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Unbeaten 74 combined with Lyndon James fifty ends run of three defeats

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Jun-2025

Tom Moores scored an unbeaten 74•ECB/Getty Images

Notts Outlaws ended a run of three successive Vitality Blast defeats with a scintillating six-wicket victory at Edgbaston.The Bears piled up 206 for 7, with Tom Latham striking 69 off 39 balls and Dan Mousley 53 off 40 before a spectacular late barrage from Moeen Ali and Ed Barnard brought 57 in 20 balls. Liam Patterson-White took 3 for 37.But the Outlaws, who chased down 226 to beat the Bears at Trent Bridge a month ago, powered to 212 for 7, clinching victory when Tom Moores hit the last ball of the match for six. Moores finished on 74 not out off just 33 balls after Lyndon James struck a vital 50 off 40 and Daniel Sams 16 not out from six balls, including two sixes in a final over from which they needed 16.The Outlaws chose to field and started solidly. They removed Alex Davies, bowled by Farhan Ahmed through an attempted cut in the second over, and restricted the home side to 37 for 1 in the powerplay.Latham and Mousley then sped through the gears, however, in a partnership of 116 in 70 balls. Mousley reverse-lapped, swept and straight-drove Ahmed for sixes while Latham reached his half-century, from 29 balls, by pulling a short ball from Calvin Harrison into the crowd.Latham’s demise, when he skied Patterson-White to square leg in pursuit of his fifth six, sparked a wobble of four wickets for 22 runs in nine balls. Patterson-White removed Sam Hain, lbw, and George Garton, caught at long on, and Mousley, his tenth T20 half-century banked, slapped Dillon Pennington to extra cover.It was a spirited fightback from The Outlaws but they then ran into a late storm of sixes and fours from Moeen (34, 12) and Barnard (23 not out, 8) which lifted the total over 200.Joe Clarke dominated the start of The Outlaws’ reply, hitting 30 of the first 34 but then missed a Mousley full toss and was lbw. The spinner struck again with his seventh ball which Jack Haynes was lbw to, one that pitched on his boot. A third lbw decision terminated Freddie McCann’s counter attack of 32 off 17 when he missed a reverse-sweep at Moeen.James, starved of the strike early on, and Moores hit freely to keep the Outlaws in contention, with 60 needed from the last five overs, but the first of those overs, from the excellent Barnard, cost just five runs.Moores lifted Hasan Ali mightily over extra cover for six and followed up with four to reach a 24-ball half-century. James followed to his half-century in 39 balls but was run out by quick-thinking Hasan Ali to leave the Outlaws needing 16 off the last over, from Barnard.Sams lifted the first and fifth balls for six leaving the scores level with one ball left – and Moores thumped that one over long off for another six to complete a remarkable Outlaws double over the Bears.

How Thomas Frank would love to have a striker of Harry Kane’s quality in his current Tottenham Hotspur team, just over two years on from the striker’s move to Bayern Munich.

Richarlison is currently the club’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with three goals in seven appearances, but two of those goals came against Burnley on the opening day.

This means that the Brazil international has only scored one goal in his last six appearances in the top-flight for the Lilywhites since that brace against the newly-promoted side.

Dominic Solanke, Frank’s alternative in the striker position, has been out injured since August. However, when he did play regularly, last season, the English forward only scored nine goals from 10.97 xG, per Sofascore.

These statistics suggest that Frank does not have a reliable and consistent number nine whom he can rely upon to deliver quality in front of goal week-in-week-out in the Premier League.

Spurs would love to have Kane back in their ranks because he provided another reminder of his quality, not that anyone needed one, with two goals against Latvia on Tuesday night.

Where Harry Kane ranks among Tottenham's all-time England stars

It is hard to argue against the prolific forward being the best-ever Spurs player who has played for England, given what he has achieved at club and international level.

Kane is, of course, the club’s all-time top scorer with 280 goals in 435 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, before his move to Bayern Munich in 2023.

This means that you could make a case for the experienced striker being one of the best players in Tottenham history, rather than just one of their best English players of all time. However, some may point to the fact that he did not win a trophy with the club.

That is also the case with England. He has yet to win a major trophy with England, losing two European Championship finals, but he does boast the most impressive goal return in the country’s history, by some margin.

Harry Kane

110

76

Wayne Rooney

120

53

Sir Bobby Charlton

106

49

Gary Lineker

80

48

Jimmy Greaves

57

44

Michael Owen

89

40

Sir Tom Finney

76

30

Nat Lofthouse

33

30

Alan Shearer

63

30

Frank Lampard

106

29

As you can see in the table above, Kane has scored 76 goals in 110 matches for England, having burst onto the scene as a young player at Spurs and established himself in the Three Lions set-up.

Gary Lineker and Jimmy Greaves also make the top five on that list as former Spurs players, but the Bayern Munich forward has scored more goals for both Spurs and England than they did, as great as they were in their own right.

Therefore, there is a fair argument to suggest that Kane is the best Tottenham player to ever play for England, and he still has plenty of time left to further his cause.

Meanwhile, Spurs may be brewing their next Kane-type player in North London, as they have a star who could emerge as a regular starter for the Three Lions for many more years to come.

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

Djed Spence has taken the long way round to establishing himself as a key player for Tottenham, but he looks to have found his feet at both club and international level.

Why Djed Spence could be a Harry Kane-type player for Spurs

The 25-year-old star, dubbed “incredible” by Alan Hutton, joined the club from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2022, and spent time on loan at Rennes, Genoa, and Leeds United in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.

Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou did not immediately have him in their plans before the latter eventually brought him into the side last season.

Spence made 35 appearances in all competitions for the Lilywhites, in what was a breakthrough campaign for the young defender, and he has already emerged as a key performer for Frank, starting five of his six Premier League appearances, per Sofascore.

Pass accuracy

83.9%

Top 21%

Progressive passes

5.10

Top 15%

Passes into the final third

4.11

Top 19%

Through balls

0.11

Top 28%

Progressive carries

3.28

Top 10%

Successful take-ons

1.75

Top 4%

Shot-creating actions through take-ons

0.18

Top 10%

As you can see in the table above, the versatile full-back, who can play on the left or the right, has caught the eye with how progressive his play has been in possession, as he consistently attempts to make things happen with passes and dribbles.

On top of being impressive with the ball at his feet, Spence also prides himself on being reliable and hard to get past defensively, which is why he may nail down a place in the England team moving forward.

As you can see in the graphic above, the Spurs star put in a fantastic performance against Latvia for England on Tuesday, without being dribbled past a single time.

Spence, who Neil Warnock claimed “could run all day”, also started the 3-0 win over Wales last week and was not dribbled past a single time, per Sofascore, whilst winning 100% of his attempted tackles in that match.

Sometimes, players come into the England team after impressing at club level and do not quite look like they are at the level required for international football, or look like they need time to brush off the nerves and settle in.

Sometimes, though, players enter the set-up and never leave because they are at home right away. That was the case for Kane, who is now England’s captain and a certified legend, and it already looks like the case for Spence.

Thomas Tuchel started the 25-year-old full-back in both matches, at left-back against Wales and at right-back against Latvia, and he was brilliant in both games, as aforementioned. He did not look fazed by the occasion and showed that he has the quality to be a regular England starter.

Both full-back positions are up for grabs for England ahead of the World Cup next summer, and Spence could easily become a key player for Tuchel and his country, as Kane has over the years, if he continues in the same way that he has started his international career.

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3 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 15, 2025

Therefore, Tottenham may be brewing their next Kane-type player in Spence, because he has the potential to be an England regular for many more years to come.

Ninth-wicket pair bat out more than 10 overs to keep Lancashire winless

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay19-May-2025

James Anderson took two wickets but couldn’t finish off Derbyshire•Getty Images

England bowlers past and present, James Anderson and Tom Hartley, took two wickets apiece but Lancashire’s Rothesay County Championship against Derbyshire ended in a tense draw with the visitors closing on 220 for 8, still 109 runs short of what had become a notional victory target.In the morning session, Lancashire had declared 184 for 7, thereby challenging their opponents to score 328 in 88 overs for victory. Harry Came made 63 as the visitors chased this target but, after reaching tea on 165 for 5, Derbyshire’s batters settled for securing the draw.The heroes were Anuj Dal, who faced 114 balls for 13 not out, and Jack Morley, who was unbeaten on nought after 36 balls when the game ended. Anderson finished with 2 for 25 from 16 overs and Hartley 2 for 38 from 20.5.Despite remaining winless after six games, Lancashire take 13 points from the match, meaning that they move off the bottom of the Division Two table, whereas Derbyshire’s 11 points keeps them in second place.In the morning session, Lancashire scored 43 runs off six overs before declaring. The only home batter dismissed was George Balderson, who was caught at third man by Martin Andersson off Blair Tickner for 9, while Matthew Hurst was 56 not out when Marcus Harris called his men in.Derbyshire’s pursuit of 329 began poorly when Caleb Jewell played too early at a slower ball from Anderson and chipped a catch to Tom Bailey at mid-on.Anderson returned figures of 6-1-17-1 in his first spell and, following Jewell’s dismissal for 12, David Lloyd and Came guided their side to 78 for 1 after 20 overs at lunch. By that interval, both batters were batting fluently and the visitors were up with the required run rate.But any optimism among the visiting supporters was dampened four balls after the resumption when Anderson trapped Lloyd lbw for 30. Undaunted, Came and the new batter, Wayne Madsen, saw off Anderson’s spell (4-2-4-1) and had added 50 in 16 overs before Madsen tickled Bailey down the leg side and was caught by Hurst for 17.By that stage, Came has reached his third fifty of the season off 72 balls, most of them pedigree strokes, but Brooke Guest could not match his partner’s fluency and was bowled round his legs for 2 when trying to sweep Hartley, who was bowling over the wicket, partly with the aim of achieving such a dismissal.Four overs later, Hartley struck again when he took the vital wicket of Came, the Derbyshire batsman pushing uncertainly forward and giving a catch to George Bell at short leg when he had made 63. That left Derbyshire on 151 for 5 with 44 overs still to be bowled.By tea the visitors had reached 165 for 5 and it soon became clear that Derbyshire had abandoned all thoughts of victory. Anderson bowled three uneventful overs, Hartley wheeled away from over the wicket from the Brian Statham end.Over an hour into the evening session, Lancashire took their sixth wicket when Josh Bohannon induced Andersson to drive a full toss straight to Keaton Jennings at short extra cover. Andersson’s dismissal for 43 was followed two overs later by a second success for Bohannon when Zak Chappell gave him a return catch.That left Derbyshire on 212 for 7 with 18 overs to be bowled and Tom Bailey struck the next blow when he had Ben Aitchison lbw for nought with 65 balls left in the game. After 80 overs Lancashire took the new ball and Anderson bowled three more overs trying to take the wickets that would seal victory. But Dal and Morley resisted him successfully.

Harry Kane opened up on his relationship with Nicolas Jackson after Bayern Munich's Champions League rout of Pafos. The Bavarians unleashed a merciless storm in Cyprus, tearing apart Pafos with a crushing 5-1 continental triumph. Kane bagged a brace, Raphael Guerreiro and Michael Olise also chipped in, and Jackson grabbed his first goal since arriving from Chelsea in the summer window.

Getty Images SportBayern blitz leaves Pafos in ruins

Bayern had the game in the bag by half-time, storming into a 4-0 lead. The demolition was historic too: the third time Bayern have rattled in four goals within the opening 35 minutes of a Champions League away clash. Roma in 2014, Viktoria Plzen in 2022, and now Pafos all know the feeling of being steamrolled by the German giants.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKane gives credit to Jackson

After the final whistle, Kane was quick to shine the spotlight on his new strike partner Jackson. The England captain also explained how the duo worked in tandem to wreak havoc, which could serve as a blueprint for the rest of the season.

"Jackson played from the start today. At times, I dropped back a bit, more like a number 10; he came in, received balls," Kane explained. "I think it's important to keep surprising the defenders and not do the same thing the whole game. Nico was fantastic today: a goal, an assist, and almost another goal at the end. I'm very happy for him."

Kane made it clear that Jackson isn’t just a stopgap loan signing, but a crucial weapon. 

"We'll need him all season; he should stay fit and fresh," he added. "Today was a really good game from him. It might have looked easy, but that was due to how we played. With our pressing, the second balls, the way we played through the lines. We have this momentum and we're determined to maintain it."

Jackson delighted to get off the mark

For Jackson, the strike was more than just a number on the scoresheet; it was a release. After a rough few months, the forward admitted he’s still rebuilding his sharpness.

“It wasn’t easy, but we played a very good game and worked hard,” Jackson said. “I’m very happy to score my first goal for the club. I’m still getting back to full fitness because I hadn’t played and trained alone for two months. I’m working hard every day.”

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Nine wins, no slip-ups

Bayern are looking unstoppable on all fronts so far this season. The thumping victory over Pafos extended their perfect start to nine wins from nine this season, leaving rivals across Europe on notice. Not a single point has been dropped, nor a single ounce of momentum wasted.

Tottenham Hotspur are at the start of a new chapter, and Thomas Frank knows he must not only emulate his predecessor Ange Postecoglou in winning silverware at the Lilywhites helm but make significant gains in the Premier League too.

Last season’s Europa League champions juxtaposed their triumph with a dismal 17th-place finish in the league, and have thus completed a series of signings across the summer to compete in the Champions League and domestically too.

But while the likes of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus add much to Tottenham’s attacking fluency, Frank remains eager to sign a centre-forward before the window slams shut.

Spurs in late bid for new striker

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have almost agreed personal terms with Randal Kolo Muani, who is being targeted on a loan deal with an option to buy.

Transfer Focus

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

Kolo Muani, 26, had been expected to sign for Juventus this month before issues between Paris Saint-Germain and the Italians ground that one to a halt, thus opening the door for Spurs.

Tottenham previously went in for the France international in January, but Juventus one the race there. It’s understood he would cost in excess of £50m to take away from Paris on a permanent basis.

What Kolo Muani would bring to Spurs

Kolo Muani is not just a dangerous presence in the final third but a high-speed and mobile forward, recognised by Les Bleus teammate Kylian Mbappe for his “complete” qualities.

His half-season spent with Juventus led to ten goals and three assists across 22 games, ending what had turned out to be a miserable 18 months with PSG, leaving Eintracht Frankfurt for the Ligue 1 giants in September 2023 for a £76m fee.

But class is permanent, and his reliable nature and link-up ability at number nine suggests he could be Frank’s new version of Yoane Wissa, who is set to join Newcastle United from Brentford for £55m.

Having scored 19 goals in the Premier League last season, Wissa, 28, proved his worth and then some, and it must be exciting for Kolo Muani to consider how Frank could now raise the level of his own game.

Goals scored

0.48

0.57

Assists

0.11

0.10

Shots taken

2.45

2.76

Touches (att pen)

6.28

4.95

Shot-creating actions

2.34

1.99

Pass completion

70.2%

75.5%

Progressive passes

1.49

2.05

Progressive carries

1.54

1.82

Successful take-ons

1.54

0.44

Ball recoveries

2.24

2.42

Tackles + interceptions

1.28

0.94

Wissa might be a more clinical goalscorer at this point in time, but Kolo Muani has more variation to his game, and indeed demonstrated in Turin his potential to score clinically, bagging eight Serie A goals across only 13 matches.

Skilful and tenacious, the Frenchman would be a fantastic addition for the Londoners, who already have solid options in the final third, but perhaps need that extra something.

Wissa has developed into a clinical shooter under Howe’s wing, and given Kolo Muani has a higher bar already, there’s no telling how high he will soar if welcomed to the spearhead of an exciting Tottenham project.

He's a Kudus upgrade: Spurs make enquiry for "Dele-esque" £80m talent

Tottenham remain active in the transfer market as the window reaches the eleventh hour.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 1, 2025

Leeds United were given a reality check on Saturday when they were hammered 5-0 by Arsenal at The Emirates in their first away game of the Premier League season.

The Whites beat Everton 1-0 at Elland Road on the opening day of the season, lifting the mood instantly, but were brought crashing back down to earth against the Gunners.

During the Sky Sports commentary of the clash with Arsenal, Gary Neville noted that the starting front three for Leeds needed everything to be “perfect” for them to make an impact, due to their lack of physicality.

That front three included Dan James, Joel Piroe, and Wilfried Gnonto, who were all key players in the Championship title-winning campaign last term. The Premier League is a different beast to the Championship, as Neville explained, and Daniel Farke needs more physicality in his frontline.

Leeds will be well aware that they will not be able to be in control in matches as much as they were in the second tier, which means that they will have to do a lot more scrapping and fighting to earn points at this level.

That is why the 2024/25 Championship top goalscorer, Piroe, may eventually find himself watching on from the sidelines more often than not.

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To his credit, Farke has tried to remain fairly faithful to the players who got the club to the Premier League in the first two matches, starting the Dutch striker in both games ahead of Lukas Nmecha.

Unfortunately, however, Piroe’s lack of physicality has already been very apparent. The striker has lost ten of his 11 duels in the top-flight so far, per Sofascore, which shows that oppostion centre-backs have found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical battles.

This is not a new concern over the former Swansea City marksman, though, as the left-footed centre-forward struggled with the physicality of the Championship at times in the 2024/25 campaign as well.

Dribble success rate

31.8%

Bottom 27%

Successful dribbles

0.41

Bottom 35%

Fouls won

0.44

Bottom 9%

Duels won

2.24

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

26.9%

Bottom 10%

Aerial duels won

0.90

Bottom 12%

Aerial duel success rate

21.4%

Bottom 17%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe ranked very poorly among his positional peers in a host of physically-based metrics, which is why his start to the Premier League season has not been a surprise.

Leeds were a dominant team that did not need to scrap for second balls and constantly engage in duels in the Championship, which allowed the striker to simply focus on tucking away chances, which he did very well.

Piroe scored 19 goals for Leeds last season, per Sofascore, but his lack of physicality may prevent him from making a similar impact in the Premier League.

Leeds make contact to sign LaLiga star

That is why a fresh report linking the Championship champions with interest in a physical forward should come as very bad news to the current Whites striker.

Transfer Focus

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

According to AS, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs to have made an approach to Getafe over a potential deal to sign Christantus Uche this summer.

The report claims that the Whites have made contact with the Spanish side to register their interest in the versatile attacker, but they have not formalised their interest with an offer as of yet.

It adds that Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Burnley have also made contact with Getafe in pursuit of a possible deal for the Nigeria international.

AS also reveals that Getafe are preparing to cash in on Uche to improve the club’s finances and have currently set an asking price of around £17m, but it remains to be seen whether or not any of the four mentioned clubs are prepared to pay that much for him.

Why this is bad news for Joel Piroe

As aforementioned, Piroe’s lack of physicality appears to be an issue for him, and the team, in the Premier League, and it could cost him his place in the starting XI.

The club’s reported interest in signing Uche is, perhaps, a sign that Farke recognises the need for more physicality at the top end of the pitch, because the Getafe star is an incredibly physical attacker.

In fact, the Nigerian star has played 31 times as a central or defensive midfielder in his career, per Transfermarkt, and U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that he could be developed into a “midfield monster”.

Whilst, due to his experience and potential to play in that role, Farke could utilise Uche in the middle of the park, the 22-year-old played as a striker for Jose Bordalas against Celta Vigo on the opening day of the LaLiga season.

Uche scored and grabbed an assist in a 2-0 win for Getafe away at Celta Vigo, and the clip above shows how the attacker used his mobility and strength to find the back of the net.

Appearances

33

1

xG

3.73

1.01

Goals

4

1

Big chances created

7

1

Assists

6

1

Duels won per game

6.8

9.0

Aerial duel success rate

42%

75%

As you can see in the table above, the £17m-rated forward also showcased his physicality in LaLiga last season, winning 6.8 duels per game on average, compared to Piroe’s 2.24 in the Championship.

Whilst, perhaps because of his outings in midfield as well as up front, Uche is not a prolific goalscorer who is likely to go and score 15 or 20 goals in the Premier League, the Getafe star could be the physical outlet that Leeds are currently lacking.

Having a ‘monster’ like Uche to hold the ball up, win flick-ons, and compete with Premier League centre-backs in duels could help the Whites in tight games where they will not be in complete control of the ball.

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Not just Gruev: Farke must drop 4/10 Leeds star who lost 100% duels

Daniel Farke should ruthlessly drop this Leeds flop as well as Ilia Gruev for the next Premier League game.

ByDan Emery Aug 24, 2025

This is why the club’s interest in the forward is bad news for Piroe, because the 22-year-old star is the profile of player who could send the Dutchman down to the bench.

Wolvaardt, Luus and Kapp all make fifties but are unable to capitalise

Firdose Moonda16-Dec-2024

Lauren Filer bowled with hostility to claim two wickets•ECB/Getty Images

England 395 for 9 dec and 31 for 1 lead South Africa 281 (Wolvaardt 65, Kapp 57, Luus 56, Bell 4-49) by 145 runsLaura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus all scored half-centuries but none went on three figures as England took control of the one-off Test in Bloemfontein.Lauren Bell’s career-best 4 for 49, which included the first and second-last wickets of the innings, will steal the headlines but England’s seamers were collectively excellent and well deployed by captain Heather Knight. Lauren Filer operated in short, sharp bursts which allowed her to maintain good pace, debutant Ryana MacDonald-Gay made crucial breakthroughs with the old ball and Nat Sciver-Brunt was typically disciplined as South Africa failed to build on their decent starts.Wolvaardt and Annerie Dercksen put on 92 for the second wicket and Kapp and Luus a South African record 99-run stand for the fourth, but there were no other stands higher than 25. They lost 7 for 44 in 14.4 overs which undid the good work from the first day, when they took 7 for 118 in England’s innings and survived a tricky end-of-day batting period to resume with all ten wickets in hand.England got a breakthrough in the second over when Anneke Bosch played at a Bell delivery on fifth-stump and feathered an edge through to Amy Jones. That brought Dercksen to the crease, promoted to No. 3 after debuting at No. 8 against India earlier in the year, and she was peppered by short balls from Filer, bowling at good pace.The fourth hit her the side of the helmet as she took her eyes off the ball and tried to get out of its way. Dercksen smiled as she was checked for concussion and provided the perfect riposte when she drove Bell through the covers in the next over. When Filer offered that length she got the same response. Wolvaardt meted out similar treatment to bring up South Africa’s fifty in the 14th over.Ryana MacDonald-Gay appeals during her key old-ball spell•ECB/Getty Images

Nat Sciver-Brunt replaced Filer, whose first spell was seven overs long, and Dercksen could relax. She reeled off two strong bottom-handed drives but any level of comfort was short lived. Sciver-Brunt found her edge in the next over but it went wide of the slips and then Sophie Ecclestone took over.At the other end, 20-year old MacDonald-Gay got her first opportunity with the ball and started well, with good shape into the right-hander. She squared Dercksen up in her fifth over, which earned the batter a streaky boundary. Wolvaardt looked far more assured as she pulled MacDonald-Gay through square leg to bring up the partnership fifty and then took the first runs off Ecclestone when she whipped her through midwicket. She brought up her own fifty off 99 balls, her second successive fifty-plus Test score.With 15 minutes to go to the lunch interval, Filer was brought back for a short spell and continued to trouble Dercksen, who top-edged the third ball to fine leg on 33. Bell made good ground but shelled the chance. Three overs later, Filer found the same steep bounce and Dercksen tried to cut but top-edged again. Heather Knight, at second slip, jumped to take the catch and parried to Ecclestone, who held on the rebound. South Africa went to lunch on 113 for 2, having scored 96 runs in the morning session and 282 runs behind.Luus resumed with Wolvaardt post-lunch and started watchfully. It was only when MacDonald-Gay and Filer went short that Wolvaardt and Luus took them on and England rectified their lengths quickly to dry up runs. South Africa scored 25 runs in 50 balls in the second session before Wolvaardt was stuck on the crease and hit on the pads by Ecclestone, who successfully appealed for lbw.Marizanne Kapp batted through the middle session for South Africa•Gallo Images/Getty Images

Wolvaardt immediately indicated she had hit the ball but, with no DRS, could not review. This was the second incident in the match in which South Africa could have benefitted from a referral. On day one, Kapp was convinced she had Tammy Beaumont out lbw off the second ball of the match but was given not out. Umpire Kerrin Klaaste was the decision-maker on both occasions.Kapp had to put that aside when she joined Luus and took on the more aggressive role. She sent Bell through the covers and past point and flicked Ecclestone fine and Charlie Dean through midwicket and, as she found boundaries, Luus allowed herself to play with freedom too. They brought up the South African 200, took on the spinners and then Kapp also blunted Filer before tea to finish a successful session for the home side in which 112 runs came for the loss of only one wicket.Play resumed for the evening session with the floodlights blazing and storm clouds overhead. The atmosphere was ominous and it proved so for Kapp who was bowled by a stunning MacDonald-Gay delivery which held its line, beat the drive and hit the top of off stump. Five balls later, a lightning strike took the players off the field for a further 45 minutes with the new ball six overs away.Lauren Bell was on a hat-trick as South Africa collapsed•ECB/Getty Images

England made one more incision with the old ball when MacDonald-Gay’s discipline paid off and she had Nadine de Klerk caught behind for a duck. South Africa were 237 for 5, eight runs short of the follow-on target of 245. Chloe Tryon took them past that with successive fours off MacDonald-Gay and England took the second new ball as soon as it became available.Filer took it and started with a familiar short-ball tactic but adjusted to a fuller length early on. The first ball of her second over moved off the seam, Luus swung and nicked off. Chloe Tryon hit four fours before she chipped Bell to Beaumont at mid-on in the softest of dismissals and the tail could not have been expected to do much more. Bell bowled Jafta and Mlaba in successive balls after the former didn’t move her feet and the latter backed away and Sciver-Brunt picked up a wicket when Ayanda Hlubi was given out lbw.Wolvaardt used five bowlers to deliver the 14 remaining overs. Kapp and Hlubi opened the bowling and beat the bat several times in the opening exchanges, starting the innings with three consecutive maidens. Hlubi then produced a beauty in her third over, which moved off the seam and took the outside edge as Bouchier became the second batter in women’s Test to score a century and a duck in the same game, after Jan Brittin. Beaumont and Knight saw out the day, growing England’s lead to 145.

It’s hard to think of anything that has gone wrong for Chelsea this summer.

Enzo Maresca’s side were near enough perfect at the Club World Cup, and so far, the board have been very busy in the transfer window.

The Blues have shifted a number of unwanted players, like Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga, while also bringing in several seriously exciting ones, like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens.

On top of that, the West Londoners seem close to finally getting their hands on Xavi Simons, and if reports are to be believed, they’re also targeting another attacker who’d be a dream teammate for the Dutchman.

Chelsea target dream signing for Simons

While it feels like the Simons saga has been dragging on for months now, the first concrete links between Chelsea and the player only really began to pop up around the middle of June, when he was also being touted for a move to cross-London rivals Arsenal.

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Quite a bit has happened since then, and the Blues appear to have progressed quite significantly with their interest in the Dutchman, so much so that reports from earlier this week claimed that talks with RB Leipzig have reached an “advanced” stage, and that a fee of around £61m will be enough to get the deal over the line.

Interestingly, the Conference League champions still seem keen on doing more business and are looking at someone who’d be a dream signing for Simons.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Chelsea are very interested in Fermin Lopez.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues are now ‘preparing a bid in the region of €60m’ for the Barcelona midfielder, which would work out to around £52m.

The report makes clear that while the player is not desperate to leave the Catalan club, their poor financial situation means that an exit for him is on the cards, and that is good news for the West Londoners as he’s incredibly talented and would be a dream teammate for Simons.

Why Lopez would be a dream signing for Simons

There are three reasons why Lopez could end up being a dream signing for Simons, and the first is, rather unsurprisingly, down to his output.

For example, in 46 appearances last season, totalling just 2039 minutes, the potentially “world-class” gem, as one analyst dubbed him, was able to score eight goals and provide ten assists.

That means the young Spaniard maintained an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or more crucially, every 113.27 minutes.

Lopez’s 24/25

Appearances

46

Starts

19

Minutes

2039′

Goals

8

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

Minutes per Goal Involvement

113.27′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, it seems like the twice-capped international would be a brilliant source of chances for the Dutchman, as well as someone who could finish the chances created for him.

Second, as the El Campillo-born gem is capable of playing in midfield and outwide, he’d have both more opportunities to play alongside and then form an understanding with the Leipzig star, while also being able to come in and cover for him when he needs to be rested.

Finally, one of the reasons the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect wants to come to Stamford Bridge this summer is the opportunity to win things in the future, and that is something the Barça ace already has experience with.

Despite still being just 22 years old, the versatile midfielder already has quite the trophy cabinet, which includes a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey, an Olympic Gold Medal and a European Championship medal to boot.

Therefore, it’s unlikely he’d be fazed when playing in the biggest games for the Blues, which in turn should make him a more reliable teammate in those tense moments.

Ultimately, Lopez won’t come cheap, but he’s already proven his talent, and at 22, he could develop into something truly special and the perfect teammate for Simons to boot.

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A new update has claimed that Celtic are believed to be in pole position to sign a “very promising” player in the summer transfer window.

Celtic make contact with transfer target

The Hoops have been linked with a summer move for FC Cukaricki midfielder Andrej Bacanin, with the teenager seen as a player with a bright future in the game.

Celtic are thought to be locking horns with Scottish Premiership rivals Rangers, along with European sides Ajax and Udinese, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top, if either, with Bacanin expected to leave his current club before the new season gets underway for around £2.6m.

Elsewhere, Royal Antwerp attacker Michel-Ange Balikwisha continues to be mentioned as an option for Celtic this summer, with the Hoops reportedly in ongoing talks over a move to Parkhead.

He isn’t the only option being looked at, though, with CFR Cluj striker Louis Munteanu backed to join Brendan Rodgers’ champions in the near future.

Celtic and Rangers in pole position for Bacanin

According to Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke, Celtic are one of two sides in pole position to complete the signing of Bacanin during the current window.

The Hoops and Rangers “lead the race” for the 18-year-old’s signature ahead of Ajax and Udinese at this moment in time.

At this point, it would arguably be a surprise if Bacanin wasn’t plying his trade in Scotland next season, but it remains to be seen which of the two giants of the national game will snap him up.

Celtic pipping Rangers to his signature would be another psychological blow to their rivals, with the teenage midfielder a player with so much long-term potential, being described as “very promising” by analyst Hit The Byline.

Despite still only being 18 years of age, Bacanin has already made 19 appearances for Cukaricki at senior level, scoring once and registering two assists in that time, and he has also won 10 caps for Serbia’s Under-19s.

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Granted, he may not be a key starter for Celtic from the off, given his age and lack of experience, but if he reaches his potential, Rodgers could have a future star on his hands.

And so, a new era is here at Tottenham Hotspur, with Ange Postecoglou’s turbulent tenure coming to a close despite overseeing Europa League glory back in May.

That success in Bilbao has handed his successor, Thomas Frank, the chance to experience life in the Champions League, with the Danish coach seeking to prove himself at the truly elite level after years of stability at Brentford.

For the former Bees boss to truly flourish in north London, however, he will need to be handed the appropriate tools, with the Lilywhites having thus far only recruited Japanese starlet, Koto Takai – excluding the permanent captures of Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel and Luka Vuskovic.

As noted by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the major priority appears to have the signing of a new, high-profile attacker to freshen up Frank’s forward line, with both Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa having been touted as potential targets of late, alongside Mohammed Kudus.

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With that mind, we have taken a stab at predicting – with the help of AI tool, ChatGPT – how that trio would perform at N17 next season…

Mohammed Kudus – 8-10 Premier League goals

The leading target to join Spurs ahead of next season appears to be Kudus, with recent reports indicating that Daniel Levy and co have struck a £55m agreement with West Ham United, having already had a £50m bid rejected.

The Ghanaian has enjoyed a respectable two-year stint at the London Stadium, following his £38m switch from Ajax in 2023, having chalked up 32 goals and assists in 80 games in all competitions.

That did include a disappointing return of just eight goals and assists in the Premier League last term, although that came amid real upheaval for the Irons, with Graham Potter replacing Julen Lopetegui midway through the campaign.

Under the guidance of Frank, and with a position finally nailed down for the versatile speedster, he could be revived next season. Indeed, ChatGPT certainly thinks so, suggesting that “a more central role and better service could boost his output”.

Their prediction is that the 24-year-old could manage to chalk up eight to ten league goals, alongside chipping in with a further six to eight assists.

Yoane Wissa – 15-18 Premier League goals

Much like the man we’ll come onto below, it would appear that Frank has his eye on some familiar faces this summer, with recent reports suggesting that a move could be in the works for Brentford goal machine, Wissa.

While somewhat in the shadow of Mbeumo and Ivan Toney before that, the 28-year-old’s stock has soared of late, following his return of 19 Premier League goals last season.

Previously a target for Nottingham Forest in January, with a £22m bid having been rebuffed by the Bees, now could be the time for the Congolese marksman to finally jump ship from the Gtech.

With that in mind, there would be no better place, arguably, than the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a reunion with Frank, with ChatGPT predicting that he could notch between 15 and 18 top-flight goals, provided he “adapts quickly and starts regularly”.

Bryan Mbeumo – 18-22 Premier League goals

While Kudus – and perhaps Wissa – look more likely to end up at Spurs this summer, there remains a glimmer of hope that Mbeumo could reunite with his former boss, amid prior claims that Levy was ready to hijack Manchester United’s move for the Cameroon international.

The 25-year-old’s preference appears to be to move to Old Trafford, although a deal has yet to be struck with the Red Devils, with Ruben Amorim’s side already seeing two bids rejected for the winger.

Non-penalty goals

0.17

0.40

Shots

2.61

2.08

Assists

0.10

0.18

Shot-creating actions

3.72

3.80

Pass completion

83.6%

66.1%

Progressive passes

2.75

3.72

Progressive carries

3.41

3.43

Successful take-ons

3.20

1.37

Touches in attacking box

4.41

4.43

Progressive passes received

7.51

9.25

If Spurs can re-enter the race, it could certainly prove fruitful, with Mbeumo having dazzled for the Bees in 2024/25, after scoring 20 goals in the top flight, finishing behind only Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland in the scoring charts.

With 121 goals and assists to his name in 242 games under Frank to date, the left-footer would surely be able to slot in smoothly next term, with ChatGPT suggesting that “Mbeumo could immediately hit 20 league goals”, while representing “an upgrade in Spurs’ front line”.

In all, ChatGPT reckons he could get between 18-20 Premier League goals in 2025/26, alongside registering a further eight to ten assists.

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