Australia's six-hitters to challenge South Africa's depth

Travis Head returns to add more batting power but South Africa are able to call on Kagiso Rabada

Andrew McGlashan09-Aug-20252:34

The best of Cameron Green from the West Indies series

Big Picture: International cricket returns to DarwinThere was a little more riding on the outcome when these two teams met a couple of months ago at Lord’s, where South Africa wrote a new chapter in their history by claiming the World Test Championship title. This series is very much a stepping stone to the next global tournament: February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.Both sides are in T20 mode. Australia have recently completed a 5-0 sweep of West Indies where their batting power stood out – and it’s been strengthened further for this series by the return of Travis Head – while South Africa were part of a tri-series in Zimbabwe where they fell short in the final against New Zealand with an experimental side.Related

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A few key names have returned for this trip, notably captain Aiden Markram and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, but it also continues to be an exploration of South Africa’s depth and potential options ahead of the World Cup alongside getting further games into the likes of Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka.”Zimbabwe [T20I tri-series] was a valuable exercise and we obviously want to build on the good things in particular the form of our two young batters and someone like Kwena as well to continue to grow his stocks in T20 cricket,” coach Shukri Conrad said.Australia are staggering the return of their all-format quicks with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc continuing to rest ahead of the home summer, while Josh Hazlewood is back, although he is likely to have his workload managed. However, Nathan Ellis’ performances are raising the question as to whether it’s time to permanently split up the big three in this format.The other significant aspect of the opening matches of this series is that it sees a return of international cricket to Darwin in Australia’s Top End for the first time since 2008, when Bangladesh were the visitors. The opening match is a sellout with the second on Tuesday heading that way, too. The city is a likely host of a Test match against Bangladesh next year as Australia’s home season extends into the northern summer.Form guideAustralia WWWWW
South Africa LLWLWIn the spotlight: Mitchell Marsh and Dewald BrevisAustralia’s batting order came together impressively in the West Indies, but captain Mitchell Marsh was the one player to not make a significant contribution, with 81 runs in five innings. It won’t be a major concern with plenty of T20Is ahead for Marsh to hit his stride – and he’s locked in at the top alongside Head – but it would be an unwanted distraction should Marsh remain short of runs, especially given the plethora of top-order options available.South Africa have clearly earmarked Dewald Brevis as a likely World Cup player in the middle order•SA20

There were some promising signs for Dewald Brevis in the Zimbabwe tri-series as he finished as South Africa’s leading run-scorer with 133 at a strike rate 187.32, although he couldn’t quite see them home in the final. Those were Brevis’ first T20Is since his debut, which came against Australia in 2023, a year after he flayed an astonishing 162 off 57 balls in the domestic one-day competition. South Africa have clearly earmarked him as a likely World Cup player in the middle order.Team news: Hazlewood likely to return, Pretorius may miss outMatt Short continues his recovery from the side strain he picked up in the West Indies, and will miss the first two games of the series which partly eases the batting squeeze for now. Marsh confirmed he and Head would open – and are set to be the duo for the World Cup – which will see Glenn Maxwell return to the middle order and Mitchell Owen potentially being as low as No. 7. Hazlewood will strengthen the pace attack, although he may not play every match. Matt Kuhnemann is part of the squad should an extra spinner be needed.Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Cameron Green, 5 Tim David, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Mitchell Owen, 8 Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodSouth Africa’s top order is bolstered by the return of Markram and Ryan Rickelton, which may see 19-year Pretorius squeezed out of the XI. Left-arm spinner George Linde took on an allrounder’s role at No. 6 in Zimbabwe and could continue in that capacity.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 George Linde, 7 Prenelan Subrayen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Lungi NgidiMitchell Owen could bat as low at No. 7•AFP via Getty Images

Pitch and conditionsGiven Darwin is effectively starting again as an international venue after such a long gap, there is some uncertainty over what the conditions will be like, although there shouldn’t be anything untoward in the surface. The forecast, for both matches, is good with mild, dry evenings.Stats and trivia The last time Darwin hosted an international, Australia were captained by Michael Clarke. These two teams have not met in T20Is since 2023, when Australia came out 3-0 winners in South Africa. Maxwell needs four wickets to reach 50 in T20Is. He will become just the fourth men’s player to score 2500 runs and take 50 wickets in the format. Since the start of 2024, Australia have the highest batting strike rate in T20Is.Quotes”They’ve some young guys that have, I guess, burst onto the scene over the last couple of years. That’s always exciting for international cricket, and provides us with a different challenge, but certainly looking forward to coming up against them.”
.”You can see these guys are raring to go. It’s great having the experience back – Aiden’s leadership and then obviously the leadership roles that someone like Kagiso plays. So, really excited about this next couple of weeks. We know it’s going to be a great challenge.”
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Switch Hit: Sayonara 6-0

England missed their chance for a perfect Test summer, but never mind because the Aussies are here. The pod chat more Oval success for Sri Lanka and England’s latest white-ball overhaul

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2024Sri Lanka got the better of England in the third Test at The Oval, meaning the home side missed out a 6-0 summer sweep – but the agenda is already moving on, with white-ball series against Australia and the announcement of a touring party for Pakistan. In this week’s podcast, Alan Gardner was joined by Andrew Fidel Fernando, Andrew Miller and Vithushan Ehantharajah to dig into the Sri Lanka series – has Ollie Pope silenced the doubters? Is Josh Hull’s high ceiling worth investing in? – before Andrew McGlashan jumped on to help preview the Australia tour, which will see England give debuts to a number of new faces over the next couple of weeks.

Harry Kane the super sub! Bayern Munich striker comes off bench to bag yet another hat-trick as Vincent Kompany's side batter Stuttgart

Harry Kane starred with yet another hat-trick, while Michael Olise contributed with two assists as Bayern Munich thrashed VFB Stuttgart 5-0 to increase their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to 13 games. With 37 points, Bayern increased their lead to 11 points at the top of the table over RB Leipzig after comfortably routing their opponents on Saturday.

Kane inspires Bayern to their 12th win of the season

Bayern's unbeaten streak continued as they comfortably beat VFB Stuttgart 4-0 on Saturday to extend their lead over second-placed RB Leipzig to 11 points. Star forward Kane once again stole the show as he scored a hat-trick and took his Bundesliga goals tally to 17.

The visitors dominated the game right from the start and took just 11 minutes to break the deadlock as Konrad Laimer opened the scoring. Laimer received a pass from Jonas Urbig and entered the box before squaring it towards Michael Olise. The Frenchman quickly gave the ball back to Laimer, who comfortably found the back of the net.

Stuttgart pulled one back and restored parity in the match just minutes before the break as Nicolas Nartey headed the ball into the net from Bilal El Khannouss's inch-perfect free-kick but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ruled out due to offside.

Stuttgart did not create too many chances in the second half and fell to a heavy defeat after the introduction of Kane. The England captain, who did not feature in Vincent Kompany's starting lineup, came on as a substitute in the 61st minute, replacing Nicolas Jackson. The move proved to be a masterstroke as he soon scored his opening goal. The Englishman made a solo run after receiving a pass from the centre of the park before finding the back of the net with a low-lying long-range shot. 

Josip Stanisic then added a third goal to the club's tally after former Liverpool star Luis Diaz dribbled past his marker inside the box. Thereafter, it was all Kane as he soon completed his brace after Lorenz Assignon conceded a red card for trying to stop the ball from going into the net with his hand. The England captain took the resulting penalty and made it 4-0 for his side before scoring a third goal from Michael Olise's cross.

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It was yet another masterpiece from Kane as the start forward once again stole the limelight with yet another hat-trick. Kane spent a little over 30 minutes on the ground but it was enough for him to bag a treble and guide his team to a dominant win.

The big loser

The Stuttgart defence completely crumbled once Kane entered the pitch just past the hour mark. However, it was Assignon who proved to be the villain as he tried to stop the ball with his hand in front of the goal in the 80th minute and picked up an unnecessary red card. Stuttgart going a man down at that point just added salt to their wounds as Kane completed the annihilation in the end.  

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Centuries and time at the crease ease West Indies' crisis

Over 200 overs of batting in Delhi, West Indies have shown sparks of what they can do when conditions aren’t treacherous and the right personnel are selected

Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Oct-20252:43

Chopra: Credit to WI for taking Test into day five

After 15 successive innings in which they failed to get as far as the second new ball, West Indies did so twice in the second Test against India in Delhi, batting for nearly 200 overs across their two innings. After seven successive century-less Tests, they scored two in Delhi, with John Campbell and Shai Hope getting into three figures and putting on a rousing 177 as West Indies, made to follow on, erased a 270-run first-innings deficit and set India a target of 121.What does any of this mean for a West Indies Test team – and in particular a West Indies batting line-up – that has been under fire from every direction over the last few months?First things first: conditions, conditions, conditions. India have moved away from the square-turner template of most of the last four years and have stated that they are looking to play on traditional home pitches that start out flat and give batters the opportunities to score hundreds. This was largely the case in the first Test in Ahmedabad, the pitch there had an even covering of grass that provided seam movement early on. That red-soil surface also began to break up towards the end of day two. West Indies, choosing to bat first after winning the toss, ended up batting both times when conditions were at their most helpful for the bowlers.Delhi’s black-soil surface has been different. It began flat and slow, and has only seemed to slow down further as the Test match has progressed. India enforcing the follow-on gave West Indies the chance to wear down an attack that was contending with both unresponsive conditions and tiring legs.The efforts of Campbell and Hope and the unbeaten 50 from Justin Greaves in the second innings, and the resistance of West Indies’ lower order in both innings, must, therefore, be viewed against this backdrop.Related

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Equally, however, West Indies’ barren run with the bat leading into this Test match has to be viewed against the conditions they were having to face all year.They began 2025 on the dustbowls of Multan where they drew 1-1 with Pakistan in a series where the two teams passed 200 once each across the two Tests.Then they played Australia, the world’s No. 1 Test side, which boasts the world’s most potent pace quartet, on seaming pitches at home, and competed through the first two or three innings of all three Test matches thanks to their own fast bowlers. They had the misfortune of batting last in all three Tests, however, and collapsed in all three fourth innings.The last of these, of course, was 27 all out in the pink-ball Test in Kingston. It sent Cricket West Indies (CWI) into crisis mode. It heightened the frequency and volume of conversations about the World Test Championship (WTC) potentially splitting into two tiers in the future, with West Indies, of course, dropping into the bottom tier. It put West Indies’ Test team in a position where everything they did or did not do took on a significance beyond individual records and team results.3:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

Now this question hasn’t been asked too often, but it bears asking. Put aside the financial issues CWI faces and the pressures that West Indian players face thanks to the state of cricket’s calendar and political economy. If you put all that aside, was the reaction to 27 all out, purely from a cricketing perspective, perhaps a touch overblown?Look through the ranks of today’s Test teams. Plenty of others would likely lose 3-0 to Australia on those West Indian pitches. And of those teams, how many possess pace attacks comparable to West Indies’ and capable of landing as many counter-blows as they did through that series?And how many of those teams would you back to go to India next, lose two key fast bowlers to injury, and compete?And how would you view West Indies’ results and batting returns over these last few months if they’d been bowled out for, say, 127 rather than 27 at Sabina Park?And before you answer that question, here’s the full list of double-digit all-out totals in Test cricket in the 2020s. You might recognise some of them. There are two India innings in that list: 46 all out last year in Bengaluru, which kickstarted a shock 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand; and, of course, 36 all out in Adelaide in 2020. Ravi Shastri, India’s head coach on that Australia tour, told his players to “wear [that total] like a badge.” You know what happened next.

“In Delhi, you could see that, given time to grow into their roles and get used to the rhythms of Test cricket, West Indies’ batters could begin to make a mark.”

India, of course, made a famous, fairytale comeback and won that series 2-1, but the cricketing wisdom of Shastri’s words would have held true even if they’d lost 4-0. His vast experience as a player, broadcaster and coach had informed his understanding that teams occasionally get blown away for small totals when quality attacks meet helpful conditions, and that these outlier events do not reflect the quality of the batting line-up that’s suffered that fate.The West Indies of 2025 are by no means as good a batting team as India were in 2020. There are deep-rooted issues in their system that a) keep much of their best batting talent away from first-class cricket, b) prevent the batters who do play first-class cricket from developing their red-ball game to the fullest, and c) leave their selectors not able to assemble anything like the best possible Test top order they could.The 27 all out split West Indies cricket through the middle, but appear to have turned a corner now•AFP/Getty ImagesBut they aren’t as bad as 2025 has made them look, and from that perspective, the Delhi Test couldn’t have come at a better time. There is inexperience running through this West Indies line-up, but there’s enough evidence of ability when the conditions have given them a chance to show it.What Delhi has also shown is the logic underpinning their head coach Daren Sammy’s strategy of backing players who have shown run-scoring ability across formats – and not just Test and first-class cricket – in the belief that it would do West Indies no good to wilfully limit their selection pool and leave out white-ball players, particularly since those players have typically been the ones with the most natural ability.Sammy’s first Test squad, for instance, included both heavy scorers in recent first-class seasons, such as Campbell and Kevlon Anderson, and white-ball regulars like Hope, who had last played Test cricket in November 2021, new captain Roston Chase, who hadn’t played Tests since March 2023, and Brandon King, who had never played Test cricket. And before this India tour, Sammy even asked Sherfane Rutherford, who hasn’t played first-class cricket since 2019, to consider joining the Test team, with his ability against spin in mind.This idea of broadening the Test selection pool is still only in its infancy, and has already had to hurdle several challenges – the hugely testing nature of these first two assignments, for one, and the unsettling of Test regulars such as Alick Athanaze, who returned for this India tour after being dropped against Australia.In Delhi, however, you could see that, given time to grow into their roles and get used to the rhythms of Test cricket, West Indies’ batters could begin to make a mark.Campbell averages less than 26 after 25 Tests, even after this 115, his maiden Test hundred, but the innings only reinforced the idea that this is an opener with an easy, natural style and range of attacking shots, particularly sweeps, that can unsettle even the best spinners.Hope has been an enigma for a long, long time – a batter capable of scoring twin hundreds at Headingley and of averaging above 50 in ODIs, but also one capable of going 42 Test innings without a half-century – but if the enigma persists, so does the artistry, particularly when he skips back nimbly to punch spinners square on the off side. If he’s permanently unburdened of the keeping gloves in this format, there’s a chance he could have something of a renaissance in his 30s.The man who took over keeping duties in Delhi, Tevin Imlach, already showed in Pakistan earlier this year that he has unusually good hands behind the wicket even on spiteful turners. Here he showed sound defence against both types of bowling and bright footwork against spin, and it mostly wasn’t his fault that all that only amounted to scores of 21 and 12, with Kuldeep Yadav getting him out with misbehaving deliveries in both innings, big turn in the first and low bounce in the second.Justin Greaves’ batting against Kuldeep Yadav showed both technique and temperament•AFP/Getty ImagesOf all of West Indies’ batters on this trip, no one has seemed more certain in his reading of Kuldeep’s deceptive lengths than Greaves, who even in Ahmedabad handled the wristspinner so comfortably off the back foot that he forced him to keep bowling fuller and fuller. On the evidence of his sure-footed defence and the purity of his straight driving against seam and spin, he could be batting well above No. 7 in this West Indies line-up; that position seems more a function of his role as seam-bowling allrounder than his ability with the bat.It’s not unusual for batting line-ups to begin to blossom towards the middle of the second Test of an away tour. It can take two or three innings for batters to figure out how best to score runs against a particular bowler or how best to survive another. For batters from England or Australia in this decade, the middle of the second Test occurs near the start of India tours. For batters from West Indies and other teams that don’t get the luxury of long tours, the middle of the second Test is almost pack-up time. Delhi is West Indies’ ninth Test against India in India since 2011. England have played nine Tests against India in India since 2021.Day four in Delhi has shown there’s promise in West Indies’ batting ranks if it can be nurtured. But day five in Delhi will be the last day of their tour, and who knows what will come next. Given the constant churn in West Indies’ line-ups thanks to the pressure of results and the push and pull of T20 leagues, it becomes hard to say which batters will play their next series, and which batters from this tour will remain when they next visit India, whenever that is.Delhi, then, brought a glimmer of positivity to a line-up that sorely needed it. But no one can begin to say what effect it might have on the future, because what does that future even look like?

SLC postpones 2025 edition of LPL

The 2025 edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will not take place this year as was originally planned, SLC has announced. In a press release, SLC said that the decision was taken “after careful consideration of the broader requirement of preparing well in advance” for next year’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.The 2025 LPL was originally slated to be held between November 27 and December 23 across three venues – Colombo, Kandy and Dambulla. SLC, however, has now decided to move the tournament to another window, in order to allow “full focus on ensuring comprehensive venue readiness ahead of the World Cup.”As per ICC guidelines, all venues for the upcoming 20-team World Cup are meant to be in perfect condition to meet the demands of hosting a major international tournament. Accordingly, SLC said they needed the time to upgrade and enhance the infrastructure in and around the grounds.The R Premadasa International Stadium in Colombo, which is one of three venues in Sri Lanka, had temporarily paused its renovation work to host 11 matches in the ongoing Women’s World Cup. SLC confirmed that the ground will resume development work immediately upon the completion of its scheduled games.The last two seasons of the LPL took place during July and August, however this year, with the 2026 T20 World Cup set to begin in February, SLC had initially felt the later window better suited their needs.ESPNcricinfo had also learnt that talks are underway to incorporate a sixth team into the LPL. The first five editions saw five teams representing Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla and Jaffna compete. Earlier this year, Jaffna Kings – formerly the longest-standing franchise, having joined in the tournament’s second edition – and Colombo Strikers were terminated by SLC for “failure to uphold contractual obligations.” As a result, the LPL currently has no franchise owners with a history stretching back beyond 2024. New owners for both the Jaffna and Colombo teams are yet to be announced.

History for Millie Bright! Lionesses legend breaks WSL record for most appearances during Chelsea's trip to Liverpool

Chelsea captain Millie Bright made history after breaking the Women's Super League appearances record in her side's 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday. Initially, it looked like the former England international would enjoy a day of celebration over playing her 211th game in the division but Alyssa Thompson's opener was cancelled out by Beata Olsson's individual effort.

Plaudits pour in for Bright

Before Bright broke the WSL appearance record, which would take her past the previous mark held by former England team-mate Jordan Nobbs, former Chelsea manager and current United States women's team boss Emma Hayes heaped praise on her former charge. The 32-year-old, who won a hatful of trophies with Hayes over the past decade, was hailed as "superhuman" and one of the most determined people she had ever met. 

Hayes told Sky Sports: "It's what she puts herself through. I mean, she's like a superhuman. She's an iron lady. She is so diligent. She'll do everything she possibly can to stay on the pitch. I think she's one of the most persevering people I've ever met. Demanding as a leader, drives the team, like absolutely drives the team. Fans and everybody else might not see the impact she has when she's on the pitch for the team, but she's immense as a leader. She's colossal. And a big softy, big heart, big softy. I think, I mean, that's an unbelievable achievement. Another one for her, like she's got, she's done so much in her time, the amount of winning, just truly remarkable."

When asked if Bright challenged Hayes, she replied, "Yeah, every day. Every player challenges me. That's what they do. Sometimes they want a decision that's taken or something that's happened. That's part and parcel, like building the right relationships so that they can say those things. And it's not perfect. I've made millions of mistakes, and there's lots of things that do not get right. But someone like Millie, I've listened to and I trust her perspective, and she'll always be straight up with me. And I've always valued that." 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBright likened to John Terry

Former Lionesses ace Izzy Christiansen believes that Bright shares similar qualities on the football pitch as Chelsea legend John Terry. The ex-Everton player also stated the defender deserves more credit for what she has achieved.

"I think she's really impressed me over the last 10 years of her career in terms of the consistency. Since joining Chelsea, she's settled in so well, taking on the armband, taking on a huge role," she said. "I don't think people give her enough credit for how hard it is to continuously win and drive the standard. She's been very vocal that she is the person sometimes who suffers because she's driving standards every day, and that's what it takes to win. There's a bit of John Terry about her."

Former Scotland international Rachel Corsie added: "When you're in that role for such a long time as captain, you're always second to the team. It's a huge task, and she's done it with huge respect from, I think, everyone in the game. I think she does drive those standards that, for me, the reason Chelsea have been so successful is because, psychologically, they have that little bit extra than everyone else, where they just know the most important thing is winning at all costs, and we see them do that in so many different ways."

Bright struggles on historic day

On another day, Bright's record-breaking appearance would have been the headline story. But the experienced centre-back had an uncharacteristically shaky performance in Chelsea's 1-1 draw with lowly Liverpool at St Helens Stadium. Wright was outpaced by Olsson for Liverpool's goal and was subbed off at half-time for Naomi Girma. The Blues extended their unbeaten WSL run to 34 matches but the scenes at full-time were not one of celebration for Sonia Bompastor's side. The Frenchwoman will hope her skipper gets back to her best soon as they now sit three points behind league leaders Manchester City after nine games.

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Getty Images SportCrunch game for Chelsea nears

Chelsea face, arguably, the toughest task in women's domestic football when they host Barcelona in the Champions League on Thursday night. The Spanish side destroyed the Blues in the semi-finals of the competition last season, so Bompastor's team will be seeking revenge this time out.

Henry takes five again as returning Taylor can't inspire insipid Zimbabwe

Matt Henry’s sixth Test five-for eclipsed Brendan Taylor’s international comeback, and entrenched questions over Zimbabwe’s batting in the longest format. Zimbabwe were bowled out for their lowest total in nine innings, and second-lowest since 2023, with Taylor’s 44 and Tafadzwa Tsiga’s 33 the only individual scores over 11. That Taylor and Tsiga never batted together further underlines the issue, as Zimbabwe mustered a best partnership of only 29 on a surface where they chose to bat first.There was some early movement but with less bounce on offer than last week, and the quality of New Zealand’s seamers shone through. Henry led the attack, but debutants Zakary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher were also impressive. They varied lengths well, and bowled tight lines to a plan to give New Zealand’s line-up the best of the batting conditions.In response, Devon Conway and Will Young put on New Zealand’s third-highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe, and New Zealand’s first opening stand of over 150 in almost three years. It was their fourth century stand together, and first for the opening wicket. Though separated late in the day, Conway and Young put New Zealand ahead, and memories of Taylor’s slog earlier in the day already far from mind.Related

  • Brendan Taylor grateful for second chance with Zimbabwe

Taylor was called into action immediately on his comeback after a three-and-a-half-year ban when he was elevated to open the batting – something he had only done six times before – in place of Ben Curran. The reason for that became obvious as Taylor looked, by a distance, the most aware of his off stump, left well, and defended solidly.With all those qualities on display in the morning, he will be livid with the manner of his dismissal shortly after lunch. Taylor became Henry’s third wicket when he popped a tame catch to stand-in captain Mitchell Santner at extra cover to end a two-hour-and-23 minute stay at the crease.By then, Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble. They had already lost the rest of their top order thanks to poor shot selection in the face of excellent bowling. Brian Bennett, who partnered Taylor, was out as early as the ninth ball when he chased a delivery that shaped away and edged Henry to second slip, and will have to address his technique going forward.Brendan Taylor scored 44 on his return to Test cricket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Henry should have had Nick Welch off the next ball when he edged a good-length delivery. But Will Young, who took the catch that dismissed Bennett, could not hold on. Welch was beaten on the outside edge at least twice more by Henry, who then beat his inside edge and had him out lbw.Zimbabwe would have hoped an experienced middle order would stabilise them, but Sean Williams and Craig Ervine went cheaply. Williams was worked over by Foulkes, who moved the ball away late, and edged to third slip, where Young took a diving catch to his right. Then, on the stroke of lunch, Ervine reached for a full, wide ball, and handed Young a third catch. Zimbabwe went to the break on 67 for 4, with Taylor on 33 and well set. His shot of the session was an upper cut off Duffy that was struck powerfully and placed well.The same could not be said of the shot Taylor played in the afternoon, when Henry bowled on a good length outside off, and Taylor tried to drive off the back foot but chipped the ball to Santner. At the start of the next over, Foulkes set a leg-side trap for Sikandar Raza, and banged it in short and Raza walked straight in. He moved to the off side, and guided the ball into Rachin Ravindra’s hands. That was the third time in as many innings in this series that Raza was dismissed by the short ball.Foulkes had Trevor Gwandu lbw three balls later, and Zimbabwe had crashed to 83 for 7. The end of the innings was only a matter of time. Henry picked up his fourth when Vincent Masekesa played down the wrong line and the ball hit the top of off stump, and his fifth when Blessing Muzarabani backed away and was bowled. Foulkes also chased a fifth, but Tsiga and Tanaka Chivanga resisted with a 25-run last wicket-stand.Will Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test•Zimbabwe Cricket

Tsiga played a couple of well-timed shots through deep third and midwicket, and offered a rare glimmer of hope for Zimbabwe’s batting. But he ran out of partners when Chivanga failed to use his feet and drove Fisher to mid-off to give him a wicket on debut. Zimbabwe were bowled out inside 49 overs.In response, New Zealand raced to 57 without loss after ten overs, and 40 of their runs came in boundaries. Conway got hold of fuller deliveries from Chivanga, while Young, who was struck on the glove, took on Muzarabani’s short ball. Zimbabwe’s new-ball pair then adjusted their lengths, but when Muzarabani and Chivanga went full, it was too full, and Conway cashed in. Chivanga’s fourth over cost 14 runs as Young cut him twice and then edged a back-of-a-length ball over the slips to bring up New Zealand’s fifty.Gwandu’s introduction quietened things down, but only a touch, as New Zealand accumulated with ease. Chivanga changed ends, and it was off him that Young brought up his 11th Test fifty and New Zealand’s hundred with a flick through midwicket.Zimbabwe’s best chance came shortly after the day’s final drinks break when Muzarabani drew Conway’s edge, but the chance died on Ervine at slip. Muzarabani also found the inside edge, but the ball raced away for four. Conway rode his luck, and then brought up his 13th Test fifty. New Zealand were in the lead with 14.4 overs left to play on the opening day.They were 33 runs ahead when Masekesa thought he had the breakthrough. He hit Conway, on 72, in front of middle and leg, and appealed for lbw but it was turned down. Zimbabwe finally had some joy when Young tried to pull Gwandu but chopped on. Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test. Conway finished the day on 79* alongside nightwatcher Duffy.

Litton and Emon help Bangladesh level series after Mahedi sets up victory

Mohammad Saifuddin’s cameo was crucial after Mahedi’s 3 for 25 restricted Ireland to 170

Mohammad Isam29-Nov-2025Litton Das’ 16th T20I half-century took Bangladesh to a four-wicket win against Ireland in Chattogram. As a result, the hosts levelled the three-match series 1-1 with this win, and broke a four-match losing streak in the format.Litton made 57 off 37 balls with three sixes and as many fours. But his dismissal, coupled with three more wickets in quick succession, left Bangladesh in some constraint in the end overs of the 171-run chase.When Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket in the 19th over, they still needed 22 runs to win off the remaining 14 balls. New batter Mohammad Saifuddin responded with a pulled boundary first ball, as Josh Little couldn’t grab the chance at short fine leg. When Bangladesh were six down in the 19th over and required another 14 runs in ten balls, Saifuddin hit a six over six and then a four – both off Mark Adair. He finished with a crucial 17* off seven balls, with two fours and a six.With three runs needed in the last over, Mahedi Hasan settled the matter with two balls remaining as a thumping drive through extra cover went for four.Ireland had earlier made 170 for 6 in 20 overs, although their rousing start was giving them hints of a 200-plus total. Bangladesh replied well with Parvez Hossain Emon and Litton giving them a fine start.Parvez Hossain Emon batted at a quick pace in the chase•BCBParvez cracks the whipParvez went after Matthew Humphreys, Ireland’s hero from the first T20I, for two fours in the first over, before going after Adair in the second. Parvez’s opening partner Tanzid Hasan, however, was run out after miscommunication even as Barry McCarthy, who was bowling the third over, lost possession of the ball while moving to his left.Parvez, though, didn’t stop his onslaught while his captain Litton aided him in the big-hitting. Litton and Parvez slammed Little for a six and two fours in the sixth over to give Bangladesh 66 runs in the powerplay. Parvez struck Gareth Delany for his second six, before falling in the legspinner’s next over for 43. Overall, Parvez struck five fours and two sixes in his 28-ball stay.No luck for LittleJLittle was wicketless in the first T20I, and was unlucky when his captain Paul Stirling dropped Saif Hassan in the 11th over. The chance at cover was a difficult one, but Stirling is known for plucking these catches.Little had more bad luck when Delany grabbed a difficult chance at the deep-midwicket boundary. He had intercepted Litton’s pull with one hand, before settling under the ball in the second attempt. Replays, however, showed Delany’s towel, which was tucked behind his trousers, had touched the boundary rope. It was thus adjudged to be a six.File photo: Paul Stirling bashed 29 off 14 balls•ICC via Getty ImagesLitton, Saif fall before final pushLitton and Saif kept Bangladesh’s run rate at par with the requirement. Litton lofted Delany for four before Saif struck him for a straight six in the 12th over. Litton then hit a beautiful six by going inside out over the covers to reach his fifty. Adair, however, got rid of him, trapping him lbw for 57.Three balls later, Saif gave long-on a catch off Delany, who bowled the delivery off 24 yards. Towhid Hridoy was then run-out for the sixth time in his career when he couldn’t reach the striker’s end, with his bat being in the air despite crossing the crease. When Nurul Hasan fell in the 19th over, Ireland sensed they were in the game.Ireland openers go bigIreland were off to a blistering start after they decided to bat first. Tim Tector was at it again, building on his 32 from the previous game. He struck Mahedi for three fours in the opening over, before Stirling lofted Nasum Ahmed for a four and six in the second over.Stirling then went after Saifuddin, hitting him for a six and two fours in the third over. Stirling, who bashed 29 off 14 balls, fell in the fifth over to a good catch from Saif in the deep, though Tector kept striking his pulls cleanly, as one of them landed deep into the second tier. Ireland’s 75 for 1 was their highest powerplay score against Bangladesh.File photo: Mahedi Hasan’s three wickets meant Ireland’s 88 for 1 quickly became 103 for 4•Bangladesh Cricket BoardMahedi gives Bangladesh respiteMahedi removed the Tector brothers, Tim and Harry, in the ninth over. He had Tim stumped off the first ball, when he swung at the ball, which went under the bat. Tim made 38 off 25 balls with two sixes, apart from his four boundaries. Mahedi then got one to skid below Harry’s bat to bowl him for 11. Mahedi also removed Ben Calitz for 7, also stumped by Litton. Ireland’s 88 for 1 in the ninth over quickly became 103 for 4 after 11.Tucker helps Ireland recoverLorcan Tucker and George Dockrell got Ireland back on their feet with a 56-run fifth-wicket partnership. Tucker struck Nasum with a slog-swept four through mid-on, before slamming Tanzim and Saifuddin for three boundaries in the 16th and 17th overs.Dockrell, however, struck just one boundary in his 21-ball stay for 18 runs, while Delany, known for his big-hitting, struck just one six in the last over. Tucker was run-out off the last ball, having made 41 off 32 balls, with four boundaries.

فيديو | الهلال يقسو على الشرطة العراقي برباعية ويواصل تصدر دوري أبطال آسيا

حقق فريق الهلال السعودي فوزًا كبيرًا على نظيره الشرطة العراقي برباعية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا.

وأقيمت المباراة بين الهلال والشرطة على أرضية استاد الأول بارك، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الخامسة من دور المجموعات لدوري أبطال آسيا للنخبة.

ونجح ماركوس ليوناردو في تسجيل الهدف الأول للهلال مع نهاية الشوط الأول في الدقيقة 45، قبل أن يعزز سيرجي ميلينكوفيتش سافيتش التقدم بهدف ثانٍ في الدقيقة 63، ثم عاد ليوناردو ليضع بصمته بهدف ثالث في الدقيقة 72 ويؤمن انتصار الزعيم.

واختتم كانسيلو رباعية الهلال بهدف مميز في الدقيقة الثالثة من الوقت بدل الضائع للشوط الثاني. أهداف فوز الهلال على الشرطة العراقي في دوري أبطال آسيا

 

وشهدت المواجهة سيطرة واضحة للهلال على مجريات اللقاء، وسط محاولات محدودة من الشرطة العراقي للخروج بنتيجة إيجابية، إلا أن خبرة لاعبي الهلال حسمت المواجهة لصالح أصحاب الأرض.

ترتيب دوري أبطال آسيا بعد فوز الهلال على الشرطة العراقي

وعقب المباراة وصل رصيد الهلال إلى 15 نقطة كاملة من 5 مباريات، محققًا العلامة الكاملة دون أي تعادل أو خسارة، وسجل لاعبوه 14 هدفا واستقبلت شباكهم 5 أهداف فقط.

Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds star is one of “the best” players in PL

Leeds United secured a sensational win in the Premier League on Wednesday night. Daniel Farke’s side beat title challengers Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road, to pick up a huge three points in their quest for top-flight survival.

The game started in perfect fashion for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Defender Jaka Bijol rose highest from a corner to head home, after making a darting run from the edge of the 18-yard box to the corner of the six-yard box before unleashing his powerful header.

Chelsea did not really threaten despite dominating possession, having 71% across the game. Leeds were able to double their lead on the stroke of half-time, thanks to a sublime effort from Ao Tanaka.

The ball broke to Jayden Bogle on the edge of the box, who laid it off to Tanaka. The midfielder smashed it in from range to put his side 2-0 up.

Enzo Maresca’s men were able to pull a goal back just five minutes after the restart through Pedro Neto. However, Leeds resisted their pressure and managed to get a third goal after a calamitous mistake from Chelsea allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score.

It was a superb win for Leeds, with some standout performances across the pitch.

Leeds’ best players vs. Chelsea

One of the most impressive things about this Leeds victory was how hard everyone worked. That was certainly the case for captain Ethan Ampadu. Playing against his former club, the Welshman was the dominant force in midfield.

His stats from the game reflect how well he performed, both on and off the ball. Ampadu had 54 touches of the ball and had an 86% pass accuracy. He also won six duels and made six ball recoveries.

It was an all-action showing from the Wales international.

Another player who shone for the Whites was right wing-back Bogle. He was a real handful for Chelsea going forward, with his performance earning him an 8/10 rating from Graham Smyth, journalist for the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Smyth praised the fact that he ‘drove Leeds forward’, with the defender a real threat in attack.

That all came to a head with his assist for Tanaka, where he pounced on a loose ball before a Chelsea player could reach it, and quickly found his teammate with a first-time pass.

Ampadu and Bogle played well, but they were arguably outshone by one of their teammates.

Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha

It seemed to be a good night for wing-backs at Elland Road. Bogle was not the only one who stood out, with left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson one of the best players in a White shirt against Chelsea.

He enjoyed plenty of success defensively, coming up directly against the electric Estevao, and offered a threat going forward.

Gudmundsson won an exceptional 12 from 19 duels and five from eight tackles, as well as creating two chances.

Touches

55

Ground duels won

12/19

Tackles won

5/8

Ball recoveries

6

Crosses completed

2

Key passes

2

The excellent performance from the Swede was noticed by Smyth, who gave him a 9/10 for his efforts. The journalist praised him for how well he got forward, and credited him for the fact that he ‘got back in to defend and do his bit’.

As far back as September, the left-back was being called “the best” player in the Premier League in his position by journalist James Marshment.

The 26-year-old has made a brilliant start to life at Elland Road, featuring in all 14 of their top-flight games so far, and playing 90 minutes nine times.

There is a case to be made that the defender is Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha. The Brazilian was exceptional for the West Yorkshire side, and really hit the ground running in the Premier League. He managed 15 goals and assists in his first top-flight season.

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Well, Gudmundsson is making an equally fast start. To be branded as one of the best players in the league so soon is a testament to how well he has performed.

There haven’t really been any Leeds players who have started this fast, especially on the top-flight since Raphinha, with several of the players they have signed in previous Premier League campaigns now having left the club.

Farke will be desperate for this form to continue, and for Gudmundsson to prove he is one of their best signings since Raphinha.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: 9/10 hero had his best game for Leeds vs Chelsea

This Leeds star shone in their 3-1 win over Chelsea

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2025

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