All posts by h716a5.icu

Afghan refugees invited to share in Canterbury thriller

ECB Reporters Network19-Aug-2022Grant Stewart hit a last-ball six to give the Kent Spitfires a stunning three-wicket win over the Yorkshire Vikings, in a Royal London Cup thriller at Canterbury.Kent went into the final over needing 11 to keep their hopes of qualifying alive and Stewart declined a single off Matthew Revis’s penultimate ball to leave everything riding on the final delivery. The all-rounder then pulled Revis through backward square leg to a huge cheer from the Canterbury crowd, leaving Kent on 297 for seven.Yorkshire had posted 282 for six from 45 overs, Harry Duke top-scoring with 85, Will Fraine hitting 68 and debutant Finlay Bean 64. After century stands for the first two wickets, Joe Denly took three for 37 to rein Yorkshire in and a Duckworth-Lewis adjustment for a rain delay meant Kent were set a target of 297.Ben Compton hit 81 and Denly 61 but after reaching 189 for two, miserly Yorkshire bowling saw the run rate spiral above 12 an over until Stewart’s drastic late intervention.Related

Ali Orr savages 'demoralised' Somerset with record Sussex double hundred

Tom Bevan's maiden hundred stops Hampshire in their tracks

Lancashire tower in Blackpool as Keaton Jennings sets new heights

The Hundred don't want him but Steven Eskinazi can't stop scoring

Denly said: “They’re moments you dream of as a cricketer, hitting a six off the last ball to win a game for your team. Credit to Grant, he works very hard at his batting and especially his power game and moments like that make it all worthwhile. If there was one player I had to pick to hit a six off the last ball, I’d have Grant Stewart every day. He’s built for it, he’s pure muscle, I don’t think there’s an ounce of fat on him.”A crowd of over 2,000 at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence was boosted by around 80 Afghan refugees and Kent even arranged for an interpreter to broadcast announcements in Pashto.The hosts needed to win to stand any chance of reaching the knock-out stages and with clouds hovering over Canterbury for the first time in what seemed like weeks, they chose to field, but struggled to make any impact early on.An elegant glance for two from Gilchrist took Fraine to 50, but the breakthrough finally came in the 22nd over when he was lbw to Hamid Qadri.It was an isolated success for Kent. Duke was on 64 when he was put down by Nathan Gilchrist off his own bowling and he put on 109 for the second wicket with Bean.However, just as it began to rain, Denly tilted the equation with two wickets in three deliveries. Bean drove him to Qadri and was caught. Then, with a hundred there for the taking, Duke skied Denly to Alex Blake. When the umpires brought the players off it was the first time there’d been a rain delay at Canterbury this year, but play resumed after an hour with the game reduced to 45 overs per side.Hill made only five before he was lbw to Denly and Jonathan Tattershall holed out to Stewart in the next over and was caught on the boundary by Nathan Gilchrist.The rain then returned, the umpires conferred and one of them signalled for the players to go back off, yet after a cry of “get on with it!” from the crowd and with the rain easing to a drizzle they changed their minds and stayed on. Matthew Revis duly drove Navdeep Saini to Denly and was caught for three, before Matthew Waite and Dom Bess restored some momentum with 31 and 13 not out respectively.Kent’s chase got off to the worst possible start when Joey Evison was out to the first ball of the innings, caught behind off Waite, but Robinson responded by racing past 50 with a six off Tom Loten that cleared the flats on the Old Dover Road side of the ground. Although he fell for 59 to the same bowler in his next over, caught by Revis at square leg, Compton and Denly put on 98 for the next wicket, their stand only ending when Denly miscued trying to pull Revis and was caught by Waite.Revis then had Alex Blake caught by Bess for three and Kent went 29 balls without a boundary as the pressure mounted. Compton was finally bowled by Waite attempting to reverse sweep and with Waite’s 37th over going for just four, the hosts needed 36 from 18 and then 23 from 12. Harry Finch was out for 42, pulling Bess to Waite but Stewart smashed Waite back over his head for six, leaving Kent needing 11 from the final over.Harry Podmore sliced Revis’ first ball for four but hit the next down George Hill’s throat. Qadri took a single from the third, the fourth was a dot and Stewart declined a single off the fifth before creaming Revis for six to an eruption of joy from the home fans.Yorkshire’s assistant coach Ali Maiden, who is leading Yorkshire in this tournament, said: “I just hope Rev doesn’t take that too personally and he can come back from the experience positively. The plan the lads had set was what he actually executed. The guy connects and it goes for six. It’s just one of those things.”

Messi and Miami remain unbeaten, but were blanked for the first time this season to fall behind Vancouver in standings

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a draw for the second-straight MLS weekend, with the taking a point on the road in a scoreless draw with Gregg Berhalter's Chicago Fire Sunday night.

On Matchday 7, the South Beach club drew Toronto FC 1-1. Coupled with Sunday's draw, they've taken just two of a possible six in their last two matches – and as a result, fell out of first place in the Eastern Conference, trailing Supporters' Shield leaders Vancouver Whitecaps by four.

Messi continues to be a draw for MLS clubs, as Chicago set a home attendance record of more than 62,000 fans for the match at Soldier Field.

There were chances for both clubs to find a winner on the day, but stellar goalkeeping from Miami's Oscar Ustari and Chicago's Chris Brady ultimately kept the match at a stalemate through. For Miami, their best opportunities both came from set pieces, but Lionel Messi hit the woodwork not once, but twice from direct free-kick situations.

However, from the open of play, Miami struggled to get anything going. Luis Suarez thought he'd found a winner late, but the former Uruguay international was offside by a wide margin after finding the back of the net in the closing minutes.

Chicago, meanwhile, tested Miami's defense multiple times with the trio of Hugo Cuypers, Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel all proving to be effective in creating opportunities. Ustari's heroics in net, which included seven saves, kept Miami in the match.

Miami, despite the draw, are still unbeaten to begin the MLS campaign – though Sunday was their first shutout this season. However, with consecutive draws, their early-season lead on the rest of the league has dwindled.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Soldier Field.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGoalkeeper & Defense

Oscar Ustari (9/10):

Made a few really impressive saves, and was imposing in his box. A good performance from the veteran who helped maintain a point.

Noah Allen (7/10):

Replaced Jordi Alba in the XI and, while he did not drive forward as much, was incredibly solid.

Tomas Aviles (7/10):

Was rather solid centrally. Stayed composed, read the game well and was imposing on the ball.

Maxi Falcon (5/10):

Often drawn out of position, but recovered well in moments. He left Miami's defense vulnerable, though, and without Ustari – it could have been a different game.

Gonzalo Lujan (6/10):

Good showing on his flank when off the ball. Lacked a bit of forward influence, but Miami needed him defensively sound and he was just that.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Benjamin Cremaschi (5/10):

Not his best performance. Constantly struggled with the final pass, and he never asserted himself in the middle of the park physically.

Federico Redondo (6/10):

Fantastic next to Busquets defensively. However, he left a bit on the plate when going forward – never really managed to influence the game.

Sergio Busquets (7/10):

So calm and composed on the ball. Really controlled the tempo of the match well.

Getty Images SportAttack

Telasco Segovia (4/10):

Really poor in the attack. Was rather nonexistent throughout his 60 minutes on the pitch.

Luis Suarez (5/10):

Earned an early yellow card for an atrocious foul, launched a 1v1 effort over the net, but played some extraordinary passes and had exceptional hold-up play. Not a good performance, but he was influential.

Lionel Messi (6/10):

So clever on the ball around the box, but never managed an impact outside of set piece attempts or drawing the fouls that led to them. Hit the woodwork twice from direct free-kick opportunities.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Tadeo Allende (6/10):

Replaced Segovia, but never found himself in the attack.

Yannick Bright (7/10):

Composed in the midfield after coming on, and didn't allow Chicago much time on the ball. A good cameo.

Jordi Alba (6/10):

A rare substitute appearance, but after being brought into the match, had very little impact. Drove forward well, but never influenced the game.

Javier Mascherano (5/10):

Had no real answers in the attack. His midfield was incredibly composed, but Miami could never get over the line in the final-third. At some point, he'll have to try something other than Suarez at the 9, as he was a liability at times throughout the match. He might want to focus less on his matchday outfit and more on finding three points going forward.

England are set for a Barcelona double header in June as the Lionesses will take on Spain in the Nations League before the Three Lions face Andorra.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Lionesses face Barcelona trip to take on SpainGame to be played at Espanyol's stadiumThree Lions meet Andorra at same groundFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Scheduled for Tuesday, 3 June 2025, the Lionesses' UEFA Women’s Nations League match will take place at the RCDE Stadium, the home ground of La Liga side Espanyol in Barcelona. This encounter comes just months after Sarina Wiegman’s side narrowly defeated the reigning world champions 1-0 at Wembley, with Jess Park’s goal separating the two sides on that occasion.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Just days after the Lionesses' match, England’s men’s team, led by Thomas Tuchel, will feature at the same venue as the Three Lions will face Andorra in a key qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 7.

Originally slated to be held in Andorra, UEFA has opted to relocate the game to RCDE Stadium due to logistical and venue considerations. This marks Tuchel’s first away game since taking the reins, having started his tenure with two convincing home victories against Latvia and Albania last month.

DID YOU KNOW?

The men’s team will be unable to use Wembley for their next two home fixtures as the stadium is being booked for a series of concerts, including multiple dates for Coldplay. England will instead host Senegal in a friendly on Monday, 10 June, at the City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, the return fixture against Andorra is set to be played at Villa Park on 6 September.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

After taking on Spain, Wiegman's Lionesses will head to Switzerland for Euro 2025. Tuchel's Three Lions, meanwhile, have their eyes on glory at next year's World Cup.

Manchester United are among the teams interested in signing a young 6 foot 3 goalkeeper who they have tried to sign before, according to a recent report.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils have just over two weeks to complete any incomings and outgoings they wish to do before the transfer window shuts until the summer. It’s been widely publicised that United would like to let two or three players leave the club this month, one to bring down the wage bill, but also so it possibly allows them to bring in one or two new arrivals.

INEOS ready to make transfer offer to sign £50m ace for Man Utd this month

United and Ruben Amorim are looking to add to the squad this month.

1 ByBrett Worthington Jan 14, 2025

One player United look keen to sign either in this transfer window or in the summer is Paris Saint-Germain left-back Nuno Mendes. The Portuguese has become a top priority for the Premier League side, as they look to bring in a new left wing-back to address that area of their team, as Ruben Amorim continues to rely on Diogo Dalot to fill the void. Reports have emerged this week that United want to accelerate transfer talks for the defender, as Real Madrid and Man City lurk in the background.

Another player that United might look to sign this month if an opportunity presents itself is RB Salzburg’s Nene Dorgeles. Fabrizio Romano has reported that United are monitoring the attacker, and he is among their list of options for either this transfer window or the summer. Romano goes on to add that initial talks have been held to get an understanding of the price and the overall package, and it is now down to United to decide what they want to do.

Man Utd eyeing bid to sign £40m goalkeeper

Mendes and Dorgeles are not the only players the Premier League side could look to sign this month, as according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Man United are interested in signing Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, a few years after he turned down a move to Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old looked set to join the Red Devils in the summer of 2023 from Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds, but in the end, he turned down the move as he didn’t want to be second choice behind Andre Onana. Instead, Suzuki joined Belgian side Sint-Truiden on loan before Italian side Parma snapped him up last summer.

The goalkeeper has been a standout performer in Italy, earning some rave reviews, and that has now placed him back on United’s radar. Crook reports that the Red Devils are among the teams interested in signing Suzuki, and it could cost them as much as £40 million to secure his services.

Apps

19

Goals conceded

30

Clean sheets

3

As well as United, Chelsea also considered signing the shot stopper that summer, and while they have since added to that area of the team, they continue to keep an eye on the player. The report goes on to add that Parma are hoping to keep Suzuki for at least one more season, but a big-money offer would test their resolve. For United, if they do pursue a move for Suzuki, they will know he will want to be their number one, which could mean a decision needs to be made about Onana.

The fast bowler missed the third T20I against England and both matches against Ireland after injuring ligaments in his left ankle

Firdose Moonda06-Aug-2022Getting Kagiso Rabada fit for the first Test against England on August 17, is “the biggest priority for our Test side,” according to coach Mark Boucher. Rabada missed the third T20I against England and both matches against Ireland after injuring ligaments in his left ankle but South Africa hope to have him ready for the red-ball leg of the tour.”KG bowled a bit today and he will be bowling a bit tomorrow. He seems to be fine. But we will try and work him back. His loads are a little bit low at the moment but we will do everything in our power to try and get him fit for the first Test,” Boucher said after South Africa swept Ireland 2-0.Related

South Africa's selection questions: Markram, van der Dussen, Zondo in contention for No. 5 slot

Parnell five-for, batters seal 2-0 series sweep for South Africa

Ankle injury puts Rabada out of T20Is against Ireland

“That’s the biggest priority for our Test side – to get KG firing. We know what an important part of the team he is. That’s our biggest goal: to try and get him fit for the first Test.”Even before his injury, Rabada has not looked at his best recently. After being rested for the ODI series, he returned to play two T20Is, bowled seven overs across the two matches and took 1 for 75. Before that, Rabada played in South Africa’s series in India and bowled 13 overs in four matches with a return of 2 for 86. He has not played Test cricket since South Africa’s tour of New Zealand in February, where he was their leading wicket-taker, and missed the series against Bangladesh which clashed with the IPL.Should Rabada not recover in time for the first Test, it would be a second major blow to South Africa. They are already without white-ball captain and Test vice-captain Temba Bavuma on this tour, as he recovers from an elbow injury. They have six other seamers in their Test squad: Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje (who has not played Tests in more than a year), Marco Jansen, Duanne Olivier, Lutho Sipamla and Glenton Stuurman.

James Vince tweets disbelief at Ben Brown’s dismissal as Hampshire’s frustration flares

ECB Reporters Network30-Aug-2022Kent 313 for 7 (Robinson 95, Stevens 84*) beat Hampshire 310 for 9 (Gubbins 75, Donald 54, Organ 54) by three wicketsDarren Stevens continued his farewell tour with an outrageous 84 off 65 balls to send Kent Spitfires to the Royal London Cup final and end Hampshire’s hopes of the treble in the process.Veteran all-rounder Stevens is leaving Kent at the end of this season after they decided not to renew his contract. He will round off his Kent List A career at a one-day final after striking a six off his legs and then a driven four to take his side over the line with an over to spare.Ollie Robinson’s 95 and Harry Finch’s 63 had set up Kent’s pursuit of 310 before the 46-year-old marshalled his side to a three-wicket victory.Kent, who lost to Hampshire in the 2018 final, will face Lancashire in the Trent Bridge showpiece on September 17.Kent openers Joey Evison and Ben Compton were both dismissed inside the first six overs of the reply, both edging to Scott Currie at second slip. At the other end, Robinson was playing with a sublime touch, with all 12 of his fours coming on the offside to go with a beautifully flicked six.Joe Denly put on 48 with Robinson before edging behind before Harry Finch arrived to substantially chip away at their task. A quick outfield paired with well-placed shots made scoring seem easy, with the duo’s 100 stand coming in 101 balls. But the momentum swung back towards Hampshire as Robinson spooned to midwicket for 95 and Finch chopped on.Enter Stevens, on the back of 41 off 24 in the quarter-final.He bossed a 60-run stand with Grant Stewart, and then dominated a 45 partnership with Harry Podmore. Power was the name of his game, whether it was down the ground or through point; every other ball had the kitchen sink thrown at it. His 50 came at a run-a-ball, before an extraordinary slapped four over extra cover, off a no-ball bouncer, and a checked straight six combo silenced the Ageas Bowl. He even had time to hug umpire David Millns after smashing back at him.Seventy-two were needed from the last 10 overs, which Stevens expertly systematically knocked off to win with an over to spare.Earlier, Nick Gubbins and Ben Brown had set the platform with 106 for the first wicket – Hampshire’s highest opening stand of the tournament. Gubbins was dropped on 33 at first slip but moved past 50 for the third time in the competition in 54 balls – brought up with a sweetly timed cut for four.The impressive start was halted by leggie Hamidullah Qadri in controversial fashion. Brown was adjudged to have been caught at short fine leg, giving a sarcastic thumbs up and applause to the away side on his way off – with club captain James Vince also tweeting his disbelief at the decision. The next delivery, Hampshire’s leading run scorer Tom Prest edged behind.Aneurin Donald skewed the hat-trick ball away before forging stands of 40 and 42 with Gubbins and, when he had been bowled on 75, Fletcha Middleton, in a controlled half-century.Another pair of wickets – Donald lbw while attempting a one-handed reverse sweep and Middleton tamely caught at cover – dragged the Spitfires back into things, onl for Toby Albert and Felix Organ to thrash 88 runs in 57 balls.Hampshire looked well set for Trent Bridge. Then came Stevens.

Lyon’s derby date with rivals Saint-Etienne was suspended for 40 minutes after an assistant referee was hit by a projectile thrown from the crowd.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Arch-rivals went head-to-headCoin tossed towards the pitchMatch official required treatmentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Lyon, fresh from their dramatic Europa League defeat to Manchester United, found themselves trailing inside 10 minutes as Lucas Stassin broke the deadlock in the Derby Rhone-Alpes. He was shown a red card in the 23rd minute, which was downgraded to a yellow following a VAR review.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The away support at Guichard Stadium were less than impressed by what they were witnessing, with an angry reaction leading to a coin being tossed from the stands which struck one of the match officials.

WHAT THE MATCH DELEGATE SAID

The game was suspended shortly before half-time, with assistant referee Mehdi Rahmouni requiring treatment. After half an hour of uncertainty, match delegate Noel Mannino told reporters: “This projectile certainly came from between the Paret stand and the Henri-Point stand, so from the visitors' sector. He (Rahmouni) decided to return to the locker room because he was a little dizzy. We called a doctor to check on him. He is not injured. He took Doliprane. After a few minutes of rest, he decided he could resume the game.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPDID YOU KNOW?

A dose of paracetamol allowed Rahmouni to return to the field. The contest resumed at 10:15pm local time and was eventually played to a finish, with Mannino having noted that "if a projectile were to be thrown again, we would have a definitive stoppage of the match".

It’s not been a good season for Tottenham Hotspur this year; that much is undeniable.

Injuries have ravaged Ange Postecoglou’s side, but even then, sitting 15th in the Premier League is nothing short of a disaster, and with the transfer window slamming shut in under a week, their only signing has been Czech goalkeeper Antonín Kinský.

However, in positive developments, recent reports have linked the club with one of the most dangerous players in the league, someone who has been compared to the incredible Morgan Rogers.

Signing a player similar to the Aston Villa star might be just what the North Londoners need to reignite their campaign, as he once again showed the world just how brilliant he is with a man-of-the-match performance against Celtic in the Champions League last night.

The player in question might not be the defender Spurs desperately need, but should this move go ahead, we imagine the fans will be delighted.

Tottenham target Premier League star

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are one of several teams with ‘concrete interest’ in Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

Transfer Focus

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League sides Newcastle United and Liverpool are incredibly keen on the Cameroon international, although the Bees are understandably reluctant to entertain the idea of selling him mid-way through the season.

A potential price is not mentioned in the report, but according to other stories from earlier this month, an offer in the region of £60m could be enough to tempt the West Londoners into selling.

It will be an incredibly complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Mbeumo’s immense ability, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially as he could be the club’s own Rogers.

How Mbeumo compares to Rogers and why Spurs should sign him

So, before we get into a couple of other reasons as to why Spurs should be pushing the boat out to sign Mbeumo, let’s examine this comparison to Rogers and where it has come from.​​​​​​​

Well, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Cameroonian superstar.

The best way to see how this conclusion has been reached is by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots, goal-creating-actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.43

0.41

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.57

0.50

Progressive Carries

3.45

3.48

Progressive Passes

3.80

3.58

Shots

1.79

1.79

Goal-Creating Actions

0.44

0.45

However, while sharing a number of significant statistical similarities with a player as monumentally talented as the Villa ace is certainly an encouraging sign and a major indication that Daniel Levy and Co should sign the former Troyes ace, it’s not the only reason.

Arguably, the more significant argument for why the North Londoners should go all out for the 25-year-old is his seriously impressive level of output for a team outside of the traditional ‘big six.’

For example, in 27 appearances this season, totalling 2227 minutes, the “unplayable” live wire, as dubbed by manager Thomas Frank, has found the back of the net on 14 occasions and provided four assists to boot, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 123.72 minutes, which is simply brilliant.

Ultimately, Spurs are in desperate need of some game-changing attackers, and while the price tag is high, Mbeumo would undoubtedly be worth every penny.

Big Werner upgrade: Spurs set for talks over sealing "unbelievable" signing

Timo Werner could be upgraded if Spurs land this signing.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 30, 2025

With the January transfer window now closed and plenty of reinforcements ready to make an instant impact, Aston Villa could now reportedly turn their attention towards a South American gem.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans entered January with the aim of making improvements all throughout their squad and by the end of the window, they had done just that. Boosting their backline by signing both Axel Disasi and Andres Garcia, those in the Midlands also strengthened in attack with Marcus Rashford, Donyell Malen and Marco Asensio – albeit at the cost of Jhon Duran who left for Al-Nassr.

Of course, time will tell whether their business has been worthwhile, but on paper it certainly looks as though Unai Emery’s squad has been boosted by welcoming much-needed depth. So much so that they’ve got the chance to focus on the addition of future stars when the summer transfer window arrives.

According to The Boot Room, Aston Villa could now join the race to sign Agustin Ruberto alongside the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, with representatives already in Venezuela for the South American U20 Championship.

Aston Villa may now use contract doubts to land "strong" Duran replacement

He’s a man in demand…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 6, 2025

The 19-year-old striker has already scored twice for Argentina at the tournament, including in a 6-0 thrashing of Brazil in the opening game of the group stage. Now, he will have his sights set on repeating the feat in the final stage and helping Argentina to eventual victory.

Meanwhile, Villa and others will continue to watch on and take notes on a rising South American star who could yet be destined for the Premier League sooner rather than later.

"Electric" Ruberto is one to watch

For any Premier League side, the task for their scouts should be in Venezuela with a wealth of talent on show at the U20 South American Championship, including Ruberto.

The 6’1 teenager has already made his mark and has been earning the praise of Ben Mattinson for some time. The South American football expert even went as far as to describe Ruberto as a “physical” striker with “instinctive finishing” and “electric pace” last April.

The likes of Brighton & Hove Albion have benefitted in the past by jumping ahead of Premier League rivals and discovering the next big South American star. Now, Aston Villa could do the same to replace Duran and welcome the future of Emery’s frontline.

As the U20 Championship continues, Ruberto will remain one of the most exciting prospects to watch as he looks to add to his two-goal tally for Argentina. As for Villa, they’re already thinking about the summer and will be eagerly anticipating their reports from the ongoing tournament.

It came down to five required from four balls, but Plimmer and Down wrapped up the game with a ball to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2022Hayley Jensen’s three wicket-haul and Suzie Bates’ half-century helped New Zealand beat West Indies by six wickets on the penultimate ball of a low-scoring second T20I at North Sound and level the five-match series 1-1.After putting West Indies in, New Zealand restricted them to 107 for 5 with Kyshona Knight top-scoring with a 48-ball 42. Seamer Jensen struck in the fourth over of the innings, removing captain Hayley Matthews for a 13-ball 8. Offspinner Eden Carson, playing only her third T20I, then removed opener Aaliyah Alleyne for 13 in the ninth over, and also accounted for Chedean Nation later.West Indies struggled to bat freely and only Chinelle Henry’s 24 off 22 took them past a three-figure total. Henry and Knight were dismissed in the last over of the innings, bowled by Jensen as she finished with 3 for 24, bowling 17 dots in her four overs.West Indies were able to keep New Zealand quiet for the first ten overs, when the visitors scored just 41 for the loss of Sophie Devine, who had an off day, scoring a 20-ball eight. But Bates anchored the chase with her 54 off 61 balls, which included six fours. She and Amelia Kerr added 52 in 49 balls for the second wicket before Bates was bowled by Shakera Selman in the 17th over.In the next over, Cherry-Ann Fraser dismissed Kerr for a 25-ball 21, and Maddy Green was run out. With 17 needed from 12 balls, New Zealand took ten off the 19th over, thanks to a four by Georgia Plimmer.It came down to five required from four balls, with Fraser bowling, but Plimmer and Lauren Down wrapped up the game with a ball to spare.”I got a promotion to bat at No. 3, so my role was to bat as deep as possible,” Knight said after the match. “My plan was to back myself and to rotate the strike for the hitters and help get the team to a decent total. It was extremely hot there today, probably one of the hottest we’ve experienced so far, and the ball was holding on the pitch more than usual, so that made batting a bit tricky. We’re looking forward to regrouping and coming back tomorrow for the third match.”The third T20I will be held on Sunday at the same venue.