All posts by h716a5.icu

In an extract from his new book, former England and Gloucestershire fast bowler David Lawrence recalls his relationship with the West Indian legend

David Lawrence with Dean Wilson19-Jun-2025I’ve been fortunate to make some lifelong friends during my time as a cricketer and none more so than Courtney Walsh, who was the finest bowler I played alongside in my career and an equally fine man.We got on well from the start, when our paths first crossed in an Under-25s game, and we are still great friends to this day. Courtney has been supportive and has sent me messages since he first found out about my condition and they have meant a huge amount to me.Our bowling partnership at Gloucestershire should have brought us a County Championship crown and I’m gutted that we didn’t manage to get over the line, but we had great fun trying.He was undoubtedly one of the very best to have ever played the game, and he was a bit of an inspiration for me as a team-mate.That started during my stint in Perth in 1984 where I got the chance to see him make his Test debut at the WACA alongside so many of my heroes from 1976.Related

Do strong bowling pairs have it better than lone warriors?

Why Courtney Walsh should be regarded as more than just another West Indian bowling great

David Lawrence unveiled as first Black president of Gloucestershire

David Lawrence diagnosed with motor neurone disease

Courtney very kindly sorted me tickets for each day of the Test and I was so excited to be able to watch West Indies once again up close. I watched them bat all day on day one and then missed day two because I was playing club cricket. But on day three the Windies bowlers put on a hell of a show. Michael Holding took six wickets to bowl Australia out for just 76, meaning Courtney didn’t even get a bowl.Clive Lloyd enforced the follow-on and in the second innings Courtney got his first Test wicket as part of a big innings win. He played in all five matches in a thumping 3-1 series win and his Test career was up and running.We had a good catch-up in Perth and had a few drinks after the game and promised to bring the heat back to Gloucestershire with us the next year, and that is exactly what we did.The 1985 season was one of my most enjoyable campaigns because it was the first full season I played together with Courtney and Kevin Curran, who had also joined us. I was straining at the leash to get started and in my first Championship game, I took nine wickets against Lancashire, which got me up and running.After his international duties, Courtney arrived in time for the third game of the season, against Sussex, and I was flying. I bowled like the wind and took 7 for 48 to get people’s attention.Sussex skipper John Barclay called it the fastest spell he had seen at Hove, while Courtney gave me a big pat on the back as we came off the field and thanked me for making life easy for him, having just got off the plane. That was a big moment for me because all of a sudden I had people talking me up as a potential England player. With Bob Willis having retired the previous summer, the hunt was on for England’s next fast-bowling star and I was making my move at just the right time. Two games later we played Derbyshire in Derby and, up against Michael Holding, I took another five wickets. Courtney took the other five as we bowled our side to victory on the last day.That was a feeling I will never forget and it is one that we got to enjoy a fair few more times together over the years, but to do it nice and early was a great marker and it showed us just how potent a partnership we could be.From left: Jeremy Lloyds, Brian Davison, Kevin Curran, Lawrence and Walsh at Gloucestershire, 1985•PA Photos/Getty ImagesWe bowled with real pace and with real intent too. When you came up against us as a batter, you had to be brave to score runs.Guys like Allan Lamb, Robin Smith and Wayne Larkins were definitely in that category. “Ned” Larkins in particular was a bit of a nemesis for me at Wantage Road. I didn’t particularly like bowling there because I didn’t get many wickets and Ned always seemed to hit me all over the place. Every bowler has a batter they struggle against and for me it was him.The short ball was something we used to unsettle opponents so that when we pitched it up, they would be hesitant and not quite in line, which would mean we were more likely to find the outside edge. It was all about taking wickets.But in that game against Derby, and then later on against Kent,when Courtney and I shared seven wickets in the second innings, we were accused of intimidatory bowling.It didn’t bother us in the slightest. Whenever a team had a bowler with a bit of pace in the side they would use it to their advantage and we were no different. We were just lucky that with Courtney, myself and Kevin, the quick stuff just kept on coming. The aim was always to take wickets, not to hurt people. It was the threat of getting hurt that was the greatest weapon and that is what we used.I took pleasure from seeing a batter jerk their head out of the way in surprise at how quick it was. Or if they ducked a bouncer and ended up on the floor, that was fine with me because it scrambled their minds and gave you more of a chance of getting them out.Occasionally people did get hurt and had the bumps and bruises to show for the contest, but I always wanted people to remain healthy.A Syd Lawrence All Stars XI played a Lashings XI in a charity game in Bristol on June 6. It included former players Devon Malcolm, Jon Lewis (standing, first two from left), Tim Hancock, Norman Cowans, Martyn Ball (standing, first three from right), and Matt Windows (kneeling, second from right)•Craig Hobbs/LashingsOne day that wasn’t the case and it was during a game against West Indies in 1988. They had allrounder Phil Simmons opening the batting and he was a big, imposing cricketer who could hit the ball a long way.We were still in an era when helmets were not compulsory and lots of players didn’t wear them, including Phil on this day.I bowled him a bouncer with the new ball and as he went to duck, it hit him on the head and he collapsed. It was a frightening moment but he got up, feeling worse for wear. I went over to check on him and make sure he was okay. He nodded but he looked very shaky on his feet.As he was helped from the ground by the team medic, he collapsed again and this time he needed serious medical attention. An ambulance came and took him to the hospital where he had life-saving surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain.That was the day when all the West Indies players bar Viv Richards started to wear helmets against real pace and made sure they had them in their kit bags. As a bowler I didn’t feel guilty about it because I was just doing my job and it was Phil’s choice whether or not to wear a helmet. Obviously he was taking a risk by not doing so. As a human being, of course I felt for Phil, which is why the next day I went to visit him in hospital after he had the surgery and was recuperating.I went into the room where he was lying down and his fiancée was sat there next to him and I just broke down in tears. I didn’t want to have this effect on anybody. He motioned me over to him and as I stood there he took my hand and said, “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.” I just felt so bad seeing him there wired up and I was the one who put him there. You don’t play the game to do that.There has always been an element of danger to the game and that is what makes it so thrilling. As a bowler you know that if a batter misses a short ball there is a chance that you could hurt them, but that is not going to stop you from trying to get them out any way you can. There is an understanding that the batter can also take advantage of that sort of delivery.Lawrence bowls in his first Test, against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in 1988•Adrian Murrell/Getty ImagesIn the modern game every player wears a helmet, so thankfully serious head injuries are more rare, but I think that batters might get hit in the head more than ever because they haven’t had to learn how to evade the ball as much, and they are more prepared to have a hook at the ball, knowing that they are protected. Either way I’m just glad that Phil was all right and able to continue his cricket career. He didn’t play again on that tour understandably, but he was back on the field after three months and on the 1991 tour to England we faced off against each other again and this time it was in Test cricket.Courtney and I had become good friends over the course of that first season and my dad loved chatting to him too as a fellow Jamaican, when he came to watch my games. That Caribbean heritage brought us together too when it came to socialising and going out from time to time. We both enjoyed good music and a good party, although I was a bit more of a night owl than Courtney.One thing we both had plenty of time for was the St Pauls Carnival [an event celebrating African Caribbean culture] that was held every summer [in Bristol], so if you were an opposition batter and wanted a bit of respite from us, then you had to hope that we were playing you across carnival weekend.For some strange reason, in the week leading up to the carnival, my hamstring would get very tight and sore, and would you believe it, Courtney would also feel some stiffness in a similar area and would require some treatment.It was either dumb luck or just an extraordinary coincidence that on around five occasions both Courtney and I would be out of action in the same game and have to stay at home resting our “injuries”. Somehow those injuries would be enough to keep us out of cricket action, but we were just about fit enough to join the carnival for the day before recovering in time for the next match.It was amazing that no one cottoned on to our regular little bit of cricketing truancy, but I guess no one else had any interest in the event so we knew we were safe to enjoy ourselves without the club finding out, until now I guess.Guests at the June 6 event at Downend Cricket Club honour Lawrence•Craig Hobbs/LashingsCourtney was a gentle giant off the field, but he had his moments and he had a temper like anyone does when provoked. Most people were smart enough not to wind him up, but I can remember him losing his rag a couple of times.There was a game against Derbyshire when Kim Barnett and Peter Bowler were batting and they were doing pretty well despite Courtney creating chances. A catch off Barnett was dropped and Bowler took exception to Courtney’s mutterings. The next single he took, he bumped his shoulder into Courtney, which set everything off and even had me steaming up from fine leg to get involved. Bowler was waving his bat and Courtney was not happy and ready to rip the bat out of his hands. The umpires managed to calm things down, but Courtney was still reported for the incident.Another time he had a run-in with one of his own team-mates during a game against Hampshire.The great Malcolm Marshall had come in to bat and there is no doubt that there was a lot of respect between him and Courtney. He would have been someone that Courtney looked up to and was learning from in the West Indies team, plus they were both fast bowlers, so there was often a bit of an understanding between your fellow quicks.But after bowling three half-volleys to Maco one of our team piped up and shouted, “Come on Courtney, what’s wrong with you?! How is it that you pitch it up to your lot, and to us blokes we get all the short stuff?!”Everyone knew what he meant.Lawrence, as Gloucestershire’s club president, with team captain James Bracey in 2024 after they won their first T20 trophy•Cameron Smith/ECB/Getty ImagesMaybe the team-mate had a point in wanting to see the opposition given a tough time, but there was a way to do it, which didn’t involve shouting it across the ground for everyone to hear, calling into question Courtney’s integrity as much as anything.It took a while for everything to calm down after that, the player who made the comment apologised to Courtney afterwards, but the damage was done and they gave each other a wide berth after that. There were just some players you knew you were never going to see eye to eye with and the best thing was to give each other some space off the field. On it, we were still a team and we all pulled in the same direction in trying to help our side win.Courtney was a proud Jamaican and I used to talk to him about life in Jamaica, a place where I had roots but hadn’t visited. He told me about cricket at Sabina Park, which was one of the most famous and feared grounds in world cricket. Many a visiting batter would have nightmares about that place, and I made a promise to myself that I would get the chance to check it out.The aim was clearly to be part of an England tour to the West Indies and to play a Test match on the island of my heritage, but after my knee injury in 1992, that aim had to be parked. I still wanted to experience the place, though, and from the stories I had heard from Courtney and other players who had played there, it was something that I knew I would enjoy. I just had this vision of sitting in the stands and watching a game unfold in the sunshine, with the noise of the crowd, and with an ice-cold Red Stripe in my hand. Doesn’t that sound like bliss?After returning to the Gloucestershire side in 1997, I had focused my attention on getting fit and firing for the 1998 season, but with England touring the Caribbean I thought this was my chance to make my pilgrimage and go and watch some cricket in Jamaica. I went out on my own as a supporter and stepped onto Jamaican soil for the very first time and couldn’t have been happier.Lawrence jogs around the ground with team physio Laurie Brown during England’s 1991-92 tour of New Zealand, on which he suffered a career-ending injury when he fractured his kneecap during the Wellington Test•Graham Chadwick/PA Photos/Getty ImagesI had arrived the day before the game and I was so excited to be there with the prospect of seeing so many of my friends on both teams playing in the match. The day of the game I was up a little later than I wanted due to jet lag, but I got myself sorted and jumped into a taxi and headed to the ground.When I arrived the game was already in progress and England were batting. They had lost two wickets, which wasn’t exactly a surprise since Curtly [Ambrose] and Courtney had a habit of running through English top orders. I found out where my seat was and looked up at the scoreboard, which read 7 for 2 at the end of the seventh over.Before I settled in, I thought I’d better go and get that Red Stripe I had been looking forward to, but as soon as I got to the back of the stand I heard a huge roar of noise, which I took to mean that England had lost another wicket.Nasser Hussain was out and the two Surrey guys, Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe, were in the middle. I had played in teams with both of them and I had also bowled to them and got them out, so I wanted to get back and see how they would cope with the Windies pace duo.By the time I got back to my seat they were just finishing the tenth over and the score was 17 for 3. I took a sip of my beer and thought, “This is great.” With two wickets already to his name to equal the tally of the great Dennis Lillee on 355 wickets, Courtney was at the top of his mark, ready to bowl. I took another sip of the crisp, refreshing beer as he ran in and bowled a ball just back of a length to Thorpe, but it reared up and hit him on the glove, and he threw the bat down in pain and anger.That wasn’t a particularly unusual sight, to see batters find life uncomfortable against Courtney, but the ball had bounced much more steeply than Thorpey was expecting.Fairfield BooksAt this point, the players all gathered together in the middle, the umpires were involved, and then Mike Atherton, who had already been dismissed, came jogging out from the pavilion after the physio.I didn’t know what was going on. It all seemed a bit bizarre.The next thing I knew, the players were walking off and the game was abandoned. I was stunned.I turned to some fans next to me and asked what on earth was going on. “It is a dangerous pitch, someone is going to get seriously hurt,” they said. What I didn’t realise, having come into the ground 45 minutes after the start of play, was that the pitch was like a corrugated iron roof, which meant if the ball bounced on the upslope it took off like a rocket, and if it landed on the downslope it would shoot along the floor like a pea-roller. And no batter in the world can cope with that kind of variable bounce.The real worry was that Courtney and Curtly were two of the tallest fast bowlers in the world and the pace they bowled at made it seriously dangerous for the batters to face them.You would be expecting the ball to bounce around your thigh or your hip, and suddenly it would be at your head. I knew what it was like to be the bowler who caused a serious head injury from bowling after what happened to Phil Simmons, and neither Courtney nor Curtly wanted to be the guy who did something similar to the England batters.I spoke to Courtney afterwards and he admitted it was really difficult to keep running in and trying to bowl your best ball knowing that the pitch could make something awful happen. He didn’t enjoy that hour of cricket and the right decision was made to abandon the match.But it meant that my dream visit to Jamaica at the age of 34 to watch some Test cricket lasted precisely one ball. That is a hell of a long journey just to see one live delivery. They reconfigured the tour and ended up playing another match in Trinidad to make up for the abandonment, but I couldn’t follow them there. I had to get home and prepare for the new English season, which unbeknown to me at that stage would be my last as a professional cricketer.In Syd’s Voice

As they prepare to lead India and England in a crucial clash, their shared legacy at Mumbai Indians adds intrigue to the contest

S Sudarshanan17-Oct-2025The difference is stark as you get off the main road and enter the bylane to reach the media gate at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. It’s distinctly quiet, free of the honking and the bustle of vehicles. Quite the contrast. Much like Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur at training on Friday, ahead of the crucial game between India and England.Sciver-Brunt was everywhere. She was partaking in catching and fielding drills one moment. And the next, she was spot-bowling in one of the two training nets. Then she was bowling to Tammy Beaumont and Sophia Dunkley, before batting in the adjacent net against throwdowns and the England bowlers. Not long after, she changed out of her training kit to fulfill broadcast commitments. It was a packed schedule for the England captain on a hot afternoon in Indore.By the time Harmanpreet and her team strode in, the sun had given way to a dark, cloudy sky. The floodlights came on almost right on cue. There was a drizzle just before India’s arrival and so they chose to train in the enclosed Amay Khuraysia practice arena just behind one of the east stands. Harmanpreet was a picture of focus. She batted in pairs with Jemimah Rodrigues and faced a variety of India bowlers. India used two pitches in the facility – a red-soil surface and a black-soil one. She batted on both of them for close to 90 minutes. After that, she bowled to Deepti Sharma for a bit.Related

Edwards 'disappointed' but not 'concerned' by England's batting

India vs England – A World Cup game with plenty of jeopardy

India need to fix flaws ahead of tougher challenges in World Cup

Ticket sales begin for World Cup semi-finals

'For Theo' – a century for Sciver-Brunt, a celebration for the Sciver-Brunts

Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt have had many match-winning partnerships in the WPL for Mumbai Indians (MI), who have won two titles in three seasons. As MI captain and vice-captain, they have plotted the downfall of many of Harmanpreet’s India team-mates, including Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. But come Sunday at the Women’s World Cup, the duo will be in opposite camps, plotting to take the other down. England, with seven points, are yet to lose a game in the tournament; India have only four points in four matches after suffering losses in their two previous games.Harmanpreet will also be up against Charlotte Edwards, who left her job as MI coach after three years to take charge of England. India and England played a bilateral series in July with the MI leadership split across both teams, but this next game is the one that matters most. A full house is expected in Indore.”In my 15-16 years of coaching, whenever I have had a chance to work as an assistant coach, my best experience was under Anju [Jain] at Bangladesh. After that, I would definitely take Charlotte’s name,” MI batting coach Devika Palshikar tells ESPNcricinfo. “She is tactically brilliant. She gave us a free hand, our roles were quite clear. In a short tournament like the WPL, it is important to keep the players in a good space mentally. Charlotte is really good at that.”Edwards seems to have had a similar impact on England’s players. Linsey Smith, who has opened the bowling several times in T20Is, was asked to do the role in ODIs for the first time, and she delivered. Emma Lamb had not batted outside the top order in domestic cricket, but she was backed to do a middle-order role, partly because England also need batters who can bowl spin.Harmanpreet Kaur hugs then-MI head coach Charlotte Edwards after WPL title win•BCCI”Charlotte doesn’t put pressure on the results,” Palshikar, who helped bridge the language barrier at MI, said. “It is always about the process. She gives small, specific targets to players. For example at MI, [openers] Hayley [Matthews] and Yastika [Bhatia] have to take care of the powerplay. After that Nat is there, and she and Harman [Harmanpreet] can have a good partnership.”Apart from Edwards and Sciver-Brunt aside, England also have another person from the MI support staff in their camp – Benji Hoppitt, the performance analyst. Palshikar calls him “a mastermind who helps us trick opponents”. Edwards and Hoppitt also worked together at Sydney Sixers in the WBBL and Southern Brave in the Hundred.”Benji has very good insights. He is thorough. He is the best analyst I have worked with so far. We now know why Charlotte and Benji work together everywhere!”All this is not to say England have the inside track on India. Harmanpreet has been on the international circuit for over 16 years. Perhaps no one moved the needle as much as she did with her 171 not out against Australia in the 2017 World Cup. And even at 36, few can match her for power with the bat.”Harman is very experienced,” Palshikar says. “She’s played on Indian soil for close to 20 years. So she knows about the grounds and other things. And she is tactically sound and assured.”Palshikar and Edwards also worked together to help Harmanpreet play attacking cricket from an earlier point in T20 cricket, a move that helped MI lift a second title earlier this year. “Her consistency at the WPL is unmatched,” Palshikar says. “The way she plays freely, I actually see a different Harman with us. She has been given a free hand and the confidence reflects.”Her routines also help her a great deal. She knows how to keep herself mentally and physically fit. She is very professional. She knows to cut off from the outside world, she is thorough in keeping a minimum screen time ahead of games. That is something for youngsters to see and learn.”A sub-plot to this great MI divide is a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) duel. Luke Williams and Smriti Mandhana, head coach and captain of the title-winning team in WPL 2024, are also in opposite camps. Williams is Edwards’ assistant while Mandhana is India’s vice-captain.Palshikar was India’s assistant coach when Mandhana played her first T20 World Cup in 2014. The pair also worked together at Ratnagiri Jets in the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL) earlier this year.”I was lucky to work with Smriti at WMPL,” Palshikar says. “I last worked with her in 2014. The Smriti of 2014 and now the Smriti of 2025 – oh, I was so impressed with her. I have worked with so many players. But [Harmanpreet and Mandhana] are true legends. After Mithali [Raj] and Jhulan [Goswami], India will forever have these two legends.”

It took him just 17 balls to pick up four West Indies wickets, and no matter the kind of pitch, this feat was impressive

Danyal Rasool18-Jan-2025Theatre actors have often spoken about guarding against losing respect for the art. Arriving on stage night after night to produce the same high standard of performance has a jading effect, and one where the performer has much more to lose than they have to gain. A good performance is just another day at the office, a bad one the stuff of bad reviews and blooper reels that acquire a life of their own – and with the threat of reputational damage. Especially when it feels as if people have been waiting to stick the boot in, anyway.That is what it must feel like to be Sajid Khan, who, unlike his partner-in-crime Noman Ali, identifies as something of a performer.The first Test against West Indies, in Multan, was something of a no-win situation, his success explained away as a masterstroke in pitch curation than the magic in his fingers. Surely, he can’t have been that good on his own merits, the reasoning goes, or why else was he omitted from Pakistan’s squad for the Tests in South Africa immediately prior?Related

Noman, Sajid share nine WI wickets as Pakistan dominate day two

Do well, and the theory gets even further validation; or don’t, and be written off as a one-series wonder. That was Sajid’s window of possibilities. So what might just be another low-profile Test to an observer was reputational to him. Pakistan’s selection panel had huge expectations of him; when Pakistan folded for 230 on the second day, Aleem Dar, now a member of the selection committee, reckoned it was near 400, factoring in the difficulty of the pitch. The expectation placed upon Sajid was clear.And Sajid knows the talk has to be walked to retain its potence. His in-your-face celebration rubbed a few players in the England camp the wrong way, and needs to be fed by regular wickets. Against West Indies, on Saturday, it took him just seven balls to get his first, what he later called “an offspinner’s dream wicket”, flighting the ball outside off stump, lulling Mikyle Louis into the drive, and sneaking through the gate and rattling the stumps.Eleven balls later, Sajid had four wickets to his name, West Indies’ top order being cut to ribbons. No matter the kind of pitch, this was impressive; it took West Indies’ collective spin attack nearly 62 overs to match what Sajid had managed in 17 deliveries. Indeed, if what Sajid was doing wasn’t exceptional, there would be no point in preparing these surfaces – because anyone could then match him toe-to-toe.West Indies, in contrast, have held off operating spin from both ends, preferring to give Jayden Seales a longer spell first. That may just have to do with Seales’ excellent showing in each innings – far superior, indeed, to anything a Pakistan seamer has managed in these conditions. But bowling wicket-taking spin with the new ball isn’t as easy as Sajid makes it look, either.

“As an offspinner, I have a bit of a complicated bowling style. I can’t introduce too many new things to it”Sajid Khan on his bowling

“I’ve worked with my head coach in Peshawar, Zohaib Khan, to prepare with the new ball,” Sajid said after the second day’s play. “I’ve bowled with him a lot with the new Dukes ball, and worked on it a lot. We used to work on bowling with the new ball for one to two hours on end. The plan was to keep the run-scoring tight. If I concede [runs] off a good ball, [Mohammad] Rizwan doesn’t mind. But the expectation is we’ll continue to hit good areas on this wicket.”Sajid has also continued to add arrows to his quiver. He comes in wider of the crease to exploit footmarks when required, or simply to change the angle to discomfit a batter. His action, which he admits is “difficult”, allows him to vary the pace and trajectory without letting batters pick it up, something he believes is essential to his game.”As an offspinner, I have a bit of a complicated bowling style. I can’t introduce too many new things to it,” Sajid said. “Every coach I work with has said my strength is my sleight of hand. Batters find it hard to read my flight or variation in pace because my front arm moves very quickly – even if I’m bowling in the nets to our own batters.”Sajid Khan removed West Indies’ top four•PCBNo matter the assistance from the pitch, though, there came a reminder that a drop in levels comes with consequences. With Pakistan hunting for the final wicket, the intensity dropped as Sajid went in search of his fifth, greedily flighting it and pitching it up to force the issue. But it wasn’t the right length, and was much too predictable; and though West Indies’ No. 10 and 11 batters were at the crease, Sajid was dismantled. Two sixes and four boundaries came off his final three overs, which leaked 37 runs to mar his figures slightly.Those overs, perhaps more than any of Sajid’s wickets, demonstrated the rarefied nature of his skill: it wasn’t just the pitch, but what he made the ball do on it, that was bringing him success. There will be times it doesn’t work, as is true for every skillset on any surface.For now, Sajid turns it on day-in and day-out, with no signs of losing respect for the art, or his hunger for more. And as he mentioned last year, while people have jumped at the chance to write him off in the past, his continued refusal to play to that narrative means the ink on those pens may have begun to dry.

The Australia captain was especially emotive with the ball in hand as his team responded strongly to their Perth drubbing

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-2024As Pat Cummins went through India’s lower order early on the third day in Adelaide, it felt like a statement from the Australia captain who had been particularly expressive with ball in hand throughout the contest.Mitchell Starc had already removed the main threat, Rishabh Pant, in the first over. Now a rapid bouncer from Cummins did for R Ashwin as he tried to hook, another rising delivery was fending into the gully by Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy ramped into the hands of deep third to give Cummins his third wicket. He could have finished with six when Mohammed Siraj, who was booed to the crease in rather pantomime-esque scenes after his run-in with Travis Head the previous day, fended at his first delivery but Alex Carey couldn’t gather the edge.Never mind. In the blink of an eye, Australia needed 19 to level the series. It was all done before the first interval, perhaps leaving some of the 33,000 in the ground a little torn between delight at the victory and a lack of cricket for the rest of a beautiful Sunday.For Australia, though, there was only one concern: winning. And they did so in a style every bit as emphatic as India’s victory in Perth.On the opening day Cummins had looked especially emotive – borderline angry – when he bounced out Pant. Late on the second night he produced a peach of a delivery to take Rohit Sharma’s off stump, which drew a few comparisons to the famous ball to Joe Root at Old Trafford in the 2019 Ashes.”This week we were back to our best, the team I remember and how we want to play our cricket so really satisfying,” Cummins said. “I was pretty pumped up. Probably felt like some big wickets in the context of the match. Especially the pink ball, feels like the margins have been quite small so maybe just pretty excited – more so than normal.”1:42

Cummins on Australia’s comeback win: ‘We were back to our best’

It was the fourth-shortest Test in Australia and 81 fewer deliveries than last season’s thrashing of West Indies, although this contest was witnessed by 135,012 across the three days – a record for an India Test in Adelaide despite its brevity.From the very first ball of the match, when Starc removed Yashasvi Jaiswal, it was an excellent two-and-a-bit days for Cummins and his team. That’s all it took to dismantle India twice across a collective 80 overs while Travis Head, not for the first time, produced the defining innings when there was a still a way back into the contest for the visitors.”When Trav walked out to the crease that was the turning point,” Cummins said. “Feels like every time he walks out the game’s in the balance…and within the space of a session or so he really took the game out of their hands. He’s done it time and time again for us in many different formats. So lucky he’s on our side because as a captain I wouldn’t know how to bowl to him, how to set fields to him.”But he also singled out the night session on the opening day, where Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne, took Australia to the close just one down, as a key period in setting up the game.”That was really gutsy what those guys did on that first night,” Cummins said. “You look back to Perth, it’s those small moments that if you win them and suddenly you wake up the next day and it’s a different day. Think that was a really good lesson and it was really gutsy to get through that period and meant some of the other guys later on could cash in.”Cummins again spoke of being reasonably happy with how he bowled in first Test in Perth – where he had a match return of 3 for 153 – and that not much changed for him here, but he looked better for the run from the moment he nibbled the new ball around in the first innings.He heaped praise on his pace-bowling colleagues, Starc and Scott Boland, who finished with eight and five wickets in the game respectively. Nathan Lyon sent down the grand total of one over – “He will jump in the ice bath, he has had a big week,” Cummins joked at the presentation – while Mitchell Marsh’s unconvincing four overs in the first innings faded from significance.”Some of the talk this week was around do we have enough bowling,” Cummins said. “Particularly that day one, thought it was a herculean effort from Starcy and Scotty. It was hot, close to 40 degrees, humid and basically just kept rotating the bowlers all day. Huge effort from those guys, showed their class, I feel very lucky as a captain to have those guys and then having someone like Lyno who we didn’t even need to call on. Feels like I’ve got a lot of tools at my disposal.”And so for the third time in a row a series between these two teams in Australia is level at 1-1 after the first two matches. Onto the Gabba.

Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has accused Sir Jim Ratcliffe of "destroying" the club during his minority ownership reign. INEOS chief Ratcliffe bought a 27.7 per cent stake in the Red Devils in February 2024 and was given complete control of their football operations by the Glazer family. While many fans welcomed this news, Cantona thinks things have gone from bad to worse.

Ratcliffe's turbulent Man Utd reign

There was a great deal of optimism when Ratcliffe bought his way into United more than 18 months ago, and things seemed to be on the up after winning the FA Cup in the summer of 2024. But the sacking of Erik ten Hag, the mixed results of his successor, Ruben Amorim, and the widespread redundancies have led to repeated criticism of the British billionaire. Now, one of the Red Devils' greatest ever players has laid into Ratcliffe once again. 

AdvertisementAFPMan Utd has been 'destroyed'

Cantona even said that his request for input in the United revamp was turned down by the current powers that be. During his stage show, An Evening with Eric The King Cantona, he said: "I have many other passions and projects, but I thought that for two or three years I could maybe put those to the side and try to give something to this club, which has given everything to me. But [Ratcliffe] didn’t seem interested. I did what I had to do, so I don’t feel guilty anymore. I tried my best. Sir Alex Ferguson created a style of beautiful attacking football, which the new owners should have used. Instead, they destroyed it."

Old Trafford atmosphere is 'different'

Cantona still has a lot of fondness for his old club, but he says the noise that comes out of Old Trafford these days is a far cry from years gone by. 

"The atmosphere in the stadium is different, unfortunately. I went to Old Trafford last season for the game against Manchester City, and I thought it was quiet. United fans prefer to go to away matches, to be with the real fans, than to be surrounded by people who come from different parts of the world just to go to the merchandise store," he added.

This is not the first time Cantona has said things have made a turn for the worse at United. He believes the focus on money, the drop-off in success after Sir Alex Ferguson's era, and the new stadium plans are turning off supporters.

He said earlier this year: "I support United because I really love United, but now if I was a fan and I had to choose a club I don’t think I would choose United. Because I don’t feel close to these kinds of decisions. They have another strategy, another project. Do you feel close to this project? I don’t think so. For me, it is very important to respect these people like you [the fans], respect your manager and your team-mates. I think since Ratcliffe arrived it’s the complete opposite and, this team of directors, they try to destroy everything and they don’t respect anybody. They even want to change the stadium."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWhat comes next for United?

After an up and down start to the season, things appear to be improving under Amorim at United. They spent more than £200 million on players in the summer and that has helped them rise into the top half of the table, with the Red Devils currently seventh in the Premier League. But they still seem a long way from being a force to be reckoned with in the English top-flight. When the international break concludes, they host Everton at Old Trafford on November 24.

Despite their upturn in form, Amorim is staying grounded. After the Tottenham draw, he said: "We have a lot of problems. We are just in the beginning. I know that sometimes the results show to people that we are improving, but we have a lot to do.

"The three points were there, the space was there, and I think we felt too comfortable during the game, and we need to expect that in one play anything can happen and change the mood of the stadium, and today was that. We controlled the game well, but we need to do better, because the game was there for the taking."

Hosts left nine down overnight, still 33 runs from the victory they need to avoid relegation

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Hampshire 248 and 148 for 9 (Orr 48, Chahar 7-45) need a further 33 runs to beat Surrey 147 and 281 (Albert 63, Abbott 5-72)Hampshire sat on the brink of Rothesay County Championship relegation after Surrey leg-spinner Rahul Chahar ploughed through them at Utilita Bowl.India international Chahar, in his first Championship appearance, made the most of a turning pitch to take 7 for 45 and see Hampshire collapse from 61 without loss to 148 for 9. The south coast county need to avoid defeat to stay in Division One next season, but in their chase of 181 they struggled to 148 for 9.Bad light stopped play at 4.35pm, to leave them on tenterhooks overnight, with 33 runs still needed – and statisticians CricViz offering a 14% chance of Hampshire managing it.Surrey began the day with four wickets in hand, but Hampshire bumbled their way through the morning – setting up a wretched day – taking 23 overs to finish the innings and giving up 55 runs in the process.It began fine, when Ali Orr pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch over his shoulder to see off Tom Lawes in the fifth over of the day. The wicket also handed Kyle Abbott his fourth five-wicket haul of the season, and took his tally to 56 scalps, beating last season’s tally of 55.Ralphie Albert reached 63 before hooking to long leg, but Matt Fisher scrapped and frustrated the hosts with Chahar and James Taylor.Fisher safely batted for almost an hour and a half for 22 not out, with Chahar hanging around for half an hour before swiping to the leg-side boundary rider. Taylor then blocked for 45 balls before James Fuller finally found an outside edge.Hampshire had been a bowler light, after Washington Sundar split the webbing in his hand fielding a ball off his own bowling the previous evening, and were facing a tough chase. The previous highest successful chase at Utilita Bowl this season had been the 148 they chased five down against Yorkshire in the opening fixture.A tricky over before lunch, which saw Fisher get so close to Orr’s outside edge that he thought it had been tickled through to Ben Foakes, was negotiated.Orr rode his luck when he was put down at short cover, but largely he and Fletcha Middleton appeared comfortable as they ticked off the runs. The first 50 runs flowed in 12 overs, with Orr especially fluent, and fears of the drop eased. But then they stuttered, the ball started to rag and the grey clouds of relegation gathered.From 61 without loss, Hampshire lost eight wickets for 59 runs – with Dan Lawrence and Chahar running amok on a pitch now turning. Middleton inexplicably missed a straight full toss, before Nick Gubbins was lbw to a Lawrence delivery that spun sharply and didn’t bounce.Chahar turned a ball from straight into the top of off stump to dislodge Toby Albert before Ben Brown was lbw to Lawrence and Orr missed a googly to depart for 48.Liam Dawson chased a wide ball from Chahar but drilled straight to short cover before Washington edged a half-volley to slip and Abbott’s under-edged to the keeper after tea as the malaise continued.Fuller had provided some resistance but now had to shepherd No. 11 Brad Wheal, often turning down runs as Wheal blocked 22 deliveries to keep Hampshire alive.The tension was extended overnight as gloomy conditions got too bad even for spin from both ends, meaning Hampshire need 33 runs in the morning or – depending on Durham’s fortunes up in Leeds – likely drop into Division Two.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo is planning to hand an exciting young player his first team debut at the London Stadium this season, according to a new report.

This comes in the aftermath of their 3-2 comeback win over Burnley at the London Stadium last Saturday – a clash which gifted Nuno two straight wins and the perfect sign-off before this November international break.

The Hammers have now won consecutive Premier League games despite conceding the first goal each time, having also beaten Newcastle 3-1 the weekend prior. It also marks West Ham’s first back-to-back home wins since October 2024, suggesting the dark clouds could be starting to lift after a torrid opening to the campaign.

With six goals in their last two games – having scored just seven in their previous nine – West Ham’s attack is finally clicking into gear. Crucially, Nuno has settled on a midfield he can trust, naming an unchanged lineup in his last two after criticism for questionable tinkering during his opening four matches.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Academy graduate Freddie Potts has become a fan favourite, if he wasn’t already, and could be working his way into becoming an undroppable after convincing performances alongside Lucas Paqueta in the engine room.

The partnership is providing much-needed stability, with striker Callum Wilson also repaying Nuno’s faith after two straight starts, despite credible reports the Englishman wasn’t fancied by Nuno at first (ExWHUemployee).

Nuno reserved special praise for Tomas Soucek as well, who scored West Ham’s third and ultimately decisive goal of the game on his 250th appearance for the east Londoners.

The 30-year-old won’t be around forever, though, and with his contract expiring in 2027, West Ham could already have an heir apparent in the form of youngster Mohamadou Kante.

Nuno plans senior debut for Mohamadou Kante at West Ham

West Ham agreed a deal to sign Kante from Paris FC last year and the 20-year-old gem spent the rest of 2024/2025 back out on loan in the French capital, with Kante since returning to Rush Green and plying his trade in the club’s academy for the Under-21s.

Kante is yet to make his first-team debut for West Ham, but according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, this is about to change.

The French ‘rising star’ is wanted by multiple sides in January, with numerous Championship clubs already enquiring about Kante and prepared to sign him either on loan or permanently.

Writing for Football Insider, O’Rourke states that Kante is “expected” to get minutes in the West Ham senior team soon and is “close to a first-team breakthrough” after impressing in the academy lately — so it remains to be seen whether the club will green-light a mid-season exit for him.

The midfielder, who’s notched three goals and two assists in 10 academy appearances this term, scored a cracker most recently against Liverpool’s Under-21s — rounding off a superb 3-0 win for West Ham as Kante looks to turn Nuno’s head.

West Ham could have yet another Potts situation on their hands with Kante, and he’s been given chances to impress in first-team training by Nuno lately.

German national team coach Julian Naggelsman has warned teenager Assan Ouedraogo to stay grounded after he became the second youngest goalscorer in Germany’s history. The 19 year-old found the net just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in Germany’s 6-0 win over Slovakia as they secured automatic qualification for the World Cup as winners of their qualifying group.

Oudregao's becomes the second youngest goalscorer

As per , Ouedraogo became the youngest debutant to score for Germany since Klaus Sturmer in 1954, finding the net at just 19 years and 192 days. His rapid rise continued after he was initially called up to the German Under 21 squad but was promoted to the senior team when Nadiem Amiri withdrew through injury. Ouedraogo seized the opportunity brilliantly, marking his first international appearance with a historic milestone.

Ouedraogo reflected on the proud moment and expressed his joy, saying: “Of course, I never imagined it would go so well, but I'm not complaining. I'm very proud of this moment and incredibly happy.”

His teammate David Raum felt that Ouedraogo first needs time to absorb everything that has happened around his call up and first goal, but insisted that he is worthy of praise. 

“I think the lad needs to let everything that's happened over the last few weeks sink in first, but he definitely deserved it and crowned his debut today with a very good performance,” he said.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNagelsmann warns Oudregao to stay grounded

In an interview with , Germany coach Naggelsman said he is very pleased with Ouedraogo’s development, saying: "He's still very young, but I'm very happy with his development and hope he retains his humility. He needs to keep at it and continue in the same way."

Germany's qualifies for the 2026 World Cup after defeating Slovakia

Germany sealed automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Slovakia, securing top spot in their qualifying group. An inform Nick Woltemade opened the scoring, continuing his impressive goalscoring run for the national team. Serge Gnabry soon doubled the lead, giving Germany full control of the match. Leroy Sane then stepped up with a brilliant brace, a significant moment for the winger after Nagelsmann had warned that chances to prove himself would be limited. Sane’s performance silenced his critics and reaffirmed his value to the squad.

In the second half, Ridle Baku added a fifth before Ouedraogo capped off the dominant display with Germany’s sixth, further overwhelming a Slovak side that had no response. The victory also served as a strong comeback for Germany, who had suffered a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in their previous meeting in the qualifiers back in September. This commanding win not only avenged that loss but also showcased Germany’s growing confidence and momentum heading into the World Cup.

Nagelsmann praised his team’s exceptional work rate and mentality as they secured automatic qualification for the World Cup after a difficult start to the campaign. 

Reflecting on the performance, he said: “I'm really proud of the team. We had a bumpy start to the qualifiers, and today the pressure was on. It was a very good game. Every player played extremely well today and worked like a maniac. We got into the game really well defensively, thanks to a huge effort. We also scored some great goals and were very convincing in terms of our footballing ability; the team did a really, really good job.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

gettyWhat next for Germany?

Having progressed as winners of Group A, Germany will begin preparations for the 2026 tournament in Canada, United States and Mexico. The pressure is on Nagelsmann's side to improve on their disappointing group stage exits of the last two editions of the tournament. They will take on Ivory Coast and Finland in March friendlies ahead of the competition.

Slovakia, meanwhile, will have to go through the play-offs after coming in second and three points behind Nagelsmann's team.