Category Uncategorized

The India captain handled questions around the off-field issues deftly without really addressing them, and with plenty of humour

Shashank Kishore20-Sep-20251:40

Chopra backs Arshdeep to play if Axar can’t

Suryakumar Yadav doesn’t do press conferences. He does “press conference stand-ups.” Or so it seemed on Friday night, shortly after India overcame a serious challenge from Oman in Abu Dhabi – the first time in three games that they were stretched at the 2025 Asia Cup.Suryakumar was himself a spectator when India batted, allowing all the others to get some time in the middle even though India lost eight wickets. On the field, at times, he resembled a police inspector, furiously waving and shuffling his fielders in certain pockets as Oman began to get going in their chase of 189.After the game, he turned into a motivational speaker. Sulakshan Kulkarni, or “Sullu sir” – among Suryakumar’s first coaches in the senior Mumbai team, now Oman’s assistant coach – requested him to chat with the Oman players.Related

• India, Pakistan will look to put off-field issues aside in Super Fours clash

• Not all boxes ticked, but India get what they want from Oman contest

• Axar hurts his head while fielding, could be in doubt for Pak clash

• Arshdeep becomes first India bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets

• Pycroft to stand as match referee in Ind vs Pak Super Fours game

Suryakumar gestured to them to join him near the middle. In a jiffy, they were all around him, smiling away and hanging on to every word. Suryakumar answered their questions, visited Oman’s dressing room, signed autographs, clicked pictures and then wished them luck for the T20 World Cup Qualifiers next month.It’s after all this that Suryakumar was reminded he had one more job left for the night. He had to do a “pre-match” press conference for the Pakistan game, a ritual that would have otherwise been reserved for Saturday. But the long commute back from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and the need for some rest, with hardly any recovery time, meant he had to turn on his press conference mode quickly.The first question was about shutting out the noise ahead of the Pakistan game on Sunday. How do you zone out, he was asked.”Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep,” he laughed. Everyone in the room laughed too, and then he continued. “Of course, it’s not always possible. You meet a lot of friends, you go out to dinner. You have other players also around who like to see all these things. So it’s very difficult, but then it’s on you. What you want to listen to, what you want to have in your mind.”But I have been very clear with all the boys. I think it’s very important. If you want to do well in this tournament and going forward, we will have to shut out a lot of noise from outside. And take what is good for you.”I’m not saying shut the noise completely, but take what is good for you. Someone can give you good advice as well, which can help you in the game, which can help you on the ground. So I think that is very important for me. And rest, I feel everyone is in a good space.”So far, so good. But it was just the start. Soon enough, he was asked about the “big build-up” to round two on Sunday.Suryakumar Yadav took India over the line against Pakistan in their recent meeting•Associated Press

“Build-up? Match is in 24 hours, ? What is that, ?” Suryakumar grinned. The room cracked up again.As the laughter died down, he was asked differently if India would do the same in the next match what they did in the previous game against Pakistan. Quite the roundabout way of asking if they won’t shake hands.Suryakumar threw a humorous spin to it.”By doing the same, you mean with the ball, right? Then fine,” he laughed. “It’s a good intensity contest. Like I said in the last question, the stadium is full. You get the best crowds. Put your best foot forward for the country and enjoy the game.”Then, there was a cricketing question. One of the few that weren’t specifically on India vs Pakistan or the noise, or the controversies. It was on how they were trying to draw a balance between giving players opportunities against resting some of them, like Varun Chakravarthy, who played the first two games and missed the one against Oman.”He did bowl a lot in the nets yesterday,” Suryakumar said. “That’s his routine. If he’s playing or not playing, he likes to come to the ground, bowl around 8-10 overs. Today [on Friday] also in the warm-up, he was almost pumped up.”It felt like he was playing the game. I had to tell him, ‘, it has just started!”

They dropped three catches in the first 15 overs of India’s second innings

Matt Roller01-Aug-20251:44

Trescothick rues dropped catches

England were left “frustrated” and “disappointed” after dropping three catches in the first 15 overs of India’s second innings at The Oval, as the fifth Test threatened to slip away from their grasp.India finished the second day with a lead of 52 and eight second-innings wickets in hand on a lively pitch, with the young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal riding his luck to reach a 44-ball half-century. Jaiswal was dropped twice, on 20 by Harry Brook at second slip and on 40 at long leg by Liam Dawson, while Zak Crawley shelled a chance at third slip off Sai Sudharsan.Both drops in the slips were genuine chances but hit firmly, but Dawson – on as a substitute fielder for the injured Chris Woakes – had one hit straight to him. He did not have to move as Jaiswal hooked Josh Tongue to him, but he lost the ball in either the sunlight or the floodlights – his sunglasses were on his cap – and was lucky to avoid a serious injury.Related

• 'That was the plan' – Prasidh on verbal duel with Root

• India get a thrilling dose of the Zak Crawley experience

• Siraj, Jaiswal and Prasidh put India ahead on 15-wicket day

• Stats – The breathtaking Crawley-Duckett opening salvo

“You’re always frustrated when you miss opportunities,” Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach, said. “Of course, we pride ourselves on being very good in those sorts of areas, but it just didn’t happen. We all know how important they are and we all know how tough catches can be – especially in the slips – so [we are] disappointed, but it is what it is.”Crawley’s drop was England’s 15th of the series, per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, compared to India’s 20. Their catching cost them in Manchester last week, with Shubman Gill put down by Dawson and Ollie Pope on his way to his century, and Joe Root putting Ravindra Jadeja down off the first ball of his match-saving unbeaten hundred.England looked weary in the field on Friday evening after batting for just 51.2 overs in their first innings but Trescothick refused to blame their drops on physical and mental fatigue. “I don’t think that’ll be anything to do with it,” he said. “It just happens over the course of some days and some games. It’s just the game, as we see it.”Trescothick believes that the Test is “evenly poised” after two days, and expects the pitch will continue to be “lively”. “There’s more life in it,” he said of the surface. “There’s more pace, more seam movement, and we’re at the extreme version of what we see in those types of pitches, but it’s definitely what we like.”We want pace on the ball, we want the ball to bounce and we want the ball to carry through so that when we’re batting, we can be aggressive, we can attack, and we can put pressure back on the bowlers; and when we’re bowling, if we get opportunities and we catch the edge, hopefully it will carry through… We’re very happy with how [the pitch] has performed so far.”

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول لاستكمال موسمه الحالي 2025/2026 بعد الفوز على إنتر ميلان ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق ليفربول فوزًا مهمًا على إنتر ميلان بهدف نظيف في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ونجح المجري دومينيك سوبوسلاي، لاعب ليفربول في تسجيل الهدف الأول لصالح فريقه أمام إنتر ميلان من ركلة جزاء.

كان ليفربول قد تقدم بهدف عن طريق إبراهيما كوناتي في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط الأول من المباراة الجارية في الوقت الحالي لكن حكم الفيديو قام بإلغاؤه.

اقرأ أيضًا | هنري ينتقد محمد صلاح: يجب عليك حماية فريقك بأي ثمن.. ولم أتصرف مثلك

وفي الدقيقة 88، نجح نجم خط وسط الريدز في إحراز هدف ليفربول الوحيد من ضربة جزاء بعد عودة الحكم إلى تقنية الفيديو عقب عرقلة فلوريان فيرتز من المدافع الإيطالي باستوني.

من المعروف أن الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لليفربول قرر استبعاد محمد صلاح من مباراة إنتر ميلان بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة عقب تعادل الفريق مع ليدز يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي. موعد مباراة ليفربول القادمة بعد الفوز على إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ومن المقرر أن يخوض ليفربول مباراته القادمة أمام برايتون، ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ 16 من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره برايتون مساء يوم السبت، في تمام الساعة الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، السادسة بتوقيت مكة المكرمة، على ملعب “آنفيلد”.

Ex-pat community rally round to celebrate the occasion of first Test in England since 2003

Firdose Moonda24-May-2025It is as rare for a team that loses by an innings and 45 runs to go on a celebratory lap around the ground as it is for Zimbabwe to play in England, which may be why they did it. The post-match presentation had not even happened when Zimbabwe’s squad went to meet their fans, who had spent the past three days singing the country’s traditional supporter’s songs, waving its flag and soaking in the feeling of home.Theirs is a population that is dispersed around the world, often through necessity not choice, as a collapsing economy forced people to seek opportunity abroad. The largest diaspora resides in neighbouring South Africa. The second largest? In England, where more than 100,000 Zimbabweans live. If you didn’t know any better, you’d have thought all of them were at Trent Bridge, given the reception they gave the national cricket team, who played their first Test in England in 22 years in what has been received as a symbol of new-found relevance.”We had an idea that there was going to be a lot of support for us and there’s a lot more fans out there today than there was yesterday,” Craig Ervine, Zimbabwe’s captain said at the press conference afterwards. “We can hear them singing from up in the changing room where we were sitting, and it’s pretty special.”There was almost a note of apology in Ervine’s voice. “I know losing is difficult to take, but the lap that we did shows how special the fans are for us and how much we also appreciate their support day in and day out. These are fans that haven’t had the opportunity to come and see us play for a long time and a lot of guys would have just seen us play on TV, so to watch us play live will be special for them. We also wanted to give them something to remember when they go back home.”Those memories will not be all good. After choosing to bowl first under cloudy skies, Zimbabwe’s bowlers broke records they won’t want to be reminded of. They conceded the most runs on the first day of a Test in England, which was a combination of nerves and inexperience that Ervine has already analysed and hopes they can learn from.”We weren’t really up to par,” he said. “Our big quicks probably didn’t get enough in the right area. According to the data, it was only around 40% in the six meter length. When you do get it in the right area, especially in these conditions, you ask a lot of questions of the batters and unfortunately, we couldn’t do that which then made it difficult to be able to control the scoring.”Zimbabwe took 67 for 3 on the second morning, too late to make a material difference to the total they had allowed England to get, but enough to show some fight. It was with the bat that the resilience their nation is known for started to emerge.Sean Williams salutes the crowd after his innings was ended by Shoaib Bashir•Getty ImagesBrian Bennett’s 139 – also Zimbabwe’s fastest Test hundred – was the stand-out but there were other contributions. Even though Zimbabwe followed on, there was resistance from Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza and Wessly Madhevere and Ervine was proud of their effort. “From a batting perspective, guys really, really fought hard. We got ourselves into decent positions in both innings and couldn’t really kick on,” he said.That two of the three Zimbabwe batters to go past fifty are 38 and 39 years old respectively does not worry Ervine or make him question the strength of their younger talent. Instead, it suggests there’s the opportunity for knowledge transfer between those who have been around (and Williams has been in the set-up for two decades) and those who are coming through.”It’s important to have that blend, especially in Test cricket, with the senior players and junior players,” he said. “You don’t want to put too much responsibility on the younger guys. But if you look at the maturity that Brian Bennett has bought, he’s only 21 and he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”So do Zimbabwe, at least in fixtures terms. They play six more Tests this year (two against each of South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan), all at home, where Ervine hopes they can show what they’ve learnt in tougher conditions in England.”You face the ball moving around up front, being asked questions of your technique, your defence, and then, if you get through that period, you also have to get through a short ball period so there’s lots of little challenges in there,” he said. “If you can combat those in these conditions, there’s no reason why you can’t get through those same challenges back home in familiar conditions at home.”Related

Zimbabwe cricket boss Mukuhlani elected Africa Cricket Association chair

Brian Bennett blazes century but England scent three-day win after follow-on

Brian Bennett cuts himself a slice of history to keep Zimbabwe singing

Zimbabwe fans singing 'gave me goosebumps', says centurion Bennett

Shoaib Bashir seals innings win as Sean Williams stars for spirited Zimbabwe

The first four home Tests will be played in Bulawayo, which is slower and lower than England but the pace attacks of both South Africa and New Zealand will pose a similar threat. At the same time, both those sides have strong batting line-ups and Ervine would like to see his seamers perform better.”From a bowling perspective, guys will understand that they weren’t at their best,” he said. “We’ve got to get better and in conditions back home, which are possibly a little bit flatter, we’ve got to be a lot more consistent and a lot more patient. There’s a lot of things that we can take out of these things that we need to improve on, and not just talk about.”And Zimbabwe don’t have to wait too long to start showing that they’ve learnt their lesson. In nine days’ time, they play South Africa at Arundel as part of the latter’s preparations for the World Test Championship final. The extra fixture in England means Zimbabwe will have spent a month in the country and have played three red-ball matches, which has presented many opportunities to gain experience and as many to see their compatriots And it’s that that seems to matter so much.Now that the bilateral door to England is open again, Ervine hopes Zimbabwe will be back and promised when that happens, they will also be better.”The Zimbabwean fans will really appreciate that, so they don’t have to wait so long to see us play in the UK again,” he said. “And as a Zimbabwean player, there’s no better place to come and test yourself as a cricketer. Now that we’ve had a taste of what it’s like, when we come back here, hopefully it’s soon enough, we’ll be better prepared.”

It was crucial that Everton put the brakes on their season for a third time with a win. And win the Toffees did. The Hill Dickinson returned to form as David Moyes oversaw a professional victory over Fulham in the Premier League.

The 2-0 win marked the end of a three-match winless run for Everton, lifting them to 11th in the standings. It’s all rather congested in the middle of the table right now, but Everton know they need to make improvements if they wish to beat off mid-table competition and push for a place in the top half.

And it’s becoming apparent that external solutions will be needed, thus turning our attention toward the looming January transfer window.

Where Everton are looking to strengthen

Everton’s winter transfer plans are currently rather nebulous, but that’s only natural given there is still a month and a half until the January market opens for business.

What is clear is that Moyes will be looking to strengthen, and the Friedkin Group are ready to back him in this endeavour. More detailed plans might be unknown, but it’s obvious that the Toffees will look to sign a striker, with Beto and £27m summer recruit Thierno Barry both toiling this term, one goal between them in the Premier League.

Were the Merseysiders playing their football with a reliable bagsman at number nine, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that European contention would already be a conversation.

That could still be the case, with a few tweaks. It’s not just up top where Everton need to remedy their tactical creases. Both full-back berths have been focus points of criticism this season, with Jake O’Brien industrious at right-back but out of position nonetheless, naturally a centre-back.

Let’s have a look at how Everton could shape up after a window of dealings.

Moyes' dream XI after January

Jordan Pickford will, of course, remain between the sticks for Everton, having extended until 2029 last month.

The return of Jarrad Branthwaite to fitness will also feel like a new signing for side who have had to make do at the rear this term. Praise must be placed at Michael Keane’s feet, the English defender having completed a U-turn before the end of last season, signing a new deal and starting every Premier League match of the campaign.

It is indeed the wide defenders who need changing, and Everton could act on their interest in Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez, with an October report suggesting the Blues have prepared a £17m bid ahead of January.

Sanchez, 23, is a powerful and balanced player, and in La Liga this season, he ranks among the top 14% of positional peers for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

This would be an interesting deal to add width and dynamism down Everton’s right side, but it could be a move that is overshadowed by a loan bid for Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Lewis-Skelly’s reduced role in Mikel Arteta’s title-challenging team this season is not a reflection of his skillset but an emphasis on the Gunners’ remarkable rise in recent years. The 19-year-old was very much a part of that last year, his performances leading The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid to describe him as a “£100m footballer”.

Arteta has yet to name the prospect from the opening in the top flight this season, and this has given rise to chatter about a winter loan move. A number of unnamed Premier League clubs are monitoring the situation, and it’s more than likely that Everton are among that mix.

Such additions would have a marked impact on Everton’s prospects this season, giving Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish more freedom and security on the attacking wings. Grealish is only a loanee himself, but there are hopes that a permanent deal can be engineered in 2026.

That leaves the big one. One of Beto or Barry could leave the Hill Dickinson this winter, especially when Everton have shown signs of interest in Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who left the Premier League for Saudi Arabia in 2024.

Toney, 29, is one of England’s most talented and dangerous marksmen, and he had been coveted by Chelsea last summer, before the stars aligned for a big pay packet overseas.

The Athletic have confirmed that the former Brentford man is a player of interest heading into the January market, albeit with a host of complications relating to finances and the thick competition for such a signature at the season’s midpoint.

This would be an ambitious move, but one which could pay off handsomely if the Merseyside club play their cards right. The £30m-rated Toney, after all, is intrigued by the possibility of returning to his homeland ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Instrumental in propping the Gtech up in the Premier League, Toney was described by Thomas Frank as being a “monster” of a striker, not only deadly in front of goal but dynamic and intelligent too.

It won’t be easy, wrestling the £400k-per-week Three Lions star from the Gulf region and beating the inevitable competition for his signature, but Everton need a striker, and Moyes may just canvass a compelling proposal to the proven Premier League star.

We can say without question that Everton have enjoyed an upswing in results and performances since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at the helm. But Everton need more. There’s a bluntness to the squad’s attack, and by reenergising the widths and placing a robust and hungry option at the focal front point, Moyes might just pull off another special success.

0 minutes all season: "Generational" Everton star could be Branthwaite 2.0

David Moyes must consider unleashing this talented Everton youngster in the coming weeks.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 7, 2025

Champions post second-highest score in women’s Hundred thanks to Harris and Griffith knocks

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2025

Grace Harris powered London Spirit to victory on the opening day of the Hundred, smashing 89 from just 42 balls to give the defending champions the perfect start in front of 15,640 fans at Lord’s.Harris, preferred by Spirit to Meg Lanning in the draft this winter, won the battle of the two world-class Australian batters, but Lanning could scarcely have done more in reply – making 85 off 51 balls to take Oval Invincibles close in their chase.Until Lanning was dismissed, the South London team were very much in the game but it was to be Harris and Spirit’s day. The big-hitting Aussie was ably supported by Cordelia Griffith in her side’s total of 176 for , Griffith contributing a 29-ball 50 to help Spirit to the second-highest score in the history of the women’s competition.England’s Ryana Macdonald-Gay was possibly the pick of the away team’s bowlers, but there was cheer for Tash Farrant who took her first wicket in the Hundred for 1450 days following injury.For Invincibles, no one player was able to support Lanning in the same way Griffith had backed up Harris, with cameos from Alice Capsey and Marizanne Kapp providing hope but ultimately not doing enough to overhaul such an imposing total.For Spirit, without last year’s winning captain Heather Knight, the 17-run win and the bragging rights over their London rivals signals the perfect start to their trophy defence.Meerkat Match Hero, Harris, said: “You always want a win on the board, especially in a format like this when it’s so fast. And it’s great to come up against our cross-town rivals and get the wood on them, too.”Pretty early on [it was clear it was a good wicket]. There was some good comms from the openers back to the bench and they said it wasn’t doing much; bit of swing in the air but outside of that it was playing nicely. With that role in the middle you’ve just got to capitalise on however many balls you’re going to face and we might have pinched a few singles there and it was good for us.”I’m pretty easy [as to where she bats in the order]. I’d love to open because you get to bat for the longest but I don’t really care where I end up and it’s pretty good to cash in at the end so I’ll take it.”

They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.

The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.

The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.

Eze's performance vs Spurs

While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.

It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.

Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.

Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.

Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.

It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.

Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.

And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.

Arsenal's homegrown Eze

Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.

Chalkboard

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

The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.

Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.

For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.

Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.

For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.

Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs

Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

Half-centuries from Kurtis Patterson and Moises Henriques gave New South Wales 331 before their bowlers, led by Sean Abbott, stopped Western Australia 87 runs short

AAP09-Oct-2025Western Australia teenager Albert Esterhuysen gave Sam Konstas an almighty send-off but it was New South Wales who had the last laugh in the One-Day Cup clash at the WACA Ground.Esterhuysen, playing just his second one-dayer for Western Australia, bowled Konstas for 40 and then unleashed an extended roar and stare-down in the Test opener’s direction during an emotional celebration.Konstas entered Thursday’s match desperate for a big score to mount a solid case for an Ashes call-up, but he couldn’t go on with the job after a strong start.Half-centuries to Kurtis Patterson (66 in 71 balls) and Moises Henriques (54 in 66) lifted New South Wales to a formidable 331. In reply, Western Australia were bowled out for 244 in 46.5 overs, with the returning Mitchell Marsh making just 2 as New South Wales cruised to an 87-run bonus-point victory.The result left Western Australia nursing a 1-2 record, while New South Wales (2-1) moved into second spot, behind unbeaten Tasmania (3-0).Western Australia’s innings never got going, despite boasting a stacked batting line-up that had Cameron Bancroft batting at No. 7.Sam Konstas loses his stumps•Getty Images

Marsh, who came in fresh off his unbeaten 103 in Australia’s T20I victory over New Zealand, was out in just the third over when he was caught on the boundary slashing at a wide Sean Abbott (3 for 28) delivery.Joel Curtis (15), Sam Fanning (8) and Cooper Connolly (5) all came and went as Western Australia crashed to 45 for 4 in the tenth over.Sam Whiteman received a huge life on 2 when he was caught at slip – only for Jack Edwards’ delivery to be deemed a front-foot no-ball. Whiteman went on to make 52 off 56 balls, but his departure in the 24th over at the hands of Tanveer Sangha was a bitter blow to Western Australia’s victory hopes.Bancroft (48), Ashton Agar (44) and Aaron Hardie (37) all produced handy knocks, but with the required run-rate soaring out of control, Western Australia were never truly in the hunt following the top-order collapse.Earlier, Konstas struck seven fours in a quickfire knock before chopping on 19-year-old quick Esterhuysen (2 for 58).New South Wales slumped from 203 for 3 to 225 for 6 largely thanks to Bryce Jackson’s double-strike in the 30th over that sent Patterson and Edwards packing in the space of four balls. But Western Australia couldn’t complete the job, with handy runs from Henriques, Abbott (35) and Charlie Stobo (39 in 20 balls) getting New South Wales well beyond 300.

In an interview with Time Magazine published at the end of July, Erling Haaland claimed that Norway would only have a 0.5 percent chance of winning the 2026 World Cup. He added: “If we would qualify for the World Cup, it would be like another big nation winning it. It would be the biggest party ever. Scenes in Oslo would be incredible.” That party is now underway, with Norway having booked their spot at the tournament for the first time in 28 years after thumping 4-1 wins over Estonia and Italy during the November international break.

The latter of those victories, recorded at a packed-out San Siro, was particularly impressive. Italy deservedly led at the interval through a clever finish from Francesco Pio Esposito, but Norway exploded into life in the second half and put on an attacking football clinic to blow the hosts away, with Antonio Nusa and Jorgen Strand Larsen scoring either side of a Haaland brace.

It must be noted that Italy are no longer the force of old, but steady improvements have been made under new boss Gennaro Gattuso, and five members of their Euro 2020-winning squad –  Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nicolo Barella, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Bastoni and Manuel Locatelli – started the match. Norway are just the second team to ever beat Italy in a competitive away game by three goals or more; Sweden were the last to achieve that feat way back in 1983.

They also exacted revenge over Italy for their round of 16 defeat at the 1998 World Cup finals. Statement results don't come much bigger, and you'd have to imagine that Haaland is now revising his expectations for next summer. 

The Manchester City talisman is leading a golden generation of talent that should fear no one. All the evidence from a stunning qualification campaign points to one undeniable truth: Norway are serious dark horses for World Cup glory, and not just because they can call upon the best striker in the business…

GettyProper firepower

Haaland's presence is main factor, though. Norway won all eight of their games in Group I, scoring 37 goals, and Haaland bagged 16 of them, equalling Robert Lewandowski's single qualifying campaign record. 

The irrepressible City terminator has already notched 32 goals for club and country this season, and his double against Italy brought him up to 55 in just 48 appearances at international level, 22 more than any other Norway player in history. Haaland has found the net in nine consecutive games for his country, and in eight of his last nine Premier League outings for City. Norwegian journalist Lars Sivertsen has described Haaland as the nation's "greatest ever player", ahead of icons like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, John Arne Riise, and Tore Andre Flo, which feels totally justified.

Amazingly, at the age of 25, Haaland has not even entered his prime yet. No other team at the World Cup will boast such a deadly weapon: a quick, strong, deceptively skilful and frighteningly ruthless centre-forward who doesn't seem to feel pressure.

But he will also benefit from a stellar supporting cast. Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sorloth has been the perfect foil for Haaland as an imposing target man, while Wolves marksman Strand Larsen has emerged as the ideal impact substitute. As Italy learned to their peril, Norway have enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with any opponent.

AdvertisementGettyOdegaard to return

Remarkably, Norway managed to seal their spot at the World Cup without their prized playmaker and captain, Martin Odegaard. The Arsenal midfielder missed his country's final three qualifiers due to a knee injury, and Solbakken has confirmed he is still "some distance" from a return to the pitch.

But time is on Odegaard's side, and Norway need him to unlock their full potential. In tighter games, he is the one who can sprinkle the magic required to open things up, as he did when setting up three goals in Norway's 4-2 win away in Israel in March.

Odegaard produced seven assists overall, more than any other player in European qualifying. Like Haaland, he is a world-class operator built for the big stage. The 26-year-old also demonstrated his commitment and leadership credentials by flying out for the latest Norway camp and joining their celebrations instead of focusing only on his recovery at Arsenal's training base.

"He was there before, during and after," Solbakken said after the win over Estonia. "There is always an aura with Martin." Norway team-mate Morten Thorsby added: "Martin is our captain. He gives us security and strength. We wanted him with us. Even though he couldn’t help us on the pitch, he did off the pitch."

Odegaard leads by example in everything he does, and Norway fans will be praying that the former Real Madrid starlet returns to full fitness sooner rather than later, because he is the key to a deep World Cup run.

AFPExciting young guns

With an average age of just 25.8 years, Norway possess one of the most exciting young squads in the international game. Haaland and Odegaard have shared most of the plaudits in recent years, but there is every chance that, by the time the World Cup kicks off, the spotlight will extend to fit in two hugely talented up-and-comers: Nusa and Oscar Bobb.

Nusa, who has been catching the eye in the Bundesliga with his exploits on the left wing for RB Leipzig, has racked up 16 goal involvements in 20 games for Norway since making his debut in 2023. There is still scope for the 20-year-old to improve his decision-making, but he gives defenders nightmares with his explosive turn of pace and magnetic footwork, which have also been vital to Norway's emergence as an effective counter-attacking side.

On the opposite flank, Bobb has not been quite as influential, but he offers something different. The Manchester City ace does most of his best work when coming inside, and is happier to link the play rather than be a difference-maker in the final third. Bobb, 22, is more of a technician than Nusa; he excels at finding space between the lines and picking out incisive passes. 

Nusa gives Norway an X-factor, while Bobb has the footballing IQ to help draw opponents out of position. They could be an effective combination in North America, while former Nordsjælland wonderkid Andreas Schjelderup is another option in advanced areas. Struggles for form at Benfica and off-field controversy have halted the 21-year-old's career trajectory over the last year or so, but he is also a gifted footballer who is versatile enough to play on the wing or as an attacking midfielder.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPBrilliant Berge

Norway's rise can at least partly be attributed to the vast Premier League experience in their dressing room. In addition to Haaland, Odegaard, Strand Larsen and Bobb, Solbakken has also utilised the qualities of Sander Berge (Fulham), Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford) and David Moller Wolfe (Wolves) to take Norway to the next level.

With so many players used to the intensity of life in Europe's most demanding league, Solbakken has genuine strength in depth. There is an unsung hero in that group who deserves far more credit, though.

Berge was arguably Norway's most consistent performer in qualifying. The Fulham midfielder's ability to break up play initially gave them the platform for success, and after Odegaard was ruled out, he also became the man to drive the team forward.

"He's taken a huge step forward at Fulham. We've been able to tailor-make a role for him in the national team that really suits his strengths," Solbakken has told .

Berge has been Norway's chief disruptor and architect in the No.8 slot, setting the tone for the rest of the squad with his work rate. When Berge is playing alongside Odegaard and Bodo/Glimt's Patrick Berg, Norway have the perfect blend of physicality and creativity in the middle of the park. The former Sheffield United and Burnley star is now living up to the promise he showed in his younger years, and Norway are a much braver side in attack and defence because of him.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Monsoon tentará pelo segundo ano uma vaga para a elite do futebol do Rio Grande do Sul. Após bater na ‘trave’ no ano passado, o Trovão da Zona Sul promete chegar ainda mais forte nesta temporada e aposta na manutenção do elenco como um dos seus principais trunfos para a disputa da Série A2 do Campeonato Gaúcho.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Melhor equipe e ataque mais positivo na fase de classificação em 2023, o Monsoon não conquistou a vaga por detalhe. Ciente disso, a diretoria trouxe de volta oito atletas incluindo o promissor meia Victor Lima.

Além dos jogadores acostumados ao ambiente do clube, o Monsoon fez contratações pontuais, dentre elas o zagueiro Patrick Souza, que passou por todas as categorias de base do Flamengo, futebol dinamarquês e estava no Joinville. O goleiro Max, que estava no Audax-RJ, chega para dar mais um toque de experiência ao time. Revelado pelo Grêmio, o jovem volante João Davi também acertou com a equipe.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ CBF anuncia casa de apostas como patrocinadora do Brasileirão; veja valores

Tudo sobre

Campeonato Gaúcho