Switzerland training has been cancelled ahead of their Euro 2025 quarter-final against Spain after ilness spread through the squad.

Switzerland cancel training Alisha Lehmann and Co told 30 minutes priorFace Spain on FridayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per Blick, Swiss training was cancelled just 30 minutes before the players were due to begin, as a cold spreads through the camp. Multiple players are reported to have suffered symptoms, and the host nation of Euro 2025 thus decided to cancel their session on Tuesday.

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Alisha Lehmann and Co face Spain on Friday in their quarter-final, but their preparations have now been disrupted. Julia Stierli and Coumba Sow are both reported to be under the weather and the squad have been given the day off for recovery and recuperation.

DID YOU KNOW?

Switzerland came through the group stages in dramatic fashion, as Riola Xhemaili's injury-time equaliser sealed qualification against Finland. They have only played at two European Championships previously, in 2017 and 2022, being eliminated at the group stages on both occasions.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Switzerland play Spain on Friday as they attempt to reach the semi-finals. Spain, of course, are ranked as the second-best international team in the world by FIFA.

تحدثت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية عن الغيابات المرتقبة في قمة منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، يوم السبت، بين فريقي ليفربول وتشيلسي.

ويستضيف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وتشيلسي، في الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وذكرت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” أن ما يصل إلى 12 لاعبًا قد يغيبون عن مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي، مساء السبت، وعلى رأسهم حارس مرمى الريدز أليسون بيكر.

وتعرض أليسون للإصابة خلال مباراة ليفربول وجالطة سراي، يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا على صعيد أوتار الركبة، حيث لم يتمكن من استكمال اللقاء.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول يعلن الفائز بجائزة لاعب شهر أغسطس 2025

كما أن هناك شكوكًا حول مشاركة هوجو إيكتيكي وفيديريكو كييزا في مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي، حيث تعرض الأول لإصابة خلال لقاء جالطة سراي، بينما غاب الثاني بسبب كدمة.

سيفتقد ليفربول أيضًا للاعبه جيوفاني ليوني في مباراة تشيلسي بسبب الإصابة، حيث تعرض لقطع في الرباط الصليبي خلال مباراة ساوثهامبتون في كأس كاراباو.

وبالنسبة لـ تشيلسي، سيغيب أيضًا بعض لاعبيه ضد ليفربول، حيث لن يكون نجم الفريق كول بالمر متاحًا للمشاركة حيث لا يزال يتعافى من إصابة في الفخذ.

كما سيفتقد تشيلسي خدمات ليام ديلاب، ليفي كولويل، توسين أدارابيويو وداريو إيسوجو في مباراة ليفربول بسبب الإصابات، في حين تحوم الشكوك حول لياقة أندري سانتوس وويسلي فوفانا، بينما يغيب تريفوه تشالوباه عن المباراة بسبب الإيقاف بعد طرده الأسبوع الماضي ضد برايتون.

England indebted to rookie as Sri Lanka’s bowlers probe away on rain-truncated day

Andrew Miller22-Aug-2024

England 259 for 6 (Smith 72*) lead Sri Lanka 236 by 23 runsAsitha Fernando produced a compelling display of all-purpose seam and swing bowling, while Prabath Jayasuriya chipped in with two bewilderingly brilliant deliveries in an otherwise steady display of left-arm spin, as Sri Lanka fought gamely to stay in touch on a gloomy second day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.By the close, England were indebted to their rookie keeper, Jamie Smith, who justified his promotion to No. 6 with a hard-earned 72 not out, his third half-century in five innings since taking over from his Surrey team-mate Ben Foakes at the start of the summer. Harry Brook added another fifty of his own as England recovered from a dicey 125 for 4 to close on 259 for 6, with a slender lead of 23 in the bank.As had been the case throughout the West Indies series earlier in the summer, the impression after two days of action is that England should yet close out this contest with some ease, but the quality and spirit of the visitors’ bowling has forced them to graft with rather more diligence than might have been the case in previous incarnations of the Bazball era. Asitha in particular was superb throughout his 14 overs, spread across three key spells, including an incisive mid-innings bout of reverse-swing that belied the dank conditions.After sweating under the covers for several hour during a rainy morning in Manchester, the Old Trafford pitch was ripe for seam bowling when play finally got underway at 1.15pm, and Asitha was primed to cash in. With his bustling approach and a commitment to a full length, he posed problems from the outset, under still-dense cloud cover and with the floodlights in full beam.His performance went into overdrive from the first ball of his second over, when Dan Lawrence was pinned on the pad and given out lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel. Although that decision was successfully overturned, with the ball shown to be skimming over the bails, the information was stored away and perfectly processed by the bowler.Two balls later, and now with Ben Duckett on strike, Asitha fired the ball in a good two feet fuller, and was this time the successful reviewee, with the ball shown to be both pitching on and hitting leg stump as Duckett was turned inside-out on his attempted flick across the line.And in his very next over, Asitha served up the piece de resistance of his new-ball spell, an exceptional wobble-seam delivery, pitching half a foot fuller than the Lawrence ball, and straightening off the pitch to smash into the top of Ollie Pope’s off stump. England’s captain was gone for 6, and at 40 for 2 in the ninth over, England had a bit of a rebuild to undertake.Root is no stranger to skinny top-order scorelines, of course, and as he bedded in for the long haul, it was Lawrence who initiated England’s counterattack, with a brace of forceful whips through the leg side as Asitha strayed in length. But, having scored just four of his 30 runs through the off side, his vulnerability in the channel was superbly exploited by Vishwa Fernando, who nicked him off after a change of ends, using the breeze from the James Anderson End to push a lifter across his bows from his left-arm angle.Jamie Smith gets on top of a pull•Getty Images

Despite the conditions, Sri Lanka were able to find some appreciable reverse-swing off a typically abrasive Old Trafford pitch, meaning that Root and Brook had to be on their mettle even as their 58-run stand clipped along at more than five an over. Milan Rathnayake, Sri Lanka’s first-day hero, was picked off for three fours in an over as he strained for that swinging full length, but it was Asitha’s return to the attack that would prise the most vital wicket of the day.Root had reached 42 from 56 balls in another understated display of touch and timing when he was undone in expert fashion, climbing into a wider line from Asitha while still playing for the inswing that had been the feature of his over to that point. This ball, however, held its line and skidded straight on, and Dinesh Chandimal scooped up the low edge to leave England wobbling at 125 for 4.Brook, however, kept the foot down in his familiarly forceful manner, driving with heavy timing whenever the ball was over-pitched, and working the gaps well, with Sri Lanka’s field still veering towards the defensive given England’s reputation for boundary-hunting. He duly rattled along to a 59-ball half-century, his 14th in just 25 Test innings, and if it was beginning to feel as though something special would be needed to dislodge him, then Jayasuriya obliged shortly after tea.Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner had been diligent without being threatening for much of his day’s work, when out of the blue, he served up something unplayable: a perfectly pitched ripper that gripped and bounced on middle and leg to clip the top of off. Brook could only blink in astonishment – as, indeed, would Chris Woakes, some 18 overs later, when he fell in near-identical fashion, to almost the only other spinning delivery to deviate from the straight all day.Between those two moments, however, there was Smith, with the third fifty of his fledgling career, and unquestionably the hardest-earned yet. He was forced to graft against the swinging ball early in his innings, although one massive straight six off Jayasuriya signalled his refusal to be cowed, but it was the mid-point of his innings that displayed his savvy – in particular a relative grind through the 40s, after Rathnayake had induced two inside-edges in the space of three deliveries with his probing fourth-stump line outside the rookie’s eyeline.Woakes was the ideal ally for a defensively minded rebuild, as England – a batter light in Ben Stokes’ absence – focused on batting long, rather than rushing into a lead. Sri Lanka’s tactics arguably failed to adapt to the dominance that their bowlers were exerting in this period, although in reducing the pair to a run-rate of less than three an over in their 52-run stand, they succeeded in keeping themselves in the game.And when the light began to fail, only minutes after Woakes’ extraction, there was never any thought of Sri Lanka bowling spin in the gloom for the sake of filling out the overs, as had been England’s approach at the same stage on day one. Dhananjaya de Silva marched his players straight off for the pavilion, with six wickets in the bank, and the prospect of a night’s rest for his quicks before they continue their quest to stay in touch with a quietly engrossing contest.

Liverpool have made an enquiry to sign a new midfielder who has been compared to Reds star Ryan Gravenberch.

Liverpool prepare for summer transfers after Salah and Van Dijk deals

Arne Slot has enjoyed a brilliant first season in charge at Anfield, with the Reds closing in on the Premier League title. Liverpool can be crowned champions this weekend, should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town and the Reds beat Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.

The main headlines at Anfield recently have been with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s new contracts. The pair have both penned new two-year deals, with Van Dijk set to earn more than £40m on Merseyside between now and 2027.

Talking about Van Dijk’s new contract, Slot said that keeping the centre-back and Salah means that it is “already a big summer” for Liverpool.

“[Van Dijk’s contract] tells you that we want to keep our best players. The players that have played a great season for so many years in row. When we are able to keep them as free agents, it tells you the ambitions we have for the upcoming years.

“I’m really happy they both extended. Virgil is so important, defensively and offensively, in and around the dressing room. A great personality and a great football player. I think at Liverpool there is always a big summer and it is already a big summer now. Maybe the players don’t follow everything what has been said in the media, me neither, but what I do know it was it was a big thing – ‘can we hold onto them?’ – and by already holding on to two it is already a big summer.”

Imagine him & Van Dijk: Liverpool lead race for 'world's most in demand CB'

Liverpool are looking to sign one of football’s biggest talents this summer to partner Virgil van Dijk

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 17, 2025

New signings could join Van Dijk and Salah ahead of the 2025/26 season, and a new defensive midfielder appears to be on the wish list.

Liverpool make contact to sign £60k-p/w Nicolo Rovella

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool have made an enquiry over a move for Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella.

The 23-year-old is also wanted by Arsenal and Manchester City and could now be set to leave the Serie A side following their Europa League exit to Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.

Lazio would want to keep their star players including Rovella this summer, however, the financial implications of not qualifying for the Champions League may mean they cash in on some.

Currently sixth in Serie A, Lazio only have Rovella on loan from Juventus, although there is an obligation to buy with certain conditions. Liverpool could swoop in over the coming months and land the holding midfielder, who has been compared to Gravenberch among others, as per FBref.

Rovella, on around £60,000-a-week, was also hailed as “wonderful” by Italy boss Luciano Spalletti last year, and by the looks of things, a move to Anfield could be one to keep an eye on.

A day after the IPL auction, where all eight franchises claimed their money was well spent, ESPNcricinfo staffers pitch a few knuckle balls

19-Dec-20186:57

IPL 2019 auction: Rating the squads

Is Sam Curran worth a million dollars?

Does performing against India matter so much? We saw the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran perform well and garnered strong bids. But that was in the limited-overs format. What about Sam Curran? He will no doubt win the Test debutant of the year going on the back of his Man-of-the-Series performance in the home summer against India. But, it is not common for IPL franchises to pick players based on their red-ball performances. Has that trend changed now?A left-arm fast bowler is always attractive in T20, but Curran bowls at lower speeds, is not part of England’s limited-overs teams and has no creditable performances in the T20 Blast. Age, potential and temperament seem to have gone in Curran’s favour. But will he do justice to his price tag at INR 7.2 crore?
Gaurav SundararamanSam Curran wipes the sweat off during a practice session•Associated PressWhere’s your middle order, Kings XI?
Kings XI Punjab had the biggest purse going into the auction. They spent all but 3.7 of the 35-plus crore purse to stack up the squad and despite that they seem a featherweight batting team.David Miller isn’t the Miller he was back in the day. Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal struggled in the last IPL and are likely to wrestle for the same spot again. KL Rahul was their talisman last season but his current form hasn’t been great. So getting a back-up batsman, an experienced hand, would have been useful.But Kings XI splurged on on mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy when they already had another mystery spinner in Mujeeb ur Rahman, who bowls in the Powerplay and the death. Not to mention their captain R Ashwin.
Deivarayan MuthuDavid Miller attempts to play the pull shot•BCCIWhy did Delhi spend INR 3.1 cr on Test specialists Vihari and Ishant?
Delhi Daredevils – now Delhi Capitals – have been known to try all kinds of strategies to add to their trophy-less cabinet. Under a different owner, with a new name, they bought the hard-hitting Colin Ingram, handy allrounder Axar Patel and the Caribbean duo of Sherfane Rutherford and Keemo Paul.They also bought Ishant Sharma and Hanuma Vihari, who are seen more as Test specialists.Parth Jindal, Delhi’s co-owner, said one big reason Ishant was bought (at INR 1.1 crore) was because of his familiarity with Ferozshah Kotla, the home venue. Ishant remained unsold last auction till Kings XI got him as a replacement player. But he did not play a single match. Despite his experience, which has helped him lead the Indian Test bowling attack admirably, Ishant struggled to adapt to the demands of the IPL. He is not express, and, importantly does not have the variations to bowl at death.As for Vihari, who made his Test debut in England this year, his strike-rate in T20s is a mere 111.12. He is a good batsman, as far as technique goes, but is not an aggressive one. Still officials at the Delhi table exchanged high fives after getting him for INR 2 crore. What does Vihari offer and where will he fit in Delhi’s famed top order comprising Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant?
Vishal DikshitIshant Sharma eats a banana between overs•Associated PressWhy did no one pick Dale Steyn?
Some of the most expensive buys at the IPL auction were fast bowlers. Even before the auction franchise officials had indicated that fast bowlers, especially good ones, would command attention and money. Yet, one of the fastest bowlers, a modern-day great, went unsold?Extreme pace, lethal swing and solid bowling IQ have made Dale Steyn a household name. But the South African failed to earn a single bid despite his name coming up three times. Why? Is it because Steyn has been hampered by various injuries over the past few years? Is it because the South African players are only available till April 25 and investing in Steyn for just one season is not worth it?
Jayaditya GuptaDale Steyn is pumped after delivering Australia another blow•Getty ImagesWhy was Manoj Tiwary ignored?
India and Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary not fetching even a single bid (base price of INR 50 lakhs) was baffling. Playing for now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 IPL, he had scored 324 runs in 13 innings at an average of 32.40 and a strike rate of 137.28.That performance should have fetched him a bigger role in the 2018 edition, but he was not picked in the XI for the first six games by his new franchise Kings XI Punjab, and didn’t get to play more than two games at a stretch.He got to bat four times in the five games he played, twice coming in at No. 6 and once at No. 7. In the only other innings, he scored a 30-ball 35 from No. 4 to end the tournament with 47 runs at a strike rate of 106.81.However, he bounced back from that, scoring 438 runs at 43.80 with a strike rate of 79.63 in the domestic 50-overs cricket. Yet, Tiwary remained unsold despite his name coming up three times.
Hemant Brar

Wondering wat went wrong on my part after getting Man of a match award wen I scored a hundred 4 my country and got dropped for the next 14 games on a trot ?? Looking at d awards which I received during 2017 IPL season, wondering wat went wrong ??? pic.twitter.com/GNInUe0K3l

— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) December 18, 2018

Where are the young Indian fast bowlers?
It’s been 12 years of auctions. Have franchises still not figured out how to measure T20 metrics right? What possible reason could they have for splurging on Mohit Sharma (INR 5 crore), Varun Aaron (INR 2.4 crore), Barinder Sran (INR 3.4 crore), Ishant and not going for a young fast bowler instead? This was the perfect auction to do it for several teams, especially those who had most of the squad largely in place.One reason could be that the scouts look outside – at the Big Bash, the CPL, the PSL and the Mzansi league – for fast bowling talent. No Indians there. Looking at performances in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy had some value, but even that is no longer the case since the auctions are held before the domestic T20 tournament. The regional Indian leagues — TNPL and KPL, for example — are not of the same standard so one can’t really form concrete opinions based on performances there.
Saurabh Somani

Match details

Netherlands vs Nepal
New York, 10.30am local

Big picture: Third time lucky for South Africa?

Related

• Klaasen on New York pitch: Batters need to suck it up

• Nortje: Don't need 20 sixes to make an entertaining game

• SA vs SL stats – Nortje and Baartman hack into the dot matrix

Once is coincidence, twice is a clue, and three times is proof.To paraphrase Agatha Christie, that is the narrative around South Africa’s meeting with Netherlands at this T20 World Cup.The Dutch beat South Africa at the 2022 tournament and ended their semi-final hopes in a match where South Africa appeared to be sleep walking, and then beat them again at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they exposed South Africa’s vulnerability in the chase. If they to do the treble, not only will Netherlands take the lead in Group D, but they will offer conclusive evidence of the threat they pose to Full Members, especially South Africa.Of course, it will take doing after South Africa’s opening performance against Sri Lanka, where they reduced their opposition to their lowest T20I total and chased it down in fairly straightforward fashion thanks to the most stable middle-order of their white-ball era. In Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, South Africa have bankers and big-hitters and, for this match, they also have the advantage of experience. They’ve already played at Eisenhower Park, and have first-hand knowledge that run-scoring doesn’t come easily; Klaasen said they are prepared to use their “cricket brains” and play “smarter cricket”.But the conditions could be good news for Netherlands, who are not naturally a line-up of big hitters and build their innings on a foundation of turning ones into twos. In other words, they tend to take a slightly more conservative approach to batting, which may work well here, but they’ll be wary of the uneven bounce of the surface and will have to come up with plans to counterattack especially against South Africa’s seamers. Their own bowlers were exemplary in Dallas and will look to build on that performance against a line-up that will likely be more proactive than Nepal’s, but who they have managed to keep quiet not once, but twice in the past. Third time’s the charm, they say.Paul van Meekeren with Sybrand Engelbrecht after Netherlands’ win over South Africa in the 2023 ODI World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

Form guide

South Africa: WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Netherlands: WLLLW

In the spotlight: Reeza Hendricks and Vivian Kingma

After not getting a game at the 2022 T20 World Cup, Reeza Hendricks is the first-choice opener at this event and, as the batter with the lowest strike-rate in T20Is in South Africa’s top six, will be desperate to show what he is capable of. He had limited opportunity in the Sri Lanka match – he only faced two balls before being dismissed Test-match style by Nuwan Thushara, whom he edged to slip. Now he has had time to come to terms with how to play in New York and must combine his shots with the patience he must have, after waiting so long for an opportunity this high-profile.Vivian Kingma went wicketless against Nepal but that is no reflection of the threat he posed. He got movement upfront, swung the ball away from the right-hand batters, beat the bat on several occasions and found the edge in a spell that set the tone for the Dutch. On a surface that could have considerably more assistance for him, South Africa’s top order will want to be at their most watchful while also finding a way to target the bowlers around him.

Team news: Do Netherlands play an extra seamer?

Anrich Nortje’s stunning return to form against Sri Lanka means South Africa may not have to tinker with the bowling combination, and Gerald Coetzee and Tabraiz Shamsi may have to wait their turns to get a game. The batting line-up should be unchanged, with no space for Ryan Rickelton yet.South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markam, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich NortjeConditions in New York may tempt Netherlands to include an extra seamer and they have Kyle Klein in their squad. But it could come at the expense of a shortened batting line-up and they may not want to risk that.Netherlands: 1 Michael Levitt, 2 Max O’Dowd, 3 Vikramjit Singh, 4 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 5 Scott Edwards (capt, wk), 6 Bas de Leede, 7 Teja Nidamanuru, 8 Logan van Beek, 9 Tim Pringle, 10 Paul van Meekeren, 11 Vivian Kingma2:42

Which Netherlands bowlers will South Africa look to take down?

Pitch and conditions

We’re going to see a “new” surface at the venue tomorrow with one of the middle pitches set to make their first tournament appearance, and there will be many eyes on it. The same surface will be used for the India-Pakistan match, so this fixture is something of a test run. From what we’ve seen so far, both pitches 1 and 4 have been tricky for batters because of inconsistent bounce. The ICC has acknowledged the quality has not been up to the standard expected and that it is working on a “remedy.” So far, it has been observed that grass has been shaved off one of the surfaces, which could reduce some of the bounce.At least, everyone can fully focus on the strip and not overhead because the weather is set fine, with highs in the mid-20s.

Stats and trivia

• Netherlands have beaten South Africa in their previous two World Cup meetings, but have not won any matches against them outside of those two.
• Ottneil Baartman is the leading South African wicket-taker in T20s this year and the sixth-highest overall. His 34 wickets have come at an average of 15.17, the best among the top ten wicket-takers.
• At 121.13, Max O’Dowd has the highest career strike rate in the Dutch squad. Five South Africans – Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Aiden Markram – have higher numbers than that.

Quotes

“We definitely want to get back a couple of games against Netherlands. They just do the basics extremely well. The moment they get on top of you, they become a difficult beast. When they do the basics right, they do it so well that they keep squeezing you. They have unbelievable outfielding, so it’s not easy just to shift that momentum against them. For us, it’s a big game.”
“We’re lucky in the sense that we play on a lot of different wickets. Back in the Netherlands, we play on artificials, we play on spicy wickets, we play on spinning wickets. So, for us it’s about adapting to whatever the wicket brings to us.”

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.

da dobrowin： Aston Villa will be busy this summer in the transfer market, even if they miss out on Champions League qualification.

da pinup bet： As it stands, the club need to win their final game of the campaign and hope for Chelsea, Newcastle United or Man City to suffer a slip-up.

If so, the riches of Europe’s top-tier competition will fill the coffers once again, allowing Unai Emery to sign high-profile players this summer.

Signing a new goalkeeper might be a priority heading into the transfer window, especially with Emiliano Martínez’s future in doubt.

Aston Villa’s search for a new goalkeeper

According to Football Insider, the enigmatic Argentinian is expected to depart Villa Park this summer for a new challenge.

He has been with the club since 2020, turning 33 at the start of the 2025/26 campaign, suggesting Emery is right to cash in now.

As such, this means the club will need a new goalkeeper to take them forward, and according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, it appears as though Lucas Chevalier is the preferred candidate.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The Midlands side have approached the youngster regarding a potential move to the Premier League, although no transfer fee has been reported as yet.

The 23-year-old has a contract with Lille until 2027, which means now is the ideal time for the French club to sell. Will Villa make their move soon? Especially if Martinez is seeking a quick exit.

Why Aston Villa must sign Lucas Chevalier

Martinez may have made over 200 appearances for Villa, but a few mistakes have crept into his game this season. Indeed, he’s made five errors leading to a shot in the Premier League, as per Sofascore.

His mistake against PSG saw Villa exit the Champions League, while he parried a shot directed straight at him by Bernardo Silva into the Villa net during the recent defeat to Man City.

Lucas Chevalier’s stats for Lille this season

Metric

Ligue 1

Champions League

Goals conceded

36

13

Clean sheets

11

1

Saves per game

2.8

3.2

Goals conceded per game

1.1

1.3

Touches

36.4

39.7

Via Sofascore

Signing Chevalier could be an upgrade on the former Arsenal keeper, especially when comparing their domestic statistics this season.

Indeed, the Frenchman has conceded fewer goals than Martinez this term (36 vs 45), while also conceding fewer goals per 90 (1.06 vs 1.29), having a higher save percentage (74.6% vs 67.9%) and keeping more clean sheets (11 vs eight) across their respective domestic seasons.

Add in the fact that the current Lille number one is nine years younger than the Argentinian, making a move for him in the coming weeks could be shrewd business by the club.

Following an excellent 2023/24 campaign for the Ligue 1 side where he made 2.8 saves per game and conceded just 32 goals in 33 games, talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on him, saying Chevalier was “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe.”

If Emery manages to lead Villa into the group stages of the Champions League, it will do his chances of landing Chevalier the world of good.

He kept a clean sheet against Real Madrid in the competition earlier this season, proving he has what it takes to star at the highest level. Much will depend on the Frenchman’s price tag, but signing Chevalier must be a priority this summer.

Related Atletico Madrid want to sign Aston Villa "destroyer" alongside Emi Martinez

Atletico Madrid could seal quite the double swoop.

Posts ByTom Cunningham May 22, 2025

Babar’s fifty and Iftikhar’s 38* off 15 balls took Pakistan to 182, but Ireland chased it down with a ball to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2024Ireland and Pakistan were playing each other in a T20I for the first time in 15 years, and Andy Balbirnie’s 77 helped the hosts beat the visitors. It was Ireland’s first win over Pakistan in the format, with the only time the teams having met earlier coming at the World T20 in 2009.Harry Tector, who added 77 with Balbirnie for the third wicket, set the platform in the 183-run chase, before cameos from George Dockrell and Curtis Campher took Ireland over the line.The chase came down to a tense finish, with Ireland needing 40 in the last four overs even as Pakistan had an over each from Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, along with two from Abbas Afridi, in the bank. Abbas started the 17th over with the wicket of Dockrell and conceded just three off the first four balls. But then began the recurring theme of a bowler starting the over well before conceding a late boundary and bringing down the asking rate.Next over, with Ireland requiring another 28 from 17 balls, Shadab Khan couldn’t hold on to a tough chance, and handed Balbirnie a life. Naseem nailed a couple of yorkers to bring the game back in the balance. But Delany made room and crunched a low full toss through cover to make it 11 off the over.Shaheen was closer to his best in the penultimate over, which started with Ireland requiring another 19. He delivered around-the-wicket yorkers, and knocked over Balbirnie with a swerving, low full toss. But an audacious reverse ramp first ball from Campher over the keeper left Abbas with 11 to defend off the final over.Campher was taken aback by the first ball by Abbas rising off a shortish length, but managed to guide it off the under-edge between the wicketkeeper and short third for four. He capitalised on a missed yorker to level the scores before sneaking a leg bye to seal victory.Babar Azam scored 57•Sportsfile/Getty ImagesBalbirnie, Tector set up the chaseIreland’s aggressive start to the chase saw Naseem dismiss Paul Stirling cheaply. Shaheen was off boil in his two opening overs but Abbas, his replacement, struck first ball after being given to bowl in the powerplay.But coming in at 27 for 2 did not stop Tector from looking for early boundaries. It allowed Balbirnie to consolidate at the other end, as the pair lifted Ireland from 43 for 2 in the powerplay to 84 for 2 after ten overs. They targeted Shadab Khan after Imad Wasim tightened his length to stay afloat.Tector fell to Imad but Dockrell joined Balbirnie to take Shadab down for 23 in the match-turning 14th over. The last ball was skied towards Iftikhar Ahmed at long-on, but he stepped on the boundary cushion to give Dockrell a life, along with six runs. Balbirnie and Dockrell kept the run rate around nine an over to set up the successful finish.Babar fifty, Iftikhar cameo lift PakistanEarlier in the day, Ireland had put Pakistan in to bat. Babar Azam joined Saim Ayub in the second over after Tector, placed at mid-off, ran Mohammed Rizwan out, as the latter was called for a single by Ayub, before being sent back.Babar and Ayub found mixed success while trying to muscle the ball in the powerplay, as they hit six fours and a six, but were also often beaten by Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy’s tight lengths.After the powerplay, the two batters took on Ben White and Curtis Campher, as they accelerated and added 53 off the next five overs. They punished at anything too full or too short, but Ayub holed out to a wide drag down from Delany, who ended the 85-run stand off 57 balls.Babar brought up a 39-ball fifty in the 13th over, but the scoring kept fluctuating as he continued to hit and miss, even as Fakhar Zaman was unable to get off the blocks.Young’s return in the 13th over pegged Pakistan back as Babar miscued a shortish ball to long-on to finish with a 43-ball 57, while Azam Khan, trying to go over deep square leg, fell for a two-ball duck.Pakistan went on to lose 3 for 7 in six legal balls midway from the 15th over onwards. Fakhar then fell in the 18th over for 20 off 18 balls, but Iftikhar was unfazed. He took a liking to Adair, smacking him for three sixes and two fours across eight legal balls.Iftikhar, who finished on 38* from 15 balls, was aided by Shaheen’s two sixes off McCarthy in the 19th over, as Pakistan smashed 44 off the last three to reach 182, which Ireland chased down with a ball to spare.

Aston Villa need to win both their remaining Premier League fixtures to seal a return to the Champions League next season.

This is the aim for Unai Emery, especially as a seat at the top table will allow him to sign better quality players for the club this summer.

It promises to be another exciting transfer window at Villa Park. Will there be any major sales in the coming months? And just what type of player can the manager bring to Villa?

Aston Villa looking to sign Premier League youngster

With Villa now confirmed a place in Europe for next season, perhaps they may just be able to entice Kevin De Bruyne to move to the Midlands.

Indeed, reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Villans have held internal talks over whether to make a move for the legendary Belgian. Should they not do so, then perhaps this player could be a fine alternative.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are one of the leading top-flight clubs that are plotting a move for Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott this summer.

Arne Slot may part ways with the Englishman this summer, who has made just 15 appearances in the top flight for the club this term.

He could be available for a fee of between £40m and £50m, which should be affordable for Villa following their exploits in Europe this season.

Wolves, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Bournemouth are all closely monitoring his progress ahead of the transfer window opening, indicating Villa have plenty of competition.

It would be a smart move to bring him to the Midlands, especially as Elliott has yet to hit his peak years as a player.

Why Harvey Elliott could be Jack Grealish 2.0 for Aston Villa

Grealish is arguably the finest academy talent the club have produced in their modern history. He went on to make over 200 appearances for the club before sealing a £100m move to Manchester City in the summer of 2021.

He may have won plenty of trophies at City, but Grealish’s career has certainly stagnated after an underwhelming season under Pep Guardiola.

Like Grealish was, Elliott is a prodigal young English talent who has the capability to go far in the game.

The 22-year-old is fluid across a range of positions, being able to perform well either on the right wing or in a slightly deeper role at the heart of the midfield.

As such, his output in front of goal isn’t as impressive as Grealish – who tends to operate on the left flank – but Elliott does offer a lot of qualities.

Goals

0

Assists

1

Big chances created

1

Total duels won

0.5

Successful dribbles per game

0.2

Shots per game

0.9

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the youngster ranks in the top 1% for shot-creating actions and touches in the opposition penalty area per 90.

Furthermore, he also ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes and carries, suggesting that he loves to bring the ball forward from deep into the final third, just as Grealish did so well at his boyhood club.

It is perhaps no wonder he was dubbed “phenomenal” by journalist David Lynch last season and while things may not have gone his way during the current term, he will end up with another Premier League medal for his efforts.

A fresh start is what he requires to take the next step in his career. Emery might well be the ideal manager for the job.

Aston Villa struck gold on "unstoppable" star whose value has risen £75m

Aston Villa could soon sell on this star for way more than his original price.

1 ByKelan Sarson May 12, 2025