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He’s still only 19, but the highs and lows he’s packed into a 13-Test career have accelerated his growth into a hugely impressive cricketer

Danyal Rasool30-Nov-2022He is only 13 Tests old, but there have been several moments when it’s felt like Naseem Shah has arrived.As early as in his third Test, in Karachi, when he became the second-youngest bowler to take five wickets in an innings, leading Pakistan to a 263-run win over Sri Lanka. Maybe you remember that hat-trick in the Rawalpindi twilight that broke open Bangladesh in February 2020. The 4 for 58 against Australia in Lahore perhaps sticks in the mind – he had recently returned after more than a year out with a niggling back injury. Or the second Test in Galle earlier this year, when he was thrust into the role of leading an attack that had lost Shaheen Shah Afridi to injury, and ended up the pick of the Pakistan bowlers.Related

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For sheer exhilaration, though, it isn’t a performance, but a particular delivery that defines what makes Naseem the box-office cricketer he has grown into so quickly. It came against Ollie Pope at Old Trafford, one star in the making pitted against another. The ball had become old and soft, and Pope had built a 65-run stand with Jos Buttler as England chipped away at Pakistan’s first-innings total. It was a length ball, not short, but it was sent down with enough venom to lift like a bouncer. Pope fended at it and edged to gully, where Shadab Khan held on to a low catch.It was Pope’s nonplussed expression that added to the sense that this was a moment of sorts.Naseem hasn’t been with the Pakistan side for long, but he has managed to fit in enough highs and lows to almost mirror a whole career. Many moments felt like he had arrived, many made one worry that he had faded away.The debut in Brisbane in November 2019, when he was not yet 17 and very raw, and was coming off a personal tragedy, now feels like it came awfully soon. There’s always the possibility of a young bowler struggling to recover from a difficult first game like that: Muhammad Musa, who made his debut when still a teenager in the following Test in Adelaide, hasn’t played another Test. The back injury that hampered him kept him out for more than a year, and Pakistan’s history of fast bowlers with recurring injuries – and their unfortunate fates – raised fears that it might be career-threatening.

“I think it is a big achievement for him that he is still playing and is very fit and that shows how much hard work he has been doing. He is a legend, and I have learnt from him”Naseem Shah on James Anderson

Now, England’s arrival in Pakistan thrusts upon Naseem a responsibility he has only fleetingly carried for Pakistan before, that of leading the red-ball attack. With Afridi out for the series, Naseem has to, in all likelihood, take over new-ball responsibilities. For much of his career, Pakistan have deployed him as first change, looking to use the pace and the unpredictable bounce and seam movement he gets once the initial shine comes off the ball.A brief stint at Gloucestershire earlier in the year only ended up amounting to one-first class match, but Naseem has been steadily expanding his horizons in red-ball cricket. In a press conference on Tuesday, he pointed out that the benefits of his time in England extended beyond his game.”I had a good season. I enjoyed it a lot, and learnt a lot,” he said. “They were different conditions and different pitches. In life, you learn a lot when you live alone. I think bowling is not easy anywhere, but in England, you need to know the conditions and pitch. So yeah, it was a different type of experience.”England have arrived to play Test cricket in Pakistan after 17 years; Naseem was just two when they were last here. There have been plenty of peaks and troughs in the England-Pakistan relationship over this time – unsurprising, given there’s a generation’s gap between these two series. But straddling that gap is James Anderson, the only member of this England side to have toured Pakistan before.Naseem was keen to pay homage to Anderson’s longevity, which, given the 19-year-old’s ambitions, he would be keen to draw from.”I think it is a big achievement for him that he is still playing and is very fit and that shows how much hard work he has been doing,” Naseem said. “He does that required hard work, he is a legend, and I have learnt from him. The big thing about him is that he is still fit and playing at 40. He is a legend and knows everything about bowling, having played everywhere in the world.”Naseem Shah found himself among Pakistan’s spearheads during runs to the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup finals•AFP/Getty ImagesNaseem now feels very different from the painfully shy 16-year-old who found cricket’s invasive and at times hostile media a challenge at the start of his international career. There have been signs of Naseem growing into his own person, and the cheeky confidence of someone who retains his boyish charm even as he develops into the impressive young man he’s become.Speaking of England’s newfound aggression in the Test format, he didn’t seem fazed. “They take risk and play aggressively, that is their mindset and if they are succeeding in that so be it, we have to bowl accordingly and counter that.”He has dismissed Joe Root once before, but when asked about his plans for the batter, Naseem shot back with a smile: “Why should I tell you?”Naseem’s skills with the English language have come a long way since he made his debut, too, but when probed in a language he is still coming to grips with, he was blunt. “Brother, I have just 30% English,” he laughed. “My English is finished now, okay?”For the past three months, the focus had moved from Naseem the red-ball bowler to Naseem the limited-overs cricketer. It was quite a remarkable turnaround, given he hadn’t yet made his international white-ball debut until August, only to find himself among Pakistan’s spearheads during runs to the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup finals. He now returns to the format he lit up first, vastly more mature as a cricketer and, just as noticeably, as a person.Unbelievably, he is still a teenager. But now it does feel like Naseem Shah has arrived.

Also, why did Axar Patel bowl only three overs?

Karthik Krishnaswamy11-Oct-2020Rishabh Pant was injured, but why did the Delhi Capitals leave out Shimron Hetmyer?The Capitals only have two wicketkeepers in their squad, so Pant’s absence meant Alex Carey necessarily had to play. That meant one of their four overseas players would have to drop out, and with Marcus Stoinis, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje un-droppables, the Capitals made the difficult decision to leave out Hetmyer despite him being the top-scorer with a 24-ball 45 in their previous game against the Rajasthan Royals.Did Shikhar Dhawan bat too conservatively?With Pant and Hetmyer out, Carey making his IPL debut, and with a bowling allrounder in Axar Patel slotted at No. 7, the Capitals may have been a little worried about their middle and lower order, which might have prompted Dhawan to bat with a little more caution, especially after two early wickets.There’s also a case to be made that Dhawan’s low strike rates are a little different to those of, say, KL Rahul. Where Rahul, this season, seems to be playing within himself, Dhawan has a more limited range of shots and can therefore be contained by good bowling. The Mumbai Indians planned and executed excellently against him, diligently keeping the ball away from his strong zones.But equally, the Mumbai Indians’ innings showed what Dhawan could have done to counteract those plans. Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav, in particular, made great use of the crease, moving across their stumps or away from them in order to play with the bowlers’ lines and target unguarded areas of the field. There was an example within the Capitals innings too, when Marcus Stoinis gave himself premeditated room to hit Trent Boult for a pair of boundaries either side of mid-off in the 16th over. Dhawan didn’t do enough of this, and finished unbeaten on 69 off 52.How did Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar keep the Capitals so quiet?Iyer is a noted six-hitter against any kind of spin bowling. Dhawan is a left-hander and should theoretically thrive against left-arm spinners and legspinners. Krunal is a left-arm spinner, Chahar is a legspinner.Krunal and Chahar bowled the bulk of their overs to these two batsmen and finished with combined figures of 2 for 53 in eight overs, conceding just three boundaries between them. How did they manage it?Axar Patel sent back Rohit Sharma but bowled only three overs•BCCIThis was partly down to the Capitals’ cagey approach through the middle overs but also to some good bowling. Chahar – much like the Kings XI Punjab’s Ravi Bishnoi against left-handers through this season – bowled from over the wicket to Dhawan and angled the ball across him and away from his natural hitting arc while mostly bowling wrong’uns and sliders. To Iyer, he bowled quickly and slightly short of length, making it hard for him to go over the top – especially with the long boundaries in Abu Dhabi – or step out.Krunal bowled back of a length and into the stumps, and occasionally fired one in really full against Dhawan.When Iyer finally decided to go big in the 15th over, he made a bright start, slicing Krunal for a four over point. But the left-armer went back to shorter lengths and straighter lines for the rest of the over, and Iyer couldn’t pull off the big hit. After hitting a one-bounce single to long-on, Iyer tried to go aerial again when he came back on strike, and holed out to deep midwicket.Why did Axar Patel bowl only three overs?Axar has been one of the Capitals’ most valuable players this season – his economy rate before this match was 4.50 – and he bowled two excellent overs in the powerplay, conceding just 12 runs and picking up the wicket of Rohit Sharma. He didn’t bowl too badly when he came back for the 13th over, despite conceding 12 runs – one of the two boundaries in the over came via a misfield from Prithvi Shaw in the deep. So why didn’t he bowl another over?Axar could have bowled the 15th over too, but with the Mumbai Indians needing only 47 from 36 at that stage with eight wickets in hand, the Capitals brought back Kagiso Rabada, probably to try and dismiss either Yadav or Ishan Kishan, both of whom are better players of spin than pace.Rabada went for 14 but sent back Yadav. The Capitals stuck with the medium pace of Marcus Stoinis for the next over, and he did well to get the wicket of the dangerous Hardik Pandya with a cross-seam delivery. With only four overs left thereafter, the Capitals went with the tried-and-tested route of their two best bowlers – Nortje and Rabada – finishing off their quotas in the 17th, 18th and 19th, leaving the 20th for either Axar or Stoinis or Harshal Patel. Stoinis has done the job before this season, so it was he who took the ball with the Mumbai Indians needing seven off six balls.Did the Capitals use their fielders in the right positions?Shaw isn’t the fleetest of fielders, and the Capitals seemed to station him in the so-called “hot zones” at two crucial junctures late in the game. In the 18th over, he was at deep square leg where Kishan’s pull just about cleared him and went over the rope. Shaw was at full stretch, and a taller fielder might have pulled off the catch.In the final over, with three runs required off five balls, Krunal knocked the ball just behind square on the off side and set off for a quick single. Kieron Pollard didn’t want the run initially, and a quicker fielder might have swooped on the ball from backward point and made him pay for the indecision. Shaw, despite going towards his natural right side, failed to make a clean pick-up, and let Pollard off the hook.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry to supporters. “Be in your seats by 7.30pm,” he commanded.

Fans inside the Emirates Stadium did not disappoint. North London Forever blared out from the sound system and after an intense week in which they’d gone unbeaten against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, the fans were very needed.

The Gunners failed to defeat ten-man Chelsea at the weekend and it was a performance that looked tired. Arsenal have enormous squad depth but injuries are already testing this crop of players. As a result, Arteta rang the changes for the visit of Brentford on Wednesday night.

Arsenal may well have secured a 2-0 victory but it was not a vintage performance. It was a display befitting of just how different the starting XI looked.

There were no Bukayo Saka or Eberechi Eze. Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke started instead. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba still injured, the responsibilities at the heart of the defence fell to Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie again.

Did they deliver? Well, Arsenal scored twice and kept a clean sheet, so it’s hard to argue against that.

Did Arsenal's midweek starters stake their claim?

Mosquera and Hincapie were rather patched together at the last minute when Saliba sustained a training injury late last week.

The Frenchman has now missed the last two games but for the two summer signings, this was a more composed and easier night than their showing at Stamford Bridge.

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

Hincapie has been brave and aggressive in both fixtures but Mosquera struggled against Chelsea, notably when it came to progressing the ball. Of course, a Brentford side missing the Premier League’s second top goalscorer in Igor Thiago for over an hour helped their cause, but if Arteta is going to be missing two of the world’s finest defenders, the stand-ins have proven they can more than do a job.

It was in attack where Arsenal perhaps struggled a bit more. While Set Piece FC seem to have become more about scoring from open play, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli didn’t do a huge amount to suggest they should be starting.

Madueke was energetic and effervescent on the right flank, performing four dribbles, two of which were successful, but he ultimately lacked end product, amassing two shots and failing to provide a key pass. Martinelli’s night was even worse. He had only one shot and completed just one dribble.

Odegaard, who stood in for Eze, was also lacking sharpness. The skipper created four key passes but lost six of his seven duels.

For Arteta, he will have been pleased with Mikel Merino, however. The Spaniard scored yet again, taking his goal tally as a centre-forward for the club to ten in 22 outings.

Arsenal have been fortunate that they can rely on their squad depth. They’ve missed Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks but Merino has more than stepped up.

It was the substitutes who changed the game on Wednesday too. Saka, who replaced Madueke, scored the second strike to seal all three points for the Londoners.

Yet, the goalscorers were pipped to the man of the match award by someone who’s been on the fringes of things this season.

Arsenal's man of the match against Brentford

The contributions that Saka and Merino came up with were vital but if it wasn’t for the performance of Ben White, this night would have been far more challenging.

For White, this has been a troubling last year or so of his career. Signed for a mega £50m back in 2021, he had established himself as a core member of the Arsenal side.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

8

1

He was notably described by journalist Tom Barclay as “one of the best prospects in English football” in the summer he moved from Brighton and in the early stages of his Arsenal career he lived up to that, amassing nearly 100 appearances between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Last season, however, things began to unravel. Fellow right-back Jurrien Timber was back from an ACL injury and his form since has been impeccable. In the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.”

What didn’t help White last season were persistent injuries that meant he was never really able to build momentum.

In 2025/26, though, he’s been available all season but has been met with stubborn resistance from Arteta to play him. He’s not the first person to find himself in this position during the Spaniard’s tenure.

Think of the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe or Oleksandr Zinchenko. While they all didn’t do a lot wrong in Arsenal colours, Arteta sought to upgrade them at the earliest opportunity available.

Zinchenko, in particular, has suffered the same fate as White has this season. When the Ukrainian signed for Arsenal from Manchester City he revolutionised the way Arsenal were able to play.

Previously, Arteta’s system saw Tierney flying forward from left-back but Zinchenko was fielded as an inverted full-back, something we now see from both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori.

During that 2022/23 campaign, Zinchenko and White were vital from their respective roles in defence. They contributed in all phases of play. The former Man City man was finally moved on in the summer, albeit only on loan to Nottingham Forest and if White wasn’t careful, he may have been heading elsewhere too.

But, he revived his career on Wednesday, given just his second start in the top-flight all campaign. The defender’s only previous start came against Manchester United on the opening weekend and since then, Timber has made the spot his own.

When Brentford came to town, White rolled back the years. The 28-year-old was phenomenal, notably providing the assist for Merino’s opener.

He took home the player of the match award and deservedly so for a display in which the England international won more duels (10) and made more tackles (6) than any other player against Brentford. He also made more clearances than any of his Arsenal colleagues (6).

Many have tried and failed to get back in Arteta’s good books. Zinchenko and Ramsdale can testify to that. However, White has showcased that he’s still very much an elite full-back and he should not be dismissed just yet.

With Mosquera having had to limp off the field in the first half with an injury, replaced at centre-half by Timber, it would not be a surprise to see White back in the starting lineup this weekend against Aston Villa. On the evidence of this performance, he is undroppable right now.

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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl must surely be looking forward to the January transfer window after his side were beaten 2-1 by Ferencvaros on Thursday night.

The Light Blues boss arrived after the summer transfer window, led by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he has not had a chance to bring in any of his own players.

Rangers made 12 signings in the summer, though, and that means that they may have to part ways with a few players to make room for new signings to come through the door at Ibrox.

Players who could leave Rangers in January

Clinton Nsiala and Rabbi Matondo could be candidates to move on because they are the only two senior outfield players who have yet to play a single minute in any competition, per Transfermarkt.

If they want to play regular football in the second half of the campaign, Nsiala and Matondo may need to force their way out of Ibrox, on loan or permanently, next month.

Kieran Dowell, meanwhile, played six games under Russell Martin at the start of the season and has now been linked with a loan move to Hull, which could see him see out the rest of his Rangers contract down south.

Another player who has been linked with a move away from Ibrox in January is Djeidi Gassama. He is a reported target for Spanish side Villarreal, who are said to be ‘exploring’ the possibility of a deal for the winger next month.

Villarreal’s interest in signing the Frenchman presents the Light Blues with an intriguing dilemma ahead of the January transfer window, as they may have a big decision to make.

Why Rangers should sell Djeidi Gassama

Rangers signed the 22-year-old attacker from Sheffield Wednesday for a fee of £2.2m in the summer, and they should ruthlessly cash in on him if the Spanish team are willing to offer a decent profit on that.

The Frenchman’s performances for the Gers this season have been inconsistent, at best, and his recent displays on the pitch suggest that he should be dropped from the team.

Rangers have four more Scottish Premiership matches before the January window opens and he should not start another match for Rohl before being sold to Villarreal in January, as he has not done enough to warrant a starting berth.

Appearances

15

6

Starts

13

6

Goals

1

1

Minutes per goal

1,171

480

Key passes per game

0.9

0.7

Big chances created

1

1

Assists

1

0

As you can see in the table above, Gassama has only produced two goals in 21 appearances in the Premiership and the Europa League, despite starting almost every game, which shows that he has not been reliable in front of goal.

His dismal form in the final third in those competitions came as a bit of a surprise after he started his career at Ibrox with four goals in six matches in the Champions League qualifiers.

The 23-year-old attacker has been unable to live up to the hype that his early burst of goals created, with just two goals in all competitions since the end of the Champions League qualifiers.

Rangers Journal creator Kai Watson said that Gassama has “been a ghost” since those early weeks of the season, and it is hard to argue with that assessment when you consider his form in the Premiership and the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Mikey Moore, who has scored two goals in his last three appearances, and Findlay Curtis, who created a ‘big chance’ off the bench against Ferencvaros (Sofascore), are waiting in the wings to take his place on the left flank.

As Rangers have two other viable left-sided options, in Moore and Curtis, Rohl can afford to take Gassama out of the starting line-up for the next four matches, using him as an impact substitute instead.

This would then give the other two players a chance to prove that they have what it takes to hold down that position moving forward, allowing Rangers to ruthlessly cash in on Gassama if Villarreal come knocking in January.

Selling the French ‘ghost’ could also provide Rohl with funds to bring in his own players in other positions, depending on how much the Spaniards are willing to pay for his services.

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Therefore, placing Gassama on the bench for the next few weeks before selling him in January could be a move that is in the club’s best interests, if Villarreal’s interest is serious.

One of the targets Leeds United have for the January transfer window seems to be a new striker. Despite bringing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in for free over the summer, they have been lacklustre in front of goal, and are now set to sign a new number nine.

Indeed, that player could be Troy Parrott. The former Tottenham Hotspur star is said to be a key target for the Whites going into the winter transfer window.

However, the 49ers will not have a clear run at his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also keen on the £20m-rated star.

Indeed, the Irish international is a man in excellent goalscoring form, sparking such interest.

Why Leeds want to sign Parrott

£20m is a small fee in the current transfer market, and Parrott certainly seems like he’d be worth that sort of price. The 23-year-old has been in excellent goalscoring form this season for both his club, Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and his country, Ireland.

For the Dutch top-flight side, the Spurs academy graduate has bagged an impressive 14 goals in 15 appearances, chipping in with a couple of assists, too. His form in the Eredivisie has been scintillating, with seven goals in eight appearances.

However, what has really stood out of late is Parrott’s form for Ireland.

He became a national hero earlier in the month, bagging five times in just two World Cup qualifiers to help guide his side to the playoffs and keep their dream of going Stateside next summer well and truly alive.

The 33-cap Ireland star kicked off November’s qualifiers by scoring twice to sink Portugal in a 2-0 win. Next up was a game against Hungary, in which the centre-forward bagged a remarkable hat-trick, scoring the third in stoppage time, to secure a 3-2 win and a playoff spot.

To fund the signing of Ireland’s striker, though, Leeds might first have to sell one of their highest earners.

The player Leeds must now sell

After a summer of heavy spending under the new 49ers regime, there is no saying just how much Leeds will have at their disposal in January.

The reported £20m fee for Parrott isn’t too expensive in the grand scheme of things, but who knows how much the Whites have left in the bank?

Thus, it might be the case that Jack Harrison has to depart the club in January. He has not been in good form this season after returning to the club following two years on loan at Everton, and isn’t necessarily loved by the fans. They even booed him in a preseason friendly upon his return.

Indeed, Harrison has not been the most trusted lieutenant this season under Daniel Farke. He’s played ten times in the Premier League, but has only started once and has racked up just 262 minutes.

Whilst the Stoke-born winger has yet to bag this term, he has scored 34 times and assisted 32 for Leeds across his career.

Perhaps the highlight of that was a hat-trick away to West Ham United back in 2022. However, he simply can’t reach that sort of form nowadays.

As for his time as an Everton player, those were a forgettable couple of seasons. The former Middlesbrough star played 73 games for the Toffees, but could only muster nine goals and assists.

Premier League legend Gary Neville said at the end of last season that his “quality’s been poor” for the Merseysiders.

It is easy to see why Harrison might be the fall guy for Leeds if they are to sell someone. Valued at £10.5m by Transfermarkt, he is also the second-highest earner at the club, on £90k per week, a yearly total of £4.68m.

Leeds top 5 highest earners
Player	Weekly wage	Yearly wage
Dominic Calvert-Lewin	£100k	£5.2m
Jack Harrison	£90k	£4.68m
Sean Longstaff	£80k	£4.16m
Daniel James	£75k	£3.9m
Noah Okafor	£72.5k	£3.77m
Information via Football Fancast

Selling Harrison this winter could help Leeds raise the funds they need to add to their squad up front. Depth on the left wing is not necessarily an issue, with Noah Okafor and Wilfried Gnonto both fighting it out for a starting spot out there.

If Leeds can help themselves sign Parrott by selling Harrison, a player who hasn’t exactly set the world alight with his form this term, then it might be an excellent piece of business.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Tiago Nunes vive seu momento de maior pressão no Botafogo. O clube está em situação delicada no Campeonato Carioca, e a polêmica declaração após derrota no clássico contra o Vasco deixou o clima mais pesado para a partida desta quarta-feira (21), contra o Auroras-BOL, pela segunda fase da Libertadores.

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A SAF do Botafogo não cogita demitir Tiago Nunes neste momento da temporada, mas cobra melhora tanto nos resultados quanto no desempenho. Assim, uma eliminação precoce na competição continental pode mudar o pensamento de John Textor.

Caso elimine o Auroras, o Botafogo ainda precisaria superar o vencedor de RB Bragantino e Águilas Douradas para alcançar a fase de grupos da Libertadores, principal objetivo do clube para 2024.

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Para o jogo desta quarta-feira, Tiago Nunes não poderá contar Luiz Henrique, principal reforço para a temporada. O atacante sofreu uma lesão na panturrilha e não tem previsão de retorno. Assim, o treinador deverá mandar a campo uma escalação com jogadores mais experientes: Gatito; Damián Suárez, Lucas Halter, Barboza e Hugo; Marlon Freitas, Tchê Tchê e Eduardo; Savarino, Victor Sá e Tiquinho Soares.

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Major League Baseball could never admit it but they would be bad business people if they weren't rooting for a New York Yankees-Los Angeles Dodgers World Series. The C-Suites at FOX were certainly not crushed when chips landed that way. No one can blame anyone for reaping the occasional dream matchup.

The part about this renewal of ancient October hostilities that gets a bit annoying is when people who have nothing to gain and don't particularly care about baseball act like every team in flyover country is an afterthought. And I'll be honest, my first impulse was to push back against this perceived coastal elitism and resist embracing Yankees-Dodgers with open arms.

It was helpful, then, to hear the message delivered by Jeff Passan on Ryen Russillo's latest podcast (12:20 mark).

"I've been waiting my whole life for this," ESPN's baseball insider said. "And this coming from somebody who grew up in Cleveland, who lives in Kansas City, who appreciates the plight of small markets. Who understands that baseball is not like basketball or football or hockey in that there is a gap among all of these teams and sometimes not just like a regular gap, sometimes two or three standard deviation gap when it comes to payroll. I think I'm supposed to be the person who looks at this World Series and says f— that, I don't want to see that, this says everything that's wrong about baseball. But to me it's just the opposite of that. This is everything that can be right about sports. Behemoths don't equal bad. Large markets don't equal problematic for someone who desires a level-playing field for some of the smaller-market teams. What I love is good baseball and stars being put in position to do things that we're going to talk about for years down the road."

Like Stefon describing the hottest New York City club, this World Series really does have everything. The biggest markets. Cash falling out of pockets. East Coast vs. West Coast. The largest player to ever play the game and perhaps the best. It's Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani but it's so much more. What American is giving up in the plucky underdog department they are gaining 10-fold in legacy and, most importantly, the highest-quality baseball on the planet.

If Passan can stop wearing his heartland on this sleeve and embrace it with open arms then everyone else who feels some type of way about the World Series can as well.

Australia suffered a dramatic collapse of 7 for 68 under the new Sabina Park floodlights as West Indies’ quicks enjoyed the conditions with Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph and Justin Greaves sharing all ten before Mitchell Starc struck back with an early inroad in his 100th Test.Starc, who had earlier collected a duck, went close on numerous occasions before removing debutant Kevlon Anderson, who inside-edged onto the stumps attempting a drive. West Indies had been forced into a makeshift opening pair of Anderson and Brandon King after Mikyle Louis, who had been recalled in place of the struggling Kraigg Brathwaite the match after he reached 100 Tests, and John Campbell picked up injuries in the field.Losing just one wicket in 45 minutes against this Australia attack with a pink ball under lights could be considered a success with King and Roston Chase doing well to see out the day. As has been the case in the first two Tests, the value of Australia’s total will only really be clear once West Indies’ innings develops.Related

• Pink-ball theatre: Unplayable deliveries, unbelievable catches and T20 batting in Test cricket

Australia were handily placed on 129 for 2 shortly before the dinner break with Cameron Green and Steven Smith well set, but Green fell to a wonderful delivery from Seales shortly before the break and then things started to happen quickly in the final session. Shamar Joseph removed Smith and Beau Webster while Travis Head fell to a stunning catch by substitute Anderson Phillip.Seales, Shamar Joseph and Greaves carried West Indies’ bowling after Alzarri Joseph was forced to leave the field due to back problems and was sent for scans. Meanwhile, Louis injured his knee when it was jarred in the outfield and Campbell took a blow in the chest at short leg.Substitute Anderson Phillip pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Travis Head•Associated Press

The day had significant intrigue before a ball was bowled when it was confirmed that Australia had omitted Nathan Lyon for the first time where he was available for a Test since 2013 as they went with an all-pace attack. West Indies, meanwhile, thought conditions warranted recalling their specialist spinner Jomel Warrican. There was purchase for both West Indies’ spinners but considerable assistance for quicks throughout on a well-grassed surface, with life very difficult as day turned to night.The tempo of the early exchanges belied what would come later. Sam Konstas, who was dropped on 1, and Usman Khawaja battled through the first hour for 21 runs and went on to compile the longest opening stand of the series. By lunch, Australia were 50 for 1, having struck just four boundaries, although a sluggish outfield was partly to blame for that.Konstas was given a life when debutant Anderson spilled a chance at third slip in the fifth over and was skittish in his running early on, twice being at risk of being dismissed had there been direct hits. Having done some hard work against the new ball, he was trapped lbw by Greaves to leave him one innings in the series to make a mark.West Indies thought they had Green before the interval when Seales won an appeal lbw, but Green reviewed with a second to spare and the ball was sliding past leg stump. Aside from that moment, Green built on the positive work of the second innings in Grenada and, after tea, unfurled a couple of crisp drives.Khawaja had absorbed a lot of pressure and good deliveries before falling to a stunning catch by Shai Hope as he edged Shamar Joseph from around the wicket.Australia left out a fit Nathan Lyon for the first time since 2013•Associated Press

Smith was quickly out of the blocks, pulling his first boundary powerfully through midwicket, and took three more in a row off Greaves before being given a life on 24 when Warrican couldn’t cling on to a stinging return catch. With Alzarri Joseph off the field, Chase had to juggle his pace bowlers and resorted to twin spin of himself and Warrican for a period in the middle session.Shortly before dinner, Seales, who has been outstanding through the series, produced a wonderful delivery which straightened to Green to clip the top of the bails – replays showed that if the ball hadn’t deviated, it would have hit the middle of the bat.When Smith and Head resumed under the glare of the floodlights, it was clear that batting would be tough and that the batters weren’t going to hang around. Smith was beaten by the first ball of the session and then edged wide of the slips before being distracted by the clock at the Courtney Walsh End, which needed covering with a black cloth.Smith slashed an edge over the cordon against Shamar Joseph before a repeat was well caught by King at first slip. There was no repair act from Webster this time as he edged behind.Head hadn’t hit top gear as he initially tried to repel the bowling, but then attempted to launch Greaves over the off side and was spectacularly held by Phillips, running to his right of mid-off and flying horizontally to hold the catch.Bat-throwing time had clearly been declared. Alex Carey had already lofted a six over mid-off against Greaves and then edged behind. Pat Cummins launched three sixes as he flung the bat at nearly everything before picking out long-on. Shamar Joseph took his series tally to 17 wickets when he removed Josh Hazlewood.

Juventus are in advanced talks with ex-Italy and Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti to replace Igor Tudor, who was sacked after a dismal run of results. The Bianconeri view Spalletti as the ideal figure to lead their rebuild, with negotiations already underway following the club’s decision to appoint Massimo Brambilla as interim boss.

• Juventus move swiftly after Tudor dismissal

  Juventus have wasted no time in identifying a successor following the sacking of Igor Tudor on Monday. The Croatian's reign came to an abrupt end after an eight-game winless run culminated in a 1-0 defeat to Lazio, leaving the club’s leadership with little choice but to act. Tudor, who replaced Thiago Motta in March, had initially secured Champions League qualification and earned a contract extension until 2028, but his side’s poor start to the new season proved costly.

  Massimo Brambilla, coach of Juve’s Next Gen side, will take charge on an interim basis for the Serie A midweek clash against Udinese. However, the club are determined to secure a long-term solution quickly, and all signs point to Spalletti emerging as the frontrunner to take the job.

  According to , the former Napoli and Italy boss is understood to be open to returning to club management after stepping down from the national team earlier this year. With his proven track record in Italian football and tactical pedigree, Spalletti’s profile fits Juventus’ desire to rebuild stability and identity after years of managerial turnover.

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  Spalletti emerges as Juventus’ top target

  According to reports, the Bianconeri have already made initial contact with Spalletti’s camp. Talks have reportedly begun through an intermediary, with the club receiving positive feedback from the 66-year-old, who is said to be “open and enthusiastic” about the idea of taking over in Turin. Juve have proposed an initial six-month contract with an option to extend, potentially linked to Champions League qualification. Spalletti, meanwhile, is believed to prefer a longer deal of around 18 months but remains flexible as discussions continue.

  Having guided Napoli to their first Scudetto in over three decades during the 2022-23 season, Spalletti’s reputation as one of Serie A’s most tactically astute managers remains strong. His work with younger players and attacking philosophy align with Juventus’ recent attempts to refresh their squad under sporting director Damien Comolli.

  Spalletti’s experience with Roma, Inter, and Napoli adds weight to his candidacy, while his brief but turbulent spell with the national team ending after Italy’s early Euro 2024 exit means he is eager to prove himself once more at club level.

• Juventus’ managerial shortlist: Mancini, De Rossi, Xavi and more

  While the former Azzurri manager remains the leading candidate, the Old Lady are also exploring several alternatives as they evaluate both sporting and financial options. Roberto Mancini, another high-profile Italian coach and former Italy boss, is one of the names on the club’s radar. Although currently out of work, Mancini’s salary demands and recent departure from Italy’s national setup could complicate negotiations.

  Another potential candidate is Raffaele Palladino, a former Juventus player and free agent following his spell at Fiorentina. The 41-year-old has been endorsed by sporting consultant Francesco Modesto, who previously worked with him at Monza. Palladino would represent a more financially sustainable choice compared to Spalletti, especially with the club still paying off Thiago Motta’s contract, which runs until 2027.

  According to , the Serie A giants are also keeping tabs on Daniele De Rossi, Xavi Hernandez and Edin Terzic as part of a broader contingency plan. However, sources close to the club insist that Spalletti remains the clear favourite, with talks described as “progressing positively.”

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  Spalletti appointment could be sealed soon

  Juventus’ immediate focus will be on steadying results under interim boss Brambilla while negotiations with Spalletti advance behind the scenes. The Bianconeri face Udinese in midweek before taking on Cremonese in Serie A and Sporting CP in the Champions League – two crucial fixtures that could shape the timing of the new coach’s arrival.

  The club’s hierarchy are pushing for a swift agreement, ideally finalising Spalletti’s appointment before the big clash against Sporting. Talks are said to be progressing positively, with both sides eager to reach common ground on contract terms and duration.

  For Juve, the move would mark the beginning of yet another rebuild but one guided by a proven Serie A winner whose tactical acumen and leadership could reignite their domestic and continental ambitions. For Spalletti, it represents a chance at redemption and a return to the elite stage after a challenging summer with Italy.

Poland coach Jan Urban has expressed his surprise at Barcelona's anger after star forward Robert Lewandowski picked up an injury on international duty. The Polish striker is now set to miss the crucial La Liga Clasico against arch rivals Real Madrid, but the national team boss insists they would never have risked the health of their "big star" at any cost.

Urban hits back at Barcelona

Urban has hit back at suggestions his staff were negligent with Lewandowski after the striker sustained an injury on international duty that is set to rule him out of Barcelona's most awaited clash with Madrid. The forward suffered a torn hamstring in his right thigh in the World Cup qualifying match against Lithuania and will be sidelined for around a month. The injury has caused frustration at Barcelona, where there was reportedly unhappiness that Lewandowski completed the full 90 minutes after feeling the initial setback.

AdvertisementAFPPoland coach surprised by injury severity

Speaking on , Urban expressed his bewilderment at both the injury's severity and the criticism levelled at his staff. He insisted the player gave no indication that the issue was serious enough to warrant a substitution.

"I'm the first to be surprised to be out for four weeks with a torn muscle," Urban stated. "We've all seen players who pull a muscle and with a torn muscle, it's impossible to continue. He said at half-time that he'd noticed something, but nothing more. If it had been more, he would have raised his hand and we would have substituted him, and there was even a player warming up. For us, Robert is a very important player. Three days before, we played a friendly, and knowing that we had to take care of him, he didn't play.”

'We would never risk Robert's health' – Urban

The Poland boss was adamant that his team had acted in the player's best interests, highlighting Lewandowski's importance to the national side ahead of two crucial matches in November. He also confirmed that he has not been in contact with anyone at the Catalan club regarding the matter.

"I haven't spoken to Barca because there's no need. I think Robert isn't that injured; with a torn muscle, he would have stopped," Urban said. "The Polish national team has taken very good care of Robert because we need him. We have two matches in November, and he's our big star. We would never risk Robert's health."

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Barcelona's mounting injury problems

Lewandowski's absence deals a significant blow to Barcelona, who are already contending with a number of key injuries. The 37-year-old, who has scored four goals in nine appearances this season, joins a treatment list that includes long-term absentees Gavi and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, as well as Dani Olmo and Joan Garcia. There is some positive news, however, with reportingthat Raphinha should be fit for the Clasico, while Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez have returned to training.