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He has all the attributes: pace, bounce, swing, left-arm advantage, yorkers, death bowling, middle-overs wickets, around-the-wicket angle, and more

Sidharth Monga19-Mar-20233:21

Tait: Starc close to being an Australia all-time great

Twice in two innings, KL Rahul has faced a hat-trick ball from Mitchell Starc. On both occasions he has walked out following near-perfect deliveries from Starc to Suryakumar Yadav. In the first match, Starc bowled the hat-trick delivery too full. In the second, he nearly repeated the ball that got Suryakumar out.Rahul kept it out. On the surface it looked like a more accomplished longer-formats batter handling the same ball better than one who is being pushed into the longer formats based on his success in T20s and not in List A or first-class cricket. On closer inspection, though, Suryakumar was done in by a ball that seamed to go with the beautiful swing Starc was getting. The hat-trick ball swung in the air, but didn’t change its direction upon pitching.Not to worry, Rahul got his own version of that Suryakumar ball soon enough. The shortest length with which you can hit the stumps with, swinging in in the air, then pitching and seaming some more to beat the bat, which had hoped to cover the line of the swing. At Starc’s pace. If you were teaching a class the meaning of unplayable, you might use that as an illustration.Related

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Starc's five-for, Marsh-Head century stand sink India for 1-1

As Starc himself said, he didn’t do much different in these two ODIs. He tried to swing it, he bowled fast, and he attacked the stumps. This direct approach – high pace, hit the stumps – gives him comfortably the best strike rate among bowlers with 100 wickets or more in history of ODI cricket.When it is swinging and seaming – as it has been this series – Starc is a proper nightmare because he can swing it in a way that it still attacks the stumps. He is one of the only four fast bowlers with 100 wickets or more to have taken more than half of their wickets bowled or lbw. The other three – Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and Mohammad Sami – benefited heavily from the low Asian pitches and reverse swing, which has been practically regulated out of the game in Starc’s time.With the numbers that Starc has – a strike rate of 25.6, average of 21.78, nine five-fors – it is surely time to see where he sits among the greatest fast bowlers in ODIs. He has all the attributes: pace, bounce, swing, left-arm advantage, yorkers, death bowling, middle-overs wickets, around-the-wicket angle, ability to run through line-ups as seen in the 16 times he has been on a hat-trick, more than anyone since he debuted.Mitchell Starc rattled India again•ESPNcricinfo LtdHowever, ODIs are the toughest to compare players across eras because of how much the playing conditions and the tempo of the game keep changing. Starc has played most of his ODI cricket with reverse-swing practically non-existent, on high-scoring pitches with good bounce, but he also has bowled to more trigger-happy batters needing to score quicker and thus taking more risks. That he has taken only 219 wickets can be an argument against him, but if he plays such little ODI cricket, he plays only the “important” tournaments and series, which reduces matches against outmatched opponents.One way to contextualise Starc among the greats of the format is to see how much better he is than the average bowler of his era. Shiva Jayaraman from ESPNcricinfo’s stats team worked these numbers out for me. Starc averages 9.59 less than the average of fast bowlers in the matches he has played. Among those who have taken 100 wickets or more in ODIs, nine fast bowlers have fared better on this metric. Two of these are not full-time bowlers, which might suggest theirs being used only in seam-friendly conditions, thus skewing that number.The leaves us with seven: Jasprit Bumrah, Shaun Pollock, Glenn McGrath, Josh Hazlewood, Joel Garner, Nathan Bracken and Curtly Ambrose. Bumrah’s numbers are phenomenal: an average 16.56 lower than the average of fast bowlers in matches he has played, and an economy rate 1.17 lower.Starc doesn’t quite do that much better than the others on the economy rate front because of the highly aggressive lengths he bowls in order to get the bowleds and lbws. The flip side is the exceptional strike rate. Those traditional stats – average, strike rate – and that he is so much better than the others in his era should be enough to put him among a handful of the greatest fast bowlers in ODI cricket. Once he is back from injury and adds to his body of work, Bumrah could just end up right alongside Starc.The only argument against Starc can be the volume. However, he has topped the wickets chart in both the World Cups he has played. He won one, and ended up a semi-finalist in the other. How much Starc wants to add to the volume of wickets will probably be decided after the World Cup later this year, but if he has a similar World Cup to the last two, there will be very little keeping him from being recognised as the greatest of all time.

Hanuma Vihari relives his incredible SCG rearguard with R Ashwin, when he batted with an injured leg he couldn’t feel and a mind focused on playing out six balls at a time

Sidharth Monga21-Jan-2021What were you feeling when you were limping up the stairs at the SCG after saving the Test?
Two feelings came to mind. One was pain, the other was relief. The pain was there and sigh of relief that I could do the job for the team. It was sweet pain. The pain was all worth it at the end of the day. If I hadn’t been able to save the match, it would have hurt more. But because we saved the Test, the pain was not so painful.Did memories of Adelaide flash back at this time?
After the Adelaide Test, you won’t believe, we as a team we never spoke about the game. We only felt that it has never happened before, I don’t think it will ever happen again. It was a freak innings. So let’s move on and let’s look at it as a three-Test series from Melbourne. Now if you look at it, we have won the series 2-0. The Indian team, the character and the fight we show, we leave everything on the ground. That’s the hallmark of the Indian team. That’s exactly how we played.We looked at the number of times you were not in control while playing a delivery. In this series, it has taken, on an average, nine to ten not-in-control balls for a wicket to fall. In that innings [36 all out], it took just three to four. I am sure you know this instinctively as batsmen, but did you need such numbers to reinforce the fact that it was a freak innings that day?
I read that article but we knew it, that every time that a good ball came, we edged it and it went straight to the fielder. It doesn’t happen in cricket that way. If it does on a freak day, you accept it and move on. That is Test cricket at the end of the day. You can have days like that also. But we knew this would not happen very often – once in 60 years or so.Related

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Reactions to SCG: 'Bruised. Broken. Never short of character'

How did the evening after the SCG Test go?
I hardly had any sleep. Again, with pain. One thing was pain and the other thing was I was happy and overwhelmed with the respect and love I got on the internet, in the messages I got. I think I slept for one hour and got up again at 6 in the morning. That is the kind of feeling I got. I would say for all the years of hard work I had done in first-class cricket, where there are no people watching you play and you have to go through the grind and struggle, and to have 1.3 billion watching back home and all the people in the world watching you save a Test match… That was the thought that came into my mind. Real satisfaction of going through the grind in the first-class arena and then achieving this, the satisfaction was really amazing.Have you ever been, at any level, in a match where your team has had so many injuries?
Never. This series has been a ride of emotions. We have been through the ups and downs, we have seen everything you can see in sports in one series. The way the support staff handled it… at no point were they panicked. At no point did they lose hope. They believed that whoever walked onto the park, we are “Team India” and we will get 100% on the ground.Because of the Covid situation, the squad was big. But losing players still upsets the balance of the team. Sometimes you don’t get the right combination. If you look at the Gabba Test, they took a punt on Washi [Washington Sundar] who never played first-class cricket in the last three years. Still they believed in the player. They knew his capability and ability. They have seen us play, they have seen us in the nets, they knew what we could do. Their task was to choose the right combination of players, and they believed whoever played could go and perform.

“At one point we joked that it felt like we were in a war with wounded soldiers. We will play the fourth Test with whoever is left standing. At one point it felt like that, but jokes apart the medical team did a tremendous job”

The actual physio and trainers, what all did they have to go through? What were the scenes in the dressing room?
Huge credit to the physios and the trainers. They had a tough time dealing with so many injuries. At no point did I feel they were panicked or worried or anything like that. They were quite calm. Both the physios and both the trainers. At one point we joked that it felt like we were in a war with wounded soldiers. We will play the fourth Test with whoever is left standing. At one point it felt like that, but jokes apart the medical team did a tremendous job.But seriously, when did the team start believing you could save the Sydney Test?
If you look at the first session and most part of the second session, we were looking good for a win. The way Rishabh [Pant] and [Cheteshwar] Pujara played. To be honest, once they got out, I don’t think a win was a possibility. Even before my injury, Ash [R Ashwin] was struggling with his back, [Ravindra] Jadeja could have played only a few overs if needed. The draw came in when we knew that Ash couldn’t run, and then when my hamstring injury happened, we knew we just had to bat out time. And it is not an easy task [for one partnership] to bat out 43 overs. Australia, day five, against that attack.We batted one ball at a time, one over at a time, me and Ash. We had a conversation every over about what we needed to do. The strategy also helped. We got messages from outside but we had already decided that he was going to face [Nathan] Lyon and I would face the fast bowlers. One he was batting well against Lyon and also I couldn’t stretch against the spinner with my hamstring.It panned out well. He was facing Lyon with ease on a day-five pitch, and I was pretty comfortable against the fast bowlers.So before Pant got out, were you just batting normally or would you say you were actually going for the win?
No, no, not really. The talk in the huddle was let’s bat normally. If we get close, then we will look at it. Never thought of chasing the target or anything.But that’s how Rishabh plays, isn’t it? He just played his natural game. Other than that we were not thinking of drawing the game or winning the game. Ninety-eight overs is too long a time to plan or predict what will happen. We just have to see how the game will take its course and then react to the situation.”I knew straightaway that I had torn my hamstring”•Getty ImagesI mean if Pant plays defensively, he will likely get out. He also must know that…
You can’t play for a draw from the first session. You must remember he still played 130 balls. If he doesn’t play that way [his natural game], the bowlers will be on top from the first session. So really good on him to play the way he did.Did you immediately know your injury was bad and you could put yourself out for a long time if you pushed yourself?
I knew it then and there that it was the end of my series. I knew it wasn’t a cramp or anything minor. I knew straightaway that I had torn my hamstring. Because I have done that before, I knew how it feels. I couldn’t walk or run. I knew it was a tear.I knew whatever contribution I could make, whatever impact I had to have, it has to be in this time. In one way, the injury helped me with clarity of mind. I knew I just have to play close to the body and not try anything fancy because I am not looking for runs and I can’t run anyway. It made things simpler for me to just be there and block balls that come my way.When Ashwin got off the mark, he made you run that quick single. You were nearly run out…
Before that also I had told Ash I can’t run. Instinctively he ran and I didn’t have a choice. Before that run I didn’t know if I could jog, but when I took that run I told Ash, see, I can’t even jog. I can only walk. That too with pain. So he said, ‘Okay, let’s not run and play out the overs.’Does he speak better Telugu or do you speak better Tamil?
He can speak better Telugu. I can’t speak Tamil. I can only understand Tamil.But we could pick up only Tamil on TV.
He spoke Telugu too. In Tamil he said, “” is like play, play. He was speaking both. Main thing was . Think of ten-ten balls.Were you counting “ten-ten balls”?
I was counting my six. So if I play my six, I was waiting for Ash to play his six. I knew if I played my six balls, I would get four minutes of rest where he plays the other six. Six balls of my strike, six balls of his strike. We believed once when the session started, we just batted. But after that, in the mandatory overs in the last hour, we said we will focus even harder. We believed then that we could actually do it. Before that we were just batting and taking our time and making sure we get as close to 6 o’clock as possible. In that last one hour, we knew we could achieve something special.

“In the tea break I took the injection. After tea… I couldn’t feel my right leg at all. The numbness of the painkiller meant I didn’t have any pain when standing, but I couldn’t even feel my leg. And then when I ran it hurt.”

Did that change your mindset now that you knew you were on the brink of something special?
Exactly. That’s when the communication was even more important. That’s when the Tamil and Telugu conversation happened. We hardly spoke before that. After that we knew we were getting close, we were pepping each other up, it was only a matter of time. That is when conversations happened.What did you do during the tea break?
I got a painkiller injection. And got taped up. In my mind, I knew this is the innings I have to give it back to the team. I was thinking in my mind I have to do something and show the character and grit and determination. That I have to go and bat for two-and-a-half hours.How many painkillers did you take?
One tablet when I first got injured and then the injection during the tea break.It takes 15-20 minutes for it to kick in, right?
Yes. In the tea break I took the injection. After tea, it stopped hurting me but I felt a weakness in my right leg. I couldn’t feel my right leg at all. The numbness of the painkiller meant I didn’t have any pain when standing, but I couldn’t even feel my leg. And then when I ran it hurt.Was there a phase when it felt like it might be slipping away?
Only towards the end when I was dropped [by Tim Paine]. Mitchell Starc bowled a brilliant spell. He was reverse-swinging the ball, and it was moving late. That was the only phase I thought I have to focus a little bit harder. If you look at the match, that was the only phase where they troubled us. Initially, Ash had trouble with the short ball but after that he was comfortable.Just overall, how difficult is it to face this Australian attack?
The thing is, the height they release from, and their pace, they hit the wicket hard. It is challenging but we showed in this Test series if you take up the challenge, then you can wear any bowler down. That’s exactly what we did. We wore them down and we capitalised on any loose balls we got. That is very rare from them. Only when they are tired or once you have batted 70-80 overs, then you tend to get some runs out of them.Especially Pat Cummins, he is like a machine. He gave nothing on the pads.
And he bowls those lengths. He bowls hard lengths. Not like he is coming and releasing it on a length. He hits it really hard. And it hits high up on the bat. So you have to be doubly focused on him.But people talk about strike rates and strike rotation. You must tell people what a big risk it is to force the pace against them.
You can only experience it. You can’t explain it. You can’t explain how it feels facing up against them.R Ashwin embraces Hanuma Vihari after the match ended in a draw•AFP via Getty ImagesAny technical adjustment you made during the series?
In the last [third] Test, against Josh Hazlewood, I made a small adjustment to bat outside the crease. He is someone who hits the length consistently, so I wanted to make him bowl a different length. That was a tactical change. But other than that I batted the way I did in West Indies and New Zealand. I always felt I was batting well throughout the series but the runs never came in the first two Tests – I got a pretty good ball in the first Test, threw my wicket away in the second and then got run out in the first innings in Sydney. That didn’t really help with the amount of runs I scored, but I always felt I was batting well.In hindsight, do you feel that run in the first innings in Sydney was on?
In hindsight, I wouldn’t say the run was on. It was an extraordinary piece of fielding from Hazlewood but still it wasn’t necessary on my part to take a risky single. The wicket was playing so well that I could have waited and ground them, had a partnership with Pujara and got a big score. But yeah that was a brain-fade moment for me.But if you think about it, can you find an explanation as to why this [being run out going for a quick single] happens in Test cricket?
I don’t think I can. Sometimes you feel there is a run. In a split second you make the decision. Because I have stepped out and the momentum was there and the danger end was also mine. I thought I could reach. I didn’t expect that kind of fielding from Josh. He was in the middle of a spell. He had bowled three-four overs in the spell and to come out and do that, we have to give credit to him as well. But as I said it wasn’t unnecessary.But when you pick out a fielder, even in that split second, do you know this guy is in the middle of a spell?
Yes. Exactly that is what I thought. But it didn’t pan out well.Just overall you have played only one Test at home, you are again missing a home series [against England], and you just get challenging assignments. Do you feel satisfied with what you have done at this point of your career?
I am really blessed to be part of this side. To be part of an Indian side winning abroad, winning twice in Australia, and the team management showing so much faith in me… The faith they show in me, I am really blessed and happy. I just want to repay that faith with good performances, whether it is home or abroad.Did you watch the whole final Test?
Yeah, yeah, I was waking up at 5am and watching it on TV. I didn’t miss a single ball. I was really happy and rooting for us to win.It must have been tough coming back alone after having been part of such a great series.
I was gutted that I wasn’t part of the historic Test at Gabba. You feel disappointed, but the reason I came back was I want to get fit as soon as possible and make sure I am available for selection for the last two Tests [against England]. That was why I came back.So you have to go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA)?
I am in NCA [in Bengaluru] already. I reached yesterday and will start rehab tomorrow.

تمكن منتخب تونس من تحقيق الفوز على قطر، في إطار منافسات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

وواجه منتخب تونس نظيره القطري، في السابعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

ويقع منتخب تونس في المجموعة الأولى في كأس العرب، رفقة منتخبات قطر وسوريا وفلسطين. 

طالع.. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من كأس العرب 2025 

وحقق منتخب تونس الفوز على قطر، بثلاثية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الأحد. 

تقدم منتخب تونس بالهدف الأول في مرمى قطر، في الدقيقة 16 من عمر الشوط الأول، عن طريق محمد علي بن رمضان لاعب الأهلي. 

وفي الدقيقة 62 من عمر الشوط الثاني، عزز منتخب تونس تقدمه بالهدف الثاني في مرمى قطر عن طريق اللاعب ياسين مرياح، قبل أن يضيف محمد علي بن رمضان ثالث أهداف تونس في الدقيقة 94 من عمر المباراة. 

وبهذه النتيجة رفع منتخب تونس رصيده إلى 4 نقاط في المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب المجموعة، بينما تجمد رصيد قطر عند نقطة وحيدة في المركز الأخير. 

وبتلك النتيجة تأكد خروج تونس وقطر من بطولة كأس العرب، بينما تأهلت سوريا وفلسطين إلى دور الثمانية من البطولة.  أهداف مباراة تونس وقطر في كأس العرب  

 

 

 

MLB's slate of games is a loaded one when all 30 teams are in action. If you're looking for a few bets to place, you've come to the right spot. I have three bets locked in for Saturday, including a bet for the AL East duel between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Let's dive into them.

Top MLB Picks Today

• Blue Jays (+100) vs. Twins
• Astros (-115) vs. Guardians
• Red Sox vs. Yankees OVER 7.5 (-110)

Blue Jays vs. Twins Prediction

How could you not bet on the Blue Jays as underdogs again today? Their offense has been on fire of late, batting .269 while ranking fourth in OPS at .795 over the past 30 days. The Twins enter this game ranking just 13th in OPS in that same time frame at .713.

The Blue Jays certainly have some issues and questions that need to be answered when it comes to their rotation, but today isn't one of those days as Kevin Gausman (3.82) is set to get the start against Chris Paddack (3.58).

I'll back Toronto as an underdog once again this afternoon.

Astros vs. Guardians Prediction

The Astros' offense is trending in the right direction of late. They have a batting average of .268 over the past 30 days, along with an OPS of .750, the seventh-best mark in that time frame. The Guardians are trending in the opposite direction, ranking 26th in OPS over the past month.

The Astros also have a significant edge in the starting pitchers' matchup. The AL Cy Young candidate, Hunter Brown (1.83 ERA), gets the start for Houston against Gavin Williams (3.79 ERA) of the Guardians. Williams' 4.38 FIP indicates some regression could be in store for him in the near future.

I'll back the Astros to get the job done in Cleveland.

Red Sox vs. Yankees Prediction

With today's pitching matchup of Garrett Crochet (1.98 ERA) against Ryan Yarbrough (2.83 ERA), you may think that we're in for a low-scoring affair, but consider the fact that both pitchers are lefties. Both teams have been significantly better against left-handed pitchers this season.

The Red Sox's OPS improves from .744 against righties to .776 against lefties, while the Yankees' OPS improves from .797 to .847, which is the best mark amongst all Major League teams against left-handed pitchers.

The Yankees' bullpen has also been a concern for them of late. Over the past 30 days, they have a bullpen ERA of 4.25, which ranks 21st in Majors in that time frame so don't be surprised if we see some late-inning runs in this one.

I'll sit back and root for runs in this AL East rivalry game.

Sergio Ramos has left fans bemused and delighted in equal measure after posting a light-hearted Instagram video of himself dancing to Taylor Swift’s global hit Shake It Off. The 39-year-old, now playing for Monterrey in Mexico, showed a surprisingly playful side – a huge contrast to the uncompromising persona that defined his peak years at Real Madrid.

Ramos goes viral with unexpected dance cameo

In the short clip, which racked up more than 270,000 likes, Ramos appears in a cream shirt, swaying his hips and tapping the backsides of his wife, Pilar Rubio, and a female friend before skipping towards the camera. The fun-filled moment was a far cry from the intimidating presence that once terrified strikers across Europe.

AdvertisementWatch the clip

Who is Sergio Ramos married to?

Ramos married Spanish TV presenter Pilar Rubio in 2019 after seven years together, and the couple share four sons. The Instagram clip offered a glimpse into the defender’s family-first lifestyle in Mexico, where he moved earlier this year. Now with Monterrey, Ramos continues to play at an astonishing level for his age. In the summer of 2025, he made his debut at the Club World Cup and promptly rewrote the record books. His goal in a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan made him the oldest scorer in the tournament’s history at 39 years and 80 days, breaking Javier Zanetti’s previous record set in 2010. Over 16 trophy-laden seasons at Real Madrid, he played 671 matches, scored 101 goals, outrageously high for a centre-back, and lifted the Champions League four times. 

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Getty Images EntertainmentSwift’s surprise nod to Real Madrid

Ramos’ viral dance comes as Swift once again found herself indirectly linked with Real Madrid. The American superstar released her new album, , featuring the track Wi$h Li$t, a song in which she casually name-checks the Spanish giants alongside life goals such as winning an Oscar or claiming the Palme d’Or. "They want a contract with Real Madrid," Swift sings, weaving the football reference into a narrative about lofty, almost fantasy-like aspirations. 

It is not the first time Swift and the Spanish champions have crossed paths. During her record-breaking Eras Tour, she performed two sold-out nights at the Santiago Bernabéu in May 2024, drawing 130,000 fans across the weekend. In 2018, Canadian rapper Drake referenced the club in his song : " live like Ronaldo but I never been in Madrid." Meanwhile, Latin stars Bad Bunny and Anuel AA have also cited the club in their lyrics.

The USMNT’s player pool keeps growing, and Pochettino suddenly has more depth – and tougher decisions – than ever before.

TAMPA, Fla. – How about that November camp, huh?

What was billed as the U.S. men's national team’s toughest window of the year ended up becoming its most convincing. Across two home dates against World Cup-caliber South American opponents, the U.S. edged Paraguay 2-1 and then dismantled Uruguay 5-1. It was the kind of statement that every national team hopes for but rarely delivers.

For Mauricio Pochettino and his players, there’s no shortage of reasons to feel proud – or encouraged by what this group might look like when it all comes together.

But Pochettino, of course, won't quite see it that way. He'll see it as another building block, another step towards something bigger. These were statements, yes, but the big statements will be made in the summer, not the fall. All things considered, though, the path towards the summer has gotten a little bit brighter these last few months as the U.S. have stepped forward with a five-game unbeaten run that includes four wins.

By and large, the biggest lesson from this camp is just how deep the U.S. have become. So many different players have contributed to those four wins, and Pochettino pointed to a stat that he's worked with over 70 players since his arrival as USMNT boss. The pool, in truth, might have even expanded this camp, given the performances put in by the USMNT, and Pochettino might have an even harder time making the tough calls next summer on the heels of these results.

"I think we are starting to feel the World Cup, the excitement," Pochettino said. "I think it's important for our fans now to push them, to really believe in the team. We never doubted, because we saw the quality of the players. It was only about trusting them, to give them the position to find a way to perform, to behave, to feel football and what it means to be a professional. There are all areas we can improve because we are very ambitious and we want to win."

With that said, some players raised their stock more than others. Who stood out? Whose stock rose – and whose fell? GOAL takes a look after November’s camp… 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Stock up: Gio Reyna

  Over the course of two games, Reyna showed every reason why he should, and possibly will be, at the World Cup come next summer. All of the other stuff be damned; when Reyna puts on a USMNT shirt, he's usually pretty good.

  He was excellent against Paraguay, scoring once and creating another in the 2–1 win. Questions about Reyna’s fitness and explosiveness remain, but his ability to influence a match is beyond doubt. He also put in more defensive work than he often gets credit for, showing he can contribute to this team in more ways than just as a late-game spark off the bench.

  "I feel really good," Reyna said after the match. "I feel valued, feel important, feel ready to go. Obviously, when you feel better mentally, you can definitely play better on the field, too. So yeah, I'm definitely building up, but I feel great. I'm just happy, but I have to keep working now."

  Against Uruguay, though, Reyna did come off the bench, obviously due to fitness concerns, but still found a way to make his mark. Given way too much time on the ball by a 10-man Uruguay team, Reyna made them pay, looping in a perfect ball to Tanner Tessmann for the Lyon midfielder's first midfield goal. Handed just about 30 minutes to work, Reyna made them count by providing that assist and picking up a yellow card for good measure.

  There's still a long way to go until the World Cup, and Reyna's injury history is enough to give anyone a reason to pause. Right now, though, there are plenty of reasons to expect Reyna in the squad next summer, and he might just play a big role, too.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Stock down: Goalkeepers not named 'Matt Freese'

  It really isn't a surprise at this point that Matt Freese started both games. Pochettino has made it somewhat clear that the NYCFC goalkeeper was his No. 1 option. Matt Turner's exclusion effectively confirmed that. As for the other goalkeepers called into this November camp? They, too, could only watch as Freese continued to hold down his starting role.

  He wasn't perfect, admittedly. The goal against Uruguay came following a clearance, but that clearance was preceded by an ill-timed decision from Freese. The U.S. was unable to recover, but only because Giorgian De Arrascaeta hit an absolutely absurd bicycle kick into the back of the net. At the end of the day, it was more "incredible goal" than "bad mistake", and not something that'll be held against Freese.

  With no USMNT games until March, Freese has now started each of the last 12 USMNT matches. It doesn't seem that's changing as everyone else continues to watch on as he leads from the back.

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  Stock up: Alex Freeman

  In terms of describing Freeman, Pochettino said it best, so we'll let him take it away.

  "I think you need to analyze the way that he plays," the USMNT boss said. "He can play like a third center back. He can go forward on the side. How difficult is it for the opponent to stop him from going inside and playing? When he has the ball, the team [can exhale]. He's so strong."

  That sounds a lot like the USMNT coach describing a player with both the ability and versatility to play at a World Cup. It's been a rapid rise for the Orlando City full back, yes, but he only continues to rise and get better. The Uruguay game was, of course, his best performance yet, as Freeman scored his first two senior international goals to really make a statement to anyone watching.

  Given what we've seen over the last six or so months, there's a chance that the version of Freeman we see six months from now is even better, even with the MLS offseason built in. The 21-year-old defender is flying high after breaking out in 2025 – what can we expect now in 2026?

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  Stock down: Yunus Musah

  Musah, of course, wasn't in camp. The thing was that the midfielders who were in camp were generally pretty good.

  Tyler Adams is going to the World Cup. So, too, is Weston McKennie. The midfielders that were in this camp, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, and Timothy Tillman, all gave pretty good accounts of themselves. Berhalter, in particular, was the standout against Uruguay, scoring a stunner before setting up another with a perfectly hit set piece. He's carving out a role, one which could see him contribute next summer.

  The midfield picture is, in a word, crowded, as Pochettino has plenty of different profiles and skillsets to sort through.

  What does this mean for Musah? It means that, at the very least, the process of clawing his way back won't be easy. He hasn't been in camp since March and, if he were to return in the next gathering, it'll have been a year since he last put on a USMNT shirt. The competition during that year has only gotten more fierce, and the road back has only gotten harder.

  So how does that happen? Playing for Atalanta will help, and if not, possibly getting out of there in January. Musah has to focus on himself at the moment, but while that's happening, the midfield pool only continues to grow.

Sadia Iqbal named in Category A, while Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar are in new Category E

Danyal Rasool06-Aug-2025

Sadia Iqbal, currently No. 1 in ICC Women’s T20I bowling rankings, is in Category A•PA Photos/Getty Images

Pakistan’s women’s cricketers will receive a 50% increase in their monthly retainers as part of the new central contracts announced by the PCB. The contracts, finalised by the women’s selection committee alongside head coach Mohammad Wasim, will run retrospectively from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, with the increase applying to all categories.The most notable promotion in the contracts goes to Sadia Iqbal, currently ranked No. 1 in the ICC Women’s T20I bowling rankings. She has been named in Category A, alongside Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin. Fast bowler Diana Baig and offspinner Rameen Shamim, meanwhile, had their category upgraded from C to B, and from D to C, respectively. Shamim is the only player in Category C.Aliya Riaz, who missed out on a central contract last year, returns under Category B this time. Nida Dar, who also did not get a central contract last time amid a drop in form and a deterioration of relationships with the current PCB set-up, took an indefinite break from cricket in April, and is not part of the contracts list this time either.Related

Injured Shamas out of Ireland T20Is; Zulfiqar replaces her

This year’s contracts include a fifth category, Category E, designated as the Emerging category, which the PCB says has been created to nurture emerging talent. Eyman Fatima, an uncapped batter, and Shawaal Zulfiqar, who has featured in three ODIs and seven T20Is, are the two players listed under this new tier. Both were part of Pakistan’s squad for the inaugural ICC Women’s U-19 World Cup in 2023, and are also part of the squad for the ongoing T20I series in Ireland.Ten players have been named in Category D, with Natalia Parvaiz, Sidra Nawaz and Waheeda Akhtar fresh inclusions.The contract announcement comes ahead of a busy year for the Pakistan women’s side, which is scheduled to participate in two ICC events: the ODI World Cup in September-October 2025, and the T20 World Cup in June-July 2026, alongside bilateral series at home and abroad.Central Contracts List 2025-26Category A
Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Sadia Iqbal and Sidra AminCategory B
Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig and Nashra SandhuCategory C
Rameen ShamimCategory D
Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda AkhtarCategory E (Emerging)
Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar

West Ham are in dire need of a new striker to relieve the pressure on Nuno Espírito Santo.

Nuno Espírito Santo requests three signings for West Ham in January

Alongside a centre-forward, it is also believed that West Ham’s new boss has personally urged both chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to bring a new defender and midfielder as soon as the next January window (GiveMeSport).

This is somewhat backed up by Sky Sports too, who reiterate that the Hammers are indeed targeting a defender, midfielder and attacker in January, with Nuno also getting “confirmation” he would have money to spend.

Going by this flurry of reports, West Ham could be set for one of their busiest January windows in recent memory, and it’s definitely needed.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

West Ham limped to an uninspired 2-0 defeat to Brentford in their last game, which was Nuno’s first home match since taking charge as manager, with the east Londoners completely failing to lay a glove on Keith Andrews’ side who strutted to victory with ease.

The scoreline could’ve been even worse for West Ham, on a night marred by large protests from the Hammers faithful against their club’s ownership. Brentford attempted a whopping 17 shots on goal and found it far too easy on enemy turf, with this performance highlighting exactly why reinforcements are badly needed.

Even though West Ham look soft as butter defensively, almost every supporter is desperate to see Sullivan and Brady go into the market and sign an exciting striker who can provide that needed injection of quality going forward.

Callum Wilson, who has a torrid injury record, and the inexperienced Callum Marshall are Nuno’s only natural options right now, forcing the West Ham boss to play Lucas Paqueta as a false nine against Brentford on Monday.

This experiment failed, with Paqueta failing to make an impact and losing possession a whopping 23 times.

Niclas Füllkrug, adding to his extensive list of missed games already for West Ham, is set to be “out for a while” after tearing a muscle bundle in his thigh, so the German cannot be relied upon yet again.

Luckily for Nuno, media sources suggest that West Ham are actively trying to solve their striker conundrum, and a key target emerging for the Irons is £53 million Real Madrid sensation Endrick on loan.

Some reports claim that West Ham are even holding talks with Real over a temporary deal for Endrick already, coming after Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Brazil international is expected to leave on a dry loan.

Given Endrick’s desperation for game time, a temporary stint at West Ham could be perfect for all parties involved, with the 19-year-old still classed as one of Brazil’s most exciting up-and-coming talents.

West Ham in pole position to sign Endrick from Real Madrid

Endrick, thanks in part to fitness issues, hasn’t managed to work his way into the Real starting eleven on a consistent basis, but did score five Copa del Rey goals en route to the final last season, before Los Blancos lost to rivals Barcelona.

The Premier League could be beckoning for a player who’s looking to battle his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the World Cup, and West Ham are looking to take advantage.

According to reports from Spain, West Ham are “leading the race” to secure Endrick on loan, ahead of both Newcastle and Aston Villa.

Nuno’s side have expressed serious interest in bringing the teenage striker to England, and Endrick himself sees a temporary move away as critical for his development.

However, while it is reported by some that discussions have been held, a temporary move to another La Liga side is also factored in as a serious option, so West Ham won’t have a free run at his signature.

Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma played key roles as SA won their first world title

Andrew McGlashan14-Jun-20253:35

Markram: ‘Important to keep Test cricket No.1 in SA’

Temba Bavuma heard the references as Australia tried to get into South Africa’s heads on the fourth day at Lord’s, but the ‘chokers’ tag can now be banished to history.When Bavuma and Aiden Markram resumed on day four needing 69 to win, the Australians reminded them that the job wasn’t done. The tension was palpable in the middle, especially when Bavuma edged Pat Cummins behind with 65 needed and Tristan Stubbs had his bail trimmed by a beauty from Mitchell Starc with the target 41 away.But in the end, there were no major alarms as Markram took them within touching distance of the target with an innings for the ages.Bavuma was quick to say how facing the current Australian team is a different experience than in the past – a clear reference to the infamous 2018 series – but that didn’t mean there weren’t a few words.Related

'Together-together' – why South Africa's triumph matters on the long walk to freedom

South Africa revel on Lord's stage as WTC gets showpiece it deserves

Conrad: 'We're the world champions, we create our own reality'

Aiden Markram's long walk off field the calm before a South Africa storm

Markram delivers WTC glory to end SA's history of heartbreak

“Playing against Australia is a bit different in the last couple of years,” he said. “They’re not as vocal out on the field. They’re still aggressive through their body language, through obviously their skill, but there’s not a lot of chatter.”Of course, the tag of us being chokers, that came about this morning. One of their players threw out the fact that we could lose our eight wickets in less than 60 runs. I definitely heard that.”Aiden kept using the [words] lock in after every over, let’s keep locking in. Let’s give them nothing. So yeah, not a lot of chatter, just one or two things that were, that were said.”1:53

Steyn on SA’s WTC win: ‘We saw the biggest of the biggest come through’

Australia stretched the game as long as they could and in the end were able to take the second new ball, but by then only 14 runs were needed and Markram dispatched the first delivery of it emphatically through midwicket.”It was kind of just draw it out as long as we can, try and for the pace bowlers, just try and go for two runs an over,” Cummins said. “[Nathan] Lyon was looking really likely and you never know, maybe some clouds come over, maybe a new ball does something different, just try to string it out as more and more nerves play into it as well.”Markram, who had been emotional when reaching his century on the third evening and referenced his own feelings when falling short in last year’s T20 World Cup, hoped talk of the past had been permanently put to bed.”It would be great to not have to hear it again, that’s for sure,” he said. “In terms of it motivating you, I mean, there’s always going to be external things that can motivate you, but it’s not your sole purpose for playing. To have got the job done and to literally have got the job done and to get rid of that is quite a big thing for this team.”Cummins was gracious in his assessment of Markram’s performance and South Africa overall after the frequent debates about their route to the final.”A few of us have played alongside him as well in IPL and [he’s] very well respected,” he said. “He’s a good man, Aidan. Unfortunately for us, he kind of made it look pretty easy out there and just built a big innings. We threw a fair bit at him, but [he] had an answer for everything.””Everyone has a slightly different route to make the final, but they absolutely deserved to make the final and showed why I think they’re very deserving champions.”

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has again hit back at Barcelona boss Hansi Flick after the German accused the national team of mismanaging Lamine Yamal’s fitness. The teenager’s groin injury has sparked a public row between club and country, with De la Fuente insisting “everyone is condemned by their actions” as tensions escalate ahead of El Clasico.

• Flick vs De la Fuente: Tensions boil over

  The dispute began when Yamal returned to Barcelona from international duty in September with a groin injury. Flick openly accused Spain of “not taking care of the player”, suggesting that national team staff ignored his condition and overused him despite knowing he was in discomfort. His comments quickly went viral in Spain and Germany.

  La Roja's manager responded strongly during an appearance on , criticising Flick for forgetting his own past as a national team manager. He doubled down, saying: “everyone is condemned by their actions”, suggesting that the 60-year-old should reflect before criticising others.

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• AFP
  

  De la Fuente responds to Barcelona boss

  Flick was unable to hide his frustration: "He went to the national team with pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play. They had at least a three-goal lead in each match, and he played 73 and 79 minutes, and between matches, he couldn’t train. That’s not taking care of the player. I think the Spanish national team has a great team, the best players in the world, but they haven't looked after their players and I’m very sad about this situation."

  De la Fuente did not hold back when asked about Flick’s criticism, he said: "I didn't understand it, because he was also a national team coach. In the end, everyone is condemned by their actions. I also sometimes don't understand the clubs' position. All footballers want to be in the national team.

  "There's a schedule where you know the number of matches you're going to be able to play. What's not fair is complaining in November and then saying everything's fine when the year starts again. There are a lot of matches, and for footballers, that's a challenge."

• Records, pressure and Spain’s 2026 World Cup dream

  Away from the drama, Spain are on the verge of history. Their 4-0 win over Bulgaria saw them equal the legendary 29-match unbeaten run under Vicente del Bosque. Their last defeat came in 2023 to Scotland. Since then, they’ve gone unbeaten through Euro 2024 and World Cup qualifying.

  They now chase a 30th game unbeaten when they face Georgia, led by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Victory would edge Spain closer to sealing automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

  Spain are among the favourites heading into that tournament, De la Fuente said: "We're going to be fighting for a very beautiful dream. I think success isn't just about achieving it; the most beautiful thing is the process, the journey."

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  Yamal’s response is on the pitch

  Despite the noise, Yamal has let his football speak. After returning from his groin injury, he assisted Pedri in Barcelona’s late win over Girona and played 60 minutes before being subbed off. In the Champions League, he started against Olympiacos and was outstanding, assisting Fermin Lopez’s opener before scoring a penalty in a 6-1 thrashing. It was a reminder of just how crucial he already is at 18 years old for the Catalan giants.

  Yamal now prepares for the ultimate test – away at the Santiago Bernabeu in El Clasico. He scored in his last visit during Barca’s 4-0 win and will be expected to deliver again with Barcelona still battling injuries to key attackers.