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Get ready for the start of the Rothesay County Championship with our Division One preview

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2025.

Durham

Last season: 5th in Division One
Director of cricket: Marcus North
Head coach: Ryan Campbell
Captain: Alex Lees
Overseas: David Bedingham, Brendan Doggett (April-May)
Ins: Emilio Gay (Northants), Will Rhodes (Warwickshire), Sam Conners (Derbyshire)
Outs: Michael Jones (Lancashire), Jonathan Bushnell, Brandon Glover, Oliver Gibson (all released)Durham were viewed in some quarters as dark horses for the title on their return to Division One. Such predictions took a dent when their first outing, following a washout in the opening round, saw Warwickshire pile up 698 for 3 declared. Scott Boland, the club’s marquee overseas signing, was ruled out after one appearance, while Matt Potts, Ben Raine and Brydon Carse couldn’t get a peep out of the Kookaburra on the way to combined figures of 0 for 334.
The team’s character shone through in battling their way to a draw (Potts scoring 149 not out as nightwatcher), and although they never quite managed a sustained run of form, losing as many games as they won, a fifth-place finish showed that Ryan Campbell’s Bazball-adjacent methods were comfortably at home in the top tier.Related

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Their durability was summed up by David Bedingham topping the Division One run-scoring with 1331 at 78.29, and Durham’s batting riches will present a conundrum for Campbell to solve this season, with Emilio Gay and Will Rhodes arriving to provide top-order competition. Scott Borthwick remains available for selection having moved into a player-coach role, while Ben McKinney is one of the most exciting young players around – and then there’s the potential that Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, will want a game here or there, too, though Campbell is planning to be without.One to watch: The day after Daniel Hogg completed figures of 7 for 66 on first-class debut, the ‘s doyen of cricket coverage, Scyld Berry, tweeted that he would take “150 plus” Test wickets for England “if he stays fit”. Hogg, 20, is early in his journey, with six first-team appearances to his name, but looks to be the latest off the Durham fast-bowler production line. Alan GardnerBet365: 10/1David Bedingham was the leading run-scorer in Division One last year•Getty Images

Essex

Last season: 4th in Division One
Director of cricket: Chris Silverwood
Captain: Tom Westley
Overseas: Simon Harmer
Ins:

Outs: Ben Allison (Worcestershire), Feroze Khushi (released), Aaron Beard (retired)An air of optimism and renewal envelops Chelmsford at the start of what promises to be a hugely significant season. In 2017, Chris Silverwood delivered the club’s first Championship title in a quarter of a century, and now he is back as director of cricket. Just as he built the structure that has sustained their red-ball standards in the intervening eight years, the replenishment of those stocks is right at the top of the to-do list. In particular, a succession plan for their pre-eminent new-ball pairing of Jamie Porter and Sam Cook is a pre-requisite.To that end, the loss of allrounder Shardul Thakur to the IPL is a huge blow. It ought to have been a win-win, with Thakur using his Championship stint to vault himself back into the reckoning for India’s five-Test tour later this summer, but Essex’s loss has already been Lucknow Super Giants’ gain. Finding a replacement overseas quick will be vital, though no easy task in the current franchise market.They’ll be lacking their other overseas pro too, at least in the short term. Dean Elgar is due to return for a second season, having seamlessly filled the role of nuggety left-handed opener that was Alastair Cook’s for so many years, but for the time being he’s on indefinite paternity leave after the recent birth of his twins. Meanwhile Jordan Cox – so luckless this winter with a Test debut on the cards – needs a mountain of runs to force his way back into England’s plans. If his personal hunger translates to the squad as a whole, there’s exciting times ahead.One to watch: Essex’s reputation for homegrown players could be perpetuated if this is the season in which Jamal Richards breaks into the big time. Aged 21, he’s an alumnus of Graham Gooch’s old school in Waltham Forest, and his pace was amply displayed on his first-class debut in 2023, when he wrecked Ireland’s top-order en route to a first-innings five-for. He’s young and raw, but he’ll get his chances, and with Silverwood back in the building, rapid development is on the cards. Andrew MillerBet365: 13/2

Hampshire

Last season: 2nd in Division One
Director of cricket: Giles White
Head coach: Adi Birrell
Captain: Ben Brown
Overseas: Kyle Abbott, Brett Hampton (April-May), Dewald Brevis (May-July)
Ins: Sonny Baker (Somerset), Mark Stoneman (Middlesex)
Outs: James Vince (red-ball retirement), Mohammad Abbas (Nottinghamshire)James Vince’s relocation to Dubai leaves a sizeable hole in the batting for Hampshire, who also released seamer Mohammad Abbas after four seasons yielding 180 wickets at 19.07. Mark Stoneman’s arrival from Middlesex goes some way towards filling the Vince void, while Sonny Baker, from Somerset, joins the pace ranks led again by the formidable Kyle Abbott, in his ninth season with the club.In Abbott and Liam Dawson, Hampshire had the No. 2 and No. 3 wicket-takers in the competition last year, lending plenty of stability despite those big-name departures. Dawson can also provide valuable runs, having contributed 956 in 2024, just 30 runs shy of club leader Vince and with a better average of 59.75.It’s a new era off the field with Hampshire entering the Championship as the first overseas-owned club in English county cricket. If they can improve on their top-three finishes of the past three seasons and go one better than last year, it would be an instant return on the investment of India’s GMR Group.One to watch: Tom Prest has just turned 22 but with three centuries from his 10 appearances last season, he heralded himself as another batter capable of covering for Vince’s absence. The stage is now set for the former England Under-19 captain to grab his own piece of the spotlight. Valkerie BaynesBet365: 10/1Liam Dawson will again be a key cog for Hampshire•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire

Last season: 8th in Division One
Director of cricket: Mick Newell
Head coach: Peter Moores
Captain: Haseeb Hameed
Overseas: Kyle Verreynne, Fergus O’Neil (April), Mohammad Abbas (May & September)
Ins: Conor McKerr (Surrey)

Outs: Fateh Singh (Worcestershire), Luke Fletcher (released), Tom Loten, Toby Pettman (both retired)Last year’s dabble with relegation was inexplicable given the talent at Trent Bridge. The squad riches were typified by the fact many were in action over the winter. Even head coach Peter Moores dipped into the franchise circuit. But success closer to home will be scrutinised extra keenly, and it is reasonable to suggest that Moores’ job may depend on it.Red-ball silverware is a stretch, but there is no reason why Nottinghamshire cannot register a high finish. They boast a host of England cricketers, plenty of them in active service, many of whom reside in their bowling stocks.Olly Stone and Josh Tongue (who should finally make his Nottinghamshire debut) are on central contracts, while Dillon Pennington remains in the selectors’ thoughts after a winter with the Lions. The addition of Conor McKerr adds another tall, bouncy quick into the mix.Factor in Brett Hutton’s return to fitness after battling achilles trouble last summer, Lyndon James’ emergence and Mohammad Abbas for a couple of months, there is plenty of wiliness to supplement the speed. And with Haseeb Hameed and Joe Clarke set to build on their consistency with the bat, plus South Africa keeper-batter Kyle Verreynne on hand for the majority of the season – he averaged 248 from three appearances in 2024 – there is little reason why a top-half finish cannot be achieved.One to watch: It is probably cheating to put Farhan Ahmed in this category given he has already been seen. A debut first-class campaign might have only amounted to four games, but with 22 wickets at 23.22 – almost half of them against Surrey when, aged 16, he became the youngest to take 10 wickets in an English first-class match – everyone is on notice. The offspinner’s superstrength is his accuracy, a hell of a trait for someone so young. With left-arm twirler Liam Patterson-White and leggie Calvin Harrison also vying for playing time, his opportunities won’t be plentiful, but he’ll be sure to make them count. Vithushan EhantharajahBet365: 16/1

Somerset

Last season: 3rd in Division One
Director of cricket: Andy Hurry
Head coach: Jason Kerr
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Overseas: Matt Henry, Migael Pretorius, Riley Meredith
Ins:
Outs: Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Ned Leonard (Glamorgan), George Thomas (Sussex), Roelof van der Merwe (released)Three near-misses across formats in 2024 have Somerset battle-sharp and determined to avoid the late-season fade-out which cost them greatly in the Championship when Hampshire pipped them to second place in the final round, the week after a loss to Lancashire confirmed Surrey as winners.Matt Henry, the New Zealand seamer so pivotal to Somerset’s Vitality Blast success in 2023 and who took 32 wickets from six Championship games that season, is expected to arrive for his second stint at the club between rounds one and two despite missing the home series against Pakistan with shoulder and knee problems.Will Smeed offers a fascinating storyline with the bat after reversing his decision to play only white-ball cricket. A fractured foot suffered during the SA20 may delay plans for his first-class debut slightly, but, when the day does arrive, his explosive style combined with a new-found enthusiasm for the long format could be quite something to watch.With Shoaib Bashir on loan to Glamorgan for the start of the season, veteran Jack Leach spearheads the spin attack and believes a strong start will provide added insurance against any slips later on. “There’s no point in thinking about the last two weeks of the season until you’ve taken care of the first weeks of the season, so we need to get off to a really good start,” he said. “A moment in April could be the moment that allows you to go and win it.”One to watch: Archie Vaughan, the 19-year-old son of former England captain Michael, thrived in his four Championship games last season, averaging 33.71 with the bat and taking 15 wickets at 20.13. That included a match-winning 11-wicket haul against Surrey which kept Somerset’s title hopes alive. Having said he can be his “own man” at a club where “my dad’s not known”, it feels like only a matter of time before another Vaughan is famous in these parts. VBBet365: 13/2Archie Vaughan has already made a name for himself at Taunton•Harry Trump/Getty Images

Surrey

Last season: 1st in Division One
High performance cricket adviser: Alec Stewart
Head coach: Gareth Batty
Captain: Rory Burns
Overseas: Kemar Roach (April), Nathan Smith (May-Sept)
Ins: Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire)
Outs: Conor McKerr (Nottinghamshire), Ben Geddes (Middlesex), Amar Virdi (released)Boring, isn’t it? Not for Surrey, they like it. And they want more.A squad who have lost just five Championship matches across their hat-trick of title-winning campaigns have arguably been strengthened without doing all that much, and with the possibility of losing Dan Worrall to England duty.The Anglicised Aussie has 139 dismissals at 21.17 since moving to the Kia Oval in 2022, and should Rob Key give him a call, he will undoubtedly be a miss. But with Matthew Fisher now down in south London and New Zealand’s punchy bowling allrounder Nathan Smith on deck from May, there is handy cover.Factor in Dan Lawrence losing his England place, Will Jacks on the outside looking in, the desires of Jamie Overton and Sam Curran to push their cases with more red-ball work, and Ben Foakes relieved to no longer be subject to the “will they, won’t they” discourse, there are plenty of personal ambitions to fuel the whole. Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson will play some part in the first six rounds. It will business as usual for openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley.Even with Alec Stewart’s more subdued role this season – not that subdued, by all accounts – the Surrey juggernaut rolls on. Will it be four in a row? Perhaps the better question is who can stop them?One to watch: A tough one to pick given Surrey’s depth – and the fact precocious allrounder Tom Lawes already has two winner’s medals around his neck – but 20-year-old Ollie Sykes is another highly rated batter off the production line. A new-age leftie who crouches low with a high backlift, he debuted across all formats for the club last season, making his first-class bow in the final Championship game at Essex, though he made a two-ball duck in his only knock. He tuned up for this summer by hitting 32 off a James Coles over in a warm-up match down at Sussex. VEBet365: 11/10

Sussex

Last season: 1st in Division Two
Head coach: Paul Farbrace
Captain: John Simpson
Overseas: Daniel Hughes, Jayden Seales (April-May), Nathan McAndrew (June-July), Gurinder Sandhu (June-July), Jaydev Unadkat (Sept)
Ins: George Thomas (Somerset), Nantes Oosthuizen, Troy Henry
Outs: Sussex walked the talk after Paul Farbrace challenged his players to secure a place in the top tier for the first time since 2015, winning eight of their 14 games to claim the Division Two title. John Simpson proved a revelatory appointment in his first crack at captaincy after a 15-year career, leading from the front with five hundreds and 1197 runs at 74.81, while 24-year-old offspinner Jack Carson enjoyed his best summer with 50 wickets at 22.46 (not to mention 458 runs). A balanced squad was lifted by incisive contributions from Sussex’s overseas signings, including Jayden Seales (24 wickets at 24.25), Jaydev Unadkat (22 at 14.40), Cheteshwar Pujara (501 runs at 62.62) and Daniel Hughes (340 at 56.66).The challenge is to replicate such consistency at a higher level. Paul Farbrace has rejected talk of survival and is targeting a top-four finish as a minimum; for that, Sussex will need strong performances from the core of their side, players such as Carson, Tom Haines, Tom Clark, Tom Alsop and James Coles, all of whom have yet to prove themselves in Division One. It could also be a big summer for Ollie Robinson. Last year’s return of 39 wickets at 25.53 was solid without being spectacular, but the bigger stage might galvanise attempts to remind England of his qualities.One to watch: At the end of last summer, Troy Henry was one of two cricketers in the groundbreaking African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) programme to be awarded a professional rookie contract live on Sky Sports. That will fund his first year at Sussex, after the 20-year-old was signed following open trials at the club in January. A left-arm spinner and former ACE captain, he has previously played national counties cricket with Hertfordshire. AGBet365: 16/1Ollie Robinson will lead the Sussex attack on their return to Division One•Getty Images

Warwickshire

Last season: 7th in Division One
Performance director: James Thomas
Head coach: Ian Westwood
Captain: Alex Davies
Overseas: Vishwa Fernando (April), Tom Latham, Beau Webster (May-July), Hasan Ali (May-Sept)
Ins: Ethan Bamber (Middlesex)
Outs: Will Rhodes (Durham), Chris Benjamin (Kent), Liam Norwell, Michael Burgess (both retired)An underwhelming seventh-placed finish wasn’t going to cut it for Warwickshire’s management, who responded with a restructure in which Mark Robinson left his role as head coach after four seasons and the club recruited performance director James Thomas from Manchester City. New first-team coach Ian Westwood, the former Warwickshire opener promoted from his position as Robinson’s assistant, has an early headache with the delayed arrival of New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham due to a broken hand, the club hoping he will be back in action by early May.Wicketkeeper Michael Burgess’s surprise retirement to pursue other career opportunities in London headlined a player exodus from the club. They are also without Will Rhodes, whose third century of the season sealed safety before he left for Durham. Warwickshire only recruited Middlesex seamer Ethan Bamber locally, in addition to Australian allrounder Beau Webster and Sri Lanka quick Vishwa Fernando. With only Vishwa available from their overseas contingent before May, when the returning Hasan Ali will also link up with the side, Warwickshire face a challenging start to a season where any slips could leave them vulnerable.One to watch: Hamza Shaikh, the 18-year-old academy product added three Championship appearances last season to his first-class debut for England Lions against Sri Lanka, where he scored a first-innings 91. An unbeaten 33 in a supporting role to Rhodes as Warwickshire held out for a draw – and top-flight survival – against Worcestershire, was an impressive next step after his performance as leading run-scorer in England Under-19s quadrangular series in India in 2023. VBBet365: 14/1

Worcestershire

Last season: 6th in Division One
Head coach: Alan Richardson
Captain: Brett D’Oliveira
Overseas: Jacob Duffy (April-June)

Ins: Ben Allison (Essex), Fateh Singh (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: Joe Leach, Josh Cobb (both retired)As press releases go, the one that landed from Worcestershire on March 25 took the biscuit: “Scheduled cricket scheduled to go ahead as scheduled …” was the gist of the message from Ashley Giles, the club’s chief executive, “… unless it doesn’t”.Such are the extraordinary climate-related pressures on Worcestershire these days. Tellingly, the ECB hadn’t scheduled a Championship match at New Road until the fourth round, starting April 25, in a bid to protect the club against the worst of the potential spring floods that have blighted their iconic home in recent years. With studies showing that 19 of the ground’s 30 worst floods since 1899 have occurred in the last 25 years, Worcestershire’s concerns about their long-term viability permeate every facet of the club, and even their share of an anticipated Hundred windfall won’t in itself be sufficient to start planning for a relocation.In the circumstances, therefore, the club’s achievements in the past two seasons have been remarkable. If 2023’s promotion from Division Two was impressive, then last summer’s calm retention of their top-flight status was even more so.It promises to be an even tougher year ahead, however – not least because of the absences in the club’s ranks, most notably their gut-busting captain Joe Leach, who retired last summer after finishing as their joint-leading wicket-taker for the campaign with 27. New Zealand’s Nathan Smith and West Indies’ Jason Holder proved to be model overseas pros too. Much rests on Jacob Duffy to provide similar impact with the ball as his compatriot.One to watch: Kashif Ali has been the breakout star of the renowned SACA program, and the consistency of his 2024 campaign – 1180 runs at 42.61, including twin hundreds against Warwickshire – underpinned their solid season-long showing. The challenge is now to carry that form into a third season, with expectations heightened and ambitions ignited for higher honours. AMBet365: 33/1Jonny Bairstow will hope to lead from the front at Yorkshire•Getty Images

Yorkshire

Last season: 2nd in Division Two
Director of cricket: Gavin Hamilton
Head coach: Anthony McGrath
Captain: Jonny Bairstow
Overseas: Ben Sears, Jordan Buckingham (May), Will Sutherland (May-July)
Ins: Jack White (Northamptonshire)
Outs: Matthew Fisher (Surrey), Dom Leech (Northamptonshire), Mickey Edwards (retired)
It says much for the turbulence at Yorkshire in recent seasons that neither captain nor coach from their promotion campaign will return. Ottis Gibson signed off from three challenging years in the job by getting Yorkshire back into Division One before the club moved for one of their own, appointing Anthony McGrath after a success-filled reign at Essex. His brief is a simple one: make Yorkshire contenders once again. With Jonny Bairstow taking over the captaincy from the departed Shan Masood, there will be no shortage of pride in the White Rose this summer.Having started slowly, with five draws and two defeats in the first half of 2024, Yorkshire found their stride to win five of their last seven games – three of them by an innings – and shoulder their way past Middlesex. Adam Lyth, now in his 38th year, finished as the division’s second-leading run-scorer and is a proven performer in the top tier. With Bairstow set to benefit from the presence of Joe Root and Harry Brook for at least some of the Championship’s opening stretch – although Brook will miss the first three rounds – Yorkshire could field an intimidating top six. The bowling, led by Ben Coad, will miss Fisher but has been supplemented by a trio of Antipodean quicks. Spin could prove to be a weakness, however.One to watch: James Wharton has been around Yorkshire’s first-team squad for several seasons but 2024 proved a coming of age. His maiden first-class hundred, 188 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield, helped spark Yorkshire’s charge in the second half of the season. He then hit the runs to secure promotion on the way to a mammoth 285 in the final round. AGBet365: 16/1

And how many women have been out for 99 in one?

Steven Lynch27-Jun-2023In the first Ashes Test there were 11 players who had taken at least one five-for in their career – six from England and five from Australia. Is this the most for any Test match? asked Jatin Patra via Facebook

Rather surprisingly, perhaps, there have been several instances of 11 players going into a Test having taken five wickets in an innings at least once: the exciting first Ashes Test at Edgbaston was the 21st such occasion. The record is actually 12 players, which has happened twice: by Australia and England in Adelaide in 1974-75, and England and West Indies at Old Trafford in 2020.Usman Khawaja batted on each day of the first Test. How rare is this? asked Tim McClelland from England

Usman Khawaja’s award-winning effort in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston was the 13th occasion that a man had batted on each day of a five-day Test. He was the third to do it this year: both West Indian openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, batted on all five days against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in February.The first to achieve the feat was the talented Indian ML Jaisimha, against Australia in Calcutta in 1959-60. It should be borne in mind that many Tests, especially before the Second World War, were scheduled for fewer than five days.How many women have been out for 99 in a Test, as Ellyse Perry was last week? asked Lesley Robertson from Australia

Ellyse Perry, who fell for 99 in the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge last week, was only the fourth woman to be dismissed one short of a century in a Test match. The previous instance was by her current team-mate, Jess Jonassen, against England in Canterbury in 2015. That was Jonassen’s debut; she hasn’t yet reached three figures in a Test.The first to fall for 99 in a women’s Test was England’s Betty Snowball, against Australia at The Oval in 1937, and it also happened to Australia’s captain Jill Kennare against India in Bombay in 1983-84.There have been five 99s (and a 99 not out) in women’s ODIs, but none yet in T20Is.Betty Snowball (left) was the first woman to be dismissed for 99 in a Test•Getty ImagesBangladesh beat Afghanistan by 546 runs recently – was this a Test record? asked Mehdi Hossain from Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s thrashing of Afghanistan in Mirpur last week was actually the third-heaviest defeat by runs in any Test. Biggest of all was England’s 675-run win against Australia in Brisbane in 1928-29 (Don Bradman’s Test debut, as it happens). Australia returned the favour by crushing England by 562 runs at The Oval in 1934 (Bradman scored 244, and Bill Ponsford 266 in his final Test).The heaviest Test defeat of any kind came at The Oval in 1938, when England beat Australia by an innings and 579 runs – Bradman was injured and unable to bat (England’s captain declared at 903 for 7, but it’s said he might have carried on had the Don been fit). Australia beat South Africa by an innings and 360 runs in Johannesburg in 2001-02. Here’s the list of the biggest innings victories .At the end of the second day of Bangladesh’s Test against Afghanistan, both batters had the same score (54, from 64 balls). How often has this happened? asked Badri Meden from India

There are many instances of the two not-out batters having the same score at the of a day’s play in a Test, including lots of 0s, but only 12 times had they both scored 50 or more. The highest identical overnight score is 85 not out, by the Indian pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir at the end of the third day against South Africa in Kanpur in 2004-05. Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis both had 80 not out at the end of the second day of South Africa’s Test against England in Cape Town in 1999-2000.Madhav Apte and Vijay Hazare of India were both undefeated with 63 at the end of the second day against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1952-53, and Brian Chari and Craig Ervine of Zimbabwe both had 60 at the second-day close against Sri Lanka in Harare in 2016-17. There was another case of this earlier this year, in February in the Bulawayo match mentioned in the second question above, when the West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul both had 55 at the end of the first day against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.None of the other 50-plus instances involve the same number of balls, as in Mirpur recently, where both Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hossain had faced 64. In the Bulawayo match earlier this year, for example, Chanderpaul had faced 170 balls and Brathwaite 138.By chance I received a similar question from another correspondent, who was adamant the answer was the 63 of Apte and Hazare. The table he produced in support, which he apparently found somewhere online, was missing three of the top four instances (and five of the 12 overall), and so wasn’t very reliable at all! Beware of Ask Steven imitators…Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

It is already accepted that Meg Lanning’s team has enviable depth and they are likely to need it over the next year

Andrew McGlashan20-Sep-2021It’s one of sports many clichés that players don’t look too far ahead and only take each match as it comes. So let’s do it on behalf of Australia.The opening ODI against India in Mackay on Tuesday marks the start of an unprecedented period of 12 (or even 18) months of international cricket. There’s an Ashes series in January, an ODI World Cup in March and a first appearance at the Commonwealth Games in July. Then, in early 2023, there will be the defence of their T20 World Cup title. Cricket’s unofficial Grand Slam is on the line.The major focus is the 50-over World Cup after their often-referenced semi-final exit at the hands of Harmanpreet Kaur and India in 2017. But they will be desperate for multi-format success – which includes two Tests in the season – and to have a gold medal around their necks in Birmingham.Their depth will be tested like never before, even including when they lost Ellyse Perry during the T20 World Cup having also seen Tayla Vlaeminck sidelined just days before it began. There is a good chance that the majority of the 18 players in the squad to face India will get a game over the next three weeks. When you add back in Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen that’s 20 names who are likely to feature extensively, but they may need to delve further into the domestic game. The WBBL, a key part in building Australia’s depth, starts shortly after this series.Related

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The ODI side is on a world-record 24-match unbeaten run which dates back to 2018. That will, eventually, come to an end – it may even be in Mackay this week – but the priority will be that when that arrives it does not derail a campaign as it did four years ago. At the moment it would be a brave person to bet against an Australia title in Christchurch on April 3 but India, defending champions England and South Africa have the potential to stand in their way. The ODI gap from Australia to the rest has widened since the last World Cup and for the good of the game they need to be caught.The first-choice top six can be picked blindfolded (Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning, Perry, Beth Mooney and Ash Gardner) but it will be interesting to see if Georgia Redmayne and Tahlia McGrath get opportunities, or Annabel Sutherland has another chance to bat up the order having stood in for Lanning at No. 3 against New Zealand last year. There is a reluctance from Lanning and Matthew Mott to hand out caps for the sake of it – and points-based multi-format series add to the importance of each match – but expanding the amount of international experience for others can bring benefits later.Eyes in the prize(s): there are host of trophies up for grabs in the coming months•Getty ImagesThat will happen naturally with the bowling attack which provides most intrigue given the absences and injuries (Vlaeminck won’t play until the T20Is and Nicola Carey has had an abdominal strain). It will be just the second time since 2012 that Australia have fielded an ODI XI without Schutt and Jonassen. Regardless of where she bats, Sutherland should get a run in the side while left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux has the chance to reestablish herself in Jonassen’s absence. The pace bowlers will be rotated throughout to manage workload; the speed of Darcie Brown and bounce of the uncapped Stella Campbell is generating the most interest.Of the specialist pace bowlers, only Darcie Brown did not have to do 14 days hard quarantine. “There were a few nervous medical people but everyone’s pulled up really well,” Lanning said.The Test match later in the month, Australia’s first since the 2019 Ashes, has various unknown quantities: the pink-ball day-night factor, the lack of preparation, the pitch at Metricon Stadium, and how bowler workloads will be managed. Mott has said that the team has spoken about playing “one-day cricket for four days” which, given how Australia play one-day cricket, is an exciting prospect.It will be the first time since 2006 that the two teams have met in the format – in a sign of their remarkable longevity both Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami played that game in Adelaide – and Australia have not played in India since 1984 when a four-match series was drawn 0-0. It is to be hoped that changes in the not-to-distant future.Test cricket will be a focal point of this season and the context of the points-based system is a way for it to be a more regular part of the women’s game between those sides able to sustain it. Covid-19 remains a huge challenge but hopefully in years to come this busy Australian season will be seen as the norm.

Game 7 of the World Series unfolded in truly epic fashion on Saturday night and it resulted in an absolutely gut-wrenching loss by the Blue Jays to the Dodgers. Thanks to a Will Smith home run in the top of the 11th and a clutch double play in the bottom of the frame Los Angeles won its third Fall Classic in the last six years to officially establish a dynasty. Toronto, meanwhile, has a very long offseason of painful reflection ahead after coming close to its first championship in over 30 years.

It was as brutal a loss as you’ll ever see in sports and Sportsnet broadcaster Caleb Joseph was not happy about it. Appearing on the Canadian broadcast after the game, Joseph did not hesitate to declare he believed the better team did not win the series, even dropping a curse word on television as he memorialized the best Blue Jays season in decades.

“There were a lot of wet eyes and I don’t blame them for that,” Joseph said as he described the scene at Rogers Centre following the defeat. “It’s going to sound like sour grapes, and I don’t really give a s—, but I think the better team did not win this series. I think the Blue Jays are the better team. I feel like they played baseball a certain way, it was infectious, it grabbed the attention of the fans, and it’s disheartening to see that the better team did not win. That’s not to take anything away from the Dodgers, but the Blue Jays, they did so many things correct, so many things right.”

Joseph did spend the 2020 season with the organization and has followed their postseason run with Sportsnet. So the strong emotions are perhaps not a surprise.

But it ultimately doesn’t matter who was the “better team” in the way Joseph is talking about. The Dodgers won four out of seven games and thus they are the victor. The Blue Jays had their chances but couldn’t take advantage. Through that lens, the better team was from Los Angeles, and another World Series trophy belongs to the franchise as a result.

Joseph’s comments undoubtedly resonated with the Canadian audience who have loyally watched Sportsnet throughout this run. But no amount of lamenting who was the better team changes the outcome: the Blue Jays lost. The Dodgers won. And that’s how it'll be remembered forever.

Blair Tickner, who was taken to hospital for treatment soon after picking up the injury, “is awaiting further specialist assessment to determine his return to play”

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2025

Blair Tickner will not bowl or field at all, and is unlikely to bat for the remainder of the ongoing second Test between New Zealand and West Indies in Wellington, after dislocating his left shoulder while diving to stop a boundary on the first day of the game on Wednesday.Tickner, who was taken to hospital for treatment soon after his injury, which he suffered in the second session of the first day, has joined the squad at the ground but “is awaiting further specialist assessment to determine his return to play”, New Zealand Cricket said in a statement on Thursday.Tickner, who led New Zealand’s fast-bowling show on the opening day with a four-for, had to be stretchered off in the 67th over of West Indies’ innings when he attempted to prevent a boundary at fine leg. Chasing a flick from Tevin Imlach, he dived full-length near the rope and stayed down, prompting concern from his team-mates. The medical staff from the New Zealand camp and the venue attended to him before he was taken off the field – sitting up but in obvious discomfort – to warm applause from the Basin Reserve crowd.Playing his first Test since early 2023, Tickner had been drafted into the XI for this match after injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith in Christchurch. His 4 for 32 from 16 overs made him New Zealand’s best bowler on the day. His injury, however, added to an already lengthy list of unavailable fast bowlers for New Zealand this series, which includes Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke and Matt Fisher.New Zealand are now facing the prospect of losing a third fast bowler this series. They were similarly reduced in Christchurch, which had a knock-on effect and allowed West Indies to bat out a draw.Before being forced off, Tickner trapped Brandon King (33) and Kavem Hodge (0) lbw, used a sharp bouncer to dismiss Shai Hope for 48, and uprooted Roston Chase’s leg stump to put New Zealand firmly in control.In Tickner’s absence, New Zealand’s bowling in West Indies’ second innings will have to be shouldered by Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes and debutant Michael Rae, with the part-time spin trio of Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson and occasional medium-pacer Daryl Mitchell around to chip in as needed.

The incident occurred in the 19th over of the tri-series final, when a catch which Fakhar took wasn’t deemed legal, leaving him unhappy

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2025Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman has been fined 10% of his match fee and docked one demerit point after he was found guilty of breaching level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the tri-series final against Sri Lanka on November 29.Fakhar was found to have breached article 2.8 of the code of conduct, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match.” He admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by the match referee, so there was no need for a formal hearing, said an ICC release.The incident occurred in the 19th over of the final when Fakhar back-peddled from short-third, dived and seemed to have taken a stunning catch off Dasun Shanaka’s leading edge. The third umpire was called to check for the catch, and he deemed that the ball brushed the ground when Fakhar dived, and ruled it not out. Both Fakhar and the bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi weren’t happy with the decision and made it known to the on-field umpires.The very next ball, Shanaka swiped across the line and was clean bowled. Fakhar looked at the umpire and sarcastically appealed for the decision. Pakistan eventually won the final by six wickets as batting first, Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap, losing 9 for 30 to be bowled out for 114. Babar Azam shepherded the chase with an unbeaten 37, taking Pakistan over the line in 18.4 overs.This was Fakhar’s first offence in a 24-month period. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Hansi Flick was seen being comforted by Raphinha as the Barcelona boss looked close to tears after a 3-1 victory over Alaves on Saturday night. The German manager was overwhelmed by emotions at the end of the match, and the Brazilian offered his support to the German coach. The results puts the Catalan giants on top of the table in Spain ahead of Real Madrid's fixture against Girona.

• A shaky start, but a fierce response from Barcelona

  Barcelona were stunned inside 60 seconds when Pablo Ibanez punished slack defending to fire Alaves into the lead. The early blow rattled Flick’s side, but gradually they found their rhythm. Raphinha, making his return to the starting lineup, became the spark they desperately needed. It was his work in the build-up that created the equaliser, slipping a clever pass into space for Lamine Yamal. While Robert Lewandowski failed to convert the chance, the rebound fell kindly for Yamal, who buried his effort to bring Barcelona level. After the equaliser, Barca were fully in control. Dani Olmo completed a superb brace, capitalising on Raphinha’s assist for his second goal, and the hosts saw out the match with a professional performance. 

  A video circulating on social media showed Raphinha sitting beside Flick on the bench, speaking to the German coach, who appeared visibly emotional. Flick shook his head repeatedly, as if overwhelmed by the occasion. He later revealed what the Brazilian had said to him: "After the end of the match, Raphinha was telling me the same thing I said last time: We will improve. We will be much better in the upcoming matches."

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• Flick praises Raphinha on comeback

  Despite lasting only 60 minutes due to fitness management, Raphinha produced one of his sharpest performances of the campaign.

  "Raphinha always brings dynamism to our game," Flick told reporters. "He's very important because he has great intensity, and when he starts pressing, he makes everyone else press too. He needs to improve in the upcoming matches, but it's fantastic that he's back. I'm very happy to have them (Raphinha & Pedri) back. It wasn't easy managing their playing time. Rapha could only play 60 minutes, Pedri, 30…I'm happy with the three points, but not with some situations: we lost possession too often. We managed the game well."

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  Raphinha: Honest, demanding, and determined

  Raphinha acknowledged feeling far from his peak fitness but insisted that the minutes were crucial as he works his way back. 

  He said: "I'm trying to find my best form. I'm not fit to play 90 minutes, but when I'm on the pitch, I try to give my all. I felt the fatigue in the second half. I'm working very hard to get back to my best. I try to give my best when I'm on the field. Being able to start in the eleven makes me happy. I want to help the team and I'm leaving satisfied."

  He also admitted that his vocal leadership on the pitch can sometimes feel excessive to teammates. He added: "I feel like I'm being a bit of a nuisance, sometimes too much. But I think pressing is important. I'm sure that on the pitch, my teammates sometimes think I talk too much. But I'm going to demand more from those who can give much more. I take responsibility, and in the locker room, we all hugged each other to celebrate the victory. I always say that the best defence starts with a good attack. It's the most important thing we can do to help the defence. I try to press to make their job easier. I try to press to take up space from the other team's centre-backs and thus recover the ball more easily. It's good when the team follows me when I press, but I do it without thinking. I just run to win the ball back."

  Raphinha agreed that Barcelona are far from their peak, acknowledging there is much to tighten tactically and technically.

  "The manager felt we could do more on the pitch; we know it too," he said. "That's his feeling. That the team isn't at its best, I agree, and we have to improve a lot. But the important thing was to win. I'm sure we'll come back and win games by playing well. But if there are games we win playing badly, I don't care, the important thing is to win."

  Barcelona now shift their focus to Tuesday night’s blockbuster encounter against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou.

Hampshire were bowled out for 226 in just 71.3 overs after being asked to bat first on a challenging Hove pitch on the opening day of their championship match against Sussex. That left Sussex to face 22 overs and by the close they had reached 42 for three as Hampshire fought their way back into the match.Not for the first time the Hampshire innings was held together by their captain Ben Brown, once a very popular player in Sussex colours. But even Brown needed some good fortune on his way to a 129-ball 71, and he was dropped behind by opposite number John Simpson off the bowling of Sean Hunt when he had scored just 18.At the start of the day just 15 points separated the teams between fifth and ninth places. And both Hampshire, in fifth position, and Sussex, just two points behind, started the match in search of reassuring, anti-relegation points.Hampshire, who made four changes, bringing in Ali Orr, Toby Albert, Bjorn Fortuin and Keith Barker, reached a diffident 81 for three at lunch against a rejigged Sussex seam attack which welcomed back Olli Robinson, Jaydev Unadkat and Sean Hunt.Sussex, who had lost their two most recent championship games by an innings, broke through in the sixth over when Fletcha Middleton, driving at a wide delivery from Unadkat, edged behind. It was 47 for two in the 14th over when former Sussex opener Orr clipped Hunt to short leg where Oli Carter took a very sharp catch, low down. And Robinson picked up his first wicket in his livelier second spell when, bowling over the wicket to the left-handed Nick Gubbins, he straightened one to have the batsman lbw.After the break the Hampshire batsmen found the going no easier on a rather sticky surface. The pitch – being used for the first time this season for a championship match – did not encourage strokeplay. Albert pulled left-armer Hunt through midwicket to bring up the hundred in the 35th over but when he attempted a similar stroke against Robinson he gloved the ball to slip.Tom Prest also perished as he attempted to be positive, clipping Fynn Hudson-Prentice to Daniel Hughes at midwicket. Fortuin played himself in but when he jumped down the wicket to drive Jack Carson through the on-side he was through the stroke too soon and chipped it back to the bowler.Hampshire put all their eggs in Brown’s basket, and the batsman gathered his runs with sweeps and nudges, mostly on the leg-side. But when he swept Carson for a single to reach his half-century it had taken him 105 deliveries. From 119 for five Brown led his side to partial recovery, but once he was eighth out at 215, sweeping Carson to square-leg, Hampshire’s resistance was broken.Conditions were no easier when Sussex batted. Tom Haines edged Kyle Abbott waist-high to second slip and Carter was bowled by a nip-backer from Keith Barker. Shortly before the close, James Coles, driving loosely, dragged a delivery from James Fuller onto his stumps.

Going into the transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur had one clear objective under new boss Thomas Frank – improve the quality and depth across all areas of the pitch.

That was certainly achieved during the £100m+ spending spree, with the hierarchy completing a deal in the region of £55m for winger Mohammed Kudus.

Much was made around his transfer after joining from rivals West Ham United, but it’s safe to say the Ghanaian has already adhered himself to the supporters in North London.

The 25-year-old has already opened his account for the Lilywhites, scoring the winner in the last outing against Leeds United – subsequently adding to his tally of four assists in the Premier League.

However, Frank’s side could have looked a lot different had they completed a move for one of their other targets instead of landing Kudus during the off-season.

How close Spurs were to signing Mbeumo this summer

After appointing Frank from Brentford over the summer, there were always going to be rumours over which players he would bring with him – but one stuck out more than the rest in the form of Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian international scored 20 times in the Premier League last campaign, with such form making him one of the hottest properties during the recent transfer window.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Lilywhites had a genuine chance of landing the 26-year-old, even reportedly making an offer for his services after the Dane’s appointment.

The player himself spoke about the 51-year-old’s appointment, wishing him the best in North London, which only fuelled speculation over a potential switch to follow his former manager across the capital.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, as Manchester United completed a £71m transfer for Mbeumo, a figure that was way over the original offer that was supposedly made by the Lilywhites.

After joining the Red Devils, the Cameroonian claimed that he only had his heart set on a move to United during the summer – subsequently dismissing any interest in following Frank.

Missing out on his signature will no doubt have been a disappointment to the fanbase, but they shouldn’t have to worry, with one player already in their ranks already similar to Mbeumo.

The Spurs star who is Frank’s next Mbeumo

The return of Fabio Paratici this week will give the fanbase an added reason to be positive after their impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign under Frank’s guidance.

He spent a couple of years in the role between 2021 and 2023 before stepping down, but he’s now been brought back into the club to fill the Sporting Director role once again.

It will no doubt hand him the responsibility of recruiting new players to add to the Dane’s early success, whilst overseeing those who could be offloaded.

However, he’s already showcased his tremendous work within the transfer market, conducting phenomenal business to land Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus for just £25m.

The Swede would have been an unknown quantity to many in North London, but he’s made himself a fan-favourite with his incredible performances prior to his recent injury setback.

He registered 10 goals and 11 assists across all competitions last campaign – the best return of his career – and certainly playing a huge role in the club’s Europa League success.

Such is the level of his quality, he was labelled as a similar player to Mbeumo by FBref – a huge statement given the performances of the former Brentford star in 2024/25.

When comparing their respective stats during the same time period, the Lilywhites gem managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, with Kulusevski highlighting the quality he possesses when fit.

The former Juve star, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Jay Harris, completed more progressive passes per 90 (4.7), subsequently registering more key passes per 90 (2.5).

Games played

32

38

Goals & assists

11

27

Progressive carries

4.5

3.4

Progressive passes

4.7

3.7

Pass accuracy

74%

66%

Key passes

2.5

1.8

Passes into final third

2.3

1.6

Take-ons completed

1.4

1.3

Carries into final third

2.5

1.8

Such figures highlight the creative nature the Swede possesses, with such a feature massively adding to Frank’s side when he returns from his latest injury.

He also completed more take-ons per 90 (1.4), whilst notching more carries into the final third per 90 (2.5) – highlighting his desire to transfer the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

There’s no denying that a deal for Mbeumo would have further strengthened the Spurs first-team squad, but ultimately it would have been a huge risk paying such a fee after one impressive season.

With Kulusevski, the club have one of the most underrated players in the division, with the forward able to take his career to the next level under Frank in the years ahead.

Perfect for Kudus: Paratici wants to sign "one of the best STs" for Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to land a new talisman thanks to Fabio Paratici.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 17, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes enjoyed yet another stellar start against the Miami Marlins at PNC Park on Monday night, as the rookie righthander struck out nine Marlins while allowing one earned run across six innings of work to earn his 10th win of the season.

After he was done for the day, Skenes, like a talented artist, took a moment to admire his work.

Cameras caught the Pirates pitcher in the dugout, with a teammate behind him, staring at the scoreboard and counting all nine of his strikeouts out loud. When he finished, Skenes smiled and turned away from the camera.

All in a day's work for Skenes, who also set the Pirates' record for the most strikeouts in a single season by a rookie since 1900 after recording his first punchout in the top of the first inning.

Skenes, 10-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched, remains in the running for the National League Rookie of the Year award, along with San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill.