Rain, redemption and a race for the semis: SL face SA in crucial Colombo clash

Rain has been a consistent feature throughout the games in Colombo, and more of the same is expected on Friday

Madushka Balasuriya16-Oct-20253:33

South Africa find ways to win under pressure

Big picture There is hardly a conversation around Colombo these days that doesn’t involve the weather, and in the context of this World Cup, the rains have certainly played no small part in shaping the trajectories of a few of the sides.Pakistan notably suffered the most cruel fate, as a historic win over England was snatched away from them on Wednesday evening following a washout. Sri Lanka, however, have been on both sides of the coin. Against New Zealand, a spirited late charge led by Nilakshika Silva left them buoyant at the break only for rain to spoil a potential victory charge, but against Australia those same rains ensured a point in what would have been Sri Lanka’s toughest match this tournament.It’s meant that having faced arguably the four most challenging opponents at this tournament – India, Australia, England and New Zealand – in their first four matches, Sri Lanka have come away with two points despite having yet to register a win. It also means that with their remaining matches against sides they would have been more confident at taking on, Sri Lanka will know that a win on Friday will put them in with a very real chance of making an unlikely late semi-final dash.Related

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A big-hitter in a small world – new-age Shorna turns heads

South Africa have looked every bit the dark horses they have been touted as. Following a chastening opening game defeat to England, they’ve won three on the bounce, most notably taking down India. And a win in Colombo will take them to eight points on the table, and see them have one foot in the semi-finals with two further games to play.But while the head-to-head record between South Africa and Sri Lanka in WODIs seems fairly one-sided – 16 wins and six defeats in favour of South Africa – their more recent record speaks towards a far more evenly matched contest with their past five matches since the start of 2024, seeing shared spoils at two wins apiece.Two of those games came at the R. Premadasa earlier this year, with each side winning one, so while this will be South Africa’s first game in Colombo at this World Cup, separating these two units might very well come down to the toss of a coin – or indeed the weather gods.Form guideSri Lanka LLLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa WWLLW In the spotlight In six WODIs batting first at the Khettarama, Sri Lanka has crossed the 200 mark just twice – once in 1999 and once on Tuesday against New Zealand. Tuesday was also the first time they posted a first-innings total above 250 at the venue, a feat that would not have been possible if not for Nilakshika Silva’s blazing 55 off 28. Silva’s late career renaissance has seen her average 44.50 with a strike rate of 84.89 since the start of 2024, all while mostly batting at number six. Her 534 runs also makes her Sri Lanka’s third-most prolific batter behind Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama, during this period.Laura Wolvaardt has grown into this tournament. After poor showings against England and New Zealand, she played a pivotal role in their defeat of India before again providing a stable start in a chase against Bangladesh. This might not be particularly pleasing news to those of Sri Lankan persuasion, as Wolvaardt has long been a problematic opponent. In 10 WODIs against Sri Lanka, Wolvaardt has 546 runs at a staggering average of 91 and strike rate of 80.88. What’s more she’s been dismissed just six times over that period – a feat made more impressive as she opens the batting.The R Premadasa Stadium has been a frequent host to rains•Getty Images

Team news Sri Lanka changed up their bowling lineup in the previous game, but were unable to test it. With their batting finally clicking, it’s likely they name an unchanged XI.Sri Lanka (probable): Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshita Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Piumi Wathsala, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Inoka RanaweeraThere is something to be said for not changing a winning combination. So there might be not much by way of experimentation this game.South Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Anneke Bosch, 4 Annerie Dercksen, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sinalo Jafta, 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Masabata Klass, 10 Nonkululeko Mlaba, 11 Tumi Sekhukhune Pitch and conditions Rain has been a regular Colombo patron as of late and Friday’s forecast shows that will likely continue to be the case, with showers expected during the afternoon and headed into the evening. The pitch conditions are expected to see batting getting trickier as the game goes on, with something in it for the seamers early before spin takes over. Stats and trivia Nilakshika Silva averages 46.25 against South Africa in seven innings, well above her career average of 29.27. Chamari Athapaththu is 12 runs away from 4000 WODI runs, and four wickets away from 50 WODI wickets. Wolvaardt’s 546 runs against Sri Lanka is the third-most against them by an active batter in WODIs, behind Suzie Bates (551) and Smriti Mandhana (622).Laura Wolvaardt has 546 runs against Sri Lanka•ICC/Getty Images

Quotes “We’re not thinking too far ahead, just taking it one game at at a time. The main focus is on taking the momentum from the last game into this one, and I think if we do that we can do well.” – “As a team we know the players, especially as a bowler. Where to bowl, where their strengths and weaknesses are. So we’re going in very positive.” –

Aaron Anselmino playing time concerns addressed by Niko Kovac as Borussia Dortmund boss praises Chelsea loanee

Niko Kovac has given his backing to Aaron Anselmino amid the defender's struggles for regular playing time after he recovered from a muscle injury that hindered his start following a loan move from Chelsea. The Argentine has started four matches for the German side, sparking suggestions he could end up being recalled to Stamford Bridge.

  • From Chelsea loanee to Dortmund’s unsung hero

    When Dortmund lost defenders to injury in August, the club moved quickly to bring in Anselmino on a season-long loan from Chelsea. The expectation with the Argentine's signing wasn't much but to provide cover, learn, and offer rotation. Few predicted how quickly he'd stake a claim.

    Anselmino debuted just days after arriving and immediately impressed with calm ball control and intelligent positioning. His early displays earned praise inside the club and across the Bundesliga, prompting supporters and pundits to ask whether a loanee originally considered short-term cover should now be an automatic starter. That debate intensified after he recovered from a brief muscle knock. Some wanted him protected; others saw a player ready to take on more minutes.

    Kovac has navigated that tension carefully. Praising the youngster publicly while managing his workload behind the scenes. The young defender now starts regularly, but his exact minutes remain a talking point as Kovac balances his team selection ahead of crucial fixtures.

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    Kovac publicly backs Anselmino

    During the press-conference ahead of the Bayer Leverkusen clash, Kovac left no doubt about his view of Anselmino.

    "Aaron is doing really well. You can rely on the young man from the first minute to the last," he said. "A great lad, a great defender. He doesn't let anything slip. Everything is settled with Chelsea. I expect him to remain our player until the end of the season. He's getting the minutes he wasn't getting at Chelsea."

    A key element in that plan is the loan arrangement with Chelsea with all parties having agreed the move would last through the season, giving Anselmino time to settle and the club certainty about his availability. 

  • Schlotterbeck’s stalling clouds Dortmund's defence

    Anselmino’s breakthrough is valuable precisely because Dortmund’s defensive picture is unsettled. Nico Schlotterbeck remains under contract until 2027 but has stalled on signing an extension; Bayern and Liverpool have been linked, and internal offers, including significant pay rises and captaincy promises, have not yet convinced him to stay. Kovac acknowledged the limits of his influence: “I don't know to what extent I can influence things there – other than showing him appreciation. I do that every single day,” he said.

    That impasse matters. If Schlotterbeck departs or his focus wavers, Dortmund will rapidly move from the luxury of rotation to the pressure of replacement. The club’s short-term defensive depth is therefore contingent on two variables: Anselmino’s fitness and readiness to step up, and a timely decision from Schlotterbeck. Sporting director signals that they want clarity as soon as possible.

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    Kovac needs to focus on three aspects

    Kovac now faces three choices he must juggle in real time. First, manage Anselmino’s workload so the loanee can grow into a leading role without injury setbacks. Second, push for clarity on Schlotterbeck's contract extension that would stabilise the back line and allow continued rotation. Third, prepare tactical contingency allotting more minutes for Anselmino in a two-man centre-back pairing, temporary shifts to a back three, or prioritising a defensive signing in January if Schlotterbeck looks likely to leave.

    Dortmund will next face Leverkusen in the league before clashing with the same opponents in DFB Pokal's round of 16 on December 2.

Philippe Coutinho se reúne com Pedrinho em São Januário e fica mais próximo de voltar ao Vasco

MatériaMais Notícias

Grande sonho do Vasco para a sequência da temporada, Philippe Coutinho se reuniu com o presidente Pedrinho, na manhã deste sábado (25), em São Januário. A informação publicada primeiramente pela Band e confirmada pelo Lance!.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoRolê aleatório: entenda como Ronaldinho se envolveu na festa da torcida do Vasco para CoutinhoFora de Campo24/05/2024VascoPhilippe Coutinho chega ao Rio de Janeiro e fala sobre retorno ao Vasco: ‘Todo mundo já sabe’Vasco24/05/2024VascoVasco volta de folga com primeiras atividades comandadas por Álvaro PachecoVasco24/05/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Em relação ao Al-Duhail, Coutinho terminou o empréstimo antes da vinda ao Brasil. Agora, os empresários do atleta trabalham pela rescisão amigável do jogador com o Aston Villa, clube que o jogador tem contrato até 2026. O clube inglês não deve criar muitos empecilhos para uma possível saída. A tendência é que Coutinho acerte com o Vasco por três anos.

Coutinho nos braços da torcida

Cria da Colina, Philippe Coutinho desembarcou no Rio de Janeiro nesta sexta-feira (24) e falou sobre a volta ao Vasco.

– Sempre tive muito carinho por eles. Eles sabem disso. Nesse momento não tenho muita coisa a falar. Todo mundo já sabe – disse Coutinho, em entrevista ao BTB Sports em São Paulo.

continua após a publicidade

O meia chegou ao Rio de Janeiro por volta de 15h, após conexão em São Paulo, e pediu para falar com os jornalistas no aeroporto. Ele reiterou vontade de atuar no Cruz-Maltino e confirmou conversas em andamento. Confira no video abaixo:

– Vou ser breve com vocês porque estou viajando há mais de 17 horas, estamos cansados. Não tenho muito o que falar sobre esse assunto ainda. A única coisa que consigo falar é que existem conversas, é verdade. E o que falei em São Paulo: sabem a minha vontade, isso todo mundo já sabe.

continua após a publicidadeA temporada de Coutinho

Nesta temporada, jogando pelo Al Duhail, Coutinho atuou em 21 jogos, marcando seis gols e dando três assistências. O jogador teve uma média de 2.1 chutes por jogo, além de acerto de 85% nos passes, 51% nos dribles e 1.9 passes chave. O craque também criou oito grandes chances em sua passagem pelo Catar.

Tudo sobre

Philippe CoutinhoVasco

انطلاق معسكر منتخب مصر استعدادًا لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا

انطلق اليوم 7 ديسمبر معسكر منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم، بقيادة حسام حسن، في إطار الاستعداد لبطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية 2025.

ويستعد منتخب مصر للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، والتي ستنطلق يوم 21 من شهر ديسمبر الجاري بالمغرب، إلى 18 يناير 2026، بمشاركة 24 منتخبًا.

ويقع منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، في المجموعة الثانية مع منتخبات زيمبابوي وأنجولا وجنوب إفريقيا.

طالع… موعد مباراة مصر ونيجيريا الودية استعدادًا لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا

ويستهل منتخب مصر مشواره ببطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا يوم 22 ديسمبر بمواجهة زيمبابوي ثم جنوب إفريقيا يوم 26، ويختتم دور المجموعات بمواجهة أنجولا يوم 29.

وأقيم تدريب منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم بمركز المنتخبات الوطنية بالسادس من أكتوبر.

حضر مران منتخب مصر، مصطفى أبو زهرة عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، والدكتور مصطفى عزام الأمين العام لاتحاد الكرة.

 

Rashid and Cremer in the legspin spotlight as T20I series begins

While the Afghanistan captain nears a special milestone, Zimbabwe will hope their returning former captain still has it at 39

Alagappan Muthu28-Oct-2025The 2026 T20 World Cup may be three months away – it is set to begin in February, in India and Sri Lanka – but it will be at the forefront of both Afghanistan and Zimbabwe’s minds as they prepare to engage in a three-match T20I series that starts on Wednesday.

Hello again, Rashid

Rashid Khan will return to action, although he was only ever away for two weeks. The 27-year-old legspinner is on the cusp of a significant record – 500 T20 matches. Should he play every game of this series, he will join that coveted group, which currently includes seven players.Related

  • Rashid rested for one-off Test against Zimbabwe, will return for T20Is

  • Cremer returns to Zimbabwe cricket after seven years

Rashid, Afghanistan’s captain, will be looking for improvements considering his team exited the Asia Cup at the first group stage and then lost 3-0 to Bangladesh. His bowling form is on the up, though, which seems to be an effect of his taking some time off from the game.Over the first five months of this year, Rashid picked up 21 wickets in 26 T20s at an average of 36.80 and an economy rate of 8.40. He took a break after IPL 2025, and since his return has gobbled up 35 wickets in 20 T20s at an average of 14.17 and an economy rate of 6.70. Rushing back into cricket from back surgery in 2023 had adversely affected his wicket-taking ability; putting his body under less pressure now has rekindled the old fire.

Cremer’s return

Graeme Cremer quit cricket in 2018 to support his wife’s career as an airline pilot in the UAE and raise their kids. Now that they’ve grown up, he’s back.The 39-year-old former Zimbabwe captain has 35 wickets from 29 T20Is at an average of 18.85 and an economy rate of 6.94. That presents the picture of an accurate bowler, and these games might provide answers about whether he still remains so after all his time away.A wristspinner who turns it both ways, and who has plenty of prior international experience, could be very useful in 2026 when Zimbabwe return to the T20 World Cup having missed out on qualifying for last year’s event.Zimbabwe will only play a limited number of T20Is in the lead-up to next year’s World Cup•Zimbabwe Cricket

Zimbabwe’s time crunch

Less than two weeks ago, these three T20Is represented the only short-format cricket Zimbabwe had in the lead-up to the World Cup. Then Afghanistan pulled out of a tri-series that Pakistan will be hosting in November due to the death of three local cricketers in a cross-border attack. Zimbabwe were brought in to fill the vacancy. These three games at home, and the four coming up in Lahore and Rawalpindi, will prove invaluable as Zimbabwe prepare to set some records straight. They haven’t been part of an ICC tournament since 2022, missing two World Cups and a Champions Trophy.

Young talents

Afghanistan’s rise is tied to their players being really, really good even at a really young age. Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai (22-year-old allrounder with hundreds in first-class and List A cricket), Abdollah Ahmadzai (22-year-old fast bowler who was with the Afghanistan squad at the Asia Cup) and Bashir Ahmad (20-year-old left-arm quick who could be a long-term replacement for Fazalhaq Farooqi) are the three to watch out for in this series.Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat and Farooqi all lost their place after Afghanistan’s Asia Cup exit. It remains to be seen if they can fight their way back into contention.

He wants to leave: PIF must sell Newcastle's "poor man's Haaland"

Newcastle United ended a long wait for an away win in the Premier League this season with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Everton at the Hill Dickinson on Saturday.

Eddie Howe will have been delighted with how clinical his team were in the final third, as Malick Thiaw scored twice, either side of goals from Nick Woltemade and Lewis Miley.

Woltemade has now scored five goals in the Premier League this season since his £69m move from Stuttgart during the summer transfer window, after he replaced Alexander Isak.

The Germany international’s impressive form has not been great news for everyone at St. James’ Park, though, because it has meant that opportunities for other forwards in the squad have been limited.

Newcastle forward seeking January transfer

Woltemade is the guaranteed first-choice number nine for the Magpies, as evidenced by ten starts in ten Premier League outings, and that has left another player to consider their future at the club.

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 German outlet BILD, via Newcastle World, Newcastle United centre-forward William Osula ‘wants to leave’ St. James’ Park in the January transfer window in search of regular first-team football.

The report claims that Eintracht Frankfurt, who were keen on him in the summer, remain interested in a potential deal to snap him up from the Magpies ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Newcastle World notes that Frankfurt came close to signing the Dane on a permanent deal for £30m in the summer before they pursued a loan move at the last minute, which led to a breakdown in negotiations.

It adds that a similar transfer fee to that £30m offer could see a transfer done in January, and PIF must now move to cash in on the forward in the German side are willing to put that kind of money on the table again.

Why Newcastle should sell William Osula

Osula, who is currently out with an ankle injury, is clearly a talented prospect who could become a key player for the Magpies in the future. He has scored three goals in just 370 minutes this season, per Sofascore, including a goal against Liverpool in the Premier League.

At 22, the Danish marksman has the majority of his career left ahead of him to develop and improve, but it is a question of when and where his development will happen, because he needs to be playing games in order to progress.

Woltemade is only a year older than Osula and Newcastle have Yoane Wissa to come back from injury, which means that there is no visible short-term route to him being a first-choice option for Howe.

Alexander Isak

£125m

Andy Carroll

£35m

Elliot Anderson

£35m

Yankuba Minteh

£30m

Moussa Sissoko

£30m

Ayoze Perez

£30m

Will Osula

£30m (rumoured)

Gini Wijnaldum

£25m

Allan Saint-Maximin

£23m

Aleksandar Mitrovic

£22m

As you can see in the table above, selling the 22-year-old to Frankfurt, or any other team, for £30m in January would make the youngster one of the most expensive sales in the club’s history, with only three players having been sold for more.

Osula was once described by former teammate Curtis Davies as being like “a poor man’s Haaland” with his physicality in the number nine role, and you saw a glimpse of that with the way he bundled his way through to score against Liverpool.

However, it does not appear as though he will get the time on the pitch that is needed for him to realise his potential at Newcastle, because of Woltemade and Wissa, which may be why he now wants to leave the club in January.

PIF and Howe should not step in his way because selling him for a potential fee of £30m could be the best possible outcome for all parties involved. Osula would get to go and pursue regular football and find a new home, whilst the Magpies would have funds available to bolster their squad in other areas.

As good as Thiaw: Newcastle star is now "one of the best" players in the PL

Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have a superstar in the making on their hands.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 1, 2025

Therefore, PIF should axe the Danish striker when the January transfer window opens for business, should Frankfurt make a significant offer for his services, as it may be the right decision for the club and the player.

Mushfiqur, Litton, bowlers put Bangladesh on top

Mushfiqur and Litton scored centuries to lift Bangladesh to 476 earlier in the day

Mohammad Isam20-Nov-2025Ireland lost five wickets for 98 in reply to 476 to put Bangladesh in a strong position on the second day of the Dhaka Test. The day started with Mushfiqur Rahim reaching his century in his 100th Test, before the Bangladesh spinners got into their groove.Hasan Murad took two wickets, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam picked up one each so far. Ireland’s debutant Stephen Doheny and Lorcan Tucker were the unbeaten batters, on 2 and 11 respectively.When Ireland bowled earlier in the day, Andy McBrine completed his second six-wicket haul in Tests, both having come at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Matthew Humphreys and Gavin Hoey took two wickets each, making it the first instance of Ireland’s spinners taking all ten wickets in a Test innings.Mehidy Hasan Miraz celebrates after getting rid of Cade Carmichael•BCB

Paul Stirling’s string of boundaries, including a slog-swept six off Taiju lslam, got Ireland off to a positive start. But he fell lbw to Khaled Ahmed for 27. Captain Andy Balbirnie was next to go, when Murad had him caught at slip for 21. Cade Carmichael became Miraz’s first victim when he fell lbw, camping on his backfoot to play the shot.Murad then bowled the ball of the day, his arm-ball sneaking past Curtis Campher’s defensive push. Taijul Islam then got into the act with Harry Tector’s wicket, as the batter went back to a slightly good length delivery, only to be trapped lbw for 14.Bangladesh’s 476 was built around centuries from Mushfiqur and Litton Das. Mushfiqur became the eleventh batter to score a century in his 100th Test. He completed his 13th century when he took a single off the ninth ball of the second day after being unbeaten on 99 overnight.Mushfiqur though lasted for a short while longer before Humphreys had him caught at second slip for 106. Litton too got to his century later in the first session, taking an adventurous route with a six and a four through the nineties. He added 123 runs for the sixth wicket, making it three century stands in a row.McBrine rounded off the Bangladesh innings after trapping Khaled Ahmed lbw, with 30 minutes remaining in the second session.

Robin Smith, former England great, dies aged 62

Former England batter dies at home in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-20252:30

Remembering Robin Smith

Robin Smith, the former England batter who went toe-to-toe with some of the greatest fast bowlers of the 1980s and 90s, has died at his home in Australia at the age of 62.Smith played 62 Tests between 1988 and 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at 43.67 with nine centuries, including three against West Indies – the team that so often brought out his pugnacious best.Smith’s signature shot was a front-foot square cut that was, by many estimations, one of the fiercest strokes in the world game, and it enabled him to thrive in cricket’s adrenalin-fuelled fast lane. This was especially true on England’s memorable tour of the Caribbean in 1990, when Smith was instrumental in England’s victory in the first Test in Jamaica, and again on home soil in consecutive 2-2 drawn series against West Indies in 1991 and 1995.At Edgbaston in 1993, Smith produced a remarkable innings of 167 not out in an ODI against Australia, a score which would remain England’s highest in the format for 23 years, until surpassed by Alex Hales in 2016.However, his perceived weakness against spin counted against him at key moments of his career, in particular with the emergence of Australia’s Shane Warne, whose success in his maiden Ashes tour in 1993 persuaded the selectors to omit Smith from England’s subsequent visit to Australia 18 months later.Ironically, Smith and Warne became lifelong friends – a relationship that was central to Warne’s decision to sign for Hampshire in the latter years of his career.Born in South Africa in 1963, Smith was brought up to be a professional cricketer, and would spend hours honing his technique in the bespoke cricket net that his father built at the family home in Durban, and in which Barry Richards and Mike Procter counted among his practice partners.Richards’ own connections with Hampshire had, in turn, persuaded the club to take a punt on his two young neighbours. Smith’s elder brother Chris would also go on to play for England after emigrating from South Africa in the early 1980s, but Robin’s debut – against West Indies at Headingley in 1988 – was the more eagerly anticipated of the two.Robin Smith on his way to 90 against West Indies at Lord’s, 1995•Getty Images

In a sign of things to come, his maiden innings comprised a century stand with his fellow South African import, Allan Lamb – another great player of West Indian fast bowling – only for England to collapse to a ten-wicket defeat at the hands of Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall and Courtney Walsh.Smith was still arguably in his pomp at the age of 32 when he played his final Test, against his former countrymen South Africa at Cape Town, at the end of a disappointing 1-0 series loss in January 1996. With England’s supremo, Ray Illingworth, keen to usher in a new generation, Smith was bracketed with England’s older guard and cast aside, despite boasting a batting average that – of the players with whom his career overlapped – only David Gower and Graham Thorpe could better.Post-career, Smith’s struggles with alcoholism were poignantly addressed in his 2019 autobiography, The Judge: More Than Just A Game. However, only last week, he attended the first Ashes Test in Perth, and spoke widely to the media about his ongoing recovery. He also attended an England Lions training session at Lilac Hill at the invitation of Andrew Flintoff.A statement from his family confirmed that Smith had died unexpectedly in his South Perth apartment on Monday, and that the cause of death is unknown.”Since his retirement from the game in 2004 [Robin’s] battles with alcohol and mental health have been well-documented but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death which will be determined at postmortem investigation,” the statement added.”This is an immensely difficult period for us all whilst we try to come to terms with our bereavement, and we would therefore much appreciate consideration for our privacy by media and cricket followers alike.”ECB Chair Richard Thompson said: “Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world, meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience. He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride, and no shortage of entertainment.”He was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993.”His record at Hampshire is exemplary, and he’ll be remembered rightly as a great of Hampshire CCC. We’re desperately sad to learn of his passing, and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends, family and loved ones.”

Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a “very pacy” Gassama replacement

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was thrown into a difficult situation when he decided to take on the job as Russell Martin’s replacement at Ibrox.

The former Gers boss only won five of 17 matches in charge of the club, whilst the summer transfer window was navigated by Kevin Thelwell, who has since been relieved of his duties.

Now that Thelwell has departed, Rohl will have a chance to lead the charge to recruit his own players in the upcoming January transfer window, and a new winger has to be on the agenda.

Ranking Rohl's winger options for Rangers

Rohl has plenty of options who can play on the left or the right flank, but very few of them have shown that they have the quality to be reliable options in the present day.

Oliver Antman and Nedim Bajrami are both currently out through injury, which means that they are not current options for the manager, whilst Kieran Dowell has only just returned from injury and has yet to be given a chance to shine.

1

Mikey Moore

2

Djeidi Gassama

3

Findlay Curtis

4

Danilo

5

Kieran Dowell

N/A

Nedim Bajrami

N/A

Oliver Antman

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked Mikey Moore as the best current option on the wing for Rangers, because he has scored two goals in his last two Scottish Premiership games.

No other natural Gers winger, with Danilo a striker by trade, has scored more than one league goal for the Gers this season, with Djeidi Gassama on one goal and one assist.

Gassama has been particularly disappointing of late, with one goal and no assists in his last 11 matches, and Rangers could finally replace him as a starter by signing Yelimay Semey left winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek in January.

Why Rangers should sign Galymzhan Kenzhebek

The 22-year-old forward has been the subject of a bid from Rangers ahead of the January transfer window opening for business, and they should push to get a deal done for him because he could be an upgrade on Gassama.

Rangers should bolster their options in the wide areas in the winter market because we have ranked the Frenchman as their second-best wide option, despite the fact that he has only scored one league goal for the club.

A return of one goal and one assist in 15 Premiership matches for the Gers, per Sofascore, is not a good enough return for a team that should be competing to win the title, which is why Kenzhebek should be considered as a possible replacement for the starting XI.

Transfer Focus

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

The young winger currently plays in Kazakhstan, which makes it hard to predict how he will adapt to the Premiership, but it is worth remembering that Hearts, who top the league, signed Alexandros Kyziridis from Slovakia and Claudio Braga from the second division in Norway.

There are hidden gems to be found in more obscure leagues, as evidenced by those two signings, who have combined for 15 goals and nine assists for Hearts, per Transfermarkt, this season.

Appearances

11

15

Goals

6

1

Minutes per goal

162

1,171

Key passes per game

1.7

0.9

Assists

4

1

Successful dribbles per game

8.6

2.0

As you can see in the table above, Kenzhebek’s form for his current club is far more impressive than anything Gassama has produced at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues in the Premiership.

Whilst there is no guarantee that he can translate that form over to Scottish football, there is also no guarantee that signings from the Championship or other top leagues in Europe can adapt to the league or Ibrox.

It is also worth taking into account that Kenzhebek, who was hailed as a “very pacy” player by Rangers Journal creator Kai Watson, has also shown promise at international level.

The Rangers target has scored two goals and provided one assist in six World Cup qualifiers for Kazakhstan, per Sofascore, which shows that he can compete on the international stage, as well as impress for his club domestically.

On top of being an attractive target on paper because of his statistics, Kenzhebek’s contract with his club is due to expire at the end of this month, per Transfermarkt, which means that the Gers can pick him up on a free transfer.

Therefore, Rangers must push to get a deal done for the talented youngster because he could be a hidden gem, away from the usual markets that the club shop in, who could come in and take Gassama’s place in the side.

Rangers dud was as "rotten" as Miovski, now he's Rohl's most improved player

This Glasgow Rangers flop who looked as bad as Bojan Miovski is now Danny Rohl’s most improved performer.

ByDan Emery 4 days ago

If he can then translate his current form over to Ibrox, Rohl would finally have a consistent winger who can provide goals and assists on a regular basis.

WPL 2026 – How the five teams stack up after the mega auction

A look at the strengths and weaknesses of each WPL squad after the mega auction

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-20250:49

MI coach Keightley: ‘We’re excited to have the same core back’

Mumbai IndiansNo. of players: 16 (6 overseas)Hot take: MI went all out to retain the core of the squad that has won them two WPL titles in the first three seasons. That explained why they spent 52% of their auction purse on New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr. They also wanted South African fast bowler Shabnim Ismail so badly that they raised the paddle even before the auctioneer announced her name. MI have put together another strong squad that has an abundance of all-round options; only three of their 16 players are specialist bowlers.Possible first XI: 1 G Kamalini (wk), 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Poonam Khemnar, 8 S Sajana, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Saika IshaqueMI squadBatters: Harmanpreet Kaur (INR 2.5 crore)
Wicketkeepers: G Kamalini (INR 50 lakh), Rahila Firdous (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Nat Sciver-Brunt (INR 3.5 crore), Hayley Matthews (INR 1.75 crore), Amanjot Kaur (INR 1 crore), Amelia Kerr (INR 3 crore), Sanskriti Gupta (INR 20 lakh), S Sajana (INR 75 lakh), Nicola Carey (INR 30 lakh), Triveni Vasistha (INR 20 lakh), Nalla Reddy (INR 10 lakh), Poonam Khemnar (INR 10 lakh)
Spinners Saika Ishaque (INR 30 lakh)
Fast bowlers: Shabnim Ismail (INR 60 lakh), Milly Illingworth (INR 10 lakh)
Related

Abhishek Nayar: We wanted Shikha's experience and Deepti back through RTM

The mega auction as it happened

Deepti, Kerr, Shikha get biggest bids; Healy unsold

WPL 2026 to run from January 9 to February 5

Royal Challengers BengaluruNo. of players: 16 (6 overseas)Hot take: The overseas firepower is undeniable but the missing link is a reliable Indian batter who can be the bridge between the middle and lower middle-order. D Hemalatha and Gautami Naik are two potential candidates; one has struggled in the WPL and the other is completely untested.Possible first XI: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Grace Harris, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 D Hemalatha, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Nadine de Klerk, 7 Pooja Vastrakar, 8 Radha Yadav, 9 Shreyanka Patil, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Lauren BellRCB squadBatters: Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.5 crore), Georgia Voll (INR 60 lakh), D Hemalatha (INR 30 lakh), Gautami Naik (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Richa Ghosh (INR 2.75 crore), Pratyoosha Kumar (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Ellyse Perry (INR 2 crore), Pooja Vastrakar (INR 85 lakh), Grace Harris (INR 75 lakh), Nadine de Klerk (INR 60 lakh)
Spinners Shreyanka Patil (INR 60 lakh), Radha Yadav (INR 65 lakh), Linsey Smith (INR 30 lakh), Prema Rawat (RTM, INR 20 lakh)
Fast bowlers: Arundhati Reddy (INR 75 lakh), Lauren Bell (INR 90 lakh)
UP WarriorzNo. of players: 18 (6 overseas)Hot take: They came to the auction with by far the biggest purse and made full use of it to assemble a well-rounded squad. Three of the five most expensive buys belonged to them: Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey and Meg Lanning. Deepti, who was bought using the right-to-match option, fetched INR 3.20 crore, the joint-second-most expensive player at a WPL auction. UPW also spent INR 1.20 crore on Phoebe Litchfield and INR 1.10 crore on Asha Sobhana. By comparison, Sophie Ecclestone (INR 85 lakh), Deandra Dottin (INR 80 lakh) and Kranti Gaud (INR 50 lakh) were steals. The only Associate player of WPL 2026 is also in their squad: USA’s left-arm seamer Tara Norris.Possible first XI: 1 Meg Lanning, 2 Kiran Navgire, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Phoebe Litchfield, 5 Deepti Sharma, 6 Deandra Dottin, 7 Sophie Ecclestone, 8 Asha Sobhana, 9 Shipra Giri (wk), 10 Shikha Pandey, 11 Kranti GaudUPW squadBatters: Meg Lanning (INR 1.90 crore), Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1.20 crore), Kiran Navgire (RTM, INR 60 lakh), Pratika Rawal (INR 50 lakh), Shweta Sehrawat (retained, INR 50 lakh), Harleen Deol (INR 50 lakh), Simran Shaikh (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Shipra Giri (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Deepti Sharma (RTM, INR 3.20 crore), Deandra Dottin (INR 0.80 crore), Chloe Tryon (INR 30 lakh), G Trisha (INR 10 lakh), Suman Meena (INR 10 lakh)
Spinners: Asha Sobhana (INR 1.1 crore), Sophie Ecclestone (RTM, INR 0.85 crore)
Fast bowlers Shikha Pandey (INR 2.40 crore), Kranti Gaud (RTM, INR 50 lakh), Tara Norris (INR 10 lakh)
1:53

‘Wolvaardt can fill Lanning’s shoes’

Delhi CapitalsNo. of players: 16 (6 overseas)Hot take: DC paid INR 1.30 crore, their joint-highest bid of the day, to buy West Indies allrounder Chinelle Henry. DC had faced Henry’s wrath last season, when she smashed a 23-ball 62 while playing for UPW. They also paid INR 1.3 crore to buy back left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, who played an important role in India’s ODI World Cup victory. They have packed their squad with allrounders and top-order batters, but are short of Indian fast bowlers. Another exciting prospect is 16-year-old Deeya Yadav from Haryana, who DC head coach Jonathan Batty described as “a young Shafali.”Possible first XI 1 Shafali Verma, 2 Laura Wolvaardt, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Chinelle Henry, 7 Niki Prasad, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Shree Charani, 11 Nandani SharmaDC squadBatters: Shafali Verma (INR 2.20 crore), Jemimah Rodrigues (INR 2.20 crore), Laura Wolvaardt (INR 1.10 crore), Deeya Yadav (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Taniya Bhatia (INR 30 lakh), Lizelle Lee (INR 30 lakh), Mamatha Madiwala (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Annabel Sutherland (INR 2.20 crore), Marizanne Kapp (INR 2.20 crore), Niki Prasad (INR 50 lakh), Chinelle Henry (INR 1.30 crore), Sneh Rana (INR 50 lakh), Minnu Mani (INR 40 lakh), Lucy Hamilton (INR 10 lakh)
Spinners: Shree Charani (INR 1.30 crore)
Fast bowlers: Nandani Sharma (INR 20 lakh)
Gujarat GiantsNo. of players: 18 (6 overseas)Hot take: At INR 2 crore, Sophie Devine was their biggest buy of the day. With Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner retained before the auction, they have a solid batting core. But that’s about it. They did pick Yastika Bhatia but she is unlikely to be available because of injury. The rest of their Indian batters lack experience at the big stage. Except for Renuka Singh, the same can be said about their Indian seamers too, although Titas Sadhu and Kashvee Gautam are promising youngsters.Possible first XI: 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Bharti Fulmali, 4 Ashleigh Gardner, 5 Georgia Wareham, 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Ayushi Soni, 8 Kashvee Gautam, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Titas Sadhu, 11 Renuka SinghGG squadBatters: Bharti Fulmali (RTM, INR 70 lakh), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (INR 50 lakh), Shivani Singh (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeepers: Beth Mooney (retained INR 2.5 crore), Yastika Bhatia (INR 50 lakh)
Allrounders: Ashleigh Gardner (retained, INR 3.50 crore), Sophie Devine (INR 2 crore), Georgia Wareham (INR 1 crore), Kashvee Gautam (RTM, INR 65 lakh), Anushka Sharma (INR 45 lakh), Kanika Ahuja (INR 30 lakh), Ayushi Soni (INR 30 lakh)
Spinners: Tanuja Kanwar (INR 45 lakh), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (INR 40 lakh)
Fast bowlers: Renuka Singh (INR 60 lakh), Kim Garth (INR 50 lakh), Titas Sadhu (INR 30 lakh), Happy Kumari (INR 10 lakh)