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Absence of England, South Africa and overseas players comes after lengthy gap from group stages

Matt Roller12-Sep-2025

The T20 Blast’s “absolutely ludicrous” scheduling will see all four teams involved in Saturday’s Finals Day missing key players for the showpiece occasion of the county calendar.Now in its 23rd season, the Blast is the oldest professional T20 competition in the world, but also the longest. The 2025 edition started in late May and will finally come to an end more than 15 weeks later at Edgbaston on Saturday, with Lancashire playing Somerset in the first semi-final, Northamptonshire facing Hampshire in the second, and the final rounding out the day.Counties have chosen to stage the Blast’s knockout stages in September for the last two seasons, given that a long gap after the group stage – during which the Hundred takes place – allows them more time to sell tickets for the quarter-finals. But it also limits player availability for Finals Day, with overseas players leaving and England involved in white-ball series.The ECB confirmed on Friday that the Blast’s knockout stages will be shifted forwards next summer with Finals Day set for July 18, immediately before the Hundred starts. The Blast’s format will also change next year, with teams split into three groups of six rather than two groups of nine, and each team playing 12 group games instead of 14.Lancashire are particularly badly affected this year, with four players missing on England duty – Jos Buttler, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt and Luke Wood – and both of their overseas players unavailable. Chris Green is at the CPL with Barbados Royals, while Ashton Turner has been recalled by Western Australia ahead of the start of the state season next week.”It’s not ideal,” Keaton Jennings, their captain, told BBC Radio Lancashire. “I don’t want to point fingers [but] I do think the scheduling is absolutely ludicrous. You can’t have eight weeks between a last group-stage game and a final. There’s no other competition in the world that does that… It is frustrating. It feels like a massive kick in the teeth.”Steven Croft, Lancashire’s head coach, has hinted that they could even hand a player their T20 debut on Saturday, with mystery spinner Arav Shetty named in their squad after taking nine wickets in seven One-Day Cup appearances. Lancashire last won the Blast in 2015 when Croft was captain, with Liam Livingstone also involved.Related

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Devastating Dickson powers Somerset to Finals Day

Somerset, their opponents, will be missing Riley Meredith (recalled by Tasmania), Matt Henry (recalled by New Zealand) and Tom Banton (England duty). They have named a single overseas player in their squad, the South African Migael Pretorius, who has made only two previous T20 appearances for them across the last two seasons.Hampshire have two available overseas players in Chris Lynn and Bjorn Fortuin, but are without Liam Dawson (England duty), Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (South Africa duty) and Hilton Cartwright (recalled by Western Australia). They are targeting a record fourth title and a domestic white-ball double in Adi Birrell’s final season as head coach.Northamptonshire are considered outsiders by the bookies after their shock win at The Oval last Wednesday but will have the same squad to choose from, with Tim Robinson and Lloyd Pope both available as overseas players. Pope’s availability owes to the fact that his state – South Australia – are not scheduled to start their domestic season until next Saturday.However, South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke will not be available as hoped. “We’ve had some bad news today about Breetzke,” Darren Lehmann, Northants’ head coach, said. “We were hoping to get him back, but he misses out due to personal and family reasons. We wish him and his family all the best. Everyone’s health and wellbeing is the most important thing.”Overseas players at T20 Blast Finals Day:
Somerset: Migael Pretorius (South Africa)
Lancashire: None
Hampshire: Chris Lynn (Australia)
Northamptonshire: Tim Robinson (New Zealand), Lloyd Pope (Australia).

تعادل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الترجي التونسي أمام نظيره بترو أتلتيكو الأنجولي، بهدف لكل منهما، في اللقاء الذي أقيم بين الفريقين في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وحل الترجي ضيفًا على نظيره بترو أتلتيكو، على ملعب 11 نوفمبر في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

طالع| فيديو.. بوبو يسجل هدف بيراميدز الأول أمام باور ديناموز

وجاء هدف بترو أتلتيكو، عن طريق تياجو ريس في الدقيقة 49 من عمر اللقاء، وتعادل الترجي عن طريق دياكيتي في الدقيقة 89.

ويتواجد الترجي التونسي في المجموعة الرابعة من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا رفقة أندية: الملعب المالي وسيمبا التنزاني وبترو أتلتيكو الأنجولي.

وبهذه النتيجة، يرتفع رصيد الترجي إلى نقطتين في المركز الثاني مؤقتًا، في انتظار نتيجة مباراة الملعب المالي وسيمبا غدًا في ذات المجموعة، بينما ارتفع رصيد بترو أتلتيكو إلى 4 نقاط في الصدارة. أهداف مباراة الترجي وبترو أتليتكو في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

CSK have looked out of their depth in IPL 2025 with key players out of form and no quality on the bench

Deivarayan Muthu23-May-20253:10

Which big player will CSK release after IPL 2025?

At around 8.45pm on April 11, there were unprecedented scenes at Chepauk.As MS Dhoni walked out to bat at No. 9, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) 72 for 7 in the 15th over against Kolkata Knight Riders, several fans began to leave the stadium. CSK’s devoted followers have sworn by their but those exiting had realised that even he couldn’t save this team this season. Having taken over the captaincy after five games in in IPL 2025, the magnitude of the miracle required was beyond his ageing capabilities.At around 10.30 pm, Fortress Chepauk crumbled. It was the first time CSK had lost three consecutive home games. They went on to lose their next two in Chennai as well, and for the first time, CSK will finish last in an IPL season.After finishing fifth last year, CSK have also failed to make the playoffs in two consecutive seasons for the first time – an indicator that their trusted methods, with which they have won five titles, may now be outdated in the IPL.Related

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Their problems began with squad formation. Their bets on old CSK players – like Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra – didn’t come off. Their punts on buying players who had struggled for other franchises in recent seasons – Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar and Rahul Tripathi – fell flat too. There was no revival for them like Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube had enjoyed at CSK.They splurged INR 9.75 crore for 38-year old R Ashwin, who played for CSK last in 2015, at a time when other teams are barely picking players whose primary skill is offspin. That reunion hasn’t been productive either: seven wickets in nine matches with an economy rate of 9.12, his highest in an IPL season.Barely a month into the season, the first four players CSK had bought at the mega auction for a total of INR 23.4 crore last November – Conway, Tripathi, Ashwin and Rachin – were all on the bench.1:26

Bangar: If I was Dhoni I would say ‘enough’

After realising that CSK things weren’t working for them this season, they did some un-CSK things. Like cycling through 22 players, the most they have used in an IPL season since 2010; promoting Ravindra Jadeja to No.4 though his struggles against spin is well known; pushing Shivam Dube down the order and exposing him to high pace when his strength is hitting spin; and handing the new ball to Jamie Overton, who is a middle-and-death overs specialist for England and various franchises around the world.The spate of defeats and the weakness of their bench forced CSK to blood young, inexperienced players, something they rarely do. Two of their mid-season replacements, Dewald Brevis and 17-year old Ayush Mhatre, their youngest player ever, have been successful and could be part of CSK’s plans for 2026.But with or without Brevis and Mhatre, the batting looks fragile and uncompetitive, lagging far behind in terms of explosiveness or inventiveness. Against RCB in Bengaluru, CSK needed 35 off 18 balls, but Jadeja and Dhoni were unable to finish a game they would have won more often than not a few years ago. Their inability to exploit scoring areas behind the wicket was amplified as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal shackled them with several full tosses.Which brings us to one of the biggest talking points of CSK’s season. Dhoni, who will turn 44 in July, is functioning at reduced capacity because of his knees. He can’t play long innings any more, and in this age of match-ups teams simply throw the ball to a spinner when he walks in. Rajasthan Royals even gave part-time offspinner Riyan Parag the 16th over because Dhoni was batting.Since IPL 2020, Dhoni has a strike rate of 95.88 against spin – the lowest among batters who have faced 250 balls of spin in this period. CSK’s other problem is that Jadeja is third on this list with a strike rate of 101.68 against spin, making it too simple for opponents to slow them down when these two are in the middle. Sometimes they don’t even look as if they are trying to attack spin.Jadeja has had problems with his left-arm spin too. He has trouble against left-handers and doesn’t usually bowl in the powerplay; these limitations have resulted in him completing his four-over quota only once in 13 matches. Jadeja has eight wickets with an economy of 8.81 and 280 runs at a strike rate of 137.25 this season.R Ashwin has not had a happy homecoming on the field this season•PTI Jadeja and Dhoni, retained for INR 18 crore and 4 crore respectively, don’t play any T20 cricket between IPL seasons. Dhoni’s future remains unclear but if he wants to play IPL 2026, can CSK afford to keep both of them?Yes, according to former SRH and PBKS coach Tom Moody who has vast experience in constructing and reconstructing T20 teams around the world, and especially if Dube rediscovers his explosive power and CSK bring in an overseas power-hitter.”Well, Dube has to fire and he, historically, has been a brilliant finisher for them,” Moody said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “His form has been a concern, along with obviously the clock ticking on Dhoni’s career. It doesn’t get easier when you’re older. It gets harder and harder.”Jadeja has never ever been a strong finisher. He’s a very fine player, but do you see him as a player with 15 or 20 balls to go, as your impact player? Probably not. Therefore, you go back to the auction and look at ‘did we get it wrong’ or maybe we needed to get an overseas finisher to support what we already have.”While CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming has kept emphasising the importance of experience, they may not have many options to pick from at the next mini-auction. And the really good players will be in high demand and go for hefty prices.”If you’re needing to release funds, the obvious one would be Ashwin because I think it was about 10 crore,” Moody said. “That’s a lot of money for someone that’s not guaranteed a place in the XI. So, that’s going to be a hard conversation that the management has to have with him.”I think they need more of a batting powerhouse at No.5 or 6. They’ve got enough allrounders in their set-up – Rachin, Sam Curran, Jadeja. To me, they need a specialist impact player that can take games away a bit like your Livingstone, Tim David and Hetmyer – these types of players they have to find and target. They may do that through trade. You never know someone like Ashwin might find himself traded.”The return of Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose IPL 2025 was cut short by injury, may remedy some top-order issues but the CSK management has been working behind the scenes on scouting and developing new talent. Other teams have already got tremendous value from less-known players – Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi to name just a few – plucked out of various T20 leagues around the country.The fact remains, though, that a long and successful era may have run its course, and that rebuilding a team in the second season after a mega-auction will pose challenges. Tough questions and decisions await CSK, and it could begin with Dhoni and his knees.

Sean Dyche has now personally requested the signing of a “fantastic” Istanbul Basaksehir defender Jerome Opoku at Nottingham Forest, and his current club may be tempted to cash-in.

Reinforcements may be needed in the January transfer window, given that Forest are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle this season, although there has been an uptick in results since Dyche arrived just under a month ago.

The 54-year-old has made a solid start in the Premier League, collecting four points from his opening three games in charge and signing off before the international break with a 3-1 win against fellow strugglers Leeds United, which could be an important result come May.

The former Everton boss has experience in relegation battles, having managed to guide the Toffees to safety in the 2022-23 campaign, while also stabilising Burnley in the Premier League, so Evangelos Marinakis should have full trust in his manager as we approach the January transfer window.

Sean Dyche requests signing of Jerome Opoku

Given Dyche’s impressive start, Marinakis may be willing to back him this winter, and the Nottingham Forest boss has now personally requested the signing of Istanbul Basaksehir defender Opoku, according to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness).

The 27-year-old has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs as of late, with Everton making an offer in January, while Fulham are also in the race, so the Tricky Trees may have to fend off competition from elsewhere to secure his signature.

Such is the level of interest in the centre-back, he could become ‘one of the hottest topics’ of the upcoming window, and the Turkish club may be tempted to cash-in, given that his current contract is set to expire in 2027.

The Basaksehir defender hasn’t played in England since a spell at Plymouth Argyle in the 2020-21 campaign, at which point he received plaudits from manager Ryan Lowe, who described the 6 foot 5 colossus as “fantastic”.

Since then, the Ghana international has gone on to establish himself as an important player for Basaksehir, making 14 appearances in all competitions this season and helping his side keep clean sheets in three of their last four matches.

Opoku is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, meaning it would be a risk for Nottingham Forest to make a move, but Dyche knows what it takes to avoid relegation from the top flight, so if the manager wants to make the Basaksehir star his first signing, Marinakis should back him.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign midfielder Dyche called "terrific"

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is keen to buy a £13.5m Barcelona mansion as his divorce with wife Cristina Serra nears completion. The pair are finalising the final details of their separation with reports in Spain stating there is no way back for the pair. Guardiola and Serra confirmed that are to part ways back in January, with the divorce described as 'imminent' in August.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Relationship between pair described as 'amicable'

  The couple have been together for over 30 years having first met in 1994 and married in 2014. However, despite separating, reports suggest that Guardiola and Serra have remained amicable and continue to see themselves as a family with their three children.

  Negotiations over their divorce have been described as "friendly" as the pair use the same lawyer to iron out the finer details in their divorce. By using the same lawyer, it means that the end of their marriage will not be contested by either Guardiola and Serra.

  The divorce was described as "imminent" back in August with reports in Spain suggesting that there is no way back for the Spanish pair as the couple. And Guardiola is said to be eyeing up a £13.5m Barcelona mansion, which is just a short walk from Guardiola and Serra's £8.5m marital home.

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• 'The only limit is the horizon' to Pep's new home

  A brochure for the £13.5m mansion, which is situated in the affluent Barcelona neighbourhood of Pedralbes, claims: "The space, light and views are more powerful than anything that can be built. The scope of each super-luxe villa stretches far beyond its four walls and expansive grounds. The only limit is the horizon – as far as the eye can see."

  Developers also promise to protect the privacy of owners with "evergreen oaks, lemon trees, cypresses, magnolias and ancient olive trees".

  One source added that the property is being viewed as a future home or potential investment for the couple's youngest daughter, Valentina, who is just 17 years of age.

• AFP
  

  Guardiola could leave City in 2027

  Pep Guardiola is currently the longest serving manager in England's top tier having taken over the City reins back in 2016. In that time, the 54-year-old has won numerous pieces of silverware for the Cityzens, including the Premier League six times, setting a record for four successive title triumphs between 2021 and 2024.

  In addition, Guardiola has overseen two FA Cup successes, while City also won the Champions League for the first time in their history in 2023, having finished runners' up to Chelsea back in 2021. The Spaniard signed a new deal at the Etihad Stadium last November in the midst of a downturn of domestic form to keep him at the club until 2027.

  However, Guardiola has vowed to leave City once his current deal in Manchester expires in 2027, which would bring to an end an 11-year spell as Cityzens boss, marking his longest stint in charge of a club since his move into management in 2008 with Barcelona.

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  City though lost ground in the Premier League title race on Saturday night as a Harvey Barnes brace condemned the eight-time champions to a 2-1 loss at Newcastle, a match in which Guardiola appeared to bizarrely confront a camera operator. The defeat, City's fourth in the Premier League this season, saw the Manchester giants drop to third in the table after Chelsea claimed a solid 2-0 win at newly-promoted Burnley in Saturday's lunchtime kick off.

  City remain four points off top spot in England's top tier, with Arsenal looking to extend their lead at the summit to six points over the second-placed Blues when they take on Tottenham on Sunday afternoon. The Gunners are currently top the table with 26 points from their opening 11 games as they look land their first Premier League title in over 20 years.

  However, while the Gunners have a fine home record against Spurs, Thomas Frank takes his men to the Emirates in fine form away from home. No team can better Spurs' return of 13 away points in the Premier League this season, and they travel to the Emirates as the only side yet to lose a match on the road this season.

Oval Invincibles launch bid for ‘three-peat’ with convincing win over rivals at Lord’s

ECB Media05-Aug-2025Oval Invincibles brushed London Spirit aside with ease in the opening game of the men’s Hundred as they began their bid to win the title for the third year in a row.Sam Billings’ side, who lifted the trophy in 2023 and 2024, are backing themselves for a ‘three-peat’ and the manner of their victory in the competition opener bodes well, a comfortable six-wicket stroll past a London Spirit side who never seemed at the races.Spirit batted first and were soon in trouble – Keaton Jennings, Kane Williamson and David Warner all back in the pavilion with the score on only 26. It wasn’t to get any better for Justin Langer’s side, who could only limp to 80 all out, undone by the combined guile of Sam Curran (3 for 16) and Rashid Khan (3 for 11), Rashid impressing on debut for the Invincibles.”It was nice to get that start, with the win most importantly and then to perform for the team was amazing,” Rashid said. “It’s been a good start for me. I’ve been out of the game for the last two months but it’s nice to get back and get back with a win.Will Jacks steered the Invincibles chase•Getty Images

“The break [since the IPL] has really helped. Physically but also mentally, to get ready for the next competition. The IPL is three months, it’s a long competition, and I needed a break mentally as well and that’s really helped. I’m quite happy with today.”Needing just 81 under the lights, Oval used the chase as a chance for more batting practice – Billings and Donovan Ferreira unbeaten and unfussed at the end, with Ferreira ending proceedings with a mighty six – the only one of the match – into the Tavern Stand.Rashid defended the quality of the pitch, and said: “It was a good surface. Spin was there but the length you bowled was really important today. When I bowled it was just in my mind to hit the right areas consistently, to bowl a good line and length, and it went really well.”

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