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Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly identified their target to solve the clubs’ goal scoring woes, as Julen Lopetegui looks towards a busy summer.

The Spaniard will face a challenging transfer window following the emergence of Wolves’ FFP issues, however the show must go on and Molineux must see improvements over the break.

One name has been on the radar since the conclusion of the Premier League season, in a move that could transform Wolves in the final third.

What’s the latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Wolves?

As reported by talkSPORT at the beginning of May, Wolves are interested in Coventry City talisman Viktor Gyokeres.

Since the news first surfaced, it has emerged that the Midlands side will face competition for the striker, with Sporting Lisbon and Burnley also interested.

Portuguese outlet Record (as relayed by Sport Witness) revealed this week that Wolves remain in the race for the Swedish forward, with Sporting CP set to ‘struggle’ to battle the Premier League side due to their ‘bigger financial capacity’.

The report claimed that the price set by Coventry for the goalscoring machine is in the region of €20m (£17m).

What could Viktor Gyokeres bring to Wolves?

Ending the season as the lowest scorers in the Premier League, Lopetegui must solve the equation to get his side firing again, having netted just 31 goals in 38 games.

Once hailed as “unplayable” by former teammate Maxime Biamou, Gyokeres could be the man to end the stagnant nature in front of goal at Molineux, having scored 21 goals in the Championship this campaign.

While Wolves as a club would benefit hugely by the influence of having a goal machine leading the line once again, one player in particular could be unearthed by his presence.

Matheus Nunes made the move from Sporting CP to Molineux last summer, and has shown glimmers of his quality since arriving, but has been starved of having an attacking outlet to generate play with.

Having also been described as a “playmaker” by members of the media, the Portuguese ace averaged 0.8 key passes per game, a number that could be significantly raised should Lopetegui bring in the correct reinforcements.

As per FBref, the 24-year-old averaged 3.06 progressive passes per 90 this season, far fewer than his average the term before in Portugal, where he completed an average of 5.74 per 90, which shows what he is capable of should Wolves sign a frontman.

Gyokeres could finally unlock Nunes by acting as a player that is goal hungry and always looking for the ball, as communicated by his monstrous 11.01 progressive passes received per 90 over the past year, via FBref.

Placing financial constraints aside, Wolves must find a goal scorer this summer and not many could be more suited to the club than Gyokeres, who could prove to be a vast influence on Lopetegui’s attack.

Western Australia allrounder Hilton Cartwright has been included in the Australia squad for the second Test against Pakistan at the MCG

Brydon Coverdale and Daniel Brettig20-Dec-20160:49

Quick Facts – Hilton Cartwright

Australia’s selectors have pushed still further towards youth, ignoring Mitchell Marsh in order to draft his Western Australia team-mate Hilton Cartwright into the Boxing Day Test squad as all-round cover for a bowling attack heavily fatigued by their Gabba exertions.Cartwright, who had already been included in the Chappell-Hadlee ODI squad to face New Zealand but did not play, is an allrounder whose virtues have been pushed by the interim selector Greg Chappell in particular, as part of the developmental Cricket Australia XI that first played in the Matador Cup two summers ago.Last season he graduated to the Western Australia state side and performed strongly with the bat in the Sheffield Shield, something he has backed up this season to average 44.50 across 16 first-class matches. His bowling record is less notable, with a career tally of 15 first-class wickets at 41.93 and only four wickets at 74.75 in the current Shield campaign.

Test squad

David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers

However, the acting selection chairman Trevor Hohns emphasised the desire for a batting allrounder to take a place in the top six, a role Marsh has been unable to adequately fill over time. The decision also means the incumbent No.6, Nic Maddinson, could face the axe after three Test innings of 0, 1 and 4 in Adelaide and Brisbane.”The bowlers got through a high workload in Brisbane and although everyone has pulled up okay, on reflection we wanted to give ourselves the option of including an allrounder in Melbourne to ease that workload somewhat,” Hohns said.”To do that, we wanted a batting allrounder, someone to bowl seam-up and capable of batting in the top six as well, and after considering several names we came to the conclusion that Hilton fits that bill. We have seen plenty of him, he has performed well this season and we believe that if called upon he will do an excellent job.”Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood each bowled 56 overs during the win over Pakistan at the Gabba, which for both men was their biggest workload not only in a Test match but in any first-class game. Jackson Bird sent down 45 overs, his highest tally in a Test. As such, the selection shift away from an allrounder, which took place when Marsh was dropped following the first Test of the summer, has been rethought.”It depends on what sort of wickets you play on,” Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, said after the win in Brisbane. “You would have probably liked to have an extra bowling option in this game but we went with the six batsmen, four bowlers and they got the job done, albeit a lot of work into our quicks.”Should Cartwright become Australia’s 450th Test cricketer when the XI is confirmed for Boxing Day, it would mean an uncertain Test future for Maddinson. On debut at Adelaide Oval, Maddinson was bowled for a 12-ball duck by Kagiso Rabada, while at the Gabba he was dropped on 0, then caught behind for 1 in the first innings. In the second, he was caught hooking for 4 as Australia sought quick runs and a declaration.”We’ve had two pink-ball Test matches, so red-ball Test coming up and we know he’s a fine player,” Lehmann said of Maddinson on Monday, before Cartwright was added to the squad. “He’s just got to believe at this level. I actually thought he did a really good team thing the other day [in the second innings].”I know there was some talk in the commentary and media that he probably could have gone up the order and done that, but Steve’s really strong on keeping the batting order very similar. So he came in for two balls, tried to get the game moving as quickly as he could. So I disregard the second innings of this one, and we’ve got some red-ball cricket coming up, so I’m sure he’ll do okay.”Another member of Australia’s new-look side who will be keen to justify the faith of the selectors is wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who replaced Peter Nevill ahead of the Adelaide Test. The selectors preferred Wade’s batting fight down the order and although he scored two Test centuries in his previous incarnation in the baggy green, he has not made double figures since his recall.Wade’s work behind the stumps has also left a little to be desired. In Adelaide, he failed to move for a chance when Hashim Amla edged Mitchell Starc and first slip Matt Renshaw ultimately spilled the chance with his left hand. At the Gabba, Wade missed a stumping chance off Nathan Lyon when Sarfraz Ahmed had 31 in the first innings; he went on to make 59 not out. He also appeared to miss a possible catch when Yasir Shah tickled down leg off Starc late in Pakistan’s chase.”Obviously his batting ability, although he hasn’t got any runs at the moment,” Lehmann said when asked what Wade brought to the squad. “He’s been working pretty hard with that. And his energy behind the stumps. He’d like to keep better obviously, but I thought he’s improved his keeping out of sight in the last 12 to 18 months from where we were.”Peter Nevill is obviously a very good keeper as well. It’s a tight call whichever way you go. But Matthew’s got the chance to nail down the spot and we’ll see how he goes in Melbourne.”

Four Sri Lankans made 50-plus scores on day one of their tour match in South Africa

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Dec-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Kusal Perera’s return to No. 3 suggests the team management is keen for him to resume batting in the top order•AFP

Sri Lanka’s batsmen made a bright start to the tour of South Africa, as Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva hit half-centuries on the first day of the tour match in Potchefstroom. The visitors went to stumps at 328 for the loss of six wickets, against a South Africa Invitation XI consisting of well-heeled first-class players and recent graduates of the Under-19 system.Especially encouraging for the Sri Lankans was the 159-run unbroken opening stand between Karunaratne and Silva, each of whom has struggled at various points during the course of the year. Both men were retired out at the end of the 45th over, Karunaratne with 71 runs to his name and Silva with 80.Kusal Perera only hit 25, but his entry at No. 3 suggests the team management is keen for him to resume batting in the top order as he had done for much of the series against Australia. This would also allow Kusal Mendis to come in at second drop. Mendis, who was in good form during the back end of the ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe, hit 10 fours in his 64-ball 51.Captain Angelo Mathews and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal, both returning from injury, collected a five-ball duck and 23 respectively, before de Silva ensured the day ended briskly, with five fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 57 off 67.The Invitation XI’s batting appears its stronger suit, so it may be that a more thorough workout awaits the Sri Lankan bowlers than the batsmen, so far, have got. Left-arm spinner George Linde took 2 for 72 in the course of the day. Seamers Duanne Olivier and Jason Smith took one wicket each.

Celtic have already clinched the Scottish Premiership title for the 2022/23 campaign but this will not stop Ange Postecoglou from bolstering his squad this summer.

The Hoops have found success domestically and could now push on to compete in the latter stages of one of the three European competitions, after being knocked out in the group phase of the Champions League this season.

Earlier this month, the Daily Record reported that the Hoops are eyeing up a possible swoop for Albirex Niigata attacking midfielder Ryotaro Ito and he could come in with a view to improving their chances in Europe.

It was claimed that the club are keeping tabs on the 25-year-old, as Postecoglou is hoping to strengthen his midfield and attack in the upcoming transfer window, and the forward could come in to partner Kyogo Furuhashi in the final third.

How has Ryotaro Ito performed this season?

The playmaker, who is yet to be capped at senior level by Japan, has enjoyed a terrific start to life in the J1 League after catching the eye in the second division last term.

Ito has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.54 across 14 appearances. He has scored seven goals and created 3.3 opportunities per game for his teammates so far, which illustrates the huge impact he has made in 2023 after he plundered nine goals and 11 assists in 42 outings in the J2 League in 2022.

He is a number ten with the ability to deliver goals and create chances on a regular basis and according to one Japanese author, boasts characteristics that make him a "mix of Jota and Reo [Hatate]."

Journalist Bence Bocsak further hailed the Celtic target as "intelligent" and stated that he has been "pulling the strings" for his side in the top-flight this year, which is backed up by his impressive chance creation numbers.

Ito's 3.3 key passes per match are 1.2 more per game than any Celtic player has managed in the Premiership this term, with Matt O'Riley's 2.1 leading the way for the Hoops. This suggests that the Niigata maestro could come in and be the standout creative force in midfield for Postecoglou.

Kyogo has scored 25 goals from 15.28 xG in the Scottish top-flight this season, proving that the Japan international is a lethal finisher who can magnify the quality of chances he is provided with due to his impressive finishing.

The 28-year-old is a proven and reliable scorer who could thrive from the creativity that Ito can provide from a number ten position if his compatriot can adapt to life in Scotland.

Therefore, Postecoglou could form an exciting and lethal duo at the top end of the pitch by landing the Niigata wizard, who also carries a goal threat with seven goals in 14 matches this year, to partner Kyogo domestically and in Europe in 2023/24.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the sides who are said to be sniffing around the Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Laporte leaving City this summer?

According to reports, the Premier League champions are now opening to allowing the Spaniard to leave in the summer as he looks for more regular action.

And one of the sides said to be interested in the possibility of signing him are Spurs as they aim to keep the 28-year-old in the Premier League.

However, it is also said the French giants Paris Saint-Germain could make a push for the City defender in the summer as City open their doors for an exit.

Spurs have been linked with a number of centre-backs over recent months with Kim Min-jae and Alessandro Bastoni both believed to be targets on Tottenham's radar.

The Lilywhites are expected to make a push in the summer to address their defence with two new centre-backs believed to be on the agenda.

And speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed Laporte is a potential candidate to help solve their defensive issues from this season:

(32:25) "Laporte and his people have been going around Europe letting people know he's available and Tottenham are one of the ones who've had a sniff.

"To be fair, he's a very good Premier League centre-half, isn't he? Outside the top two or three, he would improve most teams, I think, or at least get a game.

"So yeah, I think there'll be a lot of interest in Laporte. It wouldn't surprise me to see him cross the Premier League."

Would Laporte improve the Spurs defence?

Tottenham's defence has been a major concern this season with the north London club only registering a +12 goal difference despite being the league's third-highest scorers.

Spurs have now conceded 41 goals this season and are joined as the eight-worst defence in the league alongside the relegation-battling Everton.

There has to be a caveat when looking at Laporte's stats from this season as his game time has been extremely limited with just 555 minutes of league action under his belt after the "warrior" underwent knee surgery last year (via Transfermarkt).

On top of that, the £120k-per-week ace is playing for one of the most dominant forces in Europe who have only conceded 26 goals in the Premier League this season.

Therefore, his return of 0.48 tackles per 90 minutes is significantly down on his return of more than double that (1.08) from last season where he made 33 league appearances (via FBref).

However, his ability on the ball has been sensational with the 28-year-old ranking inside the top third percentile for pass completion, progressive passes and carries.

And that is something which the Spurs defenders struggled with massively on Monday night as Eric Dier (16) and Clement Lenglet (11) were both victims of losing possession frequently (via SofaScore).

Laporte could also provide the Spurs backline with some much-needed experience and a winning mentality having won numerous trophies during his time at City.

But if the likes of PSG are going to fight for him over the summer, a move to north London could prove a challenging sell.

Newcastle United are one of the sides who admire Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Neves available to leave Wolves in the summer?

The future of the Portuguese midfielder is seemingly under speculation ahead of the summer with his contract at Molineux set to enter the final year over the summer.

And as a result, there have been reports claiming Liverpool have emerged as one of the clubs who would be looking to take Neves' career elsewhere in the Premier League.

As well as a possible move north to Anfield, there have also been some suggestions that Barcelona could be interested in making a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed the Magpies could also provide some competition in the summer for his signature:

"I think he's been absolutely fantastic. He's captaining his team now, I think whoever gets him, it'll be a massive coup because I think he's only going to get better. We know Newcastle like him, I think he'd be a great fit there alongside Bruno."

Would Neves be a good fit for Newcastle?

Coming out of the January transfer window, it was made pretty evident that Eddie Howe was not pleased with the options he had been left with in midfield.

Having gone into the window looking to bring in at least one new face in that department, no new midfield signings were made and Jonjo Shelvey was sold to Nottingham Forest.

So ahead of the summer transfer window, it is apparent Howe will have the midfield identified as an area for improvement over the coming months.

One name which has been linked with a potential move to St. James' Park is that of Manchester United's Scott McTominay.

Comparing the two midfielders, the Portuguese ace has provided Wolves with much more of an attacking threat than the Scotland international has at United.

Having returned five goals to McTominay's one, Neves has also offered Wolves with a higher number of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (via FBref).

As well as providing more passes per game, the Portuguese midfielder hasn't lacked in his defensive input with an almost identical return of tackles per 90 minutes as McTominay.

Given Newcastle are currently only three points off the Red Devils, there could well be a reluctance for Erik ten Hag's side to deal with Newcastle.

Therefore, a potential deal with Wolves could well prove easier to pull off in the summer, although the calibre of clubs also interested in Neves could prove a serious issue for the Toon.

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is set to make a second bid for Manchester United next week, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Meeting held

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers to take control at Old Trafford before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.

A formidable delegation was sent to Old Trafford by Jassim on Thursday and they held talks over a potential takeover for around 10 hours. Those discussions were thought to be positive, with Jassim now committed to taking control in Manchester.

There has now been a further update regarding Jassim, which came after Ratcliffe held his own talks with at Old Trafford and Carrington on Friday, where he even met with manager Erik ten Hag.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports provided ‘more developments’ regarding Jassim and United on Friday afternoon via Twitter, saying that he will make a second bid for the Red Devils next week.

‘More developments as far as the situation is regards to Manchester United and a takeover at the club. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani will make a second bid for Manchester United next week.’

They added that Jassim’s delegation held ‘constructed meetings’ and that he is prepared to ‘overpay’ for the club ‘because of its history and because it hardly ever comes on the market’.

A US source also said:

‘All the numbers people from the bidders will be working out the real value of the club over the next few days. They will be making second bids. The reality is that their first bids were just indicative, in this process the second bids next week are really the first serious bids.’

The Verdict: Heating up

Previous reports stated that both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids were set to be rejected anyway, so it is good to see that the former is already working on a new bid which looks set to be made in the coming days.

The Qatari group wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they can help Ten Hag in the transfer market ahead of the summer window, so they could be looking to overpay as mentioned in order to push through a takeover.

It is definitely heating up between the two parties after their trips to Manchester, and it’ll be interesting to see if Jassim’s next offer is close to the Glazers’ huge £6bn valuation. If it is, then perhaps we could see a deal really start to gather pace, which would be ideal for Jassim and co, although it may result in a bidding war with Ratcliffe and his team, meaning the coming week could be key.

Glasgow Rangers secured their first win since 27 September at the weekend, claiming a 3-0 victory over St Mirren in the Premiership and it was a much-needed three points on the road.

Interim manager, Steven Davis – who was placed in charge following the sacking of Michael Beale – moved on from the horror show in Limassol last week to claim his first win as interim boss, and it ensures the Gers move into second place in the league table, albeit still seven points behind Celtic.

The title race appears to be over, and it isn’t even Halloween yet, and the Light Blues are looking for their third manager in just two years following the sackings of Beale and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Chief executive James Bisgrove is now looking to appoint just the 19th permanent manager of the club, and he has a massive decision to make over the next few days, no question about it.

Indeed, chairman John Bennett and Bisgrove travelled down to London on Monday in order to conduct more face-to-face talks with potential candidates, with the role looking likely to be filled by the end of the week.

With the club seemingly near the end of their hunt for a new manager, who will be the lucky man that arrives in Glasgow for arguably the biggest challenge of their managerial career?

Who will be the next Rangers manager?

According to Andy Devlin from the Scottish Sun, four names are currently in the running to take over the role. Scott Parker, Philippe Clement, Kevin Muscat and Pascal Jansen have all been noted, but a favourite is yet to be revealed.

Aside from Parker, these names have all enjoyed solid success in their respective careers to date and would be worthy appointments, but they face a major task in getting a tune out of some of the players.

Summer arrivals such as Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers and Danilo haven’t really hit the ground running at Ibrox as yet while it is another forward – Cyriel Dessers – who has been subject to plenty of criticism during his brief spell in Rangers thus far.

If he hits a run of form and gains some confidence, the Nigerian could potentially light up Ibrox, but this ability has been missing so far and requires an excellent coach to come in and light a fire beneath him in the next few months.

How has Cyriel Dessers performed for Rangers?

Beale earmarked Dessers as one of his main targets during the summer transfer window after he had scored seven goals for Serie A side Cremonese during the 2022/23 season.

The 43-year-old finally got his man for a transfer fee in the region of £4.5m and it looked as though he had all the necessary attributes to lead the line and fill the void left by Antonio Colak and Alfredo Morelos.

It hasn’t quite gone to plan for the 28-year-old yet, however. He has found the back of the net only three times across 15 games for the Gers and his all-round statistics haven’t been much better.

Across the whole squad for league performances, Dessers ranks in a lowly 22nd spot for overall Sofascore rating (6.7) while also ranking first for big chances missed (six), 13th for big chances created (one) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (0.6), hardly the numbers that Beale was looking for.

Although not endearing himself to the supporters with these performances, perhaps a change of manager may do him the world of good and managerial candidate Jansen could potentially bring out the best in the former Feyenoord striker, that’s for sure.

Will Pascal Jansen be the next Rangers manager?

The London-born coach has been in charge of AZ Alkmaar since December 2020 and has done a wonderful job trying to disrupt the hegemony of the big three of Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord and his side currently sits second in the Eredivisie table following seven wins and just one draw from eight matches.

Journalist Graeme Bailey praised the manager before AZ took on West Ham United in the Europa Conference League semi-finals last season, saying: “Spoke with AZ manager Pascal Jansen this week ahead of their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg with West Ham.

“English-born, a truly fascinating and engaging character who would love chance to manage in the Premier League.”

The 50-year-old typically deploys a 4-3-3 formation which would certainly suit the players in the current Gers squad, especially Dessers, as he could be the focal point of the attack while being surrounded by creative-minded talents such as Todd Cantwell, Abdallah Sima or Rabbi Matondo.

Jansen will know all about the striker due to his season at Feyenoord during 2021/22 and the Nigerian even netted against AZ in a 1-0 win back in November 2021, giving the manager a closer view of his talents.

That season was one of Dessers’ finest as he scored 20 goals across 41 matches, including nine in the top flight and Jansen might just have a few methods which could bring out the best from the out-of-form striker.

During his stint managing AZ, Jansen has a wonderful 1.99 points per match average while his side has netted 306 goals during just 147 matches in charge and this works out at just over two goals per game which indicates that the Ibrox side could be set to see some attacking football on show.

He hasn’t won anything in his managerial career yet, but neither had Beale and taking the safe option yet again would set the Light Blues back even further.

A gamble is the only logical option for Bisgrove and co and Jansen is exactly that. He has proven he can mix it with the big guns in the Netherlands while developing his own players along with making sure the established professionals in the squad stay happy and perform on a consistent basis.

With knowledge of Dessers from a couple of seasons ago, the AZ coach could transform his fortunes and get him firing in a Rangers jersey.

If he does, there is no doubt he could add goals and the gap to Celtic, with some luck, may just shrink in the coming months.

In the match at Adelaide, Brian Lara took over as the leading runscorer in Test cricket, and faced Shane Warne, the leading wicket-taker. Has this ever happened before

Steven Lynch28-Nov-2005The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket. We apologise for the lack of a column last week, which was caused by a family bereavement:

Leading run-scorer v leading wicket-taker, not happened since 1886-87. © Getty Images
In the match at Adelaide, Brian Lara took over as the leading runscorer in Test cricket, and faced Shane Warne, the leading wicket-taker. Has this ever happened before? asked Mathew Stephenson from Australia
It has happened … but not for a very long time. The last time the leading Test runscorer of the time faced the leading wicket-taker was back in 1886-87, in the first Test at Sydney, when Arthur Shrewsbury of England faced up to the Aussie “Demon”, Fred Spofforth. Going into that match Shrewsbury had 903 runs and Spofforth had 94 wickets. The last time the two record-holders were even in the same game was as long ago as 1903-04, at Melbourne, when Clem Hill and Hugh Trumble (in his last Test) both played for Australia against England.How many Test runs had Brian Lara scored when Sachin Tendulkar made his debut? asked Alvin Parish
That’s a nice easy one, because the answer is none – Tendulkar made his debut first, aged just 16, against Pakistan at Karachi in November 1989. Lara didn’t make his debut until 13 months later, also in Pakistan, in the third Test at Lahore in 1990-91. By then Tendulkar had scored 588 runs, in 11 Tests.What is the longest run of ODIs without losing? Did South Africa break the record recently? asked Johan van der Knaap from Kimberley
South Africa came very close: when they won the first match of the ongoing series against India at Hyderabad they had gone 20 ODIs without defeat. But they lost their next match, at Bangalore, to fall just short of the record of 21 – set by Australia in 2003, a run that included that year’s World Cup. For a longer list, click here.Which cricketer called his autobiography A Hell of a Way to Make a Living? asked Ben Forrest from Colchester
The man with the whimsical title was Ken Rutherford, the former New Zealand captain. His book was published by Hodder Moa Beckett in New Zealand in 1995. Actually New Zealand cricketers seem keen on zany titles for their books: Danny Morrison’s was called Mad As I Wanna Be, John Wright penned Christmas in Rarotonga, Ian Smith was Just a Drummer in the Band, while Gavin Larsen went for, er, Grand Larseny.I’ve often wondered, what are the top batting averages over a Test career, worldwide? I know that Don Bradman was 99-point-something. Is there anyone higher? asked Alf Lacis from Australia
You’ve proved a friend of mine wrong – he claimed that everyone in Australia knew Don Bradman`s exact batting average, which was 99.94! If he’d managed four runs in his final innings, rather than a duck, The Don would have averaged exactly 100. And, given a qualification of 20 innings, no-one comes close to him: next on the list is the South African Graeme Pollock, who averaged 60.97. The only others over 60 are the great West Indian George Headley (60.83) and the old England opener Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73). The highest current player is India’s Rahul Dravid, with 57.62, a whisker ahead of Sachin Tendulkar (57.25) and Jacques Kallis (57.07). For a full list of the highest Test averages, click here.I’ve been trying to find out about this but can’t: didn’t Shaun Pollock have some kind of dream debut with an English county side in the mid-1990s? I’m wondering, did I dream this up or is it true? asked Dilip D’Souza from India
No, you didn’t imagine it – Shaun Pollock made a sensational debut for Warwickshire in 1996. In his first match for them, against Leicestershire at Edgbaston, he took four wickets in four balls as Leicestershire crumpled to 9 for 5. He finished with 6 for 21 (and, not surprisingly, the Man of the Match award) as Warwickshire won by seven wickets.

The Gunners centre-back has taken her game to the next level over the past few months, and with others out injured, she should get her chance to start

There was plenty for Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall to be happy about following his side's emphatic 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of a Women's Super League-record Emirates Stadium crowd on Saturday. Following a shock defeat to West Ham, as well as an FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, the Swede has been under pressure recently, and the welcome win moved the Gunners back to within three points of leaders Chelsea with eight games to play.

Cloe Lacasse seriously impressed on a rare start, Beth Mead was unplayable at times and Lia Walti ran things in the middle of the park. But at full-time, Eidevall made sure to give his makeshift back four – disrupted by Leah Williamson and Amanda Ilestedt being absent – special credit for the victory, singling one player out in particular.

"We had to rejig and you could see Laia Codina, for example, she has been training really well so she was ready to play. But it is still a new back four to play together. But in that unit we have to acknowledge a player like Lotte Wubben-Moy. We have to acknowledge the level she is playing at this season and seeing how she develops," he said.

"A performance like she has today is incredible. I think it is something the whole club should be very proud of because she is Arsenal through and through. She is coming from our academy, our community and to see her excel the way she does at Emirates Stadium, it is fantastic. I am really, really happy for her and the club to see that."

Getty ImagesStepping up last season

Her manager's glowing appraisal after Saturday's huge result has been echoed by most onlookers throughout the current campaign. Almost every Arsenal fan would agree that Wubben-Moy is firmly in the conversation for the Gunners' Player of the Season award, while a spot in the WSL Team of the Year also seems likely if she continues on her current trajectory.

Wubben-Moy's emergence as a key player has not come out of the blue, though. Following Leah Williamson's devastating ACL injury last season, and with other starting centre-back Rafaelle missing a decent chunk of the 2022-23 campaign too, she stepped up when it mattered, playing near enough every minute of her side's congested run-in.

Forming an unorthodox partnership with Steph Catley at the heart of the defence, she chipped in with a string of vital contributions; none more so than in her side's Champions League semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg, where she provided the pinpoint cross for Jen Beattie's headed equaliser that sent the game to extra-time.

Heartbreakingly, it would be Wubben-Moy's tired error in that additional period that would eventually gift the German side their place in the final, but she did not let this setback affect her performances for the remainder of the season, scoring in Arsenal's victory over Everton a few weeks later, a result that went a long way to sealing their spot in the Champions League for the following campaign.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesReaching new heights

New heights have been reached since then, though, with few defenders enjoying better WSL seasons so far. And it was telling that when Williamson did return to the WSL starting line-up in February against West Ham, it was World Cup star Ilestedt that dropped to the bench, not Wubben-Moy, suggesting that the Englishwoman has risen to the very top of the defensive pecking order.

Delving into the statistics, it's not hard to see why. Earlier in her career, there were concerns that Wubben-Moy was not as effective in possession as some of her club and international colleagues. But this campaign, no outfield player has completed more long balls or racked up more progressive passing distance than her in the WSL.

She is also carrying the ball effectively; just five WSL players (Anna Patten, Maya Le Tissier, Laia Alexandri, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter) have racked up more progressive distance than Wubben-Moy's 1766 yards this season. And of those players, just Greenwood has registered fewer minutes than the Arsenal star.

Wubben-Moy has always excelled at bread-and-butter defending too, and this has continued recently. Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr and Rachel Daly are among the top-class centre-forwards that she has kept scoreless this season, and she is yet to make an error that's led to an opponent having a shot this term. Meanwhile, only Liverpool's towering forward Sophie Roman Haug has won more aerial duels.

Getty ImagesStruggling for international recognition

But amid this excellent run of form, Wubben-Moy has found international recognition under Sarina Wiegman hard to come by this season. She made her Lionesses debut back in 2021, coming on as a substitute during an emphatic friendly victory over Northern Ireland, eventually earning a maiden start in her side's infamous 20-0 thrashing of Latvia in November that same year.

Since then, she's been a near ever-present in England squads, only pulling out of a few camps due to injury. Despite this, her playing time has been frightfully limited. In fact, since that Latvia game, she's only managed a single start, a 45-minute outing in a friendly against Belgium in June 2022.

Thus, while she has a Euro 2022 winners' medal, and was a part of the Lionesses' impressive run to the 2023 World Cup final and Finalissima triumph, it all came as a spectator. That will surely change in the upcoming fixtures against Austria and Italy, though.

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Getty ImagesTiming is everything

In the past, it's been easier for Wiegman to ignore Wubben-Moy. During the Euros, Williamson and Millie Bright were always going to be impossible to displace at the heart of defence. And at the World Cup, Greenwood and Carter each emerged as deserved starters as the England boss flipped between a back-three and back-four.

But in this camp, Bright and Williamson are unavailable due to injury, and it's hard to argue that Carter and Esme Morgan – who has taken a lot of Wubben-Moy's potential minutes in recent times – are in anything like the same form as her at club level. The same can also be said of United pair Le Tissier and Millie Turner.

With all of that in mind, and with two low-stakes games for Wiegman to experiment in coming up, it is surely time for Wubben-Moy to seize her opportunity.