They both picked three wickets and scored crucial 20s each while Wolvaardt and de Klerk also played their roles to put South Africa 1-0 up

S Sudarshanan04-Dec-2024Allrounders Marizanne Kapp and Annerie Dercksen were at the fore as South Africa kickstarted the women’s ODI series against England with a six-wicket win in Kimberley. The duo shared six wickets between them as England were bowled out for 186. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 59, again aided by valuable cameos from Kapp, Dercksen and Nadine de Klerk as South Africa went 1-0 up with 70 balls to spare in the three-match series.Refreshed after being rested from the preceding T20I series, Kapp picked up three wickets inside her first four overs reducing England to 29 for 3. That soon became 77 for 5 and eventually 106 for 7 in the 26th over. But a counterattacking eighth-wicket partnership of 67 off 64 between Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone helped England to a respectable total.It seemed as if South Africa would make easy work of the chase when Tazmin Brits hit three fours in a Lauren Filer over. But she was given out lbw when a length ball from Lauren Bell hit her on the thigh pad after her missed attempt at a sweep-pull. She wanted to review the call but Hawk-Eye was down and she couldn’t use the DRS. However, South Africa found the going easier against Bell and Filer, especially when they pitched the ball on the fuller lengths. They had raced to 38 for 1 after six overs when spin was brought on.Dean applied the brakes on scoring and trapped Sune Luus lbw, who was also unable to review the decision with DRS down, and walked back visibly upset. At that stage, with the up-and-down bounce exaggerated by the use of the heavy roller, the target felt distant.But Dercksen eased the nerves by hitting three fours in her first eight balls. She helped South Africa take back the control England exerted through Dean and Nat Sciver-Brunt and allowed Wolvaardt to play the waiting game. Dercksen and Wolvaardt added 54 for the third wicket before the former fell pulling a short ball from Filer straight to deep square leg, where Tammy Beaumont took a well-judged catch.That is when Kapp stamped her mark with the bat, scoring a run-a-ball 22 with three fours and a six. She first sliced Ecclestone past backward point before hitting Filer for a four and six to help South Africa march towards the target. At the other end, Wolvaardt completed her half-century off 92 balls. Kapp fell with South Africa 51 away but Wolvaardt and de Klerk [48 not out off 28 balls] completed the formality with the latter hitting 11 fours, the most by any batter in the contest. On the way, South Africa managed to keep Ecclestone wicketless for a ten-over spell in an ODI for the first time since March 2022Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone added 67 for the eighth wicket•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesEngland were dealt an early blow with Maia Bouchier being ruled out after spraining her neck while batting in the nets. As a result, Sophia Dunkley partnered with Beaumont at the top after they opted to bat. Beaumont edged Kapp first ball she faced but wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta couldn’t hang on. Kapp, and Jafta, did not have to wait long for success though as Dunkley tickled one to Jafta on the final ball of the first over.Kapp continued to probe with the new ball and, along with Ayabonga Khaka, managed to string together a row of 11 dots before Beaumont decided to change gears. She charged Khaka to flick her over midwicket and went past Claire Taylor to become England’s second-highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, and enter the list of top ten run-getters in the format. But her joy was short-lived, when, in the following over, she charged down to Kapp but was beaten on the inside to be bowled. Danni Wyatt-Hodge continued from where she left off in the T20Is and smacked a couple of balls before she was trapped in front by de Klerk.Amy Jones then helped England recover briefly as spin came into play. But Dercksen, in just her second ODI preferred here ahead of the more experienced Anneke Bosch, struck soon enough, getting Jones to miscue a pull towards deep backward square leg where Chloe Tryon pulled off a stunning diving catch. Nonkululeko Mlaba, who had an injury scare after twisting her ankle early in the match, then trapped Alice Capsey lbw.Heather Knight took her time and looked to get the measure of the surface. She hit five fours in her innings, often using her feet even against the seamers. But her attempted paddle against Mlaba proved to be her downfall.At that stage, England looked to be folding cheaply, but Dean and Ecclestone combined for England’s third-best partnership for the eighth wicket in ODIs. It was only when de Klerk pulled off a fine leaping catch at backward point after Ecclestone mistimed a cut off a slow short ball from Dercksen that the partnership ended.That effort was not enough to prevent a first loss on the tour for England, who were playing an international game for the first time at the Kimberley Oval.

Arsenal now face being hijacked by Tottenham after their long-winded attempts to sign Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, but the Gunners view one high-profile forward as a viable alternative.

A move for Eze has been on the cards at Arsenal for some time, with reports from as far back as early last month claiming that the 27-year-old is keen to join Mikel Arteta’s side following “positive” talks with his representatives (Ben Jacobs).

Since then, it’s been repeatedly stated that talks with Eze’s camp have continued (Fabrizio Romano), but Arsenal have stalled on making a formal bid to Palace for the England international despite some rumours of significant progress.

Eze has a £68 million release clause in his contract (excluding bonuses), which is now believed to expire this Friday despite previous reports it ran out on August 1, though it was apparently never sporting director Andrea Berta’s intention to activate it – as the Italian believes he can strike a deal for around £55 million (talkSPORT).

However, Arsenal’s hesitancy now appears to be having dire consequences.

North London rivals are now in talks over a deal for Eze, as they look to back Thomas Frank with the signings of both Palace’s star number 10 and Man City winger Savinho, so Berta may need to act quickly if he’s to avoid being beaten to the punch.

A major worry for Arsenal is that Eze is believed to be keen on a move to Tottenham, and right now, it appears Frank’s side are the ones who’ve moved ahead in the race for his signature.

In a more encouraging update, Berta and Arteta do have other options in mind if they fail in their pursuit of the ex-QPR sensation.

Arsenal view Real Madrid star Rodrygo as "strong" Eberechi Eze alternative

According to CaughtOffside, one of them is £207,000-per-week Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.

The Brazil international’s future at the Bernabeu, as it has done for most of the summer, remains uncertain, and Man City are actually considering a deal for Rodrygo to replace the potentially Tottenham-bound Savinho.

This transfer domino of wingers will be intriguing to keep an eye on this week, but Arsenal are apparently not out of the race for Real’s winger just yet.

CaughtOffside state that Arsenal view Rodrygo as a “strong fallback option” in case their deal for Eze fails.

Interestingly enough, Spurs actually held talks with Rodrygo’s representatives too, before seemingly moving on to Eze and Savinho.

The South American is a player of obvious quality, fresh off the back of a campaign where he bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions – the exact same number of goal contributions as Eze.

However, City’s fresh presence in the race for Rodrygo poses another significant threat to Arsenal, so again, Berta is forced into making a quick decision – whether to rival Tottenham for Eze, or rival Pep Guardiola’s side for the 24-year-old.

Before they can even make a move for Rodrygo, Arsenal will have to sell a left-winger, most likely Leandro Trossard, who’s entered the final 11 months of his contract.

Manuel Neuer has ruled out an immediate return to Germany national team despite growing calls for him to end his retirement ahead of the World Cup.

Neuer insists he has retired from international dutyGoalkeeper's agent had hinted at a possible comebackGermany faced with dilemma amid Ter Stegen injuryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Neuer has shut down talk of an immediate return to the German national team despite calls for him to end his international retirement. The 2014 World Cup winner stepped away from international duty in August 2024 after making 124 appearances, but speculation about a comeback has intensified following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s injury. While the Bayern Munich goalkeeper did not completely rule out the 2026 World Cup, Neuer stressed that he is not thinking about a return right now. 

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The debate has flared up after Ter Stegen underwent back surgery that will keep him sidelined for several months. The Barcelona goalkeeper has also lost his starting spot at club level with the arrival of Joan Garcia, leaving Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann in a difficult position. Oliver Baumann has stepped in as a reliable option, but questions remain about whether the 2014 World Cup winners need more experience in goal.

Neuer’s agent, Thomas Kroth, earlier fueled speculation by insisting the veteran remains in top shape and would not turn down a call if asked. Former German international Bastian Schweinsteiger also backed the idea of a shock return for the 39-year-old.

WHAT MANUEL NEUER SAID

"First of all, I wasn't asked. It was a conscious decision on my part to leave the national team and retire," Neuer said on Wednesday at a reception at the Bavarian State Chancellery in Munich. "So it's not even an option for me."

However, the Bayern Munich legend did not completely rule out a return for the 2026 World Cup, and said: "I had a very successful and enjoyable time, and I'm not currently thinking at all about whether and how I could return to the national team. I have been with the team since 2009, and with the European Championship, it was a nice conclusion. I think I got a lot out of German football and maybe also gave German football a little something."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANUEL NEUER AND GERMANY?

For now, Neuer’s retirement stands, but Germany’s unsettled goalkeeper situation, which was made worse by their recent 2-0 loss to Slovakia, could keep the debate alive. The defeat has only added pressure on Nagelsmann as he looks for stability ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. The Germany boss has committed to Ter Stegen as his No. 1, but with the Barcelona keeper sidelined and Baumann still trying to prove himself at the international level, the calls for Neuer’s return are unlikely to fade anytime soon.

Speaking in his first press conference during pre-season a few days ago, there was perhaps a sense of frustration from Mikel Arteta that Arsenal hadn’t strengthened more in the transfer window.

“We are short”, he said, even despite the fact that the Gunners have signed four players and are on the verge of adding two more this week in the form of Cristian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres.

Well, as their pre-season festivities kicked off with a 1-0 win over AC Milan in which they had 27 shots, it was perhaps evident why the Gunners have moved to land Gyokeres, a man with 54 goals in 52 matches last season.

Despite the fact that Gyokeres is yet to be officially confirmed, we did get to see a glimpse of the club’s new signings with Christian Norgaard starting, while Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arriazabalaga appeared for the second half as substitutes.

There was even a customary goal for Bukayo Saka who looked as though he’d never been away.

How Arsenal's new signings fared on debut against Milan

Noni Madueke, signed from Chelsea for £52m, is yet to join up with the squad following their Club World Cup exploits in America. As a result, the Gunners’ attack had a rather similar feel to it.

There was something different in midfield, however, with Norgaard handed his first Arsenal start on Wednesday evening in the Singapore heat.

While the Dane lost possession a few times, on six occasions in fact, there was a tidiness to his play that shone through in his pass completion of 88%. As far as £15m signings go, he will more than hold his own in central areas when acting as Zubimendi’s deputy.

Chalkboard

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

Speaking of the Spaniard, his debut was certainly a bit more eye-catching. Supporters have longingly waited for their first glimpse and while he didn’t have too much to do, the former Real Sociedad man was also tidy, completing 89% of his passes and providing two key passes.

There were standout moments for a number of young stars, too. Max Dowman was given his first senior outing and was outstanding in his brief cameo.

His ability to pick up the ball and evade the opposition is already first-class. It’s astonishing to think he’s only 15 years of age.

There was also a debut for fellow 15-year-old Marli Salmon. The centre-back may have missed a penalty in the novelty penalty shoot-out that took place at full-time but he dazzled in possession during normal time, completing 94% of his passes.

That said, it wasn’t a positive runout for everyone in an Arsenal shirt.

The areas Arsenal must work on

While it’s still early in pre-season, the Gunners’ need for new recruits in their offensive line was blatant.

Saka was lively on the right-hand side and carved out a number of opportunities, but as usual, not too many in Arsenal blue were willing to get on the end of things.

You can excuse Kai Havertz who has returned from a lengthy injury lay-off but the need for a presence like Gyokeres is clear for all to see.

The need for a left winger was also rather obvious. Arsenal have been linked regularly with moves for Eberechi Eze and Rodrygo over the summer and the display for a certain Gabriel Martinelli will have left fans begging for their arrival.

We’ll excuse an early pre-season performance, but the Brazilian’s showing in Singapore was all too familiar. He was timid in possession on the left and lacked the explosiveness required to pose a constant threat to the Milan backline.

Minutes played

45

Touches

19

Accurate passes

6/8 (75%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0

Successful dribbles

2/4

Shots on target

0

Blocked shots

1

Ground duels won

3/6

Possession lost

x5

Fouled

x1

Playing the opening 45 minutes, Martinelli could only manage 19 touches and he completed just six passes. His only shot, one that was blocked, summed up that timid nature.

The winger got the ball on the left and looked to press into the area but his indecisiveness and lack of quick feet around the box meant that Milan found it easy to prevent a goalscoring opportunity from occurring.

His efforts on the night were well summed up by The Standard’s Simon Collings who handed Martinelli a 5/10 rating and wrote: ‘Had one mazy run, which included a cheeky nutmeg, but the final ball was lacking at times, especially with a chance late on in the first half.’

As a consequence, Arteta needs a more explosive figure to partner the likes of Gyokeres and Saka in his forward line this season.

If the board have any sense, they will look to replace Martinelli’s regular starting spot with someone like Eze or Rodrygo.

A better signing than Eze: Arsenal hold talks to land £52m "superstar"

The £52m ace would be a better signing for Arsenal than Eze.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 21, 2025

Martino insists his exit was for personal reasons, highlighted improvements MLS needs to make the league grow

• Martino explains why he left Miami after last season
• Says he's open to MLS return
• Gives insights into Suarez's suspension

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gerardo "Tata" Martino insisted the decision to leave Inter Miami after just two seasons was his own, stressing that he needed to spend the first six months of 2025 in Argentina for a personal matter. He admitted his exit was bittersweet considering the potential for success at the club. 

  “It was tough, because in my view it was still a project with a lot of potential, a lot of room to grow,” Martino told The Athletic in his first public comments since leaving MLS. “It was a personal matter that led me to step down and not complete the final year I had left, which would’ve been 2025. Being [in Miami] was going to demand at least the first six months of this year from me, so there was no way I could stay on." 

  Martino recalled his conversation with Lionel Messi about his exit. The Argentine forward was influential in the coach joining Inter Miami. 

  “I called Leo and told him I had a personal need to be in Rosario, that the first half of the year was going to be complicated for me,” Martino said. “Once I explained that it wasn’t a health issue, that it was just a very difficult personal matter behind my decision, he felt more at ease – with the necessary discretion. It wasn’t something to discuss in detail, just to communicate a decision. After that, I went through it with the club’s leadership and then with the players.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Martino is one of MLS's most successful managers, having won 53 percent of his league matches, the Supporters' Shield with Inter Miami and MLS Cup with Atlanta United FC. Since his decision to leave MLS, the 62-year-old has been linked with several jobs, especially in South America, including the Boca Juniors role.

  He says he's open to jobs in South America, but would also consider a return to MLS.

  “I’ve used the break to readjust a bit,” he said. “And now we’re waiting to see what comes next.”

  However, the manager hopes the league will consider changes to improve its product, and says teams are often penalized for having success and are too reliant on designated players – pointing to the LA Galaxy and the injury to Riqui Puig as an example. 

  “If you’re thinking about growing internationally, it could use some tweaks,” he said. "There needs to be some flexibility to help maintain competitive teams. When you have a successful season and then the next year you have to face, say, the Club World Cup or the CONCACAF (Champions Cup), you end up saying, ‘Now I have more important competitions but a weaker team than last year.’

  "I think some of these rules probably need to be reviewed.”

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT MARTINO SAID

  Martino also discussed Luis Suarez's suspension, handed out after he instigated a brawl at the end of the Leagues Cup final. 

  “You hope situations like that never happen,” Martino said. “But I know [Suárez]. I’ve been around him. We’ve worked together, we’ve won, we’ve lost. I don’t feel the need to defend him blindly. I know the kind of person he is. I’m not saying that what he did is justified or not; what I’m saying is I know him.

  “On the field, a lot of things happen that can make someone lose their composure a bit, and they might show something that isn’t really who they are. But it happened, and now unfortunately, he has to deal with it and suffer the consequences.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  Inter Miami, now managed by Javier Mascherano, return to action against Charlotte on Saturday. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos veteranos no elenco do Corinthians, Fábio Santos lamentou a derrota por 3 a 1 contra o Goiás, pelo Brasileirão, e admitiu que o resultado afeta a confiança do elenco para a decisão de quarta-feira (26), contra o Remo, pela Copa do Brasil. O Timão perdeu o jogo de ida por 2 a 0.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansTime feminino do Corinthians se posiciona sobre Cuca: ‘Respeita as Minas não é uma frase qualquer’Corinthians23/04/2023CorinthiansATUAÇÕES: Róger Guedes é único destaque, e defesa é grande culpada em derrota do CorinthiansCorinthians23/04/2023CorinthiansCorinthians não empolga na estreia de Cuca e leva virada do Goiás no BrasileirãoCorinthians23/04/2023

+Róger Guedes é único destaque, e defesa é grande culpada em derrota do Corinthians

Mesmo com a confiança abalada, o camisa 6 destacou que são em momentos como esse que os jogadores precisam mostrar seu valor.

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o Timão!

– Realmente a gente saiu na frente, mas não conseguimos manter o nível de atuação. Tomamos gol que não podemos. Agora é descansar, se recuperar. A equipe perdeu um pouco de confiança, mas é neste momento que a gente tem que mostrar porque estamos no Corinthians. Quarta é o nosso jogo decisivo, é esquecer tudo que passou hoje, tentar melhorar, acertar, mas sabendo que quarta é decisão – disse o lateral ao Premiere na saída de campo.

O próximo compromisso do Alvinegro no Campeonato Brasileiro é o Dérbi contra o Palmeiras, no próximo sábado (29). Antes, os comandados de Cuca enfrentam o Remo, em busca da virada na Copa do Brasil.

+ Veja tabela e a situação do Timão no Brasileirão

continua após a publicidade

After a long summer, Arsenal finally kickstart their fourth attempt at winning the Premier League tomorrow afternoon.

It feels like it could be the competitive title race for some time, but thanks to their summer business, Mikel Arteta’s side feel well-placed to attack it head-on.

Sporting Director Andrea Berta and his team have overseen six first-team additions so far, with the most significant undoubtedly being Viktor Gyokeres, and if that wasn’t enough, they are still being linked with a move for the sensational Eberechi Eze.

However, if Arsenal really want to make a splash and complete a signing that’d be better than the Swede and Englishman, they should go back in for a player they were linked with earlier this summer.

Why Gyokeres and Eze could be game-changers

While there are always a multitude of motivations behind every transfer, it’s not hard to work out why Arsenal decided to splash £63.5m on Gyokeres this summer: goals.

The Gunners have needed a new goalscoring centre-forward for some time now, and when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, it’s hard to think of many players as good as the Swede.

For example, in just 52 appearances last season, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored a staggering 54 goals and provided 13 assists to boot.

In other words, the 27-year-old international averaged 1.28 goal involvements every game, or one every 63.40 minutes, which is frankly ridiculous.

When it comes to their interest in Eze, there is perhaps a little more to it.

For example, on top of his brilliant haul of 25 goal involvements in 43 games for Crystal Palace last season, the former QPR gem can play as a traditional number ten or fill in on the left, which is an area of concern for the Gunners.

Moreover, he is Premier League-proven and proved he has what it takes to step up in the biggest games last season during the Eagles’ incredible FA Cup triumph.

In short, Gyokeres is a brilliant signing, and Eze would be as well, although if Arsenal want to make an even better purchase than both, they should go out and get someone they were linked with earlier this summer: Bradley Barcola.

Why Barcola would be a better signing than Gyokeres & Eze

While the reports touting Barcola for a move to Arsenal seem to have disappeared in recent weeks, he was briefly linked with the club back in June, and since then, stories have claimed that Paris Saint-Germain value him at around £87m.

So then, if Berta were to go out and get the young Frenchman, why would he be a better signing than Gyokeres and Eze?

Well, the first argument comes down to this output, as even though he plays on the wing, the Lyon-born superstar, whom Mattinson has dubbed “one of the best LWs in Europe,” scored 21 goals and provided 21 assists in 64 appearances, totalling 3927 minutes, last season.

Appearances

64

Minutes

3927′

Goals

21

Assists

21

Goal Involvements per Match

0.65

Minutes per Goal Involvement

93.5′

That works out to a sublime average of a goal involvement every 1.52 games, or every 93.5 minutes, which trumps the Palace star’s average of one every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Now, you might be thinking that the Frenchman’s numbers still pale in comparison to the Swede’s, and while that is correct, you have to take into account the competitions they play in, as, according to Opta Analyst, the Portuguese league is only the eighth toughest in the world. At the same time, Ligue 1 makes it into the top five.

The second reason the “world-class” PSG gem, as dubbed by journalist Dougie Critchley, would be a better signing is down to what he team needs, as while a new striker was important, Kai Havertz was on 15 goals before his injury last season.

In contrast, neither Gabriel Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard have impressed off the left for some time now, making it a real weak point in the side.

Finally, and this is important when it comes to squad building and future success, the Champions League winner is still just 22 years old. In contrast, the other two are both 27, meaning they will likely start becoming less effective in three to four years, compared to eight or nine.

Ultimately, Gyokeres is an excellent signing, and Eze would be as well, but from his output to his position and age, we can’t help thinking Barcola would be the best addition of the lot.

Best signing since Rice: Big-money target "in favour" of moving to Arsenal

The international entertainer could be a game-changer for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 14, 2025

Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, says English cricket must not apologise for attracting the world’s best men’s players, as he faced down claims from the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) that Thursday’s upheaval to the Hundred’s pay structure for the 2025 season will only benefit overseas players.Top salaries in the men’s Hundred will rise from £125,000 to £200,000 (a 60% increase) and £100,000 to £120,000 (20%) for the second tier. However, the other four salary bands, which cover all but four players in 15-man squads, will receive hikes of between 3 and 5%.The announcement was greeted with disdain by the PCA, with interim-chief executive Daryl Mitchell stating he was “extremely concerned” at how the changes had been pushed through. Having been part of initial talks on how the injection of money would be spread across the board for the upcoming competition, Mitchell believed Thursday’s news reflected “a severe lack of communication and consultation”.Tymal Mills and Sam Billings, two players who have been ever-present since the Hundred’s inaugural season in 2021, took to X to voice their concerns. Billings, who captained Oval Invincibles to successive men’s titles, said: “Remarkable how a category gets a 60% increase yet most others get under 5%… Who has come up with this???”Speaking on Friday in Hamilton ahead of England’s third and final Test against New Zealand, Gould admitted he was taken aback by the PCA’s criticism, stating it was “not what I want to hear”. However, he held an unapologetic line about lifting the top brackets to court the best talent in the world, arguing that the dissenting voices had come from a “small section of male players”.”I don’t accept that,” Gould said, when asked if the top pay packets are almost exclusively reserved for overseas talent. “Because that band also includes central- and potentially contracted (England) players, so you’ve effectively got through that top band. And so, no, I don’t accept that at all.”Competition from overseas leagues, including Major League Cricket in the USA, has been a factor in the ECB’s approach to top-tier salaries, with Pat Cummins admitting to ESPNcricinfo that he hadn’t considered the Hundred when signing a lucrative four-year deal with San Francisco Unicorns last year.”This is a global market. We want the best players, irrespective of nationality. If you’re the best player, you’ll be paid the most,” Gould added. “You only have to look at the IPL and the differential and the spread. And if you look back over the last couple of years, we haven’t had as many of the best players in the world that we wanted in the men’s. We want more, and we’re not going to be apologetic in terms of our ambition to get them here.”Once we’re there, then the money is much easier to spread it throughout the squad. It is a very, very competitive market for a very small number of players, and we are not going to be pushed aside on that. We are going to compete, and we have to compete because we need the best players playing in our competition.”Gould also countered the PCA’s suggestions the ECB are guilty of widening the gender pay gap between the men’s and women’s competitions, citing market forces. While the top women’s bracket has increased by 30 percent, they will be earning three times less than their male counterparts. Next year, the difference in pay will have risen from £75,000 to £135,000.In 2022, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) called for gender pay parity in the Hundred by 2025. The ECB pushed back on the timeframe as unrealistic in its response to the report, which Gould reiterated.”The gap has got bigger because of market dynamics,” he said. “That wasn’t a recommendation we said we could deliver on and we have been very up front on that. We have seen a significant increase in the salaries we have been able to put into the women’s game.”I’m really looking forward to the point that every county club in the country now has a women’s team. You know, I think in five years’ time, we’ll look back and go, ‘How did it take us this long?’ But I think that’s a really, really significant step for us.”Related

• Stephen Fleming steps down as Southern Brave head coach

• PCA criticises ECB for lack of consultation on Hundred pay increases

• Why Cummins 'jumped at' MLC and 'hadn't thought' of the Hundred

• ECB plans wage hikes, increase in overseas player limit

• Equity sale in the Hundred could be delayed beyond 2025 – Vikram Banerjee

Relations between the ECB and PCA are at an all-time low with disagreement over Hundred salaries following dissent over an issue regarding a new, more stringent No Object Certificate (NOC) policy.A group of domestic players have been blindsided by what they deem as legislation that restrict their earning opportunities. Those hamstrung by the new regulations are ones who have red-ball commitments written into their existing county deals.Though no NOCs have been rejected yet, with 80 handed out to male players in 2024 so far, a group of around 50 cricketers have floated the prospect of strike action in the form of boycotting the 2025 Hundred.Gould accepts there is nuance to the latest NOC stance, particularly for white-ball players with ad hoc agreements with their clubs. Tom Curran, for instance, has been on a white-ball contract with Surrey since 2022, but made two County Championship at the end of the 2024 season as the club negotiated other absences.Nevertheless, Gould believes the updated measures will “protect the sanctity” of county contracts. He also hopes a boycott does not come to fruition.”That may have been discussed on a call with with a variety of representatives, but I’ve heard nothing in that regard and I sincerely hope that’s that’s not the case.”

أعلنت اللجنة المنظمة لبطولة كأس العرب 2025، عن مواعيد مباريات منتخب مصر الثاني، تحت قيادة حلمي طولان، المدير الفني.

ويشارك منتخب مصر الثاني، في بطولة كأس العرب، المقرر إقامتها في قطر،  تبدأ في 1 ديسمبر وتختتم بالنهائي في 18 ديسمبر 2025.

وأسفرت قرعة بطولة كأس العرب عن تواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة مع منتخبات الأردن والإمارات والفائز من (الكويت ضد موريتانيا).

طالع أيضاً.. أحمد حسن: أزمة منتظرة بين بيراميدز ومنتخب مصر الثاني.. واتحاد الكرة يلجأ لـ فيفا

ومن المقرر أن يخوض منتخب مصر بطولة كأس العرب، بجهاز فني بقيادة حلمي طولان ومعه أحمد حسن مديرًا للمنتخب وعصام الحضري مدربًا للحراس، وذلك بقرار من اتحاد الكرة المصري، بعد رفض حسام حسن المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر خوض البطولة في وقت الاستعداد لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا بالمغرب. مواعيد مباريات مصر في كأس العرب

الثلاثاء 2 ديسمبر: مصد ضد موريتانيا أو الكويت

السبت 6 ديسمبر: مصر ضد الإمارات

الثلاثاء 9 ديسمبر: مصر ضد الأردن  

It’s almost the same squad that won the Asia Cup in Malaysia recently

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2024

Niki Prasad will lead almost the same squad that won the recent Under-19 Asia Cup for women at next month’s Under-19 World Cup, in Malaysia. The only change in the 15-member squad is the inclusion of Vaishnavi S in place of 15-year-old medium-pacer Nandhana S, who has been named among the stand-bys.The other standby players are Ira Jadhav and Anadi Tagde, who have replaced Hurley Gala, Happy Kumari, G Kavya Sree and Gayatri Survase from the standby list for the Asia Cup.The Under-19 women recently lifted the Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur by beating Bangladesh by 41 runs in the final.Gongadi Trisha, the Player of the Match in the final, had top-scored with 52 off 47 balls while opening the batting with G Kamalini, who had bagged a WPL contract with Mumbai Indians on the same day she scored an unbeaten 44 off 29 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.The others from the squad to get their first WPL deals were Prasad (Delhi Capitals) and VJ Joshitha (RCB). Medium-pacer Shabnam Shakil was already with Gujarat Giants, and has the experience of playing four WPL games and a couple of white-ball games for India A in Australia in August.Trisha, Shakil and Sonam Yadav will be playing their second U-19 World Cups, having been part of the previous edition too.India’s win at the Asia Cup came after an unbeaten run (apart from a washed-out game against Nepal). They won their other league game, against Pakistan, and beat Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the Super Fours before winning the final.The upcoming World Cup will be the second such edition, to be played from January 18 to February 2. The 16 teams have been divided into four groups of four each; India are the defending champions and in Group A along with Malaysia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. India will play all their league games at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.India’s campaign will start against West Indies on January 19 before they play Malaysia on January 21 and Sri Lanka on January 23.After the league stage, three teams will progress from each group for the Super Sixes in which there will be two groups of six teams each. Every team will carry forward their wins, points and net run-rate, which is secured against their fellow Super Six qualifiers. The top two sides from each group will then play the semi-finals on January 31 before the final on February 2.India squad for Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025Niki Prasad (capt), Sanika Chalke (vice-capt), G Trisha, G Kamalini (wk), Bhavika Ahire (wk), Ishwari Awasare, Mithila Vinod, VJ Joshitha, Sonam Yadav, Parunika Sisodiya, Kesari Drithi, Aayushi Shukla, Anandita Kishor, MD Shabnam, Vaishnavi S
: Nandhana S, Ira Jadhav, Anadi Tagde