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It was only the second time that Starc was playing a Test without Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon, and he got 6 for 71 after day one in Brisbane

Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-20251:12

Starc: Selection not a reflection of Lyon’s skills

Even taking into account that plans often need to change, it was hard to see a world where Australia would field an attack during this Ashes with just one of the big four.Yet, against England at the Gabba, they were without 1166 Test wickets from what would be considered their first-choice attack: the tally of Pat Cummins, who was very close to playing, and Josh Hazlewood, nearly doubled by the shock omission of Nathan Lyon. But there was one of the awesome foursome left: Mitchell Starc.The wisdom of that decision will largely be judged in hindsight. At times, it appeared a change of pace would have been handy: when Zak Crawley and Joe Root were building their stand of 117 in 25 overs, then when Root and Ben Stokes took England to 210 for 4 early in the final session, and even as Root and Jofra Archer flayed away in their merry final-wicket stand.Related

Root ton, Starc six as England reach 325 for 9 on opening day in Brisbane

Mitchell Starc on left-arm wickets record: Wasim still GOAT

Lyon 'absolutely filthy' after being left out of consecutive pink-ball Tests

There was a bit of sameness about Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett and Cameron Green. The latter three went at a combined 5.02 runs an over from 41 overs.”I was surprised, to be honest,” Crawley said of Lyon’s absence. “I can’t remember the last time, other than in the West Indies recently, where they haven’t played him. So, yeah, we were surprised.”It felt odd for Starc, too. “I think I mentioned it in the warm-ups: I don’t think I’ve ever played an attack without one of the three of them playing,” he said. “So it was a little bit different in that regard with no Josh, Pat and Nath.”Starc’s memory is nearly correct: he played without any of them the only previous occasion Lyon missed a home Test – against India at the WACA in 2012. It has left him doing some heavy lifting, but he had a pink ball in hand. Following ten wickets in the first Test against England in Perth, he knocked the top of England’s order with the new ball, broke a threatening stand under twilight, and later got to work on the lower order.An outswinger to Ben Duckett produced Starc’s 26th first-over wicket in Test cricket. That was soon followed by Ollie Pope chopping on to his stumps to leave England 5 for 2, and images of Perth zooming back into view.At the Gabba, Mitchell Starc got his 26th wicket in the first over of a Test•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesBut that was the limit of the damage Starc could inflict in his first spell, although how different the game would have looked had Steven Smith been able to grab a one-handed stunner when Root was on 2. Starc bowled three more overs before the first interval (call it what you will), and was then held back by Smith until twilight started to take hold. By then, Australia had already gone to short-ball fields with a softening pink ball as they tried to manufacture wickets before looking for some assistance as the night closed in.By then, Root and Brook were starting to build, but the latter was skittish, and facing his first ball from Starc – it was the second ball of his comeback over – as Brook aimed a flat-footed drive which was edged high to Smith at second slip. It took Starc to 415 wickets, moving ahead of Wasim Akram as the most wickets for a left-arm quick in Test history. Akram had spoken of his admiration for Starc in the lead-up to the Test, and offered his praise again.”Super Starc! Proud of you, mate,” Wasim posted on X. “Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career.”After a day in the field, albeit one that only brought 74 overs, Starc’s response was self-depreciating. “Pretty tired,” he said when asked how he felt. “I’ll reflect on it later. Wasim’s still a far better bowler than I am.”There is a job ahead for Australia, and having seen England escape to 325 for 9 with an unbroken last-wicket stand of 61, it could be a tough one. But it is worth appreciating Starc’s recent form. His last four bowling innings in Test cricket read: 6 for 9, 7 for 58, 3 for 55, and now 6 for 71.Mitchell Starc bagged Harry Brook in his first over back in the attack•Getty Images”I mean, he’s a very, very good bowler, obviously, and with the pink ball, I think he gets it to swing slightly more on [than] the red ball, so he challenges both sides a bit more,” Crawley said. “I was just trying to keep it very simple, playing nicely straight. He does draw you in on that off side… he’s got a way of dragging you in, so it’s a challenge. But I feel like, all in all, we played him pretty well. I mean, he’s ended up at six. I feel like we had a good day.”One of Starc’s six came from a remarkable catch by Alex Carey as he sprinted back to take Gus Atkinson’s top edge, and was nearly taken out by Marnus Labuschagne, who was also tracking the ball from slip. “Marnus tried to tackle him, I reckon, and take it out of his hands,” Starc said.Another piece of fielding brilliance provided Australia with one of their three non-Starc wickets. Josh Inglis, a wicketkeeper by trade, and called into this match as Usman Khawaja’s replacement, moved swiftly from cover to produce a stunning direct hit which removed Stokes during a period after tea where Australia’s four frontline quicks had dried up the scoring rate.”It’s one of those ones that a bit of brilliance in the field can change a little bit of the momentum,” Starc said. “A bit like a couple of Ashes ago, where Nathan Lyon ran out James Vince here at the Gabba and changed the momentum that day. I think the one today was probably a better run-out, but don’t tell Nathan that.”After the day Lyon had endured, that was probably a wise thought. For all of Starc’s brilliance, Australia’s omission of their greatest offspinner may yet be a telling narrative from this match.

A left-arm quick, a six hitter who can bat in the top order, and a couple of mystery spinners are all part of our list

Deivarayan Muthu12-Aug-2025The 13th season of the CPL, which will kick off on August 14, will feature a number of T20 stars from the Caribbean as well as from other parts of the world. Here are five CPL rookies who could make a mark in the upcoming season.Jediah Blades (Guyana Amazon Warriors)Jediah Blades made his T20I debut recently•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty ImagesHaving moved on from the likes of Sheldon Cottrell and Obed McCoy, West Indies are trialling Jediah Blades in the left-arm seamer’s role ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Even before he had played in the CPL, Blades, now 23, was fast-tracked into the West Indies side after impressing with the new ball for Guyana Rainforest Rangers in the inaugural West Indies breakout league, a tournament that was held earlier this year to identify emerging talent in the region.After conceding 40 runs in three overs on T20I debut against Australia, Blades bounced back in his second match, trapping Mitchell Marsh lbw with a sharp inswinger with the new ball before dismissing Mitchell Owen and Cooper Connolly with the older one. A good CPL season could potentially put Blades in T20 World Cup contention.Kofi James (Barbados Royals)Kofi James isn’t really a rookie – he is 27 and has played 12 CPL games so far – but hasn’t fulfilled his potential yet. Could this be James’ season?He showed attacking enterprise at the top for Leeward Islands Thunder in the breakout league, finishing on top of the runs charts (240 at a strike rate of nearly 158) and on top of the sixes chart with 16. With both Rahkeem Cornwall and Alick Athanaze moving out of Barbados Royals, James could be combined with Quinton de Kock and Brandon King in a new-look top order. James also bowls offspin and can be matched up against left-hand batters.Usman Tariq (Trinbago Knight Riders)Usman Tariq has played two seasons of PSL•PCBThe Knight Riders franchise has always been big on mystery spinners across leagues and for this CPL season, they have recruited Usman Tariq, who has had success with Quetta Gladiators in the PSL.Tariq, who is predominantly an offspinner, comes to a near-complete halt as he approaches his delivery stride before firing darts with a slinging, side-arm action. He often slings it in from wide of the crease, making it even more difficult for batters to pick him.The 27-year-old has played ten games in the PSL, taking 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.64, and the upcoming CPL will be his first stint in a franchise T20 league outside Pakistan.AM Ghazanfar (Antigua & Barbuda Falcons)Afghanistan teenager AM Ghazanfar is another mystery spinner who is set for his maiden CPL stint. He impressed Mumbai Indians with his variations during a trial in the UAE and had them forking out INR 4.80 crore (US$ 570,000 approx.) for him during the IPL 2025 auction.Though Ghazanfar missed the IPL with injury, he reminded the world of his mystery in the T20 Blast for Derbyshire, where he took 16 wickets in 14 games at an economy rate of 7.05. It included a mesmerising spell of 4-2-5-2 against Yorkshire at Headingley. Ghazanfar could be just as deadly and unhittable on the spin-friendly surfaces in the Caribbean.However, he might miss the second half of the CPL if he gets picked in Afghanistan’s squad for the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE.Bevon Jacobs (Antigua & Barbuda Falcons)Bevon Jacobs has a T20 strike rate of 147.31•BCCIBevon Jacobs is another emerging T20 star who is part of Mumbai Indians in the IPL and MI Emirates in the ILT20 in the UAE. He is now poised to make his CPL debut for Antigua & Barbuda Falcons along with Ghazanfar.At over six feet tall, the New Zealand power-hitter has the height and reach to mess with the lengths of bowlers. He has always been good against pace, and this CPL will be a test of his skills against spin on potentially slow surfaces.New Zealand currently have a settled middle order in T20Is, but success against spin in the Caribbean could prompt the team management to include him as a wildcard for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

The incredible story of Leicester City's 2015-16 Premier League title triumph is perhaps the most well-known of the past decade. Claudio Ranieri guided a team of 5000-1 outsiders, which had been assembled on a shoestring budget, to glory in his first season at the King Power Stadium. No one could argue that Leicester were not the best side in the country either; they finished 10 points clear of second-placed Arsenal, losing only three of their 38 games.

It was a sporting miracle that arguably even topped Nottingham Forest's back-to-back European Cup wins in 1979 and 1980, Wimbledon's FA Cup success in 1988, and Greece's run to the 2004 European Championship. Leicester got the better of all of English football's super clubs in an era in which money had always delivered the biggest rewards over the course of an season.

Former Chelsea boss Ranieri took most of the plaudits, and rightly so. The lovable Italian shredded his 'Tinkerman' tag by setting the Foxes up in a simple 4-4-2 formation focused on defensive discipline and quick counter-attacks, and did a masterful job of keeping his players' feet on the ground as the ultimate goal came closer into view. He also made N'Golo Kante his first signing at the club, snapping the French midfielder up from Caen for just £6 million, which turned out to be a transfer masterstroke.

However, it was Nigel Pearson, Ranieri's predecessor, who was responsible for assembling the majority of the key players in the title-winning squad. Jamie Vardy, Danny Drinkwater and Wes Morgan all joined the Foxes in 2012, and Pearson brought in Riyad Mahrez, Danny Simpson and Marc Albrighton two years later. Pearson also completed the permanent signings of Robert Huth, Christian Fuchs and Shinji Okazaki shortly before his sacking on June 30, 2015.

Pearson's exit was, in his own words, a "big shock". It is safe to say, though, that the Englishman would not have been able to unlock the full potential of the squad in the same way Ranieri did. If he'd stayed in charge, Leicester might have pushed for a top-half finish, but the magic needed to upset the established order would have been absent. 

In the end, an ugly saga involving a sex tape that brought a summer of humiliation to the club and Pearson inadvertently preceded to the most memorable chapter in Leicester's entire 132-year history.

Getty Images SportGreat escape

When the 2014-15 season ended, Pearson thought he'd done enough to extend his stay at the King Power for at least one more year. Much of Leicester's first season back in the Premier League was a struggle, and they were seven points from safety heading into their final nine games, only for the Foxes to win seven of them and beat the drop, ultimately finishing 14th in the table.

Leicester became only the third team to ever avoid relegation after being bottom on Christmas Day, and even secured their Premier League status with one game to spare, getting over the line via a 0-0 draw at Sunderland.

Relief poured out of Pearson after the final whistle, as he told reporters: "When you consider our plight a couple of months ago, to go into the final game with our safety assured is quite an unbelievable achievement. I think the key thing for us even in our darkest moments, there have been a few, the players have continued to support each other and believe in their own ability. That's difficult when people are questioning your integrity. We've developed as the season has gone on. This run has been extraordinary, but we've needed to do it, because a number of sides have picked up form. We've stuck at our job."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPR disaster

Shortly after the final day of the season, Pearson and the Leicester squad jetted off to Thailand for a 'goodwill tour', with the aim of building a stronger relationship with the club's ownership regime, led by late chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and the local community. But it ended up being a public relations disaster.

On May 31, 2015, Leicester launched an investigation after the obtained footage of three academy players taking part in sex acts in a Bangkok hotel room, which they had sent to friends back in the UK. The trio involved were identified as striker Tom Hopper, goalkeeper Adam Smith, and Pearson's son James, who was the captain of the development squad.

In a statement, a Leicester spokesman confirmed that the three players had returned to England after attending a "preliminary meeting". They also revealed that Hopper, James Pearson and Smith had apologised for their behaviour, but as more details started coming to light, it became clear that would not suffice.

Getty Images Sport'Racist orgy'

described the video as a "racist orgy", and it quickly did the rounds on social media. James Pearson, Hopper and Smith allegedly filmed three Thai women committing "depraved" sex acts with them, cheering and laughing throughout.

At one stage, the camera was turned on the women as they indulged in sex acts, with one of the men heard using a racial slur towards them. In another clip, Hopper appeared to tell one of the women she was "f*cking minging… an absolute one out of 10". The video eventually ended with Hopper and Pearson high-fiving each other.

The shocking images and racist language prompted widespread condemnation in the British press. Grace Dent of was particularly scathing, as she wrote: "That isn’t about sex, it’s about power. It is about a lovely end-of-season gift to themselves of a few hours spent treating women like a grubby sub-species. It’s about men degrading women, commenting on their supposed ugliness and using racist words against them… And when the camera pulls towards the footballers, they aren’t embarrassed. No, they’re ecstatic to be filmed."

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Getty Images SportTriple-sacking

In the face of a deeply embarrassing debacle, Leicester, who count the Thai tourism board among their commercial partners, had no choice but to respond strongly. On June 17, the club announced they had ripped up the contracts of Pearson Jr, Hooper and Smith.

"The decision follows the conclusion of an internal investigation and disciplinary proceedings, as a consequence of events that took place during the club's end-of-season goodwill tour of Thailand," an official statement read. "Leicester City Football Club is acutely aware of its position, and that of its players, as a representative of the city of Leicester, the Premier League, the Football Association and the club's supporters. It is committed to promoting a positive message of community and family values and equality, and to upholding the standards expected of a club with its history, tradition and aspirations."

Lord Ouseley, chair of anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out, said in response: "Leicester have set the right tone to allow football to assert itself in setting and maintaining the correct standards of conduct to enhance the game's image here and abroad as a source for good. For too long, decision-makers at the top of the game have been reluctant to make responsible and authoritative decisions, as employers, to deal effectively and decisively with incidents of serious misconduct and unprofessional behaviour, as well as applying appropriate sanctions. It is therefore refreshing to see such positive action being taken in 2015 which we hope will set the decision-making pattern for the future."

NEW YORK — Carlos Correa is not the first person in history to suggest shortening up with two strikes, but a week after he discussed his approach in a hitters’ meeting, his new—and old—teammates are still marveling at his turn of phrase. 

In those counts, he told them, “I’ve lost the right to slug.”

So they were utterly unsurprised that in his seventh game back with the first-place Houston Astros, his first against the rival New York Yankees, as fans booed and the game hung in the balance, Correa lined a 10th-inning, 1–2 single to center to drive in the go-ahead run. 

“He walks his talk,” says center fielder Taylor Trammell. “He’s a winner.”

The Astros did indeed win that game, as Correa knew they would, even as a 2–0 lead evaporated and he strode to the plate to lead off the 10th against Devin Williams, who was the best closer in the game before struggling mightily this year. Extra innings, two strikes, a man in scoring position as 46,027 people jeer their hearts out for you?

“I love it,” Correa says. “I live for it.” 

He doesn’t quite prefer hitting with two strikes—”I’d rather get a hit on the first pitch,” he says with a grin—but he knows he thrives in those moments, mostly because they don’t frighten him. “Once you have two strikes, I’m never thinking I’m gonna get out,” he says. “I’m always thinking of positive outcomes. So I think that’s half the battle. And then, you know, you gotta be mechanically clean, and you gotta feel good at the plate and have a good approach, but the mental is the most important thing.”

Nearly four years after they let Correa sign with the Minnesota Twins in free agency for what eventually became seven years and $235 million, it was that attitude the Astros wanted back. 

“One of the big things with Carlos is his leadership,” says general manager Dana Brown, who nabbed Correa, 30, at the July 31 trade deadline for a pitching prospect and the promise to pay $70 million of the $103 million Correa is due over the next two and a half seasons. “That’s probably the biggest thing with him for us. We knew in acquiring him that we were getting more than just a really good player. [He’s] a leader in the clubhouse, and a guy who's won before. He’s a winner.” 

India scored just 56 in the last eight overs as Bangladesh fought back valiantly

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2025Abhishek Sharma continued his magnificent tournament, following up his 39-ball 74 against Pakistan with a 37-ball 75, but Bangladesh still held India to a total of 168 for 6 after sending them in.India’s innings followed a pattern not unlike Pakistan’s against their bowlers on Sunday: a strong start followed by a dramatic slowdown when the ball became older and harder to time. India scored 95 runs in overs 4-11, when Abhishek ran rampant, and just 73 runs in the 12 overs either side of that stretch.Bangladesh made things difficult for Abhishek and Shubman Gill with new-ball swing in the first three overs, and then by varying their pace and using the grip on offer when the ball got old. In between, Abhishek played an incandescent innings, hitting five sixes to jump up to joint No. 7 on India’s all-time T20I six-hitting charts. He has now hit 58 sixes in just 21 innings; Suresh Raina, with whom he drew level, hit 58 in 66 innings.It’s a different sport now, and Abhishek lives on its cutting edge, and Bangladesh seemed to have no answers when he was cutting their bowling to ribbons. They could, however, have dismissed him for 7 off 8 in the third over, had the wicketkeeper held on to an edge off Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who came into an XI with as many as four changes and bowled brilliantly with the new ball, swinging it prodigiously while also hitting the deck hard.The wicketkeeper who shelled that chance – and Bangladesh’s captain on the night – was Jaker Ali, standing in for Litton Das who was ruled out with a side strain.That miss seemed to be costing Bangladesh dearly when India were 112 for 2 at the start of the 12th over. But a brilliant bit of fielding from Rishad Hossain – diving to his left to stop a dab from Suryakumar Yadav and springing up, ready to throw, in one motion – sent Abhishek back, run out, and changed the complexion of the game. India only scored 56 runs across their last nine overs. Hardik Pandya – who was out off the last ball of the innings for 38 off 29, did the bulk of the scoring.Their slide looked worse for coming against the backdrop of batting-order changes that didn’t come off on the day. India promoted Shivam Dube to No. 3, and sent in Hardik, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel above Sanju Samson, who did not get to bat at all.With batting usually a little easier in the second innings in Dubai, Bangladesh have a genuine chance of tripping India up and firming up their hopes of getting into Sunday’s final.

Newcastle United may be active in the January transfer market, with a number of areas in need of work.

After winning the Carabao Cup last season and securing Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons, Eddie Howe has struggled to get a tune out of his Magpie squad, who languish in 14th place in the Premier League.

Struggles on the road have been well documented in recent weeks, but Newcastle have a wider crisis of creativity that must be fixed.

#

Club

xG Total

1.

Chelsea

20.4

2.

Man City

19.3

3.

Crystal Palace

19.0

4.

Arsenal

18.8

5.

Man United

18.2

12.

Newcastle

12.8

Nick Woltemade has been the shining light at number nine, so exciting and promising in Alexander Isak’s former berth, but he can only do so much as United struggle to fashion chances with the regularity that is required to compete at the top of the table.

Latest on Newcastle's transfer search

While Newcastle have dynamic wingers and a robust and compact central midfield, there’s no question that more is needed, and with Joelinton under fire for his performances this season, there’s a vacancy emerging for a hungry new playmaker.

Newcastle did sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for a fee in excess of £40m this summer, but the 24-year-old has yet to hit a rich vein of form on Tyneside. A new solution may be needed here.

Well, according to GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle could land the help that they need in the form of Kees Smit, having learned that they will have to make the 19-year-old AZ Alkmaar’s club-record sale if they wish to prise him away from the Netherlands in 2026.

The Eredivisie outfit would be looking for a £22m payment if they are to relinquish control of their prized prospect, and with Barcelona and Real Madrid lurking, Newcastle will need to act speedily.

Why Newcastle want Kees Smit

Smit might be a teenager, but he’s already welcomed a few onto the hype train, with analyst Ben Mattinson marvelling at the “duel monster” and his all-encompassing midfield qualities.

Effortlessly calm in tight spaces, Smit is fostering an exciting and creative skillset, with FBref recording that he ranks among the top 6% of similar midfielders over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for through balls, and the top 10% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

He thrived against Crystal Palace in their recent Conference League clash, grabbing an assist, completing three dribbles and winning six duels.

There’s a maturity about this creator that suggests he could be tailor-made for a career in the Premier League, with Sofascore recording that he has averaged 3.5 duels, 1.2 tackles and six ball recoveries per Eredivisie match too. He’s the complete package.

19 years old. We might even be talking about a bigger talent here than Woltemade, a dominant athlete whose technical understanding has seen him become one of AZ’s most important cogs at this fledgling phase.

Woltemade has been one of Newcastle’s star players this season, and he will continue to improve, but Smit’s playmaking may elevate the German to another level entirely down the line.

Smit or Woltemade? Who’s the bigger talent? Perhaps we’re splitting hairs. United just need to get the deal over the line, thus combining two brilliant footballers and reenergising Howe’s attack.

He'd revive Gordon: Newcastle could hire Howe 2.0 in "the best coach in PL"

Recent form has made Newcastle consider the unthinkable possibility of Howe moving on at some stage.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025

Robert Lewandowski claimed Barcelona are now even 'stronger' after making a long-awaited return to their iconic Camp Nou home with a 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club. The Polish forward opened the scoring early in the game before Ferran Torres grabbed a brace and Fermin Lopez netted for the Blaugrana as they kept up the defence of their La Liga title.

Dream return to Camp Nou

Barcelona returned to Camp Nou on Saturday after a two-year exile due to the renovation of the venue. Hansi Flick's side marked the comeback to the iconic stadium with a memorable 4-0 win over Athletic Club in La Liga. Lewandowski scored the opening goal in the fourth minute before Torres doubled the team's lead at the stroke of half-time.

Shortly after the break, Lopez added a third goal before Torres completed the demolition with a second strike in the 90th minute to seal important three points for the Blaugrana. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'We're a slightly stronger team'

Speaking to after the match, Lewandowski said: "We were returning to Camp Nou, and it was a special day for us. We're very happy to be able to play here. From the beginning, we played very well, scoring two goals in the first half and another two in the second. We added three more points, although the most important thing is that we're back here. Simply because it's a different experience when we play here."

He added: "We were determined to attack from the start. So it felt special to score the first goal. I'm very proud. We have a very good team and now we have to look ahead. When we play at Camp Nou, we're a slightly stronger team."

Williams faced hostility

Nico Williams was strongly linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window until he decided against signing for the Catalan giants at the last moment and signed a new contract at Athletic Club. Thus, Barcelona fans were naturally angry at the Spain international winger as he faced hostility from the home crowd during the game.

At full-time, Williams' team-mate Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta told reporters: "I was expecting this atmosphere, and I saw him calm. We’re gutted. We knew we had to do everything perfectly and that they had to have an off day. We have to pick ourselves up quickly because we have a game on Tuesday. Any mistake is punished against players of that calibre, even more so. Missing any game is a real bummer, and I’m gutted about it."

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Getty Images SportWhy did Rashford miss Athletic Club clash?

Rashford has reinvented himself under Flick at Barcelona after being frozen out at Manchester United under head coach Ruben Amorim. The England international move to the Catalan side in the summer transfer window on a one-year loan with an option to buy him permanently next season. Rashford has made a dream start to his journey with Barca and has also returned to the national team set-up.

Unfortunately for Barcelona, he was ruled out of the clash at Camp Nou on Saturday after catching the flu. The official statement from the club read: "Marcus Rashford will miss today’s match against Athletic Club due to [the] flu."

Flick will now hope that Rashford recovers quickly and is well enough for the trip to Chelsea on Tuesday in the Champions League and for their home La Liga encounter with Alaves next Saturday.

The Cubs are adding utilityman Willi Castro to their roster after trading prospects to the Twins in return for Castro. NY Post Sports' Jon Heyman was the first to report the news on Thursday.

This is definitely not the move Cubs fans expected from the organization before the trade deadline buzzer rings at 6 p.m. ET. The Cubs are still in need of a strong starting pitcher.

The Twins have been extremely busy on Thursday as they've been trading away most of their veteran players of value to other teams. Castro is the latest on that long list. The biggest trade the Twins have conducted so far was sending Carlos Correa to the Astros a bit earlier on Thursday. The Twins will look like a totally new team once the deadline has officially passed.

Castro has already played six positions so far this season for the Twins, so he will likely be used as a fill-in anywhere on the field whenever a Cubs star is out of the lineup. The Cubs are World Series hopefuls this year, so they can use all the extra assistance they can get if it means playing deep into October.

Castro has played in 86 games so far this season, averaging .245/.335./407 with 74 hits, 48 runs, 27 RBIs and 10 home runs.

Mikel Arteta has explained why his success at Arsenal is down to his "hero" Pep Guardiola while opening up on his first meeting with the legendary Spanish manager at the age of 15. Following his retirement from professional football in 2016, Arteta worked as an assistant coach under Guardiola at Manchester City before taking up his first head coaching project with the Gunners in December 2019.

Arteta and Guardiola's long-standing bond

Arteta and Guardiola's connection dates back to 1997, when the current Arsenal boss joined Barcelona's much-famed La Masia academy from Antiguoko. He spent two years in the Blaugrana's youth system before representing Barcelona B for three years from 1999 to 2002. Guardiola was a key player in the senior side during Arteta's time in the academy. 

Arteta went on to play for clubs like Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton and Arsenal. It was only in 2016 that Arteta reunited with his childhood hero, and together at City, the duo won several trophies, including two Premier League titles and an FA Cup. 

AdvertisementGetty Images'He was my hero as a player'

Speaking about Guardiola's impact on him, Arteta told : "Someone that I met when I was 15 years old. He was my hero as a player. We end up working together and having one of the best times of my life. And again, if I'm sitting in the chair that I'm sitting in today, it's big thanks to him."

When asked why he chose to join Guardiola at City, Arteta added: "Probably because, how attached we were in terms of philosophy and the way we were educated in Barcelona. Then, because I think it was the right thing for me to step out of the club, to learn from other people, to have different kinds of experiences. And he gave me the choice without coaching anybody to go straight to his coaching staff. One of the best decisions I made in my life."

Guardiola competing with Arteta for Premier League title

After a rare off-season at Etihad Stadium last year where Guardiola's side ended up trophyless, City are back in business in the 2025-26 campaign and are ready to give a tough fight to Arteta's Arsenal in the Premier League title race. 

Former Gunners and City striker Paul Dickov recently backed Guardiola to win silverware once again this season, telling : "I keep saying I don't want to get too far ahead, I'll get too carried away with the recent performances. But there's just something within the club and on the pitch that is near the levels they were at when they were at their best. I know for a fact that there's a hunger, not just from Pep, but from the staff, the players. They were hurt last season. They were really hurt and there's a big drive within the club to put that right this season. And they were quite happy going under the radar a little bit earlier on in the season, but the performance against Liverpool has given everybody hope and they can still get better. It wouldn’t surprise me if Manchester City are up there winning things at the end of the season again because I think the strength and depth, the quality, it’s up there with the very best.

"The one thing Pep's got is a lot of credit in the bank with the City fans and one bad season last season out of all the time he's been here isn't a bad thing. I think the fans realise that, and City fans obviously are very passionate, but they're good football people as well. They understand that it's probably the third rebuild since Pep came in, with the new signings. They'll be patient with them. At times, they’ve lost this season and it hasn’t always looked great, and people were already declaring them out of the title race. But I think that if City can be in and around Arsenal by January, February time, then that's their time. That's when they know to really kick on. They still have players like Rodri to come back. I think they're going to wrap him up in cotton wool for the next few weeks just to make sure that by the second half of the season, he's ready to go."

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AFPNorth London derby up next for Arsenal

Arsenal are the current Premier League leaders and have not suffered defeat since losing 1-0 at Liverpool in August. They currently lead City by four points at the top of the table and will next face rivals Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday at Emirates Stadium. 

Foot fracture may delay first-class debut, but Smeed targets trophies after club’s triple near-miss last year

Valkerie Baynes29-Mar-2025Will Smeed’s plans for a first-class debut – three years after his retirement from red-ball cricket – have taken a minor stumble, but that has done nothing to deter him from targeting a major role in Somerset’s Championship campaign this year.A foot fracture suffered in South Africa, where he played four games for Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 at the start of the year, could rule him out of the first match of the Division One season, home to Worcestershire from Friday.”I got it scanned when I got back and I’m just trying to make sure it heals properly before we up the workloads,” Smeed told ESPNcricinfo during Somerset’s pre-season media day. “I should be back playing in no time. I might miss the first week, but it should be fine.”It feels fine. I managed to play on it in South Africa so it’s a case of it would be fine to play on, but they just want to make sure I don’t do any proper damage though.”Related

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Will Smeed signs new deal to play red-ball cricket for Somerset

Those workloads are indeed set to increase after it was revealed earlier this month that Smeed had backflipped on his fledgling career move to become a white-ball specialist.Smeed announced in 2022 that he would play only white-ball cricket as franchise opportunities beckoned, a move considered groundbreaking given that he had just turned 21 at the time. But after a hamstring injury ruled him out of last year’s Hundred, he found himself playing for Somerset in the Second XI County Championship and enjoyed it which, along with opening the door to more cricket, made a reversal “a bit of a no-brainer”.An explosive batter, who became the first player to score a century in the Hundred three years ago, Smeed doesn’t want to smother that part of his game too much when he finally makes his first-class debut. So far, he has played 105 T20s and just one List A game.Smeed is set for a first-class debut this summer•Getty Images”I definitely think keeping [aggression] as part of your game, but you probably have to be a bit smarter with how you use it and when you use it and obviously then tightening up my defence and things like that,” Smeed said. “A lot of red-ball cricket is about adapting to the ebbs and flows, figuring out when to put your foot down, when to hold back and soak up a bit of pressure. So there needs to be a big learning experience this year, but I’m really looking forward to it.”From a mindset, I’m just more keen to score runs now. I’m just desperate to spend time in the middle and I think that’s why the games at the end of last summer went okay. I think I just put more value on my wicket. I’m still figuring out my game in white-ball stuff, so that’ll be even more prevalent in the red-ball stuff. There might be a technical tweak here or there, but I think a lot of it’s just going to be the way I approach it and the mindset and the options I take and figuring out what works for me.”Somerset came close to a trophy in all three competitions in 2024, but ended up with none. Their loss to Lancashire in the penultimate round of the Championship ensured Surrey finished top of Division One and then Hampshire won their final-round game to seal second place, leaving Somerset in third.On Blast Finals Day, Somerset beat Surrey in the semi-finals but then lost to Gloucestershire in the final, with Smeed scoring a duck and 8 in those games respectively. Somerset also lost the final of the One-Day Cup to Glamorgan.Smeed was the first batter to make a hundred in the Hundred•ECB/Getty ImagesNow, Smeed says his main aim is to win trophies with Somerset, with their 2023 Blast title “still the highlight of my career”, while scoring plenty of runs, with four-day cricket offering ample opportunity for that.”It means I’m here all summer,” Smeed said. “That was a big thing I made clear to Somerset, that I wanted to commit to the whole summer here and I wasn’t going to flip off somewhere if the opportunity came about. I’m here now and it means I can just get stuck into the English summer and really get my head down and try and win some games for Somerset.”The last couple of years with my contract, I’ve been able to take anything that came my way, whereas now, having just fully committed to the summer with Somerset takes that distraction away I guess – or it’s one more decision that I don’t have to make should something come up.”It’s just going to be I’m here with Somerset and that’s me for the summer. Then in the winter hopefully there’s opportunities to go away again and play some stuff overseas.”And if the Blast doesn’t fully satisfy those white-ball urges, there is always the Hundred window in August, when Smeed will return to Birmingham Phoenix, who are still searching for their first title.Having gone all-or-nothing down one career path, perhaps now Smeed really can have it all.