LOS ANGELES — From a business perspective, there has never been any question that Shohei Ohtani is most valuable to the Dodgers as a two-way star: Designated hitters don’t tend to become national heroes in Japan and earn their teams an estimated $70 million in sponsorship revenue. From the player’s standpoint, there has never been any discussion, either.

“The reason why I’m a two-way player is because that’s who I am, and it’s what I can do,” Ohtani said last week.

But viewed through the lens of baseball, there was reason to be cautious. It wasn’t just the injury concern, although that certainly caught the Dodgers’ attention; Ohtani’s return to pitching this season has come after his second elbow reconstruction. “There is a cost,” acknowledges manager Dave Roberts. He adds, “What [another ailment] would essentially do is lose two players.”

Josh Naylor had the best season of his career in 2025. After starting the year with the Diamondbacks, Naylor was dealt to the Mariners at the trade deadline, where he played a big role in the team’s run to the ALCS. Now, he’s set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, and he figures to have plenty of teams interested in him in free agency.

Naylor racked up a career-high 3.1 bWAR in ‘25, including 2.2 in just 54 games in Seattle. He recorded a .812 OPS with a .295 batting average, and launched 20 home runs with 92 RBIs. In addition to his prowess at the plate, Naylor was an extremely effective baserunner, racking up 30 stolen bases despite never having swiped more than 10 bags in any previous season.

The Mariners will certainly be hoping they can work out a deal to keep Naylor in Seattle on a new contract, but with free agency awaiting the 29-year-old, they’ll have to fend off some staunch competition for his signature.

Naylor is projected by ESPN to be in line to receive a contract worth around $52.5 million over three years. That feels a bit low, and it’s certainly possible that price tag would rise, potentially dramatically, if multiple teams got in the mix.

So, what are some possible landing spots for Naylor when he hits the open market?

Seattle Mariners

Naylor was an outstanding fit for the Mariners after being acquired at the trade deadline. Bringing him back should be a top priority for Seattle this offseason. That much has been echoed by the organization’s front office, as GM Justin Hollander has expressed his desire to keep Naylor in the PNW.

The Mariners enjoyed their longest stay in the postseason in franchise history this year, despite finishing just one win shy of a World Series berth. They’ll be determined to finish the job in 2026 and try to punch their first-ever ticket to the Fall Classic. Naylor was fantastic during the team’s run in October, registering a .957 OPS in 12 games, and bringing him back feels like a must for Seattle.

San Diego Padres

The Padres have a glaring need at first base, and after a disappointing showing in the postseason, San Diego will be determined to bounce back in 2026. Offense was hard to come by for the Padres last year, and without an established first baseman currently on the roster heading into the ‘26 campaign, Naylor feels like an excellent fit for the organization.

The Padres were 28th in MLB in home runs last year (152) and were in the middle of the pack in OPS (.711). Those are both areas where Naylor could make an instant impact. Naylor started his career in San Diego, playing 94 games for the organization as a rookie in 2019 before getting traded to Cleveland the following season. He could return to the team where he got his first taste of MLB action, while providing the Padres with a much-needed boost on offense.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds have been linked to Naylor in the past, and after failing to bring him aboard in recent seasons, they could stage another attempt during free agency. Cincinnati narrowly missed out on the postseason last year, but adding a player of Naylor’s caliber could help them get over the hump.

Cincinnati ranked in the bottom half of MLB in home runs, batting average, OPS and hits. Spencer Steer had a decent season at first base, but Naylor would certainly be an upgrade over him and also has the flexibility to move into the outfield or even be used at DH. Only two players on the Reds hit 20 or more home runs last year and no one had more than 22. Naylor could achieve those numbers in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park with ease.

New York Mets

If the Mets and Pete Alonso are truly parting ways this offseason, with the veteran slugger destined for free agency, New York will be in the market for a new first baseman. Naylor could be a great fit, providing the team with some more consistent hitting as opposed to pure power.

The Mets ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of batting average in 2025, though their OPS was among the best in the league. Getting another reliable hitter in the middle of the order, one who flirts with a .300 batting average, would be a great way to replace one of the league’s biggest sluggers.

Pitching will be one of the main focal points for New York this offseason, but if Alonso doesn’t return, they’d be hard pressed to find a more suitable replacement at first base than Naylor.

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O Corinthians se prepara para encarar o Cruzeiro, pelo jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. A partida será nesta quarta-feira (10), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Mineirão. Raniele ficou fora dos dois últimos treinos do Timão e se tornou preocupação para Dorival Júnior.

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A informação foi trazida pelo ‘ge.globo’. O volante sentiu dores no tornozelo esquerdo e não participou das atividades promovidas por Dorival Júnior na segunda e na terça-feira. O atleta deve viajar com o elenco para Belo Horizonte e será reavaliado antes da partida.

No domingo (7), no empate por 1 a 1 com o Juventude, Raniele entrou na segunda etapa. O jogador deixou o jogo com um inchaço no tornozelo esquerdo e iniciou o processo de tratamento com o departamento médico. O volante disputou 49 partidas na temporada e é peça fundamental na equipe de Dorival Júnior.

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O treinador utiliza Raniele tanto como primeiro volante, quanto como terceiro zagueiro, muitas vezes durante uma mesma partida, como variação tática. Sem o jogador, Dorival Júnior terá que contar com os reservas imediatos para posição: José Martínez ou Ryan são os mais cotados.

Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Dores de cabeça no Corinthians

Garro e Yuri Alberto também são dúvidas para o confronto. O argentino se recupera de um estiramento no sóleo, músculo localizado na panturrilha, e ficou fora dos últimos dois jogos. Yuri Alberto sofreu uma inflamação no adutor da perna esquerda e também perdeu as últimas partidas.

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A dupla avançou no processo de recuperação, estiveram em campo nos dois últimos treinamentos e podem ser novidade contra o Cruzeiro. Memphis, recuperado de um edema ósseo no joelho esquerdo, entrou em campo contra o Juventude e será reforço do Corinthians na semifinal.

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Copa do BrasilCorinthiansFutebol Nacional

Glasgow Rangers parted ways with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of last week after the Englishman had just one transfer window in his role.

In the summer, the former Everton chief was given plenty of money to spend and splashed £8m on Youssef Chermiti, which made him the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since they paid £12m for Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

The Portugal U21 international has scored one goal in 15 matches for the Light Blues in all competitions, per Sofascore, which illustrates how difficult he has found the move to Ibrox so far.

With Danny Rohl now in the building and Thelwell gone, the Scottish Premiership giants are reportedly making plans to make changes to the squad that Thelwell built in the summer.

The latest on Rangers' plans for the January transfer window

According to TEAMtalk, the German head coach wants to make three ‘major’ additions to the squad in the January transfer window next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that the former Sheffield Wednesday boss is eyeing a new striker, another ‘dynamic’ central midfielder, and a full-back who can provide competition on both sides of the pitch.

TEAMtalk does not mention any names of specific players, but the outlet reveals that Rohl has been watching players and will be backed by the owners with funds to make these ‘major’ additions ahead of the second half of the season.

The report also states that the Rangers manager wants a ‘proven’ number nine who can hit the ground running and provide an instant threat on the pitch, rather than another ‘project’ player, like Chermiti.

Why Rangers should sell Bojan Miovski

With this news in mind, the Light Blues should ruthlessly cash in on Macedonia international Bojan Miovski just a matter of months on from his move to Ibrox.

The left-footed striker’s form for Aberdeen, as shown in the graphic above, made him an exciting signing in the summer because he was billed as a ‘proven’ performer in Scotland, arriving in what should be the prime years of his career at 26.

Unfortunately, though, it simply has not worked out for him on the pitch for the Ibrox giants so far this season, as he has scored one goal in 11 appearances in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

With Rohl looking to sign a ‘proven’ centre-forward to come in and start matches week-in-week-out, the Light Blues may need to move on one of the three senior strikers they already have in the building.

Given that Miovski was signed in the summer, for an initial fee of £2.6m, to be that proven goalscorer for Rangers, it may be his position at the club that is most under threat.

Age

26

21

26

Games

18

15

20

Starts

10

7

13

Goals

2

1

3

Big chances missed

6

5

3

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacker has missed more ‘big chances’ than Chermiti and Danilo, whilst he has also scored fewer goals than the latter.

Journalist Mark McDougall described Miovski as an “awful” player who is “worse than Chermiti” at the end of last month, and it is hard to disagree when you look at their all-round play.

Chermiti, to his credit, has won 43% of his duels and 52% of his aerial duels in the Premiership, per Sofascore, which shows that he offers the team a physical outlet at the top end of the pitch. Miovski, however, has won 32% of his ground duels and 31% of his aerial duels in the league.

This shows that, whilst both players have only scored one goal in the league, it is the former Everton man who offers more to the team overall with his hold-up play and physicality.

On top of that, Chermiti is five years younger and was signed for £5.4m more, which means that there are more reasons for Rangers to stick with him and hope that he proves to be a good signing in the long run.

Therefore, attempting to cash in on Miovski in order to free up room for the proven striker Rohl wants to sign in January could make the most sense for the Light Blues.

0 tackles, 0 interceptions: Rangers flop must never start under Rohl again

Rangers are still paying the price for a dismal summer of recruitment…

ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

It is not an ideal situation, given that he only joined in the summer, but the Macedonia international appears to be the most viable option to sell out of the three strikers they currently have.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is looking to follow in Marcelo Bielsa’s footsteps by steering the club clear of relegation in their first season back in the Premier League.

After a run of four straight losses, the Whites have picked up four points and scored six goals in two matches against Chelsea and Liverpool in the top-flight, which has pushed them out of the bottom three.

Farke has needed his players to step up in recent games to climb back out of the relegation zone, and several stars have shown that they have what it takes to deliver in the Premier League.

Ranking Leeds United's top performers this season

Joe Rodon, who has started all 15 games, has proven to be a reliable option at the heart of the defence, winning 69% of his ground duels in the top-flight, per Sofascore.

Gabriel Gudmundsson, signed from Lille in the summer, has also caught the eye at left-back, with 3.1 tackles and interceptions and 1.3 dribbles completed per game, per Sofascore, whilst exciting fans with his bombing runs down the left flank.

£17.4m signing Anton Stach has been one of the top three performers for the Whites, though, with his return of two goals and two assists as a box-to-box midfielder.

1

Ethan Ampadu

2

Sean Longstaff

3

Anton Stach

4

Gabriel Gudmundsson

5

Joe Rodon

As you can see in the ranking above, we have placed Sean Longstaff in second place. He leads the team in ‘big chances’ created (six), but he has also only started ten of the 15 league games, per Sofascore.

That leaves the captain, Ethan Ampadu, in first place as Leeds United’s best Premier League performer since they sold Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City in 2022.

Why Ampadu is Leeds United's best Premier League player since Phillips

After Phillips was sold to City for £45m, after emerging as an England regular at Elland Road, the Whites were relegated from the top-flight in the 2022/23 campaign. No other player was able to step up and save them from trouble.

The English star was particularly impressive with Marcelo Bielsa, as shown in the graphic above, and he averaged 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield in his last Premier League season with Leeds.

Ampadu, now, is looking like the club’s best top-flight performer since Phillips departed. He was judged as an “indispensable” part of Leeds’ midfield in the words of scout Jacek Kulig when promotion was being eyed up, and since moving up a division, he has been a rock on the pitch in the middle of the park. It’s safe to say he could be the first player to lead the team to safety since the Man City midfielder was at the club.

Off the pitch, teammate Karl Darlow described him as a “brilliant” person who has “handled the pressure” of captaining Leeds in the Premier League, which speaks to the qualities that he provides as a leader within the group, and perhaps explains how the team pulled off the last two results despite such a poor run of form that preceded them.

On the pitch, his performances have been impressive. Ampadu lined up in the middle of the park in the games against Chelsea and Liverpool and caught the eye with his defensive nous.

Minutes

90

87

Pass accuracy

86%

87%

Tackle success rate

100%

100%

Duels won

6/11

3/6

Interceptions

2

1

Dribbled past

0x

0x

As you can see in the table above, the Wales international was perfect in his tackles and did not allow an opposition player to dribble past him a single time, which shows how combative and reliable he was in midfield.

Ampadu has started all 13 of his appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, and averaged an eye-catching 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game, which is just shy of the 3.9 that Phillips averaged in his final season with the club.

The former Chelsea starlet offers a similar presence to the England international at the base of the midfield for Leeds, sitting in front of the back four and screening play, making vital defensive interventions to regain possession and start attacks for his side.

He has won 60% of his ground duels and 53% of his aerial duels, per Sofascore, whilst only being dribbled past 0.6 times per match, which shows that Ampadu has been efficient and reliable in the middle of the park for Farke, as an ever-present when fit.

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Overall, the Welshman may well be the club’s best Premier League player since Phillips, not just for the quality that he clearly provides as a holding midfielder, but also for his leadership skills and how he handles the pressure of leading a Premier League side.

Lionel Messi has lifted the lid on a shock "childhood dream" that was scotched by his Barcelona debut. Messi’s life pivoted sharply when Barcelona chose to take a chance on him at a moment when Argentine clubs, including giants River Plate, backed away from the cost of treating his growth hormone condition.

• The napkin that changed football history

  Signed on 14 December 2000, the napkin has become one of the most iconic artefacts in football. The blue-ink message, hastily scribbled by Barça sporting director Carles Rexach, carried a personal commitment to sign a 13-year-old Messi "regardless of any dissenting opinions." Alongside Rexach’s name were those of transfer advisor Josep Minguella and agent Horacio Gaggioli, men who had championed Messi’s potential when others hesitated. The napkin emerged amid growing anxiety from the Messi family. After his trial, weeks drifted by with little communication from Barca. As Christmas approached in 2000, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid hovered as possible alternatives. Messi’s father, Jorge, feared the moment would pass. Rexach, aware the club were close to losing a generational talent, invited Jorge Messi to lunch, and, lacking an official document, wrote the pledge on the only material available. Messi was officially signed a month later, and history took its course.

  Translated into English, it reads: "In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and in the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona's sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon."

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• Getty Images
  

  A debut that closed one door, and opened the world

  Messi’s Barcelona debut followed three years later, on 16 November 2003, in a friendly against Porto. Frank Rijkaard introduced the 16-year-old in the 71st minute. Even then, whispers circled La Masia suggesting that the teenager from Rosario possessed a talent beyond comparison, though few could predict the scale of what would unfold. His competitive first-team bow came the following year on 16 October, in a La Liga fixture against Espanyol. At 17 years, three months and 22 days, he became Barcelona’s youngest-ever representative in official competition. The dream of playing for Newell’s faded in that moment, but a new reality began.

  In an interview with Messi has now said: "I always say that my childhood dream was to play for Newell's first team. I'd go to the stadium, I played there, and I dreamed of becoming a professional in Primera. Then my life changed completely because I left at 13, debuted for Barcelona, and everything that happened afterward. It's something I never would've imagined, not even in my best dreams. I lived things much bigger than anything I could have dreamed of."

• The Messi era at Barcelona

  Messi would go on to score 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, win 10 La Liga titles, lift four Champions Leagues, and establish an era-defining legacy before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Hence, despite the romanticism attached to a homecoming, Messi never managed to fulfil that childhood wish. When he left PSG, the option was emotionally appealing but professionally unworkable as Inter Miami ultimately offered the stability and vision that Newell’s could not. Now 38 and still guiding Argentina as they prepare to defend their World Cup crown, Messi accepts that the story of his early years remains unfinished. Whereas the same napkin was sold for an astonishing £762,400 at auction, far surpassing its £300,000 starting price.

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  All eyes on the 2026 World Cup

  The 2026 World Cup, spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, looms large. Argentina, the reigning champions, are among the favourites once more and will learn their group-stage opponents when Friday’s draw takes place. For Messi, the tournament represents an opportunity to win back-to-back World Cups as captain. His Newell’s dream may remain untouched, but everything else, the records, the glory, has exceeded his dreams.

Manchester United have now reportedly launched a stunning £100m+ offer to sign an England superstar who has already earned the praise of David Beckham.

Man Utd targeting England superstar

INEOS are looking to make a statement in 2026, having already showcased their spending power by revitalising Man United’s frontline last season. Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all arrived in an attempt to transform Ruben Amorim’s side.

Now, the focus is turning towards the manager’s midfield. With Casemiro edging past the peak of his powers, Manuel Ugarte struggling in possession and Kobbie Mainoo frozen out by Amorim, Man United have already reportedly drawn up a shortlist of options.

So far, two of the biggest names on that shortlist in the Premier League are Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. Two of United’s biggest targets, both have enjoyed excellent campaigns so far.

There’s plenty of competition for the two England stars, however, and Champions League qualification is likely to be the key to unlocking any potential move for Man United.

The same can be said for another England star. If it’s not Wharton or Anderson, then it could be Jude Bellingham. Sensational reports are now claiming that Man United have made their first move to sign the Real Madrid superstar ahead of 2026.

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Bellingham is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in world football and would instantly become the best signing that INEOS have made.

Man Utd launch £100m+ Bellingham offer

According to reports in Spain, Man United have now launched an offer to sign Bellingham worth as much as €150m (£131m) in what would break their transfer record. Alas, Real Madrid reportedly believe that the Englishman is worth more than that and have turned the Red Devils down.

Whether INEOS return with a second offer remains to be seen. It would simply be a sensational move for a player who’s already got the approval of Beckham.

Praise does not get much better than that from a Man United point of view, but the idea of watching Bellingham follow in Beckham’s footsteps at Old Trafford very much remains a dream for the time being.

He's "like Reijnders": Old Trafford chiefs pushing Man Utd to sign "elite" star

The ESPNcricinfo team of the tournament has players from five countries – find out if your top pick made the squad of 12 or not

Yash Jha03-Nov-20258:05

‘What dream? We’re living it’

Getty ImagesSmriti MandhanaSo rich was Mandhana’s vein of form coming into the competition that a quiet start – 54 runs in the first three outings – had left viewers perplexed. But she dialled things up once the big games arrived: 80 versus Australia, 88 versus England, and 109 in the high-stakes clash against New Zealand. She added 45 in the final to finish with the highest tally for an Indian in a women’s World Cup.AFP/Getty ImagesLaura Wolvaardt (capt)Wolvaardt, too, had a slow start, but more than made up for lost time, scoring 30 or more in seven consecutive matches – including half-centuries in wins against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan – and then hit centuries in both knockouts. Her 101 in the final versus India may have ended in a losing cause, but the 169 against England to take South Africa to their maiden ODI World Cup final will go down as one of the all-time great performances. Her tally is, by some distance, the highest at an edition of the ODI World Cup.Getty ImagesJemimah RodriguesSpeaking of iffy beginnings… Rodrigues found herself on the bench three weeks into her maiden ODI World Cup, after two ducks and two 30s. She celebrated her return – and a promotion to No. 3 – with a sparkling 76 not out off 55 balls versus New Zealand, before the career-defining 127 not out to end Australia’s reign with a record chase in the semi-finals.ICC/Getty ImagesMarizanne KappContinuing the trend of peaking at the right time was Kapp, whose first big contribution (aside from a chase-stabilising half-century against Bangladesh) came in the sixth game of the campaign: 68 not out off 43 balls followed by three new-ball wickets against Pakistan. She then demolished England’s hopes of chasing 320 in the semi-final with a double-strike in the first over, finishing with 5 for 20, having earlier chipped in with a 33-ball 42.Getty ImagesAnnabel SutherlandSutherland’s consistent mastery at the death, fuelled by a lethal back-of-the-hand slower ball, meant she was the joint-highest wicket-taker before the final. She started with a three-for against New Zealand, triggered an Indian collapse with 5 for 40 in Visakhapatnam, and added another three versus England – a game where she also had her only significant outing with the bat.Getty ImagesAshleigh GardnerPrior to 2025, the World Cup had seen only three hundreds from batters coming in at No. 5 or lower; Gardner hit two in this edition, both stunning recovery acts. She turned 128 for 5 into 326 against New Zealand by smashing 115 off 83 balls, and then turned a tricky chase versus England into a cakewalk – Australia were 68 for 4 in pursuit of 245 – with 104* off 73. There was a fifty in the semis too, and she chipped in with the ball all along.ICC/Getty ImagesRicha Ghosh (wk)Ghosh takes the wicketkeeping gloves in our team owing to her finishing prowess. She was the tournament’s fastest scorer as well as its highest six-hitter. Her unbeaten 20-ball 35 pushed India closer to 250 against Pakistan in Colombo; she played cameos in both the games versus Australia, including a handy 16-ball 26 in the record semi-final chase; she added 34 off 24 in the title clash against South Africa, and her 94 off 77 against the same opponents was an early contender for the knock of the tournament…AFP/Getty ImagesNadine de KlerkDeepti’s tournament started with a fifty and a three-for, and ended with a fifty and a five-for – the first such achievement in any World Cup final, women’s or men’s. The leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Deepti became the first player to do the double of 200+ runs and 15+ wickets in an edition of the women’s ODI World Cup. The Player of the Tournament recipient also contributed a four-for and fifty in the loss to England, and injected vital momentum in the semi-final chase against Australia with a 17-ball 24.Getty ImagesAlana KingKing delivered the spell of the tournament, claiming the first seven-for in World Cup history, to bamboozle South Africa in Indore. But don’t discount the rest of her tournament: two key wickets in the opener versus New Zealand, miserly returns against Bangladesh (2 for 18) and England (1 for 20), and the first fifty from a No. 10 in a women’s white-ball international to stitch a rescue act against Pakistan.ICC/Getty ImagesSophie EcclestoneEcclestone began the tournament playing second fiddle to fellow slow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith’s hero act against South Africa, but finished as strongly as ever. She proved too strong for Bangladesh (3 for 24) and Sri Lanka (4 for 17), and despite tougher outings in Indore, and an injury scare ahead of the semi-final, she was England’s standout performer in the defeat to South Africa with 4 for 44.ICC/Getty Images12th: Sophie DevineIn the final chapter of an illustrious ODI career, Devine was the lone star of New Zealand’s campaign, top-scoring in defeats to Australia (112) and South Africa (85), and scoring 63 in the win over Bangladesh. That meant Devine had 260 runs after three outings, but New Zealand didn’t bat for another two weeks, and Devine didn’t get a perfect swansong with low scores against India and England.

Club legend had taken on high-performance advisor role while supporting his wife’s battle with cancer

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2025

Alec Stewart is a much-loved figure at the Kia Oval•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

Alec Stewart is to resume his role as Surrey’s director of men’s cricket with immediate effect, the club have announced.Stewart, 62, stepped back from working full-time at the Kia Oval after the 2024 season, in order to help care for his wife, Lynn, who died of cancer in April. He remained involved in a new role as high-performance advisor, with Surrey opting not to appoint a successor.However, after one season away, he is set to retake the reins in the pursuit of more success. Stewart, who returned to the club where he spent his playing career as director of cricket in 2013, oversaw a strong player development pathway alongside four County Championship triumphs, including three in a row at the end of his first stint.”Surrey has always been my home and I am now ready to return to full-time duties with the club again,” Stewart said. “My priorities have always been to support the cricket management team and the squad to be the best county in the country, to bring cricketers into our professional squad through our pathway system and help players to fulfil their dreams of representing their country.”Related

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Surrey remained the team to beat in 2025, but were pipped by Nottinghamshire in the final rounds of the season to end up second on the Division One table.Stewart will be reunited with head coach, Gareth Batty, and captain, Rory Burns, as they look to re-establish their dominance of county cricket’s oldest competition.Oli Slipper, Surrey chair, said: “Alec is a legend of Surrey and we are looking forward to having him back in his role as director of men’s cricket. Alec’s record speaks for itself and he’s been the driving force in so much of the club’s success over many, many years.”Steve Elworthy, CEO at Surrey, added: “Alec’s commitment, drive and attention to detail has built the team into the side it is today and we know he will continue to progress the team as he resumes his role at the helm on the men’s game in the county.”Alec has remained an important part of the cricket management team over the last 12 months and he continues to drive the highest of standards across the club.”

Debutant Pasi’s 114 propels Baroda

Baroda’s wicketkeeper-batter Amit Pasi scored 114 off 55 balls against Services in Hyderabad to equal Bilal Asif’s record for the highest score on T20 debut. Pasi’s knock, featuring ten fours and nine sixes, propelled Baroda to 220 for 5. However, it was not enough for Baroda to progress to the Super League as they finished on 16 points. Services gave a tough fight but fell short by 13 .Opening the innings, Pasi reached his fifty off 24 balls, and his hundred off 44. He and Vishnu Solanki (25 off 12) added 75 in 5.2 overs for the fourth wicket. Bhanu Pania also contributed 28 not out off 15 towards the end.Kunwar Pathak and Ravi Chauhan gave Services a start of 84 in 8.2 overs, with both openers scoring 51 each. Captain Mohit Ahlawat’s 41 off 22 kept the chase going, but apart from Nakul Sharma, he didn’t find much support. Services finished on 207 for 8, their sixth loss in seven games. For Baroda, Raj Limbani was the most successful bowler, picking up 3 for 37.File photo: Ajinkya Rahane is now Mumbai’s highest run-getter in T20s•AFP/Getty Images

Sai Sudharsan’s hundred helps TN beat Saurashtra

Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra were well out of the race for the next stage, but B Sai Sudharsan single-handedly lifted TN from bottom place to fourth spot with an unbeaten 55-ball century for a tense three-wicket win. Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya had reduced TN to 29 for 3 in the chase of 183, and Sai Sudharsan was running out of partners after Rithik Easwaran’s 29 off 17 balls. But he kept hammering from one end, racing to a 28-ball fifty as he smashed the ball all around the park with his flicks, pulls, aerial cuts and drives.The seventh-wicket stand of 37 runs in just 13 balls between Sai Sudharsan and Sunny Sandhu pretty much sealed the game for TN as it brought the equation down to six to win from 12 balls. Sai Sudharsan was on 97, and TN needed three to win when he drove the ball elegantly and over the bowler’s head for his century and a boundary. Unadkat valiantly finished with 3 for 30.

MP lose to J&K but qualify for Super League

Madhya Pradesh narrowly lost to Jammu & Kashmir by 13 runs in their final game, but managed to finish on second spot in Group B for their Super League qualification along with table-toppers Hyderabad. Batting first, J&K stumbled to 150 for 9, with Abdul Samad (27 off 24 balls) and Auqib Nabi (32 off 21) making the major contributions.MP’s only partnership of promise was between opener Harsh Gawali (33 from 32 deliveries) and No. 4 Harpreet Singh Bhatia (32 off 29) worth 68 off 51 balls. But they soon went off track after the stand was broken, and the experienced Rajat Patidar (2) and Venkatesh Iyer (23) could not contribute much. Three wickets each for Nabi and Sumit Kumar soon bowled MP out for 137.File photo: Naman Dhir hit 61, with four fours and three sixes•BCCI

Dhir, Harpreet help Punjab seal Super League spot

Naman Dhir’s rapid 61 off 36 and Harpreet Brar’s all-round show propelled Punjab to a competitive total of 188 for 8 to seal their 75-run win over Gujarat and earn them a Super League berth. Dhir blasted four fours and three sixes at No. 4, followed by cameos from Salil Arora (30 off 19) and Sanvir Singh (30 off 17) before Harpreet smashed 24 off just eight balls at No. 9.Harpreet was particularly belligerent in taking apart Harshal Patel for 24 runs from his six balls, as the pacer leaked 57 runs from his four overs. Ravi Bishnoi was also expensive, conceding 36 runs from his four. Gujarat crumbled to 113 in 16.1 overs in reply, with opener Urvil Patel bagging a duck, and only one of their top nine crossing 15. Ashwani Kumar, Ramandeep Singh, Harpreet, Sanvir and Gaurav Chaudhary took two wickets apiece.

Haryana knock Bengal out

Haryana were the other team to progress from Group C, as their top-four batters led them to 191 for 9 against a Bengal attack led by Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep and Shahbaz Ahmed. Bengal fell short by 24 runs, and were knocked out. Haryana captain Ankit Kumar (46 off 30), Nishant Sindhu (48 off 31) and Yashvardhan Dalal (31 off 22) led the charge with the bat to see off Shami’s spell of 4-0-30-4 while Akash Deep went for 4-0-32-2. Haryana scored 99 runs in the second half of the innings, which proved to be pivotal as Bengal’s lower order floundered after Abhishek Porel’s 47 off 24 at the top and Writtick Chatterjee’s 44 off 33 at No. 4. Only one Bengal batter went into double-digits after their top five.File photo: Virat Singh scored 69 off 36 balls•PTI

Rahane 95* leads Mumbai to big win against Odisha

Mumbai, who had qualified earlier from Group A, along with Andhra, finished the league stage on a high by chasing down 168 against Odisha, as Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 95 off 56 balls led them to the win. Medium-pacer Suryansh Shedge picked 3 for 46 to keep Odisha to 167 for 7.In reply, Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan smashed 74 runs in the powerplay in the absence of regular opener Ayush Mhatre. Angkrish Raghuvanshi then joined Rahane to finish unbeaten on 38 off 26 deliveries for a nine-wicket win with four overs to spare. Rahane became the top-scorer for Mumbai in T20s with 1727 runs, going past Suryakumar Yadav’s tally of 1717.

Virat, Kushagra and Minz help Jharkhand beat Rajasthan

Rajasthan and Jharkhand had already made it to the Super League from Group D, and they faced-off in a top-of-the-table clash in Ahmedabad. Jharkhand’s batting might, led by Virat Singh (69 off 36 balls), captain Kumar Kushagra (55 from 37), and Robin Minz (58 off 27) charged them to 215 for 5, which proved to be too much for Rajasthan, who were all out for 179, with three wickets each for left-arm spinner Anukul Roy and left-arm quick Sushant Mishra.