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England’s range of standout players, and speed of turnaround from white-ball, augur well for Australia mission

Firdose Moonda17-Dec-20242:03

Heather Knight: SA Test win builds confidence for Ashes

No trees were ripped up but some seeds were planted, as England won their first Test in a decade before looking ahead to the women’s Ashes.Let’s be honest: while they’d never use the words warm-up, this multi-format series in South Africa was part of the preparation for next month’s Ashes, a series which England have not won for 10 years. Incidentally, that’s the same amount of time England had gone without a Test win until a memorable afternoon in Bloemfontein. So apart from cleaning up with series victories in the T20I and ODI contests (which included five out of six wins for England), the Test triumph tastes a little sweeter, because it shows England what they are capable of.”We take great confidence from it,” Knight said at the post-match press conference. “Whenever we play Test cricket, because we play it so scarcely, we’re always learning about how to go about the different tactics; the different periods of the game that you have to manage and how that varies as conditions change. We take a huge amount of learnings from it.”It was a brilliant Test match – the ebbs and flows. There were times where we had to really hang in there and control the rate and obviously jump in when we were in with a sniff. We take a huge amount from it.”England’s Ashes assignment will conclude with a pink-ball Test at the MCG, and Knight may only have been polite when she said it will be, “slightly different” to the Tests they’ve had so far. The teams will have four days between the end of the ODI series on January 25 and the start of the Test on January 30 and, if anything, Knight believes they can learn from the quick turnaround they had in South Africa.Lauren Bell was named player of the match for her eight wickets•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesThere were three days between the end of the ODI series on December 11 and the start of this Test, with travel further cramping their training in between. “The fact that we were able to play like we did with only two days’ preparation should be a thing of confidence for us because obviously that Test match in Australia is going to be exactly the same,” Knight said “That mentality to be able to flip between is a really hard thing to do, so getting more experience of doing that as players will hopefully stand us in good stead.”But Knight and her team will have learned about more than just time between games over the past few days – there’s also time in game, and that is undoubtedly where England were superior. There were two passages of play where England completely took the game away from South Africa: in the second session on day one when they scored 189 runs in 33 overs, at a rate of 5.7, and the third session on day two, when England took 7 for 56 to send South Africa freewheeling from 225 for 3 to 281 all out, to take a 114-run first-innings lead.In the first of those, Maia Bouchier, on debut, and Nat Sciver-Brunt both scored centuries, which underlines how inexperience and experience combined for England.”A couple of days out, Maia was a bit unsure about how she wanted to go about it, purely because of the unknown of not playing any multi-day cricket ever in her life really,” Knight said. “So for her to go out and do that and show the clarity of decision-making, the simpleness that she did, and to bat for long and really make hay in that middle session was a great period for us.Related

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“We were able to capitalise on some poor bowling and to really put the runs on the board and score at a good rate, and that allowed us to control the rest of the game. So kudos to her (Bouchier) and obviously Nat, who goes under the radar sometimes because you expect her to score runs, but a remarkable innings again from her.”In the second innings, another debutant Ryana MacDonald-Gay made important breakthroughs with the old ball which allowed Laurens Bell and Filer to use inswing and pace with the second new ball to unsettle the South African middle- and lower-order.These performances showed Knight the full range of their fast-bowling potential. “They both bring something different, the two Laurens,” she said. “Filer just seems to make things happen, which is amazing. But there’s a real temptation sometimes to want to bowl her longer because you always feel like she’s going to take a wicket when she’s on, but I think she’s at her best when she’s fresh and she bowls sharp spells.”Lauren Bell at the other end was outstanding, the way she was able to control things. It’s a really prime example of the work that she’s done to become a better cricketer and have different skills in her toolbox, and use those skills in different conditions when she needs them. And Ryana as well, special mention for her on debut. She was outstanding. I’m really impressed by her temperament and her character. It’s an exciting place to be, having lots of bowlers, particularly quicks, at our disposal with Australia to come.”Having the players is one thing, but having different ones perform all through a game is another, and Knight was among them. Her second-innings 90 prolonged the South African fielding effort and played its part in fatiguing them, as they were asked to score the highest fourth-innings total in women’s Test history.She knows she did her bit. “I loved contributing today,” she said. “I felt like there were still runs out there and I felt I really needed to stretch the lead a little bit and be in a position where we could dictate and control and attack at the right times, and have enough runs on the board to do that.Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt put on 174 for the third wicket in England’s first innings•ECB/Getty Images”Any time after you’ve fielded for a long time, going back mentally and physically is a really tough thing to do and even harder when you don’t do it very often. That’s why I wanted to score big today, to try and really push that lead up quite high, put a little bit more time into their legs, a little bit more mental fatigue, and also give our bowlers a little bit more of a rest,”In the end, England didn’t need the runs or the time. They finished off South Africa in less than 20 overs and bowled them out for their lowest Test score.”Obviously it happened quite quickly,” Knight said. “We got a bit lucky with a few things and our bowlers were hitting really hard. Once we picked up a few, we felt like we could really capitalise and jump in, and really attack and put them under the pump. It’s a really hard thing to do as a batter when you’re coming in under that sort of pressure.”South Africa know that and have to deal with the fall-out from a massive Test defeat, but it won’t be too harsh. They won’t have another red-ball game in 2025 and new coach Mandla Mashimbyi, contracted until 2027, has time to build his team. So far, he is saying all the right things, especially about the way it ended. “We competed nicely. If I had to take away this last session, the girls actually fought all the way. Maybe our breaking point was just a little bit earlier than the England breaking point. And that’s something that we’re going to have to work on because it’s a mental thing,” he said. “I can promise you now, what we’ve seen here today will never happen again.”But no trees will be ripped up, only seeds planted for a future in which South Africa will play six Tests in the next four years, two against England. Until they meet again…

Time and again, he has finished games from improbable situations that required him to go hell for leather from the outset

Shashank Kishore13-May-20231:34

Bishop on Pooran’s ‘perfect’ role at LSG

Last year, Sunrisers Hyderabad broke the bank to acquire Nicholas Pooran’s services to finish games like these. From improbable situations that require you to just go hell for leather from the outset, when all other options have been exhausted.Pooran returned a mixed bag – 306 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 144, but it wasn’t enough to be retained. Sure, in an auction, teams sometimes look to buy back players they’ve possibly exhausted a lot of their budget on, and Pooran’s tag of INR 10.75 crore was a significant chunk.But there was an element of disbelief when Sunrisers didn’t put in a single bid, even as four others went aggressively in the auction ahead of IPL 2023. When the paddle came down, he’d been signed for an even bigger sum – INR 16 crore.Related

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It was no surprise then that Tom Moody, the former Sunrisers coach who was at the auction table when they signed him for IPL 2022, was among the first to voice out his disbelief soon after Pooran’s unbeaten 13-ball 44 helped Lucknow Super Giants to a win that seemed distant when they needed 80 off 36 on Saturday afternoon.An overhaul had meant Moody and Pooran were both out. In a sense, with the season on the line, this was perhaps an opportunity for Pooran to send out a quiet message. He walked in with Super Giants needing 56 off 27. Marcus Stoinis had briefly struggled against spin, before hitting Abhishek Sharma’s part-time left-arm everything for two back-to-back sixes. In trying for a third, Stoinis fell.SRH seemed to have the game in the bag, till Nicholas Pooran walked out•AFP/Getty ImagesPooran walked out to join Prerak Mankad, playing in only his third IPL game. His promotion up the order hadn’t yielded the kind of results Super Giants would’ve liked. There was a sense that Mankad had been stuck. It wasn’t quite the Rahul Tewatia-like struggle from that famous game in 2020, but a struggle, nonetheless.Pooran saw the ball in his arc, and went 6, 6, 6. Abhishek started the over thinking the match-up was set to test two right-handers against the longer boundary on the leg side, but ended it, much against his luck, against a marauding left-hander to the short leg-side boundary.If you were to apply brevity to Pooran’s carnage, here’s what happened: full, slot-ball: walloped over deep midwicket. Full on off, muscled down the ground. Full on stumps, swung over wide long-on. Truth be told, the hits were monstrous and so clean that boundary sizes wouldn’t have mattered.ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster pegged Super Giants’ win percentage at 30.02 when Stoinis fell but skyrocketed to 85.26 after those three sixes that brought the equation down to 38 off 24. Between overs 13 and 16, Super Giants had made 70 off 24. It capped off a stunning turnaround.”T20 is a batsman’s game. I believe they’re called part-timers for a reason, when they come on, you have to target them,” Pooran told the broadcasters about his flying start. “T20 [batting] is about risks. No risk, no reward. When a match-up is in your favour, you have to make it count. It got my innings going, thank you to the Sunrisers for that.”Momentum was firmly on Super Giants’ side. It helped Mankad shred all that pressure he seemed to have brought upon himself after an excellent start at No. 3, so much so that he barely even celebrated his maiden IPL half-century.Abhishek Sharma’s 16th over•ESPNcricinfo LtdHe was on 7 off 7 at the end of five overs but broke the shackles when he peppered the off-side boundary by holding his shape and hitting through the line against the left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi. Then when Quinton de Kock fell, he found it hard to get going even as Stoinis found his way in. Until turned it around.”It was an important game. I wasn’t happy because I couldn’t connect balls I should’ve connected, but in the end, I was happy with the result,” Mankad said. “I was trying to hit the spinners but couldn’t connect before the 10th over, I knew Mayank would get me out, I have played against him in domestic matches, I wanted to counter him and see what best I could do.”Pooran stayed right till the end to see the game through, but spoke later, albeit in a lighter vein on how he’d like to spend more time at the crease. Only twice this season, he has faced more than 20 balls in an innings; he averages 14 balls per innings to be precise.The team’s decision to hold him back in the previous game in a chase of 228 had raised a few eyebrows, and his entry point here may have well been debated long and hard had they got close and lost. But Pooran hardly left anything to chance; his impact on the game was all but defined by those three sixes that swung momentum wildly in their favour.”Definitely in T20 cricket, I’d like to bat for a longer time,” he said with a laugh. “I know how to bat in different situations having played a lot of white-ball cricket. My role is to come in and bat in the last four-five overs and try to have an impact. For the last month or so, I’ve just been preparing to put myself in good positions. I know I will face a lot of yorkers and slower deliveries, I’ve just been working on executing my skills against whatever they put against me.”

From finding a finisher to take over from MS Dhoni to investing in young, local talent, here’s what the Super Kings must look at to rebuild their empire

Deivarayan Muthu02-Nov-2020The Chennai Super Kings empire that was built for repeated success over ten years by MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming crumbled spectacularly in IPL 2020. They were the first team to be ousted this season, when they imploded to 30 for 6 on a flat Sharjah track against the Mumbai Indians. It was always going to end this way for Dhoni’s Dad’s Army, wasn’t it?They had defied the odds and proved critics wrong, marking their return after a ban with a third title in 2018. They defied the odds again and defended their title against Mumbai in 2019, courtesy Dhoni’s leadership and a spin barrage at their fortress Chepauk. However, the cracks kept widening, the slow-moving legs got slower and, inevitably, the team crashed in the UAE.In a way, Dhoni and Fleming brought this upon themselves. They made no bones about their plan to back experience and win titles, even if it came at the expense of preparing for the future. In 2019, when the Super Kings had already qualified for the playoffs, an ill Dhoni sat out of the home game against Mumbai. It might have been a good opportunity to ease reserve wicketkeeper N Jagadeesan or opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad in, but the Super Kings opted against it, with Fleming coming out to the press and saying they weren’t there to hand out caps.Ruturaj Gaikwad reached his third successive half-century•BCCITime for a full revamp
On Sunday, both Dhoni and Fleming admitted a revamp – starting with the core group before moving on to the strategy – is overdue. Whether there’s a mini auction or a mega auction, whether IPL 2021 gets underway in India or the UAE, the Super Kings will aim to rebuild with a focus on the young players like 22-year-old Sam Curran and the 23-year-old Gaikwad, who could end up with a long stay at the Super Kings.Dhoni and Fleming will continue to be at the helm while the experience will probably be provided by Faf du Plessis, Ravindra Jadeja and Deepak Chahar, along with Dwayne Bravo and Ambati Rayudu, if they remain fit. It is difficult to see the franchise retain Shane Watson, M Vijay, Kedar Jadhav and Piyush Chawla until and unless there is only a mini auction for 2021.Also, the Super Kings’ fans might have to accept the fact that Suresh Raina, who opted out of this season’s IPL, may now be talked of as a former player – it should perhaps not be looked at as a purely emotional move, considering the left-hander has had fitness issues and not played any competitive cricket since IPL 2019.The Super Kings do have a handful of young players who have shown they can grow and steadily become part of the core. Both Curran and Gaikwad have received praise from the team management. Fleming said Curran has “exceeded” expectations. Dhoni trusted Curran to bowl the tough overs in the powerplay and at the death, though he said the left-arm seamer still “needs to be convinced” that he can execute the wide yorker. Curran’s all-round skills are also underlined by the fact that he fields in catching hotspots along with du Plessis and Jadeja.Gaikwad, too, finished the 2020 season guarding the hotspots and pulling off a blinder to dismiss the King XI Punjab’s Jimmy Neesham on Sunday. He made a bigger impact with the bat, becoming the first batsman from the franchise to hit three back-to-back fifties.Although the team management is yet to be fully convinced by the 24-year-old Jagadeesan’s abilities, he did show intent and innovation during his first game this season, when he got 33 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.ESPNcricinfo LtdLet Dhoni the batsman take the backseat
The biggest challenge for the franchise would be to identify a player who can go on to take over the captaincy from Dhoni in the next two years. Both N Srinivasan, the Super Kings’ owner, and Kasi Viswanathan, the franchise’s chief executive officer, have reiterated more than once that Dhoni will be retained at the next mega auction.On Sunday, for the first time, Dhoni himself said he is not in a rush to retire from the IPL.While Dhoni the captain remains fresh, Dhoni the batsman has become a problem for the Super Kings. Dhoni will turn 40 next year and, personally too, has just endured his worst IPL season, managing only 200 runs in 12 innings at an average of 25 and strike rate of 116.27. For the first time across 13 seasons of IPL, Dhoni ended one without a single half-century.Against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai, Dhoni was sapped by heat and fatigue, coming up short in a middling chase he would have likely aced in the past. Against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi, Dhoni arrived with his team needing 69 off 47 balls, and they lost by 10 runs.Dhoni seemingly retains the belief that he can work hard to return stronger for IPL 2021, but he knows the Super Kings need a dependable finisher, which he is no more. But there’s one man who has the experience, the courage and the strokes to become a long-term finisher: Jadeja.Jadeja struck at over 200 in the slog overs this IPL, but he faced all of 135 balls in 11 innings. Fleming believes Jadeja is better suited to arriving late and making an instant statement, but Jadeja might disagree. Perhaps he can man the middle order and Dhoni can instead arrive later and free his arms along with Dwayne Bravo.MS Dhoni has been bowled by Varun Chakravarthy in both clashes this season•BCCIInvest in local talent
Releasing players like Jadhav and Chawla will help the Super Kings go into the next auction with a fatter purse, allowing them to invest in younger players and possibly local talent.Mohan Abhinav, who was among the Super Kings’ net-bowling contingent in the UAE, is a legspinner with an unorthodox action, while V Gowtham, the left-arm seamer who bowled at the Chepauk nets, is said to have a good yorker and has just made it to the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Gowtham is even being mentored and coached by the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s T Natarajan at his academy in Salem. Is it worth punting on them?In the past, the Super Kings have missed out on recruiting the likes of Varun Chakravarthy, who has now broken into India’s T20I squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, after his match-winning performances for the Knight Riders this IPL. Varun had caught the eyes of the Super Kings’ batting coach Michael Hussey in the nets before he made a splash in the TNPL. Varun has duly bowled Dhoni both times the sides met this season.All that said, the manner in which the Super Kings bounced back to finish this IPL with three consecutive wins will lend them confidence. They will be particularly optimistic because those victories were constructed by the young brigade led by Gaikwad. In a way, the Super Kings have already launched their new template.

Newcastle United fans will be growing extremely restless with how poor their beloved side’s away form continues to be.

The inconsistent Magpies must wish they could play in front of their passionate St James’ Park masses every week, with another away day loss in the Champions League against Marseille meaning the Toon have lost their last four matches on the road.

In stark contrast, Eddie Howe’s men have won their last six matches in a row back on home soil.

Of course, home advantage is a common phrase uttered in football – hence the labelling of certain home grounds as fortresses – but this Jekyll and Hyde form will seriously be worrying Howe, with TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole saying “there’s too much of a gap” between the strugglers at their very best and their very worst, after the defeat in France.

Anthony Gordon is seriously letting his side down wherever they’re lining up at the moment, though, with a regret now possibly in the air that PIF didn’t cash in on the up-and-down performer when they could’ve.

Latest on Gordon's future at Newcastle

Indeed, during the summer of 2024, Liverpool were reportedly keen to tempt the England international to Anfield, with last summer also seeing them come back with more interest, as he was touted to have a bumper £100m price-tag above his head.

Gordon warranted all this fervent interest, too, with 37 goals and assists coming his way across two campaigns for Howe’s men.

His confidence was so sky-high that the Liverpool-born forward even labelled himself a “nightmare” for defenders to contain, amid interest also coming from top-flight rivals Arsenal.

Now, however, he has thudded back to reality, with zero goals or assists coming his way from seven Premier League games so far this season, with just 40% of his dribbles accurately completed, as per Sofascore, as he continues to look a worrying shadow of his former self.

Consequently, Liverpool have moved on to another batch of high-profile targets in attack in the form of Michael Olise and Antoine Semenyo, with writer Thomas Hammond stating that a forthcoming sale of Gordon would be “favourable”, just to get him off the books, concerning his ongoing no-shows.

While he has contributed massively to his own downfall, his Newcastle career could be in even more tatters by the emergence of this promising star on Tyneside, who PIF signed on a free transfer earlier this year.

The "explosive" star who can end Gordon's career

Howe could soon have to be bold with what he does in the St James’ Park hot seat, with the current state of affairs unfolding, leading him down the unwanted path of a dismissal.

For the tie at the Orange Velodrome, Howe did bravely decide to gift 16-year-old Sam Alabi a chance from the substitutes bench, with Antonio Cordero another promising star that might be in line for some first team chances soon, partcularly if Gordon continues to frustrate.

For the time being, the former Malaga winger is out on loan in Belgium with KVC Westerlo, but when he returns, he will have even more senior action under his belt, as he attempts to unsettle Gordon, with his standout time in the senior squad at Malaga, leading to one analyst page hailing him as an “explosive” talent.

Despite only being 19, Cordero – who has also been labelled as “exciting” by former Magpies sporting director Paul Mitchell – managed to tally up a weighty 60 appearances for the senior side, with goals and assists aplenty also coming his way.

LW

33

5 + 6

RW

16

2 + 3

AM

2

0

RM

1

0

Looking at the table above, Cordero would manage to tally up a blistering 11 goal contributions for his former employers down Gordon’s usual left-hand side from just 33 appearances.

The hope will be that Newcastle landing the teenage sensation for nothing proves to be a masterstroke in time, with Cordero further capable of also playing as a right winger, or as a number ten if needed.

The promising youngster has even been noted as being “like Gordon” by analyst Ben Mattinson, with Newcastle perhaps better served now to look to the future and put their energy into the Spaniard, than persisting with Gordon to come good.

In a few years, he might well be a household name on Tyneside, with the ex-Everton attacker off the Magpies roster, subsequently.

Alongside Pope: Howe must bin Newcastle hero who won 0 duels vs Marseille

Eddie Howe must now ditch this Newcastle United defender alongside a woeful Nick Pope.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2025

Former New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite, as well as Anna Peterson and Sarah Tsukigawa have been appointed female pathway leads for their respective regions of Auckland, Canterbury and Otago. Sara McGlashan, a former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, is leading the group of regional pathway managers.”Having three former players step into pathway manager roles is enormously valuable,” McGlashan said. “Their experience allows them to connect with players in a way that truly accelerates development, and inspires the next generation on where their journey in cricket can take them.”From strengthening relationships with clubs and schools to driving high-quality training environments, they’re helping create thriving pathways for young cricketers. Environments where players feel supported, inspired, and confident to push their potential is pivotal to their development.”Satterthwaite is the most experienced member of the trio, having represented New Zealand in 145 ODIs and 111 T20Is. She retired from international cricket in May 2022 after being told she would not receive a new central contract, and went on to join the Adelaide Strikers support staff as their assistant coach ahead of WBBL 2022-23. She led New Zealand in 13 ODIs and 12 T20Is too.Peterson, meanwhile, played 32 ODIs and 33 T20Is in a New Zealand career that ran from 2012 to 2020, and Tsukigawa, the oldest of the three at 43, played 42 ODIs and 19 T20Is between 2006 and 2011.In addition to the appointments of Satterthwaite, Peterson and Tsukigawa, former Northamptonshire and Middlesex coach Luke Pomfret has joined the Northern Districts pathway team.

“Eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” says India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-20253:22

Philander: Bavuma ‘a wonderful inspiration’

“I am not a stats man, I am a win man,” Simon Harmer said when asked by Murali Kartik in the post-match presentation about his returns: his 8 for 51 is the best by a South Africa spinner in a Test in India and second only to Dale Steyn’s 10 for 108 back in 2010.The other South Africans at Eden Gardens could say the same. They started the third day staring at a crisis. They fought their way out of it with the bat, led by Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch, and then had Marco Jansen first and then Harmer running through the opposition.All India had in front of them was a target of 124. They only got 93.Related

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“A game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much, because… we should have been able to chase this score, but eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” Rishabh Pant, standing in as captain in Shubman Gill’s absence, said. “Definitely there was help in the wicket, a [target] of 120 can be tricky on these kinds of surfaces, but at the same time, as a team we should be able to soak in the pressure.”He pointed to the morning session when South Africa, resuming on 93 for 7, added 60 more runs. “That was the turning point,” Pant said. “Temba and Bosch had a brilliant partnership in the morning and that got them back in the game and that hurt us too much at the end of the game.”Bavuma isn’t the sort to talk big, so he kept it simple.”It was about awareness. Second innings, I didn’t change too much. Fortunately I have played in India before, so I kind of understand the little bit of adjustment that you need to make, and luck also plays a part,” he said of his innings of 55 not out, the only half-century in a game where no innings touched 200.

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could. It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully”Temba Bavuma

“The captaincy, you are only as good as the players. That I give it to them. Batting, I am just comfortable with myself. And technique: not to worry about trigger and all those types of things. I stand as still as I can, watch the ball. I have a decent understanding of my game. I have come here to India wanting to do well. Not the greatest of records when it comes to these conditions. There’s a bit of that exuberance from my side to see myself doing well in these conditions and implement all the little things that I’m trying here, and keep contributing for the team.”The partnership with Bosch, I think with Marco as well at the end of the day [yesterday], just gave a little bit of impetus. The wicket played a bit better this morning, wasn’t as extreme. We tried to stay in the game as much as we could. It is not all the time that you score 120-125 and that’s a winning score. I think it was a case of staying in the game and keep believing.”Contribute he did, and then turned to his bowlers.3:40

Did India let South Africa off the hook in the morning?

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could,” Bavuma said. “It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully. We were able to change our bowlers frequently and that worked for us.”If Harmer is to be believed, the conditions got a bit tougher for him on the third day.”Today, I felt it probably got a little bit flatter as the ball got softer. It wasn’t exploding as much. I was asking myself some really hard questions,” he said. “Nice to contribute. I have been here before and it was a dark place, losing [three out of four Tests in 2015]. So to get here, to be behind the eight-ball again, and for the team to fight the way they did, shows where this group is and what they are capable of and the belief that they have.”I knew I needed to bowl well. I think it was the same when we were batting – it felt like we were one partnership away from getting ourselves into the game. It was the same with ball in hand. We knew we were one partnership away from getting really close. I just needed to try and put as many balls in the right areas and trust that the wicket would do its bit.”

India enforced the follow-on expecting wear and tear, but Campbell and Hope led West Indies’ strongest showing of the series

Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Oct-20251:51

Chopra: ‘Tiredness’ hampered India bowlers

When India wrapped up West Indies’ first innings and secured a lead of 270 runs, seven-and-a-half sessions of the Delhi Test still remained.The pitch was still making bowlers work hard: West Indies, after lasting less than 50 overs in both their innings in Ahmedabad last week, had survived 81.5 overs in their first innings here. Their last two wickets had added 73 runs, suggesting that wicket-taking on this slow, low pitch was particularly difficult when the ball became older, with edges unlikely to carry to close-in catchers.Teams tend not to enforce the follow-on in such situations, given the time remaining in the match and the two major benefits of batting again – rest for the bowlers, and a chance for them to come back and bowl after the pitch has undergone more wear and tear.Related

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India, however, asked West Indies to bat again, and by stumps on day three the visitors had enjoyed their best day of the series, with John Campbell and Shai Hope scoring half-centuries and putting on an unbroken 138 for the third wicket. West Indies will begin day four trailing by just 97 runs, with India back on the field with 130.5 cumulative overs in their legs.India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said India had enforced the follow-on in the belief that the pitch would deteriorate significantly by the end of the third day’s play.”There was a discussion to bat,” he said. “Those last two wickets took a little bit longer than we would have hoped for, and had probably started going towards the [space] where you do look to bat again.”But we felt [270] was a good lead. We thought the wicket’s going to keep deteriorating, we thought by close of play it would be at its worst, but it just seems to have slowed down even more.”This left India’s spin trio with a tricky time of finding the right pace to bowl at. Having shared eight wickets between them in the first innings, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar took 1 for 149 between them in 38 second-innings overs.”It’s quite challenging to get any pace out of the wicket, [and] you have to really fire the ball in,” ten Doeschate said. “And, of course, when you fire the ball in, it’s got less chance of spinning. We have found it tricky this afternoon, and Shai Hope and John Campbell batted beautifully, so back tomorrow, get our plans right, and hopefully get those last four batters out and then get into the tail.”Khary Pierre, who scored 23 from No. 8 in West Indies’ first innings, said he was surprised by India’s decision to enforce the follow-on.3:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

“Actually it was a bit surprising that they went back to bowl [even though] the wicket was still a good one,” Pierre said. “For me, personally, batting on the wicket, batting a lot of time, and watching the wicket, seeing what it was doing, I think it’s still a very good wicket.”I was surprised, but it’s India, and you know they want to get the win, and probably didn’t think they needed to go back and bat, but so be it. We have to bat properly in this innings and try and make a game of it.”With eight wickets in hand and the deficit now down to double-figures, Pierre felt West Indies had a real chance of making a game of it.”I would say the Test match is still on,” he said. “Once we apply ourselves with the bat, we have two set batters at the crease right now that will start over tomorrow, and once we bat properly, the game is still on. Once we get a lead, we all know, on the fourth and fifth day of a Test match, the bowlers will come and probably get some balls to spin and stuff and make a game of it.”

With the international break coming to an end, Celtic have now reportedly discovered when Wilfried Nancy is likely to take charge for the first time after submitting a £2m compensation offer to Columbus Crew.

The Bhoys have been without a manager since the departure of Brendan Rodgers, but have watched on as Martin O’Neill has rolled back the years on an interim basis. The 73-year-old has taken his old club into a Scottish League Cup final, which will take place with or without him against against St. Mirren on December 14.

As things stand, O’Neill will still be in charge for Celtic’s return to action against St. Mirren in the Scottish Premiership this weekend in a preview of that aforementioned final. The veteran manager recently addressed fans, admitting that it was a “bit of a whirlwind fortnight” before the international break.

After this weekend’s clash, however, the Hoops may move closer to their managerial appointment. After being linked with the likes of Kieran McKenna and Ange Postecoglou throughout the process, it looks as though Nancy could be arriving.

Celtic learn Nancy timeline with deal close

As reported by TeamTalk, Celtic have now submitted a £2m compensation package to sign Nancy from Columbus Cew along with multiple members of his backroom team. The board hope to have their new manager in the dugout by November 30, when they square off against Hibernian.

The Bhoys are also reportedly close to agreeing personal terms with the MSL manager, with comparisons to Postecoglou instantly making him a top target around Celtic Park.

Nancy can forget Maeda by making £325k-per-week star his 1st Celtic signing

Celtic’s potential new manager could forget about Daizen Maeda by signing this reported transfer target.

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Often operating in a 3-4-2-1 system, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Nancy adjusts his ways right away in Scotland. It’s rare that Celtic are seen in such a formation, but it’s one that has brought their potential new manager plenty of success in America.

Having earned plenty of praise during his time in the MLS, Nancy now looks destined to become the next Celtic manager.

He's better than Kenny: Nancy could unearth Celtic's new Kyogo very quickly

Over the last three seasons, Arsenal have been within touching distance of ending their two-decade drought for a Premier League title under Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners last claimed title glory way back in 2004, with a generation of supporters unable to personally experience the heights achieved in the years prior.

In recent years, the club have shown glimpses of ending such an extended wait, but have been unable to cross the line and end a campaign in top spot.

Arteta’s men have finished the last three seasons in second place, but will be hoping to go one better this time around after the hierarchy backed him with over £200m worth of new additions.

However, despite the heavy spending from the board, one player already in the ranks at the Emirates could offer the solution to their recent inability to jump the final hurdle.

Why Saka could lead Arsenal to title glory in 25/26

Winger Bukayo Saka has been a crucial member of the Arsenal squad over the last couple of years, even cementing his place as a regular starter under Arteta.

The Englishman has risen through the academy ranks and showcased his worth, subsequently reaching unthinkable heights in the club’s hunt for title glory.

The 24-year-old has since racked up 270 senior appearances for the Gunners, registering 144 combined goals and assists in the process – an average of 0.53 per 90.

He missed a huge chunk of last campaign through injury, restricting him to just 37 appearances in all competitions, but it didn’t stop him from achieving a total of 25 goal contributions.

Such numbers weren’t enough for Arteta to claim any form of silverware, but his return to full fitness in 2025/26 will only improve the club’s chances of success.

His emergence through the youth ranks has highlighted the impressive work done by all the staff behind the scenes, which could allow players to emulate his success at the Emirates.

The Arsenal star who’s already a Saka-type player

Over the last couple of months, Arsenal fans have found a new reason to be excited, with teenager Max Dowman making his mark on the first-team despite being just 15.

He made his first senior appearance for the Gunners in the 5-0 triumph over Leeds United at the Emirates, featuring for just under half an hour but still having a huge impact.

The youngster won a penalty late on in the contest, handing Viktor Gyokeres the chance to net his second goal for the club, already showcasing his ability to torment the opposition despite his tender age.

Given his immediate impact in North London, there’s no denying that Dowman has a huge future at the club, but it’s crucial Arteta and co manage the expectations placed upon him.

However, the route of being in the academy and making the jump to the senior squad isn’t as simple for others, with Eberechi Eze one player who’s demonstrated just that in recent years.

He spent time in the youth ranks during the early years of his career, before being let go and making a name for himself at Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

The Gunners subsequently forked out a deal worth £67.5m for his signature this summer, with the hope he can become as crucial as Saka in the immediate future.

Eze, who’s been labelled “magical to watch” by Paul Hall, has glaring similarities to the aforementioned star, with the attacker already being comparable to his compatriot.

In his first eight games back in North London, the 27-year-old has already showcased his creative ability, laying on two assists in his first five Premier League outings.

Shots

2.8

1st

Shots on target

1.13

1st

Shots on target %

46.2%

5th

Progressive passes

5.23

8th

Shot-creating actions

3.83

3rd

Goal-creating actions

0.68

4th

Successful dribbles

1.3

3rd

Take-on success %

61.5%

1st

However, Eze has also shown that he’s capable of starring alone, already netting his first goal for the club in the recent Carabao Cup clash against Port Vale.

Both traits have seen Saka become a real fan-favourite in North London, with the winger undoubtedly a key part of any potential success the club could achieve this campaign.

As for the new summer addition, he could also follow suit if he continues his excellent start to life at the Emirates – subsequently adding a new dimension to Arteta’s already potent front line.

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England have left out Josh Tongue from the XI for the second Test, while India have sent Prasidh Krishna to the bench

Matt Roller10-Jul-20253:16

How will the Lord’s slope impact the third Test?

Toss Ben Stokes won his third toss in a row but defied his recent preference by opting to bat first at Lord’s, as England and India welcomed back Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah respectively.Stokes chose to bowl first in both the first two Tests but said that overhead conditions – with Lord’s bathed in sunshine and temperatures set to pass 30-degrees Celsius this week – dictated his decision to bat. It’s only the third time that Stokes has opted to bat first in home Tests, with England losing on both the previous occasions.Shubman Gill, India’s captain, said he was “a bit confused” as to what he would have done if he had won the toss. “I think I would have bowled first,” he said. “I came in yesterday, and the wicket had a bit of green in it. If there’s anything in the wicket, it’s on the first day and in the first session.”2:15

Pant: Great to see bowlers stand up in Bumrah’s absence

Both teams made a single change from the second Test at Edgbaston, with Archer replacing Josh Tongue and Bumrah returning in place of Prasidh Krishna.”The mood is good,” Stokes said. “It’s been a very well-fought two matches… We’re pushing towards coming away from Lord’s at 2-1. The bodies are all good. Everyone likes playing at Lord’s. It’s one of those weeks where you’ve got to enjoy it as much as you can.”Gill has scored 147, 8, 269 and 161 in the series so far. He has played at Lord’s once before, for Glamorgan against Middlesex, but this is his first Test at the venue. “I’m feeling great,” he told Ravi Shastri at the toss. “The hard work, when it pays off, is quite satisfying.”England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Shoaib BashirIndia: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Mohammed Siraj