Category Uncategorized

Somerset 379 (Banton 84, Abbas 3-59) and 238 for 4 drew with Nottinghamshire 509 (Haynes 157, Slater 124, Kishan 77, James 66, Leach 6-121)Somerset’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore defied Nottinghamshire with a match-saving final day century as the Rothesay County Championship Division One match at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton, ended in a draw.The visitors had realistic hopes of victory when reducing their opponents to 28 for three, still needing 102 to avoid an innings defeat. But Kohler-Cadmore hit an unbeaten 147, off 196 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes, sharing stands of 96 with James Rew and 114 with Tom Abell, to see Somerset to 238 for four by the time the players shook hands at 4.50pm.Left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White bowled 29 overs unchanged from the River End either side of lunch and finished with four for 104 from 33, but no other Notts bowler could make a significant impression with the Kookaburra ball on a pitch offering only occasional turn and no assistance for the seamers. Somerset took 11 points from the game and Notts 12.The home side set out at four for one, having lost nightwatchman Matt Henry to the only over bowled the previous evening. Soon it was 18 for two as Sean Dickson was rapped on the back pad by a ball from Patterson-White that turned and departed lbw for six.Worse was to follow for Somerset when Tom Lammonby, on seven, pulled a short ball from Patterson-White and picked out the only fielder on the leg side, Farhan Ahmed at deep square, who pouched a comfortable catch.Kohler-Cadmore went on the counter-attack, launching three big sixes back over the head of off-spinner Ahmed, each sending the ball further than the one before and the last pitching on top of the Marcus Trescothick stand.But the most impressive aspect of the former Yorkshire player’s innings was the respect he showed the other bowlers having spread the field, content to pick up ones and twos as he and Rew laid the first foundations for avoiding defeat.Left-hander Rew was equally intelligent in his shot selection, nullifying the effect of Patterson-White, who displayed the same control of line and length that his Somerset counterpart Jack Leach had shown on day three.By lunch the scoreboard read 112 for three and the Notts lead was down to 18 runs. Patterson-White had bowled throughout the morning, sending down 15 overs for 46 runs and two wickets. Somerset could feel some relief, but there was still work to be done, especially when Rew fell for 43 early in the afternoon session, top-edging a sweep off Patterson-White to Joe Clarke at short fine leg.The reassuring figure of Abell took his place and batted through the rest of the session with Kohler-Cadmore, who blasted his fourth six over wide long-on off Patterson-White and then clipped a four through the leg side off Ahmed to reach a fine hundred off 138 balls.It was Kohler-Cadmore’s third Championship century since joining the Cider county for the start of the 2023 season, two of them coming in the last two matches. Cloudless skies did not aid the Notts bowlers and by tea, with the Somerset total advanced to 197 for four, the draw looked inevitable.The final session saw Kohler-Cadmore strike another straight six, this time onto the roof of the Lord Ian Botham Stand off Patterson-White, before moving past his previous best Somerset score of 130, made against Northamptonshire at Taunton in 2023.By then the outcome was all but settled. Abell had contributed just 21 when his stand with Kohler-Cadmore reached the century mark, but it was a typically solid knock that extinguished any lingering notions of a Notts victory.When Notts wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan entered the attack to bowl what proved the last over of the game it was a tame end to an often compelling contest.

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

ويستضيف ملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وبوروسيا دورتموند، في الجولة الرابعة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري لموسم 2025/26.

ويمتلك مانشستر سيتي 7 نقاط، بعدما فاز في مباراتين وتعادل في واحدة، مثلما هو الحال مع بوروسيا دورتموند.

ويسعى مانشستر سيتي إلى تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية في مباراة اليوم للحصول على دفعة قوية قبل مباراته النارية المرتقبة ضد ليفربول، يوم الأحد المقبل، في الجولة الحادية عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبوروسيا دورتموند اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 11 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وبوروسيا دورتموند اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 3. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبوروسيا دورتموند اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

سيعلق حفيظ دراجي على أحداث مباراة الليلة.

ويمكنك متابعة مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من خلال مركز المباريات من هنا.

Spinner sparks dramatic collapse as Derbyshire take first-day spoils

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 22-Jun-2025

Jack Morley claimed career-best figures•Getty Images

Jack Morley claimed career-best figures of six for 55 as Derbyshire dominated the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.Bowling around the wicket from the Ashley Down Road End, the 23-year-old left-arm spinner sent down 18.2 overs, sparking a collapse that saw the home side crash from 68 for no wicket to 187 all out after winning the toss.Cameron Bancroft top-scored with 58, while James Bracey contributed 47 and there were two wickets each for Zak Chappell and Alex Thomson. By the close of a day in which six overs were lost to rain, Derbyshire had replied with 116 for two, Harry Came unbeaten on 29.Before play began, players, officials and staff from both clubs stood in line to observe a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for Gloucestershire president and former fast bowler David ‘Syd’ Lawrence MBE, who has passed away at the age of 61 following a long battle with motor neurone disease.Just 50 minutes play followed before rain forced an early lunch, taken at 12.30pm. By the break, Gloucestershire openers Bancroft and Joe Phillips, the latter making his first appearance of the season, had put 35 runs on the board in 12.2 overs.There was little sign of the carnage ahead as the resumption at 1.25pm saw Bancroft and Phillips extend their partnership comfortably before Phillips, on 27, drove Morley in the air to mid-on where Ben Aitchison took a good tumbling catch.It was 82 for two when Ollie Price was bowled on the back foot by a delivery from Morley that hurried through and 86 for three when Miles Hammond advanced down the pitch to the same bowler only to miscue a catch to Aitchison at mid-off.Bancroft went to a solid 114-ball half-century, with 8 fours, but fell with the total on 102, caught behind trying to pull a short ball from Chappell. Gloucestershire’s plight worsened when Graeme van Buuren went lbw to Thomson, pushing forward on off stump, and Ben Charlesworth followed for a duck, caught at second slip by Aitchison attempting to drive the off-spinner.At 114 for six, Gloucestershire’s innings looked in tatters. But Bracey and Zaman Akhter stopped the rot with a seventh-wicket stand that was worth 37 by tea, Akhter playing positively before the break, reverse sweeping Thomson for four and off-driving another boundary in the same over.The England Lions all-rounder continued in the same vein after the interval, timing a sweet straight four off the opening delivery of the session, sent down by Chappell, and quickly following up with a boundary through the covers.Bracey had begun his innings with two edged fours wide of second slip off Chappell. But under clearing skies and early evening sunshine, he also found his touch as the stand reached 64 before Akhter was bowled by Morley on the back foot for 32.Australia Test off-spinner Todd Murphy, making his Gloucestershire debut, could score only one before being caught at deep square pulling a ball from Chappell, Aitchison pouching a fourth catch. Ajeet Singh Dale was bowled by a ball from Morley that straightened and when Bracey, having run out of partners, holed out to long-on Gloucestershire had lost all ten wickets for 119 runs in the space of 36 overs.Derbyshire were left with 28 overs to face before stumps. Openers Lloyd and Caleb Jewell took the score to 49 in the 11th over before Jewell, who had just pulled a six off Akhter, fell to the same bowler, edging a back-foot shot to second slip and departing for 32 off 39 balls.Murphy, brought on as early as the eighth over, was unable to pose the problems caused by Morley from the same end, but 19-year-old seamer Archie Bailey struck with his eighth ball on seasonal debut as Lloyd, having moved untroubled to 35, cut a catch to point.Came and Wayne Madsen saw out the remaining overs as Derbyshire reached the close trailing by only 71 runs.

Celtic are in action in the quarter-finals of the League Cup this weekend as they prepare to take on Partick Thistle to battle it out for a place in the semi-finals of the competition.

The Hoops thrashed Falkirk 4-1 in the last 16 of the League Cup earlier this season, thanks to goals from Daizen Maeda, Alistair Johnston, and Dane Murray, along with a Liam Henderson own goal.

This clash with Partick Thistle will provide Brendan Rodgers with a chance to rotate his side, which could see Arne Engels handed a rare chance to impress.

Why Celtic should be worried about Arne Engels

After selling Adam Idah to Swansea City for a deal worth up to £7m, £1.5m less than they paid Norwich City for him last year, the Hoops should be worried that Engels is the next big-money signing to ultimately flop at Parkhead.

The Belgium international, who signed for a club-record fee of £11m from Augsburg last year, has only started two of the club’s five matches in the Scottish Premiership this season, and was an unused substitute against Kilmarnock last time out.

Engels has failed to score a goal and provided one assist in seven appearances in all competitions this season, after a return of ten goals and 13 assists in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt.

The 22-year-old midfielder has found himself out of the side and potentially clinging onto his career at Parkhead, and it is because of the summer signing of Benjamin Nygren.

Why Benjamin Nygren could end Arne Engels' career at Celtic

The Sweden international, who sometimes played as a striker before his move to Celtic, was compared to legendary centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he was 16.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Nygren is Swedish and also has a lanky build, which is why it is not a surprising comparison, but he has established himself as a central midfielder at Parkhead, rather than as a centre-forward like Ibrahimovic.

Despite mainly playing as a right winger for Nordsjaelland in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, the £1m (£1.3m) signing has locked in a spot alongside Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate in central midfield, which was the slot that Engels filled last term.

Appearances

5

Starts

5

Goals

3

Key passes per game

3.2

Big chances created

2

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, Nygren has scored three goals and created 3.2 chances per game across five outings in the Premiership so far this season for the Hoops.

Engels, however, only scored two non-penalty goals and created 1.7 chances per game across 34 appearances in the top-flight for the Hoops last term, per Sofascore.

These statistics suggest that Celtic have improved their midfield by signing Nygren for £1.3m to replace Engels in the XI because of the quality that he has already provided as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

This is bad news for the Belgium international because it will now be difficult for him to break back into the starting line-up unless he is able to improve on his performances from last season and on Nygren’s this term.

If he cannot oust the Sweden international from the midfield before the January transfer window or next summer, there could be a decision to be made on his future, as there was with Idah when it was clear that Rodgers did not fancy him as the first-choice number nine moving forward.

Worth more than Tounekti: Celtic are brewing the new Reo Hatate at Parkhead

Celtic have a brilliant midfield star who could be the club’s next Reo Hatate in the middle of the park.

ByDan Emery Sep 16, 2025

Therefore, Nygren, once compared to a legendary striker, may be the player who ends Engels’ career at Parkhead if he continues to impress in midfield for the Scottish giants.

Before the match, many expected Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to post the first 300-plus total in IPL history. There were reasons to justify the speculation. After a record-breaking IPL 2024, SRH had posted 286 for 6 in their IPL 2025 opener, also in Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were without at least two of their first-choice bowlers.Forget 300, SRH could not even score 200. They managed 190 for 9 with Shardul Thakur picking up 4 for 34, his best figures in the IPL.Still, 190 was not a small total. But Nicholas Pooran made it look minuscule. He smashed 70 off just 26 balls, hitting six fours and as many sixes. By the time Pat Cummins had him lbw, LSG needed only 71 from 68 balls.Related

• LSG mute SRH with death bowling before the death overs

• 'It was always on the cards' – Thakur savours return after going unsold at auction

• Batters hitting their first three balls in an IPL innings for sixes

Mitchell Marsh, who played second fiddle to Pooran while they were together, also scored a fifty before Abdul Samad applied the finishing touches.LSG chasing down their target with 23 balls and five wickets to spare was giving SRH a taste of their own medicine. Last season, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma had taken just 9.4 overs to chase down LSG’s 165 at this very venue.

Thakur gets two in two

LSG knew the only way to stop the marauding SRH batting unit was to take early wickets. Thakur went in search of swing in the first over but did not find success. But in his next over, he dismissed Abhishek and Ishan Kishan off successive balls. Abhishek pulled a short ball into the hands of deep square-leg, and Kishan was caught down the leg side.1:28

What makes Shardul Thakur effective?

Head went after the returning Avesh Khan, hitting him for two sixes and a four in the fourth over. Two overs later, he tried to take on Ravi Bishnoi but ended up skying a slog sweep. Pooran, though, put the chance down at long-on. Four balls later, Bishnoi failed to latch on to a tough return catch. Head was on 35 at the time of the first drop but it cost LSG only 12 as Prince Yadav made a mess of Head’s stumps for his first wicket in the IPL.

Klaasen’s bizarre run out

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen took SRH past 100 in the 11th over before Klaasen was run out in bizarre fashion. Nitish hit a full toss from Prince to the bowler’s left. Prince failed to hold on to the catch, but the ball found a way to ricochet on to the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Klaasen well outside his crease. Soon after, Bishnoi castled Nitish for 32 off 28, leaving SRH in a spot.

Sixes and outs

In keeping with the SRH team ethos, the batters kept attacking. But while they kept hitting sixes, they also kept getting out. Aniket Verma smashed Bishnoi for back-to-back sixes and repeated it against Digvesh Rathi in the following over before getting out for 36 off 13 balls. Cummins walked out at No. 8, hit the first three balls he faced for three sixes, and was out on the fourth. That took SRH to 180 for 8 after 18 overs. However, only ten runs came from the last two.1:49

Knight breaks down Pooran’s six-hitting

Pooran makes it a one-sided contest

Mohammed Shami removed Aiden Markram in the second over of the chase, but Pooran took the attack to the opposition as soon as he walked out. His first boundary came via a misfield before he smoked Simarjeet Singh over deep midwicket twice in two balls.Bringing on a left-arm orthodox spinner with Pooran in the middle is always risky. But Cummins took that gamble with Abhishek. Pooran faced only two balls from him and slog-swept both for sixes. He has now hit seven sixes off nine balls against Abhishek in T20 cricket.He didn’t spare legspinner Adam Zampa either, hitting him for two sixes and a four in the seventh over. Off the first 20 balls he faced, he hit five fours and six sixes.

Marsh’s fifty, Samad’s cameo

Marsh was on 37 off 22 balls when Pooran got out. He had hit Shami for two straight sixes in the powerplay. In the 11th over, he hit Cummins for back-to-back fours to bring up his fifty off 29 balls. Cummins had him caught at long-on soon after but it was too late.At the end of 11 overs, LSG needed only 53. They did lose Rishabh Pant and Ayush Badoni along the way, but their victory was never in doubt. Samad, a former SRH player, smashed an unbeaten 22 off eight balls to complete the formalities.

Kevin De Bruyne scored a second-half penalty to get Napoli back in the game against AC Milan before being subbed off by Antonio Conte in their first Serie A defeat. The Belgian looked frustrated as he walked off and went straight to the bench without acknowledging Conte. The coach said the decision was to bring fresh legs, adding he hoped De Bruyne’s displeasure was with the result, not him.

• Kevin De Bruyne wasn't happy with Conte's decision

  De Bruyne was one of Napoli's standout performers in their clash against AC Milan, orchestrating play from midfield and constantly probing the opposition defence. His most significant contribution came when he won a penalty after being tripped by a Milan defender while making a clever run into the box. The Belgian confidently stepped up and converted the penalty, briefly levelling the score for Napoli and showcasing his composure under pressure. Despite his strong performance, coach Conte chose to substitute De Bruyne around the 73rd minute. The decision clearly frustrated the player, who swiftly exited the pitch, notably bypassed Conte, and sat on the bench looking visibly disgruntled over being taken off at a crucial moment.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Conte's has no time to deal with tantrums

  Asked about the changes specifically substituting De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund in the 73rd minute, the coach said: "I tried to bring in fresh players for one-on-one situations because Milan were closing down a lot. I swapped the striker for Lucca and nothing happened… You make substitutions to try and do something good. I think they were the right changes."

  Sharing his take on De Bruyne's reaction, the coach said: "I hope he was upset about the result because if he was upset about something else he's got the wrong person."

  The Italian coach wasn't pleased with the result but defended the team's overall performance blaming the drop in defensive hold on the lack of players and a congested fixture run.

  "We've conceded a few more goals lately, seeing as we did the two goals against Pisa, the two goals today, and the goal against Fiorentina," he said. "Defensiveness has always been our strength, we'll have to be good at improving. Coming here with this performance and playing with this quality against Milan, who are a tough and physically strong team. If they close down, it becomes difficult… It has to give us a good feeling as a team."

• Napoli needs defensive reinforcements

  Napoli’s defence is in crisis with the absence of both Amir Rrahmani, out for several weeks with a muscle injury and expected to return in mid-October, and Alessandro Buongiorno, sidelined for about a month with an adductor injury, leaving the team short of centre-backs. Conte admitted after the Milan game that conceding more goals lately has been a problem and emphasised the need for defensive improvement, especially with only Juan Jesus and Sam Beukema left as fit centre-backs, while other defenders like Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leonardo Spinazzola and Mathias Olivera are either suspended or fatigued.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Conte shifts focus to the Champions League

  Napoli will host Sporting CP in their crucial Champions League match on October 1. With several key defenders injured, Conte is counting on the young players to step up and deliver strong performances to keep the team competitive during this injury crisis.

MatériaMais Notícias

Vagner Love tentou assistir ao jogo do São Paulo contra o Sport, que classificou o Tricolor para as quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, mas não conseguiu. A intenção do atleta, que não entrou em campo por conta de uma fadiga muscular, era assistir ao duelo mesmo sem ter sido relacionado. Porém, a torcida tricolor presente perto do camarote onde o jogador estava não curtiu sua presença.

RelacionadasSão PauloApós sufoco em classificação, São Paulo acumula premiação milionária na Copa do Brasil e alivia prejuízo do PaulistãoSão Paulo02/06/2023São PauloDorival aproveita vitória nos pênaltis do São Paulo para enaltecer Rafael: ‘Pegou uma bola que garantiu a nossa classificação’São Paulo02/06/2023São PauloDorival descarta fragilidade emocional no São Paulo em sufoco contra o SportSão Paulo02/06/2023

+ ATUAÇÕES: Rafael é herói, e Pablo Maia salva o São Paulo de vexame e classifica a equipe na Copa do Brasil

Além de ser um dos principais nomes do Sport, Vagner Love é bastante identificado com o Corinthians – além de também ter passado pelo Palmeiras. E os dois times são os maiores rivais do São Paulo. O atleta é bastante relembrado por um gol que marcou pelo clube Alvinegro em 2019, na final do Campeonato Paulista daquele ano. Este gol foi o responsável por tornar o adversário tricolor campeão do estadual naquela edição. No Morumbi, nesta quinta-feira (1), estava assistindo ao jogo com Fabinho – também do Sport. Os dois deixaram o camarote após a confusão. Veja o registro!

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!
+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão
+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados da Copa do Brasil-23 na tabela do LANCE!

Tottenham, in unprecedented circumstances, missed out on Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, with the club now forced to move on to other transfer targets.

Tottenham advancing move for £24m defender after 'emerging' as favourites

Spurs have been told what it would take to get a deal done.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025

The announcement of Gibbs-White’s new contract dropped on Saturday evening, thwarting Thomas Frank’s hopes of bringing in a proven number 10 to inject some much-needed creativity – at least for now.

The England international was due to be another statement signing immediately after Tottenham’s £55 million deal for Mohammed Kudus, with chairman Daniel Levy and co booking Gibbs-White in for medical tests at Hotspur Way on July 11 (BBC).

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The Lilywhites were also ready to pay his £60 million release clause, but Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis put a stop to the transfer, threatened Spurs with legal action and somehow convinced Gibbs-White to pen a contract extension.

Gibbs-White praised Marinakis in an interview after the new deal was confirmed, with the Greek tycoon standing proudly next to him in what was seen as a bizarre move.

It is never straightforward when it comes to Tottenham, with Levy, technical director Johan Lange and the recruitment team wasting over a fortnight on their chase for Gibbs-White as just weeks remain of the summer window.

Their need for a new creator is emphasised by club legend Son Heung-min’s potential departure to the States.

Los Angeles FC are actively pursuing a deal for the South Korea international with an approach made, but the north Londoners are unlikely to sell before the end of their pre-season tour of Asia due to certain contractual obligations and his obvious commercial appeal in the Far East (The Telegraph).

There are reports that Levy is prepared to sanction Son’s move to LA for around £15-20 million, and another update has now come to light.

Son close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC over Tottenham exit

According to GiveMeSport, Son is now close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC, and the MLS side are eyeing a transfer towards the end of August.

The 33-year-old also has firm admirers in Saudi Arabia, who are prepared to pay £30 million plus add-ons, but it appears LAFC are taking the lead right now with talks “advancing”. That being said, Son has made no final decision on leaving just yet.

The £190,000-per-week winger is expected to hold crunch discussions with Frank over his future and role in the first team once they return to London, with Tottenham happy to keep Son and let him leave on a free transfer next year.

Levy won’t stand in the former Bayer Leverkusen star’s way if he does choose a move to LA, though, meaning Son’s future is entirely in his hands.

An exit would bring an end to Son’s incredible 10-year stay in N17, where he cemented himself as a club icon. Son is past the century mark in terms of both goals (173) and assists (101) since joining Spurs, with supporters facing the prospect of bidding an emotional farewell to the forward.

Robbie Keane called Son the most “underrated” player in Premier League history, and he could soon become the new star of LAFC’s project.

West Indies look for response after two heavy losses in Barbados leg of T20I series

Andrew Miller13-Nov-2024

Saqib Mahmood was a key performer for England in the first two T20Is•Getty Images

Big picture: Settled England scent the series It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. England’s T20 World Cup defence didn’t exactly go to plan in the Caribbean five months ago, but at least, in reaching the semi-finals, they can say they fared better than the hosts. West Indies had been infused with rare hope and expectation going into the tournament, but they failed to emerge from the Super Eights – thanks, in no small part, to the last time that these two teams met at the Daren Sammy Stadium.It felt like an anomaly at the time: a riotously effective England win, led by Phil Salt’s hard-hitting 87 from 47 balls, and a throwback to the dominant style with which they had transformed their white-ball fortunes across their previous World Cup cycles. But that eight-wicket victory has since been matched in Barbados by two equally emphatic wins – by eight and seven wickets respectively – that have propelled England’s T20I team to the brink of only their second bilateral series win in two years.Salt has once again been central to England’s success against West Indies. His outstanding century in the opening fixture was his third in five innings against them, and when his record was dented by a golden duck in the rematch, England’s captain Jos Buttler was ready to step into the breach with a no-less-riotous 83 from 45 balls – which in itself was a good riposte to his own first-baller in game one.West Indies’ prospects have not been aided by two damaging lost tosses – even after being set a seemingly daunting 183 in match one, England coasted to that target with 19 balls to spare. But they have also had to contend with some internal disruption: the two-match suspension meted out on Alzarri Joseph for his bizarre fit of pique in the ODI series, and the loss of Andre Russell who turned his ankle during the first T20I.But if England looked tactically bereft during the ODI leg of the tour, they’ve found an encouraging blend of continuity and confidence in the shorter format. Their remarkable array of allrounders have been better deployed across 20 overs than was the case across 50, not least in the first match, when the loss of Reece Topley to a knee injury barely caused a ripple in Buttler’s options.And even if the full depth of their batting has not yet been tested, the fact that Sam Curran, Dan Mousley and Jamie Overton are all waiting for their first hit of the series is clearly preferable to them being required to perform endless bail-outs. England have three shots in St Lucia to secure their first series win in the Caribbean since 2019, in any of the three formats. To judge by the direction of travel so far, it would take quite the collapse in resolve to deny them in the long run.Form guideWest Indies LLLLW
England WWWLLIn the spotlight: Rovman Powell and Will Jacks”Are we bringing enough as individuals to the table?” Rovman Powell’s assessment of his team ahead of the third match might have doubled as some astute self-analysis after a fallow run of form in the past month. Low scores in T20 cricket are an occupational hazard, but Powell’s issue has been a failure to kick on from a series of starts: five innings between 13 and 43 since the start of the Sri Lanka series in October, at a strike-rate of 115.92 that is a significant way short of his career mark of 140. In top-scoring with 43 from 41 balls in the last match in Barbados, he showed glimpses of his true self – most particularly when launching Liam Livingstone for a 102-metre six, but by then he had chewed his way to 18 from 28 balls in an atypically ponderous display. If he can pick off where he left off then, England’s challenge will be all the greater.He was rewarded last month with the central contract that eluded him in 2023-24, but Will Jacks continues to play as if he’s on the outside looking in. England know and admire the explosive qualities that he brings to his game, and Jos Buttler’s decision to slip down to No.3 is a clear invitation for Jacks to cut loose in the manner that left Virat Kohli wide-eyed in wonder after his 41-ball century for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL earlier this year. But since making a brace of half-centuries against Australia in September, Jacks has made 101 runs at 14.42 in seven subsequent innings, at less than a run a ball. With pressure for places hotting up, not least for the Champions Trophy, the time is nigh to restate his credentials.Rovman Powell top-scored for West Indies in the second match•Getty Images

Team news: Alzarri returns from suspensionShamar, Joseph in; Shamar Joseph out… it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for West Indies in the past few days. Allrounder Shamar (Springer) has been called up as a replacement for Andre Russell, while (Alzarri) Joseph’s return from suspension means that his near-namesake is surplus to requirements. Terrance Hinds endured a rough debut in Barbados, and is also likely to make way.West Indies: (possible) 1 Brandon King, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Shimron Hetmyer / Roston Chase, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Matthew FordeEngland are unlikely to tinker significantly with the series in their grasp, although their options have been limited with Jafer Chohan and Jordan Cox leaving the squad ahead of their Lions and Test commitments respectively. Reece Topley is hopeful he might yet be fit after jarring his knee in the first match (and copping a fine for smashing a chair as he left the field). With Jofra Archer’s workload still being closely managed, John Turner – unused since the ODIs – could be in line for a format debut.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Jos Buttler (capt), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jacob Bethell, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Dan Mousley, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Jofra Archer / John Turner, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Adil RashidPitch and conditions: Wet, wet, wet?Damp conditions could be in prospect after heavy recent rain. St Lucia’s outfield is less renowned for its drainage, so fingers crossed for a dry spell.Stats and trivia West Indies have won six and lost five of their previous 11 T20Is in St Lucia. However, they have lost both of their previous encounters with England at the venue: in 2019, and again at the recent T20 World Cup. Shimron Hetmyer needs 67 runs to reach 1000 in T20Is.Quotes”England have played better than us in the first two games, but I rally St Lucia to come out and be an extra 12th man. We’ve not played the brand of cricket that has allowed us to win, but we have the manpower in that dressing-room to win.”

The forecast for Manchester wasn’t wrong as steady rain from early in the day forced the deciding T20I to be abandoned shortly after 4pm on a bleak Sunday. It meant England and Australia shared the spoils after the visitors were convincing winners in Southampton before England responded with a fine chase in Cardiff.It was expected the two teams would recall key fast bowlers for this game: Jofra Archer and Josh Hazlewood had both been rested in Cardiff, and Australia left with only 11 players to select from with Mitchell Marsh ill. However, conditions meant XIs never got close to being named.Related

• England remain cautious over Jofra Archer's workload for Australia ODIs

• Does England-Australia allrounder-fest point way to T20's future?

• Jacob Bethell's superstar quality comes to the fore

• Harry Brook to captain England for Australia ODIs with Jos Buttler ruled out

For Australia, it completed a run of six T20Is which began in Scotland where they won 3-0 and Marsh was pleased with the opportunities presented to younger players with Jake Fraser-McGurk and Cooper Connolly both handed debuts.”Would have been nice to finish off with deciding match today but thought both teams played some really good cricket throughout and we move onto the one-day series,” he said. “We started in Scotland as a T20 group and knew young guys would get an opportunity throughout and thought we gave guys different roles in all five games we had and it’s been really pleasing.”England captain Phil Salt was delighted with the response of his team after the opening loss in Southampton with Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell putting together a matchwinning stand in the second match.”Very proud,” he said. “As a team when you lose the first one you are always under pressure and the messaging to the boys was when we get pushed back we come back hard and that’s what we did through that partnership in Cardiff with Livi and Beth. So really pleased with the way we responded but just disappointed we couldn’t get on today.”The focus will now turn to the five-match ODI series – and the forecast is much more promising – which starts on Thursday in Nottingham. England have named Harry Brook as captain in place of the injured Jos Buttler while Australia will be able to call on Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc who have arrived for the 50-over games.There is a more immediate target in sight for the one-day sides with next February’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan on the horizon. Both teams will likely go through various options over the five games which come in the space of 11 days.