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Jeh’s appearances for Australia A triggered an automatic upgrade to a state deal

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2025Left-arm spinner Zanden Jeh, who played for Australia A before having appeared at state level, and allrounder Hayden Kerr have earned Queensland contracts for the 2025-26 season.Jeh, 22, was a shock selection for the series against Sri Lanka A in the Top End having never made a domestic appearance. He earned his List A debut in the third one-day game before featuring in both four-day matches where he claimed four wickets.His appearances for Australia A triggered automatic elevation to a state contract meaning he will be on Queensland’s books for the upcoming season.Kerr, meanwhile, was dropped from the New South Wales list earlier this year and has been signed on a two-year deal to take the place of Ben McDermott who was released from his contract a year early having requested to return to Tasmania for personal reasons.Kerr, 29, a right-handed batter and left-arm seamer, has made nine first-class appearances and played 13 List A matches. He has been a regular for Sydney Sixers in the BBL although currently remains uncontracted ahead of next season.”We are very excited to have Zanden on our list after he narrowly missed out on a contract this season,” Joe Dawes, QC’s general manager of elite cricket, said. “He no doubt learnt a lot and performed really well in Darwin, and I know the coaches are excited at having him in and around the group fulltime.”With Liam Guthrie relocating to England, Hayden will reinforce our pace bowling depth and add his left-arm variety to the squad. He’s a talented all-round cricketer who has had a few injury setbacks in the past, so we’re excited to provide an environment for him to showcase his skill.”Queensland Men’s squadLachy Aitken (rookie), Tom Balkin (rookie), Xavier Bartlett (CA), Max Bryant, Hugo Burdon, Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Zanden Jeh, Hayden Kerr, Usman Khawaja (CA), Marnus Labuschagne (CA), Angus Lovell, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Jem Ryan (rookie), Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Jack Sinfield, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitch Swepson, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth

SA will also have to contend with playing the same team that bowled them out for 69, at the same venue, in their opening game

Vishal Dikshit28-Oct-20253:47

Do England have an advantage playing at Guwahati?

Big picture: Ghosts to bury for South AfricaWe often have poignant memories of certain places that come rushing back when we return to them. As much as they would want to avoid it, South Africa could experience this on their return to Guwahati, where they began their World Cup 2025 campaign by being dismantled for 69 in just 20.4 overs. On Wednesday, they will play a semi-final at the same ground, against the same opponents, England.South Africa’s batters had seemed to overcome that opening-match shock, firing in five successive wins, until they ran into Australia in their last match of the league stage. If they had succumbed to Linsey Smith, Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean in the game against England, it was spin again that undid them now, the magic right wrist of Alana King sending them hurtling to 97 all out.Related

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If their net sessions on Tuesday were anything to go by, South Africa will look to counterpunch, whether England throw spin or pace at them. Their batters had a hit in the sun, hitting uninhibitedly in the air, getting plenty of appreciative yells and thumbs up from head coach Mandla Mashimbyi.It isn’t just spin demons that South Africa must exorcise to reach their maiden ODI World Cup final. Their only semi-final appearances so far came in the last two editions of the tournament, and England shattered their dreams both times, heartbreakingly in 2017 and more comprehensively in 2022.At the start of this year, England themselves wouldn’t have expected to be the second-best team at this World Cup, having changed their captain and coach after a 7-0 blanking in the Ashes. But they buried their own ghosts, overcame wobbles against Bangladesh, snatched a game from hosts India, and crashed Sophie Devine’s farewell party before flying to Guwahati.Despite their volatile results in recent times, England have a lot more World Cup pedigree: they are four-time champions, they have made the semi-finals in each of the last six editions, and have turned out in all but one of the last four finals. If South Africa want to beat their nemesis, they will hope to make the most of a helpful Guwahati strip to break open England’s middle order. This is perhaps the only base England haven’t covered yet; they tried to fix it in their last league match, bringing in the experienced Danni Wyatt-Hodge.2:33

Kapp vs Knight, and other key match-ups to watch out for

Form guideEngland WLWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
South Africa LWWWWIn the spotlight: Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Marizanne KappDanni Wyatt-Hodge, 34 and in her fourth ODI World Cup, brings a wealth of experience that she finally brought to the XI when she came in for Emma Lamb well after England had booked their semi-final berth. She got all of seven balls to face in a modest chase of 169 against New Zealand, and will hope to channel the 2022 semi-final, which she dominated with a 125-ball 129 as opener. She has since moved down the order, hasn’t scored another hundred yet, and has gone past 50 just twice in 24 innings. She will hope she can put her hand up on Wednesday and put behind her an English summer during which she was dropped from the ODI set-up.Marizanne Kapp has hardly been herself at this World Cup, at least in terms of numbers. Barring her two half-centuries against Pakistan and Bangladesh, she hasn’t gone past 20 yet, and her seven wickets so far don’t quite reflect her body of work and skills with the ball. Having finished the 2017 edition with 13 scalps and the 2022 one with 12, she would definitely want to get into double-digits in her fifth ODI World Cup.Team newsSophie Ecclestone bowled just four balls against New Zealand and hurt her left shoulder while fielding. An MRI scan showed a “minor injury” close to her collarbone, and she trained on Tuesday evening, but bowled for barely 15 minutes before she switched to batting. While Ecclestone may not yet be 100% fit, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said she would be “wanting to get out onto that pitch regardless of how she’s feeling.” If she doesn’t make it, England could bring in legspinner Sarah Glenn, who has so far only featured in the rain-hit match against Pakistan.England (possible): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 6 Sophia Dunkley, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren Bell.South Africa may not feel the need to make any changes to their XI from the Australia game, unless they want to bring in a third frontline spinner for the slower conditions in Guwahati.South Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Annerie Dercksen, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Masabata Klaas, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba.2:55

‘SA will be confident in their batting unit’

Pitch and conditionsGuwahati has not had a game in over two weeks, which effectively makes the pitch for the semi-final a fresh one. The surfaces here so far have offered plenty of purchase for the spinners, with grip, turn and a lack of pace that has made run-scoring more challenging than it has been in Indore, Visakhapatnam and Navi Mumbai. The weather in Guwahati looked ominous a few days ago, but has mostly cleared since.If there’s not enough time to complete the game on Wednesday, the reserve day will come into effect on Thursday.Stats and trivia Marizanne Kapp needs four more wickets to go level with Jhulan Goswami (43) at the top of the overall list of wicket-takers in ODI World Cups. Kapp and Megan Schutt are on 39, along with the retired Australian Lyn Fullston. England dominate the head-to-head between these two teams, with a 36-10 win-loss record. Laura Wolvaardt is 48 runs away from becoming the first South African woman to reach the 5000 mark in ODIs. Nonkululeko Mlaba needs just one wicket to reach 50 in ODIs Heather Knight (944) Tammy Beaumont (897) are closing in on 1000 ODI World Cup runs.Quotes”I think we were a totally different-looking side. They’ve got a lot of different players as well. So I think it’s sort of a fresh opportunity and it starts from zero. So I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we’re able to learn from those semi-final victories that we’ve got and maybe stay a bit calmer under pressure.”
“That was obviously a long time ago in the tournament and I guess since then we’ve played a lot of games. But, yeah, South Africa obviously have had some brilliant games since then and are a dangerous side.”

Rovman Powell marked his 100th T20I in style, sticking to his “batting template” of a late surge to guide West Indies to a 16-run win over Bangladesh in the first T20I in Chattogram. On Monday, he became only the third West Indian to reach the milestone of 100 games, capping the occasion with an unbeaten 44 that earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Powell, however, didn’t make a great start to his innings against Bangladesh. He couldn’t time the ball properly, striking just one four as he made 18 runs off his first 22 balls. It was in the 19th over when Powell finally struck his first six – a mow across the line against Mustafizur Rahman.Then, when he got the strike in the final over, he hammered Tanzim Hasan for three sixes in a row, ending up unbeaten on 44 off 28 balls. He made 26 runs in his last six balls. The late momentum took West Indies to 165 for 3 in 20 overs, before their bowlers helped dismiss Bangladesh for 149.Related

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“I am very happy,” Powell said. “It is not always that someone gets to play 100 T20Is, especially for West Indies. It shows the hard work that I have done in the duration of my career. A lot of credit goes to my family and friends, and the players with whom I have played these 100 matches. It is very special to get Man-of-the-Match award in my 100th game.”I think it’s a batting template that I have used in the last year or two. I have had good success with it. I try to get a start and get into the last five overs when I try to hit as many sixes as possible.”Powell also noted that heavy dew affected the West Indies’ bowling effort. He added that they would have felt pressure had Bangladesh kept wickets in hand towards the end of the 166-run chase.”If one of the main Bangladeshi batters had stayed at the wicket for longer, we would have been under pressure,” he said. “It was very wet in the end. Having said that, a lot of the credit goes to our bowlers. They stuck to their plans and picked up wickets at critical times.”We had information about the ground but we didn’t know it would get this wet. Maybe that’s something that we keep in consideration.”Instead, Bangladesh lost four wickets in the powerplay and lost all their frontline batters by the 12th over. Fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib top-scored for Bangladesh, making 33 runs.Tanzim said that Bangladesh could have done with a better powerplay and with specialist batters in the final overs.”Of course, when there was dew, the ball came on to the bat more easily,” Tanzim said. “If we had one set batsman at that stage, the game would’ve been much easier. In the last couple of overs, a settled batsman always keeps you in the game. We lost four wickets in the powerplay. Even if it had been two, the chase could still have been managed.”Powell, meanwhile, looked forward to a series win for West Indies on Wednesday. He said that they have the opportunity to get over their recent T20I record – they have lost their last seven T20I bilateral series – if they can win the second game against Bangladesh to clinch the series.”Whatever the stats say, it doesn’t leave a good taste in our mouth. Myself and the guys are eager to turn that around. Being 1-0 up against Bangladesh will provide the opportunity for us to turn it around. Bangladesh are a tough side at home. We will see if we can continue improving to win the series in the next game.”.

Legendary former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has opened up on the possibility of a return to the club, with the Frenchman claiming that he can "never say no" to club president Florentino Perez. Benzema didn't rule out a reunion with his former employers, where he enjoyed a glorious 14-year spell before leaving for Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023.

Benzema enjoying life at Al-Ittihad

Benzema has been having the time of his life in Saudi Arabia after achieving everything there was to achieve at club level following a glorious 14-year spell with Real Madrid. Signed on a three-year contract in 2023, Benzema has delivered success to Al-Ittihad while also becoming one of the pioneers of Saudi Arabian football. He fired Al-Ittihad to a domestic double last season, as his 25 goals across competitions helped the Tigers claim the Saudi Pro League and King's Cup titles. 

Since leaving Europe, Benzema has scored 46 goals in 75 games, and still looks in great form. His goal scoring numbers are on par with what he produced in his final few years at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, with the Frenchman into the final seven months of his deal in Jeddah, his future has become a topic of hot debate. 

In a recent interview, the 37-year-old opened up on his future, where he addressed a possible return to Los Blancos.

AdvertisementAFPBenzema open to Real Madrid return, but only on one condition

Speaking to , the French forward was asked if he imagined Real Madrid calling him for a possible reunion. He gave a pretty straightforward response, claiming that it could be possible as long as Madrid president Florentino Perez is at the club. 

"Why? (Laughs). He's someone I can never say no to. Florentino is special," he acknowledged. "If Florentino is still there, it could happen, it could happen. I talk to him and it's possible. I'm a Real Madrid fan. I feel it in my soul. Madrid is still my city, I feel like a Real Madrid fan and a Madrileno. We'll see what happens. If he's there…"

He added: "It will always be my team. I still watch the games whenever I can. It's the best club in the world. It always has been and it always will be. It's a team with a lot of potential that I think can do more than it's doing right now."

Benzema: A bona fide Real Madrid legend

Benzema's Madrid career began in the summer of 2009, when he was signed from Lyon. The Frenchman created history and broke several records at Madrid. He is one of the most decorated players in the club's history, winning 25 titles, which includes five Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles. 

Benzema stands in fifth position as far as all-time Real Madrid appearances are concerned; the striker played in 648 games for the club and is the non-Spanish player with the highest appearances for the 15-time European champions. Not just that, he is also the second-highest goal scorer in Madrid's history, scoring a whopping 354 goals. No other player has had more assists for Madrid than Benzema's 165. His illustrious career in the Spanish capital culminated in him winning the Ballon d'Or in 2022.

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Getty Images SportWhat does the future hold for Benzema?

As things stand, Benzema's future in Saudi Arabia continues to be clouded in uncertainty. With his contract expiring at the end of this season, there's no news about a possible extension. However, Benzema has confirmed that he will continue playing for two more years.

"For the moment, I'm very happy here; they show me a lot of affection," he said. "Players, fans, coach, people who work here… I watch Real Madrid matches. I watch the Champions League and imagine what's next. The Champions League is magical. My contract here is nearing its end, that's true. I still can't say whether I'll stay or leave; it depends on many things. I'll be 38 in December. I see myself playing football for another two years. Physically, I'm fine, I work hard, and I'm playing football. I love football; I enjoy it. We'll see what happens, what the club thinks. I like to talk face-to-face and see what they think."

Benzema also hinted that a return to Europe cannot be ruled out, revealing that he has several offers from European outfits.

"The best thing for me is to continue here, but also not just stay for the sake of staying for a year or two," he added. "I can't do that. I think the level of football in the Saudi league is getting better and better. I've been here for three years now, and it keeps getting better and better. It's true that I have offers from Europe. I have to look at everything, choose wisely, and see where I feel comfortable, without forgetting that I feel good here and receive affection from everyone. But we'll see. They ask me for things, and I give them things. Everything's fifty-fifty, but there are things happening. I'm not going to quit football and stop competing in six months."

Manchester United are now ready to push harder and complete the signing of Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson.

The Red Devils drew 2-2 away to Forest in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with Ruben Amorim assessing a solid day at the office, if not a perfect one.

“We lost control of the game for five minutes and we paid the price. I felt that the level of energy was not the same compared to the last game. Sometimes, when you play away, you can feel that. [My players] gave everything, and you could see it in the game but, in the small details, the energy was not the same.

“We have to work on that. Like I was saying, we were in control of the game. In the Premier League, if you disconnect for five minutes, you can change the result.

“Comparing [to] the recent past we had, some games [in] these big bad moments we struggle so much more than today, we managed to control the emotions, to put the ball on the ground and try to push the opponent to the final third. We managed to score, we had a big opportunity in the end. But we lost two points and that is the feeling, but we have the next week to work and to try and get these points in another stadium.”

United didn’t always look wholly convincing as a unit against Forest, and with Casemiro out of contract next summer, the need for a new signing in the middle of the park will be great.

Man Utd ready to push ahead with "perfect" Elliot Anderson pursuit

According to a new update from Caught Offside‘s Mark Brus, Manchester United could now “accelerate their efforts” to sign Anderson from Forest in the January transfer window, with Amorim a fan and Old Trafford chiefs seeing him as “perfect”.

“United see Anderson as a perfect option and a long-term investment, though they could also accelerate their efforts for him this January. There is a unanimous feeling among the directors, Ruben Amorim, and his coaching staff that Anderson would be a great addition in that position.”

Anderson’s rise has been meteoric of late, going from a relative unknown to a key starter for England over the past 12 months, playing a big role in Forest getting into Europe last season.

Still only 22, he has so much time ahead of him to improve and Amorim spoke glowingly about him before Saturday’s game, which may only increase the speculation.

“They have Hudson-Odoi, they have Anderson, a very, very good player. So they have solutions. They have top players, they have a very good coach, we need to play a different game but we will be prepared.”

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Anderson ticks so many boxes for United, from quality on the ball to being a homegrown player, and while his rumoured £70m price tag is huge, he has the potential to make it worth their while.

Casemiro isn't the only Man Utd star who has saved his career under Amorim

Liverpool’s Premier League win last season may have come as a surprise to many, especially after Arne Slot took the reins from the legendary Jürgen Klopp.

There’s little denying the Dutchman massively exceeded expectations at Anfield during his debut year, which may have heaped added pressure on his shoulders for 2025/26.

The Reds turned into the hunted rather than the hunters before a ball was kicked, but the £466m spending spree during the off-season only increased the size of the target on their backs.

However, it appears as though the 47-year-old could well be on borrowed time in the managerial role, after losing a remarkable six of the last seven league outings.

It remains to be seen how much time Slot will be given to transform the club’s fortunes, but the upcoming transfer window could present an opportunity to address some glaring issues.

Liverpool’s pursuit of new additions ahead of January

Over the last couple of days, Liverpool have been one of the clubs named in the pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the January window.

Slot will have had the opportunity to view the Englishman first-hand over the weekend, as the 23-year-old featured for 90 minutes in the 3-0 defeat at Anfield.

However, any deal would be yet another huge investment, as Sean Dyche’s side are currently demanding £100m for his services – with Manchester United also interested in the Englishman.

He’s not the only youngster currently in their sights, with Juventus star Kenan Yildiz another player being considered by the board ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Football Insider, the Reds are closely monitoring the progress of the 20-year-old, who has already racked up five combined goals and assists in his 11 Serie A appearances.

Their report also states that Arsenal are another side tracking the Turkish international, even though the Italian side are reluctant to offload one of their key players.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be a better signing than Semenyo

Despite spending heavily in the summer window, Liverpool’s attempts to bolster their squad in January could come to fruition, which could see Antoine Semenyo move to Anfield.

The Ghanaian has been in tremendous form during the early stages of 2025/26, with the 25-year-old already netting six times in his first 11 outings for Bournemouth.

He’s also registered three assists, taking his total goal contributions this season to nine – with the Reds supporters able to witness his talents first-hand on Merseyside.

The winger netted twice in the Reds’ 4-2 victory at Anfield on the opening day, a performance that will no doubt have caught the eye of Slot and the hierarchy.

He currently has a £65m release clause in his deal at the Vitality, with other sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United also targeting a deal for his signature this winter.

However, Liverpool should look past a deal for Semenyo and place all their attention on Yildiz, with the Juve star undoubtedly a bigger star for the immediate and long-term future.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Turkish star has dominated in numerous key areas, many of which could help correct the recent slump.

Yildiz, who’s been dubbed “the best youngster in the world” by one analyst, has registered more progressive carries and passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas.

He’s also been able to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst notching more key passes per 90 – arguably being the solution to the Reds’ creative woes.

Games played

11

11

Goals & assists

5

9

Passes completed

78%

69%

Key passes made

2.5

1.1

Take-ons completed

43%

42%

Carries into final third

3.1

1.8

Shot-creating actions

5.1

3.2

Crosses completed

4.1

1.2

The Juve sensation’s dominance over Semenyo is further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and carries into the final third per 90 – potentially being able to star in a number ten or left-wing role.

Other numbers, such as higher shot-creating actions and more crosses completed per 90, offer yet another reason why the 20-year-old is a bigger talent – but it’s unclear how much a move would set the hierarchy back.

His talents and versatility could make him a phenomenal option for Slot and Liverpool, with such a deal adding needed quality into the club’s frontline, which could help save Slot’s job.

Semenyo would also be a superb signing, but based on the aforementioned numbers, it’s evident that Yildiz would be the perfect player to try and resurrect the club’s recent dismal form in the Premier League.

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