India’s last five wickets added just 31 runs, after a similar collapse in the first innings, to keep England in the hunt

Matt Roller23-Jun-2025

Josh Tongue took three wickets in one over•Getty Images

Josh Tongue was nonplussed by Ben Stokes’ “rabbit pie” celebration, but his demolition of India’s lower order has kept England’s hopes alive at Headingley. Tongue took 4 for 7 to wrap up the first innings and then struck three times in four balls on day four, living up to his nickname of “the mop”, given to him by his Nottinghamshire team-mate Ben Duckett after repeatedly cleaning up tailenders at county level.Tongue admitted before the third day’s play that he had been unaware why Stokes had celebrated his first-innings dismissal of Prasidh Krishna by mimicking eating until he saw a tweet by Stuart Broad which explained he was “eating rabbit pie”. He has twice knocked over India’s tail in Leeds to emerge with match figures of 7 for 158.England have repeatedly struggled to finish teams off under Stokes’ captaincy: since he took over three years ago, only Pakistan have a worse record when bowling for the last three wickets. In the reverse series 18 months ago, India’s lower order regularly frustrated England, with three eighth-wicket partnerships between 75 and 80.Related

• Tongue sets England's eyes on prize with 350 more needed

• Rahul content after giving himself 'the best chance to succeed'

• Pant, Rahul tons set England 371 to win at Headingley

• Rahul on the Headingley surface: 'Like a subcontinent wicket on day five'

But Tongue’s pace, height and beyond-perpendicular action have proved a lethal combination in Leeds, with India twice collapsing from positions of strength. He found himself on a hat-trick on Monday evening after Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj were caught behind the wicket, and while Jasprit Bumrah kept his first ball out, he chopped his second onto middle stump.India’s Nos. 8-11 have managed just nine runs between them in the match, despite the selection of Thakur as a bowling allrounder. Thakur was the first of Tongue’s three victims in the second innings after nicking off to Stokes in the first, and has so far played a bit-part role in the match after bowling six wicketless overs for 38.”We felt like if we got to their lower order quickly, we could get through them,” Tongue said. “I don’t mind bowling at the tail: you’ve got a good opportunity to take wickets. All I tried to do was to hit the pitch hard. I felt like I got more out of the pitch when I did that; I thought when I went that tad fuller, it was nicer for the batters to get on the front foot and drive me.”

Tongue missed the whole of the 2024 summer through injury, and said that he was proud to have returned to Test cricket after a long period on the sidelines. England have long admired his ability to bowl at speeds approaching 90mph/145kph on a consistent basis, and to nip the ball in off the seam, and his success against the tail has relied on those qualities.He also joked that he would adopt Duckett’s nickname for him. “I’ve done it twice now, so I might have to start calling myself that [the mop],” Tongue said. “When they were batting, it flattened out, and it was quite hard work in the wind. We stuck to our task, trying to hit the pitch as hard as we could to get something out of it, and thankfully, we got the wickets.”KL Rahul, whose dismissal for 137 was the first wicket of a collapse of 6 for 33, said that India “wanted at least 40 or 50 runs more” than they managed. “I don’t look at it as the lower order being from a different squad: they’re still from our squad, they’re still trying their best,” he said. “Everyone’s putting in a lot of work in the nets, and sometimes it doesn’t happen.1:32

Draw off the table? – Tongue and Rahul on day five possibilties

“Before the series, the chat as a group was how could we get 350 and 400 runs every time we go out to bat? The positive is that we’ve been able to do that… Yes, there’s learnings, and a few of the batters, if they can come good, that 350 can become 450 and 500, and that’s ideally what a batting group would want. But we’ll take the runs that we’ve got in this innings.”The total lack of contribution from India’s tail was further laid bare by England’s partnerships of 49 (Harry Brook and Chris Woakes) and 55 (Woakes and Brydon Carse) for the seventh and eighth wickets in their first innings, both at better than a run a ball. Where England’s last five wickets added 189, India’s have managed to put on 24 and 31.Ollie Pope said on Sunday evening that England’s lower-order runs had struck a psychological blow. “[A lead of] 40 or 50, just from a mindset, might have given them a little bit more confidence, knowing that they’ve got that headstart almost; playing the game from an even playing field is quite important.”But more significantly, they ensured that the fourth-innings target did not grow out of control: instead, after Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley saw off the final half hour, England require 350 in 90 overs on the final day at a venue when four of the last six Tests have seen successful fourth-innings chases of 250 or more.

A Barcelona presidential candidate says the club are "going to get a Harry Kane" if they don't unearth a striker like the Bayern Munich ace from their academy. The England captain has been linked with a move back to the Premier League but more recently, he has been on the Blaugrana's radar. Now, a rival to club president Joan Laporta has made an ambitious claim in an apparent bid to win votes.

• Life after Lewandowski

  A few eyebrows were raised when Lewandowski swapped Bayern for Barcelona in the summer of 2022 but perhaps unsurprisingly, the veteran Pole has been prolific for the Catalan outfit. In 161 games, he has scored 109 goals and added 20 assists. The 37-year-old is still banging in the goals this season, with eight in 14 appearances so far. However, with the former Borussia Dortmund star approaching the end of his career, Barca are looking to find a long-term successor. The striker's current deal expires next summer, although there is an option to extend his stay by another 12 months. Ferran Torres, 25, has shown he can lead Barca's attack but finding a quality replacement for Lewandowski in the not-so-distant future is a must. The Spanish champions have been linked with former Tottenham star Kane, while Atletico Madrid ace Julian Alvarez, and Manchester City's Erling Haaland, both 25, are also said to be targets. But Xavier Vilajoana, who wants to succeed Laporta, has his sights set on Kane, 32, or a new academy gem from La Masia.

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  'We're going to get him'

  Despite Kane being happy at Bayern, speculation continues to rumble on over his future. Crucially, the ex-Spurs man appears to be in no rush to jump ship, though.

  "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me," he told BILD this week. "I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

  However, Vilajoana, who is running against Laporta in the club's presidential elections next year, may have a thing or two to say about that if he gets into office.

  He told Sky Sports: "We have incredibly talented players at La Masia, but of course, if we don't have players, we will look elsewhere. I will always look for a player who understands Barca's DNA, not just a name. It's a dangerous thing to look for just a name, but someone who fits our style and culture."

  When asked if Kane would fit that profile, he said: "If we don't have a Harry Kane inside [the club], we are going to get him. Why not?"

• Barcelona president Laporta criticised

  Aside from Kane, Vilajoana, who is a former Barca youth team player and director, laid into Laporta for "offering more of the same chaos" with his own re-election bid. He believes he can offer a better vision for the club, while also spelling out his plans for the future.

  "We have seen what four years of improvisation, short-term fixes and asset sales look like and it's put the club at risk," said Vilajoana. "Joan talks about the future, but after all this time, he still doesn't have a concrete plan or experience to execute it. I won't stand on the sidelines while others play with its future. My campaign is about restoring sporting excellence and financial sanity, rooted in La Masia and in our identity."

  Vilajoana is also hopeful that Barcelona can play matches abroad one day, after plans to stage a game against Villarreal in Miami this season were scrapped. La Liga fans were dead against moving La Liga fixtures away from Spain but it seems Vilajoana is of a different view.

  "The US market is a very big one. It's a market where we can do a lot of things together. It's a big mistake [to cancel the Villarreal game in Miami]. I hope we can play again. Not only one match, but more than one," he added. 

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  Messi part of Barcelona's future?

  Lionel Messi, arguably Barca's greatest ever player, left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, when Laporta announced the Blaugrana could not afford to keep him. But Vilajoana wants to collaborate with the Argentine great, who is plying his trade at Inter Miami, in the future. 

  He added: "We want Messi involved in a way that feels natural. In a role that he will want and where he will feel he brings most value. But we would do it with dignity. The way he was treated by Laporta was awful. I really hope a change in leadership can bring him home."

Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed that both CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell left their roles at Ibrox on Monday after the club’s underwhelming start under the new ownership.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh revealed that the ownership believes that they need different people in those roles in order to bring success back to Ibrox in the months and years to come.

Thelwell was let go by the Gers after he played a key role, as sporting director, in the appointment and firing of Russell Martin, as well as the signings throughout the summer transfer window.

The former Everton chief was given the funds to retool the squad for the head coach in the summer, but after that appointment and the signings he made, Rangers won one of their first eight Scottish Premiership matches.

However, Thelwell would be far from the first sporting director to make some mistakes in the transfer market. Former Gers technical director Nils Koppen, for example, made his fair share.

One signing that officially went through in the summer but was sanctioned before Thelwell’s arrival was the permanent addition of Oscar Cortes.

Why Oscar Cortes has been a waste of money for Rangers so far

The 21-year-old forward initially joined on loan from Lens for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, and produced one goal and one assist in six games in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

That convinced the Scottish giants to sign him on a season-long loan with an obligation to make it permanent at the end of the season in the summer of 2024, which led to him signing for £4.5m earlier this year.

He is currently the ninth-most expensive signing in the history of the club, with that £4.5m move from Lens, and the Gers have simply not got enough back from him on the pitch to justify that expense.

In the 2024/25 season, the Colombian winger made ten appearances in the Premiership without delivering a single goal or assist for the team, whilst he also missed out on 22 matchday squads and was an unused substitute on six occasions, per Transfermarkt.

Despite his dismal form last term, Rangers had to sign him permanently for a hefty fee of £4.5m because it was an obligation that was put in place in the previous summer. That led to him leaving on loan to Sporting Gijon this season.

Appearances

5

Starts

1

Unused sub

6

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Cortes has struggled badly in Spain since his temporary switch to the second division outfit, with more games left sat on the bench than appearances in LaLiga 2.

His lack of goal contributions for the Spanish side means that he still has not provided a goal or an assist since registering one of each in a 5-0 win over Hearts in February 2024.

With over three years left on his contract at Ibrox, it remains to be seen whether or not the 21-year-old whiz will make a success of his Rangers career or not, but it is not looking good on current evidence.

With his form for the Gers and out on loan, Cortes currently looks like a big waste of money for the significant fee that the club agreed to pay Lens for him, unfortunately.

Whilst Thelwell did not have any say in that move, it was going through irrespective of anything he did after becoming sporting director in April, one of his own summer signings looks to be an even bigger waste of money than Cortes.

Chalkboard

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

The former Light Blues chief opted to splash the cash on Portugal U21 international Youssef Chermiti, and the early signs from his Ibrox career are far from promising.

Why Rangers should not have signed Youssef Chermiti

Thelwell agreed a deal with his former club Everton to sign the striker for a fee of £8m. That made him the most expensive signing made by the Gers since they signed Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

When signing a player for that kind of outlay at Ibrox, it is fair to expect that they should be able to make a relatively immediate impact for Rangers, even if they are not the finished product, because Chermiti is their most expensive signing in 25 years.

Unfortunately, though, the Portuguese marksman has failed to prove his worth to the Light Blues on the pitch with his performances so far in the 2025/26 campaign, with just one goal to his name so far.

The former Premier League flop has produced one goal and one assist in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch.

Chermiti’s form in the Premiership, in particular, has left quite a bit to be desired for a player who is the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years.

FotMob rating

6.48

16th

Goals

1

Joint-3rd

xG

0.3

14th

xA

0.2

15th

Dribbles per 90

0.4

14th

Dribble success rate

16.7%

14th

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal U21 international ranks poorly in the Gers squad in a host of key metrics, and the only reason that he ranks highly for goals is that only two players in the squad have scored more than one league goal.

Chermiti, who was described as a “nothing player” by Portuguese journalist Kevin Fernandes, has simply not done enough with the game time that he has been given, domestically or on the European stage.

The ex-Everton striker was signed for almost twice as much as Cortes and appears to be heading in the same direction as the winger, as another expensive flop who is unable to make a significant impact on the pitch for Rangers.

Therefore, Chermiti looks on course to be an even bigger waste of money than the Colombian forward because he cost £3.5m more and has been just as underwhelming at the start of his Ibrox career.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

India enforced the follow-on expecting wear and tear, but Campbell and Hope led West Indies’ strongest showing of the series

Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Oct-20251:51

Chopra: ‘Tiredness’ hampered India bowlers

When India wrapped up West Indies’ first innings and secured a lead of 270 runs, seven-and-a-half sessions of the Delhi Test still remained.The pitch was still making bowlers work hard: West Indies, after lasting less than 50 overs in both their innings in Ahmedabad last week, had survived 81.5 overs in their first innings here. Their last two wickets had added 73 runs, suggesting that wicket-taking on this slow, low pitch was particularly difficult when the ball became older, with edges unlikely to carry to close-in catchers.Teams tend not to enforce the follow-on in such situations, given the time remaining in the match and the two major benefits of batting again – rest for the bowlers, and a chance for them to come back and bowl after the pitch has undergone more wear and tear.Related

• Kuldeep's stump vision defies flat Delhi pitch

• Hope and Campbell fight back after Kuldeep five-for forces WI to follow on

• 'Impact injury' keeps Sai Sudharsan off the field on the third day

India, however, asked West Indies to bat again, and by stumps on day three the visitors had enjoyed their best day of the series, with John Campbell and Shai Hope scoring half-centuries and putting on an unbroken 138 for the third wicket. West Indies will begin day four trailing by just 97 runs, with India back on the field with 130.5 cumulative overs in their legs.India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said India had enforced the follow-on in the belief that the pitch would deteriorate significantly by the end of the third day’s play.”There was a discussion to bat,” he said. “Those last two wickets took a little bit longer than we would have hoped for, and had probably started going towards the [space] where you do look to bat again.”But we felt [270] was a good lead. We thought the wicket’s going to keep deteriorating, we thought by close of play it would be at its worst, but it just seems to have slowed down even more.”This left India’s spin trio with a tricky time of finding the right pace to bowl at. Having shared eight wickets between them in the first innings, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar took 1 for 149 between them in 38 second-innings overs.”It’s quite challenging to get any pace out of the wicket, [and] you have to really fire the ball in,” ten Doeschate said. “And, of course, when you fire the ball in, it’s got less chance of spinning. We have found it tricky this afternoon, and Shai Hope and John Campbell batted beautifully, so back tomorrow, get our plans right, and hopefully get those last four batters out and then get into the tail.”Khary Pierre, who scored 23 from No. 8 in West Indies’ first innings, said he was surprised by India’s decision to enforce the follow-on.3:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

“Actually it was a bit surprising that they went back to bowl [even though] the wicket was still a good one,” Pierre said. “For me, personally, batting on the wicket, batting a lot of time, and watching the wicket, seeing what it was doing, I think it’s still a very good wicket.”I was surprised, but it’s India, and you know they want to get the win, and probably didn’t think they needed to go back and bat, but so be it. We have to bat properly in this innings and try and make a game of it.”With eight wickets in hand and the deficit now down to double-figures, Pierre felt West Indies had a real chance of making a game of it.”I would say the Test match is still on,” he said. “Once we apply ourselves with the bat, we have two set batters at the crease right now that will start over tomorrow, and once we bat properly, the game is still on. Once we get a lead, we all know, on the fourth and fifth day of a Test match, the bowlers will come and probably get some balls to spin and stuff and make a game of it.”

Arsenal have now reached out to the representatives of a former Man United star who’s come into his own since leaving Old Trafford, according to a new report this week.

On the field, Mikel Arteta’s side are preparing for a crucial North London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

While the Premier League title frontrunners boast an imperious record against their rivals on home turf, Arsenal will be without star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, among others, after the Brazilian limped off against Senegal with a thigh injury on international duty.

Nothing but a win will do for Arsenal, who are both looking to claim the local derby bragging rights and steer clear of second-placed Man City.

Off the field, sporting director Andrea Berta continues making plans to strengthen the squad in future windows, despite spending nearly £270 million last summer on eight major signings to bolster Arteta’s title charge.

Arsenal hold talks with Scott McTominay's camp after Napoli resurgence

According to TEAMtalk, Scott McTominay’s remarkable renaissance in Serie A has triggered a transfer scramble among Premier League heavyweights, with Arsenal one of the latest clubs to hold discussions with the midfielder’s representatives ahead of a potential summer move.

The 28-year-old has been sensational since joining Napoli from Manchester United in a £26 million deal last year, notching four goals and an assist already this season, and his transformation from a United squad player to Serie A superstar has been nothing short of extraordinary.

McTominay won the Serie A MVP award for the 2024/25 season and earned a Ballon d’Or nomination, helping Napoli to secure their fourth Scudetto, establishing himself as a club icon in just one remarkable campaign.

More recently, his stunning overhead kick against Denmark, arguably one of the best Scotland goals ever scored, sent Steve Clarke’s side on their way to an historic 4-2 win over the Danes which confirmed their place at next year’s World Cup.

Last season, he made 34 Serie A appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists, obliterating expectations for a player who was considered surplus to requirements in Manchester. José Mourinho has even called McTominay “one of the best midfielders” in Europe.

Antonio Conte views the Scotsman as his midfield ‘linchpin’, and TT report that Arsenal have sounded out McTominay’s camp alongside the likes of Tottenham, Everton and even his former club. However, any potential suitors face a significant hurdle.

Napoli have set a gargantuan price tag, with any bid below £71 million set to be dismissed out of hand.

While McTominay will require a hefty investment on Berta’s part, it is clear to see why Arsenal have taken an interest, with the in-form star’s future poised to be at the centre of debate over this next year.

He scored crucial runs down the order and took five wickets but the visitors are still staring at an innings defeat

Mohammad Isam27-Jun-2025Sri Lanka are on the cusp of a big win against Bangladesh in the second Test in Colombo. The visitors are still 96 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat, and with just four wickets in the bag, a big loss is very much on the cards with two days left.While not a lot of positives have come out of the Bangladesh camp, particularly in this second Test, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam is among their few success stories. Taijul battled on the second morning with the bat to give the Bangladesh total some respectability. The eventual 247 wasn’t substantial, but that they even got there was down to Taijul’s 33 off 60 balls.He then bowled seven spells of varying lengths to grab his 17th five-wicket haul, and fifth in an overseas Test, putting him on par with Shakib Al Hasan. Taijul’s 5 for 131 in Colombo was the umpteenth example of his doggedness and consistency. He also showed what a technically sound left-arm spinner he is. Taijul demands batters’ attention till the last moment they play or leave the ball. It adds a measure of thrill to his long spells.Related

Don't jump off the Nahid Rana hype train just yet

Kusal Mendis counterattack balloons SL's lead before Bangladesh collapse

In both Galle and Colombo, he kept his end of the bargain by bowling as tightly as possible. At times, wicketkeeper Litton Das would remind him to toss the ball a little higher or come a little straighter. And Taijul was mostly on the money.In Colombo, Taijul was a study of patience. He shared the new ball and bowled 23 overs on the trot. Nahid Rana and Ebadot Hossain went for plenty from the other end, so he had to be the captain’s banker. Taijul took one wicket in that spell. He bowled nine more overs on the second day, each time keeping his consistency intact. All this with an elbow injury he picked up while batting.When Najmul Hossain Shanto handed him the ball early on the third morning, it was to stop the bleeding. Sri Lanka had made an impressive start, so Bangladesh couldn’t afford to give runs freely. Taijul removed overnight centurion Pathum Nissanka early with the second new ball. He got one to skid rapidly, with the ball holding up ever so slightly for Sri Lanka’s centurion to chip to short extra cover. Taijul then beat captain Dhananjaya de Silva with his flight, building up to a delivery that had a hint of inward drift, beating his front-foot prod.Taijul was taken off after just four overs on the third morning, for Mehidy Hasan Miraz to bowl against the left-hand batter Kamindu Mendis. The match-up didn’t work and Mehidy had to be taken out of the attack soon. Taijul later came back to take two of the last three wickets to fall. It took his tally to 237, nine short of Shakib’s record 246 for Bangladesh. At the press conference after stumps, one couldn’t draw Taijul into that conversation, such is his introverted nature. He would rather talk about his seam position.Taijul Islam added some crucial runs during Bangladesh’s first innings•Associated Press”I did what comes naturally to me, from the start of my career,” he said. “There is always the odd variation for the spinner. Like sometimes you will check how the ball behaves in certain pitches or seam positions. I was trying that only. I prefer bowling in long spells. I am used to bowling long spells. I never think that I can’t bowl long spells. That’s how I bowl in the nets, too.”Taijul said that Nissanka’s wicket helped Bangladesh restrict Sri Lanka when they looked like running away with a mammoth total on the second day. “He [Nissanka] is in great shape. He has struck two big knocks. He was an important breakthrough for us. I think his wicket helped us bowl them out reasonably quickly.”Taijul lamented Bangladesh’s batting performance in the game, too, and he may yet have to put up another rearguard action on the fourth day, with the visitors struggling.”I am a bowler, but I bat as well,” he said. “Our batting wasn’t that good. In the first innings, the wicket was good. Each batter got out after getting set. Had there been two hundreds or two fifties, the situation might have been different.”Weather could have a say on the fourth day, but Sri Lanka only have to dismantle Bangladesh’s lower order on their way to the series win. Taijul will make way for the white-ball specialists and will get back to training in Dhaka, and maybe get to play some red-ball cricket when the 2025-26 season opens in October.He will eye Shakib’s record against Ireland, though it will likely pale in comparison to the attention that Mushfiqur Rahim will get as he is projected to complete 100 Tests in that series. Taijul probably wouldn’t mind the limelight away from him even then.

Azmatullah Omarzai’s allround performance took Afghanistan to a five-wicket win against Bangladesh in the first ODI in Abu Dhabi. Omarzai picked up three wickets before he contributed with an aggressive 40 when Afghanistan lost set batters Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah in their 222-run chase.Afghanistan completed the win in the 48th over, with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi unbeaten on 34, while the veteran Mohammad Nabi struck the winning runs with a six off Saif Hassan.It turned out to be a day of milestones for the Afghanistan side. After Rashid Khan became the first from his team to reach 200 wickets in ODIs, Rahmat also became the first from Afghanistan to reach 4,000 runs in the format. Rashid is the second fastest spinner to reach 200 wickets, having taken 115 matches.Rashid also took three wickets in the match, removing top-scorer captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan at a crucial stage in the Bangladesh innings. When Afghanistan bowled them out for 221 runs in 48.5 overs, it gave them the momentum going into the chase.Afghanistan began their reply brightly too. Ibrahim Zadran struck the first three boundaries, before Rahmanullah Gurbaz blasted Taskin Ahmed down the ground for a six. The opening pair raised their 50-run stand in the ninth over, before Tanvir Islam broke through with an excellent delivery. The left-arm spinner got the ball to turn well away from Zadran who walked past the delivery, before Nurul Hasan completed the stumping.Tanzim Hasan then got one to rear at Sediqullah Atal, who tried to move away from the line of the ball, but it took his outside edge, to nestle into Tanzid Hasan’s grasp in the slips.Similar to how Mehidy and Hridoy batted for Bangladesh after they lost three quick wickets, Rahmat Shah and Gurbaz lowered their run-rate significantly. When Rahmat smashed Tanvir inside-out for a boundary in the 21st over, it was their first for 73 deliveries.He struck one more boundary in the next ten overs, before Tanzim had him caught at midwicket for exactly 50. Four balls after the 78-run third wicket stand was broken, Mehidy got one to spin through Gurbaz, who also fell for 50.Afghanistan however landed in the safe hands of their captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Omarzai. The pair added 59 runs for the fifth wicket, with Omarzai picking apart two Bangladesh bowlers at a crucial stage. He blazed Mehidy in his last over, for a four and a six, before spanking Tanzim for three fours in a row in the 43rd over.Omarzai fell later in the same over, caught at short midwicket for 40 off 44 balls, with six fours and a six. Afghanistan though had turned the corner in the chase, as Omarzai left with the team needing 27 runs to win in the last seven overs. Shahidi and Nabi turned it into a cakewalk, as they won with 17 balls to spare.Bangladesh though couldn’t get going with the bat despite a 101-run fourth wicket stand between captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Towhid Hridoy. Both reached fifties but fell shortly afterwards too. Mehidy and Hridoy had rescued Bangladesh after they lost three wickets in the first 11.5 overs. Saif Hassan was striking the ball cleanly for his five boundaries, but when he fell for 26, Bangladesh had to rebuild.Mehidy and Hridoy batted out nine overs with just one boundary, before hitting three sixes in consecutive overs. Hridoy however was run out after a mix-up with Mehidy, having made 56. When Mehidy fell lbw to Rashid Khan for 60, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan followed him back to the pavilion in the same way, to the same bowler. Omarzai also took three wickets, having given Afghanistan the early breakthroughs.

Arsenal are now seriously keen on signing Murillo, with Mikel Arteta personally an admirer, amid a new update on whether Nottingham Forest would consider a sale.

The Gunners are looking to bring in a new centre-back, with Gabriel set for a relatively lengthy spell on the sidelines, as confirmed by Arteta prior to the North London derby, with the manager saying: “Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the Brazil national team and he’s going to be out for weeks.”

“It’s clearly a blow because he’s our leader in our backline and, to me, it’s never a positive thing. The good thing is that we have very good options and we need to stand up now and do the job.”

As pointed out by Arteta, the Gunners have some quality back-up options, with Cristhian Mosquera, who has played a part in keeping five clean sheets this season, the natural replacement for the Brazilian at the heart of defence.

However, at 21-years-old, the Spaniard is still relatively inexperienced, and the north Londoners have now expressed an interest in signing a new centre-back ahead of the January transfer window.

Arsenal now seriously keen on signing Murillo

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now seriously keen on signing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, with his current club willing to sanction a departure if they receive an offer in the region of €80m – €90m (£70m – £79m).

The Gunners believe the 23-year-old could make an instant impact in defence, despite already having Gabriel and William Saliba on the books, and Arteta is personally a fan of the Forest star’s progressive style of play.

However, there could be major competition for the centre-back’s signature, with London rivals Chelsea also being named as potential suitors, alongside La Liga giants FC Barcelona.

The Brazilian has been a key player for the Tricky Trees so far this season, making 12 appearances in all competitions, with arguably his best performance coming in the 3-0 victory against Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners’ chances of winning the Premier League title were further boosted when Forest emerged as shock winners at Anfield, with the one-time Brazil international opening the scoring, while also making a number of other key contributions.

Murillo’s performance vs Liverpool

Number completed

Clearances

13

Blocked shots

3

Duels (won)

6 (5)

Tackles

2

Lauded as “monstrous” by journalist Ryan Taylor, the Sao Paulo-born defender could have what it takes to become one of the best defenders in the world, but it would be very difficult for him to force his way into Arteta’s plans.

Gabriel and Saliba have formed a formidable partnership, with the Gunners maintaining by far the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, and Mosquera has proven himself as a solid back-up.

Arsenal's surprise replacement for Gabriel at centre-back Not played CB for a year: Arsenal have a surprise £50m Gabriel replacement

The talented Arsenal star could be just the solution Arteta needs ahead of the North London Derby.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 20, 2025

The defending champions were well placed on 133 for 2 before legspinner Swepson sparked a collapse

AAP15-Oct-2025Queensland 26 for 0 trail Michael Neser continued his hot start to the summer with he and Mitchell Swepson taking four wickets each to bowl South Australia out for 228.Queensland went to stumps on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at 26 without loss in reply to South Australia, with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 22 at Adelaide Oval.Related

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Almost the forgotten man in the great pace-bowling debate ahead of the Ashes, Neser ripped the heart out of Tasmania with 4 for 75 in the opening round. And he backed it up again on Wednesday with 4 for 30, after South Australia had done well to build a base of 133 for 2.After taking the top of Nathan McSweeney’s off stump when the right-hander left a ball after lunch, Neser claimed the last three wickets on day one. He first had a pulling Wes Agar caught at slip, edged off a driving Liam Scott for 44 and also had Jordan Buckingham caught behind.While the wickets came late in the innings for Neser, it still won’t have hurt his push to add to his two Tests for Australia.Scott Boland is all but certain to replace Pat Cummins for the first Test if Australia’s captain does not recover from a back injury in time.But Neser could well be the next option if Cummins does not return for later in the series and one of Australia’s quicks needs resting. That situation appears even more serious after fellow-hopeful Sean Abbott split the webbing on his bowling hand while playing for NSW on Wednesday.While Neser’s wickets could have Ashes implications, former Test spinner Swepson was the pick of the bowlers for Queensland on day one.He took four wickets in South Australia’s collapse from 133 for 2 to 188 for 7, including the crucial wicket of Conor McInerney lbw for 60.The legspinner also had Jason Sangha well caught by Khawaja close to the ground at slip, before the in-form Jake Lehmann hit him straight to square leg.Swepson’s fourth scalp came when Nathan McAndrew drove him on the up to cover, capping a fine day for the Queenslander.

Meet Drew Gilbert. The Giants rookie outfielder has hit .242 with four home runs and an .757 OPS since he was called up a month ago. He also likes to get choked in the dugout, which he has apparently talked teammate Matt Chapman into doing multiple times since he joined the team.

During San Francisco's win over the Diamondbacks on Monday the broadcast ran a montage of Gilbert's antics from the game. They included getting choked by Chapman, slapping things and shaking uncontrollably.

Earlier this month teammate Willy Adames said that Gilbert comes in each day like he "has new batteries," is hilarious and brought energy to the club that the Giants needed. Gilbert was traded to the Giants organization in late July as part of the trade that sent Tyler Rogers to the Mets and he quickly made his MLB debut and an impression.

The official MLB X account also posted a montage of Gilbert doing things like getting choked last week.

The Giants have won 12 of their last 15 games and are now just three games out of the final Wild Card spot. Ironically, they'll need the Mets to choke to sneak into the postseason.