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Matthew Mott, England’s head coach, says he hopes that Josh Hazlewood was joking about the prospect of Australia manipulating an early exit for the T20 World Cup defending champions, but admits his team can do little else but focus on victory against Oman on Thursday and hope the ongoing debate about run-rate calculations ends up falling in their favour.England were a distant second-best to Australia in their meeting in Barbados last week, and having endured a washed-out opening fixture against Scotland – who have since won two from two – they are no longer in control of their destiny in Group B, a situation which echoes their tame and early exit from the 50-over World Cup in India before Christmas.Even England’s own back-to-back victories over Oman and Namibia may not be sufficient to overturn their sizeable NRR deficit to the Scots – a point which Hazlewood highlighted when he suggested that Australia could be tempted to “knock it around and drag it out” when they themselves face Scotland in Group B’s final match in Antigua on Sunday.Such a tactic would echo Steve Waugh’s infamous go-slow against West Indies at the 1999 World Cup – when the target for elimination on that occasion had been New Zealand – but it would come with the risk of a two-match ban for their current captain, Mitchell Marsh, if Australia were deemed by the umpires to have contravened Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which pertains to the “inappropriate strategic or tactical” manipulation of matches.But Mott, who coached Hazlewood during his time at New South Wales, played down the comments as an example of his “tongue-in-cheek” sense of humour.”I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity,” Mott said. “He has got a very good sense of humour and I am hoping it was very much tongue-in-cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out. Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore. I am very much hoping it was an offhand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”Either way, the potential for a run-rate rumpus is the sort of distraction that England could do without, given their lack of fluency in the tournament to date. Even before the Scotland match was abandoned, they had been notably off the pace with the ball in conceding 90 wicketless runs in ten overs, and the pressure to perform to the standard expected of defending champions is ramping up again, especially in light of their grim display in their 50-over defence last year.Related

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• England aim to revive rocky title defence against Oman

“Regardless of any outside noise about qualification, run-rates, all that sort of stuff, essentially, we’ve got to win this game and we’ve spoken a lot about that,” Mott said. “We’ve played good T20 cricket for a while now. It didn’t quite come off against Australia last game but I think we’ve got our structure in place, we’re really confident. Those who saw us train yesterday, you can see a buoyant group, up and about, that’s ready for the challenge ahead.”To offset any run-rate shenanigans, England need to beat Oman and Namibia by a combined margin of 117 runs (or the equivalent when chasing), thereby hauling their net run-rate above Scotland’s, so that only a surprise defeat of Australia can prevent them from progressing. But first things first, England must defeat a team that Scotland themselves saw off with 41 balls to spare in a pointedly fast finish in Antigua on Sunday.”We’re treating this game with Oman in isolation,” Mott said. “They’ve got our full attention. If we get into a position where we’re in a dominant position and can push hard, we will. If we have to scrap and fight and get the two points, we will as well. So, we’ll just keep an open mind, as we always will.”But essentially, we want to play that brand of cricket. I think we had glimpses of it the other day. I thought we started well with the bat, but to get a full performance in is really important. Get that on-field confidence. I think we’re really close, but obviously it’s been a bit of a disjointed tournament so far.”

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly closing in on a deal to appoint Scottish head coach Russell Martin as their permanent successor to Philippe Clement.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the former Southampton manager has ‘accepted the project’ at Ibrox, and he is now on course to take the reins heading into next season.

Once Martin is in the building, there is plenty for the ex-Premier League boss to deal with during the summer transfer window, in order to create a squad that can compete for the Scottish Premiership title.

The English-born tactician is set to walk into a club that has not won the league title for four years, and he must be ruthless with decisions on players whilst working alongside sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

One Rangers player who wants to leave

Part of building a squad that can be successful and dominant under Martin’s management next season will be ensuring that the players want to be there and want to play for Rangers.

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The Light Blues should not want anyone in the group who either sees their future elsewhere or is not happy with playing in Scotland, which is why news that one flop wants to leave the club should give Martin an easy decision to make.

IbroxNews recently reported that central defender Robin Propper wants to leave Rangers to return to his home country in the Netherlands, a year on from leaving FC Twente to join the Gers.

The outlet added that FC Twente are keen to bring him back to the Eredivisie this summer, but only for half of the £2.5m that the Scottish giants paid for him.

Why Rangers should sell Robin Propper

Martin should instantly axe Propper from the squad as one of his first decisions as the club’s new manager, should the deal go through as expected, for several reasons.

As aforementioned, the ex-Southampton boss should not want a player who does not want to be at Rangers, as he will need all the players pulling in the same direction to be successful.

Crucially, though, Martin should ditch Propper because he has not offered enough quality on the pitch. The Dutch centre-back earns more (£9k-per-week) than star attacker Hamza Igamane (£7.2k-per-week), who delivered 16 goals in all competitions this season, and has not done enough to justify that.

Robin Propper (24/25)

Premiership

Europa League

Appearances

27

10

Starts

22

9

Dribbled past

11x

4x

Clean sheets

5

1

Duel success rate

63%

45%

Yellow cards (red)

8 (0)

1 (1)

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Rangers only kept six clean sheets in the 37 games that he played in the Premiership and the Europa League, whilst he was particularly weak in Europe – losing 55% of his duels.

Back in December, Derek Ferguson voiced concerns over how the centre-back was adapting to life in Scotland. He said:

“Propper is struggling. He’s been pretty vocal over the last couple of weeks that he’s finding it tough in our league. He’s been asked the question early on. It’s quite worrying when you see him struggling as bad as that. Look at the body language – he’s looking for a way out already.”

It simply has not worked out for the 31-year-old defender at Ibrox, as shown by his statistics domestically and in Europe, and that may be why he is now keen to move back to the Netherlands.

With all of this in mind, it should be a fairly simple decision for Martin to make on his future, as he must instantly axe the Dutch flop from the squad amid interest from FC Twente.

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Arsenal are rumoured to have made an offer for one player, after Mikel Arteta personally requested his signing behind-the-scenes, with new sporting director Andrea Berta attempting to grant the manager’s transfer wish.

Arsenal play Ipswich after historic win over Real Madrid

The Gunners are now the only team in football history to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu twice on their two visits, breaking a record which stood for 77 years, but more importantly, they find themselves in the Champions League semi-finals after their win in Spain on Wednesday.

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Andrea Berta could now strike a half-price deal.

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Arsenal made a real statement to the rest of the continent that they’re serious contenders to win this year’s Champions League title after their resounding 5-1 aggregate win over the 15-time European champions, but a tough test in PSG now awaits them.

Luis Enrique’s side are the mainstream media’s favourites to clinch this year’s competition, going by this BBC prediction piece, with former Arsenal and England defender Matthew Upson calling the Ligue 1 champions “standout” performers throughout the tournament.

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

PSG are unbeaten in the league, winning 23 of their 28 French top flight matches so far, but Arsenal have already reigned victorious over them once this season – a 2-0 league phase win back in October, courtesy of goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.

Arteta can take encouragement for this, not to mention how Aston Villa very nearly turned their quarter-final tie with PSG on its head, but first the north Londoners must take on Ipswich and Crystal Palace in the Premier League – which could be viewed as two warm-up games ahead of the blockbuster Champions League tie.

“For a short period of time yes, it was a great evening,” said Arteta on celebrating Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid.

“We had a lot of family and a lot of happy faces around the club, so it was a good moment, but immediately you have to switch it up, and now it’s Ipswich in the Premier League.”

Arsenal make "ambitious" offer for Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams

Away from the pitch, Berta is already planning for next season by earmarking Arsenal’s top summer targets.

One of them is widely believed to be Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, who’s back to his very best in this latter stage of the campaign and most recently guided his side into the Europa League semi-finals with a decisive goal against Rangers.

The £170,000-per-week winger, regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting talents, has been subject to intense interest from Arsenal in recent weeks, and Berta recently held talks with Williams’ representatives.

The 22-year-old is also regarded by Arteta as a “perfect” player for Arsenal, according to Fabrizio Romano, and another update has now come to light on their pursuit of the Basque sensation.

According to a Spanish media report, as cited by Football 365, Arteta has personally requested the forward’s signing – prompting Arsenal to make an “ambitious” offer for Williams. He is believed to be increasingly tempted by the possibility of playing in England, and Arsenal see Williams as a key target – meaning they are also ready to pay his release clause of around £50 million.

The nature of this offer is currently unclear, but Arsenal are apparently taking action due to Barcelona’s “inactivity” in the race for Williams.

With promotion and League One title glory well within their grasp, Birmingham City have now reportedly turned their focus towards securing a bargain deal to sign a defensive addition this summer.

Birmingham strolling towards promotion

With games in hand on second place Wrexham, Birmingham sit clear at the top of League One and look unlikely to ease their hold on the top of the tree anytime soon. With just a handful of games left to play, the Blues are also on course to secure early promotion above third place Wycombe and could even seal their Championship spot as early as April 18 when they square off against the struggling Crawley Town.

Left delighted with his side’s most recent victory against Barnsley, watching on as they soared to a 6-2 win, manager Chris Davies told reporters: “It was a big three points. To score six goals at home and win 6-2 is a wonderful day for us.

“I thought were good throughout, we had to be patient when they went down to ten men but to score six in front of the home fans is brilliant. Against ten men, it’s a mental game. You can think it’s going to be easy, but it doesn’t work like that.

“To get a sucker punch after we score, with a long throw, that frustration can build so it was really important for me at half-time that I calmed the players down and made them see the game quite clearly and what we needed to do, the positions we needed to get into and how to attack them relentlessly. If we did that, we would score the goals to win the match and we did.”

That victory only strengthened their stride towards promotion and securing an early place should only benefit Birmingham as they go in pursuit of one particular summer bargain.

Birmingham plotting bargain Harry Darling deal

According ton Wales Online, Birmingham are now plotting a move to sign Harry Darling on a free deal once his current contract comes to an end at Swansea City this summer. The defender does reportedly have an offer on the table from the Championship side but is yet to put pen to paper on an extension – opening the door for his exit in the coming months.

That said, the Blues aren’t the only side reportedly interested, with Premier League hopefuls Sheffield United also linked to the Swansea contract rebel as the summer transfer window approaches.

The interest in the 25-year-old centre-back should come as no surprise either. Former Swansea manager Luke Williams is just one of few to praise Darling in recent months, telling reporters following a hard-fought draw against West Bromwich Albion in January: “Harry was outstanding, and it is impossible to question his commitment to the football club because that an heroic performance from him.

“He is fantastic at defending the goal, competing for everything with the opposition. But he also had plenty of brilliant actions in helping us to build-up to try and score. He was brilliant, he’s an excellent player.”

Keith Stackpole often set the tone for Australia’s innings in the early 1970s, with his steely presence and bat that spoke volumes

Greg Chappell24-Apr-2025Australian cricket has farewelled one of its most combative and charismatic characters with the passing of Keith Stackpole on Tuesday. A fierce competitor, courageous opening batter, and fiercely loyal team-mate, Stackpole’s influence during a formative period in the game’s evolution was as significant as it was deeply felt by those fortunate enough to share a dressing room with him.Keith’s Test journey began in the middle order, but it was his shift to the top of the order that defined the cricketer – and the man – he would become. It wasn’t just a tactical move; it was transformational. His temperament was perfectly attuned to the demands of facing the new ball. He relished the responsibility, often setting the tone for Australia’s innings with a steely presence and a bat that spoke volumes.What truly set Keith apart was his fierce love of fast bowling. The quicker they came, the more alive he became. His cross-batted strokes – especially the pull and hook – were trademarks, and he never blinked at short-pitched hostility. But it wasn’t just about technique; it was his intent. Defeat stung him personally. He wore responsibility like a badge and took it upon himself to alter the course of matches.Related

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There’s a story, often retold, that speaks volumes about the man. It was Jamaica, 1973, just before the West Indies series. Word had spread about a young Jamaican quick, Uton Dowe – touted as the next Wes Hall. When news came through that Dowe would be rested for a warm-up match, most of the touring side breathed easier. Not Keith. He was genuinely furious – pacing the dressing room, lamenting the missed chance. He wanted to face Dowe, to test himself, to measure the mettle of this rising force.When the first Test came round and Dowe took the new ball to the roar of Kingston’s crowd, Keith was ready. The first ball was short; Stackpole sent it racing to the boundary. He went on to smack seven fours in a fiery innings of 44, dismantling the youngster’s confidence – and with it, his career. It was Stackpole in full: courageous, combative, and utterly unwilling to let reputations go unchallenged.As Ian Chappell’s vice-captain, Keith was steadfast. He gave unwavering support, both on and off the field, and the two forged a friendship that lasted decades. He would not abide criticism of his skipper and was a pillar of strength during Australia’s rise in the early 1970s.Of all his performances, his knock at The Oval in 1972 remains etched in memory. With the Ashes on the line and Australia needing 242 to draw the series, Keith launched into the English attack of John Snow, Geoff Arnold, Tony Greig and Derek Underwood. He belted a commanding 79 – bold, belligerent, and calming to those watching on. It helped secure a pivotal win and symbolised so much of what he brought to Australian cricket: nerve, heart, and a flair for the moment.To his beloved wife Pat and the entire Stackpole family: the thoughts and deepest sympathies of the cricketing community are with you. Keith Stackpole’s legacy won’t just live on in statistics or archives – it endures in the hearts of those who played with him, watched him, and knew what it meant to have “Stacky” at the top of the order.Vale, Stacky.

Essex have lost more wickets than anyone else in the Blast but their batters just keep coming

Alan Gardner14-Jul-2023There are three things that it is worth knowing about Essex’s 2023 Vitality Blast campaign. The first is that they squeezed through to the quarter-finals with their last hit of the group stage, as Feroze Khushi’s cow-corner slog was carried over the rope by Chris Jordan to secure a three-wicket win against Surrey. Even then, progress wasn’t confirmed until Kent lost at Somerset later that night.The second and third are linked, and tell you a bit about that dramatic finish at The Oval. No team has gone harder from the start of their batting innings than Essex, a powerplay run rate of 10.30 more than half a run per over above the next team on the list. And similarly, no team has lost more wickets in this year’s Blast. You can land your punches but Essex just keep coming.It may not the perfect strategy, but it clearly suits a group of cavalier young players balanced out by a few senior heads. In that Surrey game, for instance, Essex lost a wicket from the second ball of their chase of 196, then freewheeled along at more than 12 an over until the departure of Dan Lawrence in the 12th; from which point they lost 6 for 48 to put the result back into the balance right up until Khushi’s finisher.Leading the way in a line-up that clearly likes to buckle its swash is Michael Pepper, who powered the Oval chase alongside Lawrence with 75 off 39 balls. A 25-year-old who styles himself on AB de Villiers and speaks with a similar, though less-pronounced, twang – Pepper was born in the UK to an English father and South African mother – he has been Essex’s leading run-scorer in each of the last three editions of the Blast. Over the last two summers, he has 830 T20 runs at a strike rate of 168.35. Only one player has scored as heavily at a quicker rate – Somerset’s Will Smeed (900 at 169.17).Related

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“It’s definitely fearless cricket, just trying to take the game on as much as you can,” Pepper tells ESPNcricinfo. “Always looking to be positive and trust your instincts when you are out there, and it’s definitely helped by our batting line-up batting so deep. Literally anyone in almost the top nine or 10 can win you the game from a lot of different positions. So the fact that we have just that depth the whole way down [means] we can continue being aggressive and that’s definitely our mantra, of trying to take the game on as much as we can.”In fact, according to Daniel Sams, the Australia allrounder who is one of those match-winners down the order – and currently the most valuable player in the competition according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats – Essex have tried to dismantle one of T20’s most-established axioms: if you lose three wickets in the powerplay, you are likely to lose the game.”We have lost three wickets in six overs probably more than once this tournament but I’m pretty sure at least one of those games, after six overs we were still going at tens and we still won the game,” Sams says. “So I think that mentality of old – lost a few wickets and we need to hold back – doesn’t really work anyway. The buy in is, ‘Let’s just be bold, let’s be brave and just keep doing what we would do, regardless of the situation.’ Because all the situations or scenarios, that’s just a distraction from how you can best play your game.”Michael Pepper brings out his trademark reverse•Getty ImagesAs befits a team that prizes strike rate above average, Essex have been three down in the powerplay six times this season, and won three of them – including a rocky start of 31 for 4 in 4.2 overs chasing 151 at Canterbury (victory achieved with four wickets and 10 balls to spare).It is four years since Essex won their maiden T20 title with a team, again led by Simon Harmer, featuring club greats Ryan ten Doeschate and Ravi Bopara. Pepper was an unused squad member for Finals Day in 2019 but is now foremost among a clutch of players aged 22-25 – including Khushi, Robin Das and Will Buttleman – who are looking to repeat the feat. Lawrence, 26, who starred in the quarter-final win over Birmingham and is in his last season for the club having agreed a move to Surrey, will also be key, although Khushi has been ruled out of involvement due to a fractured hand.Pepper has already had a taste of the franchise world that is opening up for short-format cricketers, playing in the Hundred and Abu Dhabi T10. But he has not contemplated taking the route Smeed opted for in signing a white-ball-only contract with Somerset and hopes to attract the interest of England – and perhaps one day the IPL – through the established pathways.”I don’t like tipping myself as just a T20 player,” Pepper says. “I’m still trying to get in all the Essex teams. I’ve still got quite a heavy focus on four-day cricket, but it [T20] just seemed to be the one that’s come the most natural to me – [where I’ve] just excelled, being able to go out and express myself, playing on natural feel.”

A treat for your eyes: Six outrageous Michael Pepper sixes #Blast23 #FinalsDay pic.twitter.com/Aki5Epazbm

— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) July 10, 2023