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Ashes: England hope to land a punch in Boxing Day Test

Published

3 years ago

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England Test captain Joe Root would be hoping that the four changes he has effected in the playing XI on the eve of the Boxing Day Test help his side claw back and make a fresh bid to regain the urn, which looks as good as lost after the humiliation in the first two Ashes games.

The tourists lost the opening Test at The Gabba by nine wickets, which was followed by a 275-run humiliation at the Adelaide Oval. And, going into the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from December 26, Root’s men are staring down the barrel of losing the series within 14 days of play.

Despite the efforts put in by Root and No.3 batter Dawid Malan, runs have been scarce for the tourists, giving their bowlers little chance to claw things back.

With Pat Cummins returning to lead Australia after a Covid-enforced quarantine break, England will once again be at the mercy of a potent bowling attack that will have the likes of the captain himself, Mitchell Starc, Test debutant Scott Boland, Cameron Green and spinner Nathan Lyon.

England will hope to emulate their batting form from the 2017 Boxing Day Test if they are to nurture any hopes of denying a series-deciding result to the hosts.

With the ball, there have been glimpses of quality, even if tactics and execution have been wayward. Spoiled by poor discipline and dropped chances, the likes of Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Ollie Robinson have provided highlights despite the disappointing start.

On the Australian side, they’ll be the favourites to win at the MCG and retain the Ashes, with only a historically docile MCG wicket seemingly in their way. The Ashes Test four years ago saw the now-retired Alastair Cook smash an unbeaten 244 across Day 2 and 3. Either side of Cook’s fifth and final Test double-ton, David Warner and Steve Smith also made hundreds, with the match ending in a tame draw.

After missing the Adelaide Test, Cummins will return as captain, taking back the reins from Smith, who will move back into the vice-captain’s role.

Smith with the bat looked in good touch even with the burden of captaincy, making 93 in the first innings in Adelaide, complementing the work of David Warner (95) and Marnus Labuschagne (103), who also made a half-century in the second innings. The performance moved Labuschagne to the ICC Test No.1 ranking for batting.

England pushed the Adelaide Test into the final session of Day 5, though the late finish belied Australia’s dominance, with the hosts winning by 275 runs after not enforcing the follow-on.

Labuschagne is almost in his own world at the moment. The fifth-fastest player to 2,000 Test runs, the right-hander provides stability at No.3 in the batting order, blunting the new-ball threat and moving up the gears through shots around the wicket with compact technique.

With England having no effective plan to counter the 27-year-old — and the MCG pitch likely to favour batters again — Labuschagne could well continue to pile on the runs.

The tourists’ hopes lie in Root and No. 3 in their side Malan, who has been a strong performer in what has been a bleak series for his side so far. Malan has rebuilt alongside his skipper in two century stands across the first two matches, with individual scores of 82 and 80 in the partnerships.

With England brining in Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow to solidify their batting, the tourists’ focus is completely on the likely batting-friendly wicket to try and gather some runs and make a push for victory, and then go all out in the remaining two Tests — at the SCG and Hobart.

Australia XI: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland.

England XI: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leach and James Anderson.

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International

₹136 Crore Per Year To Luxury Suite At Training Ground: All About Kylian Mbappe’s Bumper Deal At Real Madrid

Published

4 months ago

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July 16, 2024

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In a move that has captivated football enthusiasts worldwide, Kylian Mbappe has officially transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid as of Tuesday.

This long-anticipated switch concludes months of speculation and excitement among fans.

Real Madrid’s Exciting Acquisition

Real Madrid announced on Monday that they had secured a deal with the French superstar for the next five seasons, merging one of football’s brightest talents with its most illustrious club.

This deal follows years of interest from Madrid, eager to bring in the player seen as the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne in the sport.

Financial Details of Mbappe’s Move

The 25-year-old Parisian will reportedly earn 15 million Euros net per season at Real Madrid, translating to over ₹136 crores annually. This figure breaks down to an impressive ₹2.6 crore per week.

While this is a significant reduction from the €75 million net per year he received at PSG, the shortfall will be offset by a massive signing bonus. The bonus, around €150 million, will be disbursed over the course of his contract.

Perks and Anticipated Debuts

Aside from his substantial salary, Mbappe will enjoy a private luxury suite at Real Madrid’s training facility and will sport the iconic No.9 jersey, previously worn by legendary striker Karim Benzema.

His anticipated debut for Real Madrid will occur during the preseason, with their first friendly against AC Milan at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 31.

His competitive debut is expected in the UEFA Super Cup, where Real Madrid will take on Europa League winners Atalanta in Warsaw, Poland, on August 14.

Mbappe’s Stellar PSG Legacy

Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 for €180 million and has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer.

Throughout his seven-year tenure in Paris, he consistently demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting at least 30 goals in six of those seasons. His move to Real Madrid marks the next chapter in an already illustrious career, as he aims to further his legacy at one of the world’s most storied football clubs.

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International

ENG vs ESP, Euro 2024 Final: Spain Become The 1st Four-Time Champions Of Europe After Beating England 2-1 In Berlin

Published

4 months ago

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July 15, 2024

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Match Result:

Spain triumphed over England with a 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 final, held in Berlin, becoming the first team to win the championship four times.

The match saw a tense first half ending goalless, but Spain took the lead shortly after the break. Williams Jr. netted the opener in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by England.

England fought back, with Palmer leveling the score in the 73rd minute, igniting hopes for the Three Lions. However, Spain maintained their pressure, and in the 86th minute, Oyarzabal clinched the winner with a decisive strike.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.

Preview of Euro 2024 Cup final:

A strong Spanish outfit will meet a pesky England side in the final of Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Spain battled France and defeated them by 2-1 in the semi-final, while England overcame the Netherlands by the same margin.

However, it wasn’t without a contentious penalty call that went in England’s favour. Despite not starting the contest as favourites, England’s ability to hang in there could work against Spain, who are seeking a 4th Euro title. By contrast, England are yet to lift the trophy.

A crucial stat which is in favour of England is the head to head battle, which the former lead by 13-10 against Spain in 27 outings.

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International

Violent Clash Erupts Between Rival Supporters During Argentina vs Brazil 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Published

12 months ago

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November 23, 2023

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been marred in controversy as the match between Brazil and Argentina saw violent clashes between rival supporters before the start of it. The high-profile fixture had to be delayed by 30 minutes as the Marcana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro witnessed ugly scenes, with disturbing visuals emerging on social media.

With the Brazilian and Argentinian players lining up for national anthems, the camera turned towards the stands as a section of rival fans exchanged blows. The local police officials could be seen beating up a section of Argentinian fans with batons and it did not go well with the tourists. By pointing at the violent scenes, Messi and co. decided to walk off the pitch.

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