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Enquanto os bastidores do Corinthians fervem, a equipe apresenta um futebol apático dentro de campo. O time comandado por António Oliveira foi derrotado pelo Bragantino por 1 a 0, fora de casa, e segue sem vencer no Campeonato Brasileiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansAugusto Melo cobra reação após derrota do Corinthians e aponta saída de RubãoCorinthians20/04/2024Fora de CampoBenja critica decisão de António Oliveira em RB Bragantino x Corinthians: ‘Sem condição’Fora de Campo20/04/2024Fora de CampoTorcedores criticam atuação do Corinthians em derrota: ‘O pior é sempre o próximo’Fora de Campo20/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Após a partida em Bragança, Augusto Melo, presidente do clube, cobrou publicamente uma resposta dos jogadores em campo e afirmou que vai corrigir os problemas internos do Timão. A frase é um claro recado a Rubens Gomes, o Rubão, diretor de futebol do Corinthians.

Nas últimas semanas, Rubão se distanciou de Augusto Melo e vem tendo sua posição contestada nos bastidores do Parque São Jorge. A última grande crise envolvendo o cartola foi a troca pública de acusações com Romeu Tuma Júnior, presidente do conselho deliberativo do Timão.

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Na ocasião, Rubão afirmou que Tuma “criou um governo paralelo dentro do clube”, em uma suposta movimentação para derrubar o diretor de futebol do cargo.

Essas divergências internas vem afetando o desempenho do Corinthians dentro das quatro linhas. Eliminado na fase de grupos do Paulistão, o Timão possuí o pior aproveitamento entre as equipes da Série A em 2024 e já passou por uma troca de treinador no início de temporada. No Brasileirão, não venceu (e nem marcou gols) após três partidas, e deve acabar a rodada na zona de rebaixamento da competição.

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Buscando reecontrar o caminho das vitórias, o Corinthians volta a campo contra o Argentinos Juniors, fora de casa, pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana.

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Augusto MeloCorinthiansFutebol Nacional

A broken bat, a crazy run out, and a multiple Grand Slam winner. What else makes the list?

Andrew McGlashan24-Oct-2024Meg Lanning (and Ash Barty) on opening dayIt all began at Junction Oval on December 5, 2015. Melbourne Stars faced Brisbane Heat in back-to-back games on the same day in front of a crowd of 1500. Some players watched on sat in camping chairs. A number of names that remain stars of Australian cricket were on show: Beth Mooney opened alongside Grace Harris for Heat, who had Jess Jonassen at No. 3, while Meg Lanning made 165 off 114 balls across the two matches as Stars came out winners in both. However, in the middle-order for Heat, there is another name which stood out: Ash Barty. Now a retired multiple Grand Slam winner, at the time Barty was also out of tennis, having stepped away in 2014 aged 18 to play cricket. On the opening day of WBBL, she impressed with 39 off 27 balls in the first match before falling to Nat Sciver-Brunt. “It truly was an amazing period of my life,” she said in 2019. “I met an amazing group of people who couldn’t care less whether I could hit a tennis ball or not. They accepted me, and they got to know Ash Barty.” That opening innings would prove to be the high point for Barty who made 68 runs in nine matches – her major sporting success was yet to come.The first centuryThis won’t be the only time Grace Harris is mentioned in this piece. In the eighth match of the inaugural season, a few months after her international debut, she struck the competition’s first century with 103 off 55 balls against Sydney Sixers at Aquinas College in Perth. She went from her fifty to her hundred in just 22 deliveries. “I was just after ice cream,” Harris joked after the innings. “When I hit the century, Mooney came down the wicket and it didn’t really click to begin with, and then she said that I had made it because everyone was standing up, and I just said, ‘Ice cream! Ice cream!'” To cap off her day, Harris claimed 4 for 15 from two overs. She remains the only player to have scored a century and taken four wickets in a WBBL match.Harmanpreet’s landmark signingIt is well-known that India’s premier male cricketers do not appear in T20 leagues outside of the IPL, but that’s not the case in the women’s game – the upcoming season will see a record number of India names in the WBBL. In mid-2016, Harmanpreet Kaur became the first India player to join the league when she signed for Sydney Thunder. “Being the first player from my country to sign a contract for a BBL club is one of my best moments,” she said at the time. During her first season, she made 310 runs in 13 innings which included a 26-ball 56 against Heat. In the 2021 season, she was Player of the Tournament.Harmanpreet Kaur was the first Indian player to join an overseas league•Getty ImagesPushing the boundariesHere comes Grace again. By 2018, Sophie Devine (48) and Ash Gardner (47) had both gone under the 50-ball mark with centuries. Against Stars at the Gabba, Harris raised the bar further with a blistering 42-ball display which included 13 fours and six sixes. Remarkably, this came in a chase of just 133 as she made 73% of the total herself with Mooney watching on from the other end. With one run needed, Harris was on 95 and set off for the winning run but was sent back by Mooney. Three balls later, she launched Alana King down the ground for six to become the first player with multiple WBBL tons. “I’d told her that we weren’t running again and she finally got there in the end,” Mooney said.Devine’s doubleAs mentioned above, Devine had already left a mark on the WBBL but against Stars at Adelaide Oval, she produced what remains a one-off all-round starrer in the competition’s history: the only time a player has scored a half-century and taken a five-wicket haul. She had been within touching distance of matching Harris with two WBBL hundreds when she fell for 95 with an over to go, but that was only half the job done. With ball in hand, she removed four of Stars’ top six and completed her haul by claiming Nicola Hancock. semi-final run outIt is one of the iconic moments in WBBL history. It had already been a dramatic day with the first semi-final decided by a stunning boundary catch from Haidee Birkett. But the extraordinary three-player run out to force a Super Over in the second match was at another level. With three needed off the last ball, Sophie Molineux, who had batted throughout Melbourne Renegades’ chase, sliced over point and the ball appeared destined for the rope. “She’s got a four,” screamed commentator Jason Richardson. Then came a desperate dive from Erin Burns that flicked the ball back to Sarah Aley, who in turn hurled the return to Alyssa Healy. But the run-out chance was at the bowler’s end. Healy collected and in one motion spun around with a gloveless right hand and threw down the stumps. “In terms of a team play, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more special one in the context of the match and what effect it had on the game,” Ellyse Perry said. Burns added: “It was one of those moments where everything just seemed to fit perfectly. To tap it back but then Sarah to come around and the perfect throw into Midge and then to spin around no look at the stumps and throw down the other end is pretty awesome.”Ellyse Perry celebrates Sophie Molineux’s extraordinary run-out•Getty ImagesMooney, the back-to-back finals heroMooney is the WBBL’s leading run-scorer heading into the tenth season. Before her move to Perth Scorchers, she was central in Heat’s consecutive titles in the 2018-19 and 2019-2020 seasons. In the first of those, a week after the epic semi-final mentioned above, in a season where runs had not flowed to her usual standards, she defied a sweltering Sydney day while overcome effects of the flu with 65 off 46 balls to put Heat on course against Sixers. “I plonked myself in the ice bath and was a bit nervous towards the end, I couldn’t really watch,” Mooney said. The following season she was at it again, anchoring a bigger chase against Adelaide Strikers with 56 off 45 balls.Thunder win in the bubbleSomehow, the 2020 WBBL season was completed despite Covid. Played entirely in Sydney, it was not an edition remembered too fondly by a number of players with all the squads housed in a hotel bubble at the Olympic Park amid tight restrictions. But, as with much in that Australian season, it was a remarkable show of adaptability and resilience. It also concluded with a memorable result in the final where Thunder, who had produced a stunning turnaround in the semi-final against Heat, toppled Stars – one of the standout teams of the competition – by seven wickets having restricted them to just 86. Shabnim Ismail, who claimed the key wicket of Lanning, and Sammy-Jo Johnson combined to take 4 for 23 from eight overs.Broken bat? No worries for Grace Harris•Getty ImagesGarth’s powerplay masterclassAgainst Thunder in 2021, pace bowler Kim Garth produced one of the more remarkable performances seen in T20s. In the powerplay, she produced figures of 3-3-0-3 to put Stars on course to defend a low total. Garth removed Tahlia Wilson and Phoebe Litchfield in her first over, and then produced another maiden over to Smriti Mandhana. At the start of her third, she had Corinne Hall taken at slip before closing the spell with five more dots. By the time she returned for the 20th over, Stars had breathing space with 25 to defend.Harris’ broken bat”Stuff it, I’ll still hit it.” It has gone down as an immortal phrase from Grace Harris. Preparing to face up to Piepa Clearly, Harris noticed her bat handle was broken. But instead of waiting for a new one, she just got on with it. Harris launched the ball over long-on for a 72-metre six, the handle snapping away from the blade in the process to produce an iconic image that went viral. It was part of another astonishing WBBL display from Harris, who piled up a tournament-high 136 off 59 deliveries with a record 11 sixes. “When you get in the zone, you just get in the zone,” she said modestly.

An end to your season is one thing, but falling in 15 innings during a winner-take-all postseason game is another.

Tigers fans suffered that unfortunate reality Friday when they fell 3-2 to the Mariners in Seattle in a marathon Game 5 of the American League Division Series. Seattle will now face the Blue Jays in the AL Championship Series. And the Tigers, well, they're joining David Ortiz with the Yankees in Cancún.

It was a heartbreaking end of the season for Detroit, who couldn't capitalize on another strong outing from their ace Tarik Skubal, although nobody could have expected the game would have lasted a full nine innings after his night was done. The game bled early into Saturday morning on the East Coast as the Mariners earned their first trip to the ALCS since 2001. Tigers play-by-play man Dan Dickerson was on the radio call, and captured the emotions of every Detroit fan as he was caught on a hot mic after the devastating loss.

"We'll be back to talk about it after this on the Detroit Tigers radio network," Dickerson said before he thought he was off the air. The broadcast stayed on the air and a hilarious rant ensued at what was after 1 a.m. in the morning in Detroit. "I don't have to do a game [recap], ah f—. F— this game recap. Oh, I'm sorry, was that out loud?" He continued on the airwaves.

Listen to Dickerson's quick rant after the wild loss below. Note, the clip does include profanity:

Although his comments appeared that they weren't supposed to hit public ears, it perfectly encapsulated the night for the Tigers as their offense slowed once again other than Kerry Carpenter. Hopefully Dickerson was able to get some rest after he gave the unwanted game recap.

كشفت شبكة سكاي سبورتس منذ قليل، عن وجود بعض التطورات الجديدة المتعلقة بشأن مصير مشاركة محمد صلاح، نجم نادي ليفربول، خلال مباراة فريقه أمام إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

محمد صلاح يثار الكثير من الجدل حوله خلال الساعات الأخيرة، وذلك عقب التصريحات النارية التي أدلى بها عقب نهاية مباراة ليفربول وليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وكان محمد صلاح بديلًا طوال هذه المباراة والتي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي 3-3 ، حيث صرح الدولي المصري عقب نهاية المباراة أنه غير سعيد بوضعه مع ليفربول.

اقرأ أيضًا .. أسطورة تشيلسي مساندًا محمد صلاح: على سلوت إظهار الاحترام له

وأكد محمد صلاح انهيار علاقته بمدرب نادي ليفربول، آرني سلوت، وبأنه لم يتم احترامه قياسًا بما قدمه للريدز طوال السنوات الماضية، وأن هناك شخصًا كذلك لا يريده في النادي الإنجليزي.

وبناءًا على تلك التصريحات ورد أن ليفربول يفكر بشكل جدي في معاقبة محمد صلاح على ما قاله واستبعاده من مباراة إنتر ميلان في دوري الأبطال، والتي سوف تلعب يوم غدًا الثلاثاء ضمن مرحلة الدوري من المسابقة.

لكن سكاي أفادت، أن محمد صلاح قد وصل إلى تدريبات ليفربول صباح اليوم الإثنين ، وذلك من أجل الانضمام لبقية زملائه استعدادًا لمباراة إنتر ميلان.

وأوضحت الشبكة، أن ليفربول سيتدرب ظهر اليوم الإثنين استعدادًا لمباراة إنتر ميلان، قبل أن يتحدث سلوت بعد ذلك أمام وسائل الإعلام للحديث عن قضية محمد صلاح.

Mohamed Salah has arrived at Liverpool’s training ground ahead of the trip to Inter Milan in the Champions League 🔴 pic.twitter.com/hg1oUNcctm — Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 8, 2025

Just a few weeks ago, the mood around West Ham United was as dour as it had been in years, and yet now there is a genuine sense of optimism surrounding the club.

This quite dramatic change in sentiment is, of course, down to Nuno Espírito Santo’s side finally putting in performances worthy of the badge, beating Newcastle United and Burnley 3-1 and 3-2, respectively.

On top of the wins, the fans have also seen Freddie Potts given a genuine chance in the first team, and so far, he’s looking every bit the future star so many thought he’d be.

So, supporters should be seriously excited about another player in the academy who could be the next Potts.

Why West Ham fans should be excited about Potts

Now, the headline from the last couple of gameweeks is, and should be, the fact that West Ham have picked up six points from six.

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

However, it’s impossible to ignore the side story of Potts finally getting his full first-team debut and then earning a second start in as many games.

The Englishman was utterly impeccable against the Toon. He delivered quintessential all-action central midfield performances and was more than deserving of his Man of the Match award.

He was once again bossing the midfield against the Clarets on Saturday afternoon before going off with what looked like a leg injury, although thankfully it has since been revealed to have only been a dead leg.

Despite being on the pitch for just 62 minutes, the 22-year-old played three key passes, took 56 touches, won 66% of his tackles, made six clearances, won six of nine ground duels and made four recoveries.

It was another showing that demonstrated just why fans are right to be excited about the academy gem.

The Barking-born monster, who, according to one analyst, is blessed with a “supreme confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball”, looks like he could develop into the perfect central midfielder for a Premier League side looking to climb the table.

So it’s good news that the academy may have already produced another prospect who could be Nuno’s next Potts.

West Ham's next Potts

While the first team has been largely disappointing over the last couple of years, the academy has continued to produce exciting prospects for West Ham. One of those talents, and someone who could be the next Potts, is George Earthy.

Now, while the youngster can and has played in several positions across the pitch, he is primarily an attacking midfielder. However, where he plays on the pitch has very little to do with the comparisons to and why he could be another Potts.

Instead, one of the main points of comparison is that, while he hasn’t had many first-team chances, the 21-year-old is viewed as one of the most exciting prospects at the club and has a youth record to prove it.

Appearances

60

53

Minutes

4804′

3573 ‘

Goals

25

17

Assists

18

13

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

0.56

Minutes per Goal Involvement

111.72′

119.1′

For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.

Then, in 53 appearances for the u21s, totalling 3573 minutes, he scored 17 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.76 games, or every 119.1 minutes, and was enough for him to be named Young Hammer of the Year at the end of the 2023/24 season.

With it clear that the “priceless” gem, as dubbed by coach Steve Potts, was too good for academy football, the club sent him on loan to Bristol City last season, where he once again won another young player of the year award.

Now, in addition to being very highly rated from a young age, something else the Havering-born gem shares with the Hammers’ current man of the moment is a love for the club.

Yes, on top of being one of their own, having graduated from the academy, the 21-year-old is a West Ham supporter and even travelled to Prague to watch the side lift the Conference League as a fan.

Ultimately, while they play different roles, Earthy shares a lot in common with Potts, and his impressive record in the academy and with Bristol should see him earn his first competitive start for West Ham sooner rather than later.

AC Milan join Fullkrug race as agent makes damning West Ham admission

The forward has struggled at the London Stadium.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 10, 2025

كسر نجم نادي ريال مدريد صمته، وقام برد قاطع على الشائعات التي خرجت من غرفة خلع ملابس الملكي خلال الأيام الماضية، وعن وجود خلاف مع المدرب تشابي ألونسو.

ريال مدريد عاش حالة من التوتر خلال الفترة الأخيرة، وذلك تزامنًا مع هبوط مستوى الفريق وكذلك سوء النتائج.

ولم يستطع ريال مدريد الفوز في آخر ثلاث مباريات لعبها في كافة المسابقات بواقع خسارة ضد ليفربول في دوري الأبطال، ثم تعادلين متتاليين مع رايو فاييكانو وإلتشي بالدوري الإسباني.

لكن ريال مدريد كشر عن أنيابه واستطاع تحقيق انتصار صعب على أولمبياكوس بأربعة أهداف مقابل ثلاثة أمس الأربعاء، ضمن الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مارسيلو مشيدًا بلاعب ريال مدريد: وجدت صعوبة كبيرة في مراقبته

وأكد فيديريكو فالفيردي نجم ريال مدريد أن الأمور بخير داخل غرفة خلع الملابس في الفريق الملكي، وأن اللاعبين متحدين أكثر من أي وقت مضى مع ألونسو.

وكتب فالفيردي عبر حسابه الرسمي في “إنستجرام”: ”بعد أسبوع شهد الكثير من النقاشات، أصبحنا أكثر اتحادًا من أي وقت مضى، وجود فينيكس ومبابي أمر رائع، والتواجد في أفضل فريق في العالم وبه التزام هو شرف كبير”.

وأضاف فالفيردي: ”شخصيًا أعمل جاهدًا لاستعادة أفضل مستوياتي، لطالما كان المدرب بجانبي، يدعمني ويبذل قصارى جهده لمساعدتي على مواصلة النمو والمساهمة في الفريق”.

واختتم لاعب الوسط الأوروجوياني: ”ليس الأمر سهلًا دائمًا، لكن الجهاز الفني واللاعبين أكثر اتحادًا من أي وقت مضى”.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Os confrontos da fase mata-mata da Copa Sul-Americana foram definidos nesta segunda-feira (3), e o Corinthians aguarda o duelo da fase 16 avos para conhecer seu adversário na competição.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

O sorteio, realizado em Luque, no Paraguai, colocou o Red Bull Bragantino e o Barcelona de Guayaquil no caminho do clube do Parque São Jorge. O vencedor do mata-mata encara o Timão na próxima fase, em duelos que serão disputados nos dias 14 e 21 de agosto.

Líder do grupo F, o Corinthians terminou a fase de grupos com a segunda melhor classificação geral na fase de grupos e, consequentemente, com uma vaga direta nas oitavas de final da competição. Atrás apenas do Racing na classificação geral, o Timão só não decide a vaga em Itaquera caso encare o time argentino.

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➡️ O Lance! Betting tem apostas a longo prazo para a Seleção Brasileira em 2024! Vem conferir!

Em busca do primeiro título da Sul-Americana, o Corinthians pode voltar a enfrentar o Fortaleza no torneio. As equipes foram sorteadas no mesmo lado da chave e podem se enfrentar nas quartas de final caso avancem na competição. Na edição passada, a equipe paulista foi eliminada na semifinal pelo rival.

VEJA TODOS OS CONFRONTOS DA SUL-AMERICANA

Jogo 1: Fortaleza x Vencedor do Playoff GJogo 2: Sportivo Ameliano (PAR) x Vencedor do Playoff DJogo 3: Lanús (ARG) x Vencedor do Playoff FJogo 4: Racing (ARG) x Vencedor do Playoff HJogo 5: Belgrano (ARG) x Vencedor do Playoff B (Athletico-PR ou Cerro Porteño)Jogo 6: Independiente Medellín (COL) x Vencedor do Playoff CJogo 7: Cruzeiro x Vencedor do Playoff EJogo 8: Corinthians x Vencedor do Playoff A (Red Bull Bragantino ou Barcelona-EQU)

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CorinthiansFutebol NacionalSul-Americana

Once the wall and now the architect, Gautam Gambhir oversaw the team’s grittiest draw since 2009

Karthik Krishnaswamy29-Jul-20252:09

Manjrekar: ‘Warriors’ keep sprouting for India when needed

Within the span of eight months in 2009, Gautam Gambhir scored match-saving centuries in Napier and Ahmedabad, where India began the third innings facing deficits of 314 and 334 respectively.On Sunday, Gambhir was India’s head coach when they drew the Old Trafford Test after starting the third innings trailing by 311 runs.These three, incidentally, are the highest-ever first-innings deficits that India have defied to save Test matches while batting third. They batted out an astonishing 180 overs in Napier, 129 in Ahmedabad, and 143 in Manchester.For a generation that rarely witnesses the fighting draw, Old Trafford was a reminder of the spectacle it can be, of the technical skill and physical and mental endurance required to pull one off, and of the subplots that go into one’s making.Related

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Take the passage of play just before England took the second new ball, when Shubman Gill farmed the strike while facing Liam Dawson even though he had a recognised batter at the other end. It took millions of years of evolution, and the quirks of cricket’s geometry, for this moment to come about.Because humanity is predominantly right-handed, and because bowling happens at both ends but bowlers are allowed to choose the side of the wicket they operate from, the most scuffed-up areas on a Test-match pitch are invariably outside the left-hand batter’s off stump. Through the entirety of the 188-run partnership between the right-right pair of Gill and KL Rahul, Dawson had induced just seven false shots in 26 overs. When the left-handed Washington Sundar batted alongside Gill, Dawson, now able to make use of those scuffed-up patches, induced seven false shots in just five overs. Gill shielding Washington from the left-arm spinner was one of many smart moves India made as they battled their way to safety.Test cricket is vast enough to have space for such a passage of play even when a team is chasing a win; it’s just a lot likelier to happen during a struggle for survival, when runs are incidental.KL Rahul managed low bounce well at Old Trafford•Getty ImagesAnd when runs become incidental, viewers can immerse themselves in the mechanics and rhythms of skillful defensive batting. At times during his 90 in that third innings, Rahul seemed to be batting in a trancelike state that allowed him to watch the ball in slow motion – so inevitable did it look when he kept out the shin-high shooter that always seemed to be around the corner.It almost took until Rahul failed to keep one out, on 90, for the treachery of this low bounce to become clear. There had been something of Mark Waugh’s slip catching in Rahul’s defiance of Old Trafford’s uneven bounce, a way of making the extraordinary look effortless, bat coming down straight and unhurried, with none of the imprecise jabbing you might expect against balls behaving entirely contrary to muscle memory.For all that, this was an exceedingly flat pitch, its slowness taking away much of the sting of its occasional misbehaviour. Through the course of the third innings, India’s batters managed a control percentage of 87.8. In comparison, India had gone at 87.0 when they saved the 2009 Ahmedabad Test.The draw at Old Trafford was the fifth across 83 Tests in the last two years•Getty ImagesReturning to the aftermath of that match is an instructive exercise. dismissed most of the contest as “nothing short of a snooze-fest”. Harbhajan Singh, who bowled 48.4 overs before Sri Lanka declared at 760 for 7, suggested that pitches like Ahmedabad’s would “finish all the bowlers” and were “not fit for any kind of cricket”.If Old Trafford, a contest not dissimilar to that 2009 snoozefest, has left most of us with a warm and fuzzy feeling, it’s because of two things. There is, first of all, the tendency of the human brain to process events by turning them into stories. India lost the same number of wickets in both match-saving innings, but where they lost them after partnerships of 81, 88, 40 and 66 in Ahmedabad, they were 0 for 2 at Old Trafford and lost 2 for 34 after a 188-run third-wicket stand.Given the near-identical control percentages achieved over both innings, the vagaries of probability may have played a significant role in bringing about dissimilar fall-of-wicket patterns. There’s nothing better than an unpredictable twist, and nothing worse than a repetitive tale. And the story of Old Trafford also included the fact that the team that overcame adversity was a young visiting team striving to stay alive in the series, and the fact that one of their batters was nursing an injury that would have severely compromised his movements had he needed to bat.Ravindra Jadeja refused Ben Stokes’ offer for a draw after the 138th over•Ben Radford/AllSport UK LtdThe second thing Old Trafford had that Ahmedabad – and so many other “dull” draws that litter the history of Test cricket – lacked was rarity value. Ahmedabad was the 27th draw in 87 Tests over that two-year period. Old Trafford was only the fifth draw in 83 Tests in the last two years.Viewers, then, were perfectly placed to appreciate the best things about the draw, and downplay aspects of it that may have worried them at other times. The fact, for instance, that this was the fifth draw in as many first-class matches at Old Trafford this year. Or the idea that England’s bowlers may have looked as knackered as they did because they were playing their fourth Test of a series played on unforgivingly flat pitches – that both Headingley and Edgbaston produced decisive results may have been because they were played earlier in the series, by fresher players, with one team batting in a high-risk, high-reward way that shortened their innings. Or that India’s lacklustre display with the ball may have had something to do with selection that prioritised runs over wickets.All those things may have come into greater focus had Old Trafford been another draw in an era of drawn Tests. We aren’t in 2009, though, and we’re the better for it. The rarer draws are, the more captivating they become.But one thing hasn’t changed between 2009 and now, as ESPNcricinfo’s final-day report from Ahmedabad makes clear: “By the time the final session of the match arrived, the only question left unanswered was whether (Sachin) Tendulkar would get to his 88th international century. Kumar Sangakkara didn’t seem pleased with being kept on the field in the mandatory overs while Tendulkar moved towards the ton.”

Kent 271 (Ekansh 71, Dawkins 61, Morley 5-99) and 136 for 5 (Compton 55*, Evison 53, Reece 4-33) trail Derbyshire 698 for 6 dec by 291 runsDerbyshire were closing in on a huge victory against Kent when bad light forced a premature end to day three of their Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury.Kent were 135 for 5 in their seconds innings, still 291 behind, after Luis Reece ripped out their top order with 4 for 33.That came after Jack Morley took 5 for 99 as the visitors dismissed Kent for 271 in the first innings, a lead of 427. Ekansh Singh and Ben Dawkins both hit career-best scores of 71 and 61 respectively, but when the former was out Kent’s last four wickets went for just nine runs.Derbyshire enforced the follow on and Reece reduced them to 20 for 3 before Joey Evison and Ben Compton offered some resistance. Reece eventually got Evison for 53, but Compton was unbeaten on 55 when the light failed.The lights were on but very few people were at home when play began on time, with Kent on 117 for 2. Morley, who removed nightwatcher Michael Cohen with the final ball on day two, struck again in his first full over of the morning, getting Jaydn Denly lbw for a five-ball duck.Ekansh was given a life when Wayne Madsen couldn’t cling on to a slip catch after he flashed at Ben Aitchison, but Dawkins was strangled as soon as Zak Chappell returned from the Nackington Road End.Ollie Curtiss got his first first-class runs, but Morley had him brilliantly caught by Martin Andersson at midwicket for 14, leaving Kent on 217 for 5 at lunch.Morley claimed his fifth in style by clinging on to a violent return catch from Ekansh at the second attempt and in doing so he became the first Derbyshire spinner to claim five wickets at Canterbury since Les Townsend in 1931.There was raucous applause from the Nackington Road End when Evison hit Harry Came for successive boundaries to earn Kent a solitary bonus point, but he then slashed Reece to Aneurin Donald at first slip, before Aitchison got his second strangle of the day when Harry Finch flicked him behind for 14.Corey Flintoff went for a second-ball duck, hitting Aitchison straight to the sub fielder Nick Potts at square leg and Matt Parkinson lasted four balls before he edged Reece to Wayne Madsen, who took an outstanding one-handed grab at second slip.If that was bad, there was worse to come as Reece bowled Dawkins for nought with the second ball of the second innings and then had Denly caught behind for four in his next over. Reece got his third of the innings when Ekansh was caught behind for 4, but Compton and Evison steadied things.The latter was dropped by Amrit Basra off Chappell when he was on 28 in the final over before tea, at which point Kent were 61 for 3. He was dropped again on 52 when he drove Dal to midwicket, but Donald put him down, apparently while celebrating a catch he hadn’t actually taken.Donald’s embarrassment was fleeting as Evison chipped Reece to Andersson in the next over and Dal then bowled Curtiss for 4 but Compton swept Morley for four to pass 50 and bad light stopped play at 5.39pm, with eight overs remaining.

The two batters combined well as India began to fight back against New Zealand

Ashish Pant18-Oct-20240:45

Manjrekar: Sarfaraz a 2024 version of Javed Miandad

Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan don’t have a lot in common, but almost nine years ago at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the venue for the first Test between India and New Zealand, they combined to give one of the moments of IPL 2015.Sarfaraz, then 18, while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore had thrashed an audacious 21-ball 45 not out which included a number of physics-defying shots. While walking back to the change room, he was greeted by an awe-struck Kohli, the captain then, who appreciated his innings with folded hands and a bow. The video quickly went viral.Kohli and Sarfaraz’s paths haven’t crossed a lot since their RCB days which ended after Sarfaraz was released in 2018. It was fitting that the first time that they were batting together in an international game was at the very ground where they had shared a lovely moment all those years back.When the two got together, India were in a spot of bother trailing New Zealand by 261 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma had fallen in quick succession after a good start and that meant, Sarfaraz and Kohli had to do the rebuilding exercise. What they had in their favour was a pitch which had settled down. What they had to overcome was scoreboard pressure, and maybe a demon or two.Kohli and Sarfaraz were two of the five India batters to fall for a duck in the first innings where India were bundled out for 46. Kohli had not scored a fifty in a Test match in 2024. It didn’t seem like he’s been out of form but he wasn’t converting his starts as comfortably as when he was at his peak. He’s also had to miss a few games for personal reasons. Sarfaraz has been fighting for his place in the India side since making his debut against England earlier this year. There is a chance he wouldn’t even have been in the playing XI had Shubman Gill been fit. But the way the two of them played belied the pressure that was on them.1:08

Manjrekar: Kohli attacked really well against spin

After four balls of staunch defence, Sarfaraz went to his favourite sweep shot taking Ajaz Patel for back-to-back fours. It was an important passage of play. Ajaz was the one who had dismissed the Indian openers, but all of a sudden he was not allowed to settle into any sort of rhythm. Kohli, who was on 9 off 22 at the time having played a few tentative strokes, laced Will O’Rourke for a delightful cover drive. And when Sarfaraz guided the quick bowler past the slips the Chinnaswamy Stadium which had been silenced for a bit, found its voice again.It wasn’t a roar just yet. More of a hum. Sometimes that’s what the scoreboard does. India had reached 121 for 2, were going at close to 4.70 runs an over, but were still behind by 235 runs. Then came two shots from Sarfaraz, which wound the clock back right to 2015. Both shots came in an O’Rourke over. Both shots highly unconventional for a Test match.O’Rourke tried testing Sarfaraz with a bouncer, but the line was outside off and with the pitch not as quick, the batter used all the pace on offer to ramp him for six. Two balls later, O’Rourke went short again. This was a quicker bouncer aimed right at Sarfaraz’s body. But he arched back, and while almost ducking, plopped the face of the bat in the same path as the ball and got it over the keeper’s head even as he was falling onto his backside.This was the moment. Kohli was in splits. Bengaluru was delirious.Sarfaraz Khan and Virat Kohli scored quickly in the third session•Getty ImagesBy this time, Kohli also wanted to join in on the fun. As Ajaz came on to bowl his 11th over, he jumped down the track and smashed the left-arm spinner for a straight six. But it was the reaction after the shot which showed that he was zoned in. Kohli took a step to his right, adjusted the straps of his gloves and just nodded while looking at Sarfaraz. The next ball, out came a sweep through square leg which brought up the fifty partnership off just 45 balls before Kohli ended the over with another four through long leg.In all this, the crowd made sure to make their presence felt. They were quiet for most of the day with New Zealand and Rachin Ravindra piling on the runs, so much so that when the India innings began even the forward defence was met with a loud roar. When Kohli and Sarfaraz finally got things going India’s way, pandemonium set in.The ‘RCB, RCB’ chants came up but were soon replaced by ‘India, India’. The Bharat Army was singing its songs, the Mexican wave lasted for a good half an hour, the noise from the was deafening and in all this, Sarfaraz and Kohli carried on.The camaraderie between the two was also very much visible. The first ball of the 45th over by O’Rourke was a wayward short ball well down leg. Sarfaraz instinctively flapped at the ball to no avail, and then sheepishly glanced at Kohli, knowing he had erred with 15 minutes left for stumps. Kohli unimpressed, looked to his right and almost immediately broke into a wide grin without saying much.The duo added 136 runs for the third wicket and reduced the deficit to 125. It would have been a near-perfect day for the two if not for Kohli falling off the final ball. But they will know that with their backs to the wall, they have helped India dream the unthinkable. Only once in the history of Test cricket has a team won after falling for less than 46 in the first innings. That happened in 1887. If Sarfaraz can last for any length of time and help the hosts take a sizeable lead, Bengaluru could witness some unprecedented scenes in the next couple of days.