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Burnley will be striving to return to their Premier League glory days under Scott Parker with the Clarets once a top-flight regular when Sean Dyche was positioned at the helm.

Indeed, the former Turf Moor favourite even steered Burnley to a very impressive seventh place finish come the end of the 2016/17 season, before the close of his up-and-down reign at the club saw relegation down to the Championship served up.

Vincent Kompany failed in his efforts to reinstate Burnley as a Premier League staple when he was in charge, meaning Parker will now be hopeful he can buck the trend, especially if a number of new, impactful signings enter through the door to help him out.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Burnley's list of summer targets

Unfortunately, the majority of the transfer gossip coming out of Turf Moor currently involves outgoings rather than incomings, with CJ Egan-Riley reportedly closing in on a move away to RC Strasbourg.

But, there have been a few names in the air to excite Burnley fans regarding incomings, with Zian Flemming now a permanent part of Parker’s camp after a bright loan stint, alongside the newly promoted side showing a keen interest in the Swedish leagues when it comes to 20-year-old forward Abdoulie Manneh.

But, one of the freshest reports involving the Clarets sees them allegedly chasing down the services of £10m Union Berlin right-back Josip Juranovic alongside Daniel Farke’s Leeds United.

Journalist Graeme Bailey revealed a development recently, stating that Burnley are one of four Premier League clubs – which includes Fulham and West Ham United alongside the Whites and the Clarets – keeping close tabs on the attack-minded full-back.

Juranovic’s eye for an assist could see Burnley win their best option down the right flank since Kieran Trippier donned a Clarets strip, with the now Newcastle United man first earning his stripes in the Premier League on the books of the Lancashire side.

How Juranovic can be Burnley's best right-back since Trippier

It might well be forgotten about now that Trippier began his journey in the top-flight with the Clarets, considering his name is now synonymous with the elite division.

Indeed, the Magpies veteran has notched up a mammoth tally of 203 games in the Premier League, with a healthy 38 assists also coming his way across that stretch of clashes.

But, whilst his consistent heroics at St James’ Park have seen him win multiple England call-ups alongside lifting a solitary EFL Cup, his sturdiest overall career total of assists still stands with Burnley, with 37 coming his way from 185 games.

Juranovic will be aiming to come in and be as explosive down the right channel for Parker’s men, therefore, with the Zagreb-born defender already proving across his varied career to date that he can cut open a team for fun much like Trippier at his peak.

Looking at the table above, it’s clear Juranovic has been able to thrive when launched into some tough domestic divisions previously, with a high ten goal contributions coming his way from 62 games at his current employers in Berlin, alongside also starring in Scotland, Poland and his native Croatia.

Off the back of this, he should be able to come in and succeed in the Premier League, with his performances for Croatia on an international stage even seeing European football expert Zach Lowy label the 29-year-old as “immense.”

Further capable of lining up as a winger, a centre-back or a midfielder if needed, he could also be a perfect utility body for Parker to depend upon, away from potentially being Turf Moor’s second coming of Trippier.

Forget Egan-Riley: Burnley can find their next Mee in "unbelievable" star

Scott Parker could well have Burnley’s next Ben Mee with this defensive warrior.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 19, 2025

Leeds United have held internal talks to sign a £20m+ striker who Robbie Keane has compared to himself.

Leeds clinch Championship title thanks to late Solomon winner

The Whites won the Championship title on Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion after a late winner from Manor Solomon gave them a 2-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle.

Wilfried Gnonto cancelled out a Sam Byram own goal which gave the hosts the lead at half time before Solomon netted in stoppage time to give Daniel Farke’s side the trophy.

Both Leeds and Burnley ended up on 100 points for the season, and talking after his late heroics, Solomon said: “I can’t put into words what I’m feeling right now. It’s a dream come true for me to score the winning goal and to take this championship.

“I think throughout this season we showed that we deserve it, we deserve this trophy, we deserve to finish in the first spot and we’re super happy. I’m so glad it happened.”

Solomon has reportedly said yes to a permanent Leeds move, and more attacking reinforcements in the Premier League appear to be on the agenda for Leeds, despite scoring 95 goals in 46 Championship games.

Leeds make advances in move to sign "top-class" 243 career-goal striker

The Whites are in the hunt for attacking reinforcements.

2 BySean Markus Clifford May 3, 2025

Now, a new target has emerged to rival Championship Golden Boot winner Joel Piroe at Elland Road next season.

Leeds chasing move to sign £20m+ Troy Parrott

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are looking at a move to sign AZ Alkmaar centre-forward Troy Parrott this summer.

The Whites have held internal talks over a potential transfer but have yet to firm up their interest with an enquiry or offer to the Dutch side.

Signed from Tottenham, Parrott has been starring for AZ, scoring 20 goals in 2024/25, and an offer of up to €25m (£21.2m) could tempt them into selling.

Patrick Bamford is expected to leave Leeds, meaning Parrott, who is 23 years of age, could come in as his replacement at Elland Road.

Games

45

Goals

20

Assists

5

Minutes played

3,411

Interestingly, former Leeds forward Keane, now manager of Ferencváros, recently praised Parrott and said they are “similar” in playing styles.

“I have a lot of time for Troy. We are very similar in terms of how we play and also our upbringing. I completely respect what he is doing. I know he had a couple of loans, some did okay, but he is playing in Europe and for a really good team.

“You learn a lot more about yourself [at a European club]. When I went to Italy at 19, 20 years of age, even in that short space of time I learned a lot in terms of how to play.

“Look at Troy now, he is still young, still learning his trade. As a young player you have to go on these journeys. Take a few loans. Take a few hits and then go to a club where you feel valued and are the main guy.”

Now, a move back to the Premier League with Leeds could be one to keep an eye on for Parrott.

Manchester United played out a tame 0-0 draw at home to cross-city rivals Manchester City in the Premier League. The game was one of the more passive Manchester Derby clashes, with neither side having too many chances of note.

The first half went by with few moments to write home about. City’s best efforts came from long-range, with Phil Foden early on and Ilkay Gunodgan towards the end of the half, firing shots wide of Andre Onana’s goal. As for Ruben Amorim’s side, their best opportunity fell to Alejandro Garnacho. However, he squandered the chance, failing to fire Diogo Dalot’s cross into the back of the net.

The second half picked up slightly more, although each side was still fairly passive. Omar Marmoush saw two shots saved by Onana; one was a well-struck free kick, and the other was a ferocious volley that was parried away by the Cameroonian.

Joshua Zirkzee came close to scoring for United at the death. He hooked Patrick Dorgu’s cross goalward, and had it not been for an excellent reflex save from Ederson, the Dutchman might have won the game for his side.

As far as Manchester derbies go, this was not a memorable one. There were certainly some poor performances on the pitch, with Manuel Ugarte one player who struggled.

Ugarte’s stats vs. Man City

It is fair to say that Ugarte struggled to have any impact on the game against City. Too often, he dove into tackles but did not see much success in those. He also struggled to retain possession for United in midfield.

In fact, his stats from Sofascore suggest that he did struggle to control the game in the centre of the park. The Uruguay international made just 17 passes from 22 he attempted, a pass accuracy of just 77%. He also lost the ball seven times and won just two from six ground duels.

Samuel Luckhurst, writer for the Manchester Evening News, gave Ugarte a 5/10 for his efforts on Derby Day. The journalist was critical of his ability in possession, describing him as ‘erratic with the ball’ against City.

The former Sporting midfielder did go close for United in the second half, though. His volley from outside of the box was sweetly struck but ended up going wide of Ederson’s left-hand post without troubling him.

It was certainly a tough day at the office for the United number 25, although he was not the only player who struggled against their East Mancunian rivals.

The other United player who struggled vs. Man City

It has been a tough season for Rasmus Hojlund, with Sunday afternoon’s clash against the Citizens summing that up in many ways. The Dane really struggled to impact the game and barely had any involvement throughout the 71 minutes he was on the pitch.

Indeed, the stats really reflect just how tough he found it at a sunny Old Trafford. Hojlund had just 15 touches in that time and completed just seven passes from an attempted nine, a 78% accuracy. He also lost the ball four times.

Hojlund stats vs. Man City

Stat

Number

Touches

15

Pass accuracy

78%

Passes completed

7/9

Number of times ball lost

4

Duels won

1/4

Shots

0

Stats from Sofascore

Luckhurst also seemed to think the United number nine struggled against City. He gave Hojlund a 4/10 for his performances, the lowest of any United player. He explained that the Dane ‘showed why he has to be replaced up front in the summer’, a scathing assessment indeed.

With a huge game next up in the Europa League for United, Amorim will need to get his selection right. They face a trip to French side Lyon, who pose a tough challenge, and Hojlund’s recent form may well leave him with a selection headache.

Zirkzee seems to be the only viable option to replace Hojlund in the starting lineup, given that Chido Obi is unavailable in the Europa League. The Dutchman will certainly bring technical excellence and the ability to link up play.

It is a big call for Amorim, who cannot afford to lose this tie; it certainly feels like United’s whole season rests on their European campaign. Perhaps rotating Hojlund out of the side for Thursday is the right call, given his tough run of form in recent weeks.

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Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Apr 6, 2025

Former England batter dies at home in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-20252:30

Remembering Robin Smith

Robin Smith, the former England batter who went toe-to-toe with some of the greatest fast bowlers of the 1980s and 90s, has died at his home in Australia at the age of 62.Smith played 62 Tests between 1988 and 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at 43.67 with nine centuries, including three against West Indies – the team that so often brought out his pugnacious best.Smith’s signature shot was a front-foot square cut that was, by many estimations, one of the fiercest strokes in the world game, and it enabled him to thrive in cricket’s adrenalin-fuelled fast lane. This was especially true on England’s memorable tour of the Caribbean in 1990, when Smith was instrumental in England’s victory in the first Test in Jamaica, and again on home soil in consecutive 2-2 drawn series against West Indies in 1991 and 1995.At Edgbaston in 1993, Smith produced a remarkable innings of 167 not out in an ODI against Australia, a score which would remain England’s highest in the format for 23 years, until surpassed by Alex Hales in 2016.However, his perceived weakness against spin counted against him at key moments of his career, in particular with the emergence of Australia’s Shane Warne, whose success in his maiden Ashes tour in 1993 persuaded the selectors to omit Smith from England’s subsequent visit to Australia 18 months later.Ironically, Smith and Warne became lifelong friends – a relationship that was central to Warne’s decision to sign for Hampshire in the latter years of his career.Born in South Africa in 1963, Smith was brought up to be a professional cricketer, and would spend hours honing his technique in the bespoke cricket net that his father built at the family home in Durban, and in which Barry Richards and Mike Procter counted among his practice partners.Richards’ own connections with Hampshire had, in turn, persuaded the club to take a punt on his two young neighbours. Smith’s elder brother Chris would also go on to play for England after emigrating from South Africa in the early 1980s, but Robin’s debut – against West Indies at Headingley in 1988 – was the more eagerly anticipated of the two.Robin Smith on his way to 90 against West Indies at Lord’s, 1995•Getty ImagesIn a sign of things to come, his maiden innings comprised a century stand with his fellow South African import, Allan Lamb – another great player of West Indian fast bowling – only for England to collapse to a ten-wicket defeat at the hands of Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall and Courtney Walsh.Smith was still arguably in his pomp at the age of 32 when he played his final Test, against his former countrymen South Africa at Cape Town, at the end of a disappointing 1-0 series loss in January 1996. With England’s supremo, Ray Illingworth, keen to usher in a new generation, Smith was bracketed with England’s older guard and cast aside, despite boasting a batting average that – of the players with whom his career overlapped – only David Gower and Graham Thorpe could better.Post-career, Smith’s struggles with alcoholism were poignantly addressed in his 2019 autobiography, The Judge: More Than Just A Game. However, only last week, he attended the first Ashes Test in Perth, and spoke widely to the media about his ongoing recovery. He also attended an England Lions training session at Lilac Hill at the invitation of Andrew Flintoff.A statement from his family confirmed that Smith had died unexpectedly in his South Perth apartment on Monday, and that the cause of death is unknown.”Since his retirement from the game in 2004 [Robin’s] battles with alcohol and mental health have been well-documented but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death which will be determined at postmortem investigation,” the statement added.”This is an immensely difficult period for us all whilst we try to come to terms with our bereavement, and we would therefore much appreciate consideration for our privacy by media and cricket followers alike.”ECB Chair Richard Thompson said: “Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world, meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience. He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride, and no shortage of entertainment.”He was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993.”His record at Hampshire is exemplary, and he’ll be remembered rightly as a great of Hampshire CCC. We’re desperately sad to learn of his passing, and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends, family and loved ones.”

And how rare is it for a batter to be dismissed for 99 and 0 as Harry Brook was?

Steven Lynch01-Jul-2025India lost the first Test against England despite having five individual centurions. Has this ever happened before? asked Krishna Saha from Bangladesh, and many others
India’s feat of losing the first Test against England at Headingley last week is not only unique in Test cricket, it has never happened before in more than 63,000 matches in all first-class cricket.There was only one previous case of a team scoring four centuries in a Test but losing. This was by Australia in a timeless match against England in Melbourne in 1928-29. That included 112 from Don Bradman, his maiden century, in his second Test.There have been 11 further instances of a team scoring three individual hundreds in a Test but losing.Rishabh Pant scored two centuries in the first Test in England. How many wicketkeepers have done this in Tests? asked Mark McKenzie from Scotland
That stunning double of 134 and 118 by Rishabh Pant in the first Test against England at Headingley last week was only the second time anyone has scored twin centuries in a Test match in which he was also the designated wicketkeeper.The other one was Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower, with 142 and 199 not out against South Africa in Harare in 2001.Pant was the seventh man to score two centuries in a Test for India (Sunil Gavaskar achieved the feat three times, and Rahul Dravid twice), but the first to do it against England. The only other player to score two centuries in a Test at Headingley was Shai Hope of West Indies in 2017. Jonny Bairstow (against India at Edgbaston in 2022) and Kumar Sangakkara (twice) also achieved the feat, but not in matches in which they kept wicket.Harry Brook scored 99 and 0 in the first Test. How rare is this? asked Orlando Coelho from India
The England batter Harry Brook followed up his 99 in the first innings at Headingley last week with a first-ball duck in the second. He’s only the fifth man to be out for 99 and 0 in the same Test, following Pankaj Roy (India against Australia in Delhi in 1959), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan vs England in Karachi in 1973), Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan vs West Indies in Bridgetown in 2017) and Babar Azam (Pakistan vs Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2018).Two other men have made 0 and 99 not out in the same Test: Geoffrey Boycott for England against Australia in Perth in 1979, and Andrew Hall for South Africa vs England at Headingley in 2003.Only four other batters before Harry Brook have been dismissed for 99 and 0 in the same Test•Getty ImagesIndia’s first-innings 471 at Headingley included three individual centurions. Was this the lowest total to include three hundreds (and three ducks!)? asked Sandeep Koparde from India
You’re right that India’s 471 at Headingley last week was the lowest completed Test innings to contain three individual centuries. The previous mark was South Africa’s 475 against England in Centurion in 2016 (Stephen Cook 115 on debut, Hashim Amla 109 and Quinton de Kock 129 not out). Australia’s 494 all out against England at Headingley in 1926 also contained three individual centuries, as did West Indies’ 497 against India in Kolkata late in 2002.Leaving aside the all-out stipulation, the lowest Test total to include three hundreds is South Africa’s 393 for 3 declared against England at Lord’s in 2008.The highest Test total to include three dismissals for ducks is Afghanistan’s 699 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2024. There were also three individual centuries (two of them over 200).I heard that Dilip Doshi once had figures of 8-7-1-1 in a one-day game in England but was dropped for the next match. Is this correct? asked Rahman Ashwini from India
Remarkably, it is true. Dilip Doshi, the left-arm spinner who sadly died last week aged 77, was playing for Nottinghamshire in 1977. He conceded only a single in his eight overs as Northamptonshire were skittled for 43 in their Sunday League game at Wantage Road in June.Their next match in the competition was against Kent at Canterbury a fortnight later. Doshi recounted in his entertaining autobiography Spin Punch: “I changed at around 12.30 for the two o’clock start, but was informed ‘Thank you, but Kenny Watson is playing in this one.’ I was aghast. After all, I had won them the last match. Kent players such as Derek Underwood could hardly believe this.”The explanation seems to be that Nottinghamshire had three overseas players on their books – Doshi, the South African allrounder Clive Rice, and Watson, another seamer from South Africa – and only two could play in any game. According to Doshi, “Rice felt there was no place for the slow bowler in limited-overs cricket, and he sold this idea to the cricket committee.”Doshi was a late starter in Test cricket, mainly because the left-arm spinner role in the Indian team was held down for many years by Bishan Singh Bedi. Doshi finally got a chance in 1979-80, when he was nearly 32. He still finished with 114 Test wickets: at the time he was only the second bowler (after Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett) to make it to 100 after making his debut when over 30. They have since been joined by Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan), Ryan Harris (Australia), Mohammad Rafique (Bangladesh) and Bruce Yardley (Australia).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Steven Smith issued an ominous warning to England ahead of the Ashes, slamming 118 for New South Wales in his first game of cricket in more than two months.Fresh off a six-week stint in New York where he didn’t pick up a bat, Smith looked in imperious touch as he helped NSW to 349 for 5 in the Sheffield Shield against Queensland.Related

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After the opening day’s play at the Gabba was washed out through rain, Kurtis Patterson also hit 122 while youngster Will Salzmann impressed with 65 while opening.The only sour point for NSW was Sam Konstas being bowled middle stump for 10, leaving a ball from left-armer Hayden Kerr that angled straight into his wickets.Konstas is now essentially no chance of retaining his spot as Australia’s opener, and could benefit from a summer out of the spotlight in the Shield.But there is no question mark over Smith’s form heading into the first Test in Perth on November 21, where he will captain Australia in place of the injured Pat Cummins.Smith played out 21 dot balls to start his innings on Wednesday, but from the moment he on-drove Sam Skelly to the boundary to get off the mark, the right-hander looked on.A flurry of drives and pull shots followed, with the 36-year-old treating the Gabba as his playground and looking every bit at his best three weeks out from the first Test.Sam Konstas was bowled by Hayden Kerr•Getty Images

Some 86 of his runs came in boundaries, including a big six down the ground of Mitchell Swepson when he charged the legspinner and took him on.Three boundaries came in three balls at one stage off quick James Bazley, with the first two crunches through the covers and the last a classic straight drive.Once renowned for being a cricket nuffy who perhaps trained too much, Smith insisted last week he now needed only two hits in the nets to prepare for a summer.And by the time he drove Tom Straker to bring up his century off 158 balls on Wednesday, the proof of that was clear and England had been put on notice.Smith was eventually well caught by Matt Renshaw at gully, but by then he looked well placed to set himself up for a big Ashes summer.Arguably Australia’s best-performing batter in Ashes history aside from Don Bradman, Smith has hit 12 career centuries against England and averages 56.01.His runs on Wednesday came as England’s ODI side collapsed on Wednesday across the Tasman, all out for 175 in a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand.Smith’s century also overshadowed the superb innings of Patterson. The former Test batter found form following a lean start to the Shield season, after his late-career revival last summer was one of the best stories of Australian cricket.Patterson cover-drove superbly and hit 14 boundaries in total, before being caught behind trying to drive Marnus Labuschagne late in the day.For NSW to win this match they will likely need to score big and only bat once, while Queensland’s hopes are effectively gone through Smith and Patterson’s 202-run third-wicket stand.

A new report from Spain has underlined the steps Real Madrid are prepared to take as they aim to recover Franco Mastantuono after he was diagnosed with pubalgia, the same injury that has plagued Lamine Yamal in recent weeks. The Argentine youngster was ruled out ahead of the clash against Liverpool last week, with no recovery timeline in sight at the moment. However, Los Blancos remain calm regarding his situation.

Mastantuono diagnosed with pubalgia after solid start at Madrid

Ever since arriving from River Plate in a blockbuster €45 million ($53m/£39m) deal, Mastantuono has made quite a place for himself amongst the Real Madrid faithful. The Argentine prodigy made his debut in the first game of the season against Osasuna, coming on as a substitute for the final 22 minutes. Since then, he played in eight La Liga games and three Champions League games, starting in nine of those games and staking his claim for the right wing position. 

Even though he scored just one goal and delivered one assist, his all-round game, ability to find spaces, his drive and hunger, and unparalleled determination made him a unique profile within head coach Xabi Alonso's setup. 

However, he suffered his first setback as a Real Madrid player ahead of the Champions League trip to Liverpool last week. The club confirmed that Mastantuono had been diagnosed with pubalgia, the same injury Lamine Yamal has been facing struggles with for the past few weeks. Subsequently, he missed the clash against Rayo Vallecano over the weekend, with no recovery timeline in sight. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMadrid's plan to recover Mastantuono

However, Spanish publication have revealed the steps Los Blancos are set to take to ensure Mastantuono's recovery is as smooth as possible. Mastantuono’s battle with pubalgia has been dragging on for several weeks, though his first official absence only came against Liverpool. No one at Real Madrid is setting a recovery date, not even the medical staff. His progress will depend entirely on how he feels each morning. For now, the Argentine teenager continues his recovery away from the pitch, with cautious optimism that he could return to light training during the international break.

His modest returns despite being the player with the 10th most minutes in the squad concern neither the player nor the club. This stage is viewed as part of his natural progression, and his reduced involvement prior to injury is considered a normal developmental phase, not a setback.

Inside Valdebebas, Real Madrid’s staff often cite the examples of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Federico Valverde, and Endrick as reminders that young stars need time to adapt. All of them arrived at a similar age and initially went through gradual integration. By comparison, Mastantuono’s first months are seen as a success, validating the club’s long-term plan for his development.

Emphasis on strengthening Mastantuono's lower body

During the recovery period, heavy emphasis will be placed on physical conditioning. When Mastantuono first broke through at River Plate, he was full of natural talent but lacked physical power. Under the club’s supervision, he followed a strict regimen designed to build muscle mass while maintaining agility. Working closely with trainers, he gained around 10 kilograms of muscle in a controlled way, ensuring his style of play remained fluid, dynamic, and explosive.

At Madrid, his physical recuperation is expected to continue with a different focus. The priority is no longer upper-body strength but lower-body power and core stability – key areas for preventing the kind of muscular issues that often affect explosive players like him. The training program aims to enhance balance, acceleration, and endurance while reinforcing the area most affected by his current groin injury.

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AFPMadrid determined to transform Mastantuono into world-beater

Pubalgia is notoriously persistent, but both player and medical staff view this pause as an opportunity for healing. The recovery process will be gradual: rebuilding strength, resuming ball work, and only then returning to full team training.

In Madrid, there’s no sense of panic. Only confidence. Mastantuono’s injury is seen not as a setback but as another step in his long-term evolution. The plan remains the same as ever: progress carefully, stay patient, and prepare one of football’s brightest young talents for the demands of the elite game. 

Both the ongoing season and Mastantuono's career have a long way to go. The Argentine international has given enough demonstration about his capabilities in the full whites of Los Blancos, and it goes without saying that he will become a key fixture for Alonso upon his recovery. For Mastantuono, another driving force is the chance to break into Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad for next year’s World Cup – a stage that could symbolize the passing of the torch from Lionel Messi to a new generation.

Temba Bavuma hailed South Africa’s “incredible achievement” as they completed a 2-0 clean sweep over India, winning their first series in the country in 25 years. Bavuma, who was part of the squad when South Africa lost 3-0 in India in 2019 – and 3-0 in 2015 – said the victory tasted even “sweeter” as he knows the feeling of being “on the other side of the result.””It’s not every day that you get to think that you can come to India and walk away with a 2-0 series win,” Bavuma said after South Africa trounced India in Guwahati by 408 runs, their second-highest margin of victory ever by runs. “I think what makes it sweeter as well for some of us within the group is the fact that we’ve been on the other side of the result.South Africa, the reigning World Test Champions, have been on an incredible run in Test cricket in the last year and a bit. Since August 2024, they have lost only one out of 15 Tests, with Bavuma winning all of his 12 Tests as captain. According to Bavuma, the positive change in mindset and “guys wanting to be the men for the team” have been the biggest reasons behind South Africa’s recent success.Related

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“There’s a big shift in our mindset in terms of what we want to do when we’re out there on the field of play,” Bavuma said. “We want to play what is in front of us and adapt accordingly. Guys go out there quite clear on their roles and what they’re trying to do. There’s a strong sense in each other that anyone on their day can do it for the team. As a captain, sometimes it’s very hard to take the ball out of the bowler’s hands. Everyone wants to continue bowling and you see it with the batting as well.”We don’t have the guys who go on and score big 150s and all, but we’ll have four or five different guys going on to score 60s and 70s. I can go on forever about the team, but I feel like the team is in a good space.”

‘Struggled to take the ball out of Harmer and Maharaj’s hands’

Bavuma also heaped praise on his two premier spinners, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, particularly pointing out the competitiveness between the two, which in turn has boded well for the team. That South Africa won the Test series with Kagiso Rabada out due to injury impressed Bavuma even more.”Simon, as a spinner, as a player, he’s got the wealth of experience,” Bavuma said. “He complements Keshav quite well. A little bit on the taller side, a bit more guile with the ball. What I appreciate is the competitiveness between the two. They are the two guys that I have struggled to take the ball out of their hands.Simon Harmer and Aiden Markram celebrate Rishabh Pant’s wicket•Associated Press

“Simon was the man for us in this series. We’re so used to Kesh being that guy. We’re in a good space from a bowling point of view. A guy like Simon, Kesh as well on his days, them stepping up, having lost a guy like KG [Rabada] who was a big player for us, again speaks about the need for the guys to want to do it for the team.”For Harmer, this was a sweet comeback after ten years. Having toured India back in 2015, with limited returns, he finished the two-match series with 17 wickets in four innings at an incredible average of 8.94 and said he will now go back with “a lot more fond memories”.”It’s been a long road,” Harmer said after winning the Player-of-the-Series award. “Ten years later, back here, completely different feelings. I’m going to leave with a lot more fond memories than I did the last time but I think as a whole, as a team, for us to leave here 2-0, that was always the goal. And for us to get over the line against a very good Indian team, I think it was a hell of an effort.”Despite an incredible series, Harmer is not guaranteed a place in the starting XI, with Maharaj being South Africa’s preferred spinner, particularly at home.”Keshav’s record speaks for itself. He’s an incredible bowler and he deserves to be the number one spinner,” he said. “I’m very happy playing the supporting role and if the opportunity presents itself for me to play, I try and take it with both hands. At the end of the day, I just need to make sure that I’m getting better, keep trying to evolve, keep trying to get better.”

Cal Raleigh is re-writing the record books once again—this time for the Mariners.

Raleigh hit his 57th home run of the season off Astros pitcher Framber Valdez on Saturday, and now passes Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. for the franchise's single-season home run record.

Griffey Jr., a Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star that played for Seattle from 1989-99 and 2009-10, hit 56 home runs in a season for the Mariners in both 1997 and 1998. Now, Raleigh has passed that mark and his 57 long balls are tied for the 17th-most in a single season by any player in MLB history.

Earlier this week, Raleigh tied Griffey Jr.'s record and also broke Mickey Mantle's record for the most home runs in a single season by a switch-hitter. Mantle hit 54 home runs in 1961 to set the record, and over 60 years later, Raleigh has broken that mark and become the second switch-hitter to surpass 50 home runs in a season.

Along with these records, Raleigh previously broke Salvador Perez's record for most home runs in a season by a catcher. Perez hit 48 home runs in 2021, and Raleigh surpassed that nearly a month ago.

أعلنت وزارة الشباب والرياضة عن تحويل حادث وفاة السباح الطفل يوسف محمد، لاعب نادي الزهور، إلى النيابة العامة، وذلك بعد متابعة دقيقة للواقعة ومراجعة المعلومات الأولية المتعلقة بها.

ويأتي هذا القرار في إطار حرص الوزارة على ضمان تحقيق شفاف في ملابسات الحادث ومراجعة تطبيق الكود الطبي المعتمد.

وفي سياق متصل، طلبت الوزارة من الاتحاد المصري للسباحة إعداد تقرير عاجل وشامل حول الواقعة، كما أصدر وزير الشباب والرياضة قرارًا بتشكيل لجنة متخصصة تضم ممثلين عن الشؤون القانونية، اللجنة الطبية العليا، الأداء الرياضي والرقابة الداخلية، لمراجعة الإجراءات الطبية والفنية والإدارية المتبعة داخل النادي، والتأكد من الالتزام بالكود الطبي الخاص بالأنشطة الرياضية والمنافسات داخل الأندية ومراكز الشباب.

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ويتابع الدكتور أشرف صبحي عن كثب تداعيات هذه الحادثة المؤلمة، مؤكداً أن الوزارة لن تتهاون في اتخاذ كل الإجراءات اللازمة لحفظ حقوق اللاعبين وضمان تطبيق معايير السلامة داخل الأندية ومراكز الشباب، مشدداً على أن سلامة الرياضيين تأتي على رأس أولويات الدولة.

وفي ختام التصريحات، قدّم الدكتور أشرف صبحي، وزير الشباب والرياضة، تعازيه الحارة لأسرة السباح الراحل، داعياً الله أن يتغمده برحمته ويُلهم أهله وذويه الصبر والسلوان.