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Bangladesh-born fast bowler goes straight into XI to face Surrey in County Championship

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2023Arafat Bhuiyan, a British-Bangladeshi seam bowler, has become the seventh graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to sign professional terms, after joining Kent for the remainder of the 2023 season.Bhuiyan was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, but has UK residency, and has taken 17 wickets for Kent’s second XI, including best figures of 4 for 81 against Hampshire earlier this month. He made his first-class debut in Kent’s ongoing fixture against Surrey at the Kia Oval.He currently plays his club cricket in the Kent Premier League for Blackheath, and has also featured for Surrey, Essex and Derbyshire’s Second XIs in the past six years, as well as stints for MCC’s Young Cricketers side in 2019, and SACA this year.”I’m over the moon to have signed for Kent,” Bhuiyan said. “It’s a dream come true to become a professional cricketer and I feel all my hard work has paid off.”I’m grateful to Kent, especially Second XI Coach Mark Dekker, for the faith they have showed in me, and hope I can perform well if given the opportunity.”Bhuiyan moved to Birmingham to be part of SACA’s winter training programme, and credited that experience for fast-tracking his professional ambitions.”I would also like to thank Dr Tom Brown from SACA for giving me the opportunity to train and for accommodating me during the Winter in Birmingham,” he said. “I can’t speak highly enough about the amount of work he is putting into this programme.”Kent’s Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, added: “Arafat comes highly recommended from our pathway coaches and has impressed with his pace and control with the ball for us this year. He brings much-needed depth to our bowling attack as we head into a busy period of the season.”

Focus will now shift to the World Cup but the Test team is facing a transition period

Andrew McGlashan02-Aug-20233:57

Predicting the 2025-26 Ashes XIs: Who will stay and who’ll go?

As the dust settles on a dramatic men’s Ashes series, it’s a chance to consider what lies ahead for the Australia Test team. Like with all the other countries, the format goes on the backburner as focus switches to the ODI World Cup.After a six-month period that has seen Australia take on a trio of the biggest assignments – India away, the World Test Championship final and an overseas Ashes – their next three series see them facing Pakistan and West Indies at home followed by New Zealand away.It is an aging Test team which means the transition that will start to occur over the next year or so will need to be carefully managed and it will show the depth of what is coming through the system.Does David Warner get his Sydney farewellThe first player to depart will be David Warner. He hopes to go out against Pakistan on his home ground at the SCG and may have done just enough – 285 runs at 28.50 – to ensure he gets the ending he has laid out, but it’s not yet cemented. There remains a chance the selectors will see the start of the home season as a chance for a clean break.At times Warner played well against England, most notably at Lord’s and in the second innings at The Oval, and his partnerships with Usman Khawaja in the first two Tests had been very important too.”I thought the way he went about it for a certain period of time was outstanding,” coach Andrew McDonald said. “He’s always going to have some sort of speculation around what he’s doing and where he’s heading, but we’ve got a long time before that first Test match in Australia and Perth.”David Warner made 285 runs at 28.50 in the Ashes•Getty ImagesBut regardless of whether it’s the start of the Pakistan series or the West Indies one in January, Australia will need a new opening batter sooner rather than later. Warner gave a strong endorsement of Matt Renshaw, but it could be that Marcus Harris is the frontrunner having been the reserve batter in a number of squads over the last 18 months.Outside of those two names, Cameron Bancroft could come into consideration if he continues to pile up domestic runs (although he couldn’t really have done much more last season for Western Australia with 945 at 59.06) while Henry Hunt, Tim Ward and Caleb Jewell have all featured for Australia A.At 36, Khawaja is also coming towards the backend of his career but as a single-format international player, and having had those years away from the Test scene, the selectors will hope he can continue for a season or two yet to avoid needing two new batters close together.Cameron Green vs Mitchell MarshMitchell Marsh produced one of the performances of the series when he flayed a brilliant century on the opening day at Headingley. He followed that with more runs at Old Trafford and it has opened up a fascinating selection debate for the home summer.Cameron Green never found his best form in England, making 134 runs in four Tests and taking seven wickets, and for the first time in his career was dropped at The Oval. Barring injury – and there remain a few questions over the workload Marsh’s body can manage – it could be difficult for him to return to being a first pick by December.Do Australia have place for both Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh in the Test XI?•Getty ImagesGreen might get just one Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia after the ODI World Cup, assuming he isn’t selected for the T20Is against India which follow that, then the BBL takes over the Australian domestic schedule while the Tests are on.Looking further into the future, it would appear likely that Green will move higher up the batting order, perhaps as Steven Smith’s replacement at No. 4 when that time comes, which could open the door for both him and Marsh being in the same XI. The other name to factor into the allrounder debate is Western Australia’s Aaron Hardie as, potentially, is Will Sutherland.”I think Mitch Marsh took his opportunity at the right time,” McDonald said. “And the way he played, he put immense pressure on the opposition bowling.”Cameron Green is an integral part of Australian cricket moving forward, so we have some decisions to make during the home summer.”Can they fit in the same team? We’ve done that once before, albeit that we left a spinner out but we see both having big futures in all three formats for Australian cricket. So I think now is not the time to put a line through one and support the other.”Future of the pace attackAustralia’s big three – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – played three Tests together in the Ashes. They continue to make a formidable attack even if their economy rates were eye-watering against England.England have shown with James Anderson and Stuart Broad that age does not have to be a factor, but one aspect the selectors may want to consider is whether there is an opportunity to start getting some games into a young pace bowler to ensure there is some experience banked when a permanent spot opens up.Lance Morris appears to be the next in line to make the Australian fast-bowling attack•Getty ImagesScott Boland, who found the going tough in the Ashes with two wickets at 115.50, will likely remain the first reserve, but at 34 is not a long-term option. The same applies to Michael Neser who could go down as very unlucky not to have played more Test cricket.Jhye Richardson has all the attributes to be a high-class Test bowler but his injury record continues to be troublesome. Lance Morris, who missed the Ashes tour due to a back problem, is the next in line of the younger generation while left-armer Spencer Johnson offers an intriguing option.Nurturing Todd MurphyNathan Lyon’s series-ending calf injury had a huge bearing on the Ashes, and it proved vital for Australia that they found a way to win without him at Lord’s. As expected for such an experienced and successful bowler, the attack looked very different without him.It was notable how little Todd Murphy was used at Headingley and then he was left out at Old Trafford. But at The Oval he showed all his potential with six wickets and also impressed with the bat – he has the makings of a No. 8 in the years to come.In the short-term, however, he is unlikely to get much more Test cricket providing Lyon regains fitness for the home season. Not until Australia tour Sri Lanka in early 2025 will conditions likely warrant a second spinner, unless the SCG puts on a turning pitch.Such has been the rapid rise of Murphy, that nearly half his first-class matches have been Tests. The upcoming season will also be the first time he is Victoria’s senior spinner following the delisting of Jon Holland. There had been plans for a county stint with Durham this year but Murphy’s workload in India put paid to that. With Australia not playing any Tests next winter, it could well be an attractive option again.”We’ve got a really good platform in Shield cricket,” McDonald said. “He’ll go back there, be an integral part for Victoria and wait for his next opportunity.”Nathan’s a key part of our make-up and some suggest that was another small turning point in the series when we did lose Nathan, and I probably agree with that to some sense.”But Todd, the way he played here just showed he’s one for the future and I suppose the big question around who’s going to replace Nathan Lyon, I think that one’s been answered in all conditions for mine. I thought it was a really positive step forward in the two games Todd played here.”

“He looks like he’s got energy, faster arm action and now he’s got the skill to take over,” Daniel Vettori on Kuldeep’s return to form

Sruthi Ravindranath29-Apr-20223:18

What is Kuldeep Yadav doing differently this season?

The renaissance continues: he has added new dimensions to his bowling, he has been more confident, and he has been producing match-winning spells. Kuldeep Yadav had wrecked his former team Kolkata Knight Riders earlier in the season, and on Thursday he did it again, finishing with superb figures of 4 for 14 in three overs to restrict them to 146.He continues to show why he deserves to be part of India’s T20 World Cup plans, putting his success down to him becoming “mentally strong” and having “clearer plans”.”I have probably become a better bowler [than before],” Kuldeep told host broadcaster Star Sports after the match. “However, one thing is certain that I have become a lot stronger mentally. When you fail in life, you think, ‘Where can I improve?’ You learn from your mistakes when you face failure in life. I have worked on it, and now I have no fear of failure.”Related

• Shreyas Iyer: 'Need to go back and assess where we are going wrong'

• Kuldeep stars with four-for to hand Capitals fourth win

• The Kuldeep Yadav rennaissance continues

• IPL 2022: Five players who have gone from being back-ups to certainties

Kuldeep picked up his second four-wicket haul of this season, taking his tally to 17 wickets. In his first over, he had debutant Baba Indrajith caught at long-on, before trapping Sunil Narine lbw with the very next ball. He came back in the 14th over to dismiss Shreyas Iyer and then set up Andre Russell to get him out for a three-ball duck.”I liked the wicket of Russell because I set him up well,” he said. “I first went around the wicket and then returned to bowl over the wicket. Then I went back to bowl around the wicket and bowled a bit wider. That was my plan. He played out two dots, and then I knew he would step out for a shot. So I perfectly planned for that, and it [the wicket] was an important wicket for us.”This kind of planning – without overthinking – is what has led to Kuldeep having his “best IPL season yet”. He was not too worried when he went wicketless while conceding 40 in three overs in the last match against Rajasthan Royals. But that has not always hasn’t been the case, he admitted.Until IPL 2019, Kuldeep was Knight Riders’ go-to wicket-taker, averaging 19.43 with an economy rate of 7.32. In 2020, he picked one wicket in five games and was eventually dropped. Kuldeep didn’t make the Knight Riders’ starting XI in the first half of the 2021 season either, and was then sidelined with a knee injury for the second.Kuldeep Yadav: “I’ve become a lot clearer with my plans. I’ve backed my skill”•BCCIWorrying about giving away too many runs is no longer an issue this time around because he has always found ways to come back.”I’m enjoying bowling, and I’ve become a lot clearer with my plans,” Kuldeep said. “I don’t think too much about what the batter will do, I have also given away some runs. I’ve backed my skill. I’ve stuck to my lengths too, though it’s not always been perfect.”But that’s what happens in T20. But my focus has been on bowling good lengths. When I get a wicket upfront then it just gives me more confidence [for the rest of the game].”But what is it that has sparked his turnaround this season?He has been bowling a lot quicker – his average speed has gone from 81.9kph in the IPL till 2021 to 86.6kph this season – and has also managed to put more revs on the ball. Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori believes these things have also helped Kuldeep bring more energy into his action.”More revs mean your hand position and your release point [are better] and the more energy you bring to the crease,” Vettori told ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out. “The great Shane Warne talked about how your energy at the crease shows how much spin you get in the ball – you need a quick arm speed, and then your subtleties and nuance come from your wrist position.””Looks like Kuldeep has got the energy, a faster arm action, and now he has got the skill to take over because of that base. It’s also the release point. It’s about bowling fast with more revolutions on it, and you see the seam position.”

“Kuldeep has recognised that to be successful in this format, ‘I too have to add a little bit of pace to the ball and be able to spin it'”Ian Bishop on Kuldeep’s success this season

“It felt like during the last opportunity he tried to buy wickets, and that maybe [was] a product of Narine being a certainty and [Varun] Chakravarthy coming into the team. ‘I have got to make the most of this opportunity because If I don’t do something, I’m going to be out of the team.'”Now he seems more settled – he is obviously the first choice for Delhi and he is forcing his case for being back in the Indian team. It’s all about what he’s done and how he’s improved as a bowler.”Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop also believes that Kuldeep bringing in that extra dimension of adding pace has brought him success this season.”Virat Kohli, the captain [of India] at that time, wanted him [Yuzvendra Chahal] to bowl with more pace as wristspinners in world cricket have done. The Rashid Khans, the Imran Tahirs were bowling quicker through the air.”Kuldeep has recognised that in order to be successful in this format ‘I too have to add a little bit of pace to the ball and be able to spin it’. So whether that’s been a deliberate effort [or not], I think that was good planning. And to see him bowl with more pace is actually working.”Chahal and Kuldeep were once a crucial part of India’s white-ball plans before falling out of favour due to inconsistent performances. They both have now made strong cases: Chahal is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with Kuldeep right behind. But there is no competition between the two, at least according to the latter.”He is like my elder brother, and he has given me encouragement,” Kuldeep said. “He used to talk to me constantly even when I was injured. I sincerely wish that he got the Purple Cap.”

Only two points currently separate the four teams from fourth to seventh spots

S Rajesh16-May-2022Delhi Capitals: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR 0.255
Delhi Capitals’ comfortable 17-run win against Punjab Kings is good news for them, but not so encouraging for all the other teams trying to sneak into the playoffs. Capitals’ net run rate, which was already a healthy 0.210, has gone up to 0.255, but the runs that Kings scored towards the end means that there is still a chance for other teams to catch up, should there be an NRR scramble for the last spot.From Capitals’ point of view, the equation is simple: win the last game against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, and qualify for sure. Even if they lose and stay on 14, they will have a fair chance to qualify if Royal Challengers Bangalore lose to Gujarat Titans. However, if it comes down to NRR, they aren’t yet safe.If Capitals lose their last game by 30 runs (chasing 171), their NRR will fall to 0.123. Currently, Kolkata Knight Riders are on 0.160, so a win by any margin in their last game will keep them above 0.123. If Capitals lose by 15 runs, their NRR will be 0.179. Thus, Capitals could still be on a sticky wicket if they lose to Mumbai. They play their last game after Knight Riders, though, so they will know the equation before they get into that game on Saturday.Punjab Kings: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR -0.043
Kings’ qualification chances have taken a severe beating with the loss to Capitals. Their NRR has slid into negative space, and even a 40-run win against Sunrisers in their last game (after scoring 170) will only improve it to 0.112. However, big victory margins have been common in the last few games – in seven of the last 12, the winning margin has been greater than 50 runs, while another win came with 31 balls to spare – which should give the Kings some hope.They also play the last game of the league stage, which means they’ll know if they have a chance at all, and exactly what they need to do. Obviously, if Capitals or Royal Challengers win their last match and move to 16 points, then Kings will be knocked out.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR -0.323
Royal Challengers will need Capitals to lose their last game to stand a chance of qualifying. Even if Royal Challengers score 200 and win their last game by 100 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.071. Capitals will be well ahead of that if they win by any margin.And if both these teams lose and stay on 14, Capitals will have to lose by an absurdly high margin for their NRR to slip below that of Royal Challengers. For instances, if Royals Challengers lose by one run, Capitals will have to lose by around 150 (depending on the exact scores).In other words, Royal Challengers will have to win their last game, against table-toppers Titans, and hope that Capitals lose theirs against bottom-of-the-table Mumbai.Kolkata Knight Riders: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR 0.160
Knight Riders still have a chance of qualifying if they win their last game, and if Capitals and Royal Challengers lose theirs. As mentioned earlier, their relatively healthy NRR means that they are best placed to capitalise if those two teams slip up.Sunrisers Hyderabad: Mat 12, Pts 10, NRR -0.270
Even if Sunrisers score 170 and win each of their last two games by 40 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.056. Capitals will have to lose by around 48 runs for their NRR to drop below that. It looks highly unlikely that Sunrisers will progress further in the tournament, but they could do worse than pull off a big win against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, and keep their slim hopes alive.

As exit rumours continue to surround Mohammed Kudus, West Ham United could welcome a reinforcement of their own amid reports that they’re now leading the race to sign a £20m+ defender.

Tottenham not giving up Kudus chase

Following a frustrating season last time out, which the arrival of Graham Potter did not save, matters could be about to become worse for West Ham amid reports that Kudus may be heading for the exit door. According to David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, the winger has been the subject of interest from London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, forcing the Hammers to reject a £50m offer in a saga which is unlikely to end anytime soon.

Given that Kudus is reportedly keen to join Spurs, West Ham face an uphill battle to keep hold of their winger, especially if the North London club returns with an improved bid as expected.

It’s a blow that Potter could do without after failing to get off to an impressive start at the London Stadium last season, but one that he must deal with this summer.

Appearances

80

Goals

19

Assists

13

Although Kudus’ best work came in his debut campaign rather than last season, the 24-year-old is still a player capable of reaching his most clinical form once again. The only problem for West Ham is that he may go on to do so at London rivals Tottenham.

West Ham now in talks to sign "underrated" La Liga star in double swoop

The Hammers could kickstart their summer in style.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 3, 2025

As one of their star men potentially heads for the exit door, however, the Hammers could be about to finally get their own summer business underway.

West Ham leading race to sign Diouf

According to The Sunday Mirror, as relayed by West Ham Zone, West Ham are now leading the race to sign El Hadji Malick Diouf after submitting an opening offer and watching on as Crystal Palace ended their pursuit of the Slavia Prague defender.

Whilst their opening offer worth around £17m was turned down, the Hammers remain in pole position and could yet match Slavia Prague’s reported £22m asking price to sign Diouf this summer.

Described as a “powerful dribbler” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Diouf’s attacking work is particularly impressive from left-back and his ability to play left-midfield as well as centre-back would hand Potter much-needed versatility.

Following the departure of Aaron Cresswell, the Hammers should go all out to sign Diouf this summer and finally get their summer business underway.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be “pushing” the Hoops to complete the signing of an attacking “superstar” this summer, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Players Celtic could sign this summer

New signings are needed for the Hoops, in order to be ruthless and continue winning Scottish Premiership titles, as well as improve their performances in the Champions League.

Plenty of players continue to be linked with summer moves to Celtic, with West Ham midfielder Andy Irving reportedly among their list of targets. He was limited to only one start and 10 appearances in the Premier League last season, so a new challenge may make sense for him.

Meanwhile, Sondre Orjasaeter has also been mentioned as an option for the Hoops, having registered 17 goal contributions in 41 matches for Sarpsborg 08.

Kawasaki Frontale attacker Shin Yamada is the latest Japanese player to be linked with a switch to Celtic, with the 25-year-old potentially seen as a strong choice to bolster Rodgers’ attack. It looks like someone else is on the mind of the Hoops boss, though.

Celtic boss Rodgers "pushing" to sign "superstar" Ferguson

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown claimed that Celtic want to complete the signing of Brighton striker Evan Ferguson this summer, with Rodgers “pushing” to get a deal over the line.

“Celtic can offer attractive opportunities to players like Ferguson. They’re going to be playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies, which would be valuable experience for a player of his age. He’d come in as their first-choice striker as well, he might not be guaranteed that elsewhere. Especially in the Premier League where he’s proved he struggles to hold down a starting place. He struggled on loan at West Ham last year and now he needs to put down a marker and show he can be the player everybody thinks he can be.

“For a team like Everton or Forest, he would still have a lot to offer. But he could go to Celtic as the main man up front, away from the pressure that comes with the Premier League, and prove what he can do. I think Brendan Rodgers will be pushing to get that done, he wants to be ambitious in the market. He expects to be backed and this would be a statement of intent, even if it’s on a loan deal.”

Ferguson’s stock has fallen over the past 12 months or so, having been seen as an incredible talent who was linked with Manchester United at one point, being described as a future “superstar” by Micah Richards.

That’s not to say that the Republic of Ireland international couldn’t be a great signing for Celtic, though, despite struggling on loan at West Ham, and he is still only 20 years of age.

He'd be amazing with Hatate: Celtic now eyeing "Premier League-level" star

Celtic could find an amazing midfield partner for Reo Hatate by signing this star.

ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2025

As Brown says, it would be a statement piece of business by the Hoops, even if it’s a season-long loan move to Parkhead, with Ferguson possessing the ability to thrive in the Scottish game, scoring goals for fun.

Also, Babar Azam’s career average has gone above 40 for the first time since 2016

S Rajesh22-Dec-20192 – Instances of the top-four batsmen scoring hundreds in a Test innings. Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam all got their milestones against Sri Lanka in the second Test in Karachi. The only previous instance of this was in 2007, when India’s top four – Dinesh Karthik, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar – scored centuries against Bangladesh in the first innings of the Mirpur Test. This, though, was the first such instance of it in a second innings, where there have only been four previous instances of three centurions among the top-four batsmen.ESPNcricinfo Ltd503 – Runs added by Pakistan’s first three wickets, which is Pakistan’s fourth-highest in a Test innings. Their highest is also against Sri Lanka – 555 – in Faisalabad in 1985, when Qasim Umar and Javed Miandad both got double-hundreds and added 397 for the third wicket. The three higher aggregates were all in the team’s first innings, though; in the second innings, there are only two instances of any team adding more runs for the first three wickets. The highest is also against Sri Lanka – 615 by New Zealand in 1991 – when Martin Crowe made 299 and Andrew Jones 186.ESPNcricinfo Ltd527 – The total runs scored by Pakistan’s first four batsmen, which is the fourth-highest for them. Their highest is 535 against India in 1983, but the more memorable effort was in 1958 in Barbados, when Hanif Mohammad scored a monumental 337 to avert defeat after Pakistan were forced to follow on.42.67 – Babar’s career average. It is the first time his average has gone above 40 since his third Test in 2016. At the end of 2017, Babar averaged 23.75 after 11 Tests. In the last two years, he has upped his game significantly, scoring 1232 runs – 616 each in 2018 and 2019 – at an average of 61.60. That average is the highest among the 14 batsmen who have scored 1000-plus Test runs in the last two years.