England batter believes striving to be the very best will help her keep improving

Valkerie Baynes11-Jul-2025Alice Capsey’s development as an international cricketer mirrors the evolution of her England team as a work in progress.Capsey burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old with a Player-of-the-Match-winning 59 for Oval Invincibles in just her second appearance in the Women’s Hundred. Another half-century in just her third T20I innings before her 18th birthday fuelled the excitement around her talent.Almost three years on, much has changed for Capsey and England, particularly over the past 12 months.Related

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“For me it’s been a year of a lot of learning,” Capsey said. “Last year, I’ll be the first one to say it, I didn’t perform how I would have liked. Getting dropped from that T20 squad in South Africa was the best thing for me. To reflect, to take that step back and go, ‘okay, well, I know I want to be in that T20 team, what do I need to do to get there?'”Capsey became a casualty of England’s failed T20 World Cup campaign when she was dropped for the tour of South Africa in December. Having held her place in the ODI squad for that trip, she was ultimately called up as injury cover for the T20s but didn’t play a game.After England’s dire showing at the Women’s Ashes in January – where Capsey played one T20I, scoring 6 and taking 1 for 25 with her offbreaks, and three ODIs yielding 18 runs and three wickets – she returned to Australia as part of the England A tour. There, she was England A’s second-highest run-scorer across formats with 207 runs at 41.41, including a hundred and a half-century in the four-day match.”A lot of work went on during the winter and, along with a lot of communication with the ECB, decided to play in that A-series and that was probably one of the best things for me, to still be playing highly competitive games but it also not be in the complete spotlight of an international game of cricket,” Capsey said.

“It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be”Alice Capsey

“Over the past three or four years, other than domestic games where you’re still that international, you need to stand up, I probably haven’t played in any games where I can just go out and bat and work on a few different things.”Capsey played just one match for Delhi Capitals during this year’s WPL but said training with the franchise in Indian conditions “was a really great experience” and she saw the benefits of facing bowlers in the nets for hours on end there when she returned for the start of the domestic season.By that time, Charlotte Edwards had replaced Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach and mandated that all centrally contracted players be available for the first seven rounds of the one-day cup. Capsey scored 317 runs across seven innings at 45.28 with a highest score of 125 and two fifties.During Edwards’ first international series in charge, England swept both white-ball legs of West Indies’ visit but they have been comprehensively outplayed by India in three of their four T20Is so far with one to play before a three-match ODI series.Capsey was only required to bat once in the T20s against West Indies (she scored 4). She scored 60 runs and took four wickets across the three ODIs, where the first two matches were dominated by England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones.Against India, she is averaging 7.50 from four innings with a highest sore of 18 batting at No. 3 having played at No. 6 in the first two games.”Deep down I know how much I’ve still got to learn, I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Capsey said. “I want to be the best batter in the world, no doubt about it. Every player who plays international cricket will want to strive to be the best.Alice Capsey scored 317 runs from seven innings in the One-day Cup•Getty Images for Surrey CCC”If you don’t have a goal to strive for, it makes putting in the work a little bit harder. Whether it’s realistic or unrealistic, at this point it probably doesn’t really matter because if you’re striving to get better, more often than not, you’re going to get better.”With the 50-over World Cup in India just two-and-a-half months away, England have plenty of work to do. The fielding woes which let them down when West Indies knocked them out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup appeared to be improving earlier in the summer but have let them down again against India.They have one match to put that right, on Saturday at Edgbaston with India having already clinched the series, before starting afresh in the ODIs, where captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is expected to return from injury.”Our fielding has been a big talking point and we haven’t been good enough over the last 12 months and we haven’t been good enough again this series,” Capsey said. “But we are working so hard on it and no one means to drop a catch, no one means to miss a run out.”There’s no hiding away from the fact that it’s been a really tough 12 months for us and our fielding hasn’t been up to standard. We all know that. Stats don’t lie. We’ve dropped a lot of catches in really pivotal points in important games.”England are still learning how to perform on the biggest stages, but Capsey has no qualms about having grown up in the spotlight.”That’s just what I’ve known,” she said. “It’s not like I can compare. It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be.””For me, it is about, being a young player, how do I manage myself through that? And how do I continue to improve? How do I continue to manage that noise? That’s half of the battle with not just being an international cricketer, but you speak to any international athlete, I think that is half the battle. It’s something that I’m learning.”If the spotlight isn’t already burning brightly on England, it will amp up in October when they face South Africa in their World Cup opener and, come this time next year at a home T20 World Cup, it will be positively blazing. They’d best get used to the heat now, and play like they don’t know any different.

They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.

The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.

The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.

Eze's performance vs Spurs

While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.

It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.

Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.

Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.

Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.

It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.

Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.

And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.

Arsenal's homegrown Eze

Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.

Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.

For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.

Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.

Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs

Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2025

The Indian team lifts a long-awaited World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty Images

Following India’s win at the Women’s World Cup 2025, the BCCI has announced a cash prize of INR 51 crore for the players, support staff and the selection committee. The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC.”On behalf of the board, I congratulate the Indian women’s cricket team on this historic world championship victory,” BCCI president Mithun Manhas said in a statement. “The team’s resilience, talent and togetherness have lifted our nation’s hopes. This triumph vindicates the investment and faith the BCCI placed in building a world-class women’s programme.”India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in front of a crowd of 39,555 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Asked to bat, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led unit posted 298 for 7 with Shafali Verma scoring 87 off 78. Led by Player-of-the-Tournament Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul, India then bowled South Africa out for 246 despite captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a century.Related

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“This phenomenal achievement is the result of relentless preparation, flawless execution and the unshakable belief of our women cricketers,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “The coaching staff, support personnel and every state association have played a role. Congratulations to each and every member of the team. This team has made the entire cricket fraternity proud.”India had won the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 but this was their first senior world trophy. They had come close twice, finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017. India beat Australia in the semi-final at the same venue to set up a title-clash with South Africa, who had overcome England in the other semi-final in Guwahati.From the squad that won the World Cup, Shafali Verma has been named North Zone captain for the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy starting November 4 in Nagaland. She will miss the opening match as the victorious Indian team is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on November 5.

Jude Bellingham scored and assisted but Real Madrid otherwise struggled against a resolute Elche in a disappointing 2-2 draw. Los Blancos will take heart from overturning a deficit, but were admittedly sloppy for long stretches against a side they are expected to beat.

Elche enjoyed the majority of the play in the first half, repeatedly hitting on the break. But they were met each time by the impervious Thibaut Courtois, who came up with three big saves to deny the home side. Madrid had their chances, though. Alexander-Arnold delivered smartly for Kylian Mbappe, but the Frenchman fired right at Inaki Pena. 

The home side finally made the break through in the second half. It only took two passes, a quick interchange to take two Madrid defenders out of play before Aleix Febas poked past a diving Courtois. Xabi Alonso responded in turn, introducing Vinicius Jr for an extra attacking spark. The result was a Madrid resurgence of sorts. They applied pressure, and were finally rewarded. A corner did the trick, Dean Huijsen turning home after a Jude Bellingham flick on. 

And from there, it should have been all Madrid. But Elche had another moment in them. Alvaro Rodriguez, a Madrid academy graduate, gave his side a 2-1 lead with a fine effort from distance. Yet Madrid responded again. This time, Bellingham scored it, side footing into an empty net from Mbappe's clever cutback. 

There were more forays forward from both sides, and a third goal seemed possible. Still, it never came, and Madrid were left to settle for a frustrating point.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Estadio Martinez Valero…

• Getty
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

  Made a few tidy saves in the first half. Beaten twice in the second – and might feel as though he should have denied one of them.

  Raul Asencio (6/10):

  A bit erratic at the back while covering for Trent. Failed to track a man on a goal. 

  Dean Huijsen (7/10):

  Grabbed a goal, did his defensive work well. 

  Alvaro Carreras (6/10):

  Looked a bit less certain in a back three, and wasn't sure whether to cover the wing or the middle, at times. 

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):

  A typically mixed performance. Fell asleep on the goal but also moved the ball wonderfully. More to come. 

  Dani Ceballos (5/10):

  Pretty tepid in midfield. Threw some silly tackles and was easily bypassed by a direct Elche side. 

  Arda Guler (6/10):

  Outmuscled for the most part. Created two chances but a deeper lying role didn't quite suit him without Aurelien Tchouameni for cover. 

  Fran Garcia (6/10):

  Scampered up and down the left. Made a load of selfish runs, but didn't connect particularly well.

  Jude Bellingham (9/10):

  Excellent throughout. Scored Madrid's second, put in some lovely defensive work and assisted Huijsen's equaliser. Absurd that anyone questions his England credentials. 

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Rodrygo (6/10):

  Didn't exactly seize the moment in his first start since October 19. A few nice touches and put a couple of efforts on target, but nothing quite came off for him. 

  Kylian Mbappe (7/10):

  Made some dangerous runs, saw a shot well saved in the first half. Provided a clever assist for Bellingham. Impactful, even if he didn't score. 

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• Getty
  

  Subs & Manager

  Federico Valverde (6/10):

  Full of legs but no real impact. 

  Vinicius Jr (6/10):

  A bit mixed, all said. Took on his man with regularity in a lively 30 minutes, but never came up with a moment of magic. 

  Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):

  Snapped into tackles – most of which he won. Provided some valuable forward thrust, too. 

  Gonzalo Garcia (N/A):

  Missed an open goal in stoppage time. 

  Brahim Diaz (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Xabi Alonso (5/10):

  Mixed things up with a 3-4-2-1, but Madrid never really had any control. Didn't deserve more than a point. A poor evening. 

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has now dropped a fresh injury update on Cole Palmer ahead of the tough Champions League clash against Barcelona on Tuesday night.

The Blues are gearing up for a difficult fixture in mid-week, taking on reigning La Liga champions Barca in their fifth Champions League fixture this season, and Maresca’s side will be aiming to put things right after only being able to muster up a 1-1 draw against Qarabag last time out.

However, the west Londoners have been struggling on the injury front for quite some time, which will be a concern for the manager, with the likes of Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia and Palmer still sidelined, missing the 2-0 victory against Burnley at the weekend.

The Italian will no doubt be frustrated the England international has missed large parts of the campaign, having said back in January: “His team-mates see him as a top player so at the moment when we have some difficulties and we are looking for the closest one to help us, we need Cole to step forward in that moment.

“In that moment, in the second-half against Wolves, he showed his team-mate he is a leader inside the pitch.”

However, there has now been a promising update on the 23-year-old’s injury ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Barcelona…

Enzo Maresca drops injury update on Cole Palmer

As relayed by Football London, Maresca has now confirmed Palmer has already returned to training, saying: “Yeah, we don’t know when, but for sure, it will be soon. He is already on the pitch, touching the ball and the feeling is good.”

The 45-year-old stopped short of confirming whether the £130k-a-week star will be available for the tough test against Barca, but a swift return appears to be on the cards, which will be welcome news, heading into a tricky run of fixtures.

The Blues may have an outside chance of winning the Premier League title, having moved into second place courtesy of the victory at Turf Moor, and they could make a major statement by defeating league leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

However, Maresca will need his best players available if Chelsea are to stand any chance of beating the Gunners, and the former Manchester City man is certainly in that category, having contributed 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 appearances since moving to west London.

Palmer will also be eager to receive consistent game time to ensure he is on the plane to the World Cup with England, having proven his ability to deliver in big games by scoring against Spain in the final of Euro 2024.

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Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has come to Mason Greenwood's defence, calling him “a good person” and expressing sadness over the player's controversial past. The forward, who faced charges of attempted rape in England before they were subsequently dropped, has faced criticism and protests ever since the controversy, but he has managed to excel on the field since joining Marseille from Manchester United, much to De Zerbi's delight.

Greenwood’s resurgence meets renewed attention

With 10 Ligue 1 goals already this season and a place at the top of the scoring charts, the 23-year-old has rapidly re-established himself as one of the league’s most decisive attackers. Since arriving in France, Greenwood has rebuilt his rhythm, his confidence, and his role within the squad. Despite occasional criticism for inconsistency, this season has been his most complete. His brace in a 5-1 win against Nice at the weekend was the latest reminder of why he was once considered one of England’s brightest prospects.

Yet his form also brings back the attention he has tried to escape. English journalists, set to meet him again at the Velodrome when Marseille face Newcastle in the Champions League, continue to anchor him to his past – one marked by allegations of attempted rape and assault in 2022. Though the case was dismissed a year later due to withdrawn cooperation and new evidence, the stigma remains, especially in England, where fan abuse has persisted.

AdvertisementAFPDe Zerbi steps in to support Greenwood

De Zerbi is full of praise for the 24-year-old's on-field and off-field personality, telling reporters: “I never delve into the players' private lives. But what I can say is that he's a good person. He paid a heavy price for what happened. He arrived in the right environment and behaved well. He has a very reserved personality. It saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England.”

He added: “Against Atalanta, he was one of those who played well, the same in Lisbon. There can be better matches than others. But we are happy with what he is doing, as I said after the Nice match. He is becoming an increasingly complete player.”

After Greenwood's charges were dropped in 2023, Manchester United publicly acknowledged that he had “made mistakes” but also admitted that the evidence did not warrant contract termination. Still, the club’s internal and external pressures made his return impossible. Getafe offered a temporary restart. Marseille, finally, provided a permanent one.

Greenwood's future as an England international

Inside Marseille, Greenwood is seen as a respectful, hard-working presence, far from the public image that continues to follow him.

“It all depends on the environment he's given. He's a really nice guy… when he's on the pitch, he's having fun. As a friend, it's even nicer," says teammate Angel Gomes.

But away from club football, Greenwood’s future is far less clear.

According to reports in England, after rediscovering his form in France, Greenwood still hopes to play for the Three Lions again, even though he has effectively been blacklisted by the FA and Thomas Tuchel. With only months to go before the 2026 World Cup, that dream appears out of reach, yet those close to him say he still believes it’s possible.

He does, however, have another option. Greenwood has obtained Jamaican citizenship through his family roots and was recently approached by Jamaica boss Steve McClaren for World Cup qualifiers. McClaren, though, was unable to reach the Marseille forward and has since left his role as head coach.

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AFPBacklash from fans in England

Greenwood’s revival in Marseille has been astonishing. Last season, he scored 21 league goals and assisted six, finishing joint top scorer in Ligue 1. His contributions earned Marseille 16 points directly and helped push the club back into the Champions League.

From a footballing standpoint, he has done everything asked of him. But reputation is not rebuilt at the same pace as sporting form. Even after United admitting to their mistake. And yet, hostility, particularly from English fanbases, has followed him across borders with social media abuse, chants, scrutiny in stadiums, a constant reliving of a story from which the legal system has already moved on.

Mitchell, Bracewell half-centuries seal four-wicket win in series opener in Mount Maunganui

Andrew Miller26-Oct-2025

New Zealand 224 for 6 (Mitchell 78*, Bracewell 51, Carse 3-45) beat England 223 (Brook 135, Overton 46, Foulkes 4-41, Duffy 3-66) by four wickets There was a strong westerly wind blowing across the Bay Oval on Sunday afternoon. If you happened to cock your ear to the breeze during the first hour of play, you would have heard – clear as day – the sound of mocking laughter, floating across the Tasman Sea and down through the shires of Hobbiton.In a contest billed as the official start of the Ashes phoney war, England’s Australia-bound top-order produced a stunning false start. Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell – Ashes bankers, bolters and, as the Aussies might now contend, bottlers – all found themselves caught up in a catastrophic collapse of 10 for 4 in 5.1 overs that was precisely as serious as the discourse that it will generate.Related

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Jos Buttler soon joined the procession at 33 for 5, and it was a measure of the nonsensical scenario that – when Sam Curran nicked off at 56 for 6, to become the fourth wicket of Zak Foulkes’ remarkable maiden spell in ODI cricket – the time back home in the UK, thanks to the peculiarities of daylight-saving, was 1.59am: in other words, one minute prior to the contest’s original start-time.New Zealand duly wrapped up victory with time to spare as well, by four wickets and with 80 balls left unused, thanks to Michael Bracewell’s run-a-ball 51 and a 91-ball 78 from Daryl Mitchell that had to surmount its own dicey circumstances at 24 for 3, courtesy of Luke Wood and Brydon Carse’s new-ball breakthroughs – including a first-baller on his return to action for the great Kane Williamson, his first in 15 years of ODIs.Harry Brook carried England’s innings on his shoulders•Getty Images

And yet, the game would scarcely have outlasted one of last week’s rained-off T20Is had it not been for Harry Brook – England’s white-ball captain, Test vice-captain-elect, and a man in no mood to let circumstance dictate his game-plan. His response to his team’s extreme adversity was a startling lone-wolf innings of 135 from 101 balls that turned an impending humiliation into an almost serviceable total of 223 in 35.2 overs.It was Brook’s fourth century in the country, following his three hundreds across two previous Test tours, and – given the circumstances – it was more extraordinary even than his 186 at Wellington in 2023 which, for those who witnessed that onslaught, is saying something.Brook scored each of his first 36 runs in boundaries, en route to a total of nine fours and 11 sixes. The latter included three in a row off Jacob Duffy to reach his hundred from 82 balls, and four more thereafter, as he juiced 80 runs from England’s final two wickets in an innings in which just one other batter scored more than 6.That man was Jamie Overton, who contributed 46 from 54 balls in a seventh-wicket stand of 87 that wrested the momentum back from New Zealand, after Foulkes and Matt Henry had rumbled their way through 15 new-ball overs in a row. His performance had distinct echoes of a previous tussle with New Zealand – on Test debut in 2022, when he had arrived at a near-identical 55 for 6 and partnered Jonny Bairstow with a career-best 97.Once again, Overton fell short of a milestone in this innings, as he chipped a Duffy slower ball to cover, whereupon Carse joined the procession of Ashes-bound players by cutting his first ball straight to the returning Williamson at point. Brook, by then, had had one key let-off on 63, when Rachin Ravindra dropped a fast-travelling slog-sweep at square leg, but the power and clarity of his subsequent onslaught took the breath away.And to think Mitchell Santner hadn’t even been sure whether bowling first was the sensible option. Henry’s first ball of the match immediately laid any doubts to rest as he wrecked Smith’s first outing of the winter with a perfect stump-rattling inducker, one that deserved to rouse a few memories of Rory Burns’ catastrophic start to the 2021-22 Ashes proper.Brydon Carse removed Kane Williamson for his first golden duck in ODIs•Getty Images

Foulkes then ripped into the contest with the first-over wickets of Duckett, caught flinching outside off for 2, and Root, who stepped into a wild drive and was also bowled by lavish seam movement. Two Foulkes overs later, Bethell too had his off stump plucked out by a jaffa, and there seemed no earthly way for England’s innings to pull out of its death spiral.Brook, though, had other ideas. His 135 out of 223 comprised 60.53% of England’s innings, a new record that outdid Robin Smith’s legendary 167 not out against Australia in 1993 – which, coincidentally was another mighty knock that was unable to stave off ultimate defeat.England gave it a good crack, mind you. Carse, a star of last year’s Test-series win in New Zealand, matched Foulkes with two wickets in his opening over as Will Young was bowled by an inswinging yorker for 5 before Williamson snicked a first-ball snorter through to Buttler behind the stumps.Luke Wood then did for a free-flowing Ravindra, well caught by Overton at second slip as the bowler – remarkably – claimed his first List A wicket since 2019. And when Carse fired a wobble-seam delivery into Tom Latham’s shin for 24, New Zealand were 66 for 4 and in clear danger of frittering away their unbelievable start.Bracewell and Mitchell turned the tide in a fifth-wicket stand of 92, though they needed some luck along the way. Bracewell was dropped at slip on 2 by Root, in Overton’s opening over, while Mitchell had an even more glaring let-off on 33, when Wood at backward point dropped a sitter of a reverse-sweep off the legspin of Adil Rashid.With the requirement under control, however, New Zealand were able to play well within themselves – at least until Bracewell needlessly ran himself out with 66 still needed, whereupon Mitchell ramped New Zealand’s first six over fine leg to signal the final charge. Santner added two more in quick succession off Rashid before holing out to long-on for 27, but Mitchell launched the winning hit over backward square.The fireworks, and the talking points, however, had long since been and gone.

The India batter said she did not know until very late that she was going in at No. 3 in a high-pressure chase

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2025

Jemimah Rodrigues was emotional after taking India to victory•ICC/Getty Images

On a historic night in Navi Mumbai, Jemimah Rodrigues said her match-winning hundred in a world-record chase to dethrone reigning champions Australia and secure India’s place in the World Cup final felt “like a dream” after enduring a difficult month filled with “a lot of anxiety”.”Today was not about my 50 or my 100, today was just about making India win,” an emotional Rodrigues said after accepting her Player of the Match award, having been dropped for India’s league game against England. “I knew I got a few chances, but I just felt God scripted everything. I believe if you do the right things, with right intentions, he always blesses. I feel everything that happened was just a set-up for this. It was really hard, this last whole month. It just feels like a dream and it hasn’t sunk in yet.”India chased down a target of 339, the highest successful chase in the women’s game, and Rodrigues was on the field for nearly all of it, having entered at No. 3 in the second over. She finished unbeaten on 127 off 134 balls as India won with five wickets in hand and nine balls to spare. Rodrigues revealed she didn’t know until very late that she was going to bat at No. 3.”I thought I was going to bat at No. 5,” she said. “I was taking a shower and when the discussion was happening, I told them ‘let me know.’ Just five minutes before entering I learnt I would be at No. 3.”But I didn’t think about me. It was not for me to prove a point, it was just to win the match for India because we have always lost in crunch situations. So I wanted to stay till the end to take us through.

“Last time [in 2022], I was dropped from this World Cup. This year I came in, I thought ‘OK, I’ll try.’ But things back-to-back just happened and I couldn’t control anything. I had amazing people around me who believed in me. I almost cried every day through this tour. I was not doing well mentally, going through a lot of anxiety. Getting dropped [against England] was another challenge to me. All I wanted to do was show up and God took care of everything.”Rodrigues was seen talking to herself all through her hundred in a high-pressure chase in exhausting conditions: “Initially I was just playing, talking to myself. But towards the end, I was quoting a scripture from the Bible because I had lost energy and I was very tired. I was drained. But the scripture says ‘just stand still, and God will fight for you.’ And that’s what I did. He fought for me.”India lost both their openers in the powerplay but Rodrigues was joined by her captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the pair put on 167 off 156 balls for the third wicket. She credited Harmanpreet and her subsequent partners for keeping her going. “When Harry di [Harmanpreet] came, all we spoke about was one good partnership. We knew runs were coming. But towards the end, I told Deepti ‘keep talking to me’, she kept encouraging me. When Richa came, she lifted me up. I am so blessed that when I cannot carry on, my team-mates encourage me to carry on. I cannot take credit for this. I know I have not done anything.About the winning moment, Rodrigues said: “It was hard but I tried to stay calm till the ball finished. At the end, when I saw ‘India win by five wickets’ I couldn’t stop myself. Navi Mumbai has always been special for me. And I couldn’t ask for anything better. I want to thank every member who chanted and cheered even when we were down.”Harmanpreet said later that Rodrigues’ “calculations” helped India stay on course in the chase, with a required run-rate of nearly 6.80 at the start.”Jemimah is someone who always wants to do really well for the team because she is someone who is always very calculative and wants to take the responsibility,” Harmanpreet said. “We always have that trust on her and today was a very special knock from her. Both of us had a very good time on the pitch. Whenever we were batting, we were just complementing each other and calculating. She was doing all the calculations there for me.”She is someone, you know, before I go [up to her when batting together], she kept telling me ‘we got five runs [in this over] we got seven runs [in this over] or [we have] two more balls left [in the over]. Before I tell her anything, she is already saying it to me.”So I think that shows how involved she is. I was just so amazed to see what she was thinking and how she was even pushing myself. So I think we should give lots of credit to her – the way she kept her nerves and held her nerves to keep batting for the team.”India play South Africa in the World Cup final on Sunday, when a first-time champion will be crowned in Navi Mumbai.

Manchester United and INEOS are now reportedly stalling on a new contract for Kobbie Mainoo, as doubts over his Old Trafford future continue.

Mainoo’s fall from grace has been sad to see of late, considering the midfielder emerged has one of the most emerging youth products in years with the Red Devils, even starting for England at Euro 2024 last year.

The 20-year-old has been limited to just 138 minutes of Premier League action across seven cameo appearances this season, with Ruben Amorim not considering him a key man.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Mainoo, but journalist Simon Stone gave his thoughts earlier this week, suggesting his time at Old Trafford may still have legs.

Mainoo contract talks stall with transfer ruled out

Now, speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke provided an update on Mainoo’s Manchester United future, claiming talks over a new deal have stalled with INEOS, but that they won’t let him leave.

“I’m sure it’s (handing Mainoo a new contract) something that Man United would definitely be interested in doing. They’ve been in talks with Mainoo for a while now over a new contract. Suggestions are now that contract talks have been put on hold because of his uncertain future at Old Trafford.

“We know Mainoo was interested in a move away in the summer window as he knew he wasn’t going to be playing in Ruben Amorim’s side. I don’t think he’s started a Premier League game so far this season.

“For United, on their part, they don’t really want to lose Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s why they blocked the move in the summer window and obviously I think they’d be reluctant to let him go in January as well because United want to be competing in that top four, if they can.”

To lose Mainoo so early in his career would be a negative for United, given his vast potential, so the hope is that Amorim and INEOS’ stance on him changes.

Granted, he has endured a year of struggles, not helped by injury problems, but he is a special young footballer with the natural ability to be a star, as he has already shown in his career.

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Hopefully, a contract extension is agreed, but ultimately, if the manager and the club don’t value Mainoo enough, a move away could be best for everyone, sad as it would be.

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Eddie Howe has now reportedly told Newcastle United to go and sign a Serie A midfielder who Tyneside scouts have already watched in action.

Eddie Howe delivers Nick Pope verdict after Marseille mistake

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle this season. The Magpies defeated Manchester City in an excellent display last weekend, before picking up where they left off to take the lead against Marseille. It looked as though they were finally back on track. But that’s when it all fell apart.

Nick Pope’s moment of madness allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to equalise from wide, before the former Arsenal man was at it again to score what proved to be the eventual winner for the French hosts.

It’s not the first time that Pope has come under fire in a Newcastle shirt this season, but Howe decided to back his shot-stopper in his post-match interview, saying: “I think it’s a concern when we concede goals, regardless of who’s at fault. I think we have to look at everything with a balanced head.

“He (Pope) saved us many times. He made some really good saves against Manchester City just two days ago. That’s the life of a goalkeeper. But I’ll certainly back him.”

With Aaron Ramsdale waiting in the wings, however, it remains to be seen just how many more chances Pope will receive. Up next, Newcastle travel to the Hill Dickinson stadium for the first time to face an Everton side who just defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It’s a game that the Magpies will be desperate to win to at least make it back-to-back victories in the Premier League. Alas, it’s also one that may expose their lack of depth in midfield once again.

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It’s a fairly open secret that Howe’s targeting reinforcements in that area ahead of 2026 and reports are now claiming that he’s told the club to go and sign Serie A star Manu Kone.

Howe tells Newcastle to sign Manu Kone

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Howe has now told Newcastle to sign Kone after sending his scouts to watch the impressive AS Roma midfielder.

The midfielder would instantly add depth to the Magpies’ midfield, but Roma have already reportedly dealt those at St James’ Park a frustrating blow in pursuit of his signature. Unsurprisingly, Roma are keen to keep hold of Kone and have told Newcastle that he is not for sale in 2026.

Whether Newcastle test the waters despite Roma’s stance is the big question. Kone would certainly be worth the chase. The Frenchman was dubbed “composed” by Como scout Ben Mattinson ahead of arriving in Serie A in the summer and could yet be on his way to the Premier League.

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