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Gabriel Jesus has taken another significant stride toward ending his lengthy spell on the sidelines, with the striker set to feature in a friendly against Manchester United with the Arsenal Under-21s on Saturday as part of his carefully managed rehabilitation programme. It marks the latest stage of a gradual return from a devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury that has kept him out since January.

A difficult 2025 for Jesus

Jesus' injury occurred during Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to United at the start of the year, when he ruptured the ACL in his left knee and was forced into immediate surgery. The blow came at one of the most congested points in the season, at a time when Mikel Arteta's attacking options were already depleted, as both Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz were in the treatment room. 

Speaking in May, Arteta recalled the moment with a mixture of frustration and helplessness.  He said: "It's very difficult now to understand that, if I could pause the game and say, Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life. You know, you are doing incredibly well. You're going to now get injured, so stop. I would stop him, bring another player in and continue to play the game. Unfortunately, we cannot do this in football."

AdvertisementAFPFirst steps back on the pitch behind closed doors

Jesus has spent the past 11 months rebuilding his fitness, working through an exhaustive conditioning programme designed to ensure he returns fully prepared rather than rushed back prematurely. After rejoining full training in recent weeks, he was named on the bench for Arsenal’s matches against Chelsea and Brentford but did not make it onto the pitch. Instead, the club opted to give him controlled exposure by organising a private friendly as he played behind-closed-doors against Watford in late November. Arteta said the session offered valuable insight into how the Brazilian’s body would respond to the intensity of real competition.

"It did happen. Gabi participated, and Ethan as well, because he wanted some minutes," he said. "We took the opportunity; they wanted a bit of exposure to competition, and providing that was very positive."

Now, it has been revealed that Jesus is involved in a friendly against United, held at St George's Park. A statement on the Arsenal website read: "Gabriel Jesus and Max Dowman have travelled with the under-21s for a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United at St George's Park as they look to build up their match fitness."

Jesus nears the final phase of his long recovery

For an Arsenal side that has battled through injuries to key attacking figures, Jesus's return will be timely. Havertz is still sidelined, while Leandro Trossard made a return against Aston Villa on Saturday but was forced off again. Whereas, the Gunners are also struggling in defence as their first-choice centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel are also sidelined. But games keep coming thick and fast with a busy festive schedule set to test Arsenal's squad depth. 

However, Arteta was not eager to pay much heed to the fixture congestion and said: "The only thing I can say is that whenever it's possible to help and give the players an extra day or hours to fulfil their maximum potential, let's do it. That's it. We are ready for tomorrow's game, that's for sure. Consistency, again, to perform at the highest level and win another game and then we'll go back to the same question, to the Champions League and then next weekend, because that's the nature of the game, and that's exactly how we have to take it every game."

When asked if he was happy with the summer business and the squad that he has at his disposal, Arteta provided a measured response.

"We've built a squad that I believe was the best one to give us the possibility to do it," he said. "Is it what I want it to be? No, because of the injuries that we have, to have a squad means that the players have to be fit and available because that has a lot of consequences not only during matches but also in the way that we prepare for the week and the options that we have to change and keep the presence in the team. But certainly very happy with how we deal with certain situations."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Jesus?

If his performances in training are any indication, Arsenal supporters may not have long to wait before seeing Jesus back in competitive action. Saturday’s quiet run-out against United will be another vital step, and perhaps one of the final hurdles, before the Brazilian returns to the spotlight. Arsenal play against Wolves in the Premier League next weekend, and the striker might get to feature at the Emirates after a lengthy break. 

He will play his final Test at the SCG like many others but ending a career unlike any other

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-20243:51

Warner: ‘It’s been surreal to be here for 112 Tests’

David Warner has made it to Sydney. It has been one of the longer retirement build-ups and with Warner on Monday saying the end could have come at Lord’s, there was no guarantee that he was going to reach this point.It raised a few eyebrows when he laid out his preferred finish so clearly, although it wasn’t the ultimatum it was sometimes made out to be. There had been a window for a farewell 12 months ago after he had scored a double-century in his 100th Test against South Africa with the next game at the SCG. However, the lure of tours to India and England (which ultimately included the World Test Championship final) was strong.India was ended after two Tests due to injury then England, it appears, was a game-by-game scenario for much of the time. Half-centuries at Lord’s and The Oval were just enough to keep the wolf from the door. His 164 in Perth a few weeks ago meant his path was secure.”I know that people have been gunning for him for a period of time but for us internally, we’ve seen the great value in what he brings to the table, hence why we’ve kept picking him,” coach Andrew McDonald said last week in a clear indication that it has been the potential of what he still do that swayed things his way.Related

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The uncertainty over who will replace him has been a reminder that, even with the blemishes on his overall record, he has been among the highest calibre of player. An all-format great, without doubt, if probably a notch below in Test cricket alone given his struggles overseas.”Personally, I think of him when he first came on the scene and really changed Test cricket,” Pat Cummins said. “Walking out there and taking the game away from the opposition in the space of an hour or two, and doing it for over a decade. His longevity is something that gets overlooked.”So now the final stage of his Test career will play out against Pakistan. “Warner week”, Cummins termed it. It’s rare, especially in Australian cricket, for a player to be able to map out their finale although the SCG has seen a few by dint of normally being the final Test of a summer.In 2007, the ground witnessed a trio do it when Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer bowed out. A few years earlier, Steve Waugh brought down the curtain in 2004 against India having set the ground alight the summer before with his last-ball-of-the-day hundred against England.”For Davey, his 112th Test match, the impact that he’s had on Australia, the way he’s gone about the game, has been incredible,” McGrath said ahead of the Test that continues to raise millions for the Jane McGrath foundation. “Hopefully he can go out on a high.”It’d be great to see him get a hundred here in front of his home crowd. It sort of takes me back to my final Test match with Justin Langer and obviously the late great Shane Warne. So many incredible memories there and just the way people came out and supported us during that final Test match, I’m hoping they do the same for Davey.”2:13

McGlashan: ‘The game will be less interesting without Warner’

Warner has divided opinion like few others. You just have to witness the fallout from Mitchell Johnson’s column a few weeks ago. But the ovation at the MCG last week sounded genuine, even if a quick glance at social media (not often a wise thing) suggested differences remained. On Monday he offered to have a beer with anyone who had an issue with him. There will still be those who won’t be sorry to see him go, but even they will struggle to make a case that he won’t be a loss to the spectacle of the game.What happened in 2018 will always be part of Warner’s story and there remains a chance that skeletons will reveal themselves in the future. At his retirement press conference he said he had become “disconnected” with the game beyond the bubble of international cricket.”Davey has been exemplary over the last four or five years,” Cummins said. “I think we’ve all grown up a lot over the last four or five years. Davey is a leader in our squad and he’s led the way along with a lot of other senior guys on how we want to behave on and off the field. He’s been outstanding.”Warner’s career has tracked a path through the most dramatic evolution the game has seen. He was ahead of the curve when he made his T20I debut before playing any first-class cricket. Whatever else will be said, it has been an extraordinary feat to compile the three-format returns he has managed.When he plays his next T20I, which could be against New Zealand in March, he will bring up 100 appearances in all formats. There’s a handful of others who will likely achieve that (Tim Southee is very close), but given the direction of travel for Test cricket Warner could be among the last of his kind.In Test cricket, his average has not been below 40 since December 2013. From then on, it peaked at 51.34 in early 2016. There was a period through 2014 and 2015 when few could touch him for a combination of volume and speed of scoring: across 23 Tests he averaged 61.30 with a strike rate of 83.09 including 11 centuries.”Warner has made the life of his dozen opening partners much easier with his belligerent style,” Greg Chappell wrote in a column for newspapers. “With a strike rate of 70, Davey took the opposition on. By doing that, he allowed his partners to go about their business sedately, without having to worry about the scoreboard. Doing the heavy lifting came naturally to him.”The scoops, the flicks, the ramps, Warner’s array of strokeplay was often breathtaking. And even amid the leaner times of the last few years he has still had it in him, as he showed in Perth when he scooped Shaheen Shah Afridi over fine leg.His record at home has been immense – an average of 58.11 going into his final outing – with his numbers abroad more modest. His overseas returns are propped up by his impressive performances in South Africa in 2014, in conditions which closely resembled home, and two handsome Tests in Bangladesh. In England (26.48), India (21.78), Sri Lanka (25.22) and the West Indies (26.90) it was a struggle. But even in some of those contests, he has been part of compelling storylines, not least Stuart Broad’s dominance of him in 2019.The level of fitness he has maintained is also worthy of note. It was his fielding against Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup that was a catalyst for Australia’s resurgence. There have been few quicker between the wickets than him, or a better judge of a run. And he has remained an excellent close catcher.But amid all the focus that Warner week will bring, this isn’t quite the end, although confirmation that he was also closing the chapter on ODI cricket brought it a step closer. There remains the unknown of what he will say when he finally hangs up the bat for good, what he is saving for the book and who should be worried. He will make a swift move into the commentary box. Still, whatever your views on him, he has never been dull. And however the closing stages of his career play out it’s unlikely to ever be so.

Matchday tickets to watch live football appear to be going up with every season, pricing out the regular punters who have supported their teams for years.

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Here is a look at ticket prices for every Premier League side for the 2025/26 campaign, looking at their cheapest and most expensive ticket excluding hospitality.

20 Sunderland Most expensive ticket: £46

Back in the Premier League after eight years away, Sunderland have the least expensive matchday ticket at just £46.

The Black Cats supporters were treated to some brilliant displays straightaway at the Stadium of Light, making this value for money.

19 Burnley Most expensive ticket: £55

Burnley also won promotion in 2025 and are one of the cheapest to watch in the Premier League.

Tickets start at just £30 and reach £55.

18 Bournemouth Most expensive ticket: £56

Bournemouth have been enjoying their finest Premier League football under Andoni Iraola.

At £56 for a ticket, they are the third-cheapest club on this list, however, prices may well go up should they qualify for Europe this term.

17 Leeds Most expensive ticket: £59

Leeds are the most expensive of the three promoted sides from the Championship, with the most expensive Elland Road ticket sitting at £59.

A stadium expansion is planned to increase capacity to over 50,000, and it’ll be interesting to see whether prices rise in Yorkshire as well.

16 Manchester City Most expensive ticket: £60

Manchester City may be going through their roughest spell since Pep Guardiola took charge in 2016, but compared to other clubs, their most expensive matchday ticket is a reasonable £60.

At £30 for the cheapest ticket at the Etihad, City fans can also get some decent value for seeing their team perform in the Premier League. Given they won the titles four years in a row, this figure isn’t too steep.

15 Liverpool Most expensive ticket: £61

Considering Liverpool’s success domestically and in Europe, it is admirable that their most expensive matchday ticket is £61, which ranks them relatively low on this list.

The club froze all ticket prices for the 2025/26 season. Not a bad price to watch the defending champions if you can get your hand on a ticket.

14 Brentford Most expensive ticket: £65

Brentford are now an established Premier League side, having secured promotion to the top flight back in 2021.

The Bees have never finished lower than 16th in the table. The most expensive matchday ticket at the club currently is £65, with no increases for the 2025/26 campaign.

13 Newcastle Most expensive ticket: £70

Newcastle United once again secured Champions League football for the second time in three seasons and won their first piece of silverware for 70 years in 2025 under Eddie Howe.

The most expensive Magpies ticket is £70, with the price of the cheapest ticket being £55.

12 Nottingham Forest Most expensive ticket: £70

Nottingham Forest’s most expensive matchday costs £70, which has increased after qualifying for Europe in 2025.

The cheapest option currently stands at £50, and the supporters going to the City Ground have seen three managers in the dugout during 2025/26.

11 Wolves Most expensive ticket: £71

Wolverhampton Wanderers have work to do if they are to avoid dropping into the Championship, with major unrest at Molineux.

Despite their poor season, the most expensive matchday ticket is £71 at Molineux, hardly worth the value considering. The cheapest is £26.50, the lowest in the division.

Premier League leaders Arsenal are ready to rival Real Madrid in the transfer race for Kenan Yildiz in the January window amid his contract hold-up at Juventus. The Bianconeri's contract talks with their star attacker have hit a standstill as Yildiz is demanding a significant pay rise in his new deal, which is far beyond the Italian club’s current offer.

Yildiz's dip in form as contract talks stall

After an exciting 2024-25 campaign in Turin, where he scored 12 goals across all competitions, Yildiz was being tipped to become a major figure in the club's attack in the years to come. He started the new season by providing three assists and scoring a goal in his first three Serie A matches, but then experienced a sudden dip in form. In the 2025-26 campaign, Yildiz has produced five goals and as many assists in 18 matches across all competitions as the Bianconeri struggle in the seventh position in the Serie A table. Yildiz's drop in form comes at a time when he is negotiating a new contract with the Serie A giants, although the talks have come to a standstill. 

The Turkey international signed a long-term deal in August 2024, which runs until 2029, following a breakthrough but the need to renew it again was felt by the club after other European giants showed interest in the player. Yildiz’s current contract earns him around €1.5 million a year, a figure dwarfed by Dusan Vlahovic’s €12 million and far below the salaries of Europe’s elite young talents. 

According to , Yildiz's camp is now demanding a raise into the €5-6 million range, which reflects his growing profile and market value. Juventus, however, deem the request too steep. Giorgio Chiellini, Juventus' director of football strategy, recently summed up the mood at the club as he said: "Yildiz renewal? Calm down. Calm down. Everyone has the will: with balance and calm, everything can be done." 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesArsenal show concrete interest in Yildiz

Amid the contract stand-off, Premier League giants Arsenal have a concrete interest in the 20-year-old and are ready to contact Juventus over a possible transfer in the transfer window, which opens next month. 

Speaking to , Italian journalist Gianni Balzarini said: "There’s been real contact with Arsenal, that is, Arsenal have asked for information, it’s part of the game, there’s no negotiation, let’s be clear, but they have asked for information about this player who, in my opinion, could also do very well in the Premier League. Given his physical and technical characteristics, and so it’s clear that after all this atmosphere here, a sort of halo is forming around the boy, the player who, for his part, I also understand, may claim the need to play in a better team."  

Arsenal to face competition from Chelsea and Real Madrid

Other than the Gunners, their Premier League rivals Chelsea, are among the top contenders to target the youngster. The Blues reportedly made a €67 million (£59m/$77.5m) bid for Yildiz last July, which was turned down, but they remain interested and are expected to return next summer. Real Madrid are also monitoring the situation closely. Reports in Spain suggest Yildiz’s price tag could exceed €100m (£88m/$116m) if a bidding war breaks out between the three clubs next summer.

In October, Los Blancos coach Xabi Alonso had publicly expressed his admiration for Yildiz, as the Spaniard said: "[Juventus] have very good players, and Yildiz is one of them. He's had a fantastic development. I know him. He was at Bayern Munich when I was there. Seeing his progress makes me very happy." 

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Getty ImagesYildiz told to move to the Premier League

Yildiz’s former Juventus colleague Nicolo Savona, who is now at Nottingham Forest, recently advised the attacker to consider joining him in England as he weighed up his next move. "I would recommend the Premier League to all the kids who love football; it would be difficult to say otherwise. So also to Kenan and any of his teammates," Savona told Gazzetta.

Juventus will be back in action in the Serie A on Sunday as they take on reigning champions Napoli in an exciting encounter away from home.  

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has taken the MLB by storm this year. The 28-year-old leads the league in dingers, won the 2025 Home Run Derby, and has his Seattle team firmly in the wild card race as we enter the latter part of the season.

Nicknamed "Big Dumper" for the exact reason you might think, Raleigh has become a fan favorite in baseball circles throughout the 2025 campaign—so much so, that he's now signing .

That's right, while he was in attendance at the Little League World Series ahead of his team's game against the Mets in Williamsport on Sunday, a fan thrusted a piece of their trusty throne in Raleigh's direction as he was signing autographs, and he obliged.

Here's a look at the hilarious interaction, via MLB analyst Ben Verlander on X:

A man of the people, Big Dumper is.

First pitch between Seattle and New York is set for 7 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN. We'll see if Raleigh can homer again.

Fast bowler heads for Bristol for first six fixtures of County Championship season

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2025Gabe Bell, the Tasmanian fast bowler, has signed for Gloucestershire for the first six matches of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship.Bell, 30, has taken 192 wickets across 51 Sheffield Shield appearances, 41 of which came in the 2023-24 season. He is currently ninth on this season’s wicket-taking list with 16 wickets in five matches.Standing at 195cm, Bell bowls with pace and steep bounce, and though he has yet to be capped by Australia, he represented their Under-19s in 2013, taking five wickets in three Youth ODIs at an average of 20.60.His stint with Gloucestershire will include away fixtures against Middlesex at Lord’s and Derbyshire, plus home games against Durham, Lancashire, Kent and Northants, and is set to get underway at the start of their campaign on April 10.”Obviously thrilled to get the opportunity to come over and play some county cricket with Gloucestershire,” Bell said. “I can’t wait to get over to Bristol to meet everyone, and get started in the new year.”Jon Lewis, Gloucestershire’s director of cricket, said: “We are really excited about Gabe joining our championship squad at Gloucestershire. We looked hard at what it takes to win in our own conditions in April and May, and Gabe comes highly recommended from our network of contacts across Australia.”He’s been very successful over recent Sheffield Shield seasons and is exactly the type of bowler we feel will thrive in the early part of the season in England. Gabe has played and performed consistently and has an excellent record in Australia. He’s a hardworking individual, which is exactly what we need at the start of the season.”We’re really excited to welcome Gabe and his family to Bristol in early April.”

Bangladesh become the latest victims of South Africa’s destructive batting, with Shakib Al Hasan and co powerless to stop an all-too-familiar assault

Mohammad Isam24-Oct-20232:51

Where did it all go wrong for Bangladesh?

A small group of Bangladesh fans groaned collectively in one corner of the Garware pavilion, next door to their team’s dressing room and right above their dugout at the Wankhede Stadium. Bangladesh had just lost five wickets in the first 15 overs of a 383-run chase in the World Cup. The daytime heat and South Africa’s big hitting had flattened their spirits already, and now this. They hardly said a word. Even the most animated among them slumped to his chair.Captain Shakib Al Hasan and centurion Mahmudullah both said that they lost the game by their bowling in the last ten overs. The three fast bowlers and Shakib conceded 144 runs in the third powerplay, the most Bangladesh has conceded during this period in an ODI. South Africa burst from 238 for 3 to 382 for 5. They had gone berserk against England a couple of days ago, and Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament. Against an underperforming Bangladesh bowling attack at the Wankhede Stadium, such a hammering was always on the cards.Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen were building up towards a big finish between overs 30 and 40 when they added 73 runs. The Bangladesh bowlers tried every combination of line and length, but once Shakib went for 22, his worst over in World Cups, the floodgates had truly opened.Shakib didn’t bowl another over after conceding two sixes in the 44th over. Mustafizur Rahman also went for two sixes, while Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud got smacked for four sixes each, taking the total to 12 sixes in the last ten overs.Mahmudullah, who made his third World Cup century much later in the game, said that around the second drinks break, the senior players were talking about chasing between 320 and 330.”I was talking to Shakib and Mushy around the (second) drinks break. On a good wicket, we were trying to lessen the damage when they were 238 in 40 overs. I think 320 to 330 was chaseable, but it was a tough ask to chase 380-plus. The bowlers tried hard but when Klaasen and Quinny are in rhythm it is hard to stop them,” he said.Mahmudullah said that the Bangladesh team hasn’t created enough opportunities to get into winning positions in the World Cup, a factor that is hurting them a lot in this campaign.”I think we are not getting that momentum. Whether batting or bowling, you have to create an opportunity to win the game. We haven’t got there. The bowlers made the job easy for us against Afghanistan. We haven’t created those opportunities in the other games. We are discussing, doing meetings, but we haven’t been able to execute it.”On this sort of wicket, you need to create the opportunity to be in a position to win a game. We couldn’t do that today. We have a bit of depth but it depends on the partnership progressing in the middle,” he said.South Africa’s batters left Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim with much to consider•AFP/Getty ImagesShakib said he had not seen Bangladesh go for so many runs in the last ten overs of an ODI. “I thought we bowled well in the first 25 overs when we got three wickets. They were going at five runs an over, but they kicked on, especially the way Quinton (de Kock) played. He batted really well. We didn’t have any answer to how (Heinrich) Klaasen finished.”We conceded 144 runs in the last 10 overs, probably the most we conceded in the last 10, 15 years. On a ground like this, it can happen like that. We should have bowled better. We lost the game in the last ten overs,” he said.Klaasen and de Kock hardly allowed for the bowlers to settle on a combination of line and length during the third powerplay. The odd yorker kept them quiet but those that didn’t land were duly struck for sixes. Mahmud’s short balls were mostly accurate, as only one of them went for a six.The death overs’ hitting by South Africa is perhaps a blip for Bangladesh. Maybe it won’t happen again in this way for the rest of the tournament. The quicker Bangladesh can move on from this performance, especially the bowlers, the more helpful it will be to their mentality. They should also be mindful of other teams going for the same pace in the last powerplay, so taking their chances early would allow them more confidence at the death.Shoriful, Mahmud and Mustafizur will be smarter bowlers in their next outings if they can pick the positives out of this performance. There’s a lot riding on Bangladesh’s fast bowlers in the remaining matches, and for their future to remain permanent rather than fleeting.

Nicky Butt has warned a manager who Gary Neville called “incredible” not to take the Manchester United job, saying “it could ruin him.”

Respite for Amorim after Sunderland victory

The 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Sunderland prior to the international break provided Ruben Amorim with a little respite, but there will be much tougher tests to come in the coming weeks, with a daunting trip to Anfield this Sunday up first.

There has been plenty of speculation about Amorim’s future already this season, with Jamie Carragher suggesting the writing may already be on the wall, given that the 40-year-old simply isn’t a good fit for Man United.

Carragher said: “What he did at Sporting Lisbon was fantastic. But bringing a manager like that in with the system he plays I don’t think ever suited a club like Manchester United with the traditions at Manchester United.

“We are just waiting for the inevitable, unfortunately, because you don’t want people to lose their jobs. But this [Amorim’s time in charge] has to end as quickly as possible.”

It appears as though Sir Jim Ratcliffe is very committed to the Amorim project, however, having recently insisted he wants to give the Portuguese coach three years to prove himself.

That said, if there is not a major improvement in performances and results, it is very difficult to envisage the United boss lasting that long, and the rumour mill about potential replacements is already in full swing.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Paddy McGuinness recently asked Paul Scholes and Butt whether they’d like to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer return to Old Trafford, but the latter was emphatic in his response, stating his former teammate shouldn’t consider the move.

The former Man United midfielder said: “The hard thing for Ole would be, if you come back the second time – it could ruin him. It won’t because of his legacy at the football club, but you could bring prime Sir Alex or Jose in at the minute and they wouldn’t be able to do anything with that squad. So for me, I hope it wouldn’t happen.”

Appointing "incredible" Ole would be step backwards

It is undeniable that Ole is one of the Red Devils’ best managers post Sir Alex Ferguson, with the Norwegian leading them to a second-placed finish in the 2020-21 campaign, but it would be a step backwards to bring him back to Old Trafford.

Vivell's a fan: Man Utd devise plan to sign "elite" £40m midfielder with Wharton

The Red Devils are very keen on bringing in a new midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Oct 14, 2025

United sacked the 52-year-old back in November 2021, after failing to win a trophy in nearly three years as manager, and he has since failed to make an impact at Besiktas, with the Turkish club dismissing the former striker back in August.

As such, despite being lauded as “incredible” by Neville for the job he did at Man United last time around, Ole shouldn’t be considered as a replacement for Amorim, who rakes in £6.5m-per-year.

New Zealand managed a win after two defeats while Sri Lanka’s only points have come courtesy a wash out

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Oct-20253:17

Can Sri Lanka ride on their recent record against New Zealand?

Big picture – Both sides looking for a sparkSomeone find a power pylon, a generator… even a car battery would do. Attach the wires to Sri Lanka’s Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign. Two games (and one washout) in, it desperately needs to be shocked to life. Although they are playing at home, this World Cup schedule was always going to be a challenge – they were playing the teams they have struggled most against in their first three games. And so far, only that point from the washout against Australia is keeping some sort of hope alive.New Zealand have had a rough start to the tournament too, thumped by Australia in their opener, before South Africa strode past them with relative ease. But they do, more recently, have that win against Bangladesh to hold them over. Their campaign doesn’t quite need the defibrillator as badly as Sri Lanka do. But a loss in Colombo on Tuesday be a major blow to their hopes of qualifying for the semi-final, with South Africa and England now rolling into serious form, while Australia and India have more-or-less played like the tournament favourites they were expected to be.The problem for New Zealand, is that Sri Lanka have beaten them in their most-recent ODI series in Sri Lanka – a three-match series in Galle in 2023, which Sri Lanka won 2-1. The problem for Sri Lanka, is that both those ODI victories had been founded on truly epic performances from Chamari Athapaththu, with the 140 not out off 80 balls in the conversation for being her best innings ever.In any case, New Zealand’s batting – however lacklustre by their own standards – is in significantly better shape this tournament than Sri Lanka’s has been. All three New Zealand innings have produced totals between 225 and 240. Against England on Saturday, Sri Lanka nosedived to 164 at this very venue.New Zealand meanwhile, are fresh from rolling Bangladesh over for 127. That performance was more a result of their seamers – Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu taking three apiece – where it is spin that usually decides matches at Khettarama. Legspinner Amelia Kerr has five wickets in the tournament, but may need a little more support from the other spinners than she has had so far, if New Zealand are to make a statement on Tuesday.Form guideSri Lanka LLLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WLLWW2:14

Green: ‘Halliday has many options against spin’

In the spotlight – Amelia Kerr and Hasini PereraSri Lanka will be extremely wary of Amelia Kerr’s bowling, given she averages 24.62 in Asia. But this tournament is yet to see the best of Kerr the batter, and perhaps their stop in Sri Lanka is the place to change that. She has played only three innings on the island – in that 2023 series. But she did hit a 108 off 106 balls in the only match of that series that New Zealand won. It’s not as if she’s been especially bereft of form, having made some starts at No. 3 this World Cup. But each of those innings has been slightly laboured. Kerr firing at first-drop would make New Zealand a much more daunting opposition towards the end of this tournament.Sri Lanka batter Hasini Perera has attracted a little bit of criticism over the past week or so. While Sri Lanka’s top order fails, she has been an easy target, partly because of her long-term record. After 53 ODI innings, Hasini has a high score of 46. She has, this year, been asked to sacrifice her preferences for the team, however. Sri Lanka see Vishmi Gunaratne as an investment in the future, and have sent her down to No. 4, where, it is hoped, she will have a greater chance of success in this development phase of this career. And Hasini, who averages a respectable 33 at No. 4, has been asked to open. She top-scored for Sri Lanka in the loss to England, so clearly she is not out of her depth at the top of the order. But she needs a good score – a fifty ideally – to fend the critics off.Pitch and conditions – More rain (perhaps). More spin (for sure)Colombo’s weather continues to be as it has been in the last two weeks – humid, hot, with frequent showers rolling through. Expect the track to take good turn again, as it did on Saturday.Dewmi Vihanga’s spot in the XI could be in focus•ICC/Getty ImagesTeam news – Spotlight on Sri Lanka’s attackSri Lanka will think about Dewmi Vihanga’s place in the XI. She offers offspin and some hitting with the bat, which is why Sri Lanka picked her against England ahead of another seamer. But she does also tend to be a liability in the field. Seamer Malki Madara, who impressed in the tri-series earlier in the year, also waits in the squad.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Hasini Perera, 2 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 3 Harshith Samarawickrama, 4 Vishmi Gunaratne, 5 Kavisha Dihari, 6 Nilakshika Silva, 7 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 8 Dewmi Vihanga/Malki Madara/Achini Kulasuriya, 9 Sugandika Kumari, 10 Udeshika Prabodhani, 11 Inoka RanaweeraNew Zealand may retain their winning XI.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10 Lea Tahuhu, 11 Eden CarsonStats and trivia New Zealand had never lost an ODI against Sri Lanka, until they lost twice in one series in 2023. Their overall record is 13 wins to those two losses. They won by big margins against Sri Lanka this year as well, but those two games had been played in New Zealand Amelia Kerr enjoys bowling in Asia, but her batting in the continent has not been quite as strong – she averages 36.37 in Asia, down from her overall average of 41.18 Inoka Ranaweera has been Sri Lanka’s best bowler by a distance in their first two completed matches. So far this tournament, she has seven wickets at an average of 11.29Quotes”In this tournament so far we’ve seen wickets falling early in just about every ground pretty much. It’s about trying to build big partnerships up top.”New Zealand allrounder Maddy Green on the way the batting in this World Cup has tended to go so far.“Even though Hasini has played short innings, we think those are good innings. And sometimes no one has played better.We know what she is capable of.”Sri Lanka coach Rumesh Ratnayake on Hasini Perera.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and star designated hitter Shohei Ohtani have had an ongoing prank war over the last year, but Roberts decided to take a more sincere route with his latest surprise for Ohtani.

The pranks began when Ohtani closed in on breaking Roberts's record for the most home runs hit by a Japanese-born player in Dodgers' history. Ohtani told Roberts that he had bought him a car, only to surprise Roberts with a miniature toy car. Ohtani followed it up by parking a toy Porsche in Roberts's parking spot when he reported for spring training. Finally, Roberts got "revenge" by filling Ohtani's car with a bunch of toy balls from a ball pit and pictures of his face.

For Roberts's next surprise to Ohtani, he opted to purchase a pink electronic toy Porsche for Ohtani's daughter. The gift was a nod to their previous jokes, but also a nice gift for his daughter, who was born in April.

"I'm surprising Shohei," Roberts said in a video shared by the Dodgers' social media team. "My wife and I purchased this electronic remote car for his daughter. Shohei's been very gracious and we've got this long-running practical joke. This is more of a sincere gesture, not necessarily a practical joke, but I wanted to present it to him."

The video then showed Roberts presenting the gift in Ohtani, who laughed in response and thought the gift was "nice."

Ohtani hilariously admitted after he thought he "was in trouble" when he got called into Roberts's office. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised with the gift.