With the BPL embroiled in fixing allegations, the BCB’s new anti-corruption consultant is designing a new integrity unit
Mohammad Isam19-Aug-2025Alex Marshall, the new consultant to the BCB’s anti-corruption department, wants to strengthen the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) so that it doesn’t look like a “vulnerable” competition to bookies and other corruptors. Marshall, who was the ICC’s anti-corruption unit general manager until September last year, has been appointed by the BCB for a year.He arrived in Dhaka on Monday, and met BCB president Aminul Islam and the rest of the directors on Tuesday. Marshall said he would look at every aspect of the BPL, including team ownership structure, so that the tournament’s foundation is less susceptible to corruption.”The biggest threat to any franchise league around the world is when it appears vulnerable,” Marshall said. “That’s why we need to ensure the BPL does not give off that impression. The way the tournament is run, how finances are managed, and how team ownership is structured – all of these must be handled at a high, professional standard and properly safeguarded.Related
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“The reality is, if a franchise league isn’t seen as professional and well-protected, it eventually becomes a target for corruptors. We’ve seen this happen in many countries, and the BPL has also faced issues in the past. That’s why it’s essential for a new integrity unit to provide the protection the league needs.”The fallout from the BPL’s last season, which finished in February this year, is still making headlines in Bangladesh. The board appointed an independent investigation committee following a swirl of corruption allegations in the BPL. Eight months on, the three-member committee is still wrapping up its investigation, with the BCB expecting the primary report later this month. The committee has reportedly uncovered several spot-fixing cases in the last five BPL seasons, including the 2024-25 edition.The BCB is also still dealing with two franchises, Durbar Rajshahi and Chittagong Kings, who have dues pending with the board and players. The BCB recently released a statement detailing how much they are owed by Chittagong. BPL apart, the BCB’s anti-corruption unit is also investigating a controversial stumping incident in last season’s Dhaka Premier League, the country’s main List A competition.Alex Marshall: ‘I am working with the board and the president to design an integrity unit that gives the right level of protection that is deserved within Bangladesh’•Getty Images
Marshall said he had found the full support of the BCB’s directors, including president Aminul, as he looks to redesign the anti-corruption unit. He said much would depend on how much the unit can educate players, coaches and officials to shield them from corruptors.”I am working with the board and the president to design an integrity unit that gives the right level of protection that is deserved within Bangladesh,” Marshall said. “I will complete that design over the next three or four weeks, and I will then present that back to the board for their sign-off.”Therefore, after that point, you would see the implementation of the unit. But that’s just one moment of creating something. The effort needs to be long-term education, [and] protection. And if someone breaches the rules, they need to know they will be investigated and they will be prosecuted.”
Barcelona presidential hopeful Xavier Vilajoana has accused Joan Laporta’s board of “lying” about the club’s financial situation and called for transparency over Lionel Messi’s 2021 exit. A new independent report commissioned by the former board member claims that Barca’s debt has ballooned to €4.12 billion, sparking questions about the club’s claims of economic recovery and whether Messi’s departure was really driven by finances at all.
Report exposes record debt as Laporta faces fresh scrutiny
The foundations of Laporta’s presidency have come under renewed fire following the publication of the “Economic X-ray of FC Barcelona (2005-2025)” report – a detailed, independent analysis presented at the Foment de Treball headquarters in Barcelona. Commissioned by Vilajoana, a former Barca director and now potential presidential challenger, the study paints a worrying picture of the club’s financial trajectory. According to the report, Barcelona’s total debt has reached €4.12 billion, the highest in European football history, marking a 293% increase since 2021.
It directly challenges Laporta’s long-standing narrative that his administration “saved” the club from economic collapse. The report claims that even excluding the Espai Barca project €2.82 billion, operational and financial debts still exceed €1.3 billion – more than what Laporta inherited from Josep Maria Bartomeu’s regime.
Perhaps most damningly, it accuses the club of using €929 million from asset sales (TV rights, Barca Studios, VIP seats) to finance everyday operations rather than long-term recovery – a strategy that Vilajoana calls “deceptive and unsustainable.”
As pressure mounts, Vilajoana has demanded answers from Laporta, insisting that the club’s financial story has been “twisted to mislead members.”
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‘Pretending the numbers balance is not saving the club’ – Vilajoana slams Laporta’s management
Speaking during the report’s presentation, Vilajoana issued a scathing assessment of how the Laporta administration has handled finances, membership relations, and transparency.
He accused the board of covering up a worsening financial situation, saying: “In these four years, Laporta has sold nearly €900 million of inherited assets. Without that inheritance, accumulated losses would already exceed €1 billion, a figure equivalent to the total value of the current first-team squad.
“The economic data reveal a situation far more delicate than the president has publicly admitted. The study detects accounting manipulation practices intended to present a recovery that does not match the Club’s financial reality.
“In total, more than €380 million would have been included in the accounts without a real basis, altering the perception of debt and results. These operations do not reduce actual debt; they only hide it. Pretending the numbers balance is not saving the club, it is deceiving it."
‘Let Laporta tell us the truth’ – Messi’s departure questioned amid claims of deceit
Among the most striking claims in Vilajoana’s report is the suggestion that Messi’s departure may not have been purely financial. The former Barca director called on Laporta to “finally tell the truth” about why the Argentine legend was allowed to leave.
“Messi’s departure was based on financial reasons. It was said that the club couldn't afford the best player in the world. If the reason was financial, I don't see it anywhere now,” Vilajoana stated. “Let Laporta tell us the real reason why Messi was let go. Messi should be left alone. The club is his home, regardless of the president. It would be a mistake to try to take over a figure like him.”
He also used the report to highlight cuts to La Masia, which he argues have jeopardised Barcelona’s most reliable long-term asset: “Laporta lives off La Masia’s successes while reducing investment. Since his term began, he has cut La Masia’s investment from €40m to €25m. If we are to learn anything from this economic disaster, it’s that La Masia is Barca’s best asset.”
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Vilajoana to launch presidential project ahead of 2026 elections
While the report sharply criticises the club’s leadership, Vilajoana’s message was not one of despair but of renewal. He announced that he will formally present his electoral project on November 27, outlining an alternative vision built on transparency, accountability, and youth development.
“If I run, it will be with the intention of proposing, explaining, and persuading,” he said. “I don't like 'Frankenstein' projects everyone should forge their own path. I'm going to work on mine.”
Closing his address, Vilajoana expressed cautious optimism that the club can recover if leadership changes course: “I’m optimistic because we’ll deal with it when we can. Barca has a solution, but it requires will and responsibility. What we can’t do is say that everything is fantastic for four years.”
As Barcelona prepare for next summer’s elections, the controversy surrounding Messi’s departure and Laporta’s financial stewardship is certain to dominate the campaign trail. Whether Laporta chooses to respond to the accusations or continue to deflect remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Barca’s financial narrative is once again under the microscope.
The Seattle Mariners have acquired Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of
Naylor is slashing .292/.360/.447 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI for Arizona this season.
In exchange for Naylor, the Mariners are sending left-hander Brandyn Garcia and righty Ashton Izzy in the deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The 25-year-old Garcia has appeared in two games for Seattle this season, and has posted a 4.50 ERA across two innings of work in relief. Izzy, meanwhile, is a 21-year-old who has pitched this season for high-A Everett. He has accumulated a 5.51 ERA across 41.1 innings.
To hear Clayton Kershaw speak after his Tuesday outing against the Reds at Dodger Stadium, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was lamenting a night that didn’t go his team’s way.
“It was pretty evident that it wasn’t gonna be a long night for me.”
“It wasn’t a great night stuff-wise.”
“It was pretty obvious to me after the first batter that my slider wasn’t great. I just didn’t feel like I had the arm speed.”
The lefthander wasn’t telling mistruths, exactly—he lasted only 72 pitches; the average velocities on all of his offerings were down across the board, relative to his 2025 averages; he allowed hits to two of the first three Reds batters to fall behind 1–0 in the top of the first.
But that was all the offense Cincinnati would muster against the future Hall of Famer. Kershaw set down the next 14 in a row to spearhead a 6–3 Dodgers victory.
The performance was the latest in what’s been a late-career revival for Kershaw, now in his 18th season and somehow—after all the injuries, surgeries and missed time—still finding new ways to dominate. He picked up the win in Tuesday’s game by allowing only the one run in five innings, logging six strikeouts with no walks.
It was Kershaw’s fifth win in as many outings, his first five-start winning streak since 2022. It also marked just the fourth time in his career he’s had five wins in a calendar month (the last was June 2017).
In some ways—namely, the results—it looks like the Kershaw of old. And in most others, it’s a completely different pitcher compared to the one who captured three Cy Young Awards and an MVP in a four-year span during the prime of his career.
For example: Would the Kershaw of 10 years ago have taken well to his manager pulling him after just 72 pitches and five one-run innings?
“Oh, not at all. Not at all,” Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts said after the game. “I think that Father Time gets everyone, and I think that he’s smart enough to understand how many bullets he has.”
Kershaw and manager Dave Roberts have developed a strong understanding of one another in their decade together. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Roberts and Kershaw have worked together now for a decade, and the manager feels he has a good sense of knowing how his veteran pitcher is feeling physically based on his demeanor. When he’s “more approachable” and “not as edgy,” it’s a sign that the 37-year-old’s body is in a good place.
“I think when you’ve had the track record that he has, you can sort of go to your strengths all the time, and you seem to always find success doing it that way,” Roberts said after the game. “Just in the last couple of years, he’s been more open to doing different things, and I commend him for that.”
For Kershaw, “different things” means forgoing strikeouts and pitching to contact—soft contact, more often than not. Though Tuesday’s six punchouts saw his season strikeout rate go up, it still sits at a mere 16.3%, easily the lowest of his career. His 50% ground ball rate is his best since 2020, and his home run rate (0.7 per nine innings) is his lowest in a season in which he’s made at least 10 starts since ‘16.
Much has been made of how the Dodgers’ many pitching injuries this year—and really, for several years now—could be their ultimate undoing. At one point in mid-June, the team had 14 different pitchers on the injured list. That low point came not long after Kershaw made his season debut, and even the most optimistic projections for the Dodgers icon couldn’t have foreseen how critical he would be to the team’s hopes of a championship defense.
Shoulder surgery prevented Kershaw from making his 2024 debut until late July, and a bone spur in his toe limited him to just seven starts on the year. Offseason knee and toe surgeries kept him out until mid-May this season, and after a few up-and-down outings, he’s finally found a groove that’s provided some much-needed stability for his team’s rotation.
“The thing that’s been most impressive is his efficiency. He’s getting strike one, he’s putting the ball in play, getting quick outs,” Roberts said of Kershaw’s recent form. “I think he’s very cognizant of the fact that he only has so many bullets each night, so he’s not gonna waste them throwing balls.”
Since June 8, Kershaw is a blistering 9–2 with a 2.60 ERA over 72 2/3 innings. Embracing his new identity as a tinkerer rather than someone who overpowers hitters with dominant stuff, he’s only managed 50 strikeouts during this stretch. But he’s getting results by limiting traffic to the tune of a 1.04 WHIP, and he’s logged the most innings of any Dodgers starter over that time frame.
It’s been Kershaw’s most successful stretch in years. Only Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta has more wins (10) since that June 8 cutoff, and only nine other starters have a lower ERA.
Lowest ERAs Since June 8 (qualified starters):
Players
W–L
ERA
Trevor Rogers, Orioles
7–2
1.52
Paul Skenes, Pirates
4–3
2.09
Lucas Giolito, Red Sox
8–1
2.31
Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies
6–4
2.33
Tarik Skubal, Tigers
5–2
2.40
Garrett Crochet, Red Sox
8–1
2.41
Zack Wheeler, Phillies
4–3
2.44
Freddy Peralta, Brewers
10–1
2.47
Nick Pivetta, Padres
7–2
2.54
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
9–2
2.60
For the pitching-starved Dodgers, Kershaw picked the perfect time for a hot streak. Between June 8 and Tuesday’s outing, the Dodgers used 10 different starting pitchers. The other nine combined for a 13–14 record and 4.18 ERA. Since Kershaw’s season debut on May 17, the team is 12–5 when he pitches and 27–25 when he doesn’t.
As the future Hall of Famer has found a way to turn back the clock, slowly but surely, the rest of the Dodgers’ banged-up rotation has pulled itself back together. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are both healthy again, and Shohei Ohtani is now able to pitch deep into games after recovering from elbow surgery (he recorded his first win in over two years on Wednesday, striking out nine Reds over five one-run innings). Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been steady all season, and now the star-studded pitching staff Dodgers fans have dreamed of is fully operational.
If things hold steady over the next month, Roberts could have a problem all 29 other managers would envy: choosing a four-man playoff rotation out of this group. Whether or not Kershaw makes the cut remains to be seen. He was not healthy during last year’s championship run. His last playoff outing saw him record just one out and allow six runs in an 11–2 defeat to the Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the 2023 NLDS, a series in which Los Angeles was swept.
With the Dodgers in a neck-and-neck battle with the Padres for the NL West crown, that question remains for another day. For now, Kershaw is content to contribute to his team’s winning ways.
“It was a good August. Physically, everything feels good,” Kershaw said. “Everything changes from start to start sometimes, but overall, it was great, and the team got a lot of wins, which is great. It’s fun to be a part of it this time of year.”
In the bowels of Dodger Stadium, the hallway leading to the home clubhouse is lined with blown up covers featuring Dodgers players throughout the decades. Among them is a 2013 MLB season preview with Kershaw on the cover, with a story tease labeled “Generation K: Why Strikeouts Rule the Game.”
The Kershaw who led the league in strikeouts that year and won his second Cy Young Award is gone. But the one that remains today is proving night in and night out that it’s not too late for him to be the team’s savior, albeit with a completely new style.
“I didn’t have a lot of stuff, didn’t have a lot of life on the fastball or really anything … It worked out through five,” Kershaw said of his performance Tuesday. “I don’t know how much longer it would have worked out, but it worked out through five.”
If the last three months are any indication, it could work at least a little bit longer, when the Dodgers will need it most.
The assistant coach during Scotland’s run to their maiden World Cup is New Zealand’s frontline offspinner at the tournament
Shashank Kishore02-Oct-2024In June 2022, Leigh Kasperek, at 30, found herself at a crossroads. She had just lost her New Zealand central contract and wasn’t sure of her immediate international future. But a trip to Scotland to see family that winter opened new doors.A casual stop at the Scotland camp to catch-up with old friends led to her stumbling upon an opportunity to coach. In April this year, Kasperek was Scotland’s assistant coach at the T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE. Now, Kasperek has returned to Dubai to be a part of the World Cup, not as a coach though, but as New Zealand’s frontline offspinner.On Thursday, when Scotland play their first-ever women’s T20 World Cup game against Bangladesh, Kasperek “will have a small piece of my heart” with the team that she was a part of not long ago.Related
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“When one door shuts, you have no option but to try and see how another one opens,” Kasperek says philosophically. “Watching the Scotland girls go about their work [during her stint with the team] and enjoying themselves was a good reminder of why you play the game.”Now, as a player, I am just trying to embrace that a little bit in my own cricket moving forward. It [coaching] probably gave me a little bit of an outside perspective. It’s pretty funny because when I was coaching on the sidelines, I felt very relaxed. I just enjoyed watching the girls go out there, and I have been able to take that little bit more of that into my playing career again.”At Scotland, Kasperek was coach to many whom she grew up playing with. Like Abbi Aitken-Drummond, the former Scotland captain. They played pathways cricket together until Kasperek decided to embark on an adventure of a lifetime.In Dubai, Kasperek and Aitken-Drummond may not cross paths on the field as New Zealand and Scotland are in different groups – the top two from each group make the semi-finals. “I’m looking forward to seeing her in the semi-finals,” Kasperek laughs.”Abbi has gone through some injuries, had a kid and now has fought her way back in. For someone like her who has gone through the tough times, it means a lot to make it to a World Cup.
“Watching the Scotland girls go about their work and enjoying themselves was a good reminder of why you play the game. Now, as a player, I am just trying to embrace that a little bit in my own cricket moving forward”Leigh Kasperek
“Priyanaz Chatterji and I played Under-17s [together]. So yeah, it was an obvious decision to be able to work with them in a different capacity [when the opportunity came]. It was really rewarding and enjoyable. I’ll be rooting for them when they play that first game.”Kasperek’s own career received a massive fillip earlier this year. Having been recalled during the T20I leg of a tough England tour in June-July, she will now feature in her fourth T20 World Cup, having played previously in 2016, 2018 and 2020.”I actually first got a call-up last July as a replacement for the Sri Lanka tour, but it was totally out of the blue,” Kasperek says. “I was meant to be away in the Netherlands with the Scotland team but had to pull out of the tour when I got the call.”I came back from Sri Lanka and kept working with Scotland and went to the pre-qualifiers in Spain, where we came up against sides like Italy and France. Then they [Scotland] had a great series in Ireland. Then I came back to play for Wellington in the [New Zealand] domestic summer. So yeah, it’s been quite an interesting journey.”Scotland were keen on having her as part of the backroom for the World Cup, but she wasn’t going to let a chance of playing for New Zealand pass.Scotland are playing their first women’s cricket World Cup, across formats•ICC/Getty Images”It would’ve been lovely to play in Bangladesh [the original hosts for this World Cup], with all those spinning wickets,” she chuckles. “But I guess the UAE isn’t all that bad in terms of pitches either. As a spinner, it’s just trying to add more tricks to your bowling in terms of change of pace and angles, to stay one step ahead.”Another change in the women’s game [compared to the men’s] is only having four fielders out [after the powerplay]. So, I guess, in a sense you’re slightly limited in what lines you can go with. Sometimes you feel like you can bowl really well and get hit around the park and it can be the other way round too, so yeah, I’m always on my toes.”Kasperek’s perspective on her own cricket may have changed in recent times, but not the drive to keep getting better. Her decision to leave Otago and move to Wellington in early 2021, once cricket resumed post-pandemic, is a prime example.”I made the move because at the time it had the best training structure in New Zealand,” she says. “I just thought if I wanted to try and kick on a little bit with my cricket then, they had like full-time coaches and great facilities. I just thought that I wanted to try and give myself the best chance to improve. And I really enjoyed the city, the vibe around the team we’ve got there.”Kasperek still divides her time between New Zealand and Scotland, but there’s more clarity and purpose to her pursuits. “It’s been hectic, but also very rewarding,” she says. “I guess I really had to invest in other parts of my life outside of [playing] cricket. It was forced upon me [because of not having a contract].”Having got into coaching, I feel a lot less daunted about the future planning. Even if I won’t get many more opportunities [to play], the place I’m in today, I’ll be okay. I’ve enjoyed coaching and would love to go down that path.”For now, winning as many games as possible for New Zealand will do.
Former Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz believes a move to Lyon could be the best step for Endrick if the Brazilian leaves the club in January, saying regular minutes matter more than staying on the bench at the Bernabeu. Mariano, who made the same move in 2017 after struggling for game time, says there is "life beyond" Madrid.
Endrick’s season stalled at Real Madrid
Los Blancos signed Endrick from Palmeiras in 2022 in a deal worth up to €60 million. His first year under Carlo Ancelotti showed promise, with seven goals in 37 appearances, but injuries halted his progress heading into this season. A hamstring injury kept him out of the Club World Cup and the start of the new campaign. By the time he returned, new manager Xabi Alonso had settled on other attacking options, leaving Endrick with just one brief appearance against Valencia earlier this month, where he played just 11 minutes. The lack of consistent minutes has raised concerns about his development, especially with the World Cup coming next year.
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Mariano advises Endrick to embrace a move abroad
Speaking to , Mariano sees parallels between their situations and says leaving Madrid does not mean giving up on a future at the club.
“If Endrick ends up leaving, or a player who isn’t getting much playing time has to go abroad to play, I would tell him to enjoy it a lot, to appreciate that if he’s going to be a starter on the team, that’s the best thing that can happen to him,” Diaz said.
He stressed that regular starts give players a real chance to prove their ability.
"You have to try to prove yourself when they give you that confidence, because it’s not the same when you play a few minutes every three games. You can’t prove your worth in a few minutes. But if they trust you and you’re a starter, that’s when you can prove a lot of things. In this case, if he [Endrick] leaves, he could also return to Madrid," the 32-year-old added.
Endrick stands at same career crossroads Mariano faced
The Dominican Republic international knows what it feels like to wait for chances at Madrid. The forward broke into the senior team during the 2016-17 season, scoring five goals in 14 appearances, but spent most of his time behind the famous 'BBC' trio of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Los Blancos went on to win the Champions League and enjoy their most successful campaign in decades, but Mariano’s role was limited.
"It was one of the best teams I’ve ever played for because it wasn’t just the starters, but also what the press called ‘Plan B’. It was a bit curious, but the truth is that Plan B was like Plan A."
At the end of that season, Diaz moved to Lyon to play regularly, a decision he now sees as crucial in his development. However, he returned a year later after Cristiano Ronaldo's shocking move to Juventus.
"As it was Madrid, I wasn’t going to say no,” Mariano recalled. "But they told me that this time it would be different, and that was one of the reasons I wanted to return."
Injuries derailed his progress, and he was again playing a bench role until his exit in 2023.
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Brazilian forward sees Lyon as the right move for development
Several clubs have shown interest in Endrick, including Manchester United, who saw him as a replacement option after Benjamin Sesko’s injury. But the 19-year-old prefers Lyon, viewing the French club as a place where he can earn minutes, regain confidence and stay in contention for the 2026 World Cup with Brazil. Madrid had initially wanted to loan him within La Liga to help him adapt more smoothly and keep him close to home as he approaches Spanish citizenship in six months. However, Endrick pushed for a move abroad, prioritising consistent game time over location.
Ancelotti, now the Brazil national team coach, is yet to call up the young forward in any of the international breaks. However, the former Madrid coach has also urged him to play regularly if he wants to remain in the national-team picture.
"He has to think with his entourage about what’s best. Talk to the club, to see what’s best for him. Endrick is very young, this won’t be his last World Cup," he said. "He could play in the 2026 World Cup, because he has the quality for it, but he could also be in the 2030 World Cup, or the 2034 World Cup, and maybe even the 2038 World Cup (laughs). I believe it’s important for him to get back to playing and show his qualities.”
Allrounder’s 19, three wickets and two catches proved too much for Originals, who are now bottom
ECB Media13-Aug-2025Welsh Fire 137 for 8 (Smith 26, Kohler-Cadmore 26, Tongue 3-25) beat Manchester Originals 112 (Buttler 57, Meredith 4-9) by 25 runsAussie pace bowler Riley Meredith cranked it up in front of a raucous Cardiff crowd, taking 4 for 9 as Welsh Fire defeated Manchester Originals by 25 runs.There were also three-fors for both Chris Green (3 for 19) and David Payne (3 for 14) as a brilliant fielding and bowling performance earned Fire a much deserved win.Bowling first, Originals got off to a flying start, Sonny Baker having Jonny Bairstow caught by Lewis Gregory at slip with his fifth ball.Fire reached 28 for 1 after the powerplay, 22 of the runs to Steve Smith, including a stunning six over point off Josh Tongue.Tongue soon got his revenge, seeing Smith caught behind for 26. Fire then lost Luke Wells to Scott Currie for 13, reaching 57 for 3 at the halfway point.Tongue returned to remove Abell (22) and Currie got rid of Saif Zaib (15), both caught behind by Jos Buttler, the Fire innings threatening to fizzle out at 108 for 6.Chris Green added some late impetus, striking two sixes in his nine-ball 19, as Fire closed on 137 for 8, Currie (3 for 21) and Tongue (3 for 25) the pick of the Originals’ attack.A brilliant burst of 3 for 6 from 10 balls by Riley Meredith saw the backs of Phil Salt (3), McKinney (10) and Mark Chapman (0), Salt spectacularly caught at deep backward-square by Green, as the Fire started well on top.Buttler began the counterattack, hitting Paul Walter for back-to-back boundaries, but the Fire struck a huge blow when they had Heinrich Klaasen (11) caught in the deep off Green.Buttler kept going, bringing up his fifty from 28 balls with a six off Green, but the off-spinner then struck twice, taking the key wickets of Buttler (57) and Gregory (21), both caught at deep midwicket by Abell, before Payne and Meredith cleaned up the tail.Meerkat Match Hero Chris Green said: “It was a lot of fun. The last two games here have been an amazing atmosphere. The support here in Cardiff has been fantastic and it was great to reward that support with a win here tonight.”Tommy Abell thought 130 was defendable, there was a bit of hold for the off-cutters for the seamers and a bit of hold for the spinners as well.”Riley Meredith was outstanding up front and probably should be standing here because I thought he broke the game open. The energy we had and the support we had tonight got us over the line and we go into a big game in London on Saturday.”
Thomas Frank’s position as Tottenham Hotspur manager is under scrutiny following the 4-1 North London derby defeat against Arsenal.
Tottenham’s humiliating defeat at the Emirates Stadium was arguably the low point of the Frank era so far, hardly laying a glove on their bitter rivals, with their only goal coming from a piece of Richarlison magic and just 0.07 expected goals (xG) recorded by the visitors.
Spurs have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table, but they are still within touching distance of the Champions League places, despite picking up just one point in their last three games.
It is the manner of the loss that will be particularly concerning, however, with Frank’s side once again looking extremely poor going forward, having also struggled to create any opportunities in the 1-0 home defeat against Chelsea.
As such, the manager is undoubtedly under pressure, and there has now been a new update on his future in north London.
Tottenham players concerned by Frank's tactics and lineups
In a report for The Telegraph, journalist Matt Law has revealed the Tottenham hierarchy are determined to give the Dane time to put things right, despite the disappointing loss against the Gunners, but some players have two very worrying concerns.
Indeed, some members of the squad believe the 52-year-old has been focusing on the opposition too much, instead of concentrating on the strengths of his own players, with sources around Spurs also of the belief he has chopped and changed his forward line too much.
Only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea have rotated their starting XI more often than the Lilywhites this season, which is named as one of the reasons for the inconsistent results, but Frank seemingly remains safe in his job for the time being.
Thomas Frank’s Tottenham record
Games
19
Wins
8
Draws
5
Losses
6
Points per game
1.53
It would be a little early to relieve the manager from his duties, given that Spurs are within touching distance of the play-offs, but the negative approach has to be called into question.
When asked whether he was surprised by Tottenham’s defensive approach, Leandro Trossard said: “Yeah, maybe a bit. Because as I said, it’s still Spurs. But we have been facing a back five a lot of times this season, so we’re kind of used to it.”
It is understandable not to play an extremely high line away against Arsenal, given that they have the joint-best attacking record in the Premier League, but the lack of attacking threat is inexcusable.
It is a short turnaround for Tottenham, who face another tough test away against reigning Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
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