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The win was set up by the South Africa fast bowlers, who combined to stop Netherlands at 103 for 9

Shashank Kishore08-Jun-20242:46

Miller: I knew I had to finish the game

South Africa made heavy weather of a modest chase in New York before David Miller and Tristan Stubbs dug deep to save them from a third straight defeat at Netherlands’ hands at an ICC tournament.Miller and Stubbs added 65 for the fifth wicket to lift them from the pits of 12 for 4 on a pitch that didn’t play anywhere as badly as the scorecard suggested, even though there was enough in it for quick bowlers – 13 of the 15 wickets fell to them, while there were two run outs.As he walked out to bat, Miller might have had a flashback of Adelaide 2022, where his wicket, with 47 needed off 28 balls, shut the door on South Africa and gave Netherlands a 13-run win. On Saturday, Miller stayed the course and remained unbeaten on 59, flicking on his best six-hitting self in the penultimate over with South Africa needing 16 off 12.In the end, in a game where 209 runs were scored in 38.5 overs, South Africa won with enough to spare.Vivian Kingma struck twice in the powerplay•AFP/Getty Images

The South African meltdownQuinton de Kock was run out without facing a ball. Reeza Hendricks got a peach from Logan van Beek that angled in and straightened to hit the top of off. Vivian Kingma had the first of a double when he strangled Aiden Markram down leg to leave South Africa 3 for 3. And when Heinrich Klaasen’s rush of blood had him picking out Tim Pringle attempting a pull off Kingma, Netherlands dared to dream – or maybe just expected the expected, considering the recent results between the two sides at ICC events.Miller and Stubbs take overBoth Miller and Stubbs are instinctive batters who love taking the bowlers on. But the situation they walked out to was not for that sort of batting, it was a crisis. A mis-step could have meant curtains. So they chose caution, saw off the powerplay without any further damage, and hit only a further two boundaries until the ten-over mark to leave South Africa needing 72 off the last ten overs.Stubbs was on 9 off 21 at this point, struggling to force the pace, especially when the ball was dug in to the pitch. A hint of grip for the spinners also made it difficult for him to hit out. So when Bas de Leede came on in the 11th, Stubbs gave him the charge and enjoyed a massive slice of luck as a thick inside edge flew wide of the midwicket fielder.Miller, too, rode some luck. A big hit down the ground off left-arm spinner Pringle only just eluded the long-on fielder in the 12th over with South Africa still needing 57 off 50.Stubbs finally shrug off the pressure that had built around him with a hoick for six off Vikramjit Singh, and then launched van Beek down the ground three balls later to turn the tide South Africa’s way.David Miller and Tristan Stubbs put on a match-winning 65-run stand for the fifth wicket•ICC/Getty Images

Miller lands the finishing blowsIt should have been a smooth ride from there, with South Africa needing 29 off 30. But there was another twist. First, Paul van Meekeren delivered a maiden over to Miller, and the pressure showed when Stubbs holed out to deep midwicket in the next, off Bas de Leede. Then, in the 18th, van Beek came back after being walloped for six by Miller to dismiss Marco Jansen.But, with South Africa needing 16 off 12, de Leede erred in line. Miller began the penultimate over by dispatching a half-tracker over fine leg, and then finished the game with a sequence of 2, 0, 4 and 6 – cue a roar and wild fist pumping.Miller had tamed the demons of Adelaide 2022.Sybrand Engelbrecht top-scored for Netherlands after walking out at a ricky time•ICC/Getty Images

Engelbrecht props up NetherlandsSybrand Engelbrecht, who represented South Africa at the Under-19 World Cup in 2008 and only recently made his Netherlands’ debut, top-scored with a 45-ball 40 on surface where the next best among the top seven was 12.At the toss, Netherlands were put in to bat seemingly because South Africa wanted to exploit the morning conditions, and had them tottering at 32 for 4. South Africa’s four-pronged pace attack, led by Marco Jansen, was breathing fire at that stage, with pace and bounce off the pitch for assistance.South Africa’s hostility didn’t end there, with Ottneil Baartman and Anrich Nortje ensuring there weren’t any freebies. This resulted in Netherlands attempting to manufacture strokes, like Scott Edwards did when he executed a reverse scoop for six, but they simply didn’t have enough.It came down to Englebrecht’s patient knock and his 54-run association with van Beek to get them into three figures. It would have been inadequate on most days, but Netherlands can give themselves a pat on the back for making a match out of it to keep Group D very open.

After what feels like an eternity, Glasgow Rangers finally have their man. The 49ers believe that Russell Martin is the manager to take the Ibrox side to the next level.

The former Southampton manager has been out of work since his sacking on the South coast last December and faces a baptism of fire in Glasgow.

Indeed, some sections of the support do not believe he is the right man to lead the club into next season and beyond, citing his failure at the Saints as a main reason.

However, looking at his playing style and his ability to get his team attacking at every opportunity during games, he could well be a success at Rangers.

First things first, the 49ers must back him accordingly and allow Martin to bring in players who fit his system.

Improving the defence is a priority for the Gers this summer, as they haven’t truly replaced Connor Goldson’s presence at the back ever since he left the club last summer.

Why Rangers still need to replace Goldson

Goldson spent six years at Ibrox after joining from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2018, becoming one of Steven Gerrard’s first signings.

Between then and May 2024, the Englishman made a total of 309 competitive appearances for the Light Blues, missing just 22 games through injury across six seasons.

He was a beacon of consistency, no doubt about that. The time was right for the club to sell him, however, as the 2023/24 campaign saw several mistakes creep into his game.

There were times that he regularly got caught out by long balls over the top, but one under-par season shouldn’t detract from just how effective he was before that.

He was perhaps at his best during the 2020/21 campaign. That year, Rangers won their first league title in a decade, going through the whole league season undefeated in the process.

Connor Goldson’s statistics at Rangers

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

48

0

3

2022/23

38

3

3

2021/22

61

4

4

2020/21

56

8

3

2019/20

52

4

2

2018/19

54

4

0

Via Transfermarkt

Goldson didn’t miss a single Premiership game as the club conceded just 13 goals, keeping 26 clean sheets.

The Englishman won a staggering 71% of his total duels per game that term, while also making three clearances, 1.3 tackles and being dribbled past only 0.2 times per game in the top flight.

Goldson was at his peak then, and while the level may have dipped over the following few seasons, he remained the first-choice centre-back under a succession of managers.

To replace him last year, Philippe Clement brought in Robin Propper. The move didn’t exactly work out as planned, and it appears as though he is set to leave after a single season.

It looks as though money is available for Martin to bolster his squad this summer. Signing a couple of defenders is certainly high on the list.

Could he potentially bring in someone whom he signed for two of his three previous clubs to Ibrox? It would prove to be a shrewd move if he does…

Martin's dream first signing at Rangers

In order to get the fans onside straight away, Martin will have to offload the deadwood and sign some excellent players. Several names have been linked prior to his appointment, including Cameron Burgess, Metinho and Largie Ramazani recently.

Now it looks as though the newest target is familiar to Martin, which means Rangers could soon make their first summer signing.

Harry Darling is a defender who played under Martin at both Swansea and MK Dons and could make for a fairly solid first signing under the new manager, especially with the Light Blues now joining the chase for his signature.

The centre-back is out of contract at Swansea, meaning he wouldn’t cost the Gers a penny, with the Daily Record naming him as a potential option for the club last month.

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Wrexham, Stoke City and Norwich City are also keen on him. However, the allure of playing under Martin, plus the chance to win trophies and play European football, means Glasgow is likely his preferred destination.

If so, he could be an ideal replacement for Goldson.

Why Rangers must sign Harry Darling

Darling joined Swansea in 2022 and made 112 appearances across his three seasons with the Welsh side.

The 25-year-old managed to score 12 goals, indicating that he can provide a goal threat at set pieces, akin to Goldson at Rangers.

In the Championship last season, Darling won 65% of his total duels contested per game. He showcased his strengths in one-on-one battles.

Elsewhere, the defender made five clearances, recovered 3.9 balls and made 0.8 tackles per game in the second tier, having notably been praised by his manager Luke Williams after a “heroic” performance against West Bromwich Albion at the turn of the year.

The thing that stands out is his attacking qualities. Indeed, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top 14 leagues, Darling ranks in the top 3% for non-penalty goals, the top 4% for total shots and in the top 7% for assists per 90.

He loves to get forward as often as possible, evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty area and in the top 15% for progressive carries per 90 for Swansea.

These statistics suggest Darling would be a solid signing for Rangers ahead of the new season.

Not only does he have an excellent rapport with Martin, but the Englishman is capable of offering a threat in the opposition penalty area.

Signing a player with this quality for nothing could see the new manager get off to a promising start in his new role.

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Posts ByBrett Worthington Jun 5, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are firmly in the running to sign a “complete” £50 million player this summer, and Real Madrid are believed to rate him extremely highly behind-the-scenes.

Tottenham cruise into Europa League final after Bodo/Glimt

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has a golden chance to make good on his early-season promise, with the Australian stating that he always wins trophies during his second season in charge.

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The Lilywhites’ torrid season domestically, where they’ve chalked up a record-equalling 19 Premier League defeats, has placed mounting pressure on Postecoglou amid reports he could leave at the end of the season (The Telegraph).

If the 59-year-old does end up departing north London, the best parting gift possible would be winning Tottenham’s first piece of major silverware since 2008, and this is now a distinct possibility after their 2-0 win at Bodo/Glimt on Thursday evening.

Tottenham’s final Premier League fixtures

Date

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro confirmed Spurs’ place in the Bilbao final on May 21, where they will play Premier League rivals Man United in a mouth-watering contest which has the potential to save either side’s season.

Tottenham’s professionally done win, at a ground where the hosts had reigned victorious in 28 of their last 34 European matches prior, resulted in Postecoglou’s side eventually sailing through to the final with a 5-1 win on aggregate.

“The players were outstanding,” said Postecoglou on his Tottenham players after their win over Bodo/Glimt.

“They were well-prepared tonight, the staff did a great job of making sure the boys were really clear about what we needed to do. They executed it perfectly. It’s been well-chronicled in the last few days it’s a difficult place to come through, they’ve got a really imposing home record, not just with wins but with goals, I thought the lads just handled it really well, as they have throughout this European campaign, particularly the knock-out stages, and credit to them, I thought they did an outstanding job.”

Tottenham make "formal" offer to Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen

Winning the Europa League, and subsequently confirming a place in next season’s Champions League draw, could also play a crucial role in the club’s transfer plans this summer.

One of their reported targets is Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, following the Spaniard’s exceptional debut campaign on the British Isles, but competition is rife for his signature.

His £50 million release clause has piqued interest from all over the Premier League and beyond, with Real Madrid chiefs convinced he’s the best possible signing available on the market in Huijsen’s position.

That is according to Cadena SER, who also report that Tottenham have now made Huijsen a “formal” offer to join them.

While this sounds promising, a host of Spurs’ rivals have done the same, while it is also believed that the 20-year-old’s camp have hired a law firm to help facilitate a potential move to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Real appear to be Huijsen’s preference as things stand, despite Spurs’ proposal, so Postecoglou’s side face a serious battle to sign the ex-Juventus starlet.

Called a “complete” player already by Jamie Redknapp, Huijsen is very highly-rated within the beautiful game, and his next destination will be one of the big sagas of this summer.

Celtic failed to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership when they were beaten 1-0 by St. Johnstone away from home on Sunday.

The Hoops had the chance to move 16 points clear at the top of the division after their city rivals Rangers had been beaten 2-0 on Saturday by Hibernian, but failed to pick up a singe point of their own a day later.

Celtic had 26 shots on goal, nine of which were on target, and did not do enough to beat Andrew Fisher, who saved all nine of those efforts on target, between the sticks for the Saints.

The likes of Nicolas Kuhn, who was substituted at half-time in the match, Daizen Maeda, and Jota all ended the game without helping the team to find the back of the net.

It was an off-colour performance from Jota on the left wing as he played 76 minutes without scoring a goal or creating a ‘big chance’ for his teammates, although he did register a shot on target and two key passes.

Why Jota has been a great signing for Celtic

The Hoops swooped to sign the Portuguese forward on a permanent deal from Rennes in the recent January transfer window for a reported fee of £8m, 18 months on from his £25m move from Parkhead to Al Ittihad.

His performance against St. Johnstone was not reflective of his form since making that return to Glasgow from France at the start of the year, though, as he has been a great signing for Brendan Rodgers so far.

The 26-year-old talent has scored four goals, created three ‘big chances’, and assisted two goals in six starts and three substitute appearances in the Premiership since his £8m switch, which shows that he has been incredibly productive in the final third for the Scottish giants.

Goals

0.71

Top 4%

xG

0.52

Top 4%

xG on target

0.76

Top 1%

Shots on target

1.60

Top 1%

Assists

0.32

Top 16%

Chances created

2.13

Top 20%

As you can see in the table above, his statistics also place him very highly among his positional peers in the Premiership, as he has been one of the most frequent scorers and creators in the division per 90.

These statistics also show that he is well on his way to replicating the kind of form that earned him his £25m move to Saudi Arabia in 2023 in the first place.

As you can see in the graphic above, Jota consistently provided a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Premiership during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns under Ange Postecoglou earlier in his Celtic career.

Whilst the Hoops managed to bring the former Benfica man back to the club in January, the Bhoys did lose a talent last summer who could have become Jota 2.0 at Parkhead in Rocco Vata.

Why Rocco Vata deserved more chances at Celtic

The Irish youngster came up through the academy system at Parkhead and only made six appearances in the first-team before he left the club at the end of his contract last summer to sign for Watford.

After four appearances in the Premiership under Postecoglou in the 2022/23 campaign, Vata was not given many chances to impress at senior level by Rodgers last season.

The teenage sensation made two appearances, one in the Premiership and one in the SFA Cup, and played 29 minutes of football in the first-team, scoring against Buckie Thistle in his 26 minutes of cup action.

Vata, who was valued at £43k by Transfermarkt at the end of his Celtic career, scored 12 goals in 15 Lowland League matches in the 2023/24 campaign and scored in his only appearance that lasted more than three minutes for the first-team, but that was not enough to earn him any more outings for Rodgers.

The Ireland international took his chances, limited as they were, when they came and excelled as a goalscorer at youth level, yet still did not get more than three minutes of Premiership football in the entire season, leading to his move to Watford last summer.

Rocco Vata's soaring market value

At the time of writing (07/04/2025), Vata is currently valued at £854k by Transfermarkt and this means that his value has soared by a whopping 1,886% in the 2024/25 campaign from the £43k he was rated at by the end of his time in Glasgow.

His market value has skyrocketed as a result of his exposure to regular first-team football with Watford in the English Championship, as the Hornets have been willing to offer him the senior minutes that his promise at Celtic suggested that he deserved.

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The 19-year-old talent has racked up 31 first-team appearances and 1,282 minutes of action in all competitions so far this season, including 27 outings in the Championship, after his 29 minutes of football for the Hoops this term.

Vata, whose screamer against Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup is shown above, has shown that he has what it takes to play regular football at senior level, and that he can contribute at the top end of the pitch.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed that the Irish whiz, who has been playing on the left wing of late for Watford, had an “exciting” future ahead of him during his time at Parkhead, and his potential is finally starting to shine through.

Appearances

27

Starts

10

xG

2.35

Goals

3

Big chances created

4

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, Vata has been directly involved in six goals in ten starts in the second tier for Watford so far this season, which shows that he is well on the path to delivering goals and assists on a regular basis.

His return of 23 goals in 34 matches for Celtic’s B team showed that he had the potential to be a Jota-esque figure on the wing, by finding the back of the net on a regular basis, whilst he has now added creativity to his performances with the Hornets.

The Hoops, therefore, messed up when they failed to keep him at Parkhead last summer because they lost a player who could have developed into their next version of Jota on the wing, with the quality that he displayed at youth level in Glasgow and at Watford this season.

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Celtic could have had their own homegrown star, whose value is now soaring at an exceptional rate, but they will now have to watch from afar as his career develops in England.

Vote for the best individual Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance by an Indian in Australia since 2000

Shashank Kishore21-Oct-2024Update: This poll has ended. Sachin Tendulkar’s performance goes into the quarter-finals. Check the other polls here.ESPNcricinfo LtdSachin Tendulkar celebrates his double-century at the SCG in 2004•William West/AFP via Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar – 241* & 60* in Sydney, 2004

Match drawn, series drawn 1-1Sachin Tendulkar’s form with the series level 1-1 hadn’t been reassuring. His cover driving had caused three dismissals in the first three Tests, and he was determined not to fall for the bait at the SCG. His 241* in the first innings – his highest Test score at the time – was a remarkable example of his discipline and ability to find a way.Tendulkar did not play the cover drive, even when the Australian bowlers offered easy temptation, and entirely cut out a faulty part of his game. He batted for more than ten hours and helped India amass 705, shutting down Australia’s hopes of a series win. His unbeaten 60 off 89 balls in the second innings was compiled with more freedom, as India pushed towards a declaration. However, a setting a target of 443 left them with too little time to take ten wickets and achieve what would have been a historic series win.Watch the highlights of these performances on the Star Sports network at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm IST, from October 22 onwards.Virender Sehwag saved the Adelaide Test for India in 2008•AFP

Virender Sehwag – 63 & 151 in Adelaide, 2008

Match drawn, India lost the series 2-1After winning in Perth, India began the final Test in Adelaide 2-1 down and Virender Sehwag gave them a cracking start, his 63 off 90 balls laying the platform for a first-innings total of 526. But Australia responded with 563 and the visitors were under fire to save the game.Sehwag was in Australia only on his captain Anil Kumble’s insistence, and he wasn’t known to be a second-innings performer. He ended up batting for nearly six hours, doing un-Sehwag things like going an entire session without a boundary, and scored his 13th century – his first in the second innings of a Test. He went through his gears, ensuring runs came despite wickets falling, to put India’s lead well out of Australia’s reach. Sehwag finished on 151; the next highest score in India’s total of 269 for 7 declared was MS Dhoni’s 20.

With Chandrakant Pandit as their new coach, Knight Riders could well make some out-of-the-box buys from the Indian domestic circuit

Ekanth19-Dec-2022Who they’ve got
Kolkata Knight Riders were very active ahead of retention day, letting go of a bunch of players, and trading in Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. They currently have a 14-man squad, with four pace and two spin options in the bowling department. They have reliable first-choice top-order batters too. But there are a lot of gaps to fill and not a lot of money in their pockets.Follow the 2023 IPL auction LIVE

You can watch the auction live in India on Star Sports, and follow live analysis with Tom Moody, Ian Bishop, Wasim Jaffer and Stuart Binny right here on ESPNcricinfo.

Current squad: Shreyas Iyer (capt.), Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Tim Southee, Nitish Rana, Harshit Rana, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Umesh YadavWhat they have to play with
Knight Riders have the smallest purse among the ten teams – INR 7.05 crore (USD 850,000 approx.) – and a maximum of 11 slots to fill, three of which could be overseas players.What they need
An adaptable Indian opening batter to, possibly, partner Gurbaz, and either tee off or set the platform based on the team’s requirement. Venkatesh Iyer has been retained, but a back-up option would help. A death-bowling specialist, along with a back-up option given Andre Russell’s history with injuries and fluctuating form with the ball. An Indian batter who can also be a wicketkeeping option, a floater in the batting order, especially seeing that Sheldon Jackson and B Indrajith have been released and Sam Billings has opted out. Back-ups for some of the first-choice players – finding options for all first XI picks might be tricky seeing their small purse.The likely targets
Phil Salt is an attacking option at the top of the order, and KKR could possibly buy him at a low cost.They might have an eye on N Jagadeesan and Mayank Agarwal, but both of them are likely to interest many other teams, and all of them have more money than Knight Riders.David Wiese could join Russell to bolster both power-hitting and death-bowling departments.Knight Riders might look at little-known, uncapped Indian players, partly because they don’t have a lot of money, and partly because their new coach, Chandrakant Pandit, knows everything there is to know about the Indian domestic circuit.