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The exploits of the eight Indian players at the Women’s Big Bash League this week

Annesha Ghosh29-Oct-20211:39

Sophie Molineux: ‘To have Harmanpreet Kaur standing at mid-off is pretty handy’

Jemimah Rodrigues
A new week brought two new opening partners and a maiden WBBL fifty for Melbourne Renegades opener Rodrigues, who smashed a scintillating 75 not out, the third-highest score of the season, to sink Sydney Thunder. Having made 33, 14, and 13 in her three previous appearances, Rodrigues reached her half-century in 37 balls, adding 84 for the opening stand with Josephine Dooley. Shuffling across her crease, sweeping with ease, and often making room to free her arms, Rodrigues struck nine fours in her 56-ball knock, propelling Renegades to a winning total of 142 in a fixture that saw four Indians locked in a battle of one-upmanship.Related

• Indians at the WBBL: Shafali Verma blows hot and cold, and Poonam Yadav rediscovers her mojo

Harmanpreet Kaur
A batter historically susceptible to lbw owing to the iffy nature of her front-foot defense, Renegades’ in-form No. 4, Harmanpreet, was trapped in front in a copybook dismissal, having added just three in a 14-run stand with Rodrigues against Thunder. Failure with the bat, however, didn’t deter the allrounder from making an impact on the game, for she knocked the wind out of Thunder’s innings by bowling set batter Smriti Mandhana in a critical phase of their chase and also helped effect the run-out of the middle-order batter Anika Learoyd.That Renegades had won their previous game was also down to Harmanpreet’s all-round brilliance. Her 4-0-17-2 against Sydney Sixers included the wickets of Ashleigh Gardner and Alyssa Healy. She was involved in the dismissal of Shafali Verma as well. And when it was her turn to bat, she capitalised on a lifeline received when she was 20 and pummeled back-to-back sixes in the 17th over to seal Renegades’ 119 chase.Player of the Match Harmanpreet Kaur has a light moment with her India team-mates Radha Yadav (L) and Jemimah Rodrigues (R)•Sarah Reed/Getty ImagesSmriti Mandhana
Three single-digit scores preceded a maiden half-century in Thunder colours for Mandhana even as the defending champions remained winless after five matches this season. Early dismissals to pace meant the opener had to depart for 9 and 3 in chases against Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars, before a change of personal fortunes came about, in Thunder’s quest of 143 against Renegades. Though her 44-ball 64 featured an array of trademark lofted shots and a deceptively effortless assortment of pulls, it wasn’t quite enough as her team fell short by nine runs.Deepti SharmaThunder shunted Deepti between Nos. 5 and 8, and she responded with a run-a-ball 20 against Scorchers, 44 not-out off 48 against Stars (a personal best at WBBL), and an unbeaten 10-ball 23 against Renegades. In all three innings, Deepti was either the side’s top-scorer or second most successful batter, but in the absence of sustained support at the other end, her efforts often went in vain. With the ball, the offspin-bowling allrounder picked up two wickets in her three outings this week.Richa Ghosh top-scored for Hobart Hurricanes•Getty ImagesRicha GhoshSlotted below her designated position throughout the opening week, Hurricanes batter Ghosh made 4 and 24 not out at No. 5 and 22 at No. 6. The highest of those scores came in a chase of 145 against Stars. Four fours, including the match-sealing one, underpinned her 16-ball innings. With 119 runs in six innings at an average of 23.80, she holds the eighth position on the highest run-scorers list, three places below Rodrigues.Ghosh also had her first brush with the gloves in the WBBL this week, stepping in for the injured Rachel Priest one over into Heat’s chase, and picking up a smart, low catch to dismiss opener Georgia Redmayne.Poonam Yadav
The wristspinner remained wicketless in her two outings this week. In the rain-curtailed 11-overs-a-side contest against Adelaide Strikers, she leaked 19 off just two overs, 13 of which were plundered by Dane van Niekerk alone. Two days later, Poonam, operating in two spells outside the powerplay, kept the leash on the Hurricanes with 11 dots in 3.4 overs that cost only 16. But the final two deliveries of her spell sullied her figures a touch as Ruth Johnston carted her for a six and a four.Radha Yadav
In Sixers’ only completed game of the week, against Renegades, Radha could have forced the opposition into a tough spot even in a chase of 119 if Healy had not botched a stumping. Harmanpreet, the eventual match-winner, was enticed out of her crease by a flighted delivery in the 16th over but the wicketkeeper failed to collect it cleanly. One ball later, Radha took a return catch to dismiss Courtney Webb and finished with 1 for 12 off two overs. She also helped effect the run out of Rodrigues with a throw from the deep.Shafali Verma
Sixers opener Shafali stumbled to a second straight duck in the WBBL as her oscillation between two extremes continued this week. Her scores so far in the tournament: 0, 0, 57 and 8.

West Ham are expected to make an offer to sign one striker who’s ready to green-light an immediate January exit, according to reports this week.

West Ham target new striker in January

The east Londoners have identified recruiting a forward as one of their primary objectives for the January window as Nuno Espírito Santo battles to steer the club away from relegation.

Currently languishing in 18th with just 10 points from 15 Premier League games, the Hammers have managed a meagre 17 goals this season — the fourth-lowest amount in the top flight.

Callum Wilson’s recent form has been a major positive, but with 2024 summer flop Niclas Füllkrug expected to depart, West Ham quite simply need another option up top.

The German international has mustered just three goals in 29 appearances across all competitions whilst battling persistent injury problems since his move from Borussia Dortmund last year.

Niclas Füllkrug is set to leave the London Stadium in January following his lacklustre stint in England, so West Ham are believed to be looking at strikers to replace him.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

Man United 1-1 West Ham

Brighton 1-1 West Ham

His lacklustre displays indicate a mutual desire for separation, with Hamburg and Stuttgart reportedly monitoring his availability for a potential Bundesliga return.

West Ham have compiled an extensive shortlist of potential striker targets spanning multiple leagues.

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Santiago Gimenez remains under consideration at the London Stadium, despite his struggles at AC Milan following his January 2025 move from Feyenoord, with intermediaries actively offering the Mexican international to multiple clubs.

Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee has also been linked with a move to Rush Green, while it is believed that West Ham are big fans of Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David too.

Now, as per Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, Lazio striker Taty Castellanos is another forward attracting their interest.

West Ham bid expected for Lazio striker Taty Castellanos

West Ham were linked with a move for the Argentine all the way back in 2022 during his time at New York City in the MLS, and that fondness for Castellanos hasn’t gone away.

According to Il Messaggero, Lazio are actively anticipating an offer worth between £22-26 million from West Ham for the 27-year-old forward.

Lazio desperately need funds to avoid another transfer ban as they continue battling severe financial difficulties.

Crucially, the report indicates Castellanos is prepared to join West Ham, or any other suitor, “straight away” as he looks to greenlight an exit from Rome next month.

The striker’s growing dissatisfaction with life under Maurizio Sarri at Lazio, particularly struggling to adapt to his manager’s tactical approach, means he’s quite keen to leave.

His desire for regular football stems from World Cup ambitions with Argentina, making a January departure increasingly attractive.

Castellanos would apparently give immediate approval to any Premier League approach, though La Liga clubs are also monitoring developments.

West Ham initially registered their interest during the summer transfer window when they made preliminary enquiries about the forward’s availability, with Nuno identifying striker reinforcements as his main January priority.

Lazio have already identified Atlético Madrid’s Giacomo Raspadori as a potential replacement, and the Italy international has told his representatives to explore opportunities within Serie A.

This preparation could prove instrumental in facilitating Castellanos’s London switch, with the clubs potentially willing to conduct business once suitable alternatives are secured.

Former Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz believes a move to Lyon could be the best step for Endrick if the Brazilian leaves the club in January, saying regular minutes matter more than staying on the bench at the Bernabeu. Mariano, who made the same move in 2017 after struggling for game time, says there is "life beyond" Madrid.

• Endrick’s season stalled at Real Madrid

  Los Blancos signed Endrick from Palmeiras in 2022 in a deal worth up to €60 million. His first year under Carlo Ancelotti showed promise, with seven goals in 37 appearances, but injuries halted his progress heading into this season. A hamstring injury kept him out of the Club World Cup and the start of the new campaign. By the time he returned, new manager Xabi Alonso had settled on other attacking options, leaving Endrick with just one brief appearance against Valencia earlier this month, where he played just 11 minutes. The lack of consistent minutes has raised concerns about his development, especially with the World Cup coming next year.

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  Mariano advises Endrick to embrace a move abroad

  Speaking to , Mariano sees parallels between their situations and says leaving Madrid does not mean giving up on a future at the club.

  “If Endrick ends up leaving, or a player who isn’t getting much playing time has to go abroad to play, I would tell him to enjoy it a lot, to appreciate that if he’s going to be a starter on the team, that’s the best thing that can happen to him,” Diaz said.

  He stressed that regular starts give players a real chance to prove their ability. 

  "You have to try to prove yourself when they give you that confidence, because it’s not the same when you play a few minutes every three games. You can’t prove your worth in a few minutes. But if they trust you and you’re a starter, that’s when you can prove a lot of things. In this case, if he [Endrick] leaves, he could also return to Madrid," the 32-year-old added.

• Endrick stands at same career crossroads Mariano faced

  The Dominican Republic international knows what it feels like to wait for chances at Madrid. The forward broke into the senior team during the 2016-17 season, scoring five goals in 14 appearances, but spent most of his time behind the famous 'BBC' trio of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Los Blancos went on to win the Champions League and enjoy their most successful campaign in decades, but Mariano’s role was limited.

  "It was one of the best teams I’ve ever played for because it wasn’t just the starters, but also what the press called ‘Plan B’. It was a bit curious, but the truth is that Plan B was like Plan A."

  At the end of that season, Diaz moved to Lyon to play regularly, a decision he now sees as crucial in his development. However, he returned a year later after Cristiano Ronaldo's shocking move to Juventus. 

  "As it was Madrid, I wasn’t going to say no,” Mariano recalled. "But they told me that this time it would be different, and that was one of the reasons I wanted to return."

  Injuries derailed his progress, and he was again playing a bench role until his exit in 2023.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Brazilian forward sees Lyon as the right move for development

  Several clubs have shown interest in Endrick, including Manchester United, who saw him as a replacement option after Benjamin Sesko’s injury. But the 19-year-old prefers Lyon, viewing the French club as a place where he can earn minutes, regain confidence and stay in contention for the 2026 World Cup with Brazil. Madrid had initially wanted to loan him within La Liga to help him adapt more smoothly and keep him close to home as he approaches Spanish citizenship in six months. However, Endrick pushed for a move abroad, prioritising consistent game time over location.

  Ancelotti, now the Brazil national team coach, is yet to call up the young forward in any of the international breaks. However, the former Madrid coach has also urged him to play regularly if he wants to remain in the national-team picture.

  "He has to think with his entourage about what’s best. Talk to the club, to see what’s best for him. Endrick is very young, this won’t be his last World Cup," he said. "He could play in the 2026 World Cup, because he has the quality for it, but he could also be in the 2030 World Cup, or the 2034 World Cup, and maybe even the 2038 World Cup (laughs). I believe it’s important for him to get back to playing and show his qualities.”

The fast bowler is keen to keep himself in action ahead of facing England and will likely combine white and red-ball cricket

Andrew McGlashan28-Aug-2025

Josh Hazlewood will likely have a mixture of white and red-ball cricket ahead of the Ashes•Getty Images

Josh Hazlewood is expecting to play a Sheffield Shield match in the lead-up to the Ashes in November as he prepares to counter an “unbelievable” England batting line-up, which he believes will be strongest they will have brought to Australia during his career.Hazlewood recently played five out of the six white-ball matches against South Africa having sat out the T20I series against West Indies following the Tests while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have not featured in the last few weeks. Hazlewood won’t be in action on the field in September but wants to keep getting miles in the legs ahead of the first Test in Perth rather than having extended downtime.”It felt like over the last 12 months, the best way for me to go about it is just keep on ticking over, keep playing, not having too long off bowling,” Hazlewood said at an event to promote Play Cricket week. “I find…getting back to that intensity and volume is quite tough for me. So if I can just keep staying up there, match intensity as long as I can, then that’s sort of the best way for me to go about it.”Related

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Hazlewood, who played four Tests during the 2023 Ashes, is expecting a tough challenge from the England batting line-up. At times in the recent India series they showed a more nuanced approach rather an all-out attack, before falling to six-run defeat at The Oval. A 7 for 66 collapse triggered by a stroke from Harry Brook promoted significant debate after a spectacular hundred.Brook, currently the No. 2-ranked Test batter behind Joe Root, will be on his first Test tour of Australia and in nine T20Is in the country in 2022 had a top score of 20. His first-class experience is limited to one England Lions outing in 2021 and how he adjusts to conditions will be key to the team’s prospects. So, too, the performance of Root who has yet to score a Test century in Australia where he averages 35.68 from 14 matches.Josh Hazlewood expects Harry Brook to play without any baggage in Australia•AFP/Getty Images

“England has obviously been quite flat wickets recently, the last few years, and it’s been a really dry summer as well, so they are probably starting to get tired and spin now,” Hazlewood said. “I think [Brook] will adapt. He’s a good player. He’s at the top of the rankings for a reason, and he’ll be a tough challenge.”When [Root] first came out, it was a little bit of a different attack. It was probably [Mitchell] Johnson and [Ryan] Harris and [Peter] Siddle. Gaz [Nathan Lyon] has been around a long time now, so he was probably there, but we sort of just jumped on the back of that”I think a fresh face like Harry Brook might find it easier. There’s no baggage behind him and he can just come out and play with freedom as he does. Joe’s probably in the form of his life as well. So they’re an unbelievable batting line, to be honest. The top seven have done really well…so it’s a challenge.”Asked whether it will be strongest batting up England have sent to Australia in recent times, Hazlewood said: “Yeah, definitely.”Australia have a three-match T20I series against New Zealand in early October then India visit for ODIs and T20Is ahead of the Ashes. It remains to be seen how Hazlewood’s schedule will be juggled to allow him a red-ball outing – the fourth round of Sheffield Shield matches starting on November 10, when New South Wales play Victoria at the SCG, may be too close to the start of the series – but he is keen to have the opportunity to replicate long-form intensity.Last season Hazlewood played one game for New South Wales ahead of the India Test series, and though he went wicketless across 24 overs against Queensland he was Australia’s best bowler early in the opening Test in Perth before his series was disrupted by injury. This winter, however, he was able to play all four Tests against South Africa and West Indies, albeit the workload on bowler-friendly Caribbean surfaces was not extreme.”The Test [only] guys will play more than one [Shield game]. They’ll probably play two or three, but everyone’s on different programs,” he said. “I used it last year and I’ve sort of found that it’s very beneficial. Time on the field, multiple spells in a day, it’s sort of hard to replicate it at training. So, to get that before a Test series is pretty pivotal, I think.”

Fans across the planet are patiently waiting for the release of Ted Lasso Season 4, with it being confirmed that a “whole different set of characters” are ready to be introduced. Filming has begun, with there more wild adventures to be enjoyed in the world of AFC Richmond, but it is yet to be revealed who will be filling new roles and which popular stars will be returning.

How many returning characters will there be in Ted Lasso?

Nick Mohammed falls into the latter of those two camps after amusing viewers with his portrayal of “wonder kid” kitman-turned-coach Nate Shelley. The expectation is that he will be back when another instalment of Ted Lasso drops. Mohammed has not always been the best at keeping secrets when it comes to plotlines and future plans.

He is, however, playing cards close to his chest at present, with there little for him to give away. Mohammed claims to be in the dark regarding grand plans for Ted Lasso, with it already being announced that the show’s title character will be working as a coach in women’s football.

AdvertisementApple TVWhy Ted Lasso has new characters & storyline

That is allowing the storyline to be taken in a different direction, which brings new cast members with it. How they fit into the bigger picture remains to be seen, but viewers are preparing to meet a whole host of fresh faces.

Mohammed admits as much, telling when asked if there are any updates on production that he can deliver: “I think sworn to secrecy is about right. Look, I know that it's about a whole different set of characters. I can't even talk about it without giving anything away! We'll have to see. We'll have to see who pops up where and when. But I know that they're filming it now, and I've been socialising with them all. They’re all very well, so we'll see what happens.”

Mohammed has previously said of Ted Lasso returning to the small screen after several months of intense speculation – with the last series coming to a close in May 2023: “The storylines in Season 3 would suggest that there was a real sense of finality. Ted goes back home, right? But there were enough things that were set up that would suggest that there was a path to it coming back. We didn’t know for absolute definite, and it was always up to Jason as to whether he wanted to do more.”

Producers tease what to expect from Season 4

Title character and show writer Jason Sudeikis has brought the show back. Big things are being promised, with Bill Lawrence – who helped to deliver seasons one and two – saying of new chapters being written: “With Ted Lasso, I always have to make sure I highlight Jason Sudeikis because he had a vision for the show and it's such a huge position of pride for me now, looking back, to have been involved with the crafting and figuring out what that show was.

“Him and I ran it the first year, we ran it together the second year, and the third year, he was doing it. You can always tell a new story with new characters in this streaming world. He’s driving it creatively. But man, I’m excited to even still peripherally be a part of it.”

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Ted Lasso CastTed Lasso Season 4 release date: Waiting on Apple TV update

Apple TV’s head of development Matt Cherniss has said when teasing fans about what to expect: “I have high hopes for season four of Ted Lasso, we’re just getting down that road. I don’t know what more can be said about Ted Lasso that hasn’t already been said, and we’re so excited that it’s coming back. I don’t think I want to say anything about the direction that the show is going, only that I think if you love Ted Lasso you’re gonna love the next season.”

Streamers are ready to fall in love all over again, as humorous and emotional escapades play out, with all eyes on Apple TV when it comes to officially announcing a global release date.

While promotion has already allowed for Leeds United’s many new signings this summer to thrive, the step-up to the Premier League will also have solidified who is deadwood at Elland Road moving forward.

Indeed, with Noah Okafor continuing to impress with another top-flight strike against Tottenham Hotspur, you can’t help but fear for Jack Harrison’s long-term future as another option down the wings, considering the 28-year-old has just 130 minutes of league action so far this season under his belt.

Moreover, the nail looks to firmly be in Illan Meslier’s Leeds coffin, with Lucas Perri’s injury not handing him a redemption arc in between the sticks, as Karl Darlow is preferred to the error-prone Frenchman by Daniel Farke.

It’s been a disappointing fall from grace for the ex-Lorient stopper, who has never been able to recover from some costly moments last campaign that nearly derailed his side’s promotion mission.

How Illan Meslier became a villain at Elland Road

Originally added to the Elland Road camp when Marcelo Bielsa was still manager, Meslier has now notched up 214 games for the club, becoming something of a stalwart over a number of years.

Throw two Championship titles into the mix, and it’s clear that the 25-year-old hasn’t always been looked down upon as an accident waiting to happen in goal for the West Yorkshire outfit.

During 2023/24, Farke went as far as to label Meslier as “the best goalkeeper in the league.” How times change.

This outrageous showering of praise all unravelled rather quickly, however, when Meslier inexplicably gave up that goal away at fellow promotion winners Sunderland last October, with TalkSPORT commentator Mark Wilson branding the gaffe as one that “will live with him forever.”

It must have knocked his confidence, as another two errors directly led to efforts beating him across his full 39-game campaign, with Farke then dropping the shaky ‘keeper for his side’s final seven matches in the tense promotion run-in, despite his previous outlandish comments.

Meslier has yet to return to the first-team fold since being axed, and with his contract up next summer, it does appear as if the 25-year-old is on borrowed time now as a regular fixture at Elland Road.

He isn’t the only member of the promoted squad who could be falling victim to the step-up in quality, however, with another forgotten face facing the chop.

Leeds graduate is in danger under Farke

Meslier might well be considered lucky that he wasn’t shifted on during the summer, with the potential for the Frenchman to now be moved on this coming January, as Rangers reportedly circle for his services.

As it happens, Sam Byram didn’t hold any concerns during the summer that he was going to be let go, though, with an announcement coming in July that a one-year contract extension had been handed to the experienced defender, which was justified after being utilised as a worthwhile utility figure last campaign by Farke.

The 32-year-old only made 16 starts all season long, but he bowed out from these minimal moments in the first-team with five big chances created as a menace from the full-back spot, on top of also picking up six clean sheets. This ability to slot in and do a competent job at a moment’s notice would lead to his manager hailing him as “so important” as he can play “wherever I need him.”

Despite possessing this versatility up his sleeve, his minutes have become even sparser this season to date, with the likes of Gabriel Gudmundsson coming in to bolster the left-back personnel, effectively leaving the ex-West Ham United defender permanently on the periphery.

Byram’s minutes under Farke

Season

Games

Minutes

25/26

2

78

24/25

39

1617

23/24

36

2251

Sourced by Transfermarkt

As is visible from the table above, it’s clear that Farke is relying less on Byram now to get him out of some sticky selection issues, with just a 71-minute run-out afforded to the number 25 in the Premier League so far this season.

This is the price the likes of Byram and Meslier have to, unfortunately, pay as their side strives for more success up a level, with flashier signings more cut out for the intensity of the top-flight preferred over them.

Having amassed 221 appearances for Leeds over two spells, next summer might well spell the end for Byram in West Yorkshire, unless he miraculously proves himself in the first team picture shortly.

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