The unfolding situation might well be dripping with controversy, but Nottingham Forest will be playing in the Europa League next season as things stand, after UEFA’s decision to remove Crystal Palace from the European competition due to multi-club ownership came as a shock.

Last season in the Premier League, Forest were even dreaming of a Champions League adventure at one point, with just one point the difference in the end between Nuno Espirito Santo’s side competing in one of football’s grandest tournaments and Newcastle snatching fifth place.

Still, they have been handed a fortuitous lifeline by being gifted a spot in the Europa League, with Nuno no doubt now hunting down some significant buys to help them be a success story in the competition.

Nottingham Forest looking at move to sign £40m attacker

Of course, whilst this latest development will have given Forest fans a ray of positivity, there are some challenges still to be addressed at the City Ground involving player exits.

Anthony Elanga has already departed the building for pastures new at Newcastle United, and it did look as if Morgan Gibbs-White was going to be the next high-profile exit, only for his move to Tottenham Hotspur to hit a bump in the road.

It will be welcome news to Forest fans, therefore, that Yoane Wissa is still on their radar as an exciting addition in attack, but – as per a new report by the BBC’s Sami Mokbel – the race has livened up for the standout Brentford striker.

Indeed, the journalist states that the aforementioned Magpies now have Wissa on their list of striker targets owing to Hugo Ekitike favouring a Liverpool switch over a St. James’ Park move. Despite that, Spurs and Forest are both advancing with their plans to sign the forward who could cost £40m.

Why Wissa could be a dream for Gibbs-White

Wissa would have been booed relentlessly when he fired home this poacher’s finish against the Tricky Trees last season.

However, now, he could go on to be a beloved marksman in the Midlands, with Gibbs-White and the DR Congo international perhaps striking up a dynamite duo in attack if the equally in-demand Englishman remains put with Nuno’s men.

Bryan Mbeumo leaving the Bees behind this summer will, of course, be a demoralising loss if it goes through, but Wissa deserting West London during the same window will make Brentford’s bleak situation even more horribly soul-crushing.

After all, Wissa and Mbeumo combined last season to notch up a mighty 39 strikes in Premier League action, meaning they will leave a sizable hole behind.

Those clinical goal-scoring powers on display from the striker when donning Brentford red and white surely won’t dry up at the City Ground with his trusty teammate no longer by his side, especially if he has the likes of Gibbs-White next to him supplying him with countless golden chances.

Last campaign in the Premier League, Gibbs-White struck up an equally fearful partnership with 20-goal titan Chris Wood, with the 5-foot-7 midfielder in dreamland even more if he’s able to link up with another potent attacker next season who needs very minimal touches to strike fear into opposition defences.

Games played

34

35

36

Goals scored

7

19

20

Assists

8

4

3

Touches*

51.1

29.1

23.0

Accurate passes*

28.8 (81%)

12.8 (79%)

8.7 (65%)

Key passes*

1.5

0.8

0.6

Big chances missed

3

17

15

Big chances created

10

3

3

Wissa’s impressive 19-goal tally across the 24/25 campaign came about even as he averaged just 29.1 touches per Premier League clash.

Amazingly, Wood averaged even less at 23 touches per match, as Gibbs-White routinely fed the well-oiled New Zealander with frequent chances to be Forest’s main leading man.

Throw the “exceptional” Wissa into the mix – as he’s been glowingly labelled by Jamie Redknapp – and Gibbs-White could elevate his game even more, with the 25-year-old managing to reach even loftier heights at the City Ground, over favouring a switch to Thomas Frank’s tempting Spurs.

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David Ornstein has now provided a “positive” update on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Benjamin Sesko, with the Magpies taking a vital step towards his signature.

Howe: Isak has to "earn the right" to train with group

Alexander Isak missed Newcastle’s Asia tour, before his desire to leave was quickly revealed and he found himself training at former club Real Sociedad. All signs were pointing towards Liverpool, who even saw two bids turned down, but as things stand their improved £110m bid the second time around looks set to be their final offer for the Swede this summer.

As such, Isak has awkwardly found himself back at Newcastle and with plenty of making up to do. The forward’s relationship with those at St James’ Park won’t simply be as good as new, according to Eddie Howe. The Newcastle boss told reporters that his star man must “earn the right to train with the group”.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have been pushing on with a transfer of their own. Going neck and neck with Manchester United in the race to sign Sesko, the Magpies have already made an opening offer in what has been the story of their summer.

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Alas, this saga is far from over and Ornstein has now provided Newcastle fans with a much-needed “positive” update on their race to sign the forward.

Newcastle submit "improved" Sesko offer

As reported by Ornstein, Newcastle have now submitted an “improved bid” to sign Sesko worth €80m (£70m) before add-ons. “Positive” talks have also taken place between the two clubs and with Sesko, with Leipzig – as things stand – favouring a sale to those at St James’ Park this summer.

Given that there hasn’t been a single offer from Manchester United so far, Newcastle are undoubtedly in pole position to sign Sesko this month and finally end their search for a striker. Whether his move will have a domino effect on Isak’s future is the big question, however. The Slovenia international is certainly capable of acting as a replacement for the Swede if it does come to that.

The towering 6 foot 5′ forward scored 21 goals in all competitions last season – six fewer than Isak – and has earned plenty of praise since playing a starring role for Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

Newcastle’s lengthy search for a striker has required plenty of patience, but landing on a player as talented as Sesko would prove worth the wait this month.

West Ham United are hopeful of adding some new faces before the Premier League season begins and could be about to up the ante in pursuit of a hot prospect, according to reports.

West Ham United close in on Callum Wilson deal

Following his departure from Newcastle United, free agent striker Callum Wilson is in talks over a move to West Ham to offer experience and depth within Graham Potter’s forward line.

Speaking about his next move, the England cap has claimed he still has ‘so much to give’ at the top level despite doubts from some given his age and scoring record of late.

He stated: “I am 33. I have still got so much to give in the game. I feel mentally and physically still able to more than contribute in however many games in a season.

“It is just difficult, you are playing at a club when you have got arguably one of the best strikers in world football at the moment, in the form of Alex Isak, to break in is difficult. I am never one who shies away from a fight, I would happily be there to push and take my opportunity when it arose, but it just didn’t seem to arise in the back end of the season.”

Aside from the Hammers’ pursuit of a forward, Michael Cooper has been identified as a goalkeeping target for West Ham after his excellent form at Sheffield United.

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Alphonse Areola may well be replaced, though could another figure from the Championship be the man to offer a challenge between the sticks at the London Stadium?

West Ham United preparing bid for Pierce Charles

According to The Star, West Ham are readying a bid for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles and could look to test the Owls’ resolve in light of their present financial troubles.

Nevertheless, the Championship outfit are unlikely to entertain an approach, with the Northern Ireland international not only viewed as their number one this term, but a player who could grow considerably in value before they sanction a future sale.

Pierce Charles in the Championship – key statistics in 2024/25

Save percentage

66.7%

Clean sheets

0

xG prevented

2.14

High claims

11

Pass accuracy

76.3%

Labelled “excellent” by national boss Michael O’Neill, the 20-year-old managed a solitary clean sheet across 13 outings in all competitions, though his potential is there for all to see at Hillsborough.

With two years left on his deal, it remains to be seen if West Ham could tempt Sheffield Wednesday into a sale. The second-tier outfit need funds to tie them over until any potential takeover. Still, the Owls also don’t want to run the risk of relegation.

The Hammers are trying to recover from flying a little too close to the sun themselves, so it makes sense if they are now focusing the bulk of their activity on securing stars with potential to develop over the coming years.

نشر النادي المصري بيانًا رسميًا بعد الخسارة أمام بتروجيت، بنتيجة 2-3، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم السبت، في بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ونجح فريق بتروجيت في تحقيق فوز غال على نظيره المصري، بنتيجة 3-2، خلال المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طالع فيديو | بتروجيت يخطف فوزًا قاتلًا بثلاثية أمام المصري في الدوري

وأبدى مجلس إدارة النادي المصري برئاسة كامل أبو علي، استياءه الشديد من الأداء التحكيمي، بقيادة الحكم محمد عباس قابيل وحكم تقنية الفار خالد الغندور، مهددًا بالانسحاب من بطولة الدوري المصري.

وتوقف رصيد المصري عند النقطة 15 محتلاً المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، فيما يأتي بتروجيت بالمركز الخامس، ولديه 14 نقطة. بيان النادي المصري بعد مباراة بتروجيت

يعرب مجلس إدارة النادي المصري برئاسة الأستاذ كامل أبو علي، عن استيائه الشديد من الأداء التحكيمي المشبوه والذي قدمه طاقم تحكيم مباراة المصري وبتروجيت بقيادة الحكم محمد عباس قابيل وحكم تقنية الفار خالد الغندور.

ويؤكد مجلس المصري أن ما قدمه طاقم التحكيم في مباراة اليوم لا يمت بصلة لكرة القدم من قريب أو بعيد، بسبب القرارات التحكيمية الخاطئة التي اتخذها الطاقم وتقنية الفيديو خاصة في ركلة الجزاء الكوميدية المحتسبة على المصري خلال الشوط الثاني للمباراة والتي تؤكد على التربص الشديد من قبل طاقم التحكيم بفريق المصري لسبب أو لآخر لا يعرفه سوى القائمين على إدارة الكرة المصرية بصفة عامة والتحكيم المصري بصفة خاصة والذي بات وبما لا يدع مجالًا للشك له دور كبير في توجيه نتائج المباريات وإهداء الفوز لفرق بعينها خاصة مع الازدواجية المقيتة في اتخاذ القرارات بما يخدم فرق محددة ويبعد فرق أخرى عن المنافسة.

ويبدي مجلس إدارة المصري اندهاشه الشديد من احتساب حكم المباراة –  الذي لا يرتقي لإدارة أية مباريات في أي درجة من درجات الدوري –  لعشر دقائق فقط كوقت محتسب بدلًا من الضائع في الشوط الثاني، في الوقت الذي توقفت فيه المباراة لمراجعة الهدف الثاني للمصري وركلة الجزاء المزعومة المحتسبة لبتروجيت لأكثر من عشر دقائق كاملة، وهو ما يؤكد على ضعف شخصية الحكم الذي ظل أمام شاشة الفار لدقائق طويلة يبحث خلالها عن أي مبرر لاحتساب ركلة الجزاء لغرض في نفسه لا يعلمه سواه.

ولذلك فإن مجلس إدارة النادي المصري في حالة انعقاد دائم اعتبارًا من الآن لدراسة اتخاذ العديد من القرارات التصعيدية والتي قد تصل إلى تجميد نشاطه الرياضي والانسحاب من بطولة الدوري، خاصة في ظل انعدام مبدأ تكافؤ الفرص والمنافسة الشريفة التي بات التحكيم المصري وللأسف أبرز من انتهك قواعدها خلال السنوات الأخيرة التي تعرض خلالها المصري لأخطاء تحكيمية متكررة وكان أقربها تغاضي طاقم تحكيم مباراة الزمالك بقيادة حكم الساحة محمود ناجي وحكم تقنية الفيديو أحمد الغندور عن احتساب ركلة جزاء صحيحة للمصري بشهادة الجميع وهو الأمر الذي كان سيؤدي بلا شك  لتغيير سير المباراة.

ورغم الوعود المتكررة بإصلاح حال التحكيم إلا أن الأمر ظل كما هو مجاملة لفرق بعينها وظلم بين لفرق أخرى وفي مقدمتها النادي المصري الذي يفكر مسئولوه وفي مقدمتهم الأستاذ كامل أبو علي رئيس مجلس إدارة النادي في اتخاذ قرار فعلي بعدم استكمال الفترة الحالية من عمر مجلس الإدارة، خاصة في ظل ما تشهده ساحة كرة القدم المصرية من مهازل تدفع بكل الراغبين في العمل العام إلى الابتعاد تمامًا عن هذا المعترك الذي بات ساحة للمجاملات وإهدار الحقوق.

وكالعادة فإن مجلس إدارة النادي المصري ومن خلال هذا البيان الصارخ يعاود دق ناقوس الخطر حتى ينتبه كافة القائمين على كرة القدم المصرية بسرعة إصلاح المنظومة التحكيمية والتي باتت إحدى أهم العوائق التي تقف أمام إصلاح مسيرة الكرة المصرية.

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with an unnamed club for a “talented” Spurs player to leave north London alongside Heung-min Son.

Heung-min Son set to leave Tottenham

Spurs captain Son is on course to become the club’s first major departure of the summer window.

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After spending 10 years in north London and winning his first piece of silverware last season after lifting the Europa League, Son has announced his plans to leave the club before the new Premier League campaign.

Mikey Moore and Alejo Veliz have already left on loan ahead of the 2025/26 season, and alongside Son, another highly-rated Tottenham gem is also set to depart.

Agreement reached for Jamie Donley to leave Tottenham on loan

According to reports from Lilywhite Rose, relayed by Tottenham News, Spurs have reached an agreement with an unnamed Championship club for Jamie Donley, with a deal set to go through following the club’s pre-season tour of South Korea.

The 20-year-old has featured under Thomas Frank in parts of pre-season, and there were claims that the attacking midfielder could be a part of the first-team plans in 25/26.

However, he now looks set to head to the second tier on a season-long loan after an impressive spell with Leyton Orient in League One last year.

Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens loved what he saw from Donley last season, who stunned Manchester City in the FA Cup with a long-range effort.

“I can’t speak highly enough of Jamie, he is a talented player. He’s come into us and he is a talented boy, everyone can see that. When you watch him in training and you see the talent he has, he has every opportunity to be whatever he wants to be.

“We have been good in the last 14 or 15 games and he has been outstanding for us, he is an exceptional player at this level and will go on to bigger and better things.”

It now appears he is set for a step up into the Championship, and in 12 months time, could be pushing for a spot in Frank’s side.

India picked three spinners and chose to bat on a surface that offered plenty of assistance for New Zealand’s fast bowlers

Ashish Pant17-Oct-20242:27

Rohit: I didn’t read the Bengaluru pitch well enough

Rohit Sharma took responsibility for making a bad decision at the toss, admitting he had misjudged the pitch after India were dismissed for 46 on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.In what seemed a puzzling move, Rohit chose to bat, picking three spinners and only two fast bowlers despite the first day being washed out by rain and the pitch being under covers for the best part of two days.”You see and you try and make the judgement. Sometimes you make the right call, sometimes you don’t, and I was on the other side of it this time around,” Rohit said after India collapsed for their lowest score at home, and their third lowest overall. I’m hurting a little bit because I made that call. But see, for us as a team, I think these are the challenges.”So, what if we put ourselves under pressure a little bit? We want to play well. We want to challenge ourselves. This time around, it didn’t come off, the challenges that were thrown at us. We didn’t respond well, and we found ourselves in a situation where we got bowled out for 46 runs. As a captain, it definitely hurts to see that number, but in 365 days you’ll make two or three bad calls. That’s okay.”Related

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India named three spinners in their XI – R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav – and left out fast bowler Akash Deep, who played the two Tests against Bangladesh last month. As it turned out, the pitch had plenty of assistance for the fast bowlers, and India were reduced to 36 for 6 by lunch.Rohit said the rationale for picking three spinners was the bare appearance of the pitch, and the fact that Kuldeep has had success on flat surfaces.”Look, we felt there was not a lot of grass on the pitch. We thought it’ll do whatever it has to do in the first couple of sessions and then it’s going to take turn as the game goes on,” he said. “That is how [it is] whenever we played in India, the first session is always critical and then the wicket tends to settle down and then the spinners come into play.”As I said, there was not much grass, so we felt the reason to add Kuldeep was because he’s bowled on flat pitches and he’s taken wickets, so we expected the pitch to be a little flatter than what it turned out to be. So clearly a misjudgement of the pitch.”Another talking point was Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 for the first time since 2016 because Shubman Gill was not fit to play. In six prior innings at No. 3, Kohli had scored only 97 runs at an average of 19.40. Those numbers took another hit as he fell for a 12-ball duck, gloving a rising delivery from William O’Rourke to leg gully. Rohit said Kohli had moved up to not disturb players below him.1:53

Should India be worried about Australia after 46 all out?

“The experienced players are the ones who have to take that extra responsibility and this time it was Virat. He was the one who was ready to do that [bat at No. 3],” Rohit said. “We asked him whether he can manage No. 3 because Sarfaraz [Khan] … we wanted to give Sarfaraz also the position that he usually bats [at] four and five, six maybe.”But we didn’t want to change Rishabh and KL [Rahul] and hence Sarfaraz went at four and Virat batted at three. It’s a good sign actually, we have players coming up and taking that responsibility and owning up to the challenge. It is a good sign. After a long time, KL has found himself set at No. 6, so we want to keep… make him bat there.”Despite India’s tough day, Rohit was in good spirits, and started the press conference with a quip, “” [draw your swords]. It was also uncommon for an India captain to face the press at the end of such a day during a Test, and Rohit admitted they would need to dig deep to come back after New Zealand finished 134 ahead with seven wickets in hand.”I think for us to stay in the game, we want to not let them get away,” he said. “[They’ve scored] way too many runs, clearly they’re 180, so that’s about 140 runs [134], so [keep them] as less as possible. The wicket seems to be settling down a little bit, so we expect the pitch to play like that. We got to bat really big in the second and try and see if we can make a game out of that.”

Adelaide Strikers are aiming for a hat-trick of titles but it looks a very even playing field among the squads

Tristan Lavalette26-Oct-2024

When does it take place?The WBBL begins on Sunday with a triple header starting with back-to-back games at the Adelaide Oval. Reigning champions Adelaide Strikers, who are aiming for a hat-trick of titles, and Brisbane Heat square off in a repeat of last season’s classic final before Melbourne Renegades takes on Sydney Sixers. Perth Scorchers plays Melbourne Stars at the WACA in the later fixture.The regular season finishes on November 24 before a week of finals concludes with the decider on December 1.What is the tournament structure?This season’s WBBL has been reduced to 40 games plus finals to bring it in line with the BBL and fit within a burgeoning women’s cricket calendar. Each club will play 10 games – down from 14 last season – during the regular season.Related

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The three-game finals format used since 2021 remains in place with the top four teams from the regular season to qualify.The team that finishes top after the regular season will host the final. The third and fourth placed teams will meet in the Knockout on November 27 with the winner to travel and face the team that finished second on the ladder two days later for a place in the final.The Knockout final will be hosted by the third-placed team in a tweak from previous years where the second-ranked team hosted both elimination games on consecutive days.How the overseas draft played outAdelaide Strikers: Laura Wolvaardt, Smriti Mandhana (pre-sign), Orla Prendergast
Brisbane Heat: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey, Nadine de Klerk (pre-sign)
Hobart Hurricanes: Danni Wyatt, Chloe Tryon, Lizelle Lee (pre-sign)
Melbourne Renegades: Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews (pre-sign), Alice Capsey
Melbourne Stars: Deepti Sharma, Marizanne Kapp (pre-sign), Yastika Bhatia
Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine (pre-sign), Amy Jones, D Hemalatha
Sydney Sixers: Sophie Ecclestone, Amelia Kerr (pre-sign), Hollie Armitage
Sydney Thunder: Heather Knight, Shabnim Ismail, Chamari Athapaththu (pre-sign), Georgia AdamsWhat about their availability?There’s a bit of a crunch at the start and end. The India and New Zealand players will arrive late due to their ongoing ODI series then England, and some South Africa players, will miss the closing stages, including finals, due to their bilateral series.The squads*Subject to further updatesAdelaide Strikers: Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Maggie Clark, Ellie Johnston, Katie Mack, Eleanor Larosa, Smriti Mandhana, Anesu Mushangwe, Tahlia McGrath, Bridget Patterson, Madeline Penna, Orla Prendergast, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura WolvaardtBrisbane Heat: Nadine de Klerk, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Shikha Pandey, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Jemimah Rodrigues, Ruby Strange, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla WrigleyHobart Hurricanes: Suzie Bates, Kathryn Bryce (Associate Rookie), Nicola Carey, Zoe Cooke, Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Tabatha Saville, Amy Smith, Lauren Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, Chloe Tryon, Elyse Villani, Callie Wilson, Danni WyattMelbourne Renegades: Emma de Broughe, Alice Capsey, Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Deandra Dottin, Nicole Faltum, Ella Hayward, Milly Illingworth, Hayley Matthews, Sophie Molineux, Tara Norris (Associate Rookie), Georgia Prestwidge, Naomi Stalenberg, Linsey Smith, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney WebbMelbourne Stars: Yastika Bhatia, Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Maisy Gibson, Hasrat Gill, Liv Henry, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Deepti Sharma, Annabel SutherlandPerth Scorchers: Sophie Devine, Chloe Ainsworth, Stella Campbell, Maddy Darke, Hemalatha Dayalan, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Amy Jones, Alana King, Carly Leeson, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Chloe Piparo, Ni Made Putri Suwandewi (Associate Rookie)Sydney Sixers: Hollie Armitage, Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Sarah Bryce (Associate Rookie), Erin Burns, Mathilda Carmichael, Lauren Cheatle, Sophie Ecclestone, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Amelia Kerr, Isabella Malgioglio, Kate Pelle, Ellyse Perry, Kate Peterson, Courtney Sippel, Elsa Hunter (local replacement), Frankie Nicklin (local replacement)Sydney Thunder: Georgia Adams, Chamari Athapaththu, Sam Bates, Ella Briscoe, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Saskia Horley, Shabnim Ismail, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Heather Knight, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Taneale Peschel, Georgia Voll, Tahlia WilsonThere from the start: a group of players launch the WBBL season•Getty Images

Is there anything else new about the season?A third umpire will be available in every game for the first time, while there is an increase in matches with the full DRS. In all, 33 of the 43 matches will have DRS while for the 10 games without it the TV umpire will be able to rule on line decisions such as stumpings and run outs.There will also be an innings timer in operation for the tournament to mirror the BBL with 73 minutes available to be ready to bowl the first ball of the 20th over, otherwise a fielding penalty is implemented which requires one extra fielder inside the circle.Who are the players to watch?Phoebe Litchfield: Foreshadowing what may lie ahead in national colours, the 21-year-old has been named Sydney Thunder captain for the upcoming WBBL season. She will be the youngest full-time captain in WBBL history. It’s been a rapid rise for Litchfield, who made her Thunder debut aged 16 but went up a level last season making 309 runs at a strike-rate of 130.37. There was a feeling that her prodigious batting talents were wasted down the order at the T20 World Cup, where she was mostly used at No.6. But the left-handed Litchfield is the star of the future for Australian cricket – the country’s most dynamic and inventive batter. She’s primed for a major WBBL in her captaincy debut.Annabel Sutherland: Much like Litchfield, Sutherland probably should have batted higher up the order during the T20 World Cup. Also like Litchfield, she has been named captain of Melbourne Stars. There were eyebrows raised over Sutherland coming in at No.8 especially after her Player-of-the-Tournament display in the Hundred for Northern Superchargers, where she scored 212 runs at a strike rate of 137.66 batting in the top four. She should be utilised in a similar role for Melbourne Stars and will be a key with the ball having starred in the UAE. After their World Cup disappointment, Australia may transition and build their team around Sutherland’s brilliant allround skills.Amelia Kerr will be one of the World Cup stars on show•ICC via Getty Images

Amelia Kerr: It’s been quite the whirlwind for Kerr. She was Player-of-the-World Cup after inspiring New Zealand to a drought-breaking title. Kerr also went viral in the aftermath after showcasing her talents with the guitar to lead her team’s emotional rendition of a Maori ballad. There won’t be much time for a breather with Kerr fronting up this season in new colours for Sydney Sixers having crossed over from Brisbane Heat. Powerhouse Sixers surprisingly missed finals last season, but the recruitment of Kerr might just lift them back to title contention.Deandra Dottin: Back in the WBBL, Dottin arrives in stupendous form after a brilliant T20 World Cup. Having reversed her international retirement, she led West Indies on a semi-final run after unfurling a succession of mighty blows. Dottin had an incredible strike-rate of 162.16 and smashed nine sixes in the tournament – no other batter had more than three. She was selected as a platinum pick for Melbourne Renegades, who are desperate for a spark having finished in bottom place last season. Having also bowled with fire during the World Cup, Dottin looms as the key for a Renegades revival.

Lionel Messi cast further doubt on his international career with Argentina as the legendary player shared an emotional note after what was potentially his final home game for the world champions. Messi scored twice in the 3-0 thumping of Venezuela on Thursday, but after the match the Argentine skipper hinted that he might not feature at the upcoming World Cup.

• Messi shared a cryptic social media post
• Cast doubt on his future in international football
• Scored twice against Venezuela

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After starring for the reigning world champions in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, Messi had been ambiguous about his participation in the 2026 World Cup, set to be staged across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as he avoided giving a clear answer on whether he will defend the crown he lifted in Qatar three years back.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Now, with a fresh social media post, where he emotionally addressed his fans, the Inter Miami star cast further doubt on his future with the national team as he once again hinted that his participation at the World Cup in North America is not guaranteed. The 38-year-old has also decided to skip Argentina's last qualifying game against Ecuador next week, as he wants to remain fit for his club.

• WHAT MESSI SAID

  On Instagram, Messi wrote: "A very special night that still leaves me speechless of the emotion. Heartfelt thanks to all the people for the love and for always supporting us. Whatever happens and whatever the future holds, only God knows.. LETS GO ARGENTINA!"

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi will be back in action for Inter Miami in MLS on September 14 as they take on Charlotte in a crucial fixture. It remains to be seen when he will make a final decision on his involvement at the World Cup.

Amol Muzumdar, the India head coach, was disconsolate after their semi-final hopes nosedived following their nine-run loss to Australia, but he wasn’t going to throw his team under the bus. He only hoped they can “learn from the experience and disappointment.”India were shoddy on the field and conceded “10-15 more” and tangled themselves into a position from which they were once again hoping for a Harmanpreet Kaur miracle to bail them out. The captain was unbeaten on 54 off 47, visibly drained and upset at the team’s second loss in four games.”I think we were in the game right till the last over, just that experience of Australia saw them through,” Muzumdar said after the game. “A little disappointed with the loss. I feel we’ve fielded pretty well. A couple of chances could’ve been taken and things could’ve been different.”Related

• Mithali Raj: Time for 'saturated' India to move on from Harmanpreet as captain

• Time for India to reboot after group-stage exit from Women's T20 World Cup?

• India succumb to chaos in Sharjah spectacle

• 'Chill as' Sutherland epitomises Australia's calm in the chaos

India dropped three catches, missed one stumping and a run-out opportunity on the field. India also had a close lbw call of Phoebe Litchfield go in Australia’s favour.Litchfield, a left-hand batter, was on 5 when she was struck on the pad by a Deepti Sharma delivery while attempting a reverse sweep but was reprieved after taking a review only because the ball [accounting for her not having changed her stance before delivery] pitched outside leg. Litchfield added 10 more, including a last-ball six to set India a 152 target – the highest team total at this venue in this tournament. The next best was also Australia’s 148 against New Zealand last week.Muzumdar steered clear of being critical of the Litchfield decision, but didn’t shy away from saying “it was a crucial one.” He also gave a peek into the team’s line of thinking at the halfway mark of their chase, from where India needed 85 with Harmanpreet and Deepti at the crease. The pair added 63 in 55 balls, but went through a six-over period where they managed just three boundaries. It left them needing 70 off the last seven overs.”First and foremost, it was about the run-chase,” Muzumdar revealed of the chat at the 10-over mark. “Second was keeping the net run rate also in bounds. But the only message was if we take it a little deeper, then we do have a good chance to chase. That was the only message to Harman and Deepti. I think Harman’s presence was very important till the end, that is what I felt in the run chase, and almost got it through.”India’s time for a post-mortem will come soon, but probably not before Monday considering there’s still a slim chance that hinges on Pakistan upsetting New Zealand. But Muzumdar was clear while those conversations may be inevitable, he underlined they couldn’t be faulted for lack of preparation or commitment from the players.4:18

Takeaways: Australia block out the noise, India’s fielding in focus again

“I think in terms of preparation, we had everything going in that camp in Bangalore,” he said. “We had two camps; one was dedicated towards fitness and fielding and the other one was just the skill camp. Because we had about eight weeks to prepare.”So, I couldn’t have asked for more from my support staff and I couldn’t have asked for more from the players. They gave their best in those camps. Preparation about this World Cup was thorough. We came into this World Cup really upbeat. Yeah, it is a little disappointing to lose the two games in the league stages.”India’s build-up to the game had been fairly smooth – they even managed to train twice in Sharjah ahead of their first game of the competition there. They brought back Pooja Vastrakar into the XI after she had sufficiently recovered from a hamstring niggle. It meant S Sajana had to make way. Muzumdar termed this a no-brainer, and they wouldn’t have done anything different in hindsight.”Look, we came into this work up with Pooja being one of the best bowlers going in the last 12 months,” Muzumdar explained. “Seeing her record and performances she was one of the best bowlers in the side and we had decided on this XI. This was probably one of the best XIs that we had.”In these conditions, we wanted to have the sixth bowling option against Australia. I think that was probably one of the best teams to pick [for the tournament]. If you had picked [the squad] before the start of the tournament, I think you would have picked this 15. So we stuck by it.”Muzumdar was also extremely complimentary of his captain, Harmanpreet, who fought through plenty of physical discomfort over the past two weeks. Muzumdar revealed Harmanpreet copped a blow on her head prior to India’s opening game, against New Zealand, but battled through pain. She was conformably India’s highest run-scorer in the league phase, hitting 150 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 133.92.”I think it’s been fantastic working with this lot; this is a very special lot that we’re working with, and we care about each other, and I think Harman is a very integral part of this team,” Muzumdar said. “It’s been a fantastic 10 months working with her and all others as well. But yeah, I mean she’s fine. She’s going through a lot of pain.”She got hit on her head right at the start of the tournament, just before the New Zealand game, I think one night prior when we were practicing. But she’s fine. I think she’s battling with it, and you can see it, but she’s a workhorse. So, I think she goes about doing her business [usually]. It’s been special working for the last 10 months and I’m looking forward to it [going forward].”

England romp to first Test victory for ten years as wheels come off for SA in second innings

Firdose Moonda17-Dec-2024England 395 for 9 dec and 236 (Knight 90, Mlaba 6-67) beat South Africa 281 (Wolvaardt 65, Kapp 57, Luus 56, Bell 4-49) and 64 (Bell 4-27, Ecclestone 2-7) by 286 runsEngland have won their first Test in 10 years and as many matches by beating South Africa by 286 runs in Bloemfontein. They dismissed South Africa for 64 in their second innings, their lowest Test total after setting them a target of 351.Lauren Bell, who registered a career-best 4 for 49 in the first innings, rewrote her own record and picked up 4 for 27 to finish with a player-of-the-match haul of 8 for 76. Lauren Filer and Sophie Ecclestone were also among the wickets as England bowled South Africa out in 19.4 overs to win inside three days.South Africa’s dismal batting overshadowed the good work they’d done with the ball, particularly the performance of left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba. She became the first South African to take 10 wickets in a women’s Test and is now South Africa’s second-leading wicket-taker in the format. South Africa may have time to reflect on that once the dust has settled on their massive defeat. Theirs was the third-largest by runs in women’s Tests.England’s win was set up by a captain’s knock from Heather Knight, who scored her sixth Test half-century. She fell 10 short of a third hundred as she anchored an England innings in which most of the middle-order got starts but only she converted. Her most profitable partnership was a third-wicket stand of 67 with Nat Sciver-Brunt which was three runs more than South Africa’s second-innings total. They had only one partnership worth 20 and six in single figures, while only ten batters made it to the middle after Ayanda Hlubi was ruled out of the match with a torn hip flexor.By the time she would have been needed, all the damage was done. South Africa lost their openers in the 5.2 overs they faced before tea, both lbw. Laura Wolvaardt was caught on the back foot by a delivery that seamed in from Bell and, after being on the receiving end of a poor first-innings dismissal, she could not complain about this one.Anneke Bosch had slightly more reason to be unhappy. She was given out to Filer, to one that kept low and could have been missing leg. But the biggest talking point took place after the break when Bell appealed for a catch off Annerie Dercksen at short leg. It was not immediately given out and the umpires referred, despite the explicit absence of DRS for this contest, before Dercksen was sent on her way.Bell continued to find movement and bowled Sune Luus through the gate. Nadine de Klerk was run out for a pair, and when Chloe Tryon was lbw to an Ecclestone arm-ball, also for a duck, England were into the tail. South Africa’s starts with Sinalo Jafta at No.8 and she too went without scoring, pinned on the pads by Bell’s inswinger, to leave the innings in tatters at 44 for 7. Three overs later, Marizanne Kapp, their last remaining batter, was wonderfully scooped up by Beaumont at silly point without addition, and the end came quickly.Earlier, South Africa would have been fairly pleased with their work with ball in hand. De Klerk and Tumi Sekhukhune started well and were disciplined upfront. They gave away only 12 runs in the first six overs, with Sekhukhune removing Beaumont for 12, lbw to an inswinger. On this occasion, the absence of DRS proved no problem as she looked out, and was given.Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed the first ten-for by a South African in women’s Tests•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesSekhukhune was replaced by Dercksen, but then South Africa went for double spin with Mlaba at one end and Tryon at the other. Given the turn on offer and amount Mlaba gets, she was expected to be a threat and should have had a wicket in her fourth over when Sciver-Brunt edged as she lunged forward to block but Jafta could not hold on to the chance. Sciver-Brunt, on 19 at the time, went on to hit Mlaba for three fours in the over and the floodgates opened.Mlaba got Sciver-Brunt when she chopped on after a delivery kept low, but that only brought Danni Wyatt-Hodge to the crease, with her penchant for finding runs behind square on the off side. She rattled along to a run-a-ball 23, before slicing Sekhukhune to the fielder at deep third. Amy Jones then partnered Knight, who had reached her fifty off 99 balls, to lunch, to end a successful session. Despite England’s slow start to the morning session, they scored a total of 136 runs in the 27 overs bowled before lunch, at a rate of just over five runs to the over.Mlaba switched ends post lunch and had success from the Willows End. Amy Jones got a leading edge to Wolvaardt in the covers, minutes before it was announced that the South African skipper had earned a demerit point for expressing “excessive disappointment” when she was given out lbw in the first innings.She had reason to keep being pleased in the field though. Mlaba picked up a third when Charlie Dean flicked her to short mid-wicket, and though Knight moved into the 80s with a strong sweep off Sune Luus, that shot would prove her undoing. One over after Sophie Ecclestone had fallen in the same fashion to Mlaba, Knight was beaten by a ball that turned into her and struck her on the pad. Of course, she could not review.Ryana MacDonald-Gay was bowled through the bat-pad gap to become Mlaba’s 10th wicket. England’s innings ended with half an hour to go before the tea break. They only needed 69 minutes after that interval to end the match.