Barcelona enter a decisive moment in their season with uncertainty surrounding Marcus Rashford, who left training for the second consecutive day due to a severe flu, casting doubt over his availability for the highly-anticipated return to Camp Nou against Athletic Bilbao. As Hansi Flick’s side prepares for their long-awaited homecoming, crucial injury boosts and a renewed push for confidence shape the narrative ahead of a demanding run.
Rashford doubt for Bilbao clash
Barcelona’s preparations for their landmark return to Camp Nou began on an uneasy note as Rashford left training early for the second straight day. According to , the English forward, who has featured in every match since he joined on loan from Manchester United, reported to the club's training ground with persistent flu symptoms and was advised to return home immediately.
"Marcus has a fever. He couldn't train yesterday or today. I'm doubtful for tomorrow," Flick said of the Englishman at a press conference ahead of the weekend's match. Rashford’s absence would be significant as he has contributed significantly to the Catalan side with six goals, nine assists, and a central role in Barca’s attack this season. Furthermore, the timing of this illness particularly worrying as the club enters a demanding stretch of fixtures.
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Barcelona’s long-awaited Camp Nou homecoming
Saturday’s match carries emotional weight beyond the footballing stakes as Barcelona finally return to Camp Nou after nearly three years away. Renovation delays, regulatory hurdles and phased construction forced the club to play at the Johan Cruyff Stadium and the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys across two chaotic seasons. The reopening, limited to 45,401 seats due to ongoing work, marks a symbolic reset for the team and supporters.
The rebuilt areas, upgraded facilities, and the introduction of the new “Gol 1957” supporters’ section are intended to restore the stadium’s identity and energy. For a club that struggled to maintain fan connection during displacement, stepping back onto their own turf against Athletic is more than a logistical milestone.
Yamal, Garcia and Raphinha all fit for Bilbao clash
As uncertainty hovers over Rashford, Flick at least receives a rare wave of good news on the medical front. Lamine Yamal has returned to full training after recovering from pubalgia and is expected to feature against Bilbao, likely with controlled minutes.
Joan Garcia, previously sidelined with a meniscus injury, has completed rehabilitation and is set to regain his role between the posts. Raphinha has also progressed through the final phase of recovery and is scheduled to rejoin full sessions immediately after the break.
The only absentee among the returning group is Pedri, who continues separate training but is on track for a timely comeback in the Champions League clash against Chelsea on November 25. For a team that has endured continuous disruption across key positions, this development adds to the team's depth ahead of an intense fixture calendar.
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Flick's call for confidence and Camp Nou’s spark
Barcelona’s biggest challenge may be rediscovering their conviction, a point Flick himself underlined after the uneven performance against Celta Vigo. The German manager acknowledged the current lack of confidence but expressed optimism that returning players and a more complete squad would steady the team.
"Perhaps right now we lack the confidence we should normally have and need. But now some players are coming back, and that will help us a lot. We have a fantastic squad, and if we play at the high level we did in Vigo, everything will be fine," says Flick.
The emotional spark of returning to Camp Nou further adds a layer of motivation that could also prove decisive for the campaign going ahead.
Na manhã desta terça-feira (11), o CEO da SAF do Vasco Lúcio Barbosa e a CFO Kátia dos Santos entregaram seus cargos. A interferência do clube associativo e o comprometimento da dupla à governança da SAF seriam os principais motivos das saídas dos dirigentes.
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Após a audiência pública para a reforma de São Januário que ocorreu no ginásio do estádio, o presidente do Vasco, Pedrinho falou sobre os pedidos de demissões e mostrou incômodo de como as coisas aconteceram.
“Que fique claro que foi uma decisão pessoal. Obviamente me incomoda porque para estar no Vasco, tem que querer estar no Vasco. Na minha gestão só vai estar no Vasco quem quer viver o Vasco na sua essência. É sentir a dor do Vasco, é sentir a alegria do Vasco, é entender o que é o Vasco. Quando a atmosfera aqui embaixo flui, as coisas em cima acontecem de uma forma melhor. As vezes aqui embaixo que as coisas não estão da forma que a gente quer.” – disse Pedrinho.
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Confira declaração completa:
O presidente revelou que após a saída da dupla, a diretoria já tem nomes para os cargos, mas deixou claro que a decisão de saída foi de Lúcio e Kátia.
“Foi uma decisão dele, estranhamente logo depois do que aconteceu ontem no conselho deliberativo, e agora o Vasco continua. Nunca parou por ninguém, então o Vasco anda para frente sempre.”
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Quando Pedrinho anunciou a chegada de Felipe como diretor técnico, o presidente chegou a dizer que algumas mudanças seriam feitas no departamento de futebol. Com a saída de Lúcio Barbosa e Kátia dos Santos, o ídolo vascaíno respondeu se essas mudanças seriam aceleradas.
“Algumas mudanças seriam feitas, mas de forma mais natural, com uma avaliação do trabalho mais de perto. Nenhuma tomada de decisão foi tomada do lado de fora, a gente avalia, faz toda a observação e análise do trabalho. O planejamento esportivo, mesmo a distância, eu tinha uma observação do que estava sendo feito. Mas sempre respeitando o campo, sempre respeitando para que não tivesse nenhuma interferência na questão esportiva e fizemos isso com muita cautela.”
Desde a última semana, Felipe e o diretor executivo Pedro Martins se reportavam diretamente a Pedrinho. Nos bastidores, o futuro de Lúcio, contratado como homem de confiança da 777 Partners, já era tido como indefinido.
“Quando dois funcionários pedem para sair, não tem porque não aceitar. Você rende onde você tá satisfeito. Se uma pessoa não quer ficar, o que eu vou tirar de melhor dela se ela não quer ficar nesse ambiente? Só quero que respeite a instituição, respeite os torcedores, respeite esse clube, entenda a verdadeira história do Vasco para a gente começar a ter um caminho diferente.”
Goalscoring, leadership and world-class quality are just three expressions used to describe the talents possessed by Harry Kane during his decade spell at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Englishman rose through the youth ranks in North London before making himself a staple of the club’s first-team setup between 2013 and 2023, before his move to Bayern Munich.
The centre-forward made 435 appearances and found the back of the net on 280 occasions – a tally which still sees him stand at the top of the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.
His goalscoring record, coupled with his link-up play and creativity, has made him one of the best players to ever play for the club – with Thomas Frank no doubt wishing he could rely on a player of his calibre.
Whilst Kane has moved on to pastures new in recent years, the new manager has already added one top-level talent to his ranks, with the summer addition making an immediate impact in North London.
The underlying stats behind Palhinha’s start to life at Spurs
Joao Palhinha joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich this summer, with such a deal that the fanbase wasn’t totally convinced by upon the announcement.
However, a couple of months on from his switch back to the Premier League, the Portuguese international has certainly proved a lot of the doubters wrong.
Despite his defensive midfield role, the 30-year-old has impressed in the final third, already registering four goals and two assists – two of which came in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Copenhagen.
However, out of possession is where the midfielder has thrived, as seen by his phenomenal tally of tackles won in the Premier League over the last few months.
He’s already made 44 tackles in his 10 league outings for the Lilywhites, with such a tally the highest of any player in the entire division at present.
Other figures such as 8.5 duels won per 90 – at a success rate of 63% – with his tally of 1.8 aerials won also highlighting his dominant ball-winning ability at the heart of the side.
Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani
Palhinha has immediately handed Frank the number six the side has greatly lacked over recent years, with such an addition one that has been their best in recent years.
The Spurs star who is becoming the best player since Kane
There’s little denying that Palhinha is rapidly making himself one of the first names on the Spurs teamsheet, with no other player in the squad able to do the job he does.
Many supporters have voiced concerns over his lack of progression with the ball at his feet, but ultimately, his main responsibility is to allow those ahead of him to create the magic in attacking areas.
Players such as Xavi Simons, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr are more than capable of feeding off Palhinha and providing the goods with the ball at their feet – with the latter crucial in the Lilywhites’ three-man midfield.
However, his recent exploits in the final third showcase he is a lot more capable in forward areas than the fans give him credit for – with the 30-year-old now on more goal contributions than Mohammed Kudus.
He’s not alone in overperforming in forward areas, with centre-back Micky van de Ven another player who has taken his game to the next level in the attacking department.
The 24-year-old was brought to North London in a £40m deal back in the summer of 2023, undoubtedly being signed to provide needed quality to the backline.
However, in 2025/26, the Dutch international has massively impressed in the attacking department, already scoring five times this season – including a double in the Premier League win over Everton.
Van de Ven also managed to get on the scoresheet in the hammering of Copenhagen this week, running from the edge of his own box before coolly slotting him – just like Kane would do during his time in North London.
The centre-back, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has also dominated defensively this season – as seen by his tally of 1.1 tackles won and 1.3 aerials won per 90.
He’s been phenomenal at picking out a teammate too, completing 92% of the passes he’s attempted, subsequently contributing to his tally of 0.6 chances created per 90.
Games played
15
Goals scored
6
Pass accuracy
92%
Chances created
0.6
Tackles won
1.1
Aerials won
1.3
Dribble success
50%
Recoveries made
3.6
His all-round quality at both ends of the pitch has made him one of the best signings in the club’s recent history – arguably being their best player since Kane left.
Whilst the pair operate in hugely different positions, Van de Ven has assumed the role of being a crucial player in the first team and leading them to new heights in the process.
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Tottenham Hotspur already have a star who could reach the levels achieved by Bukayo Saka.
Memories of the loss against England were not far from the India allrounder’s mind, but there would be no repeat
S Sudarshanan31-Oct-2025
Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur embrace in the middle•ICC/Getty Images
As soon as she cut the ball past backward point, Amanjot Kaur exulted. She was hoisted by Jemimah Rodrigues, who then sank to the floor, covered her face and started to tear up. Amanjot just stood there and patted her on the back. Navi Mumbai erupted in joy. The Indian players sprinted to the middle. For those in the dugout, the hugs were the tightest. There were tears of joy.Beating Australia was one hurdle India had repeatedly failed to cross in knockouts of recent ICC tournaments. Not anymore. India were in the final of the Women’s World Cup 2025.Related
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When do you actually go for the kill in a run chase? It forms the crux of our sport. Yet it is one of the most discussed, often debated and dissected, parts of the game – the timing of actually stepping on the pedal. A pure judgement call.India hadn’t got it right against England in Indore. An equation of 36 off 30 became 32 off 24. And then 27 off 18. Amanjot was in the middle then. She tried to take the game deep. But they ran out of time. India needed 23 off 12 balls and 14 off the last over; they lost by four runs. The final kick never arrived.This recent bit of history made every one of the 34,651 at the DY Patil Stadium – and those watching on the television – on Thursday twitch in their seats. The set Rodrigues, who scored her maiden World Cup century, was just offered a reprieve. India now needed 48 off 36 in their 339-run chase. Richa Ghosh hit Ashleigh Gardner, who she had taken apart in the WPL 2025 season-opener, for a six and a four in the space of three balls.Annabel Sutherland stood at the top of the mark for her penultimate over. Is there anything she can’t do? She gave away just five runs. More tellingly, she removed Ghosh for the second time in two meetings at this World Cup. The India wicketkeeper’s wild swing only resulted in a top edge to backward point.Jemimah Rodrigues eased the pressure with vital boundaries•Getty ImagesWhen Smriti Mandhana had been ruled out caught behind via the DRS, you could hear a pin drop even in one of the noisiest stands at the DY Patil Stadium. The Bucket Hat Cult, a fans’ group that enhances stadium experience at women’s cricket matches in India, had gone quiet in disbelief. Imagine being in that section of crowd with Amanjot walking in with India needing 7.25 per over.”Should I charge at the bowlers or will you do so?” was Amanjot’s first question to Rodrigues. Both Amanjot and Rodrigues’ physique may not scream out power, but they possess the ability to hit mean sixes. But that wasn’t the need of the hour.”She said, we are good runners. (we will get us home),” Amanjot said after the game. “‘You see the ball, the track is nice, and we should do it.’ It was a great surface. She said we should finish it with one over to spare.”Australia are one team you wouldn’t want to give a sniff. They had one now. Do India have to endure a heartbreak again? The tension was palpable. Stay unmoved. Don’t utter a line about the state of the game. Let’s not talk about the what-ifs. Instructions were going out left, right, centre. The sounds of keys being hammered away was audible in the media box, deadlines drawing closer and the finish unrelenting.This time there would be no heartache•Getty ImagesSutherland ran in for her tenth over but had to abort her run-up because Amanjot pulled away. A long chant from the crowd. Amanjot then took ran a two and a single on the first two legal deliveries, either side of a wide, and gave strike back to Rodrigues, who has seen a fair bit of Sutherland at Delhi Capitals.Sutherland’s slower ball arrived, Rodrigues was early but she waited and scooped it past the wicketkeeper. And then, after another wide, she hung back to a length ball to slash it past backward point. India had managed to take 15 off the 48th over. Now 8 off 12 was a walk in the park, and Amanjot hit two fours in three balls of the 49th over to set off wild celebrations.”After Richa fell, the game was in the balance,” she said. “I had the England game in my mind where I took the game deep but we were left needing 12 [14], which was too much. I did not want a repeat. If she would have asked me to charge [at the bowler], I would have charged. But she asked me to play carefully, and the pitch was good. We calculated and the nine [15] runs that came from Annabel Sutherland’s over helped us greatly.”On the India team sheet, Amanjot was slated to bat at No. 3 and Rodrigues at No. 5. But Rodrigues was informed that she would be one-drop for the day, and within five minutes – and ten balls into the chase – she found herself walking out. It was only a quirk of the day that Amanjot and Rodrigues were in the middle for the photo-finish.
Sunderland are now reportedly in pole position to sign a midfield star who Regis Le Bris already knows well ahead of rivals Newcastle United.
Le Bris eyes Sunderland reaction vs Bournemouth
It’s not often that Sunderland have been handed setbacks this season, but defeat against Fulham last time out was exactly that for Le Bris’ side.
Whilst it was just their third loss of the season and there’s no reason to think that last week’s result could derail their strong start, the Black Cats will be eyeing a reaction against Bournemouth.
Three points could take the Black Cats to as high as third if other results also go their way and after 13 games that would simply be remarkable. In many ways, those at the Stadium of Light are replicating the impressive work that Bournemouth have gradually enjoyed since their own promotion.
Le Bris admitted his admiration for the Cherries, saying: “Bournemouth are a good model for us. They way they have built in the last four seasons in the league is really interesting for us.”
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It must be said, however, that Sunderland’s model has so featured more investment and the type of investment that could see them land Matteo Guendouzi ahead of Newcastle in January.
Sunderland leading Newcastle in Guendouzi race
According to TeamTalk, Sunderland are now ahead of Newcastle in the race to sign Guendouzi in 2026 in a deal that could be worth up to £26m. Le Bris knows the Lazio midfielder well from their time together at Lorient and admitted that he’s still in contact with his former midfielder a few weeks ago.
It would be a statement move if the Black Cats landed a transfer target ahead of their rivals, who are backed by the extensive riches of PIF. But that’s the position they find themselves in after such an impressive start to the Premier League campaign.
League stats 25/26
Matteo Guendouzi
Granit Xhaka
Minutes
888
1,080
Progressive Passes
45
66
Tackles Won
5
13
Ball Recoveries
43
55
It’s easy to see why Sunderland are chasing a reunion between Le Bris and Guendouzi, given how the Frenchman has compared to star man Granit Xhaka so far this season. The transfer report even states that the Black Cats view Guendouzi ‘as the perfect midfield partner for Xhaka, adding experience and bite to their engine room’.
Previously dubbed a “great professional” by former Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich, Guendouzi also has unfinished business in the Premier League after leaving Arsenal under a dark cloud in 2021 and could earn redemption at Sunderland.
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And what’s the highest ODI total without a century?
Steven Lynch03-Jun-2025Harshal Patel recently took his 150th wicket in the IPL. How many have reached this landmark? asked Mohan Arshad from India The Sunrisers seamer Harshal Patel reached 150 IPL wickets when he dismissed the Super Giants opener Aiden Markram in Lucknow last week.Harshal was the 13th to reach 150 wickets in the IPL. Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal leads the way with 220 as I write, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (196) and Sunil Narine (192) lurking in the 190s. All Narine’s 192 came for Kolkata Knight Riders, the record for one franchise, while Chahal is currently the leading wicket-taker for two, with 139 for Royal Challengers Bangalore and 66 for Rajasthan Royals.The next to 150 will probably be the Rajasthan Royals seamer Sandeep Sharma, who currently sits on 146. Umesh Yadav, who did not appear in the 2025 IPL, has 144 wickets, while New Zealand’s Trent Boult has 143.Was England’s 400 the other day the highest ODI total without a century? asked Michael Robertson from England England’s 400 for 8 against West Indies at Edgbaston last week was the 28th total of 400 or more in one-day internationals (but the first one of exactly 400).It was indeed the highest ODI total without a century, the highest individual contribution being Jacob Bethell’s 82. The previous highest was South Africa’s 392 for 6 against Pakistan in Centurion in 2007, when Jacques Kallis finished with 88 not out. It was also the highest ODI total without a hundred partnership – just: when England made 399 for 9 against South Africa in Bloemfontein in 2016, the biggest stand was one of 97.All of England’s top seven at Edgbaston reached 30, another first for ODIs. The nearest approach before was by South Africa against England in Bloemfontein in 2023, when Heinrich Klaasen was out for 27 and the rest all passed 30. That was one of 16 instances of six of the top seven all reaching 30. In four of those cases only six men batted and all of them made it to 30.Harry Brook took five catches in the field at Edgbaston. Was this an ODI record? asked Jamie Salisbury from England Yorkshire’s Harry Brook marked his first match as England’s official white-ball captain (he also stood in for Jos Buttler last year) by hanging on to five catches as West Indies subsided to 162 all out at Edgbaston last week. He was only the second outfielder to take five catches in an ODI innings, after Jonty Rhodes for South Africa against West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in 1993. Rhodes also scored 40, so Brook – who crunched a rapid 58 – is the first to combine five catches in an ODI with a half-century.Brook was the second outfielder to take five catches in an ODI innings, but the first to combine it with a fifty•PA Photos/Getty ImagesJayden Seales top-scored from No. 11 in the Edgbaston ODI. Has this happened before? asked Keeley White from England Jayden Seales hit 29 not out after coming in at No. 11 for West Indies at Edgbaston last week, the highest score in their underwhelming innings of 162. Seales was the seventh No. 11 to top-score in a men’s ODI innings. The first to do it was New Zealand’s Chris Pringle, against West Indies in Guwahati in 1994, and he has been followed by Peter Ongondo for Kenya vs West Indies in Nairobi in 2001, Shane Bond for New Zealand vs Australia in the Champions Trophy in Colombo in 2002, Shoaib Akhtar for Pakistan vs England in Cape Town during the 2003 World Cup (his 43 was the highest score involved in this record), Rumman Raees for Pakistan vs New Zealand in Dunedin in 2018, and Craig Young for Ireland vs South Africa in Abu Dhabi in 2024.There have also been two instances of joint top scores from the No. 11: by Joel Garner with 37 for West Indies against India at Old Trafford during the 1983 World Cup, when No. 9 Andy Roberts scored 37 not out, and Mohammad Amir for Pakistan vs England at Trent Bridge in 2016, when Sharjeel Khan also made 58.It has also happened 12 times in men’s Tests.There’s even been an instance in a men’s T20I : when West Indies struggled to 125 for 9 against New Zealand in Kingston in 2022, the highest score came from Obed McCoy at No. 11. There are two other borderline cases: Rwanda’s 115 against Malawi in Kigali in 2021 included 20s from No. 9 Zappy Bimenyimana and Pankaj Vekaria at No. 11. And when Afghanistan were skittled for 116 by Pakistan in Sharjah in 2023, the highest score was 21 from Azmatullah Omarzai at No. 11 – but a batter had retired hurt earlier, and a concussion substitute came in after Omarzai at No. 12!I spotted that Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook shared century opening partnerships in both innings of a Test twice, both against Australia. Have any other pair of openers done this twice? asked AK Srivastava from India Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook put on opening stands of 137 and 100 for England against Australia in Adelaide early in 1947, and the following August shared stands of 168 and 129 in the Ashes Test at Headingley – the match famously won by Australia, who chased down 404 on the final day.The feat of century opening stands in both innings has been achieved only 12 times in all Tests, and Hutton and Washbrook are the only pair to have done it twice. The only other name to appear twice is Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique, who has been involved in the last two instances: against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2021 he put on 146 and 151 with Abid Ali, while against Australia in Rawalpindi in 2022 he shared first-wicket stands of 105 and 252 (unbroken) with Imam-ul-Haq.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo has lavished praise on a Hammers academy graduate who possesses “so much talent”, and one who ex-midfielder Michael Carrick also holds in very high esteem.
Saturday’s clash between West Ham and Burnley at the London Stadium could be seen as a relegation six-pointer already, with just three points separating the two struggling sides as both are likely to be battling the drop come May.
The hosts sit 18th with just two wins from ten matches, while Burnley sit a place above with just one more victory to show for their efforts since promotion from the Championship.
West Ham finally ended their miserable run last weekend with a morale-boosting victory at the expense of Newcastle.
The Hammers came from behind to defeat Eddie Howe’s side 3-1 at home, with Lucas Paqueta, an own goal from Sven Botman and Tomas Soucek securing a much-needed three points and Nuno’s first win since taking charge.
West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
Remarkably, over half of West Ham’s shots on target since Nuno’s arrival came in that Newcastle win, nine out of 16, while Burnley have attempted the fewest shots out of any Premier League team this season, according to The Analyst.
Nuno’s side will be desperate to claim back-to-back home victories for the first time since February and climb out of the relegation zone, and history actually favours West Ham.
West Ham are unbeaten in their last six top flight meetings with Burnley, three wins and three draws, but more impressively, the east Londoners haven’t lost any of their last eleven top-flight matches against Burnley when scoring at least one goal (11v11).
Away from the stats, Nuno finally found a winning formula against Newcastle that gifts West Ham plenty of encouragement heading into this weekend.
A key part of their impressive performance last time out was the introduction of highly-rated young midfielder Freddie Potts, who was finally handed his first Premier League start after many calls to do so.
The 22-year-old, who spent the last two seasons playing regularly on loan at Wycombe and Portsmouth, put in an excellent display next to Paqueta at the heart of West Ham’s engine room, and he’s surely in line to start again when West Ham meet Burnley.
Nuno praises West Ham youngster Freddie Potts ahead of Burnley
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Nuno was effusive in his praise for Potts after his Newcastle display, but insists the West Ham gem still has some way to go.
Nuno isn’t the only man to stand up and take notice of Potts’ performance either, with Carrick explaining how “massively impressed” he was by the Englishman on Match of the Day.
Potts looks like the latest in a fairly steady line of exciting West Ham talents to come through in recent years, and going by his last outing, 25/26 could be his breakout campaign.
Northamptonshire 189 and 120 for 5 (Keogh 42, Trevaskis 3-31) need a further 381 runs to beat Leicestershire 429 and 260 for 5 dec (Patel 76, Cox 51*, Budinger 50)Liam Trevaskis and Chris Wright sliced through Northamptonshire’s top order as Leicestershire closed in on a victory that would sign off their Rothesay County Championship Division Two title triumph in style.The Foxes, already confirmed as champions last week, declared and set Northamptonshire an improbable 501 to win at Wantage Road following Rishi Patel’s 76 and an unbeaten 30-ball half-century by Ben Cox.Left-arm spinner Trevaskis took three wickets, with seamer Wright – playing his final game prior to retirement – capturing the other two to reduce the home side to 120 for 5 before bad light halted play.Northamptonshire’s Rob Keogh top-scored with 42, passing 10,000 runs across all formats in the process, but his side’s slim hopes of staving off defeat largely rest on Saif Zaib, unbeaten on 20 at stumps.Leicestershire resumed with an overall lead of 326 and eight wickets in hand, but they were initially stifled by a tight spell from George Scrimshaw, who found some movement in both directions.However, it was a straight delivery from the seamer that removed Lewis Hill, leg-before for 38 and Patel then took command, punching a series of boundaries and bringing up his half-century with a straight drive off Stuart van der Merwe.Van der Merwe was also slog-swept for six by the Foxes opener, but there was success for his fellow rookie Nirvan Ramesh when Stephen Eskinazi reverse-swept the off-spinner and deflected onto his stumps.Although Patel’s hopes of another century to back up his 114 against Kent last week were dashed shortly before lunch when he nicked Zaib behind, the champions chose to bat on into the afternoon session.Yet Cox’s lightning half-century ensured that the innings continued for only five more overs – enough time for Leicestershire to pile up another 53 runs and extend their advantage to exactly 500.Cox bludgeoned the vast majority of those, scooping Scrimshaw for six and then flicking Ben Whitehouse over square leg and out of the ground before a booming four over the bowler’s head signalled both his 50 and the declaration.Logan van Beek and Wright gave away very little at the start of Northamptonshire’s second innings, with the ball rolling across the boundary rope just once during the first 11 attritional overs.Wright, bringing down the curtain on a 22-year professional career, dismissed both openers as Arush Buchake was caught behind pushing at a ball that left him before Lewis McManus drove straight to gully.Having edged Wright to the third boundary to reach his career landmark, Keogh gained a life soon afterwards when he nudged Josh Hull through the slips for four more, but settled down as he and James Sales steered their side to tea.The partnership progressed to 67, but Keogh’s good fortune ran out soon after the restart as he aimed an ambitious drive at Trevaskis and this time Patel safely pouched the chance at slip.Sales departed in the left-armer’s next over, caught behind off a bottom edge and Trevaskis then trapped Justin Broad lbw in a prolonged spell – partly enforced by the darkening clouds which restricted Leicestershire to slower bowling.Patel came on to deliver a single over of leg-breaks before the deteriorating light brought an end to proceedings, with Leicestershire needing five more wickets to wrap up victory on the final day of the season.
He could have taken being sacked as ODI captain poorly but didn’t, and went on to make major contributions in Galle
Mohammad Isam21-Jun-2025Bangladesh walking off with big smiles on their faces at the end of the Galle Test said a lot about what they made of their draw against Sri Lanka. Coming on the back of exactly two wins in 11 international matches this year, this was worth the happiness.Bangladesh’s captain Najmul Hossain Shanto scoring twin centuries, both guiding the team from a tough spot to one of comfort, was their biggest gain. Shanto averaged 29.14 in Tests the year leading into this series and said he had made technical adjustments to overturn his lean patch.”I am very happy,” he said. “The preparation was good. I did some technical things in my batting before coming on this tour. I know the conditions and opponents’ threat as well. I had a plan. I still have one match left so I don’t want to reveal too much. I was clear what I wanted to do, so I am really happy. There will always be criticism and discussion but the main thing is how I can contribute to the team.Related
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“Whether my work ethic and intention is right or not, it is pleasing that I tried to contribute to the best of my ability. I look to improve myself every day, rather than focusing on what anyone is saying. It is more important whether I am enjoying my cricket, or whether I am able to contribute to the team. I have no expectations of what people are saying about me.”Was any of that meant for anyone in particular?Shanto was sacked as Bangladesh’s ODI captain mere hours before departing for Sri Lanka. He had led the side in just 13 matches. It seemed like he had expected to continue. Earlier this month, he had spent a press conference talking about the advantages of having a long-term captain for both Tests and ODIs.The BCB must have felt differently because, not long after that, they announced Mehidy Hasan Miraz as the new 50-over captain.Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim deflated Sri Lanka’s bowling in both innings•Associated PressThe board’s cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, reportedly, sacked Shanto after a Zoom meeting with the rest of the BCB directors. It is, however, unclear whether the decision was taken before or after that press conference. Regardless, the BCB should have handled the captaincy handover better.Shanto’s 273 runs is now the highest aggregate for a Bangladesh captain in a Test match. The key ingredients that made it all possible were his confidence in defending the ball and always being on the lookout for singles. Shanto also made sure he was hitting well straight down the ground before launching into his horizontal-bat shots. Even so, he got into a little trouble. He was dropped on 66 and 90 on the reverse and conventional sweep in Bangladesh’s second innings.The overall unstable climate in Bangladesh cricket makes the captain’s job harder. Changing board presidents means a change of the political dynamic. The Bangladesh team’s captaincy and its general affairs are deeply connected with the way the winds blow in the BCB offices and currently, there is little clarity about the direction they want to take the team in. The next board elections are coming up later this year, which means that there is no scope for long-term planning. A lot of decisions made now can change depending on who becomes the next BCB president.The situation has left key positions in the Bangladesh team with not enough job security, as Shanto found out last week. He hasn’t hit back at the BCB for their decision to remove him from the ODI captaincy. He hasn’t made any noise before the Galle Test, nor did he display any anger with his century celebrations. He just proved that he could focus on just the cricket in front of him, despite the storm brewing around him.
Reddy has been suspended from playing and has 14 days to respond to the charges against him
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2025USA cricketer Akhilesh Reddy has been charged by the ICC with three violations of the Anti-Corruption Code and is suspended from playing effective immediately.The charges stem from alleged misconduct during the ongoing Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, where Reddy is playing for Aspin Stallions and has featured in two matches so far.He has been booked under the following sections of the anti-corruption code:Article 2.1.1 – Attempting to fix, contrive, or improperly influence, or being party to an agreement or effort to improperly influence, the result, progress, conduct, or any other aspect of matches in the ADT10 2025.Article 2.1.4 – Soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, or intentionally facilitating (or attempting to do so) another Participant to breach Article 2.1.1 during one or more matches in the ADT10 2025.Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing the investigation by deleting data and messages from a mobile device that may have been relevant to the inquiry.Reddy, 25, had only made his international debut earlier this year, when he played four T20Is for USA in the North America T20 Cup. He has 14 days to respond to the charges.