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Keshav Maharaj claimed his first ODI career five-for as South Africa registered an emphatic, series-opening win over Australia in Cairns.Defending the highest total at the venue, 296, South Africa grabbed the match by the horns when they took 6 for 29 between the eight and 17th overs, as Maharaj delivered a sterling spell in which he found appreciable turn and maintained a consistent line to pick up 5 for 33. The margin finished as Australia heaviest runs defeat at home since 1991.Maharaj was omitted from the T20Is, as all-format coach Shukri Conrad preferred spin-bowling allrounders in the squad, but served up a reminder of his efficacy in shorter formats with his performance in Cairns. Conditions suited him, as they did the other spinners involved. Offspinner Prenelan Subrayen was the other early wicket-taker and finished with 1 for 46 from his 10 overs on ODI debut, while in the first innings Australia relied on part-time offspinner Travis Head, who bowled nine overs with a return of 4 for 57.Related

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As the numbers suggest, the surface was slow and spinner-friendly and with this being just the sixth ODI to be played in Cairns, it was difficult to judge a par-score. South Africa’s proved to be in excess of par and their trio of half-centuries from Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke and Temba Bavuma were more valuable than they initially appeared to be.Australia’s only real batting resistance came in the form of their captain Mitchell Marsh, who fell 12 short of a fourth ODI century. He shared in a 71-run seventh-wicket stand with Ben Dwarshuis which gave their innings some heft.That partnership came after Marsh watched his line-up collapse and squander a rollicking start against South Africa seamers. Marsh and Head scored 60 in the first seven overs and the highlight was Head’s take-down of left-arm seamer Nandre Burger, who he hit for five fours in an over. One of those came off the edge but the other four were full-blooded blows down the ground, over midwicket and through the offside as Australia brought up fifty in five overs.Mitchell Marsh tried to hold Australia together•Getty Images

The introduction of spin put a stop to all that. Head charged at Subrayen in his second over and missed which gave Ryan Rickelton plenty of time to complete the stumping. Maharaj was brought on at the other end and struck first ball. He had Marnus Labuschagne lbw, hit on the back pad by a ball that straightened. Labuschagne reviewed but replays showed the ball was hitting the top of middle stump.As if to script, the first ball of Maharaj’s second over also brought a wicket, with the best delivery he bowled. It pitched on middle and straightened to beat Cameron Green’s edge and take off stump. Maharaj had to wait slightly longer for this third but only until the second ball of his third over which Josh Inglis tried to hit off side but was stuck on the back foot and bowled. Alex Carey was then given out lbw sweeping the first ball he faced and Maharaj was on a hat-trick. He didn’t get it but completed his five-for two overs later when Aaron Hardie was bowled in similar fashion to Green.At that stage Maharaj had figures of 5 for 9 and South Africa could have hastened the end of the contest in the next over when Dwarshuis, on 4, drove Subrayen to cover but Maharaj spilled the chance. He wasn’t the only one drifting. South Africa meandered through the next 13 overs, using double-spin until Maharaj was bowled out. In that time, Marsh brought up a 51-ball fifty, when he cut Maharaj through point and South Africa seemed out of wicket-taking ideas. Burger was brought back after 28 overs and had his first success when Dwarshuis, on 33, pulled him to Dewald Brevis at midwicket.How Keshav Maharaj went through Australia•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Still, with Marsh in the middle, Australia would have had hopes of pulling off a heist but Burger’s more disciplined return also ended his knock. Marsh top-edged a pull and Rickelton completed the catch. Tristan Stubbs’ catching nightmare in Australia continued as he put down Adam Zampa at cover in what was his third drop of the tour. Zampa was last out after Lungi Ngidi wrapped things up in the 41st over with two wickets in three balls.South Africa’s innings had earlier started well, albeit somewhat slowly thanks to a 92-run opening partnership between Markram and Rickelton. They were circumspect in the face of a stern examination from Australia’s opening bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Dwarshuis who found a hint of movement and denied them width. They were 32 without loss after seven overs, with Markram fairly comfortable opening the batting in an ODI for the first time in four years.Rickelton could have been run-out for 8 but a Carey throw missed the stumps, was given lbw to Head out on 25 but reviewed successfully, survived an Australian lbw review on 28 when replays showed Zampa had pitched outside leg and was dropped on 31 when Inglis could not hold on to a tough chance. His troubled stay at the crease ended when he tried to hit Head over mid-off and was caught by a diving Labuschagne.Aiden Markram scored 82 from 81•AFP/Getty Images

Markram’s 13th ODI fifty came off 54 balls, and was laced with well-timed drives and cuts and would have gone a long way to easing concerns about his form. He moved through the gears quickly and was on 82 off 81 balls, set for his first century in 20 innings, but loosely edged behind against Dwarshuis.Bavuma, in a new position at No.3 and batting for the first time since the World Test Championship final, was underway with a signature pull over midwicket but found it difficult to keep going. Breetzke proved a complementary partner who took on more of an aggressor role. He hit Dwarshuis over midwicket for the innings’ first six in the 28th over and took on Australia’s third spinner Labuschagne when he swept him for back-to-back fours but did not last into the last ten overs for a big finish. Breetzke top-edged a slog-sweep in 39th over to leave it to the power-hitters to finish off.Stubbs and Brevis both holed out to long-on in the space of four balls as Head removed South Africa’s two most destructive middle-order hitters. Bavuma brought up his fourth successive half-century with a paddle sweep but inside-edged onto his stumps and could not close the innings out.Instead, Wiaan Mulder’s 31 off 26 balls added the finishing touches. He ended the innings with South Africa’s third six, hit high over long-on off Dwarshuis. South Africa scored 73 runs in the last 10 overs, but lost five wickets in that time.

Thursday nights were Ruben Amorim’s saviour at Manchester United last season, although there was to be no solace in that slot this week, following the dismal draw at home to relegation strugglers, West Ham United.

A tepid and uninspiring display saw the hosts almost sleepwalk to that eventual 1-1 scoreline, despite taking the lead through Diogo Dalot in the second half, with the Red Devils showcasing almost a refusal to put the game to bed.

Even with the returning Matheus Cunha reinstated in the forward line, it was particularly concerning just how light United looked with regard to attacking options, not least with Benjamin Sesko the only senior star who is currently sidelined in that department.

At the back too, the frustrating absence of the previously ever-present Matthijs de Ligt also left Amorim scrambling to rejig his defensive unit, with the surprise inclusion of 19-year-old Ayden Heaven having seemingly backfired.

Ayden Heaven's game in numbers vs West Ham

A January arrival from Arsenal, the teenage sensation looked impressive during his handful of outings last season, with club legend Wayne Rooney suggesting that it looked like he’d “been there for years”, following his standout, albeit brief, impact.

Cruelly struck down by injury against Leicester City just a few games into his United journey, Heaven has since been on the periphery in 2025/26, with his only start prior to Thursday having come in the debacle down at Grimsby.

As was the case that rainy night at Blundell Park, the England youth international had a rabbit in the headlights feel to his performance against the Hammers, notably receiving an early yellow for a rash challenge on Jarrod Bowen.

Unsettled in a new role at the heart of the backline, in the absence of De Ligt, Harry Maguire and the benched Leny Yoro, the youngster was somewhat bullied up against the experienced Callum Wilson, having failed to win a single duel at all, as per Sofascore.

Indeed, the towering defender was unable to make a single tackle or interception, while recording a lowly 67% pass accuracy rate from just 17 touches, before being rightly withdrawn at the break.

Such is his age, the £1m signing certainly shouldn’t be written off, with that showing unlikely to prove terminal for his United career.

If anything, more of the scrutiny should rest on Amorim, with the Portuguese’s substitutions also needing to be put under the microscope.

Man Utd substitute looks to be on borrowed time

As treble winner Roy Keane suggested post-match, the hosts were almost attempting to see the game out as if they were champions, knocking the ball around with little belief that they would need a second goal to win the game.

That approach perhaps stemmed from Amorim’s second-half changes, with Joshua Zirkzee and the aforementioned Cunha both withdrawn for midfielders Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte.

There were also eyebrows raised at the decision to remove goalscorer Dalot, not least with the Portuguese defender having actually looked settled in that unorthodox left wing-back berth.

That move remained even more bizarre considering the criticism that Amorim had directed at his replacement, Patrick Dorgu, ahead of the weekend trip to Selhurst Park, highlighting the “anxiety” that has been a feature of the Dane’s game of late.

Such woes were evident even during the 21-year-old’s cameo appearance, a display that epitomised the drop off that United tend to endure once alterations are made mid-game.

Dorgu’s West Ham cameo
Stat	Record
Minutes	22
Touches	28
Pass accuracy	93%
Key passes	1
Successful crosses	1/3
Successful dribbles	2/3
Total duels won	3/5
Tackles	0
Possession lost	6
Stats via Sofascore

Indeed, Dorgu memorably wasted a promising opening late on after producing a wayward cross that evaded everyone in red, having lost the ball six times from just 28 touches during his 22-minute outing.

Equally, there were audible groans from the Old Trafford crowd at one stage as the ex-Lecce starlet opted to let the ball run out of play for a throw-in inside his own half, rather than try and keep the play alive.

That might be a case of nit-picking, but nothing appears to be going right for the left-footer right now, with content creator Liam Canning of the assessment that he is “miles off the standard” required to be a success at Man Utd, suggesting the attack-minded talent is “nowhere near it”.

With Amorim now approaching a period where his squad will shrink even further amid the loss of Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui to AFCON next week, the likes of Dorgu and other peripheral figures will have to be relied upon more heavily.

On the evidence of Thursday and this year in general, United’s number 13 has shown little sign that he is up to that challenge.

18x ball lost: Amorim must ruthlessly bench overhyped 5/10 Man Utd man

This Man Utd ace struggled in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham

By
Joe Nuttall

7 days ago

Three double centurions on the second day while J&K’s Khajuria was dismissed on 190

Deivarayan Muthu02-Nov-2025

Nair continues to rack up the runs

Left out of the senior India and the India A squads, Karun Nair served another reminder to the selectors and team management, converting his second successive fifty-plus score for Karnataka into a double-century, against Kerala in Mangalapuram. This was Nair’s fifth double-hundred in first-class cricket and third since 2024.After dropping him for the home Test series against West Indies in favour of Devdutt Padikkal, Nair’s state junior, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that they ‘expected a little bit more’ than his 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Nair went back to the Ranji Trophy and scored an unbeaten 174 against Goa in Shimoga in the second round. After that knock Nair felt that he “deserves” to be part of India’s Test team.”Obviously, it is quite disappointing, but I know that I deserve to be there after the last two years I have had,” Nair told reporters during the last round. “People might have their own opinions, but for me personally, I can have my own. My own opinion is that I deserve a lot better.”He eventually ran out of partners in Shimoga but found ample support from 22-year-old R Smaran, who scored a double-century of his own. The pair added 343 for the fourth wicket, stopping 12 short of Karnataka’s first-class record. Manish Pandey and Dega Nischal had piled on 354 for the fourth wicket against Uttar Pradesh in Kanpur in 2017-18.It was seamer NP Basil who ended the stand when he dismissed Nair for 233 off 389 balls, including 25 fours and two sixes. Smaran then proceeded to make a career-best 220 not out. Karnataka will hope that the twin double-centuries will translate into their first outright win this season.Shikhar Mohan: A new star for Jharkhand?•PTI

Another double-centurion: Shikhar Mohan

Jharkhand’s rookie opener Shikhar Mohan also hit a double-century, setting up his team’s push for an innings win against Nagaland in Ranchi. After Jharkhand had lost two early wickets on the first day, Mohan combined with stand-in captain Virat Singh, who was leading the side in the absence of Ishan Kishan, who had linked up with the India A team in Bengaluru as cover for the injured N Jagadeesan. They accumulated 253 for the second wicket before Virat was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Imliwati Lemtur.Mohan and Kumar Kushagra (58) then carried Jharkhand past 400. Robin Minz also helped himself to a half-century before Jharkhand declared on 510 for 8. Mohan finished with 207 off 303 balls, with 21 fours and three sixes in his third first-class innings. A prolific run-getter in age-group cricket for Jharkhand, Mohan, now 20, is making a smooth step up to the Ranji Trophy.Elsewhere in Raipur, Jammu and Kashmir opener Shubham Khajuria came close to a double-hundred, but left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate denied him and dismissed him for 190 off 344 balls. His knock countered Chhattisgarh professional Ravi Kiran’s 7 for 82.Nachiket Bhute’s five-for wrecked TN•PTI

Vidarbha flex their depth

No Danish Malewar. No Atharva Taide. No Harsh Dubey. No Yash Thakur. No problem for defending champions Vidarbha.Despite being hit by injuries and unavailability of their strike bowlers Thakur and Dubey, who are on India A duty, Vidarbha had enough depth to dominate Tamil Nadu in Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu were also without Gurjapneet Singh, Jagadeesan and India Under-19 allrounder RS Ambrish, but it was Vidarbha who coped better.Fast bowler Nachiket Bhute, who was playing his 14th first-class game, stepped into Thakur’s shoes and triggered a TN collapse. From an overnight 252 for 4, TN were bowled out for 291. Bhute threatened both edges, especially the inside edge of both right-handers and lefties with his inducker. Both M Shahrukh Khan and B Indrajith were done in by sharp induckers. Bhute gifted himself a five-wicket haul a day after his 26th birthday.Aman Mokhade then kickstarted Vidarbha’s reply with fluent strokes against both pace and spin. When TN captain R Sai Kishore pushed one marginally outside off, Mokhade stretched forward and swept him flat and hard into the square-leg boundary. When offspinner S Mohamed Ali darted one into the stumps from around the wicket, Mokhade dared to back away and pump him through the covers. But just when he was looking set to reel off this third successive century, Sai Kishore had him caught by Vimal Khumar for 80. Vidarbha’s professionals Dhruv Shorey and R Samarth then helped them cut their deficit to 80 by stumps on day two.

Celtic have officially confirmed that interim manager Martin O’Neill will remain in post, alongside assistant Shaun Maloney, until they can finally confirm their long-term replacement for Brendan Rodgers.

The management duo are expected to be in the dugout when the Hoops return to action against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership in the evening kick off on Saturday.

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy is reportedly the frontrunner to land the job, per the Daily Record, as the club look to finalise a deal for the MLS tactician.

It has been reported that Celtic are in talks with the French manager to take over at Parkhead, and he will be looking to build on the success that Rodgers had in his second spell in the dugout.

Whilst there will be a focus on instant results if and when a deal for Nancy gets over the line, there will also be an eye on what may happen in the January transfer window, which is little over a month away from opening for business.

One of the first things that the Columbus Crew head coach may have to deal with is the future of star forward Daizen Maeda, who has been linked with a move away from the club.

The latest on Daizen Maeda's future at Celtic

Earlier this month, the Daily Record reported that the Japan international is set to seal a permanent transfer away from Glasgow when the January transfer window rolls around.

The outlet explained that Maeda was unhappy with a failed attempt to leave the club in the summer, amid interest from Brentford and teams in the Bundesliga, because Celtic were unable to get a replacement in to allow the winger to move on.

Daily Record added that ‘sources close’ to the attacker have confirmed that there is still strong interest in his services ahead of January, which has left the Hoops bracing themselves for offers.

These updates suggest that Maeda, who has scored four goals in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, may be on his way out of Parkhead in the winter.

Losing the 28-year-old star, who can play anywhere across the front three, would be a big blow for Nancy early on in his tenure at Celtic, because he is a proven threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership.

Daizen Maeda – Premiership

24/25

25/26

Appearances

34

9

Goals

16

3

Minutes per goal

160

217

Conversion rate

28%

16%

Big chances created

10

2

Assists

10

2

Stats via Sofascore

Maeda, as shown in the table above, has scored 19 goals and provided 12 assists in the division since the start of last season, which shows that he offers quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

The aforementioned Daily Record report also claimed that the recruitment team are already looking at potential options to come in and replace Maeda in January, to ensure that Nancy is not left short-staffed for the second half of the season.

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It was recently reported that Celtic have been offered the chance to sign three players from Chelsea on loan. Deivid Washington, Axel Disasi, and Raheem Sterling were the three names that the Hoops are said to have been made aware of.

With this in mind, Nancy could seal a dream first signing at Parkhead by pushing the club to land Raheem Sterling on loan as a replacement for Maeda, should he depart, in January.

Why Sterling would be a dream signing for Celtic

The former England international is reportedly on £325k-per-week at Stamford Bridge, but he has not made a single appearance in any competition for the Premier League side this season, per Transfermarkt.

Given his complete lack of minutes on the pitch and the report that Celtic have been offered the chance to sign him, Chelsea may be willing to send him out on loan and pay a portion, or the majority, of his wages so that he can go and play regular football again.

If the Conference League champions are willing to do that, Sterling could be a phenomenal addition to the squad and ease any concerns over Maeda’s potential departure from the club in January.

There may be some understandable concerns over his recent form, because the 30-year-old winger has not played any competitive football this season and only managed one goal and five assists in 28 games for Arsenal last term, per Transfermarkt.

However, Sterling has spent his entire career in one of the best leagues, if not the best league, in Europe and has an excellent goalscoring record at Premier League level, along with 20 goals in 82 caps for England.

Raheem Sterling’s Premier League career

Season (appearances)

Goals

Assists

24/25 (17)

0

2

23/24 (31)

8

7

22/23 (28)

6

3

21/22 (30)

13

6

20/21 (31)

10

8

19/20 (33)

20

4

18/19 (34)

17

10

17/18 (33)

18

12

16/17 (33)

7

7

15/16 (31)

6

2

14/15 (35)

7

7

13/14 (33)

9

5

12/13 (24)

2

2

11/12 (3)

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, you only have to go back to the 2023/24 campaign to find a season with more than ten goal contributions in the Premier League for Sterling.

It is worth remembering that Kelechi Iheanacho has three goals and one assist in eight matches for Celtic, after a return of one goal in 24 games in the Championship and LaLiga combined last term.

Scotland ranks 18th in UEFA’s league rankings, 17 places behind England in 1st, which speaks to the difference in quality between the two levels of football, which is why Sterling could recapture his goalscoring form at Parkhead.

At the age of 30, the Chelsea outcast still has plenty left to give and a move to Celtic could reignite his career after a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge, whilst allowing Nancy to forget all about the possibility of Maeda moving on from the club.

Related Not just Ralston: Nancy must ditch Celtic dud who "unsettles defences"

Wilfried Nancy should immediately drop this Celtic forward from the starting line-up once he arrives.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

That is why Sterling could be a dream first signing for the French tactician if the Hoops are able to work out a loan deal that makes sense for all parties involved.

Legendary former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson heaped praise on new Manchester United signing Senne Lammens as he also shared valuable advice for manager Ruben Amorim, amid the club's unbeaten run in the Premier League. After a difficult start to the 2025-26 campaign, the Red Devils have endured a brilliant unbeaten run, including a three-game winning streak, since October.

Man Utd chose to sign Lammens over Emi Martinez

After a disastrous 2024-25 campaign, doubts were raised over Andre Onana's future at Old Trafford. In the summer, United were tipped to replace the underperforming Cameroonian goalkeeper with a new signing, as they were strongly linked with a move for World Cup-winning Argentine custodian and Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez.

Following Altay Bayındır's poor start in the new season and Onana leaving for Trabzonspor in Turkey on loan, a new goalkeeper's arrival was imminent. The club eventually signed young Belgian custodian Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day as they snubbed Emi Martinez. 

Since moving to England, Lammens has appeared in five Premier League games thus far, during which he has conceded seven times. He played an important role in Amorim's side winning three back-to-back matches in October against Sunderland, Liverpool, Brighton and has also been compared to legendary Red Devils goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, although the youngster dismissed any such comparisons. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFerguson hailed Lammens

Ex-Red Devils boss Ferguson spoke highly of the Belgian goalkeeper as he told : "There are signs, the manager has had some good signs. Particularly the goalkeeper has been outstanding, he’s only played three or four games and he’s looking really good. Of course, Mbeumo and Cunha, the new players from Wolves and Brentford, they’ve added to it. I hope the manager gets a bit of success because at United you need to have success – the signs are getting better. I think back-to-back wins is something teams like United should always expect. But having gone through a cycle where the improvement has to come by waiting and being patient, they’ll enjoy it now."

Lammens isn't worried despite Onana's misfortune

Goalkeepers have had to face severe criticism at Old Trafford in recent years, including David De Gea, towards the end of his journey with the club. Then came Onana from Inter but he failed miserably. However, Lammens is not worried about the pressure as he told reporters: "There's been a lot of commotion about the goalkeepers in recent years. They've received a lot of negative comments. I wasn't worried about that. I want to be someone people look up to. My dream is to play here for the next ten years, be important to the club, and build a legacy. That's a long-term goal. 

"It hasn’t taken long for the Stretford End to fall in love with him. Many fans are hailing him as the next Schmeichel, but the keeper has his feet firmly rooted to the ground. "It was wonderful to hear the supporters sing that to me. A huge compliment, especially after my first match. But I'm not getting too carried away with their enthusiasm. I still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, you know."

Lammens added: "I ran into him (Schmeichel) on the sidelines after a match. He was very friendly. Schmeichel knows it's not easy to be compared to him. He told me to be there for the team, but above all, to be myself. It was nice to hear that from someone you look up to. It also reassured me in a way."

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Getty ImagesMan Utd aim to get back to winning ways

After three consecutive wins in the Premier League in October, Amorim's side were held to back-to-back 2-2 draws by Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. They will now aim to get back to winning ways after the international break as they take on Everton on November 24. 

The Australia legspinner claimed three wickets in the opening game of the season the Hobart Hurricanes produced a superb chase

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2025Danni Wyatt-Hodge dominated Hobart Hurricanes’ chase•Getty Images

Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Nicola Carey shared a Hobart Hurricanes record stand as they opened the season with their highest successful chase in the WBBL.Sydney Thunder’s middle order all scored rapidly, but the 143-run third-wicket partnership off just 82 balls between Wyatt-Hodge and Carey ensured Hurricanes could get home with three balls to spare, and in reality it was a little more comfortable than that with Shabnim Ismail doing well to force it into the final over.Wyatt-Hodge launched three sixes in her 52-ball 90, her highest score in WBBL, and might have been able to reach a century with 12 needed when she fell to Sam Bates. Carey finished unbeaten on 58, placing the ball expertly throughout her innings after Hurricanes had been 27 for 2 following the early losses of Lizelle Lee and England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.Unlike Hurricanes, Thunder didn’t have a batter build on their start. Tahlia Wilson and Georgia Voll added 55 for the first wicket before falling in the space of five deliveries. Phoebe Litchfield played a stunning reverse sweep and raced to 16 when she fell to Molly Strano.Overseas duo Heather Knight and Chamari Athapaththu both played useful hands while Laura Harris, in her first game for the club, cracked 20 off just seven balls but fell with 21 balls remaining when she could have done some serious damage.