The Felinos have earned two victories in the tournament, meaning qualification is in their hands.
They beat San Diego FC 2–1Ángel Correa scored a braceThey will face LAFC on TuesdayGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Tigres are one of the few teams still boasting a perfect record at the Leagues Cup, after recording back-to-back wins against MLS opponents. Under Guido Pizarro’s watch, they cruised past the Houston Dynamo and then defeated San Diego FC – with Ángel Correa netting a brace in both outings.
Following the win over San Diego, Javier Aquino spoke in the mixed zone and joined the criticism aimed at the tournament, insisting it has never been balanced between the leagues.
“I’ve never thought this tournament was balanced – honestly, fairness would be them having to come play at our place too, travel, leave their families and their homes. That would make things more even. But the rules are there and we have to respect them,” he said.
Aquino added that Tigres feel a responsibility to step up for Liga MX and showcase the quality of Mexican clubs.
“We have to show the level the Mexican league is known for and try to uphold the reputation of both the league and our club. We’re trying to do our best and represent Tigres properly,” he said.
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Aquino's comments reflect the growing frustration among Liga MX sides, who have been vocal about their discomfort with the competition’s format – especially the fact that every match is staged in the United States. While several MLS teams have been able to play at their home stadiums, Mexican clubs have had to travel constantly from city to city, fuelling the perception that the tournament is lopsided. Still, after two rounds of action, the level of play has been strong, and both leagues continue to feed a rivalry that is growing rapidly.
Getty Images SportWHAT GUIDO PIZARRO SAID
Pizarro also praised Ángel Correa’s form since arriving from Atlético de Madrid.
“I’m happy for Ángel, he’s getting more comfortable every day – credit to the group for helping him settle. We’ve only played two games, nothing is decided yet, it’ll all come down to the last match,” he said.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR TIGRES?Tigres will look to close out a perfect group stage next Tuesday when they take on LAFC at BMO Stadium.
Rikki Clarke also signs on for extra year at age of 38
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2019Gareth Batty will embark on a 24th season of first-class cricket next year, after agreeing a one-year extension to his contract at Surrey that will keep him at the club at least until the eve of his 43rd birthday.Batty, who turned 42 on Sunday, claimed 48 wickets in all formats in 2019, including 26 at 26.07 in eight County Championship fixtures, the second-most of any England-qualified spinner, behind Jack Leach.His season included a remarkable display against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in May, where his ten wickets in the match included a hat-trick as he finished with a career-best 8 for 64 in the second innings.After beginning his career at Yorkshire in 1997, Batty played for Surrey for four seasons before moving to Worcestershire in 2002, then returned to The Oval in 2010.In 2016, at the age of 39, he was unexpectedly recalled by England for the Test series in Bangladesh and India, where he made his first Test appearances for more than 11 years.Batty will be joined once again in Surrey’s ranks by his fellow old boy, Rikki Clarke, 38, who has also extended his stay by another year. Coincidentally, the pair made their England Test debuts in the same fixture 16 years ago, against Bangladesh at Dhaka in October 2003.Despite Surrey’s disappointing season, Clarke enjoyed another prolific campaign with the ball, claiming 43 wickets at 23.97, including a best of 7 for 74 against Hampshire at The Oval.Gus Atkinson, a 21-year-old seamer who has yet to make his first-team debut, also signed a one-year extension for the club.
West Ham star Jarrod Bowen feared he had broken his ankle mere minutes after coming on in England's drab Euros draw against Denmark.
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England draw 1-1 with DenmarkWinger Bowen came off the benchFeared he had broken his ankleWHAT HAPPENED?
The 27-year-old came on for Arsenal's Bukayo Saka in the 1-1 draw with Denmark in midweek but shortly after his introduction he feared his tournament would be over. The winger looked to have rolled his ankle on the slippy Deutsche Bank Park pitch but managed to ride it out and carry on. Now, he has spoken about that near miss.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT JARROD BOWEN SAID
He told reporters: “I thought I had broken my ankle in the first two minutes when I came on. It was definitely difficult, it’s not an excuse in the slightest, but I think Walks (Kyle Walker) had a couple in the first 10 minutes and you could see the chunks of ground coming up a bit like a bad divot if you hit a bad golf shot. I was probably running a bit too fast for my brain, turned around and got my foot stuck and I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m in trouble here’, but luckily I got away with it. It was one of those pitches where you can get your foot caught in the ground and it can come up against you.”
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Hammers ace Bowen has been one of the few positives for England this tournament, so having him fit is a big boost for the Three Lions. He, and the watching nation, will hope Gareth Southgate's men can put in a better performance against Slovenia on Tuesday as they eye the last 16 of the Euros.
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
England, who sit top of their group, take on third-placed Slovenia at RheinEnergieStadion on Tuesday night, as they look to advance as group winners. Southgate's men have four points whereas Slovenia have two heading into their final fixture.
This is the second time the offspinner has been reported in ten months, so if he fails his assessment, he stands to be suspended for a year
Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Aug-2019Sri Lanka offspinner Akila Dananjaya has been reported for a suspect action for the second time in ten months, and will now have to undergo a biomechanics assessment in the next 12 days. If he fails this assessment, Dananjaya stands to be suspended for a year – the ICC’s automatic penalty for bowlers who have twice failed an assessment inside a two-year period.Also reported for a suspect action following the Galle Test was Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain who delivered three overs of offspin on the final day of the match, which Sri Lanka won by six wickets. He had also previously failed a biomechanics assessment, but this was back in 2014. As such, a failed assessment for him will not result in a 12-month suspension from bowling and, in any case, he is little more than a part-time bowler.Dananjaya had undergone remedial work since his initial suspension, announced in December 2018, and had had his action cleared early this year. He had been less effective in ODIs in the early months following his return, which led to him missing out on a place in Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad. The Galle Test was his first since the suspension, and he impressed in the first innings, taking 5 for 80. If a year-long suspension eventuates now, it would not only be a serious blow to Dananjaya’s career, it will also unsettle Sri Lanka’s spin attack. The next six Tests on Sri Lanka’s schedule are all due to be played in Asia.Of the three variations Dananjaya bowls, it is believed to be his stock ball – the offbreak – that has most frequently raised the umpires’ suspicions.Sri Lanka’s second Test against New Zealand begins on Thursday. Both Dananjaya and Williamson will be allowed to bowl in that game, as it falls within the 14-day window granted to bowlers who have had their actions reported.
Chelsea’s summer business has been impressive to say the least. Enzo Maresca has wasted little time in building a team which he believes can go far in both the Premier League and Champions League this season.
Expectations have certainly been heightened after the club won the inaugural Club World Cup stateside earlier this month.
The Blues weren’t expected to cause much of an upset against PSG in the final, but a Cole Palmer double and a Joao Pedro effort ensured the trophy would be heading to London.
If the Stamford Bridge side get off to a good start this season, they will be a force to be reckoned with. Maresca still has plenty of work to do in the transfer window to make sure his squad is exactly the way he wants it.
That means there will likely be another few incomings over the coming weeks. More importantly, however, is the need for the manager to move on several players who don’t feature in his plans this season.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescabefore the start of the second half
Let’s take a deep dive into all the latest transfer news surrounding the club, shall we?
Latest Chelsea transfer news
Firstly, Maresca is still keen on bolstering his attacking options. Despite having signed Jamie Gittens, Pedro and Liam Delap, the Italian isn’t stopping there.
According to ESPN, Chelsea have shown interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak amid the news he wants to leave the Magpies this summer.
Player
Club signed from
Jamie Gittens
Borussia Dortmund
Liam Delap
Ipswich Town
Joao Pedro
Brighton
Mamadou Sarr
Strasbourg
Estevao
Palmeiras
Dario Essugo
Sporting CP
Liverpool appear to be frontrunners for his signature, but should the Blues somehow convince Isak that his future lies at Stamford Bridge, it would eclipse any of the club’s transfers this summer.
Elsewhere, Maresca is still keen on bringing Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho to the club.
The Telegraph state that the Blues are monitoring the situation with the Argentinian winger at Old Trafford as his future looks in doubt.
Manchester United's AlejandroGarnachoreacts
Garnacho could be available for a fee in the region of £40m should Maresca make a concrete move for the player. Given his age and Premier League experience, this type of fee makes a deal much more appealing.
Regarding outgoings, Chelsea haven’t sold many of their wantaway stars just yet. João Félix is attracting interest from his former club Benfica, although if a deal were to happen, it would mean a significant loss for the Premier League side.
Indeed, the Portuguese outfit wants to acquire 50% of Félix’s rights for a fee of around €25m (£21.7m).
Christopher Nkunku is another player that Maresca is looking to get rid of before the league season gets underway. Both Nottingham Forest and Man United have joined the race for the French attacking midfielder.
The Blues have set his asking price at £43m, which could tempt various clubs to come in and make an offer for the former RB Leipzig star.
As for incomings, one deal that looks close to completion is that of Xavi Simons. The Dutchman has been a key target recently, and it finally looks as though Maresca has his man.
Chelsea close to agreeing personal terms
Fabrizio Romano shared an update regarding the club’s progress on a move for the Leipzig sensation.
“Understand Chelsea and RB Leipzig are now in advanced talks for Xavi Simons.” Said Romano on X.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
“Negotiations club to club progressing well, still work to do but heading positive direction. Xavi, keen on Chelsea project with personal terms talks also advanced.”
No concrete transfer fee has been mentioned as yet, but barring any last-minute hitches, this deal should be over the line sooner rather than later.
Netherlands'XaviSimonscelebrates scoring their third goal
That means Chelsea have yet another young, hungry attacking prospect ready to showcase their talents in the Premier League.
Can Simons become Chelsea’s very own Florian Wirtz?
Why Chelsea want to sign Xavi Simons
Liverpool made their own statement of intent by splashing out around £116m to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. If all works out, he could be the signing of the summer.
Simons won’t cost that much – having been touted at around £56m – but the two players are similar in style, being able to operate as an attacking midfielder.
Indeed, throughout the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, Wirtz was the fourth-most comparable player to Simons due to their likeness as players.
Not only that, but the pair also registered similar statistics across a range of metrics, including goals and assists (16 vs 22), shots per 90 (2.09 vs 2.83), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.52 vs 5.66), carries into the final third (72 vs 72) and crosses delivered into the opposition penalty area (79 vs 101) during the Bundesliga last term.
Both Simons and Wirtz have strengths including key passes, dribbling and through balls, according to WhoScored. The duo also both love to dribble, counting this as a key skill set, while they both like to provide layoffs to teammates.
As such, making a move for Simons this summer would allow Maresca to have someone who is just like Wirtz in his squad, for a fraction of the price.
Ahead of the 2024 European Championship, analyst Ben Mattinson lavished plenty of praise on Simons, saying that he is “destined for greatness”, while describing him as a “superstar” who can become “one of the best in the world in the future.”
During that tournament, he scored once and provided three assists as the Netherlands reached the semi-finals.
Simons has starred on the big stage for club and country over the previous three years and should he seal his move to Chelsea, Maresca may just have the final piece of his attacking jigsaw.
Aged just 22, the Dutch starlet is ready to take the next step-up in his career and what better club to do it at than Chelsea.
Wirtz may have made the headlines, but Simons could certainly match his displays next season. Watch this space.
Perfect for Isak: Chelsea agree personal terms to sign £70m "game-changer"
Chelsea have agreed personal terms to land a “game-changer” of a signing
Manchester City have seen numerous players join the club since Pep Guardiola was appointed as their manager back in 2016.
One of Guardiola’s earliest recruits for the Manchester club was midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who joined the side from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £20m in the summer of 2016.
Since then, the German has gone on to make 249 appearances in a City shirt across all competitions.
In those appearances, the midfielder has scored 47 goals and delivered 33 assists along the way.
To further highlight how prominent the World Cup winner has been for City over the past few years, only Raheem Sterling (288) and Kevin De Bruyne (260) have made more appearances for the club under Guardiola than Gundogan (248).
With the 31-year-old’s current contract at the Etihad Stadium set to expire in the summer of 2023, the midfielder has already spoken about his potential next career step, with a move to America or Turkey in mind.
Taking this into account, the upcoming summer transfer window could give the Citizens an ideal opportunity to bring in a potential long-term replacement for their German midfield star.
Having been recently linked with a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, he could well be the right figure to come in and fill Gundogan’s boots once he calls time on his spell with City.
Since joining the Spanish club back in 2019 from Ajax for a fee of £65m, the Dutchman has gone on to make 137 appearances, scoring 13 goals and delivering 17 assists in the process.
Labelled as a “dynamic” player in the past by his current manager Xavi, the La Liga giants have reportedly put a price tag of £58m on their midfield talent.
To compare him with Gundogan from their individual domestic seasons, while De Jong may not have as many attempts on goal as the City star, he has a higher percentage of shots on target (41.2%) than him (31.9%), meaning he is more clinical in front of goal.
In terms of his passing, the Dutchman also trumps Gundogan with a higher percentage of passes completed.
While De Jong has five more league games under his belt than the German, from a defensive point of view, he’s made more tackles, pressures, blocks, interceptions and clearances this term.
Taking all of this into account, not only could City and Guardiola find their ideal heir for Gundogan with the 24-year-old, but they may also blow the Etihad faithful away by securing the Barcelona star’s signature this summer.
In other news: Pep can seal dream MCFC move with £100m “freak” who “can do anything”, he’s Ferna 2.0
Another top-order collapse for Sri Lanka meant they were always behind in the chase, and got nowhere close to concede the ODI series 2-0
Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Jan-2025 New Zealand strode to 255 for 9 in their 37 overs, with a 112-run second wicket stand between Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman the bedrock of that innings. And then Sri Lanka’s top order crashed and burned again. They were 4 for 22 inside the first five overs, their hopes of levelling the series almost completely dashed.Kamindu Mendis attempted to revive the innings, but his 64 was not nearly enough to revive this innings. Sri Lanka slipped to a 113-run defeat, having also lost heavily to New Zealand in the first ODI. New Zealand take the series despite being significantly depleted by absences and injuries. Sri Lanka are essentially at full strength, but the failure of their top five continues to dog them, even in a rain-reduced match such as this.New Zealand had some stutters too. They were modest at the death, as Maheesh Theekshana in particular was effective, taking a hat-trick across his last two overs, as New Zealand mustered no more than 63 in the last 10 overs, losing five wickets in that period. But they did not stumble so spectacularly as to undo the work of the Ravindra-Chapman stand. They had contributions through the middle, with Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner chipping in.Maheesh Theekshana became the seventh Sri Lanka bowler to bag an ODI hat-trick•Getty ImagesAnd then they had their confident seam bowlers, who imposed themselves even with the older ball. Will O’Rourke took 3 for 31, Jacob Duffy 2 for 30, while Matt Henry and Nathan Smith claimed a wicket apiece. The only semblance of a partnership had been between Kamindu and Janith Liyanage, as the pair put on 57 together for the fifth wicket. Outside of that, New Zealand were picking their way through the batting order, and ultimately had them all out inside 31 overs.Sri Lanka’s required rate was 6.92 right from the beginning. Although this seems a monumental challenge, the pitch was good to bat on, and with rain having delayed the start of play by two-and-a-half hours, a damp ball was also proving a challenge for some bowlers. But Sri Lanka needed a strong start to put some wind in the sails of this chase, and what they got instead was a collapse.Pathum Nissanka holed out to mid-off in the second over, badly miscuing a lofted drive against Duffy. Kusal Mendis then edged behind in Duffy’s next over, before Avishka Fernando slapped a ball from Henry straight to point immediately after. Captain Charith Asalanka’s horrendous judging of a run extended Sri Lanka’s nosedive. He’d blocked one towards Mitchell Santner at mid-off and called his partner through. Santner swooped in the ball, hit the stumps with an under-arm throw, and caught Asalanka metres short. Kamindu had been out in very similar fashion, taking on the same fielder, only on Sunday.Captain vs captain: Mitchell Santner ran out Charith Asalanka•Getty ImagesAt Asalanka’s dismissal, Sri Lanka still had 234 runs to get off 194 deliveries, and only two specialist batters and two allrounders left to do it with. They didn’t get especially far.Contrast this to New Zealand’s top order, who put their team in a powerful position inside the first 22 overs, with Ravindra stroking 79 off 63 and Chapman hitting 62 off 52.What was most impressive about their stand was how comfortable both batters made brisk run-scoring appear. Ravindra was strong through the offside as usual, but found plenty of runs to leg, using the sweep and the pick-up shot off the pads to especially good effect.Chapman meanwhile, was decidedly stronger on the legside, scoring 46 off his 63 runs in that direction. He hit two sixes – one top edged over the keeper, and another over midwicket off a short ball from Eshan Malinga to bring up his fifty off 44 balls as well as the century partnership. Ravindra had also got to his half-century with a six – down the ground off Hasaranga. He took 43 balls to get there.Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman added 112 runs off 91 balls for the second wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesEarlier, Asitha Fernando had bowled Will Young with an outstanding jagging delivery, but neither Ravindra or Chapman were tested for long by Sri Lanka’s seamers. In fact, it was the spinners that introduced even a little discomfort – between them, Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga took six wickets.Sri Lanka fielded well, and induced errors at a greater rate in the back half of the innings. Asalanka pulled off an excellent diving catch at short cover to get rid of Ravindra, and Theekshana’s hat-trick featured some tumbling catches in the deep from Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Kamindu.But even in the field, New Zealand outdid them. Their ground fielding was spectacular again, and the catch of the day belonged to Nathan Smith, who bounded along the deep-third boundary, threw himself off his feet and got his outstretched right arm to a ball that might otherwise have landed over the boundary to dismiss Malinga.
Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel, the 14-year-old dubbed 'Kid Messi', has scored a twinkle-toed solo goal while playing for the club's Under-18s.
JJ Gabriel scores incredible solo goal14-year-old compared with MessiGiven No.95 at UnitedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
As his profile continues to increase, Gabriel was captured skipping past three defenders in the box to slide home an incredible effort while playing four years up for United's academy. The clip has gone viral on X after it was posted by UtdDistrict.
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Gabriel recently hit headlines after it was revealed that he would wear the No.95 shirt for United, the highest-ever shirt number to be given out by the club. He has been earmarked as one of the top talents currently being developed in the Red Devils' academy, hence the flattering nickname of 'Kid Messi' which he has often been given.
WHAT NEXT FOR JJ GABRIEL?
Though it will be at least another year before Gabriel will be permitted to play for United's first team in the Premier League, the 14-year-old may be given the chance to train with the first team as he continues his development in the academy. He will certainly be a name to watch out for in the years that come. The Red Devils may have their work cut out to keep him at the club, as Gabriel's Irish passport allows him to move to the European Union to play from the age of 16.
Looking ahead to the future rather than the frustrating reality that they currently find themselves in, Manchester City are now reportedly willing to submit an opening offer to sign a Premier League gem in 2025.
Man City transfer news
Of course, injuries have far from helped their case, but there is no escaping the fact that this is an ageing Man City squad. A number of players are creeping past their best form simultaneously, whilst club captain Kyle Walker looks a shadow of the Premier League champion he was just last season.
When the summer transfer window arrives, those at the Etihad must welcome several reinforcements for Pep Guardiola.
Just who those reinforcements are exactly remains to be seen, but recent reports have at least dropped a few hints. Names such as Viktor Gyokeres and even Trent Alexander-Arnold have been mentioned in what would be a move to send shockwaves through the Premier League. But before the Citizens splash out, they could welcome a star for the future.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold
According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are now willing to make an opening offer to sign youngster Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Just 15 years old, the teenager is reportedly worth as much as £15m in what is an incredibly hefty fee at such an age.
With Chelsea also interested in his signature, though, Leicester could fuel quite the battle.
Man City entertaining idea of signing "promising" ace as soon as January
The Premier League champions desperately need a defensive rebuild.
1 ByTom Cunningham Dec 7, 2024
If you look around European football, it is littered with Manchester City academy graduates, from Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer to high-flying Jamie Gittens. So even if the path from their academy isn’t always into Guardiola’s side, there is a trend of success stories after developing at the Etihad – a narrative that Monga could become the latest to write.
Monga should heed McAtee warning
At 15, Monga should be in no rush to make his decision. The pathway is there to take hold of at Leicester, where he has a greater chance of eventually receiving first-team minutes.
Meanwhile, even in Manchester City’s current state, it would be incredibly difficult for any young player to work their way into Guardiola’s side – just ask James McAtee.
The midfielder impressed on loan at Sheffield United last season but has since struggled to break into Guardiola’s plans on a consistent basis.
Given their current crisis – especially in midfield – it seemed as though McAtee would finally get a chance. However, that has not proved to be the case, and the 22-year-old now looks destined to depart.
It’s a warning that Monga should consider. Whilst Phil Foden represents a true success story from the academy, it’s difficult to pick any other young players who have been handed such a chance before being discarded around European football.
Palmer, Gittens and Sancho all enjoyed their success away from Manchester City and Monga may well be best off skipping a move to the Etihad altogether.
After lower-order runs scrambled a lead of 90, England made early inroads before Australia wiped off the deficit
Report by Andrew McGlashan03-Aug-2019Ben Stokes claimed the breakthrough wicket of Usman Khawaja•Getty ImagesAt the end of the third day of a pulsating Test, it felt like the fortunes of both sides rested on one man: Steven Smith. He was unbeaten on 46 at the close, again batting in a different league to his team-mates, having taken Australia into a narrow lead with seven wickets in hand on a surface where a target around 200 would likely be tough.England had scrambled to an advantage of 90 having started well placed for much more, but were eventually grateful for what they had following a middle-order collapse in which they lost 4 for 16. It took Australia three wickets to erase the deficit but by the close Smith and Travis Head had added 49 in 12 overs to offer hope of giving their attack, particularly Nathan Lyon, enough runs to work with in the fourth innings.There was one moment of unease for Smith, on 41, when he was hit on the helmet by a Ben Stokes bouncer. New concussion protocols or not (he was cleared by the team doctor), being forcibly removed from the field looked like the only way he would depart. And when it comes to a like-for-like replacement, well there isn’t one.Team Doctor Richard Saw later said: “After Steve was struck on the grille he underwent a head impact assessment both on the field of play and later off the field at the end of the day’s play. Steve showed no signs of concussion and is therefore free to continue to play. However, we will continue to monitor him on an ongoing basis as per our usual protocols.”Stokes had struck with his second delivery, ending a fluent innings from Usman Khawaja – who had been dropped on 11 at second slip by Jos Buttler off Moeen Ali – when he found an inside edge through to the keeper. At that point Australia were still 15 behind, and Stokes looked in the mood as he challenged Head but couldn’t find a way through again before bad light ended the day.In the field, England were again without James Anderson who had batted for half an hour with his injured calf but not moved well between the wickets. However, Stuart Broad gave them the ideal start when he completed a double over David Warner for the match, finding the edge as Warner tried to withdraw his bat. Joel Wilson gave it not out on field and again it was left for the DRS to earn its keep. Moeen, who was brought on in the eighth over, struck in his second when Cameron Bancroft inside-edged to short leg meaning Australia’s openers had contributed just 25 runs for the game.Moeen was close to having a second wicket four balls later but Buttler, who had moved from short leg to second slip, couldn’t stay low enough to take the edge. Runs then came as freely as they have at any time in the game as Joe Root regularly tinkered with his field. If there was a criticism it was that Khawaja – and later Head – were given comfortable options to get off strike with men on the boundary. Whatever Smith was faced with made no difference, and his speed between the wickets meant it was often difficult to keep him to a single. However, this game has not yet taken its decisive swing.England resumed on 267 for 4, hopeful of a total well in excess of 400 given the nature of the surface. Initially progress was slow but solid for the first half an hour before Stokes, having just reached a very classy fifty, edged a cut off Pat Cummins which exposed the out-of-form part of the middle order.Because Australia hadn’t let the scoring rate get away, they had stayed in the game even when wickets were tough to find. Now came the rewards, especially for Lyon. Firstly, Rory Burns was finally extracted after 312 balls when he edged a terrific delivery that spun and bounced. The catch from Tim Paine was equally good, if not better.Five balls later Lyon resumed his dominance over Moeen, dismissing him for the eighth time in Tests with one that went straight on and Moeen didn’t offer a shot. Moeen has admitted in his newspaper column that his batting confidence is low and, while he has asked to be judged on his bowling, it is a problem for England because Jonny Bairstow – one spot above – has also struggled in Test cricket over the last 18 months.He fell in the over after Moeen, slashing at Peter Siddle, to leave him with 47 runs in his last nine innings at home and an overall return of 521 runs at 23.68 since the beginning of the last English season. England had lost 3 for 4 in 11 balls and the lead was threatening to be barely worthwhile given they have to bat last.However, through a mixture of nudges, deflections, scampering and occasionally more powerful strokes, Broad and Chris Woakes added 65 priceless runs for the ninth wicket while also putting more miles in the legs of the fast bowlers. It was a surprise that Australia did not attack Broad early with the short delivery, seeing as it was eventually how he fell, flicking a delivery to fine leg having done what he loves to do: annoy Australia.Anderson, who had bowled before play and again during the lunch interval to test out his injured calf, shuffled between the wickets before top edging Lyon. How Root would have dearly wanted him with the ball. There is a chance that his 19-ball innings could be his last act in Ashes cricket.