Category Uncategorized

Ben Green five-for sets seal on Hampshire demolition

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2024

Sean Dickson and Tom Abell put on a century stand•Getty Images

Tom Abell and Sean Dickson produced a scintillating fourth-wicket stand of 144 in 11.2 overs to lead Somerset to a 63-run Vitality Blast win over Hampshire Hawks at Taunton.Abell smashed an unbeaten 96 off just 47 balls and Dickson hammered 65 off 32 deliveries to help the hosts post 241 for 5, their third-highest ever Blast total, after losing the toss. Their stand was a Somerset record for the fourth wicket in the competition.Hampshire replied with 178 all out, Ben McDermott hitting 46 off 28 balls and Ben Green claiming a career-best equalling 5 for 29. Victory put holders Somerset back on track after successive group defeats on the road.The hosts did not allow the loss of three wickets in the powerplay to affect their momentum, reaching 58 for 3 by the end of the sixth over, despite the dismissals of Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Banton.If Hampshire were pleased to see the back of those three big-hitters, two of them to Michael Neser, their satisfaction soon turned to concern as Abell and Dickson set about their attack, taking the score past 100 in the 11th over.Abell hit the first six of the game to bring up the 50-stand in 31 balls and the pair required only a further 18 deliveries to take their partnership to three figures. The 13th over, bowled by James Fuller, went for 21 as Abell crashed three successive fours through the off-side and Dickson ended it with two more boundaries.Both players reached half-centuries in the 15th over, Dickson’s occupying 25 balls and Abell’s 30. Dickson celebrated with a six over backward point off John Turner and by the time he was caught at long-on off a Liam Dawson full toss the stand had overtaken Somerset’s previous best for the fourth wicket in Blast cricket – 110 between Babar Azam and Lewis Goldsworthy against Glamorgan at Cardiff in 2020.Lewis Gregory smacked 18 off 8 balls and Abell ended his majestic knock with a straight six off Turner as Somerset completed their highest-ever Blast total against Hampshire. Abell struck 12 fours and three sixes as only Benny Howell of the Hampshire bowlers went for less than ten an over.McDermott and James Vince began the Hampshire reply undaunted and brought the fifty up in just 4.4 overs. By then end of the powerplay they had increased the total to 65, McDermott dominating with some savage blows.Green made the vital breakthrough for Somerset in the eighth over, bowling McDermott with his second delivery as he advanced down the pitch, and struck again with his fourth ball as Vince lofted a catch to long-off to make it 78 for 2.The over ended any doubts about the outcome. Soon Hampshire were requiring more than 15 an over and Green, who claimed 30 Blast wickets with his medium pace last season, struck again when Joe Weatherley launched a catch to deep midwicket to make the score 101 for three in the 11th over.James Fuller hit a straight six off Josh Davey, but perished next ball trying to repeat the feat. Howell cleared the ropes off successive van der Merwe deliveries, but when he and Toby Albert fell in the same Riley Meredith over Hampshire’s cause was lost and a clatter of wickets, including two for Green, followed.

The 2024/25 FA Cup final is almost upon us, with an all-Premier League clash between Crystal Palace and Manchester City deciding the latest winner of the famous trophy.

Crystal Palace booked their place in the final after a comprehensive Wembley win over Aston Villa, with goals from Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr sealing a first final for the Eagles since 2016.

Opponents Manchester City are aiming for a third FA Cup in seven seasons, and are heading back to Wembley after a 2-0 semi-final win over Nottingham Forest.

The 2024/25 tournament has not seen as many giantkillings as in previous years, though Plymouth Argyle produced a classic FA Cup upset with their defeat of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool.

Meanwhile, holders Manchester United were dumped out on penalties at home to Fulham in the fifth round.

Last year saw former United boss Erik ten Hag get revenge for his side’s defeat to City in the 2023 final. While the final featured two of the elite top-flight sides, there were a few cup runs from those in the lower tiers.

Maidstone United reached the fifth round, suffering a 5-0 defeat to Coventry City, who came so close to reaching the final. Against Man Utd, the Sky Blues thought they had won the tie in extra time, but eventually lost on penalties.

The best FA Cup runs by non-league teams

These teams are proof you don’t have to be in the Premier League to enjoy an FA Cup run…

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 27, 2024

The first FA Cup final was played in 1872 and won by Wanderers Football Club – the first of five victories. As of 2025, Arsenal hold the record for most trophies won with 14, with their last coming in 2020.

In total, there have been 143 FA Cup finals staged, with 44 teams winning the competition at least once in their history.

Club

Wins

Last win

Arsenal

14

2020

Manchester United

13

2024

Chelsea

8

2018

Liverpool

8

2022

Tottenham Hotspur

8

1991

FA Cup format and changes

The FA Cup is a simple knockout tournament, with the winners of each tie advancing to the next round. Non-league clubs take part in qualifying, with teams from League One and League Two entering in the first round proper. Premier League and Championship clubs join at the third-round stage.

A major change to the format has seen replays scrapped from the first round onwards. Previously, drawn matches would see the fixture replayed at the visitors’ home ground, but citing player welfare, the FA decided to remove replays to ease fixture congestion.

The move sparked anger from the EFL and prompted backlash from the likes of Keir Starmer.

The 9 most successful teams in the FA Cup

The FA Cup has been won by some of the biggest teams in the country since its inception in the 19th century.

ByRoss Kilvington Oct 30, 2024 FA Cup final preview

With Crystal Palace and Manchester City winning their semi-finals, both clubs will be back on the road to Wembley three weeks after victories over Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest respectively. Kick-off is at 4.30pm.

It will be Palace’s first FA Cup final since 2016, when they lost to Manchester United after extra time, as Jesse Lingard’s winner secured the trophy for the Red Devils in what was Louis van Gaal’s final match in charge.

Both of the Eagles’ previous cup finals have been against United – the other coming in 1990, which was won after a replay following an enthralling 3-3 draw at Wembley Stadium.

Now, United’s neighbours stand in the way of a first major trophy for Oliver Glasner’s side.

Round

Opponent

Result

Round

Opponent

Result

Third round

Stockport (H)

W 1-0

Third round

Salford (H)

W 8-0

Fourth round

Doncaster (A)

W 2-0

Fourth round

Leyton Orient (A)

W 2-1

Fifth round

Millwall (H)

W 3-1

Fifth round

Plymouth (H)

W 3-1

Quarter-final

Fulham (A)

W 3-0

Quarter-final

Bournemouth (A)

W 2-1

Semi-final

Aston Villa (N)

W 3-0

Semi-final

Nottingham Forest (N)

W 2-0

As for seven-time winners Manchester City, they are far more experienced in this situation, with Pep Guardiola guiding his side to a third successive final, having taken part in back-to-back Manchester derbies in 2023 and 2024.

Despite their glut of trophies under the Spaniard’s reign, the FA Cup has only been won by the Citizens twice since Guardiola’s arrival (in 2019 and 2023), with their 2011 win the only other City triumph this century.

After an underwhelming campaign by their high standards, City have the chance to end it on a high and avoid going trophyless for the first time since the 2016/17 season – Guardiola’s first at the helm.

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Kick-off time

Sat 17th May

Crystal Palace

Man City

4.30pm

The top 10 FA Cup finals of all time – ranked

As the 2024/25 first round gets underway, here’s a look at 10 of the best finals in history.

1 ByAlex Caple May 25, 2024 2024/25 FA Cup results

The FA Cup’s first round proper kicked off with fifth-tier Tamworth defeating League One Huddersfield Town, while the weekend saw its fair share of surprise results and almighty scares.

However, there was to be no ‘fairytale’ run for Wrexham as they were undone by Harrogate Town. AFC Wimbledon’s win in a grudge match against MK Dons was another highlight of the round.

Tamworth continued their story in the second round after knocking out Burton Albion on penalties, while Reading were taken to extra time by Harborough Town. Elsewhere, League One leaders Wycombe avoided an upset with a win at non-league Wealdstone.

The Lambs’ superb run to the third round came to a valiant end at home to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, with the National League outfit taking Ange Postecoglou’s men to extra time.

The shock of the third round was undoubtedly Brentford’s undoing at home to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle, while holders Manchester United saw off Arsenal in a fierce affair at the Emirates Stadium following a penalty shootout.

The Pilgrims were at it again in the fourth round, while Brighton claimed a high-profile scalp themselves by coming from behind to see off Chelsea.

Elsewhere, Manchester City were given an almighty scare by League One’s Leyton Orient, falling behind to one of the goals and moments of the season before battling back to squeeze into Round Five.

The round of 16 kicked off with Aston Villa boosting their chances of a first major trophy since 1996, as they beat Cardiff 2-0 at Villa Park. This left Preston as the only second-tier representatives after they beat Championship rivals Burnley.

That weekend also saw Bournemouth’s dramatic shootout win over Wolves, with Boubacar Traore missing the all-important spot-kick before Luis Sinisterra sealed the Cherries’ place in the last eight.

Crystal Palace joined them courtesy of their 3-1 win over Millwall, which was overshadowed by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s sickening injury, which put the Frenchman in hospital, where he required stitches.

Plymouth were on their way to another big upset, but only led for seven minutes at Manchester City before the Premier League champions eventually came back to win.

Another dramatic afternoon followed as Brighton saw off Newcastle in extra-time thanks to Danny Welbeck’s winner in a game which saw both sides reduced to 10, while Fulham prevailed on penalties at Old Trafford, with Bernd Leno saving from Joshua Zirkzee and Victor Lindelof.

The quarter-finals saw all the away sides prevail, with Bournemouth the only losing side to get on the scoresheet before bowing out.

Crystal Palace and Aston Villa secured comfortable victories on the road, while Nottingham Forest and Manchester City needed to rely on penalties and super subs respectively to overcome their last-eight opponents.

In the semi-finals at Wembley, Palace steamrolled Villa to comfortably win 3-0, with the West Midlanders exiting the cup and the Champions League in the space of two weeks.

Manchester City finally dispatched Nottingham Forest in the other semi, with the Reds’ superb run amid an exceptional domestic campaign coming to an end after successive shootout victories.

First round

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Fri 1st Nov

Notts County

Alfreton

Fri 1st Nov

Tamworth

Huddersfield

Sat 2nd Nov

Barrow

Doncaster

Sat 2nd Nov

Bradford

Aldershot

Sat 2nd Nov

Bristol Rovers

Weston-super-mare

*after extra time

Sat 2nd Nov

Burton

Scarborough

Sat 2nd Nov

Carlisle

Wigan

*after extra time

Sat 2nd Nov

Chesterfield

Horsham

Sat 2nd Nov

Crewe

Dag & Red

Sat 2nd Nov

Exeter

Barnet

Sat 2nd Nov

Gillingham

Blackpool

Sat 2nd Nov

Grimsby

Wealdstone

Sat 2nd Nov

Newport

Peterborough

Sat 2nd Nov

Port Vale

Barnsley

Sat 2nd Nov

Reading

Fleetwood

Sat 2nd Nov

Rochdale

Bromley

Sat 2nd Nov

Rotherham

Cheltenham

Sat 2nd Nov

Salford

Shrewsbury

Sat 2nd Nov

Southend

Charlton

*after extra time

Sat 2nd Nov

Stevenage

Guiseley

**Stevenage won 5-4 on penalties

Sat 2nd Nov

Stockport

Forest Green

*after extra time

Sat 2nd Nov

Swindon

Colchester

*after extra time

Sat 2nd Nov

Solihull

Maidstone

Sat 2nd Nov

Rushall Olympic

Accrington

Sat 2nd Nov

Maidenhead

Crawley

*after extra time

Sat 2nd Nov

Brackley

Braintree

**Brackley won 5-4 on penalties

Sat 2nd Nov

Tonbridge Angels

Harborough Town

Sat 2nd Nov

Tranmere

Oldham

Sat 2nd Nov

Walsall

Bolton

Sat 2nd Nov

Woking

Cambridge

Sat 2nd Nov

Worthing

Morecambe

Sat 2nd Nov

Wycombe

York

Sat 2nd Nov

Hednesford Town

Gainsborough Trinity

**Gainsborough Trinity won 5-4 on penalties

Sat 2nd Nov

Northampton

Kettering

*after extra time

Sun 3rd Nov

MK Dons

AFC Wimbledon

Sun 3rd Nov

Sutton United

Birmingham

Sun 3rd Nov

Boreham Wood

Leyton Orient

**Leyton Orient won 3-1 on penalties

Sun 3rd Nov

Curzon Ashton

Mansfield

Sun 3rd Nov

Harrogate Town

Wrexham

Mon 4th Nov

Chesham United

Lincoln

Second round

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Fri 29th Nov

Harrogate

Gainsborough Trinity

Sat 30th Nov

Wealdstone

Wycombe

Sat 30th Nov

Accrington

Swindon

**Accrington won 4-1 on penalties

Sat 30th Nov

Barnsley

Bristol Rovers

**Bristol Rovers won 4-3 on penalties

Sat 30th Nov

Cambridge

Wigan

*after extra time

Sat 30th Nov

Crawley

Lincoln

Sat 30th Nov

Exeter

Chesterfield

Sat 30th Nov

Leyton Orient

Oldham

*after extra time

Sat 30th Nov

Morecambe

Bradford

Sat 30th Nov

Peterborough

Notts County

Sat 30th Nov

Salford

Cheltenham

Sat 30th Nov

Stevenage

Mansfield

Sat 30th Nov

Stockport

Brackley

Sat 30th Nov

Walsall

Charlton

Sat 30th Nov

AFC Wimbledon

Dag & Red

Sun 1st Dec

Kettering

Doncaster

*after extra time

Sun 1st Dec

Blackpool

Birmingham

Sun 1st Dec

Burton

Tamworth

**Tamworth won 4-3 on penalties

Sun 1st Dec

Reading

Harborough Town

*after extra time

Sun 1st Dec

Solihull

Bromley

Third round

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Thu 9th Jan

Sheff Utd

Cardiff

Thu 9th Jan

Everton

Peterborough

Thu 9th Jan

Fulham

Watford

Fri 10th Jan

Wycombe

Portsmouth

Fri 10th Jan

Aston Villa

West Ham

Sat 11th Jan

Birmingham

Lincoln

Sat 11th Jan

Bristol City

Wolves

Sat 11th Jan

Middlesbrough

Blackburn

Sat 11th Jan

Liverpool

Accrington

Sat 11th Jan

Leicester

QPR

Sat 11th Jan

Bournemouth

West Brom

Sat 11th Jan

Brentford

Plymouth

Sat 11th Jan

Chelsea

Morecambe

Sat 11th Jan

Exeter

Oxford

Sat 11th Jan

Norwich

Brighton

Sat 11th Jan

Nottingham Forest

Luton

Sat 11th Jan

Reading

Burnley

*after extra time

Sat 11th Jan

Sunderland

Stoke

*after extra time

Sat 11th Jan

Leeds

Harrogate

Sat 11th Jan

Man City

Salford

Sat 11th Jan

Coventry

Sheff Wed

**Coventry won 4-3 on penalties

Sun 12th Jan

Hull

Doncaster

**Doncaster won 5-4 on penalties

Sun 12th Jan

Tamworth

Tottenham

*after extra time

Sun 12th Jan

Arsenal

Man Utd

**Man Utd won 5-3 on penalties

Sun 12th Jan

Crystal Palace

Stockport

Sun 12th Jan

Ipswich

Bristol Rovers

Sun 12th Jan

Newcastle

Bromley

Sun 12th Jan

Southampton

Swansea

Mon 13th Jan

Millwall

Dag & Red

Tue 14th Jan

Leyton Orient

Derby

**Leyton Orient won 6-5 on penalties

Tue 14th Jan

Mansfield

Wigan

Tue 14th Jan

Preston

Charlton

Fourth round

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Fri 7th Feb

Man Utd

Leicester

Sat 8th Feb

Leeds

Millwall

Sat 8th Feb

Leyton Orient

Man City

Sat 8th Feb

Coventry

Ipswich

Sat 8th Feb

Everton

Bournemouth

Sat 8th Feb

Stoke

Cardiff

**Cardiff won 4-2 on penalties

Sat 8th Feb

Preston

Wycombe

**Preston won 4-2 on penalties

Sat 8th Feb

Southampton

Burnley

Sat 8th Feb

Wigan

Fulham

Sat 8th Feb

Birmingham

Newcastle

Sat 8th Feb

Brighton

Chelsea

Sun 9th Feb

Blackburn

Wolves

Sun 9th Feb

Plymouth

Liverpool

Sun 9th Feb

Aston Villa

Tottenham

Mon 10th Feb

Doncaster

Crystal Palace

Tue 11th Feb

Exeter

Nottingham Forest

**Nottingham Forest won 4-2 on penalties

Fifth round

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Fri 28th Feb

Aston Villa

Cardiff

Sat 1st Mar

Preston

Burnley

Sat 1st Mar

Crystal Palace

Millwall

Sat 1st Mar

Bournemouth

Wolves

**Bournemouth won 5-4 on penalties

Sat 1st Mar

Man City

Plymouth

Sun 2nd Mar

Newcastle

Brighton

*after extra time

Sun 2nd Mar

Man Utd

Fulham

**Fulham won 4-3 on penalties

Mon 3rd Mar

Nottingham Forest

Ipswich

**Nottingham Forest won 5-4 on penalties

Quarter-finals

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Sat 29th Mar

Fulham

Crystal Palace

Sat 29th Mar

Brighton

Nottingham Forest

**Nottingham Forest won 4-3 on penalties

Sun 30th Mar

Preston

Aston Villa

Sun 30th Mar

Bournemouth

Man City

Semi-finals

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Sat 26th Apr

Crystal Palace

Aston Villa

Sun 27th Apr

Nottingham Forest

Man City

Final

Date

Home team

v

Away team

Sat 17th May

Crystal Palace

Man City

Why the FA Cup semi-finals are played at Wembley

The semi-finals are played under the arch every year, but why are other grounds overlooked?

ByStephan Georgiou Mar 29, 2025 Round dates

This year’s final takes place on Saturday, 17th May 2025, on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season. Top-flight league fixtures have been rescheduled to make the final the standalone fixture on cup final day.

Round

Date

First Round

1st-4th November 2024

Second Round

29th Nov-2nd Dec 2024

Third Round

11th January 2025

Fourth Round

8th February 2025

Fifth Round

1st March 2025

Quarter-final

29th March 2025

Semi-final

26th April 2025

Final

17th May 2025

FA Cup prize money

The FA will give out over £22m in prize money over the course of the 2024/25 season. Any non-league clubs who make it through from the first round of qualifying to the first round proper could pocket around £23,000, while if a Premier League or Championship club was to go all the way, they’d be better off to the tune of £5.41m.

Round

Winners’ prize

Losers’ prize

First Round

£45,000

£15,000

Second Round

£75,000

£20,000

Third Round

£115,000

£25,000

Fourth Round

£120,000

None

Fifth Round

£225,000

None

Quarter-final

£450,000

None

Semi-final

£1,000,000

£500,000

Final

£2,000,000

£1,000,000

How to watch the FA Cup final on TV

In the UK, broadcasting rights for the FA Cup are shared between the BBC and ITV. Throughout the season, the BBC have shown 18 live matches, while ITV committed to broadcasting 20 games from the competition.

In the US, FA Cup games are broadcast live on ESPN, with ESPN+ streaming a selection of fixtures across the duration of the tournament.

Recent years have seen BBC and ITV share coverage of the final, while a new broadcasting deal is set to take effect next year, which will see BBC and TNT Sports share coverage of the competition.

This year’s final will indeed be shown on both channels, with ITV’s coverage starting at 3pm; BBC One’s broadcast will begin at 3.25pm. The match itself kicks off at 4.30pm.

A “world-class” striker is now a contender to lead the line for Liverpool next season, with Arne Slot set to be handed a war chest in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Nunez's Anfield future in doubt

During the January transfer window, Darwin Nunez was heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but with FSG unwilling to potentially weaken the Premier League title push by sanctioning a departure, the Uruguayan ultimately ended up remaining at Anfield.

Now, however, the Reds have changed their stance, with Slot’s side willing to cash-in on Nunez in the summer, at which point they are expecting a big approach from a club in the Saudi Pro League, potentially recouping the £62.5m initial fee they shelled out.

As such, Slot is looking increasingly likely to be tasked with bringing in a replacement for the striker this summer, and a new report has suggested the manager is set to be given a transfer war chest in the summer window.

Related Liverpool could sign dream Trent successor who's 'one of the best in the PL'

Alexander-Arnold’s decision has left Liverpool in search of a new right-back.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 6, 2025

FSG are willing to back their manager by splashing the cash on new additions, and according to a report from TalkSPORT, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is a contender to lead the line for Liverpool next season.

Mohamed Salah has carried much of the goalscoring burden this season, with not enough contributions coming from elsewhere, which means the Reds are set to rival the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United for a striker this summer by handing the manager a war chest.

With Nunez potentially in line for an exit, the need to bring in a striker could be exacerbated, and Osimhen is one of the candidates on the shortlist, but the Nigerian is not the only option, with Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko also of interest.

"World-class" Osimhen would be huge upgrade on Nunez

The Uruguay international has scored some important goals this season, most notably bagging a late brace to secure a 2-0 win at Brentford in January, but performances of that quality have been few and far between, and an upgrade is needed this summer.

There are plenty of indications that the Galatasaray loanee could fit the bill, given that he has maintained a fantastic record in front of goal in all competitions this season.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Turkish Super Lig

27

24

5

Europa League

7

6

2

Turkish Cup

3

3

1

Not only has the 26-year-old impressed on loan in Turkey, but he also caught the eye during his time with Napoli, receiving high praise from Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti.

Previous reports have suggested that Osimhen could be available for £62m, which appears to be a fair fee, given his stellar record in front of goal in both Turkey and Italy, and a move to Anfield should be an attractive proposition after this season’s title triumph.

Which was the better Test – Sri Lanka beating South Africa in Colombo in 2006 or India thwarting Australia in Kolkata in 2001?

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2001 Kolkata Test moves into the quarter-finals.Sri Lanka come out on top after final-day drama – Colombo (PSS), 2006The Test swung this way and that, till it came down to Farveez Maharoof, more than competent with the bat, and Lasith Malinga, not quite as adept, needing to score two runs to win the Test. They did, to earn Sri Lanka a one-wicket win and make it 2-0 for the series.South Africa chose to bat – who would want to bat last on a Sri Lankan pitch? And they got the biggest total of the match, 361. The fifth-wicket stand between Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers, worth 161, made it possible, despite Muthiah Muralidaran’s five-for.Sri Lanka didn’t stop too far away, at 321, but they had the century stand for the eighth wicket between Maharoof and Chaminda Vaas to thank for it even as Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini combined for nine wickets.When South Africa batted again, Muralidaran got seven, and South Africa got to 311, setting Sri Lanka 352 to win.Then, in a Test where all four innings crossed 300, Mahela Jayawardene scored the only century. But when he fell, Sri Lanka still had 11 runs to get, with three wickets in hand, but hope since Maharoof and Vaas were around. Vaas and Muralidaran fell, though, and then it was over to Maharoof to get the scores level, and Malinga to avoid a tie. He did. Driving Nicky Boje, who had taken four wickets in the innings, down the ground to finish the job.Australia fall at the Eden final frontier – Kolkata, 2001If someone came up with a script detailing this Test before it happened, it would have probably been rejected for being too unrealistic.A Test hat-trick against the world’s top side at the age of 20. A follow-on. A historic partnership to turn the tables. A record individual score by an Indian. And a thrilling end in front of packed stands to level the series and end Australia’s streak of 16 wins.But all of it did transpire.After Harbhajan Singh hurt Australia with a hat-trick on the first day, Steve Waugh scored his maiden Test century on Indian soil to lead his team to a strong 445. In reply, India were bundled for 171 and asked to follow-on.They were then 232 for 4 – still 42 behind – when VVS Laxman was joined by Rahul Dravid and the two of them played out the entire fourth day with strips of iced towels around their necks to beat the heat and humidity; they still needed attention from the physio from time to time.The two ended up seeing off nine bowlers with innings that were instantly stamped in the game’s history. Laxman’s 281 lasted ten-and-a half-hours, and Dravid’s 180 nearly seven-and-a-half. They set Australia a target of 384. Australia succumbed on the last day against India’s spinners as Harbhajan finished with a tally of 13 for 196.

Royal Challengers scored only 61 runs in the overs between 7 and 14; Super Giants amassed 117 in the same phase

Ashish Pant11-Apr-20233:39

Pooran: ‘I hit a couple out of the park and that got me going’

Seldom does a team conceding 212 in a T20 game go into the break between innings thinking they have done all right. However, on Monday night at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where 200-plus totals have been scored 24 times in the IPL, the feeling was that Royal Challengers Bangalore had left a few runs out in the middle.The feeling became even stronger when Marcus Stoinis, first, and Nicholas Pooran took down the Royal Challengers bowlers, despite Lucknow Super Giants having started poorly in their big chase.When Stoinis walked out, Super Giants were 23 for 3 after four overs. At the same stage in their innings, Royal Challengers were 33 for no loss, with Virat Kohli scoring quickly, though Faf du Plessis was struggling.Related

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Last-over scramble: Wickets, a RONSBU missed, and a bye

The foundation was set, but Royal Challengers managed only 61 runs in eight overs after the powerplay, with Kohli and du Plessis slowing down against spinners Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, and Amit Mishra.In contrast, Super Giants hit 117 in the same phase – the second-highest in the league’s history.During that phase in the chase, Stoinis bludgeoned a 30-ball 65, and when Pooran arrived at the crease in the 11th over, Super Giants were ahead of where Royal Challengers were at the stage, despite losing four extra wickets. His 19-ball 62 didn’t quite finish the game, but it was 24 needed in three overs with four wickets in hand then.It generally comes down to small margins in T20 cricket. Where Royal Challengers slowed down against spin, Super Giants took Karn Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed for 65 runs in four overs. Royal Challengers, on the other hand, scored 93 in ten overs of spin.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt might not have had to do with intent, or a milestone in the case of Kohli, who took ten balls to go from 42 to 50. When he did, off 35 balls, du Plessis was on a run-a-ball 18. Momentum shift? Yes, but the surface did seem to hold up a touch for the spinners in the first innings, and got better to bat on progressively, which made stroke-making easier.”When we were batting, it was quite slow between overs seven to 14; a little bit dry,” du Plessis said at the post-match presentation. “Then as the innings went in the last five overs, I think maybe there was a bit more moisture and the ball started skidding better, and that was the case right through the second innings. Really nice to bat on, really nice for good cricket shots.”Pooran agreed, at least as far as the second half was concerned. “The wicket was really nice to bat [on],” he said. “It was about cashing in, getting in the right positions and executing.”The numbers against fast bowling were quite different. Kohli hit 33 in 19 balls against them, striking at 173.68. Against spinners, he scored at 112. Du Plessis scored 37 off 20 balls against the quicks at 185, which dropped to 161.53 against spin. Among the top three Royal Challengers batters, only Glenn Maxwell went quicker against spin than pace. In comparison, Stoinis scored at 283.33 against spin (34 off 12) and Pooran at 380 (19 off five).2:04

Parnell: Stoinis and Pooran looked like they wouldn’t mis-hit anything

And this, that the top few Royal Challengers batters would go at the quicks more than at the spinners, wasn’t a surprise to the Super Giants players.”We always knew that they would target the powerplay hard and would slow down after the powerplay,” Pooran said after the game. “That was the discussion we had. But that’s how they play their cricket, they obviously try to set up the game and try to go for a strong finish.”Which they did, but “Bishnoi and Krunal bowled extremely well after the first few overs and probably kept us back after an electric powerplay”, as Maxwell admitted.Apart from his batters’ struggles against spin, the ineffectiveness of his own spinners is also a cause of worry for du Plessis. Wanindu Hasaranga is expected to join the squad soon, and that should provide some relief. But with four of their next five games to be played in Bengaluru, Royal Challengers will have to devise a plan to contain the opposition. And score more. Because, as Stoinis pointed out, at the Chinnaswamy, “history suggests that 200 is pretty much par a lot of the time”.

The Australian quick was bought by Punjab Kings for INR 8 crore (US$ 1.096 million approx.)

Matt Roller18-Feb-2021Early days
Meredith made his professional debut playing for a Cricket Australia XI against Pakistan in early 2017, and played a handful of games for Tasmania in the 2017-18 season. An injury to Tymal Mills gave him an opportunity to play in the semi-final and final of the BBL that year – the first two T20s of his career – in an attack also containing Jofra Archer.Breakthrough season
The 2018-19 period proved to be a breakthrough home summer for Meredith across formats. He took 27 wickets for Tasmania in eight Sheffield Shield appearances, and snared 16 in the BBL as the Hobart Hurricanes reached the semi-finals. By that stage, he was already being tipped for international selection by Warne, who has proved to be a vocal advocate of Meredith’s talents over the last three years.Australia call
A side strain limited Meredith to just six BBL appearances in 2019-20, though he bowled at high pace when he did make it on to the park, taking ten wickets with an economy rate of just 6.68 across the season, and he dismissed both David Warner and Steven Smith in a Marsh Cup game against New South Wales. By that stage, his performances had caught the eyes of Australia’s selectors, and he won a call-up to the expanded limited-overs squad to tour England in 2020, though was not afforded an opportunity to play.Recent form
Meredith again impressed with his pace and bounce in the 2020-21 BBL, taking 16 wickets and maintaining an economy rate of 7.82 despite bowling a significant chunk of his overs in the initial four-over powerplay and often returning at the death. He has been named in Australia’s squad for their T20I series in New Zealand later this month.IPL hopes
Meredith expressed his ambitions of playing in the IPL last year. “It’s the premier domestic T20 comp in the world,” he said on a BBC podcast. “The best players are playing in it and if you get an opportunity to play in it, you’re definitely grabbing it with both hands. If I got an opportunity at some stage it would be awesome to get over there and play.”Off the field
Meredith is instantly recognisably after growing a Fred Spofforth-style moustache during the lockdown. He owns a greyhound named Elton.The expert view
“There’s been a bit of chat around him for a couple of domestic seasons now. He bowls fast. I think that’s a great thing about him, he can just run in and express himself with the ball now. If he gets his chance in Australian colours I think he’ll take it with both hands.”

In Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas joined baseball’s history books. Now, it appears he will take a victory lap in 2026.

Rojas is signing a one-year contract worth $5.5 million to play his final season with Los Angeles, according to Wednesday afternoon reports from Daniel Álvarez-Montes of and Alden González of ESPN. Per Álvarez-Montes and González, Rojas will move into the Dodgers’ front office after the season.

The Los Teques, Venezuela native has played 12 Major League Baseball seasons—eight with the Marlins and four with Los Angeles. He has a .260/.314/.362 lifetime slashline with 57 home runs and 363 RBIs.

None of his home runs were bigger than the one he hit on Nov. 1 of this year—with one out in the top of the ninth of Game 7 of the World Series and the Dodgers trailing the Blue Jays 4–3, Rojas launched a solo shot to left field to tie the game. Los Angeles went on to win the game in 11 innings.

The Dodgers are scheduled to raise their banner on March 26 against the Diamondbacks.

Major names in line for lucrative deals after equity sale transforms Hundred finances

Matt Roller10-Dec-2025

Harry Brook is in line for a big payday in next year’s Hundred•ECB/Getty Images

Harry Brook is set to earn nearly £500,000 for playing in the Hundred next year as the tournament’s new investors scramble to secure their direct signings and retentions ahead of March’s auctions.Brook, who is in Noosa on England’s mid-Ashes break after their eight-wicket defeat to Australia at the Gabba, has captained Northern Superchargers for the last two editions of the Hundred and has agreed a deal worth around £470,000 to stay with the team in their new guise as Sunrisers Leeds, which could make him the tournament’s highest earner.Brook is serving a two-year ban from the IPL after withdrawing from a contract with Delhi Capitals, and said when he was named England’s white-ball captain last year that overseas franchise cricket would have to take “a step back”. But new investment in the Hundred ensures that he will still secure a hefty payday on top of his two-year England central contract.The eight Hundred teams were centrally run for the tournament’s first five seasons but operational control has now transferred to host counties and private investors, who will run the franchises as joint ventures. Sunrisers are the only exception, having bought out Yorkshire’s entire 51 percent stake earlier this year.The recruitment model has changed from a draft to an auction, and teams can only pre-sign a maximum of four players since the ECB are keen to maintain competitive balance. Of those, at least one must be a retention from last year’s squad; at most two can be overseas players; and at most two can have held a central contract in either 2024-25 or 2025-26.The retention window opened on November 27 and teams have been quick off the mark to make their signings as early as possible. The ECB have specified set deductions from team salary caps depending on the number of players pre-signed, but teams can split the money however they see fit within those constraints.Brook’s new deal means that top wages in the Hundred have nearly quadrupled in the space of two years. The highest salary band increased from £125,000 (2024) to £200,000 (2025) in the men’s competition, and from £50,000 (2024) to £65,000 (2025) in the women’s.Phil Salt has been a fixture at Manchester Originals but is set to sign for Welsh Fire•Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty Images

Phil Salt is also in line for a substantial payday of around £450,000 after Welsh Fire won a three-way race for his services, beating London Spirit and Manchester Super Giants. Salt has been with Manchester Originals since inception and captained them for the last two seasons, but was born in North Wales and has been openly targeted by the franchise.ESPNcricinfo has learned Sunrisers have also signed Brydon Carse and Mitchell Marsh along with Brook, and may yet sign an overseas fast bowler before the auction. They will be coached by Daniel Vettori next year, after Andrew Flintoff quit citing a low-ball contract offer from the new owners.Fire are leaning on their sister franchise Washington Freedom, which is also run by new co-owner Sanjay Govil, with Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra both targets along with Salt. Mike Hussey will continue as coach, with Michael Klinger joining in a joint role as general manager and women’s coach.Manchester Super Giants are set to retain Jos Buttler, Noor Ahmad and Heinrich Klaasen from their 2025 squad, with Tom Moody taking charge in his new global role as director of cricket and Justin Langer in line to replace Simon Katich as head coach.Trent Rockets, under Peter Moores (head coach) and Adam Voges (assistant), have lined up Joe Root and Ben Duckett, while Birmingham Phoenix are interested in signing Rehan Ahmed and Donovan Ferreira as well as retaining Jacob Bethell under new coach Shane Bond.MI London are expected to retain Sam Curran, Will Jacks and Rashid Khan, with either Nicholas Pooran or Trent Boult rounding out their overseas contingent. London Spirit, under Mo Bobat (director of cricket) and Andy Flower (head coach), have signed Liam Livingstone and Jamie Overton, and are targeting Adam Zampa. They have also announced Dinesh Karthik as their batting coach and mentor.Jofra Archer is understood to have signed a lucrative deal to stay at Southern Brave under new owners GMR Group, who have also lined up Jamie Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Tristan Stubbs. Hemang Badani, the Delhi Capitals head coach, is the favourite to take over from Adi Birrell.Related

The Hundred to introduce player auction for 2026 season

Harry Brook pulls out of IPL for second year running

In the women’s Hundred, Marizanne Kapp is expected to move across the Thames to London Spirit after five years with Oval Invincibles. Meg Lanning is understood to have signed for Manchester Super Giants, who have lined up Matthew Mott as their new women’s head coach.Lauren Bell has signed a lucrative new deal with Southern Brave despite significant interest elsewhere, while allrounder Freya Kemp is set to join Welsh Fire on a six-figure deal. Sunrisers, the defending champions, are expected to retain both Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland.The eight men’s and women’s teams must finalise their retentions by January 16, ahead of the inaugural auctions in March. The Hundred will run from July 21 to August 16 next summer, sandwiched between England men’s series against India (five T20Is and three ODIs) and Pakistan (three Tests).Several prominent England players are hoping for paydays in next Tuesday’s IPL auction, with Livingstone expected to attract several bids after his release by Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Jonny Bairstow, Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith are also likely to win deals, while Josh Tongue is a notable name on the longlist after finishing last season as the Hundred’s leading wicket-taker.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians empatou sem gols com o Fortaleza, neste sábado (4), na Neo Química Arena, e perdeu a oportunidade de vencer sua terceira partida consecutiva. Em entrevista coletiva, António Oliveira elogiou a atuação da equipe e elegeu o principal responsável pelo resultado adverso.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

Na visão do treinador, o Timão dominou o Leão do Pici e criou as melhores chances. No entanto, a equipe acabou parando na grande atuação do goleiro João Ricardo, eleito o melhor jogador em campo.

– Foi um grande jogo da minha equipe. A partir do momento em que o goleiro adversário é eleito o melhor em campo, diz muito daquilo que foi o jogo – disse António Oliveira.

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Apesar de satisfeito com o rendimento do time, António voltou a ressaltar que o Corinthians é uma equipe em formação, que enfrenta concorrentes mais estruturados, e pediu tempo para seguir com a reformulação que iniciou quando assumiu em fevereiro.

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– É uma equipe toda nova. O Félix veio de uma equipe do México. Cacá do Athletico. Hugo veio do Goiás. Raniele veio do Cuiabá. Breno veio da Copinha. Garro veio da Argentina. E assim sucessivamente. Hoje tínhamos jogadores da base no nosso banco. Percebam a reconstrução que é feita. Na equipe de 2020, 2021, 2022, que jogadores lá estavam? Dentro de uma reconstrução de equipe, tem tempo. Eu gosto de falar porque quando se perde soa desculpa. Eu sempre falei mesmo quando ganhei que haveriam avanços e recuos – finalizou.

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O Corinthians volta a campo na próxima terça-feira (7), contra o Nacional-PAR, fora de casa, pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. Com quatro pontos conquistados, o Timão ocupa atualmente a terceira posição do grupo F.

Tudo sobre

António OliveiraCampeonato BrasileiroCorinthiansFortalezaFutebol Nacional

ITV confirmed earlier this month that it is in preliminary discussions to sell its broadcasting business to Sky for £1.6 billion. The talks come as the television industry faces fierce competition from the rise of streaming services such as Disney+, Prime Video and Netflix. The former platforms already own rights to show one Champions League and one La Liga match per gameweek.

Sky-ITV merger could impact how fans watch football

However, one finance expert believes the main concern should be the loss of free-to-air sport. ITV hold the rights for some England and World Cup games, and the worry is that users may one day have to pay for the opportunity to watch the national team, either in qualifiers or at major international competitions.

"The World Cup is currently locked into listed-event regulation, keeping prices relatively low because rights must remain free-to-air," finance expert Professor Rob Wilson told OLBG. "Should free-to-air erode and regulatory protections weaken, a very different market emerges. A largely exclusive World Cup becomes a quadrennial subscriber magnet with huge advertising and digital potential.

"Under those conditions UK rights might land in the £350 to £500 million range at the cautious end, rising toward £750 million to £1 billion if full exclusivity and deep digital rights are included. That would make the tournament comparable to a significant slice of Premier League value, something only possible if it moves away from the current BBC-ITV sharing model."

AdvertisementAFP'For Match of the Day, the threat is less direct but still real'

Wilson went on to add the free-to-air shows like Match of the Day may come under threat. While the BBC's weekly Premier League highlights show doesn't actively show domestic top-flight action live, it's still at risk of being unable to fulfil demand owing to potential financial constraints down the line.

"For shows like Match of the Day, the threat is less direct but still real," Wilson added. "The BBC would be facing a competitor with extraordinary reach across both pay and free platforms. That pushes up prices and makes it harder to retain highlight packages without paying more. In the long run it could shift the balance between free and paid access to top tier sport.

"A Sky and ITV combination would become the most influential force in British broadcast advertising. Buying strategies would change. Cross platform packages would grow. And the line between broadcast and streaming would blur even further as the combined business pushes its viewers into unified ecosystems."

'A Sky–ITV merger would push major football rights upward'

Furthermore, Wilson discussed the astronomical value of the UK sports market, adding: "The UK sports rights market today is roughly £3 to £3.5 billion annually, with the Premier League and Champions League forming its core.

"A Sky–ITV merger would push major football rights upward, while expanded competitions and tech-sector interest would accelerate growth. It is reasonable to see the market reaching £4.5 to £7 billion a year by the mid-2030s.

"For Amazon, Netflix, YouTube or Apple, participation is less about direct profit and more about acquiring customers. Each could justify spending £200 to £500 million annually on UK rights as a strategic foothold, with total disruption capital potentially exceeding a billion pounds a year if multiple platforms compete simultaneously."

Wilson continued: "ITV's channels would remain free to air because their public service obligations would transfer. But over time, the strategy would change. Expect more cross promotion between free and paid services, more sport moving into premium windows and more rights carved into layered offerings.

"In short, this deal would be hugely significant in the medium term. If it happens, it would reshape how rights are bought, how audiences are reached and how sport and entertainment flow between free and paid screens across the UK. It might even start an acceleration away from free to air programming as we know it."

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Getty Images SportPremier League & UCL rights would increase

Wilson also discussed the potential of the costs of Premier League and Champions League rights increasing should the ITV-Sky merger come to fruition. "A combined Sky and ITV would be a powerful buyer," he added. "Sky already controls much of the premium sport in the UK and adding ITV's free to air channels gives it both reach and versatility. It could bid for major rights with more confidence, and it could spread those rights across subscription, streaming and free to air platforms in ways no other British broadcaster can match.

"Premier League rights currently sit at around £1.7 billion per season, with the Champions League adding roughly another £450 to £500 million. A combined Sky and ITV would be able to monetise rights across pay TV, streaming and free to air in a way no rival could match, reducing competitive pressure and giving them licence to bid more aggressively.

"In that environment Premier League rights could plausibly rise toward the £2 to £2.3 billion range per season in the early 2030s, while Champions League rights might move into the £600 to £750 million band. Together, the two properties could command between £2.6 and just over £3 billion per year, implying an uplift of around £0.5-£1billion on the current level."