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West Bromwich Albion are now without a win from their last three games in the Championship.

Ryan Mason’s Baggies did look to be very close to an elusive win in the challenging second tier against Leicester City last time out; however, after Samuel Iling-Junior’s first goal for the promotion chasers had handed them a 1-0 advantage over Marti Cifuentes’ Foxes.

Yet, it wasn’t to be for Mason’s unlucky hosts come the full-time whistle, as various spurned chances came back to bite them courtesy of a Nathaniel Phillips’ own goal.

The former Tottenham Hotspur coach turned Baggies manager could now be prepared to change up what attackers take to the field for his side’s encounter later today versus Norwich City to ensure goal-shy displays don’t become frequent, with Isaac Price potentially facing the chop.

Price's showing vs Leicester in numbers

While the Northern Ireland international has received plenty of plaudits for his performances this season so far, he has also gone slightly off the boil over West Brom’s choppy last few Championship clashes.

Indeed, the former Everton youth product went through the entirety of September without picking up a single goal or assist, which is a notable drop-off when weighed up next to his outrageous form in August.

Price is unfortunately a victim of his own success here, with his three goals and one assist in August hard to keep up across a full season, as has been seen in his lacklustre offering the following month.

Mason’s experiment to throw Price in as a second striker alongside Aune Heggebo also didn’t work against Leicester, with the 22-year-old going to miss a big chance, even when handed the responsibility of leading the line.

On top of that, he didn’t link up with the Norwegian well enough to get him regularly involved in play, with the number 19 only managing a weak eight touches of the ball in total next to his new strike partner.

It could be that Mason is now preparing to drop Price from the first team altogether for the trip to Norfolk, with this Baggies goal machine primed for his first league start of the season ahead of the hot-and-cold number 21.

Mason's "special" Price replacement for West Brom

Away from Price sticking out with his three league strikes last month, West Brom haven’t been the easiest on the eye to watch so far this season.

Since putting three past Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham, the Baggies have only managed to find the back of the net a weak four times across their next five league encounters, with Josh Maja now potentially thrown into the mix to make West Brom a troubling threat in attack once more.

Mason is likely just erring on the side of caution with his injury-prone number 9 so far this season, hence his lack of starts to date, with his goal-laden campaign last season devastatingly derailed by an injury in January.

Still, he could be the spark now needed to enhance West Brom’s firepower in attacking areas, with this well-taken finish last campaign coming against Wednesday’s opponents, Norwich City, coincidentally going down as his ninth goal in total.

By the time he was sadly stricken with injury, he would boast a mightily impressive 12 strikes from 25 league clashes.

It’s not just his explosive goalscoring form that will catch Mason’s eye here, however, with the former Sunderland centre-forward also amassing six big chances created across this span of league games.

This could result in Maja supplying Heggebo with chances galore moving forward, with the Brann menace’s goalscoring prowess – firing home a lethal 11 goals in the Eliteserien in 2024 alone – hopefully then coming to the forefront.

Hailed as “special” by Carlos Corberan when the Spaniard was still occupying the Hawthorns dug-out, it does feel like a waste not to try and get the best out of Maja again, with Norwich perhaps on the receiving end of the 26-year-old’s clinical edge later on, as Mason attempts to get West Brom’s faltering season back on track with tweaks here and there.

Mason could unleash Price 2.0 at West Brom in "outstanding" 19-year-old

Ryan Mason can unleash another Isaac Price at West Bromwich Albion with this outstanding youngster.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 28, 2025

The tournament will be played behind closed doors “to begin with”, and all games will be at neutral venues

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Mar-2021IPL 2021 will be played entirely in India, starting on April 9, with the final set for May 30. The tournament will be played across six cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.Chennai will host the tournament opener, in which defending champions Mumbai Indians will face Royal Challengers Bangalore. The playoffs and the final will be held at the Motera in Ahmedabad.In a significant change from previous IPLs played in India, the organisers have decided to conduct all games at neutral venues. The league phase will be played behind closed doors “to begin with”, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release on Sunday. A final call on if and when spectators will be allowed, Shah said, will be taken at a “later stage” of the tournament.ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI is utilising the IPL, a multi-team event, as a dry run for the men’s T20 World Cup, which is slated to be held in India in October-November this year, and thus wants to ensure all precautions are in place accordingly.Eleven double-headers, less travel

This season, the afternoon games – there are 11 double-headers lined up – will begin at 3.30pm IST, while the evening games start at 7.30pm, both 30 minutes earlier than usual start time for IPL games played in India.Each franchise will play at four out of the six venues during the league phase, which includes 56 games. Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata will host 10 games each, while Delhi and Ahmedabad will host eight each. The first 36 league matches will be split across Chennai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi, while the next 20 will be played in Bengaluru and Kolkata in May – this is because elections in West Bengal will be held late March to late April, while, in Bengaluru, it is understood that the floodlights at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium are being replaced.”The fixtures of the tournament have been mapped in a way that every team will travel only three times during the league stage, thus reducing commute and minimising risk,” Shah said.Venues – the key reason for the delay in announcing the schedule

Immediately after successfully hosting IPL 2020 in the UAE, the BCCI had said it would be hosting the 2021 edition in India subject to the state of the pandemic. The UAE remained a back-up, but having conducted the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in India in January, the BCCI was confident of playing the IPL in the country.However, the franchises were concerned as the IPL had not disclosed the final venues with roughly a month to go for the tournament. The reason behind the franchises’ concerns was they had to book hotels, secure visas for overseas players, figure out logistics, all within the framework of the Standard Operations Procedures required to maintain the tournament’s biosecure bubble.With Covid-19 infections on the rise in several places in India, both the franchises as well as the IPL were sceptical about going with the usual routine of eight venues. As per the original plan, Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad were meant to host the entire tournament. However, the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, the most severely affected state in India, forced the IPL to rethink. Then, in the second plan, Mumbai was set to be left out as a venue.This week the IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel and the IPL chief operating officer Hemang Amin met former BCCI president Sharad Pawar, who is head of the Nationalist Congress Party that shares power in Maharashtra government.The meeting, which was also attended by representatives of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, was called to get the nod from the Maharashtra government for the IPL to run in the state, which has imposed a cap on gatherings even for outdoor sport. The IPL wanted Pawar to allow Mumbai to host, and also to discuss the whether the grounds could be filled to a certain capacity.Why no crowds?

The BCCI wanted to play it safe. This, despite the fact that it had opened the final three Tests of the four-match series against England to 50% capacity. The key reason behind this decision was that the IPL is an eight-team event, as opposed to a bilateral series where two teams can be more easily managed in a biosecure environment.Also, with many of the IPL venues listed, crowds can be in the vicinity of the dressing room and there is always a danger of safety protocols being breached, which could endanger the entire bubble.There is also the upcoming T20 World Cup, which the BCCI will be hosting, to keep in mind. The abrupt suspension of the Pakistan Super League due to Covid-19 cases within the bubble will offer “learnings”, ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney had said, as the global governing body readies for the World Cup that will feature 16 teams. The final schedule for that tournament, including the venues, could be shaped by how the IPL goes.Chennai Super Kings’ full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rajasthan Royals’ full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Kolkata Knight Riders’ full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Punjab Kings’ full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mumbai Indians’ full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Delhi Capitals’ full schedule•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Worrying questions get some answers after picking up first points of the ODI World Cup

Shashank Kishore21-Oct-20237:49

Maharoof: The new-ball spell of Madushanka and Rajitha set up the win

It’s the 47th over of Netherlands’ innings. Logan van Beek, running between the wickets, is nowhere near safety and has resigned to fate. Substitute fielder Dunith Wellalage flicks the throw from cover to Chamika Karunaratne, who botches a simple run out chance at the bowler’s end. Van Beek gets to his maiden ODI half-century.Then in the penultimate over, van Beek heaves Kasun Rajitha’s slower ball to the deep midwicket. Charith Asalanka covers some ground first before throwing himself full stretch on the edge of the boundary. It was towards the shorter side and momentum could’ve taken it over, but for Asalanka’s athleticism and balance.These are just two of several instances in a game where Sri Lanka fluctuated from sloppy to the sublime. But again, if you’re in their shoes, you’d be mighty relieved at grabbing the two points any which way, not necessarily fussed about how they were earned.Sri Lanka’s campaign has thrown up far too many questions, and few answers. Against South Africa, they conceded 428. Against Pakistan, they failed to defend 344. Against Australia, they went from cruise control at 125 for 0 to crash landing: 209 all out. On Saturday in Lucknow, they were in choppy waters at 52 for 2 in the 10th over chasing 263, after losing the advantage in the bowling innings after having Netherlands at 91 for 6 at one stage.Van Beek and Sybrand Engelbrecht put up 130 for the seventh wicket to revive an innings that appeared to be stuck in second gear for a good chunk. Sri Lanka would not have felt particularly good at the break between innings but they willed themselves to victory, courtesy key performances from individuals who have elicited varied opinion.Kasun Rajitha single-handedly gave Sri Lanka the early advantage•Associated PressTake Kasun Rajitha for example. It’s hard to imagine how someone who burst onto the scene and rolled over a strong India line-up on a spicy Pune deck in a T20I in 2016, with the kind of pace, seam presentation and subtle variations in length he showed that night, hadn’t played more than 29 ODIs prior to this.Rajitha’s has been a case of frustrating injuries, poor form and being stuck in a selection mire. Yet, when he bounds in and threatens the top of off regularly like he did on Saturday, it seems he’s destined for brighter days.It’s likely he was force-fitted into an XI desperately short of options, especially in the wake of an injury to Matheesha Pathirana. After conceding 1 for 90 against South Africa and then sitting out of the next two games, he returned to deliver a top opening act: seven high-intensity overs, three wickets for 23 to walk off to a job well done.His late inswing accounted for Vikramjit Singh in his second over. His deceptive pace and skid off the pitch had Max O’Dowd chopping on. Then, Colin Ackermann, perhaps best suited to handle pace and bounce given his rich county experience and regular game time, was done in by a short ball. All told, it was a spell Sri Lanka needed, especially after the tough time they’ve had with the ball at this World Cup.Then there’s his partner in crime Dilshan Madushanka. He burst on the scene by splaying Virat Kohli’s stumps with a zinger in Dubai last year. He nearly didn’t make it here, after suffering a torn oblique muscle in August prior to the Asia Cup, but his potential was too tempting for the selectors to ignore even if his chances of being picked, forget playing, was borderline.Madushanka was among those instrumental in Sri Lanka qualifying for this tournament; he picked up eight wickets in four games at the Qualifiers in June, a tournament where he wasn’t picked, only to be summoned late to replace Dushmantha Chameera.Such are the strange ways of life that Madushanka has gone from being on the fringes of the Sri Lanka A team to one of their main bowlers in a few months. Three nights ago, he delivered a telling spell up top against Australia, eliciting comparisons with the great Chaminda Vaas. In Lucknow, it was merely a reiteration that he is quality.Much of Rajitha’s success was down to Madushanka’s control at the other end with the new ball. It also helped that Netherlands surprisingly opted to bat, not wanting to waver from their set template of putting up a score, even if conventional wisdom demanded doing the opposite.On a deck with moisture and some grass, Madushanka was effective, if not menacing, with his control. He eventually finished with 4 for 49, the strike of Engelbrecht to break a 130-run stand in the 46th over may have perhaps led to Sri Lanka chasing 20 fewer.Then there’s Sadeera Samarawickrama. Another of those maverick batters who you watch and go ‘wow’, but then do a double take when you see his career stats. For someone with that ability of picking lengths early, cutting and pulling with the kind of power he possesses, it’s rather strange he’d played just 26 ODIs since his debut in 2017.He was particularly impressive in combating Netherlands’ spin threat, ensuring he was always getting right to the pitch while driving and outside the line of the stumps while sweeping, especially against Roelof van der Merwe’s left-arm spin. His leg-side game, a result of months of work, especially in terms of being able to access the area square of the wicket, was impressive to watch. This came handy especially when the faster bowlers went short of a length after being picked off for boundaries in trying to go fuller.Samarawickrama’s bugbear has been his inability to carry on and make tall scores. On Saturday, he batted those choppy waters to take Sri Lanka home, finishing unbeaten on 91 in a chase he’d decided to take deep. This, coming on the back of what seemed a seminal hundred against Pakistan in Hyderabad two weeks ago, could well signal a new dawn.Sri Lanka will dearly hope it’s also the start of a new dawn for their World Cup campaign which may not be all that doom and gloom, especially considering their next opponents, England, are in a similar situation.

Seven games, four wins, two draws and just a solitary defeat. Tottenham Hotspur’s start to the 2025/26 Premier League season has been a far cry from last term, with Thomas Frank certainly getting a tune out of this talented crop of players.

Having slipped to 22 top-flight defeats last season under Ange Postecoglou, the Europa League winners look like a different prospect this time around, with Saturday’s trip to Elland Road once again highlighting their newfound resilience this season.

With Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven holding the fort defensively in that 2-1 win over Leeds United, the Lilywhites can also now rely on the likes of Mohammed Kudus to make the difference in attack, with the Ghanaian notching a goal and assist to maintain his red-hot form this term.

Eyebrows may have been raised following his £55m switch from London rivals West Ham United, although Kudus is quickly proving value for money, having fired home from just outside the box to secure the win in Yorkshire.

Elegant and electric down that right flank, the 25-year-old is swiftly taking on talismanic status in his new surroundings, carrying the mantle even when those around him aren’t exactly at their free-flowing best.

Kudus' game in numbers vs Leeds

Having teed up Mathys Tel for the game’s opener, before getting in on the act with his first goal for the club, Kudus now has six goals and assists to his name in just seven league outings in 2025/26.

Up against Daniel Farke’s stubborn side, the one-time Ajax man was a constant menace from his right wing berth, having also popped up centrally to convert what proved to be the decisive goal on the day.

The man of the moment could and should well have netted earlier following impressive work from Xavi Simons down the left, albeit with Kudus unable to direct his attempt goalwards after lashing over the bar from the Dutchman’s pullback.

That was a rare blot on the copybook on anotherwise eye-catching day for Spurs’ number 20, a fact that was also evidenced as he successfully completed all six of his attempted dribbles at Elland Road, as per Sofascore.

With an 88% pass accuracy rate to boot, the 51-touch playmaker also chipped in defensively for his side, winning ten duels in total – the most of any player for either side on the day.

That influence both in and out of possession was crucial in clinching the away side’s fourth league win of the campaign, with such a showing perhaps helping to mask the struggles of the man behind.

Why Frank may need to bench errant Spurs star

Battling. Hard-fought. Resilient. All words that could describe the visitors’ performance amid stormy conditions away in Yorkshire.

Chalkboard

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

This wasn’t vintage Spurs, but a resolute defence – combined with fleeting moments of quality in attack – ultimately proved enough up against their newly-promoted hosts.

When reflecting back on Saturday’s win, Frank may also need to consider how his side can truly begin to kick on and thrive in the weeks ahead, with questions likely to be asked regarding Pedro Porro’s regular role at right-back.

With Destiny Udogie returning to his rightful place at left-back, there is now a straight fight between Porro and Djed Spence on the opposite flank, ensuring Frank could well make that change next time around following the international break.

While the typically influential Porro wasn’t a notable villain on Saturday afternoon, he was also far from his best, having been rather erratic in possession after losing the ball on 26 occasions – more than any player for either side.

That may have come amid his desire to create for his side, having teed up Kudus for the winner with a dinked pass in behind, although his 62% pass accuracy rate does make for grim reading.

Wasteful and erratic in possession, the Spaniard was also found wanting defensively at times, having struggled to contain the lively Noah Okafor down the Leeds left.

Indeed, the former Sporting CP defender ultimately won just four of his ten ground duels, while being dribbled past one two occasions, with football.london’s Alasdair Gold noting that it ‘wasn’t one of his best games’, despite showcasing his usual endeavour and commitment.

While Frank may be wary of changing a winning side, the presence of Spence waiting in the wings ensures that the Dane could make the change against Aston Villa in two weeks time.

There’s certainly no harm in keeping Porro on his toes.

Spurs already have dream Son heir who's yet to play in the Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur could save themselves millions with a Heung-min Son replacement within their ranks.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 3, 2025

Chelsea captain Millie Bright made history after breaking the Women's Super League appearances record in her side's 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday. Initially, it looked like the former England international would enjoy a day of celebration over playing her 211th game in the division but Alyssa Thompson's opener was cancelled out by Beata Olsson's individual effort.

• Plaudits pour in for Bright

  Before Bright broke the WSL appearance record, which would take her past the previous mark held by former England team-mate Jordan Nobbs, former Chelsea manager and current United States women's team boss Emma Hayes heaped praise on her former charge. The 32-year-old, who won a hatful of trophies with Hayes over the past decade, was hailed as "superhuman" and one of the most determined people she had ever met. 

  Hayes told Sky Sports: "It's what she puts herself through. I mean, she's like a superhuman. She's an iron lady. She is so diligent. She'll do everything she possibly can to stay on the pitch. I think she's one of the most persevering people I've ever met. Demanding as a leader, drives the team, like absolutely drives the team. Fans and everybody else might not see the impact she has when she's on the pitch for the team, but she's immense as a leader. She's colossal. And a big softy, big heart, big softy. I think, I mean, that's an unbelievable achievement. Another one for her, like she's got, she's done so much in her time, the amount of winning, just truly remarkable."

  When asked if Bright challenged Hayes, she replied, "Yeah, every day. Every player challenges me. That's what they do. Sometimes they want a decision that's taken or something that's happened. That's part and parcel, like building the right relationships so that they can say those things. And it's not perfect. I've made millions of mistakes, and there's lots of things that do not get right. But someone like Millie, I've listened to and I trust her perspective, and she'll always be straight up with me. And I've always valued that." 

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  Bright likened to John Terry

  Former Lionesses ace Izzy Christiansen believes that Bright shares similar qualities on the football pitch as Chelsea legend John Terry. The ex-Everton player also stated the defender deserves more credit for what she has achieved.

  "I think she's really impressed me over the last 10 years of her career in terms of the consistency. Since joining Chelsea, she's settled in so well, taking on the armband, taking on a huge role," she said. "I don't think people give her enough credit for how hard it is to continuously win and drive the standard. She's been very vocal that she is the person sometimes who suffers because she's driving standards every day, and that's what it takes to win. There's a bit of John Terry about her."

  Former Scotland international Rachel Corsie added: "When you're in that role for such a long time as captain, you're always second to the team. It's a huge task, and she's done it with huge respect from, I think, everyone in the game. I think she does drive those standards that, for me, the reason Chelsea have been so successful is because, psychologically, they have that little bit extra than everyone else, where they just know the most important thing is winning at all costs, and we see them do that in so many different ways."

• Bright struggles on historic day

  On another day, Bright's record-breaking appearance would have been the headline story. But the experienced centre-back had an uncharacteristically shaky performance in Chelsea's 1-1 draw with lowly Liverpool at St Helens Stadium. Wright was outpaced by Olsson for Liverpool's goal and was subbed off at half-time for Naomi Girma. The Blues extended their unbeaten WSL run to 34 matches but the scenes at full-time were not one of celebration for Sonia Bompastor's side. The Frenchwoman will hope her skipper gets back to her best soon as they now sit three points behind league leaders Manchester City after nine games.

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  Crunch game for Chelsea nears

  Chelsea face, arguably, the toughest task in women's domestic football when they host Barcelona in the Champions League on Thursday night. The Spanish side destroyed the Blues in the semi-finals of the competition last season, so Bompastor's team will be seeking revenge this time out.

Australia’s bowlers almost turned the game around but New Zealand’s lower order came through

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Mar-2021Beth Mooney believed Australia’s bowlers could close out the second T20I in Napier, but conceded the visitors had been under par with the bat on a surface where they were not able to significantly accelerate.Despite only having 129 on the board, Australia had squeezed the chase after the fall of Frankie Mackay to the extent that New Zealand needed 21 off the last two overs which they were able to achieve through Maddy Green and Hannah Rowe, the last ball being edged to fine leg.”I’d back our bowlers to defend 21 off 12, but Hannah Rowe and Maddy Green were outstanding,” Mooney said. “When you need three of the last ball, it can go anywhere.”Australia’s innings included nine fours and a six, while the home side managed 13 fours and two sixes. Mooney batted through the first innings for 61* off 54 balls, but Rachael Haynes scored 11 off her first 16 deliveries before lifting herself above a run-a-ball.Related

• Injured Mackay stars as New Zealand level series off last ball

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Throughout the third wicket stand of 49, Ash Gardner, who struck a superb 73 off 48 balls in the first T20I in Hamilton, was sat in the dugout and eventually walked in with a just ten balls remaining, but Mooney said the team had faith in all their batters to perform in any situation.”They were tricky conditions and it was really hard to start on,” she said. “Even someone like me, I was out there the whole game and never felt I could get the ball out of the middle. New Zealand bowled really well, had some great plans so credit has to go to the way they played. Thought they were an outstanding fielding outfit today, too.”Anyone in our batting line-up can bat anywhere. Rach Haynes has done really well in the middle order for our team and been going beautifully. [We] would never question the decisions the coaching staff make because at the time it’s the right one.”You look at the top six in our team we have some of the best batters in the world so we have batters who can play any role in any situation on any given day. Whilst it might seem from the outside that we don’t try too much or change too much within our group we are really confident and supportive of each other. We were probably 10 or 15 runs short. Whether Ash came in earlier or not, who knows, but it was definitely a really hard wicket to start on considering how tight they were bowling.”The victory was more notable for New Zealand as they achieved it without captain Sophie Devine, who was ill. It meant a reshuffling of the batting order with Mackay, who was due to be left out a few hours earlier, opening the innings and then she suffered a calf injury which left her largely restricted to trying to hit boundaries.Despite not being able to secure victory in Hamilton after reducing Australia to 14 for 3, stand-in captain Amy Satterthwaite said the performance had lifted the team’s confidence after the difficult time against England.”Really proud of the way everyone stood up,” she said. “The belief in what we were doing was getting bigger and bigger, the last game probably gave us more belief than people probably realised in the way we carried ourselves. It was a step forward of where we’d been against England. Today we talked about lifting that again. Thought the fielding had been setting the tone we were outstanding again. That lifted everyone and the bowlers were all brilliant.”

There is a two-day match in Canberra next weekend but Ben Stokes indicated Test squad members were unlikely to feature

Matt Roller23-Nov-20252:13

Stokes defends attacking approach after batting collapse

England are unlikely to send any of the players involved in their eight-wicket thrashing in Perth to Canberra for next week’s pink-ball tour match, a decision which former captain Michael Vaughan has described as “amateurish”.The speed of Australia’s win in a chaotic first Ashes Test has left England with 11 days before the start of the second, day-night Test in Brisbane on December 4. There is a two-day, pink-ball match scheduled between a Prime Minister’s XI and an England XI on November 29, but England Lions have long been scheduled to fulfil that fixture rather than the main touring party.Related

• England decline opportunity for pink-ball practice in Lions fixture

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• Konstas named in Prime Minister's XI to face England

• McCullum backs England's team ethic to bounce back from chastening loss

• A generational flaying takes its place in England's Ashes lore

Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, said after the first Test that England would consider sending some players to Canberra. “I haven’t even thought about it just yet, to be honest, because I planned on us being a little bit longer than two days,” he told the BBC’s . “We’ll let the dust settle tonight and then we’ll have a good think about it tomorrow.”But Ben Stokes, their captain, suggested that England will stick to their guns and head straight to Brisbane on November 26 to prepare for the second Test at the Gabba. “That’s how it was done a long time ago,” he replied, when asked if his side should look to play another competitive match in the aftermath of their heavy defeat.”We prepare incredibly well,” Stokes said. “We work incredibly hard every single day that we get the opportunity to work on our game, and that’s what we’ll keep on doing because we believe and we trust in our process.England folded twice in Perth but it’s currently unlikely any of the batters will play in Canberra•Getty Images

“If the results don’t go the way in our favour, that’s not going to differ from that (sic) because, hand on heart, we know that we put every little bit or ounce of ourselves into our training, and we know and believe that this is the best way for this team to operate.”Alastair Cook, England’s leading run-scorer in their most recent series win in Australia in 2010-11, urged them to reconsider. “In this situation, I would want to go and play in the pink-ball game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, not just leave it to the Lions players,” he wrote in his column.”It can be an uncomfortable decision as you are opening yourself up to failing again, but putting yourself under pressure can have long-term benefits. However much you practise in the nets, you cannot replicate the feeling of time in the middle.”Vaughan, the top-scorer in the 2002-03 Ashes, went even harder, suggesting that England should go into the tour match at full strength – including fielding the fast bowlers that played in Perth. “It’s amateurish if they don’t go and play now,” he said. “What harm is playing two days of cricket with a pink ball under lights?”They’ve played two days of cricket. They’ve been out in the field for, what, 70 [67.3] overs? Look, they’re professional cricketers. I can’t be so old-school to suggest that by playing cricket, you might get a little bit better… My method would be, you’ve got a pink-ball, two-day game: you go and grab it, go and take it. Play those two days, and make sure that you’re giving yourself the best chance.”It’s not being old-school to suggest that a pink ball is different to a red ball. Playing under the lights is different. Australia have won pretty much every pink-ball game in Australia: they’ve lost once. I’m not too old-school to suggest that they should play in that game… I’d like to know why they wouldn’t.”England released three unused members of their Test squad – Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and Matthew Potts – to play for the Lions in their ongoing tour match against a Cricket Australia XI at Lilac Hill from the second day of the first Test, and may take a similar approach for the PM’s XI fixture.The PM’s XI will be captained by Peter Handscomb and features three other players with Test match experience in top-order batters Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney, and veteran seamer Peter Siddle.

Manchester United hero Wayne Rooney remains one of the deadliest strikers to have played at Old Trafford, and it appears that he hasn’t lost his ability to score stunning goals, even after his retirement.

Wayne Rooney scores blockbuster goal in Nexon Icons match

While the Premier League begins to heat up again after the conclusion of the international break, football fans on the other side of the world were able to take in a thrilling match-up of legends in Seoul on Sunday.

In the latest instalment of the Nexon Icons 2025 Series, FC Spear and Shield United went head-to-head for the Nexon trophy and plenty of the world’s best at their craft were on show in front of their adoring crowd.

Rooney led the line for FC Spear, followed up by a support act of epic proportion, including Didier Drogba, Thierry Henry, Kaka and Steven Gerrard, among other star-studded faces.

On the other side, Carles Puyol, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Iker Casillas were just some of the names on display, but former Manchester United star Rooney grabbed the headlines, even if his side went on to lose 2-1 courtesy of strikes from Maicon and Joo Ho Park.

As seen below, the Three Lions icon delivered a magnificent effort from outside the area to level the scoring, one that bore striking similarities to his strike in Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat against Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley.

Forever a legend at both Everton and Manchester United, he is enjoying life after his playing days and still has a God-given talent most footballers would kill to replicate. Now, it remains to be seen whether he dips his toe back into management.

Full transcript of line-ups from Nexon Icons match

Shield United: Young Kwang Kim, Iker Casillas, Alessandro Nesta, Michael Carrick, Marchisio, Gilberto Silva, Joo Ho Park, Sol Campbell, Claude Makelele, Ashley Cole, Maicon, John Arne Riise, Nemanja Vidic, Carles Puyol, Young Pyo Lee, Rio Ferdinand.

FC Spear: Bum Young Lee, Gianluigi Buffon, Ja Cheol Koo, Ki Hyon Seol, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Clarence Seedorf, Eden Hazard, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Kaka, Steven Gerrard, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Ji Sung Park, Didier Drogba.

What next for Wayne Rooney in management?

On the management front, Rooney is without a club after leaving Plymouth Argyle in 2024 after a run of five wins, six draws and 14 losses in 25 matches across all competitions.

Previously, he has also enjoyed spells in charge of Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City, albeit the Manchester United hero has enjoyed varied degrees of success at all four clubs.

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Speaking to The Rest is Football earlier this year, Rooney admitted he would like to take on a new challenge in the dugout, but only if it comes in the right set of circumstances.

“I would like to go back in (to management). But it would have to be the right club. Certainly the right club. I think you always have that ego, don’t you? You always have that confidence you could go in and get the best out of a bad or difficult situation.”

Coaching vacancies will become available throughout the next few months, though some would suggest that Rooney putting his boots back would be an even better use of his time!

Harry Kane made the difference yet again with two late goals as England beat Albania 2-0 in their final World Cup qualifier and made history in the process. The captain broke the deadlock from close range in the 74th minute then netted a header eight minutes later to ensure Thomas Tuchel's side became the first European team to win every game in a World Cup qualification campaign without conceding a goal.

The Three Lions produced an unflattering display overall in a match which had nothing riding on it as they had secured qualification last month while Albania were already assured of a play-off spot. Dean Henderson did his part in keeping the all-important eighth consecutive clean sheet with an excellent display, especially in the second half, before Kane got the breakthrough goal in

The striker turned in a Bukayo Saka corner in the 75th minute and seven minutes later he nodded home a cross from substitute Marcus Rashford. It was far from a statement performance, but it means England head to North America as one of the teams to beat.

GOAL rates England's players from Air Albania Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Dean Henderson (8/10):

  Put under the cosh early in the second half and dealt with it well, making an impressive stop from Hoxha before coming out of his area to make a vital tackle on Laci. His first clean sheet in a third England start and a happier occasion than his last game against Senegal.

  Jarell Quansah (6/10):

  A competent albeit unremarkable debut from the Bayer Leverkusen defender. Didn't show loads of ambition going forward although dealt well with the danger coming down his side.

  John Stones (6/10):

  Played an advanced role, frequently pushing into midfield and rotating with Wharton. He gave England extra presence going forward but it didn't help them break down Albania for much of the game.

  Dan Burn (5/10):

  Struggled at times, particularly when Albania made a good start to the second half. A display which underlined why he is a squad player more than a starter.

  Nico O'Reilly (7/10):

  A positive second start for England after making his debut on Thursday, getting forward frequently and looking hard to beat. Looks a strong contender to be the first-choice left-back at the World Cup right now.

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  Midfield

  Declan Rice (6/10):

  Far from his most memorable England display as he didn't influence the play or have his usual attacking input, and yet still did little wrong.

  Jude Bellingham (7/10):

  A lively performance which was a reminder of how important he can be for England all over the pitch, even if things didn't quite come off for him going forward.

  Adam Wharton (6/10):

  Made his long-awaited first start for England, and although he didn't do much wrong, he didn't quite live up to the hype around him or give Anderson too much to worry about.

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  Attack

  Jarrod Bowen (6/10):

  Had England's best chance of the first half when he forced Strakosha to fly across goal and turn away his shot. 

  Harry Kane (7/10):

  It was the story of much of his England career. Did very little of note over the 90 minutes but came up with the goods thanks to his sheer know-how in the penalty area and then added an impressive second with his head.

  Eberechi Eze (5/10):

  A disappointing display as a starter, not looking on the same page as Rice and fluffing his only chance when he failed to beat Strakosha from close range. Replaced by Saka in the 62nd minute.

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  Subs & Manager

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  Gave England a bit more spark in attack with his movement, albeit without having much tangible impact.

  Bukayo Saka (6/10):

  Botched one half-chance and one great opportunity after replacing Eze, but went some way to making up for it by putting in the delivery for the crucial opening goal.

  Marcus Rashford (8/10):

  An excellent impact from the bench as he energised England's left side and put in a perfect cross for Kane as well as flashing a shot just wide.

  Elliot Anderson (N/A):

  Introduced in the 75th minute and helped England win a sixth consecutive game he has participated in.

  Morgan Rogers (N/A):

  Replaced Bellingham in the 84th minute.

  Thomas Tuchel (6/10):

  Made seven changes from the Serbia game and it showed as his side had their lowest expected goals total of his tenure in the first half. The overall performance highlighted a lack of strength-in-depth, but his substitutions helped get the job done and he has his own little piece of history to hold on to no matter what happens next summer.

Australia become the first team to score 350-plus in three successive ODIs

Sampath Bandarupalli28-Oct-2023771 – The match aggregate during the Australia-New Zealand match in Dharamsala. It is now the highest aggregate for a men’s ODI World Cup match, bettering the 754 during the South Africa-Sri Lanka game in Delhi earlier in this tournament.383 for 9 – New Zealand’s total is the highest by any team in a chase at the ODI World Cup. It is also the highest total by any team against Australia at the World Cup, surpassing India’s 352 for 5 in 2019. Only once New Zealand have posted a higher total at the World Cup – 393 for 6 against West Indies in 2015.32 – Sixes hit during the match – the second-most in a World Cup game, behind the 33 sixes between England and Afghanistan in Manchester in 2019.77 – Balls Rachin Ravindra needed for his century, the fastest for New Zealand in the ODI World Cup, improving his own record of 82 balls against England in the opening match of this edition. It is also the fastest century against Australia at the World Cup; the previous fastest was off 82 balls by Clive Llyod in the 1975 final.1 – Mitchell Starc went wicketless for the first time in his 24-match ODI World Cup career. His streak of taking at least one wicket in 23 matches is the best for any bowler.20 – Sixes hit by Australia – the most by them in an ODI, surpassing the 19 they hit against India in 2013 and Pakistan in 2023, both in Bangalore. These are also the most sixes hit by any team against New Zealand in an ODI innings, surpassing the 19 by India earlier this year in Indore.388 – Australia’s total is the highest by any team against New Zealand in ODI World Cup, surpassing their effort of 348 for 6 in 2007. It is also the third-highest total for any team against New Zealand in ODIs.Getty Images3 – Number of consecutive 350-plus totals by Australia, following up their 367 for 9 against Pakistan and 399 for 8 against Netherlands. They are the first team to score 350-plus in three successive ODIs.Getty Images59 – Number of balls Travis Head needed for his century, the fastest by an opening batter at the World Cup, betting Rohit Sharma’s 63-ball ton against Afghanistan earlier in this edition. It is also the fastest on World Cup debut, a record previously held by David Miller off 81 balls against Zimbabwe in 2015.1 – Head’s 59-ball hundred is also the third-fastest by any batter against New Zealand in ODIs. Thisara Perera’s 57-ball century in 2019 is the fastest against them, while Jonny Bairstow took 58 balls in 2018. Today’s was the fastest against them in World Cups – the previous fastest-recorded century against New Zealand in the showpiece event was by Carlos Brathwaite – off 80 balls in the 2019 edition.25 – Balls Head needed for his fifty, the fastest by a World Cup debutant. The previous fastest in the category was by Rilee Rossouw – 31 balls against West Indies in the 2015 edition. It is also the joint-second fastest fifty for Australia in the World Cup overall, behind Glenn Maxwell’s 21-ball effort against Afghanistan in 2015.118 – Runs scored by Australia in the first ten overs, which is the second-most in this period by any team in an ODI World Cup game since 1999. The highest is 119 by West Indies, who scored those against Canada in 2003.These are also the joint-third most runs in the first ten overs of an ODI innings overall and the highest for Australia (where ball-by-ball data is available). It is also the first time New Zealand conceded 100-plus runs inside the first ten overs of an ODI innings.10 – Sixes hit by Australian batters in the first ten overs are the joint-most by any team in an ODI innings (where ball-by-ball data is available). West Indies also hit ten sixes in their first ten overs against England in 2019.1 – Number of previous instances of both opening batters completing their fifties inside 30 balls in an ODI innings. Mitchell Marsh and Head needed 28 and 29 balls for their half-centuries against India earlier this year in Visakhapatnam, while it was 28 for Warner and 25 for Head today.1 – Number of all-out totals in ODIs higher than Australia’s 388. The highest is 389 by West Indies against England in 2019, in pursuit of 419.