Wolves face an unprecedented crisis as they prepare for the January transfer window from rock bottom of the Premier League table.

Rob Edwards’ side have collected just two points from 18 matches, still yet to pick up their first win of the campaign, whilst enduring 16 defeats.

The Midlands club also trail 19th-placed Burnley by nine points with the gap to safety appearing increasingly insurmountable.

The statistics make grim reading for supporters who have watched their team slip towards what increasingly looks like inevitable relegation.

Supercomputer predictions are suggesting they could finish the campaign with just 19 points. This would leave them perilously close to Derby County’s record low total of 11 points from the 2007/08 season, making them one of the worst teams in Premier League history.

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Edwards inherited this mess following Vitor Pereira’s sacking in early November, with the Portuguese winning just 36.84 percent of his matches during his brief tenure and leaving Wolves anchored to the bottom.

Edwards arrived from Middlesbrough with a reputation for organization and defensive solidity, but he has been unable to halt the alarming slide towards the Championship.

The January window represents a crucial opportunity for Wolves to reshape their squad.

Sky Sports report that the club want to strengthen six different positions, including between the sticks, at right wing-back, central midfield, out wide, in the number ten role and sign a new striker.

The extent of required surgery reflects poorly on the summer recruitment that preceded this disastrous campaign, with several expensive signings failing to justify Wolves’ £100m-plus spend in the last window.

Wolves must also contend with the threat of losing key players during January.

Jorgen Strand Larsen continues to attract interest from the likes of West Ham, and the Norwegian striker represents one of the few sellable assets in Edwards’ squad.

His departure would leave the Wolves boss desperately short of attacking options unless suitable replacements arrive quickly.

The club’s transfer strategy faces a fundamental dilemma. Do they recruit players capable of mounting an unlikely survival bid? Or should they focus on building a squad ready to compete for immediate promotion from the Championship?

Wolves eyeing January move for Nashville star Sam Surridge

Reports now indicate Wolves are considering a move for a striker who finished second only to Lionel Messi in the race for the MLS Golden Boot this year.

Nashville forward Sam Surridge has emerged as a potential January target, according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook.

The 27-year-old would satisfy the homegrown quota that currently limits Wolves’ transfer flexibility, with Nottingham Forest’s ex-number nine enjoying a stellar 2025 across the Atlantic.

Subscribe for deeper Wolves transfer-window insight Join the newsletter to get clear, actionable analysis of Wolves’ January transfer choices — from potential Sam Surridge moves to whether the club should chase survival or rebuild. Subscribe for focused coverage that helps you follow the club’s transfer strategy. Subscribe Subscribe for deeper Wolves transfer-window insight Join the newsletter to get clear, actionable analysis of Wolves’ January transfer choices — from potential Sam Surridge moves to whether the club should chase survival or rebuild. Subscribe for focused coverage that helps you follow the club’s transfer strategy.

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He scored 31 goals across all competitions, and only Messi managed to net more in the MLS throughout this calendar year.

The forward has scored 51 goals in 87 appearances for Nashville since moving to America, with his prolific form representing exactly the type of attacking threat Wolves desperately lack.

The potential fee and structure of any deal remain unclear at this stage, and Surridge would need convincing about joining a club seemingly destined for relegation.

However, Wolves could offer guaranteed starting opportunities and the platform to showcase his abilities back in English football.

If the club drops into the Championship, having a proven goalscorer leading the line could prove invaluable during a promotion campaign.

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The Old Gold need some inspiration from somewhere if they are to avoid the drop…

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Whoever thought that Bangladesh would run away with the match after a brave showing with the bat saw them score 232 for 8 in 50 overs had to eat his words as England proved their superiority in the match by achieving the target with 6.1overs and eight wickets still intact.The man of the match, Alec Stewart, and the England skipper, Nasser Hussain, shared a 175 run partnership for the second wicket to steer their side to the quarter-final of the of the ICC KnockOut. Both batsmen played shots to all parts of the ground to make a mockery of the target set by their opponents.Alec Stewart, who did the most of the scoring after the departure of Marcus Trescothick at the total of 33, was all patience after completing his half-century. He was content in watching most of the proceedings from the non-striking end, as Hussain hit all the Bangladeshi bowlers with strength and vigor. Hussain was particularly harsh on spinners, especially the off-break Muhammad Rafiq, as he hit 5 sixes and 8 fours for his 95 scored in 120 balls. However, he was unlucky not to get his first ODI century as trying to steer the ball to the leg side, he top edged an easy catch back to the bowler, Muhammad Rafiq.After the departure of Hussain at the total of 208, it was an easy going for EnglandGraeme Hick making a quick-fire 23 off 19 balls to take his side to victory. Stewart remained not out on 87 off 112 balls.Earlier, a confident looking Bangladesh side cashed in on some below par bowling and sloppy fielding by England to post a respectable total on the board. The opening batsmen, Javed Omar, scored 63* and the skipper, Naeemur Rehman, contributed with 46 studded with two sixes after Bangladesh had been reduced to 96 for 4 in the 29th over. Javed, returning to the crease after a rising delivery from Gough had earlier forced him to retire hurt, grafted his inning sensibly to enable his side to a total past 200, which looked a bit difficult at one stage. It was mainly because of his efforts that the Bangladesh team could collect 83 in the last 10 overs of their innings.For England, Mark Ealham was the most successful bowler taking 3 for 48 in his ten overs. Andrew Caddick and Craig White took two wickets each, whereas one batsman was run out.England now play South Africa in the quarter-final which would be played on Tuesday.

Wellington and Canterbury added another exhibit to cricket’s hall of curiosities when their Shell Trophy match at the Basin Reserve, halved by rain, died meekly on its final day and with only a spasm or two before life became extinct.The disolution of the match into a tame draw – Canterbury were 267-5 after failing in their chase for 332 from 96 overs – was made an oddity by the comparative urgency both teams had shown in the morning to contrive more than a first innings result.Wellington had taken four overs to move their overnight score from 314-4 to 331-4 then, in a unusual display of common purpose or at least of similar disposition, each team forfeited an innings to make Canterbury’s run chase a chase for outright victory.Having taken the step of striking that accord at the cost to Canterbury of first innings points and in the apparent interest of resuscitating a match which had arrested when the second and third days were lost to rain, there followed an innings which more than anything highlighted the team’s reluctance to fully press for victory.Wellington could argue that the pitch which had lain covered between Monday evening and Wednesday morning, never really supported their quest to bowl Canterbury out in a day. Their quicks bowled only 25 of the 98 overs that were finally bowled today and there was little to foster the effort of the spinners – Mark Jefferson and Jeetan Patel – who shoulder most of the bowling.But it was Canterbury’s approach, after being party to the agreement to play for outright points, which was most enigmatic. Their scoring rate before lunch and in the period between lunch and tea rarely suggested that they were chasing victory in earnest.That period was dominated by the innings of their captain Gary Stead who batted 234 minutes for 88 and who counted his dismissal short of his century one of the blows to Canterbury’s chase for victory. Stead had put on 99 runs for the second wicket in a stand with Jarrod Englefield which occupiued 138 minutes and lifted Canterbury after the loss of opener Brad Doddy for nine when they were 26.But the tempo of Stead and Englefield’s scoring was generally to slow to keep Canterbury in any kind of control of the chase for victory. Englefield made 26 and was out when they were 125, having scored only 11 runs from 22 overs after lunch.Stead followed when they were 145 and Michael Papps to what proved to be the last ball before tea at 164, with Canterbury needing 168 runs to win and with only 31 of their original 96 overs till in hand.A flurry of scoring by Chris Harris and Aaron Redmond after tea, when Canterbury had six wickets in hand, suggested Canterbury hadn’t abandoned hope of forcing a result. They were 224-4 with some 18 overs remaining, Harris had reached his half century from only 70 balls and 108 runs were needed at a rate which was by no means unrealistic.Then, as suddenly, Canterbury went back into its shell as if, having spied victory over the next hill, it suddenly found the destination unappealing. Harris took 27 balls to score three runs and the match was artificially sustained till 6.01pm when its plug was finally removed. Harris was 69 not out.Stead said he felt Canterbury were still in with a chance of winning at drinks in the final session when, with 15 overs to be bowled in the last hour, they need 102 to win and had six wickets standing. But when only five runs came from the next four overs they found themselves lost on the road to victory. The match meandered to its close.Stead was happy to have played for outright points rather than for a simple decision on the first innings, though that was the ultimate result and the forfeiture of Canterbury’s first innings gave two points to Wellington. “It was better to try to win than die wondering”, he said but, still, Canterbury could not afford to lose the match having made that gesture.Wellington captain Matthew Bell and coach Vaughn Johnson said it was their joint philosophy this season that Wellington would be prepared to lose first class games in an attempt to win them and the events of the day proved that determination.But Bell rated himself for under-bowling his quicks, who had at least threatened to take wickets, and by placing too much of a burden on the spinners who sometimes strayed offline. But Johnson said Wellington had no cause to be disappointed at the day’s events.”We’re on a bit of a high tonight,” he said. “We got two points so we’re on the board and if you look back to last season we’re improving. Our target is to improve by 10 per cent in every game and if you compare this to the game against New South Wales we did so.”‘

ScorecardJoe Clarke’s excellent maiden hundred was not enough to claim victory•Getty Images

Gloucestershire joined Surrey in qualifying for the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-finals with a four-wicket win against Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.In maintaining a 100 per cent record from five completed games, they overcame a brilliant unbeaten 131 from 109 balls by Worcestershire teenager Joe Clarke and successfully handled the absence of their injured captain Michael Klinger.Clarke hit 10 fours and three sixes in seeing Worcestershire to 264 for eight in a 46-over match and any doubts over Gloucestershire’s ability to cope without the prolific Klinger were dispelled by an opening stand of 106 in 16.5 overs by Will Tavare (61) and Chris Dent (43).The recalled Tavare faced 56 deliveries, hitting eight fours and a six from the ball before he was bowled by Ed Barnard and Dent went in the next over, leg-before as soon as Brett D’Oliveira joined the attack.The setback was quickly corrected by a partnership of 100. Gareth Roderick made 56 from 51 balls until he was bowled by Barnard, and Geraint Jones went on 58 from 57 when he was leg-before to Joe Leach.Worcestershire battled to the end, Leach and Ross Whiteley taking wickets before the visitors got home with seven balls to spare.Worcestershire’s record in competition is now the exact opposite of Gloucestershire’s – they have lost all five completed games – and it was a big disappointment that the innings of the day by Clarke failed to break the losing run.The 19-year-old was born in Shrewsbury, went to school in Powys, developed his cricket with Shropshire and in the academy at New Road, and came through to the first-team after playing as wicketkeeper-batsman for England Under-19s last summer.The latest milestone in his career would not have been a surprise to a quartet of Gloucestershire bowlers. Late in May, James Fuller, Benny Howell, Tom Smith and Jack Taylor were among those on the receiving end when Clarke made an unbeaten 201 in a second-team fixture at Cheltenham College.This was the innings which got him into the LV= County Championship and last weekend brought a new experience with promotion to the 50-over side.Again he was a quick learner, recovering from a duck on debut before registering a first 50 against Surrey and now a first hundred in successive days.There was a mixture of everything in his batting, authority, confidence, style and at the end a glimpse of power in a 6-6-4 assault on Howell in the final over, giving him 10 fours and three sixes from 109 balls.It was not that Gloucestershire bowled badly. With Worcestershire missing their captain, Daryl Mitchell, with a hamstring injury, David Payne dismissed the new opening pair, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Richard Oliver, before a light shower reduced the overs.Howell was next to strike, bowling Tom Fell for 21, and Smith’s left-arm spin brought two wickets as D’Oliveira (22) and Whitley (33) attempted to pick up the pace.Whiteley shared in a fifth-wicket stand of 87 and from then on it was all about Clarke as he kicked on from a hundred in 97 balls.Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s director of cricket, said: “I thought it was a tremendous effort from Joe Clarke to get his highest score in List A cricket. For a first century it was brilliant. For a young kid he shows a lot of promise for the future. I’m excited by his qualities.”

Sixty-six players were put through a full day of skills and fitness tests at Indianapolis World Sports Park in the initial evaluation process to compete for a spot in an ICC Americas Combined squad for January’s WICB Regional 50-over competition. ICC Americas High Performance Consultant Tom Evans was impressed by the way the candidates responded to some of the obstacles on the day.”I thought it was a really good day,” Evans told ESPNcricinfo. “It was a pretty long day. With a little bit of weather around, it made it extra challenging from a logistical standpoint but I thought the coaches and the players were able to adapt to that really well. To go to the indoor centre and do the fitness testing there and using St. Vincent Sport Performance (SVSP), who were excellent doing the testing, I think they showed that level of professionalism that we’re keen for these guys to strive towards.”The ICC brought four strength and conditioning coaches from SVSP, renowned for their training and testing methods to improve speed and agility in NFL, NBA and track athletes, to test all participants. Due to morning rain in Indianapolis, the players were brought to an indoor training facility and measured on a broad jump, a 20-metre sprint and a modified shuttle run to simulate three runs between the wickets.”When we look at this group today of cricket players, what impresses me is that when you challenge people to be athletic and they respond,” said Ralph Reiff, executive director of SVSP. “They were very attentive, they were ready to go, no one was an outlier on the backside of the bell curve so no one demonstrated that they don’t belong here so I was impressed by that. There was a very high level of athleticism within this group.”Rain cleared by the afternoon to allow the trial to shift back to the Indianapolis World Sports Park. The players were divided into seven groups, with one coach specifically assigned to track each group. Separately, the four specialist evaluators – Mike Young for fielding, Courtney Walsh for pace bowling, Venkatapathy Raju for spin bowling and Evans for batting – each ran a station checking on specific skills.”The love that these guys are showing in wanting to be here, the pride, it’s kind of blown me away a little bit,” Young said. “I didn’t know what to expect but they made me more excited as well. I was pumped up to start with but I’m like, man these kids want it so bad. Talking to Courtney and all the other coaches, they all agree. They’ve just been fantastic.”Though 83 players were invited to come to Indianapolis, 17 were absent from Saturday. Among those were four Canada players – Hiral Patel, Jeremy Gordon, Shaheed Keshvani and Srimantha Wijeratne – and two USA players, Japen Patel and Mrunal Patel, who were part of their country’s respective squads at July’s World T20 Qualifier. Evans said some withdrew due to injury and others might show up by Monday but may find it more difficult to make it into next weekend’s second phase.”There were a variety of issues why people didn’t come and we expected that when you ask people to get themselves here,” Evans said. “We really respect the fact that 66 did and even more wanted to but just couldn’t do it. But we were really pleased that people were willing to make that investment. In terms of the guys who might be late arrivals, they’ll be putting themselves under more pressure because they’re going to get seen less so they’ll probably have to do something outstanding when they get here.”Players will compete in trial matches on Sunday in the next step of the phase one evaluation process before more trial matches are scheduled for Monday.

As soon as S Aravind and Gurkeerat Singh walked into the conference room, the media manager asked who wanted the first question. The journalists, though, suggested the players begin by saying something of their own first. Both men looked equally hesitant, but the responsibility eventually fell on Aravind.A little nervous, he paused a bit and then said “thanks for the selectors who trust us”, and added he was “thinking about how we both got selected. We were very happy for this.”Then came the questions, the first on whether they honestly expected to be picked. It was Aravind who went first again. “Unexpected this is,” he said. “I was just thinking about the India A game. I was not thinking about this [selection].”It was then time for Gurkeerat, who until then had been fiddling with his phone. “I think it’s the same here. As I told you in the previous press conference, I don’t think about future and I take every single game on its merit.”Great opportunity for a youngster like me to play against a very good side. [From the moment I got to know, I’ve been in a bit of shock],” he said with a laugh, “but it’s a very good feeling.”Listening to them speak one after the other, the contrast was hard to miss. While Aravind spoke in staccato bursts garnished with a thick south Indian accent, Gurkeerat’s Punjabi drawl had a lyrical lilt to it. It would be easy to try and pick on these contrasts and play them up as opposites, but in reality they have more than one similarity. A sense of humour for starters.Their responses to questions on when they learned of their promotions elicited a chuckle. “I think I came to know only when we had bowled 10 overs,” Gurkeerat said. “People started shouting from behind so that’s how I came to know. But everything was fine. I was focused on the game.”Aravind admitted to having no clue about it until the end of the game. “I never realised [until then]. So, after the game they were congratulating [me and] I thought [it was] because I bowled well. Later on, I got to know about this. I was very happy.”On a more serious note, their inclusions in the national side have one common thread – solid performances at the domestic level.Gurkeerat was Punjab’s highest scorer in the last Ranji Trophy, with 677 runs from 14 innings at an average of 56.41 and Aravind, six years senior at 31, was Karnataka’s second-highest wicket-taker with 42 scalps at 17.42. Both players also found the IPL to be an important step towards national contention.Although neither had a particularly impressive season this year, IPL 2015 had been where Aravind got to pick the brains of Mitchell Starc, whom he termed a “role model” alongside Wasim Akram and Zaheer Khan.”I learnt [from Starc] how to develop myself as a bowler,” Aravind said. “I have learnt how to overcome the batsman from Starc, what they are thinking, Plan A, Plan B, bowling over-the-wicket yorkers and how to attack the pads or wicket, so it’s been valuable.”Gurkeerat said he looked up to MS Dhoni as he could relate to his style of batting. “We bat in almost the same batting position. I relate to his game a lot, and whenever I watch India play I focus a lot on his batting because I get to learn a lot.”In the past, Gurkeerat has kept wicket for Kings XI Punjab, but said that bowling was undoubtedly the stronger suit. “I used to do wicketkeeping when I was in school,” he said. “In IPL, Gilly [Adam Gilchrist] got injured and they asked me [if I could step in] and I said yes because that time I just wanted to play in the XI. But in my mind, I always knew that I can bowl better. For the team, my bowling can be helpful.”His bowling has certainly been more than helpful in the series against Bangladesh A, where he picked up five wickets in the first match. “[For my] bowling, I have been taking advice from Bhaji [Harbhajan Singh] because we have been lucky enough to have him with us in the Ranji season,” Gurkeerat said. “Whenever I had a problem in bowling, I always went up to him and he was kind enough to help me.”Over the next month or so, both Aravind and Gurkeerat would have plenty more to learn.

Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh will join a group of fellow Test contenders to play for a Cricket Australia XI against New Zealand in a two-day tour match this weekend. The match in Canberra follows on from the Prime Minister’s XI game on Friday and Usman Khawaja will captain both outfits, with four changes to his team for the two-day game on Saturday-Sunday.The Marsh brothers will replace the Hussey brothers and use the match as a warm-up for a possible inclusion for the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba, while wicketkeeper Sam Whiteman and fast bowler Billy Stanlake will join the side to replace Ryan Carters and Mark Steketee respectively.Shaun Marsh may find himself competing for a place in the Test line-up with openers Cameron Bancroft and Joe Burns, both of whom are in the CA XI as well as the PM’s XI. Adam Voges, Peter Siddle, Jason Behrendorff and Ashton Agar round out the side and will play in both Friday’s PM’s XI game and the two-day contest.”Similar to the Prime Minister’s XI squad, this two-day match will provide an opportunity for us to monitor a group of highly-rated players ahead of the first Test at the Gabba,” national selector Rod Marsh said. “Shaun, Mitch and Sam all are all very talented players and we’re keen to see what they can produce against New Zealand.”Billy Stanlake grabbed our attention when he made his debut in this year’s Matador Cup with an intimidating display against South Australia, taking 3 for 43 from nine overs.”This is also another good leadership opportunity for Usman Khawaja. He performed well when he captained Australia A side on the recent tour of India and this will allow him to build on that experience.”Cricket Australia XI Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja (capt), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Sam Whiteman, Ashton Agar, Peter Siddle, Jason Behrendorff, Billy Stanlake, Ben Taylor (ACT, 12th man).

A fine first-innings showing from Trinidad & Tobago‘s spinners on the back of a team performance with the bat left Leeward Islands following on in Basseterre in the opening round of the Caribbean first-class tournament. T&T followed up with a team showing with the ball in the second innings, leaving Leewards 24 short of making them bat a second time. They took 17 points from the innings and 23-run win.It was legspinner Imran Khan and left-arm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh who did the most damage in Leewards first innings, taking four wickets apiece to bowl them out for 118. Their efforts came after a series of half-centuries from T&T’s top and middle order took them to 325. Steven Katwaroo was the top scorer in that innings with 71. The second time round Leewards improved but hardly so, getting to 184 as every T&T bowler who bowled claimed at least one wicket.

Michael Bevan – scoring spree continues Photo © AllSport UK

Michael Bevan (166) and Richard Montgomerie (133), hitting respectivelytheir highest scores for the county, put Sussex in a strong position againstNottinghamshire at Hove.In spite of being put in to bat the hosts made 404-5 in their Division Two championship match. The visiting bowlers got none of the expected help from the green-tinged pitch on a fine summer’s day. Bevan and Montgomerie came together when Toby Peirce was out at 45 off an inside-edge to Andrew Harris. They put on 292 runs in 68 overs before getting out in consecutive overs.After 213 balls with 20 boundaries in some 300 minutes batting Bevan was bowled by David Millns: his season’s total in all competitions is 1493 with 533 in his last seven innings. His second successive century came on the heels of his 151 n.o. against Essex last week.Unfortunately for Sussex the Australian will be away for ten days in August playing for his country in three one-day internationals against South Africa in Melbourne. Montgomerie had made only three half-centuries this summer, and batted almost flawlessly before he was caught at slip off Richard Stemp.His innings of some 390 minutes contained 19 fours. From that platform Chris Adams (35 n.o.) continued the attack on the bowling with 63 runs for the fourth wicket. Paul Reiffel had Cottey play on, and two balls later had nightwatchman James Kirtley out without scoring. Nottinghamshire missed Paul Franks who is in the England squad, and Reiffel’s 23 overs cost 2-63.

Bengal’s hope of making it to the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophytook a back seat as Mumbai bundled them out for 117 only to take afirst innings of lead of 65 runs. As a result, Bengal will get onlythree points from this match if it ends in a draw. That would taketheir tally to 16 and if Karnataka manage a first innings lead againstDelhi then it would also make their tally same. In that case, lastyear’s champions will qualify as they have one outright victoryagainst Bengal’s none.However, as far as a draw is concerned, it is a distant proposition inthis match. On a pitch where the ball is jumping and turning square itwill require tremendous technique and courage to survive even a fullday. Mumbai failed to do it in the first innings and the Bengalbatsmen were no exception today. Except for skipper Utpal Chatterjeewho was the highest scorer with 27 with a fractured right thumb andRohan Gavskar (23) none of the other batsmen were able to cross15. Mumbai in their second innings were 102 for the loss of AmolRane’s wicket.Even though there was appreciable turn for the bowlers it wasslow. However, the Bengal batsmen were not ready to play a waitinggame. Devang Gandhi, who was the main hope for the home side perishedearly on, falling leg before to Abey Kuruvilla. He made the mistake ofgoing back to a ball which he should have played forward to. Gavaskarbatted against his father’s team with a lot of grit. His 23 came in120 minutes. However, both he and Srikkanth Kalyani got out trying tocut balls that they could have well avoided. For Mumbai, Kuruvillatook three wickets while Nilesh Kulkarni, Rajesh Pawar and RomeshPowar finished with two wickets apiece.Whatever hopes Bengal had of making a comeback were dashed byJaffer. He is unbeaten with 64 of 97 balls. Of the 12 boundaries thathe has so far struck, seven have been hit off Chatterjee. The Bengalleft-arm spinner looked a demoralised bowler today. Maybe, theperformance of his batsmen had influenced his bowling. Mumbai now arein a very healthy position leading by 167 runs with nine wicketsremaining.