Category Uncategorized

McGrath confident of Australia’s “settled squad” with “so much depth” to defend the ODI title despite the unfamiliar conditions

Andrew McGlashan12-Sep-2025For many overseas cricketers, India is becoming something of a second home these days but despite the increasing familiarity with the country, Australia are preparing to embrace the unknowns at the upcoming women’s ODI World Cup.It’s a situation that will confront all the teams in the competition – even to a degree joint-hosts India – given the mix of venues. The Holkar Stadium in Indore has never hosted women’s internationals, Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium hasn’t staged women’s ODIs and its last women’s T20Is were in 2019, and Visakhapatnam’s previous ODIs were in 2014. Navi Mumbai, the late replacement for Bengaluru, while having staged Tests and T20Is, hasn’t yet been used for the 50-over format in women’s cricket.Then there’s the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo to throw in the mix. The venue has hosted seven women’s ODIs this year featuring Sri Lanka, India and South Africa but Australia, who will face Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the ground, last played there in 2016 when only five of the current squad were on the tour.Related

• All-woman panel to officiate at 2025 women's World Cup

• Perry backs 'huge depth' to see Australia through in ODI World Cup defence

Head coach Shelley Nitschke said last week that she had reached out to the men’s set-up for help gathering data, specifically referencing Colombo where Australia played two spin-dominated ODIs earlier this year, and the players are aware they will need to be adaptable throughout the tournament.”We have been quite lucky, we feel like we’re travelling to India every second month almost,” vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said ahead of Australia’s three-match ODI series against India which starts on Sunday in New Chandigarh. “Spent a lot of time over here, played in these conditions a lot, but we’re playing in some parts that we’re not very familiar with.”[We are] in New Chandigarh at the moment, never been here before, [and] lots of the World Cup venues never been to before. So it’s about learning the conditions, adapting to the conditions, being flexible and communicating really well as a group because it is a little bit foreign to us.”No matter where you are in India, you can get thrown up very different conditions from day to day, so excited about the challenge, [we have] a little bit of experience, but a little bit of unknowns.”The series against India will be Australia’s first internationals since the Ashes finished in early February but McGrath was confident the stability of the squad will serve them well.”We’ve been pretty settled with our squad for quite a while now, so we’ve been pretty lucky with that,” she said. “The only thing is, though, we’re over here for a very long time and I think we’ve got 15 in the World Cup squad and 17 over here at the moment, so it’s a really good opportunity to play a few players, play some different roles.”Not sure what Shell’s got in mind, but we’ve got so much talent, so much depth over here that it doesn’t really matter what team we throw out or what batting order, all that sort of thing, we’re in pretty good hands.”Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux is not expected to feature in the India series as she completes the final stages of recovery from knee surgery but is expected to be ready for the World Cup. The uncapped pair of wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum and allrounder Charli Knott have been included for the bilateral series although, barring injuries, may not feature in what is a chance to gain further experience around the squad.Once the World Cup begins, Australia will be aiming to become the first side since 1988 to defend the ODI title while the memories of their semi-final defeat in last year’s T20 World Cup still linger.”An ODI World Cup is special, they’re probably the pinnacle,” McGrath said. “For the players that were in Dubai it adds that bit of motivation, not a nice feeling the way we exited. And then the extra little bit of motivation as well that we want to be the first team in a while to go back-to-back [in the] ODI World Cup.”

Shamas tore her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2025Sadaf Shamas has been ruled out of Pakistan’s T20I series in Ireland after tearing her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi. Opening batter Shawaal Zulfiqar will replace her in the squad.Zulfiqar, who has played three ODIs and seven T20Is, was among the 24 players who were part of the skills camp in Karachi last month. She will join the Ireland-bound squad on August 3.Zulfiqar’s last T20I was in December 2023, after which she was out of action with a shoulder injury. She made a comeback earlier this year for the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier in Lahore. She played two games and scored eight runs.The 15-member squad will be led by Fatima Sana and includes 20-year-old batter Eyman Fatima, who was rewarded for her success in the National T20 tournament.The series against Ireland starts on August 6. All three T20Is will be played in Belfast.

Pakistan squad for Ireland T20Is

Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Waheeda Akhtar

With Rangers currently fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the gigantic Europa League table, they need wins and fast.

On Saturday, Danny Röhl’s side will go in search of a fourth successive league victory when last-placed Livingston visit Ibrox.

This is followed by a European clash with Braga and, considering the Gers are currently pointless halfway through the league phase, they really could do with a victory over the Archbishops from Northern Portugal.

However, potentially dealing with something of a defensive injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s game, how could Röhl combat his new injury problems?

Rangers' defensive injury crisis

The news any club supporter and indeed manager fears during an international break is reports that their players may have suffered an injury while away with their countries, but this may be exactly the reality Rangers are facing.

First, ahead of Scotland’s historic World Cup qualifying victory over Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday, mere minutes before kick-off, centre-back John Souttar withdrew from the starting lineup after suffering an injury during the warm-up.

The extent of the injury is currently unknown, but it is always a concern when it comes to Souttar, considering he has ruptured both anterior cruciate ligaments in the past.

This season though, he has been a near-ever-present in Rangers’ back line, starting 23 of the Gers’ 24 matches, rested against Alloa, as well as ten of Scotland’s last 11 competitive fixtures prior to Tuesday night.

Later that day, in the middle of the night UK time, further bad news emerged given that Derek Cornelius was withdrawn just 33 minutes into Canada’s 2-0 friendly victory over Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale.

Since arriving on loan from Marseille, the 27-year-old has cemented himself as a key figure, especially since Röhl has switched to a back three, given the scarcity of alternative centre-back options.

Similar to Souttar, it is not yet publicly known if Cornelius will be available for the weekend, but this has to be a concern.

Chalkboard

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

Nevertheless, given bottom of the table Livingston are the visitors to Ibrox, neither should be risked if not 100% fit, hence why Röhl should entrust his forgotten “colossus” with a start.

How Rangers can solve their defensive injury problems

Of Rangers’ 13 new recruits during the summer, Emmanuel Fernandez is often forgotten and overlooked by supporters.

The 6 foot 4 central defender arrived from Peterborough United in July, having bounced around the lower division in England, representing non-league clubs including Sheppey United and Spalding United.

This move north of the border was supposed to be the 24-year-old’s big breakthrough, but he’s so far been more of a lesser-spotted species than an integral figure.

Fernandez scored on debut against Alloa Athletic, starting at St Mirren the following weekend, but has seen just one minute of action since 24 August, introduced late during the last-gasp, hard-fought victory over Hibernian at Easter Road, an unused substitute on 11 occasions.

This is despite the fact that the Englishman boasted impressive statistics in EFL League One last season, as the table below documents.

Goals

5

2nd

Tackles *

1.24

63rd

Interceptions *

0.91

46th

Clearances *

6.83

19th

Passing accuracy %

85.35%

20th

Passes *

65.93

5th

Aerial duels won *

4

27th

Aerial duels won %

62.24

25th

Ground duels won *

2.87

35th

Note: rankings are defenders only.

These performances for Posh last season led to Peterborough Chairman Darragh MacAnthony describing the central defender as a “colossus”, also noting that he is a “gentle giant” as well as a “great organiser and talker”.

His most spectacular moment came when he scored an astonishing long-range goal against Exeter City.

Also worth highlighting is that, according to Global Football Rankings, EFL League One is the 41st strongest division in the world, just eight places below the Scottish Premiership, suggesting Fernandez would be more than good enough to start, particularly against Livingston at home.

With fixtures coming thick and fast, and a must-win European match against Braga right around the corner, Röhl surely cannot risk either Souttar or Cornelius exacerbating their injury issues, emphasising that he has to trust Fernandez to start as the middle man in his back three at the weekend.

Ferguson 2.0: Rangers' "best player" is now more important than Tavernier

Rangers’ “best player” who is reminiscent of Barry Ferguson has emerged under Danny Röhl and it is not captain James Tavernier.

ByBen Gray Nov 14, 2025

For the first time this season, Rangers have won a home Premiership match; Danny Röhl working wonders already!

On Sunday, the Gers beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox, with Derek Cornelius breaking the deadlock, only for Killie to equalise on the cusp of half time, but goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti after the interval cemented the victory.

This is just the Gers second league victory of the season, beating Livingston at Almondvale in the last minute in September, thereby moving them up to fifth, just five points behind Celtic, albeit still 13 adrift run-away league-leaders Hearts.

New manager Röhl may only have been in situ for a week, but now faces a crucial seven days, with a tricky trip to Hibernian to come on Wednesday, before the small matter of a Glasgow derby at Hampden in the League Cup semi-finals next Sunday.

Ahead of these massive games, has Röhl unearthed an “exciting” talent who could replicate, arguably, the Premiership’s best striker?

Why Rangers should have signed Lawrence Shankland

During the summer, Rangers were heavily linked with a move for Scotland international striker Lawrence Shankland, given that his contract at Heart of Midlothian expired on 30 June.

After only a few days unemployed, Shankland decided to stay at Hearts, signing a new contract on 3 July, and he certainly showed Rangers what they could have had last month, scoring both as the Jambos won 2-0 at Ibrox.

Well, Heart of Midlothian are certainly the talk of Scottish football at this moment in time.

On Sunday, Derek McInnes’ side beat Celtic 3-1 at a raucous Tynecastle, going in front thanks to an early own goal, before quick-fire strikes from Alexandros Kyziridis and then Shankland from the penalty spot cemented a 3-1 victory.

This leaves Hearts eight points clear at the top, looking to become the first non-Old Firm champions of Scotland since Aberdeen 41 years ago, not facing one of the Glasgow giants again until they travel to Celtic Park on 7 December.

Shankland himself has now scored eight goals this season, five of which have come in the Premiership.

In contrast, right-back James Tavernier is the only Rangers player to have scored more than one league goal across their nine fixtures to date.

Thus, the Hearts captain, a boyhood Rangers fan, spotted at Ibrox for April’s Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, would unquestionably improve the Gers’ current team, but did Röhl discover his answer to Shankland during Sunday’s match, a forgotten star who could propel Rangers up the table?

Rangers have their own answer to Shankland

Sunday was certainly a memorable afternoon for new signing Youssef Chermiti, scoring his first senior goal since May 2023, but Danilo was the striker who caught the eye.

When he joined the club from Feyenoord for a reported fee of £6m in the summer of 2023, then-manager Michael Beale labelled him an “exciting player who likes to create and score goals”.

Meantime, Melvin Dupper of the Rangers Review described him as ‘quick’ and an ‘amazing instinctive finisher’, praising his work rate and pressing ability, but supporters have seen very little of any of that in the two and a bit years since.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse

The Brazilian has scored just 14 goals in 61 outings for the club, sitting out 65 matches due to injury.

Sunday’s header was just his second goal since netting during the 3-0 demolition of Celtic in January.

Overall, as the table below outlines, Danilo had a very productive afternoon against Kilmarnock, despite limited involvement.

Danilo vs Kilmarnock

Stats

Danilo

Match rank

Goals

1

1st

Shots on target

1

2nd

Accurate passes

11

19th

Duels won

3

19th

Touches

18

22nd

Sofascore rating

7.3

4th

Stats via Sofascore

As the table documents, Danilo was not often involved in build-up play, emphasised by the fact he touched the ball just 18 times in 69 minutes on the park, three touches fewer than goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Nevertheless, when his sole opportunity of the afternoon came, he took it, heading past Killie keeper Eddie Beach.

It may be stating the obvious, but having a reliable goalscorer could transform this team, with new manager Röhl attempting to rebuild a sinking ship that has hit rock bottom, following Russell Martin’s catastrophic if only brief reign.

Hearts would not be clear at the top if it wasn’t for the goals scored by Shankland and summer signing Cláudio Braga, with Rangers still searching for their own talisman in attack, following a scattergun summer of recruitment.

New signings Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski look substandard when compared to the pair they are supposed to be replacing, namely Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane, so could Danilo, a player they already had, but many had written off, prove to be the centre-forward Röhl can hang his hat on?

Related 0 passes made: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was worse than Aasgaard

Danny Rohl must drop this Glasgow Rangers flop who was even worse than Thelo Aasgaard against Kilmarnock.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

Wilfried Nancy will manage his first match in charge of Celtic this afternoon as Hearts come to Parkhead in a top-of-the-table clash in the Scottish Premiership.

It will be interesting to see what tactical changes he has been able to implement after only a few days on the training pitch, as his usual system with his former club is different from the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape that the Hoops have played this season.

Per FBRef, Nancy played with a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-3 system in 31 of his 43 matches with Columbus Crew this year in all competitions, often playing with two second strikers or number tens behind a main centre-forward.

If the French boss goes with his favoured 3-4-2-1 system, he could ruthlessly drop Luke McCowan from the team that started against Dundee last time out.

Why Wilfried Nancy should drop Luke McCowan

The Scottish midfielder has started the last two league matches on the right wing in Martin O’Neill’s 4-2-3-1 system, but he has been ineffective in a new role, lacking the dynamism and pace required to be effective in that area of the pitch.

McCowan, who has not scored since the opening day of the season, did not score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team against Hibernian or Dundee as a winger, per Sofascore.

He also completed just two of his five attempted dribbles, per Sofascore, struggling with the explosive turn of pace that is often needed to make things happen on the wing, whilst he also lost seven of his 11 duels in total across both matches.

These statistics suggest that McCowan should be dropped irrespective of a change in formation, but a change in shape to a 3-4-2-1 would allow Nancy to ditch the Scotsman by unleashing Johnny Kenny in a new role.

The new role that Johnny Kenny could play for Celtic

It has been a rollercoaster couple of months for the Ireland international, who went from rarely playing under Brendan Rodgers to scoring four goals in O’Neill’s first four games, to now being on the bench behind Daizen Maeda.

Kenny has been an unused substitute in the last three matches, which means that he has still scored four goals in his last five appearances for the club, per Sofascore, and Nancy could bring him back into the fold as an attacking midfielder or second striker.

The two roles behind the striker in a 3-4-2-1 system are unique because it can be a very fluid front three with a lot of movement, and that could suit both Kenny and Maeda, the former of whom has been praised for his “top-drawer” mentality by his former Sligo Rovers coach Conor O’Grady.

Celtic’s Irish striker has shown that he can score goals for the club, with his four-goal burst under O’Neill, but Nancy’s job is to find the best way to fit him into the system to get the best out of him.

Per Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old star has never played as a second striker or as an attacking midfielder in his career to date. It is a role that could suit him quite nicely, though.

GK

Kasper Schmeichel

CB

Dane Murray

CB

Auston Trusty

CB

Liam Scales

RWB

Colby Donovan

CM

Callum McGregor

CM

Reo Hatate

LWB

Kieran Tierney

AM

Hyun-jun Yang

AM

Johnny Kenny

ST

Daizen Maeda

As you can see in the XI above, Kenny could play as one of two players behind Maeda, who is a relentless pressing forward who can also play deeper or out wide, and could rotate across all three positions.

This fluidity could suit the Irishman because of his mobility and desire to run beyond the last line to create chances for himself, without being the focal point who has to bring physicality and hold up play, because it will be Maeda in that position.

Of course, it is hard to judge how the system will look until Nancy has had a few games to test things out and more time on the training pitch to coach the players, but Kenny seems like a player who could benefit from a 3-4-2-1 formation.

That change in shape, whilst helping the striker, would also allow the manager to drop an underperforming player, McCowan, from the starting line-up to provide the young forward with a chance to shine in a brand-new role in his career.

Better than Maeda: Celtic star is going to be undroppable under Nancy

This Celtic star who was even better than Daizen Maeda against Dundee should be Wilfried Nancy’s first undroppable star.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

After the weekend defeat in the Premier League, what Arsenal really needed in the Champions League on Wednesday evening was a straightforward victory.

Thankfully for Mikel Arteta’s men, that’s exactly what they got, swatting aside Belgian side Club Brugge 3-0 with relative ease.

The Gunners were at their free-flowing best in the final third, notably scoring two outstanding goals courtesy of Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke.

It was a much-changed side as Arteta chose to rotate and many in red and white in midweek staked their claim for more regular opportunities.

Arsenal's standout performers against Club Brugge

This was a fantastic night for Arsenal’s wingers. With Leandro Trossard injured and Bukayo Saka part of the rested crew on the bench, it meant that Martinelli and Madueke started on the left and right flanks respectively.

Both players have struggled with injuries this season but Martinelli, in particular, has made an impact nearly every time he’s played.

The Brazilian scored the away side’s third and final goal on Wednesday, a beauty from the edge of the area.

That happened to be his fifth goal in his last five Champions League ties, the first player in Arsenal history to record such a statistic.

That said, his colleague on the opposite wing was even better. This was his finest day in Arsenal colours yet.

Signed from Chelsea in the summer, every man and his dog seemed to question why on earth Andrea Berta and Co had brought Madueke to the Emirates Stadium. Well, safe to say he’s proved everyone wrong.

The Englishman bagged his first goal for the club against Bayern Munich a few weeks ago and added two more to his tally this week.

His first was a scorcher from distance. The Arsenal winger burst away from his marker, headed towards the box and then unleashed a fierce effort which crashed off the bar and found the net.

By contrast, his second goal was about as simple as they come. Martin Zubimendi’s cross from the left found Madueke who headed home from a matter of yards out.

There were a number of real positives for Arsenal. It was great to see Gabriel Jesus back on the pitch for the first time after suffering an ACL injury back in January.

Emergency centre-half, Christian Norgaard, also stood out at the back, part of a backline that kept a clean sheet.

With Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera and Jurrien Timber all missing through injury, it meant a rare opportunity for the Dane and he took it with aplomb, even if he was playing out of position.

That being said, it wasn’t the finest of nights for another of Arsenal’s summer signings.

Arsenal's worst performer against Club Brugge

This was an evening for those on the fringes to stake their claim. Madueke, Martinelli and Norgaard all took their chances.

Viktor Gyokeres, on the other hand, did not. The question that was raised after this game was, when do we start to worry about the Swede?

When Berta first arrived in north London, his priority task was to find a new striker and one capable of scoring goals.

Well, it looked as though he’d acquired one of Europe’s finest. This is a player who bagged 54 times in 52 games last term for Sporting CP but he has so far failed to translate that form in English football.

To be fair to him, he has largely been starved of service. Arsenal struggle to create clear-cut opportunities for him to score from and that was the same story against Brugge this week.

Chalkboard

The only chance of note that Gyokeres had came in the first half but it was a half-chance at best, heading the ball straight into the arms of the goalkeeper with a few bodies challenging for the same ball.

Gyokeres did leave the field with three shots to his name but none of them were that noteworthy, which seems to be a familiar trend from his time in north London to date.

That said, the Sweden international does need to be doing more. Even if he has just returned from injury, his 45-minute cameo against Aston Villa at the weekend, combined with his 60-odd minutes on Wednesday, were not good enough.

Minutes played

62

Touches

12

Accurate passes

5/6 (83%)

Key passes

1

Crosses

0

Shots

3

Shots on target

1

Successful dribbles

0

Ground duels won

0/3

Aerial duels won

2/3

He had just 12 touches of the ball in Belgium, 25 fewer than goalkeeper David Raya. Furthermore, he also managed just five passes.

There is a sense that Gyokeres has vastly improved his hold-up play and ability to link things together at the top of this Arsenal team since signing from Sporting. However, he was brought to London to score goals and he’s simply not doing that with any regularity right now.

It is only December. We must not completely write off the big-money attacker before he’s had a full season. For now, however, it doesn’t look great.

Arsenal have looked a much better team with Mikel Merino as the number 9 and you’d expect him to start against Wolves in that role on Saturday night ahead of Gyokeres.

Arsenal star was playing like Saka, now he's being treated like Smith Rowe

The incredible Arsenal talent could end up following Smith Rowe’s trajectory instead of Saka’s.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes 2 days ago

Regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in New Zealand, 25-year-old Matt Fisher is ready to make the most of a surprise call-up

Deivarayan Muthu27-Jul-2025Matt Fisher wasn’t supposed to be in New Zealand’s Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in Zimbabwe. Having just worked his way back from injury, the 25-year-old Northern Districts fast bowler was building up his loads for the New Zealand A tour of South Africa, which begins next month, instead.But, with a number of the top-rung fast bowlers away in T20 leagues and county cricket over the winter, Fisher was called up to New Zealand’s preparatory camp in the lead-up to the Zimbabwe tour as a net bowler, and new head coach Rob Walter was so impressed with his raw pace – he can hit 140kph and is regarded as one of the fastest in New Zealand – that he fast-tracked Fisher into the Test squad, Walter’s first since taking charge. Walter had also previously coached Fisher on an A tour to India in 2022 and has been quite big on out-and-out fast bowlers.”Yeah, he [Walter] just pulled me aside for a chat. He said he was going to have a chat with me at the start of the camp,” Fisher recalled after winning his first call-up. “Had a bit to do with him with the A tour to India a couple of years ago, so I thought he was just going to catch up and see how my body was and just have a yarn.Related

O'Rourke ruled out of second Test with back injury

Matt Fisher earns first NZ call-up, Williamson remains unavailable for Zimbabwe Tests

Bracewell replaces Phillips for first Test against Zimbabwe

“And then just said he was interested in taking me to Zimbabwe and, yeah, to be honest, it’s probably just a blur from there. But, nah, it’s pretty epic stuff!”With tearaway Ben Sears injured, Fisher has been called up to provide New Zealand’s attack with express pace. Walter believes that Fisher can be an “X-factor” bowler.”Raw pace is highly regarded everywhere in the world, and generally it brings a point of difference to your team,” Walter said. “So, for me, that’s the main thing. We’ve got Will O’Rourke, who’s probably the top end of speed in our team, and to have someone who can then come and back him up if needs be is very important from a squad point of view. But, as we build a battery of fast bowlers, we’re very blessed in the country at the moment to have a large number of really good, strong fast bowlers.”And we’re just adding Fish into that mix now, giving them a little bit of touring experience, a bit of taste of what it means to be part of the Black Caps, and that just bodes well for our stable of fast bowlers.”Like Sears’ career, Fisher’s has been a litany of setbacks, from back issues and ankle injuries to shin splits more recently. Fisher played just three matches for Northern Districts in the 2024-25 Plunket Shield, taking 14 wickets at an average of 17.71. But New Zealand’s coaches and his team-mates see potential and a high ceiling. Overall, Fisher has picked up 51 wickets in 14 first-class matches at an average of 24.11.Matt Fisher is regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in New Zealand• Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images”Great to see Fish [in the Test side]. He’s had his injury troubles in the past, but, you know, in the last couple of seasons, at least for ND, he’s been bowling really quick and with great control,” Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand ODI captain and Fisher’s team-mate at Northern Districts, said. “I think he really impressed the boys back in New Zealand with that. When he arrives [in Zimbabwe], he will be pretty fired up and ready to go. For someone to be able to bounce back from injuries and potentially make a Test debut will be pretty cool for him.”Fisher’s emergence is a positive sign for a New Zealand attack that is in transition following the Trent Boult-Tim Southee era. With Kyle Jamieson also on a personal break for the birth of his first child, New Zealand have included two uncapped quicks in their squad. Apart from Fisher, Jacob Duffy is the other new face in the Test side. From having grown up watching Boult, Southee and Neil Wagner lead New Zealand’s line over the years, Fisher could potentially take his first step towards emulating his heroes in Zimbabwe.”Yeah, I grew up watching Bolt, Southee and Wags [Neil Wagner] and they’re just kind of all I remember,” Fisher said. “Probably started watching [them] when I was a teenager and just loved watching them bowl. You know, they’ve all different skill sets. They all just slotted in and, I suppose, worked with each other beautifully.”Yeah, they’re the reason why the Black Caps have the name they do now. I think they’re the backbone, as any cricketer, fast bowler would say. They are the engine room of the team. So, yeah, if I could have half the career they had, I’d be more than happy.”Fisher was part of the 2018 New Zealand Under-19 batch that has produced the likes of Rachin Ravindra and Finn Allen. Fisher was New Zealand Under-19s’ second-highest wicket-taker, with seven strikes in six games in that World Cup.Matt Fisher was New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup•ICC via Getty ImagesThen came the injuries. Fisher was dealing with a stress fracture in his back through much of his time in Dunedin, where he studied law at the University of Otago. He has been contracted to Northern Districts since 2018. Over the years, Fisher has evolved, and has learnt to deal with the highs and lows of life as a fast bowler.”You’re getting injured some days. You don’t feel good some days. Everything’s going for four or six and I suppose you’re just chasing those good days,” he said. “So, in cricket, you have more bad days than good. So, I think it’s just that thought that each time you go out and play, you’re going to have a good day and, like, ‘it’s going to be your day’ and you’re going to prove yourself.”So, yeah, I love it. I wish I was a batter as well, but there’s no better feeling when you’ve got a new ball in hand and you’re just feeling nice, wind behind you, and trying to bowl fast and break the game open for your team.”It’s been five months since Fisher had experienced that feeling in a competitive game. Fit and firing at the New Zealand nets, he is now ready to make the most of his unexpected Test call-up.

Leeds United have to win their next Premier League clash away at Nottingham Forest otherwise the Whites will be plunged even deeper into relegation trouble.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s men now sit precariously above the drop zone after a pitiful 3-0 loss at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, with the five-point gap between themselves and Forest shaved to just two points if Sean Dyche’s side gets the better of the West Yorkshire outfit.

To further pile on the worry, Dyche also has six career wins under his belt as a manager when facing the Whites, with Leeds also winless – and goalless – on the road since a 3-1 success against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Farke will need to see an immediate reaction from this devastating defeat on the South Coast, with several of his summer recruits potentially being dropped, despite many making positive starts, away from the loss at the Amex.

Why Leeds' summer business must be questioned

Across the ranks, not a single player could trudge off at the end of the 3-0 loss to Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls, satisfied with their efforts.

Not even their marquee signing, Noah Okafor, is immune to criticism.

The tricky number 19 did try his best to unlock a stern home side with five successful dribbles. But, former Leeds player Jon Newsome has harshly called the ex-AC Milan winger a “passenger” for how easily he can give up the ball, and that was the case, again, versus Hurzeler’s hosts when ceding possession a costly 19 times.

Moreover, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could also find himself dropped up top after another goalless showing passed him by, with just one goal still next to his name since leaving Everton behind in the summer. He arguably has to be the most questionable signing of the summer, even if he did arrive on a free transfer.

Central defender Jaka Bijol might also be made to sit out after a two-game stint in the first team, with Pascal Struijk perhaps the most logical replacement, as the £15m summer recruit failed to win a single tackle, and just one duel, as Brighton ran the hopeless away side ragged all afternoon.

Despite the hosts’ blistering nature, Bijol and the rest of the backline did make it very straightforward for Diego Gomez to kickstart his brace, when he was left in acres of room to tap home his first effort of the day for 2-0.

Farke really could ring the changes for the crunch tie at Forest, therefore, with one summer signing also at risk of being cut from the German’s starting XI.

The bold selection Farke could make

It hasn’t been exclusively doom and gloom all season long in West Yorkshire, with some positive performances potentially standing Farke and Co. in good stead to beat the drop.

Chalkboard

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

The aforementioned 3-1 away win at Wolves, in particular, saw everything click as new signings Anton Stach, Calvert-Lewin, and Okafor were all amongst the goals.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also put in a sterling effort against the now managerless Old Gold after joining from Lille in July.

Indeed, Leeds-based social media account The Leeds Press hailed the Swede as an asset that “gives everything” after the Wolves win, as seen in him registering eight clearances and winning three duels to keep the Molineux hosts at bay.

With 3.5 ball recoveries also averaged across his ten Premier League games, on top of two big chances being created, it felt as if Leeds had hit the jackpot on a perfect Junior Firpo replacement on the left flank.

Journalist James Marshment even boldly stated in late September that he has been “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this season”. At just £10m, he had certainly proved himself to be a bargain.

Unfortunately for the Sweden regular, though, he put in a horror-show performance on the South Coast, as a rapid Yankuba Minteh turned him inside out all match.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

72

Accurate passes

35/42 (83%)

Possession lost

16x

Dribbled past

2x

Tackles won

1/2

Total duels won

7/12

The strong and resilient full-back that had bounced back from his own-goal at Fulham in style was nowhere to be seen against the Seagulls.

He was dribbled past twice as a weak member of Farke’s defence, on top of also falling victim to an Okafor-like display, with possession given up 16 times.

James Justin could well get the nod to come in for Gudmundsson at the City Ground, therefore.

It is unlikely to be the only alteration, as Farke attempts to pick a refreshed side that can halt Leeds’ shambolic offerings on the road.

Rarely-seen Leeds talent could be a surprise Aaronson replacement

Daniel Farke could soon surprisingly throw this Leeds United academy gem into the first team.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 4, 2025

This isn’t a title-decider, but if Australia win in Adelaide – as they should – Head’s century will carry enormous significance

Andrew McGlashan07-Dec-2024There were many shots from Travis Head that stood out on the second day in Adelaide. But one in particular caught the eye – it came against Harshit Rana, when he produced a back-foot square drive on his tiptoes, which rocketed to the point fence. It was a fantastic piece of power and placement. It also took him into the 90s.Another similar boundary came next ball in the following over, when he tapped R Ashwin into the leg side to reach his eighth Test century. The arms went aloft and the first acknowledgement was to his family, including his new-born son, in the stands before the trademark helmet-on-the-bat celebration as he took in the ovation of a 51,642-strong home crowd.It was the third time he’d been able to soak in a Test century at the ground following hundreds in the last two seasons against West Indies. “A home Test match is very special. Can’t quite believe I’ve been able to do it three in a row,” he said.Related

Super sub Boland could make way again as Hazlewood's recovery gains progress

Siraj vs Head: The send-off that turned Adelaide Oval into the Colosseum

Stats – Head's pink-ball delight and Rohit's 2024 misery

Australia scorch India after Head ton and Boland-Cummins spells

India will also have felt they had been here before. This is shaping as the third match of huge significance that Head has defined against India. In last year’s World Test Championship final he made a thrilling 163 off 174 balls at The Oval, and then a few months later broke the hearts of a nation with a barnstorming display in the ODI World Cup final.Head’s history against India creates an interesting set of markers through his career.In 2018-19, he made 72 in Adelaide in just his third Test as India narrowly prevailed, before another half-century in Perth where he was twice caught at deep third playing the type of attacking cricket that is now part and parcel of his make-up, but at the time did not appear to come naturally in the Test arena.During India’s visit in 2020-21, Head’s career briefly hit the buffers when he was dropped after two Tests. In the end, his absence only lasted two games and he was back for the start of the Ashes the following summer. Since then, he has averaged 45.20 with a strike-rate of 79.68, instilled with the belief, confidence and backing to play in the style that was so evident in this innings. Of the 44 players to score at least 1000 runs in that period, only two Bazballers – Ben Duckett and Harry Brook – along with Rishabh Pant have a higher strike rate than Head.ESPNcricinfo LtdThis wasn’t a title decider, but it has carried similar importance for Australia after the heavy loss in the opening Test in Perth, where Head’s second-innings 89 offered a rare bright spot.On the second day in Adelaide, Australia were threatening to totter when he walked to the crease after Nathan McSweeney was caught behind off Jasprit Bumrah, having added just one to his overnight score, and Steven Smith glanced the same bowler down the leg side.India weren’t completely back in the game at 103 for 3, but another wicket or two quickly would have changed that. At that point, Australia were scoring at 2.57. Instead, Head produced such a dominant display that when he departed it was hard to see a way back for India even before they lost five wickets in the final session.In the 41 overs he was at the crease, runs came at five an over. Credit must be given to the previous night’s work of McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne – the latter who went to make 64 in an innings where he looked much more like his old self – which meant the ball was 40 overs old when Head arrived.As often, there was some living on the edge. Head was beaten second ball by a gem from around the wicket by Bumrah, but he drove the next delivery through the covers to get off the mark. The next over against Mohammed Siraj he played and missed three times. When Ashwin was introduced, it took Head two balls to advance down the pitch and send him straight for six. A slog-sweep for six would follow. After dinner, he sent Ashwin straight over the sightscreen again, and then came a life when he tried a repeat and Siraj couldn’t hold a tough chance running back from mid-on. Next over, Head edged Rana between Pant and a wide slip.

“Very pleased with the way I was able to play against Ashwin, pick my moments and manoeuvre the field. I sensed where the game was at and problem solved through that going into the new ball”Travis Head

“I probably batted better last week than I did this week,” he said afterwards. “Made use of some chances [and] put us in a good position.”Head’s fifty had come from 63 balls, the century needed just a further 48. After that, he really turned on the afterburners. He had a strike rate of at least a run-a-ball against all the quicks including a notable 119 facing Bumrah. His rate of scoring meant Australia were 111 ahead when the second new ball arrived at 80 overs, so even though India claimed the last five wickets for 55 the lead was a healthy one.”I was very pleased with the way I started,” Head said. “Very pleased with the way I was able to play against Ashwin, pick my moments and manoeuvre the field. I sensed where the game was at and problem solved through that going into the new ball. Thought that was a great opportunity to put some pressure on before that new ball and try to maximise runs. Knew the new ball was going to be very difficult. Nice to move through the gears and game situation.”Siraj did not take kindly to being disdainfully whipped over backward square-leg for Head’s fourth six and when he got one under the bat next ball, gave Head a verbal volley of a send-off – the first time in the series the spirit between the teams has been tested. The crowd made its feelings known and what followed was a theatrical passage of play where everything Siraj did was booed. He had, in fact, also been the bowler to remove Head in the WTC and World Cup finals. As on those days, this one felt about 100 runs too late.

For the first time this season, Rangers have won a home Premiership match; Danny Röhl working wonders already!

On Sunday, the Gers beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox, with Derek Cornelius breaking the deadlock, only for Killie to equalise on the cusp of half time, but goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti after the interval cemented the victory.

This is just the Gers second league victory of the season, beating Livingston at Almondvale in the last minute in September, thereby moving them up to fifth, just five points behind Celtic, albeit still 13 adrift run-away league-leaders Hearts.

New manager Röhl may only have been in situ for a week, but now faces a crucial seven days, with a tricky trip to Hibernian to come on Wednesday, before the small matter of a Glasgow derby at Hampden in the League Cup semi-finals next Sunday.

Ahead of these massive games, has Röhl unearthed an “exciting” talent who could replicate, arguably, the Premiership’s best striker?

Why Rangers should have signed Lawrence Shankland

During the summer, Rangers were heavily linked with a move for Scotland international striker Lawrence Shankland, given that his contract at Heart of Midlothian expired on 30 June.

After only a few days unemployed, Shankland decided to stay at Hearts, signing a new contract on 3 July, and he certainly showed Rangers what they could have had last month, scoring both as the Jambos won 2-0 at Ibrox.

Well, Heart of Midlothian are certainly the talk of Scottish football at this moment in time.

On Sunday, Derek McInnes’ side beat Celtic 3-1 at a raucous Tynecastle, going in front thanks to an early own goal, before quick-fire strikes from Alexandros Kyziridis and then Shankland from the penalty spot cemented a 3-1 victory.

This leaves Hearts eight points clear at the top, looking to become the first non-Old Firm champions of Scotland since Aberdeen 41 years ago, not facing one of the Glasgow giants again until they travel to Celtic Park on 7 December.

Shankland himself has now scored eight goals this season, five of which have come in the Premiership.

In contrast, right-back James Tavernier is the only Rangers player to have scored more than one league goal across their nine fixtures to date.

Thus, the Hearts captain, a boyhood Rangers fan, spotted at Ibrox for April’s Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, would unquestionably improve the Gers’ current team, but did Röhl discover his answer to Shankland during Sunday’s match, a forgotten star who could propel Rangers up the table?

Rangers have their own answer to Shankland

Sunday was certainly a memorable afternoon for new signing Youssef Chermiti, scoring his first senior goal since May 2023, but Danilo was the striker who caught the eye.

When he joined the club from Feyenoord for a reported fee of £6m in the summer of 2023, then-manager Michael Beale labelled him an “exciting player who likes to create and score goals”.

Meantime, Melvin Dupper of the Rangers Review described him as ‘quick’ and an ‘amazing instinctive finisher’, praising his work rate and pressing ability, but supporters have seen very little of any of that in the two and a bit years since.

Chalkboard

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

The Brazilian has scored just 14 goals in 61 outings for the club, sitting out 65 matches due to injury.

Sunday’s header was just his second goal since netting during the 3-0 demolition of Celtic in January.

Overall, as the table below outlines, Danilo had a very productive afternoon against Kilmarnock, despite limited involvement.

Goals

1

1st

Shots on target

1

2nd

Accurate passes

11

19th

Duels won

3

19th

Touches

18

22nd

Sofascore rating

7.3

4th

As the table documents, Danilo was not often involved in build-up play, emphasised by the fact he touched the ball just 18 times in 69 minutes on the park, three touches fewer than goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Nevertheless, when his sole opportunity of the afternoon came, he took it, heading past Killie keeper Eddie Beach.

It may be stating the obvious, but having a reliable goalscorer could transform this team, with new manager Röhl attempting to rebuild a sinking ship that has hit rock bottom, following Russell Martin’s catastrophic if only brief reign.

Hearts would not be clear at the top if it wasn’t for the goals scored by Shankland and summer signing Cláudio Braga, with Rangers still searching for their own talisman in attack, following a scattergun summer of recruitment.

New signings Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski look substandard when compared to the pair they are supposed to be replacing, namely Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane, so could Danilo, a player they already had, but many had written off, prove to be the centre-forward Röhl can hang his hat on?

0 passes made: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was worse than Aasgaard

Danny Rohl must drop this Glasgow Rangers flop who was even worse than Thelo Aasgaard against Kilmarnock.

1 ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025