Trent Boult and Tim Southee may be the spearheads of the attack, but on Saturday, it was Neil Wagner who first rattled Pakistan, and in so doing, beat his more illustrious team-mates to a milestone.Babar Azam and Azhar Ali had settled into a partnership, when Wagner began to direct balls at their ribs. One of those caught Azam’s gloves and sailed through to the wicketkeeper, and gave Wagner his 100th wicket in his 25th Test. Boult and Southee had both needed 29 matches to rack up triple figures.”I don’t think in my wildest dreams I’d thought about getting 100 wickets,” said Wagner. “I’m pretty pleased. Whichever way I can play a part for the team and deliver in a role, I’m happy. Whichever way it goes I want to keep contributing.”Wagner was the second-fastest New Zealand bowler to the milestone, behind Richard Hadlee, who had achieved the feat in 24 games. “I’m more than happy for Sir Richard Hadlee to keep that record, because he’s an absolute legend,” Wagner said. “I’m stoked to get to 100, but there’s still a long way to go.”The dismissal of Azam had in fact been the first of a bouncer double-strike, which also accounted for the wicket of Younis Khan. Wagner had a short ball leap at Younis’ throat early in his innings, and the batsman could do nothing more than attempt to fend it away. The ball collected the glove en route to the wicketkeeper.”That’s just my job to do something different,” Wagner said. “We know how it works out here – today there was a bit of wind, and that stops the ball from swinging. When conditions start getting a little easier to bat on, I’ve got to try and make something happen. It doesn’t always happen, but luckily today was one of those days when it paid off. I think we had to work long periods of time to get that success, and we did.”In between wickets New Zealand were relentlessly disciplined, with each of the quicks bowling a very high percentage of dot balls. Of the 66 overs bowled in Pakistan’s second innings, 25 were maidens – the visitors’ run rate a mere 1.95. A late flurry of wickets also meant Pakistan were left seven down, with a lead of only 62.”I thought we bowled exceptionally well in partnerships,” Wagner said. “It was some quality fast bowling. We created pressure for long periods of time and got rewards for it towards the end.”Boult had the innings’ best figures of 3 for 18 at stumps, though Southee had bowled the highest percentage of maidens, delivering 10 scoreless overs out of 19 in total. Wagner said the opening pair had set the tone.”The way Tim and Trent opened the bowling – they are two of the best bowlers going around when they bowl like that. They’re just absolute class. Seeing them go about the work they did and pressure they built – I think at the start they were going at one run an over – it just shows the class of those two bowlers.”

Victoria Sporting Club’s players met the BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury on Thursday, to inform the board that they were yet to be paid their dues for playing in the Dhaka Premier League

Mohammad Isam23-Jun-2016

Victoria Sporting Club’s players met the BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury on Thursday, to inform the board that they were yet to be paid their dues for playing in the Dhaka Premier League.By this time, the players should have been paid at least 60% of their dues. Following the pre-season player draft, the BCB had instructed the clubs to pay 30 per cent before the start of the league, 30 per cent at the end of the league’s first phase, and the remaining 40 per cent six weeks after the end of the Super League. On Sunday, the BCB president Nazmul Hassan had given the clubs who hadn’t paid their players 72 hours to pay the dues or face action, and said the BCB would pay the players in the interim.With the deadline having passed on Wednesday, the Victoria players said they remained unpaid.”Only one of our players got 40 per cent payment,” Nadif Chowdhury, the Victoria captain, said. “The rest got between ten to thirty per cent. Many of us can’t go back to our hometowns for Eid without this payment. The players are disappointed. We are all professional cricketers who are being harassed for getting our dues. The CEO has said the board will look into the matter. We remain hopeful.”The Victoria players had intended to meet the BCB CEO nine days ago, but their club president Nisar Uddin Ahmed Kazal stopped them, and said he would pay their dues by June 15. But that did not happen.Nadif said part of the problem this season was the player draft. Previously, under the players’ transfer system, payment and signature went hand-in-hand between player and club. Under the draft system, the clubs can be less punctual with payments in the knowledge that the players are tied to playing for them, and cannot negotiate with other clubs.”The conventional players’ transfer system was much better,” Nadif said. “Under that system, we got a large chunk of the agreed amount before the league started. Sometimes we got around 80-90 per cent. Now we are hardly even getting half of that amount. We are sad that nobody is following the instruction given by the board.”Chowdhury said the BCB would talk to all the clubs about their payment situation before taking any decision. “The board’s ultimatum to the clubs has just ended,” he said. “The Victoria players met me. Some other players also sent their complaints. We are also contacting a number of clubs. We will take measure after receiving all relevant information.”

Stumps The Bay of Plenty lived up to its name but only for New Zealand. Devon Conway and Tom Latham harvested a century each and by that time they were having so much fun they would barely let anybody else play.West Indies could argue that was a bit rude. They were in Mount Maunganui looking for rich bounty as well. A first Test win on these shores for 30 years, which if secured would hand them a share of this series’ spoils. All of that cast them in the role of a protagonist at the start of the day. But as time wore on and records – both trivial and tumultuous – came to pass, Roston Chase and his men faded into the background.Each of the five previous Test matches at this ground have yielded a wicket in its first session. This one didn’t. Kane Williamson, so used to an early start at the office, had to wait the longest he ever has to clock in. So restless had he grown that at the start of the final session, he was seen wearing all his gear barring the helmet practicing a rapid-fire series of leaves and blocks. There will be reels. Split-screens with Latham and Conway facing real cricket balls out in the middle and this guy just pretending to do so with a caption of who did it better. The answer is actually Terry Jarvis and Glenn Turner.Tom Latham brought up his 15th Test century without taking any risks•Getty Images

Latham had a big part in the history he helped make. Over 25 home Tests, dating all the way back to March 2012, New Zealand have only ever chosen to bowl after winning the toss. Here, he had a hunch about putting runs on the board. Outside of that one bold move, everything else he did was basic. Playing close to the body. Knowing exactly where his off stump was. Frustrating the bowlers to target his pads. Manufacturing easy put-aways. Latham’s 15th Test century – where he went past 6000 runs as an opener – was proof that fairy tales aren’t the only things that can come to life. Textbooks do too. It took all the way to 6.30pm for Latham to fall on 137. Test cricket was so close to having a fifth opening pair lasting the entire first day.Conway played himself into form. Twenty-six of his last 39 innings were cut short at or below the 30-run mark, which isn’t ideal considering his role at the top of the order is to set the whole team up. Given he was walking out onto a pitch with an unusual amount of grass – 13mm, normally it’s around 7-10mm – there was cause for concern. He put them all to bed, weathering an initial period where West Indies were willing to give up only 11 runs in eight overs. He instigated the first period of New Zealand dominance, the six overs to morning drinks where they scored a-run-a-ball. He went on to bat for longer than he has ever done since his double-century on debut at Lord’s four years ago.The only way any of this could have been worse for West Indies was if they had brought it all on themselves, and only the finest line separated that from what actually happened. Because they got what they wanted at the toss. First use of a surface that looked like it had been left in the care of a kindergartener with a green crayon. The bowlers, though, didn’t make the best use of it.Tom Latham nicked one behind to Tevin Imlach when on 104 and was dropped•Getty Images

Their third seamer, Anderson Phillip, started with a spell of 3-0-25-0, and as hard as he tried to improve – creating a rare wicket-taking opportunity when Latham nicked one behind to the keeper on 104 and was dropped – he still went to stumps with 14-2-71-0. It was symptomatic of a bowling attack that still produced jaffas – and might feel aggrieved none of them yielded any joy – but didn’t have it in them to back it up; to hit the good length spot consistently, test the batter’s discipline and search for vulnerability.Indeed, at the start of the second session, New Zealand had a harder time not scoring boundaries, five of them coming their way in the space of 12 balls. A small spell of rain offered West Indies the chance to regroup and they appeared willing to take it, Jayden Seales adopting the method of local hero Neil Wagner and going short for a concerted period of time. Conway wore one on the left hand, needed medical attention, and at the start of the 52nd over, he was overheard on the stump mic asking the umpire about the time for tea. He was in need of reprieve. Seconds later, Chase lobbed up a long hop that he pulled away for four. West Indies kept undoing their own good work. Often immediately.This was no batting paradise. Nor was it ever a fast bowler’s dream. Spinners took two-thirds of the wickets in the most recent first-class game in Mount Maunganui. It is with that in mind that New Zealand brought Ajaz Patel into the XI and backed themselves to put up a big total.Conway has led them there – batting through cramp, batting one-handed and eventually hitting that rarefied place where he was just batting on instinct, reacting perfectly even to things like extra and low bounce – but things could have been so different if West Indies had shown a little more discipline. Now their batters have to pick up the slack.

Former opening bat takes first step into coaching following retirement this summer

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2025

Nick Browne, Essex’s former opening batter, has taken his first step into a post-playing career by joining the club’s women’s set-up as assistant coach and batting lead.Browne, 34, announced his retirement at the end of the 2025 County Championship season, having amassed nearly 10,000 runs across all formats, including 22 centuries and a best of 255 against Derbyshire in 2016.His appointment follows that of Stephen Parry, the former left-arm spinner, who was last week announced as Essex Women’s new head coach, following the departure of Andy Tennant earlier this year. Cath Dalton, the club’s former academy coach, has also been named as seam-bowling lead to complete the squad’s overhaul, after a disappointing maiden season as a Tier 1 women’s team last year.Browne said: “I am really enthusiastic at this new challenge and chapter. I spent some time with Essex Women during the summer and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so to be offered the role full-time is really exciting.”Following my retirement at the end of the season, I was determined to get into coaching and share some of the knowledge I have gained over the years.”To be given this role by the club is extremely fortunate and I want to thank everyone involved in trusting me as I embark on the next stage of my career.”The group we have here is very talented and I hope that I can help deliver success for the Essex Women in the short and long term.”Chris Silverwood, Essex’s director of cricket, said: “Nick was the perfect fit to take on the role as Essex Women’s assistant coach and batting lead and we are really happy that he has agreed terms to his new role at the club.”Throughout his playing career Nick displayed a tremendous amount of professionalism and dedication to his game and Essex Cricket. His professionalism, calm leadership, and deep understanding of the game makes him a more than ideal mentor for our Women’s team.”Nick will offer the ability to develop players both technically and mentally and I have every confidence that his influence, alongside Stephen Parry, will elevate our group of Essex Women cricketers and inspire them to reach new heights.”

Ligue 1 is tied up, with big-spending PSG the runaway winners, and here Goal selects the best 11 performers of an intriguing campaign

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  GK: Benjamin Lecomte

  Montpellier will finish the season with the second best defensive record behind Paris Saint-Germain, and goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte is a major reason for their solidarity at the back.

  He has played every minute of league football for his club and has saved 73% of the shots that have come his way – a vital contribution given that only two teams have scored fewer goals than the 34 that the European challengers have mustered this term. 

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  RB: Dani Alves

  Signed from Juventus last summer to lend experience to PSG both on the field and off it, the 35-year-old Brazilian has perhaps not quite lived up to his billing, but he has still impressed at right-back.

  After a somewhat unconvincing start to the season, which saw Thomas Meunier challenge him for a starting berth, Alves has re-established himself as first pick, scoring once, setting up six and helping Unai Emery’s side to the best defensive record in the league.

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  CB: Marquinhos

  Marquinhos completed his graduation from promising centre-back to world-class performer this season, turning in countless displays of the highest level to potentially eclipse Thiago Silva in the heart of the PSG defence.

  The 23-year-old has all the attributes to become the finest in his position in the world and took another step towards that goal with a very consistent campaign. His partnership with fellow youngster Presnel Kimpembe holds great promise for the future.

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  CB: Thiago Silva

  Thiago Silva has admitted that he will leave PSG when his contract is up in 2020, but the 33-year-old Brazil international defender remains a force to be reckoned with in Ligue 1.

  On the few occasions when PSG have been rocked this season, he has been the man to lead them out of trouble, notably turning in a superb display against Guingamp, when he held the rearguard together when it threatened to disintegrate around him.

  Perhaps past the very peak of his powers, but still a very fine defender indeed.

Dead-ball specialists are an important part of the modern game, with Goal having uncovered the cream of that particular crop over the past decade

Getty Images=10. Philippe CoutinhoSeven free-kick goals spread over spells at Inter, Liverpool and Barcelona.AdvertisementGetty Images=10. Christian FuchsSeven free-kick goals spread over spells at Bochum, Mainz, Schalke and Leicester.Getty Images=10. Wayne RooneySeven free-kick goals spread over spells at Manchester United and Everton.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images=10. Aleksandar KolarovSeven free-kick goals spread over spells at Lazio, Manchester City and Roma.

With the Spaniard having completed a record-breaking £72 million move to Chelsea, Goal runs through the costliest shot-stoppers in football history

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  20Asmir Begovic – £10m

  Asmir Begovic joined Chelsea in 2015 after a five-year stint in goal for Stoke City. Thibaut Courtois, however, proved too hard to dislodge, and the Bosnian was shipped out to Bournemouth at the start of last season.

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  19Petr Cech – £10m

  After 11 brilliant years at Stamford Bridge, Petr Cech was snapped up by Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal in 2015, who made him one of the world's most expensive goalkeepers in the process.

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  18Ivan Pelizzoli – £10.2m

  Ivan Pelizzoli was just 20 when Roma broke the bank for the promising Atalanta player. He never quite fulfilled that early potential, though, and has meandered through Italy's lower leagues for the vast majority of his career.

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  17Mattia Perin – £10.5m

  Former Genoa No.1 Mattia Perin has huge shoes to fill in Turin, after being signed by Juventus this summer following the departure of Buffon for Paris Saint-Germain.

Clubs are spending huge amounts of money as they aim for success at home and on the continent – but which squads are the most expensive?

Some of the world's most costly squads have been assembled in Europe as clubs pursue silverware.

UEFA's annual Club Licensing Benchmarking Report has revealed that the top 20 most expensively assembled squads on the continent rose in value by 26 per cent at the end of the 2018 financial year when compared with 12 months previously.

Some of the confederation's biggest clubs are included in the list, while there are also some surprises.

Getty Images20Southampton | €252m (£216m/$281m)AdvertisementGetty Images19Leicester City | €268m (£230m/$298m)Getty Images18Atletico | €286m (£245m/$318m)ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty17Napoli | €306m (£262m/$341m)

When two of English football's great rivals met on August 28, 2011, nobody could have expected what followed

Wayne Rooney bangs in a hat-trick. Ashley Young owns the top right corner. Arsenal smashed. Manchester United and Old Trafford in dreamland. No one will ever forget the day Sir Alex Ferguson humbled his long-time rival Arsene Wenger in one of the most remarkable games in Premier League history.

An 8-2 win on August 28, 2011 stunned the Gunners and the rest of United's title rivals – coming just three games into the season and sending out a resounding statement of intent.

Ferguson's team was in a state of evolution as he began to disband his last great side: the Champions League-winners of 2008.

No Cristiano Ronaldo or Carlos Tevez. Paul Scholes had retired, Ryan Giggs was getting older, and absent from the starting line-up on the day were Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Michael Carrick.

This was a glimpse into the future. A look at Ferguson's work-in-progress – even on the back of a title-winning campaign the previous season.

On this day, they looked every bit like champions again. Manchester City would have other ideas, of course. Aguerooooo! and all that.

But for 90 minutes at Old Trafford, United were absolutely unstoppable…

GettyGK: David de Gea

A young goalkeeper relatively unknown to English football fans had only just signed for United, embarking on the daunting challenge of filling the void left by Edwin van der Sar.

He would go on to struggle badly in his first season, losing his place to Anders Lindegaard midway through the campaign. But he would later establish himself as one of the finest keepers of his generation and is still United's undisputed No1.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Chris Smalling

Deployed at right-back on the day, Smalling was still establishing himself at United after a £10m ($12.2m) move from Fulham the previous year.

Never truly fulfilled his potential at Old Trafford and not helped by the number of managerial changes since the retirement of Ferguson.

Famously called 'Mike' by Louis van Gaal, he has rebuilt his reputation and career in Italy with Roma under another former United boss, Jose Mourinho.

Getty ImagesCB: Phil Jones

Ferguson was convinced he had recruited a future great from Blackburn Rovers in Phil Jones, who could play centre-back, full-back and in midfield.

United's plan was for him to establish himself in the heart of defence as Ferguson started to look beyond Ferdinand and Vidic.

At the end of Fergie's final season the following year, he declared Jones as having the potential to become the greatest player in the club's history.

Injuries and the lack of Ferguson's guidance contributed to his career being derailed but he's still at the club to this day, though United are ready to sell him this summer.

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Getty ImagesCB: Jonny Evans

Another part of Ferguson's plan to overhaul his defence – along with Jones and Smalling – Evans was seen as the future.

While Gerard Pique was allowed return to Barcelona over doubts about his suitability to the Premier League, Evans was seen as a real contender to force his way into the first team.

By Ferguson's final season, he had begun to break up the Vidic-Ferdinand partnership.

Sold by Van Gaal in 2015, it is a decision still questioned by fans.

GOAL looks at five players that still have USMNT hopes with the World Cup around the corner.

There always seems to be some sort of surprise when World Cup rosters are announced.

From shocking omissions to risky inclusions, the U.S. men's national team has seen its share of World Cup controversy. Who can forget Julian Green's rise from anonymous to World Cup star, or the fact that it perhaps came at the expense of Landon Donovan?

As the USMNT prepares for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, there could still be some surprises. With squads expanded to 26, Gregg Berhalter will have more roster flexibility than any of his predecessors.

Could he use that flexibility to take a big swing with a surprise September omission? Could he bring in a hot hand to replace an out-of-form regular? Could a familiar face make a late surge?

Here's a look at five players who could force their way into the World Cup squad after being left out of September camp:

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  Jordan Pefok

  The first and most obvious one.

  It could certainly be argued that Pefok was the big winner of the camp despite not being called in to play against Japan and Saudi Arabia. As his competitors floundered, Pefok was able to watch on knowing that his club form could be enough to lift him into the squad.

  So far, his club form has been spectacular. He's scoring goals for Union Berlin, who are right at the top of the Bundesliga. That's a level that no other USMNT striker is playing at right now.

  Will that be enough to get him into the squad? Well, it probably should, even if he isn't the perfect fit for Berhalter's system. Worst case, Pefok is a good change of pace for when the USMNT needs a goal because, at least for his club, he's proved he can get them.

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  Tim Ream

  Given what we saw from Aaron Long during this past window, is it smart to write Tim Ream off?

  Ream has, for all intents and purposes, been written off for much of the past year. The veteran defender doesn't quite fit with this young USMNT group, and his lack of mobility makes him a less-than-ideal partner for Walker Zimmerman.

  But, like Pefok, can you really deny the level that Ream is playing at? He's been a rock for Fulham for years, including during the early stages of the Premier League this season.

  Ream brings leadership, experience and a bit more quality on the ball than any other healthy defender in the pool right now. He may be older, yes, but, if you're choosing the best center backs, Ream might have to be on that list considering the level he is playing at week in, week out for his club.

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  Brandon Vazquez

  Could Brandon Vazquez's first cap really come at a World Cup?

  Going by purely goalscoring form, Berhalter should at least consider it. He's got 16 goals so far this season, after all, for a surging FC Cincinnati team.

  Ricardo Pepi, meanwhile, has scored once in the last year. Josh Sargent has started well this season, but spent basically all of last season not scoring goals. Ferreira has been great for his club, but generally wasteful with the USMNT, even if he does fit the system better than anyone else in the pool.

  Even so, Vazquez faces an uphill battle, simply because he's never been on the field for the USMNT. Throwing him to the wolves at a World Cup would be a big ask, even if he was brought in as a third striker.

  That said, stranger things have happened, and goals solve most problems.

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  James Sands

  The Rangers defender/midfielder seems to be on the outside looking in.

  He wasn't called up in September and is seemingly way down the depth chart at center back, the position he's most likely to play with the U.S.

  He's had some growing pains with Rangers, notably against Ajax in the Champions League, but the former NYCFC star is playing at a high level with the Scottish giants. He's not super fast and he's certainly not very experienced against top teams at the international level.

  But Sands is also a unique player in this player pool as he has a different kind of game than any of his competitors. He can play center back in a back two or three and can operate as a No. 6 as well.

  If Plan A, the 4-3-3, isn't working, it would be nice to have a Plan B, and Sands is a player who can turn Plan B into a reality.

  Still, the fact that Erik Palmer-Brown and Mark McKenzie were both called in ahead of him is a worrying sign that says Sands' hopes are pretty much over.