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Rahul Dravid talks about how the 14-year-old has been welcomed into the RR setup and what makes him special

Shashank Kishore30-Apr-20255:13

What’s the best way to handle Suryavanshi?

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the flavour of IPL 2025 since his 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Monday lit up the tournament. But behind his rise to stardom, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have tried to create an environment to help the 14-year-old play with freedom while staying insulated from the pressures of playing in a certain way.”He’s been very welcomed,” head coach Rahul Dravid said on on Wednesday. “One of the things we’ve tried to do is make him feel integrated well into this environment. Even after the auction, we had three to four short-duration camps every month leading into the tournament. Vaibhav was there at every one of those camps, getting to know the players and support staff.”The idea was simple: make him feel at home before the spotlight turned his way. “We were conscious of the fact that we wanted him to feel comfortable by the time he came to the IPL,” Dravid said. “We wanted him to know each and everyone of the players, except the foreign players whom he was meeting for the first time. But he’d met all the Indian players, coaches, admin staff and support staff.”Related

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Who is Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year old IPL sensation?

Despite being “shy”, Dravid felt Suryavanshi hadn’t shown signs of being overwhelmed.”I’m sure he’s having conversations and learning from each of those players, whether it’s a [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, [Riyan] Parag, [Dhruv] Jurel or Sanju [Samson],” Dravid said. “He’s built up good connections and friendships with some of the other guys who’ve played a lot of domestic cricket, like Sandeep Sharma. Even Fazalhaq Farooqi.”He’s a shy boy; he’ll take some time to open up, but he’s very comfortable here. At no stage does it feel like he’s intimidated or he’s holding back. There’s been a bit of an effort gone into trying to ensure that he’s comfortable around the group.”Asked how the coaches have been managing a still-maturing young talent, Dravid said the focus has been on not overcomplicating his game.”At this stage, you don’t want to really confuse him with too many things but just trying to allow him to keep it simple and really have some fun and enjoy his cricket,” Dravid said. “Obviously, he likes to play a positive brand of cricket, that’s no secret, and we want to encourage him to do that and set it up in such a way that he can play that form of cricket without worrying about it too much.”5:27

‘Otherworldly’ Suryavanshi wows Bishop, Aaron

What makes him special? “He’s got real good bat speed,” Dravid observed. “He’s obviously got a high back lift, that’s very obvious. A really good hand-eye coordination in terms of judgment of length. What you look for in a young batsman is how quick he is in picking length.”Vaibhav is very quick to pick up anything that’s fractionally short or if it’s really full, he’s really able to capitalise on that. A combination of high back-lift and ability to pick length gives him the power and he seems to have a natural strength which is helpful in these situations.”In explaining their process in handling a young talent like Suryavanshi, Dravid also underlined how RR view their recruitment – less about just age, more about all-round development and readiness.”Not every Under-19 player gets picked by franchises,” Dravid said. “We look at experience, too. Look at someone like Shubham Dubey, or even Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, who were picked later in their careers. Vaibhav wasn’t picked just because he’s young. We felt that with a bit of work, he could succeed at this level.”But amid the soaring expectations, Dravid also made a measured plea to those watching from the outside. “We can’t control how much people are going to talk about him or what the media writes about him,” he said. “It’s just about recognising this is what happens and putting a certain level of support around that and helping him navigate all of this attention while still allowing him the space to be a youngster.”It’s impossible to completely distance yourself from it [attention] 100%. A lot of you [journalists] can play that role as well, if the media can be responsible about how you write about not only his success but also his potential failures. Let’s be realistic, he’s going to go through some ups and downs. We’re also going to have to be mindful of that he’s a young man finding his way as well.”

DC chose to bowl first in their season opener against LSG

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-20252:25

Cricinformed: Should Pant bat higher up?

KL Rahul’s Delhi Capitals (DC) debut will have to wait as he missed the team’s opening match against his former franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Visakhapatnam to be at the birth of his first child.New DC captain Axar Patel called correctly and had no hesitation in bowling first because they “don’t want to take a risk with the dew later on”.Axar’s counterpart was his former team-mate Rishabh Pant and the camaraderie between them was was evident at the toss. This is Axar’s first stint as full-time DC captain, though he did lead the team for one match last season.DC’s four overseas players were Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell Starc, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis. They are likely to bring in either Ashutosh Sharma or Karun Nair for the chase.”We have a very good squad and I am very excited. There is dew, but it is different everyday,” he said. “It is a big challenge [captaincy], but I have been with DC for a while and was in the leadership group. But I have to focus on myself. That is my thought process.”Pant, who until this season had only played for DC, said there was a “lot of emotion” with his old team, but is looking forward to a different experience. LSG named Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran and David Miller as their four overseas players. Their bowling attack had suffered huge blows with injuries to Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep, and had an inexperienced look for the season opener. They are likely to bring in a fast bowler – Akash Singh or Rajvardhan Hangargekar – when bowling second.Vizag, which is DC’s second home ground has been a high-scoring venue. In the two matches here in IPL 2024, the first-innings scores were 191 and 272.Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitch Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Prince Yadav, 11 Digvesh RathiDelhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 Sameer Rizvi, 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Mukesh Kumar

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras tem utilizado bem o seu período de pausa dos jogos por conta da Data Fifa. Além do esperado descanso, o clube realizou um jogo-treino na Academia de Futebol e tem trabalhado pontos a serem aperfeiçoados no time. Quem revelou satisfação com esse período foi o volante Gabriel Menino, jogador do elenco que tem a maior sequência de partidas na temporada com 32 seguidas.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Em entrevista para a TV oficial do Verdão, o meio-campista valorizou a possibilidade de o elenco trabalhar especificamente situações de ataque, que na visão dele estavam em falta. Além disso, foi possível descansar a cabeça depois de uma intensa maratona.

– Foram dias mais para descansar a mente, o corpo está acostumado com a sequência de jogos. Foi bom também para a gente encaixar nossos ataques, porque isso estava faltando um pouco, mas pudemos treinar bastante nesta última semana. Mas principalmente para descansar a cabeça, tenho certeza de que esse período vai nos ajudar muito para o restante da temporada – revelou o Cria da Academia.

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A respeito do embate contra o Bahia, Menino falou da importância de somar mais três pontos. O Palmeiras é o atual vice-líder do Brasileirão com 22 pontos e o único invicto da competição nacional, mas deve encarar um adversário que terá o clima como aliado em Salvador.

– Lá em Salvador vai ter o calor, que é algo que contará a favor deles, mas vamos buscar os três pontos, a gente encara todo jogo como uma final. Tivemos uma semana para nos prepararmos e tenho certeza de que faremos um excelente jogo fora de casa.

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+ Palmeiras coloca preço de Libertadores em ingressos para ‘decisão’ com o Botafogo pelo Brasileirão

Autor do primeiro gol da vitória sobre o São Paulo por 2 a 0 no Morumbi, no último domingo, Gabriel Menino disse que tem como trunfo o chute de longe e que vem se aperfeiçoando cada vez mais. O recurso pode ser mais uma arma para buscar a vitória fora de casa.

– Eu treino bastante o chute de fora da área e vinha tentando nos jogos também. Às vezes não tinha a oportunidade de chutar, mas, graças a Deus, no clássico contra o São Paulo, pude acertar mais um belo chute e foi muito importante para mim e para a equipe, porque conseguimos o nosso objetivo, que eram os três pontos. Agora é dar sequência – concluiu o camisa 25.

Gabriel Menino soma 175 partidas e 15 gols pelo clube, sendo 35 confrontos e sete bolas na rede na atual temporada. Desde julho de 2022, ele esteve presente em 60 dos últimos 65 duelos. Em 2023, com a saída de Danilo, o volante assumiu a titularidade do meio-campo ao lado de Zé Rafael.

Manchester United are now “very optimistic” they’ll wrap up a deal for an “elite” Manchester City target within the next two days, a journalist has revealed.

Amorim has work to do before transfer deadline

There was a sense of cautious optimism after Man United’s opening game, despite losing 1-0 at home to Arsenal, but the 1-1 draw against Fulham at the weekend was a reality check, with Gary Neville stating he believes there is work to do before the deadline.

“I said this last week and it’s a little bit worrying: Fulham got a lot stronger when they made their substitutions, I actually thought United got worse when they made theirs,”

“Sesko, at the moment, let’s just say it, he’s nowhere near in terms of fitness or just getting up to speed. I love Mbeumo, I love Cunha, Bruno had a bad game today, but my biggest worry is the goalkeeper situation isn’t addressed and the striker situation isn’t addressed.”

Goalkeeper has been a problem position for quite some time, with Ruben Amorim alternating between Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana at times last season, and the former received widespread criticism for failing to deal with Declan Rice’s corner, which led to Arsenal’s goal.

Amorim defended the Turkish shot-stopper in the wake of the performance against the Gunners, but former scout Mick Brown believes the manager is “raging” because he “can’t rely on his current options” in goal.

As such, Man United have recently stepped up their pursuit of a new goalkeeper, with Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens, who is thought to be valued at £22m by the Belgian club, emerging as a major target.

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There has now been a promising update on United’s pursuit of Lammens, with journalist Christopher Michel revealing they are now “very optimistic” about finalising a deal “in the next two days”.

The Royal Antwerp goalkeeper has also been targeted by Man City, but it appears as though the Red Devils are set to win the race, with Pep Guardiola’s side focusing on Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.

"Elite" Lammens could be solution to Man Utd's problems

It would be a risk to bring the Belgian shot-stopper in as the new number one straight from the off, given that he is just 23-years-old and unproven in a major league, but there are indications he could be an upgrade on Onana and Bayindir.

Amorim simply cannot persist with Bayindir, who has already made one high-profile error this season, while Nemanja Matic infamously dubbed Onana “one of the worst goalkeepers” in Manchester United’s history last season.

Lammens, on the other hand, is very highly regarded by scout Ben Mattinson, who lauded him for his “elite shot-stopping”, while also praising the 6-foot-4 colossus for his “composure” in possession.

The Antwerp star is still relatively inexperienced, having made 64 appearances for his current club at senior level, but with Donnarumma seemingly heading to Man City, there aren’t a great deal of options for Man United, who desperately need a new goalkeeper before the deadline.

كشف عماد النحاس، المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، عن قائمة اللاعبين البدلاء في مباراة الزمالك، التي تقام اليوم الإثنين، بين الفريقين في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلعب الأهلي ضد الزمالك، ضمن مواجهات الجولة التاسعة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

ويحتل فريق النادي الأهلي، المركز الثامن في جدول ترتيب الدوري، برصيد 12 نقطة، من الفوز في 3 مباريات والتعادل في مثلهم وتلقى خسارة وحيدة.

طالع | تشكيل الأهلي أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري.. القوة الضاربة

ويهدف النادي الأهلي، إلى تحقيق الفوز من أجل العودة إلى المنافسة على لقب بطولة الدوري المصري هذا الموسم بعد البداية السيئة. بدلاء الأهلي اليوم أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري

مصطفى شوبير، أحمد رمضان بيكهام، حسين الشحات، أحمد عبد القادر، مصطفى العش، عمر كمال، أليو ديانج وحمزة عبد الكريم وأحمد رضا.

William O’Rourke admitted being “pretty streaky” and “hot and cold” in the early part of the second innings of the first Test in Bengaluru. But having gone for 75 off his first 15 overs, he dismissed Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja in three successive overs with the second new ball as India lost their last six wickets for just 29 runs.”Overall, for me, I’ve been pretty streaky, pretty hot and cold with the ball,” O’Rourke said at the end of the fourth day. “Pant and Sarfaraz [Khan] obviously batted very well for a long time there, but that second new ball came on and started doing a little bit for us.”So, credit to Timmy [Tim Southee] for getting that first breakthrough [of Sarfaraz] and then I was lucky enough to get a wee chop on there [from Pant] to give us a bit of momentum going through.”Related

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Sarfaraz, in particular, handled O’Rourke well, picking him for 39 runs in 35 balls and repeatedly throwing him off his lengths with ramps and late cuts. While O’Rourke said he and the rest of the bowling unit could have been tighter with their lengths, he credited Sarfaraz for using the angles and opening up the field.”He [Sarfaraz] played me really well,” O’Rourke said. “With that angle of me sort of falling away, it sort of opens up that little dab shot. Yeah, maybe we could have been in the game a little bit, but he played it so well.”I would have liked to be a little bit tighter. Obviously, one of his strengths is that [the late cut]. So, yeah, I would have liked to be a little bit tighter, but I was missing a little bit wide, and he put me away. So credit to him.”O’Rourke has had a rousing start to his Test career. This is his fifth Test and he has already picked up 26 wickets at 18.84, which includes two five-fors. Fifteen of his 26 wickets have been in the subcontinent. He had an excellent tour of Sri Lanka last month where he picked up eight wickets in two Tests, and has continued his good run in India.William O’Rourke took three wickets in three overs to hurt India•BCCI

“I think we had a really good prep in Tauranga and down in Lincoln,” he said about his success in the subcontinent. “We had a few wickets that were a bit drier than probably what we are used to at that time of the year in New Zealand. And yeah, learning from the guys like Matt Henry, Tim Southee, who have been here before and done it before, it’s been massive for me coming here.”In the first innings here, O’Rourke picked up four wickets, including Virat Kohli’s for a duck.”It’s obviously pretty special getting someone so great, one of the greats of our game, out like that,” he said of the Kohli wicket. “You grow up watching those guys. So to come here and take that wicket, it’s probably right up there as one of the [best] wickets I’ve got.”While O’Rourke has been pleasantly surprised by the bounce he has seen on the Bengaluru surface, he is also loving bowling with the SG ball.”It has got a bit more of a pronounced seam than the Kookaburra [that New Zealand use at home], so it seems to be nice and hard to start with. It goes through nicely and big seams are always a big plus. [It’s] my first time here and [Bengaluru] probably had a little bit more bounce, a bit more pace than we expected coming over here, which suits a bowler like me. So far, I’ve really enjoyed it.”We definitely do our scouting and stuff before games. I’d say at the moment in my career, I’m more of a feel bowler. I like to back what I do, run in and do what I do. But definitely I have a look at the players beforehand, I like to know their strengths and weaknesses. But I think it normally comes back to just being me and doing what I do.”

A lot has gone very right for Chelsea so far this summer.

Enzo Maresca’s men overcame what many assumed would be too big a hurdle in Paris Saint-Germain to win the Club World Cup, and have been making some great moves in the transfer market.

The three big signings made so far are undoubtedly Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro, but the club show no signs of stopping there.

For example, recent days and weeks have seen them linked to bona fide superstars like Rodrygo, who could cost up to £86m, and more up-and-coming talents who could develop into stars, like Xavi Simons, who appears to have a £52m price tag on his head.

However, it’s not all about bringing players in, as Chelsea have made several sales, and now it appears that one of the most important players has agreed to leave, which could help fund moves for the Real Madrid and RB Leipzig stars.

Why Chelsea want to sign Rodrygo & Simons

It’s certainly the case that, as things stand, Chelsea have plenty of attacking options in their squad. However, ultimately, having more can never hurt, and when they’re of the quality of Rodrygo and Simons, they could end up being hugely impactful next season.

For example, despite playing out of his preferred left-wing position for most of the last two seasons, the Brazilian “superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

That means the former Santos gem has been averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is undoubtedly impressive.

Appearances

51

54

Minutes

3707′

3452′

Goals

17

14

Assists

9

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

142.57′

138.08′

Moreover, when it comes to the Champions League, which the Blues will finally be back in again, his record is remarkable.

In his 64 appearances in the competition, totalling 3883 minutes, the 24-year-old has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 99.56 minutes.

However, what’s crucial to consider here is that eight of his 25 goals have been game-winning, and eight have come in the knockout rounds, so he could prove essential if the West Londoners want to make it far in the competition next season.

The Leipzig ace might not have the same pedigree when it comes to Europe’s top competition, but he was still seriously effective for the German outfit last season.

For example, in 33 appearances last season, totalling 2763 minutes, the Amsterdam-born monster scored 11 goals and provided eight assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes.

Moreover, despite turning 22 only a few months ago, he has already won 28 senior caps for the Netherlands, in which he has scored five goals and provided four assists, suggesting he’s not fazed by the big stages either.

In all, signing both players would make Chelsea a far more formidable proposition next season, but they’d likely need to make a big sale to do so, which, based on reports, they may well do.

The Chelsea star who has agreed to leave

While their incomings have dominated the conversation for fans, and understandably so, Chelsea have already made a few notable sales this summer, with Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga going to Arsenal for a combined fee of up to £57m, for example.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, with the club still clearly looking to make some sizable additions to the squad, some more consequential sales may have to follow.

As things stand, the exits that feel most likely to happen include João Félix’s return to Benfica, Raheem Sterling’s move to an unnamed Champions League side, and potentially the sale of Nicolas Jackson for a tidy profit.

Yet, there is now another, far more important Blues star who is being linked with a massive departure: Enzo Fernández.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Argentine international is now a key target for Real Madrid, and a player their new boss, Xabi Alonso, has an ‘obsession’ with and sees as ‘essential’ to improve his midfield.

The report makes it clear that the West Londoners are reluctant to part with their midfield maestro, but he has already given the green light to the Spanish giants, who are working on an offer worth around €150m, equivalent to approximately £130m.

While that is a massive amount of money, and would go a long way in helping to bring in some other game-changing talents, this might be a move that’s hard to stomach for fans if it happens.

After all, the World Cup winner has now made 115 appearances for the Conference League champions, in which he has scored 16 goals, provided 23 assists, and really helped turn Maresca’s side into one that can give anyone a game.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen if this deal goes ahead, but if it does, BlueCo needs to ensure they use the entire fee on new, exciting additions, such as Rodrygo and Simons.

Their new Hazard: Chelsea set to hold talks to sign £95m "superstar"

Chelsea could be set to hold talks to sign a Dutch superstar

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 21, 2025

Manchester United have made a rapid start to the summer transfer window, something that was desperately needed given their lowly Premier League standing this season.

Ruben Amorim’s side ended the campaign in a measly 15th place, winning just 11 of their 38 matches, sitting a staggering 24 points off a place in the top five.

He’s already added attacker Matheus Cunha to his ranks, with a move for Bryan Mbeumo appearing to be moving in the right direction after submitting an improved offer for his services.

Whilst the pair are likely to cost over £120m between them, the hierarchy appear to be showing no signs of slowing down in the market as multiple other targets remain on their radar.

Multiple positions are set to be the subject of their investment, handing the manager the depth he needs if he is to be a success during his stint at Old Trafford.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Dusan Vlahovic is a player who’s emerged as a key contender for the striker role at United, with Juventus set to hold talks over a swap deal which would see Jadon Sancho move in the opposite direction.

Goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been another key target for the Red Devils, as the Argentine is expected to depart Aston Villa this window as they try to raise funds to satisfy the division’s PSR rules.

However, the midfield department could be about to have a new addition, with the club firmly in the race to sign Club Brugge star Ardon Jashari, according to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg.

He claims that Amorim’s side have already been in contact with the Belgian outfit over a move for the 22-year-old who’s valued at €40m (£35m) this summer.

Plettenberg also confirmed that they face a battle with Serie A side AC Milan over a move to land his signature, with the player himself keen on a move to Italy this window.

Why United’s £35m target would be perfect for Mbeumo

As previously mentioned, United submitted an improved £60m bid for Brentford star Mbeumo, still facing stiff competition from fellow top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur for his signature.

However, even before the latest bid, the 25-year-old stated his desire to move to Old Trafford this summer, claiming that they are the only side he’s interested in joining during the off-season.

His tally of 20 league goals this season is evidence of the talent he possesses within the final third, handing Amorim a new dimension and the added threat he’s craved since taking the reins.

As a result of his success, he’s demanding a pretty penny should he move to the Theatre of Dreams, wanting a reported £250k-per-week, subsequently making him one of their highest-paid players.

If he is to succeed in any move, he will need to be provided with opportunities at the club, something which Jashari could do should he also join the Red Devils this summer.

The youngster, who’s been labelled “seriously talented” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has registered four assists this campaign, with his tally of 7.2 progressive passes per 90 within the top 9% of all players within the Belgian Pro League.

He’s also managed 7.3 passes per 90 into the final third, with 1.3 of which going into the opposition area, subsequently being able to hand Mbeumo the ammunition he needs to succeed next season.

Games played

25

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

87%

Progressive passes

7.2

Passes into final third

7.3

Passes into oppostion box

1.3

Take-on success

61%

Carries into final third

2.2

Jashari’s talents with the ball are further reflected by his take-on success rate, which has seen him complete 61% of his efforts, often liking to drive forward and taking the ball into attacking areas.

Given his talents, £35m in today’s market would reflect excellent business by the Red Devils, with the prospect of the youngster linking up with the Cameroonian certainly one the supporters should get excited by.

However, given the interest in his signature from Italy, the hierarchy need to operate quickly to avoid missing out on such a talent, with Jashari having all the tools to thrive and improve further given his tender age.

Their own Osimhen: Man Utd start talks to sign one of Europe's "best STs"

Manchester United appear to be making strides in a deal to land a new striker for Ruben Amorim.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 25, 2025

James Anderson draws a crowd at Canterbury, even as a side-show

ECB Reporters Network23-Jun-2024Lancashire were 38 for 1, trailing Kent by 206, after day one of their Vitality County Championship relegation showdown at Canterbury.Josh Bohannon and Luke Wells were unbeaten on 22 and 14 respectively at stumps, after Beyers Swanepoel had bowled Keaton Jennings for a duck.Earlier George Balderson and Nathan Lyon took three wickets apiece for second-from-bottom Lancashire, as they bowled out the division’s basement side for 244.Tawanda Muyeye was Kent’s highest scorer with 59, while Ben Compton made 55.Although both sides have struggled all season, the crowd for the first day of the 172nd Canterbury week was estimated at over 2,000. Cars were queueing for half a mile down the Old Dover Road and moving so slowly that they were overtaken by hundreds of pedestrians walking up the hill.If they’d come to see James Anderson they were disappointed. Despite making the trip south he was left out of the squad and, perhaps unable to believe his luck at having been asked to bat against an Anderson-free attack, Compton plundered 11 from Tom Bailey’s opening over.The scoring rate soon slowed however. Will Williams found Marcus O’Riordan’s edge in the fourth over and although George Bell dropped him, he’d moved on to just 16 when Balderson had him caught at third slip by George Lavelle.Bailey switched to the Nackington Road end and got Daniel Bell-Drummond for 4 but Joey Evison joined Compton and batted through to lunch, at which stage it was 102 for 2.It wasn’t a standard interval: the crowd realised Anderson was bowling at one stump on the outfield and around a hundred fans formed a circle to watch. When he’d finished it took him nearly five minutes to reach the pavilion as he stopped for dozens of selfies.When the outfield had finally cleared Kent suffered a mini-collapse. Evison went for 25, edging Bailey to Matty Hurst, before Balderson claimed two wickets in the space of 10 balls. Harry Finch drove him to Josh Bohannon at mid-off for one and Compton fell to an ankle-high catch by Jennings at second slip.That left Kent on 124 for 5 and it nearly got worse for the hosts as Muyeye was on 23 when he pulled Lyon to the midwicket boundary, only to be dropped by Jack Blatherwick.Having dropped into the middle order after struggling as an opener, Muyeye responded with his first half-century of the season.Debutant Charlie Stobo joined him and made an inventive 36 before he was bowled by Lyon, ending a stand of 82 and leaving Kent on 210 for 6 at tea.Swanepoel made 19 before he top-edged Lyon behind and Matt Parkinson went for a nine-ball duck against his former county, lbw to Luke Wells.Lyon then bowled George Garrett middle-stump for three and although Muyeye was dropped again, this time off Lyon by a sliding Williams, he was lbw to Wells in the next over, denying Kent a single batting point and leaving Lancs to face 14 overs before stumps.Swanepoel sent Jennings’ off stump flying for an eight-ball duck but he was the only victim, with Wells just surviving a dicey penultimate over from Stobo.

An “interesting” Everton player is now said to be very close to leaving the club in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.

Everton eyeing Premier League attacker and others

Blues supporters will be desperately hoping to see new signings arrive on Merseyside this summer, as David Moyes looks to take the team forward and make them a top-half Premier League side again.

Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has been linked with a move to Everton, with the veteran a proven top-flight attacker who could add much-needed firepower in the final third. A tally of 88 goals in 239 Premier League appearances highlights the Englishman’s pedigree.

The Blues are also believed to have entered the race to sign Timothy Weah, with the USA international currently plying his trade at Juventus. He scored five goals in Serie A last season, only starting 18 out of 38 league matches, so a fresh challenge may appeal to him.

Elsewhere, Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto appears to be a leading start to add to Moyes’ attack, with one report claiming that they are battling Wolves for his signature, with the latter tabling an offer for his services. Now, an Everton exit rumour has emerged, with one player not expected to be at the club at the start of next season.

"Interesting" Everton ace close to leaving

According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Youssef Chermiti is now “very close” to leaving Everton this summer, heading to Championship side Stoke City.

The 21-year-old is reportedly likely to move there on a season-long loan deal, hopefully picking up some important experience before the Blues make a decision over his future at the end of next term.

This feels like a shrewd decision for all parties, with the report saying ‘sources believe Chermiti is not in Moyes’ plans for Everton next season’, so he needs to enjoy regular football elsewhere. He is under contract until the summer of 2027, so there is no rush to sell him permanently yet.

The Portuguese has struggled to make an impression in a Blues shirt, failing to register a single goal or assist in 24 appearances, but he was lauded as a “very interesting” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past.

Hopefully, Chermiti will flourish out on loan at Stoke, with the Championship a massive test of any players’ credentials, then giving Moyes a headache when he returns to Everton next summer.

Same agent as McNeil: Everton eyeing swoop to sign "incredible" PL rival

He’s got plenty of experience.

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 21, 2025

He will have to do a lot in 2025/26 to show the Scot that he is worth persevering with long into the future, though, and it will be interesting to see how he fares over the next 12 months or so.