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India A suffered a morning collapse but fought back as offspinner Minnu Mani continued to shine

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-2024The ball dominated on the second day between Australia A and India on the Gold Coast as Minnu Mani took her match haul to ten wickets, after Kate Peterson had taken five for the hosts to earn a narrow first-innings lead, but Maddy Darke ensured what could be a tricky chase.Having taken a 28-run advantage, Australia A lost two wickets before scoring a run in their second innings with Mani striking in consecutive overs to remove Georgia Voll and Charli Knott – caught at slip and deep midwicket respectively – on her way to claiming the first four batters to fall.Related

Priya Mishra five-for guides India A to first win of Australia tour

Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra share nine wickets to bundle out Australia A

Nicole Faltum edged behind and Tess Flintoff was bowled by a big-spinning offbreak that ripped between bat and pad.However, Darke put together an unbeaten half-century to stretch the lead towards 200, adding 54 for the sixth wicket with Maitlan Brown before she became Mani’s tenth wicket, smartly caught off the face of the bat at short leg.Emma de Broughe also made a half-century in challenging conditions against India’s spinners before being given caught behind off legspinner Priya Mishra although she did not seem convinced by the decision.Earlier, India A had resumed on 100 for 2 but were soon in trouble as Peterson ran through the middle order. Her first wicket of the day came with a delivery that moved late to take Tejal Hasabnis’ off stump and then it was further away swing that did for opener Shweta Sehrawat who was caught behind.Peterson found herself on a hat-trick when Sajana Sajeevan got a leading edge to a full toss that looped up into the off side. Uma Chetry survived the next delivery but soon fell to Peterson as she edged to slip via a glance off the keeper.India A’s collapse became 5 for 27 when Raghvi Bist was run out but some handy lower-order contributions ensured they closed in on Australia A’s total.

Celtic are a club that have been come used to cashing in on their top players once they have developed and impressed at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership.

You only have to look as recently as last summer to see when Matt O’Riley left to sign for Brighton & Hove Albion after winning the club’s Player of the Year award in the 2023/24 campaign.

As you can see in the graphic above, the Premiership champions have a rich history of selling players for big money, including three players who have left for £25m.

The Hoops also cashed in on Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi in the January transfer window, selling him to Rennes for a reported fee of £10m, which placed him on par with Liel Abada’s exit.

Brendan Rodgers, now, is set to have to deal with more exits in the current transfer window, as Nicolas Kuhn is reportedly closing in on an exit from Parkhead.

Journalist Anthony Joseph reports that Como have agreed a deal worth an initial fee of £16.5m to sign the German attacker, who has already agreed a long-term contract with the Italian side.

Why selling Nicolas Kuhn is a good deal for Celtic

Firstly, selling Kuhn will come as an initial blow to Rodgers and Celtic because of the attacking quality that he provided at the top end of the pitch last season.

The 25-year-old winger ended the campaign with a return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 matches in all competitions, which shows that the Hoops are set to lose a player who can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

However, it is also a deal that also makes a lot of sense for Celtic, given the money involved, and his form in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Scottish giants reportedly paid a fee of £3m to sign the winger from Rapid Vienna, which means that the club are making at least £13.5m in profit just 18 months on from when they snapped him up.

Appearances

15

17

Goals

7

6

Big chances created

7

4

Assists

6

3

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn’s form in the Premiership also dropped off in the second half of the season, with fewer goals, fewer ‘big chances’ created, and fewer assists despite playing two more games.

These statistics suggest that Celtic could be cashing in on him at the right time, because there is the risk that his form will continue to drop after that lightning start to last season.

Meanwhile, there is reported interest in another Hoops superstar whose exit would come as an even bigger blow to Rodgers and the club this summer.

Celtic set price tag for star forward

According to Football Insider, there are a number of teams interested in signing versatile Celtic forward Daizen Maeda before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Fenerbahce, and Brentford are all keen on a deal to sign the Japan international to bolster their respective attacks.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that Celtic are in ‘no mood’ to lose their star attacker this summer, though, on top of already being about to sell Kuhn, and that they have placed a huge price tag on his head.

Football Insider reports that the Scottish giants are not willing to part ways with the 27-year-old winger, who can also play as a centre-forward, for anything less than a fee of £25m, which would be a joint-record sale for the club.

It now remains to be seen whether or not any of the three Premier League teams or Fenerbahce eyeing up are willing to spend that much money on the Japanese dynamo this summer.

Why Daizen Maeda would be a bigger loss than Nicolas Kuhn

If one of those interested clubs swoop to sign Maeda from the Premiership champions for a fee of £25m in the coming weeks or months, it would be a bigger blow than Kuhn’s impending exit is set to be.

The Japan international ended the season with a haul of 33 goals in 51 games for Celtic in all competitions, which means that he scored 12 more goals than the German winger in the same number of appearances.

Maeda, dubbed a “special player” by Alistair Johnston, also has more positional value to Rodgers because he has shown that he can be deployed on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, whilst Kuhn made 52 of his 55 starts for the club as a right winger.

This means that Celtic would lose depth in several positions if they cashed in on the Japanese marksman this summer, but they are only set to lose an option on the right wing with Kuhn’s move to Como.

Appearances

34

32

Goals

16

13

Goals per game

0.5

0.4

Big chances created

10

11

Assists

10

9

Assists per game

0.3

0.3

Cross accuracy

17%

5%

As you can see in the table above, Maeda also outperformed the £16.5m-rated winger in the Premiership with more goals and more assists for the Hoops.

This suggests that the £25m-rated forward’s exit would leave an even bigger hole for Rodgers to fill at the top end of the pitch, from a quality perspective as well as the positions that he can play.

Overall, Maeda offers more to the team, with his quality and versatility, and that is why his transfer would be an even bigger blow than Kuhn’s transfer to Como, which is also reflected in the respective reported fees.

Celtic wanting £25m for Maeda, whilst they have accepted £16.5m for Kuhn, speaks to how important they view them within the squad, and that is backed up by their respective statistics.

It'd be Ryan Christie 2.0: Euro club open talks to sign £2m Celtic ace

A European team are interested in a deal to sign a star from Celtic this summer.

ByDan Emery Jul 3, 2025

Hopefully, Celtic will be able to fend off interest from the likes of Spurs and Fenerbache in order to keep hold of their star attacker before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

Manchester United have made some key moves in the transfer market over the last couple of weeks, with Matheus Cunha completing his move to Old Trafford ahead of 2025/26.

The Brazilian could be joined at the club by striker Viktor Gyokeres, who could be reunited with boss Ruben Amorim after previously featuring under him at Sporting CP.

He’s registered 54 goals in his 52 appearances throughout 2024/25, leading to keen interest in his services over the last couple of months, with the Red Devils just one side interested in his signature.

It was reported this week that he would be open to a switch to Old Trafford, with Arsenal another side in the race to land the 27-year-old during the off-season.

However, the club should look past a move for Gyokeres, prioritising a move for another talisman instead, helping the club reach the next level in the near future.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Despite the window only opening on Sunday, United have wasted no time in pursuing options to help Amorim’s squad within the final third of the pitch at Old Trafford.

Antoine Semenyo, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Liam Delap have all been on their radar over recent weeks, but have missed out on the latter after he agreed a £30m deal with Premier League rivals Chelsea.

However, they could make a move to land Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who spent the current season on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray, scoring 37 times in 41 appearances across all competitions.

A report from Corriere del Mezzogiorno via Sport Witness confirmed that the Red Devils have been in contact with the Serie A outfit over a deal for the Nigerian, who has a €75m (£67m) release clause in his current deal.

Amorim’s side may have received a boost in their pursuit of the 26-year-old, after he rejected a proposal from Saudi side Al Hilal, with the race for his signature wide open this summer.

Why United’s £67m target could be a great signing for Amorim

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been a player who has set the Premier League alight over the last couple of seasons, often being a nuisance to countless backlines.

The Norwegian has scored a staggering 121 times in his 142 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, with six of his efforts coming in eight games against United.

Such a talent doesn’t come around very often, with the Red Devils previously passing up an opportunity to land the talisman under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Multiple years on, Haaland is now undoubtedly one of the most dangerous strikers in Europe, highlighting the mistake United’s hierarchy made in not pursuing a move for the 24-year-old.

However, this summer, that could all change with United’s latest target Osimhen, being dubbed “even better than Haaland” by agent Andrea D’Amico in recent months.

When delving into their respective stats this season, the Nigerian has managed to better him in numerous key areas, backing up the statement which may have seemed far-fetched.

Osimhen has scored more goals than Haaland throughout 2024/25, whilst also posting a higher shot on target rate – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses over the Norwegian in front of goal.

How Osimhen compares to Haaland in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)	Osimhen	Haaland
Games played	30	31
Goals & assists	31	25
Shot-on-target rate	52%	51%
Shots taken	7.3	3.4
Aerial won	4.3	1.8
Aerial success rate	63%	53%
Take-ons completed	60%	36%
Stats via FBref

He’s also won nearly three times more aerial battles and posting a higher success rate in such a department – handing Amorim the focal point he’s lacked since taking the reins.

The loaner’s dominance hasn’t stopped there, completing nearly two times more take-ons in 2024/25, and having the all-round skillset that would bolster the attacking department at Old Trafford.

After splashing £62.5m on Cunha already this summer, a £67m transfer for Osimhen may seem steep, but it’s one that would transform the side based off his figures from this season.

Should he make the move and get anywhere near close to the levels produced by Haaland in England’s top-flight, it would be an absolute bargain – pushing the club closer towards their former glory.

Amorim's next Amad: Man Utd closing in on agreement to sign £70m "monster"

Manchester United could be set to land their next summer addition in the next few days.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 5, 2025

Manchester United face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight in the Premier League, entering the penultimate game of what has been a dismal year in England’s top-flight.

Ruben Amorim’s side will want to end the campaign on a high after their disappointment across the board, but all focus will undoubtedly be on the Europa League final.

The Red Devils face Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday evening, with players wanting to save themselves and prevent injury ahead of the vital clash.

However, players will still want to impress against Enzo Maresca’s side, potentially landing themselves a start against Spurs and having the opportunity to make themselves a hero and end the season on a high.

It will hand the boss a chance to assess his squad, but he should drop one player for the clash in West London tonight, after what has been a below-par year at Old Trafford.

Why Amorim needs to drop Hojlund against Chelsea

Striker Rasmus Hojlund had huge hopes of being a success at United following his £72m move from Atalanta back in the summer of 2023 – but it’s safe to say his time at the club has been a disaster.

The Danish international has often been the Red Devils’ main talisman this campaign, but has failed to deliver, netting just four league goals in his 30 appearances.

The 22-year-old even went 21 games without a goal across all competitions earlier this campaign, highlighting his lack of impact at the top end of the pitch.

His all-round play has been just as disappointing, completing an average of just 11 passes per game, unable to offer the side the link-up play needed for success within the final third.

Such a record has led to numerous links to other attackers all across Europe, with the manager needing to experiment with multiple other options against Chelsea to evaluate his side further ahead of the summer.

The United star who Amorim should start in a new role

Over the course of 2024/25, Amorim has experimented with multiple options at the top end of the pitch in an attempt to combat their issues in the final third.

Centre-back Harry Maguire has often been called upon to operate as a makeshift centre-forward this campaign, most notably against Nottingham Forest, where he had an effort cleared off the line.

He’s not been the only player to operate out of position, with midfielder Kobbie Mainoo operating in such a role during the defeat at home to Crystal Palace.

However, he could continue in such vein, by utilising Amad Diallo as a centre-forward, adding yet another position to his resume this season after switching since Amorim’s appointment.

The Ivorian has operated at wing-back and attacking midfield, starring in both positions and being one of the club’s most effective players, given his tally of 10 goals and eight assists across all competitions.

However, his ankle injury has derailed his progress, needing vital minutes before the Europa League final to hand himself the best chance of swinging the game in their favour.

Amad, who’s been labelled a “monster” by former teammate Scott Arfield, has registered 2.3 shots per 90 – undoubtedly aiding his excellent tallies, making him a superb option at the top end.

Amad Diallo’s stats for United in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	24
Goals & assists	13
Pass accuracy	86%
Shots taken	2.6
Chances created	2.4
Successful dribbles	2.1
Touches in opposition box	7.2
Stats via FotMob

He’s also completed 86% of the passes he’s attempted, and whilst creating 2.4 chances per 90 – handing the other players around him the opportunity to thrive at the Bridge.

It may seem a bold call to utilise the 22-year-old in such a role, but given the lack of impact from other players in the department this campaign, it could be another masterstroke from the boss.

Ultimately, attention will be fully on next week’s European final, but it presents another chance for the youngster to get minutes under his belt, possibly registering a positive end to what’s been a year to forget for the Red Devils.

INEOS now in direct talks to bring Premier League star to Man Utd with Cunha

The Red Devils have set their sights on an attacking rebuild.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 14, 2025

“What I have alluded to is the way the modern game is played and the strike rates required, particularly in good conditions”

Shashank Kishore11-Sep-20252:08

Samiuddin: Hesson clear with his plans for Pakistan

Halfway through his press conference ahead of Pakistan’s Asia Cup opener against Oman on Friday, coach Mike Hesson was asked where he got the “courage” to openly comment about Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s shortcomings.Slightly taken aback by the question, Hesson asked for it to be repeated. This time, the question was toned down and Hesson’s response was measured.”Being honest about your assessment of players is pretty important,” Hesson said. “Coming from a place where you have no agenda is also very important. Looking at things objectively is important. I haven’t talked about anyone’s frailties.Related

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“What I have alluded to is the way the modern game is played and the strike rates required, particularly in good conditions. All players ask for from coaches is to be honest with them. That is the responsibility you’ve got. Just because you like a player or have a relationship with a player, it doesn’t mean you can’t be honest.”Having tackled that topic, Hesson was asked whether he is confident about Pakistan’s batting. Was Mohammad Haris their best bet in the lower order? Why were Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan inconsistent, and Hasan Nawaz not doing well? Do Pakistan’s batters struggle to pick spinners from the hand? The context was the challenge of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, when Pakistan play India in Dubai on Sunday.”I don’t know where that has come from,” Hesson said about the perceived struggle against spin. “We have played against Rashid [Khan] and Noor [Ahmed]. We have played against possibly the best wrist-spin attack in the world [in the tri-series final on Sunday] on a [Sharjah] surface that has spun square and managed to score 75 more runs than the opposition. I’m not sure where that has come from.”Hesson then addressed the question about Pakistan’s young batting line-up.”It is very much a developing batting line-up,” he said. “There are a number of batters who can win you the game on their day, but they don’t have as many good days as you’d like at the moment. That is very fair. The thing for us is the sum of the parts as a batting group.”Every game bar one in Sharjah, we were probably 20 runs above par. Even though there are a number of players who didn’t do well on particular occasions, I’m more interested in what we end up with and how we get there. In the tri-series final, we got 140 when 120 was plenty on the pitch.”Then he was inevitably asked about being part of the great spectacle – India v Pakistan – as a coach for the first time. “Look I’ve certainly watched many games from afar with other teams or while commentating,” Hesson said. “Being part of a highly-charged event is going to be exciting. From my perspective, just like anytime you enter the final of a world event or whatever, it is about keeping everybody focused on the job at hand. That will be no different.”We know India are obviously hugely confident and rightfully so. But we are very much focused on improving as a team day-by-day and not getting ahead of ourselves. We are well aware of the challenge of the task ahead and we are certainly looking forward to it.”Mike Hesson has thrown his weight behind Pakistan’s ‘developing’ batting order•Getty Images

Pakistan have had a solid lead-in to the Asia Cup, having played five games over 12 days during the tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE in Sharjah. While the players had a day off on Thursday, Hesson had a close look at the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium.”This is very different to Sharjah in terms of the abrasiveness of the grass,” Hesson said. “We are playing on the same surface as the India vs UAE game. We have got the balance in the squad to deal with it. We have got plenty of multi-skilled players which gives us a bit of flexibility.”I don’t think this pitch is going to spin as much as Sharjah. And even yesterday [India v UAE match], when Kuldeep bowled, it didn’t spin a huge amount. But when you have wristspinners, the surface doesn’t matter as much.”The beauty of our side is we have got fine spinners. We have got Mohammad Nawaz, who has been ranked No. 1 since coming back into the side six months ago. And obviously we’ve got Abrar [Ahmed] and Sufiyan [Muqeem] do as well as they have. Saim Ayub is in the top 10 allrounders in the world and Salman Agha has hardly bowled.”We have got five seamers as well, which allow us to go for either air speed, change of pace or reverse swing depending on what the surface will provide.”

Visitors were wobbling at 96 for 7, still in arrears, before eighth-wicket pair come to rescue

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025A stoic rearguard action from Durham eighth-wicket pair of Ben Raine and Matthew Potts, coupled with an untimely heavy thunderstorm, essentially ended Essex hopes of pulling off a stunning last-day Rothesay County Championship victory.Raine and Potts came together at 96 for 7 with Durham still requiring 28 runs to make Essex bat again. When a bolt of lightning forced the players from the field 14 minutes before the scheduled tea interval, the deficit had been turned into a narrow 19-run advantage courtesy of the biggest partnership of an otherwise dismal batting performance. When the players came back for the remaining 9.5 overs in the evening, 4.1 actually being possible before the rain returned, Raine took advantage of spread-out fields to reach 42 not out.Before the rains came, it looked like the old firm of Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer were rolling back the years to pull off a win that had looked unlikely at the start of the day. The seam-and-spin double act combined to rip through Durham’s fragile batting with Porter ending on 3 for 36 and Harmer 3 for 64.Essex had thrown down the gauntlet by declaring on their overnight score of 457 for 8, which gave them a 124-run lead. Before Raine and Potts joined forces in an unbroken stand of 77 out of 173 for 7, it appeared a prescient decision.The 14 points Essex collected from the draw eased their relegation concerns while Durham’s dozen keeps them in serious danger with two games to play.In the end Essex were close to a third Championship win of an underwhelming season with an attack that was already without Sam Cook, nursing a broken thumb, and Shane Snater, who tweaked a calf while bowling during Durham’s first innings. It heaped a lot of responsibility on to the shoulders of Porter, but he responded immediately and emphatically.Porter needed just 14 balls to make the initial breakthrough, Alex Lees beaten for pace. Six balls later Emilio Gay followed, also lbw and also all at sea.Ben McKinney, who scored a well-judged century first time around, was another who struggled against Porter, taking 15 balls to get off the mark. He had only 11 to his name 49 balls later when he inexplicably left alone a ball from Harmer that went straight on and knocked back off stump.Durham tried to settle into full survival mode, but the pressure got to them. David Bedingham, for instance, faced 60 balls for 16 that included a six over long leg three balls before he top-edged a hook to deep fine leg off Noah Thain.Colin Ackermann, in turn, took 19 balls to score his first run. But three overs into the post-lunch session, and with a guard outside off stump, he went to give himself room to cut Harmer and ended up edging to Dean Elgar at slip.Durham were still 32 runs adrift of making Essex bat again when Porter snapped up his third wicket, rapping Graham Clark on his back pad. And four runs later, Ollie Robinson’s 21 from 55 balls ended when he attempted to slash Harmer past point and was caught behind.Raine and Potts then took Durham past Essex’s total 57 overs into their innings. And the pair had been together for exactly an hour when the players were taken off the pitch as the first flash of lightning lit up the darkening sky.The players came back nearly two hours later, having already lost 24 overs. Essex had seven men around the bat when Harmer wheeled in, but could only watch as Raine thrashed a couple of boundaries and a six over long-on. But it wasn’t long before handshakes were exchanged.

Nadine de Klerk makes a special appearance as Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda build up to the World Cup semi-finals

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2025The final four teams of the Women’s World Cup have been decided, and as it often has been in recent times, one of them are overwhelming favourites to go on and win the whole thing — even if they do take on hosts India in the semi-finals.Can Australia – who have even turned crises into comfortable wins this World Cup – continue their perfect record (marred only by a washout)? Will India get revenge for the league-stage defeat in their bid for a maiden World Cup title? And will South Africa recover once again from a sub-100 score against a strong England side?Nadine de Klerk joins Firdose Moonda, Valkerie Baynes and S Sudarshanan as a special guest as in the latest episode of ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast where we build up to the semi-finals: