Australia’s search for a consolation victory moves to Edgbaston, and a return to a format in which they have plenty of form

The Preview by Andrew Miller26-Jun-20181:23

T20 a chance for Australia to ‘strut our stuff’ – Finch

Big PictureAs one-sided series go, England’s bagelling of Australia in the fifth and final ODI at Old Trafford on Sunday was about as fraught as they come – a low-scoring epic, sealed by a high-achieving white-ball wizard at the absolute peak of his powers. Jos Buttler’s refusal to be beaten while his team-mates were being skittled around him was inspiring to behold, as he sealed a one-wicket win that felt as far removed from a dead-rubber contest as is humanly possible.Australia desperately wanted to get themselves off the mark in a dismal tour; England desperately wanted to hone their killer instinct, and capitalise on a rare opportunity to leave their most consistent cricketing tormentors with no place to hide. It meant that there was a cup final vibe in evidence throughout the day, and the fact that England held their nerve in extreme adversity – regardless of the strength of their opponents – has to augur well for next year’s defining challenge.So how should we read the runes going into Australia’s final, final opportunity to make an impression on this tour? Clearly, a one-off T20 at Edgbaston lacks the context of what has gone before it, but as Alex Carey warned in the build-up to the match, Australia are ready to give it a “red-hot” go in a format that they have found infinitely more favourable in recent months.They are, after all, the reigning T20 tri-series champions – having put England emphatically in their place in the round-robin stage of February’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand.Unlike in the 50-over format, in which Australia’s batsmen have seemed reluctant to give full rein to their instincts for fear of making a mistake, there’s less reason to be reserved across 20 overs. And with a team that’s been honed in the competitive environs of the Big Bash, there’s plenty to suggest that this one could also go down to the wire.Nevertheless, Australia’s T20 squad cannot have been immune to the general sense of chaos that has enveloped their set-up since the events in Cape Town in March – not least because their captain during their recent run of short-form success was none other than David Warner. In a parallel universe, he might currently be sharpening his credentials as the obvious hard-nosed choice to lead his country into next year’s World Cup. How quickly things can change.Aaron Finch plays into the leg side•Getty Images

Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WLLLL
Australia WWWWWIn the spotlightFor a man who has now scored more one-day hundreds (six) against England than any other batsman, Aaron Finch endured a curious ODI campaign. He was a victim of his team’s shortcomings elsewhere in their line-up, as he was shunted down the card in mid-series to provide ballast to the lower-order, before returning to his rightful opening berth for the latter stages. And now he is captain – and that in itself offers an intriguing subplot, given that Tim Paine, the ODI captain, more or less conceded that his position was untenable after the whitewash. If Finch can be the man to deliver Australia the victory that a nation craves, who knows where that may lead?England’s man of the moment, Jos Buttler, displayed the finishing skills of a master carpenter as he repaired his team’s run-chase in the fifth ODI on Sunday. But he’s tasked with a different challenge at Edgbaston after it was confirmed by Paul Farbrace, the interim coach, that he will be opening the innings. It’s a no-brainer really – Buttler was a revelation at the IPL in May after being pushed up to open for Rajasthan Royals, and it’s not as if England are short of men who can tonk it at the death.Teams newsWith Buttler opening alongside Jason Roy, Alex Hales is expected to come in at No. 3, which could mean Jonny Bairstow dropping to the middle order. Chris Jordan looks set to pip Sam Curran for the final berth in a five-man England attack, though Joe Root has been getting plenty of offspin practice of late.England (probable) 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Jason Roy, 3 Alex Hales, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 David WilleyPaine makes way as wicketkeeper as well as captain, with Carey taking over the gloves, and assuming Glenn Maxwell recovers from his shoulder injury, he will slot back into the middle order, from where he gave England quite the schooling in Hobart in February. Andrew Tye’s variations are likely to have more mileage in the shorter format than they found in a chastening ODI campaign. And given the heat, and the prospect of a dry surface, the leggie Mitchell Swepson might well find a way into the starting XI.Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Travis Head, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Nic Maddinson, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Marcus Stoinis/Mitchell Swepson 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Andrew Tye, 11 Billy StanlakePitch and conditionsPerfect weather, belting pitch, full house. It’ll be loud. The ground is expected to open early to encourage people to watch the World Cup (Mexico v Sweden and Germany v South Korea, kick-off 3pm) on the big screen.Stats and trivia Australia won all five of their fixtures in the aforementioned tri-series, making it six out of seven victories (plus one abandonment) since February 2017. England, by contrast, have rather lost their mojo since reaching the final of the World T20 in April 2016. They have won five and lost eight of their last 13 games.They did, however, hold their nerve in their most recent outing, defending a total of 194 to win by two runs against New Zealand in Hamilton.Quotes”He will open tomorrow. In 120 balls in an innings, you want to get your best strikers facing as many balls as possible. The form he’s in, the way he’s playing, it makes sense to get him at the top of the order.”
“In the one-day format the confidence was definitely affected, England put us on the back foot from the word go and we weren’t able to catch up. But we’ve had success in this format … The confidence took a hit in the one-dayers but I don’t think there will be anything to worry about in this format.”

The abundance of exciting and eye-catching content around Premier League clubs nowadays is unprecedented, and it makes being a fan much more accessible than ever before. That said, while you can find out anything you want about your club, it can also be somewhat overwhelming at times.

Arsenal are no exception to this, and if anything, the sheer size and success of the club only means that there are even more options to choose from – maybe too many.

So here at Football Fancast, we have put together a cheat sheet of who to follow for all your red and white needs.

Arsenal News Now

If you are looking for the best place to find top-notch journalism about any club, let alone the Gunners, News Now should probably be your first port of call. The website collects headlines from around the world on a vast array of topics and provides you links to all the latest news.

It will even give you a short selection of the most popular stories at any given moment. So you'll know what is worth reading and what isn't, along with always staying in the loop when it comes to Arsenal.

Arsenal Fan TV

While traditional sports media and recognised journalists are invaluable when it comes to keeping abreast of the latest goings-on at all of our favourite clubs, they can sometimes be a bit sterile and stiff, which is precisely where fan content comes into the equation.

Fan-led YouTube channels, Twitter accounts and podcasts have exploded in recent years, and many of them have Arsenal Fan TV to thank for paving the way. There is no fan channel with more reach or more well-known than AFTV, and no fan creator more respected than Robbie Lyle, AKA Don Robbie.

AFTV has been around for well over a decade, and while the cast of characters has changed over the years, Robbie has remained – as has their place as the number one destination for Arsenal fans on the internet.

With more shows that we can count and several appearances on major broadcasters, if you want to find out what fellow Gooners are talking about at the moment, head to AFTV.

Arsenal Vision Podcast

AFTV might be the best-known destination for fan-based arsenal content, but they aren't the only one. The Arsenal Vision Podcast is one of the most popular Arsenal-based podcasts going.

Described as 'sometimes funny, sometimes serious, occasionally ridiculous and hopefully always enjoyable' by the hosts themselves, it's a great listen for any Gooner looking for more Arsenal content to consume.

John Cross

Back to traditional media once more, and John Cross is one of the best journalists to follow for Arsenal fans – even if he has, at times, clashed with AFTV. Cross is the Chief Football Writer for the Mirror, and while he might not solely focus on the Gunners in his day-to-day work, he still frequently covers them – especially on his Twitter account.

He also wrote a book about the great Arsene Wenger called Arsene Wenger: The Inside Story of Arsenal Under Wenger – which is good enough for us.

Charles Watts

Sticking with recognised journalists, and Charles Watts is perhaps one of the journalists most associated with Arsenal, and for good reason.

Previously a writer for GOAL and football.london, Watts would focus on the club for these publications and even wrote a book on Mikel Arteta's time with the club called 'Revolution – The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal.'

He now has his own website that focuses specifically on Arsenal, a Twitter account with over 500k followers and a YouTube account with 90k subscribers.

If you're an Arsenal fan, you simply have to follow Watts.

James McNicholas

James McNicholas is one of the most respected journalists in the industry, with more than a decade of experience writing for ESPN, Four Four Two, and Bleacher Report. Oh, and he's also a huge Arsenal fan.

Now primarily writing for The Athletic, McNicholas is one of their Arsenal correspondents, and alongside his work for them, he co-hosts the Arsecast podcast.

He can also be found on Twitter and is well worth a follow.

David Ornstein

Rounding off our list of sports journalists is probably the most famous of all, David Ornstein.

Ornstein has grown in prominence in the footballing world over the last few years, and that's certainly true among Arsenal fans. He has been one of The Athletic's most prominent writers since he joined the company in 2019 after spending over a decade with the BBC and has since gained quite a reputation as a reliable reporter of transfer news, with fans often pitting his reports up against those of transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Outside The Athletic, fans can find him on Twitter, and he's well worth a follow for everything from news, insider scoops and transfer updates.

He doesn't just Tweet about Arsenal, but when he does, it's usually worth taking note.

Afcstuff

As football content continues to be more and more fan-driven, it only makes sense for websites like Twitter – or X if you like – to become even more central to the popular discourse around the game, and Arsenal are no exception.

There are 1000s of Arsenal dedicated Twitter pages on the site, but only some are worth following, and afcstuff chief among them.

After AFTV, afcstuff is the site's most significant fan-run Arsenal page and is a must-follow for Arsenal supporters.

In their own words, you can find the 'latest updates, stats, quotes, team news & transfer news about Arsenal FC' on their page.

Arsenal Buzz

Sticking to Twitter for a moment, and another account well worth following if you are after more of the Gunners in your life is Arsenal Buzz.

The page posts constant updates about the team, with quotes from players, managers and pundits.

It's also a great page to follow if you want to stay up to date with the players on international duty, as they post pictures and updates about that as well.

Harry Symeou / Chronicles of a Gooner

As many are in the industry nowadays, Harry Symeou does a little bit of everything. A broadcaster, commentator, content creator, podcast host and radio contributor, he does it all – and it all links back to Arsenal.

You can find him in several different places on the internet. He's very active on his personal Twitter account, on his podcast's account – The Chronicles of a Gooner – and even on TalkSport, fighting Arsenal's corner.

Following Arsenal Buzz, afcstuff, and Harry Symeou on Twitter should have you covered on fan accounts on the website.

Arseblog

Another site created by fans, but Arseblog is the real deal. Their website has something for everyone, from news articles, tactical breakdowns, features, and opinions- and then there's the podcast.

The Arsecast – the one co-hosted by James McNicholas – is one of the most popular Arsenal-centric podcasts going, with over 550 episodes in the bank and likely many, many more to come.

The podcast crew also put on special live recordings of the podcast that fans can attend, with their last one including a surprise appearance from club legend Ian Wright – what's not to love?

Outside of their own website, you can also find them through their Twitter account.

The Athletic

Love it or hate it, there is simply no getting away from the all-conquering juggernaut that is The Athletic when it comes to sports journalism these days. That said, their coverage of Arsenal is excellent, as are their writers.

While it may lack the charm of a local or even some fan-created outlets, it's hard to knock the quality of the work they produce.

And as one of the country's biggest sides, Arsenal get even more coverage compared to some others in the Premier League.

Football London – Arsenal

One of Reach PLC's many titles football.london could've ended up feeling like a detached and somewhat sterile corporate attempt at covering the clubs local to the capital, but through hiring the right people and focusing on the right things, they have become one of the best websites going when it comes to the London clubs.

Their coverage of Arsenal is no different, with interesting interviews, match reactions, deep dives and features all focused on the North London club.

Football FanCast

Rounding everything off is, well, us!

It would be a bit odd if we didn't end the article with at least a small shoutout to the work we do on the Gunners here at Football Fancast.

Our team of writers cover everything about the club, whether that be transfers, news, match reaction, analysis, features and more.

Keep your eyes on the site to find out the latest The Arsenal.

And there you have it, a list of everyone and every site you should be following to keep up to date with The Arsenal. From traditional journalists to fan channels and even the blending of the two, there is certainly a lot of content out there to get stuck into.

England put their recent indignities behind them to steal a march in the first ODI at The Kia Oval

The Report by Andrew Miller13-Jun-20181:56

Social story: England take the series lead

England 218 for 7 (Morgan 69, Root 50) beat Australia 214 (Maxwell 62, Plunkett 3-42 Moeen 3-43) by three wickets

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThey were handing out sandpaper boundary placards on the way up from Vauxhall Tube Station, but in the end, nothing could smooth away the rough edges in Australia’s new-look batting line-up. Despite their rookie bowling attack mounting a spirited defence of a substandard target of 215, England overcame a double dose of jitters to seal a three-wicket victory in the first ODI at The Kia Oval.Most of the pre-series focus had, rightly, been on the absence of Australia’s finest two batsmen, David Warner and Steven Smith, and, as might have been expected, they struggled to mitigate for that void in class. After winning the toss on a bright afternoon in South London, Australia mustered 214 in 47 overs, the sort of slow-death innings that exposed their shortcomings more comprehensively than a full-on batting collapse could have done.Nevertheless, England aren’t without a few notable embarrassments in their (very) recent history, and only days after failing to close out a chase of 372 to hand Scotland a famous victory, they came improbably close to stumbling in pursuit of a target of barely half that height. The beanpole seamer Billy Stanlake was the catalyst for Australia’s defiance, bowling Jason Roy second-ball for a duck as England slipped to 38 for 3 at the top of their innings, before Andrew Tye and his illegible T20 variations came to the fore in the tense closing stages.In the end it was left to David Willey to haul England over the line with an improbably grindy knock of 35 from 41 balls, with Liam Plunkett unbowed for the second match running on 3. But even then, England still won with a handsome 36 deliveries to spare, which spoke to the gulf in batting quality more eloquently than the official margin of victory.That was largely a testament to the elder-statesman class of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan. Their fourth-wicket stand of 115 in 21 overs managed to combine defensive accumulation with calculated aggression in a manner that Australia’s own middle order had been unable to replicate. Without such knowhow to rescue their innings, England really would have been in the soup. But then again, that is the entire point of experience.Before the start of play, Tim Paine had seemed visibly excited at the prospect of ending all the talk of sledging and cheating, and getting back to the day job. But, by the innings break, the captain who had instigated a pre-match handshake with his opponents to mark the start of a new era for his team might have been wondering if he was really that keen to starting talking about actual cricket once again.The early exchanges of Australia’s innings amounted to a vivisection of the tourists’ anxieties in overseas conditions. Willey’s prodigious new-ball swing accounted for Travis Head via a flat-footed slash to slip from his second delivery, before Moeen Ali came whirling through the middle overs, putting his miserable winter behind him with single-spell figures of 10-1-43-3 that might have been lifted straight out of the 1997 Texaco Trophy.Four balls into Moeen’s spell, Aaron Finch gave himself room outside off to pick out short third man with an ambitious wipe. Two balls into his second over, Shaun Marsh stayed leg-side of a well-flighted tweaker, a la Ben Duckett in Bangladesh, and lost his off stump for 24. And when Paine himself, desperate to set a tempo, any tempo, offered catching practice to short third man with a muffed reverse sweep, Moeen’s figures were 3 for 11 in 4.1 overs.After that, it was a given that he’d bowl his spell straight through. Adil Rashid kept him company for a six-over burst of his own, in which time he scalped Marcus Stoinis for 22, before Glenn Maxwell rode to the rescue of his team’s dignity, if not the overall match situation. A restorative 84-run stand for the sixth wicket ended when Plunkett induced a top-edged a pull to deep square leg, and when Ashton Agar misread the length of a Rashid legbreak to be plumb lbw for 40, the tail were rounded up meekly.But there was nothing meek about the response of Stanlake in particular. In the absence of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, this was his chance to demonstrate the timeless virtues of hitting a good length at 90mph. Roy survived one ball before losing the top of his off stump to a beautiful nipbacker, and when the debutant Michael Neser made it two wicket-maidens in the space of four overs by pinning Alex Hales on leg stump, the game was officially afoot.Jonny Bairstow, with three ODI hundreds in as many innings, once again looked a different class in easing to 28 from 22 balls with six outstanding boundaries. But then he nailed a pull straight into the hands of the lone man at square leg to give Kane Richardson his breakthrough, and England faced a test of their ego at 38 for 3.But Root and Morgan swallowed their pride and ate up the overs with deft sweeps, well-placed drives and sharp judgement of the quick singles. By the 29th over, they were 153 for 3 and cruising; three overs later, they’d lost both of their set batsman plus the dangerous Jos Buttler as well, who may be in some of the best form of his life, but today read Tye’s knuckle ball as if it was a Jaipur railway timetable. He had already been dropped off Stanlake – a swirling chance to Paine behind the stumps, who spilled it as his elbows hit the ground – when he scuffed a drive to mid-off.Moeen, determined to carry on playing his way despite criticism of his dismissal at the Grange, looked to have the chase in hand when he holed out to deep midwicket to give Neser his second and ignite that debate all over again. But in the end, he’d already done enough with the ball to ensure that England’s wobbles would not be terminal.

The only double-centurions in women’s ODIs•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Seventeen-year-old Amelia Kerr smashed an unbeaten 232 off 145 balls – the highest individual score in women’s ODIs – going past Belinda Clark’s 229 that was made in 1997 against Denmark in Mumbai. Her record-breaking innings propelled New Zealand women to 440 for 3 – their third successive 400-plus score against Ireland women.Kerr wasn’t done yet. She followed it with career-best returns of 5 for 17 to lead her team to a 305-run win – the sixth biggest in women’s ODIs. New Zealand also hold the record for the biggest victory – by 408 runs against Pakistan in 1997 – and more recently they had secured wins by margins of over 300 runs in the first two ODIs of this series.Kerr was on 217 off 141 balls at the start of 50th over and needed 13 more to topple a 21-year record. She drove the second ball of the over to long-on for a single before hitting two fours and a six on the last three balls of the over to cap the innings to set the new record. She reached the landmark when she smacked seamer Amy Kenealy down the ground for a six off the last ball of the innings. All told, she hit 31 fours and two sixes.After New Zealand opted to bat again, new openers Kerr and Amy Satterthwaite, who scored 61 off 45 balls, set a strong platform by adding 113 runs. The partnership ended in the 15th over when Gaby Lewis had Satterthwaite holing out on the leg side. Kerr then combined with Leigh Kasperek, who was promoted to No. 3, to amass 295 runs at a run rate of nearly nine runs per over in 33.1 overs.Kasperek brought up her maiden ODI hundred off 97 balls when she ramped Lara Maritz over the keeper’s head for four in the 46th over. Martitz bowled Kasperek for 113 two overs later but Kerr was simply unstoppable. Conceding as many as 30 extras, including 18 wides, did not help Ireland’s cause either.Kerr then starred with her legspin to rip through the chase. She began with a maiden and then bowled top-scorer Una Raymond-Hoey (42) around her legs. Ireland were 91 for 4 at that point after 25 overs. They added only 44 more before being dismissed in 44 overs. Kerr made light work of the lower order and fittingly sealed victory when she bowled No. 11 Cara Murray for a duck to end with figures of 7-1-17-5.Kerr ended the three-match series as the highest scorer, with 342 runs at a strike rate of 156.88, and the highest wicket-taker with eight scalps, to be named the Player of the Series.

The Portland Timbers are in pursuit of Monterrey's superstar forward Germán Berterame.

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• Portland Timbers bid for Germán Berterame
• Argentine valued at $15m
• MLS side pushing for club-record deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Athletic reports that $15m rated Germán Berterame would be tied for the second-highest MLS transfer of all time, alongside Ezequiel Barco and Gonzalo Martinez – both formerly of Atlanta United. The Timbers have an open DP slot, and Phil Neville is looking to bolster his squad with a marquee signing.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Timbers are in need of a goal-scoring striker, and it appears that they have honed in on their man. However, they do have a backup plan, with the same report sharing that they are a potential suitor for Club America's Jonathan Rodriguez.

  Berterame has 23 goals and nine assists in 61 appearances for Neville appears to believe that the Argentine can produce even better numbers in MLS and is ready to work with the Timbers to splash the cash if the two clubs can come to an agreement over the transfer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Five Stripes also own the most expensive incoming transfer in World Cup winner Thiago Almada, as well.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BERTERAME AND THE TIMBERS?

  Monterrey take on Pumas Sunday evening in Liga MX action, and with a win, they could move atop the league standings. Portland, meanwhile, takes on D.C. United late Saturday night.

Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten 49, coupled with Usman Khan’s two wickets propelled Pakistan towards a series win against Scotland, thumping the hosts by 84 runs in the second T20I

The Report by Danyal Rasool13-Jun-2018Leask 3-31) beat Scotland 82 (MacLeod 25, Faheem 3-5) by 84 runsAnother T20I masterclass from Pakistan veteran Shoaib Malik propelled Pakistan towards a series win against Scotland, thumping the hosts by 84 runs in the second T20I at the Grange. Under overcast conditions with a light drizzle threatening to interrupt the game for most of the match, Shoaib exploded – much like the first game – in the last few overs, smashing five sixes as he blitzed 49 off 22 to help Pakistan surge to 166.Unlike Tuesday, Scotland were never quite in the hunt for this one, losing George Munsey off the third ball, and never quite managing any momentum that might suggest a real contest could be on the cards. They were untidy with their running, rushed with their strokeplay and generally uncomfortable in the face of a sensational Pakistan in the field. It was a much improved bowling performance from the visitors, spearheaded by Usman Khan, who came in for Mohammad Amir, and registered figures of 2-0-4-2. Scotland began to fall away rather dramatically towards the end, with no less than three players run out as Kyle Coetzer’s men were bundled out for 82.There was some drama before the start, with Cricket Scotland officials and the television production team locked in an argument over using a fresh pitch for this game. The TV crew were concerned their cameras couldn’t be in line with the bowler at one end of the pitch, the result being a slightly askew broadcast angle from the Pavilion End. It’s the sort of drama people associate, sometimes patronisingly, with cricket on the Associate landscape.But Scotland wouldn’t have wanted the haphazardness to extend to their on-field performance. Pakistan got off to a flying start again, though Scotland were unfortunate not to have Fakhar Zaman out in the first over. Chris Sole extracted both an outside and an inside edge in the first six deliveries, the former put down in the slips, the latter narrowly missing the stumps. Both went for four. Sole had bowled an excellent first over, and conceded 12 runs.Shehzad and Zaman put on 60 for the first wicket, but Scotland, just as they had done in the first game, struck back in the middle overs. The runs were restricted right up until the last two overs, with batsmen unable to kick on from starts in the face of tight, disciplined bowling from Scotland’s bowlers, particularly Mark Watt and Michael Leask.Peter Della PennaBut Shoaib Malik came to Pakistan’s rescue once more, with a whirlwind last two overs, scoring 32 of Pakistan’s 34 runs as they turned a slightly below-par score into an imposing one of 166. He was put down at the end of the 19th over on the long-off boundary, a simple catch that Leask failed to hold on to. Just as Tuesday, the drops cost Scotland dear in the field as Shoaib went on to score 14 in the final over, leaving Scotland to ponder how to improve their fielding against a quality opposition like the one they faced today.The pitch looked no worse than the one used on Tuesday, where 200 seemed about par. But the change of pitch today meant the long-on/ midwicket boundary from one side of the ground was 10 meters larger, and shots that would have comfortably carried over the ropes on Tuesday were being caught inside the boundary on the field, including a spectacular tag-team catch and relay effort from Dylan Budge and Watt to claim Sarfraz at deep square leg. That restricted Pakistan to the relatively modest 166, and made it arguably a more searching chase than the previous one might have been.However, at no stage of the Scottish innings did their batsmen begin to establish any sort of relationship with the boundary rope. Pakistan circled around them in the infield, and the pitch looked a fair bit faster when the Pakistan bowlers were operating on it. Usman isn’t a regular starter for Pakistan, but when in form, almost always seems to make a match-winning difference. He hurried on to the batsmen, and as the rain began to get slightly heavier, the Scottish mood began to match the Edinburgh weather. They could do little more than shuffle around for ones and twos and get the odd boundary, but it was never nearly enough to challenge the ever-rising asking rate.It was unfortunate to see the home side losing their heads towards the end, with a couple of unnecessary run-outs easing Pakistan’s way to an inevitable win they didn’t need any help with. Calum MacLeod was the man at the other end for all three of Scotland’s run-outs, but you’d be hard-pressed to blame him for any of them, what with the Pakistan fielders prowling, looking to save every run as the asking rate bounded out of sight. Faheem Ashraf came back to polish off the last two wickets, giving his figures a shiny new look by the end, having taken three wickets for five runs.By the end, Pakistan’s dominance was so absolute, it was easy to forget the strides Scotland have made over the past few years. It would be harsh to focus on the manner of the defeat, and more prudent to reflect on the professionalism with which Pakistan have moved on from a Test series against England to a T20I series in Edinburgh, never letting their focus waver, and fielding a full-strength team when several others might have chosen to rest players. It was apt respect to pay to a side that has very much earned it over the last week.

Steven Davies top-scored against his former county as Somerset twice fought back from testing situations

ECB Reporters Network22-Jul-2018Somerset 324 for 9 (Davies 72, Hildreth 57) v Worcestershire
ScorecardSteven Davies top-scored against his former county as Somerset twice fought back from testing situations on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship Division One clash with bottom-placed Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.The wicketkeeper batsman hit a fluent 72 and there were also half centuries from Tom Abell and James Hildreth as Somerset recovered from 11 for 2 and then 115 for 4 to reach 324 for 9 from 96 overs by the close.England spinner Moeen Ali picked up three wickets on his return to Championship cricket.Worcestershire handed a Championship debut to wicket-keeper batsman Alex Milton, who was tidy and picked up three catches, and on loan Nottinghamshire paceman Luke Wood.Somerset’s new overseas player, Azhar Ali, made his first appearance for the County as the replacement for the injured Australian batsman Matt Renshaw.Brett D’Oliveira opted to put the visitors into bat after winning the toss and the new ball attack of Magoffin and Wood made a double breakthrough.Magoffin asked questions of both batsmen during an initial spell of 6-4-5-1 and he accounted for Edward Byrom (5) – caught behind by Milton who replaced broken-rib victim Ben Cox after 76 successive Championship appearances spanning five seasons.In the next over Wood trapped Marcus Trescothick lbw for 6 in his first appearance since May after recovering from a broken metatarsal with the total on 11.Azhar and Hildreth were initially watchful but then flourished during a third wicket stand of 99 in 28 overs.Hildreth, a century-maker at Taunton in the early season fixture between the sides, was the dominant partner and reached a 99 ball half century with 11 boundaries but Azhar provided a solid ally.The game edged back in Worcestershire favour with two wickets to Dillon Pennington during a fiery pre-lunch spell. Azhar (37) pushed forward and nicked through to Milton and then Hildreth (57) shouldered arms and was bowled at 115 for 4.A second Somerset period of recovery was instigated by Abell and Davies during a partnership of 126 in 33 overs.But it could have ended with the total on 140 as Abell (25) swept Moeen to backward square leg only for Joe Clarke, who was directly facing the sun, to allow the ball to slip through his hands and over the boundary rope.Davies straight drove Moeen for six and was first to his half century from 72 balls with also eight fours to his name.Abell followed his team-mate to fifty in more circumspect fashion from 107 balls. But Moeen broke the partnership when Davies (72) played back and nicked to Milton who held onto a sharp chance. He then claimed another wicket as Peter Trego (1) was leg before.Magoffin returned with the second new ball and picked up a deserved second wicket as Abell – 70 from 151 balls with 13 fours – was lbw.But then the Overton brothers, Craig (31) and Jamie (28), plundered 51 in eight overs before falling to Moeen and Ed Barnard respectively.

Newcastle United's home St. James' Park is the favourite to host the inaugural Over-35s World Cup.

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St. James' could host Over-35s World CupEight teams to take part in the inaugural editionCould be held in the first week of JuneWHAT HAPPENED?

The first-ever edition of the Over-35s World Cup is all set to be held in England in June with Newcastle United's home ground St. James' Park likely to host the matches, according to the Daily Mail. The Elite Player Group, who are organising the tournament, recently met representatives of the Magpies and the local council of Newcastle city.

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The tournament is all set to feature eight teams – England, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Uruguay – all past champions of the FIFA World Cup. Players who are aged 35 or above capped by their country or with 100 top-flight appearances are eligible to participate in the competition.

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All eight teams have already revealed their respective captains for the tournament. The leaders will be Steve McManaman (England), Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina), Emerson (Brazil), Christian Karembeu (France), Kevin Kuranyi (Germany), Marco Materazzi (Italy), Michel Salgado (Spain) and Diego Lugano (Uruguay). Full 18-man final squads will be announced soon.

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While the dates of the competition are yet to be finalised, the tournament could be tentatively hosted in the first week of June with the final taking place on June 11 or June 12.

Alyssa Naeher was the undoubted hero for the USWNT in their W Gold Cup penalty shootout win over Canada, as she saved three and scored one herself.

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• Thrilling contest went all the way
• Crazy conditions in California
• Veteran keeper made the difference

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Chicago Red Stars custodian, who has become an international centurion after reaching 100 caps, appeared to have suffered spot-kick agony at the end of an epic encounter that saw Adriana Leon snatch a 127th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

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  Conditions at Snapdragon Stadium in California made life difficult for both sides, with torrential rain making the pitch almost unplayable. That worked in favour of the USWNT at times, especially when Jaedyn Shaw was assisted by a puddle when opening the scoring, but the game would ultimately be settled by a battle of nerves from 12 yards.

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  Naeher held hers to keep out three of Canada’s efforts – with Leon, Jordyn Huitema and Jessie Fleming all being repelled. Naeher even got in on the penalty-scoring act, as she calmly fired the USWNT’s third penalty low into the bottom corner.

Newcastle United will travel to Bramall Lane on Sunday to face Sheffield United in the Premier League before welcoming Burnley to Tyneside the following weekend.

Forthcoming fixtures against newly-promoted opposition; a chance – with victory clinched against Brentford last time out – to put together a three-match winning streak to fully restore the feel-good factor on Tyneside after a challenging start to the campaign that left Eddie Howe's side nursing three successive defeats after a 5-1 win over Aston Villa hinted at such promise.

That's not to say the Magpies are in the mud, far from it. A minor blip does not erase the remarkable feats of the past 18 months or so, with Howe lifting the club away from relegation danger and now fighting for silver-laden success, having defied expectations with a top-four finish last term, despite the lucrative PIF club takeover.

AC Milan presented United with their first continental test of the season, with the Premier League outfit emerging from the San Siro with a point to start off their group phase.

It was an impressive result, all things considered, but the performance itself left little to be admired from an attacking standpoint, with £63m club-record signing Alexander Isak flattering to deceive.

How did Alexander Isak play against AC Milan?

Newcastle, frankly, got battered for large portions of the affair in Italy earlier this week. Despite demonstrating their quality on the ball and definitely proving to be the more energetic and high-octane team, Milan unleashed 25 shots on Nick Pope's goal compared to just six strikes from Howe's men.

Isak led the line for all of 89 minutes but was not among those to test Mike Maignan between the sticks, nullified by a resolute and solid home defence, who left him "knackered" by the time of his withdrawal, according to presenter Kev Lawson.

Isak game vs AC Milan by numbers

Statistic (Sofascore)

Match score

6.5

Goals

0

Assists

0

Total shots taken

0

Key passes

1

Pass completion

89% (17/19)

Dribble success rate

20% (1/5)

Duels won

42% (5/12)

As clearly delineated by the 24-year-old's listed metrics on the night, he endured a forgettable affair and found very little success, effectively marshalled.

While he did drop deep and look to influence the play from the centre of the pitch, he failed to do anything of note with his possession – which is why his pass success rate, which looks impressive on face value, actually doesn't work in his favour given that he failed to carry the ball into positive openings and didn't strike on goal himself.

Should Eddie Howe start Alexander Isak?

Isak was impressive last season and tantalised a future of prolific success on Tyneside, and that's despite suffering an injury-hit campaign.

Indeed, the £120k-per-week phenom posted ten goals and two assists in the Premier League despite only starting 17 times, heralded for his "complete" attacking abilities by former Willem II coach Adrie Koster.

Blighted by issues that sidelined him for 16 matches, the 6 foot 3 machine looks to have found his full fitness this season, and while he scored twice on the opening day of the term, against Unai Emery's Villa, he has yet to net again, starting four times since.

Undoubtedly, the goals will come sooner rather than later, but it might be wise for Howe to remove him from the starting line-up and offer someone else a chance to impress.

The same could be said for £55m summer signing Sandro Tonali, with the Italian midfielder – who was signed from AC Milan – "struggling to impact" the contest against his former side in the Champions League, according to Craig Hope.

A talented playmaker – who ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for assists per 90 – he has not quite hit the ground running despite scoring on his debut, and might also receive a relegation to the bench in the short-term.

Who could replace Alexander Isak?

Clearly, if Isak doesn't start as Newcastle's focal point up top then there is only one man tailor-made to lead the line and do so with a flourish.

Callum Wilson has been superb since joining Newcastle from Bournemouth for £20m in the summer of 2020, scoring 41 goals and supplying ten assists from just 81 matches since his arrival.

Last season, he scored no less than 18 goals from just 21 starting appearances in the Premier League, also registering five assists and earning praise for his "clinical edge" by editor Andrew Musgrove.

And after bagging three times in the Premier League already this term – despite only starting the recent win over Brentford, where his penalty proved decisive – the 31-year-old does indeed appear to have that sharpness to propel the Toon back into form.

As per FBref, Wilson – who just recently signed a contract extension with the St. James' Park side – ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and the top 9% for assists per 90.

When comparing that with Isak, who ranks among the top 25% of forwards for goals and the bottom 21% for assists per 90, it's clear to see who offers the more clinical attacking edge.

Of course, the Swede is far more dynamic and boasts a higher ceiling, not just because of his youth but the range of his talents – also ranking among the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

But given that Wilson has yet to receive successive starts in the Premier League this season and boasts an impressive record against both Burnley and the Blades – with eight goals and an assist from 16 matches against the two teams combined – Howe might be wise to offer him a shot as the star man up front.

Isak might be a formidable force but he has not quite clicked into gear this season, and with Wilson possessing that Midas touch in attack under Howe's stewardship, he must be provided with a starting berth going forward.