As the Chicago Cubs welcome a former All-Star pitcher, they will reportedly say goodbye to another one.
The Cubs are designating pitcher Ryan Pressly for assignment, according to a Thursday evening report from Patrick Mooney of . Pressly, 36, is 2–3 this season with a 4.35 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings pitched.
A 13-year veteran who's spent time with three teams, Pressly remains best known for his seven years with the Houston Astros at the peak of their pandemic-era powers. Coming over from the Minnesota Twins in 2018, he successfully transitioned from a spectacular middle relief role into a rock-solid closer.
Pressly's roster spot will reportedly go to pitcher Taylor Rogers, a 2021 All-Star with the Twins who was moved for the second time in two days.
Chicago, suddenly in a white-knuckle National League Central race with the Milwaukee Brewers, trails its rival by one game.
You'll Never Walk Alone? Liverpool supporters started streaming out of Anfield long before referee Andy Madley brought an end to Saturday's shambolic showing against Nottingham Forest. They knew that there was no way back for their team after Morgan Gibbs-White fired in the visitors' third and final goal with 12 minutes remaining. Truth be told, it felt like the game was up for the hosts as soon as Murillo opened the scoring after just over half an hour of play, because this is a side suddenly bereft of backbone.
The Reds repeatedly came from behind to win or draw games during last season's Premier League title triumph, picking up 23 points from losing positions in total, but they've not managed to do so once this term. The net result is six defeats from 12 games, and Saturday's loss was the most embarrassing yet.
Despite starting the day in the relegation places, Forest cruised to victory at the home of the beleaguered champions, allowing their fans to spend the closing stages joyously alternating between demanding a fourth goal and mocking Arne Slot with chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning!'
He wasn't fired, of course. Slot is still Liverpool's manager going into Wednesday's Champions League clash with PSV – but for how much longer? Slot himself admitted losing 3-0 at home to Forest was "a very, very, very bad result", so just how bad would things have to get before the club's owners decided to act?…
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Isak issues a major problem
Tom Werner was in attendance on Saturday, meaning the Liverpool chairman will now be acutely aware of the severity of the situation – if he wasn't already before.
The American would have arrived hoping to see the Reds kickstart their campaign with the help of their £125 million ($165m) man, Alexander Isak, who was surprisingly selected to lead the line ahead of Hugo Ekitike. What he witnessed was a complete and collective "mess", as captain Virgil van Dijk admitted afterwards.
Isak was painfully poor, so utterly ineffective that some fans were left pining for Darwin Nunez, a wasteful finisher but a chaotic character always capable of making something happen. Isak, by complete contrast, offered absolutely nothing, touching the ball just 14 times before being mercifully withdrawn after 68 minutes of mediocrity.
There can, of course, be zero sympathy for the Sweden striker, who is paying a heavy price for arriving at Anfield in such poor physical condition. However, that only made Slot's decision to start him all the more inexplicable.
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Running out of time and patience
Isak was meant to have played at least twice for Sweden during the international break but, after making an appearance off the bench against Switzerland, he wasn't used at all against Slovenia because new coach Graham Potter didn't want to run the risk of him picking up a booking that would have ruled him out of next March's World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine.
So, why on earth was a ridiculously rusty Isak picked ahead of a fully-fit Ekitike, who had scored his first goal for France last Thursday week? Slot pretty much answered the question before the game by admitting that Liverpool are so desperate to get their club-record signing back up to speed that they're willing to give him game time ahead of more deserving team-mates.
"This morning I had a conversation with the performance staff about what is the best way for Alex – not for Liverpool – to get him as fast as we can to 100 per cent," Slot said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I always have to find the balance between what is the best for him as an individual and for us as a team.
"I do know that a 100% fit Alexander Isak is a big, big, big plus for this team. But for him to get there he might need to have minutes where you could argue that another player might be further ahead of him in terms of match fitness. Alex will end up being the player he was at Newcastle if we get him fit. That will take a little bit of time."
It was a remarkable revelation, given both time and patience are running out on Merseyside.
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Gomez's puzzling lack of game time
One can understand Liverpool's pressing need for the time, money and patience they've invested in Isak to start reaping dividends – but starting him only makes sense if he's capable of contributing. Liverpool are carrying enough passengers as it is at the moment, so they hardly need to burden themselves with one more.
The message it sends out is also awful. One can only imagine Ekitike's frustration when he learned that an immobile Isak would be starting ahead of him. Of course, Joe Gomez was probably feeling just as aggrieved on Saturday afternoon.
With injury-plagued duo Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong both unavailable, the presumption was that the versatile Gomez would be asked to fill in at right-back – not least because that would allow Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool's best player this season by some distance, to play in his preferred position in midfield.
However, the Hungarian was once again asked to play in defence, while Gomez spent the entire afternoon on the bench. Consequently, the sum total of Gomez's Premier League game time this season remains 43 minutes spread across four matches – which is just staggering in light of Ibrahima Konate's consistently calamitous displays.
Slot alluded to Gomez's longstanding fitness issues on Friday. "I think he's only played 90 minutes twice throughout the whole of this year," the former Feyenoord coach said. "If we want to keep him available longer, it is maybe a risk to play him seven times in 22 days."
It definitely would be, but the point is that Gomez is barely playing at all – and we need to know why. Either the England international can no longer cope with the rigours of Premier League football or Slot simply doesn't feel he's even good enough to play ahead of the increasingly error-prone Konate, who gifted Forest the corner from which they opened the scoring on Saturday with a horrible touch under no meaningful pressure whatsoever.
Of course, the fact that giving away a corner is akin to giving away a goal these days is another major problem for Slot.
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Losing too many battles
Murillo's 33rd-minute opener at Anfield may have been shrouded in controversy due to the fact that it didn't appear very different to the goal that Virgil van Dijk had disallowed at Manchester City two weeks beforehand – but it exposed Liverpool's shocking inability to deal with crosses into their area. Indeed, they've now conceded nine times from set-piece situations this season – equalling their tally for the entire 2024-25 campaign – and what's really worrying is that nobody seems to know what's going on.
Statistically speaking, Van Dijk remains the dominant aerial force in the Premier League, while Konate also ranks among the top 10 for average headers won per game (3.5, alongside Dan Burn and Gabriel Magalhaes). However, on far too many occasions this season, Liverpool players have reacted too slowly to flick-ons or second balls, and the air of apprehension among the supporters every single time a corner, free-kick or throw-in is conceded is an inevitable reflection of lack of confidence they're seeing on the pitch.
"I don't think there is nervousness before a set-piece [among the players]," a visibly angry Van Dijk said on Saturday. "We cleared the ones before [Murillo's goal]. I think overall we were just not good in terms of the battles, the challenges, the second-ball fight. Too rushed. It's just a very, very difficult situation at the moment and we have to get out of this."
The spinning pitch in Pune seems like a reaction to the seaming pitch in Bengaluru and its come back to bite them
Deivarayan Muthu25-Oct-20241:37
Manjrekar: Kohli’s perception of length seems to be an issue
Skittled for 46 by fast bowlers in seaming conditions under cloudy skies in Bengaluru.Skittled for 156 by spin on a dry, turning pitch under cloudless skies in Pune.After two collapses in contrasting conditions, India are on the verge of losing their first Test series at home since December 2012, when Alastair Cook’s England toppled them. It feels like a storied era might be coming to an end.Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips, who aren’t specialist spinners in Test cricket, outshone R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. New Zealand also outbatted India in Pune.Related
'Flatline' Mitchell Santner peaks with Kohli's wicket
Santner, Latham give NZ a shot at maiden series win in India
While Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach, dismissed notions that it was a “desperate measure” to prepare a pitch that would help spinners create uncertainty simply by landing the ball on a good length – and bring in the extra offie from outside the squad to exploit it better – it seems like an overreaction to their collapse in Bengaluru. India were looking to take New Zealand’s quicks out of the game and then trust their batters to deal with the spinners but again when one ball turns and another doesn’t – even though they pitched in the exact same spot – batting becomes a lottery. Shubman Gill was lbw to a straight ball soon after seeing one rip past his outside edge. Rishabh Pant was bowled by a short ball that shot low.Perhaps India might look back and wonder if they could have done more to throw Santner and Phillips off their lines and lengths. A lot of batters, especially those visiting the subcontinent, turn to the sweep shot to accomplish this. New Zealand were no different. On the opening day, even though there was a short third, and a square point led to dissuade Devon Conway from playing that shot, he went for it anyway and prospered. Overall, New Zealand scored 87 runs off 67 balls using various varieties of the sweep across both innings. It has cost them just the two wickets.3:12
Why have India’s batters struggled in home Tests?
India had even more reason to try and upset the bowlers because by the time they batted it was difficult to be sure what the ball would do. Would it spin? Would it go straight on? Would it stay low? They tried to answer these questions with a vertical bat. That’s how they’ve had success playing spin. They went to the sweep only 17 times and got 24 runs for the loss of Virat Kohli. Increasingly, they just ended up stuck in the crease, allowing Santner and co. to keep hitting the drier, good-length spots.Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, admitted that New Zealand’s attacking approach disrupted their plans. New Zealand had similarly disrupted Sri Lanka’s plans in Galle with their sweeps.”Yeah, I think I must give credit to New Zealand, I think the way they’ve adapted to conditions, the way they’ve blocked out what is in front of them and just played the game has been incredible so far in this series,” Morkel said. “I think definitely in Bangalore and here, playing those sessions, playing those important moments, they’ve done it better than us at the moment, and that’s one of the reasons why they’re on top of this game at the moment as well.”They’re creating pressure with the ball, they’re putting our batters under pressure by sweeping well, reverse-sweeping well, so they’re a team that always plan well and they go into tours and really leave no stone unturned, so I’m not surprised with the way they’re playing at the moment.”Santner, who was rolling out some sweeps during New Zealand’s training session on the eve of the Test, said that they had made a concerted effort to take some calculated risks and attack India’s spinners.”We know how challenging it can be in these conditions,” Santner said. “We’ve seen India squeeze a lot of teams for a long time and I guess it was pleasing with the bat was guys trying to fire some shots and play some sweeps and take on the bowlers because we know on the flip side, as a bowler, if guys are using their feet or going back or sweeping it kind of can upset your length a little bit. You know, in the past we’ve come here and just tried to block it out and, you know, eventually one’s got your name on it.”The collapse on Friday will sting, especially with New Zealand finding ways to score and push their lead up to 301, and there will be serious introspection – both in terms of the options they chose with the bat and the problems they had with the ball. But these events are part of a team’s life cycle.”Every few years there comes a time when key players are not in their prime,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on . “And you can clearly say Rohit Sharma is not in his prime right now so is Virat Kohli. That happened in 2011, when India suffered defeats in England 4-0 and Australia 4-0. There you had many senior players who were on the wane, and they didn’t quite deliver and India suffered. But here there’s been a nice transition. There’s Gill, there’s [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, there’s Sarfaraz [Khan], there’s Rishabh Pant. It’s been a nice transition.”But I guess somewhere in a situation like this, when New Zealand were throwing some really difficult questions at India, experienced players have to be at the forefront and they haven’t quite contributed. Hardly any contributions from Rohit Sharma in the first innings. From Virat Kohli as well and that is somewhere coming into play.”From 2012 to 2024, India were invincible at home. With every series, they kept finding ways to outlast their opponents, seemingly immune to the way good things are supposed to work. Crowds all over the country had gotten used to this. The 20,000 or so in Pune were screaming their heads off as the second wicket fell. Because it wasn’t so much a success for the opposition. It was the intro to their hero. The DJ played Oscar winner AR Rahman’s as Kohli walked out to the middle. But this script wasn’t like the others, and now there is every chance that in the next two days – or maybe even less – a proud and unmatched streak will finally come to an end.
Moghees Ahmed had his registrations as an agent suspended by the ECB in March
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025England’s Cricket Regulator has handed a prominent agent a five-year ban from “any cricket-related activity” that falls under the ECB’s jurisdiction. Moghees Ahmed, who fronts the International Cricketers Association, was ruled to have made a corrupt approach to the head coach of a county and will serve a minimum of 30 months of his suspension.The Cricket Regulator ruled in March that Ahmed – who represents a number of prominent Pakistan players – had proposed an arrangement whereby a coach would receive a share of his commission in exchange for selecting certain players he represents in franchise leagues. The coach reported the approach later that day, and a tribunal was satisfied that it had been made.Ahmed was found guilty of four charges of breaching the ECB’s anti-corruption code and had his registration to act as an agent suspended. He has now been “declared ineligible” for five years from March 26, 2025, with the first 30 months served in full and the remaining 30 suspended on condition of no further offences and the completion of an anti-corruption education programme.”Moghees Ahmed sought to engage a professional county coach in a corrupt scheme which would have had serious consequences for the integrity of cricket in England and Wales and beyond,” Chris Haward, the director of the Cricket Regulator, said in a statement.”This lengthy ban rightly reflects the seriousness of the conspiracy Ahmed sought to embark upon. Offering, seeking or taking illicit financial inducements for selection is never acceptable and strikes at the heart of the integrity of our sport. Where corrupt conduct is suspected, it will be investigated and those responsible will be held to account.”This case came to light due to the courage of the coach and others who reported their concerns within moments of the corrupt offer being made. They have also greatly assisted the investigation and tribunal process and are commended for their conduct.”Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo that he “categorically denies all allegations” made against him and “rejects the decisions of the ECB tribunal”. He added that he is “considering legal options to challenge the decision”.
In Sandro Tonali, Newcastle United are enjoying the rise of a truly special player. Walk around the city and ask fans for their opinion of the Italian maestro, and many would say he is the very best they have witnessed at St. James’ Park.
It’s just one masterclass after another. Tottenham Hotspur couldn’t cope on Wednesday evening, dumped out of the Carabao Cup following Tonali’s brilliant midfield performance.
Eddie Howe engineered a covert contractual renewal when the star was serving a suspension for betting breaches, and so the Magpies need not worry about their central talisman playing elsewhere any time soon.
But Tonali alone cannot uphold the midfield, and it looks like change is afoot in the engine room, with United gearing up to sign a new central midfielder.
Newcastle angling for new midfielder
Joelinton has been a stalwart at Newcastle for many years, but the 29-year-old has come under fire at times already this season, with his questionable performances leaving some, such as blogger Thomas Hammond, to question whether this is “the start of the end” for the powerful Brazilian, who seems the weak link in this evolving midfield.
The emergence of Lewis Miley certainly suggests Joelinton’s place in the starting line-up is not as secure as it once was, and the continued question marks over Joe Willock’s long-term future in the Newcastle midfield add fuel to the fire.
Well, given that Howe is determined to re-sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, it does seem the cabinet could be set for a reshuffle.
As per Spanish sources, Newcastle are rivalling the mighty Real Madrid for the Three Lions star, who has been valued as high as £120m by Evangelos Marinakis. Technical director Ross Wilson will know he needs to act swiftly.
Moreover, Football Insider have followed reports with the claim that Liverpool and Manchester United have both placed the 22-year-old at the top of their lists.
Why Howe wants Elliot Anderson back at SJP
In the summer of 2024, Newcastle were being pressured by the Premier League’s PSR parameters, and sold two top talents – Anderson and Yankuba Minteh – to divisional rivals, easing away from financial bother.
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest
Anderson signed for Nottingham Forest in a deal worth around £35m, and he’s only gone from strength to strength at the City Ground, with analyst Ben Mattinson hailing him as a “powerhouse” of a “midfield warrior”.
Indeed, you need only look at the metrics to see how he has evolved in his short time in red, with the current campaign seeing him take so many touches of the ball, creating and defending and leading by example.
Elliot Anderson – PL record for Forest
Stats (*per game)
24/25
25/26
Matches (starts)
37 (33)
9 (9)
Goals
2
0
Assists
6
1
Touches*
54.2
98.2
Accurate passes*
28.7 (82%)
66.4 (88%)
Chances created*
1.0
1.3
Dribbles*
1.0
1.3
Ball recoveries*
5.6
7.9
Tackles + interceptions*
2.5
3.7
Duels (won)*
6.5 (52%)
7.8 (56%)
Data via Sofascore
He is the complete number eight, and in this, just like Tonali, who is now considered “the best midfielder in the Premier League” by English legend Paul Scholes.
Anderson isn’t there – yet. However, he is earlier in his development and surely on track to rival the likes of Tonali if he continues to add strings to his bow.
Now part of Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, Anderson is finding a home alongside the more adventurous Declan Rice. Perhaps Bruno Guimaraes could serve as this type of partner, with Tonali elegantly keeping things moving from the side.
This is all to say that Anderson could be a stunning addition to Howe’s team, and maybe even come to surpass Tonali down the line.
Pulling him back over to Tyneside won’t be easy, but Howe has already shown his hand, speaking of his desire to bring the talent back home in a press conference last month, and must now hope that Anderson is swayed toward the nostalgia of returning to his boyhood club.
In any case, that aside, Newcastle might actually be able to canvass the most compelling proposal to the English talent.
New Tonali: Newcastle's 8/10 ace has been an "incredible piece of business"
Newcastle have proved their skill in the transfer market once again this summer.
MLS is reportedly poised to make significant changes to its season calendar and competition structure, with owners expected to vote Thursday on a shift to a fall-spring schedule that could begin as early as 2027.. The league’s Board of Governors is set to meet soon and is expected to finalize proposals that also include moving to a single league table with divisions – a major evolution for MLS.
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MLS to reportedly align with global soccer calendar
MLS is considering major structural changes, with the league’s owners set to vote on a possible shift to a fall-spring calendar and a single-table competition format, according to . The league has been exploring a move from its current winter-to-fall schedule to one that aligns with most European leagues. Under the proposed model, the MLS regular season would begin in mid-to-late July or August and run through April, with playoffs held in May.
The plan includes a winter break in December and January and a summer break in June and July to account for weather and scheduling. The calendar adjustment has also been discussed in the context of transfer activity, with some league figures noting potential logistical advantages.
“I think the price you pay in a different transfer window – it's a lot more challenging in the winter, where it doesn't align with the European calendar,” FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan said in January. “If those align, it becomes easier in the recruitment process and how you can go about getting top players without overextending [in transfer fees].”
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A potential single-table format
Alongside the calendar change, the report indicates MLS owners are anticipated to approve a new competition format that replaces the current two-conference system with a single league table incorporating five geographically based divisions. Teams would play home-and-away matches against divisional rivals, with divisions operating as secondary competitions that guarantee playoff spots for division winners.
The regular season would consist of 34 games, with teams facing divisional opponents twice and the remaining league teams once, either home or away.
According to multiple reports, the league recognizes the complexity of implementing such a seismic change, especially given the geographic spread of its 30 clubs across multiple time zones and climates. Facilities in northern markets will need adjustments to handle winter conditions, though the growth of teams in warmer regions mitigates some concerns. The league is also mindful of the need to coordinate with sponsors, broadcasters, and season ticket holders to ensure a smooth transition.
Sports Business Journal reported it remains undecided whether MLS would debut a European-style calendar in 2027-28 or 2028-29. While many clubs are pushing for the earliest possible rollout, the outlet noted that some cold-weather teams want additional time to upgrade facilities. Several would need to build or expand indoor training spaces to operate through the winter months.
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MLSPA's involvement
According to SBJ, discussions with the MLS Players Association are also expected to influence the timing of any calendar shift. The league’s current collective bargaining agreement with the MLSPA runs until January 2028, and the union would need to approve the change. It is not yet clear whether that approval could come under the existing deal or would be addressed in the next round of negotiations. The MLSPA declined SBJ's request for comment on the proposal.
Separate from those talks, SBJ also reported MLS is preparing to stage a 14-match “sprint season” during the transition year, bridging the final full campaign under the current format and the first under the new one. That shortened season would take place roughly from February to May.
After a number of years of drought, the promise of renewal has arrived with four centurions on this tour of Bangladesh
Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2024If it feels like it’s taken a long time for South Africa’s batting line-up to find some solidity, that’s because it has. Since May 2018, of teams in the World Test Championship, only West Indies have a lower average runs-per-wicket figure, and South Africa’s batters have scored the fewest hundreds. Over the last two weeks, that seems to be changing.In the Chattogram Test, South Africa have posted their highest away total in 12 years, with three of their batters scoring their maiden Test centuries. Numbers aside, they also appear to have found an opening partner for Aiden Markram who can balance batting time and scoring runs, a No.3 who fits the role, a middle order that does not melt at the sight of spin, and a lower-order allrounder. This seeming overnight success has been about a year in the making.Related
South Africa's batting close to finding the 'sweet spot' again
'Big, strong, strapping' Stubbs to be South Africa's new Test No. 3
Sweeping success – Stubbs takes the cue from de Zorzi
Rabada's strikes, Mulder's century pile on the pain for Bangladesh
Stats – Three first-time Test centurions in South Africa's batting feast
“It probably started with Shukri [Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach] against India [in the 2023-24 home summer]. That was a tough series against a really good side, and there was a young team as well, and guys put their hands up in different situations. So, I think it’s just been building on that,” Tony de Zorzi, whose career-best 177 is South Africa’s highest individual score away from home since Graeme Smith’s 234 in Dubai in 2013, said after day two in Chattogram.”There’s a few young guys but a lot of them play around the world so guys are coming in with different types of experiences. It might not necessarily be in age, but they’re all pretty mature and clever about how they go about things. And even though we haven’t been playing for a while and we’re maybe not 30 or 40 years old, we have our own experiences which allow us to perform.”Tony de Zorzi’s 177 demonstrated his ability to weather an intense physical toll over a long period•AFP/Getty ImagesLet’s start with de Zorzi’s example. He made a promising start to his career for the then-second-tier Pretoria-based side Northerns in the 2016-17 season but then dropped off the radar once he graduated to their senior side, the Titans, and moved provinces to the Western Cape. There, he flourished with an average of 49.42 in the 2021-22 domestic four-day competition and 101.40 in the 2022-23 season to earn a Test call-up. By then he had also played four first-class games for South Africa A.Then he had to start all over again, but his experience through the domestic system meant his development at the highest level has come quicker. He scored a promising 85 in his second Test, an important half-century in his fifth, and now, in his eighth Test, a daddy hundred that showed what he can offer long-term.Technically, de Zorzi’s ability to adjust to conditions, especially the amount of spin being bowled, stood out. Mentally, his capacity to stay at the crease, even when battling cramps in his hand, forearm, side and legs on the first day, and for a total of seven hours and 12 minutes, was impressive. This can be developed with the practice of time in the middle and de Zorzi has some marathon domestic innings – including a triple-hundred two seasons ago – to draw on. “Once you get in, it becomes pretty much just [about] your decision-making and your ability to stay focused. It’s definitely mental but you also have to be physically fit enough to be able to do it and be able to concentrate for long periods of time; be able to switch on and switch off,” he said. “I’d say to do it for a long time, you’ve got to be 100% present as much as you can and focused.”Wiaan Mulder has had a similar experience in biding his time. He made his Test debut in February 2019, a year-and-a-half after getting his ODI cap. Batting at No. 7 behind the likes of Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, and bowling second change after Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier may have made it tough for Mulder to fully carve out a role for himself. He didn’t play another Test until that December and then only made sporadic appearances until being recalled for the West Indies tour this winter, as a levelled-up batter in particular.Tristan Stubbs has vindicated Shukri Conrad’s move to promote him to No. 3 after just one Test match•AFP/Getty ImagesIn 2022, Mulder played for Leicestershire, batted at No.6, and made 689 runs at 49.21, scoring two hundreds including a career-best 235 not out. Last summer, he was promoted to No.5 for his South African domestic team, the Lions, and in six matches scored two hundreds and two fifties to average 54.90. The results of the work he has put into his batting over the last two years all showed in his innings today, which was well-paced and purposeful, with plenty of powerful shots. The twin sixes he hit off Mahmudul Hasan to bring up South Africa’s 500 and push himself towards 70 were highlights. “This is the pinnacle for me,” he said afterwards. “That’s why I get up in the morning – to try and score a hundred in a Test match.”Tristan Stubbs, whose century was sandwiched between those of de Zorzi and Mulder, had the same feeling. He called his innings his “favourite hundred”. Before this he had one in ODIs and eight in domestic cricket, including one at first-class level, and he has repaid the faith Conrad showed in him. Conrad gave him a Test debut when he had only played 15 first-class games, and announced he would promote Stubbs to No.3 after one Test. Whatever Conrad saw has come to fruition and the results that are showing in the batting is as much a credit to Stubbs’ work as it is to his selection and the knowledge of the 66-Test-capped Ashwell Prince, who is the batting coach. It helps that Prince also has recent experience of coaching in Bangladesh.It may be premature to suggest South Africa’s batting blues are behind them but the numbers from this series are a move in the right direction. Their 575 in Chattogram is their highest away total since they scored 637 for 2 at The Oval in 2012, where they were on a journey to win the Test mace. The closest they have come to that trophy since then is now. South Africa are four wins away from the WTC final, and while there is still much cricket to be played between now and then, their fate is in their own hands.With de Zorzi, Stubbs and Mulder adding to Kyle Verreynne’s 114 from the first Test in Dhaka, South Africa have, for the first time since 2018, four different centurions in a series. The last time they had more than two hundreds in an away series was in Australia in 2016. Both the 2012 and 2016 teams were built on big stars and enjoyed strong success. South Africa will hope, as Mulder said, that the “stars are aligned,” for the same to happen again.
The 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star starters were announced on Wednesday night. National League frontrunner for MVP, Shohei Ohtani, and American League MVP candidate Aaron Judge highlighted the lists for both leagues, securing their spots earlier this month as leading vote-getters.
Now we know which players will fill out the AL and NL starting lineups alongside them.
The 2025 Major League All-Star game is set for Tuesday, July 15 at 8 p.m. ET at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Chelsea are believed to be in discussions over signing a “very mature” England international ahead of 2026, which interestingly comes amid Romeo Lavia’s injury nightmare.
Lavia was hauled off after just eight minutes during Chelsea’s 2-2 midweek draw with Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag in the Champions League, which could slap the Belgian with yet another lengthy lay off.
Qarabağ 2-2 Chelsea – best players
Match Rating
Estevao
8.2
Alejandro Garnacho
7.5
Leandro Andrade
7.4
Matheus Silva
7.0
Marko Jankovic
7.0
via WhoScored
Enzo Maresca didn’t provide a definitive update on the ex-Man City gem’s condition in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wolves, but admitted the situation is a “painful” one.
Lavia launched a water bottle in frustration after being taken off against Qarabağ, and it’s hard to blame him.
Since joining Chelsea in a near-£60 million deal over two years ago, Lavia has failed to complete a single 90 minutes — missing a total of 87 matches and being sidelined for 568 days.
Chelsea have been tipped to sign a new midfielder since Lavia was sidelined once again, but journalist Graeme Bailey says it is something they’ve been considering for a long while as Maresca’s side look to bring in more competition for Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo.
Dario Essugo is also out for a “long time” after undergoing surgery on his thigh, with Maresca suggesting he could remain out until January.
In light of this, Chelsea are believed to be weighing up their options, and they apparently hold a serious interest in Crystal Palace sensation Adam Wharton.
The 21-year-old’s excellent 23/24 campaign earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Euros, but injuries have somewhat stifled his development since then, even if he’s still considered to be one of the country’s brightest up-and-coming talents in the engine room.
Chelsea "actively in talks" with Crystal Palace over Adam Wharton
The Blues are expected to be in the race for Wharton next year, and journalist Aaron Ramiro now claims that they’ve gone a step further already.
According to his information, Chelsea are “actively in talks” with Palace over a deal for the ex-Blackburn Rovers starlet, and the Eagles are talking about the possibility of Trevoh Chalobah going back to Selhurst Park as a makeweight in negotiations.
The England international is very highly-rated by his peers, and Palace have apparently slapped a £100 million price tag on his head to ward off suitors.
How Wharton plays this season will greatly determine whether Chelsea would be willing to get anywhere near that valuation, but former Palace teammate Eberechi Eze is convinced that he’s set for a bright future and already “very mature” for his age.
Starting in 2027, Major League Soccer will transition from its current calendar-year schedule to a summer-to-spring format, aligning with top international leagues. The move has caused much discussion, but United States national team boss Mauricio Pochettino has thrown his full support behind the move, saying it's a great step forward for the game in America.
MLS making switch to align with Europe
The new 2027-28 regular season will kick off in mid-to-late July 2027 and conclude with the MLS Cup in late May 2028, with a lengthy mid-winter break from mid-December until early February. Before the full switch, a transitional mini-season will run from February to May 2027, featuring 14 games to determine qualification for other tournaments, including the US Open Cup and Leagues Cup. This historic shift aims to improve global competitiveness, enhance transfer market opportunities, and ensure the MLS Cup Playoffs do not compete with the NFL and college football seasons. The decision was approved by the league's Board of Governors. While owners and fans anticipate the benefits, the league is also addressing potential challenges, such as winter weather, for northern teams.
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Pochettino expresses support
Pochettino said: "For sure this is a great step forward for MLS to be on par with the top leagues in the world. Having managed club teams and now the US National Team, the ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs. This also extends beyond the senior national teams; it will allow us to have access to the youth national team players during critical periods of international competition, further advancing their development."
The former Spurs and Chelsea boss added: "My reaction is: well done. Congratulations, fantastic, I think great decision. What we can do from my personal view and the (US soccer) federation is to show our support. It’s a great decision. I think it’s going to be good for MLS, good for soccer in the US and I agree with the decision. I’m happy because, with me here or not, I think it’s a good decision for soccer. The feeling is going to be like were competing here in the U.S. like we are in Europe, that is always the reference. We are in a process to evolve and develop. The best way to grow in the sport is to see the principal leagues [in the world], how they act and how they are doing things."
MLS chief explains switch
MLS Commissioner Don Garber hailed it as a landmark moment for MLS, saying: "The calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history. Aligning our schedule with the world’s top leagues will strengthen our clubs’ global competitiveness, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure our Audi MLS Cup Playoffs take centre stage without interruption. It marks the start of a new era for our league and for soccer in North America."
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Potential pitfalls of switching calendar
Switching to a summer-to-spring calendar creates significant problems for MLS, primarily in dealing with frigid weather and managing player relationships. Teams in northern markets will face lower attendance and tougher conditions for games and training during the winter months, despite the planned break. This move also risks disputes with the MLS Players Association over the length of the off-season and changes to existing player contracts. While the switch aligns with the global transfer market, it presents logistical challenges for a league covering a vast and climatically diverse area.