Callum Wilson insisted that he can force his way into Thomas Tuchel's England squad despite not playing for the Three Lions since 2023. At 33, many would assume his international career has ended. But Wilson has never been one to accept the limitations and has that same self-confidence that took him to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, despite widespread scepticism at the time.

A journal full of targets

Wilson keeps a daily notebook filled with ambitions. One of them is 100 Premier League goals. It is that stubborn self-belief that saw him turn down eye-watering offers from Saudi Arabia last summer. Instead of chasing the last big contract, he joined West Ham, determined to reach the century mark in English football and extend his Premier League legacy. And his more pressing target is to catch the attention of Tuchel. 

Wilson said: "I have 100 goals, that’s written down. Personal targets that I want to achieve in terms of what’s happened over the last few years, not playing as much as I like, games I want to be involved in and how many that is and being available. There’s a World Cup coming up. I still, in my head, will believe until the final squad that if I have a run of games, I can put my best foot forward.

"The last time we went to the World Cup, I’d written there about that. Everyone said, ‘Oh, what are you doing in the winter break when the World Cup’s coming?' My journal says I’m going to the World Cup. Because some people think I’m deluded. That’s the problem. When you actually believe in yourself so much, people think you’re borderline delusional. But there’s people that have been with me throughout my career that have seen me say something and I’ve then done it. I achieve these things. And every time I get written off, I’ve come back from it."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA return to Bournemouth: The club that shaped him

Wilson now sits on 90 Premier League goals. His first 41 came during his years at Bournemouth, and he is set to visit the Vitality Stadium this weekend for the first time since 2020. 

He said: "I’m looking forward to that on a personal level in terms of just being in a place where that was the next step for me where I managed to build my name and help the team get great success over the years. I’ve scored many goals in both nets for Bournemouth, so obviously I’ll be able to do it against them. It’s the same arena."

Wilson needs 10 more Premier League goals to enter the hundred club and he insists he stayed in England last summer for that exact reason.

Wilson added: "I had a tricky few years previously with injuries and then Alex Isak getting in great form and then basically finding myself playing second fiddle to him. It wasn’t really how I seen my last few years in the Premier League going. I’m a fighter. I didn’t want to just give up and say, OK, it’s easy for me to just go and do a different country, collect a little bit of money and things like that. But that’s not my motivation.”

Tuchel’s to-call List: A manager with a mission

If Wilson is to revive his England career, the man he must impress is the meticulous Tuchel. Fresh from guiding England to a perfect World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, eight wins, zero goals conceded, Tuchel has now set himself a new task of speaking personally to every England hopeful. The number hovers between 55 and 60 players. Tuchel laughed at the length of the list, but insisted the calls are essential.

"Players that are on our long list, 55, 60 players, to reach out to them, be in touch with them, explain to them why they were not here," he said. "Explain to them what they have to do, where they can improve. Can they even do something, or is it just a choice, so this is my job in the next weeks and months.

"Yeah, and I hate phone calls. Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. Or I need to visit them, visit training grounds. We can do group visits. We can do Jude (Bellingham) and Trent (Alexander-Arnold). And visit the clubs. And some of them we will call. Let's see. Listen, we've just finished this camp and I think it's important that I reach out to everyone, even to the guys we didn't pick so regularly, to tell them where they are and give them honest feedback."

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Getty Images SportWill Wilson’s phone ring?

That is the question Wilson smiles at. He knows his age will be used against him and his injury history will be raised. But he refuses to surrender his belief that a late surge of form, coupled with his relentless self-discipline, could force Tuchel’s hand. 

With the postseason looming, the Padres have lost a key piece for the short term.

San Diego outfielder Ramón Laureano has been diagnosed with a fractured finger and will miss the first round of the playoffs, manager Mike Shildt said Wednesday evening via Dennis Lin of . Laureano, 31, has hit well since being acquired from the Orioles on July 31—slashing .271/.325.492 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs.

In total, Laureano has slashed .282/.343/.514 with 24 home runs and 76 RBIs. His 3.6 bWAR are a career high, surpassing a 3.5-win campaign with the Athletics in 2019.

The Padres are squarely in the middle of the National League's crowded postseason picture; they currently trail the Dodgers by two games in the West Division race and the Cubs by two games in the wild-card race.

San Diego, sans Laureano, is scheduled to play three games against the Diamondbacks this weekend to conclude its 2025 regular season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Argentinos Juniors e Corinthians se enfrentam nesta terça-feira (23), pela 3ª rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. A bola rola às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Estádio Diego Armando Maradona, em Buenos Aires, com transmissão do SBT, ESPN e Star+.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCorinthians cede camarote na Arena e outras propriedades por permutaCorinthians22/04/2024DicasArgentinos Juniors x Corinthians: odds, estatísticas e informações para apostar na 3ª rodada da Sul-AmericanaDicas22/04/2024NotíciasFezinha de segunda! Aposte R$50 e receba R$248 se Corinthians e Ferroviária empatarem no BR FemininoNotícias22/04/2024

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

O Timão lidera o Grupo F da Sul-Americana com quatro pontos, enquanto a equipe argentina soma três pontos na competição.

➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Argentinos Juniors e Corinthians pela Sul-Americana (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Argentinos Juniors x Corinthians
3ª rodada – Fase de grupos Copa Sul-Americana

Data e horário:terça-feira, 23 de abril de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
Local:Estádio Diego Armando Maradona, em Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ondeassistir:SBT, ESPN e Star+
Árbitro: Piero Maza-CHI
VAR: Jose Cabero-CHI
Assistentes: Claudio Urrutia-CHI e Carlos Poblete-CHI

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

ARGENTINOS JUNIORS (Técnico: Pablo Guede)
Diego Rodríguez, Kevin Coronel, Jonathan Galván, Tobías Palacio e Román Vega; Franco Moyano, Nicolas Oroz e Alan Lescano; José Herrera, Maximiliano Romero e Luciano Gondou

CORINTHIANS (Técnico: António Oliveira)
Cássio; Fagner; Félix Torres, Raul Gustavo e Hugo; Raniele, Fausto Vera e Rodrigo Garro; Pedro Henrique, Romero e Yuri Alberto

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CorinthiansSul-Americana

تمكن فريق مانشستر سيتي من تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك خصمه فريق فولهام، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستضيف ملعب “كرافن كوتيج” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وفولهام، في خضم منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ونجح مانشستر سيتي في تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك فولهام، وذلك في الدقيقة 37 من عمر الشوط الأول.

جاء الهدف عن طريق تيجاني ريندرز، بعد تمريرة من إيرلينج هالاند، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى الهولندي الذي انطلق وسددها في الشباك، معلنًا عن هدف ثاني لكتيبة بيب جوارديولا.

كان إيرلينج هالاند قد سجل هدف مانشستر سيتي الأول، في الدقيقة 17 من عمر الشوط الأول، ليصل إلى هدفه رقم 100 في الدوري الإنجليزي.

Shohei Ohtani continued his convincing campaign for a second straight National League MVP award by hitting his 54th home run of the season in style against the Diamondbacks on Thursday.

In the top of the fourth inning with one on and one out, Ohtani belted a 1-1 changeup deep into right center and straight into the pool beyond the outfield wall at Chase Field. It was the Arizona equivalent of a splash home run, and Ohtani's 54th of the season, tying his own 2024 record for the most long balls in a single season in Dodgers history.

But the homer also led to something unlikely: Ohtani received MVP chants in Arizona.

Admittedly, a lot of those chants are coming from Dodgers fans who made the trip to Arizona in the hopes of seeing Los Angeles clinch the NL West title, which they can do with a win over the Diamondbacks. But it's still impressive to hear MVP chants on the road for a visiting player, regardless of the circumstances.

Ohtani leads the NL in OPS, ranks second in home runs and has racked up 62 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched, recording a sparkling 2.87 ERA in his return to the mound in 2025. Ohtani, along with Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, is among the favorites to take home the NL MVP. Should he go on to win it, Ohtani will have been an MVP in four of the past five seasons between his time with the Dodgers and Angels.

Liverpool's season crashed to a new, depressing low with a 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest at the weekend. The defending champions currently sit 11th in the Premier League table following a sixth defeat in seven matches and now boss Arne Slot has come in for a huge amount of stick over comments after the damaging loss at Anfield.

• Season falters as Slot makes feelings clear

  Slot’s side have already lost two more league matches than in the entirety of the previous title-winning season. The shock 3-0 loss at home to Forest was the Reds heaviest home defeat in four years, highlighted significant defensive vulnerabilities and a lack of heart, with goals conceded to Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White.
  It was Forest's second consecutive win at Anfield, a result that has piled immense pressure on Slot, whose side has now lost six of their last seven matches across all competitions, with the only win coming against Real Madrid in the Champions League. 

  Ahead of Wednesday's visit of PSV Eindhoven, Slot said: "The Forest defeat gave us a bit of a smack in the face." This comment has greatly annoyed many Liverpool fans.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Liverpool fans: 'We must be punch drunk by now'

  The reaction was much like @aeren__09, who said: "What about the 5 losses before that?" Which was a view @Bishop_Yayo agreed with, saying: "Oh dear lord…. The others defeats had no effect on yous? 😭😭😭😭."

  And @dannwaneri added: "If it took losing 3-0 at home to Forest to give you "a smack in the face," you're not paying attention. The warning signs have been there for months. This should've been obvious long before now."

  Meanwhile, @Northeastred said: "We’ve had that many ‘smacks in the face’ recently we must be punch drunk by now…"

  And with the Champions League clash on the horizon, @DavidOf39525906 chipped in with: “Can he pls just shut up and focus on the PSV game."

  The comments continued with @easykilltv adding: "Felt like a full blown punch to the face for me along with the other defeats."

  And @Jcf1081 said: "Losing to Man United at home wasn't? Standards are in the bin at this club with this clown in charge."

• Slot: 'I feel guilty for it'

  The Reds boss said: "It's ridiculous, unbelievable. I have said many times you will never find enough excuses for us to perform like this. It's unexpected for the club, for me for everyone. We are conceding more goals than last season. This time last season we conceded zero set-pieces; now it's nine. The number of goals is close to ridiculous for a club like us."

  The Dutchman added: "I take the responsibility, I feel guilty for it. We are busy working on it, I'm at the club where we aren't just used to being successful but also at times when we aren't. We are going to give extra effort. As a manager I try to lead by example and try even harder!"

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Trip to London after PSV clash for Liverpool

  Liverpool travel to West Ham on Sunday in a crucial Premier League match at the London Stadium as both teams are struggling with poor form and mounting injuries. The Hammers, currently 17th in the table, are hoping to capitalise on the Reds' recent slump. The Anfield side are in 12th position, having won just one of their last six league games, leading to pressure on Slot to improve the season. The east Londoners are set to welcome back Lucas Paqueta from suspension, providing a much-needed boost in midfield, while Crysencio Summerville is a doubt due to injury. The Reds have a strong historical record against West Ham, winning 37 of their 59 total meetings, and are backed as favourites despite their current form.

Rishabh Pant has received a “return to play” clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence following two stages of rehab for a fractured foot and if fit and in form, could make the squad for the two-Test series against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2025Rishabh Pant’s return to competitive cricket following a foot injury will begin with him captaining India A in the two four-day fixtures against South Africa A in Bengaluru starting October 30.Pant has received a ‘return to play’ clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence following two stages of rehab for the fractured foot that he suffered during the fourth England vs India Test in Manchester in July. Pant’s India A selection means he will not be playing for Delhi in the second round of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy from October 25 as earlier envisaged.

India A vs South Africa A fixtures

1st four-dayer – Oct 30 to Nov 2
2nd four-dayer – Nov 6 to Nov 9

Pant and vice-captain B Sai Sudharsan are set to feature in both the matches, while the likes of KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Prasidh Krishna ad Mohammed Siraj will feature in only the second four-day fixture, to be played from November 6. It’s likely that all of them will make the cut for India’s Test squad for the South Africa series, which starts on November 14 in Kolkata.The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has had to balance out the squads to ensure there’s also a bit of continuity with those featuring for their respective state teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.This is possibly why Rajat Patidar (captaining Madhya Pradesh), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhimanyu Easwaran (captaining Bengal) and Akash Deep, among others, are part of the squad for just one of the two matches. Meanwhile, the likes of N Jagadeesan, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain and Harsh Dubey have been rewarded for their domestic form.KL Rahul is among a host of internationals who will come in for the second game•AFP/Getty Images

If the selectors are convinced with his form and fitness, Pant is likely to make his Test comeback at the first India vs South Africa Test.

India squad for first four-day match

Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagadeesan (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed.

India squad for second four-day match

Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

Chelsea kept their unbeaten November form going in both the Premier League and Champions League with a straightforward 2-0 victory away at Burnley on Saturday lunchtime.

Pedro Neto picked up his sixth goal contribution of the league season when handing the travelling Blues the 1-0 lead, before Enzo Fernandez made sure of all three points late on when he gobbled up a chance on the 88th minute that was all Marc Guiu’s making from off the bench.

Away from the goalscorers mentioned, Andrey Santos also stood out in the midfield ranks, with Enzo Maresca no doubt ready to select the 21-year-old more often, off the back of such an assured showing at Turf Moor.

Santos' performance in numbers

The number 17 was thrown into the starting XI in Lancashire, with Moises Caicedo rested back in Premier League action, after lining up for Ecuador deep into the international break.

Thankfully, Caicedo’s absence wasn’t felt whatsoever, as Santos’ individual showing was described as “outstanding” at the full-time whistle by former Stamford Bridge great Joe Cole.

Indeed, the 21-year-old came into the side and looked right at home in Caicedo’s midfield anchor role, winning seven duels and two tackles to really boost the Blues centrally when Burnley attempted to work openings.

On top of that, Santos looked assured and comfortable on the ball, too, without ever really looking flashy with 34 passes accurately registered.

While Maresca will take plenty away from Santos’ polished showing, with one Chelsea content creator stating that he was “everywhere”, he did need the likes of Neto to come up trumps with a moment of quality in attack to seal the win, away from the Brazilian, allowing the visitors to tick.

While Santos has previously showcased an eye for goal and demonstrated his qualities as a box-crashing 8, he’s not the only Blues star evoking memories of Stamford Bridge royalty in Frank Lampard.

Chelsea star could be Maresca's Lampard

Come the end of his illustrious Premier League career, Lampard would bag 177 top-flight goals, with the former Blues captain having a great habit of sneaking into the box and finishing off chances expertly.

Romelu Lukaku would even hail Lampard as an “unbelievable” finisher of chances when reminiscing about his brief time in the Chelsea first team alongside the modern great.

In the here and now, the aforementioned Fernandez also has a similarly impactful knack to be able to finish off chances, with Guiu playing a late pass into a dangerous space up against Burnley, knowing that his captain could be there to kill the game off.

After all, that’s amazingly Fernandez’s fourth Premier League goal of the season already, meaning the World Cup-winning star is now Chelsea’s joint-top goalscorer in league action for the season with Neto, which is an accolade Lampard would regularly claim during his celebrated stay in West London.

Yet, there is far more to both the Argentine’s game and Lampard’s game away from scoring big goals, with pundit Micah Richards going out of his way to hail the £107 man as having “everything” in his locker now to be a “leader” at Chelsea earlier in the season.

The table above very much backs up Richards’ assessment of Fernandez being a complete midfield talent worthy of wearing Chelsea’s club armband, with an energy present in his game that matches that of Santos, with 3.9 ball recoveries averaged and 3.9 duels won per game this season in league action.

However, it is his ability to fashion chances galore and score plentiful goals that really does make that comparison to Lampard even stronger, with Fernandez beating the likes of Cole Palmer to the top prize when it comes to most goal contributions tallied up for the Blues over the last year, as the 24-year-old now sits on a weighty 21 goal contributions, next to the Englishman’s 15.

Fernandez also has a taste for silverware now, too, having lifted the Club World Cup in the summer, as he strives to lift Premier League titles like those before him, with Santos also wanting to mature into a consistent first-team star next to him.

Enzo Maresca now driving Chelsea move for "incredible" £79m Premier League star

The Italian is looking to sign a new defender, who is viewed as an ideal fit for his system.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 23, 2025

Sergio Aguero has claimed Lionel Messi could return to Barcelona before the end of his playing career. A former teammate of the eight-time Ballon d'Or at international level, Aguero also said he hopes Messi could "play forever" and that he backs the GOAT to have an impact for defending champions Argentina at next summer's World Cup in North America.

Messi's Barca chapter not over

The Manchester City legend made the comments in an interview with Stake. 

Aguero was asked on his thoughts of his former teammate returning to Barcelona, ahead of the re-opening of the Camp Nou. Messi returned to his adopted home city of more than 20 years with his wife, sparking a flurry of reports about the relationship between La Blaugrana and their greatest ever player. 

Messi said he thoroughly enjoyed his time in the city, and that he and his wife Antonela are "constantly talking" about a return to Catalonia. Club president Joan Laporta responded to rumours of a loan deal for the Inter Miami player, while newly signed shot stopper Joan Garcia spoke of his desire to see Messi turn out for the club once again. Recently, a report suggesting Messi had reached a complete agreement to return to Barca after departing PSG, added even more fuel to the fire. There is mounting speculation that he will return to the club in some guise before hanging up his boots. Aguero would be more than happy to see that happen. 

AdvertisementAFPAguero: Messi is the most important player in Barcelona history

Aguero said: "Messi is the most important player Barcelona has had in its history. He’s a club and city legend. Messi is synonymous with Barcelona and I believe he enjoyed stepping on the Camp Nou pitch again. I think that chapter is not closed." 

The 37-year-old is close personal friends with Messi, with the pair coming up through the ranks of the Argentinian youth teams at the same time. They played together for the senior national side 88 times, and briefly were on the books at Barcelona at the same time. However, just months after Aguero signed with the Spanish giants in the summer of 2021, Messi departed the club for PSG due to Barcelona's financial issues. 

Aguero backs Messi to perform in 6th World Cup

The City legend is backing his old pal to come through for the Alibceleste once again, as Messi prepares to take part in his sixth World Cup next summer. The diminutive Argentinian cemented his status as the GOAT with his heroic display in Qatar in 2022, scoring seven goals, including two in the final, to deliver Argentina's third World Cup trophy. Aguero missed out on that triumph, after he was forced into retirement earlier that summer, due to a cardiac arrhythmia.  

Aguero shared his thoughts of Argentina's chances in north America next summer. On Messi's role at the tournament he said: "We all want Leo to play forever. Even though we all know that’s impossible. We have to enjoy him while he keeps playing, and he will know until when and where."

On his nation's preparations, he added: "I see them very well. They maintain their playing style, the coaching staff is clear on what they want, and there have been very important additions that will help keep the team at a high level. It’s true they’ll lack match time because there will be few preparation games, although that will happen to almost all national teams. But Argentina has a solid system and whoever comes in adapts very well."

On whether Argentina can defend their crown, he replied: "Why not? They keep their core, their playing style, and their hunger for glory. And Scaloni has found great players who are completing the squad after others ended their cycle. A World Cup is always difficult, but I think Argentina are always contenders, because of history and because of the present."

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Getty Images SportCan Messi write another dream chapter in his glittering career?

The 2022 World Cup was supposed to be the crowning glory at the end of a storybook career, but now four years on, we have one of Messi's closest friends in the game backing him to perform on the biggest stage once again, and maybe making a sensational return to his spiritual home. A move back to Catalonia might seem farfetched, a 38-year-old star should not be able to drive his team to glory at the World Cup, but since when has Messi ever played down to our expectations? He always suprasses them. 

Never mind the context of World Cups or Ashes, just let the good times roll in chilly Christchurch

Alan Gardner17-Oct-20252:42

What can England learn from their New Zealand white ball tour?

Big picture: Road to the Ashes World CupVery rarely does the international schedule seem to fit together in any logical way, but the next two weeks of bilateral white-ball competition should suit both England and New Zealand down to a tee (and not just because of the plentiful opportunities for golf).It’s true that for England, this tour comes hard on the heels of a long home summer and with a much-anticipated Ashes campaign looming in the background. But having already done their team-bonding thing down in Queenstown, the prospect of easing into the southern summer with some guilt-free tonking around some of world cricket’s more scenic venues should be right up their street – not least because of the local knowhow provided by Brendon McCullum, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee.New Zealand, meanwhile, can look forward to bumper crowds – Saturday’s first T20I at Hagley Oval is already sold out – for what is otherwise an off-peak time of the season; so early in spring that the domestic programme hasn’t even got underway yet. Having made a bit of a false start against Australia earlier in the month, it’s also a good opportunity to try to get back on track with their T20 World Cup preparations.Related

Brook parks Ashes chat to train focus on New Zealand

Saker returns to England set-up as Ashes fast-bowling coach

Williamson to miss England T20Is, targets return for ODIs

Switch Hit: Black Caps and Pat's back knack

Quality trumps context as England, New Zealand prepare for early-season showdown

On that front, Mitch Santner returns after abdominal surgery and will retake the reins from Michael Bracewell. New Zealand are unbeaten in bilateral series since Santner was made permanent white-ball captain last December, and have plenty of T20I cricket to come – including five-game match-ups against West Indies (at home) and India (away) as they build into the World Cup.England are also led by a new-ish captain, with Harry Brook back from a mini-break (during which he also got engaged) that saw him miss last month’s trip to Ireland. No one in the touring party can avoid the pre-Ashes rumbling – Brook is fully aware of priorities for the winter – but this series will provide vital game time for a T20I side that is still coming together, with a three-match series in Sri Lanka their only other outing before the World Cup. Never mind whether Jacob Bethell can stake a claim for the Test No. 3 spot, Tom Banton has a T20 finisher role to nail down.Somehow, for the next three games, we have both context aplenty and the sense that this is a bit of a free hit. What’s not to like?Form guideNew Zealand LLWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
England WWWLWHarry Brook takes part in a traditional welcoming ceremony•Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Jacob Duffy and Phil SaltJacob Duffy has had a phenomenal 12 months in T20I cricket for New Zealand, taking 30 wickets at an average of 12.76, and rising to the top of the ICC bowler standings (he currently sits in fifth). A tall right-arm seamer who is fast enough and has all the tools you need, 31-year-old Duffy is the epitome of under-the-radar New Zealand excellence. Alongside Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, he could provide the sort of Test-match examination in seamer-friendly conditions that may start English minds casting ahead to the Ashes (perish the thought).Phil Salt has proven over and again that he is a T20 gun, ending the English summer in record-breaking form (having begun it out of the side while on paternity leave). His fourth T20I hundred underpinned England’s mahoosive 304 for 2 against South Africa last month, and there is every chance that he could cause similar havoc on his first outing in New Zealand, where the boundaries tend to be small and the wind a useful aid to hitting. After all, the man is bound to have done his research.Team news: Santner and Ravindra fitNew Zealand have confirmed the return of both Santner and Rachin Ravindra to the XI after both missed the Australia series with injury. Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes and Bevon Jacobs are the squad members to sit this one out.New Zealand: 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Tim Robinson, 4 Mark Chapman, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Michael Bracewell, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Jacob DuffyEngland named their team more than 48 hours in advance, with Brook back and Jordan Cox dropping down to take on a finisher role in the absence of Will Jacks. The presence of Sam Curran and Bethell in the top seven means England can call on three seamers and three spinners. Zak Crawley is with the squad but must wait for a T20I debut.England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Tom Banton, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Jordan Cox, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Liam Dawson, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke WoodPitch and conditions: Wrap up warmConditions are likely to be fresh this early in the New Zealand spring, with extra layers needed for a game under floodlights. Seamers have tended to prosper at Hagley Oval – Santner termed it a “spinners’ graveyard”. As well as a chilly breeze, there might also be some rain around to contend with.Stats and trivia England have previously played three bilateral T20I series in New Zealand, and won all of them. Their last trip came a few months after the 2019 ODI World Cup final and featured a tied game at Eden Park, with England again winning the Super Over. Since the last T20 World Cup, New Zealand have won 12 and lost five – their only series defeat a 2-0 loss to Australia earlier this month. Jos Buttler is 164 runs away from becoming the fourth man to score 4000 in T20Is. Brook is 84 shy of 1000 T20I runs; Jimmy Neesham needs another 20.Quotes”Some wins would be nice. It’s the start of a bit of a nice build-up for us: England, West Indies, India away before the World Cup. But first things first we want to win a series in front of our own fans here in Christchurch.”
“We’ve got a great opportunity here against a very strong side to go out there and try and capitalise on the momentum we’ve already made. The last game we played together as a full group, we got 300.”