Worcestershire have received a suspended two-points deduction for the next season’s Vitality Blast, after their allrounder, Josh Cobb, was deemed to have used an illegally-sized bat in their North Group match with Durham in July.Cobb admitted a breach of ECB Directives 3.2 and 3.3 after his bat failed a bat-gauge test during the Durham match, at which stage he had not yet faced a delivery. The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) adjudicator originally imposed a straight points deduction, but this was amended on appeal to a suspended penalty, which will be imposed if Worcestershire commit a further breach of this nature.It is the second such penalty to be levelled in county cricket this summer, following the 12-point deduction that Essex were last month handed in the County Championship, following Feroz Khushi’s breach of the regulations during their opening fixture of the season, against Nottinghamshire in April.Essex issued a scathing riposte to that verdict, with Keith Fletcher, the club president, decrying it as “stupid”, not least because it wrecked the club’s hopes of challenging for the County Championship, with their final match of the season, at home to Surrey – who have already been crowned champions – taking place this week.Worcestershire were similarly aghast at the original verdict, and explained in their appeal that the loss of two points could mean the difference between reaching the knock-outs of the Vitality Blast and an early elimination.”Being docked points next year potentially/effectively puts a club of our size, with our resources, out of contention for qualification to the later rounds in 2025,” the club wrote to the adjudicator, Chris Tickle. “This has an impact on next year’s squad, coaching team, sponsors and, therefore, the club’s finances. This impact is potentially devastating to us and is disproportionate.”In his amended verdict, Tickle wrote: “Given those circumstances, I am persuaded that it is in the interests of justice to review my decision.”Dave Lewis, the interim director of the Cricket Regulator, said: “I am pleased that we were able to work with Worcestershire CCC and the Cricket Discipline Commission and that the adjudicator was able to reconsider their original decision in this case.”We also note that this is the second oversized bat case this year, and the Cricket Regulator will be working with counties, players, and officials to inform them about the issue with a view to preventing a recurrence next season.”The Cricket Regulator is the independent body which enforces the rules for domestic professional cricket as well as working to educate participants and prevent potential breaches. The Cricket Regulator investigates and prosecutes cases but does not decide on any penalties.The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) is the independent adjudication body which hears cases, rules on responsibility for breaches of rules and issues penalties to teams and participants.

It’s nearly a month now until West Bromwich Albion gets their brand-new Championship campaign underway.

At this stage, Ryan Mason might well be a little nervous about his squad heading into the hustle and bustle of the second tier, with Nathaniel Phillips the only signing he’s managed to add to his camp since taking on the managerial reins.

Between now and Blackburn Rovers coming to the Hawthorns on the 9th of August, expect the Baggies to be very busy refining their squad, as an intriguing signing edges ever closer to relocating to the Hawthorns to join Phillips.

West Brom's transfer latest

Indeed, after uncovering a gem from Scandinavia in the form of Torbjørn Heggem last summer, the Baggies are now closing in on the signing of another potential Nordic diamond in Aune Heggebø.

Netting a bumper 51 goals from 146 clashes for Brann, this is a pick-up that will pique the curiosity of West Brom supporters far and wide, with Heggebø capable of offering Josh Maja plenty of competition down the line in the attacking positions if he can show off his goalscoring prowess in England.

Midfield competition could also come, too, by landing the signature of Preston North End star Ali McCann, with journalist Alan Nixon revealing recently that West Brom are interested in securing the Lilywhites midfielder’s services.

There is a hurdle for the Baggies to overcome here – with McCann reportedly closer to penning a new deal at Deepdale over leaving the club – but he could well be West Brom’s next version of Chris Brunt if a move does suddenly accelerate into motion, with McCann a versatile, tough, yet goal-and-assist heavy option centrally much like the adored Brunt once was.

How McCann could be West Brom's next Brunt

Of course, the most obvious similarity hasn’t been shared yet, with both the 25-year-old and the retired Baggies legend sharing the same national allegiance to Northern Ireland.

But, there is far more than just their geography that glues them together, with McCann able to boast an impressive 11 goals and eight assists from 242 career games, 119 of which have come about in the demanding division of the Championship.

His now 40-year-old counterpart is equally well-versed in what it takes to be a consistent performer at such a gruelling level, with the ex-Baggies number 11 going on to amass 214 career Championship games, a total which McCann will surely hit either for Preston or when moving on.

Brunt does have far heftier numbers in the goal and assists department when comparing side-by-side with the ex-St Johnstone midfielder, with a stunning 73 of his overall 132 goal contributions at Hawthorns coming in the second tier, but McCann will hope he can elevate his game further in his new surroundings as an option Mason can rely upon in several different positions in the middle of the park.

CM

120

9

4

DM

60

1

2

AM

22

1

1

RM

5

0

0

LM

2

0

0

SS

1

0

0

Whilst still in his prime in the West Midlands, Brunt would gain a notorious reputation for being an adaptable presence for his beloved Baggies, with the Belfast-born icon even lining up as a makeshift centre-forward on one occasion, away from slotting into the team in a hefty eight different positions.

As can be seen looking at the table above, the new Baggies target also possesses that same adjustable nature for his side’s cause, with McCann further unafraid to slot into an XI in the striker spot if needed, much like Brunt before him.

McCann was once hailed as “phenomenal” by his former St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson, with Mason more than welcoming this as his next buy after Heggebø, safe in the knowledge that McCann knows the EFL’s elite league inside and out.

On top of that, if all goes to plan, the 25-year-old might well be West Brom’s next dependable hero, much like Brunt, especially if a promotion is triumphantly won during his debut campaign.

West Brom could sign "phenomenal" attacker who'd be better than Kelman

West Bromwich Albion could now sign this phenomenal attacker who is even more exciting than Charlie Kelman.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 6, 2025

Tour arrangements finalised at last minute with England due to depart within fortnight

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2024

England’s Test tour of Pakistan next month will comprise back-to-back fixtures in Multan and a series finale in Rawalpindi, with the PCB finally giving the go-ahead to its revised schedule after a protracted delay.The original itinerary for the three-Test series, which forms part of the ICC World Test Championship, had involved a second Test in Karachi – the venue where England secured a historic 3-0 clean sweep on their most recent visit to the country in December 2022.However, the National Stadium in Karachi is currently undergoing major renovation work to prepare it for the ICC Champions Trophy in February 2025, and with Rawalpindi unavailable for the second Test due to a major international conference in neighbouring Islamabad from October 15-16, the series had at one stage seemed set to be relocated to the UAE, with Abu Dhabi raised as a possible venue.Now, however, an agreement has been reached that the series will begin and end in Multan and Rawalpindi as originally scheduled, but the teams will remain in Multan for the second Test as well.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

England are due to arrive in Multan on October 2, with Pakistan’s squad set to assemble in the city on the same date. The first Test gets underway from October 7-11, with the second following four days later, from October 15-19. The teams will then relocate to Rawalpindi for the third Test from October 24-28.”PCB is thrilled to welcome the England men’s cricket team back to Pakistan,” Usman Wahla, PCB Director, International, said. “Despite minor adjustments, we are committed to supporting fans and ensuring a memorable tour. We look forward to a fiercely competitive Test series and showcasing Pakistan’s renowned hospitality.”The announcement ends weeks of uncertainty surrounding the series, for which England last week named an unusually large touring squad of 17 players. Speaking ahead of the recent third Test against Sri Lanka, England head coach Brendon McCullum pointed out his side needed to know the venues in advance to be able to pick a squad that suited the conditions.The delay has been a huge frustration to England’s fans, with a number of tour operators cancelling their arrangements amid the lack of logistical arrangements.Revised itinerary
7-11 Oct First Test, Multan
15-19 Oct Second Test, Multan
24-28 Oct Third Test, Rawalpindi

Sunderland have made an initial £13m bid to sign a “goal machine”, with those at the Stadium of Light wanting a transfer done as soon as possible.

Le Bris makes Sunderland transfer comments after Hearts defeat

Regis Le Bris and his new-look Sunderland side suffered a 3-0 pre-season defeat in Scotland against Hearts on Saturday. New big-money signings Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra and Habib Diarra all featured at Tynecastle, with the new Premier League season just around the corner.

He'd be amazing with Xhaka: Sunderland pursuing "incredible" Isak-esque gem

Sunderland is now pursuing a move for this incredible star who could shine alongside Granit Xhaka.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 25, 2025

Talking after the loss to Hearts, Le Bris spoke to the media and was asked for the latest on potential signings following rumours of a move to sign Granit Xhaka. The manager admitted the club “have to reinforce this squad to be stronger” and described the window as “unpredictable”.

A new centre-forward to rival Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor appears to be on the to-do list, with Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia of interest. Now, a new update has emerged regarding a deal with those at the Bernabeu.

Sunderland make £13m bid to sign Gonzalo Garcia

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland have now submitted an offer to sign Garcia from Real Madrid worth an initial €15m (£13m).

The total package includes another €5m (£4.3m) in add-ons and a 30% sell-on clause, with the Black Cats wanting ‘to close the deal quickly’. Alongside the bid, Sunderland are also giving Real Madrid the chance to re-sign Garcia for €30m between now and 2027, should the Spanish giants give the green light to the proposal.

Garcia recently starred at the Club World Cup, scoring four goals and providing one assist in six games for Real in the USA, being dubbed a “goal machine” in “monstrous” form in the media.

The 21-year-old is capable of playing anywhere across the front three and has broken through into Madrid’s first team after starring for Real Castilla.

A move looks like it could be one to keep an eye on following Sunderland’s bid, especially with the buy-back clause, sell-on clause and add-ons.

MatériaMais Notícias

Mesmo com o elenco fechado no momento, o Palmeiras vê o mercado em aberto, tanto para a chegada quanto para saída de atletas ainda nesta temporada. Alguns jogadores, como Piquerez e Raphael Veiga, por exemplo, são monitorados por clubes europeus e podem deixar a equipe nesta temporada.

Caso isso aconteça, o desafio da diretoria palmeirense é não deixar o nível técnico da equipe cair. E, também, é um compromisso da presidente Leila Pereira para com a instituição e os seus torcedores.

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+Flaco López brilha novamente em vitória do Palmeiras na estreia no Brasileirão

– Todo clube de futebol precisa de receita para ser saudável financeiramente, que são os direitos de transmissão, patrocinadores, sócios-torcedores, que são muito importantes, e vendas de atletas. Mas o torcedor pode ter certeza absoluta que eu nunca vou enfraquecer o elenco com venda de jogadores. Nosso objetivo é conquistar títulos, mas com equilíbrio. Montar um time competitivo e vitorioso, mas não ao preço de ter uma conta impagável no futuro, como aconteceu com alguns times no Brasil – disse Leila em sabatina com alguns jornalistas promovida pela rádio 365, no último domingo (16).

Entre o fim do ano passado e o começo desta temporada, o Verdão perdeu dois titulares, o volante Danilo e o meia Gustavo Scarpa, ambos para o Nottingham Forest, da Inglaterra, e teve dificuldades de reposição no mercado.

Em relação ao primeiro homem de meio-campo, a equipe palestrina ainda não encontrou uma opção e tem apostado em Zé Rafael mais recuado, soltando Gabriel Menino, e nas chances que vem ganhando o garoto Fabinho, cria das categorias de base do Palmeiras. O Verdão até foi ao mercado em busca de um jogador para suprir a lacuna de Danilo, esteve em conversas com o estafe de Allan, do Atlético-MG, mas não viu o negócio evoluir. No período, outros nomes foram consultados, porém, nenhuma dessas situações evoluiu.

Richard Ríos, destaque do Guarani no Campeonato Paulista, foi contratado. Porém, ele joga mais em uma função como segundo volante ou até mesmo terceiro homem de meio-campo e está longe de ser um jogador de características de marcação e recomposição. A chegada desta atleta é para suprir a possível ausência até o fim da temporada do colombiano Eduard Atuesta, que sofreu uma lesão no ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho direito há algumas semanas.

Já no espaço deixado por Gustavo Scarpa, a direção palmeirense, além de contratar Bruno Tabata ainda no ano passado, quando o Scarpa ainda estava no clube, recentemente trouxe Artur, formado pelas categorias de base da equipe alviverde e estava no Bragantino.

A visão da diretoria palestrina é que, mesmo com o elenco fechado, não se pode deixar de ficar atenta ao mercado e possíveis oportunidades que possam surgir. Sobre busca de jogadores, é um processo que envolve, inicialmente, a comissão técnica. Ao identificar carências no plantel, eles relatam ao departamento de futebol, que aciona a análise de mercado. Esse departamento, que conta com o scout e estatísticas, apresenta brevemente um relatório de jogadores dentro das características que interessem o técnico Abel Ferreira e a sua equipe de auxiliares. Nomes aprovados, o clube vai ao mercado considerando a relação custo-benefício, que engloba o encaixe financeiro e a idade dos ativos, porque isso pode converter em potencial de revenda no futuro.

– Por mim, pela presidente, nosso elenco está fechado. O Palmeiras sempre está atento a oportunidades. Treinador, comissão técnica, diretor de futebol, se eles entenderem que há alguma fragilidade no elenco, certeza que vamos ao mercado – destacou a presidente palmeirense.

A janela de transferências fecha nesta quinta-feira (20) para as movimentações nacionais. Já a internacional já fechou, mas abrirá novamente no início de julho, visando a próxima temporada na Europa.

continua após a publicidade

The Bangladesh selectors naming Shakib Al Hasan in the Test squad for the first match against South Africa confirms that he will return to the country for the first time since May. Shakib is reportedly landing in Dhaka on Thursday, which allows him three days to prepare for his final Test match.Shakib announced his retirement in Kanpur on September 26, wishing to complete his Test career with at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. But he had expressed concern about his safety if he came to Bangladesh, given the number of Awami League leaders being arrested since August 5, the day their government effectively resigned from power after 15 years. Shakib was a member of parliament from his hometown Magura. He was one of 147 people named in an FIR for an alleged murder during the unrest.Although the BCB said that they couldn’t guarantee Shakib’s security, Bangladesh’s interim government confirmed – a couple of times – that he is unlikely to be arrested. But the sports adviser Asif Mahmud did say that the allrounder would be better off if he were to break his silence about the student protests. Shakib did that last week, when he put up an apology on Facebook.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Selector Hannan Sarkar said that Shakib was selected only after the BCB had given them the green light.”Shakib had expressed his desire to play his final Test at home. We also know that this was a government issue and BCB issue. We sought the BCB’s clearance so when they gave us the green signal that Shakib is available for selection, we picked him. We are proud to see our legend retiring from the home of cricket.Shakib is among four spin-bowling options in the squad, alongside Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nayeem Hasan. Almost everyone that were part of the recent tours to Pakistan and India made it to this squad as well, except the fast bowler Khaled Ahmed, who was picked to play in Kanpur but bowled only four overs.Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan opened in all four Tests, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy has become their back-up. Mominul Haque and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto could continue at No. 3 and 4, rather than the other way around since Mominul got a century batting at No 3. Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das and Mehidy round out a long Bangladesh batting order.Taijul is usually picked in home Tests ahead of a third seamer. Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud should be the first choice, although Nahid Rana’s pace could be tempting.Bangladesh host South Africa for two Tests, in Mirpur from October 21 and in Chattogram from October 29. It is the first assignment under their interim coach Phil Simmons, who joined the squad on Wednesday, a day after the BCB removed Chandika Hathurusinghe from the position for disciplinary reasons.Bangladesh are currently seventh on the World Test Championship points table, after a 2-0 win in Pakistan and a 2-0 defeat in India. South Africa are fifth on the WTC standings, having most recently won a two-Test series 1-0 in the West Indies in August.

Bangladesh squad for first Test against SA

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana

USMNT star Christian Pulisic continues to delay signing a new contract at AC Milan, but a potential date for the completion of those talks is set.

New deal mooted for some timeAmerican feels settled in ItalyExtension to 2029 can be signedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United States international Pulisic is working on terms at San Siro through to 2027. There is no rush to put an extension in place, but Milan are eager to recognise the 26-year-old's importance to their cause and reward him with an improved deal.

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It has been reported for some time that Pulisic is ready to put pen to paper, with the Champions League-winning former Chelsea star feeling happy and settled in Italy – with golf pro girlfriend Alexa Melton paying regular visits to Europe.

DID YOU KNOW?

The lack of positive progress in discussions has concerned some, but report that “there’s been no break, no tension” just “no concrete steps towards a final conclusion”. For now, everybody is expecting a deal to be done.

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An agreement through to 2029 is ready to be signed, with Pulisic in line for a wage increase. He requested time over the summer to evaluate his options and monitor the direction in which Milan are heading under Massimiliano Allegri’s new coaching team.