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Afghanistan were dismissed for 127 within one and a half sessions on a tricky pitch

Abhimanyu Bose20-Oct-2025Choosing to bowl first in a Test match is always a tricky call, but it’s justified if you end the first day in the lead, with eight wickets in hand. That’s what Zimbabwe achieved, as Test cricket returned to the Harare Sports Club for the first time after 2021.Brad Evans’ five-wicket haul and Ben Curran’s half-century put Zimbabwe on top on the opening day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan.With plenty of movement on offer for the fast bowlers, Zimbabwe knocked Afghanistan over for 127 inside a session and a half, before taking the lead at the stroke of stumps. On the way there, they survived some testing bowling from the Afghanistan quicks.Earlier in the day, the returning Richard Ngarava struggled to find his rhythm and Ibrahim Zadran took him for three fours in an over. But the Afghanistan openers found it tougher to tackle Blessing Muzarabani, who extracted extra bounce from a good length. This led to Ibrahim edging one to third slip in the sixth over.But after that, the first hour belonged to Afghanistan, as they ticked along at close to six runs an over thanks largely to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who came in at one-down. Tanaka Chivanga troubled him with extra bounce. One ball flew over the cordon off the shoulder of Gurbaz’s bat, and he later top-edged a pull, but it landed in a vacant deep square leg region.Ben Curran played an attritional knock•AFP/Getty Images

Gurbaz picked up a couple more boundaries, with an off-drive off a full-toss and a ramp off Chivanga. However, Zimbabwe regrouped in the drinks break, started bowling tighter lines and lengths, and reaped the rewards. First, Gurbaz sliced a full ball from Chivanga to point. Then a mix-up with Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi led to opener Abdul Malik being run-out for his Test best score of 30.Malik had started watchfully before dispatching a couple of short balls for boundaries, but after he squeezed out a yorker from Chivanga in front of cover and took off for a single, Shahidi responded to the call before turning back and leaving Malik stranded.Evans, playing his first Test since February 2023, gave Zimbabwe a boost in the penultimate over before the lunch break. First, a full delivery from around the wicket drew Shahidi into a drive. The length wasn’t quite right for the drive, and the ball nibbled away and found the edge, which Nick Welch pouched at gully, diving to his left. Three balls later, Evans had Afsar Zazai nicking off with a length ball that straightened off the pitch. From 77 for 1, Afghanistan had slipped to 102 for 5.The capitulation continued after the interval, with Muzarabani striking in each of his first two overs after lunch. Bahir Shah got a thick edge to gully’s left and Brian Bennett held on to a diving effort before Muzarabani had Ismat Alam strangled down leg. Sharafuddin Ashraf tried to take on Evans and skied one to mid-off’s left and Zimbabwe’s good fielding display continued as Chivanga completed another diving catch.Muzarabani drew Yamin Ahmadzai’s edge twice in an over, but one went over the cordon and the other fine of backward point for fortunate boundaries. Soon, Evans had Khalil Gurbaz edging behind off a short ball, and cleaned up Ziaur Rahman first ball with a yorker to complete a maiden Test five-for.In all, Afghanistan lost 9 for 50 to vindicate Zimbabwe’s decision to bowl.When Zimbabwe began their innings, Bennett looked tentative early on, beaten on the outside edge twice as he tried to drive outswingers from Ahmadzai. But it was Ziaur who bowled him with a lovely full delivery on off, which angled in and straightened to beat the bat and uproot off stump.Ben Curran and Nick Welch then played watchfully till tea, even as Ziaur thought he had Welch caught behind off the inside edge, only to be denied by the umpire.Ziaur Rahman castled Brian Bennett for his maiden Test wicket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Curran waited until his 21st delivery for his first boundary, slashing Ahmadzai behind point. At the other end, Welch crunched a boundary through the covers off Ahmadzai with tea looming. When Afghanistan brought on spin for the first time in the 13th over, Curran drove Ashraf through the covers off his second delivery.The batters faced a testing period as the seamers returned after tea. Welch, especially, struggled to settle, with the quicks finding movement through the day. In the second over after the interval, Welch got a leading edge that went back over the bowler’s head. One ball later, Alam thought he had his man as Welch edged while looking to drive and Zazai caught him behind the stumps, but his celebrations were short-lived as replays confirmed he had overstepped.Even after that, Welch had several play-and-misses and lucky edges that didn’t cost him. Curran struggled for fluency too. He was not helped when he was struck on the helmet but denied a concussion test by the umpire Nitin Menon, who was looking to speed up a sedate over rate. Menon adjudged that the ball had hit him on the glove when he tried to pull a short ball.Legspinner Khalil’s introduction eased some of the pressure on the batters, as Welch swept his second ball for four and then launched him for a six over midwicket in his second over. In Khalil’s third over, Welch launched him inside-out over cover for another boundary.The Afghan bowlers’ toil finally paid off when Ziaur went through Welch’s defence with an inswinger to send his off stump cartwheeling.
Brendan Taylor was rapped on the pads first ball he faced, but the umpire adjudged him not out. Taylor got off the mark off his third ball, tucking one fine off his pads.When Ashraf returned, Taylor lofted him down the ground for his second boundary. He continued to pick up runs quickly, ramping a short ball from Ziaur over the keeper.Curran got to his half-century off 108 balls, with a single in the 38th over. Zimbabwe also took the lead in that over, which proved to be the final one of the day, with umpires calling stumps early due to bad light.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank should be using the international break to come up with a new approach to matches after a difficult run of form across all competitions.

The Lilywhites have won one of their last four matches and only two of their last seven games in all competitions, the latest of which was a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, with five wins and just three losses in 11 matches, which is a respectable position to be in at this point in the season under a new head coach.

However, the underlying data behind their results suggests that they may slide down the table as the campaign progresses unless they are able to improve their performances.

Shots on target

38

14th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

15th

xG

11.0

15th

xGA

15.2

14th

xGD

-4.2

17th

xGD per 90

-0.38

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are consistently allowing the opposition to create more high-quality chances than they create for themselves, which is not a good combination.

Frank needs to find a way to add more creativity to his squad, which is why Brennan Johnson may not have much of a long-term future as a starter in North London.

Why Spurs need to move on from Brennan Johnson

Tottenham have already had value for money from the £47.5m that they paid Nottingham Forest to sign the winger in 2023, because he scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last season. That goal, alone, made the deal to bring him to the club worth it.

The Wales international has scored 27 goals in all competitions for Spurs since his move from the Tricky Trees, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered a fairly reliable threat as a goalscorer.

However, his all-round play as a winger has left a lot to be desired and he may need to be removed from the starting line-up, or the squad in general, in order to build a team that provides more creativity week-in-week-out.

xAG

0.10

Bottom 18%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 37%

Progressive passes

2.94

Bottom 39%

Progressive carries

2.84

Bottom 33%

Successful take-ons

0.79

Bottom 22%

Passes into the final third

1.03

Bottom 20%

Key passes

0.79

Bottom 9%

As you can see in the table above, Johnson ranked among the worst wingers in the Premier League last season when it came to creating chances and progressing play with the ball at his feet.

This season, meanwhile, the Welshman has 0.25 xA and has averaged 0.4 key passes per game across 11 appearances in the top-flight, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not improved on last season’s struggles.

Spurs eyeing move to sign LaLiga winger

Now, the Europa League champions are reportedly looking at a move for a new signing who could leave Johnson on borrowed time if he arrives in North London.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘eager’ to seal a deal to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Lilywhites want to add a centre-forward and a wide player to their squad to bolster their options in the final third ahead of the second half of the season, with the Japan international lined up for the latter role.

It adds that Kubo has a £52m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which would allow Spurs to activate that and skip negotiations over a transfer fee in January.

Football Insider also reveals that their interest in the Japanese star comes amid Everton’s desire to keep hold of their other wide target Iliman N’Diaye, as the Toffees have no intention of letting the Senegal international depart in the next transfer window.

Why Spurs should sign Takefusa Kubo

Spurs should sign the 24-year-old attacker in the January transfer window because his arrival at the club could leave Brennan Johnson on borrowed time.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid youngster was once dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ by ESPN, possibly as he is another diminutive left-footed right winger who excels as a dribbler and a creator in LaLiga.

Dribbling and creating chances, as aforementioned, are two things that Johnson has struggled badly with since the start of last season in the Premier League, which is why Spurs need to find an upgrade on him.

You could look at Kubo’s statistics and question whether or not he is very creative, because he only has four assists for Real Sociedad in all competitions since the start of last season.

However, the Messi-esque winger’s underlying numbers for the Spanish side over the past year suggest that his lack of assists is down to poor finishing from his teammates.

xAG

0.17

Top 10%

Assists

0.07

Bottom 45%

Progressive passes

3.66

Bottom 22%

Progressive carries

4.60

Top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.58

Top 1%

Touches in attacking penalty area

4.81

Top 1%

Key passes

1.78

Top 10%

Passes into the penalty area

1.43

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Kubo ranks highly in a host of creative and dribbling metrics in the last 365 days, certainly living up to the billing that legendary Barcelona figure Xavi gave him of being “world-class.”

The Japan international created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in LaLiga last season, for example, but was not rewarded with a single assist for his efforts in the final third, per Sofascore.

Kubo is doing all the right things by consistently taking his team up the pitch and creating high-quality chances, and the assists could follow if he comes to Spurs to play with the likes of Richarlison and Mathys Tel, which would then leave Johnson on borrowed time.

With Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert already at the club, the signing of the Real Sociedad winger could mean that the Wales international finds game time hard to come by, due to his struggles in possession, which appear to be holding Spurs back as an attacking force.

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That could make Johnson consider his long-term future in North London if a move to sign Kubo leaves him limited to a role off the bench most weeks.

“Sometimes we can be too humble. We don’t show off to the world enough what we’re capable of doing”

Firdose Moonda16-Aug-2025

Shukri Conrad wants South Africa to play with a little more chutzpah•Getty Images

It’s not whether South Africa have the skills and mental fortitude to come out on top in close games that concerns their coach Shukri Conrad. It is whether they have the confidence to show that they possess those qualities.In the aftermath of their last-over defeat in the T20I series decider against Australia in Cairns, which came after a last-over defeat in a tri-series final against New Zealand last month, Conrad asked his players to strut their stuff a little more if they want to become a champion side.”Sometimes we can be too humble. We don’t show off to the world enough what we’re capable of doing,” Conrad said, as he almost used Australia as an example of what self-belief could look like.Related

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“This has got nothing to do with the way Australia plays, but they have got a blueprint as to how they want to play. There are times when it looks absolutely brilliant and it’s box-office stuff. And there are times when you can have them in trouble, like we had them in the first couple of games. But they stay true to it. What does it mean for us? It’s easier on the batting front, guys like [[Tristan Stubbs] and Ricks [Ryan Rickelton] and Aiden [Markram] himself… there’s so much that they can do. But feel that they have maybe boxed themselves in a little bit too much.”Of the three Conrad mentioned, only Rickelton made a score of significance in the series – 71 off 55 balls in the first game – but even after that knock, he acknowledged that he started too slowly for South Africa to successfully chase 179. There was another name on Conrad’s lips when he spoke about how he wants to see his players approach matches: Dewald Brevis.Dewald Brevis finished the series with a strike rate of 204.54•AFP/Getty Images

The 22-year-old was the leading run-scorer in the series, became the holder of South Africa’s highest individual T20I score of 125 not out in the second match and had the highest strike rate among all batters of 204.54. He played in a way that is best described by the Afrikaans word , which is a mixture of confidence and cockiness and is maybe best explained by one of his shots in this series.In the second T20I in Darwin, Brevis was on 22 when he lofted Sean Abbott for six over long-on and didn’t even need to look at where the ball went. Watch the replays and you’ll see Brevis keep his head down until well after the ball has gone into the stands in a manner that seems to suggest, “I’ve hit that so well, I don’t even need to look at where it’s gone.” Off the field, Brevis is as modest as they come, and attributes his talent to God alone. Whatever ego he has is confined to what happens on the field but it’s enough to allow him to play with freedom, and Conrad hopes it will rub off on other players.Chief among them is Markram, who has gone 31 innings without a T20I half-century, and who was dismissed driving waftily in all three matches in the series. One reason for Markram’s under-performance in Australia is that he is still getting used to his new role as an opener; another could be that he has been too tentative in his shot selection. Whatever it is, Conrad knows Markram has it in him a little because he saw him do it just two months ago, when it mattered most. “I know it’s a different format, but in the World Test Championship final not so long ago, Aiden showed exactly what he is about,” Conrad said. “And I’m sure he is a couple of games away from unlocking that state of genius.”Even when he does, Conrad cautioned that South Africa could not expect to come out on top every time because that’s just the nature of sport but at least, they would be giving themselves a good chance. “It’s not always going to result in winning. But I just want us to show off a bit more.”Whether that’s Conrad talking up or having a little dig at his hometown is to be figured out at another time. For now, his work is to continue preparations for the next T20 World Cup in six months time. So far, under his watch, South Africa have lost two deciders – one chasing, one defending. Against New Zealand, they needed seven runs off the last over and Conrad believes they “should have won going into the last over” but “in and amongst all of that, I’m really happy with the growth”.That was a series played without several regulars, this is one that is only without David Miller, which has left the batting line-up unbalanced. Conrad conceded that South Africa were a “batter light” but explained that if the players they have were willing to play with a little more chutzpah, it could work in their favour. “If we want to be brave, we have got to select attacks to beat a team like Australia and if I can nudge a batting unit into playing a certain way where we are a batter light and I concede we were a batter light, imagine what they can do when we have got a properly balanced side,” he said. “It’s all part of the slightly longer-term plan.”He also rejected the idea that he has put his store in allrounders, albeit that both his left-arm spinners, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy, were also picked on batting strength, and that his selections are conventional. “Your top six will be your best batters, and Nos. 7, 8 possibly allrounders, so there’s nothing untoward,” he said. “I’m not obsessed with allrounders in T20 cricket, I can guarantee you that.”And he said it with the kind of conviction he expects his players to have.

Chelsea are in conversation with the representatives of a defender as midfielder Moises Caicedo offers his opinion on the potential transfer, according to a new report.

Chelsea play Bournemouth after Leeds United blow

Chelsea travel to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon desperately seeking a response to their shock midweek defeat at Leeds, with Enzo Maresca’s title credentials under scrutiny after a damaging loss that left them nine points adrift of Arsenal.

The Blues suffered a humiliating 3-1 loss at Elland Road on Wednesday, falling two goals behind by halftime before Pedro Neto’s second-half strike proved insufficient.

The defeat represented their second loss to newly-promoted opposition this season, raising fresh doubts about their ability to maintain consistency and challenge Mikel Arteta for the Premier League.

Bournemouth present a challenge despite their own recent struggles.

The Cherries have endured a miserable November without a single victory, collecting just one point from four games while conceding 12 goals.

Tuesday’s narrow 1-0 home defeat to Everton extended their winless streak to five matches and marked their first loss at the Vitality Stadium all campaign.

Andoni Iraola’s side have plummeted from second to 14th during this barren spell, though they remain only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with significant room for optimism.

The hosts have collected 14 of their 19 Premier League points on home soil this season, establishing the Vitality as a fortress until Everton’s breakthrough.

Chelsea arrive as clear favourites based on superior stats and historical dominance, having won 15 of 23 meetings between the two clubs.

However, the visitors face selection headaches, with Caicedo still serving his suspension after picking up five yellow cards.

The Ecuadorian’s absence is a significant blow given his pivotal role protecting the defence, and Caicedo’s presence was sorely missed against Leeds.

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Chelsea boast the division’s best away attacking record with 15 goals in seven games, averaging over two goals per match. Yet, their vulnerability without Caicedo was exposed ruthlessly by Leeds, with the midfield lacking its usual protection.

While the £150,000-per-week star continues to sit out, he’s at least making himself useful in other ways.

Chelsea hold talks with Joel Ordonez as Moises Caicedo offers opinion

That is according to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, who report on Chelsea’s serious interest in Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez.

Chelsea have renewed contact with Ordonez’s representatives in recent weeks as they intensify their pursuit of the 21-year-old, with Caicedo also offering behind-the-scenes ‘thoughts’ about his former Independiente del Valle teammate.

The west Londoners are said to have tracked him since before his 2023 move to Belgium, maintaining long-standing interest in the player.

Caicedo and Ordonez developed their friendship during their time together at Independiente’s famed South American academy, and have remained close through international duty.

The Chelsea midfielder now appears to be playing agent, giving his verdict on Ordonez to the club’s hierarchy.

Liverpool represent significant competition for Ordonez’s signature, though.

Arne Slot’s side have monitored him closely over the past year as they desperately seek solutions to their defensive crisis. The Reds initially prioritised Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, but understand he will not depart Selhurst Park during January, forcing them to explore alternative options.

Crucially, both Club Brugge and Ordonez himself are open to a winter transfer, with England emerging as the most likely destination.

Fresh discussions between the player’s camp and Chelsea have taken place recently, building on months of established communication channels, but Man City and Tottenham are also keen.

City and Spurs have shown admiration for Ordonez, closely assessing him in recent weeks as they evaluate their own defensive requirements.

However, Chelsea and Liverpool currently lead the race after laying more groundwork, and perhaps Caicedo’s presence could prove key here in the race for Ordonez’s signature.

Rangers are now reportedly ready to grant Danny Rohl’s transfer request after the German commenced a personal scouting mission ahead of January.

Rangers must be "ruthless", says Rohl

As Old Firm rivals Celtic closed the gap on Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership, Rangers stuttered for the second-consecutive outing in midweek – drawing 2-2 against Dundee United. Just when Rohl was looking for a reaction, he watched on as the Gers were forced to salvage a point courtesy of Nedim Bajrami’s late penalty.

Disappointed by yet more dropped points, the Rangers boss told reporters: “We are disappointed because it’s just one point. We put everything on the pitch until the end, that’s why we deserve a point.

“When I see how many chances we create, we should win this game. If we can bring this together in the future with a clean sheet, we win games.

“We are disappointed, but I see a step forward today from my group. We had more tempo, better decision-making, our body shape between the lines. We sped up our games in the right moment.

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“I’m not happy because you have to win, there’s no question. We have to be ruthless in both boxes. I am convinced that more goals will come. At the moment it is hard work.

“Of course, the last two results are not what we want. They are two different results. The weekend [at home to Falkirk] was a boring draw, today it was an entertaining draw, but for both you get just one point.”

It’s become clear in the last week that those at Ibrox must back Rohl when the January transfer window swings open. Without sporting director Kevin Thelwell, there’s also every chance that the German will have greater control on arrivals and that could see Youssef Chermiti replaced.

Rangers ready to grant Rohl request

As reported by TeamTalk, Rangers are now ready to grant Rohl’s request for a new No.9 to replace summer flop Chermiti. The Gers boss has commenced a personal scouting mission in recent weeks and recruitment chiefs have held talks with agents in the Netherlands and Belgium on the hunt for a crucial addition.

Alongside a new striker, Rohl has reportedly asked the 49ers to sign a dynamic central midfielder and a versatile full-back in an attempt to add quality in depth.

It comes as no surprise that Rohl has set his sights on a striker. It would instantly make up for Thelwell’s mistake in the summer, which saw Chermiti arrive for as much as £8m to make the forward one of Rangers’ most expensive ever signings. That alone perfectly sums up the disaster that was the sporting director’s time in Scotland.

It’s also not a great shock that Rohl’s after a dynamic midfielder in 2026, given that Nicolas Raskin could still leave the club amid interest from the Premier League. Losing the Belgian would be a major blow, but the sale would also fund a much-needed overhaul when the winter window swings open.

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Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this weekend after the international break with a clash against Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites have lost their last two matches in the top-flight, conceding six goals in the process, and their most recent outing was a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break.

Whilst this shows that there needs to be improvement on the defensive side of the game, Daniel Farke also needs to find a way to get more out of his players at the top end of the pitch.

The Championship champions have only scored 11 goals in their 11 Premier League games so far this season, with several members of the squad underperforming in front of goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, too many of the team’s top attackers have underperformed against their xG in the top-flight, which shows that Farke does not have many reliable finishers.

With the January transfer window around five weeks away from opening for business, the Whites may already be starting to think about what they could do to improve their attack.

Why Leeds need to sign a winger in January

The West Yorkshire-based outfit need to go out and sign another wide option in the January window to bolster their options on the flank, because they have not had enough productivity in those positions this season.

As aforementioned, the Whites have only scored 11 times in 11 Premier League games, which shows that goalscoring is a clear area for improvement, and their lack of goals from wide players has been one of the causes of that particular struggle.

Noah Okafor

8

2 + 0

Brenden Aaronson

11

1 + 1

Dan James

8

0 + 0

Jack Harrison

10

0 + 0

Wilfried Gnonto

4

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor is the only winger in the squad who has scored more than one league goal for the club this season, despite December being just over a week away.

The Switzerland international, who scored goals against Wolves and Spurs, has been the only wide attacker who has carried a fairly consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

Farke will surely be frustrated with the lack of output from the majority of his wide options, which is why the club need to go out and splash the cash on a new option in those two positions at the turn of the year.

Leeds backed to sign Premier League forward

On that very topic, a former scout has backed the Premier League strugglers to sign one of their former players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that a move to Elland Road could be on the cards for Manor Solomon if Spurs decide to recall him from his loan spell with Villarreal.

Transfer Focus

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Speaking to MOTLeedsNews, King said: “If he (Solomon) isn’t going to stay at Villarreal, then I could certainly see him being sold in January. He definitely won’t get a game for Tottenham, there’s three or four people in front of him in his position.

“He did well at Leeds; he was a key part of their team that got promoted. I would have thought he’d be a very good option for Leeds. They haven’t exactly set the Premier League alight, and it looks as though they need more options.”

If Solomon, who has only started one LaLiga match with Villarreal, does get recalled in January, Leeds should pursue a deal to bring the forward back to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon

The Whites should push to land another deal for the Israel international because he could arrive at Elland Road in the winter window as a huge upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

As aforementioned, the USA international has produced one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far this season, as the first-choice right wing option, due to the change in formation that took away his favoured number ten role.

Solomon, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist in LaLiga, despite playing just four matches, and delivered three assists in his one appearance in the Copa del Rey, per Sofascore.

On top of providing more quality for Villarreal than Aaronson has for Leeds in all competitions this season, the right-footed winger also outperformed the American in the Championship last season.

The former Fulham attacker, of course, spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Spurs and caught the eye with his consistent performances at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

46

39

xG

11.43

8.15

Goals

9

10

Minutes per goal

396

261

Big chances created

9

21

Key passes per game

1.6

1.7

xA

6.05

10.30

Assists

2

12

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee offered significantly more to the team at the top end of the pitch than Aaronson did in the second tier last term, with more goals from less xG and more than twice as many ‘big chances’ created.

Solomon, who was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn for being an “unplayable” star who is “like tackling smoke” for defenders, has proven that he can excel in front of goal in a Farke team, even more so than the USA international.

The Villarreal forward also has experience in the Premier League, with Fulham and Spurs, which means that it would not be a culture shock for him to be thrown into the division in the second half of the campaign.

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Therefore, Leeds should explore the possibility of a reunion with Solomon because he could be an ideal signing to upgrade on Aaronson on the wing in the January window.

Why was Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka ruled not out even though he was run-out by Sanju Samson off the fourth ball of the Super Over against India in the Asia Cup game on Friday?For a while, confusion reigned when Shanaka ventured out of his crease after missing a yorker from Arshdeep Singh, who went up in an appeal for a caught behind, while Samson threw the ball at the stumps to find the batter short. But the umpire had given Shanaka out caught behind after a bit of contemplation, and Shanaka referred the decision upstairs to the third umpire Masudur Rahman. After replays confirmed there was no bat involved, Shanaka was ruled not out for the caught behind and for the run out too. It was the timing of the umpire signalling out initially for the caught behind – after Samson’s direct hit – that led to the confusion.MCC’s law states that “the ball will be deemed to be dead from the instant of the incident causing the dismissal”. In this case, that incident was the caught-behind appeal, which meant the ball had been dead when Samson tried to run Shanaka out. With replays proving Shanaka didn’t nick the ball, he was immediately deemed not out, even though India captain Suryakumar Yadav seemed to enquire with the umpires about the decision.Related

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“According to the rules, if you appeal for the catch, then Dasun could go up to the third umpire,” coach Sanath Jayasuriya said of what he made of the appeal. “It was the first decision that counts always, not the second. So he went for the referral, and it was not out. That’s what happened. But overall, I think there are a few grey areas [in terms of the rules at large] that they [officials] have to finetune a bit.”However, Shanaka was out next ball when he sliced one to deep third as Sri Lanka lost both their wickets five balls into the Super Over to set India just three runs to go into the final unbeaten. Suryakumar then thumped Wanindu Hasaranga first ball through the covers to seal India’s victory.

MatériaMais Notícias

Gabigol levou bronca de Tite na vitória do Flamengo sobre o Boavista, e o episódio reacendeu uma intriga antiga entre os envolvidos. Em 2022, por exemplo, o atacante não foi convocado para a Copa do Mundo e reforçou provocações de torcedores ao ex-treinador da Seleção Brasileira.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Flamengo

O ídolo do Rubro-Negro atuou pelo Brasil entre 2018 e 2022 e chegou a disputar uma Copa América com o técnico. Após ser ausência na lista do Mundial, o jogador ouviu a torcida flamenguista gritar: “Ô Tite, vai se f…, o Gabigol não precisa de você”, durante a comemoração do título da Libertadores do Flamengo, há dois anos.

O atacante respondeu às provocações com a seguinte frase: “Eu já jogo em uma seleção”. No fim de 2023, Tite foi contratado como técnico do Rubro-Negro e ambos se entenderam em relação ao episódio.

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Ainda no ano passado, em dezembro, Gabigol afirmou que estava incomodado com a reserva e citou que apenas ele não recebia tantas oportunidades com Tite no Flamengo. Além disso, o atleta disse que a preferência do técnico era pelo centroavante Pedro, atual titular da posição.

– Ele levou o Pedro para a Copa. O Pedro é a preferência dele, isso ficou nítido até na convocação. O estilo de jogo é mais propício ao Pedro e o que eu tenho que fazer é trabalhar e mostrar que posso ser útil para ter mais tempo de jogo. Na temporada eu tive muito pouco tempo de jogo, sempre entrei por 10 ou 15 minutos. Professor, me coloca aí! – disse, em entrevista ao “PodPah”.

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– Acho que todos os jogadores já saíram jogando com ele, e eu não. É claro que eu fico put*, quero jogar! Não estou suave e falei isso para ele. Estou aqui falando a verdade. É óbvio que não estou feliz. Fui para a Inter de Milão e para o Benfica e saí porque não estava jogando. Não é um pensamento individualista, é ter mais oportunidade. Todo mundo foi titular com ele e eu não fui, joguei pouco tempo.

“TRETA” RECENTE

Na quarta-feira (21), Tite não gostou da postura de Gabigol, que estava próximo de entrar em campo e pediu para antecipar sua substituição para cobrar um pênalti.

Em frente ao elenco, o treinador demonstrou sua insatisfação e disse que nada girava em torno do ídolo. O técnico também pediu respeito à camisa do Flamengo, sem que houvesse uma resposta de Gabigol.

Tudo sobre

FlamengoGabigolTite

“Young Lhu reminds me a little bit of my young self,” de Kock says of his opening partner

Firdose Moonda07-Nov-2025When Quinton de Kock, in his role as international comeback sensation, glances towards the other end of the pitch these days, it’s almost like looking in a mirror.”Young Lhu [Lhuan-dre Pretorius] reminds me a little bit of my young self,” de Kock said after South Africa’s second ODI against Pakistan in Faisalabad in which he scored his 22nd century. “He’s batting really nicely at the moment. He looks nice and free, and he’s just playing everything on merit. He’s doing really well for a 19-year-old. It looks like he didn’t have the pressure I felt at 19.”Consider the bare bones biographical details, and it’s easy to see the similarities. Both de Kock and Pretorius are left-handers and strong strikers of the ball, and both were South Africa’s leading run-scorers at Under-19 World Cups, 13 years apart. De Kock scored a hundred and two fifties in the 2012 edition in Australia; Pretorius hit three fifties in 2024 in South Africa. Both of those performances led to international debuts laced with big expectations shortly after the age-group World Cup. Did we mention that they’re both also wicketkeepers?Related

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The major difference is that while de Kock came on to the scene as an “enigma”, as described by coach Shukri Conrad, Pretorius came in having modelled himself on de Kock. The pair first met when de Kock’s career had just started, and Pretorius was about seven years old. Since then, all Pretorius has wanted to do is play alongside de Kock, even when he felt it might never happen.”I never thought I would play with him,” Pretorius had said after the first ODI against Pakistan on Tuesday. “When he retired [from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup], I was really upset because it was always a dream to play with Quinny. Then, when he came back, I didn’t think I was going to play with him. It’s truly a dream come true. I didn’t know him off the field when I started liking him as a role model. Now I got to know him, and he is really calm and composed, and that’s really what I like, and that’s how I want to play my cricket.”And it shows that Pretorius is trying to emulate his hero. On all three occasions that Pretorius and de Kock have batted together, Pretorius has taken the early lead. In the T20I in Namibia, which Pretorius says “didn’t count because Quinny got out quite early”, Pretorius outscored de Kock, who was dismissed for 1. In the first ODI against Pakistan, Pretorius scored 35 off 36 balls in the first eight overs, while de Kock was only on 8 from 12 deliveries. In the second, Pretorius was on 18 off 18 in the first four overs, and de Kock just 4 from six. While Pretorius said he “felt a bit bad” for taking so much of the strike early on, de Kock preferred it that way.”The kid is highly, highly talented” – de Kock on Lhuan-dre Pretorius•Associated Press”Lhu made it very easy because he was playing really well, and so the easy thing was just to try and get him back on strike,” de Kock said, clearly impressed by what Pretorius can do. “I’ve only seen glimpses of him through our SA20 league. And now coming out here and playing with the youngster – the kid is highly, highly talented.”What that means for South Africa’s plans for tournaments like next year’s T20 World Cup, which will be played in the subcontinent, or the 2027 ODI World Cup at home, is yet to be seen. For now, they are awash with options. In the opening berth, Ryan Rickelton, another left-hand batter, is not on this tour as part of a rotation policy that will keep him fresh for Tests against India next week. So is Aiden Markram, the second half of the regular opening pair.The question facing South Africa is whether they continue with Rickelton and Markram, or opt for more explosiveness and perhaps more risk in de Kock and Pretorius. South Africa also have several candidates putting their hands up for the No. 3 spot, including Tony de Zorzi, who has enjoyed good returns in Pakistan, and shared in a match-winning stand of 153 with de Kock in the second ODI.De Kock has previously indicated that the drawcard of a major tournament remains attractive to him, though he understands he is not “guaranteed” a spot, and will have to earn one through runs. But to ignore de Kock’s body of work when the stakes are high would seem a miss. De Kock was South Africa’s leading run-scorer at the 2023 ODI World Cup, and third overall with four hundreds, and their top batter at the T20 World Cup in 2024. And he is hungry to go again.”I want to be back, and I missed playing with the guys” – Quinton de Kock•Getty Images”I’ve come back, and I’ve found an energy that I think I lost playing so much international cricket all the time – I played for close to 12 years,” de Kock said. “I was just lucky enough that I retired early enough so I can still make a comeback. I’m very happy to be back. I want to be back, and I missed playing with the guys. But my break, I think, did me really well.”Those are words Pretorius should hear too, especially as he walks a similar path to de Kock. His international career could be long if he is managed correctly and given enough time away from the game to avoid burnout. And it will likely be a little more challenging because Pretorius’ emergence has come at the same time as the league circuit is at its peak. But like de Kock, Pretorius might find the pull of international cricket too hard to resist.”At the beginning of the year, when I was in India for the IPL, guys were asking me if I wanted to come back. At that moment, I just thought a straight no,” de Kock said. “Then I don’t know exactly, but it just started happening. That thought process started coming back. That hunger was coming back again.”De Kock is only available for white-ball cricket for South Africa, while Pretorius plays across all formats, and already has a Test hundred to his name. South Africa have yet to announce their white-ball squads to India, but both are expected to be included.

England captain wants more fight from his side after crushing defeat in Brisbane leaves Ashes hopes hanging by thread

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-20250:50

Stokes: ‘If we lose hope, we might as well not turn up’

Ben Stokes admitted that England had not been “able to stand up to the pressure” applied on them by Australia after his side went 2-0 down in the series in Brisbane. He said England had to show more fight but reiterated his belief that he could lead them back from the brink, with a 3-2 result now their only route to regaining the Ashes.England’s captain pinpointed dropped catches on the second night as one of the tourists’ key failings, undermining their rally with the pink ball under lights. Having been 290 for 3, Australia fell to 329 for 6 – still behind England’s first-innings 334 – but capitalised on a host of reprieves to eventually stretch their total beyond 500 on the third day.Stokes added that he did not believe there was a skills deficit with Australia but conceded England’s mentality in tough situations had twice been found wanting after two chastening defeats. For the second Ashes in a row, England find themselves 2-0 down after two games and, although they came back to draw in 2023, that would not be enough to reclaim the urn from Australia. Only once in Ashes history has a side won 3-2 after being 2-0 down, and that was Don Bradman’s Australia in 1936-37.Related

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“Very disappointing,” Stokes said at the post-match presentation. “A lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format, when the game is on the line. In small passages, we’ve been able to bring the game back into some kind of control and then we’ve let us slip away. We’ve done that again here this week, and it’s very, very disappointing, in particular, because of the ability of the players that we have in that dressing room.”We need to think a bit harder and deeper about those moments and what we’re taking mentally into those, and overall show a bit more fight when it’s needed.”We sit there and watch what’s going on in front of us, what Australia are looking to throw at us, and what plans they’re trying to bowl to,” he added. “And then it’s up to us as players to be able to go out there with a plan and how to negate the threat.”To me, it just seems to be a constant theme at the moment, that when you know the game is in a pressure moment, Australia keep outdoing us. They say Australia isn’t a place for weak men. We’re definitely not weak, but we need to find something, because we’re two-nil down now we’ve got three more games to go, and we need to, sort it.”Speaking to TNT Sport after the game, he said that errors in the field had hurt England the most. England put down five chances on day two – Jamie Smith off Travis Head, Ben Duckett off Alex Carey and Josh Inglis, Brydon Carse off Michael Neser and Joe Root off Carey – as Australia carved out a match-defining lead of 177.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“A huge part of it was that we had to take 15 wickets,” Stokes said. “You can’t drop catches. They always come back to bite you. And I think it definitely showed there. If we were able to hold on to our chances, we shouldn’t have been batting last night [day three]. No one means to do that kind of stuff. No one means to drop catches. No one means to not bowl an area where you set plans to but, yeah, those kind of things just can’t happen at this level.”On the gap between the sides, he said: “It’s a mentality. It’s a mindset about how you take yourself out there in those situations. You know, Test cricket has its own pressures anyway, and how you handle those moments, how you handle yourself in those moments, how you get yourself into a clear head, a clear space to make good decisions. That’s so important to being successful at this level.”England had posted their highest score in Australia since 2018 after opting to bat first in the day-night Test, buoyed by Joe Root’s maiden hundred on Australian soil. But after Head’s reprieve on 3, Australia’s openers raced off to a 77-run opening stand, with Jake Weatherald’s punchy 72 from 78 setting the tone – and Stokes took some of the blame for a wayward bowling effort, as he and Brydon Carse in particular leaked runs.”Not being able to execute skill is something that you can live with, because no one means to bowl away from the plan that we’re trying to do. We knew exactly how we needed to bowl on that wicket, and we weren’t able to do it for a long enough period to put the Australian batters under pressure. And that was evident in the way that Australia were able to score so quickly and so easily against us.”I think Jofra and Gus set the tone very nicely, actually, when we first took ball, but then myself and Brydon sort of let the game get away from us quite quickly. So, yeah, just not being able to execute what’s needed, not only with batting and also with the ball. We’ll be having some conversations that I’ll be keeping in the dressing room.”Asked about lessons from previous tours – England have lost 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 in their last three Ashes series down under – Stokes said that he wanted to maintain belief within the dressing room.”Don’t panic, don’t flap, don’t waver, and just have complete and utter belief in our guys as a team. Because I know we can do this. I believe emphatically in the group, I believe empathy, myself, as a captain, as a leader, that I can get the guys into a place where they need to be to able to win these next three games.”