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Stats highlights from the penultimate day of the Oval Test

Sampath Bandarupalli03-Aug-20251:44

Bangar: India could have bowled straighter to Root

24 – Hundreds for Joe Root in Tests in England, the most by a batter in a single country. He goes past Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Mahela Jayawardene, who have 23 centuries each at home.Root now has 39 tons in Test cricket, the fourth-most by a batter, behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Kallis (45) and Ponting (41).13 – Number of hundreds for Root in Tests against India. Only Don Bradman has more Test tons against an opponent – 19 against England, while Sunil Gavaskar also has 13 against West Indies.Related

Root says shoulder injury won't prevent Woakes from batting

India claw back after Brook, Root tons to set up thrilling finish

50 – Innings Harry Brook has taken to record ten Test hundreds; the least for any batter in the last 70 years. Overall, only eight batters have taken fewer innings to score their tenth hundred in Tests.13 – Fifty-plus scores for Root in the fourth innings of a Test match, the joint-most by any batter, alongside Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Graeme Smith and Chris Gayle.7 – Brook’s 91-ball century in this fifth Test is the seventh-fastest in the fourth innings of a Test match. The two fastest fourth-innings hundreds have been by England players – Gilbert Jessop off 76 balls against Australia in 1902 and Jonny Bairstow off 77 balls against New Zealand in 2022.1:58

Bangar: Brook largely responsible for what unraveled

21 – Number of individual hundreds by England and India batters in the five Tests, the joint-most for a Test series, alongside the five-match series between West Indies and Australia in 1955.9 – Number of batters with 400-plus runs, the most for a Test series. The previous highest was eight during the Frank Worrell Trophy in 1975-76, and the 1993 Ashes.19 – Century partnerships in this series are the joint-most for a Test series. The 1957-58 series between West Indies and Pakistan and The Wisden Trophy in 1967/68 also had 19 century stands.The 195-run partnership between Root and Brook was the 85th century-stand in all Test cricket involving Root. Only Rahul Dravid (88) and Tendulkar (86) have been involved in more century stands, while Ponting was also part of 85.100 – Total number of hundreds for England in Tests at The Oval. It is the second venue where England batters have a century of tons in Tests, after Lord’s (141). Australia have three such venues – Melbourne (116), Adelaide (110) and Sydney (108).

Allrounder who once said “most of Australia hate me” leaves a lot to like on opening day

Andrew McGlashan06-Jul-20231:41

Reviewing day one as Wood and Marsh light up Headingley

It was one of the more self-deprecating comments in a press conference. “Most of Australia hate me,” Mitchell Marsh said at The Oval nearly four years ago after taking a maiden five-wicket haul.From one of most famous family names in Australian cricket he was being harsh on himself, but it reflected a career that had not hit the heights many thought the talent should have delivered. He has since become a T20 World Cup winner – named Player of the Match in the final against New Zealand – and has sensed a change in perceptions around him. However, for a host of reasons, largely Cameron Green’s emergence, but also a broken hand sustained when he punched the dressing room wall at the WACA when he might have played at the start of 2019-20 home summer, that Oval outing was Marsh’s last Test appearance until today.Now he might have played the innings that ensures Australia win the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001. At the very least, it pulled his team out of the mire. In a series that has provided the unexpected more than once, it was another remarkable plot twist. This was just Marsh’s fifth first-class match since his previous Test in 2019.Related

• Mitch Marsh is huge and is six-hitting his way to new heights

• Australia leave UK with the mace and the urn, but no gold star

• Pat Cummins vs Joe Root – a hallmark of greatness

• Ollie Robinson fit to bat but England sweat on back spasms

• Australia hopeful Green absence will be brief

“I’m hopeful to get another opportunity in red-ball cricket but if it doesn’t happen I’ll keep plugging away and be happy to represent Australia in whatever team I can,” Marsh told ESPNcricinfo in March. “At 31 years of the age, we’ve seen a lot of guys who have hit their peak around that age. Hopefully that’s the case for me.”If Joe Root had held the regulation nick at first slip when Marsh had 12, Australia would have been 98 for 5 and the conversation very different. But it was not the first time England had missed an opportunity in this series and Marsh made him pay with one of the crispest displays of strokeplay you could witness. It produced a third Test century, from 102 balls, all coming against England who are, by a distance, Marsh’s favourite opponents.It’s credit, also, to the Australia selectors who included Marsh in the squad having seen the value of having the allrounder at No. 6 since Green became a fixture three years ago. They wanted like-for-like cover (or as close as possible) for exactly this scenario having seen how difficult it was to fill in for Green’s absence in India when Marsh was unavailable due to an ankle problem that required surgery.With Green having picked up a minor hamstring injury, they were able to retain the balance of the team. Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald have frequently referenced how important those extra overs have been in helping the frontline quicks. By the close, Marsh had also chipped in with the wicket of Zak Crawley.Mitchell Marsh hugs Travis Head after his comeback century•Getty ImagesYet a performance like this was surely beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. Marsh had not played a competitive innings since May 13 when he returned home early from a largely underwhelming IPL campaign for Delhi Capitals. He had averaged one first-class appearance a year since last playing a Test, although had not failed to reach 20 in any of his eight innings.After walking in to replace Steven Smith, caught behind off an inside edge in his 100th Test, he was off the mark with a pleasing drive against Stuart Broad. He looked less assured against Mark Wood in the final over of the morning, wafting at one and beaten by another beauty, but that was understandable with Wood getting them down at 95mph.After lunch he played a statement shot, pulling Chris Woakes over straight midwicket for six, but Woakes should have had his revenge two balls later.From there, Marsh became more and more authoritative. He played a magnificent pull into the Western Terrace when Wood, still bowling thunderbolts, attempted to go short at his body. The short ball does not really concern Marsh, given his upbringing at the WACA, but it still takes some playing. “Sink or swim,” he said of his approach. His driving was thunderously powerful at times, not least when he dispatched Wood through the covers and straight of mid-off. The ball was making an incredible sound off his bat.Travis Head is no slouch, and he was basically watching it unfold. When the hundred partnership came up, Marsh had contributed 69 and Head 25. The spin of Moeen Ali, given the almost impossible task of bowling to an extremely short, straight boundary, was too good to resist as Marsh motored through the 80s and 90s, going to 99 with a thumping straight drive for six.The hundredth run showed his desperation to get there, dabbing the ball into backward point and taking off for a dicey single only for England’s substitute fielder Will Luxton to fumble the ball. Marsh sprinted through, leapt in the air, removed his helmet (but didn’t throw his bat, Usman Khawaja-style) and stood arms aloft. “I’d have been stuck on 99 and running by mate out,” he admitted. “I didn’t want to spend long in the 90s.”It can go down as Marsh’s finest Test performance, ahead of his 181 against England at the WACA which came on another recall and his 96 against a very strong South Africa in Durban at the start of the infamous 2018 tour. That was part of a five-Test stretch where Marsh averaged 67.28. It felt like it could have been a breakthrough, but as history shows it did not play out this way.It’s difficult to know how the future will play out for Marsh after this innings. If Green is fit again for Old Trafford it would be a big call not to bring him back, but Marsh’s innings was the type that is hard to ignore. When he fell moments before tea, inside-edging onto his pad to second slip, he threw his head back in disappointment. But he can rest assured that tonight Australia will love him.

Could the two WTC finalists be any more excited?

Alan Gardner15-Jun-2021Here we go again, then. The hoopla, the hype, the patriotic fervour. The hopes of millions carried on the shoulders of millionaires, heroes dressed in white, cheered off in pursuit of glory and a coveted piece of silverware. The entourage, the WAGs, the swirl of social content. The nagging fear that it will all come unstuck, followed by bitter recriminations, dressing-room splits, trial by media.That’s right, we are, of course, talking about India’s bid to bring it home in the World Test Championship final, as the oldest format’s newest format rolls in to sweep Euro 2020 off the UK back pages – much to the relief of England’s cricketers, who have now got twice as much cover for their failings after they began the meticulously planned long run in to the 2021-22 Ashes with a crushing defeat at home to New Zealand.Already the atmosphere is building around the event, with kids flocking to buy Test flannels and recreate their favourite moments from the WTC league stage on TikTok. That added context was all the game needed, and you can sense the anticipation among those involved too – as Virat Kohli explained a few months ago.Related

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Shakib Al Hasan lashes out twice in one DPL game

“If you want me to be brutally honest, it might work for teams who are not that motivated to play Test cricket. Teams like us, who are motivated to play Test cricket and want to win Test matches and keep Indian cricket team at the top of the world in Test cricket, we have no issues whatsoever, whether it’s a World Test Championship or not. I think for teams like us, it’s only a distraction when you start thinking of the World Test Championship.”Okay, so it’s not for everyone – even the captain of one of the sides involved (though this was said before India qualified, so it can perhaps be categorised as “mind games”). But at least the ICC managed to come up with a way of pitting the two best teams against each, despite the obvious issues caused by the pandemic, right? Let’s ask, Ravi Shastri.”Please don’t shift the goal posts. You have got more points than any other team in the world, 360 at that time, and suddenly there’s a percentage system where you go from number one to number three in a week. We’ve have had to dig deep. We’ve had to go down every hole that’s needed to find water and we found it. We put ourselves in the final of the World Test Championship, the biggest trophy in the world, with 520 points.”Well, look, Shaz, they had to do . Now can we at least just sit down and enjo…”Ideally, in the long run, if they want to persist with the Test Championship, a best-of-three final will be ideal. As a culmination of two and a half years of cricket around the globe. Going forward, best of three will be ideal, but we have got to finish it as quickly as possible because the FTP will start all over again.”So there you have it: the WTC was a complicated distraction that both bored and infuriated its participants, but would nevertheless benefit from having more games (hahaha, have you seen the calendar?). Baddiel and Skinner are right now heading into the studio with the Bharat Army to lay all that down in a seminally catchy pop tune which will echo on the terraces at IPL matches for years to come.

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Speaking of the WTC, New Zealand look to be in good form after completing their warm-ups against some local enthusiasts and competition winners. As we’ve touched on before, those mild-looking Kiwis are actually monsters and they handed out another cheerily ruthless mauling at Edgbaston. After the carnage on day three, England coach Chris Silverwood attempted the traditional hunt for some positives. “You look at how New Zealand have played this game, they have given us a lesson on what it takes to be number one in the world,” he said – which sounded a bit like a pygmy shrew looking to pick up tips from a saltwater crocodile on how to become an apex predator. But perhaps the greatest indication that Kane Williamson’s men are untouchable was that they made six changes for the second Test but still managed to avoid any criticism for disrespecting a weaker opponent.

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Cricket is not often short on controversies – already this month we’ve had the stink around Ollie Robinson’s Twitter droppings, plus Shakib Al Hasan taking up karate during a DPL match – but what we have lacked until recently is player YouTube channels to help explain it all. Well out in front is R Ashwin, though the Light Roller’s Tamil is a little rusty, so we don’t often tune in, and now following in his wake comes Usman Khawaja – maker of one of the great 37s on Test debut and a man not afraid to give Justin Langer some backatcha in the Australia dressing room (at least until he was dropped). As you might imagine, given his Pakistani origins and experiences as the first Muslim to play for Australia, Khawaja speaks eloquently in his six-minute video about Robinson and prejudice in the game. On Shakib “losing his c**p”, well, he spends most of the time giggling to himself, which is an understandable response. Either way, Uzzy the Oracle should be worth a follow.

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Fluminense e São Paulo se enfrentam nesta segunda-feira (13), pela sexta rodada do Brasileirão, em partida que será marcada por ações em favor das vítimas das enchentes que afetaram o estado do Rio Grande do Sul.

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As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

Em parceria com a Superbet, patrocinadora máster de ambas os clubes, os times entrarão em campo com a frase “Super Ajuda” no lugar da marca da casa de apostas. Após o confronto, a equipe carioca promoverá um leilão com os fardamentos utilizadas no duelo e destinará a renda para instituições de caridade.

Durante a partida, a patrocinadora vai doar as placas de publicidade à beira do gramado para divulgar ONG’s que arrecadam doações ao estado. Além disso, serão doadas mil cestas básicas e R$ 100 mil para a ONG “Ação da Cidadania”.

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Em momentos distintos na temporada, Fluminense e São Paulo se enfrentam pelo Brasileirão. Com apenas cinco pontos conquistados, a equipe comandada por Fernando Diniz se encontra na zona de rebaixamento da competição.

O clube paulista, por sua vez, segue invicto sob comando de Zubeldía e busca sua quarta vitória seguida na temporada. A bola rola a partir das 20h (de Brasília), no Morumbis.

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Heat’s finals hopes in danger while Thunder win back-to-back games after beginning with three losses

AAP21-Nov-2025

Sydney Thunder’s huge total of 200 for 6 has secured their second consecutive win in the WBBL and put the winless Brisbane Heat’s finals hopes in grave danger.Thunder opener Tahlia Wilson secured her second consecutive player-of-the-match award to inspire a 41-run. Wilson’s 79 off just 51 deliveries was the foundation for the 200-run total after being asked to bat by the hosts at Allan Border Field on Friday.The Heat were never in the hunt, despite a swashbuckling innings by South Africa international Nadine de Klerk (43 off 27 deliveries), and were bowled out for 159 in 19.1 overs.Wilson’s knock was just four runs short of her best-ever total of 83 and followed on from her unbeaten 55 against Perth Scorchers two days earlier.The 26-year-old drove the ball straight down the ground and through the off-side with precision and played an array of flicks through the leg-side, striking eight boundaries and clearing the rope twice.Wilson said opening the innings suited the way she wanted to play after taking her game to a new level.”I think being back at the top of the order has been a good thing for me,” Wilson told AAP. “I can go out there early, time the ball and get full value. I have expanded my game this year and I’m glad it is paying off.”In pre-season, I worked on trying to hit down the ground a lot more. A lot of girls know I do like to hit it square, but adding that gives me that option to go straight down the ground, particularly in the power play.”The Heat were without key batters Grace Harris (calf) and India’s World Cup star Jemimah Rodrigues, who had to return to India for a personal commitment.After 10 overs, the Thunder were 99 for 1, with the only joy for the Heat coming when their captain Jess Jonassen trapped her former Heat teammate Georgia Voll (21) in front attempting a reverse sweep.Thunder captain Phoebe Litchfield played an assortment of ramps and lofted off drives in her entertaining 31 off 19 balls, which included six boundaries.It was an attempted ramp that brought Litchfield’s downfall with Nicola Hancock rattling the stumps.Former Heat master blaster Laura Harris had no joy against her old team, holing out for her second golden duck in a row.The Heat’s WBBL campaign is on the rocks with no wins in four matches. Last year’s finalists will need to win five of their remaining six games to have a chance of figuring in this year’s finals series. The Thunder have found form with back-to-back wins after starting the season with three losses.

Sam Allardyce has named a Crystal Palace star in his Premier League Team of the Season so far, with an Arsenal counterpart snubbed.

Palace pushing for Europe once again

Off the back of winning the first major trophy in their history last season, Palace have started the current season in style, having taken 20 points from their opening 12 Premier League games, which leaves them just three points adrift of second-placed Chelsea.

Oliver Glasner has made his side very difficult to beat, with only Everton and Arsenal chalking up wins against the Eagles so far this season, and a solid defensive record has been the key to their success, keeping clean sheets in four out of the last five matches in all competitions.

Having managed to retain the services of Marc Guehi in the summer, despite deadline-day drama, Glasner’s side have shipped just nine goals in the Premier League this term, the second-fewest of any side, behind only league-leaders Arsenal.

However, Guehi hasn’t been the only player to catch the eye, with Allardyce recently naming another Crystal Palace star in his Premier League Team of the Season so far.

Speaking on the ‘No Tippy Tappy Football’ podcast, the former manager chose Dean Henderson ahead of David Raya between the sticks, while also adding: “He’s so confident in himself, he believes when someone’s got a penalty he’s gonna save it – you can see, it’s bordering on a bit arrogant.”

The 71-year-old justifies his decision by asserting that Raya doesn’t face enough shots to make it into the team, given the Gunners’ fantastic defensive record, most recently limiting Tottenham Hotspur to an xG of just 0.06 in the 4-1 North London derby thrashing.

Henderson must be in Tuchel's thoughts ahead of World Cup

Jordan Pickford has been England’s first-choice goalkeeper for quite some time, having now amassed 81 caps, and it is difficult to envisage Thomas Tuchel dropping him for the World Cup next summer, but the Palace shot-stopper is certainly pushing the Everton star all the way.

Player

Club

Premier League clean sheets

David Raya

Arsenal

7

Robert Sanchez

Chelsea

7

Dean Henderson

Crystal Palace

6

Nick Pope

Newcastle United

5

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Manchester City

4

Robin Roefs

Sunderland

4

Jordan Pickford

Everton

4

Guglielmo Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur

4

Djordje Petrovic

AFC Bournemouth

4

The 28-year-old has already picked up six clean sheets in the Premier League this season, two more than Pickford, while also saving two penalties in the shoot-out against Liverpool to help the Eagles clinch the Community Shield for the first time in their history.

Raya may have kept more clean sheets than the Englishman, but the Spaniard won’t be happy by Richarlison recently lobbing him from distance in the North London derby…

As such, Henderson’s selection is fully justified, and the goalkeeper has a huge part to play as Palace look to qualify for Europe for the second year running.

Crystal Palace star who "they don't want to lose" now has his agent testing an exit

The Eagles must look to keep hold of their star striker.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 25, 2025

Manchester United have a conundrum in midfield which needs to be solved sooner rather than later.

Ruben Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system, which he is insistent on sticking to, operates with a double pivot. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro are his first choices in that role this season.

That has left a few players out in the cold this season, without regular minutes. The two players who have tended to be left on the sidelines are Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte. The England international is yet to start a Premier League game this season, and former Sporting man Ugarte has not been able to get into the side over Casemiro.

It seems as though the Red Devils are targeting a new midfielder who can slot into the side.

Man Utd looking to sign England international

The Manuncian side have already begun a mini-revolution in the centre of the park. They have recently signed young Colombian Cristian Orozco, who will perhaps start in the youth team but could well be considered a first-teamer in the future.

Elliot Anderson is a name who is regularly linked with a move to Old Trafford but he’s not the only England international in the crosshairs of INEOS.

Indeed, according to a report from Football Insider, Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher is a player the club continue to ‘monitor’ ahead of the January transfer window.

There has been previous interest in the former Chelsea star from Premier League clubs. Crystal Palace wanted him last summer, and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested.

However, Amorim’s side are described as ‘frontrunners’ for Gallagher. As far as a fee is concerned, it has been reported that a bid in the region of £26m could be accepted.

Why Gallagher would be a good signing

The signing of Gallagher could well be a strong addition to United’s midfield. Described as a “warrior” in the middle of the park by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would bring Premier League experience.

Indeed, Gallagher has made 136 appearances in the English top flight, for boyhood side Chelsea, as well as loan spells at Crystal Palace and West Brom. That ready-made experience in the Premier League could be vital for Amorim, as he would need little to no adaptation period.

Of course, over the last 18 months, the former Chelsea star has been plying his trade in La Liga for Atleti. He’s played 69 times for Diego Simeone’s side, chipping in with six goals and six assists. That included a strike against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season.

If the Red Devils were to sign Gallagher this winter, he could prove to be the long-term replacement for Casemiro. United’s Brazilian midfielder is out of contract soon, and it seems like he could be on his way at the end of the campaign.

Indeed, he is a hard man to replace. The former Los Blancos star has been a key figure in that midfield pivot for Amorim, making 12 appearances and chipping in with three goals.

That included this effort against Gallagher’s former side, Chelsea, at Old Trafford.

Replacing Casemiro in that United midfield would not be easy for Gallagher. Aside from his potent threat in the final third, the Brazilian, of course, is a master at breaking up play and winning the ball back.

However, when looking at the stats, it suggests that the Atleti star possesses the skills to do just that. For example, he’s averaged 4.12 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes this season, compared to just 3.6 each game for Casemiro.

Finding the man who can eventually step into Casemiro’s shoes was never going to be easy for Amorim. Yet, in Gallagher, United may have landed upon the perfect player. He still has plenty of quality on the ball and final third threat, whilst also being an efficient ball winner.

Furthermore, he’s also got energy, something Casemiro lacks. Indeed, he has been described as an “intensity monster” and as “one of the best midfielders in the sport when it comes to running long distances” by one notable analyst on social media.

£26m is a small fee in the current market, and should the Red Devils choose to pay it, they could have finally found the perfect player to replace Casemiro.

The new Garnacho: Man Utd ready £131m bid to sign the "best in the world"

Manchester United could be about to smash their transfer record in the upcoming January transfer window.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 30, 2025

The doom and gloom currently engulfing Leeds United is strong.

At Elland Road this season, the Whites have looked like a competent Premier League outfit, in all fairness, as was showcased in their 2-1 win over West Ham United to close out October.

But, Daniel Farke and Co cannot rely on their home form all season long to keep them away from the dreaded relegation spaces, with their away record an abysmal read at the moment.

Only three of Leeds’ 11 points so far this season have been picked up on their disappointing travels, with all of their defeats on the road also seeing the top-flight newcomers offer up very little in an attacking capacity.

The 3-0 loss last time out at Brighton and Hove Albion was an alarming reminder of the gulf in quality between Leeds and the likes of Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls, with Leeds reduced to a relegation-fodder state at the Amex.

Strangely, though, Leeds have pulled off some memorable bits of business this summer that have stuck out amid all the hopelessness, with Noah Okafor already up to two goals at his new employers, as the Whites are usually prone to a transfer clanger or two.

Ranking Leeds' transfer business in recent history

Switzerland international, Okafor, has already been described as a “class difference-maker” by Leeds content creator Oscar Marrio for his goal-laden displays in West Yorkshire.

Successfully completing five dribbles against the rampant Seagulls, too, it will be interesting to see if the Whites can avoid the drop, courtesy of the risky £18m acquisition bombing down the flanks.

The likes of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach have also stood out in midfield, after joining from Newcastle United and Hoffenheim respectively, with the energy that Okafor offers in spades also visible in this new duo.

Two Premier League strikes have also already been put away by the ex-Magpies star, and his Croat counterpart, with Longstaff even being labelled as “one of the best signings in the Premier League” this summer by journalist Daniel Storey.

Often, comments about Leeds’ recent purchases haven’t always been so complimentary, with the Whites’ summer business heading into 2022/23 – which ended in a pitiful Premier League relegation – sticking out as being full of blunders.

Luis Sinisterra certainly stands out as being a transfer deal gone wrong, with the £21m winger billed as an “animal” by ex-teammate Juan Cuadrado on this entry to England, only for the Colombian to score a weak five goals in the Premier League donning Leeds white, during what was an injury-ravaged stint.

The likes of Rasmus Kristensen, Tyler Adams, and many more around this same time period aren’t remembered fondly, either, as they all left the Leeds train at the earliest possible opportunity, after relegation was confirmed.

Another name that springs to mind is Helder Costa. Costing £12m to obtain under the great Marcelo Bielsa, he then only made an unmemorable 23 Premier League appearances in West Yorkshire.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be praying that he’s not recounted in the same dismissive manner down the line, as the ex-Everton marksman continues to struggle to find his goalscoring groove at Elland Road.

The former England international does have the bonus that he was acquired on a free transfer, so he doesn’t have a weighty Sinisterra-like price tag hanging above his head.

Still, with only one goal coming his way so far this season, he isn’t immune to pelters, with ex-Premier League scout Bryan King even stating recently that he isn’t the “right striker fit” for Leeds if they desperately crave goals to stave off the drop.

It’s too early to judge whether he’s an outright flop, though, but the early signs are concerning. He isn’t alone in being deemed a shaky summer signing, however.

Leeds flop could be seen as one of their worst signings

Heading into top-flight action this season, it was clear Leeds needed to successfully find a long-term replacement for Illan Meslier.

The Frenchman was so error-prone last campaign that £400k recruit Karl Darlow had to be thrown in for the latter matches of the campaign, so their promotion charge wasn’t sabotaged.

Unfortunately, Lucas Perri’s £13.9m arrival this summer from Lyon hasn’t instantly eased the goalkeeping nerves that plagued their Championship promotion story.

The Brazilian stopper joined the building having been branded as an “outstanding” shot-stopper by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, having collected a promising ten clean sheets last season in Ligue 1 action.

He started life in England with two clean sheets collected from his first three Premier League clashes, too, but he has looked worryingly ropey when Leeds have been under the cosh.

In particular, his showing away at Brighton would see journalist Adam Pope criticise the 27-year-old for the amount of “unnecessary” decisions he was making with the ball at his feet that just ramped up more pressure on the all-at-sea defenders on the South Coast.

Games played

5

Goals conceded overall

9

Goals conceded*

1.8

Saves

9

Goals prevented

-0.48

Accurate passes*

18.8 (53%)

The table above doesn’t lie, either, when looking at Pope’s comments, with Perri only managing to accurately complete 53% of his passes so far this season, as the likes of Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson were then put under far more strain than necessary at the Amex.

Moreover, Perri has the worst save percentage among the 21 goalkeepers to have played five or more games so far this season in the Premier League, with nine efforts being hammered past the new Leeds number one, despite only facing 18 total shots.

Amazingly, Leeds might well have just been better sticking it out with their trusty second-in-command from last season in Darlow, with the experienced Welshman managing to make 13 saves across his own span of five Premier League encounters.

At £13.9m, Perri is yet to live up to his high transfer fee, with the highly praised Longstaff even coming into the building for a lower fee himself, at the £12m range.

Even Meslier would come away from his 2022/23 efforts in the top-flight with a higher accurate pass percentage average next to his name, with a worry now that Leeds have forked out significant wads of cash on a ‘keeper who isn’t a noticeable upgrade on what they already had.

The same could be said about Calvert-Lewin, arguably, – if you remove talk of transfer fees – with golden-boot winning Joel Piroe up top now frozen out completely, despite collecting a blistering 19 strikes on the way to promotion being clinched.

Thankfully, Calvert-Lewin’s woes in front of goal have been regularly bailed out already by the likes of Okafor stepping up to the mark as a far more impactful new addition.

In between the sticks, though, it’s harder to go under the radar for your mistakes and errors, with a worry that more unconvincing performances from the £13.9m ‘keeper to come could result in Leeds hurtling straight back down to the second tier.

This would be a gigantic disappointment, with Perri once judged as a clean slate in goal, who could break away from the shoddy days of Meslier.

Leeds star was "indispensable" to Farke, now he's as droppable as Aaronson

This Leeds United star who was once dubbed as a necessary cog is now struggling in the Premier League.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 5, 2025

Longtime Seattle Mariners announcer Dave Sims has been named as the new radio voice of the New York Yankees. The two-time Emmy Award winner, who has called Mariners games for the past 18 years, is returning to New York to replace John Sterling, who retired after a legendary career.

Sims has plenty of familiarity in New York, as he was the radio host for the New York Knicks in the mid-'80s.

"By now you've probably heard the news. I'm coming home to New York," Sims said. "I thoroughly enjoyed my 18 years in Seattle. I loved becoming part of Mariner nation in the Pacific Northwest. So many great memories, so many good people. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for having this interloper coming in and being part of your culture. I really enjoyed it and I wish everybody in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest all the best as we move forward. Go Mariners and Go Yankees."

The 71-year-old Sims will begin calling games for the Yankees in 2025, as the franchise will look to return to the World Series and capture its first title since 2009.

Root and Crawley got fifties in the chase as India’s six dropped catches in the match proved costly

Matt Roller24-Jun-20251:53

Did we see a refined version of Bazball?

Headingley has become the home of the run chase, and England hauled in a target of 371 to prove it. Set up by Ben Duckett’s dazzling 149, and sealed with a six by Jamie Smith, they romped home in just 82 overs to seal a sixth consecutive win in Leeds – all while bowling first – and to take a 1-0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.It left Ben Stokes to breathe a sigh of relief after his decision to field on Friday morning, and India to dwell on the countless opportunities they missed to take control of this Test. They hit five centuries to England’s two, but lower-order collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 proved costly – as did their six dropped catches.This was a chastening way to start a new era for India, with Shubman Gill’s sparkling first-innings century long forgotten as he reflected on a heavy defeat in his first Test as captain. After series losses against New Zealand and Australia, India have now lost seven of their last nine Tests, and may only have Jasprit Bumrah available for two of the next four on the England tour.Bumrah was borderline unplayable in Australia, taking 32 wickets in the series, but was unusually ineffective after his first-innings five-for at Headingley. He went wicketless in England’s run chase, and was seen off by Duckett and Zak Crawley, whose partnership of 188 in 42.2 overs laid the foundations for a victory cruise despite the lingering threat of rain.3:26

Harmison: Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out

Duckett was sublime, starting his innings slowly before accelerating against India’s weaker links. He was particularly severe on Ravindra Jadeja, whom he reverse swept into submission, and Prasidh Krishna, whose five wickets in the match could not disguise an eye-watering economy rate of 6.28, the most expensive in India’s Test history.England wobbled in the afternoon against Prasidh and Shardul Thakur, but Smith and Joe Root saw them across the line with 14 overs remaining in the final hour. Root was characteristically cool in his unbeaten 53, while Smith took Jadeja for 18 runs in an over, including sixes over square leg and mid-on, to see his team across the line.Duckett and Crawley had reached the lunch break unscathed, battling through probing early spells from Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj before tucking into India’s change bowlers. Duckett cut and pulled with total control until his hundred was a shot away: on 97, he offered a chance when he pulled Siraj to deep square leg, but Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped his third catch of the match.Siraj was furious, and made no effort to hide it. He had drawn Duckett into a verbal battle after drawing an outside edge which skewed away through a gap in the slip cordon soon after lunch, and could only watch in frustration as Duckett reverse swept Jadeja for four to reach three figures, his ~ Test century and his first in the second innings of a match.Duckett punched the air to celebrate and then got back to work, milking Jadeja for off-side runs as he packed his leg-side field. But Prasidh prised the game open from the other end, first drawing an edge from Crawley which flew to first slip, and then nipping one back off the seam to induce a chop-on from Ollie Pope, England’s first-innings centurion.Shardul Thakur got Ben Duckett and Harry Brook back-to-back•Getty ImagesDuckett continued to race along, his strike rate edging closer to 100 as he reverse slapped Jadeja over cover-point for the first six of the final day. It took the reintroduction of Thakur to remove him on 149, driving straight to short cover, and when Harry Brook strangled his first ball down the leg side, India were back in the game.Stokes survived Thakur’s hat-trick ball, and saw England through to an early tea with Root for company. After a brief hold-up for a rain shower, Stokes and Root both survived lbw appeals as Gill burned through India’s last two reviews. But with the partnership on 49, Stokes top-edged a reverse sweep straight to his opposite number at short third.Smith strode out at No. 7 as though determined to prove his mettle after an ill-timed first-innings dismissal, and set to work alongside Root. The same pair took England close to the line in a nervy chase against Sri Lanka in Manchester last year; this time, they took them over it with an unbroken stand of 71.Some of Gill’s decisions will come under scrutiny: Siraj went unused between the 41st and 81st overs, while Bumrah did not get the chance to bowl in the final 17 overs of the match. He is only due to play in three of the five matches in this series, and India’s performance suggested their attack will struggle badly without him.The result was vindication of Stokes’ decision at the toss, and means that five of the last seven Headingley Tests have been won by a team chasing at least 250 in the fourth innings. And if this chase was not the white-knuckle ride of the 2019 Ashes, it was a clinical performance which hinted at a more complete, more rounded England approach.