Manchester United are now rivalling Liverpool for the signature of a “brilliant” forward, who has been in impressive form so far this season.

Man Utd eyeing new forward ahead of January

Man United’s recruitment has been questionable over the years, but Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have certainly made promising starts to life at Old Trafford, with Paul Merson singling them out for high praise earlier this season.

The former Arsenal man said: “Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha look good. Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole used to be an unbelievable partnership and these two could become a success like that duo at Manchester United.”

“Mbeumo and Cunha will always create problems for opponents, it’s just that they have to do it consistently.”

With Ruben Amorim’s side looking to get back into Europe next season, however, they may need to bring in additional options in attack, and they are now looking to sign a Liverpool target.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Man United have now joined the race for RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande, who is being targeted by a whole host of Europe’s top clubs, and Jurgen Klopp is a big fan.

With Liverpool scouts pushing for FSG to get a deal done, United may have to move swiftly to secure his signature, and it could be very expensive, with the German club set to demand the full £87m release clause included in his contract.

A TEAMtalk source adds: “In terms of talent level, Red Bull has not experienced an interest like this since Erling Haaland. The ceiling for this kid is that high.”

“However, it has to be pointed out there is no for sale sign attached to him – Leipzig do not want to let him leave.”

Related Man Utd submit £24m bid for "powerful" midfielder with shades of Adam Wharton

United have now made an opening offer for a new midfielder.

Posts ByDominic Lund Dec 4, 2025 "Brilliant" Diomande impressing for club and country

Scout Jacek Kulig was full of praise for the Ivorian earlier this season, praising the impact he has made for both club and country.

The 19-year-old is certainly making an impression in his first season in Germany, having already chipped in with eight goal contributions in all competitions, while he has also showcased his defensive qualities.

That said, £87m would be a huge fee to shell out on a player yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time, especially considering Man United are planning to shell out over £100m on a new midfielder.

Aston Villa are now prepared to make a £52m offer for a “baller” in the January transfer window, with Unai Emery personally keen.

Villa make major statement in dramatic Arsenal victory

Villa sent out a message to the rest of the Premier League by picking up a dramatic late victory against league leaders Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, with Emiliano Buendia firing home in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win.

In the wake of the result, which leaves Emery’s side just three points behind the Gunners, Mikel Arteta has admitted the Villans are genuine Premier League title contenders.

When asked whether the Villa Park outfit can challenge, Arteta said: “They are. When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home. Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well.”

That said, it is still early days, given that we aren’t even at the half-way stage of the season just yet, and Emery is eager to bring in some new reinforcements, who could boost his side’s title push, during the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states the Aston Villa manager is now personally keen on signing Athletic Club star Mikel Jauregizar next month, but a deal could be on the expensive side.

Villa are prepared to offer up to €60m (£52m) to secure Jauregizar’s signature, with the Spanish club reluctant to sanction a departure unless they receive an ‘irresistible’ bid.

Emery believes the central midfielder would be an ideal fit in his system, and the Villans are now determined to get a deal done, so much so that they may even be willing to make an even higher bid.

"Baller" Jauregizar impressing in the Champions League

If Villa are going to make a genuine push to win the Premier League title, they may need to bring in some new players with experience at the highest level, and the 22-year-old has been impressing in the Champions League this season, chipping in with two assists in five matches.

Hailed as an “underrated baller” by scout Ben Mattinson, the maestro is also strong at winning back possession, averaging 2.87 tackles per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 89th percentile, when compared to other midfielders.

Aston Villa now want to tempt Chelsea summer signing with surprise January move

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Jauregizar is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, capable of making an impact at both ends of the pitch, and Aston Villa could strengthen their title chances by getting a deal done in January.

Hugo Ekitike scored both goals – including the fastest of the Premier League season – as Mohamed Salah made an earlier-than-expected return in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield, but it was another Reds star drawing all the praise.

Liverpool rampant in win over Brighton

Cameramen barely had time to shift their focus off Salah, back in the squad after being dropped for his explosive comments about being “thrown under the bus” by the club, when Ekitike struck after just 46 seconds.

Salah held talks with Arne Slot on Friday after his midweek Champions League omission and would have expected to wait until the second half for a chance to redeem himself – at least in most observers’ eyes.

But Joe Gomez’s injury released him from the bench, where he was for his fourth successive match sharing the occasional joke with Andy Robertson, midway through the first half.

It was not the change Slot wanted to make with the game still evenly poised but one he could not avoid without creating more headlines. However, set-piece coach Aaron Briggs gave the instructions as Slot was in conversation with Dominik Szoboszlai, his new right-back.

And it was the Hungary star, not match-winner Ekitike, who was impressing BBC commentator Chris Sutton, in part due to that ability to move into different positions.

Salah immediately combined with Alexis Mac Allister to almost set up Ekitike and the Kop broke into Salah’s song before he was involved again as Ekitike volleyed wide.

Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1 formation, with Florian Wirtz playing off the left, does not suit Salah due to the additional work-rate required but when from a Brighton counter-attack Szoboszlai made the lung-busting run to snuff out the danger Salah was not far behind in the tracking-back stakes.

And after the Egypt international forced Bart Verbruggen into his first save of the second half at the expense of a corner and the unmarked Ekitike headed home the chant for the Frenchman was quickly replaced with a louder one for Salah, closely followed by another for Slot.

Last weekend Salah, now destined for the Africa Cup of Nations, had suggested this could be his last match but talks will continue between the club and his representatives in an attempt to resolve the situation.

He finished the game paired with Alexander Isak, the British record-signing bought to eventually replace his weight of goals, but – perhaps symptomatic of his season – missed his moment by firing over Federico Chiesa’s cross in added time.

Salah applauded all four sides at the final whistle, lingering in front of the Kop as they sang his praise, and fans will hope this is au revoir and not farewell.

Amid the Salah circus it was easy to forget the improvement in the Liverpool’s performance, their third win in five unbeaten, and the growing prowess of Ekitike.

His first-minute goal, taking a touch before unleashing a shot which was still rising as it hit the roof of the net, came as a result of Yankuba Minteh’s risky cross-field clearance headed down by Joe Gomez.

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3

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Minteh and Diego Gomez both had chances to equalise but the first half was controlled by Liverpool aided by the growing understanding between Wirtz and Mac Allister.

Ekitike continued to pose a threat in the second half but could not find a finish to match the quality of his driving run, although Brighton were becoming more dangerous with Diego Gomez hitting Alisson’s right-hand upright and Brajan Gruda dragging wide.

After Ekitike fired over when Mac Allister released Salah the Egyptian took matters into his own hands with the shot which led to the Frenchman’s second goal.

Nottingham Forest are seemingly testing the waters for long-term heirs to star midfielder Elliot Anderson, with the Englishman now a man in serious demand.

Elliot Anderson attracts serious interest ahead of 2026

Anderson has emerged as one of English football’s most coveted midfielders following his sensational performances for Forest this season, with Man City reportedly establishing themselves as frontrunners for his signature despite the club’s eye-watering £100 million asking price.

The 23-year-old has exploded onto the scene at Forest since departing Newcastle in 2024, a move that originally stemmed from the Magpies’ PSR pressures.

Anderson has transformed into one of England’s brightest prospects, establishing himself as a near-certainty for Thomas Tuchel’s squad at the 2026 World Cup.

City have especially been ‘captivated’ by Anderson’s abilities, with Etihad scouts apparently watching the midfielder over ten times this season (Sky Switzerland).

Reports suggest Pep Guardiola views Anderson as the perfect successor to Rodri and an ideal fit for his system, appreciating the youngster’s versatility to operate as either a holding midfielder or box-to-box number eight.

Most significantly, Anderson is said to have privately informed his representatives that City are his preferred destination should he leave the City Ground.

This revelation provides the Premier League title contenders with a crucial advantage over fierce rivals Man United, who had identified Anderson as their priority midfield target for 2026.

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However, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis remains steadfast in his valuation, demanding fees potentially exceeding £100m for a player contracted until 2029.

Anderson has been exceptional for Forest throughout the campaign, winning more duels than any other player in the Premier League this season.

His combative presence, defensive tenacity and progressive passing have caught attention across Europe, with Liverpool also rumoured to be monitoring his situation closely.

Any departure remains unlikely until the summer, with Forest determined to retain their prized asset in January.

A standout tournament performance next summer could push Anderson’s valuation even higher, though his believed preference for Eastlands suggests City hold an advantage when negotiations eventually intensify.

As Sean Dyche faces the looming threat of his star midfielder next year, the Tricky Trees have begun succession planning.

Nottingham Forest make approach for Atalanta sensation Sergej Levak

According to TUTTOmercatoWEB reporter Andrea Losapio, Forest have made an enquiry to sign Atalanta Under-23 midfielder Sergej Levak.

The 19-year-old has impressed significantly since arriving from Roma last summer, making 13 appearances and scoring three goals in Serie C’s Group C during his debut professional campaign for Atalanta’s ‘B team’.

His performances have grabbed attention across multiple divisions, with Forest making a preliminary approach to gauge Levak’s availability.

Levak stands at a towering 6 foot 4 and combines technical ability with physical presence, earning comparisons to former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Atalanta moved quickly to secure his signature ahead of strong competition from Genoa, Parma, Juventus and Inter Milan, who all explored routes to sign him through their respective Under-23 setups before promoting him to senior level.

Beyond Forest’s attention, several Serie C clubs alongside various European teams have shown interest in securing Levak’s services.

However, sources indicate Roma harbored doubts about his capabilities before his departure, making Atalanta’s swift intervention particularly shrewd business.

The Bergamo side are now faced with an important decision regarding Levak’s pathway. Options include allowing him to complete his debut season with the Under-23 side or entertaining January offers from clubs across different leagues.

The Croatian sensation is a fairly unknown quantity, but Forest’s interest perhaps indicates they have scouts working in Italy to identify top talent.

أعلنت جائزة جلوب سوكر اليوم الأربعاء، عن القائمة النهائية للمرشحين لجائزة أفضل مهاجم في العالم، وذلك عن عام 2025.

ومن المقرر أن يقام حفل جلوب سوكر يوم 28 ديسمبر المقبل، وذلك في الإمارات، حيث يقام الحفل كل عام بالفعل.

وشملت قائمة المرشحين لأفضل مهاجم ثمانية لاعبين يتقدمهم نجم ليفربول، محمد صلاح، والذي لعب بشكل رائع مع النادي الإنجليزي خلال هذا العام.

محمد صلاح لعب بشكل استثنائي مع ليفربول خلال هذا العام وحقق مع ليفربول بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، إذ توج بهداف المسابقة.

ويأمل محمد صلاح في أن يعود إلى مستوياته في أقرب وقت ممكن، حيث يعاني اللاعب الأمرين خلال هذا الموسم مع ليفربول وفشل في تقديم المأمول منه مع النادي الإنجليزي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. القائمة النهائية للمرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم من جلوب سوكر.. موقف محمد صلاح

ودخل محمد صلاح في فترة شك وقام مدرب ليفربول، آرني سلوت، بإجلاس الدولي المصري على مقاعد البدلاء أمام وست هام يونايتد يوم الأحد الماضي بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وشهدت القائمة سيطرة كبيرة من لاعبي برشلونة، حيث تواجد ثلاثة لاعبين وهم رافينيا دياز وروبرت ليفاندوفسكي ولامين يامال. المرشحين لجائزة أفضل مهاجم في العالم من جلوب سوكر

محمد صلاح (ليفربول).

روبرت ليفاندوفسكي (برشلونة).

لامين يامال (برشلونة).

رافينها (برشلونة).

كيليان مبابي (بريال مدريد).

هاري كين (بايرن ميونخ).

خفيشا كفارتسخيليا (باريس سان جيرمان).

عثمان ديمبلي (باريس سان جيرمان).

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos momentos mais marcantes da história do Corinthians foi o gol de Paulinho diante do Vasco, na Libertadores 2012, que pavimentou o caminho para o Timão conquistar o torneio pela primeira vez. A situação ocasionou em uma foto histórica, em que o meio-campista abraça um torcedor no alambrado do Pacaembu.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Corinthians

➡️ Veja todos os mercados para apostar no Corinthians contra o Botafogo!

O corintiano era Lucas Perassollo. Entrevistado pelo Lance!, ele fez uma revelação intrigante: não assistiu ao gol de Paulinho pelo Corinthians. Mas, se tivesse visto ao vivo, talvez o momento histórico não teria acontecido.

— A gente chegou bem cedo na porta do estádio, e à noite estava aquele clima de Pacaembu, como sempre. Fui no banheiro, tinha tomado muito. Se eu não tivesse ido no banheiro, não teria acontecido o lance do alambrado. Estava voltando, não vi o gol, só a explosão. Subi no alambrado, comemorei meio que sozinho. Quando olhei para trás ele (Paulinho) estava subindo, e eu resolvi subir de novo. Pô, comemorar com o cara que fez o gol. Não tinha noção de que seria uma imagem histórica — afirmou.

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— No dia seguinte acordei com milhares de mensagens, amigo meu mandando eu ir na banca, porque tinham milhares de jornais com capa com meu rosto. Comecei a ter a noção do que foi a repercussão — concluiu.

Paulinho saiu do Corinthians oficialmente nesta semana e concedeu sua última entrevista como jogador do clube. De acordo com o torcedor, o meio-campista tinha “a cara” do Timão.

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— Paulinho tem totalmente a cara do Corinthians. É um jogador com características que a gente gosta. Raça, respeita o clube.

Aos 35 anos e com passagens por Barcelona e Tottenham, o volante deixou o Timão com quatro títulos: Brasileirão (2011), Libertadores (2012), Mundial de Clubes (2012) e Paulistão (2013).

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansPaulinho

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.

Chalkboard

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

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

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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.”

No team has lost a Test in India after scoring as many as South Africa’s 489

Sidharth Monga23-Nov-20253:14

Philander: ‘Muthusamy deserves all the accolades coming his way’

A maiden hundred for Senuran Muthusamy and a career-best 93 from Marco Jansen went a long way to take South Africa close to batting India out of the Guwahati Test and the two-match series. No team has lost a Test in India after scoring as many as South Africa’s 489. If South Africa can keep that record intact, they will have pushed India to a second home-series loss in 12 months after they went 12 years without any.At the start of the second day, 489 looked like a million miles away. And while Muthusamy and Kyle Verreynne steadied the ship from the overnight 247 for 6, if South Africa had continued at that scoring rate, they would have barely crossed 400 in the 151.1 overs that they batted.Related

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However, Jansen’s 93 off 91, including a record seven sixes against India in India, knocked the wind out of India’s sails when they would still have been hopeful despite having bowled 120.1 overs for seven wickets. With Jansen, Muthusamy also upped the intent as the two put together the highest partnership of the series: 97 in 17.4 overs. Muthusamy became the ninth centurion for South Africa this year, but Jansen fell seven short of equalling the world record of ten different centurions in one year.Even before Jansen, Muthusamy and Verreynne had done enough to frustrate India. The pitch, which had kept the bowlers interested on day one, was flatter because the early moisture had completely dried off. Even then, South Africa lost wickets on day one only when they tried to force the pace. On day two, now six down, they seemed to have decided to take time out of the game, not necessarily for a draw in mind but to deny India batting when the pitch was still good.Marco Jansen didn’t let scoring opportunities go•AFP/Getty Images

For nearly 40 overs on the second morning, India weren’t able to build any wicket-taking threat. When they thought they had Muthuswamy lbw on the sweep against Ravindra Jadeja, a faint murmur on UltraEdge reversed the decision. Muthusamy especially looked in complete control, playing only 13 false shots in his 205-ball stay at the wicket. Eventually, it was Verreynne charging at Jadeja too early that allowed India a wicket.Still, it was only mid-afternoon, and South Africa were only 334 for 7. If India could bowl them out for under 400, they were still in with a good chance to force their way back into the match.Out came Jansen and hit a no-look six off Jadeja. Then he slog-swept him for a four and a six. India tried Kuldeep Yadav to look to beat him in the air, but he stepped out of the crease and lofted him nonchalantly over long-on. Muthusamy also grew bold and began to slog-sweep whenever he got a chance.Muthusamy was 67 off 160 when Verreynne got out, but added 43 off 47 after that. India’s frustration grew as they now tried to bounce these batters. Jasprit Bumrah drew a top edge that fell just short of fine leg, resulting in a dirty look from Bumrah to Mohammed Siraj, who was asked to bend his back after Bumrah had done so.It was a tiring and frustrating day for Mohammed Siraj and the other India bowlers•AFP/Getty Images

First ball after tea, Siraj induced the top edge to get rid of Muthusamy, but the strategy didn’t work against Jansen, who lobbed him over mid-on with a pull shot and then hooked him for a six. That the pitch was still good to bat on showed in how Rishabh Pant now asked both his fast bowlers to bowl in tandem. Bumrah hit the top of off of Simon Harmer, but even that didn’t bring much respite.Jansen and Keshav Maharaj added 27 for the last wicket. Jansen’s reach remained the feature of his innings, messing up the idea of a good length, but he batted with the mindset of a specialist batter even though his strike rate of over 100 might suggest a cavalier approach. Finally, he was dismissed as he followed a Kuldeep wrong’un and chopped on, disgusted with himself for getting out so close to a hundred.Kuldeep ended up with four wickets, but this was his first on day two. Jadeja, Bumrah and Siraj got two each. This was only the fourth time since the end of 2016 that India had been kept on the field for 150 overs.Tired bodies and minds were now looking at a long and adventurous route to save the series, but first they had to survive the awkward half an hour before stumps in fading light. While they had to face only 4.1 overs before bad light ended the day’s play, this trend of having time only for 80 overs or so in India’s eastern-most venue only strengthened South Africa’s chances of holding onto the series lead.

Queensland 390 and 187 for 8 (Clayton 54, Renshaw 51, Rocchiccioli 4-41) lead Western Australia 322 for 7 dec (Green 94, Bancroft 76, Hardie 55*) by 255 runsHe fell in the nervous 90s, but Cameron Green gave his Ashes hopes an almighty boost with a determined knock during Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at the WACA Ground.In reply to Queensland’s 390, WA started day three at a somewhat shaky 210 for 5 but with Green unbeaten on 49 and holding the key.Green drove spinner Mitch Swepson for four on the first ball on Thursday to bring up his half-century and looked set for a ton before being trapped leg before on 94 by Michael Neser just after lunch.Related