Surrey have finally lost patience with Alex Tudor, and despite his 10-year history with the club, have released him with one year left on his contract. Tudor played in only one County Championship game for Surrey this season, as a back problem limited him to 2nd XI and club cricket for Spencer, where he played as a specialist batsman.”Alex has been struggling with his fitness for a while now,” said Paul Sheldon, the club’s chief executive, “and unfortunately he has only been able to complete one Championship game this season. Alex has been a wonderful servant to the club over the past ten seasons and we all wish him the very best in the future.”Tudor, now 26, made his England debut against Australia at the age of just 20 in Perth in 1998/99 series where he picked up the wickets of both Waugh twins. But even then, injuries had already started to plague him, and he had to withdraw from the fourth Test of the series with a hip problem.He retained his place for the first Test of the next home series, against New Zealand at Edgbaston, and although his bowling was not of the standard he’d have liked, it was his contribution with the bat that created headlines. He hit an unbeaten 99 as England beat New Zealand by seven wickets. It was the highest-ever score by an English nightwatchman, and helped win him the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year award.”Following a phone call from the chairman of cricket I was told I was being released,” said Tudor. “Surrey has been my home for the past ten years and I am sad to be leaving. It has always given me enormous pleasure and pride to be a Surrey player and I have always given 100% both on and off the field for the club.”I have recently seen a specialist who has diagnosed my injury and we are both confident that I can regain my fitness in the next six months and continue my cricket career in 2005.”His Surrey release may well be a chance for Tudor to make a new start – free from injury, he will be hoping – although with his injury record it must be doubtful whether any club will risk offering him a long-term contract.
MCC 266 for 5 (Bell 88, Flower 76) lead Sussex 200 by 66 runs ScorecardA combination of bad light and heavy rain meant that only 34.1 overs were possible at Lord’s today in the second day of the season-opener between MCC and Sussex. In that time, MCC progressed to 266 for 5, with both batsmen to fall – Ian Bell and Andy Flower – missing out on their hundreds.There was no play before lunch, and hence Bell and Flower were keen to make up for lost time, starting brightly as the Sussex attack took a while to warm-up in the damp and chilly conditions. The batsmen cruised along with little trouble until Mohammad Akram warmed his side’s spirits by removing Bell for 88, courtesy of a good catch by Michael Yardy (195 for 4).Flower, 40 not out overnight, continued his warm-up for the season ahead with Essex – as a non-overseas player this time – as he eased past his half-century, and gave MCC the lead. He added 59 with Alex Gidman before edging Akram, a county colleague last summer, behind to Tim Ambrose, the wicketkeeper, for 76 (254 for 5).Gidman was named as England A’s captain for their tour of India this winter, but had to fly home early with an injury. Today, though, he had his chance to put that frustration behind him, and he showed his credentials with five fours and a six on the way to 42 not out. Bad light inevitably forced an early close around 5pm, with MCC leading by 66 runs.
Simon Lowe, the Manager of the Playing for Success Study Support Centre that is based in the Centre of Excellence at the County Ground, has recently received some very good news.When I called to see him yesterday morning he told me: "Earlier this year I was asked to submit a bid to the D.F.E. for extra funding and I have just been informed that we have been awarded £10, 000 to enable us to enhance our provision here at the centre."Simon continued: "What I am going to do is to involve schools who up until now have been unable to get into the centre because of where they are. The money that we have now received will be used to fund the Exmoor Extension Project which means we will now be able to involve Danesfield School at Williton, Minehead Middle School and Dulverton Middle School."The project gets underway on Monday March 3rd and runs for six weeks, with each school coming into the centre once a week for a three hour session.Each session will consist of two hours working in the centre with Simon and his staff and a member of staff from the school, plus a one hour coaching session in the Centre of Excellence with former Somerset player Peter Robinson.The Playing for Success Centre Manager concluded: "This exciting project will enable us to enhance and extend the use of the centre by opening it’s doors to students who up until now have been prohibited from getting here after school because of where they live.”The Exmoor Extension Project will run at the centre in addition to the programme that is already being provided to students from schools in Bridgwater, Wellington and Wiveliscombe.
Andrew Caddick sustained a hairline fracture to the knuckle on his left handwhen hit by Brett Lee whilst batting during the NatWest Series match at TheOval on Thursday 21 June.Dean Conway, England team physiotherapist, said: “Andrew has had an X-raywhich revealed a hairline fracture on his left knuckle.”He bowled after sustaining the injury yesterday and we do not expect the injury to stop him bowling in future.”At this stage, he is not being considered a doubt for the first npower Test Match against Australia but we will revise the situation after he has seen a specialist on Monday.”
The January transfer window is just around the corner and it will be interesting to see what Tottenham Hotspur decide to do with their squad.
A winger seems to be one of the positions that is on the agenda for Fabio Paratici. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz are two players who have been linked with a move to the club in recent weeks.
Signing a new winger is not the only move that Spurs should make to bolster their attack ahead of the second half of the season, though, as they should also be in the market for a new number nine.
Why Spurs need to sign a new centre-forward
Centre-forward has been a problem position for the club since they sold Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for £86.4m in the summer of 2023, which is not a surprise given that Tottenham’s all-time top scorer, with 280 goals, was always going to be a tough act to follow.
Dominic Solanke was signed from Bournemouth for £65m last year, but the English striker only scored nine goals from 10.97 xG in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, and has been out since August with an ankle injury this term.
Richarlison has been the first-choice centre-forward for Tottenham in the 2025/26 campaign, partially down to Solanke’s injury, and has only scored seven goals in 25 appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore.
The Brazil international has scored some stunning goals, including the one above and an overhead kick against Burnley on the opening day, but he has not provided consistency on the pitch, as evidenced by the graphic below, which is why a new striker should be signed.
Richarlison, despite his inconsistency in front of goal, has not been Tottenham’s most frustrating player this season, though, as there is another flop who should be sold in January.
The Spurs flop who should finally be sold in January
With the January transfer window on the horizon, Spurs should finally cash in on Pedro Porro, whose form has left a lot to be desired in the 2025/26 campaign.
OnlyTottenham podcaster Seb Martin claimed that the Spain international has been “absolutely diabolical” at the end of last month, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment of his performances this season.
Porro lost possession 22 times and lost five of his eight ground duels, per Sofascore, in the dismal 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at the weekend, which was the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the full-back this term.
Pedro Porro – Premier League
24/25
25/26
Appearances
33
16
Possession lost per game
17.5
19
Key passes per game
1.7
1.3
Big chances created
10
3
Assists
6
1
Ground duel success rate
53%
49%
Pass accuracy
76%
75%
Cross accuracy
31%
18%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the former Sporting defender has been far more wasteful and less creative in possession than he had been in the top-flight for Spurs last season.
Porro, as of a couple of weeks ago, was also the third-most dribbled past defender in the division, which shows that his defensive work has also been lacking.
His performances have declined under Thomas Frank, as evidenced by these statistics, and the January transfer window provides the club with an opportunity to part ways with him.
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Earlier this month, TEAMtalk reported that Manchester City are keeping tabs on the defender’s situation in North London, ahead of a possible swoop for his services, which suggests that there is interest in the full-back if Spurs decide to cash in on him.
Porro has been even worse than Richarlison, who has at least provided some big moments with his goals, this season and that is why Tottenham should finally cash in on him, after almost three years at the club.
City may be hoping that they can get him back to the form that he showed in the past for Spurs, but there is no guarantee that he will not continue to underperform and regress on the pitch.
Archie Gray upgrade: ENIC submit offer to sign "magic" £61m star for Spurs
Tottenham need to make a signing or two in the January transfer window.
1 ByAngus Sinclair
Therefore, Spurs should cut their losses and cash in on him amid interest from their Premier League rivals, to fund a move for a new right-back to come through the door.
Andrew Flintoff has begun the slow path back to bowling fitness with a few gentle overs during Lancashire’s training and is targeting an England return as early as the first Test against New Zealand on May 15.Flintoff has been undergoing a very cautious rehabilitation since the ankle operation – his fourth – he had late last year and his four overs, off two or three paces, was the first time he’d bowled since the ICC World Twenty20 in September. His recovery programme has included a spell with the England Lions in India, where he played two one-day matches as a batsman, and he is now preparing for Lancashire’s pre-season trip to the UAE.”I’ve had a good few weeks, I was in India for three weeks with the Lions and the academy of Lancashire and this morning was the first time I’ve turned my arm over,” Flintoff told . “I bowled off about two or three paces for four overs and it feels fine, but I think the acid test is when I get back playing properly, probably halfway through the summer to see if stands up to what it needs to.”I’m hoping to start the season fully fit batting and bowling. I think the first game we’ve got is at the Oval for Lancashire.”However, a possible international return during New Zealand’s visit in May is a far more positive prognosis than had previously been suggested. Flintoff was expected to spend much of the summer with Lancashire with a possible comeback against South Africa for the second series of the season – at one stage the following winter tour was the target.”I’m going to have to perform for Lancashire to put my name in the hat for England,” he said. “So first and foremost I’m concentrating on this Dubai trip and starting the season well for Lancashire and hopefully I can be playing on May 15 at Lord’s.”If Flintoff’s pre-season trip with Lancashire goes to plan and he doesn’t suffer any reaction in his ankle he is also expected to play for MCC against Sussex in the season-opening fixture at Lord’s, starting on April 10.
It’s no secret that Troy Cooley transformed England’s fast bowlers, but could his fellow Australian Cathryn Fitzpatrick do the same – and more – for the women by becoming England coach? Cricinfo has learned that Fitzpatrick, who recently retired after 16 years as the world’s fastest female bowler, has approached the ECB to register her interest in the vacancy for the lead role.Former players don’t always make the best coaches, but Fitzpatrick has excellent credentials as a coach. She has been involved in the Centre of Excellence in Australia for several years and would be well-placed for the position which was vacated by Richard Bates in April after four years. And she later confirmed: “I’m fresh out of cricket so my knowledge of how the women’s game has evolved and needs to continue to evolve is quite fresh. I may just have a few secret weapons as well.”While Peter Moores slipped into Duncan Fletcher’s chair when it was still warm, more than a month after Bates stepped down from the role to move to Australia, the vacancy is still wide open and the closing date is still another three weeks away.But who else, alongside Fitzpatrick, could be in the running? Lisa Keightley, is another recently retired Australian who would make a good candidate. Keightley, the Australian batsman, was appointed the New South Wales coach in 2005, the first full-time female appointed by the NSW board, after working as their female high-performance coordinator.Clare Taylor, the former England fast bowler, could also be considered. Now based in Otago, she went into coaching after retiring from international cricket and coaches the New Zealand women’s team. Whether she’d like to return to England is another matter.Some may argue that someone who can provide experience of men’s cricket – both for its inherent toughness and for tips on how to play the longer game – would be a useful prospect. Bates’s input in helping to provide session-by-session insights of how to play Tests as they unfolded was vital, and, as a former first-class player, he was in a good position to do so.
Paul Shaw, a Yorkshire cricket development officer, may not have played first-class cricket, but he would bring good experience as a fellow Super 4s coach, and he has already worked with the ECB Academy developing emerging players. He’s currently undertaking his Level 4 badge and is very proactive in his approach to women’s cricket.The interview panel could do worse than to consider any application from Andy Hobday, a former coach at Hampshire, who is now involved in the women’s set-up as a Super 4s coach. Charlotte Dickenson and the former England player and World Cup winner Jan Brittin are the other Super 4s coaches and, as such, they could make excellent candidates, too.Ian Pont, who coaches Essex part-time, is no longer Netherlands’ fast bowling coach. Whether his self-styled maverick approach would suit an ECB position is another matter, but he has been heavily involved with Netherlands’ women.With the salary likely to be around a tenth of what Fletcher received, the possible candidates wouldn’t necessarily be lured by the lucre. However, as a CV point, an international role is a big tick. Moreover, England have been in the top four teams since international competition began, and they have a young side with some exciting players.The candidate needs to have ECB Level 3 (or international equivalent) and, as a nod to Fletcher, to be handy with a computer. The ECB are hoping to have a new coach in place by mid-July “at the very latest”, to settle in and prepare for New Zealand’s visit: their tour kicks off with back-to-back Twenty20s on August 12 and 13.Four people will sit on the interview panel. McConway; Barbara Daniels, the women’s academy coach; Gordon Lord, the ECB’s elite coach development manager, and David Parsons, who is the acting director of the ECB Academy.England’s selectors panel stays consistent, meanwhile. Michael Griggs, the chairman of selectors, has been re-elected for two years alongside his fellow senior panel members Patsy Lovell and Jan Godman. Lovell’s additional responsibilities will include heading up the regional selectors panel.
James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s CEO, personally apologised to aggrieved fans hoping to acquire tickets for the Ashes series following fresh revelations that just over 23% of the total seats at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) were allocated to the members of the Australian Cricket Family.The SCG has a capacity of 42,000 but only 9800 seats were allocated to the Family for each day’s play – all of which were sold out within hours, much to the ire of the remaining members who felt short-changed. It was learnt that the SCG Trust, which pays New South Wales Cricket $12 million a year to host international matches, took the sponsors and corporate clients into consideration before deciding on the number of seats allocated to the members of the Family.In an email to the fans, Sutherland wrote, “It has been a big week for us all, with 300,000 tickets sold in two days. I know that many of you are happy with the tickets you have got, and others are unhappy about not getting tickets you wanted and the problems you had with the system we used. I apologise for that.”The official launch of the online ticket system has witnessed complete mayhem over the last few days, with several fans facing difficulties in contacting the ticketing agencies through the phone and the internet. Their frustrations were compounded when tickets were being resold at eBay, the online auction site, at ridiculous prices by several touts seeking profits. Sutherland lashed out at the profiteers and urged the authorities at eBay to take appropriate action.The apology came after Brett Judd, the group manager for ticketing in the recent Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, criticised the Ashes ticketing system, implying that the process could have been handled in a more professional manner.”If it was me, I would have balloted in some way, so it was an equal playing field, or I would have staggered it out,” he told . “Simply dumping it on the market probably didn’t afford the best opportunity to sell in a nice, orderly manner.”Judd indicated that unlike the authorities in charge of the Games, Cricket Australia failed to foresee the need to strike an agreement with eBay in advance to prevent people from reselling tickets at prices higher than the face value.However, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the allocation isn’t as lopsided, with 42,000 out of the 95,000 tickets reserved for the Family, while the corporates, tour groups, and the other state associations getting a total of 19000 seats.
A cricket board investigation has been launched into allegations of drunken misconduct by two Sri Lanka players – allegedly Avishka Gunawardene and Kaushal Lokuarachchi – during the ICC Champions Trophy last month. said that Sri Lanka Cricket had been prompted to take action after being “tipped off by well-informed sources” that the two players were involved in a late-night drinking binge mid-way through their rain-interrupted match against England.Mohan de Silva, the cricket board president, confirmed to Wisden Cricinfo that a disciplinary probe was already underway: “Investigations have been started. We have instructed the disciplinary committee to look into these allegations and they are making preliminary enquiries now before the players return from Pakistan,” he added.The allegations had surfaced soon after Sri Lanka’s early exit from the Champions Trophy but were not taken seriously at the outset after being flatly denied by Ajit Jayasekera, the team manager at the time, and coach John Dyson.De Silva refused to confirm the identity of the two players and insisted that the decision to drop both Gunawardene and Lokuarachchi for Sri Lanka’s second match in the Paktel Cup had not been triggered by the inquiry.Lokuarachchi was last year banned for four months from all forms of cricket after his involvement in a tragic late-night driving accident. Legal proceedings are still continuing in the case.
Matt Prior came to England A’s rescue with a vital innings of 82 not out as East Zone had the better of things on the second day of their Duleep Trophy match at Amritsar. England A were bowled out for 225, as Shib Paul took 5 for 61, and East Zone then extended their lead to 123 for the loss of three second-innings wickets.After their fightback in the field yesterday, England A’s reply could not have got off to a worse start. They lost Ed Smith without a run on the board, caught by Arindam Das off Debasis Mohanty. Scott Newman reached only 20 when he was bowled by Paul. However, Michael Lumb and Kevin Pietersen stopped the rot with a stand of 51 before Pietersen was out for 32, caught by Mohanty off the left-arm spin of Utpal Chatterjee. Paul struck again, trapping Lumb lbw for 33, and Kadeer Ali followed soon after in the same way.Prior and Graham Napier again demonstrated their value in the middle order, adding a valuable 65 to steer England A back to some sort of respectability before Napier was caught by Kiran Powar off Chatterjee for 28.Prior managed to add another 54 runs with the tail. He lost Graham Wagg for 8 and James Tredwell for just 1, but Sajid Mahmood hung around long enough to help his side past the 200 mark before he and Steve Kirby fell in quick succession.Mahmood then gave England A some heart before the close, removing both Deep Dasgupta and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Kirby also struck to have Arindam Das caught behind, as East Zone closed at 65 for 3.