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Orla Prendergast’s 76 underpins Ireland innings but England side featuring five debutants get home

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2024

Kate Cross picked up 6 for 30 with the ball•ECB via Getty Images

Kate Cross claimed career-best figures with bat and ball on her captaincy debut to lead England to a four-wicket win over Ireland in the first ODI at Stormont.Cross, leading a side featuring five ODI debutants in the absence of most of England’s T20 World Cup squad, was largely responsible for limiting the home side to 210 all out, her haul of 6 for 30 including Ireland’s top-scorer, Orla Prendergast, for 76.She then helped repair the damage after Ireland had reduced the visitors to 156 for 6, hitting an unbeaten 38 that included the winning runs.”There was a lot of nerves out there today,” Cross said. “When you’re captaining one debutant it can be quite hard but to have five on the pitch was a lot to manage so I was just really pleased with the first half in general, how we managed to restrict Ireland to what I thought was a below-par total and then we’ve chased it down.”I’ve been there. When I was running in in Barbados for my debut I remember thinking, ‘just try and land it on the cut strip’ and that does go through your head as a player but sometimes it’s the unknown and a fear when they play on debut because they don’t know how they’ll go in international cricket. I think they coped with the occasion really well.”Ireland opted to bat first in the opening match of the series and were well placed at 151 for 3, with star allrounder Prendergast going well. But Cross returned to break a stand of 77 with Leah Paul, and then mopped up the tail for her second ODI five-wicket haul.Cross had struck in her first over, pinning Una Raymond-Hoey lbw, before Lauren Filer removed Ireland captain Gaby Lewis via a catch at slip. Hannah Baker, the legspinner winning her first cap in any format, then struck in her opening spell as Amy Hunter departed for 37.Prendergast, who scored her maiden ODI hundred last month in Ireland’s series win over Sri Lanka, led the rebuilding effort but the innings folded quickly after her departure. Ryana MacDonald-Gay, another England debutant, bowled Rebecca Stokell, then Paul was run out by a combination of Freya Kemp and Bess Heath – two players who will be going to the World Cup in the UAE.Ireland’s total was their highest in women’s ODIs against England, and they made a good start in its defence. Prendergast opened the bowling and removed Emma Lamb and Tammy Beaumont inside her first four overs to leave England 32 for 2.Two debutants in Hollie Armitage (previously capped in T20Is) and Paige Scholfield steadied the ship with a stand of 62, before they were both dismissed in consecutive overs. Kemp showed her power with 26 off 19, but after she fell Mady Villiers was run out to leave England six down.Heath was joined by Cross, with 55 needed and more than 20 overs in which to get them. The captain did the bulk of the scoring, finishing unbeaten with 38 from 36 balls, as England got home with 91 balls to spare.

It has been a busy summer already for newly promoted side Leeds United. The 2024/25 campaign was sensational for Daniel Farke’s side, racking up over 100 points and winning the Championship title, and, of course, promotion back to the Premier League.

Leeds are looking to break the streak of newly promoted sides getting immediately relegated, as we have seen the last two seasons. With that in mind, they have been busy in the transfer market already, signing defender Jaka Bijol from Udinese and striker Lukas Nmecha from Wolfsburg on a free transfer.

With two parts of the pitch already strengthened, Leeds are now seemingly ready to turn their attention to the midfield, if recent reports are true.

Leeds' midfield target

One man who the Elland Road side have on their list for a new midfielder is young Anderlecht midfielder Mario Stroeykens, with talkSPORT reporting that they ‘hold an interest’ in the Belgian. However, with West Ham United also in the race, it is unclear if they will sign him.

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A deal that is far more advanced is for Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra. According to a report from Africa Foot, the Senegal international is now ‘the subject of an official offer’ from the 49ers Group.

The Yorkshire outfit have reportedly sent a bid of £24m to the French side for Diarra, after initially having a bid of £21.3m rejected earlier in the window.

Leeds have also offered him personal terms, thought to be a three-year deal if he is to make the move to Elland Road.

How Leeds' midfielder would shape up with Diarra and Tanaka

21-year-old Senegal international Diarra would be joining Leeds with a great pedigree. After coming through Strasbourg’s youth system, he has gone on to become the club captain, showing excellent leadership qualities at such a young age.

Last term, the Strasbourg number 19 was a key player for his side, as they qualified for the UEFA Conference League next season. He featured in 30 top-flight games, scoring four times and grabbing five assists in that time.

Diarra is an extremely versatile midfielder, with football analyst Ben Mattinson posting on X that whether you need a “6, 8, 10, Habib Diarra can do it”. Indeed, last term for Strasbourg, he played both as a number 10 and a number eight. As Mattinson said, he is a “complete midfielder”.

The 21-year-old bagged for his country in their recent friendly against England at the City Ground, showing off his attacking nous. It was a smart run in behind the Three Lions’ defence, curving his run to get space, before carrying into the six-yard box and slotting into the far corner.

One thing Leeds fans can perhaps look forward to if they sign Diarra is the partnership that could develop between him and Ao Tanaka. The Japan international was a key player under Farke last season, after joining from Fortuna Düsseldorf.

The 26-year-old, who is a defensive midfielder by trade, chipped in with five goals and two assists in 43 Championship appearances. Despite his excellent performances, he never really found a permanent partner, but perhaps Diarra could be that player.

With Tanaka’s ability from a defensive standpoint, it could unleash Diarra and allow him to venture forward to try and impact the game in more advanced areas. The stats are there, via FBref, that certainly support this theory.

For example, Tanaka averaged 3.97 tackles and interceptions and 5.9 ball recoveries per 90 minutes last season, showing just how efficient he was at sitting deeper and breaking up play. As for Diarra, he averaged 1.03 key passes and 0.31 goal-creating actions each game. This certainly highlights just how effective he can be in and around the penalty box, as does his goals and assist tally from last term.

Diarra and Tanaka key stats

Stat (per 90)

Diarra

Stat (per 90)

Tanaka

Goals and assists

0.34

Progressive passes

7.04

Key passes

1.03

Passes into final third

7.01

Goal-creating actions

0.31

Tackles and interceptions

3.97

Take-ons completed

0.5

Blocks

1.25

Progressive carries

2.34

Ball recoveries

5.9

Stats from FBref

The partnership that Leeds fans could expect to see between Tanaka and Diarra is hugely exciting. They could become unplayable together, with the progression of the Japan star feeding the Strasbourg skipper in the final third, who would have less defensive responsibility.

For just £24m, this could be a bargain for the Yorkshire outfit, and one that would really upgrade their midfield.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery Jun 25, 2025

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola isn’t used to going entire seasons without a trophy.

Indeed, the 2024/25 campaign was just the second in his career without a single major trophy being won, and he needs to change things this summer.

The summer transfer window could be the most important in the club’s recent history. Kevin De Bruyne is departing, while several other players could be sold.

In terms of incomings, Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White have both been routinely linked over the previous few weeks, but the latest on that is that Wirtz will not be heading to the Etihad.

Recent news has seen AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders linked with a move too.

Why Man City must sign Tijjani Reijnders

With De Bruyne leaving and several midfielders aged 30 or over, Guardiola looks set to bring in someone younger during the summer.

Reijnders fits the bill, especially as he is coming to the peak of his powers. The Dutchman has enjoyed a sublime campaign with Milan throughout 2024/25.

There has been a distinct lack of goals from City’s central midfield options this term. Matheus Nunes is the highest scorer with four, but the Milan sensation will be able to add an attacking threat to Guardiola’s side.

Indeed, the 26-year-old has scored 15 times and provided five assists for the Serie A side.

Furthermore, when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the midfielder ranks in the top 3% for both non-penalty goals (0.29) and progressive carries (3.11) per 90, along with ranking in the top 16% for touches in the attacking penalty area.

This suggests the Dutchman loves bursting forward into dangerous positions regularly and could give City some much-needed dynamism in the heart of the pitch.

What a move for Reijnders would mean for City

If he does sign, it could be curtains for Ilkay Gundogan.

Gundogan played a key role for City during his first spell at the club, winning everything that was on offer.

A single-year sabbatical in Barcelona didn’t go as planned for the former Borussia Dortmund star, and he returned to the Etihad last summer.

Hailed as “exceptional” by Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, upon his arrival, he failed to replicate the feats of his first spell back in Manchester.

Across 48 matches, the 34-year-old recorded just seven goal contributions in all competitions for the club, a far cry from the 18 he registered two seasons ago.

Ilkay Gundogan’s Man City stats
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2024/25	48	2	5
2022/23	51	11	7
2021/22	43	10	6
2020/21	46	17	5
2019/20	50	5	4
2018/19	50	6	8
2017/18	49	6	7
2016/17	16	5	2
Via Transfermarkt

Of course, age catches up with us all, but the midfielder simply failed to offer much for Guardiola throughout the campaign, especially in the Premier League.

Not only did he create just three big chances across 31 league games, but the Turkish-born star failed to score a single goal, won less than 50% of his total duels and made only 0.8 tackles per game.

If City capture the signing of Reijnders in the next few weeks, it will surely mean the end of Gundogan’s second stint in England.

They say never go back. In Gundogan’s case, perhaps he should have remained in Barcelona.

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By
Tom Cunningham

May 18, 2025

Aston Villa have been told by the representatives of a forward that he’d sign for them this summer regardless of their Champions League status, with Unai Emery and NSWE handed a potential transfer boost by this news.

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Emery’s side, depending on results elsewhere, still have a chance to book their place in the Champions League draw for 2025/2026 after a precious win over Tottenham at Villa Park on Friday evening.

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Goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara mean the Villans remain in contention for a coveted spot in Europe’s most prestigious competition, coming after they reached the Champions League quarter-finals this term and unluckily bowed out to favourites PSG.

2. Arsenal

68

36

3. Newcastle United

66

36

4. Chelsea

66

37

5. Aston Villa

66

37

6. Man City

65

36

7. Nottingham Forest

62

36

Villa would probably need to beat struggling Man United at Old Trafford while hoping rivals drop key points, with Chelsea set to play fellow European hopefuls, Nottingham Forest, on the final day while Man City have a game in hand.

While the Champions League race could eventually fall out of their grasp, Emery has explained what is really important to him in the grand scheme of things, on Villa’s journey to become an elite-level side.

“The most important thing for us and for me, and how we can really progress, is by being consistent through the Premier League over 38 games, getting the points needed to always be in the European positions,” said Emery before Villa’s win over Spurs, in an interview with Sky.

“We are trying to have a clear identity, trying to connect with our supporters, how we are playing, with our style, our intensity, our skills. This is very important because I think we need to achieve the heart of the supporters to get the energy that we need.”

Aston Villa told that Rashford would re-join regardless of Champions League status

Their European endeavors will have an effect on their recruitment plans, as world-class players are usually more attracted to the possibility of playing Champions League football, as is predictably the case.

They’d also get a transfer boost financially, so the result of Villa’s standings after their final matchday will have a profound effect on their plans for next season off the field.

However, this apparently isn’t the case with £300,000-per-week Man United loanee Marcus Rashford, who’s enjoyed a productive temporary spell in the Midlands with 10 goal contributions in 17 matches (four goals, six assists).

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for The Boot Room, Rashford’s representatives have told Villa that Champions League qualification “isn’t necessarily needed for him to re-sign”.

The England international has refused to rule out staying at Villa beyond this term, even if he does hold a preference for Barcelona, and remains open-minded about his future past 24/25.

Villa possess an option to buy Rashford for £40 million, and according to this report, United will not deviate from that price point – so NSWE know what is required to keep the winger.

It’s never straightforward with Manchester United, is it?

With just seconds remaining, the Red Devils looked to have secured an invaluable first-leg win over Lyon on Thursday evening, with Joshua Zirkzee’s late header steering the visitors into a deserved 2-1 lead on the night. And then…

With almost the last kick of the game, the Ligue 1 side ensured that this Europa League tussle is very much alive heading into next week’s reverse fixture at Old Trafford, with Rayan Cherki pouncing at the death to dink home.

The French outfit had initially taken the lead courtesy of Thiago Almada’s free-kick, albeit with United hitting back in first-half stoppage time, as Leny Yoro netted his first goal for the club with an inventive, glancing header.

Zirkzee’s own bullet header at the backpost looked to have been enough to seal the win, yet as it is, the tie is certainly still finely poised – largely thanks to the impact of one man, Andre Onana…

Andre Onana's costly display

Quite what Onana was thinking prior to the match – when insisting that the Red Devils are “way better” than their opponents – is difficult to fathom, with the Cameroonian ‘keeper engaging in a war of words with ex-Old Trafford star, Nemanja Matic.

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While the Serbian giant watched on from the substitutes bench, one of the “worst goalkeepers in Man Utd’s history” – as so dubbed by Matic – was very much in the thick of the action. Having talked the talk, the 28-year-old, unfortunately, couldn’t walk the walk.

In almost inevitable fashion, it was Onana’s blunder that allowed Lyon to sneak into the lead in the opening exchanges, with the former Inter man failing to deal with Almada’s relatively routine in-swinging set-piece.

The £47.5m flop – who has now made more errors since the start of last season than any other Premier League goalkeeper in all competitions – looked to have got away with one as both Yoro and Zirkzee nodded home, with the experienced stopper even taking the time to rile up the home crowd even further when taking a typically laboured goal kick late on.

Much to the delight of the hosts, however, it was they who would have the last laugh, with Onana proceeding to spill the ball into the path of the lively Cherki at the death, with the dazzling Frenchman duly converting.

From one horrow show to another then as far as United are concerned, with Ruben Amorim also likely to be deeply frustrated by the performance of a man at the other end of the pitch, in Rasmus Hojlund.

The Man Utd star who now needs to be sold

Talk is already rife that Amorim is seeking a new goalkeeper this summer, with reports also suggesting that Onana has been the subject of interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, amid the possibility of an end to his two-season stay in Manchester.

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On current evidence, the one-time Ajax star could well be joined through the exit door by young Hojlund, with the 22-year-old looking like a player who “will be up for sale” at the end of the season, in the words of journalist Tom McDermott.

Branded with a 4/10 match rating from MEN correspondent, Samuel Luckhurst, the struggling Dane was again simply lifeless in attack for the away side, having been restricted to just 11 touches, while making just two passes in total on the night.

Minutes played

63′

Touches

11

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

1

Passes completed

2/3

Key passes

2

Ground duels

0/3

Aerial duels

N/A

Possession lost

3x

Fouls

1

While those were both recognised as ‘key passes’, the former Atalanta starlet did little of any note prior to his withdrawal on the hour mark, with the misfiring striker failing to pounce on a rare opening after scuffing his attempt wide following Patrick Dorgu’s pull-back.

The £85k-per-week marksman – who also failed to win a single duel up against the Lyon backline – memorably passed the ball out of play down the right flank at one stage, having also drawn the ire of Bruno Fernandes after failing to read the Portuguese playmaker’s dummy inside the area.

Whether it be failing to beat his man when running in behind, or struggling to keep hold of possession, Hojlund simply looks lost at present, having now scored just once in all competitions since mid-December.

With only eight goals to his name across all fronts this season, United’s number nine – who has been linked with a return to Serie A – appears to be on borrowed time, not least with speculation ramping up regarding the potential addition of Ipswich Town talisman, Liam Delap.

Having seen his replacement, Zirkzee, take little time to make an impact, Hojlund must surely be second fiddle ahead of next week’s meeting at the Theatre of Dreams. Much like Onana too, this Erik ten Hag signing could find himself on the scrap heap this summer.

No longer can the Red Devils accept mediocrity at both ends of the pitch.

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1 ByRobbie Walls Apr 10, 2025

The bowlers set up PBKS’ win over MI, but Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis, who are complete opposites at the crease but with the same potential to destroy attacks, hogged the headlines

Karthik Krishnaswamy27-May-20251:33

Jaffer: Arya showed a lot of maturity after low scores

Why move when you can simply stand still? Priyansh Arya asks this question every time he bats.There was a moment on Monday night when Josh Inglis called Arya for a single that was never on, and sent him back when he was a third of the way down the pitch with the ball already in the mid-off fielder’s hands. Even a dive wasn’t going to save Arya if there was a direct hit at the bowler’s end, but there needed to be one, with no one backing up at the stumps. Other batters may have dived anyway. Arya simply stood there, waiting placidly for the throw’s accuracy to determine his fate.The throw missed. Arya lived on.Related

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That was only the most extreme example of Arya’s no-wasted-energy philosophy. Monday’s other examples came when he was on strike during Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) chase of 185 against Mumbai Indians (MI). There were, for instance, two fours in the first over of the innings, both stroked over the off-side inner ring when Trent Boult offered him width, both played with languidly minimal footwork that seemed to dilate the time that elapsed between ball leaving bowler’s hand and ball meeting bat.It’s one thing to stand still and let the ball come to you when it’s coming at the pace you expect from that bowler. It’s another thing entirely to play a shot like Arya did in the fourth over, off Deepak Chahar, to move from 15 to 19.This shot came off a 118kph knuckle ball, from a bowler whose previous over had been a maiden full of knuckle balls to Arya’s opening partner Prabhsimran Singh. And that hadn’t been a bowler tying down a struggling batter; Prabhsimran has been in red-hot form all through IPL 2025. But he wasn’t quite coming to grips with the slower ball on a pitch where slower balls had been notably hard to hit – PBKS’ bowlers had used it with great skill to restrict Suryakumar Yadav, of all people, to 57 off 39 balls.Chahar’s knuckle ball to Arya, then, wasn’t a straightforward ball to hit to the boundary on this pitch. Arya, at any rate, didn’t it. He stood still, waited, waited some more, and met the ball with a checked jab to send it racing past the right hand of the diving fielder at short cover.1:48

Moody: Inglis taking on MI’s threats was a real positive

“I said, maybe four or five games in[to the season], that I felt Priyansh Arya was going to be one of the finds of the tournament,” PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting said after the match. “Think that’s pretty hard to argue with now. Just a fearless young talent, you know, going out there, seeing the ball and hitting the ball.”Arya’s see-ball, hit-ball methods have already been spoken about in excited tones. Monday night revealed a new layer: how well Arya sees the ball, and how that allows him to hold his shape and stay still for as long as he needs to before he hits it, even when it isn’t coming off the pitch at a predictable pace.So easy was Arya making batting look that it needed Prabhsimran to get wrenched out of shape repeatedly at the other end – he was out for 13 off 16, falling to the second chance he offered off a miscued skier – to put his innings in context.

It was a victory for PBKS’ tactical tweaks: they had loaded up on batting depth at the expense of a specialist bowler in their last match, a defeat to DC on Saturday, and had course-corrected here

Prabhsimran’s departure brought to the crease Inglis – and another study in contrasts, which extended over a match-winning partnership of 109 in 59 balls.Inglis is anything but languid. Even when he’s notionally still in his stance, he’s a crouching storehouse of potential energy straining to burst into a flurry of quick feet and quicker hands. And where Arya simply strokes, punches, and slaps the ball into his favourite zones no matter where the fielders are, Inglis constantly scans the field for gaps to target.At the six-over mark, PBKS were 47 for 1, going at well below their required rate. MI brought on Mitchell Santner, a master of pace changes who had taken 3 for 11 in four overs in his last game against Delhi Capitals (DC). It felt like a critical moment.2:22

Is this finally PBKS’ year?

And Inglis, batting on 8 off 8 at that point, made his intentions clear. Santner was bowling with the longer square boundary to the off side of the right-handed Inglis, with a strong breeze blowing from off to leg, all of which made straying in line doubly dangerous. Santner’s first two balls to Inglis were both aimed at making him hit to the off side, and both were dots; a firm cut to point, and a missed reverse-sweep off a 77kph dangler wide of off stump.Even though he missed it, that reverse-sweep was something of a win for Inglis. It’s hard for a spinner, even one turning his stock ball away from the batter, to protect the boundary against that shot, since you can only have five fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Inglis probably expected Santner to straighten his line next ball, and he did. And it wasn’t a bad ball: quick and only marginally short of a length, but Inglis probably expected both those things. He rocked deep in his crease and cleared the man guarding the short boundary at deep midwicket with a straight bat-pull – the shot Heinrich Klaasen has made his trademark – his low crouch helping him get under the ball and generate elevation.Inglis continued to press on with this mix of field manipulation and lightning hands and feet, ramping Hardik Pandya for a six over short third in the eighth over and reverse-sweeping Ashwani Kumar twice while hitting him for three successive fours in the 11th.1:51

Moody: PBKS attack well suited to these conditions

Arya, who had spent most of this period away from the strike, then asserted himself with back-to-back boundaries in the 12th over, slapping Hardik over the covers for four and slugging him over wide long-on for six with an effortless baseball swing to bring up his half-century off 27 balls. Inglis, who had brought up his fifty two balls earlier, was batting on 50 off 29.Contrasting methods, near-identical returns, and PBKS were cruising, needing 65 off 48 balls to seal a top-two finish and a place in Qualifier 1. They got there with nine balls to spare.It was a victory for the side that had bowled better on the day, making better use of the pitch, the ground’s asymmetry, and the wind conditions. It was a victory for PBKS’ tactical tweaks: they had loaded up on batting depth at the expense of a specialist bowler in their last match, a defeat to DC on Saturday, and had course-corrected here.Above all, it was a victory for the best batting team of IPL 2025 to this point. PBKS have passed 200 seven times this season, and their last six matches have brought them totals of 201, 194, 236, 219, 206 and 187, with the two sub-200 scores coming in successful chases. Seven of their batters have scored at least 100 runs this season at 30-plus averages and 149-plus strike rates. The thing that makes their line-up so dangerous is that any two or three of them could fire on a given day. On this day, it was a left-right pair of utterly captivating contrasts.

It seemed like the perfectly orchestrated exit, but final Test isn’t dancing to his tune just yet

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jul-2023The Australian team ensured their pre-play huddle was prompt, to be in position for the guard of honour. Those in the stands were in place earlier than they had been over the previous three days of this fifth Test, despite Sunday’s train disruptions. Some had even brought homemade signs with them. Nothing particularly over the top, of course. Mainly block letters, coloured in, a few doodles on the side – that kind of thing. Whatever your creativity could muster with 17 hours’ notice. As the clock ticked towards the start of day four, there was no sign of The One we were all waiting for. Even the England staff members loitering outside the dressing-room doors peered in to check how much longer he’d be. Those in the Baggy Green Boulevard started getting a bit restless, arching their necks up to the home balcony, while the punters in the JM Finn stand squinted for clues to his presence. Of course Stuart Broad was fashionably late for his own leaving do.It was on Friday at 8.30pm that Broad decided this would be his 167th and final Test, and just after 6.30pm on Saturday when he informed the world. Even the best cricketers don’t get to choose precisely how they walk away from the game. But an outstanding personal series, coupled with the match situation – Australia had a first-innings lead of 12 on Friday night, before England moved 377 ahead by Saturday to put a 2-2 series draw on the cards – had framed this as the perfect time to pull the pin. He had one more walk to the middle, alongside James Anderson as part of a last-wicket stand, which would be the first of at least two guaranteed ovations on Sunday. Perhaps there’d be a third as he bowled them to victory one last time? At that juncture, it could not be ruled out. A player whose most spectacular moments have involved bending a chaotic game to his whim seemed to have his destiny on strings.When Broad eventually emerged, the eruption throughout the ground was exactly as expected. It feels obvious to state a bloke with 602 Test wickets over a stretch of time long enough to legally buy a packet of cigarettes has been a key figure in England’s greatest triumphs of the recent era. But knowing this could be his final day added an emotional heft to the tickets presented at the gates this morning, and a few extra pounds on those being touted outside.Broad walks out to bat for the final time in his Test career•ECB via Getty ImagesThe walk down the steps was dignified and slow. Broad removed his helmet at the bottom of the steps as if peeling back a veil to let us all bask in his splendour. By now, Anderson was lagging behind, so he paused at the bottom of an Australian tunnel, just about holding it together – structurally rather than emotionally – to embrace his long-time bowling partner. A squeeze of the shoulders, a look into each other’s eyes before Broad strode off in front to receive the applause from his opponents.It was an oddly symbolic moment. Two players tethered together for so long through their longevity and occupation will finally separate. But it was Broad, prior to this series the Robin of England’s dynamic duo, who was getting the bells-and-whistles swansong – notwithstanding that his partner Anderson is arguably the greatest Test cricketer England have ever produced. The bloke who had to make do with second choice on ends got first dibs on exit. On Anderson’s 41st birthday, no less. Surely Broad did not blow out his candles, too?Related

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Usman Khawaja, David Warner lay base for series-sealing chase with unbeaten century stand

England's batters exude main-character energy to finish the Ashes on their own terms

By now, you were waiting for the next bit of this celebration: a procession of all of Broad’s Test victims, a tribute to his Celebrappeal from the Red Arrows, just straight across the Kia Oval before veering away to be embraced in the slip cordon of constellations. England needed to fashion a few quick runs, get Australia in, and set about winning this Test to ensure the tourists’s retention of the Ashes was as hollow as possible. There was still a game to be won. Then the singles started being turned down.Why? No one really knew. Broad faced up to Mitchell Starc with everyone on the fence. A few scythes and bunts found space, but Broad stayed put, and clearly not to protect Anderson, given that at no point did he do that on Saturday evening. Just as it seemed this was all getting a little bit silly, as cynical thoughts entered the mind that the pageantry might impose on the professionalism, Starc dug one short and Broad smeared it over square leg for six.Touchpaper lit, the crowd went wild. Broadmania will never die – and when Anderson played out four odd dots before falling to Todd Murphy, there was confirmation that it will live forever. His last ball in Test cricket: a six off a bouncer. The most amount of runs scored off his least favourite delivery.There was not enough time to register the absurdity of those 11 deliveries. Broad was back out there within minutes, this time with the rest of his team, headband and bowling boots on, brand new Dukes in hand, David Warner in his sights. Australia needed a seemingly unlikely 384 for victory, with time to bat, but this was not about them. As Broad bristled at the top of his mark, Joe Root turned from first slip to goad the crowd into turning up the heat.Broad contemplates the match situation in his final Test•ECB via Getty ImagesSix overs later, things had already gone cold. Broad was taken out of the attack by Ben Stokes and replaced with Chris Woakes. There were two notable edges, one off the inside, another short of Ben Duckett at third slip, both from Warner. By the time Broad returned in the 15th over, Warner’s and Usman Khawaja’s partnership had moved past fifty, and were on 61 when he was hooked again.That second spell, also of three overs, was primarily cutters. It was those deliveries that did for Australia on this ground back in 2009, with 5 for 37 – the first recorded sighting of one of those Broad spells. This time, they were simply attempts to rouse a pitch that clearly did not know this was supposed to be his day.At 2.43pm, the rains that would eventually see play abandoned settled in. And as Broad sat through what he and England hopes will be his final such delay, the big screen looped his highlights and Saturday night’s interview, in which he had first declared this would be it.By the time the mercy of an abandonment came, everyone had already given up. The punters who thought they possessed a golden ticket walked away with enough play to ensure they were not entitled to their silver back, while nursing the very real possibility of Australia pulling off an audacious chase to triumph 3-1, with 249 still to get and all 10 wickets remaining.It seems even the most perfectly judged retirements are not perfect at all. Then again, who knows what the final day of this series may bring. After all, this is Stuart Broad we’re talking about.

Defending champions Sydney Thunder have got themselves going with back-to-back wins

Andrew McGlashan01-Nov-2021Points table
Leading run-scorers
Leading wicket-takers
Melbourne Renegades (7 matches, 5 wins, 11 points)Form (most recent first) WWWWNLWSeason so far
A fantastic turnaround to date from last season’s seventh-placed team and they are on a run of four consecutive wins after the Harmanpreet Kaur-inspired chase against Adelaide Strikers. They have lost Georgia Wareham to a season-ending injury but so far have covered it well.What’s worked well
Harmanpreet and Jemimah Rodrigues have more than returned the investment in them with a combined tally of 406 runs while Harmanpreet also has taken seven wickets. Sophie Molineux has been parsimonious with the ball going at 5.14.What needs to improve
Molineux is low on runs having slipped back down to the middle order. Holly Ferling has only bowled five overs in six matches as Renegades lean on their spinners but has conceded 9.40 an over.Brisbane Heat (7 matches, 4 wins, 9 points)Form LWWWNWLSeason so far
The batting performance against Melbourne Stars (9 for 95) came as a surprise after they had produced a series of impressive results following a Super Over defeat in their first match. Still they are well placed to be in the finals mix.What’s worked well
Grace Harris is having a superb tournament at the top of the order and is currently the leading run-scorer (251 runs at 50.20, strike-rate 133.51). She has formed a powerful opening pair with Georgia Redmayne – the duo have scored the four half-centuries Heat have managed. Jess Jonassen, back from injury, leads the way with the ball on 12 wickets at just 9.16.What needs to improve
Laura Kimmince has been unable to replicate her middle-order x-factor so far with 24 runs in five innings. The overseas players – Poonam Yadav, Anneke Bosch and Nadine de Klerk – have only managed six wickets between them.Shafali Verma is now batting in the middle order•Getty ImagesSydney Sixers (7 matches, 3 wins, 7 points)Form WLLNLWWSeason so far
They secured a vital and convincing win over Perth Scorchers to snap a period where they had played some uncertain cricket, having started with back-to-back wins, amid further restructuring of the team. It still doesn’t quite feel like they have their gameplans completely sorted.What’s worked well
Alyssa Healy began with a brisk fifty and then made an unbeaten 94 against Scorchers. Alongside Ellyse Perry, who is Sixers’ leading run-scorer, they have dominated the run making although Perry’s strike-rate is 90.59. Lauren Cheatle has bowled nicely in limited appearances while Radha Yadav’s left-arm spin brings a different dynamic.What needs to improve
Shafali Verma has not fired as hoped and now finds herself in an unaccustomed middle-order role with Perry back at the top. Ash Gardner is having a tournament to forget with the bat (60 runs in six innings, strike-rate 77.92). Perry is conceding 8.62 with the ball from just eight overs.Melbourne Stars (8 matches, 3 wins, 7 points)Form WLLWNWLLSeason so far
Inconsistent from last year’s beaten finalists but they are very much in the mix. As with a few teams the batting has been underwhelming but the bowlers were excellent in restricting Brisbane Heat to 95 in the most recent match. They have less than half their matches remaining, though.What’s worked well
Kim Garth, the former Ireland allrounder, has been outstanding with the ball (11 wickets, economy 5.18) headlined by her spell of 3-3-0-3 against Sydney Thunder. Elyse Villani has led the batting while Maia Bouchier, the England batter, has played some handy innings.What needs to improve
Meg Lanning is going through a rare lean patch with 96 runs in seven innings so far and 27 of those came in the comfortable chase against Heat. Her and Annabel Sutherland (although the latter has made a half-century) need to take some of the onus off Villani.Has there ever been a better powerplay batter than Sophie Devine?•Getty ImagesPerth Scorchers (6 matches, 3 wins, 7 points)Form LWWNLWSeason so far
Sophie Devine’s brilliance in Super Overs has secured two of their three wins. On such fine margins can tournaments rest. Their defeats have been by hefty margins – 59 and 44 runs – which hasn’t helped the net run rate.What’s worked well
Devine. Alongside her Super Over skills, she hammered a magnificent century against Sydney Thunder. Beth Mooney is currently their leading run-scorer. The spin-bowling pair of Alana King and Lilly Mills, both off-season signings, has also been influential.What needs to improve
Not for the first time, the dominance of Mooney and Devine has the knock-on effect of sometimes not leaving much time for others to have a hit. Chamari Athapaththu is striking at under 100 but has only faced 60 deliveries. Taneale Peschel, one of the success stories of last season, has conceded 9.23 runs per over having had to remodel her action.Adelaide Strikers (6 matches, 2 wins, 5 points)Form LLLNWWSeason so far
They started well with victories in their first two matches but since then their only point has been from a washout. They lost in a Super Over against Perth Scorchers (or rather, Sophie Devine) and couldn’t defend 160 against Melbourne Renegades. But they have matches in hand.What’s worked well
Tahlia McGrath started with a bang in the opening games but has since tailed off a little. Seven of the nine batters who have been to the crease have struck at better than a run-a-ball. Sarah Coyte leads the wicket-taking with nine while Megan Schutt’s economy on her return (4.62 in two matches) stands out.What needs to improve
The Lilac Hill weekend could have gone the other way so they don’t need to panic. A little more composure in key moments will be crucial in the second half. Both McGrath and Dane van Niekerk have conceded more than seven an over.Can Sydney Thunder still retain their title?•Getty ImagesHobart Hurricanes (8 matches, 2 wins, 5 points)Form (most recent first) LLWLNWLLSeason so far

They have twice toppled Melbourne Stars – the first of the matches centered around Rachel Priest’s 107 off 68 balls – but have been pretty comfortably beaten in five games. They are one of two teams who have played more than half their group matches.What’s worked well
After a slow start, Mignon du Preez has found her touch with the bat. Priest’s hundred was a spectacular display but it has been her only significant contribution so far. Ruth Johnston has impressed with the ball while Tayla Vlaeminck has bowled with pace.What needs to improve
They are going to need more with the bat from the middle order. Richa Ghosh (138 runs at 19.71) and Nicola Carey (142 runs at 17.75) need to take some of the burden off du Preez and Priest. Molly Strano, while being the joint-leading wicket-taker, is conceded a run-an-over more than her career mark.Sydney Thunder (7 matches, 2 wins, 5 points) Form WWLLLNLSeason so far
The defending champions have revived their season with back-to-back victories after the only point in the first five games had come from a washout. It will give them confidence that they can go on a surge in the second half of the competition. They were unable to post more than 110 in their first three outings.What’s worked well
The bowling attack is going nicely with left-arm spinner Samantha Bates enjoying another impressive return with an economy rate of just 5.08. English quick Issy Wong has also found rhythm in recent matches while Deepti Sharma is the leading wicket-taker with eight. For a young captain of a team that was struggling, Hannah Darlington’s composure has also stood out.What needs to improve
The batting still feels a little lightweight in the absence of captain Rachael Haynes. Crucially, Smriti Mandhana appears to have settled into the tournament with two half-centuries in three innings, but her strike-rate may need to lift – her and Deepti are the only two batters striker over 100.

MatériaMais Notícias

Fluminense e Red Bull Bragantino empataram em 2 a 2 neste sábado (13), no Maracanã, na estreia dos times no Brasileirão 2024. Os gols tricolores foram ambos marcados por Lima, enquanto Eduardo Sasha e Thiago Borbas fizeram pelo Massa Bruta. Com isso, as equipes iniciam suas campanhas no Campeonato Brasileiro com um ponto cada.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

O Fluminense foi superior ao Bragantino por quase toda a partida, sobretudo no primeiro tempo. No entanto, os 15 minutos iniciais da segunda etapa – único momento em que os visitantes controlaram o jogo – foram suficientes para que o Massa Bruta marcasse dois gol, virando a partida naquela momento. O Tricolor voltou a se impor, mas conseguiu apenas empatar o duelo.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
Depois de um início equilibrado, o Fluminense conseguiu controlar posse de bola e criou as melhores chances, sobretudo pelos pés de Ganso. Chutes de fora da área ajudaram o time a ter um bom volume de finalizações, mostrando evolução em relação aos últimos jogos. A recompensa veio já nos acréscimos da primeira etapa, quando Ganso aproveitou a desorganização da defesa do Bragantino e cobrou escanteio rápido, encontrando Lima livre para marcar.

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Na volta do intervalo, foi a zaga tricolor que teve problemas. Pedro Caixinha promoveu quatro mudanças antes do segundo tempo, e a marcação do Fluminense demorou a se encontrar. Assim, o Bragantino empatou com Eduardo Sasha e virou com Thiago Borbas em menos de seis minutos. Após a pressão dos visitantes, o Flu retomou o controle da partida e chegou ao empate mais uma vez com Lima, agora em chute de longe que, após desvio, encobriu o goleiro Lucão.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Fluminense

📆 O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
O Fluminense volta a entrar em campo na terça-feira (16), às 21h30, diante do Bahia na Fonte Nova, pela segunda rodada do Brasileirão. Já o Red Bull Bragantino enfrenta o Vasco na quarta-feira (17), às 19h, em sua estreia em casa no Campeonato Brasileiro.

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The opener made a timely hundred against the pink ball following Usman Khawaja’s fitness problems in the first Ashes Test

AAP23-Nov-2025

Matt Renshaw made a century against the pink ball•Getty Images

Matt Renshaw’s golden summer continued with a magnificent 112 in front of Australia selector Tony Dodemaide at the Gabba.His innings drove Queensland to 352 for 7 at stumps on day two of the top-of-the-table Sheffield Shield clash after Victoria had declared late on the opening day.Renshaw had made scores of 128, 29, 101 and 51 in the Shield before Sunday’s knock. He also had a consistent ODI series against India which included an accomplished 56 in Sydney.Related

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Runs are runs and Renshaw has filled his cup with them. The 29-year-old doesn’t have to do anything more to convince Australia selectors that he is ready for a return to the Test arena. All he needs is an opportunity.”I’m just keeping it really simple and having a lot of fun out there and having good intent,” Renshaw told AAP. “It’s been a good start and hopefully it amounts to something at the end of March. I will keep trying to put in performances to help win games for Queensland. I’m just concentrating on what I can control and that is trying to do my job for the team.”There is doubt over who will open in the second Test of the Ashes series at the Gabba, which starts on Thursday-week.Usman Khawaja’s back spasms in the first Test have put him in some doubt while Travis Head’s blistering century as opener has also put him in the frame to stay at the top of the order alongside Perth debutant Jake Weatherald.Renshaw now has 421 Shield runs for the summer, putting him on top of the aggregate list with 19 runs more than Marnus Labuschagne.He was patient early in his innings against Victoria before finding a more aggressive tempo and his drives down the ground were exquisite. Once Renshaw reached his half-century the runs started to flow all around the ground.He brought up his century with a controlled cut for three off spinner Todd Murphy. A healthy contingent at the Vulture St end of the ground gave him a rapturous reception, realising what a vital innings it was in the context of the summer.His stay ended when he nicked a delivery that just moved away from Fergus O’Neill, who toiled manfully all day with his tight lines.Renshaw received solid support from Angus Lovell in an 88-run opening stand and Hugh Weibgen.Former Australia Under-19 captain Weibgen, playing his second Shield match, looks a promising prospect with his classy strokeplay and composure. The tall 21-year-old will play for the Prime Minister’s XI against an England XI in a two-day, pink-ball match that starts on November 29 in Canberra.He was caught in a juggling effort by Mitchell Perry trying to loft Murphy over the long-on boundary.Lachie Hearne (47) continued the momentum until he was brilliantly caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Campbell Kellaway.