KL Rahul is expected to link up with the India A squad on Tuesday and play the game in preparation for the five-Test series against England

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Jun-2025

India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill will not play the second unofficial “Test” between England Lions and India A, to be played in Northampton from June 6.While announcing the Test squad for the five-match series in England, the BCCI had said that Gill, along with Gujarat Titans (GT) opening partner B Sai Sudharsan, would join India A ahead of the game. But ESPNcricinfo has learned that Gill and Sai Sudharsan will now travel with the main squad, which lands in England on June 6. KL Rahul, however, is expected to play the Lions game after joining the India A squad on Tuesday.The first Test against England starts in Leeds on June 20.England Lions, who had a total of six Test caps for the first game in Canterbury, are likely to be bolstered by the addition of Chris Woakes for this game.Akash Deep will also be available for selection for the second game against England Lions•Getty Images

For India A, Akash Deep will also be available for selection. The fast bowler suffered a back injury after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, but was declared fit in early April after which he played in IPL 2025 for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). While Akash Deep was in Canterbury during the first unofficial “Test” too, he mainly trained with the squad, bowling in short stints during the breaks across the four days.On Monday, the first Lions vs India A game ended in a draw on a pitch that was flat and slow, making it a toil for the bowlers. Among the India Test squad members, while Karun Nair, who batted at No. 3 in the first innings, scored a double-century, Dhruv Jurel hit two half-centuries, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Nitish Kumar Reddy hit quick fifties in the second innings.Reddy and Shardul Thakur, the second seaming allrounder in Test squad, bowled 14.5 and 28 overs respectively in the Lions game and would look to add to those numbers in the second game.Following the second match against Lions, which will end on June 9, India will play an intra-squad match against India A in Beckenham, which is likely to be a closed-door exercise. The Test squad will then travel to Leeds.

Over the years, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side have not been short of superstars. Whether they are homegrown players, like Phil Foden, or brought in from other clubs, both in the Premier League and abroad, the Spaniard has certainly coached some big names.

Foden is certainly one of the players who could fit into that category, and fellow England international Raheem Sterling became one of the best players in the league under Guardiola. Of course, you have the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri who joined from clubs across Europe, and helped bring success to East Manchester.

One of the latest players who falls into this category is certainly Erling Haaland.

Erling Haaland's current market value

The start that Haaland has made to the 2025/26 campaign has been astronomical. There has only been one game in the top flight in which he has not scored. He has completely dominated the Premier League this season.

Let’s look at that from a numerical point of view. The Norwegian forward has played nine games for City across all competitions, and already has 12 goals.

He’s found the back of the net nine times in seven Premier League appearances, with the other three coming in two Champions League games.

The City number nine has carried his imperious form over to the international arena, too. He’s scored nine goals for Norway this season, including back-to-back hat-tricks and five goals in a World Cup qualifier against Moldova.

Guardiola says Haaland’s form is “better than ever” this season, and it is easy to see why. His unstoppable run is also reflected in his current market value, with CIES Football Observatory deeming him to be worth as much as £208m.

However, the 25-year-old is not the only player in the Citizens squad who looks like a £100m talent in the making, reinforcing the fact that Guardiola’s side is still filled with superstars.

Man City star is looking like a £100m player

Haaland is, without doubt, City’s most important player this season. He’s scored nine of their 15 Premier League goals so far, so they would certainly be a lot lower in the table without him leading the line.

At the other end of the pitch, summer signing Gianluigi Donnarumma has made some extremely important contributions.

The Italian goalkeeper joined from Paris Saint-Germain at the back end of the window and has been crucial for Guardiola.

The shot-stopper, who lifted the Champions League with the Parisian side last season, has slotted seamlessly into his new club. Having played six games across all competitions, he’s kept three clean sheets and conceded just four goals.

Saves such as this one from Bryan Mbeumo’s effort show why he will be so important for City. Making his debut in a Manchester derby, the Italian was able to tip wide the Manchester United winger’s strike, which seemed destined for the bottom left corner.

His singing has been a big coup for City. Donnarumma’s consistency for PSG was clear to see with some of his numbers.

He regularly had a save rate in the 70s, with his highest coming in 2023/24, where it stood at 79.1%. In a City shirt, it’s currently at 66.7%.

One City page over on X, City Chief, said the Citizens have “got a £100m goalkeeper for £25m,” and it certainly feels that way based on Donnarumma’s start to the season.

He has been imperious between the posts for his new side, with his size, reflexes and the way he commands his box making it hard to score past him.

Football scout Antonio Mango once said the former AC Milan star was a “generational” talent. Well, all the evidence this season certainly makes it clear why that is the case. Just like Haaland, Donnarumma has been key to Guardiola in the early parts of the season.

Man City have signed the "best in the world" & he's a new Rodri-type player

Manchester City have a new Rodri-type player in their glittering ranks who is one of the world’s best.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 16, 2025

Canada are reportedly making a renewed push to recruit Tigres midfielder Marcelo Flores, who remains eligible to represent the country of his birth despite previously featuring for Mexico. According to The Athletic, the 22-year-old has been invited to join Canada’s November training camp to learn more about Jesse Marsch’s project before deciding his international future.

Getty Images SportInvited to train with Canada during November

reports that the invitation is intended to give Flores “a chance to experience the environment and see the project,” with the federation aiming to make him “feel valued.” Sources told the outlet the move is “more than likely” to happen.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFrom promising to overlooked with Tigres and El Tri

Born in Georgetown, Ontario, Flores grew up in England and rose through Arsenal’s youth academy before joining Real Oviedo on loan in 2022. He moved to Liga MX side Tigres the following year but has struggled for playing time under manager Guido Pizarro, featuring in only four matches during the Apertura 2025 and scoring once.

His limited club minutes have also affected his place in the national team picture. Flores made his senior debut for Mexico in 2021 and appeared in three matches – one of them an official Nations League game in 2022 – but hasn’t been called up since. Under Javier Aguirre’s tenure, he was initially considered for friendlies against Canada and Uzbekistan but did not see any action.

Getty Images SportExplaining the potential switch

Because he has yet to reach the FIFA threshold of three official matches, Flores still qualifies to make a one-time switch of association. ESPN reported there has been “a lot of communication” between the player and Canada Soccer regarding the possibility of filing that request.

This isn’t the first time Flores has faced this dilemma. In 2022, after months of speculation, he publicly announced he would represent Mexico “wholeheartedly for the rest of my professional life.” However, two years later – with limited playing time in Liga MX and no recent call-ups – his future appears more open than ever, and Canada see a fresh opportunity to bring one of its own back home.

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Getty Images SportFriendlies ahead

Canada are scheduled to host Ecuador on Nov. 13 in Toronto and then face Venezuela five days later in Fort Lauderdale. The goal, according to reports, is for Flores to attend the camp, meet the staff, and evaluate his options before making a final decision about his international future.

The atmosphere around Arsenal at the moment is incredibly positive.

Mikel Arteta’s side are sitting atop the Premier League table, three points clear of Manchester City and four points clear of Liverpool.

Moreover, while their title rivals look porous at the back, the Gunners are as solid as they’ve ever been and haven’t allowed a single shot on target across the last two games.

In other words, they are going into the Champions League game against Atlético Madrid in brilliant form, apart from up top, that is. Therefore, the manager should drop Viktor Gyokeres from the side.

Why Gyokeres should be dropped

Okay, so before the pitchforks and torches come out, there are a few reasons why dropping Gyokeres for this game makes sense, and the first one is sadly his form.

Yes, it’s certainly the case that the Swedish international’s presence on the pitch has at times helped to create space for others, but what he is ultimately in the team to do is score goals, and he hasn’t done that anywhere near enough this season.

For example, in 11 games across all competitions, the 27-year-old has scored just three goals, all three of which have come in the league, two against Leeds United and one against Nottingham Forest.

Simply put, with him not doing his primary job to the standard expected of him, it makes sense to see him dropped for the game against Atlético.

However, a possible reason why he is struggling in front of goal could be the fact he’s been thrown into the deep end by Kai Havertz’s injury and is currently in need of a proper rest.

Appearances

11

Starts

10

Minutes

842′

Goals

3

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.27

Minutes per Goal Involvement

280.66′

Doing this would not only take some of the heat off him, but it might also allow him to come back into the side firing for the home game against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

Finally, the unfortunate reality is that Arteta does not have many options to play up top at the moment, so it might make sense to rest the former Sporting CP star to protect the makeup of the squad.

Fortunately, while the options to replace Gyokeres in the team are limited, they aren’t nonexistent.

The Arsenal star who should replace Gyokeres

While there isn’t an out-and-out striker to start ahead of Gyokeres, there are a few Arsenal players who could do a job up-top, like Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli.

Chalkboard

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

However, after the last year of football, there is, of course, only one player Arteta should be considering to replace the Swede: Mikel Merino.

The Spanish international may be a central midfielder by trade, but he has been incredibly prolific for club and country in 2025, and as things stand, remains the Gunners’ top scorer for the calander year.

For example, he ended last season with a tally of nine goals and five assists in 44 games, but eight of those goals and all five assists came in the new-year.

So far this season he only has one goal to his name, but it was a hugely important one away to Newcastle United.

As if that wasn’t enough, the 29-year-old monster, who Arsenal writer Adam Keys has dubbed “a magnet in the box,” has also found the back of the net eight times on international duty this year and provided one assist for good measure.

Moreover, he actually scored a hat-trick against Turkey in September, so there really cannot be any doubt over his outrageous goalscoring abilities anymore.

Ultimately, Merino is not going to become Arsenal’s starting striker, but with Gyokeres out of form, and likely in need of a rest, he could be the perfect solution for the game against Atlético.

He's like Saka: Arsenal star is now the "most electrifying" player in the PL

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 20, 2025

Whether buying them or producing them in the academy, West Ham United have a proud history of developing some of the best talent around.

The best example of this in recent years is undoubtedly Declan Rice, as while joining a fellow London club is never ideal, he did so after captaining the side to European glory.

However, not every promising prospect goes on to fulfil their potential, as before the Englishman, the most talked about youngster at the club was probably Reece Oxford.

So, Nuno Espírito Santo will be hoping that West Ham’s latest exciting talent follows in the footsteps of Rice and not Oxford.

Where is Reece Oxford today?

Ironically, Oxford’s most memorable game as a West Ham player was his full Premier League debut, away to Arsenal in the club’s opening game of the 2015/16 season.

Chalkboard

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

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The young Englishman, who was just 16 years old at the time, started in the middle of the park and was given what seemed to be the impossible task of stopping a Gunners’ team that included the likes of Mesut Özil, Santi Cazorla and an in-form Aaron Ramsey.

Yet, instead of being made to look foolish, he helped the Hammers to a famous 2-0 victory, and was described as having “everything” by then manager Slaven Bilic at full-time.

However, even after putting in such an incredible showing and being looked at as the club’s “main talent” at the time, per an interview with former West Ham trainee Lewis Page, the teenager would only go on to make another 11 first-team appearances that season, and then go on loan to Reading midway through the following campaign.

Unfortunately, injuries kept him to just five appearances for the Royals, and after two more underwhelming loan spells in Germany, he was finally sold to Bundesliga side Augsburg in the summer of 2019.

Oxford’s senior career

Club

Games

Goals

Assists

Augsburg

80

3

2

West Ham

17

0

0

Mönchengladbach

8

0

0

Reading

5

0

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Initially, things started to look up for the youngster: while he wasn’t playing every week, he was getting more action than before. But it wouldn’t last, as injuries reared their ugly heads once again.

Then a severe case of long COVID kept him out of first-team action from November 2022 until he left the club this summer.

Unfortunately, Oxford remains without a club today, but at 26, there is still a chance he can find his way back into the game. So, with all that said, West Ham will be hoping their latest talent can follow more in Rice’s footsteps.

West Ham's biggest talent since Rice and Oxford

The good news for West Ham fans is that there are several exciting U21 players in the current squad, like Callum Marshall and Oliver Scarles, but the most promising has to be Luis Guilherme.

The 19-year-old joined the Hammers from Brazilian outfit Palmeiras last summer for a fee of around £25.5m, and while that is a lot for such a young player, it might prove to be a bargain in the future.

For example, one of his best traits is that while he is primarily looked at as a right-winger, he’s more than capable of playing all over the pitch, from attacking midfield to left-wing and even up top or as a second-striker.

Moreover, even though the goal involvements have not exactly flowed freely so far, those in the know are incredibly excited about his attacking potential.

According to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, while the Brazilian gem doesn’t take enough shots, when he does, they are of a “high calibre.”

Furthermore, the more Nuno uses him and the more comfortable he becomes in the English game, the more exciting the Hammers could become.

This is because, according to Mattinson, the “electric” winger is a player who “thrives on transitions” and can “turn past players with ease” thanks to his “elite ball manipulation,” which sounds like a player fans would want to watch.

Finally, while he might not hit the levels of a Dimitri Payet, he could bring some of the trickery and mazy runs the Frenchman was famous for back to the London Stadium.

At least that is what it sounds like when Mattinson describes him as an “entertainer” who is capable of producing “match-winning moments,” be that through a “30-yard screamer” or by “taking on players.”

Ultimately, fans have not quite been able to see it over the last year, but there is a very good chance that Guilherme is West Ham’s most exciting prospect since Rice and Oxford, but only time will tell which player he emulates.

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Eddie Howe has insisted he is “100 per cent” committed to Newcastle amid speculation over Ruben Amorim’s future at Manchester United.

The 47-year-old’s name has been mentioned as part of an ongoing debate surrounding Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, as he was when the England job became available after Gareth Southgate’s exit.

Howe "100 per cent" devoted to Newcastle

However, asked about his commitment to the Magpies, Howe said: “My commitment here is I’m all in. I’m 100 per cent here, I always have been. My family are still here, we’re fighting every day to try to make a success of what we’re doing.

“The season ahead could be a wonderful thing and that’s really what I want to focus on, trying to make a success of the games we have coming up.”

Howe was appointed as Steve Bruce’s replacement in November 2021 a matter of weeks after Amanda Staveley’s consortium completed its buy-out at St James’ Park.

The former Bournemouth boss took over a team fighting a relegation battle, but kept them up in some comfort and, aided by significant investment from its Saudi-backed owners, have kicked on.

Magpies defender Fabian Schar spoke early on in Howe’s reign about what the former Bournemouth boss had brought to Tyneside.

Newcastle are playing in the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and, in March, ended their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy when Howe guided them to Carabao Cup final glory.

West Bromwich Albion’s early promotion hopes continue to be dashed by inconsistent form in the Championship.

After 12 up-and-down games this season in the second tier, the Baggies have exactly five wins and five defeats next to their name, with two losses on the trot to Watford and Ipswich Town, no doubt worrying Ryan Mason in the Hawthorns hot-seat.

Mason has had to deal with an awful lot of change in a short space of time in the West Midlands, in his defence, with Tom Fellows’ departure very much hurting him this summer, after he stood out as one of the Baggies’ brightest attacking sparks last season.

Why Fellows leaving hurt West Brom

The former Tottenham Hotspur coach turned West Brom manager would only have been occupying his new dug-out for around two months, when news began to filter through that Fellows had left his boyhood club behind for Championship rivals Southampton.

He has managed to pick up the pieces, with the likes of Isaac Price at his disposal, already up to five goals and one assist this season, as one presence who has made the loss of Fellows feel less obvious. Still, losing such a creative force has definitely had a negative impact.

If Fellows was still pulling on Baggies’ blue and white, Aune Heggebo might well have more goals to shout about from his early days in England, with the assist king managing to tally up a jaw-dropping 14 assists across 45 Championship encounters last campaign.

Instead, the Nordic centre-forward has often cut an isolated figure up top, with it not being the greatest shock in the world that the ex-Brann striker is only one goal down in his new location, considering he only accumulated a meagre 20 touches last match against Ipswich Town.

Josh Maja would have also been left feeling flat when Fellows exited the building for the South Coast, with the former Sunderland man often relying on a quick burst forward from the 22-year-old to then fire home last campaign. Now, after managing a 12-goal season next to Fellows, he is a regular on the bench, in another sad decline in the attacking areas.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom in the forward positions, even as only 12 goals have been fired home in league action to date by his side, with one talent at Mason’s disposal right now, arguably a bigger star than the brand-new Saints’ number 18.

West Brom have a bigger talent than Fellows

West Brom cashing in on their star asset for around the £10m mark this summer might have looked foolish at the time, considering he had previously been touted to move for a far bigger amount to pastures in the Premier League.

Now, however, with hindsight on side, it could well have been a smart call to make, with Fellows drawing blanks at St. Mary’s ever since he made his big move.

On the contrary, Samuel Iling-Junior is already terrorising Championship defences on the right wing in Fellows’ absence, with the former Juventus man arguably possessing a higher ceiling than their former homegrown gem

Indeed, while Fellows was tipped to make the Premier League cut and hasn’t just yet, Iling-Junior has been there and done that at the very top already, with three goals and two assists next to his name for the aforementioned Serie A giants in the Italian top-flight.

The “explosive” forward – as analyst Ben Mattinson once glowingly labelled him – even has nine Champions League clashes under his belt to further reinforce his pedigree, as Iling-Junior is now tasked with achieving what Fellows couldn’t do at the Hawthorns, in securing promotion up to the Premier League with his gung-ho displays, out on loan from the Baggies’ near rivals Aston Villa.

LW

66

15 + 15

LM

38

4 + 7

RW

15

5 + 1

LB

9

1 + 2

RM

6

1 + 0

CM

3

0

He is also a far more malleable presence than his Saints counterpart, with Mason no doubt pleased he has such a versatile talent, especially if he needs to potentially throw him into his starting XI wherever suits, as the season drags on.

Once on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur, before sealing a move around the £12m mark to Villa, it really could be labelled as a coup that West Brom have Iling-Junior on their books for the season.

But, as West Brom realised last campaign, having scintillating talents such as Fellows on your books doesn’t guarantee promotion, with a team effort the only way the Baggies are going to return to the Premier League under Mason.

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تحدث خوان جارسيا، حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة عن علاقته بزيميليه تير شتيجن وفوتشيك تشيزني وعدة أمور أخرى خلال حواره مع إذاعة RAC1.

ويواصل الحارس الإسباني عملية تعافيه من الإصابة التي تعرض لها، حيث يركز على العودة إلى الملاعب في أقرب وقت ممكن.

وقال جارسيا، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “علاقتي مع تير شتيجن جيدة كأي زميل آخر في الفريق، هو الآن في المراحل الأخيرة من تعافيه، لذلك أصبح حاضرًا أكثر وعلاقتنا طبيعية كأي زميل آخر في الفريق”.

وأضاف: “لم تكن هناك حاجة للحديث، لا أحد يفهم الوضع تمامًا من كلا الجانبين وفي النهاية، تم حل الأمر بأفضل طريقة ممكنة”.

وأكمل: “أي من حراس المرمى الثلاثة قادر على اللعب وهذا أمر طبيعي في أي فريق، أعمل جاهدًا لأصبح الحارس الأساسي وإذا أتيحت لي الفرصة، فسأحاول استغلالها للبقاء في المرمى والتأكد من عدم وجود أي لاعب آخر لي، سأبذل قصارى جهدي لاستعادة مركزي الأساسي والحفاظ عليه حتى النهاية”.

وعن تشيزني: “لا أعتقد أنني في وضع يسمح لي بتقديم النصيحة له فهو يتمتع بخبرة واسعة ويلعب منذ سنوات طويلة، ليس بالضرورة أن يكون حارس المرمى هو المسؤول عن استقبال الأهداف ولكن من الطبيعي أن يكون هو الأكثر تعرضًا للنقد لأنه من يستلم الكرة مباشرة، نحن ندرك تمامًا أن الفريق بأكمله بحاجة إلى التحسن للحفاظ على نظافة شباكه، فوتشيك مرح، ودائمًا ما يقول أشياءً مضحكة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | خوان جارسيا: عانيت كثيرًا في إسبانيول.. والمنافسة على الدوري صعبة

وأشاد خوان جارسيا بخط دفاع برشلونة الدفاعي المتقدم: “بالنسبة لنا كحراس مرمى، يُتيح لنا هذا الأسلوب التركيز بشكل أكبر طوال المباراة، إنه أسلوب محفوف بالمخاطر بلا شك ولكن عند تطبيقه بشكل جيد يُحقق نتائج ممتازة”.

واستطرد: “بهذا الأسلوب نُجبر الخصم على اللعب والتفكير بشكل أسرع وعندما يلعبون في مساحة ضيقة جدًا يدفعهم ذلك لارتكاب المزيد من الأخطاء ويسمح لنا باستعادة الكرة بشكل متكرر لكن هذا يتطلب عملًا دقيقًا للغاية، لأن كل شيء قد يعتمد على بضعة سنتيمترات فقط، لذلك أعتقد أن هذه الطريقة ذات فاعلية كما رأينا الموسم الماضي عندما نجحت، وأعتقد أننا سنحقق نتائج رائعة هذا الموسم مع بعض التعديلات الضرورية”.

فيما يتعلق بمهاراته في اللعب بالقدم، أوضح: “عندما نستحوذ على الكرة، يكون دوري هو تهدئة الفريق وتجنب تعقيد الأمور، والقيام بما يلزم لمساعدته على اللعب بشكل أفضل، مع لاعبين من هذا المستوى، لا يحتاج حراس المرمى إلى تعقيد الأمور، كل ما عليهم فعله هو تمرير الكرة بشكل جيد للاعبين الموهوبين، وهم يعرفون كيفية التعامل مع الموقف من هناك، أخبرني فليك بذلك، هذه هي طريقتنا في اللعب، قد تحدث أخطاء ولا مشكلة في ذلك”.

وتحدث عن آلام العانة التي يعاني منها لامين يامال: “أنا أيضًا عانيت من ألم العانة منذ سنوات، منطقة العانة معقدة وهي إصابة تتطلب عناية فائقة، أعمل عليها يوميًا وأركز على الوقاية لكن لامين يعمل بجد لا يُصدق، إنه ذكي للغاية”.

وتابع: “هل لامين شخص مرح؟ كل يوم يذكرني بالهدف الذي سجله في مرماي عندما كنت ألعب مع إسبانيول”.

وأتم عن رد فعل غرفة ملابس برشلونة على زيارة ميسي إلى ملعب كامب نو: “لم يتوقع أحد أن يزور ميسي ملعب كامب نو الجديد، ما فعله كان رائعًا، تحدثنا عن ذلك في غرفة الملابس لكننا لم نُعط الأمر أهمية كبيرة، آمل أن أتمكن يومًا ما من اللعب مع ميسي في برشلونة لكنني لا أعرف إن كان ذلك يمكن أن يحدث في الواقع أم لا”.

Former England Lioness Jill Scott has waded into the controversy surrounding Mary Earp’s revelatory autobiography in which she makes a number of accusations about boss Sarina Wiegman and her handling of rival goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Earps revealed she felt Wiegman was "rewarding bad behaviour" by reinstating Hampton to the squad in 2023.

• Book launch creates controversy

  Hampton had been dropped after Euro 2022 over reports of being "disruptive and unreliable," and Earps said at the time that the decision had strengthened relationships behind the scenes. The situation came to a head in early 2025 when Wiegman named Hampton the new first-choice goalkeeper over Earps, a decision Earps called "bullsh*t" and led to her international retirement just before Euro 2025. 

  Hampton starred for the Lionesses during the successful run in Switzerland, saving two penalties in the final shootout with Spain, and later received the Yashin Trophy for world's best goalkeeper, presented by Earps herself. The decision to reveal details from inside the England camp has since generated backlash for Earps, with Hampton's club manager Sonia Bompastor criticising Earps' "lack of respect". 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Failed attempt at making amends

  After extracts from her book were published in the Guardian and subsequently widely picked up by other media outlets, Earps attempted to backtrack on her claims about Hampton's "bad behaviour" by suggesting she was misrepresented, stressing her vulnerability in the book, and privately messaging Hampton. 

  In her Instagram statement, Earps wrote: "It's gut-wrenching to be portrayed as someone you're not," and argued that "pulling out a paragraph, or a sentence here and there is not a reflection of the contents of the book". In a separate interview, she said, "I have messaged her privately to say: 'Look, no bad blood'". 

• 'It’s gone crazy'

  Scott joined the debate and told this week's Stick to Football podcast: "It’s gone crazy. Obviously, Mary's brought out a book where she's told her side of the story about Hannah Hampton being left out after the Euros, and then Sarina saying she was going to bring her back in, and since then it’s just escalated so much. But I’ve seen a lot of the girls do interviews, and I think their opinions are that if things happen in-house, they should stay in-house.

  "If you asked Hannah, she’d have a version. Sarina would have a version, and Mary would have a version. Hannah’s a fantastic keeper and I think she came in and there was pressure on her to perform when Mary wasn’t there, and there’s all this pressure on Hannah to perform as a young keeper in that Euros; she was absolutely fantastic. Sarina's left her out of a camp and come back in, will people look at that as good management? But the way it’s all going, it's just kind of blew up.

  She added: "When I’m watching Mary’s interview she’s saying, 'Please don’t look at clickbait, read the story,' because she says Hannah’s a fantastic keeper, Sarina look at what’s she’s won – she doesn’t want to question Sarina. So sometimes we can see a headline and a small snippet and think she’s coming at her."

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  Wright's worries over impact of public row

  Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright also shared his thoughts on the controversy, and is concerned for how the drama will impact both Earps and Hampton's form for their respective clubs. 

  Wright said: "The sad thing with it is, because the book is so close and she (Hannah) is still playing, and they're so close to everything still. You normally get this narrative 10, 15, 20 years after you’ve retired so it doesn’t hit so hard. But what I’d be careful of for both of them, is they’re not used to the kind of attention they’re going to get in respect to how it comes on top. The pile-on is a worry."

Zafar Gohar takes three wickets against former teammates

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Jul-2025

D’Arcy Short raised a thrilling half century as resurgent Gloucestershire beat Middlesex by nine runs at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium to extend their winning run in the Vitality Blast to four games and keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.Making up for lost time following a slightly disappointing start to his Gloucestershire career, the left-hander clubbed a breathtaking 83 from 48 balls, hit 8 fours and five sixes and staged progressive stands of 100 and 52 with Miles Hammond and Cameron Bancroft for the first and second wickets respectively to propel Gloucestershire to 204 for 5 after they had lost the toss.Hammond weighed in with a hard-hitting 48 from 33 balls, with 6 fours and 2 sixes, Bancroft contributed 30 not out from 19 deliveries and Ben Charlesworth smashed a nine-ball 22, while Middlesex spinner Zafar Gohar claimed 3 for 54.Stephen Eskinazi made a game of it, scoring a superb 75 from 41 balls, striking 8 fours and 3 sixes and sharing in a high-octane opening stand of 87 in 7.5 overs with Kane Williamson, who made 34. But Gloucestershire’s bowlers held their nerve, Josh Shaw claiming 3-48, including the crucial wicket of Eskinazi, and David Payne and Graeme van Buuren returning figures of 1-22 and 1-28 respectively as the visitors came up short on 195-7 in an entertaining South Group contest.In destructive mood, Hammond twice drove Tom Helm through the covers for four in the opening over, before hoisting former teammate Ryan Higgins high over long-on and raising an imperious six as Gloucestershire came flying out of the blocks. Josh Little received similar treatment at the hands of Hammond, who drove him straight down the ground, while Short weighed in with five boundaries as the turbo-charged opening partnership advanced the score to 57 at the end of the powerplay.Particularly strong off the back foot, overseas star Short cut and pulled with impunity, matching the more abrasive Hammond blow for blow as the Middlesex bowling struggled to exert even a semblance of control. Hollman conceded 19 runs off the ninth over, Hammond pulling him over deep backward square and Short taking him for a further two sixes to move to within sight of a half century.Having played his part in a superb opening stand of 100 in 10.5 overs, Hammond fell two short of 50 when holing out in the deep off the bowling of former Gloucestershire spinner Gohar to afford Middlesex much-needed respite. But any let-up in Gloucestershire intensity was temporary, Short going to his maiden 50 for the county via 33 balls. Fellow Australian Bancroft came out swinging, issuing a statement of intent when harvesting a brace of fours at the expense of Hollman in a 12th over that yielded 14 runs.Little and Higgins discovered a nagging length to briefly slow the scoring thereafter, but Short redressed the balance by pulling Zafar for back-to-back sixes and then straight-driving the spinner for four as the home side rediscovered their mojo to raise 150 in the 15th. No wonder Middlesex breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Australian hit a ball from Little straight up in the air and was held at extra cover with the score 152.Pushed up the order, Charlesworth ensured there was no let-up for the visitors, smiting Hollman for three successive sixes as the 17th over yielded 20 runs. Helm bowled Charlesworth in the next over in an act of damage limitation, but lusty hitting from Jack Taylor and Ollie Price ensured Gloucestershire equaled their highest T20 total of the season on home soil.Middlesex needed a fast start and their openers obliged. Eskinazi plundered 17 runs off the second over, bowled by Shaw, and Williamson drove Payne for six in the third to give the Middlesex reply early impetus. Returning paceman Ajeet Singh Dale fared little better as the openers adopted a high-risk strategy to race to 50 in 4.1 overs.Williamson and Eskinazi mustered 12 boundaries between them in a powerplay that yielded an impressive 73 runs and served notice to Gloucestershire’s under-pressure bowlers that they had a real fight on their hands.Something special was required to break the partnership and Jack Taylor took a superb diving catch at extra cover to remove Williamson for a 23-ball 34 off the bowling of Singh Dale with the score 87-1 in the 8th over. Matt Taylor removed Max Holden two overs later, but Middlesex were still well-placed on 101-2 at the halfway stage of their innings.Experienced campaigner Eskinazi represented the Londoners’ best hope and he went to 50 from 28 balls, while new batsman Ben Geddes hit the ground running to keep the required rate at around 10 an over. Gloucestershire needed a wicket and Graeme van Buuren had Geddes held at long-on for 13 as Middlesex slipped to 123-3, their hitherto serene progress subsequently held up by three overs without a boundary as the home side fought back.Eskinazi held the key and Gloucestershire supporters celebrated wildly when he was pinned lbw by Shaw in the 15th over, with 61 still needed from 5.2 overs. Gloucestershire’s bowlers largely succeeded in cutting off the supply of boundaries thereafter, and Payne tricked Higgins into hitting his own wicket in the act of reverse sweeping, while Shaw had Leus Du Plooy caught in the deep in the 19th over as the home side finally regained a grip on proceedings.Joe Cracknell and Zafar raised three sixes between them in the final over, but it proved too little too late.