Coach Sammy feels they either have to bat longer or bat faster. But in the first Test they could do neither

Andrew McGlashan28-Jun-20250:47

Hazlewood tears through West Indies’ top order

Try to bat longer or try to bat quicker: that appears to be West Indies’ inner battle as they attempt to find a way to give their potent pace attack enough runs to make themselves competitive.The bowlers could not have done much more at Kensington Oval in the first Test. The game was evenly poised heading into the third day, but they were not backed up by their fielders, with seven catches going down, while the batters found Australia’s quicks too much to handle. They have bemoaned umpiring decisions that went against them – and they didn’t get the rub of the green – but the fragility in the new-look order leaves a lot for the bowlers to make up.West Indies had the lowest collective batting average (20.96) and lowest run rate (3.13) of the last World Test Championship cycle. The previous two years, they were second-lowest by average and comfortably the slowest by scoring rate.Related

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These are not new problems, and captain Roston Chase conceded “we are not the best batting side” after the Barbados defeat, but he and coach Daren Sammy are trying to formulate a model that can work. They are not setting their sights massively high, in part due to the bowling strength and also the nature of the surfaces. As was shown prior to the WTC final this month, the trend is for Test matches to be getting faster and shorter.”We just need to find ways of getting at least 250 runs or 300 runs with the bowling line-up that we have,” Chase said. “I think once we can do that regularly, we will become a competitive side. It’s just for us to sit and talk and come up with ideas and ways that we can get that 250.”The way this side has been selected suggests an attempt to try and score quicker, although their overall run rate of 3.45 in the first Test was inflated by Shamar Joseph’s late dash. Brandon King, who unfurled some pleasing drives in the first innings, has forged his career predominantly against the white ball and earned his Test call-up after playing just four games in this season’s four-day championship, where he averaged 30.25.

But squaring the series is a must as the best route to a good time in Australia has always been simple: winning

Vithushan Ehantharajah27-Nov-20252:51

Ehantharajah: This defeat will hurt for England

You do not just come to Australia for the Ashes, you come for the heat.No amount of factor 50 can prepare an English soul for what it is like to be a cricketer under the full, scorching might of a country and its peoples hellbent on making you regret daring to harbour ambition on the way in. As the current England squad have realised early in this tour, the sun might be the most forgiving bit.English cricketers always love coming here, until the actual cricket ruins it, as per two of the 24 days they have just spent in Perth. For the best part of a day, and certainly at lunch on day two of the first Test at the Optus Stadium, leading by 99 with nine second-innings wickets still intact, there was nowhere else they’d rather be.That remains the case. England are only 1-0 down, genuine positives to hold dear even if the noise around them feels more like this is a campaign on the verge of derailing. They arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday a little more wary of the world around them, and certainly under no illusions that “playing Australia” is not simply about squaring up to an Australian Test team set to be reinforced by talismanic captain Pat Cummins.By all accounts, confidence remains high, if a little dented. And while the scale of the country was known to most of them before they touched down at the start of November, even with only five of the squad carrying previous Ashes tour experience, the focus upon them could not be clearer.Related

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The lessons learned from the last three weeks are not limited to the perils of driving on the up outside off stump. Though Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes and Joe Root have spent the last couple of months publicly and privately bringing newbies up to speed on the attention they will garner, this has been a crash course in how confronting sporting Australiana can be.The front pages of the smirked at them at every venture to a coffee shop. The throngs of reporters and cameras at media events in the lead-up to the opening Test was, all told, full-on but welcome. Granted, some of the questioning jarred – on “moral victories” and Jonny Bairstow’s run-out two years ago – but all it did was confirm what they knew. This really was the series that matters most. Hold onto your butts.What the management could not prepare the players for was the relentlessness of it all. Even before England were thrashed by eight wickets, those – including Stokes – who hit the Joondalup Resort Golf Course were surprised to see cameras (and drones) waiting for them on the ninth hole. Television crews, having caught wind of the team’s plans, set themselves up on an adjoining public park to skirt any infringement on private property.The tourists and cameras rented at the same course on Monday, two days after the “shellshock” of Travis Head’s match-clinching century. Elsewhere, Jofra Archer and Shoaib Bashir were shot leaving an aquarium, a vision opportunity almost certainly tipped off by the former’s innocent Instagram story post.Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Harry Brook look bewildered as they leave the field in Perth•Getty ImagesThe cultural differences between cricket on either side of the globe matter here. English cricket is a different world, and much of that is down to Australia’s media landscape.For two months of an Ashes cycle, the game over here is so much more important, and that much more entrenched in the national consciousness, to an enviable degree. Talkback radio and TV news culture thrive. A case in point – crosses back to the east coast had reporters up and outside the Optus working from 3am on matchdays.The spare three days meant plenty of gaps to be filled and, increasingly, more damning assessments of the England team. The extremes of this all have made for morose and – and, cards on the table – at times entertaining filler.The Ashes brings out the America in Australia; every spot on the sporting discourse spectrum at least three deep. There are still four matches and about six weeks to go and we’re already at the “Philadelphia rage” stage, where minutes separate the extremes of febrile gloating and fevered critiques.Right now, the discourse is clear. Travis Head is father. Usman Khawaja is for the glue factory. Golf is for whiny losers, except when Australia do it, of course. Apart from you, Uzzie. England, by the way – trash. Bazball? Kids, avert your ears.Unfortunately for England, Brisbane might be the most Philadelphia in this corner of the globe. The shot to the forefront of English minds during the 2013-14 tour in their crusade against a certain “27-year-old medium-pace bowler” (Stuart Broad). Who knows what they have cooking leading up to the second Test at the Gabba, which kicks off next Thursday.

“These Big Bad Wolves and Babadooks dishing out regular hot takes presents a new challenge for a generation of cricketer often doomscrolling on Instagram”

Another fascinating dynamic unique to all this is the rise in ex-pro podcasts. Australia’s scene has been thriving for some time, but this might be the first Ashes series where their prevalence cannot be overlooked or undersold.Matthew Hayden’s headline-grabbing promise to waltz nude across the MCG if Root went hundred-less this series came via this medium, on All Over Bar The Cricket, which he hosts with former Australia team-mate Greg Blewett and former Sheffield Shield cricketer-turned media personality James Brayshaw. That Brad Haddin is joining TNT’s coverage for the second Test is in no small part due to his presence on the engaging Willow Talk Cricket Podcast, as one of three co-hosts alongside Adam Peacock and Australia Women stalwart Alyssa Healy.That’s not to ignore Haddin’s place as a prime rabbler of the English. But Australia overflows with main characters involved in previous English Ashes nightmares. And the presence of these Big Bad Wolves and Babadooks dishing out regular hot takes presents a new challenge for a generation of cricketer often doomscrolling on Instagram. It’s not the spiders in the mailboxes you have to worry about, it’s the Australian legends in the reels.Jofra Archer is interviewed on arrival at Perth international airport•Getty ImagesAnd so, at a time when Ashes battles are being fought on more frontiers than ever before, England need to find their happy realities. It is worth noting there is plenty of mid-ground here, even if England feel like they don’t have a footing in that either.The situation over the Canberra match against the Prime Minister’s XI is a great example of this space. Former Australian cricketers Stuart Law and Peter Siddle are two who have come out in the last few days to offer reasons why shunning Manuka Oval – and valuable pink ball experience – is understandable, given the lack of bounce this weekend will not prepare them adequately for the Gabba.It is a stance at odds with the mountains of ire on this topic, most of it from the UK. And as ever, the result of the second Test will govern truly how big a misstep it is. Losing the first Test gives them less wiggle room and it surely cannot be a great stretch to suggest playing cricket helps you get better at playing cricket.At the same time, there is an argument to be made that had most of the squad headed to Canberra – thus changing plans that have been in place since the home summer – it would have been a sign of panic.That might be the takeaway from all this: England are not panicking. Yet.They feel they did a lot right in Perth in terms of preparation and even in the Test, for half of day one and the first session of day two at least. Players trained hard and did not spend their spare time worrying about the optics. Their spare time was just that; fishing trips, visits to Rottnest Island and Cottesloe Beach and, yes, golf.Even the Lions combined work and pleasure by putting miles into their legs with a running exercise combined with a treasure hunt across Perth. De-stressing with one eye on how others might judge is stressful.The program for Brisbane is not all that different. They will enjoy the courses and various waters before locking back in from Saturday, starting with a morning session at Allan Border Field. Then comes four training sessions at the Gabba ahead of the Test, with Monday’s and Wednesday’s taking place at night for some invaluable work under lights.Keeping level is paramount. Squaring the series next week a must. The best route to a good time in Australia has always been simple – and that’s by winning.

India’s 2025-26 season kicks off with a visit by West Indies in October

Abhijato Sensarma29-Sep-20253:28

What does the squad for the WI Tests tell us?

So West Indies are playing Test cricket in India?Yes, and the double-take is justified. Probably. It’s been exactly seven years since West Indies last toured the country for a Test series, way back in October 2018.The first Test starts in Ahmedabad on October 2 and the second one is in Delhi on October 10. The matches start at 9.30 am local time.Should I bother tuning in?Yes! With World Test Championship points in play, every game matters. India’s results in the home series against West Indies, followed by South Africa, will be crucial to their chances of making it to the final at Lord’s in two years’ time.Woah, slow down… remind me how the WTC works again?Ah, yes. The format has befuddled some of the best cricketing minds of our times.Now in its fourth edition, the format remains the same. Each team plays six series over a two-year cycle – three at home, three away. They get 12 points for a win, six for a draw, and none for a loss. Also, in case of over-rate offences, one point is deducted for each over they are deemed to be behind in the final match tally.The points they win are then converted to a percentage total, based on the overall points available to them, and this percentage-based ranking determines the top two teams, who play the final. All quite simple, really.Umm, sure… Remind me how India and West Indies are doing, again?India are third on the table, with 46.67 percentage points. Their first assignment was an all-timer of a Test series in England, which they drew 2-2. The draw still leaves them needing strong showings across the four home Tests this season to guarantee a good position on the table.West Indies are ranked sixth but that’s only because the three teams below them have not played any Tests in the new cycle. They lost 3-0 at home to Australia in what was an all-timer of a drubbing too. They were dismissed for 27 in the final Test, which led to an emergency meeting of the who’s who of Caribbean cricket.6:18

Aaron on Bumrah pick: India not taking any chances after NZ drubbing

What happened the last time these two teams met in India?The results were quite one-sided in the 2018 series – India won the first Test by an innings and 272 runs, the second one by ten wickets. In fact, the last time West Indies defeated India either home or away was in… 2002.The 2018 series also came when India were in the middle of a dominant home run. They didn’t lose a single series from 2013 to 2024.Something happened in 2024, didn’t it…Yes: the infamous 3-0 loss to New Zealand at home. That result re-contextualises this entire series. India will be looking to prove that it was an aberration, but their side is still recovering from the fallout of those events. Former captain Rohit Sharma, their long-term No. 4 Virat Kohli, as well as the first name on the team sheet at home, R Ashwin, have all retired.Right. Ashwin won’t be around for this oneYes – it is quite the loss, too. Since his debut in 2011, Ashwin did not miss a single one of the 65 Tests India played at home. His impact across all these games – 383 wickets at an average of 21.57 – will be tough to replace.But India have a promising spin trio lined up for the West Indies series. It might finally be time for Kuldeep Yadav to get an extended run in the side. He has 56 wickets at 22.16 but sat out all five Tests against England. Axar Patel wasn’t in that squad altogether but will play a prominent role with his proven all-round ability at home. Washington Sundar will look to match him, having already shown quality with the bat.Leading them all will be Ravindra Jadeja, nearing his 15th year in Test cricket and the vice-captain of the side in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant.2:05

Is there a role for Nitish Kumar Reddy in home Tests?

How does the rest of India’s squad look?Despite gaining crucial experience in England, this is still quite a new-look side. Shubman Gill will lead India for the first time on home soil. He’s coming off a record-breaking run-spree in England, with four centuries, one of which he turned into a double. Pant is out, still recovering from the fractured left foot he sustained in Manchester. Dhruv Jurel is likely to take up the wicketkeeping duties, while N Jagadeesan slots into the squad after having flown to England as the back-up keeper for the final Test.Karun Nair finds himself outside the Test side after scoring just one fifty in eight innings in England. The selectors say that Devdutt Padikkal “offers more” at this stage.How about West Indies?They are looking for a reboot after the Australia defeat as well, reflected in how they have dropped their former captain and 100-Test veteran, Kraigg Brathwaite. Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have been recalled, with their ability to play spin being a crucial factor in the decision.Shai Hope made it back to the Test side for the first time since 2021 during the Australia series, but will be looking to improve on a performance where he scored 118 runs at 18.83 across six innings.That said, for West Indies to be competitive against India, they will need their own spinners to come good. Vice-captain Jomel Warrican and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre and captain Roston Chase have a big job ahead of them.A 2-0 clean sweep still seems like the most probable outcome, no?It is certainly a mismatch. However, West Indies will know that this is the most vulnerable India have been at home for a long time. They’ve lost their stalwarts. Their No. 3 – Sai Sudharsan – is still a work in progress. Jasprit Bumrah may be rested for the first Test given it starts just three days after the Asia Cup final. There are opportunities for an upset.ESPNcricinfo will be covering every moment of the series, so stay tuned.

Over time, we have seen some iconic central defenders come and go, with Italy especially having the knack of producing some of the greatest centre-backs football has ever witnessed.

From Paolo Maldini to Franco Baresi, Gli Azzurri have had some of the best, but who ranks at the top as the premier centre-back?

The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest central defenders in footballing history, factoring in their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting team and personal accolades.

20 Fernando Hierro

Starting the countdown is Fernando Hierro, who made more than 600 appearances for Real Madrid during a 14-year stint at the Bernabeu.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield role if required, Hierro had unbelievable ability on the ball for a centre-back, something which helped him play in the Premier League at the age of 39. The Spaniard won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Madrid.

19 Giorgio Chiellini

One of numerous Italians on the list is Giorgio Chiellini, who retired in 2023 at the age of 39 after a glittering 23-year career.

A no-nonsense defender with his aggressive, physical, and tenacious approach, Chiellini proved that an old-fashioned defender can still star in the modern game.

He spent 18 years with Juventus, winning nine Serie A titles and the European Championships with Italy.

18 Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva is one of those defenders who got better with age, starring in Italy, France and England with AC Milan, PSG and Chelsea.

A Champions League winner, Silva was an exceptional reader of the game and made defending at the highest level look incredible easy, while also having brilliant passing vision.

Nicknamed the ‘monster’ due to his imposing playing style, Silva possesses much more quality than just his physical ability.

17 Rio Ferdinand

Compared to Pele by a youth coach at just 11 years of age, Rio Ferdinand transformed into one of England’s best ever centre-backs across a 19-year career.

Quick and agile in his prime, Ferdinand was an extremely composed centre-back and great reader of the game.

Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, he won six top flight titles with Man Utd, while also captaining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to Champions League glory in 2008.

16 Jaap Stam

Another iconic Red Devils centre-back was Jaap Stam, however, his stay at Man Utd was much shorter and his exit was a decision Ferguson regretted the most in his career.

A powerful defender in the air and quick across the grass, Stam was named as the Dutch Player of the Year in 1997 and also won the Champions League at Old Trafford.

15 Ronald Koeman

Continuing the Netherlands theme takes us to Ronald Koeman, who is the greatest goalscoring central defender the game has seen.

Incredibly, Koeman scored more than 250 goals during his career, impressing with his long-range shooting, free kick ability and reliability as a penalty taker.

A European Cup winner with PSV and Barcelona, Koeman, who sometimes played in midfield, was even the Champions League top scorer in 1994, and his defensive attributes were also world-class.

14 ​​​Lilian Thuram

​​​Lilian Thuram saved his only two France goals for the biggest stage, a World Cup semi final win over Croatia in 1998.

Known as an incredibly athletic defender in his prime, Thuram, who can also be considered one of football’s greatest ever right-backs, also starred centrally during a 17-year career which saw him star for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona.

Thuram won the World Cup and Euros and was named France’s Player of the Year in 1997.

13 Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly starred for France across 11 years, helping his country win the World Cup in 1998 and then the Euros in 2000 alongside Thuram.

He was named in the team of the tournaments for both of those triumphs, and at club level, Desailly starred for Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea.

A versatile centre-back who led by example, Desailly improved any side he went into and arguably went under the radar during his career.

12 Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best centre-back in world football since his move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk has helped transform the Reds into winners again.

Van Dijk has it all and makes defending look incredibly easy at the highest level. Physical presence, speed, ability on the ball, world-class attackers have struggled to get past the Dutchman on a regular basis.

One of the most expensive centre-backs in history, Van Dijk has been worth every penny of the £75m Liverpool spent.

11 Carles Puyol

A Barcelona and Spain legend, Carles Puyol won everything for club and country and was a part of the most dominant sides the game has ever seen.

Under Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp, Puyol captained Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory, while with Spain, he won the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

He was named UEFA’s Defender of the Year in 2006 and in the World XI Team of the 21st Century.

Reliving five of the Sri Lanka allrounder’s best performances in Test cricket in the lead-up to his final match

Madushka Balasuriya15-Jun-2025Angelo Mathews laid down a marker early in his captaincy in Abu Dhabi, 12 years ago•AFP

A showcase of mettle

91 & 157* vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi (2013/14)The retirements of longtime stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were fast approaching, and Mathews’ Test captaincy, still in its infancy, was, perhaps unfairly, being compared to that of his soon-to-be-gone predecessors.But as Sri Lanka’s batting wilted under not-very-testing conditions, slumping to 124 for 8 after being put in, Mathews began to showcase a hitherto unseen Test mettle. A counterattacking 91 off 127, shielding the tail, dragged the visitors to a subpar but acceptable 204, though the main course was still to come.Sri Lanka wound up conceding a 179-run first innings lead, but if the first innings was Mathews fighting back, the second showed a side many hadn’t yet seen as he ground his way to an unbeaten 157 off 343 deliveries.It helped set a final day target of 302, but more importantly ate up time, ensuring Pakistan had little chance to attempt the chase. Mathews’ efforts eventually secured a hard-fought draw and a deserved Player-of-the-Match award.A Galle special: Mahela Jayawardene celebrates Angelo Mathews and his rain-thwarting cameo•AFP

The rain man

25* vs Pakistan, Galle (2014)This one is a rogue entry in our list. As day five began, a draw seemed foregone – Pakistan still had nine wickets in hand, there was little in the pitch for the bowlers, and even if Sri Lanka did pick up those wickets cheaply the heavy rains forecast meant the chance of a result was virtually non-existent.Fast forward a few hours, and a Rangana Herath masterclass had manifested the impossible. While a target of 99 off 21 overs was eminently gettable, the certainty of rain – a case of when not if – was a problem. In fading light, the brazen attempts at time wasting from the Pakistan players was a necessary evil.Related

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It was in the face of all this that Mathews walked out with 40 needed off 55, though realistically it was more like 40 off 30 – 20 perhaps? Whatever it was, Mathews wasn’t to know. All he knew was that he would have to make the most of the time that was ticking.In the end he wound up facing 13 deliveries; two went for six, two more for four. The 13th? A single that was never on, leading to a direct hit that never happened.With half the batting still to come afterwards, a direct hit would in most scenarios have been inconsequential, but here, in the time it would have taken for the next batter to walk to the middle, the clouds that had been hovering menacingly all day would have finally given way. Instead, when the rains did come, it was no longer as spoiler, rather just another celebrant of the most improbable of wins.”It was one of the best games I have taken part in,” Mathews would proclaim afterwards, and all these years later you’d be hard pressed to disagree.Angelo Mathews at Headingley in 2014 was a total vibe•Ben Radford/Getty Images

The peak

160 & 4/44 vs England, Leeds (2014)Mathews the allrounder has reached almost mythical proportions in Sri Lankan cricket folklore. An all-time what-could-have-been. But in the summer of 2014, Mathews was at the peak of his powers.Following an uninspired Sri Lankan first innings, England were threatening to bat Sri Lanka out of the game. The hosts had lost just two wickets by the time they surpassed Sri Lanka’s 257, but Mathews’s 4 for 44 snaked through England’s tail and ensured the lead didn’t go beyond 108.It was with bat though that Mathews truly shaped the game to his will, in an innings that was every bit the line between victory and defeat. His partnership alongside Mahela Jayawardene had helped extend Sri Lanka’s lead, but certainly not to match-winning territory. Jayawardene’s fall led to two more wickets, stunting Sri Lanka’s progress and leaving their lead below 200 with just three wickets in hand.It was here that Mathews steeled his resolve, as might an Anime hero on the verge of collapse. Sri Lanka’s collective hand weakened, but Mathews’ power grew as he shepherded an equally dogged Herath to dismantle England with precision and a devastating sense of clarity. Their 149-run stand for the eighth wicket was the second-highest for Sri Lanka.His 160 came off 249 deliveries, perhaps regulation by modern standards, but blazing in that era – particularly in a Sri Lankan context. Mathews steered his team to a 350-run lead and, eventually, a quite dramatic final-day victory.Angelo Mathews made his eighth Test hundred in Delhi•BCCI

A show of defiance

111 vs India, Delhi (2017)Sri Lanka had never won a Test in India, and going into this series any hope of that stat changing was as low as it had ever been. The first match had ended in a draw but in the second, India had scampered home by an innings. The third was seemingly heading in the same direction, headlined by a first-innings Virat Kohli double-ton.Adding to Sri Lanka’s misery was the weather. Air pollution levels in Delhi had reached “very unhealthy” levels, with several Lankan players struggling to cope and one even vomiting in the dressing room. At one point Sri Lanka were left with just 10 available players on the field, a contributing factor towards India’s eventual declaration.This served to bring an edge to an already tetchy contest, with India unimpressed by the number of medical stoppages in play called for by Sri Lankan players. Perhaps it was this which spurred on Mathews, as he and Dinesh Chandimal put on a 181-run fourth wicket stand.Mathews had passed fifty just thrice in his 10 previous Tests, and had openly spoken of the unending pressure of his role as captain and senior batter. But here he dipped into his reserves of experience, to negate the varying threats posed by the quartet of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.Despite his best efforts, Sri Lanka would still end up over 150 in the red, but it showed the youngsters in the side that grit and hard work could get the job done, even in conditions as tough as this. And so it proved as Sri Lanka’s young vanguard led the way in batting out day five to secure a hard-fought draw.Angelo Mathews hit back at his coach for questioning his fitness with a push-up celebration of his century•Getty Images

He did it all day

83 & 120* vs New Zealand, Wellington (2018)Mathews had come into this game with a point to prove. Dropped from the white-ball side by then head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe over fitness concerns, he was a man on a mission. In the first innings he had struck a defiant 83, but saved his most pointed retort for the final innings.With Sri Lanka staring down the barrel at 13 for 3, some 283 runs behind New Zealand, and two full days of cricket ahead, Mathews was joined at the crease by Kusal Mendis. What followed was a bloody-minded display of batting that nobody seemed quite prepared for, even if the pitch that had begun to ease out.Against an outstanding New Zealand attack that contained Neil Wagner, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, Mathews and Mendis gave nothing away over a whole day’s play. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson conceded as much afterwards, exclaiming that his side had tried every trick possible but to no avail.This was an innings most memorable for Mathews’ push-up celebration upon reaching his century, directed at the dressing room. This though would not detract from Mathews’ and Mendis’ focus, as the pair batted out the entirety of day four, as well as 12 overs on day five – their stand worth 274 off 655 deliveries – before rain brought an end to the game.

Newcastle United are now reportedly scouting James Garner following an impressive spell of form as they look to deal the Toffees a frustrating blow in 2026.

The Magpies desperately need a lift. They’ve won just three of their first 11 Premier League games and sit as low as 14th, having only just qualified for the Champions League last season. Defeat at Brentford only compiled Eddie Howe’s misery and, for the first time since he took over at St James’ Park, the pressure is growing.

Many have had their say on Newcastle’s current struggles, including club legend Alan Shearer.

The Premier League’s record goalscorer shared what he believes has been missing as of late, saying: “I guess a manager’s always under pressure to get results, but I think the job that Eddie Howe has done at Newcastle and what he delivered in the Carabao Cup, the trophy, I guess he’s got a lot of points in the bank.

“What I would look at is Eddie’s Newcastle team have always been full of energy, being tough to play against, not giving the opposition any space. That in the away performances is missing, and even home form really. The thing that is missing for me is the high press and the energy.

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“I’ve said before that as good as Nick Woltemade is with the ball at his feet, he is a problem for Newcastle because he’s not the quickest, and he can’t press, and he doesn’t run in behind.

“Eddie’s teams have always done that. Look at what Alexander Isak did or look at what Callum Wilson did, they all pressed and ran behind. But this guy can’t do that, and that’s a problem for Newcastle.”

It’s the type of form that the Magpies need to turn around sooner rather than later and the type that has exposed their need for January reinforcements.

Newcastle now scouting James Garner

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Newcastle are now scouting Garner ahead of a potential 2026. The midfielder has quietly impressed for the Toffees this season and is now the one attracting the Magpies’ attention instead of Everton’s star man Iliman Ndiaye.

Ndiaye has been linked with a whole host of top clubs, but after Everton placed a £70m valuation on his head, it seems attention may turn to the future of Garner.

A move for the former Manchester United man would make perfect sense in the face of Joelinton’s recent form. Whilst his robust approach has previously been to the benefit of Newcastle, Howe’s side are now desperately crying out for the control that Garner would provide as an alternative option.

Minutes

990

647

Progressive Passes p90

5.27

5

Key Passes p90

0.91

0.69

Ball Recoveries p90

3.73

4.17

However, it seems unlikely that David Moyes will let his midfield star leave without a fight. The Everton boss was recently full of praise for the 24-year-old, telling reporters: “He’s been fantastic since I came in. I didn’t realise probably how good he was. He’s been so good.

“He’s played great in midfield and he’s played full-back for me as well. I’ve said a couple of times recently he’s probably getting closer to getting talked about for England because of his performances.”

Bruno said Newcastle star was "the future of the club", now he must be axed

Nottinghamshire 231 and 219 for 8 (Patterson-White 58, Fisher 5-57) lead Surrey 173 (Burns 47, James 3-35, Tongue 3-43) by 277 runsThe 2025 Division One season has been a scrappy affair. Sparse on real, top-tier quality, in part because of a wayward schedule. Even here at the Kia Oval, the home of the defending champions, it has been far from vintage. Nevertheless, 80,484 people have come through the gates this summer. Around 41,000 of them Surrey members wanting to vibe with a historic four-peat push.On Tuesday, however, for the first time this season, those of the brown cap persuasion had to confront the idea that, maybe, this might be a County Championship title too far. Worse still, the team that may take it from them were doing it on their patch.Nottinghamshire were trailing by a point coming into this penultimate round, and then four after being rolled for 231 in their first innings. But by stumps on day two, after 17 wickets had fallen, they were very much in front. They will start Wednesday on 219 for 8, 277 ahead, meaning Surrey will need the highest score of the match to win, on a pitch playing tricks off the straight. Nottinghamshire, having had the better of the first two days, are on the cusp of inflicting Surrey’s first home defeat since June 2023, and stealing a march on their title rivals into the final round.They have Lyndon James to thank for that. The allrounder, having the best season of his career, blew the match wide open in the morning session, taking 3 for 35 and then provided 47 vital runs. He was robbed of the honour of seeing out the day by Matthew Fisher, trimming him off for a for his second five-wicket haul in the match. Fisher’s 5 for 61 on day one – his first five-for for Surrey – gave his new county control. And when they relinquished it, dismissed for 173 in their own first innings, the 27-year-old dug deeper with five more and a maiden 10-wicket haul. He wrestled the game back Surrey’s way, at one point possessing figures of 4 for 11 from 3.3 overs, with Nottinghamshire reeling on 53 for 5, just 111 in front.But back came James to the fore, initially with a 36-run stand with Kyle Verreynne before finding an effective cruising speed with Liam Patterson-White for a collective 91 for the seventh wicket. Patterson-White, having brought up his third fifty-plus score of the season in 63 deliveries, looked on course to return on day three only to fall as Dan Worrall’s third victim shortly after 6pm with the close in sight.After a sedate start to day two, the match seemed to accelerate all of a sudden, almost as if it suddenly tipped over the peak of a roller coaster, which was when Surrey were cruising on a steady ascent. From 101 for 1, nine wickets were lost for 72 in 19.4 deliveries, a collapse triggered by a nine-over spell of unrelenting class from James.The 26-year-old’s 3 for 35 at the Vauxhall End began with the removal of nightwatcher Tom Lawes – chipping to cover to end a stand of 59 with skipper Rory Burns – before using a lacquer-less, 30-something-overs-old Dukes ball in tandem with Brett Hutton to send Nottinghamshire into lunch with the home top six accounted for.A lifter that left Ben Foakes was followed by something a little fuller, shaping away. Foakes, now sitting a little more on the back foot, reached and edged through to Verreyne. That ended up being the third dismissal for just 17 in 37 deliveries, sandwiching Hutton’s vital wicket of Burns on 47, moving one into his front shin.A leading edge gave Dan Lawrence a three-ball duck, and when Ollie Pope skewed a poorly judged drive to second slip, James had his third – the fifth dismissal in 48 deliveries. Emerging after lunch on 141 for 6, the heavies were brought on – Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington – to feast on what remained.By now, batters were casting anxious glances at the pitch, particularly the off-stump channel that, as ever, was a productive area to plough. That ramped up when Worrall got one to scuttle into Ben Slater’s off stump. And it was in this area that Fisher got to work, angling a couple off the seam to dismiss visiting captain Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke leg before.Left-hander Freddie McCann was done similarly from around the wicket, and when Jack Haynes inside-edged onto his stumps, Fisher had seen off one of the top order in each of his first four overs.Perhaps Nottinghamshire were guilty of being a little too passive early on. But James and Patterson-White learned, and when the latter pulled Lawes to midwicket for six on the shorter side, there was a subtle shift in mood.Maybe even a template for Surrey to follow, who themselves were a little shy with the bat. Though they finished the day with renewed enthusiasm having seen off both James and Patterson-White in the space of 3.1 overs, the target that will eventually come there way will require the very best of them. Something that has not been seen thus far.

“Why go down that route,” Aakash Chopra asks on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out show

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-20251:55

Why did Suryakumar let Siddique bat despite being out?

Suryakumar Yadav, the India captain, withdrew an appeal against Junaid Siddique on Wednesday night in Dubai despite the batter being given out by the third umpire.The incident took place in the 13th over of the UAE innings. Siddique was beaten while attempting a pull off Shivam Dube, and was found outside the crease when wicketkeeper Sanju Samson collected the ball and under-armed a direct hit to the stumps at the striker’s end. As soon as he missed the ball, Siddique seemed to point towards the towel that Dube appeared to have dropped while delivering the ball.Even as the square-leg umpire referred the decision to third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Suryakumar walked up to the umpire at the bowler’s end to have a chat, and withdrew the appeal after he saw the replays on the big screen. The third umpire had declared Siddique out by that stage.Related

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Siddique was out one legal ball later, when he toe-ended a slog off a Dube slower delivery to Suryakumar at mid-on to leave UAE 55 for 9. It was Dube’s third wicket; UAE were eventually bowled out for 57, which India overhauled in 4.3 overs.On ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show, Aakash Chopra suggested that Suryakumar’s decision was based on the match situation at the time, which was heavily in India’s favour.”It’s event-specific in my opinion, it wouldn’t have happened if [Pakistan’s] Salman Agha was playing on 14th [of September] and the game is in the balance, and he’s just roaming around, he [Suryakumar] won’t do that,” Chopra said. “It was a good throw, presence of mind from Sanju to hit the stumps.”If he was [outside the crease], it should be out, in my opinion. But opinions may vary. The problem is the moment you bring in ethics and generosity, it opens a can of worms: ‘oh, you did this today, why are you not doing the same thing tomorrow?’ Why go down that route?”Will you do it? If that’s the case, it’s like walking. You nick it and you walk. But the day you do not walk, that’s the day that decides which side of the divide you are on and that’s when you look like a hypocrite. I’m not saying SKY is going to do it again, or not do it again. But if it is within the rules and the umpire has given it out, just stay out. That’s it.”India went on to pull off their fastest chase in men’s T20Is, in terms of overs left – eclipsing the 6.3 overs’ chase against Scotland at the T20 World Cup in Dubai in 2021.

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