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Lehmann played a lone hand with 96 off 126 to lift South Australia to a total that appeared unlikely after their top-order succumbed to sharp bounce

Tristan Lavalette28-Oct-2025Cameron Green once again showed off superb athleticism in the gully but did not bowl in his return as Western Australia dominated the opening day of their Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at the WACA.After missing the India ODIs due to side soreness, all eyes were on Green with his bowling status unknown ahead of the Ashes. Even though he has been bowling in the nets, Green is set to play as a specialist batter in this match. He is likely to return to bowling in WA’s next Shield match against Queensland starting on November 11.Green did show off his impressive agility to remove Ben Manenti after quickly moving to his right and plucking the ball with his outstretched hands. He also added another catch when he hung onto a stinging blow from Jake Lehmann at extra cover to wrap up South Australia’s modest first innings of 215.Green was in visible discomfort, but did seem to shake off the pain quickly as he walked off the field.Lehmann played a lone hand with a brilliant 96 off 126 balls to lift South Australia to a total that appeared unlikely after their top-order succumbed to sharp bounce.In reply, opener Cameron Bancroft was in sparkling touch having scored just 21 runs from four previous innings this Shield season. He is unlikely to be in the Ashes frame but did issue a reminder of his talents with an unbeaten 52, while skipper Sam Whiteman finished 30 not out.South Australia quick Brendan Doggett appeared out of sorts in his return from a hamstring injury. He sprayed the new ball, with his initial three-over spell costing 16 runs although he was sharper in his subsequent four-over burst before stumps.Doggett’s only previous match this season was a One-Day Cup match against New South Wales on September 20. He is hoping to push to be a fast-bowling reserve for the Ashes having been part of the World Test Championship squad earlier this year and originally due to tour West Indies before injury struck.Jake Lehmann made 96•Getty ImagesThere was intrigue over the surface after difficult batting conditions in WA’s season-opening loss against New South Wales prompted some criticism. While this was not a minefield, there was sharp bounce and carry to very much feel like a traditional WACA wicket.Whiteman had no hesitation to bowl despite the sunny skies suggesting a batting-friendly opening day before expected damp weather sets in tomorrow.Whiteman was vindicated by his tall quicks who bent their backs in search of extra bounce as a slew of South Australia batters fell behind the wicket. The rattled visitors, however, did not help their cause with several tame dismissals starting with opener Conor McInerney nicking off Matt Kelly after hanging out his bat well outside off stump.After getting through the new ball, Henry Hunt and skipper Nathan McSweeney were left disappointed when they both tickled down the leg side to leave South Australia in trouble at 48 for 3.The sight of spin did not provide relief, with Corey Rocchiccioli – coming into the attack later than he likes in the 22nd over – producing rapid turn with his first delivery that had Jason Sangha playing back and nicking to slip.Having been unlucky in his opening spell, Cameron Gannon utilised his towering frame to devastating effect to remove Liam Scott and Harry Nielsen. South Australia’s hopes of mustering a competitive first innings total looked forlorn at 81 for 6 until Lehmann superbly counterattacked as batting appeared easier in the middle session.Lehmann received support from Manenti and Nathan McAndrew to frustrate WA’s push to wrap up the innings. Manenti has had a knack for making handy runs against WA but could not kick on after Green added to his highlight reel in the gully.Lehmann remained unflustered and continued to be aggressive until cutting Rocchiccioli straight to Green as he fell agonisingly short of a second Shield century this season.

No team before New Zealand has won a Test by over 300 runs after losing the previous Test in the same series by over 300 runs

Sampath Bandarupalli17-Dec-2024423 – New Zealand’s victory margin of 423 runs in Hamilton is their joint-highest by runs in Test cricket. They won by the same margin runs against Sri Lanka in 2018 in Christchurch after setting a target of 660 runs.1 – New Zealand is the first team to win by a margin of over 300 runs after losing the previous Test in the series by over 300 runs – they lost the second Test of the series against England by 323 runs in Wellington.This has never happened before.England beat Australia by 322 runs in the first match of the 1936-37 Ashes before Australia returned the favour with a 365-run win in the third Test.Related

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• Santner four-for sends England tumbling to 423-run defeat

Twice before has a team won consecutive Tests in a series by over 300 runs.South Africa beat Australia by 307 and 323 runs in consecutive matches in the 1970 home series and did the same in the home series in 2018 with victories by 322 and 492 runs.10 – New Zealand have played ten Tests at Seddon Park since their previous defeat there, in 2012 against South Africa. They have won eight out of these ten, while the other two ended in draws.1 – England is the first team to lose by a margin of 400-plus runs twice in a calendar year – they suffered a 434-run defeat against India in February in Rajkot.Six of the 15 instances of wins by 400-plus runs in Tests have come against England.13 – Men to have scored 40-plus runs and taken three or more wickets in both innings of a Test match, including Mitchell Santner in Hamilton. He is the first player to achieve this feat in men’s Test cricket since Daniel Vettori against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2008.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1925 – Runs by Joe Root in Tests against New Zealand, the most by any batter, surpassing Javed Miandad’s tally of 1919. Root also has the most runs by a batter in Tests against India, with 2846.Root is only the second player to be the leading run-scorer against two different teams. Kumar Sangakkara is the top-scorer in Tests against both Pakistan (2911) and Bangladesh (1816).1006 – Root’s runs in New Zealand in Tests, making him the first visiting player to score over 1000 Test runs in the country. Root also has the most 50-plus scores in New Zealand by a visiting player – he has done it eight times.27 – Test wickets for Santner in 2024, making it the joint-most wickets by a New Zealand spinner in a calendar year since Vettori took 54 in 2008. Vettori also took 27 wickets in Tests in 2009.7 – Hauls of four or more wickets by New Zealand spinners in Tests in 2024. Santner and Ajaz Patel each took three, while Glenn Phillips contributed one. This tally is the second highest for New Zealand’s spinners in a calendar year, behind the nine they recorded in 2008, of which eight were by Vettori.

It came down to 14 runs needed off the last six balls. Nathan Edward took a single on the first ball, bowled by Shamar Springer, putting Kieron Pollard on strike. Game over, you’d think, and two-in-two for Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL 2025. Except that Pollard swung and missed the first two, got enough bat on the fourth ball but chose not to run, and then connected well but not well enough to get the ball to the fence. Four dot balls. He dug a yorker-length ball out for a four off the last, but Springer was the hero for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, while Pollard had fluffed his lines.Knight Riders came into the game having won their first match, and gave themselves enough chances to earn their first win over Falcons after two losses last season. In the end, though, they let the game slip through their fingers.First, all the bowlers bar Sunil Narine – 4-0-17-0 – got at least wicket, and Falcons looked out of it at 77 for 5, all their premier batters gone, by the 14th over.Fabian Allen scored quick runs towards the end to give Falcons a competitive score•CPL T20 via Getty Images

But Fabian Allen walked out, took off straightaway, and smashed 45 in 20 balls, to go with Imad Wasim’s unbeaten 27-ball 39, to take them to a competitive 167.The second ball Allen faced, off Usman Tariq, went for six over long-on. Then overs 15, 16 and 17 went for 22, 17 and 15, Allen doing most of the hitting, but Imad was slow only by comparison. Knight Riders needed to stop the bleeding, and Narine’s last over was the answer. It went for just four runs, and Narine could have had Imad’s wicket, except the ball was hit with great power back towards him, and though the bowler stuck his hand out, he couldn’t make it stick.Mohammad Amir picked up his 400th T20 wicket in the next over, that of Allen, but Imad and Springer finished strongly, taking Edward for 18 runs for the momentum to well and truly be on Falcons’ side at the break.Kieron Pollard’s innings featured some big hits and plenty of dot balls•CPL T20 via Getty Images

Enter Colin Munro, and the advantage swung Knight Riders’ way quickly. Not instantly, as Imad gave away just three in the first over, and Jayden Seales nine in the second. But in the third, by Imad again, Munro went 4, 4 and 6 off the first three balls, and finished with another four, to put Knight Riders on their way. Fifteen came off Seales’ next – all Munro, with Alex Hales, the other opener, facing just eight balls at that stage and scoring just 4.At 47 for no loss, Knight Riders were on top, but for the second time in the game, Falcons hit right back. This time, through Obed McCoy, who sent back Hales and Munro in the fifth over.That was a proper momentum-breaker, and from the end of the fifth to the end of the tenth, Knight Riders scored just 20 runs, and lost the wicket of Nicholas Pooran. The script didn’t change after the ten-over mark either, with 13 runs coming off the next three, plus the wicket of Darren Bravo. And at 83 for 4 after 13, and the asking rate at 12.14, the chase looked dead in the water.Keacy Carty got some sort of impetus going with a 16-run over, the 14th, but it was back to single-digits after that: 7, 3 and 8. Till it came down to 36 from 12. Pollard, at a-run-a-ball 17 at that stage, finally found his hitting range – he took three sixes and a four off the penultimate over, bowled by McCoy, to put the game in the balance. And then came that last over from Springer.

The Giants are reportedly close to hiring a new manager—and he will potentially be an unorthodox one.

San Francisco is nearing a deal to hire Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as its new manager, according to a Saturday afternoon report from Andrew Baggarly, Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal of . Vitello would replace Bob Melvin, who the Giants fired after an 81–81 season.

The 47-year-old St. Louis native has never worked in Major League Baseball in any form or fashion. He has served as the Volunteers' coach since 2018; he previously worked as an assistant for Missouri, TCU and Arkansas.

With Tennessee, Vitello won a national championship in 2024 and advanced to three College World Series. The brassy, bombastic coach would depart the Volunteers with a career record of 341–131 in eight seasons.

San Francisco has not made the playoffs since its out-of-nowhere 107-win season in 2021, which ended with a loss to the Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Not everyone has been a hit, but Chelsea have built up quite a reputation for signing incredible young talents in recent years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Jorrel Hato, Jamie Gittens and Roméo Lavia were all 21 or younger when they secured their moves to Stamford Bridge.

However, the best young signing the club have made has to be Cole Palmer, although with how he’s playing, Estevao could take that title from him.

With that said, Chelsea have just secured the services of a hugely exciting prospect who could end up being a bigger star than both of them.

Palmer and Estevao's debut campaigns

When it comes to recent debut campaigns at Chelsea, it would be hard to deny that Palmer’s was the best in quite some time.

The former Manchester City gem arrived at the club without too much fanfare, but within a few games showed the fans and the rest of the league that he was not an ordinary signing.

He provided his first assist in the Third Round of the League Cup and then scored his first goal a couple of weeks later against Burnley in the league.

By the end of the season, the versatile international had scored 25 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances, totalling just 3613 minutes.

That works out to an extraordinary average of a goal involvement every 1.12 games, or one every 90.32 minutes, which would be incredible for a seasoned veteran, let alone a 21-year-old.

Appearances

45

16

Starts

40

7

Minutes

3613′

657′

Goals

25

4

Assists

15

1

Now, while it is unlikely that Estevao will beat that this year, he is certainly giving it a good go.

For example, in 16 mostly substitute appearances, totalling 657 minutes, the 18-year-old has scored four goals and provided one assist.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.2 games, or more crucially, every 131.4 minutes.

In all, it’s clear that, so long as they remain fit, Palmer and Estevao will continue to impress for Chelsea, but the club might have just signed another brilliant youngster who could be held in the same regard as them in the future.

Chelsea's next superstar in the making

Chelsea’s ambition to sign incredible young talents in the hopes they become global superstars is showing no signs of slowing down.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The latest prospect who could eventually be a game-changer for the Blues is Deinner Ordonez, who signed a pre-contract agreement with the club on Friday.

It had to be a pre-contract, as the Ecuadorian wonderkid is still just 16 years old and, due to rules on foreign-born youngsters, won’t be able to join Enzo Maresca’s squad until January 2028.

Moreover, he’s yet to even make a senior appearance for his club, Independiente del Valle.

However, that didn’t stop the West Londoners fighting off three other top European clubs for his signature, and based on what those in the know say about him, it’s easy to understand why.

For example, while he’s yet to play in the first team, the incredible prospect has been making waves in the youth system for some time now and was promoted to the u17s when he was just 14 years old.

Described as “an absolute alien of a talent” and someone who will “be one of the best CBs in the world” by Como scout Felix Johnstone, the Esmeraldas-born gem has also made a massive impression at the international level.

He is already playing for Ecuador’s u20 side and became the youngest player to represent the side at the South American U-20 Championship earlier this year.

It certainly feels like his senior debut is going to come sooner rather than later, especially as respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “huge potential CB with physicality and athleticism way beyond his age.”

He’s not just a youngster who has got ahead with impressive physicality, though, as Mattinson also points out his “outstanding range of passing” and the fact that he is “completely both-footed.”

Ultimately, it’s still so early in his career, but just like with Estevao, it’s already clear that Ordonez is a truly special prospect, and one that could be as effective for Chelsea as the Brazilian and Palmer.

The new Caicedo: Chelsea want to sign "one of the best CMs in the league"

Chelsea are reportedly interested in a deal to sign a Premier League star who is valued at up to £120m.

ByDan Emery Nov 17, 2025

Barcelona have finally received the kind of news they have been waiting months for. Pedri’s accelerated recovery puts him on course to face Chelsea in a crucial Champions League clash, Joan Garcia is set to return after the break, Raphinha has also entered the final phase of his rehabilitation, with their injury returns coming at an ideal time for manager Hansi Flick.

• Pedri’s fast-tracked return ahead of Chelsea clash

  Pedri’s injury during the El Clasico loss to Madrid was one of the defining blows of Barcelona’s turbulent season. The midfielder tore the distal biceps femoris muscle in his left thigh, a serious hamstring injury that was expected to leave him out for six weeks. The timeline meant missing vital Champions League fixtures and the entire November international window, depriving Barca of the player who dictates tempo, links phases, and provides balance in midfield.

  In his absence, Barcelona visibly suffered. Without Pedri’s positional intelligence and control, their build-up became erratic, transitions slower, and Flick’s game model lost its anchor. Matches against Club Brugge and league opponents highlighted how heavily the side still leans on his presence.

  However, in a major and somewhat unexpected twist, Pedri has responded extremely well to treatment, allowing Barcelona’s medical staff to accelerate his reintegration. Journalist Xavi Campos confirmed that he is now expected to be available for the Champions League clash against Chelsea on November 25 in a match that could decide top spot in the table. Barcelona will not risk him against Athletic Club, but the plan is clear: Pedri will be eased in at Stamford Bridge.

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  Joan Garcia’s return restores stability between the posts

  If Pedri’s injury hurt Barcelona’s structure, Garcia’s absence damaged their foundations. Before tearing his medial meniscus in late September, the 24-year-old was in outstanding form: seven matches, three clean sheets, only five goals conceded.

  His injury, which required arthroscopic surgery on September 27, came at the worst possible moment. Barcelona had begun to settle defensively, and Garcia’s chemistry with the back line was improving every week. His replacement, Wojciech Szczesny, offered experience but struggled to replicate Garcia’s calm presence. Over nine matches, Barca conceded far more chances, lacked assurance in build-up, and visibly missed their first-choice keeper.

  The international break, however, has worked in Barcelona’s favour. With no competitive fixtures, Garcia has been able to use the fortnight to complete the final stages of his rehabilitation without pressure. Reports now confirm he is fully recovered and expected to start against Athletic Bilbao when La Liga resumes.

• Raphinha enters the decisive phase of his recovery

  The international break also offered Barcelona something they have rarely enjoyed this season: a quiet training environment with no new injuries and even better, clear signs of progress. The most encouraging update concerns Raphinha, who has officially entered the final phase of his recovery.

  The winger has been working individually at Ciutat Esportiva, focusing on strength, explosiveness and controlled workload to avoid setbacks. With only a handful of first-team players in training, all eyes shifted to him and every report from inside the club described his evolution as “very positive.” If his progress continues, he is expected to rejoin full sessions right after the international break, giving Flick another guaranteed starter during a period in which rotation will be unavoidable.

  His comeback also arrives at a moment when other attacking options, such as Lamine Yamal, remain in longer recovery programmes.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Rare positive window for Flick amid a season of setbacks

  For coach Flick, the first months of the season have resembled a survival test rather than a smooth managerial transition. Multiple key players dropped out with long-term injuries, medical disagreements created tension with national teams, and constant squad disruption made it nearly impossible to establish a consistent style of play.

  At various points, Flick lost Pedri, Raphinha, Gavi, Garcia, Yamal, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and several defenders. Tactical adjustments became reactive rather than strategic, and results fluctuated as Barcelona tried to adapt.

  This is why the current wave of good news feels so significant. Pedri’s accelerated return, Garcia’s full recovery, and Raphinha’s advancing rehabilitation collectively give Barcelona something they have not had all season which is continuity. Flick will finally be able to work with a more complete squad, regain tactical balance, and build consistency ahead of a demanding fixture calendar.

أكد الدكتور حازم خميس رئيس المنظمة المصرية لمكافحة المنشطات، أن قرار المحكمة الرياضية العليا في سويسرا بإيقاف اللاعب رمضان صبحي ليس نهائيًا، إذ ما زالت أمامه فرصة قانونية أخيرة للطعن على الحكم.

وكان رمضان صبحي قد تم إيقافه عن مزاولة أي نشاط رياضي لمدة أربع سنوات، بعد ثبوت التلاعب في عينة المنشطات التي خضع لها، فيما تبقى خياراته القانونية الحالية مقتصرة على الطعن في الإجراءات دون المساس بالعقوبة ذاتها.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماجد سامي يوجه رسالة إلى السيسي بسبب رمضان صبحي و”الـ6 آلاف محمد صلاح”

وقال خميس في تصريحات عبر بطولات: “قرار المحكمة الرياضية العليا في سويسرا بإيقاف رمضان صبحي 4 سنوات ليس نهائيًا، أمامه فرصة للاستئناف أمام المحكمة الفيدرالية في سويسرا خلال 30 يومًا من إصدار الحكم، ولكن لا يمكنه اللعب حتى صدور حكم الفيدرالية”.

وأوضح: “المحكمة الفيدرالية السويسرية لن تقوم بإلغاء القرار أو تخفيفه، فهي مختصة فقط بمراجعة اجراءات المحكمة الرياضية الدولية، وهذا إذا ما قرر اللاعب الطعن في تلك الاجراءات”.

وعند المقارنة بين حالة رمضان صبحي ونجم المنتخب الفرنسي بول بوجبا، شدد رئيس المنظمة المصرية لمكافحة المنشطات على اختلاف السياق القانوني بشكل كامل، قائلاً: “الأمر مختلف هنا، كانت منظمة مكافحة المنشطات الإيطالية هي من قررت إيقاف اللاعب 4 سنوات وعند الاستئناف أمام المحكمة الرياضية العليا في سويسرا قامت بتخفيفه لعام ونصف”.

وأضاف: “لكن بوجبا لم يذهب نحو الفيدرالية السويسرية لأنه كان يرغب في تخفيف الإيقاف وهو ما نجح فيه أمام المحكمة الرياضية نفسها، وبالتالي، رفض المغامرة لأن الطعن في الاجراءات قد يعيد الإيقاف بأربع سنوات مرة أخرى”.

الجدير بالذكر أن رمضان صبحي قد تم تجديد حبسه بالأمس حتى جلسة النطق بالحكم في قضية تزوير الامتحانات يوم 30 ديسمبر المقبل.

SEATTLE – Six ground balls do not make a national crisis, unless you happen to be the recently minted franchise player of Canada’s only Major League Baseball team staring at the eighth level of Dante’s version of Hell, which is to say not quite as low as it gets but just about there. In Dante’s nine levels of Hell, the penultimate level is Fraud. In the American League Championship Series, it is a near-must win in Game 3, having lost the first two games at home.

The Toronto Blue Jays were descending fast, marked most absurdly by going 1-for-42 in the third through ninth innings of the opening two games. Almost as troubling was how their bedrock hitting star, Vlad Guerrero Jr., after terrorizing the Yankees in the ALDS, suddenly had devolved into a ground ball out machine. Guerrero was 0-for-7, including six groundouts.

“Vlad can hit anybody’s fastball,” said Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly. “Anybody’s. He’s a great hitter with power, not the other way around. But sometimes, like when the crowd is really loud and the moment gets big, you can see by his body language he wants to do so well he gets out front a little bit. That’s when the pull-side grounders happen.”

Hell apparently hath no fury like the best hitting team in baseball and its $500 million slugger getting shut down at home. The Blue Jays got back into the series with a 13–4 bombardment of the Mariners Wednesday. All Guerrero did was become just the second player in postseason history to get on base in all five plate appearances while racking up three extra-base hits and nine total bases with his team trailing in the series. The other was Babe Ruth in Game 4 of the 1926 World Series with the Yankees trailing St. Louis, two games to one. 

Blue Jays make ’em fly—fast

Game 3 was seismic. Toronto walloped Seattle pitches with percussive loudness never seen in the postseason, at least in this decade of recording how hard baseballs get hit. The Jays smashed 11 hits at 100 mph or more, breaking the record of 10 by the 2018 Red Sox and 2020 Dodgers.

Guerrero accounted for four of those hits at more than 102 mph, joining Kerry Carpenter (2025 ALDS Game 5) as the only players to smash four hits so hard in a postseason game. The tally of Guerrero’s night of whistling baseballs throughout T-Mobile Park read like someone fiddling with the FM radio dial looking for a decent tune: 102.8 (single), 104.9 (double), 106.4 (home run), 108.0 (double).

It was a whiplash of a turnaround in this series. It was not, however, any surprise to David Popkins, the Toronto hitting coach who, after getting dumped by the Twins last October, helped transform the Blue Jays from 19th in batting average last year to first this year, as well as from 23rd in runs to fourth.

“I felt good about today,” Popkins said about the Game 3 matchup. “The guys have been resilient all year. Our back was against the wall and that’s when this team plays really well. I always like to compare hitting to fighting. And when guys get a little paralyzed in the ring, sometimes the only thing to do is put your head down and start throwing some haymakers.”

Toronto takes control of the zone

The inside story of how the Jays and Vlad turned it around begins with how Mariners pitchers, who take pride in throwing strikes and controlling counts, shoved with impunity against Toronto in Games 1 and 2. Seattle flooded the strike zone with 57% of their pitches, well above the MLB average of 50.7%. Popkins knew the attack rate would remain high in Game 3 with Seattle starting George Kirby, a fastball-pumping sharpshooter who broke the record for the best strikeout-to-walk rate through a pitcher’s first four seasons that had stood for .

Popkins took inventory of those first two games and came up with a plan to counterpunch. It would mean being even more aggressive on the offensive side than the Mariners had been on the pitching side.

“We talked about trying to scare them out of the zone,” Popkins said. 

All 18 hits for Toronto came three or fewer pitches into an at-bat, an amazing display of dictating a game. Mission accomplished.

“Yeah,” Popkins said. “They’ve been attacking us in the zone, trying to induce weak contact. So, they want to fill it up. … The counter to that is to punish 'em when they do that. So that was the goal tonight. 

“We were just ready to do damage on something. We knew they were going to fill it up. They do a good job attacking the zone and they were getting really comfortable with filling it up on the halves [of the plate] and not nibbling. We had to make sure that they are a little more careful next time and attack one of the edges and it’ll get us into better counts in the future.

 “But yeah, we were just looking to put things in play early and today we were looking to do some damage on something.”

Guerrero’s secret adjustment

Guerrero needed to make his own adjustment. Guerrero has the flattest swing in the game. He comes at the baseball with an attack angle of just 1°. The major league average is 10°, right in the middle of the ideal window espoused by Ted Williams (between 5° and 15°).  In ALCS Games 1 and 2 it was down to -6° for his seven outs. He was swinging down on the baseball. Baseball’s second-best hitter against fastballs in the zone (.370; only Aaron Judge was better) went 0-for-4 against 14 heaters in the zone in the first two games.

Moreover, Guerrero’s contact point on his outs was five inches deeper than his regular season average, mostly because the Mariners were getting him out on pitches away. Here are the pitch locations for his seven outs:

Head coach Gambhir and batting coach Kotak have done it in the past but they can only share the experience, not make time move faster

Sidharth Monga26-Jul-20252:29

Kotak: ‘Credit to Gill’ for changing his batting approach

There is perhaps nothing more absolute and objective than time. It takes one second for one second. Sixty of them will make a minute. There is no way around it. You can’t do anything to make the earth move faster or slower. It is never more apparent than when you are so far behind in a Test that a draw is the only result possible for you, and you have to bat five sessions to earn it.Against modern Test attacks, it is generally not possible to bat five sessions for a draw unless the conditions are your friend. You need it to be either devoid of lateral movement and uneven bounce, or you want it to run out of life so that things are happening too slowly off the surface. A bowler, the best of the series, down for two sessions helps.Then, and only then, begins the battle with time, which can also be extremely subjective. How you perceive time can make it seem stress-inducingly quick or painfully slow. It perhaps seems so only to those on the outside, but time can move extremely slowly during such situations.Related

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• Stokes puts England on top but Rahul, Gill keep India alive

• England hope 'stiff and sore' Stokes can bowl on fifth day

India’s dressing room has two men who have achieved these feats at different levels. Their head coach Gautam Gambhir once batted 643 minutes for just 137 runs while following-on to help India save a Test in Napier in 2008-09. Not long before that, the batting coach Sitanshu Kotak resisted Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium for 796 minutes for a draw. Kotak’s bringing of Mumbai down to their knees is part of Ranji Trophy folklore.The experience is out there, they can perhaps tell the formula to those going out: four overs equal 15 minutes, eight overs is half-an-hour, double that and you get a drinks break. One more drinks break, and there is a session break. You need these landmarks on the way.It still can’t help time move faster. The biggest challenge when attempting such draws is to not get ahead of yourself. You can’t think, “yeah, this looks easy now” and start thinking of the next challenge: Ben Stokes, or the second new ball, or overcast skies. You can get away with doing that in a chase. You can perhaps take risks when you are confident and make sure that even if you get out, you leave the rest a manageable task.There is no such concept here. It has to be done one ball at a time. There is no get-out-of-jail-free card, except to wait for the sentence to get over. You have to find the sweet spot between concentrating and relaxing. Too focused, and you can exhaust yourself. Too relaxed, and you can make a mistake. And if you get out, your team is no closer to finishing the task than the objective passage of time.KL Rahul plays the short ball comfortably despite a packed leg-side field•Getty ImagesKL Rahul and Shubman Gill have the techniques and the temperament. Gill is naturally an even-tempered person. Rahul has seen enough ups and downs in cricket to know better than to get swayed by outcomes. They have both had one infamous meltdown on a Test field each. Rahul in South Africa, Gill at Lord’s.However, with bat in hand, a natural extension of their bodies, they have the kind of game that can take care of them as they go about batting time. They have seen through a hat-trick ball, the tricky three overs before lunch, the new ball, then a drinks break, then sets of 15 minutes to tea, then repeated it to stumps.They have had other landmarks. Perhaps a Jofra Archer spell. Then making him bowl bouncers. Then switch off and switch on as he went around the wicket. Same with the other end. Liam Dawson switching to over the wicket. Kick them away. One ball at a time. Move around, get one to kick and beat the outside edge, but play the next ball for the angle because not many will turn. As Gill did in the 62nd over, having faced 162 balls by then.2:11

Manjrekar: Second new ball will be the next big challenge for India

Rahul, who faced his first ball after Gill had already played one, went into stumps having negotiated 210, which was 33 more than Gill. At one point, he was so engrossed in just defending the ball and switching off that he forgot to run. Gill had to shout at him.Runs were immaterial and were scored only when the ball was really bad or when played instinctively. Or, at times, just to buy time, that wonderful concept. When you keep defending, defending, defending, even though time is moving too slowly, you are concentrating so hard you can feel hurried. So you hit a four, move your legs, knock gloves with the non-striker, switch off, and switch on again.The job is only 40% done. Day five will move at its objective pace again. It will feel too slow and too quick at times. There will be landmarks. Get yourself in, then new ball in 17 overs, then proper switch on, personal milestones perhaps. If you get close to erasing the deficit, you can sense time move faster because every run you score will also take time for England to score it back. For England, it will start rushing out of their hands if India get close to saving the match.Such Test innings are perhaps appreciated more by eccentrics, but there is every bit of the competitiveness that makes sport a spectacle. On a beautiful Saturday evening, as the shadows at Old Trafford lengthen, time is moving smoothly. It will find its own rhythms on Sunday morning: slowly for some, quickly for some others. It will, in actual fact, move only one second at a time.

Sheffield United have completed a free deal for Patrick Bamford following his departure from Leeds United earlier this season, with the striker signing a short-term contract until January 2026.

The Blades are desperately attempting to turn their season around following a miserable start which saw Chris Wilder return to replace Ruben Selles just three months after he left the club.

Now as low as 22nd and far from the promotion hopes that they had in mind, those at Bramall Lane suddenly find themselves in an early, unexpected relegation scrap which they’ll be looking to turn on its head after the international break.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers at least stopped the rot and handed the Blades their first clean sheet in four games, but they must find a way to turn a draw into all three points in a crucial clash against rivals Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November.

Speaking to reporters after the QPR stalemate, Wilder admitted his frustration afrer what he felt was a performance worthy of three points.

Goals were once again the problem for Sheffield United, but the arrival of Bamford could help put an end to their unexpected woes in the Championship.

Sheffield United sign Bamford

As reported by The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Sheffield United opened talks to sign Bamford just this week, and things have moved quickly as the Blades announced an agreement on Thursday morning.

The former Leeds forward has been a free agent since leaving Elland Road in August, but now seemingly has the chance to make a return to the Championship on a prove-it deal lasting just a few months.

If Wilder is looking for goals then getting the best out of Bamford will give him exactly that. The 32-year-old has stolen headlines in the Premier League at his best and has as many as 69 Championship goals to his name throughout his career.

Previously dubbed “fantastic” by Leeds boss Daniel Farke, Bamford has the perfect opportunity to get the latter stages of his career back on track by joining Sheffield United. And he could even get the perfect chance to impress on his debut in the derby if he proves his fitness in time to face Sheffield Wednesday.

Wilder set to make ruthless January decision as three Sheffield Utd players get the axe