Paris Saint-Germain are preparing for life after Gianluigi Donnarumma as the Champions League winners have opened talks with Lille's Lucas Chevalier.
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Chris Wilder will be more clued up on how strong Sheffield United’s automatic promotion credentials are by the time February is over and done with, as some tough fixtures begin to greet his side.
Playoff hopefuls Middlesbrough are the Blades’ next opponents in the unpredictable Championship, with a tricky away trip to Luton Town then following this game, before a box-office clash with table-toppers Leeds United closes out the hectic month.
Wilder will just have to hope his side doesn’t fall victim to another Hull City-style collapse on their own patch against Michael Carrick’s Boro, with Ben Brereton Diaz potentially facing the chop from the XI for this test later today.
Why Brereton Diaz could be excluded from the side
This might well feel like a strange alteration for Wilder to make, considering the Chilean did pick up an assist last time out to help his loan employers overcome Portsmouth 2-1, but it was far from the most convincing showing from the 25-year-old overall.
Indeed, the Southampton flop would only manage to complete 11 accurate passes all game long, whilst also never threatening the Pompey goal with any meaningful efforts, having trudged off on the 72nd-minute mark with no shots attempted.
It wasn’t all Brereton Diaz’s fault, however, with his manager shoehorning him into an unfamiliar position down the right wing when the ex-Blackburn Rovers man is more suited to the left flank or a traditional centre-forward role.
He is unlikely to be moved out to this more favourable left wing position, however, with Gustavo Hamer starring once more from this spot versus John Mousinho’s visitors, with his opening strike setting the Blades on their way to a hard-fought victory.
Therefore, Brereton Diaz might have to make do with a spot on the substitutes bench against Boro – if Wilder doesn’t fancy throwing him in up top.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Brereton Diaz's "remarkable" replacement
The 57-year-old’s quick ability to change things up mid-game worked wonders against Pompey, with two of his second-half substitutes combining well to gift the Blades a golden late winner.
Both Rhian Brewster and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi linked up to devastating effect to gift their side their 20th win of the league season, with the Crystal Palace loanee now perhaps in contention to start on the right wing.
The “remarkable” winger – as he has been referred to in the past by ex-Palace boss Roy Hodgson – confidently tapped home the dramatic winner to send Bramall Lane into delirium, with this certainly not the only time Rak-Sakyi has made his presence known from the bench this campaign.
Averaging just 51 minutes of action this season when unleashed into games, that hasn’t stopped the promising Eagles loanee from notching up a reasonable tally of five goals and two assists from 24 overall contests, meaning Wilder could be prepared to start him against Boro to try and catch Carrick’s men off-guard.
Games played
24
Games started
16
Minuted averaged*
51 mins
Goals scored
5
Assists
2
Shots per game
1.2
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
3
Wilder could look to be playing on the visitors’ frailties by launching Rak-Sakyi into the first-team spotlight, having seen the chaos Enzo Le Fee caused down the left channel versus Boro recently, alongside Patrick Roberts also causing Ryan Giles all sorts of bother down the alternate wing in the 3-2 Sunderland victory.
Known for being a tricky and slick winger on his day, adding in Rak-Sakyi as a fresh change might well be just what the Blades need to beat their next opponents in some style, rather than nervously getting over the line with Brereton Diaz in the XI.
Sheffield United have struck gold on “leader” who's worth more than Cannon
Sheffield United have struck gold on this star Chris Wilder absolutely loves.
ByKelan Sarson Feb 9, 2025
How do Rangers salvage this season, and how does Philippe Clement keep his job?
Having been ignominiously dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Queen’s Park last Sunday, defeated in that competition by lower-league opposition at Ibrox for the first time ever, the Light Blues are staring down the barrel of a trophyless season.
The Gers are 13 points adrift of run-away Premiership leaders Celtic, a gap that will be insurmountable, but Sunday’s trip to Tynecastle still feels must-win, as Clement fights to remain in situ, ahead of Rangers’ Europa League last 16 tie coming up on 6 March.
So, could the Belgian claim the victory he so badly needs by unleashing a highly-rated teenage midfielder?
Rangers' midfield issues
As noted by former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew, midfield has been a problem area for Rangers throughout this season.
Clement has primarily deployed three different options at the base of midfield this season, so let’s assess their stats.
Statistics
Mohamed Diomandé
Connor Barron
Nicolas Raskin
Appearances
38
33
32
Minutes
2,831
2,251
2,394
Goals
5
0
1
Assists
4
2
4
Big chances created
6
0
1
Tackles per 90
1.6
2.4
3.5
Interceptions per 90
0.8
1.2
1.2
% of ground duels won
52.5%
52.1%
55.1%
Average Sofascore rating
7.06
6.88
7.20
As the table outlines, Mohammed Diomandé and Nicolas Raskin have been Rangers’ best-performing midfield duo this season.
The former boasts the best attacking statistics, goals, assists and big chances created, while the Belgian shines for defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and duels.
Thus, it’s no surprise that this has been Clement’s starting duo for the last five Premiership and Europa League matches they’ve both been available for; Diomandé was suspended for the trip to Old Trafford last month.
Thus, this means Connor Barron has been the man to miss out, generally performing the poorest of the three, reflected by the fact he has the worst return for goals and assists, as well as big chances created.
Chalkboard
Earlier this season, after making the move from Aberdeen, Barron was earning rave reviews, most notably named the club’s player of the month for September.
Meanwhile, a report by BBC Sport noted he made a “promising start to his Rangers career”, with Peter Cassidy of STV describing him as “one of the few shining lights at Ibrox this season”.
However, the 22-year-old has not featured in any of Rangers’ last four Premiership fixtures due to a medial collateral ligament injury sustained during a collision with Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt, and the date of his return is as yet unknown.
So, currently short of midfield options, should Clement turn to a teenager at Tynecastle?
The Rangers starlet who Clement must unleash
Against Queen’s Park in last Sunday’s ill-fated Scottish Cup tie, 18-year-old Bailey Rice, who Ben Mattinson on Twitter describes as a “quality midfielder”, was handed his full-senior debut.
However, it didn’t last long, with Rice hooked at half time, a substitution that former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart, speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social club, described as a “deplorable decision”, adding that Rice “did not deserve to be taken off”, with Darrell Currie saying that he hopes the youngster does not feel like a “scapegoat”.
On top of this, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton believes Rice is “ready” to start contributing at first-team level, adding that he was impressed by the teenager when he was introduced at halftime against Man United, following Barron’s injury.
Teammate Ianis Hagi has also praised the youngster’s “mentality”, so we’re advocating for Clement to put Rice back into the team at Hearts on Sunday, if the Gers are to claim the three points they so desperately require in Gorgie.
Tipped for success at such a young age, the signs point to the teenager emerging as an even bigger talent than the stricken Barron, with it set to be an interesting tussle in the centre of the park over the coming years.
Rangers loanee who left in 2022 is now worth 2421% more than Lyall Cameron
One of the best players in the Premier League this season was on loan at Rangers not that long ago, so how has this youngster risen to stardom?
ByBen Gray Feb 14, 2025
A thrilling six, push-ups to celebrate victory, and an Afridi star-man celebration feature among our top 10 moments from the second season of the PSL so far
Danyal Rasool, Osman Samiuddin and Umar Farooq04-Mar-2017Grant Elliott on repeat0:33
WATCH – Elliott’s match-winning six and a bat drop
The six in Auckland against South Africa was certainly more iconic: a World Cup semi-final, a full house in front of a home crowd, and Dale Steyn steaming in. But the celebration after Grant Elliott nervelessly dispatched Islamabad United’s Mohammad Sami over the long-on boundary with Lahore Qalandars needing six to win and one wicket in hand was unmatched. As the ball soared into the stands, Yasir Shah came rushing towards his team-mate to give him a bear hug. Elliott barely noticed; he held his bat in the air out in front of him horizontally at eye level, before letting it fall to the ground. If there is a cooler variation of the mic drop, we are yet to see it.Mickey Arthur’s hairdryerSohail Khan struck twice in an over after a scolding from Mickey Arthur•PCB/PSLSir Alex Ferguson was feared by players across generations for his severe half-time dressing-downs, but at least he used to wait until his side were back inside the privacy of the changing rooms. When Karachi Kings’ head coach Mickey Arthur saw his players’ intensity levels drop dramatically in what looked like being an embarrassing defeat against Quetta Gladiators, he gave his players no such hiding place. Calling for a timeout after ten overs, he charged onto the field, his face like thunder. After getting his team into a huddle, he gave them the most public of admonishments; it was not unlike a headmaster speaking to a group of schoolboys who knew when they had been naughty. Poor Sohail Khan seemed to come off worst, but it seemed to have worked somewhat, given three wickets fell in the next over he bowled. It perhaps sent a message not just to Karachi’s players, but also the national team’s, that Mickey Arthur isn’t a man to be crossed.Baz or bust1:16
WATCH – Yasir Shah takes 4 for 7
Brendon McCullum as captain of Lahore was always going to be a delicious sub-theme this season. A naturally – perhaps recklessly – attacking captain, leading Pakistan’s most fun-loving city (sorry Karachi; not even close Islamabad) – what could possibly go wrong? Well, on days like this, plenty. McCullum began it himself, pulling the last ball of the first over when it wasn’t short enough straight to deep midwicket. Just over nine overs later, they were all gone, for 59, the second-shortest innings in T20 history. Game over right? Wrong. The defense of such a low total merely heightened McCullum’s attacking instincts. A brilliant, relentless spell from Yasir Shah sparked a Peshawar collapse from 47 for 3 to 51 for 7. Somehow, they scraped through but this was Lahore and McCullum at their most bewildering and brilliant.Sammy’s stunnerPlease line up behind me•PCB/PSLIt would be safe to lend Darren Sammy some money, because this PSL he proved if he has debts to pay off, he doesn’t wait around. In the tournament’s opening match, the Peshawar captain dropped a Dwayne Smith sitter in the slips, with Smith going on to score a half-century and winning his side the game. Less than 24 hours later, Sammy paid his dues off. Hasan Ali drew a thick outside edge from Karachi’s Babar Azam, with the ball seemingly racing to the third-man boundary. Sammy at first slip, however, threw himself to his right and flung out an arm. The ball nestled straight into his palm, and the catch, while outstanding enough, was superseded by the celebration. He got his team together, held out an imaginary smartphone at arm’s length, and snapped a selfie. The camera might have been imaginary, but the moment had been captured.Corruption scandal dents PSLPakistan cricket in the last three decades has been hit with many controversies and fixing scandals. Since the 2010 spot-fixing debacle, PCB had made extensive efforts to eradicate corruption from the layers deep down but the disease resurfaced to dent the second edition of PSL. On the second day of the second edition, it stunned the entire league when Islamabad players Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were allegedly caught in a spot-fixing affair. Both were suspended with immediate effect and sent back home. Both were booked and could face a lifetime ban from cricket. Mohammad Irfan, Shahzaib Hasan and Zulfiqar Babar were questioned after the trio reported false approaches for fixing.Birthday boy Sami defends five off final overWhere’s the cake? Mohammad Sami made sure all focus was on him in the final over•PCBFew can manage to make their birthday as special as Sami did on his 36th. It was an inauspicious start to the day for Sami as he spent his afternoon vomiting in a hotel room with a stomach bug ailing him. But by the evening, he regathered himself for the game. A contest which Islamabad had virtually lost while Quetta were cruising to victory, requiring 17 off 18 balls with eight wickets in hands. But suddenly things started to slip away and it all came down to Sami needing to defend five off the final over. He stunned everyone by doing so successfully to make the impossible possible. “It was a game we had lost but I went with the plan without being complacent and the rest I left to chance,” he said later. “When you are defending five runs in T20, you only impose yourself and press batsman to make a mistake and that’s exactly we did.”Pollard takes ownershipDo I have to do 10? Kieron Pollard celebrates after hitting the winning runs•PCB/PSLTen to win off the last two balls and ten to stay alive in the PSL and at the crease, Kieron Pollard. He had had a quiet-ish tournament until then, emblematic of a Karachi side that had the individual parts but had not yet gelled into a unit. Even against Lahore, they had always looked slightly behind the asking rate and with 14 needed off the last over, were likelier to lose. With ten needed off two, Aamer Yamin missed an outside-off yorker by a few inches, which was all Pollard needed to get under it and loft over wide long-off. Four needed off the last ball and this time Yamin fluffed the line as well, going a little straighter and again not as full. Pollard shoveled it over square leg for a maximum and promptly set off in wild celebration, beginning with some push-ups. “I own Karachi,” he said later in a video from the team bus: he wasn’t wrong.The star-man shinesThat typical Shahid Afridi celebration•PCB/PSLIt has been a rich season for celebrations in the PSL. Elliott’s bat-drop was streets ahead of anything else. Rumman Raees’ elegantly posed mannequin caught the eye too, as did Mohammad Amir’s response when Karachi knocked Islamabad out. But one had been missing throughout – perhaps the most iconic Pakistani celebration of the modern age. Until the penultimate game of the league stages, Shahid Afridi had done little to warrant bringing out the patented star-man pose. There was a maiden PSL fifty in a losing cause against Karachi, but he had taken just two wickets until then. Then, in a low-stakes game against Quetta, he came in at 52 for 6, with 77 still needed on a sluggish surface in just over ten overs. He was a sedate 15 off 12 when Mohammad Hafeez fell and as he began to lose partners, he opened up to the extent that he hit 30 off his next 11; two fours from the first two balls of the last over sealed a two-wicket win, but more importantly, allowed him and us, one more time, that star-man pose.Nawaz holds his nerve0:50
WATCH – Nawaz’s unbelievable last over
Big-game pressure makes big-game players, goes the old cliché. Mohammad Nawaz was one of the finds of the first PSL, earning him a spot in the Pakistan side. His international experience has been underwhelming but here came a night that potentially could be the making of him. The conditions in the first qualifying game between Peshawar and Quetta were treacherous for bowlers. The surface was pristine for strokeplay and the dew, especially when Quetta bowled, was unmanageable. Gripping the ball was impossible, as Nawaz discovered while being dispatched for 46 runs in his first three overs. As he came on for the last over, Peshawar needed only seven, with Sammy on strike. A dot first up was cancelled out by a four next ball. And with half the over gone, only two were needed. Nawaz quickened his pace to dismiss Chris Jordan and then, after multiple discussions with captain and seniors, somehow gripped the ball well enough to bowl two inch-perfect yorkers which caused two run-outs. And so was sealed a remarkable win, and perhaps Nawaz’s graduation.Akmal senior rolls back the years1:47
WATCH – Kamran Akmal’s hard-hitting century
The Akmal brothers have been the butt of more than their fair share of jokes over the years, but Kamran ensured that it was only the Peshawar fans who were laughing by the time the third qualifier was over. After showing flashes of form over the course of the tournament, the diminutive wicketkeeper was at his free-flowing best in the must-win game against Karachi. His intent – and form – were apparent after the first two balls of the contest, both exquisitely-timed off-side drives for four. This wasn’t unusual; what really surprised was that he turned that elegance into substance, converting a promising start into a destructive hundred. He was unstoppable in the last overs, hitting sixes with an effortlessness that would have had bigger men envying him, wrenching the game away from Karachi. It was the PSL’s only century this season, and the acclamation he received upon being dismissed – by the opposition players and fans alike – said plenty about how impressive he had been.
Fast-paced batting key to victory as New Zealand are left looking for answers
Andrew Miller19-Feb-2023Ben Stokes, England’s captain, admitted he was “blessed” to be able to call upon a bowling attack led by England’s greatest seam pairing, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, after an emphatic 267-run victory in the first Test against New Zealand. However, he added that the positivity of his batting line-up had been instrumental in allowing the bowlers to thrive under the floodlights at Mount Maunganui.Twice in the Test, on days one and three, England batted at such a high tempo – with Harry Brook, the player of the match, instrumental in both performances – that they were able to cede the stage early in the day’s final session and unleash their fast bowlers in the twilight, when the pink Kookaburra ball habitually offers the most assistance.Anderson and Ollie Robinson were duly to the fore on the first day, reducing New Zealand to 37 for 3 in reply to England’s 325 for 9 declared, before Broad took centre stage on day three, ripping out four wickets in his first seven overs as New Zealand closed on 63 for 5. From there, there was no way back into the match, as England wrapped up their tenth victory in 11 Tests inside the first session of day four.”It was another great performance,” Stokes said during the post-match presentation. “We were very clinical with the bat and obviously very clinical with the ball. You look at the bowling attack that we’ve got, with this pink ball especially under lights, we executed everything as well as we wanted to. When you got the likes of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson in your bowling attack, it’s always going to be tough for any opposition with the bat in hand.”Tim Southee, New Zealand’s captain, admitted his disappointment after overseeing a first loss to England on home soil since his own Test debut at Napier in 2008, but acknowledged that “strategically, they played it pretty well.”Related
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“We were on the receiving end of a couple of night periods that weren’t obviously ideal,” Southee said. “Broady last night, that spell was pretty impressive, but if we had got through that, we knew there were not a lot of demons out there today, with the nature of the pink ball, so I think it’s credit to the way they played it.”Stokes acknowledged that that had been England’s battle-plan after losing the toss and being asked to bat first, even though it took another remarkable pair of innings, both scored at a rate in excess of 5 an over, to give them the platform they were looking for.”The way we set the game up, with us having to bat on day one, the pace that we scored allowed us to get ahead of the game,” he said. “Having 320 on the board is a good score anywhere. So we were able to inflict some pretty hard damage with that new ball on day one, get them three-down, and then the same again last night.”It’s tough for anyone when Jimmy and Broady get that new ball talking like they did,” Stokes added. “I’m pretty blessed to be able to be in charge of this bowling group at the moment. But when you’re out in the field, the idea is to take 10 wickets and that’s what we’ve got to try and do. We’ve got an ethos with the bat, but also with the ball. It’s about taking 10 wickets, and not worrying too much about how he runs they go for.”No one, however, went for more runs in the match than the New Zealand quick, Neil Wagner, who bore the brunt of England’s second-innings onslaught with figures of 13-0-110-2, the second-most expensive bowling analysis in Test history.Faced with Wagner’s consistent short-pitched approach, England’s batters set themselves to clear the ropes at every opportunity, and Brook was one of his main tormentors, striking his 11th over for three fours and a six, en route to 54 from 41 balls. Coupled with his first-innings 89 from 81, that took his overall Test record to 623 runs in eight innings, at an astonishing strike rate of 96.88.”It is one of the most fun I’ve had,” Brook said afterwards. “Every time I go out to bat, I’m really excited to just do whatever I want. I think it helped a little bit that they went bumpers early, obviously I stuck to my strengths and just kept on trying to whack it.””Brooky’s just carried on from his amazing series in Pakistan,” Stokes added, after his Player-of-the-Series display in England’s 3-0 win before Christmas. “He’s a fantastic talent and I think he’s going to go on to be a global superstar.”For New Zealand, there is likely to be a week of soul-searching after their fourth bruising defeat in as many matches against England’s new aggressive approach, and Southee hoped that a return to red-ball cricket at the Basin Reserve in Wellington – one of New Zealand’s iconic venues – could offer them a chance to regroup.”Their style of play is going to present opportunities and we knew that,” Southee said. “We were able to get nine wickets in the first innings, and in the second innings, we got all ten. But it’s about trying to stem the bleeding in between those wickets, and trying to create those chances as often as we can.”
Australian holds UK passport but will be registered as an overseas signing for 2023
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2023Northamptonshire have announced the signing of Western Australia opening batter Sam Whiteman on an a season-long deal for the 2023 summer.Whiteman, who was player of the final in WA’s 16th Sheffield Shield title in the 2021-22 season and is their current acting captain, will be available for the County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup. Though he possesses a UK passport having been born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, he will be registered as an overseas signing.The 30-year-old has 4,652 first-class runs at an average of 37.90, with 10 centuries. He is currently Western Australia’s second top scorer in the ongoing campaign, which they lead, with 390 at 43.33, and scored a career-best 193 against South Australia in November.As a white-ball cricketer, Whiteman’s returns are comparatively weak – averages of 23.51 and 17.55 in List A and T20, respectively – though he was part of a successful Perth Scorchers outfit in the Big Bash League, and is now representing Sydney Thunder in the ongoing season. He has not yet been capped by Australia, having represented the country at “A” team and Under-19 level. This will be the left-hander’s first taste of professional cricket in the English system.Speaking on his deal with the Division One county, Whiteman said: “I’m really excited to have signed with Northamptonshire for the 2023 season. It’s always been an ambition of mine to play first-class cricket in the UK so to get that opportunity for a large chunk of the campaign is really pleasing. I’m looking forward to joining up with my new teammates in April.”Head coach John Sadler was delighted with Whiteman’s signing, as Northants look to build on their sixth-place in the County Championship and second-from-bottom finish in Group B of the Royal London Cup last year.”Sam comes very highly recommended and is someone we’ve watched closely in recent times.” Sadler said speaking to the club website. “I’m very confident that not only will he score plenty of runs, he’ll add value to us as a group in many ways both on and off the field.”Northamptonshire’s new Championship captain Luke Procter was also excited for what Whiteman could bring: “I’m really looking forward to having Sam with us this season.”He’s a quality bat but he’s also got that leadership experience with WA, they’re flying in the Shield so far so I’m sure he’ll bring a lot value on and off the field too.”
Leeds United could now sign a set piece master on an initial 18-month deal this January, according to a Sky Sports reporter.
Farke addresses Leeds January transfer plans
Daniel Farke may currently have his Whites side top of the Championship, however, it isn’t all positive at Elland Road. The club have begun 2025 by throwing away leads late on against both Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, with goalkeeper Illan Meslier having another afternoon to forget last time out.
Farke continued to back Meslier in his latest press conference, though, saying: “We were all angry after the last game. Our supporters have the right to be critical, there is pressure and that is normal we have to accept that. But some pundits and comments were pretty disrespectful. The outside world love to try and divide us, but we are close together and we back our players.
“We were not happy with the last game, we want to improve his consistency and it is important to address this, but his performances have been good enough to make sure we are top of the league. We are all convinced Illan will deliver more good moments for us and we back him, there is no panic and he is a very, very good goalkeeper.”
The German also stated how the club are expecting a quiet winter window: “Younger players for their development it makes sense to send them out on loan, we will assess the rehab of Patrick and how that progresses, but overall we are in a very good position and I expect a very quiet January.”
Leeds could sign their next Archie Gray in "one of the best CMs" around
Leeds United could be about to land a new version of the talented youngster.
1 ByEthan Lamb Jan 10, 2025
One player who has recently been linked with a move to Leeds is Hoffenheim forward Mergim Berisha, who previously scored 23 goals under ex-Whites boss Jesse Marsch.
New Leeds update on move for Mergim Berisha
Now, taking to X, Sky Sports journalist Ben Heckner revealed that Leeds are indeed keen on Berisha, who could potentially be on the move in an initial 18-month loan with an option to buy in 2026, with Werder Bremen also keen.
Berisha hasn’t exactly been prolific for Hoffenheim this season, scoring once and registering one assist in 540 minutes of action. He did come in for praise from Germany coach Antonio Di Salvo back in 2023 after Berisha was handed his first senior international call-up.
“We brought Mergim on when he was still as Salzburg. He works very well with his back to goal, can shoot with his left and right and takes good free-kicks. You can see from his hit rate in the Bundesliga that he can prevail.”
Should Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt both move on, then a move for Berisha could make sense, despite his poor goal tally this season, making this one to watch over the coming weeks.
Stats preview of the Test series between West Indies and Australia
Bishen Jeswant02-Jun-20153 Number of times West Indies have beaten Australia in a Test match since 1998, all at home. In the same period, West Indies played 11 Tests in Australia, losing ten and drawing the other. West Indies were whitewashed in two of the three Test series in Australia (in 2000 and 2005) but did not suffer this fate a single time in four home series against their opponents.
| Host country | Mat | Won | Lost | Draw | Loss % |
| West Indies | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 64.29 |
| Australia | 11 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 90.91 |
47.9 Batting strike rate in Test matches played in the West Indies over the last 10 years, the lowest for any Test nation. The only other countries where batsmen scored at a strike rate of less than 50 in this period were Zimbabwe and UAE.31.6 Bowling average of spinners in the West Indies over the last five years, the best among Test nations. Spinners have taken almost 15 wickets per match in the West Indies in this period, the most in any country outside Asia. They have also taken 15 five-wicket hauls in the West Indies over this period, again the most outside Asia.
| Host Country | Mat | Wkts | Ave | Econ | SR | 5 | 10 | Wkts/mat |
| West Indies | 23 | 311 | 31.59 | 2.86 | 66.0 | 15 | 3 | 13.5 |
| Zimbabwe | 8 | 106 | 31.83 | 2.82 | 67.5 | 3 | 1 | 13.3 |
| India | 20 | 385 | 31.85 | 2.90 | 65.7 | 24 | 4 | 19.3 |
| U.A.E | 18 | 302 | 34.64 | 2.85 | 72.9 | 13 | 2 | 16.8 |
| Sri Lanka | 22 | 356 | 34.87 | 2.93 | 71.3 | 24 | 5 | 16.2 |
| England | 36 | 254 | 37.74 | 3.20 | 70.6 | 11 | 1 | 7.1 |
| Bangladesh | 15 | 281 | 39.87 | 3.28 | 72.8 | 16 | 1 | 18.7 |
| South Africa | 21 | 137 | 40.20 | 3.14 | 76.5 | 5 | 1 | 6.5 |
| Australia | 26 | 168 | 48.98 | 3.41 | 85.9 | 5 | 1 | 6.5 |
| New Zealand | 16 | 86 | 49.27 | 2.80 | 105.5 | 1 | 0 | 5.4 |
28.7 Batting average of West Indies’ players at home over the last five years, the poorest for any top-eight team at home. Their batsmen average 30.02 in away Tests over the same period. West Indies are the only team whose batsmen, over the last five years, have a better average and strike in away Tests.
| Team | Mat (H) | Ave (H) | SR (H) | Mat (A) | Ave (A) | SR (A) | Avg diff | SR diff |
| Australia | 26 | 39.17 | 58.51 | 26 | 28.81 | 49.84 | 10.36 | 8.67 |
| Bangladesh | 15 | 33.56 | 53.58 | 8 | 24.84 | 48.51 | 8.72 | 5.07 |
| England | 34 | 37.59 | 52.43 | 25 | 30.63 | 47.34 | 6.96 | 5.09 |
| India | 20 | 40.50 | 55.41 | 30 | 28.40 | 50.24 | 12.1 | 5.17 |
| New Zealand | 16 | 36.06 | 52.65 | 26 | 27.75 | 49.40 | 8.31 | 3.25 |
| Pakistan | NA | NA | NA | 43 | 32.67 | 47.79 | NA | NA |
| South Africa | 21 | 37.64 | 54.40 | 19 | 41.50 | 48.95 | -3.86 | 5.45 |
| Sri Lanka | 22 | 36.33 | 50.28 | 21 | 31.70 | 48.48 | 4.63 | 1.80 |
| West Indies | 23 | 28.71 | 47.27 | 21 | 30.02 | 51.12 | -1.31 | -3.85 |
| Zimbabwe | 8 | 27.48 | 43.72 | 6 | 18.44 | 46.75 | 9.04 | -3.03 |
3 West Indies batsmen who have scored 1500 Test runs over the last five years, the fewest for any top-eight nation. They are Shivnarine Chanderpaul (3198), Darren Bravo (2548) and Marlon Samuels (2068). Chanderpaul is not playing the first Test. Seven Australia batsmen have scored more than 1500 runs in this period, the second-best for any team after India (8).
Marcus Rashford is aiming to add an extra "one per cent" to his game as he returned to Aston Villa following international duty with England.
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Rashford back from England dutyShowed off his training regimeIs flying on loan at Aston VillaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The attacker made his first England appearance in a year as England won their first game under new boss Thomas Tuchel against Albania last week before starting again as they beat Latvia. He is gearing up for Aston Villa's FA Cup clash against Preston this weekend by doing some individual training in the gym.
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The 27-year-old shared images of his training regime on Instagram, writing in the caption: "The extra 1%".
He also posted a picture of himself on a training pitch.
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Rashford has enjoyed a resurgence since joining Villa from Manchester United on loan in January, making four assists in their six-game winning run before the international break.
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The winger will hope to fire Villa through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup when they face Preston on Sunday.
England duty has become a family affair for the Bellinghams, with Jude joining teenage brother Jobe at St George’s Park.
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Real 'Galactico' forms part of senior ranksBlack Cats playmaker in U21 squadPreparing for action against Albania & FranceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Jude forms part of the senior Three Lions ranks, having been called upon by new head coach Thomas Tuchel in his first selection. The 21-year-old has become a talismanic presence for his country and already has 40 caps to his name.
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Younger sibling Jobe forms part of the U21 squad, having made two appearances at that level. He is earning international recognition after catching the eye at Sunderland – who are pushing for promotion into the Premier League.
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Both of the Bellinghams will be in action on Friday, as Jude lines up against Albania at Wembley in a 2026 World Cup qualifier and Jobe heads to France for a friendly encounter. For now, they are enjoying rubbing shoulders at England’s training base at the Football Association’s national football centre.
InstagramWHAT NEXT?
Jude has been taking in an eventful spell at Real, with a controversial red card and subsequent ban accompanying Champions League progress to the quarter-final stage and a minor knock. Jobe, meanwhile, is generating transfer talk on the back of his performances for Championship play-off hopefuls Sunderland.