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Danni Wyatt-Hodge fifty sets hosts up for success

ECB Media10-Aug-2025Southern Brave made it two from two in this year’s competition, as Sophie Devine starred in a 15-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix in front of a record crowd at Utilita Bowl.A crowd of 11,167 turned out in the Hampshire sunshine to see the home side prevail in a game which see-sawed throughout but was ultimately decided by the regular wickets Brave took throughout the Phoenix run chase.Both teams came into today’s game off the back of strong opening wins, with Phoenix winning the toss and opting to field. Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 59 from 39 balls was the foundation for the Brave’s total of 139, ably supported by Laura Wolvaardt (28) and Devine (27).After a good start from Brave, Phoenix came back into the first innings, restraining the home side in the last 25 balls. At one stage, a big score was on the cards but, led by Megan Schutt (2 for 23 from 20 balls) and then Em Arlott (2 for 19 from 20 balls) at the death, Brave faltered to 139 with only 19 coming from the last 15 balls.Southern Brave took the early wickers of Emma Lamb and Georgia Voll, both of whom had done well in the Phoenix’s first game. Ellyse Perry and Amy Jones then steadied the ship and looked comfortable in their efforts to knock off the total.When Jones was out for 20, Sterre Kalis took over the charge to the finish, with Phoenix needing 45 from the final 30 balls. However, when Perry was caught well in the deep by Mady Villiers for 26 from 21 balls, Kalis accelerated but ultimately ran out of support, and Phoenix were bowled out with two balls to spare, 15 short.The Brave bowling performance was headlined by Lauren Bell taking 3 for 17 from 19 balls, with Devine’s 2 for 28 and Tilly Corteen-Coleman’s 2 for 16 also doing damage.With her 27 runs, two wickets and a run out, Devine, the Meerkat Match Hero said: “I’m really pleased about the result. Danni (Wyatt-Hodge) was outstanding. The way she set up the game, it was trickier than she made it look. It was a great game for us and nice to do it in front of the home crowd.”It is always nice to perform against teams you have previously played for. Every game is on the line and you have to be good. We have to keep sharp and keep learning. I have not played a lot of cricket over the last few months and was probably swinging like a rusty gate. I’ve played enough cricket to know that it will come. When you have someone like her (Wyatt-Hodge), it makes easier. If I can contribute in any way, that is what I am here for.”

Liverpool made some eye-catching signings during the summer window and could now be set to enact a surprise double deal involving Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga and Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni.

After a frustrating period of matches, Arne Slot led his side to only their second win in their last eight fixtures against Aston Villa last weekend, offering something to build on ahead of the festive period.

Mohamed Salah’s 250th Premier League goal came as a landmark milestone, and his teammates stepped up after a dip in form, leaving them seven points off Arsenal in the Premier League title race as they gun for more silverware.

Admittedly, the visitors still produced moments of panic within the Liverpool backline. By no means were the Reds perfect last weekend, but three points are the only thing that matters after a dismal run of results that have caused them to drift from top spot.

Club legend Steven Gerrard spoke out in defence of Slot amid recent criticism involving the Dutchman, telling TNT Sports that ‘keyboard warriors’ won’t detract from the fine job he has done at Anfield.

He said: “It’s a great win; he deserves a lot of credit for that. But they come thick and fast, in two days’ time, the pressure will build again as he’ll be expected to beat Real Madrid.

“Compared to when we played there are a lot more people with microphones and cameras in front of their face, there are a lot more keyboard warriors and a lot of unnecessary noise. But it is football in the modern age, you have to take the rough with the smooth, that is life.”

Reds supporters will be fully behind their manager after the return he produced last term, and he could now be set to conclude a couple of lucrative deals to vastly improve his side.

Liverpool willing to bid for Eduardo Camavinga and Alessandro Bastoni

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are plotting an ambitious double swoop for Eduardo Camavinga and Alessandro Bastoni that could cost within the region of £122 million to complete.

Real Madrid won’t make it easy for Camavinga to leave the building, albeit the Reds’ desire to acquire him is there and they hope that their project could be enough to entice him to England.

In the case of Bastoni, he is viewed as a natural successor to Virgil Van Dijk, something that supporters could get on board with due to his left-sided nature, tenacity and willingness to contribute in all thirds.

The Italy star has registered a goal and three assists in 12 matches this season. On the other hand, Camavinga has notched a solitary strike in nine appearances, featuring either as a central midfielder, in a holding role, and even on the right flank.

Liverpool could earn £132 million to fund Camavinga and Bastoni deals

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha is also named as a target, though his situation is not as advanced. Either way, expect some notable future transfer dealings at Anfield.

In a trade deadline stunner, Carlos Correa is headed back to the team he won the World Series with in 2017. According to multiple reports, the three-time All-Star has been traded from the Twins to the Astros.

Correa, 30, is set to move to third base in Houston to finish the season in place of the injured Issac Paredes and upon his arrival, sent a fired-up message to Astros fans:

"I’m coming home and there’s only one goal in mind," he told Brian McTaggart in an interview with MLB.com. "And that’s to win championships."

Houston has been an MLB juggernaut over the last decade, playing in four World Series' since 2017 and winning two of them. Correa won one, and will now look to win another as the Astros sit at 62–47 and in first place in the American League West. The infielder is hitting .267 this season with seven home runs and 31 RBIs.

ICC announces pre-sale prices as low as one US dollar approximately

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2025Tickets for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup have gone on sale with less than a month to go for the start of the tournament on September 30 in Guwahati.On Thursday, the ICC announced that tickets for all the group matches in India and Sri Lanka were available on pre-sale on tickets.cricketworldcup.com for four days from 1900 IST and SLST on September 4 via the Google Pay platform. The second phase of ticket sales will begin on September 9 at 2000 IST and SLST (1430 GMT) on tickets.cricketworldcup.com.According to the ICC, ticket prices will start at INR 100 (USD 1.14 approx.) in the first pre-sale phase – “the most affordable pricing for any ICC global event in history.”Related

• All-woman panel to officiate at 2025 women's ODI World Cup

• Sri Lanka select Prabodhani, Dulani for Women's World Cup

• Navi Mumbai replaces Bengaluru as fourth Indian venue

• India Women to begin World Cup preparation with Visakhapatnam training camp

• USD 13.88 million prize money for Women's ODI World Cup

The Women’s ODI World Cup will be contested by eight teams – India, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh – across five venues: Colombo, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, and Navi Mumbai. India and Sri Lanka open the tournament on September 30 in Guwahati, and the final is on November 2 at a yet-to-be-decided venue.The ICC recently announced that the total prize money for the tournament is USD $13.88 million, nearly a fourfold increase from the USD 3.5 million for the previous women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand in 2022.

For a second season in a row, the same contest at the same ground produced the same, pulsating finish

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2025It’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Yash Dayal has the ball. MS Dhoni is on strike. Ravindra Jadeja is at the other end. A 200-plus chase at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has come down to the final over. Sounds familiar? For a second season in a row, the same contest at the same ground produced the same, pulsating finish. And yet again, when all the nerves and dust settled, it was the left-arm quick Dayal who held his own.Here’s how Shashwat Kumar called it on ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary:Related

• Dayal trumps CSK in last over again to take RCB to the top

19.1 Yash Dayal to Dhoni, 1 run
low full toss on middle and leg. Dhoni cannot get under this and scuffs it down the ground to long on. Throws his head back in disappointment soon after19.2 Yash Dayal to Jadeja, 1 run
full toss on middle and leg and Jadeja cannot put it away. Drags it towards deep mid wicket and this over has begun with two singles off two balls19.3 Yash Dayal to Dhoni, OUT
massive lbw shout, and the finger goes up! No MS Dhoni magic at the Chinnaswamy tonight! Low full toss slanting into leg stump. Dhoni has a massive swipe at it but does not get any bat on it. Gets rapped on the pads and the finger goes up. Dhoni has reviewed this but it could be more in hope than anything else. The impact is in line and Ball Tracking has the ball crashing into leg stump. A monumental moment in this game, and Dayal has outwitted Dhoni two years in a row at the Chinnaswamy!19.4 Yash Dayal to Dube, (no ball) SIX runs
that is a high full toss and Dube smashes it out of sight! Borderline waist-high full toss outside off and Dube cannot believe what has been dished out. After scratching his eyes, he thumps it over deep mid wicket. No ball not given, and Dube has reviewed this. This could be touch-and-go! Dube’s waist is measured at 1.11m, and Ball Tracking shows the ball to be passing him at 1.14m. That will be a No ball – oh dearie me!19.4 Yash Dayal to Dube, 1 run
full toss just outside off. Dube swings at it with all his might and scuffs it down the ground to long off. Just a single, and the onus shifts back onto Jadeja19.5 Yash Dayal to Jadeja, 1 run
zipped in very full on off. Jadeja looks to go downtown but can only find the inside edge and then the front pad. Rolls away harmlessly into the off side19.6 Yash Dayal to Dube, 1 run
Dayal wins it for RCB again! Up against the five-time champions, Dayal shows that he is a champion to be reckoned with too. Under extreme pressure, and under extreme duress, RCB pull a win out of the fire, and they are going absolutely bonkers. It was proper carnage at the Chinnaswamy and after 40 overs of high-octane cricket, RCB stand atop the team that has caused them so much pain in the past! Full toss just outside off. Dube clears his front leg and swings for the hills. Cannot get under it and cannot find the gap either. Drilled straight to long on and that will be just a single. Spare a thought for CSK. They came so close, but in the end, fell short. A truly remarkable game of cricket, and one that those at the ground will reminisce and rejoice in years to come!

Trouble may be brewing at Real Madrid, with Los Blancos’ dressing room said to be divided when it comes to head coach Xabi Alonso and the methods that he has introduced since taking the reins in the Spanish capital. Precious points have been dropped over recent weeks, leading to uncomfortable questions being asked of those underperforming on and off the field.

• Precious points: Real have slipped from La Liga summit

  Real’s latest setback came in a 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Girona. They have been held in their last three La Liga fixtures – having also failed to emerge victorious against Rayo Vallecano and Elche – and now trail Clasico rivals Barcelona by one point in another intriguing title race.

  Alonso’s side have played four successive games away from home in all competitions – battling to a 4-3 victory over Olympiacos in the Champions League – since their Santiago Bernabeu home played host to an NFL fixture on November 16.

  Travel sickness appears to have set in, with reporting on a “certain division of opinion in the dressing room” following a run of forgettable results and performances. That is not considered to be terminal just yet, with no “significant impact on the relationship between the players” being seen.

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  Who is to blame? Finger pointing at the Bernabeu

  Alonso has, however, found himself under scrutiny for some time. It was revealed back in October that his “personal approach and some of his footballing concepts had not gone down well with a significant number of the first team” in Madrid.

  It is claimed that a meeting has taken place at the Bernabeu which saw Alonso and his players attempt to get to the bottom of any supposed issues. First-team stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga have attempted to quash talk of their being rifts in the Real camp.

  claims that there is “currently a mix of players who remain unconvinced about Alonso’s methods and others who argue that the manager is not to blame”. Someone that falls into the latter of those two camps has said: “This is not the coach’s problem, it’s very obvious.”

  Another source at the Bernabeu has said: “The problem is not Xabi. Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and (Jude) Bellingham are incompatible; you can’t have a balanced team with those three.” It is said that Alonso’s messages are “not getting through to the players”, leading to disjointed displays.

• Alonso challenges: Tricky tests for Blancos boss

  Others inside the coaching team have acknowledged the difficulty that Alonso faces when it comes to “changing the dynamic” that he inherited from predecessor Carlo Ancelotti. There is seemingly no quick fix to the problems that he faces.

  With that in mind, the former Blancos midfielder is not under immediate pressure when it comes to his job. It is, however, being reported that upcoming clashes – starting with another away game at Athletic Club on Wednesday – are “important not just in terms of results, but in terms of image”.

  An insider has conceded that things look “very difficult” at the moment because Real are “playing very badly”, with that stalemate on the road at struggling Girona being viewed as a “disaster”.

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  Right man for the job? Alonso must prove his worth

  That does not bode well for Alonso, who has only taken in 25 games at the helm – winning 18 of those matches and coming unstuck in only three. He was brought back to Madrid after impressing as a coach in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, whom he led to an unbeaten Bundesliga title triumph in 2023-24.

  Some prominent figures there questioned his approach on the back of a return to Spain, with success not enough to keep everybody happy. Similar discussions are now taking place at the Bernabeu.

  Alonso still has plenty of time in which to get things right this season – having already overseen a win over Barcelona – and has enough talent at his disposal in order to deliver major silverware. Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius and Co must, however, buy into his vision in order for collective triumphs to be enjoyed.

Shardul Thakur also hit the nets, with hopes of reclaiming his Test spot

Nagraj Gollapudi29-May-2025Karun Nair was still in IPL mode as he effortlessly reverse-swept any loose deliveries outside off from the spinners. Nitish Kumar Reddy stood half a yard outside the crease but was solid in both defence and punishing any delivery in the hitting zone. Shardul Thakur showed patience as he dealt with the seaming ball. And Abhimanyu Easwaran did not miss any scoring opportunities.With potential slots up for grabs for the first Test of India’s tour of England starting June 20, all four players will be looking to put on an impressive show in the first of the two unofficial Tests India A are scheduled to play against England Lions starting Friday in Canterbury. Thursday was the third consecutive training day for India A, with players free from IPL commitments linking up with the squad in England in batches this week.One of the key selection questions for India during the five-Test series in England concerns the allrounder’s position. Reddy had performed that role in the five-Test series in Australia, where he scored his maiden Test century in Melbourne, primarily making an impact as a batting allrounder. Having picked up an injury after the Australia tour, Reddy played IPL 2025, but has only resumed bowling in the last few weeks.Related

• Bumrah confident India can take down 'ultra-aggressive' England

• Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep and Karun Nair in India's Test squad for England tour

• Sai Sudharsan: 'Surreal' to be part of India's Test squad

• Tour blog – Mhatre, Malhotra shine as second Youth Test ends in draw

On Thursday, Reddy looked the most fluent, playing the ball under his eyes, leaving with assurance most times, and driving both off the front and back foot. Also eyeing the allrounder position is Thakur, whose last Test was in December 2023 in South Africa. Having undergone a foot surgery last year, Thakur, 33, forced his way back into the Test squad on the back of a successful run with both ball and bat in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, helping Mumbai reach the semi-finals. Thakur has played four of his 11 Tests in England and has made impactful contributions in the two games he played during the 2021 tour.As for Nair, success against Lions will help him stake a claim for the sixth specialist batter’s position if India decide to play an extra batter alongside Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7 followed by an allrounder. While he last played a Test in 2017, Nair has had two prolific domestic seasons for Vidarbha. Nair has also played for Northamptonshire in the last few years and is coming off a few impressive performances in the IPL for Delhi Capitals.

Shardul Thakur shifts to red-ball mode in Canterbury pic.twitter.com/gupNHbp1Dh

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 29, 2025

Liverpool have now reportedly set their sights on hiring a Premier League manager, who Pep Guardiola called “incredible”, in a fresh concern for Arne Slot.

Carragher delivers "honest" Liverpool verdict after PSV defeat

Before the international break, Liverpool could at least fall back on the excuse that much of their bad form came on the road. Anfield, for the most part, remained a fortress. Just weeks later, however, and that fortress has been set ablaze by humiliating defeats at the hands of Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.

Not everyone is ready to call time on Slot’s time at the club, however, and Anfield legend Jamie Carragher sent a timely reminder on punditry duty that Liverpool aren’t a sacking club, historically speaking.

He said: “Liverpool is not a sacking club, Liverpool, I think, are different from almost every club in European football where the manager is the king, you know, the managers get time.

“Liverpool have never sacked a manager who’s won the league, never in the history. They’ve all, you know, after a few years they’ve gone, they’ve resigned.

Slot must drop 3/10 Liverpool flop who was just as bad as Konate vs PSV

Arne Slot must now axe this Liverpool flop after he put in an extremely poor display at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 27, 2025

“I couldn’t believe over the weekend that people were talking about the manager’s job when I spoke to Liverpool supporters after losing at home to Nottingham Forest.

“It’s only going to amplify now and I’ve always been in the camp of you stick with the manager because I’m angry with the players if I’m being totally honest, I’m really angry with the players but it does get to a stage with any manager at any club where I always use this word untenable, where it almost feels like it can’t go on any longer.”

Whether Liverpool chiefs share that view is the big question. Recent reports linking them to the likes of Andoni Iraola certainly suggests that they’re at least preparing for life without Slot.

Liverpool eyeing Andoni Iraola move

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now eyeing a move to hire Iraola from Bournemouth if they decide to sack Slot. The Cherries boss is someone that Richard Hughes knows well, given that the sporting director hired the Spaniard during his time on the South Coast, and could now turn to him for a second time.

Iraola is one of the most well-respected managers in the Premier League these days. He’s taken Bournemouth to new heights and transformed the likes of Antoine Semenyo, who’s attracting interest from Liverpool ahead of the January transfer window.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been one of the many figures around English football to hand the Bournemouth boss praise, telling reporters earlier this season: “Andoni is an incredible, well-respected manager in Spain and did an incredible job in Rayo Vallecano.”

It doesn’t get much better than praise from the Man City boss, and Iraola could yet get the chance to become one of his biggest rivals if Liverpool make their move.

Gravenberch upgrade: Liverpool ready record bid for "best CM in the world"