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Tottenham’s majority owner ENIC, which is run by the Lewis family Trust, has injected £100million of new capital into the club.

The announcement on Thursday morning is the latest statement of intent by the Lewis family Trust, which invited Daniel Levy to step down as chairman on September 4 in an effort to achieve more on-field success at Spurs.

Three expressions of interest in buying a stake in Premier League club Tottenham have been “unequivocally rejected” during the last month by the Lewis family Trust and further funds are available to help Thomas Frank, the PA news agency understands.

A source close to the family gave PA an exciting 5-word update that implies further investment is on the way.

They continued: “As the club’s management decides what’s needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful.”

A statement on the official club website claimed “this equity injection will further strengthen the club’s financial position and equip the club’s leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success”.

New Spurs boss Frank has made a strong start to life in north London, winning six of his opening 11 matches in charge and guiding the club to third in the Premier League going into the October international break.

Peter Charrington, who was named non-executive chairman in the wake of Levy’s sudden departure, said: “As I stated a few weeks ago, our focus is on stability and empowering the management team to deliver on the club’s ambitions.

“I know the Lewis family are also ambitious for the future. Today’s capital commitment reflects that ambition and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support.

“We will continue to do all we can to ensure that Vinai (Venkatesham, CEO) and his team are supported in the best way possible to take this club forward.”

The ENIC plan that "weakened" Levy before he was "pushed" out of Tottenham

The Lilywhites chief announced his shock exit on Thursday.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 5, 2025

The atmosphere around West Ham United at the moment is starting to feel rather toxic.

Nuno Espírito Santo was able to earn a point and inspire an impressive fightback in his opening game away to Everton, but since then, things have gone from bad to worse.

A loss away to Arsenal is understandable, but the defeats to Brentford and Leeds United were diabolical, and some major changes are needed to inspire the side to Premier League survival this term.

Therefore, while it’s risky, Nuno should look to play a few of the club’s promising academy talents, including one who could develop into a future Mark Nobel-type figure for them.

The West Ham youngsters Nuno should give a chance

Now, it should be said that if West Ham were playing even remotely well this season, then bringing in a few youngsters would probably be a bad idea.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, as things stand, the East Londoners are the second-worst team in the league, so it’s probably worth throwing in some promising prospects, as at least they would give it everything and help address the side’s dire lack of athleticism.

One of those who should be given a go is 20-year-old Mohamadou Kanté, who just signed a new deal with the club.

The “colossal” French midfielder, as dubbed by one analyst, is a particularly promising talent and has even been compared to former Hammer “Mo Diame” for his “intelligent composed passing” and “long-ranging legs that eat up ground.”

On top of having that pace and power, which is severely lacking in Nuno’s squad, the youngster is also proving to be something of a goal threat for the junior sides.

For example, despite playing in central and defensive midfield, he has already scored and assisted two goals in nine appearances for the U21s this season.

Speaking of goalscoring prospects, with Niclas Füllkrug out and Callum Wilson simply not good enough, it might be time to give Josh Landers a go in the first team.

Appearances

6

Minutes

359′

Goals

5

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.83

Minutes per Goal Involvement

71.8′

So far this season, the 18-year-old Scotsman has scored five goals in six appearances for the U21s, totalling just 359 minutes.

Finally, it might be time to give Preston Fearon a proper runout with the senior side.

The 18-year-old gem made an appearance during pre-season and has been described as a “special player” by Jarrod Bowen, who added that he’s “never seen someone nutmeg so many people in training.”

With all that said, there is another, slightly older academy graduate who has played for the first team, but should now be getting even more minutes, someone who could be a future Noble.

West Ham's future Noble

Now, while someone like Fearon could go on to emulate some of the best qualities of a Noble, he’s still only 18, and so it’s difficult to predict what sort of player he’ll become.

The same is not necessarily true of Freddie Potts.

There is still a long way to go in the 22-year-old’s career, but even so, there are already some key similarities between him and the West Ham legend.

Firstly, he is very much one of the Hammers’ own, as he spent his entire youth career with the East Londoners and has only played for other teams while out on loan.

Moreover, he is a fan of the club, and so when the supporters sang “Freddie Potts, he’s one of our own” away to Everton earlier this season, it was one of those rare occasions when that phrase is entirely true.

This is also why journalist Dan Woffenden said that, unlike some of the other players in the squad today, he “at least understands what it means to wear the shirt.”

On top of all this, the Barking-born ace is also positionally similar to the Irons legend, with his best position being in the middle of the park.

Furthermore, while he isn’t likely to go on any mazy runs or score wonder goals like some other midfielders, he looks to be a reliable, no-nonsense throwback of a footballer.

That’s not to say he cannot help out with attacking phases of play, though, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described the 22-year-old as someone blessed with an impressive “passing range and powerful carrying” ability.

Ultimately, Noble is a legend, and while West Ham aren’t going to find someone just like him, Potts looks like he could develop into the modern version of him for Nuno this season.

£40m West Ham flop is the biggest waste of money since Scamacca & Haller

The West Ham ace has been terrible for Nuno and Potter this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 27, 2025

Newcastle United have a big one this weekend, with title-chasing Arsenal coming to St. James’ Park in search of three points in the Premier League.

Perhaps boasting the two meanest backlines in English football, Arsenal and Newcastle typically play out hard-fought encounters, but the Magpies have shown themselves to have a strong advantage when on Tyneside, and Eddie Howe will hope to apply that once again on Sunday,

24/25

Carabao Cup

2-0 win

24/25

Premier League

1-0 win

23/24

Premier League

1-0 win

22/23

Premier League

2-0 loss

21/22

Premier League

2-0 win

Newcastle have kept four clean sheets from five Premier League fixtures so far this term, but have also struggled for their attacking sparkle.

It’s been a testing start to the season for homegrown star Lewis Miley. The 19-year-old brims with potential but was harshly criticised after the Cherries stalemate, and the manager may want to take him out of the firing line.

Why Howe should drop Lewis Miley

Howe said that the incendiary remarks, few though they were, were “totally unjustified” after Newcastle played out a drab goalless draw on the south coast.

Described as a “really good young player” by his teammate Joelinton, who rebuilt himself at Newcastle after a tough start of his own, Miley’s natural eye for a pass and his high work rate suggest he could be a real force for the Toon in the years to come.

But Howe needs to manage his rising prospect, for sure. Bruno Guimaraes is bound to return to the starting line-up against the Gunners, and Howe is likely to revert to his more compressed and accomplished three-man midfield.

Miley, let’s not forget, is a teenager and an academy star. He has a big future on Tyneside, but Joe Willock, who has also flattered to deceive this term, faces a steep fight for his future under Howe’s wing.

Newcastle's "disappointing" star has lost his place

Guimaraes missed out as Newcastle drew 0-0 with Bournemouth last weekend, ending his 67-match run of starts in the Premier League.

He returned in midweek and will be ready to influence from the outset once again as Arsenal look to chase Liverpool following the first-placed Reds’ defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

Howe has various combinations he can tinker with in the engine room, but it’s certain that unleashing Willock from the start must not be among them. The versatile midfielder flattered to deceive when awarded a start in Guimaraes’ place last weekend,

Having been branded as “disappointing” a year ago by The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, Willock’s innate ability on the ball and his progressive athleticism have never been up for debate, but injuries have been his enemy on Tyneside of late, and he’s now blown a golden opportunity to lay down his marker and take a starting spot.

Branded with a 4/10 match rating by the Chronicle Live during that clash against Bournemouth on the south coast, ‘unable to make any sort of impact’.

Newcastle have their tried-and-tested midfield trident, and they should start against Arsenal. Miley deserves another shot to make a positive impression off the bench, but Willock’s days at the club appear to be numbered at this stage.

Move over Osula: Newcastle's £35m "monster" is quickly becoming undroppable

Newcastle have added some exciting talent to their ranks this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 25, 2025

Cristhian Mosquera has revealed that Mikel Arteta’s personal touch convinced him to join Arsenal this summer despite the fierce competition posed by defensive stalwarts William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. The £13 million signing from Valencia has already made an impression in north London, proving to be one of the Gunners’ shrewdest recruits this summer.

• Arsenal summer-signing Mosquera plays major part

  Arsenal completed the signing of Mosquera from Valencia during the summer transfer window in a £13 million deal. The 21-year-old was brought in to add depth and competition to Arteta’s backline, which already boasts one of the Premier League’s most formidable centre-back pairings in Saliba and Gabriel. Despite the tough competition, the Spaniard has quickly integrated into the squad and featured in eight matches so far this season, including Premier League fixtures against Newcastle and Liverpool. His arrival has been seen as part of Arsenal’s long-term vision to maintain high standards across every position and ensure continuity at the back.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mosquera opens up on Arsenal move

  In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, Mosquera opened up about his decision to leave La Liga for the Premier League and why he had no hesitation about joining Arsenal once Mikel Arteta made contact. “I feel great at the club and in the city. From the first moment Arteta spoke to me, I had no doubts about going to Arsenal,” he said.

  “There’s an incredible group of players. Plus, there are a lot of Spanish speakers who have helped me adapt. When I signed, I knew I was going to face them [Gabriel and Saliba], two world-class stars, but that was the club’s idea: to have players competing for every position to go as far as possible.”

• AFP
  

  Arteta pleased with Mosquera as he deputises for Saliba

  Mosquera’s signing has already proven to be a masterstroke for Arsenal, not only in terms of squad depth but also in value. At just £13 million, the Spaniard is considered one of the bargains of the summer, and his performances have backed that up. When Saliba picked up a minor injury against Liverpool, Arteta immediately turned to Mosquera – a decision that paid off, with the youngster putting in a composed display. Arteta later praised his impact, saying, “Thank God we had Mosquera.” His experience at a young age – having played more minutes than any other under-21 defender in Europe’s top leagues over the past two seasons – has allowed him to step in seamlessly. Moreover, Mosquera’s maturity, professionalism, and humility have stood out at London Colney, where he has quickly earned the respect of team-mates and coaches alike.

  As per Sky Sports, those who worked with Mosquera at Valencia describe him as a level-headed, hard-working player with a relentless desire to improve – traits that have been evident since his arrival in England. Sources close to the club have said that he spends extra hours at training sessions studying positioning and tactical details alongside assistant coaches. His ability to absorb information quickly has impressed Arteta, who values tactical intelligence as much as physical ability in his defenders. The young Spaniard’s calmness on the ball, aerial strength, and composure under pressure have made him a natural fit for Arsenal’s build-from-the-back system. While he’s still learning the language and adapting to life in the Premier League, Mosquera’s attitude and professionalism suggest he’s destined for a long and successful spell in north London.

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• With Saliba and Gabriel fit, Mosquera fighting for minutes

  Mosquera’s next challenge will be to continue pushing for regular minutes in a defence dominated by Saliba and Gabriel. With Arsenal competing across multiple fronts this season, including the Premier League and Champions League, his opportunities are expected to increase.

  Arteta is keen to manage his defensive resources carefully, meaning the young Spaniard will play a key rotational role while learning from two of Europe’s best centre-backs. Long term, Arsenal see Mosquera as a potential successor to either Saliba or Gabriel, capable of leading the backline in years to come. For now, the 21-year-old remains focused on growth, consistency, and making the most of his opportunities — ensuring Arteta’s faith in him continues to be richly rewarded.

The opener had missed MI’s previous outing against LSG after being hit on the knee in the lead up to the game

S Sudarshanan06-Apr-20250:26

Jayawardene provides an update on Bumrah and Rohit’s availability

Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma’s participated in Sunday’s net session, in a bid to be fit for their next game, at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday. Rohit had missed MI’s previous game, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after being hit on the knee in the lead up to the match.Rohit was among the first batters to walk in for nets on Sunday. He batted for half an hour with MI opener Ryan Rickelton. They faced a strong set of bowlers in the returning Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santer and Karn Sharma. He stood cross-legged at the back when Rickelton took strike and hit a few shots. One of those straight hits got a nod in approval from Rohit.While batters in his net and the adjacent net played big shots, Rohit was keen to get bat to ball. He was consciously trying to middle his shots, which were mere pushes off the front and the back foot. He also edged one Bumrah length ball towards where the slips usually stand. He looked at his bat to gather focus and did not react to Bumrah, who had a long follow-through after that. Rohit continued to bat in rotation with Rickelton before walking off and sat behind MI’s nets for most of the training session. He was not in any visible discomfort and is likely to replace Raj Bawa from the previous game, possibly as an Impact Player.Related

Bumrah available for selection for Mumbai Indians against RCB

Rohit misses MI's away game against LSG with injury

“Ro [Rohit] looks good, he’s going to bat today as well,” MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said before the nets session on Sunday. “Rohit had an unfortunate impact on his leg while batting so he felt uncomfortable. We were travelling yesterday. He’ll have a hit today and then we will do an assessment on that.”Rohit had played MI’s first three games for scores of only 13, 8 and 0 before missing the away fixture in Lucknow. In his previous game, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rohit came in as an Impact Player and scored 13 as MI chased down 117 for an eight-wicket win.”He had a couple of hits, he’s batting well in the nets,” Jayawardene said when asked about Rohit’s form. “If you’re telling me every two innings to look at someone’s performance, it’s a bit unfair. My memory of his last innings was the Champions Trophy winning knock. So we have to give and back the experienced guys, and them coming to the party. We’ve always, as Mumbai, backed the core group to deliver for us so we’re going to do that. It was unfortunate that he got hit in the nets and hopefully he’ll be 100% and that’s how we will continue to back the guys to get the results for us.”Rohit Sharma batted at the Wankhede nets on Sunday evening•Mumbai Indians

‘Tilak will walk in here tomorrow and win the match for us’One of the major talking points from MI’s last game was retiring out Tilak Varma in the chase of 204. When Tilak struggled to 25 off 23 balls and MI needed 24 to win from seven balls, Jayawardene decided to retire him out, although MI went on to lose the game with captain Hardik Pandya and Mitchell Santner in the middle.”The modern age is much more tactical, and we’ll keep changing batting line-ups to match up certain bowling line-ups and all that,” Jayawardene explained on Sunday. “So I don’t see how different that is. As a batsman I’ve had times where you go to bat and struggle to get through and they bowl well to you, it’s a combination of that. And he batted very well for us in the last three games, in tough situations like we’ve lost wickets early and he built those partnerships, and got us to situations that we need to.”So that’s what his role is with that experience that he brings to the game and I still value that. He was trying and he wasn’t able to get going. So I just felt that it was my decision and to throw someone else to get those two hits and Mitch had done that in the last few games, he was in decent form. We needed two hits to get to that 15 or 20 runs in that last over. So it had nothing to do with Tilak and I’m sure he’ll walk in here tomorrow and win the match for us. That’s who Tilak is for us and there’s a lot of value for him.”MI have won only that one game so far against KKR and lost all their away matches. They are currently eighth on the points table. MI will hit the road again after Monday to play Delhi Capitals in Delhi before returning home to host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has left the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad and returned home to South Africa for personal seasons.GT, in a statement, said he had left “to deal with an important personal matter”, and did not specify a date for his return.Rabada played GT’s first two matches in IPL 2025, taking 1 for 41 in the defeat to Punjab Kings, and 1 for 42 in the victory against Mumbai Indians.He did not play GT’s third game, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, and his absence was attributed to personal reasons.GT brought in allrounder Arshad Khan, who ended up dismissing Virat Kohli, as a replacement for Rabada, and fielded only three overseas players – Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan and Sherfane Rutherford, who came in as the Impact Player for the chase. GT won the contest by eight wickets and 13 balls to spare.GT’s other overseas options are New Zealand allrounder Glenn Phillips, who hasn’t played a game yet, and South Africa fast bowler Gerald Coetzee, who also hasn’t featured yet and may not be fully fit.GT are currently fourth on the points table, with two wins and a defeat in their first three matches. Their next fixture is an away game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 6, after which they host Rajasthan Royals on April 9.

Glasgow Rangers supporters will not want to watch back any of the goals that their side conceded in the 3-1 defeat at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Put simply, Russell Martin’s team were nowhere good enough defensively throughout the match, not just including the goals conceded, as their Belgian opponents found it far too easy to carve them open.

Whilst it was not all on them, Nasser Djiga and John Souttar offered very little protection to Jack Butland with their work at the heart of the defence.

That was the case for the opening goal, after just three minutes, when the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee inexplicably left the ball and allowed the forward to race through and lob Butland, who was not even close to coming out to sweep up in the first place.

The second and third goals that the Gers conceded were born out of very questionable defending, but the first goal was the worst of the lot, by a considerable margin.

Whether it was a lack of concentration or miscommunication with Butland, Djiga had a nightmare at the back for Rangers and is not building a very positive reputation for himself at Ibrox.

Why Nasser Djiga's form is a concern for Rangers

The Wolves made a terrific start to his loan spell in Glasgow with an imperious debut against Panathinaikos in a 2-0 win at Ibrox in a Champions League qualifier last month.

Djiga made three clearances, two tackles, and one interception, whilst winning four of his five duels, per Sofascore, to keep a clean sheet for his team alongside Souttar.

Since that impressive debut against the Greek outfit, though, the Burkina Faso international has endured a rough time of things in the Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.

Djiga, as shown in the clip above, did not step up in time to catch Finlay Robertson offside and then brought the attacker down before he could go through one-on-one against Butland.

Sofascore rating

6.0

5.9

5.9

Clearances

1

6

3

Error led to goal

0x

0x

1x

Ground duels won

1/2

1/4

1/2

Aerial duels won

1/2

1/5

3/3

Red cards

1

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old defender has also struggled in the last two starts for the Gers, losing seven of his nine duels against Viktoria Plzen before his inexplicable error against Club Brugge on Tuesday night.

The former Red Star Belgrade giant’s form is a concern because he has not provided the defensive solidity that Martin should want from him alongside Souttar at the back, either in the Premiership or the Champions League.

With the untested Emmanuel Fernandez being the only central defender in reserve to compete with Djiga and Souttar, the Light Blues may want to go back into the market to bring in another option in that area of the park.

It was reported last month that the Scottish giants were considering a swoop to sign Volendam central defender Xavier Mbuyamba, but it remains to be seen whether or not they still have an interest in the 6 foot 5 titan.

Transfer Focus

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

The report at the time claimed that the Eredivisie stopper was ‘hoping’ for a transfer to Ibrox, though, which suggests that he would be interested in the move if Rangers decide to make an approach before the end of the summer transfer window.

Mbuyamba also has one year left on his contract with Volendam, per Transfermarkt, and this means that the Dutch side may not be able to demand a significant fee for his services, as they run the risk of losing him for nothing in 2026.

Why Rangers should sign Xavier Mbuyamba

With this in mind, the Gers should push to bring the 23-year-old star to Ibrox before the deadline passes at the start of September to bolster their options in the centre-back position.

Mbuyamba’s form for Volendam in recent seasons, and how he has started the current campaign, suggests that the former Chelsea youngster has the potential to be an instant upgrade on Djiga on the right side of the centre-back pairing.

The Dutch titan helped Volendam to win promotion back to the Eredivisie in the 2024/25 campaign, after they were relegated from the top-flight, whilst the Rangers target missed most of the 2023/24 season through injury.

Prior to his injury issues two seasons ago, Mbuyamba had shown that he had the quality to deliver quality defensive performances in the top division, which meant that it was not a surprise when he dominated the second tier last term.

Appearances

28

34

Goals

5

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.5

2.8

Clearances per game

5.4

4.4

Ground duel success rate

56%

64%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman produced dominant displays full of defensive interventions in both of those seasons with Volendam, whilst also showcasing a goal threat from centre-back.

Mbuyamba has also won 69% of his duels and made 15 clearances, five blocks, and five tackles in two appearances in the Eredivisie so far in the current campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been incredibly dominant and active defensively with key interventions.

Djiga, meanwhile, has lost 60% of his ground duels in the Premiership this season and lost 67% of his duels in the Premier League for Wolves in the second half of last season, which shows that he has not been strong enough in one-on-one battles with opposition forwards in 2025.

These statistics suggest that Mbuyamba, who was once hailed as “complete” and “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the potential to be way more effective in defensive duels than the Burkina Faso international.

Not Djiga: Rangers must axe star who "looks like he's hasn't kicked a ball"

As Rangers’ Champions League hopes went up in flames, beaten 3-1 by Club Brugge, a summer signing “looks like he’s hasn’t kicked a ball before”.

ByBen Gray Aug 20, 2025

Therefore, Rangers could sign an instant upgrade on Djiga by signing the 6 foot 5 titan, who has proven himself at the top level in the Netherlands, to offer a more reliable presence at the heart of the defence as a dominant enforcer ahead of Butland.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras derrotou o Corinthians por 2 a 1 na noite deste sábado (29), no Allianz Parque, pela terceira rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Na zona mista após o Dérbi, o meia Zé Rafael comentou sobre a desempenho do Verdão na partida, reconhecendo a queda de rendimento da equipe na segunda etapa.

> ATUAÇÕES: Em retorno “de gala”, Veiga é decisivo em vitória do Palmeiras no Dérbi pelo Brasileirão

A nossa equipe respeitou o adversário. A gente sentiu no segundo tempo um pouco de desgaste, porque o primeiro tempo foi muito intenso. O jogo estava de certa forma controlado, então a nossa equipe realmente acabou baixando um pouco a competitividade e acabou facilitando para o Corinthians em alguns momentos do jogo. A nossa equipe fez um grande jogo, poderia ter sido mais eficiente, o que facilitaria na sequência do jogo, mas paciência e parabéns a todos pelo grande jogo que a gente fez – disse Zé Rafael.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: Os melhores momentos da vitória do Palmeiras sobre o Corinthians pelo BrasileirãoVídeo29/04/2023CorinthiansATUAÇÕES: Róger Guedes e Paulinho são os melhores na derrota do Corinthians no DérbiCorinthians29/04/2023Fora de CampoAuxiliar do Palmeiras coloca fita na boca para protestar contra a arbitragemFora de Campo29/04/2023

-Nos preparamos sempre pra enfrentar um grande adversário. A gente sabe que do lado de lá tem jogadores com muita qualidade e eu acho que o fator casa às vezes é determinante para nós. A gente consegue novamente no Allianz fazer um jogo muito superior ao nosso adversário e a nossa equipe tem se preparado muito, tem sido muito forte mentalmente para que a gente consiga controlar alguns jogos e fazer prevalecer o nosso futebol.

Além disso, o camisa 8 destacou a importância do apoio da torcida palmeirense no clássico, que bateu recorde de público na história do Allianz Parque: 41.457 torcedores.

– A nossa torcida em casa é um fator muito importante para nós, a gente sente o apoio deles. No clássico, eu acho que é ainda maior a gente sentiu já desde o início do jogo que a nossa torcida ia apoiar justamente por ser um jogo que é um campeonato à parte. Para nós, é importante que a torcida entenda isso, que a gente sempre está dando o nosso melhor.

> Dudu celebra vitória do Palmeiras no Dérbi e elogia os garotos da base: ‘Já são realidade’

Zé Rafael também valorizou o trabalho intenso da equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira, dando ênfase para a preparação da mentalidade dos atletas.

– Trabalho firme, preparação intensa e mentalidade forte. A nossa equipe tem se preparado durante esses anos para que a gente possa fazer um ano consistente e regular, e continuar disputando os campeonatos. Enfrentar os nossos adversários em clássicos faz parte dessa rotina. Estamos sempre preparados para fazer um grande jogo, independente contra quem seja – concluiu o meia.

NZ captain scored 86 after Santner bagged 7 for 53, with visitors ending day two 301 runs ahead

Sidharth Monga25-Oct-20243:12

Why have India’s batters struggled in home Tests?

New Zealand 259 and 198 for 5 (Latham 86, Blundell 30*, Washington 4-56) lead India 156 (Jadeja 38, Santner 7-53, Phillips 2-26) by 301 runsNew Zealand took massive strides towards doing the unthinkable: not just their first Test series win in India, but also India’s first series defeat at home in 12 years. Mitchell Santner, who had never taken four wickets in an innings before this Test, and with just one first-class five-for to his name, tied India to the crease and took seven wickets to bowl India out for 156. The batters, led by Tom Latham, did some efficient front-running by attacking the Indian spinners to end the day with a lead of 301 runs with five wickets in hand.India have only twice overturned a lead of 100 to win a Test: the great Kolkata Test in 2000-01, and a successful chase of over 400 in Port-of-Spain in 1976, for long the highest in Test cricket. They found themselves in this situation because their legendary spinners were outbowled by two who came into the match with two first-class five-fors between them. Glenn Phillips was Santner’s partner in crime, taking out the two dangerous left-hand batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant.Santner bowled unchanged through the day for 17.3 overs. Six of his victims were either bowled or lbw as he kept attacking the stumps with balls behaving differently from the same spot. This wasn’t quite the square turner that India lost their last Pune Test on – against Australia in 2016-17 – but there was enough turn and enough variation in turn to not allow India the ultra-aggressive approach they have employed this home season.Right from the first three balls of the day, the challenge for India was apparent. From the same spot, the first one turned lesser than expected, the second one went straight on but Shubman Gill survived the umpire’s call, and the third one turned big past the outside edge. There was not just turn, but also quick turn and natural variations from the surface.India had batting till No. 9, but on such pitches, the depth doesn’t mean much. So accurate was Santner that it took just 47 false shots to run through India. For the first half hour, though, New Zealand’s patience and belief was tested. Gill managed to start breaking free with a six off Tim Southee after charging at him. Yashasvi Jaiswal drove Southee for a four, before Ajaz Patel, the lead spinner on paper, offered him another half volley.Sweeps, reverse sweeps, and the use of feet were all employed by Tom Latham and co•AFP/Getty Images

But it turned around for New Zealand in the 22nd over of the day when Santner again beat Gill with one that went straight on. This time the umpire’s call went the bowler’s way. As the 15 seconds on the DRS timer lapsed, the crowd broke into a big cheer. For the arrival of Virat Kohli. The joy for them was short-lived as Kohli soon missed a full toss, which he tried to mow to square leg. The ball did drift in from the initial line, but it was still a full toss that Kohli would have dispatched almost every time had he played with a straighter bat.By now, the effect of the roller was wearing off. Batters were shanking even full balls – or those that they got close to – by using their feet. The ones that didn’t turn created further doubt. As it tends to happen at such times, fielders were everywhere: a hard sweep went straight into the shin of short leg, a short ball stopped and turned, and the pressure kept mounting.With two left-hand batters in the middle, Latham went to Phillips post the first drinks break. It took Phillips four balls to turn one and take Jaiswal’s edge to slip. Rishabh Pant, who had been kept quiet with in-out fields, then went to pull one that was only slightly short of a length. The ball stayed low and bowled him, drawing an inaudible invective that might end up hitting Pant in the wallet.Sarfaraz Khan, who had shown proficiency against spin in Bengaluru, soon found out that the margin for error was little in Pune. If you had to attack, you needed everything to go right. He tried to go inside-out to a really full ball, and it still spooned just over cover. His sweep was blocked, and brought him just singles. Eventually, he tried to the clear the deepish mid-off without getting to the pitch of the ball, a reminder of Phillips’ dismissal on day one. A shooter then did R Ashwin in, the first time Santner went past three wickets in a Test innings.Washington Sundar completed only his second ten-wicket match haul in first-class cricket•BCCI

India had lost 6 wickets for 53 runs, and so far ahead were New Zealand that they could afford to make a DRS error and have Ajaz bowl to two left-hand batters four overs for 32 runs. Meanwhile, Santner kept attacking the stumps and kept producing enough chances. Only some hitting from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar took India past 150.A lead of 103 here was a far worse scenario than the 356 in Bengaluru because this pitch was only going to get worse and India would have to bat last. Latham paddle-swept the first ball. A backward short leg came in to block that shot, and he cover-drove a boundary. Rohit Sharma was now just chasing the ball because you can’t react when you trail by so much on a turning pitch.The taking down of two of India’s greatest match-winners was clinical. Sweeps, reverse sweeps, and the use of feet were all employed. Ashwin’s first spell went for 33 in six overs, and Jadeja went for 24 in three. Washington, at the other end, kept picking up wickets. Devon Conway edged a sweep on to the pad, but didn’t review the lbw decision. So far ahead were New Zealand.Once they had got off to a start and the field had spread, Latham pitched his tent for a long innings while the others batted more briskly around him. Washington went on to convert his first-innings seven-for into only his second ten-wicket match haul in first-class cricket, but New Zealand found runs easier to come by at the other end. Latham missed out on a century, but he had brought New Zealand to a great position.

She will likely miss the next game against Australia for which Muneeba Ali will lead

Shashank Kishore10-Oct-2024Fatima Sana, the Pakistan captain, will return home to Karachi on Thursday via the first available flight following the death of her father, a PCB media statement said. It’s likely she will miss Pakistan’s next game against Australia in Dubai on Friday.Muneeba Ali will stand in for Sana.Sana’s absence will be a big blow for Pakistan, who need to win at least one, preferably both games, to stand a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals from a tough Group A. They are currently placed third in the group after a win and loss each from their two games. After the Australia game, Pakistan will round off their league stage against New Zealand in Dubai on Monday.Sana, the youngest captain at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at 22, has been central to Pakistan’s campaign so far. She top-scored with 30 and picked up two crucial wickets, including that of Chamari Athapaththu, in their opening-night upset of Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka.Against India, Sana was instrumental in India huffing and puffing in pursuit of a small target. Her back-to-back wickets of Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh briefly gave India the jitters and ensured Pakistan’s net run rate didn’t take a massive hit.Since replacing Nida Dar as captain, Sana has tried to ring in a change in mindset with Pakistan’s focus switching towards marrying data along with a more robust batting approach.