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Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, believes the game needs to look beyond the Super Smash

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-2025New Zealand is finally set to enter the world of privately owned T20 leagues, with plans afoot to start NZ20, a tournament comprising six privately owned franchises in January 2027. The league’s operating model would be similar to that of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the tournament receiving the license from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), but managed independently.Plans don’t currently have NZC approval, but if they do secure that, NZ20 will replace the Super Smash, the current six-team competition. That tournament is now two decades old and is played by the local cricket associations in New Zealand: Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago. It is managed by NZC, whereas NZ20 will have teams with private owners.According to Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, the concept for the league originated from former New Zeeland greats including Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA} to gauge whether the time had come for a franchise-based league. MacKinnon, a professional lawyer who heads the country’s Sports Integrity Commission, and has served as a director on the NZC Board, was approached about three months ago to see if the concept was feasible.In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, MacKinnon said NZ20 was an “extremely viable” project and it was the “ideal” time to launch.”The concept is a pretty simple one really. It’s to see if New Zealand cricket could provide us with a clean window, which in our mind is absolutely essential for a very short privately owned competition, ideally in the peak of summer in New Zealand,” MacKinnon said. “So ideally for a men’s competition in the month of January at potentially a lot of our holiday venues, some of our beautiful grassbanks ground and a short fan-centric, fun type competition, but one played by the very best players in New Zealand and hopefully some internationals.”‘Super Smash not working’The absence of a New Zealand T20 league until now has been notable, especially as its players and coaches have been popular in leagues across the globe. But MacKinnon said collective belief among former players was that the time was ripe for New Zealand to create its own domestic brand.Back in 2014 the NZC Board had turned down the idea of such a league because it did not believe it could create a successful product and would “struggle” to compete with the likes of the IPL and BBL. MacKinnon agreed with that decision but pointed out the time now was right to “develop our own unique competition.” He said that NZ20 would not be aping the IPL or BBL.”We are looking at something very boutique, very New Zealand centric, a unique experience for players who come here, as I said, small grounds, a great lifestyle, something that we think players would love to be involved in.”Finn Allen is among the New Zealand players who play overseas in the January league period•Sarah Reed – CA / Getty ImagesMacKinnon said the Super Smash was “not really working with the fans” and has become more of a “development” competition for players. NZ20, MacKinnon believes, has the potential to “reenergise domestic cricket” in New Zealand. “What’s different about it? Well, it’s partly driven out of private investment and so you get the ability to be very innovative. You have the ability to have greater capital, to invest in better fan experience both at the ground but also whether you are watching on television or online. We also think that if we get this right, we will attract the very best New Zealand players back into our domestic competitions.”MacKinnon did not disclose whether IPL franchise owners were looking to invest, but said there was strong interest both from India as well as other investors globally. “We’ve also looked really closely at some of the models around the world and particularly the CPL where the league owners and the team seem to have done a great job in moving that competition not only into a point of profitability but also has really engaged fan interest. So that’s one of the models we’re looking at very closely. But by no means the only one.”NZ players ‘would desperately love’ to play NZ20The current plan involves starting the men’s tournament in January 2027 followed by the launch of the women’s league in December 2027. The biggest challenge remains finding a clear window with the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 running simultaneously in January. Those tournaments generally involve the participation of several New Zealand international.MacKinnon acknowledged that hurdle, but believed current New Zealand players were keen to participate. “We appreciate we won’t be able to attract everybody that we’d like to have, but the feedback from current New Zealand players is they would desperately love for this tournament to go ahead and would do everything to participate in it.There would be plans to launch a women’s edition later in 2027•Getty Images”So that’s the first goal. We are designing this competition very much along the lines that we want the Lockie Fergusons and the Finn Allens of this world and the Kane Williamsons playing in it. So that’s the most important goal because at the moment a lot of those players aren’t playing in our Super Smash.”MacKinnon is confident NZ20 can attract “marquee players” if they get the right owners. MacKinnon also highlighted one of its USPs would be to allow players to own a stake in the league. “We also are looking at a model where the players may well have an ownership share of the league,” he said. “And we are doing that because we want an extremely high level of access to player intellectual property. We want to be able to open our players up to the wealth. And to do that, that intellectual property needs to be very readily available.”NZC approval</h2.NZC approval will have to come swiftly if NZ20 is to take off by January 2027. MacKinnon emphasised that his committee wanted to work with NZC. In fact, the NZ20 committee comprises two members from NZC's board along with representatives from NZPA and members associations.MacKinnon said that NZC had told the NZ20 Committee they were looking at various options. "We have been in constant discussions with the New Zealand Cricket Board over the last two to three months. They have been excellent to deal with. They have been very clear to us that while they're excited by this project, they have other options they're looking at including quite clearly whether they wish to consider trying to get a team into the Big Bash."MacKinnon said he would obviously like NZC to pick NZ20 as the "preferred option" but admitted ideally he would want the final decision to be made as soon as possible. "At the same time we are proceeding on the basis that we believe we will get a license and we are continuing to talk to investors and making progress in that regard. We would love to be in a position by the end of January [2026] to have some real certainty about whether we can make the competition start in January 2027 and that's our timeframe."

Daniel Farke was already on borrowed time in the Leeds United dug-out heading into his lowly side’s clash with Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

Indeed, the depressing backdrop heading into this big tie at Elland Road was four defeats from their last five games in the intense Premier League, and now, it’s five defeats from their last six, culminating in the West Yorkshire outfit sinking into that final relegation spot.

At one stage, Leeds looked in control after a scrappy Lukas Nmecha goal found the back of the net after just eight minutes had been played.

But, in the end, Villa’s quality shone through courtesy of a Morgan Rogers brace in the second half, and while Rogers came good in that pivotal second 45 minutes, Brenden Aaronson produced another no-show to trouble his manager’s precarious position even more.

Why Aaronson must now be dropped by Farke

Not even home comforts could save Leeds from a late Villa comeback.

Of course, last time at home, before this disastrous slip-up, Leeds picked up a much-needed 2-1 win over relegation rivals West Ham United, as Aaronson stole the show with a goal and an overall energetic outing.

Unfortunately for Aaronson, his showing against the Villans was a far cry from his standout performance against Nuno Espirito Santo’s visitors.

Against the Hammers, the American attacking midfielder successfully completed all three of his dribbles as a nuisance that the East Londoners had to keep tabs on throughout. On the contrary, on Sunday afternoon, Aaronson routinely lost the ball when attempting to burst forward with pace, with just one of his five dribbles coming off.

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On top of that, the hard-working figure who won eight duels during that 2-1 win was replaced by a weak number 11 who won just five of his 13 duels. Most importantly, too, the right winger only managed one effort on target at Emiliano Martinez’s goal, as Villa always felt like they had the below-par ex-Union Berlin playmaker under control.

If the German continues to select Aaronson, he will be very much on the chopping block for the sack, with both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto perhaps better suited to this right-wing role, over the hot-and-cold 25-year-old.

After all, the Welshman at least excited the Elland Road masses late on when his goalbound effort was disallowed for a handball by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

That being said, Aaronson isn’t the only underperformer who looks out of his depth in the Premier League.

Not just Aaronson: Big-money signing must be ditched

How much longer will the Leeds hierarchy persist with the former Norwich City boss in the dug-out?

After today’s defeat, they will want to see some immediate positive results, but with Manchester City and Chelsea up next in a very tricky double-header, the near future looks grim.

Still, he could pull off a shock result against either team, as is the unpredictability of the division, particularly if he ditches Lucas Perri in between the sticks, who fell victim to another shaky day at the office on Sunday.

The decisive match-winning free-kick was a wonderfully hit effort from the man of the moment in Rogers, but Leeds fans would have watched on in disbelief as Perri stayed rooted to his spot, with The Athletic’s Beren Cross critical of the ex-Lyon goalkeeper, who “barely moved”.

Away from helping Rogers to collect his brace, Perri also failed to look convincing with just two saves registered, alongside only ten of his passes hitting their intended target, leaving him with a dire 53% pass accuracy come the final whistle.

Games played

7

Goals conceded

14

Goals conceded*

2.0

Saves made

14

Saves made*

2.0 (50%)

Goals prevented

– 1.53

Pass accuracy*

19.0 (58%)

Clean sheets

2

For a newly promoted side who were on the hunt for a clear upgrade on Illan Meslier in the summer, they might well feel ripped off now that they forked out £13.9m on his services, with the flappy Brazilian conceding an average of two goals a game now, having kept just two clean sheets to date.

Amazingly, Karl Darlow – who cost £400k – might be the better option now, having averaged more saves per game than Perri this season from his limited minutes at 2.6 per clash, with Leeds surely fearing a drubbing at the hands of City up next if their new number one is retained.

Journalist Adonis Storr at the full-time whistle stated that Farke must be “in serious trouble” now, as boos headed his direction with some ferocity at the end, with both Perri and Aaronson needing to be dropped for the next crucial game to try and somehow steer the sinking ship back on course.

If they remain in the XI, Farke will likely be out of a job very swiftly.

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With their qualification for the Asia Cup Super Fours not yet guaranteed, the mood in the Pakistan camp on Tuesday evening was markedly different

Shashank Kishore17-Sep-2025″Great fielders don’t dive,” Hardik Pandya quipped after he plucked a screamer that fielding coach T Dilip had drilled to his left. Behind him was a makeshift goalpost he was meant to protect. Each player got five attempts before the next man stepped up. It was a penalty shootout of sorts pretending to be fielding drill.Things changed quickly after that. Three rockets came his way low and flat and were all dropped; not even dives could help his cause. Dilip read out his score with mock seriousness as Tilak Varma came out to “keep goal”.Soon the chatter switched to Telugu, with Arshdeep Singh turning part-time commentator with his chants of “” (well done) every time Tilak hurled himself around to pull off a save.Related

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Then came Jasprit Bumrah’s turn. As he walked up, he couldn’t resist a wisecrack: “Point again, coach?” he asked looking back at journalists recording his every move. “Reel content coming for you guys!” This was all a nod to the catch he had taken at point to dismiss Saim Ayub off the first legitimate ball in Sunday’s match.The fielding session reflected the mood in the India camp: lively, light-hearted, yet underpinned by an intensity, which was in show again later as they took the nets.The Tuesday evening temperatures may have relented slightly since the start of the Asia Cup, from 40 degrees Celsius to 35-36, but that didn’t mean there was respite for the team, since their training session was lengthened to over four hours on back-to-back days.The batters who hadn’t had a hit in the two matches so far – Sanju Samson, Axar Patel and Hardik – spent extended periods at the nets, before the top order took centre stage, hitting balls long and hard, into the trees and beyond at the ICC Academy in Dubai. To the extent that you wondered if anyone was even keeping track of where the balls were going.2:20

How big is the gulf between India and Pakistan?

Through it all, coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate looked on from behind the nets, watching each batter go through their drill.Rinku Singh, in particular, endured a searching examination, beaten time and again by the pace and bounce of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep. The test grew sterner. Starting off with a short run before gradually cranking up to full tilt, Bumrah showed Rinku no mercy. While anything on the pads was dismissed, Rinku was repeatedly troubled by hard lengths and seam movement. He finally yanked his gloves off, and did bouts of timed sprints to cool off after his batting stint.By the time India’s session wound down, they had gone through an entire range of activities amid banter and fun. It ended with the captain Suryakumar Yadav cutting a birthday cake some members of India’s travelling media had organised, with Kuldeep Yadav and a few members of the support staff joining in.Salman Agha will hope to bounce back after two single-digit scores•AFP/Getty Images

At the adjacent ground, the mood was quite different, with Pakistan avoiding any media personnel gathered around the periphery of the ropes.Coach Mike Hesson did all the talking in the team huddle, before the players dispersed for a game of football, did some catching, and then went into the nets. They may have chosen to train from 8pm to 11pm, possibly to avoid the heat, but that didn’t make it any less punishing.As they began their centre-wicket nets, Hesson monitored Ayub’s back-foot play, watching him keep his shots down – unlike his dismissal against India looking to flay Hardik over point. Ayub, incidentally, has more wickets than balls faced in the Asia Cup so far, and spent considerable time with Hesson in his ear. There were extra drills for Mohammad Haris, while Haris Rauf, seemingly hungry to get a look-in after warming the bench in the first two games, let the ball rip.As the curtains came down on another intense evening at the ICC Academy, India announced a day off on Wednesday. Pakistan had no such luxuries, because they were to face UAE in a must-win game.

Celtic are currently searching for their next permanent head coach after they were rocked by the resignation of Brendan Rodgers last month.

The former Hoops boss decided to move on from Parkhead after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts that left his side eight points adrift of first place in the Scottish Premiership at the time.

As shown in the graphic above, the Northern Irish head coach enjoyed a largely successful second spell with the Glasgow giants, winning four trophies in two full seasons.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge of the Hoops since Rodgers moved on from Parkhead, and one manager who has been linked with the permanent role is Lee Carsley.

The latest on Lee Carsley to Celtic

It was recently reported that the Scottish giants are eyeing up the England U21 head coach as a potential replacement for Rodgers in the coming weeks.

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Celtic are said to be long-term admirers of the Irish tactician, who has won two U21 European Championship titles, and that he is one of the names under contention for the job.

However, it was also claimed that Carsley is not one of the frontrunners for the vacant position at this moment in time, which does not suggest that he is likely to arrive in Glasgow in the next few days.

The Hoops board, however, should push to bring the England U21 boss to Parkhead because he could unearth the club’s own version of Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer.

Celtic have their own Cole Palmer in the making

One of Carsley’s biggest selling points is that he has worked with and developed some of England’s finest talents. Per Transfermarkt, he has coached Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Conor Gallagher. Just to name a few.

Palmer delivered five goals and five assists in 17 matches as an attacking midfield player for the head coach at England U21 level, per Transfermarkt, and he has scored 45 goals in 101 games for Chelsea so far.

Celtic could unearth their own version of the England international in Arne Engels, who could take his game to the next level under Carsley, who was hailed as “refreshing” by midfielder Declan Rice

The England U21 manager typically plays a 4-2-3-1 system, per Transfermarkt, rather than a 4-3-3, which would allow the Belgium international to push on and play as a number ten, providing him with more opportunities to showcase his quality in the final third.

Engels, with ten goals and 13 assists in 52 matches, showed glimpses of his attacking quality in the 2024/25 campaign for Celtic, but he has yet to find the back of the net in the current campaign.

xG

10.05

Top 1%

Goals

9

Top 4%

Shots on target

19

Top 5%

xA

8.46

Top 1%

Assists

6

Top 7%

Chances created

57

Top 3%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the former Augsburg central midfielder excelled among his positional peers as an attacking force in the Scottish Premiership last season.

These statistics suggest that Engels can provide a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as an outstanding contributor, just as Palmer has for Chelsea, with 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 matches, per Transfermarkt.

Engels, who assisted the winning goal against Sturm Graz in the clip above, has the potential to thrive as a natural number ten in Carsley’s 4-2-3-1 set-up.

He is also a young player, aged 22, who has time ahead of him to develop and improve, which is the profile of player that the manager has been used to working with throughout his time with England’s U21s.

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Therefore, appointing Carsley, who has shown that he can win trophies with England’s youth team, could help them to turn Engels into their own version of Cole Palmer in the number ten position, because of his attacking potential.

Eden Carson, part of the new generation, had taken out West Indies’ top order before the team’s most experienced figured closed it out

Valkerie Baynes19-Oct-2024West Indies needed 15 runs off the last over with seven wickets down and Suzie Bates wanted the ball.With the backing of captain Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr – with whom Bates forms an impressive White Ferns triumvirate – she took it.Zaida James, in the middle of a crucial cameo for West Indies with a place in the T20 World Cup final on the line, crunched Bates’ first ball through the covers for four. New Zealand were only allowed three fielders out due to an over-rate penalty. But this wasn’t the first time Bates had been here, and it showed.Related

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A dot ball followed by a fuller one that angled in and pegged back James’ leg stump meant New Zealand were almost there. A single to Ashmini Munisar left Bates’ fellow 37-year-old Afy Fletcher with 10 to get off the last two balls. When she managed just a single off the last, Bates was there to collect the ball, fired in by Kerr from deep midwicket, and slammed it into the stumps in triumph.Some 14 years of waiting for another shot at the title was over.”I looked at Suzie and said, ‘Suzie I think you should bowl,’ and she said to Sophie, ‘bowl me, I want to bowl it,’ Kerr said of that last over. “That’s huge from your leader, your most capped player, to step up again in that moment.”She’s done it before for us, she’s a bit of a last-over specialist and she likes to call herself Michael Jordan. I think that was a Michael Jordan moment.”It was reminiscent of Bates’ over against England in March, the final one of the match in which she defended eight runs and took 2 for 4 to win it and keep their five-game series alive after two defeats.Playing her 333rd international match, equalling Mithali Raj’s record for appearances, in what could be her final campaign for New Zealand, Bates’ solitary over against West Indies in Sharjah on Friday night was the ultimate complement to Eden Carson’s efforts in the powerplay.Carson, the 23-year-old offspinner, was Player of the Match for a second consecutive time at this tournament with 3 for 29 as New Zealand defended a modest total of 128 for 9.

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She removed Qiana Joseph, star of West Indies’ upset against England in their final group game, and Shemaine Campbell inside the first five overs. After six overs, New Zealand had sent down 19 dot balls between Carson, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Fran Jonas and seamer Rosemary Mair.When Carson rearranged Stafanie Taylor’s stumps in the ninth over with one that ripped past the bat to end a laboured innings of 13 off 20, West Indies were left with too much to do, despite Deandra Dottin’s best efforts to chase down the target with her 33 off 22 balls.It was Kerr who removed Dottin via a top edge to Jonas, who held on at short fine leg on a night when New Zealand put down five catches and missed two reviews that would have yielded wickets.So there it was, Bates representing the old guard with Devine, Carson representing the future, and 25-year-old Kerr with 158 caps the bridge between two generations of White Ferns.That all three came together at the perfect time following a difficult period since the last T20 World Cup was something no one on the outside saw coming at the start of the tournament but those on the inside believed in.Since New Zealand crashed out in the group stages of the 2023 edition in South Africa, Devine has spoken of wanting to protect the likes of Carson, Jonas and Izzy Gaze, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who scored a vital 20 not out off 14 balls on Friday, from any pressure.That theme continued through series defeats to England at home and away and a 3-0 series defeat in Australia immediately before this tournament and now New Zealand, young and old(er), are seeing the benefits.Eden Carson celebrates dismissing Qiana Joseph•ICC/Getty Images”It’s been a tough year but I think it speaks volumes of the character and the people in the group,” Kerr said of her side’s achievement. “Those series were tough and they were against England and Australia, who are both two world-class teams.”Losses can dent your confidence but coming to a World Cup you want to stay positive and believe that you can win any game and hopefully those losses made us better, which I think they 100% have. To stay upbeat and together just shows the character this group has.”While it’s been almost impossible to completely shield the youngsters, as Carson revealed, they have been able to thrive.Georgia Plimmer, the 20-year-old opener, is another example of New Zealand keeping the faith with a young player. After struggling through their tour of England, she rewarded them with a half-century against Sri Lanka in the group stage then top scoring in their eight-run win over West Indies with 33 off 31. That Plimmer’s innings came as Bates battled her way to 26 off 28 was another sign that the future is bright for New Zealand.”As a team we could have fallen into a bit of a hole with each other and getting a bit of stick from people online, but I think that just built us as a team,” Carson said. “We’ve been a lot closer over the past year. We don’t try speaking too much about the losses, we just speak about the learnings that come from that.”The more experienced group, it has been tough on them as well. I know mentally and emotionally it has been draining for them but to be able to show up every day to training, to camps back in New Zealand, to now the World Cup on the big stage. Anything can happen at a tournament like this. In a series we can go 3-0 down like we did against the Aussies but I think those games, we took a lot out of those.”With England and Australia making shock exits in the group stage and semi-finals respectively, New Zealand now face South Africa in Sunday’s title decider, guaranteeing a new champion. That seems apt for a side unearthing new champions within.

Manchester City are now willing to make an unexpected decision about Rodri’s future at the club in an attempt to sign Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid in 2026.

The Citizens were in a ruthless mood against Liverpool before the international break, with Pep Guardiola overseeing his 1000th game as a manager in classic, dominant style.

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It was the first time that the Citizens have sent a damning statement to the rest of the Premier League about their title credentials this season and former player Micah Richards believes that they could yet beat Arsenal to the crown once again.

What has made City’s quietly impressive form even better is the fact that they’ve coped without Rodri. In the Spaniard’s absence last season, they looked a shadow of their controlled best. This time around, as Rodri continues a stuttered recovery from an ACL injury, Nico Gonzalez has provided Guardiola with the perfect replacement.

It’s allowed City’s Ballon d’Or winner to slowly work his way back to his best, but has also welcomed some interesting reports about his long-term future at the Etihad. Some in Spain have even gone as far as to suggest that Rodri could yet be sacrificed as part of another £100m+ deal.

Man City willing to spend £100m+ to sign Bellingham

According to those reports in the Spanish media, Man City are now willing to spend €150m (£133m) to sign Bellingham in 2026 and could be prepared to use Rodri as a makeweight in any potential deal with Real Madrid.

There’s been more unrest at the Bernabeu since the arrival of Xabi Alonso, with Vinícius Jr particularly struggling with the Spaniard’s call for discipline, and that has opened the door for a number of potential exits.

Whether Bellingham is among those is the question that many will be asking. There’s no doubt that he — as one of the best midfielders in the world — would take City back to the level that resulted in Premier League dominance not so long ago.

Former Real boss Carlo Ancelotti has been one of many iconic names to hand Bellingham plenty of praise in recent years, having told Gary Lineker on the Rest is Football podcast earlier this week: “I think Jude is a fantastic player.

“If I have to compare, we were talking about Kaka. He is this kind of player, a really intelligent player, who is physically really strong, fantastic to arrive in the box at the right time.”

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Having last played in India in 2015, he has returned with much more knowledge and skill, and it was on display on the second day of the Kolkata Test

Firdose Moonda15-Nov-20252:21

What did Simon Harmer do right?

Pretend you’re reading just this after both teams had batted once in the Eden Gardens Test. Pretend it’s the point at which South Africa have limited India’s lead to just 30 runs and the match is still evenly poised and bubbling with promise. Pretend that the most important talking point is how a South African attack did what South African attacks are known for and brought their side back into the game, this time without Kagiso Rabada, this time thanks to Simon Harmer.The offspinner made the most important incisions on the day when he removed Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom threatened to bat South Africa out of the game, and finished with 4 for 30. He extracted more turn than anyone else in the match so far – including the Indian spinners – with an average of 4.3 degrees, and quickly assessed the right lines, length and pace to bowl for maximum efficacy.Harmer’s game plan developed in the solitary over he bowled on the first evening when he started off bowling quite full to Washington, then pulled back the length a touch, drew Washington forward and nearly took the edge. The ball spun away sharply and didn’t find Washington’s bat but Harmer knew he could use that to his advantage on day two.Related

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“From that first over last night over against Washington, it was quite evident that the ball was going to turn and you want to be testing batters on the front foot,” Harmer said at the post-day press conference. “If you allow them time to go back, it allows them to adjust and play the turn off the wicket. So you try to test batters on the front foot and test their front foot defence, which allows the ball to spin past the bat and brings in both edges. Then you also try and get one not to turn to bring in lbw, but overall, it was pretty evident that you needed to be fuller rather than shorter on that wicket.”Fuller but not entirely full. Harmer bowled 47 of his 92 balls on that length and was especially effective against left-hand batters. He only conceded nine runs off the 38 length deliveries he bowled to left-handers. He was also accurate with his line – 39% of his deliveries were sent down in line with the stumps, leaving batters little room to do anything but defend.That’s ultimately how he got Washington, an hour into the second day’s play. Harmer first went very full and then more on a good length, Washington stepped forward to defend and the ball took the edge as it turned away. He similarly challenged Rishabh Pant. Jurel also went forward and popped a return catch to Harmer and with Jadeja, it was the arm ball that skidded on.”It’s also about having the subtle variations of balls that don’t turn,” he said. “Sometimes you get onto turning wickets, you’re just trying to turn it more and more and more and the skill lies in bowling a ball that doesn’t turn on a wicket that is turning. Obviously, I’ve got a lot more experience since the last time I was here.”Simon Harmer rattled India•Getty ImagesIf there is a secret to Harmer’s success, it’s that he has returned to India a decade after first playing in the country, armed with much more knowledge and skill, and his bowling demonstrates his full evolution.Harmer’s international career can be divided into three parts: his emergence in 2015, his needs-must recall in 2022 during the late Covid-19 pandemic period when several frontliners were at the IPL, and his proper comeback now.In 2015, Harmer was a spinner who had been highly successful on the South African domestic circuit, but because it was not a place known to produce great spinners, he did not come into the national set-up with the reputation of a match-winner. He played one Test at home before tours to the subcontinent and he felt the weight of expectation to perform. “I was quite new to Test cricket. Ravi Ashwin was bowling like a jet and it was the expectation that I needed to do the same, so I was dealing with that and putting myself under even more pressure,” Harmer said.South Africa lost that series 3-0 (and would have lost 4-0 if not for rain in Bengaluru) and Harmer was one of the casualties of the tour that went as badly as it could. Looking back, he can acknowledge his own shortcomings. “When I got dropped from the national side in 2015 was when I realised that I wasn’t good enough,” he said.So he worked on it. “I came back to India in 2016 to work with Umesh Patwal in Mumbai and I discovered a lot about spin bowling that I didn’t know. That was probably the point of my career that gave me the ammunition to get better and develop and become a decent spinner.”That was only the start. In 2017, Harmer signed a Kolpak deal, which began a nine-season-and-counting stint at Essex, where he took his game to the next level. In those nine years, he has not once been outside the country championship’s top ten wicket-takers (he was also the leading bowler in 2019, 2020, and 2022) and the consistency of his returns shows a commitment to continual upskilling. “In the UK, bowling on flat wickets or when there are footmarks and nothing outside of those footmarks, you need to find a way to get the ball to spin quickly,” he explained. “It’s a skill that I’ve developed there by being able to bowl it a little bit flatter, not always just relying on the loop. Sometimes on slow wickets, it’s too slow and batters can play off the back foot. So it’s about understanding my game more and finding ways to be better.”Harmer picked up the key wicket of Washington Sundar•BCCIWhen the Kolpak system ended after the UK’s exit from the European Union, Harmer was available for South Africa, but Keshav Mahraraj was established as their No. 1. Harmer has understood that he will likely only be called on when South Africa need additional spin resources. And then, he can bring the wealth of experience he has gained on the county circuit to the national side.”I’m a lot more confident in my ability. I don’t have as many doubts as I did back then and I was fighting for a place in the team,” he said. “Now I feel like I have the skill set to compete. Whether or not it goes my way is sometimes the luck of the draw, but as long as I can look back and say that I put a good amount of balls in the right area, then I can be happy with that.”If the day had ended there, Harmer could have left the ground entirely satisfied with his work and where he had put South Africa. From a first innings blowout, they were in a position where they could put themselves in the driving seat but to think they did that, we’d have to pretend.South Africa finished effectively 63 for 7, with Harmer next in to bat. He will have to do the same job he did with the ball, and drag South Africa into the contest to give them, and mostly himself, a chance to bowl India out cheaply. He knows it won’t be easy.”In an ideal situation, you’ve got 300 on the board, and you can set attacking fields but it becomes quite intricate when you’ve only got 150 on the board, and you need to take wickets but you also can’t leak runs,” he said. “It’s quite evident that the pitch is going to do enough. It’s just about not getting carried away and making sure that you’re putting as many balls in the right areas as you possibly can. We all know that we need to be at our best but we have the belief that we can still pull ourselves back into this game.”Or, at least, they can pretend to.

Timo Werner is pushing for a move away from RB Leipzig this winter, with reports in Germany revealing a sensational interest in joining Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. The former Chelsea striker has fallen out of favour in Leipzig and sees MLS as his next destination despite rejecting a switch to the New York Red Bulls. With his future uncertain, Miami’s glamour and sporting profile appear to be drawing the German forward.

• Werner eyes Miami move as Leipzig exit looms

  The German forward's future at RB Leipzig is essentially over, and the 29-year-old is now reportedly targeting a high-profile move to Inter Miami, where he hopes to line up alongside superstar Messi. Werner has played just one minute of football this season and no longer features in Leipzig’s matchday squads, leaving a winter exit increasingly likely.

  reported that Werner is especially tempted by Miami’s project and the global pull of playing with Messi, whose presence continues to reshape the MLS landscape. The glamour surrounding the club, both in sporting ambition and lifestyle appeal, is said to suit Werner and his wife Paula, making South Florida an attractive landing spot as he seeks a fresh start.

  A move to MLS had already been on the table last summer, when the New York Red Bulls made inquiries through the Red Bull network. At the time, Werner remained reluctant to leave Leipzig due to his sizeable salary and the belief he could still revive his career in Germany. But his situation has deteriorated drastically, and with his contract expiring in 2026, a winter departure is now seen as essential to avoid drifting toward free agency.

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• Why New York Red Bulls plan didn't work out

  Werner’s most concrete MLS opportunity collapsed when the New York Red Bulls ultimately walked away from talks, a decision explained in detail by the club’s athletic director Julian de Guzman.

  Last week, De Guzman confirmed that the forward had been on the club’s radar, saying: "There have always been rumors about Werner," before stressing that any deal had to suit New York’s long-term strategy. He added: "We have to make sure it makes sense for us here in New York."

  The Canadian executive made clear that Werner’s profile was highly appealing from a fan standpoint, stating: "Werner is a great name. I think the fans would have loved him. The opportunity was there, but I don't think we were 100 percent convinced that this was the right thing for New York. That's why we didn't fully commit to it."

  Salary considerations also played a key role, as Werner earns a reported €10 million per year in Leipzig, while New York were unable, and ultimately unwilling, to match anywhere near that level for a Designated Player slot. The striker was similarly unwilling to reduce his wage demands to complete the move, contributing to the breakdown of discussions.

• Why Inter Miami now appeal to Wermer

  With the Red Bulls stepping aside, Werner has shifted his attention to the other side of the MLS spectrum – Inter Miami, a club defined by star power, global attention and a clear pathway to compete for trophies. Messi’s presence remains the biggest draw, with the Argentine continuing to exert a transformative influence on the club’s recruitment and profile.

  Inter Miami’s roster structure for 2026 provides a plausible opening. The imminent retirements of Jordi Alba and Messi's right hand man Sergio Busquets will free up two Designated Player slots, while Rodrigo De Paul is expected to occupy one if his loan becomes permanent. That leaves one DP spot available, a rare opportunity Miami could use on a high-profile attacker like Werner.

  From a sporting perspective, Werner would offer flexibility across the front line, potentially replacing Luis Suarez if he departs and giving Miami an experienced, mobile option heading into the new MLS calendar cycle in 2026. The lifestyle component also weighs heavily in Miami’s favour, with the city viewed by Werner as an ideal environment to reset his career.

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  How likely a move can take place?

  The next steps hinge on Inter Miami’s internal evaluation and their willingness to commit a DP slot, and potentially a sizeable salary, to a striker whose performances have dipped since his Chelsea days. While Werner is eager to join Messi in Florida, the report stresses that Miami’s interest is not yet confirmed, leaving the possibility of alternative MLS suitors still open.

  For Leipzig, the winter window will be decisive, and Marco Rose has already marginalised the striker, and a move abroad appears the only viable solution to avoid a stagnant final 18 months of his contract. Miami, meanwhile, must navigate a busy rebuild as they prepare for the 2026 season, with decisions looming on Suarez’s future, the DP structure, and several expiring contracts.

The rougher squares this year have fulfilled the precondition for reverse swing in a span as short as 20 overs

Sidharth Monga06-May-2025Rajasthan Royals (RR) have had their mental fortitude questioned to the extent that pundits have been criticising their decision to chase even when it is plain to see they should. This kind of message comes with the territory: you play a popular league, you fail to close out two matches from nine required in the last over, and the first diagnosis is likely to be around mental strength and the first prescription is to tell you to stop doing what you have been doing.We can’t fact-check the pundits. There could well be a block, for all we know. However, what we know and can verify is that in both those games the ball reverse-swung appreciably, playing a part in what is popularly known as a “choke”.Mitchell Starc started the turnaround in the Delhi Capitals (DC) game. The ball to get a set Nitish Rana swung in 1.83 degrees. On average, Starc drew 1.2 degrees of swing in his last two overs as opposed to 0.8 in his first two with the new ball.Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) Avesh Khan’s last two overs to deny RR featured even more reverse swing. The yorker to get Yashasvi Jaiswal swung 2.21 degrees. The yorker to beat Riyan Prag’s ramp swung 1.86.Related

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There is enough anecdotal evidence of reverse swing in IPL 2025 at various ages of the ball. If Starc and Avesh swung it right at the end, there was a game when Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) Eshan Malinga reversed the ball in the 12th over and then right at the end. In the 18th over, he swung two balls at 2.59 degrees each, and took out Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Naman Dhir’s toe with one that swung in 1.84 degrees. Last year, 11% of deliveries, excluding slower balls, swung more than 1.5 degrees after the tenth over; this year it’s 18%. It has almost gone from one in ten to one in five.However, before we conclude that there has been more reverse swing than in the Covid-19 years, when the use of saliva to shine the ball was banned, we need to first acknowledge that degrees of swing is a flawed measure. The average swing is even worse. Aaron Briggs, who has done a PhD in the aerodynamics of swing bowling, has been advocating a “swing coefficient”, which measures swing independent of the time the ball spent in the air.The fuller you bowl, the more chance you give the ball to swing. So the degrees need to be normalised for length for it to be comparable. That, though, is the easier part. Briggs points out a bigger drawback in data collection in cricket: we don’t record the bowler’s intent or skill. We don’t yet record different seam orientations bowlers try. Did the bowler really intend to swing the ball? Was the release good? To account for that, the best we can do is exclude slower balls.Himanish Ganjoo, a physicist and data scientist, made the data somewhat comparable by normalising the degrees of swing for length. He considered only balls bowled at more than 128kph, and the following graphic emerged.