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Trying to catch one of his final innings in the game became a matter of urgency, of getting to say a proper goodbye

Daniel Brettig27-Jul-2013From the moment of his international retirement in Perth last year, I’d always planned to see Ricky Ponting bat in the flesh one final time. I wasn’t sure where or when this would be, but it would certainly happen, either for Tasmania, Hobart Hurricanes or Surrey: plenty of matches remained. A BBL date in Sydney took place with Ponting absent injured, cutting out one chance. A Sheffield Shield final elapsed without the opportunity to visit in person as it clashed with an India Test, dashing another. Slowly, the window was narrowed.Early on in my visit to England for the Ashes, Ponting announced that he would draw his career to a close before the start of the next Australian season, adding further urgency to the commitment. Not to worry, I thought, there were ample games to go. But the demands of the Ashes precluded a visit to see him play for Surrey, including his last first-class innings of an unbeaten 169, and as the Caribbean Premier League ticked near, the chance of being there for that final glimpse diminished.But all the while I had in mind two T20 fixtures at Lord’s and The Oval in the last week of July, as I’m sure many others did. In the circumstances, it seemed like the right way to bid Ponting farewell. He was not taking part in the Ashes, sure, and at that moment most members of the Australian team he had represented for 16 years would not be in London but in Sussex, slogging through a tour match and trying to conjure some inspiration for the next three Tests against England.So at the height of the English summer, in front of packed crowds, Ponting would sign off with a flourish and a last volley of strokes. He would walk to the wicket accompanied by rich applause, and perhaps the odd bit of well-lagered abuse from those wishing to revisit the verbal barbs of 2005 or 2009. A marking of the guard, a glance around the field, and a resumption of that familiar crouch at the batting crease would follow.One last time I would see bowlers strain that little extra amount to find a way past Ponting’s bat. A redoubled effort in the presence of batting greatness, a chance to tell the grandchildren that they had got the man out, even if at the age of 38, in a racy format far removed from the five-day game where he made his name. One last time fielders would tense for opportunities, perhaps at slip from an early nick, perhaps later on at midwicket or mid-on from a slightly miscued pull shot. And the fielders in the ring would think themselves a chance of sneaking a run-out, per Pratt, per Flintoff.Whatever chances Ponting would offer, he would also provide a reminder of what made him so rare a batting talent. Maybe it would be with straight drives off the front foot, of the kind he delighted in scorching past the ankles of a fast bowler. Perhaps it would be with the squarer punches off the back, played with a level of certainty and consistency that few batsmen of any era have managed. Almost certainly it would feature a few rasping pull shots, of the kind that for so long turned the bouncer, a pace bowler’s most common intimidatory resource, into the friendliest ball Ponting could possibly receive.

Before and after the match, it would have been possible to glimpse the drive that made Ponting such an exemplar of how to pursue victories. His nets and warm-ups would be precise and demanding, never once mailed in from an absent mind

When it came time for Surrey to take the field, Ponting would then offer one final masterclass in the versatility, agility and unstinting alertness of perhaps the finest all-round fielder Australia has produced. Impassable on both sides, with a knack for hitting the stumps and an even better one for catching almost everything that went near him, it was in the field that Ponting never once lost his best touch, even if the sharpness of his batting began to trail off in later years. Rod Marsh was known to exclaim “just look at him” during a Shield match last summer, when comparing Ponting with those Australian cricketers destined to follow but never better him.Before and after the match, it would have been possible to glimpse the drive that made Ponting such an exemplar of how to pursue victories. His nets and warm-ups would be precise and demanding, never once mailed in from an absent mind. No one has played in more victorious Test matches than Ponting, and as the game drifts further towards a T20-lined future, no one is likely to pass him. His desire to win always outstripped his desire for personal gain. It is one of many qualities so evident in Ponting that Australian cricket is in dire need of rediscovering.As the Surrey allrounder Gareth Batty observed recently in the of Ponting’s last day as a first-class cricketer: “Many players would have been happy to have done what Ricky did in his final innings, regardless of the result of the game. But he still came into the changing room after the game pretty downbeat that we never got an opportunity to win. He genuinely meant it, too. In my opinion, he’s the best Australian batsman of his generation, one of the top two or three in the world at that time, yet still his sole focus was: ‘We need to win a game of cricket. That’s the only thing that matters.’ When you see that will to win from a player, it’s phenomenal.”That downbeat expression would be visible from the Oval balcony on the night I came to see him. A groin strain ruled him out of this match against Kent, as it had the visit to Lord’s and Middlesex the previous night. All those final memories of Ponting had to be remembered from other days, not cherished on this one. As the evening crept on, it dawned on me that Ponting’s final innings in England took place eight days ago, at The Oval. He made 3 for Surrey in a loss to Hampshire. I wasn’t there, and nor were many who had hoped to see him bat one last time. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

The two-hour bus trip from Colombo to Galle may not be long enough to accommodate all that Michael Clarke must ponder – particularly the Khawaja v Marsh selection tussle, and his own batting form

Daniel Brettig in Colombo28-Aug-2011As he sat back in the team bus from Colombo to Galle, the Australian captain Michael Clarke had plenty of selection questions to contemplate. The shape of his bowling attack will likely be defined by the state of the pitch for the first Test, but it is a little more difficult to weigh up the merits of his two candidates for No. 6 batsman.On the strength of a strikingly composed 101 retired in the Colombo tour match, Usman Khawaja has made arguably the more convincing case. Though he opened the batting, Khawaja stayed long enough to see the wicket wear and the spinners wheel away, showing he had developed a more convincing method against spin than the one that saw him defeated by Graeme Swann on debut in the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG in January.Yet Shaun Marsh’s hold on the No. 6 berth has appeared much the stronger in the weeks leading up to the match. He was not taken on the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe, where Khawaja failed to make a score of note in four innings, because he was deemed almost an automatic selection for the tour of Sri Lanka. Marsh has also seen far more of the Sri Lankan Test attack than Khawaja, and has the game to dominate an attack, whereas Khawaja is more likely to accumulate with a game best suited for the top four. Should the merit of one silken innings in a tour match overrule earlier conclusions?”I don’t know, I’m not sure. [Khawaja is] another one who grabbed a hold of his opportunity and that’s all you can do,” Clarke said. “Obviously he hasn’t made too many runs leading into this three-day game in the Australia A set-up, in county cricket and the back-end of NSW.”He’s another one who has put his hand up and said `give me a chance’. I also thought SOS [Marsh] did well in that first one-dayer he played, when he made 70 and creamed them. He played the spin really well. We’ve got to have a real good think about the position.”Usman’s opened the batting here and he played his Test at number three for Punter [Ricky Ponting], but in saying that what more can you do? It doesn’t matter where you bat, you get an opportunity and try and make a big score and that’s exactly what he’s done. It’s going to be an interesting couple of days.”Once he has finished thinking that over, Clarke can devote a unit of time to his own batting, which has appeared nicely grooved so far on tour. That groove is a new one, for it is 10 Test matches and more than a year since Clarke last passed three-figures for his country. It is a streak that has coincided with his move from No. 5 to No. 4 in the batting order, a change that is minor in number but major in intent.At No. 5 Clarke was reacting to the agenda set by either his top order colleagues or the opposition’s bowlers. A place further up and he is setting that agenda himself. It is a task he is yet to adapt to.”My preparation’s been good. I’m hitting the ball well,” Clarke said. “It means nothing to be honest going into the first Test apart from getting the confidence in my mind that I know I’m batting well. Starting your innings in these conditions is as hard as anywhere in the world.”Generally batting four I’d imagine I’ll be coming in facing spin early with a couple of bat pads, a slip and things like that so I’ve got to stick to my plan. That’s what I’ve tried to do in the one-dayers and this game here – back the way I’ve been training, back the way I feel I play my best against spin and it’s worked so far. Things could change for the first Test.”I really want my momentum to go on and I’m really keen to make sure I’m building it. I couldn’t ask for better preparation but it doesn’t guarantee you too much unfortunately, I wish it did.”As for the barren run of Tests without a century, Clarke is concerned less with numbers than he is with making sure that his batting has the presence required of an Australian captain. His predecessor Ricky Ponting stood as a most outstanding example of that presence, until the burdens of captaincy dragged his batting down.”I don’t really think too much about that. I know I haven’t really performed as well as I’d like to. I had a poor summer against England,” Clarke said. “I know I need to be leading from the front, put it that way, especially now that I’m captain.”My form hasn’t been as good as I would like in Test cricket. I’ve always said Test cricket is the ultimate to me, the pinnacle, and I want to be at my best. I couldn’t ask for better preparation but now I’ve got to do it when it counts.”The bus trip from Colombo to Galle takes around two hours. It may not be a long enough journey to accommodate all that Clarke must ponder.

Turuwar Kohli has quietly gone about being one of India’s key players at the Under-19 World Cup

George Binoy in Kuala Lumpur24-Feb-2008

	The matches of the U-19 World Cup are the first significant ones of Turuwar Kohli’s career in which he opened the batting © Getty Images

If it was time to choose India’s stand-out performances at the Under-19 World Cup so far, Virat Kohli’s aggressive hundred against West Indies and Pradeep Sangwan’s swing bowling, which produced a five-wicket haul, would top the list. Perhaps even some Tanmay Srivastava’s super-calm knocks at No. 3. Think twice and Turuwar Kohli would be a deserved addition. His consistent scores as opener haven’t been the most riveting but his steady accumulation of runs has made him the highest run-scorer in the tournament.Turuwar’s consistency cannot be understated. He hasn’t had a bad match – making 40 against Papua New Guinea, 54 in the run-chase against South Africa, 50 versus West Indies, and 63 not out to eliminate England from the competition. He builds his innings patiently, taking his time to settle, and plays majority of his shots along the ground. As a result of his watchful approach, India have not lost two early wickets in the tournament even though Turuwar’s opening partner, Shreevats Goswami, is yet to hit his stride.What makes his performances more remarkable is that he did not open in the practice matches. He didn’t bat against England and made 34 batting at No. 7 against New Zealand. It was because Tamil Nadu batsman Abhinav Mukund scored 13 and 0 while opening in the warm-ups that Turuwar gained a promotion. In fact, this was the first time that Turuwar was opening in matches of significance. He bats at No. 3 for Punjab U-19s, a side he has represented for two years, and is usually a middle-order batsman. However, Turuwar shrugged off the magnitude of opening on such a large stage without much prior experience.”It’s [opening] similar to playing at No. 3, seeing off the new ball is the main aim,” Turuwar said. “I try to stick to the basics and I have patience.”He’s been a picture of calmness in the World Cup, anchoring the innings and providing a solid platform for Srivastava and the power-hitters like Virat and Saurav Tiwary. Turuwar, however, said that he was only playing according to the demands of the situation because India haven’t had a large target to chase yet. His careful style comes naturally but he says he can force the pace if necessary.”I don’t always play like this [cautiously], I have several gears,” Turuwar said. “If needed, I can play attacking cricket. This [against England] was a low-scoring game so there was no need to hit big strokes. You have to adapt to the situation, if it needs you to play shots you have to play strokes. I have played rash shots in the earlier games and I learnt from
my mistakes.”Turuwar, who is from Jalandhar, is from a sporting family: his father, Sushil, played water polo for India and was a bronze medalist at the Asian Games. His family also owns a sports goods factory ‘Beat All Sports’ which ensured that Turuwar did not have to go too far to have access to high-quality cricket gear during his formative years. He started playing cricket at the age of 10 and joined an academy at Burlton Park, which has also produced cricketers such as Harbhajan Singh and Vikram Rathore, at the age of 14. However, Turuwar said that his approach to cricket between 14 and 16 wasn’t serious and it was a paid tour to England with Mumbai’s Worli Cricket Club that made him change his outlook to the game. He’s a relatively new addition to India’s Under-19 squad and so far he’s proved to be extremely valuable.

New Zealand captain Southee says the tall quick “has a good chance” to make his Test debut

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-20240:45

Rookie O’Rourke excited to be around the Blackcaps

New Zealand captain Tim Southee has indicated that uncapped quick William O’Rourke has “a good chance” to make his Test debut on Tuesday, when they host South Africa for the second Test in Hamilton.In the opening Test in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand fielded a three-man pace attack instead of their usual four, featuring Southee, Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson. With Hamilton expected to offer a little bit more pace and bounce, and seam-bowling all-round option Daryl Mitchell ruled out, it will be a toss-up between Neil Wagner and O’Rourke for the fourth quick’s spot.”There’s a good chance, he’s in the 13,” Southee said of O’Rourke. “Neil’s been around the group as well and been a great performer for us for a long period of time.”It’s great to have those decisions to be made. Will’s an exciting talent and has had a little taste of international cricket, and I’m sure he has a bright future in the highest level as well.”Related

• Mitchell ruled out of second South Africa Test and Australia T20Is

O’Rourke made his international debut during the home ODI series against Bangladesh last December. He picked up five wickets in three matches. Southee said that at 6’4, O’Rourke is a “big and tall guy” very much like Jamieson.”His strengths are obviously his height and ability to extract bounce,” Southee said. “Being a big, tall guy he’s not too dissimilar to KJ [Jamieson]. He’s got skills with the ball as well. He’s got the tools to be a very good bowler and someone who I’m sure will thrive at this level.””Will’s probably played a bit more cricket than I had [at his age],” he added. “He’s got a great head on his shoulders.Will O’Rourke has the ability to generate steep bounce•Getty Images

“He’s a pretty mature guy from what I’ve seen of him. He’s had a little taste already, so he knows what to expect, but you just enjoy it and stick to what you’ve done that has got you here.”Wagner played his previous Test almost a year ago, in Christchurch against Sri Lanka. The 37-year-old has featured in 63 Tests and taken 258 wickets.”It’s not just Neil, it’s any guy who misses out, it’s not a nice place to be,” Southee said. “You want to be out there, representing your country, but the reality is it’s professional sport, and there’s only 11 guys that can go out and play the game.”Usually, [coach] Gary [Stead] will break the news and then I’ll follow up with a bit of chat as well. It’s not the nicest part of the job, but the guys are pretty understanding.”That apart, Southee also confirmed that Will Young will start in place of Mitchell, who is recovering from a longstanding foot injury. Young has played 13 Tests and scored 582 runs, including six half-centuries.”We will have another look tomorrow, but with Daryl Mitchell not being here, Will Young will slip into the middle order. We’ll decide on the final make-up of the bowling attack in the morning, after one final look at the wicket.”You look at the balance you need across the five days and make a decision according to that.”New Zealand lead the two-match series 1-0, after beating South Africa by 281 runs in the opener.

Harry Kane reportedly has a clause in his Bayern Munich contract that will allow him to return to England, potentially at Manchester United, in 2026.

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Ex-Germany international Dietmar Hamann – who spent time in the Premier League and with Bayern in his playing career – claims that prolific frontman Kane is eager to head home after next summer’s World Cup.

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It is claimed that terms in his deal at the Allianz Arena will allow such a transfer to be agreed, with Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer ready to return to his roots after breaking his trophy curse with Bundesliga and Super Cup triumphs in Germany.

WHAT HAMANN SAID

Hamann has told : “I think Harry Kane has a clause that allows him to leave for a certain amount next summer. I believe the reason Bayern Munich wanted to bring Nick Woltemade in this summer was because many within the club think Kane wants to go back to England after the World Cup.

“Whether that's the case, I don't know, but potentially it could be his last season in Munich if someone pays the fee he can choose to leave next summer.

“Whether someone pays £50 million or £60m for him next summer, I don't know. Obviously, a lot will depend on what happens this season in the World Cup. But yes, I think a lot of people, I don't know where they get it from, but many seem to believe that he may want to return to England next summer.”

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Spurs have the option to match any bids that are lodged for Kane, but Hamann believes the 32-year-old striker could end up at Old Trafford. He added: “I can see Harry Kane at Manchester United next season, and I think he'd do well for them.

“Having said that, I always felt that as a London boy, sometimes they don't really like to go to the north. Having played for Spurs, obviously Chelsea and Arsenal might be tricky, but then again, you never know, if they give him a chance to win the Premier League.

“I always felt or thought that a London club would be more favourable than a northern club, but obviously United is probably still the biggest club in England, and if they were to ask for his services, I think it would be fantastic to see him as their number nine.”

Super Over Namibia 21 beat Oman 10Oman mounted a dramatic comeback with the ball after being bundled out for 109 to take the match to a Super Over, but a composed Namibia, led by David Wiese, dominated the one-over eliminator to start their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a win.This was the third time a men’s T20 World Cup game went to the Super Over and the first since 2012. Wiese and Gerhard Erasmus racked up 21 runs against the seasoned Bilal Khan, before Wiese ensured Oman couldn’t pull off a second comeback in the match.

David Wiese bosses the Super Over

On a pitch where batters from both teams struggled to score, Wiese started the Super Over by drilling a full delivery through the covers and then walloping the next ball – a juicy full toss – for a six wide of long-on. Erasmus flick-swept the penultimate ball of the over through square leg to pick up another boundary before squeezing a yorker past short third to take Namibia to the highest score in a T20 World Cup Super Over.Wiese then gave away just two runs off his first two balls before getting Naseem Khushi to edge one onto the stumps.Oman managed just a single off the next ball as the total went beyond their reach and Wiese closed out the win. Wiese became just the fourth player in men’s T20Is to bat and bowl in a Super Over.

Mehran Khan almost bowls Oman to victory

Namibia’s modest chase was built around Jan Frylinck to take the equation to 18 runs needed off the last three overs. Mehran Khan started the 18th over with four byes, but then had JJ Smit caught at long-on before bowling three dots on the trot to Wiese.Mehran Khan bowled tight lines and lengths•Getty Images

When he came on to bowl the last over, Namibia needed just five to win. But Mehran bowled one full as he followed Frylinck, who was backing away, and bowled him off his pads for a 48-ball 45. Another dot ball later, new batter Zane Green missed an attempted scoop and was out lbw.A single brought Wiese on strike with four needed off two, but he could only hit his straight drive onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end for two. Having bowled full for the whole over, Mehran switched to a length ball outside off that Wiese missed. The ball ricocheted off the wicketkeeper standing up to allow Namibia a single although a direct hit at the same end would have probably handed Oman victory.

Trumpelmann sets it up early

After asking Oman to bat, Ruben Trumpelmann got Namibia off to the perfect start when he swung in a full delivery to trap Kashyap Prajapati lbw on the first ball. In what was almost an action replay, Trumpelmann the sent a searing inswinging yorker that hit Oman captain Aqib Ilyas flush on his foot.Trumpelmann couldn’t get a hat-trick or make it a three-wicket first over, like he had against Scotland in the 2021 T20 World Cup, but he struck again in his next over with a length ball that bounced more than Naseem Khushi expected as he miscued a catch to mid-off, and Oman were 10 for 3.Ruben Trumpelmann took three wickets in his first two overs•Getty Images

Zeeshan Maqsood then tried to get Oman back on track with a flurry of boundaries but his counterattack came to an end when left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz trapped him lbw in the seventh over.

Namibia dry out the boundaries

With the spinners Scholtz and Erasmus bowling in tandem, Oman managed just five runs from the two overs after the powerplay. Ayaan Khan then attacked Scholtz for Oman’s first six of the innings to reach 60 for 4 at the halfway mark.But Namibia bowled 44 deliveries without conceding a boundary, allowing Oman just 29 runs in this period, which resulted in two more wickets. Ayaan was caught at long-off off Erasmus and the Namibia skipper trapped Mohammad Nadeem in front in his next over.Oman tried to attack late, but Wiese and Trumpelmann helped close the innings out, with the former bowling a two-wicket over en route to a three-for.

Bilal Khan sets the tone, Ilyas applies the squeeze

Bilal got early movement as well and was able to give his team a breakthrough when Michael van Lingen got an inside edge onto the stumps in the first over. Namibia went through the rest of the powerplay unscathed, but were scoring at under six an over.They struggled against spin, with Ilyas bowling a maiden over. The pressure led to Nikolaas Davin – dropped by Mehran off his own bowling in the eighth over – hitting Ilyas for a six over long-on but then skying a catch to long-off while trying to go for another big hit.The boundaries dried up again as Frylinck and Erasmus tried to steady Namibia, although Oman had multiple chances to break the partnership, only for another caught-and-bowled chance to go down when Ilyas gave Frylinck a life in the 11th over when he was on 21.Two overs later, Frylinck was given another reprieve, on 24, when he was dropped at deep midwicket.Having come so close, Oman will be left ruing the chances they put down, with Frylinck eventually anchoring Namibia to the last over.

The allrounder tweaked his back during against West Indies and will miss the final series before the World Cup

Alex Malcolm17-Feb-2024

Marcus Stoinis tweaked his back during the West Indies series•PTI

Marcus Stoinis has been ruled out of Australia’s three-match T20I series in New Zealand due to a back issue with fellow West Australian allrounder Aaron Hardie called in for Australia’s last series before the T20 World Cup in June.Australia vice-captain and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade is also set to miss game one of the series on Wednesday in Wellington due to the impending birth of his third child but is expected to be available for the final two games in Auckland on Friday and Sunday.Stoinis tweaked his back in the warm-up of the second T20I against West Indies in Adelaide last Sunday but was still able to play. He made 16 off 15 with the bat but played a role in feeding the strike to Glenn Maxwell in an 80-run stand before picking up 3 for 36 to continue his excellent bowling form.Related

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But after the long flight to Perth, he missed Tuesday’s third match against West Indies and has subsequently been ruled out of the T20I series against New Zealand having not fully resolved the back complaint. Stoinis is expected to be fit for the IPL which begins in late March.Hardie is currently playing for Western Australia in a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart and did not travel with the squad on Saturday but will join the squad before the opening match.Stoinis remains a key figure in Australia’s T20I set-up despite losing his place in the ODI side for the World Cup semi and final last year. He was one of Australia’s most important players in the T20 World Cup triumph in 2021, playing match-winning hands against South Africa and then Pakistan in the semi-final. He also made a stunning half-century against Sri Lanka in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. His bowling has been important for Australia as well, having become a key wicket-taker over the past year in both the powerplay and middle overs.But his injury issues remain a concern for both he and Australia’s hierarchy. Australia have been reluctant to bowl him in back-to-back games due to his history and he missed games in the lead-up to and during the ODI World Cup because of several different soft tissue injuries.Australia’s other allrounders also have their bespoke injury concerns with captain Mitchell Marsh’s ankle requiring ongoing management as does Maxwell’s previously broken leg.Spin bowling allrounder Matthew Short also has an injury cloud heading to New Zealand after suffering a low-grade hamstring injury in the ODI series against West Indies which forced him to miss the T20Is.Hardie gets his chance to put forth a case for the T20 World Cup as a back-up allrounder who can bat in the middle-order if Stoinis has more injury trouble at the tournament proper. Cameron Green was not considered to be called into the New Zealand series with Australia’s selectors preferring him to remain red-ball focussed ahead of the New Zealand Test tour. Green will then play a full IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore to push his case for the World Cup squad.Fast bowler Nathan Ellis returns from a rib injury and looms as Australia’s preferred back-up quick behind Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who will all play in the New Zealand series.Sean Abbott and Jason Behrendorff are on standby for the New Zealand series although Abbott is still managing a shoulder issue that ruled him out of the final two T20Is against West Indies.Steven Smith and Travis Head both return to the T20 side for the New Zealand tour after resting from the West Indies series and look likely to be given several opportunities each in the top three as Australia tries to bed down their best side for the World Cup.

Andy Anson wants ECB flagship event to ‘fall into line’ with other T20 competitions around the world

Matt Roller29-Nov-2023Lancashire’s chairman believes that it would “make absolute sense” for the Hundred to become a T20 competition from 2025, as English cricket continues to debate the tournament’s future following top-level discussions over the prospect of opening it up to private investment.The ECB have been meeting with counties this month to discuss the Hundred’s future, following a successful third season for the tournament which saw record ticket sales and viewing figures. The eight teams are owned by the ECB and run by boards comprising county representatives and independent members, but could soon be opened up to private investors.The Hundred’s future is secure for at least five more seasons since it forms a significant part of the ECB’s TV rights deal with Sky Sports, which runs until the end of the 2028 season. But the ECB’s timeline for potential changes to the competition’s ownership structures would see a new model in place ahead of the 2025 edition.The reported last week that the ECB could give host counties equity stakes in their respective teams, and that they will consider adding two new clubs – most likely based in the south-west and the north-east – to create a greater geographical spread.The Hundred’s 100-ball format was hugely controversial at the point of inception, and was devised both to satisfy the desire of the BBC – who are its free-to-air broadcasters – for shorter games and to create a distinction with the Vitality Blast, the counties’ T20 tournament which has continued as England’s second-tier short-form competition.The format has largely proved popular with the players and has produced slightly shorter games than the Blast, but has not caught on around the world. Andy Anson, Lancashire’s chair, said on Wednesday that the Hundred no longer needs a unique format and should “fall in line” with franchise cricket by shifting to T20.”It would make absolute sense,” Anson told LancsTV, Lancashire’s in-house channel. “I think the format was an unnecessary creation. It was there to create a difference between the Blast and the Hundred… I think we are past that now. You won’t even need to change the branding of it: it could still be called the Hundred.”I think it should be T20, just to fall in line with this game that is brilliant. It is the best format of cricket from a global audience perspective. It does generate huge amounts of interest around the world…. I would just fall in line with it, and I do feel, in the meetings I’m in, that there is a sympathy for that attitude and for that change to happen.”The top salary in the men’s Hundred was £125,000 in 2023, which represented less money for more work than was on offer to leading overseas players in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket in the United States, where four of the six franchises are backed by IPL owners.To attract the world’s best, Anson believes that the Hundred would require private investment. “If you are going to make the Hundred the second-best tournament after the IPL, you probably need to improve the amount of money going into player wages to get the better players coming in,” he said.”Right now, we’ve got salary limits that mean the South African league [SA20] is paying more. The Middle Eastern league [ILT20] is certainly going to pay more, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the US league [MLC] pays more. And it [the Hundred] will drop down the pecking order, and we can’t let that happen actually, from a value perspective.”Bruce Carnegie-Brown, the chair of MCC, who are involved in the running of London Spirit, will consult with members next week to “discuss concepts… and seek a broad consensus” on the club’s attitude towards private investment in the Hundred.”At the moment the way forward is far from certain,” Carnegie-Brown – who announced this month he will not stand for re-election at the end of next season – told members in a recent email. “What we do know is that change is coming.”Anson said that Lancashire – who are the sole county involved in running Manchester Originals – will also consult members, and stressed that despite the club’s £30 million debt after investment in Emirates Old Trafford, they are “not in any urgent need of capital or cash… the debt is sustainable.”He said: “The opportunity that everyone is discussing is around the Hundred, and if the counties potentially have more ownership of the franchises in the Hundred… we have this discussion at the county chairs and CEOs meeting and I’d say the vast majority would like an injection of capital at some point in the near future.”

Manchester United will have to pay around €50 million (£43m/$59m) to sign Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi as a replacement for Andre Onana.

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Atalanta slap hefty asking price on goalkeeperUnited interested in signing a new stopperClub have slightly baulked at feeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per Gazzetta dello Sport, United have been informed by Atalanta that they will have to spend around €50m to sign Carnesecchi, a fee that has seen them consider potential alternatives. Ruben Amorim is reportedly willing to sell goalkeeper Andre Onana and is now scouting potential replacements, having dropped him last season.

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Carnesecchi has emerged as Atalanta's No.1 in recent seasons, and made 44 appearances in all competitions last season, keeping 18 clean sheets. He has been called up to the Italy squad previously but has not yet made his full international debut, and he has attracted interest from the Premier League; Arsenal have previously been linked with a swoop to sign the 24-year-old.

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Carnesecchi has a contract with Atalanta until 2028, meaning they are in no hurry to let him go. United are yet to meet his asking price, and it remains to be seen if they will do so now Atalanta have set out their parameters for a deal. United have previously done plenty of business with Serie A clubs.

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United are said to be chasing a deal to sign Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo, and may well be focusing on that before looking to complete a move for a goalkeeper.

Arsenal are now racing Real Madrid and Barcelona for an attacking midfielder with a £35m release clause, according to a report.

Gunners eyeing talented youngsters

While one of Mikel Arteta’s main priorities for the summer is likely to be bringing in a new striker, the manager is also keen on bringing in talented young players for his future project.

One position in which Arteta is looking to strengthen is left-back, and 19-year-old Ajax defender Jorrel Hato has now emerged as an option, having been admired by the Gunners for a considerable period of time.

Hato’s first-team experience in the Eredivisie indicates he could be capable of pushing for a starting spot straight away, but the north Londoners also have some more up-and-coming targets in mind.

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The Gunners have identified a “world-class” forward as a top target, and could make an approach during the summer transfer window.

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By
Dominic Lund

Mar 19, 2025

Arteta’s side are also seriously considering a move for Dinamo Tbilisi defender Saba Kharebashvili, who is just 17 years old, and they have now made contact to discuss a deal, although there could be fierce competition from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Arsenal may also have to do battle with Madrid for the signature of River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono, according to a report from Spain, which states they have now set their sights on the young attacking midfielder.

Mastantuono, who has a £35m release clause in his River Plate contract, has started to attract the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs, owing to his meteoric rise in Argentina, with Liverpool, Barcelona and Chelsea also being named as potential suitors.

The Gunners have been impressed by the 17-year-old’s vision and ability on the ball, viewing him as a player who could add creativity to their midfield, and River Plate have reluctantly accepted the youngster will soon move to Europe.

"Superstar" Mastantuono could go right to the top

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has lauded the young Argentine as a “superstar”, and for good reason, given that he has already established himself as a first-team regular for River Plate, during which time he’s displayed his play-making abilities.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also described the starlet as a “true football artist”, and he has put in some top performances in recent weeks, most recently scoring in his side’s Copa Argentina triumph over Ciudad de Bolivar.

Albeit in Argentina, Mastantuono establishing himself as a key player for the senior team at such a young age is no mean feat, and it indicates the River Plate ace could be able to make the step up to the Premier League before long.

£35m is a huge sum to pay for a 17-year-old, but the teenager is drawing attention from the likes of Real Madrid and Barça for a reason, and it could be a real show of intent if Arsenal are able to win the race for his signature.