Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is set to miss more time this season with a "significant" left ankle sprain, Houston manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday.

Espada said Alvarez will be "out for a while," so a long-term plan hasn't been decided on yet. There is a chance he could return this season, which ends on Sunday, Sept. 28. The Astros currently sit in the last AL wild-card spot, so Alvarez could be needed for the postseason, too.

“Let’s not get into days or weeks or anything like that,” Espada said, via . “We are going to take one day at a time, but this is going to take some time to heal. We don’t have that many days left in the regular season. He’s in there getting some treatment, getting some work done. Hopefully he’s not out for a long period of time.”

Alvarez suffered the injury during Monday night's game vs. the Rangers. Alvarez was sprinting from third base and opted against sliding into home. He touched home plate with his left foot and appeared to roll his ankle after scoring. Alvarez could barely walk off the field under his own power, and was removed from the game as a result of the injury.

The three-time All-Star just returned to the majors on Aug. 26 after being out since May 2 while he dealt with a small fracture in his hand.

Through 48 games this season, Alvarez has averaged .273/.367/.430 with 45 hits, 17 runs, 27 RBIs and six home runs.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida do São Paulo ficou na bronca com Galoppo durante a partida contra o Barcelona, pela quinta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo decepciona e apenas empata com o Barcelona-EQU na LibertadoresSão Paulo16/05/2024GrêmioGrêmio retoma atividades em São Paulo após viagem de barco e deslocamento na madrugadaGrêmio16/05/2024São PauloEntenda como Zubeldía ganhou o elenco do São Paulo fazendo o oposto de Carpini São Paulo16/05/2024

➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

Zubeldía decidiu preservar Bobadilla, autor do primeiro gol do São Paulo contra o Fluminense, e escalou Galoppo como segundo volante na Libertadores. O meia argentino teve chance de abrir o placar no segundo tempo, mas cabeceou nas mãos do goleiro.

➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

Diante do Barcelona-EQU, Galoppo completou 50 jogos pelo São Paulo. O Tricolor pagou cerca de R$ 22 milhões ao Banfield, e o argentino soma um gol e duas assistências pelo clube.

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
SÃO PAULO X BARCELONA-EQU
LIBERTADORES – 5ª RODADA – FASE DE GRUPOS

🗓️Data e horário:quinta-feira, 16 de maio de 2024, às 21h (de Brasília)
📍Local:Morumbis, em São Paulo (SP)
Gols: ESPN e Star+
🟨Árbitro:Kevin Ortega
🚩Assistentes:Stephen Atoche e Jesús Sánchez

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Luis Zubeldía)
Rafael; Igor Vinicius, Arboleda, Alan Franco e Welington; Alisson, Galoppo e Michel Araújo; Ferreirinha, Luciano e André Silva.

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BARCELONA-EQU (Técnico: Ariel Holan)
Javier Burrai; Alex Rangel, Nicolás Ramírez, Luca Sosa e Anibal Chalá; Leonai, Gaibor e Damián Díaz; Joao Rojas, Preciado e Corozo.

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Bowlers like Tharindu could redefine their craft, while batters like Shanto could carve new Test legacies. But how many opportunities will they get?

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jun-2025It was just as the freshest cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 was approaching its fourth hour that the freshest Test cricketer on the planet pivoted at the top of his mark, and did something a little bit special.In his first 95 deliveries in Test cricket, Tharindu Rathnayake had been a right-arm offspinner. But like a magician who plunges himself into the hat and pulls out a different version of his own self, Tharindu chose this moment to pretty much instantaneously yank out his slow left-arm avatar. The field barely had to move. Tharindu bowled a tidy enough first ball of left-arm spin. It got cut away behind square for a single.In that first fascinating moment of Tharindu’s ambidexterity, this team felt emphatically and inescapably Sri Lankan. It felt like Tharindu was the latest entry into a proud tradition of bowling rebellion. This is a tradition that brought cricket delights such as wrist-spin offbreaks (Muthiah Muralidaran), down-swinging round-arm yorkers (Lasith Malinga), and the carrom ball (Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath).Related

• Shanto, Mushfiqur hundreds headline Bangladesh's day of dominance

• 'These are not easy runs' – Mushfiqur reflects on 'special' century

In fact, so steeped is Sri Lanka in bowling weirdness that Tharindu is only the second ambidextrous spinner in this team, Kamindu Mendis also having bowled in Test cricket with both arms. Which means that the XI has as many dual-arm spinners as it does spinners that bowl with only the boring single arm.If Tharindu – for whom bowling is the primary suit – and Kamindu have long careers together, there is the chance that between them, they can open up entirely new sections of bowling analysis. We may suddenly find ourselves asking questions never seriously asked in cricket.Which arm does he get more wickets with? Which arm does he bowl quicker with, and does this correlate to him being more economical? If it’s established that he is a better offspinner, does he get more right-hander wickets with that style, or is the ball turning away always going to be more threatening to right-handers? If he bowls nine offbreak overs consecutively, does he tend to gain a competitive advantage in switching to his less-tired left arm? And on pitches that have footmarks to work with, this guy will probably be unstoppable, right? The lines of attack available… wow!Test cricket’s great strength is that it offers the broadest canvas of maybe any sport in existence. What shapes will come out of Tharindu’s unusually broad brush?And while Sri Lanka are still attempting to regenerate their spin-bowling, Bangladesh were attempting something similar, but on the batting front. There is an ongoing exodus. Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah are out already. Only Mushfiqur Rahim remains of the first generation of Bangladesh greats. Where are the consistent big runs going to come from?Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto carved a stand to remember•Getty ImagesOn day one of the first Test in Galle, Bangladesh seemed to have done the better job of replacing their greats, with Najmul Hossain Shanto joining Mushfiqur on a trip to triple-figures, at the same venue Mushfiqur hit Bangladesh’s first ever double-hundred in 2013.But while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh’s Test cricketers are trying to expand the game in their little ways, the environment in which they operate is rapidly shrinking. After this series ends, Sri Lanka have no Test scheduled until May 2026, which is partly why both Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne quit this year.Bangladesh also have only 12 Tests (the minimum amount) in their two-year WTC cycle, though they also have non-WTC Tests scheduled against Ireland and Zimbabwe. South Africa, the champion Test side as of Saturday,have only 14 Tests on the ledger, while West Indies have 14 too. It increasingly feels like a coup for these teams to average merely seven Tests per year.The argument is not that Test cricket is dying. In some places, it is in more spectacular health than it has ever been. In both Australia and England in this decade, the Ashes series have smashed viewership records. Just in the last week, the ECB CEO said that ” in terms of commercial importance”, Test series against India were worth as much as The Ashes.After winning the IPL with his beloved Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Virat Kohli insisted that although that victory was sweet, it ranked “five levels below Test cricket”. But then what qualifies as real Test cricket is also in contention. Kohli, for example, played 47% of his Tests against either Australia or England, but never faced Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, or Ireland.Sri Lanka have no Test scheduled until May 2026, which is partly why Angelo Mathews chose to retire•AFP/Getty ImagesEssentially, Test cricket has chosen to build high, rather than wide. There is sufficient money in cricket that it could choose to divert to Tests in nations outside the Big Three, but there is less will. The WTC could require every team to play 16 Tests in the cycle to qualify. The ICC could finally put that ‘Test cricket fund’ into place, whereby the Big Three pay to support Tests elsewhere in the Full Member world. Instead, cricket has arrived at a situation in which England play 60% more Tests than most other nations.While some suggest that playing more Tests is a WTC disadvantage, players from teams who play fewer Tests point out that their opportunities to develop Test skills are scarcer. Even if teams that played fewer Tests had an advantage – and there is no serious evidence they do – they gain so little from winning. South Africa’s men do not have a home Test scheduled for the next 15 months.Increasingly, it has begun to feel as if places such as Galle are Test cricket’s hinterlands. Does what happens here matter, especially when no Big Three team is on the field? If commercial value is to increasingly become cricket’s supreme good, where does that leave Tests like this one? And is the size of your home cricketing economy the greatest predictor of opportunities available to you?Bowlers such as Tharindu could potentially redefine their craft, while batters such as Shanto could carve new Bangladesh Test legacies. But they may never get the chance to. To what extent does cricket really care? As the sport continues to centralise power, these are the margins at risk of being trimmed.

Over the last couple of seasons, Manchester United have failed to deliver in the Premier League, as seen by the embarrassing 15th-placed finish last time around.

From poor recruitment to managerial mistakes, there have been countless reasons as to why the Red Devils have found themselves in such a position of late.

However, after spending a year at the helm at Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim will still believe he is the man to take the club back to their former glory in the seasons ahead.

There have been glimpses of quality during the early months of the 2025/26 campaign, but the 40-year-old desperately needs to sustain such success on a consistent basis.

Numerous of his first-team players have certainly gone under the radar over recent weeks, with many not quite getting the credit they deserve for their showings in England’s top-flight.

Man Utd’s most underrated players in 2025/26 so far

Amorim’s renowned 3-4-2-1 system has allowed numerous players at United to reignite their Red Devils career, but none more so than winger Amad Diallo.

The Ivorian was often an impact player under the last management team, but he’s featured in all but one league outing under Amorim so far this campaign.

He’s already registered three combined goals and assists, with his only goal coming in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest – but it was certainly a strike to remember.

Underlying stats such as three big chances created and 1.3 successful dribbles per 90 – both the most in the squad – highlight his incredible ability on the transition for the Red Devils.

He’s not the only first-team member who hasn’t received enough praise, with Brazilian midfielder Casemiro resurrecting his career at Old Trafford over the last few months.

Many would have expected the 33-year-old to depart last summer, but he’s once again become a regular starter and has matched Amad for total appearances this season.

He’s already posted four goal contributions – the third highest in the squad – often popping up with the goods when needed in the final third of the pitch.

However, he’s been just as impressive defensively, making 2.9 tackles and winning 6.5 duels per 90 – handing Amorim the disruptive force he’s been craving at the heart of the side.

The United star who’s showing shades of McTominay

Casemiro will no doubt have benefited from the departure of Scott McTominay last summer, with the Scotsman’s move to Napoli freeing a role for him as a starter once again.

The 28-year-old spent a huge chunk of his professional career on the books at United, allowing him to rack up a total of over 250 senior appearances for his boyhood club.

He was at the heart of numerous memorable moments during his first team spell at the Theatre of Dreams, with the highlight undoubtedly being his long-range goal in the Manchester Derby.

However, despite producing such impressive performances, he often didn’t get the credit he deserved from the supporters, which no doubt aided his move to Italy.

In the last 18 months in Serie A, McTominay has registered 14 goals and six assists, leading to a Ballon d’Or nomination – an unthinkable feat given his inconsistency at United.

However, the club do have another hugely underrated player on their books at present, with centre-back Matthijs de Ligt finally starting to show why the hierarchy paid £43m for his signature in 2024.

The Dutchman was seen as the solution to the club’s defensive woes, but endured a tricky debut campaign – one that was no doubt a culture shock to the 26-year-old.

The same can’t be said in 2025/26, with the defender undoubtedly being one of the club’s shining lights over the last couple of months in the Premier League.

He’s featured in every single minute of the Red Devils’ league campaign to date, allowing him to produce some simply mind-boggling numbers in the process.

De Ligt, who’s been dubbed a “warrior” by Dev Bajwa, has made 1.6 tackles and won 5.6 duels per 90 – backing up Casemiro and providing another line of solidarity.

He’s also won 63% of his aerial battles to date, at an average of 3.3 per 90 – handing Amorim that dominant presence which he’s craved since taking the reins.

Games played

12

Goals scored

1

Pass accuracy

88%

Interceptions made

1.3

Aerials won

3.3

Aerial success rate

63%

Tackles won

1.6

Duels won

5.6

Other numbers, such as 88%of passes completed and 1.3 interceptions made per 90, further showcase his all-round quality, leading to Bajwa even claiming he’s the club’s “most underrated player”.

Many of the aforementioned numbers are similar to those of McTominay, who has also dominated aerially in Serie A this season, as seen by his tally of four headed goals already this season.

Both also possess the leadership qualities to lead a side forward, with both players no doubt wanting to achieve added success at their various clubs in 2025/26.

There’s no denying the defensive unit at Old Trafford has massively improved compared to last season, with De Ligt’s upturn in form certainly contributing to their success.

However, he hasn’t yet received as much praise as he deserves for his efforts, with the Dutchman likely to play a key role in any success under Amorim come the end of the campaign.

Anderson upgrade: INEOS plan £105m bid to sign "world-class" CM for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to have another midfielder on their radar instead of Elliot Anderson.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

Coach Andrew McDonald said the captain has had a ‘positive week’ but conceded time was running short for Perth

Alex Malcolm10-Oct-20251:14

Mitchell Starc: Smith ‘has been a great sounding board’ for Cummins

A decision on Pat Cummins’ availability for the first Ashes Test is set to be made next Friday with Australia coach Andrew McDonald admitting his captain is running out of time to be fit for Perth but there remains confidence that Cummins will play some part in the series.Cummins had a scan earlier this week on the lumbar bone stress in his lower back and McDonald confirmed on Friday that the injury had improved.But Cummins is still yet to bowl with just six weeks to go before the first Test begins in Perth on November 21 which has led to doubts over his availability.Related

• Boland: 'I've got my own internal motivations'

• Green ruled out of ODI series against India with side soreness, Labuschagne called up

• Cummins says he's 'less likely than likely' to play in the first Ashes Test

• Brook: Cummins' Ashes doubts 'play into England's hands'

• Ashes tracker: Labuschagne shines as Konstas stumbles

McDonald said the latest scan had allowed Cummins and the medical staff to add some different elements to his training that has been restricted to lower leg strength work only over the past month. He added that a decision would be made late next week as to whether he can progress to bowling with an eye to playing in the first Test but admitted the timeline was getting very tight.”We still aren’t further advanced on whether he’ll play the first Test,” McDonald told reporters on Friday. “We are definitely running out of time around that. He’s added some variables into his training. I think by this time next week, we’ll be in a position where we’re better informed to make a judgment around what that first Test match looks like.”He’s had a positive week, and so we’ll just wait for that information to come in. Anyone that knows the nature of those injuries, you do add the variables in and it’s about how you recover from adding the variables into your training. It’s not as quick as everyone thinks it is. We look forward to a positive outcome next Friday and then making some decisions around what it looks like for the first Test match.”Even if Cummins was ruled out of the first Test, McDonald was reasonably confident he could play a part in the Ashes series.”I haven’t really delved into what it looks like without him for five Test matches because the information and the week that he’s had would suggest he’s going to play some part as it sits right now,” McDonald said.”Can that change with new information when we start to add some more variables into his training? Could that go backwards? There is a possibility of that. And for those who have had lumbar bone stress, they would understand that it’s a journey to add those variables in, how you pull up, recover, and that can ebb and flow a little bit across the rehab. So we’ll just see how it plays out. At this stage there’s no thinking that he will be ruled out for the whole series.”McDonald believes it is possible for Cummins to be ready for the first Test in Perth off a preparation of less than six weeks of bowling. But he said Cummins, the selectors and the medical staff would have to weigh up the risk and reward of rushing him back.”The biggest variable that we need to add in is bowling and if you looked at a reasonable time frame for Patty to get ready, we feel as though he can do a shortened preparation, unlike other bowlers that probably need a longer prep,” McDonald said.”But even if we were to shrink that prep down, we’d start to take on some risk around soft tissue [injuries], some skill readiness as well, making sure he’s prepared to do the job there and then is it advantageous for us to get him up and running in a series even if he’s a little bit underdone and grow throughout the series as well.”Pat Cummins has not bowled since the Caribbean tour in July•AFP/Getty Images

If Cummins were to be ruled out, McDonald was confident the team could cover his absence across all aspects of the game. Cummins’ bowling will be sorely missed but Scott Boland was already pushing for a first choice spot in the XI and has an incredible Test record in Australia where he averages 12.63.If another injury were to happen to one of Australia’s quicks then the likes of Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and Sean Abbott will come into consideration.Doggett is set to be ruled out of a second straight Sheffield Shield game for South Australia with a minor hamstring issue but it is understood to be a conservative decision and that he will be fully fit for the third round that starts on October 28. Neser bowled well in Queensland’s first Shield match against Tasmania while Abbott is set to play his first four-day game of the season for New South Wales against Victoria next week after being left out of the ODI squad to face India. He has been named in the T20I squad which will rule him out of the third Shield round at least.Cummins’ calm leadership in what looms as a frenzied Ashes would also be missed if he were to be ruled out at any stage but McDonald believes Steven Smith, who is an outstanding tactician, would step in seamlessly if needed.”It’s highly likely that Steve would be that the person that we turn to,” McDonald said. “George Bailey would have to tick that one off. Steve’s incredibly experienced. He’s done a good job as recently as Sri Lanka, when Pat wasn’t on that tour. So that’s the person that we’ve turned to. I don’t see that changing.”Cummins batting contributions in recent years at No.8 have also been vital, particularly in pressure moments having won Australia two Test matches at Edgbaston and Christchurch in nail-biting run chases.McDonald was confident Mitchell Starc could step back up to No. 8 after a impressive performance in the World Test Championship final in June while he cited Boland and Nathan Lyon’s crucial tenth-wicket partnership against India at the MCG last summer as a sign of their ability. Josh Hazlewood has also had large 10th wicket stands in Test matches with Cameron Green and Starc over the last the last two years.

Will Rangers be busy in the January transfer window?

Well, new manager Danny Röhl will certainly demand that they are, having taken over a complete mess, following Russell Martin’s short but ill-fated tenure.

Well, after spending around £30m on 13 new recruits in the summer, Rangers reported annual losses of £14.8m in their latest accounts on Friday, despite seeing revenue increase to £94.1m, a club record.

Despite this, the club are still expected to be busy in the January transfer window, but sporting director Kevin Thelwell will be tasked with finding gems in the market, so has one already been identified?

Rangers' search for a new attacker

One of Rangers’ many issues this season so far has been a lack of attacking firepower.

Across all competitions, only captain James Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama have scored more than three goals, with youngster Findlay Curtis and Danilo the only players on three.

Thus, according to a report in Kazakhstan, Rangers are attempting to sign winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek.

They note that “negotiations began” between his representatives and the Glasgow-based giants, while Dundee United and Aberdeen as well as clubs in Slovakia, Russia, Greece are also in the race.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could he soon become the first Kazakh player to represent Rangers, with Kazakhstan thereby becoming the 67th different nationality represented at Ibrox?

What Galymzhan Kenzhebek would bring to Rangers

Despite the fact he is only 22 years old, Galymzhan Kenzhebek has had something of a journeyman career to date.

After bouncing around various Kazakh clubs including Kairat Almaty, a name that’ll send a shudder down the spine of any Celtic fan, and then did something few of his compatriots do by venturing abroad, enjoying stints with Akritas Chlorakas​​​​​​​ in Cyprus and Košice in Slovakia.

He did return home in June, joining Yelimay Semey, for whom he was on fire, scoring six goals in his final nine Kazakh Premier League appearances before the season concluded on 26 October, firing his team up to fourth, thereby qualifying for a major UEFA competition for the first time ever.

However, by the time they play that historic Conference League qualifier in August, it seems unlikely that Kenzhebek will still call Semey home.

The Rangers Journal labels him a “very pacy and direct” winger, also praising his “goal-scoring instincts” and outlining that he is a high-volume winger who “loves to just get the ball and commit defenders”.

Meantime, Kai Watson was also impressed, noting that he is a “quality ball carrier” and could add quality to the Rangers squad at a pretty low price.

Well, as well as starring for his club, Kenzhebek has also made the breakthrough at international level this year too.

He scored his first-ever international goal at the Borisov Arena against Belarus in a friendly in June, before netting twice during a 4-0 demolition of Liechtenstein last month, thereby starting each of Kazakhstan’s last six World Cup qualifiers, including Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Belgium, a famous point, a match Nicolas Raskin also started.

So, could Kenzhebek replicate Daizen Maeda’s success from across the city?

Well, when the Japanese international arrived at Celtic from Yokohama F. Marinos on a bargain deal in January 2022, he was a complete unknown, but his skillset sounds very reminiscent​​​​​​​ to that of Kenzhebek, as a pacey forward who typically operates off the left flank.

While an “inconsistent finisher” right now in the view of Watson – much like the at-times erratic Maeda was when he arrived in Glasgow – Rangers will hope their potential new recruit can go on to eventually prove equally as clinical in Glasgow derbies.

Hibernian

15

7

Kilmarnock

13

7

Hearts

12

6

Livingston

7

6

Rangers

22

5

Motherwell

12

5

Aberdeen

11

5

St Johnstone

10

5

Ōita Torinīta

6

5

So, while Kenzhebek is not proven at an elite level, he is seemingly worth the risk and, at a low fee, could prove to be a masterstroke in recruitment?

Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers

With Danny Röhl in need of defensive reinforcements, could Rangers sign an “aggressive” £8m-valued star better than John Souttar and Nasser Djiga?

Nov 20, 2025

New Zealand completed a clinical series victory over England with a game to spare, dismantling their opponents in the second ODI at Seddon Park by five wickets.Much like the first ODI, this was a formality for the hosts, this time dismissing their opponents for 175. In a repeat performance, it was Daryl Mitchell who led them with 56 not out to go with his 78 not out in Mount Manganui on Saturday, after Rachin Ravindra’s 54 helped break the back of a manageable chase. New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner blitzed an unbeaten 34 from 17 to add an exclamation point on their dominance, reinforced by the 101 balls unused in their innings, firing them to a 2-0 lead heading into Saturday’s third and final match in Wellington.But the spoils truly belonged to Blair Tickner, who enjoyed a joyful return to international cricket with 4 for 34. Tickner’s career-best figures in the format come after a two-year absence from the side. His presence in the game was squarely on Matt Henry’s left calf strain, after he had initially been drafted into the squad to replace Kyle Jamieson. The time between his 34th and this 35th international cap has been emotionally taxing, after his wife, Sarah, was diagnosed with leukaemia. Though still undergoing chemotherapy, she is now in remission. Each day is a blessing, and Wednesday was another for the 32-year-old quick.For England, it was anything but. For the second time in five days, they have been inserted and removed with minimal fuss, the first ODI’s 223 in Mount Maunganui trumped by a far-less accomplished display in Hamilton. It was the tenth time they have been bowled out in their last 16 goes at setting a total.Rachin Ravindra anchored the chase•Getty Images

This time, Harry Brook could not save them. England’s limited overs captain found himself at the crease at the end of the 12th over with England 51 for 3, eventually falling for 34, 101 shy of what he mustered in the series opener. Jamie Overton, the only other visiting batter to pass six then, was the standout here, muscling 42 off 28.With a card full of Ashes runners and riders, consecutive batting mishaps may well have further-reaching consequences. The first Test in Perth is just over three weeks away.Jofra Archer, on his first appearance of the winter, and playing against New Zealand in an ODI for the first time since 2019’s World Cup final, was the only silver lining, taking 3 for 23 from his ten overs. Four of those were maidens, including a wicket maiden in the first over of the chase. Operating around 90mph throughout, he threatened both edges of the bat and looked in great nick. With more runs to work with, it might not have been in vain.Both captains were keen to bowl first, but it was Santner who had the honour after winning a toss delayed by an early shower. And though his seamers could not make as spectacular use of early conditions as they did when England lost their first four wickets for just 10 in the first encounter, a similar, restrictive haul was still forthcoming.Jacob Duffy, taking the new ball, dismissed Ben Duckett for 1 at the start of his second over. Jamie Smith’s attempt at a third leg-side boundary saw him sky Zak Foulkes into the hands of Kane Williamson at backward point.Daryl Mitchell made a telling contribution again•Getty Images

Joe Root, having ticked over to 25, then found himself tangled in the new leg-side-wide laws. Tickner benefitted from greater leeway with a couple of deliveries beyond the pads, much to Root’s annoyance. A third brought a cursory whiff of the bat for an inside edge taken by wicketkeeper Tom Latham sprawling gleefully to his left.The most inexplicable dismissal was that of Jacob Bethell, emerging from a drinks break to hook Nathan Smith to Foulkes at deep square for 18. His previous delivery, the over before, had seen a similar shot fall just short of Will Young charging in from the boundary.It was already looking like Brook or bust before Jos Buttler was trapped in front for Smith’s second. A powerful four off Smith, followed by a lapped six off Santner, hinted at a repeat of Brook’s audacious fourth century in New Zealand. Santner dropping Brook on nought – a spectacular effort mid-off – looked like it could come back to bite the hosts. But it was Santner who pocketed his opposite number, courtesy of a successful acrobatic effort from Young at backward point, pouching an aerial cut.Once Sam Curran was undone by a beauty from Michael Bracewell – fizzed in from around the wicket, gripping and turning sharply past the edge and clipping the left-hander’s off bail – Overton took the initiative. The allrounder greeted Tickner’s return to the attack with a smeared four through midwicket and then an advancing clump over long-on.Tickner had the final say, forcing Overton into a flat-bat swipe that nestled into Santner’s hands at mid-off, not long after Brydon Carse had pulled the seamer flat to Mitchell at deep square. And when Adil Rashid flayed to square leg, England were done and dusted with 14 overs left on the table.Archer’s first strike four balls into the chase – too quick for Young, pinning him on the pad in front of middle – was a hint that England could make a match of it. His initial spell of 1 for 8 from five overs was a contributing factor to New Zealand’s lowly powerplay of 32 for 1. After the powerplay, Overton forced Williamson to inside edge onto his stumps, and England were up and about.Jofra Archer picked up three wickets and bowled at high speeds throughout•Getty Images

By the time Archer returned for his second spell, the stand between Ravindra and Mitchell had reached 33, with the required runs now 88 from 31 overs. A brace of fours off Rashid took Ravindra to a-run-a-ball 53, his tenth fifty-plus score in ODIs.An unfortunately well-timed pull shot off Archer brought about Ravindra’s end, stinging the palms of Rashid at fine leg. Archer’s third, off his last delivery – Bracewell caught down the leg side – saw a whiff of jeopardy return to proceedings.But 17 taken off Rashid in the 31st over, courtesy of towering straight sixes from Santner and then Mitchell, who then reverse swept the legspinner to move past fifty for the 17th time in ODIs, saw that disappear for good.Mitchell and Santner’s decisive stand was only 59* but they came in a hurry. The latter took Carse for 12, then all but one of the 15 from the next over, delivered by Overton. He then watched on as Mitchell’s ballooned a top-edge to third. An ungainly end to what was otherwise another comprehensive performance. For England, their 50-over struggles continue with this tenth defeat from 14 in 2025.

In 16 seasons’ worth of IPL cricket, he did everything his teams expected him to, and then a little bit more

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2025A debut to forgetAshwin made his debut for his home IPL team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2009, in their first game of the season against Mumbai Indians in Cape Town. But the debut was rather unmemorable as Ashwin, rumoured to have been brought on board primarily as a net bowler, didn’t get a chance to bowl after MS Dhoni’s CSK opted to field, and was not required to bat as CSK lost with seven wickets down.With the team management preferring Muthiah Muralidaran as their main spinner, Ashwin played just one other match that season. But it was a sign of things to come both from Ashwin and CSK, as he returned 2 for 13 in a low-scoring, spin-dominated win over Kings XI Punjab.R Ashwin is mobbed by his team-mates after getting Chris Gayle out in the first over•Associated PressThe new-ball starYou might score 205 in a T20 game, but if Chris Gayle is in the opposition, and enjoying one of the greatest seasons of any IPL batter, it can quickly seem like too few. Enter Ashwin, with the new ball, in the first over of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase in the IPL 2011 final. Never one to not think each of his deliveries through – with respect to the batter in front of him – Ashwin started with flight and big turn with his first two balls, and then pushed up his pace with his third, and got the ball to skid on. Attempting to cut, Gayle nicked, and Dhoni did the rest.”The plan was […] that I’d spin a few past him and then slip in an arm ball to get him out lbw or bowled,” Ashwin later said. “But […] it spun and bounced and I think Gayle was a little late for his shot.”Ashwin ended the tournament as CSK’s highest wicket-taker, with 20 strikes.It was also one of the initial acts of Ashwin the new-ball bowler. No spinner has bowled as much in the powerplay in the IPL. Ashwin leads with 1252 balls in the first six overs. Sunil Narine, second on the list, has bowled 918. Only three others – Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel and Krunal Pandya – have crossed 450. That’s a fairly dramatic difference.If it can be done, R Ashwin made sure he tried to do it•BCCIOffspinner? Legspinner? YesThroughout his career, Ashwin has been unafraid to experiment. Turning the ball right and left, experimenting with speeds and lines and lengths, wide of the crease and close to the stumps, the pause at the point of delivery, carrom balls, reverse carrom balls – you name it and he’s done it. He’s even bowled legspin, which, really, offspinners are not meant to do. Not just the odd legbreak, mind you, but the legspinner’s full repertoire.It was in 2015 that he started trying to get it right, and by 2017, he had what he needed. And in IPL 2018, his first season with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), it was on show at the IPL too.It didn’t actually happen till much later, but here’s R Ashwin warning Steven Smith for leaving his crease in 2012•AFPNot an inch given…He made things tough for the spirit-of-cricket obsessives on more occasion than one. Take running out the non-striker backing up. He wasn’t the first to do it, but he ended up making himself an ambassador for the dismissal, which is legal but frowned upon by many.As far back as 2012, there was Steven Smith in the line of Ashwin’s fire and finger-pointing ire, being asked to stay in or else. He had gone ahead and run out Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Thirimanne in this manner in an ODI the same year, only for his captain Virender Sehwag to withdraw the appeal. The actual didn’t happen until 2019, when Jos Buttler became the first run-out-backing-up victim in the IPL. Courtesy Ashwin, of course.If it’s legal, he’ll do it. If you don’t like it, hard luck.2:15

Retired out – yay or nay?

Retired, but not hurt about itCut to 2022, and again, entirely legal, but rarely put to practice: retiring out. And it had to be Ashwin to do it even if, really, the call must have been the Rajasthan Royals team management’s to make.It was against Lucknow Super Giants at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on April 10. Ashwin walked out at No. 6 with Royals well behind the ideal scoring rate, 67 for 4 in 9.5 overs. Ashwin did something of a rebuilding job in Shimron Hetmyer’s company, scoring 28 off 23 balls, but with ten balls left in the innings, he suddenly rushed off the pitch, bringing the more explosive Riyan Parag to the crease.At his post-match press conference, Royals’ cricket boss Kumar Sangakkara said Ashwin had himself played a role in the move’s conception. “It was a combination of both [Ashwin and the team management],” Sangakkara said. “It was the right time to do that, Ashwin himself was asking from the field as well, and we had discussed it just before that, as to what we would do.”Ashwin wasn’t the first batter to be retired out, and he won’t be the last, but it hadn’t happened in the IPL before that night.To Ashwin, it wasn’t even something that had to be analysed. Just something that was done, and something that should be done more often, especially in T20s. “Already we’re late, but I believe this will happen a lot in the coming days,” he said. “I don’t think it will be a stigma like running someone out at the non-striker’s end.”

The New Zealand coach is content to work out flexible agreements with casual contract players

Andrew McGlashan06-Oct-2025

Kane Williamson’s availability for New Zealand’s home summer will take a little longer to lock in. However, head coach Rob Walter is content to give a player of his standing the extra time.Williamson, who is one of the group of players to hold a casual contract with NZC, made himself unavailable for the three-match T20I series against Australia, having previously missed the tour of Zimbabwe to play county cricket and the Hundred.The next part of New Zealand’s home season sees them play England in T20Is and ODIs before an all-format visit by West Indies in November.”Kane, we’re still in conversations as to what the summer is going to look like,” Walter told reporters after the Australia series. “He will play, no doubt about that. Just what and where is still in discussion.Related

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“I think the reality is we’re dealing with all the guys on casual contracts, actually in different positions from a playing point of view. Kane is one of those and he deserves the opportunity to sit and talk about what the rest of his year will look like. But I keep coming back to the most important thing, [which] is that he wants to play for his country, and so nutting out exactly what that looks like can take an extra week or two, but surely, he deserves that.”Walter confirmed that New Zealand would continue to be without Finn Allen (foot) and Adam Milne (ankle) for the visit of England while Lockie Ferguson (hamstring) and Glenn Phillips (groin) were unlikely to be fit.However, he was hopeful that white-ball captain Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra, who was a late withdrawal from the Australia series after suffering a facial injury colliding with the boundary boards at training, will have recovered in time for the series which starts on October 18 in Christchurch.Walter was unperturbed about not being able to get his full-strength T20I side together in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.Mitchell Santner is likely to be available again•ICC via Getty Images

“I think we don’t live in an ideal world and so that’s part and parcel of it,” he said. “I’ve been part of a World Cup campaign [with South Africa] where the team assembled at its full strength three days before our first game and that team managed to make a final.”For me, it’s just the way it works. I think what’s more important is the environment and the team culture that sort of assimilates together when it needs to. We do know that by the back end of the India series [in January] prior to the World Cup, that’s when our full World Cup squad will be together.”For me, as long as the guys are playing competitive cricket, that’s important, and almost everyone has been part of the environment at some point so I would assume that they can fit seamlessly back into it.”Should all players be fit and available for the World Cup, there will be some selection squeezes, especially around the pace bowling and top-order batting. Tim Robinson took his chance after Ravindra’s injury to make an impressive hundred in the first match against Australia, while Jimmy Neesham claimed a four-wicket haul in the third game.Australia won the T20I series against New Zealand•Getty Images

“Ultimately when things are operating the way they should, everyone’s not fighting for their position, but understands that competition for places is there,” Walter said. “Ultimately you want your best crop of players in the park and in the squad.”They’re all quality players. At the end of the day, there’s going to be a quality player that’s left out, whoever that may be. As you’ve heard me say many times before, the stronger the player that’s left out, the better the system.”Reflecting on the Australia series, Walter was encouraged by the way his side fought back from 6 for 3 in the opening match and forced a collapse with the ball in the second but conceded they had areas that needed improving before facing England.”There’s little bits [of positives] here and there but, to be fair, we were a little bit off our best game and when you do that against [Australia], who’s won 25 of their last 30 T20 internationals, you’re going to find yourself on the wrong end of the result,” he said.”Some of the areas that we weren’t competitive in are actually quite easy fixes, [they] just require a little bit of extra time on our part…like any loss there’ll be some positives most of the time and then some stuff that you walk away with and understanding that you have to do better as we move forward.”With England arriving, you’ve got a team that’s going to play very similar to how Australia played in the series. So again, we get to check out if we actually have improved in the areas that we’ve identified and spoken about.”

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has apologised to the club's travelling fans after a "very bad night" in their 4-1 loss at Arsenal. A Leandro Trossard goal and an Eberechi Eze hat-trick condemned Spurs to a thumping defeat at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Richarlison's consolation did little to lift the mood of Vicario, who criticised his team's "passive" approach.

• Arsenal heap misery on Spurs

  For Tottenham, this was, arguably, their biggest game of the season. A chance to beat the Premier League leaders, and their biggest rivals, on their home patch and boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League. What played out on Sunday was quite the opposite. Arsenal ruthlessly cut apart a sorry Spurs side, who were far too tentative to threaten Mikel Arteta's team. The Gunners strove to claim all three points with an attacking display, whereas the visitors seemed content to come away with a point. In the end, they got nothing. The result saw Arsenal go six points clear at the top of the table, whereas Tottenham are now down to ninth.

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  Vicario rues match to forget

  The Spurs keeper began by apologising to the thousands of Tottenham fans who attended the game after a horror night in enemy territory. He also said that the game plan they prepared was very different to the one they executed at Arsenal.

  He told Sky Sports: "A very bad night for us. First of all we have to apologise to the people that support us every day. They expected us to fight and today we didn't fight. That's not negotiable to do in football in this level. It's a tough night, a very bad defeat, but we have to stick together. We have a big night on Wednesday but we need to stick together. Tonight we didn't show the things we are normally capable of. The emotions are high, but we need cool heads and apologise to the people that support us and have travelled today. I think we waited too much to get into the game. We were too passive. The game plan we prepared was different. Today we didn't fight. We have to apologise first of all for this. But we have to stick together and move on because on Wednesday we have a big night."

  Vicario did appeal that Eze's first goal should have been ruled out as a couple of Arsenal players were in his eyeline and were offside. But he later said that it would not have mattered to the scoreline.

  The 29-year-old added: "I think the way the game went it wouldn't have changed anything. There were three people in front of me so of course they impacted me. But we didn't lose the game for that."

• Frank 'pained' by Arsenal rout

  Tottenham boss Frank said he felt confident going into the north London derby but what he got was an "extremely bad" performance. He said he tried to replicate the tactics they deployed in their narrow UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain in August but these two displays were like night and day.

  He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's extremely painful to stand here after an extremely bad performance. Against the worst team we could put a bad performance in against. It was the perfect storm. I think especially first half we lacked the ability to have pressure and get close to them and be aggressive enough in the duels. We had to absorb to much pressure throughout the first half. In the second half we got a little bit better but nowhere near the level we want.

  "That's an extremely hard defeat to take. We are all emotional and frustrated and need to look at it with calm heads. I was very confident going into the game that we could be competitive and we weren't, which was disappointing. We tried to do something different that was very successful against PSG. Today it wasn't and I always take responsibility for my decisions and then when it doesn't go the way we want it to go, that's on me. We changed it at half-time but I am 1000% sure that no matter what formation you play if you don't win enough duels or are aggressive enough, it doesn't matter what formation you play."

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  What comes next for Tottenham?

  Tottenham will look to bounce back immediately from this thrashing when they return to Champions League action on Wednesday. Unfortunately for them, the fixtures don't get any easier as they take on defending champions PSG in Paris.