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Harmanpreet Kaur is set to become the first India Women’s cricketer to be signed by an overseas Twenty20 franchise

Shashank Kishore24-Jun-2016Harmanpreet Kaur is set to become the first India Women’s cricketer to be signed by an overseas Twenty20 franchise. Sydney Thunder, the reigning Women’s Big Bash League champions, are interested in recruiting her for the second edition of the Australian T20 league which is scheduled to be played in December.The BCCI had cleared the women players to participate in overseas leagues earlier this month and its president Anurag Thakur said on Friday that the deal between Thunder and Harmanpreet had been sealed.However, the club’s general manager Nick Cummins, while confirming their interest in Harmanpreet, said the contract had not yet been signed. Reportedly, Harmanpreet has received verbal permission from the BCCI but is waiting for her No-objection certificate before agreeing to play.It is understood that Harmanpreet, an allrounder and India’s vice-captain, received an offer from three teams – including the Sydney Sixers, the runners-up in the inaugural season – before zeroing in on the Thunder.”I think we saw in the Indian team some very dynamic players, including Veda Krishnamurthy and Harmanpreet Kaur, I think these two stood out,” Alex Blackwell, the Thunder captain, had said earlier. “We have a pretty solid team… but we have an opportunity to bring another overseas players in and we’ll be looking to spend that spot wisely. Hopefully we’ll get one of the best players around the world.”Blackwell’s comments came after India recorded their first-ever bilateral series win in Australia, beating the then champions 2-1 in the T20 series ahead of the World T20. Harmanpreet contributed a 31-ball 46 in a historic chase in the series opener. She was a standout performer in a disappointing World T20 campaign for India, scoring 89 runs and taking seven wickets in four outings.India captain Mithali Raj and fast bowler Jhulan Goswami were approached by the Adelaide Strikers for the inaugural edition of the tournament last year, but had to turn down the offer after the BCCI refused to grant permission, citing the need for top players to take part in the domestic women’s T20 league, which was being televised for the first time.Since then, the board has introduced central contracts for 11 women players and set in motion a slew of reforms recommended by the Lodha committee, which was appointed by the Supreme Court of India to look into the functioning of the board.GMT 1630 The article was amended to reflect that negotiations were on-going between Sydney Thunder and Harmanpreet Kaur

Tottenham Hotspur's caretaker boss Ryan Mason could reportedly have a chance of securing the position on a permanent basis, according to recent reports.

What's the latest on Tottenham's manager search?

As per Sky Sports, the Lilywhites are seemingly not set to appoint out-of-work coach Julian Nagelsmann despite previous speculation linking the German with the vacancy, with the report suggesting that no meeting is set to take place with the ex-Bayern Munich man.

The piece thus goes on to name potential alternatives to the 35-year-old, with the aforementioned Mason seemingly among those who will be considered for the role, having taken charge in recent weeks following the dismissal of interim manager, Cristian Stellini.

The Englishman – who also replaced Jose Mourinho in the dugout on a short-term basis back in 2021 – has previously suggested that he would be "ready" to fill the void of Antonio Conte as the club's new permanent boss.

Should Spurs appoint Ryan Mason permanently?

There may well be Spurs supporters who would be rather underwhelmed at the prospect of handing the reins to Mason for the foreseeable future, particularly following the recent links to a "genius" such as Nagelsmann, as previously hailed by The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein.

While the 31-year-old has seemingly made a positive impression at N17 in recent weeks – having "instilled belief" in the squad, according to Ben Davies – it would appear to be a real gamble for chairman Daniel Levy to put faith in such a youthful figure, with ex-Spurs defender Alan Hutton previously expressing his concerns over that move, suggesting it would be "very difficult" for the up and coming coach to take on what appears to be a "huge job".

The one-time Hull City midfielder – who is said to favour a 4-2-3-1 formation – has also hardly set the world alight when he has been in charge of the north Londoners during his two caretaker spells thus far with just five wins from 11 games across all fronts.

As former Tottenham man Jamie O'Hara recently stated, giving the position to Mason on a permanent basis seemingly has "signs of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer written all over it", with the latter man having himself taken on the top job at Manchester United following an interim spell in charge during the 2018/19 campaign.

A club legend at Old Trafford, the Norwegian was brought in to lift the mood following Jose Mourinho's departure in December 2018, subsequently going on to win 14 of his first 19 games in charge, including seeing off Paris Saint-Germain in a remarkable Champions League, last-16 comeback.

That fine start to life back in England saw the treble winner given a full-time contract somewhat prematurely in March 2019, although just over two years later the former Cardiff City and Molde boss found himself out of a job, having failed to win any silverware during that time.

Although Solskjaer did lead United to a respectable second-place finish in his final full season in charge, the manner in which his spell ended at the club – as he was sacked in November 2021 – rather soured the image of his time at the helm.

That "short-term thinking" from the Red Devils ultimately proved costly – as prophecised by talkSPORT's Simon Jordan – with Levy and co likely to be keen to avoid making the same mistake with an inexperienced figure such as Mason.

A decision on whether November’s Adelaide Test between Australia and South Africa will be played as a day-night fixture will be made public by Wednesday, June 8.

Firdose Moonda06-Jun-2016A decision on whether November’s Adelaide Test between Australia and South Africa will be played as a day-night fixture will be made public by Wednesday, June 8. Tony Irish, CEO of the South African Cricketers’ Association, told ESPNcricinfo the player body is “still dealing with the issue”, and will have a “final decision one way or the other within the next two days”.South Africa’s players initially rejected the idea of a pink-ball Test but have been in negotiations with Cricket Australia (CA), and the Australian board said last week that it was “hopeful” of the match taking place under lights. On Friday, Australia’s reported that the South African players had changed their mind during the Indian Premier League.Talk out of the South African camp in the last few weeks has suggested otherwise. AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada had all voiced their objection to a day-night Test, citing the lack of practice with the pink ball. Even though CA offered South Africa a warm-up match under lights, Philander said the players would need to have “experimented on the domestic front” and “tested the pink ball properly”, before agreeing to play a Test with it. He said it would take “a few games” before they felt comfortable.The other major reason for South Africa’s stance was that they are chasing a Test revival after slipping from No.1 to No.6 in the ICC rankings last season and do not want to risk missing out on a rise up the rankings because of unfamiliarity with the pink ball. “The players’ strong desire to play this as a normal Test match is testament to how much they actually care about the series,” Irish said in April. Irish also stressed that the players’ views should be treated with importance and pointed out that both South African and Australian players had concerns.Australia have already played one day-night Test, the inaugural match against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval in November last year. Then, CA had provided New Zealand with a million-dollar financial incentive to compete in the match. It is not known if the Australian board has offered the South African players a similar sum but with the declining rand, any amount may prove difficult to turn down.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has slammed Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk after he gave away a penalty in the club's recent defeat.

What's the latest on Pascal Struijk and Leeds?

Arriving to replace Javi Gracia with just four Premier League games left to save the Whites from relegation, new manager Sam Allardyce was unable to win on the weekend.

In fairness, three points were never really expected for Leeds as they came up against league leaders Manchester City at the Etihad.

At least, then, they kept the scoreline respectable as a brace from Ilkay Gundogan – who later missed a penalty – was enough to see the home team win 2-1, with Rodrigo later netting a consolation.

Ahead of the match, Allardyce opted to leave Struijk out of the starting lineup and only brought him on for the final ten minutes.

However, seeing as the £50k-p/w defender gave away a penalty just three minutes after coming on, it's easy to see why some were critical of his cameo.

For instance, while speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan tore into the left-back, outlining just how exasperated he immediately became.

He said (26:05): “I nearly threw something at the TV when Pascal Struijk came on. Gave possession away three times, then gave a penalty as well.

"He's not having a good run of it at the minute…"

How bad was Pascal Struijk against Man City?

This was actually Struijk's first appearance for Leeds after spending the last three games on the bench and you can see why he hasn't been playing much.

For instance, when you look at the stats on SofaScore, he delivered the lowest match rating of 5.6 despite only playing for ten minutes. In that period, he lost the ball three times and had away that penalty, even though he only had five touches – completing 1/4 attempted passes.

Evidently, this was a nightmare cameo and in the player ratings for the Yorkshire Evening Post, journalist Graham Smyth was pretty damning of the defender too as he handed him a 3/10.

He also wrote: "Gave away a penalty, lacked composure on the ball, looked a bit shaky."

It was hardly the sort of substitute appearance that will have Allardyce considering a change in the lineup next time out and so if Struijk is to play his part in Leeds' survival over the coming weeks, he'll probably have to do so now from the bench.

Newcastle United defender Harrison Ashby has a 'big future' at St James' Park, according to Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie.

What's the latest news involving Harrison Ashby?

Last week, Eddie Howe gave an update on whether Ashby would be involved in the Magpies' season run-in following a hamstring problem after he appeared for their Under-21 side in a 4-3 victory over Norwich City.

In his pre-match press conference before Newcastle thrashed Tottenham 6-1 in the Premier League, the 45-year-old said:

“He’s had a minor hamstring problem a couple of times, which has just dented his ability to train with us. Really pleased to see him come through (Monday’s) game.

"He played very well. He showed his qualities. He could potentially before the end of the season be in the matchday squad but he’s very much one that we’re developing and looking forward to trying to maximise his talent.”

The Scotland Under-21 international has yet to make a senior appearance for the Magpies since joining from West Ham United for £3 million back in January; however, it looks as if he could soon be set for a chance to showcase his abilities in the North East.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Sky Sports journalist Downie has echoed the sentiment that Ashby could become a big player for Newcastle in years to come.

When asked about what alternatives Newcastle have to Kieran Trippier at right-back, Downie told FFC: "That's why they went and got that young kid Harrison Ashby in January. I think they see a big future in him."

Can Harrison Ashby go on to have a successful career at Newcastle United?

It seems as if Ashby is highly rated at St James' Park and on the face of it, being able to learn from the example of someone like Tripper sets at right-back can only be beneficial for his career development.

Javier Manquillo is also on hand to cover for Trippier when needed, giving Magpies boss Howe plenty of options to choose from on the right-hand side of defence.

Ashby has endured an unfortunate time with injuries at Newcastle; however, the £10k-a-week ace has plenty of time on his side to break into the fold and become a key player in the coming years.

Next season could prove to be an exciting time for the youngster as he looks to make the right-back position his own in the North East.

But you do have to wonder how their potential qualification for the Champions League may see Newcastle question whether they have the required depth given he is yet to play for the senior side.

It could possibly see Ashby offered opportunities in the league or cup competitions as Howe may rotate the 32-year-old, Trippier.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Arnaut Danjuma could still be a big player at Hotspur Way this season, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Arnaut Danjuma?

Since arriving from Villarreal on a loan deal in January, Danjuma has managed to make just nine appearances in a Tottenham jersey, netting two goals in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

The Netherlands international is yet to start a match in the Premier League, having made just four outings as a substitute in total as the Lilywhites continue to struggle on the pitch.

The Times report that Spurs have the option to make Danjuma's stay in north London a permanent one for a fee of £27 million; however, it is unclear if they will activate his option-to-buy at this moment.

As per The Liverpool Echo, former Tottenham head coach Cristian Stellini commented on the 26-year-old's lack of first-team minutes since joining the club, stating:

“Danjuma is a good player, his effort is fine, we are happy with him. He needs to wait for his time because with our squad it is not easy to play in the front three. It’s not easy for him. We understand him but we are happy.”

And, speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones still thinks Danjuma could have his part to play for Tottenham this campaign and believes he has shown positive signs in his limited time on the pitch.

Jones told FFC: "There have been glimpses of his threat and he's got that pace and directness that Tottenham don't really have elsewhere. I hope for his sake that he gets a big moment or two before the end of the season."

Should Danjuma be given more minutes at Tottenham Hotspur?

At this point, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to give Danjuma an opportunity to showcase his abilities to the Tottenham support, who are in dire need of a lift due to their turbulent nature both on and off the pitch at present.

Measuring his exploits in a Lilywhites' shirt is probably an unfair way of gauging the capability of the Lagos-born man; however, his exploits for parent club Villarreal in 2021/22 were very impressive, as he managed to score 16 times and lay on four assists in 34 outings for the Yellow Submarine, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Danjuma managed to record an average of 2.7 shots per game in La Liga last term, demonstrating his capacity to regularly cause problems to opposition backlines.

In the final stretch of 2022/23, it may be worth Spurs giving the former Bournemouth ace a chance to stake his claim as they battle to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive.

Victor Orta's time as director of football at Leeds United has been very hit-and-miss, with every positive signing seemingly paired with a dreadful one.

Unfortunately for Diego Llorente, it seems as if the Spanish defender will be placed in the dreadful category, as his poor form at Elland Road and subsequent lack of game time on loan at Roma has seen his market value plummet in recent years.

How has Llorente performed in his time at Leeds?

Leeds would shell out a fee of £18m to bring the Real Sociedad defender to Elland Road following their promotion to the Premier League in 2020.

However, there was little to suggest that he would be a big hit in the top flight for the Whites, given that he had averaged a disappointing 6.51 rating from WhoScored for his performances in La Liga the season prior.

Llorente's first campaign at Leeds was an injury-hit one, but he generally looked solid across his 15 appearances in the Premier League, earning a strong 6.90 rating courtesy of WhoScored.

However, this would be as good as it would get for the defender, as the Spaniard struggled for consistent form, with the Yorkshire outfit shipping a whopping 79 goals in the top-flight last term, with Llorente a regular in the heart of their defence.

He would lose his spot in the first half of this campaign, making just eight top-flight appearances under Jesse Marsch, with a shocking 6.46 average rating, including a "really poor" display in the 5-2 thrashing at Brentford, as per Sky Sports pundit Sue Smith.

It was perhaps no surprise that he was shipped to Roma on loan in January, considering that his woeful average rating was even worse than Robin Koch's, with the German also leading the Spaniard when it comes to clearances and blocks per game.

How much is Llorente worth now?

While Jose Mourinho's side have the option to purchase the 29-year-old for £18m, it seems unlikely at this point that they will do so, which suggests that he could find himself back at Elland Road this summer.

So far, the centre-back has made just five appearances in Serie A for I Giallorossi and is continuing to struggle in Italy, which has unsurprisingly seen his market value drop well below the initial fee Leeds paid.

According to Football Transfers, Llorente is now valued at just €5.8m (£5.1m), which represents a significant 72% drop on what Leeds signed him for less than three years ago.

Therefore, it seems as if Orta made a big mistake in signing Llorente, as Leeds would be very fortunate to recoup the fee they paid should the centre-back be sold this summer.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has claimed that Leeds United defender Max Wober will be injured for the next game despite Javi Gracia's vague comments.

What's the latest on Max Wober and Leeds?

A hamstring injury has prevented the centre-back from playing any part in The Whites' past three games in the Premier League.

With that in mind, question marks linger over his possible availability in the club's next fixture, a home tie at Elland Road against Liverpool on Monday night.

While talking to the press ahead of the game, manager Gracia refused to commit one way or the other when it came to Wober's possible injury return.

Indeed, as per the Yorkshire Evening Post, he said: "To be honest, I don’t know yet. He is training some days with the team. We have two days more before the game, it’s something we’ll have to see before the next [few] days. We are working very hard, we expect a demanding game.”

While discussing these quotes on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan claimed that this likely means Wober won't be back in time to play on Monday.

He explained: “Wober, it's all hypothetical because Javi has given nothing away.

"But for me, if you reading between the lines there, he's not going to be fit."

Will Max Wober play against Liverpool?

Without Wober in the team, Gracia has lost twice in the Premier League and won once. However, their last outing was, of course, that humiliating 5-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace.

In that game, Junior Firpo, Pascal Struijk, Robin Koch and Luke Ayling started as a back four – as they did in the two league games prior – but the manager may look to mix things up to avoid another thrashing at Elland Road.

Liam Cooper and Rasmus Kristensen are two options on the bench who could be called upon, while Wober would surely get back in the team if fit.

Having only joined in the winter, the £35k-per-week defender can play at left-back too – having done so for former side Red Bull Salzburg earlier in the season – but has proven himself to be most useful in the middle of the Leeds defence.

After all, after making his debut in the club, the Austrian then started the next nine consecutive Premier League games at centre-back before his recent injury.

No doubt, it'll be a big boost if Wober is fit, but it remains unclear if he will play – and we think Leeds fans certainly shouldn't get their hopes up.

Glasgow Rangers suffered yet another Old Firm defeat that all but extinguishes any sort of Premiership title challenge they had going under Michael Beale.

An entertaining first half ended with the teams heading into the break level at 1-1, with James Tavernier netting his 99th Rangers goal via an impressive free kick.

Despite the Light Blues being on top in the opening exchanges of the second half, Ben Davies failed to clear the ball in the box and Kyogo Furuhashi took full advantage to give Celtic the advantage before John Souttar played a horrendous backpass towards Allan McGregor, who failed to reach the ball as Jota slotted into an empty net, stretching the Hoops' lead.

Tavernier managed to score his 100th goal for the club with a header that any centre-forward would have been proud of, but it was too little, too late for the Ibrox side.

There were a handful of poor performers, with the defence particularly letting Beale down time and time again – and Souttar toiled throughout the match.

How did John Souttar perform vs Celtic?

The Scot may not have even made the starting XI had it not been for an injury to Connor Goldson that ruled him out of the match, and his lack of match fitness was clearly evident today.

This was his first start for the club since the opening day of the season and in what was the club’s most important match so far, it was a definite risk throwing him straight in.

His Sofascore rating of 5.8/10 was the lowest out of both teams, while he made just one interception and one tackle during the whole game, on top of losing possession 14 times, showing his rustiness.

He did manage to win six out of his seven duels, yet his high-profile mistake cost Rangers a goal and arguably the chance to win the game with his sloppy backpass. Writer Sacha Pisani even stated that it was a "moment to forget" and he won't want to look back on it again, that’s for sure.

Souttar also took 61 touches during the game while managing to complete just 74% of his attempted passes, with many going astray or straight to an opposition player, and his long balls were even worse – being accurate with just two out of eight attempts.

It was always going to be tough to defeat Celtic at home considering their excellent form, but barring two major errors, Rangers may well have sneaked a win that could have made the title race very interesting.

Arsenal are now reportedly 'ready to tempt' AC Milan sporting director Paolo Maldini with an offer to sign defender Theo Hernandez.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners and transfer chief Edu are reportedly set to be busy in their backing for manager Mikel Arteta this summer with central midfield thought to be a major summer priority. Indeed, the likes of West Ham star Declan Rice Brighton's Moises Caicedo and even ex-target Raphinha are rumoured to be targets for the Premier League title-chasers.

Reports also suggest that Eintracht Frankfurt star Jesper Lindstrom is a serious target for Arsenal, with the north Londoners apparently pushing for his signature as he looks very likely to leave his current club. In terms of defensive additions, Hernandez is a player who features heavily as a target through the press, coming amid his brilliant form for Milan in Serie A.

The France international was a pivotal player during Pioli's title charge last season, attracting interest from big-hitters like Man City among others. Now, as per reports out of Italy, there has been an update on Arsenal's interest in signing Hernandez.

Calciomercato.it states that the league-leaders are 'ready to tempt' Milan chief Maldini with a 'proposal' to sign the 25-year-old. The news outlet claims that a 'concrete' offer from Arsenal could arrive for Hernandez, and the possibility of including Oleksandr Zinchenko or Kieran Tierney in a swap isn't ruled out either.

Milan value the right-back at around €70-80 million (£61m-£70m) and Arsenal are thought to be willing to offer players as a way of reaching that figure overall, though Maldini is apparently unlikely to be swayed by such an approach.

What would Hernandez bring to Arsenal?

Hernandez is Milan's third-most selected Serie A player and there is good reason for that – he is quite simply brilliant.

The former Real Madrid man ranks as one of Pioli's best-performing players by average match rating, according to WhoScored, with the full-back also sitting in their top five for attempts at goal and key passes per 90 in the final third.

Hernandez has three goals and three assists to his name this season, standing out as a real threat from out wide for Milan and a possibly brilliant option for Arteta if they were to sign him.

The player has also attracted huge praise from both Emmanuel Petit, who called him 'perfect' for the Premier League, and members of the media – with journalist Sacha Pisani calling him an 'elite full-back' since joining Milan.