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Newcastle United supporters are frustrated at the moment, and justifiably so.

Only last weekend, Eddie Howe’s side put in a herculean performance, a display of great resilience and strength, to see off Manchester City in the Premier League.

But that was at St. James’ Park, and the Magpies’ issues on the road deepened against Marseille in the Champions League, going ahead through the in-form Harvey Barnes but succumbing to defeat after two second-half strikes from Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

11

Games

8

8

Wins

1

0

Draws

3

3

Losses

4

16

Goals scored

8

8

Goals conceded

10

2.18

PPG

0.75

As Barnes goes from strength to strength, with three goals from his past two Premier League matches too, Anthony Gordon’s struggles on Tyneside have been accentuated.

The England international is among the most talented players in Howe’s squad, but he’s not been at the races this season.

Anthony Gordon's form for Newcastle

Gordon took some time to get going at Newcastle after joining from Everton for £45m in January 2023, but he thrived across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.

Last season was a testing one for the 24-year-old on an individual level, though, and he’s sunk deeper into his struggles this season, yet to score or assist in the Premier League.

Though Gordon is impressing in front of goal on the continent, he’s been out of sorts as a whole this season, with Newcastle blogger Thomas Hammond saying “a summer sale is looking more and more favourable” given clubs like Liverpool have been interested in the £100m-rated winger in the past.

Matches (starts)

7 (7)

5 (5)

Goals

0

4

Assists

0

1

Touches*

35.4

39.2

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.7)

2.2 (1.0)

Accurate passes*

14.7 (80%)

16.4 (77%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.4

Dribbles*

1.4

1.4

Ball recoveries*

2.6

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

1.4

Duels (won)*

4.7 (49%)

4.0 (41%)

There’s a tenacity and will to win embedded in Gordon’s footballing brain, but this has led to some questionable decision-making, with the £150k-per-week talent sent off three times across 120 appearances as a Magpie.

And with Barnes getting better and better, it could be that PIF look to cash in on their profitable asset going forward. After all, if he continues to struggle, his market value will only depreciate.

Against Marseille, Howe opted to field Gordon as his central striker. This is nothing new, but the versatile forward toiled away. Considering the different variables, there might be cause for Gordon to be sold, especially when considering another Newcastle star’s form this season.

The Newcastle star who could end Gordon's stay

Since arriving on Tyneside at the end of August, Nick Woltemade has been a revelation for Newcastle.

The 23-year-old completed a club-record move from Stuttgart to St. James’ Park after establishing himself as one of German football’s most exciting up-and-coming strikers, and while Howe’s side have problems, six goals from his first 16 games for the club suggest the jackpot has been struck.

The 6 foot 6 star is far more than just a goalscorer, of course, and his ability to drop deep and influence across different areas of the pitch suggests that Woltemade could play alongside Yoane Wissa when the DR Congo star returns to fitness.

And he’s thriving for Germany too. Woltemade is nailing down his claim for the number nine spot ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America, having posted four goals from his past three matches for his nation.

Hailed as a “world-class talent” by content creator Adam Pearson, Woltemade cannot be expected to haul all this weight by himself each week. He needs players like Gordon to step up.

But with Barnes establishing himself as United’s clear-cut left winger and Wissa soon to enter the equation as he nears the end of the recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out since signing for the club from Brentford last year, there’s a sense that Gordon may find regular minutes from the outset hard to come by down the line.

Woltemade is not a winger, of course, but he does bring many dynamic qualities to the table that emphasise his protean attacking ability. As per data-led site FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90.

His knack at finding space to shoot and then doing so clinically is the staple of his skillset, but Woltemade is also a menace in that he has different creative and athletic attributes that help him transcend his striking role.

Could we see a scenario in which Woltemade plays alongside Wissa, flanked by Barnes and Anthony Elanga? It might be the case, and with Newcastle eager to strengthen across the park next summer – notably with a deal for academy product Elliot Anderson in the pipeline – there’s a case to be made that Gordon’s days on Tyneside could be numbered.

He has, of course, proven himself at Newcastle before, but time is running out for Gordon to reestablish himself as one of Howe’s talismanic forwards, and while Barnes appears the most direct threat to his place in the starting line-up, Woltemade’s continual growth adds another chapter to the story.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

Despite defeat to the Titans, MI still have their fate in their own hands

S Rajesh06-May-20251:25

Rapid Fire: Is this the end of the road for KKR?

Kolkata Knight Riders

The two-wicket defeat against Chennai Super Kings leaves Kolkata Knight Riders on the brink of elimination. With only two games to go, the maximum that KKR can get is 15 points; there are already two teams who have more than 15, while Punjab Kings are on 15 with three games to go.Assuming that those three teams go through, KKR will have to hope that Mumbai Indians lose their two remaining matches and stay on 14. Since one of their matches is against Delhi Capitals, who are currently on 13, that will take DC to 15. The fourth spot will thus come down to an NRR battle between KKR and DC.On the other hand, if Punjab Kings lose their three remaining matches, then MI will go past 15, while DC, PBKS and KKR could all be on 15 points, fighting for the fourth spot.

Gujarat Titans

Gujarat Titans’ last-ball win at the Wankhede means they’re now just one win away from making the playoffs – 18 points will now assure a team of a top-four finish. However, if they lose their three remaining games they could get knocked out as four teams can still finish on 17 or more points. Titans have a favourable itinerary too, with their last two games scheduled at home, where they have a formidable 4-1 record so far.

Mumbai Indians

Despite the loss to GT, Mumbai Indians (MI) are still in control of their own destiny, as wins in their last two matches will ensure a place in the playoffs. For them to go through on 16 points, though, they’ll need help from other results, while defeats in their two remaining games will eliminate them. MI also have an excellent net run rate of 1.156, which could yet be crucial if qualification comes down to that.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

The washout between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC), and GT’s win against MI, means that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are now only one win away from securing their place in the playoffs. That’s because only four teams can make it to 18 or more points. RCB can also make the top four with 16 points if other results go their way. However, two wins will not yet guarantee a top-two finish as three teams can still finish with 20 or more points.

Punjab Kings

With KKR’s defeat to CSK, Punjab Kings will qualify for the playoffs if they beat DC, as DC play MI later and only one of those teams can then get to 17 or more. If PBKS lose to DC, they will need to win their last two and get to 19, as in that case DC and MI can both finish on 17 or more. PBKS can sneak through even if they lose all three matches and stay on 15, but for that to happen DC will have to lose their last two matches, so that they stay on 15, and LSG will have to win no more than two of their three games. It’ll then come down to run rates between them (and KKR, if they win both matches) for one spot.

Delhi Capitals

Like DC, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are also struggling for momentum, having lost three in a row, and four of their last five. The best they can do now is win their three remaining matches, finish on 16 points, and hope that a couple of in-form teams suffer a sudden reversal of fortunes. If they lose one more match, though, LSG will be eliminated. Their terrible NRR of -0.469 doesn’t help their cause either.

The American League All-Star pitching staff will look a little bit different on Tuesday night in Atlanta.

New York Yankees lefthander Max Fried has been replaced on the roster by teammate and fellow southpaw Carlos Rodon, MLB announced Friday.

Fried, who in all likelihood would have pitched an inning in the game, is scheduled to start for the Yankees on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, meaning he'd be pitching on just two days rest in the Midsummer Classic. In taking his place, Rodon, Friday's scheduled starter for the Yankees, would be pitching on three days' rest in the All-Star Game.

The two southpaws have headlined New York's Gerrit Cole-less starting rotation, helping to stabilize the club's pitching staff in the wake of Cole's season-ending surgery in March. Fried leads the MLB in wins and ranks third in the AL with a 2.27 ERA. Meanwhile, Rodon has pitched to a 3.30 ERA and has recorded the sixth-most strikeouts in baseball with 127.

Fried and Rodon are joined by fellow Yankees Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the AL roster. The All-Star Game is at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday night.

South Africa finish the day on 247 for 6 after opting to bat in Guwahati, the newest venue in Test cricket

Sidharth Monga22-Nov-2025Guwahati, the newest venue in Test cricket, might have turned session breaks upside down, but it also brought about some normalcy to Test cricket amid the pandemonium in Kolkata and Perth. The pitch called for watchfulness in the first hour, eased out once the moisture dried out, and then offered a bit of turn here and there on a day when 247 runs were scored for the loss of six wickets.The quality and depth in India’s bowling shone through on the flat surface, making it necessary for series leaders South Africa to take risks if they wanted to score over three an over. India were good enough to get wickets when the batters did take risks.A new captain in Rishabh Pant couldn’t prevent India from losing their eighth toss in the last nine Tests, but Kuldeep Yadav is just the bowler you need if you lose the toss on a typical Indian surface. He took three wickets to go with Jasprit Bumrah’s ever-reliable control for figures of 17-6-38-1.Related

• Stubbs has 'worked a lot' on his defence and it's showing

South Africa’s batting depth made sure India had to keep working hard through the day, even after they had been reduced to 201 for 5. Tony de Zorzi and No. 7 Senuram Muthusamy, the only one in the line-up to average over 40 in Tests, added 45 for the sixth wicket, but Mohammed Siraj topped up a four-over spell with the old ball with the wicket of de Zorzi in what proved to be the dying moments of the day’s play.South Africa will be disappointed that all of their batters got starts but no one reached fifty. This is something that had happened in Kolkata as well, but that pitch broke up rapidly to make sure it didn’t hurt the visitors.This Guwahati pitch played way better for batters, but also kept the bowlers interested. Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton put on 82 for the first wicket, then the highest partnership of the series, before Bumrah removed Markram with what proved to be the last ball before the tea, the first session break of the day, taken at 11am after the early start at 9am to make up for early sunrise and sunset in the eastern-most Test venue in India.Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs added 84 together•AFP/Getty Images

Until then, Markram and Rickelton had looked solid even though they had been tested thoroughly. It took Markram 17 balls to get off the mark, and he was reprieved by KL Rahul at second slip on the 18th. Nitish Kumar Reddy, in as a specialist right-hand batter in a left-heavy batting line-up, was some relief with his four overs going for 21, but the spinners followed up with tight bowling.Bumrah’s first spell was another masterclass in length bowling, but when he was brought back for one over before lunch, he took a dip in the fuller waters. Markram, who had driven similar balls from Reddy well, was stuck on the crease to Bumrah and ended up playing on.Immediately after tea, Kuldeep got rid of Rickelton thanks to a slightly loose drive and a sharp catch by Pant off a thick deflection. India had managed to keep them around or below three an over until that point.Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs batted through the rest of the session, but it was hard work even though the pitch was at its best behaviour with the early moisture gone. And yet they could add only 74 in 26.4 overs when they went back for lunch.It could not be ascertained if there was some discussion around the scoring rate during this break, but Bavuma and Stubbs both came out looking more intent on scoring quicker. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep didn’t let up and took three quick wickets as a result.Bavuma looked to clear extra cover off Jadeja, but ended up giving a catch to mid-off off the inner half of the bat. Stubbs was caught pushing hard at Kuldeep’s first ball of a new spell. Rahul, who had missed a tough chance off Markram earlier, took an equally sharp one smoothly at first slip. Wiaan Mulder got a couple of looseners from Siraj, but his lack of experience in Indian conditions showed when Kuldeep tossed one up. He wound up to hit him big, but the ball dipped on him, resulting in an easy catch to mid-off.Siraj came back from that spell to bowl three intense overs against de Zorzi and Muthusamy, but there just wasn’t enough in the pitch for the old ball. With the sun sinking rapidly, India called out for the second new ball two balls after it became available.It turned out to be a timely move as there wasn’t much time left before the umpires would take the players off for bad light. It meant India could risk the new ball even though one of their fast bowlers was exhausted. But is Siraj ever exhausted? He took the new ball and bowled a peach first ball. The seam position and the shape in the air hinted at an inswinger for the left-hand batter, but the ball nipped away after pitching, taking the edge and leaving de Zorzi frustrated. Four balls later, play was called off.

Tasmania chased down their target with 10 balls to spare after the home side had suffered a 7 for 70 collapse following Labuschagne’s dismissal

AAP09-Oct-2025Marnus Labuschagne’s case for an Ashes call-up continues to grow after scoring his second century in the space of a week in Queensland’s five-wicket One-Day Cup loss to Tasmania.Labuschagne cracked 105 off 91 balls to lead Queensland to 311 of 45.3 overs at Allan Border Field on Thursday.Related

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• McAndrew's five gets defending champions South Australia up and running

In reply, Tasmania reached the victory target with 10 balls to spare courtesy of big knocks from Tim Ward, who made his first one-day century from 88 balls, Jordan Silk and Caleb Jewell.Tasmania (3-0) remain unbeaten on top of the table, while Queensland slipped to a 2-1 record.Labuschagne’s hundred came just days after he scored 160 off 206 balls in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield draw with Tasmania, following on from his 130 off 118 balls in the Bulls’ One-Day Cup opener against Victoria last month.The hot run of form comes at the perfect time for Labuschagne, who is in the midst of a huge bat-off for an Ashes spot at the top of the order.Tim Ward drives during his maiden one-day century•Getty Images

Labuschagne is competing with the likes of Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Nathan McSweeney, Jake Weatherald and Matt Renshaw to partner Usman Khawaja as opener for the five-Test series against England.There is also the option of Labuschagne returning to his preferred No. 3 position if selectors opt not to pick allrounder Beau Webster, who is battling an ankle injury.Labuschagne cracked eight fours and two sixes in his sparkling knock on Thursday. He was dropped on 91 when spinner Nikhil Chaudhary couldn’t hold on to a sizzling return chance.Labuschagne punched Chaudhary for four behind point to bring up his ton off 89 balls, but he was out a short time later when he edged the spinner behind.The exit of Labuschagne sparked a collapse of 7 for 70 as Queensland failed to capitalise on a strong start. Renshaw, who was called up ahead of Labuschagne for the upcoming ODI series against India, scored 38 off 35 balls.Labuschagne’s most recent Test century came against England in 2023, with his lean run of form since then resulting in his axing for the 3-0 series win over the West Indies.His ODI snub this week added further salt to the wound, but Labuschagne replied in perfect style with his ton on Thursday.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is currently enjoying his first international break since taking charge of the club, after a busy start to life at Ibrox.

The Light Blues boss was thrown straight in at the deep end with a Europa League clash with Brann days after his arrival, and he has already reached six competitive games in the dugout in all competitions.

Rohl came in after the Gers had only won one of their first eight matches in the Scottish Premiership, under Stevie Smith and Russell Martin, and has won three out of three in the division.

The Scottish giants beat Dundee 3-0 away from home in the last match before the international break, which was their second away win and clean sheet in succession.

Djeidi Gassama scored the third goal of the game for the Gers, as shown in the highlights above, with a terrific finish into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Despite a lot of signs of promise in his first couple of months at the club after a move from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer, that was his first goal in the Premiership for Rangers.

Why Rangers need more from Djeidi Gassama

The Light Blues signed the French forward from the Owls for £2.2m and he made a lightning-fast start to life at Ibrox, with four goals in six matches in the club’s Champions League qualifying campaign.

After that burst of goals in Europe, you could not blame any supporters for getting excited about what the winger could produce on a weekly basis in the Premiership under Martin at the time.

Unfortunately, the former Paris Saint-Germain youngster has been unable to carry that European form into his domestic performances, as evidenced by that strike against Kilmarnock being his first in the league this season.

The 22-year-old winger, who worked with Rohl at Sheffield Wednesday in the 2024/25 campaign, has delivered one goal and one assist in 11 appearances in the Premiership.

xG

0.16

Bottom 32%

Goals

0.10

Bottom 44%

xA

0.13

Top 45%

Assists

0.10

Top 45%

Chances created

1.02

Bottom 32%

Successful crosses

0.23

Bottom 23%

Successful dribbles

2.04

Top 26%

Touches in the opposition’s box

6.12

Top 14%

As you can see in the table above, Gassama ranks poorly among wingers in the Premiership for scoring goals, creating chances and completing crosses, whilst only ranking just above the average for assisting goals.

However, the Frenchman ranks very highly for dribbles and touches in the opposition’s box. This shows that he is able to get himself into good positions by beating defenders with the ball, but he needs to improve his end product.

This is why Rohl needs to get more out of the Rangers winger, because his return of goals and assists does not back up the good build-up play that he does on the flank.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Whilst Gassama, 22, clearly has potential and could develop into a top player for Rangers, there is another summer signing who could be unearthed as an even bigger talent, despite being labelled a flop so far.

At the start of this month, Heart and Hand podcast creator David Edgar claimed that Thelo Aasgard has “been rotten” since his move from Luton Town in the summer, but the central midfielder has the potential to be a bigger star than Gassama.

Why Thelo Aasgaard can be a bigger talent than Djeidi Gassama for Rangers

Whilst the French winger is an exciting prospect who could add more goals and assists to his name, the £3.5m Norway international has the potential to be an excellent two-way player in the middle of the park.

Gassama does work hard defensively as a winger, ranking in the top 28% of wingers for tackles made (ten) in the Premiership, per FotMob, but his impact mainly comes from his offensive work.

Aasgaard, however, is an intriguing profile of player because he has clear technical quality and excellent physical attributes, which means that he can impact games in and out of possession.

Unfortunately, as recently evidenced by his red card against Celtic, the former Luton and Wigan star has had a difficult start to life at Ibrox, and is yet to show the very best of his potential.

Whilst Edgar feels he has been “rotten”, and over 2,000 likes on the post suggest others agree, there have been some encouraging signs from his domestic performances for the Gers.

Appearances

11

9

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

1

Dribbles completed per game

1.8

1.8

Dribble success rate

47%

67%

Ground duel success rate

57%

59%

Aerial duel success rate

36%

42%

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard has as many goal contributions as Gassama, in fewer games, and has been more efficient with his dribbles, his ground duels, and his aerial duels.

His goal, of course, was also a stunning individual goal against Dundee United in Stevie Smith’s interim game in charge, and it won the Rangers Journal Goal of the Month award.

Like Gassama, if Rohl can help him to add more consistency to his end product in the final third, the Norwegian midfielder could be an exciting talent for the Gers supporters to enjoy, particularly when you consider that he scored four goals in one game against Moldova for his country in September.

On top of his attacking potential, Aasgaard ranks within the top 5% of his positional peers in the Premiership for duel success rate (55%), the top 21% for aerial duels won (eight), and the top 17% for duels won (47), per FotMob, which shows the value that he can offer out of possession.

It is now down to the manager and Aasgaard to work together on the training pitch to unearth his full potential, because he could be a physically and technically dominant star in Scottish football if it all comes together.

Rangers now monitoring boyhood Celtic fan who's withdrawn from Scotland squad

The Gers know all about his quality.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

That is why Rohl could unearth a bigger talent than Gassama with the Norway international, because he can be dominant in and out of possession, rather than just on the ball.

Manchester United are now leading Barcelona and Liverpool in the race to sign Nico Schlotterbeck, with it being revealed why the Borussia Dortmund defender could be ideal for Ruben Amorim.

With Amorim making it abundantly clear he is unwilling to compromise on his principles and change the three-at-the-back system, Luke Shaw has predominantly featured as a left-sided centre-back this season, although the 30-year-old has struggled at times.

Man United suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of rivals Manchester City back in September, and it would be fair to say Roy Keane wasn’t too impressed with Shaw’s play in the build-up to Phil Foden’s goal, saying: “Shaw’s an England international player. He’s got hundreds of games under his belt, he doesn’t even get his body position right. It’s like he has thrown the towel in.”

The Englishman was also one of the worst performers in the disappointing 4-2 defeat against Brentford, receiving a SofaScore match rating of just 5.9, the second-lowest of any player.

Consequently, it would perhaps be a wise move to bring in a new defender more accustomed to playing in the left centre-back role, and there has been a development in the Red Devils’ pursuit of a Bundesliga star…

Man Utd now leading race for Nico Schlotterbeck

According to a report from Spain, Man United have now moved into pole position in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund star Schlotterbeck, having overtaken Liverpool and Barcelona, given their good relations with the German club.

The German has now been identified as a priority target for United, as there is a feeling he could be ideal for Amorim, given that the 25-year-old is left-footed, physical, and has real quality in possession of the ball.

With the centre-back’s contract due to expire in 2027, Dortmund are willing to sanction a departure, should they receive a significant offer, placing the Red Devils in a strong position to secure his signature.

Scout Jacek Kulig has been a strong admirer of the Bundesliga star for quite some time, waxing lyrical about his performances across the 2021-22 campaign on X.

Since then, the 22-time Germany international has remained a key player for Dortmund, chipping in with six goals and 17 assists in 134 appearances for the Bundesliga side, which is an impressive return for a defender.

Schlotterbeck’s all-round attributes mean he could be the perfect addition for Man United, and the fact he is left-footed is an added bonus, given that Shaw hasn’t exactly been setting the world alight.

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BySean Markus Clifford Nov 10, 2025

England batter ignites Ashes hopes with trademark counterattack in Perth

Matt Roller21-Nov-2025

Harry Brook goes through the off side•Getty Images

If there was any doubt as to how Harry Brook would approach his first Test series in Australia, it was dispelled by the second ball he faced. Mitchell Starc’s figures were 3 for 10 after his first five overs; naturally, Brook decided to charge the first ball of his sixth, staying leg side of the ball and launching him through extra cover for three.It was the first of eight times that Brook charged an Australian bowler during his 61-ball innings of 52, the highest individual score of a wild opening day in Perth. Brook’s batting is bold and brash – if rarely beautiful – and his full-throttle approach was totally vindicated by the carnage around him. Only two other players even reached 30, and nobody survived as long as he did.Brook marched out to the middle to be met by chaos: a sold-out crowd, fizzing with adrenaline from Starc’s opening spell, and England’s best-laid plans in pieces at 39 for 3. Some players would shrink in such circumstances, but Brook saw only opportunity, as if informed by the mantra that a good plan executed violently now is better than a perfect plan next week.Related

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Australia on the ropes after frenetic 19-wicket opening day

He is a unicorn, maintaining an unprecedented strike rate of 87.48 while averaging close to 60, and has a thick enough skin to ignore the hysterical criticism that greets many of his dismissals. It is impossible to have the counterattacking impact that he so often does without some ugly moments, and Brook has doubled down rather than looking to change his ways.Take his approach in the final over of the morning session. All received wisdom across nearly 150 years of Test history would suggest taking low-risk options focused solely on reaching the lunch interval unscathed. Brook saw things differently: he twice gave Starc the charge, launching him for four through cover then tucking him away off his hip for a single.There was no change at the start of the afternoon. Scott Boland beat him with the first ball after lunch, with Brook non-committal on the front foot; to the second, Brook shimmied down the pitch to launch him over wide mid-off for the first – and only – six of the day. It prompted Steven Smith to push a man back to long-off, opening up a gap for a low-risk single.Or, for that matter, a rasping straight drive off Starc, struck with such timing that the man on the rope had no chance of stopping it. It was the shot of the day, and emblematic of Brook’s cricketing intelligence: rather than taking on the vast square boundaries, he hit the majority of his boundaries to the shorter ones in the ‘V’.Australia made a tactical error in failing to test Brook out against the short ball more often, but their bowlers are not the first to be thrown off their plans by the sustained pressure he exerts. His dismissal, gloving Brendan Doggett’s bouncer behind while attempting to withdraw from a pull shot, should prompt a change in tack when he next walks out to bat.”He obviously played that counterattacking role, and whether he tries to premeditate certain shots and walks at bowlers, or just tries to clear that infield and take the game on, we’ve seen it happen before – and not just against us,” Starc said. “You may see some different fields as the series progresses… We might tinker with [our plans] as the series goes on.”Brook’s innings may not prove match-defining, but it was further evidence of his ability to change the tempo of a game. Australia have long been wary of him after his impact on the 2023 series, when his four rapid half-centuries included vital contributions in their wins at Headingley and The Oval.He was asked last month what an Ashes hundred would mean to him after missing out last time, and shrugged off the question. “That’s not something I really think about. I want to be a match-winner,” Brook said. “If the team is in a little bit of trouble, I want to get us out of it, which so far in my career I’ve done fairly well.” It was a major understatement.His innings was a stark contrast to Australia’s painstakingly defensive approach with the bat, which allowed England’s five fast bowlers to settle into spells on a fast, bouncy pitch that could hardly have suited them more. Starc said the day felt as though it was on “fast-forward”, and that is Brook’s natural tempo.Brook arrived in Australia for this series braced for the biggest challenge of his career to date and with the chance to prove that he is far more than a flat-track bully. His Test record is exceptional, but built solely on performances in three countries that have lent themselves to heavy run-scoring in recent years: England, New Zealand and Pakistan.It may only have been a quick 52 in a harum-scarum England innings that lasted 32.5 overs. But this was an early statement, which showed exactly why Brook is the player that Australia will fear most over the next seven weeks.

Big chases bring all the drama and here is a list of five from the IPL that had almost everything

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2025Jonny Bairstow made an unbeaten 108 in a chase of 262•BCCI

Punjab Kings 262 for 2

In a season where run-scoring and six-hitting scaled new heights, this clash raised the bar for T20 cricket. The match featured a record 42 sixes and produced the highest successful chase in the format – 262. KKR’s 261 for 6 was powered by a 138-run opening stand between Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, with the middle order adding the finishing touches. In reply, Prabhsimran Singh provided the early thrust before Jonny Bairstow’s fiery hundred and Shashank Singh’s 28-ball 68 sealed the mighty chase with eight balls to spare.

Sunrisers Hyderabad 247 for 2

It was Abhishek’s night in Hyderabad. A stroke of luck came early when he was caught on 28, but it turned out to be off a no-ball. Most times, when he hit the ball in the air, it either disappeared into the stands or dropped safely in no man’s land. Occasionally, as is the case when playing such high-risk innings, the ball went in the general direction of a fielder but PBKS weren’t able to hold onto their catches. Abhishek dismantled PBKS’ bowling attack with audacious ease. He stormed to his maiden IPL century in just 40 balls and went on record the highest individual score (141 off 55 balls) by an Indian in IPL history. Head played the perfect supporting act, hammering 66 off 37 in a dominant 171-run opening stand.Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal stitched a match-winning 107 in just 45 balls•Associated Press

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 230 for 4

The night seemed to belong to Rishabh Pant. His blazing 118, off just 61 balls, meant that RCB had to gun down 228 to earn a spot in Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings. RCB began well, with Kohli and Phil Salt adding 61 inside six overs, but three quick wickets tilted the advantage LSG’s way. Kohli raised a fine half-century, but his dismissal in the 12th over left RCB with 105 runs still to get from just 52 balls. Enter Mayank and Jitesh. While Mayank’s 23-ball 41 was impressive on its own, Jitesh seemed to batting in a different dimension altogether, blasting 85 off 33 balls, with eight fours and six sixes. Will O’Rourke, in particular, came in for some heavy punishment, conceding 74 from his four overs – the third-most expensive spell in IPL history.The game wasn’t without drama from other corners. Jitesh looked to be out at the start of the 17th over, but a back-foot no ball from Digvesh Rathi handed the batter a reprieve. A few moments later, Rathi, before delivering the ball, clipped the stumps at the bowler’s end with Jitesh well sort of his crease. However, the wicket was not given because the umpire deemed that Rathi had completed his delivery stride before he removed the stumps. Pant also asked for the appeal to be withdrawn. In the end, RCB were not to be denied, as Jitesh himself sealed it with a six to send every Bengaluru fan into delirium.Rahul Tewatia was the centre of attention after his spectacular innings against Kings XI in IPL 2020•BCCI

Rajasthan Royals 226 for 6

With Rajasthan Royals (RR) needing 51 off the final three overs, Rahul Tewatia’s 17 off 23 balls was turning into a disastrous promotion to No. 4. But what followed was one of the most dramatic turnarounds in IPL history. Tewatia smashed five sixes off Sheldon Cottrell’s over. He and Jofra Archer added three more sixes, and a four, in the next nine balls. RR chased down 224 – the highest IPL chase at the time – with three balls to spare. Earlier, Sanju Samson’s 85 off 42 had kept them in the hunt against PBKS.Jos Buttler pulled off a great one-man rescue act for Rajasthan Royals last year•BCCI

Rajasthan Royals 224 for 8

The standout performer of KKR’s title-winning campaign, Sunil Narine, smashed his maiden T20 century to lift his side to 223 for 6 and then struck with the ball too. With 103 to defend off 46 balls and four wickets remaining for RR, KKR were cruising. But Jos Buttler had other plans. With a strapped-up hamstring that kept him out of the previous game, Buttler single-handedly turned the chase on its head – scoring 70 of the remaining runs, retaining strike for the final 18 balls, and completing the win with five sixes and six fours.The Pandya brothers run to congratulate Kieron Pollard on taking Mumbai home in a chase of 219•BCCI/IPL

Mumbai Indians 219 for 6

This was one of those chases that cemented Kieron Pollard’s status as Mumbai Indians (MI) saviour. Ambati Rayudu’s blazing 72 off 27 balls had powered CSK to 218 for 4. MI came out swinging in the powerplay but stumbled with three quick wickets. MI needed 125 off the last eight overs with Pollard batting on 2 off 4. Then the tide started turning – he hit three sixes off Ravindra Jadeja, followed by a barrage against the quicks. Cameos from the Pandya brothers helped bring it down to 16 off the final over. Pollard kept strike throughout and sealed the win off the last ball with a nervy, match-winning double.

Chelsea legend and former England star John Terry revealed why he turned down a big-money move to the Blues' Premier League title rivals during his playing days. A bona fide Stamford Bridge legend, Terry was associated with the Blues for 19 years from his academy days in 1998 up until 2017. In his senior professional career, Terry has won multiple honours, including five Premier League titles.

• Terry had the opportunity to join Chelsea's title rivals

  It was back in 2009 when Chelsea went three consecutive seasons without the Premier League title after winning it in 2004-05 and 2005-06 back-to-back campaigns. They finished among the top three teams in each of those seasons but were struggling to get over the line.

  At that point, another mid-table Premier League side, who were slowly growing in stature, were Manchester City after their high-profile takeover. City were signing big names like Robinho to strengthen and were reportedly also keen on bringing Terry to Etihad Stadium. However, the ex-England defender turned down their offer to prove his loyalty to the Blues. 

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  'Committed rest of my career to Chelsea'

  Speaking to , Terry said: "I know Man City made a 29 million pound bid for me back in 2009/10 when Ancelotti was the manager. And as soon as Chelsea spoke to me about it, I was like, 'I don’t want to leave. I do not want to leave this football club. And if you want to sell me, then we have to have a different discussion because I don’t want to be here if you don’t want me.'

  "And Roman was like, 'We want you. We want you to stay.' And I was like, ‘Well, 100% I want to stay, so let’s do a new contract.' And I signed a new contract, committed the rest of my career really to Chelsea and signed a five-year contract at the age of 29, which was the best decision ever."

• Terry giving up on his dream to manager Chelsea

  Quoted by the , Terry recently revealed his dream is to manage Chelsea, but he accepted that he may well have to admit defeat on that fantasy. He said: "I'm not sure it ever happens, to be honest. It's my one last dream I have at the football club. I've done everything at Chelsea. And for me now, the one thing that is missing is being the manager of the football club. That's why I went into coaching when I finished playing. My idea and dream was to learn my trade a bit. As a player, you retire after 22 years… Listen, 100 per cent, you learn enough to go into management. The level I played at and the managers I played under. But it doesn't give you the right you go into management at a certain level. You still have to learn and understand what it takes. 

  "There's a lot more that goes into the coaching side of it. So I went away and learnt my trade, I had some unbelievable times at Villa, I left Villa to be a number one, I thought I was ready. I think I'd be a really good number one, I enjoyed the coaching side of it. I want people around me that are better coaches than me. Then I could lead the dressing room and the team like I did [as a player]. That's what I did for 22 years at the club. I know I'd be good at it. Will I ever get the chance? I'm not sure, without doing the other bits. But when people tell you you've not got the experience, it's difficult to fathom."

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  Terry planning to take up League One job

  Terry further claimed in the interaction that he could consider taking charge of a third-tier club in England as he added: "When I went into Villa I got great experience under Dean Smith and we got promotion, which was incredible. As an assistant coach in the Premier League and the experience I've had as a player and an individual captain in both Chelsea and England, I thought that would be enough to get me a job. I'm not saying a job in the Premier League or the Championship – but a job at League One level."