da luck： Newcastle United are now interested in signing a “clinical finisher” who could be available in the January transfer window, according to a report.

Newcastle transfer news

da spicy bet： Although Eddie Howe may feel he needs to make some additions in January, in light of his side’s disappointing campaign up to this point, the manager’s transfer policy continues to be limited by the Premier League’s financial rules.

When asked about an alleged £65m bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, the manager said: “Firstly, I don’t think any bid (for Guehi) reached that level (£65m). That is far in excess of what the reality was. Secondly, with PSR, there is no pot of money that we have sitting there waiting to be spent.”

As such, Newcastle fans may be best advised not to have their expectations too high this January, despite the club’s continual links to some top players in the Premier League and beyond. The Magpies will be all too aware of Bryan Mbeumo’s abilities after his goal in the 4-2 defeat against Brentford last week, and there have been reports that a huge offer could be on the way, with Howe prioritising the signing of a right-winger.

As the uncertainty surrounding Alexander Isak’s future continues to mount, the manager may also be tasked with bringing in a new striker, and there have now been reports linking Corinthians’ Yuri Alberto with a move to St. James’ Park.

According to The Boot Room, Alberto is on Newcastle’s radar, but they may face competition for his signature from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Everton and Nottingham Forest also named as potential suitors.

The forward has admitted he has a “dream” of playing in the Premier League, while also saying there is a 50/50 chance he leaves Corinthians in January, meaning he could be available sooner rather than later.

Should the Brazilian club sanction his departure this winter, they would be looking to receive a fee of around £17m, having turned down a £14m bid from West Ham United over a year ago.

Related Newcastle leading the race to sign £16.5m gem with a "magical" left foot

The Magpies are in pole position.

Posts 1 ByHenry Jackson Dec 9, 2024 Alberto impressing in front of goal

The Brazilian has been capped for his national side on one occasion, and he poses a very impressive goal and assist record throughout his career so far.

Club

Games played

Goals

Assists

Santos

25

3

1

Internacional

85

31

5

Zenit

15

6

4

Corinthians

148

57

18

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also been very complimentary of the 23-year-old in the past, saying he’s a “complete forward” and praising his finishing in particular.

Of course, Newcastle’s main priority should be to keep hold of Isak amid interest from a number of top clubs, but Alberto could be a brilliant acquisition this January, particularly considering he may be available for the relatively low price of just £17m.

Brisbane is a city that makes room for all comers, offers plenty of bright light, and a variety of paths to jog down

Firdose Moonda24-Dec-2014First light, short shadows, the westward flying plane. Only another sun chaser would understand the true value of those things. The idea of going to a place named after the golden ball of goodness itself appealed to me more than most. Fortuitously, Queensland was the first serious stop on South Africa’s tour of Australia in late 2012.The schedule took us to Sydney for a practice match but Brisbane, in the Sunshine State, was where the real Tests would begin. The locals called it Bris-Vegas in a disparaging reference to tackiness, but I was not going to be swayed so easily. Even if the city lacked soul in the way I imagine the one it is nicknamed after does, it would have warmth of the literal kind, which was fine with me.Sunlight bounced from the streets, complete with bicycle lanes, glistened on the water, and reflected off the mirrored modern structures that made up the Eagle Street Pier. The mall by the water was my introduction to Brisbane and it was every bit as expensive (because it just cannot be called cheap) and nasty as it sounds. The restaurants were flash, the patrons were flush, but it was not just good times that were flowing; the Brisbane River was too and it would prove central to my experience of the city.A river usually comes with a guarantee of an opportunity for exercise and I had previously made use of many. On the Thames’ South Bank, sightseeing was included; on the Zambezi, I shared space with baboons and a pair of elephants, and along the Waikato, moving became a form of meditation. But Brisbane was completely different because the focus was on the physical activity of running and the many interesting ways of performing the seemingly mundane task of putting one foot in front of the other over and over and over again.Walkways at Eagle Street Pier, and the Story Bridge•Getty ImagesNo matter where you start – I began at the aforementioned shopping area – over the course of two weeks, every run can be different because of the 15 bridges that connect the two sides of the city. Some routes meander through the Botanical Gardens, others force you to jostle with cyclists in narrow shared spaces. And then there is the floating walkway between the wonderfully named Story Bridge and Merthyr Street. In glorious sunshine, your eyes are treated to light of a brightness they may not have enjoyed before, footsteps and whirring wheels are the soundtrack, and the sense of community from the many other people doing exactly the same thing was more welcoming than I expected Australia to be.Without delving too deeply into the love-hate relationship between South Africans and Australians, let’s just say there is a level of aggression shared between us. It is evident on the sports field where contests between the two nations often come with some extra needle, but it also exists beyond the boundary. There are almost 150,000 South Africans living in Australia, many of whom moved there when South Africa’s transition into a democracy threatened to become violent, and there is a tension between those who stayed behind and those who left. Of course, we are not the only country that has a significant expat community in Australia because people have been flocking there for generations.My first encounter with an “Australian,” was actually with a Lebanese man, then an Italian, then a Chinese person. All that makes Australia a much more diverse place than it can come across as being.Brisbane has a significant Greek influence. My childhood was spent among people of Mediterranean heritage, so I was intrigued enough to visit the West End. Apart from the fact that it shares a name with what I regard as one of the best part of London, it was where the Greek community settled initially.Restaurants spilling over onto pavements and delicatessens that open up into massive grocery stores stand as a testament to that legacy. One of them, Delta Continental, is located on Vulture Street. The only reason I remember that is because the same road leads to the Gabba. With red and yellow seats, the ground looks like it is trying to be the sun, never mind have people sit in it. I was underwhelmed by it as a venue.The Gabba: more sin than soul•Getty ImagesThey say it used to have much more character before the revamp, which has since swallowed other Australian venues like Adelaide Oval, and I hope they are right. The Gabba I saw had the same garishness as some parts of the city it is in do. There’s too much Vegas and not enough Bris. The most interesting thing about it was an anecdote we unearthed about why the street it sits on has its name: not named after a group of birds that nested there waiting for a carcass, or even a pack of dodgy businessmen, but rather a Royal Navy warship that was in operation during the Crimean War in the 1850s, called the .What was talked up to be a fiery pitch – so much so that South Africa fielded an all-pace attack – turned out to be the opposite. Brisbane was not all sunshine and… well sunshine, either. The second day of the match was washed out, effectively forcing the draw, but that did leave me with more time to explore some of the more charming parts. The Library Bar, the old government house, the Brisbane wheel.Beyond Brisbane’s borders are attractions including a koala sanctuary, the Australia Zoo, which was home to crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, and much further afield, the Gold Coast. The schedule meant I could not get to any of them, and I was particularly disappointed not to be able to bask in the rays of a place that sounds made for nothing else. But that’s just another reason to keep chasing the sun.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was backed by the board in the summer transfer window after key player Matt O’Riley was sold to Brighton.

The attacking midfielder left the Scottish giants to sign for the Premier League side in a deal that was reported to be a fee of more than £25m, breaking the domestic transfer record for the Hoops.

His departure from Parkhead was a big blow for the Northern Irish head coach and the team, as he had been a big player for the club last season.

Starts

37

Goals

18

Assists

13

Minutes per goal

181

Key passes per game

2.5

Assists per game

0.35

As you can see in the table above, O’Riley made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch with his ability to score and assist goals from a central midfield position.

However, Celtic did swoop to sign the likes of Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo, Kasper Schmeichel, Auston Trusty, and Adam Idah, among others, to bolster the squad.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the club could dip into the market again, and here is how the dream Celtic XI could look in February if everything falls into place.

1 Kasper Schmeichel

Firstly, there is no need to upgrade on Kasper Schmeichel, who arrived on a free transfer from Anderlecht in the summer, between the sticks.

The 38-year-old colossus has kept nine clean sheets in 12 appearances in the Premiership, saving 87% of the efforts on his goal, so far, and has Viljami Sinisalo as his back-up.

2 Alistair Johnston

Another player whose position in the team should be secured is right-back Alistair Johnston, who has been a terrific performer since his move to Glasgow.

The Canada international has scored four goals and created eight ‘big chances’ in 12 appearances in the Premiership so far this season for the Hoops, which illustrates the attacking impact he can have from a full-back position.

3 Cameron Carter-Vickers

At the heart of the defence, Rodgers will be hoping that Cameron Carter-Vickers can return to fitness and avoid any further injury issues, having already missed seven matches this season.

The 26-year-old star has been a dominant presence, winning 73% of his duels across eight league games, when he has been available to play.

4 Auston Trusty

This is a position that is still up for grabs, as Liam Scales and Auston Trusty are fighting it out to be the first-choice option in the left-sided centre-back role.

In the Premiership this season, the American summer signing has completed 95% of his attempted passes, made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game, and is yet to make a single error that has led to a penalty or goal in the Premiership.

Whereas, Scales has completed 92% of his attempted passes, made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, and has made an error that led to a shot and given away a penalty, which suggests that Trusty has the edge over him at the moment.

5 Greg Taylor

At left-back, Greg Taylor could remain the first-choice option for Rodgers, having started nine of the club’s 12 matches in the Premiership so far this season.

6 Callum McGregor

At the base of the midfield, there is little doubt that the captain, the leader of the team, Callum McGregor will remain a regular ahead of the second half of the season.

The former Scotland international has scored an eye-catching five goals in ten league games so far this season, to go along with a pass completion rate of 93%.

7 Arne Engels

Another summer signing who could continue to shine is Arne Engels, who has scored two goals and created three ‘big chances’ in seven league starts since his move from Augsburg.

8 Lennon Miller

The first potential new signing in this starting XI comes in the third and final midfield position, as Lennon Miller could be brought in to bolster the middle of the park.

It was recently reported that the Hoops are preparing a swoop to sign the Motherwell star, who is valued at £4m, alongside Rangers and Liverpool ahead of the January window.

Appearances

12

11

12

Goals

3

1

2

Big chances created

5

4

6

Key passes per game

1.3

1.7

2.0

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.6

2.5

3.1

Ball recoveries per game

3.8

3.6

6.3

As you can see in the table above, the 18-year-old star has outperformed Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo in a host of key statistics in the league this season, which suggests that he could offer more as an all-round midfielder if he signs in January.

Therefore, the Scottish star, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by James McFadden, could be a fantastic addition to the squad for the second half of the season.

9 Nicolas Kuhn

In a dream world, Celtic will be able to keep hold of Nicolas Kuhn, who has scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 18 appearances for the club this season.

10 Kyogo Furuhashi

In the centre-forward position, Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah will still be fighting it out to start. Rodgers has preferred the former so far, starting him in nine of the 12 league games, and that could stay the same.

WI coach says their fortunes could have been different with some “breaks”

Tristan Lavalette30-Nov-2022

West Indies could manage only two wickets on the opening day of the Perth Test•AFP

West Indies coach Phil Simmons has defended his bowlers and believed luck didn’t go their way on a grassy Optus Stadium surface after an increasingly ragged attack claimed just two Australian wickets on the opening day of the first Test.”We bowled well, especially in the first two sessions, but the luck didn’t go our way,” Simmons said. “It was just one of those days. We bowled well in spurts.”West Indies sensed an opportunity when Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch with 10mm of grass left on it.Related

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But after a promising start from their highly-rated attack, with opener David Warner falling in the fourth over, West Indies struggled to penetrate and faded as the day wore on, in their first Test match against Australia since January 2016.Capitalising on wayward bowling and sloppy fielding, Marnus Labuschagne grabbed a stranglehold of the contest with an unbeaten 154 as Australia reached stumps at 293 for 2.West Indies’ confidence might already be shaken in their bid to end a 25-year Test drought in Australia, but Simmons believed their fortunes could have been different with some “breaks”.Simmons also said West Indies could take heart from a disciplined effort in the earlier part of the day, where line-and-length bowling from their quicks was backed up by aggressive captaincy from Kraigg Brathwaite, who implemented attacking fields complete with five slips.”The first two sessions were good because we didn’t let them get away,” said Simmons, who will depart as coach at the end of the tour after resigning following West Indies’ early exit at the T20 World Cup.”I think the last session a few too many runs leaked…makes the day look bad but I think the first two sessions were good.”Brathwaite has copped criticism over his use of offspinner Roston Chase, who released the pressure late in the opening session when he came into the attack. He also struggled later in the day to finish with 0-63 from 15 overs.”We will discuss [Chase] in the morning,” Simmons said. “Maybe, the captain sees things out there. He runs the show and I think he’s been doing a very good job with his bowlers.”Simmons said West Indies’ batters could take heed of the performance from Labuschagne, who weathered an early storm to share century partnerships with Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith.”I think that’s the way you have to bat, especially with the new ball swinging around,” he said. “As we saw in the last session, it belonged to Marnus because he had fought out the hard times before that.”Before West Indies front up with the bat, they need to restrict Australia on a pitch Simmons tipped to quicken up. “We need to get a couple of wickets early tomorrow,” he said. “Realistically, looking at maybe 400…even 450 you’re still in [the game] because I think the wicket looks like it can get better.”

Leicester City are among the Premier League clubs who are interested in signing an attacking “machine” in January, according to a new report. The Foxes have made a steady start to life back in the top flight, picking up 10 points from a possible 30, but Steve Cooper will know performances do need to improve if they are going to stay above that dotted line.

Leicester chiefs plotting long-term transfer plan to sign £15m speedster

The Foxes would have to wait until the summer to get the deal completed.

By
Brett Worthington

Nov 4, 2024

Leicester already lining up 2025 transfer plans

Leicester and Cooper will have their eye on players who they believe can improve them for when January arrives, but they also appear to have their eye on one player who can’t move until next summer.

It was reported earlier this week that the Foxes are keeping a close eye on Ipswich Town’s Jack Clarke. The winger only joined the Tractor Boys during the summer transfer window from Sunderland, but Leicester are already weighing up whether to make a move for him in 2025. It has been a testing time for Clarke at Portman Road, as he’s yet to replicate the form he showed at the Stadium of Light.

The 23-year-old hasn’t scored for Ipswich yet, and he has found himself in and out of the starting XI in the opening 10 league games. He cannot play for a third English club this term after already turning out for Ipswich and the Black Cats though, so any move would be a summer one.

Leicester interested in signing Bayern starlet Mathys Tel

According to Caught Offside, Leicester City are interested in signing Mathys Tel on loan in January. The 19-year-old has been at Bayern Munich since July 2022, when he joined from French side Stade Rennais, and his career has really taken off since moving to Germany, as he shines playing anywhere across the front three.

Tel, who has been labelled a “two-footed ball-striking machine” in the past, played 30 times for Munich in the Bundesliga last season, scoring seven goals and recording five assists, but this season he has fallen out of favour under manager Vincent Kompany.

The winger has played seven times in all competitions, only two of which have come as starts, and it appears as though he could be allowed to leave on loan when January arrives. The report states that the German giants still see Tel as a “key part” of their long-term future, but he could now benefit from a temporary move away, and would be an exciting addition to the Premier League.

Looking at players who compare on FBRef’s statistical tools, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz ranks second by statistical profile.

Mathys Tel’s 2023/24 stats compared to Luis Diaz
	Tel	Diaz
Apps	30	37
Goals	7	8
xG	3.7	11.9
Goals per 90	0.60	0.27
Assists	5	5
xAG	2.3	5.7
Assists per 90	0.43	0.17
Shots (On target)	43 (18)	94 (32)
Shots per 90	3.69	3.22

Bayern want Tel to get regular first team minutes under his belt, and Leicester, as well as Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest, are all keen on landing the young star, but a final decision will be made by the player himself.

Chelsea have vowed to take action after defender Wesley Fofana was racially abused after the Blues' Premier League defeat to Arsenal.

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Fofana features in Chelsea's clash with ArsenalAngers Gooners with challenge on Declan Rice Racially abused after the gameFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Fofana has taken to social media to share screenshots of racist messages he received after Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Chelsea have been quick to react to the abuse and have pledged to work with social media companies in a bid to discover the identities of those involved.

AdvertisementCHELSEA ISSUE STATEMENT

"Chelsea Football Club is appalled and disgusted by the recent rise in online racial abuse towards our players," the club said in a statement. "The abuse Wes Fofana has been subjected to following yesterday’s fixture is abhorrent and will not be tolerated. Wes and all our players have our full support. We will work with the relevant authorities in identifying the perpetrators and take the strongest possible action."

WHAT FOFANA SAID

On top of the statement from his club, Fofana spoke out on Instagram, saying: "2025, stupidity and cruelty no longer hide. It's not just football, it's not just a 'game' when some believe that their skin color makes them superior to others. It's time for things to change, for platforms to take action, and for everyone to take responsibility."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Fofana played 86 minutes of the defeat at the Emirates Stadium and was in the spotlight for a challenge on Declan Rice. The defender escaped a red card for the tackle which angered some Arsenal fans and saw former referee Dermot Gallagher tell Sky Sports that Fofana was fortunate to stay on: “I think this was really really lucky throughout the game, it wasn’t just this, he committed a number of offences. Ironically he got yellow carded later in the game for delaying the restart but I don’t think that’s a red card if it’s a yellow card he can’t argue and if he gets a yellow card, it may stop him from committing a number of the challenges he committed after.”

علق أيمن الرمادي المدير الفني لفريق الزمالك على الفوز بلقب كأس مصر على حساب بيراميدز مساء الخميس الماضي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في نهائي كأس مصر، حيث فاز الزمالك بركلات الترجيح بعد انتهاء الوقت الأصلي والأشواط الإضافية بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لمثله، ونفذ شيكابالا ركلة الترجيح التي منحت الفوز للأبيض.

شيكابالا: كأس مصر كان ينتظر تسديدتي للتتويج أمام بيراميدز “الكبير”

وقال أيمن الرمادي في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “الزمالك”: “نادينا يمتلك قاعدة جماهيرية كبيرة في الوطن العربي، وأعلم ذلك لأنني عشت هناك، وجمهور الزمالك هو الأوفى على مستوى العالم”.

وأكمل: “عملنا لمدة شهر، وكانت هناك أيام أعمل فيها لمدة 16 ساعة، وكان ذلك أمرًا صعبًا وقاسيًا، ولكن الجميع كافح من أجل تحقيق كأس مصر، ومررنا بأوقاتٍ كانت شديدة الصعوبة”.

وأوضح: “لولا فضل الله ما استطعنا تحقيق ذلك، وفضل الله علينا كان كبيراً، سيناريو المباراة وأحداثها، بالإضافة إلى الحالة المعنوية المرتفعة جدًّا لبيراميدز بعد فوزهم ببطولة إفريقيا ولعبهم المباراة بعد خمسة أيام فقط، كل ذلك جعلنا نأخذ بالأسباب، فحققنا اللقب”.

واختتم: “هذه البطولة كنا جميعًا نحتاجها، لكن الأكثر احتياجًا لها كان كل بيت زملكاوي وخاصة في العيد، عشت في أسوان فترةً، ورأيت الكثير من كبار السن الزمالكاويين، وكم كان ارتباطهم العميق بناديهم”.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side made it four wins on the bounce, beating Southampton 5-1 in the Premier League.

Goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho secured victory for the Blues, adding another three points to their tally.

Chelsea now sit second in the Premier League, winning eight times, drawing four times, and only losing two from their opening 14 games. The Blues sit on 28 points, seven away from Liverpool in first, which continues to beg the question of whether they are in the title race this season.

There were plenty of top performances from the Blues, but one that stood out, was Nkunku, who started ahead of Nicolas Jackson up front and didn’t disappoint with his performance.

Christopher Nkunku's performance in numbers

The Frenchman was able to add to his growing goal tally, despite playing as second fiddle so far this season to Jackson upfront, now netting 12 times in his 21 appearances, also with two assists in his 882 minutes played.

Alongside his goal and assist, the Frenchman completed one of his two dribble attempts, made two key passes, took four shots, and completed 14 of his 15 passes (93% completion).

Despite the brilliant performance from the 27-year-old forward, he wasn’t the best player on the pitch, as another one of Chelsea’s French talents shone, returning to the side after missing the last few games.

Malo Gusto's performance in numbers

Malo Gusto played once again in his inverted right-back role, joining Moises Caicedo in midfield, and forming something of a 2-2-5-1 shape on the ball for Maresca’s Blues.

His performance earned him a 7/10 match rating from The Standard, after another dynamic display from the Frenchman.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The 21-year-old has become a key figure in Maresca’s tactical plans, using his positional flexibility to configure different shapes against different opposition, in order to give Chelsea the advantage in games.

So far this season, Gusto has made 13 appearances, providing two assists, and totalling 880 minutes played.

Minutes

90

Touches

91

Accurate Passes

70/72

Assists

1

Key Passes

2

Long Balls

1/1

Ground Duels Won

7/7

Tackles

7

Interceptions

1

Clearances

2

Gusto was brilliant defensively in this game, making seven tackles and winning all seven of his ground duels (100%). His ability to recover and defend whilst retreating, defend 1v1 areas out wide, and also counter press when the ball is lost, certainly gives Chelsea an edge out of possession.

But the defender also offers security on the ball, circulating play nicely, keeping it simple to bring his teammates into play, and even providing an assist towards the end of the game.

The blend of athleticism and off-ball qualities with his technical security and ability on the ball is exactly why Maresca uses him so frequently to solve problems.

With Tottenham up next at the weekend, the decision for Maresca will be whether to return to Caicedo playing as an inverted full-back to get all three of him, Roméo Lavia and Enzo Fernández in the team together, or whether Gusto will retain his spot, meaning one midfielder has to make way instead.

Chelsea want to sign £46m Arsenal target who's far better than Mudryk

Mudryk’s time at Chelsea could be up if they sign this “great” star.

1 ByConnor Holden Dec 4, 2024

Welsh Fire bowled out for 108 chasing 123 for first victory of season after Dunkley 49 lifts Brave

Matt Gilby22-Aug-2022Anya Shrubsole took three wickets as Southern Brave beat bottom-placed Welsh Fire by 14 runs in a rain-impacted match to move top of the Women’s Hundred table at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.Sophia Dunkley made an impressive 49 before skipper Shrubsole took 3 for 20 as the visitors ripped through a dismal Fire batting line-up who were bowled out for 108 and never looked like chasing down the total after openers Tammy Beaumont and Hayley Matthews were removed.The Fire initially struggled on a wet outfield, unable to back-up their impressive bowling which featured six wicket takers, as they dropped five catches which proved costly as Brave posted 122 for 8.Amanda-Jade Wellington, the leading wicket-taker in the competition, moved her tally to eight after picking up 1 for 21 and Lauren Bell and Georgia Adams, who scored a quick-fire unbeaten 25 with the bat, also bowled superbly to take two wickets apiece.Brave had got off to a quick start with the bat before Fire removed Smriti Mandhana for 13 and Dani Wyatt for 16 to prevent the Southampton-based side from posting a fourth 50-run opening partnership in as many matches.Alex Hartley, in particular, was excellent in the middle period and finished with 1 for 12 from her 20 balls to prevent Brave’s acceleration as key wickets fell at fairly consistent intervals. Fire would have been looking at a much smaller chase if it wasn’t for poor fielding that included a couple of simple chances, one of which was knocked over the boundary rope for six by Annabel Sutherland.Dunkley was put down on 12 before going on to top-score with a composed 49 from 43 and Adams, who was also dropped late on, played well for her 16-ball knock at the back end of the innings.In reply and with Rachael Haynes out ill, Fire were even more reliant on Matthews and skipper Beaumont, but she was caught off the bowling of Bell for 9 on the ninth ball of the innings and Matthews struggled to get going before being caught at slip for a run-a-ball 20 off the in-form Wellington.Brave used the drying pitch effectively to continue to pick up consistent wickets throughout. When Shrubsole had Sutherland caught behind for 22 to leave Fire 67 for 5 and requiring 56 more, the result felt inevitable. Shrubsole and Adams tore through the tail and got home comfortably despite a late attack from Sarah Bryce, who made 28 before being run out on the penultimate ball to leave Fire 108 all out.Fire sit bottom and are still winless from their three matches, whilst Brave took their fourth win from four to leapfrog Birmingham Phoenix at the top before Phoenix play on Tuesday, against Oval Invincibles.

Colin de Grandhomme and Thomas Kelly revived the chase but the home side broke a run of eight defeats

AAP23-Dec-2022Brisbane Heat ruined former favourite son Chris Lynn’s return to the Gabba, a Sam Billings half-century helping the home side to an upset six-run win over Adelaide Strikers.Undefeated Strikers sat atop the BBL table with three wins going into Friday night’s clash against the last-placed Heat, who had lost their opening two games of the season following on from a six-game losing streak to end their last campaign.But Billings fired the Heat to 166 for 9 after the home side won the bat flip, with the Strikers losing early wickets to be 38 for 4 before finishing their 20 overs just short.Related

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Colin de Grandhomme (37) and Thomas Kelly shared a 73-run partnership, Kelly making a career-high 43 off 33 balls, and some lusty late hitting from Harry Nielsen (24) saw the visitors needing 32 runs from the final three overs.But Michael Neser took a wicket and gave up just four runs in the 19th over to put the game out of Adelaide’s reach.Mark Steketee was the most successful of the Heat bowlers with figures of 4 for 34 from his four overs.Lynn, the face of the Heat franchise for 11 seasons, made 12 before he was given out lbw in contentious circumstances in the first meeting against his old side.The all-time BBL leading run-scorer strode to the crease in the first over after Neser trapped Jake Weatherald in front with the first ball of the innings.In an eventful over, Lynn advanced down the wicket to the first ball he faced, which was one of three wides Neser bowled that over, played and missed twice and edged one past a diving second slip for four.The visitors were in trouble at 14 for 2 when Matt Short went in the second over and worse was to come when Lynn was given out off the first ball of the fourth.Strikers were left to rue a wasteful DRS challenge by Weatherald that was unsuccessful, which meant Lynn was unable to review his decision, with replays showing the ball clearly going over the stumps.Earlier, Billings, who was dropped on 22 and 42, bludgeoned 27 runs, including three sixes, off the 19th over bowled by Peter Siddle. He eventually departed for 79 off 48 deliveries, his innings including six fours and four sixes.Max Bryant was the next-best batter for the Heat, with his 46 including eight fours. Short missed out with the bat, but claimed career-best figures of 3 for 14 from his three overs of offspin.Quick Henry Thornton, the BBL’s current leading wicket-taker, finished with 1 for 37 to take his season tally to 12.