Sri Lankan cricketer has been granted bail for the parking-related altercation

Madushka Balasuriya09-Mar-2025

Sri Lankan cricketer Ashen Bandara was arrested on Saturday after it was alleged that he had assaulted his neighbour following a parking-related issue. He has since been granted bail, and is expected to appear in court on March 12.According to the Sri Lanka police, the incident occurred on Saturday evening in Kolamunna, Piliyandala, where Bandara resides. Following an argument over a parked vehicle blocking the road, Bandara is alleged to have entered his neighbour’s house and assaulted the individual.”On Saturday evening one of the neighbours had complained of Bandara causing trouble, and that he had trespassed into someone’s house,” the Sri Lanka police said. “The verbal confrontation had then escalated into a physical one. He was arrested on suspicion of assault on Saturday night and bailed out on the same day.”When contacted for comment, Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said they would require further information on the incident before deciding on a course of action. De Silva also noted that while Bandara is not presently contracted centrally, he is under contract with Police SC in Sri Lanka’s National Super League, as such he could be liable for sullying the reputation of SLC.”We first need to look at the contract and also look at the incident. If he is thought to have brought SLC into disrepute, then there is further action that we can take,” de Silva said. “So we will discuss the matter internally and if it warrants an inquiry we will conduct one.”Bandara, 26, a middle-order batter renowned for his fielding, has played six ODIs and six T20Is. He last played for Sri Lanka in October 2023 as part of a largely second-string squad in the Asian Games. He last turned out for the first XI in January 2023.

The Premier League is finally back, but things are not looking so great for West Ham United.

Graham Potter’s side were tasked with a visit to the newly promoted Sunderland yesterday afternoon but, instead of picking up some early points, were comfortably beaten 3-0.

The result is a real wake-up call that unless the club do something dramatic in the closing weeks of the transfer window, they’ll be in real danger of going down come the end of the campaign.

Fortunately, it looks like West Ham are keen on bringing in an incredibly exciting talent, someone who could be their new Declan Rice.

West Ham target their new Rice

It would be fair to say that, so far this summer, West Ham’s dealings in the transfer market have been nothing more than fine.

Transfer Focus

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

While the additions of Kyle Walker-Peters, Mads Hermansen and El Hadji Malick Diouf improve the squad, they aren’t really enough for a side that ended last season five points off the drop zone.

Luckily, it looks like the club are keen to make at least one more significant addition to the team as they circle someone who could be their new Rice.

At least that is according to a recent report from Eduardo Burgos, who has claimed that West Ham are interested in Andrey Santos.

In fact, the Spanish journalist has revealed that the Hammers sent Chelsea a €53m offer, which is about £42m, but it was rejected.

As things stand, it appears that the Blues do not want to sell the Brazilian, but if the last few windows have shown us anything, it’s that they will move on most players if the fee is right.

So, while it would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, West Ham should be doing all they can to sign Santos, especially as he could be their new Rice.

How Santos compares to Rice

It should probably go without saying that we are not suggesting Santos is quite on the same level as Rice at the moment, but it might be closer than you’d think, and there are some undeniable similarities between the pair.

The first is, unsurprisingly, where they play on the pitch, as, like the Arsenal star, the Brazilian is someone who thrives as either a central or defensive midfielder and is a monster when it comes to breaking up play and helping out his defence.

For example, while respected analyst Ben Mattinson described him as a “duel monster” who is “brilliant at screening the backline,” talent scout Jacek Kulig arguably went even further and called him a “one-man war machine in midfield.”

However, just like the former Irons captain, the Blues gem is able to match up his tireless running and defensive attributes with an eye for goal and an ability to make things happen at the sharp end of the pitch.

In 34 appearances for Strasbourg last season, the 21-year-old phenom scored 11 goals and provided five assists and was praised by Mattinson for the way he “crashes the box” and his seriously impressive ability to “progress the ball.”

Finally, on top of being so similar to such an incredible international, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace has some sensational underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 3% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for tackles won, the top 5% for non-penalty goals and goals per shot, and the top 8% for dribblers tackled, among other metrics, all per 90.

These numbers help to justify the image of the Brazilian star as someone who can help snuff out opposition attacks in his half before kick-starting a counter and bringing the ball all the way up the other end.

Ultimately, West Ham need to add some real quality to the side this summer, and while it will be difficult, they should be doing all they can to get Santos, especially as he could be their new Rice.

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Test spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, whose bowling action has been cleared after an investigation, says he was always confident in his technique

AAP14-Mar-2025Matthew Kuhnemann insists he’s put interrogation of his action firmly behind him as he targets a Test tour of the West Indies mid-year.The left-arm spinner was cleared to continue bowling by the ICC in late February after being reported for a suspect action following Australia’s away triumph over Sri Lanka.Kuhnemann was temporarily suspended from bowling and had a 10-day wait for results after being put through testing by cricket’s governing body.Related

Kuhnemann cleared of suspect bowling action by ICC

The 28-year-old, who spoke to media on Friday for the first time since the incident, said he was always confident his action would be given the green light. So much so, he used the 10 days to spend some time on the Gold Coast.”It was actually great to have a bit of downtime with my family,” he said. “[The wait] wasn’t as nerve wracking as people may have thought.”When it first happened there was definitely some shock [and] I was very grateful for the support Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania provided.”[But I’ve played] over 100 professional games and had never been questioned … I was always confident that I would be fine.”I’ve had a couple of weeks to sit back and reflect on everything now and move on.”Had tests deemed Kuhnemann extended his elbow by more than 15 degrees, he would have been banned from bowling until he could prove he had remedied the situation.Kuhnemann was Australia’s highest wicket taker in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka with 16 scalps at an average of 17.18. He played through pain after breaking his right thumb in the Big Bash League in January.Kuhnemann said the ICC tests, thumb injury and battles securing a spot for previous state side Queensland had built his resilience.”It is the life of a professional sportsman these days, people might doubt you and whatnot but it’s how you take the doubt and turn it into a positive,” he said. “I’ve never been more confident in my ability as a cricketer.”Over in Sri Lanka that was probably the best time of my career, the ball was coming out beautifully.”Kuhnemann will be hoping to help last-placed Tasmania to a win when they host New South Wales in a day-night fixture in the final Sheffield Shield round starting Saturday.The next goal is a potential stint in England with Durham and a trip to the Caribbean with Australia, who play West Indies in a three-Test series beginning June.”I’ve never been to the West Indies … but it can take some spin,” Kuhnemann said. “If the opportunity comes, I’d love to go over there and play.”

Manchester United now have only the weapons at their disposal until January after Monday’s transfer deadline, but that doesn’t mean clubs elsewhere aren’t looking to snap up their own assets, with some windows around the world not yet closed.

Manchester United look ahead after promising transfer window

Results haven’t been too kind to Ruben Amorim this season, but there have been flickering signs that performances at Old Trafford are beginning to come together after some high-profile signings during the transfer window.

Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, Senne Lammens, and Benjamin Sesko took Manchester United’s summer spending spree to around £225 million, illustrating a level of ambition from INEOS to help the Red Devils challenge at the top end of the Premier League.

Ultimately, four points from nine available in the top-flight and a shock cup exit to Grimsby Town is unlikely to win any favour among supporters. Still, there is no doubt that this is a transitional season for Amorim’s men as they recover from an unfateful 2024/25 campaign.

Now, the focus is on integrating new faces for an important run of upcoming fixtures, starting with an away trip to rivals Manchester City after the international break, before a home clash with Chelsea.

After sustaining an injury against Burnley, former Wolverhampton Wanderers man Cunha confirmed via social media that he will be back sooner rather than later, stating: “What an incredible environment, it’s great to be here. I’ll be back soon, always with joy and gratitude. Thanks for all the messages.”

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With the window now over in Europe, fans could be forgiven for thinking the Red Devils’ squad is now settled for time to come, but clubs are already scouring the market for players who may become of interest, and in some cases the window is still open…

Harry Maguire attracting interest from Saudi Pro League

According to The Sun, two Saudi Pro League clubs want to sign Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, with their window open until September 23. The player himself is considering the move, but only at the end of this season, which is perhaps a hit to INEOS and a boost for Amorim, as the Red Devils will lose out on a transfer fee but the manager keeps a consistent starter this season.

Indeed, the £190,000 per week earner is committed to remaining at Old Trafford until his contract expires in the summer of 2026, but this looks like one to watch once his deal ends when he could receive a massive pay hike.

Becoming a pillar of the Red Devils’ backline in recent years, Maguire has registered 16 goals and nine assists in 249 appearances for the club. He will be 33 by the time his Manchester United contract comes to an end, and it is clear that he has plenty of options open if he wants to seek a new career challenge elsewhere – or generational wealth.

TEAMtalk report that Manchester United could look to extend his contract, citing Amorim’s belief that he is a ‘crucial’ part of the dressing room, but it appears he could now be set to follow Andre Onana amid interest from Saudi clubs in the Cameroon international.

McBrine and Adair scored fifties each to help Ireland recover from 31 for 5 to 260 all out

Ekanth06-Feb-2025

What started out as a potentially one-sided day in Bulawayo was anything but. Ireland zig-zagged through multiple ups and downs, however, Zimbabwe ended up dominating the day.Blessing Muzarabani bowled like an Irish curse at the start of the day, utilising the two-paced nature and uneven bounce on day one. His 7 for 58, which is the second-best figures for a Zimbabwe bowler – dented Ireland but not before Lorcan Tucker’s initiative, followed by a 127-run stand between Andy McBrine and Mark Adair, lifted Ireland from the precarity of 31 for 5 to the comforts of 260.In reply, Zimbabwe lost Ben Curran early but Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch’s healthy starts saw off 21 overs to stumps, with the hosts trailing by 188 runs.The day began under sunny skies but the first over showed the vagaries of a pitch that batters couldn’t trust. Peter Moor was lured by balls outside off, which brought him a boundary fourth ball but then the lack of bounce and pace had him jamming his bat down late and slicing the ball to Curran in the cordon.Curtis Campher got a jaffa that seamed away and beat his bat while trying to defend in the third over but then fell trying to counterattack Richard Ngarava in the fourth – the only batter in the Ireland top five to not fall to Muzarabani. Andy Balbirnie, who was in control against the full balls, was the next to go, out trying to flick a shortish ball that stopped in the pitch.Muzarabani saved his best ball for Harry Tector, which seamed away to take a leading edge off the flick to have him caught at slip. He was then assisted by the pitch, which offered extra pace and bounce to undo Paul Stirling, caught at slip. And just like that, Ireland has lost half their side with nine overs yet to be bowled.Andy McBrine and Mark Adair put on a 127-run stand to lift Ireland•Zimbabwe Cricket

Tucker initially broke the shackles by punishing errors in length, particularly short balls that he cut and pulled with disdain. But he was dismissed chopping on a full ball off Trevor Gwandu in the 16th over, for 33off 28, Ireland 82 for 6.Adair then took over the attacking role from Tucker, hitting three boundaries off Gwandu two overs before lunch.Zimbabwe’s plan to use the pitch was scuppered after the break as it lost its spice and the ball its hardness. Muzarabani couldn’t find consistency with his line. While his five-over spell went for just 11 runs, his partners – Newman Nyamhuri and Gwandu – were taken for multiple boundaries as Adair brought up a 48-ball fifty.Adair, who was given a life in the 34th over by Muzarabani, grew in confidence and kept the run rate in and around five. But a short-and-wide loose delivery from Muzarabani proved Adair’s downfall as he tried to cut it through point. Barry McCarthy gloved a bumper to short leg to give Muzarabani his sixth, but by then Ireland were in a much better condition at 211 for 8.McBrine, batting on 57, didn’t farm strike at the start of the final session but managed to squeeze out vital runs with Craig Young and Matthew Humphreys for the final two wickets. When Humphreys was dismissed in the 57th over, bowled by Ngarava, McBrine was stranded on 90.Ireland struck early when Curran tried to capitalise on a short-and-wide ball off McCarthy and was out caught behind. Ireland tried to set attacking fields but the Zimbabwe’s batters took advantage to pocket two twos and two threes in the two overs following the wicket.In the 11th over, Adair beat Kaitano with a peach that nipped away but Kaitano and Welch managed to see Zimbabwe through to stumps. And it was honours largely even.

Newcastle United are “looking” at a potential move for another attacking player hailed as a “pure baller” this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Ramsey completes move to Newcastle

The Magpies’ summer transfer window hasn’t been a happy one, with key targets choosing other clubs instead, and the Alexander Isak saga hanging over them.

On the plus side, Newcastle have now completed the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, with the Englishman looking forward to his new challenge at St James’ Park.

“I’m delighted to be here. It’s been a mad two or three days, but I’m really happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started. This is a big move for me, but as soon as I knew the gaffer was interested and really liked me, it didn’t take much time to decide. His track record of developing players, especially those who have gone on to become internationals here, speaks for itself.

“It was always a tough game playing for Villa against Newcastle – the team is full of energy, so athletic and the fans are so passionate. I feel my game will suit that and I’m excited to be on the other end of it now.”

Now, another gifted young player has also been mentioned as a target for Newcastle, with two weeks of the transfer window remaining.

Newcastle "looking" at move for "pure baller"

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke claimed that Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss is a target for Newcastle this summer, with offers expected to arrive for him from clubs.

“He isn’t letting the speculation effect him at the moment, he started for Leicester in their opening game of the season and got a couple of assists as well. Newcastle have been looking at him while pursuing Jacob Ramsey. They could potentially sign both to strengthen the squad in that position.

“Eddie Howe needs a bigger squad this season with Champions League football to contend with. Leicester are open to selling him and they’ll face a real battle to convince him to stay in the Championship if he does have Premier League offers. It’s one to keep an eye on before the end of the window. I expect offers to come in for El Khannouss before the end of the window.”

El Khannouss is a huge talent with so many good years ahead of him, so he could be a superb long-term signing in attacking midfield areas.

The 21-year-old has already bagged two assists in as many games in the Championship this season, while analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “pure baller” because of his natural ability.

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Granted, El Khannouss plays in a similar position to Ramsey, so minutes could be hard to come by initially, especially given the quality already in Newcastle’s midfield. That said, he should still feature plenty, and has the potential to be a future star at St James’.

Leeds United are looking to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the transfer window officially slams shut for another year this evening.

The Whites were reportedly looking to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week to add to their attacking midfield ranks, after he spent last season on loan at Leicester City.

Unfortunately, Chelsea decided to pursue a loan move for the Argentine playmaker and are now closing in on a deal to add him to their squad at Stamford Bridge.

Leeds were, of course, unable to compete with the Champions League football that Enzo Maresca’s side have on offer, and look set to miss out on Buonanotte.

Leeds have playmaker on their radar

The Championship champions are still in need of another option in the frontline after missing out on the Brighton youngster, and are reportedly looking further afield for an alternative.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to LeedsLive, Krasnodar attacking midfielder Eduard Spertsyan has emerged as a potential option for Leeds United on deadline day, as they could make a last-gasp move for the star.

The report claims that the Armenia international is one of a number of playmakers on the club’s radar as they look to bolster their options in that position before the window slams shut.

It adds that Bilal El Khannouss, Dilane Bakwa, and Manor Solomon are also being looked at by the Whites, as they look at traditional number tens and natural wingers on both sides.

Daniel Farke, though, worked with Spertsyan, who was linked with an £11m move to Southampton earlier this summer, and he may be a shrewd addition to the squad.

Why Leeds should sign Eduard Spertsyan

The West Yorkshire outfit should look to pursue a deadline day deal for the Armenian star because he could be an even better option than Buonanotte as an attacking midfielder.

Spertsyan has not experienced English football before, so it would be a risk in that respect, but his form for Krasnodar suggests that he has the potential to be an incredibly exciting addition to the squad.

The 25-year-old star, who was described as an “elegant” player by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is heading into the prime years of his career and could offer a huge threat at the top end of the pitch if he can adapt to the Premier League.

Spertsyan (Russian Premier League)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

28

7

Goals

11

4

Big chances missed

5

1

Key passes per game

2.1

3.9

Big chances created

6

5

Assists

6

8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Spertsyan has delivered 15 goals and 14 assists in his last 35 appearances in the Russian Premier League, including eight assists in seven games this season.

These statistics show that the £11m-rated star is an incredibly creative player who looks to play key passes constantly each match, whilst he can also provide a significant threat as a goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Buonanotte has produced eight goals and three assists in 58 outings in the English Premier League in the last two seasons for Leicester and Brighton combined, per Sofascore.

This suggests that Spertsyan would be an even better signing for Leeds if they can get him to translate his performances for Krasnodar over to English football this season.

It would be a risky addition, given his lack of experience in England, but his immense form in Russia suggests that it could be worth the risk as an alternative to Buonanotte, who has not delivered consistently in the final third in his career to date.

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يشهد اليوم الثلاثاء الموافق 14-10-2025 عددًا كبيرًا من المواجهات القوية والحاسمة في مشوار التصفيات المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، حيث تتجه الأنظار إلى ملاعب إفريقيا وآسيا وأوروبا لمتابعة صراع المنتخبات على بطاقات التأهل إلى المونديال المرتقب في الولايات المتحدة وكندا والمكسيك.

في القارة الإفريقية، تتواصل الإثارة مع الجولة العاشرة والأخيرة من التصفيات، حيث يلتقي منتخب الجزائر مع نظيره أوغندا بعدما ضمن “محاربو الصحراء” تأهلهم رسميًا إلى المونديال، بينما يبحث المنتخب الأوغندي عن ختام مشرف للتصفيات أمام بطل المجموعة.

أما في الرباط، فيخوض منتخب المغرب مواجهة قوية أمام الكونغو برازافيل على ملعب مولاي عبد الله، في لقاء احتفالي بعد أن حسم “أسود الأطلس” تأهلهم المبكر إلى كأس العالم، ليؤكدوا تفوقهم القاري تحت قيادة المدرب وليد الركراكي.

وفي مواجهة عربية مثيرة، يلتقي منتخب السودان مع الكونغو الديمقراطية في مباراة يسعى فيها الأخير لخطف بطاقة التأهل المباشر إلى المونديال، بينما يحاول المنتخب السوداني إنهاء التصفيات بأداء مشرف بعد ابتعاده عن المنافسة على المركزين الأول والثاني.

أما على الصعيد الآسيوي، فيترقب الجمهور العربي مواجهة قطر ضد الإمارات، في لقاء قوي ضمن المحلق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى كأس العالم 2026، حيث يسعى كل منتخب لاقتناص الفوز وحجز مقعد في النهائيات، خصوصًا بعد تعثر قطر في الجولة الأولى وتعويض الإمارات خسارتها أمام عمان بفوز ثمين.

ويختتم منتخب السعودية مواجهاته في المحلق الآسيوي عندما يواجه منتخب العراق في قمة عربية نارية، بعد أن حقق “الأخضر” بداية قوية بالفوز على إندونيسيا، بينما يدخل “أسود الرافدين” اللقاء بمعنويات مرتفعة عقب انتصارهم الأخير في الجولة الماضية.

طالع أيضًا | منتخب مصر يوضح عبر بطولات حقيقة إصابة لاعب الأهلي أمام غينيا بيساو مواعيد مباريات اليوم الثلاثاء 14-10-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد تصفيات إفريقيا لكأس العالم اليوم

سيشيل ضد جامبيا، الساعة 4:00 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر منصة Shahid.

الصومال ضد موزمبيق، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

غينيا ضد بوتسوانا، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

نيجيريا ضد بنين، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

جنوب أفريقيا ضد رواندا، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

الجزائر ضد أوغندا، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر الجزائرية الرياضية.

الكونغو الديمقراطية ضد السودان، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

السنغال ضد موريتانيا، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

كوت ديفوار ضد كينيا، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

الجابون ضد بوروندي، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Shahid.

المغرب ضد الكونغو برازافيل، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة الرياضية المغربية 3 HD. مواعيد تصفيات أوروبا لكأس العالم اليوم

إستونيا ضد مولدوفا، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 3 HD.

تركيا ضد جورجيا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 6 HD.

إيرلندا ضد أرمينيا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 7 HD.

البرتغال ضد المجر، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 5 HD.

أندورا ضد صربيا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 8 HD.

لاتفيا ضد إنجلترا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 4 HD.

إيطاليا ضد الكيان الصهيوني، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 3 HD.

إسبانيا ضد بلغاريا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 3 HD. مواعيد تصفيات آسيا لكأس العالم اليوم

قطر ضد الإمارات، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 1 HD.

السعودية ضد العراق، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة بي إن سبورت 2 HD.

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

South Africa confirmed their spot in the Champions Trophy semi-finals with a commanding victory over a hapless England, who ended the tournament winless, captain-less, and on a seven-match losing streak.After choosing to bat first in Karachi, the most run-laden venue of the event, England played like a side that would rather not. They were bowled out for the lowest total of this Champions Trophy and gifted South Africa wickets in a display of carefree and sometimes careless strokeplay. South Africa were hit by both illness and injury-enforced absences and were not always at their best, but they caught particularly well in the field, paced their chase perfectly, and have plenty of positives to take into the knockouts.From a bowling perspective, the form of Marco Jansen, who picked up the first three wickets, continues on an upward curve while Keshav Maharaj was effective through the middle overs and Wiaan Mulder cleaned up the tail. South Africa’s batting line-up was without regular openers Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi (both unwell), and Aiden Markram (hamstring injury in the field). Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen both scored half-centuries in a match-winning third-wicket stand of 127. If anything, it gives South Africa a good selection problem going forward while England just have problems.Lungi Ngidi covered good ground to pull off a diving catch•Associated Press

Having already exited the tournament after their defeat to Afghanistan and with Jos Buttler announcing he would step down as captain, England had nothing to lose and were expected to play with freedom. They showed their intent early when Phil Salt cracked Jansen’s second ball over backward point and smashed the fourth one over midwicket to open the scoring with fours. But, instead of closing out the opening over quietly, he tried to pull the final ball – a short one – also but top-edged it to van der Dussen at midwicket to end his tournament with a total of 30 runs from 25 balls.Ben Duckett picked up from where Salt left off and scored two boundaries in three balls off Lungi Ngidi but Jamie Smith repeated Salt’s mistake and tamely pulled Jansen to Markram at mid-on. Duckett settled as he was fed balls on the pads but when he tried to clip Jansen fine, he got a leading edge back to South Africa’s destroyer-in-chief. England were 37 for 3 in the seventh over.That could have become 38 for 4 when Joe Root cut Kagiso Rabada to backward point and though Mulder got both hands to it, he could not hold on. Root went on to nail the drive and the pull and formed a 62-run stand with a confident-looking Harry Brook and England were building solidly. But they could not keep Jansen out of the game. When Brook belted Maharaj over midwicket, Jansen ran to his right from long-on and slid on his knees to take a wonder catch. Four balls later, Root was bowled when he missed a leg-side flick off Mulder and the ball hit his back pad on its way on to the stumps.At that stage, Buttler, playing his last innings as England captain, had only faced a ball and had a big job on his hands. He received little help from Liam Livingstone, who charged down the track to meet a Maharaj ball but South Africa’s left-arm spinner saw him coming, tossed it up and had him stumped. Livingstone has only made more than 20 runs once in his last seven innings.By then, England’s effort looked mostly a case of marking time while South Africa stayed focused on searching for wickets. Rabada was brought back at the halfway stage. He beat Jamie Overton first up, then kept him in check by forcing a defensive shot, and then had him caught at mid-on as the batter tried to attack. He looked to whip Rabada over the leg side but chipped the ball towards mid-on where Ngidi ran back and took a one-handed stunner as he hit the ground.Heinrich Klaasen was in fine hitting form•Associated Press

South Africa continued to catch well: Jansen took a low catch at midwicket to see the end of Jofra Archer and Maharaj made a tumbling grab at mid-off to end Buttler’s innings on 21 and give Ngidi his 100th ODI wicket. England were bowled out in the 39th over, and took South Africa’s concerns about a slow over rate with them.At that stage, South Africa’s semi-final qualification was assured because even if they lost the match, their net run-rate could not dip below Afghanistan’s. That took pressure off the chase but not necessarily off South Africa’s batters, who all wanted runs ahead of an important week. Tristan Stubbs, playing his ninth ODI and first in an ICC event, didn’t get any as he tried to play an Archer ball late but deflected it on to his stumps.Though his first over lasted ten balls as he struggled to find his line, Archer quickly improved and delivered the rest of his opening spell with good pace and better accuracy. He was rewarded with a second wicket, too, when Ryan Rickelton, who looked confident in his 25-ball 27, was bowled by a delivery that nipped back into him and smashed into middle stump.From there, it was all South Africa. While van der Dussen appeared at times frustrated by his slower scoring rate than Klaasen’s, the pair complemented each other well. Van der Dussen scored largely through the leg side while six of Klaasen’s 11 fours came through the covers. Klaasen reached his fifty with one of those shots off the 41st ball he faced. It was his fifth successive half-century in the format, which is the joint-highest for South Africa. Van der Dussen’s came off 72 balls as he rocked back to send Adil Rashid through square leg and bring up a second fifty in the competition. Klaasen departed when he tried to smash Rashid over fine leg but outside-edged to short third. David Miller hit the winning runs off the second ball he faced when he smoked Livingstone over the sightscreen for six.This is the third successive tournament for which South Africa have qualified for the knockouts, after the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup. Their semi-final opposition and venue will only be confirmed after the match between India and New Zealand on Sunday. They will play the loser of that match either in Dubai on Tuesday (if it’s India) or Lahore on Wednesday (if it’s New Zealand).

Barcelona overturned a first-half deficit to claim a 3-1 win at Real Oviedo, with Robert Lewandowski making a decisive impact off the bench. The striker remains patient over his substitute role but continues to find the net, while Hansi Flick’s tactical tweaks and substitutes, including Frenkie de Jong, proved crucial in securing the comeback.

Lewandowski shines off the bench again

Polish international Lewandowski once again demonstrated his value as a super-sub, scoring five minutes after entering the pitch. The striker met Frenkie de Jong’s perfectly timed header with a precise flicked effort that gave Barcelona the lead. Despite being eased back into match rhythm after preseason injury issues, Lewandowski has now scored three goals off the bench this season, having netted a double against Valencia. It is a big change for the hitman, who is adapting to a new role as a substitute. 

However, he is not concerned by his limited playing time so far, telling reporters: “I’m patient. The most important thing is that if I play, I want to score a goal to help the team. Physically, I feel very good.” 

AdvertisementAFPTactical mastery by Hansi Flick

Flick’s substitutions at half-time, most notably bringing on De Jong for Marc Casado, turned the game in Barca’s favour. The changes stabilised the midfield, improved ball circulation, and allowed Barca to control possession and create decisive chances, highlighting Flick’s adaptability and game-reading ability.

Lewandowski scores off the bench again as Barca win

Despite Alberto Reina’s spectacular first-half strike after a goalkeeping error from Joan Garcia, Oviedo were largely kept at bay. Goalkeeper Aaron Escandell made multiple acrobatic saves, including denying Marcus Rashford and Raphinha, keeping the game competitive before Barca’s superior quality shone through. 

“Yes, Oviedo plays good football, and in the first half we struggled to finish, but in the second we played faster. In the end we scored three goals,” Lewandowski explained.

However, Oviedo remain in the relegation zone with just three points from six games, highlighting the gap between the struggling hosts and the title contenders.

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AFPBarca shines on-field but upcoming fixtures and off-field trouble stays

Barca’s comeback began with Eric Garcia’s equaliser from close range, capitalising on a saved Ferran Torres shot. Lewandowski's header then put the visitors ahead, followed by Ronald Araujo’s late finish from Marcus Rashford’s corner. The result extended the Blaugrana’s unbeaten start to the season. They have scored in their last 26 league matches, a feat they have only previously matched between November 2020 and May 2021.

The Catalans will host Real Sociedad at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, continuing their temporary home stint while they await permission to return to Camp Nou. The Catalans aim to consolidate their position near the top of La Liga and maintain scoring consistency. Lewandowski, Flick, and the squad will look to sustain momentum ahead of the crucial return to Camp Nou on 18 October against Girona, ensuring the team remains title contenders while managing squad rotation and fitness.