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Cat Macario and Jaedyn Shaw put on a show to help secure a win in the USWNT's final match of 2025.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Cat Macario can’t stop scoring, and she got the U.S. women’s national team rolling once again, helping lift the Americans to a 2–0 win over Italy to close out their 2025 campaign.

A cheeky chip from Macario in the 20th minute set the tone for the USWNT’s second victory over Italy in three days and marked her eighth international goal of the year. Lily Yohannes picked out Macario breaking free down the right side, and the forward lifted her head to spot goalkeeper Francesca Durante off her line before calmly chipping her for the opener. Macario nearly added another later in the half, pressing the Italian back line and using every surface of her foot to hold up play, flick, and turn in the box. She earned her 28th cap on Monday and now has 16 goals in 29 appearances.

"Cat is just such a special player, and I know if she gets the ball in front of the goal, 10 times out of 10, it is probably going to be a goal," Yohannes said of Macario's clinical edge. 

Jaedyn Shaw doubled the lead in the 41st minute. Shaw, who recently turned 21, earned her 29th cap and 13th start for the senior team. After being left off two straight FIFA windows, she returned to the squad in October and has made the most of it — all while helping lead Gotham FC to an NWSL Championship. Her finish put the U.S. firmly in control heading into halftime.

Emma Hayes made early second-half changes, including Avery Patterson for Emily Fox, Kennedy Wesley for Naomi Girma and Emma Sears for Alyssa Thompson. The midfield trio of Yohannes, Lindsey Heaps, and Claire Hutton remained intact to start the half, showcasing the chemistry they’ve built. Jaelin Howell later replaced Heaps as the U.S. continued to dictate tempo.

Despite Hayes making five changes to the starting XI from Friday’s match – and fielding a trio of teenagers – the U.S. never lost its rhythm. The Americans again started fast, scored early, and dominated possession with 64 percent of the ball.

"We try and be intentional in how we organize players. But I'm very much about coaching every one of our 26 players to play as us always, and I focus on that," Hayes said. "And of course, we organize our team to set up against opponents and spaces we want to exploit, but we can always dominate by developing our game style." 

The USWNT end the year on a high note at 12-3-0, and Hayes closed her first full calendar year in charge with 25 wins.

GOAL rates the players from Chase Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defense

Claudia Dickey (8/10): 

Another clean sheet is all Dickey needed to solidify her position as the No. 1 keeper at the moment. Dickey had a strong performance against Italy the second time around, making a couple of saves and controlling the backline, and finding moments to spring the attacking players in behind when Italy was pushing high. 

Jordyn Bugg (8/10): 

The fact that Bugg is just 19 years old and has now earned three starts on the senior team is no small nod. Her composure next to Girma is a pairing to be feared for opponents. 

Naomi Girma (8/10): 

Girma didn't have a whole lot of action in the first half, but when she won the ball, she kept it and led the backline with her composure and possession. 

Kate Wiesner (6/10): 

Wiesner earned her first start for the USWNT, and on a team where the outside back position is more competitive than ever, she held her own. Wiesner got caught too high in moments and struggled to recover, but other than that, she was a natural back there and helped keep Italy off the scoreboard.

Emily Fox (8/10): 

Another solid performance from Fox, who any anytime she steps on the field for the USWNT, reminds us all how dangerous she is going forward. Fox was all over the right side of the pitch and forced the Italians to step to her, which would free up outlets down the wing.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Lily Yohannes (8/10):

It shouldn't be surprising anymore just how good on the ball Yohannes is, but it is. Yohannes, the youngest player on the roster at 18 years old, plays with maturity, finesse, and aged discipline. Next to Heaps and Hutton, she's able to push up and sit just below Macario. Her one-two flare comes out with this team.

Lindsey Heaps (8/10):

After not seeing Heaps at all in the first meeting against Italy, she captained Monday's match and had her midfield locked in. Heaps and Hutton play very similarly, and both work off of each other in the double pivot. Heaps' leadership was refreshing because even in moments when the USWNT would get split or broken down, she remained organized and led those around her.

Claire Hutton (8/10): 

Hutton has been a sponge on the USWNT and is playing beyond her years. Another teenager who plays like she's far from one, Hutton was lights out on Monday. She played quickly, and her combination play mixed in with her vision to switch the point of attack was a work of art.

ImagnAttack

Cat Macario (9/10):

The only thing Macario could have done to get a better rating, or a perfect rating, would have been another goal. But, all jokes aside her nose for goal, refined touch, and ability to go at defenders is the Macario we've all been waiting to see again. Macario finishes the year with 8 goals for the USWNT.

Jaedyn Shaw (8/10): 

Shaw's goal, or strike rather, was clinical. She didn't just score, though; she also played the entire game and found ways to get on the ball in various spots all over the field. Her game has evolved immensely in the past few months, and she's another key player in the attacking line for Hayes to consider come 2027. 

Alyssa Thompson (7/10): 

A relatively quiet game for Thompson, who usually finds a way to get an assist, goal, or some stat for us to drop our jaws at. While she may not have scored, Thompson made endless runs in the first half, which created all kinds of chaos for Italy's defense. 

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Kennedy Wesley (7/10):

A solid performance from Wesley, who earned her first start and cap for the USWNT in their 6-0 victory over New Zealand. At that time, she was the 25th player to date to earn a start and cap under Hayes. She didn't concede in the backline and had a clean performance next to Bugg, having to step into big shoes to fill, entering the game for Girma. 

Emma Sears (7/10): 

Sears was knocking on Italy's door for a goal, but unfortunately, just couldn't find the back of the net. She was aggressive and creative up top, but just couldn't finish on the night.

Avery Patterson (7/10): 

Patterson was running full-field sprints most of the second half, but was effective nonetheless. Her contributions to the attack were major, as she was creative with her services and also clever in her one-v-one chances.

Lilly Reale (7/10): 

Reale settled in just fine at outside back after playing most of the first meeting vs Italy in the same spot. Reale played a dangerous service late in the second half, that was close to a third goal for the United States.

Croix Bethune (6/10): 

Bethune had some solid moments on the ball for the USWNT, but struggled to see it as much as Yohannes did when she was in.

Jaelin Howell (6/10): 

Howell hadn't seen USWNT action since 2022, and found a way to settle into the game and get herself back into the mix despite having big shoes to fill with the subbing of Heaps. Howell didn't see much of the ball, but when she did, she maintained possession.

Emma Hayes (9/10): 

What more can Hayes ask for? The team delivered, again, and she earned her 25th win as head coach. Not a bad way to end the year.

Zimbabwe took a 233-run lead, and then prised out one Afghanistan wicket before stumps

Ekanth21-Oct-2025Zimbabwe scored 229 runs and lost eight wickets. Afghanistan scored 34 and lost one. On paper, day two was a day of shared honours. In reality though, the hosts were left holding all aces after having bundled out Afghanistan for 127 on day one, and then converting a three-run lead to a 233-run lead, thanks mainly to a gritty, layered 121 from Ben Curran and a calculated (if not slick) 65 from Sikandar Raza.Ziaur Rahman’s 7 for 97 was a dreamy career-best on Test debut. He became the first bowler to take seven or more wickets via bowled or lbw in a Test innings since Imran Khan in 1982. Afghanistan batted for 12 overs before stumps and lost opener Abdul Malik to Richard Ngarava. Ibrahim Zadran got off to a start and was unbeaten on 25.On a day tailor-made for pacers, the proactivity of Brendan Taylor and the experience of Craig Ervine were no match for the reveries of a Harare pitch offering up-and-down as well as sideways movement. Taylor got an edged boundary through gully (over 41.2) and a chipped four through mid-on (43.3).Despite being decisive and even picking up a boundary to third from a semi-educated edge off a flashing cut and looking solid in defence, the right-handed Taylor fell to a vicious inducker from Ziaur, who then used his allies – low bounce and seam in – to trap the left-handed Craig Ervine lbw.Curran, at the other end, grew into a natural rhythm. One undeterred by being beaten and edging. Raza came in with his problem-solver hat on, walking down the pitch and shuffling sideways against the pace of Ismat Alam and Ziaur. He had nervy moments – like a chip to cover off Alam (50.2) – but overcame them while disregarding the threats posed by the conditions and some skillful bowling.Yamin Ahmadzai’s accuracy and consistency in a six-over collection, split across two spells between overs 38 and 56, saw two maidens, just 11 runs but no wickets. The Morne Morkel-esque Ziaur didn’t face a case of pretty figures. Alam created more nervy moments, especially against Raza, but also conceded more boundaries.Curran and Raza built their 99-run stand in 160 balls with Curran scoring 33 despite facing a healthy share of 72 balls. The clear roles and the duo’s commitment ground down Afghanistan, who had an upbeat presence at the start – with chatter and buzz from the keeper and cordons. Zimbabwe went into lunch on 214 for 4, with Curran on 79* and Raza 37*.The older ball, tiring bowlers and the fewer challenges posed by Hashmatullah Shahidi’s part-time bowling and Khalil Gurbaz’s awkward action, helped the two batters consolidate.Curran brought up his 217-ball ton off Shahidi’s flick and virtually levitated with open arms, a bat in one hand and helmet in the other, in celebration.Ziaur Rahman picked up a five-for on Test debut•Zimbabwe CricketRaza hit three fours off Sharafuddin Ashraf between overs 69 and 72, but then fell on 75.3, looking for the fourth, after top-edging a slog sweep to Yamin Ahmadzai running around from deep square leg to take the catch.Afghanistan took the new ball one ball after it was available and got it changed 3.5 overs later. Meanwhile, Curran hit three fours in the space of four balls that he faced. There were immediately more threats after the second ball change.Ahmadzai and Ziaur went back to what they did earlier in the day to first threaten edges and dry up scoring, and then Ahmadzai took Curran’s wicket on the stroke of tea. Low bounce and seam in was a culprit again as Curran was hit on the back leg and was out plumb lbw for a 256-ball 121 across 423 minutes.Zimbabwe slumped from 302 for 6 to 359 all out after tea. Ziaur came into his own against a helpless lower-middle and lower order as the final three batters fell for single figures. The carnage began with Tafadzwa Tsiga and Ngarava being lbw in successive balls.Ahmadzai missed the chance to run Blessing Muzarabani out. Perhaps that was because the bowling division of the cricket Gods wanted to watch Ziaur send Muzarabani cartwheeling its way back halfway to the keeper. Evans pulled through against spread-out fields and took Zimbabwe past 350 before Chivanga fell to Ziaur, thus wrapping up the innings.Muzarabani juggled jaffas with the odd bouncer to make Afghan opener Malik’s short stay a scarring one. There were two close shaves in the third over where the ball nearly took the edge – one against each batter.When Ngarava went after Malik with a less attacking plan of bowling short from around the wicket, an attempt to break the shackles was made and an aerial pull went into Muzarabani’s hands at deep-backward square leg.Amid lightmeter readings and some fiery pace bowling, Ibrahim seasoned a crafty little knock while Rahmanullah Gurbaz batted through to stumps. With the visitors still being in the deficit by 198 runs, an innings-win for the hosts is on the cards.

When you lose a player as important as Triston Casas for the majority of the season, all your plans go out the window. That's the reality the Boston Red Sox are facing now, as Casas is expected to be out for the year with a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee after leaving Friday night's game on a stretcher. He will undergo surgery.

Team executive Craig Breslow briefly spoke about the injury on Saturday, sharing that "all options" are on the table, specifically leaving the door open for Rafael Devers to play first base, as relayed by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.

Devers had a somewhat tense spat with the team coming into this year. Boston added elite third baseman Alex Bregman this offseason in free agency, which has typically been Devers's role. Devers strong-armed the position as firmly his, but later let up to serve as the full-time designated hitter. Now, it looks like the team could reposition him in the infield at first. That was followed with a tough slump to start the year that he has now rebounded from.

Devers has never played first base at the highest level of pro ball, nor has he played the position in minor league ball. It's a transition many players have made over the years though, including star players like Bryce Harper in recent memory.

Newcastle United extended their unbeaten run to three games after a 2-1 victory over Premier League strugglers Burnley at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe’s side were able to bounce back from their disappointing draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the week to pick up all three points on this occasion.

It took Eddie Howe’s side until just past the half-hour mark before they managed to open the scoring. Their goal was scored in magnificent fashion, too. Captain Bruno Guimaraes pulled off the lesser-spotted stunt of an Olympico, scoring directly from a corner.

Then, deep into first-half stoppage time, the Magpies had their second goal. Burnley midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu gave away a penalty for handball, and Anthony Gordon obliged, stepping up from 12 yards to double Newcastle’s lead.

It was not all plain sailing, though. Burnley, who had ten men after Lucas Pires was sent off in the first half, managed to pull a goal back.

They were also awarded a penalty for handball, this time from Jacob Ramsey, with Zion Flemming firing home. It was too little, too late, though, for the Clarets, and Newcastle held on to win the game.

The two goal scorers were Newcastle’s standout players on the day.

Guimaraes and Gordon’s key stats compared

It has been quite the week in front of goal for Guimaraes and Gordon. Not only did they score on Saturday afternoon, but they also bagged both of the Magpies’ goals against Spurs in the week.

Guimaraes’ strike against the Clarets was surely better. Scoring directly from a corner is no mean feat, and it took a superb curling effort to nestle into the back of the net.

Aside from the goal, the Magpies skipper won six from eight duels and made six recoveries, as per Sofascore.

As for Gordon, he shone in key moments. Of course, the England winger bagged his second goal from the spot in a matter of days, but he also played Anthony Elanga through on goal, which led to the Burnley red card.

One person he impressed was Lee Ryder, the chief Newcastle writer at Chronicle Live. He gave the former Everton winger a rating of 8/10, praising him for remaining a ‘threat throughout’ against a depleted Burnley defence.

It has been a good week individually for two of Newcastle’s biggest stars, but another of their marquee players struggled against Scott Parker’s side.

Newcastle’s worst player vs. Burnley

It was an afternoon to forget for Newcastle’s big summer signing, Nick Woltemade. The German striker was not very involved against the Lancastrian outfit and was described as “sloppy” by journalist Craig Hope.

His stats from the clash at St James’ Park reflect what was an underwhelming evening. He only managed 17 touches, fewer even than Magpies goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

The Newcastle number 27 could only manage one shot and win a single duel, too.

Touches

17

Passes completed

11/12

Shots

1

Duels won

1

Key passes

0

His poor performance was reflected in the post-match rating Ryder gave. The journalist said Woltemade a 6/10 and prefaced that by saying ‘he did not get a great deal of service’ against the Clarets.

That display was also significant for Newcastle because Yoane Wissa made his long-awaited debut for the club. He replaced Woltemade with 15 minutes to go, and received a warm welcome from his new home fans.

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With the striker’s return to full fitness, it will be fascinating to see whether or not Howe keeps the German in the side or brings Wissa into the fold instead.

After a performance like that from the former Stuttgart attacker, where he was so isolated, it would not be hard to blame the Magpies boss for rotating him out.

It is also worth considering the number of games the North East side have coming up. They have Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup games before the year is up, plus the FA Cup at the start of January.

Howe will surely want to manage the minutes of his squad, so they can be at their very best in a testing few weeks. It would be no surprise if Woltemade drops out of the side next time out.

Eddie Howe has already found a bigger talent than Anderson at Newcastle

Howe’s Newcastle side are showing green shoots after a difficult start to the season.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

Greg Blewett also believes Australia should stick with the same batting order for the third Test in Adelaide, but Mike Hussey wants Usman Khawaja to open again

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-20251:00

Clarke: Not sure I’d go back to Khawaja

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke is unconvinced by the need for Usman Khawaja to return to the side in Adelaide, although he believes the selectors will recall him for the third Test.Khawaja was ruled out of the Gabba Test after failing to recover from the back spasms he suffered in Perth, where he was forced down to No. 4 in the first innings and was then unable to bat in the second after a recurrence of the injury. That meant Travis Head partnered Jake Weatherald at the top in the run chase, where they added 75, with the pair continuing in Brisbane where an opening stand of 77 set the tone for Australia’s first innings.”I think the selectors will pick him,” Clarke told ESPN’s . “I think he’ll be back at the top of the order. I don’t know if I would make a change, to be honest.Related

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“I think I’ve said before, normally with senior players like that and certainly when you get to that age, you’re selected for big tournaments, either a World Cup or an Ashes series, and at the end of those, your time is done.”Australia are 2-0 up. We’ve got someone at the top of the order that scored an unbelievable hundred. I don’t know if they need to go back to that now. I know that might be hard on Uzzy because he’s had a wonderful career and been a big player.”His spot wasn’t spoken about before a ball was bowled in this this series, but things have changed. Australia’s dominating, their style of play is working, so I don’t know if I would go back to that.”Greg Blewett argued that Australia should stick with the current opening combination. “I’m keeping the batting order the same,” he said. “I think that functioned really well up there for the second Test match so I’m not touching that, although if Usman Khawaja’s fit then they may bring him back, but I’m not touching it.”While Khawaja had long been locked into Australia’s plans at the top of the order, there had been scrutiny over his form with a downward trend since the 2023 Ashes. He is averaging 31.84 since that series with one hundred in 45 innings.One option that has been floated is Khawaja returning in the middle order with coach Andrew McDonald saying “he does have flexibility.” When Khawaja made his comeback in early 2022, he batted No. 5 at the SCG and scored twin hundreds before quickly moving up to open.Usman Khawaja has had an interrupted start to the Ashes series•Getty ImagesQueensland team-mate Matt Renshaw said that Khawaja would be able to take on any role offered to him.”Uzzy is a world-class player,” Renshaw told SEN Radio. “He can slot in anywhere – he’s an unreal player of spin and can face fast bowling. Head has been doing an amazing job as opener, so there is absolutely a role for Uzzy to play at five and he averages 250 [238] batting at five in Test cricket.”However, former Australia batter Mike Hussey believes that if he is passed fit, Khawaja should return to his opening role and partner Weatherald in what was the original plan for the series.”If you think about it, before the Ashes series started, Khawaja was at the top of the order,” Hussey told . “Would that one innings change the whole mindset of the selectors? From him being locked in as the opener for the Ashes series, to one innings later suddenly he’s just out of the team. In my mind, no.”Just thinking about [the Perth Test] pragmatically, it wouldn’t change my thinking that much.”

Eric Garcia has committed his long-term future to Barcelona, signing a new deal that keeps him at Camp Nou until 2031. The defender, who has established himself as a key starter since his return from a successful loan spell at Girona, admitted his "dream" is to spend his entire career at the club after overcoming a difficult start to life in Catalonia.

Garcia commits future to Barcelona

Barcelona have officially secured the services of Garcia for the next six years, with the centre-back putting pen to paper on a contract renewal that runs until June 2031. The agreement marks a significant turnaround for the 24-year-old, whose career at his boyhood club appeared to be in jeopardy just eighteen months ago.

Having returned to the club from Manchester City in 2021, Garcia struggled to nail down a permanent spot in the starting XI during his initial two seasons, eventually leading to a loan move to Girona. However, after playing a pivotal role in Girona’s historic qualification for the Champions League, Garcia returned to Barcelona with renewed confidence. He has since become an integral part of the defensive setup, prompting the club's hierarchy to reward him with a long-term extension.

The renewal is seen as a vote of confidence from the coaching staff, who have been impressed by Garcia's ability to play both in central defence and as a holding midfielder and his ability to bring the ball out from the back, a trait ingrained in him during his time at La Masia.

AdvertisementAFP'Dream to play my whole life here'

Addressing the media after the signing, an emotional Garcia opened up about his journey, which he describes as achieving his dream "at the third time of asking." After leaving La Masia for City as a teenager, returning to Barcelona, and then leaving again for Girona, he feels he has finally established himself where he belongs.

"The dream before leaving [for City] was to triumph at Barca," Garcia said. "When you return, the dream starts again. I had to go to Girona, but my dream was to triumph here, to play my whole life here."

The defender believes that the experience of playing regular football in a high-performing team allowed him to mature, ensuring that when he reintegrated into the Barcelona squad in 2024, he was ready to seize his opportunity.

"I have always believed that I could be a starter, whether I played or not," he added. "I am enjoying the starts. But if one day the manager doesn't play me, I will keep believing."

Ignoring the noise and finding consistency

Garcia also addressed the heavy criticism he faced during his first stint in the Barcelona first team. Arriving during a tumultuous period for the club, both financially and on the pitch, the young defender often found himself the scapegoat for defensive frailties. He admitted that the pressure was immense but insisted that the experience has given him a thicker skin.

"When I came back I was very young, we all know how this goes," Garcia reflected. "You go from being the best to the worst. I arrived in a difficult era in which the club demanded results. It kept me calm. Now, neither by playing well am I the best, nor when I mess up will I be the worst.

"That consistency makes great players," he said. "One has to be calm when things get tough, keep your head down. Afterwards, everything comes."

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Getty Images SportGarcia aiming to keep the dream alive

With his future now secure, Garcia will look to continue his run in the starting lineup as Barcelona aim to consolidate their position at the top of the La Liga table. The Catalan giants are currently enjoying a strong run of form, and Garcia's partnership in defence has been a cornerstone of that success.

The defender will likely be in the starting XI again this weekend as Barcelona return to La Liga action against Osasuna at Camp Nou on Saturday, where they will hope to maintain their lead over rivals Real Madrid. Three days later, they face Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey.

The New York Yankees have acquired Chicago White Sox outfielder Austin Slater in exchange for right handed pitcher Gage Ziehl. Ken Rosenthal of was first on the trade, and 's Bob Nightengale was first on the return.

Slater was one of several outfield names that the Yankees were considering ahead of the trade deadline amid the elbow injury to star slugger Aaron Judge. The Yankees were considering a reunion with former outfielder Harrison Bader, but Slater proved most palatable for New York.

Slater has hit .236 this season with five home runs and 11 RBI.

Steven Smith hoping to use his first appearance for Welsh Fire as a platform to reclaim a T20I spot for Australia with the long-term aim of playing in the 2028 Olympics

Matt Roller05-Aug-2025The Hundred’s season of “transition” begins on Tuesday, days after the first wave of payments from new investors hit the counties’ accounts. The ink is still wet on the paperwork for six of the eight multimillion-pound deals and two more will follow on October 1, when host venues and investors assume operational control of their franchises from the ECB.Next season will bring at least three name changes, new kits and new sponsors, but the 2025 edition will be much the same as the previous four. The main difference is a sprinkling of additional star power in the men’s competition through salary increases, with the added intrigue of which investors are spotted in corporate hospitality boxes over the next four weeks.The introduction of direct signings marks the start of the Hundred’s next phase and a more commercial focus. Whatever their respective merits as T20 players, Test cricket’s predominance in England – underlined by the epic series against India – means that fans are far more likely to buy tickets to watch Steven Smith and Kane Williamson than Matt Short and Colin Munro.Related

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It remains to be seen if, given the new IPL links, the ECB can convince the BCCI to release Indian men’s players in future years. The board’s chairman, Richard Thompson, said earlier this week that it would be “a matter of time”, barely two hours after Vikram Banerjee, the Hundred’s managing director, had attempted to play the prospect down.For now, it is Smith’s arrival at Welsh Fire that encapsulates the shift. They first signed him in 2019 only for Covid to kibosh the deal and he has never entered the draft since. But, with the top men’s salary up to £200,000 (from £125,000), Smith has been tempted over, signing soon after the tech entrepreneur Sanjay Govil emerged as the successful bidder for a stake at the Fire.Govil is already the owner of Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket and has a relationship with Smith from his time playing for them last year. He can already foresee a long-term arrangement: “With Sanjay getting involved at the Welsh Fire, potentially, there might be something moving forward,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo.There are similar arrangements elsewhere: Rashid Khan, who plays for Mumbai Indians’ global offshoots, has moved from Trent Rockets to Oval Invincibles, while the RPSG Group’s involvement has seen Noor Ahmad and Heinrich Klaasen join Manchester Originals and Jos Buttler sign for Durban’s Super Giants for the next SA20 season.

“It gives me some opportunities to be able to play in some different tournaments and keep trying to put my best foot forward to get back into the T20 team for Australia. My goal now is to try and play in the Olympics. That’s motivating me, and I want to try and keep getting better at the shorter format”Steven Smith

Smith’s involvement forms part of his master plan to win back his place in Australia’s T20 team – 18 months after his last appearance – with the long-term ambition of winning an Olympic medal at Los Angeles 2028. He retired from ODIs after the Champions Trophy, and said that freeing up his schedule was “certainly a huge part” of that decision.”It gives me some opportunities to be able to play in some different tournaments and keep trying to put my best foot forward to get back into the T20 team for Australia,” he said. “My goal now is to try and play in the Olympics. That’s motivating me, and I want to try and keep getting better at the shorter format.”It is four years since Smith last played an IPL match and his recent short-form opportunities have been scarce. He was a T20 World Cup winner in 2021 before losing his place to Tim David the following year, but with three centuries in his last eight BBL innings for Sydney Sixers, he is confident that he can force his way back in.”[Australia coach] Andrew McDonald actually joked with me the other day,” Smith said. “Every time I go back and play [T20], I always send him a text saying, ‘Did you see that?’ Hopefully, I can send him quite a few texts throughout this month of August. It’d be nice to smash a few around the park and send off a text and ask him whether he saw it.”Steven Smith poses in his Welsh Fire kit•Welsh Fire/The HundredHe will be united with a long-time Ashes rival in Jonny Bairstow, who is hoping to revive his own international career. Bairstow noted with interest Harry Brook’s wish list from players in his England white-ball teams earlier this year: “He’s got a point to prove,” Smith said. “He’s going to come out and play his shots. Hopefully, I can spend some time in the middle with him.”Smith has followed England’s 2-2 draw with India with interest and said recently that he expected this winter’s Ashes to be an “absolute belter”. He played down the relevance of the Hundred to that series, but was looking forward to testing himself against some of England’s bowlers: “It’s going to be great to be able to come up against some of those players.”By the time the Ashes starts on November 21, it will be Australia’s turn to have their own debate around the future of their T20 league. Cricket Australia is already considering the merits of following the ECB’s lead and opening BBL teams up to private investment, and weighing up the potential repercussions – positive and negative – for the wider game.But for now, the focus is squarely on England – and, in Smith’s case, Wales. As the cricketing public breathes a collective sigh of relief after the most intense Test series in recent memory, can the Hundred ride on the wave of interest, eyeballs and drama as it heads towards its brave new world?

Tarik Skubal becoming an MLB All-Star was a foregone conclusion. The Detroit Tigers ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball has dominated on the hill this season for a team with a 13.5 game lead in their division and the best record in baseball (57–34).

The lefthander officially earned his All-Star bid Sunday when each league's pitchers and reserve position players were announced, joining the starters who were announced earlier this week. Was Skubal happy with his second All-Star appearance? Sure. But he may have been more disappointed for his teammates who didn't hear their names called.

"To be honest, I’m a little disappointed with only the four guys we got," Skubal said Sunday via 's Cody Stavenhagen. "I think there’s a lot more deserving guys on our team. We got the best record in the American League. I would like to think we’d be more represented there."

In addition to Skubal, the Tigers have three All-Stars—Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene and Javier Báez—who all got in as starters. Four is a big number with a finite amount of spots, but Skubal's comments may have been sparked because he was the only Tiger to become an All-Star Sunday when the pitching staffs and reserve position players were announced. Spencer Torkelson and Zach McKinstry both have decent cases to get in as reserves, while Detroit's No. 2 starter Casey Mize has nine wins with his own argument to join Skubal on the AL All-Star staff.

The National League-leading Los Angeles Dodgers got five players in—three position players and two pitchers. The Seattle Mariners (48–42) tied Detroit with four All-Stars. More Tigers could make their way into the Midsummer Classic as replacement players if they are needed and chosen by the league, but their ace thinks that shouldn't need to be the case considering their incredible season so far.

The Mets dropped a critical game on Friday, losing 6–2 to the since-eliminated Marlins on a night where the club's competition for the final National League wild card spot, the Reds, were victorious. The loss evened the clubs in a tie for the last postseason spot in the NL, which effectively meant the Mets were on the outside looking in in terms of the playoff picture due to tiebreakers.

And the night started out well for the Mets, who jumped out to a 2–0 lead, which they held until a disastrous six-run inning for Miami in the bottom of the fifth, a cacophony of errors and mental mistakes for New York. First, there was a Marlins single that glanced off first baseman Pete Alonso's glove. Then, after a two-run triple, another grounder, not fielded cleanly by Alonso, allowed a Miami run to score. Finally, Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez stole second and third without a throw from the Mets, preceding a Marlins RBI single and two-run homer.

In the midst of the fiasco, the Mets broadcast booth had seen enough, as they proceeded to tear into the club.

"The Mets—a lack of attention to detail, which has cropped up repeatedly during this slow-motion backwards march over the last three-and-a-half months," play-by-play broadcaster Gary Cohen said, "comes up to bite them again."

Color analyst Ron Darling was no kinder.

"You might take your whole travel ball squad off the field if something like that happened," Darling said. "Here's a team that is fighting to get to October. What are you going to do in October with an inning like that?"

Fellow color analyst Keith Hernandez finished up the broadcast booth's skewering.

"And it's not the first time too," Hernandez said. "They've made a lot of mental errors over the past what? Nine, 10 games down the stretch."

New York, through play on June 12, owned the best record in baseball and a 5 1/2-game lead over the Phillies. Since then, the Mets are an incomprehensible 37–54 and its playoff hopes are on the brink.

The Mets need to win the final two games of the regular season and hope for a Reds loss.