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The Padres were down to their final outs in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Thursday in Game 3 of the wild-card series. San Diego trailed 3–1 while down to their final three outs of the game, and potentially their season.

Xander Bogaerts was at the plate with a full count, and he was rung up on a brutal called third strike from home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. The pitch from Brad Keller appeared to be below the strike zone, but Reyburn ruled it a strikeout, leaving Bogaerts bewildered.

Brown missed the corner with a 97-mph fastball, which Bogaerts rightfully opted against swinging at. Despite the good plate discipline, Bogaerts was sat down on strikes, which prompted Padres manager Mike Shildt to storm onto the field to express his dismay.

It's a critical miss from Reyburn. Keller missed the zone entirely yet was awarded an important out. He then proceeded to hit the next two batters, putting the tying run on base.

Given the situation, it's a mistake that simply can't be afforded from an umpire. When MLB introduces the ABS system, that would be a challengeable play by the batter. Instead, Bogaerts was left seething as he was robbed of a free pass to first base.

San Diego's comeback attempts were stalled, partly because of Reyburn's missed strikeout call, and they fell 3–1 to Chicago to bow out of the postseason.

Playing South Africa for the first time, and playing at the new Namibia Cricket Ground for the first time, the hosts won a last-ball thriller

Firdose Moonda11-Oct-2025Namibia made history in more ways than one in the one-off T20I as they inaugurated the new Namibia Cricket ground, played their neighbours South Africa for the first time in any international format, and then beat them in a thriller for good measure.The upset came against a patchwork South Africa side, with most of the first-choice T20I players currently in Pakistan, where they will play a Test starting tomorrow. But Namibia won’t care what kind of South Africa team they earned their first win against. They celebrated in front of a 4000-capacity crowd at the NCG (you read that right), complete with a lap of honour. South Africa are the fourth Full Member to be defeated by Namibia, after Zimbabwe, Ireland and Sri Lanka.On a slow surface and sluggish outfield, batting was tricky for both sides and Namibia had South Africa in trouble at 82 for 6 in the 13th over thanks largely to good catching. South Africa left it late to string partnerships together and their most profitable stand was 37 off 35 balls for the seventh wicket between Jason Smith and Bjorn Fortuin. Smith was the highest scorer with 31.Similarly, Namibia’s innings started badly and they were 84 for 5 in the 13th over. In what was close to an exact mirroring of South Africa’s batting, their seventh-wicket pair put on 37 but off just 21 balls. Zane Green’s unbeaten 30 off 23 balls on his birthday sealed the win.

De Kock’s short-lived comeback

The stage was set for one of the most highly anticipated returns in the global game when Donovan Ferreira won the toss and chose to bat with Quinton de Kock carded at No. 1. But his return was short lived. Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus opened the bowling and de Kock brought out the pull first up. He got a single to midwicket, then missed one that went down leg, and then tried to smash it over square leg but miscued to Ruben Trumpelmann, who took a simple catch to end de Kock’s stay at the crease in the opening over. De Kock also returned behind the stumps and took the only chance he had, but it was off a no-ball in the first over of the Namibian chase.Jason Smith top-scored for South Africa with 31•Cricket Namibia

Namibia hold on to everything… until they don’t

Trumpelmann’s catch didn’t require much more than being in the right place, but he created more difficult opportunities that his team-mates took. In his first over, Reeza Hendricks tried to hit him over deep square but Malan Kruger sprinted in from the rope to take a tumbling catch and remove Hendricks for 7. By his second over, Rubin Hermann, who looked in good touch for his 23, was rushed by extra bounce as he tried to hit Trumpelmann over deep midwicket. Ben Shikongo claimed a good low catch to give Trumpelmann a second.Debutant Max Heingo had Lhuan-dre Pretorius caught behind off the glove and Ferreira at midwicket before Shikongo was rewarded by smart bowling and smarter hands. He followed Andile Simelane as he backed away to clear mid-off and sent the ball high. Erasmus got the skates on again and took a stunning catch to his left to leave South Africa 82 for 6.Smith and Fortuin steadied things but with only one boundary in 30 balls between the 13th and 18th overs, had to try and force things. Smith tried to hit Heingo over long-on and should have been caught by Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton but he put it down. In the next over, Smith tried to clear him at long-off but again, didn’t have the distance, and JJ Smit took a simple catch.Later in the over, Fortuin offered Smit a similar chance but he shelled it. Namibia finished things off with another catch as Gerald Coetzee tried to go big but found Louren Steenkamp at deep third.

Coetzee’s nightmare over ends in injury

Coetzee was brought on first change and made an early impact. He started off too straight and was flicked for four but quickly adjusted his length to Lourens Steenkamp and even surprised him with a bouncer before bowling him. Namibia were 28 for 2 after three overs.But then things started to go wrong for Coetzee. He started his second over with a wide down leg, then got hit for four by Erasmus, and then bowled three more wides. He had his hands on his hips in frustration and the next ball whizzed past Erasmus but avoided the edge.Whatever extra effort Coetzee put into that ball seemed to do some damage and he left the field with three balls remaining in the over. Ferreira completed it and in the end it cost 12 runs. A CSA update said the injury was likely of the pectoral muscle.

A fitting finale

Namibia stayed in the hunt with contributions from Erasmus (a run-a-ball 21) and Kruger (18 off 21 balls) but South Africa’s attack didn’t let any of them get too far away to set up the perfect finish.Namibia needed 32 runs off the last three overs with four wickets in hand. They took nine runs off the 18th over, with Trumpelmann getting four off an inside edge, and 12 runs off the 19th, as Green started with a lofted cover drive and then ran hard with three twos in the over.That left 11 to get off the final over and Simelane was tasked with defending it. His first ball was short, Green got underneath it and sent it over fine leg for six and then took a single. Trumpelmann ran hard for two and then drew scores level. Green sent the last ball – a low full toss – over midwicket for four to complete the win.

Was this Trinity Rodman’s last match for the Spirit – and is Gotham’s quiet confidence about to reshape the league? Here’s what comes next for both finalists after a dramatic NWSL final.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Trinity Rodman’s mermaid hair drew attention, but the real statement on Saturday came from Gotham FC. The New York/New Jersey side quieted doubts with a disciplined, composed performance, capped by Rose Lavelle’s decisive 80th-minute finish. In a match defined by defensive control rather than flair, Gotham’s poise consistently stood out, even as the Spirit produced the flashier moments.

Their mix of belief and smart, efficient soccer ultimately carried them to the title. And, as with any championship, it leaves both teams facing significant questions about what comes next.

For the Spirit, will Rodman stay? Is there pressure on manager Adrián González after questionable late decisions with substitutions? From a squad standpoint, questions will remain on whether the team can keep its midfield together. 

For Gotham, this is a second title in three years, which naturally raises the question: how do they push for a third? The club navigated injuries and setbacks throughout the season, so the challenge now is whether two-time NWSL champion Juan Carlos Amorós can sustain this standard – and keep marquee talents like Jaedyn Shaw in the fold.

• Spirit fall short again in NWSL Championship

  For the second straight year, the Washington Spirit fell short in the NWSL Championship. Last season, Orlando beat them with two late strikes; this time, a single tense moment in a chippy, defensive match denied them another shot at the trophy.

  The Spirit entered the final with everything seemingly aligned: Rodman was off the injury list, Croix Bethune looked back to her dynamic self, and Tara McKeown – fresh off Defender of the Year honors – anchored the back line. But the team lacked its usual attacking spark, and a sloppy transition, compounded by a poor clearance, opened the door for Gotham’s 80th-minute breakthrough.

  "We had a hard time keeping it and being patient in the final third," Rodman said after the match. 

  The Spirit forward admitted she wasn't 100 percent in the Championship match. 

  "As much as I don't want to admit it, I still don't feel like I was my full self tonight, which sucks. I feel like this is the second year I've gone to a final, not feeling myself. So it just makes me sad. But yeah, for me, I was just trying to go out there and do what I could. I definitely underperformed."

  After conceding, Washington struggled to generate urgency. Even with late substitutions injecting some energy, Gotham managed the closing stages and saw out the win. Spirit coach Adrian Gonzalez acknowledged he could have handled Hal Hershfelt's late substitution better. 

  "Obviously took maybe more time than we were expecting, but a player like her, she always wants to play, and I can imagine that in a final you always want to play, and you don't want to get subbed," he explained after the match. 

  "But it is circumstances that we need to learn [from]. But obviously she wanted to be with the team and with that, obviously now we can say that maybe the sub was late but she was trying to push and that's the only reason."

  The loss stings even more for a Spirit side that believed this was their year after last season’s near miss. Fans also wondered whether this might be Rodman’s final appearance for the club amid reports of overseas interest. Rodman said afterward that nothing has been decided.

  "Like I've always said, we're sisters forever," she said. 

  The Spirit still boast a deep roster – Gift Monday, Hal Hershfelt, Aubrey Kingsbury, and others – so the question now is whether they reassess the group or continue building on the core they’ve established.

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  Will Rodman stay go or go?

  The question hanging over championship week was whether Trinity Rodman will leave the Spirit after this season. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman told reporters the league would “fight for her” to stay, while Rodman fielded speculation throughout the week with steady answers like, “I’ve made no decisions.”

  After the match – and the sting of another final loss – Rodman was asked whether the result might influence her choice. She didn’t hesitate: “Every team loses,” she said.

  Rodman has been linked with a potential move to Europe – a shift that could be hard for Washington to counter, especially with the WSL operating without a salary cap. There have also been reports connecting her to a possible move within D.C., with the USL’s D.C. Power seen as an alternative destination. The USL also doesn't have a salary cap. 

  It’s been a rollercoaster season for Rodman, marked by injuries and stops and starts, yet her impact when available has been unmistakable. Even her nine-minute cameo in the semifinal was enough to lift the Spirit’s energy and help push them through.

  Throughout the week – from the NWSL Awards to Media Day to training sessions – Rodman appeared focused and upbeat, fully present with her teammates. But with her contract expiring this offseason, key decisions await.

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  Gotham win second NWSL Championship in three years

  With everything on the line – and plenty of setbacks along the way – it would’ve been easy for Gotham to bow out early in the NWSL playoffs. Instead, there was a quiet assurance within the group that they had more to give. Emily Sonnett acknowledged the team knew it played under expectations during the regular season but rallied once they got into the postseason.

  "It wasn't a secret that we underperformed," Sonnett said in an interview with CBS's Good Morning America. "Making the playoffs was definitely that reset moment that this team needed."

  Gotham entered as the eighth seed, but carried an unspoken belief that they could surprise people. They went on to knock out two of the league’s best teams, the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride, earning a second NWSL Championship appearance in three years. Washington had the better regular-season record and were coming off a finals run of their own, but Gotham were peaking at the right moment. Their late-season addition of Jaedyn Shaw proved pivotal, while the return of Rose Lavelle – plus major contributions from rookies like Lilly Reale, Sarah Schupansky, and Sofia Cook – added balance and depth.

  Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós has now guided Gotham to two titles, a significant achievement and a reflection of the standard he has set. 

  “We worked so hard for this moment,” he said  “To become a champion is the moment the referee blows the whistle. Until that moment, you’re trying to be a champion – and then you’re a champion forever.”

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  'We have such a special group'

  Gotham's win can’t be discussed without looking at Lavelle’s overall impact. The U.S. international has been part of plenty of contenders, but an NWSL Championship had always eluded her – until Saturday night at PayPal Park. Her decisive goal sealed Gotham’s second title in three seasons and earned her MVP honors in the process.

  This year marked a long-awaited return for Lavelle, who spent more than a year recovering from ankle surgery. Once she was back, she quickly reestablished herself for both Gotham and the U.S. women’s national team.

  Her impact was immediate. Lavelle brought a creative spark and technical sharpness that both club and country had been missing – and on Saturday, that blend proved to be the difference.

  Lavelle joined Gotham in 2024 after leaving Seattle Reign, arriving alongside U.S. national team teammates Emily Sonnett, Crystal Dunn, and Tierna Davidson. She has settled quickly with the Bats and often highlights the collective effort behind their postseason run.
  "We have such a special group, and I'm so excited to be able to win this with them." She said. 

  With an established core, led by Lavalle, the future looks bright in the New York metro area for the NWSL side. 

  "The sky's the limit. We can do so much with this group. So, I think we really leaned on that during this playoff run, and it worked out," she told ESPN. 

His temperament is his greatest gift, and both Sam Konstas and his friends expect him to profit from it if he makes his Test debut come Boxing Day

Alex Malcolm23-Dec-2024Sam Konstas stood in front of a huge media throng on the outfield at the MCG on Monday and looked not a day older than the 19 years and 82 days that he is.It was his third visit to the MCG this summer, having been there for a Sheffield Shield game in late October, and an Australia A game in early November.There was arguably more media peppering him with questions on Monday than patrons in the crowd for those two MCG first-class games combined.Related

• MCG pitch to have 'pace, bounce and excitement', but what about runs?

• Konstas' MCG debut confirmed, Head faces a fitness test

• Konstas handed Test call-up as changes loom for Australia

• Will Konstas put an end to Australia's musical chairs at the top?

• McSweeney 'devastated' by Test omission

If he were to make his Test debut on Boxing Day against India, he would become the fourth-youngest Australian to do so behind Ian Craig, current captain Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett.And he would do so in front of 90,000 or more fans.You could have heard a pin drop in the MCC Members’ when he faced his first ball from Scott Boland in the Shield game back in October. On Boxing Day, if the crowd is anything like that India-Pakistan 2022 T20 World Cup game at the MCG, the first ball he could face from Jasprit Bumrah might sound like a sonic boom.”I think it’s just another day for me,” Konstas said while acknowledging his debut is yet to be confirmed. “Obviously, it’s a bit more special. Got my parents coming. Pretty simple, just back myself and see-ball-hit-ball really.”That clarity of mind is part of the reason he stands on the precipice of debuting for Australia at such a young age. The naivety and brashness of youth are seen as a strength, not a weakness.”The way he approaches the game, it does not bother him who he’s coming up against,” New South Wales and Australia team-mate Sean Abbott said of Konstas. “He’s pretty unfazed. And I’d imagine, should he get the opportunity, it’d be pretty similar. From what I’ve seen so far, I’d probably say it’s his most admirable attribute.”Sam Konstas is the third-youngest player in Sheffield Shield history to score twin hundreds in a match•AFPPart of it also comes from his relationship with former Australia allrounder Shane Watson. Konstas counts Watson as an idol and a mentor. The entire Watson family is set to fly down to Melbourne should he make his debut.Konstas is a disciple of Watson’s mental skills teachings. The former Australia allrounder has written a book called and has turned it into an online course to help young cricketers hone their mental skills. It is the story of his own mental journey from being paralysed by an intense focus on results during his Test career to discovering and implementing a simple process-driven mindset in his successful late-career renaissance in T20 franchise cricket. He has worked with New South Wales as a mental skills consultant, having already been a mentor to Konstas since he was 16.In that sense, Konstas might be the best mentally prepared 19-year-old to have ever been thrust into such a scenario given what he understands.Konstas was asked if he had been studying videos of Bumrah in preparation for a possible face-off. “Nah, not really,” he said. “I’ve watched him quite a bit, but [I am] just trying to be in the moment. Hopefully, I get the opportunity on Boxing Day.”How he got here is even more remarkable. As late as October 7, barely anyone in Australian cricket had given a thought to Konstas playing Test cricket this summer. By October 11, after becoming the third-youngest player in Sheffield Shield history to score twin hundreds in a match, he was being compared to Ricky Ponting and there were demands for him to be picked immediately.

“The way he approaches the game, it does not bother him who he’s coming up against. He’s pretty unfazed”Sean Abbott on Sam Konstas

Nine days later he was at the MCG under the microscope. Not one, but two Australian selectors – coach Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide – watched him face Boland and Victoria at the MCG after chairman of selectors George Bailey had been in Sydney for his twin centuries.He made 2 and 43, sawn off by a dubious lbw in the first innings and undone by some immaturity in the second. There were glimpses that he was a player for the future, but it looked like he wasn’t quite ready for the here and now.Scores of 0 and 16 against India A in Mackay served to further consolidate that view. On his return to the MCG on November 7, he did not open the batting in the second A game, a further sign he was not likely to be chosen for the first Test. But his second innings of 73 not out batting at No. 4 showed a different set of gears. He struck seven fours and a six and played some outrageous shots in a tricky, pressurized chase.Nathan McSweeney’s temperament, his consistency of method, and his early-season form saw him get the Test nod over Konstas. But ironically the consistency of method across a brutal series so far has now gone against McSweeney and for Konstas.McSweeney’s struggles have been clear. He is 4 for 15 from 66 balls against Bumrah in the series. He is not alone there, with Usman Khawaja (4 for 17 in 71 balls), Marnus Labuschange (2 for 6 in 72 balls), and Steven Smith (3 for 20 in 54 balls) also having problems against Bumrah.But McSweeney is 57 off 146 against the rest of India’s attack, striking at just 39.04. It is the lowest strike rate of all of Australia’s top nine against Indian bowlers not named Bumrah. McSweeney has paid a price for being too similar to Khawaja and Labuschagne in method, and they have survived because they are doing more damage at the other end.Sam Konstas scored 107 off 97 balls against the Indians late last month•AFP/Getty ImagesKonstas over the last month has proved he can be the “different look” that Bailey and the selectors want to throw at India. His 107 off 97 in Canberra against all of India’s bowlers bar Bumrah backed up his last innings in the A series. He added 88 off 146 against a good Western Australia attack that featured Australia ODI quick Lance Morris and A spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, with his first 55 coming off just 64 deliveries. He then smashed a 20-ball half-century on debut for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, albeit against an Adelaide Strikers attack that McSweeney himself made 78 not out off 49 on Sunday night.It is understood a decision had been made to add Konstas regardless of the BBL scores, as they are no indicator of anything in relation to facing Bumrah on Boxing Day.There’s no guarantee Konstas will play either, as a decision is still to be made. But even at his first Australia training session on Monday, he looked completely unfazed. He kept his net session short, not trying to impress or over-exert facing deliveries that he didn’t need to face. It was eye-opening compared to the hour-plus nets that Khawaja, Smith and Labuschagne had. He was one of the few Australian players to help his team-mates out by flinging balls to Labuschagne before leaving the optional net early, joking with a couple of team-mates on the way out with the air of a 30-year-old veteran.He was asked about being compared to his mentor Watson on social media. “I don’t look through too much on social media, but I’ll take it as a compliment,” Konstas said. “I like to take the game on and put pressure on the bowlers. I think he’s [Watson] a legend of the game, and hopefully I can do that this week if I debut.”

While they’ve made more than their fair share of transfer mistakes in recent years, Chelsea have built themselves one of the best squads in the Premier League.

However, when it comes to picking out the best and most important player in Enzo Maresca’s side, there can only be one answer: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman joined the club in the summer of 2023 and, despite battling with injuries of late, has amassed a staggering tally of 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 games.

So, Chelsea fans should be very excited about reports linking them with another international superstar who could be a Palmer-esque signing.

Chelsea chase Palmer-type signing

Palmer has only played four games for Chelsea this season, in which he’s scored two goals, and while the club have fared okay without him, it’s clear that they miss his game-changing ability.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, the often unplayable Englishman would surely have been able to find a winner in the game against Qarabağ, or grab another goal to ensure Sunderland never got their winner a couple of weeks ago.

It seems that the board might share the opinion that the side are lacking a bit of inventive cutting edge at the moment and, as a result, have turned their attention to one of the most exciting attackers in Europe.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are interested in Julian Alvarez.

In fact, the report goes further than that and reveals that the Blues have joined the bidding war for his services, competing against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to bring him to London.

However, it won’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, with the story claiming that the Blues will make a club record €150m offer to sign the Argentine, which is around £133m.

Even so, this is a transfer worth pursuing, as Alvarez is one of the most exciting attackers in Europe and could be a Palmer-type signing.

Why Alvarez would be a Palmer-type signing

Now, there is certainly the Manchester City connection, but the primary reason Alvarez could be Chelsea’s next Palmer-type signing is the simple fact that he’s talented enough to have a similar monumental impact.

For example, from an output perspective alone, the Argentine international is operating at a level so far above most strikers in European football – other than Erling Haaland, of course.

The Atlético Madrid “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Pablo Gonzalez, ended last year with an astounding tally of 29 goals and eight assists in 57 appearances, totalling 3967 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games, or every 107.21 minutes.

Then, as if to prove last year wasn’t a fluke, the former City gem has already amassed a tally of 13 goal involvements in 15 appearances, totalling 1216 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of one every 1.15 games or every 93.53 minutes, which lends plenty of credence to Pep Guardiola’s previous statement that he’s an “undroppable” force of nature.

In addition to his incredible output, the 25-year-old superstar has also got some unreal underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for passes into the penalty area, through balls, goal-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive carries, crosses and more, all per 90.

In other words, the Atleti ace is as effective at creating opportunities for his teammates as he is taking them himself – sound familiar?

Ultimately, even though it will require a club record fee, Chelsea should be doing everything they can to sign Alvarez, as he would have as significant an impact on the team as Palmer.

Forget Delap: Cobham star who "lives & breathes goals" is Chelsea's future #9

The incredible Cobham gem could be a star for Chelsea but a problem for Delap.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 13, 2025

Albania manager Sylvinho heaped praise on Thomas Tuchel's England as the Three Lions near a perfect World Cup qualifying record. Having already booked their berth in the flagship competition next year, the Three Lions are now aiming to maintain their 100 per cent win record in the qualifying rounds. England will meet Albania in their last group game on Sunday in Tirana.

• England's fiery form under Tuchel

  Tuchel's journey as England boss has been near perfect as the Three Lions have won eight out of the nine matches they have played thus far, since March 2025. This incredible run of form includes a seven-game winning streak in the World Cup qualifiers and they are now on the verge of ending their qualifying campaign with a 100 per cent win record. They have also scored 20 goals in seven qualifiers and have kept a clean sheet in each of those games. 

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  Tuchel's England praised by Albania boss

  Albania manager Sylvinho, who has featured for clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City during his playing days, was full of praise for Tuchel's team as he told reporters, "Unfortunately, I have to say they are stronger than six months ago. The numbers are amazing. It's disgusting! What can I say? But we are happy, we are going to face one of the best tomorrow and we are going to try to do our job. My players have confidence and love what they are doing on the pitch. We are going to prepare something, try to score and have a great match. I've heard in my life in 90 minutes of football, anything can happen."

  He added: "They are in a completely different level [to us]. Don't make any confusion about us. We are very happy with our team, so we are for the first time going to play the playoffs in March, but it is completely different. Tomorrow is a great game, it's a difficult game as well. Great coach, love him, the way that he plays and also he has some of the best players in the world."

• Kane hailed Tuchel as one of the best managers ever

  Speaking about the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager, England captain Harry Kane earlier said: "He's done a really good job. Coming in to being England manager is never easy, especially after Gareth who was one of our most successful managers. He's [Tuchel] tried to stamp his own feel into training, into meetings. He comes with a lot of enthusiasm. Tactically, we are really precise going into every game. 

  He's been building different ideas leading up to next summer. From now until then, there will be more he would like to add. Tactically, he has been fantastic. He brings a personality, he brings an aura that represents an England manager. Going into a major tournament that is important as well. Other teams know he is one of the best managers in the world and that brings weight as well."

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  Tuchel wants a strong bench in England squad

  Speaking on the importance of having a strong bench in the England squad, the German coach said: "We need a good bench, we play in 40 degrees and we will play after a long, long season, we are maybe the nation that suffers the most from international football, from long seasons, from two cups, from cup finals, from semi-finals. 100 per cent we need to be ready to do substitutions until hopefully the late stages of the World Cup. Once we go to a tournament, I think clarity in the role is very important. The better player can also think about it and be honest: 'Can I accept this, is it good for me, can I make the most of this for the team?'"

Somerset claim three bowling bonus points by ripping through visitors in between showers

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025The weather came to Yorkshire’s aid as their rain-ruined Rothesay County Championship Division One game with Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, ended in an inevitable draw.Starting the final day on 17 for no wicket in their first innings in reply to Somerset’s 441 for 6 declared, the visitors crashed to 57 for 6 in the morning session, Josh Davey and Lewis Gregory claiming two wickets each.With three runs added, the second of several showers forced an early lunch at 12.20pm and play did not restart until 3pm with 33 overs lost. Jordan Thompson then struck a belligerent 57, while Adam Lyth made 30 as Yorkshire battled to 134 for 9 by the time the players shook hands at 4.20pm.Rain having affected all four days, a draw had long looked the only likely outcome. Somerset took 14 points from the game to Yorkshire’s nine.The visitors had added 15 runs to their overnight total when Somerset made the first breakthrough in the fourth over of the day, Finlay Bean, on 10, edging a forward defensive shot off Gregory through to wicketkeeper James Rew. The next delivery saw Mayank Agarwal register a golden duck on his Yorkshire debut, the experienced India Test player getting a thicker edge to be comfortably caught at third slip by Tom Abell.Davey quickly followed up by clipping the off stump of James Wharton as he offered no shot and it was 41 for 4 when Jonny Bairstow, who had required treatment for an arm injury, fell for only 2, pouched by Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip off the same bowler.Matthew Revis departed for 9 to a back-foot swish at a wide delivery from Ben Green, which gave Rew a second catch. A short shower then sent the players from the field, with an initial four overs lost, and on the resumption Jack Leach pinned George Hill lbw in the left-arm spinner’s first over.Lyth had watched the carnage from the other end, enjoying moments of fortune himself on what was proving a tricky last-day pitch. On 16, the opener edged Kasey Aldridge fractionally short of Abell in the slips and when Leach appealed for a slip catch it was a bump ball.It was 60 for 6 when the rain returned, necessitating an early lunch. Hopes of a prompt resumption after the interval were dashed my more showers and it wasn’t until 3pm, with a further 29 overs lost, that play restarted.Without a run added, Dom Bess’s hopes of a meaningful score on his former home ground ended in the second over when he edged a third catch to Rew off Green. But 60 for 7 was as good as it got for Somerset as Thompson came out with immediate attacking intent. Two sixes over long-on off Archie Vaughan, the off-spinner having been surprisingly put on to replace Leach at the River End, began the counter-attack and eight fours flowed from the Thompson bat as the left-hander raced to a 42-ball half-century.Lyth was content to offer solid support in an eighth-wicket stand of 68, ended when Thompson fell lbw to Davey with the score on 128. It only remained to see if Somerset could glean a third bowling point and they didn’t have to wait long as Leach had Lyth caught at short leg by Abell.

Manchester United have made a "concrete" approach for Elliot Anderson, who is being valued at an eye-watering amount by current club Nottingham Forest. Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim remains keen on signing a new central midfielder in 2026 as he continues to try and build a squad capable of challenging for the biggest honours again, and Anderson is reportedly near the top of his wishlist.

• New midfielder remains Amorim's priority

  United spent over £200m in the last transfer window to rebuild their squad after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign, which saw the Red Devils fail to win a trophy and finish 15th in the Premier League. They brought in big names like Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, with the overhaul primarily aimed at bolstering the team's attack. 

  Amorim also wanted to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba towards the end of the window, but a move did not materialise. The Portuguese coach remains determined to bolster his options in the middle of the park in the January transfer window and has prepared a six-man midfield shortlist for the position.

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  United make 'concrete' Anderson approach

  According to , United have "registered concrete interest" in Forest talisman Anderson. Forest have been informed about the Red Devils' interest, and will demand between £100–120 million ($131.5 – $158m) for the England international. 

  reported last month that Amorim is in search of a player who fits into his template for a dynamic midfielder, and Anderson perfectly ticks that box. However, it remains to be seen if United will match Forest's massive valuation or try to significantly bring down the asking price.

• How is it going for Anderson at Forest?

  Anderson has retained his place in the Forest starting lineup despite the club changing three managers this season. He has started in every Premier League game for his club and has contributed with a goal and an assist. Anderson's immediate target is to nail down a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad as he is desperate to play at the World Cup next year.

  After making his England debut in the September international break in a 2-0 win against Andorra, the 23-year-old had said: "I think it’s only one game really. I’m focusing on the next game and then the game after that, to try and make an impact. But obviously, all eyes on the World Cup. It couldn’t have gone much better apart from if I’d have scored. I should have scored, it is what it is… next time."

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  United keeping an eye on Baleba and Wharton

  While Anderson remains a key target for the Red Devils, the club are also keeping an eye on Baleba and Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton.

  Wharton recently reacted to the United transfer link, dismissively rebuffing the rumour. The Englishman told : "I don't really look into it or think too much about it. There are always rumours floating about on social media. Is it true? Is it not? You tell me. My friends, my family, my brothers, everyone will message me and be like, 'Is it true this club's interested?' I'm like, 'Thanks for telling me because I didn't know.' I don't know who's spreading it or who at United is looking at it. I see it and I'm like, 'OK', and then I carry on with my day. United, the big teams, they're all linked to 10, 20 different players. If I'm one of 20, then it's nothing special, so it doesn't really mean too much. I speak with my agent about planning ahead and possibilities. But at the end of the day, it is who's interested and who's willing to try and get you and if that becomes the case? You can speak about it, but you've got to represent that on the pitch and prove that you deserve it."

Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to play his first professional game since his elbow injury during IPL 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2025Prithvi Shaw has been picked in Maharashtra’s 17-member squad for the All India Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai from August 18 to September 9. This will be Shaw’s first tournament for Maharashtra, after his move from Mumbai in July.Shaw joined Maharashtra after requesting a no-objection certificate from Mumbai, who had dropped him dropped from their Ranji Trophy squad in 2024-25 due to poor fitness and lack of discipline.The Maharashtra squad, captained by Ankit Bawne, also includes Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is set to play his first professional game since his elbow injury during IPL 2025. Gaikwad had played for India A during an intra-squad warm-up match ahead of India’s Test series in England.Related

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However, Gaikwad and wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale will likely leave after Maharashtra’s first game to link up with the West Zone squad in Bengaluru for the Duleep Trophy. A direct entry into the semi-finals means West Zone’s first game will begin on September 4.

Ayush Mhatre named Mumbai captain

Ayush Mhatre, who captained India Under-19 during their recent tour of England, will lead Mumbai in the Buchi Babu Tournament. Mhatre, 18, had a memorable IPL 2025 with Chennai Super Kings after being called up as Gaikwad’s injury replacement. He was also the leading run-scorer (340 in four innings) in the U-19 Tests in England.Mumbai’s squad includes Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer, who had suffered “a fracture in the neck region” in a road accident in September last year and missed the domestic season. His lone appearance since his recovery was for Punjab Kings, in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Maharashtra Squad: Ankit Bawane (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Siddhesh Veer, Sachin Dhas, Arshin Kulkarni, Harshal Kate, Siddharth Mhatre, Saurabh Nawale (wk), Mandar Bhandari (wk), Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Pradeep Dadhe, Vicky Ostwal, Hitesh Walunj, Prashant Solanki, Rajvardhan Hangargekar.Mumbai squad: Ayush Mhatre (capt), Musheer Khan, Divyansh Saxena, Sarfaraz Khan, Suved Parkar (vc), Pragnesh Kanpillewar, Harsh Aghav, Sairaj Patil, Aakash Parkar, Aakash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Shreyas Gurav, Yash Dicholkar, Himanshu Singh, Royston Dias, Sylvester DâEUR(tm)Souza, Irfan Umair

Three of the four semi-finalists have overcome personal and structural hardships to beat the best in the world at this T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda19-Oct-20242:54

Carson leads the way, West Indies’ injuries costly

The Sharjah outfield received a hard smack from Zaida James’ bat as she walked off, with West Indies 11 runs away from the T20 World Cup final. James, 11 days away from turning 20, contributed 14 runs off eight balls batting at No. 9 and had believed she could “bring it home”. Ashmini Munisar, just a year older than James, came in next and gave James a reassuring pat on the helmet as they swapped places. Munisar would do her job and get off strike but had to watch from the other end as the match was lost.That West Indies’ last hopes lay with two of the youngest players in their squad spoke volumes about what they lacked in this tournament, and also about what they may have to look forward to. There is talent, but it must be nurtured and more of it must be found in a region where resources remain scarce. All of this makes West Indies’ final-four finish that much more remarkable.”Honestly speaking, we probably just don’t have it like a lot of the rest of the teams,” Hayley Matthews, the captain, had said after West Indies knocked England out of the tournament on Tuesday. “Back home in the Caribbean, sometimes we don’t have facilities and a lot of our girls come from very humble beginnings. To be given this opportunity to come out, represent your nation, and make a living out of it, for every single person it changes their lives.”Related

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While West Indies have central contracts for the women’s team, the regional system is only on the cusp of professionalising. Creating a year-round high-performance system remains a challenge. Ahead of international assignments, players get taken to centralised camps, which Matthews says are “really difficult on the girls because they are not able to stay in their homes with their friends and their families”. She would like to see them “be able to just get proper cricket training whilst they’re home”, because “we’ve got enough good coaches around the Caribbean that something can be done or put in place for everyone to be able to stay in their own territories and be put in a proper system where they can continue to improve there”.Legspinner Afy Fletcher, who is currently the joint-second-highest wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup, is one example. She is the only player in the West Indies team from Grenada, an island whose players compete alongside four others as Windward Islands. When she is not on regional or national duty, she practices with her partner, a former club cricketer, because it is her only option.”Fletch just goes to the nets with someone she knows, maybe her partner, and he throws balls at her a lot of the time. So it’s amazing for her to be able to come out here and perform the way she does,” Matthews said. “For all of our players to come out and perform the way they do – that’s why I feel as though you can never really be too hard on them because I think a lot of the time with what we’re given and what they’re given we’re still exceeding expectations every single time.”While Matthews has experience in the WBBL, the Hundred and the WPL, where she plays alongside other internationals, most players in her West Indies team have to “learn on the international scene and that can be so difficult”. She would love a system as advanced and professional as Australia’s, for example, which is designed “to create players who are ready to step onto the big stage”.Hayley Matthews tries to hide her emotions after the loss•ICC/Getty Images”I’m watching the T20 Spring Challenge right now in Australia and I’m seeing 13- and 15-year-old girls doing some insane things,” Matthews said. “I would absolutely love it if we had a system like that in place where our girls could come out from the regional system and be at a certain level.”The challenges for West Indies lies in creating this from the geographic spread of the islands to their economies but they will receive a big boost from this T20 World Cup. As losing semi-finalists, West Indies will take home US$ 675,000, some of which may be invested back into the women’s game. That thought won’t dry Matthews’ tears on a night when she thought her team had a World Cup final in the bag, but as someone who, in the words of the team coach Shane Deitz, is “really driving” the legacy-building aspect of the women’s game, it may provide some comfort in the days and weeks to come.Then, perhaps, Matthews and West Indies will be able to look back and appreciate the significance of what they achieved by getting to the semi-finals at a World Cup where better-resourced teams like England and India did not. New Zealand, who advanced to their first final in 14 years, already know that especially after they identified a lack of depth as their primary concern despite a developed domestic system.

“For all of our players to come out and perform the way they do, that’s why I feel as though you can never really be too hard on them because I think a lot of the time with what we’re given and what they’re given we’re still exceeding expectations every single time.”Hayley Matthews

In March, their captain Sophie Devine told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast that “there’s not much depth coming through” in a country with a small population. After getting to the semi-final by beating Pakistan in the UAE, she repeated and expanded on that: “We’re not India, we don’t have a billion people to sort of pick from.”But they do have some, and Devine recognised that as a start. “Look at who’s on the bench. Molly Penfold’s been outstanding the last 12 months, she’s come on in leaps and bounds and you’ve still got players like Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe and Leigh Kasperek – it’s those small, wee things where it’s going to take time to build depth, especially in a country as small as New Zealand. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to be a continual work on for us.”New Zealand do not suffer from poor finances like West Indies and were the first country to introduce equal match fees, but have to deal with several other competing sports that attract some of their best athletes. Netball is their most popular women’s sport, followed by rugby union. But cricket is gaining ground.That is reasonably similar to the situation that their opponents in the final, South Africa face. Netball is also the most popular female sport in participation numbers in South Africa but cricket is growing. South Africa are the third country out of the four that advanced out of the group stage, whose players have battled personal and structural hardships to beat the best in the world.Ayabonga Khaka is an integral part of the SA women’s team•Getty ImagesAlmost every one of them has a story but Ayabonga Khaka, who was born in the small town of Middledrift in the Eastern Cape two years before democracy came to the country in 1994, is a standout example. Khaka was born into “impoverished circumstances”, as Eddie Khoza, CSA’s pathways manager, told ESPNcricinfo. She went on to become one of the first women at a boys’ academy when she joined the University of Fort Hare’s facility under the tutorship of former international Mfuneko Ngam. She has a degree in human movement science, she invests in farming in her community, and Khoza calls her “a living example and an icon who has achieved things on and off the field and could inspire the next generation of cricketers”.In Khaka, South Africa have a player whose quiet consistency and confidence has proved how much is possible. She has played in two ODI World Cups – both times reaching the semi-final – and four T20 World Cups and has lived and breathed the gains and misses of each of them. Her message to “people from the parts that I come from” is: “anything you want, you can do it”.That sums up what this World Cup has said for the progression of women’s cricket. Two of the Big Three – England and India – did not reach the semi-final, and Australia’s grip on the trophy was released. Three of the four semi-finalists come from places where their players put their passion ahead of the struggle, even when it seems that the odds are stacked against them. They know that desire alone doesn’t win a World Cup. It’s a combination of planning, luck and the muscle memory of dealing with pressure and if nothing else, they now know a bit about that. As James said, “I take this as a learning experience”, which may mean next time will be better.