Australia seamer pleased with how he bounced back after wayward start to first Test

Andrew McGlashan02-Dec-20250:54

Clarke: Australia going to a venue where they play well

Even when Mitchell Starc blew England away with seven wickets during the first innings in Perth it did not go unnoticed that, in an attack missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the visitors had taken Scott Boland for more than six an over.It came following pre-series debate about how they would look to take on Boland after largely dominating him in the two matches he played in the 2023 Ashes. However, the second day was a different story. Boland’s three-wicket burst after lunch – removing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in the space of 11 balls – turned the match on its head when England had been 105 runs ahead with nine wickets in hand.”It probably just proves to me that my good stuff, it doesn’t matter who it’s to, I think it feels like when I’m getting in the right areas it’s good enough to anyone,” Boland said ahead of the second Test at the Gabba. “I think that gives me a little bit of confidence that if I’m nailing my game… I’m good enough to compete with anyone.”Related

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Having overpitched too often in the first innings, Boland adjusted both his line and length in the second, hanging the ball wider, drawing Pope and Brook into drives away from their body. After the match, Andrew McDonald said the initial plans were partly to blame for the tactics Boland used with the new ball on the opening day.”I think Ronnie’s pretty nice to me there,” Boland said. “I just had one of those days where I just felt like I was over-pitching too much. Obviously, I wanted to start a little bit fuller than normal with the new ball, but I probably bowled seven or eight half-volleys and they all went for four. Some days half of them don’t and you think it’s [going] a little bit better.”I was pretty happy with how I bounced back in the second innings. I sort of went back to my natural length. Stuff that I know I’m really good at. I was obviously really disappointed with how I bowled in the first innings because generally I don’t bowl too many half-volleys.”On a pitch at the Gabba likely to have good pace and carry, if not perhaps to quite the level of Perth Stadium, Boland expects similar tactics to come into play. “I think we’ll get some good bounce here at the Gabba, which we usually do,” he said. “We went through what worked in Perth and what’s going to work here. It feels like a lot of the stuff is very similar.”Pope, who was tied down before losing patience and edging to Alex Carey, accepted there were things to learn but continued to see opportunity if Australia’s bowlers kept targeting a wider line.Scott Boland’s burst on day two in Perth helped swing the first Test•Getty Images”It’s trying to learn the lessons, and take some positives,” he said. “I think it is just about being really precise with how you go about it. They can hang it out wide but as soon as they do miss their lengths it is about trying to put them under pressure there as well.”I look back on that [second] innings and the dismissal, [and] it’s just being that bit more precise, going about it in the same way but having that little bit more [precision] in my game.”Boland, who averages 13.16 from four day-night Tests, also sees the short ball being a threat again with England unlikely to back down from a challenge despite the bigger boundaries on most Australian grounds. However, he did note that their lower order had briefly rallied in the second innings, with Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse added 50 in 36 balls, when the quicks banged in the ball in.”Definitely the ground size plays a big part in that,” Boland said. “Perth Stadium is really wide, really big pockets. And the ground is quite similar here. Same as the MCG and SCG. Adelaide’s probably the only one that’s a little bit different. I think that worked in our favour.”They [England] tried some bouncer plans which worked well at different times. I think sometimes when you do go to that bouncer plan, you can leak runs pretty quickly. I think we had them 6 for 80 [88] and then we sort of went into some full-on bouncer plans and leaked [runs] a little bit [but] we got some wickets. First innings, it worked really quick and then second things, they played a little bit better. So I think we’ll just be adjusting on the fly.”There has been intrigue this week around whether Cummins could make a late entrance for the Brisbane Test, as he ramps up his return to bowling, despite not being named in the squad although a return in Adelaide remains the likely outcome. “He looked in red-hot form the other night, as good as you’ll see [from] a fast bowler charging in in the nets,” Boland said.Meanwhile, Hazlewood is due to join the squad on Thursday to continue his return to bowling after being ruled out of the first two Tests with a hamstring injury. He is considered unlikely to be in contention until either Melbourne or Sydney.

With conditions in Guwahati nowhere near as bowler-friendly as Kolkata, India were skilful enough to keep South Africa in check on day one

Karthik Krishnaswamy22-Nov-20252:46

Did umpires stretch play despite fading light?

There are 20s, 30s and 40s, and there are 20s, 30s and 40s. On a pitch like in Kolkata last week, getting that far felt like a triumph. Not so on an entirely different surface in Guwahati, where South Africa’s batters kept getting out for similar scores.This was the classic first-day Indian pitch. A small window of help for the seamers at the start, and bits of encouragement for the spinners to keep coming back for another ball, another over, another spell. But the batters could trust their defence, and feel fairly secure if they had spent a bit of time at the crease.This was a pitch where converting starts felt like, A: a meaningful phrase, and B: a reasonable expectation. And yet, six South African batters fell for scores between 13 and 49.Related

• Kuldeep three-for gives India edge on flat pitch

• Stubbs has 'worked a lot' on his defence and it's showing

It’s natural temptation, while looking at such a scorecard and watching some of the dismissals — two batters caught at mid-off while looking to clear that fielder — to conclude that the batters threw away promising starts and only had themselves to blame.That scorecard and those dismissals, however, were also products of relentless excellence from an India attack of high quality and depth. For over after over, hour after hour, they gave South Africa only so much, and as avoidable as some of the dismissals looked, they didn’t come about from rash shots as much as errors committed by humans under pressure.This wasn’t the pressure of survival that batters faced in Kolkata. It wasn’t the pressure of slow, low pitches that cut off scoring options. It was the incremental pressure of spending time in the middle, surviving good bowling, getting through good spells, and even scoring runs, but somehow not feeling like you’re getting ahead in the game.India have done this many times to visiting teams over many years, but not so much in recent months. For at least a year now, India have not bowled in these sorts of conditions at home, against strong opposition.And finally, here it was, at 1-0 down in a two-Test series, with the toss lost and the opposition probably getting the best batting conditions of the match. This was India’s attack reminding viewers of its greatest strength: not just high levels of skill, but the ability to execute skills at a high level, with exacting control over long periods, as a collective.2:45

ten Doeschate: ‘These sorts of wickets suit us better’

On days like this, reward doesn’t always come in explicable ways. Jasprit Bumrah had bowled as good a new-ball spell as you can hope to see in these conditions, inducing nine false shots and conceding just seven runs in six overs, without reward and with one chance dropped in the slips. When he finally broke South Africa’s opening stand at 82, he did it with a ball that didn’t seem to do much at all; Aiden Markram seemed to play ever so slightly down the wrong line, and inside-edged his drive onto the stumps.For most of the second session, India bowled with a grim sense of purpose, looking to make the most of a little bit of help. The spinners extracted bounce from the red-soil surface, and the seamers were beginning to get a vague hint of reverse swing. But the bounce also encouraged the batters to use their feet and hit over the top, and the ball was coming on nicely enough for them to find the boundary by transferring their weight into checked drives and pushes and placing them into gaps.And yet, India went at under three an over through the session despite taking just one wicket, despite Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs going to lunch having put on 74.Hard Test cricket involving deep, skillful attacks can be like this. Batters can get in and build partnerships without moving the game through any great distance or at any great speed. This is the long game.And if you’re batting on 41 in these circumstances, and you see a ball that looks vaguely hittable, when mid-off is up saving the single, you can end up doing what Bavuma did in the third over after lunch, off Ravindra Jadeja. This was a bowler who had conceded just 21 in his first nine overs, and here was a ball that seemed to be right in the slot. Why wouldn’t you go after it?”I think we kept pressure on for long periods of time,” India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said after the day’s play. “And when scoring’s not that easy, when you can only really score off bad balls, it sort of adds pressure onto the batting units. And maybe that’s the reason for guys getting in and no one getting a big score yet.”The other reason was that India have at least two bowlers who don’t need a lot of help from the conditions to be a constant threat. Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets on a flat first-day surface•BCCIKuldeep’s dismissal of Stubbs was probably the highlight of the day, coming off a brilliantly conceived delivery, the first of a new spell. On Indian pitches with lower bounce, Kuldeep attacks the stumps relentlessly. On this surface, though, Kuldeep often hit the sticker of the bat when batters defended him off the front foot. This bounce broadened the possibilities of dismissal, bringing the right-hand batters’ outside edge into play.Stubbs tends to stride forward down the line of leg stump regardless of the line of the ball, with his front leg seldom going across to the off side. From this position, he relies on his reach, hands and head position to do a lot of work.So Kuldeep dangled the ball wide of off stump, well outside Stubbs’ eyeline, and drew his hands fatally towards the ball. It turned a little less than Stubbs probably expected, and KL Rahul caught it at slip. Stubbs was on 49; did the possibility of a pushed single to get to fifty play a role in the dismissal?”No, not at all,” Stubbs said. “To be honest, I’ve faced him quite a few times on his first ball [of a spell], and that was I think the best one he’s bowled. From my angle, it sort of beat me in the drift.”That’s why my hands got away … On a day-one wicket, that’s probably how he’s trying to get you out, but for him to bowl that first ball of his, coming back, I thought it was quite impressive.”A spinner needs to be able to beat batters in the air, as Kuldeep did with his drift away from Stubbs, to be able to threaten wickets constantly on normal day-one pitches. It helps if he can get the ball to turn sharply too, as Kuldeep did with the one that dismissed Ryan Rickelton at the start of the second session, inviting the drive, beating the batter with dip and turn, and finding the edge to the keeper.And Kuldeep has done these things many times when he has bowled on flat or flat-ish surfaces, whether it be his four-for on debut in Dharamsala in 2017, the first-day five-for against England at the same venue last year, or his eight-wicket match haul against West Indies on a slow, low Delhi pitch last month.Ravindra Jadeja drew a false shot from a vigilant Temba Bavuma•Associated Press”We know Kuldeep’s strike rate is phenomenal as it is,” ten Doeschate said. “He’s a wicket-taker and that’s why we’re picking him … But maybe the fact that he sort of gets overspin, and with the red soil and a little bit more pace in the wicket, maybe it was slightly more effective in the conditions today.”I think later on the fingerspinners are going to come into it. But certainly in terms of strategy and how we wanted to set up the first day, it’s a real bonus for him to pick up three wickets and get us a foothold in the game.”A foothold, but there is a long way to go, though India must count themselves in a good position with South Africa 247 for 6. Their anxiety about toss advantage, which has often led them to be suspicious of traditional home pitches, isn’t entirely unfounded; if this pitch begins breaking up early on day two, India will start their first innings in very different conditions.”I don’t think there was any evidence to suggest that it’s deteriorating quite yet,” ten Doeschate said, when asked how the pitch evolved through day one, and what they expect over the next couple of days. “I thought it played really nicely, particularly with the seam bowlers, it didn’t look like they could extract much from length or back of a length. So hopefully it stays in this sort of shape for at least an even amount of period for both teams to sort of cash in on the first-innings scores.”There’s some footmarks and some tiny ball marks, but nothing to suggest it’s dry or cracking at the top. So fingers crossed that it lasts and plays well for the next few days.”India’s efforts with the ball on day one could be making their team management wonder if these pitches may not, after all, suit them better than surfaces like Kolkata’s that weaponise the opposition’s bowlers too.”It’s a really tough one,” ten Doeschate said. “And my personal point of view is that the wicket very rarely determines who wins the game. If we’d played better in Kolkata, I feel we could have won the Test on that surface.”But having said that, you’ve got to introspect and look at recent results. I think these sort of wickets maybe suit us a little bit better. You’ve got to be prepared to fight really hard and this game is going to go deep. And the only thing I would say is maybe the toss becomes even more important in these conditions.”So if you are going to be prepared to lose the toss, you have to put on a display like that today and really fight for every run. Make sure you stay in the game. And at some point the pressure is going to come. It’s just going to come later in this game.”But that’s a very fair question. And yeah, the template for us is probably closer to this than, you know, playing on some of the wickets we have played on.”As big an achievement as it was, then, for India’s bowlers to keep South Africa to 247 for 6 on this pitch, it was perhaps an even bigger one to get a member of their coaching staff to make this statement.

While the draw for the 2026 World Cup took centre-stage on Friday, all eyes were back on club football over the weekend as title races across Europe took yet more twists. The gap at the top of the Premier League has been reduced, which is in contrast to La Liga, where Barcelona stretched their lead over Real Madrid.

Bayern Munich remain in control of the Bundesliga title race, but things remain too close to call in both Serie A and Ligue 1 as we approach the midpoint of the campaign. There were also telling results in both Portugal and Scotland over the past couple of days that could prove key to the destination of the title in their respective top-flights.

But who were the biggest winners and losers of the weekend? GOAL has picked out 10 from around the continent…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Unai Emery

We begin in the Premier League, where despite claims to the contrary, there may be a title race about to break out. Having drawn two of their previous four games, leaders Arsenal suffered just their second league defeat of the campaign on Saturday as they lost out to Aston Villa following Emiliano Buendia's dramatic, stoppage-time strike. The result allowed Manchester City to close to within two points of the Gunners, while Villa themselves are now three points off the summit following a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes.

Following a frustrating summer on the transfer front, there was a concern that Unai Emery's squad had gone a little stale. Villa failed to score in any of their opening four league matches of the campaign, and didn't record their first victory until September 28. That win over Fulham, however, began a run of nine victories in 10 games, with only a defeat at Anfield keeping Villa from a perfect record in that time.

Such a run is testament to the work Emery continues to do at Villa Park. The Spaniard memorably took Villa from the relegation zone to the quarter-finals of the Champions League during his first two years at the club, and if they can maintain their current form for a few months longer, then fans might even start dreaming of making a genuine title challenge. For now, he the ex-Arsenal boss will just be thrilled to have once again got one over his former club, with Emery's record with Villa and Villarreal against the Gunners since departing now read as: Played eight, won four and lost just two.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Mohamed Salah & Liverpool

Liverpool's season has hit various low points already due to their disastrous Premier League title defence, and though they didn't suffer defeat to Leeds United on Saturday, the fallout from the thrilling 3-3 draw at Elland Road has the potential to rock the Merseysiders to their core.

For the third-straight game, Mohamed Salah was named among the substitutes by Arne Slot, and for the second successive time away from home, the 'Egyptian King' wasn't even called upon to make an impact from the bench. Salah, who has been criticised of late for not stepping up and speaking out during Liverpool's poor run, chose this moment to speak to reporters, though his comments rather exacerbated the problem.

"I can’t believe it, I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season," Salah said. "Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.

"I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club."

Salah's comments have been perceived by many as him suggesting that, if things do not change drastically, perhaps with Slot being sacked, then he sees no future for himself at Anfield. With Saudi clubs swirling, Salah's Liverpool exit may well end up being swifter and more upsetting than anyone previously thought possible.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Harry Kane

Salah wasn't the only superstar named among the substitutes on Saturday, but that was where the similarities between his afternoon and that of Harry Kane ended. Kane found himself on the bench for Bayern Munich's trip to Stuttgart, but was introduced after an hour and made sure to make the most of his short time on the pitch, scoring his second hat-trick of the season.

"It's something I'm not used to, but I did it a couple of times this season. The boss (Vincent Kompany) wanted to keep me fresh and save energy," Kane explained following his side's 5-0 win that maintained their eight-point gap at the top of the Bundesliga table. “I came on after 60 minutes with a couple of other guys and we were able to exploit the space and get the goals. We had a tough battle in the cup midweek and today we faced one of the best teams in the league away, but we looked stronger in the last half an hour and punished them."

Kane is now up to 17 goals in 13 league games so far this season, and 28 in 22 across all competitions for a Bayern team who continue to show themselves to be one of the best teams anywhere in Europe, in large part thanks to their outrageously good No.9.

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Getty Images SportWINNER: Ferran Torres

Kane's future is a hot topic in Barcelona right now, with the England captain reportedly on the Blaugrana's radar as they consider how to replace Robert Lewandowski. Ferran Torres, however, is keen to show the Catalan giants that they have their future No.9 already having continued his good recent form with a first-half hat-trick to take down Real Betis on Saturday.

Ferran had secured the match ball by the 40th minute in Seville as his goals helped seal a 5-3 win on the road for Hansi Flick's side, and the Spain international is now Barca's top scorer in all competitions this season with 13 goals to his name, six of which have come in his last four games.

"He is a very intelligent player. He knows how to read spaces very well, and today he did it fantastically," Flick said of Ferran post-match. "His mentality and confidence are excellent. This is the path to follow. He deserves to be in the starting 11. He is always there when he’s needed."

The task for Ferran now is to go from being a player who is 'always there when he's needed' to first choice at Camp Nou, and he will only do that if he is able to maintain consistent form in front of goal. Saturday, then, was a step in the right direction.

Liverpool are reportedly considering leaving Mohamed Salah at home when they travel to Milan for their latest Champions League clash with Inter. Bosses at Anfield are said to be mulling over what to do with the Egyptian superstar following his explosive outburst in which he accused the club of throwing him “under the bus” and admitted to having no relationship with Reds manager Arne Slot.

• Bench duty: Salah named among the substitutes in three successive games

  The comments were made in the wake of a thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds that saw Salah named among the substitutes for a third successive game. He failed to make it off the bench at Elland Road, with Slot favouring alternative options.

  Salah cut a frustrated figure throughout a disappointing evening in West Yorkshire that saw Liverpool collapse in spectacular fashion – having led 2-0 and 3-2 – to drop more precious Premier League points. Their superstar forward aired his frustration afterwards.

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• AFP
  

  Thrown under the bus: What Salah said in stunning rant

  Salah said: “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I'm very, very disappointed to be fair. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I'm sitting on the bench and I don't know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That's how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am in the bench for three games so I can't say they keep the promise.

  “I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club. This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much. I will always do. I called my mum yesterday – you guys didn't know if I would start or not, but I knew.

  “Yesterday I said to them, come to the Brighton game [on 13 December]. I don't know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. In my head, I'm going to enjoy that game because I don't know what is going to happen now. I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to Africa Cup of Nations. I don't know what is going to happen when I am there.”

• Does Salah have a future at Liverpool? Transfer speculation

  The 33-year-old forward went on to say of his situation: “It is not acceptable for me. I don't know why this is happening to me. I don't get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player. How I see it now is like you throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now. But I don't think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.

  “After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club and you don't know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that's fine.”

  Quizzed on whether he has any future on Merseyside, having signed a two-year contract extension over the summer, Salah said: “I cannot say it is impossible, but from what I feel, I have done so much for the club, I love the fans and the club so much, but I don't know what is going to happen next.”

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• GOAL
  

  Left at home: Liverpool consider leaving Salah out of Inter clash

  The reports on how Liverpool are now “facing a decision” on Salah and their plans for a European trip to San Siro. The Reds are due to travel to Italy on Monday, with club chiefs “still deciding whether to punish” their superstar No.11. It is added by that Slot still has the club's backing despite this incident and another disappointing result against Leeds.

  The Reds are scheduled to train at 11.45am before flying to Milan. Slot and one first-team player are obliged to speak with the media at 6.30pm UK time. The stunning Salah situation will be addressed during that press conference.

  It may be that a man with 250 goals for Liverpool through 420 games is left behind and does not form part of Slot’s travelling party. He is yet to start a Champions League away game this season. Whoever Slot calls upon against Inter, he needs them to deliver as questions are being asked of his future – a matter of months out from landing the Premier League title – with just one win being secured through the Reds’ last six games in all competitions.

The Tigers are bringing back relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million contract, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Tuesday night. The contract can max out at $20 million ’s Robert Murray reported.

Detroit acquired Finnegan at the trade deadline this past summer, and proved his worth down the stretch. In 16 game appearances with the Tigers, Finnegan posted a 1.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts, nine hits and three earned runs over 18 innings pitched. He also had four saves and three holds.

He began the 2025 season with the Nationals, for whom he had played his entire MLB career before being traded to the Tigers ahead of the deadline. In 2024, which was his fifth season in Washington, Finnegan was named an All-Star. Finnegan posted a career-high 38 saves that season.

Since 2023, Finnegan has accumulated 90 saves, which is the fifth-most in MLB in that span. Last season, he had 20 saves in Washington before adding the four saves in Detroit, with Will Vest serving as the Tigers’ primary closer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a goleada para o rival na última rodada do Brasileirão, o elenco do Vasco aproveitou a Data Fifa para treinar visando o próximo confronto contra o Palmeiras. Apesar de ter desfalques, o técnico Álvaro Pacheco poderá contar pela primeira vez com Adson.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

O atacante não participou na última partida por um desconforto muscular, apesar de ter sido poupado, não houve lesão constatada. O jogador tem participado normalmente dos treinos com o elenco durante a semana e poder ser relacionado para enfrentar o Palmeiras no Allianz Parque.

Além de Adson, o técnico argentino também poderá contar com o Cria da base JP. O volante de 19 anos estava a serviço da Seleção Brasileira sub-20 desde a segunda-feira passada, na Granja Comary, e se reapresentou ao Vasco na manhã de domingo (9).

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A volta de JP acontece em momento oportuno. O Cruz-Maltino não poderá contar com Praxedes, que lesionou na partida contra o Flamengo e está sendo tratado pelo Departamento de Saúde e Performance (Desp). O Vasco ainda não divulgou previsão de retorno para o meio-campista.

O Vasco enfrenta o Palmeiras nesta quinta-feira (13), às 21h30 (Brasília), no Allianz Parque, em busca de retomar o caminho de vitórias e superar o momento crise no futebol que se instaurou após a goleada para o Flamengo. O clube carioca está na 14ª posição com seis pontos, enquanto o Verdão ocupa a 7ª posição com 11 pontos.

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AdsonBrasileirãoFutebol NacionalPalmeirasVasco

The Mariners made the first big splash of MLB free agency on Sunday night, agreeing to a long-term contract that will keep Josh Naylor in the organization for another five seasons.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan provided some further information on the agreement between Naylor and Seattle on Monday, indicating that the contract would be worth a total of $92.5 million. As such, Naylor will collect an annual average value of $18.5 million throughout the course of the deal. The contract does not include any deferred money. Additionally, Naylor’s deal to return the Mariners comes with a full no-trade clause.

The $18.5 million Naylor is due in 2026 would make him the third-highest earner on Seattle’s roster, behind only Luis Castillo ($24.15 million) and Julio Rodríguez ($20.19 million). His $92.5 million deal overtakes Ichiro Suzuki for the eighth richest contract in franchise history. Robinson Canó’s 10-year, $240 million contract still stands as the largest deal ever given to a Mariners player.

It’s a big commitment from the Mariners, but it shows just how highly regarded Naylor has become within the organization since arriving at the trade deadline in a deal with the Diamondbacks. Naylor quickly became a fan favorite in Seattle, and now he’s set to remain with the franchise through the 2030 season.

Last season, in 54 games with the Mariners, Naylor logged a .831 OPS with nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

يبدو أن هناك تحركات من قبل بعض الأندية المصرية لمحاولة خطف لاعب أو آخر ممن ينتهون عقودهم مع الزمالك بالمجان دون دخول في أي مفاوضات مع القلعة البيضاء.

وفي مقدمة هؤلاء يأتي أحمد حمدي لاعب الزمالك، الذي أصبح ملف رحيله مفتوحًا داخل الأبيض منذ فترة دون تقدم واضح في مفاوضات التجديد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب مجموعة الزمالك في كأس الرابطة بعد التعادل مع كهرباء الإسماعيلية وفوز زد على سموحة

وعلم بطولات أن البنك الأهلي دخل في مفاوضات خلال الأيام الماضية مع اللاعب، سعياً لضمه في بداية الموسم المقبل، مستغلًا اقتراب نهاية عقده مع القلعة البيضاء.

وينتهي عقد أحمد حمدي في يونيو القادم، دون وجود أي نية لدى الزمالك لتجديده، وهناك محاولات لبيعه في يناير المقبل قبل 6 أشهر للاستفادة بأي مقابل مادي.

ولم يمنح اللاعب إدارة البنك الأهلي أي رد نهائي بشأن العرض، في ظل دراسة خيار آخر للموسم المقبل.

وتشير المعلومات إلى وجود عرض آخر من بيراميدز، الذي يسعى لضم أحمد حمدي بالمجان فور فتح باب القيد الصيفي، وهو ما جذب اهتمام اللاعب بشكل أكبر.

وأوضح المصدر أن الاتجاه الأقرب داخل دائرة اللاعب هو الانتقال إلى بيراميدز، في ظل المقابل المالي الأفضل والظروف التي ستجعله ينافس بشكل أفضل على البطولة مقارنة بنادي البنك الأهلي.

Two wickets each for Hasaranga and Theekshana restricted Zimbabwe to 146, before SL blazed to the target

Madushka Balasuriya25-Nov-2025Pathum Nissanka found a timely return to form as he struck a devastating 98 off 58 deliveries to help Sri Lanka chase down a target of 147 against Zimbabwe in just 16.2 overs, with nine wickets to spare, in what was a must-win game in Rawalpindi. The result gives Sri Lanka their first win on the tour, and snaps a five-match losing streak in T20Is. It now means Sri Lanka go into their final game against Pakistan on Thursday knowing that a win will mean they qualify for the final of the tri-series.Before Nissanka’s blitz, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had done well to restrict Zimbabwe to a sub-par total of 146 for 5. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga ended with identical innings-best figures of 2 for 23, as Zimbabwe struggled to push their innings into high gear.There were starts for Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza, but both fell at inopportune moments, while a final flourish from Ryan Burl was still not enough to challenge a strong Sri Lanka batting performance. The rest of the Zimbabwe batting once more fell flat. There was also a debut for Pavan Rathnayake, though Nissanka ensured Rathnayake was not required to bat.Nissanka finds formAfter that monumental 107 against India in the Asia Cup, Nissanka’s next five white-ball scores read 29, 24, 24, 0 and 17. Not necessarily terrible form, but for a side that relies heavily on his power-hitting to set the tone, it’s no surprise that Nissanka’s dip in form has coincided with a lean period for Sri Lanka.But here, with Sri Lanka chasing a middling total and needing a win to stay in contention for the final, Nissanka finally got one to stick. Sri Lanka produced their best powerplay of the series – 64 for 1 – with Nissanka accounting for 37 of those runs. Through the middle overs, Sri Lanka struck a further 73 – and Nissanka 51 of those. And only three death-overs deliveries were needed to seal the chase – a wide, a four, and a mammoth six.File photo: Maheesh Theekshana got two wickets in the powerplay•Associated PressFull or short, it didn’t matter, Nissanka dealt with them all just the same. There were sweeps off seamers, flat-batted wallops over extra cover, slaps down the ground, and mega pulls right across the square boundary. Richard Ngarava was singled out in particular, with the tall left-arm seamer being taken for four fours and three sixes.Nissanka struck 11 fours and four sixes in total. Such was Nissanka’s control over proceedings that the final shot of the chase – a front-foot pull for six over backward square leg – had Nissanka looking up at the sky with a wry smile. No, not in celebration, rather disbelief that he had struck six when he intended to hit a four, as the latter would have allowed him to make a run at a second T20I century.Theekshana stakes his claimIn 11 T20Is in 2025, Theekshana has 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.78. It is his most expensive year so far – his overall economy rate stands at 6.97 – while also being his least impactful (in which he has played at least ten matches) since his debut in 2021. It has meant that despite picking up 24 wickets in 2024 at a strike rate of 18.7 – the figure stands at 23.1 for 2025 – Theekshana has found himself the odd man out on more than one occasion.So having been dropped for Sri Lanka’s second game in this tri-series, Theekshana was recalled for this match, and promptly handed the new ball. By the time his three-over powerplay spell had ended, two of Zimbabwe’s top three had been sent back – he beat both edges to rattle the stumps of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers – as his figures at that stage read 2 for 19. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, ended the powerplay on 44 for 2.Theekshana’s final over arrived at the start of the death-overs period, and in it he gave away just four runs. That was four quality overs in the game’s most difficult period for bowlers on a good batting track. In a year where he hasn’t been at the top of his game, Theekshana seemed to have provided a timely reminder of what he offers when he’s at his best.Sikandar Raza steadied Zimbabwe in the middle overs•PCBRaza, Bennett to the rescue againOf the 581 runs Zimbabwe have struck over the course of four games this series, 273 have come off the bats of Bennett and Raza – that roughly accounts for 46%. It is a worrying dependency as of late, but one that Zimbabwe will be grateful for at present.After Theekshana’s early strikes, it was Bennett who ensured the scoring rate remained above seven runs an over, particularly with Brendan Taylor struggling for fluency at the other end. It meant that despite Taylor’s 14 off 16 balls, their partnership of 36 still came off 28 deliveries.And once Taylor fell, it brought Raza to the crease, and together he added 36 off 30 balls with Bennett – they mixed the odd boundary with intelligent strike rotation. While they were together, Zimbabwe looked on track for at least 160 as the pair navigated the middle overs expertly.Burl’s late show spares blushesBurl has flattered to deceive throughout this series, but against Pakistan last time out, his 67 off 49 deliveries finally realised some of what he had been threatening. Unfortunately for Burl, that knock came in a doomed cause, whereas on Tuesday evening, he revived an innings that had been limping to a close.After Bennett and Raza had both fallen in the space of 13 deliveries courtesy Hasaranga’s double strike, Zimbabwe’s innings was in danger of unraveling. Of the four overs bowled at the death, two went for three and four runs, respectively. But Burl, who had been on 1 off 7 balls when Raza fell midway through the 15th over, ensured the innings retained some momentum by striking 36 runs off his next 19 deliveries.If Tashinga Musekiwa had been able to offer more support than his eventual 6 off 14 balls, Zimbabwe may have reached the 160 they had been eyeing – or perhaps more.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has addressed transfer speculation linking club legend Lionel Messi with a return to the Catalan club. The World Cup winner left the Catalan giants in acrimonious fashion back in 2021 as their financial woes meant he could not be offered a new contract, but the hope of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner returning to Camp Nou has not left Barca fans – despite Messi turning 38 this summer.

How Barcelona lost Messi in 2021

Messi established himself as an all-time great during a sparkling 17-year stint in Barca's senior setup, holding the club's records for most appearances and goals with 778 matches played and a ridiculous 672 strikes. He won every major honour there is to win with his former club, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, playing alongside other legends like Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar and Sergio Busquets, among others, as Barca enjoyed one of the most glistening periods in their history. 

The fairytale eventually came to an end in 2021 as financial mismanagement resulted in Messi's departure at the end of his contract. He signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer but had two difficult seasons in France before joining Major League soccer outfit Inter Miami, where he has resumed his incredible goal-scoring. Barca remain somewhat strapped for cash but appear to be in a better position than they were four years ago, but sporting director Deco didn't give much away when asked about a potential return to the club for the Argentinian.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDeco responds to potential Messi return

Speaking on , Deco said: "I don't think it's possible because Leo is under contract and it was never even considered. Leo is always Leo and he could still contribute something; he's a great player, but it's not something we're going to talk about," he firmly stated. 

"The current situation is entirely speculative,” Deco added. 

Why an imminent return seems unrealistic

Barca fans unsurprisingly fell head-over-heels back in love with Messi when he was pictured at the club's newly-refurbished Camp Nou stadium back in early November. The legendary attacker admitted he wants to return in some capacity in the future in order to say a proper goodbye to supporters, something he was denied four years ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

However, president Joan Laporta later revealed it was "not realistic" to consider a playing homecoming with Messi recently committing his future to Inter Miami for another three years. Their financial situation remains tight, having spent relatively little on transfers compared to some of Europe's other top teams over the past few seasons, and whether they would be able to afford Messi's wages remains to be seen.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Messi and Barcelona?

With many football supporters around the world hopeful of Messi returning to Camp Nou in the future, this is a story that is unlikely to fade away any time soon. However, the two parties have different goals to focus on in the immediate future. Messi will be hopeful of scooping more silverware on Saturday, with Inter Miami facing Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final. He could be joined by some former team-mates in the future, with Neymar linked with a switch to MLS after experiencing a difficult return to boyhood club Santos, while he could also feature in next year's World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico as Argentina look to defend the crown they won in Qatar in 2022.

Barca, meanwhile, have opened up a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, though Los Blancos have the chance to cut that advantage when they meet Athletic Club on Wednesday night.