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The allrounder begins his county stint with an eye on returning as a batter for the World Test Championship final – but it’s not simple

Andrew McGlashan17-Apr-20252:15

Marnus in or out? Finch and Clarke pick their WTC final XIs

More than six months after Cameron Green last took the field, in an ODI at Chester-le-Street where he sent down a bouncer barrage as Harry Brook stamped an early mark as England captain, he will return to the field on Friday for Gloucestershire when they face Kent following the back surgery which ruled him out of the 2024-25 home season.In a deal funded by a mystery benefactor, Green is available for five County Championship matches over the next six weeks – where he will be captained by Western Australia team-mate Cameron Bancroft – leading into Australia’s World Test Championship final clash with South Africa at Lord’s which is followed by three Tests in the West Indies.Barring any setbacks on his return, Green is expected to be involved in both those squads but beyond that there are some tricky decisions for Australia’s selectors to make about how he slots back into the XI give his bowling will remain on ice until shortly before the Ashes at the end of the year.Related

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While the selectors may not be overly concerned about the volume of runs scored by Green in the next few weeks – the philanthropic Gloucestershire member would no doubt like a return on his investment – after a lengthy period out of the game, he will need to show some sort of form given the squeeze for batting places. The selectors will name the squads partway through Green’s county stay but if he looked especially rusty, it could question the merit of bringing him straight back, although his known qualities will stand him in good stead.The last time Green played Test cricket was against New Zealand early in 2024. He batted at No. 4 and made a masterful, match-winning 174 not out in Wellington where many other batters struggled. Things have changed since then, however, with Steven Smith returning to the middle order and producing his best returns for a number of years while Beau Webster has made a promising start at No. 6 having replaced Mitchell Marsh in the allrounder’s role.Cameron Green was settling in at No. 4 before injury struck•Getty ImagesIf Green was bowling, it would probably have meant a pat on the back for Webster for a job well done but his bustling medium pace could be important in ensuring Australia’s frontline quicks have support. Webster will also be playing county cricket from early May for Warwickshire.Therefore, if Green does come straight back into the side at Lord’s, he may have to find a spot at the top of the order – either opening or, more likely, at No. 3 – which throws open the question about whether that is an ideal spot for him. Green was in contention to fill David Warner’s opening position before the brief experiment with Smith but has only batted higher than No. 4 once in his first-class career.It could come down to whether Marnus Labuschagne has done enough to keep his place after a challenging season, which extended a two-year run where he has averaged 28.62 in Tests. He is due to join Glamorgan in May, meaning he, too, will have some cricket before the WTC final.George Bailey, the chair of selectors, has left the door ajar for a more one-off style selection for the final and it’s not beyond the realms that Labuschagne is asked to open rather than there being a recall for Sam Konstas, creating a spot for Green at No. 3 and the rest of the order runs from there. The other, less likely, route is that the four frontline bowlers (three quicks plus Nathan Lyon) are considered enough for the title shootout and Green still replaces Webster.Marnus Labuschagne is also a key part of the selection debate•Getty ImagesEven if the selectors do take an isolated view of the final at Lord’s, other decisions are only kicked down the road a couple of weeks to Barbados when the West Indies series starts. With Konstas having been left out in Sri Lanka when Travis Head opened in a horses-for-courses approach, there will likely be much thought given to enabling him to resume his Test career where there will be far less need than to do anything but bat normally.Before too long, perhaps the end of next season’s Ashes, Australia will be on the search for another new opener if Usman Khawaja decides his time is done. In an ideal world, Konstas has started to bed himself in by then. Australia’s revolving door of openers post-Warner has not hampered their success but, excluding the tactical move with Head, it has not been ideal.Green and Konstas are also not the only names to factor into the immediate batting order debate. Josh Inglis is quickly becoming hard to ignore after making a century on Test debut in Galle, albeit having been selected for his specific skills against spin.Inglis is currently at the IPL for the Ricky Ponting-coached Punjab Kings where he has just played his first game having been warming the bench. Konstas was keen for a county deal but nothing, as yet, has been forthcoming. In terms of red-ball cricket, therefore, Green has a head start but there remain some big calls to make before June.

Four years after his last Test appearance, England’s fast bowler scripts a perfect return to the big time

Vithushan Ehantharajah11-Jul-20250:50

Manjrekar: Great comeback story for Archer

There was a touch of anxiety in the England camp on Friday morning, when eight of the Test squad set off on Lime bikes for the near four-mile journey from the team’s Royal Garden Hotel to Lord’s.The one-day squad did similar to beat the traffic for an ODI against West Indies at the Kia Oval last month, but this was different. Once you are through the picturesque Kensington Gardens, you enter the realm of the main roads, tangling treacherously like competing interests as Paddington becomes Edgware Road.In May, the NHS reported a surge in A&E admissions for people who had suffered trapped legs in falls, colloquially known as “Lime Bike Leg”. Imagine the uproar if an active member of England’s XI in this third Test did himself a mischief on the commute, when even Brendon McCullum chose to walk in this morning?Jofra Archer was one of the “Lime Bike Eight”. And maybe it was only right for there to be a hint of jeopardy on his final journey before returning as an active Test cricketer.When he walked out to bat, it was Archer’s first competitive act in England whites in more than 1500 days. And it is no reach to suggest that each day had carried an associated risk, such as simply commuting to work, which might have added to the wait.Jofra Archer claimed a wicket on his Sussex return after four years out of red-ball cricket•PA Photos/Getty ImagesIt was not just those five days across a 25-month period in which he underwent surgery on his elbow, lower back and hand. Nor the 77 matches he has played in the four-year period since that 13th Test cap in Ahmedabad back in February 2021. Every time Archer got out of bed in the morning during this period, including this Friday, there will have been a fleeting moment of wondering whether he was about to feel the wrong thing in the wrong place.So, really, what was a bike-ride to work, other than a final journey for Archer: a man already incarcerated by hours of doubt, contained within the months of rehabilitation, and years of uncertainty over getting back to Test cricket. The air on his face as he ventured back to where this all began, against Australia in 2019, weeks after hisSuper Over heroics at the same venue in the World Cup final, must have felt like liberation.Even more so as he steamed down from the Pavilion End. Out came the first ball, played judderingly by Yashasvi Jaiswal. The crowd, already swelling with pride, swelled even more, yearning to burst.

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It was no surprise Archer’s follow-up was near perfection. One of his understated super-strengths is unerring accuracy. During his early, pre-England days with Sussex, he could sit into a holding pattern, hammering out the same length, over after over. His former coaches, Jason Gillespie and Jon Lewis, often reiterated the importance of marrying such precision with patience. And though Archer often indulged his frustrations with the odd short ball, he understood the value in testing a batter’s substance with his restraint.Related

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His patience has certainly come in for a serious examination. From messaging Ben Stokes “Zim?” ahead of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe earlier this summer, to turning out for his old school team, Foundation, in December 2023 – much to the surprise of men’s managing director Rob Key ­ Archer has veered towards the impetuous in the final stages of this comeback.You can understand why. England’s plans to get him back as a three-format bowler have come in two phases – heavily planned and .Ahead of the 2022 Pakistan tour, he bowled for England Lions against the full side in the UAE, the first steps on a roadmap that required a good deal of politicking.Earlier that year, Key and SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith had struck a gentleman’s agreement that, within reason, all centrally contracted England players would be granted an NOC for the inaugural competition. In turn, a stint for Archer with MI Cape Town was worked out for the new year, which led neatly into a series against South Africa that marked Archer’s first England appearance in close to two years.Everything was on course until another stress fracture in his elbow ruled him out of the 2023 Ashes. From that point on, England decided to be less proactive and more reactive. Though the coaches and medical staff hive-minded a PDF on Archer’s next steps – common practice for all their bowlers – it was only after regular assessments, at each of his homes in Brighton and Barbados, that the next plan was put in place.3:04

Root: ‘Great to see Archer smiling, enjoying his cricket’

The 2024 T20 World Cup was a personal success, even if England were as underwhelming as a team could be in reaching the semi-finals. A fixture against Scotland in Barbados brought Archer’s two worlds together, and felt, outwardly, like a springboard. Cheered on by kids from his former school, he admitted to tearing up, even if the game ended as a no-result.ODIs against Australia later that summer brought the enticing prospect of an Ashes series to the fore. It felt, at the very least, that a corner had been turned: even when Archer returned to the IPL with a thumb injury, the light at the end of the tunnel was illuminating the final steps.He missed the ODIs against West Indies at the start of this summer, but stepped up his bowling loads. Barring that text to Stokes, he bided his time, ticked a box with a first County Championship match in four years for Sussex against Durham, and did enough in the intervals during the second Test at Edgbaston last week to show England’s hierarchy he was ready. On the eve of the match, he gave his captain such a beasting in the nets that Stokes was late for his captain’s pre-match press conference, as he went back in for another hit.

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Who knows what would have happened had Bashir not been there. Archer might have run all the way through the Lord’s Grandstand, into another dimension. And those in the ground who had cheered his return, then hugged each other at this crowning moment, would have followed.The beauty of true fast bowling is not about destroying stumps or ending batters, but creating worlds in an instant. And wherever Archer had ended up – whether he’d stopped at square leg or not at all, he was at the centre of it.The visceral screams. The straining of his face. The thrusting of his limbs, as if more outlets were needed for his emotions. His gold chains bounced on his reinforced chest and shoulders, as if they were extensions of the man, rather than the impediments they were first made out to be when he arrived on to the international scene.It’s worth noting there are now two chains around Archer’s neck. In ancient Egypt, the wealthy would be buried with their gold, which they would then exchange for passage into the afterlife. Such has been Archer’s toil in this realm already, the extra one has the feel of a souvenir of his journey through purgatory.Archer was a regular attendee at England training sessions while rehabbing from his elbow injury•PA Photos/Getty Images

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Part of Archer “injury-proofing” his body has been a more muscular physique. His trunk is thicker, his upper body more welter- than lightweight.As a result, the way he delivers the ball has changed. Where once his trajectory came over his right shoulder, with the smoothest path from A to B, his release-point now comes from slightly further out. It’s not a conscious choice from Archer but a case of his body adapting to new restrictions, and finding a way to avoid the pain.Undoubtedly, Archer has lost the whippiness of his first incarnation, along with the ability to get front-on, and come over the top of his front leg in the manner that he used to. And yet it took him just four balls to unleash the fastest delivery of the series so far.He would deliver another close to it – 93.3mph, third ball of his second over. By the end of his initial spell of 1 for 16, he was averaging 89.8mph, the third-fastest new-ball spell of five or more overs since 2006.Archer returned to the IPL with a bang this season•BCCI

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Having watched the previous delivery go by in a flash, Karun Nair barely moved his feet to this one. An impulsive twitch brought the inside half of his bat into play, which just about saved him from the nip down the slope that had done for Jaiswal. This delivery had designs on Nair’s front pad, maybe even some stumps.By now, the near-30,000 spectators inside Lord’s were transfixed. Just as Jasprit Bumrah had demanded their attention earlier in the day, here was Archer, keeping them on the edge of their seats, with only that familiar shuffle – head down, back to the top of his mark – allowing them a moment to lean back and catch their breath.The nagging length was there, his pace with the new Dukes ball was amplifying every available bit of movement and drama. This is why so many fans kept faith with the idea of Archer. That he could come again, eliciting bygone brilliance here and now.It is also why the ECB has invested so much in him. The central contracts, the round-the-clock care, the expertise of industry-leading surgeons such as Rowan Schouten (back) and Roger van Riet (elbow), and the leeway to indulge home comforts and, eventually, cede to his forceful request to enter the recent edition of the IPL.That caused some alarm. The IPL’s stipulation on entering 2025’s auction or risk being banned from the next two editions was, understandably, too big a risk for Archer, even if the ECB wanted him fresh for as much or as little of this India series and the winter’s Ashes as possible. The masterplan was into his final throes – but was Archer getting cold feet?Far from it. Sure, he was wary, as much about his luck as history and his age. But the 30-year-old’s desire to get back to Test cricket has never dimmed.Jofra Archer returned to his native Barbados for the T20 World Cup last year•Getty ImagesThe kid at home in Barbados, posting constantly about the cricket he was watching, had become an adult posting intermittently about the cricket he was watching. Stokes bit back at the suggestion that Archer had been kept around for the Headingley Test in order to persuade him to keep the format on his agenda. “Look, he didn’t need any more reason to find any more desire,” Stokes said, and he should know, having never stopped checking in on Archer through his years of rehab.Rightly or wrongly, Archer also carries guilt. Speaking during last year’s T20 World Cup, he revealed that not playing made him feel like a burden. “I’ve seen a few comments, people saying ‘he’s on the longest paid holiday they’ve ever seen’,” he said of barbs from keyboard warriors in his mentions and comments.Here, in real life, there were no haters.

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Can you really come back if you have never been away?Since Ahmedabad 2021, Archer has played 41 matches for England. All have come in white-ball cricket, and featuring in two international tournaments in that period skewers the notion of one returning from the wilderness. Nair, the man who placed meaningful bat on ball for this final delivery of the over, has more of a claim for that narrative.Archer in his delivery stride on his return to Test cricket•Getty ImagesThere was a moment, when that final ball was gathered at midwicket, that the crescendo-ed whoops that had greeted Archer’s run-up tailed off into a drop of silence.It was a pause to catch your breath. A moment to glance at the scoreboard and realise Archer’s first over was done. A realisation that now, this Dukes, in other hands, won’t dance as smooth, sing as sweet, or sting as sharp.All those emotions from all those people soon joined as one again, as they coo-ed for an encore from Archer who, simply by collecting his cap off umpire Sharfuddoula, had already exited the stage.Archer would bowl nine more overs, closing out the day with 1 for 22, to finish as England’s most economical and threatening bowler. Like Bumrah, a singular threat, a singular thrill. But unlike Bumrah, a vindication of the excitement and anticipation that had been underpinned by trepidation.This is a new Archer. One we have seen building out in the open in patches, but behind the scenes for years.In an era when most blockbuster Hollywood productions are modern remakes of beloved classics, it is not unfair to suggest that Archer will be seen as a peak example of this trend. He is not quite the original, and probably never will be.But he remains compelling theatre, heart-warmingly brilliant and, now, an embodiment of spirit. If you need to know how deep a man must go to reclaim what he really wants, you’d do well to chart his return to the Test stage.And that’s just from one over.

A former top runner, Jess Kerr has repeatedly won battles against illness to fulfil her cricket dream

Deivarayan Muthu22-Sep-2025Jess Kerr never gives up. Both on field and off it.The 27-year-old seam-bowling allrounder has overcome a number of medical problems to become a New Zealand international. Growing up in the Wellington suburb of Tawa, she broke age-group records as a runner. She won the 800m and 1500m gold medals at the Colgate Games athletic championships for seven-to-14-year-olds in New Zealand, but then compartment syndrome in her legs halted her running career.When she was nine, she was suffered a bout of Bell’s palsy, which causes temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. Later, when she entered her teens, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.Related

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If not for her courage and resilience, Kerr would have been lost to sport. She had to let go of her dream of becoming a runner, but she took to cricket, following in the footsteps of her younger sister, Amelia Kerr, who she calls her “older sister/mentor” on the field.Cricket was in the girls’ DNA. Their father Robbie and mother Johanna represented Wellington, while their grandfather Bruce Murray played 13 Tests for New Zealand.”Growing up, Melie was the cricket prodigy and I was known as the running girl in Tawa,” Kerr says on a sidelines of a preparatory camp in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup, at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in Chennai last month. “So that was always a dream of mine – to go as far as I could with that, and from a young age I was training every day with running.”Being diabetic and an athlete has its challenges. You’re constantly trying to make decisions. So, often before a game, I’m checking my levels, trying to predict how that will go in the future. But I think sport sort of saved me and has been my outlet. To be able to represent my country, despite having those things, that’s been a real saviour for me. So I’m just grateful that’s not sort of stopped me from doing what I love.”Kerr bats in the 2022 ODI World Cup•Getty ImagesBoth sisters won the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in Dubai last year, and came home to a rousing reception. They now have a shot at adding the ODI World Cup trophy to their T20 World Cup title.”The four of us White Ferns [Amelia, Jess, Sophie Devine, Georgia Plimmer] are living in Tawa, so to be able to visit our old school [during the trophy tour] where it all started was really awesome,” Kerr says. “The support we get in the Basin [Reserve] throughout the summer is amazing, so to celebrate with those back home who were watching us was just very surreal.”I think there’s something really special about 50-over World Cups – they obviously don’t come around as quickly. And to be able to play in India, too, where it’s a celebrated sport… so we are all really hungry and want to go as far as we can. We have been working really hard on all areas of the game, and yeah, to think it’s sort of coming a bit closer now is really exciting.”Kerr played just one game in last year’s T20 World Cup, but has certainly strengthened her all-round credentials ahead of the upcoming ODI tournament. In the 2024-25 Super Smash, New Zealand’s premier T20 competition, she reinvented her batting, scoring 326 runs in 11 innings at an average of 36.22 and strike rate of nearly 120, in Wellington Blaze’s run to the title. Only Amelia scored more runs in the tournament.

Former Barcelona forward Vitor Roque feels he moved to Europe too early in his career as he reflected on his disappointing period with the Catalan club. Now back in Brazil with Palmeiras, Roque believes the return was an important step that will help him move forward professionally. His resurgence has not gone unnoticed, as the Brazilian forward has been selected by Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil’s upcoming friendlies.

Roque’s forgetful time at Barcelona

Roque joined Barcelona in 2023 for €35 million (£31m/$40m) after impressing with Athletico Paranaense, where he scored 21 goals in 60 appearances. He had already shown his potential by winning the South American U20 Championship in 2020, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals. Expectations were extremely high when he arrived in Barcelona, but his debut season fell short. Under coach Xavi, Roque made only 16 appearances and scored two goals, with limited playing time suggesting a lack of trust from the coach. His situation declined further when Hansi Flick took charge, as he was immediately loaned to Real Betis in August 2024. The loan spell was cut short and by February this year Barcelona had sold him to Palmeiras for €25m (£22m/$29m) plus add-ons. 

Barcelona sporting director Deco sympathised with Roque for his difficult spell at the club, believing he struggled to cope with the pressure that comes with playing for Barcelona. Deco said: “I feel really sorry for him. With Vitor, I always think arriving in January did not do him any favours. He started well and scored a few goals, but then it became hard to handle the pressure that comes with playing for Barcelona.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRoque reflects on his time at Barcelona

Now thriving at Palmeiras and back in the Brazil squad, the 20-year-old's career is certainly back on track as he reflected on his La Liga adventure. 

"I went to Europe very early," he said at a press conference. "I learned a lot and I think the same way. Returning to Brazilian football is not a step backward. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward. Luiz Henrique is a real example. He came back to win titles, and I hope to win some too."

Roque pointed to Zenit St Petersburg full-back Luiz Henrique as an example, noting how the player returned from Real Betis to Botafogo before earning another move to Europe. "Luiz Henrique is a real example. He came back to win titles, and I hope to win some too," he said.

Palmeiras resurgence rewarded with Brazil call

Roque’s path to redemption at Palmeiras was far from smooth, as he went his first 10 matches without scoring. Despite the slow start, the club showed full confidence in him, giving him the time and support needed to settle. Their patience paid off, as Roque delivered an outstanding 2025 season, scoring 20 goals and providing five assists in 52 appearances across all competitions. His resurgence became a key factor in Palmeiras leading at the top of the league with 68 points, edging Flamengo on head to head record. Roque’s strong form has also put him firmly in the Golden Boot race, sitting just one goal behind the league’s top scorer, Kaio Jorge, and he could end up a Copa Libertadores winner as his side meet Flamengo in the final later this month. His performances have earned him a place in the Brazil national team, with Carlo Ancelotti recalling him to the squad.

Roque spoke about his redemption at Palmeiras, explaining how dejected he had felt before coach Abel Ferreira restored his confidence. He said, “When I returned from Europe, I was in a bad place psychologically, with no confidence whatsoever. When I was at Palmeiras lacking confidence, coach Abel placed his trust in me.”

He added: “Having a consistent run of games is very important to regain that confidence. I managed to score goals and provide assists. I am very happy to be here.”

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GettyAncelotti's prepparation for the World Cup

Brazil are set to face Senegal in a friendly match this week as Ancelotti prepares to test different player combinations to help shape his final squad for the World Cup next year. They will then take on Tunisia on November 18.

It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025Haider Ali has been arrested by the Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and bailed pending further enquiries. The Pakistan batter, who was with the Shaheens squad, the de facto ‘A’ team on a tour against of England, remains in the UK. A Shaheens squad, which includes a number of players on the England tour, has flown to Australia to take part in a multi-team T20 series. Haider was part of the squad due to go to Australia, and has been replaced by allrounder Mohammad Faiq”After receiving a report on Monday 4 August 2025 of a rape, we have arrested a 24-year-old man,” a statement from Greater Manchester Police confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. “It’s alleged that the incident occurred on Wednesday 23 July 2025 at a premises in Manchester. The man has since been bailed pending further enquiries. The victim is being supported by officers.”It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing the last of their five games of the tour. Haider played each of the five games, including the first two on 22 and 25 July, between which the incident he was arrested for is alleged to have occurred in Manchester on 23 July. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the UK.Related

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On Thursday, the PCB issued a statement confirming Haider was under criminal investigation in the UK and suspended him pending the results of that investigation. It affirmed that the board “fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK” and were providing the player with legal support.Haider, 24, has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan. Initially feted as a destructive power hitter, his reputation burnished with standout performances in the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi in 2020, when he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of over 157. He was called up to the national side later that year, his international debut coming in a T20I game in Manchester, where he scored a 33-ball 54 as Pakistan won by five runs.Inconsistency has dogged him since, and he has repeatedly found himself in and out of the side. However, his talent and explosiveness have kept him in international contention, and the current Shaheens tour was widely viewed as an opportunity to reintegrate a player whose batting approach aligns with the aggressive style Pakistan’s current T20 set-up has made no secret they want to pursue.The PCB has said that they intend to make no further public comment until legal proceedings are complete.

With the managerial search ongoing at Celtic, Martin O’Neill has reportedly made a key decision about his role as interim boss in an unexpected twist.

The 73-year-old is back in the Celtic dugout for the first time in 20 years and turned back the clocks in midweek to get the Bhoys back to winning ways against Falkirk. Whilst he was initially keen to reiterate that he’s just keeping the seat warm in Scotland, there’s no denying that he didn’t miss a beat back in the technical area.

Speaking to reporters following a dominant 4-0 victory, the interim boss said: “I’m delighted, satisfied in the sense I thought we played very well.

“My anxiety has calmed somewhat, and it was really nice to win. When you get a few goals in front you can perhaps enjoy the last 10 or 15 minutes, and it kind of brought me back. I’ve not seen Celtic often, not live, to make criticism of this side. A restoration of confidence was great.”

The small matter of the Old Firm derby now awaits this weekend in a fixture that will truly test O’Neill’s managerial powers at Celtic Park.

Meanwhile, as the veteran manager attempts to steady to ship in Glasgow, Parkhead chiefs are still on the hunt for their next manager and have already been forced to move on from the idea of an Ange Postecoglou return.

Instead, Celtic have reportedly turned towards the likes of Kieran McKenna and Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen in an attempt to solve their managerial problem. But could their solution lie from within? O’Neill’s latest decision certainly suggests it’s possible.

O'Neill makes new decision about Celtic job

According to Football Insider, O’Neill is now prepared to take the Celtic job until the end of the season if the next few games go to plan. The Northern Irishman has reportedly been excited by his return to the Hoops and has changed his mind about just taking the role on an interim basis.

Any decision will come after results against Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final, Midtylland in the Europa League and Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, but victory in all three of those games would certainly welcome the question.

O'Neill 2.0: Celtic chasing "one of the best coaches" as Ange alternative

Rather than Ange Postecoglou, should Celtic appoint “one of the best coaches” in the EFL who would repeat Martin O’Neill’s success from 2 decades ago?

ByBen Gray Oct 31, 2025

If O’Neill stayed on until the end of the current campaign, it would also buy Celtic some time to get their next appointment right. By the time that May arrives, Postecoglou could even be ready for a return to football following a frustrating last 12 months.

It would also be easier to tempt options like Hayen away from Club Brugge once the season is over. The return of O’Neill after 20 years wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, yet it could make sense if things start well.

Before anything, however, the interim boss must steady the ship at the home of the Scottish champions.

Celtic vs Rangers team news as Tierney update emerges

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo carried a no hitter into the eighth inning of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees before it was broken up on a single by Jazz Chisholm Jr. that snuck through the right side of the infield.

It was certainly a painful way to lose a no hitter, but Woo was a good sport about it and walked over to first base to give Chisholm a quick pat on the backside in what was quick and respectful gesture.

It was a classy move from Woo, who was likely fighting back some frustrations as he went over to acknowledge Chisholm on first base.

Woo was dominant on the mound throughout the night, but Chisholm found a way to get on base, and he would later come around to score to get the Yankees on the board for the first time all game. After trailing 5–0 and not having a single hit heading into the bottom of the eighth, New York staged a miracle comeback to win in extra innings, 6–5.

Woo ended his night with five strikeouts, two walks and two earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. He improved his season ERA to 2.75, eighth best in the American League.

He has racked up five hundreds in his last six List A innings to lead Vidarbha into the semi-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Shashank Kishore14-Jan-2025Karun Nair laughs at the prophecy of a casual quip from a podcast he was a part of in September 2024. Robin Uthappa, his former Karnataka team-mate, had asked what more Nair needed to do to get noticed.At the time, Nair had just returned from summer in England with Northamptonshire, scoring 487 runs in 11 innings, including a best of 202 not out. It hurt him that he wasn’t considered for BCCI’s season-opening Duleep Trophy.”Funnily enough I said I think I need to score a hundred in every single innings to kind of get noticed,” Nair laughs during a chat with ESPNcricinfo from Vadodara. He remembers that light-hearted quip as he sits on top of the run-scoring charts in the ongoing 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy.Related

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Vijay Hazare Trophy: Padikkal, Shetty step up as Karnataka storm into final

Karun Nair sets new List A record for most runs without being dismissed

Nair has stacked up scores of 122*, 112, 111*, 163*, 44* and 112* in his last six innings. Prior to being dismissed for 112 against Uttar Pradesh, Nair had set a new List A record of scoring 542 runs without being dismissed, going past former New Zealand allrounder James Franklin. This glorious run has helped Vidarbha make the semi-finals, with Nair playing a key role as batter and captain.”I think I may have manifested something like this unknowingly in that chat with Robbie, and that’s coming into fruition,” Nair laughs. “At the time [of recording the podcast], I was hurting a bit. After scoring runs in England and scoring nearly 700 runs [690 at the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy] to take Vidarbha into the finals, I did feel I could’ve got a look-in for the Duleep Trophy.”Initially, right through the first half of the Ranji season I kept thinking about missed opportunities when I couldn’t convert a few of my starts. But coming into the Vijay Hazare Trophy, I had completely forgotten about it, but I’ve just kept playing and have kept getting hundreds.”Nair’s fall after being India’s second triple-centurion in Test cricket was quite steep. He not just slipped out of national contention but also fell out of favour with the selectors from his own state, Karnataka. After more than a year of not having a team, his comeback began at the DY Patil tournament in early 2023.Karun Nair has turned his career around after moving to Vidarbha•PTI A chat with former India pacer Abey Kuruvilla during the tournament helped him find a new team in Vidarbha. It helped that Nair had a rapport with Kuruvilla, who was India Under-19 selector when he was coming through the ranks.Nair joined Vidarbha ahead of the 2023-24 following a season in the minor counties for Burbage & ER Cricket Club in East Wiltshire, for whom he made two hundreds and a half-century in eight innings. It was a step down, but Nair simply wanted any game time he could.As he reflects on his runs and form he describes as “surreal and humbling”, Nair remembers the struggles of those dark days and the time when he yearned to simply get bat on ball after sitting at home for nearly seven months not knowing where his next opportunity would come from.”I think, quite honestly, it’s even amazing to myself also to look at the results that are coming about currently,” he says. “But I would say the only thing I’m focused on is cherishing each moment and being present in that particular game. I’m not thinking about the past or the future; I’m thinking about only that game and playing as though that is the most important innings of my career.”I don’t think in these six matches, it’s ever come across to my mind that I have so many runs so I can play however the way I want. Yes, obviously, I would be lying if I say I haven’t thought about the dark days, but I’ve managed to control those thoughts and kind of rein myself in and say the team needs something else for me and I need to stay there till the end and make sure that I cross the line.”As soon as there’s a stage where I know I’m confident that we are through, then that’s when I play a little more freely and attacking. So really, I would say it’s the process that I followed this year and the last probably is 12-16 months where I’ve been very thoughtful in each and every game that I’ve played. I’ve made sure that it is the most important moment in my career and made sure that I’ve taken that to every single innings that I’ve played.”Along the way, Nair has also found a new IPL home at the Delhi Capitals, a team he once captained all too briefly, after having gone unsold at the previous auction. The tough times, Nair says, is over. He likens it to seeing light at the end of a dark tunnel.Karun Nair has captained the Delhi franchise in the past in the IPL•BCCIInevitably, runs and records of this magnitude have brought with it plenty of attention. With India due to tour England later in the summer, Nair’s experience of two county seasons at Northants and runs at the Ranji Trophy could potentially keep him in the conversations.Nair chuckles at the prospects of a possible comeback, nearly seven years after he was left out following spending the entire summer in England being in the reserves.”I’m quite relaxed actually,” he says. “I wouldn’t be lying if I forgot about everything. But I don’t know, the way I feel about my game, in the mind, the way I go about things – it’s just different. I just feel different every single day I wake up.”I’m only trying to shift my focus on winning games for my team and performing along the way. Basically, I’m only thinking about that at the moment, which is kind of the right thing to do. Quite honestly, I don’t know how close I am [to being in contention for the national. team]. Like I said, again, I just want to take it one game at one time. But yeah, I don’t know.”What Nair does know is he’s rediscovered his penchant to score big, and score hundreds – “the only currency in cricket I heard growing up.” Now to try and top it off with a trophy winning season for Vidarbha.

Liverpool have been handed a Mohamed Salah boost after the Egyptian FA confirmed the forward will be rested for Monday's meeting with Cape Verde. Salah played the full 90 for Egypt in their surprise 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan on Friday as the Pharaohs crashed out of the Al Ain International Cup at the semi-final stage, and their exit could prove a blessing for the Reds.

Getty Images SportSalah rested following defeat to Uzbekistan

Oston Urunov bagged a first half brace as Uzbekistan secured a surprise 2-0 win over Egypt last week. The Pharaohs had been expected to progress to the final of the Al Ain International Cup but saw their tournament hopes go up in smoke.

As such, Egypt will now play their third-place playoff against Cape Verde, who lost to Iran in their own semi-final clash, on Monday as they look to get back to winning ways ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations next month. While some Liverpool fans had feared Salah, who played the full 90 minutes in the defeat, would suffer from burnout, the 33-year-old will now return to Merseyside sooner than expected as the Reds look to get their season back on track having been granted a rest by the Egypt national team.

AdvertisementEgypt FA confirm Salah absence

"The Egyptian national football team, led by Hossam Hassan, held its training session in Al Ain in preparation for a friendly match against Cape Verde at 6pm on Monday – Cairo time – at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, UAE," a statement from the Egyptian FA read.

"The absence of the duo Ahmed Sayed Zizo and Hamdi Fathi from the Cape Verde match due to injury was also confirmed, and Salah Mohsen underwent recovery training, in addition to giving Mohamed Salah a rest, and his non-participation in the Cape Verde friendly.

"Tarek Abou El-Enein and Mohamed Abou Hussein, members of the board of directors of the Football Association, attended the training session of the Egyptian national team."

Getty Images SportLiverpool resume domestic duties with welcome of Forest

Salah will therefore have additional time to prepare for Liverpool's welcome of Nottingham Forest next weekend. The Reds are looking to get back to winning ways at the expense of the Tricky Trees having fallen to a 3-0 loss at rivals Manchester City on last Sunday.

Goals from Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku confirmed a routine win for City over Liverpool, who were unfortunate to see a Virgil van Dijk header ruled out for offside when the Reds were just one goal down.

Salah struggled at the Etihad Stadium, and has failed to match expectations from last season. The experienced forward scored 29 goals and laid on an additional 18 assists for Liverpool as Arne Slot masterminded a Premier League title triumph in his debut season at the Anfield helm.

However, the Egypt international has scored just four goals and provided two assists in the Premier League this season, while the Reds are now eight points off league leaders Arsenal despite a spending splurge over the summer as they signed Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.

Liverpool also brought in Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen, respectively, with the latter joining as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. The England international departed for Real Madrid and was widely criticised by fans for the manner of his exit.

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Liverpool expected to lose Salah for AFCON

While Liverpool have been boosted by Salah's early return to Anfield this month, the Reds will be powerless to keep the forward on Merseyside for AFCON next month. The tournament kicks off on December 21 in Morocco and will run through to January 18.

Egypt are one of the pre-tournament favourites and have been drawn alongside South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B. Should Egypt make it to the final in mid-January, then Salah could miss up to eight matches, including testing trips to north London pair Tottenham and Arsenal.