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The Red Sox are back in the playoffs.

Cedanne Rafaela's clutch walk-off triple to bring in Romy González gave Boston a 4-3 win over the Tigers and clinched the Red Sox' first postseason appearance since 2021 in dramatic fashion. The party started immediately on the field to celebrate Rafaela's big moment that returned the storied franchise to October as they officially claimed one of the AL's wild-card spots.

Champagne bottles and goggles awaited the group in the locker room to continue the well-deserved celebration. Before the champagne showers began, though, Red Sox manager Alex Cora made sure to give an absolutely electric message to exclaim that his team was only getting started.

"You could feel the energy in that game," Cora said during his postgame speech to his team. "I want to thank you for the effort, I want to thank you for everything that you guys have done. But, you guys know, we didn't come here to play only 162. We came here to win the World Series."

What a perfect message to start the absolute chaos that ensued.

Cora's squad is currently set for a wild-card series with the AL's first wild card, which will be whoever falls short of the AL East crown between the Yankees and the Blue Jays. Boston has won five of their past seven games and seems to be hitting their stride at the right time as they march toward October.

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Pelo mundo de novo! O Flamengo venceu o Pyramids (EGI) por 2 a 0, neste sábado (13), e está na final da Copa Intercontinental contra o PSG. Léo Pereira e Danilo, com dois passes de Arrascaeta, fizeram os gols da classificação rubro-negra no Estádio Ahmad bin Ali, em Doha, e consagraram a equipe como campeã da Copa Challenger. Assim, o Mais Querido segue vivo no sonho do bicampeonato mundial.

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O Flamengo assumiu o controle da partida desde o início, sustentando a posse de bola e ocupando o campo ofensivo com frequência. Na primeira etapa, equipe de Filipe Luís concentrou suas ações pelos lados, sobretudo pelo corredor esquerdo com Cebolinha, enquanto o Pyramids adotou uma postura reativa, com linhas baixas e foco quase exclusivo em proteger a própria área e buscar transições rápidas, que pouco se materializaram na maior parte do primeiro tempo.

Apesar do domínio territorial, o Rubro-Negro encontrou dificuldades para transformar volume em chances claras. A melhor oportunidade em bola rolando surgiu quando Cebolinha apareceu livre dentro da área, mas teve a finalização travada na pequena área pela defesa egípcia. Com espaços reduzidos e pouca mobilidade do adversário, a solução veio na bola parada. Aos 24 minutos, Arrascaeta cobrou falta para a área, Léo Pereira se antecipou à marcação e cabeceou no canto para abrir o placar.

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Após o gol, o Flamengo reduziu o ritmo e passou a trocar passes no campo defensivo com a intenção de atrair o Pyramids e explorar eventuais brechas. O plano, no entanto, teve pouca resposta, já que o time egípcio manteve a marcação recuada e deixou para reagir apenas no fim da etapa inicial. Primeiro, em uma finalização perigosa de Ziko dentro da área. Depois, já aos 45 minutos, Mayele ficou frente a frente com Rossi, que venceu o duelo e evitou o empate com uma defesa decisiva.

A equipe egípcia voltou do intervalo mais agressiva. Logo na saída de bola, Mayele recebeu lançamento na grande área e bateu firme, mas longe do gol de Rossi. Três minutos depois, foi a vez de Zakara dominar dentro da área e bater rasteiro, acertando a rede pelo lado de fora.

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Não demorou muito para o Flamengo dar um banho de água fria na pressão do Pyramids. Em mais uma jogada de bola parada, Arrascaeta cobrou falta na segunda trave e Danilo, o herói da Libertadores, voou mais uma vez — contando com falha do goleiro El Shenawy — para marcar o segundo rubro-negro em Doha.

Com a vantagem confortável no placar, o Rubro-Negro passou a ter menos a bola, mas sem sofrer investidas perigosas do adversário. A melhor chance dos egípcios veio de fora da área, mais uma vez com Mayele, e Rossi saltou para encaixar a bola. Bruno Henrique, que entrou no segundo tempo, também teve boa chance ao tentar driblar o goleiro El Shenawy, que levou a melhor no duelo.

O jogo ganhou clima quente na reta final. Zalaka reclamou de pênalti após se acertado no rosto por Erick Pulgar, mas a arbitragem mandou seguir. O lance gerou revolta do lado do Pyramids, e os jogadores de ambas equipes começaram a se entranhar em campo.

Nos minutos finais, o Flamengo ainda contou com a volta de Pedro após 52 dias afastado por lesão. O camia 9 substituiu Carrascal aos 40 minutos da segunda etapa e teve chance de marcar ao receber de Bruno Henrique, mas parou no goleiro. Ele ainda arriscou chute de fora da área, e mais uma vez ficou em El Shenawy. No fim, vitória tranquila do Rubro-Negro para seguir em busca do bicampeonato mundial.

O que vem por aí?

O Flamengo volta a campo na próxima quarta-feira (17), às 14h (de Brasília), e decidirá o título da Copa Intercontinental contra o PSG. O duelo acontece, mais uma vez, no Estádio Ahmad bin Ali, em Doha, no Catar.

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO 2 X 0 PYRAMIDS
COPA CHALLENGER / COPA INTERCONTINENTAL
📆 Data e horário: sábado, 13 de dezembro de 2025, às 14h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Estádio Ahmad bin Ali, no Catar;
🥅 Gols: Léo Pereira, aos 24’/1ºT (1-0);
🟨 Cartões Amarelos: Marrie, Atef e Zalaka (PYR);
🟥 Cartões Vermelhos:
🏟️ Público: 8.368 pessoas.

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES
FLAMENGO (Técnico: Filipe Luís)
Rossi; Varela, Danilo, Léo Pereira e Alex Sandro (Ayrton Lucas); Pulgar, Jorginho (De la Cruz) e Arrascaeta (Luiz Araújo); Carrascal (Pedro), Plata e Cebolinha (Bruno Henrique).

PYRAMIDS (Técnico: Krunoslav Jurcic)
Elshenawy; Chibi, Marrie, Samy e Hamdy; Lasheen, Atef, Toure (Reda); Ziko (Ewerton Silva), Zavaka (Fathi) e Mayele.

🟨 ARBITRAGEM

🟨 Árbitro: Al Jassim Abdulrahman;
🚩 Assistentes: Al Marri Taleb e Al Maqaleh Saoud;
🖥️ VAR: Al Marri Khamis.

Tudo sobre

Copa IntercontinentalFlamengomundialPSG

Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Celtic’s clash with Dundee at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night will be his final game as the interim manager.

The experienced Northern Irish coach has revealed that Wilfried Nancy will take charge for the clash with Hearts at the weekend, ending his time in the dugout.

Speaking after the 2-1 win over Hibernian, O’Neill said: “He (Nancy) is the man that will be coming in. I thought it was over on Sunday, but there’s some paperwork still to be dealt with. Wednesday will definitely be my final game.

The interim boss has won six of his seven matches in his second spell with the Hoops, winning all four of his league games, and there have been several players who have been big winners from the change in manager.

The biggest winners from Martin O'Neill's time as interim Celtic manager

Callum Osmand, who is currently out with a hamstring injury, was one of the early winners from Brendan Rodgers’ departure, after he scored one goal in three games for O’Neill, having not played a single minute under the previous boss.

On the topic of strikers, Johnny Kenny was another winner of O’Neill’s tenure because the Ireland international scored four goals in the manager’s first four matches in charge, per Sofascore, which has shown that he can deliver quality at first-team level for the Hoops.

Reo Hatate has also improved under the interim boss. He has provided two goals and three assists in seven games for the Northern Irishman, per Sofascore, after a return of one goal and no assists in 13 games for Rodgers.

The biggest winner of O’Neill’s tenure, however, has been centre-back Auston Trusty, who has played every single minute of the seven games, having only made two appearances as a substitute in the league for the last manager this season.

Why Wilfried Nancy may drop Auston Trusty

Despite playing every single minute of the last seven Celtic games, the USA international is one of the players who could be on the chopping block when Nancy finally comes through the door.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Trusty has been playing as a right-sided centre-back because of the injury to Cameron Carter-Vickers, and the French tactician may want a naturally right-footed option in that position.

If Nancy wants that natural balance at the back, whether that is by signing a centre-back in January or giving a chance to another player in the squad, then Trusty could have to compete with Liam Scales for a starting berth as the left-sided centre-back.

Appearances

28

39

Clean sheets

13

22

Dribbled past

11x

8x

Error led to shot

5

2

Error led to goal

1

0

As you can see in the table above, the Ireland international has been the more reliable performer for the Scottish giants at the heart of the defence in the Premiership since the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

Trusty, who was hailed as a “powerful” player by Rodgers, made an error leading to a shot with a loose pass on Sunday, and that was his fifth in just 28 league games for the club.

He has also been dribbled past three more times than Scales, despite the Irishman playing 11 more games, which shows that opposition players find it easier to play against him than his fellow left-footed defender.

Trusty, to his credit, has been solid in his duels in the Premiership this season, winning 62% of his physical battles, per Sofascore, but his errors over the past 18 months or so and the fact that he is currently a left-footer playing on the right may come into consideration ahead of the January transfer window.

Nancy may want to bring in a naturally right-footed player to start games in that role, leaving Trusty and Scales to compete for one place. That is why he may end up dropping the American, who has been the biggest winner from O’Neill’s tenure, once he has a right-footed defender available to select.

His performances at Premiership level since his £6m move from Sheffield United suggest that Scales would be the better option for the new boss at left-centre-back, but we will have to wait and see how it plays out in reality.

Celtic flop who was "really shaky" v Hibs is the first player Nancy must bin

This Celtic flop is the first player who should be sold by incoming manager Wilfried Nancy in January.

ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

Arsenal are now the last team with a perfect Champions League record this season after they beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners have recorded five wins from five and kept up their 100 percent start by ending that of the Germans' in the process. Jurrien Timber put Arsenal ahead in the first half, while Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score.

Midway through the first half, Arsenal broke the deadlock. Bayern's terrible record on set pieces was emphasised before the game, and the hosts took full advantage from a corner, with Timber getting in front of Manuel Neuer to nod in a Bukayo Saka corner.

That lead should have been doubled soon after when Eberechi Eze played a neat one-two with Mikel Merino to set himself in on goal, but Joshua Kimmich made a brilliant recovery challenge to deny the derby-day hero. And that missed opportunity came back to haunt Arsenal as Bayern levelled the score seconds later. Kimmich's delectable ball over the head of Myles Lewis-Skelly found Serge Gnabry, whose first-time cross picked out teenager Lennart Karl to thunder in at close range.

After the break, Mikel Merino spurned a free header after an excellent cross from Saka to the back post, while Karl went down the other end in search of his second but his tame shot was held by David Raya. Merino then headed wide from a wicked Declan Rice corner and Neuer kept out Cristhian Mosquera from a few yards out shortly afterwards in a manic 15 minutes following the interval.

An almighty scramble saw Rice force Neuer into a low save with his foot, and the rebound didn't fall kindly for Saka to be able to convert, with the Bayern goalkeeper able to sweep up the loose ball, much to the frustration of a brooding home crowd.

With 20 minutes remaining, Arsenal went back in front. Riccardo Calafiori, just on as a substitute, drilled in a low cross right through the Bayern box, and Madueke arrived ahead of Konrad Laimer to tap in his first goal for the Gunners.

Bayern nearly pulled level again when another straight ball over the defence found former Gunner Gnabry, but he couldn't make contact with his acrobatic effort and Arsenal were let off the hook.

The hosts wrapped up the points in the final quarter of an hour after another howler from Neuer. Eze's dink over the top found Martinelli, who still had 50 yards to go to goal, only for the German keeper to try and meet him halfway, fluffing his clearance and allowing the winger to roll the ball into an empty net.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (6/10):

As has been the case for much of the season, the Spaniard had very little to do.

Jurrien Timber (8/10):

Got Arsenal off the mark with his third goal of the season, heading in Saka's corner. Scarcely troubled with his defensive duties despite Gnabry's fine performance, with the German winger having to vacate that flank to get most of his joy. Afforded a rest with White taking his place.

William Saliba (7/10):

Nearly cost his side when a clearance hit Zubimendi straight in the backside, but Raya was on hand to clear up the mess. Otherwise dealt well with Kane, who offered very little.

Cristhian Mosquera (7/10):

Similarly didn't allow Kane to have a sniff, allowing home fans to gleefully chant, 'Harry, what's the score?'.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (4/10):

A testing night for the teenager, who was continually targeted by Bayern's attackers, including in the build up to Karl's equaliser. Mercifully taken off for Calafiori.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Positionally and technically fine again, though his contributions paled in comparison to the scorers and midfield partner.

Declan Rice (8/10):

Ran through Bayern in the second half like they weren't even there. Unfortunate not to have grabbed an assist for himself with his tremendous set-piece deliveries.

Eberechi Eze (7/10):

Technically set up Martinelli though you could probably chalk that one down as a Neuer assist instead. Didn't look out of place on this Champions League stage. Subbed for the returning Odegaard.

Getty Images SportAttack

Bukayo Saka (7/10):

For the most part a thorn in Bayern's side, coming up with the assist for Timber from a corner, but Arsenal fans may be worried about his rusty physicality. Taken off for Martinelli.

Mikel Merino (6/10):

Led the line well and had some opportunities to get on the scoresheet with a couple of headers, but lacked that scoring touch this time out.

Leandro Trossard (5/10):

Was set through on goal in the opening exchanges but completely fluffed his lines when faced with the onrushing Neuer. Substituted before half-time with an injury.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Noni Madueke (8/10):

Replaced the injured Trossard before the break. Took it upon himself to constantly get at the Bayern defenders and was eventually rewarded with a goal.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Similarly got what he deserved for showing enthusiasm and personality, racing beyond Neuer to add Arsenal's third goal of the evening.

Riccardo Calafiori (8/10):

Made an instant impact in place of Lewis-Skelly, putting in a cross that Madueke couldn't miss.

Ben White (N/A):

A late replacement for Timber.

Martin Odegaard (N/A):

Made his return from injury in place of Eze.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Credit to the Arsenal boss again. His side drifted to the end of the first half before they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and his substitutions were pivotal to that.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred created a firestorm when he claimed that there was "buzz" around the Golden At-Bat idea at the recent owners meetings during an appearance on podcast with Puck's John Ourand.

Basically, if the Golden At-Bat rule were in place, one team could choose one at-bat in every game to use its best hitter, even if it wasn't that hitter's turn in the batting order.

The idea was met with widespread skepticism from players, fans and pundits. During a Thursday interview at the Italian American Baseball Federation annual gala, where Manfred was honored, the commissioner clarified his own stance on the rule while attempting to ease the concerns of those who were displeased with the idea.

"For people who are concerned about that kind of change, I'd make a couple of points," Manfred told the Yes Network, according to MLB.com. "No. 1: It has come out that I have spoken publicly about this kind of change a few years ago, that I was not particularly in favor of it, and that remains the case."

"But more importantly: To go from the conversation stage to this actually showing up in Major League Baseball is a very, very long road. If you don't like the idea, I wouldn't be that concerned about it right now."

Manfred confirmed that conversations about the Golden At-Bat did indeed take place, but that they were "very preliminary" in nature and were privy to the owners on the league's Competition Committee, and not the full ownership group.

Eight-time All Star and 2024 World Series MVP Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and three-time All Star Liam Hendriks of the Boston Red Sox were among the players to speak out against the rule.

"No, no, no," Freeman said. "I'm old school, you know, even as a young guy. I like baseball. I'm a baseball purist. So I'll go no."

Hendriks was more blunt, saying that it's a "horrible idea."

Luckily for these players and uneasy fans, it sounds like the idea is very far from being implemented.

Gill has dropped three places to No. 9, Bumrah continues to top the bowling chart

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-2025Joe Root is back on top of the ICC men’s Test batting rankings after being briefly displaced by his team-mate Harry Brook.In the Lord’s Test, Root made 104 in the first innings and 40 in the second as England beat India by 22 runs. Brook, who made scores of 11 and 23, is now third, with New Zealand’s Kane Williamson going second.India captain Shubman Gill had a disappointing outing at Lord’s and dropped from No. 6 to No. 9, while Rishabh Pant also dropped a place to No. 8 despite his first-innings 74.Full rankings tables

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KL Rahul, the other centurion in the match, moved up five spots, as did Ravindra Jadeja, who notched fifties in both innings, including a stubborn 61 not out that went in vain in their chase of 193. Jadeja and Rahul went up to Nos. 34 and 35, respectively.Australia’s Steven Smith jumped above Yashasvi Jaiswal to go fourth on the charts after making 48 in the first innings of the low-scoring day-night Test in Jamaica. Jaiswal had scores of 13 and 0 at Lord’s – the first time he failed to go past fifty in a Test against England.While Jasprit Bumrah kept his place at the top of the bowling charts after a five-for against England, Scott Boland went up six places to sixth thanks to his six wickets, including a second-innings hat-trick, against West Indies.Mitchell Starc, who claimed figures of 6 for 9 as Australia bundled West Indies out for 27 in the fourth innings, stayed at No. 10 on the bowling charts, although he gained two spots in the allrounder rankings, which is still topped by Jadeja.

Arsene Wenger described Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Barcelona as "men against boys," as the former Arsenal manager heaped praise on Xabi Alonso. Madrid were the dominant force in the Clasico clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the win taking Alonso's men five points clear of their fierce rivals at the top of La Liga.

• Wenger praises Alonso's 'stronger' Madrid

  Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham struck for the capital club to cancel out Fermin Lopez's strike as Alonso's side sealed a vital three points in the first Clasico of the season. It could have been worse for the visitors, given Madrid had a penalty overturned in the early stages of the game and had a spot kick saved by Wojciech Szczesny in the second half.

  Wenger provided a blunt assessment of the gap between the two rivals, praising Real Madrid's tactical and physical superiority under Alonso. He contrasted Los Blancos' clinical attack with an impotent Barcelona, who held 52 per cent possession but managed only six shots on target from 13 attempts, compared to Madrid's nine on target from 21 shots.

  "El Clasico was a bit like a duel between men and boys. Real Madrid's defence was much stronger than Barcelona's," Wenger stated. "In attack, Madrid always looked capable of scoring, while Barcelona seemed ineffective. They had a lot of possession, but never really seemed capable of scoring. I give credit to Xabi Alonso. He balanced the team well to end up being superior. They defended well, pressed their opponents and created dangerous chances, scoring two goals and missing a penalty. They clearly played a good game and, for me, they deserved to win this match against a Barça that showed very little up front."

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• Getty
  

  Alonso: 'The win was deserved and even a short one'

  Alonso backed Wenger's assessment, stating his team was "very motivated" and that the result was crucial beyond the league table.

  “It was a deserved win — and even a short one," Alonso said. "We created chances, had the penalty… and this helps us recover that sense of being a competitive team in big games."

  The manager emphasised the importance of the victory for the squad's confidence. “It’s important. You yourselves are saying it. It’s not just the three points," Alonso explained. "We know that it’s still October and it’s early… But we wanted good feelings and that’s how it was. I’m very happy for the boys. They needed this feeling of winning a big game. The motivation was complete."

  He also highlighted the atmosphere in the stadium: "I saw both the team and the stadium enjoying the moment. It was important for the fans to see that their team can compete and win big games."

• Vinicius substitution exposes potential rift

  Despite the dominant performance, the match featured a moment of high tension when Vinícius Jr was substituted in the 72nd minute. The Brazilian winger was seen ranting as he walked past Alonso, initially storming down the tunnel before returning to the dugout.

  The outburst comes amid a delicate contractual situation. Vinícius will have only one year left on his contract at the end of the season, and negotiations for a new deal have reportedly stalled. Reports in Spain suggest the relationship between the player and club is fractured, with speculation that Madrid could be willing to sell the star if a substantial offer is made.

  Alonso moved quickly to defuse the controversy in his press conference, insisting the matter would be handled internally and refusing to let it overshadow the victory.

  "In what was a great game, Vini also contributed a lot," he said, adding: "When the time comes, we’ll talk about it in the dressing room."

  Alonso also dismissed post-match scuffles, which involved Dani Carvajal and Lamine Yamal, as "natural tension" and "healthy banter" typical of a Clasico.

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• AFP
  

  Alonso praises Bellingham's connection and tactical discipline

  The manager was particularly pleased with his tactical setup, which saw Madrid press high and defend in organised, compact lines. He gave specific praise to Jude Bellingham, who scored the decisive second goal after assisting Kylian Mbappe for the first.

  "He’s had three very good games," Alonso said of the Englishman. "Jude is all about feeling, communicating, and connecting. That’s why he’s had some very good games. He connects with everything — the ball, the fans, and his teammates."

Maxwell finishes with 149 ODIs and two ODI World Cup titles after conceding his body could not handle ODI cricket any more

Alex Malcolm02-Jun-2025

Glenn Maxwell pulled off the unimaginable against Afghanistan in 2023•Getty Images

Glenn Maxwell, the architect of arguably the greatest ODI innings ever played, has announced his retirement from the 50-over international format effective immediately but he will remain available for T20 internationals and looks set to continue until next year’s T20 World Cup.Maxwell, 36, joins fellow two-time ODI World Cup winner Steven Smith in ODI retirement after Australia’s semi-final exit from the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Maxwell has not formally retired from Test cricket yet but is unlikely to be selected to play red-ball cricket again.Related

'Not the immediate plan' – David parks ODI thoughts ahead of big T20I year

Maddening and magnificent – Maxwell walks off into the sunset

Top 10: when Glenn Maxwell reigned supreme in the ODI game

Steven Smith retires from ODI cricket, remains committed to Tests

Glenn Maxwell vs the world

Maxwell announced his retirement in a long-form interview on the on Monday and revealed that the physical toll of ODI cricket had become too much on the back of his broken leg in 2022, having pulled up sore after matches during the recent Champions Trophy.”I felt like I was letting the team down a little bit with how body was reacting to the conditions,” Maxwell said. “I had a good chat with [Australia chair of selectors] George Bailey and I asked him what his thoughts were going forward.”We talked about the 2027 World Cup and I said to him ‘I don’t think I am going to make that, it’s time to start planning for people in my position to have a crack at it and make the position their own’. Hopefully they get enough of a lead-in to hang onto that role.”I always said I wasn’t going to hand my position over if I felt like I was still good enough to play. I didn’t want to just hold on for a couple of series and almost play for selfish reasons.”They are moving in such a clear direction so this give them the best look at what the line-up is leading into that next World Cup. I know how important that planning is.”Maxwell bows out with an extraordinary record in ODI cricket although his raw numbers of 3990 runs at 33.81 and 77 wickets at 47.32 from 149 games do not do him justice.By his own admission Maxwell was promoted to Australia’s ODI team well before he was ready, having played in just 14 List A games for Victoria before making his ODI debut in 2012. But in just his sixth game for his state he made the fastest 50 in Australian domestic one-day cricket in 2011, off just 19 balls. It was a record that stood until 2023 when Jake Fraser-McGurk broke it on the way to the fastest List A century of all-time.But it was a portent of things to come for his ODI career. Besides Andre Russell, no player in the history of ODI cricket has a higher strike-rate than Maxwell’s 126.70, and of the players with more than 2000 runs no one strikes at better than 117.05.Maxwell maintained that strike-rate whilst averaging 33.81 as a finisher and scored four centuries including his stunning 201 not out against Afghanistan in Mumbai during the 2023 World Cup, which was the first double century by an Australian in an ODI and the first by any player in a chase. It was also the first double-century by any non-opener and he did it from No. 6 after Australia had slumped to 91 for 7 chasing 292.”I’m extremely fortunate that I was able to have my moment,” Maxwell said of his greatest innings. “Everything that you’ve worked hard for, the peak of your powers, being able to put it in front of the world to see and it’s almost like saying, this is the best of me, you can either take it or leave it, but this is all I’ve got.”Maxwell earlier posted the fastest ODI World Cup century, off just 40 balls, against Netherlands in Delhi in the same tournament. He also owns the fourth fastest ODI World Cup century off 51 balls which he made in the 2015 World Cup against Sri Lanka in Sydney.Maxwell’s other ODI century came in a successful chase at Old Trafford against England in the Covid affected 2020 series when he and Alex Carey combined to pull off a remarkable pursuit of 303 after Australia has slumped to 73 for 5.”I think that was probably one of my favorite memories,” Maxwell said. “Being out there with Alex Carey, he had had a bit of a tough start to his innings, but once he started to get the get the ball in the middle about a few times, it was great fun out there. And to be a part of his first one-day hundred out there, and to play a huge role in winning that series with everything that went on over the [previous] few months, not playing cricket for a long time, and having everyone in a bio-secure bubble and doing quarantine non-stop, it just made it all worth it.”Beyond his centuries he played a multitude of other vital innings at key times in ODI cricket. In his second last ODI innings he made 32 not out off 15 balls as Australia chased a Champions Trophy record of 352. He made an unbeaten 44 in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final against Pakistan after taking two key wickets with the ball.Two-time ODI World Cup winners – Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, and Mitchell Marsh – strike a pose with the trophy•ICC/Getty Images

His bowling contributions for Australia are far greater than his numbers suggest. He played as Australia’s lone spinner in the 2015 World Cup win, taking six wickets at 36.33 and an economy rate of 5.70, and the second spinner in the 2023 triumph. He conceded just 4.81 per over in the 2023 World Cup in India in 68.3 overs across the tournament and bowled a key spell in Australia’s vital first win of the campaign against Sri Lanka and took the key wicket in the final to halt a charging Rohit Sharma inside the powerplay and help set Australia on course for victory. He also famously bowled a double-wicket maiden in the final over of an ODI against Pakistan in 2014 to win the game when defending just two runs.Maxwell will also be remembered as one of the best all-round fielders for Australia having been positioned in key positions in the ring and the outfield throughout his career.”Glenn will be known as one of the one-day game’s most dynamic players, who had key roles in two ODI World Cup victories,” Bailey said. “His level of natural talent and skill is remarkable. His energy in the field, under-rated ability with the ball and longevity has been superb. What else stands out is his passion for and commitment to playing for Australia.”Fortunately, he still has much to offer Australia in the T20 format. All things going well he will be pivotal in the next 12 months as we build toward the World Cup early next year.”Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said Australia was indebted to Maxwell for what he achieved in the format.”Congratulations to Glenn on what has been one of the most exciting and influential one day international careers in the format’s history,” Greenberg said. “Glenn’s ballistic batting has lit up the cricket world and been one of the cornerstones of Australia’s continued success in the 50 over game, including his heroic role in the 2023 World Cup triumph.”As with other greats of the game, crowds have flocked to grounds just to watch Glenn bat and children have been inspired to pick up a bat after seeing him put opposition attacks to the sword with a breathtaking array of shots.”Australian cricket is indebted to Glenn for his ODI exploits and excited that he will now focus on our quest to win the ICC T20 World Cup next year.”Maxwell is currently recovering from a broken finger he suffered during the IPL but is expected to be fit for the start of Major League Cricket in the United States in less than a fortnight and looks set to be part of Australia’s T20I squad for the five-match tour of the Caribbean which starts on July 20 following the three-Test series.

It got tight for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the end, but Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97 ensured their first successful chase of a 200-plus total in Ahmedabad. It was also the first time Delhi Capitals (DC) ended up being unsuccessful in defending a 200-plus total.Buttler stitched partnerships of 60 with B Sai Sudharsan and 119 with Sherfane Rutherford after keeping wicket for 20 overs on a hot afternoon.Mukesh Kumar’s wide yorker dismissed Rutherford and left GT needing ten off the final over. The tension was short-lived as Starc missed the wide yorker and Rahul Tewatia slog swept the first ball of the last over over midwicket for six. He then squeezed the next ball past the keeper for four to complete the chase with four balls to spare.

Buttler takes down Starc

Buttler was hit on the groin early in his innings by a length ball from Starc, but he overcame that blow and cleared the boundaries.When Axar brought Starc back in the 15th over, hoping for reverse swing from around the wicket, there wasn’t any. The lengths were good, and the line was outside off, but Buttler scythed the ball with ease, finding gaps in front of and behind point.A change of angle made no difference. Starc went full and was driven through mid-off. A bouncer drew a top-edged pull, but it did not carry to Vipraj Nigam running in from deep backward square leg. That 20-run over brought the required rate down to nine from 11.

GT’s top order sets the platform again

GT are top heavy. Their plan is for one of the top three to bat deep into the innings, and it was Buttler’s turn today on a batting-friendly pitch.He came in early in GT’s chase of 204 after Shubman Gill had gifted his wicket looking to pinch a quick single to Karun Nair at midwicket. Buttler then set up exhibition of fours through the off side alongside Sai Sudharsan.Axar and Vipraj came on to bowl in the powerplay but did not find turn and were taken for three sixes and a four. Sai Sudharsan got boundaries off front and back foot against Mukesh Kumar as GT scored 67 in the powerplay.Kuldeep Yadav had Sai Sudharsan pulling to deep midwicket with his third ball. Rutherford then started slowly as the required rate rose.The mounting pressure was released when Rutherford sliced a drive against Kuldeep that sailed over long-off. Mohit Sharma was introduced in the 13th over to replicate the role he performed for GT in previous years. He started with two slower bouncers but they sat up and Rutherford pulled them for sixes.Buttler drilled a full ball from Mohit through mid-off to bring up his 32-ball fifty.

Capitals start well on a belter

Gill won the toss in the afternoon and put DC in to bat. With Faf du Plessis not having recovered and DC leaving out Jake Fraser-McGurk, DC paired up Abhishek Porel with Karun Nair at the top.Porel’s boundaries in the first over – drive on the up over mid-off and help-along flick behind square – showed that the bounce on the pitch was even. Porel, though, couldn’t capitalise on the start as he fell to a full toss from Arshad Khan.KL Rahul’s shift in approach then kept DC ticking. Rahul cut Siraj for four and pumped him down the ground for six. His innings, though, was cut short on 28 off 14 balls by an outswinging yorker from Prasidh Krishna. Nair fell for 31 off 18 balls when he glided Prasidh to deep third.A pristine cover drive from Tristan Stubbs off Prasidh brought up DC’s hundred in the ninth over. But he and Axar were relatively sedate after that during their 53-run stand off 36 balls. They were happy to take Rashid Khan and Ishant Sharma for ones and twos.Rashid bowled quicker and at the stumps in his first two overs. When he slowed the pace down in his third, Stubbs took him for six down the ground but then miscued a swipe across the line. Rashid ran back but couldn’t hold onto the catch near mid-on. GT reached 150 in 15 overs.

Pacers contain DC

Ishant was struggling in the heat and went off the pitch after two overs. Siraj returned and removed Stubbs, who reverse-swept a yorker and the ball lobbed to short third.GT’s death bowlers attempted a lot of yorkers with short balls peppered in between. It nearly worked at the start of the 17th over, but Rashid dropped Axar.The DC captain could not hit a boundary in his last nine balls and was out caught behind for 39 off 32 balls. He charged at Prasidh and tried to slap a length ball over cover and got an edge. Prasidh then got rid of Nigam next ball, thanks to a brilliant diving catch from Buttler.Ashutosh Sharma gave DC the finishing kick they were looking for. He scored a six and a four off Arshad early in his innings and hit two sixes off Prasidh later. R Sai Kishore – whose only over was the final one of the innings – went for just nine, but it was enough for GT to cross 200.

Stead resigns as New Zealand white-ball coach and will take some time to consider if he wants to reapply as Test coach, with split roles an option NZC is considering

Alex Malcolm08-Apr-2025Gary Stead has stepped down as New Zealand men’s white-ball coach and will decide in the coming weeks if he wishes to reapply to lead the Test team as New Zealand Cricket (NZC) considers having split head coaches for the men’s program.Stead, 53, has been New Zealand men’s all-format coach since 2018 but his contract is set to expire in June of this year. The NZC issued a release on Tuesday where Stead confirmed he would step away from the white-ball role after leading New Zealand to the 2019 World Cup final, the 2021 T20 World Cup final and the 2024 Champions Trophy final.The news comes after Rob Walter was linked to a role with New Zealand’s team after he resigned as South Africa’s white-ball coach.Related

Stead calls time on seven-year tenure as New Zealand coach

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Stead will take some time over the coming weeks to decide if he wishes to reapply for the Test coaching role as advertising for the roles will commence over the next week.”I’m looking forward to getting away from touring life for a while and having a think about my future,” Stead said. “My focus has been on finishing the season strongly with a lesser experienced team.”The past six to seven months has been particularly busy with relatively non-stop cricket action since September.”I now want to evaluate my options but still feel I have coaching left in me, albeit not as head coach across all formats.”The next month will give me the opportunity to discuss the situation more with my wife, family and others.”I’ll be in a better position to know whether I want to reapply for the Test coaching position after this time of reflection.”Stead has had great success with New Zealand’s Test team leading them to the 2021 World Test Championship and the recent 3-0 series victory in India last year. He has managed his coaching duties across the three formats in recent years with the likes of his assistant Luke Ronchi taking charge for various white-ball assignments to give Stead a break.New Zealand’s chief high performance officer Bryan Stronach said Stead had earned the right to take his time with his decision and confirmed that the NZC were open to all possibilities as far as the head coaching role moving forward.”Gary’s results have been very impressive over a long period and we’re very comfortable giving him some time to collect his thoughts and mull things over,” Stronach said.”At the moment we haven’t any strong preference for either a split-coaching role or a sole appointment who covers all three formats, and we’re unlikely to be clearer on that until we see who’s putting their name forward.”