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Leeds United have been linked with a move for Philadelphia Union left-back Kai Wagner, Transfermarkt report.

The Lowdown: Wagner profiled

Wagner, valued at a cut-price £2.7m, has been with the MLS side since 2019 but is out of contract at the end of the calendar year, meaning he could move for cheap this summer.

The 25-year-old can also play as a left-midfielder and has made 104 appearances for his current employers.

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He’s scored four times and registered 13 assists while in America, and it looks as if Jesse Marsch is keen on a move for his services this summer.

The Latest: Leeds links

Transfermarkt shared a story regarding Leeds and Wagner on Thursday morning after being informed by a source close to the situation.

They claim that the Whites are keen on his services, where he could become an ‘important part of the club’s rebuild’ under Marsch, Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani.

Relegation rivals Burnley and Championship side Middlesbrough are also name-checked with an interest.

The Verdict: Firpo replacement?

If Leeds go down on Sunday, you’d expect there will be plenty of change over the summer with a number of high-profile exits, with Radz and Orta needing to revamp the squad to give Marsch the tools fit for the Championship.

Junior Firpo, the club’s marquee signing last year from Barcelona, could well be one to leave due to his poor first season in Yorkshire where he has picked up 11 yellow cards, so it looks as if Wagner may come in to replace him.

Leeds have a track record in recent years of getting left-back additions wrong, with Firpo and Laurens De Bock perfect examples, however, Wagner has been described as ‘one of the best left-backs’ in the MLS, so an under-the-radar move for the German could be shrewd and cheap when you look at his contract situation.

In other news: Orta now finally set to accept defeat as Leeds plot exit for Bielsa ‘mistake’ – opinion. 

Veteran claims 3-34 as Northants are bowled out 81 in arrears, Amla and Jacks build lead

ECB Reporters' Network06-Sep-2021Veteran all-rounder Rikki Clarke chalked up the 800th wicket of his professional career to help put Surrey in control of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash against Northamptonshire.Clarke, who will retire just before turning 40 later this month, took 3 for 34 as the home side were bowled out for 171 at Wantage Road, a first-innings deficit of 81.Luke Procter struck back by dismissing both Surrey openers second time around, but Hashim Amla’s unbeaten 26 steered his side to 102 for 4 and an overall lead of 183 at stumps.Surrey’s director of cricket Alec Stewart and Northamptonshire coach David Ripley took turns officiating at square leg after umpire Russell Warren was taken ill, with Martin Saggers later drafted in to replace him.Related

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Resuming 245 behind, Northamptonshire progressed steadily to 66 for the loss of Ricardo Vasconcelos, whose loose shot to Jordan Clark sailed into the hands of deep square leg.But Reece Topley, having beaten the bat several times during a brief opening spell, gained greater reward in his second, slanting the ball in to have Emilio Gay caught behind and repeating the trick with Procter, taken at second slip in his next over.Northamptonshire were suddenly floundering at 73 for 4 when Gus Atkinson brought one back to hit Rob Keogh’s off stump, prompting Adam Rossington to launch an immediate counter-attack.The captain hammered Atkinson for two cover boundaries – only to be trapped leg before by Clarke straight after lunch as the procession of wickets gathered pace.Saif Zaib was the only batsman to offer prolonged resistance, registering just three scoring shots in his first hour at the crease and eventually emerging from his shell when he started to run out of partners.The left-hander took 10 off one Atkinson over and hooked Clarke sweetly to the boundary but when he attempted it again, a bottom edge onto the stumps ended his knock of 37.Cameron Steel’s maiden first-class wicket for Surrey, an lbw decision against Ben Sanderson, soon wrapped up the innings and ensured he and Ryan Patel were strapping their pads on at tea.The opening pair added 38 before Procter picked up both in quick succession, while Laurie Evans became teenage seamer James Sales’ first senior scalp when he misjudged the line and was bowled.Surrey also lost first-innings centurion Jamie Smith, lbw to Simon Kerrigan, but Will Jacks kept Amla company until the close.

Quick claims career-best figures to keep the Bulls in the game after half-centuries to Harry Nielsen and Travis Head

Alex Malcolm16-Oct-2021A career-best seven-wicket haul from Mark Steketee kept Queensland in the game as South Australia threatened to build an insurmountable lead on day two at Adelaide Oval.Half-centuries to Harry Nielsen and Travis Head put South Australia in a position to push to a first-innings lead of more than 200 but Steketee took the first two key wickets of the morning, including Head, before wrapping up the tail.Queensland lost both openers in their second innings before Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja saw them safely to stumps, with a deficit of 65, although Khawaja was very fortunate not to be dismissed in the last over the day, given not out despite clearly gloving a ball into the gully. The umpire deemed the catch came off his arm as he fended at a brute of a delivery from Nathan McAndrew, who went unrewarded in the evening session despite bowling superbly.Earlier, Steketee broke through in the third over of the morning clean bowling Henry Hunt with a cracking delivery that angled in and nipped away to clip the top of off. Head then accelerated to continue his phenomenal form. He raced to his third consecutive half-century having made 163 and 230 in his previous two innings across the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup. But a third consecutive century was thwarted when he offered a return catch to Steketee off a leading edge.Alex Carey played fluently striking five boundaries in his 32 but fell in an odd manner checking a pull shot off James Bazley straight to square leg to leave the hosts five down and just nine runs ahead.But Nielsen and McAndrew formed an excellent partnership putting on 101 for the sixth wicket. McAndrew was rock solid in defence while Nielsen did the bulk of the scoring. However, the pair both fell to the second new ball to trigger a collapse of 5 for 18 that ended South Australia’s first innings with a lead of just 128.Nielsen chipped a ball innocuously to square leg off Jack Wildermuth to fall for 71 while McAndrew edged Wildermuth to Joe Burns at second slip. Steketee returned to clean up the tail proving too quick and too good for South Australia’s last three to finish with 7 for 44. It was just his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.Brendan Doggett made an early breakthrough in the Bulls’ second innings trapping Burns lbw before Bryce Street and Labuschagne dug in against some quality pace bowling from the South Australia quicks. Street faced 77 deliveries for his 23 before falling to Daniel Worrall. Labuschagne finished 22 not out from 79 balls with just one boundary to his name, with Queensland scoring just three boundaries in total in 35 overs.

Cricket Canada monitoring situation after Nicholas Kirton charged with possession of cannabis

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2025Canada captain Nicholas Kirton has been granted bail after he pleaded not guilty to drug-related charges at a court in Barbados, according to reports.Kirton was detained by police on landing in Barbados on Sunday. According to a report in he has been charged with possession, trafficking, importation and intent to supply cannabis. He appeared in court on Friday morning and was granted bail. He has to return to Barbados for a court hearing on June 2.Kirton, born in Barbados, played for West Indies Under-19 and Barbados before moving to Canada. He has since played 21 ODIs for Canada, scoring 514 runs, and 28 T20Is, scoring 627 runs. Kirton didn’t lead Canada in the 2024 T20 World Cup, but he did end up the side’s top-scorer with 101 runs in three matches, at a strike rate of 140.27. He was Player of the Match in their only win, against Ireland, when he made a 35-ball 49. In 2020, he played three CPL games for Jamaica Tallawahs.Though Kirton will return to Canada, what impact it has on his position in the team is not yet clear. Canada are due to play in the inaugural North Americas Cup this month, against Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and USA.On Friday, before his bail was granted, Cricket Canada said it was “actively monitoring” his situation. “Cricket Canada has been made aware of the recent allegations and detainment involving national team player Nicholas Kirton,” the board said in a statement. “We are actively monitoring the situation and closely following developments as they unfold. Cricket Canada is committed to ensuring transparency and will provide updates as more details become available.”We take this matter seriously and remain steadfast in upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within the sport. While this situation is being addressed, we would like to assure the public that our national men’s team is fully focused on their preparations for the upcoming North America Cup, set to begin on April 18th in the Cayman Islands.”

The former Bangladesh captain underwent an an angioplasty surgery on Monday

Mohammad Isam28-Mar-2025Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has returned home, having been discharged from the hospital on Friday, four days after he had suffered a heart attack. Tamim will continue to be monitored by specialists for the next few weeks after having undergone an angioplasty surgery on Monday.Tamim was leading Mohammedan Sporting Club in a Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match against Shinepukur Cricket Club, at the BKSP ground, when he felt unwell shortly after the toss. He was taken to the KPJ Specialised Hospital and Nursing Home (formerly Fazilatunnesa Hospital) near the ground in Savar. After the initial tests, Tamim was carried on a helicopter from BKSP to a hospital in Dhaka.
He, however, collapsed while getting back to BKSP. Tamim’s condition worsened, to the extent that the Mohammedan team physio had to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him before the hospital administered shock therapy to resuscitate him. When Tamim regained consciousness, the cardiologist operated on him, putting a ring in one of his arteries.Related

• Tamim undergoes emergency angioplasty after suffering heart attack during Dhaka Premier League game

Tamim’s family members rushed to Savar to be beside him, alongside cricketers, coaches, journalists and fans who were all shocked by the news. Tamim however regained his senses after the surgery, with the doctors announcing that the following 72 hours would be crucial for his recovery.Two days after his surgery, Tamim was shifted to another hospital in Dhaka. From there, Tamim was discharged on Friday.Tamim, who retired from international cricket in January this year, is still playing domestic cricket. He led the Fortune Barishal franchise to their second BPL title; he also struck two centuries for Mohammedan in this season’s DPL.

There’s also the heat factor; the pitches are drier than usual because of the rising temperatures across the country, Piyush Chawla says

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-20253:50

Why have spinners done better this season?

Spin has had a bigger say in IPL 2025 than it did in IPL 2024.After 50 matches this season, they had 220 wickets at an average of 30.02. At the same stage last season, they had taken 154 wickets at an average of almost 37. Overall, they had taken 39% of all bowler wickets by the 50th game, compared to 27% last year.Why, though?Piyush Chawla, still the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL history (192, behind Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar), feels it has to do with the heat around India to a large extent.Related

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“Any bowler wants to bowl with the dry ball. And you can’t really predict where it’s going to be [dewy or otherwise] and where it’s not going to be,” he said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “If you see the weather also this year, generally… I’m coming from Delhi, and in February you don’t have your fans on; but this year, your fans were on in February. That means it’s getting hotter and Delhi is already touching almost 45 degrees (Celsius).”So all the venues where it’s hot, the pitches are dry. No matter how much you roll it, how much you water it, eventually it gets dry, and it helps the spinners.”It might not only be about the conditions. Like everyone else in the circuit, spinners have also done their thinking, their research, and brought about tweaks.”If you see the spinners here, they are actually pulling their lengths back, rather than going too full, because now most of the batters don’t use their feet, except a few,” Chawla said. “So they [the batters] just wait for the ball to pitch up in their area, and sometimes when they don’t get a couple of sixes in two or three overs, even the ball that is not there to be hit, they go for it. And in that situation, they end up mistiming it.”As elaborated on ESPNcricinfo by S Rajesh, the change is most evident in the middle overs. This season, spinners have 44 more wickets in the middle overs after 50 matches compared to last year, and have bowled more than 61% of the overs in that phase. In IPL 2024, quick bowlers took 138 wickets in the middle overs compared to 127 for spinners, but the numbers have been flipped in 2025: spinners have taken 171 and quick bowlers 106.