'Assess, decide and deliver' – West Indies embrace the unknown in Dhaka

Coach Sammy doesn’t want to “let the pitch play on our minds” while his Bangladesh counterpart felt it looked like a “normal Mirpur wicket”

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2025

Daren Sammy wants West Indies to assess the conditions before deciding on their batting approach•Getty Images

Going by the reactions of both Phil Simmons and Darren Sammy, how exactly will the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium play?The Bangladesh and West Indies coaches wore curious smiles when they were asked about the pitch ahead of the first ODI. West Indies coach Sammy said he had “never seen anything like it before,” while his Bangladesh counterpart called it a “normal Mirpur wicket.”A sneak peek of the pitch, captured by one journalist, revealed a black surface – typical for this venue. Sammy said the West Indies players would have to assess the conditions before deciding on how they are going to approach batting here.Related

Bangladesh, West Indies prepare to do battle with puzzles to solve

“I’m not sure if we can replicate it; we’ve never seen anything like that before,” Sammy said. “I don’t know how to describe it. However, we will not let the pitch play on our minds. Wherever we go, the mantra remains the same: you still have to assess the conditions that you are faced with. And then once you’ve assessed it, you’ve got to decide what skill set is required to be successful, and then you back yourself in your delivery. And that’s where you add something to your game: ADD (Assess, Decide, Deliver).”Simmons suggested the pitch would bring some turn into the contest. “It looks like a normal Mirpur wicket,” he said. “So, it usually has some sort of turn in it, which is good.”Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons felt the lack of form of the top order had forced Mehidy Hasan Miraz to curb his attacking style•Randy Brooks

West Indies have brought a group of young batters into the ODI setup for this tour of Bangladesh. Only captain Shai Hope and Roston Chase have played in these conditions previously. Hope said he was sharing his knowledge with the rest of the group.”I am trying to share as much experience as I can,” Hope said. “When you play in foreign conditions, it’s very important as an experienced player or as a senior player in the team to share all the knowledge that you possibly can. In this situation, we all have a desire to do well for the West Indies, and it’s very important as a cricketer, especially as a batter, to come into these conditions and perform well.”So all the little learning that I would have gained from my previous trip – it’s about having those conversations with the remaining batters and trying to get the best out of each and every one of us.”At least West Indies have played in India recently. The home side, on the other hand, have a lot to worry about, especially with their batting line-up. There are only one or two automatic picks, as the likes of Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Jaker Ali have all struggled for form recently. The promising opener Tanzid Hasan even lost his place in the ODI side during the series against Afghanistan last week.Because of the lack of form of the top order, Bangladesh coach Simmons felt captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz has had to curb his strokeplay to ensure wickets are conserved. “Because of the start we’ve had, that’s the way he’s had to play – especially the one with him and Towhid Hridoy in that partnership [in the first ODI against Afghanistan].” he said. “He had to build it back. And that’s been the pace that we have to look at. In that situation, he had to play like that, but I’m sure in a different situation, he will play accordingly.”

Labuschagne dropped from Australia ODI squad, Renshaw earns call-up

Mitchell Starc has been included for the ODIs against India but Glenn Maxwell remains sidelined from the T20Is with his wrist injury

Andrew McGlashan07-Oct-20254:12

Was replacing Rohit as captain the right call?

Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from Australia’s ODI squad to face India with his Queensland team-mate Matt Renshaw in line for a debut in the format.Labuschagne’s omission is not a huge surprise as he has a top score of 47 in his last ten ODI innings. He may not have featured against South Africa in August had Matt Short, who is included in this squad, not been ruled out with a side strain. A benefit of his omission is that he can continue to push for a Test recall in the Sheffield Shield, having started the season with 160 against Tasmania.Renshaw’s call-up comes off the back of an impressive run in List A cricket, which included a century for Australia A against Sri Lanka in Darwin during the winter. While he is currently opening in red-ball cricket – and could be an outside contender for the Ashes – he has flourished largely as a No. 3 and No. 4 in the 50-over game. Since November 2021, he has averaged 48.68 with six of his seven career centuries, and has also developed into a very effective middle-order T20 batter.He was previously included in an ODI squad to face Pakistan in 2022 but didn’t get a game.ESPNcricinfo LtdMitchell Starc, who hasn’t played ODIs since last November, has also been included in what is a full-strength squad from the players available. Alex Carey will miss the opening game of the series in Perth so he can play the second round of Sheffield Shield for South Australia, having missed the first match after his call-up to the T20I squad in New Zealand.Fellow wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has recovered from the calf strain that kept him out of that series and is part of both the ODIs and T20Is. The initial squad for the T20Is is only for the first two games of the series with some management of multi-format players likely to happen for the final three games for those involved in the Ashes.Glenn Maxwell remains unavailable for the T20Is due to the broken wrist he suffered ahead of the New Zealand series.Cameron Green has been included for the ODIs but won’t feature in the T20Is as he prepares to face England, and will likely play more Shield games for Western Australia.Matt Renshaw has impressed in white-ball cricket over the last few seasons•Getty Images”We have named a squad for the ODI series and first two games of the T20 series as there will be some management through the back end of the series as individuals prepare for the summer through Sheffield Shield cricket,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “The majority of the T20 squad will remain together as it’s an important period in the build towards the World Cup next year, however we are trying to strike a balance to ensure we simultaneously prepare certain individuals for the Test series ahead.”Allrounder Cooper Connolly, who took 5 for 22 against South Africa in Mackay, retained his place in the ODI squad. He has enjoyed a productive tour of India with Australia A, making two half-centuries in the three-match one-day series.Mitchell Owen also has a chance to make an ODI debut having been ruled out of the South Africa series after a concussion.Mitchell Starc will play his first ODIs in nearly a year•Getty ImagesNathan Ellis returned to the T20I squad after missing the New Zealand tour for the birth of his first child. There is no room for Sean Abbott in the ODI group but he has kept his T20 spot.The ODIs against India will take place in Perth (October 19), Adelaide (October 23) and Sydney (October 25). The first two T20Is are in Canberra (October 29) and Melbourne (October 31) before the final three matches in early November.Australia ODI squad vs IndiaMitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Owen, Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam ZampaAustralia T20I squad vs India (first two matches) Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Liverpool launch approach to sign "perfect" right-back target ahead of Arsenal

Liverpool have now launched their first approach to sign a much-needed right-back target, who could arrive at Anfield or in North London as a free agent.

Arne Slot admits shock at "ridiculous" Liverpool form

It has been a disastrous run for Liverpool, with their 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest proving to be their most shocking result yet. After eight defeats in 11 games, the champions are on course for one of the worst title defences in Premier League history, despite spending over £400m in the summer.

With PSV Eindhoven up next, Arne Slot has admitted just how shocked he’s been by his side’s form and went onto describe it as “ridiculous” in his pre-match press conference.

The Champions League has often been a saving grace for Liverpool this season. Their victory over Real Madrid last time out proved to be somewhat of a false dawn before their Premier League return, but the Reds now have the chance to pick up where they left off in Europe, at the very least.

They will, however, be without an out-and-out right-back yet again following Conor Bradley’s injury to join Jeremie Frimpong on the sidelines. It is a problem that Liverpool must solve and one that could yet see Zeki Celik arrive.

Liverpool launch approach to sign Zeki Celik

According to TeamTalk’s Rudi Galetti, Liverpool have launched an approach to sign Celik in a transfer battle with Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, all of whom have made contact.

The right-back is on course to become a free agent when his contract expires next summer and could yet provide a solution for Slot by finally replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 28-year-old, at the peak of his powers, recently earned the praise of Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella, who told reporters: “He’s the perfect player for any coach.

“Celik is professional, reliable, does his job wherever you play him. In a locker room it is always needed to have guys like him.”

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Liverpool need to make changes in the transfer market once again.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

The AS Roma man is also capable of playing centre-back in what would kill two birds with one stone for Slot, who currently has just three senior centre-backs to choose from which includes the injury-prone Joe Gomez.

Instead of Gakpo: Liverpool can unlock Isak by unleashing homegrown Semenyo

Akeal Hosein's Dhaka adventure: 4am arrival followed by Super Over heroics

It has been a very eventful last 36 hours for the West Indies left-arm spinner

Mohammad Isam21-Oct-2025Akeal Hosein reached his hotel room in Dhaka at 4:00am on Tuesday. The West Indies selectors summoned him for the second ODI, following two injuries in the squad. Hosein joined the team in the bus to the Shere Bangla National Stadium around noon. By the end of the night, he was bowling the Super Over for West Indies, defending ten runs.Hosein had an unfavourable match-up with the left-handed Soumya Sarkar taking strike. He started off with a wide and then a no-ball. Bangladesh got four runs without facing a legal ball. Hosein somehow managed to salvage the over from there, avoiding getting hit for a boundary, even though he did concede one more wide with four needed off the last ball. So he had to go again and this time he kept his lines and gave up just one run.”I don’t think I have anything left in me again, buddy,” Hosein said after bringing West Indies back from the brink to level the series 1-1. “Got to the hotel at 4:00am. But it’s part of the job, and once you commit to something and once you give your word, you better be ready to turn up and give 100%. No excuses, and I almost messed it up, but thankfully, you know, I took the team home in the end.”Hosein is a world-class limited-overs performer but this was his first ODI in two years. Granted he was playing on an absolute, raging turner in Dhaka, he was still under pressure bowling the Super Over.Related

  • Rage against the pitch – it's Bangladesh vs West Indies vs the surface in series decider

  • Shamar Joseph out of Bangladesh ODIs with 'discomfort in shoulder'

  • Hope conquers Dhaka as West Indies prevail in Super Over

Hosein managed to get the ball to turn into the left-hander’s body when Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto were on strike. Against Saif Hassan, he bowled over the wicket, not allowing the right-hander to free his arms.”It’s a tricky pitch,” he said. “It’s not one that is turning at a fair pace. The ball is jumping a bit, so for me, to the left-hander, it was definitely to make him hit square. He’s [Sarkar] quite a powerful guy, so I think that if he has arms, he can hit through the line easily.”So, for me, it was just trying to spin the ball from as close as possible on a good length and force him to hit square, because that square boundary was quite big.”Hosein had faced a similar situation, in the Hundred last year. He didn’t have to bowl the Super Over back then, but did bowl the final set that pushed the game into overtime.”I have been in a situation like this,” Hosein said. “It was an Eliminator in the Hundred. And it started off quite similar. I bowled a no-ball. In the Hundred, a no-ball is two [runs]. And I had to defend nine [10] or something like that. And one ball [the no-ball] went for six, and then they needed two [three] off four [five] balls or something.”I remember Chris Jordan coming up to me, and he said, ‘don’t worry, you got this.’ and I said to myself, ‘if he can believe that I have this, with two [three] runs to go, Liam Livingstone, world-class hitter on strike, with four [five] balls to go, if Chris Jordan can believe, why can’t I believe?'”Hosein said that he was surprised not to see Rishad Hossain come out to bat in the Super Over on Tuesday. West Indies believed the lower-order batter who had confidently struck an unbeaten 39 off 14 balls earlier in the game, was the obvious choice for Bangladesh.”Yes, I was a bit surprised. I mean, the guy that seemed to do the most destruction in the match, 39 off about 14 deliveries not out, and he’s not in your Super Over, hitting to the short side where he struck two sixes.”We all were a bit surprised that he didn’t come out at all, and you know, it worked in our favor. He was one of the few guys who sort of packed that power and he had that reach because he’s quite a tall guy.”Sarkar, who was one of Bangladesh’s batters in the Super Over, said that the captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and coach Phil Simmons picked the batters for the Super Over.”The coach and captain took the decision,” Sarkar said. “We actually didn’t know Akeal Hosein would bowl. If two left-handers had gone in, and then an off-spinner came on, we would be in trouble. That’s why there was a lefty and a righty. You’ll see the same with their team; they also batted with a lefty [Sherfane Rutherford] and a righty [Shai Hope].”Hosein also shared the funny story about the unusually black coloured surface used for the first Bangladesh-West Indies ODI on Saturday.”I turned my TV on. The first thing that I did was check my TV, because I thought there was something wrong with it. I thought the color had gone or something like that. The pitch was black, and I was like, ‘surely something is wrong with my television'”, he said.

Jamie O'Hara loses it with Xavi Simons after what Tottenham star did in Fulham defeat

Tottenham’s miserable form under Thomas Frank continues following a lacklustre 2-1 loss at home to Fulham on Saturday night, with the home side subjected to a chorus of boos at the full-time whistle.

Tottenham 1-2 Fulham as tepid Spurs form piles pressure on Frank

The visitors delivered a devastating early double blow to extend the North London club’s torrid run and raise fresh questions about Frank’s ability to arrest their alarming slide.

Fulham raced into a commanding two-goal advantage within the opening six minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, capitalizing ruthlessly on defensive frailties that continue plaguing Spurs despite their manager’s persistent tactical tinkering.

Kenny Tete opened the scoring after just four minutes when his speculative effort took a wicked deflection off Destiny Udogie’s leg, completely wrong-footing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and nestling into the bottom corner. The Italian stopper, helpless against the deflection, barely had time to recover before Fulham doubled their advantage.

Harry Wilson compounded Tottenham’s defensive nightmare just two minutes later, capitalizing on catastrophic goalkeeping from Vicari

The Welshman caught Vicario in no man’s land with a long-range chip from distance, and given there were no defenders there to clear it off the line, the ball floated into a completely empty net.

Tottenham dominated possession throughout the opening period but created virtually nothing of substance, managing just two shots and accounting for a paltry 0.01 expected goals during the first half.

Frank introduced attacking reinforcements during the second half, withdrawing Joao Palhinha, Richarlison and Archie Gray for Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Rodrigo Bentancur around the hour mark.

The changes provided brief encouragement when Mohammed Kudus lashed home a powerful half-volley in the 59th minute — his first at home in a Spurs shirt — which reduced the deficit and offered fleeting hope of a comeback.

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Emilio Galantini

Nov 28, 2025

However, Fulham expertly managed the remaining half-hour, introducing Sasa Lukic and Emile Smith Rowe to shore up midfield and nullify Tottenham’s increasingly desperate attacking thrusts.

Despite introducing forwards Mathys Tel and additional creative players, Spurs lacked the quality and conviction required to salvage anything from another disappointing home performance.

The defeat represents Tottenham’s fourth loss in their last six matches across all competitions, following humiliating setbacks against Arsenal (4-1) and PSG (5-3) in the last week.

The pressure is now seriously on Frank, who is attracting real scrutiny as critics question whether he is really the right man for the Spurs job.

Jamie O'Hara loses it with Xavi Simons in Tottenham defeat to Fulham

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, pundit Jamie O’Hara picked out substitute Simons for criticism alongside Frank, despite the fact he only had half an hour to make an impact.

The former Spurs midfielder was livid with Simons following repeated failed flick attempts when the north Londoners were chasing the game at 2-1, with O’Hara expressing his outrage at the wasteful attacking play.

After his disasterclass in goal, keeper Vicario was also booed by supporters nearly every time he touched the ball, with the tension among fans now reaching breaking point as Spurs continue to underperform.

Simons, who could end up costing the club £125 million over a potential seven-year contract when you factor in wages, agent’s fees and add-ons, needs to find his feet in England soon or risk being seen as a major flop.

The Dutchman has scarcely been given a chance by Frank lately, but the fact he’s only been given a few minutes here and there should send a pretty clear message.

Simons was often bullied off the ball against Fulham and failed to make the desired impact, even despite all of his efforts to get into dangerous positions.

For Spurs, the home curse continues, and no other ever-present Premier League side boasts a worse record on their own turf than Tottenham in 2025.

Man City player ratings vs Leeds: Phil Foden raises the roof! England star comes up clutch to spare calamitous Josko Gvardiol & Matheus Nunes as anonymous Erling Haaland hardly has a sniff

Phil Foden spared Manchester City's blushes as he struck late to snatch a 3-2 win after his side had chucked away a two-goal advantage at half-time. Foden scored in the very first and last minutes of the game, rescuing all three points for Pep Guardiola's side which could prove vital at the end of the season. Josko Gvardiol bundled in a second goal in a dominant first half from the hosts.

But everything changed after the break as relegation-threatened Leeds put up a fight for their under-pressure boss Daniel Farke. They produced a spirited comeback and even believed in victory themselves but Foden diminished that, deciding the game with a brilliant finish from outside the area in the first of the 10 minutes of additional time. 

The England forward scored the fastest Premier League goal of the season to give City the lead after 59 seconds, firing in first time after a cross from Matheus Nunes. The midfielder was denied a second goal by a brave block from James Justin, who threw himself in front of the ball from close range, and then by a super save from Lucas Perri. 

Leeds could only resist the City dominance for so long, though, and the second eventually arrived from a corner, Gvardiol sliding in to stab home following Nico O'Reilly's knockdown, helped by some abject goalkeeping from Perri.

City had the bit between their teeth and pushed for a third before half-time but to no avail, with Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders having shots blocked and Perri repelling a strike from Nico Gonzalez, while O'Reilly headed wide.

Leeds came out for the second half with a double substitution and a totally different mindset and they immediately pegged City back. They fired out a warning minutes after the restart when Donnarumma patted a free-kick away only for it to land at the feet of Ethan Ampadu, with Reijnders making the block. One minute later Dominic Calvert-Lewin halved the deficit, losing the ball on the turn then snaffling it back off Nunes to strike. City's nerves began to set in and Leeds then won a penalty when Gvardiol rushed into a tackle on Calvert-Lewin and sent him flying.

Donnarumma guessed right to parry Nmecha's penalty but the rebound fell straight back to the German forward for him to tap in the leveller. The Etihad fell silent but when Foden buried the ball in the bottom corner after dribbling across the outside of the box, the stadium erupted and secured a valuable three points for Guardiola and his troops.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

After a placid first half he didn't transmit much confidence under pressure. Flapped at a free-kick, did the hard part saving the penalty but sent the ball to the worst place possible.

Matheus Nunes (4/10):

His bright forward play which led to the lightning-quick opening goal was cancelled out by his clumsy defending gifting Calvert-Lewin the goal that made Leeds believe. His botched clearance gave Leeds possession again and then after tackling Calvert-Lewin he surrendered the ball to him.

Ruben Dias (5/10):

Had a flawless first-half display but couldn't show the necessary leadership when Leeds grew in confidence.

Josko Gvardiol (4/10):

Like Nunes, his poor defending undid his good work in doubling the lead. Couldn't communicate with Nunes for the first goal and then produced an awful tackle for the penalty.

Nico O'Reilly (6/10):

A strong physical display, showing his hunger by attacking Perri from the corner and setting up Gvardiol. 

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Bernardo Silva (5/10):

Didn't really put his usual stamp on the game.

Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

Dominated the first half, barely giving Leeds any glimpses behind him. Struggled to adapt to the visitors' changes.

Tijjani Reijnders (6/10):

Contributed his share in defence and attack although was the first to come off when Guardiola wanted a reaction.

Getty Images SportAttack

Phil Foden (9/10):

Dangerous and decisive from start to finish. Could have had a hat-trick in the first half and when everyone else had lost belief he grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck and won it.

Erling Haaland (5/10):

Failed to score for the third game in a row, barely getting a chance in front of goal. He obediently did his defensive work, though, and was a useful presence nullifying Leeds' ariel threat.

Jeremy Doku (5/10):

Couldn't do his useful damage and struggled to prise Leeds' defence open down his left flank.

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Rayan Cherki (6/10):

Gave City a bit more guile going forward and gave the ball to Foden for the crucial strike.

Omar Marmoush (N/A):

Saw a header saved by Perri one minute after coming on.

John Stones (N/A):

Brought on in the 95th minute to run the clock down.

Pep Guardiola (6/10):

A very strange game for the coach to digest, pure dominance followed by a loss of composure and belief. To his credit, his changes helped swing the game back in City's favour, even though he owes Foden a massive pat on the back for digging him out of the hole.

Does Pat Cummins have the best Test bowling figures of any captain?

And how many visiting players have played their one and only Test at Lord’s?

Steven Lynch17-Jun-2025Both No. 1 openers in the WTC final were out for ducks. How often has this happened? asked Kirsty Grosvenor from Australia

You’re right that Usman Khawaja, No. 1 on the Australian scorecard, was out for 0 (from 20 balls) on the first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s last week, and he was followed later in the day by South Africa’s Aiden Markram (six balls; he did rather better in the second innings).This was only the tenth time in all Tests that the batters at the top of the order for both teams were out for 0 in the first innings of the same match (only considering the man who faced the first ball). There was no such double in the first 100 years of Test cricket: the first instance was in the match between Australia and India in Melbourne in 1977, when the rival No. 1s, Sunil Gavaskar and John Dyson, both fell for 0 in the first innings.The most recent occurrence before last week was in Hobart in the final Ashes Test in 2022, when David Warner and Rory Burns both collected ducks at the top of the order. Here’s the full list, of No. 1s being out for 0 in the first innings of a match.Does Pat Cummins now have the best bowling figures by an Australian captain (or any captain!) in a Test? asked Dane Kristoffer from Australia

Pat Cummins took 6 for 28 in South Africa’s first innings in the World Test Championship final. They were the best figures by a captain in the 147 Tests at Lord’s, beating Bob Willis’ 6 for 101 for England against India in June 1982.Cummins’ figures are the fourth-best by an Australia captain in a Test, behind the 7 for 44 of Ian Johnson against West Indies in Georgetown in 1955, Allan Border’s unlikely 7 for 46 vs West Indies in Sydney in 1989, and Monty Noble’s 7 for 100 against England in Sydney in 1904.The best bowling figures by any captain in a Test match are 9 for 83, by Kapil Dev for India against West Indies in Ahmedabad in 1983. Here’s the full list of best bowling performances by Test captains.Apparently Australia had played South Africa at Lord’s in a Test before – when was this? asked Stephen Bashenga from South Africa

Last week’s World Test Championship final was indeed the second time Australia and South Africa had met in an official Test at Lord’s. The first one was in 1912, during an ambitious Triangular Test tournament that was rather spoiled by the weather. In the match between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s – the fifth of the tournament’s nine games – Charlie Kelleway and Warren Bardsley made centuries and the Australians won by ten wickets.Fionn Hand’s only Test to date came at Lord’s two years ago•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia also played a Test against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, as security concerns at the time precluded playing in Pakistan. Steven Smith made his debut in that one, which means he’s played Tests at Lord’s against three different opponents, a record for an overseas player. He’s also the leading Test run-scorer among visitors to Lord’s.How many people have played their one and only Test at Lord’s? I mean visiting players – I imagine there have been lots of Englishmen… asked Matthew Rowell from South Africa

If you’re only going to play one Test match, it would be special to do it at Lord’s… and, rather to my surprise, there are currently only three overseas players who fit the bill. The first two did it for India: Lall Singh, the Malaysia-born batter (and superb fielder) who played in their inaugural Test, in 1932, and opening batter Ghulam Parkar, who made two single-figure scores in a defeat in 1982. The third man might yet play again: Fionn Hand won his only Test cap for Ireland so far at Lord’s in 2023.A total of 14 England players have won their only Test cap at Lord’s, the most recent being legspinner Matt Parkinson, who stepped in as a concussion substitute against New Zealand in 2022. For the record, the others are Stanley Christopherson (1884), Walter Mead (1899), John King (1909), Alf Dipper, Jack Durston and John Evans (all in 1921), Harry Smith (1928), Johnny Arnold (1931), Jim Parks senior (1937), Frank Smailes (1946), George Pope (1947), Alec Coxon (1948) and Simon Brown (1996).In last week’s question about players who had appeared in every edition of the IPL, did you miss out Ravi Jadeja? asked Brij Mohan Mahagaonkar from India

You worried me there – I knew that Ravindra Jadeja featured in the inaugural IPL, in 2008 – but actually he missed the third one, in 2010, after running into contractual problems. He therefore just failed to emulate MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey and Rohit Sharma in playing in them all so far.Jadeja is one of five players who have appeared in 17 of the 18 editions of the IPL. Three of the others featured in every season until the most recent one: Shikhar Dhawan, wicketkeeper-turned-commentator Dinesh Karthik, and another keeper, Wriddhiman Saha. The other man is Ajinkya Rahane, who did not play in 2010. R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra and Jaydev Unadkat have all appeared in 16 IPLs.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

Pesquisa revela as maiores torcidas no interior do Paraná; Corinthians domina

MatériaMais Notícias

O instituto Paraná Pesquisas, a pedido do portal UmDois Esportes, apontou quais são as maiores torcidas do interior do Paraná. O resultado foi divulgado na terça-feira (9).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalPesquisa revela as maiores torcidas de Curitiba; Corinthians é ‘intruso’ no top-3Futebol Nacional09/12/2025Onde AssistirJogos de hoje: quem joga no futebol e onde assistir ao vivo – quarta (10/12/2025)Onde Assistir10/12/2025

➡️Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

No levantamento, foram ouvidos homens e mulheres, a partir de 16 anos, em seis cidades interiorana e duas da Região Metropolitana de Curitiba (RMC). Quem participou poderia votar em apenas um time.

Os dados foram recolhidos entre setembro de 2024 e novembro de 2025. A margem de erro é de 1,1 a 3,7 pontos percentuais e o nível de confiança é de 95%.

continua após a publicidadeCorinthians lidera nas principais cidades no Paraná

Além de ser top-3 em Curitiba, o Coringão lidera em seis cidades do interior: Londrina, Maringá, Ponta Grossa, Cascavel, Foz do Iguaçu e Guarapuava (Centro-Sul). O clube alvinegro ainda se destaca em Colombo e São José dos Pinhais, ambas da Região Metropolitana de Curitiba (PR).

Vale lembrar que, em 2009, o time J. Malucelli mudou de nome para Corinthians Paranaense na tentativa de explorar a torcida alvinegra na capital e no Paraná. A parceria, contudo, não vingou e durou até 2012.

continua após a publicidade

Atrás do Corinthians, Flamengo e Palmeiras se alternam entre as segundas e terceiras colocações, com o São Paulo na cola. Santos, Grêmio, Internacional e Vasco também são lembrados. Maiores torcidas da capital, Athletico e Coritiba têm pouca representividade nas cidades interiorianas, enquanto o Paraná Clube nem aparece no top-10.

➡️ Quais são os clubes mais odiados do Brasil? Veja lista

Veja as maiores torcidas de Londrina1.Corinthians: 21,8%2.Palmeiras: 12,2%3.São Paulo: 8,4%4.Londrina: 7,8%5.Flamengo: 7%6.Santos: 6,2%7.Grêmio: 0,50%8.Athletico: 0,40%9.Internacional: 0,3%

Não torce: 32,1%

Não sabe: 2,3%

Outros times: 1%

Entrevistados: 5.801

Veja as maiores torcidas de Maringá1.Corinthians: 18,9%2.Palmeiras: 12,7%3.São Paulo: 10,6%4.Flamengo: 7,4%5.Santos: 7%6.Maringá: 4,2%7.Athletico: 0,80%8.Coritiba, Grêmio e Vasco: 0,70%

Não torce: 33,3%

Não sabe: 2,6%

Outros times: 2,2%

Entrevistados: 2.935

Veja as maiores torcidas de Cascavel1.Corinthians: 15,3%2.Palmeiras: 9,5%3.Flamengo e Grêmio: 9,1%4.Internacional: 6%5.São Paulo: 5,7%6.Santos: 5,1%7.FC Cascavel: 3%8.Athletico: 2,9%9.Coritiba: 2,2%

Não torce: 28,7%

Não sabe: 1,4%

Outros times: 2,1%

Entrevistados: 2.367

Veja as maiores torcidas de Foz do Iguaçu1.Corinthians: 14,3%2.Flamengo: 13,1%3.Grêmio: 8,1%4.Palmeiras: 7,4%5.São Paulo: 7%6.Internacional: 5,3%7.Santos: 4%8.Foz do Iguaçu: 1,6%9.Athletico: 1,3%10.Vasco: 0,9%11.Coritiba: 0,8%

Não torce: 32,6%

Não sabe: 2,2%

Outros times: 2%

Entrevistados: 1.997

Veja as maiores torcidas de Guarapuava1.Corinthians: 17,1%2.Flamengo: 13%3.Palmeiras: 9,8%4.São Paulo: 6,9%5.Santos: 5,2%6.Athletico: 3,9%7.Grêmio: 2,7%8.Coritiba: 2,2%9.Internacional: 1,9%10.Vasco: 1,3%

Não torce: 32,1%

Não sabe: 2%

Outros times: 1,8%

Entrevistados: 2.148

Veja as maiores torcidas de Ponta Grossa1.Corinthians: 17,1%2.Flamengo: 10,6%3.Operário: 9,9%4.Palmeiras: 7,2%5.São Paulo: 5,1%6.Santos: 2,9%7.Athletico: 2,3%8.Coritiba e Grêmio: 1,5%9.Vasco: 0,9%10.Internacional: 0,5%

Não torce: 37,2%

Não sabe: 1,8%

Outros times: 1,4%

Entrevistados: 1.963

Veja as maiores torcidas de Curitiba1.Athletico: 24,2%2.Coritiba: 19%3.Corinthians: 7,1%4.Paraná: 4,9%5.Flamengo e Palmeiras: 3,2%6.São Paulo: 2,5%7.Santos: 1,8%8.Grêmio: 1,7%9.Internacional: 0,9%

Não torce: 28,1%

Não sabe: 1,8%

Outros times: 1,6%

Entrevistados: 8.392

➡️ Pesquisa divulga ranking atualizado das maiores torcidas do Brasil; confira

Veja as maiores torcidas de São José dos Pinhais (RMC)1.Athletico: 19,3%2.Coritiba: 11,9%3.Corinthians: 9,3%4.Flamengo : 4,1%5.São Paulo: 3,1%6.Paraná: 2,9%7.Palmeiras: 2,7%8.Grêmio: 1,7%9.Santos: 1,3%10.Internacional: 1,1%11.Fluminense: 0,7%

Não torce: 38,5%

Não sabe: 1,9%

Outros times: 1,5%

Entrevistados: 750

Veja as maiores torcidas de Colombo (RMC)1.Athletico: 21,9%2.Coritiba: 14,7%3.Corinthians: 9,8%4.Flamengo : 4,1%5.Palmeiras: 3,4%6.Paraná: 2,4%7.São Paulo: 2,3%8.Santos: 1,7%9.Grêmio: 1,1%10.Internacional: 0,5%

Não torce: 35,1%

Não sabe: 1,4%

Outros times: 1,5%

Entrevistados: 1.554

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ميدو يثير قلق جماهير الزمالك بشأن أرض أكتوبر بعد تصريحات وزير الإسكان

أبدى أحمد حسام ميدو لاعب الزمالك الأسبق، تخوفه من تصريحات شريف الشربيني وزير الإسكان بشأن مصير أرض فرع نادي الزمالك بـ مدينة 6 أكتوبر.

وكان نادي الزمالك قد أعلن في وقتٍ سابق، أنه تم سحب أرض النادي في مدينة السادس من أكتوبر، بقرار من وزارة الإسكان.

وزير الإسكان يكشف موعد حل أزمة أرض الزمالك.. وحقيقة عروض المستثمرين

وقال أحمد حسام ميدو في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة النهار: “تصريحات وزير الإسكان أمس تُلمّح بشكل واضح إلى ضياع أرض نادي الزمالك، ولو مجلس الإدارة جلس على الطاولة ووافق على سحب الأرض مقابل أرض بديلة، يبقى فرّط في حق الزمالك”.

وتابع: “لا يوجد زملكاوي واحد يمكن أن يقبل بهذا، وفي هذه المرحلة الحساسة يجب أن يكون للجمعية العمومية دور كبير، وأطالب بأن تكون جمعية الغد جمعية تاريخية، وأن يقول الأعضاء كلمتهم”.

وأردف: “أتمنى أن تتحول الجمعية العمومية إلى مظاهرة حب ودعم للزمالك وليس للإدارة، لأن النادي يمرّ بمأساة غير مسبوقة عبر تاريخه”.

طالع.. خاص | “قرض حسن” يحل مشاكل الزمالك مع اللاعبين الأجانب مؤقتًا

وواصل: “الشواهد تقول إن أرض الزمالك بأكتوبر في طريقها للسحب، واللغز بالنسبة لي هو لماذا تحرّكت اللجان الآن بعد أن تم البناء في الفرع”.

وزاد: “استمعت لتصريحات وزير الشباب والرياضة ووزير الإسكان ولم أخرج بأي استنتاج واضح، وأريد أن أرى الدعم الحقيقي، ولا توجد كرة في مصر عندما لا يكون الزمالك واقفًا على قدميه”.

World Series Position-by-Position Breakdown: Do Dodgers or Blue Jays Have the Edge?

The 2025 World Series is set, as the defending champion Dodgers will face off with the Blue Jays in the Fall Classic.

Toronto finished the season as the top seed in the American League, but was taken to the brink of elimination in the ALCS by the Mariners. Down 3–2 in the series, the Blue Jays used home-field advantage to take the final two games and earn a trip to their first World Series since 1993.

On paper, the Dodgers are an overwhelming favorite. They are the defending champions and have four former MVPs, four legitimate aces and a $350 million payroll. But they don’t play the game on paper. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the two teams in the series. It’s worth noting the Blue Jays have rotated their lineups based on matchups and we’re not yet sure of how Bo Bichette will fit in, so this is our projection of how manager John Schneider will fill out the lineup card.

Catcher: Will Smith (Dodgers) vs. Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays)

This one will surprise people, but the game isn’t just played with the bat. Kirk is a phenomenal defensive catcher, and that ultimately gives him the advantage here. The veteran backstop had nine defensive runs saved in 2025, while his 22 fielding run value (FRV) ranked second in baseball. Smith’s FRV was -6. Smith is better on offense, but Kirk is no slouch in that regard.

2025 Stats

Slash Line

Home Runs

RBIs

wRC+

fWAR

Kirk

.282/.348/.421

15

61

116

4.7

Smith

.296/.404/.497

17

76

153

4.1

In the playoffs, Kirk has produced a .752 OPS and blasted three home runs, while Smith is at .661 with no dingers. This is close and could easily be a push, but Kirk’s superior defense and current form give him the edge.

Advantage: Blue Jays

First base: Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) vs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)

Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was named the ALCS MVP. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Freddie Freeman is a nine-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champion, the reigning World Series MVP, has an NL MVP trophy in his case and is having a great 2025 campaign. If this were solely about the regular season, Freeman might have the edge.

2025 Stats

Slash Line

Home Runs

RBIs

wRC+

fWAR

Guerrero Jr.

.292/.381/.467

23

84

137

3.9

Freeman

.295/.367/.502

24

90

139

3.8

That’s about as close as it gets—but that hasn’t been the case in the playoffs, where Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been incredible. He’s slashing .442/.510/.930 with six home runs, 12 RBIs and an absurd wRC+ of 280. Freeman has struggled a bit, slashing .231/.333/.410 with one home run, one RBI and a pedestrian wRC+ of 105. Guerrero has had an all-time great postseason and has to get the nod here.

Advantage: Blue Jays

Second base: Tommy Edman (Dodgers) vs. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Blue Jays)

This is another close one that is going to be tipped by postseason performance. Tommy Edman was a shrewd pickup by the Dodgers before the 2024 trade deadline, winning the NLCS MVP award, but he had a relatively poor regular season in 2025. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, however, was even worse while splitting time between the Pirates and Blue Jays.

2025 Stats

Slash Line

Home Runs

RBIs

wRC+

fWAR

Kiner-Falefa

.262/.297/.334

2

40

75

0.7

Edman

.225/.274/.382

13

49

81

1.2

Edman has again turned his game up in that time, slashing .286/.306/.486 with two home runs and a wRC+ of 118. Kiner-Falefa, meanwhile, has been even worse with a 54 wRC+. Both are premier defenders, which is their real value, but Edman has shown he can swing a better bat in the playoffs.

Advantage: Dodgers

Shortstop: Mookie Betts (Dodgers) vs. Andrés Giménez (Blue Jays)

Mookie Betts has been a much improved fielder in his second season regularly playing shortstop for the Dodgers. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Mookie Betts has had the worst season of his career, slashing .258/.326/.406 with career lows in wRC+ (104), wOBA (.318), and fWAR for a full season (3.4). But, unlike his counterpart, he’s Mookie Betts.

We’re projecting Andrés Giménez to stick at shortstop for Toronto despite Bo Bichette’s expected return to the lineup after suffering a knee injury last month. Giménez is an outstanding defender at short, but has never had much with the bat. In 2025, he slashed .210/.285/.313 with a wRC+ of 70. He has turned things up in the postseason, but Betts has improved as well.

Betts is an eight-time All-Star and has won three World Series, an MVP and seven Silver Sluggers. He also showed this season he can play elite defense at shortstop. There’s no question which team wins this matchup.

Advantage: Dodgers

Third Base: Max Muncy (Dodgers) vs. Ernie Clement/Addison Barger (Blue Jays)

We know who Max Muncy is at this point in his career. He’s going to get walks, slug a lot, and strike out at a decent clip. He’s also going to be a minus on defense and be banged up most of the time. In 2025, all of those things came true. He played in 100 games, slashed .243/.376/.470, with 19 home runs and a wRC+ of 137. He has fallen off a bit in the postseason, as his batting average has dropped to .214, and he's only slugging .357 with a 115 wRC+.

Ernie Clement is a phenomenal defender at the hot corner who didn’t hit much during the regular season, but he’s come alive in October. During the regular season, he slashed a weak .277/.313/.398, with a below-averaged wRC+ of 98. In 11 postseason games he’s been a different guy. So far, he’s hitting .429, with an on-base percentage of .444, and is slugging .619, with an incredible 195 wRC+.

Addison Barger has also picked up his game in the playoffs, with a 149 wRC+ against 107 during the regular season. We’re gonna roll with the guys who are rolling.

Advantage: Blue Jays

Left field: Kiké Hernández (Dodgers) vs. Davis Schneider/Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays)

It has been yet another year in which Kiké Hernández has conjured the magic that turns him into a postseason superstar. The career utility guy has been huge for the Dodgers again during the playoffs, playing far above his career regular-season numbers.

In 10 playoff games this year, Hernández is slashing .306/.375/.417 with a 125 wRC+ after going .203/.255/.366 with a 70 wRC+ during the regular season. He has a career .707 regular season OPS, but in 96 games spanning 10 trips to the postseason, he’s at .863. The man plays his best when the lights shine the brightest.

Schneider and Lukes are solid, but can’t match the magic their counterpart produces. Lukes has had a nice postseason, hitting .333, with a .381 on-base percentage and a 125 wRC+, but he and Schneider simply can’t match the Kiké magic.

Advantage: Dodgers

Center field: Andy Pages (Dodgers) vs. Daulton Varsho (Blue Jays)

Pages had a breakout 2025 campaign, looking like a future cornerstone for the Dodgers. Unfortunately, he has utterly disappeared in the postseason. The 24-year-old hit 27 home runs while notching a wRC+ of 113 in the regular season, but the playoffs have been a nightmare. In 10 games, he’s slashing .086/.135/.114 with a wRC+ of -31. You read that last number right. The thing is, he’s so good defensively that the Dodgers can’t take him out of the lineup.

Varsho is also a stellar defender who turned in a career-best season, hitting 20 home runs and slugging a career-best .548, with a career high 123 wRC+. The difference is he has brought that success with him to October, slashing .273/.304/.500 with a wRC+ of 121. Pages has disappeared while Varsho has continued to be a steady presence in the lineup.

Advantage: Blue Jays

Right Field: Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers) vs. George Springer (Blue Jays)

Blue Jays right fielder George Springer hit the go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the ALCS. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

George Springer had arguably the best season of his career in 2025 at 36 years old, and has also been incredibly clutch for the Blue Jays. Which was basically Teoscar Hernández’s story in 2024.

Springer had a career-high wRC+ of 166 while Hernández fell off after signing a three-year, $66 million deal with Los Angeles in the offseason. His wRC+ dropped to 102 from the mark of 132 he hit in 2024, and his wOBA fell to .315 from .360.

2025 Stats

Slash Line

Home Runs

RBIs

wRC+

fWAR

Springer

.309/.399/.560

32

84

166

4.8

Hernández

.247/.284/.454

25

89

102

1.5

Hernández has picked things up in the postseason, though, which makes this call more difficult. He’s slashing .268/.302/.585 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in the postseason, and his wRC+ has jumped to 142. Springer has matched him, slashing .239/.321/.690 with four homers, nine RBIs, and a 150 wRC+. Both players have won titles before, but Springer was named World Series MVP for the Astros in 2017. He’s had the better season and has history on his side.

Advantage: Blue Jays

Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) vs. Bo Bichette (Blue Jays)

Come on, really? I have to write this one out? Fine, if you insist.

Ohtani is the most singular player in the history of baseball. I could put up a bunch of numbers here to prove that, but it would be a waste of everyone’s time. I mean, the guy just turned in arguably the greatest playoff performance in sports history during Game 4 of the NLCS.

Bichette had a phenomenal season, and his return should be a huge bonus for the Blue Jays, but nothing can match what Shohei can do.

Advantage: Dodgers

Starting rotation

Dodgers starting pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, and Shohei Ohtani have both been excellent on the mound in the playoffs. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Blue Jays have some names in their rotation, but this one isn’t even close. I mean, Shohei Ohtani is L.A.’s starter. That’s wild.

In 10 games this postseason, the Dodgers’ rotation is a combined 7–1 with a 1.40 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 81 strikeouts. Those numbers all lead postseason rankings. Blake Snell has been phenomenal, going 3–0 with a 0.86 ERA and 0.52 WHIP, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow have combined to go 2–1 with a 1.36 ERA. Ohtani has pitched twice, both victories, and in Game 4 of the NLCS, he pitched six shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out 10. L.A.’s rotation struggled with injuries all season, but now it’s whole—and dominating.

Toronto’s starters have been really good in the postseason as well. They're a combined 5–2 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Kevin Gausman has led the way in his three starts, going 2–1 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Meanwhile, Shane Bieber and rookie Trey Yesavage have made big starts. Max Scherzer also turned in a huge performance in Game 4 of the ALCS. The 41-year-old turned back the clock, allowing two runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings in a key spot.

While the Blue Jays have shown up and pitched well, the Dodgers have dominated. More than anything, their starting pitching is the biggest advantage in this series.

Advantage: Dodgers

Bullpen

This has been a weak spot for both teams all season. During the regular season, the Blue Jays ranked 16th in bullpen ERA (3.98), while the Dodgers were 21st (4.27). Things haven’t been much better in the playoffs as L.A.’s pen has posted a 4.88 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP, and Toronto’s group has a 5.52 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. It’s been ugly on both sides.

While the Dodgers don’t have a shutdown bullpen, Roki Sasaki has managed to solidify the back end. In seven postseason appearances, the rookie has a 1.13 ERA and 0.63 WHIP to go along with three saves. Alex Vesia has also been reliable, while Blake Treinen and Emmet Sheehan haven’t been. The one thing L.A. has going for it is that its bullpen arms are fresh thanks to some dominant outings by the team’s starters. Dodgers relievers have only thrown 27 2/3 innings this postseason as opposed to 45 2/3 for the Blue Jays.

Toronto got a great performance from its bullpen in Game 7 of the ALCS, but that has been the exception, not the rule. Closer Jeff Hoffman has logged two saves and posted a 1.23 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in six appearances, but seemingly everyone else has had at least one meltdown.

Months ago, this would have been flipped, but the Dodgers have the better of the shaky bullpens.

Advantage: Dodgers

Final Score: Dodgers, 6–5

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