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India all but batted England out of the first Test as early as the second day, overhauling their 246 for a first-innings lead of 175 and three wickets still in hand. India began the day 127 behind, lost a wicket in the first over, but kept on batting enterprisingly, moving into the lead in only the 57th over. KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja led the batting charts with contrasting fifties.It was only after five wickets fell that England managed to bring some control into the proceedings. All five fell to attacking shots, only the second time it has happened since ESPNcricinfo started doing ball-by-ball commentary. The other instance was England trying to set up a declaration in Barbados in 2022.The other side of the aggressive intent was that wickets kept falling. Everyone bar R Ashwin got himself in. Everyone including Ashwin kind of gave his wicket away. No one other than KS Bharat fell lbw, bowled or caught at the wicket.The closest one got out to falling to a plan was when Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a catch back at Joe Root in the first over of the day. Root went on to create chances from both Rahul and Shubman Gill, but was taken off after just four overs despite looking like the best spinner on display. Rahul edged the first ball he faced, Ben Foakes failed to collect it, and the umpire called the resultant run a bye. Even if Foakes had caught it, England were out of reviews after burning them all in the first 14 overs.KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja led the batting charts on the day with contrasting 80s•BCCI

Debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley got another long spell during which he got on the board with the wicket of Gill. Among the specialist batters, Gill was the only one who frequently defended well in front of his body. As the dots accumulated, Gill looked for the big release shot. He got away when he miscued Root, but ended up hitting Hartley straight to midwicket.England immediately went to the only pacer in their attack, Mark Wood, to look to test Shreyas Iyer. But Rahul hit him for three boundaries even before he could bowl to Iyer – the back-foot punch past point was one for the highlight reels. The hallmark of Rahul’s batting was his willingness to stay back against spin and keep picking singles. Twenty-six runs of his half-century, brought up off just 72 balls, came off the back foot.Iyer’s method might not have been so foolproof, but he was ruthless each time the bowlers erred. And they erred frequently. A classic example was Rehan Ahmed’s first over of the day. When you first encounter Rehan, two things make the batter’s job difficult: he bowls with a scrambled seam and he bowls both the legbreak and the wrong’un out of the back of the hand. Naturally, Iyer struggled to pick him. The first ball went past the edge, the second took the edge but fell short of slip, the third hit the glove but went right down, and yet he offered a short ball, which gave Iyer the boundary.The first maiden of the day came immediately after lunch. In the second over from that end, the third after the break, Iyer picked a wrong’un and perhaps wanted the bowler to know he had done so, but the slog sweep that he committed to ended up with the only boundary fielder on the leg side, deep midwicket. In Rehan’s next over, Rahul picked the variations all right and went one better by hitting two sixes, both down the ground. The second of those took India into the lead.The partnership between Rahul and Jadeja began on steroids, crushing any hopes of momentum England might have had with that early wicket after lunch. The partnership reached 52 in 51 balls, but soon Rahul picked out deep midwicket with a long hop from Hartley, 14 short of what would have been only a second home century to go with seven away from home.Axar Patel added to England’s misery in the final session•Getty Images

At long last, England managed some control, bowling 11.1 overs leading up to tea for just 21 runs to Jadeja and Bharat. Jadeja, a proper old-fashioned player of spin, was happy to just wait for the bad ball except for not letting Jack Leach settle by stepping out to him. Bharat didn’t start convincingly, but post tea, he, too, started getting the regular ordinary ball. He went from 10 off 44 to 41 off 81 but missed trying to sweep a second boundary in a Root over.Ashwin and Jadeja, great partners with the ball, soon got into a misunderstanding to give England their first set of two quick wickets, but India already led by 112 at that point.Axar Patel was yet to come.Both Jadeja and Axar batted like proper top-order batters, keeping the good balls out and putting away the bad ones. It is unfair almost to have to bowl to batters of such ability for the eighth wicket, but the spinners on show failed to question them enough.Axar ended a sedate day for himself with a four, six and four off the last three balls. Despite that, India went at under three an over since the wicket of Rahul, but they still added 133 runs for the loss of just two wickets. It meant more mileage on the pitch, more time for it to break, and also more runs in the bank for India. Jadeja ended the day with a century in sight, and his partnership with Axar read 63 in 19.3 overs.

MatériaMais Notícias

Dois dias antes de disputar a semifinal do Campeonato Paulista, diante do Palmeiras, o Ituano emitiu comunicado oficial acerca do meio-campista André Luiz informando sobre o seu afastamento temporário.

Ao lado de outros sete jogadores, ele foi acusado de participar de um esquema de manipulação de resultados na Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro de 2022. Na época, o jogador defendia o Sampaio Corrêa.

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Afirmando ter recebido a notícia da denúncia ‘com grande surpresa’, o Ituano agregou que preferiu optar pelo afastamento em forma de ‘consonância com nossa política de tolerância zero perante este tipo de comportamento’.

Outro ponto devidamente abordado pelo time que também obteve vaga na próxima fase da Copa do Brasil ao eliminar o Ceará, nos pênaltis, é em relação a sequência dos procedimentos. Indicando a possibilidade de rescisão contratual, o clube do interior paulista falou que ‘os assessores jurídicos do Ituano já estão analisando o caso em maiores detalhes’ em busca de uma posição definitiva’.

CONFIRA O COMUNICADO DO ITUANO NA ÍNTEGRA

Com grande surpresa, o Ituano Futebol Clube recebeu a informação sobre o recebimento de denúncia oferecida pelo Ministério Público de Goiás contra o atleta André Luiz, em caso de suposta manipulação de resultados.

Considerando a gravidade da denúncia e em consonância com nossa política de tolerância zero perante este tipo de comportamento, decidimos pelo afastamento imediato do atleta de nosso elenco.

Os assessores jurídicos do Ituano já estão analisando o caso em maiores detalhes. Após a conclusão desta análise, tomaremos uma posição definitiva em relação ao atleta.

O Ituano Futebol Clube reforça seu mais absoluto repúdio a tentativas de corromper o futebol, comprometendo-se a apoiar sempre autoridades e entidades desportivas no vigoroso combate a esta grave ameaça.

Allrounder Lyndon James finished on 92 not out after leading a Nottinghamshire recovery from 50 for 6 as they closed on 212 for 9 on day one of their Vitality County Championship match against Hampshire at Trent BridgeMohammad Abbas, who took 15 wickets in the two matches between these counties last season, was the scourge of Nottinghamshire again with 4 for 36 – but Hampshire may yet rue their dropped catches as they look for a first win of their Division One campaign.James, eight away from a first hundred since September 2022, was dropped on 23 and 32 as Hampshire’s slip fielders suffered a day of contrasting fortunes, holding all three chances offered in the morning session but putting down three in the afternoon and another after tea.Hampshire have an excellent record against Nottinghamshire, winning eight of their last 11 matches, including both of last year’s encounters.Nottinghamshire, who fielded the same XI that beat Lancashire to break their duck for the season last week, found themselves two down before they had scored a run as Abbas struck in the second and third overs of a new-ball spell in which he did not concede a run until his 35th delivery.Abbas, who was missing last week due to illness, had Ben Slater caught behind with a ball that nipped away late and dismissed Will Young with one that squared up the New Zealander and took the shoulder of the bat, looping to backward point.The Pakistan international took a breather after only six overs but there was scant respite for the home side, who were 17 for 3 when Joe Clarke edged to third slip off Kyle Abbott and 37 for 4 when left-armer Keith Barker – making his first appearance of the season – found some extra bounce from the Stuart Broad End and had Haseeb Hameed caught behind, a first dismissal in four innings for the Nottinghamshire captain.On a green-tinged pitch of somewhat mottled appearance, Hampshire’s decision to bowl first on winning the toss looked the right one.James Fuller got in on the act by uprooting Tom Moores’s leg stump with a big inswinger before Abbas returned to grab a third scalp as Jack Haynes slashed at a ball outside off stump and was caught at first slip by a tumbling Tom Prest, whose non-appearance after lunch suggested he had injured himself in the process.If 50 for 6 wasn’t bad enough, it should have been worse still for Nottinghamshire, yet the sharpness in the field that had characterised the morning session for Hampshire deserted them after lunch.The scoreboard will say that Harrison and James fashioned a recovery in adding 69 but their partnership should have ended on 31 when Michael Neser, fielding as sub in place of Prest at first slip, let one slip through his hands when Harrison was on 9. Barker, the unlucky bowler, suffered again in his next over when James Vince, at third slip, spilled another chance when James was on 23.James had another let-off on 32 when Fletcha Middleton put him down at second slip off Fuller in what was the easiest of the three chances.In the event, it took the introduction of Liam Dawson’s left-arm spin to part the seventh-wicket pair when Harrison was bowled by a ball that skidded through low.Another opportunity went begging after tea as Olly Stone was put down on 9 off Abbas, Vince again the culprit at third slip, the Hampshire captain copping a nasty blow around the base of his left thumb in the attempt. He was able to continue, but only with the aid of strapping and painkillers.After surviving his two scares, James dug in to reach his second half-century of the season off 135 balls with his fifth boundary, finding some dogged support from Stone, with whom he added another 59 before a slip catch finally stuck, Dawson at second just about getting his fingers under a nick offered by Stone as Abbas, with the second new ball, took his fourth, before the day closed with Dillon Pennington leg before to Abbott.Nick Gubbins is missing from the Hampshire line-up after becoming a father for the first time earlier this week.

MatériaMais Notícias

A confiança em mostrar serviço pelo Botafogo no Campeonato Estadual dita as palavras do goleiro João Fernando e do meia Caio Vitor. Contratados para fazerem parte da equipe alternativa comandada por Lúcio Flávio, os atletas traçaram suas perspectivas para a temporada.

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O elenco que defenderá o Botafogo no Carioca está em pré-temporada desde o dia 15 de dezembro.

O goleiro João Fernando, que foi contratado após uma passagem pelo Flamengo, destacou a tradição alvinegra de formar bons goleiros.

– Estar no Botafogo é um privilégio. Além da tradição, é um clube que possui histórico recente de potencializar excelentes goleiros, como Jefferson, Gatito e agora o Perri. Chego com a expectativa de beber dessa fonte e com a certeza de estar dentro de um elenco qualificado, que está dando duro na pré-temporada e vai chegar em grande forma para iniciar o Estadual – garantiu.

Após ter defendido o Volta Redonda no Estadual passado, Caio Vitor demonstrou sua expectativa por ver seu futebol evoluir no Alvinegro.

-Me sinto extremamente feliz com a oportunidade de vestir a camisa do Botafogo e participar do projeto. Fui muito bem recebido e sinto um grupo forte, em constante evolução e muito focado. A expectativa é a melhor possível para iniciar a temporada e dar alegrias ao torcedor. Espero que seja o início de uma grande jornada – afirmou.

Os botafoguenses estreiam no Carioca dia 15 de janeiro, contra o Audax. O elenco principal, comandado por Luis Castro, inicia sua pré-temporada dias antes, em 9 de janeiro.

New Zealand batter on how he prepared for what he knew would be a tough challenge, and being momentarily distracted when he was finally dismissed

Mohammad Isam08-Dec-2023

Glenn Phillips hit four sixes in his counterattacking 87•Associated Press

Following a 72-ball 87 that lifted New Zealand out of the depths of 55 for 5, Glenn Phillips said his mantra for dealing with the demanding Dhaka pitch was simple: use your bat as much as possible. His counterattacking half-century, his second in Test cricket, meant New Zealand took an eight-run lead over Bangladesh in a low-scoring affair that was in the balance by the end of day three.Phillips struck 13 boundaries all around the dial, but his slog-swept sixes were especially effective. It caught the Bangladesh spinners by surprise and forced them to shorten their lengths, allowing Phillips to attack the ball even more.”I was just trying to play with my bat as much as possible and picking my poison effectively,” Phillips said after the day’s play. “[It was about] understanding that they’re going to bowl really good balls and what do I want to have in my court to be able to counteract those balls. I guess just trying to stick to my game plan as clear as possible. I accepted the fact that the pitch is going to have a little bit of turn and bounce in some stages, and [I was] not getting too caught up in that and just trying to stay calm and as clear as possible.Related

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Phillips: 'As a batter, I'd look to target myself as well'

“For me, it is about using my bat as much as possible. I’m generally not looking to leave many deliveries. I will defend balls that are there to defend and that are really well bowled. But on pitches like this, understanding that sometimes being a little bit more aggressive is almost the best remedy. If you can put a bowler off their length a little bit, then you can get them to bowl in the area that you would feel a bit more comfortable with.”How did Phillips prepare for this innings, having had a full day of rain to see out before resuming on the third morning on 5? Being interested in playing as much as possible, he analysed how the rest of the New Zealand batters made contact with the ball, but did not let that get in the way of his own technique.”I saw a graphic about the different contact points of our batters. Everybody has their different way of going about it. Some guys come a lot further forward, some guys go a lot further back. It’s just understanding what works best for that individual. For me, trying to stay a little bit leg side of it and use my bat as much as possible was probably the key.”Phillips could not go on to a hundred, however, and had seemed visibly upset about something when he nicked behind on 87. He explained what had happened: “Just at the last second when Shoriful [Islam] got into his delivery stride, someone walked out from the side of the sight screen. I should have pulled away but it was also in my head. It’s probably a bit too late and then I didn’t watch the ball and I didn’t pull away; I did neither and I nicked it off.”Phillips said that New Zealand would not want to be chasing much more than 180-200 heading into the fourth innings. “Obviously we had a bit of a tough start in our first innings and a couple of great catches from the Bangladesh boys, which put us on the back foot quite quickly. I think if the pitch doesn’t change – which I think with the time it has had under covers it will be pretty similar throughout the whole game – I would probably say anywhere around that 180-200 mark is going to be a good score and tough to chase.”Not impossible to do, but obviously it’s going to take some work, and we’re going to have to stick to our game plans really well. But if we can keep them to anything under 200 we’ll be really happy.”

يستعد الاتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم، لتنظيم حفل موسّع خلال شهر أغسطس المُقبل، يهدف إلى الإعلان الرسمي عن نتائج مشروع “توثيق تاريخ كرة القدم السعودية”، بحضور مسؤولي الأندية، وممثلي وزارة الرياضة، وعدد من الجهات ذات العلاقة.

وبحسب مصادر صحيفة “الرياضية”، فإن الحفل من المقترح أن يُقام عقب ختام بطولة كأس السوبر السعودي المقرر إقامتها في هونج كونج، وقبل انطلاق منافسات دوري روشن في 28 أغسطس، على أن يتضمن الإعلان عن عدد البطولات الرسمية لكل نادٍ، إلى جانب تقديم التقرير الكامل لمشروع التوثيق.

من جانبه، أوضح الاتحاد السعودي في رده على استفسارات “الرياضية”، أن التقرير الخاص بالمشروع قد أُنجز في الموعد المحدد، وتم اعتماده من الجمعية العمومية وتقديمه إلى الجهات المختصة، مؤكدًا أن المشروع لا يقتصر على إحصاء البطولات فقط، بل يشمل توثيقًا شاملًا لمسيرة كرة القدم السعودية، من مسابقات وبطولات وأسماء لاعبين، استنادًا إلى معايير دقيقة ومعتمدة.

طالع أيضًا | لماذا تراجع الأهلي عن موقفه وقرر المشاركة بدلًا من الهلال في السوبر السعودي؟

وأشار الاتحاد إلى أن الإعلان تأخر نتيجة استكمال بعض الإجراءات الرسمية مع الجهات الشريكة، مؤكدًا أن موعد ومكان الحفل سيُعلنان رسميًا فور الانتهاء من التحضيرات.

كما أتم فريق التوثيق جميع المهام الموكلة إليه ورفع توصياته إلى الجمعية العمومية، التي وافقت بدورها على الاستمرار في إطلاق مبادرات ومشاريع توثيقية جديدة.

كشف أندريه سيلفا، المتحدث الرسمي باسم نادي إستريلا أمادورا البرتغالي، عن حقيقة انتقال الجناح، شيكو بانزا، إلى نادي الزمالك خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية.

وتأتي هذه التصريحات بعد تقرير من صحيفة “ريكورد” البرتغالية أكد اقتراب الزمالك من تدعيم خطه الهجومي بضم بانزا، حيث شارك الأنجولي في 13 مباراة مع إستريلا وسجل هدفًا الموسم الماضي، إلى جانب 15 مشاركة دولية مع منتخب بلده.

اقرأ أيضًا | ميدو: ما يحدث في الزمالك الآن عظيم.. وتمنيت ذلك طوال حياتي

وفي تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات، أكد سيلفا أن المفاوضات بين الطرفين باتت قريبة جدًا من الحسم، قائلًا: “حتى الآن لا أملك تأكيدًا نهائيًا، لكن الصفقة قريبة من الاكتمال”.

وعن توقيت انطلاق المفاوضات، أوضح: “لا أملك تاريخًا محددًا لبداية التفاوض مع الزمالك، لكن النادي يبدي اهتمامًا كبيرًا بضم اللاعب”، في إشارة إلى جدية العرض المقدم من القلعة البيضاء.

وأكد المتحدث الإعلامي أن الصفقة المنتظرة ستكون شراء نهائي وليست على سبيل الإعارة، مضيفًا: “أعتقد أن ما يتبقى فقط هو التوقيع على العقود لإتمام الانتقال”.

وحول موقف اللاعب نفسه، قال سيلفا: “شيكو لاعب رائع في إستريلا، تلقينا عروضًا من أجله، أبرزها عرض الزمالك، ورغم ذلك لم يكن هناك ضغوطا من اللاعب للرحيل، لكن المفاوضات كانت جيدة للغاية”.

وأتم: “أعتقد أن الإعلان الرسمي سيكون قريبًا للغاية إذا سارت كل الأمور على ما يرام”.

When it comes to legends, not many clubs can boast more than Arsenal.

The Gunners have been blessed with simply incredible players over the years, especially during their Invincibles era.

An attack that included Thierry Henry and Robert Pirès, a defence boasting Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole and a midfield with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Gilberto Silva in it – it was a side that could give any team a proper game.

Moreover, the man who led them was as tough as he was technically brilliant, Patrick Vieira, and it looks as if Mikel Arteta may just have his own version of the Frenchman in the squad today.

Vieira's Arsenal career

Arsenal signed Vieira for what now looks like a minuscule fee of just £3.5m in the summer of 1996, and while he was just coming off an unsuccessful spell with AC Milan, it didn’t take long for the French superstar to prove his worth in red and white.

He made 38 appearances across all competitions, 37 of which were starts, in his first campaign for the club, and in just his second season, he played a vital role in helping the team win the Premier League and FA Cup.

For most of his time in the capital, the Dakar-born titan was an integral part of the often ferocious rivalry between the Gunners and Manchester United, with his battles with Roy Keane still considered some of the most exciting in the league’s history.

Never afraid to back down from a fight or shrink under lofty expectations, it made perfect sense when he was handed the captaincy in 2002, and it was under his leadership that the club picked up another league title and FA Cup.

When Vieira left to join Juventus in the summer of 2005, he had amassed a staggering 405 appearances for the club, in which he had scored 32 goals, provided 45 assists and averaged 2.01 points per game.

It would be fair to say that while they certainly tried, Arsenal were unable to truly replace the French star for well over a decade after he left, until Arteta made a record-breaking signing in 2023, that is.

Arsenal's new Vieira

So, it’ll come as no surprise to most of you that the player we are talking about is, of course, Declan Rice.

Arsenal splashed a club-record £105m on the former West Ham United captain in the summer of 2023, and while he has not achieved anything close to what Vieira did at the club, there are some undeniable similarities between the pair.

The first is the simple fact that, like the Frenchman, the Gunners’ number 41 is a midfielder who excels at both the defensive and offensive sides of playing in the middle of the park.

For example, while the “world-class” Englishman, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has become more of an eight at the Emirates, he’s still just as effective at breaking up play as he ever was, be that with a sliding tackle, or a well-timed standing tackle – he’s a defensive unit, much like the former Arsenal star.

Moreover, just as the former captain was capable of scoring or assisting a goal at times, the 26-year-old has also become someone the manager can rely upon to help out in the attack, as in 91 appearances, he’s scored 12 goals and provided 18 assists.

Appearances

91

Starts

84

Minutes

7380′

Goals

12

Assists

18

Goal Involvements per Match

0.32

Minutes per Goal Involvement

246′

Finally, while Wenger officially handed the former Invincible the armband, it’s incredibly apparent that the 62-capped Englishman is one of Arteta’s leaders on the pitch, as, even without the official title of captain, he’s often the one sharing the boss’s instructions to his teammates, and is undoubtedly more vocal than Martin Odegaard.

Ultimately, Vieira is one of Arsenal’s greatest-ever players, and while Rice has yet to achieve anything close to what he did at the club, he is starting to act a lot more like him on the pitch, and who knows, with a more clinical forward next season, he could also start hoovering up trophies in N5.

Arsenal struck gold on amazing star worth more than Trossard & Lewis-Skelly

The incredible ace will be a star for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 19, 2025

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has his eyes on both Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes and Real Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi, according to reports, but he could also look to bring in another highly-rated player with the duo.

Berta targeting Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi for Arsenal

Earlier this week, journalist Eduardo Burgos broke news that Berta personally wants both Guimaraes and Zubimendi, not either or, to come in and bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield ahead of next season.

Berta blow as £327k-per-week star rejects Arsenal offer and signs new deal

His final decision has been made.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 13, 2025

While Arsenal are struggling to finalise a deal for Zubimendi right now, with advanced talks stalling (CaughtOffside), they haven’t completely given up the chase either, and it is believed that the Gunners could strike a deal for Guimaraes for around £59 million if Newcastle fail to qualify for the Champions League.

News of Berta plotting moves for both midfielders was then backed up by reports closer to home, with GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs sharing that Guimaraes has been put forward by Arsenal’s new transfer chief as a serious option.

Arsenal’s interest in the Brazil international with Zubimendi appears pretty concrete at this stage, which comes as good news considering Thomas Partey and Jorginho are set to leave when their contracts expire this summer.

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

Fulham (home)

April 1st

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Jacobs, sharing a further update on the club’s plans for what could be a record-breaking summer under Berta, says another Newcastle United star Alexander Isak remains firmly on their radar.

Arsenal may sign Alexander Isak with Guimaraes and Zubimendi

The £120,000-per-week striker has dazzled as one of the English top flight’s standout forwards this season, and despite the potential cost involved in their mooted double-swoop for Zubimendi and Guimaraes, it is believed Berta may also try to sign Isak for Arsenal alongside the pair.

“So Zubimendi is very much the Edu target, but Berta is going to be looking at Bruno Guimaraes,” said Jacobs to GiveMeSport.

“And my understanding is that Arsenal may try for both Zubimendi and Guimaraes, plus Isak or [Benjamin] Sesko.”

The Swede has scored 22 goals in just 32 appearances across all competitions, so Arsenal are well aware of his quality, but a deal for him could be too much to ask. Newcastle value their man at around £150 million, so the Gunners would need to smash their transfer record to even hope of prising Isak away from St. James’ Park.

Arteta personally wants Isak, according to other reports, but Sesko may be a much more realistic target considering the release clause in his contract.

Hobart Hurricanes survive wobble to overtake Thunder for fifth place on the table

Tristan Lavalette15-Jan-2023

Tim David smashed 76* off 41 balls•Getty Images

Seamer Nathan Ellis claimed a hat-trick before Tim David powered Hobart Hurricanes to a vital five-wicket victory over slumping Sydney Thunder at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.After electing to bat in sunny conditions, Thunder never recovered from David Warner’s dismissal for a duck in the opening over. Quicks Ellis and Riley Meredith combined for six wickets, while emerging left-arm wristspinner Patrick Dooley claimed three scalps to bowl out Thunder for a modest 135.Hurricanes navigated several nervous junctures in their chase, with David smashing 76 off 41 balls as he finished the contest in the 17th over with his sixth six.The result meant Hurricanes leapfrogged Thunder to fifth place, who have lost three matches in a row.Fired-up Ellis and Meredith run through ThunderThere has naturally been a lot of excitement for Warner’s BBL comeback after an eight-year absence. He returned against Perth Scorchers on Friday and showed glimpses of his belligerent best before falling on 19.On what appeared a batting-friendly surface, Warner fell for a second-ball duck when he was clean bowled by a gem of a yorker from Meredith. Warner was completely beaten by pace in what was surely one of the best deliveries of this BBL season. Meredith, who rivals Lance Morris as the fastest quick in Australia, hit speeds around 150kmh in a lightning-quick burst.He wasn’t done with his pace enticing an edge from Sam Whiteman as Thunder soon slumped to 24 for 4.Ellis returned in the 15th over and immediately ended Ollie Davies’ rallying innings. On the next delivery he bowled Nathan McAndrew to claim a hat-trick having earlier dismissed Matthew Gilkes to end the fourth over.Ellis celebrated modestly and was seemingly unaware that he had joined Xavier Doherty as the only other Hurricanes player to have bagged a hat-trick.