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Kurtis Patterson led the way for New South Wales on a dominant first day of batting in their rainy Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Cricket Central.A day after the Australian batting order’s lean start to the Ashes, Patterson sent a reminder why he was considered an out-of-the-box option for a Test recall at the beginning of the summer.Patterson, the 32-year-old left-hander, will resume unbeaten on 79 next to Lachie Shaw with NSW 214 for 2 and seemingly in a commanding position after being made to bat.”It was a bit of yucky day, I didn’t feel like I had a lot of rhythm for most of the day, to be honest,” Patterson told AAP. “The wicket looks OK, there’s a little bit of grass there, it actually probably played a bit better than we thought. 2/200-odd, we would’ve taken that at the beginning of the day.”Axed Test opener Sam Konstas made a positive start but was trapped lbw by Riley Meredith’s yorker and is still searching for his first big score of the home summer.Konstas came to the crease with his trademark positive intent, though opted for more conventional cricket shots over off-side rather than the eye-catching fare of his debut Test series.He pushed Aidan O’Connor past long off for two fours in the second over, and had two more off fellow opener Gabe Bell in the next.Konstas fell just after the second of Saturday’s three rain delays and is now averaging an underwhelming 22.67 across nine Shield knocks this summer.But Patterson saw good signs from his young teammate.”Today was probably the first time those pre-meditated moments that can kind of creep into his game haven’t been there,” he said. “He looked like he just watched and reacted to what was sent down and reacted in a really positive way. I thought every ball up until he got out was a big tick.”Jackson Bird had the next breakthrough for the visitors after replacing O’Connor, who suffered a head knock sliding into the fence as he attempted to save a boundary.”I was looking forward to putting my feet up for a few days, actually,” Bird joked. “With this new rule, you’ve got to be ready if you do come away on tour.”Bird caught and bowled Ryan Hicksjust after Konstas’ fellow 20-year-old opener brought up a maiden first-class half-century.Bird could have had Patterson caught behind for 0, but Mitch Owen spilt the tough chance at second slip in the first over after lunch.Patterson made the visitors pay, bringing up a 40th first-class half-century with two runs past midwicket off Bird.His 100-run partnership with highly-rated young gun Shaw came up just before bad light forced the teams off the field yet again, with play unable to resume thereafter.

The final international break of the year came at the worst time possible for West Ham United.

After months of dire football and worse results, Nuno Espírito Santo looked to have finally got a tune out of the East Londoner, beating Newcastle United and Burnley in back-to-back Premier League games.

Fortunately, the break has come to an end and the Hammers finally get the chance to continue their good form with a challenging game away to Bournemouth, albeit without the talismanic Lucas Paqueta, who is suspended.

However, while the loss of the Brazilian is a big one, Nuno can minimise its impact by letting Mateus Fernandes pick up the attacking slack and starting someone with shades of Declan Rice alongside Freddie Potts.

Why Fernandes should start in Paqueta's place

Now, in the last two games, Nuno has opted for a midfield three of Paqueta, Potts and Fernandes, with the Brazilian obviously playing as the more attacking midfielder of the three.

With him out of contention, it makes sense for the responsibility of being more forward-thinking to fall on the Portuguese star’s shoulders, as the Englishman is far better suited to being an all-action box-to-box type.

While this change might worry some fans, it shouldn’t, as while he’s not reached the level of the former Lyon ace just yet, he is more than capable of doing so.

For example, while he’s spent plenty of time in the central midfield role, he spent more time playing as an attacking midfielder during his time at Southampton.

Moreover, during his time in Portugal, respected analyst Ben Mattinson highlighted the fact that he could play “those KDB-type passes” with relative ease.

Furthermore, despite playing for a team that, for some time, looked in danger of breaking Derby County’s most unwanted record last season, the 21-year-old still produced six goal involvements in 36 league games.

Finally, FBref ranked him in the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league last season for attempted and completed long passes as well as the top 14% for passes into the final third, all per 90.

Overall, Fernandes is more than good enough to pick up the creative slack in Paqueta’s absence, and Nuno has someone in the squad who can come in as a partner to Potts to help with the less glamorous side of the game.

The Rice-like midfielder Nuno should start

While Nuno might be tempted to bring someone like Tomáš Souček back into the side for this game, he really shouldn’t, as Bournemouth will make it an intense and frenetic encounter.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Therefore, the manager should turn to someone capable of dealing with that, if not thriving in it, someone like £17m summer signing, Soungoutou Magassa.

The Frenchman is still relatively young and certainly needs to develop some areas of his game, but he has all the ingredients to be a monstrous all-action midfielder.

Described as a “a forward-thinking” talent by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, who is blessed with “pure athleticism” and can “spray passes wide out to the wings,” the 22-year-old would be excellent alongside Potts.

Moreover, his profile, combined with his ability to play centre-back, makes comparisons to a young Rice impossible to ignore.

With that said, if you are still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers to see how promising a player he is.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles and blocks, the top 2% for ball recoveries, the top 4% for interceptions, the top 12% for switches, and more, all per 90.

In other words, the “composed” midfielder, as dubbed by Mattinson, is superb when it comes to the defensive side of the game, but is also more than capable of kick-starting an attack from deep.

Ultimately, while it’s not ideal, Nuno should start a midfield three of Fernandes, Potts and Magassa against Bournemouth, as that should be the best way to deal with Paqueta’s absence and pick up three points.

Bigger talent than Potts: West Ham must rue losing England's future 9 for £0

The incredible attacker would have been just the player West Ham United need.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 21, 2025

Wolves and their search for a new manager took a dramatic twist on Saturday with news of Rob Edwards standing down from the dugout for Middlesbrough’s clash against Birmingham, but he hasn’t been the only tactician on the Old Gold’s shortlist.

Their disastrous season has plunged from bad to worse, with the club now desperately scrambling to appoint Edwards after Vitor Pereira was sacked on November 2.

Wolves’ winless start has left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, and they remain the only side without a victory in England’s top four divisions, having taken just two points from their opening 10 top flight games.

History is firmly against them – no club has ever survived with two or fewer points at this stage of a Premier League season — a stat which seriously threatens to condemn Wolves to relegation after eight straight years in the top tier.

Wolves results in the Premier League so far

Wolves 0-4 Man City

Bournemouth 1-0 Wolves

Wolves 2-3 Everton

Newcastle 1-0 Wolves

Wolves 1-3 Leeds United

Tottenham 1-1 Wolves

Wolves 1-1 Brighton

Sunderland 2-0 Wolves

Wolves 2-3 Burnley

Fulham 3-0 Wolves

Wolves have also become only the third side in Premier League history to concede 20 or more goals in their opening 10 games of two consecutive seasons, shipping 27 last season and 22 this campaign.

After Pereira’s dismissal, and following their week-long managerial search, Fosun have now turned their attention to Edwards.

The 42-year-old was once part of the club’s coaching staff, working with the U18s in 2014 before being promoted to a first-team coaching role in 2015. Since then, Edwards guided Luton Town to Premier League promotion in 2023, and made a fine start to life at Boro this season.

However, he could now be on the move just months after signing a three-year contract.

The situation reached breaking point today when Edwards was stood down from taking charge of Boro’s home game against Birmingham amid continued interest from Wolves. Edwards also didn’t take Boro training on Friday, and his pre-match press conference was cancelled, after Boro rejected Wolves’ approach seeking permission to hold talks on Thursday (Sky Sports).

Now, it is believed that Edwards is “looking likely to join Wolves” as he eyes a return to the top flight.

Boro released a statement today too, confirming that they’ve now granted Edwards permission to speak to Wolves.

All of this comes after Wolves initially explored bringing back former manager Gary O’Neil, but he withdrew from the race citing a timing issue.

Major twist on Gary O'Neil's future after advanced talks to re-join Wolves

Now, as per TEAMtalk, there’s been a “major twist” on O’Neil’s own future after his “advanced talks” to re-join Wolves.

According to their information, following a “dramatic U-turn” over returning to Molineux, with O’Neil once believed to be closing in on an agreement, it is now believed that Southampton is his most likely destination.

The Saints have made an approach to O’Neil, and talks are expected to intensify in the coming days as all parties seek to reach a swift deal.

Taking this into account, it is a wonder why O’Neil ruled himself out of the Wolves job but could now take up a position with the struggling Championship side.

O’Neil was appointed Wolves head coach in August 2023 and led the club to a 14th-placed finish and the FA Cup quarter-finals in his first season. More impressively, despite inheriting a squad in turmoil just days before the season began following Julen Lopetegui’s abrupt exit, and with minimal transfer backing, he steered the side to a respectable finish and earned plaudits for steadying the ship.

His first season included victories over Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Wolves reaching eighth at their peak that campaign.

O’Neil apparently remains “highly respected” in Premier League circles too (Miguel Delaney), but after his rejection, Edwards appears to be closing in on the role.

Umpiring great retired in 1996 after officiating in 66 Test matches

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2025Harold “Dickie” Bird, one of the most beloved umpires in cricket’s history, has died at the age of 92.Bird, who officiated in 66 Tests and 69 ODIs, including three World Cup finals, was synonymous with his home county Yorkshire, for who he began his career as a top-order batter in 1956, and later went on to serve as Yorkshire president in 2014.He averaged 20.71 in 93 first-class matches, making two centuries including a best of 181 not out against Glamorgan in 1959. But when, after moving to Leicestershire in 1960, his career was cut short by injury four years later, his switch to umpiring would set him on the path to becoming a household name.Bird’s idiosyncrasies would become part of his appeal, including his famously anxious attitude to timekeeping. Having made his umpiring debut in May 1970, he travelled to London for his second match – Surrey versus Yorkshire at The Oval – arrived at 6am for an 11am start, and was caught by a policeman attempting to scale the wall of the still-locked ground.As an umpire, he was famously reluctant to raise his finger for lbw appeals – several of his decisions would have been quickly over-turned in the age of DRS. In mitigation, he was at least consistent in offering the benefit of the doubt to batters … with one possible exception. On the morning of his final Test, England versus India at Lord’s, he arrived in the middle with tears in his eyes after a guard of honour from the players. And duly gave Mike Atherton out lbw in the first over of the match.Other memorable moments included his decision, during the West Indies Test at Old Trafford in 1995, to call a halt to play for an excess of sunlight, which had been reflecting off a greenhouse behind the bowler’s arm. In that same fixture, as related by Atherton in his autobiography, Bird dropped the pocket-ful of marbles that he used to count the deliveries in an over.”Play was halted momentarily while Dickie scrambled around on his hands and knees looking for his counters,” Atherton wrote. “‘I’ve lost me marbles! I’ve lost me marbles! He cried. Most of us thought he had lost his marbles a long time ago.”He was frequently the victim of practical jokes – particularly at the hands of Ian Botham and Allan Lamb. On one occasion, Lamb arrived at the middle with his 1980s brick-style mobile phone still in his pocket. Bird duly stashed it in his coat, whereupon Botham rang the device from the dressing-room, telling a startled Bird to pass on a message for his team-mate to get a move on.Bird himself had believed his likeliest route to sporting success was football, although as he related in his autobiography, a cartilage operation on his knee at the age of 15 put paid to that ambition. Instead, he became a fixture in Barnsley’s 1st XI cricket team, where his team-mates included Michael Parkinson – who would later become a world-renowned chat-show host – and later, Geoffrey Boycott.”I have known Dickie nearly 70 years as a friend,” Boycott wrote in his tribute to Bird. “When I was 15 I was taken to Barnsley Cricket Club by my Uncle Algy. I was in awe of him because every week Dickie was the star batsman.”Boycott added that Bird was a “very good technical batsman” but added that “nerves got the better of him” during his Yorkshire career. As an umpire, however, he described him as “absolutely brilliant”.”Players all over the world respected and admired him for his firmness, fairness, and he did it with a sense of humour. He was loved by so many and became a legend.”In 2009, Bird was honoured with a bronze statue on Barnsley’s Church Lane, set in his familiar umpiring pose with one finger raised. The council was soon obliged to place it on a higher plinth than had been intended, due to the public’s temptation to hang objects on said finger.He was appointed an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cricket, having stood in his last first-class match in 1998, Yorkshire versus Warwickshire at Headingley.In a statement, Yorkshire confirmed that he had died peacefully at home”He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy — and a legion of admirers across generations,” Yorkshire added.”The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history.”

After Erik ten Hag’s dismissal from Manchester United in October last year, it was always going to be crucial that the hierarchy made the right call with their next appointment.

The Red Devils board turned to Ruben Amorim to fill the void, but around 13 months on from his arrival, he’s still struggling to provide the goods on a consistent basis.

He’s currently achieving a 41% win record in his 56 matches in charge at Old Trafford to date, with the 40-year-old only registering a total of 23 victories across all competitions.

His 3-4-2-1 system is yet to be seen in full flow, as numerous players are still getting used to the demands of the manager’s intricate system in the Premier League.

One player in particular has had to adapt his playstyle over the last couple of months as a result of the switch, but he’s struggled in 2025/25 – as seen by his stats in recent weeks.

The stats behind Dalot’s struggles in 2025/26

Diogo Dalot was signed by United back in 2018 from boyhood club Porto, with the Portuguese star seen as the long-term solution at right-back at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old has already racked up over 200 senior appearances for the Red Devils since his transfer, but concerns have been raised about his performance levels in 2025/26.

He’s been asked to operate in a more advanced right-wing-back role as a result of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system – a position in which he’s massively struggled to date.

In his 11 appearances in the Premier League, he’s massively struggled in possession, as seen by his lowly tally of just 2.8 progressive passes completed per 90.

Such a tally ranks him within the bottom 20% of all full-backs in the division this season, further showcasing his lack of impact when in possession this campaign.

Going forward, he’s also massively struggled to impress, as seen by his tally of just 1.7 passes into the final per 90 – which also places him in the bottom 14% of other defenders in the league.

When he gets himself into shooting positions, Dalot has also massively struggled in the Premier League, as seen by his tally of zero shots on target, the joint-worst of any player in the division.

It’s evident that he’s massively struggled to impress since the arrival of his compatriot, with the manager desperately needing to address the situation in such an area.

The star who can end Dalot’s Man Utd career

In an attempt to fix the issues in the wing-back department, Amorim has put faith in Amad Diallo to try and nail the place down as his own in recent months.

The Ivorian, who’s primarily a winger, has managed to impress in the role, with the 23-year-old netting 11 goals and eight assists across all competitions in 2024/25.

In the current season, the youngster has continued to impress, already netting a goal and two assists – with his only goal a tremendous strike in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.

However, the manager could be presented with an issue in the months ahead, with the player set to join up with the Ivory Coast national team for the African Cup of Nations.

Despite the issues, the manager could call upon academy star Bendito Mantato to try and fill the void and solve the long-standing problem in wide areas.

The Englishman joined the academy at the age of nine, subsequently spending his entire youth years with the Red Devils and is now a star performer in the youth ranks.

He’s made three appearances for the U18 squad during the early stages of this season, but has managed to impress – as seen by his tally of three goals and three assists.

Mantato, who started out as a winger, has even played as a full-back for the academy sides, subsequently allowing him to make 11 appearances for the under-21 side this campaign.

As a result of his recent performances, analyst Ben Mattinson has already labelled “explosive” – even touching on his ability to get up and down the pitch with his tireless nature.

Games played

14

Goals & assists

9

Pass accuracy

89%

Successful dribbles

1.1

Tackles made

3.4

Duels won

6.7

Duels won

49%

Fouls won

1.3

The youngster starred in the U18s 7-0 demolition of Liverpool at the weekend, with the wideman finding the net early on to get the ball rolling against their bitter rivals.

At just 17, expectations will no doubt have to be managed by the club and Amorim, but it’s evident that he’s a player with bags of talent and potential for the future.

However, if he does manage to continue his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t replace Dalot in the first-team setup and save the hierarchy millions.

The Portuguese international is certainly on borrowed time at Old Trafford, with the full-back needing a miracle to prevent the hierarchy from looking at options to replace him.

Better than Dorgu: Man Utd plot move to sign 'the world's most coveted LB'

Manchester United look set to make yet another big-money move in the defensive department.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 2, 2025

The allrounder says he’s not feeling apprehensive ahead of his return to match bowling for the first time in 12 months

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2025Cameron Green has declared he will not be under any bowling restrictions by the time the Ashes starts, and is up for the challenge of batting at No. 3 as an allrounder.Green hasn’t bowled in a match since undergoing back surgery last October after suffering his fifth stress fracture. That will change this weekend when Green makes his bowling return in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield opener against New South Wales at the WACA ground, starting Saturday.Related

Webster misses Sheffield Shield opener with ankle injury

Australia's Ashes 'bat-off' begins: Who could open against England?

Sheffield Shield preview: Ashes selection race adds intrigue

Lyon wants 'a spinner in every side' in Tests in Australia

Green will be restricted to just eight overs for the match, with WA skipper Sam Whiteman needing to manage his overs across the game, but will build up steadily in the ensuing Shield matches and ODIs for Australia.In total, Green expects to play three Shield matches as well as Australia’s ODI series against India before the Ashes begins at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.”It’s been a long 12 months, but feeling really good,” Green said on Friday, before adding he was feeling no apprehension ahead of his bowling return. “The body’s in a good place. It’s been a really good rehab journey. I feel stronger, fitter, my action feels good.”It will be eight overs for the [Shield] game. Just a steady build-up. The first Test should be no restrictions. That’s kind of the whole plan of the last year.”That’s why it’s been such a slow build up – so that you’re peaking by the time the Ashes comes around.”Green will bat at No. 4 for WA in their Shield opener despite being the incumbent Test No. 3 having batted in that position in Australia’s last four Tests. Green only averaged 23.50 across those matches but scores of 52, 26, 42 and 46 in tough batting conditions in the Caribbean were worth more in the context of those games.Australia’s selectors have made a point of allowing states to use Test players in whatever batting position they need, even if that is different to their position in the Test team. WA prefer to keep Jayden Goodwin at No. 3 and bat Green at No. 4 given he averages 67.09 from 26 Shield innings in that position for WA with five centuries and six fifties. He also averages 53.60 in six Test innings at No. 4 thanks to his career-best 174 not out against New Zealand last year.But there’s a chance he will remain at No. 3 in the Ashes despite big questions as to whether Green can handle the workload of batting so high in the order and also bowling crucial overs.But with fellow allrounder Beau Webster also in the Test side, Green is confident of being able to bat at first drop.”Shane Watson used to open the batting and bowl,” Green said. “People probably don’t realise how tough that was. Spending so long in the field bowling, and then expected to go out there and bat the last 10 overs of the day for example, is really challenging.”But I think I’m in a bit of a different place. Let’s say I’m batting up the top, and Beau’s batting six, for example – he might take more of the [bowling] load.”Rising star Sam Konstas will be part of a strong NSW line-up for the upcoming match at the WACA, with the opening rounds of the Shield season a huge chance for the 20-year-old to push his case to open in the Ashes.Konstas struggled badly during the 3-0 Test series win in the West Indies, but has since rebounded with some strong displays for Australia A against India A in India.Other contenders looking to push their case to open alongside Usman Khawaja include Marnus Labsuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Jake Weatherald, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, Campbell Kellaway, Kurtis Patterson, Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft.

Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland will join the four-day squad for the second of the two matches in Lucknow

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2025Allrounder Aaron Hardie has been ruled out of the Australia A tour of India due to a shoulder injury to add to the list of pace-bowling options to be sidelined.Hardie will be replaced by Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland, who was already part of the one-day squad for the tour and will fly out to India in time for the second four-day game in Lucknow. A replacement for Hardie in the one-day squad will be named at a later date.It is hoped that Hardie will be able to recover in time for the early rounds of Sheffield Shield matches – Western Australia’s opening game is against New South Wales at the WACA on October 4.Related

• Maxwell named for 50-over return for Victoria despite ODI retirement

• Morris ruled out for up to 12 months after opting for back surgery

• Vidler ruled out of Australia A tour of India with a partial stress fracture

• No regrets for Konstas as he prepares to fight for Ashes berth

Hardie featured in the recent T20I and ODI series against West Indies and South Africa but he struggled against the latter and had not been selected for the short New Zealand trip for three T20Is, instead being included in the A squad. Depending on how his recovery tracks, he may come into consideration for the white-ball series against India.Though an allrounder rather than a specialist bowler, Hardie’s injury adds to a growing list of players sidelined heading into the season. Pat Cummins is the most significant with question marks over whether he will recover from his back injury in time for the Ashes.Lance Morris, a team-mate of Hardie’s at WA, has been ruled out for 12 months having undergone back surgery, while promising quick Callum Vidler has been diagnosed with a stress fracture. Morris had been due to feature in the four-day leg of the A tour and Vidler the one-dayers. Brody Couch had initially been Morris’ replacement but he suffered a side injury during the Top End T20 final with South Australia’s Henry Thornton subsequently called up.The first four-day game against India A starts on September 16 followed by the second on September 23. The three one-dayers, which will all be in Kanpur, are on September 30, October 3 and 5.

Updated Australia A four-day squad

Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott, Will Sutherland (second game only), Henry Thornton

Updated Australia A one-day squad

Cooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Henry Thornton (one to be added)

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber recorded the 1,000th hit of his career on a classic "Schwarbomb" home run against the New York Yankees. Though Schwarber was unable to reach this milestone in front of the Phillies home crowd, the home run was caught by a Phillies fan in attendance at Yankee Stadium.

After the Phillies' 12-5 win, Schwarber met up with the fan that caught the home run ball and his two friends. Schwarber traded two signed baseballs to get the milestone baseball back, and even offered to sign a third ball for the trio. However, they declined, replying that they simply just want Schwarber to re-sign with the Phillies, per Scott Lauber of .

"It's been fantastic these last three and a half, four years now, the support that we get from our fans," Schwarber told reporters. "Means a lot to me that they attach themselves onto our team, myself, whatever it is. We can feel that support, always appreciate it."

Schwarber, who is in the middle of his fourth season with the Phillies, will have his contract with Philadelphia expire following the 2025 campaign. He signed a four-year deal for $79 million with the Phillies in 2022, and is in the middle of another tremendous year for Philadelphia. He has hit 36 home runs and 82 RBI with a .960 OPS this season, ranking top-10 in all of MLB in all three categories.

The fans are not the only ones interested in getting Schwarber extended with Philadelphia. Phillies managing partner John Middleton expressed earlier this week that the team wants to get a new deal done with Schwarber, vi. Though the two sides were unable to agree on a new contract before the season, re-signing Schwarber will likely be a priority heading into the offseason.

Adam Voges will finish with the state at the end of the current season but may continue to coach Perth Scorchers

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2025

Adam Voges, who will likely be in the frame to coach Australia when Andrew McDonald finishes, will step down as Western Australia head coach at the end of the 2025-26 season in order to pursue opportunities in franchise cricket.Voges took up the role in 2018-19 following Justin Langer’s appointment as Australia coach and oversaw an incredible run of success for WA with a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles and four One-Day Cup trophies, doing the double in three consecutive seasons from 2021-22 to 2023-24 in the process.Last season, they finished bottom in both competitions but are currently third after four rounds of this summer’s Shield after a thrilling one-wicket win over Queensland.”I’m incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to be in the role of WA men’s team head coach over the past eight seasons,” Voges said. “We have enjoyed an incredible amount of success over the past four seasons, which is a credit to everyone involved with the side.”It’s also been really pleasing to oversee many players from WA take the step to international duty and excel playing for their country. While it wasn’t an easy decision to make, I’m looking forward to pursuing more coaching opportunities in franchise cricket.”Earlier this month, ESPNcricinfo had reported that Voges was in talks to join Trent Rockets in the Hundred as an assistant coach. He has previously coached Australia A and worked with the national side.WA Cricket are continuing discussions with Voges about staying on as Perth Scorchers head coach in the BBL.McDonald’s current contract as Australia coach runs through to 2027 and he has indicated he is unlikely to seek an extension having been in the job since early 2022.Voges, who played 20 Tests and finished with the incredible average of 61.87, has been in charge at WA during a time where they have had significant Australia representation. Cameron Green and Josh Inglis are part of the current Test squad.There is a new generation coming through the WA system including allrounder Cooper Connolly and fast bowler Mahli Beardman.

Out of almost nowhere, Chelsea have emerged as Arsenal's closest challengers for the Premier League title this season as the London rivals prepare to lock horns at Stamford Bridge this weekend – but is this another false dawn? After all, Enzo Maresca's side found themselves in a similar position midway through 2024-25 only to fall away dramatically in the second half of the campaign. Ahead of Sunday's showdown, though, there is reason to believe the Blues could have staying power this time around.

After grinding out wins against Wolves and Burnley, following the customary defeat of Tottenham on the road, Chelsea have – – risen to second in the Premier League table ahead of hosting Mikel Arteta's early-season champions-elect, albeit they are still six points behind their cross-capital foes.

Serious doubts, though, remain over their ability to stay the course for the long-term – which are justified given the Blues haven't mounted a sustained title challenge since they last lifted the trophy nine seasons ago, and the backdrop of the club's tumultuous recent history since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover three years ago.

It's not long since Chelsea were in a similar position, either; around this time last season they surged into second place behind eventual league winners Liverpool, before failing miserably to deal with the packed festive schedule and sliding back down the standings amid a winter of discontent.

This time, though, things feel slightly different, with Maresca's side showing the kind of mettle and big-game aptitude that suggests they could have staying power for the season. However, the visit of the Arsenal juggernaut will be the ultimate test of their credentials at the top of the table.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Winning habit

  Chelsea's start to the season was inauspicious as they picked up just two wins from six league games, leading many to believe that another top-four finish would be the best that they could hope for. Since the start of October, though, there has been a shift.

  The sensational late victory over Arne Slot's toiling champions has proven to be the catalyst for a run of eight victories in 10 matches in all competitions, with the alarming home defeat to high-flying Sunderland late last month proving to be an anomaly in what could prove to be a defining period in the west Londoners' campaign.

  Having dropped points in clashes they were expected to win earlier in the season against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Brighton, the Blues have defeated Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Burnley with relative ease, as well as notching another victory over Spurs in north London in one of the most one-sided 1-0 wins you're likely to see.

  Of course, Chelsea's young squad reached the latest significant milestone in its progression in the Champions League in midweek, as they utterly dominated the 10 men of Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in a mightily impressive 3-0 thumping that sets them up very nicely for Sunday's top-of-the-table showdown.

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• AFP
  

  'There is only one way'

  For Maresca, this developing winning habit is vital to his side's chances of success: "Last year, we were playing in the Conference League, and I said many times that for me personally, if you want to build a winning mentality, there is only one way: winning games. Because otherwise, if you don't win games, it's difficult to convince the players, 'guys, we are building a winning mentality'," the Italian tactician said after Tuesday night's dismantling for the Catalan giants.

  "But when we don't win, it's difficult. So the only way in any competition, Conference League, Champions League this season, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, is to win games. It's the only way to build the winning mentality. And I think the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season helped a lot.

  "And now we are trying to do exactly the same. For sure, the players are better players in this moment compared to last season, because we spent more time together."

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  Rotation, rotation, rotation

  In downing the mighty Barca by exploiting their recklessly high line, Maresca served up another timely reminder of his tactical acumen, but what has been even more impressive of late is his ability to utilise his whole squad without results and performances suffering.

  No Premier League manager has made more changes to their starting XIs than the Italian so far in 2025-26, with the five he made for the Barcelona game from his team that eased past Burnley taking his tally for the season to a remarkable 102, and it's only November.

  While he has a core of guaranteed starters in bigger games, Maresca has been able to lean on the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, fit-again Liam Delap and academy graduates Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George in lower-stakes situations – either from the start or as substitutes.

  They have handled remarkably well without the talismanic Cole Palmer, too, who has made just four appearances this season due to a groin issue and subsequent broken toe. He has, though, been passed fit to play on Sunday. Meanwhile, defensive midfielders Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo – whose imminent returns will strengthen the group again – have also been sidelined, as well as long-term absentee Levi Colwill.

  That ability to rotate, and doing so successfully, could well prove to be vital for Chelsea as they fight on four fronts over the notoriously hectic winter period. If they require a two-legged play-off to reach the Champions League last 16 and make progress in the domestic cup competitions, then they face a brutal schedule of as many as 32 games in the next four months.

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  Another false dawn?

  There will, of course, still be question marks over whether Chelsea have the staying power to go the distance and truly challenge Arsenal – who look ominously capable of becoming runaway leaders – all the way until the final day of the campaign, especially given the young group's lack of experience in that department.

  If we zoom out, the Blues are only one point better off than at the same stage last season, and they have certainly benefitted from unrecognisable champions Liverpool and, to a lesser extent, disjointed Manchester City underperforming considerably to this point.

  As we've touched upon, their title challenge completely unravelled over the winter period last term before they managed to steady the ship in time to secure a top-four finish on the final day. Even when they were second, Maresca was consistent in his messaging that his team were 'not ready' for a title challenge, although that led some to question whether he had manifested their downturn in form with his pessimistic outlook.

  It will be very interesting to see how Chelsea contend with the relentless nature of the schedule this time around, but there is a sense that things are different one year on in terms of cohesiveness, togetherness and strength in depth – something the manager has recognised, albeit he maintains it is too early to predict what they are capable of.