“I told our physio and doctor, ‘if this was a World Cup final, how would I react’?”

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-20222:44

Philips 10 on 10 performer of the day: Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav was laid low by a sick bug on the morning of the deciding T20I against Australia in Hyderabad on Sunday. But he didn’t let the illness come in the way of his participation in the match.”We were travelling and there was a change in weather too. I had a stomach ache in the morning and also had fever,” Suryakumar told BCCI.tv. “But it was also a decider. I told our physio and doctor, if this was a World Cup final, how would I react?”I won’t just sit out saying it’s an illness. So do whatever, give me whatever pills or injection you want, but just get me ready for the game in the evening. Once you go into the match and wear that India jersey, the emotions are totally different.”Eventually, Suryakumar not only took the field, but made a vital contribution in India’s series-clinching victory. His 36-ball 69 in a century stand with Virat Kohli helped India overcome a wobble at the top to chase down 187 in the final over.Suryakumar hit five fours and as many sixes and his trademark 360-degree game was on display. During the course of his knock, he surpassed Mohammad Rizwan to become the highest scorer in T20Is so far in 2022.Related

• India thrive on the Kohli-Suryakumar show

• Kohli, Suryakumar, Axar star as India seal T20I series 2-1

• Rohit backs Bhuvneshwar to come good

So far, he has made 682 runs in 20 innings at a strike rate of 182.84 this year. The tally includes four half-centuries and a hundred, against England at Trent Bridge. His impressive run of form vaulted him to third among all T20I batters, behind Pakistan’s Rizwan and South Africa’s Aiden Markram, on the ICC’s rankings.Suryakumar couldn’t help but exude self-belief when asked of his success mantra. “I practice the same way as I want to bat in the match,” he said. “I believe in just one thing: go and express yourself. If my success rate is above 75%, why not? I just think when I walk out, if I’m batting well, then I try to carry that phase on and try and finish off games.”On Sunday, while Suryakumar didn’t finish off the game, he had taken India to the doorstep of victory. Having slapped Josh Hazlewood for six and a four earlier in the 14th over, he holed out to long-on. By the time he was dismissed, India’s ask was a manageable 53 off six overs with seven wickets remaining.At the press conference, India captain Rohit Sharma was effusive in his praise for his colleague. “When it comes to Surya, we all know the quality he has,” Rohit said. “He can play shots all over the ground. And that is what makes him special. He has been very consistent with the bat. Every time he has gotten an opportunity, he has played an important innings for us.”Every time I see him, he has taken his game a notch higher which is a good sign as a player. Whenever you see that you can raise the level of your skills of what the team expects from you, it’s always a good sign. I can see that in Surya, every game that I see of him, every game that he plays, he seems to be getting better and better every time. And today was an exceptional innings.”To come out and play the innings that he played, we were two down in the powerplay. And to take the game away, literally, from the opposition was a fantastic effort. And not to forget Virat on the other side as well, what a crucial, crucial partnership, 100 partnership. From the team’s perspective it was a good sign.”

Simon Harmer’s 50 another fine effort as Essex rally after Worrall’s 3 for 0 in five balls

ECB Reporters Network19-Jul-2022Adam Rossington and Dan Worrall were the first-day heroes at the Kia Oval, with No. 7 Rossington scoring an extraordinary 100 and Worrall bowling brilliantly to take 6 for 56 as Surrey and Essex traded fierce blows in blistering conditions.Rossington rushed to his century with an exhilarating assault on the second new ball, in Essex’s 271 all out, clubbing Kemar Roach for three leg-side sixes before wearily skying the same bowler to long on in the 83rd over.Simon Harmer’s 50 was another fine effort as Essex rallied hard after Worrall had earlier taken 3 for 0 in five balls as the LV= Insurance County Championship leaders initially reduced their opponents to 91 for 6 by lunch.In 9.1 overs’ batting before stumps, Surrey replied with 24 for 1 with Ryan Patel, pushing forward, caught at second slip for 4 off Sam Cook from what proved to be the final ball of the day. Rory Burns remained 18 not out.The determined seventh-wicket stand of 113 in 41 overs between Rossington and Harmer held up Surrey for more than two-and-a-half hours and blunted an attack that had looked unstoppable in the morning session.Worrall, Roach and Jamie Overton were all highly impressive in a sustained, top-class exhibition of pacy swing bowling, with only Alastair Cook resisting for long in the opening session as Surrey’s battery of fast and fast-medium bowlers exerted an early stranglehold every bit as oppressive as the near-40 degree temperatures.Kemar Roach celebrates taking the wicket of Matt Critchley•Getty Images for Surrey CCCNick Browne got to 10 with a couple of flowing off-side strokes before Roach shaped one away from the left-hander from around the wicket to force him to thin-edge to keeper Ben Foakes in the fifth over.And although Tom Westley did well to dig out a searing Roach yorker early on as he reached 11, helping Cook to take Essex to 50, the Essex captain became the first of three strikes in quick succession by Worrall when he played around a straight ball and was bowled by the Australian’s third ball back into the attack.Worrall then pinned Dan Lawrence leg-before for 0 with his next ball and, with the first ball of his next over, made one climb steeply at Paul Walter to have the tall left-hander caught at leg slip off the glove.Matt Critchley narrowly survived two confident lbw appeals by Worrall, who was combining sharp outswing and inswing with exemplary control, and Essex did well almost to reach the sanctuary of the lunch interval before Surrey’s quicker bowlers intervened again.Overton, reintroduced five minutes before the break by Surrey captain Burns for a second spell – this time from the Vauxhall End – angled his second ball across Cook to have England’s record Test run-getter well held by Ollie Pope at second slip for a 75-ball 29.Roach then bowled Critchley for 21 off an inside edge and both Rossington and Harmer had to negotiate a number of leg-before appeals in the afternoon session before reaching tea at 194 for 6.Rossington, on 16, also edged a brute of a ball from Overton just out of third slip’s reach for four and, on 28, was close to being lbw to Tom Lawes. Harmer, for his part, narrowly avoided the umpire’s raised finger against Overton on 6 and Roach on 26. The West Indian paceman, in particular, looked distraught at the not out decision.Fourth-placed Essex, starting this game on the back of three successive championship wins but still 47 points adrift of Surrey, albeit with a game in hand, had chosen to bat on a well-grassed surface and Rossington’s heroics made sure they reached a competitive total.Harmer, having faced 147 balls, was finally lbw to Worrall, who then trapped Shane Snater in front two balls later to leave Essex 204 for 8.But tailender Sam Cook’s unbeaten 21 was a more than useful hand as 58 more runs were added with Rossington for the ninth wicket. After Rossington had gone to Roach (3 for 63) for his superb 151-ball and 227-minute effort, featuring those three late sixes and nine fours besides, Worrall finished the innings by having last man Jamie Porter leg-before for a duck.

Picking the single pace bowler is yet another message from captain Mushfiqur Rahim and coach Chandika Hathurusingha that an attacking bowling line-up in their Test team is low on their list of priorities

Mohammad Isam in Fatullah10-Jun-20152:17

‘We created enough chances’ – Hathurusingha

Bangladesh’s decision to play one seamer against India in Fatullah, and that being Mohammad Shahid, was hardly surprising. Leading up to the Test, news from different sources in the team management suggested that this was one of the considerations for the bowling attack.Picking the single pace bowler is yet another message from Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim and coach Chandika Hathurusingha that an attacking bowling line-up in their team is low on their list of priorities. They have spoken repeatedly about trying to win by taking 20 wickets but their preference for securing the batting line-up leads to a lop-sided bowling attack.At the toss on Wednesday morning, there was already considerable cloud cover. Mushfiqur, who felt unlucky to lose the toss after Virat Kohli decided to bat first, said the pitch looked like a flat one that would get slower as the game would progress. “If it’s hot, the wicket will break up very soon,” he said.Shahid started off steadily enough, even drawing an edge from Shikhar Dhawan which fell in front of third slip. But the left-handed opener got to him in the next two overs. A straight drive and a punch off the backfoot through the covers were followed up by two long hops that were duly dispatched. His first spell gave away 25 runs in five overs. By the time he started his second spell, after the rain break, he had become predictable. It lasted four overs before they brought back Shuvagata Hom in his place.’Created enough chances’

Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha has said that if chances had gone Bangladesh’s way, the first day of the Test could have been different. Shuvagata Hom dropped Shikhar Dhawan on 73 at midwicket and the batsman went on to make an unbeaten 150. M Vijay, too, survived leg-before appeals in the 2nd and 45th overs to Soumya Sarkar and Taijul Islam. “We picked the team that we think is good for this wicket, and that’s our strength,” Hathurusingha said. “I think we created enough chances. Unfortunately things didn’t go our way. If we had taken the opportunities we could have had a different story.”
Hathurusingha added that they picked four spinners to add variety and to ensure India faced a type of bowler they have struggled against in the recent past. “The reason to pick the spinners is because of the conditions,” he said. “The other thing is having the variety of the offspinner. The Indian team’s history for last few series saw offspinners being successful against them.”

The team management’s decision to pick Shahid as the lone seamer ahead of Rubel Hossain and Abul Hasan was quite a natural call for the team management that has shown most of its interest in new pace bowlers. The only other time when Bangladesh picked a single pace bowler in their bowling attack was against Sri Lanka last year when Al-Amin Hossain played. There too, Mushfiqur and Shane Jurgensen preferred the newbie ahead of Rubel and Robiul Islam. At the time, Al-Amin was a relatively unknown quantity with promise, similar to Shahid in this game.Perhaps Shahid’s experience in playing as a single seamer in first-class cricket, where he was the one-man pace attack for Dhaka Metropolis on many occasions, was the reason for his selection. Rubel has never done this in any four or five-day match. After playing 23 Tests since 2009, he is still not entrusted with the role of playing as the only pace bowler.Hathurusingha said Rubel was not picked in this game so that he can fully recover from his side strain, and be ready for the three ODIs.”Rubel is coming after an injury, he was not 100%. We thought if Rubel bowled on this wicket, there could be a re-occurrence of his injury because he didn’t get a chance to prove his fitness in a match,” Hathurusingha said. “He is not fit to bowl on this kind of wicket. You need a lot of effort on this kind of wicket. If the wicket is helping fast bowlers, we could have gone different way.”We are keeping Rubel for the ODI series. It is very crucial for us to win one-dayers as well knowing that if we win at least one game, we can have a chance to qualify for the Champions Trophy. If the condition was different then we would have played another seamer.”Prior to the match, the Bangladesh coaching staff had indicated that pace would not work on this pitch. Bowling coach Heath Streak had said that playing three fast bowlers was unlikely at this ground while Hathurusingha, who was confounded by the cut grass on the wicket, had said that this was “no pace bowling paradise”.The heat over the previous three weeks in this region, the overuse of the Fatullah ground (around 125 matches have been played here since last September) and the presence of cut grass on top are reasons enough to believe that there would be cracks on this surface. This year the top five first-class wicket-takers at this venue are all spinners but that’s little surprise for any venue in Bangladesh.That being the case, even a pitch considered helpful for pace bowlers would not have pushed them to pick three pace bowlers, which happened in their previous Test. Against Pakistan in Mirpur last month, they picked Shahadat Hossain and Shahid on a wicket that was ordered to be sporting by the team management. The plan was to bowl first as there was a green tinge on a humid morning. Mushfiqur duly decided to bowl first but they were setting themselves up for a long time in the field, and matters were worsened due to the freak injury to Shahadat two balls into the match and a wicket off a no-ball.Abul Hasan, like in this 14-man Test squad, was available for selection in Mirpur but Shuvagata was selected to provide an additional bowling option as an offspinner and provide batting help at No 8. It is an encouraging sign to see additional spinners in the side so that Shakib Al Hasan is not overburdened. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam is an automatic choice in the attack of late while Jubair Hossain’s return is encouraged because he offers a wicket-taking option. On the first day, the Indian openers dealt with Shakib, Jubair and Shuvagata quite easily. Taijul drew the only opportunity of the day but Shuvagata spilled the chance offered by Dhawan, on 73, at short midwicket. Shuvagata also had one appeal turned down in the 45th over.The truncated first day was suggestion enough that pace is unlikely to work here but India have picked Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav after studying the Fatullah pitch on the eve of the game. Their position in the game means that their pace attack will have a big total to bowl with but the composition of their bowling attack is an expression of their new captain’s mindset.

Justin Langer won’t return to coaching in the near term after deciding to take up “other opportunities” despite Ricky Ponting pursuing him vigorously for the Hobart Hurricanes’ head coaching role.Hurricanes announced Jeff Vaughan as their new head coach on Friday and he will combine the job with his role as Tasmania head coach. Vaughan is Ponting’s first appointment in his new role as Hurricanes’ head of strategy. Ponting also appointed James Hopes and Darren Berry as assistants alongside Vaughan.But Ponting was candid in explaining that his close friend Langer had been his first choice. The pair had discussed the role at length and Langer had shown interest early in the process before other opportunities piqued his interest.Related

• CA hit back at Langer's claims as fallout to coach's exit erupts

• Justin Langer joins Channel Seven's commentary team

• 'He could actually win you a World Cup' – Ricky Ponting pushes Tim David's case

• Ponting and Khawaja flag BBL concerns amid rise of new T20 leagues

• 'He's got a bit more thinking to do..' – Ponting reveals Langer might be interested in coaching Hobart Hurricanes

“I’m on record saying that I’ve spoken with Justin quite a bit about coming down here and being the head coach of the Hurricanes and he was quite keen,” Ponting said. “The initial conversations were pretty exciting. And he would like to get back involved again. But as things got progressed and things got a little bit closer, I think he’s had some other opportunities and exciting things maybe come across his desk that he thinks he might be able to enjoy a little bit more through the course of the summer.”I’m sure you’ll find out about some of those things over the next little period of time. But as soon as he [took] himself out of the running, it was really obvious to me who the next guy had to be and that’s the guy that we’ve appointed as head coach in Jeff. I’m not hiding from the fact that I spoke to him [Langer]. I spoke to him a lot about it and I think everyone, probably around Australian cricket circles knew that I was trying to get him down here for the Hurricanes but it wasn’t to be.”Langer has remained in Perth since his messy departure from the Australia men’s coaching job in February. He has been doing a lot of corporate speaking as well as fulfilling his duties as a board member for the West Coast Eagles, an Australian Football League club.When Ponting first flagged Langer’s name as his number one candidate for the Hurricanes job back in June, it was met with a lukewarm reception from Hurricanes’ veteran Matthew Wade when he was asked about Langer’s style.Vaughan’s appointment is likely to be a popular one. He has vast experience having been with Tasmania and Hurricanes previously as an assistant under former coach Adam Griffith. He left both in 2021 to join the Australia men’s coaching team under Langer for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes, but returned to take the Tasmania job earlier this year just prior to Andrew McDonald taking over as Australia’s head coach.”Everyone that I’ve spoken to around Tasmanian cricket or around the Australian cricket team just had glowing reports about Jeff with his coaching ability and his coaching style and his people management,” Ponting said. “I think that’s exactly what the Hurricanes need right now.”Hobart Hurricanes coaching team (left to right), James Hopes (assistant), Ricky Ponting (head of strategy), Jeff Vaughan (head coach) and Darren Berry (assistant)•Cricket Tasmania

Combining the Tasmania men’s domestic program with Hurricanes’ BBL team under one coach is a model that has worked successfully in Western Australia under both Langer and Adam Voges and is currently employed in South Australia and Queensland.But the addition of Hopes and Berry adds significant global franchise experience to Hurricanes. Hopes has been an assistant under Ponting in the IPL at Delhi Capitals while Berry has previously coached Adelaide Strikers in the BBL and coached South Australia to a T20 title in the old Big Bash competition. Berry has been an assistant coach at title-winning teams in the IPL and PSL and also works in the Hundred.”With Jeff being the head coach of the Tigers and what I felt the Hurricanes needed right here and right now it just seemed like the perfect fit for him to be in charge of both programs,” Ponting said. “But in saying that was also really important to me that I got high-quality experienced assistant coaches underneath Jeff to make sure that when Jeff is away with the Tigers that the Hurricanes program is actually in as good a shape as possible by the time he joins, which will be probably two weeks before the first game.”In other coaching news, Griffith has joined Victoria as their men’s bowling coach under head coach Chris Rogers. Victoria have also appointed Ben Rohrer as their new batting coach to take over from Andre Borovec, who has joined the Australia men’s team as an assistant coach in the role Vaughan vacated.Former Victoria and Australia batter Cameron White has departed Adelaide Strikers to join Sydney Sixers as an assistant coach under Greg Shipperd.

da aviator aposta： Sat just one point clear of the Championship’s bottom three, Plymouth Argyle have reportedly turned their attention towards a midfield reinforcement which could help seal survival for Wayne Rooney’s side.

Plymouth transfer news

da wazamba： Whilst one point clear of the relegation zone isn’t too much cause for celebration, many doubted that Rooney would even get this far after Plymouth opened the campaign without a league win in their opening four games.

Turning a corner to pave the way for potential survival since then, however, Rooney is gradually earning the trust of the Pilgrims, who entered the international break off the back of victory over Portsmouth and a draw against Derby County.

Now, the international break has seemingly handed those at Home Park the opportunity to shift their focus towards potential reinforcements in 2025 in what would be a major boost for Rooney and his side.

The Pilgrims won’t be expected to spend big, but recent reports suggest that they’ve got at least one target in their sights when the January transfer window arrives. According to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, via Sport Witness, Plymouth have finalised their scout report on Fredrik Hammar and a now considering a move to sign the Hammarby midfielder.

Just 23 years old, Hammar has been a mainstay in the Hammarby side throughout their current campaign, starting 15 of 29 league games and making 30 appearances in all competitions. A player who can play both central midfield and defensive midfield, Hammar could slot straight into Rooney’s side in place of Jordan Houghton or perhaps even Darko Gyabi when he returns to Leeds United at the end of the season.

Providing a defensive foundation in the middle of the park, Hammar would help to shield a backline which has conceded 26 goals in just 15 Championship games so far this season.

Hammar could earn Championship redemption

What is interesting to note is that if Hammar does complete a move to Plymouth in 2025, it will not be his first attempt to break into English football. The midfielder joined Brentford in 2019 but was forced to settle for a place in the B team before leaving back to Sweden and back to Akropolis IF just two years later.

Since that disappointment, however, the midfielder has found his feet back in his home country at Hammarby and could now receive the opportunity to earn redemption in the Championship.

Just how much the Swedish club demand for the 23-year-old remains to be seen, of course, but Plymouth will certainly be prepared to make their move if the price is right, having finalised their scout report.

All eyes will be on survival in the Championship this season and Hammar could more than play a part in achieving that if he completes a move at the beginning of next year.

Manchester City have set their sights on a summer move to replace Kevin De Bruyne with Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.

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• Man City want Florian Wirtz
• German would replace Kevin De Bruyne
• City keen to keep rebuilding ageing squad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pep Guardiola is desperate to continue rebuilding his squad after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, reports, and sees Germany star Wirtz as a major player in the club's future. Leverkusen value their talisman at more than £85 million ($107m). De Bruyne is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and no renewal has been agreed, potentially leaving a vacancy for a younger replacement.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Bruyne turns 34 in June and is seeing his minutes managed more and more by Guardiola, who has also been fielding Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, all of whom are 30 or older, in midfield. City signed Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov in January as they attempt to bring down the average age of their squad and the signing of Wirtz would be an enormous statement.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wirtz has been a major part of the Bayer Leverkusen side that has been one of the best in Europe over the last 18 months. The German scored 18 goals and registered 20 assists as Leverkusen won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal and reached the Europa League final last term, and has notched another 26 goal involvements this season as they battle for the Bundesliga and Champions League.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?

  Wirtz also starred for hosts Germany at Euro 2024 last summer, and a move to one of the richest clubs in the world is an inevitability at some stage. Bayern Munich are also said to be interested, with the Bavarians hoping to team him up with international team-mate Jamal Musiala. City are bound to face competition from elsewhere for his signature, too.

Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa could all be back in Canberra

Andrew Miller11-Oct-2022

Big picture

After touching down in Australia for the build-up to their winter’s main event, England duly hit the ground running in a richly entertaining opening T20I in Perth. The narrowness of the eight-run victory perhaps masked the extent of the gains made on a Sunday night that featured a total of 408 runs – the second-highest tally ever recorded in Australia.Most particularly there was Jos Buttler’s instant return to form after his lengthy injury lay-off, and another palpitating display of raw speed from Mark Wood, whose three wickets in ten balls proved the true difference between the teams in an otherwise bat-dominated game.Factor in Alex Hales’ Player-of-the-Match-winning 84 from 51 balls, and another incisive display of left-arm lankiness from Reece Topley, and there were plenty of reasons to believe in Buttler’s assertion that England will be a “dangerous” opposition in the fast-approaching T20 World Cup.And yet, the defending champions – as if anyone needs reminding – are not just the hosts of both this series and next week’s tournament, they were also missing a knot of key East Coast-based personnel, all of whom are likely to be welcomed back over the coming two games in Canberra. Besting an attack boasting the big three of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will be a very different challenge for Buttler’s men, but should they manage to do so, they could yet seek an upgrade from their current dark-horse World Cup status.Related

• Buttler on Wade obstruction incident: 'They asked if I wanted to appeal and I said no'

• Livingstone targets England's final T20 World Cup warm-up for return from injury

• Marsh on one-day captaincy: 'Probably not…I'm out of the race'

Either way, reading too much into this week’s events would be careless, however. England vs Australia is rarely less than full-throttle, but the warm-up nature of this series was perhaps epitomised when Buttler chose to hold his horses at the potential flashpoint of the opening contest – Matthew Wade’s apparent hand-off on Wood as he closed in on a caught-and-bowled opportunity.There can have been few more textbook examples of “obstructing the field” in international history, but Buttler – all too well acquainted with the media frenzy that can follow atypical dismissals – seemed to reason that the potential for uproar was just too distracting to countenance. The fact that Wade was unable to extend his recent proud record of closing out run-chases seemed vindication enough for now. Let’s see what happens in the cut and thrust of knock-out cricket.Wood, however, is unlikely to be a factor again on Wednesday. England’s cautious handling of their prize asset meant he was limited to two (singularly explosive) outings on their recent seven-match tour of Pakistan, and he is sure to be held back once again to ensure he’s in prime form when they return to Perth on October 22 for their campaign opener against Afghanistan. Chris Jordan is primed for his first outing since August, after injuring his finger during the Hundred.

Recent form

Australia LWWLL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)

England WWWLLAustralia’s frontline attack will be back in Canberra•Getty Images

In the spotlight

Tim David has surely done enough to earn a starting place in the World Cup, but just when it seemed he was making an unanswerable case he had his credentials frazzled a touch at Perth Stadium in another snortingly quick display from Wood – his spliced pull resulted in a third-ball duck and a fatal derailing of Australia’s previously serene run-chase. Nevertheless, David still has credit aplenty, not least after a ballistic 42 from 20 balls against West Indies last week, and particularly in light of Steven Smith’s own struggles to impart any power into his faltering short-form game.One uninspiring outing later, and the narrative hasn’t yet shifted for the recalled Ben Stokes. His star quality can never be doubted, and when it comes to the crunch of a World Cup, who would dare bet against his force of personality having a decisive say? But in the meantime, his quest for form in an extremely condensed build-up remains the hottest topic in England’s ranks. To some extent, the continued absence of Liam Livingstone gives England and Stokes licence to keep pushing for that break-out display. But, in a situation that rather mirrors the Smith dilemma in Australia’s ranks, these are not like-for-like options. The peak performance of Test greats such as Smith and Stokes may be beyond the scope of their contemporaries, but in the sprint of a T20 innings, is there enough road for either man to reach top speed? It’s a question that may yet determine both team’s campaigns.

Team news

The return of the big guns beckons in Canberra, where Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell will all be available for selection after sitting out of the series opener in Perth, means Nathan Ellis will be unlucky again – he hasn’t even travelled with the squad – after taking a brilliant 3 for 20 on a night when Australia’s other 16 overs yielded 188 for 3. At the top of the order, Aaron Finch has confirmed he will resume his partnership with David Warner, after making way for Cameron Green in Australia’s last three outings. One question is whether they want to get another innings into Smith or give Josh Inglis a pre-World Cup hit.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodHales has reaffirmed his credentials at the top of the order, and will surely now be Buttler’s first-choice partner for the World Cup. The rest of England’s dominoes will fall into place from there. Livingstone has indicated that he is targeting the final warm-up against Pakistan for his comeback from an ankle injury, so the two Canberra matches will be further opportunities for the remainder of England’s middle-order to jostle for their roles. Dawid Malan was shunted out of his No. 3 berth to give Stokes extra game-time in Perth – to no great avail as it turned out – but will be eager to reacquaint himself with Australia’s high-kicking pitches, which ought to suit his style. On the bowling front, Chris Jordan could be set for his first outing of the winter after a finger injury, while David Willey is also waiting in the wings. Mark Wood and Reece Topley are the likeliest candidates for a rest.England (probable) 1 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 David Willey, 11 Adil Rashid.

Pitch and conditions

Bowlers have performed reasonably well in the three men’s T20Is at this ground with an overall economy rate of 7.30 – the third lowest of all venues in Australia. The forecast is for a dry day on Wednesday, less so for Friday’s second game.

Stats and trivia

• England’s men have never yet played an international fixture in Canberra. Manuka Oval has hosted a men’s T20I in each of the past three seasons, most recently against Sri Lanka in February, and 10 ODIs, dating back to South Africa vs Zimbabwe in the 1992 World Cup.
• Australia’s men have won seven of their nine fixtures in Canberra, across all three formats – one Test win against Sri Lanka, four ODI wins, and two T20I wins. Their only defeats (one in each white-ball format) both came against India in December 2020.
• Sunday’s eight-run defeat in Perth was the first time in 14 matches, dating back to the start of their successful T20 World Cup campaign in October, that Australia had failed to win when batting second.

Quotes

“The best T20 teams in the world over the last five, six years, have that flexibility… we’re almost a team within a team.”

“I think that’s the most important thing. We’ve had a really good chat and things have been fine. There’s been no air-clearing at all, we just sat down with Jos [Buttler] and said our goal is to win the World Cup. It’s been really good, really smooth.”

The inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup has been delayed until 2028, while the Women's Champions Cup will begin play in 2026

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FIFA announces new timelines and updates for women's competitionInaugural Women's Champions Cup to be introduced in 2026Women's Club World Cup moved to 2028Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

FIFA has announced that the inaugural Women's Club World Cup has been moved to 2028. Originally slated for January 2026, the competition has been postponed two years.

In addition, they announced the introduction of the FIFA Women's Champions Cup – a tournament in which the club champions from all six confederations will meet to crown a champion.

The news was approved by the FIFA Council at a meeting on Wednesday.

The inaugural edition of the quadrennial FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will take place in January-February 2028. Six clubs representing the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA will take part in the play-in stage of the tournament while the three winners will advance to the Group Stage and join 13 other clubs.

The AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, and CONMEBOL will each have two direct slots, while UEFA will have five berths. The Group Stage is set to feature four groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage of the competition. All matches in the tournament will be held at a neutral venue to be determined by FIFA.

AdvertisementWHAT FIFA SAID

"Women’s football has reached new heights at national-team level, and now it’s time for global competitions that showcase the best clubs from around the world. These FIFA competitions will stimulate growth, inspire athletes, create new rivalries, engage more fans and crown heroes from all over the world," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. "The FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be a defining moment in the growth of women’s club football, giving the world’s top clubs the platform they deserve to compete against the best and put the women’s club game in the global spotlight.

"Following extensive consultation with key stakeholders, the inaugural edition will take place in 2028 and will feature a total of 19 clubs, allowing for a competitive and an inclusive format based on the sporting merit accumulated at global level through the new FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in the previous two years."

Jill Ellis, FIFA's Chief Football Officer and the only two-time winning FIFA Women's World Cup head coach added: "These are more than just new tournaments – these are drivers for the future of our sport that will raise standards, provide invaluable opportunities for growth and local development, and generate new revenue – all on a global scale. We thank the confederations, clubs, leagues, players, and all stakeholders for their open dialogue and support, as well as the FIFA Council for taking the final decision to give women's club football an unprecedented global stage on a truly historic day that will redefine the women's game."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

For the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, six continental club champions from the full season preceding the tournament will come together to compete for a new trophy between the best teams around the world. The tournament will be held every non-FIFA Women's Club World Cup year.

The preliminary stage of the 2026 competitive will feature two knockout rounds, with dates to be determined. The AFC champions will host the OFC Champions in Round 1, with the victor heading to take on the CAF champions in Round 2. The Round 2 winners will then progress to a final four to be played between January 2026 and February 2026, at a neutral venue to be determined by FIFA.

The semifinalists in Round 2 will take on the UEFA champions, while the CONCACAF champions will take on the CONMEBOL champions. The winners will advance to the final, while the runners-up will compete for third place.

Seeding for the 2027 edition will be determined by the results of the 2026 edition. The 2027 edition will be held Jan. 27 through Jan. 31, while seeding for the 2029 Champions Cup will be subject to further consultation.

Women's 2026 Champions Cup qualification timeline will be as follows:

AFC Women’s Champions League: May 24, 2025CAF Women’s Champions League: Nov. 23, 2025CONCACAF W Champions Cup: May 24, 2025CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina: Oct. 18, 2025OFC Women’s Champions League: May 17, 2025UEFA Women’s Champions League: May 24, 2025AFPWHAT NEXT?

The inaugural 2026 Women's Champions Cup kicks off next January. This summer, the UEFA Women's EURO competition, the OFC Women's Nations Cup, the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and the CONMEBOL Copa America Femenina will all take place.

In an international break full of positives on the injury front for Eddie Howe, Newcastle United have been handed yet another boost with one long-term absentee now in line for a return.

Newcastle injury news

Barring the continued absence of Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman, who suffered ACL injuries last season, Newcastle are all but back to full strength ahead of their meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion fresh from the international break this weekend. This means that both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak are in line for much-needed returns, with the former potentially making his first start of the season.

Meanwhile, Isak’s return will mark his first appearance since Newcastle’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Fulham towards the end of September. Without the Swede, the Magpies have been without a goal from open play in 270 minutes of football in all competitions – a run that Wilson should also help to end of course.

Without a Premier League win in three games, the Brighton game suddenly has added importance as Newcastle look to get back on track. With Wilson, Isak and now one other in line for a return though, their fortunes are certainly looking up.

£100m+ Newcastle star now a top target for Barcelona as new contract stalls

Troubling times for the Magpies…

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 17, 2024

As reported by Chronicle Live, Lewis Miley has returned to Newcastle training for the first time in seven months and is in line to make his first appearance of the season in the coming weeks.

The young midfielder suffered a broken metatarsal in last season’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat against Manchester City and has faced a long road to recovery ever since. Now, seven months later, he has battled back well and will hope to put himself back in contention for Howe’s side as soon as possible.

Still just 18 years old, Newcastle will likely ease Miley back into action in a run that he’ll hope to pick up where he left off at St James’ Park.

Newcastle must remain cautious with "brilliant" Miley

Whilst Miley was one of the few positives to emerge from Sandro Tonali’s ill-timed suspension last season, the Magpies eventually paid the price for their failure to find other options, with their academy graduate soon suffering a long-term injury. Learning a harsh lesson, Newcastle must not rush Miley back now that he’s returned to training. After all, this is a player who could be at the heart of their midfield for years to come.

Starting 17 games for the first team last season, it’s clear that Miley has the quality to earn a place under Howe but Newcastle must not run their young talent into the ground before he even has the chance to reach his peak.

Howe will need to act with caution when it comes to the full recovery of a player destined for great things, as the Newcastle boss pointed out last season, telling reporters via The Northern Echo: “I believe there’s huge growth in every area of his game – athletically, physically, technically, tactically.

“We’ll never stand still with Lewis and will look to continually help him. But what he has got already is a brilliant brain, and that brain allowed him to play so well (against Chelsea).”

South Australia negotiated a tricky late period on the third evening without loss

AAP08-Oct-2022

South Australia required 387 more runs to pull off an unlikely Sheffield Shield win after reaching 0 for 38 at stumps on day three against Victoria at Karen Rolton Oval.Captain Peter Handscomb struck a wonderful 132 before declaring the visitors’ innings closed at 7 for 344, setting the Redbacks a victory target of 425.Jake Weatherald, sent packing second ball of SA’s first innings, batted positively in the evening session, reaching 28 off 38 balls.Related

Will Sutherland's maiden first-class hundred leads Victoria's recovery

Boland quickly in the groove to earn Victoria healthy advantage

Opening partner Henry Hunt will resume on 9, the Redbacks surviving a testing 12-over spell with all 10 wickets in hand.”It’s going to be a grind tomorrow – an absolute grind,” Handscomb said. “It’s definitely flattened out. Day one was really hard and since then it’s gotten flatter and flatter. It’s going to be pretty simple cricket – be patient and hope we can bowl 10 good balls.”If that means we get it done in the last over, we get it done in the last over. Hoping tomorrow it starts to play a few tricks and maybe a few divots come into play.”After earning a 90-run first-innings lead, Victoria’s assault on the home side’s attack in the second dig was underpinned by Handscomb’s 18th first-class ton.”I feel good, the set-up feels good and I’m trying to continue on from last year,” said Handscomb, pressing his claims for higher honours, having played the last of his 16 Tests almost four years ago against India. “You can have one good season but you’ve got to be able to back it up again and really force your hand for [Test] selection.”The captain crunched 14 fours and a six in his classy knock before holing out to a superb catch in the deep from Jake Lehmann while chasing quick runs.Handscomb received tremendous middle-order support throughout the day from first-innings centurion Will Sutherland (40), wicketkeeper Sam Harper (37) and ex-Test batter Nic Maddinson (30), who plundered three huge sixes.Seamer Jordan Buckingham, playing just his second Shield match, was the pick of the bowlers for South Australia.