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Off spinner says England’s Urdu-speaking spinners were fooled into bringing the field up during his 48 not out

Danyal Rasool25-Oct-2024

Sajid Khan struck four sixes in a vital innings for Pakistan•Getty Images

Pakistan offspinner Sajid Khan has found a number of ways of getting under England’s skin, from the moustache twirling to the thigh thumping that accompany borderline invasion of personal space. Much of it has involved bamboozling them with the angle of his spin or the flight of his deliveries, but on Friday, he found another avenue for English befuddlement: their spin bowlers’ bilingualism.After the fourth ball of the 86th over, once Saud Shakeel had flicked Shoaib Bashir away to turn the strike over to Sajid, the pair met to discuss how to manage the strike, and didn’t appear to bother if the stump mic picked them up. Sajid, presumably, was to see off the final two balls, but he danced down the wicket and launched Bashir over midwicket into the Javed Miandad stand.It could hardly have been the plan, but according to Sajid, the intended audience for the conversation wasn’t each other but Pakistani-origin spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir.”We were only doing that [speaking loudly in Urdu] to deceive the bowlers. Rehan and Shoaib understand Urdu, so to fool them, we wanted them to hear we were only looking for the single. When we did that, they brought the field up and the bowlers flighted it. Saud told me once they do, no half measures: just go for the big shot as hard as you can.”And Sajid did. The next over Bashir bowled, Sajid plundered two sixes and a boundary in much the same way, swinging towards the midwicket boundary, finding the middle of the bat with regularity. 19 came off that over, and though Rehan kept him quieter, he was stung once when he spread the field out. Sajid took the men at long-off and long-on, comfortably clearing the rope. The wheels, by now, had begun to come off England’s bowling effort, and Pakistan’s lead had ballooned.Rehan acknowledged the quality of the innings, but was having none of Sajid’s claims. “He didn’t fool me at all, he just said it for the media,” he laughed “I didn’t even hear him. He said something like he’s going to run down this ball and I knew he was going to try and scoop me, and it didn’t really work. I think he batted well, and he hit some big blows, but he didn’t really fool me or Bash.”

Manchester United are making progress in their mission to strengthen under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to move forward in their pursuit of a high-pedigree defender, according to a report.

Manchester United urged to break the bank for quality additions

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha would fit the definition of breaking the bank for elite talent, but Premier League giants Manchester United are aware that more signings are needed to match the output of their domestic rivals on the market.

Reports suggest Manchester United would be willing to offer £22 million for Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra, which would be another signal of intent, though Rio Ferdinand believes the Red Devils should go all out for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba to bolster the spine of their team.

He stated: “Who would you go and get?”, and there’s only one name I’m thinking about, I’m going to be honest, guys, who I think fits the bill for what we need.

“He’s an Amorim-type player as well. Physically, he’s great. He can drive with the ball, he can take it in all areas, very good tactically, great energy, great legs, Premier League experience, central midfield… Baleba.”

Without putting too fine a point on it, Manchester United’s lack of solidity in the Premier League last term was evident for all to see, hence why Amorim is also targeting defensive reinforcements in the form of Lucas Beraldo.

Manchester United’s defensive frailties in 2024/25

Goals conceded

54

Defeats

18

Clean sheet percentage across 38 league matches

26%

Ultimately, a failure to secure the back door is a recipe for chaos, leading to a growing appetite for an overhaul within the Red Devils’ backline.

After months of searching, Manchester United could now have found one part of a solution to remedy the well-documented faults within their rearguard.

Manchester United make contact for Inter defender Benjamin Pavard

According to Transferfeed, Manchester United have made contact by enquiring about Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard, who may be allowed to leave San Siro this summer for a fee between £26.1 million and £30.5 million.

Despite the Nerazzurri not officially listing the France international for sale, they are looking into potential replacements for the ex-Bayern Munich star, including Genoa’s Koni De Winter.

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Labelled “brilliant” by Les Blues boss Didier Deschamps, Pavard, who is outfitted by Adidas, registered one goal and a solitary assist in 37 appearances last campaign, operating almost entirely in central defence.

The 29-year-old also won 78 duels in Serie A, cementing himself as an important factor behind Inter’s ability to go deep both in domestic competitions and the Champions League.

Now, it appears he could be set for a new challenge in the prime of his career, which has piqued Manchester United’s interest as they look to seal a marquee deal to strengthen their backline.

Cricket South Africa [CSA] will host a three-day diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Indaba (conference) from Friday, with the main aim of identifying a roadmap to ensure a demographically-reflective national men’s team by the 2027 ODI World Cup at home.They will also address issues of representation in the game overall but have changed the labelling of the event from Transformation to DEI to reflect an agenda that addresses the cricketing infrastructure in totality and is not entirely focused on a particular race group.”It is not only about black players but about building a diverse structure,” Mudutambi Ravele, CSA board member and DEI Chairperson told ESPNcricinfo. “For example, we have looked at the data from the Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) province and seen that the number of players of Indian heritage has got less and less. We want to address that. We have looked at Limpopo and there are no white players. We can’t have that. We want to address the issues holistically.”The cases explained above are important when contextualised against the backdrop of South Africa’s history, demographics, and national representation in cricket. While 84.8% of the population is black African, before readmission in 1992, South Africa fielded all-white national sides. Since then, efforts have been made to reflect the country’s other, and most significantly, majority race group, but there was only one black African player in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad – an issue that raised concerns and makes the timing of this conference important.Related

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While CSA has expressed concerns with the lack of black African international players, they also hope to develop the game holistically, especially in places where they can identify gaps in the talent pool such as in Ravele’s examples. The KZN province is the area in the country with the largest percentage of people of Indian descent – 9.3% compared to 2.7% countrywide – while Limpopo, the northernmost province of the country, has a 97.3% black African population but still around 2% of white citizens. Both those race groups have historically high participation in cricket and CSA will seek to understand why those numbers have dipped.However, even their more wide-reaching approach does not take away from the key problem which is the lack of black African representation, that could set CSA back on the agreed annual targets with the country’s sports ministry. In 2016, failure to meet targets saw CSA, and three other sporting federations, banned from hosting major events and with 2027 in mind, CSA is keen to demonstrate a strong commitment to change.When asked why Kagiso Rabada was the only black African in the T20 World Cup squad, South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter pointed to the domestic system and asked it to “really up the ante”. Broadly, CSA agrees with him. At the time, they recognised that “various initiatives that have been pursued over the years have not yielded the desired results,” and now, Ravele said they continue to look at the domestic system to identify where it is lacking.”We want to look at the pool of players who are available and how we can support them to stay in the pool. There are a number of social issues that affect players from disadvantaged backgrounds.”CSA has also launched a specialised program for black African batters since this is an area of particular need.Walter will be present at the DEI , where he will be part of a panel of a discussion with black African batter Khaya Zondo, women’s international bowler Tumi Sekhukhune and former selector Patrick Moroney, who served on South Africa’s last panel under Victor Mpitsang.The selection committee was done away with when Walter and Test coach Shukri Conrad (who will not be in attendance as he readies the squad to leave for a two-match series in West Indies) were appointed last January. As head coaches, they were given sole decision-making powers over their squad selections. This is likely to change with some inside CSA pushing for the return of a panel, which Ravele supports. “A panel helps a lot because there are different views and people can think more broadly. There are more ideas,” she said.If the re-introduction of a selection panel emerges as one of the recommendations from the , it will still need to be ratified by CSA’s board but will ultimately take away Walter and Conrad’s independence.Kagiso Rabada was the only black African in South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad•ICC/Getty Images

The squad Walter picked for the T20 World Cup 2024 was South Africa’s most successful and reached the final for the first time, but Ravela would not be drawn into conflating their success with the issue of representation. “The squad did really well, but did they do well because they didn’t have black players? I think we should view their performance as a matter of progress, as they have been to the semi-finals several times before.”She stressed that CSA will not revert to stipulating a quota for XIs, as they have done in the past, but remain set on average goals. “For the national teams, we don’t put a number of players per event. We want to develop a plan for the year and ask what combinations of players can be used to make sure we are fielding diverse teams.”As things stand, South Africa’s national teams are required to field, on average over the course of a season, at least six players of colour of which two must be black African. At the provincial level, the same target is expected to be met but at least three of the six players of colour must be black African.The SA20, in which CSA owns the majority share although teams are privately owned, has no transformation target or even expectation imposed on it and will remain untouched. Ravele hoped that the franchise owners would keep South Africa’s segregated history and attempts at redress “in the back of their minds,” but so far, the competition is the least representative domestic event. In 2024, there were 13 black African players listed across the six squads, with one – the Pretoria Capitals – having none at all. Of those, only Rabada (MI Cape Town), Junior Dala, Tony de Zorzi (both Durban’s Super Giants), Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo (both Paarl Royals) and Sibonelo Makhanya (Joburg Super Kings) played more than one match for their team.

Queens Park Rangers are now keen on signing a young EFL striker who scored 12 league goals last season, as they close in on appointing Julien Stephan as their new manager, according to a recent report.

Julien Stephan agrees to become QPR manager

The West Londoners have been on the lookout for a new manager since taking the decision to place Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave back in April. The 42-year-old joined the Rs back in October 2023 and took charge of 83 matches, but the decision to place Cifuentes on gardening leave came as it was reported he had spoken to West Brom about their managerial vacancy.

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The Rs have had to be patient in their search for a new boss, but it looks as if now they are closing in on an appointment. Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett has reported that Stephan has agreed to become the new QPR manager, putting pen to paper shortly.

The Frenchman, just like Cifuentes, has never managed in the Championship or England prior to this move. He has spent his managerial career working in France, mostly at Stade Rennais, where he lasted just under a year and left the position back in November.

The 44-year-old has worked in Rennes on several different occasions from their youth set-up to reserves to first-team, and he will now be hoping he can take what he has done in France to England, as QPR hope to be fighting at the right end of the table.

QPR chase Malik Mothersille

As the Rs close in on Stephan’s appointment, they could also be close to bringing in the first player under his reign. That is because, according to Football League World, QPR are interested in signing Malik Mothersille from Peterborough United.

The 21-year-old, who scored 12 goals in League One during the 2024/25 season, has emerged on the radar of the Hoops as well as newly promoted side Charlton Athletic. The report doesn’t state how much Mothersille could cost or how much Posh would want, but given he has just one year remaining on his contract, it could be a low-cost deal for the Rs.

Mothersille is not only a number nine; the forward can also operate on both the right and left sides of attack, making him a versatile attacker. As well as his 12 goals in League One, the young striker also netted a further four goals in the EFL Trophy, as Peterborough were crowned champions.

Malik Mothersille’s Peterborough United stats

Apps

90

Goals

22

Assists

15

His campaign in League One also earned him recognition on the international stage, as he collected his first senior cap for Jamaica last season, in the final of the Unity Cup against Nigeria.

QPR do already have the likes of Alfie Loyd, Charlie Kelman, Michael Frey and Rayan Kolli as forward options, but if they are to be near the top end of the Championship, then Stephan is going to want more prolific scorers, and Mothersille may just be the answer.

After confirming the news that Kieran Tierney will rejoin the club following the end of his Arsenal contract this summer, Celtic have reportedly reached an agreement to seal another cut-price deal.

Celtic re-sign Kieran Tierney

Six years on from making the decision to leave Scotland in favour of a move to Arsenal, Tierney has put pen to paper and will rejoin Celtic when the summer transfer window swings open. The left-back has brought an end to a mixed Arsenal spell and, ultimately, one dominated by injuries instead of a flying full-back leaving his mark in North London.

2019/20

19

2020/21

19

2021/22

17

2022/23

N/A

2023/24

21

2024/25

18

Despite missing a total of 94 games through injury during his time at Arsenal and on loan at Real Sociedad, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta made sure to mention the impact that Tierney has had on the dressing room in North London.

The Spaniard told reporters after the left-back scored in his final game for the club: “He said it yesterday, I’m going to score on my last Arsenal match and he’s done it. So credit to him. A special thank you to him. He’s been part of this journey and he’s won with me. It’s true that he went to Sociedad for a few months, but it’s been a joy to work with him.

“A really special character and we wish him and his family all the very best. The doors of this club are open for him. He’s someone very, very liked at the club, in the dressing room and we want to wish him the best.”

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Whilst Celtic may have their concerns about Tierney’s injury history, they know about his quality more than most and will be desperate to see him get back to his best back in Scotland. It may well be the summer of bargains for the Bhoys too, with another agreement now reportedly reached.

Celtic reach agreement to sign Doohan – Sky Sports

According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Celtic have now reached an agreement to sign Ross Doohan from Aberdeen on a free transfer upon the expiry of his current contract this summer. The goalkeeper will reportedly arrive to replace third-choice option Scott Bain, who will be allowed to leave the Scottish Premiership champions in the forthcoming transfer window.

Although Doohan is unlikely to steal the same headlines as Tierney, he could be an important arrival in his own right. The 27-year-old earned high praise from Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie back in December when he stepped up from his backup role.

Shinnie told reporters after a narrow defeat against Celtic: “I thought he was brilliant. He has waited a long time to get this chance. Unfortunate to lose Dimi obviously but those moments give other people opportunities and I thought Ross did brilliantly when called upon.”

With no defeats from their last five Championship games, Leeds United are definitely in pole position when it comes to being crowned champions of the notoriously punishing division.

At one stage, it looked as if Daniel Farke’s Whites had fluffed their lines once more in the promotion race with defeats and draws aplenty seeping into their game, but two victories on the trot has now seen them thankfully push away from third-placed Sheffield United to the summit of the league.

Still, not every win that is being collected is the most easy-on-the-eye spectacle to watch, leading to rumours beginning to emerge that the table-toppers are looking at bringing in some new strikers.

Leeds in contact over deal for "phenomenal" star

As per a fresh report by TEAMtalk, the Whites are prioritising a number of signings ahead of potentially voyaging up to the Premier League, with the striker department one area that will likely be boosted by fresh personnel.

The report states that Leeds are especially taken aback by current West Ham United loanee Evan Ferguson, even with the Irishman’s notable struggles under Graham Potter to date.

Transfer Focus

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After all, the 20-year-old attacker has shone in the past with parent employers Brighton and Hove Albion, meaning there is a potential there for him to light up Elland Road.

Moreover, the report further elaborates that Leeds are monitoring the 6 foot forward’s situation ahead of his return to the Seagulls, with contact already being made over a deal happening in the near future.

Winning the services of a readymade Premier League striker could signal the end for Joel Piroe as Farke’s main marksman, with the Dutchman putting in one too many ineffective performances for the promotion-chasers as of late.

Why Ferguson would be a Piroe upgrade

The former Swansea City man is yet to taste any action in the top-flight across his career, but if his continued wastefulness in front of goal in the second tier is anything to go by, he would struggle to adjust to the sharp step-up in quality.

Whilst he does boast a healthy 15-goal return in the Championship this season, Piroe has also been guilty of squandering 12 big chances across his 42 league outings and counting, with three of those coming about when Leeds just narrowly beat Preston North End 2-1 last time out.

Whereas, Ferguson – at the peak of his powers for Brighton – has proven himself to be a cool and deadly finisher under pressure by notching up an impressive 17 strikes from 80 Seagulls appearances, which included a devastating hat-trick coming his way against Newcastle United way back in 2023.

The worry would be that the 20-year-old has significantly gone off the boil on loan at the Hammers – with a worrying zero strikes hitting the back of the net from six West Ham contests – but Farke will view the previously potent attacker as an upgrade on Piroe regardless, based on what has come before.

Ferguson’s PL numbers at Brighton (22/23 + 23/24)
Stat	22/23	23/24
Games played	19	27
Games started	10	15
Goals scored	6	6
Assists	2	0
Big chances missed	5	4
Stats by Sofascore

From just 25 combined starts across the campaigns above, Ferguson would fire home a lethal 12 goals, with just nine big chances given up across those two seasons also.

Around this time, the much-talked-about Irishman was even being heralded as a potential £100m sensation, with BBC pundit Danny Murphy also weighing in on the conversation surrounding Ferguson by labelling him a “superstar” in the recent past.

Of course, it would now be ludicrous to suggest the Brighton number 28 is worth anywhere near that crazy sum.

But, with Piroe only managing to find the back of the net once from his last ten encounters for Farke’s men, Ferguson would be seen as a big upgrade, particularly if Premier League football is clinched.

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Who is the greatest player in Liverpool’s modern history? Certainly, if we’re talking about post-millenial brilliance, Steven Gerrard sits at the top of the tree.

Gerrard might be the greatest player in the Merseysiders’ history anyway, utterly incredible and synonymous with the city’s beating red heart.

However, we’re looking at Liverpool’s resurgence over the past decade, here, when Jurgen Klopp saved a team from drowning and turned it back toward the light.

So many superstars have graced Anfield’s pitch since the former German manager was appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor, but it’s hard to argue against Virgil van Dijk being the cream of the crop.

Virgil van Dijk is Liverpool's hero

When Liverpool paid Premier League rivals Southampton a £75m sum to take their prized centre-back in January 2018, many opposing fans chuckled at such an obscene figure for a defender.

But it’s difficult to say that Liverpool and their Dutch skipper haven’t had the last laugh, with Van Dijk transforming the Reds’ shaky backline and leading them to glory, winning all the biggest honours, coming within a whisker of Lionel Messi on the Ballon d’Or podium in his prime and immortalising his name as the leader of Liverpool in their finest period in modern times.

The 33-year-old is no longer a bright new voice in the Premier League but he’s still matchless in defence, so important this season as Arne Slot’s side surprised everyone and assumed a commanding lead at the top of the table – 11 points clear with seven games to go.

Matches (starts)

31 (31)

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clean sheets

13

Pass completion

92%

Key passes*

0.3

Dribble success

60%

Ball recoveries*

3.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

Clearances*

5.1

Total duels (won)*

4.7 (67%)

And he’s not done yet. Van Dijk has completed 313 appearances for Liverpool and won the full gamut, and though his lucrative contract is into its eleventh hour, he’s recently allayed fans’ concerns by confirming that talks are ongoing regarding a renewal.

This will be crucial for the Anfield side as it steers into the second year of Slot’s project, giving the Netherlands icon another year (or two) to drive the stake of his legacy even deeper into the rich Liverpool soil.

To be fair, you’d have to say that Mohamed Salah is Liverpool’s best signing in a long, long time. The Egyptian joined the club from AS Roma for just £34m and has gone on to claim legendary status.

However, his arrival preceded the skipper’s. He was followed from the Serie A by another though, and it is he who stands proud as Liverpool’s standout signing.

Liverpool's best signing after Van Dijk

You’ve probably already guessed who it is. While Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and co have reshaped Liverpool’s midfield and charged the club’s charge toward the Premier League title this season, it’s not them.

While Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz and and Cody Gakpo have been instrumental in Liverpool’s success in recent years, it’s Alisson Becker between the sticks who has been the life-juice since arriving in the early knockings of Klopp’s still-standing (even if he’s gone) dynasty.

Liverpool paid a world-record £67m fee – for a goalkeeper – to secure Alisson’s signature, but it still feels like something of a bargain. Quite simply, the Brazil international’s positional rivals all pale in comparison.

Slot has been more than happy to chip in about his keeper’s calibre, hailing his “world-class” saves. He’s the best of the best, with his stunning display at the Parc des Princes in February the perfect illustration of his lofty skills.

Making nine stunning saves and preventing an xG total of 2.26 goals, as per Sofascore, the South American called it “the performance of my life” as Liverpool somehow survived a ceaseless onslaught and emerged victorious – they lost the return leg, of course, but Alisson still put in a good shift.

First-leg match-winner, Harvey Elliott, also called his towering teammate “the best in the world” – and it’s a fair claim indeed.

It’s not just this season that the 32-year-old’s been in fine fettle, as you surely know. Back in May 2023, Klopp declared that his shot-stopping star had been the club’s “most consistent player” through a testing year.

In fact, injuries aside, Alisson is rarely in the firing line for poor performances, with his leadership, command and shot-saving prowess all converging to present a player who is truly the complete package.

The fact that Alisson, who arrived at Liverpool way back when, remains Liverpool’s best signing since Van Dijk was brought into Klopp’s squad six months earlier makes a telling comment on the issues behind recruitment over recent years.

It also details a pretty firm assessment regarding the Reds’ absolutely staggering longevity, not really making the sweeping changes of their divisional rivals over the past eight years or so.

Liverpool have done well to prudently tie Giorgi Mamardashvili down, but whether he’ll reach the same incredible heights as the Brazilian is another question entirely.

The Georgian keeper is set to join from Valencia this summer in a deal worth £29m, but the 24-year-old is sure to spend some time serving as Alisson’s understudy, replacing Caoimhin Kelleher as the able deputy leaves in search of a first-choice spot.

Alisson’s place is at Anfield for the foreseeable, but he’s about to enter the penultimate year of his contract and could leave for a transfer fee in one year’s time or maybe see his £150k-per-week deal out to its end.

In any case, the 6 foot 4 sensation is one of Liverpool’s finest modern players, so important, so influential, over the years. There’s a firm case to be made that all who have walked through the gates since have failed to outstrip him.

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Also: What is the record for the most ducks in a Test?

Steven Lynch27-Aug-2024There were 11 ducks in the second Test between West Indies and South Africa. Was this a record? asked Jamie Greaves from England

You’re right that there were 11 ducks in the recent match in Providence, four for West Indies and seven for South Africa (two by Keshav Maharaj, who bagged a pair). That actually equalled the Test record: there have now been 14 cases of 11 in a match, the first in an Ashes Test at Old Trafford in August 1888, and the most recent instance by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Mirpur in May 2022.South Africa’s seven ducks in the match was two short of the Test record. There have been three cases of nine by a team in the same Test: by Sri Lanka against India in Chandigarh in 1990-91, West Indies vs Australia in Brisbane in 2000-01, and Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka in Mirpur in 2022.Keshav Maharaj was dismissed three times in the recent Test series in the West Indies without scoring a single run. What’s the most a batter has been dismissed in a series without scoring a run? asked Gavin Truter from England

Keshav Maharaj was the 11th man to bat three times in a Test series and be out for a duck each time. Probably the most surprising name among the others is England’s Ben Stokes, in the home series against India in 2014.Only two men have batted four times in a Test series and been out for a duck each time: Pat Pocock for England vs West Indies in 1984, and Nuwan Pradeep for Sri Lanka vs Pakistan in the UAE in 2017-18. Four others have been dismissed for four ducks in a series: Iqbal Qasim for Pakistan in England in 1978, Danny Morrison for New Zealand in Australia in 1993-94, Phil Tufnell for England in Australia in 1994-95, and Dinanath Ramnarine for West Indies in Sri Lanka in 2001-02. Ramnarine actually batted six times, and had two 0 not outs to go with his four ducks. For the list, click here (note that this includes not-outs).The most ducks by anyone in a single Test series is six, by the Australian fast bowler Alan Hurst in the six-match Ashes series of 1978-79. He did score 44 runs in his other innings in the series though.Did I hear correctly that Milan Rathnayake’s 74 in Manchester was the highest on Test debut from No. 9? asked Anura de Silva from Sri Lanka

I was surprised to discover that it was true: Milan Rathnayake made 74 on his debut for Sri Lanka last week at Old Trafford, beating the previous record of 71 on debut from No. 9, by India’s Balwinder Singh Sandhu against Pakistan in Hyderabad in 1982-83.My slight surprise was because I knew there had been some debut centuries from low in the order, but it turns out that these came from even further down – No. 10! Australia’s Reggie Duff made 104 from there against England in Melbourne in 1901-02, and many years later Bangladesh’s Abul Hasan smacked 113 not out on debut against West Indies in Khulna in 2012-13. New Zealand’s Tim Southee clouted 77 not out – with nine sixes – on his debut, against England in Napier in 2007-08. He’s played 99 more Tests since and has still not beaten that score. Duff was a recognised batter going in down the order – he opened in most of his later Tests – but the others were genuine bowlers.The highest score by a No. 11 on Test debut remains 98, by Ashton Agar for Australia against England at Trent Bridge in 2013. No one else has reached 50 on debut after going in last.Milan Rathnayake’s (left) 74 is the highest on Test debut from No. 9 although there have been two hundreds from debutant No. 10s•PA Images via Getty ImagesI noticed that in the T20 WC final in 2014, all 22 players either batted or bowled, but no one did both. Was this unique? asked Edwin Kimberly Arockiam from India

That’s a good spot! In the T20 World Cup final in Mirpur in April 2014, India made 130 for 4, with only five batters making it to the crease since Virat Kohli was run out from the last ball of the innings. The other six Indian players then bowled as Sri Lanka won by scoring 134 for 4 – but the five players who didn’t bat all bowled.This was unique at the time, but it has happened in three T20 internationals since: the matches between India and West Indies in Chennai in 2018-19, Ireland vs Afghanistan in Belfast in 2022, and New Zealand vs Pakistan in the semi-final of the T20 World Cupin Sydney in November 2022. It has never happened in men’s ODIs, or women’s white-ball internationals.I spotted that Joe Root opened the bowling in three ODIs in 2014, and it set me wondering if he’d opened the batting and bowling in all three international formats. Alas, T20 batting is missing for him, but has anybody else done this? asked Sam Hurst from England

Only six men have opened the batting and bowling in Tests, one-day and T20Is. Three of them – Irfan Pathan of India, Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan and Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka – did it at least once in the same match in all three formats. The other three, who completed the set in different games, are Glenn Maxwell of Australia, Shoaib Malik of Pakistan, and Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

BJ Watling’s successor plays fire-fighter then fire-starter to reduce first-innings deficit

Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Feb-2023Brendon McCullum goes above and beyond to underplay his impression on this England team, particularly when it comes to tactical matters. But on day four of the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge last summer, he couldn’t hide. Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes were pointing right at him.Broad bowled the ball. Stokes, stationed around the corner at a deep backward square leg position on the 45, took the catch. Tom Blundell, off the back of 106 in the first innings, had to go for 24. McCullum had noted England hadn’t really gone short to the New Zealand wicketkeeper, and noticed he also liked a swivel after making contact to guide the ball behind square. If they could extract a bit of extra bounce on the right line, he could easily hit it through the air.Hey presto, Broad found the channel and Stokes didn’t have to move an inch. And a batter who had been a thorn in their side – Blundell finished the three-match series with 383 runs at an average of 76.60 – was seen off with ease. The two involved turned to the balcony and pointed at their head coach, whose face-obscuring combination of cap and sunglasses were now utterly redundant.A short-ball plan with an unconventional field is nothing new with this England team, but this was one of the first instances of it coming off. When Stokes brought himself on to open the second session on day two of this Test in Mount Maunganui, the hosts trailing by 187 with five first-innings wickets remaining and a pink Kookaburra not playing ball, few were surprised by the field.Nine Tests on from Nottingham, the doubling up along the sightlines of midwicket, square leg and fine leg have been normalised. But there was one different between what was set for the two batters. All behind square for Devon Conway were on the fence. Blundell, however, had an old friend lurking on the 45.There was no reacquaintance. Though Conway’s field had a whiff of preservation, he would be the man to succumb, reaching high and wide outside off stump and tamely diverting to Ollie Pope close in at square leg. The opener had gone for 77, New Zealand – 158 for 6 – seemingly on their way to a first-innings deficit that could prove terminal.That it didn’t was squarely thanks to Blundell, who by then had already decided he was in it for the long haul. He arrived to the crease at 83 for 5 after Daryl Mitchell, a man with whom he combined for 538 runs in that 2022 series for an average 107.6 per stand, had fallen for a duck. This time it was all on him.Blundell acknowledges the ovation for his hundred•Getty ImagesThough stumps came with England 98 ahead early in their second innings, his 138 runs were a godsend, closely followed by the dismissals of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in the final hour’s play. Blundell should have made it three by taking charge when Nighthawk Stuart Broad skied his second ball. Nevertheless, his fifth Test century is why New Zealand aren’t lagging further behind.Did he pack away the pull shot? Quite the opposite: 67 scored off the 58 short deliveries faced, making up 48 per cent of his runs. That’s above his average across 13 fifty-plus scores (41 per cent), and considerably higher than the 28 (Trent Bridge) and 24.5 per cent (against Australia at the MCG) in his two previous three-figure scores.”I love it when it’s short,” smiled Blundell in his press conference, like a chicken who’d been left with the grain. “It works into my wheelhouse a little bit. It felt like when they went bumper plan, we were able to score rather than when they were just hitting nice length it was actually quite hard to score at times. It’s something I pride myself on, playing the short ball.”Of course, it wasn’t all short and it wasn’t quite freewheeling. His first 50 took 96 deliveries, by which point the score was 195 for 7. It was only when Tim Southee fell (247 for 9) that he finally put his foot on the accelerator.The very next over (72nd) was taken for 14: a flat six over midwicket, before finishing with a brace of fours through cover and midwicket. After No. 11 Blair Tickner played out a maiden, a dodgy hack then a deft dab to fine leg moved him to a crisp 100 from 143. From that moment on, he says his aim was simple: “Hit the ball to the moon”.Blundell celebrates his hundred with Blair Tickner•AFP/Getty ImagesThe one that came closest ended up nestling in the hands of James Anderson for a caught-and-bowled to end the innings just 19 behind. The final stand finished on 59, Tickner chipping in with 3 not out off 24 balls thanks largely to Blundell’s protection and advice to “line up nice and straight”. He said: “For him [Tickner] to do that was bloody amazing.”That last-wicket partnership sums Blundell up. You can generally split wicketkeeper-batters into two types: fire-fighters and fire-starters. And while some closer to one side of than spectrum than the other, few sit as close to the middle as Blundell. He is, ultimately, a facilitator.Analysing his method and charting his rise is one of the same given it is almost entirely forged by his experiences. Since a debut in December 2017 – and a century at the first time of asking – it took him three years to earn five caps. Caps four to 11 saw him operate as an opener – a hundred in the first Test of that run, too, against Australia in the 2019 Boxing Day Test – before dropping back to the middle order which he jokes suited him just fine.It’s worth noting here that he used to be an off-spinning allrounder. And it’s especially neat that he fulfilled that role for Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club in the Shepherd Neame Essex League in 2012. Their keeper at the time? England’s Ben Foakes. It was only in the period between then and returning to the club in 2013 he took up the gloves full time.Even the last week, in which he and his partner had their second child – Freddie – offered a bit of extra clarity, even if it prevented him from picking up a bat in between. He was one of the marooned five as the squad arrived in dribs and drabs in the lead-up to this first of two Tests.None of this is a route to success at the top level, even if Blundell described a lot of it as “great”. But the stop-start beginnings allowed him to work out what he needed to do to thrive. So when BJ Watling (fire-fighter) retired after the World Test Championship victory over in the English summer of 2021, the player and person he was could not have been better aligned to what New Zealand needed him to be.Related

• Daryl Mitchell disappointed after New Zealand miss out on 'couple of small moments'

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• Tom Blundell bludgeons brilliant hundred to keep New Zealand in first Test hunt

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• Brook's one-two punch encapsulates his real-time evolution

It is fitting Watling’s career-best (205) came at Bay Oval against England back in 2019, just as Blundell’s has in 2023. The difference between those knocks acknowledges where those respective New Zealand teams were and are in their life cycle. Watling’s set up an innings victory. Blundell’s, at this juncture, might only have delayed defeat.This is very much a New Zealand team in transition, through reasons ranging from a golden generation moving on or into their final years and a cricket’s rapidly expanding ecosystem diminishing their pull on their own players. Which is all the more reason to cherish Blundell.Underlining his value is the fact Friday’s knock puts him up top, ahead of Tom Latham, as the country’s leading run-scorer since the World Test Championship final. At 32, Blundell’s gratitude at where he is right now is matched by New Zealand’s gratitude that he is where he is right now.

We assess the chances of the teams in Group One in our County Championship preview

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2021Derbyshire Matt Critchley consults with captain Billy Godleman•Getty ImagesLast season: 2nd in North Group
Head of cricket: Dave Houghton
Captain: Billy Godleman
Overseas: Billy Stanlake
Ins: Brooke Guest (Lancashire)
Outs: Tony Palladino, Ravi Rampaul (released)
Few clubs embraced the euphoria of last season’s Bob Willis Trophy quite like Derbyshire. The glee of release was two-fold in their case, from the constraints of lockdown on the one hand, but also from their pre-ordained struggle for survival on the other, as they unleashed a hungry crop of youngsters on a host of Test-match grounds in the North Group, and were still in the hunt for a Lord’s final berth ahead of their final-round loss to Lancashire.
The retention of the conference system for 2021 gives Derbyshire another dart at the big time this year – with champions Essex among their rivals in Group One – and if Billy Godleman can coax similarly ambitious displays from his squad, then there’s no reason to think they can’t strike a few similar blows.
Certainly, Dave Houghton has moulded a squad with many of the punch-above-weight attributes of the Zimbabwe team of his playing days. Wayne Madsen, Derbyshire’s captain when they last confounded expectations to earn promotion in 2012, remains a pivotal figure at the age of 37, while the balance that Luis Reece offers while opening the batting and bowling with his left-arm angles is invaluable.
Among the coming men in Derbyshire’s ranks, Leus du Plooy and Fynn Hudson-Prentice both made strides in the BWT, while Matt Critchley’s emergence as a legspinning allrounder did not go unnoticed either. No Derbyshire bowler fared better than his 17 wickets at 26.88.
One to watch: If he can stay fit – and, sadly, it has been a big ‘if’ in recent years – then Billy Stanlake could prove to be one of the signings of the summer. His 6ft 7in cloud-snagging action offers natural attributes that make him a threat in all conditions, and his desire to prove his stamina in red-ball cricket gives an eye-catching focal point to a seam-bowling attack that was arguably Derbyshire’s weak link last summer. Andrew Miller
Bet365: 33-1DurhamPaul Coughlin is one of a number of Durham returnees•Getty ImagesLast season: 6th in North Group
Director of cricket: Marcus North
Coach: James Franklin
Captain: Scott Borthwick
Overseas players: Will Young (April-May), Cameron Bancroft (May onwards)
Ins: Scott Borthwick (Surrey)
Outs: Scott Steel (Leicestershire), James Weighell (Glamorgan), Sol Bell, Josh Coughlin, Gareth Harte, Nathan Rimmington, Ben Whitehead (all released)
Scott Borthwick’s return north as Durham’s Championship captain will further inspire hopes that Durham are on the up, the after-shocks of their near-bankruptcy in 2016 now departed. The regional loyalties that are at Durham’s heart are also exemplified by the recent return of two bowling allrounders, Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin, but when all is said and done it is cricketing statistics that matter. Departures of two top-order batsmen, Gareth Harte and Scott Steel, have been presented as blows but Harte had a first-class average under 30 and Steel, only 21, had only played two first-class matches. Far more important is that David Bedingham, the former South Africa U-19 batsman, builds on an excellent maiden season in 2020 and that Jack Burnham, Ned Eckersley and Sean Dickson address the poor returns that saw them make only two half-centuries between them last season.
Durham look a seam bowler light so Chris Rushworth, who is 23 wickets shy of becoming Durham’s most prolific first-class bowler, needs Matty Potts to take his T20 form into the four-day stuff. And then there is Borthwick’s unpredictable legspin: as captain, at least he can bring himself on at the right time. Durham’s toughest fixtures are up first – away trips to Nottinghamshire and Essex with the opener at Trent Bridge particularly intriguing.
One to watch: Matty Potts, a Sunderland-born seamer, became the latest homegrown product to catch the attention with a strong Vitality Blast last season and he will now hope to make a more regular impact in the Championship. David Hopps
Bet365: 50-1EssexAlastair Cook and Tom Westley will be key figures once again•Getty ImagesLast season: 1st in South Group, BWT winners
Coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer, Peter Siddle
Ins:
Outs: Rishi Patel (Leicestershire)
Defending County Champions from 2019, Essex also pocketed “the Bob” during last year’s truncated season and will go into the summer as the team to beat in red-ball cricket. The strategy that underpins their success is deceptively simple: a largely homegrown squad, blending youth and experience, spearheaded by one of the most potent attacks on the circuit. Over the last four seasons of Championship and Bob Willis Trophy cricket, no bowlers can touch Simon Harmer (250 wickets) and Jamie Porter (208) at the top of the tree; Sam Cook and Aaron Beard, two 23-year-olds, provide sharp support and the return of Peter Siddle, once his involvement with Tasmania in the Sheffield is concluded, will add further cutting edge.
Stability has also been a key feature of their success. Tom Westley succeeded Ryan ten Doeschate as captain last year, but of the group that won the 2017 Championship, the only significant departures have been Ravi Bopara (now at Sussex) and James Foster (retirement). Alastair Cook continues into the third year of his contract post-England, Dan Lawrence will be looking to burnish his Test credentials after showing glimpses of his ability on the winter tours of Sri Lanka and India, and the familiar outlines of Nick Browne, Westley and ten Doeschate will help fill out the batting order. Worryingly for the rest, their appetite to extend the title-winning dynasty at Chelmsford seems as strong as ever.
One to watch: Feroze Khushi received unwanted attention after having beer poured over him during last year’s Bob Willis Trophy celebrations (Khushi is a Muslim), but the 21-year-old batsman had caught the eye with a couple of attractive innings in victories over Kent and Surrey, and will be looking to force his way into Essex’s settled top order. Alan Gardner
Bet365: 11-2NottinghamshireBlast champions Notts are looking to regain that winning feeling in red-ball cricket•Getty ImagesRelated

Hanuma Vihari confirmed for Warwickshire stint after Pieter Malan deal hits visa snag

Borthwick's return as captain marks Durham's levelling up

Vihari lined up for Warwickshire stint after Malan deal hits visa snag

Last season: 4th in North Group
Director of cricket: Mick Newell
Coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Steven Mullaney
Overseas players: Dane Paterson
Ins: Brett Hutton (Northamptonshire), Lyndon James (academy), Toby Pettman, Dane Schadendorf
Outs: Chris Nash, Jack Blatherwick (Lancashire)
June 23, 2018 is etched into the minds of Nottinghamshire members: the date they last felt the joy of victory in a first-class match. They are winless in 27 fixtures since that victory at Chelmsford, and as a result, any optimism for the 2021 season should be cautious in the extreme. There were glimmers of hope in the BWT last summer, with runs for recent recruits Ben Slater, Haseeb Hameed, Ben Duckett and Joe Clarke – who are likely to form the top four at the start of this season – but they were unfortunate with the weather and lacked a ruthless streak in crunch moments, most notably in the defeat against Derbyshire.
The club have built a deep pool of seamers too, both homegrown and imported. Zak Chappell and Jake Ball were both in the wickets last summer and Stuart Broad is likely to play a handful of early-season fixtures. Dane Paterson – eventually signed as an overseas player after 12 months in limbo – looks like a smart pick-up, while the underrated Brett Hutton has returned from Northants. For all the club’s white-ball success during the Peter Moores era, the first thing to tick off this season will be that elusive four-day victory.
One to watch: Samit Patel has not officially retired from red-ball cricket, but is not expected to feature in the Championship this season unless injury strikes. As a result, there is a vacancy for a left-arm spinner who can hold a bat, and Liam Patterson-White is the ideal candidate to fill it. He will play a holding role in the early rounds, but a pre-season five-for against Warwickshire suggests he will have no trouble running through the tail when required. Matt Roller
Bet365: 8-1WarwickshireOlly Stone breaks through for Warwickshire•Getty ImagesLast season: 3rd in Central Group
Director of cricket: Paul Farbrace
Coach: Mark Robinson
Captain: Will Rhodes
Overseas: Pieter Malan
Ins: Danny Briggs (Sussex), Manraj Johal, Jacob Bethell (both academy), Jacob Lintott
Outs: Jeetan Patel, Ian Bell, Tim Ambrose (all retired), Liam Banks (released)
This is the start of a new age at Warwickshire. With a host of familiar faces – Bell, Ambrose, Patel, Jim Troughton and Jonathan Trott among them – having departed in recent years, there is a new look to the playing and coaching staff. So, while some experience has been brought in – Pieter Malan (or Hanuma Vihari) should add some solidity to the batting, Danny Briggs the bowling and Tim Bresnan a bit of both – there is still a green look to the batting, in particular. But Warwickshire, a club whose youth system has underachieved for a long time, feel that in the likes of Dan Mousley, Rob Yates and Matt Lamb they have the nucleus of a team that could build into something pretty exciting.
At full strength, the seam department boasts impressive pace and promise. But Henry Brookes, Ryan Sidebottom and Olly Stone will rarely play together so Briggs, the man charged with replacing Patel, and Oliver Hannon-Dalby will be relied upon to hold things together.
There’s a new head coach in Mark Robinson and a nearly new captain in Will Rhodes, too. So while Warwickshire will hope to improve on some pretty modest Championship form over the last few years – they have only won one Division One or BWT match at Edgbaston since September 2016 – it will probably pay for supporters to retain modest ambitions in the short term. This is a rebuilding process that could take a while.
One to watch: Dayle Hadlee famously once described Ian Bell as “the best 16-year-old I’ve ever seen”. Well, now it’s Bell’s turn. He has described Jacob Bethell as “the best 17-year-old” he has ever seen. A Barbadian, Bethell’s primary skill is his batting but his left-arm spin is highly rated, too. He might have to wait for an opportunity, but he really is an exciting prospect. George Dobell
Bet365: 14-1.WorcestershireJake Libby enjoyed a prolific Bob Willis Trophy•Getty ImagesLast season: 2nd in Central Group
Coach: Alex Gidman
Captain: Joe Leach
Overseas: Alzarri Joseph
Ins: Alzarri Joseph, Gareth Roderick (Gloucestershire)
Outs: Wayne Parnell (Northants), George Scrimshaw (Derbyshire), Ben Twohig, Olly Westbury (both released)
Worcestershire go into the Championship season with a bit to prove. Although they had a decent BWT, they finished ninth in Division Two in 2019. Even without Josh Tongue and Pat Brown, who are unlikely to feature before May as they come back from injury, they look to have an impressive seam attack with Alzarri Joseph, available for the first seven Championship games, adding pace with the ball and the prospect of lower-order runs. Adam Finch, who impressed on loan at Surrey, should challenge some more established seamers for a place, too.
The spin bowling is less strong. With Keshav Maharaj having pulled out of a deal and Moeen Ali’s availability severely limited, Brett D’Oliveira will be required to provide the spin option and avoid over-rate fines. The club may well recruit an overseas spinner later in the campaign.
Gareth Roderick, who is expected to bat at No. 3, should add some solidity to a batting line-up that was noticeably improved by the recruitment of Jake Libby last year. The likes of Jack Haynes and Rikki Wessels, in the last year of his contract, may be fighting it out for the final batting spot, though the number of bowling allrounders – Leach, Joseph and Ed Barnard among them – should provide lower-order runs.
While qualifying for Division One will, no doubt, be the aim, reaching Division Two would probably represent a season of progress.
One to watch: Kane Williamson and Morne Morkel were among those impressed by Dillon Pennington’s first season in 2018. And while a foot injury appeared to rob him of his outswing and slow his progress the following year, he has looked back to his best in pre-season. Strong, sharp and blessed with an ability to move the ball away from the right-hander, he has the potential to enjoy a long career. GD
Bet365: 12-1