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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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John Campbell, Brandon King, Shai Hope and Roston Chase offered resistance for West Indies, but they slipped from 153 for 3 to 205 all out

Sreshth ShahUpdated on 10-Dec-2025Stumps New Zealand’s patchwork fast-bowling attack delivered a strong show on the opening day of the second Test in Wellington, dismissing West Indies for 205 inside 75 overs at Basin Reserve. But the sight of Blair Tickner being stretchered off late in the afternoon with a suspected dislocated left shoulder took some sheen off their day of dominance.Tickner, playing his first Test in two years and leading the bowling with 4 for 32, was central to turning a bright West Indies start into yet another collapse, while Michael Rae, the 30-year-old debutant drafted into a severely depleted pace unit, complemented him with 3 for 67 in an energetic outing that gave New Zealand the bite they had lacked in the opening hour. That bite mattered because the first hour had belonged entirely to West Indies despite losing the toss, in a match where the hosts announced five changes and the visitors three.On a pitch far milder than the traditional green seamer, John Campbell and Brandon King put on 66 for the opening wicket. Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, burdened with heavy workloads from the first Test after the injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith in Christchurch, bowled honest but ineffective spells that allowed scoring opportunities.Campbell drove through the line, King played compactly, and West Indies looked assured.Michael Rae picked up three wickets in his first innings in Test cricket•Getty ImagesBut once New Zealand turned to Tickner and Rae – fresher workload-wise, and sharper in pace – the difference was visible. They operated either full or short but always at the stumps or the body, and the tone of the innings shifted dramatically.Tickner was the first to strike when he prised out King in the 17th over. King, playing the Test after Tagenarine Chanderpaul picked up a side strain on the eve of the Test, and opening for only the second time in his Test career, was pinned lbw when Tickner’s delivery from a short-ish length jagged in and hit him on the pad. One over later, Kavem Hodge was undone for a duck by a fuller ball from Tickner that tailed in late and struck him in front of middle and leg. The double-blow helped New Zealand quickly erase an indifferent start heading into the lunch break.Rae, who had leaked runs in his first spell in Test cricket, made an impact after lunch. Coming around the wicket, he angled a full ball across Campbell, who leaned into a drive with firm hands and edged to first slip, and at 93 for 3, West Indies’ position was slipping.Shai Hope and Roston Chase attempted to restore stability with a 60-run stand for the fourth wicket. Hope scored freely but never convincingly; Tickner and Rae repeatedly hurried him with the short ball, and he took two blows to the helmet with concussion checks following as the afternoon surface grew livelier. Hope reached 48, but Tickner finally cracked him with another rising delivery that he tried awkwardly to fend off, gloving a catch to Kane Williamson at third slip. That, Tickner’s third wicket, had seemed almost inevitable given the sustained discomfort he had caused the batters, and Chase followed soon after, cramped by a Tickner delivery that jagged in sharply to catch the inside-edge on to leg stump for 29.Justin Greaves, West Indies’ double-centurion in Christchurch, lasted 52 balls before Rae drew a faint outside edge with a tight off-stump line. Mitchell Hay completed the catch behind the stumps, leaving West Indies’ lower order exposed. Rae then trapped Kemar Roach lbw with a fuller delivery that kicked enough to beat the bat and straighten into middle stump, and at 184 for 7, the innings was in freefall.Blair Tickner had to be stretchered off after he hurt his shoulder•Getty ImagesBut New Zealand’s mood would sour dramatically in the next over. Tickner sprinted across from fine leg to stop a boundary-saving flick from Tevin Imlach and dived full-length near the rope. He landed awkwardly, stayed down, and the players signalled urgently as medical staff from both New Zealand and the venue rushed to him. After several minutes of treatment, he was stretchered off – sitting up, but in pain – to warm applause from the Basin Reserve crowd. He later left the ground in an ambulance, with early indications pointing to a suspected dislocated shoulder.Glenn Phillips, the most prolific wicket-taker in New Zealand’s XI with 31 strikes coming into the game, then removed the last recognised batter, bowling Imlach with a fuller ball that straightened just enough to beat the inside edge.Anderson Phillip was run out soon after attempting a risky single – first surviving a throw from Devon Conway but then succumbing when an alert Kristian Clarke broke the stumps on the rebound. Duffy ended West Indies’ innings by having Ojay Shields edge to third slip to end the innings at 205. West Indies lost their last seven wickets for just 52 runs.New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Conway batted nine overs before stumps, with West Indies’ seamers asking questions occasionally and inducing a couple of edges that didn’t carry to the slip cordon. The 24 runs they added before stumps gave New Zealand the firm upper hand, now behind by only 181 behind going into the second day where batting promises to be easier.

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has launched a blistering attack on Liverpool’s disastrous season, claiming that new arrival Florian Wirtz has been left to suffer because Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and others “want to play with their own ball”. With Liverpool in crisis after spending £450 million ($595m) on summer transfers, Hoeness insists the squad is full of “chiefs and no workers”.

• Liverpool struggling while Wirtz fails to find his feet

  Liverpool’s 2025-26 season has spiralled into turmoil despite a record-breaking summer outlay of almost £450m, leaving the Premier League giants sitting eighth and already nine points off leaders Arsenal. A humiliating 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League deepened the crisis, with fans labelling the performance one of the club’s worst in Europe in recent memory. Head coach Arne Slot now finds himself under intense scrutiny as pressure mounts and rumours of a potential exit swirl.

  The high-profile arrivals of Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike were intended to launch a new era of dominance, yet the Reds have instead struggled with cohesion, balance and consistency. Defensive frailties, disjointed pressing and ineffective attacking patterns have contributed to repeated lapses, with six defeats in seven matches across all competitions representing an alarming collapse. These shortcomings have allowed critics to accuse the squad of lacking structure and leadership, prompting scrutiny from figures across European football.

  Wirtz, signed to be the new creative heartbeat of the team, has endured an especially difficult adaptation to the Premier League, failing to score or assist in his first 12 league matches. As the Reds sink deeper into an early-season crisis, frustrations have intensified and external voices have begun to lay blame squarely at the feet of Liverpool’s expensive signings.

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  Bayern chief Hoeness defends Wirtz but takes shots at Liverpool

  Hoeness delivered one of the most scathing assessments yet, arguing that Liverpool’s fundamental problem is a squad overloaded with individualists rather than functional team players. He said: “They have spent 500 million euros and are playing a catastrophic season… In my opinion, that’s because you only have superstars. You only have chiefs and no workers.”

  Hoeness went further by accusing Liverpool’s attackers of refusing to share the ball and undermining their own playmaking unity. He claimed: “I always say: at Liverpool, they’ll soon have to play with five balls because the stars don’t want to give up a ball.”

  In what has become the most headline-grabbing portion of his outburst, Hoeness expressed sympathy for Wirtz while placing blame squarely on Salah and Szoboszlai. He added: “Poor Florian Wirtz, he doesn’t get the ball at all because Salah and Szoboszlai and what they’re all called want to play with their own ball.”

• Slot under pressure as failures pile up

  Liverpool’s slump has unfolded across multiple tactical and structural elements, creating a fractured team unable to execute Slot’s high-intensity principles. Their once-feared press is now inconsistent, leaving spaces for opponents to exploit while simultaneously limiting their ability to counter quickly and effectively. As a result, matches have been dominated statistically but lost through decisive moments, poor finishing and lapses in defensive concentration.

  The summer departure of wide man Luis Diaz have left a noticeable drop in pace and directness, stripping Liverpool of the explosiveness required to break low blocks. Even though players like Cody Gakpo remain influential in carries and build-up play, the final ball has repeatedly fallen short, preventing the team from converting favourable attacking positions. These deficiencies have fostered an overreliance on individual flashes rather than coordinated patterns, intensifying the pressure on midfield creators.

  Wirtz’s struggles mirror the wider issues, as his skillset relies on rapid combinations, synchronised movements and team-mates who recognise early passing triggers. At Bayer Leverkusen, he thrived in a system built around habit-forming repetitions. At Liverpool, he often drops deep only to find passes arriving too late or not at all.

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• Getty Images
  

  Slot fighting for his job as Wirtz looks to find form

  Liverpool now face the task of stabilising their season before it drifts into an outright collapse, beginning with the need to rebuild confidence and restore structure in possession and transition. Slot must find immediate solutions within the squad, especially in creating a functional environment for Wirtz while reducing the reliance on isolated star moments. Should results fail to turn quickly, continued pressure could force Liverpool into major January decisions – both in personnel and potentially in the dugout.

  After getting somewhat back on track by beating West Ham on Sunday, the Reds will be up against Sunderland and Leeds United before taking on Inter in the Champions League.

Neymar has reportedly suffered another injury setback as his bid to be part of Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad hangs in the balance. The 33-year-old had recently returned from a hamstring injury and just when he was settling in to playing again for Santos, the former Barcelona star is now set to miss their crucial clash with Internacional because of a new issue.

Hype over Neymar move wearing off

There was a huge sense of excitement when news circulated that Neymar could return to his boyhood club at the start of 2025 following the cancellation of his Al-Hilal contract. Sure enough, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain star was unveiled by the Brazilian giants in late January, with the attacker eager to regain top form and get himself back into the international picture. While a return of seven goals and three assists in 25 matches in all competitions does not make for bad reading, Neymar has repeatedly been out injured. That has coincided with the veteran missing many games, with Santos currently hovering just above the relegation zone. Now, BeIN Sports are reporting that he has been dealing with knee discomfort throughout the week and therefore he will miss Monday's clash with fellow strugglers Internacional in a battle between 17th and 15th in Brasileiro Serie A, respectively. They add that there is no structural damage but Neymar's pain has been enough to sideline him and raise concern within the club. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportQuestion marks over Neymar's Santos future

Neymar's contract at Santos expires at the end of this year, meaning he could be a free agent in early 2026, with a World Cup half a year away. So far, there has been no contract breakthrough, although club president Marcelo Teixeira appears confident a deal can be struck. 

He said earlier this month: "Neymar's project is the 2026 World Cup. If there's consensus, he will extend. There is great trust between him and the club, and I believe we'll find a solution at the right moment."

However, there is no guarantee he will stay, but a move to rivals, Fluminense, has been ruled out by club president Mario Bittencourt.

He tweeted: "Regarding Neymar, I clarify that there has been no recent contact between Fluminense and the player, or his staff. Fluminense has immense respect for Santos and, obviously, the club and the player are 100% dedicated to winning the remaining games in the Brazilian Championship."

Ancelotti not giving up on Neymar

Despite not picking him in recent Brazil squads, former Real Madrid manager and current Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti has issued an ultimatum to Neymar: Stay fit and perform well, and you may go to the 2026 World Cup.

He said just under a fortnight ago: "Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list. Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends, he’ll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again."

The former AC Milan boss also offered some words of advice for the Brazilian great in his bid to play at next year's iconic tournament in North America. 

"The truth is that soccer today asks for many things, not just talent. Also physical condition, intensity. hopefully Neymar can be at his best level," Ancelotti said. "He needs to play more centrally, not as a winger. Wingers in today’s soccer are players you need to help also defensively. When you play a little bit more inside the defensive work is much less than if you play as a winger."

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GettyWhat comes next for Neymar and Santos?

A Neymar-less Santos travel to Internacional on Monday night, hoping to ease their relegation fears. They sit one place and three points above the drop zone ahead of their final four fixtures of the season. After this encounter, they take on Sport Recife, Juventude RS, and Cruzeiro as they attempt to maintain their top-flight status. Whether Neymar will play a part in that remains to be seen.

Worcestershire fight back through Taylor, Libby but face uphill struggle to avoid defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025

Worcestershire 123 and 270 for 6 (Libby 72) lead Sussex 350 (Simpson 129*, Taylor 4-106) by 43 runsJohn Simpson’s unbeaten 129 and six second-innings Worcestershire wickets kept Sussex in command on day two of the Rothesay County Championship clash at Visit Worcestershire New Road.A glistening fourth century of the season from the away side’s skipper saw Sussex add 122 runs to their overnight score, before they were bowled out for 350.With a deficit of 227, Jake Libby and Rehaan Edavalath added a century stand for the first wicket to throw the Pears a lifeline.Six wickets across the second half of the day however saw Worcestershire cling onto a slender lead of 43 runs heading into the third day with just four wickets intact.A resplendent morning at Visit Worcestershire New Road saw the home side land the first blow of the day when Tom Taylor bowled Jack Carson in the first over of the morning.A 53rd wicket of a remarkable season followed soon after for Taylor as Danny Lamb feathered a nick through to Rob Jones at second slip, to check the visitors progress at 245 for 7.Simpson registered his fourth hundred of a memorable Division One campaign, reaching the milestone in 138 balls and scoring 18 boundaries in the process, shortly after Ollie Robinson had departed for a brisk 24.Simpson kicked on as the visitors reached 350 and strengthened their grip on the match, before Matthew Waite’s introduction into the attack saw him take two wickets in four balls as he dismissed both Ari Karvelas and Jayden Unadkat, with Sussex all-out for 350 possessing a healthy lead of 227.Simpson finished unbeaten on 129, with his 19th first-class century the standout innings of the game.Libby surpassed 1000 first class runs for the season in the Rothesay County Championship early into the afternoon session as the Worcestershire reply got off to a cautious start.The shackles were freed by Libby however, as he moved through the gears with some dismissive pull shots through midwicket as Sussex’s opening bowlers grafted to no avail in the sunshine.Libby pressed on in fine style, reaching a third Division One half-century of the season in just 63 deliveries, as he and Edavalath added 113 for the first wicket on a pitch showing signs of flattening.Edavalath made 45 and Libby a superb 72, before the pair were dismissed inside four overs of one another, with Edavalath first lbw off a straightening Unadkat delivery and Libby following soon after having edged a ball behind to James Coles at slip to give the Indian seam bowler his second of the innings.Robinson collected his first wicket of the innings when he hurried Isaac Mohammed with a short ball to dismiss the teenager for 4.First-innings top scorer Dan Lategan and number five Rob Jones came together midway through the afternoon to add 63 for the fourth wicket with the hosts working hard to find a foothold in the game.Despite making it to the tea interval unscathed, Tom Haines ended the partnership in the 46th over of Worcestershire’s reply, as he pinned Lategan lbw for 30, with the hosts still 40 runs in arrears.Jones produced a gritty knock of 46, with Worcestershire heading towards the close at parity, but his wicket and the dismissal of Ethan Brookes handed Sussex back the initiative late on.

All the stats highlights from Australia’s innings in Perth where they were bowled out for 104

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Nov-20240:47

What made Bumrah stand out?

104 Australia’s first-innings total in Perth is their second lowest in home Tests against India, after the 83 all-out in Melbourne in 1981.It is also Australia’s third-lowest total in home Tests since 1985 and their fourth-lowest total in the format against India.46 Lead in the first innings for India in Perth, the fifth highest by any team making 150 or less while batting first. The highest is a lead of 71 runs for England, who were bowled out for 113 while batting first against Australia in 1888 in Sydney.Related

• Rahul and Jaiswal show defence is (sometimes) the best form of defiance

• Captain Bumrah makes his own rules to spark India to life

• Smith and Labuschagne's struggles part of an alarming trend for Australia

• How Bumrah left Australia reeling with his five-for

2 Previous instances of India claiming a first-innings lead in men’s Tests, despite scoring 150 or less while batting first. They took a five-run lead in the 2002 Hamilton Test against New Zealand, despite getting bowled out for only 99 while batting first and claimed a first-innings lead of 13 runs against England in the 1936 Lord’s Test, despite making only 147.37 Total runs by Australia’s top six batters in the first innings, the lowest for them in a men’s Test innings at home since the 22 runs they scored against West Indies in the 1978 Brisbane Test.97 Runs aggregated by India (59) and Australia (38) before the fall of the fifth wicket in their first innings in Perth. This is the lowest in a men’s Test match since the 67 runs by India and West Indies in the 1987 Delhi Test.Australia’s top-order batters made a total of 37 runs•AFP/Getty Images2 Number of partnerships across the first two innings in the Perth Test to survive ten or more overs. Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy added 48 runs in 14.1 overs for the seventh wicket for India, while Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood put on 26 in 18 overs for the tenth wicket for Australia.Each of the other 18 partnerships added less than 20 runs, the joint most in the first two innings of a men’s Test match.254 Total runs scored by India (150) and Australia (104) in their first innings at Perth. It is the lowest first-innings aggregate in a Test match in Australia since the 242 runs in the 1981 Test between the hosts and Pakistan at the WACA Stadium.9 Five-wicket hauls for Jasprit Bumrah in Tests outside Asia, the joint most by an Indian, alongside Kapil Dev. It was Bumrah’s second five-for in Australia. He has two each in England and West Indies, and three five-wicket hauls in South Africa.5 for 30 Bumrah’s bowling figures in Perth are the best by an Indian captain in men’s Tests since Kapil Dev’s 8 for 106 against Australia in the 1985 Adelaide Test. Bumrah is also the first Indian captain with a five-wicket haul in Test cricket since Anil Kumble in the 2007 Melbourne Test.

It wasn’t perfect, but Manchester United secured three points at Molineux to return to winning ways in the Premier League and gear up for another charge toward Champions League contention.

Bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers crumbled away after the break, and the Red Devils made them pay, with Bruno Fernandes’ brace coming either side of second-half strikes from Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount.

The home side might be at the centre of a catastrophic failure this season, but take nothing away from United’s slick attacking play, creating a platform to build on after labouring to a draw against West Ham United at Old Trafford last week.

How Man Utd beat Wolves

Amorim’s Red Devils have rekindled the feel-good factor. There is work still to be done, and the Portuguese tactician’s system leaves something to be desired, but Manchester United are just one point behind fourth-placed Crystal Palace.

Amorim knew his side would dominate the ball, and dictate the flow of possession they did, but he would have drilled into his troops at half-time a lesson about wayward shooting. As per Sofascore, United chalked up an xG total of 4.01 across the match, with 3.06 of that total coming after the interval despite 14 of the 27 shots on the evening being lashed across the first half.

It’s also worth noting that five of United’s seven shots on target came during the first half. This may have smacked of desperation in other circumstances, but at Molineux illustrated a tactical tweak orienting toward greater variation, a ramping-up of the gas that outfoxed a Wolves backline that crumbled under pressure.

One way of looking at it would be that United toiled, to little avail, before the break, but we also saw tactical adaptation from a manager who has been criticised for his obstinacy.

Content creator Adam Joseph said that “tonight doesn’t solve any issues”, but he praised the victory all the same. Now, Amorim needs to go one step further and deepen the nuances of his system, surely ending one protracted experiment which might have seen the visitors come unstuck, had they been playing a higher calibre of opponent.

Amorim must boldly drop Man United talent

Amad Diallo is one of the most talented players in Manchester United’s squad, but he’s also been played out of position for the lion’s share of the Amorim era, and the contest at Molineux issued a reminder that he cannot continue in an unnatural wing-back berth forever.

Not only does it hinder the 23-year-old’s attacking play, but it also fails to offer United’s system the balance and fluency it requires down the right channel.

This was by no means a, quote unquote, disasterclass, but Amad did leave something to be desired, lacking end product and culpable for a few defensive lapses. The Manchester Evening News recognised this, handing the Ivory Coast international a 6/10 match rating.

Amad, after all, was perhaps at fault for the Old Gold’s parity-restoring goal before the break, failing to close David Møller Wolfe as the wing-back cut back to Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who scored.

There were flashes of quality, for sure, but we must remember that Amad is performing, dutifully, in a role that is not his own, and this was picked up by analyst Raj Chohan, who remarked that it has been “completely unserious squad planning” on Amorim’s part, shoehorning a fleet-footed forward into a position that he “does not suit playing” in.

This season, ten of Amad’s 15 appearances have come as United’s right-sided wing-back, with five outings made in an attacking role off the central striker.

There he plays his best stuff, and if Amorim is to succeed at the club and lead the squad for the long run, he will need to find a way to maximise this talented forward’s skills in a position that he can call his own.

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She’s now the No. 1 allrounder, the No. 2 batter and No. 3 bowler in the ICC rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2025Ashleigh Gardner’s storming Women’s World Cup 2025 has put her at a level seldom, if ever, attained by any allrounder, of any gender, in any format, in the history of the sport. She sits, following the latest update to the ICC rankings, among the top three batters, bowlers and allrounders in Women’s ODIs.Full rankings tables

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Gardner has been one of the most important drivers of Australia’s unbeaten run in the tournament so far, scoring 265 runs at an average of 88.33 and a strike rate of 128.01, and taking seven wickets with her offspin at 30.00. Four visits to the crease have brought her two hundreds, both coming in tense situations.When she walked in against New Zealand, Australia were 113 for 4, which soon became 128 for 5. She smashed 115 off 83 balls to lead them to a total of 326.Then, in a chase of 245 against England, Gardner entered with Australia 86 for 4. She scored an unbeaten 104, off just 73 balls, and put on an unbroken 180 with Annabel Sutherland to clinch victory with a whopping 57 balls to spare.Those knocks have propelled Gardner up six slots, from No. 8 to No. 2, in the latest update of the ICC’s ODI rankings, with only India’s Smriti Mandhana above her. Gardner has, meanwhile, kept hold of her top spot among allrounders and the No. 3 spot among bowlers.England’s Sophie Ecclestone sits on top of the bowlers’ chart with Australia legspinner Alana King, who took a World-Cup-record 7 for 18 against South Africa, in a career-best second place, having shot up five spots.