The story of how South Africa won one out of their first five Tests and then remained unbeaten in their next seven

Firdose Moonda07-Jun-20256:55

Philander: ‘SA will put up massive fight against favourites Australia’

1st Test vs India, Centurion: won by an innings and 32 runs

Dean Elgar’s daddy hundred in his penultimate Test set up a massive victory for South Africa, ensured they could not lose the series and that the country remained India’s final frontier. Elgar’s 185 came after South Africa’s decision to go in all-pace paid off as Kagiso Rabada’s 14th five-for left India splintered around KL Rahul’s second hundred at Centurion. Elgar had support from David Bedingham, who scored 56 on debut and Marco Jansen, who scored 84 at No. 7, and South Africa took a 163-run first innings lead.It proved enough as the combination of Rabada, left-arm seamer Nandre Burger (also on debut) and Gerald Coetzee dismissed India for 131, with Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill the only second innings batters to get into double figures. South Africa did lose something: their captain, Temba Bavuma to a hamstring injury.Jasprit Bumrah shared the Player-of-the-Series award with Dean Elgar•Gallo Images/Getty Images

2nd Test vs India, Cape Town: lost by 7 wickets

Things went from the sublime to the ridiculous as Newlands played host to the shortest Test – which lasted just seven overs more than a full ODI – and South Africa were bowled out for their lowest total in a hundred years. Mohammed Siraj took 6 for 15 in the first innings as all but two South African batters – Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne – got past ten.India’s response showed signs the surface was improving and led by Kohli’s 46, they scratched together 153. Against the run of play, Aiden Markram produced his seventh Test hundred but Jasprit Bumrah’s 6 for 61 made a mess of South Africa and left India a target of 79. They reached in 12 overs, after lunch on the second day, to share the series spoils. The pitch later received an unsatisfactory rating from the ICC.Rachin Ravindra smashed his maiden Test double century in just his seventh innings•Getty Images

1st Test vs New Zealand, Mount Maunganui: lost by 281 runs

And then from the ridiculous to the barely believable when South Africa took a squad with seven uncapped players to New Zealand as almost all their frontliners were engaged with their new T20 tournament: the SA20. Six made their debut in this Test and it was evident how deep the gulf was between them and New Zealand.A century from Kane Williamson and a career-best 240 from Rachin Ravindra saw New Zealand pile on 511. They bowled South Africa out for 162 and, as if to make a point, batted again. Williamson scored a second-innings ton too and New Zealand left South Africa a humongous 529 to chase. At 5 for 2, it was clear what the outcome would be. South Africa were bowled out for 247 in what can only be described as an embarrassing state of affairs.Kane Williamson became the quickest (number of innings) to 32 Test centuries•Getty Images

2nd Test vs New Zealand, Hamilton: lost by 7 wickets

A more competitive South African side had moments where they looked as though they would pull off an upset for the ages when they took a 31-run first innings lead over New Zealand and then set them a target of 267. The notable performances came from the more established names – Dane Piedt, on comeback from the United States, who took 5 for 89 in the first innings and eight wickets in the match – and Bedingham, who shunned the SA20 for a chance at an international career and scored his first, and to date only, hundred.But there was no stopping Williamson, whose 133* saw New Zealand home and earned them their first series win over South Africa. South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad binned the tour as an aberration, which he likened to “when Burnley went to Anfield,” and it has been referred to in those terms ever since.Keshav Maharaj picked eight wickets for the match•AFP/Getty Images

1st Test vs West Indies, Port of Spain: drawn

A stung South African side – some of whom had just lost their first ICC white-ball final – regrouped in the Caribbean with a herculean task on their hands. They had to win seven of their eight remaining Tests to have any chance of qualifying for the WTC final. Bavuma returned and scored 86 in the first innings in Trinidad before Rabada and Keshav Maharaj combined to take seven wickets and leave South Africa in control with a 124-run first innings lead. With rain around and victory on their minds, South Africa declared on 173 for 3 and left West Indies 298 to chase. At 64 for 3, South Africa would have sensed victory but despite Maharaj’s best efforts, time and 92 from Alick Athanaze denied South Africa and left their campaign hanging by a thread.Wiaan Mulder put up an all-round show•AFP/Getty Images

2nd Test vs West Indies, Guyana: won by 40 runs

Being bowled out for 160 in their first innings – thanks largely to Shamar Joseph’s 5 for 33 – could have been enough to make that string snap, but the stirrings of a comeback began when South Africa bowled West Indies out for 144. Markram’s 51 and Verreynne’s 59 held together a second innings effort of 246 and left West Indies 263 to chase. They were 104 for 6 when Gudakesh Motie and Joshua da Silva put 77 for the seventh wicket and things seemed to be getting away from South Africa. But, Maharaj broke the stand and took three of the last four wickets to give South Africa a tense win and put them back on track.Kyle Verreynne is all smiles after getting to his second Test century•AFP/Getty Images

1st Test vs Bangladesh, Mirpur: won by 7 wickets

Bangladesh were stunned by a South African attack with two frontline spinners (Piedt had been retained from the wreckage of New Zealand) who bowled them out for 106 but responded strongly to leave South Africa 99 for 5 in the reply. A lower-order rescue act between Verreynne, who scored his second century, and Wiaan Mulder saw South Africa score 308 and hold the advantage. Rabada left Bangladesh reeling with a second six-innings 6 for 46 but Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 97 and Jaker Ali’s 58 kept South Africa in the field for a ball short of 90 overs. Bangladesh scored 307 and, in poetic synchrony, set South Africa 106 to win. They got there with a few jitters, and without Bavuma. He had re-injured his elbow, after it was a concern in 2022, and Markram led the side.Tony de Zorzi celebrates his maiden ton•AFP/Getty Images

2nd Test vs Bangladesh, Chattogram: won by an innings and 273 runs

Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs and Mulder all scored their first Test centuries in an innings that marked the rebirth of South Africa’s batting prowess after a dearth of hundreds. They declared on 565 for 6, confident they had more than enough. Rabada took a second successive Test five-for in Bangladesh’s first innings, where they made 159, and followed-on. Maharaj claimed 5 for 59 in the second innings as he and Rabada bookended both South Africa’s bowling experience and their success. The match was over inside three days as South Africa claimed a first series win in the subcontinent in more than a decade, since beating Sri Lanka in 2014. Many members of the squad, including Maharaj, have identified this as the turning point that gave South Africa the belief they could go all the way.Marco Jansen finished with 11 wickets for the match•AFP/Getty Images

1st Test vs Sri Lanka, Durban: won by 233 runs

South Africa’s home summer began with great expectation as Bavuma was back from injury and initially, a sense of dread. He top-scored with 70 in Durban but South Africa were bowled out for 191 against a Sri Lankan side with more pace variety than had toured this country before. Then, as though a spell had been cast on Sri Lanka’s batters, they played a baffling array of poor strokes as Jansen ran through them. He plucked career-best figures of 7 for 13 and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 42 – their lowest Test score. Stubbs scored a second Test hundred and Bavuma a redemptive third as South Africa set Sri Lanka an academic 516 to win the game. They were bowled out for 282 against an attack that lost two members – Gerald Coetzee to a groin strain and Mulder to a broken finger.Dane Paterson picked seven wickets in the Test•AFP/Getty Images

2nd Test vs Sri Lanka, Gqeberha: won by 109 runs

With Mulder out, Ryan Rickelton got an opportunity and made it count with a workmanlike debut century at St George’s Park. Bavuma contributed with 78 and Verreynne thrilled with a 133-ball 105 as South Africa’s first innings reached 358. Sri Lanka replied with guts and temperament, led by Pathum Nissanka’s 89 but they had no other milestones to record as Dane Paterson plugged away. At 35 years old, Paterson had proved the worth of his time in the county circuit and the value of having someone with over 500 first-class wickets in the squad as he gave South Africa a 30-run lead. On a good batting surface, they then scored 317, with Bavuma scoring another half-century. Sri Lanka needed 348 to win and things hung in the balance on 205 for 5 after four days. Maharaj took 5 for 76 to seal the series and South Africa’s fifth successive win.Kagiso Rabada roars in satisfaction after making 31 off 26 to take South Africa home•Associated Press

1st Test vs Pakistan, Centurion: won by 2 wickets

Stop. The. Press.South Africa didn’t need to win this match and at times seemed to be doing their best to lose it as they were faced with chasing 148 in the fourth innings and needed a ninth-wicket partnership of 51 to do it. The precursor to all that is that Paterson took 5 for 61 and Pakistan were bowled out for 211 in the first innings. Then Markram scored 89, Khurram Shehzad and Naseem Shah shared six wickets between them, and debutant Corbin Bosch scored an unbeaten 81 to give South Africa a 90-run lead.Jansen then took 6 for 52 as Pakistan were dismissed for 237. South Africa should have won at a canter but were 27 for 3 overnight on day three and Mohammad Abbas had all three. He added three more then next day at 99 for 8, South Africa were about to head into 2025 needing to win their last Test. Amid the devastating news of the death of batting coach Ashwell Prince’s wife, Melissa, the result barely mattered by lunch on day four until Rabada and Jansen formed the unlikeliest of alliances, nudged, nurdled, edged and smashed their way to the most thrilling of victories. South Africa qualified for the WTC final with a game to spare.South Africa celebrate their 2-0 victory against Pakistan•AFP/Getty Images

2nd Test v Pakistan, Cape Town: won by 10 wickets

The job was done and Newlands was a riot as South Africa saved their batting best for last. Rickelton scored the first double-hundred by a South African opener since Graeme Smith in 2013 and the first double by any South African since Hashim Amla in 2016. Bavuma brought up a fourth century and second in the campaign and Verryenne scored his first hundred at home in a first innings domination. Pakistan were bowled out for 194 and 478, and 19-year-old debutant Kwena Maphaka played his first game, and South Africa needed just 58 to win. They completed a magical summer with a clean sweep.Seven Tests wins is their second-longest streak (after nine in 2002-03) but they won’t be chasing that necessarily. One more has been the mantra through the campaign and the next one is Lord’s.

Carey-Starc stand undoes some of damage after South Africa find a way back into see-sawing Test

Andrew McGlashan12-Jun-20252:11

Should Khawaja’s pattern of dismissals worry Australia?

Former Australia quick Damien Fleming, commentating for radio at Lord’s, perhaps put it best: “Things aren’t making sense.”His comment came during the final session on the second day of the WTC final at Lord’s, as Australia collapsed to 73 for 7, with much of the damage done by the perceived weaker links of South Africa’s attack – Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder.There was almost too much to pick through in one go. Only a couple of hours before being cleaned up by Ngidi, Pat Cummins had been walking off, ball in hand, saluting a six-wicket haul and his 300th in Tests.Related

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“Am I too optimistic?” Dale Steyn tweeted with a picture of the Newlands scoreboard from when Australia were bowled out for 47 in 2011, South Africa overturning a deficit of 188 to win by eight wickets.It wasn’t quite that dramatic, but as Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster and latterly Cummins departed in the space of 42 balls, the game was being upended. In the nick of time, Alex Carey, with help from Mitchell Starc, provided some substance, and given the nature of the game may well have given Australia enough to defend.”The mood in the changing room was pretty positive towards the end there,” Cummins said. “It was a great partnership. With each run it was almost like a run chase. You’re like, that’s good, four runs, getting pretty loud claps, especially from Marnus. He’s always pretty noisy. A pretty good way to end the day.”Low-scoring Tests are absorbing – and the numbers have shown how the game has changed in the World Test Championship era – but it shouldn’t completely absolve the batters. Data gathered by the broadcaster showed the pitch itself was not doing anything especially untoward compared to historical numbers, even if the batters may want to suggest otherwise.1:53

‘Once the ball gets older, Cummins puts his hand up’

For all of Australia’s success in recent years, they still have a good collapse in them. The series against India last year began with one in Perth, earlier in 2024 they had lost 8 for 94 as Shamar Joseph inspired West Indies to victory at the Gabba, and that same summer they lost 6 for 68 against Pakistan at the MCG, although they were able to win that game (in no small part due to Cummins).At Lord’s, both teams have batted as though short on preparation, which is exactly what they are. South Africa tried to have a practice game, only for weather to allow just one day of play against Zimbabwe, while Australia opted purely for centre-wicket training and nets. But whereas the inexperience of South Africa’s line-up was widely acknowledged, Australia were viewed as having more pedigree; experience was one of the deciding factors in Labuschagne being retained ahead of Sam Konstas. How much has Konstas benefited by playing this game?The Australia top order occupied much of the scrutiny heading into this Test. In six innings between them, Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green have made 49 runs.

“I thought he looked sharp both innings. [There was] some really good bowling. He batted some tough overs. Think he looked busy and looked like he had a really good plan”Pat Cummins on Marnus Labuschagne

Khawaja is becoming a concern against quality pace. It’s not just a Jasprit Bumrah problem. At Lord’s, he twice edged Kagiso Rabada from around the wicket to the slips. The 232 he made in Galle shouldn’t be wiped from the memory, but it perhaps didn’t answer too many questions about the twilight of his career.A lean return to Test cricket for Green does not need to change the belief he is part of Australia’s long-term batting future, but runs for Gloucestershire in Division Two of the County Championship can only count for so much when preparing to face Rabada – and there’s no need to talk about the other South Africa quicks, because Green didn’t get a chance to take them on. In the first innings, he edged his third ball against Rabada, and today it was his second, pressing forward with hard hands on both occasions.Then there’s Labuschagne, who benefited from the stance of offering one game too many rather than too few. Scores of 17 and 22 are about as middling as they come. The 120 balls he used up across the game won’t silence debates about his batting tempo. In both innings, he has looked settled enough until nicking behind against Marco Jansen from around the wicket. He may well find that come Barbados in a couple of weeks, the selectors’ goodwill has run its course.2:38

Cummins: Reaching 300 wickets a sign of durability and resilience

“I thought he looked sharp both innings,” Cummins said. “[There was] some really good bowling. He batted some tough overs. Think he looked busy and looked like he had a really good plan. No doubt he would have liked to go on, but he got himself in, faced quite a few balls, and looked in command of his skills out there.”This time, Smith couldn’t resurrect the innings, shuffling across and being trapped lbw to give Ngidi as important a first wicket of the match as there could be. Head was cleaned up by Mulder and Webster was lbw in very similar manner to which he could have been out in the first innings had South Africa reviewed.Given what Cummins had done earlier in the day, and his ability to seize moments with the bat when most needed, it felt like the type of situation where he could produce a game-changing cameo. He was keen to play his shots as he cleared the off side against Ngidi but, in his own words, “missed a half-volley on leg stump”.As he walked off the field again, Australia’s were just 147 runs ahead and anything was possible. At that point, Cummins said he would have been happy with a lead around 200. By the close Australia were sitting a little more comfortably but may still need their captain to come to the fore once more if they are to retain the mace.

As the only Omani national in their Asia Cup squad, he faced different challenges on his way to the top

Shashank Kishore14-Sep-2025For Sufyan Mehmood, 33, playing in the Asia Cup carries an extra layer of pride. He is the only Omani national in the current squad, a distinction that fills him with great honour.A seam-bowling allrounder known for his accuracy and lower-order hitting, Mehmood would have been in the UK studying – perhaps he might have even had a corporate career – if his father had his wishes. But Mehmood chose to decline an admission to Loughborough University to pursue business administration because he wanted to play cricket.”Unlike others who come to Oman to make a career, I didn’t have those challenges,” Mehmood told ESPNcricinfo. “I had all the comforts, and didn’t have to worry about building a life. But my challenges were different.Related

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“Everyone in my family were academically inclined. My older brother is a dentist at the health ministry, my younger brother is a petroleum engineer, [and] my younger sister is also a dentist who runs a private practice. My father grew up the ranks from being a salesman to now being CEO of a company he joined nearly 30 years ago.”Now, I guess you can understand what my challenges were: how to convince my family I wanted to play cricket in a country that didn’t have a culture. But ever since I started, I saw kids in school taking up this new sport, and wanted to play it.”Mehmood first made the Oman Under-15s, he said, in “2005 or 2006 – I can’t remember”. What he does recall, though, is that on his first tour, to Thailand, he was the Player of the Match in just his second outing. “It was against Iran, I was 14 years old.”From there, he made the Under-17s, and was finally part of the national squad in 2009. “The depth wasn’t as much, so if you did well in one or two games, you could progress,” he said. “Straight off that Under-19 tour, I played for the senior team.”Sufyan Mehmood: “Domestic cricket in Oman is basically corporate cricket”•Sufyan MehmoodThat must have been a massive moment in his young career, but because games were far and few, the significance of that moment dissipated very quickly.”When I started playing cricket, I didn’t know that we would play a World Cup one day,” he said. My parents wanted me to study. So after rejecting my offer from Loughborough University, I enrolled in an Omani university that was affiliated to another UK university – at least temporarily my dad was pacified,” he said with a laugh. “I would manage my classes, speak to my professors, tell them I had matches, and cover it up later. They supported me well.”But staying back in Oman meant figuring out an alternate career too, outside of cricket.”Domestic cricket here is basically corporate cricket,” he said. “Companies will have their teams in the premier division, they will hire you and give you a job.”In my first year, I couldn’t find any job, so I just found one job outside cricket, in an event management company. I played after working [for] hours. After that year, I got an offer from Enhance, who had a cricket team. I worked for them for four-five years in the HR department before moving to Renaissance Services, where I lead the cricket side. We’ve won two trophies in the last two years under me.””Against India in the Emerging Asia Cup [in October 2024], I took Nehal Wadhera’s wicket and got him bowled”•Sufyan MehmoodIn 2015, Mehmood had his first big taste of top-flight cricket when he was part of the Oman squad that qualified for the 2016 T20 World Cup in India. In 2021, too, he was part of the squad when Oman hosted the first leg of the tournament. In last year’s T20 World Cup, Mehmood was part of the reserves. That he was in the reserves is because much of his 2023 went in recovering from a meniscus tear, which meant he didn’t have much game time.”And I didn’t have enough form to carry with me in the limited games,” he said. “In Oman, most doctors told me to get operated. But I went to Mumbai to meet Dinshaw Pardiwala, the same doctor who had treated Rishabh Pant after his accident. He told me I didn’t need surgery. I just had to do strengthening, and be meticulous with my physiotherapy and rehab for two-three months. I followed his advice, and I was fine.”Through all this, Mehmood held on to one belief: never give up. “It would have been easy for anyone to give up at any stage I went through, both career-wise, [and] cricket-wise – especially in a country where cricket is not a national sport,” he said.

“After the World Cups, they saw cricket was growing in Oman. Now they ask me how much I scored, [and] how many wickets I took. They might even come [to] watch me in the Asia Cup. They are excited.”Sufyan Mehmood on his family getting interested in cricket

Even now, the Asia Cup feels like a new chapter. “The last year has been really good. In the ODI series in the USA [in the Cricket World Cup League 2], I scored 72 against them and took three wickets. Against India in the Emerging Asia Cup [in October 2024], I took Nehal Wadhera’s wicket and got him bowled.”Against Pakistan, I dismissed Umair Bin Yusuf, and hit a six off Imran Khan Jr. I even spoke to players like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma. Just sharing thoughts on cricket felt special.”His family, once hesitant, is now firmly behind him. “After the World Cups, they saw cricket was growing in Oman,” he said with a smile. “Now they ask me how much I scored, [and] how many wickets I took. They might even come [to] watch me in the Asia Cup. They are excited.”For Mehmood, being a cricketer is no longer about proving anyone wrong. As the only Omani-born player in the team, he knows what his presence means.”See, it feels great because I know how much struggle I went through to reach this stage, not the typical struggle to settle and be financially independent, but the struggle to prove myself and get an identity. I never had a proper coach, [and] no real facilities. I learned by watching YouTube videos. That is why I am proud of this journey.”

Stats highlights from the first Test between India and West Indies, which India won by an innings and 140 runs

Shubh Agarwal04-Oct-20255:49

Bishop: Want WI batters to stop being satisfied with 20s and 30s

An innings and 140 runs – India’s massive victory margin in the Ahmedabad Test is their third-biggest against West Indies. They beat West Indies by an innings and 141 runs in Dominica in 2023 and by an innings and 272 runs in the Rajkot Test in 2018.India’s last five Tests against West Indies in India include four innings victories for the hosts and a 10-wicket win (Hyderabad, 2018).4 – Number of times Ravindra Jadeja has scored a hundred alongside taking a four-wicket haul in the same Test. He leveled with Garfield Sobers and his long-time spin-bowling partner R Ashwin, in terms of achieving this feat most times. Only Ian Botham is ahead with five such instances.Jadeja was wicketless in the first innings but scored an unbeaten 104 and picked four wickets for 54 runs in the second innings. His performance also earned him his 11th Player-of-the-Match award in Test cricket. He equalled Rahul Dravid, with only Sachin Tendulkar (14) ahead on this list.10 – Number of hundreds for KL Rahul as an opener for India. He went past Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma, who have nine Test tons each as openers. Only M Vijay, Virender Sehwag and Sunil Gavaskar are ahead of him.KL Rahul climbed up the ranks•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was also only Rahul’s second Test hundred at home, after his 199 against England in Chennai in 2016. His wait of 3212 days is the longest between two home Test tons for an Indian batter. Previously, Mohinder Amarnath had to wait for 2885 days between 1979 and 1986.1746 – Number of balls Jasprit Bumrah took to complete 50 Test wickets in India. Among the 30 bowlers to achieve this feat, Bumrah is the fastest in terms of number of balls bowled. He surpassed Mohammed Shami (2267 deliveries) and Harbhajan Singh (2272) by a margin of more than 500 balls. Bumrah has the best bowling strike rate (35.8) and bowling average (17.32) in this club.89.2 – The least number of overs batted by West Indies in a Test against India where they have been bowled out twice. They batted 44.1 overs in the first innings and 45.1 overs in the second. Their previous worst came in their last Test tour of India where they could last only 98.5 overs across both innings in the Rajkot Test in 2018.West Indies have batted 12 times in Test cricket this year, out of which they have failed to last 50 overs on eight occasions.308 – The number of runs West Indies managed across both innings, the second lowest for them against India in a defeat.West Indies have a batting average of 15.60 this year, the lowest among the 12 Full Member nations. Zimbabwe, the second lowest in the table is over five runs/wicket better than West Indies – 20.87.Across Test history, only New Zealand in 1958 had a worse batting average (12.65) among nations that played at least five Tests in a calendar year. West Indies have been bowled out under 300 eight times this year, the most such instances for a Test team in a calendar year.

Brentford and Sunderland are reportedly eyeing AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez ahead of the January transfer window, despite the Mexican international failing to score in his first nine Serie A appearances this season. Milan's pursuit of a new number nine is said to be contingent on Gimenez's departure, with the Rossoneri evaluating a potential swap deal with West Ham for Niclas Fullkrug.

• Premier League interest in AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez

  Premier League clubs have reportedly made inquiries regarding AC Milan striker Gimenez, with a potential January transfer on the cards. This development could significantly influence AC Milan's transfer strategy for the upcoming winter window, according to Calciomercato.

  Gimenez, 24, joined AC Milan from Feyenoord in February 2025. While he registered six goals and three assists in 19 matches during the second half of last season, his current form has seen him struggle to find the back of the net in Serie A. Despite making nine league appearances this season, he is yet to score, contributing only one assist in 627 minutes of top-flight action. In all competitions, he has one goal and two assists from 11 matches.

  Both Brentford and Sunderland are reportedly looking to strengthen their attacking options and see Gimenez, known as 'El Bebote,' as a potential fit for the intensity of British football. It remains unclear whether their inquiries have been directed at Gimenez's representatives, AC Milan, or both.

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  Milan's January transfer strategy hinges on Gimenez's future

  Milan's pursuit of a new striker in the January transfer window is directly linked to Santiago Gimenez's future at the club. Manager Massimiliano Allegri has expressed a clear need for a "double-digit striker" with characteristics akin to Dusan Vlahovic, a long-term target for the Rossoneri.

  According to , Milan's primary objective for January is to recruit an experienced central defender. However, adding a new number nine is a "close second" priority, a move that will only materialise if Gimenez departs. Sporting director Igli Tare would then "press ahead with the market to find a player who fits his manager's footballing vision."

  This scenario suggests that AC Milan's management is open to selling Gimenez in the upcoming window, which would make the interest from Brentford and Sunderland a welcome development for the Italian club. Despite the club's apparent willingness to consider his departure, Gimenez remains confident in his ability to succeed at San Siro and views Milan as his priority for the present and future. Therefore, any interested Premier League clubs would need to convince the player to make the move.

• Gimenez swap deal with West Ham for Niclas Füllkrug emerging

  Beyond direct transfers, a potential swap deal involving Santiago Gimenez and West Ham's German forward Niclas Füllkrug has also emerged, as reported by various European outlets. AC Milan are reportedly "evaluating changes to its attack for January," and Gimenez has been identified as a key uncertainty.

  Milan are reportedly losing confidence in Gimenez, whose "profile has not fully convinced Massimiliano Allegri," and whose system has been a "difficult fit" for the Mexican striker. This is not the first time Milan have considered his future; a similar swap proposal was explored last summer.

  Niclas Fullkrug, valued at approximately $11.6 million (€10 million/£8.7 million), is significantly cheaper than Gimenez, whose market value stands at $29.1 million (€25 million/£21 million). This financial disparity, coupled with an eight-year age difference, makes Fullkrug an "attractive" option for Milan. Fullkrug, 31, has endured a difficult spell at West Ham, scoring just three times in 27 matches since his move from Dortmund. His agent has "already opened the door to a January exit" as he seeks to regain form. Milan reportedly views Fullkrug as the "physical, traditional No. 9 Allegri wants to pair with Christopher Nkunku."

  A move to West Ham for Gimenez would place him in the Premier League spotlight, offering a new challenge, though it would also mean competing for European places in a highly competitive league.

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• Other striker targets for AC Milan

  Should Gimenez depart, AC Milan have several other attacking targets on their radar. Among them, Franculino Djú from Midtjylland has garnered significant attention. The Guinean striker, born in 2004, has been prolific this season, scoring 14 goals and providing 3 assists in 14 appearances in the Danish league. Roma are also reportedly keen on Djú for January, with Bayern Munich monitoring him for next season.

  Other names mentioned include Jonathan David of Juventus, though that deal remains "unclear," and Robert Lewandowski, a "complicated" target due to high salary concerns. Milan's sporting director Igli Tare is also "keeping in touch" with the agent of Dusan Vlahovic, a long-term target for the Rossoneri, amid Juventus and Spalletti's efforts to renew the Serbian striker's contract.

Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson says he still expects a verdict on the club's 115 Premier League charges "before Christmas". City were charged by the Premier League in early 2023 for allegedly breaching financial fair play (FFP) rules between 2009 to 2018, but fast forward to the present and a decision is yet to be handed out.

• Man City verdict 'imminent'

  City have been under this cloud of suspicion for a very long time now but for now, they have not been punished despite all these charges. The club have strongly denied any wrongdoing, but they have also been accused of failing to comply with the Premier League's rules on profit and sustainability (PSR), breaching UEFA's financial fair play regulations, and not cooperating with the English top-flight's four-year investigation. The hearing began more than a year ago, but the public is still waiting to hear a decision from the independent commission. According to Borson, it should happen very soon. 

  He said on , alongside presenter Jim White and pundit and ex-Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan, "I think Simon thinks it's going to come out next year, I think it still could come out before Christmas. The decision has been imminent for quite some time, there's not a lot that they can do. It doesn't take that long."

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  Reason for delay revealed

  Earlier in their chat, Borson said that the independent commission are responsible for the lengthy delay and not City or the Premier League. Indeed, the hearing began just over 14 months ago.

  Borson added: "Nobody knows because even the parties themselves expected to have been told by now. All the lawyers are surprised there is no decision at this stage, and that's on both sides. I'll tell you who's holding it up – the panel making the decision. They hold the pen. They are the people who everybody waits for to deliver the decision. Well, nobody knows. We know the long list – you can cobble it together from all of the people on the judicial panel – but we don't know who is on that list. We can make some guesses that it's probably two lawyers and maybe one accountant. But we don't know who is on the panel and what they were told to produce by when. We can now assume I think, given how long it has been and that everybody is so surprised that they don't have a decision, that actually there's very little guidance given to them and they weren't effectively paid for their time from the moment the case ended. Arguably, the Premier and Manchester City together, with the panel, should have agreed a process whereby the hearing ends and then effectively they are exclusively paid to deliberate and produce, over let's say three months or at worst six months, the decision during the closed season."

• Neville furious over long charges wait

  Earlier this year, Manchester United legend Gary Neville said the delay over this verdict is a "disgrace" and a "stain" on football. A result has repeatedly been delayed, something the Sky Sports pundit branded as a "joke".

  He said on The Overlap Fan Debate in May: "That Manchester City case is a disgrace; it’s an absolute stain to the game. I have a lot of admiration for City, but I don’t buy into this theory that clubs do really well, and City have, but it is still a stain to the game. It has just been dragging on for years and years, it’s an absolute joke. Yes, City have been defending themselves, but they’ve been pushing it so far into the long grass that you end up losing the will to live on it and you forget about it. It just needs to be dealt with."

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  What comes next for Man City?

  While these charges hang over City, the players and manager Guardiola will be focusing on returning to winning ways this weekend after being beaten 2-0 by Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday in the Champions League. And a home game against struggling Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday presents a good opportunity to do just that.

Cristiano Ronaldo was filmed launching into a sarcastic tirade against the referee during Al-Nassr’s 3–1 victory over Neom in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday. The Portuguese forward always played with his heart on his sleeve and couldn't hide his frustrations despite scoring as his team continued their perfect start to the new league campaign in 2025-26.

Ronaldo’s anger caught on camera

The incident happened after the referee blew for half-time with the score still locked at 0-0. Ronaldo was visibly frustrated that the referee had halted a promising Al-Nassr attack. While walking towards the tunnel, he approached the official and delivered a pointed message that was dripping with irony, as reported by .

Ronaldo was heard saying: “Well done, well done. Keep going like that, you’re doing a good game – very good game you do.”

Ronaldo is chasing the once-seemingly impossible dream of 1,000 career goals, and he delivered when it mattered most. A penalty was won after Joao Felix was shoved in the back while chasing the rebound from Ronaldo’s own blocked effort. This gave the captain the perfect chance to settle the contest. Ronaldo stepped up to do the honours from 12 yards and, facing his compatriot Luis Maximiano in goal, he made no mistake from 12 yards to convert his attempt. He fired low and precise into the corner to bring up his 953rd career goal, which was also his 83rd strike in the Saudi Pro League since joining Al-Nassr in early 2023.

AdvertisementGettyDominant Al-Nassr extend perfect start

Ronaldo’s penalty doubled Al-Nassr’s lead after Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring just two minutes into the second half. Neom were already struggling to keep pace, and imploded further when Luciano Rodríguez was sent off for a reckless elbow midway through the second half. The red card effectively ended their resistance, and Al-Nassr cruised home with their eighth straight league victory. Since arriving in Riyadh, Ronaldo has scored 35 goals in his first full season, followed by 25 last year, and is now on course to surpass both tallies in his third campaign. Only Felix has outscored him this season as the 25-year-old added a late goal against Neom, which was his 10th of the campaign. 

Ronaldo shared a defiant post-match message

After the final whistle, any hint of irritation was gone. On social media, he posted a typically cryptic message, which read: "Working on our dream." The Saudi giants are hunting their first domestic crown under Ronaldo’s captaincy, and at this rate, few would bet against them.

Even at 40, Ronaldo’s appetite for goals is undiminished. In 2025 alone, he has averaged better than a goal per game, bringing him within touching distance of the mythical 1,000-goal milestone. Behind him on the Saudi scoring charts is Aleksandar Mitrovic, whose 47 league goals since 2023 look modest compared to Ronaldo’s astonishing 83. 

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Getty Images SportInternational duty beckoning Ronaldo

Away from domestic duties, Ronaldo’s focus now shifts to international football. He will link up with Portugal this week for their World Cup qualifying campaign, with upcoming fixtures against Ireland in Dublin and Armenia in Lisbon. Ahead of those games, he revisited a question that has followed him for years, whether he needs a World Cup to complete his legacy?

"If you ask me, ‘Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup?’ No, it’s not a dream," Ronaldo said to . "To win the World Cup, nothing will change my name in the history of football, I’m not going to lie. One thing that I’m sure of [is] that I will enjoy the moment. The moment is the most important thing that we have. We are not qualified already. Enjoy the moment.

"In my mind, I’m not thinking in that way. Of course, you want to win, yeah. When you compete, you want to win… for me, [winning the World Cup] is not going to change the way I see things. We won three titles for Portugal. Before, Portugal had never won [anything]. Portugal have never won a World Cup. ‘Yeah, but they can win.’ Yes, we’re going to fight for that. But [using it to] define [me] at 40 years old, 41? To define what? To define if I’m one of the best in history? To win one competition, six games, seven games? You think it’s fair? It’s not fair."

After he returns from international duty, Ronaldo will face sixth-placed Al-Khaleej on November 23, followed by an AFC Cup tie against Istiklol.

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced on Tuesday their decision to ban season-ticket holder Dave McCaskill, who had reached for a potential home run ball that was still technically in play resulting in fan interference, for the rest of the season.

After McCaskill latest semi-robbery on Monday night, internet sleuths were quick to note that this was not the first time McCaskill’s hand had gotten caught in the home run cookie jar. The eagle-eyed baseball fans at Jomboy Media were able to find four instances over the past four seasons involving a McCaskill reach leading to a review.

On Tuesday, McCaskill made his case while speaking with local news.

“I’m a D-Backs fan. I would never want to do anything to hurt the D-Backs or to have them lose the game,” McCaskill began.

McCaskill said that he had been ejected from games three times due to interference, but all of them had been close calls, and one of them was so close that he wasn’t ejected but actually just moved to another seat in the stadium, “So technically, I’ve only been ejected twice.”

McCaskill made his comments from an office that was adorned with a ton of other baseballs. Speaking with , he said he’s caught 24 home run balls while attending games at Chase Field.

This comical bit of setting works both for and against McCaskill’s case. On one hand, to his point, he’s only been ejected three times, and really only twice when you think about it, and given the number of baseballs he has apparently nabbed, you can make the argument that he’s actually on a pretty good hit rate.

On the other hand, there are many, I would even guess the majority of baseball fans who have never been ejected from a game once, let alone been ejected three times, or actually twice. McCaskill told , that he is apparently notorious enough that Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas recognized him in the moment of his latest interference, asking “Dave, why do you keep doing this?”

It feels like this one blows over eventually. Hopefully McCaskill’s ban for the rest of the year is a good lesson and he can come back and enjoy games in 2026 and maybe still get a few home run balls like if they come in his direction but not be so aggro about it. Maybe it’s time to splurge for club level.

In need of another central defender amid their disastrous run of form, Liverpool have now reportedly been told how much they’ll have to pay to sign Ezri Konsa.

It was another sobering evening for those at Anfield, who watched on as Crystal Palace defeated Arne Slot’s for the third consecutive time. The Eagles have simply clawed away at the Reds time and time again this season and a young Liverpool side never truly stood a chance.

Losing 3-0 courtesy of yet more goals from Ismaila Sarr and a late Yeremy Pino effort, the Premier League champions are now out of the Carabao Cup and have lost six of their last seven games. They are a team in crisis.

When asked about his side’s latest defeat, however, Slot was quick to point out that his squad is weaker than it seems, using Manchester City as a comparison.

The Dutchman told reporters: “I saw Manchester City’s starting eleven and they didn’t have one starter from the weekend but it felt like their best team. That is a bit of an insight. Chelsea can bring Estevao in. After I made two substitutions tonight, we had six teenagers.”

After spending over £400m in the summer and breaking their transfer record twice, Liverpool are unlikely to get the sympathy that Slot asked for when looking at his squad last night. The former Feyenoord boss didn’t name a single first-team player on the bench and was ultimately made to pay the price.

Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez particularly struggled and the fact that Robertson was forced to play at centre-back exposed the big problem that the Reds must solve. Whether Konsa is the answer to that problem remains to be seen, though.

Liverpool discover Ezri Konsa price

After coming within hours of signing Marc Guehi in the summer, which would have solved their centre-back problem, it’s been back to the drawing board for those at Anfield.

Now, according to Caught Offside, Liverpool have joined the race to sign Ezri Konsa, who Aston Villa are ready to sell for £40m-£45m amid continued PSR problems.

Another Chiesa: Slot's treatment of Liverpool star is a "sackable offence"

Liverpool have a shrewd solution to one of their biggest problems this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

The 28-year-old also has interest from Manchester City and Newcastle United, but it’s Liverpool who will need his arrival the most if they miss out on Guehi in the summer.

Minutes

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Progressive Passes

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It’s tough to match the season that Guehi is having, but Konsa has also shown plenty of potential at Aston Villa, who are beginning to find their form in the current campaign.

Described as a “Rolls-Royce” by former manager Dean Smith, Konsa is represented by the same agent as Ibrahima Konate and could now use that link to get himself a summer switch to Anfield.

Liverpool 0-3 Crystal Palace player ratings

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Alan Gardner16-Sep-2024How high is Josh Hull’s ceiling? These are the sort of questions that keep the Light Roller up at night. And not just ones related to home improvement. Is Sam Billings an air-fryer convert? Does Ravi Bopara own a ride-on lawn mower? Never mind averages and strike rates, this is the good stuff.But anyway – just how high is Hull’s ceiling? It has been the talk of English cricket since Hull, a 6ft 7in left-arm seamer from Leicestershire, was picked for a surprise Test debut a couple of weeks ago. If he’s that tall, you’re probably thinking, then he a high ceiling. Quite likely a “massive” one, as his captain, Ollie Pope, put it in the build-up to his first England appearance.Does it have any nice cornicing, though? And what about the paintwork? Presumably an ornate light fitting is out of the question, with headspace at such a premium.Related

• The PCB is even more disastrous than usual. Here are the numbers to prove it

• Ollie Pope admits to 'frustration' after Test summer sweep goes begging

• WTC scenarios: England's chances take a hit; Sri Lanka, Bangladesh still in contention

• 'When we came back from 26 for 6, it was a new dimension': how Bangladesh pulled off their greatest feat

You might be wondering what this has to do with Hull’s potential as a Test cricketer – let’s just have a look at his numbers and decide whether he’s any good. But this isn’t how the game works in England anymore, not under Brendon McCullum’s Holistic Cricket Wellbeing Programme (Golf Module optional). Selection is now about attributes and moments. Zak Crawley is our guy to open – it, brother! Shoaib Bashir is a tall spinner with huge hands – get him on a plane to India!Now we have Hull, who had taken two wickets at 182.5 for his county this season, but has size 15 feet and a massive ceiling. And to be fair to Rob Key, McCullum and Co, this Jedi mind-trick stuff seems to be working out: Hull now averages 30.33 in Test cricket, compared to 84.54 in the County Championship.So what’s next? It turns out that, despite his enormous ceiling (as previously mentioned), Hull’s release point is slightly lower than Stuart Broad’s was – somewhere around the level you would hang a nice portrait in your hallway. England do like their raw data, so this will have doubtless been spotted. A plan may already be in place, involving yoga and visualisation techniques. Or maybe some time in the nets. You know, whatever works.And then it’s onwards and upwards, hopefully accompanied by statistics that go through the roof in the right way. Because only in the fullness of time will we come to know whether Josh Hull has the fixtures and fittings to accompany his truly stratospheric ceiling.Won’t even try to think up a joke about Pakistan here, because the PCB will always outdo us•AFP/Getty Images

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Of course, despite all the attributes and moments, not to mention scintillating entertainment for Joe Public when Pope opted to bowl spin for a bit when the light was bad, England lost the Oval Test to Sri Lanka. Afterwards, Joe Root explained the team’s failure in the following terms: “Coldplay can’t be No. 1 every week.” Which seems to betray a fundamental misunderstanding of how the music industry works, as well as provide an interesting insight into Root’s musical tastes (are such bedwetters even allowed on the Baz boombox?) And, as far as analogies go, it also fails to explain why England have spent exactly zero weeks at No. 1 (on either the ICC rankings or the World Test Championship table) since McCullum took control of the playlist two years ago.

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Elsewhere on the charts, meanwhile, Pakistan are still playing the old hits: dysfunction, hubris and farce. Barely a year on from Mickey Arthur minting “The Pakistan Way”, his replacement, Jason Gillespie, is discovering that the only way is down, as a 2-0 home defeat to Bangladesh extended their losing streak under Shan Masood’s captaincy to five Tests in a row. Afterwards, Masood attempted to put his team’s struggles into a context everyone can understand. “You can’t prepare for science and then sit a maths exam,” he said. “If you’re being tested for maths, you study maths. To play red-ball cricket, you must play red-ball cricket.” The PCB’s response, meanwhile, has been to come up with an entirely new curriculum in the form of the Champions Cup – proving themselves once again to be top of the class in shambling ineptitude.