He played 16 Test matches for Australia between 1966 and 1970

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jul-2023Former Australia and New South Wales wicketkeeper Brian Taber has died at the age of 83.Taber, who played 16 Test matches for Australia between 1966 and 1970, passed away on Friday.He made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg where he claimed seven catches and a stumping. He would go on to also face England, India and West Indies during his career.His highest Test score of 48 came against West Indies at Sydney in 1969 in a match Australia won by 382 runs.Taber was widely regarded as one of the best wicketkeepers to represent Australia and was renowned for his impeccable glovework and calm demeanour behind the stumps.In his domestic career, he played more than 100 games for New South Wales and is a member of the state’s Hall of Fame.After finishing playing, he held various roles within the game, including NSW coach and selector and manager of the Australian Under-19 men’s team.”Brian’s vast popularity among former team-mates, and all those fortunate enough to have known him, is just one indication of the impact he had on our game,” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said.”Brian had a passion for the development of young players, and it is fitting that the Player of the Tournament at the Men’s National Under-19 Championships will continue to receive the Brian Taber Medal.”Cricket NSW CEO, Lee Germon, said: “His contribution to Australian cricket was immense, as a player, coach, manager and selector. Tabsy was universally loved for both his skill as a wicketkeeper and his character as a person. He was such a nice, genuine guy and he will be greatly missed by all.”

Ahead of the summer transfer window, Carlos Ancelotti has reportedly set his sights on bringing an impressive Everton star to Real Madrid in what would deal David Moyes a frustrating blow.

Everton transfer news

Moyes has so far picked up where he left off at Everton over a decade ago, even giving Goodison Park a final Merseyside derby to remember courtesy of James Tarkowski’s stunning last-minute equaliser. It’s the type of moment that he will hope to witness at the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium which recently hosted its first test event – an academy fixture between Everton and Wigan Athletic.

Meanwhile, back at Goodison Park the senior side are preparing to welcome a struggling Manchester United side in the hope of making it five games without defeat in the Premier League.

Victory would also see the Toffees move four points clear of the Red Devils – representing just how much Moyes’ arrival has turned things around for those in Merseyside. That success is not going unnoticed, however, and one particular player is now reportedly attracting quite the attention.

According to The Mirror, Ancelotti now personally wants Real Madrid to sign Jarrad Branthwaite, who could be allowed to leave Everton for the right price this summer despite watching on as Manchester United’s bids were rejected in pursuit of his signature last year.

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Worth £75m in the eyes of the Merseyside club last season, it remains to be seen if that valuation will stick one year on. After a difficult start to the campaign, Branthwaite has burst back into life under Moyes and back into the headlines on the transfer front.

Still just 22 years old, the central defender could yet reunite with the man who handed him his Everton debut if Real Madrid come calling this summer.

"Excellent" Branthwaite could have decision to make

Just like last summer, Branthwaite could have the ultimate decision to make when the transfer window swings open. Except this time, it’s Real Madrid knocking and not a fragile Manchester United side. Whether the defender swings the door open this time around remains to be seen, but the La Liga giants are rarely turned down.

Moyes, just as Sean Dyche was, will be keen to keep hold of the future of Everton’s backline who has been back to his best as of late. Dubbed “excellent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Branthwaite is back on the rise.

As the summer approaches and Everton prepare to say goodbye to Goodison Park, they’ll be hoping to avoid the added farewell of star defender Branthwaite, who has already stepped up under Moyes.

Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed that former central midfielder and Scotland international Barry Ferguson will be in interim charge of the club until the end of the season.

Philippe Clement was relieved of his duties by the Ibrox giants on Sunday after the 2-0 loss to St Mirren on Saturday left them still 13 points behind Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premiership title.

A takeover involving the San Francisco 49ers’ investment wing is expected to be completed between April and June and this may be why they have decided to go with an interim before the new ownership can make a decision on the long-term direction of the club in the summer.

There are still several months left and many matches to be played before the end of the 2024/25 campaign, though, and Ferguson will get a chance to lead the side out in the Premiership and the Europa League.

Barry Ferguson's Rangers to-do list

The former Rangers star is tasked with stabilising the team and ensuring that whoever takes over in the summer does so from a solid base.

This means that Ferguson and his backroom team must work hard to ensure that the team does not spiral down a dark road littered with several humiliating defeats before the end of the season.

Rangers face Fenerbahce in the last 16 of the Europa League next month and progression in that competition would be a bonus, to earn more goodwill from the supporters, but should not be expected of an inexperienced – at that level – interim.

In The Pipeline

A big thing on Ferguson’s to-do list in the second half of this season should be to integrate more academy players into the first-team, given that he came through the same youth set-up when he made his breakthrough with the Gers as a player.

Ferguson could strike gold with Bailey Rice

The interim head coach could hit the jackpot with 18-year-old central midfielder Bailey Rice, whom he could expose to more regular football in the coming months to prepare him to hit the ground running under the next manager.

Rice has played eight times at first-team level for the Gers to date and has only played 45 minutes in the Premiership, despite showing plenty of promise on the pitch.

Minutes

45

Key passes

2

Big chances created

1

Duels won

1/2

Clearances

2

Dribbled past

0x

As you can see in the table above, the teenage ace caught the eye when he came off the bench against Manchester United in the Europa League earlier this year.

Manchester United and England legend Rio Ferdinand was on TNT’s coverage of the game and was in ‘awe’ of the young gem. He, as relayed by the Daily Record said: “I’ll tell you what. I like Rice. He’s come on and looking composed and that left foot looks like it has a bit in it. He’s seeing pictures, playing, and executing. That is a wonderful pass.”

Rice also came on in the 4-0 win over Ross County earlier this month and won five of his seven defensive duels, without being dribbled past once, which further suggests that he is ready for first-team football.

Ferguson could hit gold for the Light Blues by providing the Scotland youth international with the chance to play week-in-week-out over the next few months, so that he can gain the experience he needs to kick on and become a regular under the next manager in the future.

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Rice could be a future star for the Ibrox giants, given that he has so many years left ahead of him to develop, but he needs an opportunity, which Ferguson could offer him in the coming weeks and months.

Newcastle United are into the final of the Carabao Cup.

Eddie Howe’s side put Arsenal to the sword in each of the semi-final legs, winning 2-0 at the Emirates before repeating the trick on Tyneside.

It’s buried concerns that United’s imperious form had faded away following St. James’ Park losses against Bournemouth and Fulham in the Premier League, with a first-class display to match the result.

Arsenal were without Bukayo Saka but were buoyed after beating Manchester City 5-1 the weekend before, with exciting youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both notching in that one.

But Newcastle turned form on its head when it mattered.

How Newcastle silenced Arsenal

With Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon wreaking havoc in the final third, Newcastle overwhelmed an Arsenal side that attempted to carry the spark from their recent victory into this semi-final showdown but failed miserably.

Not only did the hosts win 54% of the contested duels on the evening, as per Sofascore, but they also made just one error in the match compared to Arsenal’s four.

The disparity up front was personified, with it perfectly clear why Mikel Arteta so desperately wants Isak to front his ship over the coming years.

Arsenal’s youth contingent proved their worth, however. Nwaneri in particular remains one of the brightest young players in English football despite being kept quiet by Newcastle’s marshalled defence, but the hosts might actually have a bigger talent on their hands.

Newcastle 2-0 Arsenal – Ethan Nwaneri’s Stats
Match Stats	#
Minutes played	53′
Goals	0
Assists	0
Touches	41
Shots (on target)	1 (1)
Accurate passes	13/19 (68%)
Key passes	0
Crosses	0/9
Possession lost	22x
Dribbles completed	0/0
Total duels (won)	7 (2)
Stats via Sofascore

Lewis-Skelly is the talk of the town right now but Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, 21, will feel that he proved yet again that he is “the best left-back in the country,” as Toon correspondent Dominic Scurr put it after Howe’s first-leg victory in January.

Perhaps, though, Newcastle’s Lewis Miley is the best of them all. He was only introduced in the closing stages, but he’s got quite the future ahead of him.

Newcastle's answer to Nwaneri

Miley hasn’t featured all that much this season, stifled by a metatarsal fracture that left him sidelined until Howe granted him his first Premier League appearance of the campaign in December, during a 4-0 victory over Ipswich Town.

The eldest of three brothers within the United academy, Miley was described as a prospect with “unbelievable” potential by fellow Tyneside native Sean Longstaff.

Toon legend Alan Shearer has been coloured impressed by the rangy midfielder’s start to life, saying: “He just looks natural, he looks very comfortable. Other than looking at his baby looks, if you didn’t know who or what he was you would think he has been around for years, the way he was strutting around the pitch and closing down and the balance he had on the ball.​​​​​​”

One of the youngest goalscorers in Premier League history, Miley has proved himself to be a young player of confidence and ability, racking up 35 senior outings altogether, scoring twice and placing four assists.

Miley is a first-class talent, perhaps with a ceiling higher than the rest at St. James’ Park, maybe even capable of rivalling a player like Nwaneri, who is more of a forward but similarly revered by his team’s fanbase.

In the Premier League last year, while he was only 17, Miley ended up ranking among the top 15% of midfielders for assists per 90, as per FBref.

Moreover, he averaged 1.9 tackles and won 54% of his ground duels in the top flight last season, as per Sofascore, providing injury-hit Newcastle with a combative and youthful dimension.

He’s every bit as talented as Nwaneri and could rival the Arsenal prodigy for the reputation as England’s finest youngster as both continue to go from strength to strength over the coming years.

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Feb 6, 2025

Gus Poyet insists Chelsea have "no more excuses" as they aim to qualify for the Champions League and win the Conference League.

Article continues below

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• Blues aiming to finish in top five
• Must win final two games
• Poyet urges Maresca's side to get over line

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea face Manchester United on Friday evening and are acutely aware that they must win their final two games of the season if they are to guarantee qualification for the Champions League. They currently sit fifth, the final qualification spot this season, but are level on points with Aston Villa and are only one clear of Nottingham Forest in seventh.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea also have a Conference League final against Real Betis to prepare for, which comes just three days after their final game of the season against fellow Champions League hopefuls Forest. Nevertheless, Poyet insists standards have slipped at Stamford Bridge – a stadium that has witnessed the Blues lifting the Premier League trophy – and has told manager Enzo Maresca that he has no excuse if the club fail to finish in the top five.

• WHAT GUS POYET SAID

  Poyet told : “Chelsea must qualify for the Champions League next season. It was too early to call in the middle of the season, and then they had a great run of form. People even thought they could challenge for the title. After Enzo Maresca played down their chances, they went on a really bad run.

  “Can they balance their focus between the Premier League and the Europa Conference League? There are no more excuses for Chelsea. The expectation used to be top two, then top three, then top four and now top five! Qualifying for the Champions League would stop the slide.”

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Chelsea face United on Friday night. With Aston Villa playing Tottenham Hotspur on the same evening, the Blues will hope their London rivals can do them a favour.

Lewis Goldsworthy marks season’s first appearance for hosts with 78

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2023Ed Barnard’s career-best List A score of 94 guided Warwickshire to a four-wicket Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory over Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The home side were bowled out for 230 inside 47 overs after losing the toss, Lewis Goldsworthy marking his first appearance of the season with a top score of 78, while George Bartlett contributed 74. Left-arm spinner Jake Lintott claimed 3 for 43.In reply, Warwickshire made 233 for 6, winning with 6.2 overs to spare. Barnard led the way, facing 111 balls and striking 11 fours. Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher finished with 3 for 47 on his first Somerset appearance.On a cloudy afternoon in front of a 4,500 crowd, the hosts soon plunged into trouble. George Thomas fell to the third ball of the game, caught at slip by Rob Yates off Barnard without scoring.It was 12 for 2 when Andrew Umeed edged Oliver Hannon-Dalby to second slip and 24 for 3 when James Rew had his stumps scattered by the same bowler.Somerset’s new one-day captain Sean Dickson cover drove his first ball from Hannon-Dalby for four, but had made only 15 when nicking a back foot shot off George Garrett through to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.Bartlett also hit his first delivery for four, but from 64 for 4, he and Goldsworthy had to play with care, rotating the strike with plenty of singles.Goldsworthy has had a frustrating summer confined to second XI cricket. He survived a couple of early inside edges past the keeper, but grew in confidence to reach fifty off 72 balls with eight fours.Bartlett went to his half-century off 66 balls and the fifth-wicket stand was worth 96 in 19 overs when Goldsworthy miscued an attempted slog sweep off Lintott and was caught by Kai Smith running in from deep mid-wicket.Campher’s first innings for Somerset lasted only five balls, ending when he drove a delivery from Lintott straight back at the bowler, who did well to hold a sharp return catch.Bartlett’s attractive 83-ball knock concluded when he was caught at short fine leg by Hannon-Dalby the ball after depositing Craig Miles over mid-wicket for his second six.Danny Lamb, making his Somerset debut on loan from Lancashire, hit four fours, including two ramp shots off Hannon-Dalby, in his unbeaten 28. But Ned Leonard was stumped advancing down the pitch to Lintott and Jack Brooks run out by a smart piece of fielding by Barnard at backward point before last man Shoaib Bashir edged a catch behind off Garrett.Somerset’s total looked below par on the fast-scoring ground. Warwickshire openers Yates and Barnard batted positively to take the score to 33 in the eighth over when Yates edged a catch to wicketkeeper Rew off Brooks.Barnard looked in good touch from the start, striking 8 fours in moving to a fluent 55-ball half-century, and finding an equally aggressive partner in skipper Will Rhodes as they confidently added 78 for the second wicket in 13 overs.Rhodes scored at almost a run a ball in his 41-ball innings of 38 before pulling a ball from Campher to mid-wicket where Bartlett held a good low catch to make it 111 for 2.Burgess had made only three when Campher penetrated his defence to bowl him and left-arm spinner Goldsworthy quickly followed up by having Brookes caught at cover off a skyer to leave Warwickshire 126 for 4 at halfway.Hamza Shaikh lofted Goldsworthy over long-on for the first six of the innings before a two off Campher took Barnard past his previous best List A score of 85 not out, made for Worcestershire against Hampshire at Southampton.Shaikh pulled another six over deep square before departing for 38 to a fine boundary catch by Brooks, who then ended Barnard’s match-winning contribution by having him caught behind.By then, Warwickshire were within 29 of their target and Smith and Lintott completed the job.

Shreyas Iyer will be available for only the last two games

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2023

Suryakumar Yadav will lead India in the absence of Hardik Pandya•Getty Images

With Hardik Pandya yet to recover from his ankle injury, Suryakumar Yadav will lead India in the five-match T20I series against Australia, starting November 23. Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the vice-captain for the first three games before handing over the responsibility to Shreyas Iyer who will join the squad for the last two matches.The series starts just four days after India lost to Australia in the ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad. But with the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA roughly six months away, the focus will now shift to T20Is.From the ODI World Cup squad, Suryakumar, Ishan Kishan and Prasidh Krishna are the only ones named for the whole series, while Axar Patel, who was ruled out of the World Cup with quadriceps strain, is back.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

However, there was no room for Sanju Samson and Shahbaz Ahmed, who were part of the squad for the Ireland T20Is in August. Riyan Parag, who almost single-handedly carried Assam to the semi-final of the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament, could not find a place either.Apart from Axar, Washington Sundar is the other allrounder. Shivam Dube, too, is in the mix, but he has bowled only sporadically of late, sending down just four overs in eight games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Ravi Bishnoi is the only wristspinner in the squad.This is the first time Suryakumar will be leading India. Previously, he has led Mumbai in 36 matches across formats in domestic cricket. Earlier this year, he also captained Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.Related

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VVS Laxman, who had coached the India men’s team to the gold medal at the Asian Games, will be in charge of the team for the five T20Is. The first match will be played in Visakhapatnam before the caravan moves to Thiruvananthapuram (November 26), Guwahati (November 28), Raipur (December 1), and Bengaluru (December 3).India’s squad for Australia T20Is: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vice-capt), Ishan Kishan (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Shreyas Iyer (vice-capt, available only for last two T20Is)