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There is a high possibility that Arsenal will finish second in the Premier League for a third successive season, this time to Arne Slot’s Liverpool rather than Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta has constantly led the Gunners to a title battle in recent years, but has been unable to get them over the line and end their two-decade wait for a league triumph.

If they are to go one better in 2025/26, the hierarchy will have to back the manager in the transfer market to make the additions he desires to his first team squad.

There’s no denying that the Spaniard has serious qualities in various areas, but that’s not enough, with depth needed in key departments to sustain their ambitions in various competitions.

With the window just around the corner, new sporting director Andrea Berta has already wasted no time in drawing up his shortlist of potential targets for the off-season.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new signings this summer

Additions are expected across the pitch for Arsenal this summer, mainly to avoid the injury crisis the side has often endured for large parts of the current campaign.

Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen is the latest defender on their shortlist ahead of the window, with the Spaniard scoring against Arteta’s men on Saturday afternoon.

However, the 20-year-old isn’t the only defensive target on the agenda for the coming months, with Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia also on their radar, according to one Spanish outlet.

Their report states that the Gunners are preparing a £25m bid for the 24-year-old who has remerged as a target after previously being of interest just under 12 months ago.

It also claims that he’s seen as a quality competitor to David Raya for the number one position, but more importantly handing Arteta the depth needed in such an area.

Why Arsenal’s £25m target would make Saliba & Gabriel unplayable

Gabriel and William Saliba have been Arsenal’s go-to centre-back pairing when they’ve been fully fit in 2024/25, leading to their ambitions of securing the Premier League title.

Arteta’s side have conceded just 31 goals in their 35 league outings, currently boasting the best record in the division – an average of just 0.8 goals conceded per 90.

The pair have contributed to the club’s tally of 14 clean sheets this season, with only Nottingham Forest keeping more to date – showcasing their impressive work in the defensive department.

However, such a record could be bolstered in 2025/26 by the potential addition of Garcia, with the shot-stopper having the ability to take such feats to new levels.

When delving into his stats in LaLiga this campaign, his talents are there for all to see, improving the situation within the backline for Arteta.

He’s even managed to outperform current number one Raya in multiple key areas, outlining the pressure he could put on his compatriot should he move to the Emirates.

The 24-year-old, who’s been labelled “colossus” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has achieved a higher save percentage this season, along with more saves per 90 – showcasing his ability between the sticks.

Games played

33

35

Clean sheets

7

12

Save percentage

77%

74%

Saves per 90

3.7

2.2

Short passes completed

98%

98%

Crosses stopped

1.7

1.3

Shots-on-target faced

5.1

3.1

He’s also completed the same percentage of passes to date, along with more crosses stopped per 90 – offering Arteta a more all-round presence at the back.

£25m in today’s market is a bargain, especially for a player who possesses the quality like Garcia, as demonstrated by the figures he has produced in 2024/25.

If he were to make the switch to North London, he would be able to add yet more defensive quality to the already impressive backline, subsequently aiding Gabriel and Saliba’s chances of becoming unplayable.

Another Raheem Sterling: Arsenal make enquiry for £85m Premier League flop

Arsenal would be on for a Raheem Sterling repeat with this move.

3 ByMatt Dawson May 4, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s dismal Premier League campaign continued with a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers away from home on Sunday.

Vitor Pereira’s side have been battling relegation throughout the season and moved to within two points of Spurs with their impressive victory at the weekend.

As you can see in the highlights above, the goals were largely down to poor defensive work from several Tottenham players, rather than them being cut open by quality play.

There is no hiding from the fact that Ange Postecoglou’s side have not been good enough defensively this season, as they have conceded 49 goals in 32 matches – more than any other traditional top-six side in the Premier League.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

As you can see in the graphic above, though, it was one of Tottenham’s attacking players – Dominic Solanke – who was one of the worst-rated performers against Wolves on Sunday.

The England international joined the club from Bournemouth for a reported fee of £55m, with a further £10m in potential add-ons, and has endured a frustrating first season in North London.

Why Dominic Solanke has been a flop for Spurs

For the money that was spent on him last year, Tottenham should expect instant quality from the 27-year-old marksman in his first year at the club.

Solanke arrived as an experienced player, aged 26 at the time of his move, with plenty of Premier League football under his belt for Bournemouth, which meant that he did not have to adjust to the league or the country in order to perform for Spurs.

Despite that, the English dud has failed to deliver goals on a consistent basis for Postecoglou, with a return of just 11 goals in 37 matches in all competitions.

The former Bournemouth star has averaged less than a goal every three games on average, which speaks to his lack of ruthlessness in the final third, and that has also been the case in the Premier League.

24/25 Premier League

Dominic Solanke

Starts

23

xG

9.92

Goals

7

Big chances missed

11

Minutes per goal

290

Assists

3

Duel success rate

39%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Solanke has only scored seven goals in 23 Premier League outings for Spurs this term, underperforming his xG by roughly three goals.

A goal every 290 minutes and a negative xG differential for a £65m-rated, prime-aged, centre-forward is simply not good enough, which may be why the club are now reportedly looking to bolster their attack ahead of next season.

Spurs willing to spend big on Premier League star

According to a report from Spain, Spurs are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The outlet claims that there are six Premier League teams showing an interest in the Brazil international, who scored against Tottenham in the 4-2 win for his side on Sunday.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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It reveals that Aston Villa, Spurs, Newcastle United, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest are all eyeing up a swoop for the ex-Atletico Madrid star.

The report states that the Premier League sides are willing to spend big on the Brazilian dynamo, as they are prepared to pay £75m to land the impressive attacker ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

It does not, however, claim whether or not Wolves would be willing to part ways with him for £75m, or whether or not Cunha would be interested in joining Tottenham, or any of the other teams that are reportedly interested in him.

Spurs must, now, push to convince the forward to join them this summer because he could come in as the huge upgrade that they need on Solanke at the top end of the pitch.

Why Cunha would be a huge upgrade on Solanke

The £75m-rated star would improve Tottenham’s team based on his form for Wolves, who are currently below Spurs in the table, in the Premier League this season.

Cunha has scored 14 goals from 7.27 xG in the top-flight for the Old Gold, which means that he has scored twice as many goals as Solanke despite having fewer high-quality xG chances to find the back of the net.

This shows that he is a ruthless finisher who does not need many high-quality opportunities to score goals at Premier League level, which is not the case with the ex-Bournemouth forward.

As you can see from the goal above, which was described as “Bergkamp-esque” by pundit Ashley Williams, the Brazilian magician has immense quality in the final third and the capacity to score amazing goals.

These statistics, and the nature of his goals for Wolves, suggest that he would be an upgrade on Solanke as a goal threat, by offering a clinical presence in front of goal, rather than being as wasteful as the English flop has been.

24/25 Premier League

Dominic Solanke

Matheus Cunha

Starts

23

24

xG

9.92

7.27

Goals

7

14

Big chances created

6

12

xA

1.15

4.58

Key passes per game

0.6

1.7

Assists

3

4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cunha has significantly outperformed the £65m Spurs signing, who has failed to offer consistent quality as either a scorer or a creator of goals in the top-flight this term.

These statistics suggest that the Wolves sensation would also provide more creativity at the top end of the pitch, given that he has created twice as many ‘big chances’ and more than three times as much xA for his teammates in just one more start.

Therefore, £75m – only £10m more than the deal agreed for Solanke – could be a bargain deal for Spurs if they manage to win the race for his signature in the summer transfer window, because he has the potential to offer twice as much in front of goal, as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

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Cunha would arrive as a Premier League proven star, with room to grow still at the age of 25, and Daniel Levy must, now, push to get this deal done to bolster Postecoglou’s squad for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

For all the flutter the revelation of the plan has created, it remains to be seen how far it will go if the BCCI isn’t on board

Osman Samiuddin19-Mar-2025Plans for a new Grand-Slam-style circuit of T20 tournaments, with financial backing from Saudi Arabia, based on a blueprint drawn up by player associations, represents a bold attempt at an incursion into cricket by forces outside the closed shop that is traditional cricket governance.But for the all the flutter the revelation of the plan has created, it remains to be seen how far it will go if it fails to co-opt, or at least interest, the organisation that holds the key to cricket’s biggest market: the BCCI.Talk of a Saudi Arabian entry into cricket is not new, of course. It’s been a fixture for two years, with only the precise mode of entry a variable: a stake in an IPL franchise, an entirely new league, an unspecified but wholesale takeover of the sport, take your pick. Meanwhile, the country’s actual entry has been far more gradual. Sponsorships at the IPL, a partnership tied up with the ICC and, most recently and definitely most prominently, as host of the IPL auction.Related

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It’s about time, some will argue, given its impact on other major sports. It’s always been a footballing nation – a major Asian force – but it is its forays into boxing, tennis, F1, MMA and golf that have signalled its wider intentions to become a sporting force.At the moment, there is little detail to these plans. Seven to eight teams from around the world, playing four tournaments in a year, each tournament envisaged to last 10-12 days. These are early sketches with little detail on how such tournaments will fit into what is already a calendar bursting at the seams. For it to be incorporated successfully, it would almost certainly need to cause collateral damage, most likely to some formats of international cricket, such as context-less bilateral ODIs and T20Is. Which countries will be involved? And which teams will they send? National sides, as seems to be one suggestion, or those from already established T20 franchise leagues (and so, is this a revival of the Champions League?), or some other elite geographical representation?The IPL apart, how many leagues have actually brought in big broadcast money?•BCCIAs significant as the involvement of SRJ Sports Investments, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund’s sports arm, is that of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) and the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). The idea is said to be the brainchild of Neil Maxwell, the former NSW and Victoria all-rounder and former ACA board member who is now a prominent player manager. It’s been brewing since at least last year, if not earlier. The ACA has confirmed to the that it was behind the idea: “The ACA’s early interest in exploring this concept is motivated by a desire to develop and normalise best-practice collective bargaining and an international gender-equity pay model for male and female cricketers. And to develop a competition creating value for distribution to cricket’s governing bodies to protect and subsidise Test cricket and the continuing growth of the women’s game for all nations.”WCA, which has been advocating for change to the broken international calendar for a number of years, is believed to be taking the lead on plans now. It as offered no comment on the matter, but is busy at the moment with something not entirely unrelated: a comprehensive review of the game’s global structure, the results of which it is due to release imminently. Is more cricket the answer? No, but perhaps the first player-led tournaments in the cricket calendar, somewhat like tennis’ ATP, is (although the tour is currently the subject of a lawsuit by players).This is not unimportant. Players are at the sharpest end of the impossibilities of this calendar and have been vocal about needing change. Given the player associations involved, some of the world’s leading players will be behind this. But this won’t be exactly like the ATP, because the plans also envisage a stake for the ICC. According to some accounts, Danny Townsend, the chief executive of SRJ, is believed to have interacted with Jay Shah on the sidelines of the IPL auction and brought up, albeit briefly, these plans. It would suggest that Saudi Arabia does not want to make the kind of turbulent and disruptive entry into cricket that it has in golf, for example, where it has created a parallel circuit altogether.The talk so far has been that revenue from the circuit will be split in some formulation between SRJ, the player associations and the ICC. The ACA’s statement acknowledges that earnings will find a way back to governing bodies, in the hopes that Test cricket can be subsidised.That revenue, of course, will be the thing because it isn’t clear how and how much of it such a league can generate. The IPL apart, how many leagues have actually brought in big broadcast money? And there are plenty of signs that cricket’s broadcast rights market may have peaked and that the ecosystem is now under stress, as the ongoing tension between the ICC and JioStar over their rights deal suggests. The Saudis can put in the kind of money to start up a league, but what are the prospects of making it – and much more – back?Saudi Arabia’s most prominent incursion into cricket so far was its hosting of the IPL 2025 player auction•BCCIAnd, of course, the reality is that, for that to happen, the circuit will need Indian players. That is why Shah was sought out at the IPL auction, given he was BCCI secretary at the time, as well as the ICC chair-elect. Few things of this magnitude can happen successfully in cricket without Shah – or the BCCI – buying into it. And why would the BCCI buy into a concept that, in its fullest ambitions, actually rivals the IPL?The earliest noises from another major board have been of extreme scepticism. The ECB’s chief executive Richard Gould has told the unequivocally “there is no scope or demand for such an idea,” emboldened, no doubt, by the injection of a half-billion-pound private equity bounty into the Hundred. Other member boards could be swayed by the prospect of another revenue stream, but the bottom line is, if the BCCI is not on board with the plan, a big broadcast deal becomes that much more difficult.A final point to ponder is the idea of the WCA and the ICC working together. The WCA has become increasingly – and justifiably – frustrated with the way the game is being run by the ICC and its members. When it launched its review into the structure, the chair Heath Mills said it had “given up hope” that the game’s leaders could establish a “clear and coherent structure” housing both international cricket and domestic leagues.The relationship has, at times, been adversarial. A number of full members, including the BCCI and PCB, don’t even have player associations. Both the ICC and WCA recently sparred over the former’s use of player image rights. It led to WCA signing a long-term deal with Winners Alliance (an affiliate of the Novak-Djokovic-backed Professional Tennis Players Association, the body currently suing the ATP), which will negotiate collective commercial deals for players who are members of WCA-affiliated players’ associations. A player-led league would be a win for the WCA, but how easy is it going to be when a lot of those players remain contracted to the various member boards that constitute the ICC?It’s almost inevitable that Saudi Arabian money will come into the game. It has broken through into most other major sports and given that attracting Indian tourism remains a key goal, cricket is an obvious in. It’s just far from certain whether this is that way in.

And what is the largest difference between a team’s first-innings and second-innings scores in all first-class cricket?

Steven Lynch23-May-2023I read that Brian Booth, who died last week, also played hockey for Australia at the Olympics. Are there any other Test cricketers who have done this? asked Craig Franklin from Australia

Brian Booth, who sadly died last week aged 89, seems to have been one of those rare cricketers who was universally admired. “A truly great human,” said his former team-mate Kerry O’Keeffe. “Strong claims to captain Aust ‘best blokes’ Test eleven.” Booth played the first of his 29 Tests in England in 1961, and led Australia twice during his final series, the 1965-66 Ashes. He scored five Test hundreds (and a 98). Before his international cricket career started, he had been part of the Australian field hockey squad for the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, and played in some of the later matches.Booth is one of six Test cricketers who also competed at the Olympics. The first was the Essex fast bowler Claude Buckenham, who was part of the Great Britain football team that won the gold medal in Paris in 1900; he played four Tests in South Africa in 1909-10, taking seven wickets in the first in Johannesburg.Another Essex player, Johnny Douglas, won the middleweight boxing gold medal at the 1908 Olympics in London. He went on to play 23 Tests for England between 1911-12 and 1924-25, captaining in most of them. At around the same time, the Somerset batter Jack MacBryan played one Test against South Africa in 1924 (famously not batting or bowling at Old Trafford) after being part of the gold-medal-winning British hockey team in Antwerp in 1920. The New Zealander Keith Thomson had a very busy time in 1968: after playing two Tests against India, he was part of the national hockey squad for the Mexico Olympics. Like Booth, he died in 2023.Coming more up to date, Sunette Viljoen played one Test and 17 ODIs for the South African women’s team, before concentrating on athletics: she competed in all four Olympic Games between 2004 and 2016, winning the silver medal in the javelin in the last, in Rio de Janeiro. Suzie Bates was part of the New Zealand basketball team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and also appeared in 291 white-ball cricket internationals, many as captain – but she never played a Test match.At the weekend Glamorgan made 737 in their second innings, having been skittled for 123 in the first. Is the difference between the innings a record? asked Joe Jervis from England

In a remarkable turnaround, Glamorgan scored 614 more runs in the second innings of their recent County Championship match against Sussex in Hove than in the first. This is indeed a record difference between two completed innings by one side in a first-class match, beating 591 by Karachi Blues (111 and 702 for 7) against United Bank in Karachi in 2016-17.The Test record is 551, by Pakistan (106 and 657 for 8 declared) against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1957-58, in the match in which Hanif Mohammad scored 337 in 970 minutes. There are two other cases of 551 in first-class cricket, by Barbados (175 and 726 for 7 declared) against Trinidad in Bridgetown in 1926-27, and Middlesex (83 and 634 for 7 declared) against Essex in Chelmsford in 1983.Glamorgan’s 737 was their second-highest total, exceeded only by last year’s 795 for 5 declared in Leicester. There have been just four higher second-innings totals in all first-class cricket, the highest being New South Wales’s 770 against South Australia in Adelaide in 1920-21.I was intrigued by last week’s question regarding England players with an X in their surname. How many Pakistan cricketers have names containing a Q? asked Sanjeev Kulkarni from India

There are rather more than the five England Xs when we investigate Pakistan Qs. There are 37 Test players from Pakistan whose names are usually rendered on scorecards with a Q; there are at least four others whose full names also include a Q (for example, the full name of the recent Test batter Yasir Hameed is Yasir Hameed Qureshi).I won’t list all the Q players, but a reasonable Test team can be fielded: for starters, try Sadiq Mohammad, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Mushtaq Mohammad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Asif Iqbal, Abdul Qadir, Zulqarnain, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis and Aqib Javed. Their match would have to be reported by Pakistan’s most durable cricket journalist, Qamar Ahmed. Pride of place, however, should perhaps go to the 1980s seamer Tahir Naqqash, who has two Qs in his name.Chris Martin collected 36 ducks and had a high score of 12 in his Test batting career•William West/AFPChris Martin took 233 wickets and scored 123 runs in his Test career. Is this negative difference of 110 the largest for a Test career? asked Elamaran Perumal from the United States

The New Zealand seamer (and hapless batter) Chris Martin collected 36 ducks in a 71-Test career that brought him just 123 runs to go with those 233 wickets. You’re right in thinking that 110 is the biggest negative difference between runs and wickets in a Test career: next comes the Indian legspin genius Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, with 242 wickets and 167 runs (a difference of -75). Old-time bowlers Jack Saunders of Australia (79 wickets, 39 runs) and England’s Bill Bowes (68 and 28) both had a difference of minus 40.The recent Pakistan seamer Aizaz Cheema had a big negative ratio: 20 wickets, but just one run. The 1930s England legspinner Charles “Father” Marriott and the recent South African seamer Mfuneko “Chewing” Ngam both took 11 Test wickets, but scored no runs at all.Regarding last week’s question about someone spending ten balls on nought in an IPL game, didn’t Dwayne Smith once get off the mark from his 12th ball? asked Rajesh Verma from India

You’re right that the normally attacking West Indian Dwayne Smith spent 11 balls on nought (eight of them, including a first-over maiden, sent down by slow left-armer Shahbaz Nadeem) for Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Daredevils in Raipur in 2015. However, last week’s question specifically asked about IPL chases, so the answers given were correct for teams batting second.Smith’s 11 balls is the most taken to get off the mark in either innings of an IPL match, but someone else has spent even longer on nought: Nayan Doshi faced 13 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Kochi Tuskers in Indore in 2011, being dismissed for a duck by the 13th.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

As a commentator, Robin Jackman gave viewers a sense of friendship both with the man who was talking to them and the game that was his metier. He will be missed

Mark Nicholas27-Dec-2020Christmas Day, 2020, 6.18pm. A text message from the former Northern Transvaal wicketkeeper and presenter-commentator Trevor Quirk:

“Yvonne was not sure about announcing Robin Jackman’s passing at 15.30 this afternoon because she didn’t want to upset everybody’s Xmas but the sad news was spreading like wildfire so we decided it had to be done…needless to say I am devastated but since last night I knew the end was near, he was at home, being nursed by Saint Vonnie. Regards, Trevor”

Yvonne – “Vonnie” – is Jackers’ wife; Quirky – or “Wash” – his best mate. On Christmas Day, of all days, Jackman died from lung and heart conditions that were compounded by a positive coronavirus test on 21st December. It was typical of Yvonne to think of others, even at the time of her husband’s passing. The calendar waits for no man.Four of us – that’s Jackers, Quirky, yours truly and Andre Bruyns, the former Western Province batsman, had lunch three weeks ago in Cape Town. It was predictable fare and none the worse for being so: a few beers, a piece of fish, and gallons of white wine. We told stories – some old, some new, some borrowed, one or two blue – and reflected on the game we love and its changing ways. Jackers was beside himself at the brilliance of the batting in T20 cricket and wondered how on earth the bowlers coped.Related

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“Everyone says bowl yorkers but they ramp and scoop those for six!” he says, before adding “I’d be hopeless and lose my rag and eff and blind and carry on and curse the people who invented the bloody format in the first place. But I love watching it; love the way the game has found a place for itself throughout the ages.”He arrived at the restaurant carrying a mobile respirator. (“All the fags – if you know any smokers, tell them to pack in, now.”) He had put on a bit of weight and bandages hid the cuts and bruises from a recent fall. Later, friends asked me how he was. Full of spirit and bonhomie, I replied, but short of breath. Truth was, he had admitted the respirator was evidence of the inevitable. “My own fault, those cigarettes, old boy.” I didn’t take it that he saw the inevitable as immediate. In fact, the impression was that he had a few years in him yet. We had lunch in the diary for March next year but instead of sharing it with him in person, we shall share his memory and raise a glass or two in his name.Bob Willis and Robin Jackman in little more than a year. Very good, if very different, cricketers, and equally the best of men: once at Surrey together until Bob broke ranks for Edgbaston and England; another Surrey man, John Edrich, in the past few days too. These are bad blows.I first came across Jackers in a Benson and Hedges Cup match at the Oval. Greener than green was I, and he, by no means long in the tooth, was typically off his long run. In this sparrow scampered, little legs working like pistons, to bowl swing and seam from a sideways-on action at medium-fast and dress it up with a bouncer or two and a volley of verbals. From the inside edge of my bat, past square leg, came my first run. “Another one coached by effing Sainsbury!” he exclaimed, in reference to the Hampshire coach and former allrounder whose penchant for the leg side was the stuff of county cricket legend. After which, I made to whip a straight ball through midwicket, only for it to swing away late and fly from the outside edge of my bat over gully for four. “Never, ever play against the spin son, never.” Somehow, I scored 10, I think, but was greatly humbled: Jackman one end, Sylvester Clarke the other was no country for young men. Guess who was the first to come and introduce himself in the bar after play, buy a drink and chew the cud. My tormentor, of course.

Jackers was hit in the throat by Malcolm Marshall. He slumped to the ground and for a moment lay still enough to have left us. We rushed to his side. As those bright eyes opened, he waspishly asked if our fast bowler might slow down a bit

A couple of years later, at the denouement of a tight, low-scoring match, again at the Oval, Jackers was hit in the throat by Malcolm Marshall. He slumped, dead weight, to the ground and for a moment lay still enough to have left us. We rushed to his side and as those bright eyes opened, he waspishly asked if our fast bowler might slow down a bit. Up he sprang to soldier on, in vain it transpired, by just three runs.It was the throat, of course, that was to cause him such grief later in life. After operations to remove malignant tumours eight years ago, he went through radiotherapy and never quite recovered his brilliance in the commentary box. That rasping voice, once a feature, was sadly diminished, and as fatigue set in, it became little more than a whisper.How he missed life on the road! At home he watched with a keen eye, sent texts with intelligent observations, and occasionally called if something was awry – a rogue graphic, perhaps, or a fact misplaced. He was a fine broadcaster, astute, accurate, and driven by a lifelong love affair with the game. His relaxed style of delivery brought informality to a medium overrun by stilted former players well short of his natural flair for the job. In short, he gave the viewers a sense of friendship both with the man who was talking to them and the game that was his metier.Last year he suffered a serious heart attack in the Eastern Cape and after a dramatic day trying to secure medical help, was booked into an East London hospital to be fitted with a pacemaker.There have been three lunches since and any number of laughs. We shared an infatuation with Tottenham Hotspur, and having rejoiced in Mauricio Pochettino, rather grumbled and mumbled of late about José Mourinho. We didn’t buy the trophy-winning argument. “Would rather they played with flair and adventure frankly,” he said three weeks ago. “Bloody good group of players, why tie them up in defence!” Agreed, Robin, agreed.Jackman signs copies of his autobiography in 2012, the year he was first diagnosed with cancer•Associated PressApparently, his death had nothing directly to do with the cancer, though clearly, such shortness of breath from the lungs left him open to Covid. The respirator provided essential relief for pulmonary fibrosis, and the virus, like a bowler examining the opposing batsman’s technique, fed from the weakness it found.Since hearing the news, I have thought about his mother and father, who loved to watch him play and took every opportunity to spend time with him and Yvonne in Cape Town. Jackers was born in the Indian hill town, Shimla, where his father, a colonel in the 2nd Gurkas, was serving the last months of his military life. He had lost a leg during the war and was invalided home and into semi-retirement. His wife, Joyce, was of the acting fraternity and her son’s early enthusiasm was for the stage. He sort of achieved that ambition, delighting friend and foe alike with an ability to transform even a pedestrian day of cricket into a little piece of theatre. He turned “pro” at the age of six – sixpence from the colonel if he hit the handkerchief, a penny deducted if he slipped one down the leg side. “Dad lost,” said Jackers. At The Oval, on soulless summer days in front of next to no one, he would respond to the echo of hand clap after a tight maiden with “Thanks Mum” or “Bless you Colonel!”Jackman took 1402 first-class wickets, by the way, and further 439 in one-day matches. Of these, 14 were claimed in four Test matches, all played past the age of 35. He achieved more than what might have been expected from his height of 5ft 9in, but boy, those Test caps made him feel ten feet tall.Jackers’ energy, zest and commitment were an ongoing lesson and inspiration to all, not least in South Africa, where his determination to justify the faith in him shown by both Western Province and Rhodesia was well rewarded. He was to make Cape Town home, a fabulous South African girl his wife, the Proteas his team, and Castle Lager his tipple of choice.I miss him already. He held little gems beneath that weathered exterior, and from all of them, I leave you with this from his days as coach of Western Province.”We’ve got a kid here who’s going to be as good as Barry Richards.” Yeah, right Jackers. And the kid’s name? Jacques Kallis. Good call old friend, good call. Again.In closing, I defer to a mightier force, a tweet from Lord Botham of Ravensworth, once just plain ol’ Beefy:

Today only gets worse….Robin Jackman passed away our thoughts are with Vonny and the family so sad …….see you at the watering hole in the sky Jackers. RIP X

— Ian Botham (@BeefyBotham) December 25, 2020