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Tottenham have some key transfer decisions to make in the build up to Thomas Frank’s first full season in charge, and chairman Daniel Levy could orchestrate the departures of some noteworthy names.

Levy spends £200m+ on new signings: AI predicts Tottenham's 2025/26 line-up

Spurs and Daniel Levy could splash the cash.

7 ByCharlie Smith Jun 28, 2025

Spurs are fresh off the back of a much-needed end to an otherwise dismal campaign on the domestic front, winning the Europa League final in late May after breaking their record for most Premier League defeats in a single season.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

It was a mixed 2024/2025 to say the least, but their first major trophy in 17 years has gifted Frank something precious to build upon with his brand-new squad that he cannot wait to work with.

“The feeling of being the new head coach is extraordinary,” said Frank during his first interview as Tottenham boss.

“I’m really looking forward to this massive challenge together with a lot of good people. I only heard good stuff about all the people here, the training ground, the players, good squad, exciting, massive club, I think massive potential, so just super, super excited.”

However, as recent reports suggest, the 51-year-old may not be able to keep hold of every star player before deadline day on September 1.

Son Heung-min may have already played his last competitive game for Spurs, amid interest from Saudi Arabia, and Levy has reportedly placed a £50 million price tag on the South Korean’s head as he considers taking advantage of this limited window to sell him for a profit.

Meanwhile, Frank will also be wary of Atlético Madrid’s serious interest in Cristian Romero, which has already been confirmed by Diego Simeone himself.

The Argentine played a key role in Tottenham’s journey to the Europa League podium, and was awarded Player of the Tournament for his string of standout performances, but Frank apparently faces the real possibility of being without his star defender next season.

Tottenham reach "agreement in principle" to sell Cristian Romero

That is according to journalist Fernando Czyz, via Doble Amarilla, who makes a bold claim that Tottenham have reached an “agreement in principle” to sell Romero to Atlético for around £56 million, including add-ons.

The 27-year-old’s exit from N17 is described as closer than ever before, following positive talks over the weekend, and negotiations will apparently continue this week with an expectation that the transfer will eventually be finalised.

This information is yet to be backed up by other media sources, so supporters have the luxury of taking it with a pinch of salt, but it’s a clear indication that Atlético aren’t likely to end their interest in the centre-back any time soon.

Romero is an ever-present leader of the squad has been praised for his “world-class” performances since joining the club from Atalanta in 2021, with Micky van de Ven holding his central defensive partner in very high regard.

“For me, he is world-class. He is a leader. He is always one hundred per cent. He is a top-class player with the ball and without the ball when defending,” said van de Ven to Optus Sport.

“I can promise you he is not scared of anyone. He keeps going every game. From day one here he has helped me. He is just a world-class player.”

Lauderhill is scheduled to host three Group A matches in three days, two of them pretty crucial for the hosts USA and Pakistan

Sidharth Monga14-Jun-2024Chances for cricket in Florida received a boost after a dry first half of Thursday, a day before Lauderhill hosts three T20 World Cup Group A matches in three days, two of them pretty crucial for the hosts USA and Pakistan. Not to forget Ireland and Canada, who haven’t yet been knocked out of the tournament. If the first match, between USA and Ireland, is washed out, though, USA will become the second team from Group A to go through to the Super Eight.After quite a few flights into Miami and Fort Lauderdale were cancelled on Wednesday, teams, production crews and commentators all made it into Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. While there were still delays in flights because of inclement weather en route, Fort Lauderdale itself had remained dry till late afternoon. The drizzle in the evening was expected to die down by night followed by forecast for some showers from 9am to 11am on Friday. Flash flood warnings for the larger area continued to remain in tact.However, the conditions at the ground were a cause for optimism. Mark Adair, the Ireland allrounder was impressed with what he saw. “I don’t think there was too many people who came to leave the hotel, but no, at the ground today, it was actually remarkably dry,” Adair said. “I think there’s still wet patches over the far side of the ground but you know considering what the place has been through 24 hours before I think the place is looking pretty good.”The USA opening batter Steven Taylor, who comes from Florida, also said the drainage at the ground is good. “Growing up here at the stadium, it has always had a nice drainage,” Taylor said. “So, we always hope that once the next day doesn’t rain, there’ll always be cricket. But we can’t stop the weather. So, whatever happens, we just have to work with it.”Saurabh Netravalkar, the USA left-arm fast bowler, said they were preparing as if the match was going on as scheduled. “Actually I haven’t thought about it [the weather] at all,” Netravalkar said hours before leaving from New York on Wednesday evening. “Now we are seeing and hearing that there’s rain, but from our perspective, what is controllable is to expect that we are going to have a full game and we have to try our best to get a victory ’cause even Ireland is a top side. They might have lost two games, but they’re a good team.”If USA beat Ireland or get one point from the match, they will qualify. After their defeat to USA and India earlier, Pakistan are left hoping no team goes past four points. For Pakistan to have a chance of going ahead, they need Ireland to beat USA and then beat Ireland on the Sunday. If Ireland win both their games against USA and Pakistan, they will give themselves a chance but their net run rate is not looking very healthy. Canada, who beat Ireland earlier, need USA to lose to Ireland for them to have a chance of progressing should they upset India on Saturday.

Russell Martin was officially unveiled as the new head coach of Glasgow Rangers earlier this month, and he is tasked with bringing glory back to Ibrox.

The Light Blues have not won the Scottish Premiership title for four years and ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts.

Martin and Kevin Thelwell must build a team that can challenge Celtic for the title next season, and there is already work going on behind the scenes to bring in fresh recruits.

Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale, Leicester’s Conor Coady, and Swansea’s Harry Darling are just a few of the reported targets that the Gers boss is looking to snap up from the English market that he is familiar with.

Whilst they are in the market to improve the defence, with those two centre-backs and a goalkeeper, Rangers must also bolster their attacking options before the window slams shut.

They confirmed earlier this summer that Ianis Hagi’s contract would not be renewed, making him a free agent this summer, and his exit will leave a hole to fill.

Why losing Ianis Hagi is a blow for Rangers

Allowing the Romania international to move on from Ibrox was a bold decision and one that means the Gers have lost a proven Premiership performer who provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Hagi, who returned to the fold under Philippe Clement during the first half of the 2024/25 campaign, after spending the previous year on loan at Alaves in Spain, caught the eye with his performances off the left flank or as an attacking midfielder.

The 26-year-old, as shown in the clip above, stepped up in big moments for the Scottish giants and Martin is going to need to find another wide attacker who can make a similar impact at the top end of the pitch.

Losing a quality player on a free transfer also means that the Gers may need to make sales in other positions in order to raise the funds to sign a replacement, as it will not be easy to find a star of Hagi’s quality.

24/25 Premiership

Ianis Hagi

Starts

16

Goals

4

Big chances created

6

Assists

5

Key passes per 90

2.5

Assists per 90

0.3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Romanian magician was particularly impressive as a creator, but also showed his class as a goalscorer for the Light Blues.

This is why it is so important for Martin to recruit a new winger, or attacking midfielder, who has the potential to deliver goal contributions on a regular basis next season.

With this in mind, the former Scotland international should push the club to seriously pursue a deal to sign one of their reported transfer targets, Leeds United ace Largie Ramazani.

Rangers' reported interest in Largie Ramazani

At the start of this month, TEAMtalk claimed that Rangers are interested in a swoop to sign the Belgian winger from the Championship champions during the summer transfer window.

The outlet reported that the Scottish giants have ’emerged’ as possible suitors to land the former Almeria flanker, who signed for Leeds for a fee of £10m in the summer of 2024.

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

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It added, however, that Rangers were simply monitoring the situation and that a transfer was not at any advanced stage, to which there has not been any update in the subsequent few weeks.

TEAMtalk claimed that Daniel Farke had not made a final decision on the attacker’s future at Elland Road, because he would like to see how the winger does in pre-season before making the call, which suggests that the Gers may have to play the long game with Ramazani.

If the Light Blues can eventually get a deal done for the Belgian star, whether that is a loan or a permanent move, then Martin could have a brilliant replacement for Hagi in the building, as he is also a left-sided attacker who can also play centrally.

Why Rangers should sign Largie Ramazani

Martin should sign Ramazani for Rangers as a perfect replacement for the Romania international because his performances for Leeds in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he has the potential to explode as a regular starter in Scotland.

The former Manchester United academy graduate first made a name for himself with Almeria, scoring 22 goals in 128 matches, before his move to Leeds last year.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig even compared him to Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior and described the Belgian sensation as an “explosive” forward who can be a “counter attacking weapon” for his team.

Ramazani did not get too many opportunities to showcase that quality in the Championship this term, starting seven of his 29 appearances, but the 24-year-old whiz caught the eye in his limited minutes on the pitch.

24/25 Championship

Largie Ramazani per 90

Percentile rank vs wingers

Non-penalty xG

0.54

Top 2%

Shots on target

1,84

Top 2%

Goals

0.69

Top 2%

Assists

0.23

Top 20%

Chances created

1.50

Top 32%

Dribbles completed

2.07

Top 15%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Leeds winger ranked very highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Ramazani ended the season with six goals and two assists in the league, despite starting just seven times, which speaks to the kind of quality he could provide Rangers with if they give him an opportunity to play week-in-week-out as a starter.

This suggests that the Gers target could perfectly replace Hagi, as another right-footed forward who can play off the left or centrally in a number ten role, whilst he can also play on the right if needed.

Ramazani has the quality, as shown by his spell in Spain and his impressive performances in limited game time in England, to fill the hole that Hagi’s release has left at Ibrox.

Related He's Jelavic 2.0: Rangers ready bid for "complete" £6m star

Rangers could be set to make a bid for a new striker who could be the club’s next Jelavic.

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

It is now down to Martin and Thelwell to seal a deal for the Whites attacker if Farke decides to make him available for a transfer in the coming weeks.

Sunday’s clash against Liverpool was always going to be a tough one for Arsenal from a mental perspective.

After crashing out of the Champions League at the semi-final stages, the last place they probably wanted to be was Anfield, the home of the Premier League title winners.

A guard of honour was given and Arsenal actually starting vibrantly, Bukayo Saka missing a chance from a matter of yards out. Here we go again, it’s going to be another one of those days.

Indeed, that certainly looked the case when the Gunners found themselves 2-0 down after 21 minutes. This was the perfect encapsulation of this season. Arsenal could have been two up themselves but squandered their chances and as they found in Paris on Wednesday, they were up against it.

This time, Mikel Arteta’s men rallied and put in a brilliant second-half performance to walk away from Merseyside with a point in their battle to finish inside the top four.

Arsenal's finest performers against Liverpool

While Arteta was left to bemoan some uncharacteristically lapse defending from William Saliba in the first half, shutting off for the second goal, in forward areas, there were some more encouraging signs.

Saka was his usual effervescent self, while Gabriel Martinelli was perhaps the standout player on the away side.

The Brazilian initially started the game on the left flank but a few tactical tweaks at half-time saw a renewed display, not just from Martinelli but the whole side.

Leandro Trossard moved out to the left and Martinelli moved into the centre of the pitch. A matter of minutes into the second half the two attackers combined brilliantly to get Arsenal back into the game.

The Belgian winger crossed into the box, where Arsenal’s number 11 was ready and waiting to head the ball home. In truth, that tactical tweak changed the game. Martinelli made a number of threatening runs in behind that also brought out the best from Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian has had a troubled campaign, only scoring five times, but he looked closer to his best in the second period at Anfield, playing a number of balls towards Martinelli.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Odegaard also had a vital role to play in the equaliser. Plenty of supporters have bemoaned his unwillingness to shoot from range this season but it was his fierce effort from outside the box that the second goal came from.

The captain unleashed a fizzing drive that Alisson tipped onto the post but Mikel Merino followed up well and headed the rebound into an empty net.

It was yet another crucial moment for the Spaniard who has enjoyed a fabulous back end of the season. Well, that was until he was given a red card for a late challenge on Dominik Szoboszlai, a tackle that saw him branded with a second yellow card.

Still, Merino was far from the worst player on the pitch.

Arsenal's poorest performers against Liverpool

Arsenal’s defending since Gabriel got injured certainly hasn’t been the best but one has to commend the displays of Jakub Kiwior who notably stood out in the two-legged win over Real Madrid.

That being said, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Saliba who, without Gabriel, doesn’t look quite as assured at the back.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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The French titan is no doubt a fabulous player, but there have been some nervy moments for the centre-back when playing out from the back. He also switched off completely for Liverpool’s opening goal.

Despite grabbing an assist, it was largely an afternoon to forget for Trossard too, whose woes were compounded in the 78th minute when he was substituted with an apparent hamstring injury.

For Arsenal, that is not good news, particularly after Merino’s late red card. Who Arsenal will play up top against Newcastle next week is anyone’s guess.

Either way, Arteta should consider axing him from the team. Even if it’s not fully from the team, he should be axed as the main centre forward.

In the words of Arsenal writer Connor Humm, the £27m signing is a “waste of time” as a striker, not boasting the physicality to hold the ball up and perhaps also lacking the sort of runs we ultimately saw from Martinelli down the centre when they swapped positions.

Trossard vs Liverpool

Minutes played

78

Touches

61

Accurate passes

31/36 (86%)

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

1

Successful dribbles

3/5

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

1/3

Duels won

7/13

Possession lost

16x

Stats via Sofascore.

Trossard only won seven of his 13 contested duels during the clash and failed to have a single shot on target. To make matters worse, he also lost the ball on 16 occasions. That isn’t what you need from a role that requires bringing others into play.

There was a wasteful moment that rather summed up his topsy-turvy season in the first 45 minutes. Arsenal pressed well in Liverpool’s penalty area and won the ball back. However, neither Partey nor Trossard took control of the situation and waited for each other to pick up the possession. Had either done so, it probably would have been a goal. Instead, the chance went begging.

Moments like that are why the Belgium international has frustrated supporters so often this season. There is talk of a new contract and perhaps he might deserve one. There aren’t many better squad players in Arteta’s ranks.

However, if Arsenal are going to sign one or two attackers, Trossard should be given the boot to accommodate them.

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With one eye on the summer transfer window and another on ending the current Premier League campaign with a flourish, Fulham have now reportedly seen one target make his choice over a potential move.

Fulham still battling for shock European place

Victory at Craven Cottage against Liverpool last time out sums up the quality that Marco Silva’s side have at their best. After initially falling behind courtesy of a stunning strike from Alexis Mac Allister, the west London club flipped the game on its head and raced into a 3-1 lead at the break.

Even when Luis Diaz’s effort threatened to get the Reds back into proceedings, Fulham earned a deserved three points.

Having made such a statement with victory, Fulham still have every chance of confirming a shock European qualification ahead of the likes of Aston Villa, and Marco Silva spoke about his side’s chances in this week’s press conference.

The Fulham boss told reporters: “We set the target at the beginning of the season for us to arrive in the final stages fighting for something important.

“It is not extra pressure or more pressure for us. It is a privilege to have this type of thing. It is what I want. It is the pressure that I put on myself, my staff, my players and now if we have the chance to fight [for it], we have to embrace it.”

Silva will need no telling just how much of an impact European football would make to his side’s summer transfer window, especially amid reports that one target has already made his choice between Craven Cottage and a European club. Whether that choice changes if Fulham achieve what they’ve set out will certainly be interesting to see, however.

"Complete" Ioannidis makes transfer decision

According to Football Insider, Fotis Ioannidis is now closing in on an agreement to join Sporting CP despite interest from Fulham. What’s more, joining the Greek forward will reportedly be Georgios Vagiannidis rather than, again, a move to Craven Cottage. The Panathinaikos pair are impressive in their own right, but it’s Ioannidis who stands out the most.

Whether Fulham attempt a last-gasp hijack to sign the forward will be something to keep an eye on, especially if they qualify for European football in the coming weeks.

Dubbed “complete” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Greek forward would be an ideal option to replace 33-year-old Raul Jimenez, who is unlikely to be at the peak of his powers for much longer.

After scoring 11 goals in all competitions this season, the interest in Ioannidis should come as no surprise.

He will be remembered as much for his courage against fearsome fast bowlers as for his role in helping India move into the era of professionalism

Suresh Menon01-Aug-20246:24

Manjrekar: ‘Indian cricket should be grateful to Gaekwad’

Aunshuman Gaekwad – “Charlie” to friends – had that mix of toughness (as a player) and likeability (as a person) that is rare not just in cricket but in life itself. He was one of the youngest captains on the Indian first-class scene in his time, but was never in the running for the national captaincy. This was partly because he appeared in only 40 of the 90 Tests India played during his decade-old career, and partly because a younger man, Kapil Dev, took over the job. His father, Dattajirao Gaekwad, had led India on a tour of England in 1959.Gaekwad’s understanding of the sport and his knowledge of its nuances were not lost to Indian cricket, however. As manager, selector, and member of the BCCI’s apex council, his was a voice – gentle and persuasive – that helped shape Indian cricket in many ways.He was crucial in two periods of transition. When he made his debut, the Indian team was rebuilding itself after a disastrous tour of England and had just deposed Ajit Wadekar as captain. It was necessary to have a batter with courage, who didn’t give up easily and made the bowlers work hard. Gaekwad fit that role. Opening with Sunil Gavaskar, he gave the batters who followed the kind of respite they had not been used to during the phase when the nation debated the question: Who can partner Gavaskar?Related

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• Aunshuman Gaekwad, former India batter and coach, dies at 71

Then, after his playing days, as an administrator, Gaekwad saw the transition towards an era of greater professionalism and self-belief as Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and others held the Indian flag aloft.He was only 32 when he played his last Test, coming full circle in Calcutta, where he had made his debut. The more attacking Krishnamachari Srikkanth was preferred in the next match. As often happens in cricket, like in other areas of endeavour, the skills of the pioneer and consolidator were seen as excess to requirements. What was needed was to go beyond consolidation and take charge. Gaekwad never complained, and looked for other avenues where his experience and superior grasp of the game would serve the country.5:23

Holding: ‘Anshuman was a proper gentleman’

Gaekwad earned his reputation as a player of grit and substance early. As a 22-year-old when he walked out to play that first Test, against West Indies, he crossed the incoming batter who was returning after being hit in the face by Andy Roberts. This was his hero and captain, Tiger Pataudi. Gaekwad made an important 36 in a low-scoring match, which India won, and was run out for 80 in the next, which too India won. He had won his spurs with a century against the tourists for Combined Universities where he drove off the front foot with elan. Later, as he began to open the batting and faced fast bowling consistently, he became more proficient off the back foot.In the West Indies next season, in the “bloodbath” in Kingston, Jamaica, which saw five batters absent hurt in the second innings, Gaekwad helped Sunil Gavaskar add 136 for the opening wicket before he was forced to retire following a nasty blow to the ear from Michael Holding. He needed surgery. He had batted on with a broken finger earlier, using one of the remaining to communicate with Holding in a gesture universally understood.Gaekwad’s highest Test score, 201 against Pakistan, took over 11 hours, which didn’t surprise anyone.India have produced more attractive batters than Aunshuman Gaekwad, better catchers at slip, and perhaps – we don’t know this for sure – better captains. But for sheer courage and for taking on the world’s fastest bowlers with little more than a strong heart and indomitable courage, Gaekwad stands alone. To be remembered for guts and tenacity rather than batting or bowling figures is not such a bad thing.

The true significance of this win might lie with those who orchestrated it, not the opponents who were defeated

Alex Malcolm26-Oct-20221:22

Fleming draws parallels between NZ cricket and Ireland

Most Irishmen come to Australia to escape the rain.

But the rain falling from the leaden Melbourne skies brought overwhelming joy to Ireland’s men’s cricket team as it confirmed their greatest-ever T20 triumph, beating England in a T20 World Cup.”I’ve seen a lot of rain in my time playing cricket, and I’ve never been happier to see that rain come down when it did,” Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie said in the post-match press conference.To suggest that rain was the key factor in the result is to diminish an outstanding achievement in Irish sport. England captain Jos Buttler said his side were thoroughly outplayed.Ireland richly deserved their victory. As their players got soaked while celebrating with the small pockets of Irish fans who were singing in the rain in the MCG stands, the achievement was not lost on Balbirnie.Ireland had completed yet another great World Cup triumph to sit alongside Kingston 2007 and Bengaluru 2011. This is the third time they have beaten England in international cricket, including Southampton 2020.But this might be the greatest triumph of all, on one of the world’s great cricket stages. Ireland had never played at the MCG before. Such is the magic and mystique of the place; the Irish players toured the Australian Sports Museum that is housed in the Members stand on Tuesday night and took special note of a particular Irish MCG sporting triumph before adding another just 24 hours later.George Dockrell and Lorcan Tucker get big hugs from the crowd•ICC via Getty Images”It will always be a special place because of tonight,” Balbirnie said. “Ronnie Delany [1500m, 1956] won a gold medal here in the Melbourne Olympics, and you see his name etched in the history of Irish sport forever.”I hope we’ve done something similar. I’ve always said cricket isn’t a big game in Ireland. We’re the flag bearers, and we want to make it as big as possible. But it’s certainly an absolute pleasure to play here, to lead the first Irish team to ever play here.”The true significance of this win might not be in who they beat, or the stage they won on. It might lie with those who orchestrated it.In Melbourne, there were just two members present from the side that won in Bengaluru and neither Paul Stirling nor George Dockrell were significant contributors.There were also four significant changes from the Ireland side that did not progress to the second phase of last year’s T20 World Cup, with two of the new faces, Lorcan Tucker and Fionn Hand playing a major part in the win. Tucker’s 34 off 27 was vital alongside Balbirnie’s half-century, as the pair put together a rollicking 82-run stand in the face of a blistering spell from Mark Wood.Fionn Hand and Josh Little celebrate after the former bowls Ben Stokes•Getty ImagesHand later delivered one of the balls of the tournament, hooping back through the gate of Ben Stokes, to leave England reeling at 29 for 3 in the powerplay. In combination with Josh Little, Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy, Ireland’s attack was the key reason for their success against England as they had been against West Indies.Balbirnie believed his young group is stepping out of the shadows of Ireland’s golden generation that had been led by Kevin O’Brien.”He’s one of the best cricketers we’ve ever produced, but we knew we needed to kind of move on from players like that,” Balbirnie said. “What he contributed was amazing, and I probably didn’t get the opportunity to say that at the time when he retired.”The guys who have come in have shown it’s not just that generation that are a golden generation. This generation, with Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Josh Little, they’re a special group of cricketers, Mark Adair, there’s so many of them. Fionn Hand showed today: he came in for his third T20 and showed that he can have an impact on the game with the ball.”That generation laid the platform for us to be professional cricketers. We wouldn’t be here without them, and we have to acknowledge that. But we also have a duty to take the game as far forward as we can with a group of players.”There is an acknowledgment that this current generation has had to do it slightly differently. For all the positivity around Ireland’s promotion to becoming a full member of the ICC, there was a negative flow on effect. The price of being able to play Test cricket was that Ireland’s best players could no longer cut their teeth in England’s county system as locals before progressing to international level. They’ve had to do it a different way.Related

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“I did genuinely believe that not playing county cricket would tarnish the way that our youngsters progressed,” Balbirnie said. “I think my opinion’s changed a bit, the way that I’ve seen our youngsters play. It’s always been a bit of a sink-or-swim situation for a lot of our young guys. You have to see how they go at the highest level, and you have the names I mentioned earlier that have stood out and been key members of this squad.”That’s the hand we were dealt. We got the Test status, and we have to produce our own cricketers, and we’re starting to do that.”Tucker believes the different path to Ireland’s golden generation has its own benefits. “We don’t have the opportunities that those lads had,” Tucker said. “But we’ve got so much more international cricket. I think that’s our finishing school now. I’ve played quite a few international games and I think most of it was learning.”The proof is in the results. A more aggressive, fearless mindset under Balbirnie and coach Heinrich Malan has yielded wins over West Indies and England in the space of a week.”The knock-on effect is wins like tonight will hopefully trigger a bit of an interest back home,” Balbirnie said. “Well, I hope so. If it doesn’t, then I give up. We want to see those kids playing the game. It’s a great game, and it’s given me a lot of pleasure. Hopefully, nights like tonight can ignite a future generation of Irish cricketers.”Ireland are no longer troublemakers raining on the big boys’ parade. There’s a belief and a sense of belonging building after a famous day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia learned lessons when they lost their first game of the T20 World Cup, while India’s best chances will be to repeat more of the same

Alex Malcolm07-Mar-2020Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana versus Megan SchuttSchutt started the year as the No.1 T20I bowler but has since slipped to No.2 while Verma has climbed to No.1 in the batting rankings after mauling Schutt at every opportunity.”They’ve got the wood on me,” Schutt said. “Smriti and Verma, they’ve got me covered. There are some plans we’re going to revisit as bowlers. Clearly, I don’t think I’m the best match-up to those two in the powerplay, they find me easy to play.”Verma has scored 33 runs in 14 balls off Schutt this year without being dismissed, including four boundaries in an over in the tournament opener. But despite her own doubts, Schutt is a good match-up for Mandhana having dismissed her four times for 55 runs in 44 balls since 2016. If it’s not Schutt bowling in the powerplay Australia have precious few other options. Ellyse Perry and Tayla Vlaeminck are the perfect match-ups for the India pair but both are unavailable due to injury.Verma has had trouble against extra pace bounce but has dominated everything else. Australia doesn’t have extra pace. The only other pace options they have from the semi-final side is Nicola Carey and Delissa Kimmince, but both bowl at well under 110kph. They tried the offspin of Molly Strano in Sydney without success after she had dismissed Verma five times in seven innings for Australia A and the Governor-General’s.ESPNcricinfo LtdHarmanpreet Kaur versus Jess JonassenKaur has had a tough tour of Australia. Since her outstanding 42 not out against England in the tri-series in Canberra she has only reached 20 twice in nine innings and has three single-figure scores in the World Cup. Jonassen has her measure. The left-arm spinner has claimed her three times in her career and Kaur has scored just 16 runs in 21 balls against her since 2016. Australia have a couple of good match-ups for India’s middle order. Kimmince has knocked over Jemimah Rodrigues three times for just 17 runs in 17 balls. The worry for Australia is Deepti Sharma who played a valuable innings in Sydney making 49 from 46. The left-handed Sharma has trouble scoring freely against Schutt and Kimmince, but if those two are forced to bowl a lot upfront, it could be left to two left-arm orthodox and a legspinner later in the innings if Australia pick the same side from the semi-final. Sharma can find the boundary hitting with the spin as she proved twice against Jonassen in the opening match of the World Cup. Molineux has a poor record against all of India’s players and Georgia Wareham has strategically not been selected against them.Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney versus Deepti SharmaSharma and Shikha Pandey are the match-ups in the powerplay for Australia’s key pair. Like India, if Australia’s openers get away the game can disappear quickly. Sharma has been phenomenal against Australia’s dynamic duo getting Healy twice and Mooney three times and conceding well under a run-a-ball. India cannot turn to Rajeshwari Gayakwad or Radha Yadav against Healy and Mooney as both have feasted on the left-arm orthodox. It is strange for Healy, a right-hander, to prefer the ball spinning away but the way she uses her feet and her hand path and bat swing means she is much more comfortable creating room and going inside-out over the offside. Sharma can bowl wide of the crease and angle in which cramps Healy. Mooney oddly doesn’t sweep Sharma very often despite the fact she bowls over the wicket pitching the ball outside leg stump. Pandey is a gamble. Mooney has scored 49 off 32 against her for one dismissal but Pandey has caused Healy some concern. Poonam Yadav has got Healy twice but she is unlikely in the powerplay with only two fielders out.Poonam Yadav celebrates•Getty ImagesMeg Lanning or Ash Gardner at No.3 versus India’s spinnersThis is an interesting debate for Australia. Lanning has taken control at No.3 in the last two games against New Zealand and South Africa, going against Australia’s previous plan of sending Gardner out at No.3 if Healy falls first. But Lanning’s career strike-rate drops from 117 to 103 against India and she’s never made a half-century, while Gardner’s record against India and at No.3 overall is outstanding compared to her career numbers. Both of Gardner’s career half-centuries have come at No.3 including 93 against India in the tri-series. She also averages 26.23 at No.3 and strikes at 133.13 compared to her career rates of 21.50 and 127.97. Against India, she averages 32.42 and strikes at 135.11. Lanning has fallen to Radha and Gayakwad twice each and Sharma once. There is a case to be made for Australia to get Gardner to bat as high as possible for this game. That will be weighed up against Lanning’s current form, her experience, her leadership, and her record in big finals. But Gardner was Player of the Match in the last World Cup final against England in the West Indies in 2018 where set batted No. 3Australia versus Poonam YadavThe fear is real for Australia after Yadav ripped through them taking 4 for 19 in the opening game. “We will talk about Poonam Yadav,” Lanning said. “There’s a lot of learnings from that first game that we feel like we can implement. We’ll do all our research over the next few days, have a look at them, but also how we can play. I’ve got no doubt we’ll be able to adapt.”The MCG is a vastly different surface to the Sydney Showground with much more grass and less turn. Poonam has taken just one wicket in each of the past two games partly because of the lessons other sides have learned. Australia tried to play Poonam’s slower than normal legspin off the front foot and all four of Poonam’s victims fell either advancing down the track or lunging forward and not reading the spin correctly. A back-foot blueprint was provided by New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr who sat deep in her crease and moved outside off stump to pull her twice over backward square. But it’s one thing knowing what to do, it’s quite another being able to execute under pressure in a World Cup final.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his torrid postseason on Sunday night as the Blue Jays fought off the Mariners to force a winner-take-all Game 7 against the Mariners. Guerrero's sixth-inning home run was his sixth of the playoffs and he carries a .462/.532/1.000 slash line into Monday night's action.

He had seemingly done it all for the Blue Jays in October when he stepped into the batters' box in the eighth inning so he had to get extremely creative to create something new. A broken-bat single on which his bat made contact with the ball three times certainly qualifies.

Here's the slow-motion replay of the oddity, which proves that when things are going well at the dish, everything seems to work.

For as rare as such an occurrence is, there is some late-October precedent. The Giants' Hunter Pence parlayed the trick into some wicked spin and a two-run single during Game 7 of the NLCS back in 2012.

What will Guerrero do for his next trick as he steps on to the biggest stage of his young career? That depends on how willing the Mariners are to pitch to him.

Few things in baseball—actually, few things in all of sports—are more exciting than an inside-the-park home run. It's almost impossible for a player to get one without something unusual happening, whether it be a catastrophic miscalculation from a fielder or the ball taking a zany bounce. Point is, if someone tells you that there was an inside-the-park homer, you're going to want to see it.

Tuesday night brought two of those strange round-trippers to Major League Baseball. First, Lawrence Butler of the Athletics casually cruised 360 feet to lead off the game against the Atlanta Braves.

Later, the San Francisco Giants' Patrick Bailey ran very fast to walk off the Philadelphia Phillies after his shot to right-center decided to explore the space far away from any fielder.

They've been playing baseball for a long, long time. So it's a bit surprising to learn that this was the first time in Major League Baseball history that a leadoff inside-the-parker and a walk-off inside-the-parker occurred on the same day.

Considering the fact that baseball teams used to play in bizarrely-shaped playing surfaces back in the day with cavernous power alleys, one would think something like this would have happened before. But considering Butler's scamper was the Athletic's first leadoff inside-the-parker since 1943 and Bailey's was the first walk-off of the variety across all baseball in the last decade … yeah, definitely a rare night.