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ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from Sydney Sixers v Yorkshire

Liam Brickhill at Newlands16-Oct-2012The case of the missing ‘Y’
Left-hand openers named Gale are usually associated with whirlwind starts in Twenty20 cricket, but in this case a missing ‘y’ made all the difference, for this was Andrew, from Dewsbury, not Christopher, from Kingston, at the crease. Gale scratched his way to 8 from 17 deliveries before he attempted a desperate shuffle and had his leg stump spinning by Josh Hazlewood.A change of Ends
Mitchell Starc leaked 13 runs in his first over, from the Kelvin Grove End, but a change to the Wynberg End for his second spell in the seventh over brought immediate rewards. His second delivery found the top edge of Phil Jaques’ pull shot, Dominic Thornely pouching a simple catch at deep square leg. Starc, who had begun to find significant movement back into the right-hander since the change of ends, completed a wicket maiden by snaking one in through the air and past Joe Root’s driving bat.Yorkshire dig In
Gale wasn’t the only Yorkshire batsman who found the going tough against Sydney’s quicks, and the first six of the innings arrived as late as the final delivery of the 12th over, bowled by Shane Watson. The shot came off Root’s bat, but instead of prompting a rise in the run-rate, it precipitated a calamitous charge from Yorkshire. The boundary was found just two more times, and Yorkshire struggled to a paltry 96 for 9.The Watson trap
There was a sense of inevitability to the proceedings when Watson rocked onto the back foot to launch the third ball he faced onto the grass bank beyond wide long-on in characteristically brutal style. Watson has been so utterly dominant with the bat in Twenty20 cricket in recent times that there was a possibility he could chase down Yorkshire’s total all on his own. It was not to be, however, and the one thing that went right for Yorkshire all afternoon was Ryan Sidebottom’s short-ball trap which had the opener well caught at deep square leg.Haddin’s riposte
Yorkshire’s rally after Watson’s dismissal lasted all of one delivery, which was left alone by Brad Haddin outside off, before the wicketkeeping captain launched his side’s riposte with a flood of boundaries. Haddin singled Sidebottom out for particular punishment, and after his sixth boundary off the left-arm quick in the fourth over, Sydney were halfway to their target. A demolition beckoned, and so it proved to be.

Test quick’s stunning wicket-taking form continued, taking four out of five for Victoria as Jake Weatherald smashed a century and Daniel Drew finished 96 not out

Alex Malcolm09-Feb-2022Scott Boland picked up where he left off in the Ashes claiming four of five wickets to keep Victoria in the hunt after a century from Jake Weatherald and 96 not out from Daniel Drew put South Australia in a strong position on the opening day at Adelaide Oval.Boland was a one-man band for the visitors after the Redbacks won the toss and batted on a good batting strip. He knocked over Jake Carder and Travis Head in the same over before returning later to remove Weatherald for 122 and Test keeper Alex Carey.Boland claimed all four left-handers from around the wicket. He pinned Carder and Head on the crease and both were plumb lbw in almost identical fashion, within three balls of each other, to leave the Redbacks wobbling at 3 for 77. Head, who was player of the series in the Ashes, fell without scoring.But Weatherald and Drew took control of the match with an excellent 153-run stand. Weatherald put a difficult summer with the bat behind him striking 10 fours and two sixes on his way to his eighth first-class century. He played with typical aggression square of the wicket, punishing anything loose. Drew, playing in just his second first-class match and his first since 2019, struck 13 boundaries in his 243-ball stay. His 13th boundary came in the final over the day to move within four runs of a maiden first-class century but he faced three dots from Jon Holland to finish unbeaten on 96 at stumps.Drew might have got there without Boland’s disruptive spell with the second new ball. He picked up Weatherald from around the wicket with the opener closing the face to a ball that straightened off the seam and the leading edge ballooned to cover. Carey attempted a booming drive eight overs later and was bowled off the inside edge by a ball that just nibbled back off the seam.The only other Victorian bowler to break through was Mitchell Perry who removed Henry Hunt early in the day. Sam Harper took an outstanding juggling catch diving to his right for the first wicket of the morning.

Celtic are chasing a move for a long-term target this summer as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of the new Scottish Premiership campaign, it has been reported.

Celtic focus on permanent moves for loanees

Following the Scottish League and Cup double (both at the expense of bitter rivals Rangers), Brendan Rodgers' side have had a quiet summer. They have replaced the retired Joe Hart with veteran shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel, who has joined on a one-year deal after his time with Belgian side Anderlecht came to a close.

"Celtic is one of the world’s proper football clubs, a massive name and a place of real passion and success." he told the club website.

They have also confirmed a deal for backup goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, with the 22-year-old arriving from Aston Villa. But much of the focus has been on trying to negotiate permanent moves for their successful loanees last season.

Striker Adam Idah was a priority for Rodgers at the end of the season after he scored nine times on loan from Norwich, but a deal is looking increasingly difficult to pull off.

Speaking to the media last week, new Norwich manager Johannes Hoff Thorup suggested he wanted Idah to remain at Carrow Road.

"Like we said from day one, he's a vital part of the group and of the squad here. Luckily, or maybe unfortunately, we have players where there's also interest from other clubs. But we should always strive to have that, that's important for us."

"But Adam’s working hard in training, a good guy with good energy. He's really doing well. And I hope it's obvious for him and everyone that he will play a vital part for this team."

They are having better luck with fellow loanee Paulo Bernardo though, with reports from Scotland claiming that a deal for the midfielder is "all but done" in a move that will see Celtic shell out just under £3.4m to bring the 21-year-old to Celtic Park.

He may not be the only midfield arrival, though.

Celtic set to resume long chase

That comes with Sport Witness relaying claims from Turkey that Celtic remain interested in midfielder Jakub Kaluzinski. The Hoops were keen to sign him during his time at Lechia Gdansk, the report suggests, but the young Polish midfielder completed a move to Turkish side Antalyaspor last summer.

Celtic could forget about Balikwisha with "magic" pre-season star

The Hoops could hand a larger role to the impressive winger next season instead of dipping into the market.

3

By
Dan Emery

Jul 23, 2024

Now, 12 months on, Celtic remain interested, it is alleged, and there is no suggestion that he is unobtainable despite being under contract until 2026. On the contrary, it is added that a deal could be completed for just €4m (£3.3m), though Spanish side Rayo Vallodolid are also thought to be chasing his signature.

It remains to be seen whether a move for the 21-year-old talent is given priority given the other areas of need in the Hoops squad, but it is certainly one to keep an eye on ahead of the new campaign.

An update on Mohamed Salah's contract talks with Liverpool has emerged after the Egypt star sensationally claimed the Reds are yet to make an offer.

Article continues below

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• Salah still waiting on Liverpool contract offer
• Two parties in talks over an extension
• Liverpool want deal to make financial sense

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Salah dropped a bombshell after Liverpool's win over Southampton by saying he's "more out than in" at Anfield and is still waiting for a new contract offer from the Reds. An update on the situation has now been provided on the situation. A source has told that contract talks with Salah's agent Ramy Abbas have been "positive" and are "ongoing". The Reds are said to be eager to keep hold of Salah, who is the club's highest-paid player, but know that any offer must also make financial sense.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Salah's situation is also complicated by the fact that team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also out of contract in the summer. All three are key players for the Reds who are said to be working "feverishly" on the extensions. Salah's decision to give a rare interview and speak out about his position is therefore being seen as an attempt to "crank up the pressure" on Liverpool to reward his continuing impressive performances for the club with a new contract. Reporter Ben Jacobs adds that there has also been "no formal offer" from Saudi Arabia yet and Saudi Pro League sporting director Michael Emenalo is "waiting for the right time" to make a move for the Egyptian.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Salah has scored 223 goals in just 367 appearances for Liverpool. His brace against Southampton last time out also saw him notch another landmark as he joined Ian Rush and Roger Hunt as the only players in the club's history to score 100 goals away from home.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL

  Contract negotiations look set to continue between Liverpool and Salah, with fans eager for a resolution as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Reds will once again look to Salah for inspiration in key games this week against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester City in the Premier League.

Harsha Bhogle, Sharda Ugra and Osman Samiuddin discuss the slow progress in the effort to resume bilateral cricketing ties

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2012 about where the talks stand and whether a bilateral series is possible in the near future.Extracts from the discussion below. The numbers in brackets are the duration of each segment.Is the inclusion of a Pakistan team in the Champions League a starting point for a resumption of ties or a one-off? (2.00 – 7.23)
Osman Samiuddin: Sialkot Stallions have been on this run, winning seven out of nine domestic tournaments. People in Pakistan have always wanted to know how good Sialkot actually are on a world club stage. I don’t know if they’ve actively followed the Champions League as much as the IPL, but they’ve wanted to see a Pakistan side in there. Nearly every country in the world has had a club side in there and Pakistanis feel rightly angry that they haven’t been allowed a team in there. I think there will be interest this year and if it moves on to maybe having Pakistani players in the IPL next year that will be another big step as far as India-Pakistan generally are concerned.Sharda Ugra: My instinct is telling me that it is a standalone at the moment. I don’t expect corporates to be pretty courageous when it comes to something like this. They’ve shown that they didn’t want to be courageous when it came to actually making a decision.Harsha Bhogle: For all practical purposes, Azhar Mahmood is Pakistani. I know he carries a passport of a different colour, and that allowed him to come to India and play the IPL. He played for a franchise that made him feel more at home. There were young kids going up and chatting with him, using his experience and it didn’t seem to rub anyone the wrong way. To me that was one of the highlights of this year’s IPL.OS: The experience that a lot of Pakistanis had in the first year of the IPL – they spoke pretty highly of it. They spoke as other players speak of it, that it’s a great place to break down barriers and learn stuff from other players. They’ll certainly benefit from it. More than anything, it’s very important that Pakistani players should feel part of this cricketing fraternity of players from around the world. One of the biggest losses that you felt covering Pakistan over the last few years is that they have kind of felt a little disenfranchised from the rest of the world through no fault of their own. They felt a little away from the other players around the world who’ve had this great gathering point at the IPL. Even Indians and Australians are friends these days. The biggest advantage now is that at least Pakistan will be coming back into this international community of players.What about the bigger issue – bilateral series? Also, how much is cricket subordinate to political relations between the countries? (7.25 – 12.26)
HB: People are making the right noises but the right noises are not translating into the right amount of cricket. I know there’s no slot in the calendar for the next 12 months, certainly from an Indian point of view. But these slots can materialise if the need exists.SU: It could work on two fronts. Primarily, they’re going to check if the governments are okay with it and so far the governments seem like they’re okay. That can change very quickly. Secondly, what benefit will be there for the Indian and Pakistani boards to be friends with each other – mostly to the Indian board? Do you want the chairman to be with your country when you need votes, then yes, you do need the Pakistanis to be your friends. And then you say, “Okay, let’s have some bilateral cricket.” If it benefits the Indian board to be able to host the Pakistanis, they will do so.OS: In Pakistan and India, at least in these matters, it is impossible to take this kind of politics out of sport. In Pakistan and India, bilateral series always come about as a result of some political or diplomatic initiative. All that’s been happening recently – there are talks happening between the two sides, there seems to be a relative thaw after the cold days just after the Mumbai attacks. Cricket has always been one of the first beneficiaries of this kind of thaw – it happened during Musharraf’s time, Zia’s time, throughout the history of the two countries.I don’t think it’s a bad thing that it’s going a bit slowly. Rather than rush into these things and play, as Sharda well knows, some seven series in three years as they did last time, it’s okay it’s going slowly. These are two boards and two sides that are not entirely comfortable with each other. We need to take one step at a time, sit back, think, and try and be a bit more mature about how these matters play out.HB: Much as you want to wish it away, it has to be a political decision. Sharda, was it a political decision to not allow Pakistan players in the IPL? Franchises were quite happy to tell the real story. Was it cricketing or governmental?SU: It was governmental in that there was grumbling from the government. It was translated and followed on by the people of the IPL. They may not have needed to precisely do so. If you get a handful of Pakistanis to come and play, I don’t see there being a big problem. It was governmental grumbling that was turned into a political decision eventually.

“The one thing that has happened with Pakistan over the last couple of years – very slowly, they’ve somehow managed to find a way to exist and be financially… not profitable but sustainable and feasible without playing India regularly”Osman Samiuddin

How much is Pakistan’s desire to play India driven by commercial considerations? (12.27 – 14.06)
OS: I think any country that is keen to play India is very aware of the financial benefits it brings. The one thing that has happened with Pakistan over the last couple of years – very slowly, they’ve somehow managed to find a way to exist and be financially… not profitable but sustainable without playing India regularly. England, for example, has been a series that has always been a profitable one for Pakistan anywhere. The importance of that has come home to Pakistan – that you can maybe make a living outside of this because it is your reality.What difference has the new PCB chief, Zaka Ashraf, made, and can the PCB completely democratise as the ICC wants some boards to? (14.07 – 16.18)
OS: I’m not sure what kind of an administrator he is. There is enough said about him at the political level because he is close to Zardari [the Pakistan president]. One good thing that seems to have emerged about Ashraf is that he listens to his lieutenants carefully; he doesn’t interfere.[Democratisation] is going to be impossible. If you speak to senior officials in the board, for them it’s a matter of trying to push and push the ICC and keep this governance clause away. Ultimately, no president of any country wants to reduce his sphere of influence willingly.The road ahead for India-Pakistan cricket (17.35 – 20.49)
HB: My feeling is that when it comes to India-Pakistan relations, whether it is music or cricket, which are the two things that seem to bring countries together, I see a lot of polite talk, party talk, social talk, but I don’t see movement.OS: There is a bit of a thaw but you have local compulsions. You have elections coming up soonish in India and elections coming up probably next year in Pakistan as well. That will factor into anything that happens here. The talks are there, so the carrot is dangling permanently that Pakistan-India will happen. I dare say that it will happen; maybe in the next two years we might see a full series, maybe even next year given how these things work. It’s going slowly, but I think that’s okay. Have measures on the side, have Pakistanis play in the IPL and Champions League, instead of rushing headlong into it.SU: I will hope the IPL and Champions League open their doors a little bit more to have the Pakistanis in. We keep forgetting that this is a sport played at the top level by only ten countries. So you can’t make it nine and say you’re doing the right thing. Let’s at least keep it at ten to start with. It’s a great contest and it’ll give you enough money in the bank.HB: My own gut feeling is that it’s not the politicians that will eventually play a role but the businessmen. As trade opens and everyone realises the need to be together to improve trade on both sides, maybe cricket, which in the eyes of some is bending towards trade, might actually be the clinching factor.

INDIVISA breaks down Saturday's NWSL's Championship, a matchup of the top two seeds from the 2024 playoffs

The 2024 NWSL Championship has all the makings of a thriller, as the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit – the top two seeds in the playoffs – meet in the finale Saturday night in Kansas City.

The No. 1 ranked Pride, NWSL's 2024 regular season champions, will look to cap off a record-breaking campaign, but Jonatan Giraldez's Spirit stand in their way – and they're not backing down.

Orlando qualified for the postseason for only the second time in the club's history after a truly historic regular season, in which they did not lose a match until the 24th game. The Spirit, meanwhile, brought in Giraldez from Barcelona Femeni after the conclusion of their 2023-24 season, and the Spaniard has taken the club to new heights.

In two meetings during the regular season, the Pride won both, meaning the third and final meeting between the two clubs this season will be for the title. INDIVISAtakes a look at the keys for each team in the Championship set for 8 p.m. ET at CPKC Stadium (Watch on CBS / Paramount +).

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  The breakdown: Orlando

  How did we get here: The Pride opened their postseason run with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars, and followed it with another brilliant performance in the semifinals, defeating the Kansas City Current 3-2 thanks to an 82nd-minute winner from Marta.

  How Orlando can win:The Pride are NWSL's team of destiny in 2024. They had a stupendous unbeaten stretch during the regular season, their manager Seb hines was named NWSL Coach of the Year and striker Barbra Banda was an MVP finalist. They should have all the confidence in the world coming into the match, and they need to embrace that.

  Banda's 16 goals during the regular season led the team in scoring, and if she is given the ball in front of the net, she's surely set to put it on frame. If they can find a way to get Marta into space, while feeding Banda, the goals will come. What they cannot do, though, is allow Washington to find an early goal. Controlling the tempo of the match and dominating the midfield will lead to scoring opportunities – and once the gates open for the Pride, it's been hard to close them in 2024.

  Key player to watch: Marta – in the semifinals, the Brazilian scored a playoff goal to remember, and in the final match of her career, she is surely going to make a statement on the pitch. The 38-year-old has one last chance to leave an impact on the field, and if she's given any opportunity at all to, there's no doubt she will.

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  The breakdown: Washington

  How did we get here: The Spirit began their postseason journey against Bay FC, defeating the expansion side 2-1 after extra-time. A 96th minute own-goal from Caprice Dydasco sealed the victory for Washington, sending them to the semifinals against reigning-champions Gotham FC. There, they went to extra-time again, and eventually defeated the in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

  Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made three consecutive saves in the shootout, putting on a heroic performance in net to see her team through to the final.

  How Washington can win:The Spirit have overcome adversity this season, losing NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune and USWNT veteran Andi Sullivan to season-ending injuries. They need to ride the underdog story, and play with no fear. It's no shock to anyone that Orlando's attack is a blistering group of goal-scorers and creators, but if Washington can find their groove early, things could get interesting.

  If they can get Ashley Hatch service in the box, or hand Rosemonde Kouassi and Trinity Rodman space wide, they can create attacking chances or push for potential set-piece opportunities. Capitalizing in those moments will be key.

  Key player to watch: Rodman – the U.S. international is an absolute gem on and off the ball, and is capable of creating magic out of nothing. If she gets space on the wing, or has the chance to take a defender on 1v1, there's a good chance she will create scoring opportunities.

• The prediction

  The Pride will take this one, with their blistering attack of Banda and Marta too much for the Spirit defense to handle. Washington won't go down easy, but the Pride's dominant 2024 will see them rewarded with a regular season title and an NWSL Championship, with the Brazilian capping off her truly legendary career with one last trophy.

  Orlando will win 2-1, with a Banda brace, with Washington's lone goal coming from Rosemonde Kouassi.

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  How to watch

  The match kicks off at 8:00 pm ET Saturday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. CBS will broadcast the game nationally, with streaming available on Paramount+.

His current contract expires in May next year but recent results have strengthened his hand

AAP23-Dec-2021Justin Langer has confirmed he wants to stay on as Australia’s men’s head coach for all three formats, putting off any suggestions of splitting the role.Langer had found himself under pressure to keep his job amid player feedback earlier this year, prompting high-powered meetings amid concerns he was at times too intense.However, he has since made it a point to relinquish control in some areas, handing more responsibility to his support staff.Australia’s maiden T20 World Cup win was expected to help his cause when cricket officials meet after the Ashes to discuss whether to renew his contract next year. Retaining the Ashes at home would almost cement that — after a period in which Australia recovered from the 2018 ball-tampering scandal to retain the urn in England but lost two home series to India.There had been some suggestion that the T20 triumph and home Ashes success would be the perfect way for Langer to go out on his terms. But just days before the Boxing Day Test, in which Australia can take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Ashes, he said his passion for the job had not changed.”I’ve never thought differently to be honest,” Langer said on Thursday. “I’ve been consistent with what I’ve said for the last four years. I love my job. And the boys are playing well. No doubt about it. It’s a great team to be involved in. So nothing’s changed from my point of view.”When asked whether he wanted to keep charge of Tests, ODIs and T20s, Langer responded: “Yes”.Australia have a busy two years ahead in all formats, with their T20 World Cup defence on home soil starting next October. An ODI World Cup is booked for India at the end of 2023.There are also significant Test series ahead. Australia have a spate of tours to Asia, where they have not won a series in 10 years. Included in that is one to India next summer, which Langer has long identified as a place he desperately wants to win as a coach.Australia are also set to return to South Africa in 2023 for the first time since the ball-tampering scandal, while the Ashes will be played in England that year.
Plus there’s the aim of the Test Championship final, which Marnus Labuschagne identified as a motivation for trying to whitewash England this summer after narrowly missing out earlier this year.”We were envious of New Zealand and India that we weren’t there,” Langer said. “We would have loved to have been. It was a goal which we didn’t achieve unfortunately.”

Crystal Palace are eyeing a move to sign a £34m attacker, with Oliver Glasner seemingly wanting one more high-profile signing.

Crystal Palace's summer transfer window so far

While Dean Henderson, Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton have been away at Euro 2024 with England, Dougie Freedman and Glasner have been hard at work making preparations for the new season at Selhurst Park.

It will be Glasner’s first full campaign in charge of the Eagles, and there have already been some noticeable incomings and one big departure from the playing squad. In regards to arrivals, centre-back Chadi Riad was the first to join from Real Betis, and he’s been followed by attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada, who left Lazio as a free agent.

The one major exit has been Michael Olise, who has now officially completed his move to European giants Bayern Munich. Steve Parish told the club’s official website after the move was announced:

“We are hugely proud of what Michael has achieved at Crystal Palace, a club where he has developed greatly as a player. We respect his desire to further test himself at the highest level of world football, and I would like to personally wish him the very best for his next adventure with Bayern Munich in Germany which I’m sure we will all follow closely.”

Now, a replacement for Olise appears to be required, with Palace losing a player who scored 10 Premier League goals and provided six assists in just 19 games last season.

Former Watford winger Ismaila Sarr is just one wide attacker to be linked with a move to London, with a fee of around £20m needed for the Marseille man. However, Fabrizio Romano has shared a new update on another attacker who is valued at €40m (£34m).

Crystal Palace eyeing Matias Soule move

Talking to GiveMeSport, Romano stated that Juventus winger Matias Soule is a player Palace are eyeing, alongside top-flight rivals West Ham and Leicester City, with Glasner wanting “one more player”.

“Another player they've been tracking is Matias Soule but Juventus want €40 million for him. Also, West Ham United and Leicester City are interested, but €40 million is a lot of money, so not that easy. And I expect Crystal Palace to do something absolutely because Oliver Glasner, apart from obviously Daichi Kamada joining, wants one more player.”

Soule spent last season out on loan with Frosinone, where he was compared to Argentine icon Angel Di Maria.

He scored 11 Serie A goals and provided three assists in 36 league appearances, catching the eye of analyst Ben Mattison , who hailed Soule as a “really entertaining player”.

“Soule is just generally a really entertaining player to watch. He plays with flair and a level of confidence that’s so engaging. The Argentine has an inevitability about him – he always is looking to make something happen & when he has the ball in certain areas, he will.”

Last summer, Chelsea invested heavily across the entire squad, including the centre forward spot.

Nicolas Jackson was brought to the club in an attempt to replace Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz, and it’s fair to say that his first season at the club was a success.

In the Premier League alone, the 23-year-old started 31 top-flight games, scoring an excellent 14 goals and also providing five assists.

Despite that, the Blues are keen to bolster the attacking department once again with a player who’d even be an upgrade on the Senegal star.

Chelsea want to purchase a new striker

As per a report from the Daily Mail, Chelsea are keen on making Alexander Isak a Blue this summer.

It’s said that the Blues have ‘made an enquiry’ about the Newcastle United star as they look to bolster the centre-forward spot.

‘Conversations have taken place’ between the Magpies and Chelsea, but they’d have to surpass the fee of their club record signing, Moises Caicedo.

This means that a figure of more than £115m would be required, but that could prove to be too pricey for Todd Boehly.

Why Isak would be a huge upgrade on Jackson

Since arriving at Newcastle in 2022, Isak has simply been absolutely outstanding when handed the opportunity to lead the line.

His first campaign at St. James’ Park saw him rotate frequently with Callum Wilson, but he still hit ten goals in 17 league starts, which is a fantastic return.

In truth, it’s incredibly difficult to find any genuine flaws within his game, and last season, he really took the next step that cemented himself as one of the finest centre forwards in England, with football scout Jacek Kulig calling him "incredible."

Across the Premier League campaign, the Swede started 27 matches, and in the process, he scored an impressive 21 goals and provided two assists, a clear improvement on his previous output.

As you can see, when Isak’s attacking statistics are compared to Jackson’s, they’re simply on another level.

Firstly, the only statistic that really matters when it comes to centre forwards’ is their goals, as they obviously determine the outcome of every single game, and Isak is simply much more deadly.

Last season, Jackson underperformed his xG quite significantly every single game, with a lack of composure and a wasteful trait holding the Blues back at times, but with Isak, that wouldn’t be the case based on his xG to goals ratio, and goals to shot stat.

However, Chelsea’s number 15 does play a huge role outside of just goals that enable the attack to function effectively, with his ability to drop slightly deeper, carry the ball, and also have movement in behind being so important.

Luckily, if Chelsea did opt for Isak, he would also be able to provide all of those attributes, as shown by his progressive carries and successful take-ons, as well as the fact that Jackson is the Swede’s most similar player in the Premier League, according to FBref.

Overall, it’s clear that with Isak, Chelsea would be getting a similar player to Jackson but just on an entirely different level, and a player of Isak’s quality could be the difference between achieving silverware or not.

No Jackson, £226m trio sign: Enzo Maresca's dream lineup at Chelsea

Chelsea are set for a busy summer with plenty of signings expected.

By
Tom Lever

May 29, 2024

Hrishikesh Kanitkar, SS Das, Sitanshu Kotak to be batting coaches while board considers rolling out exclusive contracts for fast bowlers

Edited PTI story17-Nov-2021The BCCI is set to appoint Australia’s Troy Cooley as fast-bowling coach, and former India batters Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Shiv Sunder Das, along with Sitanshu Kotak, as the batting coaches at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.Former India and Mumbai legspinner Sairaj Bahutule will be the spin-bowling coach.Cooley is being roped in with an aim to create the country’s next generation of fast bowlers. A reputed fast-bowling coach, Cooley was with the England set-up during their historic 2005 Ashes campaign in which their fast bowlers, on home soil, became a nightmare for the Australian batters. The success of Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones and Steve Harmison was in part attributed to Cooley. Cooley was then roped in by Cricket Australia the following year and he worked with the national team till the 2010-11 season after which he joined the board’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.”I would say one of the biggest success for both Sourav [Ganguly, the BCCI president] and Jay [Shah, the secretary] is to convince Troy Cooley to work with India’s next batch of pacers at the National Cricket Academy,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on the condition of anonymity. “We are hearing that BCCI is giving Cooley a three-year contract and he will closely co-ordinate with the NCA head of cricket, VVS Laxman.”BCCI set to introduce exclusive fast-bowlers’ contracts
The BCCI is planning on how to prepare the next crop of fast bowlers and one of the decisions set to be taken is an ‘Exclusive Young Pacers Contract’.It is understood that Ganguly, Shah, head coach Rahul Dravid and NCA’s new head VVS Laxman are trying to devise a contract that is exclusive and different from the central contract.It is learnt that Cooley and Laxman will hand-pick 10 young fast bowlers who are currently not in the national reckoning or do not have central contracts. These young pacers will be selected from the junior and first-class set-ups and handed ‘BCCI fast bowlers’ contract.’ They will be evaluated by Dravid and Laxman to see if they can be fast-tracked into the pathways team (India A) and then the senior side.Kanitkar, Das appointed batting coaches
Kanitkar and Das are back in the NCA fold in their familiar role as batting coaches, along with Kotak, who is set to travel to South Africa with the India A team.The three fielding coaches at the NCA will be Subhadeep Ghosh, T Dilip and Munish Bali. Dilip is currently working with the India senior team for the series against New Zealand while Ghosh will travel to South Africa with the A team. Bali is expected to work with the India men’s U-19 side.Both Ghosh and Das were part of India Women’s support staff for the multi-format tour of Australia in September-October.