Third umpire Gayathri Venugopalan’s decision to reprieve Heather Knight against Bangladesh came under the scanner after England escaped to a four-wicket win in their women’s World Cup 2025 match in Guwahati.In the 15th over of England’s chase of 179, Knight chipped legspinner Fahima Khatun to the covers, where Shorna Akter dived to her right and seemed to have taken a low catch. Knight started walking, but the on-field umpires referred it to the TV umpire, who felt that the fielder did not have her fingers under the ball and ruled it not out. Knight was on 13 at that point. She went on to finish unbeaten on 79 off 111 balls, taking her side home with 23 balls to spare.”At first look, I thought it was out,” Knight said after the match. “I thought it carried and thought it was a fair catch and walked off. But the TV umpire decided otherwise. I certainly had a bit of luck today. But probably with the year I have had, I deserved a little bit of luck. I tried to ride it and really make it count.”Related

• TV umpiring slip-ups come under the scanner at Women's World Cup

• Shining Knight sweeps in to rescue England

• Knight scraps to help England overcome Bangladesh scare

The tricky bit about these non-dismissals was that the TV umpire gave her ruling while saying the replays available to her were “inconclusive”. In the first instance, of the caught behind, an on-field decision of out was overturned on “inconclusive” evidence, which might have gone against Bangladesh. In case of the “catch” in the covers, too, replays seemed to suggest that the fielder had her fingers under the ball, but the on-field umpires hadn’t really given the batter out to start with.But so convinced was Knight of the legality of the catch that she had reached the boundary line before walking all the way back.Fahima, who finished with 3 for 16 from her ten overs, certainly felt the catch-that-wasn’t affected the final result.”It was a disappointing decision for us,” she said. “Every player in our team felt it was a clear dismissal. The decision was overturned after being given out, which was disappointing. We all know how crucial that wicket was. Had the call gone our way, there was every chance the outcome of the match could have been different.”This was one of the three reprieves for Knight, who was batting for the first time in international cricket since her return from a hamstring injury. She was ruled out caught behind on the first ball she faced. But a review saved her, after replays showed that Marufa Akter’s inswinging delivery had missed her inside edge and brushed the front pad instead. The impact, as it turned out to be, was well outside the line of off too. Then, in the seventh over, she was given lbw but used the DRS successfully once again. Ball-tracking showed that this time, the ball would have bounced over the stumps.”It was the first time I was out three times in an innings and had them overturned, that’s for sure,” Knight said. “It was a case of refocusing. I knew I didn’t hit the ball, and it was tricky conditions as well. It was swinging quite a lot, [which] can make it tricky for the umpires as well. But that’s the joy of DRS, isn’t it? It’s great to have that in place.”

Abhishek’s 37-ball 68 went in vain as Australia chase down 126 with 40 balls to spare

Alex Malcolm31-Oct-20252:49

What explains India’s batting blowout?

A spellbinding performance from Josh Hazlewood silenced an MCG crowd of 82,438 that was dominated by India supporters and handed Australia a 1-0 series lead.Everything about the atmosphere felt like an away game for the home side except for the quintessential fast-paced Australian pitch, and Hazlewood thrived, taking 3 for 13 from four overs to bundle India out for 125 despite a stunning lone hand from Abhishek Sharma, who made 68 off 37 balls to give Australia something to chase.Abhishek could not get much strike, facing 37 balls from a possible 111 before falling in the 19th over. Harshit Rana was the only one to stay with him, making a valuable 35 from 33. But Australia’s bowlers were too good, with Nathan Ellis bagging 2 for 21 and Xavier Bartlett 2 for 39 after Hazlewood’s new-ball destruction.Related

'The more the merrier' – Hazlewood calls for more allrounders in Ashes XI

Australia and India teams among those to pay tribute to Ben Austin

Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head saw off the threat of Jasprit Bumrah early and then exploded to set up a routine chase. Marsh thumped four sixes in his 46 off 26 while Head made 28 off 15. Varun Chakravarthy bowled beautifully to bag 2 for 23 but got little support with the exception of two wickets in two balls from Bumrah when just two runs were needed to win. It made the four-wicket margin look closer than it was, given Australia won with 40 balls to spare.Hazlewood 4-0-13-3Hazlewood set the tone with his first three balls. The first was a perfect length that pitched fourth stump and nipped back to pin Shubman Gill on the pad. He was given out initially but reprieved via DRS thanks to the MCG’s steep bounce. The second ball pitched in the same spot and nipped away to beat the edge. The third ball was a searing bouncer that thudded into Gill’s helmet before he had completed an attempted pull shot. There was an audible gasp and a hush in the stadium seconds later as all players on the field rushed in with concern, all of which was completely understandable given that the pre-game tribute to Ben Austin had taken place no more than 15 minutes earlier.Shubman Gill was hit on the helmet by a Josh Hazlewood bouncer•AFP/Getty ImagesGill was fortunately fine to continue after the mandatory concussion check. But he was anything but comfortable against Hazlewood, scoring two singles in eight balls and 5 off ten in total before miscuing a lofted drive to mid-off.Sanju Samson was a surprise entrant at No. 3. He was beaten by Hazlewood but not dismissed by him. Ellis trapped him lbw at the other end and he took a review with him.Hazlewood then tormented Suryakumar Yadav. More steep bounce was gloved down the leg side and Josh Inglis dropped the chance, surprised by how much it climbed above his head. Inglis got another chance next ball when Hazlewood nipped one away off the seam to scratch the outside edge and Inglis gleefully pouched it. Tilak Varma was out two balls later trying to flick a length ball against the angle and bounce, Inglis held onto the towering skier.Hazlewood had 3 for 6 from three overs and India were 40 for 4 after the powerplay. Mitchell Marsh went for the jugular, bowling his prized stallion for a fourth straight. It nearly paid dividends with Abhishek edging another superb delivery, only for it to fly just wide of a diving Inglis and away to the rope for the only boundary off Hazlewood’s bowling.Abhishek Sharma brought up a half-century•Getty ImagesAbhishek’s solo standAbhishek not only looked like he was playing on a different pitch, he looked like he was playing a different spot. As his teammates tumble, Abhishek teed off with some stunning batting. He smashed 14 off the second over of the match from Bartlett, including an outrageous inside-out drive over the cover fence to a ball that pitched outside leg. His best shot came in the fourth over from Ellis. With two men back square on the leg side, he predicted the slower ball bouncer outside leg, skipping down and leg side to upper cut it over short third.The problem was that he kept running out of partners and could not get the strike. Axar Patel was run out for a painful 7 off 12 after a mix-up trying to get him on strike. At one stage, India had faced 66 balls as a team and he had only faced 19 of them but had hit eight of those to the rope. His 50 came off 23 balls. He finally found an ally in Harshit Rana, who made an important 35 but it did come off 33 balls as Australia’s bowlers did a good job of forcing Abhishek to take singles in the middle overs. He finally found the fence again in Bartlett’s last over with inventive footwork again, stepping outside leg to carve him behind point and then outside off to flick him over fine leg. Ellis trapped him lbw with an excellent yorker, which meant Australia was only chasing 126 rather than something north of 140.Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head gave Australia a flying start•Getty ImagesTravishek in sync alongside monstrous MarshThe other half of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s dynamic duo picked up where Abhishek left off to snuff out any hope of India making the small chase uncomfortable. After surviving some unplayable deliveries from Bumrah, Head shovelled him over mid-on to ease the pressure. Two flashed outside edges off Rana found the rope but in between them, he flicked him for six off the hip. Head fell to an excellent catch on the rope by Tilak.But his brisk 28 off 15 allowed Marsh to take his time. Back in February, after being dropped from Australia’s Test side having been tormented by Bumrah in the Border-Gavaskar series, Marsh joked publicly that his nephew impersonating Bumrah’s action in the backyard had continued his “nightmare”. He would have had PTSD watching a fresh Bumrah fly in from the Members’ end. Marsh played him like it was a Test match, leaving on length and defending as best he could. The lack of run-rate pressure forced Bumrah to go searching for wickets rather than continuing to stack dots. It came at a cost with four byes and five wides off consecutive balls to make Marsh’s lowly strike rate a non-issue. Once he saw off the threat, he unleashed four monstrous strikes. He pulled Rana into the second tier and launched Varun and Kuldeep for three sixes and two fours in the two overs post powerplay. He holed out to Kuldeep but the damage was done.Kuldeep and Varun were able to take four wickets between them. Bumrah’s two late strikes may inflict some psychological damage for the remainder of the series, but Australia still cantered home with 6.4 overs to spare.

The allrounder says he’s not feeling apprehensive ahead of his return to match bowling for the first time in 12 months

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2025Cameron Green has declared he will not be under any bowling restrictions by the time the Ashes starts, and is up for the challenge of batting at No. 3 as an allrounder.Green hasn’t bowled in a match since undergoing back surgery last October after suffering his fifth stress fracture. That will change this weekend when Green makes his bowling return in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield opener against New South Wales at the WACA ground, starting Saturday.Related

• Webster misses Sheffield Shield opener with ankle injury

• Australia's Ashes 'bat-off' begins: Who could open against England?

• Sheffield Shield preview: Ashes selection race adds intrigue

• Lyon wants 'a spinner in every side' in Tests in Australia

Green will be restricted to just eight overs for the match, with WA skipper Sam Whiteman needing to manage his overs across the game, but will build up steadily in the ensuing Shield matches and ODIs for Australia.In total, Green expects to play three Shield matches as well as Australia’s ODI series against India before the Ashes begins at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.”It’s been a long 12 months, but feeling really good,” Green said on Friday, before adding he was feeling no apprehension ahead of his bowling return. “The body’s in a good place. It’s been a really good rehab journey. I feel stronger, fitter, my action feels good.”It will be eight overs for the [Shield] game. Just a steady build-up. The first Test should be no restrictions. That’s kind of the whole plan of the last year.”That’s why it’s been such a slow build up – so that you’re peaking by the time the Ashes comes around.”Green will bat at No. 4 for WA in their Shield opener despite being the incumbent Test No. 3 having batted in that position in Australia’s last four Tests. Green only averaged 23.50 across those matches but scores of 52, 26, 42 and 46 in tough batting conditions in the Caribbean were worth more in the context of those games.Australia’s selectors have made a point of allowing states to use Test players in whatever batting position they need, even if that is different to their position in the Test team. WA prefer to keep Jayden Goodwin at No. 3 and bat Green at No. 4 given he averages 67.09 from 26 Shield innings in that position for WA with five centuries and six fifties. He also averages 53.60 in six Test innings at No. 4 thanks to his career-best 174 not out against New Zealand last year.But there’s a chance he will remain at No. 3 in the Ashes despite big questions as to whether Green can handle the workload of batting so high in the order and also bowling crucial overs.But with fellow allrounder Beau Webster also in the Test side, Green is confident of being able to bat at first drop.”Shane Watson used to open the batting and bowl,” Green said. “People probably don’t realise how tough that was. Spending so long in the field bowling, and then expected to go out there and bat the last 10 overs of the day for example, is really challenging.”But I think I’m in a bit of a different place. Let’s say I’m batting up the top, and Beau’s batting six, for example – he might take more of the [bowling] load.”Rising star Sam Konstas will be part of a strong NSW line-up for the upcoming match at the WACA, with the opening rounds of the Shield season a huge chance for the 20-year-old to push his case to open in the Ashes.Konstas struggled badly during the 3-0 Test series win in the West Indies, but has since rebounded with some strong displays for Australia A against India A in India.Other contenders looking to push their case to open alongside Usman Khawaja include Marnus Labsuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Jake Weatherald, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, Campbell Kellaway, Kurtis Patterson, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft.

Leeds United have their eyes on a tricky January transfer to sign a new forward who has been compared to Crysencio Summerville.

Leeds’ lack of goals in Premier League as 49ers eye forward

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far following their return to the Premier League, with centre-back Joe Rodon the club’s joint top scorer in the top flight.

Joe Rodon

2

Lukas Nmecha

2

Noah Okafor

2

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

1

Anton Stach

1

Brenden Aaronson

1

Sean Longstaff

1

Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

Only three attacking additions were made over the summer, two of which were free transfers in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It is looking like a decision the 49ers Enterprises could live to regret, but they do have their eyes on attacking reinforcements in the New Year.

Brazilian forward Jhon Jhon is one name that has emerged in recent weeks, and he already has Red Bull links at RB Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A. Journalist Graeme Bailey said:

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

Leeds set to make imminent bid for Real Madrid ace after Farke convinces 49ers

The Whites are looking to bring in a new forward, having not scored enough goals so far this season.

ByDominic Lund Nov 21, 2025

Domestically, Coventry City’s Haji Wright is another attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent months, and there has been a fresh claim regaring the Whites taking the USA international in the New Year.

Update on Leeds’ move for Haji Wright

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds have four attacking targets who they could move for in January, one of which is Wright.

It is stated that the Whites ‘have a genuine interest in signing Wright’ and ‘the club are considering a concrete move for a player they have tracked since the summer’.

A deal is viewed as tricky with Coventry top of the Championship, however, Wright’s contract is set to expire in 2027.

Despite the difference in size, Wright has been compared to former Leeds attacker Summerville due to his ability to play off the left.

Roony Bardghji

Barcelona

Marcus Edwards

Burnley

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham

Sadio Mane

Al-Nassr

Borja Sainz

Porto

Primarily a centre-forward, though, the 27-year-old has scored eight Championship goals in 14 appearances so far this season.

Labelled as a “constant problem” for defenders to keep tabs on by his manager Frank Lampard, it has previously been suggested that an offer of £20m could be required to sign Wright.

How Leeds believe they'll convince Raheem Sterling to join with move in the works

Leeds United are struggling to string together a run of form, and they may now have identified a successor to replace Daniel Farke at Elland Road.

The Whites came back off the back of the international break keen to find an upturn in form. However, a Morgan Rogers double condemned them to a damaging defeat at home to Aston Villa despite taking the lead early on in West Yorkshire.

If it wasn’t already tough to make a case, pressure has now cranked up on Farke as Leeds sit inside the Premier League relegation zone before the daunting reality of a trip to face Manchester City this weekend.

However, the former Norwich City coach doubled down on frustration from supporters when opting to take off substitute Ao Tanaka against Aston Villa, claiming that despite discontent in the stands, he had to withdraw the midfielder as he was on a final warning before being red carded.

He told BBC Sport: “It is totally OK for fans to chant for subs – everyone has views on changes and game management. But I will not do a round table or poll before each match. I can’t be driven by emotions, I can’t make subs on 55, 60 minutes just because someone is singing.”

While Farke could be backed with the arrival of Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia, it is becoming more likely that he could be about to part ways with the club after a series of frustrating results.

Making changes in mid-season can have varied results, but there is definitely an appetite for change at the club, and this isn’t the first time the 49-year-old has come under scrutiny. Who could replace him at Elland Road? Fans could be about to find out.

Leeds identify Brendan Rodgers to replace Daniel Farke

According to TEAMtalk, former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is in line to replace Farke at Leeds, with the Whites’ current boss now at increasing risk of being sacked following his side’s poor form.

Intriguingly, the Irishman would be open to taking charge at Elland Road, with his ability to galvanize struggling sides making him a fit that is hard to ignore.

Stiliyan Petrov praised Rodgers’ player development skills during his time in Glasgow, something which is sure to endear him to a Leeds support who are used to seeing local and academy talents emerging from Thorp Arch.

Brendan Rodgers’ second spell at Celtic

Matches

123

Wins

83

Draws

20

Losses

20

Trophies

Scottish Premiership x2, Scottish Cup x1, Premier Sports Cup x1

Only last season, he saw off the likes of RB Leipzig and guided Celtic through to the knockout playoff round of the Champions League before a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich across two legs, albeit his side were unlucky not to progress.

Nevertheless, a public fallout with Dermot Desmond means he is a free agent, something that Leeds could now take advantage of as they look to his previous Premier League experience at Swansea City, Liverpool and Leicester City to guide them out of trouble.

After watching him clobber two home runs in Game 1 and deliver an RBI single earlier in Game 2, the Cincinnati Reds were done pitching to Shohei Ohtani. So, when the reigning National League MVP stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning with a runner on second base and one out on Wednesday night, the Reds opted to intentionally walk him.

Can you blame them?

But the decision didn't pay off, as the next batter, Mookie Betts, hit an RBI double to extend the Dodgers' lead to 8-2. And even though Betts helped orchestrate the decision's backfire, he told reporters after the game that he doesn't blame teams for not wanting to pitch to Ohtani.

"Nothing," Betts said when asked what goes through his mind when he's intentionally walked. "I wouldn't let Shohei swing either. I mean, I understand. I expect the Phillies to do it. I expect [it to happen] for the rest of the postseason. I undertstand. I understand Shohei. I understand the situation of the game. And so I just gotta be ready to do my thing."

And ready he was, as Betts' RBI double proved to be valuable insurance when the Reds would bring the tying run to the plate with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning, a jam the Dodgers bullpen navigated out of.

And as for intentionally walking Ohtani to pitch to Betts, it may be a short-lived strategy with the latter heating up at the dish. Betts collected six hits and three RBI in the Dodgers' sweep of the Reds.

Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Phillies begins on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

Agustín Giay é a bola da vez para chegar ao Palmeiras. O Verdão insistiu na contratação — e pagará cerca de R$ 40 milhões por 75% dos direitos — porque o argentino de 20 anos se encaixa perfeitamente no perfil de reforços do clube. Anteriormente, os argentinos endureceram as negociações e rejeitaram as primeiras propostas apresentadas.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

O Palmeiras ficou “encantado” com Giay. Ele soma as características desejadas pela comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira, além de entrar no projeto a longo prazo do clube: atleta versátil, jovem, competitivo, passagens por seleções de base e promissor, podendo render lucro ao Alviverde no futuro.

Polivalente, o jogador atua na lateral-direita, como volante e meia pela direita. A versatilidade é justamente um dos “mantras” de Abel, que insiste em ter um elenco que os atletas desempenhem mais de uma função.

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Praticamente todo plantel alviverde, atualmente, atua com frequência em mais de uma posição. Além disso, Giay é analisado como competitivo para marcar e atacar, outra valência enfatizada pelo técnico do Palmeiras.

➡️ Mudanças no time: quem Abel Ferreira deve escalar no Palmeiras durante a Data Fifa

➡️ Veja calendário e mais dados do Brasileirão 2024

Formado no San Lorenzo, Giay foi capitão da seleção Argentina no Mundial sub-20. Experiente apesar da pouca idade, o provável reforço palmeirense está no time profissional do “clube do Papa” desde seus 18 anos.

continua após a publicidadePalmeiras viu Giay de perto

O Palmeiras enfrentou o San Lorenzo duas vezes na fase de grupos da Libertadores 2024. A partir disso, o interesse na joia aumentou.

— Sim, teve contato (com Abel Ferreira e Simeone). Mas são coisas que não cabem a mim. Estou tranquilo, pensando no clube — disse Giay, em entrevista recente à “Espn Argentina”.

Na temporada atual, o atleta soma 24 partidas, um gol e duas assistências.

Tudo sobre

OriginalPalmeiras

Standing at 2.08m tall, the fast bowler delivered a stinging blow to India in the Guwahati Test

Firdose Moonda24-Nov-20255:17

Best Test allrounders: Jadeja, Stokes, and… Jansen?

We all know the image that best represents the long and the short of South African cricket because we see it every time Marco Jansen and Temba Bavuma get together on the field. Turns out it’s Jansen who carried all the height envy, not the other way around.Okay, not quite, but now that you’re interested, hear him out about why he wishes he could shave a bit off his 2.08 metres, especially when he is playing in India.”I’ve always struggled bowling in India, whether it was white ball or red ball,” Jansen said at the post-day press conference, “And I’m still jealous of people that get the ball to squat and nip back. Yesterday was a perfect example. (I bowled a ball) that went over off stump because I’m so tall. For a different bowler, like KG [Kagiso Rabada] that’s hitting top of off, so I’ve always been jealous of those people where they’re a bit shorter than me.”The delivery Jansen referred to came late on day two of the Guwahati Test, at the end of his second over. He pitched the ball on a length. It seamed back in to KL Rahul. He left it. And it sailed over the top of the sticks. Rahul judged it well but Jansen was frustrated, knowing he had come close to bowling the India opener.Related

Muthusamy comes out of the wilderness and stuns India

Jansen too hot for India as SA start dreaming of series sweep

Live: Harmer six-for seals whitewash, India's heaviest defeat

A tall fast bowler can often find it difficult to keep the stumps in play. But there is a flip side to it. A broadcast graphic showed that Jansen’s short ball pitched almost a metre closer to the batter than Mohammed Siraj’s and still generated disconcerting bounce.Going short wasn’t the plan when the day began. South Africa’s initial breakthrough came when the spinners operated in tandem for 17 overs in the morning session. Keshav Maharaj had Rahul caught at slip to break a 65-run opening stand while Simon Harmer was at the other end. Jansen then replaced Maharaj and the short-ball barrage started because South Africa thought they were “just going to try it.” He bowled six in a row in his first over as a sign of what was to come.In the next over, Jansen took the catch at backward point that dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and gave Harmer his first wicket. Harmer also got the next one, when Sai Sudharsan was caught at midwicket. Jansen felt that was key. “The spinners did a great job and then I was lucky to capitalise,” he told the broadcasters.3:51

‘SA might set 470 target and keep 120 overs’

Jansen had Dhruv Jurel caught on the pull in the 36th over and that set the tone for how he was going to bowl for the rest of the innings. “When I got my first wicket with the bouncer, we said ‘okay cool, let’s see how long this is going to work.'”It worked for the rest of that spell as Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja were all out to the short ball sending Jansen on his way to pick up 6 for 48. Still, he didn’t think this performance has exposed a particular weakness in India’s batting. “Nitish Kumar Reddy. I’ve played with him at Sunrisers and I’ve seen him hit the short ball 50 rows back in IPL so I don’t think it’s a vulnerability thing. I just think it’s the game situation,” Jansen said.He was similarly complimentary about both Jurel and Pant but explained that Test cricket is “just difficult,” because “you have to absorb pressure and then you have to find a way and then you have to put pressure back on.” That is something South Africa have become better at doing over the last two years and were best at on a day like today.

I called the family – my brother, sister, mum, dad, you name it – just to get all those feelings and everything out.Jansen needed a bit of help to recover from being dismissed for 93 in Guwahati

Now as for Jansen’s claim about not bowling well in India before. It’s worth noting that he had only played one red-ball game in the country before these Tests, in 2019 for a South African A side. He bowled 15 overs and took 2 for 59. In ODIs, he has done reasonably well (17 wickets in 10 matches at 29.00), though the blow-out from South Africa’s group stage World Cup match against India in 2023 when he took 1 for 94 in 9.4 overs is clearly still a sore point. In the IPL he has 36 wickets from 35 matches but concedes at 9.40 runs to the over. All told, Jansen has been on nine tours to India, including five IPLs, over the last six years and perhaps the value of experience is starting to show.On this, his 10th trip, he has taken his first five-for in any format in the subcontinent to follow a career-best 93 with the bat. Still, he livid that a first red-ball century had eluded him. “I’ve never been in the 90s before in first-class cricket, never mind flipping Test cricket,” Jansen said.2:19

Philander: ‘Jansen made great use of his height’

Was it nerves, with South Africa nine down at the time, that caused him to hang back in his crease to defend Kuldeep Yadav, whom he had attacked all day, and chop on? Maybe. Maybe not. “I was nervous when I had 20. Definitely nervous. And I was nervous in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. I was nervous the whole way through,” Jansen said.South Africa’s centurion, Senuran Muthusamy, told him to “just breathe” and “that helped massively,” but the disappointment was writ large on Jansen’s face when he was dismissed. He dealt with it when the team left the ground. “Yesterday, when we went to the hotel, I tried to switch off and blow some steam off. I called the family – my brother, sister, mum, dad, you name it – just to get all those feelings and everything out.”And to make sure he was focused for a big bowling shift. South Africa lost Rabada to injury at the start of the tour and went into this game with only two seamers in the XI. Jansen conceded that losing Rabada was big but “whether KG plays or doesn’t play, I always try to think of myself as someone who can also break the game open for the team,” he said.”I just try to give my best every time I get the opportunity and try to put the team in a winning position. Not having KG there definitely adds a bit of responsibility and pressure on myself and Wessie [Wiaan Mulder]. Nonetheless, we know we have the bowlers, we know we have the players in the squad to help the team.”Those same bowlers will have the job of bowling India out again if South Africa are to win the Test. Jansen suspects it will fall to the three spinners, one of whom – Muthusamy – has not been required at all thus far as the surface deteriorates.”It is a good wicket. There is a bit of pace, there is a bit of bounce and now, the ball is starting to turn a little bit as well. Some of the balls are stopping as well from the spin, so I think the game is going to go more to the spinners side of things,” he said. “I think the pace and the bounce will stay there, but for seamers, in particular, I think we are going to have to make the new ball count. It is still a good wicket. If you bowl well, you will get wickets. If you bat well, you will score runs. You are just going to have to figure out your way of doing it.”South Africa only need a draw in Guwahati to win the series and if they do, it will be their first series win in India since the year 2000.

Can England’s gamblers shelve their instincts to survive the cut and thrust of crucial pink-ball contest?

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Dec-20250:54

Clarke: Australia going to a venue where they play well

On Wednesday, at around 4pm Brisbane time, the Gabba was emptied by a fire alarm.Australia had already left following their final training session, and England were yet to arrive for their last practice under lights. The only evacuees were journalists and stadium staff.It felt like a moment for all to take stock. Because, in 24 hours’ time, this ground will be filled to the brim. And by the end of the first day-night session of the second Ashes Test, the state of the series could have already changed immeasurably.Pink-ball Test cricket tends to move quickly and undulate wildly. And for an England team who do both themselves, this may be a heady mix. A cocktail, no doubt, but will it prove to be a Negroni or a Molotov?The occasion has not been lost on the players, or indeed the state of Queensland. Police have been out and about pulling over helmet-less e-Scooter riders after Ben Stokes and a handful of England teammates were papped whizzing through Brisbane’s CBD without them. Stokes was even asked to apologise to Queenslanders for the crime in his press conference. He decided against it. As trivial an offence as it was, now is not the time to be sorry. No time for regrets.The reception England will receive tomorrow will be unlike any this team have heard before. Nearby pubs have primed themselves for an influx of punters priming themselves for a 2pm start. Not that the Gabba needs more of a run-up to dive into an Ashes Test. This is the most febrile of venues at the best of times when the English are in town, and they have the receipts to prove it.Stokes has insisted history holds no fear for them. But nor does it instinctively contain breadcrumbs to success, even if Australia’s sole pink-ball defeat came at this venue last year, against West Indies. “You don’t try and read into too much around what happened in a result the last time a team played there,” Stokes said, very much in business mode.The scrum before the storm: Ben Stokes speaks to the media at the Gabba•David Gray/AFP/Getty Images”We have grounds in England where you know you turn up there and have that extra boost of confidence because of, not necessarily your record there, but how the crowds are. We’ve got Edgbaston and Headingley – I feel like the Gabba is sort of like their Edgbaston or Headingley to Australia.”In truth, Birmingham and Leeds – for all their merits as home-Test strongholds – do not come close to Brisbane. The signage is everywhere, the sentiment skewed towards taking British pounds on their way to breaking English hearts. The air is thick enough to chew, the heat harsh enough to, well, ride an e-scooter without a helmet. The locals … well, England will get the full brunt of that over the coming days. You can understand why no England side has won here since 1986. The odds are in favour of an Australia triumph again, and a 2-0 scoreline will more or less confirm a fourth Ashes victory on home soil.To keep this alive, to make this all worthwhile, Stokes’ England – for all their parking of history – will have to at least mimic aspects of the last time England left this venue with their tails up.It might only have been a draw in 2010-11’s series opener. But the manner in which it was achieved was as bombastic as English cricket used to get. Facing a first innings deficit of 221, Andrew Strauss’s England side – arguably the greatest to win in Australia – put on 517 for 1 to kill the game but keep alive their Ashes hopes.They arrived on that final day at 310 for 1, leading by 89. But the most telling statistic was the crowd; a 42,000-seater with only 7,088 taken. Most of them were English. No fire alarm this time. The message was clear – Australia did not believe. If England did not already know they were onto something going into that final day, they did when they turned up and saw that lack of home faith.That may end up being the most telling marker over the coming days – local disinterest. Since 2022, Stokes has implored his players to err on the side of entertainment. Now, they must be no things to no men or women with Southern Crosses in their hearts.Related

• Can England rise to pink-ball challenge in Brisbane?

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There will be periods with the pink ball when they must hold firm, whether batting against the new ball, or under lights, or when bowling with the old ball, with the sun still out. They must shield from the danger, not run towards it. Should their opponents attack, they would do well not to respond with equal and opposite force, even if Sir Isaac Newton would not improve.How ironic it is that Bazball comes down to this. As close to a crapshoot you get in Test cricket, against a side whose pink-ball record suggests the dice are loaded in their favour. And one that, by and large, they will have to play safe. Their head coach Brendon McCullum often refers to himself as a gambler, one always willing to twist. Sticking might be the order of this Test. It might be the order of the series.As night fell on Wednesday, the whole team were out in the middle of the Gabba fielding under lights, getting used to the pink ball and taking in the scale of colosseum which could be the site of their rebirth in their series.Spirits are high, belief remains broadly undimmed despite the humiliating defeat in the first Test. As they walked off the field on Wednesday, they embraced their coaches, who were passing the time bowling to one another if they weren’t hitting catches.One by one they filed down the tunnel, taking in the boombox that, for the last few days, has been scoring all their preparation, as has been the case for the last three years. Tomorrow, they will be greeted by much harsher tones, and forced to confront the reality that this could be the start of the end of it all. Or it could be the start of another chance to keep this merry ride going one more time around the block.

Australia’s Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, lamented the state of the old pink ball and his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness

Matt Roller04-Dec-2025

Jofra Archer played a valuable hand batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket•Darrian Traynor/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

England believe that the chaotic final half-hour at the Gabba swung the opening day of the second Ashes Test in their favour, after Joe Root and Jofra Archer’s unbroken tenth-wicket stand of 61 took them to 325 for 9 under lights.At the scheduled 9pm close, England were 269 for 9 after 68 overs, with Root unbeaten on 111. It was a remarkably similar situation to the opening day of the 2023 series between these teams in Edgbaston, when Ben Stokes declared with Root on 118 to give England four overs to bowl at Australia before the close.The added element of the pink ball – and the opportunity to bowl at Australia under floodlights – strengthened the case for a declaration, prompting David Warner on Fox commentary to say he was “absolutely baffled” that Stokes had not pulled the plug on England’s innings.Related

• Root ton, Starc six as England reach 325 for 9 on opening day in Brisbane

• Crawley settles the nerves as he bounces back from Perth pair

• Starc on left-arm wickets record: Wasim still the GOAT

Steven Smith, who had floated the prospect of opening the batting with two nightwatchers in such a scenario, was at pains to slow the game down as much as possible, and Root remonstrated with umpire Sharfuddoula at Australia’s apparent time-wasting when Travis Head got padded up to spend a single ball under the helmet at short leg.But Root and Archer seized the opportunity to tee off, adding 56 runs in the final six overs of the day in a partnership that Zak Crawley said had changed the mood of the day for England’s players, who watched on from the viewing gallery outside the away dressing room. “We definitely won that last hour,” Crawley said. “We’re positive going into tomorrow.”Joe Root and Jofra Archer added an unbeaten 61 off 44 balls before stumps•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Archer, batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket, started the carnage by charging Scott Boland and swiping him over square leg for the first six of the day off the first ball of an over that cost 19 runs. He then swung Mitchell Starc’s full toss over the sprawling Brendan Doggett at long-on, and Root reverse-scooped Boland over deep third in the following over.By stumps, Archer had registered a new Test best of 32 not out, while Root reached 135 overnight. Their stand was England’s first half-century partnership for the tenth wicket since Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson added 66 in the drawn Old Trafford Test in the 2023 Ashes, and their first in Australia since Norman Cowans and Derek Pringle in 1982.Starc, whose six wickets had put Australia firmly on top, was exasperated not only with the state of the old pink ball, but with his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness. “If you have a look at that ball, it’s basically bowling with a tennis ball,” he told SEN radio. “They chanced their arm, there were a few that dropped short. I think there’s a little bit of tactical nous in there as well.

“Hopefully, we take that tenth one early tomorrow and get batting with the sun out. We saw that it [the ball] didn’t do a whole lot, and day two is generally a good day to bat on. If we can get stuck into batting early tomorrow when there’s sun on the wicket – and their balls go soft as well – it could be a good day’s cricket.”Crawley, who had briefly changed back into his whites in anticipation of fielding, said that the situation had been “perfect” for England. “There was no talk of a declaration,” he said. “We were just saying, ‘Go really hard,’ and it was a win-win: if it comes off, then we’ll get 50 runs like we did, or if you got out, then we could have a crack at them under lights.”They’re valuable runs and it would’ve worked out either way… We were pretty happy with [being bowled out for] 260 and having an hour at them at that point, to be honest. We were quite optimistic about that last hour, and then it turned out we batted for all of it. It felt like it was a great chance for us either way – with bat or ball – to seize that last hour.”Australia only bowled 74 overs out of the scheduled 90 on the first day, which Simon Katich described as “an absolute joke”. They risk being docked World Test Championship points if they fail to bowl England out inside 80 overs. “The over rates are what they are,” Starc said. “If we keep taking the wickets, they won’t worry about it.”