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Manchester United are believed to be nearing the signing of Rasmus Hojlund, and now a fresh update has emerged on another potential target who could join the striker at Old Trafford.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in Mohammed Kudus?

According to Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan, Ajax star Mohammed Kudus is on Man United's list of targets this summer.

Speaking on Football Daily, van der Kraan revealed:

"He [Kudus] is very keen on a move to the Premier League whether that be a top club in London or Manchester."

"But I think as soon as Ten Hag would knock on his door, he will go."

"He is on their list, he might not be the number one yet but if the players mentioned fail to come or talks break down, Kudus could be an ideal option."

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

It is no secret that Erik ten Hag has continued to have a huge admiration for his former Ajax squad, with a number of the Eredivisie club's players being linked with a move to Old Trafford since the manager was appointed last summer.

Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana are all players that have followed their former Ajax coach to the north west of England, whilst the likes of Jurrien Timber and Frenkie de Jong have been previously linked too.

Now Kudus – who reportedly has a £40m price tag – could be the next Ajax ace to join Ten Hag's rebuild project at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, and would provide strong competition for the players deployed in the attacking threat, especially Antony who hasn't had the explosive impact desired so far.

Over 25 Premier League appearances last season, the Brazilian delivered just four goals and two assists, as well as missing four big chances in front of goal and failing to complete 54% of his dribble attempts, as per SofaScore.

When comparing Kudus' output to the Man United winger's last season, the Ghana international comfortably outperformed his positional competitor in a number of attributes including goal contributions (14 v 9), shots on target rate (39.1% v 32.1%), pass completion (85.5% v 79.1%), successful take-ons (62.3% v 42.7%) and shots on target per 90 (1.36 v 1.18), as per FBref.

Not only that, Dutch legend Marco van Basten spoke out on the former Ajax teammates upon Antony's big-money move to Man United, claiming that Kudus is a much better player:

"Kudus has much better technique, and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical.

"He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team.

"In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He's more fun to watch play."

Indeed, Kudus' great versatility in positioning means that the pair could play alongside each other for the Red Devils, with the 22-year-old experienced in playing central midfield, attacking midfield, in the centre-forward role, as well as on the right wing too.

However, providing competition for Antony on that right flank could ultimately unlock his true potential and push the winger to improve his performances, something that would put Ten Hag in a great position by having two young and hungry prospects vying to prove themselves next season, with Hojlund spearheading the attack through the middle.

With that being said, the signing of Kudus would be a great piece of business for Man United; adding depth to a number of key areas on the pitch and delivering Ten Hag another huge talent that can impact the attacking threat.

Jobe has lofty expectations on his shoulders but he's made a scintillating start to life at the Stadium of Light

Soon after completing his surprise £1.5 million ($1.9m) switch to Sunderland this summer, Jobe Bellingham informed the club that he wanted his first name printed on the back of his new No.7 shirt. It was a decision motivated by a desire to forge his own legacy in the game – and when you've got a family like Bellingham has, it's little surprise that he was keen to create his own distinct identity.

Of course, his brother is Jude Bellingham, who has swiftly emerged as a frontrunner for the 2024 Ballon d'Or following a string of inspirational performances for Real Madrid. As Jobe was negotiating his move to the Stadium of Light, his sibling was making the necessary arrangements to move to the Spanish capital, having completed a blockbuster £108m ($133m) transfer earlier that summer.

Living in the shadow of this gargantuan talent must be stifling. But Bellingham has not allowed his potential to be smothered. While Jude has been taking the world by storm, his baby brother has been generating quite the buzz back home.

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  Where it all began

  It's not just Jobe's older brother who has raised expectations for the Sunderland star. Growing up the pair's father, Mark, was a well-known footballer in his own right. A police officer by day, Bellingham Sr. carved out a reputation as one of non-league's most prolific ever scorers, netting over 700 goals across a 20+ year career.

  His seventh century of goals was brought up in 2016 for Paget Rangers, with the striker netting a superb free kick against Fairfield Villa. He humbly told the Non-League Paper after that game: "Most of the 700 were from not very far out so I think I owe my team-mates over the years a lot more than they owe me!"

  As Bellingham Sr. was reaching the tail end of this illustrious scoring career, both of his sons were progressing through the Birmingham City academy. While Jude flew through the ranks, featuring regularly for the first team at the age of just 16 and eventually having his shirt number retired when he left for Borussia Dortmund in 2021, his brother was a slower developer.

  He was included on the bench for a pair of Carabao Cup games at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, though did not make it on. If he had, he would've usurped Jude as the Blues youngest-ever player. His debut eventually came in January 2022, with Bellingham coming off the bench during an FA Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle. After that game, then-manager Lee Bowyer was full of praise for the youngster, saying: "I said to him: 'You've done really well, you're a 16-year-old lad that dominated the ball, didn't really give it away, tried to do the right things and when you did give it away you ran back, defended in your own box.'"

  Bellingham used his maiden taste of first-team action as a platform at St Andrew's, continuing to train with the senior squad and earning more consistent minutes during the 2022-23 campaign. By the time Sunderland came calling in the summer, he'd made 26 senior appearances for his boyhood club, failing to register a goal or an assist during that period.

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  The big break

  Having not even turned 18 yet and only boasting a handful of second-tier starts to his name, few would have expected Bellingham to feature from the outset following his move to the Stadium of Light. However, when Tony Mowbray named his first Championship starting XI of the season against Ipswich, there he was, sitting pretty in an attacking-midfield berth.

  Sunderland may have lost that encounter, as well as their second game of the campaign away at Preston North End, but there was plenty for fans to get excited about during Bellingham's early career. All this promise clicked into place to devastating effect against Rotherham the following weekend.

  Just two minutes after Hakeem Odoffin had given the Millers the lead, Bellingham levelled things up with his first-ever career goal, heading home from close range following good work from Dan Neil. Swiftly after the restart, he netted what would turned out to be the decisive goal, stroking Bradley Dack's lay-off into the bottom corner like a seasoned poacher. For the first time in his career, he was the match winner – Jobe had arrived.

  Mowbray lavished his starlet with praise at full time, telling : "I think his greatest asset is he wants to learn football. He's 17 but he asks questions every day of the coaches – why am I doing this? Where do I go? What do you want me to do? He's a joy to work with really and I'm just so pleased he's scored some goals and helped the team win."

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  How it's going

  Since his debut, Bellingham has remained a fixture in the Sunderland first team, failing to feature in just one of his side's opening 21 Championship games. And due to a spate of injuries, he has been used in a string of different positions.

  A significant chunk of Bellingham's minutes have come as a false nine, though he's also been used behind a more traditional striker and in a deeper midfield position. It's in this latter role that he has probably endured his least productive displays.

  "Due to injuries and suspensions, Jobe found himself operating in a deeper role as a No.8 in a double pivot accompanying Dan Neil or Pierre Ekwah. I do think he did look less comfortable in this role as he's not a naturally defensive-minded player, which probably saw his least impactful minutes," Dan Harrison, a writer and analyst for Sunderland fansite Roker Report, told GOAL recently.

  When he's been played further up the pitch, however, Bellingham has had plenty of fun. Predictably, he netted against former club Birmingham in November and also laid on an assist for Abdoullah Ba in a home victory over Watford.

  The shock dismissal of manager Mowbray in December might have threatened to derail this progress, with Bellingham telling that the manager played a key role in his development.

  "He made me a more mature player in a short space of time. He took away pressure on matchdays for us, and it was such a good feeling. You just feel like you're going out there and expressing yourself. I'm really grateful I got to work with him," he said.

  But Bellingham has in fact continued his fine form under interim boss Mike Dodd – who played a pivotal role in bringing the midfielder to the club in the first place, having worked with him and his brother at Birmingham.

  Under Dodd, Bellingham enjoyed the defining moment of his career so far against high-flying Leeds, nipping in front of goalkeeper Illan Meslier to head home and earn the Black Cats a vital three points.

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  Biggest strengths

  Where do you want to start? Bellingham has a unique profile for a player his age, an exciting blend of technical prowess, physicality and composure.

  "His natural flair was something that stood out from very early on," Harrison added when GOAL asked about Bellingham's standout qualities.

  "Whether that be in his smart ball retention through drag backs or his ability to receive the ball on the half-turn almost anywhere on the pitch and not look pressured in doing so. His biggest assets for me personally are the intangible ones that aren't coachable, his overall awareness and reading of the game are far superior to the average teenager and he has a real knack of popping up in the right place for Sunderland at times this season."

  It's easy to see these strengths for yourself if you watch Bellingham in the flesh. It's scary how composed he is in possession considering his limited top-level experience. His physical presence is something to behold too.

  Standing five centimetres taller than his brother Jube and filling out significantly since his professional debut, Bellingham can hold off a challenge and win the ball in the air. Team-mate Neil gave a pretty neat summation after his maiden brace against Rotherham, describing him as "an absolute freak of nature, physically."

  He added: "Technically, he is a top, top, player as well. He has come here to play in front of 40,000 every week and that is something he is going to have to take on mentally, because we can all see how good a player he is technically, physically, and tactically. It is a different kettle of fish playing up here in front of these fans, but from what I've seen of his personality, he'll take it on just fine."

  Bellingham's comfort with playing in front of 40,000+ supporters every week speaks to his incredible maturity. After netting that winner against Leeds, he was put up for media duties and spoke like someone with a decade's experience in the game, calmly analysing the game from a tactical perspective and transmitting leadership skills that also defy his tender years.

Middlesex survived the loss of six wickets for 20 runs to sneak an enthralling London derby by one wicket in front of more than 27,000 at Lord’s

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2017
ScorecardKumar Sangakkara sustained Surrey until he misjudged a ramp shot•Getty Images

Steven Finn hit a dramatic winning boundary off Ravi Rampaul to earn Middlesex a nerve-shredding one-wicket victory in the NatWest T20 Blast against Surrey before a near sell-out 27,205 London derby crowd at a floodlit Lord’s.A sudden Middlesex collapse left Middlesex needing nine runs from the last three overs but with three wickets still intact. Then Jade Dernbach had Nathan Sowter caught at cover and John Simpson, trying to turn Ravi Rampaul to leg, was caught for 7 off a leading edge. From 133 for 3, chasing 159, Middlesex had staggered to 153 for 9.That left last man Finn coming in to join Tom Helm with six still required. He survived a close lbw appeal from Rampaul before the next ball, also angled into his pads, flew away for four leg byes. Rampaul’s next ball, the fourth of the 19th over, was an attempted slower ball and Finn clipped the resulting full toss to the midwicket ropes amid wild scenes.Surrey captain Gareth Batty had earlier taken 4 for 14 with his off spin, including a double-wicket maiden in the 16th over when he dismissed both Eoin Morgan and Tim Southee, to set in motion the collapse which produced such a thrilling finish on a two-paced pitch.

That Middlesex wobble

133-4 Morgan 15.2
133-5 Southee 15.3
143-6 Higgins 16.3
150-7 Franklin 16.6
153-8 Sowter 17.6
153-9 Simpson 18.1

Only Kumar Sangakkara, with 70 from 42 balls, took the attack to Middlesex’s bowlers for anything other than a brief cameo and Surrey’s eventual 158 for 9 never looked enough.Dawid Malan and Paul Stirling began the chase well, the left-handed Malan hitting two fours in the first over from Dernbach and the stocky Stirling plundering two fours and a remarkable swatted six over wide third man from Sam Curran’s opening over.At 37, and after Malan had driven Rampaul’s first ball high for four, Stirling fell for 23 in that same fourth over as he mishit to mid off. Malan, however, twice swung Rampaul for huge legside sixes in a sixth over which ended with Middlesex well ahead of the required rate at 64 for one.Middlesex T20 captain Brendon McCullum made only 9 before slugging Batty’s second ball high to long on, where 39-year-old Sangakkara took a good tumbling catch to his right, and Surrey’s hopes rose when Malan chipped a low catch to Ollie Pope at extra cover from a ball which seemed to grip the surface.Malan made 41 from 26 balls, and his early aggression allowed Morgan and Franklin time to steady Middlesex’s reply, which they did with a judicious mixture of easy singles and the odd more adventurous stroke in a fourth wicket stand of 53 in six overs.

Captains’ views

Brendon McCullum (Middlesex):
“It was a brilliant game of cricket, and both sides contributed to the spectacle. We want to play an aggressive brand of cricket, and you have to be true to that whatever happens. We sent in Tim Southee to take on Gareth Batty’s off spin and it didn’t come off. So be it.
“But if we get to the final stages of this competition then we want to be comfortable with the way we are playing T20 and, when the pressure is on, we need to be able to cope with that. Thankfully, Finny got us over the line in the end and 27,000 people have been hugely entertained.
Gareth Batty (Surrey):
“I thought we might have pulled it out of the bag after not being at our best for most of the game. But it was not to be and Finny got them home.
“That lbw decision at the end against Finn? It was a close one, but the decision was made and we got on with it. Finny was good enough to get the runs needed after that, so fair play to him.”

That looked to be guiding Middlesex to a comfortable victory, but then Batty returned to have Morgan caught at point for 31, with Southee slogging the next ball into the hands of long off.Ryan Higgins drove his first ball for four, off Tom Curran, and then pulled his next for six. The next, however, was edged behind as Higgins went for 10 and the slide continued when Franklin was bowled later in Curran’s over for 23. Then came the fall of both Sowter and Simpson, and Finn’s late heroics.It was Surrey’s first defeat in the south group, after winning their first two games, while Middlesex added another two points to the one they gained for a thrilling tie against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham last Friday.The match began with Finn’s opening over, the second of the innings, being taken for 17 runs as Aaron Finch followed two legside fours with a pulled six into the Mound Stand. With Finch already having collected a five in the opening over, a direct hit run out attempt by Higgins deflecting off the bowlers’ stumps and racing away for four overthrows, Surrey were off to a flyer.The Lord’s crowd was just 800 below England’s domestic T20 record•Getty Images

Southee tried to stem the early flow of runs, producing a beauty to have Dom Sibley caught behind for 5 in his second over with the new ball, and when Helm replaced him at the Nursery End he bowled Finch for 22 through an attempted heave at his first delivery.Helm’s opening over only cost a single but Sangakkara increased the tempo again by lofting the unhappy Finn high over the covers for six and then taking a couple of steps down the pitch to swing Helm magnificently over long on for another maximum.Sowter’s introduction for the eighth over saw the Australian-born leg-spinner knock back Ben Foakes’ off stump with his first ball, the England Lions wicketkeeper-batsman only briefly firing with 13, but teenager Pope – who also made 13 – then added 23 with Sangakkara before he was bamboozled and bowled by a slower ball from the returning Southee.The Curran brothers did not last long, Stirling’s off spin accounting for them both. Sam was bowled for 5, back when he should have been forward, and Tom was also bowled, for 4, when he tried to force square a ball which seemed to creep through a little low to hit his off stump halfway up.Sangakkara, though, hit Franklin’s left-arm seam high over extra cover for six and also drove and swung fours off the same bowler in a 16th over costing 18. When Finn returned for the 19th over, however, nursing figures of 0 for 40 from his first three overs, the great Sri Lankan left-hander diverted a low full toss into his own stumps as he tried an unconventional flick to leg from outside his off stump.That success also allowed Finn to concede just two singles from his final over and, with Helm also bowling tightly in a 20th over in which Batty hit him straight to extra cover and Rampaul picked out deep square leg to go for ducks, the Surrey innings ended with something of a whimper.Surrey were missing opener Jason Roy, because of a shoulder injury, while Kevin Pietersen is not scheduled to make his T20 Blast comeback until next Wednesday, in the home match against Essex.

Inter Miami have reportedly backed out of a January preseason friendly with Flamengo in favor of a match in the 'Middle East.'

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• Report says Miami cancels Flamengo friendly
• Herons accept Middle East proposal instead
• 'Last Dance' between Messi & Ronaldo could be back on

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Globo claim that the Herons are moving fast with their preseason plans. Despite previous uncertainty over whether or not Inter Miami would entertain friendly offers with Saudi Pro League clubs, it appears that the David Beckham-led club will now be flying across the world ahead of the 2024 MLS campaign. Flamengo, meanwhile, are scheduling a January contest with fellow Florida MLS side Orlando City following the apparent cancellation of their previously-arranged game.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami have denied the agreement of any friendly against Al-Nassr after it was claimed that Miami would participate in a three-team tournament alongside Ronaldo's side and Al-Hilal. It now appears that the match could be back on.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi and Ronaldo have clashed a total of 36 times over their storied careers, with their first meeting coming in 2008. The Argentine leads the way between the two with 16 wins to Ronaldo's 11.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  The club is currently in offseason mode, with the players enjoying their time away from the pitch while looking ahead to preseason in 2024. Although the schedule is not confirmed, it seems as though the Herons are looking to be ambitious ahead of their next campaign, with high-profile friendlies like these populating the rumor mill. Regardless of what happens, it's an important few months for Tata Martino and Co as they look to build on their Leagues Cup success.

The summer transfer window has now commenced, although uncertainty remains at Manchester United as to just who will be joining the club ahead of next season, amid Erik ten Hag's apparent desire to strengthen his current options.

A new 'world-class' centre-forward appears to be high on the agenda for the former Ajax boss – as per Manchester Evening News – with the Red Devils having unsurprisingly been heavily linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane, as the Englishman enters into the final year of his contract in north London.

More recent reports have indicated, however, that despite Ten Hag's apparent admiration for the England skipper, United are unlikely to push for a move amid Spurs' unwillingness to sell, with the Old Trafford outfit seemingly wary of engaging in negotiations with rival chairman, Daniel Levy.

As such, the search is set to continue in the club's bid to find a new, quality number nine, with reports in recent weeks having suggested that Borussia Monchengladbach ace, Marcus Thuram, could be among those being considered.

The £53k-per-week marksman is an attainable target with just a matter of weeks left to run on his existing deal in Germany, ensuring that he could represent a bargain, free-agent alternative to Kane for those at the Theatre of Dreams this summer.

Would Marcus Thuram be a good signing for Man United?

While Spurs' long-serving talisman did enjoy a stellar 2022/23 campaign after bagging 30 Premier League goals, Thuram also caught the eye in his own right, after chipping in with 16 goals and seven assists in just 32 games across all competitions.

With the 6 foot 4 sensation also offering the ability to play on the flanks, it is no surprise why he has been hailed as a player that "every Premier League club should be trying to sign", in the words of The Athletic's, Carl Anka.

Also described as "phenomenal" by former Gladbach teammate Denis Zakaria, the Italy-born ace is also a real asset due to his dribbling prowess, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 13% for successful take-ons and the top 12% for progressive carries among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues.

Equally, unlike Kane – who has begun to 'drop deeper' in recent years, as per MEN's Tyrone Marshall – Thuram seemingly offers more a threat inside the area, as he ranks in the top 13% for touches in the opposition box, in contrast to the Englishman, who ranks in just the bottom 34% in that regard.

Having a deep-lying player like Kane in attack is arguably 'not what United need', according to Marshall, hence looking at a more dynamic and mobile figure like Thuram instead.

Of course, the former Guingamp ace does not boast the same Premier League pedigree as his Tottenham counterpart, although the chance to land the ten-cap striker on a free should surely be too good an opportunity to turn down for Ten Hag and co.

England Under-19s will be without Matt Fisher for their four-day series against India in Nagpur which starts on Monday as they take a protective attitude to a fast bowler in whom they have invested considerable expectations

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2017England Under-19s will be without Matt Fisher for their four-day series against India in Nagpur which starts on Monday as they take a protective attitude to a fast bowler in whom they have invested considerable expectations.The Yorkshire fast bowler is still struggling with the groin problem he picked up during the one-day series in Mumbai – although England privately stress that he has not suffered a recurrence of the hamstring problems that bedevilled him last seasonFisher will stay with the Under-19 squad for another week to make the most of his first sub-continental experience as a member of England’s leadership group, while continuing to receive treatment from the medical staff. He will then return to Yorkshire to join their pre-season preparations at Headingley.Max Holden, the Middlesex batsman who has been loaned out to Northants for the start of the season, will take over the captaincy as planned for the four-day series.

After reaching four successive tournament finals, the Dutchwoman has been linked with a number of top jobs in the men's game

England head coach Sarina Wiegman has long been a history-maker and a record-breaker. Whether in her playing days, during which she became the first Dutch footballer to reach 100 caps, or in her managerial career, which has seen her lead both the women’s teams of the Netherlands and England to their first major tournament triumphs, Wiegman’s incredible achievements have so often been significant milestones. But, as she led England to a first Women’s World Cup final earlier this year, rumours began to swirl of another first, one of an entirely different nature.

No men's international team has ever offered a job to a female coach but, in the build-up to that final, Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the Football Association (FA), said that he believed Wiegman “could do anything she wants in football” when asked if she could be a contender to replace Gareth Southgate, the head coach of the men’s team, in the future.

A few days later, it became evident that the English FA was not the only federation thinking in that manner. A report from said that Wiegman was also being considered in the Netherlands, her home country, to coach the men’s national team.

Having carved out a reputation as one of the best managers in the women’s game, winning the last two European Championship titles and reaching the last two World Cup finals, in some ways it’s no surprise that Wiegman is being linked with such historic appointments in huge jobs. U.S. Soccer is also rumoured to be an admirer of the Dutchwoman as it searches for a replacement for Vlatko Andonovski, who left his post as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team after a dismal World Cup campaign.

But in the men’s game, cases of female coaches are few and far between. If England’s record-breaking leader was to become the latest one, it would certainly be the most high-profile instance to date.

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  A man’s world

  While women’s football has grown massively in recent years, there is still a very small female presence in the men’s game. Female officials, physios and technical staff remain in small numbers, despite that not being the case for men in the women’s game.

  In terms of coaches, you have to drop to the 10th tier of the men’s football pyramid in England to find a female manager. At the professional level, every single team is led by a man. Of course, that’s not a massive surprise given that the number of women in coaching remains small in comparison to the number of men, simply because the sport has historically been more welcoming for men than women.

  As that begins to change, the hope is that there will be more women coming into the men’s game – in academies, as part of first-team staff and more. Diversity is always positive. It brings different styles, ideas and skills to the table. And as someone like Wiegman has shown, there are some truly excellent female coaches out there.

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  'A stepping stone'

  But despite successful female coaches in the women’s game not yet taking up high-profile roles in men’s football, there have been several examples when it comes to male coaches doing so. John Herdman spent seven years in charge of Canada's women's team before being named the head coach of the men's team in 2018. After five years in that job, which saw him guide the North American nation to a first-ever appearance at a men's World Cup, Herdman left to take charge of MLS team Toronto FC just last month.

  Phil Neville, meanwhile, had no experience in women’s football when he was appointed the head coach of England’s women’s national team in early 2018. Three years later, he would secure the job as head coach of MLS side Inter Miami.

  A few months after it was announced that Neville was to leave the England role, the former Manchester United defender came in for plenty of criticism for comments in which he described the role as essentially a stepping stone to club football. "The fact that you can come out and say you were using our national team as a stepping stone, that disappointed me," Fara Williams, England's most capped footballer, told . "I just think it shows a little lack of respect for our game, and where it was and where we are trying to get it to."

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  An 'insult' to women's football

  That idea of the women's game being a step towards the bigger honour of managing in the men's game has sadly come up a few times. In recent years, the name of Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has regularly been mentioned when there have been vacancies in men's football. Hayes has transformed Chelsea into the dominant force in English women’s football, winning 15 trophies since joining the club in 2012.

  In early 2021, she was linked with the job at AFC Wimbledon, a club third-from-bottom in League One, the third tier of English men's football. In a press conference, it was put to her that there had been talk of a step up to the men’s game, which she wasted no time in shutting down.

  “Women's football is not a step down from anything,” Hayes said. "Fran Kirby, Pernille Harder, Beth England, Magda Eriksson, Millie Bright, Maren Mjelde – do you want me to keep going? These are world-class players. It's an insult to them that we talk about women's football being a step down, with the dedication and the commitment and the quality they have.

  "When the football world is ready to adhere to the diversity codes, so that BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) communities, plus women, get the opportunities in football, then I’ll see that as a step forward," she added. "This is not a conversation about Emma Hayes and AFC Wimbledon, but we should be having larger conversations around creating opportunities across the diverse spectrum so that opportunities in the men’s game are not limited to those in privileged positions."

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  Slowly but surely

  It’s a huge positive that Hayes and Wiegman have been linked with these jobs. It shows that their quality is being recognised. There is nothing insulting about someone thinking you would be a good coach.

  It’s positive, too, that someone like Lydia Bedford, the former head coach of Leicester City’s women’s team and part of the coaching staff at Arsenal, has recently moved into the academy set-up at Brentford, coaching the Under-18 men's team.

  Hannah Dingley's appointment as the caretaker manager of League Two club Forest Green Rovers, meanwhile, attracted a lot of attention – some unwanted – when she became the first and only woman to have been in charge of a professional men's team in English football in July. Even though she didn’t get the permanent role, it shone a light on her achievements as the first woman to coach a men's academy team in England.

  “It frustrates me that female coaches might think the female game might be their only opportunity in the game,” Dingley told in 2021. “There are lots of opportunities in the men’s game, academy football is massive. I was told I got the job because I was the best person for it.”

  The more cases like this, the more that aspiring female coaches can see that there is a path for them into men’s football as well as women’s football. It means there are more opportunities for them to get to where they want to be and more avenues to take. Given how long football has been seen as a man’s game, though, it will take time for a significant increase in gender diversity to become apparent.

It took Dolphins just 11.5 overs on the fourth morning to take the remaining three Warriors wickets and seal victory by an innings and 70 runs in East London. Fittingly, it was left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj who took the winning wicket to rack up career-best match figures of 13 for 157.The win was set up by a solid batting performance from the Dolphins on the first two days. After losing Imraan Khan on the first ball of the match, Dolphins rebounded strongly courtesy good returns from the rest of the top five. While No. 3 Daryn Smit top-scored with 121, he was well supported by Sarel Erwee (59), Vaughn van Jaarsveld (90) and Khaya Zondo (81). But, coming in at No. 9, it was Maharaj who made the difference between a decent first-innings total and a very good one. He struck 72 off 71, sharing a 108-run eighth-wicket partnership with Zondo, to help Dolphins up to a final score of 478.Then came the bowling heroics. In the first innings, Maharaj took 7 for 89 to spark a collapse from 132 for 1 to 230 all out. Edward Moore (62) and Colin Ackermann (68) scored fifties for the Warriors, but the next highest score was 29 by No. 9 Andrew Birch. Dolphins imposed the follow-on and there was no let-up in Warriors’ second innings. Maharaj collected 6 for 68 as the Warriors crumbled to 178 all out, handing the visitors an emphatic victory to start their season.Test opener Stephen Cook struck an unbeaten 97 in Lions’ successful chase of 160•Getty Images

Lions wrapped up a 10-wicket win against Cobras early on the third day in Johannesburg. Chasing a modest 160, Lions romped to victory, with Test opener Stephen Cook top-scoring with an unbeaten 97.On a spicy surface, Cobras, having been embroiled in off-field issues over the future of their coach Paul Adams, chose to bat and were quickly skittled for 102. None of their batsmen made more then 29 runs while wickets were shared between Lions’ four seamers. Debutant Wiaan Mulder, who will begin his final school examinations shortly, enjoyed the best returns with 3 for 10.Cobras then hit back by reducing Lions to 99 for 8. Dane Paterson and Vernon Philander made the early inroads but it was another youngster, former Under-19 World Cup squad member Jason Smith, who claimed the biggest haul – 4 for 24. Temba Bavuma, who made an unbeaten 76, with support from Nono Pongolo, ensured the Lions gained a 52-run first-innings advantage.Cobras were in danger of another embarrassment when they tumbled to 17 for 4 and then 113 for 7, at the hands of Hardus Viljoen and Mulder. Smith showed his value with 95 while Dane Piedt provided some tail wagging and made 41, batting at No.9. Viljoen finished with 6 for 75 as Cobras managed to eke over 200 in their second dig.It was late on day two that Lions’ chase began and they looked to end the match quickly. They faced 18 overs and racked up 117 runs but bad light dragged the match into a third day. None of the Cobras bowlers enjoyed any success as Cook and Rasssie van der Dussen reached the target to give Lions maximum points: 15.08.Marchant De Lange claimed career-best figures of 7 for 23 in Knights’ four-wicket win•Getty Images

Down the road at SuperSport Park, Mark Boucher’s coaching career did not get off to the start he would have wanted. Titans suffered a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Nicky Boje’s Knights, whose squad had been bolstered by a host of former Titans players.Marchant de Lange’s career-best 7 for 23 gave Knights just 171 to chase. Theunis de Bruyn then stayed unbeaten on 90 and took them to the target.De Lange did not do the early damage, though. That was down to Duanne Olivier and Mbulelo Budaza, who reduced Titans to 97 for 4 on the first morning. Among the early wickets was Dean Elgar, who was making a comeback after an ankle injury. He scored 33 off 71 balls, including five fours. Heinrich Klaasen and David Wiese shared a sixth-wicket stand of 142 to take Titans to a competitive 287, which was made to look even better when they bowled Knights out for 174.This meant Titans gained a first-innings lead of 113 runs, but then they slumped. In 14.2 overs on the second afternoon, de Lange and Olivier ran through them. Titans were bowled out for 57 with just three of their batsmen getting into double-figures. Knights closed the day on 41 for 1, with victory in sight.The third morning brought a thriller as Rowan Richards and Malusi Siboto kept the Knights in check. At 92 for 5, they still needed 79 runs and with a long tail, that was a tough ask. De Bruyn, though, held firm, and found support from Shadley van Schalkwyk, to steer his team home.

Jeet Raval may have to wait little longer for his first taste of Test cricket after intermittent rain meant no play was possible on the opening day in Christchurch

The Report by Shashank Kishore17-Nov-2016First day abandoned
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSome rain is forecast for the second day in Christchurch too, but not as much as on the first•Getty Images

Jeet Raval will have to wait little longer for his first taste of Test cricket after intermittent rain meant no play was possible on the opening day of New Zealand’s 2016-17 home summer in Christchurch. Covers were on for most parts of the day at the Hagley Oval, which meant even the toss wasn’t possible.With chances of a start looking bleak, umpires S Ravi and Ian Gould called off play at 4pm, shortly after the scheduled tea interval. Play will start 30 minutes early on each of the next four days – at 10.30 am – to make up for lost time, weather permitting, although intermittent showers are forecast for the second day too.There was hope of a start time shortly before lunch when the sun broke through to allow Pakistan’s players a football session, but the rain returned soon to force them indoors. A scheduled inspection at 2.45pm had to be called off as the drizzle persisted.Pakistan’s preparation coming into the two-Test series has been less than ideal. Their three-day practice match in Nelson was completely washed out. They arrived in New Zealand last week straight out of a long series comprising three T20Is, three ODIs and three Tests against West Indies in the UAE.Pakistan have not lost a Test series in New Zealand since 1985. They won by a 1-0 margin, also under Misbah-ul-Haq who is set to captain in his 50th Test, on their previous tour to New Zealand in 2011.

New Zealand’s three-Test series in India will begin on September 22, in Kanpur, followed by the second Test from September 30 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, while Indore will host the final Test

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-20160:58

India’s pink-ball Test will have to wait

New Zealand are unlikely to play a day-night Test against India this season with the BCCI announcing that all three Tests in September and October would begin at 9.30 am.Kanpur will host the first Test from September 22, followed by the second at Eden Gardens from September 30 and the third in Indore, a brand new Test venue, from October 8.The five ODIs will be played on October 16 in Dharamsala, October 19 in Delhi, October 23 in Mohali, October 26 in Ranchi and October 29 in Visakhapatnam.In April, BCCI president Anurag Thakur had announced India would host its first day-night Test during the New Zealand tour. A day later, NZC responded that nothing had been finalised. Last week, the chances of the series featuring a floodlit Test reduced further when Thakur himself conceded India were in “no hurry” to play one.New Zealand is the first of four teams – England, Australia and Bangladesh are the others – India are set to host in their 2016-17 home season, which comprises 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20Is. Thirteen Tests equals the record for the highest number of home Tests in a season; the only other instance was in 1979-80, also in India.New Zealand’s previous tour to India was four years ago, when they visited for two Tests and two T20 internationals. They lost the Tests 0-2 and won the T20Is 1-0.Initially, the BCCI’s press release had said Kolkata would host the third Test in October but the schedule was reworked to accommodate Durga Puja festivities.*1010 GMT, June 28, 2016. The article was amended to reflect a change in schedule in the India v NZ Test series