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Bayern Munich’s honorary president has claimed that Newcastle massively overpaid for their new striker Nick Woltemade.

Hoeness claims Newcastle overpaidMagpies added Woltemade and Wissa to attackFollowed record sale of Isak to LiverpoolFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Uli Hoeness has claimed that the Magpies spent too much on the imposing German striker who arrived at St. James’ Park for £69 million (€80m) in the closing days of the transfer window. Bayern had seemed the likely destination for the 6’ 6 forward earlier in the summer, but the Bavarian giants were unwilling to match Stuttgart’s asking price. Now, with Bayern having Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson as a costly loan back up for key man Harry Kane, Hoeness has criticised Newcastle.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT HOENESS SAID

Speaking to SPORT1-Doppelpass, Hoeness said: "He [Woltemade] isn’t worth the 90 million. That only happened because of the money flowing from Saudi Arabia."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Hoeness dismissed a question that asked whether Bayern and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus’ assessment of Woltemade as a €80-€100m player was spot on. However, Newcastle fans may feel aggrieved by the notion that Saudi Arabian money funded the deal. The Magpies earned a British transfer record fee from Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool and were able to bring in both Woltemade and Yoanne Wissa for a similar combined fee.

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gettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

Having missed out on Woltemade, Bayern will have to rely on a strike force of Kane and Jackson. Although, the long-term future of the latter at the club is already being quashed by Hoeness – despite the Senegalese striker yet to kick a ball in a Bayern shirt.

أكد سيد عبد الحفيظ، مدير الكرة السابق بالنادي الأهلي، أن المرحلة الحالية تتطلب تكاتفاً ودعماً كبيراً للفريق قبل المواجهة المرتقبة أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا في الدوري الممتاز، مشدداً على أن الانتقادات في هذا التوقيت لن تكون في مصلحة النادي.

وقال عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “MBC مصر”: “ما أراه إن هذا التوقيت يحتاج إلى تكاتف أكثر، الفترة الماضية انتقدنا الفريق، لكن الآن نحن على وشك مباراة هامة جدًا قد تعيدك للمنافسة”.

وتابع سيد عبد الحفيظ: “أنا كمنتمي للأهلي أتساءل، هل من مصلحة الأهلي أن ننتقد الآن؟ لا، المفترض أن نجتمع الآن قبل مواجهة سيراميكا كليوباترا لأنها مباراة هامة”.

وأضاف: “مشكلة الأهلي في اللاعبين أنفسهم، عليهم أن يعرفوا المعنى الحقيقي للأهلي والسمات الحقيقية التي تميز النادي، وأن من يدخل الفريق يأخذ من سمات النادي وليس العكس، وهي أن اللاعبين يكون قلبهم على قلب بعض، هذه هي الروح التي تجعلك تكسب بطولة”.

طالع أيضًا | شوبير يوضح موقف فيتوريا من تدريب الأهلي.. ويوجه اللوم للجمهور

وأردف: “بداية الأهلي المتعثرة قد تحدث، لاعبو الأهلي ليسوا في حالتهم الجيدة، في موسم 2010 -2011 كان هناك أسماء كبيرة في الأهلي وكانت نفس الحالة السيئة، ثم عادوا وانطلقوا انطلاقة قوية، لذلك أطلب من الجميع الاتحاد والاجتماع خلف الفريق في الفترة الحالية لنتخطى هذه الفترة”.

وبسؤاله عن إمكانية توليه منصب المدير الرياضي للنادي الأهلي، أجاب عبد الحفيظ: “لا يجب أن تسألني هذا السؤال خاصة وأن هناك من يعمل في هذا المنصب الآن منذ فترة قليلة، فلا بد أن يأخذ فرصته وما زال الوقت مبكرًا جدًا”.

ومن المقرر أن يواصل الأهلي مبارياته في الدوري المصري بخوض لقاء قوي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السابعة من المسابقة المحلية، وذلك يوم الجمعة المُقبل الموافق 19 سبتمبر.

Nuthyangana, the wicketkeeper, is the only addition to Sri Lanka’s victorious Asia Cup squad

Madushka Balasuriya03-Aug-2024Chamari Athapaththu will not be available for Sri Lanka’s T20I series in Ireland due to her commitments with Oval Invincibles in the Women’s Hundred, where she is set to compete in all the group-stage games. Invincibles’ last group match is on August 14 while the T20Is will be played on August 11 and 13. She will link up with her national team-mates for the ODIs, which are part of the 2022-2025 ICC Women’s Championship cycle, starting August 16.Athapaththu, who was named Player of the Tournament in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, will no doubt be a considerable miss for Sri Lanka, but it will also serve as an opportunity for the younger members of the squad to show that they can step up in her absence. Harshitha Samarawickrama was the last designated vice-captain, though there was none mentioned for the Ireland tour. She could be in line to captain Sri Lanka in Athapaththu’s absence.Wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana has been included in the 16-member squad, in what is the sole addition to the one that lifted the Asia Cup last week. Nuthyangana, who is yet to make her ODI debut, will serve as backup to regular wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani.In terms of the batting, much of Athapaththu’s burden will fall on the shoulders of 18-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne – who has the fifth-most runs in women’s T20Is in 2024 with 416 in 17 matches – and Samarawickrama, who starred with a Player-of-the-Match effort in the Asia Cup final. Spin-bowling allrounder Kavisha Dilhari, meanwhile, has also begun to show more consistency with the bat, as showcased by her blistering 30 not out off 16 balls against India last week.It’s below those three, though, where some uncertainty may lie, though all of Hasini Perera, Nilakshika Silva and Sanjeewani have produced exciting cameos over the past year. With the rest of the squad made up of bowlers, Nuthyangana will also likely get game time as Sri Lanka do not possess another batting replacement in the squad for Athapaththu. Four frontline spinners and three seamers make up the bowling options.Sri Lanka squad for the tour of IrelandChamari Athapaththu (capt), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Kawya Kavindi, Sachini Nisansala, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Kaushini Nuthyangana

Liverpool’s transfer activity over the last couple of weeks has been nothing short of sensational, with the hierarchy certainly looking to back Arne Slot in the transfer market.

Jeremie Frimpong has already completed his switch from Bayer Leverkusen, with former teammate Florian Wirtz continuously linked with a summer move to Anfield.

The German international has already been subject to a bid from the Reds in recent days, which could see the club break the English transfer record if they complete a deal for his signature.

In recent days, he’s posted on social media, hitting back at claims that he will demand the number 10 shirt if he moves to Merseyside, but didn’t deny that he is close to making the move to England.

Such a move for the 22-year-old would undoubtedly improve the options at the manager’s disposal, creating excitement among the fanbase, but could be joined by another big-money talent at Anfield in 2025/26.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new additions this summer

Left-back Milos Kerkez has been firmly on Liverpool’s radar over the last couple of months, as Slot looks to add depth to the full-back department in their quest to retain the Premier League title.

The latest reports suggest that the Bournemouth star has already agreed personal terms with the Reds, as the clubs are expected to meet once again to get the deal over the line this summer.

However, despite the interest at the back, Slot desperately wants attacking reinforcements, with Alexander Isak once again emerging on their shortlist, according to TBR.

The report claims that Slot’s side are still in the market for a new striker, even if Wirtz joins in the coming weeks, with the Newcastle United talisman their number one target this window.

It also states that the Swede, who scored 23 league goals this season, is their dream option within the final third, but could cost a pretty penny, with the Magpies demanding a fee in the region of £150m.

Why Liverpool’s £150m target could be Slot’s own Mbappe

Over the last couple of years, Kylian Mbappé has been one of Europe’s leading stars, producing massive numbers within the final third for PSG and Real Madrid.

The French international joined the Spanish giants last summer, scoring 43 times in his 56 appearances, but it wasn’t enough to secure a Champions League triumph, with his former employers getting their hands on the trophy.

His numbers this campaign have been nothing short of remarkable, but he was unable to get the better of the Reds in the clash at Anfield, missing a penalty with Conor Bradley producing a last-ditch tackle to prevent him getting on the scoresheet.

Given his tally of goals, the Reds must wish they had a player who could produce such a tally alongside Mohamed Salah in attacking areas, undoubtedly making them a bigger force to be reckoned with next season.

However, a move for Isak could allow them to have just that, with FBref ranking the Magpies’ talisman as a similar player to Mbappé, based on the figures he’s produced in the Premier League this season.

When comparing their respective stats, the Swede has massively outperformed him in key areas, with his talents undoubtedly handing Slot the main focal point he’s desperately craved this summer.

Whilst he’s registered fewer combined goals and assists in 2024/25, Isak has achieved a better goal per shot-on-target rate than the Frenchman, highlighting the threat he poses in front of goal – something which would take the Reds to the next level.

He’s also managed to complete more of the take-ons he’s attempted, and won more aerial battles, handing the side an all-round option within the final third – something which the club have lacked in central areas of late.

Whilst it’s unclear if the Magpies would be willing to part ways with the star after their Champions League qualification, his talents are there for all to see, with his performances against the Reds in recent times nothing short of remarkable – as seen in the Carabao Cup final.

It would be another expensive addition given the move for Wirtz, but it’s phenomenal to see the hierarchy massively backing the manager in the market after his success in his first campaign.

If he does move to the club and matches the levels produced by Mbappé in Europe over recent years, it would be a stellar addition, and one that could lead Slot’s side to consistent European glory alongside their domestic ambitions.

He's Coutinho 2.0: Liverpool hold talks to sign "Ballon d'Or level talent"

Florian Wirtz isn’t the only midfielder Liverpool have their eye on.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 3, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to enter discussions as they plan an offer to sign an astute Man United and Chelsea target, and he’s viewed as a potential snip if they can get a deal done this summer.

Tottenham eyeing new forward amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Amid the uncertain future of manager Ange Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team must also get to work on planning for the upcoming transfer window.

Tottenham favourites to appoint "exciting" manager over Bundesliga club

Contact has reportedly been made already.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

May 7, 2025

This year, a special edition window will be open from June 1 to June 10 – which gives some clubs the opportunity to sign players before the Club World Cup begins. It could also be an opportunity for Levy to strengthen early doors, but it is unclear whether the Lilywhites plan to make use of this early window.

What’s crystal clear, though, is Tottenham’s need to strengthen certain areas of the squad.

Their 2024/2025 campaign has been overshadowed by a plethora of injuries to key players, leaving Postecoglou with precious few options at times, and it has undoubtedly contributed to their lowly 16th-placed position in the Premier League table.

Spurs are reportedly in the market for a new striker to bolster their forward line, among other transfer priorities, with Richarlison’s long-term future also in question after a season blighted by injury for the Brazilian.

This week, reports claim Tottenham are targeting Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Tim Kleindienst, following the German’s exceptional Bundesliga campaign, and they’re ready to pay up to £30 million for his signature (CaughtOffside).

However, he is by no means the only centre-forward being looked at, with Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap coming as another name on their radar.

Tottenham preparing to enter talks for Ipswich striker Liam Delap

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are planning an offer for Delap and preparing to enter talks for the Englishman’s signature – but face competition from West Ham, Chelsea, Everton and United in pursuit of him.

The 22-year-old has been a bright spark in an otherwise torrid campaign for Kieran McKenna’s relegated side, bagging 12 goals in all competitions, and reports claim Delap’s contract includes a £30 million release clause tied with Ipswich dropping back down to the Championship.

Delap is viewed as a “bargain” behind-the-scenes, according to GMS, but a major obstacle could still form in the ex-Man City starlet’s wage demands. Indeed, it is believed Delap wants around £150,000-per-week from any new suitor, which would actually make him one of Spurs’ highest earners.

This could be tricky to navigate for Levy, who has managed to keep control of Tottenham’s wage bill, and may be reluctant to green-light moves for players with extortionate requirements when it comes to personal terms.

That being said, Delap is a homegrown player of serious quality and sky-high potential, so it could be worth the concession in this instance.

“He is a quality player,” said former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson.

“He led the line on his own against Chelsea. At times, Chelsea were playing a back five with four players in front, and they defended resolutely, but he was always an outlet.

“He is a pest. He is a nuisance. He is always there on the shoulders of the centre-backs. He is making runs in the channels. He is always available. When it looks like he isn’t going to win the ball, he puts his body in between the player and the ball, somehow managing to win a free-kick or something for his team.

“He is a top, top player.”

Tottenham Hotspur are in contact with a former Bayern Munich boss to potentially replace under-pressure head coach Ange Postecoglou, according to reports, with the clock seemingly ticking on his stay in N17.

Tottenham likely to part ways with Ange Postecoglou

The prospect of Postecoglou’s departure from north London is gaining more and more traction.

Jamie O'Hara thrilled by "brilliant" new manager Tottenham could appoint

He’s got credentials.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 24, 2025

This week, The Telegraph reported that Tottenham could relieve Postecoglou of his duties, regardless of whether the Lilywhites end their 17-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League.

Even an historic night in Bilbao may not be enough to save the Australian, with Spurs on course for their worst ever Premier League season to date. They’re just one loss away from equalling their record for most defeats in a single domestic season, and it is highly likely Postecoglou is bestowed with that dismal record as champions elect, Liverpool, await them next at Anfield.

The 59-year-old has faced an uphill battle all season long, having lost a plethora of key players to injury for extended periods on a consistent basis, but 16th in the table is arguably still nowhere near good enough – even when factoring in their serious bad luck.

Attention is already turning to who could succeed Postecoglou, and there is no shortage of candidates linked to the potentially vacant role.

Mauricio Pochettino would privately love a return to Tottenham, according to reports, while the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all been linked recently.

Now, a new name in the form of ex-Croatia captain and former Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovač has emerged as a managerial target.

Tottenham make contact with Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovač

The 53-year-old was appointed by Borussia Dortmund on an 18-month deal to replace the sacked Nuri Şahin, and he’s since done a solid job, as Kovac attempts to spearhead European qualification after a previously disappointing campaign for the Bundesliga heavyweights.

The tactician, who’s previously won a German title with Bayern and two German cups – one with the Bavarians and one at Eintracht Frankfurt – has now turned heads at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

According to newspaper Bild, via Sport Witness, Tottenham have made contact with Kovac, via an intermediary but not directly with the club, as chairman Daniel Levy casts his net to Europe in search of a new head coach.

Spurs are said to view him as a good fit due to his intense and aggressive style of play, but as things stand, he doesn’t have an interest in leaving Dortmund. If this stance changes, Kovac’s reputation as a true leader appears to be exactly what Tottenham are crying out for.

“He [Kovac] has experience, he was a very good player and was the captain of the Croatia national team,” said Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus.

“He has charisma, he has passion, he knows about football. He was a leader as a player and is showing this as a coach too.”

Three talking points from India’s selection for the Women’s World Cup

Shashank Kishore19-Aug-20252:54

‘We have an eye on Shafali, want her to have a long career’

With less than a month-and-a-half remaining before they begin their quest to win their first Women’s World Cup, co-hosts India have named a squad without major surprises. Even so, these three talking points are worth deeper analysis.

Why was Shafali left out?

By leaving out Shafali Verma, the selectors have opted for consistency over X-factor.Pratika Rawal, who made her debut after India left Shafali out of their ODI squad last year, has scored 703 runs at an average of 54.07 and a strike rate of 87.43 in 14 innings. She has formed a prolific combination with Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order: they’ve already put on four century partnerships and six half-century stands, and average a remarkable 77.57 together – no pair of India batters, with a cut-off of 1000 partnership runs, has done better.India clearly wanted continuity at the top, and Shafali, who hasn’t played ODIs since October 2024, needed a rich run of form to barge the door down. She certainly did her bit. She scored 527 runs at an average of 75.28 and a strike rate of 152.31 in the domestic one-dayers for Haryana in December 2024, including a top score of 197 off 115 balls against Bengal. She followed that up with a sensational WPL 2025 for Delhi Capitals; she was the fourth-highest run-getter overall, and the most prolific Indian batter, with 304 runs at a strike rate of 152.76.Even so, Shafali missed out on the tri-series in Sri Lanka in June and the ODIs in England in July. She impressed during the T20I series in England, with scores of 47, 31 and 75 in the last three games, but her form on the recent India A tour of Australia – scores of 52, 4, and 36 in three one-dayers, and 41, 3, and 3 in the T20s that preceded them – may have not made a compelling enough case for the selectors to pick her to open ahead of Rawal. Another factor that works in Rawal’s favour is that she can bowl, something Shafali doesn’t offer more regularly.The selectors could have picked Shafali as back-up opener, but they went with the more versatile option in Yastika Bhatia, who offers wicketkeeping cover in addition to her top-order batting.The one aspect India could miss out on in Shafali’s absence is a dash of aggression in the powerplay. Rawal is more accumulator than dynamo, and this has put the onus on Mandhana to be the enforcer early on.The WPL has helped fast-track Shree Charani into her maiden ODI World Cup•Getty Images

The WPL stamp on India’s World Cup squad

The 2025 edition is India’s first ODI World Cup since the advent of the WPL, and the tournament’s impact is already evident. Kranti Goud has only played only four ODIs, and N Shree Charani just eight. Neither had even played in the WPL before the 2025 season.Having punted on both players on the back of positive feedback from their franchises, the selectors were proved right when Charani emerged as Player of the Series in India’s 3-2 T20I win over England last month, picking up 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.46, and standing out for her control, fearlessness and ability to hold her own under pressure.Similarly, it only took eight WPL games for Goud to impress the selectors with her ability to hustle batters at a bristling 115kph or thereabouts and bowl a mean yorker. With Renuka Singh injured, they backed Goud for the ODIs in England, and she responded with a fiery, match-winning 6 for 52 in the decider at Chester-le-Street.The WPL canvas extends beyond Charani and Goud. Amanjot Kaur made a strong case for an international comeback as a back-up allrounder through her performances for WPL champs Mumbai Indians – a blockbuster 3 for 22 and 34 not out off 27 balls in a thrilling win over defending champs Royal Challengers Bengaluru was the prelude to her summer.3:52

Nayar: India went for Rawal’s solidity over Shafali’s flamboyance

Once it emerged that Pooja Vastrakar’s long-term injury absence was likely to extend through the World Cup, India backed Amanjot to be a second seamer in a predominantly spin-heavy attack, and she impressed with both bat and ball during the England T20Is.A back injury in England during the ODIs forced the team management to tread cautiously, resting her from the ODI series against Australia that precedes the World Cup. They are giving Amanjot every chance to be fit for the World Cup warm-ups, leading into the tournament opener on September 30.Similarly, Arundhati Reddy, with the experience of just nine ODIs, has made the World Cup squad on the sheer weight of her WPL performances. In the 2024 season, she was one of Meg Lanning’s go-to bowlers, evident in the sheer number of overs she bowled – 29.2, the second-most for Delhi Capitals. She carried that form into 2025, and has become an excellent swing bowler who offers handy lower-order hitting that gives the team batting cushion.

Renuka Singh’s return

Sayali Satghare. Saima Thakor. Titas Sadhu. Kashvee Gautam. India have handed opportunities to a number of seamers over the past year, but none of them has been able to nail down a spot. This is why the selectors waited on Renuka Singh, who had been injured and out of action since the WPL. They worked on her fitness in sync with the Centre of Excellence, who prepped her with a steady diet of practice matches following a lengthy rehab. She now has the three ODIs against Australia to help her gain rhythm and match time in the run-up to the World Cup.

In conditions best-suited to the defending champions, Sri Lanka were so switched on it did not matter

Shashank Kishore26-Oct-20231:31

Maharoof: Mathews was ‘in the game’ from the first ball

The entire Sri Lankan team stood together, their collective gaze fixed on the giant screen. The next moment, as the magic word “out” flashed, euphoria broke out. Sadeera Samarawickrama broke out of the huddle and did his own imitation of the Imran Tahir sprint.Before his team-mates could catch him, Samarawickrama had run some 25 yards, towards the cover boundary, punching the air in jubilation. He was so overjoyed he suddenly changed directions. He was so ecstatic that he didn’t know where to run or how to celebrate. His mates eventually caught up with him, giving him sweaty bear hugs.It was a marginal call and it went in his favour for a brilliant catch and, just like that, we’d had another Peak Sri Lanka moment. One where they make scarcely believable stuff seem like child’s play. This episode involved putting the modern-day ODI behemoths in a tailspin in conditions England’s game was best suited to.Related

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• 'Keep calm and do the right thing' – Mathews is back and raring to go

Come on. If not in Bengaluru, where else could England have potentially Bazballed their way into the World Cup, albeit belatedly? This was right up their alley. Flat deck, small ground, cooler air. All served up on a platter. What’s more, they even won the toss. Jos Buttler didn’t conceal his glee when he said “bat first”.The rub of the green was with them. How else could you explain Sri Lanka bailing out of a review they seemed dead sure about? It was the first ball of the match. Dilshan Madushanka had bowled the perfect inswinger, the late tail in so lethal that it sent Jonny Bairstow stumbling inside the crease as he tried to get bat to it. After a mid-pitch conference that made 15 seconds seem more like 15 minutes, Sri Lanka collectively decided against it.Maybe they did not want to let the excitement and adrenaline get to them this early. They went back to their places half-heartedly. And then they saw, after the next ball, replays on the giant screen that laid bare a potentially costly mistake. The collective groan of “ayyyyo” told you a story. They had been so near to a perfect start. Instead England were 3 for 0.At mid-off, Angelo Mathews shook his head in disbelief. Maybe he was thinking the sprint he’d just made, chasing after the ball all the way to the long-on boundary, would’ve been worth it had they reviewed (Bairstow got a good chunk on the ball, but it was pad first). He didn’t just sprint, he even put in a dive after a few moments of “should I, shouldn’t I?”Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis combined to run out Joe Root•Getty ImagesAt 36, he’d just sauntered into his fourth World Cup. Barely believable considering he was at home 10 days ago, having made peace with his exclusion. This was another moment of Peak Sri Lanka. Out in the cold one day, but right back in contention the next. You’re never really out.Ridiculous things continue to happen. Mathews last took an ODI wicket in March 2020. He hadn’t played too many ODIs over the past three years. He’d cheekily said he was ready to do anything, literally anything, the team needed. Surely that didn’t mean being summoned to bowl the seventh over?What do we know? He comes on and strikes immediately, dismissing Dawid Malan with a beauty. The ball cuts sharply off the deck, cramps the batter for room and flicks the edge. Mathews extends both palms, exuding the “I’m back” look. You can’t keep him away.You think surely that’s as eventful as it can get for Mathews. Nope, there’s more coming. He’s everywhere now. He’s beside the captain Kusal Mendis, imploring him to have a slip in place for the fast bowlers, offering words of advice to Kasun Rajitha, lurking at point like a hawk. And suddenly when Joe Root hits one his way, he swoops in quickly to fire a rocket throw to Mendis. The pressure had been creeping up on Root. He’s in a daze, the dive can’t save him, he’s gone. Mathews has woven magic again.Breakthrough provided, run-out effected, spell completed. Or so you think. Surely that’s three overs more than he expected to bowl anyway. But England are just beginning to build an inkling of a partnership. Moeen Ali has just cut loose, Ben Stokes has reined himself in all this while waiting seemingly to explode a bit later. The scorecard seems less dire than it did at 85 for 5. Enter Mathews again.He trundles in casually. Floats up a length ball. Moeen has decided he’s giving this a whack. But there’s no pace on it, instead he now looks to steer it square. The ball gets big on him just a touch. Boom. Kusal Perara has gobbled it up at point. Mathews has his man. At 122 for 6, England have been slam dunked. Mathews has struck once again as soon as he’s brought on.Sri Lanka were all pumped up in Bengaluru•Associated PressSri Lanka are switched on. So switched on that you wonder what’s changed in a week’s time. The chirp is back. There’s energy stemming from having the world champions on the rack. This wasn’t how it was supposed to pan out. Surely there was another “you cannot do that, Ben Stokes moment” waiting to unfold. He has been simmering underneath his helmet, waiting to burst open.Until he picks out deep midwicket on 43 with 20 overs left. Dushan Hemantha, the substitute, took the catch with his palms facing upwards. Stokes throws his bat up as he walks off. This is a dream unfolding for Sri Lanka. And there’s one more moment of Peak Sri Lanka magic to unfold: the run-out of Adil Rashid.There is a book called by the Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell. It is made up of anecdotes and psychological case studies on impulsive decision-making. What Mendis did to produce this wicket for Sri Lanka will fit very neatly in that book. He collected a delivery down leg and looked like he was about to just toss the ball back to the bowler and then he saw Rashid wandering out of the crease at the non-striker’s end. In a split-second, he took aim and hit the bull’s eye. Gone.It summed up England’s day of horrors. Sri Lanka were now in a position to Bazball England out of the World Cup – or something close enough to that. It all seemed straight out of a fairy tale. Except it wasn’t. It was Sri Lanka doing Peak Sri Lanka things.

Royals’ thrilling three-run win may perhaps have been less significant than the tactical battle that played out at Wankhede

Karthik Krishnaswamy11-Apr-20225:05

Should Stoinis have come in earlier?

What will the future of T20 look like? Well, it might look something like Sunday night’s game between Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants. Royals eventually won a thrilling contest by three runs, but for the neutral, the result may perhaps have been less significant than the tactical battle that played itself out at the Wankhede Stadium.LSG unleash their allrounders

International commitments left LSG without Jason Holder for their first two matches of the season, and without Marcus Stoinis for their first four.Related

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• R Ashwin becomes first batter to be tactically retired out in the IPL

On Sunday, both were finally available, and Stoinis came straight into the side, even if it meant leaving out Evin Lewis, who has already won LSG one match off his own bat.It was clear from LSG’s auction strategy that they wanted to build a side with multiple allrounders, which would give them depth and flexibility with both bat and ball. Against Royals, Super Giants had five allrounders in their XI: Holder, Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda and K Gowtham.Despite that, LSG only used five bowlers on the day, with Krunal, Stoinis and Hooda not required. KL Rahul, their captain, explained in his post-match press conference that he felt Krunal’s left-arm spin might have been a risk given that Royals had an explosive left-hander in the middle in Shimron Hetmyer from overs nine to 20.The point of having so many all-round options isn’t necessarily to use all of them all the time, but to have favourable options in most situations. The offspinner Gowtham, for instance, has come into the XI for LSG’s matches against Delhi Capitals and Royals, two teams with a significant presence of left-handers in their top orders.Gowtham played a key role on Sunday, taking two wickets and only conceding 14 off 14 balls to Hetmyer, who scored 45 off the other 22 balls he faced.Royals push Ashwin up the order

Even before the season began, it was evident that Royals had one big weakness to cover up. They had a strong top five on paper, and a strong bowling attack (barring end-overs options) but not a lot of proven muscle at Nos. 6 and 7. In this game, R Ashwin – who has five Test hundreds but who’s a touch player rather than a biffer of the ball – was slotted at No. 7.He eventually ended up at No. 6, walking in to join Hetmyer in the tenth over of Royals’ innings. This pushed Riyan Parag, who is perhaps better suited to end-overs hitting than to rebuilding an innings, down to No. 7.It was a clear example of the growing realisation within T20 that batters’ point of entry matters far more than their slot in the batting order.2:15

Retired out – yay or nay?

Ashwin retires out

In a game full of tactical intrigue, this was the biggest moment – a moment fans had been waiting years and years for. Two balls into the 19th over of Royals’ innings, Ashwin ran off the field, becoming the first batter in the IPL to retire out. The idea, it turned out, had been discussed within the Royals think tank, and Ashwin had bought into it fully.It was just what you might expect from a man who has added multiple variations to his bowling repertoire – and has even tried to master an entirely different style of bowling – to stay one step ahead of batters in T20, and a man who has zero qualms about running non-strikers out when they back up too far. Ashwin has always been at the forefront of innovation in all formats of cricket, and he’ll probably be proud of his involvement in this moment too.The reason for the decision, of course, was to have a more accomplished six-hitter at the crease at this point in the game. ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster bumped up Royals’ projected score by seven runs when Ashwin retired out, from 152 to 159. With Hetmyer going berserk and Parag hitting a last-over six, they ended up with 165.Boult goes around the wicket

Trent Boult’s modus operandi with the new ball is simple and time-tested. Slant the ball away from the right-hand batter from left-arm over, get it to swing back in, and target bowled and lbw.On Sunday, however, he began from around the wicket. He’s only done it once before in the IPL, in 2018, and that was also against the same batter, Rahul. Perhaps he’s seen something in Rahul’s technique to believe he has a greater chance from that angle? Perhaps, but at the post-match presentation, Boult revealed the idea was suggested to him on the morning of the match by his Royals and New Zealand team-mate James Neesham.Wherever the idea came from, the execution was brilliant: full, swinging in late, and stumps splattered as Rahul played all around the ball.LSG show off their flexible batting order

Ashwin’s promotion came out of necessity, thanks to Royals’ lack of batting depth. LSG have no such issues, blessed as they are with so many allrounders.Just as with the ball, it gives them flexibility with the bat. At the fall of Rahul’s wicket, they sent in Gowtham – who has a strike rate of nearly 168 in the IPL – as a pinch-hitter.It didn’t work, as Boult had him lbw off the first legal ball he faced. Who would come in next? You might have expected it to be Stoinis, who often bats in the top three in the Big Bash League and for Australia. Or Hooda or Ayush Badoni, both proper middle-order batters.Instead, it was Holder, who can strike a long ball, but also has a technique that’s brought him three Test hundreds. In the circumstances, it was possibly the latter quality that earned this promotion. It didn’t quite come off, with Holder scoring 8 off 17, but again, the move showed off the flexibility of LSG’s line-up.What’s not to love? Yuzvendra Chahal picks up wickets – two, three, even four – when he bowls•BCCITwo left-handers at the crease

LSG lost their fifth wicket at the end of the 12th over. They now needed 92 off 48 balls. At this point, Krunal walked in to join Quinton de Kock. It was the first time in LSG’s innings that two batters of the same kind – two left-handers in this case – were at the crease at the same time.Like all teams, LSG value left-right partnerships, but they may have broken the rule here for a specific reason. At that point, the offspinner Ashwin had one over left to bowl – which he immediately delivered – and the legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal two overs.LSG’s attack includes Ravi Bishnoi, an unusual legspinner who prefers bowling to left-handers. Chahal is a more traditional legspinner, delivering the ball with a low-ish arm and bowling legbreaks far more frequently than wrong’uns.Chahal’s record against left-handers is excellent – since the 2019 season, his economy rate against them (7.30) is only slightly worse than it is against right-handers (7.19) – but LSG were trying, perhaps, to maximise whatever marginal gains they could get.They may also have wanted to delay Stoinis’ entry, and backed his six-hitting ability in the closing stages of the match.As it turned out, Krunal’s promotion delayed Chahal’s re-introduction slightly – his third over was the 16th of LSG’s innings – but he dismissed both left-handers in that over.Holding Stoinis back, however, nearly allowed LSG to pull off an improbable win. His hitting – and useful contributions from Dushmantha Chameera and Avesh Khan – brought the equation down to 15 off the last over. The match, eventually, was won by Kuldeep Sen – who was making his debut for Royals – who conceded only one run off the first four balls of the final over, using the wide line outside off stump expertly to keep the ball away from Stoinis’ hitting arc.

After just one game at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony isn't leaving the Bronx with any more friends.

Anthony went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a massive two-run home run in the ninth inning to give Boston some insurance runs to hold onto a 6-3 win in the series opener. He obliterated a ball to the second deck in right field for an absolute no-doubter.

The 21-year-old right fielder could only watch the ball sail and toss his bat to the ground, putting his mark on Major League Baseball's most bitter rivalry.

Anthony got to play the Yankees at Fenway Park during his first week with the Red Sox, but had a quiet series going 0-for-5 at the plate. After the big performance Thursday, he admitted it felt nice to break out on the road after he had 58 major league games under his belt.

"Now that I'm settled in and through that first week this time around, it felt a little bit more calm and more controlled," he said postgame Thursday via NESN. "It just felt better, it was exciting."

When speaking to his first game at Yankee Stadium, he called the atmosphere "awesome," especially as a member of the Red Sox stepping into the hostile environment. After the performance Thursday, Anthony is slashing .286/.405/.448 with five homers and 26 RBIs thus far through his first season.

The Red Sox called up the former 2022 second-round pick in early June, and he entered the big leagues as baseball's top prospect. He signed an eight-year, $130 million contract extension two weeks ago to remain in Boston long term. Yankees fans hoped Boston would delay Anthony's arrival as long as possible, but the young star put his stamp on the rivalry in his first opportunity at Yankee Stadium. And he'll have three more cracks over the weekend.

Boston and New York currently sit atop the American League's wild-card race with the Yankees a half game in front of the Red Sox for the first wild card.