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The Blaugrana and Los Blancos boast some of the game's greatest players – but also some of its most entitled moaners

As it stands, Sunday's Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid will go ahead as planned. But who knows what might happen between now and the scheduled kick-off at 16:15 local time?

Madrid could take issue with the identity of the match referee. After all, Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez has taken charge of 35 of their Liga games in the past and they've lost nine of them – the kind of scary statistic that suggests either incompetence or corruption (at least in the mind of Madridistas). After all, when Madrid lose, it's never their fault. The referee is always to blame, which is why they're presently leading a campaign to overhaul the entire system of officiating in Spain.

It's a thankless task – quite literally. Indeed, Madrid are copping quite a lot of flak for raging against a machine that many of their rivals would argue has benefited Los Blancos more than any other club in Spain.

As the Liga leaders, Barcelona have been particularly incensed by their great rivals' constant complaints, which are seen as a rather obvious attempt to discredit the Catalans' seemingly imminent championship success. Barca would also argue that they don't just have to deal with biased refereeing in Spain, as they feel that they're being shafted in Europe, too – as supposedly underlined by Tuesday's Champions League loss at San Siro.

There is still hope that Sunday's post-match discourse will be dominated by debates over the greatness of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri, Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham, but while the game at Montjuic really could be one for the purists, it feels far more likely that it will prove yet another Clasico for the conspiracy theorists…

AFPAnother pathetic protest?

In the extremely unlikely event that anyone has already forgotten, there was very real doubt over whether Madrid would even turn up for the previous Clasico, on April 26. Madrid refused to fulfil their pre-match media duties and there were reports in the Spanish press that they were actually considering boycotting the Copa del Rey final itself.

It seemed perfectly plausible, of course. Madrid have plenty of previous when it comes to throwing hissy fits. They refused to turn up for last year's Ballon d'Or awards ceremony when they learned that Vinicius wasn't going to win – arguably the most pathetic, petty, unjustified and unsporting protest the football world has ever seen.

Madrid insisted that they never entertained the idea of pulling out of the final – but that was only "out of respect to all those fans who have travelled to Seville and those that are already in the Andalucian capital". Why were they so upset then? Because of the alleged "hostility and animosity" shown towards the club by the "referees assigned to the final".

Advertisement@rfef / X'Target on a colleague's head'

It has to be acknowledged that match referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea and VAR Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes should never have been allowed to speak to the media before a game. Such press conferences have been introduced by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in the interests of greater transparency, but the officials' comments were always going to cause controversy, given the pre-existing toxicity surrounding the Copa del Rey Clasico.

However, as both men were at pains to point out, Madrid – and, in particular, their poisonous in-house TV channel that pores over refereeing decisions on a daily basis – had played pivotal roles in the creation of said toxicity and they understandably welcomed the opportunity to speak out.

"The consequences of talking about robberies and using bad words, that frustration you create among fans, is something that the boys and girls who pick up a whistle to do a kids' game end up paying for," Gonzalez Fuertes told reporters. "That is the consequence of putting a target on a colleague’s head."

De Burgos Bengoetxea spoke even more passionately – and movingly – about the devastating effects of the constant criticism of referees.

"When a child goes to school and people tell him his father is a thief it's messed up," the official said, struggling to contain his emotions. "All I can do is educate my son so that he knows that his father is honourable, show him what refereeing is, and for everyone to reflect on where we want to go; I would like you all to know, it is very hard."

Depressingly, that plea for greater understanding has been ignored – and not just by Madrid.

Getty Images Sport'We can't lose respect for referees…'

Barca boss Hansi Flick came out strongly in support of referees while Madrid were going into meltdown ahead of the Copa final. "What's happening isn't right," he said. "We can't lose respect for referees. This is football, and it's our responsibility to protect everyone: players, coaches, and referees. On the pitch, there are emotions, but after the match, we must move on."

Flick struggled to follow his own advice at San Siro on Tuesday, though. "We think that the result is unfair because of some refereeing decisions, I have to say it," Flick said after a 4-3 loss to Inter that saw Barcelona eliminated from the Champions League semi-finals 7-6 on aggregate.

"I don't want to talk too much about the referee," Flick added, before continuing to talk about the referee. "But every decision that was 50-50 ended up being in their favour; that's what makes me sad."

What was truly sad, though, was that Flick felt compelled to confront Szymon Marciniak after the full-time whistle, as it only encouraged further whining from his players in their respective post-match interviews.

Getty Images Sport'UEFA should look into it'

Ronaldo Araujo said Marciniak "influenced" the game, Eric Garcia brought up past grievances from games involving the Pole, while Pedri even went so far as to call for an investigation into Marciniak's handling of the second leg.

"It's not the first time that this has happened to us with this referee, so UEFA should look into it, as there are things that I don't understand and they are complicated to explain: all of the 50-50s went for them," the midfielder said, echoing his coach.

It was all nonsense, of course. Marciniak had actually missed Pau Cubarsi's foul on Lautaro Martinez during the first half and the penalty was only awarded because of the VAR, Dennis Higler, who was also responsible for overruling Marciniak's decision to give Barca a second-half spot-kick as the replays proved that Henrikh Mkhitaryan's foul on Lamine Yamal had actually taken place outside the area.

Barca's claim that Denzel Dumfries had fouled Gerard Martin before Inter's injury-time equaliser was also laughable – as was Inigo Martinez's insistence that he hadn't intentionally spat at Francesco Acerbi after Hakan Calhanoglou's successful penalty attempt. Indeed, for all Barca's b*tching and moaning, the biggest let-off of the night was their centre-back avoiding a straight red card for a disgusting and cowardly reaction to taunting.

Brothers Jack and Matt fight in eighth-wicket stand but Gloucestershire succumb in final hour

ECB Reporters Network29-Jul-2023

Worcestershire’s seamers demonstrated admirable resolve to forge a dramatic late victory over Gloucestershire on the final day of an enthralling LV=County Championship match at the Cheltenham Festival.Adam Finch claimed 4 for 83, Dillon Pennington 4 for 63 and Joe Leach 2 for 57 as the visitors bowled out their neighbours for 311 to win by 110 runs with just 8.5 overs remaining.Worcestershire had earlier declared their second innings on 316 for 8, setting Gloucestershire a notional 421 to win in 96 overs. They looked on course to achieve a routine victory when reducing the home side to 190 for 7 shortly before tea, only for brothers Jack and Matt Taylor to stage a defiant stand of 95 in 27 overs.It took a late burst from Pennington with the second new ball to finally end Gloucestershire resistance, the Shrewsbury-born seamer removing Jack Taylor for a season’s-best 98 and Zaman Akhter in the space of three balls. He then bowled Paul van Meekeren for seven to seal victory, leaving Matt Taylor stranded on 49 not out.Achieving back-to-back victories for the first time since 2019, Worcestershire’s fourth win of this season saw them bank 23 points, while Gloucestershire picked up five. Worcestershire have moved above promotion rivals Glamorgan into second place in the table behind runaway leaders Durham, and they boast a handy 14-point advantage over the Welsh county and are 21 clear of fourth-placed Sussex, who have a game in hand.For their part, Gloucestershire are still seeking their first win of the season after 11 matches and only Yorkshire, docked 48 points by an ECB Cricket Discipline Commission panel earlier this week, sit below them in the table.Required to score at 4.39 runs an over if they were to break their long winless run, Gloucestershire never seriously considered the prospect of victory after losing three wickets during the morning session.Eager to make amends following his first-innings failure, Chris Dent played fluently in accruing five boundaries and moving smoothly to 24, only to then push tentatively at a delivery from Leach and offering Jake Libby a straightforward catch at third slip with the score on 37.Joe Phillips and Ollie Price had staged a superb stand of 100 on day two, but were unable to repeat their first-innings heroics on this occasion, both falling in quick succession to Adam Finch. Attempting to work a ball just short of a length to leg, Phillips top-edged a catch to Brett D’Oliveira at point and departed for 26 in the 16th over.Having posted scores of 85 and 115 in his last two Festival innings, Ollie Price blotted his copybook, taking on Finch and directing a top-edged hook straight to Leach at deep fine leg. He had made just 13 and Gloucestershire were 76 for 3 and in need of a reassuring partnership.Hammond and James Bracey did their best to keep Worcestershire’s seamers at bay in a stubborn alliance of 53 in 19 overs either side of the lunch interval. Although looking out of touch and vulnerable throughout, Bracey battled hard in scratching 19 from 64 balls, before pushing at a ball from Leach and falling to a fine diving catch by Gareth Roderick behind the stumps.Wickets have fallen in clusters throughout this fluctuating contest and, sure enough, the returning Dillon Pennington had Tom Price caught at the wicket without scoring in the next over, further reducing the home side to 130 for 5.Gloucestershire’s most effective batsman in red-ball cricket this season, Hammond continued to serve up resistance, going to his eighth 50 of the summer from 72 deliveries. It is perhaps revealing that he has yet to convert a single one of those half centuries into a hundred, and this innings proved no exception to that rule, the Cheltenham-born left-hander attempting to pull Finch and playing on, undone by a ball that kept low.He had contributed 64, faced 106 balls and struck half a dozen fours and a six, and with him went Gloucestershire’s best chance of saving the game. Fired up and in the zone, the aggressive Finch generated additional pace to bowl Zafar Gohar for five in his next over from the College Lawn End.With 40 overs still to negotiate, Gloucestershire were 190 for 7 and reliant upon their last recognised batsman, Jack Taylor, who at least reached the sanctuary of the tea interval unbeaten on 40 in partnership with younger brother Matt.Attack proved the best form of defence for the elder Taylor, who drove Leach down the ground for his ninth four to raise his first Championship 50 of the season from just 54 balls.He was just two runs short of his hundred when controversy flared. Taylor blocked a ball from Pennington, who then attempted to shy at the stumps only to hit the batsman. Umpire Martin Saggers intervened as tempers flared, awarding five penalty runs to Gloucestershire and issuing Pennington with a verbal warning.Pennington had the last laugh however, Jack Taylor dragging the next delivery onto his stumps and departing for 98. Akhter fell two balls later, edging Pennington low to first slip, leaving Gloucestershire on the brink.

Chelsea’s ambitious plans for a new 60,000-seater stadium have reportedly hit another major snag, with 'spiralling' construction costs putting the project on hold. The Blues are yet to submit formal proposals for the redevelopment or relocation, with costs now estimated to run into the billions. The delay is a blow to Todd Boehly’s hopes of boosting matchday revenue and keeping pace with the club's rivals.

Chelsea stadium project stalled amid soaring construction costs concernsDecision pending on Stamford Bridge redevelopment or new siteCurrent capacity limits matchday revenue compared to league rivalsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Sun has reported that Chelsea Pitch Owners chair Chris Isitt has confirmed in an email to fans that the club has yet to present any concrete stadium plans. Inflation and rising construction costs have emerged as a key stumbling block, with estimates far exceeding the £1.75 billion ($2.3b) originally set aside. The West London side are said to remain in talks with local authorities but have yet to decide between rebuilding Stamford Bridge or moving to a new site.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

A stadium with a larger seating capacity is seen as essential for Chelsea to compete financially with domestic and European heavyweights. Stamford Bridge’s current capacity of just over 40,000 lags far behind rivals like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham. With gate receipts falling well short of competitors, the club risks losing ground in the revenue race.

DID YOU KNOW?

Chelsea had previously secured planning permission under their former majority owner, Roman Abramovich, in 2017, but the project was shelved due to the Russian billionaire's visa-related issues in the United Kingdom. The current ownership has bigger ambitions for the Blues, including an entertainment complex alongside the stadium.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Boehly and Blue Co. must first finalise their decision on redevelopment versus relocation before submitting formal plans. Cost control and funding will be critical, with industry-wide inflation showing no signs of easing. Until then, Stamford Bridge’s limitations will remain a competitive disadvantage for the Club World Cup champions.

Jadhav, who had also registered for the WPL auction but went unsold, is one of the standbys for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2025Fourteen-year-old Ira Jadhav scored an unbeaten 346 off 157 balls to launch Mumbai to 563 for 3 against Meghalaya in Alur in the Women’s Under-19 One Day Trophy. Jadhav smashed 42 fours and 16 sixes and finished with a strike rate of 220.38.In the chase, Meghalaya crumbled to 19 all out, with six players falling for ducks, as Mumbai posted a massive 544-run win.The record for the highest individual score in a women’s U-19 match belongs to South Africa’s Lizelle Lee. Playing for Mpumalanga, Lee scored an unbeaten 427 against Kei in 2010.Jadhav, who opened the innings, was part of a 274-run stand for the second wicket with her captain Hurley Gala, who made 116 off 79 balls. Jadhav’s contribution to the partnership was 149 off 71 balls. This was followed by a stand of 186 with Diksha Pawar – Jadhav’s share was 137 off 50 balls. Against such an onslaught, three of Meghalaya’s bowlers conceded 100 runs or more.A student of the Shardashram Vidyamandir International School, the alma mater of Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli and Ajit Agarkar, Jadhav was one of the youngest players to register for the WPL 2025 auction, but she went unsold. A few days later, she was named among standbys for India’s Under-19 T20 World Cup squad that will travel to Malaysia.

England take on T20 World Cup champions in five-match series to start new coach’s tenure

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2025

Brendon McCullum’s era as England’s white-ball head coach gets underway in Kolkata on Wednesday, with a promise to carry over his Test team’s focus on aggression and entertainment, both in their upcoming series against India and on into the Champions Trophy, and a faith that captain Jos Buttler’s “best years are yet to come”.McCullum’s unveiling in the role has been a long time coming. His new deal, as England’s dual red- and white-ball head coach, was announced back in September, and he has since overseen consecutive Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand while Marcus Trescothick covered the one-day role in an interim capacity.Now, however, McCullum is straight into the hot seat, with a five-match T20I campaign against the newly-crowned T20 World Cup champions, followed by three ODIs against the finalists of the last 50-over World Cup in 2023, ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.Speaking at Eden Gardens ahead of the first T20I, McCullum described England’s batting as being “as powerful as anyone’s in the world”, but said that, at this stage, he was more focused on freeing up his players to perform at their best, rather than gunning for outright victory.Related

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“Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that’s ultimately the mission for us,” he said. “But our conversations and the language which we use within the dressing-rooms is quite different.”It’s about trying to get the best out of the talent that sits within the dressing room, trying to gel the guys as best we can, trying to work out complementary skills, and how we how we play the style of cricket that gives us our greatest chance.”I’m desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket,” he added. “With the talent we have, there’s no reason why we can’t. We’ve got a batting line-up which is as powerful as any batting line-up in the world. We’ve got gun spinners, very good fielders and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball, so you’ve got options there to be able to entertain and give yourself the greatest chance of success.”McCullum takes over a white-ball set-up deep in the throes of transition, with the team having lost both its 50- and 20-over World Cup titles in the space of seven dispiriting months in 2023-24. His selections for this campaign, however, made it clear that he intends to use his joint coaching role to unify the Test and one-day set-ups, with eight of his 15 selections for the ODI squad having featured in the longer format in the course of 2024.One man who stands apart in that regard, however, is the captain Buttler, who played the most recent of his 57 Tests on the 2021-22 Ashes tour. Speaking back in September, McCullum memorably declared that his first task would be to cheer up his “miserable” captain, who at the time had been struggling with a long-standing calf injury.”He’s smiling, that’s good. He’s very happy at the moment,” McCullum confirmed, adding that his pre-existing relationship with Buttler, forged during his own playing days at the IPL and around the world, had enabled them to hit the ground running as a captain-coach combination.Buttler returned from injury on England’s tour of the Caribbean last year•Getty Images

“Obviously we’ve known for a couple of months that this was going to unfold, so there’s been plenty of time to chat to Jos over the last couple of months,” McCullum said. “When I took over the Test job, Stokesy and I knew each other and there was a mutual respect, but wouldn’t say we were friends necessarily, even though it’s now a really tight personal relationship, as well as a working relationship.”With Jos, we actually start from a slightly stronger base. Jos and I have been friends for a long time, we’ve often shared some of the philosophies of game, and that friendship gives us really good base to be able to be able to get things going pretty quickly with this team.”He’s in really good space. He’s excited about the team, and the opportunity that sits in front of us, I’m sure we’ll see Jos really enjoy himself over the next couple of years, and hopefully finish with a real strong enjoyment for the game at the back end of his career.”McCullum also confirmed that Buttler would once again be relinquishing the gloves, in order to lead the team from the field rather than behind the stumps, with Phil Salt likely to continue in the role he took on for both series in the Caribbean in November.”It’s really a really positive thing for us, because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler, and to have that relationship built at that last second, rather than from 22 yards away,” McCullum said. “We’ve got great keeping options within the side as well.”At the age of 34, and as a double World Cup-winner, Buttler has little left to prove as one of the modern greats of the white-ball game. But, having witnessed the success and enjoyment that Stokes has got from leading the Test team over the past couple of years, McCullum believes there’s scope for Buttler to put a cap on his own career in a similar manner.”I think his best years are definitely ahead,” he said. “Sometimes, when you get the opportunity to lead in the latter part of your career, you can be a little bit desperate for success and that can create frustrations, and it doesn’t become quite as enjoyable.”But if you can let yourself go a little bit, with nothing to prove other than trying to get the best out those around you, sometimes that can lift your game up a bit more. Those are the conversations Jos and I have had. He’s fully on board with that, he’s excited about the next little while, and I’m sure you’ll see him smiling.”It’s going to be a tough tour. We’re taking on a very good India side, and I’m sure we’ll play what I hope is a very watchable style of cricket. I’m sure there’ll be some times we don’t quite get it right but, hopefully, we’ll chisel away at that over the next few weeks and be in good shape come the Champions Trophy.”But we are very much focused on this series, knowing India are a very good cricket team, particularly in their own conditions.”

The spinner has not had the best time over the last two years, but he’s itching to wear his Test jersey again

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi03-Feb-20214:39

Kuldeep Yadav: ‘Perhaps it is now my time to stand up for the team’

It is close to 760 days since Kuldeep Yadav bagged a five-for at the SCG on the 2018-19 Australia tour. That was also the last time Yadav bowled in a Test for India. Since then India have played 13 Tests, including a return trip to Australia recently, during which Yadav watched them win the series 2-1 from the sidelines. With Ravindra Jadeja ruled out of the forthcoming England Tests series due to a finger injury, Yadav is a frontrunner to share spin bowling duties for India with R Ashwin. In this interview, conducted during India’s six-day quarantine in Chennai, Yadav says he is now ready to make a comeback – one that will feel like a second Test debut.“Kuldeep, it was tough for you. I know you didn’t play a game here, but I think your attitude was really good.” Ajinkya Rahane said that during his speech to the dressing room after India’s win in Brisbane recently. It must have been good to hear that?

It is very important when your captain sees you work hard. It was very difficult for [Rahane] as well as the team management [to leave me out of the side during the Australia Test series]. But there was no difference in my process and my work. I believed in both. I felt really good about the words he [Rahane] said because if your captain is backing you and appreciating you [when you are not in the side], it counts a lot and motivates you very much.Both Ajju and the team management completely backed me and I never felt I was sitting out. From the support staff to Ravi bhai [Shastri] to the captain, all kept a close watch on me. When you are not playing it is not easy for the team management to focus on the player who is sitting out [but they did it].Related

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It has been a while since you took your first Test wicket, David Warner, in 2017 against Australia in Dharamsala. It was Rahane you happened to hug first after that wicket.

I remember. When you make your Test debut and you get your first wicket on the first day itself, it is a different feeling, a lot of emotions pour out. My journey started that day and since then I have had a good understanding with my captains and coaches and that is a good thing for me. You have played six Tests in nearly four years. Your last Test was in January 2019. Does it now feel like you are going to make a second debut now if you get to play against England?

I would be playing a Test match after nearly after two years, so it would be similar to making your debut. I want to perform for the team and give 100%, like always. You will naturally feel the same nervousness [as on debut]. There will also be pressure to do well. Everyone is watching you, expectations are big, and when the team is playing well, you want to contribute – big or small, put in the effort, and when you do that, your role is praised. When you don’t play you feel like, yes, you should be playing. But then for the sake of team you have to understand that you need to sit out.”In cricket you can’t perform at all times, but if you carry on doing the hard work, you create better chances to become successful”•Daniel Kalisz/Getty ImagesThough you’ve been out of teams for a while, you always seem to wear a smile, whether in the IPL dugout or the Indian dressing room. How do you manage that?

I learned one thing from my dad – that you should not think about the thing that is not in your control. He said, 100% you feel bad that you are not playing, but when you get the opportunity, to perform and bowl well are things that are under your control, so focus on that. It is tough, no doubt. But if your team is winning 2-1 in Australia, I have no problem sitting out. The big achievement for me is that I have been part of teams that have been successful in Australia in back-to-back series.How much do you miss playing Test cricket?

A lot. Missed it very much. Because there were times I felt I could play, but the team combinations sometimes, and the conditions at other times, did not allow that.What was the lowest point over these two years?

Personally I felt the 2020 IPL did not got well for me. I should have played more matches [for the Kolkata Knight Riders]. I felt I was in pretty good rhythm, I was bowling well, but just that I did not get many overs. So, perhaps, if I got more opportunities then it would have been good. I am not saying that was the lowest, to be honest. Even in 2019 I did not have a good IPL. Until you fail, you can’t handle the pressure. Now I feel I understand things better – I have seen failure in my life now, so even if I don’t perform, it will not be new. In cricket you can’t perform at all times, but if you carry on doing the hard work, you create better chances to become successful.It is possible now that you might play all four Tests against England. Something like that has not happened for you yet in your short Test career. How do you prepare mentally?

When you play regular cricket, the confidence comes automatically. If I play the first match, I will be in a better position to play the next game. Mentally I have kept myself very relaxed. Accordingly, my confidence level will be peaking.England recently won 2-0 in Sri Lanka. Some of their batsmen are in good rhythm. But you must have plans against them?

England have definitely played pretty good cricket in Sri Lanka. The way they countered spin bowling in Sri Lanka, they are in pretty good rhythm and touch. It will be a little challenging for me to execute my plans because I am playing after such a long time. But having seen these batsmen play in one-day cricket and having seen them play against Sri Lanka, I do have good plans. I hope I can execute them. Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes will be England’s key batsmen. How do you assess them?
Root has time to play his strokes. He also plays spin well off the back foot. Buttler dominates the bowlers really well. That is his strength. Stokes too is similar and keeps the bowler under pressure. Having said that, it will not be so easy for them to perform in India considering they are playing in India [in Test cricket] after a long time. That also matters. If they perform, then credit will go to them.Yadav, far right, on the sidelines during the Sydney Test in January: “I never felt I was sitting out”•Getty ImagesYou have been working on the loading part of your bowling action, including using the right hand better. Can you talk about that?

During the lockdown I worked really hard with my coach [Kapil Pandey]. He told me at the time of loading in my run-up, to try and bring my right arm towards third man [for the left-hand batsman]. If it comes from there, he felt my right hand would be straighter. I did a lot of drills to get into that position. I started initially by standing still and getting the right arm in that position and then steadily practised with the run-up.Using the right hand is very important – basically I can generate pace, I can get a lot of control, because my body is always [moving] forward, facing the batsman. When the right arm drops to the side, the pace drops and you don’t get the required bounce. That is why, by keeping the right arm straight, by bringing it [down towards] the third man region, I can generate extra bounce and pace.In late 2019, India bowling coach Bharat Arun told us about one change he wanted you to work on which he thought would make you a more attacking spinner. “As a coach I would love him to add a yard of pace into his delivery, without compromising on the revolutions on the ball, and he is working hard on it. He’s bowling early 80s [kph]. Ideally if he’s bowling between 85 to 90, he’ll be outstanding.” Where are you with that?

I have had a lot of discussions with Arun sir and we have worked on that aspect a lot. At the time my pace was slow, around 77kph. The fastest I would get to would be 80kph at times. In the Australia tour [in the nets] I was getting a nice pace, close to 84-85kph, with good revolutions on the ball. That will help me on slower pitches.The SG Test ball, which turns soft relatively quickly, will be used in the England series. Is that a challenge?

Actually it looks like we have a new set of SG Test balls now. These are good ones. They are similar to the SG balls I bowled with when I started playing cricket. You will see in the Test series. The leather on the ball is very good, the grip is good. When I returned home after Australia, I got the new SG Test ball. It was pretty good. I felt it will be pretty helpful for spinners.Tail-end batting is an area India’s batting coach, Vikram Rathour, has said he has set himself a target for the team to improve in. He said that you have been batting the most in the nets, and he hoped that it will come in handy against England.

I was fulfilling my tasks and batting after that. Every day I would ask Vicky paaji [Rathour] to let me bat and he would give me the opportunity, be it only for five or ten minutes. So I worked a lot on my batting because when you bat No. 8 or 9 in Test cricket, the 25-30 runs you make has a lot of meaning. They are important runs. I feel I can contribute to the team with the bat.You have a first-class hundred and six fifites.

Yes, that is what I am saying: if I carry on working on my batting, it can be important for me in Test cricket.Yadav with Bharat Arun (second from right), with whom he worked on boosting his bowling pace•BCCIDuring the Australia tour, did you manage to speak to anyone there about your bowling?

I did speak quite a lot to Nathan Lyon. I asked him about his routines. He told me he maintains simple drills, what his skills are, how he runs the fingers over the ball while spinning, which is his strength. He asked me to follow my routines, find the spot where I should be pitching and enjoy my bowling with a smile.What about R Ashwin? Do you speak to him about your bowling?

He has given me quite a few ideas. He said at times I should quicken my rhythm, try bowling straighter, make slight tactical changes. He has a lot of knowledge not just about bowling but also game plans. During the Australia tour we spoke about plans for the England series – if Joe Root is batting, which fielders should be close, what areas to bowl. When he did not play in Brisbane I had good discussions with him.Talking with Deep Dasgupta during the lockdown for Cricketbaazi, you singled out Steve Smith as the best batsman you had bowled against because he plays you off the back foot. Is that something batsmen have started doing more, in limited-overs cricket too – play you off the pitch mostly off the back foot?

I am not sure that batsmen have picked me off the pitch. Shane Warne had 700 wickets – he [basically] bowled just one ball, the legspinner. Batsmen used to read him too, but he still got wickets. If I am bowling the wrong’un, it is not like the batsmen is unable to read me – 100% he can read me, but mistakes happen. As you play more and more, the batsman gets an idea about your bowling plans.
I have worked on my variations during the lockdown. I have learned that I should not give the batsman too much time to play shots, especially in India, where the pitches are slower and such things can come in handy.
“You are going to India now. Your time will come. Just keep working hard.” Those were Rahane’s parting words to you in that Brisbane speech. Do you feel your time has come?

I have worked hard a lot. I feel that perhaps it is now my time to stand up for the team, to perform for the team. I am ready completely.What is your jersey number?
Jersey No. 23. If I play it will be my first Test match with this jersey. So it is like a debut ().

The Blue Jays are headed back to Toronto with a 3-2 lead over the Dodgers in what has been an excellent World Series thus far. Game 5's hero was unexpected, too.

Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage got the starting nod for the pivotal Game 5 on Wednesday night and was spectacular. The 22-year-old righty struck out 12 batters in seven innings to set a new World Series record and gave up only one run. The legendary outing led to a critical Blue Jays win and will go down in the history books no matter what happens next. On top of it all, the young pitcher had a funny and relatable admission after the game that gave fans everywhere a good laugh.

About an hour before his start, Yesavage was captured staring intently at his phone with headphones on during the Fox Sports pregame broadcast. The clip apparently made the rounds on social media as an example of how "locked in" Yesavage was before he dominated the Dodgers.

It turns out he saw that and admitted he was not actually locked in on anything. Instead, he was just scrolling TikTok and Instagram.

"I saw something on Instagram that someone took a video of me on my phone saying I was locked in," Yesavage said, via ESPN. "But I was just doomscrolling on TikTok and Instagram reels. I just keep it as chill as possible. I don't change anything I say to myself, but I'm also just here to go to work. I try not to think about anything."

In today's modern society, the blank stare Yesavage had on his face means he's either completely focused on something or he's just swiping through videos. In this instance, it was the latter.

Boy, did it work out. Yesavage came up huge for his team, an unlikely hero amidst the sea of extremely well-paid stars who dot both rosters in this Fall Classic. His work is probably done this season but he can scroll easy knowing he delivered.

McAndrew and Scott picked up two wickets each as Tasmania slumped to 96 for 4, after Fraser-McGurk smashed 43 off 37 to help SA declare at 398 for 6 on a rain affected day

AAP07-Dec-2024

South Australia have overcome a frustratingly long rain delay to strike four late daggers on day two of their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Bellerive Oval.SA opener Henry Hunt was all class on Friday when he made an unbeaten 136 to guide the Redbacks to 329 for 3 by stumps in Hobart.But long periods of rain meant play didn’t resume on Saturday until after 3pm AEDT. South Australia added 69 runs in the space of 12 overs before declaring at 398 for 6.Tasmania went to stumps on day two in all sorts of trouble at 96 for 4, with Nivethan Radhakrishnan (43), Jake Weatherald (12), Jordan Silk (18) and Tim Ward (7) already sent packing.With just two days remaining, South Australia have the chance to enforce the follow-on if they can rattle through Tasmania’s middle and lower order quickly on Sunday.Day one was dominated by South Australia as opener Hunt and Jason Sangha (151) combined for a 300-run partnership.The lengthy rain delay on day two meant South Australia needed to up the ante when play finally resumed in the afternoon.Hunt was caught behind without adding to his overnight score, but Jake Fraser-McGurk (43 off 37) and Jake Lehmann (24 not out off 25 balls) batted like it was a one-dayer to add some handy quick runs before the declaration.Tasmania moved to a solid 45 without loss in reply before Weatherald chopped Liam Scott (2-19) on to his stumps.Radhakrishnan was caught chasing a wide delivery, before speedster Nathan McAndrew (2-28) struck two late blows to leave Tasmania four wickets down. Silk was out edging behind in the final over of the day.

Barcelona have blocked Inaki Pena’s move as the club struggles to register new arrivals with La Liga, leaving the shot-stopper’s future unclear.

Pena’s exit from Barcelona is delayedClub aim to resolve situation before La Liga openerMultiple teams interested in PenaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barca have placed Pena’s proposed transfer on hold as the club has yet to register new signings Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny with La Liga, according to a report from . Until both goalkeepers are officially registered, the Catalan side will not give the green light to Pena's departure. The 26-year-old was included in Hansi Flick’s pre-season squad for the Asia tour, remaining the only fit and registered goalkeeper following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s surgery.

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Barcelona’s goalkeeping department is undergoing a major overhaul this summer, with the club aiming to have Garcia and Szczesny as the primary options. Pena, whose contract runs until 2026, has long been informed that he is not part of Flick’s plans and has fielded offers from several clubs, including Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Galatasaray. However, with the club needing to contend with La Liga’s registration rules and Ter Stegen's unavailability, a move is only possible once at least one of Garcia or Szczesny is registered. Barcelona are under pressure to resolve these registrations before the opening day against Mallorca in three weeks.

DID YOU KNOW?

Barcelona currently have four senior goalkeepers under contract, with only Pena eligible to play at the start of the new La Liga season if registrations are not completed in time. Garcia, signed from Espanyol, and Szczesny, re-signed after his contract lapsed at the end of June, are expected to take the top two spots but cannot feature until formal registration is finalised.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR INAKI PENA?

If Barcelona secure registration for Garcia or Szczesny before the start of the season, Pena's transfer should proceed swiftly, with Spanish and international clubs awaiting the green light for negotiations. Should complications persist, Pena may be forced to remain at Barca until at least one registration is processed. The club’s aim remains to finalise his departure before the end of the summer window, but strict financial regulations and tight timelines could lead to further delays.

England star Danni Wyatt led Southern Brave to a breakthrough win and moved top of the women’s runscorers list in a seven-wicket rain-affected win against Oval Invincibles.Wyatt hit an unbeaten 46 from 37 balls, after twice being dropped, to guide the defending champions to a belated first win of this year’s competition with one ball to spare.Lauren Cheatle and Tilly Corteen-Coleman, two weeks shy of her 17th birthday, claimed two wickets apiece as the hosts were restricted to 79 for 4.Marizanne Kapp struck an unbeaten 26 from 17 balls for the hosts, whose innings was delayed for over an hour by rain.A revised target of 83 was therefore set and Invincibles had their chances to claim the key wicket of Wyatt, who was dropped on 4 and 14.Smriti Mandhana was run out cheaply and Maia Bouchier bowled by the impressive Ryana MacDonald-Gay, who claimed 1 for 7 from a maximum 15 balls.Wyatt went past Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 209 runs to become the leading run-scorer in this year’s women’s competition before Sophia Smale claimed Freya Kemp for 3.The 19-year-old left-arm spinner was then tasked with bowling the final five and initially held her never to restrict Wyatt to a dot and a single, before a smart stop kept Chloe Tryon to a single. But Wyatt’s experience told as she made room to shovel her over leg for the winning boundary.Cheatle earlier removed Chamari Athapaththu for a duck from the third ball, edging behind, and then had Alice Capsey caught in the deep after the England young gun had slapped her for six.Rain stopped the game with the home side 38 for 2 after 35 balls as the game was reduced to 65 balls per side.Corteen-Coleman had Invincibles skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill caught and the in-form Paige Scholfield caught in the deep from successive balls before Kapp added late firepower.