Rob Smyth's Blog, page 17
December 26, 2024
Manchester City 1-1 Everton: Premier League – as it happened
Jordan Pickford saved Erling Haaland’s penalty as Manchester City’s miserable run of form continued
A reminder of the teams
Manchester City (possible 4-3-3) Ortega Moreno; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Foden, Kovacic, Bernardo; Savinho, Haaland, Doku.
Substitutes: Carson, Brits, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, Alleyne, O’Reilly, McAtee
December 25, 2024
Australia v India: fourth men’s cricket Test, day one – as it happened
The teenage debutant Sam Konstas made an audacious 60 to help Australia reach 311 for 6 on the first day of the Boxing Day Test
1st over: Australia 0-0 (Konstas 0, Khawaja 0) There’s a real good lip curl from Konstas on the close-up cam, waiting for Bumrah. The crowd hushes in anticipation… and sighs as he leaves the ball. A big jerky action, shouldering arms over the top of the ball and pulling his bat around to face back down the pitch.
Plays and misses at the next one, a pearler that goes away off the pitch. Bumrah doing heaps early. Draws another leave third ball, but the fourth and the fifth are lovely. Beaten, beaten again, both times drawing Konstas into the defensive shot before seaming past the edge. Perfect seam position, upright then scrambling away.
Continue reading...December 22, 2024
Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened
Luis Diaz and Mo Salah both scored twice as Liverpool produced a devastating attacking performance to demolish Spurs
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth
This is the updated league table.
Continue reading...December 21, 2024
Barcelona 1-2 Atlético Madrid: La Liga – as it happened
Alexander Sorloth’s clinical 96th-minute goal shattered Barcelona and sent Atletico top of La Liga
6 min Lopez’s cross is headed over in front of the near post by Lewandowski.
It was actually Conor Gallagher who blocked that Raphinha shot, which might otherwise have beaten the diving Oblak.
Continue reading...Ipswich 0-4 Newcastle, Brentford 0-2 Nottingham Forest, and more: football – as it happened
Alexander Isak scored his first Newcastle hat-trick while in-form Forest ended Brentford’s unbeaten run at home
Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Muric; H Clarke, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis; Morsy,
Cajuste; Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Chaplin.
Subs: Walton, Phillips, Taylor, Al Hamadi, Johnson, Townsend, Greaves, Broadhead, J Clarke.
Newcastle (4-3-3) Dubravka, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Willock; J Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Longstaff, Miley.
December 18, 2024
New Zealand v Australia: first women’s one-day international washed out – as it didn’t happen
We’re due that updates in a few minutes’ time. No news at this point, except that it’s still raining.
The next update is due at 11.30am AEDT, 1.30pm local time. If it hasn’t stopped raining by then, the umpires will probably accept the inevitable.
Continue reading...December 16, 2024
New Zealand thrash England by 423 runs: third men’s cricket Test, day four – as it happened
Jacob Bethell’s 76 and a frightening spell for Will O’Rourke enriched an otherwise predictable final day
12th over: England 49-2 (Bethell 20, Root 16) O’Rourke is again hitting 90mph, which turns him from a very awkward bowler into a mildly terrifying one. Even Root is struggling to find the middle of the bat and almost falls when a gloved pull beats the diving Blundell and goes for four.
Meanwhile, this email is spot on. “There’s something about Will O’Rourke’s put-upon demeanour that reminds me of Angus Fraser,” writes Matt Emerson. “Even when he was on a hat-trick he looked like someone had stolen his lunch money. He’s a bit quicker than the great man, mind…”
Continue reading...December 15, 2024
Australia v India: third men’s cricket Test, day three – as it happened
India finished a rain-affected day on 51 for 4, still 394 runs behind an increasingly dominant Australia
108th over: Australia 431-8 (Carey 60, Lyon 0) Akash Deep replaces Bumrah after just a couple of overs, and gets clattered! Carey launches a lofted cover drive way back into the stands! Goodness me.
107th over: Australia 424-8 (Carey 53, Lyon 0) Jadeja keeps going, and gets through a quiet over after a Carey single first ball.
Continue reading...New Zealand v England: third Test, day three – as it happened
Bad news from Hamilton
“It is now raining again and the covers are coming back on...” writes Ali.
Continue reading...December 14, 2024
New Zealand v England: third men’s cricket Test, day two – as it happened
Will O’Rourke wiped out England’s middle order in just eight balls as New Zealand took total control in Hamilton
86th over: New Zealand 318-9 (Santner 53, O’ Rourke 0) This is becoming chess-like. Santner risks a single off the fourth ball this time. O’Rourke drops his wrists and lets Potts drop by.
85th over: New Zealand 317-9 (Santner 52, O’ Rourke 0) Atkinson gets one ball at O’Rourke, who survives a short one which seems to angle awkwardly away off the glove.
Continue reading...Rob Smyth's Blog
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