Nottingham Forest have made a frustrating start to life under Ange Postecoglou, albeit they will feel hard done by after a controversial defeat to Sunderland on Saturday evening.

Nottingham Forest lose out in tight contest with Sunderland

Balancing commitments domestically and in the Europa League, the Tricky Trees found themselves on the end of a narrow loss to Sunderland at the City Ground on Saturday courtesy of Omar Alderete’s first-half winner.

Admittedly, Nottingham Forest were the dominant side against the Black Cats and created far more on the day. However, Postecoglou has been left with plenty to ponder after making it five games without a win since taking charge.

Hovering just above the relegation slots in the Premier League, the Australian boss made it clear that his side are on the right trajectory despite losing out on a frustrating day in the East Midlands.

He told BBC Sport: “It was one of those evenings where we should’ve got the outcome we wanted. We had enough chances to certainly win the game.

“We conceded a really poor goal, albeit from a poor decision from the official, but after that we had enough chances to win the game. We are in a cycle at the moment where we are getting every outcome out of the game except the win – and that is the most important thing.”

While Nottingham Forest are producing encouraging signs, football is ultimately about winning and supporters will feel that points are an infinitely better outcome than performance, albeit the latter may suggest their long-term future under Postecoglou is looking bright.

Even with that in mind, it would be remiss not to delve into some of the refereeing controversies on show at the City Ground, something that individuals within their camp feel contributed to their defeat.

Neco Williams fumes at officials as Sunderland defeat Nottingham Forest

Speaking after the match on Sky Sports, Neco Williams made it clear that he feels Sunderland’s goal should’ve been ruled out for two reasons, claiming the Black Cats were awarded an unjust free-kick and that he was fouled in the build-up to Alderete’s decisive effort.

The £65,000-a-week full-back also made clear that he has ‘never seen’ such a decision made to award a free-kick during his career, indicating how furious he was at the controversial indicent.

He stated, cited via BBC Sport: “It’s a tough one to take. It was a game where we just didn’t finish off our chances. We created many chances but just couldn’t put it to bed.

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“We should have defended the free-kick better but, at the same time, I’ve never seen a referee give one of those free-kicks before in all my time of playing football.

“There was contact, so he got it wrong, and for the goal I was held back. He had two arms around my waist and that played a key factor in their goal. It is two poor decisions, especially by the referee and then the people on VAR.”

In truth, the Welsh international may have a point as he was visibly tugged back in an attempt to stop the ball, albeit supporters will never know if he would’ve covered the ground needed to intercept the situation at hand.

Either way, Nottingham Forest will rue missing a whole host of missed chances, which is something they will hope to use as fuel for their upcoming Europa League encounter against FC Midtjylland on Thursday.

Former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo has opened up on the "damned story" of AC Milan's Champions League final loss in Istanbul to Liverpool in 2005. Despite scoring twice in a 3-0 first-half lead, the Milan, Inter, Lazio and Parma legend admits the specific defeat is a major career regret and one that he still finds difficult to discuss.

Champions League final loss still stings after 20 years

Crespo has admitted the Rossoneri's infamous 2005 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool is a "damned story" that he struggled with for years. In a wide-ranging interview with Italian outlet , the 50-year-old, who scored twice in the final, reflected on the most painful moments of a decorated playing career.

AdvertisementAFPThe 'damned story' of Istanbul 2005

Crespo was central to one of the most memorable finals in the competition's history. AC Milan stormed to a 3-0 half-time lead at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, with captain Paolo Maldini opening the scoring in the first minute before Crespo added a clinical brace in the 39th and 44th minutes. However, a remarkable six-minute spell in the second half saw Liverpool draw level through Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso, before eventually winning 3-2 on penalties. The defeat remains iconic among fans, but a significant regret for the Argentine.

Asked what the biggest regret of his career is, he said: "Istanbul 2005, Champions League final between Milan and Liverpool. After Maldini's goal, I scored a brace, we finished the first half 3-0 up, and then the English came back and we lost on penalties. It's not easy to stomach a defeat after scoring a brace… For years, I didn't want to watch that match again. Only recently have I made peace with that damned story. But let's not dwell too much, otherwise I'll get angry again."

Praise for Argentina successor Lautaro Martinez

Crespo, who scored 35 goals in 64 appearances for his country, also commented on being overtaken in Argentina's all-time top scorer list by Inter captain Lautaro Martinez. The Inter star is currently level with the ex-Chelsea forward but is expected to overtake him and take fourth spot, behind Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Batistuta and Lionel Messi.

"He's a complete striker, and he's proven it over the years at Inter and with Argentina," Crespo said. "He's deadly in the penalty area, and he sees the goal like few others. He knows how to play as a team, communicates with his teammates, and attacks the spaces. He's a good dribbler. What more can I say? Yes, I consider him a champion. He has personality, opposing defenders fear him and double-mark him. This means he's reached full maturity."

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World Cup 'regret' with Argentina's golden generation

Despite a stellar club career with Parma, Lazio, Inter, and Chelsea, Crespo revealed his failure to win a World Cup with a talented Argentina side remains a major source of disappointment. Playing alongside the likes of Batistuta, Juan Sebastian Veron and Diego Simeone, Crespo's national team career ended with quarter-final exits in 1998 and 2006, and a group stage elimination in 2002.

"Throughout my career, I've chased the World Cup: my generation was born with the myth of Maradona and the 1986 Cup," he explained. "We dreamed of making the Argentinians relive those magical moments, but we didn't succeed. It's a regret I carry with me."

Leeds United went through a mass amount of movement during the summer transfer window and could now be set to see another deal occur sooner rather than later.

Leeds United set to hunt for striker in January

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha have arrived to offer Daniel Farke support through the middle as Leeds settle back into Premier League life, and all signs point towards a renewed push for firepower in January.

Speaking to Football Insider’s Inside Track, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed the Whites will need to seek out a regular goalscorer if they are to have a fighting chance of retaining their top-flight status.

“Obviously they were in the market for an attacking player right up until deadline day – Leeds have yet to score a goal in open play in the Premier League in three games.

“Nmecha has been leading the line in the first few games of season, while Calvert-Lewin came on and did quite well against Newcastle. If he can stay fit, he could prove to be a real asset for Leeds United, so there are options there for Daniel Farke’s team. It’s obvious they will need a regular goalscorer if they are to have any chance of staying up.”

Norwich City striker Josh Sargent continues to be linked with Leeds in a rumour that doesn’t appear to be close to going away anytime soon, albeit it remains to be seen if the Canaries are willing to part ways with the United States international.

However, in other news, Leeds may need to let a wantaway star depart the club permanently as he hunts for a new home in different surroundings.

Leeds star Isaac Schmidt seeks permanent Elland Road exit

Per BILD, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds loanee Isaac Schmidt has revealed he wants a permanent move to Werder Bremen, and he has now taken the step of hunting for a home ahead of securing his next destination away from Elland Road.

Despite only joining from St Gallen last year in a deal worth £2.5 million and under contract until 2028, the Switzerland international featured only 14 times for the Whites last term and was second choice at right-back behind Jayden Bogle.

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On his opening appearance for Werder Bremen, Schmidt struck a last-gasp equaliser in a 3-3 draw against Bayer Leverkusen, earning a Fotmob match rating of 7.7/10 despite only featuring for 14 minutes.

The Bundesliga outfit retain an option to purchase the 25-year-old for £2.5 million, and Schmidt has expressed his openness to staying,

With all parties on track to conduct an agreeable deal, it appears it is now only a matter of time before Schmidt becomes a permanent fixture at Weserstadion.

Brook’s first outing as white-ball captain comes after twin disasters at 2023 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy

Alan Gardner28-May-2025

Big picture: The road to 2027 begins in earnestWest Indies didn’t qualify for the last two ICC 50-over tournaments – the 2023 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy – but it is arguable whether that was any more embarrassing than the dismal campaigns England put together in India and Pakistan. With another failure at the T20 World Cup sandwiched in between, it did not require much deliberation for Jos Buttler to step down after less than three years as captain.His successor was picked from a very short shortlist, but while there is little doubt that Harry Brook has the minerals for captaincy, the question for England is whether a first-choice all-formats player can succeed in the job given the current schedule? With a calendar that includes series against West Indies (ODI and T20I), India (Tests), South Africa (ODI and T20I), Ireland (ODI), New Zealand (ODI and T20I), Australia (Test) and Sri Lanka (ODI and T20I) before he can even begin to think about the 2026 T20 World Cup in February, the odds are that something will have to give.Even Brook himself picked the Ashes as his priority when unveiled last month. But, for now, England have made a show of giving their ODI rebuild the attention it deserves by calling back Buttler, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks from the IPL, despite their teams’ involvement in the tournament’s pointy end. West Indies, by contrast, have allowed Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford to stay in India, even with potentially vital ranking points (which will determine World Cup qualification) at stake.West Indies currently sit ninth in the ICC rankings, three points behind England and five points ahead of Bangladesh, with the top eight aside from co-hosts South Africa (sixth) and Zimbabwe (11th) going straight to the World Cup rather than having to fight through a qualifying event. Bilateral ODI engagements are often seen as context-free, but there is real jeopardy for England – who have never missed out on the World Cup – if they don’t improve on a grim recent record that reads three series wins (one of them against Ireland) in their last 11 going back to mid-2022.Related

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Brook, at least, is well rested, with just one appearance for Yorkshire and last week’s three-day Test against Zimbabwe since the Champions Trophy in March (he is, of course, banned from the IPL after pulling out at late notice, but we won’t get into those weeds). Even with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood out injured, he will still be able to call on a trio of 2019 World Cup winners, with Buttler continuing in the ranks, Joe Root ready to anchor the top order and Adil Rashid undisputed as England’s all-time leading white-ball spinner.In fact, the revolution has been far from bloody, with Liam Livingstone and Phil Salt the main casualties following three defeats from three at the Champions Trophy. Brydon Carse is fit to restate his case, so too Bethell after being injured on the tour of India, while Jacks, Jamie Smith, Matthew Potts, Jamie Overton and Tom Hartley are all backed to keep learning the ropes in a format that quickly disappears from sight in between ICC events. Smith, who endured a tough time at No.3 last time out, is set to open alongside Duckett, in a further show of England’s belief in his immense potential.West Indies, as ever, will hope to disrupt England’s plans – as they did at home in 2023-24 and 2024-25, on both occasions winning the ODI encounters. A heavy defeat against Ireland last week was a reminder of some of their weaknesses, but they responded by piling up scores of 352 for 8 and 385 for 7. In Shai Hope (11th) and Gudakesh Motie (sixth) they have the highest-ranked batter and bowler on either side, and in Daren Sammy a coach who will squeeze every last drop out of the players at his disposal as they too seek an escape from the doldrums in 50-over cricket.Form guideEngland LLLLL
West Indies WLWWWKeacy Carty scored back-to-back centuries against Ireland•Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images

In the spotlight: Harry Brook and Keacy CartyFrom the toss onwards, it will be all eyes on Harry Brook, who led England with aplomb against Australia in Buttler’s injury-enforced absence last summer and now gets to shape the side in his image. It was a mark of how England had neglected ODIs after their World Cup win that, when Brook made his debut in 2023, he hadn’t played the format in almost four years. Now, with just 26 caps and a single hundred to his name, he still has plenty to learn. Familiarity with Brendon McCullum’s Bazball methods in charge of the Test team is likely to shape his philosophy, as England look to run towards the danger in a format where they’re not looked comfortable for some time.Keacy Carty scored his maiden international hundred in a series-sealing win against England in Barbados six months ago, and has since added a 95 against Bangladesh, followed by back-to-back tons in Ireland – the latter of which, 170 off 142 balls, was the joint-sixth highest ODI score for West Indies. It is almost a decade since Carty top-scored in the final as West Indies lifted the 2015-16 Under-19 World Cup, but he now looks at home in the senior set-up. Picked as the man for West Indies to “invest” in at No. 3, he has been praised by Sammy for his dedication and hard work, and shapes as a key cog in their attempts to build a side that can return to World Cup contention in 2027.Team news: Smith to open, Carse to returnIt had been assumed that Jacks or Tom Banton would be the likely replacement for Salt at opener, but England have sprung a surprise by opting instead of Smith as Duckett’s new partner at the top of the order. Despite making scores of 15, 9 and 0 in a desperate stint at No.3 in the Champions Trophy, he is given the chance to set the team’s agenda from the get-go, with Jacks slotting into the middle-order. Smith won’t, however, be keeping as well. That duty falls to Buttler, now back in the ranks and inked in at No.5. Atkinson has joined Archer in withdrawing from the squad due to injury, but there’s a welcome return for Carse, who will play for the first time since mangling his toes in the line of Test duty over the winter. Overton and Mahmood complete the seam attack with Adil Rashid the sole specialist spinner in a team stacked with allround candidates. Hartley will have to wait to play his first ODI since a washed-out game against Ireland in Bristol in September 2023.England: 1 Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Jacob Bethell, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Saqib MahmoodWest Indies are missing the services of Shepherd and Rutherford until the conclusion of their IPL involvement, who were replaced by Jediah Blades and Shimron Hetmyer respectively. Jewel Andrew is the other spare batter, while it will likely come down to a choice between Shamar Joseph’s pace and Jayden Seales’ accuracy to complete the attack.West Indies: (possible) 1 Brandon King, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt & wk), 5 Amir Jangoo, 6 Justin Greaves, 7 Roston Chase, 8 Matthew Forde, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Shamar Joseph/Jayden SealesPitch and conditions: Runs if not sunEdgbaston hasn’t staged an ODI since 2021, but it usually offers up one of the truest surfaces for batting in the country – in 2015, it was the scene of England’s seminal 408 for 9 in Eoin Morgan’s first outing as permanent captain. The driest spring in recent memory has given way to more familiar English weather, with rain forcing West Indies to train indoors on Tuesday, but the forecast for Thursday suggests interruptions will be at a minimum.Stats and trivia West Indies haven’t won a bilateral ODI series in England since 2007. Their last such visit, in 2017, resulted in a 4-0 defeat. Root needs 99 runs to overtake Eoin Morgan as England’s leading scorer in ODIs. Another 141 will make him the first Englishman to 7000. Roston Chase is 56 runs short of 1000 in ODIs. Rashid is set to win his 150th cap in the format; Brandon King his 50th.Quotes”New era now, new leadership. Hopefully we can bring a lot of energy, competitiveness, and a lot of fun as well out out there, try and engage the fans as much as we can – and yeah, try and get some wins under our belt.”
Harry Brook sets out his battle-plan on the eve of his captaincy tenure.“Ever since we started this journey with World Cup 2027 in mind, automatic qualification is the first goal. Climbing up the rankings is the only way we could do that. We’ve made some strides from when we started. Right now we’re No. 9, with England just ahead of us, by two or three points, and this series is very important.”

In his first press conference as Bangladesh’s T20I captain, Litton stressed the importance of clear communication with the players

Mohammad Isam12-May-2025Litton Das’ target with the Bangladesh T20I side is to focus on results rather than a particular brand of cricket. He set this agenda on Monday, in his first press conference after being appointed as the Bangladesh captain in the format. Litton was appointed captain last week when the BCB named the squad that will play against UAE and Pakistan in a total of seven T20Is over the next couple of weeks.Litton replaced Najmul Hossain Shanto, who quit the position earlier this year. Shanto was named the all-format Bangladesh captain in early 2024, but a loss of form caused him to take this action.Form hasn’t been on Litton’s side either, but he led Bangladesh to a 3-0 T20I series win against West Indies in December, when Shanto was out with an injury. Given Bangladesh’s lack of choices, Litton was the BCB’s only option.Litton stressed that his role would require him to communicate clearly with his team-mates.”I am not going to talk about a particular brand of cricket,” he said. “We might need to chase 180-200 in some games. Then we will have to chase 140-145 in other games. The ultimate goal is to win the game. A batter might need to score 40 off 20 balls in one game, and 15 off 20 in the next game.”I want every player to be involved in the game. A player must understand what the team needs from him. It is more important for the player to know how to win a game, rather than stick to a brand of cricket.”For the Bangladesh team to go ahead, the players have to perform. They have to play their specific roles. I have to communicate well with the players, more than talking to the BCB. The more time I get, I will get to be more involved in team matters.”Litton scored 368 runs in the BPL at a strike rate of 143.19•BCBLitton hasn’t played for Bangladesh in all of 2025. He was dropped from the ODI side ahead of the Champions Trophy, and missed the Test series against Zimbabwe after getting an NOC from the BCB to play in the Pakistan Super League. A thumb injury eventually kept him out of that tournament.While Litton was enduring a run of low scores at the time of his Champions Trophy axing, he has since returned to form. He scored 368 runs in the Bangladesh Premier League at an average of 36.80 and a strike rate of 143.19, and has carried that form into the 50-overs Dhaka Premier League, with two half-centuries in his last five innings for Gulshan CC.”I think I played international cricket last [in] December,” he said. “I was not [among the] runs at that time but since then I have tried to get back to form. I tried to get runs in BPL and DPL. I can only try my best. I will try to come back to some form, particularly in the way I have played in my career. If I am doing well, it will definitely help the team.”Litton believes that being appointed on a long-term basis is ideal for a captain . “It is certainly positive to be appointed on a long-term basis,” he said. “It allows you to think clearly about a lot of things. I have to organise the team my way. The players that I have, together we can do something good for the team.”Litton also praised the BCB for appointing Mahedi Hasan as his deputy. Mahedi was in great form against West Indies in December, and is one of the more underrated offspinners in world cricket.”Mahedi has been one of Bangladesh’s best powerplay bowlers,” Litton said. “He is a dominating bowler. You will see very few spinners around the world dominate in that manner. I think he will do better, and give us input to the best of his ability.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Na última sexta-feira (25), o Atlético-MG foi reconhecido pela Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) como campeão brasileiro de 1937 pelo título da “Taça dos Campeões”.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalTécnico do Sub-20 do Bangu fala sobre o título da Taça RioFutebol Nacional17/07/2023FluminenseFluminense e Bangu empatam pelas quartas de final do Carioca Sub-20Fluminense10/06/2023Fora de CampoAtlético Mineiro faz festa com fogos de artifícios para celebrar título brasileiro de 1937Fora de Campo27/08/2023

O Bangu foi o vencedor do torneio de mesmo nome em 1967. Com isso, após a decisão da CBF sobre o Atlético-MG, torcedores foram as redes sociais para questionar se o título conquistado pelo clube do Rio de Janeiro também deveria ser considerado Campeonato Brasileiro.

+ Atlético-MG é reconhecido como campeão brasileiro de 1937: veja clubes que ganharam torneios nacionais “não contados”

Contudo, no documento assinado pela CBF, é reconhecida apenas a conquista do clube de Belo Horizonte, não constando nada sobre o Bangu ou o Paulistano, que venceu o mesmo torneio em 1920.

Hampshire hit back from last week’s thrashing by Nottinghamshire in emphatic style with an 89-run Rothesay County Championship win over Warwickshire inside three days at Edgbaston.Set a target of 310, Warwickshire were all out for 220, unpicked by seamers James Fuller and Kyle Abbott. Alex Davies, with 66 from 106 balls, and Ethan Bamber (43) offered some resistance but the rest were blown away by a Hampshire side resurgent after their surrender at Trent Bridge.Hampshire’s second innings had closed in the morning on 203. Beau Webster took 4 for 57 and Bamber 4 for 60 but the match was decided by the visitors outbowling their hosts on a pitch which offered encouragement to seamers throughout.After Hampshire resumed on 159 for 6, already 275 ahead, Bamber quickly struck twice when Brad Wheal edged to second slip and Fuller’s middle-stump was sent flying by an inside-edged slog. Abbott pulled Bamber for six in a handy run-a-ball stand of 32 with Toby Albert before Webster had Albert and John Turner caught behind in three balls.A target of 310 offered an intriguing last chapter to an engrossing match and Warwickshire’s chase began spectacularly. They were 10 for 2 after three overs after Abbott hit Rob Yates’ off stump, Davies struck his first two balls for four and Tom Latham edged Abbott to wicketkeeper Ben Brown.Unfazed by the rocky start, Davies and Sam Hain added 68 in 24 overs. Hain looked in excellent form on his way to 30 but his season’s story so far of getting in then getting out continued when he offered no shot to an Abbott in-ducker and was lbw.Davies reached a 66-ball half-century but was among the casualties as Fuller unleashed a ferocious spell from the Pavilion End, ripping out 3 for 3 in 12 balls. Webster and Davies were trapped in front by balls that kept low, either side of Ed Barnard tickling an outswinger to the keeper.At 126 for 6, Warwickshire needed something special from their lower order on a pitch which had yielded just one half-century in each innings. It was understandably beyond them. Zen Malik hoisted Turner to fine leg. Bamber and Che Simmons fought hard to add 43 in 17 overs before Fuller returned to complete his five-for by removing both. Bamber edged behind, Simmons lofted to long leg and when Turner flattened Olly Hannon-Dalby’s off-stump, Hampshire’s reassertion of their qualities was complete.

“When I started first-class cricket, I bowled a lot with my left arm. But later, it became about 60% right arm, and 40% left arm.”

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jun-2025

“I don’t know which arm I’ve taken more wickets with,” says Tharindu Rathnayake of his wicket tally in domestic cricket. “I’ve never looked at it properly. I’ve bowled a lot with both my arms.”If this seems like bragging, Rathnayake continues to speak as if being able to bowl with either arm is a normal experience to which anyone could relate. It must seem natural to him, though – he has 337 first-class wickets, and 122 List A dismissals.”When I started first-class cricket, I bowled a lot with my left arm. But later, after a couple of years, it became about 60% right arm, and 40% left arm.”Related

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Right, so why, on day one of his debut Test, against Bangladesh in Galle, did Rathnayake bowl 15.5 overs of right-arm offbreaks before he tried his first ball of left-arm spin?”I just felt that the ball that turns into the batter is harder for them to face because this wicket is suited to the batters. When you bowl right-arm offspin against right-handed batters with the red ball, it’s not easy for them to play. When I bowl offspin, I also have more options with the fields I can set. With left-arm spin, because the wicket is not behaving as we want it to, they can put the ball into gaps, and they have more scoring options.”To what extent Rathnayake knows this unusual craft is not clear yet. Unlike Kamindu Mendis, the other ambidextrous spinner in the side, Rathnayake is primarily a bowler. In the match-ups age, though, being able to bowl with either arm could be a supremely useful skill. Rathnayake seems to be aware of that potential.”Before we come to the match, in our planning, we talked about what each batsman is better at facing, and which sides they hit to,” he said. “So I try to create plans around their weaknesses, and change which arm I’m bowling with according to that.”Though Rathnayake claimed two wickets – both left-handers caught at slip against his offbreaks – in his first session of Test cricket, he said the Galle pitch got better to bat on through the day.”There was a little moisture early on, but it dried out. There wasn’t much spin. I’m expecting it to stay good until day four.”

South Africa have “created our own reality” to become World Test Champions, and for head coach Shukri Conrad, that is significant beyond the present moment. It is something that as players, neither he nor his father Sedick could do.Both were active during the Apartheid era, when players of colour, no matter how good they were, could not represent South Africa. On March 11, Sedick Conrad passed away, exactly three months before Shukri would oversee the opening day of the WTC final.”With two runs to go, I remember the old man saying to me, ‘I just want to see you beat Australia one day’,” Shukri told reporters on the outfield at Lord’s, wearing dark glasses to hide his eyes.”They [The eyes] are worse than Kesh’s,” he’d told the broadcasters after Keshav Maharaj, whose father Athmanand was also a cricketer for whom national representation was impossible, broke down on air.Related

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Maharaj’s many tears were the least expected, given his usually poker-faced public demeanour, but the most emphatic as South Africa allowed their emotions to pour out after ten sessions of tense Test cricket.”It was probably the two worst hours of cricket for me, but the two best at the same time,” Shukri said. “We were living every emotion, almost sketching everything that potentially could go wrong. The mind just plays weird and wonderful games. When Scholsy (Kyle Verreynne, who is nicknamed after English footballer Paul Scholes) smacked that one, there was just an outpour of applause from everyone. I’m thrilled for these guys.”Equally, they will be thrilled for him. Shukri is the ultimate home-grown coach, is little-known outside of South Africa’s cricket circles. But he has walked every path within it. He has coached two of the most successful provincial sides (Gauteng and Western Province), the national academy, the under-19 side and A side and can make his selections based on wide and deep knowledge of the country’s game.7:27

Bavuma: We’ve wiped all doubts with the way that we’ve played

Some of them have raised eyebrows including recalling Aiden Markram for his first series in charge, appointing Temba Bavuma captain, dropping and then going back to Verreynne, sticking with Dane Paterson and most recently, putting Wiaan Mulder at No.3 and opting for Lungi Ngidi, who had not played a Test in ten months, for the final. All of them have paid off. He created a reality in which a South African side others may have considered a mish-mash came together to make a dream come true.”This is not me trying to justify my selections in any way. This is purely a case of every single guy on this side wanting to deliver and play his part. And everybody did,” Shukri said. “We’re the world champions. We create our own reality. (People were saying) we haven’t played any of the big three. Well, now we’ve played one of them and we beat them. This is not me being arrogant. This is me saying when we play against the supposed top three, we will perform. And we’re the world champions.”South Africa played, and drew a series, against India at the start of this WTC cycle and did not play England or Australia in the two-year period and faced criticism over a so-called easy run to the final. Shukri always dismissed that as bluster and continued to in the aftermath of the final.”We play whatever’s put in front of us. There’s a lot of things we’d like, but we can’t get, so we just play the cards we’re dealt with. And it’s often not what you dealt, but how you play those cards. And I think we’ve done nicely.”Now, he has additional ammunition because of who South Africa overcame in the final. It’s not just that it’s Australia or that they are the defending champions but they have historically bossed world cricket and won more trophies than anyone else. So there was no surprise that Shukri’s voice was bolder when he reflected on how tough the opposition was. “Arguably the best side in the world – we’ve just beaten them,” he said.South Africa ended their ICC title drought with the WTC mace•ICC/Getty Images

He took the wide-lens view of what the match itself, where the advantage crossed the floor several times on each day, said about the appeal of the game. “It’s easy to say this because we’ve won, but if the result was different, it’d still have been the best cricketing experience we’ve ever been a part of,” Shukri said. “It’s an absolute spectacle. Everything about this place is spot on: the vibe, the crowd support, it was wonderful. And for people who take time off and spend hard-earned cash at 24 Rands to a Pound to come out here and support, we’re just thrilled that we could deliver for them as well.”Over 100,000 people packed Lord’s across the three-and-a-third days and a majority of them were supporting South Africa. While the South African expat population made up a lot of the crowd, a healthy number had flown into London for the week, including over 400 hosted by sponsor of Cricket South Africa. They sang songs of home including (the unofficial national anthem that was sung by mine workers and symbolises undying resistance), Ole Ole (the eternal football chant) and “Oh Temba Bavuma” to the tune of Seven Nation Army, over and over and over again.Scenes like these are hardly ever part of a South African Test summer, where only Newlands and SuperSport Park sell out but Shukri hopes the WTC win will inspire interest in the longest format. “I just want people to fall in love with first-class and Test cricket again and I think people will, because the spin-offs are immense,” Shukri said. “T20, the most popular format, benefits if you’ve got a strong first-class system and a strong Test team. You only need to look at the IPL. Our players are the most sought after, and today we become World Test Champions as well.”South Africa will have to wait more than a year to find out if that will be the case. There are no home Tests this summer, as the tour to India ends in mid-December and the SA20 starts shortly after, and grounds are being refurbished for the 2027 ODI World Cup. But next season they host eight Tests, including three each against England and Australia. It seems like too long to ask South African fans to wait to see their champion team, but they waited long enough just to be able to label them that. Perhaps the long break will give them a chance to realise that winning a world title is now their reality too.

Everton weren’t able to learn all that much from their recent draw in the Premier League against West Ham United.

The central forwards are still misfiring, but there is a new spring in the Toffees’ collective step, and David Moyes’ system continues to show an impressive degree of dynamism.

Against West Ham, there were both winners and losers in Blue. A draw was the result, and Everton shift into ninth place, alongside a huddle of sides on eight points after six games.

Michael Keane continues to stake his claim for a regular starting role in this improving Everton side, while Jack Grealish, even on an ‘off day’, created three chances and looked a focal source of joy from an attacking standpoint. The flow of Moyes’ system runs through the esteemed loanee.

However, we cannot hide from the fact that there were a few who flattered to deceive. In particular, Beto’s woes in front of goal persisted against Nuno Espirito Santo’s Irons, and the Bissau Guinean striker needs to click into gear quickly if he is going to confidently lead the line across the term.

Beto's struggles in front of goal

Manager bounce. A sporting phenomenon that can be defined as a temporary improvement to an ailing team’s performance levels as a direct result of a change in leadership, invigorating the players with a fresh lease of life.

For Everton, this was certainly the case, but then they have also plateaued at a level above that which was being played when Sean Dyche was in the dugout and battling against relegation.

However, for Beto, his post-Dyche purple patch is beginning to look like a flash in the pan. Peripheral across the first half of the 2024/25 season, the 27-year-old scored five goals in four Premier League matches after Moyes’ arrival. He has since scored three times across 18 league fixtures.

Games

42

23

Starts

10

20

Goals

4

8

Assists

0

0

Work is needed, but Thierno Barry, £27m summer signing from Villarreal, has yet to prove that he has what it takes to supersede his positional rival.

Against West Ham, Beto struggled once again, missing a chance to score in the first half, with sports writer Barry Viner even describing the forward as “useless”.

If an upswing in form is not on the horizon, changes will be needed. And Beto isn’t the only one, with another Everton star proving against West Ham that he is not the solution in his current role.

Moyes must ditch Everton star

Moyes has an aptitude for lifting players. He recognises the strengths and qualities inherent in any given star and knows how to apply their preferred style within his tactical system.

And the rise and rise of Jake O’Brien since the beginning of 2025 has been a testament to this argument. The Irishman joined from Lyon for around £16m in July 2024, but he scarcely played until the new year had dawned.

More often than not, he has played as a right-back, moonlighting in a role he probably didn’t envisage when crossing the Channel and heading to Merseyside.

But the 6 foot 6 O’Brien has typified the commitment and willingness needed to succeed in a Moyes team, having played every minute of the Premier League campaign from the right side of the defence.

This needs to change, and the draw against West Ham underlined that, with the Liverpool Echo branding the 24-year-old with a 5/10 match rating after a performance that laid bare his lack of focus and deficiencies when getting forward and contributing toward the attack.

He also left something to be desired from an aerial standpoint. As per Sofascore, O’Brien only won three of his six headed challenges, dribbled past twice and having lost the ball 12 times despite failing to create a single chance.

Iliman Ndiaye is playing in an unnatural right-flanking role this season, so to accommodate Grealish on the left. He’s shown flashes of quality across his five appearances, but then Senegalese talent is being supported by a right-back more naturally suited to the centre-half role.

This is not to say that O’Brien never deserves a starting berth again. He has been dependable and industrious since Moyes arrived at the club. However, not signing a right-back this summer was a confusing decision from the Friedkin Group, especially with Ndiaye playing on the right and thus in need of more support.

Former Everton writer Adam Jones even noted during the game that “O’Brien at right-back just does not work in the long term”, continuing to criticise the “mind-boggling” decision not to sign a natural wideman this summer.

While Moyes intimated during the transfer window that this new Everton project cannot be built in a day, or, more accurately, a single transfer window, there’s a sense that the club have sold themselves short in some areas, and with such promise coursing through the squad, it would be disappointing for a dearth of options in key areas to unravel the hard work plied across the year.

O’Brien is a talented and combative defender who has a long-term place in this Everton squad, but it’s clear that TFG needed to sign a natural right-back this summer, especially with Seamus Coleman at the twilight end of his career and Nathan Patterson embroiled in an interminable battle against injuries.

As the season deepens, it’s becoming clear that Beto might not have what it takes to lead the line for Everton in the long run. Is this the same for O’Brien? It is not.

However, as Moyes’ system continues to develop and modernise, so too must an emphasis be placed on an upgrade on the right.

Moyes has just unearthed Everton's brand new Baines & it's not Mykolenko

Everton drew 1-1 with West Ham United in the Premier League as they crept up into ninth place.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 30, 2025