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The inter-zonal tournament of five three-day matches will be played in Pune between March 28 and April 11

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2024Red-ball cricket for women will make a return to India’s domestic calendar after six years when the BCCI conducts its Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy in Pune from March 28. It was in 2018 that a domestic red-ball tournament – of two-day matches – was last held in India for women.This comes not long after India played – and won – back-to-back one-off Tests against England and Australia in December 2023. India had also played Tests on their tours of England and Australia in 2021, but you have to go back all the way to 2014 for the previous instance of India playing a women’s Test, and a women’s Test being held in India, when South Africa had toured.The matches will be hosted by the Maharashtra Cricket Association, with the East Zone vs North East Zone and West Zone vs Central Zone fixtures kicking off the action. North Zone and South Zone have been placed in the semi-finals straightaway following a draw of lots, and will meet the winners of the first two games from April 3. The final will be played from April 9. All the matches will be three-day affairs.Related

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The tournament will begin just over ten days after the final of the ongoing second edition of the WPL slated for March 17 in Delhi.There has been a clamour in recent times for more women’s Tests to be organised, with only the occasional Test match – featuring Australia, England, India and South Africa – played currently. For India, this means playing a format of the game they have little experience of.Before the Test against England last December, Smriti Mandhana, speaking at a press conference, had said, “[Our] bodies are not used to playing four back-to-back days of cricket because we generally play T20s and ODIs which have gaps. More than physical part, being there [on the field] for four days mentally, trying to focus on each ball [is important].”At the time, she had expressed hope that the BCCI would consider restarting the women’s domestic red-ball competition, saying, “As the number of Tests increase, we may see a new domestic tournament for long-form cricket. Domestic structure is always according to international demands.”More recently, Meg Lanning had taken a somewhat stronger stance on the matter. “It’s really difficult to prepare for a Test match. In my career, we were playing once every two years. It takes us two days to work out how to play it again, and then the Test is over,” she had said. “If you really want the games to be a good contest and more nations to play and players to understand the game a little bit more, I think we probably need to play more. Or you go the other way and you don’t play any at all and you focus on the short-format stuff.”

Despite the injury issues at Arsenal this season, Mikel Arteta has done a tremendous job, leading the side to second in the Premier League and a Champions League semi-final.

Such problems have allowed numerous players to stake their claim as a first-team regular, many of whom have grabbed their opportunity with both hands.

Left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly has emerged out of the academy setup in recent months and nailed down the position as his own despite his tender age.

The 18-year-old has made 31 appearances across all competitions since his debut back in September, going from strength to strength under the guidance of the Spaniard.

He’s been joined in the side by one player who’s managed to star, albeit in a role that he’s never previously featured in during his time in North London.

Mikel Merino’s role as a centre-forward at Arsenal

Central midfielder Mikel Merino joined Arsenal back in the summer from Real Sociedad, looking to cement his place at the heart of the side alongside Declan Rice.

Whilst he started the season in his natural position, the injury crisis at the top end of the pitch saw the Spaniard shift to a centre-forward position – a decision that has worked wonders in recent weeks.

He came off the bench against Leicester City at 0-0, scoring twice in the closing stages, securing the win for Arteta’s men, leading to his regular inclusion as the focal point.

The 28-year-old has since registered four goals and three assists in such a role, with three of his seven efforts coming over the two legs of the Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.

Given such a successful transition for Merino, it would be a risk to change the player featuring up front, but Arteta could do just that by utilising another player out of position.

The Arsenal star who could repeat Arteta’s Merino trick

The decisions made by Arteta over the last couple of months have been complete masterstrokes, leading to the success they’ve endured on the pitch.

With such issues plaguing the side in recent times, many would expect the side to limp over the finish line, but they have exceeded all expectations – having the opportunity to end the season by claiming their first European title.

Whilst Merino has done a sensational job at the top end, the boss could repeat such a trick by utilising Ethan Nwaneri as the central striker to balance the workload.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed his own breakthrough this season, notching eight goals in his 32 appearances across all competitions – starring alongside Lewis-Skelly at the Emirates.

Whilst the teenager is primarily a wide player, he has all the tools to star in a central position, potentially taking his career to another level in such a role.

Nwaneri, who’s been labelled “superb” by Jeorge Bird, has registered 2.3 shots per 90 in the Premier League this season, having the skillset to thrive in the final third.

He’s also completed 3.6 dribbles per 90, at a completion rate of 65%, able to drive at the opposition backline when dropping deep, allowing Bukayo Saka to run in behind.

Games played

22

Goals & assists

5

Pass accuracy

89%

Shots taken

2.3

Successful dribbles

3.6

Dribble success rate

65%

Duels won

5.8

Despite his small frame, he’s managed to win 5.8 duels per 90 this season, subsequently being able to put himself about and make the defender’s job even tougher than it would’ve been by Merino.

Whilst the Spaniard has done an impressive job in the role, the return of Saka has undoubtedly restricted the first-team minutes for Nwaneri, with Arteta needing an alternative to further his development.

A switch to a central position could work for the side, offering another dimension to their attack in their quest for European glory in the next couple of months.

Not just Rice: Arsenal's 8/10 star showed why he'd walk into Madrid's XI

Arsenal secured a place in the Champions League semi-final after a 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 17, 2025

India fast bowler Mohammed Shami is a doubtful starter for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Shami is likely to undergo ankle surgery, potentially just before the tournament, which would rule him out of most if not all of it. The IPL will be played between March 22 and May 26 this year.Shami has not played any cricket since India’s defeat in the World Cup final against Australia on November 19. He had been nursing his ankle throughout that tournament, but still finished as its highest wicket-taker with 24 strikes.Should he be ruled out for any length of time, Titans will be going into the new campaign without two key players, having already seen Hardik Pandya move to Mumbai Indians. Shami was their highest wicket-taker in their title winning 2022 season, with 20 strikes in 16 matches, and he was the overall highest wicket-taker last year with 28 strikes in 17 matches.Shami had been taking injections to treat his ankle during the World Cup and continued to do so even after the tournament. While he was not named in India’s white-ball squads for the tour of South Africa that followed, Shami was expected to return for the two-match Test series. But, on December 16, in the only medical update provided on the senior fast bowler, the BCCI said Shami’s “participation” in the South Africa Test series had been “subject to fitness” and since he “has not been cleared” by the BCCI medical staff, he was ruled out of contention.Early in January, Shami said he had “stiffness” in the ankle but he was hoping he would be ready for selection for the home Tests against England. “My rehabilitation is well on track and the medical experts at NCA are happy with my progress,” he told the . “There is slight stiffness in my ankle but that’s fine. I have started my training sessions and I believe I will be able to make a comeback in the England series.”However, Shami did not feature in either of the India squads put out by the Ajit Agarkar-led panel, initially for the first two Tests against England and recently for the final three Tests of the series.On January 22, Shami was in Hyderabad at the BCCI awards following which he reportedly travelled overseas to consult specialists about his ankle. It is understood that he will be visiting a surgeon next week before taking a final call on the matter.While the BCCI’s medical team has been monitoring Shami, he has not been at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, which is where contracted cricketers normally do their rehab. It could not be confirmed whether the BCCI or Shami had kept Titans in the loop on his recovery timeline. Neither the BCCI nor Titans have made any public statements about him recently.

This summer has to be a massive one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have seriously struggled this season through a combination of poor form and a torrent of injuries, so much so that they’ve lost more games than they’ve won in the Premier League.

However, as there were at the start of last season, there have been signs that the Australian could make things work with more backing, and based on reports from the last few weeks, Daniel Levy and Co appear to be looking to make signings in the coming months.

One of the players most heavily touted for a move to N17 has been Southampton gem Tyler Dibling, although if he did join the Lilywhites, he’d be worth considerably less than one of his main rivals for game time.

Why Spurs want to sign Dibling

While Spurs’ interest in Dibling is now in the open, the North Londoners are not the only club keen to secure the youngster’s services, with fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle United also said to be interested.

So, why are a number of the league’s biggest clubs circling a winger from a club who look destined to be relegated to the Championship?

Well, simply put, he has been one of the very few bright spots for Southampton this year, and while he hasn’t necessarily lit the world alight, he’s done enough to suggest that his ceiling is extraordinarily high.

For example, despite being just 19 years old and playing for a genuinely awful Saints side, the Exeter-born “game-breaker,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances, which is not bad going for his debut season in the top flight.

Moreover, while his primary and best position is off the right, the young Englishman has also shown himself to be a versatile attacker, making five appearances as a centre-forward this season, five in attacking midfield, and one in right midfield.

Right-Wing

12

1

0

Centre-Forward

5

2

1

Attacking Midfield

5

1

2

Right Midfield

1

0

0

Finally, over the last year or so, Tottenham have clearly chosen to target up-and-coming talents in the transfer market, with moves for Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert.

So, in their case, signing Dibling would also fit nicely with their long-term vision for the team, and it seems more than likely that his €25m valuation from Transfermarkt, which is about £21m, will start increasing very soon.

That said, if Levy and Co can bring the youngster to North London in the summer, he’ll have to work hard to match the valuation of his biggest competitor for game time.

The Spurs star worth millions more than Dibling

Now, when it comes to the winger options at Spurs, Postecoglou has a few players who can choose from on the left, but when it comes to the right, the only truly natural option he currently has is Brennan Johnson.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Welsh international joined the North Londoners from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, and while things haven’t necessarily been plane sailing since then, he has established himself as a useful attacking outlet.

For example, despite enduring a slow start to his first campaign in the capital, the 23-year-old scored five goals and provided ten assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2248 minutes. This comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.26 games or every 149.86 minutes.

This season has been even better, as in 39 appearances, totalling 2493 minutes, the “frightening” ace, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, has scored 14 goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.16 games, or every 138.5 minutes.

Appearances

34

39

Minutes

2248′

2493′

Goals

5

14

Assists

10

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.86′

138.5′

Impressively, despite getting so much stick earlier in the season that he deactivated his Instagram account, the Welshman is currently the club’s top goalscorer.

So, when you take all that into consideration, it’s not massively surprising that Transfermarkt values him at €50m, which is about £42m, or £22m more than Dibling is currently worth.

Ultimately, if the Spurs do sign the young Saints star, then they’ll have yet another promising prospect in their squad. However, seeing if he can take Johnson’s spot from him in the long run will be interesting.

An incredible Son replacement: Spurs in talks to sign "world-class" star

The immense talent would be a brilliant signing for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 1, 2025

Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over Chelsea in 2022, they’ve had a clear transfer strategy of buying the best young talent from around the world.

Well, during this time, more than 35 first-team players have arrived and over £1bn has been spent, but they’re showing no signs of slowing down.

So, as the Blues brace themselves for another summer in which they continue to splash the cash, should they focus on giving the youngsters they’ve already signed a chance, one in particular who has been labelled the best midfielder in Ligue 1?

Dário Essugo: Chelsea's latest recruit

Just days after a move for Sporting’s Goevany Quenda was reported, Chelsea have now agreed to sign Sporting CP midfielder Dário Essugo for £18.5m, set to make the move to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport adds that the 20-year-old has agreed a seven-year contract, and the plan is for him to be Moisés Caicedo’s ‘deputy ball-winning defensive midfielder’ and he could debut as soon as June at the FIFA Club World, at which the Blues will take on Flamengo, Club León and Espérance Sportive de Tunis in the group stages.

Essugo is currently out on loan at Las Palmas, making 17 appearances in La Liga this season for los Amarillos, with his side second-bottom of the division, despite scoring twice in injury time to salvage a draw against Alavés on Friday night, a match the Portugal U21 international sat out suspended, having been sent off at Real Betis a few days earlier.

Mohamed Fathalli of Breaking the Lines labels Essugo an ‘impressive talent’, particularly excited about his ‘off-ball movement’, while Feargal Brennan of Football España notes that the youngster has managed to ‘impress’, despite playing for a struggling side.

So, Essugo is clearly a talented midfielder, but do Chelsea already have a brighter midfield talent on their books?

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Chelsea talent is already better than Essugo

Given the sheer number of players they have signed, it’s easy to forget and overlook many of Chelsea’s recruits, and Andrey Santos certainly fits into this category, arriving from Vasco da Gama for a reported fee of £18m two years ago.

The 20-year-old is still yet to feature for Chelsea’s first team, spending five months on loan at Nottingham Forest upon his arrival in England, albeit he made just two appearances for them, starting an EFL Cup defeat to Burnley, before seeing seven minutes at Anfield.

However, he’s since found a home in Strasbourg, also owned by Chelsea’s ownership group BlueCo, making 37 appearances for les Bleu et Blanc since his Ligue 1 debut in February last year, taking his game to a new level this season.

With Strasbourg flying-high, chasing European qualification, manager Liam Rosenior recently claimed “Andrey is the best midfielder in the league”, with talent scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a “one-man war machine”.

So, let’s assess how he compares to Essugo.

Appearances

26

19

Minutes

2,304

1,342

Goals

9

1

Assists

3

0

Pass completion %

88%

85.8%

Progressive passes

114

62

Shot-creating actions

42

26

% of dribblers tackled

57.8%

62.2%

Interceptions

20

28

Ball recoveries

146

78

% of aerial duels won

60.5%

45.5%

Errors leading to an opponent’s shot

1

7

As the table outlines, Santos comes out on top for pretty much every metric, tackling and interceptions the two exceptions, while noting he has played almost 1,000 more minutes this season.

Nevertheless, of the duo, the Brazilian is clearly more ready to make an impact in Chelsea’s first team next season so, who knows, Essugo could follow a similar path by spending next year out on loan at Stade de la Meinau; actually, thinking about it, that’s by far the most likely outcome isn’t it?

Chelsea already signed a bigger star than Quenda in "world-class talent"

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ByRobbie Walls Mar 14, 2025

Manchester City can still finish the 2024/25 season holding the FA Cup aloft, but it’s safe to say this campaign has been an eye-opener for Pep Guardiola and Co.

Indeed, the reigning Premier League champions find themselves all the way down in an unsatisfactory fifth in the league standings, with a mammoth 22-point gap opening up between the lacklustre Citizens and Arne Slot’s seriously impressive Liverpool at the top of the tree.

Therefore, it isn’t out of the question this summer that Guardiola will rip up what was once successful at the Etihad in order to bring in some exciting new blood, with Phil Foden in danger of dropping out of the Spaniard’s first-team plans if he doesn’t improve.

The numbers behind Foden's poor form at Man City

Out with the old and in with the new could well be the mantra at City this summer with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne perhaps moving on after such a disorienting season is over and done with.

Foden is unlikely to up and leave like his Belgian teammate, but the 24-year-old is still a shadow of the skilful talent he was just last campaign when he was crowned PFA Player of the Year as Guardiola’s men romped home to yet another top-flight triumph.

Critiqued on the international stage by Roy Keane for some uninspiring showings donning England white, Foden has failed to pick up a goal or assist in Premier League action since Chelsea away in January, leading to the agile midfielder having to make do with spots on the substitute bench as of late.

While he’s not impressed on the international stage, he also needs to do more at club level. Last term the attacking midfielder found the net 27 times but in 2024/25, he’s only scored ten times.

Thus, his minutes could deplete further at City, particularly if they complete a mega-money transfer in the summer.

Man City City "want to sign" big Foden upgrade

A few tweaks here and there to the first team personnel could inspire City to get back to their best down the line, especially if they are able to sign their number one target this summer.

As per a report by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the bruised outfit “want to sign” Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz when the window reopens.

The Bundesliga side are preparing to offer Wirtz a new deal that would keep him at the club until 2028 but it will include a release clause allowing club’s to him out of that deal in a year’s time.

It should be seen as a priority on City’s end to try and snap up the services of the explosive German, with sumputous strikes such as the one below helping Leverkusen lift the Bundesliga title proudly last season.

He could well steer his new employers back to the very summit of the Premier League, therefore, but it will come at a significant cost, with Plettenberg further revealing that Xabi Alonso’s men would only consider parting ways with their electric ace if an offer around the £108m mark was made.

Away from his side being crowned champions last term, Wirtz has also torn open top-flight defences in 2024/25, with the German up to a ridiculous 27 goals and assists in all competitions next to Foden’s inferior 15.

Games played

25

25

Goals

9

7

Assists

10

2

Big chances created

15

7

Successful dribbles per 90

2.9

0.5

Ground duels won per 90

5.4

2.3

Key passes per 90

1.9

1.7

His continued ridiculous performances for Leverkusen has even seen him branded as “world class” by 1. FC Köln boss Gerhard Struber, with Wirtz’s swagger and skill on the ball making him a perfect replacement for a declining Foden, considering he can operate either as a number ten or as a winger, much like this counterpart.

City do find themselves at a crossroads at this moment in time with some uncomfortable decisions having to be made soon over first-team stalwarts, leading to Foden being ditched potentially for Wirtz to shine.

The next captain after De Bruyne: Man City have struck gold with £62m star

Man City have hit the jackpot on a player they signed in 2019

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 24, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da betano casino： O Palmeiras se reapresentou na manhã desta segunda-feira, na Academia de Futebol, após a vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Água Santa, no último domingo, em Diadema (SP). Com um treino técnico e “reforços” da base, a equipe iniciou a preparação para o clássico desta quinta (16) contra o Corinthians, às 21h30, na Neo Química Arena, pela nona rodada do Campeonato Paulista.

> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2023 clicando aqui

Os atletas que permaneceram em campo por mais de 45 minutos contra o Água Santa fizeram atividades regenerativas nas dependências internas do centro de excelência. Vale lembrar que Abel Ferreira poupou parte dos titulares como Marcos Rocha, Murilo, Zé Rafael, Gabriel Menino e Endrick.

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da leao： Com o reforço de jovens do sub-20, os demais jogadores disputaram um treino coletivo em campo reduzido com dois tempos de 20 minutos. Entre os garotos que participaram da atividade, estavam o atacante Kevin, craque da Copinha de 2023, e o volante Patrick, que marcou o gol do título.

O Palmeiras, como tem sido praxe desde o início da pandemia de coronavírus, não permite a entrada de jornalistas no CT. A informações são fornecidas pela assessoria de imprensa do clube.

>ANÁLISE: Giovani desponta como fator de desequilíbrio do Palmeiras, em 2023

Nesta terça-feira, o Verdão volta a treinar às 10h, na Academia de Futebol, para dar continuidade à preparação para o Dérbi. A vitória mais recente manteve a invencibilidade do clube no Paulista, além da melhor campanha no geral da primeira fase. O Palmeiras lidera o Grupo D, com 20 pontos, e tem ainda o melhor ataque (12 gols, empatado com o São Paulo) e a melhor defesa (dois gols sofridos).

New South Wales allrounder Jack Edwards continued his fine start to the domestic season, claiming his maiden Sheffield Shield five-wicket haul to leave Queensland in trouble in Sydney.Edwards took all of the first five wickets on the opening day of their Shield clash at the new Cricket Central at Sydney Olympic Park, to finish with figures of 5 for 24.Bowling largely around the wicket and angling in at Queensland’s left-handers on a green pitch, Edwards at one stage had 5 for 14 as he ran through the top-order.Related

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The 23-year-old’s wickets came after he scored 92 in NSW’s season-opening one-day win over Tasmania last week, and claimed figures of 2 fpr 24.His start to the red-ball season was even more impressive on Wednesday. He bowled Matt Renshaw for 17 with his first ball when it stayed low and beat the left-hander, before having Joe Burns caught behind two deliveries later.He had figures of 3 for 5 when he bowled Queensland’s top-scorer Bryce Street for 45, and removed Jack Clayton in similar fashion for four when he was out leaving.Edwards also picked up the prized scalp of Usman Khawaja for 30 when he had Australia’s Test opener edging behind.Chris Green and Chris Tremain also took a wicket each for NSW, as rain stopped play multiple times after lunch and eventually ended play early.NSW are searching for their first win in the Sheffield Shield since February 2022, after going winless in the first-class competition last summer for the first time since 1938-39.

Steven Smith has revealed that he carried his left wrist injury through the final three matches of the Ashes series after damaging it at Lord’s while fielding during the second Test.Smith has suffered a small tendon tear in his left wrist which requires him to wear a splint for a short period of time and has ruled him out of Australia’s upcoming limited-overs tour of South Africa.He is hopeful of being fit for Australia’s subsequent three-match ODI series in India which starts on September 22 in Chandigarh but it leaves him just three matches and a warm-up game to prepare for the 50-over World Cup in India beginning in early October.Related

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Smith told that he hurt his wrist in the field at Lord’s, after making a match-winning 110 in the first innings, but the full extent of the damage was not revealed until he began training again at home in Sydney in preparation for the South Africa tour.”I did it at Lord’s. I don’t actually know the moment, it was when we were in the field,” Smith said. “It wasn’t until that night I was like, ‘geez, what have I done here, it’s a bit sore’.”I played the next game and then I had a cortisone [injection] before Old Trafford. I got back [to Australia] and I was like, ‘[It’s] still not quite right. I still can’t do a lot of things properly.'”I had another scan. There was a small tear in the tendon as well as a couple of other things.”Smith and Mitchell Starc were late withdrawals from the South Africa tour last Friday. Starc has some residual groin soreness after the Ashes series and needs more time to recover. Pat Cummins also has a fractured left wrist from landing heavily on it in the field in the final Ashes Test at the Oval. Cummins won’t play in the South Africa limited-overs series but will join the group ahead of the fourth ODI in Centurion.Steven Smith hurt his left wrist during the Lord’s Test•PA Images via Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled to Australia’s ODI squad for South Africa in Smith’s absence after being left out of the World Cup squad of 18. Ashton Turner has replaced Smith in the T20I squad for South Africa.Smith’s injury does compromise Australia’s ability to settle their top four ahead of the World Cup. David Warner was absent for the first two matches of Australia’s last ODI series in March in India due to a fractured elbow. Mitchell Marsh opened the batting for the first time in his ODI career alongside Travis Head with extraordinary success, to the point where Warner batted at No. 4 for the first time in his career when he returned for the final game in Chennai, having only once previously not opened in 141 ODIs for Australia.Warner and Head have been a devastating combination for Australia sharing opening stands of 284, 147 and 269 in just seven innings together at the top of the order.But Marsh’s power-hitting ability inside the powerplay, as showcased by his recent form across all formats, makes him an irresistible option in the top three for Australia’s selectors meaning Smith could be forced to slide to No. 4 despite batting at No. 3 in his last 23 ODI innings since the 2019 World Cup and averaging 60.70, striking at 90.05 and scoring four centuries. Eleven of Smith’s 12 ODI centuries have come at No. 3 and he averages 54.56 at first drop compared to 35.61 at No. 4.Smith was also set to open in the T20I series against South Africa while Warner rested with the aim of trying to regain his spot in Australia’s first-choice T20I side after being squeezed out for the last World Cup in Australia in 2022. Smith did play in Australia’s final match of the tournament against Afghanistan, but only in the absence of Aaron Finch and Tim David after carrying the drinks for most of that tournament.Steven Smith made two BBL centuries last summer•Getty Images

Smith has never opened in T20I cricket but was dominant for Sydney Sixers in just five innings in last summer’s BBL, plundering two extraordinary centuries and striking at 174.74. The selectors had hoped to give Smith a chance in South Africa with a view to possibly cementing him at the top of the order for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA next year, where his ability against spin on low, spinning pitches could be a major asset given it has generally been a weak point for Australia’s T20 batting line-up.”I did speak to [Australian coach] Andrew McDonald about it,” Smith said. “He said I’d get more opportunities somewhere to press my case. It’s kind of the dream job. Everyone wants to open the batting in T20s.”There’s not much accountability there, you just sort of go out there and play. You’ve got two fielders out for the first six overs, and if you get going then you’re already in when the field goes out, so it’s a nice time to bat.”Australia play five T20Is in India immediately after the ODI World Cup but as with the upcoming South Africa series, some of Australia’s three-format players will likely be rested in order to be ready for the home Test series against Pakistan which begins just 10 days after the fifth T20I in Hyderabad.Following five home Tests against Pakistan and West Indies in December and January, Australia will have three home T20Is against West Indies and three away against New Zealand where they will likely bed down their best side ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.

da stake casino： For all the talk of big-money additions and using the transfer market to bolster the squad, Chelsea have a rich history of bringing players through their academy system.

da prosport bet： Current first-team stars Reece James, Levi Colwill, and Trevoh Chalobah all came through Cobham to star in the first-team, much to the delight of the Blues supporters.

Bringing players up from the youth set-up saves the club millions as any first-team addition through the academy alleviates the need to spend big money on a new player in their position.

As sad as the reality of it is, academy graduates are also beneficial to clubs from a PSR (profit and sustainability rules) perspective, as they represent pure profit on the books if they are sold on, which has helped the Blues in recent seasons.

Chelsea's most valuable former players

The likes of Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, and Marc Guehi have all come through the ranks at Cobham before eventually being sold for significant fees to bolster club coffers.

As you can see in the graphic above, all three of them, alongside Nathan Ake and Ian Maatsen, are now among the most valuable former Chelsea players currently active in the game.

One thing that you may also notice from that graphic is that Mount is at the bottom of the top ten, despite being sold for a significantly higher fee in the summer of 2023.

The England international decided to move on from Stamford Bridge almost two years ago and, at the time of writing, it does not appear to have been the right call for his career.

Mason Mount's declining market value

In the summer of 2023, Manchester United swooped in to sign the Cobham graduate for a reported fee of up to £60m, which would place him second in that ‘most valuable’ list and only £2m by Kai Havertz.

He was valued at £60m after breaking into the first-team at Chelsea and showcasing his potential at Premier League level under Frank Lampard, who brought him into the senior side after working with him at Derby County.

Mount, who was hailed as “exceptional” by Lampard, ended his Chelsea career with a return of 33 goals and 35 assists in 195 appearances in all competitions, as he proved himself to be adept at scoring and creating goals from an attacking midfield role.

Unfortunately, for the Champions League winner with the Blues, he has been unable to carry that form over to his time with Manchester United.

Mason Mount (Manchester United)

Premier League

Appearances

22

xG

0.78

Goals

1

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.5

Assists

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Mount has offered very little in the way of an attacking threat in the final third during his Premier League career with the Red Devils to date.

The fact that he has missed 44 matches through injury since the start of last season has not helped his performances on the pitch, however, and may have also contributed to his declining value.

At the time of writing (19/02/2025), Transfermarkt values Mount at just £26m. This means that his value has plummeted by a staggering £34m within the space of two years.

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Therefore, Chelsea have hit the jackpot with the attacking midfielder as they managed to cash in on him before his fitness and performances declined, selling the ‘exceptional’ academy graduate for significantly more than he is currently worth.