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

Andrew McGlashan17-Apr-20252:15

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

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

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WTC final may not be Konstas' route back to Test side

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

Napoli have entered the winter transfer market with urgency after injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and Zambo Anguissa forced Antonio Conte to rethink his midfield structure. Feyenoord captain Quinten Timber has emerged as a prime target, with his contract running down and multiple clubs circling. But Napoli now face fierce competition from Arsenal, where his twin brother Jurrien Timber already plays.

• Why Napoli are eyeing a winter move for Timber

  According to CalcioNapoli24, Napoli’s interest in Timber comes at a moment of necessity and opportunity. The injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa have left glaring gaps in Antonio Conte’s midfield which he has centred around power, transitions and constant vertical threat. Conte’s teams are at their best when the midfield can win duels, initiate forward bursts, and maintain tactical discipline, and Timber fits that profile with remarkable precision.

  Timber’s blend of physicality, technical comfort and relentless work rate is exactly what Napoli currently lack. His ability to tackle high up the pitch, break lines with confident passing, and contribute directly to goals makes him a rare multi-phase midfielder. In Feyenoord’s title-winning seasons, he excelled in both defensive recoveries and attacking progression, ranking among the best in Europe in attacking. Conte sees him as the ideal player to restore balance in a midfield disrupted by injuries, capable of playing as a box-to-box engine, an aggressive ball-winner or even a third man arriving late in transitions.

  Most importantly, his contract expiry in 2026 gives Napoli a strategic advantage. Feyenoord cannot afford to lose their captain for free next summer, making January the most realistic window for a deal.

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  Quinten Timber's rise to prominence

  Timber’s rise has been steady, substantial and built on consistent excellence. Since signing for Feyenoord in July 2022 for a club-record €8.5 million, he has transformed into one of the Eredivisie’s standout midfielders. His breakout came in the 2022–23 season, where he became central to Feyenoord’s first league title in six years. He scored his first goal soon after arrival, and by the following campaign, his contributions soared with him directly involved in 16 goals in 2023–24.

  His maturity was rewarded in 2024 when he was appointed club captain. Even after a knee injury in 2025, his pre-injury form kept him firmly on the radar of Europe’s elite. His defensive numbers place him among the top percentile for tackles and interceptions, while his passing security and ball progression have made him indispensable for Feyenoord’s build-up.

  This explains why clubs across Europe, including Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, West Ham, Manchester United and now Napoli and Arsenal, are pushing to secure him.

• Arsenal's interest in Timber and why Napoli needs to act decisively

  Arsenal’s interest in Timber adds a compelling twist to the transfer chase. Mikel Arteta has been tracking him closely, attracted to his intelligence in possession and comfort playing multiple midfield roles. What strengthens Arsenal’s position is the presence of his twin brother, Jurrien, who has already integrated seamlessly into Arteta’s system. The prospect of reuniting at a club known for developing young talent is naturally an emotional and attractive factor for Quinten, and Arsenal are well aware of the pull this creates.

  But Arsenal’s midfield is stacked with competition with Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimeni and Mikel Merino all competing for central spots. Timber may be used primarily as a rotation option in Arteta’s possession system, gradually adjusting to the speed and physicality of the Premier League. Yet the pathway to consistent starts would be slow and heavily dependent on adaptation.

  This is where Napoli hold an advantage. Serie A’s tactical environment suits Timber’s development, and Conte is prepared to make him an immediate starter due to the injury crisis and the demands of the system. Napoli can offer guaranteed minutes, a defined role, and the chance to play Champions League football while becoming a central pillar in a title-chasing side. 

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  An important winter market for Napoli

  The January window will be pivotal for Napoli as they attempt to reinforce their squad and sustain their Serie A title defence. Timber is a priority, but Conte’s plans extend well beyond midfield. Injuries to key figures have exposed depth issues, particularly in defence, where the absence of Alessandro Buongiorno has forced tactical reshuffles, and at right-back, where Napoli are pushing hard for Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez. A new centre-back and full-back remain essential to stabilise the back line.

  With 22 points from their first 11 league matches this season, Napoli stand 4th and two points behind the top spot. But to stay competitive, Conte’s January decisions will shape the club’s trajectory for the rest of the campaign.

Sans Naseem and Afridi, Pakistan’s pace attack failed to inspire on a surface where elite quicks will get wickets

Danyal Rasool04-Jan-2025It would not strictly be true to say no Pakistan bowler delivered a single ball over 140kph today. The broadcasters have recorded it as such, and it’s certainly a fact South Africa did not have to face a single delivery which challenged them at that pace. However, it probably wasn’t just Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, whose high pace was so potent it produced three wickets in under nine overs, who cranked it up to 140kph today.When tea had been taken and Pakistan were resting indoors, having been ground into the dust under a blistering Newlands sun, Naseem Shah was on a practice pitch a few strips over from the real thing, new ball in hand. There was no speed gun to monitor him, but it didn’t take one to know no Pakistan bowler who actually started this Test matched that speed. The action was regular, the follow-through earnest, the shape on the ball exquisite. One delivery landed on a length, moved late at speed and knocked back the solitary stump at the other end. Even if there was a batter stood there, it might have been tricky keeping that out.For a bowler who’s officially out with back stiffness and chest congestion, Naseem – who has also been out there as substitute fielder and helped Saim Ayub onto a stretcher yesterday – wouldn’t exactly have been a liability to this attack.Related

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But this is not an individual selection gripe. Naseem was, after all, part of the side for the first Test, and while he sent down a long, impressive spell in South Africa’s first innings, he never truly came close to matching Rabada or Jansen’s threat. As Shan Masood has said in the past, Pakistan don’t often take 20 wickets, and though they managed 18 in Centurion, it didn’t quite get them over the line.At the same time, though, when Pakistan selected this attack, it is difficult to imagine they truly believed they had a realistic shot of 20 wickets on this surface. For clarity, Pakistan were remarkably open about the tradeoffs they had to assess before naming a squad, which they waited right to the morning of the Test to do. Any XI they named, spinner or not, Naseem or not, will likely have found wicket-taking hard inserted in to bowl for two hot sunny days.And, in truth, each of Pakistan’s four seamers did what they had been asked to do. They bowled hard lengths; it was the most common delivery for every one of the four bowlers by some distance. They resisted the temptation to pitch it up, as they might have done in Pakistan. They picked up two early wickets with the new ball, and another one with the second new ball. South Africa may have taken them to the cleaners once the scorecard had soared into silly numbers by the afternoon of the second day, but it was a product of the lack of pressure and a flatness of the wicket rather than a drop in Pakistan’s efforts or quality. And Pakistan continued to take it seriously to the last, at no point did we see them go through the run order for who else could bowl; one over from Kamran Ghulam aside, every over was bowled by a specialist quick or their assigned spinner, Salman Agha.Pointing all that out doesn’t add to the mystery of how an under-scrutiny South African top six ended up with 615; it strips away the veneer, leaving you looking directly at the answer. A Pakistan attack that lacks high pace on a pitch that doesn’t offer the bowlers assistance will not get on top of an international batting line-up, no matter how well they might do whatever they can do. Much like expecting to win a marathon when you can’t afford running shoes, Pakistan found themselves compromised in fundamental non-negotiable ways, and no change in extraneous reality could have compensated for that.Shaheen Afridi, arguably Pakistan’s best bowler in the ODI series last month, was not selected for the Tests and allowed to go off to play the Bangladesh Premier League; he has played two games in Mirpur in the past week. Naseem, as we saw, couldn’t quite make the cut for this Test, and there are no other bowlers at high pace, in this squad or indeed in all of Pakistan, who the selection committee truly feel comfortable throwing into a Test match. There may very well be merit to that position, but it meant Pakistan had a bad hand, and South Africa were aware of it. What followed for over the last two days was merely an inevitable consequence of it all.Perhaps that was more instructively obvious in the 21 overs South Africa bowled than the more than 141 Pakistan did. The pitch was just as flat when Rabada and Jansen bowled but you might have been fooled over ten overs of high-class, high pace bowling. Pakistan had to battle to keep them at bay every delivery, without success; they were 20 for three on a surface where, just yesterday, South Africa were 307 for three at one point.But when Wiaan Mulder, operating around the high 120s, and debutant Kwena Maphaka, not quite at Rabada and Jansen’s level, entered the attack, this Newlands strip reverted to its bashful, docile self of the last two days. Babar Azam had done well to dig in, and for the last half hour, he and Mohammad Rizwan had little trouble keeping South Africa out, or scoring runs at a decent clip.But on a surface where elite, fast bowlers will get you out, South Africa have at least two of them, and Pakistan none. With Pakistan still 552 runs behind, this Test match hasn’t exactly kept its cards hidden.

Spinner’s five-for sees Kent follow on, before hosts stumble to close five down

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Kent 271 (Ekansh 71, Dawkins 61, Morley 5-99) and 136 for 5 (Compton 55*, Evison 53, Reece 4-33) trail Derbyshire 698 for 6 dec by 291 runsDerbyshire were closing in on a huge victory against Kent when bad light forced a premature end to day three of their Rothesay County Championship match at Canterbury.Kent were 135 for 5 in their seconds innings, still 291 behind, after Luis Reece ripped out their top order with 4 for 33.That came after Jack Morley took 5 for 99 as the visitors dismissed Kent for 271 in the first innings, a lead of 427. Ekansh Singh and Ben Dawkins both hit career-best scores of 71 and 61 respectively, but when the former was out Kent’s last four wickets went for just nine runs.Derbyshire enforced the follow on and Reece reduced them to 20 for 3 before Joey Evison and Ben Compton offered some resistance. Reece eventually got Evison for 53, but Compton was unbeaten on 55 when the light failed.The lights were on but very few people were at home when play began on time, with Kent on 117 for 2. Morley, who removed nightwatcher Michael Cohen with the final ball on day two, struck again in his first full over of the morning, getting Jaydn Denly lbw for a five-ball duck.Ekansh was given a life when Wayne Madsen couldn’t cling on to a slip catch after he flashed at Ben Aitchison, but Dawkins was strangled as soon as Zak Chappell returned from the Nackington Road End.Ollie Curtiss got his first first-class runs, but Morley had him brilliantly caught by Martin Andersson at midwicket for 14, leaving Kent on 217 for 5 at lunch.Morley claimed his fifth in style by clinging on to a violent return catch from Ekansh at the second attempt and in doing so he became the first Derbyshire spinner to claim five wickets at Canterbury since Les Townsend in 1931.There was raucous applause from the Nackington Road End when Evison hit Harry Came for successive boundaries to earn Kent a solitary bonus point, but he then slashed Reece to Aneurin Donald at first slip, before Aitchison got his second strangle of the day when Harry Finch flicked him behind for 14.Corey Flintoff went for a second-ball duck, hitting Aitchison straight to the sub fielder Nick Potts at square leg and Matt Parkinson lasted four balls before he edged Reece to Wayne Madsen, who took an outstanding one-handed grab at second slip.If that was bad, there was worse to come as Reece bowled Dawkins for nought with the second ball of the second innings and then had Denly caught behind for four in his next over. Reece got his third of the innings when Ekansh was caught behind for 4, but Compton and Evison steadied things.The latter was dropped by Amrit Basra off Chappell when he was on 28 in the final over before tea, at which point Kent were 61 for 3. He was dropped again on 52 when he drove Dal to midwicket, but Donald put him down, apparently while celebrating a catch he hadn’t actually taken.Donald’s embarrassment was fleeting as Evison chipped Reece to Andersson in the next over and Dal then bowled Curtiss for 4 but Compton swept Morley for four to pass 50 and bad light stopped play at 5.39pm, with eight overs remaining.

Aston Villa are now reportedly racing to sign Oscar Mingueza alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United as those in the Midlands look to land a La Masia graduate.

The Villans turned on the style against Bournemouth, bouncing back from defeat at Anfield to head into the international break with a convincing victory under their belt. Emiliano Buendia’s free-kick was undoubtedly the pick of the four goals that Unai Emery’s side scored, as he continued his recent, much-welcomed resurgence.

After a tough start to their campaign, Villa now sit seventh and Emery admitted that his side “are recovering from a bad start”, telling reporters: “I am very happy with the win.

“We are recovering from a bad start to the season. The effort physically was huge and to manage the squad with different players, with the effort we needed, we can feel proud after the game.

“This is the level of the players. We are trying to set our standards in everything [we do], every day how we prepare for the game, and the quality of the players is important.”

Qualifying for European football, whether it’s the Europa League, Europa Conference League or in the best-case scenario, the Champions League, is more important than ever in the Midlands. Those at Villa Park can’t afford to miss out and run into more problems with PSR limitations as a result.

Their poor start to the season stemmed from a disappointing summer transfer window and the chaos of potential sales that never arrived. This time next year, they must be in a better position on that front.

Fixing their PSR problem would see Emery’s side reach another level entirely and could finally see long-term target Mingueza arrive.

Aston Villa racing to sign Mingueza

According to reports in Spain, as relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are now battling to sign Oscar Mingueza from Celta Vigo alongside the likes of West Ham and Newcastle United. The Villans have been admirers of the La Masia graduate for some time, but have consistently failed to secure his signature.

Capped four times by Spain, the defender has also played twice for the national team of Catalonia, who are not recognised/affiliated with FIFA or UEFA due to their status as one of Spain’s regional football federations.

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Emery will be hoping that 2026 is finally the year that the right-back arrives, given that he’s on course to become a free agent next summer and any transfer complications will suddenly become far easier to navigate.

Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman once predicted that the Spaniard would have a “great future” and that could yet arrive in the Midlands, where he’d compete for a place with Matty Cash, who is in excellent form.

League stats 25/26

Mingueza

Cash

Minutes

670

966

Assists

2

0

Tackles Won

4

10

Ball Recoveries

30

24

When compared, it’s clear that Mingueza and Cash have different qualities. Whilst the former is arguably better going forward, the Villa star has been a more well-rounded player so far this season – impressing in and out of possession.

What is clear is that Mingueza’s arrival would add vital depth to the right-back role for Emery, even if he’s forced to provide backup for Cash.

"Best in the league" – Media stunned by "aggressive" Aston Villa star vs Bournemouth

She hopes for a good start to the tournament, but SL’s first five games are against India, Australia, England, NZ and SA

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Sep-2025Chamari Athapaththu would do anything to get Sri Lanka to the semi-final of this Women’s ODI World Cup. No Sri Lanka team has managed this over 11 years, at an ICC event, and the women’s team has never got there. Athapaththu has long been the talisman of this side, but feels she has the young players in her side now, who can excel in their own right.”More than in the other tournaments, I’m pretty relaxed in this one,” Athapaththu said in Colombo. “The youngsters have been performing – Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Kavisha Dilhari, are all batting well. So more than other times, I’m able to relax a bit.”Gunaratne, Dilhari, and Samarawickrama had all played important roles in Sri Lanka’s chart to an Asia Cup victory at home, though that was in the T20 format. Still, that was enough to inspire more trust from Athapaththu, who suggested she would be more fearless in the first 10 overs.Related

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“I’m going to be playing the game I play in the powerplay,” Athapaththu said. “Then, after that, the challenge is to figure out how I can change gears and do more damage. My one aim is to get Sri Lanka into the semi finals. Before I retire, what I want is to take Sri Lanka to a semi-final. If we can get there, we can figure out the next steps. But even getting there is big.”On paper, Sri Lanka have no easy games, especially at the start of their campaign. Their World Cup begins against India on September 30 in the tournament opener in Guwahati before matches in Colombo against Australia on October 4, England on October 11, New Zealand on October 14 and South Africa on October 18. They then play Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai on October 20 before flying back to Colombo for their final league-stage match against Pakistan on October 24.But the motivation is high, since Sri Lanka are returning to the ODI World Cup after eight years. They did not feature in the ODI World Cup in 2022, owing partially to Sri Lanka not having played a single international between March 2020 and January 2022.”We haven’t been able to play a World Cup since 2017. We lost the chance to play in the last World Cup, because with Covid we couldn’t play the qualifying rounds, and that’s where our rankings were. It’s after eight years we’re playing a World Cup.”We’ve sacrificed a lot and worked really hard to get here. We’ve played really well in the last cycle. We’re in a good mental space. I’m hoping we can get a good start to the tournament.”

Dhruv Jurel scored his second first-class century on a day when all India A batters except captain Shreyas Iyer were among the runs against Australia A. The hosts ended day three on 403 for 4, still 129 runs behind the visitors’ first-innings total of 532. Apart from Jurel, who was batting on 113 at stumps, Devdutt Padikkal, B Sai Sudharsan and N Jagadeesan also went past fifty at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.India A started day three trailing Australia A by 416 runs, with nine wickets in hand, and Xavier Bartlett had Jagadeesan caught behind by Josh Phillipe for 64 in the sixth over of the day to end a second-wicket stand of 49. Padikkal then joined Sudharsan in a productive stand, but with their partnership nearing a hundred, Sudharsan missed an attempted reverse-sweep off Cooper Connolly and was trapped lbw for 73.Australia A struck again 3.2 overs later, with Iyer was trapped in front by Corey Rocchiccioli for 8. It was Iyer’s third successive low score in a first-class game, after he was dismissed for 25 and 12 against Central Zone in the semi-finals of the Duleep Trophy earlier this month.But Iyer’s wicket turned out to be the last for Australia A on Thursday, as Jurel and Padikkal rebuilt. India A were 310 behind when the two came together, and by the end of the day they had put on an unbroken 181 for the fifth wicket.Padikkal was more the patient of the two batters, taking his time in getting to his fifty off 117 balls. The aggressive Jurel reached the landmark in just 54 deliveries, getting there by smashing Rocchiccioli for two consecutive sixes and a four.Rocchiccioli was the most expensive of the Australia A bowlers, going for 128 runs in 24 overs at an economy rate of 5.33. Jurel especially took a liking to the offspinner, scoring 47 runs off him at just better than a run a ball, with three fours and three sixes.By the end of the day, Jurel had rattled along at a strike rate of 85.61 over 132 balls, and Padikkal at 48.31. The left-hand batter went to stumps batting on 86, in sight of a seventh first-class century. Their 181-run stand had come at nearly five runs an over.With only the final day’s play left, and with neither team having begun their second innings, the match seems headed towards a draw.

Kartikeya, Jain created a late collapse that skittled South Zone after a 192-run stand

Ashish Pant14-Sep-2025

For close to two sessions, Ankit Sharma and C Andre Siddarth kept Central Zone waiting on the fourth day of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy final. But a frenetic last half an hour, where South Zone lost their last four wickets for 12 runs, which included Ankit falling on 99, saw them get bowled out for 426, leaving Central Zone 65 to chase on the final day.Having reduced South Zone to 222 for 6 before lunch, leading by 140 runs, Central Zone were in pole position to inflict an innings defeat. But a stunning rearguard action from Ankit and Siddarth, where they added 192 runs for the seventh wicket, ensured the final went into day five.Resuming on 129 for 2, Ricky Bhui showed intent straightaway, jumping down the track and lofting Saransh Jain over long-off on the fourth ball of the day. While Ravichandran Smaran was prepared to graft it out, Bhui continued to attack. Smaran, though, did cut Deepak Chahar through point when he was offered width.C Andre Siddarth scored a patient fifty•PTI

Bhui’s sprightly knock ended on 45 when he chased a harmless fuller-length delivery from Chahar and edged a comfortable catch to Shubham Sharma at first slip. Smaran, meanwhile, reached his half-century off 70 balls with a clip to deep midwicket.Mohammed Azharuddeen had an enterprising 40-ball stay in the middle. He was dropped twice – once by Patidar at short cover and then by Danish Malewar at first slip, who failed to latch on diving to his right. He also got Central Zone to burn a review when Chahar thought he had the South Zone captain strangled down leg.In between, Azharuddeen clubbed Aditya Thakare through midwicket and smashed Jain over mid-on, but failed to carry on. Kumar Kartikeya dropped one short with the ball holding up a touch and Azharuddeen, early into his shot, top-edged a pull to Kuldeep Sen at midwicket.Salman Nizar took the aggressive option immediately, sweeping Jain through square leg and then pulling him through midwicket. But he soon fell, when his across-the-line miscue off Kartikeya was held brilliantly by Patidar running to his left from mid-on. Ten balls later, Kartikeya struck again, sending back Smaran, who swept a fuller-length ball straight to deep square leg, for 67.With South Zone still well behind in the game, Ankit took his chances early. He launched Kartikeya straight over long-on second ball before working Jain through midwicket for four. Siddarth was more circumspect. He twice went after Kartikeya before lunch, punching him past mid-on and then through point off the back foot.South Zone folded quickly after Kumar Kartikeya got Ankit Sharma•PTI

While Siddarth was largely unhurried, Ankit looked a bit fidgety after lunch. As Sen went short to him, he would often clear his front leg, looking to hack across the line. He got a few top-edges which fell safely, but once he got a hang of the surface, his defence got tighter.With the pitch having flattened out, the fast bowlers did not get any movement even with the new ball as Ankit reached his 13th first-class fifty by thumping Sen over mid-off. It was an attritional afternoon session, where South Zone added 86 runs in 23 overs.Siddarth and Ankit upped the scoring rate after tea, with Siddarth also finding the boundaries regularly. He jumped down the track, lifting Jain over mid-on to reach his fifty before Ankit took South Zone into the lead in the 99th over, paddling Shubham to the fine-leg fence.Ankit swiftly moved through his 80s and 90s but lost focus, one short of his century. With the field up, he tried to mow Kartikeya across the line, got a top edge, and Patidar at short midwicket did the rest.It was a quick end thereafter. Jain sent back Gurjapneet Singh, while MD Nidheesh was run out. V Koushik was the last wicket to fall, with Jain getting him stumped, leaving Siddarth unbeaten on 84.If Central Zone manage to chase down the 65-run target on the fifth morning – which they should – it will be their first Duleep Trophy win since the 2014-15 season.

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has been backed to manage Liverpool one day but the pundit making the suggestion does not believe Arne Slot's job at Anfield is under threat. The Reds tried to bring the Spaniard to Merseyside after news of Jurgen Klopp's impending exit was announced in 2024. While he stayed at Bayer Leverkusen before joining Madrid this year, an old team-mate of his thinks a Reds return is possible.

Liverpool reunion for Alonso?

Al-Ahli head coach and former Liverpool player Igor Biscan can see Alonso heading to the Premier League side one day. He added that he wouldn't blame the Reds for chasing the ex-midfielder, such is his pedigree.

Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest Premier League betting, Biscan, who played with the Spaniard at Anfield in 2004-05, said:  "Xabi Alonso as Liverpool manager? I think that's always a possibility. If he keeps on doing what he's doing, and to be successful and make a difference. Whenever you watch his teams, they are doing so well, they have a clear structure, and the quality is always there. Who wouldn't want to have a manager like him?"

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot's job 'not in danger'

Following Liverpool's humbling 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, question marks have been raised about Slot's future at the club amid a run of six defeats in their last seven games.  However, the fact that he led the Reds to the Premier League title means he has enough credit in the bank and the former Feyenoord boss insists the results will turn soon. Moreover, Biscan thinks the Dutchman needs more time to right this ship.

He added: "There is pressure, but for every manager at that level, there is always pressure. I don't think his job is in question. Even if he doesn’t win the league, just by doing what he did last year, after what happened before he arrived and how difficult his job was, it was exceptional. Everybody was saying it would be extremely difficult for him to really continue what Jurgen Klopp had done before him. He is a quality manager, and he deserves a lot of credit and he needs time. There are so many new players, and you need time to make them work together. I'm really sure that they will start winning again very soon."

Liverpool 'not out of title race'

Despite their wretched run, which has left them 11th in the table, Biscan thinks Liverpool can still mount a title challenge. While they are eight points behind league leaders Arsenal, which could stretch to 11 if the Gunners beat Tottenham on Sunday, bigger deficits have been clawed back in the past.

Biscan said: "I won't be too negative because of the many defeats in the last six, seven, or eight games, especially in the league. I think there is still a good chance for Liverpool to compete for the title. Now they will have a run of games which, at least on paper, should be easier. Hopefully, if they can win a few in a row, I think they will be back in the title race."

The former defender also thinks Alexander Isak, who has struggled since his big-money move from Newcastle United, can come good, too.

"Which team would not have wanted to sign Alexander Isak at the beginning of the season? I don't think there is any team, any manager, any set of fans who would say: ‘No, no, we don't like him. We don't believe that he will be good enough for our team'," he said. "He's a special player. He's a top-class centre-forward, like everybody knows. And yeah, he missed pre-season and then the lack of match fitness, sharpness, for sure, takes away a bit of your ability. But it's the same situation like what we said about Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, you know, the quality is there. And there is for sure quality. It's always been there. It's just a matter of time before he starts scoring. It's just a matter of getting into the right rhythm, scoring some goals, and then again, a little bit of this momentum back. And the whole team needs that, and when this happens, then we will see a different story."

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Getty Images SportCrunch period for Liverpool

While things are looking bleak for Liverpool right now, fortunes can change very quickly in football, just as Slot's side have shown for the worse in recent weeks. The Reds, who were top of the table earlier on this season, return to Champions League action on Wednesday at home to PSV Eindhoven. A victory there could give them confidence heading into winnable games against West Ham, Sunderland, and Leeds United.

يفتتح منتخب قطر مشواره في بطولة كأس العرب 2025 بمواجهة قوية أمام نظيره فلسطين، بالمباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن لقاءات البطولة الدولية.

وتقام المباراة بين قطر وفلسطين على أرضية ملعب البيت، في الجولة الأولى من مرحلة المجموعات لـ كأس العرب.

ويتواجد منتخبا قطر وفلسطين في المجموعة الأولى مع منتخبي تونس وسوريا، وتقام بطولة كأس العرب، في قطر، إذ تنطلق في الأول من ديسمبر وتستمر حتى 18 من الشهر نفسه بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا.

موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة تونس وسوريا اليوم في كأس العرب 

ويسعى منتخب قطر صاحب الأرض والجمهور لبداية قوية أمام منتخب فلسطين الطموح والذي يبحث عن انطلاقة إيجابية في البطولة.​

وتحظى مواجهة قطر وفلسطين باهتمام جماهيري وإعلامي كبير، في ظل قوة المجموعة الأولى، واستعدادات المنتخبين للظهور بشكل مميز في النسخة الثانية من البطولة تحت مظلة الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”. موعد مباراة قطر وفلسطين اليوم في كأس العرب

تقام مباراة قطر وفلسطين، اليوم الإثنين 1 ديسمبر 2025، على أرضية ملعب البيت، في تمام الساعة 5:45 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة وفلسطين، 6:45 مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة والدوحة.​​ القنوات الناقلة لمباراة قطر وفلسطين اليوم في كأس العرب

من المنتظر أن تُنقل مباراة قطر وفلسطين في كأس العرب 2025 عبر قناة المفتوحة beIN Sports، وقناتي الكأس 1و2، إلى جانب أبو ظبي الرياضية ودبي الرياضية. معلقو مباراة قطر وفلسطين اليوم في كأس العرب

ومن المقرر أن يتولى مهمة التعليق على أحداث المباراة، كل من “علي سعيد الكعبي وخليل البلوشي وسمير اليعقوبي”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا