Manchester City issued a sobering reality check to Arne Slot’s Liverpool before the November international break. The Reds were thrashed at the Etihad, and the good work of previous matches unravelled.

Did it? Liverpool might have lost five of their past six outings in the Premier League, but there have been signs of improvement over the past several weeks, and now there is optimism that the club can kick on and rediscover the fluency that has been stripped away since the summer.

So many issues. One of which is that last season’s Premier League champions are struggling in the final third. Here is one of the biggest concerns that Slot needs to get rid of quickly.

Why Liverpools forwards are struggling

Mohamed Salah has not been himself this season. There are many different reasons why this might be. He has turned 33, but the all-powerful Egyptian should still be performing at a higher level than he has languished this term, too often drifting through matches, missing big chances and lacking the requisite defensive work rate.

There has been a lot of upheaval. The sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich having had a more detrimental effect than had been anticipated, but such a loss of electric pace and dynamic attacking play was always going to be hard to compensate for, even with the likes of Florian Wirtz added to the fold.

Wirtz has flattered to deceive, but he is a world-class player and will surely come good. Likewise, Alexander Isak has not clicked into gear after his British-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United on deadline day. The Sweden striker, 26, hasn’t had a pre-season, and injuries have limited him to a bit-part role thus far.

Liverpool’s wider creative problems and the overarching lack of coherence have made it all rather difficult, but Slot has a shrewd tactical mind and will surely unearth a solution sooner rather than later.

As a collective, Liverpool’s frontline need to do better. However, Slot must look to open up different attacking dimensions too, with one of his Red midfielders having emerged as the most accurate finisher in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool's best finisher

Liverpool have got many talented goalscorers in their ranks, but the fact that, statistically, Ryan Gravenberch is the cream of the crop in that regard underscores the need to unleash him in attacking phases with greater regularity.

Signed from Bayern Munich by Jurgen Klopp for £34m in 2023, Gravenberch put the final strokes on a much-anticipated midfield rebuild which has defined the Anfield side’s illustrious success of the past few terms.

However, after languishing on the fringes for his first year, Slot’s advent came to redefine the Netherlands international’s time on Merseyside, dropped deeper into a number six role last season and becoming indispensable en route to the Premier League title. Gravenberch was named the PFA Young Player of the Year.

Matches (starts)

37 (37)

9 (9)

Goals

0

3

Assists

4

1

Touches*

66.5

74.0

Shots (on target)*

1.3 (0.6)

Pass completion

89%

88%

Key passes*

0.7

0.8

Dribbles*

1.0

0.9

Ball recoveries*

5.2

3.6

Tackles + interceptions*

3.5

2.5

Total duels (won)*

5.0 (57%)

4.9 (61%)

However, the 23-year-old didn’t score across any competition last year, and since the summer he has been modified in his deployment, not less regimented in his deep-lying berth, and given the license to strike on goal if and when the opportunity arises.

But Gravenberch has not been shaped into a free-flowing attacking midfielder, with xG (expected goals) metrics showing that the Dutchman is statistically “the best finisher in the league this season”, having struck three strikes past the keeper from just 0.36 xG.

To put that in perspective, Salah has accumulated 3.62 xG this season, and he has four goals to his name. Gravenberch achieved a 1.12 total in last year’s top-flight season, and that yielded not one successful return.

While Liverpool appear to lack physicality and fluency in midfield this season, they have a robust and highly talented crop of players, and as Slot looks to rewrite his side’s tactical coding and escape from the current rut, this is a sign that those in the engine room must be allowed greater offensive freedom at times, thus unburdening the forwards when they are not firing on all cylinders.

Liverpool need to prove that they are worthy champions and ready to return to their former level under Slot’s wing. Too many are looking from outside and criticising Slot’s papier mâché empire, but this is a falsehood, and with an all-embracing midfielder like Gravenberch at the heart of the team, it’s only a matter of time before things click again.

Bad for Wirtz: Liverpool plan serious bid to sign future big-money superstar

Liverpool are looking for ways to add creativity to Arne Slot’s team.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2025

Jamie Smith got to the 1000-run mark in Tests in just his 21st innings, the joint-quickest – with Quinton de Kock – to the mark by a wicketkeeper

Sampath Bandarupalli11-Jul-2025

Joe Root scored his 37th Test hundred after resuming day two on 99•Clive Mason/AFP/Getty Images

13 – Five-wicket hauls for Jasprit Bumrah in away Tests, the most by any India bowler, surpassing Kapil Dev’s 12.4 – Bumrah’s five-wicket hauls in England, two more than any other India bowler. With 47 Test wickets in England, Bumrah is only behind Ishant Sharma (51) for India.Related

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11 – Test centuries for Joe Root against India, the joint-highest alongside Steven Smith. Root is also the first to score 3000 Test runs against India.8 – Hundreds for Root in Tests at Lord’s, a record. Only three batters have more centuries at a ground in Test cricket.211 – The number of catches Root has taken in Tests, the most by a non-wicketkeeper, surpassing Rahul Dravid’s tally of 210.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3.44 – England’s scoring rate in their first innings at Lord’s – their second-lowest in a 300-plus total in Tests since Brendon McCullum became their head coach in June 2022. England have scored 30 of their 33 300-plus totals at more than four an over in this period.4 – Number of batters Bumrah bowled in England’s first innings. He equalled his own record – set against West Indies in 2019 – of most bowled dismissals in a Test innings. Mohammed Shami also bowled four South Africa batters in an innings in Visakhapatnam in 2019.11 – Number of times Root has been dismissed by Bumrah in Tests. Only Pat Cummins has removed him as many times in Tests.21 – Innings taken by Jamie Smith to complete 1000 Test runs – the joint-quickest to the milestone as a wicketkeeper, alongside Quinton de Kock.18 – Number of instances a batter has been 99 not out overnight in a Test, including Joe Root at Lord’s. He, like all the others before him, went on to reach the hundred the next day.

MatériaMais Notícias

Luciano teve forte discussão com Fernando Diniz, durante a vitória do São Paulo sobre o Fluminense nesta segunda-feira (13). De acordo com o meia-atacante, a amizade entre a dupla ficou estremecida.

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➡️As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

Luciano e Diniz trabalharam juntos justamente em Fluminense e São Paulo, entre 2019 e 2021. Sobre a discussão ocorrida no Morumbis, o atleta afirmou que tudo começou porque o técnico proferiu xingamentos a ele na beira do gramado.

– Diniz veio ali e, na hora que o Manoel saiu, ele me xingou. Do nada. Pedi para ele não me xingar, ele continuou xingando. Falou para mim que a amizade acabou, então para mim acabou. Porque eu jamais xingaria ele. Ele tem que ver que não é meu treinador mais, mas da equipe adversária – disse, em entrevista à “Globo” após a partida.

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

Autor do gol da vitória do São Paulo sobre o Fluminense, Arboleda também concedeu entrevista e buscou apaziguar a situação entre Luciano e Diniz, que teriam relação de “pai e filho”. O atleta encarou com bom humor e falou mais sobre o caso.

– Quando eu entro no campo não me importo quem é o adversário, vou brigar pelos meus companheiros e esse escudo. O que acontece no campo fica no campo. Vou para casa, conversar com minha esposa, ela vai brigar comigo – concluiu.

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O QUE ACONTECEU?

O zagueiro Manoel sentiu uma lesão na reta final do primeiro tempo e jogou a bola para lateral. Luciano tentou cobrar rápido, sem demonstrar atitude de “fair play”. Diniz se revoltou, discutiu e recebeu cartão vermelho. O jogador foi advertido com amarelo.

Tudo sobre

Fernando DinizFluminenseLucianoSão Paulo

أشاد ويسلي شنايدر، صانع ألعاب منتخب هولندا السابق، بنجم نادي ريال مدريد، موضحًا أن الدولي الفرنسي قادر على الفوز بالكرة الذهبية العام المقبل.

ويقدم كيليان مبابي مستويات رائعة رفقة ريال مدريد هذا الموسم، وأصبح الدولي الفرنسي أهم لاعبي الميرنجي بدون منازع.

وسجل مبابي 23 هدفًأ مع ريال مدريد خلال 19 مشاركة في كافة المسابقات هذا الموسم، ويعول عليه المدرب تشابي ألونسو.

ويستعد مبابي رفقة بقية لاعبي ريال مدريد لمباراة مرتقبة أمام أتلتيك بلباو مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ15 من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى على ملعب سان ماميس.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فاران يعترف: عانيت من الوحدة في ريال مدريد وشعرت أن حلمي يتلاشى

وقال شنايدر في مقابلة مع صحيفة “ماركا”: ”أؤكد أنه مع نظام النقاط الحالي، شبه متأكد من فوز مبابي بالجائزة الموسم المقبل بنسبة 100%، علاوة على ذلك أصبح مهاجمًا حقيقيًا، فهو أكثر فعالية مما كان عليه عندما كان يلعب على الجناح وريال مدريد لا يحتاج لاعبًا مثل هالاند”.

وعن فرص فينيسيوس جونيور، زميل مبابي في ريال مدريد في الفوز بالكرة الذهبية العام المقبل، أضاف: ”قد يفوز بها العام المقبل، كلاهما يمتلكان الإمكانات وربما كان بإمكان فينيسيوس الفوز بها قبل عامين، لقد استحقها عن جدارة آنذاك لكن هذا ليس عيبًا”.

واختتم نجم إنتر ميلان وريال مدريد السابق عن عدم فوزه بالكرة الذهبية عام 2010: ”شخصيًا لا أعرف رأي الآخرين، سعدت برفع كأس دوري أبطال أوروبا أكثر من الفوز بالكرة الذهبية ذلك الموسم”.

Pitcher Aroldis Chapman locked down the save for the Red Sox in their playoff opener Tuesday—but only after a treacherous ninth inning that had Boston fans on pins and needles.

The Red Sox summoned Chapman in the eighth inning in relief of starter Garrett Crochet, who'd flummoxed the Yankees with 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings to start this American League wild-card series. After inducing third baseman Jose Caballero to fly out, Chapman returned for the ninth up 3–1.

The first batter, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, singled. The second, right fielder Aaron Judge, did the same. When left fielder Cody Bellinger added a third, New York was able to load the bases.

After that, it was all Chapman. First, the eight-time All-Star fooled designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton on a nasty 92 mph splitter—one of the best pitches of the day in baseball.

Then, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. flied to shallow right before Chapman punched out center fielder Trent Grisham on a 101 mph four-seamer to end the game.

The two teams will meet again Wednesday, with Boston hoping for a smoother landing.

A number of Premier League sides face the daunting prospect of having to squeeze an enormous amount of games into the next four months, placing huge pressure on their squads and pushing players' bodies to the limit in the pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts. The staggering number of matches has now been revealed which will cause worry for Champions League clubs and fans alike.

Match pile-up towards business end of season

Fixture congestion is a significant challenge for top English clubs, and this season is no exception. The issue is amplified by their involvement in multiple competitions – the Premier League, Champions League/European competitions, FA Cup, and League Cup, potentially leading to player burnout and increased injury risks. The Premier League has even warned fans that games may be rescheduled at short notice for clubs progressing in European knockouts. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChampions League hopes prioritised by elite

Chelsea, Newcastle United, Man City, and Arsenal are all aiming for a crucial top-eight finish in the new Champions League league phase format. Securing this position means automatic qualification for the last 16 and, more importantly, avoiding potentially gruelling fixture congestion that could see them play an unbelievable 32 games between this weekend and the March international break, according to . 

Managing their schedules is a primary concern, as all four teams are also involved in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. If they advance in the domestic cup but miss out on the top eight in Europe, they could face a relentless schedule with just one available midweek break before the end of March due to the Champions League playoff round.

Recent European results have seen some movement in their prospects; Chelsea boosted their chances of automatic qualification with a victory over Barcelona, while the fates of Newcastle and City remain in the balance after both teams suffered defeats. As the table stands, Chelsea and City each have 10 points from five games, with Newcastle a point further back. Arsenal are in a strong position, having taken a maximum 15 points from their five matches.

Guardiola: 'We want it'

Many managers have had their say on how they want the pile-up to be managed, but not all agree on what the next steps should be. City boss Guardiola said recently: "We are used to it – we've won quadruples and trebles playing that way. We want it. The trebles and quadruples came (from) playing on Saturday and Tuesday, then Tuesday and Friday and Friday and Sunday. It’s not a problem." 

But Arsenal boss Arteta wants better protection for players and fans, saying: "Every decision that we make in terms of a fixture has to be guided on two main things: players' welfare and then supporters. That's it. And the rest has to come very, very far away from that. And we should never forget that principle. That's the only thing I would say."

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Getty Images SportChanges coming next season

The Premier League have announced they will delay the start of the 2026-27 season until August 22 to prioritise player welfare amid a congested global football calendar. The decision provides 89 clear days from the end of the previous season and 33 days after the 2026 World Cup final for player recovery and preparation. 

A league statement said: "With an increasingly congested global football calendar, player welfare remains a priority for the Premier League. As a result, the Premier League will start one week later next season. This will allow for 89 clear days from the end of the current season, and 33 days from the FIFA World Cup 26 Final. The season will conclude one week prior to the UEFA Champions League Final, which will be played on Saturday 5 June 2027.

"The 2026/27 Season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds. "The Premier League schedule will be designed to avoid domestic competition clashes with UEFA club competition dates, wherever possible. 

"Over the Christmas and New Year period, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours. This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule within the expanded international calendar."

He put on a dominant performance in his first innings of the season while Kurtis Patterson also made an excellent century

AAP29-Oct-2025

Steven Smith issued an ominous warning to England ahead of the Ashes, slamming 118 for New South Wales in his first game of cricket in more than two months.Fresh off a six-week stint in New York where he didn’t pick up a bat, Smith looked in imperious touch as he helped NSW to 349 for 5 in the Sheffield Shield against Queensland.Related

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After the opening day’s play at the Gabba was washed out through rain, Kurtis Patterson also hit 122 while youngster Will Salzmann impressed with 65 while opening.The only sour point for NSW was Sam Konstas being bowled middle stump for 10, leaving a ball from left-armer Hayden Kerr that angled straight into his wickets.Konstas is now essentially no chance of retaining his spot as Australia’s opener, and could benefit from a summer out of the spotlight in the Shield.But there is no question mark over Smith’s form heading into the first Test in Perth on November 21, where he will captain Australia in place of the injured Pat Cummins.Smith played out 21 dot balls to start his innings on Wednesday, but from the moment he on-drove Sam Skelly to the boundary to get off the mark, the right-hander looked on.A flurry of drives and pull shots followed, with the 36-year-old treating the Gabba as his playground and looking every bit at his best three weeks out from the first Test.Sam Konstas was bowled by Hayden Kerr•Getty Images

Some 86 of his runs came in boundaries, including a big six down the ground of Mitchell Swepson when he charged the legspinner and took him on.Three boundaries came in three balls at one stage off quick James Bazley, with the first two crunches through the covers and the last a classic straight drive.Once renowned for being a cricket nuffy who perhaps trained too much, Smith insisted last week he now needed only two hits in the nets to prepare for a summer.And by the time he drove Tom Straker to bring up his century off 158 balls on Wednesday, the proof of that was clear and England had been put on notice.Smith was eventually well caught by Matt Renshaw at gully, but by then he looked well placed to set himself up for a big Ashes summer.Arguably Australia’s best-performing batter in Ashes history aside from Don Bradman, Smith has hit 12 career centuries against England and averages 56.01.His runs on Wednesday came as England’s ODI side collapsed on Wednesday across the Tasman, all out for 175 in a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand.Smith’s century also overshadowed the superb innings of Patterson. The former Test batter found form following a lean start to the Shield season, after his late-career revival last summer was one of the best stories of Australian cricket.Patterson cover-drove superbly and hit 14 boundaries in total, before being caught behind trying to drive Marnus Labuschagne late in the day.For NSW to win this match they will likely need to score big and only bat once, while Queensland’s hopes are effectively gone through Smith and Patterson’s 202-run third-wicket stand.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has accused Gianluigi Donnarumma of "faking" an injury to allow Pep Guardiola to deliver a Manchester City team talk when the game was hanging in the balance. The Italian asked for treatment in the second half when Leeds had made it 2-1 and were in the ascendancy. The visitors got it back to 2-2 before Phil Foden's stoppage-time winner secured all three points on Saturday at the Etihad.

• Man City survive Leeds scare

  City were 2-0 up and cruising at half time thanks to goals from Foden and Josko Gvardiol but the second half was a very different story. Goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, after his penalty was saved, gave the lowly visitors a great chance of an upset. But Foden's second in the 91st minute eased the home team's nerves as they went second in the Premier League. 

  After the match, City boss Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport: "After Daniel [Farke] changed shape, long balls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha running behind, it was always a struggle. That emotion is part of the football. We had the chances and at the end finally we found our goal."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Leeds boss wants rule change

  While Farke was deflated after the loss, one moment from the game stuck in his craw. Just before the hour mark, City goalkeeper Donnarumma motioned to the medical staff to tend to him. During this break in play, Guardiola called the other 10 City players to him to deliver new instructions after Leeds changed their shape. While the Whites went on to equalise, City secured the win, but Farke was not happy with the Italian stopper's actions. The German, who stopped short of criticising Guardiola, said a rule change needs to be sworn in to stop things like this happening.

  "Everyone knows why he went down, right? It’s not like the elephant in the room. You can ask me what I think about it, why he went down, I think it was obvious," he said. "It’s within the rules. It’s smart. If I like it, if it’s in the sense of fair play, if it should be like this, I keep it to myself and leave it to the authorities to find solutions to it. It’s within the rules. I asked the fourth official if he wanted to do something, he said, 'No, our hands are tied, we can’t do anything'. If we don’t educate our players in football what to do in terms of fair play, sportsmanship, if you try to bend the rules to your advantage, and you can fake an injury in order to do an additional team talk, I think it’s not something I personally like, but if it’s within the rules I can’t complain about it. 

  "My recommendation is if this happens, then every 50-50 to the away team rather than the home team. After 90 minutes at 2-2, I would have blown the whistle rather than all the time added on. There are tools you can use to make sure this doesn’t happen. There’s a reason why the goalkeeper goes down and not an outfield player; an outfield player would have to go off. I think for the authorities to find a solution, in the sense of fair play, I have my doubts. I don’t criticise my colleague. It’s not that he (Guardiola) went down. If he has time to do that and if there’s an injury, I would do it. We have such a great relationship, and Pep is by far the best manager in the world. To tweak something in a game, there is nobody better. There’s not one per cent criticism of Pep. The fact that this happens, everyone knows it."

• Leeds show much-needed fight

  While this was Leeds' fourth defeat in a row, heaping more pressure on manager Farke, the way the Yorkshire side came back into the game will encourage many connected to the club. But, ultimately, they came away pointless from Manchester.

  He told BBC Sport: "We came here not for compliments or warm words, we came here for points. We had the worst possible start to this game. Normally, if you want points here, you have to win the set-pieces. I have to give many compliments to my lads. We deserved to equalise. Both teams could have won it. Heartbreaking for my lads. We’re disappointed because we deserved something but my boys should be proud of how they reacted to the worst possible start. They should take lots of confidence out of this."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Crunch games for Leeds

  Leeds, who remain 18th in the Premier League, have just begun a particularly tough run of games in the English top-flight. After the City match, they host third-placed Chelsea on Wednesday, before entertaining out-of-form Liverpool next weekend. A trip to high-flying Brentford and then a home match against a confident Crystal Palace round off a difficult run of fixtures before Christmas.

NZ have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia, but captain Devine believes this stat doesn’t matter in a World Cup

Vishal Dikshit30-Sep-20253:02

Devine: ‘The wicket looks incredibly flat’

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine started her media assignments for the 2025 World Cup just like how she wants her side to play their opening game against Australia on Wednesday: with a hiss and a roar.She waltzed into the press conference room donning a White Ferns jumper in the freezing air-conditioned room. She had brought some warmth with her, it would seem. Except when she started to face some hard-hitting questions.”You haven’t beaten Australia in eight years,” she was coldly reminded straightaway of their record against the reigning champions. New Zealand have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia.Related

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“Thanks for that stat,” she retorted before quashing away such historical records. “I think it’s a great opportunity. Those stats are there and we’re aware of them, but at World Cups, it doesn’t matter. I think records and previous results go out the window for us. It’s a really exciting opportunity to take on the reigning one-day champions first up. We love any opportunity that we get to play against Australia. It’s sort of like our big sister. We’re really excited about that. And come game day, both teams start on zero. So, again, really excited for the opportunity.”Another journalist then asked something that stumped her again. “How does it feel to come out of retirement to lead your country again?” (She hadn’t, she is retire from ODIs after this World Cup).As if Devine knew that was coming, she shot back saying, “I haven’t retired. I haven’t retired,” she repeated to sear it into his memory. “Are you saying I need to retire? Is that what you’re saying? That’s okay. It’s okay.”Devine meant it all in jest though and normalcy soon resumed even when she was asked about the weaknesses in New Zealand’s middle order, which she didn’t quite agree with.Sophie Devine wants New Zealand to play ‘strong and aggressive’ at the World Cup•AFP/Getty Images

“…The middle order has been going considerably well,” she said. “Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze both scoring hundreds [in the warm-ups]. I know you’re probably talking about official one-day matches, but for us, we’ve built really nicely. We haven’t played a lot of cricket, especially one-day format, over the last six-nine months, but it’s certainly something that we’re aware of. We know that in this competition, especially on some of the wickets that we’re going to face over here in India, that run-scoring is going to be incredibly important. It’s up to everyone.”We can’t just rely on the top four, we need the middle order. There’s going to be crucial runs scored by the lower order as well at some stage during this tournament. I think if you look to the India-Australia series just before this, 400 nearly wasn’t enough. I think it’s really exciting. As batters, we certainly know that we want to take ownership and responsibility of being the ones that do the bulk of the work. We’re really excited to be able to play on wickets like this, which I think are really conducive for scoring runs.”New Zealand have the most unenviable task in this World Cup: starting their campaign against seven-time champions Australia. But even a win over them would not count for more than two points because each team plays seven league games and will need a consistent run of victories to make the semi-finals in the eight-team tournament.”I don’t think we can necessarily focus on one game,” she said about the clash on Wednesday. “I think for us, every match is going to be incredibly important. Absolutely, we want to start this tournament with a real hiss and a roar and make sure that we come out really strong and aggressive. And the fact that it’s Australia that we play first, I think for us, what we keep going back to is making sure that we play our style of cricket. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against.2:02

McGrath on playing NZ: ‘We know each other’s game really well’

“Absolutely, everyone wants to win their first game, but there’s still a lot of cricket. It’s over a month of cricket to be played. For us, our focus is on making sure that we can execute to our skills for long periods of time. Absolutely. We want to beat these Aussies first up and get some points on the board, but it’s probably more important for us on how we play that game.”If New Zealand look at their trans-Tasman rivals as their “big sister,” their opponents also look at it as a not-so-intense rivalry.”We’ve got a really nice rivalry with New Zealand. We call it the friendly rivalry,” Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said. “We’ve played each other a lot over the last 12 months and sort of know each other’s game really well through franchise cricket as well. And we just finished our prep meeting and think we match up really nicely. So we go ahead into this clash really, really confident and really excited.”McGrath agreed with Devine in saying that such records of a 15-0 streak in ODIs between the two teams became “irrelevant” in World Cups where the pressure is different and every game becomes “crucial.”But there’s no denying that the team that ends up winning by the end of Wednesday night will have its job of making it to the last four much easier.

The story of a drawn Ashes series in England, series sweeps against Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, being Shamar Josephed in Brisbane, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series win

Andrew McGlashan07-Jun-20251:05

Finch: The way Labuschagne has been playing is ‘concerning’

1st Test vs England, Edgbaston: won by two wicketsAustralia secured a thrilling victory through an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 55 between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon in what became one of the great Ashes Tests. From the moment Zak Crawley drove the first ball of the series for four, it was edge-of-the-seat viewing. Usman Khawaja’s 321-ball 141 was the counter to Bazball as the first innings ended just about even. After another frenetic innings from England, Australia were set 281 in echoes of the famous 2005 classic. Once the opening stand was broken, England made regular inroads and looked favourites until Ben Stokes couldn’t quite haul in a top edge from Lyon with 37 needed.2nd Test vs England, Lord’s: won by 43 runsA Test that Australia had dominated for large swathes was ignited on the final day with Alex Carey’s stumping of Jonny Bairstow. It lit a fuse under Stokes, who threatened to replicate his Headingley miracle of four years earlier while Stuart Broad played his part amid heated scenes. This time, though, Stokes fell short as Australia prevailed despite the series-ending injury suffered by Lyon on the third day. That had come at a moment where England had a chance to take charge, but they refused to back down from an aggressive approach against Australia’s short-pitched attack and it proved their downfall.Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins celebrate Australia’s thrilling win in the opening Test of their WTC cycle•Getty Images3rd Test vs England, Headingley: lost by three wicketsMark Wood’s belated introduction changed the entire feeling of the series. He bowled at the speed of light on the opening day to rattle Australia, but Mitchell Marsh’s run-a-ball 118 kept honours even. The visitors had the game for the taking before Stokes counter-attacked to draw England nearly level, and then, with the lead growing steadily, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith handed their wickets to Moeen Ali. Under gloomy skies late on the third day, Australia could only stretch the target to 251. The chase was nip-and-tuck as England scored at one-day pace, led by Harry Brook, before Wood and Chris Woakes sealed the game.4th Test vs England, Old Trafford: Match drawnRain was always forecast to play its part and duly washed out the final day to save Australia from a likely defeat. England had played brilliantly to force the tempo as they racked up 592 at 5.49 an over with Crawley motoring to 189 off 182 balls and Bairstow producing a punchy century. Wood’s pace again had a huge impact but Labuschagne produced a fighting century on a truncated fourth day before Australia happily watched the rain fall as the Ashes were retained.5th Test vs England, The Oval: lost by 49 runsAs in 2019, Australia fell short of being able to win the Ashes. Befitting the series, the match was pulsating viewing from start to finish. The first innings again ended on more or less even terms amid another contrast in tempo, but Australia did well to stay competitive having been 185 for 7. When England were 332 for 4 the game looked theirs, but the last six wickets fell for 63 and then Khawaja and David Warner added 140 for the first wicket. However, a ball change altered the complexion – much to Australia’s frustration – as the new one hooped with Woakes and Wood taking advantage. Still, Australia reached 264 for 3 on the final day with Smith and Travis Head well set. Then Moeen, in his final Test, sparked a collapse of 4 for 11. Broad, who had announced his retirement two days earlier, secured the win with a wicket from the final ball of his career.Mitchell Marsh played the lead role in the Perth win over Pakistan•Getty Images and Cricket Australia1st Test vs Pakistan, Perth: won by 360 runsAustralia dominated throughout on a pitch that became increasingly precarious for batting. Warner’s opening-day 164, at the beginning of his last Test series, set the platform, which was added to by Marsh’s hometown 90. Initially, Australia toiled somewhat for inroads but a collective bowling effort earned a lead of 216. Khawaja’s 90 and more runs from Marsh ensured a target well out of reach for Pakistan as the quicks found considerable assistance from uneven bounce. Pakistan could only muster 89 with Lyon claiming his 500th Test wicket when he trapped Faheem Ashraf lbw.2nd Test vs Pakistan, Melbourne: won by 79 runsAustralia were pushed harder than was expected after events in Perth, and when they were 90 without loss on the opening day. Cummins and Lyon shared nine wickets to earn a lead of 54 but the game was blown wide open as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mir Hamza reduced the home side to 16 for 4. However, Marsh was spilled on 20 and changed the game with a brilliant 96 while Smith dropped anchor. Set 317, Pakistan had hope at 219 for 5 but Cummins produced another match-seizing spell and the last five wickets fell for 18.David Warner says goodbye to the SCG fans after his last Test innings•Getty Images3rd Test vs Pakistan, Sydney: won by eight wicketsThe final match of Warner’s Test career was a neck-and-neck affair over the first two innings. Aamer Jamal’s feisty 82 lifted Pakistan to 313, then a late Australia collapse of 5 for 10 meant they ended up not quite matching it with Jamal again starring with 6 for 69. However, the home side surged late on the third day as Josh Hazlewood reduced Pakistan to 68 for 7, which effectively decided the contest. Chasing 130, Warner signed off with a half-century but fell with the winning line in sight – but it allowed him to leave the arena to his own ovation.1st Test vs West Indies, Adelaide: won by 10 wicketsThe match was over before lunch on the third day as an inexperienced West Indies were swept aside. Hazlewood and Cummins did the damage initially, but Shamar Joseph’s 36 from No. 11 was a sign of things to come. Australia didn’t have it all their own way with the bat as Shamar struck with his first delivery in Test cricket, having Smith caught in the slips, and it needed Head’s freewheeling 119 off 134 balls to build a useful lead. For a little while, a two-day finish was on the cards as Hazlewood starred again and it needed West Indies’ last-wicket pair to make Australia bat.Shamar Joseph sparked one of the great upsets in Test history•Getty Images2nd Test vs West Indies, Brisbane: lost by 7 runsOne of biggest upsets. West Indies had not beaten Australia in 21 years and when the home side were 113 for 2 chasing 216 that streak did not look like ending. But up stepped Shamar with one of the great spells. Bowling with a broken toe sustained from a Mitchell Starc yorker the previous night, he ripped through the middle order starting with Cameron Green and Head in consecutive deliveries – the latter completing a king pair. Shamar bowled unchanged and, with new opener Smith unbeaten on 91 at the non-striker’s end, speared one into Hazlewood’s off stump to set off wild celebrations.1st Test vs New Zealand, Wellington: won by 172 runsGreen and Lyon produced the defining performances of a Test where, for the most part, bowlers held sway. Green’s unbeaten 174 was the standout innings of the match producing nearly half of Australia’s first-innings 383 after they had wobbled on 89 for 4. A significant proportion came in a record last-wicket stand of 116 with Hazlewood. New Zealand were on the ropes at 29 for 5 and conceded a huge lead. On a surface offering increasing turn, Australia lost 6 for 37 but there were more than enough runs for Lyon to play with as he completed a ten-wicket match haul.The Australian team poses with the series trophy after sweeping New Zealand•Getty Images2nd Test vs New Zealand, Christchurch: won by three wicketsDespite being rolled over for 162 on the opening day, with Hazlewood taking 5 for 31, New Zealand looked favourites to level the series when Australia were 80 for 5 chasing 279. However, Marsh’s golden run continued with a dominant 80 and Carey emerged from an indifferent run of form with a match-winning unbeaten 98. He added 61 with Cummins after debutant Ben Sears had struck twice in consecutive balls to lift New Zealand’s spirits. Having kept Australia’s lead to 94, New Zealand missed an opportunity to set a tougher chase when they slipped from 278 for 3 to 372 all out.1st Test vs India, Perth: lost by 295 runsIt’s rare to see Australia beaten like this at home. And it came after they had dismissed India for 150 on the opening day. Then Jasprit Bumrah produced his first outstanding display of a series he would dominate, including the wickets of Khawaja and Smith in consecutive balls, to earn the visitors an unexpected lead. With some of the early spice out of the wicket, India’s openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, then added 201 and there was no way back for Australia. Jaiswal made a magnificent 161 and Virat Kohli feasted on a tired attack for an unbeaten 100. Australia were 17 for 4 second time around with only Head’s 89 adding a modicum of respect, but not enough to prevent a 295-run loss.Travis Head’s 141-ball 140 earned him the Player-of-the-Match award in the pink-ball Test•Getty Images2nd Test vs India, Adelaide: won by 10 wicketsAustralia picked themselves up in the day-night format they have so regularly dominated. Starc removed Jaiswal with the first ball of the Test, although India reached 69 for 1 before things fell apart with Scott Boland, replacing the injured Hazlewood, again playing a key role. Starc continued his magnificent pink-ball record with 6 for 48. Head then played another of his match-winning innings, flaying 140 off 141 balls – his dismissal to Mohammed Siraj saw the first significant confrontation of the series. But India could barely make Australia bat again as Cummins took 5 for 57.3rd Test vs India, Brisbane: Match drawnRegular rain interruptions meant this Test never really got going, but Australia dominated for the most part. Head made another stunning hundred (152 off 160 balls) while Smith emerged from a relatively lean period with a hard-working century. Bumrah was again magnificent with 6 for 76 but it was something of a one-man show. This time Starc needed two balls to remove Jaiswal and India were rocking on 74 for 5, but Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja fought hard. Although time would probably have run out, the last-wicket pair of Bumrah and Akash Deep importantly saved the follow-on.Sam Konstas had an extraordinary Test debut, at the end of which he got a chance to celebrate a win with his captain•Getty Images4th Test vs India, Melbourne: won by 184 runsThe margin was big, but this was an epic Test that finished deep in the final session. The early exchanges had all been about Sam Konstas’ extraordinary debut as he took the game to Bumrah in thrilling fashion. Smith’s 140 then carried Australia to a hefty total. With Boland again enjoying himself at the MCG, India were a long way adrift until a gutsy maiden hundred from Nitish Kumar Reddy. Bumrah and Siraj then had Australia 91 for 6 and the game was wide open, but Labuschagne and the lower order pulled the target away. India never attempted the chase, but from 33 for 3 were well-placed to save the game before Rishabh Pant pulled a long hop to deep midwicket after tea on the last day. India’s went on to lose 7 for 34 in front of a record crowd.5th Test vs India, Sydney: won by six wicketsOn a unusually lively, and occasionally uneven, SCG surface, Australia prevailed to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secure their place in the WTC final. The two first innings ended almost even as the pace bowlers dominated. Beau Webster’s composed 57 on debut helped the hosts recover from a dicey 39 for 4. Pant threatened to turn the game India’s way with 61 off 47 balls before falling to Cummins and Boland claimed 6 for 45 to finish with ten in the match. A target of 162 was not a given, however, and at 58 for 3 – with Smith falling on 9999 career runs – India had a chance. Things might have been different had Bumrah not succumbed to his workload with a back injury.Matt Kuhnemann picked up 16 wickets in the two Tests in Sri Lanka•AFP/Getty Images1st Test vs Sri Lanka, Galle: won by an innings and 242 runsThe spot in the final was secure, but Australia were still desperate for a series win in Sri Lanka. This was as complete a performance as could be witnessed. The tone was set by Head attacking the new ball, and then Khawaja went on to compile a career-best 232 alongside centuries for Smith and Josh Inglis, on debut, with a dazzling 94-ball effort. Sri Lanka crumbled for 165 with Matt Kuhnemann claiming 5 for 63. Following-on, Kuhnemann added four more to his match haul as he and Lyon shared 16 for the match.2nd Test vs Sri Lanka, Galle: won by nine wicketsAnother dominant performance, although at stages it was more of a contest than the first Test. Half-centuries from Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis took Sri Lanka to 257, which looked potentially competitive when Australia were 91 for 3. However, Smith played brilliantly again while Carey compiled a masterful 156, which formed the cornerstone of a handsome lead. Angelo Mathews threatened to enable Sri Lanka to set a tricky target, but he was brilliantly caught by Webster. Lyon and Kuhnemann shared 14 wickets for the match.