نشرت صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية عدد النقاط التي تحصل عليها نجم ليفربول، محمد صلاح، في سباق المنافسة على جائزة الكرة الذهبية لأفضل لاعب في العالم لعام 2025.
كان محمد صلاح ضمن قائمة المرشحين لنيل الكرة الذهبية لذلك العام، والتي تضم 30 لاعبًا، حيث حصدها عثمان ديمبلي لاعب باريس سان جيرمان.
اقرأ أيضًا.. 13 إحصائية مجنونة تثبت تعرض محمد صلاح للسرقة في الكرة الذهبية
واحتل لامين يامال لاعب برشلونة المركز الثاني، ويليه فيتينها لاعب باريس سان جيرمان ثم محمد صلاح في المركز الرابع، إلى جانب رافينها لاعب البارسا في المركز الخامس.
وحسبما كشفت صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية، فإن محمد صلاح تحصل على 657 نقطة، في حين أن عثمان ديمبلي حصد 1380 نقطة، مقابل 1059 نقطة لـ لامين يامال و703 لـ فيتينها، و620 نقطة لـ رافينها. نقاط الكرة الذهبية 2025
1- عثمان ديمبلي، باريس سان جيرمان، 1380 نقطة.
2- لامين يامال، برشلونة، 1059 نقطة.
3- فيتينها، باريس سان جيرمان، 703 نقطة.
4- محمد صلاح، ليفربول، 657 نقطة.
5- رافينها، برشلونة، 620 نقطة.
6- أشرف حكيمي، باريس سان جيرمان، 484 نقطة.
7- كيليان مبابي، ريال مدريد، 378 نقطة.
8- كول بالمر، تشيلسي، 211 نقطة.
9- جيانلويجي دوناروما، باريس سان جيرمان، 172 نقطة.
10- نونو مينديز، باريس سان جيرمان، 171 نقطة.
11- بيدري، برشلونة، 124 نقطة.
12- خفيتشا كفاراتسخيليا، باريس سان جيرمان، 123 نقطة.
Liverpool have held a meeting in Paris with a Premier League player and his representatives over a move this summer, according to journalist Sebastien Denis.
Who will be Liverpool's starting No.9 next season?
The Reds have already made so much progress in the transfer market this summer, bringing in Florian Wirtz in a British record deal, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez bolstering Arne Slot’s full-back options.
A new striker needs to be a forefront of Liverpool’s thinking now, though, with Darwin Nunez not seen as the solution there, despite scoring in Sunday’s 3-1 win away to Preston in a pre-season friendly.
There are plenty of options to have been mentioned this summer, from Alexander Isak to Hugo Ekitike, and now RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko has been linked with a move to Anfield. The 22-year-old has also been seen as a target for Arsenal, but it now looks as though the Gunners will sign Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres instead.
Now, another name has been thrown into the hat for Liverpool, as the likes of Slot and Richard Hughes look to bring in the ideal No.9 option ahead of the defence of their Premier League crown next month.
Liverpool hold Paris talks with Premier League striker
According to Foot Mercato journalist Denis on X, Liverpool had a meeting with Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and his agents recently: “French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and his representative met with Liverpool in Paris last days.”
In the report itself, it states that the Reds have been “checking the water” for the 28-year-old, adding that as much as £52m may potentially be needed to snap him up. That said, a fee of £43m is also far from out of the question.
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates.
Mateta is a good striker who has proven to be an excellent option for Palace, helping them win the FA Cup last season and being hailed by Eagles manager Oliver Glasner.
“We don’t always talk because he knows what we demand of him. With his two goals today, he is amazing in the box. He has the feeling that a number nine must have in the box. He makes so many runs where he doesn’t get the ball. You need to suffer as a striker because you make so many runs where you don’t get the ball. He gets the reward and it decides the game for us.”
At 28, though, Mateta may not feel like the right choice for Liverpool, considering his peak could pass relatively quickly and there are younger options out there.
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He has scored against the Reds in the past, netting in a 2-1 defeat for the Eagles in 2023, and while he could do a good job for Slot after scoring 30 goals in the last two Premier League seasons, he arguably doesn’t feel like the right pick when nailing the new striker is so essential for the Premier League champions.
As Newcastle United continue to chase a move to sign Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace could reportedly accept a player-plus-cash deal which would see them welcome an experienced defender.
Newcastle pushing to sign Guehi
Newcastle’s interest in Guehi is far from new. The Magpies were in pursuit of his signature last summer before Crystal Palace ultimately priced them out of a move. At the time, those at St James’ Park had PSR issues to consider, whilst Palace were in no position to budge from their strong negotiation position. One year on, however, the script has seemingly flipped.
As things stand, the England international has just one year left on his contract at Selhurst Park, which means that unless anything changes, this summer will be the first of just two more chances for Crystal Palace to cash in.
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Brett Worthington
Jun 9, 2025
Unlike last summer, their position in negotiations with Newcastle is far weaker. They can no longer price the Magpies out of a move. Instead, reports have suggested that Newcastle could end up paying just £50m to sign Guehi this summer in a deal that is more or less done if recent rumours are to be believed.
The defender’s departure would be a major blow for all involved in South London, who already had to replace Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen last summer. As doubts creep in over their Europa League spot too, the last thing that Crystal Palace need is to lose one of Oliver Glasner’s most important players.
If Guehi is to depart, though, the Eagles would be wise to get something in return. Whilst they can no longer price Newcastle out of a move, Palace could yet form an interesting swap deal which would solve an immediate problem within Glasner’s side. It would far from make up for Guehi’s exit, of course, but it would see the South London club at least come away with something.
Crystal Palace could sign Targett in Guehi swap deal
As reported by Andrew Musgrove on The Everything is Black and White Podcast, Crystal Palace could now sign Matt Targett in a surprise swap deal for Guehi this summer which would of course also include a transfer fee. A player-plus cash deal, Palace would get the chance to solve their left-back problem following the end of Ben Chilwell’s loan spell and cash in on their star defender.
Musgrove revealed: “I’ve been told that Matt Targett could potentially hold the key. Now we know Targett is probably going to leave this summer, but interestingly, it has been said that he could move this deal along slightly because Ben Chilwell has gone back to Chelsea after he was on loan at Palace as back up to Tyrick Mitchell.
Matt Targett
“Now they want another left back to provide that competition, but really back up to Mitchell, and maybe that could be ideal for both Newcastle and Matt Targett. It has been suggested that Palace would not be against the idea of taking Targett as part of a cash per player deal.”
A player who Newcastle boss Eddie Howe described as “reliable” in September, Crystal Palace could yet have a decision to make as to whether they deem Targett a suitable arrival in return for Guehi this summer.
Liverpool have been busy already in the 2025 summer transfer window. It has been a remarkable show of intent from Arne Slot’s team, who, as defending champions, are making a clear step towards strengthening their side to defend the Premier League next season.
Jeremie Frimpong has already joined the club, and a deal for Florian Wirtz cannot be more than a few days away now. Fabrizio Romano gave the move his famous “here we go” confirmation, citing the price of the move as £128m including add-ons.
Florian Wirtz
With that much money spent on the German star, you might think there is not enough money left for the Reds to spend.
However, a recent report implies they could splash the cash even more.
Liverpool's next big signing earmarked
If Liverpool were to spend big after signing Wirtz, it would be a huge statement to the rest of the Premier League, and arguably make them favourites to retain their crown. There certainly seems to be money left for another marquee addition.
That player could be Alexander Isak of Newcastle United.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
At least, that is according to a recent report from Lewis Steele, the Daily Mail’s Merseyside-based reporter. The journalist explained that a move for Isak could materialise and that he ‘wouldn’t completely rule it out’ this summer.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
However, unsurprisingly, this is not a deal that would come cheap for the newly-crowned Premier League champions. Steele explained that ‘Newcastle don’t want to sell him for cheap’, before naming a ‘ballpark figure’ starting at around £130m and reaching as much as £140m.
That makes any move extremely unlikely but TEAMtalk do reveal that the Swede is Liverpool’s number one striker target this summer.
How Wirtz could improve Alexander Isak
There is a very strong case to be made that 25-year-old is the best number nine in the Premier League. He was sensational last season for Eddie Howe’s side, helping claw them into a Champions League spot.
Last season for the Magpies, Isak played 34 Premier League games, scoring 23 goals and registering six assists. No striker managed to find the back of the net more often, and Mohamed Salah, Isak’s teammate if he moves to Anfield, was the only player to bag more.
Of course, Liverpool know all too well the dangers that Isak has to offer, having been on the receiving end of his goal threat plenty.
In six matches against the Reds in his career, the Sweden international has scored four goals and grabbed an assist. One of those strikes came in the Carabao Cup final in 2025.
The Anfield faithful could be in dreamland if they get to see Wirtz and Isak link up next season. The Bayer Leverkusen star has been in sensational form in 2024/25, with 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 games for the German side.
The crucial thing there is the assist number. At just 22 years of age, Wirtz is already a player who creates an obscene number of goals for his side. However, if you combine him with a player as good as Isak, who is a natural killer in front of goal, he may only get better.
The assist below is an excellent example of how the two new potential Liverpool recruits can combine.
With Wirtz receiving the ball out on the left, he is able to beat the defender and play a perfectly weighted pass to Patrick Schick, who scores.
Now, imagine the passage of play takes place in Liverpool colours at Anfield, with Wirtz’s pass going to Isak, and it is not hard to see why the pair could become unstoppable. The deadly striker could turn his potential new teammate into an even better creative force in the final third.
Isak’s stats from the Premier League last term via FBRef are exceptional, too. The Sweden international ranks highly for most metrics, including goals per shot on target, which was 0.46 each game, showing just how efficient he is with his shooting.
Isak key stats and rank in 2024/25 PL season
Stat (per 90)
Isak number
Percentile vs. PL strikers
Goals and assists
0.95
97th
Expected goals
0.66xG
94th
Shots on target
1.34
83rd
Goals per shot on target
0.46
88th
Goal-creating actions
0.46
88th
Stats from FBref
There is no doubt that £140m is a huge investment for Liverpool, on top of the money they already spent on Wirtz. However, Isak is an “elite” striker, as Statman Dave said, and he could make this Liverpool side virtually unbeatable.
Newcastle United'sAlexanderIsak
If this is a deal they get over the line, it would be a huge statement of intent, and a signing that could make Wirtz even better, too.
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As they look to take their title party into the summer, Premier League champions Liverpool now reportedly want to sign an impressive forward who has scored 33 goals in all competitions this season.
Liverpool look towards Chelsea and summer transfer plans
The Reds have been in party mode ever since thrashing Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 to secure their 20th league title and their second in the last five years, but must now turn towards Chelsea this weekend. It’s at Stamford Bridge that Arne Slot, even with the title sealed, will be looking to see his side continue their celebrations and prove exactly why the Blues will be giving them a guard of honour ahead of kick off.
Chelsea’s applause will be the first of four guard of honours that Liverpool receive on their way towards lifting the Premier League title, with Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace to come.
Arsenal’s at Anfield will, of course, taste the sweetest for all those in Merseyside after Liverpool dominantly beat the Gunners to the English crown this season. It’s a feeling the Reds will be desperate to get used to and one that Mohamed Salah has already set his sights on ahead of next season.
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He’s enjoyed an excellent season…
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The Egyptian took to social media to celebrate title success whilst also laying down an early marker for the next campaign, posting: “This is what we wanted to deliver to our fans more than anything.
“This is a club that should always compete for everything and be right at the top. No excuses. All teams win games but in the end there’s only one champion. That’s what history remembers and this applies to next season as well.”
It’s next season that the Anfield legend could be joined by some fresh faces too, which may yet include a 33-goal star.
Liverpool complete Maeda scouting mission
According to The Boot Room, Liverpool now want to sign Daizen Maeda from Celtic after completing their scouting on the forward this season. The Japan international has enjoyed an excellent campaign and has earned the interest of the Premier League champions as well as Arsenal and Aston Villa as a result. Amid such interest, Maeda hasn’t exactly ruled out a departure either.
The Celtic forward told reporters when quizzed about his future: “Well, I’m not sure. That’s a difficult question. While I’m here, I always want to fight and play for Celtic. I want to keep focusing and playing for the team.”
Daizen Maeda
With just two years remaining on his current deal, Celtic could have a decision to make on Maeda sooner rather than later. They already proved that they will sell if necessary last summer when Matt O’Riley left for Brighton in a deal worth a reported £25m. Now, a year on, Maeda could leave for a similar price, following the same path from Glasgow’s east end to Merseyside trodden by the legendary Kenny Dalglish.
Dubbed “amazing” by manager Brendan Rodgers earlier this season, it’s clear that the impressive striker is ready to take the Premier League or elsewhere by storm if he does depart the Scottish champions this summer.
This has been a fantastic season for Liverpool and Arne Slot, now inches away from a Premier League title which may be delivered to Anfield’s doorstep as early as this weekend.
While this is unlikely (Liverpool would need to beat Leicester City away and hope that imperilled Ipswich Town earn three points at home against Arsenal), it’s a certainty at this stage that Liverpool will be the word etched into the trophy before the summer.
Sporting director Richard Hughes will no doubt have spent many months adding sheaf upon sheaf to his transfer plans, tasked with stocking Slot’s squad with new parts ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Now that Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s contracts have been taken care of, rumours around who will replace the outgoing Darwin Nunez at number nine have been ramping up, but Liverpool need to strengthen across the park.
Bringing a new central defender carries every bit as much weight as signing a new striker.
Liverpool's pursuit of a centre-back
Liverpool are looking to strengthen across a range of positions this summer, and despite Van Dijk’s much-anticipated renewal, central defence is set to be chief among the list of priorities.
It seems Liverpool have already identified their favourite target, with recent reports claiming Liverpool are leading the tight-packed race to sign Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, who is enjoying an exemplary breakout year in the Premier League.
AFC Bournemouth's DeanHuijsenduring the warm up before the match
Huijsen might be young and largely untested at the highest level, but his specific skill set bespeaks a future role at the very forefront of the European game.
It’s no coincidence that so many of the continent’s top outfits are lining up to make their move.
Real Madrid have registered their interest but Huijsen is expected to snub the La Liga superstars in favour of staying in the Premier League, report Spanish sources.
This is quite the novelty. But it reinforces Liverpool’s position in the driving seat as Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes confer ahead of the transfer window.
Huijsen is a terrific talent with a big future ahead of him, but he would be joining a vastly talented Liverpool backline and there are no assurances that he’d fit right into the starting fold from the get-go.
Not with Slot’s current options so talented, so proven in this title-winning team. Liverpool need more, but they’ve already hit the jackpot on a star worth even more than the Premier League’s most exciting young centre-half.
Liverpool have hit gold on Klopp signing
Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah was fast-tracked to first-team significance last season after Joel Matip suffered a career-ending knee injury in December 2023.
He’s since become a mainstay in the wider squad, and though Slot hasn’t used the 22-year-old all that frequently this term, he’s still played his part and has attracted interest from Newcastle United, who would be willing to do business for a £30m figure – which is lower than Liverpool’s valuation.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah
Huijsen, with a £50m release clause, is worth more. However, Ibrahima Konate’s value is higher than it’s ever been following his part in Liverpool’s soon-to-be triumph.
Konate has been with Liverpool for four seasons now, joining from RB Leipzig after his £36m release clause was activated. Long regarded for his sinewy physique, formidable defending and sharp technical skills, injuries have always been the France international’s sticking point.
24/25
26 (25)
1
2
10
23/24
22 (17)
0
0
5
22/23
18 (17)
0
0
7
21/22
11 (11)
0
0
4
He’s suffered from a bit of fitness bother this term, but Konate has never played more in the Premier League, hailed by analyst Josh Williams as a “monster at covering ground and dealing with one vs one situations.”
This is clear when peering at the data. As per Sofascore, Konate has won 65% of his duels in the top flight this year, keeping ten clean sheets and completing 90% of his passes.
Ibrahima Konate warming up for Liverpool
Huijsen is a great talent, but he’s not yet on the towering 25-year-old’s level. The Spain international, for example, has only won 56% of his Premier League duels, also completing 84% of his passes.
Heading toward his first league title, Konate has been a bona fide success on Merseyside, with Liverpool hitting the jackpot on the talented defender. However, given that he’s about to enter the final year of his contract, FSG will surely be concerned they may lose another member of their backline on a free, with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to join Real Madrid this summer.
Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are both known admirers of the French defender, but Liverpool won’t be letting him leave on the cheap this year, with Spanish sources claiming the Reds would refuse discussions if their €60m (£51m) price tag was not matched.
Given Konate’s just one year away from his deal expiring, this goes to show that Liverpool have got quite the defender in their mix.
There’s no question that Liverpool will hope to retain their monstrous defensive star’s services, especially now that Van Dijk’s future has been sorted and Konate’s fears allayed in that regard.
For now, we wait and see, but whichever way the pendulum swings this summer, Liverpool have hit the jackpot on Konate and will likely do the same on Huijsen, who could join Konate on Merseyside or even take his place in the coming months.
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England read Jaiswal like a book, quickly catching on to his weakness and setting up the perfect trap
Sidharth Monga02-Jul-20250:53
Aaron: Marked improvement by the English bowling unit
Stop the press. Yashasvi Jaiswal has a weakness, y’all. It’s the filthy short and wide ball.Bazballing Ben Stokes is a genius. You won’t get it.In his short but illustrious career, Jaiswal has tried to cut fast bowlers 94 times. He has mis-hit or completely missed 42 of those. Since Jaiswal’s debut, 12 batters have attempted cutting fast bowlers 50 or more times. Nobody’s control percentage is worse than Jaiswal’s.Jaiswal has just been lucky to have got out only twice when cutting a fast bowler. Until today. And Stokes should know. Since 2020, he has played 61 false shots on the cut to the fast bowler and has got out only once. So let it be said that we are not accusing England of following data. This is their feel for the game. From personal experience. You study data. They data. You won’t get it.Related
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How long can Jaiswal be lucky, eh? He thinks he can keep throwing the kitchen sink at it in the false belief that there is no way an edge off such hard hits is going to go to hand. He doesn’t know the power of stringing together good balls. In this series alone, fast bowlers have made Jaiswal cut 24 times. That edge was the result you saw, the previous 23 were the hard work you didn’t.Not to forget the bluff. After any century with just ten runs on the on side, you will naturally expect the bowlers to bowl straight and make you play into the leg side. Jaiswal would have spent hours in the nets working on his leg-side game. Only to be tested on his real weakness: the short and wide delivery.Wash your mouth with soap already if you think you are going to tell me Shoaib Bashir gets only boundary catches as dismissals. There is word going around India are not ruthless enough. In Hyderabad, it is said, all of the top-five India batters got out in non-traditional ways, giving up a chance of batting England out of the game.Tradition is not what you think tradition is. Tradition is what they do out in the middle. Once you do it long enough, it becomes tradition. Do you think Stokes has forgotten Hyderabad? No amount of data can give you this instinctive feel for the game.2:06
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Boundary riders are catching fielders. Especially if they are right behind the umpire or another fielder where the human in the foreground can hide the one behind him. How many times is Rishabh Pant supposed to keep tabs on field changes and funky fielders? There was a time when Stokes was moving them around every ball. Like chess pieces. Without apparent rhyme or reason to the undiscerning eye. His endgame was overs away. When he settled on the long-on exactly behind the mid-on, and retained him for more than one ball.Pant had so many reasons to not be aware of the deep fielder. He could have assumed Stokes is so fickle he would have moved him by now. He could have not seen him. The fielder might have moved so wide that he would have got out of his eyeline.And then Bashir bowled the sucker ball. Stokes even bowled Bashir with the wind so this hit could get caught in the wind. It is not called lucky boundary catches; it is called bowling to your field, which the batter possibly doesn’t even know.By now India should be saying, “How do we even compete with these guys?”
There’s a reason why Icarus is remembered, not the dreary dad who warned him about flying too close to the sun
Matt Roller29-Jul-2023If one shot encapsulated the state of this Ashes series, it came in the 75th over of England’s second innings on a heady evening in south London. Mitchell Starc, the leading-wicket taker on either side, charged in with three men out on the hook; he dug the ball in short at 88mph.Moeen Ali, a 36-year-old with a groin strain who was retired from Test cricket two months ago, swivelled on a pull shot, fully extending his arms. Steven Smith ran around to his right, sprawling at full stretch as he attempted to flick the ball back into play on the bounce. He couldn’t reach it, and thudded into the LED advertising boards as he landed.Smith briefly lay prone, resting his arm on the hoardings as the crowd revelled in another England boundary, their 48th of the day. It had taken England six balls to wipe out the 12-run lead that Australia had painstakingly accumulated across 103.1 overs; now, they were 357 ahead.England cannot win this series but that might now be incidental. They have scored at 4.74 runs per over, averaged 36.58 runs per wicket, and most importantly, have been utterly compelling to watch. “Can Bazball really work against Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood?” They have unequivocally won the argument.This was England at their best, forcing the field back with early aggression before cruising along with singles to boundary-riders as though they were batting in the middle overs of an ODI. Six of their batters will end the series with at least 300 runs at an average above 35; Ben Stokes’ strike rate of 64.69 was the slowest among them.Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett led the charge, their final partnership tally of 79 in 17 overs reflecting a slow-down once Cummins finally pushed the field back. England have not always found batting in the third innings easy in the last 14 months, without the lucidity of a run-chase; as if to dispel any doubts, Crawley crashed the first ball of the day through cover for four.Joe Root nails a reverse-scoop for six over deep third•Getty ImagesBut it was Joe Root who best personified England’s dominance, settling into fifth gear after a jittery start. His best shot, a crisp whip through midwicket while wandering down the pitch against Hazlewood, was soon followed by his most outlandish: a now-characteristic reverse-scoop for six over the slips off Mitchell Marsh.It is a mark of Root’s transcendence in this series that his run aggregate – 412 at 51.50 – feels lower than it should, given the ease with which he has scored whenever he has been set. Root mastered the art of middle-overs batting during the 2015-19 World Cup cycle, and Cummins has generally posted 50-over fields as soon as Root has reached 20.Twice in his last three innings, he has been denied a century after being bowled by balls that have hardly got off the pitch after bouncing: the first from Hazlewood in Manchester, the second from Todd Murphy at The Oval on Saturday. Yet by the time he walked off with England 320 ahead, he had reasserted his status among the world’s elite batters.There has been plenty of scoffing about England’s perceived superiority complex in recent days – much of it justified. The inescapable facts are that they are 2-1 down, having let multiple chances slip in both of their defeats, and cannot now regain the urn until 2025-26.Related
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Yet it has become increasingly clear as this series has worn on that Australia are rattled by England’s approach. Since arriving in the UK they have thrashed India to become World Test Champions, and gone 2-0 up in the series; barring an improbable run-chase, they will fly home next week ruing a missed opportunity to secure their legacy.And yes, there have been times in this series when England’s batters have flown too close to the sun. If they had the chance again, they would surely have reined themselves in just a fraction during the third innings at Edgbaston, and similarly on the third morning at Lord’s, when they lost 6 for 47 while repeatedly taking on the short ball on a sluggish surface.But there’s a reason you remember the name of Icarus, and not the dreary dad who warned him about the consequences. Two years ago, England were a drab, dull side who were best to follow via wicket notifications and social media low-lights; now, a similar group of players are arrestingly watchable, and their supporters want to watch every ball.Two days of rain in Manchester denied this series the finale it deserved, and the type of showpiece event that cricket in England so desperately cherishes as it battles for mainstream attention amid constant existential crises. Even so, for all the hand-wringing about the schedule, the Ashes has been the main event of the sporting summer.Australia have played some brilliant cricket, and nobody is disputing their right to return home having retained the urn. But England have undeniably been the protagonists of this series, exuding relentless main-character energy; it was only fitting that Stuart Broad, the hero of this drama, would steal the show late on Saturday evening.
Despite a relatively low control percentage among elite top-order batters, he has made 2021 his own with limited resources
Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Nov-2021The first ball he faced in the second innings, Dimuth Karunaratne makes a mistake. He doesn’t quite account for the turn Rahkeem Cornwall would get from his offbreak and edges it. But the ball falls short of gully.Luck? Maybe. This guy’s always lucky. What’s he got on his side? A rabbit’s foot? Witchcraft?In Cornwall’s next over, the first ball, he makes another error. He tries to hit Cornwall inside out, but is through the shot early, and just chips it over short cover. It begins to seem like another one of those Karunaratne innings, in which he isn’t batting so well, because not long after that, he’s hit on the pad by a straighter Cornwall delivery, and because he has played no shot, West Indies review the not out decision. The ball’s going on with the arm, but it’s not turning in, and as such, not hitting the stumps. Karunaratne survives again.Related
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Karunaratne thrives on game of patience
Karunaratne isn't perfect but he's the best Sri Lanka have got
A few overs after that, Cornwall beats Karunaratne’s outside edge with a ball that leaps off the surface. And then, Karunaratne misses a sweep, is hit in line with the stumps, and although West Indies appeal, they don’t review. This time, they should have. Wait. This is uncanny. Was this guy a Mandela-level human rights champion in a former life? Did he save orphans from a burning building in his teenage years? Why does the universe have such a hard-on for him?But take a step back, and you begin to see that this is the pattern that so many Karunaratne innings take. In the first innings, he was dropped at slip on 14 and scratched around desperately – particularly against Cornwall – in the first session. Even on day two, when he was already batting on more than a hundred, he seemed a supremely uncomfortable starter. On day four, he made a worse start than Oshada Fernando and Angelo Mathews – the only other Sri Lanka batters to last more than 30 deliveries. But then, he outscored both of them (Mathews was not out). There’s been a lot of that lately.In 2021, Karunaratne has now hit 854 runs, which puts him at No. 3 on the year’s run-chart, behind Joe Root and Rohit Sharma. What is special about his record this year, however, is his average of 77.63; no one else with more than 400 runs is close (Root’s average – the closest – is 66.13). And yet, if you look at the control percentages, Karunaratne doesn’t fare especially well. Root has been in control of 86.9% of the balls he has faced this year. Mominul Haque, the only other batter to have hit more than 400 runs and averaged over 60 in 2021, has been in control of 86.6% of his strokes. Karunaratne, meanwhile, has a control percentage of 82.1. This doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but among elite top-order batters, 4.5% in control is substantial.And yet, there are the runs. All those runs. His last five Test innings are basically a fantasy. A 75 when Sri Lanka were trying to draw a match in Antigua. A 244 in a drawn Test on a flat Pallekele track, followed by 118 and 66 in a Test that Sri Lanka won. And then, here, 147 off 300 in the first innings, and now, 83 off 104 in the second. Note the difference in those strike rates (49 in the first innings, 80 in the second).
“When he started off, he was a good player, but now he’s turned into a great player”Angleo Mathews on Dimuth Karunaratne
When Sri Lanka were trying to get a foothold in the game, Karunaratne was watchful and conscientious. When they needed to race to a big lead in the second dig after losing much of day three to rain, he was proactive. You expect a captain to always do what is right for the side, but in 2021, he has also been good at doing what is right. Besides this recent run of scores, Karunaratne had also hit a January hundred in the second innings in Johannesburg, when Sri Lanka were trying to save a Test.Mathews, who has played with him since Karunaratne earned a cricket scholarship for the same Colombo school, after having excelled for a smaller school, put it this way: “I’ve been with him since he started playing for college as well. We go back a long way. He’s improved tremendously. When he started off, he was a good player, but now he’s turned into a great player. He’ll definitely end up in the top three or four run-scorers for Sri Lanka. He’s found his rhythm, and he’s not been complacent. He’s hungry for runs. The way he applies himself on a wicket like this is amazing.”Karunaratne is perhaps not the kind of batter whose innings you’d ever call “masterful”. Those adjectives are reserved for the Kane Williamsons of the world, or the Virat Kohlis, Joe Roots, Babar Azams, and Steve Smiths. No one is suggesting he has that kind of talent. No one is saying his name should be taken in the same breath.But despite what the control percentages say, regardless of the nerviness of his starts, although he frequently looks like he doesn’t belong, in 2021, you can’t argue with those numbers. Karunaratne has had the kind of year in which he has put his arms around a modest top order, lifted them onto his back, and carried them to competence, when they have so often seemed clueless without him, such as in that terrible home series against England.Is he lucky, or does he make his own? Does he squeeze every run out of a limited technique, and by international batting standards, pretty average hand-eye coordination.He was a caretaker captain in ODI cricket for a while, and Sri Lanka kind of did alright. They are not a world-beating Test side, but in the series he’s been in charge, they’ve suggested they aren’t terrible either. Getting the most out of limited resources kind of seems like his thing.
West Ham United have now made an enquiry over the signing of Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, amid doubts over Niclas Fullkrug’s future at the London Stadium.
West Ham have been much-improved from an attacking point of view since the beginning of November, scoring eight goals in their last three Premier League games, with Callum Wilson finding the back of the net three times in his last two outings.
Most recently, a first-half brace from the former Newcastle United man put the Hammers in a very strong position to pick up three points at AFC Bournemouth, but the Cherries fought back and Nuno’s side squandered a two-goal lead, which will undoubtedly be frustrating for the manager.
That said, Wilson’s recent form in front of goal is definitely encouraging, especially considering Niclas Fullkrug’s future with the Irons is now in major doubt, as revealed by Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg earlier this month.
West Ham lodge enquiry to sign Promise David
With Wilson’s current deal to expire in the summer, and the Englishman potentially in the latter stages of his career at 33-years-old, West Ham have now made contact over a deal for a new striker, namely Union Saint-Gilloise star David.
That is according to a report from Claret & Hugh, which states enquiries have been made about a deal for the centre-forward, with chief analyst Max Hahn particularly keen on bringing in players from the Belgian Pro League.
The 24-year-old remains under contract at the Belgian club until 2030, which puts them in a strong negotiating position, but there are signs it could be worth the Hammers paying whatever they ask for.
The eight-time Canada international is off to a flying start to the campaign, having already scored eight goals in all competitions, including one on his Champions League debut in the 3-1 victory against PSV Eindhoven back in September.
The Ontario-born centre-forward also caught scout Jacek Kulig’s eye as a result of his form during the 2024-25 campaign, being lauded as “outstanding” in March, before going on to finish the season on 24 goals in all competitions.
With Fullkrug looking to move on, it would make sense to bring in a new striker this January, especially given that there are still likely to be concerns over Wilson’s injury record, having spent long periods on the treatment table during the previous two seasons.
Callum Wilson’s injury record
Games missed
2023-24
28
2024-25
29
It would be a gamble to sign David, with the Canadian yet to prove himself in a major European league, but his goalscoring record in Belgium is certainly encouraging.
West Ham send scouts to watch the "best" striker in the Championship West Ham now send scouts to watch the "best" striker in the Championship