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John Mooney joins the Afghanistan team ahead of the UAE tri-series starting August 29

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2025

Afghanistan have appointed former Ireland allrounder John Mooney as their new fielding coach, and Nirmalan Thanabalasingam as the new physiotherapist.Both Mooney and Thanabalasingam have joined the Afghanistan set-up for the ongoing training and preparation camp ahead of the T20I tri-series in the UAE (with Pakistan as the third team) starting August 29 and the men’s T20 Asia Cup from September 9.Mooney had previously served as the Afghanistan fielding coach from 2018 to 2019, when they made their Test debut in India. He had also worked with the West Indies men’s team in 2019 and has been a temporary coach for the Ireland women’s team since January this year.Related

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A left-hand batter and right-arm quick during his playing days, 43-year-old Mooney played 64 ODIs and 27 T20Is for Ireland from 2006 to 2015, which included three ODI World Cups (2007, 2011 and 2015) as well as two T20 World Cups (2009 and 2010). He had famously hit the winning runs in Ireland’s historic win over England in the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru.He retired in 2015 and went on to complete Level 3, 2, and 1 coaching certificates from the England Cricket Board.Thanabalasingam has been the physiotherapist for Desert Vipers in the ILT20 since 2020. Prior to that, he had worked as the high-performance training and rehabilitation manager for Sri Lanka Cricket from March 2017 to June 2018 and has also worked with Cricket New South Wales, Rangpur Riders (BPL), Montreal Tigers (GT20 Canada), ICC World XI, SydneyThunder (BBL), and the West Harbour Rugby Union Club.Afghanistan are currently undergoing a training camp in Abu Dhabi.

Unsatisfactory series demonstrates so much that is wrong with international game

Cameron Ponsonby23-Oct-2025I’m gonna be honest. You’ve read this one before.The hyperinflation of the modern game, where cricket is on all the time in a desperate attempt to stay relevant, while diluting its product with every caveated fixture.It has been a constant question to Black Caps players this series.”What’s it like playing cricket in October?”It is not cricket season here. The domestic season hasn’t started yet – it begins in full this weekend. The opening match of New Zealand’s series against Australia earlier this month was played on October 1, the earliest that the Kiwis had ever played a home international.Six matches and three washouts later, the result was entirely predictable. It rained. A lot. The weather here has, admittedly, been extreme. Warnings were announced for much of the country as high winds left 90,000 homes on the South Island without power. Kiwi head coach Rob Walter made the point that, across both the Australia and England series, they had been unlucky with sunny training days sandwiching rainy matchdays. That is true – and in his position it is a point he is almost contractually obliged to make – but some sunny days and some rainy days sounds an awful lot like the middle of spring to me.The result was an uncomfortable theme that ran throughout, of Kiwi players talking about the importance of taking the opportunity to play the likes of Australia or England whenever you can. A team that won the World Test Championship in 2021, and has reached numerous ICC finals in recent years, is still thankful for the chance to take the pitch against their equals.”You’ve got to take every chance to play them,” Kiwi wicketkeeper Tim Seifert said ahead of the match at Auckland. “You’d rather play them at this time of the year than not.”For the second year in a row, New Zealand have no home international cricket scheduled for January or February. The height of their summer. The rest of their season consists of West Indies arriving for a multi-format tour in November and South Africa arriving for a white-ball tour in March, which will clash directly with the IPL and be without several high-profile players for either side.England are a key drawcard for the nations that rely on the income they generate•AFP/Getty Images”There’s no point trying to compete against some of the top franchise leagues,” explained Walter after the Auckland washout. “But rather coexist with them.”And are they co-existing?”It depends on who you ask, I guess.”New Zealand have been up against this for years. Shane Bond missed 18 months of international cricket in 2007 after signing up for the Indian Cricket League. Trent Boult was the first Kiwi to move to a “casual” contract in 2022 and now there are five players – Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Seifert and Kane Williamson – in the New Zealand squad who operate on such a deal. The cold hard cash facts are that top Black Caps players believe they can earn up to US$1 million more a year by pursuing a life solely on the franchise circuit.”We are really privileged that the guys really do enjoy playing for their country and want to come back and play for the Black Caps,” said Walter. “We want to maintain that but part of the job is understanding that you can’t have guys playing all formats and in every game.”The “casual” contracts symbolise a commitment from the player to be available for a certain number of matches a year. They operate on an annual basis and the number jumped from two to five this year due to the upcoming T20 World Cup, as the T20 specialists had to commit themselves to x number of games to be eligible for selection.Related

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But it is wishful thinking to consider that any “casual” relationship can end well. Just ask any 20-year-old across the globe.England, Australia and India are now committed to touring each other once a year. These arrangements take up space, meaning that other series end up being shortened, played with weakened sides, and pushed to the margins. And so the un-valuable series become even less valuable. And the invaluable tours become even more so. It is a vicious cycle. And one that administrators show no signs of breaking. South Africa, the current World Test Champions, are currently poised beautifully at one-all in their series against Pakistan – with zero games to play. An unsexy series, deprived of the chance to make itself more attractive to broadcasters next time round.It would be funny if it wasn’t so relentless. A year ago, England played a white-ball series in the West Indies with a second string squad because the matches had been sandwiched in between their Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. The games were scheduled, for broadcast reasons, at 4pm which had the double-jeopardy effect of meaning fewer fans could attend the game in person and dew had a decisive impact on each match as it arrived at the halfway stage in each fixture. Of the seven completed matches on that tour, all were won by the team who won the toss.”When we looked at the schedule we knew that would be a problem,” Windies captain at the time Rovman Powell said.Cricket relies on broadcast rights to keep it, barely, afloat. The problem is that with every series that is designed for TV at the cost of quality, the product becomes less valuable the next time around. Ultimately, broadcasters are creating a product that, eventually, it won’t want to buy itself.You know this. You’ve read it before. And one day, hopefully, it will change. England won this three match T20I series one-nil. 61.4 overs were bowled.

England's incredibly memorable 2025 is now in the books after the Lionesses closed out their 'homecoming' series on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Ghana. Sarina Wiegman's side have been taking their European Championship trophy around the country over the last couple of months, showing off the silverware while entertaining the fans who celebrated its return home as excitedly as the players themselves. They've certainly done the latter as of late, bouncing back from defeat to Brazil to finish the year with three successive wins.

But England's four friendlies since Euro 2025 have not been a vanity project. With qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup to begin in the New Year, thus starting a new cycle for the back-to-back European champions, Wiegman has been using this opportunity to rotate and experiment, sussing out who is ready to step up and play a key role as attention turns to the next major tournament while also addressing some of the minor issues in her squad.

This camp, which began with a record-breaking 8-0 thumping of China at Wembley on Saturday before concluding in Southampton with victory over Ghana, has featured plenty of intrigue then, as was the case in October. That has only been intensified by the absences that have forced Wiegman to hand out even more opportunities, with Leah Williamson, Hannah Hampton, Alex Greenwood, Jess Carter, Michelle Agyemang and Lauren James among those missing this time.

So, before attention does turn to that qualifying campaign for the World Cup, and the need to pip Spain to top spot in their group to secure an automatic berth through to Brazil, what was there to be learned from the Lionesses' last camp of 2025? GOAL picks out the winners and losers from England's final games of the year…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Lucia Kendall

After emerging as one of the stories of England's previous camp, thanks to her incredibly impressive debut in the win over Australia, Lucia Kendall again grabbed the headlines as the Lionesses closed out 2025, and in a very special way.

Named in Wiegman's starting XI as England played at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium, the Saints' first-ever Lioness broke the deadlock after just six minutes, sparking wonderfully wholesome celebrations from a player who spent 10 years with the club on the south coast. "She was so happy and she celebrated as if it was a Champions League final," Wiegman said with a laugh after the game. "Good for her!"

That goal was the highlight of another very composed and solid performance from Kendall, who has shot up the midfield pecking order over the last few weeks. The Aston Villa star has an eye for goal, is excellent in her individual duels and offers accuracy on the ball, all of which is complemented by a maturity that belies her 21 years. She could have a real role to play moving forward.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Chloe Kelly

After being the star of the show at Euro 2025, Chloe Kelly's luck just isn't in so far this season. It felt like she was going to come into this campaign with plenty of momentum, after that tournament and the superb end to 2024-25 she enjoyed at Arsenal. But having seemingly come through a period where she was nursing a knee problem, the winger limped off in the early stages of Tuesday's win with a problem that seemed to affect that same knee.

"She felt something with her knee that didn’t feel right. She could walk but it just didn’t feel right," Wiegman explained after the game. "For her, it’s sad because she had a start and she was playing and then she had to go off. Of course, you want to be available at all times and you don’t want to have those niggles, but that’s just the way it is now and what she has to sort out is: What is it? And just assess that and try to get back as soon as possible and get consistency. That’s what she wants too, but you have to take it as it is."

With just three starts for Arsenal this term, Kelly has not had the rhythm she needs to be at her best so far in 2025-26. This latest setback isn't going to help her in her quest to get there, either.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Taylor Hinds

After making her England debut in the last camp, it felt like Taylor Hinds really stated her case to be the Lionesses' starting left-back this week. Niamh Charles got the nod when the European champions hosted China at Wembley, and while the Chelsea star did little wrong in that 8-0 thrashing, Hinds put in a really impressive display when she was granted the opportunity to play against Ghana a few days later.

Only Aggie Beever-Jones, the Lionesses' starting No.9 on the night, and Beth Mead, who replaced Kelly early on, played more key passes in Southampton than Hinds, while no England player won more ground duels than her seven in what was an all-action display. With her natural left foot, a very capable right and some brilliant deliveries from set pieces and open play also on show, Hinds really does look ready to fight hard to be Wiegman's first-choice in a left-back role which has been so problematic for the manager.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Laura Blindkilde Brown

After making an outstanding start to the new Women's Super League season with Manchester City, Laura Blindkilde Brown appeared primed to continue that into these final two England camps of the year. However, to the surprise of many, she wasn't handed the opportunities by Wiegman that were expected.

Tuesday actually brought about Blindkilde Brown's first minutes of this 'homecoming' series, with her an unused sub in England's first three games post-Euro 2025. She looked good in the 30-minute cameo in Southampton, too, reinforcing the belief held by many that she should've been given more game time across these friendlies.

However, with Kendall shining, Missy Bo Kearns winning a couple more caps and Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone still having a stronghold on the midfield in Wiegman's first-choice XI, Blindkilde Brown seems to have fallen down the pecking order for now.

The tournament is not perfect, but it’s not the disaster England have often tried to paint it as being

Matt Roller19-Jun-2025The World Test Championship might be fundamentally flawed but after three missed attempts to reach the final on home soil, it is time for England to take it seriously. Ben Stokes believes it is “utterly confusing” but he must have looked on with envy as Temba Bavuma lifted the golden mace at Lord’s last week, capping a comeback victory that was celebrated throughout South Africa.The third WTC final was the best yet, one that underlined the significance of a concept that has added plenty to Test cricket despite its flaws. The quality of cricket was incredibly high, embodied in the performances of Pat Cummins, Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada, and the occasion was clearly enhanced by the jeopardy created by a one-off final.But England’s attitude towards the WTC has been ambivalent. The ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket believes it is “hard to understand”, the chairman has called for it to be “fairer and more competitive”, and the chief executive said last week that it is “not the be-all and end-all” when compared to the results of five-Test series against India and Australia.Related

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These are not just sour grapes from a team that has finished fourth, fourth and fifth in the first three cycles. Even the WTC’s most vocal proponents would accept that it is a long way from perfect: no sporting league with any competitive integrity should be superimposed onto a fixture list decided between individual boards, as this one effectively is.The uneven, unequal fixture list has been a clear frustration for England: the percentage-point system effectively penalises them for playing longer series against high-quality opponents. Still, Australia and India have overcome similar scheduling to reach two finals each out of three; England, by contrast, have never come close.But the reality is that for all its flaws, the WTC has been a success: it has created a showpiece final for the Test format, which in turn has provided context and incentives that did not previously exist for smaller nations. For New Zealand’s and South Africa’s players, winning the WTC was a bigger achievement than any single series win of their careers.England must accept that they will have to adapt accordingly. The ECB has made the case that the over-rate penalties they have faced have been outsized, considering that they have only drawn one of their last 36 Tests, but every other team has been able to get through their overs more quickly. Their complaints will be taken more seriously from a position of strength.They have also developed a bad habit of ending series poorly: in four of their last five series, they have won the first Test but lost the last. Stokes has attributed that to mental and physical fatigue, but there have been hints of complacency too, not least against Sri Lanka at The Oval last year.England have been the perfect hosts for the first three WTC finals, but as a team they have been ambivalent towards the tournament•Gareth Copley / GettyIt was a series that England needed to win 3-0 to retain realistic ambitions of reaching the final, but their performance suggested a team who considered the match to be a dead rubber: they handed a debut to an incredibly raw fast bowler, and were bowled out in 34 overs in a frenetic second innings. It was anything but ruthless.The great curiosity of England’s position is that they appear to have taken a sudden interest in the ICC’s Test rankings, despite the WTC rendering them almost irrelevant. Stokes texted Brendon McCullum and Rob Key to say, “One more place to go,” when England briefly rose to second last month, and Key has publicly targeted the No. 1 spot.It is a strange focus as a new WTC cycle starts, akin to an international football team talking about the FIFA rankings at the start of a World Cup. England’s public stance is that they focus on winning every Test match they play in, and that winning enough will get them into the final: “As a group, we’re probably not looking that far ahead,” Brydon Carse said on Wednesday.England’s fixture list in the 2025-27 cycle is frontloaded. If they emerge from their next ten Tests – five against India, five in Australia – with a winning record, then they should be well positioned for their four remaining series: three Tests apiece against Pakistan and New Zealand at home, three in South Africa, and two in Bangladesh.The ECB is keen to retain hosting rights for the WTC final, and the indications are that it will do so at next month’s ICC conference in Singapore. If that happens, it will provide their side with yet another prime opportunity to reach the final in home conditions; to do so, they must engage with the WTC’s oddities rather than fighting against them.

Manchester United are now eyeing Hertha Berlin’s Kennet Eichhorn, with it being revealed the midfielder has an affordable release clause, but there could be rival interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

Gary Neville has suggested that Ruben Amorim may need to upgrade the spine of his team, given that his current options are arguably in the latter stages of their career, saying: “You’ve got the midfield, Casemiro and Bruno have got massive experience.

“Up front, they haven’t got the experience. But to me, that spine of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Maguire and De Ligt is ageing, but should be doing a lot better at holding it all together than they do.”

Casemiro has been proving age is just a number with some of his recent performances, which has led to United contacting his agent about a new contract, but with the Brazilian set to turn 34 in just over three months time, Amorim may need to start thinking about a long-term replacement.

Carlos Baleba was named as the Red Devils’ dream target earlier this week, with Elliot Anderson also of interest, despite Nottingham Forest’s huge asking price, but they have now joined the hectic race for another up-and-coming prospect…

Man Utd eyeing Hertha Berlin's Kennet Eichhorn

According to an update from Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X, Man United are now eyeing Hertha Berlin maestro Eichhorn, who recently broke the record to become the youngest player in the history of the 2. Bundesliga.

Lauded as an “exceptional talent” by Plettenberg, the 16-year-old is already a regular starter for the German second tier side, which has led to interest from some of Europe’s top clubs, including RB Leipzig, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

The teenager has an affordable release clause of just €10m – €12m (£9m – £11m) included in his contract with the German club, and there are plenty of indications he could be a fantastic long-term addition to Amorim’s squad.

Becoming a first-team regular at just 16 is an achievement in and of itself, with the youngster making ten appearances all competitions this season, and he has put in some impressive performances, given his age, in order to keep his place in the side.

Last month, the Hertha starlet showcased his all-round attributes in a 2-1 win against Munster, creating one big chance, while also making a combined four interceptions and tackles to keep the opposition at bay.

Eichhorn is certainly one for the future, but it is also paramount Man United bring in a midfielder capable of immediately slotting into the starting XI in January, given that Casemiro’s contract is set to expire in the summer, and Kobbie Mainoo’s future is still in major doubt…

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ByJames O'Reilly Nov 7, 2025

أضاف داني أولمو الهدف الثاني لبرشلونة أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس، خلال المباراة التي تجري ضمن منافسات الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

ويستقبل برشلونة ديبورتيفو ألافيس على ملعب الكامب نو، في الجولة الثالثة عشر من منافسات الليجا.

وكان ديبورتيفو ألافيس قد فاجأ برشلونة بالهدف الأول عن طريق إيبانيز في الدقيقة الأولى قبل أن يتعادل لامين يامال في الدقيقة الثامنة من صناعة رافينيا.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | ألافيس يسجل ولامين يامال يتعادل لـ برشلونة في الدوري الإسباني

وفي الدقيقة 26 أضاف داني أولمو الهدف الثاني لصالح برشلونة بعد صناعة جديدة من البرازيلي رافينيا.

أولمو يعطي الأسبقية لبرشلونة بعد تمريرة سحرية من رافينيا#الدوري_الإسباني #LaLiga pic.twitter.com/fda3Szxmi4 — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) November 29, 2025

ودخل هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: جارسيا، إريك جارسيا، كوبارسي، جيرارد مارتن، بالدي، كاسادو، بيرنال، أولمو، رافينيا، لامين يامال، ليفاندوفسكي.

He’s bowled three overs in the powerplay in each of their first two games – a marked difference in how Bumrah’s overs are usually deployed

Shashank Kishore16-Sep-20259:02

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Two games into their Asia Cup campaign, India have used Jasprit Bumrah differently from the norm.Instead of bowling the majority – or at least half – of his overs at the death, Bumrah has been given three of his four overs inside the powerplay in both matches. Against UAE, it may have been to get him acclimatised to match conditions, having been on a break since the fifth Test against England ended in the first week of August. But India repeated the tactic against Pakistan too.In 244 T20s prior to the Asia Cup, Bumrah had bowled three overs in the powerplay only 11 times, and not once in T20Is since 2019. For context, even in IPL 2025, he averaged just one over in this phase. India have gone spin-heavy in this Asia Cup, and by opting for batting until No. 8, they are playing just one specialist fast bowler with Hardik Pandya taking the new ball. The plan to front load Bumrah’s overs is for him cause the damage that Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy can capitalise on.Related

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“We’re very happy using him as an attacking option,” captain Suryakumar Yadav had said after the seven-wicket win over Pakistan on Sunday. “If he picks two wickets, even if he bowls a tight spell of his overs, later on we can have a good cushion for all the spinners to come over and make our job a little easier.”With Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana on the bench, the question is who India will turn to at the death if stretched at the Asia Cup and Bumrah doesn’t have many overs left? If Arshdeep gets into the XI at some stage, he’s the obvious choice for the death overs, having made the role his own in Bumrah’s absence from the T20I side following the 2024 T20 World Cup.The other question is whether any of their opponents can stretch India at the Asia Cup? Their next game is against Oman in Abu Dhabi on Friday – a game of no consequence considering India have already qualified for the Super Four round.None of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel or Varun Chakravarthy are regular bowlers in the death overs. In T20Is since 2023, Kuldeep has bowled only 8% of his overs in this phase. For Varun it’s 4% and Axar 6%. While dew hasn’t been a factor so far, it could be later in the tournament, making it trickier for the spinners later in the evening.Jasprit Bumrah has bowled three overs in the powerplay in both matches at the Asia Cup•AFP/Getty ImagesOn Sunday, Shaheen Shah Afridi was able to score a career-best 33 off 16 balls at the death, lifting Pakistan to 127 when they had looked like being restricted for less. Kuldeep conceded seven runs in the 17th over, Varin 9 in the 18th, Bumrah 12 in the 19th and Hardik 16 in the final over.”I think Bumrah should bowl two overs with the new ball. That gives you flexibility later,” former India fast bowler Varun Aaron told ESPNcricinfo. “Obviously, the spinners are bowling really well, but if one of them has an off day and you desperately need a wicket, Bumrah is the guy who can break through in the middle. Or be your death overs king.”When you hold him back for two overs at the end, you’re almost guaranteed he won’t go for more than 10 an over. Imagine a scenario where opponents need 50 off five overs. With only one Bumrah over to play [in the death], opponents can afford to play him out and still chase down 43 or 44. With two overs of Bumrah up their sleeve, the equation shifts dramatically.””Having said that, the team management must have thought it through, maybe believing he could get the top batters early by bowling three up front. But personally, I feel two at the start is ideal. Then you have the flexibility of either two at the death or splitting it one in the middle and one at the end. When it gets to the business end, they’ll probably switch to a 2-2 split.”

Liam Scott made his maiden first-class century and Jake Lehmann also made a ton as South Australia dominate Tasmania

AAP06-Dec-2025

Liam Scott had the finest day of his cricket career, scoring a maiden first-class century and helping South Australia to a commanding position over Tasmania.After team-mate Jake Lehmann also made a ton, Scott plundered 147 as the home side surged to 426 and a first-innings lead of 231 at Adelaide Oval.Tasmania then went to stumps at 73 for 3 in reply, still trailing by 158 runs at the end of day two after being all out for 195 on Friday.A win would be vital for South Australia, who entered this round in fourth spot on the ladder, just behind Tasmania.And their dominance was best summed up by Scott’s innings, with the bowling allrounder having shown talent with the bat since his debut in 2019-20.The 24-year-old fired from the moment he arrived at the crease, attacking Billy Stanlake and cutting him for five separate boundaries. He also took to the spinners, bringing up his century and pumping the air in joy after one of two slog-sweeps that went for six off Ruwantha Kellepotha.Another six came when he used his feet and hit Nivethan Radhakrishnan back down the ground, before he later took Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell over the legside boundary.Scott’s innings came with Lloyd Pope (36) offering support in a 76-run ninth-wicket stand that completely took the game away from Tasmania.It came after Lehmann reached his second century of the summer, continuing on a late-career resurgence that began at the end of last season.He reached 100 from 96 deliveries, before being bowled next ball when chopping onto his own stumps off Brad Hope.After being put to the sword in the field Tasmania then slumped to 42 for 3 early in their second innings, with Jordan Buckingham removing both Radhakrishnan and Hope.

He put on a dominant performance in his first innings of the season while Kurtis Patterson also made an excellent century

AAP29-Oct-2025Steven Smith issued an ominous warning to England ahead of the Ashes, slamming 118 for New South Wales in his first game of cricket in more than two months.Fresh off a six-week stint in New York where he didn’t pick up a bat, Smith looked in imperious touch as he helped NSW to 349 for 5 in the Sheffield Shield against Queensland.Related

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After the opening day’s play at the Gabba was washed out through rain, Kurtis Patterson also hit 122 while youngster Will Salzmann impressed with 65 while opening.The only sour point for NSW was Sam Konstas being bowled middle stump for 10, leaving a ball from left-armer Hayden Kerr that angled straight into his wickets.Konstas is now essentially no chance of retaining his spot as Australia’s opener, and could benefit from a summer out of the spotlight in the Shield.But there is no question mark over Smith’s form heading into the first Test in Perth on November 21, where he will captain Australia in place of the injured Pat Cummins.Smith played out 21 dot balls to start his innings on Wednesday, but from the moment he on-drove Sam Skelly to the boundary to get off the mark, the right-hander looked on.A flurry of drives and pull shots followed, with the 36-year-old treating the Gabba as his playground and looking every bit at his best three weeks out from the first Test.Sam Konstas was bowled by Hayden Kerr•Getty ImagesSome 86 of his runs came in boundaries, including a big six down the ground of Mitchell Swepson when he charged the legspinner and took him on.Three boundaries came in three balls at one stage off quick James Bazley, with the first two crunches through the covers and the last a classic straight drive.Once renowned for being a cricket nuffy who perhaps trained too much, Smith insisted last week he now needed only two hits in the nets to prepare for a summer.And by the time he drove Tom Straker to bring up his century off 158 balls on Wednesday, the proof of that was clear and England had been put on notice.Smith was eventually well caught by Matt Renshaw at gully, but by then he looked well placed to set himself up for a big Ashes summer.Arguably Australia’s best-performing batter in Ashes history aside from Don Bradman, Smith has hit 12 career centuries against England and averages 56.01.His runs on Wednesday came as England’s ODI side collapsed on Wednesday across the Tasman, all out for 175 in a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand.Smith’s century also overshadowed the superb innings of Patterson. The former Test batter found form following a lean start to the Shield season, after his late-career revival last summer was one of the best stories of Australian cricket.Patterson cover-drove superbly and hit 14 boundaries in total, before being caught behind trying to drive Marnus Labuschagne late in the day.For NSW to win this match they will likely need to score big and only bat once, while Queensland’s hopes are effectively gone through Smith and Patterson’s 202-run third-wicket stand.

Leeds United fans will be fearing the worst regarding their lowly team when you glance at the slog of Premier League fixtures coming the Whites’ way across the rest of November and December.

Indeed, November ends with two tough contests versus Aston Villa and Manchester City, with Daniel Farke’s men needing to make home advantage count against the Villans, before travelling to the Etihad to take on the Erling Haaland-led Citizens.

December then throws up clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool, with Farke’s precarious position in the Elland Road dug-out no doubt on even shakier foundations if the losses continue, and Leeds slip into the bottom three in the league.

The pain of poor results across these winter months can always be somewhat remedied by the January transfer window opening, as Leeds attempt to turn around their fortunes with a big signing or two…

Where Leeds can bolster their forward line in January

Based on current rumours coming out of West Yorkshire, it’s clear that a new striker addition is a priority.

In recent days, Leeds have been tipped to make some statement moves, with an audacious swoop for Ivan Toney alleged. Moreover, FC Midtjylland centre-forward Franculino has been on their radar as Farke attempts to move away from solely relying on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

On top of talk of Toney and Franculino, Leeds are also chasing after the services of AZ Alkmaar goal machine Troy Parrott, who is very much in the limelight now for his Republic of Ireland heroics.

A report from Dutch outlet Voetbal Neuws, which has been relayed by Sport Witness, states that Leeds have entered discussions to sign the clinical 23-year-old, after being interested in the Dublin-born striker’s signature since the summer.

Now, with a hat-trick under his belt for his nation against Hungary, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur wonderkid is a hot commodity once more, with a bid in the region of £26m expected to be enough to prize him away from the clutches of his Eredivisie employers.

How Parrott can be Leeds' next Rutter

Splashing out such a big amount on an attacker could see Leeds pick up their next iteration of Georginio Rutter, with Rutter eventually going down as a fan’s favourite at Elland Road, after departing Hoffenheim for some lavish bucks.

After a wobbly start mid-way through the 2022/23 season, arriving in a whopping £35.5m deal, Rutter would find his feet under Farke during the following season.

In total, the attacker scored eight goals and tallied up a bumper 18 assists for the Whites, before leaving the building for a Premier League opportunity at Brighton and Hove Albion for £40m. Despite only being around for 66 matches, the skilful Frenchman is still very much fondly remembered, with pundit Jeff Stelling labelling him as a “class act” to watch in West Yorkshire.

Much like Rutter made everything look effortless and smooth donning Leeds white, Parrott has made goalscoring look like clockwork lining up for AZ Alkmaar.

He has netted a ludicrous 13 goals this season in all competitions from only 14 outings, meaning the Irishman is very much living up to his billing of being a “natural goalscorer”, which was handed to him by one of his former coaches in Darragh O’Riley, way back in 2019.

The hope would just be that Parrott would be able to enter the English game and be a hit from the first second he entered the Elland Road turf, with Leeds’ survival chances perhaps resting on the 23-year-old’s lethal instincts getting Farke and Co out of some sticky situations.

If he can be a reliable source of goals towards the foot of the difficult division, he will easily be able to reach the same fan favourite status as Rutter before him, with a mighty 97 career goals next to his name at the time of writing.

Parrott could well hit a century of goals in West Yorkshire; therefore, with his former international manager, Stephen Kenny, also noting that the in-demand centre-forward can “elevate” himself to that next level with ease, which could stand him in good stead to become a feared Premier League marksman.

Leeds would have to put their money where their mouth is in landing Parrott, but if the tale of Rutter is anything to go by, it could be worth splashing the big bucks in January as a new fan favourite is potentially unearthed.

Leeds can forget signing Ivan Toney by unleashing 17-year-old goal machine

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By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 17, 2025