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After watching Ruben Amorim lose for the first time as Manchester United manager, INEOS are now reportedly ready to offer a blank cheque in the race to sign a target that the former Sporting boss loves.

Man Utd transfer news

It was the goals show under Amorim until his side faced the trip to title contenders Arsenal in the new manager’s first big test. His side had drawn at Ipswich Town, defeated Bodo/Glimt 3-2 and put four past Everton to reach eight goals in three games.

Any goalscoring problem that the Red Devils had during Erik ten Hag’s tenure at least looks likely to be solved under Amorim, but the Arsenal game was always going to be a step too far for Manchester United this early into his tenure.

Whilst Amorim’s tenure is as young as it is, it’s quickly become clear that those at Old Trafford must turn their attention back towards the transfer market in 2025 if their new manager is to finally end the trend of false dawns in Manchester.

With that said, according to Nacional, INEOS are now ready to offer a blank cheque to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting in 2025. Valued at a reported £65m by the Portuguese club, the Manchester United target would be a transformative striker to end the Red Devils’ woes going forward once and for all.

Man Utd preparing bid for £20m goalkeeper as INEOS eye January reshuffle

He’s one of two targets from the same club.

ByBrett Worthington Dec 5, 2024

A player who’s already enjoyed such impressive success under Amorim too, the deal would make perfect sense for all involved. As one of the only strikers capable of matching Erling Haaland’s goalscoring numbers, there’s no limit to the heights that Gyokeres could drag Manchester United back to.

"Strong" Gyokeres would transform Man Utd

Although Rasmus Hojlund is a player with plenty of potential and Joshua Zirkzee has shown glimpses of what he is capable of in recent weeks, if Manchester United want to make their way back to the top of English football then Gyokeres is the answer. The former Coventry City forward is one of Europe’s best – as 24 goals in 21 games so far this season highlights.

The Swede has received the praise to match his form too, including the iconic Marco Van Basten, who told Ziggo Sport as relayed by Footboom: “He is a true footballer. A forward who can also play football. He is strong, scores easily and remains calm in front of goal. He can also dribble past the goalkeeper; he is a very good forward.”

Some at Old Trafford will have plenty of caution when it comes to big-money signings after seeing a few too many big names reach flop status, but all signs are pointing towards Gyokeres becoming a star wherever he ends up. It feels a fairly safe bet that Amorim – of all managers – would instantly get the best out of the forward once again.

Liverpool have announced a lucrative multi-year kit deal with adidas as their contract with Nike ticks down.

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Liverpool announced deal with adidasNike contract set to expireadidas return to Anfield after 13 yearsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool will be donning the iconic 'Three Stripes' from August 1, 2025, confirming a new agreement with the German sportswear giant on Monday. As part of the deal, the German firm will pay the Reds £60 million ($74m) per season, according to . The two organisations have come together twice in the past, first between 1985 and 1996 and then again from 2006 to 2012.

AdvertisementWHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking on the partnership, Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan told the club's website: "Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family. We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most iconic LFC kits of all time.

"adidas and Liverpool share an ambition of success and we couldn’t be more excited to partner together again as we look forward to creating more incredible kits to help drive on-pitch performance. We’d like to thank Nike for their support over the last five years and wish them well for the future."

adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden added: "We are extremely excited that adidas and Liverpool Football Club are teaming up once again. The club is one of the biggest and most iconic names in world football with a huge fan base. The jerseys worn during previous partnerships are some of the greatest ever created. We are honoured to once again provide the players with cutting-edge technology to perform at the highest level and are looking forward to creating more classics for the fans."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Merseyside club's new adidas deal will place them among the top earners in terms of kit supply contracts, putting them in a competitive position with other Premier League powerhouses. Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea currently enjoy deals ranging from £60m ($77m) to £65m ($84m) per season, while Manchester United leads the pack with a record-breaking £90m ($116m) agreement with adidas.

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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Arne Slot's men have a hectic week ahead as they are set to host Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 fixture on Tuesday, before meeting Newcastle United in the final of Carabao Cup on March 16.

Ryan Campbell, the Netherlands coach, on why Pieter Seelaar was chosen as Peter Borren’s successor, and what led to the long-time captain’s decision to retire

Peter Della Penna28-Apr-2018Pieter Seelaar’s appointment as Netherlands captain to replace the outgoing Peter Borren was motivated by a continued desire amongst the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) to have a locally-based player who trains with the bulk of the squad year-round, according to Netherlands head coach Ryan Campbell.”We have players like Ryan ten Doeschate and Roelof van der Merwe who could fill the captaincy as well, but we feel it’s very important that a Dutch-bound player leads our Dutch team,” Campbell told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s no disrespect to our international players because we love them all and they’re massive leaders within our squad, but the feeling has always been that we want a guy who lives in the Netherlands to lead our team, who is always training with our squad, and Pieter fits the bill perfectly.”The facts are our [English] county players don’t play in all of our matches and they don’t train with our squad. We have a summer training squad of 22 and to have one without a captain is a recipe for disaster. We’ve always felt you need a captain and a leader who is training and playing with the lads. I’m very excited to see what Pieter’s going to bring to the table, because he’s a different character to Peter Borren. He thinks about the game a lot and his plans have already started.”Seelaar’s career stats, 111 wickets in 120 List A matches plus 33 wickets in 59 T20s, are modest for a bowling allrounder, but the 30-year-old is one of the longest tenured Dutch players after making his senior debut against Warwickshire in 2005. His career List A batting average is 14.64, but it is a deceptive figure slanted heavily by his early career as a tailender. In 2015, he was one of the leading scorers in the Dutch domestic first division playing for VOC and notched a List A career-best 68 against Scotland in the second round of the WCL Championship later that summer.In 2017, Seelaar further cemented his batting credentials with an unbeaten 138 in an epic stand with Ben Cooper during their drawn Intercontinental Cup match against Hong Kong. Add in the fact that Seelaar is arguably the top Netherlands outfielder – he has a reputation for taking some sensational catches including one to dismiss Kevin O’Brien at the 2016 World T20 – and Campbell felt the decision was a no-brainer.”He’s the perfect age and experience, he’s been in the national set-up for a long time now and knows what goes around international cricket,” Campbell said. “We believe that his game will improve and we’ve seen that with his bowling particularly. In the last 12 months, apart from an injury, he’s been a standout for us with the ball and his batting is an untapped resource. He knows that he needs to keep improving but we feel that the character of Pieter Seelaar is the best fit for us with a young squad.”Seelaar will be leading a Netherlands A squad this weekend in Guernsey before taking command of the full senior side for a T20I tri-series with Ireland and Scotland in June.As for Borren’s retirement at age 34, Campbell said it should not be seen as the first domino to fall in a move toward making more changes within the squad – he doesn’t want “players looking over their shoulder”. However, he said that competition for spots may be ramped up following the team’s poor performance at the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. With two years until the next World T20 in Australia and the start of the 13-team ODI League, Campbell wants to take as many opportunities possible to give younger players a chance to develop.”We play that ODI League in 2020 and that’s another couple years down the track. That’s a long time for guys who are suddenly 36 or 37. It [Borren’s stepping down] was decided mutually,” Campbell said. “He felt that he didn’t have the energy to be there in two or three years’ time. If that was the case, then when we’re not playing in major tournaments, we need to get our youngsters as much experience as we can because the facts are we don’t play enough cricket. The Bas de Leedes and Sikandar Zulfiqars, these sort of guys need to play cricket and that was the decision from all sides.”Campbell paid tribute to Borren, saying he’d made a great friend for life in him. “He beat the drums for the Associate cause. The Associate world is a tough world to live in. Just seeing his stats, the number of games he played over such a long period, some people who don’t realise will say, ‘Gee he didn’t play that many games’. But that’s how tough it is. You’ll play a decade and only play 40 ODIs or 40 T20Is. It’s a tough world but he’s a ripping bloke and a fantastic competitor and I wish him all the best.”

A distraught Steven Smith has apologised for the ball-tampering scandal, while breaking down in tears repeatedly during his appearance in front of media soon after his return to Sydney on Thursday

Daniel Brettig29-Mar-2018An utterly broken Steven Smith has taken the weight of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal on his shoulders, admitting full responsibility as captain of the Australian team for the conspiracy to use sandpaper in an attempt to gain reverse swing, and then the cover-up that followed.Having arrived home in Sydney after his ban from playing for 12 months and from captaincy for two years under the Cricket Australia code of behaviour, Smith struggled to hide his grief at what had unfolded since he allowed the vice-captain David Warner and the young opening batsman Cameron Bancroft to put together a scheme to tamper with the ball.Smith ‘too weak’ to captain again – former Australia PM John Howard

“Sad is the right description. It’s sad for the game, but also sad for young men who have made colossal mistakes. They deserve their punishments, but there must be a way back afterwards, but Smith can never be captain again. He is too weak. The one bright thought is that the immense preoccupation of Australians with the affair reminds us just how much we really love our great game.”

“To all of my team-mates, to fans of cricket all over the world, and to all Australians who are disappointed and angry, I’m sorry,” Smith said in his statement at Sydney airport. “What happened in Cape Town has already been laid out by Cricket Australia. Tonight, I want to make clear that as captain of the Australian cricket team, I take full responsibility. I made a serious error of judgment, and I now understand the consequences. It was a failure of leadership, of my leadership. I’ll do everything I can to make up for my mistake, and the damage it’s caused.”If any good can come of this, if there can be a lesson to others, then I hope I can be a force for change. I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life. I’m absolutely gutted. I hope in time, I can earn back respect and forgiveness. I’ve been so privileged and honoured to represent my country and captain the Australian cricket team. Cricket is the greatest game in the world. It’s been my life and I hope it can be again. I’m sorry and I’m absolutely devastated.”In addition to his ICC and CA sanctions, Smith has been banned from this year’s IPL and has lost numerous endorsement deals. But it was the thought of his parents that clearly caused him the most pain, as he said when asked of what he would say to the children who had idolised him as the world’s leading batsman and the national captain.”Firstly that I’m deeply sorry. I love the game of cricket. I love entertaining young kids, I love kids wanting to play the great game of cricket that I love,” he said. “Anytime you think about making a questionable decision, think about who you’re affecting. You’re affecting your parents, and to see how my old man’s been … and my mum, it hurts. I just want to say I’m sorry for the pain I’ve, I guess, brought to Australia and the fans and the public. It’s devastating and I’m truly sorry.”Smith did not deflect any blame for the episode onto Warner or Bancroft, saying that things had occurred under his watch as leader. “I don’t blame anyone,” he said. “I’m the captain of the Australian team, it’s on my watch and I take responsibility for the actions of what happened last Saturday in Cape Town. For me, I think my week has been around ‘good people make mistakes’, and I’ve made a big mistake by allowing this to happen. It was a huge error of judgment on my behalf and I’m deeply sorry.”As to whether the Australian team had engaged in ball tampering previously, Smith maintained that this was the first, only and, arguably, last time it would ever be attempted. “To my knowledge, this has never happened before,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve seen this happen, and I can assure you it will never be happening again.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a trialling time since the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, having seen three managers take charge of the squad since his farewell in 2021.

The Portuguese coach restored Premier League football at Molineux, as well as taking the Old Gold on a European journey, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019/20 Europa League just two seasons after their promotion.

After four years in the Midlands, the 49-year-old left by mutual decision after Wolves hit poor form, replaced by Bruno Lage who was dismissed just 16 months later when the club were in the relegation zone last season.

Former Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui stepped in to save the day before being swiftly replaced by Gary O’Neil this summer, after struggling to accept the financial burdens the club were struck with.

Over the last few years, Wolves have seen a decline in performance and direction, however have remained in a far better position than what could have been, thanks to some of the talent in the ranks.

Despite ending their times at Molineux as a result of bad form, Lage and Nuno combined to hand the Old Gold one of their top performers in recent times, delivering Rayan Ait-Nouri to the Midlands.

How much did Rayan Ait-Nouri cost Wolves?

Signed on a loan deal from French outfit Angers in 2020 by Nuno, the Algerian was snatched up permanently by Lage after impressing during his season-long spell in the Premier League.

Wolves paid a £9.5m fee to secure the youngster on a five-year deal in 2021, with the option for an additional year, a small cost for a talent with so much potential.

Lauded as “phenomenal” aged just 19 by journalist Tim Spiers, the full-back settled in quickly in the English top-flight, recording 21 appearances in his debut campaign before making his move permanent.

Now, the 22-year-old has made 70 Premier League appearances for Wolves, scoring three goals and registering five assists as he continues to show his worth in the Midlands at left-back.

How much is Rayan Ait-Nouri worth now?

Having made five appearances for O’Neil’s side already in the 2023/24 league campaign, the £10k-per-week maestro is excelling on the flank, showing his ability to play in the ever-popular inverted role to exploit his attacking strengths.

Sporting an expected transfer value (xTV) of €6.6m (£5.7m), as per Football Transfers, in the summer of 2020, just prior to his loan move to Wolves, the one-cap Algeria international has seen his value soar since his arrival in England.

Currently, the 22-year-old is valued at around €20m (£17m) by CIES Football Observatory, showing a gradual rise in his market value, telling of his improvement and rise to prominence at Molineux.

At left-back, Ait-Nouri has performed as one of the standout full-backs in Europe as supported by FBref’s statistics.

The defender ranked in the top 3% of fullbacks in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for his rate of successful take-ons, averaging a mammoth 2.21 per 90, as well as ranking in the top 7% for his 2.95 tackles per 90, via FBref.

Lage certainly struck gold by welcoming the dynamic Algerian on a permanent deal, with the defender having the potential to make the Old Gold millions in the future.

Liverpool continued their strong start to the season on Sunday by comfortably beating Aston Villa, extending their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 15 matches.

How did Liverpool play against Aston Villa?

Arriving into the fixture without Virgil van Dijk following his red card against Newcastle, supporters were left fearing the worst ahead of this match, however, those fears were soon diminished as Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring inside three minutes.

Following a lightning-fast start, the Reds continued to sweep Villa under the carpet with a Matty Cash own goal proceeding a customary Mohamed Salah strike which saw Liverpool run out as 3-0 winners and surge into third place.

Jurgen Klopp's side assumed control throughout, restricting Villa to limited attempts on goal and nullifying star men Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby with ease, despite the pair contributing to five of the Villain's eight goals so far.

Klopp's side were in cruise control throughout and their dominance was led by an infectious, energetic and dynamic midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Szoboszlai.

That interchangeable trio pressed superbly to win the ball back, utilised possession in a progressive manner and hounded Villa into submission with their energy, helping Liverpool record 91% accurate passes, 14 tackles, eight interceptions and 64% possession, as per Sofascore.

While their performance in the engine room was impressive, they did it without a natural holding midfielder as Wataru Endo was dropped following his display against Newcastle.

The Japan international, who made the £16m switch from Stuttgart this summer, struggled to stamp his authority on proceedings and was hooked after 58 minutes with the 30-year-old still acclimatising to Premier League football.

Despite winning four of his seven duels and registering an 88% pass completion, Endo only made two tackles, had 39 touches and was dispossessed five times, which is statistical evidence of him needing time to adjust to the demands required in Klopp's gegen pressing system.

As a result, £50k per-week "warrior", as dubbed by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard, should be fearing the worst for his game time moving forward, even more so now with the arrival of Ryan Gravenberch.

After wrapping up a £34m deal from Bayern Munich on deadline day, Liverpool's midfield is now embellished with quality, replacing the long-serving and ageing Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and James Milner with young prospects that have hunger and youthfulness on their side.

How good is Ryan Gravenberch?

A product of Ajax's famed youth academy, Gravenberch came through the ranks to become the club's youngest-ever debutant aged 16 and then went on to claim three Eredivisie titles.

He departed Amsterdam having made 103 appearances – including 14 starts in the Champions League – and delivered 25 goal contributions in all competitions.

A move to Bayern Munich saw him unsurprisingly scoop a Bundesliga title, making 33 appearances for the Bavarians last season with the 21-year-old now starting a new chapter in his career.

In the Bundesliga last season, Gravenberch excelled as a box-to-box midfielder, ranking high against his positional peers for metrics that are tailor-made to succeed in a Klopp system with his ability to progress the ball, press ferociously and win possession back shining through.

The technical quality of Gravenberch is backed up by his exquisite passing range, ranking in the top 10% for positionally similar players in leagues most similar to the Dutch top flight for his progressive passes, short and long pass completion, shot-creating actions and passes into the final third, as per FBref.

In possession, he's productive and rarely wasteful, without it, he hounds the opposition into making a mistake, fitting the energetic and dynamic profile required to play in Liverpool's midfield.

He ranks in the top 3% for ball recoveries and top 7% for tackles in the attacking third while his ball-carrying capabilities are exceptional with the Dutchman placing within the top 5% for carries into the final third, touches and top 12% for successful take-ons.

Although Gravenberch isn't the defensive midfielder that Liverpool have been crying out for having missed out on top targets Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, his boundless amounts of energy and creativity make him the perfect fit for the box-to-box role.

With Liverpool opting to omit a natural six from their system against Villa, an instant impact from Gravenberch in the mould of Szoboszlai could see Endo needing to fight for his place in the starting XI before he's even really had an opportunity to stamp his mark.

Once he overcame the early nervousness, Abdur Razzak got into the sort of groove he has become accustomed to in the domestic circuit off late and finished with 4 for 63 on his Test comeback

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur08-Feb-2018Abdur Razzak was understandably nervous before delivering his first ball on the first morning of the Dhaka Test against Sri Lanka, but it wasn’t as bad as his ODI or Test debut more than 10 years ago. Once he overcame the early nervousness, Razzak got into the sort of groove he has become accustomed to in the domestic circuit off late.Razzak removed Dimuth Karunaratne in his first spell of five overs before starting his second with two wickets off successive deliveries. Danushka Gunathilaka got out to a poor shot, giving a catch to mid-off before Razzak ripped a beautiful delivery past Dinesh Chandimal to hit the off stump. He soon removed Kusal Mendis with a similar delivery, as he made his comeback after missing 22 Bangladesh Tests a memorable one.”Obviously, international cricket is at a different level compared to domestic tournaments so there was a bit of nerve at the start but it slowly went away,” Razzak said. “The heart was beating quite fast but not like earlier in my career. There’s always excitement, from the time I got selected to marking my run-up. Since you are playing for your country, you think differently.”Razzak, who played only 12 Tests between 2006 and 2014, took 244 wickets in first-class matches since being dropped four years ago. During this period, the second-highest wicket-taker, Sunzamul Islam, was 93 wickets behind him. Razzak took four 10-wicket hauls and was the highest wicket-taker in the calendar years 2015, 2016 and 2017 in the Bangladesh first-class circuit.He said that the big haul of wickets in the last four years of domestic first-class cricket helped him transform into a better bowler in the format. Razzak also credited those who picked him at this stage of his career, which he said offered hope to many senior players like him.”The biggest thing is performance, at whichever level, your confidence starts to go up,” he said. “The more you play first-class cricket, you get into the habit of being in the longer-format game.”I definitely feel that in the current climate in our cricket, when fitness is so important, I must thank the BCB for giving me the chance now. It means that nobody should ever give up. Everyone’s chances remain alive.”

Natali Dodd and Hayley Jensen have returned to the T20I squad for the home series against West Indies while the legspinner Erin Bermingham, who has taken an indefinite break from cricket, was unavailable for selection

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2018New Zealand women squads

ODI squad: Suzie Bates (capt), Sophie Devine, Lauren Down, Kate Ebrahim, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu.
T20I squad: Suzie Bates (capt), Sophie Devine, Natalie Dodd, Maddy Green, Kate Heffernan, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu.

New Zealand women have included the uncapped pair of Kate Heffernan and Lauren Down for the home series against West Indies in March. Heffernan, an 18-year-old left-arm seamer, has found a place in the 13-member T20I squad while Down, a 22-year-old batsman, is part of the ODI squad.”Both Kate and Lauren are impressive athletes in their own right and will definitely bring that dynamic edge that we’re looking for,” said Haidee Tiffen, New Zealand’s coach.”The fact that Kate is a left-armer was certainly a factor in her selection as she will bring that point of difference. We see an immense amount of potential in Kate, particularly as we look ahead a bit further to a World Cup in New Zealand in 2021.”Lauren’s been on our radar for a while in both formats and we also think she’s one for the future. She’s explosive with the bat and is a terrific fielder across the park.”Kate Ebrahim has returned to the ODI squad while Natalie Dodd and Hayley Jensen have come back into the T20I squad.Katie Perkins has missed out on selection, having had limited game-time since suffering a broken thumb in December, while the legspinner Erin Bermingham, who has taken an indefinite break from cricket, was unavailable for selection.”Erin’s been a terrific servant to the team for a long time and made important contributions on and off the field,” Tiffin said. “She’s a great team-player and we will miss having her around the group.”The three-match ODI series begins on March 4 in Christchurch. This will be followed by a five-match T20I series, which starts on March 14 in Tauranga.

Manchester City could be set to lose another first-team star, with a new report claiming that he’s being targeted by the same club who are also looking to sign Bernardo Silva.

What's the latest transfer news at Man City?

Over the summer, Pep Guardiola signed four fresh faces in the form of RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, Wolves’ Matheus Nunes, Rennes' Jeremy Doku and Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic, strengthening his defensive, midfield and attacking ranks, but there were also a big number of outgoings.

Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, Ilkay Gundogan and Cole Palmer were the four big players to leave the club on a permanent basis, whilst the hierarchy also sanctioned loan moves for the likes of Joao Cancelo and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, as per Transfermarkt.

At the Etihad Stadium, Silva has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona despite recently signing a contract extension, and another integral member of the squad that the Camp Nou outfit have now brought onto their future transfer radar is apparently Erling Haaland.

The Norway international has undoubtedly been the boss’ standout performer since putting pen to paper from Borussia Dortmund last summer, and therefore, the striker has emerged as a target and could be following in his teammate’s footsteps by swapping the Premier League for La Liga if the latest update is to be believed.

Is Erling Haaland leaving Man City?

According to 90min, Barcelona are “manoeuvring themselves to be a contender” in the race for Haaland.

Real Madrid have always appeared the most likely to secure his services should he leave the Etihad, but Xavi’s side are now “preparing to make their own move” for the talisman who they view as a “viable option” to succeed the 35-year-old Robert Lewandowski.

Guardiola’s star has a €200m (£172m) release clause included in his contract, and whilst this can only be activated from 2025 onwards, that hasn’t stopped his admirers from plotting a future swoop.

The M11 outfit are working to get a new long-term deal in place, but as it stands, there is “little motivation” from the player’s side to remove the current clause in his terms, hinting that his camp would be open to an exit in the coming years.

How many goals has Erling Haaland scored?

Following his arrival at Man City, Haaland has clocked up an unbelievable 68 contributions (58 goals and ten assists) in just 59 appearances, with this extremely prolific form having seen him dubbed a “monster” in the final third by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Sponsored by Nike, the left-footed machine has also recorded a total of 18 shots so far over the course of the current campaign which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, with his positive impact having made a huge difference when it comes to securing silverware.

The Rafaela Pimenta client, who has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline if needed, has helped the club to secure four group trophies since joining in July 2022, and there’s no doubt that should he stay, that number is only set to increase in the seasons to come.

Meticulous and clinical, the Adelaide Strikers turned a precarious position against the Sydney Thunder into a 25-run win to reach the top of the Big Bash League table

The Report by Tim Wigmore07-Jan-2018Adelaide Strikers 7 for 158 (Ingram 48, Carey 34, Fawad 3-31) beat Sydney Thunder 9 for 133 (Nesser 3-29, Siddle 2-13, Rashid 2-21) by 25 runsMeticulous and clinical, the Adelaide Strikers turned a precarious position against the Sydney Thunder into a 25-run win to reach the top of the Big Bash League table.Yet again, the Strikers’ success was underpinned by Rashid Khan, the outstanding player in the tournament so far. In five matches, he has recorded figures of 2-22, 2-22, 2-19, 2-18 and now 2-21, bowling with control and penetration that has allowed the Strikers to triumph when batting first, while their opponents favour chasing. To boot, he even heaved a couple of sixes in the final over of Adelaide’s innings.The margin of the Strikers’ victory defied their struggles for much of the night. Colin Ingram’s six-ridden 48 hauled them to 158 for 7; then, with the Thunder on 42 for no loss after five overs, Peter Siddle delivered a crucial maiden before combining with Rashid to throttle the home team. Even Ben Rohrer’s three late sixes were not enough to give the Thunder real hope of avenging their defeat at the Adelaide Oval before Christmas.Adelaide steady as she goesThe Strikers are unusual in their penchant for batting first when they win the toss – something they have done more than the other seven teams combined this BBL season. It is a reflection of how, with a strong bowling attack that includes Rashid, who is especially proficient in the second innings, they feel comfortable defending totals. Travis Head won the toss, batted first and won against the Sydney Thunder at Adelaide a fortnight ago, and aimed to do the same on Sunday evening. Perhaps the scorching heat in Sydney – it was the hottest day in the city for 80 years – played a role too, making it attractive for the Strikers to field when it was cooler later in the night. The Strikers began their innings smoothly enough, just a little slowly: after eight overs, they had only lost one wicket, yet had a run rate of under seven.Getty ImagesFawad pulls them backLegspinners have been the most successful type of bowlers in this season of the Big Bash. And for all the attention on the overseas stars – Rashid, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah – Fawad Ahmed has been almost as effective. In the ninth over of the Strikers innings, he changed the complexion of the game by snaring both set batsmen. First, Travis Head spliced a shot to long-on. Then, after striking a couple of slog-swept boundaries – the second was caught on the long-on boundary, but Kurtis Patterson was touching the rope while initially taking the catch – Alex Carey was flummoxed by a googly and clean bowled. Fawad cleaned up Jonathan Wells with a delivery that went straight on in his final over, to end with 3 for 31 and take his BBL season haul to eight wickets at 18.50 apiece, to go with an economy rate of 6.16. In all, the Thunder delivered 12 overs of spin, with Chris Green taking 1 for 22 from his allocation.ESPNcricinfo LtdIngram’s late dashAt 4 for 104 with one ball of the 16th over left, the Strikers weren’t going anywhere quickly. Then, Colin Ingram did as overseas batsmen are supposed to do. With beautiful timing, he creamed three sixes – a heave over long-on from Arjun Nair, a crisp strike over long-off off Green, and a pull over square leg off Gurinder Sandhu – to haul Adelaide into a position from which they could amass a working total. As Ingram walked off, slashing a full and wide delivery from Sandhu to the keeper, the suspicion remained that the total would not be quite enough. But Rashid harrumphed two sixes in the final three balls of the Strikers innings to shore them up to 7 for 158; 54 of those runs having come off the final 25 balls.Thunder’s flying startAt 32 without loss in four overs, the Thunder appeared to be cruising towards their target. Head entrusted Rashid to bowl the fifth over, but Patterson scythed two fours through the covers to leave the home team requiring only 117 from 15 overs with ten wickets still in hand. It should have been a cruise.The squeezeThe Strikers’ comeback began with that rarest of T20 commodities: the maiden. Siddle produced six deliveries of subtle variation and immaculate precision to Jos Buttler. In the following over, Rashid’s googly had Buttler clean bowled, and suddenly the Thunder were stifled. In four overs together, Siddle and Rashid conceded only 13 runs – the prelude to a stretch of 42 balls without a boundary. In the process, as if sleepwalking, the Thunder’s position of overwhelming domination first became uncertain, and then increasingly precarious. Both Patterson and Shane Watson scored at a strike-rate of well under 100.The endgameBy the time Watson was out, heaving a catch to long-on, the Thunder needed 84 from only 41 balls, though they still had seven wickets in hand. Yet, once again, Rashid proved far too good – and even caught Green at long-on to effectively seal the Strikers’ victory. Rohrer struck some admirable blows late, but it always seemed futile.