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Marnus Labuschagne’s form, a potential return for Sam Konstas and Beau Webster’s role are all in the spotlight ahead of Lord’s

Alex Malcolm27-May-20254:02

Moody: Can’t expect Hazlewood to come flying off the blocks

Cameron Green’s irresistible form in county cricket has him all but locked in for the World Test Championship final as Australia coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that other selection debates, including whether an allrounder is needed against South Africa at Lord’s, will dictate where he bats.Green, 25, will be unavailable to bowl in the WTC final but is virtually assured of returning to the side as a batter only which will cause upheaval to the order with the selectors open to all possibilities with Marnus Labuschagne, Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis all appearing in a state of flux depending on how the XI is shaped.Green has not played Test cricket since March 2024 when he batted at No. 4 for Australia in a two-Test series against New Zealand and made a career-high 174 not out in Wellington. He has scored three centuries and an unbeaten 67 across eight innings at No. 5 for Gloucestershire in recent weeks, his first cricket of any form since back surgery last October.Related

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Boland: 'I just want to make their decision as hard as possible'

Hazlewood returns to bolster RCB ahead of IPL 2025 playoffs

Labuschagne faces vital outing in search for form

Konstas and Green named in Australia's World Test Championship final squad

Speaking on SEN radio on Tuesday ahead of leaving for the UK, McDonald confirmed that Steven Smith would remain at No. 4 but said Green was capable of slotting anywhere in the top six.”He could be three, he could be five, he could be six, he could open,” McDonald said. “I think he’s got the temperament. He’s got the skill set. He’s got the defensive play as well. I think the higher up the order you go, your defensive skills are a priority. He’s got all bases covered.”Green’s inclusion and where he bats will have a significant flow-on effect. Travis Head will return to No. 5 after opening in Sri Lanka, which will leave Usman Khawaja needing yet another opening partner after cycling through Smith, Head, Konstas and Nathan McSweeney across the last three Test series Australia have played.Webster made an excellent start to Test cricket as Australia’s allrounder at No. 6 against India in Sydney and played well in Sri Lanka. But McDonald confirmed that he was not locked in to play at Lord’s as the selectors mull over whether they need a fifth bowler for a one-off Test final.”There’s an XI on a board, but it’s got some dashes with multiple names in different positions,” McDonald said. “Do we need to play the allrounder depending on the conditions that present? That’ll then shuffle the batting order. We’re quite flexible in our approach to that.”We’ve got roughly what we think it might look like. And then clearly, there’ll be some decisions as we get to the pointy end. And we’ve said before that we only make decisions when we need to.”Cameron Green has scored three centuries in nine innings for Gloucestershire•Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

McDonald was then pressed on whether it was a decision between Konstas and Labuschagne to open the batting, if Green batted at No. 3 and Webster remained.”If you require the allrounder in the conditions that would then lend itself to a decision around the top order, and then if you don’t require it, then clearly you’ve got other options,” McDonald said. “And that’s not to dismiss the fact that Beau Webster can be a bat only as well. It’ll just be how much we prioritise the bowling element of that.”We’ve got some players coming out of the IPL. We’ll see them in front of us when we get to England and make some assessments on what their capabilities will be for the Test match. At the moment, everyone’s tracking well, so I think depending on how you look at it they’ll be able to cope with whatever loads are put in front of them.”Inglis’ form is also a consideration. He made a century on Test debut as a batter in Sri Lanka and continues to score runs in all forms and all conditions. He could also bat at No. 6 if an allrounder was not selected. Chair of selectors George Bailey had previously suggested that Inglis could open but that would seem unlikely given he has never done that role in first-class cricket and has only batted higher than No. 5 seven times without once reaching 50.Marnus Labuschagne’s position is under scrutiny•Getty Images

The Marnus Labuschagne questionIt does leave Labuschagne vulnerable despite being Australia’s incumbent No. 3 since 2019 and averaging 46.76 across 57 Tests with 11 Test centuries. But he has not scored one in his last 29 Test innings and averages just 28.33 across this WTC cycle.McDonald was asked whether Labuschagne could open in the WTC final given he has never opened the batting in Test cricket but he did not give a definitive answer. Labuschagne has made 0, 4 and 23 in his three innings for Glamorgan over the last fortnight but will not play again before the side is selected for the WTC final.”You watch the dismissals and it’s isolated incidents that you don’t know what he’s doing in the background, how it looks in the nets, how he’s moving,” McDonald said. “That’ll be the key part of all of it is to see where they’re at in front of us and what those sort of last seven days of prep look like to make good decisions for us.”Labuschagne has opened 15 times in first-class cricket, averaging 34.84 with two centuries including one for Glamorgan in May 2024.The need to settle the opening pairThat record is the same as Konstas’. Despite the hype and his extraordinary start to Test cricket, the 19-year-old averages 34.89 from 30 innings with only two centuries. He has also never played first-class cricket in England although he has been on an Under-19 tour to the UK. McDonald was pleased with how Konstas’ offseason had gone after working on some minor technical changes.Sam Konstas drives one in the nets•Getty Images

“He feels as though they’re in a good place at the moment,” he said. “The last couple of weeks in Brisbane he’s been going well. Tough conditions up there with Dukes balls and overheads and seaming conditions. He’s got a great future ahead of him. He’s on a journey, I think George Bailey said that, to discover what is the best version of himself and we hope that we can accelerate that across the journey.”McDonald confirmed that the selectors are keen to settle on an opening combination sooner rather than later with the home Ashes in mind later in the year.”We had some moving parts last summer,” McDonald said. “It’s not ideal, in particular, for Usman. So in an ideal world we want a combination that you go that’s our opening combination for the next period of time.”Hazlewood vs BolandThe other major selection question ahead of the WTC final is a choice between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland as the third seamer. That decision may also influence the need for an allrounder given Hazlewood’s injury worries of late, but he has returned to India to play in the remainder of the IPL before heading to England after some concerns with his shoulder.”Everything was good when he left here,” McDonald said. “He had a good hit out last week on Tuesday and Thursday. Intensity was really, really good.”I think [RCB have] got a game tonight, their last game at the tournament before the playoffs. If he plays in that, fantastic. If they hold him back for whatever reason for the finals, that’s also a bonus to us.”

Midfielder Marshall Munetsi has urged Wolves to take their Carabao Cup form into the Premier League following a third-round win over Everton.

The 29-year-old opened the scoring before Tolu Arokodare made sure of victory three minutes from time to earn Vitor Pereira’s side a second win over top-flight opposition in the competition.

It has been a different story in the league, though, with Wolves having lost their opening five matches to sit rooted to the foot of the table.

Munetsi calls for Wolves to carry form into Spurs clash

Munetsi said the win over Everton was a confidence boost and wants Wolves to use it to inspire an upturn in their league form, starting against Tottenham on Saturday.

He told the club website: “It’s an amazing feeling. It’s something we have been really pushing for.

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“Obviously, in the league things haven’t been going well for us, but I think (against Everton) the coach wanted us to really work on our physique, to try to dominate the game.

“We also have a big game coming up on Saturday that we need to really maximise. We need to build from this and try to work our way up the ladder in the league.

“It also builds up the confidence in the group. We have to build on this.

“We know it’s not going to be an easy game, but with the way we did (against Everton), I think it’s going to be massive for us to take maximum points there.”

Defeat for Everton left them on a run with three games without victory. James Garner came close to equalising on a couple of occasions, hitting the crossbar and having a long-range effort saved by Sam Johnstone.

He told the Everton website: “We just weren’t at the races. I think when we brought the subs on we were a much better team and we looked like we could maybe go on and get something out of the game.

“But then, obviously, the second goal goes in and then the game’s kind of closed from there. But, yes, I know we need to do better.”

Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Hilal are prepared to offer Harry Kane a mind-boggling package worth £261 million on a three-year deal, according to Bild. The Bayern Munich superstar has been in rip-roaring form in the first two months of the 2025-26 season, breaking records and scoring goals at will. His future has been a constant subject of speculation, with rumours of a Premier League return.

• Saudi heavyweights dream of landing Kane's services

  According to a report from , Saudi giants Al-Hilal are prepared to make an "unbelievable" offer worth £261 million (€300m/$352m) to Bayern Munich talisman Kane. Journalist Christian Falk report Kane "was and is" still on the radar of Al-Hilal and the club are in position to table a three-year proposal to the former Tottenham Hotspur forward.

  "They've been after him for a while. They wanted him when Bayern were involved. They actually wanted to hijack the deal back then, but Bayern had already agreed on it. They must have put an unbelievable offer on the table," said Falk on his podcast . "I heard Al-Hilal wanted to pay Harry Kane 100 million a year if he played there. For a three-year contract – not bad."

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  To stay or go: Kane's future at Bayern unclear

  Trophies and collective success were the biggest pieces of motivation that led Kane to depart Spurs and join Bayern in the summer of 2023. However, with the jinx well and truly broken at the end of last season after Die Roten lifted the Bundesliga trophy, Kane could be tempted to return to the Lilywhites and chase Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League record of 260 goals, a figure he is shy of by just 47 goals. 

  The 32-year-old's future has been the subject of constant speculation, with the rumour mill suggesting a reunion with Spurs could materialise next summer, with Manchester United also keeping tabs on the striker. Barcelona, too, have been linked with the prolific striker. Those rumours have been fuelled by a fresh report from last month, revealing that Kane has a secret £57 million (€65m/$76m) release clause, which will remain active next summer so long as the in-form No.9 expresses a desire to leave Allianz Arena in winter.

• Kane the most lethal forward this season

  Kane has been in absolutely rip-roaring form, already netting a staggering 17 goals in his first nine games this season. This incredible goalscoring run has made him the fastest player to reach 100 goals for a single club in one of Europe's top five leagues, achieving the milestone in just 104 games. Remarkably, that’s one game fewer than Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who both took 105 games to reach the same landmark with Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively.

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  Bayern determined to keep hold of Kane

  "My family are totally here. You know, I think in football, in life, you never know what's around the corner. But for me, I'm really happy here in Munich. My family has settled down. My kids are loving it here in school, so yes, this is my life here for the foreseeable future," Kane said back in May.

  "I love the manager. I love the team here. I think we're only just getting started, to watch the movie, a really successful period for this club, and I want to be a big part of that. So who knows how many years, but for sure, I want to be here for a while."

  Sporting director Max Eberl recently revealed that "a collaboration beyond 2027 is absolutely conceivable", with Bayern ready to go to any length to ensure their heroic forward stays put in Bavaria for the long-term.

The Real Madrid attack hummed on Tuesday evening, as Kylian Mbappe bagged a brace and Vinicius Jr also scored to lift Los Blancos to a comfortable 4-1 win over Levante. Xabi Alonso's men have now won six out of six in the Spanish top flight.

Madrid probed and prodded, forcing Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan into a handful of smart saves. But he could do nothing about the opener, a fine trivela poke into the far corner from Vinicius. Franco Mastantuono added a second shortly after, beating his man and lashing into the roof of the net. 

They might have had one or two more before the break, only for Ryan to intervene. Levante got themselves back into it, however. A fortunate deflection saw the ball float over Thibaut Courtois and into the path of Etta Eyong, who nodded home from close range. Mbappe eased things, though. He converted a penalty on the hour mark to make it three, and added a fourth soon after – putting whatever fears remained to bed. 

This was once again a little scruffy around the edges, but Madrid are piecing things together, and look a solid side ahead of the Madrid derby this weekend.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Ciutat de Valencia…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Thibaut Courtois (7/10):

  Made a couple of nice saves. Unfortunate to concede thanks to some pretty evil spin. 

  Raul Asencio (5/10):

  A rare start as a converted right back. Didn't cover his man on the Levante goal.

  Dean Huijsen (7/10):

  Excellent in the first half, a little shakier in the second. Young and still learning. 

  Alvaro Carreras (7/10):

  Interesting to see him used as a center back. Mostly held his own, and looked far more comfortable when Los Blancos shifted to a back three. 

  Fran Garcia (6/10):

  Scampered up and down the left, but his final ball could have been a little cleaner. 

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  Midfield

  Federico Valverde (6/10):

  A bit quieter from the Uruguayan. Assisted but wasn't particularly involved in play. 

  Dani Ceballos (7/10):

  A first start of the season for a midfielder who most thought would leave. Paced things well in a holding role. 

  Arda Guler (7/10):

  Not his most involved game. Disappeared for long stretches, but then woke up by providing a ridiculous assist for Mbappe.

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  Attack

  Franco Mastantuono (7/10):

  Missed a couple, then took his first goal for the club really nicely. Another solid showing. 

  Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

  Was relatively quiet for an hour before coming alive. Scored twice and made the game his. Excellent so far this season. 

  Vinicius Jr (7/10):

  Scored a wonderful goal to mark a welcome return to form. Loose here and there, though, as he works his way back to his best. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

  Broke up play effectively, moved it around. 

  Jude Bellingham (6/10):

  Could have scored soon after coming on, but fluffed his lines. A few nice moments on the ball. 

  Eduardo Camavinga (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Rodrygo (N/A):

  Also didn't have enough time to contribute much.

  David Alaba (N/A):

  Likewise was only on for a bit of cardio.

  Xabi Alonso (8/10):

  Rotated heavily once again as he tried to find the right configuration. It didn't always work, but Madrid leaned on their stars to ease to a win. 

A £20m Arsenal player who Mikel Arteta called “exceptional” now “wants to leave”, and a move across Europe is “very likely”.

Arteta praises his side after victory at Old Trafford

The fixture list handed the Gunners a tricky start to the 2025-26 campaign, as travelling to Old Trafford is always a daunting task, but Arteta’s side got the job done courtesy of a first-half header from Riccardo Calafiori, and the manager was pleased with the performance.

The Spaniard was particularly impressed with his side’s “phenomenal” display from a defensive standpoint, while he also praised the way in which they were able to handle the occasion, given the raucous atmosphere at Old Trafford.

William Saliba and Gabriel were, of course, at the heart of the defence, as the centre-back duo usually are if they are both fit, which means the north Londoners’ back-up options only receive limited game time.

That may not be too much of an issue for younger players, such as new signing Cristhian Mosquera, but defenders in the prime of their career are unlikely to want to play second fiddle.

As such, there is a feeling that Jakub Kiwior could now be heading for the exit door this summer, with Włodarczyk recently taking to X to reveal the Polish defender “wants to leave”, amid interest from FC Porto.

In fact, a move to the Liga Portugal club is deemed “very likely”, as they “haven’t given up”, after submitting an official offer back in July.

The 25-year-old, who joined the Gunners for £20m back in 2023, was left out of the squad that travelled to Old Trafford, and talks over an exit are currently “ongoing”.

Losing "exceptional" Kiwior could be blow for Arteta

Given that Saliba and Gabriel are almost nailed on to start in the Premier League if they are available, it is always going to be a difficult task for the Poland international to force his way into the side, but he has impressed when given the opportunity.

Indeed, with Gabriel sidelined due to injury, the former Spezia man was given the nod against Paris Saint-Germain the Champions League semi-final last season, and he certainly caught Arteta’s eye with his performance.

The Arsenal boss said: “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months, and suddenly he’s been thrown into the most difficult context, at the highest level, playing against the best opponents, when you haven’t had the physical rhythm or the confidence to do it, and I think he’s been exceptional.”

Dependable back-up options are hard to come by, so it would be disappointing to lose Kiwior this summer, although not the end of the world, given Mosquera’s arrival.

Jude Bellingham has been named in Real Madrid's squad for their upcoming Champions League match against Marseille. This marks a significant milestone in his recovery from shoulder surgery, signalling his readiness to return to competitive action and provide a crucial boost to the team’s midfield. The England international is set to re-join his teammates after months of intensive rehabilitation.

Jude Bellingham makes it to the Champions League squad

Madrid have officially included Bellingham in their 23-man squad for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Marseille. The match marks Bellingham's anticipated return to following a lengthy recovery period. Bellingham, named in the squad for the first time since the Club World Cup, was initially expected back next month.

AdvertisementAFPBellingham's injury and recovery timeline

Bellingham's journey back to fitness began in November 2023 when he suffered a dislocated left shoulder during a La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano. Despite the injury, he continued to play, often with a brace, until the discomfort became unbearable. In July 2025, after the Club World Cup, he underwent surgery in London to address the recurrent dislocation. The expected recovery time was 10 to 12 weeks, sidelining him for the early part of the 2025-26 season.

Bellingham's road to recovery and hopes ahead

During his rehabilitation, Bellingham began non-contact training sessions ahead of schedule in early September 2025. Los Blancos' head coach, Xabi Alonso, expressed cautious optimism about Bellingham's return, noting his significant effort in rehabilitation and hoping for his availability before El Clasico. However, the star midfielder has recovered earlier than expected and is set to start this week.

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Getty Images SportBellingham’s expected impact

With Bellingham's inclusion in the squad for the Champions League opener, Madrid fans are hopeful for a strong performance. His return not only bolsters the midfield but also adds depth to the squad as they embark on their European journey.

Test hopeful Cameron Bancroft fell for a duck to cap an untimely double failure, but Western Australia batters Mitchell Marsh and Hilton Cartwright repelled a Queensland rally late on day three in the Sheffield Shield.After gaining a 98-run lead, WA slumped to 47 for 3 in their second innings before Marsh and Cartwright combined for an unbroken 59-run partnership.Batting at No.4 as a specialist batter, Marsh played mostly watchfully but did occasionally bludgeon the ball in trademark style. He finished 40 not out, while Cartwright was unbeaten on 19 to get WA back on track after Bancroft fell in the first over.The leading Shield batter over the past two seasons, Bancroft has been a model of consistency. He last played Test cricket in 2019, overlooked earlier in the year after David Warner retired, and hoped to push his case for a return with allrounder Cameron Green facing a long stint on the sidelines due to a back injury.But once again he succumbed to quick Michael Neser after nicking off in an almost identical dismissal to his golden duck in the first innings.”It’s unfortunate timing,” WA coach Adam Voges said of Bancroft post play. “I’m sure he would have loved to have scored some runs in this game. It wasn’t to be, but he has scored a lot over the last few years.”Cameron Bancroft walks off after bagging a pair•Getty Images

No.3 Jayden Goodwin, who also fell first ball in the first innings, avoided the same fate as Bancroft but on 18 slashed seamer Jack Wildermuth to gully.Captain Sam Whiteman was unable to back up his brilliant century in the first innings after playing an uncharacteristically loose shot to edge debutant quick Tom Straker to second slip. It was the 19-year-old Straker’s maiden first-class wicket and he impressed in his five-over spell with fiery bowling.The flurry of wickets in the back half of the day has raised the prospect of a result after the match had appeared to be headed for a dull draw.With the surface flattening considerably since the early day one fireworks, Jack Clayton and Ben McDermott batted with relative ease in the first session against the old ball.WA relied on offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who celebrated his 27th birthday on day one, but he was thwarted on a surface providing little assistance.Whiteman turned to the left-arm spin of Cooper Connolly, but Clayton reverse swept to good effect as Queensland chipped away at WA’s massive first innings total of 465.The match went through a lull until the second new ball and quickly sparked back to life when quick Cameron Gannon had Clayton caught down the leg side by diving wicketkeeper Josh Inglis for 85.McDermott appeared to get Queensland back on track either side of lunch until falling lbw to Cartwright for 68. It sparked a collapse with Queensland losing 6 for 66 as the ball started to shoot through off divots.Playing against his former team, Gannon left off from his impressive finish last season when he was an unexpected hero in WA’s Shield triumph. Unleashing an unnerving line and length, he was the pick of the bowlers to finish with 5 for 57 from 25.2 overs.Recruit Brody Couch had a mixed debut for WA after crossing over from Victoria in the off-season. He was lively at times, the fastest of WA’s trio of quicks clocking at 140 kpm, and did unfurl a short-pitched barrage to liven a sedate period of play.Couch did struggle for consistency, conceding 86 runs from 21 overs, but claimed a maiden wicket for WA when he clean bowled Wildermuth for 24.Marsh did not bowl as expected and spent most of his time in the slips, while he also occasionally helped carry the drinks.

Second-wicket stand of 253 sets platform but late wickets lift England amid searing heat

Alan Gardner07-Oct-2024Shan Masood’s first hundred as Pakistan Test captain set the tone for a vastly improved display from the hosts at the start of their series with England. Abdullah Shafique slipstreamed Masood to end a run of poor form with his fifth Test century as England’s inexperienced attack was made to toil on a day of high temperatures and hard yakka in Multan.Things could have been worse for the touring side, who were staring down the barrel after Masood and Shafique assembled a near-chanceless double-century stand to see Pakistan to 261 for 1 during the evening session. But after Gus Atkinson conjured a breakthrough and Jack Leach saw off Masood for a sparkling 151, the late wicket of Babar Azam meant England could reflect on their efforts with some satisfaction.There was no doubt about this being Pakistan’s day, however. Without a win in home Tests since 2021 and on a run of five consecutive defeats – including a 2-0 humbling against Bangladesh – since Masood took on the captaincy late last year, they were buoyed by a mammoth top-order partnership. In placid conditions, it quickly became clear that an England attack led by a 35-year-old Chris Woakes, and featuring the debutant Brydon Carse among three bowlers who had never played a game in Pakistan before, was facing a steep learning curve.The bulk of the contest was taken up by Pakistan’s second-wicket stand, eventually worth 253. England had arrived in the country amid talk of spicy pitches and a fragile home batting line-up, but Masood’s assertive innings – the second-fastest Test hundred by a Pakistan captain – and a more dogged effort from Shafique shut the door after England had bagged Saim Ayub cheaply in the fourth over.That was to be their only success for two-and-a-bit sessions as Ollie Pope, again standing in for the injured Ben Stokes, shuffled through six bowlers as the temperature hovered in the high 30s C. On 16, Masood successfully overturned an lbw decision granted to Carse, who touched 90mph in his first spell in Test cricket before flagging in the heat; a cut off the same bowler landed fractionally short of Pope at point when he had made 133. In between, there was not much other than crisp strokeplay.Masood’s first boundary came via an edge off Carse but he quickly kicked up the gears when Shoaib Bashir came on to bowl, as Pakistan seemingly looked to put pressure on England’s designated No. 1 spinner. After being hit on the pad by one that didn’t turn, Masood responded by thumping four of Bashir’s next eight balls to the rope, the pick a skip down the track and launch through cover as he sped towards a 43-ball half-century during the morning session.After lunch, Pope tested him with the short-ball ploy, Masood perhaps a little fortunate when top-edging Atkinson all the way over fine leg for six. But a more authentic loft down the ground off Leach took Masood into the 90s, before he drilled the returning Woakes through cover point and then tickled his 102nd ball for a single to bring up a first Test century in four years and 27 innings, going back to Pakistan’s 2020 tour of England.Shafique, searching for form after six single-figure scores in seven Test innings, overcame a watchful start when he was troubled on both edges by Woakes. The closest England came to breaking the stand came during the morning session when Pope missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end after Shafique chanced a non-existent run to mid-on.England take a drink on a hot day in Multan•Getty ImagesFollowing Masood’s lead, Shafique pounced on Bashir with lunch approaching, doubling his number of boundaries with a volley of 4-4-6 – the last of which brought up his fifty, from 77 balls. He was the less fluent of the pair but, nevertheless, they were both largely untroubled as the stand pushed on past 200 deep into the afternoon, Pope taking his DRS record as captain to 11-0 when unsuccessfully reviewing for a catch at slip off Masood.After some tough moments leading the side in Stokes’ absence during England’s 2-1 win over Sri Lanka last month, Pope again found his captaincy skills stretched to their limit. He could take some credit for conjuring a mini-oasis in the middle of a Multan desert, as two wickets fell in the space of 17 balls after tea – though the heat also played its part, with both batters suffering visibly from cramp.Shafique, on 94 at the interval, had gone to his hundred soon after with another straight six but could only add a couple of runs to his score. Carse again missed out on a maiden Test wicket when a gloved pull just cleared leg slip, before England switched tactics, employing a ring field with Atkinson bowling dry in the channel: it only took four balls for Shafique to pop up a tired drive to cover.With Leach bringing a semblance of control from the other end, he was rewarded during a spell of three consecutive maidens with the wicket of Masood, who misjudged the flight to skew a return catch to the bowler – giving Leach his first Test wicket since the tour of India in January.Saud Shakeel swept and reverse-swept three boundaries in one Leach over as he and Babar put on a measured stand of 61. But England were given another lift with the shadows beginning to lengthen as Woakes – playing his first overseas Test since March 2022 – beat Babar’s inside edge with the second new ball to win an lbw decision that was upheld on review. It extended Babar’s run without a Test fifty that goes back to December 2022 and could prove a vital fillip for Woakes as he seeks to repay England’s faith in him despite an average north of 50 away from home.England’s initial success in removing Ayub might have raised expectations but Masood’s decision to bat (Pope said he would have done the same) was soon backed up, despite an initial tinge of green to the surface. There was little movement on offer for England’s opening pair of Woakes and Atkinson, and it was something of a surprise when Ayub gloved an innocuous-looking short ball to the keeper.The dismissal extended Shafique and Ayub’s miserable run as an opening pair, failing to reach double-figures for the seventh time in a row. Atkinson, having enjoyed a stunning debut during England’s home summer, had a wicket with his 10th ball on tour. Both he and his team-mates had to wait 56 overs before they had a second.

Deepti Sharma will return to the Hundred this year after signing for London Spirit as a replacement for the injured Grace Harris. Deepti played for Spirit in the competition’s inaugural season in 2021 and was an unused member of Birmingham Phoenix’s squad the following summer.The Hundred starts on July 23 with Spirit due to play their opening fixture away against Southern Brave the following day, but Deepti will miss the start of the competition due to the Asia Cup in Dambulla. She will be replaced by Erin Burns for the first two games, who is already in the country playing for Northern Diamonds.Deepti is one of three India players due to be involved in the Hundred this season, along with Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) and Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave). Like Deepti, both players are part of India’s Asia Cup squad so will miss the first week of the competition.Related

• Silverwood returns to English cricket in Oval Invincibles role

• Mahika Gaur withdraws from Women's Hundred due to side strain

• Ben Stokes to link up with Andrew Flintoff in Northern Superchargers comeback

The ECB confirmed the latest tranche of replacement players on Thursday afternoon, with Sophie Molineux (Manchester Originals) joining Harris in pulling out of the Hundred. Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday that Molineux had suffered a fracture rib and Harris a calf strain.Molineux has been replaced by Kim Garth, while Bethan Ellis will join her at the Originals after Mahika Gaur pulled out due to a side strain. Tash Farrant has been ruled out with a hamstring injury but is yet to be replaced at Oval Invincibles, while Beth Langston is in for Claire Nicholas at Welsh Fire.As ESPNcricinfo revealed on Wednesday night, England’s Test batters will be released to play in the men’s Hundred immediately after their third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, while their bowlers and allrounders – including Ben Stokes – are only likely to play the second half of the group stages due to workload management.Further replacements include Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber, who takes up the injured Will Smeed’s spot at Phoenix, while Mohammad Amir has signed for the Invincibles – who are defending champions – for the start of the competition as short-term cover while Spencer Johnson concludes his commitments at Major League Cricket.

Hundred replacement deals:

Birmingham Phoenix: Louis Kimber and Tim Southee replace Will Smeed and Naseem Shah.
London Spirit: James Neesham and Matthew Taylor replace Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope while they are with England; Deepti Sharma replaces Grace Harris, with Erin Burns replacing Deepti until the end of the Asia Cup.
Manchester Originals: Kim Garth and Bethan Ellis replace Sophie Molineux and Mahika Gaur.
Northern Superchargers: Mitchell Santner replaces Daniel Sams.
Oval Invincibles: Harrison Ward and Mohammad Amir replace Gus Atkinson (while he is with England) and Spencer Johnson (while he is at MLC). Tash Farrant has withdrawn, replacement TBC
Trent Rockets: Riley Meredith replaces Joe Root while he is with England.Beth Langston: Beth Langston replaces Claire Nicholas.

Manchester United fell by the wayside last season, but the early readings from the summer transfer market suggest Ruben Amorim and INEOS are doing all they can to lift Old Trafford back to its feet.

With sights set on driving their way back into the Premier League ascendancy next year, getting their foot back through the European door, the Red Devils acted swiftly to activate Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause, and that’s despite interest from Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The prestigious outfit needs new goalscoring superstars, and Cunha will certainly add to that department. However, United are also pushing to sign another who could become their new talisman.

And all this before they even sign a striker.

Man Utd still leading race for Premier League star

It’s safe to say that the ongoing transfer window has all been about attacking additions for United. After a move for Cunha was completed, Jason Wilcox and Co have turned their attention to the likes of Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

However, while Gyokeres would allegedly favour a move to Arsenal instead of Old Trafford, that’s not the same story for another of football’s brightest forward players.

As per TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks with Bournemouth for the transfer of Antoine Semenyo. Why is this relevant? Well, because Spurs also have a vested interest in Bryan Mbeumo having appointed the winger’s former boss, Thomas Frank, as their new manager.

Mbeumo, 25, has been immense for Brentford and is a wanted man. With Frank heading to Spurs, there were fears that he may not sign for United now, but as with Cunha, his preference is still to move to the Theatre of Dreams.

United have already seen an opening offer worth £55m rejected, and are expected to go back in for the Cameroonian with Fabrizio Romano revealing that there is an ‘agreement with the player in place’ on personal terms.

Why Bryan Mbeumo could be Man Utd's answer to Salah

Mbeumo did rather well across the recently finished campaign, only outscored in the Premier League by Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland – not bad competition to be pitted against.

1.

Mohamed Salah

38

29

2.

Alexander Isak

34

23

3.

Erling Haaland

31

22

4.

Chris Wood

36

20

5.

Bryan Mbeumo

38

20

It certainly makes a convincing comment on Mbeumo’s skillset, not least because he, like Liverpool’s Salah, is a right-sided, left-footed forward, not technically a striker.

In fact, Mbeumo has been described as a “mini Salah” by talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy, arcing inward to curl powerful strikes into the back of the net.

Anfield’s Egyptian King has so often been a thorn in United’s side, but in Mbeumo they might just find their own version, one whose prowess could inflict damage not just on Liverpool but the division at large, having ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in the English top flight in 2024/25 for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

Moreover, Mbeumo isn’t just a sharpshooter, and would instead dynamise the Red Devils and raise their creative bar through his skilled performances, having created 17 big chances last season, averaging 1.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Playmaking has increasingly become a defining part of the 33-year-old Salah’s game as his athleticism drips away, and so it’s good to know that Mbeumo already plays with a natural focus on linking play together and helping his team in that regard.

Mbeumo has performed with gamely courage and a confidence in his high-level quality. He’s only 25, which, coincidentally, was the age Salah was when he joined Liverpool from Roma for £34m in 2017.

It’s clear that Man United need to forge ahead with this exciting signing. Mbeumo wants the move and has the English experience to lift the club and propel Amorim toward greener pastures.

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