Warwickshire win with three balls to spare after Jake Lintott’s quickfire 50 and contributions from Kai Smith, Rob Yates, Zen Malik and Hamza Shaikh

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay17-Aug-2025Warwickshire 310 for 7 (Lintott 50, Yates 47) beat Somerset 309 for 8 (Lammonby 100, Rew 81) by three wicketsTom Lammonby’s maiden List A century was not enough to save Somerset from a three-wicket Metro Bank One-Day Cup defeat by Warwickshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The hosts posted 309 for 8 after losing the toss, opener Lammonby scoring 100 from 111 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. James Rew contributed 81, while younger brother Thomas made a rapid 41.In reply, Warwickshire reached 310 for 7 with three balls to spare, Taunton-born Jake Lintott ensuring victory with a quickfire 50 after important contributions from Kai Smith (45 not out), Rob Yates, Zen Malik and Hamza Shaikh.Somerset, who created a party atmosphere by arranging several events to mark their 150th anniversary season, made a solid start to their innings, Lammonby and Archie Vaughan taking the score to 42 in the 11th over before the latter was bowled for 20 attempting to drive a ball from Michael Booth.It was 69 for 2 when Lewis Goldsworthy was also bowled trying to slog-sweep Taz Ali in the young leg-spinner’s first over. But Lammonby was already looking in dangerous form as he moved confidently to a half-century off 65 balls.At the halfway stage of their innings, Somerset were 102 for 2. It was then that Lammonby and James Rew began to cut loose, the two left-handers delighting home supporters with some glorious stroke-play on both sides of the wicket in a partnership of 143 in 21.2 overs. Both cleared the ropes in the same over from off-spinner Yates.Skipper Rew cruised to a 46-ball fifty, with five fours and two sixes before Lammonby reached three figures with a single to the leg side off Oliver Hannon-Dalby. It was an innings of numerous sweetly-timed cover drives and very few errors.The scoreboard read 212 for 3 in the 38th over. Without a run added Lammonby top-edged a pull shot off a slower-ball bouncer from Ed Barnard to be caught at short fine leg. Rew quickly followed, bowled aiming across the line to a ball from Booth having faced 69 deliveries, and Somerset’s hopes of reaching 300 looked in jeopardy.They got there thanks to some quality hitting from Thomas Rew, including two reverse-swept sixes in the same Ali over, and a career-best 30 not out from Alfie Ogborne off just 16 balls. Josh Thomas, Ben Green and Jack Leach fell cheaply, but JT Langridge cracked 11 off four balls to end the innings with a flourish.Warwickshire’s reply had reached 36 when Ogborne struck with the last ball of the sixth over, Barnard pinned lbw on the back foot for 14.Batting was looking straightforward in the bright sunshine as Yates and Malik brought the hundred up in the 17th over. Yates had moved comfortably to 47 off 52 balls when caught behind looking to drive Green, who struck again soon afterwards when Malik offered a low return catch, having hit six fours and a six in moving smoothly to 44.It continued to be Lammonby’s day when his left-arm seam accounted for Alex Davies, who edged a pull shot through to wicketkeeper James Rew having made 17. At halfway in their innings, Warwickshire were 144 for four.Shaikh and Smith looked to be tilting things the way of the visitors with a solid half-century stand, but Shaikh became their third player to fall in the forties when caught behind off Langridge to make it 205 for 5 with the required run-rate around eight an over.Vaansh Jani pulled a flat six off Ogborne, who responded by having him caught by the diving James Rew in the same over. That brought in Lintott, who wasted no time clearing the ropes off Green.Smith was content to play a supporting role in a match-clinching stand of 65 in 8.1 overs, which saw Lintot race to a maiden List A fifty off 34 balls, with seven fours and a six, before falling with just two runs needed.

Former Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema has heaped praise on Kylian Mbappe's performance, but at the same time, he has acknowledged that he needs more support from his teammates. After emerging as the top goal-scorer in La Liga last term, the French forward has been in steaming form this season, already topping the scoring charts.

Mbappe's sublime form this season

Mbappe has been the torch-bearer for Madrid this season, almost single-handedly carrying Los Blancos with his 18 goals in 16 games. A mainstay in the team since his arrival in 2024, he has been the most important player, at first for Carlo Ancelotti and now for Xabi Alonso. With Madrid targeting a clean sweep of trophies after missing out on all major silverware last term, Benzema says it is up to the rest to step up and combine with last season's La Liga top scorer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat did Benzema say?

Benzema, himself a former Real Madrid striker, someone who has scored 354 goals in 648 matches for the club, has praised Mbappe for his deeds, but believes he requires additional support to fire more. "Mbappe is much better this season; scoring goals isn’t new to him," Benzema said. "He did it at PSG, and at Real Madrid he’s going to score many more. What we expect from Kylian is that when he gets the chance, he’ll score it. That’s how Real Madrid is."

The former French international has also urged Mbappe to combine with Brazilian counterpart Vinicius Jr, saying: "Real Madrid need him a lot, and there are games where he has to score, like vs Atletico Madrid, Liverpool. These are teams that sit back, and he has to step up, work those situations. He has to combine with Vini Jr. Real Madrid is waiting for Mbappe for these moments, to bring home the Champions League. I think he can do it with the other players. He can’t do it alone. He needs Vini Jr, other players… that’s just how it is. I think Vini Jr, Mbappe, Rodrygo (even though he doesn’t play much), Bellingham… they have to communicate. One is there to score goals, another to provide assists."

Benzema's advice to Jude Bellingham

After a rough patch, Jude Bellingham is slowly regaining his lost goal-scoring form, which is partly to be blamed to his shoulder injury and the tactical shift at Madrid under Alonso. Since his return from injury in mid-September, the English midfielder has secured three goals, including the match-winning effort against Juventus in the Champions League, and one assist. Benzema said: "We’re not going to tell Bellingham to score goals because that’s Mbappe’s job, nor are we going to tell him to be the number 10 because that’s Bellingham’s role. They need to talk. He’s now better, but he needs to focus more on these moments when Real Madrid needs him because he has everything he needs to do it."

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Getty Images SportWhen do Real Madrid return to the pitch?

Alonso's contingent will be back in the mix on November 23, against Elche. However, until December 7, they will be playing on the road. They recently witnessed a transformation of the Bernabeu, which hosted the first-ever NFL game in Spain. Their home matches were kept waiting due to this mega-event, but on December 7, they will return to home soil to play against Celta Vigo in the domestic league. In between, they have fixtures against Olympiacos (November 26), Girona (November 30) and Athletic Club (December 3).

Arsenal are keen to strengthen their bid for the Premier League title and could now move for one of Europe’s best wingers after contacting his agent.

The Gunners have made an excellent start to the campaign and look to be on course for another successful campaign under Mikel Arteta, albeit they will likely be judged on whether they manage to deliver a first top-flight crown since 2004.

Admittedly, having to stew for two weeks after a frustrating draw with Sunderland where Brian Brobbey brought the hosts level late on is a tough pill to swallow. However, success is defined by your ability to bounce back, and Arsenal look to have a renewed sense of character in comparison to previous years.

Waiting on players to come back from injury to help with their heavy fixture schedule is something Arteta will be banking on, and the Spaniard has indicated Gabriel Jesus has his part to play as the Gunners look to move closer to the title.

He said before his side drew in the North East: “A player who is very unpredictable, full of energy, and super competitive. A player who comes from a context of difficulty in the last few seasons, due to various nasty injuries, so the level of hunger and desire that he is going to bring to the team is going to be amazing.

“So I’m thrilled to have him, I think he’s going to add something extra to the team that we don’t have, and make sure that very soon we see him on that pitch making an impact for the team.”

Even then, it may be some time before the Brazilian is fully fit, so it will come as no surprise to hear that Arsenal are now keen to strengthen their forward line once the January window opens, and talkSPORT revealed this week that the north Londoners want to sign a youthful forward.

Arsenal make contact with Borussia Dortmund attacker Karim Adeyemi's agent

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have initiated contact with super-agent Jorge Mendes over Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi as they look to bolster competition out on the right flank, with Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke currently competing for a first-team slot.

The Bundesliga giants will insist on recouping a figure of £62 million in January. Meanwhile, the Germany international has a £71 million release clause and is also attracting interest from Manchester United. What’s more, and perhaps more interestingly, Arteta personally views him as the ideal upgrade to Brentford loanee Reiss Nelson, and Arsenal are convinced that Adeyemi can rival summer signing Noni Madueke.

Andrea Berta is further boosted by the report’s claim that Adeyemi is more keen on a move to London than Manchester, so a deal could be there to be done.

Karim Adeyemi’s Bundesliga statistics — 2025/26 (Fotmob)

Shots

16

Shots on target

5

Completed dribbles

13

Chances created

8

Touches in opposition box

38

Known for his explosive speed, Adeyemi has registered three goals and three assists in 14 matches this season, and he is now at risk of opting not to sign an extension at Dortmund, with his current contract set to expire in 2027.

Arsenal have entered a bidding war for one of the Premier League's best midfielders

London is his preferred destination, potentially offering a crucial boost to Arteta, and it remains to be seen if he eventually puts pen to paper at the Emirates Stadium.

أدلى بيتر بوش، مدرب آيندهوفن، بتصريحات أعقبت الفوز الكبير لفريقه أمام ليفربول على ملعب “آنفيلد” ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، وأبدى تعاطفًا مع الهولندي آرني سلوت مدرب الريدز.

وحقق آيندهوفن الفوز أمام ليفربول بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف على ملعب “آنفيلد” في الجولة الخامسة بمرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال بيتر بوش متحدثًا لـ “زيجو سبورت” عقب المباراة: “بصراحة، لم أكن أحلم بهذا، عندما أُعلنت القرعة، ظننتُ أنه سيكون من الصعب حصد النقاط، وأن ذلك لن يحدث بالتأكيد خارج أرضنا ضد ليفربول، لكن الكثير تغير منذ ذلك الحين، يمر ليفربول بمرحلة صعبة”.

وعن أداء ليفربول، أضاف: “أنت تعلم مسبقًا أن ثقتهم ضعيفة، كمدرب، لديك يومان أو ثلاثة أيام لتجهيز الأمور، ثم تغرس الثقة في فريقك، هدف سريع كهذا قد يغير كل شيء، مع هدفنا الثاني، ترى أن الجليد أصبح رقيقًا (في إشارة إلى هشاشة وضع ليفربول وسهولة اهتزازه)”.

اقرأ أيضًا | رجل مباراة ليفربول وآيندهوفن في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأردف: “أنا أقف هنا بشعور رائع، وفي مثل هذه اللحظات يكون من الجميل أن تكون مدربًا، أما إذا كنت على الجانب الآخر (إشارة إلى سلوت)، فالأمر يكون أقل متعة، وقد مررتُ بذلك من قبل، كل مدرب يمرّ بهذه اللحظات يومًا ما”.

في الشوط الأول، حثّ مدرب آيندهوفن لاعبيه على اللعب باستقلالية أكبر، وعلّق على الأمر قائلاً: “أعلم أن هذه مخاطرة، لكننا لن ننجح بالكرات الطويلة فقط، لحسن الحظ، سارت الأمور على ما يرام بالنسبة لنا، كان الهدف الثاني رائعًا، ولعب ماورو جونيور دورًا محوريًا فيه”.

The Local Organising Committee will be tasked with the roll-out of the flagship tournament being co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2025

Experienced former South African cabinet minister Trevor Manuel has been named chair of the 2027 Cricket World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) board, unveiled by Cricket South Africa on Thursday. The 15-member board also has two provincial presidents, a CSA board member, seven independent directors, two appointees made by the South African sports ministry and three CSA executives, including CEO Pholetsi Moseki. The LOC will be tasked with the roll-out of the flagship tournament being co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.Among the independent directors are South Africa’s former deputy president Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and industry leaders in banking and business, such as Nomfanelo Magwentshu who was the chief operating officer of the 2010 Football World Cup hosted in South Africa.A familiar name to some cricket circles is that of Dr Stavros Nicolaou, CSA’s former interim board chair, who was in office as the organisation made the move to a majority independent board. The 2027 LOC mirrors that. “We deliberately went with a lot of independents in order to bring in a variety of skills. The operational matters will be covered from within the CSA perspective,” Rihan Richards, CSA’s members council president said at a press conference in Johannesburg.Manuel, who was part of South Africa’s first democratically elected parliament, served as minister of trade and industry, minister of finance and minister in the presidency and has been involved in various business endeavours. This is his first foray into sport.”I’ve done many different things in my life. Sports administration is not one of them,” he said at a press conference in Johannesburg. “Trying to do this late in my life is not easy for me. We have seven independent non-executive directors, two of whom served on the LOC for 2010, very good legal people, strong financial people and representatives of the minister and the presidency. We must make that commitment to South Africa, to sport, to the durability of the exercise. This is a nation-building exercise.”Unathi Matthew Tshotwana, one of the non-independent directors appointed, was named in the Fundudzi report which resulted in the sacking of former CSA CEO Thabang Moroe in 2019, as the director of a company that CSA paid R3 million (approx US$170,000) to without evidence of service provided. CSA have clarified that Tshotwana’s appointment, which was recomended by the ministry, was cleared by their legal team.The two provincial presidents are Johannes Adams from Western Province and Yunus Bobat from Kwa-Zulu Natal. Adams is a curious choice given that he already has his plate full with attending to issues at his own union, which faces a severe financial crisis. In September last year, it was revealed that the Western Province Cricket Association, which is based at Newlands, suffered losses in excess of R15 million (approx US$850,000) and the venue is in a concerning state of disrepair, some of which is being attended to.Newlands is among the grounds receiving new floodlights as part of the 2027 World Cup upgrades project. Along with the Wanderers, SuperSport Park and Kingsmead, Newlands will also make use of drop-in pitches, which are already in development. CSA opted for drop-in surfaces as a more cost-effective solution to full relaying of the squares at the venues. These are expected to be ready to be played on next season – 2026-27 – a full year ahead of the World Cup.2027 World Cup LOC: Trevor Manuel, Independent Chair
CSA members’ council and board appointments
Johannes Adams, President of Western Province (non-independent)
Yunus Bobat, President of Kwa-Zulu Natal (non-independent)
Vuyani Jarana, (CSA Board member – non-independent)
Ministry Appointments:
Advocate Philip October, Non-Independent Director
Unathi Matthew Tshotwana, Non-Independent Director
Independent Directors:
Herman Bosman, Independent Non-Executive Director
Nomfanelo Magwentshu, Independent Non-Executive Director
Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Independent Non-Executive Director
Ravi Naidoo, Independent Non-Executive Director
Dr Stavros Nicolaou, Independent Non-Executive Director
Advocate Karrisha Pillay SC, Independent Non-Executive Director
CSA staff:
Pholetsi Moseki CSA CEO
Refentse Shinners, CSA Public Affairs Executive
Tjaart van der Walt, CSA COO

Goalscoring, leadership and world-class quality are just three expressions used to describe the talents possessed by Harry Kane during his decade spell at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Englishman rose through the youth ranks in North London before making himself a staple of the club’s first-team setup between 2013 and 2023, before his move to Bayern Munich.

The centre-forward made 435 appearances and found the back of the net on 280 occasions – a tally which still sees him stand at the top of the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.

His goalscoring record, coupled with his link-up play and creativity, has made him one of the best players to ever play for the club – with Thomas Frank no doubt wishing he could rely on a player of his calibre.

Whilst Kane has moved on to pastures new in recent years, the new manager has already added one top-level talent to his ranks, with the summer addition making an immediate impact in North London.

The underlying stats behind Palhinha’s start to life at Spurs

Joao Palhinha joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich this summer, with such a deal that the fanbase wasn’t totally convinced by upon the announcement.

However, a couple of months on from his switch back to the Premier League, the Portuguese international has certainly proved a lot of the doubters wrong.

Despite his defensive midfield role, the 30-year-old has impressed in the final third, already registering four goals and two assists – two of which came in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Copenhagen.

However, out of possession is where the midfielder has thrived, as seen by his phenomenal tally of tackles won in the Premier League over the last few months.

He’s already made 44 tackles in his 10 league outings for the Lilywhites, with such a tally the highest of any player in the entire division at present.

Other figures such as 8.5 duels won per 90 – at a success rate of 63% – with his tally of 1.8 aerials won also highlighting his dominant ball-winning ability at the heart of the side.

Palhinha has immediately handed Frank the number six the side has greatly lacked over recent years, with such an addition one that has been their best in recent years.

The Spurs star who is becoming the best player since Kane

There’s little denying that Palhinha is rapidly making himself one of the first names on the Spurs teamsheet, with no other player in the squad able to do the job he does.

Many supporters have voiced concerns over his lack of progression with the ball at his feet, but ultimately, his main responsibility is to allow those ahead of him to create the magic in attacking areas.

Players such as Xavi Simons, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr are more than capable of feeding off Palhinha and providing the goods with the ball at their feet – with the latter crucial in the Lilywhites’ three-man midfield.

However, his recent exploits in the final third showcase he is a lot more capable in forward areas than the fans give him credit for – with the 30-year-old now on more goal contributions than Mohammed Kudus.

He’s not alone in overperforming in forward areas, with centre-back Micky van de Ven another player who has taken his game to the next level in the attacking department.

The 24-year-old was brought to North London in a £40m deal back in the summer of 2023, undoubtedly being signed to provide needed quality to the backline.

However, in 2025/26, the Dutch international has massively impressed in the attacking department, already scoring five times this season – including a double in the Premier League win over Everton.

Van de Ven also managed to get on the scoresheet in the hammering of Copenhagen this week, running from the edge of his own box before coolly slotting him – just like Kane would do during his time in North London.

The centre-back, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has also dominated defensively this season – as seen by his tally of 1.1 tackles won and 1.3 aerials won per 90.

He’s been phenomenal at picking out a teammate too, completing 92% of the passes he’s attempted, subsequently contributing to his tally of 0.6 chances created per 90.

His all-round quality at both ends of the pitch has made him one of the best signings in the club’s recent history – arguably being their best player since Kane left.

Whilst the pair operate in hugely different positions, Van de Ven has assumed the role of being a crucial player in the first team and leading them to new heights in the process.

Spurs star is now "very similar to Saka" and he's better than Johnson

Tottenham Hotspur already have a star who could reach the levels achieved by Bukayo Saka.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 6, 2025

Team-mates and opposition players pay tribute to one of the best allrounders of the modern era after his retirement announcement

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-2024

Ashwin, I’ve always admired how you approached the game with your mind and heart in perfect sync. From perfecting the carrom ball to contributing crucial runs, you always found a way to win.
Watching you grow from a promising talent to one of India’s finest match-winners has been… pic.twitter.com/XawHfacaUh

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 18, 2024