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Noman Ali eight-for seals Pakistan's first home win since 2021
Pakistan 366 (Ghulam 118, Ayub 77, Leach 4-114) and 221 (Salman 63, Bashir 4-66) beat England 291 (Duckett 114, Sajid 7-111) and 144 (Noman 8-46) by 152 runs
Their success was all the more remarkable given the changes made in response to last week's crushing innings loss, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah dropped and Pakistan selecting a three-man spin attack that had never played together before. In the end, Zahid Mahmood was only required to bowl six overs as Sajid and Noman, playing his first Test since July 2023, dismantled England in tandem.
This was day four of the second Test, but the ninth day of action for the Multan pitch - with three days in between for a quick spritz up - and it was by now offering consistent turn. England's not-out batters, Ollie Pope and Joe Root, had been practising their sweeps before the start of play and it quickly became clear what the plan of attack was in their attempts to score a further 261 for victory. "Basically getting your broom out," as Ben Stokes put it afterwards.
Pope, however, didn't play a shot in anger before becoming the first wicket to fall, poking Sajid's second ball straight back into the bowler's hands. Harry Brook attempted to sweep his first ball, Root did likewise and the battle lines were drawn.
Not that such clarity of purpose did England much good. Root and Brook had amassed a record fourth-wicket stand of 454 in the first Test on this pitch but the turnaround in control and composure was stark. Root faced eight balls, attempting to sweep seven of them before being hit on the hip as he stretched out on off stump and played over the ball to be given lbw - a decision confirmed as umpire's call on review.
Brook got one reverse away to the boundary but his frenetic approach was not built to last and he went back to his 21st delivery, the ball staying a touch low as Noman delivered from round the wicket, to be pinned in front of leg stump swinging across the line. England were 78 for 5, the top order back in the dressing room and the game as good as done.
It was soon 88 for 6, as Jamie Smith top-edged a slog sweep to mid-on three balls after dispatching Noman for four with the same shot. Stokes barely played a straight-bat shot and had the most success, reaching 37 at quicker than a run a ball before he was lured down the pitch by Noman. His swing across the line saw the bat end up somewhere near midwicket as Mohammad Rizwan completed the stumping - a fitting metaphor for England losing their grip.
That was pretty much that, beyond a brief sally from Brydon Carse, who survived being given out lbw to Sajid via the DRS, and subsequently smashed the offspinner for three towering sixes before the guile of Noman induced another swipe and a thin edge to slip. In his next over, Noman plucked out Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir with consecutive deliveries and Pakistan's makeshift Multan masterplan had delivered.
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
Ben Stokes apologises for frustration after lapses cost England dear
Stokes, back in the side for the first time in nine weeks after a hamstring tear had ruled him out of their home series against Sri Lanka as well as last week's first Test, told Sky Sports that he had behaved like a "tired and grumpy old man" when bawling out his players at a critical juncture of Pakistan's second innings.
Then, when Jack Leach fumbled at point to give away an unnecessary single in Carse's subsequent over, Stokes let out a roar of exasperation - which, while understandable in the circumstances, was out of character for a captain who has extolled a blame-free environment in the course of his two-and-a-half year reign.
"I actually apologised to the group up there last night," Stokes said afterwards. "It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions show in my body language, with how I was feeling as the game was unfolding. I owned up to that, and I'm very annoyed at myself for letting that out.
"It's something that I don't want to do, or be seen to be doing," he added. "No one means to drop catches, but it just proves how important catches are out in these subcontinent conditions, because they don't come along that often. So I apologised to the group and said that was poor of me. I was a tired and grumpy old man last night. You won't see that happen again."
"I was a bit surprised, but we all know how passionate Ben is, and how much it means to him to play for England," McCullum told Sky Sports. "We've seen that through his bloody-mindedness to get back from the injury, which was significant, and to do so in a nine-week timeframe, and in extreme conditions of 40 degrees.
"I think maybe that's where some of that frustration led to, certainly it wasn't directed at any of the players," he added. "It was more about trying to assess the rhythm of the game and to impact on it. But look, he'll be better for the run. And I thought in the second innings [where he made 37 from 36 balls] he looked like he had that method where he could put pressure on the opposition. He's at his best when he's doing that."
Stokes himself acknowledged that the challenge of getting back to match fitness had been a tough one, having played no competitive cricket since tearing his hamstring while batting in the Hundred in August.
"I've worked so, so hard to get fit for this Test match, but nothing can prepare you for standing out on the field in hot weather," he said. "Training doesn't do that, so it was great to be able to get through this Test match, it fills me up nicely going into next week, and it was nice to get some overs under the belt as well. That was the one thing which I felt like I was lacking. But obviously, when you get into the game, and you feel like it's on the line, nothing can stop me from doing that."
"He's been fantastic," Stokes said. "He's shown in these two games why we picked him in all formats, not just Test cricket, going forward. He just keeps charging in, ball after ball, spell after spell. Obviously, when the ball starts reverse-swinging, he comes into the game even more. Having his batting ability down the order again is massive for us. He's been really good, and he's going to raise his stock even higher than what it was already."
McCullum agreed Carse had been the "standout" of England's attack. "I wouldn't say he surprised me, because he came with the reputation of someone that could bowl good pace with a big heart, to keep charging in with some steepling bounce," he said. "To be able to do it in England is one thing, to do it on a surface which didn't offer a whole lot for fast bowlers is simply outstanding. We're trying to build a battery of fast bowlers, and Carse has certainly put his name into that."
As a former Test wicketkeeper, McCullum also defended Smith's display in the wake of his costly lapse on the third evening. After three sharp takes in the first innings, it was a rare blemish in what has been a fine start to Smith's England career, while his twin scores of 21 and 6 amounted to his smallest contribution with the bat in course of eight Tests.
"You will not get a tougher set of conditions to keep wicket on," McCullum said. "Jamie's very disappointed about dropping that catch. But you take that out, I thought his keeping was as good as I've seen in these conditions, particularly from a foreign wicketkeeper.
"He's just continuing to impress, and obviously in both innings, he's trying to put pressure on the opposition on that surface, which is very difficult, but that's his natural game. He's turning into a really big player for us.
"But that's where you got to have the ability to turn the page pretty quickly as well, because if you ever let your mistakes dictate your attitude and your confidence, then you're in for a hell of a time. Mistakes in this game are going to be part of it, but 99% of what Jamie has done in this Test match has been absolutely outstanding. And that'll be the message to him."
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
Wickramasinghe set for ODI debut against West Indies
Karunaratne's exclusion confirms the notion that he has simply fallen out of favour with the new selection and coaching regime. He last turned out for a game for Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup despite being part of several squads since.
But his downward trajectory has coincided with Wickramasinghe's rise following impressive showings with the bat in July's Lanka Premier League. He played in the first game of the T20I series against West Indies before increasingly spin-friendly surfaces meant Dunith Wellalage was preferred over him.
On the spin-bowling front, a strong attack will be led by Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, with Vandersay and Wellalage providing options.
The threaa-match series will start on October 20. All three games will be played in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka T20I squad for the series against West Indies
Charith Asalanka (capt), Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Nishan Madushka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Mohamed Shiraz
World number nine Danielle Collins will return to action next year after previously announcing she would retire at the end of the 2024 season.
The 30-year-old American continues to deal with endometriosis, which can affect fertility, and told BBC Sport in May that starting a family was "one of her biggest goals outside of tennis".
Collins posted on Instagram: "The Danimal story has not reached its conclusion. I will be back on tour in 2025."
She said while she had been "excited and eager" to end her tennis career "on a high note" this year and "jump headfirst into my next chapter of life", things have not gone as planned.
Describing starting a family as her "ultimate dream", she said as well as managing some lingering health challenges during the past few months, she has been seeing specialists to help understand her best path forward.
She added: "Dealing with endometriosis and fertility is a massive challenge for many women and something that I am actively traversing, but I am fully confident in the team I am working with. It is just going to take longer than I thought."
Collins' announcement came on the same day she was listed on the entries for the season-opening United Cup in Australia, which takes place from 27 December to 5 January.
The 2022 Australian Open finalist won back-to-back tournaments in Miami and Charleston in March and April amid a strong run of form.
However, she has not competed since losing to world number 152 Olivia Gadecki in Guadalajara on 11 September - her fourth successive defeat since reaching the quarter-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Ravindra and Southee tee off to swell New Zealand's lead
Lunch New Zealand 345 for 7 (Ravindra 104*, Southee 49*, Jadeja 3-72) lead India 46 by 299 runs
However, Southee, 89 Test sixes to his name and with a penchant for taking a swing, batted with composure to keep Ravindra company. Ravindra kept trusting his partner despite the previous two batters missing straight balls on middle stump. There was a time in the partnership when Southee had faced 16 of the 19 balls. However, Southee managed to survive, refusing to throw his bat at it.
Ravindra kept growing in confidence, hardly ever getting caught on the crease, either playing right back or meeting the ball on the half-volley. From the start of the 70th over to end of the 80th, he motored along from 48 off 87 to 104 off 125. He resumed the day on 22 off 34, took the boundary off the full ball from Siraj first ball, and then respected the good bowling even as Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell offered an outside edge each to the two quicks.
Phillips swung like there was no tomorrow, got a six, but offered a free passage to a full straight ball from Jadeja. Henry managed two fours before losing his middle stump to Jadeja. Southee started off circumspect, but managed to survive.
In the 70th over, Ravindra skipped down to Kuldeep Yadav to loft him back over his head to get to his fifty. This is when he felt good about it and started to push his intent. A second four in the over took the lead past 200. Then Kuldeep overpitched to Southee for another four. He had been 4 off 18 then.
Under attack from the moment he started bowling on day two, R Ashwin offered a full toss in his first over of the day, which Ravindra deposited over midwicket for a six. The floodgates had well and truly been opened. Ravindra was now messing with the lengths of the bowlers while Southee waited 39 balls to attempt his first six, nailing an overpitched delivery from Ashwin, whose figures at lunch read 16-1-94-1.
The session, though, belonged to Ravindra, who took his time before taking the game to the spinners.
Broncos win in Payton's 'special' return to N.O.
NEW ORLEANS -- With the emotions of a return to a city he coached in for 16 years, on a night the New Orleans Saints had set aside to celebrate their all-time quarterback in Drew Brees, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton knew he would need more than a moment to take it all in.
"I'm glad I was here early, like early early, six hours before the game early,'' Payton said. "Just had plenty of time to grab some coffee. ... That part of it, coming back here, was special.''
Payton, now in his second season with the Broncos, returned to the Superdome as an opposing head coach for the first time Thursday night, ventured into the stadium's visitors locker room for the first time and then watched his current team put in an elite defensive performance in a workmanlike 33-10 victory over the Saints.
It moved the Broncos to 4-3, their best record after seven games since the 2016 season, when they were 5-2 after their seventh game.
"It was nice to get the win against his former team, especially for our coach, and the rest of the staff and the guys who played here,'' Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said. "Really proud of how we handled it, what we did.''
Payton was the Saints' coach from 2006 until 2021, and Brees was his starting quarterback for his entire tenure. Brees was honored at halftime as the newest member of the Saints' Hall of Fame and, before the game, ran out of the tunnel to a thunderous roar from a sellout crowd after the Saints defense had been introduced.
But after all of the pregame swirl gave way to the kickoff, the Broncos simply dispatched the injury-ravaged Saints on all fronts on a short week. The Broncos defense finished with six sacks and a defensive touchdown and held the Saints to 271 total yards, 92 of those yards in the fourth quarter when the Broncos had many of their backups in the defensive lineup.
The Broncos also rushed for 225 yards on offense -- 88 yards and two touchdowns from running back Javonte Williams as well as 75 yards from quarterback Bo Nix -- as Denver scored on six consecutive possessions in the middle of the game. All in all, the focused effort Payton had said he wanted on an abbreviated practice week.
"It's just easy to complain on a short week,'' Payton said. "But overall I'm pleased with how we played.''
In addition to Payton's early arrival to the Superdome, he spent a little more time than usual pregame talking to his family and a large group of friends from the New Orleans area. Payton and several of the Broncos' coaches and staff members who had worked with the Saints during his time in New Orleans had also briefly attended an event for Brees earlier Thursday.
The Broncos have a long list of assistant coaches who were on Payton's staff with the Saints as well as former Saints players who are now on the Broncos' roster. Payton said running back Tyler Badie, whose family relocated from the New Orleans area to Maryland after Hurricane Katrina, showed him a photo before the game of the 12-year-old Badie in a Saints jersey, standing next to his father at training camp.
"Then you feel old,'' Payton said.
Following the win, Payton was presented with the game ball in the Broncos' locker room.
"[It] meant a lot,'' Payton said. "Because there were a lot of moments here. Because you get a chance to see old players and then to be with this team, this ownership group, it's the reason you miss it, the year I was out [2022] ... you miss relationships, you miss making memories.''
Mets turn to Peterson, Dodgers to Flaherty in G5
NEW YORK -- Attempting to avoid elimination against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series on Friday, the New York Mets will turn to left-hander David Peterson for Game 5, manager Carlos Mendoza announced after the team's 10-2 loss in Game 4 on Thursday.
Peterson, 29, will be making his first start of the postseason after four relief appearances, including 2 innings in Game 1 of the series Sunday.
The Dodgers lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.
"Facing an elimination game, he's fully rested," Mendoza said. "He's been one of our starters -- one of our best starters. We just feel like he's going to give us the best chance."
Peterson made 21 regular-season starts, compiling a 2.90 ERA but hasn't thrown more than three innings in a game since the end of last month. He has had two relief outings during the playoffs of 40 or more pitches, including in his Game 1 appearance. He gave up three runs, four hits and a walk in that outing, a 9-0 defeat to L.A.
"It means a lot to be able to get the ball in a situation like this," Peterson said. "To have the confidence of many and the team and the coaching staff is huge. ... I feel ready to go, as deep as necessary. Looking forward to it. Ready to give every pitch I have."
As expected, he'll be opposed by Dodgers Game 1 starter Jack Flaherty. The veteran right-hander shut out the Mets over seven innings on two hits in his first start of the series. He'll be on normal rest as well.
"We just felt that [Friday's] the day," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "So he's lined up."
The Mets are hoping for some better success against Flaherty, building off their at-bats in Game 4 -- even though they lost. They had 10 hits and three walks in the game but managed only two runs.
The position they're in is reminiscent of their season overall. New York earned a playoff berth on the last day of the season, then was down to its last out in the wild-card round against the Milwaukee Brewers before rallying. Now the Mets will have to do it again -- winning the next three games -- to keep their season alive.
"This group has responded so well to adversity all year," first baseman Pete Alonso said. "The one word I can think for the 2024 Mets, besides Grimace, is resiliency. That's just who we are."
Shortstop Francisco Lindor urged his teammates to learn from the past two days -- both losses -- insisting they "execute" better when they get runners on.
"If you don't have any belief, you shouldn't be here," he said. "You have to fight for what you want. It comes down to one day at a time and executing."
Peterson could use a little better execution as well. Before being tagged for three runs in Game 1, he hadn't given up a run all month. His best outing came against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NL Division Series when he threw three scoreless innings.
The team could have chosen the strategy they used in that game, starting Kodai Senga and piggybacking Peterson but instead chose to let the five-year veteran start and pitch as long as he can. The Mets will need his best against the Dodgers who have scored 30 runs in the first four games of the series.
"I'm anticipating him making a regular start," Mendoza said. "Our starters are one of the reasons we're here, and we haven't got length out of them. ... And here we are now."
Qualification Event Underway: Over 200 Players Vie for Spots in Inaugural ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Championships
The overwhelming response to this inaugural event showcases the rapidly growing interest in the digital version of the beloved sport. With more than 200 players vying for a spot in the championships, its clear that the fusion of traditional table tennis skills and digital gameplay has struck a chord with both seasoned players and newcomers alike. This ongoing open, mixed-gender competition promotes equality and diversity, encouraging participation from all over the world.
Players are currently battling it out in intense virtual matches, vying for a chance to advance. The qualification rounds are conducted in a progressive knockout format, ensuring a thrilling and competitive journey for all participants. On the final day of qualification, 17 November, the top two qualifiers will join six other players in the onsite finals, including two top-ranked Eleven Table Tennis players and four wild card entries.
The qualification event features a unique and engaging playing system designed to test players skills and endurance:
Competitors face off in meetings, each consisting of multiple matches for an extended competitive encounter.
Within each meeting:
- Players compete in a best-of-5 matches format.
- Each individual match is played as best-of-3 games/sets.
- To claim victory in the entire meeting, a player must win 3 matches.
- All matches are conducted in ranked mode on the Eleven Table Tennis platform, ensuring competitive integrity.
This system provides an immersive and challenging experience for participants, allowing for strategic depth and multiple opportunities for comebacks within each meeting. Competitors are utilising cutting-edge VR technology, with matches played on either Meta Quest 2 or Pico 4 headsets. This advanced hardware allows for an immersive and realistic table tennis experience, bridging the gap between physical and digital play.
Building on the success of Esports Table Tennis as an exhibition sport at the 2023 Olympic Esports Week in Singapore, the ITTF has once again partnered with For Fun Labs, Inc. and their renowned VR game, Eleven Table Tennis, to take Esports Table Tennis to the next level. This event is set to elevate the sport on the global competitive gaming stage, solidifying its place as a key player in the esports community.
As the qualification rounds progress, anticipation builds for the main event in Helsingborg, scheduled for 27-28 November 2024. The finals in Helsingborg will showcase eight elite players competing for the prestigious title of ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Champion. This culminating event will not only determine the champion but also solidify the position of esports table tennis on the global competitive gaming stage. The future of esports table tennis looks brighter than ever, and the ITTF is at the forefront of this exciting new frontier.
Head signs with Strikers for the BBL despite hectic schedule
Head, 30, has signed a one-year deal to play for the Strikers, a club he captained to the BBL title in 2017-18 but has not played for since the 2022-23 season. The upcoming five-match Test series against India followed by a Test tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy means Head will only be available for three matches on January 11, 15 and 18.
The BBL was hopeful that Australia's Test stars would be available to give the competition a boost at the back end of this summer's tournament but despite the window, there are some concerns over player workload coming out of a gruelling high-profile Test series against India and with so little time to prepare for an overseas Test tour in spinning conditions in Sri Lanka.
Dates for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka are yet to be locked in but it is understood the first Test could start as early as January 29, and the Australia team has consistently wanted a ten-day preparation period on the ground for an overseas tour. Strikers' last away game is in Perth on January 18 meaning Head could be forced to travel to Perth the night before potentially leaving for Sri Lanka.
Head's workload overall has become a key consideration for Australia's selectors and coaching staff since becoming an all-format player in the last 12 months. There were some concerns over his decision to play in the recent Major League Cricket tournament in July on the back of a huge non-stop period of playing that started with the 2023 ODI World Cup and then included five home Tests, a T20I and Test tour of New Zealand, a full IPL and the T20 World Cup.
Head is being rested from the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, partly due to the upcoming birth of his second child.
But his decision to add some BBL cricket in a period in January will mean his next decent break will likely have to wait until after the Champions Trophy on February and March, but even that may only be short given he will either be retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad at the IPL or bought at the mega Auction.
Australia then could play the World Test Championship final straight after the IPL before a Test of the West Indies in June and July.
"We understand Trav has a hectic international schedule," Paine said. "But we also know how much he loves getting back in the blue whenever the chance arises and we look forward to our fans being treated to more of his magic this summer."
Mitchell Starc: Green absence changes dynamic for quicks
Namely, the allrounder's absence has the potential to have a flow-on effect for Australia's aging pace attack, with an increased workload likely against India.
"It will always change the dynamic when you take a genuine allrounder like a Cameron Green, or with England when you take a Ben Stokes, out," Starc said. "When you have that genuine allrounder who has been part of a group for a while ... you get into a bit of a routine of having that extra bowling option.
"I don't know what the dynamic of that line-up is going to be, there is a lot of talk around that opening spot and Mitch [Marsh] bowling as well.
"It's not completely foreign. We've had series in the past where we haven't had an allrounder at all.
"We've had to take some of that workload, and Gaz [Nathan Lyon] has probably had to bowl a bit extra as well."
Hazlewood will then play in the Blues' following match against Queensland, with Starc to be rested.
Australia have five Tests in seven weeks against India, with the longest gap being a 10-day break between the series opener in Perth and second Test in Adelaide.
Starc said Australia's bowlers had always taken an extended-squad approach, with several factors coming into whether the first-choice group's workloads were managed.
"That's been the mindset for a number of years now, with overseas tour or a home series and the mentality of how gruelling a summer or series can be," Starc said. "It's been spoken about, if you have four or five Tests that go four days, the extra day between games [can be important].
"There is obviously a big gap between the first and second Test and the third and fourth Test. That may play a part as well.
"We don't know what wickets we'll get, we don't know how successful or unsuccessful we will be."
Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon played unchanged through the last four-Test Border-Gavaskar series at home in 2020-21. They also did likewise in the five-Test home summer last season, with Australia losing the last Test at the Gabba on both those occasions.
"There are too many factors to sit here at the start and say this is what is going to happen," Starc said. "But there are certainly times where you feel the grind of five Tests."
One week after blazing twin tons against South Australia, Konstas shared a net session with Steve Smith on Friday at NSW training. While Starc would not be drawn into whether Konstas' time should come this summer, he had seen enough to believe the young talent could succeed.
"There's no reason [for him] not to [handle it]," Starc said. "He's obviously got the talent, got the work ethic, he's a lovely young man.
"Time will tell. If he's not picked this summer then I am sure runs on the board will help him in the long run."
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