Simmons happy with Bangladesh's 'exciting, aggressive' style of play against Afghanistan

The Bangladesh coach singled out the middle order and bowling line-up in his praise after they sealed the series against Afghanistan

Mohammad Isam04-Oct-2025Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons is happy with the “exciting, aggressive” cricket his side has been playing in the T20I series against Afghanistan, adding he was particularly impressed with batting contributions from the lower middle order.Bangladesh are 2-0 up in the three-match series, successfully chasing down totals despite batting collapses. In the first match, they struggled against Rashid Khan, losing six wickets for just nine runs before Nurul Hasan and Rishad Hossain finished the game. In the second, they lost three wickets inside the powerplay and were saved by the middle order, Nurul again contributing with a 31 not out.”The good thing about winning close games is that you gain confidence when you are coming to a close game,” Simmons said. “It’s good that we are doing that, but it’s not good for any of us our hearts. Yesterday the openers showed what they are made of, and today, the lower middle order showed what they are made of.”The way we want to play is exciting, aggressive cricket, and that’s what we’ve been doing. We played their spinners well, at least today. That’s their strength. Yesterday we didn’t do that very well, but today we played their spinners a lot better. We did what we came to do today. ]Nurul] played a really great knock and brought us back from a stage. Jaker [Ali] and Shamin [Hossain] started it, and Nurul finished it for us. That’s what we have been asking our batsmen to do: make sure that they take responsibility when they get the chance.”Related

Saif primed for debut as Afghanistan and Bangladesh do rare ODI battle

Bangladesh finally see the power of hitting sixes

With ball in hand, Nasum's bouncebackability on show again

Nurul Hasan, Shoriful Islam pull off tense chase as Bangladesh clinch series

Simmons also said he was not concerned about Jaker’s form. The Bangladesh captain reached double figures for the first time in four innings, hitting 32 off 25 balls, and struck his first six in seven innings.”When you look around the world, international batsmen fail a couple of times. I don’t see any problem; he had a couple of bad games, and that’s normal with batsmen. Cricket is like that.”Bangladesh’s bowlers have stepped up in both games, with Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed and Mohammad Saifuddin bowling tight spells. Bangladesh gave away 35 runs in the powerplay and just 40 runs in the last five overs to restrict Afghanistan to a below-par score in the second T20I.”I think our bowling has been improving consistently, and it is at a stage now where we know we can depend on our bowling, whatever combination we use,” Simmons said. “I think our bowling has been that good over the last five, six, or seven weeks. It is part of our growth.”The bowling has put us in this position for the last two games. Yesterday, they started really well, and we pulled them back. Today, they started well, but we bowled well in the middle and especially at the end.”

MLC parent company calls its agreement termination by USA Cricket 'unlawful' and 'wrongful'

USA Cricket (USAC) has terminated their commercial agreement with American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), the parent company of Major League Cricket (MLC), which is three seasons old. ACE, in reply, called the termination “unlawful” and “wrongful”. ACE further said it has “fully complied” with their contractual obligations under the agreement with USAC, who have “no grounds to terminate the agreement”.USAC cited multiple material breaches of the agreement signed between them in May 2019, and said in a media release issued on August 21 that ACE failed to “fulfill its contractual and fiduciary obligations” despite “extensive dialogue, the issuance of formal breach notices, and repeated opportunities to cure defaults.””The breaches span critical areas, including financial commitments, infrastructure development, organizational structural, and governance responsibilities,” the release said.Venu Pisike, USAC Board chairman, further said: “USA Cricket entered into this partnership with ACE in good faith, with the shared vision of building sustainable infrastructure, providing competitive opportunities for our athletes, and creating commercial growth for the sport in America. We are supportive for the growth and success of Major League Cricket and Minor League Cricket. But, when it comes to USA Cricket, ACE has consistently failed to meet its obligations under the agreement, which has jeopardized the broader development of cricket in United States. After years of engagement and repeated breach notices, USA Cricket has no choice but to terminate this agreement to protect the best interests of the sport and its stakeholders. Additionally, we also raised concerns around the circumstances under which ACE was given the contract and the usage of USA Cricket intellectual property.”USA Cricket is resolute in ensuring that American cricket has a strong, sustainable future. We will continue to work closely with the International Cricket Council, domestic stakeholders, and partners to deliver on this vision.”The release further said USAC is open to “renewed discussions” with ACE for new terms and conditions that ensure “full alignment with the organization’s vision and long-term development objectives, including support for national team programs, player development, and grassroots initiatives.”ACE issued a statement in reply to say: “ACE is disappointed that USAC has selfishly chosen, on the eve of the 2025 MiLC (Minor League Cricket) season, to wrongfully terminate its agreement with ACE. USAC’s conduct undermines the hard work and dedication of all players, staff and team personnel involved in U.S. cricket, and the continued development of the sport in this country. It also jeopardizes MiLC, men’s, women’s and youth national team activities, and preparations for upcoming ICC events and the LA28 Olympics.”Indeed, based on information that has come to light, USAC may have been advised against terminating the agreement. Despite what has been stated about ACE’s performance, ACE has exceeded its financial obligations under the agreement. ACE has not only provided USAC with direct payments in full compliance with its obligations, but has also repeatedly provided USAC with additional discretionary funding and financial support to help USAC achieve its objectives and purposes. ACE recently made advanced payments, at USAC’s request, so that USAC could meet its staff salary obligations. ACE has also complied with its infrastructure obligations. In fact, USAC has recognized and relied upon ACE’s high-performance facilities for national team events, training and workshops.”USAC is hypocritically alleging contractual noncompliance while requesting that ACE immediately negotiate a new agreement. ACE views USAC’s improper conduct as nothing more than a cynical attempt to serve personal and political agendas, at the expense of the U.S. cricket community.”Consistent with previous ICC and USOPC recommendations, ACE urges the USAC board to resign immediately and allow professional independent board members selected by the ICC and USOPC to steer USA Cricket forward.”Nonetheless, ACE will not allow USAC’s tactics to undermine its continued development of a thriving, elite cricket ecosystem. ACE remains focused on advancing U.S. cricket and serving the best interests of the cricket community.”ACE is prepared to take all necessary steps to protect its stakeholders, safeguard the progress it has made over the last seven years, and ensure the long-term success of cricket in the U.S.”Last month, the ICC had proposed the USAC Board resign as part of roadmap for Olympics certification in the lead up to the 2028 Olympics that are to be held in Los Angeles. The ICC had initiated steps to “reset” and overhaul the leadership and governance structure at USAC at the behest of US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).USAC and ACE had launched the MLC in the USA with six teams in 2023, three of which are owned by IPL team owners, and another owned by an investor group that includes the owners of Delhi Capitals. The first two seasons were played across two grounds, in Morrisville (North Carolina) and Dallas (Texas), before the tournament expanded to Lauderhill (Florida) and Oakland (California).

Switch Hit: Black Caps and Pat's back knack

England have arrived in New Zealand for their white-ball tour, but all the noise is about the upcoming Ashes. Alan Gardner is joined by Andrew Miller and Matt Roller to catch you up on the latest

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2025England have started out on their winter touring commitments, arriving in New Zealand for T20I and ODI series ahead of the Ashes in Australia. On this week’s pod, Alan Gardner is joined by Andrew Miller and Matt Roller to talk through the latest – notably the increasingly urgent updates from Australia on Pat Cummins’ fitness. Also on the menu: T20 World Cup preparations, Jacob Bethell’s mission to impress, and the start of the Ashes phoney war.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: 9/10 hero had his best game for Leeds vs Chelsea

Leeds United pulled off an impressive victory to get back to winning ways in the Premier League on Wednesday night. Daniel Farke’s side beat Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road to pick up a huge three points.

It was the perfect start for the Whites in front of a packed-out home crowd. After an intense first five minutes or so where they dominated, Leeds broke the deadlock.

It came from a corner, with defender Jaka Bijol making a brilliant run to the front post and emphatically heading home.

Chelsea didn’t really threaten much and eventually paid the price. Leeds doubled their lead right on the stroke of half-time, through a brilliant strike by Ao Tanaka.

The Whites won the ball back on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area, with Jayden Bogle finding Tanaka in space. The Japanese international fired home a strike from range to put them 2-0 up.

Chelsea did pull one back with just 50 minutes on the clock, thanks to substitute Pedro Neto at the back post. Yet, Leeds managed to keep them at bay, and with 18 minutes to go, capitalised on a defensive error to secure all three points.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored their third, a goal which capped off a brilliant performance.

Calvert-Lewin’s stats vs. Chelsea

Calvert-Lewin’s goalscoring form has begun to improve in recent games. He bagged against Manchester City last weekend, and again against Chelsea on Wednesday night, although that strike was certainly easier.

It was a mistake from Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo which led to the goal, with the centre-back playing a sloppy pass to Robert Sanchez.

The Spaniard was immediately under pressure, with the ball crocheting off his body and into the path of Calvert-Lewin, who tapped home from two yards out.

However, it was not just his goal which impressed about the former Everton striker’s performance.

He was a nuisance throughout for the Chelsea defence, with Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post awarding him a 9/10 rating, explaining that he ‘brought others into play’ superbly.

Indeed, the statistics back up what was a superb showing from Calvert-Lewin. He only had 37 touches but made an impact with most of those, winning an impressive 11 duels, managing three shots and, of course, bagging Leeds’ third goal.

Chalkboard

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

However, the Whites’ number nine was not the only one of their players to stand out against Chelsea.

Leeds’ other standout player vs. Chelsea

It was a huge win for Leeds on Wednesday night, which took a huge effort across the board. One of the best players was midfielder Anton Stach, who ran the game in midfield and was impressive defensively, too.

The numbers from the game reflect a controlled midfield performance from Leeds’ summer signing. He had 50 touches and completed 19 out of 24 passes, creating a superb four chances, one of which teed up Tanaka for his goal.

Off the ball, Stach made four recoveries and won three duels.

Touches

50

Passes completed

19/24

Chances created

4

Ball recoveries

4

Duels won

3

Clearances

3

Assists

1

The 27-year-old German was a “revelation” in the centre of the park, according to journalist Adonis Storr. That is something Smyth seemed to agree with, also giving him a 9/10 rating post-match, calling that showing his ‘best Leeds performance’.

Indeed, it is easy to see why Smyth is of that opinion. For the German to put in a showing like that against a side competing in the Champions League and that are pushing Arsenal at the top of the Premier League is a colossal effort.

He was everywhere against one of the strongest sides in the top flight, and the chances he created added that creative spark in the final third. He played a huge role in Leeds’ attacking play, which ultimately helped get them over the line.

Stach proved why he could be considered an undroppable member of this Leeds side. This was a much-needed win, and he was right at the heart of it.

Calvert-Lewin’s goals recently have been key, but Stach’s performance in midfield is exactly what is needed for them to beat the drop.

Leeds summer signing has been their biggest waste of time since Augustin

This summer signing has been Leeds United’s biggest waste of time since the signing of Jean-Kevin Augustin.

ByDan Emery Dec 1, 2025

Hope conquers Dhaka as West Indies prevail in Super Over

The visitors bowled spin for all 50 overs of their innings in Dhaka, keeping Bangladesh to 213

Mohammad Isam21-Oct-2025
West Indies won the Super OverWest Indies prevailed over Bangladesh in the Super Over, beating the home side in Dhaka by one run. Akeal Hosein delivered an imperfect final over in extra time, defending ten runs, but he kept Bangladesh in check with several dots mixed with wides and no-balls. Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto couldn’t do the job for Bangladesh, and so, the series is now 1-1.West Indies had earlier scored ten runs in their Super Over, with captain Shai Hope getting a boundary off the last ball, after Mustafizur Rahman had removed Sherfane Rutherford with his second ball.This was Bangladesh’s first tie in 814 men’s international matches.Hope carried West Indies in regulation time, getting the only half-century of the game. West Indies needed five runs off the 50th over to complete a chase of 214. Saif Hassan bowled two dot balls before conceding a single. Hope got on strike and even though he only had Hosein at the other end – the No. 10 batter playing his first game on tour – he chose to take another single.Saif punished Hope for that, bowling Hosein between his legs. Khary Pierre, the last man in, needed to get three off the final ball, but his top edge spun towards square leg. Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan ran for the catch, but he dropped the chance. He also couldn’t pass the ball on in time to Mustafizur, who was stood by the stumps, as Pierre and Hope completed two runs, tying the match.West Indies became the first team to bowl spin for all 50 overs of an ODI. The visitors overhauled a record that had stood since 2004, when Sri Lanka plied Australia with 44 overs of slow bowling. Bangladesh topped that tally up with 42 overs from their own spinners, pushing the match aggregate to 92 overs of spin – another record in this format.Rishad Hossain came good with the bat again•AFP/Getty Images

When West Indies’ chase began, Nasum Ahmed removed Brandon King in the first over. Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty batted solidly during the powerplay, with Athanaze hitting Mehidy Hasan Miraz over covers, followed by a straight drive off Nasum. He also struck two more fours, before Rishad Hossain trapped him lbw. Athanze missed with a sweep after connecting with one earlier in the over.Carty was Rishad’s next victim when he missed his reverse sweep, and the ball snuck through and hit his back leg. Debutant Ackeem Auguste swept Tanvir Islam straight to Rishad at square leg, falling for 17. Sherfane Rutherford was given out lbw next, in the 27th over, as West Indies lost half their side with 103 on the board.Gudakesh Motie and Hope tried to keep West Indies afloat, but they were separated six overs later. Rishad struck with a full ball that Motie went after with a wild slog, falling for 15. Roston Chase, batting at No. 8, followed soon after, caught behind off Nasum.From 133 for 7, Hope added 44 runs for the eighth wicket with Justin Greaves. The latter got run out trying to take a quick single, with Mehidy effecting a direct hit to get the crucial wicket. Hope handled most of the strike but Hosein struck a six, to take West Indies closer. Needing just 14 off 12 balls, it looked unlikely that they would let the game go into a Super Over.Earlier, Bangladesh struggled to get going for most of their innings after deciding to bat first. Saif was dismissed after hitting a six, while Towhid Hridoy and Shanto got out to poor shots. Hridoy top-edged a slog, while Shanto got caught at short midwicket, unable to time Athanaze’s long hop.Sarkar played some gorgeous shots in between a lot of dot balls. He made 45 off 89 balls with three fours and a six, before holing out in the deep in the 31st over. Bangladesh were 103 for 5, and looked in danger, until Nurul slammed a six and two fours for his 23, leaving Rishad to do the finishing. He struck three fours and as many sixes in his unbeaten 14-ball 39, all of which came in the last 2.1 overs of the Bangladesh innings.Athanaze was West Indies’ best bowler with figures of 2 for 14 from his ten overs, while Hosein, who flew into Dhaka on the day before the match, also picked up two wickets. Motie took 3 for 65, his figures spoiled by Rishad’s last burst of boundaries.

England player ratings vs Albania: Harry Kane is unstoppable! Captain steps up again while Dean Henderson makes his case as Three Lions complete historic World Cup qualification campaign

Harry Kane made the difference yet again with two late goals as England beat Albania 2-0 in their final World Cup qualifier and made history in the process. The captain broke the deadlock from close range in the 74th minute then netted a header eight minutes later to ensure Thomas Tuchel's side became the first European team to win every game in a World Cup qualification campaign without conceding a goal.

The Three Lions produced an unflattering display overall in a match which had nothing riding on it as they had secured qualification last month while Albania were already assured of a play-off spot. Dean Henderson did his part in keeping the all-important eighth consecutive clean sheet with an excellent display, especially in the second half, before Kane got the breakthrough goal in

The striker turned in a Bukayo Saka corner in the 75th minute and seven minutes later he nodded home a cross from substitute Marcus Rashford. It was far from a statement performance, but it means England head to North America as one of the teams to beat.

GOAL rates England's players from Air Albania Stadium…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Dean Henderson (8/10):

Put under the cosh early in the second half and dealt with it well, making an impressive stop from Hoxha before coming out of his area to make a vital tackle on Laci. His first clean sheet in a third England start and a happier occasion than his last game against Senegal.

Jarell Quansah (6/10):

A competent albeit unremarkable debut from the Bayer Leverkusen defender. Didn't show loads of ambition going forward although dealt well with the danger coming down his side.

John Stones (6/10):

Played an advanced role, frequently pushing into midfield and rotating with Wharton. He gave England extra presence going forward but it didn't help them break down Albania for much of the game.

Dan Burn (5/10):

Struggled at times, particularly when Albania made a good start to the second half. A display which underlined why he is a squad player more than a starter.

Nico O'Reilly (7/10):

A positive second start for England after making his debut on Thursday, getting forward frequently and looking hard to beat. Looks a strong contender to be the first-choice left-back at the World Cup right now.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Declan Rice (6/10):

Far from his most memorable England display as he didn't influence the play or have his usual attacking input, and yet still did little wrong.

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

A lively performance which was a reminder of how important he can be for England all over the pitch, even if things didn't quite come off for him going forward.

Adam Wharton (6/10):

Made his long-awaited first start for England, and although he didn't do much wrong, he didn't quite live up to the hype around him or give Anderson too much to worry about.

Getty Images SportAttack

Jarrod Bowen (6/10):

Had England's best chance of the first half when he forced Strakosha to fly across goal and turn away his shot. 

Harry Kane (7/10):

It was the story of much of his England career. Did very little of note over the 90 minutes but came up with the goods thanks to his sheer know-how in the penalty area and then added an impressive second with his head.

Eberechi Eze (5/10):

A disappointing display as a starter, not looking on the same page as Rice and fluffing his only chance when he failed to beat Strakosha from close range. Replaced by Saka in the 62nd minute.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Phil Foden (6/10):

Gave England a bit more spark in attack with his movement, albeit without having much tangible impact.

Bukayo Saka (6/10):

Botched one half-chance and one great opportunity after replacing Eze, but went some way to making up for it by putting in the delivery for the crucial opening goal.

Marcus Rashford (8/10):

An excellent impact from the bench as he energised England's left side and put in a perfect cross for Kane as well as flashing a shot just wide.

Elliot Anderson (N/A):

Introduced in the 75th minute and helped England win a sixth consecutive game he has participated in.

Morgan Rogers (N/A):

Replaced Bellingham in the 84th minute.

Thomas Tuchel (6/10):

Made seven changes from the Serbia game and it showed as his side had their lowest expected goals total of his tenure in the first half. The overall performance highlighted a lack of strength-in-depth, but his substitutions helped get the job done and he has his own little piece of history to hold on to no matter what happens next summer.

Finais do Carioca contam com disputa acirrada para maior garçom da competição

MatériaMais Notícias

O Campeonato Carioca está chegando ao seu fim e a disputa para saber quem será o maior garçom da competição segue acirrada. Ao todo, quatro dos postulantes ainda jogam as finais. Saiba quem são e contra quem entram em campo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFlamengoPedro busca nova artilharia em início de ano mágico pelo FlamengoFlamengo30/03/2024Onde AssistirNova Iguaçu x Flamengo: onde assistir, horário e escalações da final do Campeonato CariocaOnde Assistir30/03/2024BotafogoBotafogo define favorito e está próximo de contratar técnico portuguêsBotafogo29/03/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Flamengo

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

CRYSTOPHER (BOAVISTA)
O meia do Boavista é o cara que lidera a estatística com seis assistências em 11 jogos. Crystopher terá apenas mais uma partida para aumentar o número e ter poucas chances de ser ultrapassado. O adversário será justamente o Botafogo no segundo jogo da final da Taça Rio.

HUGO (BOTAFOGO)
O lateral-esquerdo do Botafogo tem cinco assistências em nove partidas. É o que possusi mais chances de atingir o topo da estatística. Isso porque o Alvinegro tem uma tranquila vantagem para a final da Taça Rio e joga em casa o confronto da volta.

continua após a publicidade

BILL (NOVA IGUAÇU)
Talvez o atacante do Nova Iguaçu tenha a missão mais espinhosa entre os quatro postulantes e maior garçom do Carioca. Bill vai enfrentar o clube que o revelou: o Flamengo. O jogador tem quatro assistências em 10 jogos.

ARRASCAETA (FLAMENGO)
Apesar de ser o último dos quatro jogadores no ranking, o uruguaio é um dos que pode surpreender sempre tirando um coelho da cartola. Arrascaeta tem quatro assistências em nove jogos e vai enfrentar o Nova Iguaçu.

continua após a publicidade

O primeiro duelo das finais será entre Flamengo e Nova Iguaçu. A bola rola às 17h deste sábado (30), no Maracanã. Já Botafogo e Boavista decidem quem conquista a Taça Rio. A partida será às 18h30 deste domingo (31), no Nilton Santos.

Tudo sobre

BoavistaBotafogoCampeonato CariocaFlamengoNova Iguaçu

Keane said Man Utd ace was "getting away with murder", now he's undroppable

Ruben Amorim has put some credit in the bank in recent weeks, having overseen an upturn in performances and results at the Manchester United helm.

But the Red Devils’ three-match winning run in the Premier League was halted on Saturday’s draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. It was a creditable result, even if the performance left plenty to be desired.

Negativity has hung over Old Trafford like a brooding cloud for far too long, but Amorim will sense the first signs of a shift, with his side not only more fluent as a unit but demonstrably stronger from a mental standpoint too.

While impactful additions like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have helped refashion the outfit’s attack, they have been joined by a number of players, finding form after such bleak and low-ebb efforts last year.

Amorim's resurgent Man Utd stars

Cunha and Mbeumo are difference-makers, but no one has personified Manchester United’s budding resurgence under Amorim quite like Amad Diallo.

Amad salvaged a draw in that 2-2 battle at Forest last weekend, with that late volley salvaging a result and easing his own frustrations at being beaten by Morgan Gibbs-White in the air after the break. There it was that Casemiro’s first-half goal was cancelled out.

The Ivorian is a nifty little playmaker, with quick feet and an eye for goal that requires only a glance back at the weekend for proof, that strike very much pressed firmly in fans’ minds.

But his reshaped role as a wing-back has come at the expense of attacking freedom. Amad is not a natural defender, but neither is he a lost cause when against the ball. He works well on the flank of that line, adding to a defence that still searches for its final form.

But it’s getting there. Harry Maguire did not play against the Tricky Trees, but he has proven himself to be an important player this term. Likewise, Matthjis de Ligt is starting to come into his own after previously toiling through his first campaign in England.

And Casemiro’s strike to open the scoring underscored once again his own revival. Jamie Carragher’s acerbic comments have fallen flat, with the Brazilian now something of a linchpin in the centre for a side that has proven unable to find answers in the engine room.

But there’s an even bigger turnaround taking place at the Theatre of Dreams. Yes, one of United’s longest-serving stars appears to have found his finest form in some time.

Struggling Man Utd star is now undroppable

Manchester United have been through a lot over the past 12 years. Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement was always going to knock Old Trafford out of kilter, but no one expected the club to have fallen from their perch as they have.

A trophy-winning identity has been maintained throughout, but inconsistencies have been rife, and too many frustrating players have been signed, unable to find the form that their skillsets demand.

Chief among these cases would be that of Luke Shaw, who has come a long way in a short amount of time this year.

Not only enjoying a prolonged run of fitness, the England international is performing resolutely in a left-sided centre back berth, and that after playing as if he “didn’t want to tackle anyone” toward the start of the campaign, as was said by Roy Keane, who also declared the defender has been “getting away with murder for years”.

Undoubtedly, Shaw has been put through a career-long wringer in terms of fitness levels. He left Southampton and joined Man United for a fee in excess of £30m in 2014, and after more than 11 years of service, the 30-year-old has 297 games chalked off.

Many times, he has languished in the infirmary, never quite able to build up that natural athleticism and energy and technical ability to a point of recognition as one of the best left-backs in the world.

But, having started each of his side’s ten Premier League matches so far this season, there’s reason to be excited as Shaw continues to make headway. He is sharp and aware and robust in his defensive duties.

Luke Shaw vs Nottingham Forest

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

2

Touches

85

Accurate passes

65/74 (88%)

Possession lost

9x

Dribbles

1/1

Recoveries

1

Tackles

2/2

Interceptions

3

Clearances

1

Ground duels

4/5

Aerial duels

3/4

Data via Sofascore

The point gained at Forest proved this. In isolation, it was a frustrating performance, not quite slick enough and disappointing to have conceded twice after the interval, having worked hard to take the advantage into the break.

But we are not talking in isolation here. United played with heart and understanding, and Shaw was at the centre of this, building upon months of work. The Manchester Evening News noted he ‘will play himself back into the England squad’ with a continuation of these performances.

Keane would be the first to rejoice at Shaw’s rejuvenation. There has been no vendetta against the experienced ace, but rather, a deep disappointment relating to the club’s struggles to kick on. Shaw has been at the epicentre of this, too often injured and too often out of sorts. But no longer. This is a player who has rediscovered his self-belief and the joy of wearing the United badge.

This Saturday’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur – in London – will mark the perfect chance to enter the November international break with a real sense of progress. Amorim, undoubtedly, will field Shaw in his starting line-up, with the defender’s composure and ease on the ball now blended with renewed defensive iron. He is undroppable at this moment in time.

As the early-season form at Man United will attest, there is a long road to walk before the Red Devils and Shaw can look back and nod at efforts well expended.

Silverware is needed, and stability in contention at the top of the table. Whether United will do it is anyone’s guess, but so far, so good.

Man Utd's "anonymous" flop is rapidly becoming a bigger problem than Dalot

Ruben Amorim has a job on his hands to put one Manchester United player on the right track.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 3, 2025

Stokes urges England players to go full throttle in intrasquad Ashes warm-up

England captain Ben Stokes is confident he can manage a gruelling workload during the Ashes having bowled at intensity over the past two months. He will make his return to competitive cricket in a three-day intrasquad game with England Lions starting on Thursday, urging England’s players to go “balls to the wall” in their sole warm-up ahead of the first Test.There has been uncertainty over the fitness of Stokes, who has been sidelined since late July with a shoulder injury. But he has been bowling flat out at England’s training sessions at Lilac Hill, a suburban ground in Perth’s outskirts that once hosted light-hearted 50-over games for touring teams.”I’ve been bowling like that for two months now,” Stokes said. “It was nice to put the feet up but once the rehab started, I’ve hit the ground running. There has been a lot of hard work to get my body in a good place. I’ve had two-three months of building up to get here and that’s where all the hard work comes in.”Related

  • Trescothick defends England's limited Ashes preparations

  • Duckett: England evolving from being 'entertaining, reckless at times'

  • Harry Brook is going to the Ashes with a clear mind, but how will he fare there?

  • England hint Pope will retain No.3 berth for Perth Ashes opener

Stokes was ruled out of the fifth Test against India with a torn shoulder muscle after a heavy workload with the ball, claiming 17 wickets for the series in performances marked by long, gut-busting spells.”[Injuries] could happen any time, one of those things when you’re an athlete you’re always exposing yourself to injuries,” he said. “It’s part of what we do. I bat, bowl and field. It’s a pretty high intensity role that I do.”It’s frustrating, but also a little bit of realisation that I might have a little niggle here and there.”Stokes will test his fitness in England’s practice game at Lilac Hill. The exact details of the match are yet to be known, but Stokes confirmed that it would be an XI vs XI contest and that the full Ashes squad will take part along with England Lions players.”Next few days is balls to the wall for everyone, no easing into it and it will be a good run for everyone,” he said. “We’re going to be giving everyone in our squad time out in the middle. Everyone will be getting an opportunity.”It will be proper and taken very seriously the next few days. We’ve got nine days until the first Test and a lot of things can happen.”Other than Stokes, a lot of focus will be on the fitness of quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood with England contemplating selecting them in tandem for the first Test on an expected fiery surface at Optus Stadium.”It’s great to have the X-factor that Jof and Woody possess in terms of pace,” Stokes said. “Woody’s got over his knee surgery he had quite a while ago, he’s overcome that, and he’s looking really, really good.”Jofra’s been out on the park for two-and-a-half years now, so it’s great seeing those two flying in and sending some fast balls down there at our guys as well.”He’s going really well. He’s been looked after with workloads to get to this point. He’s in a great place at the moment.”Ben Stokes speaks to the media at Lilac Hill in Perth•Getty Images

As hinted by assistant coach Marcus Trescothick, England appear likely to back incumbent Ollie Pope at No. 3 although Stokes remained coy. “We’ve been very consistent with our team selections. We know exactly what we want,” he said.”Pope’s done a great job for us at number three. There are nine days to go. There’s a lot of things that can go right. There’s a lot of things that can go wrong. We’ll have a team one-two days [ahead of the first Test] as normal.”About 30km away from England’s training hub, nestled in a popular wineries region, a Sheffield Shield match is ongoing at the WACA where Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne have had eye-catching contributions.”I think a couple of their players have put in some good performances out in the field for their states,” Stokes said. “But when you get out there in the field and the heat for the Ashes on that first day, you know that you’re expected to go and deliver for your team. That’s a completely different ball game.”Stokes has arrived in Perth as the pantomime villain – branded a ‘cocky captain’ on the front page of the city’s tabloid newspaper – but he remains focused on a series that looms as legacy-shaping for his side.”That’s part of being in Australia. It’s another one of those things that we’re going to have to deal with,” Stokes said of the media scrutiny. “Especially for some of the guys who are here for the first time, just letting them know that’s what it is going to be like.”I would love to come back [to England] in January and say that I’ve helped the team win an Ashes in Australia. That’s obviously the goal. We are very, very determined to walk away with the goal that we want.”

Duffy four-for leads NZ to 3-1 series win in helpful conditions in Dunedin

The local boy got three wickets in an over as West Indies were bowled out for 140

Alagappan Muthu13-Nov-2025

Jacob Duffy picked up three wickets in an over at his home ground in Dunedin•Getty Images

“A beautiful summer’s day,” Jacob Duffy said as the tree tops and the cloud cover exchanged high-fives and the temperature just about strayed out of single digits. Dunedin was a picture postcard, provided you were a fast bowler.The West Indies players in the dugout were all bundled up. Those that ventured into the middle were just bundled out. Duffy finished with 4 for 35, and in the process became the third-fastest New Zealand bowler to 50 T20I wickets and the primary force that led his team to a 3-1 series win.Bang, bang, bangWest Indies were put in and bowled out for 140, having lost four wickets in 11 balls in the powerplay. A batting line-up that was focused on making the most of the field restrictions was undone on a pitch with live grass, so in addition to the overheads that almost ensured swing, there was pace and bounce.Duffy harnessed all that help in the third over when he dismissed Shai Hope (top-edging a pull), Ackeem Auguste (bowled by the ball moving in late) and Sherfane Rutherford (caught behind trying to charge him).The first of those wickets took Duffy’s T20I tally to 50. This was his 38th match. Only Trent Boult (36) and Lockie Ferguson (37) have got there quicker. One of the Southland’s own now sits among New Zealand’s elite.His spell on Thursday also left Duffy with a strike rate of 13.8, the very best among the 20 Black Caps bowlers with at least 20 T20I wickets, and an average of 17.05, the second-best of that same group.New Zealand beat West Indies 3-1 to win the T20I series•Getty Images

West Indies’ sinking feelingWest Indies have a long and powerful batting line-up. Over the course of this series, they’ve added 277 runs at a strike rate of 176 going six down. So emerging from the powerplay at 47 for 4 wasn’t exactly the end of the world.But there was a tipping point when Rovman Powell, who threatened an incredible rearguard just last week by helping his side recover from 93 for 6 to get within touching distance of a 208-run target, fell in the seventh over.Roston Chase and Jason Holder eventually conceded to discretion being the better part of valour, putting on a partnership of 42 in 34 balls. But both set batters fell within five balls of each other and Matthew Forde joined them soon enough, leaving the score 94 for 8 in the 14th over.West Indies tried. They tried to plug the leak but all they did – on land reclaimed from a lake in old Pelichet Bay – was sink.Tim Robinson again started in a hurry•AFP/Getty Images

Robinson evokes McCullumNew Zealand had their own trials as the ball kept jagging around all day. But with the target as modest as the boundaries either side square of the wicket – 63m each – the jeopardy was reduced.Tim Robinson came out and nailed his Brendon McCullum impression, right down to the cock of the wrist just as the bowler releases the ball and the addiction to hitting up in the air. He made 45 in 24 balls with five fours and three sixes, though the shot of the day belonged to Romario Shepherd, who first cleared long-on, then the stands, and almost what remains of the old Dunedin art gallery.Devon Conway was content to go at a slower pace, bringing up 1000 T20I runs at home, and eventually sealing victory with eight wickets and 26 balls to spare.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus