of Munro to leave Auckland 149 for 4 at the start of the 21st over. But the rest of Otago’s bowling, barring Michael Rippon, proved expensive as they used eight bowlers in an innings that only last 44 overs.Munro’s blitz was built around 12 fours and seven sixes even as the rest of a substantial top-four line-up – Guptill, Jeet Raval, Glenn Phillips – failed to make an impact. Munro put on 67 with Phillips, who scored 20, and then 43 with Chapman before being bowled by Duffy.One of the defining partnerships of the match for Auckland came for the sixth wicket. Wicketkeeper Ben Horne made 42 off 31 and dominated a 63-run stand with Chapman that took Auckland from 173 for 5 to 236 before Duffy returned to dismiss Horne. Shortly after, Duffy removed Kyle Jamieson and Nathan Smith got rid of Lockie Ferguson to leave Auckland 253 for 8. Chapman, who had held one end, then took the attack to Otago and ensured the remaining runs were scored within four overs of that last wicket. No. 10 Benjamin Lister made an unbeaten 1 off 8 at the other end as Chapman took Auckland to their second title in three years with three sixes off Dean Foxcroft in the 44th over, and stayed unbeaten on 84 off 78 balls.Earlier, Otago had flown to 59 with their opening stand before losing both their openers in the same over. While wicketkeeper Mitch Renwick was run-out off the fourth ball of the eighth over, Hamish Rutherford, who was on 36 off 25, was struck on the helmet by a Ferguson bouncer and went off with a concussion. He was replaced by Matthew Bacon, a bowler, who was the last man in for Otago.In the middle, they had another concussion scare, when Foxcroft retired hurt after colliding with Phillips on the field. He cleared the concussion test and returned to make 42 as Otago’s batting collapsed in the middle overs. From 150 for 2, they lost the set Neil Broom for 39 and then Josh Finnie and Smith both fell to the part-time spin of Phillips. Ferguson then got rid of Foxcroft, and Phillips picked up a career-best three-wicket haul with the wicket of Rippon. That left Otago 187 for 7 and it was only Anaru Kitchen’s 54-ball 60 and Duffy’s 24 off 26 that lifted them to 283 from that point.

Who will be following in the Chelsea attacker's footsteps by making a name for themselves over the coming months?

One year ago, Cole Palmer was preparing for his first season at Chelsea, having just completed a £40 million ($51m) move from Manchester City. He'd previously shown flashes of promise during his time at the Etihad Stadium without cementing himself as a starter, and few expected him to pull up many trees at Stamford Bridge.

Flash-forward to the present and Palmer has scored in a European Championship final, won the Premier League Young Player of the Season award and firmly established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders on the planet. His story just goes to show that even in a world when every action on and off the field is hyper-analysed, football still has the ability to throw up surprise packages. But who's next?

The very nature of 'breakout stars' means the next big thing can be difficult to predict. However, there is a crop of Premier League players who are threatening to take inspiration from Palmer by coming out of nowhere to rise to the highest echelons of the game this season…

Getty ImagesAmad Diallo (Manchester United)

Amad's true breakthrough season has been a long-time coming, but all the signs point to him being a properly important player for Manchester United over the coming months. In the Community Shield, Amad was responsible for United's most threatening attacks, impressing with his ability to carry the ball through traffic.

Of course, he's had his moments in a red shirt, the best of which was that last-minute FA Cup winner against Liverpool last season. However, injuries and a lack of trust from Erik ten Hag has hampered his prospects.

That could be about to change heading into the new campaign, though, with Ten Hag recently saying that "this has to be the year" that Amad breaks into the first team. Right wing has long been a bit of a problem area for the Red Devils, but the Ivorian's form in pre-season suggests he's finally ready to ascend to his rightful place among the Premier League elite.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesToby Collyer (Manchester United)

Amad is not the only United player looking to make their breakthrough, either. Collyer will have watched on enviously as former youth team-mate Kobbie Mainoo exploded onto the scene last season and now the Worthing-born midfielder will be hoping to follow suit.

Pre-season was an exciting time for Collyer. He featured regularly and was even handed the captain's armband against Rosenberg. A cameo in the Community Shield was well deserved, with Ten Hag clearly taken by the 20-year-old.

"I always want to make pathways for young players, but they have to earn it," Ten Hag said after a pre-season win over Rangers. “Collyer has now earned an opportunity… We will see how we can progress. Last year with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, we saw that can happen. The pathway is open and Toby is there too."

United are hardly blessed with options in the middle of the park and with Ten Hag open to handing young players their chance, the hard-working and tidy in possession Collyer could be primed for a massive campaign.

Getty ImagesTim Iroegbunam (Everton)

Iroegbunam's £9m ($11.5m) move from Aston Villa to Everton in June certainly made headlines, though not entirely for the right reasons. Part of a smattering of transfer activity involving the two clubs, as well as Chelsea, there were suggestions that the England youth international was being used as a pawn as the sides attempted to find a loophole in the Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

These accusations have been defiantly rejected by the Toffees, who insist they've been after Iroegbunam for some time. And, it may just prove to be an inspired signing. He might not be the finished article just yet, but under Sean Dyche's guidance he should be able to help fill the void left by Amadou Onana's summer departure to Villa.

Iroegbunam can play as a No.6 or No.8, drives forward with aplomb and does the basics both in and out of possession effectively. Don't be surprised if he makes the Toffees forget about Onana as the season progresses.

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Getty ImagesMorgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

Rogers' arrival at Villa Park from Middlesbrough in February 2024 wasn't greeted with much enthusiasm. He may have only cost £8m ($10m), but his Championship goal record was hardly standout, so there were big questions over whether he'd cut the mustard in the top flight.

Yet, by the end of last season, he was a fully-fledged starter for Unai Emery's side, finishing the campaign with a run of four goal involvements in his final six matches. After making a strong introduction, Rogers is now expected to take the next step.

His stock has been rising throughout pre-season and his ability to slot in anywhere across the front line means he'll surely be handed plenty of minutes over the coming months. If he can make the most of the opportunities – which will include Champions League action, don't forget – he might be added to the long list of attacking players pushing for an England call-up.

Wrexham duo Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee were given Ryan Reynolds' approval as they were quizzed on the Hollywood star and club co-owner Rob McElhenney.

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Wrexham stars quizzed on co-ownersMullin & Lee favoured McElhenneyReynolds reacted on socia mediaWHAT HAPPENED?

The Wrexham heroes were asked for their takes on the club's Hollywood co-chairmen as they attended the PFA awards. They were asked which of the owners they would trust to score a penalty to save their lives, who has the best banter and who they would prefer to go on a night out with, among other questions.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT REYNOLDS SAID

It was McElhenney who was given the nod for most of the questions by both Mullin and Lee, although they had a difference of opinion on which they think they could take in a fight – the striker preferred to take on Reynolds, while the midfielder picked McElhenney.

Nevertheless, Reynolds was a good sport about the jibes being made against him as he reposted the video on an Instagram story, adding: "I accept these answers."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Wrexham players have been pivotal in leading the Red Dragons to back-to-back promotions, helping lift them from the National League to League One. They were named in the League Two PFA Team of the Year at the awards ceremony earlier this week.

Leeds United have a rich history and a devoted fanbase. After suffering relegation last season, the Whites have the chance to be promoted to the Premier League at the first time of asking, which is an exciting prospect for fans.

With just one Championship game remaining, the Whites are no longer in control of their promotion destiny, having handed Leicester City their tickets to the Premier League after being thumped by QPR on Friday night.

Their defeat in west London also means Ipswich have the opportunity to wrest control of the promotion battle heading into the final weekend. The Tractor Boys, who also have a game in hand on the Whites, can go three clear of Leeds with a win over Coventry in midweek. If Ipswich can grab four points from their final two matches, Daniel Farke's side will be consigned to the play-offs.

Of course, it's not the end of the world if the automatic promotion places end up being out of reach, but the scary thing about the play-offs is that it can be a lottery at times.

Let's take a look at how things could pan out for Leeds and what fans could expect…

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025 Leeds United's 2022/23 season

The 2022/23 season for Leeds ended up being one to forget. However, there were some memorable moments along the way, which included beating Liverpool and Chelsea. Although, there were a fair few manager changes, as Jesse Marsch, Michael Skubala, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce all had their turns at the helm.

Leeds' late-season collapse was what did for them as they gave up three goals in 20 minutes against Arsenal, five in slightly over 30 minutes versus Crystal Palace at home, six in 55 minutes against Liverpool, and two in five minutes against Bournemouth. Leeds broke the Premier League record for the leakiest defence in a single month as they gave up 23 goals in April alone.

After defeating Nottingham Forest at home on 4th April, they should have gained newfound energy and confidence; instead, they took two of the next 27 points available, fired their manager, and let themselves get deeper into trouble.

They ended up finishing in 19th on 31 points for the season.

Leeds in 2023/24

Leeds United got off to a very slow start in the current Championship campaign, winning just one of their first five matches. They were sent crashing out of the Carabao Cup in the second round on penalties, as Salford City sailed through.

In the FA Cup, Leeds made it all the way to the fifth round and probably should have made it further if they put their chances away, but it was Chelsea who ran out as 3-2 winners at Stamford Bridge.

However, things were transformed since the slow start in the league, as the Whites made an incredible start to 2024, going on a 12-match unbeaten run, which included a nine-game win streak in the Championship.

Unfortunately, their run-in brought about some of their worst form of the season, and after just one win in their last five games, now risk missing out on automatic promotion ahead of next weekend's final-day clash against Southampton.

When Leeds United can get promoted to the Premier League

As mentioned, Leeds are firmly in the race for promotion from the Championship. The top two go up automatically to the Premier League, with teams placed 3rd-6th entering the play-offs.

Leeds' defeat to QPR has put the onus on Ipswich to seal their fate. With Leicester assured of a place in next season's Premier League, Ipswich will join them if they can earn four points from their last six available.

With the Tractor Boys dropping points away at Hull City last week, the race is guaranteed to go to the final day. However, Kieran McKenna's side need just a point from their upcoming trip to Coventry to be in control next weekend. The Tractor Boys host the all-but-relegated Huddersfield Town, while Leeds face the tougher assignment of Southampton at Elland Road, with the Saints now certain to finish outside the top two in fourth.

Put simply, if Ipswich win their games, they will be promoted this weekend. If they fail to do so, Leeds can pounce if they slip up on the final day.

Leeds United

Southampton (H)

If Ipswich win v Coventry: Win and Ipswich lose

If Ipswich draw v Coventry: Win and Ipswich lose or draw

If Ipswich lose v Coventry: Win and Ipswich don't win by 9+

Ipswich Town

Huddersfield (H)

If they win v Coventry: win or draw

If they draw v Coventry: win; draw and Leeds draw/lose; lose and Leeds lose

If they lose v Coventry: win and Leeds draw/lose; draw and Leeds lose

Championship play-offs 2024: Fixtures, ticket info, prize money & more

FFC looks forward to the 2023/24 Championship play-offs with all you need to know, including updated ticket information.

ByLuke Randall May 20, 2024 Leeds United's fixtures and standings

Pos

Team

Played

GD

Pts

Leicester

44

+47

94

Leeds

45

+39

90

Ipswich

44

+32

90

Southampton

45

+23

84

Norwich

45

+16

73

West Brom

45

+20

72

Leeds will definitely have their promotion dream on the line on Saturday afternoon, but will be helpless to entering the play-offs if rivals Ipswich can do their own job. Daniel Farke's Whites just have to better the Tractor Boys' result on the final day to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Date

Competition

Opposition

H/A

4th May

Championship

Southampton

H

Leeds United's results

Leeds' shocking result against QPR leaves promotion out of their hands, and having started the calendar year so well, their form since Easter has been horrendous for a side chasing promotion.

Having 90 points at this stage is by no means a terrible season, but they are set to miss out on automatic promotion bar a similarly catastrophic collapse from Ipswich. Looking back at some of their recent results, they will only have themselves to blame.

Date

Competition

Opposition

Result

26th April

Championship

QPR

L 0-4

22nd April

Championship

Middlesbrough

W 4-3

13th April

Championship

Blackburn

L 0-1

9th April

Championship

Sunderland

D 0-0

6th April

Championship

Coventry

L 1-2

Leeds United's top scorers in 2023/24

Leeds have been blessed with plenty of goalscoring options in the current campaign, with seven players on five goals or above in all competitions.

1

Crysencio Summerville

45

20

10

2

Daniel James

43

13

8

3

Joel Piroe

45

12

3

=4

Patrick Bamford

36

9

2

=4

Wilfried Gnonto

40

9

2

6

Georginio Rutter

47

7

16

7

Pascal Struijk

25

5

0

“We’re looking forward to having a day off tomorrow and then getting stuck into them,” the New Zealand captain said

Alex Malcolm01-Mar-2020They say to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.There will be no secrets when New Zealand meet Australia in a cut-throat game at the Junction Oval on Monday. The winner progresses to the semi-final, the loser goes home.Both sides know each other intimately, with so many of New Zealand’s players featuring heavily in the WBBL, playing and training alongside the Australian players.It’s no secret that New Zealand are struggling in this tournament. The loss to India appeared tighter than it was, with Amelia Kerr’s freak innings almost papering over the cracks that India exposed in New Zealand’s batting.Those cracks became cavernous against Bangladesh, who bowled them out for just 91. It was their second-lowest total in Women’s World T20 history and their sixth-lowest in T20 internationals overall.The bowlers saved their blushes, with Hayley Jensen and Leigh Kasperek taking three wickets each as Bangladesh imploded in the chase.The captain Sophie Devine knows the area they must improve ahead of the clash with Australia.”Probably batting a bit better than we did today,” Devine said.”But look we’re really excited about that. Obviously, we wanted to get done with today and get the points in the bank and then it’s onto Australia who we’ve played a lot of cricket with and against and we’re really looking forward to it. Any time we come up against Australia, it doesn’t matter what sport it is, it’s going to be a big one. We’re looking forward to having a day off tomorrow and then getting stuck into them.”New Zealand’s reliance on their two stars in Devine and Suzie Bates is clear for the world to see. Both Bangladesh and India exploited it expertly, keeping the in-form Devine away from strike in the Powerplay and letting the run-rate build pressure.Bates’ form is also a worry with scores of 13, 6, and 15 in the tournament to-date. But Kasperek backed New Zealand’s big guns to fire against Australia.”I think they’ll be a little bit disappointed in how they have gone,” Kasperek said.”But when we’ve been training they’ve been hitting it really well and we’re really lucky we’ve got number one and number two in the world at the moment and the very fact that even today and against Sri Lanka, we got over the line when Suzie didn’t go well, but other people have been stepping up in the middle overs. You want your big players to step up in big games so hopefully, they can do that on Monday.Another area of concern for New Zealand is their lack of experience against left-handed batting and left-arm bowling. The White Ferns do not have a single left-hander or left-arm bowler in their entire squad. Chamari Atapattu (41 off 30), Udeshika Prabodhani (0 for 16 from 4 overs with 15 dot balls), Rajashwari Gayakwad (1 for 22 from 4 overs with 14 dots) and Radha Yadav (1 for 25 from 4 overs with 12 dots) have all caused New Zealand trouble in this tournament.Australia has two in-form left-handers in their top six in Beth Mooney and Rachael Haynes, while Jess Jonassen is a key component of the attack. Sophie Molineux, an allrounder who bats left-handed and bowls left-arm orthodox, will also be heavily considered for selection provided she can overcome a thigh injury.Kasperek believes it’s not a concern for the squad.”A couple of us like to dabble in a little bit of left-arm (at training),” Kasperek said.”But when we’ve had trainings we’ve tried to have net bowlers coming in and we’ve had our coaches come around the wicket and try to replicate the left-armers as much as possible.”I guess it’s just something in New Zealand that we just generally don’t have a lot of. Yes, it is different. But again, I think we’ve played enough cricket that we should be able to adapt to.”New Zealand haven’t beaten Australia in any format since February 2017, including six ODIs and four T20Is. But they haven’t met in a T20 international since the last World T20 in West Indies in 2018.Kasperek said the familiarity of their foes means Monday holds no fears.”I think we’ve been pretty close in a lot of games but I think it just that confidence thing,” Kasperek said.”Probably just a big player stepping up, especially with the bat. We’re really lucky in the fact we’ve had a lot of girls go over and play in the Big Bash and be successful so I think that will actually hold us in really good stead playing against Australia.”

There are eye-catching fixtures everywhere you look following Thursday's ceremony in Monaco as the competition's new format was laid out

The Champions League has returned – and with a brand new format. The tournament has been expanded to 36 teams and instead of a group stage, there'll be a league phase in which all of the participants play eight games against eight different teams (four at home, and four away).

The eight teams with the most points will progress directly to the last 16, while the teams ranked ninth to 24th will progress to a play-off round, with the remaining sides eliminated from Europe completely. The new format is, by its mere design, more egalitarian than ever before as every team, irrespective of their UEFA coefficient, must face two teams from every pool.

However, there's no denying that the draw went better for some clubs than others. Below, GOAL runs through all the big winners and losers from Thursday's ceremony in Monaco…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Harry Kane

Is this season that the Harry Kane curse is finally broken? Clearly, winning the Bundesliga represents an easier assignment for a Bayern Munich side that has been significantly strengthened during their summer transfer window, but the Bavarians will also be quietly confident of challenging for the Champions League again.

Last year's semi-finalists have drawn a couple of powerhouses in Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, the latter of whom are coached by former boss Hansi Flick, and a trip to Aston Villa is fraught with danger, but Bayern's Pot Two teams (Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk) are hardly intimidating.

Vincent Kompany's side look a good bet to progress directly to the last 16, and Kane should score plenty of goals against the likes of Dinamo Zagreb and Slovan Bratislava along the way.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain couldn't win the Champions League with Kylian Mbappe. So, what chance do they have of finally conquering Europe after being given a dreadful draw in Monte Carlo?!

Things really couldn't have gone much worse for the French champions, who ended up being paired with the two strongest sides in nearly every pot. Drawing Manchester City and Bayern was bad enough, but getting Atletico Madrid and Arsenal from Pot Two was particularly cruel, and it's not as if their Pot Three teams, PSV and Red Bull Salzburg, will be any pushovers either.

PSG have recruited some exciting young players during the summer, chief among them Joao Neves, but Luis Enrique's men might struggle to finish in the top eight in the league phase, which would mean dropping into the very unappealing play-off round.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Brendan Rodgers

Celtic's recent record in the Champions League is pretty atrocious, so they certainly won't be getting ahead of themselves after Thursday's draw. But Brendan Rodgers probably can't believe his luck right now, as the Bhoys have managed to avoid any of the really big boys.

Their two Pot One teams are RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, while they pulled Club Brugge out of Pot Two. As Pot Four teams go, Aston Villa away is as tough as it comes, but Celtic unquestionably have a real shot at getting into the play-offs for the last 16, with home games to come against Leipzig, Brugge, Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava. The Scottish champions are capable of putting all four of those sides under real pressure in the cauldron that is Celtic Park.

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GettyLOSER: Arne Slot

Arne Slot really could have done without being immediately measured against the man most Liverpool fans wanted to replace Jurgen Klopp as manager. However, Xabi Alonso is on his way back to Anfield with his brilliant, double-winning Bayer Leverkusen side, which went within one Europa League win of completing an undefeated treble last season.

Liverpool are undeniably lucky to have RB Leipzig as one of their Pot One opponents, but they don't have many happy memories of facing Real Madrid, while trips to Milan and Eindhoven will be nothing if not tricky.

The Reds definitely have the firepower to progress, but a top-eight finish looks far from straightforward for Slot in his first season on Merseyside, particularly for a squad that still looks a little short on cover in certain areas.

Study reveals potentially devastating loss of council-run cricket pitches in wake of Covid-19 outbreak

Andrew Miller15-Jun-2020The ECB has been challenged to do more to ensure its junior participation schemes are made relevant to the South Asian cricketing community, following a new study that has revealed a potentially devastating reduction in council-run cricket pitches in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.Writing in the National Asian Cricket Council newsletter, chairman Gulfraz Riaz cited the findings of a recent report by the Grounds Management Association, which estimates that cricket – with its specialised requirements for pitch maintenance – could be the hardest-hit sport in the UK post-Covid, with more than half of its playing capacity lost in the coming decade, compared to a fifth for rugby and football.And this, in turn, could put huge pressure on the Asian cricketing community, which is estimated to represent between 30 and 35% of all active cricketers in the UK, but – unlike the club structure of traditional English cricket – is based overwhelmingly on a complex network of parks leagues that the ECB, through its county boards, has so far struggled to support through the pandemic.Writing in the newsletter, Riaz says that the Covid outbreak has had a “hugely detrimental and potentially even longer-lasting effect on the South Asian Parks Cricketing Community (SAPCC) up and down the country,” and adds that, while the community remains self-sufficient for now, “the first small signs of cracks have started to appear” in the decades-old league structures, not least because young British Asians are as tempted as their white-British counterparts by alternative forms of recreation.”The problems at hand are two-fold,” Riaz wrote. “Firstly in terms of very real and meaningful engagement with the next generation of young Asian players and secondly the unfortunate case of still being left to play on substandard local authority grounds and facilities. These are incredibly alarming signs [but] something actually we should not be too surprised to see.”ALSO READ: Almanack Archive: Winds of change blow through British Asian cricketThe ECB launched the South Asian Action Plan in May 2018 with the aim of engaging more effectively with South Asian communities at every level of the game. And while the board admitted from the outset that there was no “quick fix” to the status quo, it has since invested significantly in the sort of publicly-accessible facilities that the parks leagues rely on, including a new partnership in Manchester that will deliver 92 new all-weather pitches across every borough of the city.However, recreational cricket in England and Wales remains suspended indefinitely due to the pandemic, which means that the ECB’s hopes of building on the extraordinary success of last summer’s World Cup and Ashes series have also taken a hit.And while Riaz acknowledged that the ECB’s All-Stars programme, aimed at 5 to 8-year-olds, and the new Dynamos scheme for 8 to 11-year-olds were “very welcome additions”, he warned that their club-based points of delivery meant that the parks leagues had been “bypassed” on that front.”It is absolutely imperative therefore that the drivers of these programmes listen, understand and find very real and meaningful ways to directly engage with the cricketing heads from these leagues,” he wrote, “and most importantly get a grip in helping sustain and grow cricket within the SAPCC and youngsters from this important section of the national cricketing community.”The UK economy shrank by more than 20% in April due to the Covid lockdown, and speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Riaz acknowledged that local authorities could not be expected to prioritise council-run cricket pitches over and above other key public services, such as maintaining highway verges and cemeteries.But, he added, the economic downturn was bound to have knock-on effects on Asian participation in particular when cricket does resume, and stressed that, two years on from the launch of the South Asian Action Plan, it was the duty of county boards to find a way to ensure that the ECB’s offers of financial support during the pandemic were able to filter down to the parks communities.”The driving force for the Asian cricket community are its leagues,” said Riaz. “These are made up of teams drawn up from taxi ranks and restaurants. They are not constituted, they don’t have bank accounts, they are set up in an individual’s name, and that causes problems when funding needs to be transferred.”Asian cricket has previously thrived on a pay-as-you-play structure,” he added. “These teams don’t have gas and electricity bills – they don’t even have clubhouses – so in some ways they are immune to the economics. But if these same players are obliged to put food on the table rather than play cricket when their businesses do reopen, then we will be looking at a huge decline in numbers.”Responding to the points raised, a ECB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo that the board was committed to making all of its programmes welcoming and diverse as part of the South Asian Action Plan. Citing the initiative in Manchester, he added that 17 of those new pitches would be introduced in parks and playing fields in Greater Manchester this year, and that, nationally, 549 female South Asian volunteers had so far been recruited to help deliver the All Stars programme in key inner-city areas.”We continue to talk regularly to our County Cricket Boards (CCBs) and our leagues and clubs across the country to understand the needs of those reliant on public facilities as the social restrictions begin to ease, to offer support and to match them with additional cricket facilities where appropriate,” the spokesman added.

Tottenham have already made contact over a potential £21 million signing, with Spurs scouts also passing him with "flying colours".

Spurs looking to sign new centre-back for Postecoglou

The prospect of manager Ange Postecoglou sealing Champions League qualification in his full debut season is ever so surely dwindling after three consecutive Premier League defeats.

Levy ready to sell Hojbjerg as Tottenham eye "huge" £100,000-per-week heir

The Spurs midfield could look pretty different next season.

ByEmilio Galantini May 4, 2024

Spurs' losses to Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea come as good news for Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, who is now in full control of the race for fourth despite the Lilywhites still possessing a game in hand.

Luckily, according to Telegraph journalist Matt Law, Spurs have been drawing up alternative summer transfer plans in the event they don't qualify for a place in Europe's most prestigious competition next season.

Law explains in the same report that Postecoglou still wants to bring in another centre-half ahead of 2024/25, coming after the Australian stated in March that Spurs will look to sign a central defender despite Radu Dragusin's arrival in January.

If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at,” said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back this summer.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit into what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Targets have been named, with Tottenham believed to be major contenders for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who will leave Craven Cottage when his contract expires on June 30.

The same can be said for another soon-to-be free agent, as Spurs also hold an interest in Bournemouth ace Lloyd Kelly. Further abroad, a name who's been repeatedly doing the rounds this week is Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori.

Tottenham contact Bologna over signing Calafiori this summer

Tuttosport (via Sport Witness) claimed this week that Tottenham scouts have promoted Calafiori with "flying colours".

Bologna 3-0 Salernitana

8.09

Empoli 1-0 Bologna

7.76

Bologna 1-0 Lazio

7.65

Roma 1-3 Bologna

7.55

Bologna 4-0 Lecce

7.49

Now, according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Spurs are set to join an auction for Calafiori alongside Juventus this summer, and it is believed contact has already been made with Bologna as far back as January – who value him at around £21 million.

The 21-year-old, who can play both centrally and as a full-back, has registered four assists over 28 Serie A appearances this season and his form is surely putting him in contention for a place in Italy's Euro 2024 squad.

He was the ACB’s first media manager and a longtime manager of the national side

Daniel Brettig09-Jun-2020Ian McDonald, the Australian Cricket Board’s first media manager and also longtime manager of the national team, has died aged 88 on the Gold Coast after a long illness.McDonald led the internal investigation that confirmed Mark Waugh and Shane Warne had been paid for their exchange of information with “John the bookie” during the 1994-95 season. Waugh (A$10,000) and Warne (A$8,000) were privately fined by the ACB immediately before travelling to the West Indies in 1995, and while McDonald drafted a press release to announce the decision, the story was kept in-house by the ACB and did not reach the public eye until December 1998, well after his departure.A long and eventful career as a journalist and sports editor for publications including , and the , and then as media manager for the VFL, set up McDonald to be recruited to the ACB by then chief executive David Richards in August 1983.The governing body was still coming to terms with the demands of the new era heralded by the “peace treaty” with Kerry Packer after World Series Cricket and needed a better idea of public relations. At the time, McDonald described his role as bringing a “more human public image” to a “faceless and mysterious body”. McDonald would remain at the ACB until 1997, an instantly recognisable figure with his stocky build, moustache and brown-framed glasses.Over that time, McDonald’s duties were many and varied, as the go-between for a cricket board and national team that struggled amid the many ructions of the early 1980s before taking on a more robust and successful form under the leadership of Allan Border and Bob Simpson on the cricket field and Richards, cricket manager Graham Halbish and chairman Malcolm Gray in the latter years of the decade.McDonald was a confidante and advisor for all these leaders, presiding over events such as Kim Hughes’ tear-filled resignation as captain in 1984, some 80 home Test matches, the World Cup co-hosted with New Zealand in 1992 and ultimately Australia’s rise to the summit of the game by defeating the West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. McDonald’s duel role as media and team manager gave him a unique perspective on a time when support staff were few and players and administrators worked closely together on limited budgets.In January 1992, when the selectors chose to drop Border’s longtime lieutenant Geoff Marsh from the final Test of a series against India, causing the captain to refuse to walk onto the field for day five of the fourth match at Adelaide Oval, McDonald fielded calls from the press box about his absence. His immortal reply when asked why Border was absent, “he’s got the s***s”, momentarily had the fourth estate concluding that the captain was battling gastro.As a media manager, McDonald was pivotal to creating a system of national media accreditation to allow access to all Australian venues during the international summer. He recruited and mentored Patrick Keane, a former Australian Associated Press journalist, as Australian team media manager, before he went on to a long and influential career with the AFL.

Arsenal might not have their Premier League fate in their own hands anymore this season, but whatever happens over the next three games, the north Londoners have had another brilliant campaign, one that should encourage fans about the team's future.

Mikel Arteta's side might not have set the world alight in the Champions League, but domestically, they have been blowing teams away. They boast the best attack and defence in the league, all while being told by fans and pundits alike that they need to sign a new striker.

Interestingly, however, the recent stories coming out of the club regarding forwards have been about the potential departure of Gabriel Jesus in the summer after an underwhelming season from him in front of goal.

While Edu Gaspar and Co are likely to make a pretty penny on the Brazilian, replacing him might cost them more unless they promote one of Hale End's most exciting academy products – a product compared to Victor Osimhen and turning heads at the Bernabeu.

Gabriel Jesus' season in numbers

Last season, Jesus ended the campaign with 11 goals and seven assists in 33 games, and while that wasn't an earth-shattering return, it was reasonably impressive given how much time he missed through injury.

However, this year, the Sao Paulo-born star has seen his rate of return drop, and in 33 games, he has scored just eight goals while providing seven assists to boot, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 2.2 games.

That average does improve to every 1.5 games when he starts as a striker, but then Kai Havertz is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.1 games as a striker, and, as things stand, it looks as if the German is Arteta's first choice.

Competition

Premier League

Champions League

League Cup

Appearances

24

8

1

Goals

4

4

0

Assists

4

3

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.33

0.75

0.00

Moreover, the 27-year-old has missed 33 games for the club in just two seasons, so considering all of the above, it makes sense why the Gunners might want to cash in on the talented forward, especially as they might already have the perfect ready-made replacement that would save them millions.

Why Chidozie Obi-Martin could save Arsenal millions

The Hale End star in question is Denmark U17 star Chidozie Obi-Martin, who has been grabbing headlines for his frankly absurd goalscoring exploits for Arsenal's youth teams in recent months despite still being just 16 years old.

Described as "Osimhen 2.0" by respected data analyst Ben Mattinson for his impressive strength and "aerial dominance," the Glostrup-born phenom has been on fire this season. He has scored 28 goals and provided two assists in just 22 appearances, totalling 1429 minutes, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 48 minutes – even better than the Nigerian's average of a goal involvement every 113 minutes this season at Napoli.

The "incredible" teen, as talent scout Jacek Kulig describes him, first caught the attention of the wider footballing public when he scored ten – yes, ten – goals against Liverpool's U16s last November. Just last week, he was at it again, netting seven times in an emphatic 9-0 win against Norwich City's U18s.

Appearances

22

Goals

28

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

1.36

The ludicrous form of the 6 foot 2 titan has understandably caught the attention of some of Europe's elite sides. Recent reports reveal that Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are now interested in luring the young prodigy away from London.

However, Arsenal fans shouldn't be too worried, as the same report has revealed that the club plans to integrate the youngster into the first team during their summer tour of the USA.

Moreover, the player himself told Danish publication bold.DK (translated by Football Transfers) earlier this month that he "would like to stay at Arsenal for a long time."

Ultimately, if Jesus does leave in the summer, fans can rest assured that the club already has the perfect replacement lined up for him in Chido Obi, and if the hype is to be believed, they could have a genuine world-beater on their hands.

Arsenal could land the ideal Jesus upgrade in £51m ace who wants the move

The Gunners are reportedly the talented forward’s ‘preferred destination.’

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 2, 2024