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The big takeaways from the ICC’s new men’s Future Tour Programme from 2023 to 2027

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2022
More international cricket on the menu
Even as new franchise T20 leagues sprout up like mushrooms during the monsoon – the South African and UAE variety will debut in January – the ICC’s new FTP contains an increased number of international matches during the 2023-27 cycle. From 694 matches in the current FTP (2019-23), the 12 Full Members will play 777 international matches – 173 Tests, 281 ODIs and 323 T20Is – in the next four-year period. And that’s not counting ICC tournaments, of which there is one every year (for the first time since the 2011-2015 FTP). Expect the country-versus-franchise debate to get much louder.More Tests, but not everyone
There are more Tests scheduled in this new FTP- 21 more in fact – than between 2019-23. But if you dig a little deeper that’s not necessarily cause for optimism for those worried about Test cricket’s health. Four of the nine countries that play the World Test Championship (WTC) are playing fewer Tests (England play six fewer Tests); if South Africa’s Test series with Australia had not been cancelled, they too would be playing less of the longest format in the new cycle. The big jump in the number of Tests in the FTP has come in large part from a big increase in the number of Tests that Afghanistan are scheduled to play (see below).Related

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Bangladesh get busy
Who’s playing the most games in the new FTP? Not India or England, but Bangladesh. They have a whopping 150 bilateral international matches in the next four-year cycle. While there’s a growing murmur about the point of ODIs, Bangladesh are giving the 50-over format the most love by playing 59 matches. They’re also just behind the Big Three in the number of Tests (34).South Africa taking it easy?
On the other end of the busyness scale, you’ve got South Africa, who are playing only 113 bilateral internationals in the new FTP. That’s more than only Ireland and Zimbabwe. South Africa’s schedule contains the second-fewest T20Is (46), the fewest ODIs (39), and fewer Tests (28) than Bangladesh and New Zealand. In fact, in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, South Africa are not playing any series longer than two Tests (and they are currently top of that table and potential finalists). One reason for this could be that Cricket South Africa want to keep its international players completely free to play its new T20 League in January, and then there’s the two-and-a-half month IPL window, during which a lot of the top South African players will be in India.ESPNcricinfo LtdT20 windows for everyone
Another feature of this FTP is the number of windows that have been created for the T20 leagues of different countries. The biggest one is for the IPL. There is very little international cricket scheduled from the middle of March to the end of May between 2023 and 2027, so that the top players from all countries – minus Pakistan – can take part in the IPL. Other countries have different types of windows for their leagues. Australia have tried to minimise white-ball games in their traditional January slot so their own elite players can play the BBL; Bangladesh have kept each January free for the BPL; the ECB has a small window for the Hundred in August; CSA are doing likewise for their league; the PSL shifts its windows but has one every year; the CPL has August-September.Bad news for ODIs?
The T20 revolution only really took off once India embraced the shortest format with open arms after their victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup. So what does it mean for ODIs if 50-over cricket seems to be India’s least favoured format in the new FTP? India are playing only 42 ODIs in the 2023-27 FTP cycle, the second-fewest among the 12 Full Members, and they aren’t playing any series longer than three ODIs.More games between the Big Three
India, England and Australia will also see more of each other in the new FTP than they did in the current one. They had a total of 65 internationals – 27 Tests, 21 ODIs and 17 T20Is – scheduled between 2019 and 2023. In the next four-year cycle, they are down to play a total of 78 games: 30 Tests, 20 ODIs and 28 T20 internationals.Afghanistan’s Test revolution
Since their Test debut in India in 2018, Afghanistan have only played a total of six matches so far. They have got 21 scheduled in this next cycle, one more than Zimbabwe and only four less than Sri Lanka. It remains to be seen, though, how many of these 21 actually get played.

Newcastle United are preparing for a return to the Champions League stage under Eddie Howe and could now be set to lodge a bid to complete a bargain deal on Tyneside, according to reports.

Newcastle United prepare for a summer of change

The Magpies sit at an advantage to some of their Premier League rivals when it comes to their financial health. However, PSR regulations could be a frustrating factor in their ability to solicit business.

Speaking about their potential activity, finance expert Kieran Maguire understands why the Magpies may feel short-changed by the rules and the course of action they have taken since falling into play.

He explained: “City, Chelsea and PSG got in before those rules changed. We now have clubs like Newcastle, Villa and Nottingham Forest, who are ambitious and aspirational. They want to move to the next level. The owners are willing to fund that move to the next level, but the cost control measures prevent them from doing so.

“It’s a function of time. Some clubs were on the right side of the divide when the rules were introduced, but we have since seen clubs become very frustrated.”

Either way, Howe is keen on strengthening his forward line having already signed youngster Antonio Cordero, and Porto forward Samu Aghehowa may be on his way to Newcastle amid his £82.5 million release clause.

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Central defender Evan Ndicka could also move to the North East from Roma if reports are to be believed in a swoop that would see a priority position strengthened for Howe.

Strength in depth is needed to adequately handle both domestic and European endeavours, so it won’t come as any surprise to hear that Newcastle are probing for another option that could add to their rearguard.

Newcastle open negotiations to sign Nordi Mukiele

Africa Foot claim Newcastle have opened negotiations to sign Nordi Mukiele from Paris Saint-Germain and have kicked things off with an offer in the region of £12.7 million for the France international.

The Champions League holders don’t see the 27-year-old as a major part of their future plans, which is reflected in the fact he spent the campaign on loan at Bayer Leverkusen and registered two goals and one assist in 24 matches.

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Lyon

Earning around £113,000 per week at his parent club, versatile defender Mukiele won 80% of his attempted tackles in the Bundesliga last term either in central defence or on the right-hand side of Xabi Alonso’s backline.

Now back at his parent club, he finds himself at a career crossroads amid Paris Saint-Germain’s excellent position in the world of football, but he will have plenty of interested suitors ready to offer him a new challenge, including Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Besiktas, Everton, Aston Villa and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Newcastle are likely to be at the front of that queue due to their upward trajectory, meaning it is now over to Howe and company to push a deal through.

Century stand between second-wicket pair puts Essex on front foot before rain arrives

ECB Reporters Network26-Sep-2024

An unbeaten century second-wicket stand between Dean Elgar and Tom Westley before the rains came brought champions Surrey back down to earth after their week-long celebrations.Surrey completed their third successive Vitality County Championship win in their last game against Durham but were on the back foot during the 28-and-a-half overs possible until persistent heavy rain drove the players off the pitch nine minutes before lunch. By that time, Essex, who won the toss, had reached 116 for 1 with Elgar and Westley hitting an under-strength Surrey attack to all corners of Chelmsford in a stand worth 112 in 26 overs.Westley had started circumspectly but accelerated the more the partnership became entrenched. He had 11 boundaries in his 52 from 78 balls. Elgar, who passed 1000 runs for the season during his 54 from 88 balls, had started brightly before handing the initiative to his captain.Play started promptly but only after groundstaff had started pumping 4500 litres of water off the playing area from 6.30am. The operation started all over again just as they were settling in for their lunch break with play called off for the day at 2.30pm.Under heavy clouds but with some sunshine interspersed, Essex got off to a disastrous start with Robin Das lasting just six balls before he hung his bat out to Tom Lawes and helped settle whatever nerves Josh Blake might have had behind the stumps. Blake, who posted an unbeaten century at Chelmsford in the Metro Bank Cup earlier in the summer, was one of three first-class debutants for Surrey, batsman Ollie Sykes and spinner Yousef Majid completing the triumvirate.Elgar dominated the first fifty of the stand with Westley contributing just 13 to that point. The South African took three boundaries off Kemar Roach early on, two of them driven crisply through the covers. His seventh four, flicked to fine leg off Dan Lawrence, took him to four figures in his first year at Essex; a single off James Taylor carried him past fifty for the ninth time this season.Westley, who passed 1000 runs for the first time in his career last season, accelerated as the clouds turned threatening and the rain approached. He reached his sixth fifty-plus score of the year – as well as passing 700 runs – shortly after the pair’s century stand had been marked.Westley’s half-century took 76 balls, two fewer than Elgar’s, with three of his 11 fours coming in a frenetic six-ball spell against Taylor and Lawrence that was followed two balls later by four leg byes. The best of some well-placed shots from the one-time England batter was a sharp pull backward of square off Taylor

Seventeen wickets fall on opening day as Glamorgan are thwarted after early dominance

ECB Reporters Network30-Jun-2024Marchant de Lange played a key role with bat and ball as Gloucestershire staged a spirited fightback on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Second Division match against Glamorgan at Cheltenham.The larger-than-life South African scored 46 not out and shared in a record-breaking stand of 75 with Ajeet Singh Dale as the home side recovered from 88 for 8 at lunch to post 179 in their first innings. He then took 2 for 21 in six overs with the ball as Glamorgan subsided to 133 for 7 by the time bad light brought a premature close with 3.5 overs unused.Timm van der Gugten was the pick of the Glamorgan bowlers, returning season-best figures of 5 for 59 to justify skipper Sam Northeast’s decision to field first. But his efforts were matched by Gloucestershire overseas all-rounder Beau Webster, who produced a startling three-wicket burst in 12 balls on a day when 17 wickets fell.Kiran Carlson top-scored for Glamorgan with 37, but the Welsh county still trail by 46 runs with three first innings wicket remaining.Twice dismissed cheaply when suffering a chastening innings defeat at the hands of Yorkshire in Scarborough earlier in the week, Gloucestershire’s batsmen faced a test of nerve after being inserted on a green-tinged surface beneath cloud-laden skies. Although the pitch was initially low and slow and the new ball moved off the seam, there could be no mitigating circumstances to explain away an abject surrender that saw the home side go into lunch on 88 for 8, a parlous situation characterised by poor shot selection and execution.Cameron Bancroft set the tone in the very first over, edging van der Gugten’s second delivery behind to provide the first of five catches for wicketkeeper Chris Cooke. Ollie Price fell to the same bowler in identical fashion, pushing at a delivery that kept low and being caught at the wicket.Ben Charlesworth and skipper Graeme van Buuren succumbed cheaply to ill-advised leg-side shots as Dan Douthwaite produced an incisive five-over spell of 2 for 7 from the College Lawn end, while James Bracey missed an attempted leg-side glance and was bowled by a ball from Andy Gorvin that deflected off his pad and onto the stumps as Gloucestershire subsided to 49 for 5.Marnus Labuschagne came on to bowl seam up and afford the batsmen a period of respite, Miles Hammond and Webster adding 36 for the sixth wicket and hinting at a recovery. But the return of van der Gugten served to reinforce Welsh superiority, the overseas recruit removing Hammond lbw for 21 and then making a mess of Webster’s stumps when the Australian played down the wrong line to a ball that moved back into him. Labuschagne then had Zaman Akhter caught behind without scoring to give the home side food for thought during the interval.When Matt Taylor was comprehensively bowled by van der Gugten with the score on 104 shortly following the resumption, the end of the innings appeared to be in sight. But de Lange and Singh Dale had other ideas, the last wicket pair opening their shoulders to post a quickfire 50 in 47 balls and force Glamorgan’s seamers onto the back foot for the first time.By the time Singh Dale hoisted Mason Crane’s leg spin to long-on and departed for a 45-ball 32, he and de Lange had surpassed the 73 made by John Mortimore and Jack Davey in 1972, the previous highest last wicket partnership for Gloucestershire in matches against Glamorgan.Gloucestershire were grateful to the spirited de Lange, whose agricultural approach yielded an unbeaten 46 from 37 balls, with a quartet of fours and 2 sixes, and enlivened a hitherto subdued festival audience. It said a good deal about what had gone before, that these two were able to score more runs than the combined efforts of Gloucestershire’s top seven.Buoyed by the antics of their lower order, Gloucestershire kept plugging away with the ball end enjoyed no little success. Taylor had Eddie Byrom held at mid-on in the act of pulling, Akhter claimed the prized wicket of Labuschagne, who pulled to deep mid-wicket for 19, and de Lange induced Billy Root to edge a catch behind and depart for 21 as the visitors slipped to 59-3 in the 23rd over.Gloucestershire then passed up an opportunity to dismiss Carlson on 11, de Lange putting down a chance on the deep fine leg boundary off the bowling of Singh Dale. No matter. Webster more than made amends when removing Northeast and Cooke in the space of three deliveries in the 35th over to reduce the Welsh county to 104 for 5.Northeast contributed 19 in a stand of 45 for the fourth wicket with Carlson, only to then push at a length ball and offer a catch behind. Cooke fell in identical fashion and Douthwaite then succumbed to a leg-side strangle, caught at the wicket as Webster made further inroads to finish with 3 for 16 from eight overs.De Lange then struck a potentially crucial blow shortly before the close, persuading Carlson to send a top-edged hook down the throat of Hammond at deep fine leg and depart for a 62-ball 37 with Glamorgan still 54 behind.

Crystal Palace now want to appoint an “unbelievable” 4-2-3-1 manager should Oliver Glasner leave Selhurst Park, according to Sky Sports.

Crystal Palace stretch unbeaten run to four games with Forest draw

The Eagles looked like they were on course to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League on Monday after going 1-0 up against Forest thanks to Eberechi Eze’s penalty. However, the away side soon got back on level terms, and that is how the game finished, meaning Palace picked up another point as they aim to finish in the top half of the Premier League.

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Palace’s priority will be the upcoming FA Cup final, which they play in under two weeks against Manchester City. But despite not much being on the game against Forest, Glasner was pleased with his side’s performance and said the desire to win was “unbelievable”.

Glasner told BBC Match of the Day: “It was pretty even. After taking the lead, the equaliser was too quick. It was a set-play and a deflected ball. I really liked how the players wanted to win this game. I’m really pleased. The desire to win was unbelievable.

“We had many situations in the 60 or 70 minutes to come from the wing, but our crosses were not good enough. We got the penalty. We found the rhythm, and we had set-plays. You always have to be aware of the transitions – but we did well. We weren’t as efficient as in other games.”

Glasner also went on to provide an update on midfielder Adam Wharton, who had to come off after suffering an injury. He said: “It doesn’t look like it’s really serious. It was more precaution.”

Sky Sports: Crystal Palace now want 4-2-3-1 manager should Glasner leave

As the Eagles prepare for their Wembley final and look ahead to the future under Glasner, Palace, and by extension chariman Steve Parish, are also preparing for the worse when it comes to the future of their manager.

According to Sky Sports German reporter Philipp Hinze, Crystal Palace are interested in appointing Danny Rohl should Glasner decide to leave the club.

Hinze reports that Rohl, who has been dubbed “unbelievable” by Josh Windass, looks set to leave Sheffield Wednesday this summer. The German has a small exit fee in his contract, and that has alerted Palace as well as Fulham, as Glasner and Marco Silva are being linked with potential exits.

Leicester City and Southampton are also interested in appointing Rohl, who likes to play a 4-2-3-1 formation as a manager, as well as teams from the Bundesliga, but it looks as though he is likely to remain in England.

Sheffield Wednesday was the 36-year-old’s first managerial job, and after guiding the club away from relegation trouble last season, he guided the Owls to a mid-table finish this time around, comfortably away from relegation trouble but not enough to be in the race for the play-offs.

Palace’s interest in Rohl comes as the Austrian has been linked heavily with a move to RB Leipzig, as they look for a new manager, while Glasner has also emerged on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar as they look for candidates to replace Ange Postecoglou.

Group leaders beaten by seven wickets at New Road as Eve Jones anchors chase

ECB Reporters Network30-Aug-2024Central Sparks turned the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table upside down by thrashing league leaders Southern Vipers by seven wickets at Worcester.Sparks took full advantage of Vipers’ depletion by international calls to add another emphatic victory to their five-wicket Charlotte Edwards Cup win over Georgia Adams’ side at New Road in June.Put in, Vipers were bowled out for 183 in 48.4 overs as Georgia Elwiss fought a lone battle against a potent attack led by Emily Arlott (4 for 15) and Charis Pavely (4 for 31).Sparks then cruised to a seven-wicket win with 64 balls to spare after a polished opening stand of 95 between Eve Jones (54) and Ami Campbell (48) gave the pursuit a perfect platform.Vipers started solidly with an opening partnership of 64 between Rhianna Southby (36) and Ella McCaughan (26) but were then hit by a superb spell from Arlott. The 26-year-old broke through when Southby top-edged a pull and removed the other opener in her next over when McCaughan drove round an inswinger and was bowled. After Adams and Emily Windsor edged to Arlott to wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn, four wickets had fallen for 28 runs in 57 balls.Eve Jones’ 54 set up the run chase•Getty Images

Elwiss dug in for Vipers but partners came and went as the Sparks’ spinners got to work. Hannah Baker trapped Abi Norgrove lbw on the sweep, and Pavely bowled Nancy Harman with a beauty. Georgia Davis flighted one onto Linsey Smith’s off stump and Pavely added two more wickets in four balls when Mary Taylor was lbw and Freya Davies was bowled through the gate. Last batter Ava Lee lasted 28 balls to help Elwiss add 36 but Vipers still came in well short.They desperately needed to strike early with the ball but Sparks opening pair Jones and Campbell put 50 on the board in 12 overs. The openers turned the chase into a formality with a stand of 95 in 19.3 overs before Campbell sent a low return catch to Lee.Davina Perrin edged Adams to wicketkeeper Southby and the Vipers’ captain removed her Sparks counterpart when Jones was caught on the long on rope but the Sparks skipper departed with her side on the threshold of victory.A dazzling cameo from Katie George (38 not out from 29 balls) saw Sparks over the line and left Vipers still with work to do to qualify and Sparks reflecting on what might have been if they had produced performances of this quality on a consistent basis.