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Enzo Maresca admits that the return of Cole Palmer from injury was “the only good news” for Chelsea during their dismal defeat at Leeds. The Blues suffered a shock 3-1 reversal against relegation-threatened opposition at Elland Road, with Maresca’s side always playing catch up. They did, however, welcome England international Palmer back from an untimely absence.

Welcome back: Palmer's first appearance since September

Palmer’s last appearance for the Blues came against Manchester United on September 20, when he was forced off early on. His return to action was delayed when suffering a freak accident at home which left him nursing a toe complaint.

The 23-year-old was named among the substitutes against Leeds, allowing him to be introduced just past the hour mark. Chelsea had found a way back into that game at that point, with Pedro Neto halving their deficit, but Palmer was unable to inspire a revival.

The hosts went on to net a third in the 72nd minute, through Dominic Calvin-Lewin, as Chelsea were left to reflect on a surprisingly abject performance that brought a seven-match unbeaten run to a shuddering halt.

AdvertisementGettyBlues boost: Maresca pleased to have Palmer back

Palmer is not yet ready for 90 minutes, but Maresca said of having his No.10 back: “Probably it’s the only good news of the night. I’m happy for him, he’s back, now he needs to build a little bit the physical condition and he will be important for us, for sure. He’s getting better, but he needs to play minutes. Last night he had more-or-less half-an-hour, hopefully we can give him more in the next game.”

Former Premier League title-winning Chelsea star Joe Cole has told of how important Palmer’s return to the fold could be: “He can elevate them, and his return will give the lads a boost. What I will say is that the players who stepped up in his absence have been superb. They have spread the goals around the team, and the performances have been great. If you played against Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer in the 10 role, it’s as good as anything in world football.”

Neto form: Winger matches best Premier League tally

The Blues’ performance at Leeds was far from “great”, but Neto did net his fifth top-flight goal of the season. Alongside two assists, he has matched his best Premier League return from 2020-21 – during his time at Wolves.

Maresca added on the Portugal international winger: “Pedro, compared to last season, he is doing many things better. It’s also normal now this season that he is scoring goals and getting assists.”

Chelsea will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Bournemouth. Maresca said of recovering quickly ahead of that contest: “Now we need to reset, we need to prepare for Saturday’s game. Saturday will be very similar to last night’s game with the environment, the intensity, and we need to reset and prepare to win the game.”

Palmer will expect to see more game time against the Cherries, as he works on recovering full match fitness and sharpness. He has two goals to his name this season – registered against Brentford and Bayern Munich in Premier League and Champions League competition – and has a crucial role to play in Maresca’s plans.

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Getty ImagesWorld Cup target: Long-term goals for Palmer

He will be desperate to avoid any more setbacks, with international ambition also being factored into the equation. Having missed out on selection under Thomas Tuchel this season, Palmer must prove his worth to England’s demanding head coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Regular outings at club level, in domestic and continental fixtures, will aid that cause – with Tuchel often favouring those that are competing on the grandest of stages. There is, however, fierce competition for places when it comes to playmaking berths in the Three Lions’ ranks.

England – who are waiting to discover who the 2026 World Cup draw will pit them against on Friday – will not be in action again until March. That is allowing Palmer to focus on matters at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea sat fourth in the Premier League table – nine points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

The Boston Red Sox shocked the MLB world on Sunday by trading away designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for a collection of pitchers and prospects.

The move comes amid a season of unrest between the Red Sox and Devers, with Devers expressing frustration about being moved off of third base to make room for Alex Bregman, and the team’s front office frustrated with Devers’s lack of interest in pivoting to play first base after injuries made such a move necessary.

In the end, the Red Sox pulled the plug, shipping off a player that they had committed to with a long-term deal just a few years ago.

Understandably, Red Sox fans were upset. Not only was Devers one of the best players on the roster, he was also a certified Yankees killer—one of the most important aspects of ascending to the top of Boston athletics.

On Sunday, Devers proved he was a nightmare for the Yankees until the very end, smashing a solo home run against New York to help Boston to a 2–0 victory just hours before he was traded across the country.

Of the 214 home runs Devers has hit in his career, 30 came against the Yankees—more than any other team in the majors.

He will undoubtedly be missed by Red Sox fans, but the team is apparently ready to start its next chapter.

West Ham have held loose talks to sign a striker who’s allegedly spoken with Thomas Frank about joining Tottenham, according to a report this week.

West Ham identify striker targets ahead of January

West Ham are accelerating their pursuit of centre-forwards ahead of the January transfer window, with Nuno Espírito Santo making the signing of a number nine one of his absolute priorities.

The Hammers currently languish in the relegation zone with just 13 points from 15 Premier League games, having scored a meagre 17 goals all season, even if they’ve enjoyed a recent mini-revival under Nuno.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

Man United 1-1 West Ham

Brighton 1-1 West Ham

Niclas Füllkrug’s potentially imminent departure has intensified the need for another option upfront, with the German flop expected to complete a return to the Bundesliga after managing just three goals in 29 appearances since his £27 million arrival from Dortmund last year.

Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee is one option under consideration by West Ham.

The Dutch forward has struggled for opportunities under Ruben Amorim and was previously labeled a “future West Ham player” last year, and you can make a case that Zirkzee’s versatilitywould suit Nuno’s system far better than Fullkrug.

West Ham are also monitoring Midtjylland sensation Franculino Dju, who has scored a pretty incredible 21 goals in 30 total appearances this season.

The 21-year-old represents a younger, longer-term investment compared to more experienced alternatives, while Union Saint-Gilloise’s Promise David continues to attract West Ham interest after his impressive performances for the Belgian champions.

West Ham 'set to sign' prolific Tottenham starlet as Mark Noble seals 'coup' of a deal

The Hammers sporting director played a key transfer role.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 6, 2025

A bigger name option who’s been repeatedly linked comes in the form of ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney.

The Al-Ahli striker, who’s been on fire in Saudi Arabia with 50 goal contributions (42 goals, eight assists) in 62 appearances, is reportedly under catching West Ham’s eye prior to January.

Toney has only managed to make one England squad since moving to the Middle East last year, and with the World Cup looming, reports suggest he could be tempted to move back to the Premier League.

West Ham hold 'informal' talks to sign Ivan Toney

According to some media sources, Toney has even spoken to Frank directly about a potential move to Tottenham next month.

However, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, both Spurs and the Irons could be set for disappointment.

Writing for TEAMtalk, Bailey says that West Ham have held ‘informal’ talks to sign Toney, but a move back to England for the 29-year-old hinges on Thomas Tuchel.

The Three Lions boss wasn’t impressed by Toney the last time he was called up in the summer, so the prospect of him playing his way into the World Cup squad is already slim at best.

Because of this, the forward and his camp aren’t anticipating a call-up, regardless of where he moves from now until the squad selection.

This lack of hope threatens to quash any hope of West Ham, or indeed Spurs, signing Toney, with a potentially huge financial bill also coming as a major roadblock.

If Toney returns to England under two years after his Saudi move, the attacker would be forced to pay massive taxes, but if he waits until the summer, the fees would be more kind in that regard.

It therefore makes more sense for the player to wait until later in 2026 to consider a move back to the UK, by which point Spurs or West Ham may have already signed their desired new target man.

Taking this into account, a potential move to the London Stadium for Toney is seen as a long shot.

Striker greenlights January exit with West Ham bid expected ahead of immediate move

He wants to leave.

ByEmilio Galantini 4 days ago

Find out which player has moved to what team

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025Sanju Samson: Traded to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in exchange of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam CurranShardul Thakur: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 croreSherfane Rutherford: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans for INR 2.6 croreArjun Tendulkar: Traded to Lucknow Super Giants from Mumbai Indians for INR 30 lakhMohammed Shami: Traded to Lucknow Super Giants from Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 10 croreMayank Markande: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 30 lakhNitish Rana: Traded to Delhi Capitals from Rajasthan Royals for INR 4.2 croreDonovan Ferreira: Traded to Rajasthan Royals from Delhi Capitals for INR 1 crore

Marc Brys has refused to acknowledge his sacking as Cameroon manager, instead naming his squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The Belgian has been feuding with Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) president Samuel Eto'o and was recently dismissed from his post, but is staying resolute as he is yet to receive a proper termination notice.

Brys not yet officially fired

Brys remains under contract with the Ministry of Sport until September 2026 and is yet to receive an official termination notice. As such, the Belgian manager is refusing to accept his dismissal from the hands of former Inter and Barcelona striker Eto'o, with the pair feuding intensely over the past year or so. David Pagou is expected to be named as Brys' official successor, having been cited as Cameroon's manager on FIFA's website. However, the situation is a messy one, and Brys seemingly has no desire to leave, instead naming the squad he intends to take with him to Morocco for the upcoming AFCON tournament.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesManager criticises 'narcissistic' Eto'o

Speaking to TV5 Monde on Tuesday, Brys doubled down on his position in charge of the national team and continued his feud with Eto'o, saying: "As long as there is no signed note from the Presidency of the Republic appointing David Pagou as the coach of the Indomitable Lions, in the eyes of the State of Cameroon, Mr. Marc Brys remains. This is not up for discussion, and it has been this way in Cameroon for at least 30 years.

He added to : “How can we go and compete in such a tournament without a world-class goalkeeper, or without [Vincent] Aboubakar? Because these are players who have character, who stand up to the president. It’s incredible, but it doesn’t surprise me coming from someone who is narcissistic, who thinks he’s the most handsome.” 

Hope for axed Man Utd goalkeeper Onana

It's been a tough few years for Onana. After signing from Inter Milan in 2023, the 29-year-old made a catalogue of errors across two seasons with Manchester United and was eventually dropped as their starting goalkeeper by Ruben Amorim. Back-up stopper Altay Bayindir was initially handed the gloves, but summer signing Senne Lammens has since been deployed between the sticks and has started his career at Old Trafford in calm fashion.

Onana, who is now on loan at Trabzonspor in a squad that features household names such as Stefan Savic and Paul Onuachu, was not included in Pagou's final AFCON squad either. However, he could benefit if Brys remains in charge, having been named on the manager's alternative list. The goalkeeper has previously had issues while playing for his national team, most notably being sent home from the 2022 World Cup by then-manager Rigobert Song due to disciplinary problems. He played just three times in 2023 but has featured more regularly over the past two years.  

Also among the players named on Brys' list are United star Bryan Mbeumo, Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, former Bayern Munich and Stoke striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Aboubakar, who is behind only Eto'o in the list of Cameroon's greatest ever goalscorers.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Cameroon?

Cameroon's predicament is clearly a tricky one with a lot of strange things happening all at once. It's hardly ideal with their first game at AFCON coming in two weeks on Christmas Eve, with their campaign starting against Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's Gabon. They also face the Ivory Coast and Mozambique in the group stage, but they are not considered to be among the favourites to lift the cup come the end of the tournament.

Instead, hosts Morocco are one of the heavily fancied teams. They have home advantage and also boast talented players with the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Yassine Bounou, Sofyan Amrabat and Noussair Mazraoui among those at manager Walid Regragui's disposal. Senegal, Algeria, Egypt and the Ivory Coast will all hope for strong showings, while DR Congo beat both Cameroon and Nigeria on their way to booking a place in the inter-confederation playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.

Like father, like son.

Twenty-seven years after his father, Matt Holliday, was drafted by the Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 MLB draft, Ethan Holliday was taken by Colorado with the fourth pick of the 2025 MLB draft.

One of the most talented prospects in this year's draft, Ethan fell to the No. 4 pick, allowing him to play for the same team his dad started and ended his career with.

"This is a really incredible opportunity," Holliday said on MLB Network. "I'm so driven by faith, I'm so grateful. The Lord has really been the centerpiece of my life. I don't even know what words I can put to this. The Rockies organization, I'm so thankful, obviously with the family, the background, and my dad being drafted by them, that just adds such a cool thing. Knowing everyone in the organization since I was born, I'm just so grateful."

Ethan was born in 2007, ahead of his dad's fourth season in the majors and second straight All-Star season. That proved to be a lucky year for Matt, who went on to lead the National League in batting average and RBIs before claiming the MVP award that season.

Matt spent five seasons with the Rockies to begin his career, andEthan adorably got to know the organization he will now play for early on as a baby. Matt would go on to play for the Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees—winning a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011—before returning to spend his final MLB season in Colorado.

Now, Matt's sons are carrying on his legacy. His eldest son, Jackson, was the No. 1 pick by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2022 MLB draft. He has another son that was a top-five draft pick in Ethan, who will also got to play for his former team.

James Wood put on a show during his first round performance at the 2025 Home Run Derby.

The Washington Nationals star crushed 16 home runs in the first round to open up the competition. One of those homers flew outside of Truist Park in Atlanta—yes, you read that right—to go a whopping 486 feet.

Woods's blast went further than any homer has gone during the 2025 season so far. Mike Trout currently holds that lead with a 484-foot home run he hit earlier this season.

This home run sparked a lot of good reactions from Woods's fellow MLB stars. His Derby opponent Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins had a spot-on reaction when the camera panned to him. His jaw was dropped, similarly to how a lot of MLB fans at home looked when Wood crushed that ball.

Although Woods's homer was extremely impressive, it's not the farthest hit home run in Derby history by any means. That record is held by Juan Soto, who hit a 520-foot homer in 2021. There's been quite a few 500-plus foot home runs recorded in Derby history.

The 2025 MLB season has come to a close, and it was capped off by a wild weekend.

While most of the playoff spots had been earned before the weekend, a lot happened over the season's final three days to get us to the final playoff picture. What follows is a chronological look at all the biggest moments from the weekend, starting on Friday.

Tatis Sinks the Snakes

The Diamondbacks somehow stayed in the NL wild-card race over the season's final two months after selling at the deadline. It was a valiant effort from Arizona that ended with a bang on Friday evening.

The Dbacks led the Padres 2–1 in the fourth inning with rotation stalwart Zac Gallen on the hill. The veteran righty loaded the bases, then tried to slip a 95 mph fastball past Fernando Tatis Jr. on a 3–2 count. He immediately regretted it. The ball left Tatis’s bat at 111.7 mph and landed in the second deck at Petco Park for a grand slam.

The Padres took a 5–2 lead en route to an eventual 7–4 win. The loss eliminated Arizona from playoff contention.

Red Sox Walk Off Into the Playoffs

Boston entered the bottom of the ninth of Friday's game against the Tigers locked in a 3–3 tie with their magic number down to one. A two-out single by Romy Gonzalez gave Ceddanne Rafaela the chance to be a hero. He delivered.

Rafaela blasted a 1–0 pitch from Tommy Kahnle off the center field wall. It kicked around in the outfield, and Gonzalez raced home with plenty of time to spare to send Boston to the postseason.

The Red Sox will travel to Yankee Stadium to face their bitter rivals in what should be a blockbuster wild-card series.

Busch Goes Deep Twice as Cubs Clinch

Michael Busch homered twice in the first five innings on Saturday against the Cardinals; the second gave the Cubs a 3–1 lead they never relinquished.

Busch hit a home run, double, and another home run to rack up 10 total bases in his first three at-bats. He ended the game 4-for-4, with two home runs, a double, and a triple, leaving him a single short of the cycle. More importantly, he launched the Cubs to a 7–3 win, which clinched the top wild-card spot and a home series against the Padres in the opening round of the playoffs.

Jahmai Jones Clutch Single Lifts Tigers to Playoffs

After a horrible September that saw them lose their massive lead in the AL Central, the Tigers were able to salvage a playoff spot thanks to a 2–1 win over the Red Sox on Saturday night.

Jahmi Jones had the big hit with a two-out, fifth-inning single that scored two runs and put Detroit in the lead for good.

They closed out the game to finally earn some good news by clinching a playoff spot.

Guardians Unconventional Walk-Off Clinches Spot

The Guardians joined the Tigers in the playoffs in one of the weirdest ways possible Saturday night. Cleveland's remarkable march back into the AL Central race overcame the longest of odds, and what happened in the ninth inning against the Rangers Saturday night only added to the surreal nature of their September surge.

After Rangers reliever Robert Garcia got the first two outs in a 2–2 game, Johnathan Rodriguez walked and Kyle Manzardo singled, sending pinch runner Petey Halpin to third. Texas intentionally walked Gabriel Arias, putting CJ Kayfus at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.

After getting strike one, Garcia hit Kayfus, forcing in a run and sending the Guardians to the playoffs.

Incredible.

Red Sox Win Central for Cleveland

On Sunday, the Tigers entered Fenway Park on Sunday with a chance to win the AL Central. All they needed to do was beat the Red Sox and hope Cleveland lost. Neither of those things happened.

The Tigers took an early 3–1 lead, but in the bottom of the fourth, Chris Paddack gave up a two-run home run to light-hitting infielder David Hamilton, then back-to-back doubles to Nick Sogard and Jarren Duran.

That gave Boston a 4–3 lead, leaving Detroit with five innings to get another run. The Tigers couldn't do it. They put two on base in the top of the ninth but couldn't bring anyone across and surrendered the division to the Guardians with the loss.

Cleveland's players found out it had won the AL Central during their game with Texas and celebrated.

To top it off, Brayan Rocchio launched a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th against the Rangers to enter the playoffs in style.

Alejandro Kirk Leads Blue Jays Blowout For AL East Crown

Toronto's task was simple on Sunday: beat the Rays and clinch the American League East and the top seed in the AL. The Blue Jays did that. Emphatically.

Alejandro Kirk stepped to the plate in the bottom of the first inning with the game tied 1–1. It didn't stay that way for long. On a 2–2 pitch from Ian Seymour, Kirk sat on a changeup and annihilated it. He sent the ball 387 feet into the left-center field stands at the Rogers Centre, and sent Blue Jays fans into a frenzy.

The rout was on after that, and Toronto wound up taking a 13–4 win. That relegated the Yankees to the AL’s top wild-card slot, setting up a series against the Red Sox.

Mets Complete Collapse, Exit Postseason Picture

The Mets needed to win and get help on Sunday. One of those things happened, the other didn't. The Reds owned the head-to-head tiebreaker with New York, and the two teams entered the day deadlocked with identical 83–78 records. Cincinnati lost to the Brewers 4–2, which meant all New York had to do was beat the Miami Marlins. You can guess what happened.

Miami and its $67 million payroll team bested the franchise with a $323 million payroll by the score of 4–0, as the Mets went out with a whimper. They only mustered five hits off of Edward Cabrera and four relievers. The game and the team's season ended when Francisco Lindor grounded into a double play in the top of the ninth. New York's broadcasters lamented the team's epic collapse.

The Mets had MLB's best record on June 12 at 45–24. They went 38–55 after that. A deserved, depressing ending to the season.

England rejoice, Pakistan ponder ‘what if’ – reactions after the hosts’ stunning chase in Manchester

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2020

You absolute beauties! Outstanding win and brilliant team effort!! Great start to the series. @englandcricket #ENGvPAK

— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) August 8, 2020

A rare rare 4 th innings chase. Well done England.#ENGvsPAK

— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) August 8, 2020

What a win for @englandcricket. Test match cricket at its wonderful, gripping, inimitable best.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 8, 2020

Test Cricket, even in the bubble is still great theater. You can't undervalue the character with which England achieved that win, from 117-5. Im sure back stronger nezt week. Stay "Woakes" everyone.

— Ian bishop (@irbishi) August 8, 2020

England & Pakistan are the best 2 teams to follow in World cricket … Never ever quite know what to expect … but it makes them both very exciting to watch … #TestCricket #OnOn

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 8, 2020

What Pak missed today,England had in abundance. Self-belief, character, skill and match winners like Buttler & Woakes. Top effort to bounce back from conceding a 107-run lead in the 1st innings & being 117/5 battling last under pressure. You've got to love test cricket!#ENGvsPAK

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) August 8, 2020

How good is test cricket…Patience,Pressure and Partnerships with bat and ball wins it…..#TestCricket

— Mickey Arthur (@Mickeyarthurcr1) August 8, 2020

Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler revived England’s stumbling chase, with both scoring fifties in the win.

Absolute quality @josbuttler and @chriswoakes

— Eoin Morgan (@Eoin16) August 8, 2020

@chriswoakes experience of 10+ first class, showing its true value today. The foundation for every great cricketer

— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) August 8, 2020

As @ShaneWarne said, @josbuttler has ticker, bottle and character, let’s leave it at that!! What a win, test match cricket at its best!!! pic.twitter.com/vZ5ODQaFSe

— Neil Fairbrother (@Harv366) August 8, 2020

Here's my TMS scoresheet of the stand between Buttler (purple) and Woakes (light blue)… brilliant attack, followed by ruthless accumulation. One of England's finest Test partnerships, I would say. pic.twitter.com/98RGiF87ro

— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) August 8, 2020

Pakistan’s former players lamented the missed opportunity of going 1-0 up in the three-Test series.

#ENGvsPAK

— Mohammad Yousaf (@yousaf1788) August 8, 2020

Congratulations England on a memorable win! Brilliant batting by Buttler and Woakes. Pakistan had the game in the grip, unfortunate that the game slipped away. Such opportunities can not be wasted, pitch was very suitable for our bowling attack.

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) August 8, 2020

The tournament has reached the halfway stage so how is each team shaping up?

Andrew McGlashan09-Nov-2020Melbourne Stars (4 wins, 11 points)Season so farIs this the year the most underwhelming record in the WBBL is flipped? After their first three games were abandoned at various stages due to rain they have put together four wins on the bounce – and they have all been dominant. Three came chasing, but when they batted first against the Heat it made no difference. The way they chased a not-insignificant 155 against the Strikers stood out and their Powerplay batting is very threatening.Who’s going well?It’s difficult to imagine Meg Lanning could bat any better than she is right now. Four half-centuries in five innings, guiding chases and setting the tone. There is a level of power – even a touch of brutality – to some of the strokeplay you wouldn’t always associate with Lanning. A nod, too, to Alana King who was not in the starting XI originally but has six wickets in three matches with her legspin and has conceded 5.08 an over. Spin was a question mark for the Stars, and probably remains their weakest area, but King is doing a fine job.What can improve?There are very few holes to pick at the moment although Lanning always stresses improvement and, speaking after the big win over the Heat, said she did not think there had been the “complete” game. Annabel Sutherland’s returns with the ball are a touch disappointing – one wicket in 10 overs at an economy of 7.50.Sydney Thunder (4 wins, 10 points)Season so farAfter some smart recruiting, the Thunder have looked a well-balanced team with three convincing victories following the damp start. They had a slip-up against the Renegades but responded well the next day to defend 129 (just) against the Hurricanes.Who’s going well?Heather Knight has taken her T20 game to a new level in the last 12 months and that has continued into this tournament – with bat and ball. Left-arm spinner Sam Bates (10 wickets at 6.50, economy 3.82) has also been a stand-out, showing outstanding control in pressure situations which included a five-over chase where she bowled a double-wicket maiden. A mention as well for the glovework of Tahlia Wilson.What can improve?They can’t leave the batting to Knight and Rachael Haynes (and the occasional Powerplay dash by Sammy-Jo Johnson). Tammy Beaumont has struggled at the top of the order – strike rate 81.17 – and there is still a question mark over the best place for Phoebe Litchfield who ideally needs time to get into her innings.Stella Campbell’s pace and bounce has impressed•Getty ImagesSydney Sixers (4 wins, 10 points)Season so farThree very comfortable wins and one slightly tighter affair against the Hurricanes has established the Sixers as one of the favourites after the surprise of missing the knockouts last year. However, they stumbled against the power of Sophie Devine on Sunday, a game where none of their ‘big three’ Australians – Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner – had their best dayWho’s going well?The strike-rates of Healy and Gardner (156 and 155 respectively) stand out while Perry has produced one superb all-round performance against the Heat. Stella Campbell has impressed with her bounce and pace. Marizanne Kapp’s half-century against the Scorchers, while in defeat, was also important to illustrate the batting below the top three.What can improve?Outside of Perry’s WBBL-best performance of 3 for 17, her bowling has been a little off colour at times with an economy rate of eight.Adelaide Strikers (3 wins, 7 points)Season so farAfter starting with a bang by dismissing the Hurricanes for 84, they had three defeats by hefty margins in the next four games – and they were on track to lose the other before rain arrived against the Scorchers. However, they responded impressively this weekend with two strong performances in the field to net victories over the Heat and the Renegades.Who’s going well?Laura Wolvaardt has played some of the shots of the tournament so far – an inside-out cover drive for six against the Stars being especially memorable – as her development as a T20 batter continues apace. Darcie Brown has been superb with the ball, both in terms of her pace and her accuracy with an economy rate of five an overWhat can improve?Spin bowling is shaping as a concern. Amanda-Jade Wellington is going at nearly nine an over (although has six wickets), Stafanie Taylor has only bowled six overs and appears to be carrying a few niggles and Madeline Penna has only been given three overs so far. The middle order, too, looks vulnerable with Wellington and Bridget Patterson low on runs.Sophie Devine flayed seven sixes in her century•Getty ImagesPerth Scorchers (2 wins, 6 points)Season so farThey created much of the pre-season talk after bringing in Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney, and that pairing may just have given the campaign the shot-in-the-arm it needed with their huge stand against the Sixers. Before that, two heavy defeats raised questions after their competition began with a loss to the Heat.Who’s going well?Devine struck the first century of the competition on Sunday to really get her tournament up and running. Mooney has been consistent and their pairing at the top could yet carry the Scorchers a long way.What can improve?The bowling attack looks a little thin with Devine, a key component, going at nearly nine an over and taking just two wickets so far. They will also need the middle order to deliver. Outside of the openers, the top score is currently 29 by Heather Graham and no one else except Chloe Piparo (who has faced 17 balls) is striking at over 100.Hobart Hurricanes (1 win, 4 points)Season so farTheir one victory has come against fellow strugglers the Renegades although they should have taken the scalp of the Thunder but they messed up the closing stages of the run chase. They were also very unfortunate against the Heat. The match was three balls short of being official when it was called off with the Hurricanes well on track.Who’s going well?The bowling is holding its own, with 15-year-old Amy Smith very impressive while Hayley Matthews is the leading wicket-taker and Nicola Carey’s wicket-to-wicket seamers have proved effective.What can improve?The batting. Only one player, Rachel Priest, has so far passed 100 runs – and has scored the only half-century. Even taking into account the rain-affected games that’s a poor return. They need much more from Matthews and Chloe Tryon, although there remains uncertainty about the latter’s best position.Melbourne Renegades pulled themselves up off the floor with a superb performance in the field•Getty ImagesBrisbane Heat (1 win, 4 points)Season so farIt has been a real struggle for the defending champions since they opened with an impressive victory against the Scorchers. Following two no results (the second of which was heading for a defeat against the Hurricanes) they have suffered four straight losses and by considerable margins.Who is going well?Grace Harris has made two of the team’s three half-centuries and is comfortably the leading run-scorer after her unbeaten 81 against the Stars. Captain Jess Jonassen has bowled nicely for her eight wickets.What can improve?The big unknown ahead of the season was whether they could replace Mooney’s runs and it doesn’t feel as though they have. New Zealand overseas pair Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr need to deliver more with the bat.Melbourne Renegades (1 win, 4 points)Season so farThey did some soul-searching after being bowled out for 81 by the Hurricanes and dug very deep to defend 110 against the Thunder which has prevented the season from getting away from them. But they could rue not being able to chase 128 against the Strikers. They have been badly hit by injuries with Lea Tahuhu yet to play and Maitlan Brown ruled out of the tournament.Who is going well?Georgia Wareham, enjoying more responsibility than she gets in the Australia team. She has batted well in the middle order with a strike-rate of 146 and made a maiden WBBL fifty.What can get better?They need all-round improvement if they are to mount a challenge. Amy Satterthwaite, crawling along at a strike-rate of 59.25, and Lizelle Lee have 103 runs between them in 10 innings while Sophie Molineux is only striking at 80.35 at the top of the order. Wareham and Molly Strano, two-thirds of what should be a strong spin attack, only have five wickets between them.