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According to a report by Spanish outlet AS (via SportWitness), Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to sell midfielder Giovani Lo Celso amid interest from both Atletico Madrid and Villarreal.

The Lowdown: Successful loan

On deadline day in January, it was announced that the 26-year-old had joined Spanish side Villarreal on loan until the end of the season after it emerged that he would play no part in Antonio Conte’s plans.

After making the loan switch, the midfielder went on to impress, having made 16 appearances in the Spanish top-flight. As a result, the Argentina international was ranked as the La Liga outfit’s fourth most valuable player, having received an impressive 7.09 SofaScore rating.

Due to the success of the loan move, it has been reported that both Lo Celso and Villarreal want to make the deal permanent this summer.

The Latest: Atletico executives like that they see…

On June 15th, Estadio Deportivo reported that Tottenham had offered Lo Celso to Atlético Madrid a few weeks ago, whilst his loan-side Villarreal were also mentioned as having a desire to sign the Argentinian ahead of next season.

AS (via SportWitness) have now reported that Atletico are indeed keen on signing the midfielder, meaning they will battle Unai Emery’s side for his signature.

The Madrid club have long had their sights on the player and made attempts to sign him before he joined Spurs from Real Betis in 2020, and it is said that their executives behind the scenes are of the belief that he ‘fits perfectly’ into Diego Simeone’s plans.

With no future at the North London club, Lo Celso is looking for a move away this summer, and Tottenham are ready the sell the in-demand midfielder.

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The Verdict: Best option for both parties

According to FB Ref, when compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Lo Celso ranks in the 95th percentile for tackles and in the 89th percentile for pressures.

Having seemingly regained this formed in Spain, the 26-year-old could be a strong option for Conte’s squad depth, but it seems he is simply not the mould of player the Italian wants in the centre of his team.

With Lo Celso’s £100,000 weekly salary, it seems that a move would suit all parties involved, especially with Yves Bissouma’s imminent arrival at Hotspur Way.

In other news: Alasdair Gold says Steven Bergwijn exit is ‘a matter of when’

Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag may be the reason Ralf Rangnick has left Old Trafford, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Rangnick’s departure

Rangnick was expected to move into a two-year consultancy role this summer after taking over on an interim basis back in November.

However, the Red Devils recently announced that the German won’t be taking up that position and will be leaving with immediate effect.

The club cited the demands of his new role as Austria manager as a reason for not being able to move up into a United boardroom role, however, Agbonlahor has a different thought process.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

The former Premier League striker, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding the major news of Rangnick’s exit.

He stated that Ten Hag may have thought Rangnick was ‘a joker’ and could have played a role in the 64-year-old leaving.

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“If I’m Ten Hag, I would say ‘This joker’s got to go’. That’s what’s happened.

“It’s another episode in the shambles of Man United. Ten Hag thought ‘You’re a joker, you. Just go’.

“Man United are just a shambles at the moment. They need to start doing some business.

“When Man United go to St. James’ Park or these stadiums then they are going to get turned over.

“Nobody is scared of them anymore.”

The Verdict: Action needed

The club are in the process of a major summer rebuild under Ten Hag both on and off the pitch. They have confirmed exits for Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, however, there is yet to be any movement when it comes to incomings.

Getting several players through the door before June 27 when Ten Hag begins pre-season would be beneficial, especially in midfield given the aforementioned departures.

Hopefully then, the club can get some serious signings in over the coming weeks and shake off the ‘shambles’ tag they have certainly deserved in recent times.

In other news: Agent close to Man Utd officials now pushing to bring ‘magical’ Real Madrid star to Old Trafford. 

Leeds United are closing in on the signing of Reb Bull Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson, according to reliable journalist and MLS insider Tom Bogert. 

The lowdown: Rising star

Born in New Jersey, the 21-year-old made the grade for MLS outfit Philidelphia Union before heading to Europe in 2021.

Since arriving in Austria, the USA international has provided 28 direct goal contributions in 65 outings for Salzburg, lifting two Austrian Bundesliga titles and two Austrian Cups in the process.

Having been on the radar at Elland Road for some time, a move for the player now appears to be closer than ever to completion as Jesse Marsch gets to work in the market…

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The latest: ‘Signed & done’

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday evening, Bogert confirmed that the deal was on the brink of being completed as the 18-cap American heads to Thorp Arch.

He stated: “Sources: Brenden Aaronson has arrived in England to do his medical (tomorrow) and officially complete his $30 million transfer to Leeds United from RB Salzburg. Getting deal signed & done before Aaronson joins USMNT for friendlies against Morocco & Uruguay then Nations League.”

The verdict: Superb start

Whilst there has been much speculation about possible outgoings from the Whites squad, it’s crucial that Marsch and Victor Orta get their own incomings in order swiftly.

Holding a market value of £18m (Transfermarkt), signing Aaronson for the mooted $30m (£23.8m) fee has to be regarded as an excellent piece of business for a fully-fledged 21-year-old international talent.

During the recently completed 2021/22 campaign the attacking midfielder scored six times and provided 10 assists in 41 appearances, including five direct goal contributions as Salzburg went on a Champions League adventure through qualifying and the group stage.

Predominantly operating as a number 10, Aaronson’s imminent arrival at Elland Road may see Marsch implement a formation switch next term as the 48-year-old looks to successfully integrate his compatriot into the Premier League and guide Leeds to a more promising campaign.

In other news, Leeds are eyeing up another signing after Aaronson. Find out who it is here

The new Premier League season has just begun, but there have already been a lot of surprises. Inasmuch as some of the first 50 Premier League results were expected, there are quite a number that are surprising. If these outcomes are anything to go by, then football fans are in for an exciting season.

Everton, however, has been on the wrong end of this excitement. The Toffees haven’t won a single Premier League match, with their three points coming against Nottingham Forest, Brentford, and Leeds. The last time Everton endured such a poor start at the Premier League was in the 1990/91 season when it went 6 matches without a win.

Nevertheless, Sergio Aguero believes that the blue end of Merseyside could surprise many this season. Of course, it’s still early into the season but there are already a few signs that could inform your decisions if you’re a gambler. So, can you bank on Aguero’s prediction in your Premier League betting on Stake?

This article will assess Everton’s performance and how the summer changes could impact the success of Lampard’s side. But first, have a look at what the Argentine striker had to say about the Toffees:

Sergio Aguero’s predictions

Sergio Aguero is a household name in recent Premier League history, and why shouldn’t it be? The former Manchester City striker is remembered for his last-minute strike against QPR to win the Citizens the title in 2012 in what’s considered one of the tightest PL title races.

The 5-time Premier League champion believes that Lampard’s side could be a 2022/23 surprise package. The Argentine striker made 17 appearances and scored 5 goals against Everton during his 10-year spell at Manchester City.

Aguero has made his predictions on how the 2022/23 season will pan out, and he’s positive about Everton’s campaign. According to the legendary striker, the Toffees may surprise many despite struggling toward the end of last season. Lampard’s Everton had to win against Crystal Palace in its second last match to avoid relegation in the 2021/22 season.

Frank Lampard, Aguero’s former teammate, has seen his side struggle to get into its stride this season. Losing star man Richarlison to Tottenham in the summer hasn’t helped. However, the Evertonians are hopeful that the new member, Neal Maupay, will help solidify their attack.

It should be noted, though, that every team has reinforced its squad this season. Nottingham Forest, for one, has been one of the busiest in the market despite this being their first campaign in the Premier League after over 20 years. Aston Villa, Brighton, and Newcastle have also completed some deals in this window, and Aguero believes the three could also have a great season ahead.

The highest Everton has finished in recent years is 5th in the 2013/14 season under Roberto Martinez. Although Lampard’s team might not match that success given the current circumstances, every fan would be hoping to see an improvement from last season.

Finishing in the top half of the table should be Everton’s main goal this season. After attaining that, its next target should be European football (UEFA Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League). The Europa Conference League was introduced to allow more teams to play in Europe. However, qualifying for those spots is still challenging, especially given that every top team has added more quality to its squad. For instance, the top four seem competitive this season.

According to Sergio Aguero, Man City is still the favorite to lift the Premier League title. Aguero backed Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal to secure the remaining top four positions. The legendary striker believes that Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are other serious prospects, but they might not meet the cut to play next year’s Champion’s League football.

Everton in 2022/23

Last season was one that every Everton fan would want to forget. The club was at the brink of relegation, and everyone related to the Toffees hoped that the changes made over the summer would improve the results this season. So, what’s new this season?

The club-record sponsorship deal

The most significant change is a deal with a new shirt sponsor, Stake.com. Stake is a world leading crypto gambling platform, and its partnership with Everton is expected to impact positively on activities both on and off the pitch. Cazoo was the club’s sponsor for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons with the company’s logo appearing on the players’ shirts throughout the two seasons.

The club chose not to extend the partnership as it went on in search of a more lucrative deal. This is why, on 1st July, 2022, Everton signed a club-record deal with Stake. The crypto gambling giant proved to be the best candidate because of its recent plans to get involved in the sports industry.

Interestingly, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Everton’s chief executive, was reported in January 2020 saying that in an “ideal world”, the club wouldn’t choose a betting company as its sponsor after cutting ties with Sportpesa. According to Barret-Baxendale, the club’s decision to go back on this statement wasn’t an easy one. Nevertheless, it’s expected that the new sponsor, Stake, will be at the heart of many positive improvements both on and off the pitch. It’ll also help Everton deliver on its commercial plans this year.

Everton’s chief executive praised the betting company’s ambition to penetrate English football. Professor Barrett-Baxendale stated that the club is excited to play a role in Stake’s growth strategies. The company and the club have already joined hands in working out some promotional and fun activities that should get all Everton fans excited.

Everton is expected to generate more than GBP£10 million or USD$11.9 million every season. This is a step up from the previous sponsorship, making it the club’s record-breaking sponsorship deal.

How does Stake.com benefit? The agreement allows the sponsor to print its logo on the men’s and women’s shirts. Also, as part of the advertisement, the logo will appear on Everton’s digital platforms, media backdrops, and in-field screens at both Goodison Park and Finch Farm.

Stake’s main objective is to increase its global outreach, and the Everton deal will enhance that project. According to Daily Mail, the Premier League attracts over 3.2 billion viewers worldwide, making it a great advertisement platform for companies like Stake. In fact, the Head of Acquisition for the crypto betting giant mentioned this as one of the main reasons the company agreed to sign the deal.

New signings

Apart from the off-the-pitch adjustments, there have also been some changes on the pitch. The Premier League struggled to meet the club’s high expectations. At some point, the team managed to pick only 9 points out of a possible 60.

Among the main reasons Everton had a nightmare of a season was injuries to some of the club’s best players. Dominic Calvert Lewin, Richarlison, Yerri Mina, and Andre Gomez all struggled with injuries when the team needed them the most. Of course, it’s never easy when your best players are injured during the season, but it’s even worse when your star man moves to another club at the beginning of the expected “bounce-back” season.

With Richarlison moving to Tottenham, the Toffees have been in the market to find a replacement and strengthen other areas of the squad. As far as the attack is concerned, Everton has secured the services of Neal Maupay, an experienced center forward from Brighton. Dwight McNeil, a left winger from Burnley, is another much-needed addition to the attack that struggled for goals last season.

Another reason Everton found itself in a relegation battle was its leaky defense. The Toffees had the 5th worst defense in the 2021/22 season, conceding 66 goals, contributing to its negative goal difference. It’s, therefore, understandable why this third of the pitch has been Frank Lampard’s main concern in the transfer market.

Among the significant additions to Everton’s defense is the ex-Burnley defender, James Tarkowski. Given the current financial situation at the club, signing the 29-year-old on a free transfer is probably one of the best businesses of the entire window. Conor Coady and Ruben Vinagre are other new names added to Toffees’ defensive line.

Everton has also struggled to match its opponents at the center of the pitch. Many fans have complained about the midfield set-up, but new blood in that area may also help. According to reports, Idrissa Gueye (former Evertonian) is expected to sign for the Blues on the deadline day. This will be a welcome addition to Frank Lampard’s list of defensive midfielders.

The departures

As mentioned earlier, the biggest loss for Frank Lampard this summer is Richarlison. Other notable names that won’t be in Everton’s squad list for the 2022/23 season include:

Cenk Tusan – free transfer to Beşiktaş J.K Jonjo Kenny – free transfer to Hertha BSC Dele Alli – on loan to Beşiktaş J.K Gylfi Sigurðsson Fabian Delf

The results so far

It’s still early in the season, but it seems things aren’t yet going as planned at Goodison Park. The Toffees have only picked up 3 points out of the possible 15 so far. A 1-0 loss to Chelsea in the season opener followed by another defeat to Aston Villa set the tone for one of the worst starts to the Premier League.

Everton fans have seen their team register a draw in three back-to-back matches. The frustrating part is that the Toffees led at halftime in the last two matches. Anthony Gordon was on target in both of those games, and that’s the news every Everton fan loves to hear. Chelsea was willing to pay GBP£60 million for the winger in the summer and that would have been a huge blow to this Everton side that’s still struggling to score goals.

The positives and the expected improvements

Even with the new signings, Frank Lampard still has a massive task on his hands to stabilize the ship. Although the results haven’t necessarily gone Everton’s way this season, there are still some positives that can be picked from the first Premier League games.

One area that has improved is the defense. According to Everton’s 2021/22 season statistics, the Toffees conceded 66 goals, an average of 1.74 goals per match. To put that into context, the team shipped in 10 goals in the last 3 matches of the season. This campaign, however, has been different with the team conceding 6 goals in the first 5 matches, an average of 1.2 goals per match.

However, the forwards haven’t clicked, and the attack still needs some work to improve the 0.8-goal-per-match score rate. Of course, Gordon’s performance so far has been outstanding, and it’s every Everton fan’s hope that the rest of the team will match those levels sooner rather than later.

The midfield plays a crucial part in any football game, and that’s something that’s been evident in Everton’s matches. Many fans have been calling for a system change in the middle of the park. The 3-4-3 formation has proven unfruitful, with the Toffees being outrun in the first 4 matches. Frank Lampard shifted to a 4-3-3 system against Leeds United, which meant Everton would have three midfielders. Inasmuch as Leeds still commanded the midfield, there was a notable difference.

Conclusion

Frank Lampard was appointed manager of Everton in the middle of last season. His main task is stabilizing the ship and ensuring that Everton returned to its winning ways. So far, there have been glimpses of the manager’s tactics, but the results haven’t necessarily matched expectations.

Despite Everton’s woes, Sergio Aguero believes that the team will still manage to return to its glory days under Frank Lampard. Of course, the former Chelsea manager has a lot to figure out this season. Perhaps a change of system in the match against Leeds was a sign of new things to come.

Conor Coady and Tarkowski have jelled into the system seamlessly. It’s every Everton fan’s prayer that the other new signings will also follow suit. If everything goes as expected, then Sergio Aguero’s predictions are likely to come true. It’s worth noting, though, that the Premier League is always tricky, and it’s even tougher this season.

Photo by Unsplash

The month of November was all about the stars of yet another glorious Ashes series

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Dec-2017If the planet has lacked for anything in 2017 it is hyperbole and media histrionics, so we can all be thankful that the Ashes series has finally got under way in Australia. In honour of one of cricket’s most storied and prestigious traditions of ritual mudslinging, we dedicate to the Ashes this month’s edition of the Briefing.The fantasy
England, it is fair to say, are desperate to have Ben Stokes join the Ashes squad, and are seemingly willing to go to incredible lengths to get him there at the earliest possible instance. At first suggesting that Stokes’ trip to New Zealand was merely a visit with his parents, it later emerged that the ECB had packed Stokes off with a no-objection certificate to play domestic cricket in his country of birth, had mostly brokered a deal with the Canterbury provincial side, and had probably also packed Stokes a nutritious lunch to enjoy at his first List A game in Rangiora, on Sunday.In facilitating his cricket in New Zealand, there appears to be substantial optimism that Stokes will be cleared to play, and that a best-case scenario may pan out. In the ECB’s fantasy sequence, the moment police confirm Stokes will not be charged, a klaxon sounds across New Zealand, and Stokes, in the middle of bowling an over in the Ford Trophy, veers rapidly away from his run-up, tears off his Canterbury uniform mid-sprint to reveal an England Test kit beneath, dives headlong into the Boeing 777 that had been idling just outside the boundary, throws himself off the plane once it is over Adelaide, lands in mattresses arranged in the shape of a target he is sure to hit (such as the middle of Carlos Brathwaite’s bat), rides piggyback on a support-staff member into a stunned Adelaide Oval, begins swearing immediately at the Australia team, and finds they have all lavishly wet themselves, for all is now lost and their red-headed reckoning is come.The warpath
Nathan Lyon, over the course of two press conferences, took it upon himself to insult virtually everyone who came to mind. Joe Root’s modest form on that previous tour was invoked. Lyon spoke of wanting to end opposition players’ careers. Matt Prior was accused of being so scared of Mitchell Johnson’s bowling in the 2013-14 Ashes. (Prior, at least, responded to the accusation, tweeting: “I hope the first Test goes well for Nathan”, by which he meant he hoped it didn’t go well). Then, when Lyon was later asked if he stood by those comments, basically bragged that he had tricked the media into covering his news instead of putting scrutiny on two inexperienced team-mates.James Anderson calling out a team for bad behaviour? Surely that’s the type of fake news you can spot a mile away?•Getty ImagesThe team-culture problem
Sections of the Australian press have accused England of a problematic drinking culture within the side. That this is the very same allegation that some British media flung at Australia in 2013 when David Warner had taken a swing at Joe Root need not be mentioned since this Ashes is apparently impervious to irony. Nevertheless, England director Andrew Strauss has imposed a curfew on his side, and suggested they needed to be “smarter”. More specific advice, given that one England player was involved in an incident where a man fractured his eye socket and the recent fracas over Jonny Bairstow, might be that England need to develop a team values system where they ask for consent before making contact with someone else’s head.The inspiration
That tours in Australia often find themselves mired in sledging controversies is no surprise, since Australia has a great wealth of the main ingredient believed to foster sledging: Australians. This, apparently, has not escaped James Anderson. He wrote last week in a newspaper column: “A bully waits until they are in the ascendancy to pounce on people – that is what Australian teams do.” Adding: “We are not interested in getting involved in any verbal or slanging match with them.”If a tally of over 500 Test wickets despite his not possessing the perfect swing bowler’s action has not already made Anderson one of the most wonderfully ambitious men in modern cricket, then this surely seals it. Here he reaches for the moral high ground on sledging even though he is among the most abusive players in the game, and in doing so, reminds us not to let our circumstances hold us back.If England set their morning wake-up calls to the sound of Steven Smith’s laugh, what can stop them from winning the Ashes?•Getty ImagesThe motivational guffaws
According to Joe Root, if Steven Smith’s laughter at the press conference following the Brisbane match “is not motivation [for England], I don’t know what is”. Now, it is likely that Smith was not laughing England per se, and was in fact merely amused by Cameron Bancroft’s attempts to describe the incident involving Jonny Bairstow. Still, England have an opportunity here. If nothing motivates them like the laughter of the opposition captain, then for the remainder of the tour, do they not, as professional adults, owe it to themselves to place cardboard cutouts of a cackling Smith everywhere – at training sessions, team meetings, and official functions? Maybe even above the changing room urinals?The laptop wielders
Finally, the Briefing would like to pay tribute to the series’ unsung heroes. Where would the Ashes be without those particular journalists, who – holding impartiality and diligence to be unshakeable virtues of their profession – fearlessly report on the series in more or less exactly the manner that best suits the requirements of their home team?

Plays of the day from the first ODI of the series between England and Sri Lanka

Melinda Farrell at Trent Bridge21-Jun-2016The acceleration
Sri Lanka’s innings had sputtered along in fits and starts but without really finding a smooth gear until Seekkuge Prasanna feasted on the bowling of Liam Plunkett and Moeen Ali. Prasanna utilised the pace of Plunkett in pummelling two stray deliveries over the leg-side boundary but his punishment of Moeen in the following over was even more impressive. The first ball was slog-swept over backward square – by far the longest boundary at Trent Bridge. The next delivery was dispatched powerfully in the same direction, but further and with greater disdain. It was Prasanna’s fourth six in five balls and suddenly Sri Lanka had found some thrust.The run out
Angelo Mathews was all set for Sri Lanka’s assault on the final ten overs, with four wickets in hand and a quick-scoring Dasun Shanaka at the other end, when it all went horribly wrong. On the first ball of David Willey’s over, Mathews drove firmly to extra cover where Liam Plunkett, moving sharply for such a big man, barreled to his right and pulled off a brilliant one-handed stop. Shanaka, who had already backed up several paces down the pitch, was left stranded when Mathews sent him back; the single was never on and Willey completed the run out with an eon to spare.The surprise howler
When the England camp spoke in the lead up to this match about the need to improve their fielding, it is fair to assume no one had the always dependable and often brilliant Joe Root in mind. So when Farveez Maharoof mistimed a slog straight to Root at long-on, Willey was probably already mentally adding a third wicket to his tally. The sight of Root botching such a straightforward chance left the players, the crowd and probably even Maharoof himself wearing looks usually reserved for unicorn sightings. Root’s expression was enough to darken the longest day of the year as he retrieved the ball and hurled it back to the keeper.The review
Sri Lanka – Mathews, in particular – had copped a barrage of criticism over the use of reviews during the Test series. But Alex Hales raised eyebrows when he gave the T-sign after flicking a sharp Suranga Lakmal delivery straight to Kusal Perera running in at midwicket, in what seemed a straightforward dismissal. Hales appeared to believe he had hit his pad with the bat while the ball deflected off the same pad. It would have been a mighty deflection if so, but a splash of white on Hot Spot left no doubt the original decision was correct and a somewhat red-faced Hales was sent back to the pavilion.The catch
Jos Buttler had offered no genuine chances throughout his aggressive but measured innings until he reached 90. He survived when Prasanna was unable to hold what would have been a brilliant flying catch at short cover but the Sri Lankan claimed his scalp in the next over. Buttler attempted to belt Prasanna over long-on, where Shanaka showed superb timing in his leap and balance in the landing to stay inside the boundary rope and deny Buttler a century.The return
But for the cruel heart condition that has prematurely ended his career, James Taylor would almost certainly have been part of the England team to play at Trent Bridge. Before the match, and less than two weeks after major surgery, Taylor was out on the field where he had so often performed admirably for Nottinghamshire, this time as part of his new fledgling career – as an occasional commentator for BBC Test Match Special. It was a poignant reminder of the talent England have lost.

Ten years ago, one of cricket’s all-time great matches played itself out in Birmingham

Rob Smyth01-Jun-2015The biggest turning point of the greatest cricket series ever played came during a game of rugby. Australia were warming up on the morning of the second Test at Edgbaston, playing touch rugby, when Glenn McGrath trod on a stray cricket ball and badly injured his ankle. As word spread that McGrath would miss the match, the whole of England celebrated like a dictator had been overthrown.Although the pitch looked good, Australia had planned to bowl first if they won the toss in an attempt to further expose the wounds opened by McGrath at Lord’s. In his absence, Ricky Ponting took the same decision to the surprise of almost everybody at the ground. The video of the toss shows his opposite number Michael Vaughan having to work exceptionally hard to retain his poker face at the moment Ponting says Australia will bowl. “He’s a lovely guy, that Ricky Ponting,” said Geoffrey Boycott later. “He likes the English so much he changed the series with the most stupid decision he’ll ever make in his life.”Normally a captain is savaged if he bowls first and a side makes 600. England made 407 at Edgbaston, a good score but no more, yet the manner in which they did so changed the mood of the series. They scored those runs in just 79.2 overs, at a staggering 5.13 per over, with 10 sixes. It was an outrageously aggressive response to the crushing humiliation of Lord’s.Marcus Trescothick set the tone with a coruscating 90, and after lunch Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff had a game of unspoken one-upmanship during a partnership of 103. Pietersen made 71 and Flintoff returned to form with 68 from just 62 balls. That included five sixes, one hooked blind off Brett Lee, an unwitting homage to Ian Botham in 1981. Flintoff said he bottled it at Lord’s; if he could have bottled the freedom with which he played for the rest of the series, he would have been one of the greatest players of all time.In the most important game of their lives, England batted with happy abandon. It was their captain Vaughan who imbued the entire side with the same aggressive approach he demonstrated in Australia in 2002-03. “He’s the best liar I ever met,” said Steve Harmison of Vaughan’s ability to make his team believe everything was or was going to be okay.He didn’t need to lie on the second day, as England took a significant first-innings lead of 99. Giles’ dismissal of Ponting – who moved ominously to 61, determined to make up for his decision at the toss – was a key moment, one of three important top-order wickets for a player who had been heavily criticised after the first Test.

You know sport is truly special when you feel nervous even when you watch replays, and Edgbaston 2005 retains that quality

Any sense of English comfort soon started to dissipate, however. Warne bowled Andrew Strauss with a staggering delivery on the Friday evening – his Ball of the Twenty-First Century. On the eve of the match, Warne was asked about his famous delivery to Mike Gatting in 1993. “I’d give up sex to bowl a few more of those balls this summer, that’s for sure.” The delivery to Strauss, and the grainy pictures of Warne in a hotel room with two blondes and an inflatable, suggested there was no need for such a trade-off.On the third morning at Edgbaston, Warne and Brett Lee reduced a jittery England to 75 for six. Flintoff then continued his exceptional match with 73 from 86 balls, including four more sixes. The third, a bunt down the ground off Lee provided one of Mark Nicholas’s many memorable commentaries during the series on Channel 4 in England. “Oh, hello! Massive! MASSIVE!” All the while his co-commentator Boycott could be heard cackling with disbelief and joy. Flintoff added 51 for the last wicket with Simon Jones. Warne, bowling imperiously, ended with six for 46 in the innings and ten in the match. As Flintoff walked off, Warne shouted after him. When Flintoff turned round, Warne mouthed “well played” and applauded.Australia were left needing 282 to win. Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer moved so easily to 47 for none that, even at that early stage, it felt like it was Flintoff or bust. In his first over, he dismissed both Langer and Ponting. It was the moment an ordinary human being became SuperFred. Langer was bowled off his elbow, and then Ponting received the most exhilarating working-over since Michael Holding blew away Geoff Boycott in 1981.A no-ball from Flintoff actually helped England, because it gave him an extra delivery – from which Ponting was dismissed. “They were five of the most vicious deliveries you could ever see,” said Gilchrist. “And then Ricky was somehow good enough to get his bat on the last ball to nick it to Geraint Jones. Flintoff stood there like Hercules and his team-mates mobbed him. I remember, in the rooms, watching and thinking, ‘We are in big strife.'”The third day was one for the ages: there were 332 runs, 17 wickets, and approximately four million momentum shifts. It ended with Australia surely beaten: they were 175 for eight after Harmison bowled Michael Clarke with an outrageous slower ball in the final over of the day.”Jones! Bowden! Kasprowicz the man to go”: the last ball of Edgbaston 2005 as Richie Benaud called it•Getty ImagesThe fourth day was apparently a simple case of England turning up and taking the last two wickets. There was a slight scare when Warne and Lee added 45, but when Warne comically kicked his own stumps down against Flintoff, everyone relaxed again. For about twenty minutes. Then it became apparent that, not only were Lee and Kasprowicz adding runs at speed, they were doing so with alarming comfort. It all happened so fast that, before anyone knew it, Australia needed only 15 to win. That was when Simon Jones, diving forward at third man, dropped a sharp chance offered by Kasprowicz.The target moved into single figures. By now an entire nation had stopped its day of rest. “Physically sick but still watching,” texted the England coach Duncan Fletcher’s daughter to her mother. You know sport is truly special when you feel nervous even when you watch replays, and Edgbaston 2005 retains that quality. With four needed, Lee smashed Harmison through the covers; there was a fleeting yelp of triumph from the Australian fans, before they realised Vaughan had a cover sweeper in place and it would only be one run. Two balls later, Kasprowicz fended a short ball from Harmison down the leg side, where the much-maligned wicketkeeper Geraint Jones took an excellent tumbling catch.England’s celebrations were joyously uncoordinated, with players running in different directions before they eventually came together. Harmison broke off from the celebrations to console Lee and then Flintoff did the same, his face a picture of compassion, respect and empathy. The result was one of cricket’s iconic photographs, a pictorial code for sportsmanship at its finest.The cricket world often wonders what Flintoff said, as if he dispensed one of the great pearls of wisdom. The reality was more mundane. “It came out of my mouth, it’s nothing profound is it?!” said Flintoff. “It’s not gonna be something life-changing!” Lee has a vague recollection. “It was something like, ‘Awesome game, bad luck, I thoroughly enjoyed it.'”Lee cried in the shower area after the game, his batting gloves still on, and then had a beer with Flintoff in the dressing-room. Flintoff sometimes jokes that the sympathetic expression was a smokescreen for an earthy reminder to Lee that England had just made the score 1-1. The reality was far more generous in spirit, of course. Although the essential point of Flintoff’s joke is correct: Lee may not be an Aussie bastard, but it was 1-1 rather than 2-0, and the Ashes were ablaze. In no small part thanks to a stray cricket ball.

A look back at some of Shahid Afridi’s notable (and forgettable) comebacks in ODIs

Mazher Arshad18-Jul-2013Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Sharjah, 1999: 58 runs and two wickets
After a poor show in the 1999 World Cup – where he scored only 97 runs and took one wicket in eight matches, Shahid Afridi was dropped from the ODI squad that toured Canada to play West Indies in a three-match series. Afridi returned in the next series, Sharjah Cup 1999, and in his first match, against Sri Lanka, he put in a man-of-the-match performance, scoring 58 and taking two late-order wickets. However, as they say, one swallow does not make a summer, and Afridi’s contributions failed to materialise as the tournament progressed.Pakistan v India, Sharjah, 2000: golden duck and no wickets
Afridi made a second comeback in the space of six months in another Sharjah Cup match, this time against India on Pakistan Day. However his return did not prove fortuitous as he bagged a golden duck and then didn’t impress in the next three matches. But Pakistan captain Moin Khan persisted with Afridi, and it ultimately paid off with a better than run-a-ball 52 which helped Pakistan clinch the title. This series was notable in that it marked the first time that Pakistan had beaten South Africa in five years, after losing 14 ODIs in a row.Pakistan v England, Lahore, 2000: 61 runs and five wickets
Playing his first match after tying the knot, Afridi hammered 50 runs and then claimed a five-for, the first of his ODI career. While he missed the ICC Champions Trophy in Nairobi, Afridi was recalled for Pakistan’s home ODI series. He missed the first match because of his wedding, but then came back in the second, scoring 61 to help Pakistan square the series.Pakistan v India, Rawalpindi, 2004: 80 off 58 balls and two wickets
After the disastrous 2003 World Cup campaign in South Africa, the PCB did a complete overhaul of the team. Many players, including Shahid Afridi (who scored only 9 runs in three group matches), were left out. It would be a year before Afridi wooed the selectors, representing the longest period he has been out of the ODI team so far. He made his comeback in the second ODI of the famous 2004 home series against India, the first time the sides had resumed cricketing ties in five years. Afridi reminded everyone of his capabilities, with a swashbuckling knock of 80 off just 58 balls, which included 10 fours and four sixes. Pakistan ended up amassing 329, and were just able to stop a marauding Sachin Tendulkar, who struck 141 off 135 balls, to win the match by 12 runs.Pakistan v India, Amstelveen, 2004: 19 runs and four wickets
After missing the Asia Cup, Afridi made his second comeback during the Videocon Cup in 2004, against India once again, in the unlikeliest of venues. Afridi duly announced his arrival with a second-ball six, a gigantic blow straight down the ground. However, the knock would end prematurely on 19, but he compensated for it with a four-wicket haul which helped bundle India for 127. Pakistan ended up winning the rain-affected match by 66 runs.Afridi struck a 48-ball 88 against South Africa, which included a massive six over long on and onto the roof•AFPPakistan v West Indies, Multan, 2006: One run and no wicket
After another poor tournament during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, Afridi was again ousted from the team. A match-winning first-class ton for Habib Bank during the subsequent Pakistan home series against West Indies meant he once again returned midway for the fourth ODI at Multan. However, this return proved largely forgettable as he scored only one run and didn’t produce anything of note with the ball either.Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Dubai, 2011: three wickets
Afridi enjoyed a lengthy run in the team from 2007 to 2011, a period which saw him become the ODI captain. But a row with former coach Waqar Younis following the West Indies tour in 2011 meant he was stripped of the captaincy by Ijaz Butt, the former PCB chairman. As a result, Afridi announced his ‘conditional’ retirement, stating he wouldn’t play under the current cricket board. After Butt’s tenure ended five months later, Afridi withdrew his conditional retirement and made a return to the ODI squad in the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE. In his first match, Afridi earned man-of-the-match honours, picking up three wickets. In the fourth match, he became the first player to score 50 and take a five-wicket haul in a match twice.South Africa v Pakistan, Bloemfontein, 2013: 34 off 16 balls and no wicket
After an unimpressive 2012, when he aggregated 182 runs and 15 wickets in 16 ODIs, Afridi was released from the squad ahead of Pakistan’s tour of India in December. But he was back for their next assignment against South Africa and he hit a 16-ball 34 in a mammoth chase in Bloemfontein, which Pakistan ultimately lost. Two games later, he hit 88 off 48 balls, which was marked with one of the biggest sixes you will ever see. But one constant throughout the series was his inability to strike with the ball. He ended up with the unwanted record of bowling the most number of balls (222) in a bilateral series without claiming a wicket.West Indies v Pakistan, Providence, 2013: 76 runs and seven wickets
Shahid Afrid missed the 2013 Champions Trophy, only the second time in his 17-year career that he had missed an ICC event. However, Pakistan’s dismal performance, where they went through the group stage without winning a game, meant the selectors had to once again reconsider the Afridi impact. As a result, he made his ninth ODI comeback in Providence, and conjured arguably his greatest one. Afridi featured first with the bat, scoring 76 off 55 balls after Pakistan were reeling at 47 for 5, and then returned to take 7 for 12, the best ODI figures recorded by a Pakistani bowler, to effectively end the contest.

ESPNcricinfo runs the rule over the key battles that could decide the England v South Africa series

George Dobell and Firdose Moonda18-Jul-2012James Anderson v Dale SteynA glance at the statistics might convince you there is no comparison here: while Steyn, rated as the No. 1 bowler in Test cricket at present, possesses the best strike-rate for any bowler with more than 250 Test wickets (he takes a wicket every 40.9 balls, on average), Anderson’s Test bowling average remains above 30 and his strike-rate is 57.2. They have different styles, too. As Anderson put it, Steyn is “probably more aggressive, a bit quicker, he swings the ball late, probably a bit more attacking whereas my role is a holding job at times.”Yet, they also have much in common. Each will lead the attack for their side. Each will swing the new ball conventionally and reverse swing the old ball and each will pose huge problems for the opposition’s top order.Steyn is the quicker by some distance, but Anderson’s skills, though more subtle, are no less dangerous. He has excellent control, he has the ability to seam and swing the ball both ways, and he has become adept at working to plans and exploiting batsmen’s weaknesses. Over the last few years, Anderson’s bowling Test average has dropped swiftly: up until the end of 2007, it was 39.20, but since then it is 27.28. He is currently rated No. 3 in the Test bowling rankings.There is history here, too. At Leeds in 2008, Steyn gave Anderson a fearful barrage and hit him on the helmet with one bouncer. Anderson responded, unlikely though it sounds, by breaking Steyn’s thumb with a fierce return drive. How each batting line-up deals with the challenge of Anderson and Steyn may go a long way to shaping the series.Graeme Swann v Imran TahirOn the face of it, Swann looks to have a clear advantage in the battle of the spinners. Despite being just three days older than Tahir, Swann has played 37 more Tests and has an excellent record in pretty much all conditions. He is rated No. 8 in the Test rankings and has helped revive the dying art of conventional off-spin. Swann’s versatility is key for England. Even on pitches offering him little, he has the discipline and control to allow his captain to rest and rotate the seamers. His record against left-handers is exceptional.Tahir’s Test record looks modest. He has played only seven Tests and has yet to excel. While he his blessed with all the variations a leg-spin bowler requires, there are some doubts about his patience and ability to fulfil a containing role when required. His experience in English conditions should help, though. He has represented four counties and, as a first-class strike-rate of 47.5 shows, has a fine record as an attacking spin bowler. Given some help from the pitches – something he has not enjoyed so far in his Test career – he could prove a dangerous bowler for an England side with a chequered record of playing good-quality spin. If England can get after him, however, it will be interesting to see how Smith handles the situation.Andrew Strauss v Graeme SmithTwo experienced men who, as opening batsmen, lead from the front but also face their own struggles with the bat. Smith’s record in England is superb – he averages 72.20 in Tests here – and, as captain, he has already inflicted series defeats that played a part in the demise of two England captains, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain. The Oval Test will be his 100th – his 99th for South Africa plus the ICC World XI Test in 2005 – and, while neither he nor Strauss are known for their tactical genius, they both offer leadership, stability and composure under pressure. Strauss will, injury permitting, play his 100th Test at Lord’s.Both have faced significant personal troubles with the bat though. Smith can struggle with his balance and, as a result, can be susceptible to the swinging ball early in his innings, while Strauss has recently returned to form after a long barren run that was beginning to threaten his place. How each of them weather the substantial challenges their opponents’ new ball attacks will throw at them will not just ease the burden on the middle order, but may also have an impact on the morale of the respective dressing rooms.Ravi Bopara v Jacques RudolphBopara and Rudolph both impressed early in their Test careers, but then suffered setbacks and have waited a long time for their second opportunity. It may also prove that neither have too long to cement their positions. Bopara, who scored three successive centuries in his fourth, fifth and sixth Tests, has been on the edge of the England side for 18 months only for injury to intervene. Now, on the back of several encouraging performances in limited-overs cricket and having remained one of the class performers in the county game, he has another chance to revive a Test career that was almost destroyed in the Ashes of 2009. Now he has the chance to answer all the lingering questions about his talent and temperament. While not in the same class of bowler as Kallis, Bopara is also an underrated bowler who will ease the burden on England’s seamers.Rudolph, meanwhile, returned to the South Africa side in November after five years developing his game in county cricket. Despite making a double-century on Test debut in 2003, questions remain about his ability to deal with the short ball, the moving ball and his concentration. He has only once passed 52 in his eight Tests since returning to Test cricket.AB de Villiers the batsman v AB de Villiers the ‘keeper It seems that for at least the first Test, de Villiers will face double the workload. He is set to bat at No. 5 and wear the wicket-keeping gloves. With a history of back problems, he has already started preventative physiotherapy to stop anything before it starts, but knows he will have to be extra careful. He has already done the job in ODIs and Twenty20s, including in the IPL, and it has aided rather than inhibited his batting. Doing it for prolonged periods of time, as he will have to in a Test match, is a different matter.There is some fear that de Villiers will not be able to maintain his form in a crucial position in the line-up, something he hinted at himself just over two years ago when he said his main goal was to be the world’s best batsman and that could mean abandoning ambitions of being a wicketkeeper as well. This time, he has no choice. With Mark Boucher’s enforced retirement and team management against rushing the specialist Thami Tsolekile into the starting XI, de Villiers will have twin responsibilities and how he manages them could be series-defining for South Africa. Vernon Philander v expectation Being up against it is nothing new to Philander. He was expected him to bomb out in his Test debut, he responded with 5 for 15 against Australia. He was expected to toil without success at the Wanderers, he responded with another five-wicket haul. He was expected to fizzle out against Sri Lanka but two more five-fors came and when he was expected to make less of an impact in New Zealand, he become the fastest bowler to 50 Test wickets in over a hundred years. Now, Philander is again thought to have a point to prove, this time against the world’s No. 1 ranked Test side and in conditions he has only known briefly. He isn’t fazed by the new challenge and insists that if he sticks to his line outside off and is able to make use of movement, the rest will come. Obviously.Slip cordon v slip cordon James Anderson said that a brilliant one-handed catch may be what decides the series. Jacques Kallis was more general and said “key moments” would separate the teams. The margins could well be in the slips, where England have let a few through and South Africa have been known to hang on. England put down three catches in the third Test against West Indies and have been questioned for the lapses in that department. South Africa’s trio usually consists of Graeme Smith, Kallis and de Villiers, but with de Villiers likely to take the gloves, Jacques Rudolph will probably move into third slip. It will mean a change from the norm but with Mile Young conducting the fielding drills, it is unlikely to mean any drop in the usual standards.Pietersen v Kallis The bowling attacks have dominated pre-series hype but for bowlers to achieve success, batsmen have to fail. Therefore whoever manages not to may well have the deciding say in the contest. Pietersen and Kallis are totally different batsmen, in approach, technique and mindset, but both are key to their sides’ chances. South Africa have identified Pietersen as the man to get out early not because he is capable of scoring bit runs but because he is able to do that quickly, which could throw the bowlers off their plans. Nothing fires him up like playing against the country of his birth and Pietersen will want to make a statement against them, again. Kallis has been South Africa’s immovable pillar for more than 15 years but his record in England leaves something to be desired. On what is likely his last visit to the country, he will want to leave having made an impact in the only way he knows how – with the bat.

Reaching the summit is one challenge, staying there is something entirely different

Andrew McGlashan in Durban30-Dec-2009Reaching the summit is one challenge, staying there is something entirely different. When South Africa took Australia’s crown as the No. 1 Test team in the world, they seemed to have the makings of a side to hold that spot. A strong-willed captain, a mighty batting order, a great allrounder and a fearsome strike bowler.They couldn’t do much to prevent the mace being handed over to India at the start of this month as they hadn’t played Test cricket for eight months, but after an innings-and-98-run thrashing at Durban, they look anything but world-leaders. It’s the nature of the defeat that is causing the greatest alarm. South Africa have always been beatable, but they rarely get hammered.Overcoming Australia on their home soil proved such a pinnacle for Graeme Smith’s team. It was the fruition of two years’ building and followed a victory in Pakistan, a draw away to India then an historic series win in England. Each of those achievements was memorable in its own right, but when Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla knocked off the runs at the MCG that was the moment a generation (and more) had waited for. Since then, alas, there has been a steady slide.Defeat in a dead rubber at Sydney could be excused – particularly as it came with just 10 balls of the match remaining – but the loss of the return series in South Africa was a real shock to the system. Questions were asked about how the team had prepared, while familiar differences of opinion emerged between the captain and the selectors.The eight-month hiatus from Tests allowed that particular dust-cloud to settle, but South Africa’s performances in limited-overs cricket also suffered. After a crushing defeat in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20, they flopped at home in the Champions Trophy, with a first-round exit, and went on to lose the one-day series against England. Now this innings defeat at Durban has ensured that a year that began with so much promise has turned into one to forget.Mark Boucher troops off as South Africa’s last hope departs•Getty Images”We have to honest with ourselves and look in the mirror. We represent a lot of people’s hopes in South Africa and just weren’t good enough,” Smith said of his team’s capitulation. “We haven’t played the same amount of Tests as we did in 2008, but 2009 really hasn’t lived up to the hype we managed to build last year, and that’s disappointing.”As a team we reached a point and haven’t been able to go to the next level. That’s something we need to address as a team and maybe as a leadership group. From a coaching perspective we need to look at why we haven’t been able to take the next step, and that’s something hopefully we can reassess in 2010 and make it a better year.”The similarities between South Africa’s post-Australia blues and England’s post-2005 Ashes hangover are stark. Under Michael Vaughan, England reached their zenith during that memorable summer and seemingly had a team to dominate for years to come. But it wasn’t to be. They just couldn’t reach those levels of intensity again for consistent periods. The could be becoming true for South Africa.Injuries, too, played a part, perhaps more so in England’s case but the recent problems for Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis haven’t helped the hosts. Then there’s the loss of form and confidence. Steve Harmison was never the same after 2005, while Makhaya Ntini is now a shadow of his former self.And what of the coaches? Duncan Fletcher backed his players to the hilt until it got too much during the 2006-07 Ashes drubbing, when the performances were indefensible and relationships reached breaking point, not least between Fletcher and his captain, Andrew Flintoff. Things are not as dire for Mickey Arthur, but the warning signs are there. He has the utmost faith in his players and his game plans – however, sometimes the call to change becomes too loud to resist.Smith, though, is cautious of knee-jerk reactions. “We’ve had one collapse and as disappointing as that is, I don’t think it’s a call to make massive changes,” he said. “It’s disappointing when it does happen, it never looks good, but generally the top six have been solid even in this series. Maybe we got a little tentative and didn’t commit to our shots as well as have.”The guys have got good records. It’s always important to have these wake-up calls, but disappointing when it does happen. In this series the guys have batted well and handled conditions well, even in the first innings here, 340 was a good effort but we have to go away and improve.”However, his support of Ntini sounded less fulsome than in the days leading up to this Test when he had made it clear there was never a chance of him being omitted despite Friedel de Wet’s impressive debut at Centurion. Former players have been critical of the decision, and public opinion may even be swaying against Ntini.”Makhaya would be the first one to put his hand up and say he’s disappointed with the way he has bowled,” Smith said. “He comes with a lot of experience and has performed well over a period of time. We have given him all the support we can from behind the scenes and he is an important cog in the line-up. We need to look at all those aspects going into Cape Town and see what we can do.”We’ve got a crucial Test starting out the year and we need to make those decisions and move forward pretty quickly. We can turn it all around in a few days time.”Newlands is a stronghold for South Africa and their three previous Tests against England since admission have been crushing victories, including two by an innings. The difference, though, is that on each of those occasions they have entered the New Year Test on the back of a draw, not a confidence-sapping defeat. The force is against them and they will have to dig deep. Smith will be glad there’s only one day of 2009 remaining.