Australia women's team prize money to equal men's at T20 World Cup

Cricket Australia will boost the team’s winnings for next year’s tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2019Cricket Australia will top up the team’s prize money at the women’s T20 World Cup to match the men’s for whichever stage of the tournament they reach next year.That announcement follows the ICC’s decision to substantially increase the prize money on offer for women’s events.If Australia successfully defend their title on home soil in February and March it would see CA putting up US$600,000 (AUD$885,000) alongside the ICC prize pool.”We want to continue our commitment to equality by ensuring that any prize money earned by the Australian Women’s team in the T20 World Cup is the same as what is on offer in the men’s side of the tournament. This will include matching the prize money for the final, semi-finals, or group stage.” CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said.”The quality and skill level of the women’s game continues to grow and that was witnessed firsthand last week with the team breaking another world record, winning 18 consecutive ODI matches.”Roberts added that there was still much more work to do to bring parity between men’s and women’s pay and prize money.”I commend the ICC’s commitment and while there is no doubt we are starting to see financial progress for our talented cricketers, we still have a way to go and CA will continue to play a role in driving equality for our athletes.”Last week CA announced a new parental leave policy which provides 12 months paid maternity leave plus a guaranteed contract extension and a range of other support.

Belmonte descarta negócio por Borré e Braian Romero no São Paulo

MatériaMais Notícias

O diretor de futebol do São Paulo, Carlos Belmonte, comentou sobre as negociações do clube com os atacantes Borré, do River Plate, e Braian Romero, jogador do Defensa y Justicia.

Melhor ataque do Paulistão: veja como está a artilharia do São Paulo no estadual

Apesar de serem nomes interessantes para o elenco do Tricolor, Belmonte afirmou que as questões financeiras tornaram as negociações inviáveis, principalmente com o jogador dos Millonários.

CONFIRA COMO ESTÁ A SITUAÇÃO DO SÃO PAULO NA LIBERTADORES

RelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo treina com reservas para encarar o Rentistas; veja escalaçãoSão Paulo11/05/2021São PauloBelmonte afirma que São Paulo deve escalar reservas diante do RentistasSão Paulo11/05/2021São PauloGabriel Falcão, volante do Sub-20, renova contrato com o TricolorSão Paulo11/05/2021

– Não estamos analisando ou observando o Braian Romero neste momento. Quanto ao Borré, é um grande atacante e qualquer time tem interesse em contratá-lo, o que não temos é dinheiro para trazer esse jogador – disse Belmonte aocanal do YouTube ‘Sombra Tricolor’,

Ele comentou que a situação de Borré poderia ser diferente caso tivessem investidores que ajudariam o São Paulo a trazer o jogador. Porém, nos moldes de agora, o Tricolor não tem investimento para contratar o atacante, que também foi descartado no rival Palmeiras.

– Se nós tivéssemos um grupo de investidores que quisesse adquirir o Borré e colocá-lo no São Paulo para lucrar com um venda futura, a situação seria diferente. É um jogador que teria mercado na Europa. Porém, não temos qualquer condição de contratar o atacante do River Plate pelo momento que a gente passa. Temos que ter responsabilidade com os atletas que já temos – finalizou o executivo.

O São Paulo se prepara para encarar o Rentistas, nesta quarta-feira, às 19h, no Uruguai, pela quarta rodada do Grupo E da Libertadores. Logo depois, na sexta-feira, enfrenta a Ferroviária, às 21h30, pelas quartas de final do Paulistão.

Farke must soon bin £45k-p/w Leeds man who earns more than Ampadu

Daniel Farke should be commended for thinking on his feet when it comes to the right-back position at Leeds United this season, thrusting Archie Gray into the spotlight in an ingenious move.

Onto 34 appearances for the season at just 17 years of age, with 20 of those coming as a makeshift full-back, Gray has helped ease concerns over who could come into the side in that position in what has been a problem area at Elland Road.

Archie Gray for Leeds United.

Concerns have further been eased by the addition of Connor Roberts. The Welshman was linked with a move to Elland Road throughout January and then finally put pen to paper on transfer deadline day.

Signing on loan from Burnley, the full-back will spend the rest of the season with Leeds with Farke having bolstered his defence depth impressively.

The aforementioned problems arguably stem, however, from Stuart Dallas picking up a serious injury two years ago.

Once a stalwart in the Whites lineup in defence, he is now sadly burning a rather large hole in Leeds' wage bill by unfortunately becoming a permanent fixture in the treatment room.

Stuart Dallas' salary at Leeds

At the peak of his powers for Leeds, talk around how much Dallas was earning was irrelevant chatter compared to his heroics on the pitch.

During the 2019/20 campaign for Leeds – who Argentine icon Marcelo Bielsa managed at the time – Dallas would manage to fire in five goals on top of picking up three assists as the Whites soared to automatic promotion from the Championship.

The Northern Irish star wasn't done there, however, smoothly transitioning to the demands of the Premier League the season after with eight goals and two assists notched up from 38 appearances.

Dallas' £45k per week wage wouldn't raise any eyebrows therefore at the time, with the now 32-year-old a key first-team presence loved by the Elland Road masses.

Adept at playing in a whole host of positions away from just Gray's current spot – able to play at left-back, further forward down the wing and even in central midfield – it must have been a gutting blow when the news was announced that Dallas had suffered a femoral fracture playing against Manchester City back in April 2022.

Still, with his wage making him the sixth-highest earner currently in West Yorkshire, the time could come soon when Leeds need to assess Dallas' future at the club and whether he will ever make a plausible comeback after such a horrific injury.

Dallas' salary at Leeds compared to the squad

Dallas is by no means the highest earner at the football club, Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford are both tied for that title at a handsome £70k-per-week.

Yet, with Rutter's dazzling performances of late and Bamford's fantastic reemergence back onto the scene after injury issues of his own, their hefty wages could be justified.

1. Georginio Rutter

£70k

2. Patrick Bamford

£70k

3. Junior Firpo

£60k

4. Daniel James

£50k

5. Pascal Struijk

£50k

6. Stuart Dallas

£45k

Sourced by Capology

Dallas hasn't managed to play a single minute of action for Leeds since his horrendous injury, which has seen him sidelined for nearly two years now, with key figures in the Whites first team right now such as Ethan Ampadu perhaps justifying a better cause for a wage increase in the future.

Ampadu comes in at £5k-per-week less than Dallas despite rolling up his sleeves all season long as a tough battler for Farke's troops, establishing a formidable partnership in defence recently with Joe Rodon to play their part in the Whites making it seven wins on the spin in the Championship.

Leeds defender Stuart Dallas.

With Dallas also reaching the end of his career now regardless of his fracture, the Northern Irishman 32 years of age, Leeds will need to brace themselves for the day where they'll need to kindly and sadly sever ties with their esteemed servant to free up room in the wage bill.

Perhaps this may well happen if they secure promotion back to the Premier League in the summer.

Brisbane Heat pull off huge coup signing AB de Villiers for BBL

AB de Villiers will be playing in the BBL after all with Brisbane Heat securing one of the biggest signings in the recent history of the competition.De Villiers, who retired from international cricket in 2018, had attracted huge interest from BBL clubs earlier this year but pulled back from committing to playing in Australia in May.However, in a surprise announcement on Tuesday morning the Heat revealed they had signed de Villiers for the second half of the tournament, including the finals should the Heat get that far.De Villiers will spend Christmas at home in Pretoria and appears likely to link up with the Heat around January 6 or 8. The Heat play Sydney Thunder in Sydney on January 6, but de Villiers appears more likely to play his first game against Hobart Hurricanes on January 9 at the Gabba.”You go through moments after retirement when you’re really keen to play, then you just want to be at home,” he said. “It’s really difficult to balance that out. Time spent at home and time away, so I’m very selective of where I play at the moment, and the body is getting a bit older so I can’t play too much.””I was in close contact with [coach] Darren [Lehmann] over email and that was a big part of the reason why I am coming over. He certainly pushed me over the edge. He’s a great guy and I am sure we will get to know each other well over the tournament. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the way he played his game and the way he handled everything when he was with the Aussie team, and I am sure I can learn a bit from him with my batting.”De Villiers said he had also spoken to former Heat captain Brendon McCullum about joining and was keen to play alongside current captain Chris Lynn after getting top know him through the IPL.”I’ve spoken to Chris a few times after games in the IPL,” de Villiers said. “I always enjoy the way he plays the game, he really goes after the bowling, he attacks the game, and he seems like a really good team-mate. He gives his best shot for the boys. I’m looking forward to joining forces with him. The Heat have always stood out to me.Lehmann, the new Heat coach who took over from Daniel Vettori, was ecstatic to get a player of de Villiers’ quality.”World-class players don’t just come along every day and to have a player of AB’s stature and skill in the BBL is a fantastic outcome for everyone, not just the Heat,” Lehmann said. “He’s a 360-degree player, great skills, outstanding temperament, and an insightful leader. We’re excited to bring him into the group this summer and allow him to showcase his skills for the fans.”De Villiers signing is a huge coup for the tournament as a whole. The BBL had significant trouble last season attracting big names. A combination of the elongated tournament and the small salary cap, by comparison to global standards, made it very difficult for clubs to attract high-quality overseas talent. When de Villiers initially withdrew his interest from playing in the BBL back in May there were genuine concerns about how the competition could attract quality overseas players moving forward.De Villiers is the start of a set of overseas signings to come around the BBL. Australia’s international players will also be available for the last week of the tournament as well as the finals in early February after a week-long ODI tour of India.

Nottingham Forest could bin £45k-p/w man who earns more than Elanga

Nottingham Forest haven't been shy of a transfer or two since the club's promotion back to the Premier League under Steve Cooper in May 2022.

Since defeating Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley, the Reds have made 34 new additions, with owner Evangelos Marinakis investing over £200m to the playing squad – giving the club the best chance of maintaining their Premier League status.

Whilst the club achieved the goal of survival with a game to spare last season, the club had wasted a lot of money on transfer fees and wages with some players not meeting expectations at the City Ground.

Jonjo Shelvey joined the Reds in January 2023 for an undisclosed fee, with the former Newcastle United man eventually being released in order to pursue a move to Turkey.

Nottingham Forest's starting XI if they never achieved promotion in 2022

The club gained promotion to the Premier League in the 2021/22 season.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 16, 2024

He wasn't the only player who joined the club with high expectations, with another experienced Premier League midfielder also looking past his best in England's top flight.

Cheikhou Kouyate's stats at Nottingham Forest

After arriving on a free transfer from fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace during the summer of 2022, Cheikhou Kouyate was brought in to provide needed Premier League experience to a relatively inexperienced Forest side.

The 34-year-old agreed a two-year deal upon his arrival at the City Ground, with Kouyate looking to have one final stint in the Premier League.

During his first season at the club, the midfielder made 21 appearances in the league – with the Senegalese international starting just seven times.

This season he's taken up a bit part role at the club, making ten appearances. However, he's found starts even harder to come by with just two during the duration of the 2023/24 campaign, with both coming under former boss Cooper.

With his contract expiring at the end of the current season, it looks unlikely he will be offered a new deal – especially considering the amount of money the midfielder earns per week.

How much Cheikhou Kouyate earns at Nottingham Forest

The deal to bring Kouyate to the City Ground saw the club fork out £45k-per-week on the midfielder, with the former Palace man originally one of the club's highest earners after promotion.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

During his time at the club, the 34-year-old has currently earned £3.7m in wages – with Kouyate in line to take home another £900k before the end of his deal in June.

His weekly wage at Forest is higher than many current starting players, with Anthony Elanga the biggest name on the list.

Andrew Omobamidele

£35k-p/w

Nicolas Dominguez

£35k-p/w

Danilo

£30k-p/w

Murillo

£30k-p/w

Ryan Yates

£25k-p/w

Anthony Elanga

£25k-p/w

Players such as Ryan Yates and Brazilian pair Murillo and Danilo both earn less than Kouyate – with the first team members earning £25k-per-week and £30k-per-week respectively.

Undoubtedly, at the time the deal to bring the Senegalese player to the City Ground was a no-brainer. However, it's clear to see he's not up to the level required for the Premier League with the club needing to offload him this summer.

مولر: بايرن ميونخ لن يخاف من برشلونة لأن ليفاندوفسكي بمفرده

عاود مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بايرن ميونخ، توماس مولر، تصريحاته الغريبة قبل مباراة برشلونة في الجولة الثالثة من دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسيلتقي برشلونة وبايرن ميونخ على ملعب “منتجويك” يوم الأربعاء المقبل في العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

وتعد مباراة الفريقين منتظرة من العديد من المتابعين خاصة وأنها أصبحت متكررة بشكل دائم في السنوات الماضية بعد سقوط برشلونة بنتيجة 8-2 في عام 2020 أمام بايرن ميونخ.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بايرن ميونخ يعلن إصابة قوية لـ لاعبه قبل مواجهة برشلونة

وقال مولر في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية، وقال: “روبرت ليفاندوفسكي هو المهاجم الذي لعبت معه أطول فترة ممكنة خلال مسيرتي”.

وتابع: “لدينا تجانس وتناغم كبيرين للغاية على المستوى الهجومي، لكن أمام برشلونة ليس علينا الشعور بالخوف من وجود ليفاندوفسكي لأن ليس لديه هذه الثنائية مثلما كان معي”.

ولم يفز برشلونة منذ 9 سنوات أمام بايرن ميونخ مع سقوطه في آخر 6 مباريات في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، وبالتالي، هانز فليك أمام مهمة صعبة للغاية.

Arsenal have the ideal Nketiah replacement in "deadly" Nwaneri partner

Arsenal are firing on all cylinders at the moment and have managed to pair their steely defence with a ruthlessness in front of goal they haven't shown before.

The Gunners have won their previous six Premier League games by an absurd margin of 25-3 and, aside from their blip in the Champions League, have looked unbeatable.

Mikel Arteta has seen his team go from one that scored a single goal from 63 shots before the winter break to one that can't stop scoring, which is even more impressive considering Gabriel Jesus has been injured for a month.

Position

Player

Appearances

Goals

1

Bukayo Saka

34

16

2

Leandro Trossard

31

10

3

Martin Odegaard

33

8

3

Gabriel Jesus

23

8

4

Kai Havertz

36

7

4

Gabriel Martinelli

31

7

5

Eddie Nketiah

32

6

The Brazilian last played against Nottingham Forest on January 30th, and while he's likely to come back into the side when fit, the player fans thought was his backup, Eddie Nketiah, might not.

The Englishman has been fit for this run of games but hasn't been picked, which could spell trouble as a Hale End gem with an eye for goal continues to develop.

eddie-nketiah-arsenal-khayon-edwards-arteta-academy-hale-end

Eddie Nketiah's season in numbers

The former Chelsea youth product went into this season as backup behind the talented but increasingly injury-prone Jesus, and so there was a feeling that he would get a reasonable amount of game time over the year.

For the first part of the campaign, this was true, as when the former Manchester City ace was absent, Nketiah stepped into the fold, and by 1 January, he had made 26 appearances for the team, with 13 of those being starts, in which he scored six goals and provided four assists – a reasonable if unspectacular return.

Appearances

32

Starts

13

Minutes

1345'

Goals

6

Assists

5

Minutes per Goal Involvement

122'

However, since the turn of the year, he has made just six appearances, but all of them have been off the bench and only add up to 88 minutes altogether, in which time he has not scored or assisted any goals.

Now, this sort of involvement might be understandable had Jesus been fit and in the team, but he hasn't been. Instead, Arteta has opted to alternate between Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz in place of the Englishman, making it feel like his time as an essential member of this Arsenal team is ending.

The Lewisham-born forward could remain and fight for his place. He has shown he can score in the top flight, but with Jesus set to return soon, the club supposedly looking for a new striker in the summer and the emergence of a talented nine in the academy, it seems like the 24-year-old's time in red and white is up.

Why fans should be excited about Khayon Edwards

So, the youngster who could potentially put the nail in the coffin of Nketiah's Arsenal career is 20-year-old Khayon Edwards.

The Islington-born nine has been a force of nature for the Gunners' youth teams over the last few years and, across 76 appearances for the U18 and U23 sides, has a remarkable return of 37 goals and 13 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.52 games.

Interestingly, while it's common for youth team players to start in multiple positions with junior teams to try and find where they excel best, Edwards has played the vast majority of his games as a centre-forward, so he has plenty of experience in the role.

Understandably, his exploits at youth level have attracted plenty of attention from more than just scouts and the like, as Kaya Kaynak, football.london's chief Arsenal writer, described him as a "deadly" forward when he watched him play in 2021.

Team

Arsenal U18

Arsenal U23

Appearances

41

36

Goals

23

14

Assists

9

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.78

0.50

On Arsenal's own website, he has been described as 'a hard-working attacker whose style of play and potency in front of goal emulates fellow academy grad, Eddie Nketiah', which does suggests he has the ability to make it into the first team.

With such an impressive resume at youth level, the 5 foot 11 goalscorer was sent out on loan to League One side Leyton Orient at the start of February in the hope that some first team football could give his development a real boost.

In the month he has been in East London, he has started two games and come off the bench twice to pick up a total of 157 minutes of action, and while he has failed to score thus far, he did impress manager Richie Wellens with his energy, as he claimed "We’re starting with a front three, and at times we ran them ragged. Really clever sometimes in pockets, sometimes outside, our rotations were fantastic."

Khayon Edwards could form a brilliant partnership with Ethan Nwaneri

So, Edwards is a fantastically talented young striker with a real chance of displacing Nketiah in the first team a couple of years from now, but excitingly, he could do so alongside another of Hale End's most promising youngsters, Ethan Nwaneri.

The 16-year-old first grabbed the headlines in September 2022, when Arteta made him the youngest Premier League player of all time when he substituted him on against Brentford at just 15 years and 181 days old.

However, he's more than just a niche pub quiz answer in the future, as he currently has 16 goals and nine assists to his name in just 44 youth team appearances for the Gunners, and he has plenty of experience playing with Edwards.

Team

Arsenal U18

Arsenal U21

Arsenal YL

Appearances

23

20

1

Goals

15

5

1

Assists

5

4

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.86

0.45

1

For example, the pair both played and scored against Reading's U21 side in September 2023, with Nwaneri in midfield and Edwards up top, in what could be a visage of an Arsenal side to come.

While three years Edwards' junior, the "special player", as U23 scout Antonio Mango dubbed him, has two senior appearances under his belt and could well break into the first team around a similar time despite his younger age.

Moreover, his ability to play in multiple positions and Arteta's claim that he has the "ability to take the ball in tight areas, to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do" suggests he could occupy that same midfield role he did against the Royals, feeding balls into the frontline and racking up assists as his fellow Hale End graduate racks up goals.

Arsenal got it right binning £17m ace who felt "tricked" by Arsène Wenger

Signing the talented forward was a big mistake.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 1, 2024

Ultimately, there is a long way to go for both promising youngsters, but with their records at the youth level and the way people in the know talk about them, don't be too surprised if they are tearing it up for Arsenal in the Premier League in a few years.

Newcastle struck gold on "outstanding" ace who’s worth more than Joelinton

Newcastle United's 3-2 loss to Chelsea on Monday night was just another in a long list of disappointing results this season.

Eddie Howe's side haven't been able to replicate their impressive form from 2022/23, and they currently sit tenth in the Premier League.

However, compared to where they were just a couple of years ago, the club are on a clear trajectory, and with a team full of talented stars, it's only a matter of time until they start regularly challenging the big boys.

For example, starters like Joelinton have seen their value skyrocket over the last few years, although another star's worth has increased even more.

Joelinton's value since joining Newcastle

Newcastle signed the Brazilian from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in July 2019 for a then-club record fee of £40m during the torrid reign of Mike Ashley.

His arrival came with lofty expectations due to his impressive form in Germany, but his first few years in English football didn't entirely go to plan.

Newcastle midfielder Joelinton

Then-manager Steve Bruce opted to start the Aliança-born star as the team's sole striker for the first two and a half seasons at the club, a decision which was the wrong one as it saw him score just 12 goals in 73 games and get labelled as the 'worst transfer in recent Premier League history' by some in the press.

That all changed with the arrival of Howe, who, after a few more games of playing the Brazilian as a nine, opted to start him in central and attacking midfield, a position he has come to dominate in the years since.

In all, the 27-year-old has made 180 appearances for the Magpies, came second in the club's Player of the Year award in 2022, is set to sign a lucrative new contract this year and, best of all, has seen his valuation rise above what he originally cost the club.

Appearances

180

Goals

25

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.22

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Toon titan is now worth around €60m, about £51m – or £11m more than he cost the club in 2019. However, another star at the club has seen his value soar even higher.

Alexander Isak's transfer valuation in 2024

Swedish striker Alexander Isak moved to St James' Park from Real Sociedad in August 2022 for another club record fee, this time £63m.

The then-22-year-old was effective from the word go and opened his account with a goal against Liverpool on his debut.

The rest of the campaign was a mixed bag for the Swede. When he was playing, he was arguably one of the best strikers in the league, scoring ten goals in 27 appearances, but a thigh injury saw him miss 16 games and disrupt his campaign.

It's been a similar story this year for the "outstanding" nine, as dubbed by Howe, as he has scored an impressive 16 goals in 29 appearances but missed ten games through a recurring groin injury.

Appearances

56

Goals

26

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

That said, the 6 foot 4 goal machine is clearly an incredible talent, and his increasing value represents that, as according to the CIES Football Observatory, he's now worth around €100m, which is £85m – or £22m more than Newcastle paid for him just a year and a half ago.

Outscoring Isak: Newcastle may have sanctioned their £1.7m sale too early

The player left Newcastle United behind in a £2m deal.

ByEthan Lamb Mar 7, 2024

Ultimately, while 2023/24 hasn't been the most enjoyable season for the fans, a team filled with players like Joelinton and Isak isn't going to stay down for too long.

If the club can add one or two more quality players in the summer, they could cause a real upset next year.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Dani Dyer sheds Euro 2024 final tears but is ‘used to’ WAG lifestyle – with England & West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen boasting similarities to Love Island star’s famous father Danny

Dani Dyer shed tears at the Euro 2024 final but says she is “used to” the WAG lifestyle that comes with being the partner of England ace Jarrod Bowen.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Couple have been together since 2021
  • Accustomed to spending time apart
  • Support one another as much as they can
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The former Love Island star first got together with West Ham winger Bowen back in 2021. They are now the proud parents of twin girls and work hard on a relationship that can see them separated for professional reasons on a regular basis.

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    THE GOSSIP

    That has been the case of late, with Bowen forming part of the England squad that made the 2024 European Championship final. Dyer travelled over for games in that tournament, alongside her children, and had to be consoled by father Danny after seeing the Three Lions suffer an agonising 2-1 defeat to Spain in Berlin.

  • WHAT DYER SAID

    While emotion got the better of her on that occasion, Dyer has told of adjusting to a lifestyle that can see her left home alone at times: “From the minute I met Jarrod, he was always very busy. So I think it’s just about enjoying those moments when they are home and doing things and trying to have little weekends away with the kids together and really appreciating those times. My dad was always away a lot with my mum, so I don’t know if I’m just used to that lifestyle.”

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    DID YOU KNOW?

    Bowen is also doing his bit to make life as comfortable as possible for Dyer, with the 27-year-old heading back from a match-winning performance in the 2023 Europa Conference League final to take on fatherly duties. Dyer added: “He got home at about midnight and the twins were a few weeks old and he was straight on the bottles. It was the night feed! So yes, when he’s home he is amazing.”

Jack Leach signs Somerset contract extension

Jack Leach, the England left-arm spinner, has signed a two-year contract extension with Somerset that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2022 season.Leach, who was born and raised in Taunton, has been part of the club’s system since his childhood, and has been a first-team regular since the 2016 season, when his 65 wickets at 21.87 apiece nearly fired Somerset to a first Championship title.He was perhaps unfortunate to miss out on a red-ball central contract with England – he has been given an incremental contract instead – and is currently in New Zealand, preparing to play in the first Test at Mount Maunganui on November 21.”I’m very happy to sign this new contract,” Leach said. “I’m a Somerset fan at heart so I’m very proud to represent the county. I have a great relationship with the members and fans, and I can’t thank them enough for the support they give the team and me as an individual.”I’d also like to thank Jason Kerr [head coach] and Andy Hurry [director of cricket] for the belief they have shown in me. I’m looking forward to the winter and can’t wait for next season.”Hurry said: “Everyone at the club is delighted that Jack has committed his future to Somerset. He is an exceptional talent and a big influence in the dressing room. I can’t speak highly enough of him both as a player and as a man.”He has a genuine passion for the game and in particular for Somerset. That shows itself every time he trains, in his diligent preparation and in his wholehearted performances every time he takes to the field. We feel that he has a major role to play for both Somerset and England over the forthcoming years.”Leach’s extension is something of a blow to Dom Bess, the offspinner who played two Tests for England in May 2018 but found himself in the Somerset 2nd XI later that summer.Bess – who twice went on loan to Yorkshire last summer – is contracted until the end of next season, and is unlikely to change clubs this winter despite Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale publicly registering his interest in making that move permanent. But having played only nine times for Somerset in all formats last year – seven in the Championship and twice in the One-Day Cup – another frustrating season may leave Bess with no choice but to look elsewhere given he retains ambitions of a long international career.

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