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The ball dominated on the second day between Australia A and India on the Gold Coast as Minnu Mani took her match haul to ten wickets, after Kate Peterson had taken five for the hosts to earn a narrow first-innings lead, but Maddy Darke ensured what could be a tricky chase.Having taken a 28-run advantage, Australia A lost two wickets before scoring a run in their second innings with Mani striking in consecutive overs to remove Georgia Voll and Charli Knott – caught at slip and deep midwicket respectively – on her way to claiming the first four batters to fall.Related

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Nicole Faltum edged behind and Tess Flintoff was bowled by a big-spinning offbreak that ripped between bat and pad.However, Darke put together an unbeaten half-century to stretch the lead towards 200, adding 54 for the sixth wicket with Maitlan Brown before she became Mani’s tenth wicket, smartly caught off the face of the bat at short leg.Emma de Broughe also made a half-century in challenging conditions against India’s spinners before being given caught behind off legspinner Priya Mishra although she did not seem convinced by the decision.Earlier, India A had resumed on 100 for 2 but were soon in trouble as Peterson ran through the middle order. Her first wicket of the day came with a delivery that moved late to take Tejal Hasabnis’ off stump and then it was further away swing that did for opener Shweta Sehrawat who was caught behind.Peterson found herself on a hat-trick when Sajana Sajeevan got a leading edge to a full toss that looped up into the off side. Uma Chetry survived the next delivery but soon fell to Peterson as she edged to slip via a glance off the keeper.India A’s collapse became 5 for 27 when Raghvi Bist was run out but some handy lower-order contributions ensured they closed in on Australia A’s total.

The left-arm spinner counts swing/drift among his main tools in T20 cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jun-20241:50

Bishop: Hosein’s five-for will boost his morale

Late on a warm Saturday night in Providence Guyana, Akeal Hosein made spin bowling look easy. Big turn first ball, a plumb lbw with his second, then four more dismissals – all bowled or lbw – only two boundaries conceded, and his team on track to a rollicking victory by the time he’d finished his overs.An uninterrupted four-over spell, figures of 5 for 11… but all that only a cinch, Hosein said. Polishing up your skills to get to a place where batters, from however inexperienced a team, have no idea how to play you – all that takes time.Because there was serious skill in how Hosein bowled against Uganda. And these are skills that very few players ever in the history of cricket have possessed. Hosein is one example of an ultra-modern breed of cricketer – the spin bowler who operates in the powerplay. More than that, he is a spin bowler who counts swing/drift (in terms of physics acting on the ball, they are basically the same thing, we just tend to call it swing when it is fast and drift when it’s slow), among his main tools.Related

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Akeal Hosein's great escape

Five-star Hosein helps West Indies blow Uganda away

While there was turn on offer for Hosein on the Providence surface, it is this drift with the new ball that brought him the majority of his wickets. He bowls at a fast spinner’s pace, but sends the ball down seam upright, a little tilted. On Saturday, he was getting the ball to swing/drift late. Batters frequently played down the wrong line, and as Hosein was frequently attacking the stumps, this meant a lot of lbw and bowled dismissals.After the match, Hosein revealed he’d been working with Sunil Narine – another ultra-modernist, and a bowler who uses swing/drift to excellent effect.”I’ve been doing lots of work here,” Hosein said. “We had a camp before we came into the World Cup, but I’ve been doing lots of work with Sunil Narine as well. He’s a very close friend of mine.”So, it’s just about constant work. And especially when you start getting success your way, we know the game has evolved so much that guys are going to be reading about you. Guys are going to be doing their homework. So, you always have to try and stay one step ahead.”Among the other reasons for Hosein’s success against Uganda is that he kept the length up, and the pace fairly quick, so batters had to keep committing to front foot shots to him.”Today I thought I’d judge my spell mainly on the lengths that I bowl, and I know once I execute those lengths it’ll be tough for most batsmen to play,” he said. “I think it’s a pitch where if you really go searching, sometimes you can miss your length.”With Hosein having bowled himself into some form in this match, West Indies are now looking increasingly ominous in what is a home World Cup for them. They have overcome two oppositions they were expected to beat – Papua New Guinea and now Uganda. But they have tougher games coming up – against New Zealand, and Afghanistan.”I think going into the third game, we definitely are force to reckon with,” Hosein said. “We have been playing good cricket over the last 12 years and we have improved immensely in areas that we weren’t the best at.”

Leeds United now face Burnley in a transfer battle to sign a Premier League level defender on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds eyeing more transfers after Nmecha deal

The Whites confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window on Sunday afternoon, as Lukas Nmecha agreed to join Leeds once his contract at Wolfsburg expires at the end of the month.

The attacking midfielder is a player who is likely to be an important figure in Farke’s team this season, but the club are not resting with just his arrival, as they are already working on more additions.

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds have made contact with Manchester City over signing Juma Bah on a loan deal. The 19-year-old joined the Blues back in January but spent the rest of the campaign on loan at RC Lens. He now looks set for another temporary move away, with Leeds and Southampton fighting for his signature.

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Meanwhile, defender Jaka Bijol has agreed terms over a move to Elland Road this summer and a deal appears to be nearing completion. He is not the only defender on the club’s radar, as a report from Football Insider states that Alex Moreno is also interested in a move to Leeds this summer. The 32-year-old could be available for £5 million, as the Whites are in the market for a new left-back.

Leeds face Burnley in Keane battle

The list of potential new defenders to sign doesn’t stop there, as according to the Liverpool Echo, Leeds are among the teams interested in signing Michael Keane from Everton.

Keane, who has been at Goodison Park since July 2017, is out of contract at the end of this month, and while he remains in talks over a new contract, he is looking more likely to leave. That has alerted Leeds, who, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, are keen on swooping in and securing the defender on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old, who has been dubbed “immense” in the past by Harry Redknapp, has fallen down the pecking order at Everton in recent seasons. Keane went from playing 32 games in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season to playing just 12, 9 and 14 times in the last 3 campaigns.

Michael Keane’s Everton stats

Apps

230

Goals

16

Assists

10

Keane could be a viable option for the Whites to provide more depth behind Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and there aren’t many free signings on the market who provide such a wealth of top flight experience.

Leeds United are said to be interested in completing the signing of a “brilliant” Celtic player this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Leeds eyeing signings amid title push

The Whites have secured promotion back to the Premier League, following a scintillating run of form in the Championship that included a 4-0 win at home to Bristol City on Monday evening.

Daniel Farke’s Leeds side know that victory away to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday will seal the title, too, with their superior goal difference over Burnley meaning the Clarets’ result at home to Millwall will ultimately be meaningless.

Amid all the promotion positivity at Elland Road, the club continue to work on new signings for when the Whites are back in the top flight, with Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone mentioned as a potential upgrade to Illan Meslier and Manor Solomon expected to join permanently.

Bournemouth full-back Max Aarons is another rumoured target for Leeds ahead of next season, with the Englishman spending the second half of the current campaign on loan at Valencia, and possibly not having a long-term future with the Cherries.

Leeds keen on signing "brilliant" attacker

According to an update from The Boot Room‘s Graeme Bailey, Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda is a summer target for Leeds, as they look to strengthen in the final third. He is valued at £25m.

It is claimed that the Whites have “watched” the Japanese star in action, but they are far from alone in that respect, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Fulham, Crystal Palace and West Ham all getting a mention.

Maeda would be an interesting option for Leeds, possessing blistering pace and end product, having scored 62 goals in 154 appearances for Celtic, as well as registering 27 assists. The 27-year-old is also a five-time league champion, winning four Scottish Premiership titles with the Hoops and one with Matsumoto Yamaga in his homeland, and Brendan Rodgers is a big admirer.

“He’s been absolutely brilliant wherever he’s played, however he’s played, he’s had an amazing season. He earns every penny and we feel as a club he deserves more. He doesn’t give away much, other than saying he’s very happy.”

The step up from the Scottish Premiership to the Premier League is huge, so there would be a risk element in Leeds making a move for Maeda, but the level of interest in him from some of the biggest clubs in the country suggests many believe he is good enough to make the jump.

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Still only 27, the 23-cap and four-goal Japan international is at a great age to come in and be a key man for several years – he also knows Ao Tanaka well from international duty and he could help him settle – so it is a deal the Whites should look to strike.

Arsenal are now readying a £30m bid for an attacking midfielder, who plays for one of their Premier League rivals, and there is a feeling it could be accepted, according to a report.

Gunners looking to strengthen in attack

As we edge closer to the end of the Premier League season, it is becoming more apparent the Gunners need to bring in reinforcements in attacking areas this summer, with Mikel Arteta once again having to make do without a striker yesterday afternoon.

Arteta’s side dropped another two points in the Premier League title race at Goodison Park, although Leandro Trossard did manage to get on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw against Everton, which left them 11 points behind Liverpool.

A new striker is of particular interest to Arteta, and three centre-forwards continue to be linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium, namely Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.

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However, with Bukayo Saka’s absence exposing the lack of depth in the squad earlier this season, a winger could also be brought in by new sporting director Andrea Berta, with Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams now thought to be interested in making the move to north London.

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal and Berta may want to bring in another attacking midfielder and are readying a €35m (£30m) bid for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss.

El Khannouss could be set to leave Leicester at the end of the season, with his side now looking very likely to be relegated from the Premier League, and the Gunners have seemingly offered him an escape route.

The north Londoners believe the Moroccan has great potential, and there is a feeling Leicester could be willing to cash in, given their difficult financial situation amid impending relegation to the Championship.

"Special" El Khannouss needs to leave this summer

It hasn’t been the best of debut campaigns in the Premier League for the 20-year-old, having picked up just two goals and one assist, however, it was always going to be a tall order to stand out in such a poor side.

With the Foxes set to be relegated, the Belgian-born starlet needs to move on this summer, and there are indications he could be a solid signing for Arsenal, having been lauded as a “special” player by some members of the media.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson also speaks very highly of the attacking midfielder, which suggests his attacking numbers could increase dramatically if he played in a better side.

A new striker should be Arsenal’s priority for the summer, but it is promising news that El Khannouss is also being targeted, given the lack of depth in attacking areas.

The star-studded XI represents five of the six teams, with no entrant from Karachi Kings

Danyal Rasool19-Mar-20241. Saim Ayub (Peshawar Zalmi)
345 runs, 31.35 ave, 157.53 SR, two fifties, eight wickets, economy 7.45Ayub’s season was about as complete as it can get for a 21-year-old. He partnered up with Babar Azam for the most formidable opening combination of the season, with his explosiveness embellishing Zalmi’s strong opening starts. Two fifties might sound like an indifferent return, but Ayub crossed 30 three times more, and the damage often lay in his strike rate. He added another potent layer to his formidable T20 repertoire, sometimes sending down a few tidy overs in the powerplay. He also picked up valuable top-order scalps.2. Babar Azam (Zalmi)
569 runs, 56.90 ave, 142.60 SR, five fifties, one hundredWell, what’s new? Babar dominated the runs charts once more, topping that list for the third time in the last five seasons.. Ayub was the perfect foil alongside him, but Babar added an element to his own game too. This is now not only his highest run tally in the PSL but also his highest strike rate. The Zalmi captain showed he didn’t have to sacrifice one for the other, and thrived as a sandwich between hard-hitting Ayub and Mohammad Haris.3. Usman Khan (wk, Multan Sultans)
430 runs, 107.50 average, 164.12 strike rate, two fifties, two hundredsUsman Khan was arguably the surprise of the tournament. A couple of years ago, he went unpicked and switched allegiances to the UAE but this time around lit up Multan Sultans. He wasn’t in the starting XI at the beginning but ensured he was nailed on by the end with a breathtaking mix of devastation and accumulation.Related

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He would finish behind only Babar in the run charts but at nearly twice the average and a much superior strike rate. He hit two of the season’s four centuries and his runs in the final allowed Sultans to have a fighting total in the final.4. Shadab Khan (capt, Islamabad United)
305 runs, 30.50 ave, 142.52 SR, three fifties, 14 wickets, economy rate 8.54He didn’t have an elite tournament as a bowler, but Shadab Khan’s runs ensured his all-round combinations didn’t go away. As Islamabad United captain, he came in at No. 4 in all but one match and demonstrated he was good enough to bat there. Three half-centuries and an impressive ability to attack spin after the field restrictions kept United moving. With the ball, his 14 wickets made him the fourth-best spinner, but an economy of 8.54 would be one to improve.Rassie van der Dussen struck the season’s first century•Associated Press5. Rassie van der Dussen (Lahore Qalandars)
364 runs, 72.80 ave, 154.89 SR, three fifties, one hundredRassie van der Dussen was as close as Lahore Qalandars got to greatness, with the team’s torrid season vastly different from the form he personally showed. Sometimes their lone runmaker, van der Dussen was near-invincible during the seven games he played with the Qalandars, making up for a misfiring top order with a dazzling array of shotmaking from lower down.His unbeaten 104 was one of the best innings of the season and left the campaign with a player-of-the-match award in Qalandars’ only win.6. Iftikhar Ahmed (Sultans)
259 runs, 64.75 ave, 193.28 SR, one fifty, two wicketsWith the highest strike rate of the season, Iftikhar Ahmed demonstrated he is still at his best in T20s. Most runs came as valuable cameos that either got Sultans out of trouble or stretched their advantage. Iftikhar truly demonstrated what an impact player was, and all that’s best about him shone through in the final. He hit an unbeaten 20-ball 32 that kept them in the final before he chipping in with his only two wickets of the season.7. Imad Wasim (United)
12 wickets, economy rate 6.60, 126 runs, 21.00 ave, 128.57 SR, one fiftyThe player of the final, Imad Wasim stormed back into national reckoning with a sensational all-round season. The overs he sneaked in at the top for barely over run-a-ball were a total outlier. Imad was the steel to United’s flair with bat in hand too, with handy contributions, none more so than an unbeaten 13-ball 30 that gave United a last-ball win to keep them alive in the group stages. He saved his best for the finale, becoming the first bowler to take five-for in a PSL final, and hanging around with bat in when the winning runs were hit.8. Akeal Hosein (Quetta Gladiators)
15 wickets, 20.53 ave, economy rate 7.70Quetta Gladiators’ only entry in this list, Akeal Hosein provided reliability to his side’s bowling attack. He rarely went for too many runs and almost always chipped in with wickets. The fifth-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, Hosein’s value lay in his ability to bowl at any stage of an innings. He finished with the second-lowest economy among spinners.Usama Mir had a high-flying season•PSL9. Usama Mir (Sultans)
24 wickets, 15.87 ave, economy rate 8.13The economy rate is skewed by one poor showing, but Usama Mir was the most prolific bowler of the tournament by a distance. No one else managed even 20 wickets, nor could anyone match his balls-per-wicket ratio of 11.7. Mir shook off an indifferent winter with the national side and found a level of control of his flight and variation that troubled every side. He was also responsible for the tournament’s only six-wicket haul and went wicketless in just one of his 12 games.10. David Willey (Sultans)
15 wickets, 20.40 ave, economy rate 7.46Arguably the canniest draft pick of the tournament, David Willey’s economy was second only to Imad. And no bowler who took more wickets comes close to being as economical as the Englishman. Willey gave Sultans dependency at the top or the tail of their bowling innings, and his variations on slowing pitches made him near-unhittable at times. Add his wicket-taking prowess, and he was one of the pillars in Sultans’ impressive run to the final.11. Naseem Shah (United)
15 wickets, 22.20 ave, economy rate 7.56Naseem Shah is fine. That, in itself, is a win for a Pakistan bowler returning from a serious injury. But Naseem was more than fine. Leading United’s attack, he demonstrated he’s still the same bowler, in pace, accuracy, and mentality. He conceded 36 in his first game and was never as expensive again. Never one to hide, he opened and closed off United’s bowling frequently, and bowled two of the seven maiden overs of the tournament. Don’t forget the nine-ball 17 in the final that levelled the scores and teed up his younger brother Hunain to hit the winning runs.

UAE go in as tournament favourites, but don’t rule out Canada, Nepal or the hosts Oman

Peter Della Penna17-Feb-2022After rampaging through the Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in 2012 and 2013 as tournament favorites, not to mention ascending to Full Member status in 2017, Ireland arrive to the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier A in Oman in the curious position where – at least on paper – they are not the tournament favorites. Both by ranking and by form, that distinction arguably rests with United Arab Emirates.In the leadup to this eight-team tournament, UAE came out victorious in a four-team quadrangular series held in Oman among a group that also included Oman, Ireland and Nepal. They won two out of three matches, including a 13-run victory over Ireland. It’s a margin that is more flattering to Ireland than the course of play demonstrated, and a result that is not an anomaly. In fact, UAE have won four of their last five T20Is against Ireland, including two of three immediately prior to the T20 World Cup in October.Related

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The sting of being on the outside looking at the main event as it was happening on home soil has given UAE all the motivation they need to reach their first T20 World Cup since 2014. They’re also a long way from where they were 29 months ago on the eve of the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier, also played in their backyard, when their squad was decimated by a match-fixing scandal that claimed numerous players including former captain Mohammad Naveed and star batter Shaiman Anwar.It would be hard to find someone who could say with a straight face at the time that It would be one of the best things that ever happened to the UAE cricket system, but a proper cleanout not only left them with players fully committed to the cause, but also unearthed some hidden gems who might not have otherwise gotten opportunities stuck behind the likes of those who were allegedly undermining their own team-mates.At the top of that list is Muhammad Waseem, a dashing opening batter who sunk Ireland last October with an unbeaten century and has shown no signs of slowing down in 2022, having bulldozed his way to 84 off 44 balls in his last innings prior to the start of the qualifier against Oman. But not far behind are 21-year-old legspinner Karthik Meiyappan and 19-year-old wicketkeeper Vriitya Aravind. Both were handed senior team debuts as teenagers in December 2019 in the immediate aftermath of the fixing saga and the wisdom of that is paying off with two years of experience now under their belts. Meiyappan took a four-for in a win over Ireland last October while Aravind struck an audacious half-century in a win over the same side last week. Combined with the experienced trio of captain Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa and Zahoor Khan, it’s no wonder why UAE are entering this event as the highest ranked team in Oman.Ireland have been in a bit of a rut since losing to Namibia in the T20 World Cup last year•Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Ireland appear to be stuck in a prolonged malaise. After being knocked out of the T20 World Cup by Namibia in October, their woes against Associates have not ceased. A visit to Florida in December saw them lose by 26 runs to USA before clawing out a nine-run win to escape with a series draw. Though they then went on to take two of three ODIs from the West Indies in January, their T20I form remains worrisome. After a nine-wicket win over Oman to kick off the T20I quad series, they fell once again to the UAE before scratching their way to 127 all out in a less than convincing 16-run win over Nepal.The recurring theme is that if the top order doesn’t score the bulk of the runs, Ireland are in trouble. Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie and Gareth Delany all pack a serious punch, but the lack of consistency down the order puts extreme pressure on the bowling unit to set up or defend low totals. Craig Young has been in solid form in Oman and will need to keep that up to give Ireland the best chance of beating UAE to finish at the top of their group.In the same half of the draw as Ireland and UAE are underdogs Germany and Bahrain. Germany will lean heavily on the services of Dieter Klein and Michael Richardson, who both bring County cricket experience to the table from Leicestershire and Durham respectively. Bahrain’s fielding may leave a lot to be desired, but they have some heavy hitters in the form of the opening combo of Muhammad Younis and Sarfaraz Ali.The opposite half of the draw is a cricket version of the group of death. Oman, Nepal and Canada are expected to wage an intense battle to claim two semi-final berths on offer. Two years ago, it would have been a foregone conclusion that Oman would take one of the spots, particularly since they are hosting the event. But their opening round stumbles in the T20 World Cup in October exposed what is a rapidly aging squad. But just when alarm bells looked like they were ringing progressively louder after a pair of lopsided defeats to start off the T20I quad series last week, they came back on the final day to spring a shock upset of UAE as 40-year-old left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem dipped his bowling hand in the fountain of youth to bag 5 for 29.Allround superstar Aqib Ilyas recently announced he will miss six months while getting treatment for a benign tumor, and already his absence has been felt at the top of the batting order. It only adds to the pressure heaped on opener Jatinder Singh to make up for the runs lost from Ilyas. Captain Zeeshan Maqsood has gone from firecracker to accumulator with the bat, but he may need to turn back the clock to reprise the approach from his youth to give the batting unit the extra bit of oomph they’ve been missing. Maqsood is still more than handy leading the spin attack and the pace unit still has sharper teeth than most in the Associate world led by Bilal Khan.Nepal has survived plenty of upheaval in the buildup to the tournament with Gyanendra Malla dumped as captain in favor of Sandeep Lamichhane. But the return of Pubudu Dassanayake as coach may have been just the elixir that was needed to wash away any ill feelings. Vice captain and allrounder Dipendra Singh Airee was in scintillating form in the T20I quad series, but the rest of the batting unit produced tepid displays.Despite being the highest ranked team in their half of the draw, Nepal will also have to deal with the absence of Karan KC, who had traveled to Oman for the tournament but failed a fitness test on the eve of the event and will take no part. His death overs hitting was just as important as his new ball bowling and Nepal showed few signs of adequately replacing either during the quad series.Can Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood roll back the years?•Peter Della PennaCanada may be ranked below both Oman and Nepal on paper, but are in excellent form leading into this tournament. They finished as runner-up to USA in the Americas Regional Qualifier, losing in a Super Over after a bizarre sequence in which USA stole two byes off the final ball of regulation. In past appearances at the global qualifier, Canada have traditionally started off red hot before fitness concerns have caught up to them and affected their performances the longer the group stage has dragged on. No better example of that came in 2019 when they ripped off three straight wins, including one over Ireland, to start off the event before losing three straight to fall short of the knockout stage.Longtime stalwart Nitish Kumar is absent due to work commitments, but his runs are more than made up for by the emergence of the big hitting Rayyan Pathan, captain Navneet Dhaliwal, Ravinderpal Singh and Hamza Tariq. Matthew Spoors, an Australian-based player who qualifies as a dual citizen, is expected to make a big impact on his Canada tournament debut after impressing at the top of the order in warm-up games held in Oman. Former Pakistan Under-19 left-arm quick Kaleem Sana, who was ineligible for the Americas Regional Qualifier in Antigua, has now fully cleared ICC qualification protocols for his adopted country and will provide a significant boost to Canada’s pace attack.Making their ICC Global Qualifier debut, Philippines round out the tournament field. Eight of the 14 players are based in Australia (all of them are dual citizens by virtue of having at least one parent from the Philippines) and have varying degrees of grade cricket experience. The highest echelon player in their ranks is Dan Smith, spent eight years playing for Gordon CC in the Sydney Grade competition and briefly appeared for the New South Wales 2nd XI. If they can win a game, let alone qualify for the semi-finals after entering the event ranked 46th in the world, it would become one of the great underdog success stories in cricket history.

Major League Baseball will continue testing the automatic balls and strikes (ABS) challenge system at the All-Star game in Atlanta next week, according to a report from Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

After initially testing the ABS challenge system in spring training, MLB plans to try it out again at the Midsummer Classic. The same process will be used as in the spring. Each team will be allowed two challenges, with the ability to keep them if they are successful with their challenge. The pitcher, catcher, and batter are the only three who can call for a challenge, which must happen immediately after a pitch. No outside help from the dugout is allowed.

According to Rogers's report, MLB officials said that 72% of fans polled during spring training said the ABS challenge system was a "positive experience" while 69% said they wanted it to be a part of the game moving forward.

The ABS challenge system could be implemented at the major league level as soon as next season. The league's competition committee will formally meet to discuss the measure later this summer.

Leeds United’s scouts have now reportedly been spotted keeping close tabs on a Champions League talent who just helped shock Borussia Dortmund.

Leeds join the race to sign Tyrique George

The Whites are beginning to turn their full attention towards the January transfer window. With survival in mind, those at Elland Road have already reportedly set their sights on key attacking reinforcements, who could take Daniel Farke’s from a relegation battle into much-needed Premier League comfort.

Whether one of those reinforcements is Tyrique George will certainly be interesting to see. The Chelsea youngster has struggled for game time at Stamford Bridge this season and desperately needs a move away from West London to get back on track next month.

The 19-year-old isn’t the only name on Leeds’ reported shortlist, however. Alongside the Chelsea youngster, the Yorkshire club have also reportedly set their sights on Barcelona’s Roony Bardghji in what would be a sensational move.

The young La Liga star is one of the best young talents around recently scored his first league goal for Barcelona since arriving in the summer.

Improving Farke’s frontline seems to be the priority at Elland Road next month and that should come as no surprise after Leeds missed out on a number of attacking targets in the summer.

Whilst the likes of Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have got off to impressive starts, the addition of another consistent goalscorer would certainly do Leeds’ survival hopes no harm. And if it’s not George or Bardghji, then it may well be Jens Petter Hauge who arrives in January.

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The Bodo/Glimt winger is reportedly on Leeds’ radar, with the 49ers joining their Premier League rivals in the race to secure his signature when 2026 arrives.

Leeds scouts spotted watching Jens Petter Hauge

As reported by TeamTalk, Leeds scouts have now been spotted keeping tabs on Hauge ahead of making a potential January move. Joined by Crystal Palace, Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton in the race for the 26-year-old, the Whites would be landing an impressive coup if they secured Hauge’s signature.

It’s easy to see why there’s so much interest in his signature, too. The Bodo/Glimt star was in clinical form in the Champions League earlier this week, shocking Borussia Dortmund by equalising for his side and securing a 2-2 draw against the odds.

His strike against Dortmund took Hauge’s total for the season to 11 goals in all competitions, which certainly looks good alongside the 11 assists that he’s also provided for the Norwegian side.

Having returned to his best form with a return to Bodo/Glimt in the summer, reports are now suggesting that Hauge wants to complete a Premier League switch in a major boost for Leeds and others.

Dubbed “exceptional” by Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank earlier this season, Hauge could earn redemption away from Norway after previous struggles at AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt on Europe’s top stage.

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AAP30-Oct-2025

Usman Khawaja produced his best innings of the season just three weeks out from the Ashes, with a timely 87 for Queensland against New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield.In a match that appears destined to for a draw, Queensland went to stumps on day three at 238 for 4 in reply to NSW’s first-innings score of 429 for 7 dec.Related

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Matt Renshaw missed out on a chance to further press his Test claims on Thursday when bowled for 29, while Marnus Labuschagne was also out for 4.But there were at least positive signs for Khawaja, with the veteran’s form looming as crucial for Australia this summer. While all eyes have been on who will partner him at the top against England, Khawaja only averaged 15.37 in four Tests last winter.The 38-year-old has had scores of 69, 46 and 0 in the Shield for Queensland, before looking in good touch at the Gabba on Thursday. Khawaja hit three boundaries in one over early from Ryan Hadley, while his shot of the day was a lovely drive down the ground off the quick later in his innings.He also looked at his laconic best clipping Test team-mate Nathan Lyon for two more boundaries through the legside, after sweeping the spinner for another. But with a century in sight he fell in common fashion, edging a Charlie Stobo ball that was angled across his stumps and swung away.Renshaw also gave himself the foundation to produce a score befitting his Test claims, before attempting to leave a Jack Edwards ball and edging it onto his stumps.Australia’s selectors will name an extended squad for the first Test in Perth after this Shield round, with Renshaw likely battling with Jake Weatherald for a spot in the group. Whether either plays will likely depend on if Beau Webster and Cameron Green are both included in the XI, or if one makes way and a specialist opener is preferred.Labuschagne looks certain to be there in Perth after a hot start to the summer, with the only question being if he is used as a makeshift opener or in his normal role of No. 3. He was out when he glanced Hatcher straight to a deep leg gully, before Hatcher also had Lachlan Hearne caught in the slips for 9.But Jack Clayton’s unbeaten 81 has all but killed off NSW’s hopes of victory after a washed-out opening day. They would theoretically need to bowl Queensland out for under 280 on Friday, enforce the follow on, and then knock them over again.