When Tottenham Hotspur sell a key player for mega money, there is history now to tell us that the cash isn’t always invested very well. Still, Daniel Levy is no longer at Spurs, so things may well change in the future.

After Gareth Bale left north London behind, heading to Real Madrid to the tune of £85m, the ‘Magnificent 7’, as they were infamously known, were not much of a success.

Enter Paulinho, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela. While the latter scored that ridiculous Rabona goal, the only real success story here was Eriksen, a creative and technical marvel.

Ten years later, it was Harry Kane’s time to leave Spurs. He moved to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £86m, a relative bargain considering what he’s achieved since.

Arguably, like Bale, money was not well spent the summer he departed. The signings of summer 2023 were rather hit or miss. While Dejan Kulusevski arrived permanently, they spent £45m on an inconsistent Brennan Johnson and £50m on an injury-prone James Maddison.

Meanwhile, in 2024 £65m was spent on Dominic Solanke, who also cannot stay fit, while young gems in the form of Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert also joined. Not quite a magnificent seven, but more of an average trio. Gray and Odobert may well come good, but Solanke’s ceiling has likely already been hit.

So, perhaps Thomas Frank and Co will need to look to the academy again, just as they did when handing Kane his debut back in 2011. Once all was said and done, he’d found the net on 280 occasions, leaving as their all-time record goalscorer and Arsenal’s chief nemesis.

His form in Germany since has been nothing short of scintillating.

Harry Kane's season in numbers

Kane does goals. There’s not a whole lot else to say. Even bringing the likes of Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak into the equation, he is currently the best centre-forward in world football. The numbers support that.

While Viktor Gyokeres won the Gerd Muller Trophy at the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony, proclaimed as the best striker of 2024/25, Kane deserved to be in the conversation.

Gyokeres, for context, scored 54 times last season, but Kane ran him close, netting 41 in 51 outings.

Well, in 2025/26, he looks like he’s on track for the best season of his career as he moves into his 32nd year.

If you thought Kane couldn’t get any more ruthless, then think again. This season he has undeniably been the best player in Europe, scoring a mind-boggling 17 goals in nine games.

He’s scoring at a record of a goal every 46 minutes. It’s a level of potency we’ve very rarely ever seen from a striker in the elite game.

Truth be told, it’s peak Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo levels of goalscoring.

Kane has beaten the goalkeeper ten times in five Bundesliga fixtures while in the Champions League, he’s been a demon too, netting four in two matches, including a brace against Chelsea a couple of weeks ago.

The England skipper continued his rich vein of form against Cypriot side Pafos on Tuesday, bagging another two goals. This time he played as a no.10, behind Nicolas Jackson. It had no impact on his ability to score.

Replacing that type of output was always going to be impossible for Spurs. Solanke is a handy striker but he’s always going to be compared to Kane. That’s harsh but it’s the way of the world.

Fortunately, the Lilywhites do have one exciting academy prospect coming through the ranks who looks more exciting than Kane ever did at youth level.

Meet Spurs' most exciting academy talent since Harry Kane

At youth level Kane was impressive, scoring nine goals in 13 official matches for Tottenham Hotspur’s U21 side. Yet, he initially struggled at senior level.

The club’s record scorer didn’t find the net during five matches on loan at Norwich and also found life difficult at Leicester City and Leyton Orient, notching seven across 33 matches during those spells.

Spurs

435

280

England

107

74

Bayern

105

102

Millwall

27

9

Orient

18

5

Leicester

15

2

Norwich

5

0

Nine goals in 29 matches at Millwall was slightly more productive but it wasn’t until 2014/15 where he finally showcased his elite potential.

That term the Englishman registered 31 goals for Spurs and since then, there hasn’t been a single campaign where he’s not scored fewer than 20 across a single season.

Many have come through the academy since then hoping to emulate that sort of record. The likes of Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott and Will Lankshear, while still young, did not show enough in their fleeting appearances.

There are still high hopes for Mikey Moore, too. The 17-year-old was compared to Neymar by James Maddison last season and has so much potential.

Yet, the most exciting talent bursting through the ranks is another 17-year-old, Luca Williams-Barnett.

The teenager may be unknown to many supporters but has already made his first-team debut, appearing for the final three minutes of Spurs’ League Cup win over Doncaster Rovers last week.

Those minutes were a fine reward for his remarkable development over the last few years. If Spurs were looking for their own Max Dowman, then they have found it here.

A no.10 by trade, who can also play up top, the talented teen was superb last season, scoring 20 goals and registering a further 12 assists in 23 outings.

He’s begun the 2025/26 term in a similar vein of form with six goals and four assists in eight appearances for the U21s.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

As data analyst Ben Mattinson has outlined, he is “one of England’s best talents at youth level” and he also “scores bangers”.

His hat-trick earlier this season may not have showcased this but it proved he’s usually always in the right place at the right time, influencing play positively.

A goalscorer, a creator, an innate dribbler, Williams-Barnett has all of the tools to thrive at Spurs in the coming years.

However, for Frank, the challenge will be finding him regular minutes now in the Premier League. Their fierce rivals Arsenal, have led the way by giving the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Dowman so many minutes over the last year.

Could Spurs be brewing their own version here? The future certainly looks bright.

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Set-pieces are in fashion. The Premier League is pulling away from the silky-ball-playing style championed by Pep Guardiola and mimicked by many, and returning to a state of directness.

In theory, this is perfect for David Moyes’ Everton. But then Moyes’ Everton were beaten at their own game at the weekend, with Tottenham Hotspur capitalising on their newfound structure and organisation, applicable offensively as well as in defensive/build-up shape, with Thomas Frank at the helm.

However, the Premier League is not played out on totally arid land. Moyes, for sure, is increasingly becoming a proponent of expansive football, with flashy wingers

In this, the experienced Scotsman is moulding a squad filled with members sharing traits with former stars, while being very much their own players too.

How Moyes is remaking his former Everton team

The Premier League is unrecognisable from the state it was in when Moyes left Goodison Park for Manchester United to replace Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

But he is rebuilding Everton with players who are similar to those who walked on Merseyside before them, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, for example, bringing quality on the ball and dynamism in his midfield role to emulate Mikel Arteta, who was once Moyes’ general in the centre.

Dewsbury-Hall, a summer recruit from Chelsea, certainly adds something new to the mix at the Hill Dickinson, though not perhaps in the same vein as Jack Grealish, whose game-changing ability and one-of-a-kind talent has seen him suggested to be Moyes’ new Wayne Rooney.

One of England’s all-time greats, Rooney might have enjoyed the most glittering heights of his career in Manchester, but he is revered on Merseyside, and in this, Grealish could emulate him.

Some of these comparisons are more overt than others, but there is actually a Toffees talent who has been described as being the Scottish manager’s new version of Steven Pienaar.

Everton's new Steven Pienaar

Everton continue to be one of the most principled and well-drilled sides in the Premier League, but the improvements made since Moyes arrived in January have also seen more enterprise and initiative on the ball.

And while the 63-year-old has looked to make exciting attacking signings, he will feel blessed that Iliman Ndiaye was already in the Blues ranks, with Sean Dyche having overseen the £15m acquisition of the winger from Marseille in July 2024.

Injured for the early phase of Moyes’ much-anticipated return to Liverpool, Ndiaye was, regardless, a shining light for Everton throughout the 2024/25 campaign, finishing as their top scorer with 11 goals across all competitions.

The £45k-per-week talent’s electric pace and skill when on the ball have added quite the dimension, and analyst Ben Mattinson believes the Senegalese “could play for a top six side”.

This may well be the case, for recent transfer rumours have linked the 25-year-old with a move to Tottenham Hotspur. The Londoners would have to pay a premium, to be sure, and other clubs would surely be interested.

David Moyes’ Top Scorers at Everton (2nd spell)

Player

Apps

Goals

Iliman Ndiaye

26

9

Beto

30

9

Abdoulaye Doucoure

17

3

Charly Alcaraz

25

3

Michael Keane

15

2

Jake O’Brien

19

2

Data via Transfermarkt

Ndiaye isn’t just goals. The French-born winger ranks among the top 10% of Premier League positional peers this season for successful take-ons, the top 2% for ball recoveries and the top 6% for tackles won per 90, as per FBref.

It’s little wonder that he has been hailed by Mattinson as bringing “Steven Pienaar 2.0 vibes” to this new iteration of Everton under Moyes’ wing.

South African Pienaar was quite the Premier League maverick. The left-sided forward scored 25 goals and supplied 40 more for the Scot at Everton, becoming a fan favourite for his talent on the ball and seat-raising qualities.

Ndiaye might actually be that bit better. He needs to make further improvements to his game, no doubt, but brings a sharpness that Pienaar struggled to channel and sustain, never once across the duration of his career, chalking up ten goals in a single campaign.

With the likes of Beto and summer recruit Thierno Barry flattering to deceive at number nine, Ndiaye’s goalscoring ability has never been so important.

He is, as the likes of Jamie Carragher have noted, an “absolute star”.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has been left unimpressed by one of the players he inherited, and may look to replace him in the January transfer window.

Spurs move up to third after victory at the Hill Dickinson

With Tottenham finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, Frank was always going to have a tough job on his hands trying to turn the north London club back into contenders at the top end of the table, but the Dane has made a solid start.

Courtesy of the 3-0 victory against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, Spurs are now up to third in the Premier League table, with the manager taking the time to praise his side’s performance after the match.

Micky van de Ven secured the first brace of his career in the 3-0 victory, meaning the centre-back is now tied with Richarlison as the Lilywhites’ top goalscorer in all competitions this season, with the Brazilian also on three goals.

However, two of the Brazilian’s goals came on the opening day of the campaign against Burnley, with the 28-year-old failing to find the back of the net on a regular basis, while Dominic Solanke has had a different problem since moving to the capital.

The striker has suffered consistent injury issues since arriving in north London, making just two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, and Frank is now unimpressed by the former AFC Bournemouth man.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which claims the Tottenham boss doesn’t fancy Solanke, with the manager now deciding he wants to sign a new striker, and the Englishman could be replaced in the January transfer window.

Having suffered an ankle injury, the 28-year-old is set to spend a prolonged period on the sidelines, which could be an issue, given that Mathys Tel isn’t exactly flourishing, having scored just one Premier League goal in seven appearances.

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ByDominic Lund Oct 26, 2025 "Fantastic" Solanke needs to put injury problems behind him

If Frank is questioning the three-time England international due to his injury record, he may have a point, given that he has spent a lot of time on the treatment table over the course of the past two seasons.

Season

Games missed due to injury

2024-25

14

2025-26

12

However, should the centre-forward be able to overcome his issues, he could be a better option than the likes of Tel and Richarlison, having amassed 21 goal contributions in all competitions last term, in what was an impressive debut campaign.

Once described as a “fantastic footballer” by Ange Postecoglou, Solanke, who rakes in £140k-a-week, could re-emerge as an important player for Tottenham, and it would be a little hasty for Frank to sanction a departure in the January transfer window.

عاني دفاع ريال مدريد من الاهتزاز في الموسم الماضي، وقد تم حل هذا الأمر هذا الموسم بالتعاقد مع دين هويسن وعودة إيدر ميليتاو من الإصابة.

وقد أدركت إدارة ريال مدريد هذه الثغرة في خط الدفاع قبل الموسم الماضي بوقت طويل، وقد وضعت ليني يورو مدافع مانشستر يونايتد الحالي في اهتمامها لتعزيز خط الدفاع.

وقد انضم ليني يورو إلى صفوف مانشستر يونايتد حيث فضله على ريال مدريد في يوليو 2024، ليتجاهل اهتمام العملاق الإسباني بخدماته.

وفي تصريحات لصحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، تحدث ليني يورو عن فخره بقرار تفضيله الانضمام لصفوف مانشستر يونايتد: “أحياناً يكون هذا قرار لابد منه في المسيرة”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ألونسو يوضح موقف أرنولد من مواجهة رايو فاليكانو.. ويؤكد: لاعبو ريال مدريد لا يفكرون في أنفسهم

وأضاف :”اليوم خياري هو مانشستر يونايتد وأنا سعيد جداً بذلك، وأعلم أن البعض لم يفهم ذلك بسبب نتائج الفريق، ولكن بصراحة هو قراري، إنه قرار مسيرتي وأعرف ما أفعله وسأتحسن في المستقبل”.

وسئل ليني يورو إذا كان قد ندم على انضمامه لمانشستر يونايتد في أي وقت الموسم الماضي: “لم أشعر بهذا الشعور أبداً، أعرف يونايتد جيداً وأعلم أنه قد يحدث موسم سيء أحياناً لكن هذا النادي لا يزال من الطراز الرفيع ولا شك في ذلك”.

ويشعر ليني يورو بالتفاؤل بشأن المرحلة القادمة وأنه لم يعد يفكر في ريال مدريد، حيث صرح: “لم أتوقع أن أنهي موسمي الأول في المركز الخامس عشر مع يونايتد لكن هناك أمور يجب التعامل معها، والجميع في يونايتد يطالبون بأقصى جهد يومياً، أنت تثق في هذا النادي، يجب أن ترفع رأسك كل يوم وتحاول تقديم أفضل ما لديك”.

Wolves have sacked Vitor Pereira after a disastrous start to the Premier League season, and are now eyeing a shock reunion with Gary O’Neil, the man they dismissed less than a year ago. O’Neil, who guided Wolves to safety in 2023-24, could make a sensational comeback as the club’s hierarchy scrambles to keep the club in the top flight.

• Wolves considering O'Neil reunion

  Pereira has been dismissed as Wolves manager after a torrid start to the 2025-26 Premier League campaign that saw his side lose eight of their opening ten matches. The Portuguese coach, who only signed a new three-year contract in September, leaves Molineux with the team bottom of the table and winless in the league. His final match in charge, a 3-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage, proved the breaking point for Wolves’ board, who had been under growing pressure to act.

  The dismissal comes just ten months after Pereira replaced O’Neil, with the club now considering reappointing the very man he succeeded. Per , O’Neil remains highly regarded by Wolves’ owners Fosun for the work he did in stabilising the side during his first spell, guiding them to 14th place in 2023-24. Also in contention is former Wolves defender and current Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards, though his appointment would require compensation, while ex-Boro manager Michael Carrick is another name under consideration.

  In an official statement, executive chairman Jeff Shi thanked Pereira and his staff for their service but admitted results had forced the board’s hand. "Vitor and his team worked tirelessly for Wolves and helped guide us through a challenging period last season," Shi said. "Unfortunately, the start to this season has been a disappointment and, despite our strong desire to give the head coach time, we have reached a point where we must make a change."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Horror start to the 2025-26 season under Pereira

  Wolves’ decision to part ways with Pereira underlines the deepening crisis at Molineux after another miserable start to a Premier League campaign. The club has now gone ten games without a win for the second consecutive season – a record no side in the competition’s history has ever endured.

  Pereira’s tenure, which spanned 38 matches, produced just 14 victories, 18 defeats and six draws, numbers that left Wolves battling to stay afloat domestically. His relationship with supporters also appeared to deteriorate in recent weeks, particularly after a heated confrontation following a loss to Burnley in which the Portuguese had to be pulled away from the crowd. While his previous achievements – including keeping Wolves safe after O’Neil’s departure – earned him early credit, the rapid collapse in form this season proved fatal.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  O'Neil's first stint with Wolves

  For O’Neil, the possibility of a return represents an unlikely redemption story. He was relieved of his duties last December after securing just six points from 19 games in the 2024-25 season, but his previous work in guiding Wolves through a chaotic 2023-24 campaign has not been forgotten at Molineux. His pragmatic approach and ability to unite the dressing room have reportedly impressed key figures, who view his familiarity with the squad as an advantage in turning around another bleak situation.

  He was first appointed as Wolves manager just days before the 2023-24 season began, following Julen Lopetegui’s abrupt exit. Despite inheriting a squad in turmoil and with limited transfer backing, he steered the side to a respectable 14th-place finish and earned plaudits for steadying the club amid financial uncertainty. However, the following season proved far more difficult as injuries, a lack of goals, and poor form saw him dismissed before Christmas.

  Before his time at Molineux, O’Neil had already shown promise at Bournemouth, where he helped the Cherries avoid relegation in 2022-23 after taking over mid-season. His ability to organise teams and instil resilience has earned him a reputation as one of the Premier League’s more level-headed young coaches.

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• Wolves facing a very difficult schedule in November and December

  For now, Wolves have placed Under-21 head coach James Collins and Under-18 boss Richard Walker in temporary charge while the board finalises its next move. The priority is to steady the squad ahead of a daunting run of fixtures, with upcoming games against Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa to navigate before clashes with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool loom in December. Any new appointment will need to act quickly to restore confidence and points.

  Wolves’ hierarchy are expected to accelerate talks with both O’Neil and Edwards in the coming days, with a decision possible before the November international break.

MatériaMais Notícias

Aos 21 anos, Yan Couto fez a sua estreia pela Seleção Brasileira nesta quinta-feira (12) ao entrar ainda no primeiro tempo do empate em 1 a 1 entre Brasil e Venezuela, pela terceira rodada das eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2026. E antes mesmo de tocar na bola o atleta já chamava a atenção pelo seu cabelo rosa.

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Mas não foi só o estilo que se destacou, já que Yan foi um dos poucos pontos positivos da Amarelinha contra os venezuelanos na Arena Pantanal. O que deve credenciar ele a ser titular contra o Uruguai, na terça-feira (17), em Montevidéu.

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Não só a entrada de Yan contra a Venezuela, mas como a sua primeira convocação foram obras do acaso, já que dependeram de cortes de outros laterais. Primeiro, Vanderson, do Monaco, sofreu uma lesão no joelho e foi retirado da lista. Couto, então, foi chamado. Já na partida contra a seleção venezuelana, Danilo, titular da posição, sentiu um problema muscular na coxa esquerda e deu lugar para o jovem. 

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DESTAQUE NA BASE E VENDA RELÂMPAGO

Natural de Curitiba, Yan fez toda a sua base no Coxa, mas atuou somente em duas oportunidades no time profissional. Aos 17 anos ele já havia sido vendido para o Manchester City (ING), que venceu a concorrência de outros dois gigantes europeus pela contratação do jogador: Barcelona (ESP) e Bayern de Munique (ALE).

O desejo do técnico Pep Guardiola em contar com o jogador foi o que mais pesou pela escolha do atleta, que foi comprado pelos citizens por 6 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 30 milhões, na ocasião).

Yan, que já se destacava nas categorias inferiores do Coritiba, chamou definitivamente a atenção do mundo em 2019, quando foi um dos principais atletas do Brasil no título mundial sub-17. Foi de Couto, por exemplo, o gol da vitória na decisão, que foi marcado pelo atacante Lázaro, ex-Flamengo e que hoje defende o Almería (ESP).

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SONHO DA PREMIER LEAGUE

Mesmo vendido ao City, Yan ainda não jogou pelo clube inglês. Em 2020, ele foi emprestado ao Girona, da Espanha, time que faz parte do mesmo grupo. Lá, ele fez 29 jogos, marcou dois gols e deu cinco assistências.

Na temporada seguinte, foi emprestado ao Braga, que já não estava debaixo do guarda-chuva dos britânicos. Pelo clube português, foram 42 partidas, um gol e quatro assistências. Marca considerada positiva, mas os lusitanos não conseguiram viabilizar financeiramente a permanência do atleta, que não teve sequer valor estipulado como opção de compra.

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Yan Couto voltou a defender o Girona na última temporada, renovando o seu vínculo de empréstimo com os espanhóis para este ano esportivo também. Na passagem atual já são 34 jogos, tendo feito dois gols e dando quatro assistências.

+ Mancando, Neymar critica torcedor que arremessou um saco de pipoca contra ele após empate entre Brasil e Venezuela

O lateral brasileiro tem contrato com o Manchester City até junho de 2025 e sonha em ter alguma chance pelo clube azul. Ele deseja ter oportunidades de atuar pela Premier League, o que também ajudaria o Coritiba, que receberia uma bonificação se o atleta atuar em cinco compromissos na elite do futebol inglês.

A lembrança de Fernando Diniz convocando o atleta à Seleção Brasileira pode ser fundamental para que Guardiola utilize o lateral a partir da próxima janela de transferências.

Needing two to tie and three to win off the final ball, Hurricanes could only score one

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2025

Azmatullah Omarzai and Khaled Ahmed helped Rangpur Riders successfully defend a total of 151 – by one run – against Hobart Hurricanes.Rangpur, the defending champions, now sit at the top of the GSL 2025 points table with wins in both their games. Hurricanes are third with a 1-1 win-loss record.Mohammad Nabi top-scored for Hurricanes with a 36-ball 44 and almost completed a stellar recovery but was dismissed by Omarzai off the final over’s fourth ball. Earlier in the over, his six had brought the equation down to six runs off the last five balls. Opener Ben McDermott (34) and No. 7 Odean Smith (20) played useful hands but Hurricanes were plagued by regular wickets through the middle overs, Iftikhar Ahmed picking up two of those for 13 runs.Hurricanes let the chase meander, hitting only one four and two sixes in the last 30 deliveries. When they needed three off the final ball, they could get only one run, with Billy Stanlake run-out looking to tie the game. Khaled collected consecutive four-fors in GSL 2025 by taking 4 for 26 as a follow-up to his 4 for 36 against Guyana Amazon Warriors.Rangpur’s batting performance also had its share of wobbles but No. 3 Kyle Mayers’ unbeaten 42-ball 67 held the innings together. He was involved in a partnership of 34 for the second wicket with Ibrahim Zadran (43), who had done most of the hitting in the powerplay.Usama Mir’s 3 for 15 in four overs, though, had strangled Rangpur’s scoring through the middle overs and it needed the big hits from Mayers in the back end to post a total that eventually turned out to be just enough. His innings comprised eight fours and two sixes, with the majority of those coming in the last five overs where Rangpur added 54 to their total. In comparison, Hurricanes scored only 40 in their final five.

Unicorns recovered from 16 for 5 to post 131 but couldn’t stop MINY from chasing it down, even though they took it deep

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2025MI New York and San Francisco Unicorns rode a rollercoaster in Dallas with unending twists and turns, till inaugural champions MINY edged last year’s runners-up Unicorns to a two-wicket win. In a game that featured several small but crucial contributions from various players, Trent Boult stood out with his returns of 2 for 19, and even more the back-to-back sixes towards the end of the tense chase of 132, which took MINY to victory and to Qualifier 2 and eliminated Unicorns.MINY will now face Texas Super Kings to decide who takes on Washington Freedom in the MLC 2025 final.Unicorns were lagging behind in the game almost from the start, when they were reduced to 16 for 5 in the powerplay. The twist came when No. 8 Xavier Bartlett powered them to a respectable 131 with a 24-ball 44.MINY were then cruising in their chase with an opening stand of 43, before Matthew Short’s three strikes started their slide and Hassan Khan’s two double-wicket overs added to the Unicorns comeback. MINY were left needing 24 to get off 19 balls but with only two wickets in hand. The final twist came when Boult smashed two sixes off Hassan to turn the equation into a comfortable five to win from nine balls. MINY did not falter thereafter.Matthew Short’s three wickets almost derailed the MI New York chase•Sportzpics for MLCMINY made the most of their decision to bowl, with Boult and Nosthush Kenjige removing Unicorns’ top four for single-digit scores. While Boult had Tim Seifert and Jake Fraser-McGurk edging behind, Kenjige had Short and Sanjay Krishnamurthi out caught. The last wicket was thanks to a sharp running catch, with Boult running backwards from short third and finishing with a juggle.Unicorns’ problems were compounded when Hassan Khan was involved in a mix-up with Cooper Connolly, falling short to a direct hit from Nicholas Pooran while on a golden duck.Bartlett then rebuilt the innings in partnerships with Hammad Azam and Brody Couch, smashing towering sixes down the ground. He helped Unicorns race from 50 to 100 in just four overs after the halfway mark, and finally fell when he slapped a slow and short delivery from Kieron Pollard straight to midwicket in the 18th over. Rushil Ugarkar dismissed Liam Plunkett and Couch on either side of Bartlett’s wicket to finish with 3 for 19.A rain break delayed the start of the chase but didn’t reduce any overs. Monank Patel and Quinton de Kock were going steady, scoring 37 runs in the powerplay. But then came Short’s double blow: he trapped de Kock lbw from around the wicket, and four balls later struck the top of middle stump by going through Pooran’s bat and pad.Hassan Khan hurt MINY with two double-wicket overs•Sportzpics for MLCMonank led the chase, going at just over a-run-a-ball. But he soon pulled a Short delivery to deep square leg and MINY were 81 for 3. The alarm bells went off when Pollard, who had scored two fifties in the last three games, chipped an innocuous delivery to long-on. Fraser-McGurk took a diving catch, and suddenly, Pooran was looking worried in the dugout.The alarm bells rang much louder when Hassan struck on consecutive deliveries, first going through Michael Bracewell’s pull to knock his stumps over, and then drawing an outside edge from Heath Richards that stuck in Seifert’s gloves. MINY were now 98 for 6, still 34 adrift with 31 balls to go.Hassan struck two more times in the 17th over. MINY were in a lot more trouble, with the equation soon reading 19 to get from 12. Boult stepped up with consecutive sixes off Hassan and even farmed the strike to deny Kenjige much exposure.In the end, Kenjige himself went on to hit the winning runs with three balls to spare.

Chris Green starred with bat and ball as Lancashire Lightning won the battle of the top two in the Vitality Blast North group to put themselves on the verge of qualification for the quarter-finals, while defeat leaves Durham fighting it out for one of the remaining top four spots with two games left.Colin Ackermann with 42 and Ollie Robinson (35) were the mainstays in Durham’s 155 for 7 but a vital contribution of 20 off the final two overs from Matthew Potts and Will Rhodes also gave their innings an important late boost.Green, who earlier had taken 3 for 15 for the Lightning, came in with the hosts struggling on 107 for 5 needing 49 runs from 37 balls on a slowish pitch. The Australian all-rounder hit 31 off 16 balls including two sixes and three fours, gaining good support from Tom Hartley (7 not out) that finally turned the game in Lancashire’s favour with the Lightning finishing on 156 for 7, skipper Keaton Jennings making 42, to win a tense encounter with eight balls to spare.Lancashire lost Phil Salt for 2 in the first over, but Jos Buttler and Jennings combined to take 17 runs from Parkinson’s second over, Buttler reverse-sweeping a six, to get the Lightning reply swiftly up and running.Potts hit back with the big wicket of Buttler for 21, in the sixth over with the hosts taking 47 for 2 from the powerplay.Luke Wells hammered Nathan Sowter for consecutive sixes in the eighth over but then perished for 17 when trying to repeat the shot off Parkinson at the start of the ninth.Jennings and Ashton Turner steadied the innings, reaching the ten-over mark on 83 for 3 with Turner taking consecutive fours off Kasey Aldridge, and the pair had progressed nicely adding 42 from 32 balls when off spinner Sowter struck twice in the space of three balls.Jennings was stumped by Robinson for 42, while Michael Jones fell for a second-ball duck to leave Lancashire on 107 for 5 needing 49 off 37 balls.Green hit his second and third balls for four, with 17 runs chipped off the target before Turner skied a return catch to Neesham for 27 who then had Jack Blatherwick lbw for 0 two balls later with 27 required off 21 balls.Green pulled Potts for six, Tom Hartley drove Neesham for four and Green finished the game in style with another pulled six off Neesham.Lancashire enjoyed early success, taking three wickets in the first seven overs after Durham opted to bat.Graham Clark was nicely caught by James Anderson at mid-off diving to his left off Luke Wood for 13, David Bedingham was neatly stumped down the leg side by Jos Buttler for 12 off Chris Green who next took a return catch to send back Alex Lees for 11 leaving the visitors in early difficulties on 46 for 3.Ackermann and Robinson advanced that to 73 for 3 at halfway, Robinson hitting Blatherwick over extra cover for six and Ackermann taking 10 runs from the same 12th over as the pair posted their 50 partnership from 29 balls.But the visitors suffered a double setback losing both well-set batters in quick succession.Having added 68 in seven overs for the fourth wicket, Robinson pulled Hartley to Blatherwick at long-on for 35 (off 22 balls) while Ackermann deflected a Wood delivery onto his stumps attempting a leg side ramp after making 42 from 35 balls, leaving Durham 119-5 midway through the 16th over.Jimmy Neesham (4) and Kasey Aldridge (3) followed before Will Rhodes (11 off 13 balls) and Potts (17 off 7) hit 21 off the final two overs to lift Durham to a much more challenging 155 for 7.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

That was apparently the case for Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, who tossed seven no-hit innings during the club's 12-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night. Imanaga was eventually removed from the game after seven innings and 95 pitches, and the Cubs' bullpen finished off the game for a combined no-hitter.

Imanaga was so locked in that he didn't even realize what he had until it was over. Speaking to reporters through his interpreter after the game, Imanaga said he didn't know he was pitching a no-hitter until manager Craig Counsell told him he was coming out of the game.

"So after I finished the seventh inning, I went seven, no earned runs," Imanaga said. "So Craig came to talk to me. Usually, he looks at me and tells me 'Good job.' But he looked a little worried."

"And so I was figuring out what was going on and that's when I learned."

Counsell echoed what Imanaga said.

"He actually didn't know he had a no-hitter going at all, which is funny," Counsell said.

Cubs relievers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge each pitched hitless innings in the eighth and ninth to finish off the combined no-hitter, Chicago's first at Wrigley Field since 1972.

Counsell acknowledged how hard it was to remove Imanaga from the game, but explained that the decision was about his "health."

"It's always hard to do in that situation," Counsell said. "But you're taking care of Shota. That's 100% about taking care of Shota and making sure we're doing the right thing for him."

"It's not fun to do, but when you're prioritizing the player's health and you don't know what's going to happen moving forward, we want him to stay healthy."

Imanaga told reporters he both trusted and understood Counsell's decision.

The rookie southpaw has been outstanding in his first season in Chicago, pitching to a 12-3 record with a 2.99 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 153 1/3 innings. The Cubs, (72-68) are just 4.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot in the National League.