Glasgow Rangers failed to get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Dundee United.

The Light Blues, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Falkirk at Ibrox at the weekend, had to come from behind on two occasions to secure a point on their travels, on a night where they should have aimed for all three points.

Max Aarons was caught as he got to a loose ball first in the box deep into stoppage time to provide Nedim Bajrami with a chance to equalise from the spot in the 98th minute.

That came after their first goal was a stunning long-range strike from Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma, who rifled in his first goal for the club with a sweet left-footed finish.

Ultimately, Danny Rohl will be unhappy with the fact that his team only came away from the game with one point to show for their efforts after they created seven ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, to the host’s two.

One of the players who was guilty of wasting one of those ‘big chances’ was Macedonia international Bojan Miovski, who should be dropped by the German boss.

Why Rohl should drop Miovski for Rangers

The left-footed marksman was given the chance to lead the line for the Light Blues once again in the Premiership against Dundee United, but he did not do enough on the pitch to suggest that he deserves to keep his place.

Miovski, who was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window, missed the only ‘big chance’ that came his way, as he failed to beat Dave Richards.

To his credit, the Rangers striker was more involved than he usually is. Miovski completed 32 of his 33 passes on the night, despite averaging ten completed passes per game for the season, per Sofascore, which shows that he was trying to get involved and was reliable with his passes.

However, the 26-year-old flop is in the team to score goals, as the main number nine, and he has not been anywhere near good enough in that respect for the Light Blues.

After Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Dundee United, the former Aberdeen centre-forward has only scored one goal in 11 outings in the Scottish Premiership for the Ibrox giants.

Appearances

11

Goals

1

Minutes per goal

730

Big chances missed

5

Assists

1

Ground duel success rate

32%

Aerial duel success rate

31%

As you can see in the table above, Miovski has not done enough this season to suggest that he has been a good addition to the squad by former sporting director Kevin Thelwell, as he has struggled in front of goal and physically on the deck and in the air.

That is why Rohl should ruthlessly drop him from the starting XI for the trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday, because he was wasteful again on Wednesday night, and is yet to prove that he can be relied upon week-in-week-out in a Rangers shirt.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst the goalless Miovski was disappointing again for the Light Blues, Emmanuel Fernandez was even worse than the Macedonia international with what was his worst performance for the Scottish giants since his permanent move from Peterborough United in the summer transfer window.

Where that performance ranks in Emmanuel Fernandez's Rangers career

The English central defender has played seven matches for the Light Blues since his move, and his display against Dundee United was his worst outing for the club to date.

Fernandez, who was given a 3/10 player rating by IbroxNews, was beaten far too easily in the channel for the opening goal from Zach Sapsford, who burst past the centre-back before racing through to chip the ball over Jack Butland.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described it as “dreadful” defending, which is hard to argue with, as he got sucked in on the halfway line and spun with ease.

On top of that error, Fernandez only won ten of his 18 duels and six of his 11 aerial duels. Per Sofascore, he has won 75% of his aerial battles in the league this season, which makes his 55% success rate against Dundee United look poor by his usual standards.

He was even worse than Miovski, therefore, because the central defender was nowhere near his best and was at fault for a goal, whilst the striker at least looked a lot better in his all-round game as a passer, even if his finishing was not good enough.

When looking at his other performances for the Light Blues, it is hard to look past Wednesday night’s showing being his worst display for the club.

1

Livingston (H)

2

Falkirk (H)

3

Braga (H)

4

St Mirren (A)

5

Alloa Athletic (H)

6

Dundee United (A)

N/A

Hibernian (A)

He only played one minute off the bench against Hibernian, which makes it impossible to judge, and he scored goals against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup and Livingston in the Premiership.

Fernandez also won ten of his 12 duels against Falkirk and nine of his 12 duels against Braga, per Sofascore, as Rangers conceded two goals in those games, whilst he was not at fault for the goal conceded in the 1-1 draw with St Mirren under Russell Martin.

Per Sofascore, his 55% aerial duel success rate against Dundee United was his lowest in a game for Rangers in any competition, which speaks to how off the pace he was on the night, without even taking into account his error for the opening goal.

With John Souttar and Derek Cornelius out injured, though, Rohl does not have many alternatives in his position at the moment, so Fernandez may keep his place at the heart of the defence against Kilmarnock.

Rangers "passenger" has been so bad that he makes Dowell look good

This Glasgow Rangers flop is currently making Kieran Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

ByDan Emery Dec 3, 2025

If that is the case, the former Peterborough colossus will need to get back to his usual dominant self at the back, after a disappointing game against Dundee United.

The draw delivered clarity, confidence and a challenge. Now Pochettino and his players know the route – and, inspired by Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice, they’re daring to dream big.

WASHINGTON – For a little while there, Mauricio Pochettino was just like everyone else. 

He wasn't the head coach of the U.S. men's national team or the de facto face of American soccer; he was part of the audience at the Kennedy Center watching Shaquille O'Neal, Aaron Judge, and Wayne Gretzky struggle to open up ping pong balls that decided fates. There was no coaching to do, no strategy to implement, no adjustments to be made. The fate of Pochettino and his team was, at least for now, in the hands of others.

The moment that final ball was drawn, the USMNT’s fate snapped back into their own hands. Paraguay and Australia were confirmed. A European playoff winner will join them. The waiting stopped the second that envelope was opened. From that moment, Mauricio Pochettino’s preparations could truly begin.

“How did I live the experience? With happiness,” Pochettino said. “Because it is a unique moment, where we see which teams we are going to face in the World Cup, with zero expectations. What it looks like today, in six months, can change – that is the truth for us, in the same way. Yes, I am really happy to have been part of this event, and we really enjoyed it.”

Fans did, too. The USMNT were given a group that, to put it fairly, is navigable. They’ve beaten both Australia and Paraguay in recent months. If Turkey emerge from the playoff, they would be familiar as well, having played the U.S. to a narrow 2-1 win before the Gold Cup. The reaction on social media was swift: this was no group of death. Not even close. Some might even call it a best-case scenario – one that can have the USMNT dreaming about what’s possible in ways they couldn’t before those ping-pong balls bounced their way.

• Getty
  

  'It made it feel like an American event already'

  Pochettino wasn’t the only one watching with intrigue. Millions around the world tuned in to the festivities at the Kennedy Center, including several of the USMNT’s most important players.

  “Just watching, the Americans on stage and the President giving speeches and all of the performances, it made it feel like an American event already,” said 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams.

  Added star winger Christian Pulisic: “I knew it was going to take a while before we actually saw who we’d have in our groups, and it did, but it was good. The buildup was good. Now that we know, it’s an exciting time.”

  Pulisic was putting it lightly. It took a while to get to the actual draw. A series of musical performances preceded it. So did an award for President Donald Trump, who was in attendance. There was no shortage of ceremony or spectacle. Then, finally, it got down to business.

  Tom Brady, O’Neal, Judge, and Gretzky drew the teams, with varying levels of success. By the time they were done – concluding a two-hour marathon of a ceremony — the U.S. knew what came next: Paraguay, Australia, and then a European play-off winner, in that order. Depending on the result of that playoff, which includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo, the U.S. may be favored in all three games.

  “For ourselves, no matter who we drew in the group, we were going to have that belief that we could make a run and do something special,” Adams said. “I think, just having the draw in general, the excitement grows, and it makes it feel more real.”

  It’s both real and somewhat familiar, as the U.S. now looks ahead to games against teams they know pretty well.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Lessons from the past

  Pochettino was in a joking mood when asked about the upcoming opponents.

  "It means less work!" he said with a laugh, "It's fresh. We've already done the work over the last six months."

  He's right. The U.S. played Turkey ahead of the Gold Cup, falling 2-1 after scoring early. They faced Australia in October, earning a 2-1 win of their own in a hard-fought game in Colorado. Then, just last month, the U.S. hosted Paraguay, earning yet another 2-1 win as part of their five-game unbeaten run through the fall.

  Following his initial quip, Pochettino got down to business, explaining the reality of the situation: the teams that meet in seven months won't be the same as the ones that met this year. Players will have gone in and out. Key pieces may suffer injuries or return from them. The squads will look entirely different. Plus, at the end of the day, this is a World Cup; no friendly can fully prepare you for one of those.

  "The reality is that the sequence has changed, or are going to change," Pochettino said. That is why there are different games with different rosters or different players in the starting XI. In six months, things can change. Teams can have a very different system. It's a good reference for us, and also for them, but I think we need to be very focused on the things that can change. I don't believe there will be an advantage. I think these events have no effect on the future."

  All eyes are on that future now, though, and that has sprouted a question: how far can this team go?

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The scenarios

  The wheels of social media immediately started spinning. If the U.S. wins the group, several teams could be up next. If they win that, maybe they get a rematch against Belgium! That would be fun! Finish second in the group and, oh boy, does it get tougher. Third? Well, we'll figure all of that out later.

  Pochettino isn't one for scenarios. They're fun for fans to think about, sure, but there's no benefit to getting too far ahead. Pochettino knows that more than most, having suffered a stunning group stage elimination with Argentina in 2002. As a result, there's no counting chickens, even if the group is a manageable one.

  "If you are Argentina, the best team and the winner of the last World Cup, maybe you can say, 'Okay, the stage after, what is going to happen?'. Maybe then you allow yourself to see," Pochettino said. "We don't do the same. Our first game is the final of the World Cup. The second needs to be the final of the World Cup. The third, too. We need to see that. The first game is not just another opportunity. That's why we have the mentality that we want to build, the mindset we've talked about before."

  That mindset does call for optimism, though. Pochettino once again called for fans to back this team. He called for those outside of the squad to believe in the players, to push them, and guide them to achieving more than any of their predecessors have. The hope is that they can do that, having now been given a realistic pathway to doing so.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'We don’t need the best players; we need the right players'

  Midway through his press conference, Pochettino quoted the legendary Herb Brooks. Under Brooks’ leadership, the USA hockey team defied all odds to create the Miracle on Ice in 1980, still one of the biggest sporting upsets of all time. Pochettino recently watched the movie based on that achievement, . It inspired him.

  “The coach said, ‘We don’t need the best players; we need the right players to make the team a strong team,’” he said. “That’s what we want to provide to the national team: the right players to build a powerful team with the possibility to fight against anyone in the world. Good and right are completely different. What I have explained is that you cannot be only a good player; what we need is the right player.

  “They are going to be more powerful than as individuals. It’s a quality and, if we don’t have this energy, maybe we can win one game, but, for them, in a competition like this, winning the World Cup is impossible.”

  Pochettino doesn’t believe it’s impossible, though. He said so at his very first press conference. Time and time again, he has reiterated the message: the U.S. can win the World Cup. If not, what’s the point of all this? What’s the point of trying this hard if you don’t believe you can actually do it?

  That may still be a step too far. But to get there, the U.S. will first need to navigate their group. That is achievable. They can win this group and, from there, who knows? At that point, Pochettino will be able to see how far the right players can take this team.

  For a few months now, Pochettino has harped on one specific tagline: “Be realistic and do the impossible.” Emerging from the group seems more realistic than ever. Maybe the impossible might be, too.

It was a typical Bruno Fernandes display on Sunday afternoon, with the Manchester United skipper shaking off a stodgy first-half display to ultimately prove the difference-maker yet again for Ruben Amorim’s side.

In that opening 45 at Selhurst Park, both Fernandes and his ageing midfield partner Casemiro were given the run around by Crystal Palace’s boy wonder, Adam Wharton, with United heading in at the break having once again seen their midfield unit woefully exposed.

Fast forward to just past the hour mark, however, and the visitors had completed a creditable comeback, with the captain first teeing up Joshua Zirkzee – à la Anthony Martial in the March 2020 Manchester Derby – before then reacting swiftly to lay the ball for Mason Mount to dispatch what proved to be the winner.

Now fourth on the all-time list for Premier League assists for the Old Trafford side with 56, ahead of Paul Scholes, the 31-year-old remains United’s beloved maverick.

But for how much longer will he be the main man still?

Latest on Man Utd's search for a midfielder

Having been refreshingly open about his discussions with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer, Fernandes suggested that no further talks would take place over his future until after next summer’s World Cup, with his existing deal set to expire in 2027.

Amorim has already suggested that the Portuguese playmaker may have to adjust to more “rotation” next season, should the club return to European competition, while reports this season have even suggested that INEOS could look to cash in on the club’s number eight to fund a midfield rebuild.

In any case, depth and competition is certainly needed in the centre of park heading into 2026, with the likes of Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson all deemed to be leading targets.

Transfer Focus

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

Equally, however, reports in Spain are even suggesting that United have lodged a bid of around €80m (£70m) for Real Madrid sensation, Federico Valverde, with the Red Devils said to have taken the ‘first step’ toward trying to seal that marquee move.

As to be expected, the LaLiga giants won’t allow their Uruguayan star to depart on the cheap, with the report outlining that Xavi Alonso’s side are likely to demand in excess of €100m (£88m) if they are to even consider sanctioning a sale.

United will then have to up their bid if a deal is to be struck, with Valverde’s existing deal set to run until 2029, although this is certainly a pursuit worth continuing.

How Valverde compares to Bruno Fernandes

If Amorim – and INEOS – is to persist with this much-discussed 3-4-2-1 set-up, then acquiring a figure like Valverde might just be the perfect solution, with the 27-year-old lauded as the “most complete player in football” not too long ago by manager Carlo Ancelotti.

That assessment is certainly warranted considering the versatility that the Montevideo-born talent has showcased in recent times, having frequently flitted between operating in central midfield or at right-back for Los Blancos.

Like Fernandes – who has missed just three games through injury or illness since joining United, as per Transfermarkt – one of Valverde’s key strengths is that he’s “always available”, in the words of Ancelotti, while willing to perform to his best no matter the position he is deployed.

While not a natural creator or playmaker like Fernandes, the one-time Penarol man does still boast four assists in LaLiga this term, only just behind the United skipper’s return of five in the Premier League.

As indicated below, Valverde’s all-round quality can be evidenced in his superior record with regard to pass completion and duels won, in particular, while he is also far less erratic in possession, losing the ball less than half as many times per game as Fernandes.

Valverde (LaLiga) vs Fernandes (PL)
Stat (*per game)	Valverde	Fernandes
Games (starts)	14 (12)	13 (13)
Goals	0	2
Assists	2	5
Big chances missed	1	4
Big chances created	2	3
Pass accuracy*	90%	84%
Total duels won*	58%	50%
Dribbled past*	0.4	1.6
Possession lost*	7.4	15.8
Stats via Sofascore

Equally too, the Madrid man’s physical superiority can be seen in how little he is dribbled past per game in LaLiga, whereas Fernandes – seemingly unsuited to a deep-lying role – is regularly outpaced or outmuscled by his opposite number.

What also sets him apart from Fernandes is his proven, consistent quality at Champions League level, winning the competition on two occasions to date, alongside his three Spanish titles and various other domestic or continental honours.

He may not rank as the outright best midfielder in the world right now, but he seemingly warrants his status as among the top ten – arguably even above Fernandes.

Now approaching almost 350 games for his current side, the 71-cap international is about as proven as they come, while at 27, he would still be an asset for the long-term, were he to arrive in Manchester.

Of course, Fernandes – as was evident at the weekend – is still a majestic, creative genius, but for this system and for this current iteration of the Premier League, Valverde would surely represent the perfect midfield upgrade.

Anderson upgrade: Man Utd set to bid for "the best English CM since Scholes"

Manchester United look set to make a huge move for a new midfielder in the January transfer window.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 2, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is gearing up for another important Premier League test at home to Brentford on Wednesday, looking to extend the club’s incredible unbeaten run.

Arsenal set for Brentford after 1-1 draw at Chelsea

It’s been 17 matches since the Gunners last tasted a single defeat in all competitions, and a lot has changed since that 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s English champions are now all but out of the title race, despite barely playing a third of 2025/2026, while Arsenal are flying high and five points clear atop the table.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

10-man Chelsea came the closest to beating Arteta’s side last weekend, taking a 1-0 lead through Trevoh Chalobah at Stamford Bridge, only for in-form makeshift number nine Mikel Merino to equalise with his 20th goal this calendar year.

Arsenal’s imperious early-season has been made all the more impressive when factoring in their extensive injury list this term.

Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke, William Saliba, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz have all been sidelined at various points, with Arteta doing very well to adjust.

In Havertz’s case, the £280,000-per-week star hasn’t played at all this season since Arsenal’s opening day win over Man United at Old Trafford.

The Germany international, after just coming back from a hamstring problem which kept him out for months at the back end of 2024/2025, sustained a knee injury against United, with Havertz hauled off after just half an hour.

Related Fabrizio Romano: Berta eyeing "bargain" move for player likened to "top" Arsenal star

He could be a snip.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

Havertz required surgery with the former Chelsea star working hard to come back.

Reports suggest that Havertz has impressed Arsenal rehabilitation staff with his recovery, but he still hasn’t been available since August.

Mikel Arteta without Kai Havertz for 'weeks' after Arsenal injury update

The 26-year-old was, at one point, contending to be fit for Arsenal’s 4-1 triumph over Tottenham in the North London derby (Standard Sport).

Havertz was seemingly on the verge of a return to the field, but according to Arteta in his latest pre-match press conference, it will now be ‘weeks’ before the attacker makes his long-awaited return.

News of this setback for Havertz comes as a blow for Arsenal, with Arteta yet to have the desired conundrum of choosing how to fit both him and Gyokeres into his new Arsenal system on a regular basis.

Unable to display his best throughout 2025 due to consistent injury problems, Arteta will be desperate to have Havertz available once again as soon as possible.

With both Gabriel and potentially Saliba unavailable for Brentford too, summer signings Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera will likely partner one another yet again tomorrow evening.

A new global tournament, the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, involving eight teams from four continents, will be played from November 20 to 30 in Bangkok. Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Netherlands, UAE, Scotland, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda will take part in the inaugural edition.The trigger for the tournament, an ICC statement said, was the success of the recent ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, where “more than 500 million viewers in India” were recorded and there was also “significant growth in viewership across countries”.”Nearly 300,000 fans attended matches across India and Sri Lanka and the event concluded with India becoming the first Asian team to lift the Women’s Cricket World Cup, a watershed moment in the evolution of the sport and the socio-cultural context of gender roles,” an ICC statement said. “Building on the extraordinary impetus provided by the marquee event, the ICC continues to invest in creating a sustainable future for women’s cricket. The Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy is part of a new three-tier development pathway designed to offer high-performance exposure to emerging nations.”Sanjog Gupta, the ICC chief executive, said, “It is the ICC and the Chair’s [Jay Shah] vision to sustainably expand cricket’s footprint across the world and grow the women’s game. Providing elite athletes from emerging nations more opportunities to play at the highest level is aimed at fast-tracking their development and improving the competitiveness of their teams.”It also drives the visibility of the sport in participant nations, serving as a driver of girls’ involvement in the sport and inspires women from other nations to stay committed to the development pathways.”The opening day will feature Thailand vs Netherlands and Papua New Guinea vs UAE.

The game mourns the loss of an iconic figure who epitomised cricket in the pre-technology era

Andrew Miller24-Sep-2025For cricket fans of a certain age, it doesn’t do much for the blood pressure to revisit old umpiring decisions with the benefit of DRS-acquired hindsight. Take any given Ashes series, or crunch passage of play against the mighty 1980s-vintage West Indians, and you’ll doubtless stumble upon a moment when a perfectly pitched English inswinger curls into a presumptuously planted front pad …”Hmm… yes, just missing leg,” Jack Bannister or Tony Lewis will demur, as said toiling medium-pacer allows their appeal to be strangled at birth and trudge forlornly back to their mark. Of course in their heart of hearts they will have known full well that that delivery was smashing all three, but until those stumps are physically rattled, that famously wagging finger shall remain steadfastly buried at the bottom of its ubiquitous white coat.Harold “Dickie” Bird, who died on Monday at the age of 92, was perhaps the most steadfast “not-outer” of the lot. Had he been plying his trade in the punitive modern era of umpiring – in which every contentious decision suffers trial by a thousand replays, and death by exponential retweet – that famously nervous disposition would scarcely have made it to the middle, let alone to Buckingham Palace for services rendered to his beloved sport.Happily, though, Bird’s career did not coincide with the DRS. Shockingly, it is now 30 summers since he stood for the last of his 66 Test matches – at Lord’s in 1996, when he famously wept his way to the middle through a guard of honour (then shelved that hard-won reputation with an emotional first-over triggering of Mike Atherton…). And yet, the extraordinary response to his passing underlines the extent to which his era was judged by different criteria, and that his improbable fame transcended the boundaries of his chosen field.To that first point, cricket in the mid-1990s was still a defiantly amateur occupation, long after the professional era was supposed to have taken hold. Despite the proliferation of cameras (on the field for the most part, but also, at the height of the 1980s tabloid wars, off the field to a degree arguably unmatched to this day), the sport was to all intents and purposes self-governing.Just as captains oversaw match arrangements and training sessions (or not, in the case of David Gower in the Caribbean in 1986), so it was down to the umpires to oversee the ensuing fixtures, and the spirit and conditions in which they were played. In cricket’s potential melting pot of cultures and sensibilities, Dickie’s unalloyed good nature was a language that cut across all potential disagreements. To that end, his idiosyncrasies were arguably crucial to his appeal, in the same way that Norman Wisdom became a cult figure in Albania, or Mr Bean’s brand of physical comedy remains hugely popular to all manner of unlikely audiences. He was, as Matthew Engel once wrote in Wisden, “the first to combine the distinct roles of top-flight umpire and music-hall comedian”.Bird sits forlornly on the covers during the bomb scare at Lord’s in 1973•PA PhotosIrrespective of circumstance, players of all persuasions could recognise and appreciate Bird’s devotion to the duty of his sport, whether that be an apologetic need to raise that dreaded finger (astonishingly, he and Steve Bucknor – another reluctant decision-maker – combined for a record 17 lbws at Port-of-Spain in 1993) or his famous obstinacy when adverse conditions crept into the narrative.The stories about Dickie’s stoppages in play are legendary – from the bomb scare that interrupted his second Test, at Lord’s in 1973, to the reflection off a greenhouse that caused an excess of sunlight in his penultimate home match, at Old Trafford in 1995. More gallingly, there was the Centenary Test at Lord’s in 1980, when, in a premonition of the career that he was spared from having to endure, Bird was reduced to tears by the abuse that he and David Constant received from MCC members as ten hours of play were lost to rain over the first three days.That incident, however, was at least contained to the circumstances in which it arose. Earlier this week, by contrast, the game’s foremost female umpire, Sue Redfern, was subjected to a dyspeptic press release from Lancashire that, on the one hand, decried the abuse she had received when (on the evidence available to her) she had been unable to overturn a crucial dismissal on T20 Finals Day, while also confirming that the club had “formally expressed” its disappointment at the decision to the ECB. A quiet word in the bar would have sufficed back in the day. The extent to which decisions have consequences is these days off the charts.Happily, such scrutiny for Bird and his ilk was a world away. Instead, his career delivered fame and recognition that, even by modern standards, transcends the bounds of most cricketers, let alone sporting officials. In September 1998, when Dickie umpired his last first-class fixture, the internet was still a borderline gimmick, pumping its data down old-school landlines, with the age of instant information yet to be realised. On Tuesday afternoon, by contrast, the news of his death was given top billing on most news websites – even Donald Trump’s bellicose comments at the UN had to play second fiddle.This summer, amid the 20th anniversary of the 2005 Ashes, the notion of English cricket’s modern-day anonymity has been a frequent topic of discussion, and the sport’s disappearance from terrestrial TV is often cited as the principal cause. And yet, Bird’s fame belongs in a different echelon. The timing of his career was a key factor – he was there for the early stirrings of colour-TV coverage in the 1970s, and in turn the beginnings of cricket’s truly global era, including his officiating of the first three World Cup finals (all staged at his home-from-home Lord’s).But also, he epitomised a more egalitarian era, when cricket in England shared a stage and status with football, as, respectively, the nation’s summer and winter sports, and when the money in the latter had not rendered all competition for latent attention meaningless. In his pomp, perhaps only Ian Botham could command more universal recognition among non-cricket fans – and he was arguably the most famous sportsman in the country.Dickie Bird borrows a lady’s hat at the 150th Anniversary of Yorkshire County Cricket Club•Getty ImagesBird was not, however, the most famous player to emerge from his legendary Barnsley youth team of the 1950s. In an astonishing quirk of his two-up, two-down upbringing, he would form lifelong friendships with two men who arguably united his twin passions of cricketing rectitude and people-pleasing. One the one hand there was Geoffrey Boycott, the opening batter that Bird (average 20.71 from 93 matches) with his nervous disposition was never quite able to become. On the other, there was Michael Parkinson, the legendary chat-show host whose appointment-to-view presence in TV’s free-to-air era exceeded even Bird’s seven-hours-a-day screentime during his summer Test outings. A third childhood friend, Tommy Taylor, might even have outstripped them all. But tragically, as a Manchester United footballer, he died in 1958 in the Munich air disaster, at the age of 26.The conditions do not exist for another Dickie Bird to burst forth into the game. He was, as he often protested when quizzed about his bachelor status, “married to cricket”, and it was as enduring a relationship as there can ever have been. But the foibles and embellishments that make up his inimitable story have no place in modern cricket, still less the tales of practical jokes that followed him out to the middle – rubber snakes, mobile phones, firecrackers, etc – all of which would these days attract ICC demerit points, rather than foster a sense of participants enjoying the stage together.There were others who came after Dickie, who brought their own quirks and personalities to the middle – foremost among them, Billy Bowden with his crooked digits and expressive boundary signalling, and Rudi Koertzen with his glacially slow finger of death. But throughout their own careers – overlain as they were with pitch-map graphics and instant feedback on each decision – there was an undercurrent of impatience at their antics, as if any action that wasn’t devoted to the cause of accuracy was, frankly, a waste of energy.Out of this new reality, a different breed of umpire emerged, perhaps best epitomised by Australia’s Simon Taufel, who officiated his first international at the age of 27 and was named ICC Umpire of the Year for five years from inception. His safe, unshowy, middle-manager style has arguably been the template for all subsequent elite-panel appointments, and sure enough, the number of truly contentious decisions has plummeted in recent years.In its place, however, the most enervating modern-day gripe seems to revolve around slow over rates, which is surely a byproduct of a loss of humanity out in the middle. If umpires are meant only to be glorified hatstands, it’s hardly a surprise that they lack the authority to chivvy along the contest of which they used to be in charge.Bird would not have stood for such dilly-dallying, unless of course it related to a burst water pipe at Headingley or an errant pigeon flapping around on a good length. He belonged to an era when cricket still was only a game, and he kept it all the richer by sharing that knowledge with all who crossed his white lines.As David Hopps, my former colleague at ESPNcricinfo and another forthright Yorkshireman, put it: “Whenever I met Dickie, I always felt that I was being invited to reacquaint myself with my inner child. He knew no other way.”

This will be his first captaincy stint at any level

Edited PTI copy13-Nov-2025India spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been named Tamil Nadu captain for the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beginning November 26. Narayan Jagadeesan will be the vice-captain.Varun played a handy role in India’s recent T20I series win in Australia, taking five wickets across three completed matches. This will be his first captaincy stint at any level. He replaced M Shahrukh Khan in the role and was appointed ahead of R Sai Kishore and Jagadeesan, both of whom have prior captaincy experience.India left-arm seamer T Natarajan is also part of the squad, as is his fellow left-arm seamer Gurjapneet Singh. Two more left-armers, Sai Kishore and M Siddharth, will lead the spin attack.Tamil Nadu are having a modest run in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and are placed sixth in their group after two losses and two draws in four games.In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, they are in Elite Group D alongside Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tripura, Jharkhand and Saurashtra. They will open their campaign against Rajasthan in Ahmedabad.Tamil Nadu squadVarun Chakravarthy (capt), Narayan Jagadeesan (vice-capt, wk), Tushar Raheja (wk), VP Amit Sathvik, M Shahrukh Khan, Andre Siddarth, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Shivam Singh, R Sai Kishore, M Siddharth, T Natarajan, Gurjapneet Singh, A Esakkimuthu, R Sonu Yadav, R Silambarasan, S Rithik Easwaran (wk)

The allrounder fell just short of a century but added eight more overs to his match tally

AAP13-Nov-2025Queensland 390 and 187 for 8 (Clayton 54, Renshaw 51, Rocchiccioli 4-41) lead Western Australia 322 for 7 dec (Green 94, Bancroft 76, Hardie 55*) by 255 runsHe fell in the nervous 90s, but Cameron Green gave his Ashes hopes an almighty boost with a determined knock during Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland at the WACA Ground.In reply to Queensland’s 390, WA started day three at a somewhat shaky 210 for 5 but with Green unbeaten on 49 and holding the key.Green drove spinner Mitch Swepson for four on the first ball on Thursday to bring up his half-century and looked set for a ton before being trapped leg before on 94 by Michael Neser just after lunch.Related

• Green impresses with the ball as Australia's Ashes line-up takes shape

• Victoria storm to 300-run victory to stay unbeaten

• Bancroft, Green keep WA afloat against Queensland

WA, who are bottom of the table, declared at 322 for 7 immediately following Green’s dismissal, with Aaron Hardie the other notable scorer of the day.Queensland went to stumps at 187 for 7 in their second innings, a lead of 255 and with everything to play for on Friday.Opener Matt Renshaw, who narrowly missed selection in Australia’s Ashes squad, made 51 off 73 balls while battling a knee complaint, and Jack Clayton scored 54.The in-form Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for 11 when he was bowled by Brody Couch.WA spinner Corey Rocchiccioli was the chief destroyer, snaring 4 for 41, with all four of those wickets coming across two of his overs late in the day as Queensland crumpled from 183 for 4 to 184 for 8.The performances of both Green and Rocchiccioli gave WA a shot at victory on what shapes to be an intriguing final day.Green’s 172-ball innings featured eight fours and one six, but more importantly plenty of patience when the occasion called for it.The impressive knock came after he had returned the economical figures of 1 for 13 from eight overs in his most significant bowling stint since undergoing spinal surgery a year ago. He followed that up with none for 17 off eight overs in Queensland’s second innings mean he has hit the target met by selection chair George Bailey.Australian selectors are yet to reveal whether they will unleash both Green and Beau Webster in the first Ashes Test in Perth, starting on November 21.But if they only opt for just one allrounder, Green’s performances with both bat and ball are certain to see him earn the nod.WA’s start to the day wasn’t great with Green’s attempt to come back for a second run resulting in Rocchiccioli’s run out on the third over of the morning.His runs dried up when Queensland took the new ball a short time later, with the 26-year-old forced to work hard against the swinging ball. Green was on 63 when he survived a confident lbw appeal from Neser, and he was on 74 when Gurinder Sandhu’s lbw shout fell on deaf ears.Queensland’s pace attack tried their best to put the squeeze on, but Green managed to survive the tough period to push closer to his century. He was finally undone when Neser’s delivery cut back and struck him flush on the pads.