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While there were a few wobbles towards the start, it would be fair to say that Nuno Espírito Santo’s time in the West Ham United dugout has largely gone well so far.

The Portuguese coach has lifted the East Londoners out of the Premier League relegation zone and picked up some impressive results against Newcastle United, Manchester United, Everton and Burnley.

One of the players who seems to have benefited most from his arrival is Callum Wilson, who rediscovered his goalscoring form.

However, it might not be enough in the eyes of the club, as West Ham are now being linked with a striker who would represent an upgrade on the Englishman, a striker who once finished in a Jarrod Bowen-esque way.

West Ham linked with Wilson upgrade

The transfer window reopens in under a month, and, as is the case with most other clubs, West Ham have already been linked with a plethora of exciting players.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Toulouse’s highly rated English defender, Charlie Cresswell, has once again been touted for a move to the London Stadium, as has Nuno’s old number one, Jose Sa.

However, while both players would certainly have a positive impact at West Ham, neither one could be described as a Wilson upgrade, unlike Santiago Giménez.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Hammers are among several clubs that have been offered the chance to sign the AC Milan forward next year.

If the East Londoners do want to take up the offer, either on loan or in a permanent deal, they will have to get moving, as the report also states that Leeds United are the team with the most concrete interest in the player.

It could be a complicated transfer to get done for West Ham, but considering Giménez’s ability and goalscoring record, it’s one they should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Wilson and arguably finished like Bowen in the past.

Why Giménez would be an upgrade on Wilson

There are a few reasons why Giménez would represent an upgrade on Wilson, and the first is their respective output.

Now, it is undoubtedly the case that the Englishman is actually outdoing the Mexican international in this regard so far this season, scoring four goals in 12 games compared to his one goal and two assists in 11 games.

However, when you take a step back and look at his form last season, and especially when he was playing in the Netherlands, it becomes clear that the former Feyenoord star is the more dangerous striker.

For example, while the former Newcastle United star scored only once in 22 appearances last year, the Resistencia-born marksman scored 22 goals and recorded six assists in 38 appearances.

Moreover, the season before that saw the Coventry-born ace do pretty well, scoring ten goals and providing one assist in 26 games, but his potential competition still did better, scoring 26 goals and providing eight assists in 41 games.

Games

41

26

Minutes

3204′

1338′

Goals

26

10

Assists

8

1

Games

38

22

Minutes

2110′

458′

Goals

22

1

Assists

6

0

With all this in mind, it’s clear that the “insane” Milan forward, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is the far superior goalscorer, and considering he is left-footed, there is a Bowen-esque way to how he often curls the ball into the net.

Now, on top of the output, the 46-capped Mexican ace also has age on his side, coming nine years younger than the veteran 33-year-old Englishman.

Finally, the £78k-per-week game-changer also has fitness on his side, as he’s only had one season in his career in which he’s missed more double-digit games through injury, compared to Wilson, who has had seven.

Ultimately, while it might not be the club’s top priority, West Ham should go out and sign Giménez as soon as possible, as he could supercharge their attack.

West Ham are brewing another Potts and he finishes just like Jarrod Bowen

West Ham United could have another Potts-esque academy gem on their hands who could be the next Jarrod Bowen.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2025

Liverpool are in an unfamiliar state of flux in the Premier League and Fabrizio Romano has now delivered a definitive update over Arne Slot’s future at Anfield.

The Reds have failed to build on their title win last campaign and suffered a heavy 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, with several of their big hitters underperforming in a disastrous display against Sean Dyche’s men.

Of course, certain factors have made it difficult for Slot to enjoy the same success that he managed to achieve on Merseyside last season, albeit their summer transfer spend of over £400 million has meant plenty of criticism is being thrown their way after new additions failing to adapt to life at the club.

PSV Eindhoven await in what is set to be a crucial Champions League encounter, not only to keep the Reds on course for a top eight league phase finish, but also to alleviate growing noise surrounding his tenure with results flattering to deceive.

Ultimately, there has been a collective fall below usual standards at Liverpool that has been uncharacteristic to say the least. Not only do they sit in the bottom half of the Premier League, they are also 11 points behind in a title race that was anticipated to be tight from the outset by most in English football.

Form is temporary and class is permanent is a saying that many Reds fans hope will ring true over the coming weeks. Either way, their side now face the challenge of proving that is the case, especially given they have a heavy festive schedule to come that will require full use of a squad that look out of sorts.

Slot is in the firing line and some are seriously starting to question his credentials. Providing an update on his future, renowned journalist Romano has given an insight regarding what could happen next.

Fabrizio Romano delivers Arne Slot Liverpool update

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has stated that despite Liverpool’s poor performances under Slot, he will be given time to turn their situation around and retains the full backing of the Anfield hierarchy.

He said: “Obviously, losing six of the last seven Premier League games is something not at Liverpool level. The results are unacceptable, Liverpool and everyone at the club knows that. At the same time, my information to answer many questions on our podcast Men In Blazers is that Liverpool at the moment are not activating any contact to replace Arne Slot.

“At this stage, the situation is still under control. It’s complicated, it’s difficult, it’s an emergency situation. Liverpool are internally discussing about this topic, the manager, the management, the staff, all have all together, been given some responsibility, of course, also to the players.

“It’s not just Arne Slot, it’s also the players. If you look at some of the games, it looks crazy how Liverpool players really can’t perform in some of these games at their usual level.

“But at this stage, I’m told that of course, Arne Slot knows that this situation must change as soon as possible, especially in the Premier League more than in the Champions League. In the Premier League is important for Liverpool to change this situation. As of now, Liverpool as a club, owners, management, still back the manager, support the manager and want to see different results as soon as possible.”

Jurgen Klopp's seven-word answer when asked about returning to Liverpool

The iconic manager has already had his say.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 22, 2025

Rumours may be swirling around his future, though it seems as if Liverpool are in no rush to make any rash decisions, with Slot likely still retaining plenty of credit in the bank from last season.

In a fluid situation, that may change if results are to continue on the same trajectory, but the former Feyenoord boss looks to be safe for now ahead of their double header against PSV and West Ham United.

Pat Cummins remains in rehab with no decisions made yet on when he will return to bowl

Alex Malcolm08-Oct-2025The chances of Pat Cummins being fit for the first Ashes Test are growing slimmer by the day as he is yet to be cleared to bowl with just over six weeks to go before the first ball of the series in Perth. and reported on Wednesday that Cummins’ latest scan on the lumbar bone stress issue in his lower back had shown signs of improvement but not enough to be cleared to bowl again.Cricket Australia have not provided a comment but ESPNcricinfo understands that Cummins’ rehabilitation is continuing to progress and no decisions have been made on when the skipper will return to bowl, his participation in the first Test or the Ashes series as a whole.Related

Cummins 'running out of time' as Perth D-day looms but Ashes hopes alive

'He doesn't need much' – Starc says Cummins can play off limited preparation

Joe Root relishes chance to make history as latest Ashes shot looms

Hazlewood, Starc in line for SCG Shield outing before Ashes

Cummins may 'take a few risks' to be able to play Ashes

Cummins has not bowled a ball since Australia’s last Test match in Jamaica in July. Shortly after the lumbar issue was revealed in early September Cummins said he was “willing to take a few risks and be a little bit aggressive” to play in the Ashes which included not playing any white or red-ball lead-up games.But the timeline to build his bowling loads adequately to play in Perth, even with some associated risk, have become tighter than would normally be acceptable for CA’s medical and high performance staff.Cummins has been doing leg strength work during his time off but has not been able to do any rotational work. Even beyond the back issue itself, the risk of a soft tissue injury becomes greater off a compromised preparation and Cummins has had to manage some soft tissue and ankle issues over the last few years with carefully tailored build-ups into key series.Last year he was rested from Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK to do a 10-week block of training in the lead-in to the Border-Gavaskar series. Even then he only managed to play one 50-over game for New South Wales and two ODIs for Australia before the first Test against India after initial plans to play a Sheffield Shield game were aborted.The first Test of the Ashes starts on November 21, six weeks from Friday. The second Test begins on December 4 in Brisbane. The third Ashes Test in Adelaide starts in exactly 10 weeks on December 17 and the fourth Test is on Boxing Day, another nine days after that.Scott Boland could play a big part in the Ashes•Getty ImagesWith eight-day rests after each of the first two Tests of the series there is a chance, if Cummins were to need extra time, that Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland could get through to the end of Adelaide without needing a rest or reinforcements.There is only a four-day gap between Adelaide and Melbourne and also between Melbourne and Sydney. The need for fresh legs in both bowling units at the back-end of the series could be vital, as was shown in the 2023 Ashes series in England where Mark Wood and Chris Woakes both missed the first two Tests before dominating the last three as the freshest bowlers on either side.India’s Jasprit Bumrah was injured trying to carry his team’s attack through five Tests last summer, injuring his back in the final Test in Sydney off a four-day break having bowled the highest number of overs in a single Test in his career in Melbourne, following huge loads across the first three Tests.The management of Starc, Hazlewood and Boland in the lead-up to Perth will become even more important. Starc and Hazlewood were named in Australia’s ODI squad to face India in three matches starting on October 19 while Hazlewood was also named for the first two T20Is of the five-match series against India that begins on October 29. Both men look set to play one Sheffield Shield game as well for New South Wales on November 10.Steven Smith could step in to lead Australia at the Ashes if Pat Cummins is unavailable•Associated PressBoland played the first Shield game of the summer for Victoria and got through 35 overs. He will likely play at least one more but the chances of him playing three appear slim and he definitely won’t play all four.Among the reinforcements beyond those three, Michael Neser bowled well on a flat pitch at Allan Border Field against Tasmania taking six wickets across 43 overs. It remains to be seen how he might be managed over the next three Shield matches coming off a major hamstring injury last season.Brendan Doggett missed the opening Shield round of the summer because of a minor hamstring problem but is expected to line up for South Australia against Queensland next week. Sean Abbott is another in the mix and could return to Shield cricket for New South Wales next week in Melbourne against Victoria after being left out of Australia’s ODI squad to face India. He has been named in the T20I squad for the first two matches on October 29 and 31 which overlapsBeyond the bowling, Cummins’ potential absence would leave Australia needing a replacement captain with Steven Smith the most likely candidate having stood in as skipper six times since Cummins took over the captaincy in 2021. Smith has captained Australia in 40 Tests overall. Travis Head is the other vice-captain of the Test team but he would be less likely to take the reins ahead of Smith.

Worcestershire fight back through Taylor, Libby but face uphill struggle to avoid defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Worcestershire 123 and 270 for 6 (Libby 72) lead Sussex 350 (Simpson 129*, Taylor 4-106) by 43 runsJohn Simpson’s unbeaten 129 and six second-innings Worcestershire wickets kept Sussex in command on day two of the Rothesay County Championship clash at Visit Worcestershire New Road.A glistening fourth century of the season from the away side’s skipper saw Sussex add 122 runs to their overnight score, before they were bowled out for 350.With a deficit of 227, Jake Libby and Rehaan Edavalath added a century stand for the first wicket to throw the Pears a lifeline.Six wickets across the second half of the day however saw Worcestershire cling onto a slender lead of 43 runs heading into the third day with just four wickets intact.A resplendent morning at Visit Worcestershire New Road saw the home side land the first blow of the day when Tom Taylor bowled Jack Carson in the first over of the morning.A 53rd wicket of a remarkable season followed soon after for Taylor as Danny Lamb feathered a nick through to Rob Jones at second slip, to check the visitors progress at 245 for 7.Simpson registered his fourth hundred of a memorable Division One campaign, reaching the milestone in 138 balls and scoring 18 boundaries in the process, shortly after Ollie Robinson had departed for a brisk 24.Simpson kicked on as the visitors reached 350 and strengthened their grip on the match, before Matthew Waite’s introduction into the attack saw him take two wickets in four balls as he dismissed both Ari Karvelas and Jayden Unadkat, with Sussex all-out for 350 possessing a healthy lead of 227.Simpson finished unbeaten on 129, with his 19th first-class century the standout innings of the game.Libby surpassed 1000 first class runs for the season in the Rothesay County Championship early into the afternoon session as the Worcestershire reply got off to a cautious start.The shackles were freed by Libby however, as he moved through the gears with some dismissive pull shots through midwicket as Sussex’s opening bowlers grafted to no avail in the sunshine.Libby pressed on in fine style, reaching a third Division One half-century of the season in just 63 deliveries, as he and Edavalath added 113 for the first wicket on a pitch showing signs of flattening.Edavalath made 45 and Libby a superb 72, before the pair were dismissed inside four overs of one another, with Edavalath first lbw off a straightening Unadkat delivery and Libby following soon after having edged a ball behind to James Coles at slip to give the Indian seam bowler his second of the innings.Robinson collected his first wicket of the innings when he hurried Isaac Mohammed with a short ball to dismiss the teenager for 4.First-innings top scorer Dan Lategan and number five Rob Jones came together midway through the afternoon to add 63 for the fourth wicket with the hosts working hard to find a foothold in the game.Despite making it to the tea interval unscathed, Tom Haines ended the partnership in the 46th over of Worcestershire’s reply, as he pinned Lategan lbw for 30, with the hosts still 40 runs in arrears.Jones produced a gritty knock of 46, with Worcestershire heading towards the close at parity, but his wicket and the dismissal of Ethan Brookes handed Sussex back the initiative late on.

The country’s first dedicated and fully equipped cricket venue will host its first international match this weekend

Firdose Moonda10-Oct-2025Never before have Namibian cricketers had their own facility to train and play at, but as of 2025, that’s changed.Construction of the Namibia Cricket Ground (NCG) was finished in August, and it’s now officially open, complete with an indoor centre and a gym. On Saturday it will host its first international match, between Namibia and their neighbours South Africa, the highest-profile fixture on Namibian soil to date.”It really feels like a new dawn and new age for the sport,” Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia’s captain says. “It’s our first high-performance venue and the first time that as sportsmen, we don’t have to drive around to two or three different venues in a day to go to different training sessions. That’s what it means for the players, but what it means for the community is also massive.”Cricket isn’t even one of the biggest sports in the country [but] all the tickets [for the one-off T20I] were sold out so quickly. People are buying their blue Namibia Eagles shirts in numbers from the offices, so we feel very proud. Usually, rugby and soccer are sports where you hear stories about full stadiums and lots of vibe, and it’s so cool that this is our first event and we’ll have 4000 people and everybody’s almost fighting each other in town for a ticket. I never thought I would say that as a cricketer.”Related

Namibia to play South Africa for first time in new Windhoek stadium in October

What does the path to the 2027 ODI World Cup look like?

The draw of seeing a South African side headlined by Quinton de Kock’s international return could be one reason for the interest in the match, but the thrill of watching their own national side at a brand new, centrally accessible venue is another. The NCG has been built in the heart of the country’s capital, Windhoek, in a precinct where the streets are named after different sporting codes. There’s Netball Street, Rugby Street, and even, you guessed it, Cricket Street, where a new paved road leads into and out of the stadium. The ground itself features one main building and grass embankments, giving it a hybrid feel – part big stadium, part club ground. All of this infrastructure is ensconced in an area dedicated to physical activity.Just next door is the national rugby stadium and a few blocks away is Independence Stadium, which hosted some of Namibian cricket’s early matches. Since then, fixtures have been played about five kilometres away at a privately owned club ground called Wanderers, which Cricket Namibia had to rent to use. Wanderers is a multi-sport facility that is also used by club members, which Erasmus has previously described as “not ideal” to have as a home base.Captain Gerhard Erasmus is hopeful of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, part of which will be played in Namibia•ICC via Getty”We’ve all grown up at Wanderers and trained around there, but we didn’t really have our own home,” he says. “Now we have one and it’s right next to the other stadiums. Because it’s newly built, it really feels like a refreshment in that vicinity.”For Erasmus, the unveiling of a cricket-specific venue – especially when other sports are seeing a downturn – is also a reward for what Namibian cricket has achieved since 2021, when they qualified for their first T20 World Cup. The national rugby team have missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup for the first time since 1999, and the football team are on the verge of being knocked out of contention for the next year’s World Cup. But cricket continues to enjoy success.Last week, Namibia secured a fourth successive T20 World Cup qualification and dominated all their opposition until they lost to Zimbabwe in the final, a result that was irrelevant to their participation at the World Cup. In the four matches that mattered, Namibia posted totals over 200 twice and JJ Smit and Jan Frylinck both registered maiden T20I hundreds. Though their batting strength throughout the qualifiers was notable against opposition like Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi, none of whom have played at a T20 World Cup, Erasmus is careful not to get too far ahead of himself. “In all fairness, it was probably one of our easiest qualifications. It felt like it was written in the stars that we had to qualify because there’s lots of things going for us,” he says. “We’ve played most of our games at Harare Sports Club, so there were no upsets in terms of conditions. We really had it nice. As cricketers, you always tend to moan when it goes badly. This time around, it all went swimmingly.”Again, the importance of a dedicated venue was underlined but it is not the only reason Namibia enjoyed a good week in Zimbabwe. Erasmus also credited a change in approach, which has come with new management and head coach, Craig Williams, Namibia’s leading all-format run-getter. “With the new set-up and the new coach in the last couple of months, pressure has been taken off us in terms of having to score, having to bat a certain way or having to do a certain thing. It’s more of an assess-and-react blueprint we tend to follow,” he says. “Guys are much calmer and they’re setting a better foundation. We’ve always been known to hit the ball very well. We’ve got power and everybody knows our six-hitting ability, but [the ability] to construct an innings has sometimes been lacking. It feels like it’s really changed in the last couple of months. Even domestically, we have lots more hundreds over the recent past.”Wanderers, a multi-sport facility that also hosts rugby, hockey and netball, among others, was the principal venue for cricket in Namibia earlier•Getty ImagesNow that needs to translate into the 50-over game, because Namibia are not guaranteed a place at the 2027 ODI tournament – played across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia – and have a long way to go in qualifying. They are currently in sixth spot on the eight-team ​​World Cricket League Two table, 11 points off the leaders Scotland, with 12 matches left to play. Irrespective of where they finish on that table, they will still have a chance to get to the World Cup. The top four teams progress directly to the World Cup Qualifier and the bottom four to the playoffs, so the possibility of playing in a home World Cup is still alive and Erasmus knows how crucial it is that they give it their best shot.”For Associate nations it’s very important to qualify to stay relevant in world cricket,” he says. “Obviously we have fewer opportunities than Test nations, and in T20 World Cups we have the carrot dangling every second year, but even then, like you would have seen with Scotland, there’s big repercussions to not qualifying. As players as well, you feel like you’re missing out.” And missing out on their own party and their own venue in two years’ time is not something Namibia want at all.

Check out the growing list of male cricketers who have gone across borders to play more international cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2025Former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor un-retiring to play for Samoa makes him the latest in a growing list of men who have turned out for more than one country.The first dual international was all the way back in 1881-82, when Billy Midwinter played for England in a three-Test series after having played two Tests for Australia against England. He went back to representing Australia and played six more Tests.In those early years Billy Murdoch, John Ferris, Sammy Woods, Frank Hearne, Albert Trott and Frank Mitchell did the same – playing Test cricket for Australia and England. Then there was the Nawab of Pataudi, Iftikhar Ali Khan, who played for England and India, and subsequently the instances of players who played for India and then Pakistan after the partition of the country in 1947.In the new millennium, among the players who have represented at least one Full Member team, only 18 male cricketers are recorded to have played for two countries in international cricket before Gavin Hamilton (Scotland and England) in 1999. Since then, excluding Hamilton, who went back to Scotland and played through the 2000s, there have been 25.

T20 stars find new homes

The best known among these is Tim David, who played the last of his 14 T20Is for Singapore, where his father worked as an engineer, in 2020 before appearing for Australian against India in Mohali in September 2022.David Wiese had a stop-start career with South Africa as a bowling allrounder, playing six ODIs and 20 T20Is for them before shifting his loyalties to Namibia, for whom he has been a star player. Since the move in 2021, he has played nine ODIs and 34 T20Is for his new team and, like David, is popular in the franchise-league circuit.Tim David is one of the most in-demand players in the franchise T20 circuit•Getty ImagesAnother such cricketer is Hayden Walsh, who emerged as West Indies’ next big short-format spinner in November 2019, not long after playing for USA in Sandy’s Parish against Canada, Bermuda and Cayman Islands. But 25 ODIs and 39 T20Is (combined, for USA and West Indies) later, at 33, he appears to have fallen off the radar.

Africans on the move

Daniel Jakiel played two T20Is for Zimbabwe in 2019 before moving to Malawi, for whom he has played 39 times, while Gregory Strydom played 12 ODIs for Zimbabwe, all in 2016, and then moved to Cayman Islands, where he has played six T20Is, all in 2019.Related

• Former NZ international Tom Bruce switches to Scotland

• Taylor comes out of retirement to play for Samoa

And then there are the more high-profile names, like Gary Ballance, who has played Test cricket for England and Zimbabwe – much like Kepler Wessels, who played Test cricket for Australia and South Africa in the 1980s and 1990s. Roelof van der Merwe, 40, is still going strong for Netherlands after switching from South Africa in 2015. He should be in action at the 2026 T20 World Cup too.Peter Moor moved from Zimbabwe to Ireland but retired as the 17th player to play Test cricket for two countries, without turning out for Ireland in ODIs or T20Is. Juan ‘Rusty’ Theron, who moved from South Africa in 2012 and became eligible to play for USA in 2019, hasn’t actually played international cricket since 2022. He was last seen in competitive cricket at the 2023 Major League Cricket before moving to the retired-cricketers circuit.Joe Burns, the new Italy captain•International Cricket Council

The Italian Job

News of an Italy team selection wouldn’t normally catch the attention of the rest of the cricket world but it did when Joe Burns, the former Australia Test opener, changed allegiance thanks to his mother’s heritage and was named Italy’s captain.Burns was not the first dual-international to play for Italy – that was former England fast bowler Jade Dernbach, who made the switch in 2019. He hasn’t played for Italy since October 2021 though.Eoin Morgan, the Ireland man in England, poses with the 2019 World Cup trophy•Getty Images

The England-Ireland switch

Eoin Morgan and fast bowler Boyd Rankin moved from Ireland to England well before Ireland became a Full Member nation, and Ed Joyce moved the other way after the step up for Ireland.Of them, Morgan was the biggest achiever, with the 2019 ODI World Cup win as captain the biggest highlight. Rankin retired in 2021 after having played most of his 13 years of international cricket for Ireland. He represented England in one Test, seven ODIs and two T20Is.Joyce played his only Test match for Ireland, but stood out for playing successive ODI World Cups for different countries. He helped Ireland qualify for the 2007 edition but played the tournament for England, and then switched back to Ireland in time for the 2011 tournament.Ross Taylor will become the latest in a long line of New Zealand cricketers to move to another country•Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

To New Zealand, from New Zealand

Tom Bruce became the latest to make the switch from New Zealand, to Scotland in August 2025, and is currently in action for his new team at the World Cup League 2 matches in Canada.He is not the first to make the journey, one way or the other.Corey Anderson might be the biggest name of the lot. His Test and ODI careers, from 2013 to 2017, were entirely for New Zealand – 13 and 49 matches in each formats respectively. His 42 T20Is have been more diverse: 31 for New Zealand, and the last 11 for USA.Mark Chapman went from Hong Kong to New Zealand. Now 31, Chapman was born in Hong Kong and played for them from 2014 to 2016 before moving full-time to New Zealand, for whom he has been a regular, especially in T20Is, for the past few years.Michael Rippon played all his nine ODIs for Netherlands but has played one T20I (out of 19) for New Zealand after making the switch in 2022.Luke Ronchi played for Australia in 2008-09 and then for New Zealand from 2013 to 2017. He became the first man to represent two Full Member countries in around two decades, Wessels having been the previous one. Ronchi played all his four Tests for New Zealand, four of his 85 ODIs for Australia and the rest for New Zealand, and three of his 33 T20Is for Australia and the rest for New Zealand.Geraint Jones, from Ashes-winning catch to Papua New Guinea•Getty Images

Dirk Nannes, Geraint Jones, and the rest

Dirk Nannes played his only ODI for Australia, against Scotland, in 2009, not long after switching from Netherlands after having played two T20Is. He went on to play 15 T20Is for Australia but is better known for his exploits in franchise T20 cricket.Geraint Jones, best remembered for the catch that won England the Edgbaston Test in the 2005 Ashes, played 34 Tests and two T20Is for England, but played for both England and Papua New Guinea in ODIs – 49 for England, and two for PNG.Some of the other modern dual internationals are Izatullah Dawlatzai (Afghanistan and Germany), Amjad Khan (England and Denmark), Xavier Marshall (West Indies and USA) and Ryan Campbell (Australia and Hong Kong).

His last Test wicket was so long ago he had forgotten about it. On Wednesday, he created a fresher, more cherished memory by dismissing Jaiswal

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Jul-2025

Liam Dawson got his first Test wicket in eight years•Getty Images

All of 2929 days separated Liam Dawson’s seventh and eighth Test wickets.It was so long ago that Dawson trapped Hashim Amla lbw at Trent Bridge in July 2017, he had actually forgotten about it when prompted by Sky Sports at the end of day one of the fourth Test against India. On Wednesday, a fresher, more cherished memory was banked when he skimmed the edge of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s bat through to Harry Brook at first slip. The first of a new chapter.The eight years between dismissals have been wild. A global pandemic has come and, for the most part, gone. The UK itself is on its fifth prime minister. And the ECB has not just come up with a new format no one asked for but sold the eight teams they plucked out of the ether to play it at a total valuation, in principle, of £975 million.Related

• Plug-and-play Dawson gets belated chance to make a case

• Pant retires hurt after inside-edging a reverse sweep onto his right foot

• Sai Sudharsan fifty guides India after they lose Pant to injury

Life for Dawson has actually been pretty steady, which won’t surprise anyone who knows him well. Team-mates past and present often refer to him as “Mr Reliable”. So level-headed, he almost baulked at the idea he was worthy of a press conference.”I’ve done nothing special here,” Dawson said of his overnight figures of 1 for 45 from 15 overs. Maybe so. But the left-arm spinner’s dismissal of Jaiswal for 58 with his seventh delivery of the day came after England had bowled slightly too short in the morning. The seamers collectively only hit a good length with the new ball on a seaming pitch with 35% of their deliveries in the morning session, which ended without success and India sitting pretty at lunch on 78 for none.There is, however, something special about not just spanning eras, but seemingly riding them through to a return to the format the 35-year-old thought had been lost. “I’ve said to a few people that, the age I am, I probably thought Test cricket was gone.”Crucially, Dawson has made this journey on his own terms. This has not been about hitching rides in hope rather than expectation, but driving his own destiny in the periphery, like a time traveller not messing with the fabric of the ecosystems but blending into it. It’s worth noting that Dawson’s debut, against India in Chennai at the end of 2016, was the same Test Karun Nair struck his triple-century in. Nair’s comeback story has lasted just three games.Dawson has been a background extra to England’s white-ball glories – a non-playing member of the 2019 ODI World Cup squad, a travelling reserve for the 2022 T20 World Cup, among 15 limited-overs appearances between Test cap numbers three and four. The last three of those came earlier this summer, ending a three-year break from the international scene. A knowing nudge and a wink that a return could be on the horizon, even if it took an injury to Shoaib Bashir to realise it.Sympathy for Dawson should be sparing, partly as he wouldn’t want it but also because his nest has been well-feathered in spite of being ignored at international level. The wilderness is lush for players of his calibre.He has turned out for ten different T20 teams across seven different franchise competitions. Crucially, all while not just ticking over in first-class cricket but thriving.In 85 first-class matches for Hampshire during this hiatus, Dawson has 215 dismissals at 27.75, taking 12 out of his 15 five-wicket hauls, and all three of his ten-wicket match hauls. The 4566 runs alongside – at 38.69 – are made up of ten of his 19 career centuries. So fruitful has this period been that Dawson forgot that it was on this very ground, just last year, that he took match figures of 10 for 99 and struck a first-innings hundred to secure an innings victory over Lancashire.Day one’s small sample size of “nothing special” was littered with cues to Dawson’s skills. His accuracy and revolutions on the ball have always been consistent, as has the pace, with 83% of Wednesday’s deliveries in the 85kph to 90kph sweet spot for fingerspinners. His knack of manipulating drift – offshoots of revolutions and pace – was highlighted by the dismissal of Jaiswal. That drifted 2.058 degrees, 0.636 above his overall average so far in this match.

“I’ve bowled a lot of overs the last few years and obviously when you bowl, you improve. You’re still going to have tough days, but I do feel like I’m a better bowler now than I was a few years ago”Liam Dawson

That skidding delivery is also something he has perfected and used to hoodwink plenty of domestic batters. Some of those on the wrong side of Dawson tell you how much tougher he is to sweep now, with extra dip and shape harnessed over the last couple of years. Some attribute it to a shift of his left hand and wrist at the end of his gather, both more secure and more supple, like the top hand of a violinist.As a result, that skid-on delivery has become more potent, allowing him to challenge both edges of the bat as he was able to do with Jaiswal, who was conscious of the ball turning towards his pads and forgot about the outside edge. It was as much a smart piece of bowling as a clever bit of forethought from England. On Monday, Brook, who, as limited-overs captain with head coach Brendon McCullum, had overseen the first stage of Dawson’s recall, pointed out that the extent of the footholes created outside the left-hand batter’s off stump this series was an area Dawson could exploit. Exploit he did.It was also on this day that Dawson sat down with Ben Stokes to talk tactics. Since becoming Test captain, Stokes has made it his job to set fields for all his bowlers, particularly his spinners, who, for the most part, have been precocious upstarts who could do with the burden of that side of things. “Just bowl” has been his message.1:38

Harmison: Dawson might help with Stokes workload

That was more or less what he reiterated to Dawson, who says he was relaxed at the proposition of the odd man being moved here and there by his captain. The difference, of course, is that Dawson’s metronomy relies on order, control beyond his fingers. Throughout Dawson’s three spells, there seemed to be a decent amount of back and forth, albeit very little, if anything, during an actual over.”Probably a little bit more consistent,” Dawson said when asked about the difference between him now and the bowler who took seven wickets at 42.57 in his first three caps. “Understanding pitches a little bit better, what players are looking to do sometimes. I think the older you get, you learn how to manage game scenarios.”I’ve bowled a lot of overs the last few years and obviously when you bowl, you improve. You’re still going to have tough days, but I do feel like I’m a better bowler now than I was a few years ago.”It’s a level of comfort and self-assurance that Stokes is not used to with his spinners. But it is one he clearly welcomes at this juncture, hence Dawson’s selection in the first place.On a day when England’s two previous left-arm orthodox bowlers, Jack Leach and Tom Hartley, bagged a five-wicket haul for Somerset and scored a maiden century for Lancashire, respectively, while Leicestershire legspinner Rehan Ahmed registered both in the first two days of the ongoing round of the County Championship, Dawson’s “nothing special” suited Stokes and England just fine.

Liverpool aren’t doing so well this season. Last year’s indomitable air is a far cry from the tepid and toothless performances of the new campaign, with five defeats inflicted on Arne Slot’s side from six recent Premier League matches.

There is no way to sugarcoat it: that is so far below Anfield’s expectations that it beggars belief. Slot was so pained last season by that sole home defeat to Nottingham Forest, so frustrated by that stain on his copybook, even against the backdrop of a title-winning campaign.

But so many losses have become the norm for Liverpool this season, whose title defence is in tatters and whose focus is currently on establishing enough form and focus to recover a place in the Premier League’s top four.

Slot has got a lot to chew on before the November international break winds up and Liverpool host Forest in the top flight, a game they simply cannot afford to lose – again.

Aside from the lack of intensity and physicality in key areas and fragilities in defence, Liverpool’s widths have been well out of sorts this season, and this is something that needs fixing quickly.

Liverpool's struggles out wide

Mohamed Salah’s startling drop-off this season has been among the biggest concerns for Liverpool, but the Egyptian King has done it all before, and he will surely recover his potency in front of goal before his £400k-per-week contract expires in 2027.

More concerning, perhaps, is the form of Florian Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer but has yet to prove FSG have got bang for their buck.

The 22-year-old is clearly an incredible talent, but it hasn’t happened so far, with Liverpool’s wider tactical imbalances making it difficult for the playmaker to find a secure place in Slot’s line-up, flitting between the left flank and a creative berth from the centre.

Likewise, Cody Gakpo has struggled to impress. The left-sided forward has four goals and three assists across all competitions this term, but he’s lacked nuance in his expression.

It’s proving a tough ask for Slot to find a solution that will synergise this struggling frontline and restore Liverpool to their former level.

However, one Redman has enjoyed quite the impressive display for his nation in a World Cup qualifier this week, and in a position which could reshape his role at Liverpool over the coming months.

Slot may have his left wing solution

So much has gone wrong at Liverpool this season, but the form of Hugo Ekitike since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m this summer cannot be counted among the negatives.

Ekitike is a striker, and was signed as such, but he played out on the left wing for France on Thursday evening as Didier Deschamps’ side defeated Ukraine 4-0 in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, with reporter Bence Bocsak praising his “very impressive” effort, having earlier noted that the star’s slickness and skill on the ball “reminds me of Bobby Firmino”.

Could it be that Liverpool have their left wing solution right here? This is hardly revelatory, but the dynamic forward has proved he has what it takes to produce a show-stopping performance from out wide here, and there’s a case to be made that he offers more than Gakpo does when in the role.

Indeed, were Ekitike to play from the left with regularity, it would only impede Gakpo in his hopes of stringing many minutes together across the season and beyond, especially as he will be competing with Wirtz.

But the one-time PSG prospect’s display demonstrated his potential in the position, a menace throughout after coming off the bench in the first half due to an injury to Bradley Barcola.

It was a spectacular goal, the 23-year-old collecting and driving forward from inside his own half, skating past defenders and entering the danger area before playing a neat connection with Kylian Mbappe and then striking true.

Hugo Ekitike’s Performance vs Ukraine

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

67′

Goals

1

Touches

22

Shots (on target)

4 (2)

Accurate passes

6/9 (67%)

Unsuccessful touches

3

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

1

Ground duels

4/5

Data via Sofascore

Ekitike might not have enjoyed much success by way of passing, but he demonstrated how effective he can be with limited opportunities in possession. Not only accurate when carrying the ball forward, but he was fierce in the duel and clinical besides.

This economical approach showed something that has been lacking on Merseyside this season: an ability to make chances count even when presented intermittently.

That is, of course, barring one Liverpool forward. Ekitike. The Les Bleus star has scored six goals and posted an assist since joining the club this summer.

Development is never linear for those entering the Premier League from overseas, but the way in which Ekitike has slipped into life in Liverpool is remarkable, given the circumstances around the club right now.

Should Slot take note of the striker’s performance against Ukraine and begin to hand him more chances out wide, it could help Isak settle in after his record-breaking summer move while easing the fears that Isak and Ekitke cannot cohabit in Liverpool’s starting line-up.

Slot has already followed this train of thought, suggesting several weeks ago that Ekitike’s technical and physical qualities make him apt for a prolific role on the flank, and now it can be put into practice, albeit at Gakpo’s expense.

Without question, Liverpool’s head coach will have been attentive to Ekitike’s performance on the world stage, perhaps more inclined forward to trial Ekitike in a wider role going forward, thus opening the door to a partnership with Isak and a new dimension that could help restore the side’s attacking strength.

If this proves an effective and long-term solution, it may well come at the expense of Gakpo’s stay at Liverpool for the long run, but, as the opening months of the campaign have told us, it is crucial that Slot identifies a way of playing that matches the incredible amount of quality teeming across Anfield.

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Fast bowler hails decisions on and off the field as England emerge on top on rollercoaster first day

Andrew Miller21-Nov-2025

AFP/Getty Images

Brydon Carse heaped praise on England’s captain, Ben Stokes, for his leadership on and off the field, after a barnstorming fightback with the ball on the opening day of the 2025-26 Ashes.Carse claimed the key wickets of Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja, before Stokes ripped through the lower-middle order with figures of 5 for 45 in ten overs, as England fought back from being bowled out for 172 by reducing Australia to 123 for 9 at the close, a deficit of 49.It meant that 19 wickets had fallen, the most ever on the opening day of an Ashes series, as the action lived up to every ounce of the pre-series hype.Carse, however, praised his captain for confronting the emotions of the series head-on, both in encouraging the team to walk to the venue at the start of the day’s play, and in inspiring their fightback with his calm response to their batting display.”Stokesy came up with that idea last night,” Carse said of the team’s arrival, through a sea of fans with 51,531 spectators attending the opening day. “It was obviously what we decided to do. And luckily, we came in at about 8.30am, because I think if we were about a half an hour later, we might have got a bit more stick from some of the Aussie fans. It was electric … the energy throughout the day was awesome.”Once inside the Optus Stadium, England won the toss and choose to bat first, only to lose Zak Crawley for a duck to set the tone for Mitchell Starc’s magnificent seven-wicket display. But despite being rolled aside in just 32.5 overs – the second-shortest Ashes innings, behind Australia’s 60 all out at Trent Bridge in 2015 – Stokes gathered his team at the innings change-over and set in motion their change of fortune.”Stokesy kept it really simple,” Carse said. “We had 45-50 minutes before tea, and he said to the lads with the ball, just give everything. The way Gus Atkinson and Jofra [Archer] started was phenomenal. And then after tea, that messaging was pretty similar, just do it over a longer period of time.Related

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“While the ball was still new, there was a lot of pace and bounce in it. And, we said as a group of bowlers, it was just about hitting the wicket as hard as we could.”The close-of-play scoreline vindicated England’s decision to field a five-man pace attack, which allowed Archer and Mark Wood – their fastest bowlers – to be used in short, sharp bursts that denied Australia a chance to settle at any stage of their reply. With Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts still waiting in the wings, Carse was confident that England could keep their pace levels high throughout the campaign.”I haven’t played in a lot of attacks where we’ve had five seamers, but everyone does complement each other,” Carse said. “I’ve said before that the group is six, seven seamers, and we’ve all got different attributes. Hopefully that stands us in good stead throughout the series.”Stokes, however, remains utterly fundamental to England’s hopes of winning an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 2010-11. Having hinted at his readiness with six wickets in a low-key warm-up against England Lions last week, he showcased his golden arm with the vital wickets of Travis Head and Cameron Green, then picked off Alex Carey, too, on the way to his sixth five-wicket haul and second in Australia.”His character and enthusiasm around the group, and the way it goes about his business is phenomenal,” Carse said. “Everyone looks up to him. He’s a great leader to have in our team.”He’s been out here for the last two-and-a-half weeks, and as Ducky [Ben Duckett] said a couple of weeks ago, he’s in beast mode at the moment. Hopefully that pays off throughout the series for him.”Stokes is back in Australia for his third Ashes tour, having debuted on the 2013-14 tour, 12 years ago. Carse, however, was sampling the occasion for the very first time, and admitted the atmosphere had been a step up from his previous experience in England colours.”I felt nervous, excited … obviously almost going into a bit of the unknown, but just trying to soak it all up throughout the day. It’s been a phenomenal day. We’ll go back to the hotel and we’ll have a quiet night.”The stage is set for another high-octane day on Saturday, and Carse admitted that – despite the shortcomings of their batting first-time around – their run-rate of 5.23 had demonstrated that batting could get easier once the first-day nerves and some of the pitch’s early life have gone.”The first thing tomorrow is obviously to knock over this last wicket,” he said. “Then, we’ve seen some of the guys that have got starts and some runs today, the way that they went about it was obviously taking the positive option.”I even thought Alex Carey, towards the end, was quite proactive and positive, and it put us under a bit of pressure. So going into the second innings, I think our batters will know what sort of gameplan they are going to use.”

The final chunk of international action is winding down for the year, and that means Liverpool fans can get ready to see Arne Slot’s side back in action.

There is an air of uncertainty about the Reds at the moment. After all, they were thrashed out of the Etihad Stadium nearly two weeks ago, having put Real Madrid to the sword in the Champions League days before.

But we must look at the wider trend, and we must accept that Slot’s squad have lost five of their past six matches in the Premier League, and that has eliminated any hopes of retaining that hard-won title for the time being.

The season is still young, but whatever happens over the coming months, FSG will have accepted that a few deeper problems need to be solved.

Take, for example, Virgil van Dijk’s announcement that the 2026 World Cup will be his last for Oranje. That underlines the 34-year-old’s ageing legs, and his acceptance that soon – not yet, but soon – he will wind down.

And the same could be said of Mohamed Salah, who has not been himself this season. FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes are aware that Salah, 33, might be nearing the end at Anfield.

Liverpool begin search for Salah successor

Liverpool’s search for a Salah successor is tentative and new at this stage. The Egyptian star earns £400k per week on Merseyside after renewing his soon-to-expire contract in April, keeping him at the club until the end of next season.

After such staggering success last year, Salah’s drop-off in form has been painful to see, though circumstances have played a part, and the prolific winger is sure to rediscover his shooting boots at some point.

Goals scored

0.77

0.37

Assists

0.48

0.18

Shots taken

3.23

2.29

Shot-creating actions

4.51

3.11

Touches (att pen)

9.50

5.68

Pass completion (%)

70.6

68.7

Progressive passes

3.84

3.66

Progressive carries

4.14

3.66

Successful take-ons

1.55

0.64

Ball recoveries

2.70

2.84

Tackles won

0.29

0.18

But Liverpool do need to start drawing up plans, and Spanish sources suggest this is already in the running, with Hughes preparing a

€100m (equating to £88m) offer for Barcelona superstar Raphinha.

The Brazil international is a wanted man after his sensational 2024/25 campaign, with Atletico Madrid also keen.

However, Liverpool have more financial might and La Blaugrana’s interminable money worries could see a deal completed in 2026.

Why Liverpool want Raphinha

Raphinha, 28, is not a young, up-and-coming talent who can be shaped into a superstar over the next several years.

That’s because he’s already among football’s top brass, hailed as “the best player in the world” by Statman Dave for his herculean efforts in last year’s Champions League.

Last year, the former Leeds United ace produced Salah-esque numbers for Hansi Flick’s La Liga champions. He scored 34 goals and provided 26 assists across all competitions, and that haul saw him eclipse everyone else across Europe’s top five leagues in all competitions. No small feat that, especially when considering the season Liverpool’s talisman had.

Raphinha

57

34 + 26

Mohamed Salah

72

34 + 23

Harry Kane

46

38 + 13

Ousmane Dembele

49

33 + 15

Kylian Mbappe

55

42 + 4

He hasn’t quite hit the same awe-inspiring heights so far this season, but Raphinha has still made a commendable start to the campaign, notching five direct involvements from six league games.

A ready-made talent, Raphinha could prove the perfect replacement to Luis Diaz in Slot’s Liverpool, who was, of course, sold to Bayern Munich this summer for £66.5m.

Diaz, also 28, has been riding the crest of a gigantic wave in Germany this season, with six goals and four assists to his name in the Bundesliga, just nine games played, as well as three strikes from four in the Champions League. His all-round play has been spectacular, his impact sending tremors across Germany.

Away from the more emphatic side of his game, Diaz’s combative side has been sorely missed this term at Liverpool. Last season in the Premier League, he averaged more than one tackle per fixture. Moreover, journalist Neil Docking hailed him as “strong and a fighter” upon the announcement of his departure.

There is also the small matter of Raphinha’s Premier League experience. The Brazilian’s years at Elland Road fashioned in him a physicality and determination that are necessary for success in England. The struggle of Florian Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt underlines the difficulties of integration from overseas.

But, most crucially of all, Raphinha is a player whose skillset aligns with Liverpool’s former wideman. FBref’s data reveals that the Barca man ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe over the past year for goals and assists combined, and then the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 too.

This has seen Diaz recorded as one of his most comparable players. Diaz is incredibly prolific in front of goal, and like Raphinha, he observed his fleet-footed quality, not running about with the same intensity and frequency as someone like Jeremy Doku, but instead being economical in his advancements.

Liverpool need something different in attack, and with Salah winding down, Wirtz struggling to make his mark at this stage, and Diaz now plying his craft elsewhere, the dynamic and versatile Raphinha would be a stunning addition. If Liverpool can capitalise on Barcelona’s financial plight, they must do so.

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