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Despite scoring 85 Premier League goals last season, Newcastle United are in the market to try and further improve their forward line.

Eddie Howe’s side already have arguably two of the best players in the division in the form of Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, but the Magpies boss is still craving that third player to complete his attacking trio.

Noni Madueke once looked the most likely to move to St James’ Park, apparently already agreeing personal terms, but the deal is yet to progress with just a week left in the window.

As a result, other targets are still being considered for a potential move to Tyneside, but they will need to act quickly if they are to secure a new attacker.

Any transfer could spell bad news for one Magpies talent who could find himself closer to the exit door.

Callum Wilson’s time at Newcastle

After joining Newcastle in a £20m move from Bournemouth back in September 2020, striker Callum Wilson made an immediate impact on Tyneside.

The Englishman scored 20 goals in his first two campaigns at St James’, helping the club during the transitional period after the takeover by the Saudi PIF.

However, in recent months, the 32-year-old has struggled with injuries, only making 20 Premier League appearances last term and missing the season opener with Southampton at the weekend.

The signing of fellow striker Will Osula from Sheffield United could also spell bad news for Wilson, whilst one other potential addition could push him further down the pecking order under Howe.

Why David could be Isak 2.0 for Newcastle

Swedish striker Isak has been a phenomenal addition for Newcastle after his £60m move from Real Sociedad back in the summer of 2022, scoring 35 Premier League goals in the last two seasons.

He’s been the main focal point in the club’s attempts to secure Champions League football, with his subsequent form attracting big-money interest from Chelsea and Arsenal this summer.

However, this summer they could land another version of the 24-year-old in the form of Lille forward Jonathan David, who has previously been linked with a move to the club.

The Canadian has been a constant source of goals in Ligue 1 over the past couple of years, with FBref ranking the striker as a similar player to the current Newcastle star.

When delving into their respective stats from the 2023/24 campaign, the duo are very similar, with David even bettering the Swede in numerous key areas.

David, who’s previously been described as “one of the best strikers in the world” by journalist Tony Marinaro, registered the same amount of combined goals and assists as Isak during 2023/24 whilst placing more of his efforts on target.

Games played

34

30

Goals + assists

23

23

Shot-on-target accuracy

57%

50%

Shots on target per 90

1.47

1.44

Aerials won

24%

20%

Pass accuracy

82%

78%

He also completed more of the passes that he attempted, whilst winning more aerial duels, making him an excellent all-round option for Howe’s side.

It has previously been reported that the Lille talisman could be available for as little as £25m this summer, with his contract set to expire in less than 12 months time. As evident from his stats compared to Isak last season, he would be a sensational addition, potentially ending Wilson’s time on Tyneside.

With his injuries in recent times, the club should look to offload the former Bournemouth ace, with the Canadian an excellent option to replace the Englishman this summer.

He possesses all of the qualities needed to thrive in England's top-flight, potentially following in the footsteps of Isak and becoming a fan-favourite at St James'.

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كشف نادي بيراميدز، عن أسباب غياب عدد من لاعبي الفريق عن مباراة حرس الحدود، التي تقام بينهما في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، على رأسهم رمضان صبحي.

ويلتقي بيراميدز مع حرس الحدود، في السابعة من مساء غد الأربعاء، على ملعب استاد الدفاع الجوي ضمن مباريات الجولة 13 من بطولة الدوري.

ويغيب عن صفوف بيراميدز في مباراة حرس الحدود، رمضان صبحي وصديق أوجولا وعلي جبر وأحمد توفيق ووليد الكرتي وأحمد سامي.

وقال مصطفى المنيري رئيس الجهاز الطبي خلال تصريحات للمركز الإعلامي لـ بيراميدز، إن النيجيري صديق أوجولا يغيب بسبب إصابة على مستوى الركبة لمدة 3 أسابيع”.

وأضاف: “رمضان صبحي بسبب الإصابة بجزع في أربطة الكاحل ويغيب عن الملاعب لمدة أسبوع، وعلي جبر بسبب إصابة بمزق في الخلفية ويغيب لمدة 10 أيام عن الملاعب”.

طالع | ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد فوز الأهلي على غزل المحلة والزمالك أمام فاركو

وواصل: “أحمد توفيق بسبب معاناته من إصابة بمزق في الخلفية ويتم حاليا تجهيزه للعودة للملعب خلال أيام، ووليد الكرتي بسبب معاناته من شد في العضلة الضامة ويغيب لمدة أسبوع، فيما يغيب المدافع أحمد سامي بسبب الإيقاف لحصوله على البطاقة الصفراء الثالثة أمام سموحة في لقاء الجولة الماضية”.

ويتصدر بيراميدز جدول ترتيب بطولة الدوري المصري، برصيد 27 نقطة، من الفوز في 8 مباريات والتعادل في 3 وخسر في لقاء وحيد.

Cricket South Africa has potentially avoided being derecognised and defunded by the country’s sports ministry after agreeing to adopt a new Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) that will include a framework for a majority independent board. The members’ council – the body made up of 14 provincial presidents which has the highest decision-making powers at CSA – and interim board met on Sunday, to iron out the new MOI.They reached an agreement two days after sports minister Nathi Mthethwa issued a notice of his intention to strip CSA of its status as the game’s official governing body in the country and five days before Mthethwa’s actions were due to be published in the government gazette. Mthethwa had given CSA three ultimatums to agree to the new structure as part of his efforts to sort out governance issues in cricket. Until Sunday the members’ council were resistant to a majority independent board, but under threat of the game ceasing to exist in the country, changed their minds.Related

• CSA members' council agrees to amend MOI for majority independent board

• CSA warns of '1000 job losses' if board is derecognised by SA government

• Breaking down the breakdown of Cricket South Africa

“Today we reached an important milestone, and I am delighted that the members’ council and the Board reached agreement on a new governance structure,” Stavros Nicolaou, interim board chair, said.”We have now successfully managed to fulfill the mandate given to us by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa. We trust that this important agreement will give confidence to all cricket’s stakeholders specifically, players, staff, sponsors and all in the country who love the game of cricket. We owed it to our country to find a solution to cricket’s governance challenges.”CSA will adopt the new MOI in the next 48 hours which should mean Mthethwa reverses his decision and cricket in South Africa will continue to be run by CSA.

Ross Taylor has said that he has eyes on the T20 World Cup later this year even though he hasn’t featured in the last two New Zealand squads in this format. He believes there is still enough time to return with the side set to play a lot of matches leading up to the main event in India.Taylor was speaking ahead of the third ODI against Bangladesh in Wellington, having been passed fit following a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first two games.”I think I’ve still got ambitions on the T20 World Cup,” Taylor said. “I think there’s still a lot to go. The selectors have wanted to give these guys the opportunity which is fair enough. This is a good format, especially in New Zealand, for getting these guys into international cricket, if they are not going to play a lot of ODI and Test cricket. T20 is the logical way of bringing them into the side.”In the last two years, Taylor has played 14 out of New Zealand’s 24 T20Is. He made 166 runs with two fifties against India last year, but saw his batting position go to new players like Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips. Taylor said that he was surprised to be dropped from the New Zealand team for the T20I series against Australia, and now Bangladesh. He got to play only four deliveries during the T20I series against West Indies in November last year.”It was a bit of a surprise, getting player of the year and facing four balls. I am not going to lie. You have respect their decision that this is a format to give the guys an opportunity to play.”I feel age is just a number. I am able to do a job that’s required. There’s a lot of cricket to be played in the winter. I will be around somewhere,” he said.After the Bangladesh T20I series at home, New Zealand are likely to play against Pakistan and Bangladesh again during their winter, ahead of the T20 World Cup. On Wednesday, New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said that they haven’t yet ruled Taylor out entirely from their T20 plans.”(New Zealand coach) Gary (Stead) has been working really closely and talking with Ross. Ross sits in behind those current group of incumbents that we’ve got now,” Larsen told stuff.co.nz. “As we said when we didn’t pick Ross originally it was a really tough decision and I’ll say that again because we know his pedigree and the quality. We know and Ross has stated to us that he’s still keen and he thinks he can still contribute. From our side as selectors that’s great. We always take the approach of ‘never say never’. We know he’s sitting there and if we needed to call for Ross then we know he’d be jumping out of his skin.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement has not been afraid to make plenty of changes to his playing squad since the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Belgian boss failed to guide the club to the Scottish Premiership title and is now looking to work with the head of recruitment at Ibrox to build a team that can secure the trophy next term.

Seven signings have already been made by Rangers, with Jefte, Connor Barron, Clinton Nsiala, Liam Kelly, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, and Hamza Igamane penning deals in Glasgow.

Their desire to bring in new recruits to bolster their options across the park meant that players needed to move on from Ibrox, and John Lundstram, Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, and Ryan Jack all departed as free agents at the end of May.

They may not be the only ones to move on from Ibrox before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as other first-team stars have been linked with transfers elsewhere in recent weeks.

Attacking midfielder could leave Rangers

Football Scotland recently reported that attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell could be moved on this summer if an acceptable offer comes in for his services.

The outlet named him alongside Kieran Dowell and Tom Lawrence as one of the players who Rangers may want to cash in on to make room for new signings.

Earlier this month, The Scottish Sun claimed that Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah are keeping tabs on his situation at Ibrox ahead of a potential swoop for his services.

That report went as far as to say that the former Norwich City playmaker will be allowed to move on from Glasgow during the current transfer window, but did not reveal whether or not the Saudi Arabian club are prepared to formalise their interest with an offer for his services.

Cantwell has also been offered to Italian side Lecce by his agent Jose Enrique, who had – incredibly – accidentally messaged a fan page instead of the Lecce head coach in an attempt to facilitate a transfer.

All of these reports come together to suggest that there is a decent chance that the former England U21 international will be plying his trade away from Scotland by September, given the interest in his services and the club's reported desire to move him on.

It will then be down to Koppen and Clement to replace Cantwell and that could be a hard task given his contributions in the 2023/24 campaign.

What Todd Cantwell brings to Rangers

The 26-year-old playmaker is an energetic and forward-thinking midfielder who thrives as a number ten who has the license to drift around into various positions to knit play together.

He is reliable in possession, with an 84% pass success rate in the league last season, and has the quality on the ball to make things happen in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, Cantwell chipped in with 12 direct goal contributions in 30 appearances in the Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign.

This shows that he has the ability to provide a presence as a scorer and a creator of goals in a number ten position for the Light Blues, as he has already proven himself in the division.

That also came after the ex-Norwich ace produced six goals and four assists in 16 league games under Michael Beale during the second half of the 2022/23 season.

Despite his evident ability on the pitch as an attacking force in the top-flight, Rangers and Clement are seemingly willing to allow him to move on.

It appears to be a bold and brave call on paper and that makes finding an adequate replacement for him all the more important, to show fans that things are moving in the right direction.

Rangers could land dream Todd Cantwell replacement

Clement could land a dream successor to Cantwell in the number ten position by securing a deal to sign reported target Bobby Clark from Liverpool.

DaveOCKOP claimed earlier this month that the Light Blues are one of the clubs in the mix to land the 19-year-old sensation on loan from the Premier League giants.

RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig, and Norwich City are also said to be interested in a swoop to land the former Newcastle United youngster for the 2024/25 campaign.

The teenage whiz could be a dream replacement for Cantwell as his form for Liverpool at youth and senior level suggests that the potential is there for him to provide an attacking threat whilst also being solid out of possession.

Whilst it was a small sample size, Clarke's performances in the Europa League last season offered a glimpse at what he could offer Rangers, with two goal contributions and a dominant 82% duel success rate in two games.

This, alongside his four tackles and interceptions and 63% duel success rate in one EFL Trophy game last term, suggests that he is a talented technician who can also be combative and aggressive in duels.

At youth level, Clark racked up five goals and six assists in 37 games for Liverpool's U21s and 13 goals and five assists in 27 outings for the U18s, which shows that the potential is there for him to offer quality as a scorer and a creator of goals – like Cantwell.

The young maestro, who made five Premier League appearances last term, could, therefore, be a fantastic attacking midfielder for Clement due to his ability to make an impact in and out of possession – keeping the team's shape solid whilst remaining creative on the ball.

Clark, who was described as "very impressive" by journalist Josh Bunting, could also be a relatively cheap signing as a loan, rather than splashing millions on a permanent addition, and that is another reason why he could be a dream replacement for Cantwell.

Rangers could brilliantly replace Lundstram in swoop for SPFL "machine"

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By
Dan Emery

Jul 16, 2024

It's been quite the week for Nottingham Forest, who managed to maintain their profit and sustainability innocence whilst landing a rising star in the form of Elliot Anderson. And now, they're reportedly set to welcome another incoming.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Elliot arrived to become Forest's third signing of the summer, which also saw out of favour goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos head in the opposite direction to Newcastle United. The midfielder followed both Marko Stamenic and Eric da Silva Moreira through the City Ground doors to represent a hectic start to the window for those in the Midlands.

Speaking for the first time since sealing the move, Anderson told Forest's official website: “I’m buzzing. I think it’s a massive club with big history and I can’t wait to get started. It’s the club and the city. I’ve always been very fond of Nottingham Forest and I think it’s a great place to display what I can do and go onto try and help my career.”

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By
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Jun 29, 2024

Forest have wasted no time before turning their attention towards another arrival, however. According to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest are now set to sign Carlos Miguel from Corinthians in a deal worth a reported £4m this summer. the 6 ft 8 goalkeeper will instantly compete with 32-year-old Matz Sels before potentially stepping in to replace the veteran for years to come.

Miguel will be Forest's fourth signing of the summer if he completes a move, as those at the City Ground look to seal their Premier League survival for a third consecutive campaign. The Arrival of Miguel could certainly go a long way towards that top flight survival next season too.

"Outstanding" Miguel can displace Sels

Standing at a sensational 6 ft 8, Miguel can instantly take Sels' place in Nuno Espirito Santo's side next season, especially when considering the fact that he is just 25 years old and entering the best years of his career.

What's more, the Brazilian already knows star defender Murillo well, having played alongside the Forest man for Corinthians. Praised for his "outstanding" reflexes by Nathan Joyes, Forest could have quite the shot-stopper on his way this summer.

Of course, Forest struggled to really establish a number one last season, with Matt Turner and Sels sharing the minutes throughout the campaign to leave the door open for a fresh, though unproven, option to emerge this summer.

It's an opportunity that Miguel can grasp hold of to quickly turn his reported £4m arrival into a bargain deal in the coming months. The youngest of Espirito Santo's three options, the Brazilian also has the chance to take hold of that number one spot for years to come rather than the limited time that both Sels and Turner may have on their playing careers.

Aston Villa are certainly acting fast with regard to doing the majority of their business before pre-season starts.

Unai Emery is on the verge of selling Douglas Luiz to Juventus, with an agreement in place that will see Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior move in the opposite direction as part of the deal with the Italian side.

Furthermore, Villa are also close to selling youth prospect Omari Kellyman to Chelsea, while another exciting talent, Tim Iroegbunam, has moved to Everton.

Of course, the club have been forced to sell players before the end of the month in order to comply with financial fair play regulations, plus the money raised from sales will allow Emery to sign a few players this summer.

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ByStephan Georgiou Apr 16, 2024

The Spaniard is showing interest in a few new additions to his squad in order to bolster his midfield options.

Aston Villa close to signing another midfielder

Although there have been a few players moving on, Emery is close to sealing a deal to sign Ross Barkley.

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who said on X: “Aston Villa are prepared to enter into formal stages of Ross Barkley deal after agreement with Luton Town.

“Fee around £5m, contract details already agreed and now waiting on medical.”

This could be a smart piece of transfer business by Emery. Barkley knows the Premier League well, has played for Villa before and for such a bargain price, could add some much-needed depth to the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

If the club do sign the Luton man, he could follow another midfielder to Villa Park…

Aston Villa's other midfield targets

According to the Express, Villa are eyeing up a move for a Real Sociedad midfielder, Brais Mendez, as Emery seeks to improve his options in the middle of the pitch.

They have reportedly made contact with his entourage ahead of making a swoop, but they face some serious competition to secure his signature.

Manchester United are keen along with Serie A sides Juventus and AS Roma, meaning the playmaker has no shortage of options should he wish to leave Sociedad this summer.

Mendez has a release clause of £52m and this would break Villa’s transfer record for a player, overtaking the £51.9m they splashed on Moussa Diaby last term.

With the 27-year-old at the peak of his powers, Emery could strengthen his side by signing the player, especially with Champions League football on the horizon.

Moussa Diaby

£52m

Bayer Leverkusen

Emilano Buendia

£38m

Norwich City

Pau Torres

£33m

Villarreal

Leon Bailey

£30m

Bayer Leverkusen

Ollie Watkins

£28m

Brentford

How Brais Mendez compares to Ross Barkley

Aged 29, Barkley is certainly nearer the end of his career rather than the beginning. Might the capture of Mendez prove to be a better deal for Villa in the long run? Indeed, the Spaniard enjoyed a more productive season during 2023/24, especially in front of goal.

The Sociedad gem thrives either as a number ten or out wide, where he can showcase his excellent attacking abilities, whereas Barkley tended to occupy a deeper position, either in the heart of the midfield or just in front of the defence for Luton Town last term. That said, he first started out as an energetic attacking midfielder with an eye for goal.

The Englishman still managed to record five goals and six assists across all competitions in what was a solid season for the Hatters, thus earning a move to Villa Park, but Mendez enjoyed a far more fruitful season in the final third.

In 44 matches for Sociedad, Mendez scored eight goals while registering nine assists, which included four goal contributions in the Champions League against the likes of Inter Milan and Benfica, demonstrating how effective he can be in Europe’s premier club competition.

Brais can count the likes of key passes, direct free-kicks and through balls as major strengths according to WhoScored, while Barkley can count aerial duels, concentration and dribbling as his, which suggests the pair offer different sets of skills.

With the likes of Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans all slotting into the heart of the midfield, Emery is clearly well-endowed in this area.

With regard to a proper number ten, however, Mendez could fit into this slot with ease and become one of Emery’s finest signings this summer.

Brais Mendez’s season in numbers for Sociedad

Mendez has been wonderful in front of goal, but he also offers many more qualities going forward.

Among his teammates, Mendez ranked first for shots on goal (2.1) in La Liga last season, while also ranking second for big chances created (nine), second for key passes per game (1.3) and sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.8), again, evidence of his tremendous attacking capabilities which could serve Villa well next term.

It wasn’t just among his own squad that the midfielder sparkled either. Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Mendez currently ranks in the top 3% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.25), the top 10% for assists per 90 (0.21) and in the top 2% for total shots per 90 (2.42), proving he was one of the best in his position across these three attacking metrics.

Emery has had plenty of success at recruiting from Spain. Alex Moreno has been a solid option at left-back since January 2023, while Pau Torres acquainted himself well with the Premier League during his debut season, winning over half of his total duels and finishing the campaign with an 88% pass success rate.

Mendez – lauded as a “smooth operator” by journalist Zach Lowy – could become the latest Spanish talent to move to the Midlands and make a name for himself in the English top flight.

£52m is certainly a lot of money, but if the manager is serious about continuing Villa’s progression in the Premier League, plus being competitive in the Champions League, then investment is vital.

It might not work out, but given how well he has done in Spain over the previous 12 months, it looks as though Mendez could thrive in England, improving even more as a player under the watchful eye of Emery.

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With the summer transfer window coming to a close, here are all the latest deals involving clubs from England and Scotland.

ByStephan Georgiou Aug 30, 2024

Four teams, three spots, two games – it’s all going down to the wire

S Rajesh01-Nov-2020

Scenario 1Game 1:
Game 2: The Capitals will secure second place with 16 points, but the relatively narrow margin of defeat will ensure that the Royal Challengers will end up with a higher net run rate than Knight Riders. In that case, if Sunrisers win their last game, then Knight Riders will be knocked out.
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Delhi Capitals, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Royal Challengers BangaloreScenario 2Game 1:
Game 2: The Capitals will still finish second, but the Royal Challengers’ NRR will fall below that of the Knight Riders. In that case, if Sunrisers win on Tuesday, then the Royal Challengers will be knocked out. The Sunrisers will occupy third place because of their higher NRR.
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Delhi Capitals, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Kolkata Knight RidersScenario 3Game 1:
Game 2: A win for the Royal Challengers on Monday will push them into second place with 16 points, but if the margin is relatively small, then the Capitals will stay ahead of the Knight Riders on NRR. In that situation, if the Sunrisers win on Tuesday, then the Knight Riders will be knocked out.
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Royal Challengers Bangalore, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Delhi CapitalsThe points table after the weekend double-headers•Getty Images

Scenario 4Game 1:
Game 2: If the Royal Challengers win by 19 or more runs defending 160, or if they chase down the target of 161 within 17.5 overs, then the Capitals’ NRR will fall below that of the Knight Riders. In that case, the fourth playoff place will go to the Knight Riders.
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Royal Challengers Bangalore, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Kolkata Knight RidersScenario 5Game 1:
Game 2: If the Sunrisers lose to Mumbai Indians, they will be eliminated, and the last four teams will all finish on 12 points. Both the Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers will qualify, with the third and fourth positions depending on the margin of the result of Monday’s game.
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Delhi Capitals, 3 & 4. Kolkata Knight Riders & Royal Challengers BangaloreScenario 6Game 1:
Game 2: If the Royal Challengers win on Monday and the Sunrisers lose on Tuesday, then the Knight Riders and the Capitals will take third and fourth place, with their respective positions depending on the margin of Monday’s result.In the case of the last two scenarios, the top four teams on the points table will be the same as the ones who occupied those slots at the halfway stage of the tournament. After 28 games, the top four, in that order, were Mumbai Indians, Capitals, Royal Challengers, and Knight Riders.
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Royal Challengers, 3 & 4. Kolkata Knight Riders & Delhi Capitals

Keep up to date with all the movements around the counties as preparations are made for the 2021 seasonDerbyshireIN: Brooke Guest (Lancashire), George Scrimshaw (Worcestershire)
OUT: Tony Palladino (released), Ravi Rampaul (Kolpak)
OVERSEAS: Billy Stanlake, Dustin Melton, Ben McDermott (T20/RLC)DurhamIN: Sean Dickson (Kent), Scott Borthwick (Surrey), Alex Thomson (Warwickshire, loan)
OUT: Scott Steel (Leicestershire), Josh Coughlin, Sol Bell, Ben Whitehead, James Weighell, Nathan Rimmington (all released)
OVERSEAS: Farhaan Behardien, Cameron Bancroft, Will Young (CC)EssexIN:
OUT: Rishi Patel (Leicestershire)
OVERSEAS: Simon Harmer, Peter Siddle, Jimmy Neesham (T20)ALSO READ: Counties allowed two overseas players in 2021, ECB confirmsGlamorganIN:
OUT: Graham Wagg, Kieran Bull, Connor Brown, Owen Morgan (all released), Craig Meschede (retired), Marchant de Lange (Somerset)
OVERSEAS: Colin Ingram (T20), Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser (CC/RLC), Andy Balbirnie (CC)GloucestershireIN: Tom Lace (Middlesex), Jared Warner (Yorkshire)
OUT: Gareth Roderick (Worcestershire), George Drissell (released), Stuart Whittingham (retired)
OVERSEAS: Daniel Worrall, Kraigg Brathwaite (CC)HampshireIN:
OUT: Harry Came, Oli Soames (both released)
OVERSEAS: Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas (CC)KentIN: Nathan Gilchrist (Somerset), Tawanda Muyeye (schoolboy)
OUT: Sean Dickson (Durham), Calum Haggett, Ivan Thomas (both released), Adam Rouse (retired)
OVERSEAS: Heino Kuhn, Miguel Cummins (CC)LancashireIN: Jack Blatherwick (Nottinghamshire), Luke Wells (Sussex)
OUT: Graham Onions (retired), Stephen Parry, Toby Lester (both released), Brooke Guest (Derbyshire)
OVERSEAS: Dane Vilas, Jackson Bird (CC), Finn Allen (T20), Shreyas Iyer (RLC)ALSO READ: ECB confirms Kolpak registration cancellationsLeicestershireIN: Scott Steel (Durham), Rishi Patel (Essex), Edward Barnes (Yorkshire)
OUT: Tom Taylor (Northamptonshire), Paul Horton (retired), Mark Cosgrove (released)
OVERSEAS: Naveen-ul-Haq (T20), Marcus Harris (CC/RLC), Josh Inglis (T20)MiddlesexIN:
OUT: Tom Lace (Gloucestershire), Dan Lincoln (released)
OVERSEAS: Peter Handscomb, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (T20), Mitchell Marsh (T20)NorthamptonshireIN: Tom Taylor (Leicestershire)
OUT: Brett Hutton (Nottinghamshire), Rob Newton, Blessing Muzarabani, Tom Sole (all released)
OVERSEAS: Mohammad Nabi (T20), Wayne ParnellNottinghamshireIN: Brett Hutton (Northamptonshire), Lyndon James (academy), Toby Pettman (Oxford MCCU), Dane Schadendorf
OUT: Chris Nash (released), Jack Blatherwick (Lancashire)
OVERSEAS: Dane Paterson, Dan Christian (T20)SomersetIN:
OUT: Jamie Overton (Surrey), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Nathan Gilchrist (Kent)
OVERSEAS: Marchant de LangeSurreyIN: Laurie Evans (Sussex), Jamie Overton (Somerset)
OUT: Scott Borthwick (Durham), Morne Morkel (Kolpak)
OVERSEAS: Hashim Amla, Kemar Roach (CC)SussexIN:
OUT: Laurie Evans (Surrey), Danny Briggs (Warwickshire), Luke Wells (Lancashire), Harry Finch, Will Sheffield (both released)
OVERSEAS: Travis Head, Stiaan van Zyl, Rashid Khan (T20), David Wiese (T20)WarwickshireIN: Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Danny Briggs (Sussex), Jake Lintott
OUT: Ian Bell, Tim Ambrose, Jeetan Patel (all retired), Liam Banks (released)
OVERSEAS: Carlos Brathwaite (T20), Pieter Malan (CC)WorcestershireIN: Gareth Roderick (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Ben Twohig, Olly Westbury (both released), Wayne Parnell (Kolpak), George Scrimshaw (Derbyshire)
OVERSEAS: Ben Dwarshuis (T20), Alzarri Joseph (CC)YorkshireIN: Dom Bess (Somerset)
OUT: Tim Bresnan (Warwickshire), James Logan (released), Jared Warner (Gloucestershire), Edward Barnes (Leicestershire)
OVERSEAS: Duanne Olivier, Lockie Ferguson (T20)

England rue shocking display in the field as Adil Rashid’s brilliance goes under-rewarded

Valkerie Baynes08-Sep-2020A cool-headed knock by Mitchell Marsh handed Australia a consolation win worth more than just that to the tourists in the third and final T20I against England at the Ageas Bowl.A superb spell from Adil Rashid yielded three wickets and gave Australia a big scare, especially given their failure to chase down a modest target in the opening match of the series. But Marsh, playing his first T20I since February, carried them over the line by five wickets with just three balls to spare with his unbeaten 39 off 36 balls.Aaron Finch sends a pull off Jofra Archer soaring•AFP via Getty Images

There’s nothing like bragging rights (of sorts) being on the line to fire up an Australian team. With England already having sealed the series, Tuesday’s result made it 2-1 but also wrested back the World No.1 ranking in T20Is for Australia. They had lost top spot to England on Sunday when the hosts went 2-0 up in the series with a six-wicket victory, but this will also be a boost for Australia ahead of the three ODIs starting Friday.Marsh came in with Australia having struggled again in the middle overs against spin and, after two dot balls with the scores tied, he hit the winning run off Chris Jordan, dashing through for a single and narrowly avoiding being run out when the throw to the non-striker’s end was wayward, highlighting England’s struggles in the field all evening.Rashid spooks AustraliaRashid’s 3 for 21 off his four overs turned what looked like an infinitely achievable run-chase for Australia into a nervy pursuit, which the tourists just managed to pull off after staring down memories of their bungled effort in the first match of the series.He had to watch catches go down off his bowling, as England fell well short of their gold standard in the field, but stayed supremely focused to claim the key wickets of Aaron Finch, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.Maxwell came in ahead of Smith but was out to a poor attempt at a reverse-scoop off Rashid which went straight to Tom Curran at backward point. After Bairstow had put down a dolly off Finch, Rashid did the job himself, bowling the Australian captain with a stunning googly, and then dismissing Smith with the last ball of his spell with a low caught-and-bowled.Aussie changesMatthew Wade’s inclusion came as Australia made three changes, resting David Warner and Pat Cummins and dropping Alex Carey with Marsh and Josh Hazlewood also coming in. That meant Wade, playing his first T20I since February and only his fourth since early 2016, kept and opened.Wade’s gigantic six off the sixth ball of the innings was something to behold as he clubbed Jofra Archer into the scoreboard at the back of the first tier over deep square leg. And while he didn’t press on, falling to Archer’s pace partner Mark Wood, caught by Jordan for 14 off 9 balls, his belligerence set an early tone for Australia.Marsh was twice dropped by Malan in the early stages of his knock – once off Joe Denly and once off Rashid. He had arrived with Australia 87 for 4 after Aaron Finch had tried to go inside out to Rashid’s googly, and was bowled through the gate for 39 off 26 balls. Marsh was left with a big job to do when Maxwell and Smith fell cheaply and he did it with authority, marshalling a 46-run partnership with Ashton Agar to see his side home.England’s sluggish startEngland lost Tom Banton on the 11th ball of the match, putting them at 4 for 1 and, while it was the only wicket to fall inside the first six overs, they only managed to reach 33 for 1 by the end of the Powerplay.It was the lowest Powerplay score by a team in any of the six T20I matches in England this summer, falling one short of England’s 34 for 1 in their first match against Pakistan. The hosts ended up on 145 for 6 which – after scores of 162, 160, 157 and 158 in the previous innings this series – looked a tad short. In contrast, Australia were 61 for 1 at the end of their Powerplay and managed to overhaul the target, despite another troubling mini-collapse.When the Buttler’s awayJos Buttler’s family leave left a hole in England’s batting, compounded by Eoin Morgan’s absence after dislocating his finger in the previous match. But that opened the auditions for England’s chorus line in the form of Tom Banton, Sam Billings and Joe Denly. None of them managed to throw themselves into the spotlight, however, and it fell to Jonny Bairstow to anchor their innings, albeit in a less-than-polished performance.Bairstow’s knock wasn’t his most fluent but he bludgeoned three sixes – including two brutal blows off Adam Zampa over deep square leg and long off – on his way to 55 off 44 balls. He would finish as England’s top-scorer after lofting Agar into no man’s land, only for the bowler to run into space and claim the return catch. Bairstow stepped up as Banton, promoted to open in Buttler’s place, fell for just 2. While his form in the previous series against Pakistan was impressive, this was a missed opportunity for Banton to reaffirm what he can do.When he fell short, Dawid Malan came to the crease, having enjoyed an excellent time against the Australians – including a Man-of-the-Match-winning 66 in the first encounter of this series – but with his penchant for slow starts under the microscope. He had scored 14 off 14 balls by the end of the seventh over and, just as he began to look like increasing the tempo with a lovely reverse sweep off Agar to the boundary, Zampa enticed a regulation sweep five balls later that sailed towards deep midwicket. Stoinis, running in from the fence, took an excellent catch diving forward to end Malan’s knock at 21 off 18.Billings fell cheaply when he gloved a reverse off Zampa to slip for just 4, leaving his 87 against West Indies 18 months ago as his only T20I score of note since his 53 against Pakistan in 2015. In a similar vein to Bairstow, Denly’s unbeaten 29 off 19 looks fine on the page but lacked conviction when translated to the stage. Morgan’s absence handed the captaincy to Moeen Ali, who contributed 23 off 21.