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The Detroit Tigers' special season continued on Tuesday night as they walked off the Houston Astros in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was the team's fourth shutout victory in their last seven games and preserved the best record in the American League.

Gleyber Torres was interviewed by the local broadcast after picking up the game's only RBI by working a walk, which provided Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson the opportunity to perform some on-air funny business. But having fun isn't easy and anyone who thinks that players simply grab the nearest pre-made Gatorade cooler to dump on their teammate and whichever media member is conducting the interview might be interested to know that it actually isn't quite so easy.

Check out Greene and Torkelson rolling up their sleeves and getting to work to ready the bucket.

There has to be a more efficient way to do this. Never in my wildest dreams would I think the two biggest stars on a team are directly responsible for unscrewing a bunch of bottle tops and working together to achieve a perfect liquid hue. They're in the major leagues! There can't be a pre-made prop cooler at the ready for walk-offs?

West Ham have emerged as favourites to sign a highly-rated striker in January as manager Nuno Espírito Santo scours the market for more firepower.

West Ham begin striker search ahead of January

The east Londoners, according to widespread reports, are intensifying their search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the winter transfer window, with Niclas Fullkrug’s impending departure forcing Nuno to prioritize forward additions during the crucial mid-season period.

The German international has made his intentions clear, informing the club he wishes to leave when the window reopens in a bid to revive his career, not to mention boost his chances of making Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Fullkrug’s disastrous spell at the London Stadium has yielded zero goals this season across seven appearances, with persistent injury problems severely limiting his availability ever since his £27 million move from Borussia Dortmund last year.

In terms of the 32-year-old’s possible replacements, a few intriguing targets have been mooted already.

AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez has emerged as a reported target for West Ham, with Nuno learning the Mexican international would cost approximately £30 million.

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee represents another option being explored by the Hammers. The Dutchman has reportedly grown frustrated with his limited playing time under Ruben Amorim, and is seeking regular minutes to maintain his own international prospects ahead of the World Cup.

West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

The Irons are making plans to replace him.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2025

Real Madrid youngster Endrick has also been mentioned as a possible loan target, but the Brazilian now looks set to join Lyon instead.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

Meanwhile, former Brentford striker Ivan Toney could be tempted to return to England from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli on a temporary basis, with West Ham said to be in the mix for his signature.

They’ve also been linked with Juventus’ Jonathan David, FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju and even former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott recently, as chairman David Sullivan casts his net far and wide in pursuit of solutions.

West Ham now in pole position to sign Promise David

Now, as per TEAMtalk, West Ham are emerging in pole position to sign Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David after already making contact.

USG are apparently ready to entertain offers of around £17.5 million for the Canadian international, and West Ham are fully aware of this.

The towering 24-year-old has captured attention following his impressive performances in Belgium, where he netted 24 goals in his debut campaign last season to help USG end a remarkable 90-year wait for a Jupiler Pro League title.

Standing at 6 ft 4, David offers the physical presence and aerial threat that West Ham desperately require up front, with Nuno potentially targeting his own version of Chris Wood in east London.

Nuno helped to transform the colossal Wood into a clinical marksman at Nottingham Forest, and while that is an obvious comparison to make with David, there are gaping similarities.

However, West Ham face competition from fellow relegation battlers Leeds and Wolves, who both recognize David’s potential value as well.

The striker’s Champions League experience adds further appeal, having recently scored a winner against Galatasaray to announce himself on Europe’s biggest stage — ending the Turkish champions’ 33-game unbeaten run in the process.

For just under £18m, he could be a fine candidate to strengthen West Ham’s forward line, especially considering how teammates have described him as “the monster”.

Vinicius Junior's relationship with Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso is described as "strictly professional" amid growing discontent from the Brazilian winger over his role this season. The forward reportedly misses the close bond he shared with former manager Carlo Ancelotti after finding himself on the bench once again for the La Liga draw against Elche.

Xabi Alonso plays down Vinicius exclusion

According to a report from , Vinicius is not entirely comfortable with Xabi Alonso's management style. The Brazilian was a substitute for Sunday’s 2-2 draw at the Martinez Valero stadium, marking the fourth time this season he has been left out of the starting XI – three times in La Liga and once in the Champions League.

While sources close to the player indicate the relationship with Alonso remains professional, the atmosphere is a stark contrast to the "warmth and closeness" Vinicius enjoyed under Ancelotti. The current Brazil national team coach treated Vinicius with an almost "paternal" approach and considered him an "untouchable" member of the starting XI during the 2023-24 campaign, a season in which the winger found his best form.

Alonso addressed the decision to bench Vinicius against Elche, insisting it was a mutual understanding due to the player's heavy workload during the international break. Vinicius had just completed 180 minutes for Brazil in friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia during the final international window of 2025.

Speaking after the draw in Elche, Alonso stated: "There's no problem, we had discussed it as we often do. He understands and knew the role he would play. Today we're not happy, but everyone is eager to get back to winning ways."

Despite Alonso's public assurances, Marca reports that underlying tension exists. Vinicius was visibly angered by his substitution in the second half of El Clasico against Barcelona earlier in the season, a decision that reportedly caused a division of opinion regarding the coach's methods within the club's Valdebebas training ground.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRodrygo struggles continue despite starts

Alonso opted to start Rodrygo on the left wing against Elche, a decision that did not yield positive results. The former Santos forward's attacking contribution was described as "clearly subpar" by the Spanish report.

Rodrygo is enduring a difficult run of form and has yet to register a single goal or assist this season, with his goal drought now extending to 29 matches across all competitions. Like Vinicius, Rodrygo also featured heavily for Brazil during the recent international break, starting both matches, though he was substituted late in both games.

Contract renewal talks face uncertainty

The current dynamic between player and coach has reportedly cast a shadow over ongoing contract renewal negotiations between Vinicius Jr and Real Madrid. states that a new deal is "still far from being finalised," with the player's intermittent role adding a "cloud" to the proceedings.

Vinicius' current contract with Los Blancos expires in June 2027, and he holds a massive market value. Despite the recent omission from the first-team, the 25-year-old remains a key contributor statistically this season. He has started 10 of his 13 La Liga appearances this season, scoring five goals and providing four assists. 

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Getty ImagesWhat next for Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr?

Real Madrid are preparing for crucial fixtures immediately following the disappointing draw at Elche. They face Olympiacos in the Champions League group stage on Thursday before returning to La Liga action at home against Girona on Monday, December 1. Attention will focus on Alonso's team selection for these matches and whether Vinicius returns to the starting lineup as Real Madrid look to improve their recent form.

Shanto, who has led Bangladesh in 14 Tests, had stepped down from captaincy in June but will now continue

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2025Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue as Bangladesh Test captain until the conclusion of the ongoing 2025-2027 World Test Championship [WTC] cycle.Shanto, 27, had stepped down from Test captaincy following Bangladesh’s 1-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka in June, suggesting that “three separate captains will be difficult for the team to deal with.” He had been Bangladesh’s all-format captain but, earlier this year, quit the T20I role, which is now with Litton Das, and was then removed from ODI captaincy, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz given the role.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), however, has reinstated Shanto into his old position ahead of the two-match Test series against Ireland, starting November 11 in Sylhet.Related

Mahmudul Hasan Joy returns to Bangladesh Test squad for Ireland series

Shanto steps down as Bangladesh Test captain after series loss against Sri Lanka

Mehidy Hasan Miraz appointed Bangladesh's ODI captain for next 12 months

“I feel truly honoured to continue leading the Bangladesh Test team and I am very grateful to the Board for the faith and trust they have shown in my captaincy,” Shanto was quoted via a BCB press release. “Captaining my country in Test cricket is the greatest pride of my life. I will do my utmost to repay the responsibility that has been entrusted to me.”It is a joy to lead a team that has so much talent and potential, and I believe we have an exciting and positive season ahead. We are looking forward to the upcoming series against Ireland later this month, which marks the start of a busy and important period for Bangladesh Test cricket.”Shanto, who first took over captaincy in 2023, has led Bangladesh in 14 Tests, out of which they have won four, lost nine and drawn one Test. The high point of Shanto’s captaincy came in August 2024, when Bangladesh registered a 2-0 series sweep in Pakistan.”Shanto has shown composure, commitment and a deep understanding of Test cricket,” BCB president Aminul Islam said. “Under his leadership, we have seen growth and belief in the team. The Board feels that continuity in leadership will serve us well as we move forward in this new Test Championship cycle.”Bangladesh are yet to register a win in the current WTC cycle, losing one and drawing one Test so far against Sri Lanka. They are seventh on the points table, with four points after two games. The Tests against Ireland are not part of the WTC.

Leagues in Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh have all helped nurture future IPL stars, but they need to be supported better

Abhinav Mukund23-May-2025What is easier: playing in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) or the IPL? This was one of the questions put to Priyansh Arya after his stunning hundred against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings last month. Arya responded “DPL” with a shy smile. That mention may have brought Indian state T20 leagues a bit of global prime-time attention, but these leagues have been getting plenty of regular acknowledgement from IPL teams themselves as they look for new talent.Many Indian states now have a T20 league run by the state association. These are more often than not broadcast on TV, and conducted with energy and excitement comparable to the IPL’s. I was part of the inaugural Tamil Nadu Premier League in 2016, which was one of the earliest such in the country. For a tournament that only lasted three weeks, it offered significant financial rewards to many cricketers. In the early years of that league, cinema stars were brand ambassadors, and corporates queued up to get their branding on the team uniform. It seemed like a venture destined for success.The TNPL will conduct its tenth season in 2025, but the league is barely profitable now. Its CEO, Prasanna Kannan, says the TNPL looks to unearth players from all corners of the state to ensure a streamlined supply of talent for the higher levels of cricket. “TN has produced at least seven to eight spinners at one point for the IPL,” he says. “Not everyone may get to play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but the IPL teams [have] an opportunity to spot [players] at the TNPL.”Related

IPL 2025 showed the might of the uncapped Indian batter

Tamil Nadu currently has R Ashwin, Sai Kishore, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy and M Siddharth in various teams in the IPL. M Ashwin from the state too has been part of IPL teams in the recent past. Only two or three spinners can play for Tamil Nadu at any given point, but the TNPL, with eight teams, provides more players exposure – and thus more of an opportunity for IPL teams to take notice of them. The TNPL is played across four venues, and it was the pioneer in introducing DRS for all games.Aniket Verma was picked for Sunrisers Hyderabad on the back of some stellar performances in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League (MPL). An innings of 123 off 41 balls with 13 sixes for Bhopal Leopards was enough to not only convince SRH to pick him at the last auction but also to start him in all 12 of their games so far. He has had decent returns in the IPL and has turned out to be one of the smarter picks in the auction.SRH are one of those teams who don’t have scouts in every league in the country. Teams like this benefit from the broadcast of the state leagues. They were able to assess Aniket’s talent remotely and ensured he was given a run from the first game after he excelled at the trials and the practice games that followed. Interestingly, even after he was picked by SRH, his state gave him just one chance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he got a zero on debut and did not play again.Digvesh Rathi played just two games for Delhi after being picked up by Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL auction. He too has more IPL games than SMAT ones, and is the highest wicket-taker for LSG this season.Scouting is often regarded only as the ability to unearth a gem from some nook of our country. I see so many social media posts where people credit teams for giving caps to players from local leagues. Yes, that is one part of it, but sometimes scouting is also about making sure you get the best version of a player who is already in your ranks.Ayush Badoni (left) and Priyansh Arya, both of whom have impressed in the IPL, starred in a Delhi Premier League game in its first season, last year•Delhi Premier League T20Rajat Patidar has been on the circuit since 2015. Why would you need to scout him? Royal Challengers Bengaluru did – by way of having their scouts interview opposition coaches and captains, and match officials, to get a better sense of his captaincy credentials, which have been on show in the MPL and in games for his state, Madhya Pradesh. Wasim Jaffer pointed this out on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. It felt like it was the result of intense scouting enabling a well-informed decision that led to Patidar being handed the RCB captaincy.Rathi, Ashwani Kumar, Vipraj Nigam and Zeeshan Ansari are all products of state-run leagues. Ansari, having played for India Under-19 in 2016 alongside the likes of Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan, found himself in the wilderness after turning out in just one T20 for Uttar Pradesh in 2019. He got his second wind when the UPT20 league came along and topped the wicket charts for the title-winning Meerut Mavericks in the tournament last year. (Nigam was the second-highest wicket-taker.)The seasoned Karun Nair had a stellar Maharaja Trophy (formerly the Karnataka Premier League) campaign for title winners Mysuru Warriors, and finished as the leading run-getter. His resurgence began from there, and since then he has been splendid for his adopted state, Vidarbha, who went on to win the Ranji Trophy, and reach the Vijay Hazare Trophy final and the quarter-final of the SMAT.Let’s go back to the TNPL. A completely unknown player called Hunny Saini was bought for Rs 11.7 lakh (about US$ 14,000) at the auction earlier this year by Dindigul Dragons, the defending champions, who are captained by R Ashwin. Saini was the sixth-highest-paid player, ahead of Swapnil Singh, who has played multiple seasons of the IPL for three franchises.Saini, who plays fourth-division cricket in Tamil Nadu, hails from Haryana and played all his junior cricket for that state before relocating to Chennai to pursue his cricketing career. TNPL scouts began to take notice of his talent and multiple teams in the league called him for trials, which led to a bit of a bidding war.The TNPL teams also have a scouting network, where Ashwin, for one, has a free hand to hold trials based on the information he receives from his scouts at inter-district competitions and club games. He says all of these players have been in a camp for almost three months now, preparing for this year’s TNPL, starting June 5, all at the cost of the franchise. This requires a serious financial allocation by the franchise.Karun Nair was the leading run-scorer in the Maharaja Premier League in 2024 and his good form ran into the Indian domestic season and this year’s IPL•Maharaja T20That brings us to the financial aspect. Many top T20 leagues internationally run on the IPL’s revenue model, where there is a common revenue pool, which is divided between the national board and the franchises. This will not work in a state T20 league. The broadcast rights will never be sold at a high price, and that makes the revenue pool small.The only reason most leagues are broadcast is fantasy cricket, and the attention the fantasy cricket community directs their way. A TNPL or a Maharaja Trophy will secure more attention from broadcasters because they feature multiple international and IPL players, but, say, a Kerala Premier league will not warrant that kind of attention. (And yet, it has produced a Vignesh Puthur.)The TNPL was among the first leagues to realise that, and they have done away with the IPL-based model: no franchise fee is collected every year from the franchises, and there is no revenue sharing from the collective pool. Instead, the money the franchise makes from jersey sponsorship and other sponsors is theirs to keep.The DPL in its inaugural year set a reserve price of Rs 8 crores (close to $100,000) per year for the purchase of a franchise for a five-year term. This means shelling out a minimum of Rs 40 crores (about $4.8m) for a five-year term. Add to that the salaries of players and support staff, training expenses, transport and hotel costs, and other miscellaneous costs.The current business model makes it difficult for a franchise to break even, which is why most leagues around the country are stop-start and changes of franchise ownership are frequent. If I were to take a punt, I’d say we are going to see some such changes in the DPL very soon. It is unsustainable to operate the way the state leagues are operating currently. The Mumbai Cricket Association, which outsourced the running of its T20 Mumbai League to a third-party event management company last time around, is now mulling taking back the running of the league.State-run leagues have proved to be efficient talent pools for multiple IPL teams, but these leagues’ future is not exactly rosy. Most franchise owners aren’t recovering their money, and this can sometimes create potential for malpractice, by way of various forms of betting and fixing – since the games are broadcast. To protect against that, the BCCI has set guidelines for state associations to follow, an anti-corruption official is appointed for each league, and there are supposed to be secure PMOAs (player and match officials areas) at venues.One and done: Zeeshan Ansari went from playing one domestic T20 for UP to taking three wickets in his first IPL game, for Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCIThe fact remains that there is only so much money a state-run league can make. This needs to change or the ecosystem will likely collapse. Franchise owners need to be compensated for investing in and grooming young talent. For a tournament that runs for three weeks or less, which is the usual duration of a typical state-run league, they scout, recruit and provide opportunities for young players across the state, in the hope those cricketers become superstars. But the leagues have no monetary gain for doing this.The emergence of state-run leagues as feeders for the IPL must be taken seriously. IPL franchises have enough money to buy teams in leagues around the world – in South Africa, the UAE, the CPL, MLC, and now the Hundred. True, these are attractive investment options compared to state leagues in India. But bear in mind that the demand for Indian players in the IPL has risen since the Impact Player rule was introduced in 2023: 1219 caps were handed out to Indian players in IPL 2024, up from 1178 in 2023. The percentage of Indian players used in IPL playing XIs rose from 64.7% in 2023 to 66.6% in 2024, and it was 67.7% in 2025 (at the time the tournament was interrupted in May).The BCCI shares 70% of IPL broadcast revenue with state associations. This ought to give the associations enough money to develop infrastructure, set up academies, and ensure the smooth conduct of various senior and junior men’s and women’s tournaments. The state ecosystem at large is profitable, thanks to the money that comes in from the central board. But not the state T20 leagues – where the franchises have no real incentive to continue providing growth and opportunities for players while making losses. It makes sense for IPL franchises to invest in a few state-run leagues to ensure a steady supply of homegrown cricketers.State-run leagues now form an integral part of the ecosystem that breathes life into the IPL, and we need to protect them. None of these leagues will grow exponentially, like the way IPL has. It’s more about finding ways to run them sustainably in a smooth and efficient manner, providing opportunities for players in the state.Arya was given a platform and so was Rathi. No one had heard of Puthur when he took three wickets against CSK on IPL debut. If it weren’t for these leagues, it’s likely these players would not have made it to the IPL. Add to them cricketers who were lost in the domestic structure, like Karun Nair and Zeeshan Ansari, who got a new lease of life thanks to these tournaments.The well streamlined production line for Indian cricket’s talent pool has a glitch in it that must be sorted out soon. The state T20 leagues need to be nurtured; they are a vital part of the supply chain for India’s T20 structure.

The San Francisco Giants are still fighting to sneak into the MLB postseason, currently sitting 1.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League. With just 13 games remaining in the regular season, the team is dipping into its pool of minor league talent in order to help in their playoff push.

The Giants have promoted prospect Bryce Eldridge, the team announced Monday, bringing the organization's top minor leaguer to MLB for the final stretch of the year.

Eldridge, a first baseman, is ranked as the team's No. 1 prospect and the No. 13 prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline. He stands a towering 6'7" and boasts plenty of power. The 20-year-old has recorded a .843 OPS across three minor league levels in 2025, logging 25 home runs and 84 RBIs across 102 games.

A former first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Eldridge was selected by San Francisco out of James Madison High School in Virginia.

The Giants are starting a crucial three-game series against the Diamondbacks, who are also competing for a wild-card berth, on Monday before traveling to Los Angeles for another important four-game set against the rival Dodgers later in the week.

ITV confirmed earlier this month that it is in preliminary discussions to sell its broadcasting business to Sky for £1.6 billion. The talks come as the television industry faces fierce competition from the rise of streaming services such as Disney+, Prime Video and Netflix. The former platforms already own rights to show one Champions League and one La Liga match per gameweek.

Sky-ITV merger could impact how fans watch football

However, one finance expert believes the main concern should be the loss of free-to-air sport. ITV hold the rights for some England and World Cup games, and the worry is that users may one day have to pay for the opportunity to watch the national team, either in qualifiers or at major international competitions.

"The World Cup is currently locked into listed-event regulation, keeping prices relatively low because rights must remain free-to-air," finance expert Professor Rob Wilson told OLBG. "Should free-to-air erode and regulatory protections weaken, a very different market emerges. A largely exclusive World Cup becomes a quadrennial subscriber magnet with huge advertising and digital potential.

"Under those conditions UK rights might land in the £350 to £500 million range at the cautious end, rising toward £750 million to £1 billion if full exclusivity and deep digital rights are included. That would make the tournament comparable to a significant slice of Premier League value, something only possible if it moves away from the current BBC-ITV sharing model."

AdvertisementAFP'For Match of the Day, the threat is less direct but still real'

Wilson went on to add the free-to-air shows like Match of the Day may come under threat. While the BBC's weekly Premier League highlights show doesn't actively show domestic top-flight action live, it's still at risk of being unable to fulfil demand owing to potential financial constraints down the line.

"For shows like Match of the Day, the threat is less direct but still real," Wilson added. "The BBC would be facing a competitor with extraordinary reach across both pay and free platforms. That pushes up prices and makes it harder to retain highlight packages without paying more. In the long run it could shift the balance between free and paid access to top tier sport.

"A Sky and ITV combination would become the most influential force in British broadcast advertising. Buying strategies would change. Cross platform packages would grow. And the line between broadcast and streaming would blur even further as the combined business pushes its viewers into unified ecosystems."

'A Sky–ITV merger would push major football rights upward'

Furthermore, Wilson discussed the astronomical value of the UK sports market, adding: "The UK sports rights market today is roughly £3 to £3.5 billion annually, with the Premier League and Champions League forming its core.

"A Sky–ITV merger would push major football rights upward, while expanded competitions and tech-sector interest would accelerate growth. It is reasonable to see the market reaching £4.5 to £7 billion a year by the mid-2030s.

"For Amazon, Netflix, YouTube or Apple, participation is less about direct profit and more about acquiring customers. Each could justify spending £200 to £500 million annually on UK rights as a strategic foothold, with total disruption capital potentially exceeding a billion pounds a year if multiple platforms compete simultaneously."

Wilson continued: "ITV's channels would remain free to air because their public service obligations would transfer. But over time, the strategy would change. Expect more cross promotion between free and paid services, more sport moving into premium windows and more rights carved into layered offerings.

"In short, this deal would be hugely significant in the medium term. If it happens, it would reshape how rights are bought, how audiences are reached and how sport and entertainment flow between free and paid screens across the UK. It might even start an acceleration away from free to air programming as we know it."

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Getty Images SportPremier League & UCL rights would increase

Wilson also discussed the potential of the costs of Premier League and Champions League rights increasing should the ITV-Sky merger come to fruition. "A combined Sky and ITV would be a powerful buyer," he added. "Sky already controls much of the premium sport in the UK and adding ITV's free to air channels gives it both reach and versatility. It could bid for major rights with more confidence, and it could spread those rights across subscription, streaming and free to air platforms in ways no other British broadcaster can match.

"Premier League rights currently sit at around £1.7 billion per season, with the Champions League adding roughly another £450 to £500 million. A combined Sky and ITV would be able to monetise rights across pay TV, streaming and free to air in a way no rival could match, reducing competitive pressure and giving them licence to bid more aggressively.

"In that environment Premier League rights could plausibly rise toward the £2 to £2.3 billion range per season in the early 2030s, while Champions League rights might move into the £600 to £750 million band. Together, the two properties could command between £2.6 and just over £3 billion per year, implying an uplift of around £0.5-£1billion on the current level."

His undefeated knock of 76 comes in resilient batting display by Northants

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Sep-2025Saif Zaib shone again with an undefeated knock of 76 as Northamptonshire’s resilient batting display held up Glamorgan’s Rothesay County Championship promotion charge at Wantage Road.The left-hander, Division Two’s second highest run-scorer this season with five hundreds to his name, shared a fourth-wicket stand of 107 with James Sales to steer their side close to avoiding the follow-on despite four wickets for Glamorgan spinner Mason Crane.Half-centuries by opening pair Ricardo Vasconcelos and Luke Procter laid solid foundations for Northamptonshire’s reply after Glamorgan opener Asa Tribe’s impressive career-best 206 had enabled the visitors to post 467.Seventeen-year-old spinner Nirvan Ramesh picked up the last two Glamorgan wickets to finish with figures of 3 for 42 on his first-class debut.Resuming on 367 for 6, Glamorgan increased their total by exactly 100 during the morning, with Tribe flicking Justin Broad off his hips for four to complete his maiden double hundred from 293 balls.But the 21-year-old was undone in the next over by a ball from Procter (3 for 89) that kept low and careered into his off stump, breaking a seventh-wicket partnership of 83 with Timm van der Gugten.The latter was pinned leg before for 33 by Calvin Harrison two balls later, but Crane went on the offensive, steering both Procter and Liam Guthrie to the fence as he and James Harris added exactly 50.With Crane’s first half-century of the campaign on the horizon, he was left stranded on 41 as Ramesh mopped up the innings, trapping Harris lbw on the back foot before having last man Asitha Fernando caught off a top edge.That left Northamptonshire’s openers with a single over to negotiate prior to lunch and, having ticked off that immediate target, they set about making inroads on their side’s hefty deficit.Although Harris and Fernando beat the bat a couple of times, the opening pair looked largely secure and Vasconcelos lifted Van der Gugten over the short midwicket boundary for six.Outscoring his partner, Vasconcelos banged Fernando through the covers for four and then posted his half-century from 66 balls – only to surrender his wicket in the next over, clipping Zain ul Hassan straight to midwicket.Harrison, back at Wantage Road for his fifth short-term loan from Nottinghamshire this season, upped the tempo by dispatching Ul Hassan for two leg-side sixes and looked strong off the back foot, punching a series of cover boundaries in his brisk 30.Meanwhile Procter took on Crane, sweeping the legspinner for six and then – having survived an appeal for a leg-side catch – danced down the track for a straight-driven four that took him to 50.However, Crane removed both established batters in the run-up to tea, with Harrison well taken at slip off an outside edge before Procter followed in his next over for 67, prodding to short backward square.Timing and placing his shots beautifully, Zaib flayed three consecutive Crane deliveries to the rope and progressed to his fifth half-century of the campaign while Sales capitalised on a chance to slip that Ingram spilled.Returning for a third spell late in the day, Crane got his man when Sales fell for 35, pumping a full toss to cover and added a fourth wicket by having Broad caught behind from the final delivery of the session.

The 18-year-old batter has impressed the likes of Viv Richards, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Curtly Ambrose with his skill and maturity

Deivarayan Muthu02-Jan-2025At 17, Jewel Andrew became the youngest player to feature in the CPL and then the youngest to debut for West Indies in ODI cricket. In October 2024 in Sri Lanka, he received his maiden cap from fellow Antiguan Alzarri Joseph and played under Shai Hope, whose shots he has copied from childhood.Andrew was earmarked as a future West Indies star right from his age-group days, but not many expected him to make the step up to international cricket in his teens. Things have been happening rather quickly for him. He recently celebrated his 18th birthday in Chennai, at a two-week camp for West Indies’ brightest young talents at the Chennai Super Kings Academy.Andrew has all the shots in the book, including the reverse sweep, which disrupted the local spinners in a two-day game in Chennai.”I’ve been trying the sweeps and reverse, which is a good option against spinners,” Andrew says. “In that two-day game, I actually scored 30 [runs] off reverse sweeps, so it’s working for me. I’ve been working on this type of stuff at this camp.”Related

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Stars in the making – five young West Indians to look out for at CPL 2024

Russell, Pooran opt out of SL T20Is; Andrew bolts into ODI squad

Andrew had also showed off his reverse sweep on his CPL debut in August last year. He picked up a Tabraiz Shamsi stock ball from the stumps and audaciously flipped it over short third during his unbeaten 50 off 30 balls for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. In the lead-up to his debut, Andrew visualised nailing the shot off Shamsi.”My plan against Shamsi was to take him on,” Andrew says. “I actually planned it because he’s an experienced bowler. It was a crazy shot (laughs). I felt if I could get a boundary off him, it would be a highlight.”Andrew also nervelessly took on other internationals like Anrich Nortje and Dominic Drakes that day. He had started playing cricket from when he was four years old and was used to competing against the big boys.”I try to forget about nerves when I’m playing,” he says. “It’s just something that grew with me throughout my career so far. I try to let go of nerves and just play what I normally play because I just feel it’s another opportunity to showcase my talent. I keep playing and keep being me, and it’s working for me so far.”Andrew is still a teenager, but his temperament and maturity have impressed a number of West Indies greats, including Viv Richards and his Falcons coaches Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Curtly Ambrose. When the young batter brought up his fifty on CPL debut, Ian Bishop exclaimed on commentary: “Jewel really is a precious commodity. He could end up being one of the more valuable young players in the history of the game in the region!”ESPNcricinfo LtdRichards’ opinion of him, Andrew said made him feel good about himself. “He’s a legend of the game. They’re all legends. Hearing them speak about me is special for someone like me coming up. But the information I’ve gathered from them so far is [mostly] what I know already. In terms of just being patient and picking the right deliveries, because I have all the shots. It’s for me to pick the right one and try to extend my game and learn as much as I can, because I’m here to learn.”In his first stint with the West Indies team, Andrew learnt to balance his emotions. He initially felt that he wasn’t ready for international cricket, but a chat with Hope helped him ease into the set-up.”I told Shai I felt I didn’t belong here because it seems a bit rushed, I was nervous being in Sri Lanka” Andrew says. “He was talking to me about emotions and time management. Shai is big on time management and I’m just keen to learn more from him.”Andrew first met Hope in 2023, when he was a flag bearer for the start of the home ODI series between West Indies and England. His ultimate goal is to emulate Hope and have a long, decorated West Indies career, just like his hero.”Just talking to Shai makes me feel good. I watched him growing up,” he says. “Just sharing the dressing room with him is a special feeling. I don’t want to be a player who is around for just one or two tours; I want to be playing for West Indies for a long time and hopefully average 50 like Shai.”

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