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We have a genuine title race on our hands in Scotland.

On Sunday, in a match branded the biggest club game played on Scottish football for generations, it proved to be an afternoon of celebration for those bedecked in maroon.

Heart of Midlothian beat Celtic 3-1 at Tynecastle, a Dane Murray own goal breaking the deadlock in Edinburgh, only for Callum McGregor to equalise soon after, but quick-fire goals from Alexandros Kyziridis and then Lawrence Shankland secured the points.

This leaves Hearts eight points clear, with Celtic having now lost back-to-back league games, also beaten at Dundee a week earlier, just the second time Brendan Rodgers has tasted defeat in successive Premiership games, after December 2023, the second of which back then was also at the hands of the Jambos.

Falkirk will visit Parkhead on Wednesday, before all eyes will turn to next Sunday’s Glasgow derby at Hampden in the League Cup semi-finals, but which players played their way out of contention for that one with a less than impressive display in the capital?

Celtic's centre-back crisis

Last Thursday’s come from behind Europa League victory over Sturm Graz came at a serious cost, considering Kelechi Ịheanachọ and Alistair Johnston were both forced off with injuries in the first half, but the biggest blow of all was losing Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The American international has been a mainstay in the Celtic team since joining the club from Tottenham in 2021, but could be sidelined until March due to an achilles injury.

In his absence, Murray got the nod to start at Tynecastle, this only the 22-year-old’s 29th senior appearance, 20 of which have come for Queen’s Park.

Well, his inexperience was very much apparent when, with only eight minutes on the clock, he lashed a calamitous own goal into Kasper Schmeichel’s top corner.

Given this woeful error, on what was only his third start for Celtic, he may have to wait a little while for his fourth, with Auston Trusty and forgotten man Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who may as well be on Interpol’s missing persons list at this point, surely better options to partner Liam Scales going forward.

However, which other Celtic starter, who has a much higher profile and cost a hell of a lot more money, also did not impress in Gorgie?

Expensive Celtic signing could be back on the bench

Against both Sturm Graz and Hearts, having been part of the midfield trio to start the campaign, Benjamin Nygren has been deployed on the right-wing, largely due to a lack of alternative attacking options.

His header pinched the points in Europe on Thursday, while the Swede was denied a goal at the weekend on the cusp of half time by a smart save from Alexander Schwolow, possibly paying the price for his indecisiveness.

This positional move has opened up a midfield spot, with Arne Engels returning to the starting lineup, but he certainly has not grasped this opportunity with both hands, and the table below documents his miserable afternoon in Edinburgh.

Shots

1

5th

Key passes

Zero

13th

Big chances created

Zero

3rd

Accurate passes

41

4th

Passing accuracy %

82%

9th

Duels contested

11

7th

Duels won

4

13th

Possession lost

24

1st

Touches

77

4th

SofaScore rating

6

29th

As the table documents, the Belgian’s statistics at Tynecastle do not make for good reading.

While only Murray, Scales and Callum McGregor completed more passes than Engels, he did little with this possession, creating no chances, losing possession a total of 24 times, the most of any player on the pitch, while Kieran Tierney, the next highest Celtic man in that ranking, only did so on 16 occasions.

Engels arrived in Glasgow just over a year ago to sky-high expectations, considering he was replacing Matt O’Riley while costing a club-record fee of £11m.

After an up and down first campaign, the 22-year-old had only started three times this season prior to the last two fixtures, yet to score a goal, while both of his assists have been set-piece deliveries.

Also, central midfield is possibly the only area of Rodgers’ squad with genuine depth and competition for places.

Captain McGregor’s name is written in permanent marker on the team sheet, while Nygren, Reo Hatate, Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan are all also vying for minutes.

Having been given a chance, Engels may have played his way to the back of the queue for next Sunday’s Old Firm, so it would frankly be a surprise if he was included in the starting lineup for the visit of Falkirk on Wednesday.

Not Trusty: Celtic must replace Carter-Vickers with "exceptional" youngster

With Cameron Carter-Vickers set to be sidelined for 5 months, Rodgers must trust Celtic’s “exceptional” youngster, not Auston Trusty, to start.

ByBen Gray Oct 26, 2025

She will remain in India and will support Mandhana whose wedding was postponed due to her father’s health issues

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2025India batter Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the rest of the WBBL season, with her club Brisbane Heat agreeing to her request to remain in India.Rodrigues had returned home after playing three games for Heat, the last of which was against Hobart Hurricanes on November 15, as part of a pre-arranged commitment. She was set to be part of her India team-mate and close friend Smriti Mandhana’s wedding last weekend. But the event was postponed at the last minute because of a health issue with Mandhana’s father. Rodrigues will stay back in India to support Mandhana.”It has obviously been a challenging time for Jemi, so while it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL, we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India,” Heat CEO Terry Svenson said in a statement. “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future.”Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the Heat fans for being so understanding of the circumstances. She has been in touch with the players and wished them all the best for the rest of their games.”Rodrigues, 25, scored 37 runs at an average of 12.33 and a strike rate of 102.77 in the three WBBL matches, after helping India Women clinch their maiden ODI World Cup title earlier this month.Heat, though, will be bolstered by the return of allrounder Grace Harris for the match against Sydney Sixers on November 28. Harris will replace seamer Lily Bassingthwaighte after she missed the last fixture as part of her workload management plan.Heat are searching for their first win this season, having lost all their six matches so far.

The former Australia captain found her stride after a tricky start and Scorchers fell short in a rain-shortened chase

AAP14-Nov-2025Meg Lanning hit top gear in her 100th WBBL game as Melbourne Stars won a rain-hit clash with Perth in Adelaide by 16 runs.The former Australian captain, dropped on 18, went berserk after a slow start to finish unbeaten on 90 off 55 balls as the Stars reached 173 for 4.A storm hit, reducing Scorchers’ chase to 95 off nine overs in a tweak that could have favoured the chasers. But Stars jumped all over them as they finished 78 for 8.Fresh off a century, Beth Mooney reached 14 off six balls with three boundaries before Kim Garth’s clever slower ball brought her undone.Wickets fell regularly, Annabel Sutherland hitting the top of Sophie Devine’s off stump to further stall momentum. Scorchers kept swinging but were never truly in the hunt, Sophie Day taking 3 for 7 from her only over.Earlier Lanning, coming off a brisk 60 in a rain-spoiled affair earlier this week, made the most of the life given to her when Ebony Hoskin spilled a chance at short third. She cruised to 35 before exploding with three boundaries and a six to go to 50 off 35 balls.The boundaries kept coming – Devine punished in particular – before Lilly Mills pegged Stars back with late wickets that starved Lanning of the strike in the final three overs.”I couldn’t get it off the square in the last two overs, fell off a cliff there,” Lanning, who has retired from international cricket, said. “But I found my rhythm and was nice to be able to go on with it. I’ve got an idea of how much I need to train to be ready and … I’m certainly enjoying myself.”

Newcastle United’s topsy-turvy campaign is raging on. When will Eddie Howe strike the balance needed for his team to kick on and reestablish themselves as a force in the Premier League?

Last weekend’s performance over Manchester City offered a glimpse into what United are capable of, dispatching Pep Guardiola’s side at St. James’ Park thanks to Harvey Barnes’ second-half brace.

But that win was built atop a run of three defeats from four in the Premier League, and Newcastle have since been defeated on the road in the Champions League, against Marseille in France.

It wasn’t the Toon’s worst performance of the season, but the emission of anxiety after Nick Pope’s costly mistake emphasises the issue in mentality when away from Tyneside.

Why Howe should drop Nick Pope

Pope has been a strong and convincing goalkeeper for Newcastle since joining the club from relegated Burnley in 2022, but, aged 33, the Three Lions star is allowing errors to creep into his game, the latest of which cost the Magpies dearly in Marseille.

Newcastle knew they needed to take something home with them from the Orange Velodrome, and indeed, Barnes’ finish secured an advantage at the interval.

Cool heads were needed, but Pope rushed out to claim a neat through ball and failed to match the pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the veteran striker getting there first and then rounding Pope and scoring from an acute angle to restore parity. The one-time Arsenal hero then scored again from close range, smacking home from a few yards out following a fierce cross-box pass.

That frustrating display was hardly an outlier. This season, Pope has left plenty to be desired.

Given that loanee Aaron Ramsdale is waiting in the wings, it’s understandable that some supporters want to see a change between the sticks, and it’s perhaps something Howe should consider if he wishes to revive his team’s fluency and confidence on the road.

It’s not the only change that must be made, though, with another United man’s form this season emphasising the need for a permanent tweak on Howe’s part.

The Newcastle star who's a bigger liability than Pope

A core part of Newcastle’s success over the past four years, Joelinton’s chapter at the club may nearly be written, with the long-time star beginning to become a problem for Howe.

One of the most powerful and imposing midfielders in the Premier League, Joelinton’s form has suffered this season, and he’s noticeably regressed, and that is accentuated by the superstars around him.

Unlike last season, when Joelinton’s intense, pack-a-punch style was so integral in charging up the Newcastle engine, the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are forming something of a partnership

Newcastle’s Italian midfielder, to be sure, is showing off new levels of athleticism and strength to match his natural elegance, and the skipper is as all-encompassing as ever in the middle of the park.

But Joelinton is waning, and this has been picked up by Toon observers. Indeed, journalist Mark Douglas noted earlier in the campaign that the 29-year-old has been “nowhere near his best”.

Sofascore record that Joelinton is winning only 2.9 ground duels per Premier League fixture, which is his lowest average since 2019/20, his debut term, when he principally played as a centre-forward.

Refashioned into an all-action midfielder, Joelinton has proved himself to be an iconic servant for Howe at Newcastle, but after so many rounds of unforgiving action, it may be that it is the right time for him to move on.

1

Bruno Guimaraes

172

2

Dan Burn

166

3

Fabian Schar

165

4

Jacob Murphy

152

5

Joelinton

146

Hailed as a “club legend” by content creator Adam Pearson, the Brazil international has had his day, and the fact that PIF are gearing up for an ambitious bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson in 2026, the England midfielder having emerged from Newcastle’s academy, suggests that the mainstay is becoming expendable.

The suggestions that Pope should be extricated from his post between the posts are rising in volume, but the emphasis on pushing for a Joelinton upgrade must be just as loud.

For all the Brazilian’s robustness, he is no longer untouchable under Howe’s wing, and is perhaps becoming the weakest link in a team that needs to kick on.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

The India opener also credited India’s team management for showing faith in his high-risk style and allowing him to express himself

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2025After powering India to a six-wicket win with a 39-ball 74, Abhishek Sharma referred to his innings as a reply to Pakistan for “coming at us without any reason”.The climate of heightened political tensions between the two countries has spilled over onto the field during this Asia Cup, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan’s players, and Pakistan’s displeasure at this spilling over into a protest against match referee Andy Pycroft that threatened, at one stage, to escalate into a boycott.Related

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• Things Pakistan say, things Pakistan do, and the gap between them

• Agha on Fakhar dismissal: 'It did look like it bounced ahead of the keeper'

Sunday’s Super Fours match, the second meeting between the two teams during the tournament, witnessed several feisty moments including heated exchanges between Pakistan fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf and India openers Abhishek and Shubman Gill.Rauf was also captured on cameras by fans making gestures to the crowd. In response to being heckled by chants of “Kohli, Kohli” from a section of Indian fans, he held up his hands and appeared to indicate the number six, and then made more gestures that resembled an aircraft flying and coming down.”Today, it was pretty simple,” Abhishek said while receiving the Player-of-the-Match award. “The way they were coming at us without any reason, I didn’t like it at all. And I thought that this is the only [answer] that I could give with my bat and obviously [contribute] with the win towards my team. That’s all that was going through my mind. I just wanted to deliver for my team.”Abhishek and Gill have been close friends since their Under-14 days; they stitched a 105-run stand off just 59 balls, giving India a flying start in their chase of 172.”We’ve been playing since our school days, so we enjoy each other’s company really well,” Abhishek said. “And the way we started, I thought that we’re going to do this in one of the games and that’s how we’re going to start our partnerships.”And luckily it was today, and I feel the way he [Gill] was giving them back, I really enjoyed it on the other side.”Shivam Dube took two wickets to peg Pakistan back after a strong start•AFP/Getty Images

Abhishek’s innings, which included six fours and five sixes, all but sealed the game for India. He began the innings with a first-ball six off Afridi, going one better than last week’s group-stage meeting where he hit the left-arm quick for a first-ball four.”I feel it’s very important for the team because if you see someone playing like this, they need really good support from the captain and the coach,” Abhishek said about his high-risk batting style. “I feel that’s what I’m getting from my team and that’s the intent they want me to show in all the games.”That’s how I want to play because I’ve been practising really hard for this. If it’s my day, I’m going to make sure that we win the game.”Unlike the group-stage game, which they dominated from the outset, India endured a few nervous moments on the field. Pakistan, courtesy Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, raced to 91 for 1 in their first ten overs but India pulled the game back in the second half, conceding just 80 runs in the last ten.”The way the boys are stepping up in every game, showing character, I think it’s making my job really easy,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said. “I think the boys showed a lot of character, composure; they were calm after first innings. After the ten overs, I told the boys during drinks as well, the game starts now, and the way they reacted, everyone on the field and all the bowlers, I think it was commendable.”Suryakumar also heaped praise on the “fire and ice combination” of Abhishek and Gill. “The way Abhishek complements Shubman Gill’s batting is amazing and it’s very enjoying to watch both of them bat together. The way they did it today, I think it was required for someone to bat at least 10-12 overs and give us that strong base and they did the same thing.”It was an off day for Jasprit Bumrah, who conceded 45 runs in four overs, but allrounder Shivam Dube stepped up, returning 2 for 33 in his four overs. “That’s completely fine,” Suryakumar said on Bumrah’s display. “He’s not a robot, he will have a bad day someday, but the way he comes back in every game after that is really important. Very happy the way Shivam Dube came out, raised his hand and bailed us out in that situation.”

Focus shifts to Ashes for Hazlewood after a stirring spell in the second T20I against India at MCG

Alex Malcolm31-Oct-20252:24

Hazlewood: ‘My skill set has grown in the last few years’

Josh Hazlewood says he is bowling as well as he ever has in white-ball cricket, but he’s urged Australia’s selectors to pick as many allrounders as possible for the Ashes as his attention turns to Sheffield Shield cricket after a stunning T20I performance against India at the MCG.Hazlewood returned Test-match type figures of 3 for 13 from four overs to rip through India’s top-order and help Australia claim a 1-0 series lead with three games to go.But Hazlewood will now leave Australia’s squad to prepare for a Shield match against Victoria starting November 10, which will be his last game before the first Ashes Test on November 21.The injury to Pat Cummins has highlighted Hazlewood’s importance heading into the Ashes series and he has been repeatedly asked if he can get through five Tests against England after going down with injury in each of the only two Tests he played last summer.Related

Cummins makes tentative return to bowling in Ashes fitness race

Hazlewood masterclass hands Australia 1-0 lead

Intent meets precision as Abhishek sparkles in the Melbourne gloom

Hazlewood was asked about the importance of the allrounders in the Test side as debate rages over whether Australia can fit both Cameron Green and Beau Webster in the same top six. But Hazlewood said the allrounders were vital.”First player picked [should be] an allrounder, I think,” Hazlewood said after his Player of the Match effort on Friday. “Going back to those 20-odd Test matches we played with no allrounder, they were hard yards. So if [they] can be in the team, be it bowling, [Ca Green] Greeny is obviously an outstanding player, Beau has done great for us whenever he’s played. The more the merrier, I say. They can bowl as much as they want.”Hazlewood’s recent white-ball form has been sublime. Unlike Mitchell Starc, who has retired from T20I cricket and also skipped the ODI series against South Africa in August to have a long break from bowling, Hazlewood made a conscious decision with the selection panel and CA’s medical staff to play as much as he possibly could throughout the winter. A significant break in the winter of 2024 led to side and calf injuries for Hazlewood that saw him miss five Tests, the Champions Trophy and half the IPL.Hazlewood will not focus on red-ball bowling before the Ashes begin•Randy Brooks/Associated Press

The decision to keep bowling is paying dividends at the moment having got through the second half of the IPL, four winter Tests, T20I and ODI series against South Africa, T20Is against New Zealand, ODIs against India and now two T20Is against India. But he says he won’t know if it is the right one until the end of the Ashes.”Everything’s going swimmingly now,” Hazlewood said. “I think I can’t really say if it’s worked perfectly until probably after the summer. If I get through everything, it’s probably the template moving forward, to put myself in the best position to play as many games as possible. Still resting the odd one here and there, if it doesn’t sort of match up with travel or turnarounds and stuff like that.”While Australia’s squad fly to Hobart on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s third T20I before heading north to Queensland for the last two matches on the Gold Coast and Brisbane next Thursday and Saturday respectively, Hazlewood will head home to Sydney to rest before playing for New South Wales against Victoria in a Shield game at the SCG that starts on November 10.”The next week, I’ll just probably get in the gym a couple of times,” Hazlewood said. “Don’t really need to bowl a hell of a lot, probably later in the week with the Shield game starting Monday week at home. So it will be a little bit of a de-load the next few days, and then go again. So things are good.”India opener Abhishek Sharma could not hide the joy on his face when he was informed in the press conference that Hazlewood would miss the final three games of the T20I series after he had tormented India’s batters across the tour to-date.”Oh, is he? I didn’t know this,” Abhishek said.”I was watching him in the ODIs as well. We knew that he’s going to give us this much difficulty and challenges. So obviously, the way he bowled today, even I got surprised.”I haven’t seen something like this in T20s. It was something new for me as well, because I’m a batter that wants to dominate. But when I was seeing on the other side how he’s bowling, and even to me it seems like he had a plan and he was just executing it.”

Shamar Joseph and Gudakesh Motie are in both ODI and T20I squads after missing the Test tour of India

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2025Ackeem Auguste has earned a first call-up to West Indies’ ODI squad for the white-ball tour of Bangladesh in the second half of October, as replacement for Evin Lewis who has been ruled out with an injured wrist.Khary Pierre, who made his Test debut in the first match against India earlier this month in Ahmedabad, has earned a recall to the ODI side as the third spinner alongside Gudakesh Motie and allrounder Roston Chase, while Alick Athanaze has also made a return to the squad after playing his 13th and last ODI in December last year.”The selection of Ackeem reflects the pathway Cricket West Indies is creating for our emerging players who have shown the qualities to perform at the international level,” head coach Daren Sammy said in a CWI statement. “He is a player for the future, one who has progressed from Under-15s to the senior level, and another Academy graduate to feature in an international squad this year.”

West Indies tour of Bangladesh

1st ODI – October 18, Dhaka
2nd ODI – October 21, Dhaka
3rd ODI – October 23, Dhaka
1st T20I – October 27, Chattogram
2nd T20I – October 29, Chattogram
3rd T20I – October 31, Chattogram

Also included for both the ODIs and the T20Is is Shamar Joseph, who missed the Test tour of India, along with Alzarri Joseph, because of an injury, the nature of which CWI didn’t disclose at the time. Motie is another player who missed the Test tour of India as West Indies wanted to manage his workload in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup early next year.The Bangladesh series will be the penultimate one of the year for West Indies.”The squad assembled will strive to maintain a winning mentality and strong team cohesion, essential components for long-term success ahead of the World Cup,” Sammy said. “Facing Bangladesh provides another opportunity to earn crucial points in our push for automatic qualification to the showpiece event.”Ramon Simmonds has been on the rise in recent months•CPL T20 via Getty Images

For the T20Is, left-arm quick Ramon Simmonds and Amir Jangoo have been included in the squad. While Jangoo has been picked as the back-up wicketkeeper-batter to captain Shai Hope, it’s a continuation of a steady rise for Simmonds, who picked up 13 wickets for Barbados Royals in the recent CPL 2025 and then returned 4 for 15 in only his second T20I, against Nepal last month.Related

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In what CWI called “a concerted effort to provide players with valuable exposure to subcontinent conditions in advance of the series”, Motie, Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Auguste and Jangoo will train at the Chennai Super Kings Academy prior to the Bangladesh series.”With the 2026 T20 World Cup around the corner, it is important for our players to get as much practice as possible in these conditions, with that tournament being held in India and Sri Lanka,” CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe said. “In addition to the important aspect of acclimatisation, the camp will feature skill and tactical training and development specific to those conditions, which is critical to preparing the players ahead of this series as well as next year’s World Cup.”The tour of Bangladesh will start with the three ODIs, on October 18, 21 and 23, all in Dhaka, followed by the three T20Is in Chattogram on October 27, 29 and 31.

West Indies ODI squad for tour of Bangladesh

Shai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Jediah Blades, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd

West Indies T20I squad for tour of Bangladesh

Shai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Ramon Simmonds

“If he’d had just a little bit of the support framework, it would have made all the difference”

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2025

The widow of Graham Thorpe, the former England and Surrey batter who took his own life in 2024, believes that he would still be alive if he had received better support from the ECB after his dismissal as England batting coach.Speaking to the talkSPORT podcast Head Before Wicket, Amanda Thorpe said that had Graham not been suddenly cut off from the game following the 2021-22 Ashes, “it is really clear [to me] that he would still be alive”.”If he’d had just a little bit of the support framework there to lean on a bit to just transition a bit more, it would have made all the difference,” she said.Related

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Thorpe died in August 2024 after being struck by a train, an inquest was told, with his family confirming that he took his own life following a battle with depression and anxiety.Thorpe’s removal as England batting coach came in the wake of a 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia, on a tour severely affected by Covid restrictions. After the final Test in Hobart, police were called to the team hotel to investigate reports that Thorpe had lit a cigar indoors.Amanda Thorpe said her husband “was really teetering on the edge on that tour” and he was “absolutely gutted” by the incident. “He went round on the flight back and apologised personally to every person on that tour,” she said.The coroner’s report into Thorpe’s death concluded that there were “shortcomings” in the healthcare provided, but did not criticise the ECB’s decision to terminate his employment, noting it had “funded treatment, hospital stays and extended his health treatment insurance”.The ECB paid for ten online counselling sessions, but Amanda Thorpe described this as “woeful”.”As he went through these sessions, it was clear that he wasn’t coping. He was getting worse. We really did ask for help. I knew he needed more help than that. And, it wasn’t forthcoming.”An attempt by Thorpe to take his own life in 2022 was unsuccessful but left him severely unwell. “It was too late, basically, after the crisis [in 2022], he was very ill. He nearly lost his life. He had a stroke. We don’t know how that affected his brain after that.”The ECB might say, well, we didn’t know how ill he was. Although the doctors he was under did know, but then they sort of said, oh, but there’s confidentiality. There’s got to be some connection [between the ECB and their doctors].”Last summer, during the Oval Test between England and India, the second day of the match was dubbed a “Day for Thorpey” in order to celebrate his life, as well as raise funds and awareness for the mental health charity Mind.An ECB spokesperson described Thorpe as “a deeply admired and much-loved person”.”His loss has been felt deeply across the cricketing community and far beyond, and our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with his wife Amanda, his children, and all those who loved him.”Graham’s passing is a heart-breaking reminder of the challenges many face with mental health. His death was examined by a coroner; the inquest was held earlier this year with full support from the ECB.”We have met with Amanda to discuss her concerns and have been in regular contact with her and the wider family.”

Harry Kane has explained why he was surprisingly named as a substitute before scoring a hat-trick in Bayern Munich’s thumping 5-0 win over Stuttgart on Saturday. The England captain continued his rich vein of goalscoring form in his side’s latest Bundesliga victory, but he admits he was as shocked as anybody that he had to emerge from the bench to do so.

Eyebrows raised as Kompany starts Jackson ahead of Kane

Returning to league action following Wednesday’s triumph over Union Berlin in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal, Bayern travelled to sixth-placed Stuttgart for what looked to be a tricky test on paper. One of the strongest teams in German football, Sebastian Hoeness’ hosts were also victorious in midweek, downing VFL Bochum 2-0 to book their place in the quarter-finals of the domestic cup.

However, one or two eyebrows were raised before kick-off when the news emerged that Bayern star Kane would start the match on the bench. After scoring in the victory over Union, the former Tottenham forward took his goal tally to 25 in just 21 fixtures in all competitions for Vincent Kompany’s side, who opted to field Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson up top.

AdvertisementAFPFormer Tottenham striker shows class with stunning hat-trick

Ever the consummate professional, though, Kane showed no signs of frustration after being introduced on the hour mark, replacing fellow striker Jackson who was unable to find the back of the net for Bayern.

Already in front thanks to midfielder Konrad Laimer’s opener, Kane doubled Bayern’s lead just six minutes after being brought on, before going on to grab his second of the game from the penalty spot.

And to cap off a remarkable 30-minute display, Kane followed up Josip Stanisic scoring Bayern’s fourth by completing his hat-trick on the 88th-minute mark. The win saw Kompany’s side move 11 points clear at the top of the league table ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig’s clash with Eintracht Frankfurt later in the day.

Bayern star man Kane reveals why he started on the bench

When asked about starting the match among the substitutes, Kane lifted the lid on manager Kompany’s thinking, saying the Bayern head coach wanted to keep him “fresh” ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Portuguese giants Sporting CP at the Allianz Arena.

Speaking after the full-time whistle, Kane said: “It's something I'm not used to, but I did it a couple of times this season. The boss wanted to keep me fresh and save energy. 

“I came on after 60 minutes with a couple of other guys and we were able to exploit the space and get the goals. 

“We had a tough battle in the cup midweek and today we faced one of the best teams in the league away, but we looked stronger in the last half an hour and punished them.”

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Getty Images SportManager Kompany also opens up about his gutsy decision

And when Kompany was asked about the gutsy decision to rest Kane, the former Burnley manager revealed the plan was to always introduce the talisman around the hour mark.

“I had this change in mind before the game started,” said Kompany. “We have 4 games in 11 days. If I start Harry every game and he plays 90 minutes, I'll get questions about why he always plays. 

“Every time we played Stuttgart we've always grown stronger as the game progressed. I felt the spaces would be bigger when Harry came on, it was a good moment for him to come on. And he did what he does.”

The South Africa Test captain talks about taking inspiration from those less fortunate than him

Leonard Solms15-Aug-20251:33

‘It’s a source of inspiration you are looking for’

South Africa’s World Test Championship-winning captain Temba Bavuma is defining his legacy not only with his runs and cricketing intelligence, but also by the way he is extending help to others, on and off the field.He hopes to be remembered as a captain who helped others express their individuality, a recent instance of which came when he supported batter Wiaan Mulder in his decision to not break Brian Lara’s Test score record.Off the field, Bavuma is trying to make sure that young South Africans in vulnerable positions have a local cricketing hero they can relate to – which he himself took some time to find in his own youth.One of the key ways he’s giving back is through non-profit organisation DKMS Africa – a donor recruitment centre and registry – to raise awareness about the importance of registering as a stem cell donor, which helps save the lives of blood-cancer and blood-disorder patients.Bavuma told ESPN about his motivation to join DKMS as an ambassador: “My late grandma passed away via leukemia and that was something that was never spoken about in the household. I guess for them to see me getting behind a cause like this allowed them to somewhat heal – at least to speak about it, but also heal from what was traumatic for them.”Apart from his grandmother, Bavuma was inspired by the story of an aplastic anemia patient – a 14-year-old fan named Iminathi. DKMS Africa told Bavuma Iminathi’s story, and he hosted the boy at the Wanderers alongside Lions, Bavuma’s domestic team.Bavuma was the toast of South Africa after their World Test Championship win. He made 36 and 66 in the low-scoring Lord’s final in June•Phil Magakoe/AFP/Getty ImagesBavuma said: “I think in life we all need heroes. We all need people to look up to. I guess we all grow up with our own dreams and aspirations and ambitions and those easily come to life – or at least become reachable – when you see people like you who are doing it.”For an individual like Iminathi – [he] also was a source of inspiration that I could draw from. I’m quite privileged in a lot of ways within my life. The pressures and struggles that I go through are nothing compared to what Iminathi does and he is still able to do it with a smile on his face.”DKMS Africa was established in 2021, following the amalgamation of international organisation DKMS and the South African Sunflower Fund. Although they have made some progress reaching South Africans of all ethnicities, they still face challenges building diversity among their donor base.South Africans are classified by the government according to four main racial groups: black, coloured, Asian/Indian and white. Among DKMS Africa’s 125,000 registered donors, 45% are white, 38% black, 9% coloured and 8% Asian. White South Africans make up 7.3% of the country’s total population, as per the 2022 national census, and are therefore disproportionately represented among donors. As a result, it may be easier for white South Africans in need of a stem cell donor to find a match than for their black counterparts, who make up 81.4% of the total population.Apart from disparities in access to information, Bavuma attributes the relative shortage of black stem cell donors to the importance of blood in some African cultures, and the fact that most stem cell donations are collected from the bloodstream.At a Unicef event in Lucknow during the 2023 ODI World Cup. “I think in life, we all need heroes. We all need people to look up to”•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images”I think there’s a lot of stigmas that exist among people of my [ethnicity] when it comes to blood and giving blood. I think that can only be challenged by educating people, and also people seeing someone similar to them going out and supporting these kinds of causes,” said Bavuma.In the Xhosa culture he grew up in, blood is viewed as the essence of life and a conduit for connection with the ancestors. “Black culture is a bit interesting if you haven’t grown up with it,” Bavuma said, “especially if you look at it from a Western type of lens. Blood is quite sacred within our culture. The sacrifice of blood, the use of blood and the exchange of blood – those things have a certain significance.”To challenge that, you need the right education. You need the right type of people as well, to be able to speak the language that those types of people understand.”In his youth Bavuma had a taste of both the hardship that many South Africans face and the privilege reserved for a few, of whom a disproportionate number are white. Born and raised in Langa Township in Cape Town, Bavuma quickly gained attention for his prodigious cricketing talent.This afforded him scholarships at two of South Africa’s most prestigious schools – first the South African College School in Cape Town during his junior schooling, and then later St David’s Marist Inanda in Johannesburg after his family relocated during his high school career.When there has been division in the South Africa side, Bavuma has been able to draw upon his experience of both worlds to ensure unity prevailed. One notable example was in 2021, when Quinton de Kock withdrew from a T20 World Cup game against West Indies over a hasty directive from Cricket South Africa to the players five hours before the game to take a knee against racial discrimination.De Kock later apologised and credited Bavuma for being a “flipping amazing leader” for maintaining unity among those who played that match in de Kock’s absence without ostracising him for following his convictions.That was a period Bavuma acknowledged at the time as being one of his hardest as a leader. However, more recently, he has witnessed his conviction that no player under his watch should be afraid to make a bold decision – as exemplified by Mulder, under much happier circumstances.”That, for me, shows what the team is about,” Bavuma said about team-mate Wiaan Mulder’s decision to not go for Brian Lara’s Test innings run-scoring record against Zimbabwe in July•Zimbabwe CricketMulder – serving as stand-in captain in a Test against Zimbabwe in July for the then-injured Bavuma – declared despite being on 367 not out himself, only 33 runs shy of Brian Lara’s world record. The decision drew praise in some quarters and criticism in others.Regardless of whether it was the right call, the sheer bravery of the decision was a sign in itself that Bavuma’s values are likely to be upheld in the South Africa set-up beyond the end of his captaincy.”People always ask: ‘What is it about this team?’ We’re not a team of superstars, but there are always moments or snippets that give you a real shot or preview into what the team is about,” Bavuma said.”That moment there – Wiaan Mulder – a young guy making his mark in international cricket, in his first game as a stand-in captain, has an opportunity to break the world record and is able to make a decision like that. That, for me, shows what the team is about,” Bavuma said.”I was actually there in Zimbabwe when Wiaan and the coach [Shukri Conrad] made that decision. I think he would have earned a lot of respect not just from us as players but from the cricketing world.”It’s easy to say that you’re going to put the team first and all of that, but the important thing is: when it’s in front of you, what do you exactly do?”Whether it relates to his work building a winning cricket culture within the South Africa side or a culture of awareness regarding people with blood disorders through his work with DKMS Africa, Bavuma is looking to ensure that actions do the talking.