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Here’s how the six teams look after the two mini replacement drafts ahead of the second leg

Umar Farooq08-Jun-2021The Pakistan Super League (PSL) had two mini replacement drafts for the six franchises to complete their teams ahead of the second leg of the 2021 edition of the tournament, which had been suspended after 14 matches in March following a spate of Covid-19 cases among players and support staff in Karachi. It will resume on June 9 in Abu Dhabi, with Lahore Qalandars set to take on Islamabad United.If it hadn’t been paused, PSL 2021 would have ended with the final in Lahore on March 22. Between then and now, several overseas players – who were part of the first leg – have withdrawn from the tournament due to various reasons.Where the teams stand on the points tableAmid the logistical challenges, all six franchises were allowed to pick two additional players in their original squads, with at least one overseas player, increasing squad sizes from 18 to 20. The earlier playing conditions had stated that each team had to feature at least three or a maximum of four overseas players in their XIs, but given the growing obstacles around the Covid-19 pandemic, the number has been reduced to minimum of two overseas players and maximum of four in the XI for each team. Here’s a look at all the changes in the squads ahead of the second leg.

Karachi Kings

Form guide: WLWLW (most recent first)OUT: Colin Ingram, Mohammad Nabi, Dan Christian, Joe Clarke, Liton DasIN: Thisara Perera, Najibullah Zadran, Martin Guptill, Mohammad HarisPlaying XI (before postponement): Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Joe Clarke, Colin Ingram, Dan Christian, Imad Wasim (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Amir, Waqas Maqsood, Arshad IqbalESPNcricinfo LtdRelated

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Peshawar Zalmi

Form guide: LWWWL (most recent first)OUT: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Ravi BoparaIN: Fabian Allen, Fidel Edwards, Rovman Powell, Waqar Salamkheil, Hazratullah ZazaiPlaying XI (before postponement): Kamran Akmal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Shoaib Malik (capt), Haider Ali, Ravi Bopara/David Miller, Sherfane Rutherford, Amad Butt, Umaid Asif, Saqib Mahmood, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad IrfanESPNcricinfo Ltd

Islamabad United

Form guide: WLWW (most recent first)OUT: Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory, Phil Salt, Janneman MalanIN: Mohammad Akhlaq, Usman Khawaja, Umar Amin, Brandon KingPlaying XI (before postponement): Phil Salt, Alex Hales, Shadab Khan (capt), Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Lewis Gregory, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Zafar GoharESPNcricinfo Ltd

Lahore Qalandars

Form guide: WLWW (most recent first)OUT: David Wiese, Joe Denly, Tom Abell, Samit Patel, Shakib Al HasanIN: Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Callum Ferguson, Seekkuge Prasanna, Tim David, Sultan AhmedPlaying XI (before postponement): Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar (capt), Joe Denly, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk, Samit Patel, David Wiese, Zeeshan Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Haris RaufESPNcricinfo Ltd

Multan Sultans

Form guide: LLWLL (most recent first)OUT: Chris Lynn, James Vince, Adam Lyth, Carlos Brathwaite, Obed McCoy, Shahid Afridi, MahmudullahIN: Blessing Muzarabani, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asif Afridi, Hammad Azam, Shimron Hetmyer, Johnson Charles, Waseem MuhammadPlaying XI (before postponement): Chris Lynn, Mohammad Rizwan (capt), James Vince, Sohaib Maqsood, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Shahid Afridi, Carlos Brathwaite, Sohail Khan, Usman Qadir, Shahnawaz DhaniESPNcricinfo Ltd

Quetta Gladiators

Form guide: WLLLL (most recent first)OUT: Tom Banton, Dale Steyn, Anwar Ali, Chris Gayle, Ben CuttingIN: Andre Russell, Jack Wildermuth, Jake Weatherald, Khurram Shehzad, Zahir KhanPlaying XI (before postponement): Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Faf du Plessis, Azam Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt), Ben Cutting, Mohammad Nawaz, Qais Ahmad, Zahid Mahmood, Dale Steyn, Mohammad HasnainGetty Images

MLB's hot stove cooked up a stunner during the winter meetings on Tuesday, as three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, who was being pursued by both the incumbent Mets and the defending champion Dodgers, chose to leave New York for Los Angeles on a three-year, $69 million contract. The deal set an average annual value record for a relief pitcher.

It was a major coup for the Dodgers, who, despite spending big on two relievers last offseason, never had a reliable closer emerge throughout the regular season.

But it was a big blow to the Mets, who seemingly did everything they could to bring back the talented reliever. New York's offer was reportedly $66 million over three years.

So why didn't Díaz return to Queens if the money was similar between the Mets' and Dodgers' offers?

Díaz miffed by Mets, Dodgers' recruitment aided by brother

Díaz was reportedly unhappy with the Mets' decision to part ways with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, according to Mike Puma of . While manager Carlos Mendoza's status was safe in the aftermath of New York's stunning collapse, Hefner was one of five coaches New York decided to let go in a coaching staff shakeup on Oct. 3. Evidently Díaz, who recorded the three lowest ERA marks and two highest strikeout rates of his career during the six seasons Hefner was with the club, was not pleased to see the coach heading out the door.

Plus, Los Angeles, already a desirable destination with the Dodgers coming off back-to-back World Series titles, had a secret weapon in its free agent recruitment of Díaz: Díaz's brother. Alexis Díaz, an All-Star in 2023, was acquired by Los Angeles in May of 2025 but he struggled to the tune of a 5.00 ERA in nine innings pitched for the Dodgers. Los Angeles in September of 2025 designated Díaz for assignment. But he still spoke glowingly of the Dodgers organization to his brother, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN and Puma.

Prior to Díaz's departure, the Mets signed free agent reliever Devin Williams to a three-year, $50 million contract. According to Passan, Díaz was unhappy that Mets brass did not give him a heads up about the signing of Williams. New York president of baseball operations David Stearns, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, couldn't acknowledge the Díaz deal but seemed to indicate that the Williams signing impacted the club's desire to bring back Díaz.

“I'm not going to talk about any specific negotiation," Stearns said. "What I'll say is once you add to a certain part of our team that will change the calculus in how you look at your team in general.”

تحدث مدرب أتلتيكو مدريد، دييجو سيميوني، في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم قبل مباراة الفريق أمام برشلونة ببطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ويحل أتلتيكو مدريد ضيفًا على برشلونة، في مباراة مقدمة من الجولة التاسعة عشر للدوري الإسباني، وتقام غدًا الثلاثاء على ملعب “سبوتيفاي كامب نو”.

وافتتح سيميوني الحديث بشأن كلمات فليك مشيدًا بأتلتيكو مدريد، وقال في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “لا أعلق أبدًا على آراء الآخرين؛ لكلٍّ رأيه الخاص، نواصل العمل على التحسين كفريق، لدينا مجال أكبر بكثير للتحسين مما أظهرناه”.

وأضاف: “المباراة التي نتوقعها واضحة جدًا، لديهم هجوم مذهل، وأسلوب لعب قوي جدًا، وعلينا أن نكون أقوياء للمنافسة، علينا أن ندفع المباراة إلى أقصى حد ممكن لنتمكن من إلحاق الضرر بهم”.

وإذا كان برشلونة هو المرشح الأوفر حظًا، رد: “إنه فريق أثبت جدارته، لا يغيرون استراتيجيتهم الهجومية وخط دفاعهم المتقدم، لديهم خيارات متعددة”. 

اقرأ أيضًا | هاجمه ريال مدريد.. حكم مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد في الدوري الإسباني

وسُئل سيميوني عن الدرس المُستفاد لفريقه من مباراتي آرسنال وليفربول بدوري الأبطال، وأجاب: “إنها مبارياتٌ مختلفة، ولكلٍّ منها أسلوبه الخاص، سنرى كيف سنؤدي غدًا”.

وكان أتلتيكو مدريد تعرض لهزيمة من ليفربول بنتيجة 3-2، وتلقى هزيمة برباعية دون رد من آرسنال.

وأشاد بلاعبه خيمينيز، مؤكدًا: “إنه لاعب بالغ الأهمية بالنسبة لنا، أتمنى أن يحافظ على مستواه”.

وعن دي بورجوس، حكم مباراة الغد، رد سيميوني باقتضاب: “لا أعلق عادةً على الحكام، أحترمهم كثيرًا، وأحاول مساعدتهم”.

وبشأن صورة فليك ورافينها عقب مباراة برشلونة وألافيس، أتم: “هذا طبيعي، فنحن بشر ولدينا مشاعر، من السهل أن نرى ونطلب أشياءً من على مقاعد البدلاء، اللعب ليس سهلاً، ولعب مباريات متتالية أمرٌ معقد، من وجهة نظرنا، نسعى دائمًا للأفضل”.

Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted a £62m opening offer for Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, and they are confident a deal will be finalized soon.

Spurs are now stepping up their pursuit of a new forward, amid doubts over the capabilities of some of Thomas Frank’s current attacking options, with Jamie O’Hara particularly scathing of the frontline after the 1-0 defeat at home against Chelsea earlier this season.

The former midfielder said: “We’ve got a garbage team – going forward at home at the minute is absolutely terrible. “We’ve spent £60m on Xavi Simons, £60m on Richarlison, £60m on Ndombele. The money we spend on some players… our recruitment is an absolute disgrace.”

Not only that, but Dominic Solanke has been unable to overcome his persistent injury problems, with the striker missing 15 Spurs games already this season due to an ankle issue, and Mathys Tel has scored just two Premier League goals so far this season in the Englishman’s absence.

The Lilywhites need goals from somewhere if they are going to push for the Champions League places this season, and they have now made their first move to sign a new forward…

Tottenham submit opening offer for Athletic Club star Nico Williams

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have now submitted a €70m (£62m) opening offer for Athletic Club forward Williams, matching the bid made by London rivals Chelsea, with both clubs confident they will be able to finalize a deal soon.

The 23-year-old’s future at the Spanish club is now up in the air, with Spurs looking to triple his salary, having emerged as serious contenders for the winger’s signature, given that he is viewed as a perfect fit for their forward line.

The north Londoners are trying to get a deal done in the January transfer window, and there is every indication the Athletic Club star could be a real difference-maker in their bid to secure Champions League football for the second season running.

Perhaps the Spaniard’s most impressive attribute is his dribbling, averaging 3.33 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 99th percentile, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers, while also ranking in the 90th percentile for progressive carries.

Lauded as “world-class” by journalist Zach Lowy, the 30-time Spain international has also made a promising start to the season in La Liga, chipping in with two goals and two assists in nine matches for Athletic Club.

With a number of Tottenham’s current attackers struggling, including Simons, who is yet to score since making the move to north London, bringing in a new winger in January might be necessary, and Williams has proven he could be an excellent addition to Frank’s squad.

Nico Williams has been named as one of the best wingers in the world

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By
Charlie Smith

Nov 28, 2025

The Atlanta Braves are off to a slow start to the 2025 MLB season, having won just two of their first 11 games, but reinforcements could be arriving soon.

Former All-Star starting pitcher Spencer Strider was making a rehab start at Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday and he was absolutely dialed in on the mound. Strider threw 90 pitches across 5 1/3 innings and struck out 13 of the 21 batters he faced in the game. He ended up surrendering one run on three hits and walking two batters while fanning 13 in a dominant outing in the minors.

It's possible that will be Strider's final ramp-up game ahead of his season debut for the Braves, who are in dire need of a boost on the mound.

In 2024, Strider threw just nine innings before being shut down and undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was one of MLB's best pitchers in 2023, racking up 20 wins and striking out a league-high 281 batters across 186 2/3 innings. He maintained a solid 3.86 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 32 starts.

A few weeks into the 2025 season, Braves starters not named Spencer Schwellenbach have struggled, including reigning Cy Young Chris Sale. Apart from Schwellenbach, no one in the starting rotation has an ERA below 4.00.

Getting Strider back will be crucial for Atlanta as they look to curb their poor start and get back on track to push for the postseason. Based on his latest outing at Triple-A Gwinnett, he looks more than ready to get back to facing big-league hitters.

Ryan Reynolds has praised Wrexham’s “heart” after the club’s impressive rise continued with a determined 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic. Josh Windass’ penalty extended the Red Dragons’ unbeaten run to five matches and lifted them to 13th in the Championship, just four points off the play-off spots, capping off a strong turnaround that has left the Hollywood co-owner beaming with pride.

• Reynolds praises Wrexham as they extend unbeaten run

  Wrexham continued their impressive surge up the Championship table with a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic, further cementing their place as one of the division’s most inspiring stories. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when substitute Onel Hernandez was penalised for handball, allowing Josh Windass to calmly convert from the penalty spot for his fifth goal of the season. The goal was enough to secure Wrexham’s third consecutive home win and fifth match unbeaten in the league.

  The result carried even more significance given the quick turnaround from a midweek fixture against Portsmouth, where Wrexham had ground out a gritty draw. Despite the fatigue, Phil Parkinson’s side maintained their energy and resilience, keeping Charlton’s attacking threats largely quiet. It was another display of maturity from a squad that had once looked out of its depth early in the campaign but now appears to be growing stronger with each passing week.

  The atmosphere inside the Racecourse Ground was electric once again, with fans fully embracing their side’s newfound confidence. The energy in the stands, mirrored by the team’s intensity on the pitch, reflected a club that has rediscovered its belief at home. The full-time whistle was met with jubilant scenes, while Ryan Reynolds’ short Instagram post — “This Town. This heart. Forever.” — summed up the pride that has defined Wrexham’s remarkable rise.

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  'Intensity' key to Wrexham's return to form in the Championship

  Wrexham’s resurgence has come at a good time. From a nervy start to life back in the Championship — their first appearance in the second tier since 1982 — to now sitting four points off the play-offs, the Red Dragons’ transformation has been a testament to patience, structure, and spirit. The early-season growing pains, marked by defensive errors and narrow defeats, have given way to a side that plays with organisation, confidence, and self-belief.

  As Parkinson put it, the “intensity” has returned — a feeling long associated with Wrexham’s ascent through the divisions. The Wrexham boss said:  "I think the atmosphere now and the feeling in the stadium is what we've been used to. Those early games, we didn't quite create that intensity in our play. We had some really good periods in all those games but we got punished in key moments.

  "The Oxford game, I thought the support was great. Coventry was special and today, what an atmosphere. We've always spoke about making this place difficult for the opposition to play and I think we've got it where we need it to be, and we've got to keep it there. That comes with the supporters obviously playing their part like they've done so well today, but also the manner of the performance, the physicality.

  "I think Issa Kabore kind of typifies that really in his fighting spirit and the defenders winning headers when they needed to and playing with that physicality, and teams know if they come to Wrexham, they're in for a tough afternoon." 

• Wrexham's remarkable story from non-league to Championship

  Wrexham’s return to the Championship marks one of football’s most remarkable modern success stories — a story written not only through investment but through culture. Since Reynolds and Rob Mac took ownership in 2021, the club has undergone a complete transformation, combining Hollywood ambition with genuine community spirit. What began as a bold experiment has evolved into a model of sustainable growth, media influence, and sporting ambition.

  The documentary Welcome to Wrexham introduced the club to global audiences, but it’s their on-field progress that continues to astound. Three consecutive promotions — from the National League to the Championship — were achieved through smart recruitment, shrewd management, and the unwavering backing of the fanbase.

  Financial investment from the owners has undoubtedly been key, with improved training facilities, global sponsorships, and Racecourse Ground redevelopment projects all elevating the club’s infrastructure. Yet, beyond the money, Reynolds and Mac’s genuine emotional connection to Wrexham remains the defining factor.

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  Wrexham will look to maintain form after the break

  Wrexham enter the international break sitting comfortably in 13th place. Phil Parkinson will use the next fortnight to rest key players and prepare for a challenging run of fixtures, beginning with a trip to Ipswich Town on November 22. Maintaining this momentum could turn a season of survival into one of genuine promotion contention.

  For Reynolds and Mac, the latest chapter in Wrexham’s journey is further vindication of their long-term vision. The club’s trajectory continues to defy expectation, with performances on the pitch matching the ambition off it.

Glasgow Rangers are currently on the lookout for a new head coach at Ibrox after they decided to part ways with Russell Martin on Sunday night.

The Rangers board finally made the decision to sack the former Scotland international after a 1-1 draw in the Scottish Premiership, which left the Gers in eighth place in the division.

Martin only won five of his 17 competitive games in charge of Rangers, including one win in the Premiership, and he cannot have many, if any, complaints with this decision.

Now that Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell have made this call, the Ibrox chiefs must come together to make a successful appointment that will get the supporters back onside.

Title-winning boss is interested in Rangers job

Rangers are a massive club that represents a significant opportunity for numerous managers, due to their history and fan base, which means that there will be plenty of candidates vying for the job.

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This is evidenced by journalist Ben Jacobs reporting that Dutch head coach Mark van Bommel is “interested” in replacing Martin in the dugout at Ibrox.

The Dutchman, who favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, has been out of work since he moved on from Belgian side Royal Antwerp at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, which means that the club would not have to pay out any compensation to bring him in.

Jacobs adds that van Bommel was one of the managers who was approached by the club before Martin got the job this summer. This means that he is on their radar and could be an option once again.

If the Light Blues do opt to go back in for the former Royal Antwerp head coach, he could be a repeat of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, which may not be a bad thing.

Why Mark van Bommel could be Giovanni van Bronckhorst 2.0 for Rangers

Since Steven Gerrard left Ibrox to join Aston Villa in 2021, van Bronckhorst has been the most successful Rangers manager. He won the SFA Cup and reached the final of the Europa League.

Barry Ferguson, Michael Beale, and Russell Martin failed to win any trophies. Philippe Clement won the League Cup but did not have the success in Europe that the Dutchman did.

Prior to replacing Gerrard at Ibrox, van Bronckhorst had won the Eredivisie title and two League Cups during his time with Feyenoord in the Netherlands, and he used that winning mentality to win a trophy and come within a couple of penalties away from winning a European trophy.

Eredivisie title (16/17)

Belgian Pro League title (22/23)

Dutch League Cup (17/18)

Belgian Super Cup (23/24)

Dutch League Cup (15/16)

Belgian League Cup (22/23)

Dutch Super Cup (18/19)

Dutch Super Cup (17/18)

As you can see in the table above, van Bommel’s managerial success is not drastically different to van Bronckhorst’s before his move to Rangers in 2021.

The former Royal Antwerp head coach has won a league title in his career, in the 2022/23 campaign, and won two other trophies with the club before his exit in the summer of 2024.

This means that the Light Blues would be bringing in a manager who knows how to win trophies, a league title specifically, and could instill a winning mentality into the current team, that had been managed by a head coach in Martin who has never won a league title in his managerial career.

Rangers should be winning trophies, including titles, and they may need to appoint a proven winner to do that, which is why van Bommel could be an interesting option to turn to.

He's like Mourinho: 54-year-old manager wants to replace Martin at Rangers

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ByMatt Dawson Oct 6, 2025

Jack Grealish peeled away in celebration. The joy on his face was palpable. Infectious. This was the moment, sending the roof off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Everton sealing a last-minute winner against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

19 games unbeaten. No more. The Eagles had been grounded and Everton had taken off. That’s 11 points on the board for the Toffees, and only seven matches played. Last year, 12 fixtures were needed to reach the same points total.

David Moyes’ squad are coming together, even with the centre-forwards still toiling. Beto is beginning to look rather stale, while £27m summer signing Thierno Barry hasn’t yet provided the quality or fluency to suggest he can lead the line.

It’s a familiar problem on the blue half of Merseyside.

Everton's striker issues

After Moyes’ appointment last winter, Beto came alive. He had previously laboured under Sean Dyche’s management, but scored five from four Premier League games to rebind the rigging and turn the ship away from relegation danger.

With one top-flight goal this season, things need to change if Beto is to retain his star spot as the frontman. Everton have been here before, with struggles at centre-forward a common theme since Farhad Moshiri first purchased a stake in 2016.

While Dominic Calvert-Lewin had some high points across his long stay in Liverpool, the tall and commanding star lacked control of his fitness levels and toiled over the final years of his Everton career.

Few and far between are the strikers who have left Everton with their heads held high, and Beto knows he needs an upswing in form if he wishes to edge away from an unwanted reputation when he does play his football elsewhere.

Beto

80

17

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

273

71

Neal Maupay

32

1

Moise Kean

39

4

Richarlison

152

53

Cenk Tosun

61

11

Salomon Rondon

31

3

Here is a list of differing fortunes, but there are more than a few strikers who will look back at their time at Goodison Park with regret.

Moise Kean, for example, arrived from Juventus as a teenage prodigy with a weight of expectation. But it didn’t work out in England.

Everton's new Moise Kean

Everton haven’t always hit the jackpot in the transfer market over the past several years, but recent additions certainly speak of greater accuracy and synergy when planning for the future.

Kean, who completed a £25m move to England in August 2019, was billed as a real coup for a first-class prospect, but he never managed to make it work on Merseyside and returned to his homeland, having scored only four times and completed a series of loan spells.

Now, Kean is a superstar in Italy with Fiorentina, prolific and powerful, and Everton might want to bear that one in mind when considering Tyler Dibling, who arrived from Southampton this summer for £42m but has endured a difficult start, used sparingly by Moyes and yet to show off the skills that caused such a furore regarding his services.

Sunday’s tie was considered a huge opportunity for the 19-year-old. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was suspended, after all. But he failed to take the opportunity, with the Liverpool Echo slapping him with a 4/10 match rating and saying he was ‘anonymous at times’.

Dibling is young and talented and has demonstrated his potential already in the Premier League, but he’s a work in progress. He was hounded out of any promising positions at the weekend, and it’s unlikely he has gained Moyes’ trust at this stage.

This “world-class talent”, as he has been described by Southampton youth coach Andy Goldie, may well reach the end of the campaign with little individual triumphs to boast about. Perhaps there will be scrutiny, and knots of adversity and frustration from which he must disentangle himself and keep his head down and work hard.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

6/7 (86%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

0/3

Tackles

1

Duels won

3/10

Dibling impressed with Southampton last year, a bright spark during a difficult year. Saints were doomed, and that was a fact long before the season curtailed. But Dibling shone, notching seven goal involvements across the term and impressing with his strength and pace and gusto.

The lesson here is that Everton have paid for a youngster who is anything but the finished product. Maybe it will take time, and maybe he will need a loan spell away to find his feet.

Perhaps he won’t. But Everton must keep the faith in a top prospect and watch him bloom into a star down the line, because Everton and Moyes know what they have paid for, and there is a lofty, grand-scale future for this one.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 2, 2025

Kathryn Bryce starred with bat and ball as The Blaze beat Essex Women by seven wickets in the Vitality Blast match at the Central Co-op County Ground Derby.Despite losing opening bowler Grace Ballinger after one ball of the game, The Blaze delivered a disciplined display in the field with Bryce taking 2 for 11 and Cassidy McCarthy 2 for 22.Essex were bowled out for 104, Jo Gardner making 22, but that proved inadequate with Bryce scoring a run a ball unbeaten 51 to seal a bonus point win with 35 balls to spare.The Blaze suffered a setback at the start when Ballinger pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and had to leave the field. But it was Essex who had problems to solve when they lost three wickets in the powerplay.Kathryn Bryce took over from Ballinger and with her fourth delivery, had Lauren Winfield-Hill lbw playing across the line.Essex then lost two wickets in the fourth over. A brilliant piece of fielding by Ella Claridige at gully ran out Lissy Macleod before Cordelia Griffith top edged a pull to mid on.Grace Scrivens and Maddie Penna were beginning to repair the damage when they both fell in quick succession. Scrivens top-edged a reverse sweep at Josie Groves and was caught at point before Penna missed a conventional sweep at Kirstie Gordon to leave Essex on 44 for 5.Gardner and Sophia Smale added 42 from 37 balls but the pair were parted in the 17th over when Smale was bowled trying to sweep Maddy Green. Gardner went in the next over, caught at deep midwicket off McCarthy and Bryce returned to bowl Eva Gray in the 19th.Essex passed 100 but they needed early wickets to have a chance of defending a small total and Kate Coppack struck in the first over of the Blaze chase. She found enough movement to have Georgia Elwiss caught behind without scoring but she lost control in her next over which cost 17.Esmae MacGregor replaced her and had Marie Kelly caught at mid off but at the end of the powerplay, The Blaze were well on course at 45 for 2.MacGregor beat Sarah Bryce’s drive but sister Kathryn moved through the gears and won the game in style with a straight six off Smale which also took her to a richly deserved 50.

A Tottenham Hotspur player hasn’t impressed Thomas Frank and is now “expected” to leave soon, as he will “find it hard” to get back into the starting XI.

Tottenham ace expected to seal post-deadline exit

The summer transfer window reached its conclusion just under a week ago, and Frank is likely to be happy with the business that got done, despite missing out on both Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White.

One signing who has immediately hit the ground running in north London is Joao Palhinha, with the Portugal international opening his goal-scoring account in what was an impressive all-round performance in the 2-0 victory over Manchester City.

Statistic

Number completed

Ground duels won

6

Aerial duels won

2

Tackles

4

Clearances

2

The 30-year-old made the joint-highest number of tackles of any player on the pitch, starring alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr in a central midfield which has remained unchanged for the last two Premier League games.

On the opening day of the campaign, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall featured in the engine room for Spurs, but one midfielder who is yet to receive any game time is Yves Bissouma.

According to Football Insider’s transfer correspondent, Pete O’Rourke, Bissouma could now be set to leave Tottenham in the near future, given that several countries’ transfer windows still remain open.

The journalist said: “There would be potential for Bissouma to be moved on before the Saudi Arabia and Turkey [transfer] windows close, that is expected.

“He’s out of favour under Thomas Frank and was dropped from their UEFA Super Cup squad, due to being late for various meetings and training.

“He hasn’t made the best of impressions on Thomas Frank, and he’ll probably find it hard to get into that Tottenham midfield.”

Bissouma should be offloaded as soon as possible

It is good news that the 29-year-old’s time in north London appears to be coming to an end, given that he has clearly shown a lack of professionalism by turning up late for meetings and training, which has meant falling down the pecking order in central midfield.

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Spurs haven’t looked like they’ve missed the Mali international at all, with Palhinha proving himself as a more than capable replacement, earning high praise from Frank, who said: “What is 100 per cent sure is that we brought two top players into the club, (Mohammed) Kudus and Palhinha. Both of them performed very well, which I’m very pleased with.

“And Palhinha, wow. You know, sometimes players need confidence, and they need to be on top. I actually don’t think he’s fully fit yet where I want him to be, but very pleased with his performance and he’s definitely helping the team.”

As such, Tottenham can definitely afford to get rid of their £55k-a-week midfielder, and there is plenty of interest in his signature, with the likes of Fenerbahce and Galatasaray recently being named as potential suitors.