تحدث النجم الإسباني بيدري، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة عن لامين يامال وعن شخصية هانز فليك معه والعديد من الأمور التي تخص الفريق الأول.

وقال بيدري، في تصريحات لصحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “لقد شهدت تغييرًا كبيرًا منذ وصولي برشلونة، نعم يبدو الأمر وكأنه كان بالأمس، لكن خمس سنوات ونصف مضت، خلال هذه الفترة تعلمت الكثير من زملائي في الفريق ومن قادة الفريق والآن أشعر أنني في موقع قيادي”.

وأكمل: “سأظل ممتنًا دائمًا لكومان لمنحي أول مباراة لي وثقته بي عندما كنت لاعبًا عاديًا، ساعدنا تشافي على إعادة إحياء حماسنا مرة أخرى بالفوز بلقب دوري لم يتوقعه أحد، إنه أيضًا أسطورة في النادي وساعدنا كثيرًا وآمن باللاعبين الشباب”.

وأضاف: “مع فليك خطونا خطوة أخرى للأمام على الصعيد التنافسي ونسعى للفوز بكل لقب، يتمتع بالجدية الألمانية المعهودة، إنه جاد للغاية عندما يحين وقت العمل وعندما يحين وقت الضحك، يضحكنا كثيرًا، عادةً ما يتعامل مع الأمور بهدوء لكن من الأفضل عدم إغضابه”.

اقرأ أيضًا | بيدري: لست حزينًا على ترتيبي في الكرة الذهبية.. وأعيش حلمًا في برشلونة

وأردف عن دي يونج: “الآن نلعب معًا أكثر بكثير من ذي قبل وهذا واضح، ربما لا ترى من الخارج مدى روعة فرينكي لكنه يتمتع بجودة مذهلة وقوة هائلة في اختراق الخطوط، أنا سعيد جدًا بوجوده بجانبي”.

وتطرق للحديث عن إريك جارسيا: “أنا شخصيًا سعيد جدًا به لأنه صديقي، عندما تعاقدنا معه كنت أعرف مستواه جيدًا، إنه من أفضل لاعبي قلب الدفاع في العالم في توزيع الكرة ويجيد اللعب كظهير، وقلب دفاع، ولاعب وسط دفاعي”.

وتابع: “ذهنيًا، يقدم كل ما لديه، إنه ذكي ويعرف كيف يتمركز بشكل مثالي كان هناك وقت لم تعد فيه الجماهير تثق فيه لكنهم الآن أدركوا مستواه”.

وأتم عن لامين يامال: “لامين لاعب كرة قدم مذهل، في سنه قليلون هم من يستطيعون ما يفعله، إنه ناضج جدًا ورغم أن حياته الخاصة محل نقاش إلا أنه يدرك ما يفعله في كل لحظة، يتعامل مع الضغوط التي يواجهها في سن الثامنة عشر بسهولة بالغة”.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is reportedly interested in a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. The Norwegian forward is seen as a potential replacement for Brazilian star Vinicius Jr if he is sold at the end of the season. Madrid are understood to be open to offers of around €200 million should Vinicius decide against extending his contract with the club.

• Haaland to replace Vini Jr?

  According to journalist Jorge Picon, speaking to Spanish outlet , the Norwegian striker reportedly has a release clause in his Manchester City contract, though the exact figure remains undisclosed. Haaland signed a record 10-year contract extension in 2024, keeping him at the club until 2034, but Madrid’s long-term interest in him has never waned. Haaland’s entourage has recently hinted that the player "would very much like to play for Real Madrid," with the final decision ultimately resting on the striker’s own desire to make the move from City.

  His potential transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu is believed to be closely tied to the future of Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior. Vinicius’ current contract with Madrid runs until 2027, and negotiations over a renewal have been ongoing since the end of 2024. However, no agreement has been reached, particularly regarding his salary demands. Madrid could consider selling him for around €200m (£176m/$230m) to generate the funds needed to sign Haaland. Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain have shown serious interest in Vinicius, with the winger reportedly attracted to Luis Enrique’s fast, attacking style of play.

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  Relationship with Alonso at breaking point

  Tensions between Vinicius and Madrid manager Xabi Alonso have reportedly reached breaking point, casting serious doubt over the The Brazilian’s future at the club has become uncertain after tensions with coach Xabi Alonso. The relationship began to deteriorate when Vinicius reacted angrily to being substituted during the El Clasico clash against Barcelona. Although Vinicius later issued an apology on social media for his outburst, he notably left Alonso out of his message.

  The situation escalated when published an article on the same day as his public apology, criticising Alonso’s leadership and discipline. The report quoted an anonymous source close to the team who claimed Alonso "thinks he’s Pep Guardiola" The piece, believed to have ties to Vinicius’ camp, angered the Real Madrid hierarchy.

  Matters worsened in the following match against Valencia when Vinicius took a penalty that had been assigned to Kylian Mbappe and missed. His actions were viewed as disrespectful by both Alonso and his teammates, further straining relations within the squad.

  Club president Florentino Perez’s patience has reportedly run out after a series of off field issues and the 25-year-old's flamboyant behaviour. With trust between Vinicius and the management now said to be beyond repair, Madrid are seriously considering offers for the forward, which could mark the end of his time at the Bernabeu.

• Haaland off to great start to the 2025-26 season

  Haaland joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and has since established himself as one of the most dominant forwards in world football. He played a pivotal role in City’s historic 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, helping the team secure the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles.

  This season, Haaland has continued his remarkable form, netting 17 goals in 13 appearances across all competitions. His clinical finishing and relentless consistency have once again made him the focal point of Guardiola’s attack. Under his influence, City currently sit second in the Premier League table, and Haaland remains a key figure in their pursuit of more domestic and European success.

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  Madrid's hope with Vinicius

  Madrid will look to renew their talisman and two-time Champions league winner Vinicius as the player has been an icon at the club. However, should things prove difficult with the forward, Madrid will be interested in making a move for Haaland with negotiations with City will prove to be difficult. 

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras vai enfrentar o Boca Juniors nesta quinta-feira (5), às 21h30, no Allianz Parque, pela semifinal da Libertadores. Embora sejam rivais históricos e não tão amigos, eles têm algumas coisas em comum, principalmente em suas origens. Fundados por imigrantes italianos, os dois clubes chegaram a compartilhar o mesmo patrocínio nos anos 90: a Parmalat.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras fecha balanço de agosto com déficit, mas segue com lucro no acumulado do anoPalmeiras03/10/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras receberá delegação do Boca no Allianz Parque, mas treino está vetadoPalmeiras03/10/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras segue preparação, e Abel deve manter titulares para decisão contra o Boca; veja provável timePalmeiras03/10/2023

+ Veja tabela da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

+ Aposte R$50 e ganhe mais de R$175 com vitória do Palmeiras e gol de Veiga contra o Boca na Libertadores

Verdão e Boca se enfrentam desde 1935, quando o nome do clube brasileiro ainda era Palestra Itália. Nesse confronto de 88 anos, quem leva vantagem histórica é o Alviverde, que venceu oito, empatou 14 e perdeu quatro. Mas foi na década de 90 que a rivalidade aflorou entre as equipes, com duelos inesquecíveis pela Liberta, que se estenderam para os anos 2000.

Mas antes disso tudo, é preciso voltar às origens. O Boca Juniors foi fundado em 1905 por cinco adolescentes, todos eles filhos de italianos que imigraram para a Argentina. O bairro La Boca, onde fica o clube, era um reduto genovês, daí vem o apelido de “xeneizes”, que é como os imigrantes, em seu dialeto, falavam “genoveses”.

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+ Lance! Betting oferece cashback de 25% em apostas nas semifinais da Libertadores

+ Tem promoção exclusiva de boas-vindas pra você! Aposte a partir de R$10 e receba até R$200 de bônus na Lance! Betting

O Verdão, por sua vez, foi fundado em 1914 por iniciativa de, em sua maioria, moradores do bairro do Brás, em São Paulo, que era conhecido por ser uma morada de italianos. Ou seja, a origem de seus fundadores era na Itália, fossem descendentes ou nativos. O objetivo era fundar uma agremiação esportiva que tivesse a representatividade que a imensa comunidade merecia.

+ Palmeiras receberá delegação do Boca no Allianz Parque, mas treino está vetado

Apesar do intervalo de nove anos entre uma fundação e outra, Boca e Palmeiras têm suas raízes no impacto da imigração italiana na América do Sul. Coincidência ou não, muitas décadas depois eles voltaram a compartilhar um contexto. Isso porque, nos anos 90, ambos foram patrocinados pela Parmalat, empresa de laticínios com origem na Itália que despejou dinheiro no futebol naquela década.

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No Boca Juniors, a parceria era apenas de patrocínio e durou pouco, somente entre 1992 e 1996, com apenas um título de expressão, que foi o Campeonato Argentino de 1992, quebrando uma fila de mais de dez anos. Foi com a ajuda da patrocinadora, que o clube conseguiu juntar, em 1995, a dupla Caniggia e Maradona, mas sem aquele sucesso esperado.

+ Palmeiras segue preparação, e Abel deve manter titulares para decisão contra o Boca; veja provável time

Já no Palmeiras a história foi diferente. Mais do que patrocinadora, a Parmalat tinha um acordo de cogestão com o clube, tomando conta do departamento de futebol. A permanência da empresa foi de 1992 a 2000, somando títulos e empilhando craques. Foi com a multinacional que o Verdão saiu da longa fila de títulos, em 1993, e conquistou a tão sonhada Libertadores, em 1999.

Não foi à toa que, naqueles anos, quando ambos eram patrocinados pela empresa, disputaram a Copa Parmalat, reunindo os clubes que levavam o logo da multinacional na camisa. O Palmeiras foi vice duas vezes, perdendo ambas nos pênaltis para o Peñarol. Verdão e Boca se enfrentaram na edição de 1993, em Parma, na Itália, quando empataram em 1 a 1 no tempo normal, e os brasileiros levaram a melhor nos pênaltis.

+ Torcida do Palmeiras prepara maior corredor alviverde da história

Pela semifinal da Libertadores de 2023, nesta quinta-feira (5), as equipes vão escrever mais um capítulo dessa história que tem mais rivalidades do que coincidências, mas que certamente já marcaram para sempre o futebol sul-americano. Resta saber que vai buscar a Glória Eterna no Maracanã.

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Boca JuniorsPalmeiras

Lees records second century of the match in Durham’s successful rearguard action as Surrey go top of table

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay02-Jul-2025

Durham 362 (Lees 125, Robinson 79, Worrall 4-60) and 262 for 0 (Gay 156*, Lees 100*) f/o drew with Surrey 820 for 9 dec (Sibley 305, Lawrence 178, Jacks 119, Curran 108, Burns 55)Centuries from Emilio Gay and Alex Lees, in a superb unbroken opening partnership of 262, made sure of a comfortable Rothesay County Championship draw for Durham against Surrey on day four at the Kia Oval.Gay hit an unbeaten 156 while Lees followed up his first -innings 125 with 100 not out – reaching his second hundred of the match with what proved to be the last ball before hands were shaken at 5pm – and Durham’s successful rearguard action over the last seven sessions of the match owed much to the skill and stamina of their captain.His stand with Gay was a Durham partnership record against Surrey for any wicket, beating 183 by Will Smith and Scott Borthwick at Chester-le-Street in 2013.Durham began the day by initially turning their overnight 343 for 9 into a final first-innings total of 362, with an injured Ben Raine defying Surrey’s bowlers for a further 7.1 overs.They were helped by early morning rain that prevented any play until noon, while Surrey knew that the loss of 16 overs from the day’s allocation also took from them the possibility of having a second new ball available in a final hour.As it was, after Raine’s brave 19 and more resistance from his tailend partner Daniel Hogg, Durham were left with 70 overs to negotiate in their second innings when predictably asked to follow on – Surrey having amassed a mammoth 820 for 9 declared in their own first innings on a flat pitch.The draw, confirmed with Durham 262 without loss from 55.4 overs, was all but inevitable once Lees and Gay had seen off the new ball, as wickets have been desperately difficult to come by with an older and softer Kookaburra throughout this match.Surrey’s consolation is that the additional eight draw points, giving them 15 in all from the game, are enough to push them to the top of the Division One table for the first time this season – a single point in front of long-time Championship leaders Nottinghamshire.Seamer Raine, who suffered ligament damage in his left ankle on the opening day, had hobbled out at No. 11 to survive seven balls at the end of day three. When day four got under way it seemed as if Raine was moving a little more freely and his further defiance included three fours in a 32-ball effort ended when Will Jacks trapped him lbw.Lees sliced the first ball of Durham’s second innings just wide of gully for four and the bowler, Dan Worrall, was frustrated again when, on 5, the former England Test opener was beaten by a beauty that Surrey’s slip cordon initially thought might have taken a thin edge.Gay’s first scoring shot was also a streaky edge for four through the slips, off Matt Fisher, but soon the two left-handers had settled in and Rory Burns, Surrey’s captain, used six different bowlers in the first 14 overs of the innings – either side of lunch – in a vain effort to conjure up an early breakthrough.Surrey allrounder Sam Curran even aired some rarely-seen left-arm spin as the match meandered through its final overs after the tea interval, and the eight-over spell was tidy enough even if by then both Gay and Lees were content merely to see out time.It was Gay’s third hundred in Durham colours, since his move from Northamptonshire, and after reaching three figures from 98 balls he faced 172 in all, hitting 25 fours. Lees batted for 162 balls, striking 14 fours.

Neither side confirmed their XI the day before the final Test with Australia leaving the door ajar to leave out Nathan Lyon

Alex Malcolm11-Jul-2025Big picture: Starc’s milestone match carries significance for both sidesAlthough it will be played nearly 15,000km from his home in Sydney, it is fitting in some respects that Mitchell Starc’s 100th Test match is a pink-ball game under lights in Jamaica. No bowler has been more prolific with the pink ball, and it seems very likely that Starc will celebrate a second major landmark at Sabina Park, as he is just five wickets away from 400 Test wickets.If Australia’s bowlers continue to share the spoils this week as they have done throughout the series, then there could be further milestones celebrated. Josh Hazlewood needs eight wickets to pass 300, which would make Australia’s bowling quartet the first in history to play together with 300 wickets apiece. Nathan Lyon needs just two wickets to pass Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 on Australia’s all-time list and move to second behind Shane Warne.Related

'Everything's an option' – Could Lyon be left out for first time in 12 years?

Starc secures his place in the pantheon of greats ahead of 100th Test

Ashes Slashes: Broad gives 'muddled' Australia top three the thumbs down

'Might be a few things going on' as Sabina Park makes pink-ball debut

However, in a potential twist, Pat Cummins left the door ajar for a rare all-pace attack. Lyon bowled just one over in Australia’s previous day-night Test last December against India. Australia have never played with a pink Dukes before in a Test, but the prospect of a well-grassed Sabina Park pitch will have the quicks licking their chops as West Indies desperately search for the required runs to avoid a series sweep.The first day-night Test in Jamaica, and just second in the Caribbean, will be a significant occasion but it is also a key moment in the evolution of this new-look West Indies team. Coach Daren Sammy has been left torn between praising the outstanding bowling by his team while lamenting the batting displays. He has urged his batting group to adjust their techniques and temperaments depending on what the situation demands.But the reality is that the batting challenge might only get harder in Jamaica unless the surface provides some relief during the daylight hours or when the pink Dukes balls soften. Sammy has been encouraged by the effort of his team overall so far in this series to keep pace with Australia, but a win would go a long way to boosting confidence both within the dressing room, and throughout the Caribbean, and reassuring all that the revamped team is on the right path.Australia’s middle order has been key for them this series•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia’s batting will be under equal pressure, despite the middle-order having done more than enough to secure the Frank Worrell Trophy in the first two Tests. The nature of the World Test Championship means there are no dead rubbers anymore and a third victory will be vital for Australia in a cycle that includes a home Ashes, an away series in South Africa and an away five-Test series in India.But there are also significant ramifications for the here and now for a top order that has been described as “muddled”. Cameron Green’s half-century in Grenada aside, it has been a difficult series for the trio against a pacey and skilled West Indies attack on some difficult pitches. While Cummins, coach Andrew McDonald, and batting coach Michael Di Venuto have all been strong in their defence and support of the struggling openers in particular, twin failures this week for Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja and even Green would spark a four-month public referendum on the make-up of the top three for the Ashes in November.A substantial score from any or all of them, especially in difficult batting conditions, would calm the debate significantly. But it would take three outstanding performances from all of them to completely quell any questions over their spots given the amount of time that will pass between now and when England arrive in Australia.Form guideWest Indies LLWLL
Australia WWLWWUsman Khawaja has fallen in familiar fashion in the first two matches•Associated PressIn the spotlight: John Campbell and Usman KhawajaJohn Campbell has arguably looked as comfortable and fluent as any opener in the series but he has only two starts to show for it. He made a breezy 23 in the second innings in Barbados before falling attempting to scoop-sweep Hazlewood. He played an equally poor shot in the first innings in Grenada having done the hard part to reach 40 and lay a decent foundation for West Indies.His Test record does not reflect his talent, and he does deserve more time than just three Tests on difficult pitches against an all-time attack to settle back into Test cricket after three years. But West Indies would want to see a more balanced approach to his batting in Jamaica, and a conversion of a start, to be assured that he is the right long-term option at the top of the order for this new-look team.Usman Khawaja has a lot of credits in the bank and there have been reasonably strong backings from Australia’s hierarchy that his place for the Ashes is safe. But those credits are dwindling at an alarming rate. He said at the start of the series that his stats speak for themselves. Right now, they are saying he has passed 50 just four times in 33 innings since the 2023 Ashes, with his 232 in Sri Lanka doing a lot of heavy lifting as his lone century. Worse than that, he is averaging 18.93 against pace bowling in his last ten Tests.That is worse than the axed Marnus Labuschagne and fractionally better than lower-order batters Starc and Cummins. His Jasprit Bumrah problem has spread. The repetitive nature of his dismissals is also of concern. He has been pinned lbw by full inswingers from around the wicket three times in a row in this series while sitting deep in the crease on each occasion. He may bemoan two umpire’s calls, but he’s had one successful review to overturn a decision in his last 10 tries in Test cricket, having lost six for his team and retained three through umpire’s calls. The last time he walked off without reviewing an lbw decision was 2018. He is equal fourth all-time for unsuccessful reviews, with only Steven Smith, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root above him.The pitches have been brutal for openers in this series, and he is not the only one struggling. It may not get any easier this week against the pink Dukes. He is the only Australian batter to have faced a pink Dukes previously in England in 2018 and he returned 0 and 19 for Glamorgan at No. 4 against Jofra Archer and Sussex in a game that lasted two days. A solid performance would quieten the questions that are growing louder.Kraigg Brathwaite has had a series to forget•AFP/Getty ImagesTeam news: Will Brathwaite survive?Roston Chase didn’t reveal West Indies’ XI, saying discussions had yet to take place after their final training session. Given he did not confirm Kraigg Brathwaite’s spot, it appears a chance that he would be dropped. Chase also said there was strong consideration to recalling left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.West Indies (possible): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite/Mikyle Louis, 2 John Campbell, 3 Keacy Carty/Kevlon Anderson, 4 Brandon King, 5 Roston Chase (capt), 6 Shai Hope (wk), 7 Justin Greaves, 8 Alzarri Joseph, 9 Shamar Joseph, 10 Anderson Phillip/Jomel Warrican, 11 Jayden SealesCummins said Australia wanted another day to consider their options, explaining they were factoring in the night-time session and how the practice pitches have behaved. However, it would appear unlikely there will be any changes to the top order. The workload of the bowlers hasn’t been high, so any changes to the attack would be tactical.Australia (probable): 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Konstas, 3 Cameron Green, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Beau Webster, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodPitch and conditions: Even grass coverage, fresh pink DukesStarc said it was the best-looking pitch of the series when he surveyed it two days out with a much more even covering of grass than was presented in Barbados or Grenada. The weather looks pretty good for the week, although the odd shower may pass through as it did in Grenada and some forecasts show Monday as considerably wetter. The pink Dukes balls and the new lights at Sabina Park would be the biggest challenge for both sides. Australia’s top-order batters reported “swing and nip” during training and, albeit over a limited time span, the balls had retained their hardness. The red Dukes have been a problem throughout the series in terms of retaining their shape, as they have been in England. The new lights reach all the required levels but are potentially not as bright as what the players might be used to. Chase said they were a little lower than he would have liked but neither side has reported any significant issues.Stats and trivia Starc has 74 wickets at 18.14 in pink-ball Tests, striking at 34.8 with four five-wicket hauls. He has 31 wickets more than the next-best in Lyon. Each of Australia’s four bowlers have taken 37 or more wickets in pink-ball Tests. Alzarri Joseph has the most of the current West Indies players with 11. The combined batting average for the two teams in the series so far is 20.60, without a century scored. Only one three-match series in the last 25 years has yielded a combined batting average under 20.

Mohammed Shami, not a part of the India Test squad in England and out of action since IPL 2025, has been named in Bengal’s expanded list of 50 probables for the upcoming domestic season. He could, potentially, be a part of East Zone in the season-opening Duleep Trophy, which kicks off on August 28, and that tournament, back to its old inter-zonal format, could mark Shami’s comeback to competitive cricket.Shami, a veteran of 64 Test matches, 108 ODIs and 25 T20Is, has not played for India since the Champions Trophy in early 2025. India won the tournament, beating New Zealand in the final, and Shami picked up nine wickets in five games – the joint-highest for India with Varun Chakravarthy, who got his nine wickets in three games – even though he was also one of India’s most expensive bowlers in the tournament, going at 5.68 per over.After that came the IPL, where Shami’s new team Sunrisers Hyderabad finished sixth, and he wasn’t too impressive either, picking up six wickets in nine bowling innings and going at 11.23 per over.All this came after a long layoff during which he had ankle surgery and suffered from knee-related niggles. He came back for the T20I series at home against England in January 2024 after having last played for India in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023. His domestic comeback had been with Bengal in late 2024.The line-up of probables for Bengal includes all the expected names, including Abhimanyu Easwaran, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Abishek Porel.

The trouble with facing a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers is that they have weapons up and down their lineup. You can delay having to face one or two of their stars, but chances are someone else is going to make you pay for it. Tuesday night, that person was Mookie Betts.

The Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels went to extra innings Tuesday night. With first base open (and Kevin Kiermaier on second base) the Angels opted to walk Shohei Ohtani intentionally. That brought Betts up. He swung at the first pitch—a slider over the middle of the plate—for a home run, putting the Dodgers up in the crosstown rivalry game, 6-2.

Betts was interviewed on-field after the game. He had a great reaction to the Dodgers opting to face him instead of Ohtani, giving a casual reaction to being chosen to pitch to:

"That [display of emotion] doesn't happen often, so I kind of [blacked] out. I just knew they walked Sho' to get to me, and I was like alright. That's kind of what you want," Betts said. "I know Freddie [Freeman is] behind me, so they're not gonna mess around," Betts also explained as far as why he felt he could be aggressive at the plate.

In fairness, the Angels had no good options here. Choosing between pitching to Ohtani or Betts in this scenario is a "pick your poison" kind of scenario. And as Betts said, Freeman gives him protection as well.

That would be all she wrote for the game, as the Angels would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning. Betts didn't put the Dodgers ahead (offense earlier in the inning pushed the free runner at second in for a 3-2 lead) but did make the lead virtually insurmountable.

South Africa enforced the follow-on on Zimbabwe who collapsed in 43 overs

Shashank Kishore07-Jul-2025

Wiaan Mulder brought up the second fastest triple century in Test cricket•Zimbabwe Cricket

July 7, 2025 may not invoke the same grand feeling of that unforgettable summer afternoon at Lord’s last month, but it’ll still have a reverence of its own for Wiaan Mulder, who, only weeks earlier, stood on the winner’s podium as a newly crowned World Test Champion.One of cricket’s most iconic and celebrated records – Brian Lara’s majestic 400 not out, which he held like a crown jewel after reclaiming it from Matthew Hayden – was in real danger of being knocked off its perch after 21 long years. When Mulder, South Africa’s stand-in captain, went into the lunch interval unbeaten on 367, it seemed a matter of time before history books would be rewritten. Then came a quiet message from the change room, like a bolt from the blue. South Africa had declared. Mulder had declared.”Why did he do that?” is a question that lingered on for much of the day as Zimbabwe collapsed in just 43 overs, and were asked to follow-on. With so much time left in the match, the decision will be rightly debated for a while. Sure, barring Blessing Muzarabani, the quality of Zimbabwe’s attack was hardly Test class, but the opportunity to etch yourself into Test history doesn’t come knocking everyday.Related

Mulder makes 367*, the fifth-highest individual Test score of all time

Stats – Wiaan Mulder breaks records and Zimbabwe with 367*

Mulder: 'Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be'

Five highest individual scores in Test cricket history

South Africa declared on 626 for 5. Mulder’s feat became all the more special as it came in front of his father, who had made the trip to soak in the occasion after he had been informed of Mulder’s promotion to captaincy in the lead-up to the game after Keshav Maharaj had been ruled out due to an injury. Along the way, Mulder may have cemented himself as South Africa’s new No. 3, a spot once occupied by legends he may have grown up watching, Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla among them.In the morning session, every run or over carried the weight of a milestone either impending or ticked off. Records came; records went. Mulder went past some heavyweights in South Africa: Gary Kirsten, Daryl Cullinan, Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers. And soon after his triple-ton, he went past 311 to eclipse Amla, and achieve the highest Test score by a South African.Mulder could’ve chosen a calmer, more serene path if he had wished. South Africa’s run-scoring on the opening day, where they surged to 465 for 4, meant time was never going to be a consideration. Mulder, though, had other ideas. Except for his first boundary very early in the day off Muzarabani, off a streaky edge that flew through vacant third slip, there was control and authority in every stoke he played and every run he ran.Mulder’s authority stemmed from his own confidence, and Zimbabwe’s hit-me lengths. Without any swing on offer, even with the second new ball that they took late on the opening day, the pacers erred on the shorter side and kept getting punished square of the wicket on both sides. When spin came on, Mulder channeled the golfer in him to club them downtown. He hit 49 fours and four sixes in all – one of them landed out of the ground – forcing them to bring out a different ball.Wiaan Mulder and Dewald Brevis added 88 off just 94 balls for the fifth wicket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Amid Mulder’s run-fest, that South Africa lost Dewald Brewis was lost on everyone. He survived on 24 when Craig Ervine put down a regulation chance in the fifth over off Muzarabani at slip, but couldn’t capitalise. On 35, Brevis attempted to flay a cut, only to get a thick outside edge to the wicketkeeper. Kyle Verreynne then came and enjoyed a good hit out to remain unbeaten on 42.The day’s big moment – Mulder’s triple – arrived in the 101st over when he clipped a low full toss off Tanaka Chivanga to fine leg to wild applause and cheer from his team-mates on the balcony. It had come off 297 balls, the second-fastest in Test history, behind Virender Sehwag’s that had come off 278 balls against South Africa in Chennai 17 years ago.After Mulder got past the 300, there was carnage aplenty as Muzarabani was dispatched for three boundaries in an over, the third of those helping him surpass Amla. There was more punishment in the next as Mulder cleared his front leg to wallop him out of the ground to enter the 360s. This is when everyone seemed to be readying for the moment, when the declaration came.Mulder wasn’t done yet. With the ball, he took out Wesley Madhevere and Ervine in quick succession. Madhevere was out to a nip-backer that flattened the stumps; Ervine was felled by an effort ball that lifted off the deck to have him fend one into the hand of backward point. Mulder’s fiery spell wasn’t the highlight, though. Debutant Prenelan Subrayen and Senuran Muthusamy’s flight and loop were equally noteworthy. Subrayen ended with 4 for 42.Sean Williams, who spent much of the first evening and the opening session on the sidelines due to an illness, came out swinging and raised his half-century off just 32 balls, the fastest by a Zimbabwean. But he ran out of partners, and remained stuck on 83 as last man Chivanga’s wicket meant Zimbabwe were bundled out for 170.Made to follow-on, Zimbabwe lost Dion Myers early, but Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch batted a tricky last 30 minutes to take them to stumps on 51 for 1, with Zimbabwe still needing 146 to surpass Mulder.

A pair of New York Yankees fans were infamously ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after they attempted to pry a baseball from the glove of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts when he made a catch at the wall in foul territory.

The two fans who interfered with the play now face a ban for Wednesday night's Game 5. Their tickets won't be able to be used by their friends or family, either.

The Yankees announced Wednesday that they've redistributed the tickets to a pediatric cancer patient and their family, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

One of the banned fans, Austin Capobianco, expressed his disappointment that his brother and his friends could not use his season tickets in his place.

"The banning to tonight’s game was kind of expected, but the fact my little brother and his friends can’t use our season tickets tonight has really pissed me off," said Capobianco in a text message to NBC News. "It’s not like they can go to the next game."

It seems the organization had other, more wholesome plans for those now-vacated seats, as a very deserving young fan and his family will have some excellent seats to Wednesday's game.

"The Yankees and Major League Baseball maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed last night. These fans will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity," the Yankees said in a statement on Wednesday.

First pitch for World Series Game 5 is set for 8:08 p.m. ET. Game 6 and 7, if necessary, will both be held in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium, making Wednesday night's game the last of the season at Yankee Stadium.

Hitting for the cycle is one of the rarest things a baseball player can do. The odds of doing so are roughly in line with throwing a no-hitter. Hitting a single, double, triple and home run in the same game is a truly incredible feat and only 348 players have done it.

With the MLB postseason upon us, let's examine the number of players who have hit for the cycle in the playoffs.

How many players have hit for the cycle in the MLB playoffs?

Despite MLB being formed 123 years ago, only one player has ever hit for the cycle in a postseason game. And it wasn't a household name.

Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Barry Bonds all failed to do it. The man who accomplished the feat was Brock Holt. He did it as a member of the Boston Red Sox during Game 3 of the 2018 American League Division Series. The Red Sox beat the Yankees 16–1 in that game at Yankee Stadium en route to a 3–1 series win.

In that game, Holt singled to center in the fourth inning, then tripled to right later in the same inning as the Red Sox batted around. Holt hit a ground-rule double in the top of the eighth and got another at-bat in the ninth inning, where he hit a home run to complete the cycle. He finished the game 4-for-6 with five RBIs and three runs scored. It was the second cycle of his major league career.

Holt and the Red Sox went on to win the World Series, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

Who is Brock Holt?

Holt is a former MLB player who played all over the diamond defensively. He started his big league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, debuting in 2012. In December of that year, Holt was part of a six-player trade between the Pirates and Red Sox. He made his debut with Boston on July 6, 2013. The Sox went on to win the World Series that season but Holt didn't play in the postseason.

Holt was called up again in May 2014 and spent the rest of the season with the team. In 2015, he made the American League All-Star team. For the season, he slashed .280/.349/.379 with two home runs and 45 RBIs. He struggled to stay healthy in 2016 and 2017, but was a regular for the Red Sox again in 2018 as they won another World Series.

Holt never played a full season again and bounced around to the Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals in 2020 and the Texas Rangers in 2021. He signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves in March of 2022, but requested his release a few weeks later. He announced his retirement on October 27, 2022.