Stead has previously coached New Zealand to the WTC title and three limited-overs finals in global events
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2025Gary Stead has replaced Tinu Yohannan as Andhra’s head coach for the 2025-26 domestic season. Stead was the head coach of the New Zealand men’s team from 2018 to June 2025 and oversaw them to the World Test Championship title in 2021. Yohannan moved to the MRF Pace Foundation earlier this year.”Andhra cricket enters a new era under his guidance, aiming for bigger milestones and top-tier performances this season,” the Andhra Cricket Association wrote on social media.Stead, 53, is New Zealand’s most successful coach with three global limited-overs final appearances (2019 ODI World Cup, 2021 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy) and a historic 3-0 Test series win in India. Before that, he had coached New Zealand Women to the final of the 2009 ODI World Cup and the 2010 T20 World Cup. He also coached Canterbury to three titles and a final in the Plunket Shield, New Zealand’s domestic red-ball competition, from 2013 to 2017.Related
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Not too high, not too low: Gary Stead did it his steady way
As a player, he made five Test appearances for New Zealand and made 278 runs at an average of 34.75. He also played 101 first-class games and 103 List A games, where he made 4984 and 2173 runs respectively.Andhra had finished sixth in their group in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy with just one outright win from seven games. They failed to qualify for the knockouts in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy too, and lost in the preliminary quarter-final in the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.Andhra will begin the 2025-26 season with a Ranji Trophy game against Uttar Pradesh on October 15.
Newcastle United will be looking to win their fourth game in succession across all competitions, with the Magpies set to travel down to London to face West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.
Eddie Howe’s men go into the game in excellent form, having beaten Fulham, Benfica and, most recently, Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup.
There is not really a better time to be playing the Hammers than this week. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are in abysmal form, not winning since the 31st of August. They’ve lost six on the bounce, with little sign of their form improving.
Anthony Gordon, who was rested in midweek, could pose a huge threat to the Hammers.
How Newcastle can hurt West Ham
It seems almost guaranteed that Gordon will come straight back into the Newcastle starting lineup for their game against the East Londoners. He has been in strong form this season, dominating in the Champions League and could reall pose a big threat to the Irons.
Amongst Europe’s elite, the former Everton star has four goals and one assist in just three games. One of those strikes came against Barcelona, attacking the ball at the back post to fire home a cross from Jacob Murphy.
Incredibly, Gordon is yet to score or assist in the Premier League. He’s played six games and accumulated an expected goal involvement tally of 0.42 xGI. However, he has yet to chip in with a goal or assist.
The game against the Hammers could be the ideal opportunity for the England international to break his Premier League duck this season. His pace and direct nature could prove to be a huge threat against Nuno’s side, which has looked incohesive at the back this season, to say the least.
However, it is not only the final third threat of Gordon that could trouble West Ham. Howe has some dangerous options in midfield, too.
Howe's midfield star could terrify West Ham
Against Spurs in midweek, the Magpies rotated their midfield. Sandro Tonali was the only first-choice player who started, with Jacob Ramsey and Joe Willock operating either side of the Italian.
Bruno Guimaraes was on the bench, as was a man who could be hugely important against West Ham; Joelinton.
The Brazilian has played an important role in the middle of the park alongside Tonali and Guimaraes, and he could well slot back into the side against the Hammers.
The Brazil international is not enjoying his finest campaign, with Toon blogger Thomas Hammond even suggesting it’s the “start of the end” for the 29-year-old, who has been “honking” for some time.
That said, the number of minutes he has played shows just how important he is to Howe’s side. He’s featured 12 times across all competitions, with seven of those appearances coming in the Premier League.
One of the key reasons why the former Hoffenheim star could be pivotal against West Ham is his physicality. One described as a “dominant” midfielder by Statman Dave, Joelinton is notorious for his crunching tackles and his aerial prowess.
An excellent example of this strength came against Manchester United in the top flight last season. The Brazilian got himself on the scoresheet, outjumping and physically dominating Lisandro Martinez at the back post to head home a cross from Gordon.
This is particularly important against Nuno’s side. After their 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford a couple of weeks ago, Jamie Carragher said he can’t remember a “less athletic team I’ve seen for a very, very long time in the Premier League.”
It is easy to see why someone with the physicality of Joelinton can bully the Hammers side. However, he also offers quality on the ball. This term, the midfielder averages 0.9 chances created per game, and played an average of 11.1 forward passes per 90 minutes last season.
Joelinton stats in last 2 PL seasons
Stat (per 90)
2024/25
2025/26
Chances created
0.8
0.9
Opposition half passes completed
19.3
17
Forward passes
11.1
7.8
Duels won
6.3
5.9
Ball recoveries
5.6
4.6
Stats from Squawka
Joelinton could quite easily slot into the Magpies’ side as a replacement for Ramsey. His physicality will be important against what is a weak Hammers side, according to Carragher. However, you don’t lose the creative influence of Ramsey, given what the Brazilian can offer in the final third.
If this is a decision Howe makes at the London Stadium weekend, it could be crucial to helping his side secure their fourth win in a row.
He'd surpass Tonali: Newcastle rivalling Real Madrid for £120m "powerhouse"
Newcastle are in the process of succession planning in the middle of the park.
Leeds United have built up a six-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League after their 2-1 win over West Ham United last week.
Three wins, two draws, and four defeats in nine matches is a respectable return for Daniel Farke’s side after their promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.
Prior to this season, the last six teams to have been promoted from the Championship had all been relegated at the first attempt, which illustrates the size of the task ahead of the Whites.
Not only did that mean that Leeds needed to recruit well, which they have with the likes of Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff, but they also needed some of their stars from last season to make the step up.
The Whites did not recruit an entire new starting line-up and bench to bolster their squad for the Premier League, instead hoping that some of their players could bridge the gap.
One player who is still looking to convince supporters that he is good enough for the top-flight is Brenden Aaronson, who has revived his Leeds career.
How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career
In the summer of 2022, Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta swooped to sign the American attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg for a fee of £28.5m to bolster the club’s options for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.
Aaronson scored one goal from 3.86 xG in 36 appearances in the division that season, earning himself the lowest Sofascore rating (6.51) in the entire division, as he made the website’s ‘Worst Team of the Season’.
The USA international opted to go out on loan to Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign, rather than remain at Elland Road to fight for promotion from the Championship, at which point the writing appeared to be on the wall for his career at the club.
However, Aaronson returned to the club after his loan spell and Farke revealed that he was “desperate” to help the team, and that he would need to win his place by working hard.
The American was met with some “boos” from supporters, per reporter Graham Smyth, in pre-season, but he then went on to feature in all 46 Championship games as Leeds racked up 100 points, scoring nine goals.
This shows that he proved to Farke, with his performances in training and in matches, that he could be a reliable player for the head coach, and that has carried over to the Premier League.
25/26 Premier League
Brenden Aaronson
Appearances
9
xG
1.62
Goals
1
Key passes
9
Big chances created
3
xA
1.27
Assists
0
Duel success rate
52%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has not set the Premier League alight with his performances, with one goal in nine games, but he has been a solid performer and has been unfortunate not to register any assists.
Overall, it is fair to say that the 25-year-old has revived his Leeds career, after it looked all-but-finished when he joined Union Berlin on loan, thanks to his hard work and performances on the pitch.
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Aaronson, though, was not the first member of the current first-team squad who revived his career after being sent out on loan by the club. Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson.
Why Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson
A year before the American was signed by the Whites, Marcelo Bielsa and Orta swooped to sign James from Manchester United for a fee of £25m to bolster the team’s options out wide.
The Wales international scored four goals and provided four assists in 34 matches in the Premier League in his first season at Elland Road, per Sofascore, but ended the campaign with a new manager in Jesse Marsch.
Despite starting three of the first five league games at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, James was then sent out on loan to Fulham in the summer of 2022, and claimed that he made the move because he “wanted to play games”.
After that move was confirmed, journalist Phil Hay almost wrote off the winger’s chances of continuing his career at Leeds in the future. He wrote: “I don’t think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot. James is 24. He’s not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season.”
You can see where Phil Hay was coming from. Leeds were willing to let a player they signed for £25m a year earlier join another Premier League team on loan.
However, the Whites were relegated from the Premier League that season and Fulham did not opt to sign James permanently, which led to him emerging as a star under Farke in the Championship.
The Wales international scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 40 appearances in the second tier in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that his performances paid back the faith that the German head coach showed in him.
Dan James (Championship)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
40
36
xG
10.0
10.46
Goals
13
12
Conversion rate
16%
12%
Big chances created
13
16
Key passes per game
1.4
1.3
Assists
7
9
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, James delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his two seasons in the Championship under Farke, with 25 goals and 29 ‘big chances’ created.
The winger claimed last season that he wants to be “ruthless” and has a “ruthless” mentality, which is evidenced by his impressive goal return, as he outperformed his xG in both of those seasons.
James has yet to score a goal in the Premier League so far this season, but he has started three of his six appearances and is a key member of the squad.
His revival of his Leeds career, which looked on the ropes after his move to Fulham in 2022, pathed the way for Aaronson to follow in his footsteps after being in a similar position a year after James’ remergence at Elland Road.
Longstaff 2.0: Leeds plot January move to re-sign “exquisite” £60k-p/w star
Leeds United are considering a January move for this exciting star, who could be Daniel Farke’s next Sean Longstaff.
1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025
James was the original Aaronson and now both players are brilliant examples for the club to show future players that there is always a chance to revive their careers, if they are willing to put the hard yards in to be reliable on the pitch.
The Premier League has been warned that “all hell could break loose” once the verdict in Manchester City’s long-running Financial Fair Play (FFP) saga is finally delivered. Heavyweights from the Etihad Stadium are still waiting on an official ruling there, following an independent hearing, meaning that various potential punishments for the Blues continue to be speculated on.
Potential punishments: Mooted sanctions for Man City
City, after a two-year investigation, were made aware of the case being brought against them in February 2023. There were 115 entries on their charge list at that point, which has since been increased to around 130. If they were to be found guilty on several counts, then sanctions would be imposed.
It has been suggested that City could be stung with points deductions, transfer embargoes, or expulsion from the English top-flight. A hefty fine is expected, with it also likely that appeals will be lodged against any decisions that the Blues disagree with. That could lead to the case dragging on even further.
AdvertisementGetty Images When will a verdict be delivered in Man City's FFP case?
According to , “experts are braced for a decision to drop in mid-November – possibly in a week that coincides with the next international break”. That is said to be an opinion shared by many Premier League officials “who believe that the uncertainty will surely not extend into 2026”.
While everybody is eager to know where they stand, a distracting episode for all concerned is still far from being finished. The fallout from any final judgement is expected to ripple throughout English football.
A source has told The i Paper: “Everyone just wants a verdict now and some certainty over what comes next.” They added, with more voting on the future of FFP set to take place in November: “It’s gone very quiet and because it’s been going on for so long it’s almost been forgotten about but all hell could break loose when it lands.”
Why has there been a delay in Man City's FFP saga?
Former City advisor and football finance expert Stefan Borson has stated that a decision should be known by the end of the year. Pep Guardiola had, however, claimed back in February that a ruling would be made “in one month”. That was not the case, with there still no end in sight.
Borson has said: “There’s no real excuse for a further delay. Even if the panel were busy on other matters, and they would have been, then I think it would be really quite extraordinary that there’s been no timetable set with them and no arrangement set with them in terms of the payment of their time over these last ten months to produce the decision by a given date. I think on any basis 10 months is enough to produce even a very, very detailed 400 or 500-page decision on this case, and I think it is imminent.”
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GettyBusiness as usual: Man City have maintained their innocence
That may be wishful thinking, with Richard Masters and the Premier League having continued to play cards close to their chest. They are aware that the eyes of the world are watching and that no stone can be left unturned.
Rob Wilson, programme director at the University Campus of Football Business, has told The i Paper of there still being several issues to address in a complicated case: “It’s big and it’s fraught with political challenges as well because Manchester City are a big component of the Premier League so it will damage their brand.
“In reality it damages their brand whatever happens. If City are cleared they’ll be accused of not being able to police financial fair play, if they are guilty it is a club that has been a huge part of the Premier League story for the last few years. Whatever happens it feels like a lose-lose for the Premier League.”
City have always maintained their innocence, with it being a case of ‘business as usual’ at the Etihad. They have continued to invest heavily in the transfer market and hope to be back in contention for Premier League and Champions League honours in the 2025-26 campaign.
Gujarat Titans will have their full set of overseas players available when the IPL resumes on May 17, with Coetzee also set to link up
Nagraj Gollapudi13-May-20253:27
What’s brought about the resurgence of spin in IPL 2025?
England batter Jos Buttler and South Africa fast bowler Gerald Coetzee will rejoin the Gujarat Titans squad on Wednesday, May 14, ahead of the resumption of IPL 2025 on May 17.They were the only two overseas players from the GT squad to have left India after the IPL was suspended for a week on May 9 due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. Their other overseas players – Rashid Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Kagiso Rabada and Karim Janat – had stayed with the rest of the squad in India.Rutherford, however, had been named in the West Indies ODI squad for the series in England from May 29 to June 3, which will clash with the playoffs of IPL 2025. With Buttler named in England’s white-ball squads, there are chances that he could miss the playoffs. “We’re keen to support the IPL and the BCCI in getting the schedule up and running, and to facilitate players’ return should they choose to go back,” an ECB spokesperson said on Tuesday after the squad announcement.Related
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GT, who are the leading the points table currently with 16 points – ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru on net run rate – have three matches left in the league phase. They were the first team to resume training once the ceasefire between the two countries was announced on May 10, paving the way for the IPL’s resumption.Their next match is on May 18 against Delhi Capitals in Delhi and they finish the league phase with two home matches in Ahmedabad: against Lucknow Super Giants on May 22 and against Chennai Super Kings on May 25.The IPL released the revised schedule for the remainder of the season on Monday: there are 13 league games to go, in addition to the four playoff fixtures. The rest of the league phase will be played at six venues – Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru – while the venues for the playoffs have not yet been announced. The dates for the playoffs are as follows: Qualifier 1 on May 29, the Eliminator on May 30, Qualifier 2 on June 1 and the final on June 3. 2:35pm GMT – Amended after England’s squad announcement for the West Indies series
O São Paulo anunciou a contratação de Lucas Moura nesta quarta-feira (2). Revelado pelo clube, o jogador de 30 anos assinou contrato até o final da temporada. O Lance! conta alguns bastidores da negociação.
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Lucas Moura e Júlio Casares, presidente do São Paulo, mantêm uma amizade de longa data. Desde que o jogador saiu para jogar na Europa, os dois mantiveram contato. Tanto que sempre que o futebol europeu estava com alguma folga nas partidas, não era raro ver Lucas assistindo a algum jogo do São Paulo no Morumbi.
Sua última aparição pública no estádio aconteceu em maio de 2022, no empate por 2 a 2 contra o Ceará, na época comandado por Dorival Júnior. Sempre que teve oportunidade, Lucas aproveitou também para matar as saudades do CFA Laudo Natel, em Cotia, além do CT da Barra Funda.
+ Confira a tabela e a classificação do Brasileirão-23
Nessas visitas, Casares fazia questão de conversar com Lucas e até mesmo almoçar junto com o jogador no Morumbi. Essa relação próxima foi essencial na condução das negociações para o seu retorno. O presidente teve papel importante e ajudou nas conversas com os representantes do jogador para costurar o vínculo válido até o final da temporada.
“Esse é um momento de muita alegria para todos os são-paulinos. O filho voltou para casa. Além de ser um jogador com qualidades indiscutíveis, ele tem um caráter ímpar. Tínhamos uma relação próxima e, também por isso, havia a certeza na minha cabeça de que ele voltaria desde o início de nossas conversas. Seja bem-vindo, Lucas”, disse Casares, ao site oficial do São Paulo.
O plano inicial do São Paulo era o de acertar o empréstimo de Lucas até janeiro após ele assinar um contrato de longa duração com o Los Angeles FC. Isso porque a franquia da MLS atualmente preenche todas as vagas para jogadores estrangeiros em seu plantel. O jogador só teria espaço na próxima temporada. Com isso, o Tricolor seria a melhor das alternativas para que ele mantenha o ritmo de jogo.
O Tricolor monitora desde o início do ano a situação de Lucas. Conversou com seu estafe e com ele várias vezes e, sem fazer proposta, deixou as portas abertas para o retorno do atacante, vendido em 2012 ao PSG, da França, após ajudar na conquista da Copa Sul-Americana.
Despite scoring 221, the win didn’t come easy for RCB with Hardik and Tilak giving them a scare, but Krunal kept his calm
Sidharth Monga07-Apr-20256:24
The Patidar hand in RCB’s aggressive approach
In what is turning out to be a year of breaking jinxes, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium for the first time in ten years after they did the same in the corresponding fixture against Chennai Super Kings for the first time in 17 years at the Chepauk stadium.Even though RCB scored 221, the win didn’t come without a massive scare from Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, who added 89 in 34 balls from 99 for 4 in 12 overs. With 123 off eight overs reduced to 41 off the last three, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya put on a defensive masterclass to deny MI.Related
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Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli scored quick fifties before a finishing kick from Jitesh Sharma took them to 221 despite Jasprit Bumrah’s return and three excellent overs from Hardik. It was Kohli’s fastest T20 fifty since 2019, and his first in under 30 balls in the IPL since 2018. His intent allowed Patidar to get off to a watchful start before he took apart Hardik, who had stifled the other batters.By no means was the target beyond MI’s reach, but Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma bowled their first five overs for just 21 runs to leave MI with just a 2.25% chance of winning on the ESPNcricinfo forecaster at the end of the 12th over. Hardik’s sensational 42 off 15 and Tilak’s 29-ball 56 turned it into an even contest, but Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood nailed enough yorkers in the 18th and 19th overs to give Krunal 18 to defend in the last over. He consigned his brother’s team to a second straight defeat by 12 runs.Virat Kohli raced to a 29-ball fifty•BCCIKohli, Padikkal make light work after early wicketFor the 31st time in the IPL, Trent Boult struck in the first over of an innings, but Devdutt Padikkal hit his first ball for a four. The intent never stopped as RCB reached 73 after the powerplay. Kohli took 36 off 19, Padikkal 32 off 15. Kohli usually drops anchor but he took on the spinners with slog sweeps in the seventh and the ninth over to get to fifty in 29 balls.Hardik plays cat and mouseVignesh Puthur’s left-arm wristspin got the wicket of Padikkal for 37 off 22, but it was Hardik’s wide lines that suffocated RCB in the middle. Kohli still kept attempting big hits, allowing Patidar to be watchful for a start of 8 off 10.Patidar then managed to move across and take Hardik for runs and rearranged Mitchell Santner’s figures with 20 off his last over. It was here that Hardik’s wide lines brought him the wickets of Kohli and Liam Livingstone in the same over to make it 144 for 5 with 33 balls to go.2:26
Rayudu: ‘Patidar’s was a brilliant middle-order batting innings’
Patidar and Jitesh close out in styleTwo of the remaining five overs were going to be bowled by Bumrah, making his comeback from a back injury that has kept him out since the first week of January. So RCB needed to score heavily at the other end. Patidar did so off Hardik, taking 33 off 12 to ruin his figures to 4-0-45-2. Jitesh took 24 off eight off Boult to consign him to his costliest T20 analysis of 4-0-57-2. Bumrah went for only 14 in the 18th and 20th overs, but RCB believed they had done enough damage.Hazlewood, Suyash put RCB far aheadThat belief was only reinforced when Hazlewood’s impeccable lengths and Suyash’s unusual action troubled the MI top order. Hazlewood took Ryan Rickleton out thanks to an inspired DRS review from Jitesh before conceding just two in the final over of the powerplay. Suryakumar Yadav was the one caught in the spotlight. He was 8 off 13 after this over and one from Suyash. To make matters for MI, Suryakumar was dropped twice as he and Will Jacks added just 41 in six overs. When they finally caught Suryakumar at the end of the 12th over, MI needed what would have been the second-highest successful target achieved in the last eight overs of an IPL match.Hardik Pandya bashed 42 off just 15 balls•Associated PressDramatic endTilak, who was retired out in MI’s last game, kept Hardik off strike for seven balls, but in these seven balls he took 17 off Suyash’s last over, much like Patidar took the last overs of Santner and Hardik for a plenty. When Hardik finally got strike, he hit the coldest and sweetest of boundaries to turn the game around in just seven balls. These seven balls featured two sixes and two fours off Hazlewood, and two sixes off brother Krunal.With Hardik 32 off 7, the ask was now 71 off 33. A bit of gamesmanship followed to try to break Hardik’s rhythm, but MI kept going strong. Bhuvneshwar started the next over well, but Tilak hit a six and a four to take 13 off it. Still, only a little over two a ball was required. Yash Dayal managed to escape with some slower balls, but again a late six kept MI in it.Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood now dealt almost exclusively in yorkers. When they missed even slightly, runs came: a Hardik four, a Naman Dhir six first ball and a Santner six off a low full toss from Hazlewood.Still, MI needed 19 off the last over, and Krunal denied Santner and Deepak Chahar just enough power for them to be caught on the boundary. Krunal’s 4-0-45-4 were his best IPL figures.
From the moment his clutch batting memorably lifted Perth Scorchers to the BBL title almost exactly two years ago, Cooper Connolly quickly became a fan favourite and there was plenty of intrigue over the potential of this promising left-arm spinning allrounder.But even his legion of admirers out west could not have foreshadowed his rise to Test cricket would be so swift. After just four first-class matches, the 21-year-old Connolly became Australia’s 471st men’s cricketer after he replaced offspinner Todd Murphy in Australia’s XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. He became Australia’s fourth debutant in as many Tests.With his emotional parents standing nearby, Connolly, 21, was presented with his baggy green cap by former Test batter and fellow Western Australian Simon Katich.Related
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His selection for this Test had been murmured in recent days with expectations that the surface used for this match would be notably dry and especially favourable to spin.Connolly’s selection has raised some eyebrows given he is wicketless from 96 deliveries in his first-class career so far. But all three of his Shield matches have been at the pace-friendly WACA ground, while he bowled only six overs against India A in Mackay in early November which was his last first-class match.Albeit a different format, but Connolly did take six wickets in the recent BBL season – where he was named player of the tournament after scoring the most runs in the league stage – highlighted by a strong performance against Sydney Thunder in favourable spinning conditions at the Showgrounds.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
If the surface for the second Test does spin sharply, Connolly could prove dangerous and provides another left-arm spinning option alongside Matthew Kuhnemann, who had so much success in the series opener.”From what I’ve seen in the nets he bowls some really good balls,” stand-in captain Steven Smith said on Wednesday. “He was pretty consistent when he was bowling in Dubai and in the nets here.”That’s kind of all you’ve got to do in these conditions, just try and bowl as many good balls in a good area and let the conditions take over.”Connolly’s inclusion also underlines bolder selections from Australia’s hierarchy who have shown a willingness to experiment ever since picking 19-year-old Sam Konstas for the Boxing Day Test against India.Cooper Connolly receives his debut cap from Simon Katich•Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
With Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final secured, Connolly edged veteran Glenn Maxwell for a spot on the Sri Lanka tour having made his T20I and ODI debuts in the backend of last year. Undoubtedly, selectors have an eye towards the future – Australia’s next tour of India is just two years away – but they will insist his selection in the second Test is a decision based on specific conditions.At this stage of his fledgling career, Connolly is certainly a much stronger batter and adds significant depth to Australia’s order at No. 8. He has already scored three half-centuries from his six first-class innings, starting with 90 off 115 balls on debut at No. 7 in last year’s Shield final between WA and Tasmania.It was an elegant knock on a tricky WACA surface that instantly drew comparisons to former WA great Shaun Marsh. But given his all-round skills and X-factor ability, with an uncanny knack of hitting the most mesmerising shots, Connolly has been likened to Maxwell and Travis Head.”It’s pretty cool to be honest. You dream of it as a kid watching them smack it around,” he told ESPNcricinfo last December about the comparisons to Maxwell and Head. “I feel proud of myself… it’s a dream to put on a baggy green.”
Spencer Johnson’s toe injury – which he has called “bizarre” – has left several sports physicians and surgeons baffled.He snapped a tendon in the middle toe of his right foot during South Australia’s Sheffield Shield game against Western Australia last month. Johnson, 29, bowled 45 overs in the match, just the sixth first-class appearance of his career, on the back of playing four white-ball games against Pakistan in the span of eight days.It had kept him on the sidelines for a month and he missed defending BBL champions Brisbane Heat’s opening two games of the season. He, however, showed no visible signs of discomfort in an outstanding return on Boxing Day, where he claimed career-best BBL figures of 4 for 20 in Heat’s 33-run loss to Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium.”To be honest, we still don’t really know how it’s happened or why it’s happened,” Johnson told reporters after the match. “I think four surgeons have looked at it, four sports doctors have looked at it, and they are all mindblown.”I think we just manage it and look after it and hopefully it will be all good.”The pain is not constant but strapping is required, which is unusual for a toe and involves a rather complicated process. “It’s pretty hectic,” Johnson said of the strapping. “It really only hurts when I curl over or claw over. We’ve sort of stopped it from curling over [with the strapping] and that seems to work.”We’ve come up with a decent method to strap it and hopefully that will be all right for the rest of the season. It’s such a bizarre injury, I could wake up tomorrow and it could be all right. We’re looking after it, we’ll manage it.”Given the situation, Johnson’s comeback against Scorchers was made even more impressive. He relished bowling on Optus Stadium’s hard and fast surface, unleashing a hostile spell with the new ball where he dismissed opener Finn Allen for a duck.In what has become a trademark, Johnson consistently hurried the batters on a back of a length. He claimed the wickets of Cooper Connolly, Ashton Turner and Ashton Agar with short deliveries in the backend of Scorchers’ innings. Johnson, importantly in white-ball cricket, is also adept at being a defensive bowler with his accurate full-pitched deliveries hard to score off.The 5 for 26 against Pakistan in Sydney last month was Spencer Johnson’s best day out in Australia’s colours•Cricket Australia via Getty Images
“It was nice being back in the Brisbane Heat shirt,” Johnson said. “It [toe] felt good out there.”Having starred in the BBL over the past couple of years, including a match-winning 4 for 26 in last season’s final against Sydney Sixers, Johnson is on the fringes of Australia’s white-ball teams – he has played ten white-ball internationals since debuting in South Africa in August 2023. Johnson produced his best international performance when he claimed 5 for 26 against Pakistan in the second T20I at the SCG – the best figures by an Australian quick in the format.”Five wickets for Australia… sounds a bit weird,” grinned Johnson. “Doing it at the level above helps [build confidence].”After a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign this year, an ageing Australia might go through a transition ahead of the format’s next showpiece event in early 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. If his troublesome toe doesn’t flare up, and he can stay fit, Johnson should be an appealing option.”I think for me, just staying on the park and keeping my body healthy is the main thing,” he said. “Hopefully the performances will keep coming.”
Arsenal are the defensive kings of the Premier League. Across the past two campaigns, Mikel Arteta’s side have shipped the fewest number of goals.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, the club’s all-powerful central defensive pairing, have even been hailed by former midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker for their journey toward the pinnacle: “They could be on their way to becoming Premier League legends in terms of the best defenders we’ve seen.”
The security that the rearguard provides has allowed technical director Andrea Berta to work on signings further upfield. The imminent arrival of centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres is evidence of that.
However, Arsenal may yet be interested in making a defensive signing.
Arsenal's remaining transfer plans
After Gyokeres completes his move to the Emirates, it appears that Arsenal will forge ahead with a deal for Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, having reached initial agreements over payments.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Elsewhere, the Gunners indeed want a defender, and that’s having already completed the signing of Valencia talent Cristhian Mosquera for £13m plus add-ons.
But, according to De Telegraaf – via reports in Spain, Arteta wants more, having set his sights on Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. Indeed, the north Londoners have initiated contacts with the Dutch giants as they look to hijack Chelsea’s bid.
The Blues might be frontrunners, but nothing is set in stone. It’s felt that a bid in the region of €60m (£51m) would be enough to get the deal done.
Why Arsenal want Jorrel Hato
Hato, 19, might only be in the early stage of his senior career, but already he has established himself as one of the most exciting up-and-comers on the continent.
In fact, talent scout Jacek Kulig has declared him to be “one of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe.”
There are few other rising centre-backs who could rival him, but Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen is certainly one of them. The Spain international, who is 20, left Bournemouth for Los Blancos in a deal worth £50m in May, having enjoyed a spectacular breakout year in the Premier League.
Last season, Huijsen was hailed by one analyst for having the making of a “world-class” centre-half, prodigiously cool and confident on the ball, strong in the tackle, commanding in the air.
AFC Bournemouth's DeanHuijsen
Hato could emulate him, joining an Arsenal side considering a final flourish to their remarkable backline. Already, he has made 111 senior appearances for Ajax, shifting between left-back and central defence, denoting his wide-ranging technical ability.
Look, for example, at the ball-playing skills that allowed the former Cherries prospect to shine so brightly. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of central defenders in the Premier League last year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, and the top 15% for progressive passes per 90.
Hato, while not so expressive on the ball, showcased his own passing prowess to a fantastic effect, ranked as he was among the top 1% of positional peers in the 2024/25 Eredivisie for pass completion, the top 15% for passes attempted and the top 5% for assists per 90.
Jorell Hato – Ajax Stats by Position
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
Left-back
89
4
8
Centre-back
70
3
3
Centre-midfield
1
0
0
Data via Transfermarkt
Moreover, having completed 90% of his passes in the league, averaged 1.9 tackles and won 55% of his aerial duels across league fixtures, as per Sofascore, he’s endowed with the tenacious defensive values needed to succeed in the Premier League.
For all his high-level ability, Huijsen left something to be desired in ground duels last year, winning only 51% of his battles.
Hato’s athleticism and limitless energy levels could see him provide the perfect cover for Gabriel and Saliba, initially serving as an understudy but one who would be certain to feature prominently throughout the campaign.
Arsenal – and indeed the rest of the Premier League – failed to convince Huijsen to remain on English shores, but in Hato, Arteta could sign a similarly complete and technically sharp defender with a wide range of skills.
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