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Manchester City staged an excellent comeback from two goals down to seal a 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League this afternoon.

When Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards put the away side 2-0 up, it looked as though it was going to be another poor result for the Etihad side in the top flight.

They rebounded wonderfully well to seal all three points and they remain fourth in the table at the time of writing as they chase a Champions League spot next season.

All the talk this week was on Kevin De Bruyne finally departing City, and he was outstanding against Palace.

Kevin De Bruyne’s stats vs Crystal Palace

The Belgian won’t go out winning another league title, but he is doing his best to make sure City finish in the top four.

Against Palace, he was pushed into a more advanced role and not only scored, but he also grabbed an assist during the tie.

De Bruyne also registered six total shots, missed two big chances, made four key passes and hit the woodwork in what was an energetic display in Manchester.

Manchester City vs Crystal Palace – Key Statistics
Metric	Highest-ranked
Accurate passes	Rúben Dias (105)
Key passes	Kevin De Bruyne (4)
Tackles	Chris Richards and Nico Gonzalez (4)
Ground duels won	Daniel Munoz and Nico Gonzalez (5)
Shots on target	Omar Marmoush (3)
Via Sofascore

He might be advancing in age, but there is no doubt that when he is at his peak, few come close to performing like this. That’s for sure.

Pep Guardiola wasn’t relying on him solely, however, as there was a young talent making his first Premier League start for the club who shone today.

Man City shown why they don't need Gibbs-White

It appears as though City are keen on replacing De Bruyne with Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

Despite registering 14 goal contributions this season, Forest have reportedly slapped a £100m price tag on the attacking midfielder.

Do they really need him? James McAtee was superb this afternoon at the Etihad. On his first ever league start for the club, he scored a delightful goal in the second half along with creating two big chances and making two key passes throughout the game.

The youngster may have been deployed on the right flank against Palace, but he is at home in the number ten slot, playing there on numerous occasions this season to excellent effect.

McAtee’s maturity is getting better with each game. He only lost possession seven times during the clash, while making one tackle and winning two ground duels.

Chief Manchester City writer for the Manchester Evening News, Simon Bajkowski, gave the Englishman a match rating of 7/10, stating that he ‘made a lot happen’ when he was on the pitch.

Guardiola will need to bring in another big-name signing or two this summer to please the supporters and give the club a shot at winning another league title.

Is spending around £100m on Gibbs-White the right option, however? Especially with McAtee proving today that he can step up when it matters most.

Man City in contact with "electric" £30m full-back with Walker-esque pace

The Citizens could land a bargain deal…

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 11, 2025

A scuffed-up ball and a fired-up fast bowler combined for one of the great passages of reverse

Vithushan Ehantharajah28-Jul-2024It started with a six.Mikyle Louis, just as he had threatened throughout his debut Test series, was batting like a dream. West Indies were three down and only 12 ahead, but Louis was moving the dial in controlled fashion. And when he slog-swept Shoaib Bashir into the RES Wyatt Stand at long-on to bring up his first half-century, he had reason to believe the blow would resonate throughout the innings. In a way, he would have been right.About four hours later, the Botham-Richards Trophy was being polished before being handed to England for the last formalities of the post-series presentations. By then, West Indies were back in their dressing room, still trying to come to terms with being blown out of the water by Mark Wood’s 5 for 40, with assistance from Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson, in what will be remembered as one of the most remarkable spells of reverse-swing bowling of the modern era.The ball, now in Wood’s possession, with which he strung together five wickets across 21 deliveries and then held up to the adoring Birmingham crowd, carries a notable blemish on its rough side. One which it picked up off the back of Louis’ strike. From that point on, as Stokes put it, “It started doing loads.”Related

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“You need to blame Louis for this,” the England captain said to Kavem Hodge out in the middle as the No. 5 sat in the worst seat in the house, unable to avert his eyes for five of the seven wickets to fall in this hellacious spell of reverse.You can convince yourself Stokes was speaking with a bit of empathy until you realise he was the one that instigated all this.Upon realising the ball would start to tail, Stokes decided to have first dibs. An eight-over spell from the Pavilion End – which accounted for Louis, finding the edge with a lack of movement after lavish lead-up deliveries – was a throwback to previous such spells. Before he was captain, Stokes was used as the ideal conduit for reverse swing, with his slight left-lean in his gather and cantered right arm pushing the ball in, encouraging movement through the air before the rough-and-smooth work against one another.That he took just one wicket – Zak Crawley busted his little finger on his right hand dropping a deserved second – means Edgbaston 2024 won’t join the likes of Chattogram 2016 and Cape Town 2020 for memorable dalliances with the untameable craft. But this was another nod to a previously troublesome left knee that has a new lease of life.Reverse swing is a collaborative process. From Atkinson taking up the City End – and snaring Jason Holder, who Crawley had shelled – to the rest of the team ensuring the ball remained in condition. Joe Root has often been the one to buff, but this time it was Harry Brook charged with keeping the shiny side pristine, using the top of his right pocket to polish.The rough side is harder to manage, but every fielder did their bit. Touches on the ball were few and far between, holding the ball across the seam, with the sweatier members avoiding it altogether. Undoubtedly the most important part was recognising the scuffed side was the right kind of scuffed; ideally a fuzz rather than tatters. In a series that has had more ball changes than actual days of cricket (10), they did well to recognise that this defacement of the Dukes was to their benefit.Mark Wood roars after dismissing Kavem Hodge•Getty ImagesAnd yet, while reverse swing is never solely about one man, it certainly felt that way after lunch. “I think that’s one of the best reverse swing performances I’ve seen in a long time,” Stokes beamed of Wood’s six-over spell from lunch, which in isolation carried figures of 5 for 9. What a way to make a killing.Type in “reverse swing dismissals” into Chat GPT and not even AI would be able to conjure the kind of imagery Wood was serving up. Inswinging yorkers (Joshua Da Silva), uprooted stumps (Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales) and the thinking man’s reverse-swing dismissal – the nick (Hodge).Even before Wood made his Test debut in 2015, he was embued with reverse swing lessons from ECB coaches. During his time with the Lions he would hone those skills at Loughborough with balls that were deliberately scratched and loaded, a characteristic achieved by soaking one side in water.It was from these groundings that Wood figured out what works best for him. Slightly lowering his arm, bowling a little fuller than normal but not consistently yorker length, to get that extra zip to attack the pads. All with his use of the crease, which here included going wide to the right-handers to open their stances up a little more, thus further offsetting their front foot.As quickly as the wickets came, England were not all that greedy, which James Anderson preached at lunch. Anderson told the quicks that given the scale of movement out there, pace was not the priority. By focusing on skills, they would be able to gain just as many rewards. During his playing days (which only ended a couple of weeks ago) Anderson’s use of reverse swing centred around patience, with such skill that batters would not realise the ball was “misbehaving” until they were watching their dismissals back in the dressing room.Jayden Seales loses his off stump•ECB via Getty ImagesHe advised them to use the short ball, which Wood did to great effect as the lead-in to the dismissals of Joseph and Seales. And the focus on the right areas ensured West Indies’ scoring – and thus strike rotation – was kept to a minimum. It meant Hodge was caught cold; his looseness on 55 outside off stump was through facing just 18 deliveries in 10.1 overs of the middle session.For all the calculation and cold-hearted cunning, there was raw emotion on show as Wood finally got his flowers – and a player-of-the-match award – for what have been two exceptional Tests. He had just four wickets from three innings to show for it before Sunday, sending down the fastest overs by an Englishman and beating so many edges you wondered if he had taken up breaking mirrors in his spare time.There is also the fact that Wood has, peculiarly, found himself in the crosshairs of some of the West Indies players. A number of them have chirped him when he’s batting – nothing malicious or, well, out of turn considering he has bagged two ducks out of three. But as Kevin Sinclair found out at Trent Bridge, and Seales here after lauding his dismissal of Wood as the nightwatcher in the first innings, there are better targets to rile than someone who cracks bones and dislocates stumps. He was basically laughing at Seales when he sent his off stump so far back that Brook paced out the distance as he returned it.All in all, this has been a tame series. James Anderson’s farewell gave Lord’s a testimonial feel. Trent Bridge was more of a contest until the final half-session, when it was anything but. And what jeopardy there was at the start of day two in this dead rubber had dissipated by third morning.By Sunday afternoon though, the game was at its most febrile. Its most carnal. Its most watchable. For that, we have reverse swing, England and Mark Wood to thank. And, of course, Mikyle Louis.

Offspin, legspin or left-arm orthodox – this is the choice facing Australia as they evaluate their support spinners

Alex Malcolm11-Jan-2023Australia could consider playing two offspinners in the same Test team in India after uncapped 22-year-old Todd Murphy was named in their Test squad, but Ashton Agar remains the preferred option to partner Nathan Lyon despite a modest return to Test cricket in Sydney last week.Australia’s selectors named four spinners, including two offspinners in Lyon and Murphy, a legspinner in Mitchell Swepson, and a left-arm orthodox in Agar for Australia’s four-Test tour of India starting in Nagpur on February 9.Australia played two spinners in their last Test match, with Agar playing his first game alongside Lyon since 2017, while legspinner Swepson partnered Lyon in four of five Test matches in Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year.Australia have had moderate success with two spinners in the same XI over the past 12 months, claiming two wins, two draws and one loss in Galle. Australia did win one Test in India on their last tour in 2017 off the back of playing two spinners, with left-arm orthodox Steve O’Keefe claiming 12 for 70 in Pune.Part of the reason for Agar’s return in Sydney, despite a very modest first-class record over 10 years and 64 games, was because Australia’s selectors would prefer a left-arm orthodox bowler in India both to complement Lyon and replicate the success of O’Keefe in India, and the success of India duo Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey believes that Agar would be better for the run in Sydney ahead of the tour of India.”Certainly in India, we would like to have the availability of a left-arm orthodox,” Bailey said. “[It’s] great that we have the opportunity to get Ash a game. He hasn’t played a great deal of red-ball cricket and then in horse-racing terms I think he will be better for the run. [It was] great to have him around the group again and with a focus to sort of build his red-ball stuff up over the next little period until we get to India.”Agar has played just seven first-class matches since the start of 2020, taking just 17 wickets at 50.64 and striking at 109.5 with an economy rate of 2.78. He took figures of 0 for 58 from 22 overs in Sydney, and was bowled sparingly by captain Pat Cummins compared to Lyon’s 55 overs for the match. But Cummins was pleased with Agar’s efforts.Todd Murphy has made an excellent start to his first-class career, but are Australia willing to play two offspinners?•Getty ImagesCould Murphy’s emergence prompt Australia to play two offspinners?
While a left-arm orthodox spinner is preferred in India, Bailey conceded that Murphy’s emergence has made the selectors consider playing two offspinners in the same side. Murphy has only played seven first-class matches in his short career for Victoria, Australia A and the Prime Minister’s XI, all in the last two years, but has taken 29 wickets at 25.20, striking at 57.6 with an economy rate of 2.62.”Absolutely, he’s a chance to play,” Bailey said. “[It’s] certainly not a development tour. So he’s earned his spot through his performances and what we think he can do, clearly.”Whether he can play alongside [Lyon] is a question but they are different as far as offspinners go. So I don’t think you’re necessarily looking at the same type of bowler. We’ll get across and assess the conditions and what we think we need once we hit the ground.”Bailey and his fellow selectors, Tony Dodemaide and coach Andrew McDonald, have been consistent in their messaging around picking a complementary spinner to partner Lyon in order to balance out the attack. McDonald stated on record prior to Agar’s selection in Sydney that having a spinner who complemented Lyon by turning the ball away from the right-handers was more important than picking the next-best spinner.That desire is exacerbated by the development of Travis Head as a part-time offspinner within Australia’s XI. The idea of picking two specialist offspinners, along with the part-time offspin of Head, with only the part-time legspin of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith to complement them, could leave Australia’s attack unbalanced in spinning conditions, particularly given most of India’s top six will be right-handers in the absence of Rishabh Pant.Mitchell Swepson took 10 wickets at 45.80 on the tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesThe case for Swepson
Australia selectors have selected one legspinner in Swepson but have cooled on the idea of using him to complement Lyon. He bowled well at times without luck in Pakistan and Sri Lanka but took just 10 wickets at 45.80, striking at 89.2. He also didn’t quite contain the run-rate in the way Australia would have liked while they attacked with reverse swing from their quicks at the other end.There was a consideration to pick Australia’s white-ball spinner Adam Zampa after he made a return to first-class cricket for the first time in three years in December. But Bailey confirmed that Swepson remains Australia’s number one legspinner in red-ball cricket.”Swep’s on the tour because if we feel that we need a legspinner we think he’s our best option,” Bailey said. “I think Zamps has displayed a real keenness to be around the Test squad. And we just probably haven’t seen enough red-ball cricket from him. And to be fair to Swep we’ve liked what he’s given us when he’s had his opportunities and [we’ll] continue to invest in him.”But Australia’s selectors are aware of the difficulties overseas legspinners have had in India, with Australia’s greatest ever Shane Warne struggling in three tours of India, averaging 43.11 and striking in 81 with an economy rate of 3.19. But Warne played a pivotal role in Australia’s 2004 series triumph in India, though he played more of a defensive role as the lone spinner in Australia’s two Test wins in Bengaluru and Nagpur while Australia’s three fast bowlers in Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz did the bulk of the damage.

The right-arm seamer is line to become the first Southlander to debut for NZ since Jeff Wilson in 1993

Deivarayan Muthu16-Dec-2020Around this time nine years ago, a 17-year-old Jacob Duffy made his T20 debut under Brendon McCullum for Otago and took out Northern Districts’ top three, including Kane Williamson and Tim Southee. Come Friday in the absence of a number of New Zealand seniors including Williamson and Southee, Duffy, now 26, could potentially make his international debut against Pakistan at Eden Park.The right-arm seamer is line to become the first Southlander to debut for New Zealand in international cricket since Jeff Wilson in 1993.”It’s amazing how many people reach out when you sort of get the call-up,” Duffy said two days out of the series opener in Auckland. “No, it’s pretty exciting, especially for a small community like that. I’ve really enjoyed growing up there, playing all my cricket there, and a little bit of Hawke Cup cricket and stuff. People down there are really fizzed. I remember they were fizzed up when I first played for Otago, so this is another step-up and it’s really cool.”Duffy, the Otago white-ball captain, has been among the most consistent performers in domestic cricket, and has also impressed for New Zealand A in recent times. He joins the senior side on the back of a six-wicket haul against the touring West Indians in a four-day fixture in Mount Maunganui. Earlier, in the 2019-20 Plunket Shield, he was the leading wicket-taker, with 22 strikes in five matches at an average of 22.86. He was also the second-highest wicket-taker in last season’s 50-over Ford Trophy with 21 scalps.Jacob Duffy has been among the most consistent performers for NZ A and Otago•Getty ImagesA tall bowler, Duffy can hit heavy lengths and extract extra bounce, but it is his ability to pitch the ball up and swing it which makes him an exciting addition to New Zealand’s already well-stocked seam attack. As for his T20 credentials, Duffy fronts up to bowl the tough overs at the death, and nobody has taken more wickets than him during this phase in the past four years in New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition. He has grabbed 15 wickets in 18 innings in the slog overs at an economy rate of 9.36. Duffy reckoned that his experiences of dealing with batting-friendly tracks and smaller boundaries at the domestic level would tune him up for international cricket.”You just have to play like another game,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough in the last couple of years to play a little [bit] of A cricket, so you get to experience the international flavour and see what other people around the world have. I guess the good thing about that is you realise you’re not far off in terms of skill levels and things like that. You can actually compete with guys at the international level. So, I think that’s a big part of learning out of the [A] series and just got to take that into this [international cricket] and back your skills.”It’s about doing what I’ve been doing to get here. I’ve got a particular brand of cricket I like to play and sort of things that have worked for me in the last few years – I will just be sticking to my guns.”The Duffy brand of cricket also involves scouting and looking for clues to outsmart the opposition. “I go home and watch a lot of footage,” he said. “I’ve got my own individual plans and cater the batsmen to what plan suits best.”Duffy attributed his recent success and international call-up to remodelling his action and straightening his follow-through. After being sent to a bowling boot camp by Otago coaches Rob Walter and Anton Roux in 2016-17, Duffy missed a major chunk of on-field action but worked on his control and ability to swing the ball during his time away from the side.”Coach Rob Walter and Anton Roux sort of sent me down to…They hadn’t seen a lot of me [then], but knew something was off,” Duffy said. “I went back to the drawing board and missed a lot of cricket that summer. Honestly, that turned my career around, and I’m honestly grateful to those guys for seeing something like that. That was a massive turning point in my career and I’ve been chipping away ever since.Jacob Duffy has been Otago Volts’ go-to death bowler in the Super Smash•Getty Images”I was falling away and wasn’t swinging the ball anymore and a little bit inaccurate, doing no good to anyone. [I] just got taller at the crease and a bit straighter [with my followthrough].”New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen, who has previously worked with Duffy during his A team stint, was pleased with the seamer’s progress and looked ahead to comparing scouting notes with him.”That’s [reworking the action is] hard for a bowler, particularly for a young bowler who has sort of been in New Zealand cricket’s High Performance systems for a long time. He had to rejig a few things and he’s done so well,” Jurgensen said. “He has performed well for Otago and he has been the captain. He has had a great opportunity to control his destiny and it’s a testament to the hard work he has done. He stepped up for the New Zealand A team last year against India, which was a great series I was involved in…. He is still a young man and has a lot of time in his cricketing career.”Duffy has a few tricks up his sleeve as a bowler in T20 – he has done very well. It’s about trying to marry his strengths with what we might plan to do at this venue but also against Pakistan.”A debut at Eden Park, where the straight boundaries are ultra-short, could mean a tough initiation into international cricket for Duffy, but he hopes that his “best will be good enough.”

The New York Yankees are expected to be buyers at this year's MLB trade deadline, but fortifying their roster for a shot at a World Series run could come at the expense of some key pieces of the organization.

According to Joel Sherman of the , multiple teams have expressed interest in Yankees slugger Ben Rice. The team is determined to keep him on the roster, but there have been multiple organizations inquiring about his ability to play behind the plate, as Rice was a catcher throughout much of his time in the minor leagues.

Of course, moving Rice is something the team would hope to avoid, but it may be necessary if they're to acquire some of the top players on the trade market.

Among the teams the Yankees have been closely linked to at this trade deadline include the Arizona Diamondbacks, who, after being swept by the Astros, appear destined to be sellers at the month's end. Some intriguing options in Arizona include Eugenio Suarez, who would alleviate a glaring need a third base while providing elite power, as well as pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.

This season, Rice is slashing .232/.323/.468 with 15 home runs, 32 RBIs and 45 runs. He's played two complete games behind the plate in 2025 and has 12 total appearances at the position. Obviously, his profile as a hitter is hard to find for a player capable of playing solid defense at catcher, so if he's able to catch at an MLB level, it makes sense that'd be of intrigue to teams.

Glasgow Rangers are back in action once again in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock away from Ibrox.

The Light Blues are looking to finally get back to winning ways after frustrating draws with Falkirk and Dundee United in their last outings in the league under Danny Rohl.

A 98th-minute penalty from Nedim Bajrami salvaged a point against Dundee United, and the Gers head coach may want to make several changes to the team after that disappointing showing, including dropping Bojan Miovski from the side.

Why Bojan Miovski should be dropped

The Macedonia international has been a regular starter in the Premiership, starting nine of his 11 appearances in the league (Sofascore), and led the line on Wednesday night.

Miovski lost three of his five ground duels and four of his five aerial duels, per Sofascore, against Dundee United, whilst he also missed his only ‘big chance’ in front of goal, which sort of sums up his season so far.

The former Aberdeen marksman has lost 69% of his duels and missed five ‘big chances’ to go along with his one goal in his 11 league outings, per Sofascore, which shows that he has struggled physically and in front of goal in a Gers shirt.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old striker has not delivered enough quality on the pitch, in or out of possession, which is why Rohl should drop the forward from the starting line-up for this clash with Kilmarnock this evening, to give Danilo or Youssef Chermiti a chance to lead the line.

Chalkboard

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

Miovski is not the only player who should be dropped from the side that started against Dundee United, though, as Connor Barron should also be ruthlessly ditched.

Why Connor Barron should be dropped

Rohl should drop the Scotland international from the starting line-up because his performances in the last two league games have not been at a high level.

Barron started against Falkirk and Dundee United alongside Nicolas Raskin in the middle of the park, ahead of Mohamed Diomande, but failed to offer enough quality on or off the ball.

Minutes

76

90

Pass accuracy

90%

83%

Big chances created

0

0

Tackles made

0

1

Fouls committed

2

1

Ground duels won

3/6

1/5

Aerial duels won

0/1

0/2

As you can see in the table above, the former Aberdeen star lost the majority of his physical duels across both games, including 86% against Dundee United, whilst he did not create any ‘big chances’ for the team.

This shows that Barron has been a lightweight in his duels in recent games, as opposition players have found it too easy to get the better of him, which has made the Rangers midfield too easy to play against.

On top of struggling out of possession, the 23-year-old central midfielder has no goals, no assists, and no ‘big chances’ created in 12 appearances and seven starts in the Premiership this season, per Sofascore.

He does not offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch and that has played a part in Rangers scoring just one non-penalty goal in 180 minutes against Falkirk and Dundee United.

Rohl has Diomande, who scored in his last league start against Livingston, available for selection and should bring him into the team to replace Barron for this clash with Kilmarnock this evening.

The Ivorian talent, who is off to the African Cup of Nations later this month, produced five goals and nine assists in midfield for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has the quality to make an impact in the final third when he is at his best.

Raskin repeat: Rohl lining up Rangers move to sign exciting "unicorn"

Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a move for a star who could be a Nicolas Raskin repeat.

ByDan Emery Dec 5, 2025

It is down to Rohl, though, to unleash him alongside Raskin against Kilmarnock tonight to provide him with another chance to remind the supporters of his quality before his absence due to international duty, because Barron has not done enough in his place.

Big picture: Pakistan 0, Australia 16

Pakistan have never beaten Australia in any format of women’s international cricket. And if that trend continues on Wednesday, their path forward in the ODI World Cup will become very complicated given they have already lost their opening two matches to Bangladesh and India.What might be even more concerning for Pakistan is that in 16 ODIs against Australia, they’ve not even come close to victory, with the narrowest margins of defeat being 37 runs and four wickets, both way back in 2014.Pakistan’s most recent contest against Australia, a three-match rubber in 2023, had these results: eight-wicket defeat, 10-wicket defeat, 101-run defeat. And while they are also yet to beat India (12 tries) or England (15 tries) in women’s ODIs, their 16 defeats to Australia make them, statistically, the toughest opponent.Related

• Ellyse Perry and Sidra Amin highlight the contrasts in Australia and Pakistan

• Schutt praised for response to omission as another selection call awaits

All this is to say that Pakistan have a considerable mountain ahead of them. As for Australia, their opening game against New Zealand was an ultimately comfortable win, and their second against Sri Lanka was washed out. They are also a team in near-invincible form. In 32 matches since the last World Cup, they’ve won 27 and lost just four. Pakistan in that same period have played 34 ODIs, won 13 and lost 18.So what exactly are the straws Pakistan might look to clutch here? One, Australia haven’t played since October 1 as a result of their washout against Sri Lanka. They are also yet to play at the R Premadasa stadium, where conditions don’t necessarily seem conducive to free-flowing batting. With Pakistan already having experienced these conditions in their defeat to India, there could be an advantage to be exploited.Finally, Pakistan will be hoping the law of averages catches up and gives them the crucial win and points that they need.2:40

Australia exude an attitude of ‘we know how to win this’

Form guide

Australia WWLWW (last five ODIs most recent first)
Pakistan LLWLL

In the spotlight: Sandhu and Mooney

Since the 2022 World Cup, no Pakistani bowler has picked up more wickets than spinner Nashra Sandhu – her 42 strikes in this period coming from 28 matches. But more interestingly her 248.1 overs are the sixth-most bowled by any bowler in the last three and a half years. This serves to highlight just how much Pakistan lean on Sandhu. This year has also been her most impactful one – she’s picked up 17 wickets in 10 games, including a six-wicket haul against South Africa. The only thing is, in her past five matches, she’s gone wicketless three times. Pakistan will need her at her best if they are to upset Australia.You’d be hard pressed to find a team Beth Mooney doesn’t like batting against, but even so, her ODI record against Pakistan is better than most. Across eight innings she’s struck 279 runs at an average of 69.75, an average that has been boosted by the fact that she’s only been dismissed four times. Mooney’s recent form too has been ominous, with a century and two fifties across her last five innings.Megan Schutt has a good record against Pakistan: 10 wickets in nine ODIs•Getty Images

Team news: Will Schutt get a look in?

With a week’s break since their last game, Australia will be itching to get out on the field. Their biggest dilemma is down to healthy competition, as it remains to be seen if Darcie Brown continues to keep Megan Schutt out of the XI.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Darcie BrownOmaima Sohail was replaced at the top of the order by Sadaf Shamas last time out, but with both openers struggling Sohail might find herself back in the side.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Sadaf Shamas, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia Iqbal

Pitch and conditions: Tricky batting conditions

Rain has been pestering Colombo and its surrounding suburbs over the past week, but Wednesday should arrive with clear, if cloudy, tidings. The pitch at the Khettarama has stayed true to form in the first two games its hosted at this World Cup, making life tricky for batters – expect that to stay the same.

Stats and trivia: Australia’s return to Colombo

• This will be Australia’s first women’s ODI in Colombo since 2016
• Only against Ireland (17-0) do Australia hold a more dominant ODI record than the one they have against Pakistan
• Australia have won their last 10 completed Women’s World Cup matches
• Annabel Sutherland is four away from 50 WODI wickets

Quotes

“We do have an edge but it all depends on what the team does with this advantage. We were unlucky to have our warmup game against Sri Lanka washed out but we’ve also played two games here and know the conditions very well.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Botafogo e Vasco se enfrentam neste domingo (18), às 16h (de Brasília), no Nilton Santos, pela 9ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca. O jogo terá transmissão de Band, Bandsports e Canal GOAT (YouTube). O Glorioso ocupa a quarta colocação, com 14 pontos conquistados, enquanto o Gigante da Colina é o quinto na tabela do estadual, com 15 pontos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasDicasFlamengo x Boavista: estatísticas e informações para apostar no jogo pelo CariocaDicas20/02/2024NotíciasCarioca: como foram os últimos jogos entre Botafogo x Vasco?Notícias18/02/2024Campeonato CariocaBotafogo x Vasco: onde assistir, horário e escalações do jogo pelo Campeonato CariocaCampeonato Carioca18/02/2024

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Botafogo x Vasco
9ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca

Data e horário: domingo, 18 de fevereiro de 2024, às 16h (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Nilton Santos, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Onde assistir: Band, Bandsports e Canal GOAT (YouTube)

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Tiago Nunes)
Gatito Fernández; Damián Suárez, Lucas Halter, Bastos e Hugo; Danilo Barbosa, Newton e Jefferson Savarino; Júnior Santos, Matheus Nascimento e Diego Hernández

continua após a publicidade

FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Ramón Diáz)
Léo Jardim; Léo, Robert Rojas e Maicon; Paulo Henrique, Zé Gabriel, Pablo Galdames, Dimitri Payet e Lucas Piton; David e Pablo Vegetti

➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

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BotafogoCampeonato CariocaVasco

Lauren Bell, Mady Villiers restrict Originals to 95 for 8 before Laura Wolvaardt sees visitors home

ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2025

Lauren Bell struck to leave Manchester Originals in tatters•Getty Images

Southern Brave started life after Charlotte Edwards with a convincing win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.The damage was all done with the ball, as Lauren Bell took 3 for 28 and Mady Villiers 2 for 19 to limit the hosts to just 95 for 8 from their 100 balls.Seren Smale fought a lone hand for Originals on a wicket that none of her team-mates ever looked at home on, making 40 from 34 balls to give her side the faintest hope at the halfway mark but no side has ever defended fewer than 109 in the Hundred women’s competition and their total never looked like enough.And while Brave were rarely fluent, they were always comfortable – easing to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Former Originals batter Laura Wolvaardt, a direct signing for Southern Brave this season, showed her old team what they were missing with an assured and unbeaten 42.She was supported by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32, as Brave’s batting line-up eased over the line in first gear. Having endured a surprising eighth-placed finish last summer, with just one win, Brave – and their new head coach Luke Williams in particular – will have been pleased to start the campaign with a victory.For Originals it was a disappointing start to the season and, Smale’s innings aside, a day of few positives – they’ll hope to demonstrate it was mere blip next time out at the Kia Oval on Saturday.Meerkat Match Hero Bell said: “It’s great to get our first win on the board. In tournament cricket it’s really important to get a good start, and it was a good team performance.”The girls stuck in. The wicket was a bit tricky but we’ve got a great line-up and the batters did the job. We’ve had a lot of really good chats about being really confident, backing our strengths, and having fun out there.”

Paul Pogba’s long-awaited Monaco debut has been delayed yet again after the midfielder picked up an ankle injury in training just 24 hours before his expected return. The 32-year-old, who last played competitively over two years ago, is now set to miss this weekend’s Ligue 1 clash against Paris FC, with his first appearance for the club pushed back beyond the November international break.

• Paul Pogba's return to action delayed again

  Just as anticipation built around Pogba’s long-awaited return to competitive football, the Monaco star has suffered another unfortunate setback. The 32-year-old picked up an ankle injury during Thursday’s training session, ruling him out of Saturday’s Ligue 1 fixture against Paris FC. Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli had raised hopes earlier in the week by suggesting Pogba could finally be named in the matchday squad, potentially ending his 26-month absence from professional football.

  Pogba last played for Juventus in September 2023 before being handed a doping suspension that initially ran for four years but was later reduced to 18 months. He had spent the last three months on a rigorous fitness programme following his June arrival at Monaco, working to rebuild both physical strength and sharpness after a long layoff. His debut was already delayed once due to a minor knock before the Angers match, and this latest ankle issue now prolongs his wait for a first appearance in Ligue 1.

  Monaco confirmed that they are awaiting confirmation of the injury’s severity but remain hopeful that Pogba will only be sidelined for a further two weeks. “We are awaiting confirmation of the severity, but it’s hoped he’ll only miss two weeks,” Pocognoli told reporters. “We’re all disappointed,” he added, explaining that the team now hopes to have the Frenchman fit in time for their home clash with Rennes on November 22.

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  What the Monaco move means for Pogba…

  Pogba’s repeated setbacks have cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a redemptive new chapter in his career. After signing a two-year deal with Monaco as a free agent in June, the move was seen as both a fresh start and a statement of intent; a chance for one of France’s most gifted midfielders to reclaim his place in the footballing elite. However, since his arrival, the World Cup winner has been restricted to gym work, recovery sessions, and individual training routines, with fans still waiting to see him in Monaco colours.

  At 32, Pogba is no longer the explosive presence he once was at Manchester United or Juventus, and his transition back to top-flight football has required patience and careful management. Monaco’s coaching staff have publicly backed his rehabilitation process, with Pocognoli and his medical team determined not to rush him back prematurely and risk further injury setbacks.

• Pogba's footballing journey: A mix of high highs and low lows

  Pogba’s footballing journey has been one of the most eventful of his generation. A product of Manchester United’s academy, he first burst onto the scene with Juventus, winning four consecutive Serie A titles before returning to Old Trafford in 2016 for a then-world record £89 million fee. Across his two spells with United, he made over 150 appearances, winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup while establishing himself as one of France’s most technically gifted midfielders.

  His international career reached its pinnacle in 2018 when he played a pivotal role in France’s World Cup triumph, scoring in the final against Croatia. Yet injuries and inconsistency began to plague his club form in subsequent years. The doping suspension handed down in 2023 proved to be the lowest point of his career.

  Joining Monaco represented a chance to rebuild. The emotional scenes that accompanied his signing, Pogba was seen breaking down in tears as he put pen to paper, capturing how much the return meant to him personally. His stated goal has been to “rediscover happiness through football” and, eventually, earn a recall to Didier Deschamps’ France squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. For now, though, his dream remains on hold, with recovery once again his main focus.

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  Pogba's debut could now come after the November international break

  Pogba’s immediate objective will be to recover in time for Monaco’s November 22 clash against Rennes, which now stands as the new target for his long-awaited debut. The club’s medical team is monitoring his ankle closely, and while the injury is not thought to be serious, Monaco are taking a cautious approach given his recent history. If all goes to plan, the Rennes fixture could mark his first appearance in professional football in more than two years.

  Until then, Monaco’s focus will remain on maintaining form in Ligue 1 as they juggle a busy schedule without their marquee summer signing. Pocognoli’s men face Paris FC this weekend and Reims shortly after, fixtures that could prove decisive in maintaining their early-season momentum. The team will continue to rely on the likes of Mohamed Camara and Eliot Matazo to anchor the midfield while Pogba completes his recovery programme.