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Cameron Bancroft expects to have fully recovered from his shoulder injury to captain Gloucestershire at the start of the 2025 County Championship season, and is targeting a return for Western Australia next month.Bancroft was involved in a sickening commission with Daniel Sams while fielding for Sydney Thunder in the BBL in January, and has revealed that he has suffered from a level of “trauma” since the injury. He has not played since after breaking his nose and shoulder, but is hoping to be back involved in the Sheffield Shield in March before heading over to England.Gloucestershire announced on Wednesday that he will captain their Championship side this year, stepping into the role after Graeme van Buuren stepped down at the end of last season. Bancroft told the club’s channels that he is recovering “pretty well” and “getting close” to full fitness.Related

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“The shoulder’s tracking alright. Obviously [there was] a little bit of trauma there to deal with and manage,” Bancroft said. “I’m definitely learning some things that I’ve seen a lot of other players experience. It takes time for the body to heal… I’m getting really close and looking forward to playing some cricket at the start of March.”Bancroft impressed across formats for Gloucestershire in 2024, scoring three Championship hundreds and finishing as their leading run-scorer as they won the T20 Blast. He is due back for the full season in 2025, and head coach Mark Alleyne said that his attitude last year made him the ideal choice as captain.”Cameron had an impressive year with us in 2024 and led by example in everything he did,” Alleyne said. “I love his dedication to preparation and his subsequent transference of that in the middle. His experience of playing Test match cricket and winning four-day titles gives him a broad base of experience which our players can feed off.”Gloucestershire finished second-bottom of Division Two last year, but Bancroft believes they can push for promotion. “We had great lessons last year,” he said. “We’ll draw on those lessons, keep working on our strengths and the things we’re really good at. If we can do that, we’re going to be a team that’s going to be really hard to beat and be really competitive.”

Newcastle United supporters are waiting to see who could replace Alexander Isak at St James’ Park. Still, Eddie Howe is also interested in filling the void left by Callum Wilson’s departure and may now be making progress on that front.

Newcastle United consult several striking options amid Isak uncertainty

Alexander Isak continues to push for a move to Liverpool, leaving Howe searching for a replacement figure to replicate his excellent goalscoring exploits should the Sweden international depart the North East this summer.

Joining the striker merry-go-round, Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson is wanted by Newcastle after news that the Magpies have missed out on RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko to Manchester United despite their best efforts.

His peculiar red card offence at St James’ Park would signal a suspension period upon joining. Still, AC Milan could offer the Senegal international another high-profile alternative destination to Stamford Bridge.

Per David Ornstein, the Magpies could move for Porto’s Samu Aghehowa and he is high up on the list of potential candidates to take on their striking vacancy.

Brentford’s Yoann Wissa is another prolific forward being targeted by Newcastle, and reports suggest £35 million could be enough to seal a deal, albeit the Bees may opt to play hardball before offloading their star man to a Premier League rival.

Surprisingly, the DR Congo international could be paired with Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who may be less at the forefront in the West Midlands following Evann Guessand’s transfer to Unai Emery’s men.

Newcastle open talks to sign "fantastic" midfielder who's keen on SJP move

Eddie Howe has already approved…

3

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 7, 2025

There are plenty of spinning plates in the window and stories constantly breaking as the days draw closer to the end of market activity, offering encouragement to the Magpies that plenty of time is still there to recruit key targets.

While Isak’s future is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, Howe may be about to take a step closer in the hunt for a Wilson replacement.

Newcastle eyeing surprise move for Michail Antonio

According to Dave OCKOP, Newcastle are plotting a move to sign striker Michail Antonio after he left West Ham United upon the expiration of his contract, making it a one-in-one-out on the free agent transfers.

The Jamaica international was involved in a car crash late last year and has since fully recovered from the incident. However, the Hammers weren’t able to tie him down despite the offer of a new deal at the London Stadium, creating a scenario where he could head to the North East.

Labelled “brilliant” by Jake Humphrey, Antonio registered 83 goals and 42 assists in 323 appearances for West Ham across all competitions, with 68 of his strikes coming in the Premier League.

Now set for a new challenge, the 35-year-old could be a financially advantageous short-term option to bolster Newcastle’s forward line, though it may be counterproductive to bring in someone at the twilight stage of their career at the expense of William Osula.

In what would be their signing of the summer so far, Everton have reportedly launched an opening offer to welcome a midfield star ahead of Premier League rivals.

Latest on Everton's potential incomings

After already signing Thierno Barry and Mark Travers whilst also welcoming Carlos Alcaraz on a permanent deal following a successful loan spell, Everton have now reportedly turned towards fresh targets. The Friedkin Group, clearly out to make a statement in their first summer at the helm, have also reportedly set their sights on the likes of Samuel Lino from Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey.

Ramsey would particularly be one to watch if he arrived at The Hill Dickinson Stadium ahead of next season, but it remains to be seen whether Everton can win the race for his signature. Despite his clear talent, the midfielder is likely to be an affordable option amid Aston Villa’s PSR problems – allowing the Toffees to come swooping in.

Going forward, Ramsey would be a particular upgrade on James Garner in the middle of David Moyes’ side. At just 24 years old too, the Aston Villa man is about to enter his prime years, making now the best time to move in for his signature.

That said, it’s not just Ramsey that the Toffees have set their sights on. Midfield seems to be the area of focus currently and names such as Tomas Soucek has also been mentioned as a result.

Everton leading race to sign "interesting" Atletico star who's now free to leave

He’s on the move this summer.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 17, 2025

Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that Everton are set to submit an imminent £12m bid to sign the West Ham United star and hand Moyes a reunion with the midfielder.

The same, meanwhile, can be said about another transfer target, with Everton now reportedly launching their opening offer for his signature.

Everton launch first Douglas Luiz offer

According to TeamTalk, Everton have launched an opening offer to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus in a loan-to-buy deal. The Brazilian is reportedly open to a return to the Premier League just one year on from his decision to swap Aston Villa for Turin. And as Juventus look to show him the door, it’s the Toffees who are primed to take full advantage.

The midfielder would be an impressive coup, given his Premier League experience and reports that former club Aston Villa are interested in a swift reunion this summer.

Juventus are reportedly hoping for a package worth €35m (£30m) for Luiz this summer, but it remains to be seen whether Everton’s opening offer has reached that price.

Even after struggling in Serie A though, there’s no doubt that the Brazilian would be worth splashing out on. Aston Villa sporting director, Monchi, has been one of many to share praise for Luiz in recent years – telling reporters last season: “He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player.”

“I can promise you, they [are] going to get looked after amazingly well. The young cricket fans adore them”

Alex Malcolm31-Oct-2024Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes India will get looked after “amazingly well” if they travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in February next year and reckons it would be a great thing for cricket.”I think whatever I’m reading, there are positive vibes from [the] Indian government and [the] BCCI,” Akram said. “I also read somewhere they will play probably all their games in Lahore. They will probably come to Lahore and travel [back] the same night. I’m all for it, as long as India is comfortable.”And I can promise you, they [are] going to get looked after amazingly well. I mean, Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, [Hardik] Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, they have fans in Pakistan. The young cricket fans adore them.”Related

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Champions Trophy 2025: PCB draft schedule has all India games in Lahore

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) remains intent on hosting the entire Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan between February 19 and March 9. It has even proposed to have all of India’s matches take place in Lahore, which is close to the Indian border and makes logistics and security hurdles less complicated. The PCB also said that it would grant about 17,000 visas to Indian fans who wanted to follow their team. The final will be held in Lahore, as will any semi-final that India play, if they qualify.Speaking ahead of Pakistan’s six-match ODI and T20I tour of Australia that begins on Monday, Akram was hopeful India would come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.”People-to-people contact is very important in this day and age,” he said. “In this social media age, there’s so much negativity all over the world, unnecessary negativity in my opinion, and I think if India come, it will be great for cricket, and of course, it’ll be great for Pakistan too.”India have not played an international match in Pakistan since 2008, and the UAE is believed to be the likeliest – though not only – alternate venue should any part of the Champions Trophy be moved out. The BCCI did not send a team to Pakistan last year for the Asia Cup, prompting the tournament to be shifted to a hybrid model with the latter stages played in Sri Lanka.But Pakistan did travel to India right after that for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they missed out on a semi-final spot.Earlier this month, the ECB’s chief executive Richard Gould and chair Richard Thompson, said that there are “lots of different alternatives and contingencies available” in the event that India do not travel to Pakistan, raising the possibility of a hybrid model being used.The Champions Trophy will feature eight teams, with two groups of four, followed by semi-finals and a final. The competing teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

Partnerships between Markram and de Zorzi and then Verreynne and Mulder help South Africa take a big lead

Firdose Moonda16-Aug-2024With a lead of 239 and five wickets in hand on a surface that got better to bat on as the day went on, South Africa put fingertips on the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy.Eight wickets fell on another action-packed day in Guyana where the advantage ebbed and flowed. South Africa took two early on but West Indies’ last pair got them close to drawing level in the first innings. Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph shared a 10th-wicket stand of 40 – the second-highest in the West Indian innings – to turn the match into all but a one-innings game and in that game, South Africa will feel they have the advantage.An opening stand of 79, half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Kyle Verreynne and an unbeaten 84-run sixth-wicket partnership between Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder – the highest of the series so far – all put South Africa in a strong position. But, with plenty of time left in the game, West Indies will not be too disheartened, especially as they have seen how quickly wickets fall early on.South Africa lost four in the first session of day one and West Indies three on day two, which could provide West Indies with an opportunity early on the third day. The pitch is expected to be at its best on the third afternoon and West Indies will want to be batting by then, especially with a big chase in their sights. Before they get there, West Indies will rely on their attack, particularly hometown hero Joseph, and Jayden Seales, who took 2 for 7 in his third spell, to get rid of South Africa’s middle and lower order. So far, they have held up well after a mini-collapse which saw South Africa lose 4 for 19 in nine overs after a solid start of 120 for 1.South Africa’s openers were tested upfront with seam movement from Seales and tight lines from Holder. Markram edged Holder short of first slip at the end of his first over but settled when he drove Seales for four through cover point five balls later. Tony de Zorzi was hit on the back pad by Seales and flirted with a run-out chance when he pushed a single off Holder but pulled Seales off his toes to announce himself. South Africa went to lunch unscathed on 30 without loss.Runs came quickly after the break and South Africa had more than doubled their morning score to 66 in 4.4 overs after the interval when they offered their first real chance. De Zorzi edged Holder to the left of wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, who dived low to try and take the catch but could not hold on. De Zorzi was on 36 off 41 at the time and added only three runs off the next 31 balls he faced before he nicked off to give Seales a well-earned reward. De Zorzi punched his bat in frustration as he walked off when the opening stand was broken.Markram and Tristan Stubbs eked out six runs off the next four overs while they bided time but Stubbs’ patience seemed to be tested when he edged Gudakesh Motie past slip for three. Stubbs’ first boundary came off the 21st ball he faced when he reverse swept Motie through third but he did not look entirely comfortable at any point in the session. He survived an lbw appeal off Holder and held his end through to tea. Markram was lucky to get there when, on 42, he drove Motie to Alick Athanaze at silly mid-off but was put down. South Africa were 111 for 1 at the tea break, 127 runs ahead.Three overs into the final session, Markram reached 50 off 104 balls but seven balls after that was struck on the back foot to a Motie delivery that straightened and was given out lbw. Temba Bavuma could have been out on his third ball when he edged an away seamer from Joseph but it did not carry to slip. Motie had better luck when Bavuma went forward to a length ball, was hit on the pad. The umpire didn’t think it was out, but West Indies successfully reviewed to have the decision overturned.Jayden Seales and Gudakesh Motie brought about wickets in a cluster•AFP/Getty ImagesThat wicket sparked a mini-collapse. In the next over, Stubbs edged Seales to Da Silva and two overs after that David Bedingham was bowled to give Seales a second wicket in three overs and give the hosts a chance of keeping South Africa’s lead under 200. Mulder and Verreynne took them over that mark. They were in danger of being separated 12 minutes before the end of play when Mulder was given out lbw in Seales’ fourth spell but he reviewed and ball-tracking showed it was missing leg. The pair accelerated towards the end of the day with 26 runs off the last four overs, which included Verreynne’s fifty off 71 balls – his third in Test cricket. All of his half-centuries, and his only Test hundred so far, have come away from home.Earlier, the last-wicket stand between Holder and Joseph meant West Indies finished just 16 runs adrift of South Africa’s first-innings score of 160. After resuming on 97 for 7, Jomel Warrican chipped an overpitched delivery from Kagiso Rabada to Keshav Maharaj at mid-on to depart for a 16-ball duck.Left-arm seamer Nandre Burger shared the day’s opening duties with Rabada and started off bowling full but in his second over, began a short-ball assault to set up Seales. The first three deliveries of Burger’s third over of the day were increasingly short in length but his fourth was full on the stumps and Seales was struck on the pad and given out lbw.South Africa could have ended West Indies’ innings on the next ball when Joseph edged Burger to Markram at second slip but he could not hold on to a head height catch. The drop proved costly as Joseph went on to score 25 – but was dropped again on 15 by Mulder a third slip – and provided strong support to Holder, who approached the first hour of play with aggression. Holder hit the last ball of Mulder’s first over on the day over long-on for six, to bring up the first half-century of the match and his 14th in Tests. Joseph took on Burger, and hit his short ball behind square leg and past point and then, just for laughs, sent the full one out of the ground. In his first over of the morning, Maharaj beat Joseph’s sweep and had him out lbw and South Africa were batting again 90 minutes into the day.

The former Australia allrounder leaves his role as an assistant coach with Sydney Sixers

AAP14-Jun-2024

Former Australia white-ball captain Cameron White has been identified as the man to coach the Melbourne Renegades back into contention in the BBL.White has signed a three-year deal to replace David Saker, who moved on in May after a disappointing seventh-place finish in his third season at the helm.The 40-year-old White is taking on his first head-coaching job but has worked under Sydney Sixers boss Greg Shipperd for the past two years and was previously an assistant at the Adelaide Strikers.Related

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He inherits a Renegades roster that includes white-ball run-machine Jake Fraser-McGurk, superstar spinners Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon and prized recruit Josh Brown.”I’ve got so many great memories here as a player and achieving success, so to be back in Renegades colours several years later is a thrill,” White said. “The idea of working with this playing group – some really exciting players there, both young and experienced – is really exciting. I’m really looking forward to ripping in and starting my journey as coach.”Renegades came out with pick two in the BBL overseas draft order announced on Thursday.As a player, White represented Australia 142 times across all three formats.  He was best known for his contributions as a middle-order batter in the white-ball sides.While his Test career was limited to four appearances on a 2008 tour of India, White captained the T20I side six times and the ODI side once, in 2011.He was also a member of the Australia side that beat New Zealand in the final to win the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. Domestically, White played during the Renegades’ only BBL championship in 2019.Victoria’s longest-serving Sheffield Shield captain, White amassed more than 7000 first-class runs between his debut as a teenager in the 2000-2001 summer and his final match in 2019.

Aston Villa are now one to watch in the race for an “unbelievable” player, with Unai Emery considered a big admirer, according to a report.

Emery may have to reshape Villa squad this summer

There have been widespread reports suggesting that Emiliano Martinez may leave Villa before the start of the new campaign, and the goalkeeper is not the only player who could move on, with Youri Tielemans recently admitting his future is up in the air.

Speaking on international duty, the Belgian said: “There’s nothing definitive or ruled out about whether I’ll stay or leave. But I feel good at Aston Villa; I feel a lot of confidence from the club and the manager.”

As such, Unai Emery could be tasked with bringing in a new central midfielder this summer, while the manager may also have to bolster his attacking options, given that Marcus Rashford’s loan spell at Villa Park has now come to an end.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jun 10, 2025

Rashford featured at both centre-forward and left-wing during his time with the Villans, who have now made an approach for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, while they are also one to watch in the race for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which has revealed that Emery is a big admirer of Grealish, with the manager in the belief the Englishman would add some creativity to his forward line, but there may be competition for the former Villa man.

Everton are now ready to hold talks over a deal for the left-winger, although the Toffees would only be able to orchestrate a loan deal, and Man City would have to be willing to pay a large amount of his huge £300k-a-week wages.

Newcastle United and Napoli are also in the race for the 29-year-old, with City willing to sanction a departure on the right terms this summer.

"Unbelievable" Grealish could reignite career back at Villa

Villa Park was, of course, the place where the Birmingham-born forward made a name for himself, but while he played a key role in Man City’s historic treble in the 2022-23 season, the England international’s career has stalled in recent times.

The City ace picked up just two goal contributions in the Premier League last season, having arguably regressed since the two seasons he spent in the top flight with his boyhood club.

Season

PL appearances

Goals

Assists

2019-20

36

8

6

2020-21

26

6

12

While he has failed to deliver for City in recent times, Villa fans will be well-aware the winger can be a top player on his day, given his previous exploits, and he has been lauded as “unbelievable” by Pep Guardiola.

Heading back to Villa Park would surely be of great appeal to Grealish, given that European football is set to be on offer next season, and the move could reignite his career.

Everton beat Fulham at Craven Cottage at the weekend to consolidate their position in mid-table. When David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January, the fear of relegation was a palpable thing indeed.

Trailing 1-0 when the fourth official displayed four minutes of stoppage time before the interval, Vitalii Mykolenko struck from outside the box and saw a wicked deflection get the better of Bernd Leno. Michael Keane and Beto struck in the second half to seal a fantastic win on the road.

Keane and Abdoulaye Doucoure (who assisted Mykolenko) are both out of contract next month but produced excellent performances to perhaps suggest they deserve a place at Bramley Moore next season.

However, not everyone facing an exit will have impressed the gaffer.

Everton's worst performers vs Fulham

Moyes knew when taking on the Everton job that he would face a deluge of contractual issues. The arrival of Angus Kinnear, Kevin Thelwell’s replacement in the directors box, makes that task less daunting, but it’s a big one nonetheless.

Keane and Doucoure might be getting on, taking a considerable portion of the wage bill besides, but they are still capable of adding depth and experience to a Blues side fighting for higher ground. However, Ashley Young, 39, is a spring chicken no more and proved that much on Saturday.

The right-back languished against the fleet feet of Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon, still showing off some creativity but being branded with a 5/10 match rating by The Liverpool ECHO, who echoed that sentiment.

Jack Harrison might be a decade younger, but he’s no less expendable. The loanee is about to complete his second year on Merseyside but has ebbed back on multiple occasions this season, with just one goal and one assist across 36 matches in 2024/25.

He too received a 5/10 score from the ECHO, struggling against a Fulham side that limited him to an houer on the field, hooked so that Moyes’ side could achieve more fluency and security in their game.

At least these players earned starting roles. There’s another whose afternoon was spent on the bench. Armando Broja has been unfortunate with injuries this year, but there’s no way Everton should be looking to turn his loan move into a permanent deal this summer.

Moyes must instantly ditch Armando Broja

Everton have been a day late and a dollar short too many times in the transfer market in recent years, with Broja’s signing reminiscent of the frustrating deals that never live up to the hype.

Admittedly, injuries have formed the crux of the 23-year-old’s struggles at Goodison Park this season, for he has only started four times in the Premier League and has failed to score across any competition.

Having been an unused substitute across the past two fixtures now that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit again, it’s clear Moyes does not value the Chelsea man all that highly.

Everton – 24/25

10

0

0

Fulham – 23/24

8

0

1

Chelsea – 23/24

13

1

1

Chelsea – 22/23

12

1

1

Southampton – 21/22

32

6

1

Broja left Stamford Bridge for Merseyside last summer on a one-year loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent for a £30m figure.

Given that the Albania international has scored just two Premier League goals across the past three seasons, Moyes would be unwise to authorise the transfer, especially when considering he hasn’t even hit the target across his 13 appearances as a Toffee, as per Sofascore, only yet to miss a big chance because he hasn’t been presented with one.

He might have been hailed as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell during his time with Southampton, that was a long time ago and he needs to do much more to restore that predatory instinct.

Ultimately, for £30m, Chelsea would be laughing after a third successive Premier League campaign with little success for the centre-forward.

Broja has the talent to make it work at the highest level, but Everton should turn their heads elsewhere.

Forget Beto: Everton starlet showed why he could be a future £100m star

Everton confidently beat Fulham 3-1 on the road courtesy of this top performer in attack.

ByKelan Sarson May 11, 2025

The next few weeks are vital for Enzo Maresca’s future as Chelsea manager, with the Blues having two huge chances for glory currently on their plate before the end of 2024/25.

They face a huge battle for a place in the top five of the Premier League, subsequently securing them Champions League football, whilst also having the chance to win the Europa Conference League.

It remains to be seen if the Italian will be in charge next season should he fail to achieve both of their goals, undoubtedly falling well below the expectations set upon his appointment.

Regardless of what Maresca is able to accomplish between now and the end of May, more signings are expected this summer, to help the side edge one step closer to battling for a title.

The hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with one player already in the frame over a potential summer move to Stamford Bridge.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt to land Dean Huijsen

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have made huge progress in their pursuit of landing Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, but still face serious competition from elsewhere.

Real Madrid and fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United have all been credited with interest in the 19-year-old who has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, one report has claimed that the Blues have held multiple rounds of talks with the defender’s representatives over a potential deal to move to West London.

It remains to whether Huijsen would want a move to Maresca’s side, but the signs are all positive – especially considering his team are still open to negotiations with the club’s hierarchy.

Despite the interest in the Spaniard’s signature, the club already have their own superb talent who’s valued more than Huijsen – highlighting the excellent work the club have done in previous years.

The Chelsea star who’s worth even more than Huijsen

Chelsea have done tremendous work in the transfer market over recent years, getting themselves some bargains even though they’ve spent over £1.2b since 2022.

Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have both cemented their places in the first-team, starring frequently this season, with the latter undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the division – as seen by his Team of the Year nomination.

However, despite the success with the additions, they’ve also managed to develop countless homegrown talents, numerous of which have played a key role in Maresca’s side.

Levi Colwill is just one of those academy players to make the step-up into the professional ranks, missing just three league games in 2024/25 – showcasing his importance to the side.

The 22-year-old has been the most consistent figure at the heart of the backline, going from strength to strength with increased minutes in West London.

When delving into his stats from the current season, it’s evident how impressive he’s been, more than deserving of his place in the England setup over the last couple of months.

Colwill, who’s been labelled “superb” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed a 90% pass accuracy in the Premier League, whilst also managing to win 2.6 aerial battles per 90 – having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

Games played

29

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

90%

Dribble success

63%

Aerials won

2.6

Aerial success

61%

Tackles won

67%

As a result of his performances to date, his market value has soared, now valued at £47m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Huijsen, who’s only valued at £36m.

Given his rise, the club should put more resources into developing young talent, reaping the rewards in the long-term, just as they have done with the 22-year-old.

However, that being said, a partnership of Colwill and Huijsen at the heart of the defence could set them up for future success down the line, given the pair’s tender ages.

Time's up: Maresca must axe 3/10 Chelsea dud who was even worse than Palmer

Chelsea’s 3/10 dud looks out of time after worse performance than Palmer

ByConnor Holden Apr 18, 2025

Very few players dig as deep as he does and over this India series and the Ashes coming up, he’ll need to

Sidharth Monga09-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes is an irrepressible presence•Getty Images

There are many compelling sights in our sport. Right up there is a batting team on the top, the conditions flat, the ball not doing anything at all for the other bowlers, and then Ben Stokes charging in and drawing life out of nowhere in a long spell.Stokes has the rare ability to take you along on the ride. You don’t need to be a cricket connoisseur to know something special is taking place in front of your eyes. You can almost feel the strain he puts himself through, the stretching of every sinew, the twisting away of the torso to create the unusual angle, the high pace eked out of a battered body, the unusualness he extracts from dead conditions, and the satisfaction of having achieved something when it hadn’t seemed possible.It is not magic. In this series, for example, Stokes has swung the ball more than any other fast bowler. His release is wider than most – only Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Tongue have gone wider in this series – and the swing creates problems coming from that angle.Related

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McCullum: 'I've asked time and time again for us to be more aggressive'

Brook moves up to No. 1 in ICC Test rankings

When Stokes is nearing the top of his mark, it seems like he is dragging his feet and has no gas left. They hardly seem to leave the ground, and seem like they are being thrown forward by force. Then he picks up pace and leaves a piece of himself on the pitch. It is tempting to wonder how much better his numbers would have been had he just been a bowler.Every time you feel this must be it for him, he comes back for another over, against the wishes of the coaching staff as his workload needs to be managed. It just doesn’t seem possible for Stokes to have a measured go. Even at press conferences, he is not finishing a chore, but gives thoughtful answers. Despite all his injuries, only a small percentage of his spells is short. Among 27 fast bowlers who have bowled 100 or more spells since 2021, only James Anderson, Matt Henry, Kagiso Rabada and Ollie Robinson have bowled a lower percentage of spells of four overs or fewer.Ben Stokes has made 86 runs from four innings at an average of 21.50 in this series•Getty ImagesThis is also part of the reason why Stokes is rated highly as a captain. His tactics on the field can yo-yo between the astute and a random smokescreen, but he has the ability to drag his team-mates with him, much like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff before him. He doesn’t take the new ball, still bowls long spells, and batted against nature just to get a buy-in into the style of play he and Brendon McCullum wanted England to adopt.Stokes batted at 57.07 per 100 balls before Bazball, and has gone at 66.83 since. At the start, he batted frantically just to drive the message home despite being the one batter in the line-up who was more at home playing traditionally. It is the fall in the batting average from 36.05 to 33 during Bazball era that is starting to hurt England. In matches that Stokes has played in the Bazball era, top seven batters have averaged 38.25 overall. Of course he could ease his own batting load a little by getting in a better batter than Zak Crawley, who averages only 31.79 on some of the flattest tracks of the last decade, but Stokes the captain is not one for half measures.In opting for this way of playing the game in the first place, Stokes has shown courage of conviction to go against the grain. Captains are known to design pitches to suit their bowlers to win matches; Stokes and McCullum saw a weakness in their batting and asked for surfaces that played to their strengths instead, asking batters to make up for it with quick scoring. It hasn’t turned them into world-beaters, and the surfaces haven’t all been the same, but it has improved the results.Stokes will continue to rouse us with those bowling spells and will keep inspiring his team, but eventually the game is won by runs and wickets. He is one of the players who can get away with some leeway because of the way he plays, but the next eight Tests that Stokes plays have the ability to overshadow even that reputation. Especially because it is quite plausible that Stokes retires at the end of the Ashes.A lot – disproportionately so – rides on the next eight Tests. Stokes could perhaps drop down a slot if he feels mentally spent. Jamie Smith has shown signs he can bat in the top six. Alternatively Stokes could perhaps reinforce the batting and drop Shoaib Bashir. A home series against India on the line and the Ashes at the end of the year, runs not coming, rest of the bowling struggling, a body to manage, this is going to be some ride that Stokes will surely take us along on.