The first two matches against Australia will mark the end of the allrounder’s West Indies career, seven months before the next T20 World Cup

Andrew McGlashan16-Jul-2025West Indies allrounder Andre Russell will retire from international cricket after the first two T20Is against Australia on his home ground at Sabina Park in Jamaica.Russell, 37, has been a T20I-only player since 2019 and currently has 84 caps. His retirement comes seven months before the next T20 World Cup, which will be staged in India and Sri Lanka in February 2026. He also played one Test and 56 ODIs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Words cannot explain what it meant. To represent the West Indies has been one of the proudest achievements in my life,” Russell said. “When I was a kid, I did not expect to get to this level, but the more you start to play and get to love the sport, you realise what you can achieve. This inspired me to become better because I wanted to leave a mark in the maroon colours and become an inspiration to others.””I love playing for the West Indies and I love playing at home in front of my family and friends where I get to showcase my talent and produce more high-quality performances. I want to finish my international career on a high while being a role model for the next generation of cricketers coming out of the Caribbean.”Russell will become the second high-profile West Indies player, after Nicholas Pooran, to quit international cricket in less than two months. It’s understood West Indies’ selectors were not expecting Russell’s announcement.Russell was a part of the West Indies squads when they won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and then in 2016, when he took the new ball and dismissed Alex Hales in the second over in Kolkata.”Andre has always been the consummate professional and a fierce competitor,” coach Daren Sammy said. “Whether I was captaining him or now coaching him, his hunger to perform and win for West Indies has never wavered. I wish him all the best on his next chapter, and I hope he continues to inspire generations to come.”Matthew Forde will be Russell’s replacement in the squad against Australia for the St Kitts leg of matches.Meanwhile, teenager Jewel Andrew and Jediah Blades, 23, earned their maiden call-ups to the West Indies T20I squad. In CPL 2024, at 17 years and 266 days, Andrew had become the youngest West Indian and second youngest overall to score a fifty in a major T20 league. Andrew is currently part of Guyana Amazon Warriors in the ongoing Global Super League (GSL) in Guyana.As for Blades, he has not played the CPL so far but had impressed with the new ball during the inaugural West Indies breakout league, a tournament that was held recently to identify emerging talent from the region. Shai Hope will continue to lead the side, which also includes Rovman Powell, who missed the GSL for Dubai Capitals.”Our goals and strategic plans are aligned to winning the T20 World Cup in 2026,” Sammy said. “We have continuity in the squad from the previous series and as a unit we will continue to fine tune our style and brand ahead of the World Cup.””Our previous two T20 series at home we were on the wrong end of the results but starting against Australia, we want to regain our form at home as we build momentum into next year’s World Cup with our exciting and dynamic group of players.”West Indies squadShai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

Keith Dudgeon, the South African seamer, has signed as one of Kent’s overseas players for 2026. The 29-year-old will be available across formats for the full season.Dudgeon joined Kent on a short-term deal at the start of the 2025 summer and played one match – against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, in which he claimed career-best innings figures of 7 for 36 – before a knee injury ruled him out.He will return next April for the start of the County Championship and is also expected to be involved in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup competitions.”It’s a huge case of unfinished business for me, and I’m sure it seems that way for the Kent fans – I’m so pleased to be a Kent player again for the whole of next season,” Dudgeon said.”Everyone at the club made me feel so welcome in my short time in Canterbury and I have been avidly watching the lads as much as I can from South Africa as I continue to work hard to get back to full fitness. I wish them all the very best for the rest of this year.”I’m looking forward to making more appearances for Kent next summer – including my home debut.”I’d like to thank Adam [Hollioake], Simon [Cook] and the board at Kent for putting their faith in me coming back for 2026.”Although Kent won their first two Championship games, they have since drawn three and lost four to sit bottom of Division Two. Their Blast campaign has been more successful, with four wins and five defeats, but they currently sit outside the qualification spots with four games to go.Simon Cook, Kent’s director of dricket, said: “Keith made a lasting impression on us during his short but sweet time earlier in this season.”He is progressing well in his rehab work after successful knee surgery, and is due to start playing again before Christmas for his domestic side in South Africa, Boland. We’re all looking forward to welcoming back to the group for the whole of 2026.”

With the series on the line, the hosts go in as favourites with their bowling attack firing as a unit

Danyal Rasool21-Jul-2025

Bangladesh have recently been finding their T20I groove•AFP/Getty Images

Big picture: Bangladesh eye series winPerhaps it will never be possible to conclusively establish which was worse – the Mirpur pitch or how Pakistan went about batting on it. But with the series on the line, Pakistan coach Mike Hesson will know his side can only control the latter. In the first T20I, on a somewhat two-paced surface where Fakhar Zaman got them off to a fast start, Pakistan would shoot themselves in the foot repeatedly, lacing the innings with three run-outs and several soft caught dismissals. It ground their innings down to a halt before the hosts pulled off a clinical, pressure-free chase with 27 balls to spare.Bangladesh have, seemingly out of nowhere, found their T20I groove in what was a dismal year in the format for them. A fortnight ago, their most recent T20I series had seen them get brushed aside by Pakistan 3-0, their only victory all year coming against the UAE in a series they would go on to lose 2-1. But with their injury and availability issues starting to ease, they effected a turnaround with a crushing win over Sri Lanka, turning that series around before Sunday’s dismantling of Pakistan helping them reel off three successive wins.Related

Pakistan suffer rude awakening at the start of Bangladesh T20Is

Hesson slams 'unacceptable' Mirpur pitch

While there were flashes of batting brilliance up top from Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon even when the side was struggling for wins, it is the coming together of the bowling attack as a unit that has lit the touchpaper for Bangladesh’s form. It began with that 83-run trouncing of Sri Lanka eight days earlier, one where each of the five bowlers took wickets before they stifled the batters in the series decider. With Taskin Ahmed joining the fray, it was notable Bangladesh’s quicks took all but one of the Pakistan wickets that weren’t run-outs, indicating the potential blossoming of a more rounded bowling attack.Pakistan will have to demonstrate the first game was a bump in the road and not an indication their young fiery batting order will struggle on surfaces not attuned to their preferences. The Gaddafi Stadium, where they eased past Bangladesh so comfortably, were batting featherbeds, with a weakened bowling attack given well above par to defend. In lower-scoring games, though, those weaknesses will invariably be magnified and exploited; this series could well be a litmus test for the suitability of this approach in the medium term.Form guidePakistan LWWWL Bangladesh WWWLLIn the spotlight – Emon and MirzaParvez Hossain Emon has been a bit feast or famine, but is perhaps Bangladesh’s most dynamic T20 batter. Cheap early dismissals in two of the three games in each of the series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka belie the sheer destructive power he possesses when he finds his rhythm. A 34-ball 66 in the final game against Pakistan last month was followed up by a similarly impactful cameo – 38 off 22 – against Sri Lanka. He would not score a run in that series afterwards, but showed no hesitancy after two early wickets fell in Sunday’s low chase, his unbeaten 39-ball 56 carrying Bangladesh home with ease. Alongside his more consistent but perhaps slightly less watchable opening partner Tanzid, Bangladesh appear stood on the precipice of a truly modern T20 opening pairing.Bangladesh outbowled Pakistan in the first game, with Pakistan’s lack of star bowling firepower painfully visible. Without Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah or Haris Rauf, it was Salman Mirza who spearheaded the attack. Shaheen and Rauf’s Lahore Qalandars team-mate was the only bowler to make any inroads while there was jeopardy in the game, reducing Bangladesh to 7 for 2 after his first eight balls. But if support from elsewhere is not forthcoming, Mirza needs to repeat – and potentially improve upon – his showing if Pakistan’s quick bowlers are to match Bangladesh’s as they scramble to keep the series alive.Team news Bangladesh are unlikely to tinker with the side which produced a comprehensive win. Expect the same eleven to try to wrap the series up.Bangladesh : 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali (wk), 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mahedi Hasan 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedNeither side trained so there’s little to reveal Pakistan’s thinking. The batting is unlikely to change with Salman Agha and Hesson promising to back their players. If Pakistan want another specialist spin option, though, Sufiyan Muqeem could find his way in.Pakistan: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Mohammad Haris (wk), 4 Hasan Nawaz, 5 Salman Ali Agha (capt), 6 Mohammad Nawaz, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Abbas Afridi, 9 Faheem Ashraf, 10 Salman Mirza, 11 Abrar AhmedPitch and conditionsThere’s a strong chance of an evening shower as Bangladesh remains in the grip of the rainy season.Stats and trivia Bangladesh’s victory over Pakistan was achieved with 4.3 overs to spare; it is their largest such victory over Pakistan, and their fifth largest overall Zaman is 107 runs away from becoming just the fifth Pakistani to 2000 T20I runs

Leeds United’s atrocious away record in the Premier League this season continued on the road at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

It’s now eight games in a row for Daniel Farke’s deflated Whites where they haven’t even scored in an away fixture, as Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts “outclassed” the visitors from West Yorkshire – as journalist Graham Smyth simply put it – by comfortably winning 3-0.

Of course, for as much as Brighton were at their dazzling best in spells, Leeds really didn’t put in a compelling enough fight to try and steal a result on the South Coast.

Several of Farke’s first team personnel very much let the under-pressure German down, as Leeds now slip nearer to the dreaded relegation zone…

Leeds' worst underperformers vs Brighton

Minus beating bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers on their travels at the tail-end of September, Leeds have been largely abject on the road in the Premier League since sealing promotion.

A 2-0 defeat away at Burnley to end October has now been followed up by this 3-0 disappointment against the rampant Seagulls, as Brenden Aaronson unfortunately receded back into his shell.

The gung-ho number 11 who took to the field against West Ham and grabbed a goal was nowhere to be found at the Amex, with the American failing to fire a single effort at the home side’s net.

To make matters worse, the energy and application were also lacking, with zero mazey dribbles pulled off, on top of only three of his ten duels being won.

Another strong performer versus the Hammers in Jaka Bijol, also looked out of sorts on the South Coast, as the towering Slovenian won just one of his own three duels, while Sean Longstaff further looked a shadow of his rampaging best, leading to Anton Stach replacing him on the hour mark.

In truth, nobody donning Leeds’ changed strip could come away from the one-sided affair holding their heads high, with journalist Adam Pope right with his assessment at the full-time whistle, when stating that there is a clear “big gulf” between the two sides.

Still, Leeds’ defence throughout was far too lax and charitable, away from waxing lyrical about Brighton’s clear firepower, as one of Farke’s defenders on the day put in arguably his worst-ever shift since joining the West Yorkshire outfit.

Leeds star had his worst game for the club

Unfortunately, many of Leeds’ promotion heroes have struggled at points this season already to acclimatise to the demands of the top-flight.

Joe Rodon hasn’t been one of those – with two goals already picked up in his new, fast-paced environment – but even he fell victim to a flat individual showing against Brighton, alongside Jayden Bogle also having a nightmarish afternoon he will want to quickly forget about.

In the Championship last campaign, Bogle was an undroppable whippet who was constantly full of energy down the right, as the “unbelievable” full-back – as Farke once lauded him – ended the title-winning season with six goals and four assists under his belt, while also collecting a mighty 16 clean sheets.

Watching his showing against Brighton, however, and you would think a different presence had entered the pitch altogether, with Bogle’s tenacious energy completely gone – as seen in him failing to complete one successful dribble – as an error-prone performance, instead, helped the hosts to an emphatic win.

Minutes played

77

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

37

Accurate passes

20/24 (83%)

Accurate crosses

1/3

Successful dribbles

0/1

Possession lost

10x

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

0/1

Staring at the table above in great detail really does solidify the argument that this was Bogle’s worst-ever display as a Leeds player, with zero tackles being won and zero duels being won by the ex-Sheffield United defender only boosting Brighton’s confidence that they could comprehensively get the better of their weak opponents.

Diego Gomez would go on to have an “absolutely insane” game – as one analyst put it – because of the feeble number two’s off-night, with the 25-year-old then afraid to burst forward with his usual pace, knowing he had an extremely tough job on his hands to cage the two-goal Paraguayan.

However, Gomez’s final goal of the afternoon wouldn’t be the most skilful or high-octane goal. Rather, a scuffed attempt at a pass from Bogle – who lost possession a high ten times throughout – would then lead to ex-Leeds star Georginio Rutter putting it on a plate for the red-hot South American to bury.

The aforementioned Smyth would hand out a lacklustre 4/10 rating to Bogle at the close of the demoralising loss, with Farke now surely prepared to drop his regular for James Justin to get a run-out.

If they conjure up many more of those lifeless displays on the road, Leeds will be staring at an immediate return to the Championship, with Bogle potentially collecting an unwanted third relegation on his CV.

Farke can unleash Stach by dropping Leeds star who's "not good enough"

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It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025

Haider Ali has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan•Getty Images

Haider Ali has been arrested by the Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and bailed pending further enquiries. The Pakistan batter, who was with the Shaheens squad, the de facto ‘A’ team on a tour against of England, remains in the UK. A Shaheens squad, which includes a number of players on the England tour, has flown to Australia to take part in a multi-team T20 series. Haider was part of the squad due to go to Australia, and has been replaced by allrounder Mohammad Faiq”After receiving a report on Monday 4 August 2025 of a rape, we have arrested a 24-year-old man,” a statement from Greater Manchester Police confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. “It’s alleged that the incident occurred on Wednesday 23 July 2025 at a premises in Manchester. The man has since been bailed pending further enquiries. The victim is being supported by officers.”It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing the last of their five games of the tour. Haider played each of the five games, including the first two on 22 and 25 July, between which the incident he was arrested for is alleged to have occurred in Manchester on 23 July. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the UK.Related

Manchester police drop all charges against Haider Ali

Haider Ali under criminal investigation in the UK, suspended by the PCB

On Thursday, the PCB issued a statement confirming Haider was under criminal investigation in the UK and suspended him pending the results of that investigation. It affirmed that the board “fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK” and were providing the player with legal support.Haider, 24, has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan. Initially feted as a destructive power hitter, his reputation burnished with standout performances in the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi in 2020, when he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of over 157. He was called up to the national side later that year, his international debut coming in a T20I game in Manchester, where he scored a 33-ball 54 as Pakistan won by five runs.Inconsistency has dogged him since, and he has repeatedly found himself in and out of the side. However, his talent and explosiveness have kept him in international contention, and the current Shaheens tour was widely viewed as an opportunity to reintegrate a player whose batting approach aligns with the aggressive style Pakistan’s current T20 set-up has made no secret they want to pursue.The PCB has said that they intend to make no further public comment until legal proceedings are complete.

MatériaMais Notícias

Bahia recebe o Atlético-MG nesta quarta-feira (6), pela 38ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A bola vai rolar a partir das 21h30 (de Brasília), na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador (BA), com transmissão do Premiere e com tempo real do Lance!.

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✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Bahia x Atlético-MG
38ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro

Data e horário: quarta-feira, 6 de dezembro de 2023, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador (BA)
Onde assistir: Premiere
Arbitragem: Ramon Abatti Abel (árbitro – FIFA); Nailton Júnior de Sousa Oliveira (FIFA) e Thiaggo Americano Labes (auxiliares); Rodrigo José Pereira de Lima (quarto árbitro); Wagner Reway (VAR – FIFA)

⚽PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
BAHIA (Técnico: Rogério Ceni)
Marcos Felipe, Gilberto, Kanu, Vitor Hugo e Luciano Juba; Rezende, Acevedo, Yago Felipe e Thaciano; Cauly, Biel.

Desfalques: –

ATLÉTICO-MG (Técnico: Cuca)
Everson, Mariano, Igor Rabello, Jemerson, Arana; Otávio, Edenílson, Zaracho, Igor Gomes; Paulinho e Hulk.

Desfalques: Battaglia, Bruno Fuchs e Eduardo Vargas (Lesionados); Matheus Mendes (Suspenso)

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

A touching post-match moment inside the Wembley dressing room showed Manchester City star John Stones presenting team-mate Nico O’Reilly with his first England cap, delivering a heartfelt speech in the aftermath of the 20-year-old's dream debut. The exchange came after England’s 2-0 win over Serbia, with cameras capturing O’Reilly’s pride as team-mates applauded the milestone.

Stones hands O'Reilly his first Three Lions cap

England’s 2-0 win over Serbia ended with a heartwarming dressing room scene, as Stones stood before the squad and handed O’Reilly his maiden Three Lions cap. The Manchester City centre-back began by saying: “I think we all remember getting one of these and this is Nico's. It's a pleasure for me to give you this.” He continued: “Seeing how hard you work at City and you've finally done your dream, so congrats.”

O’Reilly – surrounded by England players and staff – delivered an emotional message of his own, telling the room: “Dream come true for me and my family. I just want to thank you all. I thank the manager for the opportunity and the staff for the welcome.” The video, filmed minutes after full-time at Wembley, highlighted the significance of his milestone as he became the 1,296th player to represent England at senior level.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesO'Reilly revels in making his England debut

O’Reilly later described the occasion as one his entire family would remember forever, reiterating that representing England had always been his biggest ambition. Reflecting on the night, he said: “I’m over the moon. It was a very special night making my debut. It was a dream come true for me and my family. I want to thank everyone who has helped me get here.” He also highlighted the emotional nature of having his family in attendance, adding: “My mum, stepdad, sister, for them to watch me play here at Wembley is a crazy feeling.”

He revealed that he learned he would be starting earlier in the day when the squad list was announced, and rather than feeling overwhelmed, he embraced the moment calmly. Speaking to , he said: “I was calm, and I was excited. Big, big moment. I was calm, level-headed and just ready for the game.” His measured reaction only reinforced the maturity that has fast-tracked him from academy prospect to senior international.

O’Reilly also spoke about how quickly the opportunity arrived, noting: “Everything happens for a reason, and it comes at the right time. I am just happy! I take it game by game and day by day. Keep working hard and keep going.” His words reflected not just gratitude but a genuine belief that this debut is the beginning of something much bigger.

O'Reilly's meteoric rise at Man City

O’Reilly’s England debut against Serbia marked a defining moment in what has been an extraordinary 14-month rise from Manchester City’s academy to the senior national team. Tuchel’s decision to start him at left-back highlighted both his versatility, having originally developed as a midfielder, and his tactical intelligence, traits Pep Guardiola has leaned heavily on at club level. His performance was influential throughout, most notably when his half-cleared shot created the sequence for Bukayo Saka’s opener in the first half.

The match provided the ideal setting for a debut, with England already qualified for the 2026 World Cup and therefore able to give opportunities to emerging talents. O’Reilly’s energy, overlapping runs and composed defending offered a glimpse of why he is widely tipped to become a long-term option at full-back. His development has been so impressive that Manchester City awarded him a new five-year contract earlier this year, cementing his place in their long-term plans.

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Getty Images SportO'Reilly hoping to be in Tuchel's World Cup squad

O’Reilly is expected to remain part of England’s plans ahead of their final World Cup qualifier against Albania, although Tuchel may rotate heavily with the group already secured. The key focus for the coaching staff will be monitoring his adaptation to international football, particularly as competition intensifies for places ahead of the 2026 finals in North America.

For his part, O’Reilly said he would work as hard as possible in a bid to try and be part of the squad that travels to the tournament: “It is an aim of mine. I would love to be there. I just need to keep working hard and hopefully I’ll be there.”

At club level, Manchester City anticipate his return to the squad with renewed confidence, especially given how effectively he has transitioned between positions in Guardiola’s system. O’Reilly will continue to push for more minutes across multiple roles, with his England debut likely boosting his standing within the squad. If he maintains his current trajectory, both City and England could find themselves with a uniquely gifted, tactically flexible option for years to come.

MS Dhoni has said the return of Ruturaj Gaikwad will bolster Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) batting in IPL 2026.Gaikwad was ruled out of IPL 2025 after playing five games with an elbow injury. Dhoni took over the CSK captaincy but could not turn the team’s fortunes around; they finished at the bottom with just four wins from 14 matches, struggling to put together consistent batting efforts.”We are slightly worried about our batting order,” Dhoni said at an event in Chennai. “But I think our batting order is quite sorted out now. Rutu (Gaikwad) will be coming back. He got injured. But he will be coming back. So, we are quite sorted now.”Related

• R Ashwin asks CSK for clarity ahead of IPL 2026

• What can CSK do to rise from rock bottom next season?

• Dhoni on his IPL future: I have four-five months to decide

Dhoni said the team will try to further strengthen the unit at the mini-auction later this year. “I won’t say we [CSK] slacked off [in IPL 2025],” he said. “But there were certain holes that we needed to plug in. A small auction is coming in December. Some loopholes are there, and we will try to plug those in.”Gaikwad’s last competitive outing remains CSK’s match against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur on April 8. He had a county deal with Yorkshire but withdrew citing personal reasons. He has been named in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025-26, beginning later this month.MS Dhoni wants CSK to use the mini-auction to plug the holes•BCCI

Dhoni admitted CSK were below-par over the last two seasons, and said it was important for the team to identify the areas of concern.”Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us,” Dhoni said. “We have not been up to the mark. But what is important is for you to see the learnings. Yes, you had a bad season. But what went wrong? And that was the question for us last year also.”We were like, ‘okay, there are some shortcomings’. But first we needed to exactly figure out what were the shortcomings and then look at solutions. I feel more often than not we have been able to figure out what exactly went wrong. In sports, you know you can have a very good time and at the same time there will be periods when you won’t be performing well. In CSK, more often than not, we are on the higher side.”So, we do talk about the processes. But at the same time we do want the result to come to our side. Last year it wasn’t there. But looking ahead, we will try to sort out most of the things, and we will hopefully be at our best.”Dhoni started his journey with CSK in 2008 and has led them to five IPL titles. He said his journey with franchise and the city has played an important part in his personal growth.”It’s a very long relationship that we have had and it started much before the start of IPL … 2005 was the time when I made my Test debut which happened to be in Chennai. So, it started from that point of time. And yes, CSK helped in a big way because all of a sudden I’m spending 45-50 days here.”So, I feel the relationship over the years has grown. It helped me improve as a person. It helped me improve as a cricketer. So, CSK just happened. I think it’s good for Chennai. So, today it’s good for me also. Nowadays when we go and say CSK, it’s not a brand only in India, but when we go to Australia, South Africa, or any of the cricket playing nations.”

Australian allrounder hits 44 off 17 then takes three-for as sorry Phoenix lose again

ECB Media22-Aug-2025Welsh Fire claimed their first win of the Hundred’s fifth season at the sixth time of asking as Aussie allrounder Jess Jonassen inspired them to a comprehensive victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston to end their hosts’ slim hopes of progressing to the Eliminator.Fire, last year’s runners-up, were playing for pride after five straight defeats extinguished their hopes of a top-three finish and they produced comfortably their best performance of the campaign so far, Jonassen delivering fireworks with the bat before returning figures of 3 for 24.The omens didn’t look good for Fire when Tammy Beaumont was bowled for 2 by a trademark inswinger from Megan Schutt, but a second-wicket stand of 71 between Sophia Dunkley (53 from 43) and Hayley Matthews, (34 not out from 33) laid strong foundations.Dunkley’s failed attempt at a sweep shot saw her bowled by Hannah Baker to leave Fire 99 for 2 before Jonassen upped the ante with a powerful knock of 44 from 17 balls. The experienced left-hander was particularly brutal against Baker, hitting four consecutive sixes in the legspinner’s final set to propel Fire to 150 for 3.Sophia Dunkley on her way to a half-century•Getty ImagesIn reply the Phoenix made a stuttering start, Shabnim Ismail (3 for 16) producing a beauty to castle Emma Lamb for a second-ball duck before trapping Marie Kelly lbw two deliveries later.Australian duo Georgia Voll (29 from 18) and Ellyse Perry (53 from 43) gave the innings impetus but Jonassen made another crucial intervention, bowling Voll with a nicely flighted delivery which deceived her compatriot in the air.Amy Jones swiftly followed, bowled by Matthews for a golden duck, before Perry gave the Phoenix a glimmer of hope, registering her first half-century of this summer’s competition.Sterre Kalis (15 from 16) briefly flickered, hitting Jonassen for a straight six, but she had her revenge two balls later when Kalis holed out to Ismail at long-on, and Ailsa Lister fell in identical fashion soon after to give her a third.Ismail returned to see off Perry, dismissed by a low catch from Georgia Elwiss at mid-off, and Matthews (3-21) did further damage as the Phoenix eventually limped to 114 for 9, slipping to the bottom of the table after suffering their fifth defeat in six.”We’ve been searching for a win all season. It’s nice that things clicked today,” Jonassen said. “We were probably just letting ourselves down a little with the bat, more so than anything, and it’s really nice we got a win today but with things still to improve on for the remaining matches. We’re really looking forward to getting back to Cardiff for our next game.”

Following another evening of wasted chances, Everton have reportedly joined the race to sign Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus, who have set a bargain price for their striker.

David Moyes was once again left frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland in a game that saw Thierno Barry spurn a clear-cut opportunity to win the game. In the forward’s third start, expectations were high that he could finally kickstart his Everton career.

When the ball arrived at the far post, it looked as though the £27m man was destined to open his account in Merseyside, only for his attempt to find the stands rather than the back of the net. For the umpteenth time this season, the Toffees simply couldn’t find the missing piece to an impressive attacking move.

Moyes didn’t shy away from mentioning the missed chances at full-time either, and will be getting more and more frustrated with his current striker situation.

What really summed up Everton’s striker problem was the performance of Beto when he came from the bench. Whilst Barry was guilty of missing his chance, his replacement simply struggled to get himself into the game.

It’s something that The Friedkin Group must address if they are to push Everton into the top half of the Premier League. Several names have already been mentioned who could solve Moyes’ problem in the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll arrive.

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Among those mentioned includes Ivan Toney, who will likely need a move back into Europe from Al-Ahli if he is to get into Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. But he’s not the only name on the list, with Vlahovic’s new bargain price suddenly making him an interesting option.

Everton enter race to sign Dusan Vlahovic

According to TEAMtalk, Everton have now entered the race to sign Dusan Vlahovic, who is now available for as little as €20m (£18m) in January if he fails to sign a new contract at Juventus.

The Serbian striker has been linked with a move away from the Italian club for some time, but could now get his chance to move on courtesy of the Premier League in 2026. Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and West Ham United are also in the race to secure his signature in a bargain move.

Minutes

499

597

308

Goals

3

1

0

Assists

0

0

0

Expected Goals

3.2

3.9

1

If the Toffees want a clinical striker then Vlahovic could be their man. The forward has scored three goals in just 499 minutes of action so far this season – the same as three goals in around 5.5 full games.

Described as “strong” by former Juventus boss Igor Tudor, Vlahovic has also matched his expected goals so far this season, whilst Beto has fallen far behind what he is expected to have scored by this stage. Simply put, Everton would be landing themselves a major upgrade.

Everton also eyeing Nicolas Jackson move