Bangladesh completed their highest successful chase in ODIs and surged to the top of the women’s World Cup Qualifier points table with a two-wicket victory over Ireland. Chasing 236, Ritu Moni’s career-best unbeaten 67 off 61 balls helped Bangladesh recover from 94 for 5 and then 186 for 8 to win the match with eight balls to spare.Moni and No.10 batter Nahida Akter shared an unbroken 54-run stand off just 34 balls, the highest for Bangladesh for the ninth wicket in ODIs and left Ireland all but out of contention for the qualifiers. Bangladesh are now on four points along with Pakistan and Scotland, and ahead on net run-rate while Ireland are fifth and winless. They have lost all three of the matches they’ve played so far.Ireland will be gutted after they gave their best account of themselves with the bat, crossed 200 for the first time in the tournament and had Bangladesh on the ropes early on. Orla Prendergast’s double strike in her first spell dismissed Farghana Hoque for a duck and Ishma Tanjim stunningly caught at first slip for 2. Bangladesh were 2 for 2 in the fifth over and stumbling.Sharmin Akhter and the ever-reliable Nigar Sultana, fresh off a first century in the format against Thailand, steadied things with a 52-run third wicket stand but they were separated when Laura Delany hit Sharmin on the front pad and had her lbw. Sobhana Mostary only scored 7 but Bangladesh looked down and out in the 26th over when Sultana was caught behind off Jane Macquire after completing her sixth ODI half-century. Moni, new to the crease, was on just 4 at the time and had already been dropped once, on 0.Ireland, who put down six catches against West Indies, would be left to regret their fielding blunders as Moni went on to punish them. She put on 45 with Fahima Khatun, who was bowled by Ava Canning for 28. When Jannatul Ferdus and Rabeya Khan were dismissed in the space of 16 deliveries, Bangladesh’s fate appeared sealed but Moni never gave up.She was strong on either side square of the wicket and down the ground and kept her composure, even with a required run-rate of more than seven an over in the dying phases. Moni reached fifty in the 48th over, off the 56th ball she faced, and she should have been out. She swiped Arlene Kelly to Macquire at square leg but hit the ball hard and flat and Macguire parried the ball over her head.Nigar Sultana scored 51 to guide her team in the 236-chase•BCB

The drama was not over as Moni received treatment for what seemed to be a cramp of the calf muscle, with Bangladesh 14 runs away from victory from 14 balls. She resumed batting with renewed focus, hit the next ball for four and got the equation down to nine runs needed off the last 12 balls. Moni sealed the win with a six to leave Ireland wondering what more they could do to get a win in this tournament.They recovered from the early run-out of Sarah Forbes as Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter put on 50 for the second wicket. Ferdus, who took five wickets in her third ODI against Thailand, was at it again and caught Lewis off a leading edge off her own bowling. Hunter was run out when she tried to push for two after hitting the ball into the leg side but Mostary ran from deep mid-wicket to gather the ball and fired in a strong throw to Sultana. Hunter was short of her ground.Prendergast and Delany put on 72 runs for the fourth wicket and the latter went on to a fourth ODI half-century but then Ireland fell away. They lost 4 for 41 and legspinner Rabeya picked up 3 for 39. Still, Bangladesh needed to score more runs than they’ve ever done before to win an ODI. Their previous highest successful chase was 211 at the same ground six years ago. Nahida was batting at the end on that occasion too.Sarah Bryce top-scored for Scotland•ICC/Getty Images

Scotland defeat Thailand in low-scoring match

In the earlier match, Scotland notched up a second win in the campaign by defending 206 against Thailand in a low-scoring match at the LCCA.Scotland were once again held together by captain Kathryn Bryce, who scored her second successive half-century, and the sixth of her ODI career. She is now the competition’s top run-scorer. Bryce was supported by Ailsa Lister’s run-a-ball 38, and the pair shared in a 67-run fourth-wicket stand which was the most profitable of the innings. Despite a lower order collapse that saw Scotland go from 141 for 4 to 206 all out, Megan McColl combined with the lower order for her first ODI fifty.Thailand’s spinners were responsible for Scotland losing six for 65 as left-arm spinner Thipatcha Putthawong and offspinner Onnicha Kamchomphu claimed six wickets between them. The delivery of the innings belonged to legspinner Suleeporn Laomi who bowled Katherine Fraser with a ball that pitched on middle and leg and straightened to take out middle stump.Thailand had a decent start to the chase with a first-wicket stand of 41 but lost both openers in the same over. Rachel Slater had Nattaya Boochatham trapped lbw and then bowled Chanida Sutthiruang with a ball that tailed in from legstump and beat her flick. In her next over, Slater’s full length was too good for Nannapat Koncharoenkai and beat her expansive drive to hit middle and leg stump and leave Thailand reeling on 46 for 36.From there, it was all spin and Natthakan Chantham, who held up her end while Abtaha Maqsood and Fraser plucked wickets at the other end. None of the Thai batters from No. 5 down got into double figures but Chantham, playing in her 11th ODI, brought up 500 runs in the format and reached a sixth half-century.She was strong on the sweep and excellent with her feet but in the dying stages of the innings advanced on Maqsood and was bowled. Maqsood finished with figures of 3 for 26 from six overs and Fraser, who ended the game when Kamchomphu was caught at extra cover, picked up 3 for 28.Scotland are level with Pakistan and Bangladesh on points but have played one more game and have a negative run rate. Their next match is against Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Five-wicket haul for on-loan seamer sets up visitors before Gloucestershire fight back with ball

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Apr-2025

James Bracey was left stranded on 93•Getty Images

Ben Green notched his maiden five-wicket haul in first class cricket as Leicestershire bowled out Gloucestershire for 252 on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.The 27-year-old allrounder, on loan from Somerset, exploited overcast conditions to claim 5 for 63 from 17 overs with his medium-paced seamers. Ian Holland weighed in with 3 for 36, while James Bracey’s unbeaten 93 helped the hosts to respectability from a perilous 88 for 7.By the close, Leicestershire had struggled to 91 for 4 in reply, having been 37 for 4 at one stage, Lewis Hill was unbeaten on 38 and his side trailed by 161 runs.It looked a good toss for visiting skipper Peter Handscomb to win as the game began under heavy clouds. Logan van Beek made the first breakthrough with the second ball of the fourth over, nipping a delivery back off the seam to bowl Gloucestershire skipper Cameron Bancroft between bat and pad.Soon it was 14 for 2 as Holland beat Ollie Price’s forward defensive push to bowl him for 1 and the same bowler struck again with the total on 21, Ben Charlesworth edging a drive through to wicketkeeper Ben Cox.Miles Hammond was dropped on 3 by Rehan Ahmed at third slip off van Beek, but the fielder quickly atoned for his error by accepting a similar chance in Green’s first over to make it 34 for 4. That became 46 for 5 when Cameron Green was pinned lbw for 4 by a full delivery from Josh Hull.Bracey and Graeme van Buuren then added 36 before the latter was undone by some fine bowling by Green. Having shaped a couple of deliveries away from the South African, one of which was punished by an extra cover drive for four, Green produced the perfect in-ducker to bowl him for 25 shouldering arms.At lunch, the scoreboard read 87 for 6, a sorry tale for the home side, which continued soon after the break when Dom Goodman fell leg before to Holland with only a single added.Zaman Akhter counterattacked with a rapid 29 off 43 balls, with four fours, before looking to drive a wide delivery from Green and edging to Roman Walker at third slip. Bracey remained resolute at the other end and moved to a solid 89-ball half-century without looking in much trouble.Josh Shaw provided excellent support throughout a ninth-wicket stand of 86 in 22.5 overs, producing seven cleanly-struck boundaries in moving to 45 off 91 balls. His resistance was ended by another Green inswinger that brought a successful lbw appeal.The defiant Bracey then treated Hull’s attempts to bounce him out with three fours off successive deliveries. But hopes of a deserved century for the Gloucestershire wicketkeeper disappeared when last man Ajeet Singh Dale was bowled by Green attempting to drive a full ball.Bracey was left high and dry, having faced 141 deliveries and hit seven fours and a pulled six off Hull. But his efforts had secured Gloucestershire a batting point and soon their bowlers were finding conditions as much to their liking as the Leicestershire attack.With only a single on the board, the visitors lost Rishi Patel, bowled playing no shot to a ball from Goodman that nipped back, and the tall seamer quickly struck again, having Rehan Ahmed well caught by the diving Price at first slip.When Sol Budinger surrendered his wicket to a top-edged pull shot off Shaw, caught by Goodman at fine leg, Leicestershire were 23 for 3. With just 14 runs added, Handscomb edged a back-foot defensive shot through to Bracey to give Akhter a wicket in his first over.Hill did his best to stem Gloucestershire’s momentum with three fours off successive deliveries from Akhter and together with Holland saw his team to the close, their stand being worth 54 runs.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras venceu o Cruzeiro por 1 a 0 nesta segunda-feira (14), no Allianz Parque, pela 19ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Marcelo Lomba foi titular no lugar de Weverton, preservado, e teve papel fundamental na vitória do Verdão realizando grandes defesas, especialmente na primeira etapa. Na zona mista após o duelo, o goleiro deu pistas sobre o seu futuro no Alviverde, já que seu atual contrato tem vínculo apenas até o fim deste ano.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasAbel revela lesão de jogador do Palmeiras e explica rodízio no time: ‘Se não jogaram, é porque não podiam’Palmeiras14/08/2023PalmeirasVÍDEO: Flaco López revela orientação de Abel Ferreira antes de marcar gol da vitória do PalmeirasPalmeiras14/08/2023PalmeirasAbel Ferreira dedica vitória para a torcida do Palmeiras e vê ataque sem inspiração: ‘Faltou açúcar’Palmeiras14/08/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

– Acho que vai ser parecido com o do ano passado (processo de renovação). A gente fez as coisas com calma, eu tenho uma excelente relação com todos, com o Anderson Barros. Estou feliz aqui, minha família está feliz – disse Marcelo Lomba.

Ainda, Lomba afirmou estar se sentindo na melhor forma de sua carreira, valorizando os profissionais do Palmeiras e o seu preparo físico mesmo sendo um jogador de 36 anos.

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– O que que eu posso falar de estar participando de um elenco como esse, que tem um treinador excepcional, um treinador de goleiros fora de série, o Rogerião. Não é à toa que eu me sinto na melhor forma da minha carreira. Eu tenho 36 anos e me sinto fisicamente muito bem. Então estou muito feliz e é um privilégio estar aqui – concluiu.

+ Abel Ferreira dedica vitória para a torcida do Palmeiras e vê ataque sem inspiração: ‘Faltou açúcar’

O atual contrato do goleiro foi assinado em novembro de 2022 e tem vínculo até o final do ano, logo, há uma expectativa diante de uma possível renovação. Com os três pontos conquistados na última rodada do primeiro turno, o Verdão volta à vice-liderança do campeonato com 34 pontos, 13 atrás do líder Botafogo. O Palmeiras volta a campo neste sábado (19), diante do Cuiabá, às 18h30, na Arena Pantanal.

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Arsenal just can’t catch a break this season.

Mikel Arteta has already lost Kai Havertz, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Piero Hincapie and others to injury since the start of the campaign.

The latest name on that list now is Noni Madueke, who looks set to miss up to eight weeks of action due to a knee injury.

So, with a League Cup clash against Port Vale tonight, the manager needs to decide who’s going to replace him, and we don’t think it should be Saka.

Arsenal's recent League Cup form

It would be fair to say that, since taking over at Arsenal, Arteta has not had a great time in the League Cup.

Chalkboard

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

In his first stab at the competition, the side fell to a humbling 4-1 home defeat at the hands of eventual winner Manchester City.

Things actually improved the following season, as the club advanced to the semi-finals.

However, a nil-nil draw away to Liverpool in the first leg, followed by a 2-0 defeat in the home leg, saw the Gunners dumped out of the competition.

Even though the club mounted their first title challenge the following season, they did terribly in the cup, losing 3-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

It was another disappointing effort in the 23/24 campaign as the North Londoners lost a Fourth Round tie against West Ham United by the same scoreline.

Interestingly, even though Arteta’s side made it to the semi-finals last season, the terrible manner in which Newcastle United knocked them out almost made it the worst exit of the lot.

In all, Arsenal have massively underperformed in the League Cup for a long time and need to win it this year.

With that said, Arteta should be bold when replacing Madueke in the lineup tonight.

The Arsenal star Arteta should start over Saka

Firstly, it is clear that Saka is the best player at Arsenal and should therefore play as many games as possible.

However, therein lies one of the primary reasons he shouldn’t start tonight: he already plays too many games.

Moreover, he only just returned from his second hamstring injury in as many seasons on Sunday, and therefore cannot be risked ahead of another hugely important game against Newcastle at the weekend.

Finally, even with Madueke out injured, Arteta has another option he can pick instead of the talismanic winger: Max Dowman.

Yes, it would be an incredibly bold move from the manager, but given the need to keep Saka fit, the level of opposition and the teenager’s incredible talent, it’s one he should make.

After all, this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill academy player we are talking about here; this is someone that respected talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed is the “most exciting prospect” he has seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

Moreover, in just 23 appearances across several youth teams last season, totalling 1945 minutes, he scored 19 goals and provided five assists, averaging 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Finally, we’ve already seen what he’s capable of against Premier League teams.

For example, in pre-season, he looked incredible against Newcastle, and then in the league proper, on debut, he earned a penalty against Leeds United.

As respected analyst Ben Mattinson puts it, the 15-year-old is an “insane” talent, and even if Madueke were fit, there would be a genuine argument for starting him tonight.

Ultimately, some may say it’s too early, but Dowman looks like a future superstar and deserves to start against Port Vale.

Weekly wages: Arsenal FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

Who is top of the Arsenal payroll?

ByCharlie Smith Sep 23, 2025

Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea on Saturday evening will no doubt paper over the cracks at Old Trafford, with pressure still firmly on manager Ruben Amorim.

The 40-year-old is nearing a year at the helm after taking the reins back in November 2024, but his spell in charge has certainly been one of disappointment to date.

He’s only registered a 40% win rate to date, losing 20 of his 48 outings, a tally which resulted in the Red Devils registering their worst ever Premier League finish in 2024/25.

However, his philosophy has also come into question as of late, with Amorim reluctant to move away from his current 3-4-2-1 system, which has yet to take off.

It’s not the only questionable thing conducted by the former Sporting CP boss in recent times, with his treatment of one first-team player also coming into question.

Kobbie Mainoo’s current situation at Man Utd

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo looked as though he would be a key member of the United first-team squad a couple of years ago – but it’s safe to say Amorim has halted his progression.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the Englishman made 32 appearances across all competitions, subsequently finding the back of the net five times – including in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

However, last season the 20-year-old was restricted to just 20 league starts, often having to resort to minutes off the substitutes bench to make an impact at Old Trafford.

This time around, the academy graduate has only racked up 76 minutes of English top-flight action, with the player himself also requesting a move away from his boyhood club.

The Englishman wanted regular game time away from the Red Devils to continue his development, but such a move was rejected, with Mainoo needing to once again establish himself as a first-team regular.

His lack of minutes is a surprise to many, given his previous success in the first-team squad, with one former player now ahead of him as a result of his decline in action.

The former United star who’s now outperforming Mainoo

The United academy has been a conveyor belt for talent over the years, subsequently aiding numerous managers in their quest for success at Old Trafford.

The Class of ’92 will undoubtedly remain as one of the most iconic, with the quintet of talents amassing over 3000 appearances between them during their respective careers.

Since the talents emerged in the early 90s, very few have gone on to achieve such heights, but some have still managed to make a successful career at the top level of the European game.

Mainoo is just one player who has shown glimpses of his quality, but Angel Gomes is another; however, he was one who managed to slip through the club’s net in recent years.

The Englishman joined the club at the age of six, spending a decade within the youth system, before making his Premier League debut at the tender age of just 16 back in 2017.

He would only make nine further senior appearances between his debut and the summer of 2020 – before departing on a free transfer at the end of his contract in pursuit of added minutes elsewhere.

The youngster would join Lille on a free transfer after his departure from Old Trafford, spending four years in France and racking up over 100 appearances – leading to his maiden England call-up last year.

Whilst he’s since moved to Marseille this summer, his figures from last season highlight his development in recent years – even outperforming Mainoo in the 2024/25 campaign.

Gomes & Mainoo – stats from 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Gomes

Mainoo

Games played

14

25

Goals & assists

2

0

Key passes

1.7

0.7

Passes into final third

3.9

2.7

Passes into 18-yard box

1.7

0.6

Take-on success

50%

46%

Carries into final third

2.1

0.9

Progressive carries

1.8

1.2

Aerials won

46%

38%

Stats via FBref

Gomes, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, completed more key passes per 90, whilst registering more passes into the final third – showcasing his incredible ability when in possession.

He also completed more of the take-ons he attempted, whilst making more carries into the final third per 90, subsequently allowing him to provide those ahead of him with endless chances.

However, despite the 25-year-old’s dominance with the ball, he also managed to thrive without it, winning more of the aerials he entered – potentially being the perfect box-to-box option at the heart of Amorim’s side.

Given his remarkable rise away from the Red Devils in the last couple of years, it’s no surprise that the club will regret their inability to tie him down to a new contract when they had the chance.

However, Gomes will now remain a case of what could’ve been, potentially being a crucial member of the side ahead of Mainoo had they kept hold of him five years ago.

Related Earns more than Bruno: INEOS must brutally cash in on Man Utd "monster"

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 22, 2025

A "nervous" Cristiano Ronaldo has confessed to using AI to craft his speech at the Portugal Football Globes gala after receiving a "special" honour. After a record-breaking career taking him from Sporting CP to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, the 40-year-old has rarely been caught off guard. But this time, he needed a little extra help.

GettyCR7 turns to AI for help

Ronaldo may have conquered the footballing world with his unmatched achievements, but even the legendary forward gets nervous when it comes to public speaking. In an unexpected twist, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner confessed to using AI technology to help craft his acceptance speech at the Portugal Football Globes gala.

AdvertisementRonaldo seeks help from Perplexity

Ronaldo, who was awarded the prestigious Globe Prestige Award at the event, admitted that he felt a little out of his depth ahead of delivering a speech and turned to Perplexity to get him over the line. 

He said: "I have a few trophies at home, but I have to say this one is special and beautiful. Well, what can I say? I think everything has been said. I have to confess that this afternoon I was at the table thinking about what I was going to say in this speech. I was thinking, 'What is a Prestige Award?' I wonder if it's an end-of-career award. I got a little nervous and thought, 'It can't be.' So I did some research on Perplexity, if you don't know, then search to see what it is, and I got a little help."

Getty Images SportRonaldo still hungry for global glory

Ronaldo’s journey isn’t just about club success; the 2026 World Cup is now firmly in his sights. As Portugal look to build on their success in the 2025 Nations League, Ronaldo is determined to add the World Cup to his already impressive list of honours. Although he stressed how important this latest award was for him, he emphasised that it wasn’t the end of his story: "This trophy is a source of great pride for me. I don't see this trophy as the end of a career, but rather as a continuation of everything I've done, my entire career."

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No slowing down at 40

Even at the age of 40, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down. The Portugal star is still at the top of his game, continuing to smash records and lead his country to glory. With an astonishing 223 international caps and 141 goals, Ronaldo’s numbers are staggering, and it’s clear he’s far from finished. Over the years, Ronaldo has achieved legendary status, winning league titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, along with a multitude of Champions League triumphs. And despite being in the twilight of his career, he’s still hungry for more, now chasing silverware in the Middle East with Al-Nassr after securing a new two-year deal. 

Five Premier League players – including Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey – were among those to endure flight chaos after jetting out of Nigeria's latest 2026 World Cup qualifier. There was midair mayhem during that journey as a cracked windscreen forced the plane that the Super Eagles were travelling on to make an emergency landing. Said trip was eventually completed some 12 hours later than initially planned.

• Why Nigerian plane was forced into unscheduled pitstop

  The Nigeria squad was heading home after playing out a qualification clash in Polokwane, South Africa. They emerged triumphant in that contest, with a 2-1 victory being picked up against Lesotho. A chartered ValueJet Airline – the same carrier that had taken the team to South America – was used for the return journey.

  Once it emerged that damage had been suffered to the plane’s windscreen, those on board were left with no choice but to revise their plans. The jet in question had stopped in the Angolan capital of Luanda for refuelling. After being in the air for a further 25 minutes, it emerged that an unscheduled pitstop would need to be taken. The plane returned to Luanda and landed safely.

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• How Nigeria were able to resolve the issue

  The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that a delay had been suffered en route to Uyo, where the Super Eagles are due to face Benin on Tuesday. Government officials, including the president's chief of staff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Aviation were able to secure permission for another airline to fly out from Lagos and collect the team.

  A statement from the NFF read: "The ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government of Nigeria authorities are working assiduously to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick the delegation in Luanda, and fly them to Uyo."

  The replacement plane eventually completed the journey on Sunday morning, with almost 12 hours of disruption being brought to a close. Team media officer Promise Efoghe said in a statement issued to the media: "Finally, Super Eagles arrive in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. The team touched down at 8.05 am Sunday morning."

  Nigeria’s squad includes five players from the Premier League. They are Iwobi, Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze of Fulham, Brentford’s Frank Onyeka and Tolu Arokodare of Wolves. Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman are among the other star names in the Super Eagles’ ranks. They currently sit third in their World Cup qualification group, three points behind table-topping Benin and one adrift of South Africa in an ongoing bid to secure a play-off spot.

• Similar issues for Newcastle's Brazilian duo

  Nigeria are not the first team to endure airplane chaos during the latest international break. Newcastle United duo Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton suffered similar issues when attempting to link up with the Brazil squad.

  Their aircraft was also forced to turn around due to a broken window. They were heading out to Seoul for a friendly date with South Korea. The Selecao are also taking in a meeting with Japan during their time in the Far East. Guimaraes and Joelinton both arrived in time for the first of those fixtures.

  They did, however, spend more time in Amsterdam than they had planned before landing in Asia. They are said to have spent around 12 hours in the air after leaving an airport in the Netherlands and returning to it once a problem was identified.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Questions asked of travel in international windows

  The Brazilian football authorities scrambled to make alternative arrangements, with direct flights and those with potential connections explored. Said journey was eventually completed, with Guimaraes playing 79 minutes and recording an assist in a 5-0 win over South Korea.

  Joelinton saw no game time, meaning that he will be desperate to figure against Japan on Tuesday. Whatever happens, the Magpies duo will have taken in around 10,000 miles of travel before returning to England for a Premier League game with Brighton on October 18 – with more questions being asked of the demands being placed on international performers in 2025 and the windows that are packed into three months early in domestic club campaigns.

Shepherd helped RCB smash 54 in the last two overs

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-20253:50

Chawla analyses why spinners have been better this season

High-intent half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell set the base for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Romario Shepherd launched from there at the death, as the hosts posted 213 for 5 on a fairly flat, hit-through-the-line pitch at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.Shepherd, picked ahead of Liam Livingstone once again, muscled a 14-ball fifty – only Yashasvi Jaiswal has hit a quicker fifty (13 balls) in the IPL. Ten of the 14 balls Shepherd faced went to the fence or cleared it.Fittingly, Shepherd surged to the landmark by launching a six into the top tier over wide long-off, off the final ball of the innings bowled by Matheesha Pathirana.Shepherd had come in to bat when RCB were 157 for 5 in the 18th over. In the 19th, he lined Khaleel Ahmed up for four sixes and a brace of fours, leaving him nursing figures of 3-0-65-0. Pathirana, who had done well in the middle overs, was then taken for two fours and two sixes in the last over.A 200-plus total didn’t look as likely when CSK’s overseas bowlers had pulled RCB back in the middle overs. CSK’s overseas bowlers, led by Pathirana, staged the fightback. Pathirana’s change of action has come under scrutiny in IPL 2025 – his release point is higher than it was during the last season – but he showed better control on a small ground, executing his yorkers and slower variations, including the bouncer.It was Pathirana who provided CSK with the first breakthrough in his first over when he drew a mis-hit from Bethell, with Dewald Brevis pulling off a screamer running in from deep square leg to dismiss him for 55 off 33 balls. Bethell’s knock could have been cut short on 27, but Pathirana ended up colliding with Ravindra Jadeja, grassing the chance.Bethell went on to bring up his first IPL half-century, in only his second innings, off 28 balls. As for Kohli, he got to his fifty off 29 balls and looked good for a big one, but a slower bouncer from Sam Curran removed him for 62 off 33 balls.RCB’s 71 for 0 in the first six overs was their highest powerplay total at home this season. Pathirana then combined with Noor Ahmad and Curran to bring CSK back, but Shepherd’s sixes flipped the script in the end overs and set RCB up nicely.CSK have now gone seven years without successfully chasing a 180-plus target.

When thinking about the best players to ever play for Germany, the likes of Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller all spring to mind. The fact is, they have been blessed with outrageous talent in several different eras – winning four World Cups as a result.

The biggest name that stands out in the modern era is arguably Neuer. It’s rare when a goalkeeper is recognised as the best of his time, but the Bayern Munich legend has simply revolutionised his role. As the first real ‘sweeper keeper’, Neuer shocked opponents by positioning himself close to the half-way line and often taking risks as if he were in the No.6 role rather than between the posts.

Manuel Neuer	Germany Record
Appearances	124
Clean Sheets	51
Goals Conceded	118

Conceding less than a goal a game throughout his international career, it’s no surprise that Neuer has been showered with praise over the years. And that includes from Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who told reporters: “I’ve seen everyone. Sepp Maier, Oliver Kahn, and now Manu.

“I have the greatest respect for Sepp and Oli, they were absolutely world-class. But what Manuel has done is something else: he took the whole goalkeeping game to a new level.”

Meanwhile, if your preference is goals rather than those that prevent them, then Muller stands out for Germany. Nicknamed Der Bomber by fans thanks to his ability to tear defences apart, only Miroslav Klose has scored more goals for Germany than Muller.

So, there’s certainly plenty of players to choose from in Germany’s illustrious history. You could do a lot worse than simply picking any of the players involved in their 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in 2014, that’s for sure. But that didn’t stop recent Newcastle United signing Nick Woltemade from naming a shock Arsenal player as his favourite German player of all time.

Nick Woltemade: Kai Havertz is my favourite German player

After putting pen to paper to join Newcastle, Woltemade shocked everyone by naming Kai Havertz as his favourite German player. The Arsenal forward was selected over the likes of Klose, Muller and Neuer, with the Newcastle star revealing that he’s a big fan of his compatriot in unexpected fashion.

Whilst Havertz made the cut above several legends, Woltemade may simply enjoy the thought of playing alongside the Arsenal man. If both enjoy impressive campaigns, they could provide Julian Nagelsmann with quite the strike partnership.

Germany are due some success if history is anything to go by too. They haven’t won a major trophy since the 2014 World Cup and the pressure is on ahead of next summer.

With 20 goals and 17 assists in just 55 games for his country, there’s every chance that Havertz will play a large role in Germany’s attempt to get back to the top of world football. Whether his biggest fan in Woltemade is alongside him remains to be seen, however.

Already thinking about 2026 targets, Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on signing a Premier League rival who Eddie Howe is a huge fan of.

Newcastle handed early Barcelona boost

Ahead of Thursday’s clash against Barcelona, Newcastle have already been handed a major boost when it comes to team news. After missing their game against Valencia at the weekend, Lamine Yamal has been ruled out of Barcelona’s trip to St James’ Park and will not travel with Hansi Flick’s squad.

The 18-year-old, who is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world, would have been playing in England for the first time, but will now have to wait for his chance to send the same statement that he’s been sending ever since stepping foot on the biggest stage.

That said, Howe recently admitted that as much as Yamal’s absence could provide Newcastle with a boost this Thursday, he relishes playing the best players and best teams.

The Newcastle boss told reporters: “Whenever I get asked these types of questions my answer’s always the same – you want to play the best teams, you want to play against the best players, and you want to challenge yourselves as much as you can.

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“But in saying that, we also want to win. We’ll take whoever they play. We know they’ve got world-class players in every position, so it’s irrelevant to a degree who is out there.”

It’s the first time in over 22 years that Barcelona will square off against Newcastle and a lot has changed in that time, both on and off the pitch. Away from the action, the Magpies are arguably in a position to compete against the Spanish giants financially and they could prove that by signing a Premier League rival in 2026.

Newcastle eyeing Kobbie Mainoo move

According to talkSPORT, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United in 2026. The midfielder has found himself in a frustrating position at Old Trafford after being denied the chance to leave on loan in the summer. Instead, forced to compete for a place in a World Cup year, he’s been left to watch on from Ruben Amorim’s bench in controversial fashion.

Just how long a player of Mainoo’s talent will settle for his current position is the big question. Howe is reportedly a huge admirer of the midfielder and Newcastle could test United’s resolve if they continue to leave their academy graduate out in the cold.

It wasn’t so long ago that Mainoo was scoring the winning goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup final and arguably in better form than anyone else in a Man United shirt. Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes even went as far as to describe the 20-year-old as “special” while he was labelled as a future “£100m-plus footballer” by United writer Alex Turk.

It remains unclear why Amorim has not handed him the chances that Erik ten Hag did, but Mainoo shouldn’t wait around to find out. Represented by the same agent as Nick Pope, the young star should jump at the chance if Newcastle come calling.