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Max Aarons hopes his stoppage-time winner at Livingston signals the beginning of his Rangers redemption arc following his Champions League woe in Belgium last month.

The on-loan Bournemouth full-back was widely pilloried after being sent off early on for a last-man foul, leaving his team-mates in the lurch as they crashed to a 6-0 defeat and 9-1 aggregate loss against Club Brugge in the play-off round.

Aarons paid the price for a red card described by former Rangers favourite Ally McCoist as “absolute car-crash material” by not featuring in any of the Light Blues’ next four matches.

Following a soul-searching month on the sidelines, however, the 25-year-old returned to the fray as a 73rdminute substitute away to Livi on Sunday and secured Gers’ first league win of the season with a close-range finish in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.

“No one was more disappointed than myself with that,” Aarons said of his chastening night in the Jan Breydel Stadium. “I’ve never been sent off in my career.

“A moment like that, a lapse in concentration, was extremely disappointing for me, especially in a crucial game like that.

“It was always going to be a difficult game for the team, let alone with 10 men, so I knew I wanted to make up for that as quickly as possible and the first chance since that game, on the pitch, was Sunday, so hopefully in a small way I’ve done that.”

Even aside from his costly red card, Aarons – like most of his team-mates – has endured a torrid start to his Gers career, with the players and manager Russell Martin coming under heavy fire from their supporters after winning just five of their 15 matches in all competitions.

Better than Aarons: Rangers star may have just saved Russell Martin's job

This Rangers star who was even better than Max Aarons may have saved Russell Martin’s job.

ByDan Emery Sep 28, 2025

The former Norwich player admitted he had never experienced the level of intense scrutiny that he had encountered at Ibrox.

“No, it’s different,” he said. “I don’t mean that in a bad way. I think it’s just something that in your first few games you really realise and then it’s about overcoming that and showing that character to deal with that.

“I also think it’s a privilege to have that support, coming here to an away stadium and having three stands, it felt like a home game. And then it’s on us to reward them with a good performance, but most importantly a win.

“The more we can do that now, hopefully those wins are going to really push us forward and build a stronger relationship now with the group, the fans, everyone.”

Aarons was optimistic that the dramatic nature of their 2-1 win at Livingston could be a catalyst for an upturn in form.

“It was massive,” he said. “We know being this far into the season now and it being our first win is not good enough for this club, we know that.

“But, moments like that, they build character and they build a trust within the team that we can get through the difficult spells. Every game isn’t going to be an easy coast, we have to dig in on moments like that.

“Like I said from the start here, the aim is to be at the top part of the table and that’s what we’ve got to do.”

أكد مصطفى عبده نجم الكرة المصرية السابق، أن محمود الخطيب رئيس الأهلي، غير راض عن أداء الفريق الأول لكرة القدم في الوقت الحالي. 

وكان الأهلي قد تعادل مع بتروجيت بهدف لكل فريق، في المباراة التي جمعت بينها ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ12 من بطولة الدوري الممتاز.

طالع.. انتخابات الأهلي | الخطيب يشكر اللجنة القضائية والجهة الإدارية

وقال مصطفى عبده في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “لا أريد أن أحكم على ييس توروب بشكل نهائي، ولكنني كنت متواجدًا في الانتخابات اليوم وجلست مع محمود الخطيب وياسين منصور وتحدثنا عن الفريق والكرة والمدير الفني، هما غير راضين وأنا واحد من الناس غير راض”.

وأضاف: “الفريق فنيًا وكل شيء سيئ، توجد بوادر تحدث من مدير فني، لا أرى تكتيك وجملة تكتيكة في الملعب، وألوم على اللاعبين، الأهلي يوفر لهم كل شيء ويحصلون على كل شيء في وقته، وفي نفس الوقت لم أر روح ولا أداء”.

وتابع: “تحدثت مع الخطيب وياسين منصور وخالد مرتجي، وهم يفكرون في كيفية إسعاد الناس، الخطيب وياسين غير راضين عن حالة فريق الأهلي، ويفكرون في تدعيم خط الدفاع والمهاجم”. 

وواصل: “حذرت الخطيب وياسين منصور من خطأ رحيل وسام أبو علي، وطالبتهما بعدم رحيل أليو ديانج عن الفريق، ولدي معلومة يوجد ثلاثة لاعبين في الأهلي سيرحلون في يناير المقبل”.  

أجرى آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول مؤتمراً صحفياً للحديث عن لقاء برينتفورد، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال سلوت عن الإصابات في تصريحات نشرتها “ليفربول إيكو” البريطانية: “جيريمي فريمبونج ليس جيداً ولن يلعب غداً أو الأسبوع المقبل، إصابة أوتار الركبة ستستغرق بعض الوقت”.

وأضاف :”إيزاك حالته ليست سيئة للغاية، لا تزال هناك علامات استفهام حوله، لنرى ما هي ستكون حالته وينطبق الأمر نفسه على جرافنبيرخ، أليسون سيستغرق وقتاً وليس ضمن قائمتنا”.

وواصل :”فيرتز؟ أجد الأمر مضحكاً بعض الشئ، احتساب تمريرته في هدفنا الخامس أمام فرانكفورت ، وعدم احتساب مساهمته في هدف التعادل ضد يونايتد، كان أداؤه بشكل عام مميز وقد أعجب به جمهور ليفربول ورأينا المزيد من ذلك بالفعل، لكن عندما تخسر مباراة يأتي التركيز على الجوانب السلبية، لكن عندما تفوز 5-1 بركلتين ثابتتين، يتحدث الناس عن هجماتك الجيدة من اللعب المفتوح”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. سلوت دافع بقوة عن محمد صلاح: تسجيله الأهداف آخر ما يقلقني

وسئل سلوت عن اللاعب الذي يحصل على مكانه في التشكيل الأساسي: “لا يقتصر الأمر على التعاقدات الجديدة فحسب بل يتعلق أيضاً بامتلاك العديد من اللاعبين المتميزين، انظر لجميع الأندية الكبرى في العالم، جميعها تمتلك أكثر من 11 لاعب قادرين على اللعب، توقعت بعد العديد من التغييرات في الصيف وبعد سبع انتصارات متتالية نحتاج للتطور والتكيف مع بعضنا البعض وستكون هناك لحظات صعبة خلال الموسم خاصة بالنظر لجدول المباريات، نلعب خمس من أصل ست مباريات خارج ملعبنا”.

وأجاب سلوت حول إذا كان الفريق قد مر بلحظة من السلبية: “لا أعتقد أنني سأستخدم هذه الكلمة، أعني أن الناس أكثر تركيزاً على بعض الأمور، انظروا إلى الشوط الثاني في فرانكفورت والأول في يونايتد، كان هناك تحكم لكن النتيجة تعكس الأمور بشكل مختلف، قلت أننا نقوم بصناعة الكثير من الفرص، لكننا نستقبل أهداف أكثر مما أرغب، لم نستقبل أي فرص حقيقية بعد أن كنا متقدمين بثلاث أهداف لهدف ضد فرانكفورت، الفرق الرئيسي هذا الموسم هو أساليب وطرق اللعب المختلفة التي واجهناها، خضنا مباريات ضد فرق لعبت 178 كرة طويلة في أول سبع مباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي ثم 59 كرة ضد يونايتد، الطريقة السحرية للتغلب على ذلك هو لحظة إبداعية أو ركلة ثابتة”.

وحول أسلوب لعب مانشستر يونايتد فقد قال سلوت: “كان من المفترض أن يكون ذلك بمثابة مجاملة للمدرب المنافس الذي وجد طريقة للعب ضدنا ولكنني لا أعتقد أن الأمر جاء بهذه الطريقة”.

وعن وضع ليفربول الحالي أكد سلوت :”إذا خسرت عدة مرات، عليك أن تخبر اللاعبين باستمرار أنهم على الطريق الصحيح، لكننا نعيش هذه الفترة فإذا أخطأنا في تفصيلة صغيرة فإننا نستقبل هدفاً، علينا أن نحسن الأداء 10 مرات من أصل 10 لنسجل، ليس الأمر هكذا دائماً”.

وأتم سلوت تصريحاته عن نقطة ضعف مانشستر يونايتد: “لماذا لم أذكر ذلك من قبل؟ من الواضح أنهم يتبعون هذه الخطة منذ فترة، لكنني لم أكن متأكداً تماماً من أن كل مدرب يعرفها، لكن في لحظة ما أصبح الأمر واضح جداً، سمعت أن جلاسنر أيضاً تحدث مع طاقم فرانكفورت وهو أمر طبيعي أن تحدث مثل هذه الأمور حول كيفية لعبنا، في آخر مباراتين لعبنا فيهما بخطة 5-4-1 ضد يونايتد وبالاس، خلقنا فرص أكثر مما فعلنا في الموسم الماضي ضد دفاع يلعب بشكل منخفض، كان علينا التعديل ولعبنا ضد فرانكفورت مرة أخرى بنفس الخطة وغيرناها أيضاً، مر مانشستر سيتي بهذه التجربة لسنوات عديدة، هم جيدون جداً في اللعب في المساحات الضيفة وهذا أمر نحتاج لتحسينه”.

وأشاد سلوت بلاعبه جونز: “لا أستغرب عدد المرات التي يلمس فيها الكرة، نعتمد عليه في مركز أدنى قليلاً ضد فرق تلعب بدفاع منخفض ولا تضغط على الكرة، جونز زادت مدة مشاركته منذ أن جئت إلى هنا وهناك سبب لذلك وأنا معجب بتطوره، معه كأي لاعب يتنافس مع خمس أو ستة لاعبين جيدين آخرين في خط الوسط”.

وحول وضع كيليهير حارس مرمى ليفربول: “ربما يكون الحارس استثناء لكن بشكل عام لا أعتقد أن جلوس اللاعب على مقاعد البدلاء لمعظم الموسم وضع صحي، أحد الأسباب التي جعلتنا نعتقد أنه من الأفضل لكوانساه وإليوت البحث عن نادي آخر، كيليهير قدم أداء رائع، سنواجه هندرسون أيضاً وفي هولندا لا يتوقفون عن الحديث عن افتقاد أياكس له”.

وختم حول مشاركة كيركيز مع ليفربول: “يعتمد الكثير على مشاركة كيركيز أساسياً معنا في مباريات البريميرليج، هو يضيف حيوية كبيرة لنا ويستمر في التقدم والتراجع، يدافع بشكل ممتاز في مواقف واحد ضد واحد ضد الأجنحة، لم يحالفه الحظ”.

Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag and Rishabh Pant are the other captains to have been fined for slow over-rates in IPL 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-20253:43

Rayudu: Patidar’s use of Bhuvi at the death was a masterstroke

Rajat Patidar, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain, has been fined INR 12 lakh for his side’s slow over-rate in the win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Monday night. This was RCB’s first slow-over-rate offence of IPL 2025.Patidar, RCB’s second-highest run-getting this season so far with 161 runs in four innings – behind Virat Kohli’s 164 from four innings – has been credited with bringing a lot of aggression to RCB’s batting in his first season as their captain.His captaincy has also come in for praise. After the win over MI, Ambati Rayudu pointed to the reintroduction of the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar at a crucial point in MI’s chase, calling it “a brilliant move” on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show.Speaking about Patidar’s shuffling of his bowlers, Sanjay Bangar said, “He was pretty smart with that. To hold back Krunal for the 20th over made absolute sense, because you don’t want him to be bowling the 19th over with Josh Hazlewood only having ten or 12 to defend.” Rayudu also noticed the fact that Patidar “was at ease in the pressure situations” and that Kohli didn’t go up to him as often as he has done in the past to offer suggestions.RCB, who have won three of their six games so far, next play Delhi Capitals (DC) at home in Bengaluru on Thursday evening.Prior to this game, Hardik Pandya of MI, Riyan Parag of Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Rishabh Pant of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were the other captains to be fined for over-rate fines.

Watson says the 19-year old’s adaptability to different conditions and India’s plans would be a “good test of his evolution”

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-20252:11

Clarke: ‘Freakish’ debut for Konstas

Sam Konstas’ mentor Shane Watson has admitted the 19-year-old’s audacious start to Test cricket took even him by surprise, both in terms of the strokeplay and the way he carried himself in the field and with the crowd.Konstas scored 60 off 65 balls on the opening morning at the MCG, regularly scooping Jasprit Bumrah, and had a run-in with Virat Kohli who was fined for a shoulder barge. Later in the game he embraced the crowd when fielding on the boundary and was a vocal presence under the helmet, clearly getting under the skin of Yashasvi Jaiswal during the second innings.”I understood what his game plan was, what plan A was anyway,” Watson said as part of the ICC Champions Trophy tour at the SCG. “So when plan B sort of kicked in quite quickly, within a couple of overs, that was a little surprising. But the one thing that we’ve always talked about is trusting his gut.”Related

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While Watson was aware of the range of strokes Konstas had in his locker, even if showing them so early in Test was unexpected, he admitted the character shown in the field was not something he had seen before.”My experience of dealing and working with Sam has been a very quiet, reserved personality,” he said. “[He’s] a very deep thinker and certainly not an extrovert. But obviously what we saw in the Test match is that he absolutely is a showman. And he certainly rose to the occasion, as in he wasn’t overawed.”I know through my experience of debuting…you just put a lot of pressure on yourself because it’s your dream to be able to represent your country, wear the baggy green. But for Sam, it’s superhuman in a way that he sort of just didn’t have any of that at all. You can see it wasn’t put on. That’s just obviously who he is. And again, I hadn’t seen that side of him. It just shows that he’s built for this stage where most people it takes a bit of time to warm up to sort of get into that. Whereas Sam, he obviously just thrives on that.”Konstas has continued to enjoy the trappings of being a Test cricketer since arriving with the squad in Sydney, having photographs with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his fiancée Jodie Haydon during the annual New Year’s Day gathering at Kirribilli House. He also spent time chatting with Kohli, who his brothers took the opportunity to get a photograph with.Albanese joked about his role in Konstas’ rapid rise to the Test side after the century he scored against the Indians in Canberra. “Of course, he got his break in the Prime Minister’s XI [game],” Albanese said. “I’m claiming some of the credit, which is about my only contribution to national cricket.”Shane Watson on Konstas: ‘He’s certainly got all the gears and all the skills to be able to make adjustments’•Getty ImagesOn Friday, Konstas will become the youngest Australia men’s player to feature in a Test at his home ground of the SCG followed by the prospect of two Tests in vastly different conditions in Sri Lanka. India had already adjusted their tactics by the second innings in Melbourne where Konstas was kept quiet before being bowled by an inducker from Bumrah.”Look it’s going to be a different challenge for him now,” Watson said. “Because he’s shown what his plan B is. And we already saw in that second innings the field positions certainly changed. It’s going to be a good test of his evolution. To be able to continue to work through how he can take the game on against the best bowlers in the world. But he’s certainly got all the gears and all the skills to be able to make those adjustments quickly.”He is technically very correct and waits for loose balls. But he’s also got the other gears to be able to hit the ball down the ground. But when they do have third man fine and fine leg fine, the ramp shot is probably out. But you know what? I thought the ramp shot wasn’t going to come out in the first couple of overs, and it did. Sam will just trust what he feels and go with it. And that’s something very special that he taps into.”Australia captain Pat Cummins said there had been no instructions given to Konstas about how to go about his innings and believed he would be able to adjust to different scenarios.”Think he showed how adaptable he can be,” Cummins said. “That takes a lot of skill first of all, but we always encourage our players just to read the moment, play it how they see fit. For Sam he sensed the moment was to attack and put pressure back on the bowlers and he did that, it might be different this week; it might be ‘I’m going to play a slow game and kind of score runs that way’. Our message is always just to back yourself, have really clear plans and back your decision making.”

قاد محمد صلاح منتخب مصر للتأهل إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026، بعد أن سجل هدفين خلال الفوز ضد منتخب جيبوتي، بثلاثية نظيفة.

وكانت المباراة بين مصر وجيبوتي، قد أجريت على ملعب استاد محمد الزاولي، في المغرب، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من تصفيات إفريقيا.

وكان منتخب مصر قد ارتفع رصيده بعد الفوز في مباراة اليوم إلى النقطة 23، ووصل الفراعنة إلى الفوز السابع إلى جانب تعادلين ولم يهزم المنتخب في أي مباراة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب هدافي تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم بعد ثنائية محمد صلاح أمام جيبوتي

ونشر محمد صلاح عبر منصة “إكس” صورة له بجانب زملائه في منتخب مصر، تشير إلى الفرحة والاحتفال بصعود المنتخب لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

ووضع نجم ليفربول محمد صلاح تعبير “قلب” على صورته مع زملائه في منتخب مصر، عقب تأهله لمونديال كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة.

❤️ pic.twitter.com/N7j6AUbUh3 — Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) October 8, 2025

وخاض محمد صلاح مع منتخب مصر 106 مباريات وسجل 62 هدفًا وصنع 34، أي حقق 96 مساهمة، ويعد أكثر من ساهم مع المنتخب المصري وثاني أكثر من سجل أيضًا.

Rohit Sharma will not be available to lead India in first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which starts on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Rohit, who stayed back home for the birth of his second child, will join the India squad ahead of the second Test, which is a day-night match starting on December 6 in Adelaide.While Rohit had communicated to the BCCI and national selectors in advance that he could miss the Perth Test, he had kept open the option of last-minute travel based on when the child was born. Rohit and his wife Ritika welcomed their second child on Friday, a week ahead of the first Test, prompting the possibility of his travelling to Perth. However, he told the BCCI he will be available to play the two-day, pink-ball warm-up game against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI from November 30 before the day-night Test in Adelaide.Related

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• India's likely XI: Rahul set to open, Padikkal No. 3, and Jurel in the middle order

• Can Jaiswal counter fire with fire in Australia?

• Injured Gill to miss first Test in Perth with fractured thumb

• Boost for India as KL Rahul returns to bat in Sunday training

Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah is set to lead India in Perth in Rohit’s absence. Bumrah has led India in one Test previously, the fifth Test of their two-part 2021-22 tour of England at Edgbaston, when Rohit had tested positive for Covid-19.India are now set to begin the Test series without two members of their first-choice top three, with No. 3 Shubman Gill also set to miss the Perth Test with a fractured thumb. KL Rahul and the uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran were the two main candidates to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rohit’s absence, but there is now a chance that both will feature in the XI.Rahul had briefly come under an injury cloud himself, having gone off the field after taking a blow to the elbow while batting against Prasidh Krishna during the first day of the Indians’ intra-squad practice match at the WACA. Those fears were assuaged on Sunday morning, though, when Rahul returned to the crease and batted for about an hour.Apart from Abhimanyu and Rahul, India will have another top-order candidate in Devdutt Padikkal, who was part of India A’s shadow tour of Australia and has stayed back with the Test squad. Padikkal has played one Test for India, against England in Dharamsala earlier this year.With four days remaining for the first Test, the Indian think tank led by head coach Gautam Gambhir has been challenged on several fronts. This is India’s first overseas Test series under Gambhir and his coaching staff comprising Morne Morkel, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, and it follows an unprecedented 3-0 defeat to New Zealand, India’s first ever whitewash in a home series of three or more Tests.In the absence of Rohit and Gill, India may look to add to their batting depth by playing one of their two seam-bowling allrounders at No. 8. Both Nitish Kumar Reddy, a batting allrounder from Andhra, and Harshit Rana, a hit-the-deck bowling allrounder for Delhi, are yet to make their Test debuts.After training at the WACA over this week, India will shift to the Optus Stadium from Tuesday.

Turning their attention towards a future star, West Ham United are now reportedly racing Manchester United to sign an 18-year-old forward this summer.

West Ham launch Callum Wilson offer

Whether it’s young talent like Daniel Cummings or those more experienced, the Hammers are seemingly looking to reinforce their frontline this summer. The latest target would certainly be an ideal addition too. According to recent reports, West Ham have submitted an opening offer to Callum Wilson, who is currently a free agent after leaving Newcastle United.

Whether the experienced forward accepts the offer, which includes a minimal salary with a goal and appearance bonus, remains the big question. Wilson reportedly rejected a similar offer from Newcastle, so it does seem unlikely that he would change his demands for West Ham this summer.

Of course, the free agent market is one that West Ham have already dipped into this summer to welcome Kyle Walker-Peters. The right-back recently arrived to become their third signing following Cummings and El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The former Southampton man instantly expressed his delight after putting pen to paper, saying: “I’m really excited. It feels like it has been a long-time coming – I’ve been linked with a move to the Club in the past – and I’m just happy to be here now.

“I spoke to Graham Potter and he was a big, big part of me making the decision. I’ve always liked his style as a coach, and I think it will suit me well. He spoke about the family feel at the Club, and that’s what I’m all about. I’d like to think I’m going to be a good fit for West Ham United.

Now, however, it seems as though those at the London Stadium are ready to spend again in pursuit of adding another attacking addition to Graham Potter’s side.

West Ham racing to sign Idrissa Gueye

According to L’Equipe, West Ham are now racing to sign Idrissa Gueye ahead of Manchester United this summer. Not to be confused with his Everton namesake, the 18-year-old striker is attracting plenty of attention, with a battle forming between West Ham, Man United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Italian side Parma for his signature.

It won’t come cheap, however. Ligue 1 side Metz reportedly value their young striker at as much as €20m (£17m) ahead of their return to France’s top flight and it remains to be seen whether West Ham and others will be willing to match that price.

Dream for Bowen: West Ham make approach to sign "incredible" talent for £0

As West Ham United continue their search for a new striker, the Hammers are “in talks” to sign a proven, “excellent” proven PL goalscorer on a free.

ByBen Gray Jul 24, 2025

Mentioned in an “exciting crop of talent” at Senegal by analyst Ben Mattinson, Gueye is unlikely to make an instant impact given his tender age, but he is one for the future.

Having shown glimpses of his quality at Metz last season – scoring five Ligue 2 goals – the teenager could now be on his way to the Premier League.

Inglis and Stoinis stepped away against the unusual deliveries and they were declared ‘dead balls’

Andrew McGlashan05-Sep-2024Towards the end of the opening T20I between Australia and Scotland in Edinburgh, talk switched from Travis Head’s pyrotechnics to the ‘long ball’ tactics of left-arm spinner Mark Watt and the grey areas of the Law that his innovation approach challenges.The ball after having Mitchell Marsh taken on the rope, Watt delivered one of his 25-yard deliveries to Josh Inglis who made the very late decision to step away with it taking the leg bail. The umpire called ‘dead ball’, although he did appear to speak to Inglis. It happened again a short while later when Marcus Stoinis stepped away having started to face up, although on this occasion the ball missed the stumps.”It’s just trying to rush [the batters],” Watt has previously explained. “By the time I’ve let it go, the batsman looks up and the ball’s halfway down the wicket.”The wording of the relevant Law, 20.4.2.5, showed the umpire had made the correct call. “Either umpire shall call and signal Dead ball when…the striker is not ready for the delivery of the ball and, if the ball is delivered, makes no attempt to play it. Provided the umpire is satisfied that the striker had adequate reason for not being ready, the ball shall not count as one of the over.”However, the “adequate reason” for the batter to pull away is left for the umpire’s discretion and Watt clearly felt Inglis had been ready to face. Freeze frames of the moment Watt started his run up did appear to suggest that Inglis was still looking down when tapping his bat, although he was looking towards the bowler before the ball was delivered.On commentary, the former Scotland captain Preston Mommsen suggested Inglis had been fortunate. “The unexpected nature of the delivery coming from 23, 24 yards. He’s a very lucky man to still be there,” he said.There wouldn’t have been an impact on the result, but it’s not the first time the debate has been sparked as to whether Watt was denied a wicket. The same situation occurred in the T20 World Cup earlier this year when Oman batter Khalid Kail was ‘bowled’ after stepping away and umpire Chris Brown called dead ball. On that occasion Watt and captain Richie Berrington spoke to the umpire but on Wednesday, apart from a few gesticulations the game went on, although there were boos from the crowd after the second dead-ball call.During the World Cup example, Tom Moody, who was commentating for the game, believed Kail was ready and ball shouldn’t have been dead. “The batter’s looking up. He’s ready. To me, that is a legitimate ball,” Moody had said. “The ball is live. As soon as the batter has placed his bat down and faces up, looks up to the bowler, he’s ready to go.”Australia were on alert for the tactic when they faced Scotland in the T20 World Cup in St Lucia, where Inglis was a member of the squad and Stoinis was in the XI.

Hosts finish day three 207 ahead, after Joshua Da Silva’s 82* gave visitors a 41-run first-innings lead

Valkerie Baynes20-Jul-2024Half-centuries to three of their top five allowed England to wrest back control of the second Test after West Indies’ spirited lower-order resistance had given the tourists a narrow first-innings lead on an enthralling third day at Trent Bridge.Twin fifties from Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope – the biggest contributors in England’s first innings – steadied the hosts after the loss of Zak Crawley just ten balls into their second innings, a 119-run partnership for the second wicket overhauling West Indies’ 41-run lead and pulling them 86 ahead.Then fifty to Harry Brook during another century stand for England – worth 108 so far with Joe Root – left West Indies frustrated. At stumps on day three, Brook was unbeaten on 71 and Root was 37 not out.Crawley, dismissed for a duck in the first innings, managed 3 in the second before his freak run-out at the non-striker’s end. Duckett drove heartily back towards the bowler Jayden Seales, who thrust out a hand on his follow through and the ball deflected off his fingers as Crawley was backing up, his bat still in the air when the stumps were broken.Duckett raised his second fifty of the match in 55 balls with a trio of sweeps off consecutive deliveries in front of square off Kevin Sinclair, top-edged through fine leg and then behind square to add to his quick-fire 71 in the first innings.Ben Duckett hit his second fifty of the match•Getty ImagesThe day’s overcast conditions grew heavier at tea with a very light rain shower sweeping through around the scheduled resumption. Pope, England’s top-scorer in the first innings with 121, brought up his fifty soon after the interval with a single off Alzarri Joseph, but immediately after the misshapen ball was replaced, the same bowler lured Pope into a drive, the outside edge sailing to Sinclair at gully.Alzarri Joseph then pinned Duckett lbw with a toe-crusher of an inswinging yorker, the batter failing to overturn a straightforward dismissal on DRS, and England went from 127 for 1 to 140 for 3.Brook and Root steadied things again, though. Brook was hit in the midriff by one that nipped back from Alzarri Joseph, but pulled the next for four through midwicket to move within one boundary of his half-century; and he got there punching the first ball of Alzarri Joseph’s next over to the boundary through wide long-off.Brook raised the century partnership with back-to-back fours through the cordon off Seales, who was clearly fuming at the end of the over. When Brook and Root strode off the field after the next over, they had every reason to look pleased.Earlier, Joshua Da Silva’s resolute half-century, and Shamar Joseph’s big-hitting cameo from No. 11 took West Indies into the lead. Da Silva remained unbeaten on 82, having added fifty runs to his overnight score, when Shamar Joseph fell on the final ball of an extended first session for 33 off 27 balls, the pair putting on 71 runs off 78 for the tenth wicket.Joshua Da Silva and Shamar Joseph added 71 off 78 balls for the tenth wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesChris Woakes found plenty of swing to lead the bowling for England with three wickets for the day, including two in as many balls, to finish with 4 for 84.West Indies would have been thrilled with an improved batting performance, led by a century for Kavem Hodge, and Alick Athanaze’s 82 on the second day, which gave them some hope of levelling the series after an innings defeat at Lord’s. But after further encouragement with Crawley’s dismissal, they may be disappointed with their failure to capitalise.England bowled just one over with the second new ball on Friday evening, but under far cloudier skies, it took just 15 deliveries on Saturday morning for Woakes to break through, Jason Holder prodding at one outside off stump and getting caught behind. Sinclair survived a run-out chance when Pope’s shy at the stumps from short cover went wide, but he was gone soon after, thanks to Brook’s lightning reflexes at gully, off Gus Atkinson.Alzarri Joseph was put down by Ben Stokes, running in from cover, on 7, off the bowling of Atkinson, but Woakes claimed two wickets in as many balls when he had Alzarri Joseph chasing a wide one outside off stump and feathering behind to Jamie Smith, and then bowled Seales for a first-ball duck.Joshua Da Silva smashed Joe Root for 4, 4, 4, 6 in one over•PA Images via Getty ImagesShamar Joseph survived the hat-trick ball to support Da Silva, who had taken it slowly through the first 90 minutes of the day but brought up his fifty in emphatic style, using Mark Wood’s pace to guide the ball over the fence at deep extra cover.Da Silva took another six off Wood over deep third to move West Indies past the 400-mark, then Shamar Joseph drew his side level with England’s first-innings 416 by thrashing Atkinson for six in front of square. He sent broken roof tiles raining on to spectators sitting in the stands below at backward square leg next, and threaded four through fine leg to take 16 off the over.Da Silva amassed 18 runs off one Joe Root over with three consecutive fours followed by a heave over long-on for six, his third maximum of the innings.Wood, who had left the field late on day two suffering cramp after a lightning fast four-over spell in the morning followed by ten more overs of hard, fast graft, snared the wicket that had eluded him when Shamar Joseph sent a leading edge high to mid-on, Atkinson snaffling the catch.