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Rangers boss Danny Rohl was left to settle for what he described as a “fully deserved point” at Tannadice on Wednesday night, although for a club of such stature, these are the type of games that the Ibrox side simply have to win.

Just a few days on from the drab stalemate against Falkirk, the Light Blues were left relying on a last-gasp Nedim Bajrami penalty to bail them out of trouble this time around, having been abject at both ends of the pitch on the night.

Indeed, Bojan Miovski’s dry spell continued, having scored just one Premiership goal since his return to Scotland, while the centre-back pairing of Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez were all at sea up against a lively Dundee United forward line.

Rohl, undoubtedly, is paying the price for the chaos that came before him under both Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, with the summer recruitment yet again under the microscope.

With question marks over how much will be available to spend in January, the German coach will largely have to make do with what he’s got for now, albeit with key decisions needing to be made.

Record of every Rangers summer signing

Perhaps it is still too early to judge the business that was carried out this summer, although the transfer failures have already helped claim one manager and could well prove fatal for another, unless Rohl can turn things around.

Of course, the biggest backfire appears to be the £8m investment in Everton’s Youssef Chermiti, with a player who failed to score in two years at Goodison Park having since scored just once in his new surroundings.

Former Aberdeen talisman Bojan Miovski hasn’t exactly fared much better, it must be said, with just two goals himself in all competitions for the Glasgow side, ensuring that – perhaps unsurprisingly – captain James Tavernier still leads the way with seven goals from right-back this season.

Despite looking brighter since the change in the dugout, more was certainly expected of Tottenham Hotspur’s teenage sensation, Mikey Moore, with the Englishman joining Thelo Aasgaard and Lyall Cameron in having scored just once in 2025/26 thus far.

Oliver Antman, another marquee summer addition, hasn’t even got off the mark at all, while perhaps the biggest concern lies defensively, with regard to Djiga, in particular.

Already seemingly looking finished at Ibrox, following a string of errors in recent months, the on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers man has been this season’s key disaster, epitomising a transfer window that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

The Burkina Faso international has at least been consistent in struggling right from the off, with there perhaps more confusion over the shifting form of fellow new addition, Djeidi Gassama.

Martin's "shining light" now needs to be benched by Rohl

If there was just one positive from the brief Martin era, it was the early performances of young Gassama, with the ex-Sheffield Wednesday starlet looking particularly impressive in Champions League qualifying.

Four goals in just six games in that early round of European games suggested that Rangers had hit the jackpot with their £2.2m addition, with former England international Chris Waddle among those lauding him as a potential “bargain”:

From looking like the “shining light” under Martin’s watch, in the view of former Gers defender Alan Hutton, the France-born winger has frustratingly failed to kick on since then, with that Champions League form looking like a red herring on current evidence.

Indeed, since then, the underwhelming wideman has scored just once and provided only two assists in the Premiership, alongside chipping in with a further goal in the Europa League against Sturm Graz.

An asset in continental action, Gassama has been unable to replicate that form domestically, even despite reuniting with Rohl in recent weeks, following their prior link at Hillsborough.

The youngster was particularly poor during the draw with the Tangerines, having lost the ball 20 times from just 56 touches, while boasting a dismal pass accuracy rate of just 67%, as per Sofascore.

Part of a forward line that just isn’t clicking into gear, Gassama also squandered two big chances and completed just a solitary successful cross, having perhaps been fortunate to last the full 90 minutes in truth.

With young Findlay Curtis among those waiting in the wings, Rohl must forego any potential favouritism and shake things up next time around.

Gassama just isn’t looking like the player he did back in July and August…

Rangers "passenger" has been so bad that he makes Dowell look good

This Glasgow Rangers flop is currently making Kieran Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 3, 2025

Bavuma will return to action after a calf injury and will be available for the second of two first-class matches to be played in Bengaluru.

Firdose Moonda16-Oct-2025South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma is set to return to action from a calf injury on an A squad tour to India later this month. Bavuma is currently sitting out the Test series in Pakistan, and has also not been named in the ODI squad with a view to recovering in time to lead South Africa in India. He will be available for the second of two first-class matches to be played in Bengaluru.South Africa will play two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is in India between November 14 and December 19. It is their second successive away tour to the subcontinent after the ongoing one in Pakistan, and the second in the 2025-2027 WTC cycle. Bavuma was not able to lead them immediately in defence of their WTC title after he strained his calf during the white-ball series in England in September.The four-day squad will be captained by top-order batter Marques Ackerman, and includes Zubayr Hamza and Prenelan Subrayan, who are both with the Test squad in Pakistan. Subrayen played in the Lahore match, which South Africa lost by 93 runs. Seamer Codi Yusuf, who has played white-ball cricket for South Africa has also been named. The two four-day games will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from October 30 to November 9.South Africa A will also play three fifty-over matches against India A in Rajkot between November 13 to 19. Teenage left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka will make his comeback from a hamstring injury, which has kept him out of the white-ball series in Pakistan, in those matches.

Zimbabwe have replaced Afghanistan in Pakistan’s upcoming triangular T20I series at home next month. The series, which will be played from November 17 to 29 in Lahore and Rawalpindi, will also feature Sri Lanka.Earlier today, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its withdrawal from the tri-series following the death of three local cricketers in what it alleged was a cross-border attack in the Urgun district of the country.In a post on X, the ACB claimed that several lives had been lost in the attack, including three local cricketers who had been returning home after playing a “friendly” match in Sharana, the capital of Paktika province. “The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family,” it said in a statement.Describing the incident as “tragic”, the ACB said “as a gesture of respect to the victims” it had “decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series.” The ICC and the BCCI joined the ACB in mourning the loss of life of the cricketers.Related

• ICC, BCCI express 'solidarity' with Afghanistan after withdrawal from Pakistan tri-series

The PCB has not made any official comment on the situation following Afghanistan’s statement, but told ESPNcricinfo the tri-series would go ahead as scheduled, with Afghanistan replaced by another side. In the statement announcing Zimbabwe’s participation, the PCB merely said it had been notified earlier of “Afghanistan’s inability” to participate in the tri-series.The series will begin with Zimbabwe taking on hosts Pakistan in Rawalpindi before playing against Sri Lanka at the same venue two days later. All remaining games will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were recently named as the world’s two highest-paid footballers by Forbes, and the two legendary forwards have amassed mind-boggling net worths across their careers.

Ronaldo recently became the first current player to achieve billionaire status, having earned £1.04bn through wages, endorsements, investments and sponsorship deals, while Messi has managed to amass a stunning €598m (£527m), given long-term deals with Adidas, Apple, and Konami.

Such numbers are perhaps to be expected, given that the former La Liga stars, who are widely regarded as the two best players of all-time, have won a combined 13 Ballon d’Ors between them, but a player who had a more modest career, at least in comparison, has managed to make over double their combined net worth.

Ex-Man Utd star Louis Saha's net worth revealed

As reported by Manchester Evening News, Louis Saha has managed to build up a whopping £4.3bn fortune since retiring from football following a brief spell with Lazio back in 2013, accumulating his wealth after founding his sports company AxisStars.

The platform, which connects athletes and entertainers with trusted companies, was founded not long after Saha called time on his career, and it has clearly been hugely successful, given the vast riches the former Manchester United star has been able to amass.

Although the Frenchman did not reach the dizzy heights of the likes of Ronaldo and Messi, he also had a career to be proud of, scoring 84 Premier League goals across spells with Fulham, Man United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Everton and Sunderland.

The 20-time France international was also named among Everton’s greatest strikers in the Premier League era, courtesy of scoring 34 goals in 115 matches across all competitions for the Toffees.

During that time, the former striker scored what was the fastest goal in FA Cup final history at the time, until the record was broken by ex-Man City star Ilkay Gundogan, who found the back of the net after just 11 seconds in the 2023 final against United.

However, what the 47-year-old has gone on to achieve post-football is arguably even more impressive, having amassed a higher net worth than the vast majority of former players, albeit his riches still pale in comparison to that of Leicester City flop Faiq Bolkiah.

That said, rather than being born into wealth, Saha is well-known to come from a working-class background, with his mother a nurse and his father an aircraft mechanic, meaning money was tight growing up, which makes the former Everton man’s unbelievable success even more impressive.

Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler stunned by footballers' wages Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler stunned by footballers' wages

Marler was more surprised than at Jonathan Ross’ traitor reveal.

ByBen Goodwin Nov 3, 2025

Hampshire heavily beaten after batting line-up misfires

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Aug-2025Worcestershire 196 for 5 (D’Oliveira 52, Jack 2-34) beat Hampshire 194 (Gubbins 60, Allison 6-35) Ben Allison’s career best figures of 6 for 35 helped Worcestershire secure a comfortable five-wicket win over Hampshire in Group A of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.Allison bowled with pace and control from the outset, as regular wickets stunted Hampshire’s progress, with Nick Gubbins’ half-century the highlight in Hampshire’s total of 194 all out.In reply, a composed 52 from Brett D’Oliveira and thirties from Kashif Ali and Jake Libby put the hosts in control of their chase as Hampshire’s bowlers struggled. A quickfire cameo from Ethan Brookes saw Worcestershire ease their way to a convincing five-wicket win and continue their unbeaten start to the group stage.Allison pushed the home side in front early as he drew Ali Orr into an unnecessary waft at a full delivery outside his off stump in the first over of the contest, shortly before producing a peach of a delivery to account for the vital wicket of Tilak Varma, without scoring. Hampshire rallied from 14 for 2, with Gubbins taking his side past 50 without further cause for concern in sublime batting conditions at New Road.Scotland’s Brandon McMullen (29) gave his wicket away after a promising start, but Gubbins continued his fine solo efforts, raising his bat after passing fifty for the second time in this year’s One-Day Cup. Joe Weatherley’s afternoon was brought to a premature end when he was in single figures, as he retired hurt, unable to continue having been struck on the hand earlier in his innings.Gubbins’ classy knock saw him relatively unphased, stroking nine boundaries on his way to 60, but when Ethan Brookes trapped the opener LBW in front with a darting, full ball, the home side were back on an even keel, with Hampshire 115 for 4.Worcestershire youngster, Jack Home, making his first appearance of the season for the Rapids, returned to the action after a turbulent two-over spell earlier on in the piece to spark the biggest reaction from the crowd of the day when he zipped a ball through the defences of England U19 teammate Ben Mayes, watching a shard of middle stump fall victim of his pace, as the home side tightened their grip on the first-innings.File photo: Ben Allison takes the plaudits•Getty ImagesAt 121 for 5 and faltering on the back of the metronomic Brookes’ spell, a sixth-wicket partnership of 62 between Tom Prest and Felix Organ provided some stability for the visitors.But Worcestershire hit back, with the impressive Allison taking the wickets of both aforementioned batters in the 38th over, with a stunning caught and bowled spelling the end for Prest on 36. The seamer capped a sensational day with two more wickets in his final over, as he returned career-best figures of 6 for 35 to bundle Hampshire out for a below-par 194.Isaac Mohammed fell early in the reply when he was LBW for 10, but Kashif Ali and Brett D’Oliveira put on 59 for the third wicket, with Kashif continuing his excellent run in the competition as he searched for a third consecutive half-century.He perished 14 runs short of the milestone however when he found Prest at mid-off, but his departure didn’t halt Worcestershire’s momentum as they batted on past 100 in the 22nd over.D’Oliveira made his way to a composed half-century from 79 balls as Worcestershire strolled through the middle overs, but Hampshire had a brief moment of optimism McMullen struck in the 30th over to see the back of D’Oliveira.Brookes’ quick fire cameo of 35 from 24 balls propelled the home side up to 168 for 4, as the late loss of he and Libby (32) did not derail what was a comfortable chase with the Rapids securing a five-wicket win with more than ten overs in tact.

His astonishing assault in a low-scoring Ashes Test proved he never ceases to amaze

Alex Malcolm22-Nov-20253:17

Smith: Travis Head’s batting incredible to witness

“I’ll do it.”With three words, Travis Head set in motion a chain of events that had to be seen to be believed.There had long been a thought bubble floating around within Australia’s brains trust. What if Usman Khawaja opened in the first innings, when the pitch was fresh and at it’s most challenging in Australian conditions, and then swapped with Travis Head in the second when the surface was flatter and quick runs were needed?Related

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Head: 'It's not going to get much bigger than this'

Khawaja’s back spasms in Perth made that thought bubble a reality. After Australia fudged the order to replace Khawaja in the first innings without success, Head volunteered to do it in the second. And he delivered with an astonishing assault on England to win Australia a Test match they appeared to have no right to win only four-and-a-half hours earlier.It was mind-blowing batting, even by the standards of the man who has produced a career catalogue of crazy match-winning innings on the biggest stage. He was already an Ashes star thanks to his performances in 2021-22. He has already singlehandedly ripped a World Test Championship, an ODI World Cup and a Border-Gavaskar Trophy out of India hands.Now he has the second-fastest century in Ashes history, off 69 balls, to rip another opening Ashes Test in Australia from England’s grasp.Ben Stokes looked like he had seen a ghost when he was asked to sum up his feelings shortly after the winning runs were struck.”I mean, at the moment, I’m still in a little bit of wow phase, after what Travis Head has just done to us,” Stokes said. “That was a pretty incredible, special knock from Travis.”Head didn’t think so. Steven Smith, who was sitting next to Head at the press conference, was asked whether it was the best knock he had ever seen.”No it’s not. Not even close,” Head mumbled under his breath.Smith laughed before politely disagreeing with his vice-captain. “It’s got to be right up there,” Smith said. “Wow. That was incredible to witness. Trav took it on and played one of the great Ashes knocks.”There was a buzz around the ground when Head’s name was announced as he walked out to bat alongside Jake Weatherald, with Australia needing to score the highest total of the match to chase down 205.ESPNcricinfo LtdEveryone knew what Head was going to attempt to do, including England. But Head never ceases to amaze.He was three off 14 balls to start. He was beaten by a cracker from Jofra Archer second ball. His only runs were a clip off the toes behind square and a squeeze past gully. But credit to Head, there were no other loose shots in the 14. No flashing with hard hands like England’s batters had done earlier in the day. No attempts to hit the bowlers off their lengths as Stokes had believed was required on the Perth pitch.He waited, and waited, and then unleashed fury. The first genuine half-volley he got was whipped through midwicket. The next was driven through cover. For the first venomous short ball he leaned back and ramped it over the slips for six. On 22 he finally flayed one on the rise through cover. Another full wide ball was sliced over wide deep third to bring up Australia’s 50 in 9.3 overs.Pitching up wasn’t working, so England went short. Head went large. Mark Wood went at the body, Head stepped inside the line and flicked him over fine leg. The next was short and wide, Head thrashed it through point. The field started to spread. He tucked a single to deep square to bring up a 36-ball 50.But then he lost Weatherald after a crucial 75-run stand. The door was ajar for England to walk back into a game that had seesawed violently over two days. It coincided with drinks and Head hit pause, scoring a single off his next eight deliveries.Stokes seized the moment and took the ball. Mano-a-mano.Ben Stokes couldn’t find any answers•Getty ImagesThe talisman to trump all talismans, with his new-found mane, his ripped physique after swearing off alcohol, who trains like a beast and plays with unparalleled intensity against Australia’s everyman, father of two, with his bogan haircut, unkempt moustache and unashamed beer belly.Head struck four boundaries in five balls. Game over. He then flat-batted a 139.9kph Archer short ball over the sightscreen for the most jawdropping shot of the match to completely demoralise England.All that was left was for Head to receive two standing ovations from 49,983 that had a ticket to the show of a lifetime. The first when he reached his century off 69 balls. The second when he finally mis-hit one to deep square leg for 123 off 83.”It was obvious to us as a group, when Travis came out the top of the order there with Jake, that they’d sent Travis out there to play the role in which he was so successful at doing,” Stokes said. “And it was so hard to be able to continue with plans which we tried to implement, because he had an answer for everything. We went through three, four, five different modes to try and get the wicket of Travis, because when he was going, we knew that he was going to be the big one. But he just had an answer to absolutely everything. It was some knock.”Head said there were “no surprises” with what England came up with. What did surprise him was his form. He revealed he had some doubts. Head had been a quiet concern for Australia heading into the series after an extremely lean run of form in white-ball cricket which forced him to play a Sheffield Shield game that he hadn’t initially planned for. He duly failed in both innings, with scores of 9 and 15.”Conditions down there were pretty tough,” Head said. “But I had four or five days leading to that game. I hit during the game a fair bit with Stubbo (South Australia batting coach Steve Stubbings) and then here I trained all four days, which is unheard of.”Just to find a bit of rhythm and getting into things and once you walk out into this atmosphere, I was more worried about, am I capable of doing it still?”We had such a big lay off a Test cricket, your mind takes you to, okay, facing probably one of the better attacks I’ve ever faced, high quality, high pace, high speed, am I still cut out for this on a wicket that can be pretty intimidating at times.”He was more than cut out for it. He was head and shoulders above every other batter in the game. There will be calls for him to open permanently. Head said he had floated the idea with Australia’s hierarchy if needed after David Warner retired but has understood why he had been left at No. 5 in home conditions, where he has authored so many match-winning knocks for his country.The fear has been what they might lose in the middle order. But given the fear he has struck in England and Stokes, they may well utter three more words.”Let’s do it.”

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.

The two wins so far haven’t masked their issues with left-arm spin, top-order inconsistency and bowling options

Vishal Dikshit11-Oct-20251:14

Rana: India’s batting ‘not a major concern’

Are India a bowler short? Why are India losing so many wickets to left-arm spinners? Are India using spin too much in the death overs? How does the team regroup and move on from the loss against South Africa?The way allrounder Sneh Rana was grilled at the press conference ahead of the match against Australia, it would create the impression that India weren’t winning anything at the women’s ODI World Cup . That’s not the case at all.But it’s true that though India have won two of their three games and came close to winning the third, they have been far from convincing. There have been batting collapses in all three outings with low scores from their senior batters Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues. Their fielding hasn’t been up to the mark either, and they have mostly had to complete their 50 overs with five bowlers.Related

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After seeing the ease with which boundaries were being scored in the death overs by both India and South Africa in Visakhapatnam, where India next play Australia on Sunday, the hosts would love the comfort of a sixth bowler, especially some added experience in the pace attack that currently features Kranti Gaud and Amanjot Kaur, who have all of 21 ODIs between them.Their options on the bench could tempt them. Either Renuka Singh, who was at the 2022 ODI World Cup as a squad member, or Arundhati Reddy, who has 49 internationals under her belt, are waiting for a chance. But such is the balance of this team that a bowler would have to come in at the cost of a batter because replacing an allrounder would again cut down a bowling option.”I think that call is for the management to take, and I can’t comment much on it,” Rana said about the make-up of the XI. “But we already have good bowlers, and even Pratika [Rawal] and Harman bowl, so it won’t make a big difference at this stage.”Harmanpreet and Rawal have been rolling their arms over in the nets but how many overs can they send down in batting-friendly conditions, that too against a top side like Australia? Harmanpreet has bowled all of 15 overs in the last three years and last picked up a wicket over three years ago.The other option is to drop a batter, but doing so early in the tournament is also unlikely, even though the dot-ball percentage of Rawal and Harleen Deol has come under scrutiny, and Rodrigues has bagged two ducks in three innings. Leaving out a batter would again make it tricky for a line-up that’s not been up to the mark at this World Cup.Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol’s dot-ball percentage has come under scrutiny•SLCReplacing one batter with another in the XI later in the tournament – whether for form or a niggle – would also, possibly, not be an option for India because their only batting reserve in the squad of 15 is wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry, who hasn’t received her ODI cap yet.”See, I don’t think it’s a major concern because our batters have handled these situations very well in the past,” Rana said. “Ups and downs are part and parcel of the game, they can happen anytime. But we have some of the best batters in the world on our side. It’s just a matter of one good knock, and I’m hopeful they’ll bounce back very soon.”All the batters are working on their strengths, and everyone knows where they need to improve. Each player is taking individual training for that. If we talk about strike rate, whatever has been lacking in the past few months, everyone is aware of it and, as a team, we discuss it, regroup, and work towards improving it.”India will hope for a big batting effort against Australia on Sunday, which they got in the three-ODI series preceding the World Cup. There, India scored 369 chasing 412, won by 102 runs after scoring 292, and went down by eight wickets after scoring 281. The series was lost, but they put up good scores. Here, another loss will push them down towards the middle of the table, with their next game against England, the current table-toppers, and the one after that against New Zealand, who have returned to winning ways recently. Whatever they do, they must do it quick.

For seven innings of Thursday's game, the New York Yankees couldn't touch Seattle Mariners pitching. Mariners starter Bryan Woo tossed seven no-hit innings, then exited the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 5-1 lead after surrendering a sacrifice fly, entrusting the four-run margin to the Mariners' reliable bullpen. Only, this time, Mariners reliever Matt Brash, who has an ERA under 1.00, yielded a two-run home run to Giancarlo Stanton.

Then, something even stranger occurred. Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz, an All-Star for the second time this year, surrendered two earned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to blow the save. And in stark contrast to how they fared against Woo, the Yankees were all over Muñoz.

There was a good reason for that.

After the game, Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh admitted that Muñoz was tipping his pitches.

"He was tipping it every time at second base," Raleigh said, via . “Obviously, they weren’t making it very discreet, I guess is the word. It’s part of the game. It’s our job. We should have known about that going into the series. That made it really hard there at the end."

Mariners manager Dan Wilson disagreed, telling reporters he didn't "think" Muñoz was tipping his pitches. That could simply be Wilson putting on a public front in an attempt to dismiss what the Yankees had done, as broadcast replays clearly show that New York seemed to pick something up from the Mariners reliever. In particular, every time Muñoz threw a slider, Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, who was standing on second base, would wave an arm in the air to alert New York's batter.

Muñoz had tossed 8 1/3 scoreless innings entering Thursday's appearance. The Yankees went on to win on a walk-off sacrifice fly by reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge in the bottom of the 10th inning, completing a rare comeback that hadn't been seen in MLB in nearly 50 years.

As for the tipping pitches? Raleigh acknowledged it's something the Mariners are going to need to "figure out."

"Yeah, you try to do as much as you can without trying to distract him from what’s happening at the plate," Raleigh continued. "That’s something that we will have to figure out in the next couple of days for sure."

Seattle will next take on the Detroit Tigers in a three-game series before the All-Star break.

Manchester United’s squad at present is full of top-level talent in numerous areas of the pitch, but Ruben Amorim has so far struggled to make use of the players at his disposal.

The hierarchy have constantly splashed the cash in recent years, with over £200m being spent on new attacking talents during the recent summer transfer window.

The likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all made the move to Old Trafford, but they have only posted a total of eight Premier League goals combined in 2025/26.

Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system has seen Mbeumo operate in a somewhat unnatural central attacking midfield role, no doubt taking away his best asset – cutting inside off the right-hand side – away from him.

As a result, one player has indirectly suffered this campaign, with the manager recently coming under fire for his lack of faith shown in the player over recent months.

The latest on Kobbie Mainoo’s Man Utd future

Just a couple of years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was a key member of the United first-team squad, with the midfielder often starting at the heart of Erik ten Hag’s side.

He emerged out of the club’s academy setup, often popping up with key moments, as seen by his incredible achievements during the 2023/24 campaign.

The 20-year-old scored a late winner in the clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst also netting in the FA Cup final against Manchester City – resulting in a place in the England squad for Euro 2024.

However, his career has taken a nosedive over the last 12 months, with Amorim evidently not seeing the academy graduate as part of his long-term plans at Old Trafford.

Mainoo has featured in nine league matches to date, none of which have come from a starting role, leading to one journalist questioning the manager over the midfielder after yesterday’s draw.

The 40-year-old simply laughed when asked about bringing the youngster on to try and win the game at the Theatre of Dreams, which sums up the faith he currently has in him at present.

However, an escape route could well be on the cards for Mainoo ahead of the January transfer window, with Napoli constantly tracking the Englishman over a potential transfer.

The Man Utd player that Amorim is misusing in 2025/26

The reluctance to utilise Mainoo in 2025/26 is just one of Amorim’s biggest failures to date, with the youngster massively deserving the chance to thrive under his guidance.

However, his recent spell on the substitutes bench highlights the lack of faith shown in him by the manager, with a solution desperately needed in the coming months.

The same could also be said about numerous other players, as seen by the struggles endured within the final third of the pitch over the last couple of matches in the Premier League.

Mbeumo has now failed to find the back of the net in each of his last three outings, but the forward is set to go to AFCON throughout January, which could leave a huge hole in the Red Devils’ attack.

His month-long spell away from Manchester could open up the door for Bruno Fernandes to once again feature in the number ten position – a role that is no doubt his best.

The Portuguese international operated in an attacking midfield role during 2024/25, resulting in the 31-year-old registering 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions.

However, the £200m spending spree in attacking areas has resulted in the United captain dropping into a deep-lying number eight position, which has taken away his creative nature in recent months.

He still currently has a total of five assists in his 14 appearances this campaign, but there’s little denying he’s endured a drop-off from his form last season.

Bruno, who’s been dubbed United’s “best player post Fergie” by writer Kaustubh Pandey, has now had to contribute more defensively, as seen by his increased tally of tackles won per 90 compared to last season.

However, whilst he’s still managed to play a part in winning the ball back for his side, it’s come with an adverse effect – subsequently resulting in a lack of creativity in attacking areas.

He’s only scored twice in the Premier League to date, one of which was a penalty, highlighting his lack of impact in terms of goal contributions in 2025/26.

Games played

14

Goals scored

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Shots on target

0.7

Chances created

1.8

Tackles won

1.8

Duels won

4.6

Interceptions made

0.6

It’s clear to everyone but Amorim that the Portuguese star is better in an attacking role, which means one of the £200m additions may need to be sacrificed.

Such a move could open up a free role at the heart of the Red Devils side, which could allow Mainoo to have the run of games he needs to save his United career

However, if Amorim is unable to make such changes in the near future, it could result in the 40-year-old losing his job at Old Trafford in the near future – with such a decision an easy one for him to make.

Fewer touches than Lammens & 100% duels lost: Man Utd flop must be dropped

Ruben Amorim has multiple changes to make after his side’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United.

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