Texoma FC rejects the idea of “self-relegation,” yet their drop to USL League Two and surprise second club have pushed them into an unexpected multi-club future.

The phrase Ben Watson keeps hearing is “self-relegation.” 

He can’t stand it. The owner of the now former-USL League Two club Texoma FC insists that his team, which announced it was moving down a division on Oct. 28, is not an early version of the promotion-relegation model soon to come to USL. 

Instead, Watson asserts, Texoma saw where the soccer landscape in Texas was going and simply realigned. The reality is perhaps a little more complex. But whatever your interpretation may be – strategic realignment or a noble sort of demotion – Texoma is now an amateur club in USL League Two. 

And in addition, Watson has unveiled a second team altogether. He now owns “Rodeo SC” which is set to debut in 2027. It’s in a new city, Celina – a 30-minute drive down the road from his current side. It operates in a fresh market, with a different vibe altogether. 

Somehow, accidentally, Watson and his fellow investors have fallen into what is effectively multi-club ownership in USL. 

“We were the first ones to do what we did. So we've definitely pioneered it. But I would say, yeah, it's unique in nature, because you have a League One team that has a League Two affiliate, but they're not in the same market,” Watson told GOAL.

Texoma FC'Thinking pro-rel'

This is a complicated thing that requires balance. Texoma struggled in their first season of play. Their potential as a long-term investment – and that’s what soccer clubs are – is limited. But they can also be part of a multi-club system in North Texas, Watson argued. 

“It's two completely different identities, two different communities that really can latch on to that community club feel, but they still can feed to the same place,” Watson said. 

His solution, then, is to keep Texoma chugging along in its current market, and also establish a bigger club in a bigger area – with a more distinct identity – that can push for genuine relevance as promotion and relegation come into the fold. 

“I think it's safe to say all the clubs in the USL are thinking pro-rel route. All of us know it's coming. We're all making moves to figure out how we realign, or how we position ourselves long term to be successful,” Watson said. 

More broadly, the hope is that it can all be one ecosystem. Watson’s vision is that of shared academies, a talent pool that both teams can dip into, and, at its best, a fully fleshed-out system that can allow a duo of franchises to thrive.

AdvertisementChris Linscott'USL League One was too high of a league for us'

It is worth, first, acknowledging that Texoma, in its inaugural season of existence, simply failed to hit the heights that the owners expected. On the pitch, the product wasn’t great. They finished 12th in the league, just six points off the bottom. 

And off the field, things were perhaps just a little miscalculated. Texoma is based in Sherman, Texas, a city with few sporting credentials and a population of just over 50,000 (it is admittedly rising). Attendance was poor. They had the third-lowest average in the league, with just over 1,200 routinely showing up to games. At one point, they had just 216 fans in the stands (although that was after a number of rain delays in mid-July). 

Even those in the stands knew that there was something wrong. 

“I actually felt that from pretty early on in the season that USL League One was too high of a league for us,” Richard McKibbin, a regular attendee at games, told GOAL. “I’m realistic. I saw the crowds that we were getting in Sherman and knew that the long-term viability of a professional team in Sherman was questionable at best.” 

More broadly, though, Texoma had one glaring problem: the market could not sustain a soccer team. Watson had to accept that. 

“I think we realigned to fit the community better. The Texoma community is a smaller market. It fits extremely well with the USL League Two,” Watson said. 

Texoma's owners had known that harsh reality for a few months before they announced anything. For six months, they were seriously looking at new markets for a fresh franchise, while admitting that their current team wouldn’t be in USL League One for long. 

“You look at a club like Portland Hearts of Pine. We were the same year as them, Year 1 to Year 1.. You're like, they're doing something right. So from our shoes, we look at it and go, 'Okay, well, what can we do to create something that people want to be a part of?'” Watson said.

IMAGNFall festivals and high school football games

Their solution has been a new brand in a new city. Watson studied the market extensively once he knew that Texoma wasn’t going to sustain a professional team long term. He found that the most successful USL clubs come in places with a distinct culture, a market looking for a sports team, and, long term, the potential to build a stadium. 

“We spent about six, seven months in season, working through ‘Does this make sense? Are the city leaders interested? Is there a long-term potential here to build a venue?’ All those conversations took place,” Watson said. 

Celina, Texas, is, mathematically, a better market. Right now, it’s roughly the same size as Sherman by population. But it’s also a 30-minute drive away, and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Eight years ago, 7,000 people lived there. City leaders are preparing for a boom that will leave the city with around 300,000 – such is the rapidly expanding population of the Dallas area. And in those numbers, Watson sees potential. 

“We know this community has grown. We know it's a great place. We really like the city leadership, and so all these things kind of allude to this can be a successful franchise,” Watson said. 

There’s also already a sporting culture in Celina (albeit with a different kind of football). They pack the stands for high school football games. And people just gather for pretty much anything. 

"They do a lot of downtown things where 15-25,000 people will show up in a day to one event. Their high school football games are sold out. We went to their homecoming game the other day, and they had to bring in extra bleachers to the stadium,” Watson said.

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Getty Images Sport'They're going to dress up in overalls'

They are already calling themselves the “Rodeo Clowns.” Within 24 hours of announcing the brand, Rodeo SC had their first three supporters. 

“They're going to dress up in overalls and a cowboy hat, and they're gonna have the full thing. When you start to hear it, you're like, ‘that is the most Texan American thing you can ever think of’,” Watson said. 

They were sold on the vision immediately. The name is a slightly dorky thing, but also an homage to the West. This is a place of cattle and rodeos and cowboys. The Jerry Jones-owned NFL team nearby – the clue is in name – became one of the biggest brands on earth by leaning into where they’re from. Rodeo SC are doing the same. 

“Texas has a lot of rodeo heritage, and Celina is known for the Longhorn cattle. It's got a whole identity around that side. We're like, man, we could lean into this. We could create this concept where it's fun, almost gimmicky, but, like, obviously, it's still football,” Watson said. 

It works on multiple levels. The first, of course, is the uniqueness. But the second is the idea of entertainment associated with the name. Soccer franchises can no longer be only about the game on the field – or what happens in 90 minutes. Rodeo SC, then, are about the matchday experience. While some have backed away from their roots and just put out a team, Watson wants to lean into theirs – to a fault. 

“The cool part is, if you come in town from Maine, or you come in from Washington, Florida – wherever you're coming from, even internationally – you're gonna come and go, ‘I want to experience Texas.’ We want you to leave and go, 'yes, that was Texas', and that's Rodeo Soccer Club,” Watson said.

Arsenal have now discovered where they stand in the race to sign Malick Fofana, according to recent reports, and the winger has made his mind up on a move to Barcelona.

Despite how impressive the Gunners have been so far this season, their left-hand side remains their biggest weakness. The form of Martinelli remains inconsistent and he remains sidelined, whilst Leandro Trossard is now 30 years old and not a long-term option. After addressing their striker problem by signing Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, Arsenal must do the same on their left-hand side.

Arteta must drop 5/10 Arsenal star who lost the ball every 4 passes

Arsenal were uncharacteristically ropey against Sunderland on Saturday.

By
Matt Dawson

Nov 9, 2025

That said, given that they sit top of the Premier League with an excellent defensive record and set-piece threat, those in North London will be in no urgent rush to panic buy any potential improvements.

Their 2-2 draw against Sunderland on Saturday was the first time that Arsenal have dropped points in the Premier League since September and they’ve not lost a game in all competitions since August. Everything is pointing towards major silverware at long last for Mikel Arteta.

In an ideal world for those at The Emirates, Arsenal will march towards Premier League glory and then find themselves in the perfect opportunity to welcome any other improvements.

Already, the champions-elect have been linked with moves for the likes of Javi Guerra in what would see another La Liga talent arrive and he’s not the only one on their reported shortlist.

Recent reports have also shared Arsenal’s interest in Lyon’s Fofana, who is one of the most-wanted wingers around European football. Those same reports even revealed where the Gunners stand in the race to secure his signature.

Fofana dream revealed as Arsenal find out transfer position

According to Sport in Spain, Arsenal are now the most interested side in signing Fofana alongside Chelsea in a frustrating blow for Barcelona. The Belgium star has made his desire to complete a move to the Premier League no secret, with his agent admitting earlier this year that he dreams of moving to Liverpool.

Whilst that may seem like a blow for the likes of Arsenal, it is reportedly the Gunners who are at the front and centre of the race to secure his signature and not the Reds. Potentially with the Premier League title in hand, those in North London stand every chance of swaying Fofana, who has his sights set on English football instead of a move to Barcelona.

Fofana’s agent, Bobo Fofana, said back in March: “The choice of the heart would be Liverpool. He has the potential to become a regular, and above all, we’d like to see him succeed African legends such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Elhadj Diouf.”

A player who’s been described as “explosive” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, Fofana is not a talent that Arsenal will want to miss out on, especially if it is to title rivals Liverpool.

Arteta has Arsenal's best finisher since Van Persie & it's not Gyokeres

Middlesex fell 42 short as Hampshire progress to face Yorkshire in the semi-finals

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 28-Aug-2025Ali Orr’s second century of the tournament guided Hampshire into the Metro Bank One Day Cup semi-finals as they saw off Middlesex in their play-off at Radlett.The left-hander struck 108, batting through most of the innings to underpin Hampshire’s recovery from 95 for 5 as they set their opponents a target of 230 with paceman Henry Brookes taking four for 53.Liam Dawson then stifled Middlesex’s reply with his spell of 4 for 33, supported by fellow left-arm spinner Andrew Neal (1 for 30) as the Seaxes were bowled out for 187 in 45.3 overs.Sam Robson top-scored with 48 and Toby Roland-Jones’ late unbeaten cameo of 39 prolonged the contest, but it was not enough to deny Hampshire a semi-final date on Sunday, when they will face Yorkshire at Scarborough.Middlesex made three changes to the side that had clinched a tense win at Lancashire to secure their knockout place, including returns for Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins who both sent down tidy opening spells.Despite that, Orr and Nick Gubbins built a steady partnership of 45 until Brookes struck with his second delivery, tempting the Hampshire captain into a mistimed pull that sailed straight to midwicket.Fletcha Middleton was next to depart, caught behind nudging at a Brookes outswinger and the seamer soon grabbed his – and Middlesex’s – third wicket when Ben Brown was pinned leg before.Orr batted fluently, timing his shots on both sides of the wicket and steering Brookes to the point boundary to pass 50 for the second time in as many innings, but Middlesex continued to make inroads.Dawson, drafted in for his first appearance of the tournament, fell lbw to Sebastian Morgan, while Zafar Gohar’s miserly stint of one for 29 brought him the wicket of Ben Mayes, caught miscuing a reverse sweep.However, James Fuller’s spirited 42 provided the perfect foil for Orr, with the pair adding 96 from 18 overs before Higgins had the all-rounder caught in the deep.Having advanced to three figures in style by hooking Brookes for six, Orr eventually holed out to long on off Higgins, his departure effectively ending Hampshire’s hopes of clambering above 250.Middlesex rejigged their batting order, promoting Nathan Fernandes to open in the wake of his match-winning 92 at Old Trafford and the left-hander continued in similar vein with two sweetly-struck straight drives to the rope off Kyle Abbott.Although Josh de Caires fell to Fuller’s diving catch around the corner, the batting side still looked reasonably comfortable at 66 for 1 before they were decisively pegged back by the Hampshire spinners.Fernandes’ innings of 42 came to an end when he was pinned leg before by Neal and Dawson then removed Ben Geddes in the same manner before having Higgins taken low at slip.Along with seamer Eddie Jack, the spin duo smothered their opponents’ scoring rate in the middle overs and it fell to Robson to dig in, take advantage of rare stray deliveries and attempt to take the game deep.Joe Cracknell launched a brief counter-attack, clubbing a six and two fours from one Fuller over to reach 22 from as many balls, but the bowler took his revenge by dismissing both Cracknell and Gohar in the space of three deliveries.Brown’s neat stumping to remove Robson brought Hampshire a third wicket with the score unchanged and that appeared to signal the end of Middlesex’s challenge, but Roland-Jones went on the offensive, battering Abbott for a trio of off-side boundaries.He added 45 for the ninth wicket with Morgan, but Hampshire were not be denied and Dawson sealed victory by bowling last man Brookes in the 46th over.

تُوّج فريق أهلي طرابلس بقيادة المدير الفني المصري حسام البدري، بلقب كأس ليبيا بعد الفوز على نظيره الأهلي بنغازي بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، في المباراة النهائية التي أُقيمت مساء اليوم الخميس على استاد القاهرة.

وكان من المقرر إقامة المواجهة مساء الأربعاء، قبل أن يتم تأجيلها بسبب أزمة تقنية تتعلق بكاميرات البث التابعة للقناة الناقلة. 

طالع.. رئيس البنك الأهلي يكشف لـ”بطولات” حقيقة بيع ياو أنور إلى أهلي طرابلس الليبي

في الدقيقة 67 افتتح عزو المريمي أهداف اللقاء برأسية بعد ارتداد الكرة من القائم بينما في الدقيقة 89 سجل البديل عمران سالم الهدف الثاني بعد استقبال عرضية متقنة من الجهة اليسرى.

وفي الدقيقة 95 تمكن الأنجولي كريستوفر مابولولو من تسجيل هدف احتسبه الحكم بعد العودة إلى تقنية الفيديو.

وتمكن حسام البدري من قيادة فريقه لتحقيق الثنائية هذا الموسم بعد الفوز سابقًا بلقب الدوري الليبي الممتاز.

يذكر أن أهلي بنغازي يقوده فنيا المدرب المصري طارق مصطفى، وطارق يحيى مديرا رياضيا. 

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras recebe o Athletico neste domingo (12), pela 6ª rodada da Série A do Brasileirão 2024. A bola vai rolar a partir das 16h (de Brasília), na Arena Barueri, com transmissão da TV Globo e do Premiere.

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Assine o Premiere e assista esse e mais jogos de graça por 30 dias!

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS X ATHLETICO – 6ª RODADA – SÉRIE A

Data e horário: domingo,12 de maio de 2024, às16h(de Brasília)

Local: Arena Barueri
Onde assistir: TV Globo e Premiere
Arbitragem: Braúlio da Silva Machado (SC). Ele será auxiliado por Luanderson Lima dos Santos (BA) e Henrique Neu Ribeiro (SC). O VAR estará sob o comando de Wagner Reway (ES).

PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

Palmeiras: Weverton, Mayke, Luan, Gustavo Gómez e Piquerez; Zé Rafael, Richard Ríos e Raphael Veiga; Lázaro (Estêvão), Endrick e Flaco López.

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Athletico: Bento; Léo Godoy, Kaique Rocha, Gamarra e Esquivel; Fernandinho, Erick e Zapelli (Felipinho); Canobbio, Julimar (Cuello) e Pablo (Mastriani).

Tudo sobre

AthleticoBrasileirãoPalmeiras

MLB on Tuesday announced that the ABS Challenge System will be implemented in 2026 spring training, regular season and postseason games after a vote by the Joint Competition Committee. MLB is entering the "robot umpire" age with the ABS system, which was tested in the minor leagues and during roughly 60% of 2025 spring training games. And, according to the numbers from the league's spring training test, one position could be crucial in the ABS Challenge System: catchers.

According to spring training data from MLB's official press release, catchers had a 56% overturn rate compared to 50% for hitters and 41% for pitchers, meaning backstops were the most successful of the three position groups at winning challenges.

While one of the catcher's most important duties, pitch framing, could be rendered somewhat obsolete with a full-on automated system for calling balls and strikes (in other words, only robot umpires), it will still be a factor with the system set to be implemented in 2026.

Each team will receive two challenges per game, and all successful challenges are retained. Only catchers, hitters and pitchers can challenge calls in the ABS System. Players can signal for a challenge by tapping on their hat, helmet or verbally indicating they'd like to challenge a ball or strike call. The home plate umpire then announces the challenge to the ballpark, and a graphic showing the pitch and the result of the challenge appears on the scoreboard and broadcast, a roughly 15-second process. The ABS strike zone is a two-dimensional rectangle set to the width of home plate, with the tops and bottoms adjusted based on each individual player's height.

Teams challenged just over four pitches per game, with a near-50% success rate, during spring training.

As Borussia Dortmund prepare for a defining Bundesliga clash against an in-form Bayer Leverkusen, Niko Kovac is confronted with a growing dilemma with the uncertainty surrounding defender Nico Schlotterbeck. With contract talks stalling and interest from Bayern Munich and Liverpool intensifying, Dortmund now face the risk of losing their key centre-back.

• Kovac hit with Schlotterbeck questions ahead of Leverkusen clash

  The defender, whose contract runs until 2027, remains reluctant to sign an extension, pushing Dortmund into a corner as European giants circle. According to reports, the Dortmund defender is being circled by top European clubs with Bundesliga rivals Bayern also pushing to sign him, while Liverpool reportedly have him on a list of targets, with Ibrahima Konate possibly leaving and questions surrounding Virgil van Dijk's form.

  Dortmund are determined to convince him to stay, but Kovac admits that the situation is out of his control.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kovac’s honest admission and Schlotterbeck's contract stalemate

  During his press conference ahead of the Leverkusen clash, the coach addressed the growing speculation head-on, saying: "I don't know to what extent I can influence things there – other than showing him appreciation. I show him that every day.

  "He knows what we have in him. But he also knows what he has in the club. I'm optimistic, but only time will tell. I'm not a fortune teller. Let's wait and see."

  Schlotterbeck’s hesitation stems from a mix of sporting and strategic concerns. Despite being offered a major salary increase and even the possibility of inheriting the captain’s armband, the defender remains unconvinced about Dortmund’s long-term title prospects and playing style. He previously stated the team “needs to play more football,” making his expectations clear.

  Sporting director Sebastian Kehl reaffirmed Dortmund’s stance that they want the contract situation to be resolved by the Christmas.

  "We are trying to provide conditions that offer Schlotti an attractive environment… Ultimately, a decision will have to be made," said Kehl.

• Bayern’s push, Liverpool’s interest, and the market pressure

  The tension around Schlotterbeck’s future has been amplified by Bayern's situation. Dayot Upamecano’s contract renewal has hit a wall due to a large gap in signing-fee demands. Should Bayern fail to extend him, Schlotterbeck becomes their prime target.

  That possibility has already been reported by , which claims the defender is seriously considering a switch to Munich. His second preferred destination is reportedly the Premier League, with Liverpool monitoring the situation closely.

  Dortmund’s next few matches, including consecutive Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal encounters against Leverkusen, are seen as pivotal. If the club falters while Leverkusen and Bayern accelerate, Schlotterbeck may conclude that his ambitions cannot be met in Dortmund’s current trajectory. After becoming one of the Bundesliga’s top defenders and playing a central role in Dortmund reaching the Champions League final, he now wants to compete consistently for titles.

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• AFP
  

  The wider picture for Dortmund

  Dortmund's form has fluctuated in recent weeks with an emphatic 4-0 Champions League win over Villarreal which followed a sharply contested last-minute league draw against Stuttgart. Leverkusen, meanwhile, are thriving under coach Kasper Hjulmand, winning six of their last seven Bundesliga games and coming off a confidence-boosting 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

  Despite the swirling speculation around Schlotterbeck, Kovac was determined to keep the team focused on football first. He praised Leverkusen’s pace and unpredictability, acknowledged Dortmund’s improvements, and urged realism while still keeping ambitions alive.

  “We need to prepare everything now to be in the mix at the end,” he said, noting the club’s strong Champions League run and potential on all fronts. His assessments of players like Julian Brandt, Fabio Silva, and young defender Aaron Anselmino highlighted the internal progress being made.

  But the truth is unavoidable. Schlotterbeck’s decision will shape Dortmund’s defensive future. If he stays, he could become the team’s highest-paid player and its next captain. If he leaves, Dortmund may be forced into a complete reconstruction of their back line.

Neutral officials, match referees, the aid of technology and DRS – from the 1990s, cricket’s global body has taken a lot of effort to modernise decision-making in the game

Rod Lyall05-Sep-2025Allegations of biased umpiring are as old as the game itself, and there were many claims by touring teams over the years that home umpires were making decisions against them. It was even not unknown for touring captains and managements to object to the appointment of specific umpires. But as international cricket gained a higher profile, with matches shown live on television, so the pressures grew correspondingly, and incidents like Mike Gatting’s confrontation with Shakoor Rana in 1987 persuaded many that action needed to be taken.The issue, like most other things in international cricket, also had a cultural dimension. Those in the subcontinent were convinced that the complaints against their umpires were racially motivated, part of the old imperial hangover, and that biased umpiring elsewhere was regarded by officialdom with a much more benign eye. That no doubt explained Imran Khan’s initiative to bring in two Indian umpires for a Test against the West Indies in Lahore in 1986, and to fly in two English officials to stand in the series against India in 1989/90.By this time proposals to introduce neutral umpires were gaining momentum at meetings of the Conference, and in 1992 a first, cautious step was taken with an experimental rule requiring one neutral official in every Test match. The first such appointment was the Englishman Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird, who stood in the series between Zimbabwe and India, starting in Harare on 18 October 1992. It took ten years before the requirement was extended to both on-field umpires, and again it was an Indian tour which broke new ground, with Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka) and Daryl Harper (Australia) standing in the first three Tests in the series in the West Indies in April-May 2002, with David Shepherd (England) and Russell Tiffin (Zimbabwe) taking over for the final two. They were members of the ICC’s new Elite Panel of umpires, which had taken over from the International Panel first established in 1994 and which would now for the most part supply both umpires for Test matches and one for ODIs; the other official in ODIs would be one of the host country’s umpires on the International Panel.Related

• Do we really need neutral umpires anymore?

• The use of Hawk-Eye

• Which team uses the DRS best? (2020)

• The arrival of the DRS (2018)

• The art of the review (2017)

Even more significant than the appointment of neutral umpires was the development of the role of match referee. When Colin Cowdrey, the first independent ICC chairman, introduced a code of conduct for international matches he included a referee as the final judge on disciplinary matters. The first such official was former England captain Mike Smith, who refereed the first two Tests of the 1991/92 series between Australia and India. The path to acceptance of match referees was not entirely smooth. On 28 December 1992 the Australian Peter Burge suspended Pakistan bowler Aaqib Javed for dissent during an ODI against New Zealand in Napier, after he had called umpire Brian Aldridge a cheat, and continued ill-feeling between the teams led Burge to warn both sides that he would take further action under the code of conduct if they did not moderate their behaviour.It helped considerably, though, that the ICC was quickly able to assemble a panel of respected referees who had had distinguished careers in international cricket. In addition to Burge, the first cohort included Pieter van der Merwe and Jackie McGlew (South Africa), Clive Lloyd and Cammie Smith (West Indies), Raman Subba Row (England), Srini Venkataraghavan (India) and Frank Cameron (New Zealand). Between them they were able to ensure that the code of conduct became an accepted feature of the cricket landscape, and that their own role as arbiters of on-field incidents was increasingly taken for granted. With these two developments, neutral umpires and match referees, the ICC clearly expanded its role in the management of international cricket.This was not achieved, however, without challenges to its authority, principally from the BCCI. In November 2001, match referee Mike Denness penalised six Indian players for their conduct during the second Test at Port Elizabeth, suspending Virender Sehwag for one match and handing suspended sentences to five others, including the captain, Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar appeared on television coverage of the match to have been altering the condition of the ball and Sehwag allegedly charged at one of the umpires, while the other four were reported by the on-field umpires for various disciplinary infringements. BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya immediately exploded, accusing Denness of racism, demanding his replacement as referee, and threatening to call off the third Test at Centurion.Terrified of the financial consequences of a cancellation, South Africa backed the BCCI position, while the ICC dug in, refusing to replace Denness for the remaining match. When the USB and BCCI appointed former South African Test player Denis Lindsay, an ICC referee, to take over from Denness, the ICC’s response was that the game would no longer be regarded as official. Dalmiya objected that they had no power to withdraw official status, but the ICC rightly saw that what was at stake was ‘the right of the ICC, as the world governing body for cricket, to appoint referees and umpires, and for those officials to make decisions which are respected by both players and Boards’. If this were not accepted, it added, ‘the sport could descend into anarchy’. There were even fears that this seemingly minor episode could lead to a split in world cricket along racial lines.An advertising hoarding in Mumbai in 2001 refers to the Mike Denness affair•Sebastian D’Souza/AFP/Getty ImagesThe match was duly played, without Sehwag and with Lindsay in charge, South Africa winning by an innings and 73 runs. But the dispute did not go away. With England due to play India in Mohali at the beginning of December, the Indians claimed that Sehwag had served his suspension and was now eligible to play, while the ICC position was that since the Centurion match had been unofficial, he had to miss the Mohali Test.After some brinkmanship from Dalmiya the BCCI agreed not to play Sehwag, while the ICC undertook to review Denness’s decisions and to reconsider the status of the match at Centurion. As if to demonstrate its confidence in Denness, though, the ICC appointed him as referee for the forthcoming series between Pakistan and the West Indies in Sharjah, and at the same time established a commission, chaired by the South African judge Alby Sachs and also including the former Test cricketers Majid Khan (Pakistan) and Andrew Hilditch (Australia), to investigate the possibility of a right of appeal against a referee’s decision, along with the introduction of a code of conduct for referees, and the need for greater consistency in their decision-making.But Dalmiya was still not satisfied: he objected to the ICC’s nominees to the commission and complained that none of the ten candidates he had proposed – two of whom, Richie Benaud and Imran Khan, had declined – had been included. By February 2002 it was evident that the BCCI was simply refusing to co-operate with the commission, Dalmiya insisting that it be expanded to a membership of ten or its
deliberations put on hold. He took his demand to a meeting of the Asian Cricket Council in Sharjah later that month, where he received the support of the other full members from the region. The matter was thrashed out at the executive board in March, with the Denness affair now referred to a ‘Disputes Resolution Committee’, chaired by Michael Beloff QC and including three board members: Peter Chingoka of Zimbabwe, Bob Merriman of Australia and Wes Hall of the West Indies.The board also agreed that in future all disciplinary charges would have to be laid by the umpires – it was an obvious flaw that Denness had charged Tendulkar and Sehwag himself and then judged their cases – and that a match referee would be allowed to explain his decisions at a press conference, as Denness had been unable to do. The only point on which the ICC was able to score even a symbolic victory was that the disputed third Test in South Africa remained unofficial.The umpiring errors in the 2008 Sydney Test between Australia and India prompted the ICC to introduce the Decision Review System•Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesAt the same time that it was moving to take control of umpiring and refereeing, the ICC was also adjusting to the technological possibilities of improved television coverage.Calling together the leading international umpires for a conference in August 1993, the board invited them to consider ways in which a third umpire might review on-field decisions in Tests and ODIs where appropriate TV facilities were available, an option which they had just approved in principle. This revolutionary use of technology, which would eventually evolve into the DRS system of player reviews, had been pioneered by the South Africans in Durban in 1992, when two cameras were used to enable close run-out decisions to be resolved. The number of cameras was soon expanded to four, and the technology proved useful in determining not only run-outs, but also doubts about whether the ball had touched the boundary rope.By 1995 the umpires were ready to take the system a stage further, recommending that it could also be applied in determining whether a catch had been taken cleanly or not. For traditionalists, all this was an erosion of the power of the on-field umpires to make all the decisions, but others, including many of the leading umpires themselves, saw it as a way of avoiding mistakes and reducing tensions on the field. Discussing the issue in 2003, ICC general manager David Richardson confirmed that technology ‘will not be introduced at the expense of the umpire’s status as the key decision-maker in relation to the rules and regulations’.For the 2004 Champions Trophy, however, in addition to connecting the on-field umpires’ earpieces (now standard equipment) to the output from the stump microphones (ditto), decisions on front-foot no-balls were experimentally transferred to the third umpire. Richardson presented this as beneficial to the standing umpire, who ‘will not need to adjust his line of sight from the bowler in delivery stride to the batsman receiving the ball’. And Speed was adamant that umpires’ decision-making authority was in no way under threat; “I do not believe,” he insisted, “the game or its followers want to see umpires reduced to the role of coat racks.”DRS changed the way the game was played, allowing players for the first time to challenge umpires’ decisions on the field•Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesSurveyed before the tournament, international captains expressed themselves in favour of the use of technology, although Australia’s Ricky Ponting and Zimbabwe’s Tatenda Taibu had more reservations than the rest. In this first phase it was up to the on-field umpires to call for assistance in making marginal decisions, but in March 1997 a Colombo-born lawyer named Senaka Weeraratna proposed that the use of technology could be extended to give players the right to challenge decisions with which they disagreed.The mental shift required here should not be underestimated. It had always been a fundamental principle that the umpire’s decision was final and absolute, and the notion that it might be overturned through the use of technology after objection by a player seemed to go against everything that the game had always stood for. After all, the code of conduct which Cowdrey had introduced imposed clear penalties for player dissent. At the same time, it could not be denied that umpires were far from infallible, and even with neutral officials there were obvious cases, increasingly shown up by the improved technology, in which mistakes were made.One of the worst cases was the New Year’s Test in Sydney in 2008, in which umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson made a series of glaring errors, most, but not all of them, contributing to India’s 122-run defeat. Andrew Symonds admitted that he was wrongly given not out on 30 on the opening day, going on to make an unbeaten 162, and with the Indians set to make 333 to win on the final day, Rahul Dravid was given caught behind for 38 off a Symonds delivery which had struck the knee roll and Sourav Ganguly was out to a slip catch off Brett Lee which was generally believed to have been grounded. The BCCI was furious and instructed the team management to complain to match referee Mike Procter.The match had also seen an on-field incident between Symonds and Harbhajan Singh, which led to the Indian spinner being charged with offensive behaviour. He had, it was claimed, called Symonds, one of whose birth parents was Afro-Caribbean, a “monkey”; Harbhajan always denied this, but there was no question that the Australian had been subjected to monkey noises by Indian crowds at several venues, and Symonds had suggested that Harbhajan was a contributor to ill-feeling between the sides. The spinner was suspended for three Tests, but he and his team-mates continued to insist that there had been no racist taunt. The BCCI stated that for them “anti-racial stance is an article of faith as it is for the entire nation which fought the apartheid policies”. Since they had initially tried to claim that the monkey noises from the Indian crowd had been worship of the monkey-God Hanuman, this did not perhaps ring entirely convincingly.Howzzat out: television replays and tools like Hawk-Eye and infra-red cameras have turned every fan into an expert at umpiring•IDI/Getty ImagesIndian manager Chetan Chauhan also complained that Brad Hogg had used the word “bastard” in sledging Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a charge which was subsequently dropped, a decision which Hogg himself described as “a kind gesture, lovely gesture”. Amidst rumours that the tour would be called off, the ICC confirmed that Bucknor would stand in the third Test in Perth, but then replaced him the following day with the New Zealander Billy Bowden. This was greeted by the BCCI’s chief administrative officer as ‘a satisfactory decision’, although Malcolm Speed was quick to insist that all the ICC was trying to do was to ‘take some tension out of the situation’, and that Bucknor would continue to umpire elsewhere. They also flew the chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle in to try to mediate between the captains, while retaining Procter as the match referee.The New Zealand High Court judge John Hansen was appointed to hear the Harbhajan appeal, which was delayed until after the completion of the series. With the player claiming, supported by Sachin Tendulkar, that what he had actually said was “teri maa ki”, an admittedly obscene Hindi term referring to one’s mother’s genitalia, Hansen found the charge of racial abuse unproven, and reduced the sanction to 50% of the player’s match fee. But the judge also commented that the ICC had only revealed one of Harbhajan’s four previous convictions, a result of database and human errors. Had he known, he stated, of an offence in 2001 which had earned the player a one Test suspended sentence and a fine of 75% of his match fee, he would have taken a different view when determining his sentence. Once again, the ICC had managed to emerge with black marks against its reputation.The mistakes made by Bucknor and Benson, however, remained irrefutable. In March 2008, prompted by ICC general manager Richardson, the Chief Executives’ Committee agreed to try out a review system broadly along the lines suggested by Weeraratna, and commissioned the cricket committee, which, under the chairmanship of Sunil Gavaskar, had been sceptical about the idea, to establish the guidelines for its implementation. Ironically, in view of subsequent events, Sri Lanka and India tested it during their series which began in Colombo that July.Using slow motion replays, noises from the stump microphones which had now become standard equipment in international cricket, and the Hawk-Eye technology to track the ball up to the point of impact (but not to predict its future trajectory), the third umpire would review a decision should this be requested by either side. The testing continued, and by February 2009 Haroon Lorgat was able to argue that ‘[t]he referral system has improved the rate of giving correct decisions’; the rate of correct decision-making had risen from 94% to 98% as a result of the reviews.Pitch PublishingContinuing to tweak its system, the ICC now added Hot Spot, a technology which created infra-red images to confirm that the ball had touched bat, glove or pad, to its battery of measures informing a review. The experiment was sufficiently successful for it to be adopted formally for Tests in November 2009, with nine of the ten full members supporting it; the BCCI stood out against it as the Indian players believed that it had worked against them during that Sri Lanka series. Under the Decision Review System (DRS), players could challenge up to two decisions per Test innings, losing one of these challenges should their request for a review prove unsuccessful.In May 2011 the ICC cricket committee recommended that DRS be used in all Tests, and that it should also be employed in ODI and T20 series with one review per side per innings. The BCCI continued to object to the use of Hawk-Eye, insisting that it would only accept the system when it was “foolproof”, and in 2011 the ICC had to back down from its position that the use of DRS was mandatory, accepting that it would only be implemented where both sides agreed. When an attempt was made to leave the decision to apply DRS to the home board, Srinivasan reportedly threatened that India would pull out of any tour where the system was to be used. Not until 2017 was it finally agreed that it would apply uniformly in all series and tournaments involving the full members.Reviewing the situation in his 2013 Cowdrey Lecture, Simon Taufel reflected on how television and the introduction of technology had altered the game. “In today’s cricket,” he observed, “the decision of the umpire is scrutinised by all these cameras including slow motion, ultra motion, hot spot front on, hot spot leg side, hot spot off side, ball tracking and prediction, Snicko, stump audio, the mat and then by up to three commentary experts upstairs in the box.” And while such detailed scrutiny eliminated the most obvious errors and many less obvious ones, it also made every viewer an umpire and put more pressure on players and umpires.The system has continued to be tweaked and improved, introducing the umpire’s call to allow for extremely marginal lbw decisions, renewing the number of challenges allowed after 80 overs in Tests, removing the soft signal in cases where there was doubt whether a catch had been cleanly taken, and so on.A decade on from Taufel’s lecture it takes an effort to remember how controversial the use of technology to assist the on-field umpires once was, and while there will always be marginal cases where one side feels aggrieved and the armchair umpires bitterly disagree with each other, one effect of DRS has been to demonstrate how extraordinarily good most international umpiring actually is.

Chelsea have now reportedly joined Arsenal in the race to sign a rising Ligue 1 talent, who’s been billed as the second coming of William Saliba.

Maresca: Chelsea must "switch off" before Arsenal clash

Chelsea couldn’t have asked for a better warm-up before their crucial clash against Arsenal this weekend. The Blues brushed Barcelona aside as Estevao Willian stole the show in front of Lamine Yamal. Two of the world’s best teenagers commenced battle at Stamford Bridge and it was the Brazilian who came out on top.

Now, Enzo Maresca’s side have the small matter of playing host to the Premier League leaders. Victory would see Chelsea move to within three points of Arsenal and lay down a marker in the title race. Defeat, meanwhile, would leave them nine points adrift of their London rivals.

Maresca will be well aware of the importance of Sunday’s game, but has told his players to “switch off” in the build-up – telling reporters: “I’ve told the players, next 48 hours, completely switch off,” he said. “Have a rest. Recover the energy.

“Because next Sunday we have Arsenal. My message after the game was just: recover the energy. That, in this moment, is the most important thing.

“Then, on Friday, we start to think about Arsenal. We need to keep the momentum because it’s very nice — and it’s much easier to recover energy when you win games.”

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It’s also worth noting that it’s not just on the pitch that Chelsea and Arsenal are set to do battle. In the transfer market, the two clubs are also reportedly set to go head-to-head to welcome a defensive reinforcement.

Recent reports have claimed that the Blues have now joined the race to sign Stade Rennais defender Jeremy Jacquet in an attempt to deal Arsenal a frustrating blow.

Chelsea join race to sign Jeremy Jacquet

As reported by Caught Offside, Chelsea have joined the race to sign Jacquet alongside Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig.

The 20-year-old defender will reportedly be available for as little as €30m (£27m) in 2026, handing those at Stamford Bridge a crucial opportunity to reinforce their backline at a bargain price.

Dubbed the next Saliba by The Standard when Arsenal’s interest emerged in August, Jacquet’s rise has been coming for a few years. His old development coach at Rennes, Pierre-Emmanuel Bordeau, even went as far to describe the defender as the “technical leader of his generation”.

League stats Per 90

Jacquet

Saliba

Minutes

1,170

814

Progressive Passes

3

4.44

Tackles Won

0.92

0.56

Ball Recoveries

4.46

3.89

It’s easy to see why comparisons have been made with Saliba. Statistically speaking, Jacquet has even outperformed the Arsenal star out of possession so far this season, whilst also impressing on the ball.

It would be quite the move from Chelsea if they didn’t just land the next Saliba, but a player capable of exceeding Mikel Arteta’s top defender in years to come. Amid so much competition for Jacquet’s signature, though, the Blues will have to act quick.

Shades of Estevao: Chelsea have another "left-footed magician" out on loan

The spinner also credited Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for his international comeback

Abhimanyu Bose07-Oct-2025

Varun Chakravarthy, the top-ranked T20I bowler in the world, says India head coach Gautam Gambhir has fostered a “Spartan mentality” in the team, leaving “no option of losing”. He also credited Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for his international comeback, after spending nearly three years out of the team.”Definitely one thing which I can say about [Gambhir] is he brings a Spartan mentality to the team where there is no option of losing. You just have to bring your best and give everything on the ground and later on, whatever happens, happens,” Varun said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday.”When he is around, there is no mediocrity – you can’t be mediocre in the field, that’s what I feel.”Related

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Varun made his India debut in July 2021, but after enduring a tough campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup, he was dropped and only played for India again in October 2024.Since then, Varun has been a regular fixture in India’s T20I XI and has also made his ODI debut and played a key role in helping the team win the Champions Trophy earlier this year.”When I made my comeback again, Surya and GG [Gambhir], they spoke to me and they told me that we are looking at you as one of the wicket-takers. And they have backed me throughout. For that, I have to give them the credit.”When he is around, there is no mediocrity,” Varun says of Gautam Gambhir•Getty Images

“I was out of the team for more than three years, but I did have a consecutive good IPL. For them to recognise that and bring me into the team was great for me.”Varun, who has been left out of India’s ODI squad for the Australia tour, spoke about the things Gambhir wants him to work on to enhance his chances in one-day cricket.”Basically, the conversations were around bowling longer spells. Because in T20, you maximum bowl two overs back-to-back. But in ODIs, you have to bowl five to six overs back-to-back, which I did work on and I was able to do it in the Champions Trophy.”And he wants me to bat a little more up the order in domestic circuit and improve on my batting.”Varun was also full of praise for fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who finished as the leading wicket-taker at the Asia Cup.”Kuldeep is definitely one of the most experienced bowlers right now in the pool of players that we have and he has done amazingly well,” Varun said. “I bowl at the speeds of 95kph and he bowls around 85kph, so we kind of complement each other. He has more revs and more turn, I have more speed and bounce, so till now it’s been working well for us. Hopefully, we can do the same thing in the World Cup also.”