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India opener records second double-hundred and second-highest List A score in England

ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2023Prithvi Shaw secured his place in the record books with a magnificent 244 off just 153 balls to set up an 87-run victory over Somerset in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Wantage Road. Shaw’s innings was Northamptonshire’s highest ever score in List A cricket and the sixth-highest worldwide in List A history.The India international put on a batting masterclass blasting 11 sixes and 28 fours. Along the way he eclipsed his undefeated 227 for Mumbai against Puducherry at Jaipur in 2021. He also moved past Ben Duckett’s 220 not out for England Lions against Sri Lanka A in 2016 to post the second-highest ever List A innings made in England. Only Alistair Brown with 268 for Surrey against Glamorgan at the Oval in 2002 has scored more.After almost chopping on before scoring, Shaw did not offer another chance until he passed 200. He made batting look effortless, scoring all around the wicket, threading the ball through the gaps with surgical precision. Somerset did not help matters either with some uncharacteristically subpar ground fielding and catching.

Sixth-highest score in List A history
Second-highest List A score in
Highest-ever List A score for @NorthantsCCC @PrithviShaw with one of the all-time great knocks #MBODC23 pic.twitter.com/NfXH7RHfqk

— Metro Bank One Day Cup (@onedaycup) August 9, 2023

Shaw took on the spinners, using his feet to hit down the ground or sweeping high over long-off, one ball flying out of the ground. He also played fluently against the seamers, controlling the hook shot well, driving and cutting and twice depositing Somerset’s most experienced bowler Jack Brooks over long-off for six.He reached his first 100 off 81 balls before powering to 200 off just 48 more. In the process, he overtook David Sales’ 161 in 2006, the previous best for the Steelbacks in 50-over cricket, before moving past David Willey’s 167 in 2013 and Wayne Larkins’ 172 in 1983, both scored in 40-over affairs.Somerset opener Andy Umeed offered the visitors some hope with his highest List A score of 77 off 67 balls, smashing the ball with some ferocity, and sharing a century stand with Lewis Goldsworthy. Rob Keogh’s spin however prompted a mini collapse as Somerset lost three wickets for eight runs in 12 balls. Sean Dickson and Curtis Campher put on 77 in seven overs but were left with too much to do, with Northamptonshire’s sharp fielding in marked contrast to their opponents. Keogh finished with figures of 4 for 49, his best in List A cricket.Emilio Gay had given Northamptonshire’s innings a strong foundation in the powerplay with an opening partnership worth 63, hitting six boundaries before he played Shoaib Bashir straight to mid-on.Shaw found another partner in Ricardo Vasconelos with the pair sharing a stand of 112 in 16.3 overs. They targeted Curtis Campher, taking 18 off one over, Vasconcelos taking Northamptonshire past 150 by hooking him for six.Vasconcelos was gifted three lives, first on 22 when short midwicket couldn’t hold onto a tough chance, then when more straightforward chances were put down on 32 and 38. George Thomas had the final word though, taking a sharp catch off his own bowling.Shaw duly brought up his century off 81 balls, slowing slightly as Goldsworthy extracted some turn. He soon found his feet against Brooks, as the former Steelbacks bowler conceded 19 off one over.Sam Whiteman hit a six and five fours in a run-a-ball 50, but otherwise played second fiddle to Shaw as they put on 194 in 18.3 overs. They brought up Northamptonshire’s 200 in the 32nd over and motored to 300 in the 39th before Whiteman was bowled by Danny Lamb.Tom Taylor was run out after being dropped first ball – the first of four wickets to fall for two runs as Northamptonshire lost three batters to catches while attempting to force the pace, giving Brooks three consolation scalps.Shaw started the final over with six down the ground, but his long stay finally ended when he holed out off Lamb and left to a standing ovation.In the reply, Thomas fell attempting to pull a short ball from Taylor, but Umeed was in good touch, pulling Jack White for six and hitting Simon Kerrigan for two huge sixes, one into the top of the Spencer Pavilion and one which flew over the top. His downfall came when he was trapped in front by Keogh, attempting to sweep.Goldsworthy had played the junior partner, striking just four boundaries, and chipped Keogh to long-off where Vasconcelos took a stunning catch. The spinner then collected his third scalp when he trapped the in-form James Rew lbw attempting a reverse sweep.George Bartlett fell to Luke Procter for 13, but Dickson and Campher went on the offensive, trying to keep up with an ever-rising run rate. Dickson hit Kerrigan down the ground for six while Campher meted out similar treatment to Taylor before he fell to a fine boundary catch from James Sales off Taylor.Lamb reverse-swept Keogh for six but gave Taylor his third wicket when he was caught at wide mid-off. Dickson’s captain’s knock ended when he was caught in the deep and with him went Somerset’s last hope. The tail wagged vigorously but ultimately in vain.”The sun was out, it was kind of like Indian weather today so it was really looking good,” Shaw said. “You know when an inside edge doesn’t get me out, that means this day is for me. You have to be lucky sometimes, so I think this was a day for me. I didn’t look back after that.”The 227 was in my head to be honest. I spoke to Whitey [Whiteman] when he was there and I told him it’s 227, my highest score. But it was a good team effort all around. I always try and win matches for the team and I’m the kind of a player who puts my team first and then myself. If scoring like this can help my team to win, then I should continue this.”On his motivation for playing county cricket, Shaw added: “Definitely experience for sure. Not really thinking what the Indian selectors may be thinking, but I just want to have a good time here, have a good time with the players over here and the support staff. Northamptonshire have given me this opportunity… they’re really looking after me. I’m really enjoying it.”

Arsenal appear to be closing in on their preferred attacking reinforcement this summer, with advanced negotiations underway for the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP. Having evaluated multiple striker options, the Gunners have reportedly turned their full attention to the Swedish international, side-lining previous target Benjamin Sesko in the process.

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Arsenal on the verge of signing Gyokeres Sporting remain firm on €75m demandsWill stop their Sesko pursuitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

has indicated that Arsenal are nearing the final stages of securing Gyokeres' signature, with a five-year contract believed to be agreed between the player and the Premier League side. The negotiations with Sporting, however, are ongoing as both parties work through the financial details of the transfer.

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Gyokeres is understood to be “betrayed and tired” with Sporting’s handling of the situation. Reports suggest he believes an earlier understanding with the club, an informal agreement allowing him to leave for a reduced fee, has not been respected. Sporting president Federico Varandas has acknowledged the club’s willingness to part ways with their top scorer but maintains they are not ready to let him go without receiving what they consider a fair price.

"Sporting does not need to sell him, but we remain sensitive to the dreams of Viktor and any of our athletes," he said.

"After weeks of meetings, we are not asking for the release clause and will be reasonable regarding the price we ask for Viktor. Today, I believe there is a strong probability he will leave. We have been watching the market and I saw [Martin] Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, leave for €65 million.

"I saw Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both forwards but who, in my opinion, do not have Viktor's market value or quality, being negotiated for around €75m. I'm not going to say what the price is, the player knows what it is. I can tell you that Viktor won't leave for €60m plus €10m, he won't, he just won't."

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Gyokeres’ goal-scoring exploits last season were nothing short of extraordinary. The 26-year-old netted 39 times in just 33 league appearances, a tally unmatched across Europe’s top ten leagues. While Arsenal had previously been linked with RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, the progress made with Gyokeres suggests that their interest in the Slovenian may now be cooling.

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Should the deal go through, Gyokeres would represent a marquee signing for the Gunners, someone capable of transforming their attacking threat and elevating the team’s ambitions in both domestic and European competitions. With his physical profile and scoring pedigree, he fits the mould of a traditional No. 9 that Arsenal have long sought to add to their ranks.

He was ‘speechless’ after bowling his side to victory against NZ A and claiming the best-ever List A figures for Australia A just two days after being called up

Alex Malcolm13-Sep-2023Henry Thornton has capped a whirlwind 48 hours by claiming a career-best 7 for 39 on debut for Australia A in a thumping victory over New Zealand A in Brisbane just two days after an unexpected call-up into the squad.Thornton claimed the first seven wickets of New Zealand A’s chase as they were bowled out for just 135 inside 32 overs, falling well short of Australia A’s 243 that had been underpinned by a stunning 70 off 59 balls from Ben McDermott.The 26-year-old was a long way down the list of Australia A fast-bowling candidates when the initial squad was selected having played just 16 List A games for Victoria and South Australia. But an unprecedented spate of injuries across the Australia ODI squad and Australia A squads meant Thornton was flown to Brisbane on Monday, just hours after he got the call from the selectors, ahead of Wednesday’s second unofficial ODI as Liam Hatcher’s replacement after he was ruled out with foot soreness. Ben Dwarshuis, Wes Agar and Mark Steketee had already been ruled out from the initial squad.Thornton took full advantage ripping through New Zealand A, just as he did for Adelaide Strikers in the BBL last year when he took an extraordinary 5 for 3. He was left in shock after his performance having produced the best List A figures for Australia A in front of his dad, who had flown up for the day to watch.”I’m kind of speechless at the moment,” Thornton said. “It was pretty cool. My dad was up here in the crowd and he was going absolutely ballistic.”He said you might not get many chances to play for Australia A again so I’d better come up and watch. He was going absolutely nuts.”New Zealand A were cruising at 0 for 46 in the seventh over when Thornton was introduced and he took three wickets in the over. Tim Seifert drilled a catch to cover to start the rot. Thornton then nipped one back through Dean Foxcroft’s gate before claiming Tom Bruce first ball with another that decked back and caught the inside edge through to keeper Josh Philippe.Thornton didn’t even know he was on a hat-trick next over when he delivered a bouncer but New Zealand A’s run-rate completely stalled. Opener Nick Kelly, who had blazed 30 off his first 20 balls scored just 14 from his next 35 before slicing Thornton to backward point.Two overs later he was on a hat-trick again as the visitors slumped to 6 for 74. Thornton bowled out his 10 overs straight, including a maiden, claiming his seventh wicket for the innings in the 24th over. New Zealand A’s tail folded with Matthew Kuhnemann and Ashton Turner picking up the last three between them.”It’s pretty crazy,” Thornton said. “I thought if we bowled enough balls in the right area, there’d be enough there. I just tried to hit the top of the stumps and got pretty lucky to be honest. They’re pretty good players. I was just honestly stoked to get the call-up for the last two games up here. And it’s been a great couple of days with the boys.”If you look at the guys in the room. It’s a pretty special team and for me to just be involved and a part of it … I said this when I was playing BBL and took that 5 for 3, two years ago I was just running around playing grade cricket. So any game that I get to play is an absolute bonus. And it’s a privilege to play with the guys in this room.”Thornton was one of only four players in the Australia A XI who haven’t played international cricket. McDermott provided some international standard ball striking on his way to a blistering 70 earlier in the day. He thumped four fours and six sixes in his 59-ball stay. He was savage on anything back of a length, clubbing all of his sixes over deep midwicket and wide long-on, including one onto the roof of the Stuart Law stand and several out of the ground before he miscued one of Foxcroft.Australia A crumbled from 1 for 119 after 19 overs to be all out for 243 in the 45th. William O’Rourke pegged it back for the visitors after the rough start claiming 4 for 29. Matt Renshaw contributed 43 and Josh Philippe 35. Matt Short, Ollie Davies and Gurinder Sandhu were the only other Australia A batters to reach double figures.But after losing the two four-day matches, Australia A claimed the 50-over series 2-0 ahead of the final game on Friday.

Nemanja Vidic has revealed that he would love to manage Manchester United after winning five Premier League titles with the club as a player.

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Vidic eyeing United job Has never managed before Became a legend at Old TraffordFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Vidic has spoken to The Overlap and was asked about the prospect of becoming a manager in future, and outlined his objective to become United boss. The ex-Serbia international won the Premier League five times, and the Champions League, during his time at Old Trafford.

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Vidic's objectives may be a little beyond him, given that he has never managed a team before. He retired in 2016, after a spell at Inter Milan, but has yet to take the step into the dugout.

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Vidic said: “If I was to manage or coach anyone, it would have to be Manchester United.

"I like things when they’re difficult and to change something from difficult to good, this is something I like to do.”

Asked about his current plans, Vidic replied:  "I'm open an opportunity to be a coach, or to work in football as a Sporting Director, or even the Serbian President of the FA – that was the plan a few years ago – it didn’t happen but maybe it could happen in the future.

“Obviously, what I’m doing outside [of football], business wise, creating a company which is going to be not just successful but is going to be who I am as well.

"Everything I do, I like to do the best I can, and to produce the quality. In the business I’m doing now, with the apartments, that’s what I’m trying to achieve as well. To create good apartments and nice buildings, which I’m going to be proud walking in, and being proud of what I’ve built.”

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Vidic will have a close eye on United throughout the upcoming season. They face Leeds on July 19 in their next pre-season friendly.

Head coach Jonathan Trott breaks down the reasons behind the change in Afghanistan’s batting approach

Ashish Pant02-Nov-2023Soaking up pressure and adapting their T20 skills to the pace of ODIs are the reasons for Afghanistan’s batting success at the World Cup, according to their head coach Jonathan Trott ahead of a crucial game against Netherlands in Lucknow.Coming into the tournament, Afghanistan’s middle order had the lowest average of all Full Member nations in ODIs since the start of 2021 – 26.44. That number has gone up to 36.93 in the World Cup, the fifth best in the tournament.Related

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“I think it’s a case more of just being better all-around, and thinking more about your all-around game,” Trott said in Lucknow on Friday. “Afghanistan [players] naturally grow up playing a lot more T20 cricket than any other format, so the skills for T20 are there. It’s about adding to that sort of base of T20 skills. As you see, 50-over cricket is a long time and you have to be able to, I think, ride the sort of ebbs, and flows of a game.”While openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have been scoring consistently, it hasn’t gone bust when they have not fired. In their previous game against Sri Lanka, Gurbaz fell for a four-ball duck but Rahmat Shah stepped up and had half-century stands with Ibrahim and Hashmatullah Shahidi, who in turn put on 111 with Azmatullah Omarzai to finish the chase.”The thing I’m really happy about from the last game is we lost a wicket in the first over and Rahmat Shah was able to go into No. 3 and soak up that pressure but still kept scoring at a good tempo,” Trott said. “That shows the ability to soak up pressure at times, what you have to do in 50-over cricket, but also then accelerate at certain times.”Rahmat Shah has been unfazed even when Afghanistan have lost an early wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesTrott also stressed on the importance of the batters who are in to stay till the end and finish the job, especially while chasing.”I think when chasing those targets, we saw just what is possible if you have a good solid start and you have batsmen in the last ten overs,” he said. “That’s happened for us, but it’s also happened against us in games where it’s been difficult to stop the opposition with set batters in the last ten overs.”Having that sort of vision, knowing that you can score quickly towards the back end of games, I think that’s the pennies we’re starting to see drop with the players.”Afghanistan have managed to walk the talk, especially in their previous two games, against Pakistan and Sri Lanka where they chased down targets of 283 and 242 with ease.”Obviously, there’s a difference between talking about it and actually going out and doing it. And we’re seeing players go out and do it now,” Trott said. “We’ve spoken a lot about it and worked really hard to try and achieve it, so it’s nice to see the players do well and have a smile on the face when they’re there batting at the end of the game, having chased in the last two games and won.”

England greats join camp heavy on spinners and allrounders, following success of summer involvement

Vithushan Ehantharajah09-Nov-2023Andrew Flintoff and Graeme Swann will reprise their mentorship roles with the ECB as part of the England Lions’ upcoming training camp in the United Arab Emirates.Flintoff and Swann, regarded as two of the country’s most talismanic cricketers, were both in attendance at Loughborough on Thursday, working with the 20-strong playing group that will fly out on November 17 for a three-week trip, primarily focussing on red-ball skills. It is a distinctly green-tinged party, with 10 players involved in the programme for the first time, and skewed towards spinners and all-rounders, making the presence of the two modern greats in those roles all the more valuable.Both Flintoff and Swann have been involved with the England pathway over the last 12 months. Flintoff recently completed an unpaid stint with the ODI squad during their series against Ireland, presenting fellow Lancastrian Tom Hartley with his maiden international cap in Nottingham. The series was Flintoff’s first public appearance since a serious car crash while filming an episode of Top Gear last December. He has since been compensated a reported £9 million by the BBC.The hero of the 2005 Ashes, who scored 3,845 runs and took 226 wickets across 79 Tests, has also worked with the Under-19s, and attended Ashes Tests during the 2023 summer alongside close friend Rob Key, England’s managing director. Key has been integral to Flintoff’s return to the game.Swann, who retired in 2013 as England’s leading off-spinner with 255 dismissals at an average of 29.96, accompanied the corresponding Lions tour in 2022. He was subsequently drafted as a coach for their tour of Sri Lanka at the start of this year. His input, both around spin and tactics, was such that the ECB have been keen to get him more involved between his existing commitments as a commentator and spin coach of Trent Rockets in the men’s Hundred.The pair will assist a coaching team headed by men’s elite bowling coach Neil Kileen, alongside Jim Troughton (Surrey) and Paul Tweddle (Somerset). Performance director Mo Bobat, who will be in the UAE for the duration of the trip ahead of leaving the ECB in February to take up a director of cricket post at Royal Challengers Bangalore, lauded the continued involvement of Flintoff and Swann.”He’s got a huge passion for helping people,” Bobat said of Flintoff. “He is going through a bit of a journey himself. He wants to give back to the game. He has a lot to offer, and there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm from him, and we have a desire to get him involved. It’s not often you get players of his calibre and experience wanting to get involved as proactively as he does. You have to really take that seriously.Swann and Flintoff (alongside Darren Maddy and Matt Windows) were contemporaries of Rob Key (right) during their playing days, including a tour of Zimbabwe in 1999•Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images”We got him around the U19s, and he was brilliant with them. We got him around the England lads, which I know Jos [Buttler] and Motty [white-ball head coach Matthew Mott] really enjoyed. I started speaking to him in the summer, saying I’d love you to come on this camp, and he said he’d love to.”At the moment, we have agreed that he will come for the whole camp, but he’s in demand and we will see. He also has a few medical things he is still working through which we have to be respectful of. The plan is that he’s there for the full camp.”We had Swanny with us last winter and he was amazing. He was even better than I thought he was going to be around the group – brilliant tactically, brilliant mentoring the spinners, great for the captains. He’s trying to bring that into the environment, and I’m sure Fred will be similar from what I’ve experienced of him so far from this summer.”Test players not involved in the ODI World Cup will also feature. Seamers James Anderson and Ollie Robinson will drop in, while wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who was dropped this summer, will be with the Lions for the duration until December 7. Ollie Pope (shoulder) and Jack Leach (back) will also travel out to continue their rehabilitation from injuries sustained last season. Brendon McCullum will also be in attendance for a portion of the tour, accompanied by a handful of Test coaches along with Key, and will work separately with the Test group while he is out there.It will also be an opportunity for McCullum to run the rule over some of the Lions contingent ahead of the five-match series in India which commences in January. While quicks Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue and legspinner Rehan Ahmed are known quantities as far as Test cricket is concerned, it could present an opportunity for Hartley to impress.The tall left-arm spinner has been earmarked for this Test tour and, at the very least, will be in India on a Lions tour due to run parallel with the main event. That particular group will feature more senior fringe players playing a two-day warm-up followed by three four-day matches against India A – ideally first-class – pending confirmation from the BCCI.It is also likely some players will be pulled away from the Lions training camp for the white-ball tour of West Indies, which begins on December 3. England’s dire performance in the ongoing World Cup has put the onus on using the eight-match tour – three ODIs and five T20Is – as a chance to blood the next generation.Rehan, Potts, Tongue, Hartley and Hampshire’s young quick John Turner could be in contention. Brydon Carse, who has not featured for England since being drafted into the World Cup squad as an injury replacement for Reece Topley, has been stood down from attending the UAE camp, given what lies ahead.

European Champions Paris Saint-Germain have joined Arsenal and Al-Nassr in the transfer race to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid this summer. The Gunners have been linked with a move for the Brazilian for a long time as they look to bolster their attack before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. However, they are now likely to be dragged into a bidding war for the winger.

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PSG enter race to sign RodrygoArsenal remain favouritesAl-Nassr keen on signing the BrazilianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After playing a good part of the 2024-25 season without a recognised No.9 in their lineup, Mikel Arteta is determined to sign a quality attacker to bolster his squad ahead of a new season. Accordingly, the North London club have been linked with a move for multiple forwards, including Selecao star Rodrygo this summer.

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The Gunners, however, will have to part ways with a first-team member before they can sanction further buys, as a good chunk of their summer transfer budget was spent on bringing in Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. It was initially reported that Rodrygo's compatriot Gabriel Martinelli could be sold to Al-Nassr but latest reports have emerged that the Saudi giants have now shown concrete interest in the Los Blancos star after Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly urged his club to sign the attacker.

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now reports that reigning Champions League winners PSG are the latest club to show interest in the Brazilian and the club officials have got in touch with the player's representatives. PSG's attack is currently spearheaded by Ousmane Dembele but Rodrygo's arrival could further bolster an already star-studded lineup. Manager Luis Enrique is reportedly known to be an admirer of the 24-year-old.

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For now, the Brazil international remains focused on the Club World Cup and will be next seen in action on Wednesday as Madrid face PSG in the semi-final.

The squad is due to be named on Tuesday but confirmation of a new captain will likely wait

AAP13-Nov-20231:30

Lanning admits she ‘no longer has the spark’ for international cricket

Australia coach Shelley Nitschke admits a changing of the guard has hit her faster than expected, as officials hold off a decision on Meg Lanning’s full-time successor.Selectors will announce a squad for next month’s multi-format tour of India on Tuesday, less than a week after Lanning’s shock retirement call.It’s unlikely a captain will be named until closer to Australia’s December 13 departure, with a decision still needing to be made and approved by the Cricket Australia board.Related

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Alyssa Healy remains the frontrunner, with the 33-year-old having put her hand up for the job after leading Australia in Lanning’s absence for parts of the past year.Tahlia McGrath is the other potential option if officials prefer a longer-term replacement, given the 28-year-old has served as Healy’s deputy on recent tours.”There’s quite a few things to weigh up around it,” Nitschke told AAP. “It’s just a matter of going through the process.”Sitting down with the selectors and people who make those decisions and working out what’s the best thing moving forward.”Nitschke knew when she took over as coach last year she would oversee a significant period of transition in the all-conquering women’s team.But that time has arrived after Lanning and her previous deputy Rachael Haynes retired in the space of 14 months following a five-year period of Australian dominance.Alyssa Healy is the favourite to take over from Meg Lanning•AFP/Getty Images”We always knew that the transition is coming, but it probably hasn’t played out how you might have guessed,” Nitschke said. “Rach we knew was probably coming at some point.”But I probably didn’t expect to be at this point and having Meg retire. We’ll certainly miss her. Even though she obviously hasn’t been around the group for a little while now. I’d always thought she would return. We’ll miss her presence and leadership and all the rest of it.”Australia’s first assignment in the post-Lanning era is a tricky one in India. The team wants to shift its mindset in the three T20Is and ODIs with a more attacking approach, while the December 21 Test will be Australia’s first in the country since 1984.Lanning’s recent absences have allowed Phoebe Litchfield to step up in the top order, and it’s unlikely there will be mass changes from the squad that drew the Ashes series in July.The fact Australia regularly plays three spinners, including allrounder Ashleigh Gardner, means Nitschke believes the squad always resembles one that suits Indian conditions.But the biggest challenge will come in foreign conditions with the bat in the Test match, particularly with Lanning not there. Australia will keep a close eye on England’s Test in Mumbai against India next month, and Nitschke is hopeful a warm-up match can be organised.”If it starts to turn, particularly in the second innings, it could present some conditions that we haven’t faced for a while,” Nitchscke said. “That’s something that most of the players wouldn’t have experienced before. We’re going to have to talk about and adjust to pretty quickly.”

Murphy called the Club World Cup a successful test for 2026 from logistics, security and fan-experience perspectives

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Gov. Murphy confident in MetLife hosting World CupPraised success of Club World Cup in New JerseySays transportation system equipped to handle matchesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images EntertainmentWHAT HAPPENED?

NEWARK, N.J. – Everything is relative. But when it comes to the scope of the 2026 World Cup, leave it to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy – whose state will host eight matches in next year’s tournament, including the final, at MetLife Stadium – to provide proper perspective.

“Of course, we have the FIFA World Cup next year,” Murphy said Thursday, addressing The Global Game summit at the Prudential Center. “Eight matches, including what will be the most-watched event in human history – not a sporting event – which is the World Cup final. We're incredibly excited about that.”

The expanded 48-team tournament – to be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada – will kick off on June 11 in Mexico City, and culminate with the final on July 19 in MetLife in East Rutherford. That same stadium hosted this week’s Club World Cup semifinals and will also be the venue for Sunday’s CWC final between PSG and Chelsea.

“If you're the most densely populated state in America, as we are, the one thing you've got to do is move people in things as well if not better than anybody else,” he said. “And whether you're coming from the other side of the globe or just across the Hudson from New York City, the fact is that our transportation system is built to serve the biggest audiences possible. We had 76,000-plus fans at MetLife. It worked.”

Murphy said, to that end, the Club World Cup has been a successful pilot for the 2026 World Cup, from logistics, security, and fan-experience perspectives.

“We actively sought out a major role in the Club World Cup this year, to make sure we could take whatever we’re doing around the track, so to speak,” Murphy said. “It was important to make sure all these things worked not only for this Cup, but that could test it out for next year. So we are incredibly enthusiastic for both years.”

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Murphy said that New Jersey’s preparation for both FIFA events has included the development of an operations command center near MetLife, heightened coordination with various law enforcement and government agencies. NYNJ host committee members and state officials are also planning a number of fan festivals, including a recurring venue at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

“As a result of FIFA flagship events,” said Greg Kahn, CEO of GK Digital Ventures, organizer of the summit, “soccer will not only take place in the stadium, but will also take place through media and technology. This is going to have a major impact.”

And that impact could be substantial in myriad ways, including financial. Murphy said the World Cup will generate “single-digit billions of dollars” for New Jersey.

“We think one to two million visitors will be in the region,” he said. “There is nowhere on the planet, in my humble opinion, that is more prepared for next year than we are… Welcome to New Jersey, the soccer capital of the world. Right? It wasn't that long ago that that statement would have been, to say the least, farfetched. But today, it is undeniable.”

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Murphy said that he expects MetLife Stadium “to be sold out” for Sunday’s FIFA Club World Cup final, meaning about 82,500 tickets. He also said that the The FIFA-sanctioned fan fest for the World Cup in Jersey City next summer will stream all 104 matches, and will “run the length of the tournament and have a capacity of 45,000 guests at a time.”

Scores 148* as visitors turn first-innings deficit of 190 into a lead of 126 with four wickets in hand

Sidharth Monga27-Jan-2024When the day began, we wondered if there would be a day four in the Hyderabad Test. Then Bazball arrived.After England lost four of their first five wickets in the first innings to defensive shots, you could almost imagine their coach, after whom Bazball is named, telling them it is more acceptable to get out reverse-sweeping than defending. That commitment to the sweep of various varieties brought India face to face with Bazball properly for the first time. England claimed the honours on the third day in Hyderabad, converting a first-innings deficit of 190 into a lead of 126 with four wickets in hand.Ollie Pope’s unbeaten 148 was the biggest turnaround from the first innings during which he meekly followed the turn with his hands and edged to slip. In the second innings, he swept and reverse-swept with aplomb to mess around with the spinners’ lines and lengths and capitalise on the enterprising start provided by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. He was rewarded with a first century in India, the highest second-innings score by a visiting batter in India since Alastair Cook’s 175 in Ahmedabad 12 years ago.All told, England scored 79 runs with variants of the sweep without losing a wicket to it. Pope alone scored 41 of those runs, pulling the shot off almost every time a spinner troubled him. Consequently England became the first team since Nagpur 2012-13 to score 300 against India in a second innings in India.India will be thankful you can’t reverse-sweep Jasprit Bumrah. For it could have been worse for the hosts without a rousing spell of reverse-swing bowling just after lunch during which he got rid of Duckett and Joe Root. The pitch offered only slow turn, and England kept nailing high-risk options, but the spinners will still be disappointed that Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers on a day-three surface with figures of 12-3-29-2. R Ashwin went at 4.42 an over for his two wickets, and Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja at 4.60 and 3.88 for one each.Jasprit Bumrah sent back Ben Duckett and Joe Root during a fiery spell of reverse-swing•BCCIFor all the talk of Bazball and the excellent start England managed against pace in the first innings, what had stood out was their top three falling to traditional dismissals. All three were caught playing defensively in front of their body, which leaves you at the mercy of the turn, whose degree you cannot predict with any certainty.Having taken the last three Indian wickets for 15 – led again by Joe Root the offspinner – England played what they practised. Not immediately, though. In his first two overs with the new ball, Ashwin could have had both Duckett and Crawley, but the inside edges fell either side of short leg. That was enough to shake them up. No more, they said.Crawley began with the reverse-sweep against Ashwin before taking Axar downtown. All the sweeping played on Ashwin’s lengths. In order to stay one step ahead, he overpitched far more than usual, and it was only when he went back to a proper length that he drew a forward defensive from Crawley. The ball didn’t turn, and the edge went to slip. By then, though, England had put 45 on the board.Duckett and Pope kept sweeping and reversing India to distraction. That a lot of practice has gone into the sweeps was plain to see. Like Ben Stokes in the first innings, they kept almost switching their stance without changing their grip, which allowed them to play the reverse-sweep powerfully and in front of square.Post-lunch Bumrah began reversing the ball, but was let done by a non-review of a close lbw shout against Duckett. He bowled him top of off after highly skilful bowling across two overs, but England had hit four boundaries in that time. Still, when Bumrah trapped Root in front, India had 73 runs in the bag.Jonny Bairstow was bowled shouldering arms to Ravindra Jadeja•BCCIJonny Bairstow proceeded to thwart Bumrah by staying leg-side of the ball to avoid lbw, reacting late if he bowled the outswinger, and picking the slower ones. When it began to look threatening for India, the natural variation from the pitch came to their aid. Jadeja turned one past his outside edge, and the next ball, nearly identical, went straight on to dislodge the off bail as Bairstow left it alone.Then followed about the only period when England allowed the spinners to work on a dismissal. Ashwin craftily pushed Stokes back and dragged him out with his changes of length until he had him playing back to a full ball, which turned past the bat to bowl him. With 27 runs still in the bag, India would have smelled the win here, especially as Pope and Ben Foakes were forced to play defensively.There came a period of 70 balls without a boundary for England as Foakes played more traditionally, and Pope was kept quiet. After tea, though, the floodgates opened again as India began the session, unimpressively so, with Jadeja and Axar. Not for the first time in his short tenure as captain, Rohit Sharma has begun a session with the bowlers who had till then looked the least likely to take a wicket.In the final session, Pope was even more emphatic with his reverse-sweeping, on one occasion even reverse-Dilscooping Jadeja over the keeper’s head. In between he gave the charge once in a while but the backbone of his innings was the sweeping and the reverse-sweeping. By them time he made a mistake with the reverse, he had already scored 110, and even then he was dropped by Axar at backward point.Axar came back to take Foakes’ wicket with one that stayed low, but that was the extent of inroads India would make. At stumps on day three, the new ball was three overs away, which would give India hope. There is every chance that on a pitch with slow turn, and given their spin attack, England might not stretch their lead far enough for this Test but this turnaround could still have implications for the series.