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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring John McGinn to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Telegraph, who claim that Antonio Conte has now added the Aston Villa central midfielder to his list of summer transfer targets, with the same publication reporting earlier this year that Steven Gerrard would demand a figure of around £40m in order to part with the 27-year-old.

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The report goes on to state that, despite Fabio Paratici having already brought the impressive Rodrigo Bentancur to north London in the January transfer window, with both Harry Winks and Tanguy Ndombele looking set to leave the club this summer, Conte has targeted the Scotland international as a replacement for either the England or France international.

Conte can axe Winks with McGinn

Considering just how impressive McGinn has been for Aston Villa in recent seasons, it is easy to see why Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the midfielder to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Indeed, over his 33 Premier League appearances this term, the £27m-rated talent has been in exceptional form for Gerrard’s side, scoring three goals, registering three assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 1.5 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles per game.

The £70k-per-week midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 28.4 passes, 3.4 long balls, 1.0 interceptions, 3.1 tackles, 0.8 clearances and winning 7.4 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Sam Morsy dubbed “unreal” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.30, not only ranking him as Villa’s best performer in the top flight but also as the joint 14th-best player in the league as a whole.

As such, considering just how little Winks has featured under Conte, it would indeed appear a wise move for Paratici to move the £91k-per-week midfielder who John Wenham dubbed “terrible” on this summer, before reinvesting the funds received from his sale into a move for the much more promising McGinn.

AND in other news: Conte could land the new Broja as Spurs eye “serious” 20-goal gem who’s “like a beast”

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta’s latest move for an attacker has been hijacked by Premier League champions Liverpool, with the Gunners now resigned to losing out in the race for his signature despite reaching an initial agreement.

Club identify replacement for £60m star who's agreed terms with Arsenal

The Gunners are working towards signing him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 29, 2025

Over the weekend, Mikel Arteta was handed a major boost with the arrival of prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres – subsequently ending a long-winded transfer saga and Arsenal’s search for a proven goalscorer.

19/20 – winter

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£81.5m

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£900k

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£156.8m

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£1.8m

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£121.5m

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£59m

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£208m

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£101.5m

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£208m

Gyokeres, who scored an incredible 97 goals in 102 total appearances for Sporting CP, also spearheaded their charge to a first domestic double in around 20 years last season, and Arteta will be hoping he can inspire similar trophy exploits in north London.

“We do have plans, we do have a lot of options and we are increasing the quality of the squad and the depth of the squad with all the signings that we’ve done,” said Arteta about Gyokeres’ arrival.

“We are super happy to have Viktor with us, it’s been a long journey to get him over here. He’s been incredible, he was very clear from the beginning where he wanted to play and how passionate I felt from him from day one when we first spoke. You can see the boys, you can see the environment as well, very excited with his arrival.”

The 27-year-old was unveiled before a Singapore crowd of Arsenal supporters just prior to their 3-2 friendly win over Newcastle United, and Gyokeres could make his debut against Tottenham on Thursday.

The ex-Coventry City star joins Noni Madueke as Berta’s two major attacking signings of the window, but there is a belief that Arsenal could soon open talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for Eberechi Eze after contacting the England international’s camp on a regular basis (Fabrizio Romano).

Multiple reports have already claimed Eze’s agents and Arsenal are in broad agreement over personal terms – so this could be one to watch.

Liverpool hijack Arsenal deal for Salford City striker Will Wright

However, while it’s been an excellent window for the north Londoners, with Berta making a serious splash in his first summer at the club, they won’t be having it all their own way.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have hijacked Arsenal’s deal for Salford City striker Will Wright.

Arteta’s side verbally agreed a deal to sign the teenager a fortnight ago, but the Reds have now swooped in to beat them in the race for his signature.

Wright even completed his medical on Merseyside yesterday, with there being zero hope of Arsenal fighting their way back.

The 17-year-old is now a new Liverpool player, coming after a phenomenal pre-season at Salford – a club owned by members of Man United’s class of 92.

Wright made his senior debut for them in an FA Cup defeat to Man City last season, and made three more competitive senior appearances before sealing his move to Anfield.

According to The Mail, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Rangers also made late enquires, but the trio, like Arsenal, are set to miss out on the highly-rated young forward.

Fast bowler still keen to learn on the job as England seek improvements to winning formula

Andrew Miller30-Nov-2020

Chris Jordan says that a mixture of intra-squad rivalry and on-field collaboration has been the key to England’s T20I success in South Africa, after the team came through two stiff tests in Cape Town and Paarl to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.In the course of Sunday’s four-wicket win in Paarl, Jordan also drew level with Stuart Broad as England’s leading T20I wicket-taker with 65 scalps in 54 games. But, he said, such accolades were just a by-product of the team’s success, and that he took more satisfaction from the improvements he and his fellow bowlers had made from the first match to the second.”Winning the series, that’s what we set out to do first and foremost,” Jordan told Sky Sports after Sunday’s victory. “It’s obviously a nice milestone to have but, as long as I’m doing the job for the team, and the team are winning series and winning games, I’m more than happy. If the accolades come with that, then so be it.”It was a solid team performance in the first game, but we put a lot of things right this game, especially in the bowling department and to restrict them to 146, on what we thought was a pretty decent wicket, and to get over the line, was very pleasing.”Once we’d got a couple of wickets, we were able to build a bit a little bit of pressure, build a few dots,” he added. “But with our batting line-up, most par scores feel as if the teams are 15-20 short most of the time, and [Dawid Malan’s] innings shows why he’s at No.1 right now.”England’s captain, Eoin Morgan, had been underwhelmed with England’s efforts in the field in Friday’s opening fixture, describing the performance as “average” after South Africa racked up a challenging 179 for 6 in their 20 overs – a total that was only overcome thanks to Jonny Bairstow’s brilliant 86 not out from 48 balls.And Jordan admitted he had taken that criticism on the chin and gone away to work on his game to visible effect, as did his fellow death bowler, Tom Curran, who followed up figures of 1 for 55 at Newlands – the most expensive T20I figures of his career – with a much improved haul of 1 for 37, which included an excellent 20th over in which he conceded just seven runs.ALSO READ: Jason Roy’s spin struggles could provide test of Eoin Morgan’s loyalty”We didn’t really speak as an entire group,” Jordan said. “You just drag the coaches to one side, and make your own personal assessments on the game. For the first game, I gave away a couple of soft wides which then cost me at the back end of the over with a couple of boundaries, so I just tried to tidy that up.”And TC [Curran], he tried to stick to his strengths as much as possible, and go to his slowies a little bit earlier. He was a bit more clever with the way he bowled, and was able to look after his figures as well. So it’s about making those personal assessments and trying to put those wrongs right.”As Morgan admitted ahead of the opening fixture, victory in South Africa hasn’t been England’s sole objective for the series. The process of defining roles for each player in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup has been every bit as important, and thanks to two highly competitive intra-squad warm-up games as well as the on-field collaboration that he and his fellow bowlers have been working on this week, Jordan believes they’ve already made good strides.”In the first couple of overs, we try to get a read [of the pitch] from Sam and Jof,” Jordan said. “I stand at mid-off quite a lot, so I’m just trying to get feedback from the bowlers, until I get into the game myself. Obviously Jof’s a taller bowler, Sam’s a skiddier bowler, me and TC are probably a little bit similar in height, so we try to get a read, almost every single ball, and then feed back to Morgs and try and come up with the best possible plans.”The competition for places is brilliant,” he added. “[The warm-up games] were really good fun because everyone wanted to get each other out, or match each other for sixes. It just raised the level of everyone’s game.”The way Sam [Curran] is striking the ball at the minute is pretty unbelievable, he’s come back with a lot of confidence from the IPL. Stokesy and Rooty, there’s a little bit of rivalry there as well, but it’s all in good spirits because we’re trying to pull in the same direction as a team. We’re trying to make the entire team and squad better, and those type of things just get you ready for series like this.”

With first-match nerves out of the way, fast bowler is ready to help his side overcome loss to Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2019With first-match nerves out of the way, Mark Wood is ready to play his part in England’s World Cup bounce-back effort starting with Saturday’s match against Bangladesh.Wood does not expect to necessarily keep his place in the team, despite taking two important wickets during England’s 14-run defeat at the hands of Pakistan on Monday. Nor does he think the hosts and tournament favourites will attempt to re-invent the wheel in response to their loss.Wood claimed 2 for 53 – including the wickets of Pakistan’s top scorer, Mohammad Hafeez, for and dangerous batsman Asif Ali for just 14 – in a less-familiar middle-overs role, bowling in tandem with Moeen Ali after Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer had led the pace attack. Woakes shone with three wickets and a staggering four catches, Moeen also claimed three wickets while Archer conceded 79 runs in his wicket-less 10-over spell. That’s not to say Wood escaped any tournament debut jitters, quite the contrary.”I cannot say for the others, but I was nervous,” Wood said. “First World Cup match. I was playing a slightly different role. I wanted to do well.”Liam Plunkett has taken a million wickets in the middle overs and I was thinking the first thing I have to do is get a wicket. And I didn’t get a wicket until the [43rd], and I was thinking, ‘he’s still the main man!’ Yes, I was nervous, but good nerves.”It was nice to have a couple of extra fielders out for a change. I’m used to bowling up top but this was a slightly different role. I felt Mo andmyself did really well as a partnership. He was keeping it tight as well which meant I could attack a little more … so a nice time to come on and show my value in a different role.”Wahab Riaz and Mark Wood pat each other after the game•Getty ImagesEngland will manage their fast bowlers’ workloads carefully, particularly for Wood and Woakes, who have had long-term injury issues, which means none of them are guaranteed a place against Bangladesh.”We’ll pick whichever team best suits the conditions,” Wood said. “I’m pleased personally that it has gone well. But for the next game, Cardiff is aplace with big square boundaries and Liam Plunkett has bowled well there in the past so he would probably come back in. It’s just who foror which bowler might be left out.”Avoiding the cliché of turning a loss into a positive, Wood gave the impression England were following Joe Root’s advice and not hitting the panic button based on one defeat, which ultimately came down to poor fielding.”It’s never nice to lose so, yes, there are lessons learned but we’ve been learning lessons for four years. This isn’t like a thing like we say we need to change the wheel,” Wood said. “We weren’t good enough in one area – the field – and that will be addressed before the next game. But I still think we’re in a pretty good place.”Maybe we will put it down as one of those days when we were beaten by a better team and we need to improve one aspect of our game … we needed 11 Chris Woakeses in every position and we would have been all right. Now we train really hard and do a lot on our fielding.”Whether it was the occasion, there were a lot of Pakistan fans, whether we got wound up by their batters, them smacking it, whether we just got tooheated in the moment, I don’t know. But it was unlike us, normally we are a really good fielding side.”And Wood backed his team to come back stronger against a Bangladesh team buoyed by their opening win against South Africa.”We have a huge target on our back because we are the favourites for the tournament, the home side, everyone wants to beat us,” he said. “Whatwe have done well over the years is bounce back well and I think we need that going into the next match regardless of what it was – Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, whoever. We need to bounce back with a bit of authority and say that we’re here to win it and put on a real show.”

Ex-Manchester United striker Louis Saha has slammed Jamie Carragher for suggesting Casemiro should retire or leave the Premier League.

Casemiro faced criticism for form in 2023-24Carragher made scathing remarks about the BrazilianLouis Saha has backed CasemiroWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international has faced a particularly tough time recently, being forced to play out of position as a centre-back instead of his usual holding midfield position due to United's injury problems. Naturally, the 32-year-old has found it challenging to adapt and put in dismal showing during United’s 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace. He was partly responsible for three of Palace’s goals and further embarrassed himself by losing possession to Daniel Munoz, leading to Michael Olise's fourth goal.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Carragher delivered a scathing assessment of Casemiro on Sky Sports, suggesting the midfielder no longer has the legs to compete in England's top flight and should settle for a less competitive league in the USA or Saudi Arabia – or hang up his boots.

"I think Casemiro should know himself tonight as an experienced player that he should only have three games left at a top level and then say I'm gonna go to the MLS or Saudi," Carragher said. "His agent or the team around him need to tell him. We're watching one of the greats of the modern time…but I always remember something when I retired, a saying I'll always remember: 'Leave the football before the football leaves you'. The football's left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move."

WHAT LOUIS SAHA SAID

Saha, however, found these remarks to be unfair and expressed his dismay at the severe criticism aimed at Casemiro, highlighting the Real Madrid legend's illustrious career and contributions to the game.

In an interview with Saha said: "Yes I do believe he’s been disrespected. When it comes to Manchester United, you could criticise many of the players and believe from last year, Casemiro has been dragged into a bit of a trap. He scored a lot of goals last season and people probably expected him to do the same this season, but that’s never been his game.

“The criticism has been severe and harsh and then you hear Jamie Carragher almost inviting Casemiro to move to Saudi Arabia or the MLS. That’s crazy. I think it was disrespectful because nobody should advise someone in that way. I know it’s his job, but I don’t believe Jamie should have said that because Casemiro wants to do good and because of everything he’s achieved in the game, he faces more scrutiny than others and people try and bring him down as quick as they possibly can. That’s not fair. Everybody’s going to make mistakes and have bad games, but that doesn’t mean that every little thing needs to be scrutinised. I think the criticism has been very harsh.”

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Casemiro will be eager to silence his critics by putting his best foot forward against Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25. The Red Devils should be geared up for the encounter as a victory in the would ensure Europa League football for them next season.

The PCB’s first-ever board of governors meeting in Quetta had to be adjourned after five members walked out, demanding, among other things, the removal of managing director Wasim Khan

Danyal Rasool17-Apr-2019

A schism within the PCB Board of Governors erupted in Quetta today, leading to five BoG members demanding the removal of PCB Managing Director Wasim Khan, and walking out of the meeting, forcing its adjournment. The 53rd meeting of the PCB BoG, notable for being the first to be held in Quetta, was attended by eight of its ten members.Fve of them – Shahraiz Rokri from Lahore, Noman Butt from Sialkot, Shah Dost from Quetta, Kabir Khan from Fata and KRL’s Ayaz Butt – presented a resolution not initially on the agenda of the meeting. It listed six demands they wanted the BoG to adopt, most notably the appointment of Wasim to be declared null and void, terming the position unconstitutional. The resolution also called for the rejection of any move to abolish departments and regions in domestic cricket, and the setting up of a domestic cricket restructuring committee within the next 10 days, comprising all four members of the four regions.A PCB statement said, “The meeting was then adjourned for a brief period pursuant to five members attempting to table a resolution, which was not part of the agenda. The PCB Chairman had proposed any business other than the agenda could be considered under Any Other Items at the end of the meeting. However, the Khan Research Laboratory (KRL) and the four regional representatives refused to return to complete the meeting.”PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, who, along with Asad Ali Khan and Ex-Officio Akbar Durrani, was the only remaining BoG member present, declared himself “hugely disappointed”, warning that Pakistan cricket must not “get derailed by personal agendas”.”I was looking forward to an interactive, productive and constructive discussion, which was aimed at taking Pakistan cricket forward. Yesterday, we called on the honourable Chief Minister of Balochistan and engaged in fruitful and enlightening discussions to promote cricket in Balochistan. It is, therefore, particularly disappointing that the representative from Balochistan also refused to return for the BoG meeting.”Leicestershire chief executive Wasim Khan•PA Photos

The abandonment of the meeting poses a potential broader problem for the PCB. One of the items on the agenda was the approval of audited accounts for 2017-18 to be sent to the ICC, which form the basis of the ICC releasing Pakistan’s share of revenue for the year. That, ESPNcricinfo understands, amounts to USD 5 million, and with the failure to approve the release of audited accounts, that funding could be delayed. The threat of a delay isn’t acute for now though if divisions linger on, it could become pressing. At least part of that money would be spent on regional cricket associations, some of whom walked out of the meeting.Board officials expressed frustration at the demand to oust Wasim, whose arrival was seen as something of a coup for the board, particularly since he had been asked by the ECB to apply for a similar position.In October, the BoG approved the creation of the position of managing director, aimed at separating the positions of chief executive and chairman. Under the current PCB set-up, the chairman is also its chief executive, which was seen as a conflict of interest. However, a separate position for chief executive requires a constitutional amendment, and on that basis, the BoG approved the search for a managing director, who would assume the role of chief executive once the position was created. It was then the PCB began shortlisting candidates for the position, finally settling on Wasim.

The saga has an unmistakeable realpolitik whiff. The current prime minister and patron of the board Imran Khan has been vocal about his intentions to downgrade and, if possible, completely eliminate departments in domestic cricket. It was notable that a guarantee against that was the first item on the proposals the five dissenting members moved. Just three weeks ago, Imran Khan had given short shrift to a new model the PCB proposed that still aimed to retain departments in domestic cricket, insisting they had no role in the game.Mani and Imran Khan are scheduled to meet later this week to discuss issues related to the infrastructure development of the Pindi cricket stadium, which is owned by the province of Punjab rather than the PCB. With the ground being looked at as a potential venue for the next edition of the PSL, its dereliction was a cause for urgent concern. However, with half the BoG membership rejecting the patron’s explicit demands with respect to departmental involvement in the domestic game, it seems hard to believe that will not be a key item of discussion when the pair meet.

Arsenal's title hopes suffered a potentially fatal blow on Sunday as Isabella Hobson scored a stoppage-time equaliser for Everton in the WSL.

Article continues below

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• Alessio Russo fires Arsenal ahead
• But Hobson grabs point at the death
• Draw another blow to Gunners' title hopes

• Getty
  

  TELL ME MORE

  Arsenal dominated the first half but could not find a way past Courtney Brosnan in the Everton goal. Stina Blackstenius saw an early effort blocked, while Caitlin Foord had an excellent chance to break the deadlock but completely missed her kick in front of goal. The Gunners then breathed a sigh of relief when Sara Holmgaard headed an Everton corner onto the crossbar.

  Arsenal were forced into a change at half-time as Leah Williamson was taken off and replaced by Laia Codina, but the chances continued to flow. Victoria Pelova side-footed a glorious opportunity wide, while Emily Fox could only shoot tamely at Brosnan from inside the penalty area.

  It was ultimately left to Alessia Russo to open the scoring inside the final 10 minutes. Beth Mead saw an effort saved by Brosnan, but Russo was quick to latch onto the loose ball and make it 1-0.

  The goal looked to be enough for the Gunners to seal all three points, but Everton managed to salvage a draw deep into stoppage time. Hobson met a corner into the box with a looping header that dropped over Manuela Zinsberger and into the back of the net.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE MVP

  Hobson will steal the headlines after grabbing a rare point for Everton against Arsenal and effectively ending the Gunners' titles hopes There's no doubt it's a dream moment for the 16-year-old, playing for her hometown club, and the passionate celebrations after her first senior goal flew in said it all.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Arsenal's finishing was largely to blame for the Gunners failing to grab the win. The visitors created more than enough chances with Blackstenius, Russo, Foord and Pelova all guilty of poor misses. Russo was on target but should have made the game safe after putting Arsenal 1-0 up. The striker had the chance to finish Everton off but wastefully blasted an effort over the bar.

• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Arsenal return to action against leaders Manchester City next time out when the two teams meet in the WSL on Sunday. Everton's next game is against Tottenham on Saturday.

Australia’s head coach suggested the opener had previously become sidetracked by thoughts of a berth in the team before it had come to fruition

Andrew McGlashan10-Jan-2019

Australia head coach Justin Langer has urged Matt Renshaw to maintain his focus ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka with a belief that the opening batsman has previously become sidetracked by thoughts of a berth in the team before it had come to fruition.Renshaw, the Queensland left-hander, was one of three batsmen brought into the squad for the Brisbane and Canberra matches as the selectors made sweeping changes following the series loss against India. It appears he is in a battle with Queensland team-mate Joe Burns and the uncapped Will Pucovski to take two batting slots for the day-night Test at the Gabba.All three have been named in the Cricket Australia XI to face the Sri Lankans in the pink-ball tour match in Hobart next week with that three-day fixture shaping as a play-off for who slots into the reshaped Test line-up.Renshaw’s Sheffield Shield numbers for the season are poor – 199 runs at 19.90 – which was the reason he was overlooked in favour of Marcus Harris to face India. Langer suggested Renshaw, who was set to play against Pakistan in the UAE before suffering concussion, had got too far ahead of himself before the India series and the 2017-18 Ashes when Cameron Bancroft was selected ahead of him.”Hopefully this last little bit for him is a brilliant lesson for a young player, who we know is very good,” Langer said. “In the lead-up to the Ashes he probably got a bit sidetracked about getting selected for the Ashes, in the lead-up to this India tour he probably got a bit sidetracked by getting selected and what happens. When you get sidetracked by the future or selection you forget to keep your eyes on the ball and be good at what you are which is a batsman.”We know Matt is a good player and a great lesson should be learned for young batsman, think about now and the future will look after itself. No different to that CA XI, it’s a great opportunity for guys to think about that game and selection will look after itself. If they are sidetracked by getting selected in the Test team then the chances of them performing are lessened. That’s mental toughness, the sort of thing we like to see – that the guys are learning lessons and performing when all different pressures come on.”Justin Langer has a discussion with left-handers in the Australia line-up•Getty Images

Langer was happy for the pressure around the Cricket Australia XI match to be ramped up to see how the players coped with the added scrutiny. On Wednesday, national selector Trevor Hohns lamented the lack of red-ball cricket this time of the year on which to judge form and a decision has been made to elevate the CA XI match to something more akin to a Test trial.”The more prestige we can put into that CA XI, you can see it’s more like a 2nd XI, it gives guys opportunities. It’s against Sri Lanka and under lights, you could say it’s a bat-off and that’s great,” Langer said. “If people think there’s pressure in that that’s great because when you get to Test cricket there’s a lot more pressure than batting for a spot in the team.”The place for 20-year-old Pucovski was the most eye-catching call in the Test squad. He has played just eight first-class matches but scored a double-century earlier this season before taking a break due to mental health issues. Langer said his name had been talked about for some time and it was his ability to bat time that stood out”A couple of years ago he played in an Under-19s tournament and he scored three or four hundreds on the trot and I kept hearing his name come up,” Langer said. “He’s got a very simple technique, from my understanding he’s got a great vision of what he wants to achieve in red-ball cricket which tells me he’s got some hunger. He’s got some ability and he’s got some performances on the board. We’re not bringing him in because he’s just a good young player, [he’s] a talented player who’s shown the ability to score hundreds at all different levels.”

The left-arm quick didn’t open the bowling for the first time since September 2014, and Australia’s captain said the move had nothing to do with fitness concerns

Daniel Brettig04-Nov-2018Australia’s captain Aaron Finch has revealed he abandoned the new-ball skills of Mitchell Starc as an attempt to find a way out of their recent ODI losing streak – now 17 defeats in 19 matches following a six-wicket trouncing by South Africa in Perth.Defending an inadequate total of 152, there was widespread surprise when Australia opened up with Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Coulter-Nile rather than Starc, the first time since September 2014 that he had not been called upon to use the new ball in an ODI.South Africa certainly couldn’t believe their luck, collaring 16 from Coulter-Nile’s opening over before Starc was swiftly called in for the fourth over of the innings. Finch said the decision had been to do with seeking a fresh tactical edge rather than any fitness concerns for Starc, who entered the series with Billy Stanlake as injury cover after complaining of hamstring tightness during the UAE tour.”We’d planned to go in with Coults and Josh with the new ball,” Finch said. “It didn’t work out for Coults in the first over today, then we went to Starcy pretty quick. It’s just a tactical thing to be honest. Sixteen out of 18 losses in a row, 17 out of 19 now, we’re looking for something to try, to try some new things, something different.”If you keep doing the same thing over and over it’s the definition of insanity, isn’t it? We’re looking for a combination, looking for a method. Obviously, a few more runs would be handy as well.”When you’re defending a low total it feels like you have to over-attack. It’s almost like the quicks can’t settle in to their work. They’re always searching for something.”The choice of Coulter-Nile and Hazlewood over Starc reflrcted an Australian set-up that is straining every sinew to find new and better ways of performing, perhaps even to the point of overthought. Reacting to the result, Finch intoned his belief that the wheel would turn. In his position it is impossible to publicly conclude anything else.”It will turn,” Finch said. “The way that we’re training, believe me, the way that we’re training and preparing the wheel will turn and it will happen quickly. It might not be tomorrow, it might not be the next day. But I think if we keep improving and keep practicing as we are it will turn.”You’d say guys at times are probably doubting themselves. When guys are not performing as well as they can do and have done in the past there’s always going to be a little bit out of doubt. When South Africa bowled as well as they did today you have to be at your absolute best to get through that.”We can’t question the way anyone’s been training or preparing. It’s been spot on. It’s just one of those things. You’re only one good shot away from feeling on top of the world again.”

Starc picked up his 100th Ashes wicket but Stokes wrecked Australia with a five-for as 19 wickets fell on the opening day

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2025

Ben Stokes wrecked the Australia batting unit•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

19 – Number of wickets on day one of the Perth Test, the most on the opening day of an Ashes Test since 1909, where both teams were bowled out on the first day in Manchester.It is also the most wickets on the opening day of an Ashes series, surpassing the 18 that fell on the first day of the one-off Test in Sydney in 1888, and 18 wickets on the first day of the three-Test series at Lord’s in 1896.5 – Ben Stokes is the fifth England captain to take a five-wicket haul in Australia. The last England captain to achieve this feat was Bob Willis in 1982, when he picked 5 for 66 in Brisbane.36 – Stokes took only 36 balls to complete his five-wicket haul (5 for 23). It is the third-quickest five-for by an England seamer (where data is available). Only Stuart Broad has been quicker than him, completing a five-for in 19 balls vs Australia at Trent Bridge in 2015 and 34 balls vs New Zealand at Lord’s in 2013. Stokes has the quickest five-wicket haul for an England seamer away from home.7 for 58 – Mitchell Starc recorded his best figures in Test cricket, topping his previous best of 6 for 9 in Australia’s previous Test, against West Indies in Kingston in July 2025, making it back-to-back five-wicket hauls for him.It was the 17th five-wicket haul in Tests for Starc, the third-highest for Australia among fast bowlers, pipping Graham McKenzie’s tally of 16.Starc also completed 100 Ashes wickets against England in the process. Among the 11 fast bowlers with more than 100 wickets in Tests against England, he is the only one to have made his debut in the 21st century.10 – Number of times Starc has dismissed Ben Stokes in Test cricket, the most by any seamer. R Ashwin is the only one to have dismissed Stokes more times in Test cricket (13).Starc has also bowled Stokes five times in Tests, the most for any bowler.Mitchell Starc acknowledges his career-best seven-for•Getty Images32.5 overs – The second shortest first innings for England in the first Test of an Ashes series. They were bowled out in 35.3 four-ball overs batting first in the first Test of the 1886-87 Ashes in Sydney.4 – England have not batted more than 41 overs in the last four international games that they have played. They were bowled out in 35.2 overs, 36 overs and 40.2 overs batting first in the three ODIs in New Zealand preceding the Ashes.5.23 – Of the 1995 instances of a team being bowled for under 200 in Test history, England’s scoring rate is the third-highest. In the Sydney Test in 2013-14, England were bowled out for 166 batting at a rate of 5.24. West Indies had a run rate of 5.40 when they were bowled out for 137 against Pakistan in Multan earlier this year.0 for 1 – This was the first time both England and Australia lost their first wicket without a run on the board in the first innings of an Ashes Test.Overall, it was only the eighth such instance in Test cricket.6 – Number of times England have been 0 for 1 in the first innings of an opening Ashes Test in Australia. Three of these instances have come in their last five tours – 2010-11, 2021-22 and this time. They were 2 for 1 in their first innings of the 2017-18 tour.2 – Only the second time in Stokes’ 38 Tests as captain that England didn’t pick a specialist spinner in the XI. The other instance also came in the Ashes – at Lord’s in 2023.For England, this is the first red-ball Test match in Australia without a specialist spinner in the playing XI since the 1998 Boxing Day Test.1946 – The last time Australia handed debuts to two players aged 30-plus in a men’s Test before Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett in Perth. This was in Wellington against New Zealand almost 80 years ago. Don Tallon and Ernie Toshack, both past 30, were among the seven debutants for Australia in what was their first Test match since World War II.