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Buttler’s blockathon, Starc’s , and other key numbers from the second Ashes Test

Sampath Bandarupalli20-Dec-20219-0 With a 275-run win over England in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide, Australia extended their perfect record in day-night Tests, winning all nine they
have played so far. Australia played six of those of nine at the Adelaide Oval, including two against England.ESPNcricinfo Ltd23 Test defeats as captain for Joe Root, the most for an England captain, surpassing Alastair Cook’s 22 losses. Eight of those 23 defeats came in the Ashes, the joint-third-most for a captain.12.56 Jos Buttler’s strike rate during his 207-ball 26. Only two batters had a lower strike rate in a Test innings while facing 200-plus balls (where balls faced data is available). Hashim Amla struck at 10.24 during his 244-ball 25 against India in 2015, while Jack Russell scored an unbeaten 29 off 235 at a strike rate of 12.34 against South Africa in 1995. Buttler’s strike rate of 11.71 across both innings of the Adelaide Test is the second-lowest for any batter when facing 200-plus deliveries in a Test.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1.69 England’s run rate in the fourth innings. It is the fifth-lowest in a Test innings of 100-plus overs since 2000. The top four slowest Test innings in this period have all been played by South Africa. The Adelaide Test saw England’s slowest Test innings since The Oval 1998 when they scored 198 runs in 120.4 overs at a rate of 1.39 in the second innings against Sri Lanka.379 Total balls faced by England’s players batting at No. 7 or lower. Since 2010, only once a team’s No. 7 and lower batters have faced more deliveries in the fourth innings of a Test. Coincidentally, it was England only whose lower order battled for 459 balls against Sri Lanka at Leeds in 2014 in yet another unsuccessful attempt to save the match.56 Test wickets for Nathan Lyon at the Adelaide Oval, the joint-most for a bowler at the venue. Lyon equalled Shane Warne’s tally.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4859 Runs as captain for Root in Test cricket. He now holds the record for the most Test runs as an England skipper, eclipsing Cook’s tally of 4844. In the next Test, Root will also equal Cook’s record of leading England in the most number of Tests.52 Wickets for Mitchell Starc in day-night Test matches. He is the first bowler to complete 50 wickets in day-night Tests. Lyon is second on that list with 34 scalps.

There's bad news for MLB teams that lost Game 1 of their wild-card series on Tuesday. Based on past results, it's unlikely that they'll come back to win the series.

As USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted, since MLB moved to its current postseason format in 2022, there have been 12 wild-card series. Ten of those 12 series have ended in sweeps. In addition to that, no team that lost the first game has wound up advancing to the next round.

That's really bad news for the Guardians, Padres, Yankees, and Reds, who all lost the opening games of their respective matchups on Tuesday. All head into Wednesday facing elimination, and the numbers suggest they'll all wind up on vacation soon.

The only teams to force a third game under the current format were the Mets in 2022 and the Brewers in 2024.

The 2022 Mets were hosting the Padres at Citi Field, but lost the opener of the series 7-1. They won Game 2 7-3, but lost Game 3 6-0 in the infamous Joe Musgrove ear game.

Last season, the Brewers lost Game 1 of their wild-card series against the Mets 8-4 at American Family Field. They bounced back in Game 2 to win 5-3, but New York bested Milwaukee 4-2 in Game 3.

We'll see if any of the trailing teams can reverse the trend this year.

The defeat all but ended Sydney Thunder’s qualification hopes

AAP30-Nov-2025

Ellyse Perry stayed unbeaten in the chase•Getty Images

An Ellyse Perry masterclass has catapulted the Sydney Sixers back into the WBBL’s top four, with the allrounder leading her side to a crucial win over the Thunder.Chasing 175 for victory on Sunday, Perry scored an unbeaten 77 to take the Sixers to victory with six wickets and five balls to spare.The result all but ends the Thunder’s finals hopes, after a season where they have won just two of their seven completed games.On a crucial day in the WBBL’s finals race, Adelaide Strikers also kept their finals hopes alive with a last-over victory over the winless Brisbane Heat.The victory left them equal on eight points with the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers, with all three teams having two games to play. The Sixers are one point ahead in third with a game in hand, with the four sides now seemingly battling for the last two spots in the finals.Seemingly down and out when bowled out for 42 against the second-placed Melbourne Stars 10 days ago, the Sixers have not lost since.After Heather Knight (65) and Anika Learoyd (43) rescued the Thunder from 58 for 4 at the end of the 10th over to post 174 for 6, Perry took charge in front of a crowd of 5024.She hit Sam Bates for two big sixes down the ground, including one that landed next to the famous Fig Tree at one end of North Sydney Oval.The veteran also charged quick Shabnim Ismail and hit her over long-on, with Perry rarely looking troubled in her 44-ball 77.Englishwoman Sophia Dunkley also hit 44 up top for the Sixers, while Alyssa Healy provided a quickfire 33 before perishing late.

Big picture – Can Pakistan find some batting firepower?

South Africa have already booked a semi-final spot. Despite not having won a match so far in the tournament, Pakistan still have a slim chance of sneaking into the knockouts, provided they win their last two matches by huge margins and other results also go their way. With no teams ruled out of contention just yet (at least until Monday’s Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match finishes), there is plenty on the line in every game. This tournament has now arrived at its pointy end.Pakistan’s bowlers will perhaps still be buoyed by their most recent performance. Fatima Sana and Co. struck early and then repeatedly against England, restricting one of the better batting units in the tournament to a low score that Pakistan looked likely to chase down, before a second spell of rains washed the rest of that match out. As had been the case in that game, the rains that have held sway in Colombo will likely envenom seamers, who may get the ball to move appreciably off a slightly moist deck. Often, teams prefer to bat first at the Khettarama – a venue that is notoriously tricky for chasing sides, especially under lights. But at this time of year, bowling first is an advantage too.Related

• Road to the semis: Five teams in contention for one spot

• Bangladesh, Pakistan and SL fall behind in the power game

In fact, Pakistan’s batters were on the receiving end of some good seam bowling in Saturday’s match against New Zealand, when they had been 92 for 5 in an already rain-reduced innings, before more rains ended that match. South Africa have experienced seamers like Masabata Klaas and Marizanne Kapp in their XI. Although they haven’t quite lit this World Cup up so far, both bowlers are very capable of bowling themselves into better rhythm on a helpful deck.The tougher the surface is to bat on, however, the more Pakistan will feel they can compete. As batting is by a distance the weaker of their two main discipline, a low-scoring match would suit them best. In fact, it had been a low-scoring game in which Pakistan last took South Africa down, roughly a month ago in Lahore.South Africa’s batting, which, as Sri Lanka found out on Friday, is led off by one of the best opening combinations going, is looking in increasingly good shape. They appear to have left the embarrassment of being blown away for 69 in their tournament opener well and truly behind them.1:15

Sekhukhune: ‘We want to keep ticking all the boxes’

Form guide

Pakistan: LLLLW
South Africa WWWWL

In the spotlight – Fatima Sana and Nonkululeko Mlaba

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been putting together an excellent World Cup, with nine wickets at an average of 16 so far. Almost 15% of her overs have also been maidens (she has bowled more maidens than any other bowler in this tournament). Against England, her last outing with the ball, Sana bowled some vicious inseaming deliveries, presenting a beautiful wobble-seam, and extracting substantial movement to send balls shooting between right-hand batters’ bats and pads. Both South Africa’s opening batters are right-hand batters. Expect Sana to repeat that same mode of attack against them.Although in T20Is Nonkululeko Mlaba has been a force for some time, this World Cup may be remembered as the tournament in which she stepped up her ODI bowling. She is by a huge distance South Africa’s most penetrative bowler of the tournament, having claimed 11 wickets at an average of 15.18, with an economy rate of 4.63. Pakistan’s batters will know that even if they survive the seamers, they have one of the world’s smartest spinners to counter later in the innings.

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?

I think we can call it now – the northeast monsoon appears to have properly arrived in Colombo, which makes a match uninterrupted by rain even less likely. There will likely be juice in the pitch for the seamers, but it is a rare match at the Khettarama where the ball does not take significant turn as well.0:58

Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’

Team news: Pakistan might strengthen their batting

Pakistan will search for ways to add muscle to their fragile batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?Pakistan (possible): 1 Omaima Sohail, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia IqbalSouth Africa will likely keep their XI as it is.South Africa (possible): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annerie Dercksen, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Karabo Meso (wk), 9 Nondumiso Shangase, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba

Stats and trivia

• Sana has played more ODIs (ten) against South Africa than any other team. But she has a poor record against this opposition, having claimed only six wickets at an average of 62.83.
• Before this tournament, Mlaba had bowled in 12 matches in Asia, and claimed 18 wickets at an average of 31.44. Her bowling average in Asia is now 25.27, and her strike rate is down to 29.3. This is more than twice as good as her numbers at home (average 51.18, SR 71.4).
• Since 2020, these teams have played each other ten times. Pakistan have won two of those games, both at home. South Africa have won the other eight.

Newcastle United and PIF have now made their first move in the race to sign Brentford striker Igor Thiago, who has matched Nick Woltemade all the way for goals so far this season.

Whilst the Magpies have clear problems in front of goal in the Premier League – proven by their 3-1 defeat against West Ham United last weekend – their problems once again disappeared on the European stage.

Easing to a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club, both Dan Burn and Joelinton got themselves on the scoresheet in a refreshing change for Eddie Howe. With a trip to face Brentford up next, the Newcastle boss will simply be hoping for a repeat.

Speaking to reporters after securing a third-straight Champions League victory, Howe said: “Yes, it’s a big prize for us and our eyes are very much on it, and I want the players to be feeling the same.

“We said at the start of the Champions League campaign that we didn’t want to have that feeling that we were just pleased to be in the competition. It’s serious. We want to progress. We’ve put ourselves in a stronger position now to do that after the first defeat, but there are still many challenges ahead.”

Progressing on the European stage has certainly been no problem for those in Tyneside so far, but there’s no denying that their Premier League form has suffered at the same time.

Howe must boldly drop Newcastle star who has now moved clear of Isak

Newcastle fought their way to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 6, 2025

Finding the balance and squad depth needed to thrive in both competitions should be Newcastle’s priority in 2026. As things stand, they’re six points adrift of the top four and, to make matters worse, it is Sunderland who sit in fourth place.

Following a slow start, those at St James’ Park should set their focus on the January transfer window and potentially welcoming attacking reinforcements.

Newcastle launch first Igor Thiago move

As reported by Trivela and ESPN Brazil and relayed by Sport Witness, PIF have now launched their first enquiry to sign Thiago for Newcastle in an addition that would certainly help solve their recent goalscoring woes.

Just like in their search for a striker in the summer, however, the Magpies aren’t alone. Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have also reportedly enquired about Thiago’s availability to spark an all Premier League race for his signature.

Appearances

11

16

Goals

7

7

Assists

0

0

Having matched Woltemade for goals so far this season, Newcastle’s interest in Thiago should come as no surprise. Dubbed “powerful” by Brentford boss Keith Andrews earlier this season, the towering forward also crucially earned Alan Shearer’s seal of approval.

The Newcastle legend said: “He barely played last season because of injury but he got his two goals in that half and that’s what a striker is going to get judged for. He looks like he can fill the void left by Mbeumo and Wissa.”

After signing Yoane Wissa in the summer, Newcastle should make a return to West London to sign Thiago when 2026 arrives.

Newcastle hold internal talks to sign Ederson

Marc Guehi is reportedly being pursued by five Champions League clubs this winter, with the Crystal Palace captain eligible for pre-contract talks with foreign outfits from January 1. The 25-year-old has already informed Palace that he will not sign a new deal, paving the way for a summer exit after being linked with Liverpool last summer.

European heavyweights ready to fight it out for Guehi

According to a host of Champions League giants, including Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, have registered firm interest in securing his signature after Guehi’s situation took a significant twist in September when a deadline-day move to Liverpool dramatically collapsed while he was undergoing a medical in London. The centre back was said to be "furious" with how the transfer unravelled, having already mentally prepared himself to join the Merseyside club. Since then, his performances have only strengthened his market value. A run of excellent displays for both club and country has cemented his status as one of England’s most reliable defenders heading into next year’s World Cup. Liverpool still see Guehi as an ideal successor to Virgil van Dijk, who turns 35 next season. With Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain, as his contract expires next summer and Madrid are circling, and Joe Gomez battling repeated injuries, Liverpool’s need is growing more urgent.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALCity & Madrid join the race

City have emerged as a serious contender, with Pep Guardiola reportedly impressed by Guehi’s professionalism after seeing him bounce back from the collapsed Liverpool transfer. Despite possessing a deep pool of centre-backs, there are growing concerns around the long-term futures of John Stones and Ruben Dias. Stones, now 31, remains injury-prone, while Dias has shown signs of slowing down. Should he join, Guehi could challenge for a starting place immediately. 

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are also firmly in the hunt as they plan a major defensive rebuild. The club does not want to spend heavily on a first-choice centre back and is instead monitoring free-agent opportunities. Guehi features alongside Dayot Upamecano and the soon-to-be-out-of-contract Konate on their shortlist. Madrid have already begun preparing for departures. Long-time stalwarts Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are both out of contract in June, and the club’s signing of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen last summer was an early step in that transition. With Guehi offering a cost-effective, high-quality option, Madrid’s interest continues to grow.

Bayern Munich and Kompany have done their homework

Vincent Kompany is said to be a long-term admirer of Guehi. The Bayern Munich head coach, a former elite centre-half himself, has tracked the Palace captain for several seasons. The Bavarians contemplated bringing in Guehi last summer, anticipating the possible exit of Kim Min-jae. Although the South Korean remained, his reduced starting role this season has reopened conversations about the position. Bayern are trying to extend Upamecano’s contract, but Real Madrid’s interest complicates matters. Kompany has also evaluated Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck and even Konate, but Guehi remains a standout candidate due to his reliability. 

When asked about Bayern's discussion with Guehi's representatives, sporting director Eberl told : "It's absolutely clear that we as Bayern Munich are exploring the market. Our clear goal is to extend Upa's contract. That's our ultimate goal. If that doesn't work out, we have to be prepared. We would be foolish not to. That's the reason. I've not confirmed anything, but we are active in the market."

Meanwhile, Palace boss Oliver Glasner has admitted that the Eagles will have to reluctantly part ways with the defender next summer: "I think Marc has already told us that he doesn't sign a new contract, so he will leave next year. The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, 'no, I want to make something different'. And that's normal. And for us, it's how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that's all about how we are talking together."

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(C)Getty ImagesBarcelona add their name to the list

Barcelona have placed Guehi firmly on their shortlist. However, the Catalan club’s head coach, Hansi Flick, prefers a balanced centre-back partnership of a left-footer and a right-footer. While Guehi typically plays on the left side of defence, he is naturally right-footed, which may influence their final decision.

Meanwhile, both Arsenal and Tottenham explored the possibility of signing Guehi earlier this year, but the defender was realistic about his prospects. At Arsenal, he would have faced strong competition from the established duo of William Saliba and Gabriel, one of the Premier League’s most settled partnerships. Whereas he believed that a January move to Tottenham would not suit him. His next move is being planned with the utmost care. 

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says it was wrong to rule out Virgil Van Dijk’s equaliser against Manchester City in their 3-0 loss on Sunday. The Reds’ captain thought he had found the back of the net after beating Gianluigi Donnarumma with a powerful header. But the celebrations were cut short quickly, with Andy Robertson judged to have interfered with play from an offside position.

Van Dijk's header ruled out by VAR

Liverpool fell behind to an Erling Haaland opener after the Norwegian had earlier had his penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili. The striker’s looped header lofted over the Georgian in the Reds’ net and handed the hosts a deserved lead.

Liverpool did respond to going behind, with Van Dijk appearing to level proceedings in the 38th minute. Mohamed Salah drilled across a corner towards the back of the City box and the ball was met by a thunderous header by the centre-half, which flew into the bottom right corner. The Liverpool captain wheeled away in celebration to the corner flag, believing he had equalised.

VAR would soon intervene and spoil the Liverpool fans' cheers, though. Andy Robertson, standing three yards offside, ducked under the flight of the ball, but the officials judged him to be interfering with play. It was a contentious decision, given Donnarumma had seen the direction the ball was travelling in, and Robertson was not obscuring his vision.

The Liverpool fans and Slot were justifiably a little miffed.

AdvertisementAFPSlot slams the decision

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Slot said: “I think it's obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made, at least in my opinion. Because he [Robertson] didn't interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do.

“Immediately after the game someone showed me the goal that the same referee allowed City against Wolves last season [John Stones’ last minute winner]. So, it took the linesman 13 seconds to raise his flag to say it's offside. So, there was clearly communication.

“That could have influenced the game in a positive way for us because in the first half we were so poor.

“We would have been lucky going 1-0 down at half-time, let alone if it was 1-1 or 2-1 down. So it has been an influential decision, which is not to say that we then would have had a result over here because you cannot predict how the second half would have gone.”

City run out deserved winners

Regardless of the decision, Liverpool were not good enough and clearly deserved to lose the clash against their title rivals. Jeremy Doku was the standout performer for the hosts and the Reds struggled to contain the lively Belgian who put the game beyond doubt when he scored City’s third.

Earlier, Haaland and Nico Gonzalez had made it 2-0 to the hosts and prompted furious criticism of the Reds by Sky Sports’ pundits. Gary Neville claimed that Liverpool had been “asking to be beaten” by Pep Guardiola’s team and Roy Keane had labelled the Reds’ performance a “disgrace”.

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Getty Images SportCity announce their intentions

City were the standout side, and their performance demonstrated why they are still one of Europe’s best sides. With Haaland in some of the best form of his career so far, it would be daft to write off City for any of the major honours.

Speaking after the game, Ruben Dias sent a warning shot towards league leaders Arsenal and claimed that his team were performing at the highest level. The defender added that “there are new faces because of the ones that left, but that quality stays the same, and we keep on pushing,” in a potential sly dig at the Reds.

Guardiola’s team have now moved within just four points of Arsenal, after the Gunners dropped two costly points late against Sunderland on Saturday. The victory also confined Liverpool to eighth spot in the Premier League, behind rivals Manchester United and eight points behind the Gunners at the top of the table.

There is a long way to go in the Premier League campaign, but Liverpool must start turning their fortunes around sooner rather than later.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Copa do Brasil tem um novo campeão: o São Paulo! Pela primeira vez em sua história o Tricolor Paulista conquistou a taça da competição, a única que faltava na galeria de troféus do clube.

O triunfo veio após o empate em 1 a 1 com o Flamengo, no Morumbi, neste domingo. Rodrigo Nestor fez o gol são-paulino, enquanto que Bruno Henrique abriu o placar para os cariocas. A equipe comandada pelo técnico Dorival Júnior precisava apenas de um empate, já que havia vencido o jogo de ida, no Maracanã, por 1 a 0, com um tento anoatdo pelo argentino Calleri.

Disputada desde 1989, a Copa do Brasil agora conta com 17 campeões diferentes, sendo seis deles paulistas. Além do São Paulo, Palmeiras, quatro vezes, Corinthians, três, Santos, Santo André e Paulista de Jundiaí, uma vez cada, também levantaram a taça. Confira a lista completa de campeões:

CAMPEÕES DA COPA DO BRASIL

1º – Cruzeiro – 6 títulos
2º – Grêmio – 5 títulos
3º – Palmeiras – 4 títulos
Flamengo – 4 títulos
5º – Corinthians – 3 títulos
6º – Atlético Mineiro – 2 títulos
7º – São Paulo – 1 título
Criciúma – 1 título
Santos – 1 título
Sport – 1 título
Vasco – 1 título
Fluminense – 1 título
Santo André – 1 título
Paulista – 1 título
Athletico-PR – 1 título
Juventude – 1 título
Internacional – 1 título

RelacionadasFora de CampoEm novo áudio vazado na Globo, narrador dá ‘esporro’ durante São Paulo x FlamengoFora de Campo24/09/2023TorcidasSão Paulo x Flamengo registra segunda maior renda da história do futebol brasileiro; confira rankingTorcidas24/09/2023Fora de CampoInternautas exaltam festa da torcida do São Paulo contra o Flamengo: ‘Espetacular’Fora de Campo24/09/2023

Cameron Green demonstrated true grit in scoring a much-needed hundred to extricate Gloucestershire from a spot of bother on day two of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division match against Kent at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.Reduced to 139 for 4 in reply to Kent’s first-innings 424, Gloucestershire were indebted to their overseas hired hand, who registered a battling 102 not out from 150 balls with 12 fours and a six, and shared in a revitalising unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 168 with James Bracey to steer the home side to the relative safety of 307 for 4 by the close, just 117 runs behind. Bracey finished unbeaten on 69 from 134 balls and Gloucestershire are already two batting bonus points to the good.Jake Ball took 2 for 67 and Nathan Gilchrist and Grant Stewart claimed a wicket apiece as Kent applied themselves diligently in the field, but the visitors will have to make the new ball count in the morning if they are to shift pressure back onto their opponents in a contest which looks increasingly likely to end in a draw.Resuming their first innings on 386 for 6, Kent had earlier lost their last four wickets for the addition of 38 runs, Ajeet Singh Dale returning career-best figures of 7 for 110 from 26 overs. He accounted for Stewart and Chris Benjamin, who scored 182 and 93 respectively in staging a partnership of 264, a record seventh wicket stand in all matches for Kent, who were dismissed in 110.4 overs.There may have still been some shine left on the relatively new ball, but it was back to business as usual for Stewart and Benjamin, Kent’s seventh wicket pair requiring four overs to bank a fourth batting bonus point. For their part, the home side desperately needed wickets and skipper Cameron Bancroft threw the ball to Singh Dale, Gloucestershire’s most incisive bowler on day one.He claimed his first five-wicket haul of the season in his third over from the Ashley Down Road end, inducing Stewart to play a tired shot and edge to second slip. Having advanced his career-best first-class score to 182 from 189 balls, hit 20 fours and 5 sixes and dominated a Kent record-breaking seventh wicket partnership of 264 with Benjamin, the Italy international walked off to a standing ovation with the scoreboard on 401 for 7.His erstwhile partner in runs departed soon afterwards, Benjamin attempting to drive Singh Dale and nicking off to wicketkeeper James Bracey, who took a straightforward catch to terminate a magnificently obdurate innings on 93 from 244 deliveries. The patient Benjamin had defied Gloucestershire for five and a half hours, transforming an innings that had been deep in trouble on 137 for 6 on the first day.Presented with an opportunity to improve upon the career-best 6 for 41 he took against Worcestershire at New Road in April 2023, Singh Dale ran in hard, located Ball’s outside edge and raised his arm in celebration before even Bracey had pouched the catch that further reduced the visitors to 414 for 9. He was denied an eighth victim when Zaman Akhter had Kashif Ali held at deep backward square to bring the innings to a close shortly after midday.Kent’s top order batsmen scratched a mere eight runs from 10 overs against a new ball that nipped off the seam on the first day, but Gloucestershire openers Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth encountered few problems on an essentially flat surface as they safely negotiated 12 overs to reach lunch on 48 without loss.But there was just enough assistance from the pitch to keep the Kent seamers interested and Stewart effected a breakthrough early in the second session, Bancroft prodding defensively outside off stump and nicking to slip. Gloucestershire’s skipper had scored 26 from 36 deliveries and staged an opening stand of 54 with Charlesworth inside 13 overs to at least afford the innings a decent start.Gilchrist and Stewart mustered sufficient movement off the pitch to trouble the batsmen, but left handers Charlesworth and Ollie Price played steadfastly, punished the bad bad when it came along and gradually laid the foundations for a meaningful partnership. Gloucestershire’s progress was smooth until Charlesworth fell into a trap set for him, pulling a short-pitched delivery from Ball and holing out to deep backward square for an 87-ball 41. The second wicket pair had added 45 in 13.5 overs and Gloucestershire were 99 for 2.When last they batted together, Price and Miles Hammond had staged a stand of 203 for the third wicket in a drawn match against Lancashire. Still in good touch following his career-best 253 at Old Trafford, Price played some glorious shots in raising 40 from 51 balls with 9 fours, only to be pinned lbw by Gilchrist with the score 119 for 3. It felt like a big wicket and Kent were positively on a roll when Hammond fell for 18 soon afterwards, playing a back foot defensive shot to a fullish delivery from Ball and offering a catch to Tawanda Muyeye at first slip. Having lost three wickets for 40 runs in 7.4 overs, Gloucestershire were 139-4 and under mounting pressure, still 285 behind.Green and Bracey ensured the home side reached the tea interval without further mishap on 156 for 4 and these two continued to build steadily as conditions eased in the final session, going to an assured 50 partnership from 120 balls. Green made a hundred on debut for Gloucestershire at Canterbury last month and clearly enjoys playing against Kent. He went to 50 from 106 balls on this occasion, reaching that landmark with his fourth four, a back foot force through the covers off Gilchrist.Runs now began to flow and the fifth wicket pair required only 62 balls more to raise the hundred partnership as Kent’s bowlers began to tire. Playing the supporting role to perfection, Bracey went to 50 via 101 balls with his tenth four, a cut shot off Kashir Ali. Gloucestershire banked a second batting bonus point and there was still time for Green to move to his hundred from 146 balls, the Western Australian heaving Kashif through mid-wicket for his twelfth four to spark raucous celebrations among those who had stayed on into the early evening sunshine.

Tottenham Hotspur’s success in the Europa League last season is evidence that their recruitment strategy over recent years has been a success on the pitch.

The Lilywhites have split their hunt in the transfer market, allowing for an excellent mix of youth talents with huge ceilings and big-money stars who can make an immediate impact.

Thomas Frank has continued that trend over his first summer transfer window at the helm, spending over £100m on a mixture of stars who can contribute to the club in the immediate and long term.

Joao Palhinha joined the side on a season-long loan from German giants Bayern Munich, hopefully making an immediate impact in North London given his experience at the top level.

Xavi Simons is arguably one of the most high-profile additions, costing a whopping £52m from RB Leipzig – but has plenty of time to thrive under Frank, given his tender age of just 22 years.

However, it remains unclear how much of a role one player will have to play under the manager’s guidance, given his constant setbacks over the last couple of months.

James Maddison’s horrid injury luck at Spurs

James Maddison was seen as a superb addition back in the summer of 2023, costing a fee in the region of £40m from Leicester City after their relegation from the Premier League.

The Englishman made an immediate impact in North London, becoming the first player in the club’s history to register two assists on his debut for the Lilywhites.

However, whilst he’s registered 16 goals and 19 assists for the club, injuries have massively halted his progress at the club – subsequently casting doubt over his long-term future under Frank.

He had already missed 24 games and 146 days’ worth of action before Frank’s appointment, but he is once again set for a prolonged period on the sideline with his latest setback.

The 28-year-old suffered an ACL tear in the pre-season clash with Newcastle United, with such an injury set to rule the midfielder out for the majority of Frank’s maiden campaign at the helm.

He currently has two years left on contract after the 2025/26 campaign, but given his constant setbacks, the club may look to offload the Englishman to prevent losing him for nothing.

Such a decision could free up the number ten shirt in North London, with one player already on the books more than deserving of the chance to wear the iconic shirt.

The Spurs player who could steal the #10 from Maddison

Despite losing the likes of Heung-min Son and Harry Kane over recent years, Spurs still have a huge array of attacking talent on the books under Frank’s guidance.

His side have already scored 11 times in the Premier League during their first six outings, averaging just shy of two goals per game – with Richarlison their top scorer on three.

There’s no denying that the side are a force to be reckoned with in attacking areas, with not many sides able to possess the quality Frank’s men do in the final third.

The midfield department is also stacked in the manager’s favour, with Lucas Bergvall just one of the players who’s made the position his own within the 4-3-3 system.

Not many fans would’ve predicted how quickly he’s made himself a first-team regular in the side, especially after joining for just £8.5m from Swedish side Djurgarden just last summer.

He was just 18 upon his transfer, but it has not stopped him from thriving in North London, racking up 54 appearances across all competitions since his transfer.

Bergvall, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, has arguably been one of the Lilywhites’ star performers in the early days of the 2025/26 campaign – starting four of the six league outings under the Dane.

Games played

6

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

84%

Dribble success

70%

Tackles won

2.2

Duels won

5.2

Recoveries made

3.9

Shots taken

1.5

Despite his midfield role, he’s also managed to notch a goal and assist in England’s top-flight, leading by example in North London despite his tender age.

At just 19 years of age, he has bags of time to develop further and transition into an elite-level talent and lead the club to added European and domestic success.

He has all the tools to thrive in England for many years, subsequently deserving of the number ten shirt in the near future to help reflect his importance to the football club.

It may be a harsh decision to cut ties with Maddison, given his success on the field, but ultimately, his injuries are far too frequent – subsequently making him an unreliable figure.

Bergvall has demonstrated he’s capable of starring ahead of the Englishman in recent months, with the Swede deserving of the opportunity to wear the prestigious number ten shirt.

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