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Jones played the unexpected hero on the night with great flair, throwing the spotlight on himself and – the hope remains – on cricket in the USA

Cameron Ponsonby02-Jun-2024It worked. The rain stayed away. The tickets were sold. And USA won. American cricket needed this.It was only four days ago that USA Cricket announced an “exclusive ticketing opportunity” where members could buy up to six tickets for 25% off. The game wasn’t a sell-out, clearly, and they were keenly trying to offload tickets to everyone and anyone.And when ticketing was not the issue, it was the weather. Storms and flash-flood warnings have been ever-present this week in Dallas. Six hours before kick-off, another storm rolled through. Fears of cricket’s big opening night in America being remembered as the evening an empty stadium got rained on were manifesting.Then Aaron Jones came along.The hero of the evening, his remarkable career-best innings catapulted the USA to victory from a position where it looked unlikely at best and impossible at worst. From 42 for 2 in the seventh over, Jones and Andries Gous put on 131 runs in 58 balls to ice the chase in the most relentless and brutal of fashions.Related

• A day to believe cricket is not just an American Dream

• Jones, Gous' spectacular show hands USA opening win

• Stats – Aaron Jones second only to Chris Gayle after blitzing Canada

• The T20 World Cup is coming to America… but is America aware?

Jones’ 94 not out off 40 deliveries was entirely out of keeping with his career. Arriving at the crease, he had a T20 career strike rate of 104, with 13 sixes in 24 innings. His highest score was 50, his only half-century in the format. But less than an hour later, he left having struck 10 sixes in a match-winning, legacy-defining, innings of history.Now is the time for hyperbole. The context of this World Cup is whether cricket can work in America. And as Jones smashed sixes on a raucous crowd of 6000 people at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, and celebrated each one with increasingly dramatic fist pumps, the answer was a resounding yes.”Sometimes when you play an innings like this,” Jones said after the match. “You go home, you sleep, and then you wake up and go ‘woah, I don’t even know how I batted like that’. It’s happened to me two or three times in the past and I think tomorrow is going to be like that as well.”When Jones launched Nikhil Dutta into the stands for the match-winning six, he sunk to his knees in celebration and lifted his arms above his head. It was a spectacle almost as remarkable as the innings itself.”To be honest with you, from young I’ve always been put in positions where I needed to be the man. To save the team and to help the team win. I think it brings out the best in me.USA fans cheer their team with flags•ICC/Getty Images”I also wanted especially [to win] because America is not really a ‘cricketing country’, I wanted to win for our fans…and really show the world that the USA has great cricketers here.”Jones went undrafted in the recent draft for Major League Cricket. His place in the T20I side has also been questioned. But he has been a mainstay for the USA over the past five years and made his maiden List-A century against Namibia in 2019, an innings that helped USA earn ODI status. He is a fitting hero for the occasion.Although the official attendance is yet to be released, the figure announced is expected to be above 6000. Truth be told, given the stadium holds 7200 and there was a notable number of empty seats, that feels a little punchy. Over the course of the match, the stadium transformed from half-empty to half-full. The game started six minutes late after the opening ceremony overran. The national anthems started while the mascots were still lining up in front of the players.It wasn’t a sell-out, and that irks, but as one colleague described it, the place felt “half-full, but heaving.” Those in attendance were treated to a wonderful, high-scoring match where the home team came back from the brink. The TV director wasn’t having to focus on shots of the same group in the crowd making up the “atmosphere” for the rest, but panning across a range of people from different backgrounds, ages and genders who were enjoying a high-octane sporting event.

“I also wanted especially [to win] because America is not really a ‘cricketing country’, I wanted to win for our fans… and really show the world that the USA has great cricketers here.”Aaron Jones

Canada played their part as well. These two teams played a five-match series less than two months ago, which the USA won 4-nil. But a fine batting performance threatened to ruin the American dream.As it happened, Canada’s total of 195, which was 26 more than the USA’s highest-ever previous chase, made it all the more exciting.The 131-run partnership between Jones and Gous came at 14.29 runs per over, the highest run-rate of any century partnership in T20 World Cup history. They took one Dutta over for 19 and another Jeremy Gordon over for 33. An over which included the dismissal of Gous only for it to be revealed that Gordon had overstepped.That Gous reprieve was immediately punished as he struck two of his following three deliveries to the boundary. Shots that were given the full Jones-fist-pump treatment from the non-striker’s end.”It’s just a bit of emotion where we have a plan and we execute it,” Jones said “If he [Gous] hit a six or a four, it’s just emotions coming out.”In total, between Gous and Jones, there were 24 occasions for Jones’ emotions to come out. His celebrations throughout America’s innings varied from the calmness of a golfer sinking birdies on the back nine, to the striker who’d scored a 90th-minute winner. Far from a man refusing to celebrate as the job wasn’t finished, Jones was a man basking in the knowledge that his time was now. The hope will be that not only was this Jones’ moment in history, but also cricket in America’s.

Seventeen-year old who hit a match-winning, 36-ball fifty against South Africa says she’s just “kind of doing my thing”

Valkerie Baynes02-Aug-2022We all long, at some point, for our childhood days when fear was an alien concept and we dived into whatever we were doing with no inhibitions.So it’s impossible not to feel a pang of envy watching Alice Capsey bat with all the courage in the world to set the foundation for yet another England victory over South Africa which put the host nation on the cusp of the Commonwealth Games knockout stages in Birmingham.A savage-looking black eye suffered moments before England’s first-up victory over Sri Lanka? Worse than it looks, apparently. Facing the fire and pace of Shabnim Ismail? No problem, just walk down the pitch to her. A half-century in your third international innings? Child’s play.Capsey’s seamless transition to the senior ranks could not have come at a better time with Heather Knight, the England captain, yet to make an appearance at the Commonwealth Games because of a hip injury that has her in doubt for the final group game against New Zealand on Thursday.Acting captain Nat Sciver said after England’s 26-run victory over South Africa at Edgbaston that Knight had undergone further scans on the injury she suffered during the first T20I between the sides during their bilateral series on July 21.”She’s not in a good place,” Sciver said. “She’s better than she has been in the last few days, still in a bit of pain with her hip.”It’s probably going to be a bit quick to play against New Zealand. She went and saw our team doctor and had another scan. She’s waiting on the results of that.”Capsey, meanwhile, reached her maiden international half-century in 36 deliveries on Tuesday and then fell on the next ball she faced, spooning a return catch Nonkululeko Mlaba.Hers was the second of three England wickets to fall for five runs in the space of nine balls as they slumped to 94 for 5. But then an unbroken 73-run partnership off just 43 balls from the vastly experienced Katherine Brunt and Amy Jones set South Africa a target of 168 before England’s bowlers restricted them to 141 for 4. It was England’s seventh victory over South Africa in a white-ball match this summer.”It just ticks off a landmark, doesn’t it?” Capsey said of her fifty. “But in the game, it’s not really about that, it was more just setting myself a platform to try and push on for the team, which unfortunately, I didn’t.Alice Capsey gave the England innings momentum after they lost their openers early•Getty Images”But you saw the brilliance of Jonesy and Katherine coming in at the end and putting on a real show for the crowd, which was amazing to watch.”Capsey, who wasn’t required to bat in her debut match, England’s second T20I against South Africa in Worcester, got her chance in the third match of that series in Derby and smashed four consecutive fours on her way to 25 off 17.After passing a fitness test in the immediate aftermath of copping a ball to the face during the warm-up for England’s Commonwealth Games opener against Sri Lanka, she scored 44 at just over a run-a-ball to top score in a five-wicket victory.While she said her vision had been impaired somewhat during that knock as her eye swelled up while she was batting, Capsey said she didn’t feel any other ill effects and, by the time Tuesday’s match rolled round, it looked worse than it felt on account of the bruise coming out.”Everyone kind of expected some concussion symptoms to start to grow over the next couple of days, however I’ve been absolutely fine which for me, that’s perfect, it’s allowing me still to play and kind of do my thing,” Capsey said.”I’ve felt in really good touch, especially coming into the South Africa series as well, so it [reaching fifty] was a real positive for me and I’ve really enjoyed the role that they’ve given me.”I feel quite comfortable and I know what I’m doing, it’s great to come into the team and for them to trust me with that role.”In Derby, Sciver had told Capsey she would come in at No. 3 if an early wicket fell. As it happened, opener Sophia Dunkley was out for a first-ball duck and Capsey has held her place since.This time, Ismail, Capsey’s Hundred team-mate at Oval Invincibles, removed Dunkley for 1 with her first delivery, an excellent yorker on the seventh ball of the match. When Ismail returned in the sixth over, she had Dunkley’s opening partner, Danni Wyatt, caught behind by Sinalo Jafta for 27 from 20 balls.Her next delivery was back-of-a-length and steered through third by Sciver for a single before she unleashed a short ball which Capsey failed to connect with as she attempted to pull. Then, as calm as you like, Capsey advanced on the next one and dispatched it over cover to the boundary.”Me and Shabs are are good mates so it was a bit of a cat and mouse that over,” Capsey said. “It’s the adrenaline, I think, for me, also being smart with my options.”She bowled a bouncer so you kind of can guess what’s coming. But it’s just about being brave and I think that’s kind of the message that we really got from the coaching staff and Nat and Heather.”As for being part of a bigger, multi-sport event where women’s cricket is making its Commonwealth games debut, Capsey was all about soaking up he experience.”My family’s come to every game, which has been lovely,” she said. “For me, it’s just about taking everything in, really enjoying it. It’s such a rare occasion that you’ve just got to make the memories.”

South Africa’s departing captain hit a perfect storm of poor form, public and media pressure, and politics

Firdose Moonda17-Feb-20203:01

Faf du Plessis: Caught in a storm

It takes an astute individual to know how much to share with others, especially those they don’t know. Do you tell them about yourself, your hopes, your anxieties and your personal life? Or do you keep those things private and leave them to guess and Google their way around you?Trust South Africa’s most charismatic captain, Faf du Plessis, to have usually known the answer. (Spoiler alert: it’s a bit of both.)On debut, during his first press conference as an international player, du Plessis told the story of how his foot slipped out of his boot and he ended up tangled between shoelaces, his batting pads and the urgency of needing to get on to the park to avoid being timed out. He told it to a room full of mostly Australian media during a Test match South Africa were well behind in, and he told it with the refreshing honesty of someone new to the spotlight, who didn’t mind a bit of self-deprecation even if defeat was looming. Then he went on save the game and set South Africa up for a series win and we all wanted to know a little bit more.ALSO READ: Du Plessis steps down as Test and T20I captainIt took us four years to really find out.Du Plessis’ first period at the highest-level coincided with South Africa’s last as the best traveling Test team around. His career began as Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith’s ended and while AB de Villiers was positioning himself to take over the leadership in all formats. In that time, du Plessis became a reliable presence, sometimes stepping in to skipper the T20 side when de Villiers was being rested and many times stepping in to steady the Test side through his presence in the middle order.While de Villiers yo-yoed between wanting to be the best batsman in the world to wanting to keep wicket, to having a bad back and not wanting to keep wicket, to wanting to support Hashim Amla as Test captain, to admitting to feeling let down that he wasn’t named captain, to threatening to retire early because of his heavy workload, to taking a sabbatical, du Plessis was there, consistently being consistent. He took on the T20 captaincy when South Africa still treated the format like it didn’t matter and turned it into something that did. Under du Plessis, South Africa talked about T20 strategy more than under any other captain.Faf du Plessis with his team•Getty ImagesHe was organised and efficient in the way he led so when de Villiers had to miss a home Test series against New Zealand in 2016, it was not surprising that du Plessis was asked to act as a substitute. At that point, South Africa were in turmoil, although looking back, perhaps that is too strong a word, given what’s happened in recent months.The 2015 World Cup had ended badly and they lost back-to-back Test series against India and England, which saw them tumble from No. 1 on the Test rankings to No. 7. Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander were going through the revolving doors of injury, and a transformation target policy was going to be implemented in a stricter way than ever before. It was not an easy time to take over but du Plessis has always preferred the hard way. He earned his national cap via a Kolpak deal, after all.The series itself was unremarkable. A wet Durban outfield meant that the Centurion Test was a straight shootout and South Africa won easily. Du Plessis scored a century and something about the way he conducted himself made it clear that he was a better candidate to captain than de Villiers.

Du Plessis mentioned a ‘perfect world’ in which he would lead the Test team for the rest of the season and also at the T20 World Cup, which suggests it was not entirely his decision to step down

Fortuitously, de Villiers had not recovered from an elbow problem in time for the series in Australia three months later so du Plessis carried on, and how. That tour was his most memorable, as he absorbed the pressure of losing Steyn to a broken shoulder on the second day in Perth and the scrutiny of being caught with a mint in his mouth in Hobart. His hundred under lights in Adelaide turned boos into cheers and South Africa won a third, successive series Down Under.By the end of the year, de Villiers gave du Plessis his blessing to keep captaining and we all knew the most important thing about him: he had the team.South Africa played for du Plessis and he played for them. Their performances in Australia in 2016 and against Australia and India in the summer of 2017-18 are the best proof of that. Du Plessis led with dignity, especially when the Australia camp imploded in the aftermath of sandpaper gate, and South Africa’s back-to-back series wins put them back on the track du Plessis wanted them on. He mentioned the No. 1 ranking often and it was doubtless a goal of his, but lack of resources let him down.Series defeats to Sri Lanka, away in 2018 and at home in 2019, blighted his Test captaincy record but nothing would have stung as much what happened from the World Cup onwards, on and off the field.South Africa’s worst showing at the 50-over flagship was marred by selection controversy when de Villiers made himself available but was refused a comeback, and followed by administrative unraveling.It was then that du Plessis’ leadership was taken to its edge. It was then that it would have been easy and obvious to walk away. Du Plessis is understood to have had offers but turned them down because he felt a sense of duty to a team in transition. When Amla and Steyn retired, his own role only became bigger, as the last link to the golden generation and the only one brave enough to go back to India.Faf du Plessis doffs his hat to the crowd•Getty ImagesDespite not being consulted about the team director and being left out of the T20 squad, du Plessis ploughed through a three-Test series that got worse as it went on. The wounds from 2015 were reopened and South Africa were exposed as being more than just a team in transition; they were a team on the brink of falling apart. Again, it would have been easy for du Plessis to walk away but duty brought him back home to try again. And he started by sharing.Du Plessis appealed, publicly and on multiple occasions, to CSA to clean house and provide clarity as it lurched through crisis after crisis. He went unheard, and it took sponsor withdrawal, board resignations and a hard-handed attempt at censorship to force a change at head office. Before that happened, du Plessis had already turned to humour.He created a social media storm as captain of the Paarl Rocks, when he revealed a little too much about why fast-bowler Hardus Viljoen was not available for selection. “He is in bed with my sister,” du Plessis said, straight-faced, explaining that Viljoen had married his sibling the night before. And that was where the fun ended.The Mzansi Super League final, which du Plessis’ team won, may have been the last time we saw him truly celebrate and be celebrated as a captain. While the two candidates being trialled as his replacement, Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma, led teams that finished last and second-last in the tournament, du Plessis took a team of nobodies to the title. That was the strongest statement he could have made that he was the man to take the national team to this year’s T20 World Cup, something he maintained he wanted to do all summer and seems to still want to do.In his statement on Monday, du Plessis mentioned a “perfect world” in which he would like to lead the team in Tests for the rest of the season and also to the T20 World Cup, which suggests it was not entirely his decision to step down. So who or what might have pushed him?The evidence points to a perfect storm of loss of form, public and media pressure and politics, none of which are entirely his fault.In seven Tests in the 2019-20 season, du Plessis averaged 20.92. Only the 2015-16 season, the one before he took over, was worse but that didn’t collide with what he has faced this time.In an increasingly racially polarised climate, du Plessis found himself swept up in sentiment following the dropping of Bavuma from the Test side. While no one could argue with du Plessis’ logic that Bavuma, who averaged 19.4 in 2019, needed to force his way back in through “weight of runs”, du Plessis’ comment about the team “not seeing colour” was in poor taste for a country that sees little else. It is not for du Plessis to answer why the South African system has only produced one Test-ready black African batsman but it was his job to discuss transformation in more nuanced terms. He got that wrong, but it should not have cost him his captaincy. In all likelihood, it didn’t.Towards the end of the Test series, as du Plessis maintained his stance that he wanted to continue until the T20 World Cup, acting director of cricket Graeme Smith said he would have a “robust” discussion with du Plessis to discuss his future. Those talks are believed to have happened at length. Ultimately, the decision was taken fresh ideas were needed as South Africa enter a new era. De Kock will inject new energy into the white-ball teams and the Test captaincy successor will be named in the winter. But du Plessis remains duty-bound.He has not given up the international game and is willing to share more of himself with a commitment to playing in all formats, mentoring the next generation and making it to that T20 World Cup. In all that, du Plessis has shared more than just his batting and leadership skills with South African cricket. He has shared his character, his compassion and the best years of his career and for that, this country should always be grateful.

There was a lot of news in the world of Major League Baseball on Monday night. This is not exactly a surprise in the lead-up to the trade deadline, but many of the biggest stories from the diamond on Monday were wholly unrelated to real or proposed future deals.

The biggest story in the sport was obviously the death of Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg at the age of 65. Tributes came in from across the sport as fans, players, and Sandbergs peers celebrated his life.

But beyond remembering Sandberg’s incredible career, a whole lot of mesmerizing baseball moments took place on Monday.

Take a look below at some of the strange, fascinating, and strangely fascinating highlights from around the league.

Maikel Garcia Gets Stung by a Bee

It was a big day for Maikel Garcia. The 25-year-old cousin of Ronald Acuna Jr. and his Royals teammates were facing off against the Braves, and Garcia was determine to get the better of the family rivalry.

Garcia was able to slide in under the tag when Acuna fired a bullet from the outfield in an attempt to stop him from scoring, and Garcia celebrated with a playful taunt.

But the real highlight of Garcia’s night came a few innings later, when he shook off getting stung by a bee to drill a single which he legged out to turn into a double.

This Might Be the Worst Ump Call of the Season

Listen, we’ve covered a lot of bad officiating calls through the baseball season so far. While the presence of the human condition in the calling of balls and strikes has long been a part of the DNA of the sport, it’s calls like this one from Brian Walsh in Monday’s game between the Orioles and Blue Jays that have people calling for the robot revolution.

O’s pitcher Zach Eflin delivered a pitch right down the middle… for a ball. The broadcast booth was rightfully stunned and appalled by the call.

The Angels Find New Way to Give Up Two Runs

There’s no good way for an outfielder to miss an easy catch, but there are several degrees of bad, and Angels outfielder Gustavo Campero unlocked a painful level of bad with his error against the Rangers.

With Los Angeles holding a 2–0 lead in the fifth inning and trying to get out of a bases-loaded jam, it appeared that Campero had the out to end the inning right above his glove. It was even in his glove… until it wasn’t.

The Rangers scored two runs on the play, tying the game.

Everyone Was Getting Hit by Pitches and Forced to Leave Their Game

It’s been a scary season to be a baseball this year, with sluggers like Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani all hitting dingers at a ridiculous pace.

But on Monday, the baseballs struck back, as a string of players were hit by pitches. Some of these HBPs were scarier than others, but by the end of the night, it was impossible to ignore the sheer volume of hits.

Eugenio Suarez, who is one of the hottest names on the market ahead of the trade deadline, was caught on the hand in a scary moment for the Arizona Diamondbacks and any contenders hoping to secure his services for the rest of the year.

Thankfully, x-rays were negative and Suarez is considered day-to-day.

George Springer took a pitch to the helmet in another horrifying moment for the Blue Jays. He was down on the ground for an extended period but eventually was able to walk off the field with some help from team staff. Hopefully he’s doing okay.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez was also forced out early after getting tagged with a pitch on the elbow.

Even pitchers weren’t immune from the carnage, with Dylan Cease catching a grounder to the back of the head. Though he stayed in the game after taking the shot, he was clearly (and understandably) rattled.

All four of these plays came across the timeline within just a few hours, and at the time, it felt like it might be best to simply unplug baseball for the night and try again tomorrow. Best wishes to the health of all players involved.

Fernando Tatis Jr. Submits Catch of the Year Contender

Just look at this. It simply does not get better.

Another look:

Anything can happen on any given night during baseball season, but on Monday night, it felt like happened.

Wrexham's seven-match unbeaten run in the Championship came to an end on Wednesday as they went down 2-0 against a dominant Hull City on the road. The Red Dragons' star forward Kieffer Moore had a night to forget as his two costly misses cost Phil Parkinson's side crucial points. Wrexham have dropped to 14th place in the second tier after the defeat.

Hull return to winning ways with dominant performance

Hull headed into the game on the back of a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Middlesbrough and were naturally under a lot of pressure. However, the Tigers took control of the game right from the start. It took the hosts just 10 minutes to break the deadlock as Kyle Joseph came up with a clinical finish.

The move started with a long ball from their own half, which went straight to Mohamed Belloumi, who outpaced Dominic Hyam on the right side and entered the box before feeding Matt Crooks. Crooks attempted a first-time shot, which was initially stopped by Arthur Okonkwo but Joseph found the back of the net from the rebound.

Wrexham striker Moore had a golden opportunity to restore parity just six minutes later as he found himself in a very good shooting position inside the Hull box, but his effort went wide of the far post. Hull dominated possession in the first period and created more positive goal-scoring chances as Parkinson's side found it difficult to break down the home defence.

Moore then had yet another opportunity to equalise at the start of the second half as the Red Dragons earned a penalty, but the striker's weak spot-kick failed to trouble Ivor Pandur, who comfortably parried the ball away by diving to his right.

The Wales international was punished for his wastefulness as Hull's Oli McBurnie came off the bench and doubled his team's lead with a clinical finish in the 67th minute. The 29-year-old forward, who returned to action after two months, made an immediate impact as he pounced on Ryan Giles' low cross inside the Wrexham box and put the ball past Okonkwo.

This was Wrexham's first defeat in their last seven Championship matches as they dropped to 14th position in the league after today's result, while Hull moved up to sixth and the playoff places. 

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Sergej Jakirovic's decision to bring in McBurnie in the second half proved to be a masterstroke as the experienced striker doubled Hull's lead and sealed three points for them just four minutes after coming onto the pitch. The Scot had been sidelined since October due to a calf injury, but he has now regained fitness and is ready to star for the Tigers again.

The big loser

Moore joined Wrexham from Sheffield United in the summer transfer window and has proved to be a successful signing right from the off. He is the club's top goal-scorer in the 2025-26 campaign, with 10 goals in 20 matches across all competitions. However, on Wednesday, the star striker had a rare off day as his two costly mistakes, including a penalty miss, cost the Red Dragons crucial points.

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The two wins so far haven’t masked their issues with left-arm spin, top-order inconsistency and bowling options

Vishal Dikshit11-Oct-20251:14

Rana: India’s batting ‘not a major concern’

Are India a bowler short? Why are India losing so many wickets to left-arm spinners? Are India using spin too much in the death overs? How does the team regroup and move on from the loss against South Africa?The way allrounder Sneh Rana was grilled at the press conference ahead of the match against Australia, it would create the impression that India weren’t winning anything at the women’s ODI World Cup . That’s not the case at all.But it’s true that though India have won two of their three games and came close to winning the third, they have been far from convincing. There have been batting collapses in all three outings with low scores from their senior batters Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues. Their fielding hasn’t been up to the mark either, and they have mostly had to complete their 50 overs with five bowlers.Related

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Healy: Batting collapses 'not a worry' but it's 'something we'd like to rectify'

After seeing the ease with which boundaries were being scored in the death overs by both India and South Africa in Visakhapatnam, where India next play Australia on Sunday, the hosts would love the comfort of a sixth bowler, especially some added experience in the pace attack that currently features Kranti Gaud and Amanjot Kaur, who have all of 21 ODIs between them.Their options on the bench could tempt them. Either Renuka Singh, who was at the 2022 ODI World Cup as a squad member, or Arundhati Reddy, who has 49 internationals under her belt, are waiting for a chance. But such is the balance of this team that a bowler would have to come in at the cost of a batter because replacing an allrounder would again cut down a bowling option.”I think that call is for the management to take, and I can’t comment much on it,” Rana said about the make-up of the XI. “But we already have good bowlers, and even Pratika [Rawal] and Harman bowl, so it won’t make a big difference at this stage.”Harmanpreet and Rawal have been rolling their arms over in the nets but how many overs can they send down in batting-friendly conditions, that too against a top side like Australia? Harmanpreet has bowled all of 15 overs in the last three years and last picked up a wicket over three years ago.The other option is to drop a batter, but doing so early in the tournament is also unlikely, even though the dot-ball percentage of Rawal and Harleen Deol has come under scrutiny, and Rodrigues has bagged two ducks in three innings. Leaving out a batter would again make it tricky for a line-up that’s not been up to the mark at this World Cup.Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol’s dot-ball percentage has come under scrutiny•SLC

Replacing one batter with another in the XI later in the tournament – whether for form or a niggle – would also, possibly, not be an option for India because their only batting reserve in the squad of 15 is wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry, who hasn’t received her ODI cap yet.”See, I don’t think it’s a major concern because our batters have handled these situations very well in the past,” Rana said. “Ups and downs are part and parcel of the game, they can happen anytime. But we have some of the best batters in the world on our side. It’s just a matter of one good knock, and I’m hopeful they’ll bounce back very soon.”All the batters are working on their strengths, and everyone knows where they need to improve. Each player is taking individual training for that. If we talk about strike rate, whatever has been lacking in the past few months, everyone is aware of it and, as a team, we discuss it, regroup, and work towards improving it.”India will hope for a big batting effort against Australia on Sunday, which they got in the three-ODI series preceding the World Cup. There, India scored 369 chasing 412, won by 102 runs after scoring 292, and went down by eight wickets after scoring 281. The series was lost, but they put up good scores. Here, another loss will push them down towards the middle of the table, with their next game against England, the current table-toppers, and the one after that against New Zealand, who have returned to winning ways recently. Whatever they do, they must do it quick.

Leeds United are interested in signing of AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott in January, following his stunning performance for the Republic of Ireland.

Parrott wrote his name into Ireland folklore on Sunday afternoon, scoring a hat-trick in his country’s 3-2 win away to Hungary and booking a place in the 2026 World Cup playoffs in the process.

The 23-year-old netted the winner deep into stoppage time, leading to scenes of unrivalled joy among the visiting players, staff and supporters, and even Roy Keane had words of praise for both the Alkmaar ace and Ireland.

“Fantastic, amazing. When you think the way they started the campaign, a draw and a defeat. To win today on the back of the Portugal result, fantastic.

“Great boost for the country and the team. The manager was heavily criticised but they’ve bounced back and got some momentum now. Parrott got a hat-trick. There was always talk about Parrott over the last few years, but he has stepped up in the last few days. Great achievement. Fingers crossed now for when they go to the play-offs.”

In terms of Leeds, they are on the lookout for a new attacker to bolster their firepower, and it looks as though Parrott could be a contender to come in.

Leeds eyeing move for Troy Parrott

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are among the clubs who are “interested” in signing Parrott in January, having pursued him during the summer transfer window.

The Whites and the 49ers Enterprises want to bring in a new striker when the winter window rolls around, with transfer insider Dean Jones claiming as much to TEAMtalk recently.

“It sounds to me like the club know they have let him down a bit by leaving him short of goal power. Leeds have been competitive in most games but it has been clear they lack a cutting edge and they know they should have signed another forward. It is something they need to do in January and they just hope they can reach that stage of the season and still be in a relatively good position to stay in the division.”

Parrott would be a strong addition for Leeds, with his stock never higher than it is currently, following his heroics for Ireland over the weekend.

He has impressed with Alkmaar in the Netherlands, scoring 33 goals in just 61 appearances, and he could add that extra bit of quality that Daniel Farke craves, as the Whites look to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

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Parrott has two appearances in the English top flight from his time at Tottenham, and the fact that he has been on Leeds’ radar for a while suggests they really like him, rather than it being a knee-jerk decision after his Ireland brilliance.

Leeds have an amazing Okafor rival who once scored 10 goals in 1 game

Tottenham Hotspur are now willing to pay £70m to sign AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, as they believe he would be perfect for Thomas Frank.

It is little wonder Tottenham are looking to bring in a new forward, given that some of their current attacking options have been far from impressive so far this season, with Jamie O’Hara left fuming by Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani after the Chelsea defeat.

Mathys Tel has also found it difficult to adapt to life in the Premier League, with the 20-year-old being dropped to the bench in recent weeks, having now scored just one goal in his opening 10 matches in all competitions.

Spurs’ attacking woes were particularly apparent in the 1-0 defeat against their London rivals on Saturday, failing to craft a single big chance, while also having just three shots in the entire match.

Tottenham willing to make offer for Antoine Semenyo

Having struggled in front of goal, Tottenham are now willing to make their club-record signing in one of the stars of the Premier League this season, with a report from Spain revealing they are prepared to make a bid of around €80m (£70m) for Semenyo.

There is a belief the Bournemouth forward would be ideal for Frank, given that he is fast, powerful and clinical, but there could be competition for the Ghanaian’s signature, as several unnamed European clubs are also keen.

The Cherries value the 25-year-old highly, but they may be willing to cash-in for the right price this winter, with a £80m fee being touted.

The Bournemouth star has shown signs of year-on-year development since first emerging as a regular starter in the Premier League during the 2023/24 season, and he is already over half-way to matching his goal and assist tally from the previous campaign.

Season

Premier League appearances

Goal contributions

2023-24

33

11

2024-25

37

17

2025-26

10

9

Scout Ben Mattinson has also been left impressed by the Ghana international in the past, urging Arsenal to sign him back in February.

Semenyo has earned a move to a top club, with his performances this season indicating he is ready to make the step-up, and it would be a real statement of intent from ENIC if they were able to get a deal done.

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​Folding your grandmother’s chaise lounge on a breezy day at the beach. Closing an umbrella in the teeth of a windstorm. Madly checking all your pockets when you’ve misplaced your keys. The swing of Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has no comparison among major league hitters, so you are left to find endeavors in everyday life with such mechanical quirks.

The Freeman swing is no oil painting, unless you had a Jackson Pollock in mind. Freeman starts with his bat off the shoulder and parallel to the ground. His back elbow is raised. As the pitcher winds up, Freeman snaps the bat to attention, upright, as if a predator put on alert by the sudden scent of prey. Then he pulls his hands close to his body and throws the barrel at the ball with what looks like a flick of the wrists. He finishes with two hands high, the wrists having completely turned over, in the manner of someone who has striped a 300-yard drive down the center of the fairway.

This is the swing that has launched 2,329 hits, postseason included, including the one that salted away World Series Game 3 on Monday, a spoiler alert though it came just three batters into the game. Freeman ripped a two-run homer off a shaky Clarke Schmidt to send the Los Angeles Dodgers on their way to a 4–2 victory over the New York Yankees in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Dodgers and Freeman, the presumptive MVP, are one win away from ending the World Series in a rout.

Freeman is on one of the greatest hitting heaters the World Series has ever seen. So hobbled by a sprained ankle a week ago that he did not play in the Dodgers’ NLCS clincher, Freeman joined Hank Bauer (1958) and Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to homer in the first three games of a World Series. Amazingly, Freeman hit his three World Series homers in a span of just 10 swings.

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Including the 2021 World Series playing for the Braves, Freeman has homered in five straight series games, tying George Springer for the World Series record.

“There are points throughout the course of the season when the swing is actually good,” Freeman said, “but it felt like it was a constant battle all season long with my swing. It kind of happens like that. It seems hard: hit a round ball with a round bat. There’s a lot of different ways to do it. I’m thankful that it’s in a good spot right now when we need it the most. I’m just seeing the ball very well. You know, I'm swinging at the strikes, taking the balls … what you're trying to do every game. And thankfully I've been able to do it.”

​Freeman has had a Hall of Fame career. He is one of only 33 players who have played 2,000 games with an OPS+ of at least 142. Thirty of those players have been on a Hall of Fame ballot and all of them have been voted in except for PED-tainted sluggers Manny Ramirez and Bonds. This World Series is burnishing Freeman’s reputation as one of his generation’s greatest pure hitters. This is his magnum opus. His career postseason OPS is .890, 17th all-time (min. 200 plate appearances) and just ahead of Reggie Jackson.

​Those are the numbers. How Freeman gets it done, line drive after line drive, year after year, is worthy not just of admiration but peer review.

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​About eight miles south of Yankee Stadium, on the fourth floor of the Museum of Modern Art, hangs an Abstract Impressionism painting by Jackson Pollock titled . Pollock created it by flinging and pouring ropes of paint across a huge canvas stretched over the floor. You can stand back from it and, though there is no discernible pattern or point of focus, see what you will. Order, chance, chaos, rhythm, nature … all of it or some of it. It’s what great art does: It stimulates the mind.

​With Pollock’s work in mind, I asked the Dodgers to stand back and look at , otherwise known as the Freeman Swing, and tell me what they see.

When it comes to the best player to have represented West Ham United in the modern era, you really are spoilt for choice.

However, if you then limit that to those who are homegrown and have come up through the academy, it’s hard to ignore one man: Declan Rice.

The England international might have broken some hearts with his move to Arsenal, but it’s impossible to deny the fact that he was a superstar for the Hammers, making 245 appearances, wearing the captain’s armband and most crucially of all, playing a significant role in the club’s Conference League triumph.

The Irons are yet to produce another prospect quite as talented as Rice, and while it will come eventually, they’ve already lost a youngster who’s being touted for big, big things.

West Ham's exciting prospects

While it feels like they are unlikely to be as impactful as Rice was, or the youngster they lost a couple of years ago, West Ham still have several exciting prospects emerging from the academy.

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For example, with how poorly the club’s current crop of strikers are doing, it might not be too long before the London Stadium faithful get to see Josh Landers in action.

The Scottish forward joined the Hammers from Hibernian in February of this year and has been on fire ever since.

In just 12 games for the U18s he has scored nine goals, and since moving up to the U21s, the Innerleithen-born poacher has found the back of the net five times.

Another dangerous gem, but one who spends time at left-back or on the left-hand side of midfield is Emeka Adiele.

The 18-year-old, who, according to one analyst, is blessed with “confidence & tenacity,” has already provided seven goal involvements in just eight appearances for the U21s this season.

Finally, someone who could potentially come is a long-term heir to Bowen on the right, Elisha Sowumni.

Appearances

25

Minutes

2081′

Goals

14

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.64

Minutes per Goal Involvement

130.06′

The 18-year-old was a force of nature for the youth sides last season, scoring 14 goals and providing two assists in just 25 appearances.

Moreover, while he is considered a right-winger, he has shown an impressive ability to play all over the pitch, which could help him earn some first-team minutes in the coming years.

However, while these three are certainly exciting prospects, they all pale in comparison to someone who left West Ham a couple of years ago.

The incredible prospect West Ham lost for nothing

All teams lose promising prospects; it’s just the way football goes sometimes, but Divine Mukasa does not appear to be any ordinary prospect.

The hugely exciting youngster joined West Ham at just five years old, but in September 2013, he moved to Manchester City for free.

He made his senior debut for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, in a League Cup game against Huddersfield Town, a game in which the teenager registered his first senior goal involvement, an assist for Phil Foden.

However, while it’s certainly an encouraging sign regarding his development to see him already playing in the first team, it’s his unreal form in the junior sides that has turned so many heads, and why he might’ve been the Hammers’ most talented prospect since Rice had he remained in London.

For example, in 41 appearances across various age groups last season, totalling 2807 minutes, the incredible midfielder racked up an outrageous tally of 17 goals and 25 assists.

Appearances

41

Minutes

2807′

Goals

17

Assists

25

Goal Involvements per Match

1.02

Minutes per Goal Involvement

66.83′

In other words, the youngster averaged a 1.02 goal involvement per game, or one every 66.83 minutes all season.

Such an out-of-this-world rate of return goes some way in justifying journalist Nassali Sandrah’s claim that the 18-year-old is “the best academy player in Europe.”

As if that weren’t enough, he has also flown through the international youth teams and currently has three caps for England’s U19s.

Ultimately, West Ham have got their fair share of exciting talents in the academy at the moment, but had they kept hold of Mukasa, he would undoubtedly be the jewel in the crown.

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