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Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have entered a high-stakes battle for Anderlecht’s 17-year-old prodigy Nathan De Cat. The Belgian youth international has risen rapidly from academy standout to first-team regular, attracting top clubs with his tactical intelligence and dominant performances. With his contract running until 2027, De Cat has become the centre of a transfer race between the two Bundesliga giants.

• Bayern and Dortmund move for Nathan De Cat

  Few teenagers in Europe have generated as much momentum as De Cat, and both Bayern and Dortmund see him as a midfielder worth acting early for. According to , both clubs have formally intensified their monitoring, sending scouts to multiple matches this season as the 17-year-old has grown into a permanent starter at Anderlecht. However, they are just two of a number of top teams keeping track of him.

  Bayern transfer bosses Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are leading the charge. They admire De Cat’s tactical maturity, his ability to dictate tempo from deep and his imposing frame, a combination they believe could make him a long-term successor to Leon Goretzka or a future anchor in Vincent Kompany’s midfield. Bayern’s interest is not casual; they have already placed him near the top of their long-term recruitment list.

  Dortmund, known for identifying elite young talent before their peak, view De Cat with equal urgency. Aware of Bayern’s push, they consider the Belgian a perfect fit for their tradition of developing high-ceiling midfielders who can thrive in a fast, transitional system. Their scouting department has followed De Cat since his Europa League debut at 16, and the club is prepared to compete aggressively for his signature.

  Neither club has made a formal bid yet as Anderlecht’s stance remains strong. But both Bayern and Dortmund have moved beyond preliminary monitoring and into serious evaluation, convinced they are chasing one of Europe’s next top midfielders.

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• AFP
  

  From Mechelen to Anderlecht: The rise of Nathan De Cat

  De Cat’s journey began at KV Mechelen, but Anderlecht quickly spotted his potential and at just 10 years old he entered one of Europe’s most respected academies.

  He progressed through the system at exceptional speed. By February 2024, only 15 years old, he made his professional debut for RSCA Futures, becoming one of the youngest players ever to appear in Belgian professional football. Months earlier, in October 2023, he had already signed his first senior contract. And in February 2025, at 16 years and seven months, he stepped onto the pitch in the Europa League, displaying a calmness and maturity that belied his age.

  During his time with Anderlecht's youth academy, the Belgian midfielder played 33 games in which he scored three goals and registered four assists. His defensive recovery numbers and positional discipline are unusually advanced for a teenager, underpinning his reputation as a deep-lying playmaker with exceptional tactical instincts.

  His breakthrough moment arrived in May 2025, when he scored his first professional goal during the Belgian Pro League Champions’ Playoff against Royal Antwerp.

  Now a full member of Anderlecht’s first team, he has already made 14 league appearances this season, adding one goal and one assist to his name. With a U-17 World Cup call-up reinforcing his upward trajectory, De Cat enters the next phase of his development with major opportunities opening around him and Europe’s top clubs watching closely.

• How De Cat fits in Bayern and Dortmund squad

  The 17-year-old brings a blend of qualities that both Bayern and Dortmund rarely find in one teenager which includes tactical intelligence, composure, physicality, and elite ball circulation. His profile allows him to slot naturally into either system.

  At Bayern, Kompany’s philosophy revolves around dominant possession, vertical progression and structured build-up. The coach has already demonstrated his ability to elevate young talents, with Lennart Karl a recent example of a youth player transformed into a reliable contributor under his watch. For De Cat, working under Kompany, a coach proven at guiding young defenders and midfielders, would offer a clear developmental pathway.

  At Dortmund, the appeal lies in their high-tempo, vertical, pressing-heavy style. De Cat’s strong ball-winning instincts, sharp passing under pressure and quick decision-making may make him an ideal fit as the tempo-controller behind Dortmund’s attacking midfielders. 

  In both environments, De Cat would not just be another academy signing, he would be viewed as a long-term starting midfielder. That is precisely why Bayern and Dortmund have accelerated their pursuit.

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• AFP
  

  Anderlecht’s season and De Cat’s path to prominence

  Anderlecht’s 2025-26 campaign has given De Cat an ideal stage. Sitting third in the Belgian Pro League, with seven wins and four draws, the club are well-placed in the championship playoffs.

  To cement his prominence this season, De Cat must continue refining the aspects that define elite midfielders: maintaining high passing accuracy, dictating tempo more consistently, and adding more verticality to his play. Anderlecht want him to evolve into a central figure capable of leading both defensive structure and offensive build-up.

  The club’s long-term plan is clear with De Cat viewed as a future cornerstone of Anderlecht’s midfield. They resisted releasing him initially for the U-17 World Cup because of his importance to their domestic campaign which further points to how much responsibility they already place on his shoulders.

Bangladesh have also dropped Mohammad Naim after a string of low scores

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2025

Mehidy Hasan Miraz made a brief comeback to Bangladesh’s T20I team but failed to make an impact•AFP/Getty Images

The Bangladesh selectors have recalled wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan and allrounder Saif Hassan in the senior men’s squad for the Asia Cup next month. There was however no place for Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mohammad Naim, who were both part of the Bangladesh side that beat Pakistan 2-1 last month.The same 16-member squad will play in the three-match T20I series against the Netherlands starting on August 30. Mehidy would have missed the Netherlands matches due to personal reasons, but he also lost his place for the Asia Cup. Mehidy, the new ODI captain, returned to the T20I side after Bangladesh’s 2-1 defeat against UAE, but didn’t make a big impact. He has been named among the four standby players.Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Naim couldn’t convert his domestic T20 form into international runs. He had scores of 32*, 3 and 10 in the three T20Is against Pakistan. Naim also didn’t perform well enough for Bangladesh A side in the Top End T20s in Darwin, Australia.Nurul’s last T20I was in the World Cup in 2022, when he made just 41 runs in five innings. He gained better form during the 2024-25 season in which he scored 513 runs at a strike rate of 132.90 across the Bangladesh Premier League, National Cricket League and the Global Super League. The 31-year-old Nurul had also led Rangpur Riders to the inaugural GSL title in 2024.Both Nurul and Saif are playing the Top End T20s. Saif struck a half-century against the Pakistan Shaheens, and 45 against the Melbourne Stars Academy. Nurul got couple of thirties in the five matches.Related

No Babar, Rizwan in Pakistan squad for Asia Cup

Vikramjit back in Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Asia Cup: India-Pakistan set to go ahead after Indian government clarifies stance

Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam and Hasan Mahmud are the others on the standby list.Bangladesh will play the three T20Is against Netherlands on August 30, and September 1 and 3. Their Asia Cup campaign starts against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on September 11.Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup and Netherlands T20Is:Litton Das (capt, wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad SaifuddinIN: Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan
OUT: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Naim

ساهم ريان شرقي صانع ألعاب مانشستر سيتي في فوز فريقه على سندرلاند بثلاثية نظيفة على ملعب الاتحاد في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وارتفع رصيد مانشستر سيتي للنقطة 31 في المركز الثاني، خلف صاحب المركز الأول آرسنال بـ33 نقطة.

اقرأ أيضاً.. رجل مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسندرلاند في الدوري الإنجليزي

وقال شرقي في تصريحات نشرتها “سيتي إكسترا” عن تمريرة الرابونا الحاسمة لـ فودين: “سمعت رد فعل الجماهير، إنها فقط من أجل الجماهير لأنني أريد إسعاد الآخرين”.

وأضاف :”أريد أن ألعب مع فيل فودين وعمر مرموش وإيرلينج هالاند، اللعب بحرية؟ هذه هي موهبتي، أريد بذل قصارى جهدي كلما امتلكت الكرة، اليوم كان الأمر جيداً لأن التمريرة كانت جيدة لفودين”.

Kagiso Rabada’s performance at Lord’s was exactly what is expected of a big player in a big match

Firdose Moonda11-Jun-20251:11

Steyn: Why Rabada proved key to Australia’s collapse

Kagiso Rabada insisted he would not be “Mr I Apologise too much” after his recreational drug ban and showed he has nothing to be sorry about when it comes to his bowling. His performance at Lord’s was exactly what is expected of a big player in a big match: intimidating, incisive, and laced with unplayable deliveries that cut through the opposition.In the immediate aftermath of day one of the WTC final, you may read that line and think it’s more suited to the Australia attack given the way things ended, but save some headspace for a nod on how it started.Rabada set the tone with the very first ball. It jagged away from Usman Khawaja and beat his outside edge. For the next three overs, Khawaja did not even attempt to score a run as Rabada tested him with “pace, bounce and movement”, the three things the man himself says are his best attributes. The trick is not simply having them, it’s “doing those things consistently”, as Rabada put it in the post-match press conference.Related

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He didn’t concede a run until his 20th ball when Marnus Labuschagne managed to tuck him away to square leg. Next ball, Rabada squared Khawaja up, drew his edge, and David Bedingham took a fine catch at first slip. Rabada was away. Three balls later, Cameron Green went the same way and South Africa, through Rabada, were bossing the early exchanges.The wickets are what will get him on the honours board but it was some of the deliveries in between that really wowed. In the second over of his second spell, Rabada bisected Beau Webster with a ball that hit the seam, snuck through his bat-pad gap, and passed just over the top of the middle stump. Then there was the wicket which should have been. Full and fast, Rabada hit Webster, on 4, on the back pad and half-appealed with no support.South Africa must have heard a hard sound, as Webster hit his own pad, and thought it was an inside edge. They didn’t push the issue but replays showed it was plumb.Rabada found out moments later. “Corbin Bosch came down to fine leg and he said it was out and I was like, ‘oh man’. It is a bit annoying,” Rabada said. “He didn’t start off too well there. It looked like he was going to get out any ball, but his positive intent got him through. Cricket’s a funny game.”1:45

‘Pretty cool to have it in the home changeroom’ – Rabada on his 5-fer

In the next over, Rabada beat Webster’s inside and outside edges and he’s right in saying it looked as though a nick-off was imminent. It came, but only much later. That Webster survived that spell from Rabada makes his 72 even more deserving and asks questions of whether the change bowlers in South Africa’s attack, especially Lungi Ngidi, backed up their new-ball pair well enough.Ngidi’s eight overs cost 45 runs and he looked rusty. That South Africa picked him over Dane Paterson, who came off an excellent home summer and has 180 wickets at an average of 23 for Nottinghamshire, remains questionable but Rabada was never going to be the one to answer for that. Asked if he’d have any advice for Ngidi, he said he would, “just tell him to have a good night’s sleep, have a nice steak and a nice milkshake, watch a movie and come back tomorrow”.Rabada didn’t say it, but he and Ngidi will hope they don’t have too much to do on the second day. If they do, they will want to do it more like Rabada did.ESPNcricinfo LtdHis final riposte was to run through the Australia tail with precision. He got one to straighten on Pat Cummins, who exposed his off stump and was bowled, removed Webster, and bowled Mitchell Starc to complete his second successive five-for at Lord’s.Rabada was received by former captain Graeme Smith, who is working as a commentator, on the boundary edge and was hugged before he was interviewed. The emotion was obvious. Rabada described his achievement as “really special” and quickly deflected the attention off himself and on to the bigger picture. “It means a lot for me to play for South Africa, I give my all each and every time.”Does it mean more than equalling Allan Donald on South Africa’s Test wicket-takers’ list? Though Rabada called Donald “a legend” when speaking to Smith and said afterwards that he was “inspired by those who’ve come before”, there is a distinct sense that this will mean a lot less if South Africa don’t walk away with something from this game. Especially as they got themselves off to an excellent start and sent hope soaring in what felt like a home crowd.Kagiso Rabada acknowledges the crowd’s support after his five-for•ICC via Getty ImagesWith South Africans filling the stands, Rabada received applause and his own version of the Seven Nation Army chant. Ninety minutes later, there was silence as Wiaan Mulder and Temba Bavuma barely scored a run. That swing in South Africa’s fortunes has already made this Test gripping.”In Test cricket there’s always nerves,” Rabada said. “Dealing with it is about understanding what the bottom line is, and the bottom line is if you’re a bowler, try to bowl a good line and length; as a batter, it’s about keeping the good ball out and scoring off it or scoring off balls that are not quite there and missed executions from the bowler. That’s the bottom line. So everything else is just noise.”South Africa’s bottom line at the end of day one is that even after Rabada did Rabada things, they were 169 runs behind and four of their top five have been dismissed. The captain and the lower-middle order have a massive task on their hands on a surface that is doing a lot, and seemed to do more once the clouds had cleared. All Rabada can do now is look for reasons that might change, for his batters’ sake.”The ball was nipping quite a bit and at times moving off the slope quite a lot, but I still felt like batters could get in,” he said. “If you just bowled well and got more balls in the right area for a long period of time, then that’s when you could create chances. But with this ball getting older, hopefully we can score some runs.”

Trinity Rodman has received a contract offer from DC Power of the Gainbridge Super League that reportedly exceeds what the Washington Spirit or the NWSL can match. The U.S. forward’s contract with the Spirit expires next month, and negotiations over an extension have stalled. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed her league will fight to keep the American star.

ImagnSubstantial contract offer

Multiple outlets report that Rodman’s representatives have spoken directly with Berman while also holding discussions with European clubs. According to , they are evaluating an offer from DC Power that exceeds what the Spirit can provide under the league’s salary cap. Negotiations have reached an impasse because NWSL teams are unable to match offers from clubs operating outside the cap structure.

Berman stressed in her NWSL Final presser on Thursday that the league hopes to retain the star forward. 

"We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her," she said. 

Rodman has more than delivered during her time in NWSL, scoring 23 goals. The 23-year-old is also reportedly drawing interest from European clubs. 

AdvertisementImagnSalary cap debate intensifies amid competition

The situation highlights a key structural difference between the two leagues. The Super League, sanctioned as a Division I competition and operated by the USL, does not use a salary cap or player draft, giving clubs full control over roster building and allowing all players to become free agents when their contracts expire.

That stands in contrast with the NWSL’s hard salary cap – set at $3.3 million per team for 2026 and not expected to reach $5 million until 2030 under the current CBA – which limits how much clubs can offer in contract negotiations. Berman defended the NWSL's use of a salary cap and pointed to the league's growth in its current number. 

"The NWSL has raised the salary cap tremendously in the last four seasons, almost quadrupled in the last four years," she said. 

ImagnRodman decision represents watershed moment

The outcome of Rodman’s contract negotiations is expected to influence future deals for top American players. In recent years, several high-profile U.S. players have moved abroad – including Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, as well as Naomi Girma and Lindsey Horan – and Rodman now represents one of the most closely watched cases.

Unlike those players, Rodman has a domestic alternative capable of outbidding her current league. The Spirit and DC Power share facilities owned by D.C. United, and the Power also share ownership ties with the MLS club, creating an unusual scenario in which Rodman could remain in the same market while moving to a different league.

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Getty Images SportChampionship match outcome precedes decisive offseason

Rodman will first focus on leading the Washington Spirit in Saturday's NWSL Championship in San Jose before making any decisions about her future. 

Bryan Mbeumo arrived at Manchester United with huge expectations from the fanbase, after the hierarchy forked out a whopping £71m, including add-ons for his signature.

The Cameroonian has already matched those expectations in the Premier League, as seen by his tally of five goals within his first nine encounters at Old Trafford.

His latest showing against Brighton and Hove Albion was arguably his best for the Red Devils, scoring twice and leading Ruben Amorim’s men to a third successive league victory.

The 26-year-old also created two chances and completed four dribbles – with both tallies the highest of any player on the pitch from both of the starting elevens.

There’s little debate that he’s taken the responsibility of being the club’s biggest offensive threat, surpassing the levels previously set by one other first-team member.

The change of Bruno’s role & lack of impact against Brighton

For large periods of the 2024/25 campaign, Bruno Fernandes was often United’s go-to man for goals and assists – undoubtedly saving the club from an unthinkable relegation battle.

The Portuguese international ended the year on a total of 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions, a tally which was by far and away the highest of any player in the squad.

However, the attacking midfielder has been forced to drop into a slightly deeper number eight position to accommodate the likes of big-money addition, Mbeumo.

Such a decision has taken the responsibility off his shoulders, with a more all-round performances now expected from the Red Devils’ first-team captain.

His deeper position has seen a slight decline in his performance level, as seen by the latest display against Brighton at Old Trafford, with the 31-year-old enduring somewhat of a quiet afternoon.

Bruno only completed six passes into the final third against the Seagulls and only completed 50% of the dribbles he attempted – subsequently being unable to match the levels from 2024/25.

He was also dribbled past on three occasions, whilst also losing nine duels – the most of any player – showcasing the lack of positive impact he’s had in his new position.

As a result, one other player within the first-team squad has taken the responsibility of providing the goods alongside Mbeumo within the final third in recent weeks.

The United star who’s becoming Amorim’s next Bruno

Whilst it’s still early days in 2025/26, United look like a different team compared to last campaign, with Amorim deserving huge credit for the work done during the off-season.

After the first nine games of the new Premier League season, the Red Devils rank second for expected goals (xG), showcasing the threat the side now possesses in forward areas.

Amorim’s men have also registered the highest average of shots on target per 90, with such a record enabling the side to score 15 goals in the first nine matches of the new league campaign.

As previously mentioned, Mbeumo has played a key role in such success, as seen by his tally of five goals and one assist – working out at 40% of the side’s goals to date.

However, the Cameroonian international has been joined at Old Trafford by Matheus Cunha, with the Brazilian joining the Red Devils in a £62.5m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He also arrived with huge expectations this summer, after he registered a total of 21 combined goals and assists in the Premier League whilst being involved in a relegation battle.

The 26-year-old has partnered Mbeumo in the number ten role behind the striker, which has subsequently resulted in Bruno dropping into his deeper role over the last couple of months.

However, Cunha has taken to such a task like a duck to water, arguably replacing the Portuguese international as one of the Red Devils’ leading talismen.

He netted his first goal for the club in the recent triumph over Brighton, with such an effort getting the ball rolling for Amorim’s third league victory in a row.

Cunha, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, also produced numerous impressive figures that showcase his class within the final third.

Minutes played

81

Touches

62

Goals scored

1

Passes completed

89%

Chances created

2

Shot on target accuracy

100%

Dribbles completed

2

Chances created

2

Along with his goal, the attacking midfielder completed 89% of the passes attempted and registered two chances created for his teammates – showcasing his ability to provide for those around him.

He also placed 100% of his shots on target, whilst also completing two of his three dribbles – highlighting his incredible all-round ability within the final third.

Whilst it may be early days in his career at Old Trafford, Cunha has already captured the hearts of the fanbase and cemented himself as a key player within Amorim’s ranks.

Should he continue in such vein, there’s no reason why he can’t soften the blow of Bruno’s drop in form and lead the side to new heights in the near future.

This season's Rashford: Man Utd talent looks "increasingly likely" to leave

Manchester United could be making a huge mistake in allowing one talented first-team member to leave.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 28, 2025

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill will lead North Zone in the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy, which will kick off the domestic season in Bengaluru later this month.Seamers Anshul Kamboj and Arshdeep Singh, who were recently part of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, were also named in the North Zone squad. Harshit Rana, who made his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, will add more depth to North Zone’s seam attack.However, if Gill, Arshdeep or Harshit get picked in India’s squad for the Asia Cup, Shubham Rohilla, Gurnoor Brar and Anuj Thakral will replace them for the Duleep Trophy. The Asia Cup, which will run from September 9 to September 28 will overlap with the Duleep Trophy, which will start on August 28, with the final scheduled between September 11 and 15.Ankit Kumar, who was the top scorer for Haryana with 574 runs in 14 innings at an average of nearly 59 in the previous Ranji Trophy season, was appointed North Zone’s vice-captain. His Haryana team-mate Nishant Sindhu, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, also found a place in the squad.Apart from Harshit Rana, Yash Dhull, the former India Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, and Ayush Badoni are the only Delhi players in the squad. The trio is currently in action in the second season of the Delhi Premier League T20 tournament.Related

• Kuldeep, Khaleel in Jurel-led Central Zone squad for Duleep Trophy

• Tilak Varma to lead South Zone

• Iyer, Sarfaraz in West Zone squad

• Mohammed Shami in East Zone squad

Five players from Jammu & Kashmir made the cut for the Duleep Trophy, including opener Shubham Khajuria and seamer Auqib Nabi, who was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, with 44 wickets in eight matches at an outstanding average of 13.93.Services’ Ravi Chauhan and Chandigarh’s Nishunk Birla are among the stand-bys.The Duleep Trophy has reverted to its traditional format of a zonal contest after a season where four teams – A, B, C and D – comprising players in the Test fray were picked by the Ajit Agarkar-led senior men’s selection committee. Teams for this year’s tournament will be picked by zonal selection committees, comprising one member from each of the state sides from the zone.North Zone will play the domestic season’s opening game against East Zone from August 28 at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

North Zone squad

Shubman Gill (capt), Shubham Khajuria, Ankit Kumar (vice-capt), Ayush Badoni, Yash Dhull, Ankit Kalsi, Nishant Sindhu, Sahil Lotra, Mayank Dagar, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Kanhaiya Wadhawan (wk)Replacements: Shubham Rohilla to replace Gill, Gurnoor Brar to replace Arshdeep and Anuj Thakral to replace Harshit in case of any India commitments during the tournament.Stand-bys: Shubham Arora, Jaskaranvir Singh Paul, Ravi Chauhan, Abid Mushtaq, Nishunk Birla, Umar Nazir, Divesh Sharma

CA’s medical staff will look into Khawaja’s back spasm and the coach says the batting order will be discussed leading into the Brisbane Test after Head’s heroics

Alex Malcolm24-Nov-2025Australia coach Andrew McDonald has said there will be further investigation into Usman Khawaja’s back issue in the lead-up to the Brisbane Test and admitted the selectors have “a lot to consider” around the batting order after Travis Head’s match-winning performance as a stand-in opener.Australia’s players and staff flew to their home cities on Sunday after the first Ashes Test finished inside two days in Perth.Khawaja’s back spasms have become a major talking point, with the 38-year-old unable to open in both innings and only able to bat once in the game. He also dropped a catch at slip before leaving the field in England’s second innings.Related

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McDonald confirmed that the medical staff would look into the injury further as Khawaja has never suffered a back spasm of that nature in his lengthy career.”There was discussions around further investigation to whether it was more serious than what we sort of first anticipated,” McDonald said on Monday. “So we’ll work through that. We’ll get a squad together. We’ll step through everything that we normally step through.”We get to camp in six days’ time. It’s a long way out, a lot of information to gather between now and then, and hopefully Usman is fit and available for selection.”I think anytime you spasm, it’s a result of something going on in your back. So I think that further investigation is just due diligence around that. You spasm for a reason. He hasn’t had it before, so that’s what will probably entail a bit more further investigation.”My gut feel is that it should be okay, but as I said, we’ll wait for that information to present.”McDonald dismissed Khawaja’s age as a reason for the back issue flaring up. Khawaja did play 18 holes of golf on each of three days leading into the Test match (54 holes in total), something he had done previously leading into a Test without issue. But McDonald, like CA chief executive Todd Greenberg, reiterated that it had never caused a problem before.”These things can happen,” McDonald said. “And I don’t think you can join the dots to something around his age. I think it’s just one of those things that’s happened.”Travis Head smashed his way to an extraordinary 69-ball century•Getty ImagesMcDonald was asked whether Head’s extraordinary performance in the second innings, where he made 123 off 83 balls to win the Test match, would cause a rethink about a permanent change at the top of the order.”We’ve got a lot to consider,” McDonald said. “Batting orders are always debated heavily over a period of time. Middle order players haven’t been sort of the ones that have been the popular ones to open the batting. So we’ll discuss and work through what it looks like.”I think it gave us a little bit of a lens potentially to the future in terms of adjusting batting orders in second innings, which is something that we have discussed. To be able to put different people in different positions with the scenario that was presented. So this one happened probably through a bit more chance and obviously the unfortunate injury to Usman. But I think it really probably opens up that discussion more than, more than anything else for us.”Australia’s selectors do not have a history of making a change off a sample size of one innings. Steven Smith made 91 not out in an unsuccessful fourth innings chase in his fourth innings as an opener but the experiment was shelved after he averaged 28 across eight Test innings in the role.The impact Head had on the pink-ball Test in Adelaide last year, where he made a match-winning century at No. 5 in Australia’s first innings having been shielded from batting in a difficult period under lights on the first night, will also be a key factor in any decision to move him permanently to the top for Brisbane. Head had looked reasonably good in the first innings in Perth when he entered in the 16th over before shovelling a pull shot to mid-on.The potential to be flexible with Head looks more appealing to the coach.”We’ve sort of hypothesized around a middle order player going up to the top order if the second innings happened to flatten out,” McDonald said. “In particular, if we needed quick runs, and the wicket was going to deteriorate. So in our strategy and our planning, we have tabled that from time to time.”We’ve had a conversation around Travis opening the batting for a long period of time, and Trav’s has been on the record this week and previously around that also. I suppose, now that it’s out there, yeah, happy to talk about it. Will we do it? If it presents at the right time, potentially.”

Stats highlights from the fourth day of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s

Sampath Bandarupalli14-Jun-20251:53

Dale Steyn: ‘We saw the biggest of the biggest come through’

9722 Days between South Africa’s two ICC titles – the Champions Trophy in 1998 and the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2025.282 The target South Africa chased to win the WTC final against Australia was their fifth-highest chase in Test cricket. Four of those five wins have been against Australia.It is also the second-highest chase at Lord’s.8 Consecutive wins for South Africa in Test cricket, a streak that began in the West Indies last year. It is their second-longest winning streak in the format, behind the nine successive wins in 2002-03. Their eight-match streak is also the longest winning run in the WTC; India and New Zealand had won seven in a row during the first WTC cycle.Related

• Markram delivers WTC glory to end South Africa's history of heartbreak

• 'As divided as we are at times, rejoice in this moment and just be one' – SA players on WTC 2025 victory

138 South Africa’s first-innings total in the WTC final at Lord’s – their lowest first-innings total in an away Test win. Only three times have they won a Test after scoring fewer in their first innings.3 Number of teams to win a men’s Test in England by scoring the highest total of the match in the fourth innings, before South Africa in the WTC final. West Indies won by scoring 344 at Lord’s in 1984 and 226 at The Oval in 1988, while England made 362 against Australia at Headingley in 2019.9 Test wins and a draw for Temba Bavuma in ten matches as South Africa captain. Only England’s Percy Chapman (9) had as many wins as Bavuma in his first ten Tests as captain.136 Aiden Markram’s score in the fourth innings of the WTC final after bagging a duck in South Africa’s first innings. Only the West Indian Roy Fredericks had a higher fourth-innings score – 138 against England at Lord’s in 1984 – after making a first-innings duck.3 Hundreds for Markram in the fourth innings in Tests. Only Graeme Smith (4) has more fourth-innings tons for South Africa.74 First-innings lead South Africa conceded at Lord’s. The previous time they won a Test after conceding a lead of more than 50 was in 2011, when they beat Australia in Cape Town.

49ers Enterprises’ takeover in the summer was supposed to signify the start of a glorious new era for Rangers, but it has not quite panned out that way so far.

Their first major decision was the appointment of Russell Martin as manager, but he lasted just 123 days in the job, winning only five of 17 games before being dismissed last month.

There are early signs that his successor Danny Röhl is starting to slowly turn things around, claiming a third successive league victory at Dundee on Sunday, albeit the Gers’ nightmarish start to the campaign means they are still down in fourth place, 12 points adrift leaders Hearts.

Irrespective of whom the manager is, if Rangers are going to reclaim a first Premiership title since 2021 any time soon, their recruitment has to improve.

So much money has been wasted in the transfer market, much of it this summer, splashing almost £30m on 13 new recruits, left with very little to show for it, with the team having got significantly worse.

However, there is a clear frontrunner for the club’s biggest waste of money award in recent times, but it isn’t going where you might think.

Rangers' attacking options compared to 2024/25

Last season, Rangers boasted a genuinely frightening front three, all of whom were allowed to depart over the summer.

Václav Černý did not return, following the expiration of his loan from Wolfsburg, instead moving to Beşiktaş.

Meantime, Hamza Igamane was sold to Lille for £10.4m, while Cyriel Dessers departed for Greece, joining Panathinaikos for a reported fee of around £3.5m.

The table below documents just how prolific the trio were last season.

Rangers’ top-scorers 2024/25

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Cyriel Dessers

55

29

7

Václav Černý

52

18

9

Hamza Igamane

46

16

3

% of total goals

55%

% of European goals

70%

Stats via Transfermarkt

As the table documents, this departed trio scored 55% of all 115 goals Rangers bagged across all competitions last season, as well as 14 of the 20 they scored in Europe, with the Gers making a run to the Europa League quarter-finals.

Thus, Černý, Dessers and Igamane were always going to be a tough trio to follow, with Rangers splashing around £16m on a new quartet in an attempt to do just that, but their attacking options have unquestionably been weakened.

Djeidi Gassama, in fairness, has looked pretty bright, scoring his sixth of the season at the weekend, albeit he is currently not at Černý’s level, while Oliver Antman, despite a scintillating debut, has done little since.

In terms of pure centre-forwards, Bojan Miovski, who joined from Girona for £2.6m, is yet to recapture the form he showed at Aberdeen, while the signing of Youssef Chermiti remains baffling.

After the Portuguese striker failed to score a single goal during two seasons at Everton, Kevin Thelwell, who had initially brought him to Merseyside, decided to sign him again, agreeing to pay the Toffees £8m, potentially rising to £10m with add-ons, making him the club’s second-most expensive signing in history, behind only Tore André Flo in 2000.

Chermiti did open his Rangers account against Kilmarnock during Röhl’s first Premiership match in charge, but has squandered numerous gilt-edged opportunities, with many concluding that he simply is not worth the huge investment.

Röhl must see something in the 21-year-old, however, considering he has started four of the last five matches, but the jury is not so much still out on Chermiti, they’re more on a proverbial break.

At least the striker is starting regularly and contributing that way – the same cannot be said of another expensive signing, saving him from the unwanted worst recent signing accolade, which surely only has one clear winner.

Rangers' worst value for money signing

A player who officially joined Rangers this summer is Óscar Cortés, albeit he had been on loan at the club since 1 February, making him the forgotten man.

When he initially arrived in Glasgow, he did so to plenty of excitement, having been one of the best players at the under-20 World Cup in the summer of 2023, scoring four goals and registering two assists as Colombia reached the quarter-finals, picking up the Bronze Boot, with scout António Mango thereby asserting that he was an “insane talent” who “would be ideal for Liverpool”.

He joined Rangers on loan from Ligue 1 side Lens with an obligation to buy, while the Rangers Journal calling him a “very promising young winger”, who will “provide pace, power and… goal contributions” to the Gers’ forward line.

However, this is certainly not how events have transpired.

To date, Cortés has made just 21 appearances for the Light Blues, totalling 764 minutes, not even named among the substitutes on 58 occasions, usually due to injury.

The Colombian international scored just a solitary goal for the goal, this a sweet right-footed strike during a 5-0 demolition of Hearts just a few weeks after his arrival.

Due to the obligation to buy clause, despite his lack of activity, Rangers were forced to buy Cortés for £4.5m in the summer, making him one of their most expensive signings of all-time.

He actually started August’s League Cup tie against Alloa Athletic at left-back, his only start of the campaign, before being loaned out to Segunda División side Sporting Gijón.

Well, he is yet to make much impact in Spain’s second-tier, seeing just 92 league minutes for los Rojiblancos to date, earning his first start against Mirandés last Friday night, albeit he was hooked at half time, as his team were defeated 2-1.

Seemingly unlikely to revive his career at El Molinón, Cortés has to be considered one of Rangers’ worst value for money signings ever.

Having paid £4.5m to secure his signature, Football Transfers estimate that his value has already dropped to £3m and is on a downward trajectory.

Thus, if Rangers are going to get back to dominating Scottish football, they can ill-afford many more transfer missteps such as this.

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Posts ByBen Gray Nov 12, 2025