New Zealand hosting West Indies in a T20I at Eden Park always promises drama. It’s where the two teams played out the first ever bowl out in 2006, and then the first ever Super Over, called the one-over eliminator at the time. And on Friday, international cricket returned to New Zealand after a gap of eight months, and the teams served up a night that had it all – towering sixes, fantastic fast bowling, three rain interruptions, and in the end, a five-wicket win for the home side, brought home by a debutant and two allrounders while chasing a revised target.

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Lockie Ferguson was the first hero of the night, precipitating a collapse of five for one for West Indies, who had raced to 55 without loss from three overs with five fours and three sixes after being put in to bat by Tim Southee. Kieron Pollard then led a stunning rearguard to record a career-best 75 not out, and took West Indies to 180 for 7 off their 16 overs. New Zealand set about their revised target of 176 in right earnest, but lost four wickets including Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor for a combined total of five runs. That’s when debutant Devon Conway combined with Jimmy Neesham to take the attack back to the visitors, plundering 41 and 48 not out, respectively, and Mitchell Santner brought up the winning runs in the final over.Lockie Ferguson celebrates after his five-wicket haul•Getty Images

The dramatic start: Take 1
There were two rain interruptions inside the first two completed overs, after Southee opted to field, keeping his seam-heavy bowling combination and the overhead conditions in mind. The first delay took place after just four legal balls by Southee himself, with two wides, and a gorgeous cover drive from Andre Fletcher fetching West Indies seven. Southee handed the second over to debutant Kyle Jamieson, and Fletcher went after his extra bounce and pace on offer with relish, with Brandon King also joining in the fun as 18 came off the second over. The heavens opened up, for another delay, following which Fletcher and King pulled out the drives, cuts, and straight swipes down the ground to pick up 29 off Hamish Bennett’s first over. At the three-over mark, West Indies looked set for a massive total with 55 on the board, and a power-packed batting line-up yet to come out.The dramatic start: Take 2
That’s where Southee handed the ball to Ferguson, and the match swung, soon after King had placed the first ball of his spell through the covers for three. Fletcher had a swipe across the line at one that decked in from outside off, and was bowled. Shimron Hetmyer’s patience lasted all of three balls, as he tried to make room to punch the last ball of the over, and ended up nicking through to Tim Seifert. In the following over, Southee had King drive one down third man’s throat, and surprised Rovman Powell with a short ball, that he played down to Ferguson at fine leg. Ferguson came back to beat Nicholas Pooran with a pacy full toss, and West Indies had lost five wickets for one, ending the powerplay at 60 for 5.Pollard and Allen fight back
Pollard and Fabian Allen started with caution, but kept the early tempo going when scoring avenues opened up for them, taking West Indies to 96 for 5 at the halfway mark, when another light shower sent the teams into the dugouts. After resumption, West Indies were left with 16 overs to complete their innings, and Pollard decided to target the fifth bowler’s quota, given to Santner and Neesham. Neesham’s first over produced three sixes and a four for Pollard, and by the time Ferguson returned to remove Allen, he had already added 84 runs off 50 balls with his captain. Ferguson also got Keemo Paul to nick one to Seifert, making him just the second New Zealander after Southee to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is, but the challenge for New Zealand was always to restrict Pollard. Pollard finished with some frenetic hitting, celebrating his fifty with a 100-metre six to the roof off Santner.Unlikely heroes
The hosts needed quick runs, and when Sheldon Cottrell got Guptill to edge one through to Pooran behind the stumps, West Indies would have fancied their chances of making inroads. However, Pollard’s bowlers let themselves down, often going too short and offering width, which allowed the likes of Seifert, Conway and Glenn Phillips to keep New Zealand within sight of the required rate. Oshane Thomas briefly sparked West Indies’ hopes, dismissing Seifert and Phillips, who suffered a freak injury when his kneecap popped out as he smacked Allen over long-on for a massive six, and then Ross Taylor ran himself out in his eagerness to get his first runs.Neesham came out to join Conway, and the two of them set about taking the attack to the West Indies bowlers. Kesrick Williams was singled out for special treatment by the two – Neesham hit the first two balls he faced for four square on either side, and then picked up 20 off the first four balls he delivered for his next over. Paul, too, was guilty of missing his lengths far too often, and the batsmen made the most of Eden Park’s angles to keep picking him for boundaries. Eventually, Pollard came on and dismissed Conway, but Paul’s erratic bowling came to the fore with New Zealand needing 29 from the last three. He bowled four no-balls in all, the first for overstepping, and then all of the others for high full-tosses, and though there were no boundaries scored, Neesham and Santner kept the score ticking over.Santner swung two sixes in the last two overs, including one off the last ball delivered by Pollard, to bring up a 1-0 lead for New Zealand in the series.

“I didn’t go to Australia for the white-ball leg as there are back-to-back games”

PTI21-Nov-2020Rohit Sharma says he was “constantly communicating with the BCCI and Mumbai Indians” regarding the hamstring injury he suffered during the league stage of IPL 2020.Sharma was initially left out for the Australia tour but returned to action after a week to marshal Mumbai Indians to their fifth IPL title, leading to a lot of speculation about his fitness. He was subsequently added to the Test squad.”I don’t know what was going on, to be honest, and what all were people talking about,” Sharma, who is currently doing strength and conditioning work at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, told PTI. “But let me put this on record, I was constantly communicating with the BCCI and Mumbai Indians.”I told them [Mumbai] that I can take the field since it is the shortest format and I will be able to manage the situation quite nicely. Once I made my mind clear, it was all about focusing on what I needed to do.”Hamstring is feeling absolutely fine. Just started the process of getting it nice and strong. Before I play the longer format, I needed to be clear in mind that there is no stone left unturned. That’s probably the reason I’m at the NCA.”For Sharma, the outside chatter regarding his injury and his subsequent participation in the IPL playoffs didn’t matter much.”For me, it was not a concern what X, Y or Z was talking about like whether he would make it to Australia. Once the injury happened, the next two days all I did was to figure out what I can do in the next ten days – whether I will be able to play or not.”But every day, hamstring [degree of injury] was changing. The way it was responding was changing, so I was feeling quite confident that I could play and that is the communication that I had with MI at that point.”I told them that I think I will be okay to play just before playoffs. If there is any discomfort, I won’t be playing the playoffs.”India will start their Australia tour with the first ODI in Sydney on November 27 but Sharma feels he is yet to be ready to take the load of intensive cricket.”There is still some work that needs to be done on my hamstring. That’s why I didn’t go to Australia for the white-ball leg as there are back-to-back games. Around six games in 11 [12] days.”So I thought if I get to work on my body for 25 days, I can probably go and play the Test matches. So it was an easy decision for me and I don’t know why it became so complicated for others.”Sharma also touched upon his leadership at Mumbai Indians. The five-time champions, he said, were not created overnight.”Yeah, we have a [Kieron] Pollard, a Hardik [Pandya], [Jasprit] Bumrah, but has anybody thought why this team is successful?”Lot of people, I hear say that can he [Sharma] do it with other teams? Firstly, why shall I need to do it with other teams? There is a certain way this franchise wants to go and same direction I want to go as well, both as a player and leader.”Did this team become good overnight? No. It’s just that this franchise doesn’t believe in chopping and changing. And every player, including Rohit Sharma, was available at auctions. Just that MI picked and believed in building a team.”Sharma spoke about the freedom he gives his players by letting them evolve as individuals. He cited Suryakumar Yadav’s composure while dealing with India rejection as an example.”We were sitting in our team room and I could feel he was dejected. But I didn’t go and speak to him. It was he who came up and said, ‘Don’t worry I will get over it and win the matches for MI’.”When he said that I also realised he is heading in the right direction, not only in terms of IPL but also in his overall career. There are a lot of India games and his time will come.”

Will Pucovski was finally dismissed – for 202 – then Shaun Marsh scored another hundred

Daniel Brettig09-Nov-2020

Shaun Marsh’s prolific season continued•Getty Images

Cameron Green appeared set to deliver a strong riposte to Will Pucovski’s second double century in as many Sheffield Shield innings for Victoria, before spinner Jon Holland intervened with a spell that demonstrated that assistance was in fact available from the pitch at Karen Rolton Oval, just not so much for the West Australian all-seam attack.WA’s captain Shaun Marsh, with his third century of the season, was left in the company of the nightwatchman Matthew Kelly after Holland’s twin strike in the final session, finding appreciable turn alongside admirable economy in the sort of display he had been unable to deliver first up against South Australia at Glenelg.Victoria’s skipper Peter Handscomb had set the game up nicely with an enterprising declaration before lunch, showing that he had perhaps learned from a couple of recent failures to defeat South Australia outright on flat surfaces when his team had run up enormous first innings tallies that had nonetheless eaten into the time available to bowl the opposition out twice.Handscomb fell short of his own century, having witnessed Pucovski make it as far as 202 before flicking a catch to midwicket, giving him a Shield average of 457 from his two innings so far – numbers of the sort the Australian team coach Justin Langer had demanded in order to force a change to a settled Test match batting line-up. He was the first batsman to make back-to-back double hundreds in the Shield since Dene Hills in 1997-98.The short session before lunch proved highly fruitful for the Victorians, as Scott Boland delivered a beauty from around the wicket to find the edge of a pushing Sam Whiteman, which Handscomb snapped up expertly in the slips. On the stroke of the interval, Cameron Bancroft was pinned lbw in front of all three stumps by the young paceman Mitch Perry, despite his apparent annoyance at the decision.Marsh and Green then accumulated soundly against the seamers, the latter commendably upright and straight as he has been in so many innings of his young career, and with their stand worth 141 inside the final hour, the Warriors looked set to be well established for day three.However, Holland had dropped onto a tantalising length that prevented free scoring while also teasing the outside edge of the bat, and after several of his left-arm orthodox deliveries spun nicely away from Green, the 21-year-old was eventually beaten by the perfect ball, pitching in line with middle and leg before turning enough to sail to slip off the edge.Hilton Cartwright, once considered a potential international allrounder in the manner Green is currently being feted, soon followed in more spectacular manner, playing back to a ball that popped and turned sharply, flying more or less straight up in the air off the shoulder of the bat for Handscomb to claim his third catch out of four.These wickets will have made a mark as much by their manner as by the changes to the scoreboard, after WA had named an all-pace bowling unit in their XI and then granted Victoria first batting use of a surface now clearly friendly to spin.

Leeds United are currently preparing to launch a second attempt at earning promotion to the Premier League as another season in the Championship is on the horizon for the club.

The Whites lost in the play-off final at Wembley last month as they were beaten 1-0 by Southampton and there could now be some change to their squad over the months to come.

Daniel Farke looks set to be in the market for a new central defender in the upcoming summer transfer window to replace star titan Joe Rodon.

The Wales international spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur but the Whites did not have an option to make that deal permanent.

It, therefore, remains to be seen whether or not they will be able to bring back the former Swansea colossus for a second stint at Elland Road after they failed to earn promotion out of the Championship.

The summer transfer window opens for business later this month and the Yorkshire-based outfit could make moves to bring in a new central defender instead of bringing Rodon back, should they fail to agree a deal with Spurs or the player decides to move elsewhere.

Leeds United's interest in promotion-winning defender

It was recently reported by Afton Bladet, via The 72, that the Whites are one of the clubs interested in signing St. Pauli central defender Eric Smith.

The German side won the 2. Bundesliga this season and will be moving up to the Bundesliga next term, as they achieved what Leeds failed to do and worked their way out of the second tier.

Fellow Championship side West Bromwich Albion were also said to be in the running to land the Swedish titan to bolster Carlos Corberan's defensive options.

However, the report did not reveal how much St. Pauli would demand for their star defender or if they would even be willing to entertain offers for him.

The German side are currently in the process of losing their head coach Fabian Hürzeler to Brighton & Hove Albion, per Fabrizio Romano, and that may have an impact on any potential deal.

St. Pauli may want to wait until they have a replacement manager in place so that they can judge the squad and make decisions on players, including Smith.

If Leeds wait it out and do eventually win the race to sign the 27-year-old colossus, though, then they could land a dream partner for Pascal Struijk at the back next season.

Pascal Struijk's injury-disrupted season for Leeds

The Dutch star missed the second half of the 2023/24 campaign through injury and that forced defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu to deputise at centre-back next to Joe Rodon, which means that his return next term could allow the Welshman to move back onto the middle of the park.

A groin injury at the start of 2024, with his last appearance coming against Preston North End on Boxing Day, eventually ended the defender's chances of featuring during the club's promotion push.

However, Farke revealed that the left-footed ace will be back for pre-season after he had surgery on his groin injury in March of this year, which suggests that the Whites star will be fit for the start of the season.

During the first half of this season, though, Struijk showcased his quality in and out of possession on the pitch at Championship level for Leeds.

As you can see in the chart above, he ranked within the top 2% of his positional peers for progressive passes per 90 (6.61) and the top 10% for pass accuracy (89.9%).

This speaks to how forward-thinking and progressive he is in possession, which is crucial in building out from the back as the defender constantly looks to play forward efficiently and effectively, rather than being safe and playing sideways and backwards.

Appearances

23

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.1

Ball recoveries per game

6.1

Ground duel success rate

61%

Aerial duel success rate

61%

As you can see in the table above, Struijk was also a solid operator off the ball as he won the majority of his physical battles on the deck and in the air.

Leeds could now partner him with a fantastic right-sided centre-back to complement the left-footer by securing a deal to sign Smith this summer.

Why Leeds should sign Eric Smith

Firstly, he is a right-footed defender who would be deployed on the right side of a central defensive pairing, which is perfect for the left-footed Struijk, who plays on the left.

Smith, like the Dutchman, is also a ball-playing centre-back who likes to progress the play with his passes in a team that dominates the possession.

The 27-year-old ace ranked within the top 9% of 2. Bundesliga centre-backs for progressive passes per 90 (5.83) and the top 21% for passes attempted per 90 (66.92), which speaks to how ball-dominant he is.

This is backed up by German football consultant Adam Khan once dubbing him the "Sergio Busquets" of the 2. Bundesliga due to his ability to step into midfield and progress play with the ball at his feet, like a midfielder.

Alongside his fantastic ability in possession, Smith is also a solid defender, like Struijk, who can hold his own in duels on the deck and in the air.

Appearances

26

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

Ball recoveries per game

5.4

Ground duel success rate

66%

Aerial duel success rate

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Swedish ace won the majority of his battles against opposition attackers in his team's title-winning season in Germany.

Smith, therefore, is a centre-back who is as comfortable in possession as he is out of it, which makes him the perfect modern-day defender to fit into Farke's ball-dominant Leeds side.

It also makes him a dream partner for Struijk at the back for the Whites as they could form a terrific pairing as two players who can both dominate attackers whilst both being able to play out from the back effectively.

Leeds could replace Anthony with £8.5m swoop for "absolute beast"

The Whites have been linked with an interest in the Bundesliga forward this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2024

This is why the Yorkshire-based outfit should push to beat West Brom to his signature this summer if they fail to bring Rodon back to Elland Road.

A club record partnership of 122 between Heather Knight and Rachael Haynes formed the backbone of a convincing Sydney Thunder victory as they overpowered the Adelaide Strikers. The stand between Knight and Haynes was the Thunder’s highest for any wicket in the WBBL and Knight’s 83, which came off just 39 balls, was their highest individual score. There was a six-over period of their partnership from the 14th to the 19th over where they collected 91 runs and until the loss of a few late wickets looked like crossing 200. Their innings had actually got off to a sluggish start and they were 1 for 28 after the Powerplay, but Sammy-Jo Johnson then took 26 off the seventh over from Amanda-Jade Wellington which included four sixes. Johnson had 29 off nine deliveries before edging behind off Tahlia McGrath, but it gave Knight and Haynes time to play themselves in. The Strikers’ chase never threatened to make an impression as the asking rate swelled. Lauren Smith, in her first bowl for her new club, claimed 3 for 26 and Knight capped off her day by taking a wicket first ball.Beth Mooney makes a diving catch•Getty Images

A disciplined bowling display from the Perth Scorchers suffocated the Melbourne Renegades at Drummoyne Oval. Early wickets from skipper Sophie Devine and Nicole Bolton put the Renegades on the back foot and they never recovered crawling to 5 for 105 from their 20 overs. Devine and Beth Mooney cruised to an unbeaten 62-run stand before rain ended proceedings after just 9.5 overs with the Scorchers 18 runs clear under the DLS method. Devine knocked over the dangerous Lizelle Lee in the second over and made 31 not out to claim Player of the Match honours. Bolton’s four overs of offspin cost just 13 runs and she took the prized wicket of Sophie Molineux who made an uncharacteristically slow 29 from 41 balls. Molineux and Courtney Webb put together a 57-run partnership but chewed up 66 balls in doing so after the Renegades had slumped to 3 for 16. Webb top-scored with 33 from 44 balls but it wasn’t enough for the Scorchers experienced opening pair. Devine and Mooney were scarcely troubled until the rain ended the Renegades’ misery.Chloe Tryon was cutting loose when rain arrived•Getty Images

The Hobart Hurricanes were denied a good chance of victory when their chase against defending champions the Brisbane Heat was curtailed three balls short of the minimum five overs needed for a game. Strong hitting from South Africa Chloe Tryon, who had been promoted to open, when she took 16 off an over from Delissa Kimmince gave the Hurricanes impetus in their chase of a revived 106 in 11 overs after the Heat’s innings had been stopped as their momentum was building. Georgia Redmayne fell to the second ball of the match, but Maddy Green 33 off 24 balls provided a good base which captain Jess Jonassen and Grace Harris were starting to build on when the rain came.The final match of the triple-header at the Sydney Showgrounds, between the Sydney Sixers and the Melbourne Stars was abandoned without a ball bowled as rain swept across the city. The Stars’ first three matches of the tournament have all been no results. It meant there was no chance to see Australia captain Meg Lanning go up against team-mates Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Pulisic's scoring streak and Adams' return

This much is true for the U.S. men's national team: this roster is pretty beat up right now. Mauricio Pochettino's first camp in charge saw his side limited by injuries. He was missing up to six starters by the time the U.S. lost 2-0 in Mexico, and as a result, there are still many unknowns under the new coach.

All of that extended into this weekend's European club matches, as well. The USMNT storylines were focused on those who are injured and, as important, those who were able to return to the lineup.

There were several key comebacks, which will be good news for Pochettino and his staff. And aside from those injuries, the USMNT headliner continues to be Christian Pulisic, who contributed to another goal for the seventh consecutive game for AC Milan. Who could have seen that coming?

From key returns to more Pulisic heroics, GOAL assesses the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

• Pulisic's run continues

  Once again, it all starts with Pulisic, who continues to deliver major moments week in, week out.

  Pulisic was the subject of some recent criticism, despite his incredible form. The decision to have him leave USMNT camp early and return to Milan rubbed some critics, such as former USMNT player Tim Howard, the wrong way. Pulisic assisted on a goal in the USMNT's win over Panama, but then – along with Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi and two other players – were released back to their clubs before the U.S. played in Mexico.

  "I did find it strange what (Pochettino) did in the game against Mexico, in terms of sending players back and not keeping those players together," pundit Jamie Carragher told GOAL. "They got beat 2-0, so I don't quite understand that. I understand we might say, ‘Oh, we're managing the minutes.’ But I think sometimes as an international manager you’ve got to be a little bit selfish, because the clubs are being selfish and you’ve got to look after your own situation."

  That was a common theme: How could Pulisic miss the Mexico game? Why should load management take precedence over a match against a rival?

  Well, this is why. Pulisic started and played all 90 minutes in 10-man Milan's win over Udinese Saturday, assisting on Samuel Chukwueze's winning goal. That marked seven straight games with a goal contribution for the American, making him the first player across Europe’s top five divisions to do so in seven straight this season, bettering top performers from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga.

  He's been the best player in Serie A of late, and it doesn't feel particularly close.

  Milan are going to embrace that fact, too. They're going to ride with Pulisic, both in the league and the Champions League. Last season, the world was wondering if Pulisic could hold down a starting spot. Now, the world is wondering what Milan can do to continue building their team around him.

  That's why he was allowed to leave pre-Mexico. He had nothing to prove. For now, the most important thing is keeping Pulisic fit and confident in Milan.

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• Getty
  

  Adams inches closer

  This wasn't THE breakthrough for Adams, but it was at least a major moment. You can't accomplish everything all at once.

  For the first time this season, Adams was named to the Bournemouth bench for Saturday's 2-0 upset of Arsenal. The American midfielder didn't play, remaining among the substitutes, but the fact that he even sat there with his training bib on can be seen as a sign of progress.

  We haven't seen him on the field since the Copa America, when he was clearly less than 100 percent. Bournemouth haven't put him on the field since March, when he made his only three appearances of the 2023-24 season. Since March 2023, Adams has played a whopping 118 Premier League minutes and, because of that, it is somewhat easy to forget how good he is.

  For both the USMNT and Bournemouth, getting Adams back is crucial. Staff on both sides of the Atlanta will have to manage him and his minutes as they look to build him back up to the monster the world saw at the 2022 World Cup. The two years since then have largely been derailed by injuries, but all involved will hope that Adams can put that behind him.

  This weekend was a step towards that. It was a small step, but it was nonetheless a step.

• Getty
  

  Weah's significant cameo

  Yunus Musah ran things from the right-wingback position for the USMNT's 2-0 win over Panama last week – could Tim Weah play there when healthy?

  Weah was an injury absence for the USMNT, but he made his return over the weekend for Juventus after nearly a month on the sidelines. He came into the game in the second half of a 1-0 win for the Old Lady, who needed a late own goal despite being up a man for about 65 minutes.

  The American completed 21 of his 23 passes and created two chances, helping Juve pile on the pressure. He had some decent moments defensively, too, during the few sequences Lazio was able to get forward.

  The USMNT does not have a player like Weah anywhere in the pool. His ability to stretch defenses and make teams uncomfortable opens up space for everyone. After scoring in Juve's season opener, it seemed like this could be a breakout year for Weah, who looked set to add more goals to his game.

  The hope is that'll happen but, for now, it's all about Weah getting his legs back under him after missing signficant time to start the campaign.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Sargent's hysterical assist

  Sometimes, things just don't go your way. Josh Sargent felt that with the USMNT this past week. That said, sometimes things do end up going your way, even in hilarious fashion. Sargent felt that side of the phenomenon this weekend.

  The American striker was credited with an assist in Norwich City's 1-1 draw with Stoke. History will say he set up Ante Crnac's goal. Anyone who watched, though, will know that the actual story is much more humorous.

  Sargent knew nothing about his "assist." His contribution was a clearance smashing off his head and falling right into the path of Crnac. Sargent was as surprised as anyone in the stadium when the ball was in the back of the net, but the record will show that he'd earned an assist, and perhaps an assist bonus, for his role in it all.

  It was exactly the type of bounce Sargent didn't get during the international break. Maybe it's a sign that his luck has turned as he continues the grueling run through the Championship.

South Australia’s captain gave them hope of a draw after Victoria’s monumental opening stand

Andrew McGlashan01-Nov-2020

Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski took their stand to a monumental 486•Getty Images

For the second match running, captain Travis Head led South Australia’s quest to salvage a draw after the record-breaking feats of Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski where the Victoria openers added a record Sheffield Shield partnership of 486.Pucovski might have managed a triple hundred, but instead was unbeaten on a career-best 255 – his second double century at the age of just 22 – when Peter Handscomb declared the moment Nic Maddinson fell to the first ball after lunch.Having chased leather for 139 overs, South Australia were soon 2 for 10 as Scott Boland struck twice in his second over with the new ball and a three-day finish look a possibility, but Head set about restoring some Redbacks pride with his second century in consecutive innings. There is no shortage of in-form Australian batsmen.As he did against Tasmania, where he made an unbeaten 171, Head took a positive approach and though he slowed up close to three figures the mark still came from a healthy 155 deliveries.The ball after, Henry Hunt brought up his half-century as he provided a solid foil for Head and absorbed 207 deliveries during a partnership that stood at 162 by stumps. Having enjoyed a bit of early life in the surface on the opening day, Victoria’s young pacemen found it much harder work while there was not much on offer for the spinners.Having spent such a long, dispiriting, innings in the field it was a commendable show of character from Head and Hunt to repel the bowlers for the rest of the day even on a surface now friendly for batting.Victoria will still hope to press for victory, but at the start of the day it was all about the record books. Their opening pair resumed on 0 for 418 with Pucovski on 199 and he reached double off the first ball of the day as he and Harris moved briskly up the charts.Harris was dropped at slip by Callum Ferguson with the score on 436 and it was his cover drive which took the stand to 465, surpassing the Mark Waugh-Steve Waugh landmark which was made against Western Australia at the WACA in 1990-91.As attention turned to the all-time first-class partnership lists and a 500-stand loomed, South Australia finally ended the stand when Harris gloved a short ball from Wes Agar to the keeper. After 123 overs with the pads on, Handscomb finally walked in at No. 3.

Wolves are believed to be locking horns with another Premier League club for the signing of a "fantastic" attacking player this summer, according to a new transfer rumour.

Wolves transfer news

Gary O'Neil's side endured a slightly disappointing end to the 2023/24 season, eventually finishing 14th in the table after a brilliant run of form from January to March petered out, and the manager will know that fresh faces are needed within his squad, especially with Max Kilman heading to West Ham.

Ferdi Kadioglu has emerged as a rumoured target for Wolves in the summer transfer window, with the Fenerbahce full back/winger considered a replacement for Rayan Ait-Nouri, who could possibly leave before next season gets underway. The 24-year-old has started all four games for Turkey at Euro 2024 to date, and is again expected to feature prominently against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Saturday evening.

One interesting rumour surrounding Wanderers is regarding Kasper Schmeichel, who is keen on sealing a return to the Premier League this summer. A switch to Molineux has been mooted, with the Dane a free agent after his contract at Anderlecht expired.

Another former Premier League ace now plying his trade abroad is Wilfried Zaha, and he has also been linked with Wolves, as O'Neil looks to add more depth and quality in wide attacking areas. The ex-Crystal Palace hero is currently at Galatasaray, but things haven't necessarily gone to plan there, with only 13 Super Lig starts coming his way last season.

Wolves want "fantastic" free agent once worth £50m

According to Give Me Sport, Wolves are interested in signing Kelechi Iheanacho in the summer window, with the Nigerian available on a free transfer after leaving Leicester City last month. The report states that there is a "possibility of discussions over a move being opened as plans are made for the fast-approaching new campaign".

Wanderers aren't the only Premier League side keen on snapping up the 27-year-old, though, with West Ham also considering him a good option to bring in. The interest is no surprise either, given this is a proven top flight player who Man City valued with a £50m buy back clause when they sold him to the Foxes back in 2017.

Iheanacho could be just what Wolves are looking for heading into the new season, with Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha the top scorers in the league in 2023/24, scoring 12 times apiece.

While both are solid tallies, bringing in a striker who could aim for nearer 15-20 strikes would make a huge difference, and the £80,000-a-week former Leicester man has proven himself in the top flight in the past, scoring 42 goals in the competition, as well as bagging 25 assists, too. Brendan Rodgers has had positive things to say about him as well.

"Since he has come into the team he has just been fantastic. I am delighted for him because he is such a conscientious guy, such an honest guy, and as you can see now, a very talented player."

Kelechi Iheanacho's key career stats

Appearances

Goals

Leicester City

232

61

Manchester City

64

21

Nigeria

55

15

Iheanacho is still young enough to be a key player for Wolves for a number of years, while 15 goals in 55 caps for Nigeria showcases his international pedigree, and the fact that he is available on a free transfer also makes it a cheap option.

Joshua Kimmich did not rule out the possibility of joining Barcelona as the Bayern Munich star opened up about his future.

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Kimmich hints at Barca moveExpressed his admiration for the Catalan clubBayern take on Barcelona in a UCL clash on WednesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kimmich's future at Bayern Munich has been a subject of much speculation since the summer, as his current deal expires in June 2025. The player is yet to commit his future to the Bavarian club and has been linked with a move to several other top clubs, including Barcelona. Ahead of their Champions League showdown against the Blaugrana, the German hinted at a possible move to the Catalan club in the future.

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At the pre-match press conference, the 25-year-old was asked if he would consider moving to Barcelona next season, to which he replied: "I'm not thinking about that. But you should never rule anything out in life and also in football. Barcelona and Spain as a national team had a big impact. Xavi Hernandez was my childhood role model, I always watched the games with Pep as a coach and the Tiki-Taka. They were a role model."

Kimmich also spoke highly of Barca boss Hansi Flick, who he previously played under at Bayern and with the German national team. He added: "Hansi created a good spirit back then. He gave the players and everyone around us a lot of trust. Also at times when there were doubts, including we players in ourselves.

"We then played spectacular football that we all loved. We created a dynamic, we believed in what sort of football we were playing. That was what that time was about."

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The midfielder, however, confirmed that he is in talks with the Bundesliga giants over a possible contract extension, as he said: "Everyone knows I'm in talks with the club. What I discuss with the club remains internal. I won't talk about it in a press conference"

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

After facing Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday, Vincent Kompany's side will next come up against VFL Bochum in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Manchester United have been dealt a blow as it has emerged that a player they were keen to keep is in fact on the verge of leaving Old Trafford this summer.

Red Devils expecting major overhaul

It is set to be a summer of change under the new Sir Jim Ratcliffe ownership at Manchester United. Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial have already confirmed their departures when their contracts run out at the end of the season, while Sofyan Amrabat's loan spell will also end at that point, leaving Manchester United with a decision to make over his future.

It has previously been reported that just about every Manchester United player is up for sale this summer, including the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, as the club look to rebuild after a disappointing eighth place finish in the Premier League.

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It still remains unclear who will lead that rebuild, with Erik ten Hag remaining manager after his FA Cup win over Manchester City but talks ongoing over potential successors, which suggests that a decision is yet to be made on the Dutchman.

Just three players are considered "off limits" this summer, in the shape of young trio Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund, but otherwise there is a desire to bring down the average age of the squad and the wage bill, while placing their trust in younger players and continuing their proud tradition of using academy players. However, they have been dealt a blow in their bid to do so.

Forson agrees to leave

That comes as young talent Omari Forson is set to make the switch to Serie A side Monza this summer, according to the reliable Fabrizio Romano. The teenager made his Manchester United debut in the FA Cup in January, and went onto make seven appearances across the course of the season, grabbing an assist in the process.

He has been hailed as having an "exceptional resilience" as he helped the Red Devils win the FA Youth Cup in 2022, where he featured alongside Garnacho and Mainoo but was an unused substitute for the final.

“On the pitch he was part of our successful FA Youth Cup-winning squad in 2022", academy director Nick Cox explained. “Interestingly, Omari didn’t feature heavily in the cup run but showed exceptional resilience, and that’s a reminder that the journey isn’t always smooth and straightforward."

And he is someone that the Red Devils would like to keep, with reports claiming that the club have offered "competitive contracts" to the youngster in the "hope he will sign a new deal", with his current contract set to expire this summer.

However, that now seems unlikely, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that the winger is on the verge of joining Serie A side Monza, where he will be hoping for more regular opportunities to showcase his abilities than he was afforded at Old Trafford.

He is expected to sign a four-year deal with the Italian side, which will rob Manchester United of any significant transfer fee, though they will be afforded compensation for his departure.

With Amad Diallo waiting in the wings, his departure will not be too sorely felt, but it will feel like a missed opportunity to once again utilise the famed Manchester United academy.