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West Indies’ net run rate is now miles ahead of South Africa’s and England’s in their Super Eight group

Danyal Rasool22-Jun-20242:02

Ganga: Chase is a utility player for West Indies

West Indies 130 for 1 (82*) beat United States of America 128 (Gous 29, Chase 3-19, Russell 3-31) by nine wicketsFor much of T20 World Cup 2024, USA haven’t looked out of place against any side, but West Indies were a class apart against them. A brilliant bowling performance from the spinners spearheaded by Roston Chase was followed up by a chase that was sledgehammer-like in its brutality. Shai Hope crunched an unbeaten 82 off 39 balls, smashing eight sixes along the way as Nicholas Pooran helped him finish the game off with 55 balls and nine wickets to spare.By the end, the contest looked like the first real mismatch USA have been on the wrong side of as they ran out of ideas bowling to Hope, who until now had only played one match all tournament. He would reach his half-century in just 26 balls – the fastest in T20 World Cup history for West Indies – before only speeding up after Jonathan Charles holed out. Pooran and Hope unleashed fire and fury towards the end as the game hurtled to an early finish, plundering the last 53 runs in just 14 deliveries.The game was set up, though, by a disciplined bowling performance led by the wily old hand of Chase. Not by any means West Indies’ most glamorous spinner, Chase didn’t even get to bat against England in the previous game. He showed his all-round value with a statement performance, though, ripping through the USA’s middle order and breaking the back of the innings.Akeal Hosein had played his customary role upfront, squeezing USA in the powerplay, while Andre Russell’s three wickets helped the hosts continue to shackle USA whenever they tried to get a partnership going. The extra bounce Alzarri Joseph generated to dismiss Andries Gous just as he was beginning to whir into full gear ended up being the sliding doors moment for USA, who, in truth, were never close to competitive from that moment on. West Indies, meanwhile, are back with a bang.Gous’ brief resistanceIt seems a long time ago, but for a short while in the second half of the powerplay in the first innings, it looked as if Gous – now the second-highest scorer of this tournament – had turned the tide on West Indies. Halfway through, it was West Indies’ powerplay, having conceded just 13 in the first three overs. But Gous, who nearly took USA home against South Africa with an unbeaten 80 off 47, stormed to a flier once more, punishing the length deliveries of Joseph to help plunder 35 off the final three of the powerplay.It helped USA put on 48 in the first six – their second-highest powerplay score at this World Cup. But with large parts of the middle order misfiring since their early couple of wins, USA needed Gous to press on as he did in the previous game. So when he holed out off Joseph after a bright 16-ball 29, trouble brewed for the co-hosts.Chase leads the West Indies rallyRoston Chase picked consecutive wickets in the 14th over•ICC/Getty Images

West Indies did not allow USA to post a big score and take the game deep; they were chasing net run rate as well as points in Barbados. Once Joseph had cleared Gous from the path, Chase and Gudakesh Motie had free rein to run rings round the rest. A bit of extra turn did for Nitish Kumar, but it was the Chase show from there.Aaron Jones had just walloped a 101m six, but it didn’t stop Chase bravely flighting the first ball of the spell up to him on the stumps. Jones missed and Chase cleaned him up, but it was the double-strike in his third over that truly crippled USA. Corey Anderson’s desperate run with the bat continued when he was trapped on the back pad plumb in front, before slowing the next one right up, duping Harmeet Singh into lobbing it up straight to point. Chase was wisely bowled out in one four-over spell, with figures of 3 for 19 not flattering him in the slightest.It’s Hope that kills USA offThere were calls for Hope to be included in West Indies’ starting line-up right from the start. Instead, it’s Brandon King’s injury that paved the way for him to come in, and leaving him out suddenly feels even more perplexing. He lit up his home ground with a sizzling display, ensuring West Indies got ahead of the rate early, and from thereon the contest turned into a run-rate salvage operation.No bowler was spared the brutality of his raw power, and when a heave over mid-off cleared the rope, he brought up a scintillating half-century. But Hope wasn’t fading away; if anything he kicked it up a notch, smashing the hapless Milind Kumar for three consecutive sixes in the ninth over, priming West Indies to the sort of run-rate boosting win they so badly needed.

Leeds United will be doing plenty of deals in the next couple of months in an attempt to build a squad that can avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League.

The Whites have already made one new signing to bolster Daniel Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch, as Lukas Nmecha has agreed a deal to join the club on a free transfer from Wolfsburg at the start of next month.

He only scored three goals in 19 appearances in the Bundesliga during the 2024/25 campaign, and has only scored eight league goals in the last three seasons combined.

This does not suggest that Nmecha is likely to be the go-to centre-forward option from the start for the West Yorkshire outfit, but the former Germany international could provide experienced back-up to the other number nines in the squad.

The 26-year-old star will not be the last striker to arrive at Elland Road this summer, though, as reporter Graham Smyth claimed that the club are still looking for another addition in that position.

This could spell bad news for 21-year-old marksman Mateo Joseph’s future in West Yorkshire, amid speculation that he could move on ahead of next season.

Why Mateo Joseph could leave Leeds

The Spain U21 international is reportedly being eyed up by several clubs, as GIVEMESPORT recently claimed that Birmingham, Strasbourg, and Real Betis are all keen on securing his signature.

This suggests that there will be no shortage of suitors for the Whites academy graduate if Farke decides that he will not be a part of his plans for the Premier League season, which will kick off with a clash against Everton on the first Monday Night Football of the campaign.

Joseph has now had a taste of first-team football, with 61 Championship outings and four goals in the last two seasons, and should be wanting to play regular minutes next term to continue his development.

The Spanish youngster only scored three goals in 39 matches for Leeds in the second tier during the 2024/25 campaign, but did put up some promising underlying numbers.

Non-penalty xG

0.36

Top 29%

Shots total

2.73

Top 11%

Shots on target

1.05

Top 17%

Non-penalty goals

0.21

Bottom 34%

xAG

0.13

Top 20%

Assists

0.21

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

2.31

Top 20%

Touches in the opposition’s box

5.25

Top 10%

As you can see in the table above, Joseph ranked highly among his positional peers when it came to getting into high-quality shooting positions and creating chances for others, but his finishing let him down.

A loan move away from Leeds to play regularly and hone his skills next term could be the ideal next step for him, whilst Leeds are eyeing up a striker who could be an upgrade on him in the short term.

Leeds plotting move for new striker

According to TEAMtalk, the Championship champions are eyeing up further forward additions after the signing of Nmecha, and Besiktas striker Semih Kilicsoy is one of the players they are plotting a move for.

The Turkish attacker and Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz are both said to be targets for the West Yorkshire outfit, as they look to improve Farke’s options in the final third.

Transfer Focus

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

TEAMtalk adds that Leeds are moving forward in deals to sign Muniz, Kilicsoy, and USG’s Noah Sadiki, with the Besiktas whiz said to be available for a fee of £18m.

The outlet claims that the Whites have extensively scouted the Turkey U21 international and view him as a versatile star with potential who would come in as a long-term signing for Farke.

If Leeds can get an £18m deal over the line to sign the 19-year-old forward during the summer transfer window then they could have an immediate upgrade on both Nmecha and Joseph for next season.

Why Leeds should sign Semih Kilicsoy

There are many reasons why signing the teenage marksman from Besiktas makes a lot of sense for Leeds, including his age profile. At 19, he has many years left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player, which means that the striker could grow in value over time.

It also means that he may not demand to be the first-choice number nine week-in-week-out in the Premier League straight away, and be happy to be a versatile bench option at first, which would allow the Whites to also sign a more experienced striker, such as Muniz.

Kilicsoy’s performances for Besiktas in the last two seasons also suggest that he would offer more quality in front of goal than both Nmecha and Joseph in the top-flight.

The Turkish attacker, who was once hailed as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons combined for his club side.

Joseph managed seven goals and four assists for Leeds in all competitions, and Nmecha racked up five goals and zero assists in that same time, which immediately suggests that the teenage star has more to offer the team at the top end of the pitch.

Goals

0.21

0.21

xG on target

0.35

0.35

xA

0.13

0.10

Assists

0.14

0.21

Dribbles completed

2.49

0.78

Dribble success rate

57%

42%

Fouls won

2.00

1.29

As you can see in the table above, Kilicsoy offered more quality at the top end of the pitch than Joseph this season, with more goals and xA combined per 90, along with far more success in dribbling past opposition players.

Impressively, the teenage attacker managed 0.59 goals and 0.21 assists per 90 in the Super Lig in the previous campaign, when he managed 11 goals and four assists in the division, whilst Joseph scored one goal in 22 league games for Leeds that term.

Therefore, Kilicsoy could be a very exciting signing for Leeds as a young forward who has shown that he has the potential to make a big impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals, even more so than Joseph and Nmecha have in recent years.

Better than Aaronson: Leeds submit bid to sign £21m Sadiki alternative

Leeds are looking at signing a new midfielder this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 17, 2025

This is why Leeds must press ahead with a deal to sign the £18m-rated centre-forward before the start of the Premier League season to bolster their attacking options.

Rangers chiefs are set for talks over a fee for a “talented” incoming summer signing at Ibrox, with the player seemingly having his heart set on signing for the Gers.

Rangers already have first summer signing sealed

The Gers look set to be in for a busy summer ahead of the 2025/26 season, with the 49ers Enterprises agreeing a deal in principle to take over in Glasgow.

One of their first tasks will be to appoint a new permanent manager at Ibrox, with Barry Ferguson currently in temporary charge until the end of the campaign.

The 49ers could give a new Rangers boss up to £25m to spend on new signings, but the club already have their first summer addition wrapped up.

Back in February, it was confirmed that Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron has penned a pre-contract agreement to move to Rangers this summer.

Talking about a deal for Cameron, technical director, Nils Koppen labelled the soon-to-be Rangers player as “talented”. “I am delighted that we have agreed a deal for Lyall to join the club and to continue his career at Rangers come the summer.

“He is a talented young player, who has already gained great experience in the Scottish Premiership, and adding young, Scottish talent to our first-team squad is hugely important to all of us at the club. Lyall has a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow at Rangers in the coming years.”

Lyall Cameron’s club career stats	Games	Goals	Assists
Dundee	114	29	13
Peterhead	33	5	0
Montrose	11	1	0

Cameron, who can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder, has been a regular for Dundee this season, contributing to 18 goals in 36 games.

Rangers still need to pay a compensation package to Dundee, and a new update has now emerged from a Dens Park official.

Rangers set for talks over Lyall Cameron fee

As reported by Rangers Review’s Stephen McGowan, Dundee are planning on talking to Rangers over a compensation fee for Cameron, looking to avoid a tribunal in the process.

Dundee’s managing director John Nelms said: “I mean there has been a small conversation about that. A very, very preliminary conversation about that. At the time it was with their new Chief Executive, who’d come in, like two weeks prior. Patrick’s seat wasn’t even warm yet and I’m sure that as time goes on I think we will have more conversations about that.

“I don’t think they want to go to a tribunal. The last tribunal was very well publicised and our lawyers know all the details. So we both have different views probably and neither one of us want to get there, so hopefully we will come to a resolution on that.”

Ruthless from 49ers: £30k-p/w star could leave Rangers after internal talks

He’s under contract until 2026.

By
Charlie Smith

Apr 9, 2025

Nelms was referring to a £640,000 compensation package awarded to Aberdeen for now Rangers midfielder Connor Barron.

Hopefully, Dundee and those at Ibrox can shake hands on a deal for Cameron, and it’ll be interesting to see the final outcome.

Second season syndrome. It’s sure to be a phrase bandied about online when rival fans discuss Liverpool’s chances under Arne Slot’s management for the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool must ensure they put paid to such notions by bolstering effectively in the summer transfer market and adding the depth that has been somewhat lacking this term.

Slot has worked wonders since replacing Jurgen Klopp last summer and it’s difficult to find faults to pick at, but a resistence to rotation is definitely one area the Dutch tactician has drawn criticism, with some intimating that Liverpool’s recent drop in fluency and sparkle is a by-product of certain players being overplayed.

But this is a minor blemish on a man whose arrival at Anfield has left the city aglitter, with the Premier League title a stone’s throw away and promises already being made of significant summer investment.

However, out with the old and all that. Some players have failed to win their boss over this season and simply have to be sold to make room for fresh faces.

Who Liverpool need to sell this summer

First and foremost, Darwin Nunez needs to be sold this summer. The misfiring striker didn’t even make the bench on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool beat West Ham United at Anfield. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool expect to sell him this summer.

Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota have also endured differing problems this year and either could be deemed expendable if the right bid were to come in, especially now that Mohamed Salah has extended his contract and the likes of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak are being eyed.

It might be a tad harsh to suggest Liverpool need to sell Andy Robertson after his struggles at left-back this term, but with concrete interest confirmed in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, either the Scotsman or his deputy, Kostas Tsimikas, will need to leave.

Several others – Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott – may be sold if the right circumstances present themselves. However, there’s another Liverpool star riding the crest of a wave right now who may also need to go.

Luis Diaz is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, and FSG should cash in for maximum value while they can.

The latest on Luis Diaz's future

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are now willing to accept offers for Diaz this summer in spite of his recent form, should bids reach the ballpark of €80m (about £68m).

The Colombian is one of the best forwards in the Premier League and has rediscovered his touch in the final third over the past few weeks, but aged 28 and approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week contract, it might be the right time for Liverpool to cash in.

Barcelona hold a long-standing interest in the player, while Spanish reports suggest Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League are preparing a bid ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure at the end of his contract this summer.

Diaz has been one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s anticipated Premier League triumph, but he’s not irreplaceable and some difficult decisions will need to be made soon.

Across all competitions this season, the 28-year-old has scored 15 goals and supplied eight assists for his teammates, having registered goal involvements in each of his past five Premier League appearances.

An electric-paced forward with an energy that’s charged not by pace but tenacity, Diaz is the real deal, coveted by the likes of Manchester City last year and heading toward the championship having been outscored only by Salah in Liverpool’s squad, which is nothing to be ashamed about.

Ranking among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref, he’s got the technical capacity to thrive too. Klopp even hailed him once for his “world-class” passing.

Diaz has been indispensable this season for his tactical flexibility, able to skip around the frontline and fill in as a make-do centre-forward, owing to his gifted ability but highlighting the need for a recognised, hard-to-handle number nine.

Left winger

29

6

6

Centre-forward

11

6

0

Right winger

2

1

0

While he’s at his most clinical when placed as the focal frontman, he might find his opportunities limited in that area next term, given Liverpool are headset on signing an out-and-out striker, one who will likely cost quite the figure to bring over to Anfield.

They’ll need to get it right, but the same thing happened when Nunez was brought in from Benfica in the summer of 2022 as Sadio Mane took his leave.

Mane joined Bayern Munich in a deal worth £35m that summer, draping the curtain on an illustrious career at Liverpool. Given that he had turned 30 years old and was a year away from his contract’s conclusion, FSG’s decision was understandable.

Mane still had mileage in the tank but renewing his deal at that point of his career could have knocked the club’s wage hierarchy askew, with Salah being an exception to the rule.

And so history is shaping up to repeat itself. Diaz has been a more than able replacement for his Senegalese counterpart and now faces a similar fate, but given that he is set to consider a departure from the English Champions Elect, it could be a move that benefits all parties.

Back to the present, Cody Gakpo has nailed down the starting berth on the attacking left flank this year, scoring 16 times from 35 matches in the position.

The Netherlands international might have stepped away from the limelight over recent weeks due to injury, but he ranks among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90.

There may well be a conflict of positional interest if these players remain at Liverpool and fight for a place alongside Isak or Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, for example.

The same, curiously, occurred when Mane, Salah and Diaz all played together for five short but sweet months in 2021/22, with Klopp’s new recruit making waves, notching seven goal involvements across 11 Premier League fixtures while winning 5.3 duels per game.

Liverpool wouldn’t grumble if Diaz was still in their mix next season, for sure, but if clubs present bids north of £60m for a player who is entering the later stage of their contract and is not that far away from their 30th birthday, it feels like it could be a no-brainer for sporting director Richard Hughes.

Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid

Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 14, 2025

Chelsea’s grip on a Champions League spot looks more and more uncertain by the day, especially after Enzo Maresca’s Blues stumbled to an unconvincing 0-0 draw versus Brentford on Sunday.

Indeed, the race for that final coveted spot in the Premier League’s top four is heating up, with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester City all fancying their chances over the up-and-down West Londoners.

Unfortunately for Maresca, one dud at his disposal is slowly becoming his team’s next version of Timo Werner, with the German a colossal failure in-front of goal for most of his cursed stay at Stamford Bridge.

Werner's frustrating Chelsea stint

Werner would join the Chelsea ranks back in 2020 with a growing reputation for being one of Europe’s most clinical strikers, costing the Blues a pretty £45m subsequently.

Indeed, the Stuttgart-born star had managed to fired home a staggering 113 goals from 213 games donning a RB Leipzig strip – across his two spells – but his time in the English capital with Chelsea would be anything but lethal.

In total, the former Chelsea number 11 would slot home a weak 23 strikes from 89 games playing for the Premier League giants, leading to Werner retreating back to Leipzig in the summer of 2022 to try and recapture his deadly edge.

Now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur – where he continues to struggle with zero league strikes picked up in 2024/25 – Chelsea will definitely jot down the deal for Werner as a blunder in the transfer market, coupled with the fact the German would relocate back to the Bundesliga for just £25.3m.

History could now be unfortunately repeating itself with this dud in Maresca’s camp, with the wasteful flop also costing Chelsea a hefty amount, only for the expensive attacker to be staring the exit door in the face after one too many passive performances in West London.

Maresca's very own Werner

The Champions League chasers aren’t exactly blessed with plentiful numbers in the centre-forward department, considering both David Datro Fofana and Marc Guiu are sidelined currently, alongside Nicolas Jackson being drip-fed more and more minutes recently after battling back from injury issues of his own.

Therefore, Maresca has had his hands tied behind his back somewhat when it comes to team selections, resulting in a goal-shy Christopher Nkunku having to regularly lead the line.

The Frenchman was particularly below-par away at Brentford on Sunday, with the former Leipzig attacker – which is where the similarities with Werner begin – only registering one shot on goal all game, before Maresca dragged him off at the half-time interval.

With just three goals all season long in the top-flight, Nkunku will now have the same unwanted tag above his head as the German in being an extortionate waste of money, with the 27-year-old only amassing a weak 17 goals on English shores overall, after costing an eye-watering £52m to obtain back in 2023.

Nkunku’s career G/A record

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RB Leipzig

172

70

52

Paris St. Germain

78

11

4

Chelsea

53

17

5

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Moreover, his explosive spell with Leipzig – which saw him collect a stunning 122 goal contributions from 172 games – makes his poor showings at Stamford Bridge even harder to stomach, with Nkunku managing just 18 touches on average this season in the Premier League as a presence now too afraid to leave a lasting mark on a contest.

Even labelled as one of Maresca’s “passengers” versus the Bees according to one football journalist, the beginning of the end for Nkunku at Chelsea already looks to be underway, with the Blues perhaps having to offload the inconsistent Frenchman for way below his past £52m price tag – much like they had to with Werner.

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Posts ByConnor Holden Apr 6, 2025

England, Australia and South Africa are already through, but who will join them in the last four?

Sampath Bandarupalli21-Oct-2025Related

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India – Matches 5, Wins 2, Points 4, NRR 0.526

If India beat New Zealand on Thursday, they will make the semi-finals. If they lose to New Zealand, India have to hope New Zealand lose to England before India beat Bangladesh on Sunday.A washout against New Zealand can also be a good result for India if they beat Bangladesh. India will be through to the semi-finals even if they lose against Bangladesh in the above scenario, if New Zealand and Sri Lanka (or a washout against Pakistan) lose their respective last matches.If both of India’s games in Navi Mumbai get washed out, they will qualify for the semi-finals, but only if England beat New Zealand (or if that game also gets washed out). If Sri Lanka are tied on six points with India in the above scenario, India will progress with a better net run-rate.Harmanpreet Kaur and India have little room for error in their remaining two games•ICC/Getty Images

New Zealand – Matches 5, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -0.245

New Zealand’s next match against India will be an all-or-nothing game for them, and a loss will end their World Cup campaign. If New Zealand win their next two games, they will make the semi-finals.If New Zealand beat India but lose to England, they will have to hope Bangladesh beat India (or if it ends in a washout). Sri Lanka can also finish with six points if they beat Pakistan, but New Zealand currently have a better net run-rate.New Zealand will make the semi-finals irrespective of other results if they beat India and their match against England gets washed out. A washout against India will be good for New Zealand only if they defeat England, and India don’t bag two points against Bangladesh.New Zealand can progress to the semi-finals if both their remaining games are washed out, but only if India and Sri Lanka don’t reach six points.

Sri Lanka – Matches 6, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -1.035

To reach the semi-finals, Sri Lanka have to beat Pakistan and hope India lose both their remaining games. They will also need England to beat New Zealand on the last day of the league stage.Sri Lanka will be tied on six points with New Zealand in the above scenario, but will be behind on net run-rate if they don’t win big against Pakistan.

And has anyone been Player of the Match in the semi-final and the final like Travis Head?

Steven Lynch21-Nov-2023Travis Head was the Player of the Match in both the World Cup final and the semi. Has anyone done this before? asked Chris Georgiou from Australia

Australia’s trump card Travis Head was Player of the Match in the semi-final against South Africa in Kolkata, and also in the final against India in Ahmedabad. This double has actually been achieved three times previously. In 1983, India’s Mohinder Amarnath won the award in the semi-final against England at Old Trafford and the final against West Indies at Lord’s.In 1996, Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka won it in the semi-final against India in Kolkata and the final against Australia in Lahore. And in 1999, the one and only Shane Warne picked up the award in the thrilling semi-final tie against South Africa at Edgbaston and in the final against Pakistan at Lord’s.Warne was also Man of the Match in the 1996 semi-final, against West Indies in Mohali.Mohammed Shami took 24 wickets in this World Cup – was this a record? asked Ahmed Kashif from India

Mohammed Shami finished the 2023 World Cup as the leading wicket-taker with 24, one more than Australia’s Adam Zampa. Looking back at previous tournaments, two Australians lead the way: Mitchell Starc collected 27 wickets in England in 2019, while Glenn McGrath had 26 in the West Indies in 2007. But Starc played ten matches and McGrath 11 – Shami only had seven.Chaminda Vaas (2003), Muthiah Muralidaran (2007) and Shaun Tait 2007) all took 23 wickets in a single World Cup.Shami’s 7 for 57 in the semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai were the best bowling figures in a World Cup knockout game (previously Gary Gilmour’s 6 for 14 for Australia vs England at Headingley in 1975), and the fifth-best in all World Cup matches.Starc, meanwhile, finished this tournament with 65 World Cup wickets, third overall behind McGrath (71) and Murali (68).Daryl Mitchell scored two centuries against India in the World Cup. Has anyone scored two against a single opponent before? asked Keth Parker from New Zealand

New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell hit 130 in the group game against India in Dharamsala, and added 134 in the semi-final in Mumbai. The only man before this to score two separate centuries against the same opposition in a single World Cup was Sourav Ganguly in 2003, with 107 not out in India’s group game against Kenya in Cape Town, and 111 not out in the semi-final in Durban.In the 1988 Women’s World Cup, when the teams met each other twice in the group stage, Australia’s Ruth Buckstein scored 100 in Perth and 105 not out in Melbourne in their matches against Netherlands. In 2022, Nat Sciver-Brunt hit 109 not out in England’s group game against Australia in Hamilton, and an undefeated 148 in the final in Christchurch. Both came in vain, as England lost both matches.Daryl Mitchell is the only other men’s player to score two hundreds against the same opposition in one World Cup after Sourav Ganguly•Getty ImagesHas any bowler taken 100 wickets in one-day internationals on a single ground? asked Mohit Gupta from India

Three men have managed 100 or more wickets at a single ground in ODIs. Shakib Al Hasan leads the way with 131 at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur, while the Pakistan pace pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis took 122 and 114 wickets respectively in Sharjah.Another Bangladeshi, Mashrafe Mortaza, took 94 wickets in ODIs in Mirpur. No one else is terribly close to three figures: Murali took 82 in Sharjah, and 75 at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.I believe Alastair Cook has scored the most Test runs as an opener. But who has scored the most at No. 3? asked David McLaren from Scotland

You’re right that England’s Alastair Cook scored the most runs from the top of the order in Tests – 11,845 in all (counting innings from No. 1 or No. 2 in the order). Sunil Gavaskar is next with 9607, and Graeme Smith third with 9030.Leading the way at No. 3 in Tests is Kumar Sangakkara with 11,669, not far ahead of Rahul Dravid with 10,524; Ricky Ponting is third with 9904. In eighth place is Don Bradman, whose 5078 runs from No. 3 came at an average of 103.63.For that list, click here. If you want to check the highest scorers from the other places in the batting order, use that last link, press “Return to query menu”, and change the number in “Batting position” to the one you want.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

His biggest achievement has been his ability to consistently take wickets in Australia, a country which has generally been inhospitable to spinners

S Rajesh11-Dec-2021Of the 17 bowlers now in this club, seven are spinners, five of them from the subcontinent. This means Lyon is in an exclusive club of two with countryman Shane Warne as the only spinners from outside Asia to take 400 Test wickets. That is a remarkable achievement, given how rare it is for non-Asian spinners to play long enough and be successful enough, not to mention playing a lot on unhelpful pitches, to achieve this milestone.ESPNcricinfo LtdLyon started his Test career with a wicket off his first ball, and five in his first innings, and while it hasn’t all been smooth sailing over the next decade, it has largely been characterised by consistency and control: in the ten years from 2011 to 2020, only twice has his annual average exceeded 35. (He currently averages 51.44 in 2021, but he is only playing his third Test this year.)Related

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Australia romp to nine-wicket win and 1-0 lead

Lyon plays the long game in quest for 400 Test wickets

The 400-wicket landmark is just reward for that consistency. Over the last four decades, it has been especially difficult for non-Asian spinners to achieve success over an extended period of time. Since 1980, only four have taken 250-plus wickets, five have breached the 200 mark, and just seven have more than 150. Admittedly, conditions in Australia don’t make the spinner as redundant as they do sometimes in England, New Zealand or South Africa, but even so, these are all teams whose bowling attacks revolve around pace. Spinners in these line-ups have usually had much shorter careers. Warne was a genius, and in a league of his own, but for the rest, it has generally been a struggle to find a regular place in Test line-ups.Lyon has generally played as a member of a four-bowler combination, and has picked up nearly a quarter of the bowler wickets. His 23.4% sits well when compared to the other fingerspinners in the group. Warne and Stuart MacGill have higher percentages, but MacGill played only 44 Tests, while Graeme Swann took 25.9% of England’s wickets in the 60 Tests he played. For comparison, R Ashwin has taken 31% of India’s bowler wickets in the 81 Tests he has played, while the percentages for Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble are 26.3 and 30.7 respectively. Rangana Herath took 30% of Sri Lanka’s wickets in the 93 Tests he played, but all those numbers pale when compared with Muttiah Muralitharan’s 40.4%.