Over-reliance on Sciver-Brunt, and continued fielding concerns, hamper preparations for main event in India

Valkerie Baynes23-Jul-2025Reliance on Sciver-Brunt leaves England exposedAfter England were thumped by 97 runs in the opening match of India’s visit, the first T20I at Trent Bridge, Sciver-Brunt wearily set out the truth after her innings of 66 limited a damaging scoreline: “One person can’t win a game, so it is all about partnerships with the bat and showing our physicality as well, making sure that we’re coming back for twos and keeping that energy high.”Her words rang true once more when she and Emma Lamb staged a third-wicket partnership of 162 to briefly give England hope of staging a record run-chase to win the final ODI and that series. Their next-best stand, between sixth-wicket pair Alice Davidson-Richards and Charlie Dean, was only worth 36, which was telling as India won by 13 runs, a margin which flattered the hosts. Even Sciver-Brunt and Lamb struggled to get going, chewing up 41 dot-balls in a powerplay of 22 for 2.When Sophia Dunkley and Davidson-Richards combined for a fifth-wicket century stand in the first ODI in Southampton followed by 71 between Sciver-Brunt and Lamb and 55 between Dunkley and Sophie Ecclestone, it still wasn’t enough to win, although their performance pushed India harder in their four-wicket win than their latest outing in Durham. If former captain Heather Knight recovers from injury in time for the World Cup, she promises to add reliability to the batting lineup.”The positives have been around our batting,” Edwards said. “I think how we’ve performed with the bat over this series has followed on from the West Indies series and India have been exceptional.”They’ve been really disciplined with the ball and it’s something we can really, really learn from. They’ve outfielded us, hence why they’re probably lifting the trophy today. We’ve certainly learned a lot about our squad over the last two, three weeks.”Sciver-Brunt and Emma Lamb produced a century stand that raised hopes of a record chase at Chester-le-Street•Getty ImagesFielding remains a worryIndia had amassed 318 for 5 in Durham amid some sloppy fielding and, with the exception of Sophie Ecclestone, an expensive bowling attack. England clearly missed Sciver-Brunt’s ability to provide an option while she recovers from a long-standing foot injury. She is still hoping to bowl at the World Cup, even if fulfilling a ten-overs-per-game allocation looks unrealistic.Sciver-Brunt also took a superb catch to remove centurion Harmanpreet Kaur, further highlighting her all-round importance. And while England only dropped one catch – Lauren Filer putting down a sharp chance off Richa Ghosh – their ground fielding cost valuable runs.Related

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Any errors in the field are bound to come under the spotlight after that abject showing at the T20 World Cup, and the marked gap between England and reigning World Cup champions Australia during the Ashes. Both captain and coach admit it remains the biggest area for improvement.Sciver-Brunt told the BBC: “We do work very hard on it. The engagement that we have and the effort in training is excellent, so translating that into a game is where we are missing a little bit. Some people maybe seem surprised that the ball is coming to them.”Edwards said fielding ability would come into consideration when picking her World Cup squad.”It is going to be a selection point, isn’t it?” she said. “That will certainly be an element, the athleticism piece and how people field, it’s not just going to be who’s the best batter. It will be, who’s the best fielder?”We are certainly doing a lot of work getting round to the counties, providing them with support around fitness and fielding. I think they come hand-in-hand in many ways. There is definitely talent ID being done as well.”England’s fielding has been under scrutiny since their dreadful display at the T20 World Cup in Dubai•ICC/Getty ImagesTime is tightWith ten weeks to go until the World Cup, England have played the last of their scheduled ODIs in preparation and it is still only July. With a training camp in Abu Dhabi and possible warm-up games to come, England’s lead-up closely mirrors that of the T20 World Cup a year ago, in which they didn’t make the knockouts. But Edwards believes she has time to make her side contenders.”We’re going there to win it, clearly,” Edwards said. “Getting to the final would be a real success for us. That’s a long way off but we are certainly going there to really compete and we believe we’ve got a team that can really compete.”We know up in our dressing room what we are doing and how we are progressing, and that’s the most important thing to me, if I’m honest, that we are really progressing, we’re really improving.”I think there is enough time. We’ll take a lot of the learnings from this series… we’ve got to keep learning really quickly. At times, I don’t think we’ve learned and done things as quickly as I’d like throughout this series. But the more we keep getting in these situations, the greater the learning is.”I feel really fortunate that we’ve had this series leading into a World Cup, where clearly India are going to be one of the favourites, because they’re playing some absolutely amazing cricket at the moment. We know we are not far off, which gives us a lot of confidence.”

Manchester United are now reportedly racing Arsenal to sign Serhou Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund amid rumours that he has a release clause worth just £45m for selected clubs.

The Reds Devils successfully overhauled their frontline last summer, but could now be aiming to add that extra bit of quality now that Ruben Amorim’s side have found form. Before the international break, they stretched their unbeaten run to five games and will be desperate to continue that run when they play host to David Moyes and Everton on Monday night.

Despite their cost-cutting measures elsewhere, INEOS have shown a willingness to spend big on improving Amorim’s side and 2026 is unlikely to be any different. Those at Old Trafford are already reportedly eyeing a move to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and after his recent rise, no one’s doubting that he’d be an excellent addition.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has also been full of praise for the Man United target during the November international break, telling reporters: “Anderson is a key player for us at the moment. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League – that’s why he is with us and starting for us.

“He deserves it because he has been nothing but impressive. He has to keep on going now though. He is a very complete and mobile midfielder, and that’s what he keeps showing me.”

It would be an incredibly positive sign if United managed to welcome such a promising player next year, before then potentially shifting their focus towards signing yet another attacker. Having already welcomed Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig and the Bundesliga last year, reports are claiming that INEOS could be heading back to Germany.

Man Utd racing to sign Guirassy

As reported by Caught Offside, Man United are now racing to sign Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund alongside PSG and Premier League rivals Arsenal. The forward has been a late bloomer, but is now one of Europe’s most clinical strikers. And with reports claiming that his release clause is worth just €50m (£45m) to a selection of clubs, the Red Devils should go all out.

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Although Sesko is very much the future of United’s attack, Guirassy could quickly ease the pressure on the forward’s shoulders in 2026. The 29-year-old could guarantee Amorim goals in the here and now, with five to his name already in the Bundesliga this season.

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Just how stubborn Dortmund will be amid interest in Guirassy is the question. Former German international went as far as to dub the forward one of the “most complete” he’s ever seen in incredibly high praise. For Dortmund to lose that would be a major blow, but as January approaches their star man could be one to watch.

Man Utd now considering January Antoine Semenyo move as release clause emerges

Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has warned his players of the challenges that come with Tuesday's Champions League visit to Bodo/Glimt's Aspmyra Stadion. The former Italy and Napoli manager admitted that the visitors will be at an obvious disadvantage due to the adverse weather and pitch conditions, while also reassuring that his team will improve with time.

• Juve face daunting trip to Bodo/Glimt

  Juventus will visit Norwegian heavyweights and giant killers Bodo/Glimt on matchday five of the Champions League on Tuesday. It will be an extremely tricky challenge for the Bianconeri, given the adverse weather and pitch conditions on offer at the Aspmyra Stadion. 

  Located north of the Arctic Circle, the Aspmyra Stadion is among the northernmost footballing venues in the world, located at 67 degrees latitude. Situated on the west coast of Norway, it is a hotspot for tourists and locals to experience the enchanting Northern Lights (or aurora borealis). Weather forecasts for Tuesday indicate temperatures sitting at an icy 1°C, along with potential snowfall. 

  However, it's not just the unforgiving weather conditions visiting teams have to deal with. Aspmyra Stadion uses an artificial pitch, a surface that often challenges visiting teams. The likes of Jose Mourinho and Ange Postecoglou have often called Bodo out for their use of the "plastic" field. 

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  Spalletti aware of the task at hand

  Speaking to at the pre-match press conference on Monday, Juve boss Spalletti acknowledged the challenge of playing at the Aspmyra Stadion and conceded that the hosts will head into the clash with an obvious advantage.

  "Not the ideal climate for a football match? It's a very tough match. We were joking with the players and I told them it's tougher than they expected," said the ex-Napoli boss. "I've had to deal with these temperatures on these pitches, and it's a different experience, breathing in this cold air. Sometimes you can't even keep your eyes open. But there's always the thrill of the challenge."

  Spalletti also addressed the team's recent string of unconvincing displays, reassuring that the best is yet to come.

  "I think it's premature to completely overturn everything right now. We haven't done well, but we haven't done badly either," he explained. "We're in that middle ground where, with some new things, we can raise the bar. We have a bit of everything here, but we need to recognise them and deploy them at the right times.

  "These guys are perfect; they're eager to participate and show off their skills. Tomorrow I'll change something, otherwise we risk losing confidence, and then we need to analyse things properly.

  "In the camp, there's no longer the rigidity of roles that seems like disorder but is actually freedom. In that freedom, you have to find balance. This constant rotation of roles and the search for a position is an advantage."

• 'Pitch and climate a disadvantage' for Juve, admits Spalletti

  Spalletti went on to highlight the biting cold and artificial turf at Bodo, a far cry from the traditional grass pitches found in Europe’s elite leagues. 

  "Did you mention the weather? Let's address one thing first, because it seems like we've had a bit of a disaster," he added. "But the players haven't performed as badly as people pretend. I was the first to say we needed to do more, and we need to get them out there, we need to use the horses we have and all our qualities. I've seen the desire in this team, and you either face responsibility or you lose. 

  "The pitch and the climate are a disadvantage, because I've been fortunate enough to work abroad, and the air you breathe is different. It's all a matter of habit, and it's different from ours. Our desire to perform must make up for this gap. They're also good at selecting players, and not just for the pitch and the cold; in an international comparison, they have a significant value.

  "[Playing at the Aspmyra Stadion] is a real difficulty, due to habits and rebounds. We'll certainly pay something for this, but we'll face it. We all had fears, then after facing them we adapted, but this can give us some satisfaction. The pitch bothers us, but we want to perform our best."

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  Spalletti's Juventus reign not off to an ideal start

  After beginning his spell with the Old Lady with a 2-1 win over Cremonese, Spalletti's side have slumped to three straight draws. Their European campaign stands at risk of collapsing if they fail to come away with maximum points from Norway on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Juve sit in seventh position in Serie A, seven points off the pace. However, Spalletti has assured that his troops will fight for the Scudetto until the end.

Captain says he needs at least four weeks of bowling in the nets to prepare for a Test match and he has only just started running again following his back injury

Alex Malcolm12-Oct-20257:05

Advantage England if Cummins misses first Ashes Test?

Australia captain Pat Cummins says he is “less likely than likely” to play in the first Test against England as he begins running for the first time following his back injury with less than six weeks to go before the series starts in Perth.Cummins’ back has been almost a daily talking point in Australia since it was revealed he has a lumbar bone stress issue in early September. He has not bowled a ball since Australia’s last Test series in the Caribbean in July.Speaking at Kayo Sports’ Summer of Cricket Launch in Sydney on Monday, Cummins was sober about his chances of playing in the first Test in Perth against England on November 21.Related

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“I’d say probably less likely than likely,” Cummins said. “But we’ve still got a bit of time.”I’m running today and running kind of every second day, and each runs a little bit longer, and then we get into bowling prep next week. So I’m probably a couple of weeks away before actually putting on the spikes and bowling out on the turf. But it’s been a good couple of weeks. Each session feels better and better.”Cummins was asked how long he would actually need to prepare his body to play in a Test match.”You’d want probably at least a month in the nets,” he said. “If you are to play in a Test match, you want to make sure you are right to bowl 20 overs in a day and you don’t have to think about it. Four weeks is pretty tight, but I think somewhere around that mark.”Cummins added his back was feeling better having taken a long time to settle after the lumbar bone stress was initially diagnosed.But he outlined that even going from low level running to bowling is going to be a slow process as he needs to do specific gym work to reactivate his bowling muscles and see how his back responds before heading to the nets.”It’s kind of a little bit stiff, just probably a little bit from the injury but then also because it hasn’t been used for a while,” Cummins said. “Each session you do a little bit of run and make sure you pull up alright. So I’m actually feeling really good at the moment. A few of the symptoms hung around for a little bit longer than I would have liked but they’re all gone now. I’m just trying to kind of increase the workload and make sure body’s responding.”Some of the gym work becomes a bit more bowling prep work. So you do a lot more kind of getting your muscles ready, side holds to try to simulate that. Maybe some med ball work, but trying to kind of transition before you actually go into the nets and start bowling.”Pat Cummins says ‘he’s less likely than likely’•Associated Press

Australia coach Andrew McDonald said last week that a decision on Cummins’ availability for the first Test would likely be made on Friday following a week of increased running and gym work. But the coach was confident his skipper would play a part in the Ashes even if he wasn’t ready for the first Test. Cummins was cautious about specifying how many Tests he could play in the series.”I think it’s a bit early to know,” Cummins said. “With these things it’s pretty hard to go from not bowling or anything at all to suddenly playing five Tests. First steps are trying to kind of give us a shot at being right, and then we’ll work it out a bit closer to time.”Cummins admitted he had some level of frustration surrounding the timing of the injury and the prospect of missing part of the Ashes series.”Some days I’m kind of annoyed because it’s the Ashes, and it’s a big summer and then other days I’m kind of realistic,” Cummins said. “I’ve had the last seven or eight years of almost uninterrupted home summers, so I felt like I’ve had a really good run as a fast bowler.”Someone like Josh [Hazlewood], he’s been a little bit more unlucky, so maybe it’s my turn. But it’s such a big summer ahead. Obviously, you want to be in a mix, even with the India One-Day series and T20 series, I wish I was part of that. But it’s not to be. It’s part of cricket. You’re going to get injuries.”Cummins was confident that the injury would not affect him long term given Australia has huge period of cricket looming in 2026 and 2027 beyond this summer’s Ashes and T20 World Cup.”It’s a back injury that I haven’t had for about seven or eight years, and I’ve played a lot of cricket between that,” he said. “So if anything looking back when I was, say, 20 years old and I had this injury, I was a bit worried about what my body could actually handle. But I know in myself that if I get it right, do it properly, when I come back I shouldn’t have to worry about it all. And hopefully I can play as much, even more cricket than I had previously in the last few years.”

The former England quick, who will be a pundit in Australia, has joined those making some feisty pre-series comments

AAP15-Oct-20252:00

Why Miller is willing to bet on an England Ashes win

Stuart Broad has lit the fuse for a fiery summer, declaring Australia’s team is the worst they have rolled out for an Ashes series in 15 years.Almost six weeks out from the first Test in Perth, Broad joined the chorus of English voices talking up the tourists’ chances. In the past fortnight, Zak Crawley has claimed the term Bazball “winds” Australia up, while Joe Root has suggested this is his best chance to win Down Under.Former England captain Michael Atherton has suggested Australia are panicking with Pat Cummins’ injury, and Scott Boland no longer creates fear for the tourists.Related

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But amidst all the bravado coming out of England, Broad’s comments will grab the most attention, given he spent 15 years as Australia’s arch-nemesis before retiring after the 2023 Ashes.In the last 20 years, in home series Australia have swept England 5-0 in 2006-07 and 2013-14, as well as claiming 4-0 victories in 2017-18 and 2021-22.The 2010-11 summer is the only blemish on that home record over the past two decades, beaten 3-1 at a time when the Australian team was in a state of transition.Broad claimed the current Australian squad appeared to be in a similar state, having played in the 2010-11 series as well as England’s three series defeats in Australia since then.”It’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since 2010,” Broad, who is now working as a pundit, said on his BBC Podcast hosted with Jos Buttler.”It’s actually not an opinion, it’s fact. So those things match up to the fact it’s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.”Broad’s comments came in response to David Warner claiming Australia would win 4-0, because they were playing for the Ashes while England are “playing for a moral victory”.Broad pointed to questions over the make up of Australia’s batting line-up. He also pointed to perceived lack of bowling depth, with Cummins having conceded he is unlikely to play in the first Test.Stuart Broad had a legendary Ashes career•Getty Images”When have we ever, since 2010, been discussing who is going to bat No.1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and who is going to be the spare bowler for Australia,” Broad said. “You’re always go in there going: ‘well,the Aussies, they’re really strong. They’ve just got the same bowlers, the same team’.”But in 2010, when they were trying to replace [Glenn] McGrath, [Shane] Warne, [Matthew] Hayden, [Justin] Langer, they didn’t have a spinner. They changed the seamers all the time, and they had a bit of a mixed match of batters.”So I don’t think anyone could argue that it’s their weakest team since 2010.”Australian players have said England’s team is the best they have sent out in some time, with the high-octane pace duo of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer both fit.Questions do remain over how England will manage that pair, who have spent long stints on the sideline with injuries.Root also arrives as the No.1-ranked batter in the world, but he is yet to score a century or win a Test in Australia across three visits.Harry Brook headlines a list of younger England talents, after scoring 10 hundreds in his first 50 Test innings at a strike-rate of 87.52.

Bangladesh’s spinners outbowled West Indies’ on the dark, cracked pitches in Dhaka

Mohammad Isam24-Oct-2025

West Indies have had a difficult time in Dhaka•AFP/Getty Images

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy was critical of his bowlers after they lost 2-1 to Bangladesh in the ODI series. Sammy expressed his disappointment at West Indies spinners’ inability to take advantage of pitches that were unusually dark and cracked, and offered variable bounce.Bangladesh’s spinners outbowled West Indies’, taking 27 wickets at an average of 14.66 and economy rate of 3.80. In comparison, the West Indies spinners took 18 wickets at an average of 30.05 and economy rate of 4.39. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and allrounder Roston Chase had disappointing numbers, with even part-timer Alick Athanaze returning better figures than them in the second ODI.Related

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Khary Pierre and Akeal Hosein, both coming back to the ODI set-up after long gaps, fared better too. Hosein’s four-wicket haul in the third ODI was West Indies’ only bowling highlight in the series.”[The positive in the ODI series was] probably the batting of Shai Hope – how he continues to put the team on his back every time he faces a challenge,” Sammy said. “He is a leader. He puts the team on his back, but I am really disappointed in the way we bowled. You come to Bangladesh and you know spinners should be licking their lips. That’s the area where you will get to execute your plans and in the most favorable conditions for you. What we displayed over the last three games was very poor, not consistent enough.”Though the conditions were stacked in favour of the spinners, Sammy was all for home advantage.”I will tell you this, I always want to ask for home advantage,” Sammy said. “I can’t tell the Bangladesh team or the authorities what wicket to prepare. I focus on my team having the skillset to counteract whatever comes when they are playing away.”This series was very important for both teams. You are supposed to do what you have to do to win at home. That’s the most important thing. Whether that affects your development going outside of Bangladesh, that’s on them. I just thought my players just didn’t play well throughout the series.”Daren Sammy inspects the Dhaka pitch•AFP/Getty Images

He was also concerned by West Indies’ fielding. “We were poor in all three disciplines,” Sammy said. “I think we dropped six catches. Two didn’t go to hand and one was too wide. We were poor in all the departments today.”Sammy, though, was pleased with Hosein’s return. Back in the ODI team after two years, as a replacement player, Hosein picked up six wickets in two games at an average of 13.66 and economy rate of 4.10.”Massive kudos to Akeal in the manner in which he came up,” Sammy said. “In a team where you have three left-arm spinners and a guy who’s been out for the last two years coming in and outshine them, yes there’s a place for competition.”That’s what you want in a team. You don’t want to select guys because they have nobody else to replace them. You want to select guys because they have competition, and what Akeal did in this series is definitely going to challenge some of the guys who’ve been there.”

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة قوية ضد نظيره فريق ريال مدريد مساء يوم الأربعاء، في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة فريقي ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي، اليوم، في خضم لقاءت الجولة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري، موسم 2025/26.

طالع | تشكيل مانشستر سيتي الرسمي أمام ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف عمر مرموش

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثاني عشر في جدول دوري أبطال أوروبا برصيد 10 نقاط، في حين أن ريال مدريد لديه 12 نقطة ويحتل المركز السادس.

ويسعى مانشستر سيتي إلى تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم بعدما تعثر في الجولة الماضية وخسر أمام باير ليفركوزن بهدفين دون رد، كما يرغب ريال مدريد في الانتصار حيث يعاني من فترة سيئة على صعيد الدوري الإسباني.

ومن المتوقع تواجد النجم المصري عمر مرموش على دكة بدلاء مانشستر سيتي أمام ريال مدريد، حيث سيدفع به المدرب بيب جوارديولا في وقت لاحق من اللقاء، حسب مجريات اللعب. تشكيل مانشستر سيتي المتوقع أمام ريال مدريد اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: دوناروما.

خط الدفاع: ماتيوس نونيز، روبن دياز، جفارديول، نيكو أوريلي.

خط الوسط: نيكو جونزاليس، ريان شرقي.

خط الوسط الهجومي: تيجاني ريندرز، فيل فودين، جيريمي دوكو.

خط الهجوم: إيرلينج هالاند.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.