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He last played international cricket a year ago, before being named as injury replacement for Lockie Ferguson in the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Feb-2025Kyle Jamieson last played international cricket a year ago. Since then, there were ten months out with a stress fracture of the back – for the second time in his career. Having been named in New Zealand’s squad for the Champions Trophy as an injury replacement for Lockie Ferguson, Jamieson feels he is in the best place ever “from a cricket point”.Jamieson last played an ODI in September 2023, against Bangladesh just before the World Cup. Looking back at his time off, Jamieson said his comeback worked out “roughly around the time-frames we looked at”.”I had a good crew around me, and the start of it was trying to put that all together around, what that’s going to look like, and how we’re going to get from where I was at the bottom of the cliff and how we’re going to get back up to the top of it,” he said after reaching Rawalpindi ahead of New Zealand’s match against Bangladesh.Related

• New dad Jamieson is keen to defuse some fireworks on the cricket field again

• Simmons wants top order 'to put things together' in the powerplay

• New Zealand aim for semi-finals; Bangladesh aim to stay alive

• Players injured and unavailable for Champions Trophy

• Glenn Phillips finds secret to his success

Jamieson has had his share of injures in a short international career so far. In June 2022, he experienced “sharp pain” in his lower back and walked off midway through his 17th over in a Test at Trent Bridge. Just ahead of the home Tests against England in early 2023, a suspected recurrence of the back injury ruled him out and he underwent surgery. It was only in August that year that Jamieson was back on the field, when he played five T20Is and three ODIs across the tours of the UAE and England. He then toured Bangladesh, where he played in two of the three ODIs.New Zealand even named Jamieson as cover for an injured Matt Henry for the World Cup in 2023, before drafting him into the squad proper. Although Jamieson didn’t get to play the tournament, he featured in both Tests on the subsequent tour of Bangladesh. However, a stiff hamstring ruled him out of the ODI series at home against the same opposition, and he also sat out of the T20Is on “medical advice”. It was after that, halfway through the home series against South Africa, that Jamieson found himself out again.”It’s been a long one. Obviously, a lot of hard work [has gone into the comeback],” he said. “I had to go back to square one, and rebuild a few things. [I had to] try and solidify the foundations so I can get back to this arena and take on the different forms of cricket again. It’s certainly been a long road, but it’s quite funny once you’re back in the mix and forget about how long it’s taken.”In the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, Jamieson worked his way back by representing Canterbury in the Super Smash and Ford Trophy, New Zealand’s domestic T20 and 50-over competitions respectively. He bagged 14 wickets at an average of 18.71 to be Canterbury Magicians’ highest wicket-taker in the Super Smash, where he played in all 12 matches.”I really enjoyed being a part of a full campaign. You don’t often get a chance to be a part of long stretches of time with your domestic team,” he said. “From the cricket point of view, it was great to be back in the park and just see where your game’s at. I was always reasonably confident that part was going to be okay, but it’s just nice to obviously put it back into that arena. I guess those are some of the pressures and challenges that come with that sort of high-pressure cricket.”New Zealand face Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday, after beating Pakistan comfortably in the tournament opener. They then face India on March 2 in Dubai in what is the final group fixture of the tournament.

“He’s bowling with full rhythm today, too. He’s also putting work in the gym and isn’t complaining of any pains”

Danyal Rasool18-Feb-20252:13

Rizwan hopes to see more ICC events in Pakistan soon

Pakistan have been handed a boost ahead of the Champions Trophy opener, with fast bowler Haris Rauf expected to be “fully fit” against New Zealand, according to their captain Mohammad Rizwan.”Haris bowled 6-8 overs a couple of days ago, and bowled a fair bit yesterday too,” Rizwan said at the captain’s press conference on the eve of the tournament. “He’s bowling with full rhythm today, too. He’s also putting work in the gym and isn’t complaining of any pains. We think he’s fully fit.”Rauf sustained a muscular sprain in his chest while bowling in the opening game of the tri-series against New Zealand on February 8, and was in a race against time to be fit for the start of the tournament. He did not play the remainder of the series, though ESPNcricinfo understands that was more out of an abundance of caution than an indicator of the injury’s severity.Related

• Babar's form in focus as Pakistan begin title defence

• Jamieson replaces Ferguson in NZ's Champions Trophy squad

• At the Champions Trophy, Shaheen Afridi sees a chance to make history

• A critical test for ODI cricket and Pakistan as hosts

After the press conference, Rauf was seen bowling in the nets during Pakistan’s final practice session before the tournament at the National Stadium. It clears Pakistan up to play what they view as their first-choice bowling lineup, one that features Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Rauf. The three played together in an attack that ultimately ended up on the wrong side of a result against New Zealand in the opener of the tri-series. They play the same side tomorrow in the Champions Trophy curtain-raiser as Pakistan prepare to host their first ICC tournament since 1996.”We suffered for 10 years when no side came here,” Rizwan said. “But Pakistan still produced solid results. So we have no doubts about our ability.”However, it is hard to escape the idea that Pakistan go into their first game as relative underdogs. New Zealand beat them twice in the tri-series, going unbeaten across the tournament to lift the title. They went on to demonstrate their all-round ability, defending a total against Pakistan in one game before easing to two chases in games against South Africa and Pakistan. At the same time, they brushed aside injuries to fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears, retaining their fast-bowling threat, while reigning Pakistan in through the middle overs with a varied array of spinners.”There are ups and downs and certain deficiencies in our side,” Rizwan said. “We are aware we need to bring about certain improvements in our professionalism and consistency.0:57

Urooj: Huge responsibility for Pakistan to defend the title at home

“We tried to learn from the tri-series, which is why we batted first in the final to work out where our weaknesses lie. We used that series as a training experience. We hope we’ve learned enough to cover for those weaknesses tomorrow.”But along with the usual cheery optimism, Rizwan’s statements were laced with a kind of naked hunger he has rarely let slip in the past. Wearing his religion on his sleeve, he tends to resign himself to “the will of Allah” as he often says. It can take the pressure off, a valuable skill for a Pakistan captain, but today, Rizwan seemed to teeter on the edge of fantasising how much he wanted to win an ICC event, and how good it would be to win this one at home.”We’ve come so close a few times,” he said. “We need to work out how to get that extra one per cent to win those big matches. No one can guarantee that success, and we’re still in search of that final step where we lose big games or tournaments.”Every player is desperate for this title. And we’re doing everything we can to work out how to win. I don’t think any country works as hard as we do.”It’s uncommon to hear Rizwan speak with that kind of edge. Soon enough, he was back to his usual gregarious self, talking about how “all 15 players were captains” and the value of team performances over individual brilliance. But then again, perhaps that is the “extra one per cent” Pakistan, and Rizwan, are so desperately hunting for.

Looking to get one over on London rivals Chelsea, Crystal Palace are now reportedly keen to hijack the Blues’ chase to sign an impressive Ligue 1 defender who has been compared to Dayot Upamecano.

Crystal Palace at risk of losing European place

For all their hard work, Dean Henderson’s save to deny Omar Marmoush’s penalty, Eberechi Eze’s Wembley heroics and Oliver Glasner’s tactical victory over Pep Guardiola which was months in the making, it could all come crashing down for Crystal Palace. The Eagles looked set to soar across Europe for the first time, but UEFA may well be about to clip their wings.

The same shareholder cannot hold a majority stake in two clubs in the same European competition and that’s a problem for John Textor, who not only holds large shares in the South London club but also French club Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League. Naturally, the simple solution for all may have been to at least drop Palace into the Europa Conference League. That too would be a problem, however.

Crystal Palace battling to sign £150k-p/w ace with same agent as Henderson

He could be their first signing of the summer.

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By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 7, 2025

Like Textor, Dan Blitzer’s involvement in Brondby means that he would have two clubs in the UEFA Conference League. Simply put, Palace would have the same problem again and they’re now at risk of being kicked out of European football altogether.

When INEOS had the same problem amid Manchester United and Nice’s European qualification, they put shares into a blind trust to navigate past the rules. The City Group did the same when Manchester City and Getafe both qualified for the Champions League. Although they have reportedly since offered to do the same, however, Crystal Palace have missed the deadline to do so.

Whether Textor and Parish’s meeting with UEFA on Tuesday changed things remains to be seen. For now, Palace must hope for the best and push on with their summer preparations, including on the transfer front.

Crystal Palace keen to hijack Doukoure chase

According to The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now keen to hijack Chelsea’s chase to sign Ismael Doukoure this summer. The Strasbourg defender enjoyed an excellent season in France and, at 21 years old, is attracting plenty of interest from across Europe. Given that Marc Guehi has been the subject of several exit rumours at Selhurst Park too, a move for the Strasbourg man would certainly make sense for Palace.

U23 scout Antonio Mango went as far as to describe Doukoure as “magnificent” in 2023, whilst scout Jacek Kulig compared the defender to Bayern Munich’s Upamencao in incredibly high praise, praising his pace, anticipation and aerial ability.

Kulig’s comparison certainly makes sense. When compared, Doukoure kept up with Upamecano in possession – albeit having played more minutes – and impressively outperformed him in the air.

Also matching his fellow Frenchman for tackles won, Doukoure will be desperate to follow a similar path to the top as Upamecano and that could first feature a move to the Premier League courtesy of Crystal Palace.

Barcelona star Marc-Andre ter Stegen has confirmed he will undergo back surgery and is likely to be out for three months.

• Ter Stegen to have back surgery
• Set to be out for three months
• Barca sweat over Garcia registration

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ter Stegen missed much of last season with a serious knee injury and has now revealed he needs a back operation that will keep him out for several months. While he vowed to "be back" in an emotional social media post, Barcelona may be in a bit of a pickle when it comes to goalkeepers for the upcoming season.

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• WHAT TER STEGEN SAID

  "Dear Culers, I wear the colours and jersey of FC Barcelona with great pride, whether on or off the pitch, in moments of success and in difficult times.

  "Today is a personally difficult day for me. Physically and athletically, I feel in very good shape, although unfortunately, I am not free from pain. After intensive discussions with the FC Barcelona medical team and external experts, the quickest and safest way for me to fully recover is through back surgery. After my last operation on my back, I returned to the pitch after 66 days—almost two months; this time, the doctors believe about three months will be necessary as a precaution, to avoid any risks. Emotionally, it hurts a lot not being able to support the team during this time. Fortunately, the rehabilitation is manageable and the road back is clear. I will keep you updated on my recovery and I sincerely want to thank you all, dear Culers, for always being by my side.

  "Don’t worry – I’ll be back! Yours, Marc"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Catalan outfit signed Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia earlier this summer but fears were raised about whether or not they could register the Spaniard due to their ongoing financial issues. But with Ter Stegen's injury, that is likely to allow Barca to register Garcia. However, that is yet to be confirmed.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Barcelona – who are still outside La Liga’s 1:1 rule, which means every pound spent on new signings must be matched with revenue or wage savings – may face an anxious wait to find out if Garcia can be registered for next season. The Blaugrana also have keepers Inaki Pena and Wojciech Szczesny on their books.

The transfer window might be closed again for a few days, but it feels like Arsenal are starting to fall behind their rivals.

For example, Manchester City have already secured the services of Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Ait-Nouri and look set for more.

However, perhaps the most worrying development, at least in terms of the Gunners’ chances in the Premier League next season, has been Liverpool’s £116m capture of Florian Wirtz.

The German is about as perfect an example of a statement signing as you’ll ever see, but in some more positive news, reports have recently linked Arsenal to someone who could be their own version of the international superstar.

Arsenal transfer news

While Arsenal are yet to make any official signings this summer, they have been linked with a host of potentially game-changing stars, such as Eberechi Eze and Rodrygo.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former has a release clause reportedly worth around £68m in Crystal Palace contract, and while that is a sizeable sum of money, it would be a price more than worth paying for a Premier League-proven attacker who scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.

Likewise, while Rodrygo could cost a whopping £84m this summer, his tally of 24 goal involvements this season and record of winning the biggest trophies in the game means he’d be a superb addition to the Gunners’ squad.

However, regarding the North Londoners’ answer to Wirtz, it looks like it will be Benjamin Sesko.

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the RB Leipzig star.

In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the Gunners have now made a ‘breakthrough’ in negotiations and are expected to make an offer of €100m early next week, which comes out to around £85m.

It would represent an enormous vote of confidence in the young striker, but given his ability and potential, this is a transfer Arsenal should get done as soon as possible, as Sesko could be their own Wirtz.

Why Sesko would be Arsenal's Wirtz

Okay, so the first thing to say is that the two players are obviously not comparable in terms of position, as while Wirtz can play in a few other places, he is primarily an attacking midfielder, not a striker.

However, their positions have little to do with why Sesko could be Arsenal’s version of the German.

The first actual reason is that, like Liverpool’s new creator, the Slovenian international has the potential to be a truly game-changing addition to the Gunners.

For example, even though he’s still just 22 years old, the former Salzburg gem was able to score 21 goals and provide six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes.

That means the Radeče-born “monster,” as dubbed by respected data analyst Ben Mattinson, averaged a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or every 120.66 minutes for a pretty poor Leipzig side.

So, just imagine what he could do under Arteta with Bukayo Saka to the right of him, hopefully, a new left-winger on the other side and a rejuvenated Martin Odegaard behind him.

Moreover, despite standing a mammoth 6 foot 5, the 41-capped behemoth is still incredibly rapid and capable of hitting speeds of 35.69 km/h and then, to top it off, you only need to watch his clips to see how technical he is with the ball at his feet.

Finally, aside from the ways in which Sesko could take Arteta’s side to the next level, he’d also be arriving for huge money and from the Bundesliga, just like Wirtz.

Ultimately, even though the money involved is more than most expected, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign the Leipzig gem this summer.

He's just like Saka: £68m winger is Tognozzi's dream target for Arsenal

The exciting wonderkid would be a superb addition to the Arsenal squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 13, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain have lost their court appeal against Gianluigi Buffon and must pay the Italian €250,000 due to a tax clause in his contract.

• PSG ordered to pay Buffon €250k over tax clause
• Legal battle stemmed from goalkeeper’s 2018 contract
• Court rejected Les Parisians appeal on July 10

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the Paris Court of Appeal ruled that PSG must pay Buffon €250,000. The case centred around a clause in Buffon’s spell at the club from 2018-19 when he joined PSG from Juventus. The clause stated that PSG would cover 50 per cent of any tax assessed by the Italian Revenue Agency on income earned in 2018, up to a maximum of €250,000. Buffon triggered the clause after Italy’s tax authority assessed his 2018 earnings at over €1.2 million. The Ligue 1 giants appealed a prior court ruling but lost again on July 10, finalising their obligation to pay the amount.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although the 2006 World Cup winner only spent one season at PSG, legal issues stemming from the cross-border nature of his earnings dragged on for years. The clause had been added to ease Buffon's return to Italy, but when the French side contested its enforcement, it resulted in legal battles. Buffon’s legal team sought an additional €25,000 in damages for what they called PSG’s “illegal resistance,” but that request was denied. Still, the main victory went to the goalkeeper, who is now Italy’s national team delegation leader.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The case dragged on for over five years, during which PSG had previously been ruled against by the French Labour Court. Buffon played 25 games for PSG in all competitions in his single season in the French capital, featuring 17 times in Ligue 1.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The ruling officially closes the legal chapter between the French club and the Italian legend. For Buffon, it’s a moral and contractual win, underlining the importance of detailed clauses in cross-border sports contracts. PSG, meanwhile, avoid any further penalties but face renewed scrutiny over their handling of contract terms with past players.

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Afghanistan’s exiled players launch plea for donations as MCC, ECB show their support

Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda31-Jan-20252:03

Mel Jones: This group of Afghanistan women are trying to rebuild their lives

Pressure is mounting on the ICC to act amid the announcement of fundraising efforts to support Afghanistan’s exiled women’s cricketers, who played their first match together this week.The Pitch Our Future campaign, led by former Australia cricketer turned commentator Mel Jones, launched on Friday aimed at attracting online donations to support the players’ sporting, physical and mental needs so that they can continue to compete regularly as a team.Meanwhile, the MCC and MCC Foundation have set up the Global Refugee Cricket Fund to support refugees worldwide, backed by a £100,000 donation from the ECB and with an initial focus to raise money for Pitch Our Future.Related

• Afghan women have few rights under Taliban rule, but does sanctioning the men's cricket team help them?

• England-Afghanistan to go ahead despite ECB speaking out over 'gender apartheid'

• Exiled Afghanistan women players to men's team: 'Please be the voice of the girls'

• Powerplay: How cricket helped Afghanistan women escape

• World Cricketers Association calls out 'random and inconsistent' support for Afghanistan women

In announcing the fund and the establishment of an advisory board, the MCC “invited” the ICC’s participation, while Clare Connor, the ECB’s deputy chief executive, hoped the fund’s launch would “inspire other cricketing organisations” to lend their support.The announcements follow pleas to the ICC to ring-fence funding for the players on the basis that Afghanistan remain full ICC members despite no longer being able to fulfil the requirement to field a women’s team under its Taliban government.The players wrote to the ICC last July asking for help in establishing themselves as a refugee team. In lieu of a response, they formed an Afghanistan Women’s XI with the help of Jones and a team of dedicated volunteers, and played their first game on Thursday.As told to ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast, Jones was instrumental in helping 19 players formerly contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board and their families escape to Australia after the Taliban took over in 2021 and banned women’s sport in their country. Since then, women have been subjected to increasingly restrictive laws in Afghanistan which have effectively excluded them from public life.Jones was helped by Emma Staples, Cricket Victoria’s Head of Diversity and Community, and Dr Catherine Ordway from the University of Canberra among others, whose efforts resulted in Thursday’s T20 exhibition against a Cricket Without Borders XI.