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After finishing the 2024/25 campaign on a high, Newcastle United approached the summer transfer window with excitement. But as is becoming habitual on Tyneside, there have been challenges and setbacks.

However, one of Eddie Howe’s superpowers is his ability to weather adversity and rally his club, and so in spite of missing out on Bryan Mbeumo and Joao Pedro and Mohammed Kudus and maybe Matheus Cunha too, the Magpies are beginning to take shape.

A deal with Nottingham Forest has been agreed for Anthony Elanga, worth £52m. A bid for Burnley shot-stopper James Trafford is also ongoing, and that one looks like it will end positively.

Alexander Isak, moreover, is set to remain at St. James’ Park. Even so, Howe wants a new centre-forward, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike confirmed to be on the radar.

However, it’s going to be a difficult deal to pull off, and an alternative option has been earmarked.

Newcastle chasing a new striker

Any interest in a centre-forward on Tyneside is laced with a measure of trepidation. Newcastle fans would love to see a new number nine welcomed to the fold, but not at the expense of Isak’s place in the team.

Luckily, PIF have no plans to sell their £200m-valued talisman. With Callum Wilson having departed St. James’ Park at the end of his contract, securing a new nine is a necessity, not a luxury.

Ekitike might be at the top of the shopping list right now, but he’s simply too expensive at £85m, a valuation Eintracht Frankfurt aren’t willing to budge on.

That’s why Newcastle are setting their sights on Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins. According to Caught Offside, the Magpies have joined the growing list of clubs – also containing Arsenal and Manchester United – who are interested in the England star.

Naturally, Villa don’t want to sell, but they have priced the 29-year-old at £50m, and if Newcastle were to table such an offer, they might just find themselves in an interesting position.

Why Newcastle want Ollie Watkins

Consistently one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards over the past few years, Watkins would bring experience and dynamism to a Newcastle side in need of just his profile.

Principally a central striker, Watkins’ high-energy running and ability to play through the lines have seen him deployed on the left flank in Unai Emery’s Villan system. This is perfect for Howe, who likes to shuffle his offensive pack.

The 22-year-old Ekitike scored 22 goals and assisted 12 more across all competitions last season, but he’s still an uncut gem, only really having displayed the full extent of his quality across one campaign at the highest level.

Watkins, conversely, is proven across five years in ostensibly the toughest league in the world.

24/25

38 (31)

16

8

23/24

37 (37)

19

13

22/23

37 (36)

15

6

21/22

35 (33)

11

2

20/21

37 (37)

14

5

The Three Lions star has even been described by podcaster Rohan Jivan as “one of the best centre-forwards in Europe”, with his completeness and experience at the highest level exactly what Newcastle need to one-up their previous campaign.

It’s not going to be easy, for sure, but the Toon are now shaping into one of the recognised big hitters in the Premier League, fixed at the top end of the table.

Ekitike is undoubtedly one of the biggest talents in the business, but given his extortionate pricing and indeed the chances that he might not immediately acclimatise to the English game, bagging Watkins to provide instantaneous results might be the best course of action for Howe’s ambitious plans.

Dream Scalvini alternative: Newcastle make approach for "dominant" £25m CB

Newcastle are looking to strengthen at the back this summer

1 ByJoe Nuttall Jul 9, 2025

Match details

West Indies vs Afghanistan
Gros Islet, 8.30pm local

Big picture – Battle of two unbeaten teams

With a line-up packed with power-hitters from top to bottom, West Indies have always been the prototype of a perfect T20 batting side, and it’s no different at T20 World Cup 2024. Add the incisive fast bowlers and effective spinners and they look like the team to beat.The balance of the Rovman-Powell-led team resembles the ones they had during their title-winning runs in 2012 and 2016. Samuel Badree gave them successful starts with the ball with his legspin then, a role Akeal Hosein has assumed this time with his left-arm orthodox. It may not be a mere coincidence that Daren Sammy, who captained West Indies to the title in those two editions, is at the helm as head coach now.Related

• Hazratullah Zazai replaces injured Mujeeb in Afghanistan squad

• Time for Johnson Charles to put on a show

With all Super Eight spots decided, West Indies’ clash against Afghanistan has little significance. But try telling that to the players that. “Momentum” and “pride” were the keywords in the pre-match press conference that Powell and Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott addressed.Afghanistan will have tough competition in the Super Eight round, having been clubbed alongside India, Australia and Bangladesh, and will want to carry positive vibes into it. Having enjoyed an unbeaten run thus far, neither team will want to trip up heading into the business end of the competition.

Form guide

West Indies WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Afghanistan WWWWW

In the spotlight – Rovman Powell and Rashid Khan

Among those in the current squad, only Nicholas Pooran (1914) and Brandon King (1365) have more T20I runs for West Indies than Rovman Powell (1351). Pooran (487) and King (621) also are the top scorers for them in T20Is since January 2023 with Powell (461) at third. But Powell’s strike rate of 163.47 is far superior to that of the other two, which highlights his destructive powers. However, he is yet to fire in this World Cup – 39 runs in three matches at a strike rate of 105.40. A decent hit ahead of the Super Eight will bode well for the co-hosts.Rashid Khan has six wickets in this World Cup, and all of them have come in the middle overs. In his T20I career, he has only nine wickets in eight matches against West Indies. They are one of only four teams against whom Rashid averages in the 20s. But against a line-up dominated by right-hand batters, Rashid should be licking his lips to have a perfect outing.Will Rashid Khan be effective against West Indies’ power-hitters?•ICC via Getty Images

Team news

Barring any last-minute injuries, both teams are likely to be unchanged. It could perhaps be a last chance for Johnson Charles to come good, with Shai Hope waiting in the wings.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh Motie.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Gulbadin Naib, 4 Azmatullah Omarzai, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Pitch and conditions

The pitches so far in Gros Islet have been more conducive for batting than most at this World Cup, with teams scoring 180 or more in three out of four innings. At this venue, teams generally prefer to bowl first after winning the toss. In 14 T20s since the start of 2022, only twice have teams opted to bat first. But the results have been mixed: teams batting first have won six times and teams bowling first have also won six times, while two games were washed out.There’s no threat of rain on Monday but expect it to be a bit windy, as was the case in the last two games here.1:34

Bishop: Hard to name someone with Farooqi’s skillset

Stats that matter

• Since the start of 2023, West Indies’ run rate of 11.94 in the death overs (17-20) is the highest among all participating teams in this World Cup.
• Afghanistan have been the most frugal spin-bowling team at this World Cup with an economy rate of 4.88. West Indies are next-best at 5.04.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz has a strike rate of 148.48 (49 runs off 33 balls, one dismissal) against left-arm spin at this World Cup. With West Indies having Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie in their line-up, it will be an interesting match-up.
  

  Quotes

  “We start with Akeal Hosein. His strength is predominantly in the powerplay and while he does such good work in the powerplay, right as we come out the powerplay is Gudakesh Motie’s time. So it’s like Akeal Hosein passing the baton to Gudakesh Motie and it’s been very good so far. When we sat down as a selection group and picked the World Cup team, we picked both knowing the role that they would play on these Caribbean wickets.”
  “I said to them, ‘When you were a youngster and I said you were going to play against West Indies in St Lucia in a World Cup, you would have bitten someone’s hand off for that opportunity. So don’t let this opportunity pass you by just because there’s nothing on the line with regards to qualification.”

Several ICC officials have visited Pakistan to inspect arrangements and, it is understood, the PCB has received positive feedback

Danyal Rasool10-Jun-2024

The PCB has proposed a February 19 start to the Champions Trophy next year in Pakistan. ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB has pencilled the tournament to be played from February 19 to March 9, across Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore. Karachi will host three games, including the tournament opener as well as a semi-final, while Lahore plays host to seven, including the final. The other semi-final will be one of five contests to take place at Pindi Cricket Ground.Several ICC officials have visited Pakistan to inspect arrangements to host the first ICC tournament in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup. They include security and event officials as well as chief pitch inspector Andy Atkinson, and it is understood the PCB has received positive feedback from the ICC concerning logistics and arrangement, allowing it to press ahead with its plans.The current dates, should they be finalised, mean the last third of the tournament will he held during Ramadan, just as the knockout stage of the PSL was last year. Some knockout games in Karachi saw an extremely low turnout during Ramadan. The PCB did try and accommodate for that by moving start times to a later 9pm, though with the Champions Trophy being an ODI tournament, that will not be possible. That means large parts of games will take place during the sunrise to sunset window where players observing Ramadan cannot eat or drink.As ESPNcricinfo reported earlier, every game involving India at the tournament is slated to take place in Lahore. This means one semi-final will be moved from Karachi or Rawalpindi to Lahore should India qualify for the last four. Basing India in one city is thought to have been proposed because it avoids what could be considerable logistical and security complications around their travel. Additionally, by being based in Lahore, which is close to the Wagah border crossing between the two countries, it allows Indian fans a relatively easier option to visit.As ever the main question in the run-up to the event will surround India’s participation. The Indian team has not played in Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008, and there has been no bilateral series between the two since a white-ball visit by Pakistan in 2012-13. When the PCB hosted the Asia Cup last year, the workaround involved deploying a hybrid model that saw the bulk of the games – including all of India’s – take place in Sri Lanka with the final, which India won, held in Colombo. The BCCI has maintained the decision to travel to Pakistan rests in the hands of the Indian government.Every side other than India involved in the upcoming Champions Trophy has travelled to Pakistan since cricket returned to the country in 2015. Pakistan will also host an ODI tri-series featuring South Africa and New Zealand before the tournament.Pakistan are the defending champions, having won the last Champions Trophy in 2017.

Arsenal have reignited discussions over signing a highly-rated previous target with Andrea Berta heavily involved in the decision, according to a report this week.

Arsenal target new forwards for Mikel Arteta this summer

The Gunners are already reliably believed to be closing in on a deal for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Spain international will be Berta’s first signing of the summer.

Related Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal submit opening £1m+ offer for "exceptional" gem

The Gunners have made a bid for a Premier League youngster, who is attracting the attention of several clubs.

Posts ByDominic Lund May 13, 2025

As Mikel Arteta prepares to welcome his compatriot to N5, Berta appears set to carry on with his task of improving Arsenal’s squad across the board.

GiveMeSport recently reported that Arsenal could spend up to £300 million on seven new signings under Berta, as the 53-year-old attempts to make a splash over his debut summer at the club.

Race for Champions League qualification with 2 games remaining

Points

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

Among the transfer chief’s top priorities is the potential acquisition of two new wingers, one for either side of Arsenal’s front three, and a goalscoring centre-forward.

Arteta is also known to value versatility in his players, leaving little surprise that Arsenal are rumoured fans of Wolves star Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian has featured in practically every attacking role under Vitor Pereira this term, scoring a career-best 17 goals and bagging a further six assists in the top flight, and his £62.5 million release clause arguably makes him one of the snips of 2025.

However, it is widely believed that Man United are clear frontrunners to sign Cunha, and are working hard on a deal for the ex-Atletico Madrid star as they attempt to beat off competition.

News of the 25-year-old’s future has gone fairly quiet lately, though, which has led to speculation that Arsenal could hijack United’s move for Cunha.

Arsenal reignite Matheus Cunha discussions with Andrea Berta involved

According to journalist Dean Jones, writing for GiveMeSport, Arsenal have indeed “reignited” interest in Cunha.

Berta is said to be heavily involved in this call, prompting Arsenal “conversations” to “reopen” over signing Cunha, even if there are still some reservations in some sectors of the Emirates Stadium hierarchy.

Lauded for his “sensational” footballing IQ, it is clear to see why Berta remains keen on a swoop for the South American, but GMS also report that United can still be seen as pole position suitors, as Cunha is believed to be very keen on a move to Old Trafford.

The unpredictable nature of transfers these days means you cannot completely rule Arsenal out until the ink is dry on Cunha’s contract with United, so this story could be one to keep tabs on as we fast approach the first window’s opening on June 1.

Tottenham Hotspur are being handed a boost in the chase for a key transfer target also wanted by Man City, with the player said to be considering a move to north London behind-the-scenes.

Tottenham face Nottingham Forest after Europa League triumph

Under-fire Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was given some rare breathing room after his side put in a dogged display to overcome Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.

Tottenham: Thierry Henry-like striker facing exit with Spurs ready to bid

The Lilywhites want to take full advantage.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 19, 2025

A penalty by Dominic Solanke was eventually enough to send the Lilywhites into their first Europa League semi-final since 1984, with Tottenham showcasing the much-needed mature defensive qualities which they’ve lacked all campaign.

Postecoglou’s future remains in the balance, but the Australian could still make good on his promise of always winning silverware during his second season in charge.

A tough test in Bodo/Glimt awaits Tottenham in the semis, and despite their minnow status, they cannot be taken lightly – having just knocked out Serie A giants Lazio.

“From our perspective, we’ve had a difficult season and I think there’s some reasoning behind that. It was pretty evident that when we’ve got our strongest team out there, a lot of things we’ve suffered with this year I’m sure we wouldn’t have,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s chances of winning the Europa League.

“The spine of our team, at times we’ve been missing Vicario, Romero, Van de Ven, Bentancur, Solanke, all of them we’ve been missing at different times this year.

“We’ve got the whole group. It’s not just them, it’s the whole group together. We know that we can be a team that’s pretty compelling against anybody. We’re in the final four now, so we’ve given ourselves a chance.”

Before their all-important battle against the Norwegians, which could make or break their season, Spurs have two tough Premier League tests in Nottingham Forest and champions elect Liverpool.

Postecoglou will be looking to maintain the positive mood around N17 after their quarter-final triumph, and hopefully not add more top flight defeats to their record after already losing 17 this term.

Hugo Larsson now considering move to Tottenham this summer

Summer transfer targets will also be keeping a keen eye on Tottenham’s end to the season, and one of them is believed to be Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Larsson.

The versatile Sweden midfielder is a mainstay for Dino Toppmoller’s side, racking up 40 appearances in all competitions, and he’s done enough to earn himself a £50 million price tag and interest from Man City (Pete O’Rourke).

However, according to GiveMeSport, the 20-year-old is also a wanted man at Spurs. As per their sources, Larsson is privately considering a move to Tottenham, so he’s fully aware of their interest, and it is claimed that Postecoglou’s side are now “increasingly confident” they can tempt him to N17 as a result.

Predominantly a defensive midfielder, the Scandinavian starlet has already drawn comparisons with Rodri, and Football Analyst Ben Mattinson believes Larsson is “one of the most exciting talents” to come out of Sweden in recent years.

However, Chelsea are also believed to be in race for Larsson, so there is plenty of competition.

India’s defeat at the MCG made 2024-25 one of their worst seasons in Test cricket

Sampath Bandarupalli30-Dec-20245 – Test defeats for India in 2024-25, equalling their record (from 1999-2000) for most losses in a season. Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma are the only India captains with five Test defeats in a season.6 – Number of innings in 2024 in which India have been dismissed for less than 160, the joint-most for them in a calendar year after 1952 and 1959.2014-15 – The last time Australia won more than one match in a Test series against India. Since then, Australia have lost four bilateral series against India 2-1.3 – Players with 40-plus scores and three or more wickets in both innings of a Test for Australia: George Giffen in the 1894 Sydney Test against England, Alan Davidson in the 1960 Brisbane Test against West Indies, and now Pat Cummins against India at the MCG. Only 14 players have pulled off this all-round feat in Test cricket.1007 – Number of balls faced by the two teams in Melbourne after the fall of the sixth wicket. This has happened just one other time since 1998 – 1066 by England and India in the 2014 Nottingham Test (complete data for fall-of-wicket is available only since 1998).

Middle-order logjam caused by Harry Brook’s emergence raises questions about Foakes’ long-term future

Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Dec-2022Ollie Pope says there is no animosity between him and Ben Foakes after he usurped his Surrey team-mate as England’s Test wicketkeeper in Pakistan.Foakes came into the tour as the first choice behind the stumps, having played in six of the first seven Tests under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Regarded as one of the finest operators with the gloves in world cricket, he affected 34 dismissals this summer alone, while posting an average of exactly 40 with the bat along with a second career century against South Africa at Emirates Old Trafford.Related

• Wood: 'I wondered if I'd go white-ball only. I'm pleased I've stuck with it'

• Stokes: 'Phenomenal' Brook can enjoy all-format success like Kohli

• Pope retains gloves as Wood returns for Multan Test

• Babar on Shakeel dismissal: 'We felt the ball had been grounded'

• Pope embraces senior status after taste of England leadership

However, on the morning of the first Test in Rawalpindi, Foakes fell victim to the virus that had taken out more than half the squad the day before which led to doubts over whether the match would start on time. England were eventually able to rouse an XI, but Foakes was ruled out and replaced by Will Jacks. It meant Pope, who had previously kept wicket for England against New Zealand in November 2019 and has also deputised as a stand-in on occasion, took the gloves, scoring a century in the first innings and then taking six catches and a stumping in the match.Even though Foakes was fully fit for the second Test, Pope’s performance meant England felt comfortable picking him as their keeper, meaning they could afford to bring in another bowler – Mark Wood – in Multan. Stokes insisted the decision was “definitely no sign of Ben Foakes’ future going forward” but Pope affected five dismissals, including two decisive catches on the fourth and final day off Wood, as England took the match and the series.Pope is expected to keep his place behind the stumps for the third and final match in Karachi which begins on Saturday. And though Foakes is likely to be dismayed by his misfortune, Pope insists he has received nothing but encouragement from his good friend. In fact, the pair have been working together between games, something for which the man in possession has been grateful.”Not at all,” Pope replied, when asked if there was any awkwardness their relationship at present. “You just do what you’re told. I didn’t expect it but I was happy to do the job. He’s a Surrey team-mate and the No. 1 keeper. It was just a way to get an extra bowler in these conditions.”I definitely didn’t expect to be keeping out here to be honest. It wasn’t on my radar. But with the guys getting ill last week, it gave us another bowling option so I was happy to take it on. I’ve enjoyed the experience. He’s the best in the world and one of my best mates – great to learn from.”Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope are Surrey team-mates•Getty Images for Surrey CCCReflecting on how he has fared, Pope ceded that there is room for improvement in his glove work. There have been a handful of missed opportunities and while nothing has cost England thus far, he enjoyed the rub of the green in Multan when third umpire Joel Wilson gave a marginal decision in his favour when he caught Saud Shakeel down the leg side, tilting the second Test England’s way.Shakeel, on 94, was given out on the field by umpire Marais Erasmus. Replays gave some indication that Pope might have grounded the ball while taking the catch, but Wilson, ultimately, decided that there was insufficient evidence to overrule the on-field decision.”I took my chances,” Pope reflected. “I can still do better. I’m not even going to compare myself to Foakesy as a keeper, but I took my chances in this game. Out there there isn’t the wobble you get in England but there is that low, skiddy bounce. You’re dealing with that, and you have to stand nice and close.”Ultimately, though, Pope’s priority remains his batting. When Stokes took over, Pope called up his new captain and implored him to give him a shot at No. 3 despite no experience at that position for Surrey. Since then, he has averaged 40.18 with two hundreds in 17 innings, compared to 28.66 and one hundred in 40 innings before the start of the 2022 summer.In Multan, after keeping wicket for 62.5 overs in Pakistan’s first innings, he dropped down to No. 6 with Jacks stepping up to assume the role at first drop. It speaks to the fact batting at the top of the order as a wicketkeeper is not viable.As far as Pope is concerned, 32 caps into his international career, his batting has never been in better place. Neither has his status in this team, underlined by the fact he was given the opportunity to captain England in a warm-up against the Lions in Abu Dhabi last month. Ensuring he remains on that upward trajectory is paramount for both himself and the rhythm of this team.Pope has thrived with the bat under Stokes and McCullum•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images”I’d still love to tie down No. 3, make that my own,” he said. “That will be my primary focus. Obviously in different conditions, somewhere like New Zealand, we might go with a more regular team. That’s not for me to decide: my main priority is to keep churning runs at No. 3.”I feel a new player at the minute, personally, to what I felt in the past playing for England. I feel I’ve been a bit more consistent, I’ve stopped fearing getting out. The two guys at the top have helped me grow – not confidence, but the freedom to express myself and how I want to play. It’s been great for me, hopefully I keep that consistency.”Quite what this all means for Foakes remains to be seen. But it is hard not to wonder if his days as first-choice keeper are numbered, despite Stokes’ insistence before the Multan Test that he sees him as “the No. 1 gloveman in England” and even “the best keeper in the world”.The emergence of Harry Brook, the top run-scorer in the series with 357 runs at an average of 89.25, presents a conundrum down the line when Jonny Bairstow returns to fitness. It seems highly unlikely – and counterproductive – that Brook might return to the sidelines; likewise, for Bairstow not to assume the role he filled spectacularly in the English summer.Perhaps the most tempting option would see Bairstow reassume keeping duties for the first time since September 2021, allowing Pope to focus on his batting at No. 3 and Brook to maintain his spot at No. 5. Not to mention it would take an already aggressive batting line-up to the next level.As cruel as that would be for Foakes, who has done everything asked of him, such a positive option is entirely in keeping with how Stokes and McCullum have operated so far.

How a pair of contrasting characters proved integral to Hampshire’s maiden Championship triumph

Paul Edwards15-May-2020June 13, 1961
If you have 21 seconds to spare in this strangest of seasons, you might do well to visit the video-sharing platform YouTube and search for “Derek Shackleton Hampshire”. Among the available delights is a slow-motion film of the Hampshire medium-pacer bowling one ball against an unnamed and unseen Gloucestershire batsman at Bournemouth in 1962. That was a strange season, too.For one thing, cricket was still making the increasingly sham distinction between amateurs and professionals. For another, it was the final year in which the County Championship was decided on average points per game, nine counties opting to play 28 three-day matches while the other eight contested 32; and it was also the last summer in which the English season would consist solely of first-class matches. “The new Knock-Out competition”, as Wisden quaintly called the future Gillette Cup, would be introduced in 1963.But each of the eight seasons from 1958 to 1965 was something of a voyage into the unknown for Hampshire’s cricketers. How could it be otherwise when they were led by a skipper whose life seems to have been so dedicated to hedonism that it could have been plucked straight from the pages of Scott Fitzgerald? Yet Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, an Old Etonian socialite, was able to win over the professionals on the Hampshire staff and even persuade one or two to enjoy his own sybaritic lifestyle. Moreover so successful was his captaincy and so skilled the players he led that Hampshire won their first County Championship in 1961. How they managed it remains one of domestic cricket’s great tales.The conventional view of Hampshire’s maiden title was that Ingleby-Mackenzie used his gambler’s flair to inveigle opposing skippers into making generous declarations and setting targets which his team chased to death or glory. And a few Yorkshire players, smarting because their side had been denied yet another hat-trick of championships, have stuck to this belief. But as Hampshire’s former archivist, David Allen, has shown, only three of the county’s 19 victories in 1961 came after their opponents’ declarations and they matched Yorkshire’s achievement in taking all 20 wickets in 15 of their games. Ingleby Mackenzie’s side triumphed partly because it included batsmen of the quality of Roy Marshall and Henry Horton, both of whom scored over two thousand runs, and seam bowlers of the class of “Butch” White and Shackleton, who each took over a hundred wickets.At the same time ten of Hampshire’s wins in 1961 came after Ingleby-Mackenzie had declared. That reflected well on the skipper’s judgement and his bowlers’ skills but it was also the result of the decision to prohibit the follow-on being enforced in any match where there was play on the first day. The rationale behind this change, which lasted only two seasons, was that it would encourage “brighter cricket” by placing an onus on skippers to set challenging targets. Ingleby-Mackenzie needed no such stimulus; his much quoted mantra was “entertain or perish” and no game in the 1961 epitomised either his principles or his extraordinary lifestyle better than the match against Gloucestershire at Portsmouth.The game began on a Saturday and the opening sessions were relatively uneventful. True, Shackleton took five wickets as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 176 but he was to equal or better such a haul on 10 other occasions in the championship season and his colleagues almost expected it of a cricketer whose qualities were perfectly captured by John Arlott: “In the dressing rooms, simply “Shack” is enough. To the first-class cricketer, the name means shrewdly varied and utterly accurate medium-pace bowling beating down as unremittingly as February rain.”Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie leads Hampshire celebrations after they secured their first Championship title•Playfair Cricket MonthlySundays were very much a day off for county cricketers in the years before the introduction of the John Player League. Benefit matches required the attendance of some but Shackleton, who bowled 1471.3 overs in that year’s championship, probably appreciated the rest. Typically, however, Ingleby-Mackenzie preferred his own brand of relaxation and his early autobiography , published only a year later, gives an unforgettable account of his activities that weekend in June 1961:I soon forgot my cricketing responsibilities that evening when I drove off to Lewes for one of my rare appearances at a Deb Dance. I stayed at the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs, Cosmo Crawley, and arrived late for dinner. I found myself sitting next to Susan Verney, daughter of Lord and Lady Willoughby de Broke whose interest in racing exceeded that of cricket, I was glad to discover. I did not get much sleep that night as I was scheduled to appear next day, Sunday, at the magnificent home to Lord Caenarvon at Highclere, near Newbury, to play for the Eton Ramblers against Lord Porchester’s XI…Owing to my excessively late night, I had no time to sleep and therefore, for a change, I was one of the few people who arrived on time. The star performer among the later comers was that of Keith Miller, who arrived an hour late, shook hands with Porchy, and rushed off to be sick. He recovered so well after a lunch of champagne cocktails that he was able to score a century against us, but this was not enough to save his side.This game preceded another great party at Highclere and by the time I returned to Portsmouth next morning I was in a frail condition. Ingleby-Mackenzie admits he was “not in the least upset” when Monday’s play was lost to rain but the following morning he turned his mind to winning a match in which only ten wickets had fallen. The best way of doing so would be to declare Hampshire’s first innings in arrears and hope the Gloucestershire skipper, Arthur Milton, would respond in a similarly attacking spirit. The professionals in his team, on the other hand, saw their task as one of overhauling Gloucestershire’s 176 and settling for two points for a first-innings lead and two more for a faster scoring-rate when that lead was achieved. The opposition to Ingleby-Mackenzie’s strategy in the home dressing room was therefore vehement but Milton agreed with his counterpart’s gentle suggestion that one team had to win the game at Portsmouth to keep the pressure on Yorkshire, who had won seven of their first eight games.

Ingleby-Mackenzie’s total included a match-winning 132 not out against Essex at Cowes. That innings was played after a weekend in which Hampshire’s captain had attempted to break the world drinking record and had also fallen in the Solent.

After 70 minutes’ play on the third morning and with Hampshire 96 for no wicket the openers, Marshall and Jimmy Gray, saw their skipper declaring. “For several moments nobody seemed to take any notice, and I had the feeling that our batsmen were deliberately ignoring my signals.” wrote Ingleby-Mackenzie, an interpretation which Marshall corroborated eight years later in . “Neither of us could believe it when we saw Colin waving from the pavilion. I was furious at his apparent madness but there was nothing I could do.”Ingleby-Mackenzie was now in Milton’s hands. Outright collusion was forbidden, which is not to say it didn’t occur, but the captains had agreed a positive result should be achieved if possible. Gloucestershire managed 118 for 8 declared off 47 overs, Shackleton taking 4 for 27, and challenged Hampshire to score 199 in 137 minutes on a slow wicket. Typically, of course, Ingleby-Mackenzie led the charge, He and Horton scored 51 apiece but the home side had declined to 162 for 8 when Shackleton joined White, There were twenty minutes left in the game and no set number of overs. White, a strong man with an uncomplicated approach to such matters, whacked an unbeaten 33 and victory was secured with two minutes to spare. Bryan Timms, who was deputising for Hampshire’s excellent wicketkeeper, Leo Harrison, in that game, recalls a livid Marshall and Gray showering and going for a pint before the game was won. It is interesting to ponder the repercussions had Ingleby-Mackenzie’s strategy not paid off.There was, of course, far more to Hampshire’s title win in 1961 than three good batsmen, two fine seamers and a skipper with the daring to make his own luck. Peter Sainsbury was one of three spinners who each took over 40 wickets that summer and he also chipped in with 1459 runs. Danny Livingstone also scored over a thousand runs, as did Ingleby-Mackenzie, whose total included a match-winning 132 not out against Essex at Cowes. That innings was played after a weekend in which Hampshire’s captain had attempted to break the world drinking record and had also fallen in the Solent.And so one is drawn back to two cricketers whose lifestyles could not have been more different yet who retained the greatest respect for each other: Ingleby-Mackenzie burned the candle at both ends and in the middle when he could. Now and then he was joined by Marshall and Harrison. Shackleton, on the other hand, remains the epitome of the conscientious, post-war professional, his image perfectly captured by Patrick Eagar on the cover of David Matthews’ biography.In that photograph Shackleton is coming into his delivery stride. The left arm is about to be raised in the conventional fashion but it is the right that commands the eye. The forearm is thick, the wrist cocked and the fingers grip the ball down the seam. If Shackleton’s expression is any guide he has not finally decided which type of ball he will deliver. He holds the batsman in his hawk-like gaze, which is a little remarkable when one realises that he has good sight only in the right eye. His boots are heavy-soled and protect his ankles. The shirt and flannels are white as communion cloth. There is not a speck of sponsorship in sight. Every hair is in place; you might believe he has a comb back at his mark.Shackleton’s disciplines would help him take 2857 first-class wickets, six of which were claimed on September 1, 1961 when the championship was sealed with victory over Derbyshire at Dean Park. He stands eighth in the all-time list having reached the bowler’s century in each of the twenty seasons from 1949 to 1968. No other bowler has matched that precise level of consistency.Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie is still recalled so fondly at Hampshire that the East Stand at the Ageas Bowl is named after him. Derek Shackleton is remembered by all who saw him play cricket and in that brief film of him bowling at Bournemouth in 1962. His normal run-up was 12 normal paces long but, as this evidence reveals, that converted into nine long, easy strides. “He didn’t leave any foot marks,” said his team mate, Neville Rogers. “It was as though he bowled in slippers.”The slow-motion film of Shack lasts 21 seconds. You could watch it for hours.