BRISTOL, TENN. — On Sept. 2, 1961, just 41 days after the Bristol Motor Speedway opened in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the race track hosted an exhibition NFL game on land that had previously been a dairy farm. Billed as the “First Annual Pro-Bowl Football Game,” the clash between Philadelphia and Washington attracted just 8,500 fans and failed to generate a profit. One of the players would later call it “the worst field I had ever seen.” There was no second iteration. 

R.G. Pope, one of the three original co-owners of the track—and my great, great uncle—sold his stake in Bristol Motor Speedway due to his disappointment not long after. It’s safe to say he should've been more patient with his investment.

Bristol Motor Speedway has become known as The Last Great Colosseum, one of the country’s crown jewel stadiums. It hosts two NASCAR Cup Series events per year and is renowned in racing for its speed and high, 30-degree banks on the curves that allow it to lay claim to being the “world’s fastest half-mile.” Its capacity ballooned to over eight times its original figure over the course of several expansion projects, making it second to only the Indianapolis Motor Speedway among U.S. racing venues in terms of capacity. And in a reversal of fortune on the gridiron, Bristol Motor Speedway hosted a 2016 clash between the Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokies that drew 156,990 fans, a college football record. 

This weekend, the track helped MLB set a regular-season attendance record, as the Speedway Classic between the Braves and Reds sold 91,032 tickets, topping the 84,587 fans who watched Cleveland host the Yankees on Sept. 12, 1954. Unfortunately, the event may be remembered by fans as more trouble than it was worth, partially due to circumstances beyond MLB’s control and partially due to some mismanagement amid what was an extraordinary lift on the production side to put on the first-ever major league game in a NASCAR stadium. 

“Honestly, my first thought is I can’t believe they did all this for one game,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said Saturday before the game’s postponement. “To be able to set all this up, get a playing surface ready … It's pretty incredible.”

The artificial playing surface was heavily tested by a slow-moving storm that lingered in Bristol throughout Saturday and started dumping rain at a far greater pace just minutes before the scheduled start time of 7:15 p.m. After a two-hour, 17-minute delay, the teams took the field, but couldn’t even make it through a full inning before the skies opened up again and the tarp came back out. Less than an hour later, the game was suspended until Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a tough situation. We live in this part of the country where those [storms] pop up and the rain is unpredictable, and you can see a window [to play] and then it shuts right there in front of you,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said Sunday. “I thought Major League Baseball did a great job. They tried to get it through. Terry and I both wanted to put it to bed last night; it didn’t happen. … Everybody that was making those decisions, it’s not easy. When you’re in those rooms, and it’s a game of this magnitude, those aren’t easy decisions.”

The stands were noticeably thinner Sunday, at least at the outset. Perhaps that was due to fans’ pre-booked travel plans to leave that morning. Perhaps it was because they were frustrated by having to wait out Saturday’s delay as concession stands ran out of supplies. (MLB allowed fans to bring in food and soft drinks Sunday, seemingly an admission of the dreadfully long lines that plagued Saturday). Or perhaps they were discouraged by the arduous late-night exit process, as a location bereft of adequate public transportation and rideshare drivers forced most fans to walk long distances in the rain to their car or a suitable spot to be picked up.

The attendance milestone should perhaps come with an asterisk, anyway—even with some sections blocked off, thousands of fans had terribly obstructed views due to the press box along the third base line, a rather careless oversight seemingly born from the league’s desire to set an attendance record. That being said, there were plenty of open seats and tickets weren’t being checked at section entrances, so if fans wanted to upgrade their views the old-fashioned way, the opportunity was there—and many clearly took it. 

As it were, the home of racing’s fastest half-mile ended up hosting baseball’s slowest half-inning. The Reds scored once in the bottom of the first before the game was called Saturday. Braves youngster Hurston Waldrep, who was supposed to pitch in Triple A on Sunday, was instead called up overnight and relieved starter Austin Cox upon the resumption of play Sunday. He retired the side before going on to earn his first major league win. “One inning down!” one fan sarcastically yelled upon the completion of the near 16-hour opening frame. 

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Quase três semanas após a lesão ligamentar sofrida por Maycon, o técnico António Oliveira ainda busca um substituto para o camisa 7 no Corinthians.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

O meio-campo do Corinthians mais uma vez foi o setor que recebeu críticas na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Nacional-PAR, pela Libertadores, e António Oliveira ainda não encontrou a formação ideal sem Maycon.

➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

– Temos sido castigados com muitas lesões, principalmente no meio-campo. Temos ausência de opções, uma delas, que era extremamente importante, não retorna nesta temporada. Quero deixar um abraço ao Maycon, é um dos jogadores mais inteligentes que já treinei. Tem um entendimento do jogo muito acima da média, é um jogador com um cultura tática muito grande – revelou o treinador corintiano durante coleitva.

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No duelo contra o Nacional, além de Maycon, António Oliveira não contou com Fausto Vera, Rodrigo Garro, Matheus Araújo e Raniele. Sem o quinteto, o treinador português optou por uma formação com Paulinho, Bidon e Biro.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos da Sul-Americana

MAYCON SEGUE NO TIMÃO?

O prazo de recuperação para a lesão de Maycon é de nove meses, e como o meia está emprestado ao Corinthians pelo Shakhtar Donetsk até o final da temporada, o camisa 7 pode não atuar mais pelo clube brasileiro,

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António OliveiraCorinthiansMaycon de Andrade Barberan

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out from Al-Nassr's matchday squad for the trip to Istiklol in Wednesday's AFC Champions League Two encounter, with fans served a reminder that the Portuguese icon is unlikely to play much part in Asia's second-tier continental competition. In Ronaldo's absence, Joao Felix led the charge and starred in an emphatic 4-0 win, continuing Al-Nassr's brilliant start to the season.

Al-Nassr get the job done in Ronaldo's absence

Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Nassr travelled to Tajikistan on Wednesday to take on Istiklol at the Markazii Jumhuriyavii Stadium for an AFC Champions League Two encounter. The visitors came away with a convincing 4-0 win and did so without the services of club talisman Ronaldo, who was left out of the matchday squad. 

Head coach Jorge Jesus decided to field a heavily-rotated side for the game, resting the likes of Sadio Mane and Inigo Martinez. What's more, Kingsley Coman, like Ronaldo, was not in the matchday squad. However, that didn't put a spanner in Al-Nassr's works.

Felix, who has been in scintillating form of late, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, firing a perfect penalty past the hapless Istiklol goalkeeper Nikola Stosic. Mohamed Simakan, formerly of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, doubled the lead just five minutes from the end of first half, ensuring the visitors took a commanding 2-0 lead into the break. 

For long stretches of the second half, Jesus’ men drifted through the game without ever hitting top speed. However, the introductions of Sadio Mane and Ayman Yahya piled further misery on to the hosts. The ex-Southampton, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich forward converted Felix's assist to put the game to bed in the 84th minute, and before full-time Saudi Arabia international Yahya put the cherry on top of a dazzling performance with a stoppage-time goal.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy doesn't Ronaldo play in AFC Champions League Two?

Even though Ronaldo will turn 41 in a few months time, he continues to demand the absolute best from himself and his counterparts. After an underwhelming 2024-25 season, during which Al-Nassr finished third in the Saudi Pro League, they could only manage to earn a place in the AFC Champions League Two, which is a second-tier continental competition in Asia, behind the more famous and prestigious AFC Champions League. 

So far, Al-Nassr have played five group stage matches in the competition, winning all five. Prior to their trip to Istiklol in Tajikistan, they had already travelled to face FC Goa in India and Al-Zawraa in Iraq. Yet despite the flawless start, the all-time great has not been included in a single matchday squad in the AFC Champions League Two this season. With that in mind, it appears unlikely he will feature in the final group fixture against Al-Zawraa next month.

"I thought this was the best time to rest Cristiano Ronaldo," head coach Jesus said last month ahead of an AFC Champions League Two game. "He’s currently 40 years old, and we fear he might suffer injuries, that’s why I decided to exclude him.

"For matches outside Saudi Arabia, we decided to rest Ronaldo. We have to make choices and we’ve decided to leave him in Riyadh to prepare for the upcoming matches… We need to preserve his fitness."

Felix has become the new star of Al-Nassr

sAfter experiencing failure at Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, and AC Milan, former Benfica star boy Felix arrived at Al-Nassr with hopes of reigniting his once-promising football career. The 26-year-old could have hardly hoped for a better start. With 14 strikes in 15 games, he has rediscovered his goal-scoring hunger and has even found his team-mate Ronaldo trailing him in the scoring charts across all competitions.

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AFPWorld Cup win the ideal endgame for Ronaldo

In an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Ronaldo has won it all. Yet his relentless hunger still sets him apart – making him invaluable not only in the opposition box, but also as a leader whose elite mentality elevates everyone around him.

However, the World Cup continues to elude him. Even though he has admitted that lifting the world's greatest trophy won't change his legacy one bit, it goes without saying that he is ultra-motivated to lay his hands on the global crown. It wouldn't get any better than if he could score his 1,000th professional goal while leading Portugal's cause next year.

Chelsea are now ready to trigger the £44m release clause to sign an “unstoppable” striker, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

Blues stepping up striker pursuit despite Delap scoring first goal

The Blues upgraded their forward line considerably during the summer, bringing in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, and the latter is now finally off the mark in front of goal, having scored the third in the comprehensive 3-0 victory against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Pedro has been more prolific, chipping in with four goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, and the Brazilian has also displayed his versatility by featuring at both centre-forward and in attacking midfield.

With the former Brighton man able to play in a slightly deeper role, there may be room in the squad to bring in another, more natural centre-forward in the January transfer window, and the Blues are now stepping up their pursuit of a Bundesliga star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now ready to trigger the €50m (£44m) release clause in Serhou Guirassy’s Borussia Dortmund contract, having identified the striker as a priority target.

Manchester United are also in the race for Guirassy, who is open to a move to the Premier League, with Dortmund powerless to prevent a departure if one of the interested English clubs stumps up the requisite £44m.

The Guinean forward is enticed by the projects on offer at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, and his performances so far this season suggest he would be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

"Unstoppable" Guirassy tearing it up in the Bundesliga

Lauded as “unstoppable” by scout Antonio Mango, the 29-year-old has already amassed 13 goal contributions across all competitions this season, particularly catching the eye for Dortmund in the Champions League.

Serhou Guirassy’s key statistics 2025-26

Appearances

Goal contributions

Bundesliga

11

6

Champions League

5

6

DFB-Pokal

2

1

The France-born striker has averaged 0.61 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 86th percentile compared to other forwards, while he is also impressive in the air, placing in the 82nd percentile for aerials won, having averaged 3.48 per 90.

As such, the Dortmund star clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, but there may be some concerns about his age, given that BlueCo are known for wanting to sign younger players, and he is set to turn 30 in March.

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That said, with a potential title race on the cards, Guirassy could be a real difference-maker, and £44m would be a reasonable fee, given the level of his performances so far this season.

Manchester United’s supporters have been largely left frustrated over the last decade, with the club unable to achieve any sustained success since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

The Scotsman decided to call it a day at the end of the 2012/13 season, with the Red Devils yet to claim Premier League glory under the guidance of any other manager.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try his luck at Old Trafford, with the hierarchy already backing him in his quest for success during his tenure in the role.

He’s already spent upwards of £220m since his appointment last November, with the majority of his spending being directed into the final third of the squad.

However, with January rapidly approaching, the board have shifted their attention to the midfield department, which has led to a whole host of players being touted for a move to join the club.

The latest on United’s move to land Elliot Anderson

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been hugely touted with various moves for a number of central midfielders to help bolster Amorim’s squad in the second half of the season.

The likes of Adam Wharton, Joao Gomes and Ederson have all been linked with moves, but none of the aforementioned talents appear to be their main target.

Such a luxury has fallen into the hands of Elliot Anderson, with the Nottingham Forest star seemingly being the Red Devils’ number one target this January.

The 23-year-old has been in remarkable form for Sean Dyche’s side this season, leading to the youngster becoming a regular starter in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s side are willing to pay £60m for the signature of the midfielder in the upcoming window to try and solve their issue at the heart of the squad.

However, such a deal could well be rejected out of hand, with Forest wanting at least £100m for their star man, who has three and a half years left on his current deal.

Anderson also has no release clause in his current deal at the City Ground, which puts Dyche’s men in full control over negotiations when it comes down to conducting a transfer.

If Amorim’s men are to land the Englishman this window, the £100m deal would see a new club-record being paid for his signature – surpassing the £89m paid for Paul Pogba nearly a decade ago.

The player who Amorim could sell to fund the Anderson deal

£100m is a mammoth sum, even in today’s market, but Anderson’s stats from the current campaign showcase why he’s so highly-rated by his current employers.

He’s ranked top of numerous different categories across the Premier League this season, ranging from touches of the ball to possession won for his side.

His tally of 8.6 progressive passes per 90 highlights his phenomenal ball-playing ability, but it’s his work out of possession that could be the selling point to Amorim and the board.

A real ball-winner is what the club have lacked in recent times, with the Englishman’s dominance in winning the ball back seemingly what’s prompted the recent interest.

However, after splashing around £200m on new additions in the summer, it remains to be seen how much the board are willing to spend in the upcoming January window.

As a result, numerous players may have to be offloaded from the current squad, with Kobbie Mainoo just one star who could be sold by Amorim.

Such a sentence would have been absurd 12 months ago, but the midfielder has simply been unable to showcase his talents since the arrival of the 40-year-old.

In 2025/26 alone, the 20-year-old has featured just eight times in the league, but none of which have come from a starting role – restricting him to just 170 minutes of action to date.

He’s since dropped behind the experienced Casemiro in the pecking order, with the manager evidently favouring the Brazilian over the academy sensation.

However, it could get worse for Mainoo in the near future, with the Red Devils having youngsters such as Sekou Kone who could also rise above him in Amorim’s plans.

Anderson’s arrival would also do just that, potentially seeing Mainoo become surplus to requirements at Old Trafford – something which is a real travesty.

Games played

25

Minutes played

1656

Pass accuracy

87%

Chances created

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

4.8

Just a couple of years ago, he was scoring key goals in FA Cup finals and local derbies, even leading to journalist Liam Canning labelling him as the club’s “best player”.

However, it’s evident the boss doesn’t have as much faith in the player as many outsiders do, which could force the youngster to move on to reach his full potential elsewhere.

It’s likely he would still command a hefty fee should he be sold in January, with such funds potentially playing a key role in any pursuit of Anderson in the weeks ahead.

The downfall of Mainoo has been truly devastating for the fanbase to witness, especially after the joy he gave them when he breezed into the first-team setup as an 18-year-old.

However, it’s crucial the club cash in on him before his value declines further, with the board needing to make huge calls if they are to land the Forest star or keep the academy graduate happy at the club.

Joao Gomes upgrade: INEOS ready Man Utd talks for "out of this world" star

Manchester United look set to make another move for a central midfielder ahead of the January window.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

Everton know they will have to replace Idrissa Gueye in the near future and a new update has outlined their plans in the January transfer window.

The Blues could potentially be without Gueye for as many as six games in January, due to his involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.

Not only that, but Everton also need to plan for life without the 36-year-old, with the midfielder out of contract at the Hill Dickinson Stadium at the end of this season.

Gueye signed a one-year extension during the summer, but given his age, there is every chance that the 2025/26 campaign will be his last in a Blues shirt.

Replacing him is going to be a tall order, with the Senegalese such an influential figure at the heart of Everton’s midfield across two different spells with the club, and it looks as though the Merseysiders are preparing for life without him.

Everton eyeing new midfielder in January

According to Football Insider, “both permanent and loan deals will be explored” by Everton in January, as they plan to fill the void left by Gueye with a new midfield signing.

The report also adds that the Blues “have no plans” to offer the popular midfielder a contract extension, as he gradually nears the end of his £120,000-a-week deal, which makes him Everton’s third-highest earner.

This feels like sensible thinking by Everton, with Gueye’s absence in the winter likely to leave a gap, given his ability to cover ground and bite into tackles, even at his current age.

Idrissa Gueye’s 2025/26 Premier League stats	Total
Appearances	11
Starts	11
Minutes played	952
Goals	2
Assists	0
Tackles per game	2.0
Clearances per game	0.8
Pass completion rate	87.1%

The Blues need to be looking at a similar style of player to come in as his long-term successor, but whoever that is will have a lot to live up to, with James Garner heaping praise on him.

“He’s getting better the older he gets. He’s a calm, assuring head alongside me. I’m still pretty young and still learning the game, and he’s helped me massively.”

It remains to be seen who Everton’s choice of midfielder will be – Real Betis ace Sergi Altimira was reportedly the subject of a bid in the summer – but a permanent move makes more sense than a loan signing, in terms of bringing in a long-term option who is in and around his best years of his career.

Idrissa Gueye was "everywhere" for Everton vs Fulham, won 100% of his aerial duels

The India batter said she did not know until very late that she was going in at No. 3 in a high-pressure chase

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2025

Jemimah Rodrigues was emotional after taking India to victory•ICC/Getty Images

On a historic night in Navi Mumbai, Jemimah Rodrigues said her match-winning hundred in a world-record chase to dethrone reigning champions Australia and secure India’s place in the World Cup final felt “like a dream” after enduring a difficult month filled with “a lot of anxiety”.”Today was not about my 50 or my 100, today was just about making India win,” an emotional Rodrigues said after accepting her Player of the Match award, having been dropped for India’s league game against England. “I knew I got a few chances, but I just felt God scripted everything. I believe if you do the right things, with right intentions, he always blesses. I feel everything that happened was just a set-up for this. It was really hard, this last whole month. It just feels like a dream and it hasn’t sunk in yet.”India chased down a target of 339, the highest successful chase in the women’s game, and Rodrigues was on the field for nearly all of it, having entered at No. 3 in the second over. She finished unbeaten on 127 off 134 balls as India won with five wickets in hand and nine balls to spare. Rodrigues revealed she didn’t know until very late that she was going to bat at No. 3.”I thought I was going to bat at No. 5,” she said. “I was taking a shower and when the discussion was happening, I told them ‘let me know.’ Just five minutes before entering I learnt I would be at No. 3.”But I didn’t think about me. It was not for me to prove a point, it was just to win the match for India because we have always lost in crunch situations. So I wanted to stay till the end to take us through.”Last time [in 2022], I was dropped from this World Cup. This year I came in, I thought ‘OK, I’ll try.’ But things back-to-back just happened and I couldn’t control anything. I had amazing people around me who believed in me. I almost cried every day through this tour. I was not doing well mentally, going through a lot of anxiety. Getting dropped [against England] was another challenge to me. All I wanted to do was show up and God took care of everything.”Rodrigues was seen talking to herself all through her hundred in a high-pressure chase in exhausting conditions: “Initially I was just playing, talking to myself. But towards the end, I was quoting a scripture from the Bible because I had lost energy and I was very tired. I was drained. But the scripture says ‘just stand still, and God will fight for you.’ And that’s what I did. He fought for me.”India lost both their openers in the powerplay but Rodrigues was joined by her captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the pair put on 167 off 156 balls for the third wicket. She credited Harmanpreet and her subsequent partners for keeping her going. “When Harry di [Harmanpreet] came, all we spoke about was one good partnership. We knew runs were coming. But towards the end, I told Deepti ‘keep talking to me’, she kept encouraging me. When Richa came, she lifted me up. I am so blessed that when I cannot carry on, my team-mates encourage me to carry on. I cannot take credit for this. I know I have not done anything.About the winning moment, Rodrigues said: “It was hard but I tried to stay calm till the ball finished. At the end, when I saw ‘India win by five wickets’ I couldn’t stop myself. Navi Mumbai has always been special for me. And I couldn’t ask for anything better. I want to thank every member who chanted and cheered even when we were down.”Harmanpreet said later that Rodrigues’ “calculations” helped India stay on course in the chase, with a required run-rate of nearly 6.80 at the start.”Jemimah is someone who always wants to do really well for the team because she is someone who is always very calculative and wants to take the responsibility,” Harmanpreet said. “We always have that trust on her and today was a very special knock from her. Both of us had a very good time on the pitch. Whenever we were batting, we were just complementing each other and calculating. She was doing all the calculations there for me.”She is someone, you know, before I go [up to her when batting together], she kept telling me ‘we got five runs [in this over] we got seven runs [in this over] or [we have] two more balls left [in the over]. Before I tell her anything, she is already saying it to me.”So I think that shows how involved she is. I was just so amazed to see what she was thinking and how she was even pushing myself. So I think we should give lots of credit to her – the way she kept her nerves and held her nerves to keep batting for the team.”India play South Africa in the World Cup final on Sunday, when a first-time champion will be crowned in Navi Mumbai.

The Sri Lanka captain returned to bat in the 23rd over after they lost their third wicket

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Oct-2025

Chamari Athapaththu was stretchered off early in the innings•Associated Press

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was stretchered off the field early in their innings against England, raising serious concerns for the Sri Lanka camp. However, she returned to bat in the 23rd over after Sri Lanka had lost their third wicket.She had merely been cramping, but her having been carried away – rather than helped off the field – suggests Sri Lanka are not taking any risks with her, given their heavy World Cup schedule coming up. Athapaththu is vital to their chances in the tournament.In any case it was a largely unremarkable, jogged single that put Athapaththu out of commission. Having dragged a Linsey Smith delivery to deep midwicket in the sixth over, Athapaththu began to limp as she made her way to the other end. Almost immediately upon reaching the non-striker’s crease, she collapsed on to the ground, and lay face first until Sri Lanka’s physio arrived to treat her.After several minutes of stretching and treatment however, the stretcher and further medical staff were called for. At no stage after initially going down did Athapaththu get back on her feet.After returning to bat, Athapaththu added eight more runs before being bowled by Sophie Ecclestone for 15 in the 29th over.Athapaththu had been on the field for the entirety of England’s innings, and had bowled five overs for 21 as well. Conditions have been extremely humid in Colombo over the past few weeks, which is normal for this time of year.Sri Lanka’s captain had also been seen receiving extra stretching assistance from the support staff during training on the eve of the match.They were chasing 254, after England made 253 for 9, thanks to a Nat Sciver-Brunt hundred.

Matt Kelly was superb in leading the WA attack with five wickets after the home side lost left-armer Joel Paris to enjoy early in the second innings

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2025Stand-in New South Wales captain Nathan Lyon provided stubborn late-order resistance that might prove crucial as the bowlers continued to dominate the Sheffield Shield match in Perth after debutant Will Salzmann shone againAfter 13 wickets fell on day three at the WACA Ground, openers Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman survived four overs late on Monday. That left the home side nine without loss, needing 222 to win this Sheffield Shield opener.Related

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Salzmann, making his first-class debut, compiled an excellent 72 to top score for the second time in the game, adding 76 with Charlie Stobo to lift the visitors from 79 for 6.NSW and Australia opener Sam Konstas failed again as he tries to shore up his berth for the first Ashes Test, but he had plenty of top-order mates.So far, the highest total at the fall of the third wicket in the match has been a paltry 23, while Sunday’s play featured 14 dismissals.Konstas fell for 14 on Monday after making four in the first innings, while No .3 Kurtis Patterson also did not advance his national cause with scores of 8 and 4.Bancroft is another Test hopeful needing a major knock after being fired out for 10 in WA’s first innings.Typical of how the match has gone, the first delivery of the morning from NSW paceman Ryan Hadley was a perfect yorker that bowled Matthew Kelly for 20.That left WA 116 for 8, with rearguard knocks from Ashton Agar, Cameron Gannon and Corey Rocchiccioli helping the final score to 161. Hadley claimed 5 for 38, his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.WA suffered a blow when opening bowler Joel Paris only managed one over before departing with a left hamstring injury. Had the injury occurred before the end of the second day, WA could have brought in substitute under the new trial being run by Cricket Australia.Test allrounder Cameron Green also did not bowl on Monday as he continues to return from back surgery.But Kelly stood tall with 5 for 43. When he bowled Liam Hatcher for a duck, NSW were 189 for 9. Lyon then dug in, with the Test offspinner scoring 40 from 57 balls, featuring six fours and a six.While the pitch appeared to be playing better late on day three, Lyon’s knock added some crucial meat to the bare-looking NSW bones.Another notable feature of the day was an incident involving Chris Green who was initially given caught behind when he duck a bouncer but was eventually recalled to the crease. Umpire Gerard Abood even gave Green out a second time having chatted with the square-leg official before reverse the decision

There were a few interesting names on the teammates when Glasgow Rangers announced their U19 side to take on St Mirren on Monday night, as several first-team players were involved.

Dujon Sterling made his long-awaited return from an Achilles injury to start at centre-back alongside fellow first-team defender Clinton Nsiala, although the young Gers then found themselves 3-0 down at half-time, and went on to lose 4-2.

Along with those two central defenders, attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell played his first match since August, having been out through injury, after Russell Martin opted to keep hold of him in the summer.

Why Rangers should have sold Kieran Dowell

Since moving to Ibrox from Norwich on a free transfer in 2023, the English playmaker has failed to prove his worth to the Scottish giants on the pitch, which is why he should have been moved on before this season.

In almost two-and-a-half years at Rangers, Dowell has produced more goals and assists out on loan (ten for Birmingham) than he has for the Gers (five), per Transfermarkt.

The left-footed dud has scored two goals and provided three assists in 38 games for the club, including no goals and one assist in six matches under Martin this season.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the season, per Transfermarkt, and it remains to be seen if he is a part of Danny Rohl’s plans, with the likes of Djeidi Gassama, Mikey Moore, Oliver Antman, Nedim Bajrami, Findlay Curtis, and Thelo Aasgaard ahead of him in the pecking order.

Should his deal expire next year without him working his way back into the team to make a big impact at Ibrox, Dowell may well be looked back on as a pointless signing due to his lack of contributions on the pitch.

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Meanwhile, one of Kevin Thelwell’s summer recruits currently looks like he is on course to be the biggest waste of time for the Light Blues since Dowell, Joe Rothwell.

Why Joe Rothwell has been a poor signing for Rangers

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, because the idea of the signing of Rothwell on paper seemed solid. A technically sound central midfielder who could control the game in midfield, with experience in the Premier League and the Championship.

However, the midfield technician, signed on a permanent deal from Bournemouth, has not been able to deliver quality performances for the Light Blues on a consistent basis, as he has seemingly struggled with the intensity and speed of the football in Scotland.

It is always difficult to predict how a player will adapt to the intensity of the league, which is why so many players, like Dowell, flop after good spells elsewhere, and Rothwell has followed in Dowell’s footsteps as another player who has fallen short of the physical requirements.

Successful dribbles

4

Bottom 42%

Touches in the opposition’s box

4

Bottom 26%

Tackles

7

Bottom 26%

Duels won

16

Bottom 25%

Duel success rate

47.1%

Bottom 39%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 36%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 19%

As you can see in the table above, the English central midfielder ranks poorly among his positional peers in a host of metrics based around physicality and mobility.

These statistics show that Rothwell, who has no goals and two assists in 19 appearances for Rangers, does not have the speed or mobility to consistently compete against other midfielders in the Scottish Premiership.

The 30-year-old dud, whom Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described as “rotten”, has been an unused substitute in all three of the league matches that he has been available for during Rohl’s tenure.

This suggests that the German head coach has not been too impressed by the English dud, which means that his future could be thrown into doubt in January should his game time not improve.

Thelwell signing is a bigger waste of time than Chermiti & Miovski at Rangers

This Glasgow Rangers flop is a bigger waste of time this season than both Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti.

ByDan Emery Nov 24, 2025

Therefore, this Thelwell signing looks like the biggest waste of time at Rangers since Dowell because he is an experienced player who has not made an immediate impact on the pitch, and now looks to be surplus to requirements already.