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Matt Taylor led the way with four wickets as Gloucestershire recorded their second Specsavers County Championship win of the season with a 41-run success against Durham at Cheltenham

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-20181:13

Somerset silence stubborn Worcestershire

ScorecardMatt Taylor led the way with four wickets as Gloucestershire recorded their second Specsavers County Championship win of the season with a 41-run success against Durham at Cheltenham. The left-arm seamer finished with 4 for 31 from 16 overs to help bowl out the visitors for 298, chasing a victory target of 340.Cameron Steel and Tom Latham gave Durham a promising start, but they wilted against Taylor, Craig Miles and Ryan Higgins on another sweltering afternoon and Mark Wood’s unbeaten 61 proved in vain.Gloucestershire took 23 points from their first Championship win since the opening round of fixtures, while their opponents had to be content with five after four days of tough and competitive cricket.Durham began the day on 35 without loss and enjoyed the better of the morning session. Latham and Steel took their opening stand to 94 against some accurate Gloucestershire bowling before Latham fenced at a ball from Matt Taylor and edged through to Gareth Roderick.Steel was unbeaten on 57 at lunch, with the total 121 for 1, but he when he perished in the second over after the interval, lbw to Miles falling across his stumps, it signalled a transformation in fortunes. Taylor and Higgins settled in to bowl probing spells from the Chapel End and College Lawn End respectively, tying the batsmen down and making vital breakthroughs.Higgins removed Graham Clark and Will Smith during a six-over spell that brought him 2 for 23, Clark falling to a fine full-length diving catch by Roderick and Smith pinned lbw.Taylor was equally impressive and claimed the key wicket of Ben Stokes, who had begun positively, but moved to only 9 before being bowled on the back foot. The same fate befell Stuart Poynter, on 8, and at 201 for 6, Durham still required a further 139.They were given renewed hope by Wood and Michael Richardson, who took the score to 226 for 6 at tea and continued to bat solidly in the final session. Wood was dropped on 18 by Miles Hammond at cover off Kieran Noema-Barnett and responded by hitting four fours in an over from Miles just before the second new ball.Richardson had helped add 59 when falling lbw for 26 looking to work Miles through the leg side. Soon it was 267 for 8 as Matt Salisbury was bowled on the back-foot by Miles for a single.Gloucestershire had their tails up, but while Wood was there Durham had a chance. He began to run out of partners when George Harding chipped a tame catch to midwicket off Taylor and departed for 7.Wood, who was able to bowl only six overs in the match because of a sore heel, moved to a defiant fifty off 74 balls, with nine fours. But when Chris Rushworth was caught behind to give Higgins his third wicket, Gloucestershire had won with 11 overs left in the day’s play.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been given a timely boost after one of his players came back into contention after a period on the sidelines, according to reports.

Leeds United latest news…

The Whites are on an upward trajectory as they look to gain promotion from the Championship this term, and they can be proud of their exploits last weekend away to Norwich City, where they came from two goals down at Carrow Road to run out 3-2 winners and move up to third in the league standings.

Speaking to the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, commentator Adam Pope complimented Farke's substitutions as the German coach managed to hatch a way back into proceedings for Leeds in Norfolk, stating:

"The defining moment for me in the game, of which there was so many, was the substitutions at 2-1 where Daniel Farke put what felt like every attacker at the club onto the pitch."

He then added: "He went 3-5-2 and I felt at that point at 2-1 down it was like 'I'm going all out to win this game, a draw is not acceptable and if we go down fighting so be it'. It was brilliant because Norwich were shellshocked and Leeds were good value and turned it round. We all know Leeds should have won by more but that was the defining moment in a great game."

Leeds have now won four of their last five matches in the English second-tier and look to be in a bright place after a troubled summer involving turmoil regarding their playing squad and ownership situation. Next up is Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium this evening as Farke's men continue to try and cut down the gap on Ipswich Town, who sit six points above the Whites in second position.

Leeds United's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent and result

Venue

Championship

Norwich City 2-3 Leeds United

Carrow Road

Championship

Leeds United 2-1 Bristol City

Elland Road

Championship

Leeds United 1-0 Queens Park Rangers

Elland Road

Championship

Southampton 3-1 Leeds United

St Mary's Stadium

Championship

Leeds United 3-0 Watford

Elland Road

Leeds United injury update; Leo Hjelde

According to an injury update on Leo Hjelde from Leeds United boss Farke, the youngster has now returned to full fitness after picking up an Achilles problem on international duty. Confirming Hjelde's availability in his pre-match press conference before the Stoke City clash, Farke stated:

"Improved with Leo. He’s ready to go. All the lads came through Saturday. We have our injuries with Dallas and Spence, but other than that, everyone is in team training."

Norway Under-21 international Hjelde has managed to make eight appearances at senior level for Leeds United since arriving from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic back in 2021 (Hjelde stats – Transfermarkt).

Once described as "fantastic" by his ex-Ross County boss John Hughes, Leeds supporters could be interested to see if the youngster can make a regular habit of breaking back into Farke's plans at Elland Road over the course of this term.

Leeds United supporters have been optimistic that promotion could be achieved under Daniel Farke this season, but now will be exhilarated by the prospect of charging toward the automatics after defeating Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Farke's side might have started off slowly this season – winning just three of their first nine matches in the second tier – but the system has slowly instilled and now there is a tangible prospect of securing an instantaneous return to the Premier League.

Indeed, having now won five of their past six, the Whites have reduced the gap on Leicester to 11 points, ending a remarkable nine-match winning run for the hosts.

But it is the manner of the performance, the togetherness and the spirit, that would have pleased Farke most, who always knew of his players' quality but had yet to see them come into bloom.

While Leicester still boast a healthy advantage, there is so much football still to be played, and the collective performance of the squad proves that success can be achieved.

Not quite at their apotheosis yet, Leeds have illuminated their credentials and will now seek to maintain a scintillating streak of their own, but to do so, Farke will need to uphold the vigour of the engine room, but no fret, Glen Kamara holds the key.

How much Leeds paid for Glen Kamara

Signing from Rangers in a £5m transfer in the summer, Kamara could prove to be a masterful signing for the Elland Road side, who have countered the mass exodus following relegation earlier this year with some exciting, impactful additions.

He hasn't quite cemented himself as the very centrepiece of his side yet, but Kamara is undoubtedly showing signs of being a key figure in a promotion-pushing team.

As per FBref, the 6 foot midfielder ranks among the top 12% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Championship for assists, the top 1% for pass completion, the top 15% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive passes per 90.

A superb distributor and a wise reader of the game, Kamara has been impressive for the Whites thus far, though he has only made six starts in the Championship and will now be expected to continue his development in Yorkshire and start sustaining his performances.

Across those displays, as per Sofascore, Kamara has completed 91% of his passes, made one key pass per game and succeeded with 63% of his dribbles and ground duels.

Over the coming months, the 28-year-old will now be expected to properly click into gear, but with further displays such as the one that subdued the Foxes, the Leeds faithful can rest assured.

Glen Kamara's performance vs Leicester by numbers

Against Leicester, the Finnish star was at the heart of Leeds' success, with Jermaine Beckford even pronouncing him an "absolute machine" on Sky Sports' live commentary, such was the relentless nature of his all-action performance.

Leeds Live writer Beren Cross bestowed a 9/10 match rating for the one-time Arsenal youngster, remarking on how intelligent and omnipresent he was in the centre of the park against the division's mightiest team.

Cross wrote: 'Incredible example of a central midfielder's performance. Read danger brilliantly and acted on it. Broke up play and then got his own side moving forward with superb passes. Contributed with late runs from deep too.'

The 56-cap international was certainly among the foremost performers on the night, demonstrating his crispness, progressive nature and combative presence against a formidable foe.

Statistic

#

Minutes played

90'

Touches

64

Pass completion

47/53 (89%)

Key passes

2

Dribble attempts

4/5 (80%)

Duels won

7/11 (64%)

Tackles

1

Interceptions

1

*Statistics sourced via Sofascore

Kamara might have been immense and indeed proved to be the star man despite Georginio Rutter's goal, but the display of Joe Rodon behind him in central defence must not be overlooked, with the Welshman continually proving his worth since joining the club in the summer.

Joe Rodon's performance vs Leicester in numbers

Rodon has failed to make his mark at Tottenham Hotspur since joining from Swansea City in a deal worth up to £15m in 2020, having made just 24 appearances to date.

Now 26-years-old, he joined Leeds on loan in August and has since started 11 times in the second tier for Farke's outfit, earning praise for his "warrior mentality" from his manager after a 3-0 victory over Millwall in September.

Against Leicester, he arguably reached his apex so far, with Sofascore recording the metrics that prevented the division's frontrunners from breaking the rearguard, taking 61 touches, completing 86% of his passes, blocking a shot and making a staggering seven clearances.

Furthermore, Rodon embodied the spirit that Leeds fans hold so dear, with TEAMtalk editor and lifelong Leeds supporter James Marshment hailing that mentality, dubbing him an "absolute rock" at the back.

Cross seemingly echoed this sentiment and believed that Rodon matched his Finnish counterpart on the night, also handing him a 9/10 match rating and writing: 'Tremendous. Came into his own as the pressure was piled on in the final quarter of the match. Reduced Jamie Vardy to a spectator in the first half. Some massive slides, blocks and clearances in the second period.'

Considering the £10k-per-week titan won 100% of his duels (3/3) against an almighty strike force, then it does appear that such effusive words are warranted.

Rodon ranks among the top 5% of centre-backs across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year for pass completion and an interesting ball-playing inclination is starting to materialise in this Farke team.

The German manager has implemented a progressive, possession-based system at Elland Road and it's a small wonder that such a composed distributor in Rodon was signed.

Having conquered the King Power, the Whites now know that they boast the calibre to defeat any opposition that the Championship has to offer, and while there will be many tests – and not all successful – to come, there is a growing belief that Premier League football will soon return to this proud football club.

United States women's national team star Catarina Macario has made a real impact off the pitch at Chelsea, with Guro Reiten the latest to reveal so.

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USWNT star Macario returned from ACL injury in MarchHas made quick impact at Chelsea with two goalsBut the Blues' squad is loving her off the pitch as wellGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Macario joined the Blues last summer but she did so while recovering from a long-term ACL injury and it would take until March of this year, some 22 months after the rupture, that she got to make her club debut. However, she looks to be making up for lost time since her return, scoring twice and assisting twice in her six sub appearances so far for Chelsea.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It's not just on the pitch that Macario's impact is being felt, either. Manager Emma Hayes has spoke glowingly about the USWNT star's character in recent weeks and even revealed that she bought her team-mates a cake after her Chelsea debut, to thank them for putting up with her as she completed a rehab that took almost two years.

GettyWHAT REITEN SAID

Fellow forward Reiten has now become the latest to talk warmly about Macario's personality, speaking ahead of Sunday's Continental Cup final clash with Arsenal. "You've all heard about the cake!" Reiten laughed, asked about her American team-mate.

"She's fun. I love Cat. She's been working so hard to get back and being out for almost two years, I think she's been through a lot and to see her comeback and getting time on the pitch, scoring goals, assisting, I think you can see her finding herself again and I'm very happy for her. We have just got to give her time because she's been out for a while, so I think she needs time."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Macario was a key player as Lyon won the Champions League in 2022, scoring in the final as they beat Barcelona 3-1. Chelsea will hope she can play a role in their own bid for a European title in these next few months, with the Blues never having won the trophy.

A rare clash between Marcus Trescothick and Dale Steyn was a memorable sub-plot as Somerset slid to a two-day defeat at the Ageas Bowl

Matt Roller11-Sep-20181:55

Hampshire put Surrey on the brink of glory

ScorecardSomerset slid to a two-day defeat at the Ageas Bowl to give Surrey the chance to seal a first Championship title since 2002 by avoiding defeat at New Road.Hampshire’s new-ball pairing of Kyle Abbott and Dale Steyn took all ten wickets as Somerset were bowled out for just 116 in their second innings, and despite a momentary scare when they were reduced to 21 for 3 chasing 75, Jimmy Adams’ unbeaten 25 took them over the line before five sessions had elapsed.Questions will be asked of a pitch that gave plenty of assistance to the seamers throughout, but there would be a certain irony if Somerset, whose Taunton pitch has been scrutinised more than once in recent years, were to complain about excessive movement.Conditions were gloomy enough that the floodlights were rarely turned off, and batsmen on both sides will look back at certain shots with little fondness. While it is easy to view those shots in isolation, minds are scrambled when there is noticeable movement off the seam and the bounce is variable.Somerset captain Tom Abell had few complaints about the pitch, and ultimately it will be the opinion of Cricket Liaison Officer Wayne Noon that matters. There is some chance this pitch will be deemed to be ‘below average’, but that eventuality would not mean a points deduction for Hampshire, as it would be their first such wicket in the past 12 months.While Somerset will be disappointed to have folded for less than 200 for the fourth innings in a row, their second-innings total of 116 was that low primarily on account of high-quality seam bowling.Abbott, who now has 30 wickets in Hampshire’s past four matches – of which they have won three – was exceptional throughout the two days. Abbott said that he had “lost a little bit of self-belief” in the first part of the season, when he bowled without rhythm or confidence in his action, but here he looked every bit the South Africa international that Hampshire were so chuffed to have signed last spring.As Marcus Trescothick stood firm, Abbott made early inroads to leave Somerset 20 for 4 and still behind the game. He cleaned up Ben Green and Tom Abell with two late inswingers, and also accounted for Azhar Ali and James Hildreth in a matchwinning opening spell. He ended with 6-40 to secure a fourth five-wicket haul in five innings.At this stage of the season it is easy to reduce Championship cricket to a series of permutations and hypotheticals about how different results will affect title charges and relegation battles. But it was impossible to ignore the subplot played out between Steyn and Trescothick.The pair have less history than one might think – they played against one another just three times at international level – but when Trescothick became Steyn’s first Test victim in 2004, with an inswinging 87mph yorker that clattered into middle, the prospect of them fighting it out in the County Championship 14 years later must have seemed a little fanciful.Instead, it was a gripping contest. Steyn spent most of his opening burst probing around off stump as Trescothick played inside the line of the ball time after time, and while all hell broke loose at the other end, he remained resolute.With the lead just 40 and Somerset eight down, Steyn then hit Trescothick on the head with a vicious short ball. After giving himself an over to settle down, Trescothick clipped Steyn for four and then pulled him for six – a shot which took him past 26,000 first-class runs – and after repeating the trick to go to a valiant 50, he played on two balls later. Trescothick had won the battle, but Steyn the war.Steyn ended with four wickets, and bowled as well as he has done since joining Hampshire as overseas player. While Morne Morkel’s move to Surrey remains the indisputable impact signing of the summer, the combination of the fit-again Steyn and a resurgent Abbott – who, to channel Arsène Wenger, has been like a new signing – has helped Hampshire effectively seal their Division One status with games against strugglers Yorkshire and Lancashire to come.”I haven’t really seen a pitch play like that here,” Abbott said. “It is unusual because it doesn’t look too different to the pitches we have played on here. The wickets are playing very strangely at this time of the year which is good for me but not good for the top order batsmen.”In truth, Hampshire always looked likely to reach their target of 75, and in spite Craig Overton’s three-wicket burst, they had the perfect man for the situation in Adams.His stand of 25 with Sam Northeast – who has contributed plenty to the last two wins – acted as a sedative to the jangling nerves of the home supporters, and Tom Alsop’s late flurry took them over the line.Somerset now face the challenge of putting the disappointment of the past ten days behind them in time for Finals Day on Saturday. They are helped by the fact there is substantial changeover between their Championship and Blast sides, but disappointment at Edgbaston would mean these past few weeks have a distinctly familiar feel for county cricket’s perennial bridesmaids.

Leeds United brought in a progressive and impressive head coach when they decided to appoint Daniel Farke as their main man ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The German tactician, who won two Championship titles with Norwich City, is a manager who has spoken about his desire to develop and work with young talents.

He quickly proved this to be the case by integrating 17-year-old talent Archie Gray into the first-team set-up as a regular fixture in the side this season.

The ex-Canaries boss could now repeat the blinder he played with the England U19 international by unleashing his former academy teammate – Lewis Bate.

Archie Gray's Championship statistics this season

He has started 11 of the club's 13 league matches so far this term and has caught the eye with his defensive work at the back for the Whites, having played in both a midfield and a right-back position.

The teenage ace has showcased his tackling ability with 2.41 successful tackles per 90 for Leeds. This places him within the top 20% of Championship midfielders this term, which highlights how impressive he has been in that aspect of his performances.

Gray has also displayed his progressive qualities with 0.89 successful take-ons per 90. This ranks him within the top 25% of his positional peers this season.

These statistics show that the English gem has been able to make an impact in out of possession, in spite of his age and inexperience, and Bate could follow in his footsteps.

The statistics that show why Bate could make the breakthrough for Leeds

The former Chelsea academy prospect, who has scored two goals in his last two appearances for Leeds at U21 level, has been named on the bench in three Championship games this term.

This suggests that the 20-year-old dynamo is on the verge of breaking into the first-team fold as Farke has trusted him to be an option off the bench on several occasions during the 2023/24 campaign.

He spent last season on loan with Oxford United in League One and started 24 matches for the club as the talented ace showed off his skills on and off the ball.

Bate created 1.1 chances per game for his teammates, which is 0.5 more per clash than Gray has managed this term, and made two tackles and interceptions combined per outing.

The Thorp Arch gem once showcased his defensive instincts during the 2021/22 EFL Trophy campaign for Leeds at U21 level. He made 4.5 tackles and interceptions, including three tackles, per game across two appearances, which included one goal, against Salford and Oldham.

Bate, who recruitment analyst and U18 specialist Connor Rowden claimed has an "unparalleled" ability to control games, will have seen how Gray has been able to establish himself in the first-team and now knows that there is a clear pathway for young players.

Farke has proven that he is willing to place faith in talented youngsters if they are able to take their opportunity when it comes their way and the German head coach must now offer the U21 star his chance to impress.

If the maestro can deliver the defensive contributions and control in possession that the aforementioned evidence suggests that he has the potential to do then he could be an excellent option for the tactician moving forward.

With Trent Bridge meandering to a draw, Yorkshire thoughts soon turned to a Roses match that could determine both sides’ fate

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge07-Sep-20181:22

Warwickshire’s lead cut as Division Two heats up

ScorecardYorkshire’s thoughts soon turned to next week’s Roses match as play ended with handshakes at 4.20pm as a slow-moving, often attritional contest from drifted to its inevitable conclusion after the rain-reduced third day.Contained within the first half-hour were pretty much all the significant developments on the final day. Tom Kohler-Cadmore completed his maiden first-class century as a Yorkshire player – well-deserved, too – and Yorkshire made the 43 they had needed overnight to claim a fifth batting bonus point.It is the first time this season that Yorkshire have collected all five and will give them a much-needed sense of stability ahead of a contest that could decide the fate of both counties. It leaves them still next to bottom of the Division One table, still behind Lancashire, but only by one point and with a game in hand.A Roses match is always an occasion but next week’s encounter at Headingley, the latest in terms of starting date in the rivalry’s history, thus has more riding on it than most. If there is a positive outcome, whoever wins probably sends the other one down.Certainly, in Lancashire’s case, a victory looks imperative, with only Hampshire at the Rose Bowl to follow. Yorkshire, who won handsomely at Old Trafford in July even with James Anderson in Lancashire’s line-up, are unbeaten in the last five first-class Roses matches.”It’s a massive game,” first-team coach Andrew Gale said. “The ones that come after will be big too, but in the context of things, with both of us where we are in the table, the Lancashire game is huge.”But we have come away from this game after a difficult few weeks having played well, winning the key passages of play. Tom Kohler-Cadmore showed what a good player he is and the batting display overall was really solid.”The lads have got a spring in their step again and we know if we play well over a long enough period of time at Headingley we will win the game. Maybe there is a little bit more pressure on them with one game less to come but they are a good side and they will be confident too.”That aforementioned half-hour was the most exciting of the match, the crucial 110th over – bowled by Samit Patel, which Yorkshire began still needing seven for 400 – a contest all of its own.A single from Kohler-Cadmore preceded a dot ball before Tim Bresnan took a comfortable leg-bye, then Kohler-Cadmore, giving himself room to go inside out against the left-arm spinner, was bowled leg stump. It meant that, with five still needed, new batsman Matthew Waite – playing in only his third first-class match – effectively had to score off his first ball, if only to get Bresnan down to the striker’s end for the last one.The two batsmen conferred in the middle, where the 22-year-old presumably said something along the lines of ‘leave it to me’ to his senior partner. Confidently stepping down the pitch, he drove his first ball through the covers for four and the next past mid-on with the same outcome. Job done. “That’s what you get with young players,” Gale said. “He was fearless.”Waite, who later swept Patel for consecutive sixes, had been Yorkshire’s most effective bowler, also, which would make his omission against Lancashire look a little harsh, although with Steve Patterson likely to return after injury and Ben Coad a possible too Yorkshire may have to decide between him, the legspinner Josh Poysden and the pace of Mathew Pillans, the new arrival from Surrey, who conceded 128 runs in 30 overs in this match without taking a wicket.One selection not in doubt is Kohler-Cadmore, who rounded off his fifth career first-class century by pulling and glancing Harry Gurney for consecutive fours before raising his bat towards the Yorkshire balcony, where all the players and coaching staff had lined up to applaud what had been a measured innings of high quality.Patel, who had not bowled as many overs in an innings since sending down 60 of Durham’s 171 in a September match at Chester-le-Street in 2009, showed patience of a different kind to come through such a long test of his mental agility and was rewarded with 6-114, his best figures in the Championship since his career-best 7-68 against Hampshire in July 2011 and, slightly surprisingly, given his aggregate, only the fifth five-wicket haul of his career.The last of the six, neatly enough, was his 300th first-class wicket for Nottinghamshire as Jake Libby, fielding under the helmet on the off-side, snapped up a catch to dismiss Jack Brooks, to be followed quickly by a first for the county for Libby’s occasional offspin as Bresnan, whose 82-ball half-century had been important in winning the extra point, was well taken at mid-on for 80, his highest Championship score for two years.Nottinghamshire, whose left-arm seamer Harry Gurney left the field mid-over after feeling tightness in a calf, faced 31 fairly meaningless overs in what remained. Jack Brooks did not bowl for Yorkshire, who felt it better to give him more rest ahead of next week. Matthew Fisher and David Willey, who also missed this match, will be assessed over the weekend, although Gale is reluctant to take risks with anyone’s fitness, even with so much at stake.

The England star will be key in the Blues' bid for a successful end to the season, with Sunday's Continental Cup final the first chance of silverware

There has been a lot of talk about Lauren James for a long time, about her potential to be something great, to be the best player in the world, even. But this season feels really significant as she continues that journey, one in which she has taken greater strides than ever before towards realising such high expectations.

James’ world-class talent has been seen in glimpses over the years; in her breakthrough in the senior game with Manchester United, in her first full season at the very highest level with a Chelsea team competing on four fronts, in her first World Cup campaign last summer. This year, though, we’re not talking about glimpses. We’re talking about consistent, match-winning performances.

The 22-year-old has shown that she can deliver in the biggest moments, and they are about to get even bigger. Chelsea’s bid for a quadruple is heating up and the first leg of it comes on Sunday, as they take on Arsenal in the Continental Cup final. And if you asked someone to predict which player will make the biggest difference at Molineux on Sunday, it’d surely be a surprise if they didn’t pick out James’ name before any other.

GettyInjuries galore

It’s been a really difficult few months for Chelsea when it comes to injuries. Last season, they were missing many key personnel throughout the campaign, most notably Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder, but they didn’t make excuses. They did what champions do and found a way to win, picking up another Women’s Super League title and an FA Cup to boot.

If they can enjoy a fruitful end to this season, it’ll be even more impressive. Not only have Chelsea been without experienced leaders like Millie Bright, Maren Mjelde and Ann-Katrin Berger for spells, they’ve also been extremely depleted in attack.

In January, star striker Sam Kerr ruptured her ACL. A month later, Mia Fishel, her back-up, suffered the same fate. With Kirby in and out of the team due to issues here and there, summer-signing Catarina Macario not debuting until March due to her own ACL recovery and striker Mayra Ramirez missing a handful of games since her blockbuster transfer in January, Emma Hayes has had to reshuffle her front line plenty.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesStepping up

Emphasis has been on others to step up, then, and they certainly have. Youngster Aggie Beever-Jones has enjoyed a breakthrough season after a couple of years out on loan, going on a goal-scoring run of five in five games just before Christmas despite only one of those appearances coming as a starter.

Johanna Rytting Kaneyrd, meanwhile, has flown under the radar as a really impressive performer on the right, enjoying the best spell of her Chelsea career to date after signing at the start of the 2022-23 season.

Ramirez and Macario have also come up with big moments when they’ve been able to. Before an injury sidelined her for several weeks, the former scored a match-winning goal in a difficult FA Cup tie with Crystal Palace, while Macario’s role as a super-sub has been quite remarkable given it has come after almost two years out injured.

But none have stepped up to a level as impressive as the one James has found, the England star regularly proving to be the difference in games and hitting form that has put her in the race for the WSL Golden Boot with some of the division’s top strikers.

Getty ImagesSigns of brilliance

There was a feeling back in October, as the new campaign began, that James could be in for a special season. Coming off the back of some truly world-class displays at the World Cup, and with a full season at Chelsea under her belt after her first was all about getting on top of niggling injuries, she entered the campaign in a good place and with a solid foundation to build on.

Against Tottenham on the opening day, James was the star of the show, delighting the Stamford Bridge faithful with a wonderful performance. When Chelsea faced Liverpool in November, meanwhile, she was an absolute menace, netting her first hat-trick for the Blues and just the second of her senior career. A week later, at home to Leicester, it was more of the same, with two goals on that occasion.

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Getty ImagesBig stage

But recent weeks have shown that James can deliver these performances in the big moments against the toughest opponents, too. Chelsea’s Continental Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City was not a classic, but rather a scrappy affair and, at times, the Blues had to hang on. But when James got an early sight of goal, she capitalised and found the back of the net with a strike that would decide the game.

Against Arsenal a week later, in a huge clash at the top of the WSL table, she once again ran the show and led Chelsea to an absolute demolition of their London rivals in a game that could’ve easily hampered the Blues in their title chase.

Four days after that, James grabbed the headlines once more. Chelsea looked to have the toughest Champions League quarter-final tie on paper, taking on an Ajax side that had out-qualified Roma and Bayern Munich, but they emerged with the most convincing first-leg result as James led them to a 3-0 victory in Amsterdam.

At just 22 years old, she is turning up for these big games and she is doing it every few days, too. The consistency is so impressive, especially given she still has so much experience to gain on these stages.

Dele Alli had “no limit” when joining Tottenham and “could have been similar to Jude Bellingham” before it all went wrong, says Ben Davies.

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Midfielder joined Spurs in 2015One of world football's hottest prospectsSet to become a free agent in 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

The former England international made his way to north London in 2015 when Spurs won the race for his signature. Despite stepping up into the Premier League from League One outfit MK Dons, Dele quickly established himself as one of the brightest young stars in world football.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

His career has gone off the rails since then, with injury struggles at Everton preventing him from making the desired impact on Merseyside as free agency beckons in 2024. Dele could have been in the same talent bracket as current Real Madrid and England star Bellingham had things worked out differently, with his ability never in question.

WHAT DAVIES SAID ABOUT DELE

Ex-Spurs team-mate Davies has told the of the now 27-year-old midfielder: “Dele was incredible when he turned up. He was a young kid from Milton Keynes, and he got thrown into first team training, and he would just do stuff. It was like playing for fun. And I think to start with, the management, the staff probably were like, ‘What’s this kid doing? Play properly, get the ball, play here.’ He would just, like, ball comes to feet, step over it, tries to go through other people’s legs. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t, trying to flick the ball. But then we went pre-season again, went and played against Real Madrid, and it was ‘The Dele Show’ from there.

“This was a kid for whom, there was no difference in level of opposition. That’s probably the best way I can describe it. What he did in League One, he would try and do against Modric, against Kroos, these guys. It was irrelevant who he was playing against. He had the self-confidence, I think he’s spoken about it, which is like the bravery. And when he – that season when he just was breaking through, scoring goals for fun, it was insane. There was no limit for him. He could have at that time been similar to, like, a Bellingham kind of player now. Someone who maybe not technically as good as Jude is, but ultimately the game comes down to scoring goals. He used to find a way to score and assist pretty much every game. And he used to just cause nightmares for opposition.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR DELE?

Dele has endured a tough time on and off the field of late and would appear to require a fresh start somewhere in order to rekindle a lost spark and rediscover the kind of form that once made him a transfer target for Real Madrid.

Uthappa sidelined for ‘six to eight weeks’, while India A fast bowlers asked to rest ahead of the New Zealand tour

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2018Pujara retires hurt because of ‘stiff neck’
A stiff neck had Cheteshwar Pujara retire hurt midway through the opening day of Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy opener against Chhattisgarh in Rajkot. Pujara had complained of discomfort in the morning because he was trying to bat with an open stance but walked in to bat at his usual No. 3 position.He had faced 64 deliveries for his 30 not out when he walked off after consulting the team physio. Shitanshu Kotak, the Saurashtra coach, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that there was “nothing to worry” and the move to have him retire hurt was precautionary, keeping immediate future in mind. “He will be ready to bat on Friday, if required.” With India’s Test tour of Australia slated to begin only in the first week of December, Pujara has made himself available for at least the first two round of the season.India A fast bowlers asked to rest
Mindful of managing players’ workloads and keeping them fresh, the selectors have asked the fast bowlers of the New Zealand-bound India A squad to skip the first round of the Ranji Trophy. This meant Hyderabad, defending champions Vidarbha, and Rajasthan were without the services of Mohammad Siraj, Rajneesh Gurbani and Deepak Chahar respectively. MSK Prasad’s request to the state associations didn’t affect Navdeep Saini, however, as Delhi are slated to play their first game on November 12.While the request was to rest only the fast bowlers, a number of other India A regulars, like Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer, too didn’t take part in the opening round. M Vijay was included in Tamil Nadu’s XI alongside R Ashwin, while Hanuma Vihari and Parthiv Patel, who have been selected for the Test tour of Australia, also walked out to lead Andhra and Gujarat respectively.India A is slated to leave for New Zealand on November 9, with the first of three four-day matches scheduled to begin on November 16 at Bay Oval in Tauranga.Uthappa likely to sit out for ‘four to six weeks’
Robin Uthappa, the Saurashtra batsman, is likely to be unavailable for the group stages because of an ankle injury. Uthappa underwent surgery in England last week and has been advised rest for six to eight weeks according to Kotak: “He is a quality player who will add value to any side, we won’t rush him in. Even if he is back for the second phase, his inclusion will be very valuable.”Uthappa’s signing for a second season with Saurashtra wasn’t a given until two months ago, as he was keen to return to Karnataka. However, with Karnataka opting for a new coaching staff and focusing on youth, Uthappa didn’t find a favourable response.