Amad Diallo’s delightful volley continued Manchester United’s unbeaten run and extended Sean Dyche’s wait for his first Premier League win as Nottingham Forest manager.

United arrived on a run of three straight wins and Diallo’s late volley rescued a 2-2 draw, which was probably a fair result at the end of a helter-skelter encounter that the Red Devils went ahead in, albeit under controversial circumstances.

The City Ground faithful were left furioius at the decision to award the corner from which Casemiro headed home the opening goal, and Dyche also highlighted Bruno Fernandes’ placement of the ball outside the quadrant, speaking to Sky Sports.

“It’s not inconclusive, I’ve seen it back,” the 54 year-old said afer Nicolo Savona was adjudged to have taken the ball out of play.

He continued: “Funny enough I was talking to the powers at be, the referees, about the quadrant. We all watch it, you can see the ball is outside the quadrant from 80 yards away, but they allow it because it’s one millimetre with the ball hanging over the line, a bit like the goal line technology.

“So apparently today the assistant referee can see 70, 80 yards away, it’s got to change.”

Dyche’s men returned after half-time interval with the bit between their teeth and levelled three minutes after the restart. Substitute Yates clipped over a cross from the right and Gibbs-White held off Diallo to get away a header that crept inside the far post.

It looked like Savona would have the last laugh too, coolly scoring in the 50th minute. Another cross from the right took a deflection and looped up, with the ball bundled on as Jesus challenged with United players. The Italian was the beneficiary, taking a touch and finishing from six yards.

United tried to level and Fernandes came closest, seeing a hopeful long-range strike skip off the turf and hit the far post. Casemiro just failed to turn home the rebound.

Manchester United have found their next Amad

Jesus headed into the side-netting and Hudson-Odoi went close as Forest pushed to settle things, only for Diallo’s moment of magic to draw United level in the 81st minute.

Forest failed to effectively clear a corner and the Ivory Coast international unleashed a wonderful left-footed volley from the edge of the box that flew past Sels, sparking bedlam in the away end.

The goal was given after a VAR check and United pushed hardest for a winner, with Murillo stopping Diallo snatching victory in stoppage time.

Visitors only need 25 minutes on fourth morning to claim much-needed win

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Jul-2025Essex 504 (Cox 132, Critchley 123, Harmer 53) beat Sussex 204 (Coles 52, Porter 4-30) and 261 (Coles 108, Alsop 72, Critchley 4-41) by an innings and 39 runsEssex needed just 25 minutes to secure only their second victory of the season in the Rothesay County Championship when they beat Sussex by an innings and 39 runs at Hove.James Coles completed his third successive Championship hundred, but Sussex were bowled out for 261 in their second innings and suffered their first Championship defeat at Hove since May 2022.”I think that was our most complete performance of the season,” Essex skipper, Tom Westley, said. “At a crunch time, with where we are in the table, to turn up and play like that is testament to everyone in our changing room: 24 points and a win is massive for the club and hopefully we can take that into the last four games, starting against Warwickshire next week.”We don’t want to make excuses about injuries – we probably haven’t played anywhere near our ability through the season and it has been challenging getting our strongest XI at times, so it was nice here to bowl them out for 200 in the first innings and then throughout the game everyone chipped in.”Sussex’s cause at the start of the final day was pretty hopeless with 55 still needed to make Essex bat again and only three wickets in hand. But at least Coles, 99 not out overnight, was able to follow up centuries against Durham and Warwickshire by reaching his seventh first-class hundred, when he cut the fourth ball of the first over of the day from Matt Critchley to the boundary.Coles was ninth out for 108, when he slog-swept Simon Harmer and top-edged to Jamie Porter at backward square leg. He’d faced 214 balls, hitting 14 fours and a six.Harmer had made the breakthrough in the second over when Ari Karvelas tickled a ball down the leg side and was well caught by Michael Pepper.The end came when Critchley bowled Henry Crocombe for 2. The legspinner finished with 4 for 41 and played his part in an excellent performance by Essex, who will fancy their chances of climbing the table in the remaining four games now they have a full-strength bowling attack available again, having controlled this match from the first session.Sussex’s head coach, Paul Farbrace, said: “It’s been hugely disappointing. In the three years I have been here it’s comfortably our worst performance in four-day cricket. We never got into the game. We played poor shots with the bat and made poor decisions throughout.”Apart from James Coles and Tom Alsop in the second innings we haven’t batted anywhere as well as we can, there were a lot of soft dismissals and our bowlers haven’t done much better to be fair, we didn’t play Division One standard cricket which is really frustrating and disappointing.”It’s on me and the rest of the coaching staff as much as the players to reflect and then get into the right mindset for next week’s game at Scarborough. Ollie Robinson had an injection in his groin on Wednesday and won’t be available until the back end of the One-Day Cup.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s exit from the Carabao Cup last night was evidence of the hot and cold nature of Thomas Frank’s tenure at the helm so far in 2025/26.

Coming into the clash against Newcastle United, the Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory against Everton in the Premier League – but such a showing at St James’ Park was the polar opposite.

Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade’s efforts either side of the break secured the win for Eddie Howe’s men, with Frank’s first chance of claiming a trophy in North London evaporating in front of his eyes.

The Dane only made four changes from his starting eleven that defeated the Toffees on Sunday night, but little players failed to cover themselves in glory on Tyneside.

One player in particular was handed a second successive start last night, with such a run now expected to come to an end after his dismal display against the Magpies.

Brennan Johnson’s evening to forget against Newcastle

After Mohammed Kudus’ summer arrival from West Ham United, winger Brennan Johnson has often had to resort to minutes off the bench to make an impact for Spurs.

Such a decision may have come as a surprise to many of the Lilywhites faithful, especially after the Welshman ended last year on 18 goals – even scoring the winner in the Europa League final.

However, 2025/26 has been a different story for the 24-year-old, with his performances night and day from his spell under Ange Postecoglou last campaign.

His showing against Howe’s side was yet another disappointment – with his withdrawal in just the 65th minute highlighting his lack of positive impact in the North East.

Johnson only achieved a total of 28 touches, whilst losing possession on 14 occasions, subsequently gifting the ball back to the opposition every other time he was in control of the play.

Other figures such as zero dribbles and crosses completed further demonstrate his lack of creativity, something which Kudus has possessed in abundance – as seen by his tally of four assists for the Lilywhites.

Such was the level of disappointment around his showing, one Spurs analyst labelled the former Nottingham Forest star as a “passenger” – which proves Frank made the right decision by replacing him with the Ghanaian this summer.

The Spurs player who now looks finished under Frank

Alongside Johnson, numerous other players struggled to match the expectations placed upon them by the Spurs faithful ahead of the meeting with Howe’s men.

Joao Palhinha has been an excellent addition for the Lilywhites, offering the side the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the midfield, but he was forced to operate out of position last night.

The issues at the back saw the Portuguese international drop into a centre-back role – ultimately taking away his best quality, as seen in his tally of zero tackles won.

Despite his lack of impact, Palhinha certainly left more of a positive impression than Richarlison, with the centre-forward once again ensuring an evening to forget.

After being dropped to the bench against former side Everton on Sunday, Frank recalled him to his starting eleven – handing the Brazilian the opportunity to prove his worth.

However, for the eighth game in a row, the 28-year-old was unable to find the back of the net, with his underlying figures showcasing his lack of impact against the Magpies.

Richarlison managed to complete just nine passes during his 78-minute display, whilst also losing possession on eight occasions, often being unable to provide the local point Frank has craved.

Minutes played

78

Touches

29

Passes completed

9

Possession lost

8x

Big chances missed

2

Dribbles completed

0

Chances created

0

Crosses completed

0

In front of goal, the Brazilian was just as wasteful, registering three shots on target, but two of which were defined as big chances missed – leading to one analyst labelling his showing as “unacceptable”.

His dismal display was further highlighted by his inability to complete any dribbles, crosses or create any chances for his teammate, with the manager desperately needing a solution to his problems.

Randal Kolo Muani was brought on in the second half, with the Frenchman producing numerous mazy runs which could see him handed the chance to start from the off against Chelsea.

As for Richarlison, his double on the opening day of 2025/26 has certainly fooled people into thinking he can be the talisman Frank needs to achieve success in North London.

However, there’s no denying that the Brazilian has ultimately failed to match those standards in recent weeks, as seen by his goal drought, which dates back to the 20th of September.

It’s clear he’s not the man the Lilywhites need to progress to the next level, with his career at the club pretty much all but over – which should open the door for a potential January exit.

Fewer touches than Kinsky: Frank must axe 5/10 Spurs dud after Newcastle

Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the Carabao Cup against Newcastle United last night.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Oval Invincibles brushed London Spirit aside with ease in the opening game of the men’s Hundred as they began their bid to win the title for the third year in a row.Sam Billings’ side, who lifted the trophy in 2023 and 2024, are backing themselves for a ‘three-peat’ and the manner of their victory in the competition opener bodes well, a comfortable six-wicket stroll past a London Spirit side who never seemed at the races.Spirit batted first and were soon in trouble – Keaton Jennings, Kane Williamson and David Warner all back in the pavilion with the score on only 26. It wasn’t to get any better for Justin Langer’s side, who could only limp to 80 all out, undone by the combined guile of Sam Curran (3 for 16) and Rashid Khan (3 for 11), Rashid impressing on debut for the Invincibles.”It was nice to get that start, with the win most importantly and then to perform for the team was amazing,” Rashid said. “It’s been a good start for me. I’ve been out of the game for the last two months but it’s nice to get back and get back with a win.Will Jacks steered the Invincibles chase•Getty Images

“The break [since the IPL] has really helped. Physically but also mentally, to get ready for the next competition. The IPL is three months, it’s a long competition, and I needed a break mentally as well and that’s really helped. I’m quite happy with today.”Needing just 81 under the lights, Oval used the chase as a chance for more batting practice – Billings and Donovan Ferreira unbeaten and unfussed at the end, with Ferreira ending proceedings with a mighty six – the only one of the match – into the Tavern Stand.Rashid defended the quality of the pitch, and said: “It was a good surface. Spin was there but the length you bowled was really important today. When I bowled it was just in my mind to hit the right areas consistently, to bowl a good line and length, and it went really well.”

Barcelona sporting director Deco has ruled out triggering Marcus Rashford's buy option before next summer and he instead revealed an alternate plan for the January transfer window. Rashford, who joined the Catalan giants on a one-year loan deal after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, has made a bright start to his maiden campaign in La Liga.

Rashford enjoying life in Spain

Rashford’s Barcelona career is off to a flying start following his summer loan from United. After years of inconsistency in the Premier League with the Red Devils, the English winger has finally rediscovered his spark at the Catalan club under Hansi Flick. Rashford's blistering pace, improved decision-making, and renewed confidence were on full display during last month's El Clasico, where he set up Fermin Lopez’s goal, and also in his Champions League brace against Olympiacos. 

The 28-year-old’s resurgence has been aided by Brazilian winger Raphinha’s injury troubles since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, which opened the door for Rashford to become the club’s first-choice left winger. He has made the role his own, striking an immediate connection with the likes of Ferran Torres and Lopez in Flick’s fluid attacking system.

The Englishman’s turnaround has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona officials already in talks to activate the option-to-buy clause included in his loan deal with United. He has also made a comeback to the England national team and looks set to make Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad next year. 

AdvertisementGettyBarca unlikely to trigger Rashford buy option before summer

Despite Rashford's impressive performance, Barcelona will not trigger the buy option in his contract in January as the club are not in a healthy position financially. Speaking at Camp Nou's reopening for a training session, sporting director Deco said: "If we are doing well and there are no surprises, I don't think it's necessary. We know exactly where we can improve and the difficulties we face. Last season, we also went through some difficult moments and we were able to overcome them. 

"When we lower the intensity, we suffer. We need to have the best players. There are no excuses, but when you can't make changes because of injuries and they affect our midfield. There are things to improve even when we win."

Rashford ready to further elevate his performances

After scoring in the Blaugrana's 3-1 win over Elche last weekend, Rashford admitted that he is capable of performing even better as he told reporters: "I try to give my best. I could have done better against Elche and I promise to improve, but I'm generally happy with my performance. It's a very important win. It's always important, after a defeat, to win the next game; that's the most important thing. In my opinion, if I do things right on the pitch and with the team, I'll always be able to score and create goals. My goal is to connect with my team-mates and feel in sync with them, and that's exactly how I feel right now.

"We work hard to win. We're taking it one game at a time. We need to keep playing as a team. This is Barca , and the demands must always be at their highest. It's true we have a lot of injuries, but that's football, and the same eleven players won't win every game. We must keep playing as one team and show fighting spirit and unity."

Speaking on Rashford's performance, Flick had said: "When you see the chances he has, one or two goals more will be good, also for him. But we can be happy with him, of course. I am very happy with him. He can play on this level and I am happy he shows it, for the fans and for the club, and also for the teammates he is a very important player."

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AFPWhen will Rashford play next?

Rashford will be back in action for the Catalan side on Sunday as they take on Celta Vigo in a crucial La Liga fixture. The striker will then link up with Tuchel's England for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Serbia and Albania on November 13 and 16 respectively.

Former West Ham United player Don Hutchison has urged the club to sign Real Madrid star Endrick. The Brazilian is not receiving enough playing time under the new Los Blancos head coach, Xabi Alonso, and is looking for a new club in the upcoming January transfer window. Although he has a few suitors, West Ham are yet to establish themselves as a top option for the youngster, who has a few conditions before making a switch.

• Endrick not receiving minutes at Real Madrid

  In 2024, Endrick was signed with a lot of hope by the Madrid board, as he shone bright in Brazil while featuring for Palmeiras. His first season, which was under Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti, saw him register 37 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing an assist. However, ever since the start of the Xabi Alonso era this season, the Brazilian wonderkid has yet to find a place in the starting lineup, or even in the squad. As now now, he has managed only 11 minutes in La Liga, and is currently seeking a way out of the club to reclaim his firing form. While Alonso had claimed that he has faith on the 2006 born Brazilian, he is yet to give me a proper chance to shine. Moreover, the competition inside the squad has been immense, with Gonzalo Garcia climbing the pecking order after his sensational performances at the Club World Cup and Kylian Mbappe establishing himself as their most important goal-getter. 

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• AFP
  

  Don Hutchison wants West Ham to sign Endrick

  It is estimated that Endrick is moving out of Madrid, but his destination is yet to be guaranteed. Amidst this, former West Ham player Hutchison has urged his former club to sign the 19-year-old. 

  He told Sportscasting: "Yeah, I think it would be a good move for West Ham to get Endrick if it’s possible. He's a strong boy. You look at the physicality. He’s stocky and he's strong. He needs to be given time, which is hard in the Premier League. He might be better off going to Sociedad like Isak or Odegaard did. Sometimes it pays to stay in La Liga, but you go and play every single week, building your strength, lungs and legs up. You get your confidence, goals and your mentality and bring it up that way. 

  "Because what you wouldn't want to do is bring him to West Ham or a team in the Premier League that are in a relegation fight, where you haven't got time to play them every single game, because you might be losing games along the way. You haven't got time to bed these young kids in. So if I was Endrick, I'd be looking at a short-term move in La Liga to try and play every single week to then have the potential to either move to England or back to Real Madrid. That being said, it’s a move that I would endorse for the Hammers."

• Endrick has some clauses for a transfer

  Signing Endrick would not be easy for West Ham, as the youngster has some conditions to fulfil in his procedure of selecting a new club. His first criterion is the weight of the league, and it has to be among the top ones in Europe. While he might consider the top clubs in Portugal, his preference is England, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany. Moreover, the club needs to be a participant in the continental competitions and a strong contender for the domestic league. Lastly, the team needs to have an attacking mindset so as to comply with Endrick's strengths. French outfit Lyon have emerged as a potential destination for the 19-year-old, ousting Manchester United's approach of signing the player on loan. However, the deal is yet to be completed, and might take a drastic turn in case another club emerges in the mix.

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• AFP
  

  West Ham's current situation and Endrick's possible move

  While Hutchison has recommended Endrick's name to the club, West Ham might not be the ideal destination for the Brazilian. The Hammers currently sit 18th in the Premier League and are not a part of a continental competition. Battling to establish a better ranking to not fight relegation, West Ham do need a few reinforcements in the side, but signing Endrick might not be the best option for them. Returning from injury, Endrick is yet to achieve a start this season. Moreover, the club's conditions don't comply with the clauses set by the player. 

Siddique and Simranjeet picked up seven wickets between them for UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2025
UAE fast bowler Junaid Siddique picked up 4 for 18 while left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh took three wickets to restrict Pakistan to 146 for 9 in a must-win game for both teams in the Asia Cup.That Pakistan reached 146 for 9 was down to Shaheen Afridi’s late burst: he thrashed an unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, including two fours and six in the last over.Related

• PCB clears Pakistan to play UAE; says Pycroft apologised

The start of the match was delayed by an hour. PCB cleared the Pakistan team to play after the board claimed that match referee Pycroft had apologised to their players for his actions during the India-Pakistan game on Sunday.Siddique vindicated UAE’s decision to bowl first on a grassy surface by sending Saim Ayub back for a third consecutive duck. Sahibzada Farhan survived an lbw appeal, which was overturned on DRS but fell soon after top-edging a pull to long leg as Pakistan slipped to 9 for 2 in three overs.Fakhar Zaman and Salman Agha had the most profitable stand for Pakistan, adding 61 off 50 balls for the third wicket. Fakhar was the aggressor in the partnership as he smashed offspinner Dhruv Parashar for back-to-back sixes, reaching his half-century off 35 balls.Pakistan, however, lost wickets regularly. Agha, looking to go inside-out over covers, sliced Parashar to deep cover before Simranjeet picked up two wickets in an over. Fakhar fell soon after his half-century, caught off a leading edge at short extra cover, while Hasan Nawaz was trapped lbw. Siddique picked up his third wicket when he dismissed Mohammad Nawaz and then removed Haris with a legcutter.

Northamptonshire delay trophy presentation but can’t escape defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Sep-2025

Leicestershire 429 (Eskinazi 155) and 260 for 5 dec (Patel 76, Cox 51*, Budinger 50) beat Northamptonshire 189 (Zaib 62, Wright 3-19, Holland 3-28) and 333 (van der Merwe 116, Zaib 58, Bartlett 50, Trevaskis 6-85) by 167 runsNorthamptonshire’s Stuart van der Merwe held up Leicestershire’s Division Two trophy presentation with a century on debut on the final day of this Rothesay County Championship match at Wantage Road.The 20-year-old who trialled at Leicester earlier this season was recently awarded a two-year rookie deal by Northamptonshire after impressing in the One-Day Cup and duly celebrated by scoring 116 from 209 balls, with 12 fours, to frustrate Leicestershire’s push for their seventh win of the season.Already assured of promotion and the Division Two title, Leicestershire finally wrapped up victory by 167 runs just before tea, bowling out Northamptonshire for 333, Liam Trevaskis taking a career best 6 for 85.Van der Merwe shared a sixth-wicket stand worth 80 with Saif Zaib who rounded off a spectacular year with 58, finishing as county cricket’s leading run-scorer with 1425 runs. With six centuries and seven half-centuries, Zaib has scored the third most runs in a Championship season for Northamptonshire this century.Van der Merwe also shared a seventh-wicket stand with of 128 off 187 balls with George Bartlett who scored his third half-century of the season.Earlier Northamptonshire resumed on 120 for 5, chasing an improbable 501 to win. van der Merwe was dropped off Trevaskis by Rishi Patel at wide first slip, but Zaib soon worked Holland off his legs to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150 in the 53rd over.He straight drove Holland for four before running a single off the next delivery to reach his 50, before bringing up the 50 partnership with van der Merwe in style by pulling Trevaskis over midwicket for six.Van der Merwe also started to locate the boundary ropes, dispatching two short balls through the off side in the first over of a fresh Josh Hull spell before driving Holland through the covers.Zaib’s long summer of batting finally ended though when he drove loosely at one from Hull, Stephen Eskinazi taking the catch at gully.Trevaskis had two lbw shouts turned down against van der Merwe as he went to sweep but the Northamptonshire youngster deposited him over deep midwicket when he served up a juicy full toss. With the floodlights on, van der Merwe then took a single off Trevaskis to reach 50 off 103 balls. Bartlett, meanwhile, pulled Chris Wright square for four to get off the mark.After lunch, van der Merwe and Bartlett both swept the spinners for boundaries, while van der Merwe drove Patel through midwicket to bring up Northamptonshire’s 250 and then pulled him for another four next ball.Bartlett hit a wide ball from Wright over the vacant gully position to the ropes before driving Ian Holland straight down the ground as the partnership gathered pace.Van der Merwe had a couple of nervous moments during a testing spell from Wright, playing his final game, but drove Holland confidently through the covers, while Bartlett drove Wright sweetly through midwicket and then punched Holland off the back foot through cover to bring up the 100 partnership off 160 balls.In an eventful over from Logan van Beek, van der Merwe hooked for four before running a single which allowed Bartlett to run one and reach his half-century. Van der Merwe reached three figures off the final ball of the over as he pulled to fine leg, becoming only the third man to score a century on first-class debut for Northamptonshire after Alastair Storie in 1985 and David Sales in 1996.Bartlett fell to the very next ball though when he steered Hull straight to backward point, with Trevaskis soon trapping both George Scrimshaw and Ben Whitehouse lbw. Finally, the left-arm spinner then had van der Merwe brilliantly caught by Budinger at short leg to allow the celebrations began.

Visitors Pakistan would want to ensure their white-ball game isn’t all doom and gloom, while hosts NZ are keen to blood-in new talent

Danyal Rasool28-Mar-2025If Pakistan thought they were at rock bottom before they turned up in New Zealand, the hosts spent the entirety of the T20I series disabusing them of that notion. Sandwiched between one surprise win in the third T20I, Pakistan picked up hidings in Christchurch and Dunedin before travelling up to the North Island for another couple at Mount Maunganui and Wellington. Each game demonstrated how rapidly Pakistan were sinking, and how much further they could still possibly plunge.Little that could happen in the ODIs will convince anyone they have resurfaced. Not least because this is the point in the calendar when ODIs matter least of all, weeks out from the end of a Champions Trophy that went very differently for both sides. The ODI World Cup remains a couple of years away, and the satisfaction of a bilateral ODI trophy in the midst of IPL season and the PSL just a fortnight away will be ephemeral.Besides, the ODIs these two played in Pakistan in the Champions Trophy as well as the build-up to it were a true enough indication of their respective current qualities. With each side boasting full-strength sides – unlike, at least for New Zealand, this series – New Zealand convincingly beat Pakistan on three occasions, going on to win a tri-series as well as making a run all the way to the final of the Champions Trophy. Pakistan, at home, won just one game in five and crashed out of their prestigious home tournament five days after it began.Pakistan have brought in their more experienced players and boast a largely full-strength squad, insofar as that means much given the pathos of the visitors’ current cricketing state. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah are all back, while Haris Rauf was added earlier this week.Besides, somewhat bizarrely, Pakistan come into this series with a surprisingly good bilateral away record. The ODIs in Pakistan’s leg of their season may not quite have gone according to plan, but before that, they won three successive bilateral series away from home, losing two games and winning seven as they bested Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It was partly why there was such unbridled, and ultimately, ill-placed optimism in the build-up to the Champions Trophy; this was the one format Pakistan still felt they were highly competitive in.Related

Rauf backs youngsters: 'Give them 10 to 15 matches, that is how they become players'

Latham out of Pakistan ODIs with fractured hand

They may still be over the next week, even as eyeballs this season will be defined by where they fell short instead. On tracks that suited their fast bowlers, Pakistan played an attractive brand of cricket that focused on getting opposition sides out early – ideally within 40 overs and all through the high pace of their quick bowlers. It took a lot of pressure off their batters, who ended up making short work of what their bowlers had guaranteed were below-par chases.However, this relied on a few key factors that do not necessarily chime as favourably for the visitors at present. Saim Ayub’s glittering run of form was instrumental in establishing that path to victory, his combination of big runs at high strike rates breaking the backs of most totals. Shaheen Afridi, meanwhile, looked more impressive towards the tail-end of that 2024 season than he ever has since his injury in 2022, but has been dropped from this format after poor showings in the ODIs in Pakistan. It makes it trickier to recreate a winning template at the very time Pakistan have well and truly broken out of their winnings habits.New Zealand have no such problems with winning habits. It is perhaps unfair, if not uncharacteristic, for one to have to scroll this far down to see first mention for a side that manages to combine machine-like consistency with such joyfully progressive cricket, all on a shoestring budget and, in sheer numbers, a vanishingly small pool of players.But they know how to do this, having taken part in several series against Pakistan over the last three years that have required them to field second or third-string sides. It was mentioned, at least patronisingly if not disparagingly, that a number of their squads for Pakistan tours appeared to have a Plunket Shield or Super Smash feel to it.But New Zealand have gone on to demonstrate this as a sign of quality rather than weakness, as evidenced by their impressive strength in depth most recently in their T20I hammering of Pakistan in the absences of multiple stalwarts.Even in the ODI series, the fresh, exciting talent comes from the hosts rather than the visitors, including the upcoming debut of 21-year old Lahore-born allrounder Mohammad Abbas, whose father Azhar Abbas once played first-class cricket in Pakistan. The 23-year old Canterbury batter Rhys Mariu, who averages just under 62 for his first-class side, has also been called up following Tom Latham’s sidelining with a hand fracture, while 22-year old legspinner Adithya Ashok returns to the ODI squad. Under the captaincy of Michael Bracewell and the more established core of the New Zealand side, it is hard to imagine a healthier, gentler introduction to international cricket anywhere in the world.New Zealand’s stewardship of a sport that is not their national identity, through the cultivation of an elite performance culture that straddles the balance between demanding excellence and sinking their players under the weight of those demands, has seen this side rise to the top in a financial environment where they have no right to do so. Pakistan’s profligacy with their finances, inconsistency of vision, and impulsive short-term decision-making on the other hand makes them the antithesis of all of that.A contest between single-sport cricket mad nation of a quarter of a billion against a pair of Pacific Islands where five million people would probably rather play rugby, this contest should be a mismatch. Of late, it has been shown to be exactly that. Just not the way you might think.

Birmingham City have been outlining their exciting vision for the future of the club, and that could include bringing home-grown superstar Jude Bellingham back to his roots. England international Bellingham left his boyhood team in 2020 when joining Borussia Dortmund, and is now on the books of Real Madrid. He could retrace steps to the West Midlands at some stage.

Retired shirt number: When Bellingham left Birmingham

Bellingham made his debut for the Blues aged just 16 years and 38 days. It did not take long for his potential to be noted, with heavyweight outfits from across Europe lining up to make a play for his signature. Manchester United were among those to be left disappointed.

The talented youngster made just 44 appearances for Birmingham before heading to Germany, but still saw his No.22 shirt retired – proving how highly he was regarded. He could not have imagined back then that an opportunity to grace that jersey again could present itself.

Birmingham are, however, daring to dream big. They have unveiled plans for a stunning new 62,000-seater stadium. That project, which comes at the cost of £1.2 billion, is intended to help propel the Blues to the top of domestic and continental games.

AdvertisementStunning design: Birmingham reveal the Powerhouse Stadium

Securing promotion out of the Championship and into the Premier League represents one of the first steps down that path, and success of that kind could eventually lead to the Blues being in a position to re-sign local hero Bellingham.

Chairman Tom Wagner admits as much, saying of bringing Bellingham back to what will be known as the Powerhouse Stadium: "I think Jude is the greatest player on the planet today and we haven’t seen anywhere near his full potential yet. Not just as a player, but also what he can do for a community, what he can do as a leader. If we can provide him with a platform to achieve his full potential, well that’s a great story. It’s a great Birmingham story, it’s a great England story and a great homecoming story."

The promotional video for Birmingham’s grand stadium project features a number of familiar faces, including Bellingham. In that, the 22-year-old says "oh wow" when seeing the impressive structure. He goes on to ask: "When’s it going to be ready?"

After it is pointed out to him that construction will take around "five years", Bellingham stares into the distance deep in thought – in a hint at him considering an emotional return to where it all began.

Brady on board: Birmingham want NFL games

Birmingham have the backing to make anything possible, with their Knighthead ownership group pumping considerable funding into the club. They also boast NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority investor. The seven-time Super Bowl winner could help to bring competitive American football to the West Midlands in the future.

Wagner has said of the Blues’ stadium venture: "The ground will definitely have a naming-rights deal, ideally before we even put a shovel in the ground. We have an ambition to host any and all events, like NFL, international global football for men and women.

"[We expect it to be] the most environmentally-sound stadium that will ever be built. Maybe we look like modest lunatics to be [unveiling these plans] while we are in the Championship but we feel very good about where we are."

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Amazon Prime VideoPremier League promotion: Birmingham in 2025-26

Wagner added that the development would “change this city forever” and could be used 365 days a year. A striking stadium will form part of a wider £2.5-3 billion ‘Sports Quarter’ that boasts housing, shops, offices, hotels and other entertainment facilities. Wagner added: "We are putting the city and the club on a trajectory towards greatness. It will be a place where the world’s best want to perform."

Birmingham are currently sat 11th in the Championship table, ahead of a return to action against Norwich on Saturday, but are only four points adrift of the play-off places and may yet form part of the promotion picture in 2025-26.