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The two wins so far haven’t masked their issues with left-arm spin, top-order inconsistency and bowling options

Vishal Dikshit11-Oct-20251:14

Rana: India’s batting ‘not a major concern’

Are India a bowler short? Why are India losing so many wickets to left-arm spinners? Are India using spin too much in the death overs? How does the team regroup and move on from the loss against South Africa?The way allrounder Sneh Rana was grilled at the press conference ahead of the match against Australia, it would create the impression that India weren’t winning anything at the women’s ODI World Cup . That’s not the case at all.But it’s true that though India have won two of their three games and came close to winning the third, they have been far from convincing. There have been batting collapses in all three outings with low scores from their senior batters Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues. Their fielding hasn’t been up to the mark either, and they have mostly had to complete their 50 overs with five bowlers.Related

• Healy, Perry seal all-time classic for Australia

• India need their big three more than ever as tougher tests await

• Epic contest awaits as bruised India come up against mighty Australia

• Healy: Batting collapses 'not a worry' but it's 'something we'd like to rectify'

After seeing the ease with which boundaries were being scored in the death overs by both India and South Africa in Visakhapatnam, where India next play Australia on Sunday, the hosts would love the comfort of a sixth bowler, especially some added experience in the pace attack that currently features Kranti Gaud and Amanjot Kaur, who have all of 21 ODIs between them.Their options on the bench could tempt them. Either Renuka Singh, who was at the 2022 ODI World Cup as a squad member, or Arundhati Reddy, who has 49 internationals under her belt, are waiting for a chance. But such is the balance of this team that a bowler would have to come in at the cost of a batter because replacing an allrounder would again cut down a bowling option.”I think that call is for the management to take, and I can’t comment much on it,” Rana said about the make-up of the XI. “But we already have good bowlers, and even Pratika [Rawal] and Harman bowl, so it won’t make a big difference at this stage.”Harmanpreet and Rawal have been rolling their arms over in the nets but how many overs can they send down in batting-friendly conditions, that too against a top side like Australia? Harmanpreet has bowled all of 15 overs in the last three years and last picked up a wicket over three years ago.The other option is to drop a batter, but doing so early in the tournament is also unlikely, even though the dot-ball percentage of Rawal and Harleen Deol has come under scrutiny, and Rodrigues has bagged two ducks in three innings. Leaving out a batter would again make it tricky for a line-up that’s not been up to the mark at this World Cup.Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol’s dot-ball percentage has come under scrutiny•SLC

Replacing one batter with another in the XI later in the tournament – whether for form or a niggle – would also, possibly, not be an option for India because their only batting reserve in the squad of 15 is wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry, who hasn’t received her ODI cap yet.”See, I don’t think it’s a major concern because our batters have handled these situations very well in the past,” Rana said. “Ups and downs are part and parcel of the game, they can happen anytime. But we have some of the best batters in the world on our side. It’s just a matter of one good knock, and I’m hopeful they’ll bounce back very soon.”All the batters are working on their strengths, and everyone knows where they need to improve. Each player is taking individual training for that. If we talk about strike rate, whatever has been lacking in the past few months, everyone is aware of it and, as a team, we discuss it, regroup, and work towards improving it.”India will hope for a big batting effort against Australia on Sunday, which they got in the three-ODI series preceding the World Cup. There, India scored 369 chasing 412, won by 102 runs after scoring 292, and went down by eight wickets after scoring 281. The series was lost, but they put up good scores. Here, another loss will push them down towards the middle of the table, with their next game against England, the current table-toppers, and the one after that against New Zealand, who have returned to winning ways recently. Whatever they do, they must do it quick.

Unlike some of their rivals, Arsenal have not had too much trouble integrating their summer signings so far this season.

The standout addition has probably been Martin Zubimendi, but despite the criticism he received a few weeks ago, Viktor Gyokeres isn’t too far behind.

After all, before his recent injury, the Swedish international had scored six goals in 14 appearances, which makes him the club’s joint top scorer.

With that said, Arsenal still appear to be looking for someone who could one day replace him, and who better than someone compared to both Erling Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta?

Arsenal target Haaland & Mateta hybrid

While Gyokeres is having a decent season with Arsenal so far, he is being outscored by both Haaland and Mateta.

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The former, for example, has already amassed a frankly ridiculous tally of 19 goals and one assist in 15 appearances for Manchester City, while the latter has a tally of eight goals and nine assists in 19 games for Crystal Palace.

With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why Arsenal would be interested in signing a young striker who has been compared to both international superstars.

According to a recent report from Spain, the young striker in question is Etta Eyong.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are more than just interested in the Levante gem, and have now decided to activate the youngster’s £40m release clause.

The story claims that, should everything go as planned, an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

It’s a lot of money to spend on a young player, but Eyong could be the ideal heir to Gyokeres, especially as he’s won comparisons to both Haaland and Mateta.

How Eyong compares to Haaland & Mateta

The first thing to note is that, given he only turned 22 last month, Eyong is still a work in progress.

However, even in his short career, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to score, and that is just one of the qualities he shares with Haaland and Mateta.

For example, in 30 appearances for Villarreal B last season, the Cameroon international scored 19 goals and provided six assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games.

Then this season, upon taking the step-up to La Liga, the exciting forward has racked up a tally of five goals and one assist in nine appearances for Levante.

Moreover, one of those goals came against Real Madrid – and he nabbed one against Arsenal in pre-season – so he cannot be accused of simply being a flat-track bully.

However, while his output is hugely encouraging, the comparisons to Haaland and Mateta primarily come from elsewhere, from FBref.

They have compared the 22-year-old to every forward across Europe’s top five leagues and have determined that the Frenchman is the most similar, and the Norwegian is the eighth.

Eyong & Mateta

Statistics per 90

Eyong

Mateta

Non-Penalty G+As

0.63

0.63

Progressive Carries

0.73

0.56

Progressive Passes Received

4.04

4.39

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.50

Live Passes

12.8

12.7

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League season

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Cameroonian has ranked closely to the two internationals.

In the Palace star’s case, these metrics included non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, live passes, and more, all per 90.

Eyong & Haaland

Statistics per 90

Eyong

Haaland

Goals per Shot

0.22

0.32

Goals per Shot on Target

0.46

0.54

Expected Assists

0.07

0.09

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.72

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League season

In the case of the City monster, the underlying numbers included metrics such as shot-creating actions, expected assists, and most interestingly, goals per shot and goals per shot on target, all per 90 minutes.

These last two statistics are particularly encouraging, as they suggest that when the “incredible” Levante star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is in a dangerous situation, he is almost as clinical as the Norwegian goal machine.

Ultimately, it is still early in Eyong’s career, but as things stand, he looks to be an excellent young striker and someone who could be the perfect Gyokeres heir for Arsenal.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 17, 2025

Pakistan haven’t won consecutive games in this tournament but their win over Sri Lanka could spur them on

Mohammad Isam24-Sep-20251:49

Chopra: A travesty that Rishad didn’t finish his quota of overs

Big picture: Mercurial Pakistan v hungry BangladeshPakistan’s hot-and-cold campaign meets Bangladesh’s hunger in a virtual semi-final to book their spot against India in the Asia Cup 2025 final. Pakistan haven’t won two matches in a row in the tournament but despite the hiding against India, they bounced back against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh haven’t done too badly in the tournament despite their T20I misgivings in recent years. They have emerged as a young team in transition, now playing with more confidence. But they have a quick turnaround after their defeat to India on Wednesday.Pakistan would take heart from their batting comeback against Sri Lanka. They lost four wickets for just 12 runs, slipping to 57 for four chasing 134. Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz were the unlikely batting heroes, taking Pakistan home comfortably in the end. They had earlier bowled well to restrict Sri Lanka, who were the favourites going into the game following their group-stage performance.Talat and Nawaz showed the advantage of being underrated batters in the team, as Sri Lanka took their foot off the gas after removing the more heralded Mohammad Haris. Nawaz has had an interesting tournament, having been unused as a bowler in Pakistan’s last two games. This, despite coach Mike Hesson calling him the best spinner in the world. Nawaz, however, has bailed out Pakistan with the bat a couple of times in the tournament. Talat too did well against Sri Lanka, picking up two wickets in an over to go with his rescue act with the bat.Related

Mohammad Nawaz reinvents himself

Unlike Pakistan, Bangladesh would want to quickly forget how they fared in their last match against India. They would bank on the confidence they gained from beating Sri Lanka and Afghanistan earlier in the tournament. They also beat Pakistan 2-1 at home in July, one of their three consecutive T20I series wins coming into the Asia Cup.To be fair, Bangladesh’s bowlers came back well against India after Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill got off to an electrifying start. Legspinner Rishad Hossain took the first two wickets before Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman put the brakes on the scoring rate. Saif Hassan’s back-to-back fifties will also give him reason to believe he can add a third against Pakistan. Bangladesh will also hope that Taskin Ahmed and Litton Das, reported to return for this game, can use their experience to get Bangladesh to the final.2:14

Why did Bangladesh make four changes against India?

Form guideBangladesh LWWLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
Pakistan WLWLWIn the spotlight: Rishad Hossain and Shaheen Shah AfridiRishad Hossain has answered the big question about legspinners in Bangladesh – whether he can deliver under pressure. After his 14 wickets in last year’s T20 World Cup, he has impressed in the Asia Cup as well with six strikes in four games, including a spirited show against India. He took the first two wickets and then ran out the marauding Abhishek. He is growing in his stature as a legspinner and has the most wickets for Bangladesh since his T20I debut.It is crucial for Pakistan that Shaheen Shah Afridi gets them the early breakthroughs in the Asia Cup. It not only gives them an early advantage but also helps Afridi maintain his rhythm in the match. He has had a decent tournament so far despite his wicketless outings against India. He dismissed both the Sri Lankan openers, Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, early to set the tone. And his batting lower down the order is also helping him add value to the team.Saim Ayub has found runs hard to come by in this Asia Cup•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Will Pakistan leave Saim Ayub out?Litton Das and Taskin Ahmed are likely to return. Parvez Hossain Emon and Mohammad Saifuddin could make way for them.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Rishad Hossain, 8 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPakistan could bring back Hasan Nawaz or play Khushdil Shah for Saim Ayub, who has tallied only 23 runs in five games in the tournament.Pakistan (probable): 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Saim Ayub, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hussain Talat, 6 Mohammad Haris (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar AhmedPitch and conditions: Win toss, bowl first the Dubai mantraThe pitch in Dubai continues to be slow and slightly difficult for the side batting first, even though India won batting first against Bangladesh. Teams are likely to field first given the heat as well.Stats and trivia For the first time in his T20I career, Nawaz hasn’t bowled for Pakistan in consecutive innings. Mustafizur became the fourth bowler to take 150 wickets in T20Is, behind Rashid Khan, Tim Southee and Ish Sodhi. Jaker Ali leading Bangladesh in their last match was a first for him in all competitive cricket.

The Chicago Cubs are in the market for a starting pitcher ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline, and the club has a specific target in mind. The Cubs are interested in Washington Nationals lefthander MacKenzie Gore, a first-time All-Star in 2025, according to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of . Gore, who has pitched to a 3.52 ERA in 117 2/3 innings pitched, has racked up 144 strikeouts, tied for the sixth-most in MLB. He's a sensible trade target for the Cubs, given that the club's rotation has recorded just a 20.2 percent strikeout rate, which ranks 23rd out of 30 teams.

Only the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres' starters have recorded worse ERAs than Chicago's rotation among National League playoff contenders. Gore would bring a much-needed swing-and-miss element to the Cubs rotation, and would immediately slot in as the club's third starter behind Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd.

But there are a couple of caveats. Number one, the Nationals, with an interim manager and general manager in place, may not be keen on parting ways with their 26-year-old starter, who is seen as one of the building blocks of the club's current young core. Plus, should they decide to trade Gore, the Nationals' asking price is believed to be "sky-high," according to .

Keep an eye on the Cubs and Gore, but it's possible Chicago's quest to import starting pitching may take them elsewhere in the lead-up to the deadline. The Cubs (62–43) are currently tied for first place in the NL Central with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Manchester United owners INEOS are taking a page out of Chelsea’s book as they swoop to secure two of the brightest talents in South America ahead of the January transfer window.

BlueCo's transfer strategy finally bearing fruit at Chelsea

Todd Boehly was heavily criticised during the early days of his reign at Chelsea, with Jamie Carragher among his most vocal opponents, questioning the sheer volume of signings made under the American.

The Blues have seen a major success story emerge from their flock of young signings however, with Estevao Willian becoming a key member of Enzo Maresca’s first team, scoring crucial goals against Liverpool and Barcelona this season.

The Brazilian is just one of several South American recruits made under BlueCo’s ownership, with the likes of Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez and Aarón Anselmino all out on loan.

The Red Devils have begun to follow the path trodden by BlueCo since INEOS’ arrival, with 18 year-old Paraguay left-back Diego Leon signed in the summer and two more South American gems now seemingly on the way.

Indeed, Manchester United have agreed a deal for midfielder Cristian Orozco and a report from AS has revealed United ‘have already begun negotiations’ for Brazilian centre-back Luis Eduardo, with a bid expected in the coming days and weeks.

Eduardo could be the next Thiago Silva

Eduardo turns 18 in January and has very liittle senior experience, making just one appearance so far for Gremio’s first team.

However, the teenager captained his country to the semi-finals at the U17 World Cup in Qatar last month, which is where he caught the eye of scouts from both United and Chelsea.

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Standing at 6 foot 1, he is not the tallest central defender around, but has been a weapon at set pieces for Brazil’s youth side, scoring three times in just 13 caps.

Similar to the 5 foot 11 Thiago Silva, the Gremio defender has been praised for his leadership, pace and timing, using his reading of the game to break up play rather than pure physicality.

United are expected to reinforce the first team in the January transfer window, but adding quality to the youth ranks can only boost their chances of returning to past glories.

Vitor Matos now reportedly wants to take the Swansea City job in a major boost for the Championship club, who are preparing to trigger his big-money release clause.

It’s been a chaotic search for a new manager in Wales. The Swans decided to sack Alan Sheehan at the same time that Southampton, Norwich City and Middlesbrough all moving on from their own coaches – sending the Championship into a managerial merry-go-round.

Ultimately, it was Swansea who were made to pay for their timing, with top target Kim Hellberg now heading to Boro to replace Rob Edwards and send his first admirers back to square one.

With the Championship set to make a return from the international break this weekend, Swansea remain without a manager and will be led by Darren O’Shea on an interim basis.

Up against Bristol City on Saturday afternoon, Swansea will be looking to avoid a fifth-straight game without a victory and avoid dropping down to as low as 20th in the Championship.

Just when they’ll have their next permanent manager in charge is the big question. The Jacks head straight from their game against Bristol into a Tuesday night clash against Derby County and with the fixtures coming thick and fast, they need a permanent appointment sooner rather than later.

According to some recent reports, however, they could be in for some good news in their chase to sign Matos, who has made his decision.

Swansea preparing to trigger Matos release clause

According to reports in Portugal, as relayed by Wales Online, Swansea are now ready to trigger Matos’ release clause following rumours that the Maritime manager has decided to take the job if the opportunity comes his way.

Meanwhile, although other reports have claimed that Maritime are not willing to enter negotiations under any circumstances, those in Portugal have revealed that Matos has a release clause worth €1m (£900k) in his current contract – allowing Swansea to bypass club-to-club talks.

It’s good news for Swansea that the 37-year-old is keen to take the job, but there’s no denying that hiring him would be a gamble. The former Liverpool coach is incredibly inexperienced and the Swansea job would be his first as a manager in England.

Jurgen Klopp would be the first to hand the 4-3-3 coach rave reviews, but even the German is yet to see Matos in a potential relegation scrap. Those in Wales currently sit just seven points clear of the Championship’s dropzone and simply cannot afford to get their next appointment wrong in the coming weeks.

Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea's key players" could now leave

Christian Benteke has publicly thanked D.C. United and its supporters after the club declined his contract option for 2026, he said in messages to fans. The club had previously indicated it was in talks over a potential new deal, but the 34-year-old Belgian – who has spent three seasons in the nation’s capital – posted a farewell note, signaling his departure.

Getty Images Sport'Thank you to D.C. United'

Although D.C. United had hoped to negotiate a new deal, the Belgian star and 2024 MLS Golden Boot winner used his farewell message to signal he is moving on. Benteke thanked teammates, staff, and supporters for their backing since his arrival in 2022, acknowledging the relationships he built in the capital and making clear that his time at Audi Field has come to a close.

AdvertisementBenteke’s impact during three seasons in MLS

Since joining from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2022 Benteke has been a focal point for D.C.’s attack, scoring regularly and earning individual honours including MLS All-Star nods and a Golden Boot campaign. Across his D.C. United tenure he has contributed to 47 goals and 10 assists which includes a 30 goal MLS regular season campaign during the 2024 season.

Impact on D.C.

Benteke appeared an odd fit on a largely rebuilding team, considering his veteran status and production. D.C. last year finished last in the Eastern Conference with 26 points. 

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Getty Images SportLooking ahead for Benteke

As Benteke contemplates the next phase of his career. With free agency looming and talks ongoing, Benteke now has several options: Sign elsewhere in MLS, or explore moves abroad.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has had an incredible impact in a short time at Ibrox, winning his first three Scottish Premiership matches in the dugout.

The Light Blues had only won one of their first eight matches in the division, under Russell Martin and Stevie Smith, which meant that the German tactician took over the club in a difficult position.

His tactical flexibility has been particularly impressive across his first six matches in the dugout for the Gers, as he has been willing to change systems, formations, and the style of play to suit each game.

For example, he utilised a 3-4-2-1 formation to grind out a 1-0 win away at Hibernian, but then switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation to dominate and thrash Dundee 3-0 in their most recent outing.

On top of improving the results in the short-term, Rohl has also helped some of the players in the squad to show more quality than they did under the previous coaching team.

Youssef Chermiti has been under the microscope since Kevin Thelwell decided to splash £8m to sign the striker from Everton, making him the club’s most expensive signing since Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000, but he has shown signs of life under the new boss.

Why Rangers should not give up on Youssef Chermiti

Football Insider recently claimed that pressure was mounting from some fans pushing the club to immediately cash in on the Portugal U21 international when the January transfer window opens for business.

However, the report added that there are no plans in place for the Light Blues to do that, six months on from their £8m deal to sign him, as they hope he can turn his fortunes around at Ibrox.

The 21-year-old centre-forward did not manage a single goal or assist in seven appearances under Martin and Smith before Rohl’s arrival at Ibrox, which is why it is understandable that some supporters have not been pleased with his start to life at the club.

However, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in three league games under the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, which is more like what supporters should expect from a player signed for £8m.

Minutes

21

77

45

Shots

1

1

1

Goals

1

0

0

Key passes

1

1

1

Assists

0

1

0

Aerial duels won

1/1

2/6

4/5

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese marksman has been fairly effective with the minutes that he has been given under Rohl, with productivity in front of goal and strength in aerial duels on the whole.

This shows why the Light Blues should not give up on Chermiti, yet, because the 21-year-old talent is still learning and developing as a player, and should be given time under the new manager to prove his worth, given his age and inexperience.

Whilst the former Everton centre-forward has shown signs of life under Rohl and has time on his side to improve as a player, there is another summer signing who has been an even bigger waste of money.

Chalkboard

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

Rangers have spent a lot of money on attacking signings in recent seasons and Sam Lammers has arguably been one of their worst, as the Dutchman was signed for £3m from Atalanta in 2023 and scored two goals in 31 matches before leaving the following summer.

Now, Bojan Miovski looks to be on course to be the club’s biggest waste of money since the signing of Lammers, because of his struggles this season.

Why Bojan Miovski looks like a waste of money for Rangers

The Light Blues signed the striker from Girona in the summer for a fee worth up to £4.2m, which means that he could cost more than the Dutchman did, and it appeared to be a sensible signing at the time.

Miovski’s form for Aberdeen, as shown in the graphic above, suggested that Rangers were onto a winner with the Macedonia international, as he had proven himself as a goalscorer in the Premiership in the past.

However, the left-footed forward had also just come off the back of scoring four goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for Girona, per Sofascore, which shows that the Light Blues brought in a striker who had been struggling in front of goal last season.

Given the money that was spent on him and his impressive record at Aberdeen in the past, it was fair to expect that Miovski would hit the ground running as an instant impact signing for the Gers, but that has not been the case.

Youssef Chermiti

25/26

£8m

Danilo

23/24

£6m

Bojan Miovski

25/26

£4.2m

Cyriel Dessers

23/24

£4m

Oliver Antman

25/26

£4m

Mohamed Diomande

24/25

£4m

Sam Lammers

23/24

£3m

As you can see in the table above, the Macedonia international is the club’s third-most expensive signing since the summer of 2023, with only Chermiti and Danilo, who has scored two goals in his last three league games, above him.

Miovski has only scored two goals in 15 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far, per Sofascore, with one against Hibernian in the League Cup and one against Falkirk in the Premiership.

On top of his lack of goals, the 26-year-old marksman has lost 68% of his ground duels and 70% of his aerial duels across eight appearances in the league for Rangers this season, per Sofascore, which shows that opposition defenders have found it far too easy to get the better of him.

Miovski has no goals and no assists in six appearances under Rohl so far, whilst Chermiti has a goal and an assist and Danilo has scored twice, which shows that he has been the worst-performing striker out of the manager’s three options.

He is five years older than Chermiti, who the club have invested even more money in, which suggests that the Portuguese striker may be preferred as the first-choice option in the mid-to-long-term, because of that investment.

That means that all the pressure is on Miovski to deliver in the short-term and his performances show that he is not doing that, which is why he may be the club’s biggest waste of money since Lammers unless he can turn things around.

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Aussie’s unbeaten 50 off 32 balls seals victory against Manchester Originals

ECB Media11-Aug-2025Reigning champions London Spirit made it three from three as they downed Manchester Originals in a nail-biter at Emirates Old Trafford, Grace Harris’s beautifully paced unbeaten 50 the stand-out performance.Brimming with confidence, Spirit won the toss and elected to bowl first, enjoying a dream start as Georgia Redmayne brilliantly caught Kathryn Bryce down the leg side before Melie Kerr was needlessly run out going for a non-existent second from a free hit.Beth Mooney counterpunched briefly and from 46 for 4 after 39 balls and Originals batted sensibly, Deandra Dottin mixing solid defence with the occasional blazing strike. She was well supported by Fi Morris and Alice Monaghan to take the home side to 122 for 6, both Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn going for under a run a ball.Mahika Gaur bowled 15 of the first 25 balls in reply, finding significant swing and ensuring Originals were still in the game before unleashing their own international class spinners. New Zealand leggie Kerr was at the heart of the action, taking catches to get rid of Kira Chathli and Redmayne and bowling Dani Gibson for a duck.But Harris was they key, the big-hitting Aussie who struck 89 not out off 42 balls in Spirit’s first-up win against Oval Invincibles, starting steadily as the run rate climbed. A four off a no-ball, followed by a free hit six, took the equation to 30 off 21, which became 16 off the last 10, at which point Harris hit a six just past Monaghan’s outstretched fingers. But Bryce then dismissed Issy Wong and Dean lbw in successive balls to leave the game in the balance.An edge for four first ball by Glenn made it five needed from the last five, and she hit another boundary off the 98th ball to seal the deal.Meerkat Match Hero Harris said: “I just thought it was a bit of a trickier wicket to start on, and then once you got in, you could try and cash in at the back end. I thought that’s what Deandra Dottin did really well in that first innings. When we got to about needing 26 runs, I thought we’re pretty good. We’d got wickets in hand; we could try and take the game on a little bit more.”Credit to our bowlers. I think we’re just really enjoying how we’re playing at the moment. I’m delighted with how I’m going. I think a lot of the principles that I’ve been working on within my game are paying off, and I just keep summing up conditions and whenever I’m injected into the game, I’m seeing what impact I can have.”

Roberto De Zerbi listed a number of areas where Mason Greenwood needs to improve after Marseille's 3-2 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The former Manchester United forward scored twice as the French side held off a late comeback from the Belgians, but the fiery Italian manager wasn't entirely happy with his match-winner.

• Greenwood leads Marseille to victory in Belgium

  Marseille had lost three of their five Champions League games this season prior to Tuesday's outing, making the clash with Union Saint-Gilloise a vital one in their bid to reach the knockout stages. Things started badly as Anan Khalaili struck from distance in the fifth minute, but Igor Paixao replied shortly after before Greenwood got his first of the night njust before half-time. The 24-year-old completed his brace with a superb strike in the second half, finishing from Brighton loanee Matt O'Riley's pass, but Khalaili's second effort ensured a nervy finish for the Ligue 1 side. They held on, however, to earn three much-needed points away from home.

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• AFP
  

  De Zerbi names key areas where Greenwood must improve

  Greenwood may have been happy with his performance, but manager De Zerbi insisted more improvement is needed from the former Manchester United striker going forward.

  The former Brighton manager told reporters: "Yes, I think he's one of the best strikers in Europe. But even he, when we're leading 3-1, needs to learn to manage the ball, not to force things and not to lose possession. And that's not an unreasonable demand, which doesn't mean we're not happy with Greenwood. 

  "He's a great player, but in those moments, I think he also needs to make the effort to hold onto the ball a little longer, to give us a bit more breathing room, to be more consistent defensively, at least by holding his position."

  Team-mate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg echoed his manager's thoughts, with the ex-Tottenham and Southampton midfielder adding: "Sometimes, where he can improve is by playing the game until the end. What he does here for us, for the team, is a huge benefit. He's a great guy, and I think he deserves what he's getting. It's good for us."

  It's not the first time Greenwood has been singled out for criticism by De Zerbi. The Italian raged at the Marseille squad last week after a defeat to Lille, insisting "one shot on target for a player like Greenwood isn't enough for him".

• Greenwood breaks three-game scoring duck

  It's been a productive season so far for Greenwood. He is the outright leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 with ten strikes, also contributing three assists for his team-mates, while he now has three goals in six Champions League games this campaign. He had endured a lean period prior to Tuesday's win, failing to hit the back of the net in the recent clashes with Newcastle United, Toulouse and Lille, but his midweek showing represented a well-timed return to form. His performances have attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, with reports claiming a €100 million (£87m/$116m) offer has been put forward for the attacker. If that were to be accepted by Marseille, former club United would be due 50 per cent of the profits.

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• AFP
  

  Marseille up to 16th in the Champions League

  The victory was a crucial one for Marseille, who have been inconsistent during their first proper Champions League campaign since 2022-23. They have lost to Real Madrid, Sporting CP and Atalanta so far but also previously beat Ajax and Newcastle, with this latest result leaving them in a firm mid-table position of 16th. They have two more games left against Liverpool and Club Brugge, with a few more points needed to guarantee the French side a place in the round of 16 playoffs. Back in Ligue 1, Marseille are five points behind current leaders Lens and four off reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, with their next match coming against Monaco on Sunday evening. A two-game winless run has seen them drop off the pace, having drawn with Toulouse before suffering defeat to Lille.