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An analysis of the trends formed in IPL 2025

Shubh Agarwal05-Jun-202514:45

IPL 2025: Do both Pandya brothers get picked in the team of the tournament?

:Indian batters on top
The dominance of Indian batters was one of the most prominent aspects of IPL 2025. Not only did they score over 16000 runs, they also achieved that at a 150-plus strike rate – both were firsts for Indian batters in an IPL season. Their average of 29.76 is also the highest in a season.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat makes it more noteworthy is the contribution from the uncapped batters. As many as nine uncapped Indian batters scored over 250 runs. The 2023 and 2024 seasons had six uncapped batters each doing so, which was the previous record.Related

• Big scores, big chases, big aggregates – the IPL 2025 runathon

• IPL 2025: Kohli, Bumrah, Iyer headline ESPNcricinfo's team of the tournament

• Arya, Prabhsimran, Suryavanshi and Rathi make ESPNcricinfo's IPL 2025 Uncapped XII

• IPL 2025 showed the might of the uncapped Indian batter

Prabhsimran Singh became only the second uncapped Indian batter to accumulate over 500 runs in a season, after Yashasvi Jaiswal in 2023. Prabhsimran’s opening partner, Priyansh Arya, scored over 450 runs in his debut season. The 14-year-old IPL debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi broke the record for the youngest batter to score a T20 hundred.Most impressively, the uncapped batters stood their ground against bowlers with international experience. There were 10 entries of an uncapped batter scoring over 20 runs against international bowlers at a strike rate of over 200 without getting out, the most in a season.This pattern played a vital role in deciding the top four sides. Delhi Capitals’ (DC) two home wins came in Vishakhapatnam; in five matches in Delhi, they lost four and won a Super Over to garner two points from a tied game against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Chennai Super Kings won only one of their six matches in Chepauk. In total, seven of the 10 teams lost more than 50% of their home matches.Bowling offspin against left-handers as a match-up did not prove effective this season. Left-handed batters faced only 25.54% of offspin, the lowest in a season. In this match-up, they conceded 8.87 runs per over, only the third IPL season when they went at more than eight per over against left-handers, after 2008 (8.50) and 2018 (8.26).ESPNcricinfo LtdWhere were the close games?
IPL 2025 was a season that the faint-hearted would have enjoyed without many complications, as there were only a few nailbiters. While the 200-plus run chases were exciting to watch, five of them were finished as contests before the start of the final over. None of the 37 successful chases went to the last ball. Only six matches were decided with a margin of less than 10 runs. Throughout the season, only four matches were effectively alive on the final delivery, including the Super Over contest between DC and RR.ESPNcricinfo LtdOverall, only 21.13% of matches were close (with the margin under 10 runs or less than six balls to spare having less than three wickets in hand in a successful run chase). Only 2011 had fewer close games – 20.83%.Even the playoff qualification was quite straightforward, with the top four decided after the 63rd league game. That is seven matches before the league stage was over, the earliest the top four have been confirmed in a season.

Heading into Liverpool’s highly anticipated clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday night, one obvious player was stealing all the headlines.

Indeed, it was billed as the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Anfield in the Champions League, but the former Reds prodigy turned Los Blancos star only came on for the final exchanges.

Thankfully, Arne Slot’s resurgent side backed up a 2-0 win over Aston Villa with a superb showing against Xabi Alonso’s challengers, as a full team effort guided the Reds to a memorable 1-0 win on Europe’s grandest stage.

It was a phenomenal performance but there was perhaps an even better display post-game from skipper Virgil van Dijk. Keen to dismiss Trent as a talking point, he simply responded to being asked whether he was going to speak to the right-back with one word: “No.”

So, any talk of a meltdown has subsided now, as Liverpool look to be slowly returning to the polished machine they were last season when the Premier League title was triumphantly lifted.

How Liverpool downed Madrid

There must be something in the water on Merseyside that sees Liverpool raise their game whenever the LaLiga giants stroll into town.

In 2024, the Reds cruised to a 2-0 victory over the Spanish titans, with Alexis Mac Allister on the score sheet that night.

Deja vu occurred on Tuesday evening; therefore, as another comfortable victory saw the former Brighton and Hove Albion star pop up with the decisive match-winner.

Mac Allister headed home Dominik Szoboszlai’s inch-perfect delivery, with the South American also managing to come off at the end of the clash with 100% of his tackles won.

Szoboszlai offered far more than just being a classy operator from set-pieces, with a total of five shots registered by the Hungarian, only for Thibaut Courtois to have another unbelievable night against Slot’s men.

Come the end of the contest, journalist Bence Bocsak even boldly stated that the classy number eight was the “best midfielder on the pitch”.

That’s high praise, indeed, considering the visitors boasted Jude Bellingham in their ranks, but there was no fear in Liverpool’s game, coming up against some of these world-class talents, as evidenced in Conor Bradley’s ice-cold display.

Bradley – who noted that he wasn’t “fazed at all” after the match – came up against 2025 Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinicius Junior, and had him in his pocket all night long, heroically winning seven duels and three tackles.

Yet, there is one more Liverpool hero who could be turning into Slot’s very own Philippe Coutinho in front of our eyes.

Slot has found Liverpool's new Coutinho

Coutinho is remembered for being an exceptional midfield talent at Anfield, capable of lighting up Champions League occasions with his trickery and skill.

His final season for the Reds saw the Brazilian fire home a ridiculous five strikes from five Champions League clashes, with ex-Liverpool midfielder Craig Johnston once stating that Coutinho was the “absolute jewel” in their crown.

LW

106

37 + 26

AM

84

15 + 18

Johnston also stated that he provided Liverpool with “the best of both worlds” in terms of his audacious tricks and flicks, but also his hard work and adaptability for the cause, having often been moved to the left wing during his Anfield career.

That worked a treat, too, with 37 of his 54 career strikes for the red half of Merseyside coming from the left flank.

Florian Wirtz very much put in a Coutinho-like shift against Alonso’s men on Wednesday evening, as the easily scapegoated German was equal parts skill and equal parts grit down the left channel, to ensure a 1-0 win was secured.

Only eight of his 197 games for Bayer Leverkusen would come down this channel, but he looked a natural from this spot against Madrid, with a whopping five key passes amassed come the end of the tie and completing his one and only tackle.

The big-money summer signing has not been at his best in Liverpool colours just yet but this certainly provided hope for the future. There is a player in there, for sure.

Moreover, Wirtz completed all 100% of his dribbles as a constant Coutinho-esque threat for the visitors from Spain to keep tabs on.

He also covered a staggering 11.37km of the pitch just from energetic runs alone, with the aforementioned Johnston also once praising Coutinho for his ability to “keep running.”

In an ideal world, Wirtz would want to play in that preferred number 10 position for Slot and Co week in, week out.

But, with an “outrageous” performance now under his belt on the left – as Liverpool-based account Anfield Wrap described it – the £116m summer buy could slowly be morphing into a Coutinho-like presence, with the goals and assists hopefully flowing soon.

Better than Bradley: Liverpool star looked sellable, now he's their star man

Liverpool produced their best performance of the season to defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2025

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O Flamengo venceu o São Paulo por 2 a 1, nesta quarta-feira (17), no Maracanã, pela 2ª rodada do Brasileirão. Luiz Araújo e De La Cruz foram os responsáveis pelos gols do triunfo, enquanto Ferreira descontou para os visitantes.

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Com o resultado, o Rubro-Negro ocupa a liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro pela primeira vez desde a última rodada da edição de 2020. A equipe de Tite soma seis pontos e tem dois gols favoráveis no saldo.

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO 2 X 1 SÃO PAULO
BRASILEIRÃO – SEGUNDA RODADA

🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 17 de abril de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Maracanã, em Rio de Janeiro, no Brasil
🟨 Árbitro: Anderson Daronco (Fifa/RS)
⚽ Gols: Luiz Araújo e De La Cruz (Flamengo); Ferreira (São Paulo)

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⚽ ESCALAÇÕES
FLAMENGO (Técnico: Tite)
Rossi; Varela,Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira e Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, Allan e De La Cruz; Everton Cebolinha, Pedro e Bruno Henrique.

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Tiago Carpini)
Rafael; Ferraresi, Arboleda e Diego Costa; Igor Vinícius, Alisson, Pablo Maia e Wellington; Luciano e Michel Araújo; Calleri.

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BrasileirãoFlamengoSão Paulo

Quinton de Kock scored the first hundred since his international comeback, and 22nd overall, as South Africa drew level in the ODI series against Pakistan. Tony de Zorzi and de Kock shared a 153-run second-wicket stand, which followed de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ 81-run opening partnership. They only lost two wickets, as de Kock completed the chase of 270 with 59 balls to spare, in Matthew Breetzke’s company.South Africa batted with fluency and flair, both of which were absent from the Pakistan line-up after they chose to bat first. Though half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Salman Agha set Pakistan up well, their strike rates of 80.30 and 65.09 meant the going was slow throughout their innings. Mohammad Nawaz’s career-best run-a-ball 59 eventually took them over 250 – to 269.Nawaz’s individual achievement was one of three in the first half of the match. South Africa’s left-arm seamer Nandre Burger and legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter, who both sat out the first game, bagged career-best figures of 4 for 46 and 3 for 55 respectively. They were well supported by disciplined efforts from Corbin Bosch, Donovan Ferreira and Bjorn Fortuin, who all conceded at under six runs an over.While Pakistan made batting look tough, South Africa found the flow with their left-handed opening pair of Pretorius and de Kock. Pretorius enjoyed the bulk of the strike in the first four overs and hit three fours off Naseem Shah in the second, before de Kock hit his first shot of intent. He punched a short, wide Afridi ball through the covers for four. Pretorius should have been out in the next over, but Naseen spilled a return chance and Pretorius made Pakistan pay.Tony de Zorzi ensured South Africa’s smooth passage in the chase•Getty Images

Pretorious went after Shaheen Shah Afridi, and then Mohammed Wasim, and appeared unstoppable before he flayed at a wide Wasim delivery and nicked off. De Kock was on 32 off 31 balls himself when he lost his opening partner, and rebuilt quietly with de Zorzi.The pair scored 35 runs off the next seven overs and de Kock got his fifty with a six off Ashraf, before de Zorzi was finally ready to take on Afridi. He sent a short ball through midwicket and a full one through deep backward square, but his full range on the legside was on display when he took on Mohammad Nawaz. He reverse-swept, slogged over mid-wicket and then reached for a wide one to send it over long-off. In total, de Zorzi took 27 runs off 13 balls he faced from Nawaz, and also reached fifty off him.De Kock helped himself to runs off Afridi, then entered the 80s with a six over cover off Agha. He was on 98 when Afridi reviewed an lbw shout off Wasim. However, the delivery pitched outside leg and de Kock reached his century two balls later. The ball after that, Afridi reviewed again; once more, it had pitched outside leg.Pakistan used eight bowling options as they tried to break through, and Faheem eventually did. De Zorzi was caught off a leading edge by Ayub at point. De Kock – who finished unbeaten on 123* – and stand-in captain Matthew Breetzke ensured it was too late for Pakistan to defend their score, which could have been much less after they were reduced to 22 for 3 in the fifth over.Nandre Burger’s four tied down Pakistan’s batters•AFP via Getty Images

Earlier in the day, Burger struck with this third ball when Fakhar Zaman gloved an attempted pull to de Kock. Bosch had Babar Azam given out lbw off with his second delivery, but Babar reviewed. Ball-tracking showed the ball was bouncing over the stumps. All the same, South Africa did not have to wait too long to dismiss Pakistan’s talisman. In this third over, Burger squared up Babar, and he edged to Ferreira at first slip. Four balls later, Mohammed Rizwan fetched a Burger ball from fifth stump and chopped it onto his leg stump. At the other end, Bosch’s opening spell read: 4-0-8-0.The change bowlers Fortuin and Ferreira kept things quiet and limited the boundaries. By the 20th over, Pakistan had collectively hit just six fours before Ayub scored the innings’ first six, off Fortuin. Ayub also got to his second ODI 50 off Fortuin.Breetzke then made an inspired bowling change, which ended Ayub’s innings: he brought Bosch back as the halfway stage approached halfway stage, Ayub drove the ball back at Bosch with some force, and Bosch took a good low catch in his follow-through to pick up his first.At the time, Agha was on 34 off 62 balls, and showed no signs of speeding up. So, it fell to his partners to up the ante. Hussain Talat attempted to flick Peter over the legside, but the ball only found a leading edge, giving Peter a return catch and leaving Pakistan at 131 for 5 after 30 overs.Mohammad Nawaz added plenty of runs at the death•Getty Images

Agha made his way to fifty off 83 balls, and then began showing signs of urgency. He also slog-swept Fortuin for four, but it was Mohammad Nawaz who danced down the track to hit the left-arm spinner for six, and then repeated the feat against Bosch. Agha tried to join in, but Bosch had the final say when he bowled him with an inswinging yorker.Faheem Ashraf took 12 of the 13 runs off Bosch’s penultimate over, but was caught at deep mid-wicket when he tried to slog a Burger slower-ball bouncer. Peter got another return catch when Afridi top-edged him while trying to go big.After that, it was all Nawaz. He reached his fifty with six off the first ball of the final over, hit another 10 runs, and then gave Peter his third caught and bowled. This final dismissal was the best of the lot, as he had to judge a high chance. Though Naseem finished the innings with a six, Pakistan did not have nearly enough.Saturday’s third ODI, also in Faisalabad, will decide the series and end South Africa’s all-format tour of Pakistan.

Melbourne Renegades paid for giving the former Australia captain a life in what became a one-sided derby

AAP29-Nov-2025Meg Lanning made Melbourne Renegades pay dearly for a dropped catch, spearheading Stars to a massive WBBL derby win.Lanning carried her bat through Stars’ innings, scoring 73, and was player of the match as they dominated for a 45-run win on Saturday in bleak, late-spring conditions at Junction Oval.Related

• Devine upstages Capsey as Scorchers seal victory

• Rain, controversial finish rob Thunder of a win

Stars’ first win in four Melbourne derbies gave them top spot, one point ahead of Hobart Hurricanes, who were to host Perth Scorchers on Saturday night. It sets up a pivotal clash on Monday, when Hurricanes host Stars.While Stars posted their fourth-straight win, Renegades were well off the form that took them to last season’s title.Renegades’ fielding in particular let them down, most glaringly when Lanning was on 27 and cut Sarah Coyte to Deandra Dottin at backward point. Dottin grassed the straightforward chance and it proved a pivotal moment in the game.The previous ball, excellent glovework from Nicole Faltum had Amy Jones stumped off Georgia Wareham for 43 to break a dangerous stand of 62 with Lanning.Lanning hit seven fours and a six in her 58-ball knock. Captain Annabel Sutherland whacked two sixes off consecutive balls from Coyte on her way to a quickfire 27.In the same over, Alice Capsey and Naomi Stalenberg collided when chasing a ball and Lanning contributed a third six off the hapless Coyte.Stars’ Georgia Prestwidge caught Renegades’ malaise, dropping an easy chance from Dottin on the first ball of the innings. But fellow opener Courtney Webb spooned the easiest of return catches to Marizanne Kapp soon after and Renegades lost wickets steadily.Sasha Moloney took a scorching catch at backward point to claim the crucial wicket of Wareham for a first-ball duck off Maisy Gibson. Dottin and Faltum made 23 and Gibson claimed 3 for 17 from 2.3 overs.The undoubtable shining light for Renegades in the dreary conditions was Milly Illingworth, who snared 3 for 19 from four overs.Stars will now lose Kapp to South African international duties, while Sophie Molineux was a key absentee for Renegades.

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O Palmeiras perdeu por 1 a 0 para o internacional nesta quarta-feira (17), na Arena Barueri, pela segunda rodada do Brasileirão 2024. O gol do jogo foi marcado pelo atacante Wesley, e Rafael Borré perdeu pênalti. Assista aos melhores momentos no vídeo acima!

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Com isso, o Verdão perdeu a marca de 10 anos de invencibilidade diante do Colorado. O próximo jogo do Palmeiras é contra o Flamengo, enquanto o Internacional enfrenta o Athletico-PR.

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Internacionalmelhores momentosPalmeiras

Although he understands why the decision was made, Lyon said he “can play a role in any conditions”

Alex Malcolm29-Jul-2025Nathan Lyon says he was disappointed with being left out of Australia’s final Test of the recent Caribbean tour, but he understood why the selectors made the decision, and that in hindsight, it was the right call.Lyon had not been left out of Australia’s Test XI for any reason other than injury since 2013, but the selectors made the bold decision to leave him out for the third pink-ball Test at Sabina Park. They picked four fast bowlers instead, because the conditions were set to be so extreme.Lyon spoke for the first time since missing the Test on Tuesday in Melbourne, during an appearance with a corporate partner of his BBL club Melbourne Renegades. He did not hide his disappointment, revealing that much of it was driven by missing out on playing in close friend Mitchell Starc’s 100th Test.”There’s no point hiding behind it, I was disappointed with the decision, but I totally understood it,” he said. “Disappointed on a number of levels that: One, I believe I can play a role in any conditions, and I still honestly believe that. And then honestly, the other one was not to walk out on the field with Starcy. I’ve played 90-odd Test matches with Starcy, so to be able to walk out there with him in his 100th would have been amazing. But I was still there, running the drinks, and still part of it.Related

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Boland better prepared for anticipated Bazball blitz in Australia

Nathan Lyon: 'In my eyes, Jack Leach is still England's best spinner'

Australia's Ashes questions: Open season, two allrounders, four quicks?

Konstas will play for Australia again, but will he play the Ashes this year?

“I want to play every game for Australia, and I’ve just got that belief that I can play a role in any conditions, as every cricketer should have that belief.”But at the end of the day, we can sit here and say hats off to them, they made the right call. And if I’m going to miss a game, Scott Boland is probably the guy you want to see go out there and perform. And for him to go out there and bowl like he did, like we always know he does, to take a hat-trick, was pretty special. And to witness the guys bowl them out for 27 that was pretty amazing.”The decision to leave Lyon out – and the dominance of Australia’s quicks as a quartet – has naturally led to discussion about whether it could happen again in the Ashes this summer, if similarly extreme conditions presented themselves.Part of the reasoning for Lyon’s omission was that he did not bowl a single over in the 2022 Ashes pink-ball Test in Hobart. He also bowled just one over in last year’s pink-ball Test in Adelaide against India.He did not play a part in Starc’s 100th Test•ICC via Getty ImagesBut Lyon was adamant he would be a lock for all five Ashes Tests, particularly given his record at the first three Test venues: Perth’s Optus Stadium, the Gabba and Adelaide Oval.”I’m definitely not thinking about my place in the team,” Lyon said. “I know my role in the side, and the conditions really was the reason why I missed that Test match. But I’m fully focused on making sure that fitness levels are high, skill levels are high, leading into the first three Shield games and then into the Perth Test match. I love bowling in Perth. Love bowling all around Australia if I’m being honest with you, so no, I’ve got no doubts there.”There are doubts, however, about who will be Australia’s opener for the Perth Test alongside Usman Khawaja, after Sam Konstas endured a nightmare tour of the Caribbean. But Lyon, who has been a big supporter of Konstas in his brief time around the Australian team – including inviting him to a private training camp in Brisbane prior to the WTC final – implored the critics not to be too hard on the 19-year-old.”I think it’s been a massive learning curve for Sam,” Lyon said. “I don’t think we need to be so hard on him. I think he’s obviously young, and he’s still learning his game. And I think we’ve all, as Test cricketers, been through those periods throughout our career. It’s about, especially our senior players, making sure that we’re getting around him and making sure that he knows he’s got full support.”I’m not a selector but I’d be surprised if he didn’t go on the [Australia A] tour to India. So, I think he’s going to have some cricket there, but then he’s obviously got Shield cricket as well. And like everyone, we want to go out there and perform for our states and make sure that we’re putting our hands up for national selection. No one’s got a given right to be picked for Australia. And so, it’s about us putting our arms around him, making sure that he goes out there and backs his skill and finds a method that he wants to bat with.”Lyon expects to feature in all the Ashes Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesLyon also expected Marnus Labuschagne to bounce back from his axing during the Caribbean tour.”Marn’s upbeat, and so he should be,” Lyon said. “His Test record speaks volumes. He absolutely put a couple of coaches into the ground over there with the amount of training that he was doing. But that’s Marn. That’s the way he prepares. And he’s still a class player, and he will be for a long period of time. So I’m still expecting bigger and better things from Marnus.”Lyon will now do a two-month pre-season with New South Wales ahead of the summer and expects to play at least three of the four Sheffield Shield games before the first Test, although his workloads will be managed by Cricket Australia in conjunction with NSW.He is also hopeful of finally making his BBL debut for Renegades in his third year on the list as Renegades have four games, plus finals if they get there, after the Ashes series is completed. One of those games is at Adelaide Oval against Adelaide Strikers, where he started his professional and BBL career. He said he is looking forward to bowling to close friends Travis Head and Alex Carey.”We’ve already spoken about that, but that’s all in good fun,” Lyon said. “I’ve obviously got a massive summer ahead of that. But if we get the opportunity to play each other in the Big Bash I’ll have to put all my notes in the back of the memory.”

It seemed for an age that his bowling exploits were capped by physical ailments but in Manchester, the Stokes of old turned up and made things happen

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes celebrates his five-wicket haul•Getty Images

The raise of the ball was done with all the enthusiasm of a man lifting a plunger out of a blocked toilet.Ben Stokes’ fifth five-wicket haul, completed on day two of the fourth Test against India, means only he, Ian Botham, Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis have taken as many alongside scoring at least 10 centuries. No cricketer should be shy of entering that kind of club. But Stokes looked a little sheepish.You could understand where Stokes was coming from to an extent. It was likely a mix of not wanting to take the glory – his modus operandi since assuming the Test captaincy – and a tinge of embarrassment that it had been a long time coming. His last five-for, against West Indies at Lord’s – came back in September 2017.Related

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England play down workload concerns after Stokes retires hurt with cramp

Duckett, Crawley flatten India on day headlined by Pant's bravery

When left is right for Jofra Archer

'England openers came out 90 seconds late' – Gill on Lord's sledging

A few weeks on from that career-best 6 for 22, Stokes stayed up late in Bristol and, well, you know how that one went. And that, along with plenty of other situations, many beyond the allrounder’s control, has made days like these seem further away.It seemed his bowling exploits were capped. Some of those have been physical ailments and so, by proxy, all have been mental.But this 5 for 72 has, for now, kept India to 358 and allowed England a handy run out under the sun to trail by just 133 at stumps on day two. It also puts Stokes top of the pops with 16 dismissals this series. And moreover, back in a groove that, up until the last month, had seemed lost to the annals.Three batters trimmed off. Two bumped. Always threatening. Never knowingly under-bowled. All this signposted a return to the Stokes of old. Namely the one he was across 2019 and 2020 – a period he reckons was his peak.2:17

Crawley: ‘Owe it to myself to have a few good performances’

Funnily enough, there were no five-fors during this stanza. But even that was not necessarily about the 41 dismissals at 27.70 across both years, but the skill, control and durability across 368.1 overs.There are a specific 2.2 overs at the end of the final day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands in January 2020, that Stokes rewatched heading into this summer. Desperate to recapture the perfect rhythm, high pace and immaculate lengths distilled in that match-winning spell of 3 for 1.”I used Cape Town as a visual thing for me,” revealed Stokes in Leeds, ahead of the series opener. “To look back at and go, like, ‘what was I doing there’? Because that’s when I felt really good.”Zak Crawley was in the cordon five years ago, taking a juggling blinder to give Stokes his second of that set, and was in prime position here to admire the similarities.”There’s so many similarities to that,” Crawley said at stumps on Thursday. “He was bowling quickly back then. He’s got that pace back now. And the way he just gets that away movement from the right-hander, that zip, which is as much as anyone in the world really. He gets that bounce.”He’s a proper wicket-taker and he can make things happen and that’s certainly the case when I first came into the side back then (2020). And he seems to have got that back now, which is a phenomenal effort considering the injuries he’s had and, well, he’s a little bit older now.”This summer, Stokes’ average speed – 135.38kph – is the third-fastest he has registered in a home season since 2019. His control evident from the shift from day one to day two, earning his final three wickets for just 25 in 10 overs.Day two boasted the highest degree of swing of any day this series, so Stokes pushed his length forward. Of Wednesday’s 14 overs, 19.7% were full (within 6.25m of the stumps) and the dismissal of Shubman Gill, his opposite number, was at the shorter limit of that threshold. Thursday’s Stokes went further, with 32.2% to fashion what swing there was into a weapon. Shardul Thakur skewed his drive to a diving Ben Duckett at gully, then Anshul Kamboj played down what became the wrong line for Stokes’ fifth.Arguably the more impressive milestone for Stokes had come on day one, ticking over the most he has ever bowled in a series, currently. It will certainly be the most meaningful to him.Previous roles as an enforcer or “break glass for match winner” quick meant he was kept to cameos. But he has always had the skills. The problem soon became his body. Thankfully, we appear to be through the tunnel.0:49

What makes Crawley and Duckett click as a pair?

The light was seen by Stokes back in 2023. An overdue left knee operation after the ODI World Cup cleared up what was threatening to become a chronic mess. And though two right hamstring tears in six months followed, the lessons from that first procedure – specifically, how much easier rehabilitation was with a sleeker physique – had already been learned.The biggest benefit for Stokes has been around recovery. Not only have performances been backed up, but the speeds have been consistent. The first innings averages tell the story; 134.3kph (Headingley), 135.59kph (Edgbaston), 136.71kph (Lord’s) and 135.2kph here.The gap between Lord’s and Manchester is probably the most insightful as far as where Stokes is at right now.After bowling 44 overs in the victory at Lord’s, including 20 on day five to help bag that 201 lead, Stokes spent the next few days in bed. As such, when it came to training on Monday at Emirates Old Trafford, he was ready to get back on the grind, even if he was still feeling a little tired.Two days out from the first Test at Headingley, Stokes had wowed his team-mates by bowling a mammoth 11-over stint. And while he was not going to do the same here, he did want to get the wheels turning. Unfortunately, the Manchester weather got in the way.Instead, Stokes beasted himself on Tuesday. After a gym session in the morning, he bowled in the Trafford Cricket Centre – Lancashire’s onsite indoor nets – which is by no means the done thing for a bowler on the eve of a match because the indoor surface is unforgiving on the joints. Not only did Stokes get through that, he followed it up with a long batting stint. Then he sent down 24 of the first 114.1 overs of this match.Without question, Stokes’ renewed fitness drive has allowed him to stitch together a series like this. He sensed it himself, which is why after 11.2 overs against Zimbabwe, back in May, he felt he did not need to play for Durham or England Lions to be right for India.At the same time, all this has come with a bit of balance. Captaincy, at least from the outside, feels a little easier. Given the fear at the start of his tenure centered around marrying those duties with his all-action nature, he seems to be at his most switched on while carrying the bowling burden.It’s worth noting that on day three at Lord’s, when Brendon McCullum sent over bowling consultant Tim Southee to suggest Stokes cap a spell at seven overs, Stokes had already decided that was that. He knew he had run that particular race. That he went on to bowl 9.2- and 10-over spells two days later owed more to a sense he had the wares to crack the game open than simply indulging a hero complex. Vindication of both came with the removal of KL Rahul in the former and a belligerent Jasprit Bumrah in the latter.On the subject of balance, Stokes seems to have found a sweet spot. The graft away from the field to allow the gut-busting on it is tempered in various ways. Though he stopped drinking alcohol as he recovered from a hamstring operation at the start of the year, he sups the occasional drink as a reward following a satisfying day’s play. Everything in moderation, including moderation.At 34, you might term this all as growth, and in some ways it is. Of a man getting better attuned with his body and still developing a greater affinity for the craft of bowling.It used to be said of Stokes that it was hard to discern what kind of allrounder he was, beyond one with an appetite for big moments. Detractors would say that was down to neither-here-nor-there numbers with bat and ball.Now, entering the twilight of his career, Stokes is, emphatically, a bowling allrounder. And that’s not because the batting numbers are taking a dip, but because he has never been a more complete bowler than right now.

Piers Morgan loves to massage Cristiano Ronaldo's ego. The outspoken British journalist is an insatiable status hunter, and reeled in his biggest fish some time ago with endless public declarations of admiration, eventually building a bromance that has earned him exclusive access to a footballing icon. But it is not one built on the foundation of truth.

Sitting across from Morgan, Ronaldo can boast until his heart is content, safe in the knowledge that he won't be challenged. Indeed, in their latest meet-up, promoting both Ronaldo's record-breaking YouTube channel and Talk TV's , there were even times when questions were ditched altogether for cringe-inducing flattery.

"I know about your aftershave, I use it, it’s very successful, I have to say," Morgan gushed. "I use it, people say ‘ooh, you smell like Cristiano’." Fans were promised the "most revealing interview" of Ronaldo's career to date, but instead got 78 minutes of bootlicking, centred mainly around the Al-Nassr superstar's vast fortune and good looks.

When the topic of football came up, they mostly trod over familiar ground. And even now, with the benefit of experience and hindsight at the ripe old age of 40, Ronaldo's answers were juvenile and born out of a lack of self-awareness. He also made a series of claims that either made no sense or were flat-out wrong.

Ronaldo's brilliance at his peak was a joy to behold, and his list of achievements is almost unparalleled. But getting friendly with Morgan has only had a detrimental effect on his legacy. Some three-and-a-half years on from his switch to Saudi Arabia, the veteran striker also seems to be completely out of touch with the modern game.

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  United on a 'good path'

  The last time Morgan interviewed Ronaldo, it led to the end of his second spell at Manchester United. His contract was terminated by mutual consent in November 2022 after Ronaldo accused then-United boss Erik ten Hag of disrespecting him and slammed the mentality of the club's younger players. 

  Ronaldo also appeared to take aim at the Glazer family, saying United had made "zero progress" on or off the pitch under the American owners since his departure for Real Madrid in 2009. Now, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are overseeing football operations, but Ronaldo doesn't feel anything has changed on their watch.

  “Right now, they don’t have a structure,” said the Portugal international. “I hope that changes in the future, because the potential of the club is amazing, it’s one of the most important clubs of the century. Manchester United is still in my heart. I love that club. But we have to all be honest and look for ourselves and say we are not on a good path. They need to change and it’s not only about the coach and players.”

  While it is true that the Red Devils have fallen to horrifying new depths as a team since Ronaldo's exit, it is ridiculous to suggest that INEOS are not taking the necessary steps to turn things around. The co-owners have targeted Premier League glory by 2028 to mark United's 150th anniversary, overhauling the club's recruitment model as a major first step towards that goal, while plans for a state-of-the-art new stadium billed as the "Wembley of the North" have also been unveiled.

  Ratcliffe has made unpopular decisions, including laying off a large portion of staff and hiking up ticket prices, but United are now a stronger business entity because of them. He's also invested in new players and a manager who fit the long-term vision, and slowly but surely, results and performances are improving. Ronaldo has clearly not been paying close attention because his old club finally on a "good path" again

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  Amorim doesn't need to be a miracle worker

  Ronaldo has also insisted that United cannot win the Premier League title season, with an eight-point gap to leaders Arsenal considered insurmountable, and expressed sympathy towards his compatriot Ruben Amorim, who replaced Ten Hag has head coach in November last year.

  “He’s doing his best,” Ronaldo said. “What are you going to do? Miracles? Miracles are impossible.”

  Amorim's job was certainly not an easy one, given the mess of a squad he inherited from Ten Hag, but United didn't need a miracle worker, they just needed a coach who would use the near-limitless resources at their disposal more thoughtfully and stamp a proper identity.

  Amorim is doing exactly that. In his first 12 months at the helm, the former Sporting CP boss has transformed United into a far more aggressive, direct outfit, prioritising discipline off the ball and speed on it. It has been a frustrating process that has included more setbacks than Amorim would ever have imagined, and a long summer of casting out the deadwood, but the proper patterns of play are clear for all to see now, and for perhaps the first time in the entire post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, everyone is pulling in the same direction.

  It probably won't translate to Premier League success come May, and 2028 might even be too soon, but United are making progress, as underlined by their current five-match unbeaten run. If Ronaldo really cared about the club, he wouldn't be trying to dampen the renewed sense of optimism, as Amorim himself seemed to suggest when responding to his comments before a thrilling 2-2 draw against Tottenham on Saturday.

  "He knows he has a huge impact in everything he says," the United coach told reporters. "What we need to do is focus on the future. We know that we, as a club, made a lot of mistakes in the past, but we are trying to change that. We are changing a lot in the structure, the way we do things, that we want the players to behave. We are improving. Let's continue and forget a little bit [about] the past."

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  Kidding himself

  Ronaldo is obviously trying to cling to relevancy. There would be no need to keep word-vomiting negativity about United if he felt secure. But despite his best efforts, only the real die-hard CR7 supporters are following his exploits in the Saudi Pro League with any genuine interest.

  The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored his 953rd career goal at the weekend, from the penalty spot, as Al-Nassr beat Neom 3-1 to stay three points clear at the top of the table. It was his ninth league goal of the 2025-26 campaign from just eight appearances as he chases down a third successive Golden Boot, and his 103rd overall since joining the club on a free transfer.

  Those are impressive numbers at any level, but, as ever, Ronaldo wants more credit: "I've played everywhere. Everywhere. For me, it's more easy to score in Spain, than to score in Saudi. If I played the Premier League, now in a top team, I will score the same! If I had a good team, at 40 years old, I will score the same.

  "They say things about the Saudi league, but they have never been here, they never play here. They don't know what [it is like] to run in 40 degrees [celsius]. They don't know. And I still continue and I repeat the Saudi League, it's much, much better than Portuguese League, of course. French league is only PSG. Premier League is good, of course, is the number one."

  It has to be mentioned that the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League winners, Al-Hilal, knocked Manchester City out of the Club World Cup at the last-16 stage over the summer, and household names like Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, N'Golo Kante and Ivan Toney have all joined Ronaldo in the Middle East. But from top to bottom, the competition does not hold a candle to any of Europe's top five leagues, or the Liga Portugal.

  Although Saudi Arabia is growing as a footballing force, it is still seen primarily as a place for ageing stars to prolong their careers while earning a King's Ransom. And while Ronaldo has been prolific, a quick look at his Al-Nassr highlight reel shows he has benefited hugely from disorganised defences and terrible goalkeeping standards. 

  He would certainly not get anywhere near the same amount of time and space he does now in La Liga or Ligue 1, and is kidding himself if he genuinely believes he'd still score 20-plus in the Premier League. Let's not forget that Ronaldo only found the net once in his final 10 league outings for United, ultimately losing his place in the starting XI.

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  World Cup U-turn

  Ronaldo has repeatedly called himself the GOAT down the years, but many have disputed that claim because of his failure to win the World Cup. Portugal's latest disappointment at Qatar 2022 seemed to hit him hardest, as they were ousted in the quarter-finals by surprise package Morocco.

  In an emotional post on Instagram, he admitted that the 1-0 defeat marked the "end" of his "biggest and most ambitious dream", which was taken as a retirement hint at the time. But with the 2026 World Cup now only eight months away, Ronaldo is still turning out for Portugal and is expected to lead his country as captain once again in North America.

  However, when Morgan quizzed him on the importance of the competition, the former Real Madrid and Juventus striker performed an unexpected U-turn. "If you ask me, Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup? No, it's not a dream," he replied. "Define what? To define if I'm one of the best in history, to win one competition, [of] six games, seven games. You think it's fair?"

  Ronaldo also highlighted the fact that he's already won three trophies with Portugal, including the 2016 European Championship, and said he'd retire happy if he doesn't add the most elusive piece of silverware to his collection. But could it be that, deep down, he simply doesn't believe the "biggest dream" is achievable anymore, and is covering himself for when Portugal inevitably fall short again? Or is he once again trying to diminish the accomplishments of his eternal nemesis, one Lionel Messi…

Liam Scott made 53 to go with his five wickets while Ben Manenti finished 49 not out as South Australia won by three wickets in a tight fourth innings chase

AAP12-Nov-2025Australia’s incumbent Test allrounder Beau Webster has taken eight wickets, including Travis Head twice and Alex Carey once, but it wasn’t enough for Tasmania as Liam Scott and Ben Manenti guided South Australia to their first win of the Sheffield Shield season in Hobart.Needing to manufacture the highest innings of a bowler-dominated match, the reigning champions recovered from 88 for 5 to chase down the target of 217.Cult hero Manenti was one of the heroes, scoring an unbeaten 49 from No.8. Manenti also took the crucial wickets of Beau Webster, Tim Ward and Brad Hope in Tasmania’s second innings to help bowl the Tigers out for 184. He put on a crucial 71-run stand with player of the match Scott to steer the visitors out of trouble.Related

• Webster takes five on tough day for his Test chances

• Webster, Weatherald miss out as Doggett bags five

South Australia were winless from their first three games of the season, losing two and drawing the other. The result came against stiff opposition, with Australia’s incumbent Test No.6 Beau Webster starring with the ball to ensure he remains in contention to keep his spot.After claiming 5 for 50 in the first innings, Webster backed it up with 3 for 73 in the losing cause.Two of his victims were Travis Head and Alex Carey, his Australian teammates. Head edged Webster to slips on 15 from a ripping off-cutter, continuing his disappointing run of form leading into the Ashes.Since smashing a blazing ODI century against South Africa in August, his highest score has been 31 in 11 innings.Although Webster got the better of his Test teammates, he was taken apart by Manenti and Scott, with his wickets coming at more than six runs an over.Manenti was thrilled with the win.”We’ve been pretty successful down here the last couple of years. It’s a place we love to come and play at,” he said. “Probably rode the game a bit, it was a tricky wicket early.”We needed it. We’ve been close the last couple of weeks, playing some really good cricket, we’ve just lost patches.”South Australia will return to Adelaide Oval for their next match against Western Australia, starting on November 22.