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Thomas Tuchel dished out another warning to an England defender over his conduct on the pitch. Tuchel has been very particular with the on and off-field behaviour of the players who represent the Three Lions and the former Chelsea manager is in no mood to compromise when it comes to discipline. Tuchel recently oversaw England's historic World Cup qualifying campaign, where they won all eight of their matches.

• Djed Spence ignored Thomas Frank after Spurs loss to Chelsea

  Following a terrible performance against Chelsea earlier this month, which produced just one shot on target, the home supporters made their feelings clear as boos rang around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the conclusion of the match. Despite the jeering, as is customary, Spurs boss Frank went onto the pitch as he and the rest of the players planned to show their appreciation for their fans' support during the game. 

  However, later in a video which was widely shared across social media, Spurs duo Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence opted to leave the pitch instead of greeting supporters, to the anger of head coach Frank. 

  The Spurs, though, later downplayed the incident as he told reporters: "All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that. I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

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  Spence warned by Tuchel

  Following the misconduct on the pitch for his club, England boss Tuchel has now spoken to the defender and warned against repeating such behaviour. The German coach later told reporters, "I didn’t like it. Because the players know they are not only national players when they are ten days in camp. They are always national players, and the standard of behaviour is always important."

• Tuchel slammed Bellingham earlier

  During England's World Cup qualifier against Albania on Sunday, Jude Bellingham finally got a chance to shine as he displayed an impressive performance. However, he was disappointed at being substituted in the 84th minute and was later accused of not "embracing the collective"

  On Bellingham's behaviour, Tuchel later said: "That is a bad impression. It should be about the collective. What we did in camp is all about the collective. I have to then review it – I was happy about the goal. I had a quick talk with Morgan Rogers and I was sure that everyone celebrated together. I will have a look at it. That is not the image we want to transport. We feel everyone is committed and that everyone accepts tough decisions, be it before the match or in the match.

  "He [Bellingham] has to accept it, he has to accept it. We should not make more out of it than it is. Rogers was not happy when he couldn't start today because he deserves to play, and he wants to play all the time. We gave him a bit of a rest because he came with a lot of minutes playing at club [level] and played for us against Serbia. I also don't want to make more out of it. I stick to my words – behaviour is key. Decisions are made, and you have to accept it as a player."

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  England's historic World Cup qualifying journey

  England scripted history as they became the first team to win all of their eight World Cup qualifying matches without conceding a single goal, as they scored 22 times in this period. In their latest win over Albania, courtesy of a brace from Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich star took his international goals tally to 78 as he surpassed Brazil icon Pele in the list of all-time highest goalscorers in the international arena.

They might have dropped points last time out, but Arsenal are flying this season.

They sit four points clear atop the Premier League table and second in the Champions League, with four wins and four clean sheets in as many games.

One of the stars of the Gunners’ impressive campaign so far has been Declan Rice, who has been as crucial going forward as he has been in keeping those clean sheets.

Therefore, fans should be delighted about reports linking them with another top-quality international who’d be a Rice-type signing.

Arsenal target Rice-Type signing

The transfer window is still over a month away, but Arsenal are starting to be linked with some exciting players again.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, stories are once again touting Real Madrid’s Rodrygo for a move to the Emirates following a disappointing start to the season.

A cheaper, lesser-known, but nonetheless exciting wide option the Gunners have been linked with is Lyon’s Malick Fofana, who has been catching the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

However, while either attacker would be an exciting addition to the team, neither could be described as particularly Rice-esque, unlike Elliot Anderson.

Yes, according to reports from Spain, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in the Nottingham Forest star.

In fact, the report has revealed that North Londoners are set to enter the bidding war for the England international, who has a price tag of between £100m and £120m.

It could therefore be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Anderson’s immense ability, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as it would be a Rice-type signing.

Why Elliot Anderson would be a Rice repeat for Arsenal

Now, there are obviously some differences between Rice and Anderson, from their playstyles to career paths, but were the latter to join Arsenal, there would be many parallels with the former’s move as well.

For example, it would be another example of the Gunners going out and spending north of £100m on a top-quality central midfielder from a non ‘big six’ Premier League team.

Moreover, like the former West Ham United captain was at the time of his move, the Forest ace is now an established and vitally important player for England.

In fact, ahead of his side’s win over Serbia, Thomas Tuchel described the 23-year-old as a “key player” for the Three Lions and “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.”

The fact that he is such an incredible central midfielder is another obvious trait he shares with the Gunners’ number 41, as is his versatility.

For example, since moving to the City Ground, the former Newcastle United gem has made 25 appearances in central midfield, 20 in defensive midfield, five in left midfield and three in attacking midfield.

In other words, like the former Hammers star, the “world-class” ace, as dubbed by one commentator, could play wherever Arteta wanted him to in the middle of the park, and as a result, form relationships with a host of Arsenal players.

Finally, on top of also taking corners, the Whitley Bay-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has some incredible underlying numbers to his name, proving that the comparisons to Rice are fully justified.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for ball recoveries, the top 3% for tackles in the defensive third, the top 4% for carries into the penalty area, the top 7% for successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would cost a king’s ransom, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Anderson, as he’s an excellent player and could have a Rice-type impact on the team.

Arsenal lost 'one of the world's best', now he's outperforming Saka & Eze

The incredible international is now playing better than Arsenal’s Eze and Saka.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 14, 2025

UAE lost a couple of wickets in the last over, but they had done enough damage with Oman being sloppy

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025A skillful half-century from Alishan Sharafu and a dogged one from Muhammad Waseem took UAE to 172 for 5 in their Asia Cup game against Oman on Monday.Both teams are searching for their first win of the tournament and their challenge in Abu Dhabi was to negotiate a slow and low pitch. Sharafu did so by charging out of the crease. Twelve attempts just within the powerplay fetched all six of his fours in that period. Then came perhaps his best shot, an inside out drive over cover for six against legspinner Samay Shrivastava.UAE were 11 for 0 in three overs. Then they whacked 39 runs off the next three and never looked back.Waseem was scratchy. He attempted a number of big hits and not all of them came off, indicating how he never really got the pace of the pitch. But thanks to his experience at this level, he was able to bide his time, recover from 3 off 9 to post 69 off 54. Oman didn’t help themselves in the field. They had a chance to dismiss Waseem on 27 off 22 but the fielder wasn’t all the way back on the long-on boundary and not only did he miss the catch he let it go for four. Then on 34 off 33, Shakeel Ahmed dropped a dolly at short fine leg. He came in for further punishment, hit for 12 runs (three times as many as he had given up in match) in the 15th over.Shah Faisal missed his mark in the 19th over which went for 18 runs and finished with figures of 4-0-45-0. UAE lost a couple of wickets in the last over, but they had done enough damage.

The schedule for Euro 2028 has been released, with England – if they qualify – set to take in their first game of that tournament away from Wembley at the Etihad Stadium. The home of Manchester City will play host to the Three Lions after a competition opener that heads to Wales and the Principality Stadium – with the countdown on to an event that will also see fixtures take place in Scotland and Ireland.

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  England in Manchester: Three Lions head to the Etihad

  The Three Lions have made light work of recent qualification campaigns – last failing to reach a major international tournament in 2008 under Steve McClaren. They are now aware of what their path will be when chasing down continental glory in 2028.

  England will be looking to reach a third consecutive Euros final there – having suffered heartache against Italy and Spain in the last two competitions. Their bid for the ultimate prize will be opened in Manchester – as the Etihad stages an England men’s game for the first time since May 2016, when the Three Lions were beaten 2-1 by Turkey in a friendly.

  Said contest will take place on Saturday June 10, 2028. From there, England will return to Wembley Stadium for their two remaining fixtures in the group stage. If they were to top Group B then they will head to St James’ Park in Newcastle for a last-16 match, or Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium if they finish second in their pot.

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• Euro 2028: Nine host stadiums across UK & Ireland

  Wales have been made aware that, if they are able to qualify, Cardiff will have the honour of hosting the opening game on Friday June, 9. The Republic of Ireland have games heading to Dublin, while Hampden Park will welcome fixtures to Scotland. Both semi-finals and the final will take place at Wembley in north London. Two automatic qualification spots will be held back for host nations that do not reach the finals through the normal routes.

  Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the list of nine host venues – with each of those set to figure in at least one knockout match. The quarter-finals will be split across the national stadiums of the four host nations. The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, with Northern Ireland missing out on games after it was revealed that Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time.

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  Euro 2028 final: Change to kick-off time

  The final – on Sunday July, 9 – will kick-off at 5pm. That is three hours earlier than the last Euros showpiece to take place at Wembley in 2021 – with that clash between England and Italy being marred by fan unrest as supporters broke through barriers and forced entry.

  The Football Association’s chair, Debbie Hewitt, has said of moving that game forward – in line with changes to Champions League final kick-off times: “It's easier to get there – we all know what happens to public transport late on a Sunday night.

  “Also we hope that the fans will want to celebrate after the game and so it allows that to happen. And of course, you have safety and security too. So all of those factors come together and it's a common sense decision.”

  She added on working with UEFA to ensure that ticket prices will be as fair as possible: “It will be a tournament for the fans and a festival of everything we love about the game – its passion and ability to bring people together.

  “We're not a fan of dynamic ticketing pricing and I think UEFA have heard that loud and clear. There's been no pushback from UEFA. They're great partners. They understand, and have at their core, too, that we want to make this the most accessible Euros. So we're giving a lot of thought to ticket pricing, how we make sure that the accessibility metrics are delivered on.”

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• Euro 2028: Dates for qualifying draw & group stage

  The qualifying draw for Euro 2028 will be held on December 6, 2026. The group stage will then run from March 2027 until November 2027, with the play-offs being held in March 2028. Ultimately, 24 teams will take part in the tournament.

Glenn Maxwell made 62 not out off 36 to win it with a ball to spare and two wickets in hand after Corbin Bosch took 3 for 26 to give South Africa a chance

Firdose Moonda16-Aug-2025

Getting it done, again: Glenn Maxwell kept his nerve as the chase got tight•AFP/Getty Images

Glenn Maxwell had scored his first T20I fifty in a year and 11 innings to put Australia on track after they were teetering at 122 for 6, chasing 173, in the 14th. Australia needed 12 runs from 12 balls to complete their highest successful chase at home. Kagiso Rabada was bowled out. What could possibly go wrong from there?Corbin Bosch took two wickets in two balls in a penultimate over that ended as a double-wicket maiden. Maxwell refused a run off the last ball to keep strike in the final over and Lungi Ngidi was tasked with defending nine runs. His first ball was hit out to deep wide long-on where Bosch flicked the ball back in-field as he leapt over the rope to save four. Then Maxwell beat Lhuan-dre Pretorius at deep cover for four and turned down another opportunity for a single with four runs to get. He reverse-hoicked Ngidi over short third to seal the deal off the second last ball of the match and confirm his status as the big show in a thrilling finale.Related

• 'Show off more' – Conrad tells his players after last-over defeat in final T20I

• Owen, Morris, Short ruled out of South Africa series

• Markram returns to opening role to accommodate 'more destructive' batters

Australia are now undefeated in their last seven bilateral T20I series. Of those, this was the first one in that time that went down to a decider and they showed their mettle under pressure. South Africa, on the other hand, have only won one of their last 10 T20I series. They have lost their last three finals in the last over, dating back to last year’s T20 World Cup and including last month’s tri-series final against New Zealand in Zimbabwe, and questions about their ability to close out close games will continue.The drama aside, South Africa simply did not have enough runs after a slow start. None of their top three got going and it was thanks to Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs’ fourth wicket stand of 61 off 29 balls that they built towards a competitive total, which they made a fist of defending. They had Australia in trouble on 88 for 4 in the 11th over and 122 for 6 in the 14th over but Maxwell was strong square of the wicket, held his nerve and struck at 172.22 to finish with 62 not out off 36 balls and take Australia home.

Zampa keeps South Africa quiet

With the Cairns surface noticeably slower than the Darwin one, the role of spin was always going to be a talking point and Adam Zampa had the first decisive say. He was brought on in the over after the powerplay and could have had a wicket with his first ball. Brevis miscued a pull but Maxwell could not get to the chance in time. Zampa only had to wait four more deliveries to get a reward. Ryan Rickelton misread the googly, played a premeditated sweep shot and top-edged straight up. Rassie van der Dussen was unable to get Zampa away and Stubbs, who reverse-swept Zampa for two fours, fell playing the conventional sweep. He moved across his stumps, missed the shot and was bowled to leave Zampa with an excellent return of 2 for 24 from his four overs.Nathan Ellis celebrates the key wicket of Dewald Brevis•AFP/Getty Images

Brevis goes big again but Ellis and Maxwell stop him

Brevis picked up exactly where he left off after his unbeaten 125 in game two and swivel-pulled the fifth ball he faced over the stadium roof. He went on to top-edge Josh Hazlewood over backward square leg for another six and hit Aaron Hardie for four sixes in the 10th over, which cost 27 runs.Brevis’ fifty came off 22 balls and he looked set for another century before Maxwell stopped him. As Brevis tucked into a slower short ball from Nathan Ellis and pulled it wide of long-on, Maxwell made significant ground and ran to his right, where he completed the catch diving forward. That was his second stunner of the series after catching Rickelton on the rope in the first match.

Marsh finds form

While South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram has now gone 31 T20I innings without a half-century, Australia’s skipper Mitchell Marsh broke his drought with a first fifty in 19 innings. He also played his part in Australia’s first half-century opening stand in eight matches.Marsh got the chase underway when he pulled the last ball of Kagiso Rabada’s opening over – a slower one – into the crowd for six. He gave a Lungi Ngidi cross-seam delivery the same treatment and then hit Kwena Maphaka’s first delivery for four, over mid-off. Rabada could not hold on to a tough return chance when Marsh was on 25 and then saw the fifth ball of his second over flicked over square leg for another six. Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy bore the brunt of Marsh’s big-hitting and was taken for 17 runs off the eight balls he bowled to him, including two sixes that bookended his opening over. Marsh’s fifty also came off Muthusamy, off the 35th ball he faced.Corbin Bosch bowled Josh Inglis first ball•AFP/Getty Images

South Africa’s quadruple strike

Australia were cruising on 64 without loss after seven overs when Markram brought himself back on in what he has called “gut feel” decision-making over when and how much to bowl. Four deliveries into his second over, Travis Head played a full-blooded pull back towards him. Markram dived to his left but couldn’t take the catch in what turned out to be a boundary-preventing stop. Two balls later, Head top-edged a sweep to short fine and Markram had sparked a collapse. In the next over, Bosch bowled Inglis for a golden duck, then Maphaka had Marsh and Cameron Green caught on the boundary. Australia lost four wickets for 22 runs in the space of 18 balls and South Africa were back in the game.

Maxwell vs Rabada in the closing exchanges

Australia needed 27 runs off the last three overs, Maxwell was on 39 off 25 balls and Rabada was about to bowl his final over. The balance of the game, it seemed, hung on those six balls. Rabada started off with a full toss that went over Maxwell’s head and was called a no-ball. Maxwell punished him by hitting the free hit, a low full toss, for six.Two balls later, Maxwell guided Rabada over short third and then brought up fifty off 30 balls with a single to long-on. Rabada conceded 15 runs in that over as Maxwell took control. It looked like a simple win from there, with Australia needing 12 off 12 and with Maxwell at the crease they would always have backed him to finish the job.

For the first time in 15 years, no players will be attending the 2025 MLB draft. There are a number of reasons for that, but it's still odd to see a professional draft without anyone who is being drafted in attendance.

The MLB draft has never been packed with players likely to be selected. Unlike the NFL, NBA, and NHL drafts, only a handful of players typically show up in person for baseball's draft night. According to Jake Mintz of Yahoo! Sports, over the 18-year history of the in-person draft, only 75 players have been on-site, and only two No. 1 picks have attended.

Things have changed this year, and that's partly due to NIL. Players want to be paid for appearances these days and MLB isn't going to pay them to show up. On top of that, some agents are advising their clients not to attend because there's nothing to gain by showing up before contracts have been negotiated.

Super agent Scott Boras, for one, has never had a player he represented attend the draft. Other agencies have followed suit—the idea being that a player attending and putting on the jersey of the team that selects him could give up some leverage in contract negotiations.

In the end, it's likely far more comfortable for players to watch the draft at home with their families than fly to attend in person, especially if there's a chance that player would drop. Given the downsides laid out by agents, it makes far more sense to go that route than go in person.

The MLB draft has never held the same allure as its NFL and NBA counterparts. Players selected in the draft may not see the major leagues for years, so it's hard for fans to get attached to them. Guys like Paul Skenes and Jac Caglianone who make the big leagues quickly are rare, so interest in the event is muted.

Without players in attendance, the excitement around the MLB draft is lessened even more.

A new transfer update has now emerged regarding Leeds United’s attempts to complete the signing of a former Elland Road loanee in 2026.

The Whites head to Brighton on Saturday afternoon, looking to build on the 2-1 Premier League win at home to West Ham last time around. Leeds are primed to try and pick up a positive result at the Amex Stadium, with Daniel Farke confirming that there are no injury problems in his squad ahead of the game.

“It is way better. I have nothing to report, nothing to complain about. No illnesses, no injuries, so everyone is training, we have a proper group and everyone is available, proper competition. A situation I prefer much more.

“Sadly it is not a guarantee that you will also be successful in the game, sometimes after a tough week you can also be successful like we were last week, but overall it is a much better situation compared to last week, so no question marks today.”

While Leeds are performing well back in the Premier League, the opportunity to make new signings in the January transfer window shouldn’t be sniffed at, and they have been linked with a move for Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley recently, who spent a spell on loan at Elland Road back in 2013.

New Ross Barkley to Leeds transfer update

Speaking to Leeds United News, journalist Graeme Bailey played down the idea of Leeds re-signing Barkley in January, with Villa considering him an important squad figure.

It is easy to see why Leeds would like to bring in the high-earning £60,000-a-week Barkley, with the 31-year-old such a talented and experienced player, and one who could still be harbouring faints hopes of being selected for England’s World Cup squad next summer.

The midfielder has proven himself in the Premier League for many years, making 287 appearances and bagging 71 goal contributions – 37 goals and 34 assists – while Andros Townsend has waxed lyrical over his ability after playing with him at Luton Town.

“Honestly, they’ve been some of the best midfield performances I’ve seen in my career. It’s just unbelievable – the calmness, the ability to get the ball off the back four and knock it past some of the world’s best midfielders without a care in the world.”

Leeds now lining up January approach for Carvalho, could be ideal for Farke

The Whites are looking to strengthen their squad this winter, amid concerns about a lack of attacking firepower.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 29, 2025

For now, it looks like Leeds will have to look elsewhere for potential midfielder additions, but if the chance arises for them to sign Barkley, they should go for it, even if it is a loan move in January.

Aaronson 2.0: Phil Hay saw no way back for Leeds flop, now he's "ruthless"

The India fast bowler recalls an epic Test tour of England, and reflects on the challenges life has thrown his way

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar26-Aug-20254:33

Breaking down where Akash Deep can improve

In the weeks leading up to India’s recent tour of England, Akash Deep had one thought weighing on him: “How do I survive five Tests?”For over two months, Akash Deep had spent several nights in hospital, attending to his sister Jyoti who was undergoing cancer treatment. Diet and sleep had become luxuries. His training was haphazard. Cricket wasn’t the most important thing in his life at that time.It’s why Akash Deep spontaneously remembered Jyoti and dedicated his 10-wicket haul in his first Test of the series to her, after India made it 1-1 in Birmingham.”It was tough,” he says while in Bengaluru, where he is preparing for India’s home international season. “As such, a five-Test series is not easy. Especially if you’re a fast bowler. And at a time when I had to prepare, I was dealing with a lot of things.”Being in and out of hospital, your diet and sleep often go for a toss. I was actually wondering how do I survive five Tests because even during the IPL because of my sister’s treatment, my training was haywire for one, one-and-a-half months. Luckily, I got time in the lead-up to the series thanks to the India A tour, where I had 10-15 days of preparation. I used that time to prepare well.”It’s been three whirlwind weeks since Akash Deep’s return from England, where he played an important role in India drawing the series 2-2. After a dash home to see his family, he was away on a pilgrimage for ” (peace of mind),” and then visited his ‘AB Cricket Academy,’ which he had begun last year in his hometown Sasaram in Bihar.”When I was growing up, there was nothing here,” he says. “No ground, no practice facility. I didn’t even see a red ball until I was 17-18. My thinking was when I have some money and resources, I’ll try and help kids who aren’t from financially sound backgrounds. So that they don’t have to go too far away to train.”Not being financially strong should not come in the way of living your dreams of playing the game or getting opportunities. I’m glad I’ve been able to realise my dream [of building an academy]. I have a team that looks after most things, but I guide them and insist, if there are kids coming forward from disadvantaged backgrounds and have the talent, they should be prioritised.”Akash Deep took 13 wickets on the tour of England•Getty ImagesAkash Deep’s story is one of courage. Sharing a 150 square feet room with eight others in Kolkata, surviving on (lemon tea) to play club cricket, staying with his cousin in Durgapur in search of opportunities, losing his father and brother in the span of a couple of months, he has seen it all. It’s why he treasures every moment on the field. “If you find even a little happiness amid all your problems, it’s enough to bring a smile.”He wasn’t smiling on that tense final morning at The Oval when he dropped Gus Atkinson at long on and palmed the ball over the boundary for six. England needed 11 after that to win the series, India needed one wicket to draw it.”Maybe I could have tried to palm the ball in to save the six,” he says. “But I went to take the catch. Luckily in the next over (two overs later) we got the wicket [of Atkinson]. Immediately after I dropped the catch, there was really no time to dwell on it. Maybe if something else had happened I may have been thinking about it. Luckily I didn’t have to worry much.”I ran really quickly to Siraj [laughs] once we took the final wicket.”That was just one of several memorable moments involving Akash Deep on the tour. Earlier in the fifth Test, he had put his arm around England opener Ben Duckett and said a few friendly words after dismissing him in the first innings.”He had been out four-five times to me. Before coming out to bat in that innings, he said, ‘this time you won’t get me out’. I got him out and then said, ‘bro, now go and rest please’,” he says with a laugh.There’s a memory from Birmingham that stands out. He’s watched replays of that dream wicket on loop.”Joe Root,” Akash Deep says with a smile. “The way I got him (bowled). Set him up, and got him out exactly the way I wanted to.” For those who don’t remember, he pitched on a good length and angled the ball in, before getting it to nip away and beat the outside edge of Root’s defence to hit the top of off stump.0:42

Tendulkar: Akash Deep to Root at Edgbaston was ‘ball of the series’

Apart from his 13 wickets in the series, he also made a vital contribution with the bat, scoring a half-century after coming in as a nightwatcher in India’s second innings in the fifth Test at The Oval. Akash Deep made 66 in his partnership of 107 with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket, helping India set a match-winning target of 374.”Everyone expects me to contribute with the bat, but I haven’t been able to do it to all the time,” he says. “That innings, I learnt a lot. It taught me to not take my batting casually. When the team needs me, that time I’m motivated.”He also recalls his innings in Brisbane in 2024, when he helped India save the follow-on, to explain what he needs to motivate himself at times. “I think I should put extra pressure on myself as a batter to contribute,” he says. “That’s what it (The Oval innings) taught me. I was just thinking of building a partnership with Yashasvi.”They [his team-mates] were happy because the batters used to taunt us in a friendly way, ‘kabhi toh kuch kardo (can you also contribute once in a while)’, ‘dus to bana do, bees to bana do (make 10 or 20 runs at least)’, so I felt they’ll keep quiet now for some time [laughs].”Akash Deep is now at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, gearing up for the two-Test series against West Indies from October 2. For the first time in months, he has the mental space to breathe, train, and focus on his game. He doesn’t have to go to the hospital at present and he’s enjoying the luxury of being able to stay in the moment and do what he loves most.

The Milwaukee Brewers are placing closer Trevor Megill on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right throwing arm, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The September injury to Megill is a critical blow to Milwaukee's bullpen, just weeks away from the start of the postseason.

The good news for the Brewers is that it is a low-grade strain for Megill, but it will take him some time to get back to full health, putting his availability—especially early in the postseason—in question.

Megill is 5-3 with a 2.54 ERA and 30 saves in 49 relief appearances this season for Milwaukee. He was named to his first All-Star team last month.

The Brewers hold the best record in baseball at 83-50 entering Wednesday's action and hold a 6.5-game lead in the NL Central over the Chicago Cubs.

The annual fixture will be played between the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025An England XI will face the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball match in Canberra in late November ahead of the day-night Ashes Test at the Gabba.The match at Manuka Oval will take place on November 29 and 30, starting four days after the opening Test in Perth and finishing three days before the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, which this season is the venue for the day-night encounter instead of the traditional Adelaide Oval.It will provide England’s players a chance to acclimatise to the pink ball in match conditions in what was traditionally a one-day fixture before becoming a multi-day game in 2022-23 when West Indies were the opposition.Last season the game was reduced to a two-dayer against India but became a one-day contest due to rain. However, it still had a major bearing on the Test series with Sam Konstas flaying a century which played a significant part in him earning a call-up for the MCG.The PM’s XI match will be England’s only fixture outside of the five Tests once the Ashes begins. They will prepare for the series with a three-day game against England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth, although that is expected to consist more of centre-wicket practice scenarios rather than being a fully-fledged match. However, tickets for the opening day have already sold out.Unlike the two matches England Lions will play – against a CA XI and Australia A – that run concurrently with the first two Ashes Tests, the PM’s XI contest does not clash with the Sheffield Shield.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “An Ashes series is something every cricket fan looks forward to. Like many Australians I grew up admiring, and begrudging, the brilliance of players like Ian Botham, David Gower, and Graham Gooch.”I look forward to meeting with the selectors to finalise a PM’s XI squad that showcases the best available talent from across Australia to take on the strong English team.”