West Indies A were on top for most of the third game too but found Joy hard to dismiss

Mohammad Isam02-Jun-2023Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s unbeaten century and Yasir Ali’s half-century helped Bangladesh A hang on to a draw on the final day of the third unofficial Test in Sylhet. As a result, West Indies A clinched the three-match series 1-0, having won the second game by three wickets after the first match, too, was drawn.West Indies A were on top for most of the third game as well but found Mahmudul Hasan Joy hard to dismiss, as he scored 114 – the only century of the series – to save the game for the home side.Joy’s 114 included 14 boundaries, as he stuck around for seven hours and two minutes of Bangladesh A second innings. He added 93 for the opening stand with Zakir Hasan, another 53 with captain Saif Hassan for the third wicket before the match-saving 117-run fourth-wicket stand with Yasir, who made 67 with six fours and four sixes, lasting 85 balls.Offspinner Kevin Sinclair took three wickets in the fourth innings, but the rest of the West Indies attack couldn’t replicate their earlier exploits. They had bowled out the home side for 205 in the first innings with left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul taking three wickets while Anderson Philip and Sinclair took two each. Akeem Jordan and Raymon Reifer also took a wicket each.West Indies A put up a formidable 445 in the first innings, with five batters getting fifties. Tagenarine Chanderpaul made 83, while Alick Athanze (59), captain Joshua Da Silva (82), Reifer (56) and Sinclair (60) kept the visitors going. Chanderpaul also made an unbeaten 83 in their second innings.Nasum Ahmed took five wickets, while Musfik Hasan and Shoriful Islam shared two wickets each in the first innings.

Manchester United’s comfortable 3-0 win over relegation strugglers, Leicester City, marked yet another proud day for the Red Devils’ academy, with 18-year-old full-back, Harry Amass, making his senior debut off the bench in the second half.

Tipped to be “Luke Shaw’s successor” by journalist Alex Turk, the promising teenager was handed a long overdue first-team bow on his birthday no less, with manager Ruben Amorim going on to state that he has “so much fun” in handing opportunities to the club’s young talents.

The Portuguese coach – who also handed a debut to Chido Obi against Tottenham Hotspur last month – has followed on from Erik ten Hag in looking internally to find first-team solutions, with the Dutchman having been central to the rise of FA Cup final heroes, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

As Amorim showcased against Spurs – in which Obi was the only youngster introduced off the bench – he isn’t one to hand out chances willy-nilly, following on from Ten Hag’s mantra of academy stars needing to “deserve” a place in the side, rather than simply be gifted one.

At a time when the cash-strapped outfit may be wary of making costly mistakes in the transfer market, it may be wise for Amorim to continue looking to the youth ranks – not least to find a perfect successor to an ageing Christian Eriksen.

Christian Eriksen's future at Manchester United

Sunday’s win at the King Power marked Eriksen’s 99th game for United in all competitions since signing on a free transfer from Brentford back in the summer of 2022 – just a year on from having suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.

For the experienced Dane to have even been able to play again at all after that horrific ordeal is a testament to his courage and resilience, having proven a particularly astute pick-up for the Red Devils.

Indeed, during Ten Hag’s first campaign, in particular, the former Tottenham Hotspur man was masterful in those opening few months alongside Casemiro, with club legend Paul Scholes highlighting the playmaker’s “intelligence” in that deep-lying role.

Sadly, an injury sustained against Reading in January 2023, following a tackle from Andy Carroll, halted that fine early form, with Eriksen having been forced to endure a far more peripheral role since then.

A return of 24 goals and assists for the club to date is no mean feat, although Eriksen has only started 17 games in 2024/25 to date, chipping in with eight goal involvements in all.

The £150k-per-week asset came agonisingly close to adding to that tally last time out, only to see his whipped effort strike the woodwork, albeit with it having been a largely difficult night for the Dane in that advanced number ten berth.

With the veteran talent out of contract this summer, it looks almost a certainty that he will be moving on to pastures new, with Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up demanding a potentially more mobile and dynamic option, despite Eriksen remaining a classy operator.

Eriksen’s game in numbers vs Leicester
69 minutes
43 touches
72% pass accuracy
2 shots off target
3 key passes
0 successful dribbles
0 duels won
14x possession lost
2/5 crosses completed
2/2 long balls completed
Stats via Sofascore

As such, it could be a case of out with the old and in with the new, with academy sensation Jack Moorhouse potentially deserving of a chance to stake his claim as Eriksen’s successor.

Man Utd's next academy sensation

The 19-year-old is perhaps not a name familiar to too many of a United persuasion, with the teenager still waiting to make his first-team bow, albeit while making the matchday squad, alongside Obi, against Spurs and Arsenal in recent months.

In The Pipeline

The Republic of Ireland U21 international has had to bide his time for senior involvement, although he appears to have caught the eye of the new management team, with the Daily Mail’s Nathan Salt stating that Amorim has been left “particularly impressed” with the youngster’s ability as a “ball carrier”.

That follows previous comparisons to Aston Villa’s newest superstar, Morgan Rogers, with young Moorhouse appearing to possess that ability to drive and weave his way forward to then attack the opposition penalty area.

As per Transfermarkt, the Manchester-born starlet has scored three times in just nine U21 games for the Red Devils, having typically operated as an attacking midfielder or on the left flank, thus making him ideal for the role that Eriksen took up against the Foxes.

Moorhouse has endured his own fair share of injury woe of late after only returning from a 431-day absence back in December, although now fit and firing again, he could force his way into Amorim’s plans before the season is out.

Indeed, broadcaster Nathan Murphy has claimed the teen dynamo is “highly rated” by those at Carrington, as evidenced by his recent promotion, with it set to be no surprise if he does follow Amass and Obi in making his debut in the near future.

Eriksen, it must be said, has been a solid servant to United over the past three years or so, yet now could be the perfect time for a changing of the guard.

Saved by Fernandes: Amorim must drop 5/10 Man Utd star who lost 100% duels

Man United extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a thumping 3-0 win at Leicester.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 17, 2025

With Trent Alexander-Arnold injured, Liverpool’s focal England presence has been absent during the latest interminable international pause. However, Thomas Tuchel’s squad hasn’t been devoid of Merseyside representation.

Early days yet, but Curtis Jones has shown the first signs of being a mainstay through this new Three Lions era, starting Thursday evening’s win over Albania and featuring late on against Latvia on Monday.

He’s everything Slot and Tuchel wants in a midfielder, endowed with technical quality and an attacking outlook.

FBref’s data from the past year even suggests he bears a likeness to Manchester City’s Phil Foden, who may not be having the best of seasons but is certainly one of the most talented players this nation has produced in a generation.

Liverpool's answer to Foden

Jones, 23, will take delight in having chalked up 140 senior appearances for Liverpool already, directly involved in 39 goals and the lifter of five major honours – with a sixth said to be on the way.

Technically gifted, fit as a fiddle and wearing the tenacity of one playing for their club, Jones has gone from strength to strength since the managerial baton was passed, making his England debut and scoring back in November.

He’s now a fully-fledged member of the Three Lions set-up, given the nod by Tuchel this month and starting during last week’s 2-0 victory over Albania.

Given that Jones is somewhat similar to his countryman on the tactical front while also being a 24-year-old midfielder looking to make their name in the German’s new set-up, you might say that Jones is Liverpool’s own version.

Foden has received a share of flak in recent days after another uninspiring performance for his nation. The 23/24 Premier League Player of the Season is one of the most gifted footballers in the business, but he can’t seem to bring it together in white.

However, Lee Carsley and now Tuchel’s desire to unleash Jones in starting line-ups makes an interesting comment on the whole ordeal. As per FBref, Jones’ technical skill and eye for a goal make him one of Foden’s most tactically similar midfielders, corroborating the decision to feature him prominently for England.

Foden might have his struggles on the international stage, but he’s still been tipped to become “the best English player in history” by his Manchester City teammates Rodri and Erling Haaland, highlighting his abundant talent.

This all goes to show that Slot has quite the useful player on his hands in Jones, and that Liverpool will continue to benefit from his skill for many years.

However, Jones does play deeper than he was once touted – and that’s just fine – but with such glaring issues up top, such a player, one with a forward focus, would be relished given Liverpool’s current issues.

Well, Liverpool had such a player, but Klopp sold him a few years ago. Like Jones, this ace has a tactical likeness to Foden, but his more natural attacking game suggests he could have been the perfect tonic for the Anfield side’s problems in recent weeks.

The Former Liverpool star who is now similar to Foden

Dominik Szoboszlai is a terrific attacking midfielder and Harvey Elliott has that natural spark in the final third too, but Liverpool could have done with another part this term. Recent losses are cases in point.

The man in question, you might be surprised to read, is none other than Takumi Minamino – here’s why.

Now plying his trade at AS Monaco, Minamino joined Liverpool from RB Salzburg for a smart £7m fee in January 2020 and he went on to lift a number of trophies and play 55 times for Jurgen Klopp’s side, scoring 14 goals.

Only ever a bit-part player, Minamino, now 28, was sold to the Ligue 1 club for about £15m in June 2022 as Klopp repackaged his frontline.

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Minamino was a good player but hardly on Foden’s level, hardly hitting the same heights as the illustrious Englishman.

But Minamino can be cut from the same tactical cloth, a lesser version. The Japan international’s role as an attacking midfielder is one reason behind the semblance, with both capable across the frontline and indeed being utilised as such at Monaco.

Attacking midfield

19

4

4

Right winger

6

1

1

Left winger

4

1

0

Centre-forward

2

1

0

But, moreover, it’s the way he plays the game that has drawn FBref to liken the two players. Minamino ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 17% for assists, the top 17% for progressive carries and the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

This is a marker of his prolific nature. Indeed, Minamino didn’t earn that many chances to impress at Anfield but he earned his keep. In 2021/22, for example, the nimble winger scored three times in the top flight despite only starting once. He also bagged seven goals across FA Cup and Carabao Cup campaigns – Liverpool went on to win both titles.

Turning back toward Liverpool’s present concerns: Minamino’s positional flexibility suggests he could have been an underrated part of the Slot machine, filling in across attacking midfield and wide positions with a potent style not dissimilar to Foden’s.

Most of Liverpool’s frontline stands at risk of exclusion this summer; Mohamed Salah is one of the greatest goalscorers in the club’s rich history but he’s overloaded with responsibility.

Mohamed Salah

17 (17)

12

5

Cody Gakpo

13 (9)

5

1

Luis Diaz

18 (15)

1

2

Diogo Jota

14 (9)

2

1

Darwin Nunez

16 (4)

3

4

Federico Chiesa

5 (2)

2

1

Such a dynamic attacking option could have been welcome to be sure. Journalist Josh Bunting once commented that Minamino was “undervalued” during his time on Merseyside, and maybe that’s the case.

He’s enjoying life in France and certainly has enough about him to have given Liverpool a bit more oomph in the final third this season. Perhaps it could have made all the difference in sustaining an unflagging multi-title charge.

Alas, Slot will have to settle for ‘just’ the Premier League title.

Liverpool can forget Alvarez by unleashing "unplayable" 19-year-old star

Liverpool may already have their own answer to Julian Alvarez brewing at Anfield.

ByDan Emery Mar 23, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now in the race to sign an “unbelievable” forward from a rival Premier League club, according to a report.

Postecoglou keen to bring in new winger

Ange Postecoglou’s side have seriously underperformed in the Premier League this season, sitting 14th in the table with just nine games left to play, so it is little wonder they are keen to bring in some reinforcements in the summer transfer window.

One position in which Spurs are clearly keen to strengthen is winger, and they have now taken the first step towards signing Feyenoord’s Igor Paixao by making contact to discuss a deal for the Brazilian, who could be an upgrade on Son Heung-min.

Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman is another name on the shortlist, and the Frenchman seems like he could be an attainable target, given that the German side are eager to sell him in the upcoming window.

Spurs submit £38m bid for "wonderful" Real Madrid target; now leading race

Postecoglou’s side have made an opening offer for a midfielder who is also being targeted by Real Madrid.

ByDominic Lund Mar 24, 2025

However, another option from much closer to home is now entering the frame, with a report from The Boot Room revealing Tottenham are now interested in signing Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who is facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are now willing to sanction Madueke’s departure this summer, and a move across the capital could be possible, with Spurs joining the race for his signature, alongside Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

The Lilywhites appreciate the Chelsea ace, who has a 100% win record when he’s featured against Spurs, and the door could be open for a deal this summer, although there may be competition from AC Milan, who are now confident about getting a deal done.

The Italian side have submitted a £33m bid for the England international, who cost the Blues £30m back in 2023.

"Unbelievable" Madueke impressing at Chelsea

It seems a little harsh that Chelsea are willing to sell the 23-year-old this summer, given that he has put in some impressive performances this season, picking up seven goals and three assists in the Premier League.

That follows on from a solid 2023/24 campaign, during which he impressed former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

As a result of his attacking output, the former PSV Eindhoven man has performed very well on a range of attacking statistics over the past year, most notably impressing with his dribbling ability.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.42 (88th percentile)

Progressive carries

6.55 (98th percentile)

Touches (Att Pen)

7.84 (96th percentile)

Chelsea’s loss could be Tottenham’s gain if they decide to part ways with Madueke this summer, given the level of some of his performances for the Blues, and at 23-years-old he is only likely to improve.

Liverpool fans want Florian Wirtz to join the club as soon as possible after a crunching tackle on Bruno Fernandes in Germany's clash with Portugal.

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Wirtz and Fernandes clashedLeverkusen star wanted by LiverpoolCould make huge move to Anfield this summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Wirtz started for Germany on Wednesday as they took on Portugal in the semi-finals of the Nations League. In the first half, he appeared to accidentally stamp on Bruno Fernandes' ankle, before scoring a cheeky header in the second period. He has been the subject of a huge bid from Liverpool, and Reds fans want him signed as soon as possible after seeing his performance.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

@LewisSteele_ said: "Florian Wirtz has just done a studs-up tackle on Bruno Fernandes. Yep."

@Crewslover said: "Wirtz injured Bruno he's a red thru and thru build him a statue (sic)."

@Nabyllionaire added: "Wirtz stood on Bruno's ankleeee" with a gif of people dancing.

@SamueILFC said: "Rivals fans were hate watching Wirtz just for him to score. I love this game."

@Braden_LFC claimed: "15 minutes in and I'm already convinced Wirtz is worth £120m."

@Lfchaytch said: "This Wirtz performance" and posted a gif of Zinedine Zidane looking amazed.

@LFC_ERYAN concluded: "Wirtz clamping Bruno ya proper scouser him already (sic)."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Wirtz has been voted the Bundesliga's best player, ahead even of Harry Kane, but the attacking midfielder could soon be heading to Anfield. He has also angrily denied reports that he is planning to take Alexis Mac Allister's No.10 shirt.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Wirtz could next play for Germany in September, when they travel to play Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier. In the meantime, he is expected to join Liverpool.

MatériaMais Notícias

Pressionado na zona de rebaixamento, o Guarani precisa somar pontos e o técnico Mozart Santos demonstra nervosismo a cada rodada que passada.

Na noite da última quarta-feira, o Bugre ficou no empate com o Criciúma e teve um gol anulado pela arbitragem, fato que gerou muita reclamação.

Na jogada, o árbitro Rodolfo Toski Marques apontou falta de Madson em cima de Léo Costa e invalidou o tento.

Na coletiva, o árbitro disparou sobre lances recentes contra a sua equipe.

‘Nós fizemos um gol que seria o de 2 a 0 contra o Cruzeiro. Contra o Bahia, um impedimento de meio ombro. Contra o Sport, fizemos um gol legítimo e foi anulado. E hoje, mais um gol mal anulado. Até perguntei ao Rodolpho, ele disse que o Madison acertou o rosto do adversário e o impediu de chegar na bola. Talvez, ele não tenha jogado futebol. Aquele é um movimento natural. E a forma com a qual ele se dirigiu aos jogadores. O Kozlinski pediu a ele para ver se era possível o Tencanti (técnico do Criciúma) colocar o colete, pois estava com a camisa da mesma cor dos jogadores do Criciúma e ganhou um amarelo. Nós ganhamos o jogo, mas fomos prejudicados’.

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Asadullah Khan had resigned in 2021 from the same position citing interference

Umar Farooq12-Jun-2023Asadullah Khan has returned as Afghanistan’s chief selector and will move back to Kabul after a stint with Qatar as head coach. He will replace Noorulhaq Malikzai, who had stepped down from the role but will continue to work as a committee member. “It has been a privilege to serve as the head of the selection committee for the esteemed Afghanistan Cricket Board,” Malikzai said.”Due to personal and family commitments, I am unable to continue in this significant position. I have requested to continue my association with ACB as a member of the committee, and I am committed to providing my utmost cooperation to Asadullah Khan and the board.”With Khan as the chief selector, Malikzai, Mir Mubariz and Ahmad Shah will work as supporting selectors in the four-man panel. Taj Malik Alam and Mohammad Khan Zadran are retained as domestic selectors. “I am honored to be entrusted with the responsibility of heading the selection committee of players, ” Khan said in a statement. “ACB is not a new organisation for me as I have rich experience working for this great organisation. I am committed to identifying talented players and providing them with opportunities to represent our country and achieve success on the international stage.”Related

Afghanistan selector steps down citing 'interruption' from 'non-cricketers' in the board

Khan had been involved with Afghanistan cricket in various capacities before moving to Qatar after resigning from the same position citing “too much interruption” and interference from “non-cricketers” in the board, who have “no knowledge about the players and selection” as the main reasons. He had also worked as acting CEO briefly in 2019 and was one of the most noteworthy figures working in the domestic set-up as a coach and video analyst.Afghanistan are presently in Bangladesh to play an all-format series including one Test followed by a packed home season, hosting Zimbabwe, India, and Pakistan with the Asia Cup and World Cup this year.

Neser century caps mammoth second-innings 737, as Robinson rests ankle injury as ‘precaution’

Alan Gardner21-May-2023

Michael Neser drives through the covers during his final-day century•Getty Images

Glamorgan 123 and 737 (Carlson 192, Labuschagne 138, Neser 123) drew with Sussex 481 (Coles 138, Smith 89, Haines 58) and 1 for 0The sight of Ollie Robinson leaving the Sussex dressing-rooms on crutches and with his left foot in a protective boot summed up the stark turnaround in this match at Hove. Robinson’s celebrations were unrestrained on day one when he removed Marnus Labuschagne with his first ball to the Australian, as Glamorgan were blown away in 37.4 overs. But the visitors batted out more than six sessions second time around to record their second-highest first-class total and fight the game to a standstill.Glamorgan coach, Matthew Maynard, praised his side’s resilience after they overcame a first-innings deficit of 358, with Australia allrounder Michael Neser becoming the third centurion of the innings. After Robinson’s opening salvo, most of the pre-Ashes points-scoring in this match has come from the other side. “He’s contributed really well with the bat this year for us, on top of his outstanding bowling efforts,” Maynard said of Neser. “To top it with a hundred, delighted for him.”Sussex, who recorded their fifth consecutive draw to remain second in Division Two, were left more than a little battered by the effort. Robinson had been off the field since before lunch on day three due to an ankle injury that could affect his England availability and the captain, Cheteshwar Pujara, was absent on Sunday with a stiff neck (although India shouldn’t need to worry about his readiness for the World Test Championship final). Three bowlers – Ari Karvelas, Jack Carson and James Coles – bowled more than 30 overs, with Carson sending down 54 for figures of 2 for 216.An attack missing the services of Robinson was perhaps always going to struggle to take 20 wickets for only the second time this season. They got there in the end, by which time Glamorgan had amassed 737 – the fifth-highest second-innings score in history – and a lead of 379 with nominally 14 overs left in the game. Neser scored the third first-class hundred of his career, and first for Glamorgan, the mark achieved with a mighty slog-sweep for six off the bowling of his Australia team-mate Steven Smith.Smith, bowling offbreaks, picked up a maiden Sussex wicket – exuberantly celebrated after a fine one-handed catch on the boundary rope by sub fielder Sean Hunt – and eventually yorked Neser to bring the innings to a close. Cricket being cricket, the timing of the dismissal meant that Sussex still had to come out and bat for an over before hands could be shaken on a draw, with Labuschagne bounding eagerly through six deliveries of medium-pace before signing off from county duties.Glamorgan’s monumental effort eclipsed by more than 150 runs their previous highest second-innings score – made at Newport in 1939, against a Gloucestershire team for whom Wally Hammond chalked up 302. Emrys Davies was the bulwark for Glamorgan on that occasion, making a career-best 287 not out. Here the Welsh hero was Kiran Carlson, who also made his highest first-class score – albeit only bettering the previous mark by one run – with notable support from Glamorgan’s two Australian overseas players.As epic rearguards go, you could scarcely ask for more – and after Carlson went early, adding just five runs to his overnight 187, it was no surprise that Glamorgan were uninterested in making a sporting declaration. All that work to go home with 2 points? No thanks. “We were never safe until quite late in the day,” Maynard said. In the end, their second-innings effort outstripped their first by more than 600 runs, which in the language of the Tour de France, that great sporting endurance test, was rather like crashing your bike down at sea level in Bayonne only to then beast your way to the front of the peloton in time to summit the Col du Tourmalet.All results remained theoretically possible at the start of the day, with Glamorgan 141 in front and Sussex hoping to burgle five wickets and set up a chase. They managed two in the morning session, and two more during the afternoon, but the game was already drifting towards somnolence. Smith was called on to bowl – perhaps imitating Labuschagne’s recent tinkering by eschewing his usual legbreaks – and then it was on to the collector’s items: Tom Alsop’s left-arm tweak and the optimistic lob-ups of Ali Orr, for the first time in senior cricket.The day took on a vaguely hallucinatory quality, as the players went through their motions. It brought to mind a quote from Joseph O’Neill’s , which describes “the beauty of cricket played on a lawn of appropriate dimensions, where the white-clad ring of infielders, swanning figures on the vast oval, again and again converge in unison toward the batsman and again and again scatter back to their starting points, a repetition of pulmonary rhythm, as if the field breathed through its luminous visitors.” Except, by this point, we were all waiting for it to take its final breath.Sussex were left to rue having dropped Carlson on 3 midway through the third morning – although given even the Glamorgan No. 11 Jamie McIlroy made a career-best (11 not out), perhaps the combination of surface and opposition would have proved unyielding either way. Five Glamorgan batters faced more than 100 balls, while each of the bottom three batted for more than an hour in support of Neser.Paul Farbrace, who described Robinson’s moon boot as “precautionary”, said that Sussex’s bowling in the second innings had not been consistent enough, and confirmed the club are set to bring in a second overseas bowler for the next block of Championship games, with Pujara and Smith both departing for international duty.”We are getting our bonus points for bowling a team out once, but we’re not capable of doing it twice, and that’s an area we’ve got to improve on,” Farbrace said. “Instead of finishing this little period of Championship games with one win in six, I think we should be finishing it with at least three wins. But we’ve not been good enough to do that.”

Jonny Bairstow admitted that the occasion and atmosphere at Edgbaston are “what we live for” as professional cricketers, after marking his first innings for England in nearly ten months with a run-a-ball 78 on a frenetic opening day of the 2023 Ashes.Though Bairstow made his return to the Test team against Ireland at Lord’s earlier this month, his innings on Friday was his first visit to the crease for England since breaking his leg in a freak golfing accident in September last year.He arrived at a critical juncture too, with England wobbling on 176 for 5 following the dismissal of Ben Stokes. However, he instigated another wave of attack in a 121-run partnership with his fellow Yorkshireman, Joe Root, and by the time he was stumped off Nathan Lyon, he had shown more than just a glimpse of his stellar form from 2022 than had made his recall non-negotiable.”It was great fun being back out there, to be honest,” Bairstow told Sky Sports. “It took a little bit of time to just get my rhythm, just to get my hands and my feet going. But I think when you come in off a lay-off like I have, that’s going to take a bit of time. But when you’re ready, you try and give it your best shot and, if it’s there to hit, you try and give it a whack.””Giving it a whack” was very much the order of another extraordinary day of England’s new-look Test approach. The tone was set by Zak Crawley’s blazing drive for four off Pat Cummins’ first ball of the series, and continued at such a chaotic rate that Stokes was able declare the innings at 393 for 8 after 78 overs, leaving Australia four overs to survive before the close.”Over the last 12 months, I don’t think that’s a change to what it’s been like, to be honest with you,” Bairstow said. “If the ball has been there to hit, the lads have tried to hit it. Sometimes you nick it, sometimes you miss it, sometimes you middle there. It’s part and parcel of the game that we’re fortunate to play.”The intent that the lads showed – from, obviously, Zak’s shot first ball of the day … I just heard it. I was like, wow, it’s like a cannon … it’s a stark contrast to when we were Down Under the last time.”So it’s been a good day. The crowd’s been amazing, the lads have been on good form, really enjoying it, and that’s exactly what we spoke about leading into the game.Related

• Jonny Bairstow feared he'd 'never walk again' after horrific leg injury

• Joe Root hundred guides England on freewheeling first day of the Ashes

• Live Report: England vs Australia, 1st Test, Edgbaston

• 'Thumped on the up through cover-point!'

“The lads are out there with a smile on their face,” he added. “You can see that at the start of the day, whether it’s in the warm-ups, or that first ball, and right to the end.”International cricket is completely different to county cricket, and the occasion and everything is what we live for. And when your beans are going and your hands are going, that’s exactly what I love. That’s what it’s all about.”England’s typically high tempo of 5.03 runs per over meant that, for the fourth time in his captaincy, Stokes was able to declare England’s first innings inside 100 overs. However, with Root unbeaten on 118 and looking good for several more on a true wicket, it was arguably the most contentious closure yet. Bairstow, however, insisted the faith that this team has in each other’s roles means that they are confident that the bowlers will get stuck in on day two.”It was a bold call, it was a good call,” Bairstow said. “There will be conversations around it, but no-one likes going out there with 20 minutes and four overs, when you’ve got Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson running in at the end of a day that has been a bit of a toil.”The biggest thing is being patient and relentless on a length,” he added. “They’re going hit the middle of the bat because they’re good players. But we’re able to build pressure through our fields, through the ruthless lengths that we’re able to hold, with the three guys [Broad, Robinson and James Anderson] that have got such a wealth of experience behind them.”Whether the pitch is flat, whether it’s swinging, whether it’s seaming, I’ve no doubt that the guys will be able to call upon all those experiences, and all those times that it has potentially been flat. We will turn up in the morning and we’ll see again. They had to start tonight, and they’ve got to start again, and it does take a couple of balls to get in.”With 11 wins in their last 13 Tests, however, England are riding a rare high in Test cricket, and Bairstow admitted that the confidence that that breeds could be critical for the rest of the contest.”There’s different pressures, but when you go in on the back of wins, and of people in some form, there’s a huge amount of trust within each other to go out and do their own jobs individually, which then collectively comes together as a unit.”Throughout the whole last 12 months, that’s exactly what it’s been about. It’s about trust in each individual to go out and play their individual way.”Such are the reasons why Moeen Ali was tempted back to Test cricket after an absence of 21 months. His first innings back was a predictably hard-swinging knock of 18 from 17 with two fours and a big six down the ground. And, on a dry pitch that has already earned Lyon four first-innings wickets, his most important role could yet be to come.”That’s the brilliant thing about Mo,” Bairstow said. “He comes in with that freedom and the thought process of, right, let’s go and try and change the game. Let’s go and try and win a game.”That’s the whole ethos of this team. How can we have those individual performances that enable you to go and win games? Not just go and compete, but go and actually take the game on, in order to put you and the team into a position that you can potentially force a result.”

Al-Hilal are reportedly turning their attention to RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko after seemingly missing out on Napoli's Victor Osimhen.

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• Arsenal chasing striker Sesko
• Al-Hilal also eye Leipzig ace
• Moved on from Osimhen

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  CBS Sports state that Al-Hilal have placed Sesko on their transfer wishlist after abandoning their pursuit of Osimhen. They add that it is uncertain whether or not the 22-year-old would move to the Saudi Pro League but Al-Hilal have the finances to match Leipzig's demands and pay the forward 'handsomely'.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal are said to be leading the race for the £60 million-rated ($81m) attacker but a deal for the 6ft 5in player is far from certain. Gunners fans have been crying out for a new striker in recent seasons but Al-Hilal's interest could complicate matters for Mikel Arteta's side.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Slovenia international Sesko has been in fine form for Leipzig since signing from Red Bull Salzburg in 2023. In his first season at the Bundesliga team, he scored 18 goals, and this term he added a further 21 goals.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Sesko is likely to leave Leipzig this summer after the German side failed to qualify for Champions League football next season. But it is not yet certain which team will be able to secure his signature ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.