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St Lucia Stars are stuck in a rut, while Colin Munro has set the early pace with the bat and David Warner has kept finding bizarre ways to get out

Deivarayan Muthu15-Aug-2018Dre Russ’ perfect captaincy debut
A breathtaking catch to dismiss Chris Lynn. A hat-trick – only the second in the CPL. A 40-ball hundred – the fastest in the CPL. Jamaica Tallawahs’ Andre Russell marked his captaincy debut with perhaps the greatest all-round performance in T20 cricket.ESPNcricinfo LtdRussell’s athletic intervention at extra-cover first snaffled his Kolkata Knight Riders team-mate Lynn for 46. Then, a ball after Trinbago Knight Riders had muscled their way to 216, the highest total in the league, Russell dismissed Brendon McCullum, Darren Bravo and Denesh Ramdin in a hat-trick.Russell, however, saved his best for the chase. All right, he was dropped off the first ball he faced, but securing a 224-run chase from 41 for 5 with three balls to spare takes some doing. He shellacked 13 sixes, including a monster blow off Sunil Narine that disappeared over the Carib Beer stand and out of the Queen’s Park Oval. That’s how you ace your captaincy debut.No way out for St Lucia Stars?
Is there any bottom to the abyss St Lucia Stars are hurtling into? They are winless in their last 14 matches, a streak stretching back to CPL 2016, and even their ever-smiling former captain Darren Sammy looked despondent after they botched a chase of 142 from 113 for 2 in the 17th over against Guyana Amazon Warriors. In all, St Lucia have lost three matches so far in CPL 2018 and are the only side with a negative net run-rate.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhether it’s the curse of the Zouks, St Lucia’s former moniker, or a lack of confidence, Stars to find a way out of this rut, if they are to salvage this season.Warner, Smith watch
David Warner had found bizarre ways to get out in the Global T20 Canada, and managed only 109 runs in eight innings at an average of 13.62 and strike-rate of 114.73. He fell to another bizarre dismissal against Guyana Amazon Warriors at Providence. When Imran Tahir bowled a full-toss on middle stump, Warner shaped to reverse-sweep but instead only gloved the ball towards point. Umpire Nigel Dungid, however, gave him out lbw, despite the tickle and the impact with the gloves appearing outside the line of off stump. The ball might have missed off stump too. In all, the decision left Warner peeved.Steven Smith, on the other hand, had a more encouraging start to CPL 2018, with a match-winning 41 off 37 balls for Barbados Tridents against Guyana. After crawling to 17 off 21 balls, he made 24 off his next 16 balls.Best batsman of the week
TKR’s Colin Munro has set the early pace with back-to-back fifties. We all know of his might against the seamers, but he was also fluent against Imad Wasim’s left-arm drift and Adam Zampa’s legbreaks on Friday. He read a wrong’un from Zampa, forayed down the track, and pinged the sightscreen with a six. He also took Imad for a brace of pulled boundaries in the arc between midwicket and long-on. So far, Munro has hit 164 runs in three innings at a strike-rate of 153.27; Russell is hot on his heels with 124 runs in two innings.Best bowler of the week
After impressing his captain Dwayne Bravo at Winnipeg Hawks in Global T20 Canada, USA quick Ali Khan was called up to replace Ronsford Beaton at TKR, who are also captained by Bravo. He has caught the eye in the CPL as well, with his skiddy pace and dance moves that aren’t too far behind those of Bravo and the franchise’s owner Shahrukh Khan, who was in attendance for TKR’s match against Tallawahs.Ali Khan hit a hard length – neither driveable nor pullable – with the new ball and claimed three wickets in six balls to set up his side nicely against Tallawahs before he dropped Russell first ball and watched him unleash an unrelenting assault.ESPNcricinfo LtdAli Khan, however, put that drop behind him in the next match against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and took three more wickets, including that of Carlos Brathwaite. In addition to being the top wicket-taker with seven scalps, Ali Khan has saved 29.37 runs, the most by a bowler this CPL, according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats.

Stats highlights from day three of the Bangladesh-West Indies Test in Chattogram

Bharath Seervi24-Nov-20184 – Victories for Bangladesh in their last eight home Tests – the wins have come against England, Australia, Zimbabwe and now West Indies. Prior to these eight Tests, they had won only four out of 52 home Tests.2009 – The last time Bangladesh beat West Indies in Tests, before this 64-run victory in Chattogram. After their 2-0 win on 2009 Caribbean tour, they had met West Indies eight times before this game, losing seven times and drawing once.54 – Tests taken by Shakib Al Hasan to complete the double of 3000 runs and 200 wickets, which is the fastest by any player. He edged past Sir Ian Botham, who had got there in his 55th Test. Overall, Shakib is the 14th player to score over 3000 runs and take 200-plus wickets in Tests. Shakib also became the first Bangladesh bowler to 200 wickets in Tests and only the fifth left-arm spinner overall.11 – The score at which West Indies lost their fourth wicket. Only twice have they been four-down for a smaller score and both times were against Australia – 9 for 4 in Brisbane in 1992-93 and 10 for 4 at the MCG in 1981-82. It is also the lowest score at which Bangladesh have got their opposition four down.ESPNcricinfo Ltd6 for 33 – Taijul Islam’s figures, the best by a Bangladesh bowler in the fourth innings of a Test. The previous best was Enamul Haque Jnr’s 6 for 45 against Zimbabwe in 2005. Taijul already has the best figures by a Bangladesh bowler in Tests – 8 for 39 against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2014.4 – Five-wicket hauls for Taijul in Tests this year – the joint-most among all bowlers. Jason Holder also has four five-fors. All of Taijul’s four five-fors have come in his last three Tests. With 40 wickets in six Tests, Taijul is now the fourth-highest wicket-taker this year.2 – Instances of Bangladesh spinners taking all 20 wickets in a Test. They first did this against England in Dhaka two years ago. Overall, 34 wickets fell to spinners in this Test, the joint-most in a Test in Bangladesh. Spinners took 34 wickets in the Dhaka Test last year involving Australia.2005 – The last time seven of West Indies’ top nine batsmen were dismissed for single-digit scores in a Test innings, against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Apart from Sunil Ambris (43) and Shimron Hetmeyer (27), none of the other players in the top nine got to double figures. The other seven combined for just 19 runs.1 – West Indies’ Kieran Powell became the first ever opener to be stumped for a golden duck in Tests. Two others, however, have been stumped for ducks in the pre-World War I era, when ball data was unavailable.

India have been the best and West Indies the worst when it comes to completing their overs on time

Sidharth Monga and Shiva Jayaraman12-Feb-2019There have been 485 of them since 1992; most have been brushed aside with a gentle rap on the knuckles, some have resulted in match bans, a few of them have brought about the threat of lawsuits, and a rare one was responsible for a mid-tournament captaincy switch that has since been outlawed.We are talking about punishments for over-rate offences, for which the ICC invariably gets criticised: “too soft” when overs are lost but allowances are made, “too officious” when a captain gets banned despite allowances. The ICC finds itself in a bind over a breach-related incident again, this time being criticised heavily with West Indies playing their ongoing third Test against England without captain and talisman Jason Holder.ALSO READ: Jason Holder slow-over ban is just ICC killjoys at workThe first thing to know on the subject is that the process is subjective but not arbitrary. In a Test match, you are expected to maintain a rate of 15 overs an hour; in an ODI, you are expected to bowl your 50 overs in three-and-a-half hours or bowl the opposition out before that; a T20I innings should go no longer than 90 minutes. There are allowances made: injury timeouts, DRS reviews, sightscreen problems, longer drinks breaks in hotter weather, any external delay beyond the control of the fielding captain.In April 2003, the ICC took the drastic step of bringing the captain under the ambit of match bans. In the six years leading up to that, starting 1997, international cricket lost 73, 59, 60, 77, 78 and, in 2002, a whopping 120 overs. On the final day of the Port-of-Spain Test of 2002, a fifth-wicket stand of two hours for just 73 runs frustrated India. There was still time for both outright results, but the draw became a real possibility. Now, imagine the situation if West Indies had not been caught short by 18 overs across their two bowling innings.Such were the matches that eventually resulted in ICC getting stricter. Even as the amount of cricket has only increased since, there has never been a year since 2003 in which 60 overs have been lost. The data available – on the ICC website for all to see – is not always complete, but here are a few trends that might reinforce certain views and surprise you too.West Indies are the slowest
This is perhaps no surprise. They bowl a lot of fast bowlers, they haven’t had a great spinner since 1992 to build an attack around, and they have not been the most disciplined side. Since 2003, West Indies have been 88 overs short in a total of 45 over-rate breaches. Pakistan – 32 breaches and 69 overs lost – are a distant second.Data for over breaches and overs short•ESPNcricinfo LtdRicky Ponting, Graeme Smith and Sourav Ganguly are the captains under whose watch a high number of overs were lost. However, while Ponting and Smith captained 287 and 286 matches to be short by 36 and 34 overs respectively, Ganguly captained in only 64 matches since April 2003, but was in charge of a team that was short by 31 overs. Virat Kohli’s side has been short by only one over in 129 matches played under him.Captains with no over-rate violations•ESPNcricinfo LtdIndia’s transformation
India began to transform as they became more and more spin-oriented under MS Dhoni, and then as a disciplined bowling unit on the whole, that still had enough spin, under Kohli. It might surprise you if you have seen a lot of Indian cricket in the 2000s, but India hold the longest streak without an over-rate offence. The last time they were found short was at The Oval back in 2014. Ravindra Jadeja has never been part of a side found short on overs. India’s is a streak of 216 matches, comfortably ahead of Bangladesh’s 190 at second spot. West Indies’ best streak has been 48 matches.Longest streaks without a breach•ESPNcricinfo LtdTeam-wise data for longest streaks without a breach•Getty ImagesIt’s not always pace
As you would expect, most of the breaches happen when a high proportion of overs is bowled by the quicks – when Faf du Plessis was banned recently, he bowled no spin – but there have been a few instances when sides have failed to maintain the acceptable rate even with spinners on. Rahul Dravid once bowled only 16 overs of pace in an ODI innings, and yet fell short by two overs – against Australia in Gwalior in 2003.Captains with the most overs short per match•ESPNcricinfo LtdDo Big Three players get away with it?That is the question always asked because the last few captains to be banned have been from West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies again, Sri Lanka again, Sri Lanka yet again, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Pakistan again. This is a question difficult to answer unless you sit with a stopwatch and note every allowance made for every delay during every match. If you agree, though, with match referees – and that’s their job so there’s little point doubting them without evidence – the penalties sound about right.Since 2003, in all formats put together, West Indies have been short in 6.45% of their matches, Pakistan in 4.38% and South Africa in 3.69%.Sri Lanka are an interesting case study. Their overall rate of breaches since 2003 – 3.24% – is close to India’s and Australia’s, but they have a big variance: excellent when at home, with the vast majority of the bowling done by the spinners, but slow when using quicks.Who goes over most often•ESPNcricinfo LtdDo over-rate penalties in Tests need a rethink?
Now to the biggest gripe among fans with these over-rate penalties. When Holder was banned, his side was short by two overs, in a Test ended in three days. Is the over-rate relevant then? Once the rule is in place, you can’t ask the match referee to be subjective in its implementation based on the number of days there were in the Test. So this has to be a question for the lawmakers. Also, even in a shorter game, if one side is bowling at a prescribed rate and the other not, there is a possibility the offending side’s bowlers are taking extra time to recover between overs and between balls.

For what it is worth, this is a poser for the lawmakers: in Tests with results, since 2003, there have been 62 over-rate breaches. Only 28 – fewer than half – of those matches went into the fifth day. Shane Warne recently suggested there should probably be no over-rate penalties if a Test ends in fewer than 225 overs, which is under half of the stipulated overs. Should the ICC make some allowance for matches that don’t go the distance or end in fewer than a certain number of overs?

Eight memorable last-over heists from one of the best T20 finishers

Deivarayan Muthu30-Apr-2019Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings, Dharamsala, IPL 2010
Last over target: 16
game where Dhoni became Chennai’s . The target was 193. Suresh Raina (46) and S Badrinath (53) had kept Super Kings afloat in the chase. Back-to-back boundaries from Dhoni against Rusty Theron in the penultimate over reduced the margin to 16 off the last over. The semi-final spot was on the line.After jabbing a near yorker from Irfan Pathan for four and taking a double off the first two balls, Dhoni sat deep in the crease, fetched a full ball from outside off and smoked it over the long-on boundary. He produced an encore next ball, sending it into the crowd beyond long-on, and then – in a rare show of emotion – punched himself in the jaw like a boxer.Australia v India, Adelaide, Commonwealth Bank Series 2012
Last over target: 13
Nearly a year after playing starring roles in India’s World Cup triumph in Mumbai, Gautam Gambhir and Dhoni were at it again, this time in Adelaide. Gambhir set the base with 92 before Dhoni teased Australia till the last over and launched from there. Victory seemed less than likely for India when R Ashwin jumped across off, swung for the hills, and missed the first ball of the last over. He tugged the second ball for a single. With India needing 12 off four balls, Dhoni Dhoni-ed Clint McKay for a 112-metre six over wide long-on. A nervy McKay then lost his length, and his head, and sent down a beamer that was caught at deep square-leg, but Dhoni hared across for a double. He pulled three off the fourth ball – the third legal ball – to seal the chase.Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai, IPL 2013
Last over target: 15
Block. Block. Block. Block. Play and a miss. Bottom-edge to the keeper. Get dropped next ball. That’s how Dhoni’s first seven balls played out. He then took Ishant Sharma, Darren Sammy and Dale Steyn for boundaries, but Dwayne Bravo (7 off 16 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (1 off 4 balls) still left Super Kings needing 15 off the final over. Surprisingly, Sunrisers Hyderabad’ captain Cameron White called up medium-pacer Ashish Reddy to bowl the last over of the match, which was also the bowler’s first over of the match. The first ball was a wide and the second was a dot, but then Dhoni went 6, 4, 4 to close out the match with two balls to spare.India v Sri Lanka, Port of Spain, Tri-Nation Series 2013
Last over target: 15
The Queen’s Park Oval pitch for the tri-series final between India and Sri Lanka had everything for the bowlers: swing, seam, spin and even uneven bounce. Shaminda Eranga had cut through India’s top order, Rangana Herath took care of the middle order, but Dhoni was simply doing his thing: he sat back and hung in for the final-over salvo. He was injured and struggling to run between the wickets, so he had to do it with boundaries. He called for his heavy bat before the last over. Eranga ran in. Dhoni did not connect with the first ball, but you knew it was coming. The next ball was full and wide and Dhoni connected this time, sending it sailing into the media box over the straight boundary. The third and fourth balls were carved away for four and six respectively as Dhoni – hamstring trouble and all – delivered another blockbuster finish.Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings, Delhi, IPL 2014
Last over target: 11
In a see-sawing chase of 179, Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum did the early running before passing over the baton to Raina. Jaydev Unadkat and Wayne Parnell then dragged Daredevils back into the match, which meant Super Kings still required 11 off the last over. Unadkat missed his yorker first ball and got away with a single that brought Dhoni on strike. Unadkat missed his yorker again and was monstered over long-on. There was only one result from thereon, and Dhoni finished it off with two balls to spare.Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai, IPL 2014
Last over target: 11
Mumbai were on a ten-match winning streak at home, and it needed a Dhoni special to snap that. Dwayne Smith had fallen after a start-stop half-century, and McCullum and Raina were out to questionable umpiring decisions. Seventeen needed off 12 became 11 needed off six after a double-wicket penultimate over bowled by Lasith Malinga. Kieron Pollard bowled an off-side wide first ball, and then Dhoni took a hard-run two off the second. The third was a slower variation, and Dhoni clouted it over deep midwicket for six. The next ball – short and wide – was scythed through the covers for four. Match over.Rising Pune Supergiant v Kings XI Punjab, Visakhapatnam, IPL 2016
Last over target: 23
Rising Pune Supergiant needed to win to avoid the wooden spoon. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel had bowled a stifling spell thus far, giving away only 20 runs while claiming the wicket of George Bailey. Then he ran into Dhoni. Dhoni flatly refused a single to Ashwin off the first ball and then a double off the third legal ball of the over. However, Dhoni pulled off another last-over hat-trick of boundaries – 4, 6, 6. The match-winning six was a helicopter launched over deep midwicket.Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings, Bengaluru, IPL 2018
Last over target: 16
Ahead of Dhoni’s return to Super Kings in 2018, many wondered if he still had it. He had come up short against Kings XI Punjab earlier in the season when Super Kings needed 17 off the last over. Dhoni found his six-hitting groove at M Chinnaswamy Stadium though, nailing seven hits into the stands. He even scythed a hard-to-hit low full-toss from Mohammed Siraj for six – a shot that left Super Kings’ coach Stephen Fleming gushing: “That one shot over point towards the end of the innings was one of the top three shots I have ever seen.”With 16 required off the last over, Bravo did his bit by picking off 11 off the first three balls. Then, with Corey Anderson delivering a full ball outside off, Dhoni jumped across and slugged it for his seventh six of the night, over wide long-on, evoking memories of shot that won India the 2011 World Cup.

It will be India’s first Test match in eight months, and while quite a few players select themselves, some spots remain up for grabs

Sidharth Monga20-Aug-2019

Who bats after Kohli?

For a change, India don’t have to debate over their top four. Prithvi Shaw’s absence makes it an easy call to open with Mayank Agarwal, who debuted with an impressive 76 and 42 in Melbourne, and KL Rahul. Cheteshwar Pujara comes into a rare series with no sword hanging over his head. Virat Kohli is a certainty at No. 4.It is after this that calls have to be made. With Hardik Pandya not available, it is likely India will play two more batsmen. Especially if pitches in the West Indies continue to be seam-friendly, it makes sense to bolster the batting – and taking 20 wickets is not that much of an issue as witnessed in Australia. At any rate, picking two out of the three options is not an easy task, leave alone picking just one.Whom would you pick as India’s openers?Contender 1 – Hanuma Vihari: In a short career, Vihari has done his bit to find a place in the side, and even opened in Melbourne. He was promised that Melbourne was a stop-gap arrangement, and that he would be given a fair go in the middle order. He comes with the advantage of having been on the shadow ‘A’ tour of the West Indies, and with a century in that unofficial Test series.Contender 2 – Rohit Sharma: Rohit doesn’t get to play much first-class cricket between his infrequent Test opportunities, but it is no surprise that the team management is often tempted to punt on his promise. Rohit’s last first-class game was in December last year, but it was the MCG Test and he scored a composed unbeaten half-century there. Since then, his competitor for the middle-order slot, the next contender, has done nothing to push him out of contention.Contender 3 – Ajinkya Rahane: Rahane is the vice-captain of the side and as such has the public backing of captain Kohli. But he is going through a wretched run of form. It’s over two years and 17 Tests since he last scored a century. In first-class cricket since the Australia tour – Ranji Trophy and second division county – Rahane has averaged 27 with one century.Which two middle-order batsmen would you pick?

Saha or Pant?

There is often an unwritten pact in international cricket sides that if an established performer goes out with injury, he gets his spot back when he returns. In Wriddhiman Saha’s case, though, his one injury became three, and he has spent 18 months out of Test cricket. In his absence, Rishabh Pant has scored the only centuries for an India wicketkeeper in England and in Australia. On his return to first-class cricket, Saha has hit two fifties in the two unofficial Tests for India A on the shadow tour of the West Indies.In a two-Test series, you don’t expect the decision made in the first Test to change unless there is something drastic. So whoever gets selected should stay for the second Test too.

What about the spinner(s)?

If India play six specialist batsmen, it leaves space for only one spinner; the three fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami – select themselves. Now if only one spinner plays, it will be interesting to see how much has changed since coach Ravi Shastri called Kuldeep Yadav India’s No. 1 Test spinner away from Asia in response to the left-arm wristspinner’s five-for in Sydney. If Kohli agrees with Shastri, they could be leaving out the Man of the Series from the last time India toured the West Indies, R Ashwin, who has failed to finish India’s last two overseas tours with fitness issues.If India do play two, there could equally be a case made for Ravindra Jadeja, who has done nothing wrong as a Test spinner, and also brings his batting to the party. If there’s a consolation for the team management taking these tough calls, it is that unlike the middle order, the choice of the spinner and the wicketkeeper is an embarrassment of riches.

Our correspondent goes gaga for the hills, the food and the people of the Caribbean, and briefly becomes a Twitter sensation

Aishwarya Kumar04-Sep-2019August 6
Exactly three years ago I got on an airplane from Washington DC to Florida for my first ESPN assignment – covering India’s first official match in the US, against West Indies. I interviewed MS Dhoni, then India’s captain, and later woke up to messages from friends and family excited on my behalf. And here I am today in Guyana, driving through pelting rain and winding alleyways to cover my first international cricket tour.August 7
“I detect several accents. Where are you from?” the cashier at Oasis Café, a coffee shop in Georgetown, asks me. “Oh I am here for the cricket,” I say. “You just missed the Indian captain and his wife – they were super nice,” she says and shows me a picture she snagged with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma.She talks about Guyanese spices, her Venezuelan father and Guyanese mother, how much she enjoys selling coffee, and meeting people from all over the world. Of course, I have to buy the tiger teeth pepper – the spiciest pepper grown in Guyana – because as American as I feel, I still have to eat eye-wateringly spicy food to feed my Indian soul.August 8
“How are you?” I ask as I get into Clyde Andrews’ taxi. “You know, I am a content man,” he says. “I am always going to say ‘I am happy’ when you ask me that question.”I ride with Clyde every day of my stay in Guyana. Every morning he turns up outside the inn I am staying in without me having to remind him.After the first ODI is rained out, he picks me up from the Providence Stadium and says, “Let me take you around Georgetown. You have to see this place a little!” We see the president’s house, the parliament, the Supreme Court, the seaside, which is calmer than the backwaters of Kerala, and then to get some legendary fried chicken from a food truck.Clyde, 68, was raised in rural Guyana and I in a semi-urban, rather conservative, part of south India, so we talk about how we always wanted to break free, explore the world, question the rules. He tells me he remarried three weeks ago and talks about his sons from his previous marriage.As if on cue, one of those sons appears in the car in front of us. Clyde honks and we wave at his son as we pass. If he is even mildly confused by the tiny Indian woman waving at him, he makes sure to hide it.The next day, I walk out of the inn at 5.20am, rubbing sleep out of my eyes, headed to the airport. The rain is coming down so hard, it’s difficult to see in front of me. Clyde is there, wearing an orange poncho, holding the door open for me. He is ten minutes early.”Thank you for coming,” I say. “If I tell you I am going to be there, I am going to be there,” he says. “My word means everything to me.”Jewellery store owner Sterling in Trinidad•Aishwarya Kumar/ESPNcricinfo LtdAugust 9
Port-of-Spain is mostly built vertically, up into the hills. The lights on the winding at night make it look from afar like fireflies twinkling in a glass bottle. The hotel I stay in is built into the base of a hill. The lobby is on the highest floor, and to get to the rooms, you take the elevators into the hill. “Here you are, at the upside-down hotel,” the taxi driver announces.I make my way to the restaurant. Commentators Ajay Jadeja, Murali Kartik and Ashish Nehra are there, posing for photos with a group of loud and cheery Indian men who have travelled from India, the US and Canada to watch the series.August 10
To get to Queen’s Park Oval from the Hilton Trinidad, you have to walk down a hilly road and make your way around Queen’s Park Savannah, a gorgeous circular park that separates the stadium from the rest of the city. There’s everyday green and then there’s Port-of-Spain green – which feels like every shade of the colour mixed together and splashed across the terrain.All through my trip, I am taken aback by unprompted nice gestures from people. In Trinidad, a woman jogging on the road stops and asks if I’m going to watch the match. When I say yes, she tells me to take an inner road that will lead me directly to one of the gates. “You’ll bypass the crazy crowd outside,” she says.August 11
I get back from the stadium late at night after the game and in the 15 minutes I’m away from my phone to drink some coconut water and eat dinner, I receive an outrageous number of notifications on Twitter.I’ve become a meme.Kohli posted a selfie with Bhuvneshwar Kumar after the second ODI and there I am behind them in the photo, looking into the distance.”That’s Kumars with Virat,” a friend tweets.

Top win and top bowling from this guy . pic.twitter.com/TX5FkhpTCX

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) August 12, 2019

August 12
Maracas Bay is the most beautiful beach I’ve ever been to. Clouds float over the mountains that enclose the beach, coconut trees arc by the water, and the few makeshift eateries add a splash of bright orange and yellow to the natural shades of blue and green.”Wait, you work for ESPN? So you get to travel the world and watch sport live?” Sterling, the owner of Sterlyn Designer Jewelry, asks. He is a ball of energy, wearing a bright shirt and a big hat. “Can I write this over to you and take your place in this world?”I taste shark for the first time when I try Bake and Shark, a Trinidadian staple in which shark meat is batter-fried and served on flatbread with vegetables and sauces to add to it. I choose freshly cut and seasoned ripe mangoes, garlic sauce, tamarind sauce and Chadon Beni sauce (from the cilantro family).While in Trinidad, I also try “doubles”, the famous local street food, fried discs of dough (like Indian pooris) served with curried chickpeas on top.August 14
I’ve come to the point in my journalism career where I have been around enough famous people to not be flustered in their presence. Sir Vivian Richards is not one of them. Growing up, my mother would tell me stories of Richards. So naturally, whenever I see him in the press box, I ignore him.Then I walk into the elevator in my hotel and come face to face with Viv.”Hey, I saw you in the press box today, how are you doing?” he asks.Words fall out of my mouth before I can process them. “My mom is a huge fan. I have heard so many stories about you. I didn’t want to be weird and bug you, so I didn’t approach you. I hope you’re well. It’s so good to see you.”He’s incredibly sweet. “Oh wow, that’s so nice to hear. Hello to your mom and have a good rest of your day.”After the ODI series, I miss the Antigua Test. I have to return to the US to cover the Aurora Games – an all-women’s sporting festival in Albany – talking to Olympic athletes like Lindsay Whalen, Ashley Wagner and Mirai Nagasu.When in Jamaica, you have to try its most famous dish – jerk chicken•Getty ImagesAugust 29
At the Sabina, I want to speak to Jeff Dujon for a story I’m writing on Jamaican Test cricketers. I ask the ground staff how to find him. They point me to the office staff, who point me towards the club. The club manager dials Dujon’s number on his office phone, and before I know it, I’m having a conversation with the man himself. No emails, no appointments.August 30

More random niceties.When I get in the cab this morning, Olando, my driver, hands me a bag. There are four bottles of water inside. “You’re going to have a long day. It’s very hot outside, so I brought water for you.”Ray Ford, a freelancer, introduces himself and compliments me on the Jamaica story. “It’s rare somebody from the outside gets the essence of a story right,” he says.August 31
Three wickets in three balls. Six out of the seven wickets to fall in the day. Twelve Test matches and five five-wicket hauls. Now that I have had time to process what happened, I can’t believe I got to watch Jasprit Bumrah’s hat-trick live. I got to hear the ball rap the pads, see his sheepish smile, feel Kohli’s emotions as he said, “What a bowler, man.” A special, special day.Olando finds a camera phone in his face while he enjoys his coconut fish curry meal•Aishwarya Kumar/ESPNcricinfo LtdSeptember 1

I want to try Jamaican jerk chicken, so Olando and I set out for Pepperwood, tucked into a gap in a parking lot in Kingston. When we pull into the parking spot, I don’t see anything at first. Then I spy a small gate opening into a green pathway and there it is – a huge counter where meat is being prepped, and wooden tables and chairs surrounded by green ivy. The chicken is juicy, smoky and spicy, and the fried green plantains that come on the side are perfect with it.September 2
I step out of the hotel early to buy a bag of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. I had had a cup at the hotel and it was one of the most exquisite things I’d ever tasted – rich, acidic and nutty but not bitter. I’m the first customer at the Wallenford Coffee Company and walk out with a huge jute bag of medium-roasted whole beans.The Test, and the series, end early on day four. I head out for some local seafood. Olando then takes me to historic Devon House, a Caribbean Victorian house built in the 19th century, for some “I Scream,” which is No. 4 in ‘s list of “Top ten places to eat ice cream in the world”. The Devon Stout, a beer-based ice cream, is bitter, sweet and beer-y.September 3
It’s my last day in the Caribbean, so I pack in as much sightseeing as I can. I head to the Bob Marley Museum and then drive up to the village of Port Royal, the harbour located at the end of the Palisadoes. The village, which was founded by the Spanish in 1518, offers guided history tours and some seafood at Hellshire beach. One last incredibly fresh seafood meal before heading back to the US.

Tottenham Hotspur “would like to sign” a “sensational” forward, who has now expressed his desire to leave his current club this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Spurs pursuing a forward

In truth, Tottenham may feel the need to strengthen in a number of positions in the summer transfer window, after what has been a disastrous Premier League campaign, but they appear to be particularly keen on strengthening their attacking options.

West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus has recently been revealed as a potential target, with Spurs joining Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Nassr in the race for the Ghanaian winger, who has an asking price of £74m.

A new striker is also of interest to the Lilywhites, given that Dominic Solanke and Richarlison haven’t exactly been prolific when fully-fit, and they have now held talks with Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, after the Englishman’s impressive breakout campaign.

52-year-old spotted at Spurs after Levy talks as pundit tips appointment

The Lilywhites chairman has sat down with him recently.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 12, 2025

Delap is expected to leave Ipswich this summer, with his side almost certain to be relegated from the Premier League, and one of Europe’s big-name wingers could also be on the move, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

In a recent update on X, Plettenberg revealed Coman has now “internally expressed his desire to leave” Bayern Munich this summer, which has led to interest from Saudi Arabia, with multiple clubs now planning to hold talks over a deal.

Following the winger’s transfer request, Tottenham have also been named as potential suitors, but his high salary could be a stumbling block, which means they currently remain in a “waiting position”.

Arsenal could also provide competition for the 28-year-old’s signature, with a move to the Emirates Stadium viewed as “the most concrete option” in England, indicating they are currently ahead of their north London rivals in the race.

"Sensational" Coman has track record of success

Tottenham still have a chance to make this season a success, should they prevail in the Europa League, however, they are at serious risk of missing out on yet another trophy.

As such, it could make sense to pursue new players with a track record of success this summer, and the Bayern Munich winger certainly fits the bill in that regard, having won 10 league titles, as well as the Champions League in 2020.

The Frenchman has also proven himself as a reliable source of goals and assists during his time with Bayern, having picked up 138 goal contributions in 329 appearances for the German club.

Previous reports have revealed that Coman could be available for a fee of £38m this summer, and having also been lauded as “sensational” by members of the media, there are plenty of indications he could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.

Liverpool are close to being crowned Premier League champions and could start the summer with aplomb if they can land one of England’s top offensive talents, per reports.

Liverpool on the verge of sealing Premier League crown

Arne Slot has become a hero among Liverpool supporters and will soon deliver the reality of becoming the first Reds team in the modern day to claim the title in front of their own supporters at Anfield. With the Premier League title race a forgone conclusion, only a point is required at home to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend to ensure fans are sent into scenes of jubilation on Merseyside.

Celebrations will be in order after what feels like weeks of Liverpool having to store their champagne in cold storage, but what happens when the novelty wears off and the defending champions turn their attention to next term?

Presumably, an exciting summer window will be in store, and reports suggest the Reds are already eyeing a double swoop for Bournemouth pair Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez to kick things off. Looking to pull off some ambitious deals, Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong is another Liverpool target as they plan for all scenarios, including a potential move for Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Man City and Liverpool eyeing £165m Chelsea "superstar" with approach made

They are “sniffing around” him

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 24, 2025

Title victories can often embolden managers to stick with the options they have to compete for further silverware later down the line. However, football is constantly evolving, so there can be no expense spared in the hunt for greatness.

Keeping that in mind, Liverpool could now sign one of the Premier League’s most renowned attacking threats for a discount, per recent developments.

Liverpool could land Mohammed Kudus for discounted price

According to Football Insider, Liverpool could land West Ham United forward Mohammed Kudus for a discount as they look for upgrades on their current attacking ranks. Despite retaining an £80 million release clause involving domestic clubs, the Ghana international could be allowed to leave the London Stadium for a fee in the region of £70 million, and the report claims the Reds are “definite” he would be an upgrade on their current forward options.

Labelled “brilliant” by Alan Shearer, Kudus has been a mainstay either on the flank or through the middle this term, registering three goals and three assists in 30 appearances across all competitions. The Hammers have endured a disappointing campaign to say the least, though the 24-year-old has also created 30 chances on league duty as his side stand on the verge of beating the drop.

Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz could be cashed in on by Liverpool to create room for Kudus, who has become one of their top targets to fill any void left by sales this summer. Undoubtedly, the former Ajax man is in need of a new challenge and Merseyside could be the best environment possible for him to continue thriving in the English top-flight.

Tottenham Hotspur are now closely monitoring an “exceptional” attacking midfielder, who is also a target for Champions League semi-finalists Paris Saint-Germain, according to a report.

Spurs set sights on new midfielder

Tottenham have fallen way short of expectations in the Premier League this season, but they took a huge step towards Champions League qualification by progressing past Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League earlier this week.

With Ange Postecoglou’s side set to take on Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final, they should, on paper, stand a very good chance of going all the way in the competition, which would allow them to compete for some top players in the summer transfer window.

A new midfielder is of particular interest to Spurs, and they have recently been handed a boost in their pursuit of Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson, with it being revealed the 20-year-old is privately considering a move to north London, despite interest from Manchester City.

Tottenham: £10m manager "invited" to Spurs talks with approach made

The Lilywhites want to hold discussions.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 19, 2025

There appears to be a focus on youth ahead of the summer window, with it being revealed Tottenham are also keen on signing Sunderland starlet Jobe Bellingham, who could be available for around £20m.

A move for Bellingham wouldn’t break the bank, but there is another target on the shortlist who could also be available for a relatively low fee, with a report from Spain revealing Spurs are interested in signing FC Como’s Nico Paz.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also in the race for Paz, while Real Madrid hold a buy-back clause, which allows them to snap up their former player for just €9m (£8m), giving them an advantage over the other interested clubs.

That said, the Lilywhites are doing everything they can to win the race for the 20-year-old, whose market value could increase considerably, should he maintain his current levels of performance.

"Exceptional" Paz flourishing in the Serie A

The former Real Madrid man was unable to make the grade in La Liga, but he has flourished since making the move to Como last summer, picking up six goals and seven assists in 30 Serie A appearances.

It should be little surprise that the Spanish-born midfielder is performing very well in Italy, however, given that former Real Madrid man Toni Kroos spoke very highly of him during his time at the Bernabeu, saying: “This lad (Nico Paz) should be training with us every day because he’s exceptional.”

Not only that, but manager and fellow legendary midfielder Cesc Fabregas has also praised the Como star this season, saying: “Nico enjoys playing, he can play different roles and he is a very complete player.”

“I see a very, very big potential in him.”

As such, Paz could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham this summer, but it could be difficult to compete with Real Madrid, should the Spanish side formalise their interest.

Chelsea are poised for yet another summer of spending.

Since Todd Boehly took over at Chelsea three years ago, the club have signed over 40 first-team players for in excess of £1bn, but are not forecast to slow down in the transfer market any time soon.

However, they could keep their powder dry and not make a move for a highly-rated English youngster, given that a certain wonderkid is already set to arrive in West London this summer.

Chelsea's interest in Jamie Gittens

According to a report by German publication Bild, Chelsea, as well as newly re-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, are ‘interested’ in signing Jamie Gittens this summer, with Borussia Dortmund valuing their star winger at around £85m.

The 20-year-old Englishman, who previously spent time at Chelsea’s academy, has played a starring role during an otherwise disappointing season for die Schwarzgelben, scoring 12 goals across all competitions, earning widespread praise.

Seb Stafford-Bloor of the Athletic believes he has become one of Europe’s ‘most destructive players’, adding that he ‘influences matches’ and is a ‘game-breaker’, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a ‘direct winger’, praising his ‘quick feet [and] trickery’.

Gittens is obviously a high-quality, high-potential attacker, but Chelsea already have a bigger talent on their hands, who they should prioritise before making any more big-money signings.

Chalkboard

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

The future superstar on his way to Chelsea

Back in June 2024, it was confirmed that Chelsea had completed the signing of teenager Estêvão Willian from Palmeiras for a reported fee of £29m, which could rise to £55m, with the Brazilian set to arrive in West London this summer, having now celebrated his 18th birthday.

As noted by Arthur Ferridge of the Evening Standard, Estêvão​​​​​​​ will remain with Palmeiras for the Club World Cup before moving to Chelsea afterwards, meaning he could face his future employers this summer; the duo are on course to potentially clash in the quarter-finals.

Despite the fact he’s been 18 for under a fortnight, Estêvão is one of the most highly-rated youngsters on the planet, and the table below will outline why.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels the teenager a “world-class talent”, analyst Ben Mattinson believes the “superstar” is a “future Ballon d’Or winner”, while international teammate Neymar believes the “big talent…. will be a genius” in the near future.

That’s certainly high praise for a player still in his teenage years.

Nathalia Tavares from Breaking the Lines outlines that the winger​​​​​​​ ‘is a left-footed attacker’ who has predominantly been deployed on the right flank, describing him as ‘creative’ and ‘capable of carrying the ball’ forward, impressed by his ‘excellent’ link-up play and ‘natural flair’.

On top of this, Luis Kircher from Total Football Analysis praises his maturity and ‘understanding of how to influence games’, describing his astronomical rise as ‘nothing short of sensational’.

So, let’s assess his statistics in last season’s Brasileirão.

As the table outlines, despite limited minutes, his statistics last season were exceptional, doing so at a high level too; Global Football Rankings believes the Brasileirão to be the sixth-strongest league in the world, making it the best outside Europe.

The teenager ranks first for pretty much every dribbling-related metric included – underlining his comparisons to Gittens – while his tally of 13 goals, bettered only by Yuri Alberto​​​​​​​ and Alerrandro, is also eye-catching and noteworthy.

Thus, while, of course, Gittens is undeniably a top talent too, Chelsea should resist the temptation to splash another £85m on a youngster, instead prioritising making space in the squad for Estêvão, who’ll be ready to explode once he arrives in July.

Best signing since Palmer: Chelsea could land a £60m Gyokeres alternative

Chelsea should sign a “clinical” Premier League striker instead of Viktor Gyökeres

By
Ben Gray

May 4, 2025