VIDEO: 'Best day of your life' – Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior makes classy gesture towards Brighton loanee Valentin Barco following birth of his first child

Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior made a classy gesture to Brighton loanee Valentin Barco following the birth of his first child.

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Barco becomes dad for first timeStars in Strasbourg's win over LyonRosenior makes classy gestureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Before Strasbourg's 4-2 win over Lyon in Ligue 1 last week, manager Rosenior revealed that Barco had told him he had become a father just 90 minutes before kick-off. After the 20-year-old, who joined the French side on loan until the end of the season in February, put in an impressive performance, Rosenior granted him three days off as his fiancée, Yaz Jaureguy, had just given birth.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT LIAM ROSENIOR SAID

In the clip, Rosenior can be heard saying: "One last thing. Stand up, please," while pointing at Barco.

As applause rung around the changing room, the ex-Hull City boss added: "I would ask you for a speech but you are tired, surely. But for Valentin, that has to be the best day of your life. Enjoy it and out of everyone, Valentin gets three days off."

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Barco has had a difficult season. He struggled on loan at Sevilla in the first half of the campaign, and his house was burgled mere days after getting engaged to Jaureguy. The utility player, who can play in midfield or right across the left side of the pitch, does not have a future at Brighton as his move to Strasbourg, which is part of the BlueCo group that also owns Chelsea, included an obligation to buy for around €10 million (£8.5m). But it seems he is finding his feet with Rosenior's team and acts like this will go down very well.

رئيس البنك الأهلي يوضح موقفه من انضمام لاعبه إلى الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية

كشف أشرف نصار، رئيس نادي البنك الأهلي، موقفه حال طلب النادي الأهلي استعارة لاعبه، للمشاركة مع الفريق ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

وسيشارك الأهلي في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، التي تقام في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بنظامها الجديد، بمشاركة 32 فريقًا، وذلك خلال الفترة من 14 يونيو 2025 حتى 13 يوليو 2025.

وقال نصار خلال تصريحات عبر القناة الأولي لبرنامج “رقم 10”: “لو الأهلي طلب مني استعارة أسامة فيصل في كأس العالم للأندية، سأوافق طبعًا، لأنها فرصة للاعب في محفل كبير، والأهلي سيشارك باسم مصر”.

طالع | رئيس البنك الأهلي يحسم جدل تولي طارق مصطفى تدريب الزمالك

وأضاف: “أسامة فيصل، لاعب واعد وممتاز، وموقفنا من رحيله، سيكون إلى أوروبا أو الخليج لتكون محطة إلى أوروبا”.

وأكمل: “ناصر منسي مهاجم الزمالك، قبل هدفه في شباك الأهلي بالسوبر الإفريقي كان قريبًا من البنك الأهلي، هو لاعب مهم لدينا، وبالنسبة له الزمالك أولًا ثم البنك الأهلي”.

وأردف: “لا يوجد لاعب أجنبي في الفريق يتقاضى راتبه بالعملة الصعبة، أنا أعطي كل المستحقات بالجنيه المصري، وهذا شرطي قبل التعاقد مع أي لاعب، ويتقبلون الأمر”.

وبسؤاله هل كنت السبب في عدم انتقاله محمد أبو جبل للأهلي، رد :”لا، هو كان خارج مصر، وأنا كما قلت لا أقف أمام رغبة أي لاعب”.

وواصل: “علاقتي بمسؤولي النادي الأهلي ممتازة ولدي صداقة مع الكابتن الخطيب، وخالد مرتجي وطارق قنديل والغزاوي وسراج كلهم أصدقائي، لو طلبت أي لاعب من الأهلي ولديهم إمكانية أن يتركوه لن يتأخروا عن انتقاله للبنك الأهلي”.

واختتم: “ياو أنور مُصرين على استمراره حاليًا، ممكن بعد نهاية الموسم نستطلع رأي المدير الفني إذا وصل للاعب عرض جيد”.

Eddie Byrom-Colin Ingram 328-stand gives Glamorgan a chance

Four quick wickets before lunch brought Sussex back into the contest

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2022Sussex 376 and 86 for 2 (Clark 32*, Carter 22*) trail Glamorgan 494 (Ingram 178, Byrom 176) trail by 32 runsDespite a flurry of early morning wickets pegging them back, Glamorgan have finished the third day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Sussex with a chance to push for victory.The day started with Eddie Byrom and Colin Ingram taking their outstanding partnership past 300 before four quick wickets before lunch brought Sussex back into the contest.Glamorgan’s lower order took their score to 494, a first-innings lead of 118, with Byrom making a career-best 176 and Ingram dismissed for 178.Two early wickets, and Ingram picking up a third from the last ball of the day, has left Sussex with work to do to save this game, still 29 runs behind Glamorgan going into the final day.Having resumed with their partnership on 253, Ingram and Byrom took their stand to 328, the highest ever stand for the second wicket for Glamorgan, going past the 291 put on by Nick Selman and Marnus Labuschagne against the same opposition in 2019.It was a pretty miserable first 90 minutes of the day for Sussex with wicket-keeper Tim Seifert dropping a simple chance to dismiss Byrom for 126 being the lowlight, but the cluster of wickets before the lunch interval brought them back into the game.It was Ingram’s wicket which ended the partnership with Byrom, Henry Crocombe the bowler to make the breakthrough. Ingram’s attempted pull shot caught was at mid-wicket with Tom Alsop the fielder.Having waited so long for a second wicket Sussex had Glamorgan five down in quick time. Sam Northeast was bowled first ball with a lovely yorker as two wickets fell in as many balls. It was Crocombe who also got the fourth Glamorgan wicket with Kiran Carlson given out caught behind. Crocombe would go on to claim a career-best 4 for 84 in the Glamorgan first innings.When Sean Hunt trapped Billy Root lbw for 5 Glamorgan had lost four wickets in the space of 17 runs and were still 28 runs behind the Sussex innings.The sixth Glamorgan wicket fell with Sussex still four runs in front, Hunt bowling James Weighell for 16 and the home side were in danger of squandering the fantastic position they found themselves in overnight. Some excellent lower-order contributions took them to a lead of 118, one that could be telling at the end of this game.Byrom was dismissed just after Glamorgan had claimed maximum batting points but Michael Neser and Andrew Salter hung around with Chris Cooke who was batting at 10 with a runner due to the calf injury he sustained on the first day.The evening session saw Sussex attempting to erase the first-innings deficit on a pitch that had the odd ball keeping low. Sussex lost both openers early on to add more pressure, Alsop and Tom Haines both falling with the score on 29.First-innings centurion, Oli Carter was at the crease at the close but Tom Clark failed to keep out a ball from Ingram that trickled into his stumps to have him bowled for 34 by the last ball of the day.The draw is still the favourite result, but a Glamorgan victory is the close second.

Club in financial chaos may sell defender to Celtic for just £2m in January

Celtic could be set to capatilise on one club’s financial woes by landing one of their players for a bargain price in January, according to reports.

Celtic transfer news

Celtic’s Scottish Premiership campaign has gotten off to an outstanding start, with Brendan Rodgers’ team winning 14 games and drawing one out of their first 15 matches. Despite their good form, the Hoops are still reportedly looking at ways to bolster their squad in January.

Recent reports suggest that the club have taken the lead in the race for Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, edging ahead of Serie A giants AC Milan in the competition for his signature. Veteran Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has also been linked with a surprise move to Celtic Park, with Rodgers keen to add some European experience to his squad.

Eriksen is out of contract at Old Trafford next summer, so is currently set to be available on a Bosman at the end of the season, when a move is more likely.

The Dane’s current £150,000 weekly wage, however, would likely be a huge stumbling block in any potential move to Celtic. The Scottish club’s current highest-earner, captain Callum McGregor, earns merely a quarter of that with reported wages of £37,000-per-week.

Celtic eyeing move for Jonjoe Kenny

Another player reportedly on Celtic’s radar is former defender and current Hertha Berlin star Jonjoe Kenny. According to Sport Bild, via SportsWitness, the Hoops are keen on bringing Kenny back to Celtic Park, where he had a loan spell in 2021, after the New Year.

The report claims Celtic are “keen” on Kenny and are ahead of also-interested Bournemouth in the proposed chase for the 27-year-old defender, who joined Hertha from Everton in 2022.

Bild also states that with Hertha now in the German second division, having been relegated in 2023, Kenny wants to play top flight football and is eyeing a move away from the Olympiastadion Berlin, while Hertha are also open to selling him because of their precarious financial situation. The club has debts of around £75 million and “urgently need” funds, according to Bild, so could let Kenny go for as little as £2 million.

Kenny’s loan spell at Celtic three years ago was difficult. The Englishman struggled for form, most notably scoring an own-goal in the Old Firm derby against Rangers, making just 15 appearances before being shipped back to Everton.

Opening up on his time in the Scottish capital, Kenny told EvertonTV, via The Celtic Way, that off-the-field problems contributed to his poor displays.

“Celtic was a difficult period for me, off the pitch, especially,” he explained. “But having close family and friends and my agent and good mentors around me, and choosing that path and having these people who can really help me progress, changed a lot of things for me mentally.

“I have had a lot of ups and downs but it is about staying at it and doing what I need and focusing on me.”

Man Utd senior medical duo QUIT in shock to club – with internal exits not linked to recent redundancies or injury crisis

Manchester United's head of sports medicine Gary O’Driscoll and first-team doctor Jim Moxon have reportedly quit the Red Devils.

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  • Man Utd to lose duo from medical team
  • Exits not linked to recent round of redundancies
  • Club's injury crisis shows no sign of easing
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The departure of the two men from the club's medical department comes as a surprise but has been described as a "coincidence" and not connected to the latest round of redundancies planned at Old Trafford as part of Sr Jim Ratcliffe's cost-cutting drive, according to the Daily Mail. O'Driscoll has decided it's the "right time" to move on after just 18 months at United, while Moxon is leaving after two years with the club to take up another opportunity.

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    O'Driscoll arrived from Arsenal and his signing was seen as something of a coup at the time by the Red Devils. He had spent 16 years with the Gunners and his importance to the club had been seen in the recent 'All or Nothing' documentary. Yet despite his arrival, United have been hit with huge injury problems and have been without a host of key players for long periods in recent seasons, including the likes of Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo.

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    O’Driscoll and Moxon are set to stay on at United for the time being while the club search for replacements for the two members of their medical staff.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

    Manchester United are back in action on Thursday in a crucial Europa League tie with Real Sociedad. The fixture is level at 1-1 after the first leg in Spain, with the winners set to progress to a quarter-final tie against Lyon or FCSB.

Stuart Broad on being dropped by England: 'It has hit me pretty hard'

Stuart Broad has described how the “five-minute phone call” to tell him he had been dropped from England’s squad for the West Indies tour had left him feeling “confused and angry”, and uncertain about his future as a Test cricketer.Writing in his newspaper column, Broad said the decision had “hit me pretty hard”, as well as affected his sleep. He also confirmed he would seek discussions with England’s new managing director and head coach, once they are appointed, before deciding about a potential return this summer.”I always try to find a positive in the hand that has been dealt to me,” he wrote in the . “To be honest, though, that’s been quite tricky this time because the decision to leave me out of the tour of West Indies has hit me pretty hard.”Not to big it up too much but it has affected my sleep. I said to my partner Mollie one morning that my body felt sore. She suggested that would be stress. No, I can’t pretend I am as good as gold, because I am not. It would be wrong to act like everything’s OK.”Broad and James Anderson, England’s leading wicket-takers in Test cricket, were left out after discussions between a newly formed selection panel of Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood and James Taylor. Although Strauss stressed that it was not necessarily “the end of the road” for the pair, Broad said they had both been blindsided by the move.”From a personal perspective, the only positive I can cling to is that my form – and you could add Jimmy Anderson’s recent performances to this too – has been good,” he said. “I took 11 wickets in the final two Ashes matches, I have been Test match standard for a long time and, for the last eight years, you would say world class.Related

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“And so, it makes it even more upsetting that they don’t see me part of their immediate plans, especially with a view to looking at a way of winning away from home, which was briefly explained to me.”Broad denied that there had been any falling out in the dressing room in Australia, saying the atmosphere in the team was good despite another 4-0 Ashes defeat.Although he indicated that he wants to meet with England’s new management team as soon as they are installed – Strauss is currently interim director of men’s cricket, Collingwood interim head coach – and said “their opinions are now everything to me”, he also suggested he would have to reassess his motivation to carry on.”So, has this episode changed the way I think about my career? I just can’t answer that at the moment. I spoke to my mum Carole on Friday because I am waking up more confused and angrier with each passing day, and she just advised me to take time, step away from the game for a bit and figure things out.”Time can be a great healer, she says. But right now, I feel gutted. Do I need to prove myself again? In my mind, I’ve nothing to prove. I am a proven performer, so it is now about the English cricketing summer and mentally and physically targeting the home series against New Zealand in June.”What I would say is there have been times when I have been able to answer such questions with ease. But as things stand, feeling as though I’ve performed well and deserve to be in the side makes it hard.”Understandably, people will ask if there has therefore been some fall-out behind the scenes, a bit of a rumble during the Ashes, but I can categorically say that is not the case. Hence, neither Jimmy nor I saw this coming. We were blindsided.”Broad added that while England’s recent record in Tests had been poor and he agreed with the need to change things, he still saw himself as deserving a spot in their first-choice XI.”Do I believe I warrant a place in England’s best team in Antigua on March 8? Of course, I do. That is why it is so difficult to comprehend.”If I was averaging 100 with the ball recently and had a terrible record in the Caribbean, then OK, try someone else. But I’ve bowled well there in the past and West Indies are a team I’ve had pretty good success against.”Yes, this England team have lost a lot of cricket matches in recent times and I am not against different mindsets and making changes. Yes, we do need to question a lot of things, but surely you must play your best players to win Test matches.”Broad also revealed he had been in regular contact with Anderson, “mainly planning golf trips because we’ve suddenly had some unexpected time free up”. He said his focus would turn back to cricket only when he had decided whether to pick up the gauntlet thrown down by Strauss and the selectors.”And one thing I have made a conscious effort to avoid is shutting myself away. I’ve got out for little runs, and they have made me feel better. What I don’t want to do, though, is pick up a cricket ball for a couple of weeks. I will do so when I have decided whether to jump at the latest challenge set for me.”

Barcelona now after £180k-a-week Chelsea star after Lavia and Chukwuemeka

Spanish giants Barcelona are now after another prestigious member of the Chelsea squad, after registering their interest in midfielders Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka very recently.

Barcelona target Chelsea stars Lavia and Chukwuemeka

Earlier this week, reliable Blues journalist Simon Phillips shared news that the Catalans are considering a raid on Stamford Bridge as they weigh up new men for Hansi Flick’s engine room – given they’re pretty short in the midfield department right now.

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Indeed, Flick’s side have issues in the middle of the park, leading them to consider both Lavia and Chukwuemeka as options.

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While Barcelona are eyeing Lavia from Chelsea as a target, it is believed the club’s hierarchy and head coach Enzo Maresca in particular have adopted a firm ‘not for sale’ stance when it comes to the Belgian – as they theorize he’ll be a “vital” player in their long-term project.

It is a different case for Chukwuemeka, though. The 20-year-old, on a reported £100,000-per-week in west London, is up for grabs and there is a belief that Barcelona have been in contact with Chukwuemeka’s agents ahead of a potential move in January.

“The two names mentioned by our source is Lavia and Chukwuemeka, with Barcelona showing an interest in both players,” wrote Phillips via his Substack on Tuesday.

Carney Chukwuemeka

“There has also been agent contact, which we believe will be for Chukwuemeka as he is the player who is available in January. As for Lavia, we checked in with other club sources and they have said there is ‘absolutely ZERO chance’ Chelsea would even entertain an enquiry for the 20-year-old right now, and he is a huge part of the future of the club and someone who the club and Enzo Maresca see as vital for their plans and project going forward.

“Quite simply, they would tell Barcelona ‘not for sale at any price’ if an enquiry would come in. This will come as no surprise to anyone, thankfully. For Chukwuemeka though, Chelsea would be willing to hold talks over a sale.”

Barca are not the only elite European club after the former Aston Villa gem, with AC Milan also reaching out to Chukwuemeka’s representatives according to separate reports, so Flick may have some competition.

Barcelona eyeing move for Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez

Amid their fondness for Lavia and Chukwuemeka, Phillips also writes that the La Liga side are keen on £180,000-per-week mainstay midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

That is according to some of his sources, again via Substack, with Chelsea’s Fernandez attracting some interest from Barcelona ahead of 2025.

The Argentine World Cup winner signed for Chelsea in a deal worth £107 million last year, and despite a tough start, he is now beginning to impress under Maresca alongside fellow marquee midfielder Moises Caicedo.

This deal could be very unlikely to happen, considering Chelsea would want a good portion of the £107m they paid for Fernandez, and Barca’s well-documented financial problems suggest they wouldn’t even be able to get a move off the ground.

He is an ambitious target for Flick and their president Joan Laporta, with a deal for Chukwuemeka seeming far more realistic.

Harry Kane ‘last piece in the jigsaw’ for Arsenal but shock £64m transfer back to the Premier League would be ‘too much’ for Tottenham legend

Harry Kane would be the “last piece in the jigsaw” for Arsenal, says Joe Cole, but a shock transfer will be “too much” for the Tottenham legend.

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Release clause in striker's contractExpected to win trophies at BayernNorth London return speculated onFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

It has emerged that England captain Kane has a clause in his contract at Bayern Munich that can be triggered in each passing winter window. In January 2026, the prolific striker will reportedly be available for £64 million ($79m).

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Speculation regarding a potential return to the Premier League for Kane, who is expected to land long-awaited major silverware this season, has already started to rage. There has been talk of him retracing steps to north London, but on the opposite side of that divide to the one that he previously graced.

WHAT JOE COLE SAID

Ex-England international Cole, who represented London rivals West Ham and Chelsea in his playing days, has told of the surprising debate regarding Kane’s future: “I can see the logic with Harry Kane joining Arsenal – stranger things have happened.

“He’s gone to Germany, and he’s carried on where he left off. The man just oozes goals. For Arsenal, as a footballer, he would be the perfect last piece in the jigsaw – he suits them down to the ground.

“I can’t see it, however, – there’s such a wrench between the two clubs. I think it would be too much for Harry. Sol Campbell joining Arsenal from Spurs was a bit different to this, but from a football perspective, it makes a lot of sense, because he is perfect for their style of football."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HARRY KANE?

Kane has remained a prolific presence since linking up with Bundesliga giants Bayern in 2023, with 72 goals recorded for them through 73 appearances. Said strike rate would make him of obvious appeal to the likes of Arsenal, but the 31-year-old is Spurs’ all-time leading scorer and unlikely to consider a move to Emirates Stadium.

£265k-per-week star could leave Arsenal with Arteta a fan of 25-year-old

An Arsenal exit for one big-name member of the Gunners squad is said to be a real possibility, with manager Mikel Arteta personally eyeing a possible replacement.

Arsenal maintain unbeaten start with victory over Southampton

The Premier League title hopefuls maintained their unbeaten start to the season in all competitions with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday, despite a brief scare courtesy of Cameron Archer’s surprise opener for the visitors.

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It could even be longer.

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The Saints forward handed Russell Martin’s men a brief lead just after the second-half restart, but goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka soon after ensured that Arsenal would come away from the Emirates with all three points.

Speaking after the game, Arteta praised his players for their belief, character and discipline to fight back from a goal down and ultimately turn the game around in convincing fashion – despite a sloppy start to the first 45.

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“First half I thought it was exceptional,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Southampton.

“The amount of dominance that we had in the areas that we played, the amount of situations and chances we created in open play and set pieces, our counter-press worked really well there. It’s unbelievable that we didn’t score a goal.

“Then we started the second half, we were a bit sloppy, especially in the first 5-10 minutes with the ball and then the game became a little more open. Then the chance they had, they scored the goal, and then again, we’ve thrown everything away that we did in the first half. It was a completely brand-new game in a really difficult context and the team reacted incredibly well with a lot of composure; big belief, very good clarity in what we had to do. The crowd were exceptional, the subs were exceptional and we managed to win again.”

While Bukayo Saka put in another excellent display against Southampton, striker Gabriel Jesus was a cause for concern. The Brazilian, who played just 19 minutes of football across all competitions before being handed the nod on Saturday, was substituted on the hour mark despite the scores being level – with Jesus dropping a “5/10” performance overall.

Jesus could leave Arsenal with Arteta a real fan of Marmoush

There are doubts over the £265,000-per-week star’s suitability to lead the line, with Havertz the preferred option. According to reports out of Spain, Jesus could leave Arsenal with Palmeiras interested in signing him. They add that Arteta is also a real fan of a potential replacement – Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush.

The Egyptian has been linked with a move to north London very recently, with some reports claiming that Marmoush “dreams” of a switch to Arsenal or Liverpool. The 25-year-old, as per Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, is also stalling on signing a new contract amid his sensational start to the season.

He already boasts nine goals and six assists over just nine games in all competitions, and if Marmoush continues in this form, it is surely only a matter of time before elite English sides like Arsenal come knocking.

Tahlia McGrath steers Australia to series win in tense chase

India fought hard to get to a competitive total and then with the ball, but Australia’s experience prevailed

Shashank Kishore09-Oct-2021Australia were given a mighty scare by a spirited Indian team before nerves and inexperience came in the way of a famous win. From the depths of 78 for 8 batting first, India found a way to take the game deep with Australia needing 24 off 16. Then in the space of six deliveries, they conceded four boundaries, with Tahlia McGrath, dropped on 5, remaining unbeaten on 42 to give Australia an unassailable 9-5 lead in the multi-format series. The series, though, has been much-tighter than that scoreline would suggest.Vlaeminck leaves her mark
Medium pacer Tayla Vlaeminck left a mark with both her speed and strikes. Touching close to 120kph consistently, her blows in first two overs stunned India. First, she had Smriti Mandhana chipping one to midwicket and then Shafali Verma heaving across the line to mid-on. She could have had a third in her third over had Ashleigh Gardner hung on to a tough chance. But Jemimah Rodrigues couldn’t capitalise on the reprieve, managing to add just one more before holing out to Hannah Darlington at mid-on. At 24 for 3 in the sixth over, India needed solidity.Harmanpreet shines amid a collapse
Harmanpreet Kaur found the boundaries almost immediately. She used Vlaeminck’s pace to flick her for back-to-back fours and then threw Ellyse Perry off her lengths by picking her for two more fours to signal signs of a counterattack. But in trying to play one big shot too many, Harmanpreet yorked herself against Georgia Wareham’s legspin to stall India’s recovery. She made 28. Then India handed two run outs on a platter, saw Richa Ghosh out bowled after a wild heave and then had a ripper of an off break from Gardner that spun viciously to crash into Shikha Pandey’s stumps. India had collapsed from 50 for 3 to 78 for 8.Vastrakar’s cameo
Strong bottom hand, powerful wrists and some muscle – Pooja Vastrakar used a fine cocktail of all these to pepper the boundaries at regular intervals with partners running out. She launched Nicola Carey straight over her head for a six, and then drove on the up nonchalantly over cover as a follow-up. Then with three balls to play out in the 19th, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, with a highest score of 5*, held her side of the bargain. This allowed Vastrakar to go after rookie Darlington, who was clubbed for 16 off the final over as India finished strongly on 118 for 9, having regained some momentum.Australia rocked early
Alyssa Healy was victim to a Shikha Pandey magic delivery that cleaned her up two balls into the innings. The ball swerved in a long way and then deviated a bit more after pitching to beat her inside edge and crash into the stumps. An advancing Beth Mooney, at the other end, was kept honest with some terrific outswing, surviving a peach that she nearly nicked. With Renuka Thakur, bowling for the first time in T20Is, also deadly accurate, Australia needed a release.Lanning, Perry fall to spin
In trying to do precisely this, Meg Lanning, who survived a series of miscues over the infield, fell to Gayakwad’s guile as she was stumped after being drawn out by the flight. In the next over, India had a slice of luck when Gardner smashed a Harmanpreet long hop to Gayakwad at point. Australia were 38 for 3 in the eighth over, with Perry having to revive the innings. But that didn’t materialise as she was brilliantly caught by Harmanpreet at extra cover to give Deepti Sharma her first wicket.McGrath’s costly reprieve
Fifty-five for five. India’s spinners choking Australia for runs, the asking rate touching seven. And Australia showing signs of cracking. Then Vastrakar drew a thick edge as McGrath slashed at a short ball. Part-time wicketkeeper Ghosh was moving down leg when she had to change directions; not even a full stretch could help her hang on. From agony, Ghosh was soon ecstatic as a full Gayakwad ball beat Carey’s defence to ricochet off her onto the stumps for a streaky stumping. But McGrath wasn’t giving up, picking the odd boundaries to take it down to 25 off the last three. Then India cracked as Wareham crashed two boundaries in a 11-run Pandey over.With 14 to defend, India went to Thakur, and her inexperience showed as McGrath clubbed her for back-to-back boundaries off the first two balls. The first a full toss hit over mid-off, the second a slower leg-cutter carved between cover and mid-off. Those four boundaries in the space of six deliveries swung the game decisively in Australia’s favour, McGrath seeing home the tense chase.

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