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There aren't many worse ways to end a season than what happened at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night.

Tied 1-1 in the 11th inning with two outs and the bases loaded, Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering did his job. He got Andy Pages to tap a soft grounder back to the mound for what should have been an easy third out.

Well, it wasn't. Kerkering panicked and couldn't decide if he was going to throw the ball to first base or to home plate for the force out. At the last possible moment, he awkwardly fired an errant throw past catcher JT Realmuto, and base runner Hyeseong Kim—who initially missed the bag—tapped home plate for a walk-off 2-1 win.

The Dodgers are heading to the NLCS, and the Phillies are packing their bags for vacation—all because of one errant throw.

According to Jayson Stark, the Phillies' series loss to the Dodgers in four games is the first postseason series in MLB history to end on a walk-off error.

The MLB world could not believe their eyes:

Just a brutal way to end a season, especially for a championship-contending team like the Phillies.

The Dodgers will face the winner of the NLDS series between the Brewers and Cubs in the NLCS.

He will finish as Sri Lanka’s third-highest run-getter, and their fourth-most capped player in Tests

Shubh Agarwal16-Jun-2025Angelo Mathews has called time on his Test career. Sri Lanka’s first Test against Bangladesh, starting in Galle on Tuesday, will be Mathews’ last. Irrespective of his performance in his farewell Test, Mathews will finish as the third-most prolific Sri Lanka batter in Tests, behind Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. No other batter from the island country has accumulated over 8000 runs in the format.Mathews’ tally of 119 Tests will also be the fourth-highest for Sri Lanka, after Jayawardene (149), Sangakkara (134) and Muthiah Muralidaran (132).Most Test runs for Sri Lanka•Getty ImagesReliable away from homeAt present, Mathews has 4323 runs in Sri Lanka, the third-highest for a Sri Lanka batter, and 3844 runs away from home (including neutral venues), also the third-highest from his country – both only behind Sangakkara and Jayawardene.Among batters with over 6000 Test runs for Sri Lanka, Mathews has the third-highest proportion of runs away from home (47.07%), only behind Dinesh Chandimal (52.11%) and Aravinda de Silva (48.28%).Mathews is also among the only three Sri Lanka batters to average over 40 away from home (minimum 1000 runs outside Sri Lanka), and is just behind Sangakkara. Nine of Mathews’ 16 Test centuries came outside Sri Lanka, joint-third-most alongside Aravinda, and only behind Sangakkara (16) and Jayawardene (11).All four of Mathews’ Player-of-the-Series awards came away from home: against Pakistan in the UAE (2013-14), in England (2014), in Zimbabwe (2020), and in Bangladesh (2022). In 2014, Mathews got 306 runs, including two hundreds, in two Tests on the tour of England, where he led Sri Lanka to their first series win in the country (barring the one-off Test win in 1998).Angelo Mathews’ Player-of-the-Series awards in Tests•Getty ImagesLove affair with NZ, Pakistan and BangladeshAmong the eight countries against whom Mathews played at least five Tests, he averaged 50-plus against three: Bangladesh (55.38), New Zealand (51.21) and Pakistan (50.03).In terms of host nations, Mathews averaged 73 in Bangladesh, with two hundreds – including an innings of 199 in 2022. In New Zealand, Mathews averaged 51.38 for his 668 runs, the most runs for a Sri Lanka batter in the country. That included a knock of 120* in Wellington in 2018, as the match resulted in a draw after a marathon partnership of 274 off 655 deliveries between Mathews and Kusal Mendis.Mathews played six Tests against Pakistan in the UAE, where he averaged 73.37, with one hundred and four fifties. In Pakistan, however, he averaged only 21 across two Tests.The Purple PatchMathews averaged 40-plus as a Test batter for five years in a row from 2011-15. However, he was even more productive from 2013-15, when he surpassed Sangakkara (2355 runs) as Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer by amassing 2378 runs.Mathews averaged 74.6 in 2013, and 77.33 in 2014. After the second Test against Pakistan at home in 2014, he was ranked as the No. 3 Test batter in the world. In 2015, Mathews averaged 42.25 and notched up three tons, as many as he did in the previous two years combined. Mathews also averaged 138.5 in 2020, but played only two Tests that year. His 50-plus average years in 2022 and 2023 included three out of four hundreds against Bangladesh and Ireland.In the three years from 2013-15, Mathews was also the most prolific No. 5 and 6 batter in Tests, scoring 2201 runs at an average of 57.92. Only Misbah-ul-Haq had more 50-plus scores than him (21).In this span, Mathews averaged 121 against South Africa (two Tests), 79.9 against Pakistan (eight Tests), 76.5 against England (two Tests) and 56.5 against India (three Tests).The misfortune in the 90sMathews is the only batter in the world to be dismissed on both 99 and 199 in Tests. He was run-out on 99 in his seventh Test, against India in 2009-10, while trying to come back for a second run to complete what would have been his first Test hundred. Mathews then had to wait for nine more Tests to bring up his first Test century: 105* vs Australia in 2011.Overall, he has so far been dismissed in the 90s five times, the second-most for a Sri Lanka batter, after Jayawardene (six times).Mathews also missed out on what would have been his second double hundred in Tests, when he was out for 199 against Bangladesh in 2022. That made him the second Sri Lanka batter to be out on 199, after Sanath Jayasuriya in 1997. Sangakkara, meanwhile, was left stranded on 199* against Pakistan in Galle in 2012.Steve Waugh has a 99* and 199 to his name.The part-time Test bowlerAn occasional bowler, Mathews picked 33 Test wickets. Younis Khan was his favourite batter to bowl to, as he dismissed him four times while averaging only 24 runs per dismissal. Two of those wickets came in Mathews’ debut Test in 2009.Mathews’ medium-pace seam bowling contributed to Sri Lanka’s win in the Headingley Test in 2014. Before his 160 with the bat in the second innings, Mathews bagged 4 for 44 in the first innings, including the wickets of Gary Ballance and Joe Root.

The Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves will meet at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night for Major League Baseball's Speedway Classic.

It's the first regular season MLB game to take place in the state of Tennessee and the first in the middle of a race track. Plus, a record-setting number of fans are slated to attend thanks to the capacity of just under 150,000 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The league pulled out all the stops for the occasion, which includes a pregame concert headlined by Grammy award winning artists Pitbull and Tim McGraw. The fusion between music and baseball led to some crossovers that you could never dream up. Reds star Elly De La Cruz threw a couple batting practice pitches to McGraw (yes, that's a real sentence). Reds manager Terry Francona even met up with Pitbull, who had the perfect comment as the pair bonded over their shaved heads.

As Francona went to shake Pitbull's hand and explain a time they met before, Mr. 305 quipped back with a great response.

"Actually, you go to the same barber, that's what you were going to say?" he hilariously said to Francona as the two chuckled.

Reds relief pitcher Brent Suter came prepared to meet Mr. Worldwide, revealing a bald cap he had on under a cowboy hat:

First pitch between the Reds and the Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. A full field was constructed inside the track for the event. The MLB announced last Monday that more than 85,000 tickets were sold to date, which would eclipse the previous paid attendance record of 84,587 set at Cleveland Stadium in 1954.

Lamine Yamal believes that "special nights" are coming ahead of Barcelona's long-awaited return to Camp Nou. The teenager has become a Blaugrana sensation in recent years and he has done that while barely playing at the Catalan outfit's iconic stadium. But the countdown to being back at their hallowed home ground has very much begun, and the Spaniard is clearly very excited.

Yamal excited for Camp Nou return

In May 2023, Barcelona said goodbye to Camp Nou as the stadium began a huge redevelopment initiative. After many delays and some controversies involving workers, the giant ground is preparing for a staggered reopening later this month. The defending La Liga champions have been given the light by the local council to host around 23,000 fans when competitive games return to this venue, which has already seen 23,000 supporters watch an open training session earlier this month. Incidentally, Yamal has played just a handful of times at Camp Nou after making his first-team Barca debut in April 2023. Now, the 18-year-old has taken to social media to express his delight about playing at this famous stadium.

In an Instagram story, he wrote: "Special nights are coming," before zooming in on Camp Nou with his phone camera.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhen will Barcelona play at Camp Nou again?

For much of the past two years, while the Camp Nou works have gone on, Barcelona have played at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, which holds upwards of 50,000 fans. Reports suggest that Barca are waiting for a 1B license to be granted to them, which will allow them to open up another stand and host 45,401 supporters at Camp Nou. Now, Barcelona executive Joan Sentelles says he is hopeful they can play at their iconic home, with its reduced capacity of under 30,000, against Athletic Club on November 22 in La Liga.

He told Esport3: "Our goal is to have it ready in time for the match against Athletic Club. As soon as we obtain the 1B license, we’ll open the Lateral Stand, which will already give us a capacity similar to the Olympic Stadium. At that point, it wouldn’t make sense to continue playing there – all our matches will be here."

Sentelles added that they hope to nearly triple their current limit by the end of 2025.

"The goal is to have the entire stadium open to 62,000 spectators before the end of the year," he revealed.

Yamal an injury concern

While it will be an emotional return to Camp Nou for Barcelona players and fans alike, there is no guarantee that Yamal will line up for this upcoming fixture. The youngster has been suffering with a groin problem known as pubalgia, something he has played through for club and country for a while now. There has been a war of words between Barca boss Hansi Flick and Spain manager Luis de la Fuente over Yamal's playing time, with the former concerned about him being overplayed. Moreover, in the past week, the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) expressed its "surprise and dismay" at seeing Yamal undergo an "invasive procedure" that led to his withdrawal from the latest La Roja squad. 

After he was released from the national squad ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey, the RFEF said: "The Medical Services of the RFEF wish to express their surprise and discomfort after learning at 13:47 on Monday, November 10, the day of the start of the official training camp with the national team, that player Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure for the treatment of his pubic discomfort that same morning. This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the medical staff of the National Team, with knowledge of the details only through a report received at 22:40 last night, which indicated the medical recommendation of rest for 7-10 days. Given this situation, and prioritising at all times the health, safety and well-being of the player, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has made the decision to release the athlete from the current call-up. We are confident that he will recover well and wish him a speedy and full recovery."

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(C)GettyImagesWhat comes next for Yamal and Barcelona?

Meanwhile, De la Fuente said Yamal was "very sad" to not take part in these games for his country.

"Lamine is sad. He’s a player deeply committed to the national team and very well-liked," he said. "He left very sad; he was looking forward to playing these matches. He wants to have a great season with his club, and he also has the Finalissima and the World Cup etched in his memory. He’s the one who suffers the most. He always wants to come. He left sad and hurt. Anyone who says otherwise is lying or has bad intentions. I spoke with him. When we received the report last night, we let him rest. We went to his room and I spoke with him. I told him it was the first news he'd heard from the national team; I don't know if he had any information about Barcelona. He was incredibly sad and hurt. He was fine when he arrived. We didn't know anything until last night."

When the international break ends, Barcelona take on Athletic Club, Chelsea, and Alaves in the space of a week to round off the month. It is hoped that Yamal will feature in those encounters despite his ongoing pubalgia issues.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki was called out on an unfortunately timed pitch clock violation during the first inning of Monday's game against the Kansas City Royals.

On Suzuki's first plate appearance, he fouled a pitch off himself, hitting his upper leg region in multiple spots while facing a full count. Suzuki then briefly walked away from the plate, as he appeared to be experiencing some discomfort. He was then ruled out for a pitch clock violation, the Cubs' third out of the game to end the first inning.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell did not seem happy with this decision, and came up onto the field to plead his case to the umpire. Suzuki was seemingly hurt after hitting himself with the foul, and likely should have been given that moment to re-gather himself instead of getting called out.

Fortunately, that missed opportunity doesn't appear to have cost the Cubs too much. Through three innings, the Cubs lead the Royals 4-1 thanks to a three-run home run from Matt Shaw and a solo home run from Carson Kelly.

Virgil van Dijk has revealed in an exclusive interview with GOAL the one attribute he'd like to steal from Erling Haaland and the surprise Liverpool player who does "crazy" things in training. The Liverpool defender has crossed paths with the Norwegian striker on several occasions on English soil and is convinced about the special qualities of the Manchester City striker.

Van Dijk's insight into football’s most fearsome striker

Van Dijk has faced many great forwards during his time in England, but few have left as profound an impression as Haaland. During a rapid-fire segment with GOAL, which evolved into a revealing reflection on the Dutch defender's footballing journey, he answered questions straight and with clarity. When asked which footballer he idolised growing up, Van Dijk did not hesitate. The Dutchman’s voice warmed at the mention of Ronaldinho, the Brazilian magician who defined an entire generation of creativity. The admiration has lingered well into adulthood. Later in the conversation, when asked which retired legend he would have loved to share a pitch with, Van Dijk once again named Ronaldinho.

When pressed to name one attribute he would take from any player in world football, Van Dijk responded without pause: Haaland’s finishing. Another question asked which Liverpool player pulls off the wildest, most eye-catching moments during training sessions. Van Dijk broke into a smile and named Curtis Jones. 

"He's very technical. Top player," he explained. 

Asked what path he might have followed had football not worked out, Van Dijk said he would likely have pursued a role as a sporting director. Reflecting on the proudest performance of his career, Van Dijk pointed to Liverpool’s Champions League final victory over Tottenham Hotspur in 2019. The best match he has ever played in, he said, was Liverpool’s dramatic comeback win over Barcelona at Anfield. Finally, when he was asked to name a player he considers underrated, he pointed to Ryan Gravenberch. 

AdvertisementWatch the clipHaaland rewrites history

With a goal in City’s thrilling 5-4 victory over Fulham on Tuesday, Haaland reached 100 Premier League goals in just 111 appearances, the fastest player ever to achieve the milestone. Alan Shearer, the league’s all-time leading scorer, needed 124 matches to hit triple figures. 

Speaking to after the game, Haaland said: "A proud moment. The 100 club is a huge thing. To do it this quickly is amazing. I'm proud, I'm happy. I've said it many times – a striker for City should score a lot of goals. That's my job, that's what I try to do. And I'm not bad at it!"

Haaland has netted 15 of City's 32 goals scored this campaign, and his manager, Pep Guardiola, was elated. He said: "Congratulations, it is incredible. What can I say? Today, he was outstanding. He was unbelievable and got a fantastic goal. Enjoy it, hopefully he is hungry to continue getting goals for this club."

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GettyWhat comes next for Man City & Liverpool?

City will return to action on December 6, hosting Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium in what promises to be another demanding stretch of the campaign. Van Dijk is set to come up against the Black Cats first, though, with Liverpool welcoming Regis Le Bris' side to Anfield in midweek. The Reds head into this match following a 2-0 win over West Ham on Sunday and will hope to build momentum after a disastrous November. 

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign striker Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus for a much lower price than expected.

Particularly last season, much was said about Man United. The club endured what was, in terms of points return and league finish, their worst-ever Premier League campaign. Many of the club’s attacking options, such as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, struggled for form.

This, no doubt, contributed to their business ahead of the 2025/26 season. In what marked their first summer transfer window with Ruben Amorim as manager, the Red Devils signed Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko in what was a complete renovation of their attack.

The trio have since secured their places in the first team at Old Trafford, helping Man United record three successive Premier League wins for the first time under Amorim’s guidance before the draw at Nottingham Forest.

It would appear, however, that the Red Devils may look to further reinforce their attacking line in the upcoming January window.

Man United show interest in Vlahovic

As per TEAMtalk, Man United could pursue a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this winter. Such a transfer, however, would only be explored if there is first a departure. Zirkzee could leave, having lost his place in the first team due to both new signings and poor form.

Vlahovic, who reportedly earns £375,000 per week in Turin, will become a free agent in July if he does not depart Juve at an earlier date, having been unable to negotiate a contract extension with the club. Were Vlahovic to remain, he would seemingly have to take a pay cut.

Having been called a “superstar” for his ability, Vlahovic would be available for just £17.5 million according to TEAMtalk, in no doubt due to his contract situation. Were Zirkzee to depart permanently, it would presumably provide Man United with the adequate funds to pursue Vlahovic. Even if the Dutchman left only on loan, it would free up a position within their first-team for the 25-year-old.

Given his lack of minutes so far this season, it can be presumed that Zirkzee has fallen down the pecking order. In Vlahovic, Man United would be signing competition for summer signing Sesko which, in turn, could benefit the Slovenian international.

Reportedly, Man United are “informed” of Vlahovic’s situation, but “that does not mean they will necessarily pull the trigger on the move” and whether a transfer materialises remains to be seen.

"Deadly" Man United academy star is another Bruno Fernandes

He has been one of cricket’s most laidback vibes for years but in leadership is revealing some of his more intense, driven, and occasionally unforgiving forms

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jun-2025″Most teams sort of become an image of their captain, right?” These were the thoughts of Brendon McCullum, who over a 21-year career in international cricket has perhaps shaped the tenor of Test-match cricket more than any other single figure this century.Right now, this Sri Lanka Test team is being crafted by Dhananjaya de Silva. And his cricketing DNA and his vision for where the team could go are all over the enterprise. The team, increasingly, is becoming a reflection.For starters, there is an emphasis on utility. How many skills can you bring to the table is a primary question. De Silva frequently fields at slip himself, is the kind of captain who finds reasons to bowl his offspin, has just launched himself up the order to No. 4, and cannot stand letting a game drift. If wickets are not forthcoming, there is a new field in place, a new angle of attack he encourages, a fresh problem he puts in front of the batter to solve. There is, you sense, no play that he doesn’t want to be part of.Related

Sri Lanka focusing on better scoring rate, bowling more maidens this WTC cycle

Dhananjaya de Silva: SL missed 'big chance' to make WTC final

Hit the deck, break a neck, still no cheque: the quiet sacrifice of SL's red-ball quicks

Kusal Mendis counterattack balloons Sri Lanka's lead before Bangladesh collapse

It follows that this Sri Lanka XI for the Colombo Test has two spin-bowling allrounders, an opener and a No. 3 who can potentially keep wicket (Lahiru Udara stood in for 38.4 overs as Kusal Mendis was unavailable through injury). Then there is one frontline bowler who can bowl with either arm and can bat a bit, one top-order batter who bowls a bit with either arm, a left-arm seamer, a right-arm seamer, and a spin bowler who is frequently happy to strap the pads on and produce a brave showing as nightwatcher.This is, essentially, a team of generalists. If you’re going to specialise, buddy, you better be damn good at that one thing. The three single-discipline players – Pathum Nissanka, Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando – have all acquitted themselves nicely in this match. It’s worth mentioning on Asitha and Vishwa’s behalf that de Silva has insisted that more seam bowlers play home Tests for Sri Lanka, despite having been blooded in a team that found seam bowling at home essentially redundant in the late 2010s.De Silva himself has not been in especially good batting form, but he has found ways to be central to Sri Lanka’s progress in this series. He has also been visibly more of a general than he has previously been. On day three, he took two vital wickets, pinning form batter Najmul Hossain Shanto in front of the stumps soon after having Mominul Haque caught at slip. He also dismissed Mominul in the first innings.De Silva began this WTC cycle by laying out to his team how intently he wanted them to get to the final•AFP/Getty ImagesDe Silva’s bowling is not especially menacing – he doesn’t get the kind of drift or the ragging turn, or possess the subtleties that might make him a wicket-taking option on flatter tracks. But on pitches that give him a little to work with – left-armers’ footmarks, a little dryness underneath the surface, a tackiness off the deck – he can find ways to strike. He already has more Test wickets than Angelo Mathews or Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka players he can be most readily compared to.This is the first World Test Championship [WTC] cycle he is in charge of from the beginning, so he seems especially intent on putting his mark on what he sees as a trophy campaign. Although for captains such as Ben Stokes, “there was nothing wrong with Test cricket before” the WTC, for the likes of de Silva, it has become a cycle to build an entire team identity around. In the first two Tests of this cycle, there have been three debutants. Milan Rathnayake, another allrounder, may not have been elevated to international cricket as he has had de Silva not been a key decision-maker.De Silva himself had revealed that he told his team how close they had been to the last WTC final, and how intently he wanted them to get to that final in this cycle. Kamindu Mendis, Sri Lanka’s best Test batter of the last 18 months, affirmed that that was a major driver.”We were close in the last two cycles,” Kamindu said. “In the one just past, we actually had a big opportunity. Honestly, our team plan is built around the WTC. We’re trying to correct the mistakes of the last two cycles. This time, we’ve got a good start. If we keep going like this, I think we can achieve what we are aiming for.”Aesthetically, de Silva has been one of cricket’s most laidback vibes for years. He plays in a long-sleeved jersey with a popped half-collar. His drives are pure. His pulls are languid. Even the sweeps have grace. The sleeve tattoo on his arm has a floral design. In nine years of international cricket, there have never been angry de Silva moments. There have been plenty of chill ones.This is a cricketer comfortable with the softer parts of his personality, but who, in leadership, is now revealing some of his more intense, driven, and occasionally unforgiving forms. If he is fashioning this Test team like a knife-maker hones an edge, he may soon quite clearly see his own image looking back at him.

Jude Bellingham has been handed a 2026 World Cup boost, with Nigel Winterburn exclusively telling GOAL that he does not expect Thomas Tuchel to overlook any “big names” when it comes to piecing together his England squad. There will inevitably be some disappointed performers when a 26-man group is named, but said selection will be loaded with talent.

Strength in depth: Who will make England's 2026 World Cup squad?

The Three Lions boast strength in depth across just about every department, with quality cover able to step in and counter any untimely form and fitness issues. Tuchel finds himself in the enviable position of dipping into a star-studded talent pool.

The odd question has been asked of England’s defensive options – particularly at left-back, where nobody has nailed down that role – but there is an abundance of options heading forward.

Harry Kane is the undisputed No.9 for his country, and the man in charge of the captain’s armband, with nobody breathing heavily down his neck just yet. When it comes to playmaking berths and wide attacking posts, picks become a little trickier to settle upon.

Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham and Morgan Gibbs-White all harbour dreams of making the plane heading to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

They cannot all get the nod. Questions have been asked of whether Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Bellingham could be left behind, with Tuchel making it clear that he will not bring any divisive characters with him that threaten to disturb collective harmony.

AdvertisementBellingham under threat: Will Real Madrid star make the cut?

Quizzed on whether he can see Tuchel leaving a so-called ‘big name’ behind, ex-Three Lions defender Winterburn – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “No, I don’t. It would depend on who considers what player to be a big name. We are already seeing that Thomas Tuchel is about the team. He’s not afraid to make decisions, it doesn’t look like he is going to pamper anybody. You could flip it round a bit and say there are some players that we think might be there but due to form or injury won’t make the squad. Our attacking talent out wide is huge. I would suggest that there may be one or two of those players that may not make the squad. That is simply because of the amount of numbers we have got in those positions.”

Getty Images

Tuchel warning & encouraging words from Henderson

Tuchel said when warning the likes of Bellingham and Palmer – who have missed games due to injury – that nobody is guaranteed a place in his squad: “For this moment we stick with our choice and the radical statement is that we don’t collect the most talented players. We collect the guys who have the glue and cohesion to be the best team. Because we need to arrive as the best team. We will arrive as underdogs at the World Cup because we haven’t won it for decades and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time. So we have to arrive as a team or we will have no chance.”

Those that work alongside Bellingham remain adamant that he is a positive presence in the England squad. Jordan Henderson has said of a player that he struck up a close bond with at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: “He is very special, very special. We have a few special players in this squad, to be fair. But, with Jude, I think we all knew he was a very special player when he first came into the squad. The way he trains, the way he lives his life around football, loves the game, wants to improve and there is the ability that he has on the pitch. He is a world-class player and I know there will be a lot of stories and a lot of headlines, but for him, it is just about focusing on football.”

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Getty Images SportWorld Cup draw date: When England will discover group stage opponents

There will be another international break in March, as Bellingham and Co get a final opportunity to prove their worth to Tuchel. For now, though, everyone connected with the England camp is waiting to discover who they will face in the 2026 World Cup group stage – with that draw set to take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on December 5.

The former Australia batter will take over from Matthew Mott, who was fired after the franchise had lost their last five games in MLC 2025

Tristan Lavalette02-Dec-2025Outgoing Western Australia head coach Adam Voges will take the reins of Seattle Orcas in next season’s Major League Cricket as he furthers his leadership credentials on the T20 franchise circuit.Voges replaces Australian compatriot Matthew Mott, who was fired after Orcas lost their first five games of the 2025 season. Having recently announced that he will step down as WA head coach at the end of the current domestic season, it was widely anticipated that Voges would take up a senior role at an MLC franchise.”I am very excited to be joining the Seattle Orcas for the upcoming season,” Voges said. “The MLC competition continues to grow and I look forward to working with the owners, players and staff to help bring success both on and off the field.”Overseeing an incredible run of success for WA after replacing Justin Langer in 2018, Voges has long been touted as a successor to Australia head coach Andrew McDonald whose current contract runs through to 2027. McDonald has indicated that he is unlikely to seek an extension having been in the job since early 2022.Voges has previously coached Australia A and worked with the national side.In the meantime, Voges has decided to further his coaching development through T20 franchise cricket. As flagged by ESPNcricinfo, Voges has joined Trent Rockets in the Hundred as an assistant coach.WA Cricket are continuing discussions with Voges about staying on as Perth Scorchers head coach in the BBL having led the franchise to back-to-back titles in BBL11 and 12. Voges also twice lifted the trophy as captain of Scorchers.Related

Seattle Orcas part ways with coach Mott

Assistants Beau Casson and Tim MacDonald will likely be in the mix to replace Voges as WA head coach.Voges, who averaged a remarkable 61.87 from 20 Tests for Australia, will be tasked with lifting Orcas back up the ladder. After making the final in MLC’s debut season, Orcas won just four of 17 games across 2024-25.”We are thrilled to welcome Adam Voges to the Seattle Orcas family,” Orcas chief Hemant Dua said. “He brings a proven pedigree of winning, a distinctive ability to develop world-class talent, and a deep understanding of the nuances of T20 franchise cricket.”His dominant run with Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers speaks to his expertise. We believe Adam’s calm demeanor, tactical intelligence, and commitment to building a high-performance culture will be pivotal as we aim for the Major League Cricket title.”We are building something special in Seattle, and Adam is undoubtedly the right person to lead the charge.”Orcas are co-owned, among others, by GMR Group and JSW Sports, who are also co-owners of Delhi Capitals in the IPL and WPL, and their entities in SA20 (Pretoria Capitals) and UAE’s ILT20 (Dubai Capitals).