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Stars’ season ended on Tuesday night at the WACA with four straight losses

AAP09-Dec-2025Perth Scorchers rallied superbly to kill off the Melbourne Stars’ run chase and convincingly win their WBBL knockout final by 28 runs.After briefly holding top spot, Stars’ season ended on Tuesday night at the WACA ground with four straight losses, while Scorchers have won five of their last six.Scorchers will now head to Sydney to play Sixers in the Challenger final, and the winner will face top side Hobart Hurricanes in Saturday night’s title decider.Related

• WBBL match abandoned due to hole in the pitch

• Perry stars with 111 as Sixers enter WBBL finals with thrilling win

Stars needed a record WBBL finals run chase to win after the home side made 5-173, but reached 1-86 at halfway and looked capable. They then lost 8-59, including the crucial wicket of Meg Lanning, and ended on 9-145.Stars’ chase had a disastrous start when Rhys McKenna was run out for seven. Lanning only scored three from her first 13 deliveries as Chloe Ainsworth had an excellent opening spell.Lanning had made 11 when she tried to sweep Alana King and was nearly out stumped, with the ball rebounding off ‘keeper Beth Mooney and just missing the stumps. But steadily, Lanning and Amy Jones put the pressure back on Scorchers. They combined for an 87-run stand that took them to 1-101 in the 13th.Scorchers did not panic, rallying after halfway as spinners Amy Edgar and Ruby Strange in particular bowled tightly. Eventually the pressure told and King had Jones stumped for 43 from 33 balls.Lilly Mills then took two wickets in an over as the momentum swung back to Scorchers.Amy Jones and Meg Lanning put up a strong stand•Getty Images

As long as Lanning was in, Stars were a chance and Ainsworth dropped a straightforward chance off her when she had made 41. But Ainsworth had the perfect response at the start of the next over, having Lanning caught behind to leave Stars’ chances shot at 6-126. Lanning top-scored with 49 from 45 balls, while King, Sophie Devine and Mills took two wickets apiece.After Scorchers won the toss, openers Katie Mack and Mooney posted the Scorchers’ highest partnership of the season. Their 107-run stand threatened to take the match away from Stars, before Rhys McKenna made the breakthrough in the 13th over. She dismissed Mack, caught by Maisy Gibson, for a top score of 52 from 39 balls.Mooney, who looked set for another big score, fell in the next over for 45 when Gibson also caught her off Kim Garth.Stars were right back into the game, especially when danger player Sophie Devine came in at No.3 and only managed one before McKenna claimed her second wicket. That left Scorchers 3-128 in the 16th over.But Freya Kemp made the most of two dropped catches from Georgia Prestwidge. She belted 35 from 19 balls, with three fours and two sixes, in a crucial knock.Gibson took her third catch of the innings as Stars captain Annabel Sutherland dismissed Kemp for her 100th WBBL wicket.Gibson also snared 1-15 from two overs and McKenna was the pick of the Stars bowlers, claiming 2-26 off three overs.

Stats highlights from the fourth day’s play between England and India at Lord’s

Sampath Bandarupalli13-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes was one of 12 England wickets to fall bowled at Lord’s•Associated Press

607 – Shubman Gill’s run tally in this series is already the highest for India in a Test series in England, surpassing Rahul Dravid’s 602 in 2002.12 – Bowled dismissals for India in the Lord’s Test – the most for them in a Test . Seven of the 12 bowleds came in England’s second innings – the first time India have bowled seven batters in a Test innings.The last time a team had 12 or more bowled dismissals in a Test was in 1955, when New Zealand got 13 against England in Dunedin. The 12 bowled dismissals for England at Lord’s are the second-highest in a Test in the last 110 years.4 for 22 – Washington Sundar’s figures in England’s second innings are the second best for an India spinner in men’s Tests in England in the last 40 years.Washington is also the first India spinner to take four or more wickets at Lord’s since Bishan Singh Bedi’s six-wicket haul in 1974.36 – Byes conceded by India in the Lord’s Test. Only twice have they conceded more in a men’s Test – 47 against Pakistan in Bengaluru in 2007 and 40 against England at The Oval in 2018.3 – Number of Tests in which a team defended a sub-200 target at Lord’s. England lost chasing 124 against Australia in 1888, but defended 182 against Ireland in 2009 and 183 against South Africa in 1955.A target of 150-plus has been successfully chased eight times at Lord’s, most recently by England against New Zealand in 2022 and by South Africa against Australia in the World Test Championship final last month.

Leeds United desperately need to pick up form in the Premier League or risk being pushed deeper into the relegation mix in the unforgiving division.

Indeed, looking back at the Whites’ recent fortunes, it’s been four defeats from their last five clashes in the intense league, which has left Daniel Farke walking a very fine tightrope in terms of keeping his job post.

For the moment, though, he has kept his employment, even as whispers emerge that an out-of-work Brendan Rodgers is in line to replace the under-fire German.

He will have to make some crunch selection decisions moving forward to continue to hold onto his spot in the Elland Road dug-out, with Jaka Bijol surely one presence who will be dropped as his relegation-threatened outfit do battle with Aston Villa this coming Saturday.

Bijol's woes for club and country

The Slovenian would have hoped that a breather with Slovenia during the international break would be able to distract him from the misery being served up in West Yorkshire.

Across his last two starts back on English soil, the former Udinese defender would give up six goals to both Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest in porous showings, with just one tackle won on the road at the Seagulls and the Tricky Trees.

Unfortunately for the 6-foot-3 centre-back, who was once hailed as an “absolute rock” for his nation by European football expert Zach Lowy, no such respite would arrive.

Instead, Bijol’s domestic horrors would follow him to the international stage, as Kosovo got the better of his nation 2-0 to rip up their hopes of World Cup qualification.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Bijol even came out after the 2-0 defeat to lament the loss as a “painful” one to take, with Farke likely now even more willing to drop him for the test of Villa up next, with Unai Emery and Co no doubt wanting to prey on his frail nature, having put four goals past a usually formidable AFC Bournemouth just before the break.

The real question remains – who would come into the side to replace the shaky £15m recruit? Pascal Struijk feels like the obvious candidate, owing to his long-standing Premier League experience, which saw him win a commanding 12 duels against Burnley back in October.

Yet, the Dutchman has only featured in one league win for the Whites this season, which might well alarm Farke as he desperately hunts down all the victories he can get, with a left-field option perhaps taking his fancy more.

Leeds' surprise Bijol replacement

Farke could be prepared to be more risky with his team selections in the near future, as he scrambles to find whatever winning formula is out there.

Starting some promising Leeds youngsters could well be a viable option, as he attempts to instil some fresh blood into his tired set-up.

Alfie Cresswell is perhaps one U21s regular now deserving of some senior minutes, ahead of a declining Bijol.

After all, last season, Cresswell picked up the U21s Player of the Season accolade for his strong defensive performances, with the ex-Norwich City manager also going out of his way recently to label the young captain as a “very talented” gem to keep around for the future.

With seven goals also under his belt at U21 level for the West Yorkshire giants, he would surely complement Joe Rodon well at the back, who has remained in the good books with two league strikes himself.

Games played

36

Minutes played

3,066 mins

Goals scored

7

Assists

2

Tipped to only get “stronger and stronger” in the Thorp Arch youth system by player agent Hayden Evans, it could be deemed a surprise that Cresswell hasn’t been utilised at all in the senior picture yet, knowing Farke’s previous successes in this department with the likes of Archie Gray.

Gray sorted out the Whites during the 2023/24 season when they were short on options in the right-back spot, and with Cresswell also being well accustomed to lining up as a defensive midfielder and as a full-back for the U21s, he would be a worthwhile presence to have around in the current bleak camp, away from just being tipped to oust Bijol.

While Cresswell continues to earn rave reviews, Bijol has failed to settle in England and was noted by Slovenian outlet RTV SLO for contributing to a Slovenia defeat against Kosovo, where “everything went wrong.”

For Farke’s job security, he should ditch the former Serie A titan for the test of Villa, with Cresswell in line for some senior opportunities shortly.

Leeds and 49ers keen to sign Troy Parrott in January after Ireland heroics

This would be much-needed for Daniel Farke.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 17, 2025

Bangladesh have run England and South Africa close in the tournament, but now need to cause an upset if they want to enter the top four

Vishal Dikshit15-Oct-20253:13

Australia waiting for their batting to click as a unit

Big Picture: Can Bangladesh give Australia a scare?After the puffing and panting England and South Africa were forced to do in their modest chases this World Cup, Bangladesh’s next target is the biggest fish of them all – world champions Australia. Playing only their second ODI World Cup, Bangladesh would want to drop the seven-time champions a reminder of how their meeting in the 2022 edition had unfolded, when Bangladesh had given Australia a few stutters while defending 135 in a truncated match in Wellington.Three-and-a-half-years on, Bangladesh have grown by leaps and bounds by running England and South Africa close in this edition, nearly winning on both occasions. Their bowlers had England on the ropes in a modest chase of 178 while their batters set the stage nicely against an experienced South African attack a few days back. However, their fielding let the match slip through with dew around in Visakhapatnam.Three days on, Bangladesh need to ensure they put their best foot forward in all aspects against the defending champions, if they hope to turn their dream of entering the top four on the points table into reality.Australia started their campaign with two collapses before rescue acts saved them against New Zealand and Pakistan. Their top order – primarily driven by Alyssa Healy – then got among the runs in their slightly tense win over India, but a few late wickets also had them break into a sweat. Bangladesh will be keen to punch a few holes early into that batting order, for that’s their best chance.Form guide
Australia WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)Bangladesh LLLWL1:44

Sutherland: Our bowling attack covers all bases

In the spotlight: Marufa and LitchfieldMarufa Akter will hold the key to Bangladesh’s hopes with the new ball. She has had two poor games after her early wickets against both England and Pakistan in the early stages of the tournament. Her hooping inswingers become unplayable when pitched correctly well outside off, which she was unable to do against South Africa. She didn’t get her rhythm right that day, her captain said, and Marufa will hope her mojo is back on Thursday, and keep the inswinging threat going by taking a leaf out of Fatima Sana’s book from her spell against England on Wednesday.Related

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Top-order turbulences, left-arm spin traps and catching concerns

'It was very difficult' – dew and drops dampen Bangladesh's spirits

Healy: Batting collapses 'not a worry' but it's 'something we'd like to rectify'

For the kind of promise she has shown so early in her career and at such a young age, 22-year-old Phoebe Litchfield is always among the young players to watch out for heading into a big tournament. She got to face only 45 balls in the middle and lower order in the T20 World Cup last year in the UAE, and now her maiden ODI World Cup has had a slightly lukewarm start. Her quick knock against India had all the signs of a big score before she fell for 40. However, the conditions in Visakhapatnam, where runs are on offer and quick bowlers are getting dispatched, might favour her.Team newsAustralia won’t feel the need to tinker with their winning XI that beat India on the same ground, covering all bases with their spin and pace attack. Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry had walked off against India with cramps in hot and humid conditions, but there was nothing serious with their injury concerns. Only if Sophie Molineux needs a break, since she has returned to international cricket after ten months because of a knee surgery, will Australia make a change by bringing back Georgia Wareham.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (cap & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux/Georgia Wareham, 9 Kim Garth, 10 Alana King, 11 Megan SchuttBangladesh nearly pulled off a victory against South Africa on this ground a few days ago, and they seem to have the right balance – with a swing bowler and plenty of spinners – to suit the conditions, which don’t offer much for pace bowlers.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Fargana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 5 Shorna Akter, 6 Sobhana Mostary, 7 Rabeya Khan, 8 Ritu Moni, 9 Fahima Khatun, 10 Nahida Akter, Marufa Akter2:01

Mostary: The younger players just try to give their best

Pitch and conditions: Runs aplenty expectedThe pitches used in the three matches in Visakhapatnam so far have all offered runs, some swing early on and purchase for the spin bowlers, when they aren’t bowling too much over 80kmh. There was plenty of dew in the last game when the Bangladesh bowlers struggled to control the ball while trying to defend 232 against South Africa, and similar conditions could be expected for Thursday. There has been intermittent rain in the build up to all the matches here. For a change, Thursday looks completely clear for the heat and humidity to dominate.Stats and trivia Shorna Akter scored the fastest half-century for Bangladesh in ODIs, against South Africa, off just 34 balls Australia and Bangladesh played a three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in March 2024 which Australia won 3-0 Annabel Sutherland’s five-for against India was only the third five-wicket haul for an Australian player in ODI World Cups. The first two were by Tina Macpherson and Lyn Fullston (twice) Alyssa Healy has the joint-most hundreds (three) in ODI World Cups, along with Meg Lanning and Karen Rolton. Nat Sciver-Brunt leads the overall list with five centuries. Fahima Khatun and Marufa Akter are the only Bangladesh players to have won Player-of-the-Match awards in ODI World Cups.Quotes
“I think we had a really good series against them a little bit over a year ago, which sort of gave us some really good insight. Pretty similar team that they’re coming out with in this World Cup so far. So we’ve got some really good intel on that and can obviously look back at the games so far.”
“After the last match (against South Africa) there was no negative talk. Everyone – senior, junior and the team management – spoke only about the positive things.”

West Ham are braced for an all-important January transfer window that may well define Nuno Espírito Santo’s first season in charge, with David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board poised to back their new manager.

Following back-to-back Premier League wins and the first time they’ve won two straight home games since 2024, things are finally starting to click into gear for Nuno.

The Portuguese tinkered heavily with his first West Ham starting line-ups before finally discovering a winning formula against both Newcastle and Burnley, with Nuno naming an unchanged side for both matches as the east Londoners secured vital victories.

However, West Ham reportedly have no intention of resting on their laurels, and credible reports suggest that Nuno has been told they have a transfer budget to spend in the winter (Sky Sports).

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

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Niclas Füllkrug’s damning injury record and lacklustre spell at the London Stadium is paving the way for him to leave in January, and it is believed that West Ham are actively targeting a striker to potentially replace the German.

While Callum Wilson has done well in West Ham’s last two games, even getting on the scoresheet against Burnley, Nuno won’t be too comfortable relying on the 33-year-old given his own torrid fitness record.

West Ham also want a new defender, and potentially a midfielder if they can manage it (Sky Sports), but it is worth noting that they won’t have a bottomless pit of cash for January either, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The potential sales of Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse could be crucial when it comes to raising funds, with all three players linked to the West Ham exit door and seemingly not part of Nuno’s long-term plans.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in an interview with Hammers News, they could also make the surprise decision to sell another squad member who’s only just arrived.

West Ham now ready to sell summer signing Mads Hermansen

Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen swapped Leicester for the London Stadium in a £20 million deal last summer, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal in August, but the Dane has since lost his place in the starting eleven to Alphonse Areola.

He started West Ham’s first four games of the season, conceding 11 league goals in total, with Areola seizing the number one spot back and West Ham now pondering a shock January call.

According to Bailey, West Ham are ready to cash in on Hermansen if the opportunity arises, but could also send him out on loan to get minutes elsewhere before returning.

If the 25-year-old were to leave permanently already, it would mark one of the shortest stints of any new West Ham player in recent memory, but would it be the right move?

Hermansen’s had just four games to showcase his worth in a turbulent side who seem likely to be battling relegation, and the shot-stopper is still very young in goalkeeping years. His prime is still to come, and goalkeeping coaches like Casper Ankergren have revered the former Leicester star as a serious talent between the sticks.

Raheem Sterling remains out of sight and mind at Chelsea, with the Blues opting against wishing a happy birthday to the England international on the occasion of his 31st birthday. The experienced forward has been frozen out at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca and remains part of the infamous ‘bomb squad’ in west London. The expectation is that he will push for a transfer in the January window.

• Sterling snubbed: Chelsea ignore 31st birthday

  Sterling has suffered a humbling fall from grace in recent times. Back in 2019, he netted an 11-minute hat-trick for Manchester City in a Champions League clash with Atalanta. Giovanni Sartori, technical director of the Italian opposition faced that day, told Sterling after a stunning performance that he was “the best player in the world”.

  Fast forward six years and Chelsea are preparing to line up against the same Serie A outfit. This time around, there will be no role for Sterling to play. That is because he has been left out of Premier League and European squads in 2025-26.

  The Blues appear to have forgotten all about the 82-cap England winger. His latest birthday, which was celebrated on December 8, was recognised by the Three Lions and his former club City. Sterling’s current domestic employers chose to overlook that occasion.

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• Sterling's record at Chelsea: Goals and appearances

  Sterling faces an uncomfortable present and unpredictable future. His £50 million ($67m) transfer to Chelsea in 2022 has not played out as anybody had hoped. He has registered just 19 goals for the Blues through 81 appearances, with his last competitive outing for the club coming on May 19, 2024.

  Last season was spent out on loan at Arsenal, with no Premier League goals being recorded there. It came as little surprise when a purchase option was not taken up by the Gunners. Sterling was forced back to Stamford Bridge and into the shadows.

  He will be watching on from afar in midweek as Champions League action takes centre stage. Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney are the only fellow Englishmen to have registered more goals than Sterling in elite continental competition. He may not get another chance to bolster that tally.

• How has Sterling been filling his time?

  Maresca has said that “anything can happen” when it comes to the likes of Sterling and other exiled first-team stars being welcomed back into the fold at Chelsea. The expectation is, however, that game time will need to be found elsewhere.

  reports on how Sterling’s former City team-mate Vincent Kompany called him late in the summer window to gauge interest in a loan move to Bayern Munich. It is claimed that Sterling would have agreed a permanent switch, with a two-year contract being promised, but was reluctant to leave his homeland on a short-term deal that included no guarantees.

  Sterling is still training at Chelsea, either on his own or with the club’s U21 squad, but is being denied the opportunity to step onto the field. As a result, he is having to find alternative ways to fill time and keep himself amused.

  The Telegraph says Sterling has “kept his passion for football alive through his children and his academy over the past six months”. He is said to be a regular at Arsenal academy matches, with eight-year-old son Thiago on the books in north London.

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  Wrexham link: Will Sterling get a move in January?

  There are still 18 months left to run on Sterling’s contract at Chelsea. That deal is said to be worth more than £300,000-a-week. Said terms are considered to have been a barrier when sounding out interest in recent transfer markets. The Telegraph claims “there has never been a conversation about renegotiating his contract at a reduced rate or simply cutting his salary” at Stamford Bridge.

  A wage cut may have to be agreed, though, in order to find a much-needed fresh start. Sterling needs to be playing at this stage of his career, with sporting ambition being ranked about financial gain. He has seen a move to join Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac at ambitious Championship side Wrexham mooted, but a switch to North Wales is considered to be unlikely.

Roy Keane has accused Manchester United of being “frightened” when presented with Premier League challenges, with the Red Devils not “nasty enough” to grind out wins in games where collective standards are allowed to slip. That was the case in a home date with West Ham, as the Hammers were able to leave Old Trafford with a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

• Two points dropped: Man Utd held by West Ham

  Ruben Amorim’s side looked to be in control of a meeting with relegation-threatened West Ham when Diogo Dalot fired them in front just before the hour mark – with the ball breaking kindly for the Portuguese defender inside the box as he registered his first Premier League goal on home soil.

  United were, however, unable to see the game out – with a lack of control costing them dear. Noussair Mazraoui produced a goal-line block to keep Jarrod Bowen out in the 83rd minute, but Soungoutou Magassa was on hand to slot in the rebound and snatch a priceless point for the visitors.

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  Keane delivers scathing assessment of Man Utd

  Ex-Red Devils captain Keane was scathing in his post-game assessment, with the Irishman less than impressed with the collective effort being put in by United – with too many players hiding when the going gets tough.

  Keane told : “After they get the goal, you are playing against a team in the bottom three, they take their foot off the gas. You're 1-0 up! Take nothing away from West Ham, and they just about deserved the equaliser. You are just putting yourself under pressure. Every time I watch this United team, they are disappointing. They aren't clinical, they weren't nasty enough to get the job done.

  “People will be scratching their heads. One minute they are making progress, win and you go fifth. There will be a lot of frustration. Show your quality. In their last three or four games, I think it has been desperate. Really poor. An opportunity to get the job done and they were almost frightened. We are talking about fifth here by the way. Same old problems.”

  Keane added on United’s lack of intensity, with Amorim contributing to that: “United are making substitutions, and he is entitled to do that, but I was watching people come off and it was like they had won the league! Show some intensity. It was all a bit, 'this is cool'. You cannot be cool when you're 1-0 up. Get the job done! United have better players than West Ham but this is not a good United team. It was too relaxed, get the job done!”

• Amorim angry with performance against the Hammers

  Amorim told reporters when offering his take on a third stalemate for United in their last five games: “Frustrated, angry, that is it. After the first goal, we lost some second balls. We tried to defend all the time far from the goal. It happened long ball, they win the second ball against three guys of us so we need to be better in the second half. We are losing because of the second balls, sometimes it is not more men in front. We are really inconsistent but if you look at the goal, we have a long ball, we have everything under control, we need to do better. I always have the feeling that we have to score more goals and I'm sure about that.”

  He told : “We should have closed the game with the ball because the game was there to win. I think the overall performance was not perfect. We had our moments but we lost control in the game in some minutes in the first half and in the second half, especially after the goal. The game was clearly ours to win and we had an opportunity with Cunha to finish the game off. It is really frustrating because you look at the game, you have the game under control and we didn't win.”

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  Man Utd fixtures 2025-26: Rock-bottom Wolves next up

  United will face lowly opposition again when returning to Premier League action on Monday, with a trip to Molineux for a meeting with rock-bottom Wolves next on the agenda for Amorim’s troops.

Manchester United believe they can sign Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson for a cut-price fee in 2026.

Man Utd linked with Anderson amid Tuchel praise

Since making the move to the City Ground from Newcastle in 2024, Anderson has gone from strength to strength and is now viewed as one of the best players in the Premier League.

He’s also now a regular on the international stage under Thomas Tuchel, and it looks as if Anderson and Declan Rice will be the Three Lions’ starting midfield duo at the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel has recently praised Anderson, calling him an elite player. “Anderson is a key player for us at the moment. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, that’s why he is with us and starting for us. He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent.”

Anderson’s displays have caught the eye of Man Utd, who have been heavily linked with a move for the midfielder, however, they aren’t the only Premier League side who are keen.

Former club Newcastle are thought to have an interest in bringing Anderson back to St James’ Park, whereas Chelsea have also been linked. Now, a new update has emerged over a transfer to Old Trafford and the potential fee involved.

Man Utd “confident” of signing Anderson for £60m

According to CaughtOffside, Man Utd think they can sign Anderson for a bargain fee of just £60m, which is £40m less than Forest’s initial £100m valuation that has been mooted in the media.

Anderson being under contract at the City Ground for another three-and-a-half years could complicate matters, so if Man Utd do snap him up for £60m as they feel they can, it may prove to be a shrewd deal.

Latvia 0-5 England

8.14/10

Nottingham Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland

7.77/10

Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest

7.66/10

England 2-0 Andorra

7.45/10

Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford

7.40/10

The 23-year-old also shares the same agency as United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who has actually been linked with the Old Trafford exit.

Casemiro’s contract is also set to expire in 2026, whereas Manuel Ugarte came in for criticism from Amorim after the Europa League final last season.

Man Utd now very keen on signing "amazing" midfielder likened to N'Golo Kante

Ruben Amorim’s side have identified another target in the middle of the park ahead of the January transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Nov 20, 2025

All signs point towards a new marquee midfielder being required, and that could be Anderson if the Red Devils get their way.

Man Utd now racing Arsenal to sign "complete" £45m Bundesliga attacker

Australia’s middle-order veteran understands the entertainment aspect of the power surge but feels it is hindering the development of players

Alex Malcolm13-Dec-2024One of Australia’s T20I middle-order mainstays Marcus Stoinis says the BBL should revisit the rules around the shortened powerplay and power surge as he believes it is detrimental to developing middle-order T20 batters.The new Melbourne Stars captain is uniquely qualified on the subject having become an outstanding middle-order T20I batter for Australia and a highly sought-after player for that role in franchise cricket around the world, including the IPL, after making his name as an opener in the BBL.Stoinis, 35, was a key match-winner at No. 5 and 6 in Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup triumph and was one of the best performed batters at the most recent T20 World Cups for Australia in 2022 and 2024. But Australia’s middle-order was a weak-point overall in the 2024 edition, compared to 2021, as they failed in two chases against Afghanistan and India and missed the semi-finals.Related

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Unknown English wildcard Matty Hurst ready to scorch the BBL

BBL preview: Squads, fixtures, overseas names, players to watch

On Thursday he was asked if there was a rule within the BBL he would like changed and Stoinis diplomatically suggested the surge should be revisited.”I usually steer clear from this sort of stuff,” Stoinis said. “But I think, personally, if we’re building towards our Australian T20 team being as good as it can, I think having the surge and shorter powerplay at the start. I think that sort of makes it hard for middle-order batters in the Big Bash to push a case for international cricket, and to learn the way to play through those middle-overs in international cricket.”I understand why they’ve done it, and I understand the entertainment aspect, but I think it’s probably a question that needs to be spoken about.”The power surge is a unique rule to the BBL competition having come in as part of three new rules that were introduced in 2020-21, alongside the X-Factor and the Bash Boost.The surge was designed to create a different dynamic in the second half of the innings, with the standard six-over powerplay reduced to four overs at the start and two surge overs, with just two men allowed outside the circle, to be used any time after the 10-over mark of the innings.It has been a hit with fans, but the issue from an international standpoint is that middle-order/death batting in T20I and IPL cricket has become a power game with specialists needed to score at well in-excess of 10 runs per over with five men out. The surge has allowed less powerful middle-order players to face 12 deliveries against an older ball with just two men out.Jordan Silk is someone who has had a significant role in the power surge•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesPlayers have been able to find the boundary more freely without needing to clear the men on the fence, like they would in international cricket. International middle-order batting is even harder in Australia compared to overseas because of the size of the grounds. But the surge lessens that challenge in the BBL.The leading runscorer in the power surge since it was introduced has been Jordan Silk, scoring 233 runs off 139 balls. But he has struck just three sixes off those 139 balls, instead finding the rope 31 times and also scoring three threes, which are incredibly rare in T20 cricket. Stoinis smashed five sixes in his most recent T20I innings in Australia, when he scored 61 not out off 27 balls against Pakistan, with all five sixes being struck while Pakistan had five men on the rope.The BBL has been flexible with the rules and open to feedback. The competition leadership was happy to abandon both the X-Factor and Bash Boost as it was felt neither were having the impact they were initially designed to have.But the surge has remained as it has been a hit with fans and broadcasters. The BBL are adding to the entertainment factor this year both inside the stadium and on the broadcast after success during the WBBL, with young kids involved in hitting a ‘Surge button’ at the venue to light-up the stadium and announce the surge overs. There has not been a discussion within the BBL to have the surge reviewed at the moment.Stoinis’ sentiment highlights the ongoing push and pull between the ‘entertainment’ of the BBL and the development of Australia’s domestic talent for international cricket.Australia’s selectors and coaching staff are already looking to regenerate the T20I side ahead of the 2026 after long-time No. 7 Matthew Wade and opener David Warner retired at the end of the last World Cup. Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, 36, could well be involved in the 2026 World Cup but will almost certainly not play beyond that.The middle-order axis of Maxwell, Stoinis, Tim David and Wade, which has been the bedrock of Australia’s T20I side at the last two World Cups, will need to be completely reshaped in the near future. In the case of Stoinis and Wade, both men developed their middle-overs and death batting skills at T20I level or in franchise cricket overseas in part because of how they were used by their BBL sides.But there is a concern the surge isn’t helping the next generation of players, like Aaron Hardie, get true middle-over experience at BBL level with five men out, with Hardie scoring 109 runs from 55 balls in the surge for just two dismissals.

The New York Yankees have made another move ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

After acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, the Yankees are bringing in Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for pitcher Clayton Beeter and outfield prospect Browm Martinez. The deal was first reported by YES Network's Jack Curry.

Rosario signed a one-year deal with the Nationals before this season and has slashed .270/.310/.426 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 46 appearances. He has spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians and New York Mets before his arrival in Washington. He has made appearances at second base, third base, shortstop and in the outfield for the Nationals this season.

Beeter is a 26-year-old pitcher who has made five total appearances for the Yankees over the past two seasons. In two appearances for the Yankees this year, he gave up six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings pitched. For Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he has pitched in 18 games this year with a 3.10 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings, surrendering just seven earned runs.

In the Dominican Summer League, the 18-year-old Martinez has slashed .404/.507/.632 with three homers, 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.