All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend was their ninth loss in the Premier League.

This is the same number they suffered in the whole of last season, and Erik ten Hag’s side sits eighth, nine points off fourth.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

With that in mind, the former Ajax boss could look to enhance his squad this winter, with outgoings expected and incomings potentially on the cards.

Man Utd transfers latest – Andre

According to a report from Brazilian outlet Trivela earlier this week, Man United are interested in signing Andre, who has been labelled as “one of South America’s biggest jewels” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

Other Premier League clubs, such as Fulham and Liverpool, are also monitoring the Brazilian.

It is rumoured that a fee of around £17m could secure the services of the Fluminense star, which could represent something of a bargain, even for a cash-strapped side like United.

Andre’s style of play

Casemiro has been unavailable for United since October, missing 17 matches in the process due to a knock. In truth, his performances before the injury were subpar, with his lack of athleticism and Ten Hag’s lone defensive midfield tactic exposing the 31-year-old, having notably been "torn to shreds" in the defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening weekend, according to Gary Neville.

Therefore, it is reported that a move to Saudi Arabia could be on the cards for the former Real Madrid winner.

Although unlikely, United could cash in on their number 18 with the view of investing in Andre as his replacement. The 22-year-old has become a key player for Fluminense, featuring 60 times for the club in 2023 and playing 75% of his matches in a defensive midfield role. The table below gives a concise look at the number 7’s style of play by looking at his statistics from the last year.

Passes completed

76.27

Top 1%

Pass completion % (short, Medium, Long)

96.2%, 97.3%, 79.9%

Top 1%, Top 1%, Top 5%

Passes into the final third

6.63

Top 8%

Touches (Def third)

89.95 (30.39)

Top 2% (Top 1%)

Successful take-ons

1.38

Top 14%

Tackles won

1.50

Top 26%

As you can see, Andre has a completely different profile from Casemiro, with the former being described as a “roaming playmaker” by Jacek Kulig. That is obvious when addressing his stats, such as his ability to complete passes with accuracy regardless of the range. He rarely gives the ball away, but his passes into the final third stat show that he isn’t safe in possession, and he is willing to progress play if the opportunity presents itself, which would give much-needed control to the United side.

Furthermore, the Brazil star plays in Fernando Diniz’s demanding side, which is fluid and willing to play the ball out from the back. Ten Hag also wants to progress to using his goalkeeper Andre Onana in the build-up, and Andre would allow the boss to implement that philosophy, as he is used to playing one touch in his own box. His calmness in possession, ability to evade the press using his quick feet, and awareness are attributes that Casemiro cannot provide.

Andre’s defensive stats aren’t near Casemiro's – who averages 3.03 tackles per 90, for instance – but that is going to be the case when he plays for a side that dominates the ball in almost every game. However, his energy and ability to win duels in the middle of the park make up for that.

Overall, Andre would be an excellent signing for Man United, and he would improve their approach massively, focusing on ball retention and not always forcing the ball forward. The 22-year-old has plenty of room to develop, so the Red Devils would be buying a future gem, not just a player who could improve the team now.

If it’s not United, whoever signs up Andre will be getting themselves a bargain.

Manchester United's squad depth has already been tested this season, with a number of injuries far from helping their attempts to get back to their best form under Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman will be incredibly frustrated by his side's start to the Premier League season, as well as the fact that he still doesn't have a full squad to choose from with the pressure mounting.

What the current campaign has proven so far is United's need for January reinforcements, whether that's just for adding depth to their squad, or ensuring that Ten Hag's starting side is strong enough to finish inside the top four. That said, reports suggest that the Red Devils are looking to sign one particular La Liga forward.

Latest Man Utd transfer news

United welcomed the likes of Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund during the summer transfer window, in an attempt to build a squad ready to close the gap on treble winners Manchester City. Seven games into the season, however, and that gap looks even bigger than last year, with Ten Hag's side enduring a run to forget, which has already featured four defeats.

When the January transfer swings open, those at Old Trafford look set to seek further additions in the hope of turning things around. According to reports in Spain, which provided a Man Utd transfer update on Umar Sadiq, the Red Devils, and by extension owners the Glazers, are looking to sign the Real Sociedad forward in the winter transfer window. The Nigerian shares an agent with United centre-back Raphael Varane, potentially making any deal easier to complete.

Given that the Red Devils only just welcomed Hojlund to bolster their forward options, Sadiq could come in as a backup option, especially if Anthony Martial sees out the end of his contract, before possibly leaving on a free next summer.

Who is Umar Sadiq?

Manchester United's reported interest in Sadiq is an interesting one, to say the least. The Sociedad man, hailed as a "revelation" in Spain by journalist Josh Bunting, missed the majority of last season through injury, and hasn't exactly got off to a flying start in the current campaign, failing to score once in eight games in all competitions.

Sadiq did show glimpses of his talent in the small part that he did play last season, though, scoring three times in six appearances in all competitions, perhaps proving why United are reportedly interested in making their move. Currently 26 years old, too, the forward could be entering his prime, and therefore, in theory, could be on the verge of his best form.

Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has certainly been impressed by Sadiq in the past, seemingly praising the Nigerian when he played for Partizan Belgrade, saying, via the official Manchester United Twitter: "I've watched many of their games. They're a team with some pace, a big strong striker and some talent in there, with two or three very exciting players."

With that said, when the January transfer window swings open, it will be interesting to see whether United decide to pursue Sadiq's signature, or if the forward remains a Sociedad and La Liga player for the near future.

A hat-trick for the South African pace bowler Kyle Abbott as evening sunshine flooded across Worcester all but settled the battle of the bottom two

David Hopps at New Road05-Sep-20181:45

Drama at Taunton as Somerset and Lancashire tie

ScorecardA hat-trick for the South African pace bowler Kyle Abbott as evening sunshine flooded across Worcester all but settled the battle of the bottom two in Hampshire’s favour and gave them renewed hopes of salvaging their Division One status, as well as perhaps consigning Worcestershire to yet another relegation in their perpetual up-and-down existence.Abbott admitted last week that he had been struggling for inspiration in his second season at Hampshire after abandoning international cricket to play out his days in county cricket. A tweak to his contract, a few wickets last week at Chelmsford in a match where Hampshire were trounced by an innings, and the uplifting sight of an uneven, seaming Worcester pitch on which 24 wickets tumbled on the second day was all he needed to put the struggles behind him.Abbott returned the first hat-trick for Hampshire since Billy Taylor in 2006: Joe Clarke, the only batsman in the top six to make double figures, fell for 33 as he edged one that kept low; Josh Tongue, advanced in the order in a desperate attempt to keep Ed Barnard until the morning, was yorked; and Barnard then fell lbw to one that cut back markedly, completing a pair in the day. Abbott finished with 5 for 35 with the chance of the last two wickets on the morrow; Worcestershire need a further 128.Years fell from Hampshire’s experienced international attack as the ball seamed past the outside edge, as it has for two days. They scented a victim with every ball. Abbott, a domineering and robust figure again, felt his cares depart, his fellow South African Dale Steyn could imagine a Test career with stories still to tell, and Fidel Edwards made 36 seem no age at all.”I was pretty stoked up” – Abbott

Kyle Abbott (on his hat-trick): “It is the first of my professional career so I was pretty stoked up by it. It was quite surreal really, three different dismissals, which kind of sums up the pitch. Every ball I felt I was going to get a nick through to the keeper or slips, or bowl someone, or have an lbw.
Alan Richardson (Worcestershire bowling coach): “They’ve got a very good attack, three international quick bowlers on a wicket that has probably assisted them the whole way through so it has made it really challenging for our guys. They have been around a long time, highly skilled bowlers, potentially you would say that has been the difference, just that experience.”

It took one ball for Worcestershire’s second-innings task to appear forlorn, Daryl Mitchell, the one batsman to offer concerted resistance first time around, jabbing Abbott to first slip. A hush fell upon New Road; a vital component removed. Steyn picked off Tom Fell and Alex Milton with ease. Brett D’Oliveira was gated by Abbott, Ben Cox edged Edwards’ outswinger to the wicketkeeper and, although he waited for the decision, the umpires were right to send him packing. Hampshire took the extra half-hour only to be thwarted by desperate ninth-wicket resistance and, ultimately, bad light shortly after seven o’clock.Barring third-morning miracles, it suddenly looks dismal for Worcestershire. Elsewhere, Lancashire have salvaged a tie at Taunton and Yorkshire are putting up stubborn resistance at Trent Bridge. Surrey, champions elect, are next in line. Worcestershire’s young side has many admirable qualities, but top-order resilience is not one of them and the retention of Clarke, their prize batting asset, will be much harder if they go down.Worcestershire were slightly off the pace at the start of the day – 68 for 4 in reply to 191 – and to be dismissed for 120 in a further 16.2 overs served to deepen their predicament. Steyn breaking the innings with two wickets in four balls, D’Oliveira and Barnard both edging balls that snaked away.Hampshire’s lead was 71 and, on such a surface, they only needed to stretch it to 200 to feel in charge. To fall to 25 for 4 was not ideal, a reminder of the promise of Worcestershire’s young attack. But the make-up of struggling sides can be curious in late season, the residue of decisions taken to challenge players not at their best, which explains the decisive presence of Tom Alsop at No. 6 and Liam Dawson eye-catchingly low at No. 8, as they compiled 77 in 19 overs. Wayne Parnell’s intervention as he removed both just before tea helped him to 4 for 23 on his home Championship debut but it came too late.Kyle Abbott bowls for Hampshire•Getty ImagesDawson, of course, has pedigree at eight. He made 66 against India in Chennai there in his first Test innings in 2016, the highest debut score ever made by a batsman in that position. But only three Tests followed, plus a sprinkling of limited-over matches. At 28, further England opportunities might follow, but if they don’t, his challenge to achieve personal fulfilment is not dissimilar to that of Abbott.About the time Alsop and Dawson turned this match Hampshire’s way, a ripple of applause for Alsop’s fifty could be heard in the Ladies Pavilion where tea and cake was being dispensed with military efficiency.”Is that a wicket?” a Worcestershire member asked hopefully.”No, it’s a cheese scone, dear,” came the reply.Alan Bennett would have a field day here. But the confused response was understandable considering the surreal conversation that had just taken place. The previous customer had looked at a line of almond slices with slightly different pastry edges and said: “We used to call them strikers, centre backs and midfielders when I was at school.”The realisation that almond slices in at least one Worcester school were named after football, not cricket, perhaps goes some way to explaining Worcestershire’s never-ending challenge in maintaining life in Division One. Time evidently for Worcestershire’s cake bakers to descend upon the public schools and put a stop to it.

Brighton and Hove Albion have been dealt another injury blow to a first-team favourite alongside Solly March, according to an update from Roberto De Zerbi.

What's the latest injury news at Brighton?

The Amex Stadium outfit have Pervis Estupinan, Tariq Lamptey, Julio Enciso and Jakub Moder all out on the sidelines with their own respective injuries, and over the weekend, they were joined in the treatment room by another regular feature on the south coast.

During Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League away defeat to Manchester City, Solly March left the pitch on a stretcher after a knee injury resulted in him experiencing severe pain and being unable to walk, but unfortunately for the boss, he wasn’t the only player to be forced off the field earlier than expected.

At the Etihad, Danny Welbeck also had to depart the grass after sustaining a muscle injury so was replaced by Evan Ferguson after just 16 minutes, which wasn’t great news for the manager, who had to watch his striker walk away from the action prematurely.

So far this season, England’s former international has started seven out of the opening nine fixtures in the top-flight (WhoScored – Welbeck statistics), which highlights how much of an integral member of the squad he is, but if the following update is to be believed, the 32-year-old may face a wait to stage his comeback.

Danny Welbeck injury update

Speaking during his post-match interview following the weekend's loss to Man City, De Zerbi delivered an injury update on Welbeck and March. As quoted by BBC Sport, he confirmed Welbeck will at the very least miss the Ajax match: "The worst thing today is I think we are losing March for a long time. I'm frustrated, we lost two important players.

"It's tough because we play against Ajax – a crucial game – without [Pervis] Estupinan, [Tariq] Lamptey, March and Welbeck.

"We need more players. We are not used to playing in European competition. We have to find a solution to play and compete in every competition."

How much does Danny Welbeck earn per week?

With the Seagulls, Welbeck currently pockets £55k-per-week (Brighton salaries) which he has more than earned during his time at the club, therefore, it will end up being a huge blow for De Zerbi should he lose the services of his centre-forward for the foreseeable future.

The Longsight-born talent has posted 30 contributions, 20 goals and ten assists, in 99 outings since putting pen to paper (Transfermarkt – Welbeck statistics), form which has previously seen him hailed an “important” first-team player by journalist Josh Bunting.

Furthermore, Welbeck, who is sponsored by Nike, is a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even as an attacking midfielder, though this is another quality that the head coach will have to cope without having at his disposal should his star be facing a spell on the sidelines.

India’s chief selector MSK Prasad had earlier stated that Dhoni would appear for Jharkhand in the quarter-finals, much like Rohit Sharma for Mumbai

Saurabh Somani13-Oct-2018MS Dhoni will not take part in Jharkhand’s knockout matches for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19.Jharkhand will play their quarter-final against Maharashtra at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, and Dhoni wasn’t present at the first nets the team had, at the adjoining NCA ground, on Saturday. Team members that ESPNcricinfo spoke to on Saturday said they weren’t expecting Dhoni to join the squad.Jharkhand coach Rajiv Kumar said that he had not received any official word about Dhoni joining, but in his opinion, Dhoni wouldn’t have wanted to disturb the team’s combination, especially since he would have been able to play only one match.”He has to go to Hyderabad on October 16 to report for the ODI series,” Kumar said. “Maybe he will come for a day, I don’t know yet what his plan is, but so far, he is not coming. But it may be possible. You know he takes his own decisions. He is saying the boys are doing well, so there is no point coming for just one game and taking somebody’s place.”Jharkhand topped Group C with 32 points from nine matches, to qualify.The semi-finals are scheduled for October 17 and 18, meaning Dhoni would not have been able to take part even if Jharkhand win their match against Maharashtra.It is understood that Dhoni linking up with the Jharkhand team in Chennai was spoken of before he left for the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup concluded on September 28, with India beating Bangladesh in the final. Jharkhand had four league games remaining in Group C after that, with the first one on October 1. They won three of the games, with one abandoned without a ball bowled. Dhoni, however, eventually didn’t join the team.At the press conference after the Indian ODI side had been announced, chief selector MSK Prasad had said that Dhoni would be playing in the Vijay Hazare quarter-final.Dhoni’s decision is rendered more curious given his recent struggles in limited-overs cricket, and questions beginning to be asked about whether he is the right man to be the first-choice wicketkeeper in the 2019 World Cup. In the Asia Cup, he batted four times, scoring 77 runs with an average of 19.25 and a strike rate of 62.09. Overall in 2018, he has batted 10 times in 15 matches, for an average of 28.12 and a strike rate of 67.36. Dhoni’s last first-class match was in the Irani Trophy over a decade ago, while his last List-A game for Jharkhand was in the 2017-18 Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final against Bengal.However, while Dhoni has decided to stay away, Rohit Sharma will be part of the Mumbai XI that takes on Bihar in the first quarter-final on Sunday. Rohit, who also didn’t join the Mumbai squad during the league stages, has flown down to be part of the first knockout match. A Mumbai team spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that if the Indian ODI team had asked players to report by October 16, Rohit would also miss any subsequent knockout matches.

Leeds United dropped down to the Championship earlier this year after three seasons in the Premier League and are now tasked with bouncing back at the first attempt.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in to lead the charge, having won two league titles at this level with Norwich, and was backed with a number of signings during the summer transfer window.

The Whites brought in the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, and Sam Byram, among others, to bolster their squad and splashed the cash to improve their attack with the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea.

Appearances

11

Goals

Five

Chances created

Six

Pass accuracy

78%

Leeds reportedly paid more than £10m to sign the Dutch marksman from their Championship rivals and he has had a strong start to the campaign, as shown in the table above.

He has scored three more league goals than any of his teammates and his form comes off the back of an impressive return of 19 goals in 43 second division outings for the Swans during the 2022/23 season.

However, the window could have gone differently if the club had brought in one of the targets they reportedly had earlier in the summer – Sory Kaba.

Were Leeds interested in Sory Kaba?

Football League World reported that the Whites had been sending scouts to watch the FC Midtjylland number nine in action for Cardiff City on loan during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Telegraph's Mike McGrath claimed that fellow Championship side Watford were also keen on the centre-forward, who was available for a fee of £2m.

He eventually signed for Las Palmas in a deal that AS reported to be more than €2m (£1.7m), which suggests that the £2m price tag touted by McGrath was an accurate one.

Kaba attracted interest after a fairly prolific spell with Cardiff on loan last term as the towering striker produced eight goals and one assist in 17 Championship games for the Welsh outfit.

However, he only completed 54% of his attempted passes and made 0.6 key passes per game, with two 'big chances' created in total, as the Midtjylland loanee struggled to offer much in general play away from his goals.

His form for Cardiff came after a frustrating first half of the campaign with his parent club. Kaba scored four goals and provided five assists in 27 matches in all competitions, which included two goals in 16 league games in the Danish top-flight.

How many goals has Kaba scored for Las Palmas?

It has turned out that Leeds dodged a bullet with the 28-year-old flop as he has failed to score a single goal in seven league matches for the Spanish side this season and is now even worse than Georginio Rutter in front of goal.

His general play has been an issue for the attacker with Las Palmas this season as the goals have dried up, with zero for the club so far, and he has only made 0.6 key passes per outing and created zero 'big chances', as per Sofascore.

This shows that the experienced forward, who had scored 27 goals in 110 games in all competitions for Midtjylland, has offered very little in the way of creativity or build-up play for his team.

He has also struggled in front of goal with three 'big chances' missed and zero league goals from an xG of 1.13, which shows that the attacker has been wasteful with the opportunities that have fallen his way.

His poor form has earned him a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.50 and this is the 23rd-highest score within their squad, whilst it would also place him 23rd in the Leeds side.

How many goals has Rutter scored this season?

Rutter, on the other hand, has scored two goals in ten Championship games for Leeds as part of an attacking pairing with the aforementioned Piroe, who was signed from Swansea.

The French dynamo had failed to score in 11 Premier League matches for the club last season but has stepped up to offer a significant threat at the top end of the pitch in the second tier.

His goalscoring record is not prolific, yet, but his creativity has been outstanding from a number nine position. Rutter has created a whopping ten 'big chances' and made 2.6 key passes per game for his teammates this term, along with a pass completion rate of 69%.

The 21-year-old ace has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.18, which is the seventh-highest score within the squad, and this shows that he has stepped up to be a fantastic option for Farke.

Rutter's all-round play is far better than Kaba's in terms of the reliability in possession that he provides alongside his exceptional ability to split open the opposition's defence on a regular basis.

Should Leeds have signed Kaba?

Kaba's statistics for Cardiff last term and Las Palmas this season do not suggest that he would have been able to make the level of impact that the former Hoffenheim man has made on the pitch for Farke's side.

The Guinea international had a rich vein of scoring form with the Welsh team at Championship level but did not show enough in possession alongside his goals and those issues have resurfaced, without the goals to make up for it, in Spain.

Rutter may not be a prolific scorer, as shown by his two goals in ten league matches so far, but he is able to make up for his struggles in that area with his fantastic play on the ball in the build-up.

The 21-year-old maestro is an outstanding talent when it comes to creating chances on a regular basis and he has caught the eye alongside Piroe with a string of terrific displays for Leeds in the Championship.

Therefore, Farke and the club dodged a bullet by avoiding a deal to sign Kaba for £2m during the summer transfer window as his statistics suggest that it would have been a big blunder.

He is not a better option than Piroe or Rutter for one of the two central attacking positions in the manager's 4-2-3-1 system and fans should, therefore, be thankful that Leeds did not bring him in on a permanent basis.

Ed Barnard claimed four wickets as Worcestershire held their nerve on the final day to secure a first Championship win of the season

Jon Culley at New Road23-Jun-20182:01

Kent squash Warwickshire’s hopes of record chase

ScorecardIn reality, the chances of Lancashire reaching their monumental target of 602 to win here were always extremely remote. The fact that no one in the history of first-class cricket has scored more than 541 to win a match in the fourth innings is because, even when the best part of two days are at a team’s disposal, scoring so many runs before the opposition takes 10 wickets is extraordinarily difficult.Yet Glenn Chapple, who has no doubt seen a few potential records fail to materialise over his career, confessed that even he, for a short time at least, while Keaton Jennings and Dane Vilas were making relatively untroubled progress on the final morning, and six wickets were still in hand, allowed himself to contemplate the possibility that history might be made.”There is no point at the start in saying you are going to score 602, it is a ridiculous thing to contemplate,” he said.”Faced with a run chase like that it is just a case of concentrate on your performance, assess what your best chance is of staying in and scoring runs, and ultimately see where that can lead. And I think everyone realised that had Keaton and Dane been able to sustain their partnership into the afternoon it might eventually have become a reality.”But the truth is that we lost the match not because they could not do that but because of two passages of play on the first day.”After having Worcester 81 for 5, we let them score nigh-on 250, which was too many on that pitch. Then after being 77 for 0 ourselves with six or seven overs to go, we ended up five down.”And though we played very well to score nearly 400 in the last innings, when Keaton Jennings set such a fine example of discipline and professional approach, we should not have been four down overnight. So there are things we need to look at.”This is not a story, though, about a Lancashire failure, but about a Worcestershire victory, their first of a frustrating season, achieved moreover with their two leading wicket-takers sidelined, but whose stand-ins – the latest of whom, 19-year-old Pat Brown, is still a student at Worcester University – showed character and resilience on a durable pitch to make sure the winning chance was not wasted.Seeing Brown claim the prized scalp of Jennings, for 177, and Ed Barnard add four more wickets to his first-innings five, gave Brett D’Oliveira, making a successful debut as stand-in captain for the injured Joe Leach, as much pleasure as Daryl Mitchell’s two hundreds and Martin Guptill’s century on debut.”The conditions got better to bat on,” D’Oliveira said. “It did start to get a bit lower towards the end and we got a couple of lbws but overall it was a good wicket and they have some very good players, so it took everything to get those 11 wickets.”Pat Brown getting Keaton Jennings out was crucial, a moment that stands out among several outstanding performances. And Ed – it was a real challenge for him in that second innings and he really did work hard and deserved the rewards he got.”I’m proud of the players. We have been in good positions in a couple of games and haven’t quite done it so it feels good to have rammed home our advantage this time.”They have shown resilience and fight. A couple of years ago at 81 for 5 we might have crumbled but this time we showed we could fight back.”Vilas and Jennings both fell before lunch, Vilas bowled off an inside edge by Barnard, Jennings by one from Brown that kept a shade low and came with added zip too. Jordan Clark and Danny Lamb, whose historic appearance here as a concussion substitute is a footnote not to be forgotten, hinted at grinding out a draw but a double bowling change changed the dynamic in a flash.Ross Whiteley, whose left-arm seamers are only occasionally required, claimed his first Championship wicket for three years when Ben Cox, standing up, took a sharp catch to remove Clark, opening up the tail for Barnard to see off, the last four wickets falling for one run in four overs.

Sam Curran will be England’s third seamer, with Dawid Malan to bat in the middle order while India will confirm their XI on Wednesday

Preview by Andrew Miller31-Jul-2018Big PictureSeven years ago, at the start of another Indian Test tour of England, another notable Test landmark was reached. It will be England’s 1000th Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday; at Lord’s in the first Test of the 2011 series, it was the 2000th Test all told.Such landmarks can be trite, but every now and then they can have a galvanising effect too. That 2011 Test proved to be an epic, life-affirming affair, lit up by queues all down the Wellington Road on the final morning, as fans piled in for the chance to witness a grandstand finish, and maybe even (or not, as it transpired) a 100th hundred for the inimitable Sachin Tendulkar.The ECB, and Edgbaston, can but pray that this week’s Test will be amplified by its additional layer of history. Ticket sales for the much of the series have been sluggish, undermined no doubt by an England team that may include three players – Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Stuart Broad – who have contributed to more than a tenth of that English Test history, but which is currently performing at a similar fraction of its potential.In theory, everything this summer ought to have been building towards this climax. The logic of the India itinerary certainly implied that the Tests would be the biggest deal – with the T20Is and ODIs loaded into the top half of the tour before clearing the calendar for a full five-Test showdown. And yet, India chose to reduce their solitary warm-up at Chelmsford from four days to three, while England’s non-white-ball players have been hampered by a lack of Championship cricket in which to fine-tune their own preparations.In particular, the new-ball veterans, Anderson and Broad, are about to be asked to go from 0 to 100 in double-quick time. Having both played a solitary county fixture in the whole of July, they are now embarking on an itinerary of five Tests in six weeks, an ask that even an arch-combatant such as Broad has admitted he may struggle to complete without factoring in rest and rotation.It’s a state of affairs that will surely alarm the ECB, who have been banking on the windfalls from this bumper summer to replenish their coffers, and who must be wondering, if not India, then who can keep the crowds coming through the turnstiles for Test cricket?That’s not to say, however, that the status of the series has been diminished before it has begun. The era of the Big Three was consigned to the ICC’s official history books some time ago, but the sentiments that drove that agenda continue to hold sway in on-field engagements. England v India has taken its time to catch up with India v Australia as one of Test cricket’s blue riband battles, and it hasn’t yet produced the sort of see-sawing contest that would lift it alongside the Ashes in the public’s affections. But in terms of spice and animosity, there’s history aplenty between these teams, and scope in the coming weeks for so many additional plotlines.Virat Kohli himself gave short shrift to the notion that his team are favourites, but either way this is looking like India’s best-drilled squad for a tour of England since 2007, when Rahul Dravid’s team emerged as 1-0 victors in a three-Test series, having shed their previous reticence in a gripping tussle under Sourav Ganguly five years earlier.The more recent trips in 2011 and 2014 showed promise in the early exchanges, not least at Lord’s four years ago when Ishant Sharma pushed Cook to the brink of resignation by sealing a remarkable win. But by the end of both series, the captain MS Dhoni had the air of a man who no longer needed the hassle as India’s shortcomings against the moving ball pushed him into reverse.One thing you can be pretty sure of in 2018 – there will be no retreat under Kohli, a man on a mission to cement his own place as one of the sport’s all-time great cricketers. He has no material need to push himself any more than he already does, but like Tendulkar and Dravid before him, he recognises that Test cricket, even in its habitual state of flux, remains the format by which you book your place in the pantheon. If he can inspire a few of England’s own flatlining stars to match his resolve, we could yet be in for the classic that the format so desperately needs.Graphic: Adil Rashid will play his first Test for England since December 2016•ESPNcricinfo LtdForm guideEngland WLDLL
India WWLLDIn the spotlightJames Anderson v Virat Kohli is England v India in microcosm. Two giants of the game, drawn together once more to add another chapter to a storied rivalry. It would be grossly simplistic to say that the winner of this duel will decide the fate of this Test, and ultimately the series, but no two men are more fundamental to the fortunes of their teams.Kohli’s performance in England in 2014 – 134 runs in five Tests – remains a stain on his otherwise spotless world-class record, but his desire for retribution could not be more plain. Had it not been for an injury sustained at the IPL, he would have warmed up for this tour with a county stint with Surrey, but he’s had ample sighters in the course of India’s month-long build-up, including the limited-overs series, and no Indian captain since Ganguly has been more expressive in his desire for victory. His massive haul of 655 runs 109.16 on home soil paved the way for India’s 4-0 win in their last encounter with England in 2016-17.Anderson turned 36 on Monday, and while age is but a number, it’s still a pretty large one for a fast bowler who has been around the block for his 540 wickets over the course of a 15-year career. The economy of his run-up, allied to the magic in his wrist, means that there are no questions about his enduring quality – in many respects he is better now than ever before – but the challenge of five Tests in six weeks will require careful management, especially given his recent history of shoulder trouble. Anderson defied injury to rush himself back for the latter stages of that 2016-17 tour – to no great avail, he claimed four wickets at 53.5 in the last three Tests. But that willingness to put himself back in the frame showed how fiercely his fires still burn, as did his rather churlish end-of-series comments about Kohli’s record in England. The subtext was clear, but whether he’ll find his usual prodigious swing in the midst of England’s heatwave is another matter.Team newsAdil Rashid’s recall to the Test squad spawned a chapter of Yorkshire in-fighting not seen since Geoff Boycott was in his pomp – and Boycott himself hasn’t been shy on the subject either – but he will now be making his first Test appearance since December 2016. A grassy deck and a slight easing in the Saharan heat of this most atypical of English summers dissuaded England from fielding two spinners at Edgbaston for the first time since 1993, although Moeen Ali might have been considered ahead of Dawid Malan as a batsman. After playing his part in the series leveller against Pakistan, Sam Curran’s left-arm line complements the veteran pairing of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Dawid Malan, 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Sam Curran, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Kuldeep Yadav’s potential inclusion persuaded England to recruit a trio of club left-armers to replicate his unusual angles in the nets this week. But with R Ashwin a shoo-in, Ravi Jadeja’s established qualities are the likelier second-spin option if India decide to stick to their strengths rather than lean on the extra seamer in Mohammad Shami. Shikhar Dhawan’s place at the top of the order is under pressure following his pair at Essex last week. KL Rahul is itching for an opening, and might well open alongside Murali Vijay.India 1 Shikhar Dhawan/KL Rahul, 2 Murali Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 R Ashwin, 8 Hardik Pandya, 9 Ravindra Jadeja/Mohammed Shami, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsIt has taken some diligent input from the Edgbaston groundstaff – and several million litres of water – to keep their wicket from turning to a dustbowl in the midst of an improbable English heatwave. And they have succeeded against the odds, but presumably in keeping with their brief from the ECB, in producing a wicket that looks markedly similar to those from the 2015 Ashes and 2016 Pakistan series. And seamers dominated in both of those games.Stats and Trivia After playing each of his first ten Tests overseas, Rashid is set to make his home Test debut, and play for the first time as a solitary spinner. Jos Buttler has been promoted to England’s vice-captain after just two matches of his Test comeback. He takes over from James Anderson, who in turn stepped up after Ben Stokes missed the Ashes. India’s last visit to Edgbaston was one that they’d rather forget. Alastair Cook’s highest Test score of 294 was more than the visitors made in either innings, as they slumped to defeat by an innings and 242 runs.Quotes”Looking at the surface, we’ve decided we only want to go with one spinner, and that’s going to be Adil. With the amount of right-handers in what we think is going to be India’s team, he gives us a very attacking option.” Joe Root explains the thinking as Rashid’s Test recall is confirmed.“You need professionalism more than feeling like an underdog or starting as a favourite. That is something we want to do as a team: we want to be consistent and professional.” Virat Kohli is focussed only on on-field matters

Surrey still have a chance of qualification, but Royal London Cup hopes have been extinguished north of the Thames

ECB Reporters Network03-Jun-2018
ScorecardTom Curran celebrated his latest England call-up by keeping alive Surrey’s Royal London One-Day Cup hopes at the expense of Middlesex at Lord’s.While his younger sibling Sam enjoyed being part of an England Test win at Headingley, Curran was named in the national squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.And the 23-year-old underlined his potential in the white-ball format with a match-winning 4-33 as the men from south of the river restricted the hosts to 234 all out – a target they made with some comfort thanks to Ben Foakes’ 86.Alec Stewart’s men will still need to beat Glamorgan in the last round of games and rely on favours from elsewhere if they are to make the knockout stages.For Middlesex those hopes are already over, a third successive defeat meaning their promising start to the competition ultimately came to nothing.Middlesex skipper Steven Finn opted to bat under cloudless skies at Lord’s, only to see Nick Gubbins bowled off the inside edge by Morne Morkel with only eight runs on the board.Stevie Eskinazi played more freely than in previous games, hoisting a big six over mid-wicket, but departed in Rikki Clarke’s first over courtesy of a thin edge through to Foakes.Curran then took centre stage, striking twice in an over when first Eoin Morgan and then Hilton Cartwright gave Foakes two more victims behind the timbers, leaving Middlesex 78-4.Paul Stirling raised his 50 amid the slump and found an ally in the shape of wicketkeeper John Simpson in a stand of 45, but the mini-revival was snuffed out when the latter drove Gareth Batty (1-33) into the hands of Clarke at backward point.And hopes of a sizeable target all but vanished when Stirling (67) chipped Will Jacks to mid-off.The fact the hosts saw out their overs was down to cameos from Nathan Sowter and Tom Helm, the latter bowled by Curran off the final ball of the innings.With a total short of par Middlesex needed early wickets and Finn obliged, trapping England man Jason Roy lbw in the first over.England discard Mark Stoneman and Jacks progressed with few alarms until an almighty mix-up saw the former comfortably run out.And the incident seemed to be playing on Jacks’ mind when he sent an ugly swipe off Finn into the hands of James Franklin at mid-off seven balls later.At 44-3 the game was in the balance, but Rory Burns and Foakes, who’d shared an unbeaten century partnership to beat Middlesex 12 months ago, pieced together a stand of 89 with increasing confidence.Such was their control it was a surprise when Burns was bowled by Ravi Patel attempting an ill-advised scoop, but with no scoreboard pressure Foakes and Ollie Pope (57 not out) produced a 98 stand.And although Foakes perished with four needed, the visitors eased home with 11 balls to spare.

England were not as dominant as they were expected to be, but were still far too strong for a West Indies team struggling for batting consistency

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan12-Jun-2012Ever since England came back to win the Lord’s Test in the 2000 series against West Indies, they have completely dominated the head-to-head contests. Between the Lord’s win and the final Test of this series, England had won 13 out of 15 home Tests against West Indies. Only persistent rain in Edgbaston and dogged resistance from West Indies’ lower order prevented a whitewash.West Indies briefly raised hopes of a surprise win at Lord’s and managed to stay competitive but were simply overwhelmed by England’s all-round strength. With Chris Gayle missing at the top of the order, the inexperienced opening batsmen were unable to fight it out in bowler-friendly conditions. England, not quite at their dominant best as they had been in recent home series, were still a far more potent bowling unit than West Indies, who struggled with injuries. On the batting front, England were far from impressive but were boosted by the timely return to form of Andrew Strauss, who scored consecutive centuries at Lord’s and Trent Bridge.West Indies were bowled out in each of the innings they batted (five innings) and averaged 30.98. In contrast, England averaged a much higher 43.58 while losing just 31 wickets. However, England’s batting performance was well below their exploits in recent home series. Only twice since 2009 have England averaged lower (against Australia and Pakistan) in a home series. In contrast, England had averaged 61.12 in their previous home series against West Indies. Both West Indies and England had nine fifty-plus scores with West Indian batsmen scoring more centuries (three). England, however, were by far the better bowling team with Stuart Broad picking up the only five-wicket haul of the series.

Overall stats of England and West Indies in the series

TeamRunsWickets lostRuns per wicket100/505WI/10WMEngland13513143.582/71/1West Indies15495030.983/60/0The England-West Indies contests over the last decade in England have been a mismatch. With a below-par bowling attack and a vulnerable batting line-up, West Indies have hardly threatened. In the first Test at Lord’s, disciplined batting in their second innings and an inspired burst by Kemar Roach created an opening but the lack of firepower in the attack meant that West Indies were unable to capitalise. An all too familiar collapse in the second innings at Trent Bridge ended West Indies’ chances of levelling the series. On more than one occasion in their last two series (against India and Australia), West Indies had lost the grip after collapsing for sub-200 scores. Although the series result (2-0) was never in doubt given the gulf in quality, West Indies competed far better than they did on previous visits.In 2000, when they lost 3-1 (first series loss in England for 31 years), West Indies had an excellent bowling average of 22.55 but a poor batting average of 21.67. Their average difference (difference between batting and bowling averages) in that series was -0.88. Following the retirements of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, the bowling quality took a major hit in the subsequent series. In the next three series, the average difference values were -18.99, -20.47 and -38.77. In comparison, their corresponding figure in this series is a much improved -12.60. The wickets difference (difference between the wickets picked up per match and wickets lost per match) is the best for West Indies in the 2000 series (-1.60). In the 2012 series, the corresponding figure is much poorer (-6.33). In both 2004 and 2007, the wickets difference values were better than the number in the 2012 series. West Indies’ worst performance on this front came in the 2009 series when they lost 40 wickets but managed to pick up just 24 (wickets difference of -12).

West Indies in the last five series in England

YearMatchesWins/LossesBat avgBowl avgAvg diffWickets/match (bat)Wickets/match (bowl)Wickets diff200051/321.6722.55-0.8817.4015.80-1.60200440/429.1148.10-18.9919.5014.25-5.25200740/328.6049.07-20.4717.0013.25-3.75200920/222.3561.12-38.7720.008.00-12.00201230/230.9843.58-12.6016.6610.33-6.33With the openers badly out of form, the top-order (1-4) of West Indies wore a very unsettled look and managed an average of just 15.65. On the other hand, England’s top order did much better averaging close to 50. Not only were Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in form, Strauss also got back among the runs and ended the series as England’s top run-getter. West Indies were able to stay afloat in the first two Tests purely because of their battling middle order. After being recalled to the team, Marlon Samuels batted brilliantly and topped the run-scoring charts. He scored a century and three fifties in five innings and averaged 96.50. His series aggregate of 386 runs is the fourth-highest by a West Indian batsman in a series in England since 2000.Shivnarine Chanderpaul came away without a century but still managed over 200 runs at an average of 78.33. West Indies’ middle order (5-7) averaged 65 with two centuries and five fifties while England’s middle order managed an average of 38.50 with three half-centuries. Denesh Ramdin and Tino Best were involved in a 143-run stand for the last wicket in the third Test with Best scoring a record 95. Darren Sammy’s century at Trent Bridge and Best’s heroics pushed up the lower order (8-11) average for West Indies to 21.50, which was higher than that of England (17.50).

Batting stats for both teams in the series by batting position

Batting positionTeamRunsAverageSR100/501-4England83849.2955.242/45-7England30838.5056.930/38-11England10517.5048.830/01-4West Indies31315.6538.590/05-7West Indies78065.0047.072/58-11West Indies38721.5059.081/1Since 2008, only New Zealand have a lower average than West Indies for the opening wicket. In the recent home series against Australia, the West Indies openers struggled and had five single-figure partnerships in six innings. They did better in England but an average of 22.40 meant that the middle order was almost always under pressure. England’s openers managed only one fifty stand but were more consistent than their West Indian counterparts (average 38.60).For both the second and third wickets, West Indies failed to aggregate 100 partnership runs. England, on the other hand, scored over 200 runs for both the partnership wickets and averaged 71.25 and 55.50 respectively. The in-form Samuels and Chanderpaul ensured that West Indies’ middle order did not cave in meekly. West Indies averaged much higher than England for the fifth wicket and shared a century and two fifty stands. The visitors’ seventh-wicket partnership was also more prolific with the highest stand coming in the second Test at Trent Bridge, where Sammy and Samuels added 204 in the first innings.

Partnership stats for both teams in the series

Partnership wicketEngland (Runs, Average)England (100/50 stands)West Indies (Runs, Avg)West Indies (100/50 stands)1193, 38.600/1112, 22.400/02285, 71.251/186, 17.200/03222, 55.501/196, 19.200/14220, 55.001/0107, 21.400/05195, 48.751/0340, 68.001/2666, 33.000/0112, 22.400/1730, 15.000/0364, 72.801/0Broad continued his superb run of form picking up 14 wickets in the series including 11 in the first Test at Lord’s. In the first two Tests, Broad and James Anderson reaffirmed their status as one of the best opening-ball pairs. Broad troubled Adrian Barath dismissing him twice while conceding just 32 runs. Anderson, meanwhile, made life extremely difficult for Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards dismissing them both twice while conceding only seven and ten runs respectively. Graeme Swann got Chanderpaul twice in four innings and improved his record against the left-hander to five dismissals in ten innings.However, Swann had no such luck against Samuels. Samuels scored 131 runs 131 runs off 191 balls from Swann (run-rate of 4.11) without being dismissed even once. Roach bowled some quick spells and tasted success against Strauss (two dismissals at average of 27.00) and Jonny Bairstow (two dismissals at average of 12.00). Tim Bresnan’s place in the squad was questioned before the start of the series but he ended the series as England’s second-highest wicket-taker (12 wickets) with a best match haul of 8 for 141 at Trent Bridge.

Bowler v batsman in the series

BowlerBatsmanRunsDismissalsAverageBalls per dismissalStuart BroadAdrian Barath32216.0025.50James AndersonKirk Edwards723.509.00James AndersonKieran Powell1025.0016.00Graeme SwannShivnarine Chanderpaul36218.0048.50Kemar RoachJonny Bairstow1326.5012.00Kemar RoachAndrew Strauss54227.0065.00Graeme SwannMarlon Samuels1310–