All posts by h716a5.icu

Will Wolverhampton Wanderers require a major summer rebuild?

Wolves were in the relegation zone when Vítor Pereira was appointed in December, but he managed to win ten of his 22 Premier League fixtures in charge, including leading the club to their first six-match winning streak in the top division since October 1970.

This saw the Old Gold finish 16th, 17 points clear of the drop zone, but, with many of their key assets coveted by other clubs, it is set to be a busy summer at Molineux.

That has all started with Matheus Cunha’s departure.

Why Matheus Cunha was a wanted man

On Sunday afternoon, it was officially announced that Cunha had joined Manchester United, the Red Devils paying his reported £62.5m release clause.

This is obviously a blow for Wolves because, as Matt Furniss of Opta’s the Analyst outlines, he has been Wolves’ ‘most influential player’ across the last two seasons, describing Cunha as a ‘revelation’ and praising his consistent ability to over-perform his xG statistics.

Meantime, Steve Madeley of the Athletic notes that the Brazilian has undoubtedly been ‘Wolves’ player of the season’, adding that very rarely is an entire campaign linked ‘so intrinsically to one player’, with Cunha always the main character, ‘for better and worse’.

Since making him move from Atlético Madrid permanent for £44m two summers ago, Cunha has scored 31 goals in 72 appearances for the club, numbers that are going to be difficult for anyone to replicate.

However, is a current member of the Wolverhampton Wanderers squad primed and ready to become the main man?

Wolves' unsung hero ready to step-up after Cunha

When Wolves signed Jørgen Strand Larsen last summer from Celta Vigo, initially on loan but with a £23m obligation to buy, there was very little fanfare, it is fair to say.

Thus, the Norwegian striker certainly surpassed all expectations, scoring 14 Premier League goals, meaning only nine players across the entire division managed more.

The Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer praised Strand Larsen’s performance during a vital 2-1 victory at Ipswich in April, saying “his hold-up play was excellent… his touch and his control were superb”, adding “I actually think they’ve looked a better team” without Cunha during his four-match suspension.

Meantime, manager Pereira described his form as “fantastic”, adding “he helped the team” a lot.

Nevertheless, the key question remains: does Strand Larsen have the quality to be Wolves’ main man for goals now that Cunha has departed?

Well, let’s compare the duo in an attempt to answer this question.

Appearances

35

33

Minutes

2,603

2,603

Goals

14

15

Assists

4

6

Shots

54

110

Shots on target %

61.1%

40%

Goals – xG

+3.7

+6.4

Big chances missed

13

2

Big chances created

6

13

Shot-creating actions

42

132

Goal-creating actions

6

16

Aerial duels won

67

13

Touches per 90

26

54

% of touches in opposition box

15%

8%

As the table outlines, Cunha’s statistics are largely more impressive, which shouldn’t be too surprising, given that he’s the one who has just earned a big-money move to Manchester United.

However, what the table also crystallises is the fact that they are very different types of centre-forward.

Ryan Benson of Opta’s the Analyst labelled Strand Larsen a ‘fox in the box’, documenting how he is a classic target man whose ‘presence alone keeps centre-backs occupied’, an assertion that is supported by the data, with 15% of his touches coming in the opposition penalty area, nearly double the ratio of Cunha.

While the Brazilian ranked second in the Premier League this season for non-penalty goals – xG, his teammate was not too far behind, sat seventh for the same metric.

Strand Larsen also ranked sixth for aerial duels won amongst strikers, albeit his big chances missed tally of 13 leaves room for improvement.

Nevertheless, still only 25 years old, the Norwegian has all the attributes to be a successful centre-forward in this league, so is well-equipped to fill the massive void vacated by the outgoing Cunha.

Romano: Wolves make approach to sign "highly rated" gem wanted in Europe

The Old Gold are making moves for the future…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

The summer transfer window officially opens for business next month, and Leeds United are likely to be busy as they prepare for a season in the Premier League.

One player who is on the club’s radar is Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road, and the forward is reportedly open to talks over a permanent switch to West Yorkshire.

The 25-year-old attacker ended the season with ten goals and 12 assists in the Championship, and Leeds are now eyeing a new target who could be amazing for Solomon in the Premier League.

Leeds eyeing Premier League defender

According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon (25/05/2025), Leeds United are eyeing a new target in the form of West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell.

Transfer Focus

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

The reporter claims that Daniel Farke is lining up a move to snap up the experienced defender on a free transfer when his contract with the Hammers expires at the end of next month.

Nixon adds, however, that there is also interest from celebrity-owned Championship side Wrexham, who have just been promoted from League One, which means that there is competition for the 35-year-old star’s signature.

The journalist also reveals that Leeds would view the veteran full-back as a squad player, rather than a guaranteed starter, but that does not mean that he would not be an incredibly valuable addition, particularly for Solomon.

Why Leeds should sign Aaron Cresswell

Junior Firpo’s contract is set to expire this summer, and it still remains to be seen whether or not he will put pen to paper on an extension, which means that there is a vacant spot at left-back to be filled as it stands.

Cresswell, as Nixon’s report suggests, may not come in to start all 38 games in the Premier League next term, but he is a vastly-experienced top-flight performer who could be relied upon to deliver quality displays when called upon.

Capped three times by England, he played 312 Premier League matches for the Hammers, and 369 games in total, during his time at the London Stadium, which means that Farke would have a defender who has been there and done it at that level.

Appearances

18

Starts

10

Pass accuracy

87%

Dribbled past

0.1x

Ground duel success rate

67%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

As you can see in the table above, Cresswell, who played as a left-back or as a wide centre-back in a three, started ten Premier League games this season and delivered solid defensive displays.

The veteran full-back, whose ball-striking was described as “lovely” by teammate Ryan Fredericks when lauding his left foot, has shown that he still has the physicality and quality to dominate opposition defenders in duels, whilst rarely being dribbled past.

This suggests that he could be amazing for Solomon, who is a direct winger who wants to constantly attack to score and assist goals, because he is not a defensively weak left-back who needs constant support and doubling up from his forward ahead of him.

This means that the Israel international, should he sign permanently at Elland Road this summer, could love to have Cresswell behind him because his defensively solidity could allow him more freedom to stay higher up the pitch to influence games in the final third.

Leeds could land their best winger since Raphinha by signing £25m "machine"

Leeds United could land their best winger since Raphinha by swooping for this star.

2 ByDan Emery May 26, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur face a significant summer of changes, both in the dugout and at squad level, with the future of a key player seeming far away from north London.

Ange Postecoglou facing Spurs exit after dismal campaign

Spurs could still qualify for the Champions League next season by winning their first major trophy since 2008.

Tottenham: Robinson thrilled after hearing Levy could appoint 52-year-old

Spurs are said to be closing in on his arrival.

2 ByEmilio Galantini May 13, 2025

All eyes are on the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21, which has the potential to save Tottenham’s season in a crunch, all or nothing encounter against Premier League rivals Man United, who’ve also endured a horror-show season.

Ange Postecoglou led Spurs to their 20th top-flight loss of the season against Crystal Palace last weekend, breaking their all-time record for most recorded Premier League defeats in a single campaign, with the 59-year-old under intense scrutiny.

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

More and more credible media sources are reporting that Postecoglou could leave Spurs regardless of whether they win the Europa League, and he’s likely to be joined by some big-name players.

Cristian Romero linked with Spurs summer exit

One of them, star defender Cristian Romero, is a top target for Atlético Madrid and Diego Simeone.

Some reports even suggest that Romero has already agreed terms on a move to Atletico, but both the Lilywhites and La Liga side are yet to find any common ground when it comes to the 26-year-old’s final price tag.

According to information from Marca, there is still negotiating to do when it comes to Spurs and Atlético shaking hands on a fee.

Cristian Romero clear he wants Atletico move amid £84m plan

As per the Spanish newspaper, relayed by Sport Witness, Romero is clear he wants a move to Atlético from Tottenham, but the Premier League side value him at around £59 million and are very unlikely to go anywhere below £42 million.

It is unclear whether Simeone’s men will reach their minimum figure, but they’re set to open talks, and are planning a spending spree worth up to £84 million this summer.

Taking into account they wish to use this cash on a host of other targets, despite Romero’s obvious quality when at his very best, Atlético want to whittle his price down as much as possible.

“He’s the best centre-half at the club,” said pundit Paul Robinson about Romero in 2022, to Football Insider.

“I think they probably tried to get one in during the window but it didn’t work out. But in Romero they have got a phenomenal defender. He makes others around him better.

“What they have got isn’t enough. They need more, but he is certainly the best that they have got. He could play in any side in the top four of the Premier League. He is a Champions League player, a top player.

“If Spurs are going to go places Romero is the type of player they will need to keep and build around.”

Manchester City have submitted a £55m offer for a “wonderful” midfielder, who has been identified as the heir to Kevin De Bruyne, according to a report.

Man City eyeing replacement for De Bruyne

De Bruyne is set to leave Man City at the end of the season, but rival Premier League clubs clearly seem to believe the Belgian has a lot left to give, with a number of sides recently expressing an interest.

Arsenal are now holding discussions over a shock deal for the 33-year-old, alongside Aston Villa, with club chiefs willing to back Unai Emery if he decides he wants to snap the City midfielder up on a free transfer this summer.

As such, Pep Guardiola will need to bring in a suitable heir, and although it will be a tall order to find any player capable of replicating what De Bruyne has done in a City shirt, a number of targets have now been identified.

Man City set to fend off Liverpool hijack and win race for £73k-a-week star

They have been working on a deal since January.

ByHenry Jackson May 3, 2025

River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono is one player of interest, although, given his age, the 17-year-old Argentine may not be ready to go straight into the side, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz may be more of a ready-made replacement.

Man City are also looking at options from within the Premier League, and according to a report from Spain they have now submitted a €65m (£55m) offer for Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison.

Guardiola is known to be a huge fan of Maddison, and City have now made a concrete approach for his services, with the Englishman viewed as the ideal successor to De Bruyne in attacking midfield.

The 28-year-old is deemed to fit into Guardiola’s style of play perfectly, given his creativity and ability to connect with the attack, while his ability from set-pieces is also outlined as a major strength.

"Wonderful" Maddison impressing at Spurs

It has been an extremely disappointing season for Spurs in the Premier League, but the attacking midfielder has been one of their stand-out players, picking up 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 matches in all competitions.

As such, the former Leicester City man ranks highly across a range of key attacking metrics over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.39 (93rd percentile)

Progressive passes

8.14 (98th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

4.82 (85th percentile)

The England international has also been singled out for high praise by BBC Five Live’s Ben Haines in the past.

Maddison is clearly a quality player, but the Tottenham star is set to turn 29 in November, meaning he is unlikely to be a long-term heir to De Bruyne, and his attacking numbers suggest he is not at the same level as the City legend, so there should be some reservations about the move.

Tottenham Hotspur could only secure a 1-1 draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium this afternoon, with all attention undoubtedly on Thursday night’s Europa League clash.

Wilson Odobert scored his first Premier League goal for the club to open the scoring, but Jarrod Bowen’s effort just 13 minutes later levelled proceedings.

The result leaves Ange Postecoglou’s side in 16th position, a point behind Everton and Manchester United, with all eyes on a potential European showdown with the latter.

Given their lowly league standing, there’s nothing left to play for in the league for the Lilywhites, but such a game does hand Postecoglou the opportunity to assess his first-team squad.

Numerous players failed to deliver in the clash across the capital, with the manager desperately needing to take action during the upcoming summer window.

Spurs’ poor performers against West Ham

Striker Richarlison was handed the responsibility of leading the line for Spurs this afternoon, but struggled with the responsibility at the top end of the pitch.

The Brazilian featured for 68 minutes before being replaced, understandably so, given his tally of just four passes completed – an average of one every 17 minutes.

He wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with centre-back Ben Davies unable to produce his best showing after being recalled to the starting eleven after being benched last Thursday.

The Welsh international only managed to win 50% of the duels he entered and committed two fouls, leading to a booking after a being ajudged to have brought down Niclas Fullkrug.

Ange will undoubtedly be disappointed once again with his side’s display, potentially looking to cash in on the aforementioned duo and one other starter in the coming months.

The player who Ange needs to sell from Spurs this summer

Given the situation where the club have found themselves in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, it’s no surprise that sales will be needed to correct the dismal campaign.

Such funds can be used to allow for new additions to Ange’s squad, hopefully enabling them to mount a serious push for the top four once again next season.

Countless players face the chop, such as Davies and Richarlison, but another first team member in Yves Bissouma needs to be sold after his failures throughout this year.

The Malian was once seen as an important cog in the midfield department, but has struggled to produce his best performances on a consistent basis – a signal of his decline in North London.

He was one of the players to keep his place from Thursday’s first leg win, but failed to deliver, producing an awful outing as seen in the figures he produced.

During his 90-minute showing, he managed a total of 47 touches, but lost possession on ten separate occasions – resulting in him giving the ball away every 4.7 touches he had.

The 28-year-old also only managed to win one of the three tackles he entered, and came out on top in just 50% of the ground duels he entered in East London.

Minutes played

90

Touches

47

Tackles won

1/3

Ground duels won

3/6 (50%)

Possession lost

10x

Successful dribbles

0/1 (0%)

Fouls committed

1

His dismal performance saw former footballer Adam Alfi label the midfielder as a “pub league player”, with The Standard’s Dom Smith handing him a measly 6/10 match rating – highlighting how poor he was at the London Stadium.

After such a showing, Ange simply can’t afford to start Bissouma in the second leg against Bodo Glimt next week – needing all of his players to be at the top of their game.

The bigger picture must be that the former Brighton ace is sold this summer, handing the manager the funds he requires to catapult the Lilywhites back up the division in 2025/26.

Luka Modric 2.0: Spurs in danger as Real Madrid chase “unstoppable” talent

Tottenham have a big summer ahead of them after a disappointing campaign.

ByAngus Sinclair May 3, 2025

Aston Villa sporting director Monchi has held talks over a move for a £10m+ player this week, according to a new update.

Villa transfer rumours heat up as Emery pushes for Champions League football

Unai Emery and his Villa side still have so much to play for between now and the end of the season as they look to qualify for the Champions League once again.

They put in an incredible second-leg display against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals earlier this month, winning 3-2 at Villa Park, however, they were knocked out 5-4 on aggregate. Villa also have the chance to win silverware in the FA Cup, with a semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley this weekend.

Romano: Aston Villa star club are "happy" with could leave for right offer

He’s future at Villa Park isn’t guaranteed.

ByBarney Lane Apr 22, 2025

It promises to be a dramatic end to the campaign, and talking about Villa’s plans to get into Europe once more, Emery spoke after Villa’s Champions League exit.

“It is now most important to get Europe again. The most important competition is the Champions League. The challenge we have for the last six matches is to try and get Europe and the Champions League. The players showed their capacity to compete at this level. Hopefully we can come back quickly to play in the Champions League. This is our objective and to play in the FA Cup as well for a trophy.”

Should Villa qualify for the Champions League, it could help Monchi when it comes to summer signings. One of those heavily linked with a move to Midlands has been Rosenborg star Sverre Nypan. There have been claims that Villa have made an offer to sign Nypan in a deal that could be worth up to £12.5m, with Fabrizio Romano adding that the Villans are looking to win the race for the in-demand teenager.

Now, a new update has emerged on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Nypan.

Monchi holds new Aston Villa talks to sign Nypan

According to reports in Norway, relayed by Sport Witness, Monchi was spotted in Norway watching Nypan in a 2-0 win for Rosenborg over Valerenga.

Aston Villa's president of football operations, Monchi.

Monchi and scout Alberto Benito held talks with Nypan’s father before the match to discuss terms of a transfer, however, the Villa chief refused to comment when quizzed by newspaper Nettavisen at the hotel where he was staying.

Further developments are expected in the coming days or weeks when it comes to Villa’s move for Nypan, and by the looks of things, Villa could be getting a future star who is being likened to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.

Games

63

Goals

14

Assists

11

Norwegian football expert Jesper Mathisen said last year: “Sverre Nypan is extremely exciting. I get a bit of the same feeling as when I saw Martin Odegaard break through as a boy.”

Sheffield United look as if they’ll be narrowly missing out on automatic promotion at the very top of the Championship with their opponents on Easter Monday in Scott Parker’s Burnley perhaps clinching a return to the Premier League at their expense.

Indeed, the Clarets can seal an immediate return to the promised land of the top-flight if they beat the travelling Blades, with Leeds United also only one victory away if Burnley get the job done against Chris Wilder’s men and they win themselves.

The South Yorkshire titans don’t have the most glittering record when it comes to the lottery of the playoffs unfortunately, with the Blades losing out during their last five playoff adventures, away from triumphantly managing to go up via the more drama-free top-two.

Wilder has only ever got his side up via these automatic spots, with other bosses such as the passionate Neil Warnock also clinching a passage up to the top-flight at the end of the 2005/06 season without the agony of the playoffs courtesy of Phil Jagielka’s heroics at the back.

Jagielka's heroics at Sheffield United

Before Jagielka went on to cement himself as a Premier League regular at Everton, the Blades youth product would initially make a name for himself at his boyhood side.

The 40-time England international amassed a whopping 305 appearances for United across two spells, with his efforts at the back during the aforementioned 05/06 campaign more than helping his team leap up to the top-flight, having bagged a sizeable eight goals as a titan defensively.

He went on to help himself to a further four goals the following campaign even whilst Warnock’s men tragically fell straight back down to the EFL, leading to Everton swooping in to land the 5 foot 11 defender to make him a recognised name in the big time.

Amazingly, Wilder might well be brewing United’s next Jagielka now during the dramatic promotion run-in.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Sheffield United's modern-day Jagielka

Wilder has shown this campaign that he’s unafraid to make a team selection that throws the cat amongst the pigeons, with faces such as £10m striker Tom Cannon regularly left out.

Last time out in the second tier, the Blades boss even left out ex-Liverpool defender Jack Robinson to gift Crystal Palace loanee Rob Holding a start, a decision that was immediately vindicated when assessing his top display against Cardiff City.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

70

Accurate passes

58/61 (95%)

Accurate long balls

11/14

Clearances

4

Blocked shots

1

Tackles

1

Total duels won

4/8

The brand-new United number five was calm and controlled on the ball throughout, particularly considering it was just his second league start since a January switch.

That was epitomised by his pass completion rate, with only three of his 61 passes missing their intended target during his time on the field.

Moreover, he also battled well against the relegation-threatened Bluebirds with four clearances tallied up alongside four duels being successfully won, leading to Wilder lauding the ex-Arsenal man as “outstanding” post-match.

As a result, the club may well have unearthed their next version of Jagielka. That’s considering Holding – much like his now retired counterpart – has a wealth of top-flight experience under his belt, having amassed 162 appearances for the Gunners in total away from injury issues.

With discussions centring in on the fact United could try to tie down Holding to a permanent deal, Wilder would love for the 29-year-old – like Jagielka – to continue putting in stern displays when called upon to try and clinch promotion.

Worth more than Ballard: Sheffield United have hit gold on "dominant" star

Sheffield United already have a dominant performer defensively in this standout star.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 16, 2025

It’s amazing what one game of football can do to the atmosphere around a club, and Arsenal have been the perfect example of that this week.

Mikel Arteta’s side have endured a rather torrid domestic campaign this year, and following their 1-1 draw with Everton on the weekend, the mood wasn’t great.

However, since the full-time whistle was blown on Tuesday night after the Gunners had taken Real Madrid to pieces in the Champions League, spirits have been as high as they’ve been in years.

Unfortunately, football has a cruel way of bringing fans back down, and based on reports, the Spanish giants are now looking to sign one of the North Londoners’ stars from that game, in a move that would be reminiscent of Cesc Fàbregas’ move to Barcelona.

Arsenal transfer news

While there are plenty of links for players who might join Arsenal this summer, there are also several players who look set to leave or, in the case of Kieran Tierney, will be leaving.

The Scottish international signed a pre-contract agreement with former club Celtic earlier this year and, therefore, will leave six years after moving to the Emirates in a £25m deal from the Glaswegian giants.

Two other stars who aren’t confirmed to be leaving but look increasingly like they will be are Thomas Partey and Jorginho, as their contracts expire on June 30th.

However, while both are important players, the former slightly more than the latter, they aren’t necessarily irreplaceable, which is something that could be said about William Saliba.

In news no Arsenal fan will want to hear, recent reports from Spain have claimed that Real Madrid are now more committed than ever to signing the French superstar.

Transfer Focus

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

The report has revealed that following his team’s demolition at the Emirates, Real president Florentino Perez ‘returned from London with one fixed idea: William Saliba must wear white.’

The story claims that it’ll be a tough deal to get done, but it might be feasible for around £86m.

While that is a lot of money for a defender, this is a transfer Arsenal have to fight to stop, as Saliba leaving will feel eerily similar to Fabregas’ exit in 2011.

Why Saliba's exit would be a Fabregas repeat

So, the first thing to point out is the fact that, yes, Saliba and Fabregas are completely different footballers who play in entirely different positions, but should this transfer happen, there would be some undeniable similarities to the Spaniard’s in 2011.

The first is the simple fact that it would be another example of one of Spain’s big two teams coming and taking a player from the Gunners, with Barcelona being the offenders last time and Los Blancos doing it this time.

Second of all, they’d also be pinching one of the Gunners’ best young-ish players before they hit their peak, as when he moved to Barcelona, the 2010 World Cup winner was just 24 years old, and according to research carried out by The Athletic, central midfielders do not hit their peak until 25.

In this instance, the Bondy-born “monster,” as dubbed by content creator Connor Humm, is also just 24, and per that same research, centre-backs reach their peak at about 27.

Finally, the last and potentially most significant similarity should this transfer happen is the fact that Arsenal will be losing one of their most important players.

Appearances

29

8

4

1

Starts

29

8

3

1

Minutes

2546′

720′

315′

120′

Points per Game

2.07

2.38

1.50

0.00

Goals

2

0

0

0

Assists

0

0

0

0

When he returned to Catalonia in 2011, the former Gunners’ star was the club captain and absolutely pivotal to how the team played, and while the Frenchman is not the current captain, he’s just as important.

For example, this season alone, the “phenomenal” defender, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has made 42 appearances across all competitions, of which 41 have been starts.

Ultimately, while it would bring in a lot of money, Arsenal cannot sell Saliba this summer, as, like in the case of Fabregas, they will not find a like-for-like replacement anytime soon.

With this being a dead rubber, Suryakumar did not bat at all despite India losing eight wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2025Innings Abhishek Sharma’s speedy 38 in the powerplay, in which India scored 60, and Sanju Samson’s stop-start fifty took India to 188 for 8 against Oman in the last league fixture of the Asia Cup after they had decided to bat in Abu Dhabi.With this being a dead rubber, India experimented with their combination ahead of the Super Four, resting their bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and newly minted No.1 T20I bowler Varun Chakravarthy. India also fiddled with their batting line-up, with their captain Suryakumar Yadav not batting at all despite India losing eight wickets. The returning Harshit Rana managed an unbeaten 13 off eight balls from No. 8. He closed out the innings with a scythed six over point.It was Abhishek who made the early running for India, clattering five fours and two sixes during his 38 off 15 balls. He got a reprieve on 21 when he tickled Mohammad Nadeem down the leg side, but Vinayak Shukla, the Oman keeper, shelled the catch and umpire Raveendra Wilalasiri eventually deemed it as a wide ball.Abhishek added 17 to his tally before nicking another one behind, Shukla making no mistake this time. Samson had a slow start – he was on 13 off 14 balls at one point – but a six and a four off Madhya-Pradesh-born wristspinner Samay Shrivatsava got him out of first gear. Samson proceeded to crash Zikria Islam for a straight six in the tenth over, but slowed down once again thereafter.Then, after bringing up his half-century off 41 balls, Samson holed out in the 18th over. India cobbled together 21 off the last three overs and managed to find the boundary just once during this period.Faisal Shah, Jiten Ramanandi and Aamir Kaleem shared six wickets among them for Oman.

Alan Gardner is joined on the pod by Andrew Miller and Valkerie Baynes to discuss the England Test squad and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s appointment as captain

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2025The international season is fast approaching, with fresh starts for the England men’s and women’s teams. On Friday, the squad for the men’s Test against Zimbabwe was announced, while earlier in the week, Nat Sciver-Brunt was confirmed as new women’s captain. For the latest episode of Switch Hit, Alan Gardner was joined by Andrew Miller and Valkerie Baynes to discuss matters arising. On the menu: Sam Cook’s potential Test debut, a return for Jordan Cox, and how Sciver-Brunt can reinvigorate England alongside new head coach, Charlotte Edwards.