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On an unusual day-one pitch in Kolkata, he bowled with ‘patience’, with a wicket ball coming along with an extra bit of something

Karthik Krishnaswamy14-Nov-20254:12

Bankable Player of the Day – Jasprit Bumrah

Is cricket a sport of percentages, or is it one of moments?Ask Jasprit Bumrah this question, and he’ll probably give you a one-word answer. Yes.There is no bowler in the world more conscious than him of the importance of percentages, no one more trusting in the process of hammering away in the good-length band, staying patient, and not going looking for wicket balls.And ten overs into the first India-South Africa Test at Eden Gardens, Bumrah’s trust in the percentages was keeping the scorecard looking sane. At the other end, Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel had gone for 40 in five overs. At his end, Bumrah had figures of 5-2-9-0.Related

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And yet, and yet.When Bumrah finally broke South Africa’s opening partnership, did he do it with a percentages ball or a moments ball?Yes.Here again was the ball that Test-match fast bowlers bowl again and again to Test-match openers with a mix of hope and belief. Angling into the left-handed Ryan Rickelton from round the wicket, pitched on the fuller side of a good length, looking to make the batter defend, and hoping for something to happen. A bit of seam movement. A bit of unusual bounce. Percentages.Jasprit Bumrah picked up his 16th Test five-for•BCCIIn isolation, though, come on. Straightening past the outside edge, hitting the top of off stump, causing one of the largest weekday crowds that an India home Test has drawn in recent years – the official count, at the end of the day, was 36,513 – to vent the pent-up anxiety of the preceding 45 or so minutes in one cathartic roar. This was a capital M Moment.And what about the even more unplayable ball Bumrah bowled in his next over, rearing at Aiden Markram, lifting him off his feet, causing him to try, at the same time, to protect himself with his bat pull it away from the ball, with the net effect of gloving it to the keeper?This was still in that good-length band, closer to its shorter edge this time, and still delivered in informed hope, speared into the pitch in the knowledge that uneven bounce was a possibility. This was still a percentages ball.But how many fast bowlers have the tools to weaponise the percentages like Bumrah does again and again? How many can hit the pitch like he does, with more backspin than pretty much anyone else, but also, thanks to his wrist-snap, far more vertical velocity than you would assume from someone of his height?Bumrah is a percentages bowler because it’s always a good idea, but the percentages also give him so much more than they give most fast bowlers. He gets more seam movement than most, and more bounce. If there’s uneven bounce to exploit, he’s likelier than most bowlers of his height to get unusually high bounce, so when he gets one to keep low, it’s that much harder for the batter to adjust.All this meant Bumrah was an irresistible force on this unusual day-one pitch at Eden Gardens, where the fast bowlers from both sides took 8 for 61 in 32 overs from one end, and 0 for 40 in eight overs from the other. There was uneven bounce and a little bit of movement from one end, and so little of either from the other that the fast bowlers only bowled from there when they absolutely had to. Bumrah, of course, bowled all his overs from the favourable end. He has earned this right.3:22

How is Bumrah still unplayable on a dry surface?

This was, however, still Eden Gardens, so there was, in his mind, a bigger-than-usual downside to straying away from percentages.”Patience is the first lesson of Test cricket,” Bumrah said at the end of the day’s play. “You need patience if you want success in Test cricket. This is a ground where the outfield is very quick, and the wicket is hard. If you get too desperate or try to bowl magic balls, runs flow very quickly.”You have to control that temptation, build pressure, and see what the tough run-scoring options are. Every ball won’t [seam or bounce unusually]. Some balls will, and if you bowl in good areas continuously, there is a chance you will get wickets.”One boundary Bumrah conceded perfectly illustrated this point. It came off a defensive push from Tristan Stubbs that simply refused to slow down after entering the gap between the bowler and Mohammed Siraj at mid-off.It said something about Bumrah’s percentages mindset, and his control, that this was the only non-edged boundary he conceded all day.And every now and then, a wicket ball came along with an extra bit of something. A bit of seam to Rickelton. Unplayable bounce to Markram. Low-ish bounce and post-bounce reverse-swing to Tony de Zorzi. Low bounce to Simon Harmer.The uneven bounce, from the favourable end, was clear right from the first over of the day, when one ball from Bumrah shot through at shin height and ran away for four byes, and two climbed awkwardly – one hitting the splice of Markram’s bat and the other collected head-high by Rishabh Pant.Jasprit Bumrah is congratulated by his team-mates after completing his five-for•Getty ImagesEven with this early knowledge, though, Bumrah still had to work out the right lengths to hit, to make sure the ball ended up in consistently testing areas.”Basically, it is a harder-ball game,” he said. “So when the ball is nice and hard, maybe the deviation would be a little quicker. As in, when the ball became softer, the deviation lessens. And then your accuracy comes into play.”So when I bowled the first over, everything happened. The ball swung, it stayed low, it went high. It is a little difficult to understand what is the right length. So you keep bowling and keep figuring things out, [that] it is shaping [up] in this manner […] As in when the ball became softer, it did settle down. It was not happening a lot and the deviation was not consistent.”So then we realised, yes, when the ball is nice and hard, the seam is pronounced, it will do a little more and then, when the ball becomes softer, it will become slightly easier [for the batters].”It wasn’t easier in the least against Bumrah. Not when he was bossing the percentages like that.And then, inevitably, came a pure moment to complete the five-for and end South Africa’s innings. If Bumrah’s career has been one of rigorous percentages, it’s also been a highlights reel of jaw-dropping moments. If this one-two punch, to Keshav Maharaj, won’t make that reel, it’s only because it contains far too many moments that are far more ingenious, and have come against far better batters.It was still glorious in isolation, especially for how brutally unsubtle it was. Pinpoint, head-high bouncer to greet the No. 11 – well done for getting out of the way – and then the searing yorker, its angle so wicked and its landing point so awkward that Maharaj was lbw stepping on the ball.No bowler in history with 200-plus Test wickets, as is widely known now, has a better average than Bumrah’s (presently 19.52). His five-for on Friday was his 16th in Tests. Only Kapil Dev among India’s fast bowlers has taken more.Bumrah went past Mohammed Shami’s Test-wickets tally of 229 on Friday. He’s now on 231, five behind Javagal Srinath, who is currently fourth on India’s all-time fast-bowling Test wicket-takers’ list.Why this sudden glut of numbers? Well, one argument has, from time to time, been held up against Bumrah’s claim for all-time greatness: longevity. Look at those numbers again; if you haven’t already retired that argument, you might want to now.

Despite the loss, there is an excellent ODI side waiting to emerge; it just may take a bit longer for them to arrive than many assumed

Cameron Ponsonby10-Dec-2023Trust the result, not the process. England deserved to lose this series. But that doesn’t make them a bad side, just a new one.This is a generation of players who learned the ODI game by watching the arguably most revolutionary team to ever play the format. A team that set the template of how to play ODI cricket at full throttle, meaning every young player in the country had it pre-ordained to them that if you want in, this is how you have to do it. So they started running. Then List A cricket all but disappeared and that frenetic six-a-ball tempo was pushed further. How fast mattered as much as how many. The result is a generation of players who learned to run a T20, but not walk an ODI.On Saturday at the Kensington Oval, the only members of England’s top six to make double figures were Will Jacks and Ben Duckett. Jos Buttler was caught hooking first ball, Harry Brook was superbly run out, Zak Crawley was caught in the slips and Phil Salt was out in the first over, meaning he has now reached the end of the first powerplay in just two of his 17 ODI innings.Related

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That’s not to say this is some catastrophic disaster or structural failing of whoever. The method brought England great and historic success. It changed the way the game is played and in that regard, there’s no greater legacy. It’s just that it might be a bit slow for a while whilst we wait for Salt and Jacks to finish chapter one of The Tortoise and The Hare.”You can’t get experience if you don’t give people experience to play and be in those situations,” Buttler said in the moments after England’s four-wicket defeat. “But that’s why you give people the exposure. The series is the start of a new journey for this team – it’s a very young side barring myself in terms of experience in the number of caps, so guys will have taken a lot from this and learn a lot. There’s been some good performances throughout the way and obviously, we’re disappointed to lose the series, but the guys will be better for this one.”This isn’t a drive-by on The Hundred or an angry fist shaking at the schedule. Realistically, England are one of the three most privileged nations in the world game. The problems that exist here, do so elsewhere and tenfold.Harry Brook was run out as England’s top-order collapsed•Associated PressBut where England does stand apart is that set mantra buried into their brain of the way you must play. For all the talk of ‘freedom’ within the white-ball set-up of the last eight years and the Test side as of now, there has also never been a more narrow selection criteria you must abide by. You are free to be yourself, so long as you can strike at 160.The struggles of the ODI side in this series should result in a greater appreciation of the sheer quality of the team that came prior and an understanding that the gap between ODI cricket and T20 is greater than we thought.That gap was no better summarised by Liam Livingstone playing one of his best ODI innings to save England from 49 for 5, before spooning to mid-on just moments after his set-partner Duckett had been dismissed at the other end. A teenager who’d finally cracked quadratic equations, doing all the steps right and then sticking the wrong answer down at the end.We’ve also been here before. Eighteen months ago, England went into the final match of a three-Test series against the West Indies level, satisfied they’d controlled the opening two matches. Then they lost. After that defeat, interim head coach Paul Collingwood said he “couldn’t be more positive about what we’ve done over the past three-and-a-half-weeks.”That was a nonsense then and is a nonsense now. Elite sport is a results-oriented business and against a West Indies side widely derided for being in constant turmoil, England have now lost three series in the Caribbean in the last two years. A T20 series in January 2022. A Test series in March 2022. And now an ODI one in December 2023. The perfect hat-trick.The context of the opposition matters. This is a West Indies side going through as much of a reboot as England are. England are rebranding because they had a bad ODI World Cup. West Indies are rebranding because they didn’t get there.Jos Buttler didn’t have the best of series•Associated PressBut the T20 defeat in January 2022 preceded a World Cup win and the Test defeat preceded the Stokes-McCullum revolution. There’s nothing saying that this loss can’t lead to something similar.”This is the start of a new team and new journey,” said Buttler. “There’s obviously guys who will push to come back into this side as well but it’s very much just going to keep looking forward and be where your feet are – and just sort of build something. Give them exposure, give them opportunity – there is a hell of a lot of talent and depth and guys will get better and better.”For all the power of the previous generation, something that is matched within the current team, they also held an ability to win games slowly as well as quickly. The sim game, the middle-over period where the world switches off, but the best turn on. That skill remains to be learned.No-one has a right to be good at something they don’t do. And at a human level, there is something reassuring that England poured their heart into their preparations for the 2019 World Cup and found success. Then rocked up casually for the 2023 World Cup – and didn’t. Quantity of preparation co-related with quality of result.This loss hurt an England team that needed a win to boost morale and remind them of the quality that is housed in the changing room. The gossip after the World Cup was that there was no gossip. No fractures, no falling out, just a lack of results. This is a group that is together and ready to move forward.Progress will be difficult, with England next playing ODIs in September when Australia pay a random visit. But despite the loss, there is an excellent England ODI side waiting to emerge. It just may take a bit longer for them to arrive than many assumed.

West Indies banking on their stalwarts to deliver again

S Sudarshanan03-Mar-2022

New Zealand

Overview
New Zealand couldn’t have chosen a better time to get into a winning habit. Their 4-1 ODI series win against India was followed by a mammoth 322-run chase against Australia in the warm-up game, with a loss to Pakistan in between. And the key factor is their opening combination, with New Zealand reuniting Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine after having tried seven different players in the spot since Bates was out injured in October 2020.Their batting is firing in unison and the promotion of Amelia Kerr to No. 3, starting from the series against India, is having the desired effect with Kerr in outstanding form. Lauren Down was fitting in well in their batting plans before being ruled out. But in Maddy Green and Brooke Halliday, they have players who could close out the innings with the bat, with Katey Martin also in the mix.The spin department has enough variety, with Frances Mackay’s offspin and Fran Jonas’ left-arm spin to complement Kerr’s legbreaks and ripping googlies. Lea Tahuhu’s batting coming good in recent times to go with her primary skill – bowling fast – allows New Zealand to have enough depth.Squad
Sophie Devine (capt), Amy Satterthwaite (vice-capt), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Frankie Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu, Georgia Plimmer | Travelling reserve: Molly PenfoldRecent form
Before winning the home series against India, New Zealand had lost their last four ODI series to Australia and England – both home and away – winning just two matches in them.Player to watch
Amelia Kerr‘s promotion in the batting order has worked wonders for New Zealand. She opted out of New Zealand’s tour to England in 2021 and the following Women’s Big Bash League to focus on her mental health. When she returned to play the Super Smash 2021-22, Kerr finished as the leading run-getter for Wellington Blaze, the runners-up, and had the third-highest wickets in the competition. She carried that form into the series against India and also in the second warm-up clash, finishing 92 not out in 75 balls.What the captain said
“There’s a number of us who were inspired by those players in that tournament [in 2000] and it’s pretty incredible to think here we are, some 20-odd years later, hosting our own World Cup and the opportunity to hopefully replicate what they did well back in 2000.”
Sophie DevineHayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin are two of West Indies’ batting mainstays•PCB

West Indies

Overview
With a core of Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Shakera Selman and Anisa Mohammed – throw in an Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry and a Chedean Nation – West Indies look formidable on paper, with enough experience to back the youth. They have a fairly strong line-up since Dottin took up a spot at the top of the order with Matthews shifting down to the middle. They have an able back-up for Anisa in Karishma Ramharack in the spin department. However, after their runners-up finish in the 2013 World Cup, they are yet to light up the stage in ODIs.Squad
Stafanie Taylor (capt), Anisa Mohammed (vice-capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Rashada Williams | Travelling reserves: Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru, Jannillea GlasgowRecent form
Though West Indies lost the series 2-1 to South Africa recently, they had ended 2021 on a winning note, whitewashing Pakistan on their soil 3-0. They also began the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe with a win over Ireland before the tournament was cancelled because of Covid-19.Player to watch
Ever since she returned from her knee injury in 2021, Deandra Dottin has had a second wind, raking up scores and giving West Indies just the starts at the top of the order. She gave a taste of what teams could expect, when she struck a career-best and unbeaten 150 against South Africa in the first ODI and then hit the most runs in a Super Over – in men’s or women’s games – in the next game.What the captain said
“The youngsters just need to take whatever advice from the experienced players. We are here to always support the youngsters. A lot of us are getting older. So it would be nice to integrate those youngsters so that they could also gain experience.”
Stafanie Taylor

The Colorado Rockies have found wins hard to come by during the 2025 MLB season. A lot of the time, it's due to their own shortcomings or lapses in judgement.

They managed to escape with a win on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6–5, but they came dangerously close to throwing the game away. Juan Mejia was on the mound looking to secure the first save of his career, and he managed to do so, though in no ordinary fashion.

With two men out and runners on second and third, Mejia got Ketel Marte to hit a pop up in the infield. Rather than let his teammates make a play on the ball, Mejia took off from the mound and bolted towards first base to attempt to field the fly ball. Not expecting his pitcher to be in the area, Rockies first baseman Warming Bernabel also chased down the ball and ended up running straight through Mejia like a safety flattening an unsuspecting wide receiver.

Fortunately, Mejia was able to hold onto the ball despite taking the full brunt of a hit from his teammate. He remained on the ground for a few seconds before getting to his feet with a grin on his face and celebrating with his teammates.

His teammates shared a good laugh over the play in the aftermath, though they may have been wearing plenty different expressions on their faces had the game-winning run crossed the plate as a result of Mejia's unnecessary defensive efforts.

That's how you end a game, Rockies style.

Luke McCowan says Celtic need to show their character in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren at Hampden Park.

Wilfried Nancy became the first Hoops manager to lose his opening two matches when Italian giants Roma won 3-0 at Parkhead in the Europa League on Thursday night, which followed on from a 2-1 home defeat to leaders Hearts in the William Hill Premiership last weekend.

Celtic fans, some of whom booed at the end of the defeat by Roma, are approaching the final against the Buddies with more nerves than they would have done before the Frenchman took over from interim bosses Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney, who in turn had taken over from Brendan Rodgers.

McCowan calls for players and fans to stick together

McCowan, the 28-year-old midfielder, who joined from Dundee in August 2024, called for unity and a demonstration of the traits that have made the Parkhead club so successful in recent times.

He said: “I can’t really talk for the fans, but we are fully bought-in. We need to buy-in, it’s kind of non-negotiable.

“We need to back everyone in this building, regardless of who’s been playing well, who’s not.

“We are a team and we need to back each other through the good and the bad because everybody’s all high-fives and cuddles when we are winning but this team doesn’t go through two or three bad results and this is where the true characters are shown.

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“So we need just to be together and I know I’ve said so many times, stick together.

“It’s when you go through bad spells – personally I’ve done it with Dundee and Ayr – then we just need to kind of have that same attitude of work hard, move on to the next game.

“The games are coming thick and fast in this period and it’s a good thing that if you get one win it can propel you to get a few hopefully and we just need to start with that on Sunday.

“We just need to get on top of it again.”

Aston Villa have recently submitted an offer for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia, and the Spanish club’s stance on sanctioning a departure has now been revealed.

Villa have stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-forward with Ollie Watkins failing to reach his usual lofty standards in the Premier League this season, netting just one goal and receiving criticism from former Arsenal striker Ian Wright back in September.

Wright said: “As a player, I think that he should be doing more for what he’s capable of doing.

“He’s a channel runner, gets in the box, he gets on the end of things. I think he could be a lot sharper with his finishing, and I thought that’s what he’d be working on.”

Fortunately, the Villans have managed to find goals from other sources, which have propelled them up the table in recent weeks, rising to sixth after a dominant 4-0 rout of AFC Bournemouth in their final match before the international break.

That said, Watkins’ poor form is likely to still be a concern for Unai Emery, and the manager has seemingly decided to bring in another striker capable of challenging for the Englishman’s place in the starting XI.

Aston Villa submit offer for Gonzalo Garcia

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have offered €20m (£18m) offer for Real Madrid forward Garcia, and they are looking to finalise a deal as quickly as possible, given that the Spaniard’s value could plausibly rise as the season goes on.

Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers have lodged bids of their own, so there will be competition for the 21-year-old’s signature, but a deal could be there to be done, as the Spanish club view cashing-in as an ‘attractive financial opportunity.’

As one of the first clubs to make contact with Madrid, Villa should be well-placed to get a deal done, not least because their main rivals seem to be newly-promoted Sunderland and a Wolves side at serious risk of relegation.

Hopefully, it will only be a matter of time before Watkins starts scoring again, but the 29-year-old having some healthy competition could kick him into gear, and there are signs the Real Madrid starlet could push for a starting spot.

Lauded as a “goal machine” in the media, the youngster performed remarkably well at youth level in the 2024-25 campaign, netting 26 goals in 37 games for RM Castilla, before going on to impress considerably at the Club World Cup, netting four goals for the senior side.

That said, it would be a risk to sign Garcia, given that he is yet to prove himself in the Madrid first team over a sustained period, and 21-year-old FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who scored 19 league goals last season, could be an interesting alternative option.

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Recent reports have indicated that Aston Villa would be keen on signing Porto forward Samu Aghehowa.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

Leeds United are now plotting a January transfer swoop for an “outstanding” striker, who just scored in the Champions League this week.

Leeds eyeing new striker amid Dominic Calvert-Lewin's struggles

On paper, it was a savvy move to bring in Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, given that the former Everton man has plenty of experience in the Premier League, but he is yet to pull up any trees since completing a move to Elland Road.

The centre-forward has scored just one goal in 11 matches in all competitions, failing to find the back of the net in his last seven outings, and Lukas Nmecha has recently emerged as the first-choice striker, scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa last time out.

With Daniel Farke clearly doubtful that Joel Piroe is capable of replicating his form from last season, having predominantly limited the Dutchman to appearances as a substitute, the manager may need to bring in a new striker in the January transfer window, and a new target has been identified.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Leeds are now plotting a January bid for Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, who could be available for a relatively low fee, with the Belgian club willing to listen to offers of around £17.5m.

At the moment, David is viewed as a back-up option if the Whites are unable to bring in their other targets, with AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott and Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia also of interest, and Farke is personally keen on bringing in the Spaniard.

There may also be fierce competition for the Union Saint-Gilloise star’s signature, with West Ham United believed to be leading the race, while Wolverhampton Wanderers are said to be plotting a rival bid.

"Outstanding" David impressing in the Champions League

Lauded as “outstanding” by scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of his performances in the 2024-25 campaign, the striker has gone on to make a name for himself in the Champions League this season, scoring two goals in Europe’s elite competition.

Most recently, the 24-year-old scored the only goal of the game as his side prevailed as 1-0 winners away at Galatasaray, finding the back of the net for the ninth time this season across all competitions.

Promise David’s goalscoring record

Appearances

Goals

Jupiler Pro League

13

6

Champions League

5

2

Croky Cup

1

1

As such, the Canadian clearly has the quality to help fire Leeds to safety, and £17.5m could be a bargain fee for a striker who has proven that he can deliver in the Champions League.

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BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025

That said, it remains to be seen whether David would be interested in a move to Elland Road, given that Leeds are now looking like real relegation contenders, having lost five of their last six matches in the Premier League.

Whilst long throws, set pieces and teams centred around physicality are back in fashion, a lot has changed in the Premier League since 1992. It’s now the richest league in the world, featuring some of the best players and managers in world football. It is the ultimate destination. But, how much has the table changed in that time?

FootballBlog has released a full ranking of the Premier League table from its very first season in 1992 up until the beginning of the recent November international break. The table includes deductions issued by the Premier League and has tallied the wins, draws and losses by teams over the last 33 years. A total of 51 teams have featured in the top flight over the last three decades, but only 20 can make the all-time standings.

Related Premier League table by transfer spend per point 2025/26

The top flight would look very different.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025 20 West Bromwich Albion: 490 points

They may be languishing outside the top six in the Championship these days, but there was a time when an away trip to face West Bromwich Albion was a day of frustration for any top side. They sit 20th thanks to the fact that they haven’t returned to the top tier since 2021, but it’s hard to forget just how impressive they were at their best – finishing as high as eighth in the 2012/13 season. And who could forget the form of Romelu Lukaku during his time at the Hawthorns?

19 Bolton Wanderers: 575 points

Ever seen a player so good they named him twice? That was Jay-Jay Okocha. The former Bolton Wanderers star formed the most unlikely partnership with Sam Allardyce during the club’s impressive 11-year stay in the Premier League. Their best finish saw them reach as high as sixth in the 2004/05 season and there still exists the famous video of Allardyce attempting his best dance moves with his star midfielder in 2003.

18 Sunderland: 637 points

Sunderland have been back to where they belong this season and are even on course for their highest-ever Premier League finish. The Black Cats have fought their way back from the depths of League One and may yet get the chance to move up the all-time Premier League table by the time that May arrives. A club built on the memories of stunning Jermain Defoe volleys and Kevin Phillips’ goalscoring heroics could now be about to form their most historic campaign yet.

17 Middlesbrough: 661 points

This time next year, we could be welcoming Middlesbrough back to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. It was then that they welcomed the likes of Alvaro Negredo, only to struggle in front of goal when it wasn’t the forward finding the back of the net. It was the third time that they suffered relegation from the Premier League in their history and everyone around Riverside will be desperate to earn redemption almost a decade later.

16 Crystal Palace: 728 points

Whilst there is a running joke that Crystal Palace always end the season sat in 13th, the all-time table has them 16th and their form over the last year suggests that they could be destined for better things. From mid-table mediocrity, the Eagles have soared to become FA Cup winners, Community Shield winners and a side competing in European football. This is without doubt one of, if not the best Crystal Palace side in the club’s history.

15 Fulham: 804 points

Like Palace, Fulham have often been accused of ending their seasons sat in mid-table, but they won’t mind that. The Cottagers have become an established Premier League side once again under Marco Silva and have caused plenty of upsets on their way. Alas, it’s their time under Roy Hodgson that stands out the most, with the veteran manager taking the West London side all the way to the Europa League final in 2010. 15 years later, no one’s forgotten the stunning comeback victory against Juventus at Craven Cottage.

14 Leeds United: 831 points

Like Sunderland, Leeds United are back where they belong in the Premier League. The Whites are full of top flight history and still have their place on the all-time table after the success that they had in the early Premier League years. Their most successful campaign remains a third-place finish under David O’Leary in 2000 to bring Champions League football to Elland Road, as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Alan Smith all starred.

13 Leicester City: 846 points

It’s still absurd, isn’t it? Leicester City: Premier League champions. It remains the most impressive achievement in English football history, as the Foxes took the fight to the big six and somehow came out on top in the 2015/16 campaign. We’re unlikely to see a repeat anytime soon, if ever. Even after they suffered relegation last season, it’s tough to think about the Premier League without picturing Claudio Ranieri’s title winners.

12 Blackburn Rovers: 970 points

It’s been over a decade since Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the Premier League and they remain one of the biggest sides yet to earn promotion back to the top flight. From winning the title in the 1994/95 campaign, Blackburn were relegated in the 1998/99 season and then once more in 2012. History, however, will tell the story of how Sir Kenny Dalglish, with Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, took his side to glory in 95.

11 Southampton: 1,100 points

For a while, Southampton couldn’t get much wrong in the Premier League. They thrived under Mauricio Pochettino then hired Ronald Koeman to pick up where he left off. The Saints also quickly became Liverpool’s favourite club, with Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Virgil van Dijk all heading to Anfield for impressive fees. Although some will be quick to remember last season’s disaster, Southampton were once one of the best ball-playing teams outside the top six.

Game 1 of the New York Yankees-Los Angeles Dodgers World Series will be underway in a matter of hours. There's so much to discuss as these two blueboods square off in their first shared Fall Classic since 1981. Two incredible atmospheres will host all the drama as baseball crowns its ultimate champion.

Joey Votto was asked about the differences between playing in New York vs. playing in Los Angeles on , and his answer didn't disappoint.

"No disrespect to LA, but there is nothing like being in New York with a good Yankees team, at Yankee Stadium. There is nothing like it. I'll tell a quick story. I was in New York at the old stadium. First time. The roster was Jeter, A-Rod, Hideki Matsui, the roster was deep. It was the seventh inning and I was on the field up 3-1 thinking sort of thing. And all of the sudden you could just feel the energy of the crowd. This is a regular season game. You could feel the ghosts. There's no ghosts. I'm not a ghosts believer but you could feel the ghosts inside the stadium."

Votto added that with this Yankees roster replete with stars and the brightest lights descending on the Bronx that there's a chance to create a new aura there.

Time will tell. About a week's time.

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A manhã deste sábado (30) trará um gosto especial para os torcedores do Botafogo. O reencontro com a torcida será marcado com um treino aberto no Estádio Nilton Santos, sinalizando que a mobilização do grupo se estende à arquibancada.

Vindo de três resultados abaixo do esperado, a equipe de Bruno Lage tem um estímulo a mais para acreditar em uma reação no Campeonato Brasileiro. O mais recente treino aberto para os torcedores culminou em uma reação alvinegra.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

O Botafogo vinha fazendo uma campanha entre altos e baixos até que, antes da partida com o Corinthians, decidiu abrir a atividade para seus torcedores no Niltão. A reação em campo aconteceu prontamente: com gol de Rodrigo Lindoso, a equipe venceu o Timão por 1 a 0.

Depois, vieram mais vitórias nos confrontos com Flamengo, Chapecoense, Internacional e Paraná, além do empate em 1 a 1 com o Santos. Uma sequência que o Alvinegro precisa para retomar sua confiança no Brasileirão.

Porém, o desfecho da edição de 2018 deixa o alerta: na última rodada a equipe perdeu por 2 a 1 para o Atlético-MG e o sonho de classificação para a Libertadores escapou. O técnico Bruno Lage tem de deixar seus jogadores com atenção redobrada até o final.

Líder do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Botafogo vai a campo contra o Goiás no dia 2, uma segunda-feira, às 20h, no Niltão.