European side now make £8m Rangers star their priority target this summer

In what could deal the 49ers an instant blow at Ibrox, one European club are reportedly now prioritising a move to sign one of Rangers’ best players when the summer transfer window swings open.

49ers could be dealt instant Rangers blow

The 49ers certainly have a hefty task on their hands when it comes to catching Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. The Bhoys have raced away towards yet another league title this season in a reign of dominance which has looked unlikely to end since the beginning of the campaign. Rangers, meanwhile, have struggled on the domestic front yet again.

That said, the Gers did at least manage to get one over on their rivals in the Old Firm derby last time out, scoring late on to win a five-goal thriller 3-2 in front of the Celtic Park faithful.

The hero of the hour, Hamza Igamane, has been a rare bright spark in a season to forget for the Scottish giants. At just 22 years old, the forward looks destined for big things, however, and that could yet see the Gers suffer a frustrating exit.

According to French news outlet But, Marseille have now made signing Igamane a summer priority in a deal that would cost them just £8m in the coming months. The Ligue 1 giants aren’t alone in their interest though, with the likes of Everton also linked with the forward’s signature in recent weeks.

Scored winner vs Rangers: 49ers may now land bargain deal for "special" ace

He’s set to become a free agent this summer.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 19, 2025

From Old Firm hero, Igamane could break Ibrox hearts this summer. Having only just arrived last summer, the in-demand striker may well be forced to make the most important decision of his career so far when the transfer window opens. Rangers, meanwhile, could be left fearing the worst.

Rangers must keep hold of "brilliant" Igamane

With 14 goals to his name in all competitions, including four in eight Europa League games, it’s not just in the Old Firm derby that Igamane has stolen the headlines at Rangers this season. The Moroccan has been the main man at Ibrox and could yet fire the Gers to another European outing to remember when Athletic Club come to town in April.

Earning plenty of praise as a result of his fine form, former Rangers man Derek Ferguson told reporters when asked about Igamane earlier this season: “Igamane is a real breath of fresh air, the young man.

“The manager said he was trying to get him up to speed, but in the last few games, he has been nothing short of brilliant. He is off the cuff and he had three or four nutmegs this afternoon – and took his goal brilliantly. I don’t know if you remember Ted McMinn, but Igamane’s got that unpredictability.”

Whether it’s Everton, Marseille or another interested party, Rangers must keep hold of Igamane if they are to stand any chance of catching Celtic next season. As the 49ers look to make their mark, the young forward is likely to be their biggest star.

Corinthians anuncia transmissão exclusiva para estreia no Brasileirão feminino; saiba como assistir

MatériaMais Notícias

da bwin: O Corinthians irá inovar na estreia das Brabas no Campeonato Brasileiro feminino. A partida deste sábado (25), contra o Ceará, terá transmissão exclusiva do Universo SCCP, aplicativo oficial do Timão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansFausto Vera detalha adaptação ao Brasil e revela objetivos no CorinthiansCorinthians24/02/2023CorinthiansCom retorno de Róger Guedes, Corinthians faz treino tático de olho no SantosCorinthians24/02/2023São PauloGaloppo revela sonho pelo São Paulo e diz que nunca jogaria no CorinthiansSão Paulo24/02/2023

da bet sport: + Quem é melhor: Santos ou Corinthians? Veja votação jogador por jogador feita pela redação do L!

O torcedor só poderá acompanhar a partida das Brabas no aplicativo do clube, já que o duelo não terá transmissãoem TV aberta, fechada, streaming ou pay-per-view.

+ Veja as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

O jogo contra o Vozão, inédito na categoria, será disputado no sábado (25), às 11h, no Estádio Municipal Francisco Ribeiro Nogueira, conhecido como Nogueirão, em Mogi das Cruzes. As vendas de ingresso para a estreia das Brabas seguem abertas. Saiba como comprar entradasaqui.

O clube alvinegro irá destinar20% da renda bruta da partida para ajudar as cidades e famílias impactadas pelas fortes chuvas que atingiram o litoral norte de São Paulo.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Campeonato Paulista

Além da ação promovida pelo Departamento de Responsabilidade Social e Cidadania e do Departamento de Futebol Feminino, as principais torcidas organizadas do Timão estão arrecadando doações para ajudar as vítimas. Clique aqui para saber mais.

continua após a publicidade

Samarawickrama: Taking the game a little deeper gave us momentum

If Sri Lanka had aimed too high in their Super Four game against Bangladesh, they could have ended up with a sub-par score. These are the thoughts of Sadeera Samarawickrama, the star of Sri Lanka’s batting innings, who struck 93 off 72 balls.Across the match, Samarawickrama was the only batter to make more than 20 at more than a run a ball. But he lauded Pathum Nissanka, who hit 40 off 60, and Kusal Mendis, who made 50 off 73, for setting the foundation.”When Pathum and Kusal were batting, the pitch seemed a bit slow and they did really well,” Samarawickrama said. “If they had taken risks at that point and got out, maybe I would have got out cheaply too. But because they took the game a little deeper and gave us some momentum, I found it easier too.Related

  • Sadeera 93 trumps Hridoy's 82 as SL start Super Four with close win

  • Struggling with bat, Shanaka leads Sri Lanka to victory with ball

“When I saw the pitch, we talked about how this wasn’t a 320 pitch – it’s a 250 surface. Even that you just have to get in the last eight overs or so. If we had gone too hard early, we might have been out for 220. So what I tried to do after getting a start was to get the team to 250.”Samarawickrama, who made his Sri Lanka debut in Tests in 2017, has clearly worked on his white-ball batting since then. On Saturday, he frequently shuffled towards off stump to access the leg side, and backed away to leg to hit through off – often behind point.These were skills he had developed and used in last year’s Lanka Premier League, he said. In that tournament, he was second on the run-scorers chart, with 294 runs and a strike rate of 131.25. It was that performance, in fact, that had launched him back into the conversation as an international player.”Moving around the crease is something that I started in the LPL last year – playing with the bowler’s mind and figuring out how to put pressure on him,” Samarawickrama said. “However the pitch plays, I have to back my strengths, one of which is to back away and hit. It’s something I learned with a lot of hard work, so I back myself to do that.”Sri Lanka have now also won 13 ODIs consecutively, second only to Australia, who had won 21 in a row.”When you play as a team, your own performances are lifted,” Samarawickrama said. “If we had lost, my performance today wouldn’t be highlighted either. If the top order isn’t doing well, the middle order gets it done. If the middle order can’t do it, the top order has scored runs. We’re playing as a team.”

Club to offer Newcastle 3 stars on combined £383k-a-week in Isak swap deal

Newcastle United will be offered three players in exchange for Alexander Isak by a huge European club this summer, according to a new transfer claim.

Newcastle sweating over Isak's future

Isak is enjoying a fantastic season for the Magpies, standing out as not only their star but also one of the best players in the Premier League currently, causing defenders nightmares with his pace, finishing and all-round game.

The 25-year-old has scored 19 league goals in 2024/25 to date, with only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland ahead of him in the charts, which says a huge amount about the sort of company he is now in.

Isak’s blistering form is understandably seeing him being linked with a move away from Newcastle this summer, however, with some huge clubs battling to snap him up. Chelsea and Arsenal have both been mentioned as potential suitors to sign the Sweden international, while Liverpool are also reportedly pushing to sign him in a possible £148m deal.

The Magpies are understandably desperate to keep their most prized asset at St James’ Park for as long as possible, but there will be concern that he could eye a move elsewhere, feeling he could reach another level at an even bigger club.

Newcastle to be offered attacking trio in Isak swap deal

According to RMC Sport [via NUFC Blog], Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer Marco Asensio, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani to Newcastle this summer, in a swap deal that allows them to sign Isak.

The bottom line is that the Magpies would surely rather retain the services of the Swede than lose him, even if it means three players heading in the opposite direction.

Granted, he hasn’t been without injury problems, so there is a tiny element of sense in cashing in on him, but he needs to be viewed as the fulcrum of Eddie Howe’s attack for the foreseeable future.

Should the worst happen and Isak move to PSG, however, Newcastle would at least be bringing in three top-quality players who have proven themselves at a high level throughout their respective careers, with the Ligue 1 champions currently paying the trio a combined £383,000 per week.

In Ramos, the Magpies could have a particularly exciting option, having been hailed by Ian Wright after a stunning hat-trick for Portugal against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup:

“It was very impressive, he played very well, scored a hat trick and takes all the headlines and rightly so. He held the ball up brilliantly but the first goal it set the stall for him. ‘He scores a goal that he’s not meant to score (his first goal). He hits it so well, he’s not meant to score that side of the goal but that kind of set them on the road really.”

Meanwhile, Asensio is a three-time Champions League winner from his Real Madrid days, and is currently doing well on loan at Aston Villa, recently scoring a late winner against Chelsea in the Premier League.

88 goals since leaving Newcastle: Toon flop is now on par with Gordon

This former Newcastle United attacker would get first team opportunities if he was back on Tyneside.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 4, 2025

Kolo Muani was famously denied by Emiliano Martinez in the dying seconds of extra-time for France against Argentina in the last World Cup final, and he has five goals in as many Serie A starts on loan at Juventus this season.

Matt Parkinson to leave Lancashire for Kent at season's end

Legspinner signs three-year deal after finding opportunities limited at his boyhood county

Vithushan Ehantharajah19-Jun-2023Matt Parkinson will leave Lancashire at the end of the season to join Kent on a three-year-deal.The 26-year-old legspinner has found his opportunities limited at his boyhood county, despite starting the season with a five-wicket haul in the first round of this season’s County Championship against Surrey. He then played one match on loan at Durham before returning for Lancashire’s Vitality Blast campaign.Parkinson made his Test debut last summer as a concussion substitute for Jack Leach during the Lord’s Test against New Zealand but has since fallen down the pecking order for club and country. That remains the last of 12 international caps as other spin-bowling options, such as Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks, came to the fore over the winter.Parkinson’s travails were compounded when he was overlooked for the Hundred draft, despite taking 20 wickets for Manchester Originals across the first two seasons of the men’s competition. In the end, a move suited all parties, with the emergence of finger spinner Tom Hartley at Lancashire, who also offers greater value with the bat.Nevertheless, Parkinson still boasts exceptional first-class and Twenty20 records, with 151 dismissals at an average of 25.92 and 139 at 18.96 respectively.”The time is right for me to embrace a new challenge and environment,” said Parkinson in a Kent statement. “I’m so excited that this will be at Kent.”I’m proud of my record in the game so far & I believe my best years as a leg-spin bowler are ahead of me. I’ve heard very positive things about the squad and I’m looking forward to working with Matt Walker and the other coaches.”I promise my new team-mates and the Kent supporters that I will throw myself into this new challenge and I can’t wait to get down to Canterbury to get started.”I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the Lancs members for the support they have given to me during my time at Old Trafford. I thank my teammates for their friendship and wish them the best.”Kent’s Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, said: “Everyone at Kent is really excited that Matt has decided to join the club on a long-term contract.”To have a proven match-winning leg-spinner in our ranks will be a major boost to the squad. Matt is also a feisty competitor who will bring a lot to our dressing room. We look forward to welcoming him to Canterbury.”Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket Performance, said: “On behalf of everybody connected with Lancashire Cricket, I would like to thank Matt for all of his commitment and efforts since making his first-class debut in 2016, having progressed through our academy.”Matt has found first-team opportunities limited this season and we respect the decision that he has made to move on at the end of his contract, in order to seek a new challenge elsewhere. We would all like to wish Matt well for the next stage of his career at Canterbury.”It seems unlikely Parkinson will move on loan for the remainder of the season, as is usually the way with these sorts of deals. The fact Lancashire (seventh) and Kent (ninth) are separated by 20 points at the foot of Division One makes that an awkward proposition.

Hardik Pandya: Rashid's catch to dismiss Mayers was 'match-changing'

The Gujarat Titans captain also praised his team-mates for their match-winning performance against Lucknow Super Giants after only a day’s rest

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2023Hardik Pandya has hailed Rashid Khan’s athletic outfield catch to dismiss Kyle Mayers that broke Lucknow Super Giants’ strong opening stand as a “match-changing” effort, after Gujarat Titans prevailed by 56 runs in Ahmedabad.Chasing 228, Mayers had powered to 48 off 31 balls in a partnership of 88 with Quinton de Kock in just 8.1 overs. Then, he top-edged a pull over square leg off a Mohit Sharma slower ball. Rashid came sprinting in, running diagonally from fine leg, then slid and dived to take the catch to his right after making a last-minute adjustment.Super Giants lost momentum after losing Mayers and scored only 33 runs between overs 9 and 14, leaving them with too much to do in the last six.Related

Saha and Gill's aggression sets up huge Titans win

At 18, Noor Ahmad is living his cricket dream

Rashid, out of form? Try telling Royals that

Hardik said that Rashid’s catch was the game-changer at a time when his team was under pressure. “The way the game changed after that… at one point of time at the eighth or ninth over we were even-stevens but that catch just changed the momentum and we were able to squeeze in a couple of tight overs,” he said after the match. “And after that I think they were chasing the game more than us.”We started controlling the game. Before that they were taking [us] on and we had to chase the game and make sure that we don’t concede as many runs and let them get into the game. So I think that catch was match-changing.””I think we both were driving at 100 kilometers per hour as a team but I think that bump in their innings cost them the game and got us back in the game.”Hardik also praised his team-mates for producing a match-winning performance after only one day’s rest. Titans’ last game was on Friday night and their match against Super Giants was the afternoon game on Sunday.”I don’t think I can ask anything better from the boys, Hardik said. “Especially, playing after one day’s gap and playing an afternoon game, the boys showed up and how.”Mohit, who gave Titans that vital first wicket, finished with 4 for 29, his best figures in the IPL since 2014. He has 12 wickets in eight matches in IPL 2023 with an economy rate of 6.96 despite bowling many of his overs at the death.”We keep discussing how to go about it, especially once the ball gets a little old how we can mix it up,” Mohit told broadcasters after the game. “And if I get the chance with a new ball, then what can I do with it. Today it was a day game so I knew that the wicket could get a little drier and be on the slower side so how we can mix it up in those conditions, that’s the kind of stuff I discuss with Shami.”I have practiced the knuckle ball, but I have a slight injury on my fingers so it’s not holding, so I am not able to bowl the knuckle ball. But I am using back-of-the-hand deliveries. When it’s the second innings and there’s a bit of dew, I can’t pitch it up too much, I have to bowl it away from the batter. So I am trying to stay as far from the batter’s range as possible.”I keep talking with Ashu Pa [Nehra] off the field. We talk a lot about bowling, what kind of balls I can bowl to different batters. Especially how we can mix up the length ball,” Mohit said. “He keeps saying that it shouldn’t be too short. It should be around top of off.”The win against Super Giants was Titans’ eighth victory in 11 games, giving them a three-point lead over Chennai Super Kings at the top of the table.

Gianluigi Donnarumma vs Emi Martinez? Man Utd urged to make 'show of big intent' with transfer upgrade in goalkeeper department

Manchester United can make a "show of big intent" by signing Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the Italian potentially a better option than Emi Martinez.

Red Devils considering a new No.1Initially linked with World Cup winnerPSG star now very much in their sightsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils are reported to be scouring the transfer market for a new No.1. Cameroonian shot-stopper Andre Onana has struggled to convince across two seasons at Old Trafford.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Having initially been linked with a raid on Premier League rivals Aston Villa for World Cup winner Martinez, United are now said to be seeing a path cleared that could allow Paris Saint-Germain star Donnarumma to head for England.

WHAT BROWN SAID

Quizzed on whether Donnarumma would be the most notable addition in what has been a positive window for United, ex-Red Devils star Wes Brown – speaking on behalf of UK casinos Casino.org – told GOAL: “What a keeper. Arguably one of the best keepers in the world. He’s experienced and he’s a very big lad! He’s got the experience and with that side you would be very happy.

“The signings we have done have been very promising. I think every fan is looking forward to the start of the season now. If you were to get a 'keeper of that standard as well, it is a show of big intent and we are really going to push, not just for this season but we are taking a stance and will be there or thereabouts at the end of this season and the seasons to come.”

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Brown added when asked if Donnarumma, who is still only 26 years of age, is a better long-term option than 32-year-old Argentine Martinez: “In that sense, yeah. Martinez has been proven in the Premier League, you would have to say that. He has done great things for his country as well.

“Donnarumma, age wise, has got the experience, he’s dominant in goal. He’s not been in the Premier League yet but I’m pretty sure he has said that he wants to play in the Premier League. He wants to show what he can do everywhere. 'Keepers are a different breed. He shows the passion and wants to be able to play for a team in the Premier League. I think that would boost our squad and our team if that was Man Utd.”

Suzie Bates is back and so are New Zealand

The opener’s unbeaten 81 propelled New Zealand to the tournament’s highest score so far

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2023From carding the two lowest totals at this T20 World Cup – and their own second and fourth lowest score overall – New Zealand went on to post the tournament’s highest score in their resounding comeback win over Bangladesh.They were a batting line-up transformed from the one that was shot out for 76 and then 67 thanks largely to their experienced opener, Suzie Bates, who was dismissed for two ducks in the first two matches but scored an unbeaten 81 against Bangladesh. Truth be told, she was pleased to just get one run.Related

Relieved Hayley Matthews breaks West Indies' cycle of woe

Suzie Bates and Maddy Green keep New Zealand alive

“I joked in the bus today about having one goal in the game and that was getting off the mark,” Bates said, laughing after the game. “So when I got off the mark on the first ball I looked up to the dugout and it was a nice feeling.”Bates spent a significant amount of time in the nets on Thursday’s optional training session, working more on the feeling of being out in the middle than her technique. “As soon as I hit the first ball, I was like ‘oh these are nice nets’. It was good pace and bounce, so that helped after two low scores,” she said. “I just wanted to bat and bat and we had lots of young bowlers running in. I was just getting in the zone of just batting in the nets, knowing that I wanted to spend time out in the middle.”Bates batted through New Zealand’s innings and found her timing early on when she drove Marufa Akter wide of mid-on and also beat the deep midwicket fielder. She went on to tease fielders at long-on, deep midwicket again and fine leg as she found gaps and drilled the ball through them. Importantly, she also stayed away from the cross-batted shots that had been her undoing in the previous games and concentrated on “playing straight for longer”, which worked well on a pitch with more pace and bounce than New Zealand got in Paarl.”It felt like you got value for shots, so it allowed me to just stand still and play my natural game,” Bates said. “A lesson is that that’s probably when I’m at my best. [In] the first two games, I was taking the high risk early or playing across the line. That’s not when I’m at my best. It was nice to talk about that as a batting group and me leading from the front after a tough start.”Suzie Bates was just happy to get off the mark after two consecutive ducks•Getty ImagesThe conversations came after both Bates and captain Sophie Devine were left “pretty distraught” with their back-to-back defeats and “sort of tried to get together to work out how we were going to move forward as leaders of this team”.While they knew “some of our young girls just take it all in their stride”, Bates admitted that she and Devine are among those who “take it a bit harder” because they know how much is expected of them given their experience. It’s also that experience that led them to formulate a plan to go back to their own game ahead of this match against Bangladesh.”Yesterday, Dean Brownlie, the batting coach, showed us some footage of the Bangladesh bowlers but then we kind of stopped that and said ‘okay how do we want to play? And when are we at our best?’ And that was almost that bully mentality that we’re strong girls and hitting hard and straight down the ground, early in our innings, is how we all play at our best. So we just talked about what we were going to do,” Bates said.It worked for Bernadine Bezuidenhout, who opened the batting with Bates and was outscoring her in the initial phase, and for Maddy Green, who finished unbeaten on 44 off 20 balls but Devine, batting at No.4, went scoreless for the second time. Still, Bates credited her with being the fulcrum of the turnaround.”It’s been really hard for her but it’s amazing that she’s actually playing. She had a stress fracture in her foot, so for her to do the hard work to get here is kind of unbelievable but then she’s not been able to perform. She’s had such limited cricket so it’s sort of understandable,” Bates said. “She picked herself back up as a leader. The energy around the group when we started training was brilliant.”Suzie Bates and Maddy Green propelled New Zealand•ICC/Getty ImagesDevine’s dry sense of humour may also have helped New Zealand not take themselves too seriously as they entered their third group match, even with the knowledge that anything less than a big win would guarantee them an early flight home. After New Zealand’s second defeat, Devine joked that they would have to score around 8,000 runs and skittle Bangladesh and Sri Lanka out for 20 to stand a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, but the situation is not that dire. Their 71-run win has improved their net run rate from -4.3 to -.1.5, which is still worse than Sri Lanka’s -0.19 but not by all that much.If South Africa lose to Australia and beat Bangladesh, and New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by a big enough margin, they may be able to sneak into the knockouts and back to the ground that Bates said is in her “top three” in the world – Cape Town.”Coming here to train and just looking up at the mountains, it’s absolutely stunning and gives you perspective. You sort of take a moment. And you’re like, how lucky are we that we get to play in these beautiful places,” she said. “We’d love to play again here but unfortunately the schedule doesn’t allow.”Then she realised that it could. “Oh yeah, the semi-final, sorry! Yeah we’re still in it.”

Kate Cross: 'We all get really excited when the whites come out'

Seamer hoping her Test experience comes to the fore as England prepare to take on India

Andrew Miller14-Jun-2021With her ability to bang out a disciplined line and length for long spells at a time, Kate Cross is considered something of a Test match specialist when it comes to women’s cricket, although that is not quite the accolade that it really ought to be, given how infrequently the format ever comes around.Nevertheless, with 14 wickets at 14.92 in her three Test appearances, Cross has featured in half of the six
matches that England have played in the last decade, and she is hopeful that India’s renewed interest could help to revive the longer format, both internationally and at domestic level.”The format doesn’t come round often but it’s really special when it does,” Cross said on England’s first day of training at Bristol, two days out from the start of the Test. “We all get really excited when the whites come out, and we’re just looking forward to getting going on Wednesday now.”Obviously it’s very different to the white-ball game, but we try and embrace it as much as possible, because we know we’ve only got one opportunity to play a Test match this summer. We want it to be a good spectacle for people to watch, so that everyone buys into it, because we obviously wish we could play a bit more of it.”England’s last three Tests have all been against Australia, while India have not played the format since 2014. But Cross knows from past experience that a lack of familiarity need not hold back India’s talented line-up, having been on the losing end of their encounter at Wormsley that summer.Related

  • Elwiss welcomes pressure as competition for Test spots heats up

  • Stats – India in sight of most consecutive wins in women's Tests

  • England wary of 'fearless' India ahead of Test learning curve

  • 'We may not have much practice, but mentally we're prepared' – Harmanpreet Kaur

Cross recalled that England “probably went into that game a bit naively”, as India outplayed them to win by six wickets, with Mithali Raj’s half-century sealing a dominant display that had begun with bowling their hosts out for 92 on the first day.”We’d played more Test cricket than India had in the four or five years leading up to that, so I think it was probably a good leveller for us,” Cross added. “They came out and played really hard-fought cricket and beat us quite convincingly, actually. It just goes to show that, even though we don’t play the format a lot, there’s still nothing that you can take for granted.”The India series is the start of a busy summer for England’s women – certainly compared to their Covid-ravaged summer of 2020, when West Indies’ belated arrival in September allowed them to get back on the field for the first time since the T20 World Cup in Australia in March.With the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy already in full swing, and the maiden season of the Hundred fast approaching next month, Cross recognises that now may not be the perfect moment for England’s women to push for more red-ball cricket in their itinerary. Nevertheless, a strong showing in Bristol this week can only help the cause, now that the women’s game is getting more exposure across the board.”I’m a big advocate for [domestic red-ball cricket],” Cross said. “The longer format is where you learn the real skill of cricket, how to defend good bowling, and how to bowl for longer periods of time and be relentless with your line and length.

“You can’t use your saliva so you’ve got to find the sweatiest member of the team and use their sweat as best as possible. And that’s me. It’s always me!”Kate Cross on shining the ball

“I don’t think it would be a bad thing to play a longer format, whether that’s two- or three-day cricket domestic level.”Obviously in the next 12 months, it’s really important that we establish what we’ve got now, with the 50-over competition and the T20, and obviously the Hundred as well. But I’m quite positive about the fact that that it could potentially happen. Maybe in the next five years, we might get to a point where we can do that.”But I’ve always said our ratio of training to playing has been quite heavily weighted towards the training side, so it’s nice that we’ve actually got a lot of cricket to play and a lot of look forward to.”As for whether Cross gets to add to her three Test caps, she admitted to some nervousness about the quality within England’s seam ranks – with the old guard of Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole backed up by the likes of Tash Farrant’s left-arm angle, as well as the new kid on the block, Emily Arlott, whose four-wicket over for Sparks against Vipers last week propelled her into the reckoning.”It’s always a worry when you’ve got people working hard to take your spot,” Cross said. “But it’s great for the team, it’s great for our environment, and I think it just goes to show how important those regional contracts are now.”Both have been bowling really well,” she added. “Ems is a tall fast bowler, which you don’t see that often in the women’s game, so she hits a bit of a harder length than a lot of us do, which is exciting to see, she’s obviously got that extra bit of paceKate Cross runs in to bowl in the nets•ECB”Tash is very naturally good at swinging the ball, so that offers something different as well with the left-arm option, so it’s exciting to have those options in the squad.”I’m not sure what the team is going to be, but obviously to win a Test match you need the bowlers to stand up and take 20 wickets over four days, so hopefully we’ve got the depth in the squad to be able to do that.”Ultimately, though, Cross believes that her prior knowledge of red-ball bowling should give her an edge in selection – and jokes that the banning of the use of saliva means that she brings another important consideration to the team.”A good line and length in Test cricket is a good line and length in most cricket when you’ve got the new ball,” she said. “That’s where I’ve had success in Test cricket when I have played, because it’s about who cracks first basically. Who can be most boring for as long as possible, which is more often than not me.”The big skill with red-ball cricket is trying to get it to reverse from about 40 overs onwards, because nothing much happens with it after that,” she added. “You can’t use your saliva so you’ve got to find the sweatiest member of the team and use their sweat as best as possible. And that’s me. It’s always me!”

Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Take Boston in Battle of the Sox)

There's no better way to celebrate the start of the weekend than to sit back and cheer for a few bets across Major League Baseball. We have 14 games set to take place across the Majors and if it seems intimidating to handicap today's action, I'm here to help you out.

I'm going to go through each game and break down my pick for each one. Let's dive into it.

Twins vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Pirates +106

Mitch Keller has been on fire since getting off to a slow start to the season. He has allowed no more than one run in four of his last five starts. The Twins offense has been bad of late and it's not going to get easier for them going up against Keller today.

Brewers vs. Tigers Prediction and Pick

Braves vs. Nationals Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Braves -210

No offense has been worse in Major League Baseball over the past month than the Washington Nationals, who have an OPS of .621 over that time span. Now, they have to take on Chris Sale who has an 8-1 record and a 3.06 ERA this season. Braves all day.

Orioles vs. Rays Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Orioles -116

I still think the Rays are one of the most overvalued teams in the betting market this season. The Orioles rank third in OPS over the past month while the Rays come in at 28th, while also rocking one of the worst bullpens. One top of all that, the O's are starting Cole Irvin (2.84 ERA) against the Aaron Civale (5.37 ERA). Baltimore is the obvious pick.

Dodgers vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Yankees +108

The Yankees have statistically been the best team in baseball this season so I'm surprised they're this big of underdogs to the Dodgers at home on Friday night. Over the last 30 days, the Yankees have an eye-popping OPS of .825 while the Dodgers have an OPS of just .708, which ranks 14th in the Majors. I'll take New York at home.

Cubs vs. Reds Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Reds -110

After a terrible start to the season, the Reds offense is starting to wake up so it's time to buy some stock in Cincinnati. They're fifth in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days while the Cubs are 29th in that time span.

Guardians vs. Marlins Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Guardians -126

The Marlins may have the better pitching matchup with Ryan Weathers (3.41 ERA) taking on Logan Allen (5.83 ERA), but what's more important is that both pitchers are lefties. The Guardians have been specifically better against left-handed pitchers this season, ranking sixth in OPS against lefties compared to the Marlins who are dead last in that stat with an OPS of just .589.

Giants vs. Rangers Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Giants -120

Not only do the Rangers have one of the worst bullpens in the Majors, but their offense has been terrible lately as well. They rank 25th in OPS over the last 30 days. I can't find a single reason to back the Rangers at home in this interleague showdown.

Mariners vs. Royals Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Royals +106

We have a chance to bet on the Royals, who are second in OPS over the past 30 days, as underdogs against the Mariners, who are 26th in that stat over the same time frame. Sure, Bryce Miller is on the mound for Seattle, but I can't trust this Mariners offense enough to bet on them as road favorites.

Red Sox vs. White Sox Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Red Sox -110

I'll back Boston as a pick'em in the battle of the Sox. I see now reason why the odds should be this close considering the Red Sox have had a top 10 offense in the Majors almost all season while Chicago has been one of the worst.

Rockies vs. Cardinals Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Rockies +158

Austin Gomber, despite having to pitch at Coors Field, has been fantastic this season with a 3.06 ERA. If there's any time you want to take a shot on Colorado as a big underdog, the time to do it is when Gomber's on the mound.

Astros vs. Angels Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Astros -184

The Astros' offense has woken up and now rank fourth in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days while batting .260 over that stretch. With Framber Valdez (3.95 ERA) on the mound, the Astros have a chance to win this game running away.

Blue Jays vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Athletics +136

The A's might be a better team than people think. They have one of the best bullpen ERAs in Major League Baseball, while the Blue Jays have one of the worst. Hogan Harris has also pitched well in his first handful of starts, sporting a 3.14 ERA. We should feel comfortable betting against the Blue Jays this season.

Diamondbacks vs. Padres Prediction and Pick

  • Pick: Diamondbacks -102

The Diamondbacks offense has better numbers than the Padres over the last 30 days, with a .701 OPS compared to a .683 OPS for San Diego. With a game that is close to a coin flip in my opinion, I'll back the slight underdog in Arizona.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus