USMNT's Haji Wright makes long-awaited return in Coventry's thrilling 3-2 win over Oxford in English Championship

Wright played in his first action since late November and helped Coventry see their win through for a crucial three points

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Wright returned from injuryPlayed 16 minutesGives USMNT another option at forwardFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. international Haji Wright returned to action for the first time in over three months, getting a late cameo in Coventry's 3-2 win over Oxford in the English Championship Saturday.

The 26-year-old saw 16 minutes of action, coming on as a late substitute in the second half.

The Frank Lampard-managed side have now won four-straight matches, moving into a promotion playoff spot in fifth place.

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This is a welcomed boost for Coventry, who have thrived under Lampard since his appointment in November. Since the Englishman's arrival, the club has moved from 20th place in the standings up to fifth. In the Championship, they've won eight of their nine last league matches, with their lone defeat coming at the hands of league-leaders Leeds United.

It also serves as a welcome development for the USMNT as well. Mauricio Pochettino's side has been dealing with a spate of injuries at the forward position and Wright, who can play as a striker or winger, could be a depth option for the manager following the Nations League Finals. Wright is unable to be added due to not being included in the preliminary roster for the tournament.

DID YOU KNOW?

Before his injury, Wright had seven goals and one assist in 15 league appearances for Coventry in 2024/25.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR COVENTRY?

Wright will look to build up his playing time in the coming weeks and Coventry will return to action on March 8 when they host Stoke City in the Championship.

Explained: How David Raya & William Saliba contributed to Myles Lewis-Skelly red card in Arsenal's loss to West Ham

Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a red card during Arsenal's 1-0 loss against West Ham, and the Premier League have explained why.

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Lewis-Skelly sent off against West HamYellow turned to red after VAR reviewPremier League explains rulingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

West Ham's winner came towards the end of the first half through Jarrod Bowen. As Mikel Arteta's side chased the game, the Basque coach decided to bring on Lewis-Skelly as a substitute for Riccardo Calafiori. The 18-year-old was shown a yellow card in the 70th minute for a foul on Mohammed Kudus, before referee Craig Pawson was advised by VAR to cancel the caution and show Lewis-Skelly a straight red card due to his offence being a professional last-man foul. West Ham held their lead and won 1-0 at the Emirates.

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Per the Premier League Match Centre's explanation on X, the red card was issued as even though the foul took place near the halfway line, goalkeeper David Raya was so far off his line it's conceivable the opportunity for Kudus was clear cut, further emphasised by William Saliba's positioning on the other side of the pitch with no other covering defender.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Arsenal's discipline has been a major cause of concern for Arteta this season as Lewis-Skelly's red card was the fifth time that the Gunners have seen a player sent off in the Premier League since the start of the campaign.

WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

The red card against West Ham was not Lewis-Skelly's first red card this season as the 18-year-old was sent off last month against Wolves. However, an appeal by Arsenal saw the red card overturned after the game. He will be suspended for this Wednesday's trip to Nottingham Forest.

Fresh update regarding Liverpool’s pursuit of £50m Egypt star Omar Marmoush

A key update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s chances of signing Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush during the January transfer window.

Liverpool in talks to sign Marmoush

It is no secret that the Reds were quiet on the transfer front during the summer, with Federico Chiesa the only player coming in straight away, sealing a move from Juventus. Giorgi Mamardashvili also joined from Valencia, but is spending the 2024/25 season on loan at the La Liga side.

Supporters are desperate to see Arne Slot backed with reinforcements moving forward, and Marmoush has emerged as a key transfer target for Liverpool in recent weeks.

One report has even claimed that contact has been made with the 25-year-old Frankfurt ace, as Michael Edwards looks to work his magic and bring one of the Bundesliga’s most devastating attacking players to Anfield.

Marmoush is in the midst of a remarkable start to the season for his current club, scoring nine goals and registering four assists in just eight appearances in the league, also finding the net once in the Europa League.

Fresh update on Liverpool signing Marmoush

According to a new update from Sky Germany [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are “unlikely” to complete the signing of Marmoush during the January window, despite confirmation of “talks” taking place over a move.

Frankfurt will demand as much as £50m if the Reds want to seal the signing of their best player, but it looks as though they may have to wait until the end of the season. Frankfurt want their attacker to sign a new deal, but he is hesitant to, opening the door for a move next summer.

Omar Marmoush for Frankfurt.

While Liverpool fans would no doubt love to see Marmoush move to Anfield midway through the current campaign, they have more than enough attacking depth to get by until next summer. The Egyptian jumps out as a superb option for Slot, however, and his performances this season suggest that he is a player coming right into his peak years.

Primarily a central attacking option, there is still an argument to say that Marmoush could be partly viewed as a replacement for fellow Egypt star Mohamed Salah, should the 32-year-old not sign a new deal, but ideally, having them both in the squad would be perfect.

Granted, some may argue that Liverpool could ding themselves with too many attacking options, making it hard for Slot to keep everyone happy, but Marmoush is too good a player to ignore, with Frankfurt manager Dino Toppmoller summing up his qualities.

Appearances

8

Starts

8

Minutes played

675

Goals

9

Assists

4

Shots per game

4.4

Key passes per game

2.3

Dribbles per game

2.0

Forgetting Salah, it could be that Marmoush is seen as an upgrade on others in different positions, from Darwin Nunez centrally to Luis Diaz and Gakpo on the left, and Liverpool should be viewing him as a primary target moving forward.

Kathryn Bryce, Grace Ballinger lead Lightning to five-wicket win over Thunder

Skipper’s unbeaten ton follows seamer’s 5 for 29 as home side secures first victory of campaign

ECB Reporters Network09-Jul-2022Skipper Kathryn Bryce hit an unbeaten 109 after left-arm seam bowler Grace Ballinger had taken a career-best 5 for 29 as Lightning defeated Thunder by five wickets to record their first win of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy campaign at the Haslegrave Ground in Loughborough.Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld posted a career-best 91 as Thunder made 238 for 9 in their 50 overs but it was not enough to prevent the North West representative side suffering a second defeat after Bryce and Sophie Munro, whose 50 was also a career-best, shared a 133-run partnership for the fifth wicket.Threlkeld hit six fours and faced 117 balls after being dropped on three, a vital innings to help her side post a competitive score in the absence of Emma Lamb on England duty.East Midlands side Lightning were without England spinner Kirstie Gordon and further hampered by the loss of Marie Kelly from their batting resources after the former Central Sparks player suffered a hand injury while fielding, but overcame both. Thunder took the match into the last over but Bryce’s 15th boundary saw the home side to victory with five balls to spare.Thunder had found themselves in early trouble after choosing to bat first, Ballinger’s opening spell left them 36 for 3 midway through the seventh over.The 20-year-old from Birmingham had Georgie Boyce leg before and bowled Danielle Collins with her seventh ball then should have had a third wicket in her third over as Kelly dived to her right at slip but could not hold on as Threlkeld was allowed to escape.West Indies batter Deandra Dottin hammered 20 in an over off Australian seamer Piepa Cleary, including three fours and a six over long-on, but Dottin’s aggression was short-lived as Ballinger soon had her leg before.Threlkeld made the most of her reprieve, adding 83 for the fourth wicket with Nat Brown before the latter was caught at backward square leg sweeping Cleary, and 73 for the fifth with former Lightning batter Shachi Pai, who fell for 27, top-edging one that eventually came down into the gloves of wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce as Ballinger returned to claim her fourth wicket in the 42nd over.Threlkeld, dropped again on 89, was run out by Cleary’s direct hit from mid-on, after which Daisy Mullan dragged one on to give Ballinger her fifth wicket before Teresa Graves had Phoebe Graham stumped and Cleary saw Hannah Jones caught at mid-off.Lightning’s response saw them 55 for 1 after the opening 10 powerplay overs, compared with Thunder’s 48 for 3, Beth Harmer having hit three fours in an eventful Graham over that saw her dropped on the boundary. Soon afterwards, she was bowled by Laura Jackson.Sarah Bryce plundered 25 of her 33 runs in another two expensive overs from the right-arm seamer Graham and her departure, bowled through the gate by Brown was another blow for Lightning, compounded when Gwenan Davies was given out leg before to Alex Hartley’s left-arm spin.But Thunder could not find another breakthrough as Lightning reached the 30-over mark needing another 114 at 5.7 per over, their bowlers offering too many scoring opportunities, with skipper Bryce and 20-year-old Munro, primarily a bowler playing here as a batter only, wasting few of them.Munro completed her maiden List A fifty off 63 balls with eight fours and though she was bowled by left-arm spinner Jones without addition she had helped her skipper take Lightning close to the winning line. Bryce completed her second List A hundred when she drove Dottin through the covers for her 14th boundary before pulling Brown to the ropes to win the match.

Martin gutted: Concerning new injury update on "fantastic" Southampton ace

Reliable reporter Alfie House has shared a worrying piece of Southampton injury news that has left manager Russell Martin feeling “gutted”.

Southampton's poor Premier League start continues

The Saints are still without a win in the Premier League this season, having sealed a return to the top flight last time around, with the jump up in quality proving to be sobering for Martin and his players.

On Saturday afternoon, Southampton threatened to pick up a stunning result away to much-fancied Arsenal, taking the lead through Cameron Archer in the second half at the Emirates.

Unfortunately, the Gunners’ quality eventually shone through, with the hosts winning 3-1 in north London, but there was no shame in the scoreline for Martin’s men, who largely equipped themselves well in what will be one of their toughest assignments of the campaign.

The defeat still leaves Southampton sitting 19th in the Premier League table and Martin under pressure, however, having picked up just one solitary point from their opening seven matches, suggesting that the south coast club could be in for a long season. They desperately need key players to stay fit, but they may soon receive a blow in that respect.

Southampton suffer injury blow to "fantastic" ace

Taking to X, House reported that Southampton striker Ross Stewart has picked up a muscle injury, with Martin left “gutted” by the situation and a scan required which is a concern.

This is exactly what Southampton could do without, during a long and taxing season where they need as many important players available as possible. While Stewart may not exactly be the first name on the team sheet, he has still made four appearances in the league this term, starting once.

Meanwhile, pundit Sam Parkin once hailed the 28-year-old during his Sunderland days, saying: “Stewart, what a story this has been. He was fantastic today. The forward Sunderland players are really starting to click, (Alex) Pritchard, most touches, most passes today but Stewart’s finishing.”

Firepower is so vital in the Premier League, so Stewart possibly not being around will have an impact on Martin’s options in the final third, with his side only scoring four goals in seven games in the competition so far this season.

Hopefully, the former Sunderland man’s setback isn’t too serious, but he has proven to be an injury-prone figure over the years, so there will be understandable concern after this latest issue.

Southampton owner Dragan Solak is now considering major double sacking

The future of Southampton manager Russell Martin is under serious threat.

ByBrett Worthington Oct 2, 2024

As for Martin, he remains under pressure to keep his job, even though few will judge him by a 3-1 defeat away to Arsenal, and he now has the international break to try and regroup, prior to inspiring a Southampton turnaround, starting with a crucial visit of Leicester City on October 19th, in a game that Saints badly need to win.

Botafogo acerta as contratações do lateral-direito Igor França e do meia Antônio Villa para o Sub-20

MatériaMais Notícias

da wazamba: O Botafogo anunciou duas contratações para sua equipe sub-20. Tratam-se do lateral-direitoIgor França e do meio-campistaAntônio Villa, ambos com passagem pelo Flamengo. Acompanhados do Gerente de Futebol de Base alvinegro, Tiano Gomes, os jogadores assinaram contrato.

+Botafogo ultrapassa Fluminense: saiba os clubes do Brasil com mais sócios-torcedores

RelacionadasBotafogoLuís Castro vê dois tempos distintos, mas valoriza ambição do Botafogo: ‘Cada jogo como uma batalha’Botafogo21/05/2022BotafogoNo embalo da torcida, Botafogo tem dificuldade na criação, mas evolui na etapa final, e Erison salva no fimBotafogo21/05/2022BotafogoErison marca, Botafogo empata com o América-MG e perde a chance de dormir na liderança do BrasileirãoBotafogo21/05/2022

da realsbet: Ambos ainda aguardam para serem regularizados e integrarem a equipe do técnico Ricardo Resende. Na disputa da Taça Guanabara, a base do Glorioso goleou o Audax-Rio por 5 a 1, na última sexta-feira, noCEFAT, e assumiu a vice-liderança da competição estadual.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Com o resultado, o alvinegro praticamente assegurou a vaga nas quartas de finais do Campeonato Carioca da categoria. A equipe soma 16 pontos, cinco atrás do líder Vasco.

– Estar no Botafogo é um sonho. Um clube com tanta tradição no futebol, celeiro de diversos campeões. Só posso pensar em seguir trabalhando para crescer sempre e poder ajudar o clube nessa sua nova fase. Agora é trabalhar muito e conquistar meu espaço – disse Igor.

+No embalo da torcida, Botafogo tem dificuldade na criação, mas evolui na etapa final, e Erison salva no fim

– Estou muito feliz com a minha chegada no Botafogo. Tenho consciência da concorrência, que o time vem se reforçando bastante e que está se desenvolvendo muito bem, mas estou pronto para esse desafio. Estou ansioso para estrear pelo clube e agradeço a Deus por poder estar vestindo a camisa do Glorioso – ressaltou Antônio.

A visual hike for the historically minded

A new book celebrates 175 years of the oldest first-class club of all with a delightful collection of artwork and photographs

Rob Steen06-Sep-2014A bowler in delivery stride, coiled and capped. A thick, sinister moustache is matched for menace by a piercing sidelong gaze. The left sole is planted with the delicacy of a ballerina, the right cocked just above the pitch and equally dainty. Right arm curls across an ample chest; there is no evidence whatsoever of the left. Welcome to the arrestingly creative world of cricket art in the 1920s.Welcome, too, to an alluring visual hike across 175 years of Sussex CCC, the oldest first-class club of all. If you know your cricketana, you might assume that the aforementioned portrait celebrates the subtle spite of Wilfred Rhodes; actually, the subject is another durable slow left-armer, George Cox. In both cases the brushes belonged to Ernest Moore: the commission came after the Sussex chairman saw his study of the Yorkshire titan. In fact, Cox outdid his contemporary for longevity: in 1926, at 52, he collected 17 Warwickshire scalps in Horsham – and he was still on the circuit two seasons later.Venerability powers this largely and gloriously black-and-white tome. To tuck into it is to be reminded of the disproportionate footprint left on the planet’s finest ball game by a modest, homely institution that only became a consistent county powerhouse at the overly ripe age of 164 (Chris Adams led the club to its first Championship in 2003).Seldom has a set of cover images spanned so much: John Wisden in a baker’s cap and blue cravat; Ranjitsinhji skipping out to drive, a fusion of joy and devilry; nephew Duleepsinhji walking out to bat with that beefy monument to medium-pace mastery, Maurice Tate; Ted Dexter hoisting the inaugural Gillette Cup; Adams cradling another pot as if it were his first-born child.If the only obvious omission is Tony Greig, there’s compensation galore inside, especially a photo from 1966, the year he arrived at Hove. Alan Oakman (6ft 6in to Greigy’s 6ft 7in) peers down at perky Ken Suttle (a good foot shorter), who set a Championship record with 423 consecutive outings; hands clasped respectfully behind his back, the dashing South African émigré grins sheepishly. Never again would he look so subservient.Interwoven with decade-by-decade summaries of deeds and misdeeds, other gems abound, a number, gratifyingly, related to Lewes – scene of not only one of the key battles in English history 750 years ago but the birthplace of Thomas Paine’s , and now home to this flagrantly biased reviewer. There’s a remarkably well-preserved ball, circa 1770, unearthed from the plasterwork of a house in South Street. A window bill promotes an 1817 match between “the Gentlemen of the Brighton Club and the Gentlemen of the Town of Lewes”, played beside the now-defunct racecourse; the ad carries a promise of “good accommodation” from the owner of the still-intact Lamb Inn.All the same, it’s the monochrome snaps that magnetise: CB Fry on-driving with haughty aplomb; the equally lordly Imran Khan squeezed on the end of a bench, braving the April chill; an angelic David Sheppard, future Bishop of Liverpool and anti-apartheid campaigner, leading the 1st XI out at Hove in 1953, hair swept back in apparent homage to Tate; John Snow in the nets, following through with illusory languidness and the poise of Fred Astaire; a floppy-haired and vaguely foppish Nawab of Pataudi – county debutant at 16, captain nine years later.The highlights are endless. Field Marshal Montgomery at Horsham in 1946, flanked by the Sussex and Glamorgan XIs before the hosts folded for 35. The following summer finds Sir Charles Aubrey Smith, ex-England captain, Hollywood star and founder of Tinseltown’s very own cricket club, returning to Hove arm in arm with fiendishly gap-toothed Arthur Gilligan, another sometime England skipper as well as an enthusiastic member of the British Union of Fascists. Dexter rehearsing: bat high, hips cocked, destruction assured. Even so, for a Londoner seduced in boyhood by the yawping seagulls and salty waft discovered at the only seaside county HQ, nothing matches the candy-striped deckchairs portrayed by Martin Speight, stumper turned painter: oh-so English and still uniquely, wonderfully Hove.While all pictorial cricket books labour in the shadow of David Frith’s magnificent , the only significant difference between this handsome offering and Frith’s bar-setting doorstop is the captions. In the latter they are mini-stories, brimful of compositional flair; here, like the vast majority of their breed, they are strictly functional, overly reliant on stats and often repetitive. Still, an unfair comparison and a minor gripe. Anyone wishing to savour the game’s evolution is guaranteed a feast.A Pictorial History of Sussex County Cricket Club
edited by Roger Packham, Nicholas Sharp, Phil Barnes and Jon Filby
Sussex Museum and Educational Trust
236 pages, £25

Revealed: The only two jobs Zinedine Zidane would return to management for as Real Madrid legend continues extended break from the dugout

Zinedine Zidane will only return to coaching if he is offered the managerial role in one of his two preferred teams.

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Zidane willing to accept offers from two teamsLeft Real Madrid in 2021Was linked with a move to Bayern Munich and Man UtdFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The legendary former French midfielder has been without a job since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, with a year still left in his contract. He has been linked with a move to several top European clubs in between including Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Manchester United but he was never ready to accept any of those offers.

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Per , Zidane has not ruled out a return to football management but he will only accept an offer if it comes from either Real Madrid or the French national team. The 52-year-old considers Los Blancos as the club of his life and has made it clear in the past that he would not join another team in club football. The same goes for Les Bleus with whom he had won the 1998 World Cup and guided them to the final of the 2006 edition in Germany.

DID YOU KNOW?

Real Madrid are unlikely to appoint Zidane as their manager as they have their eyes set on Xabi Alonso once Carlo Ancelotti exits the club in the summer of 2025. France, on the other hand, will continue with Didier Deschamps at least until the end of the 2026 World Cup in North America after the manager penned a new deal in January 2023.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

The Spanish champions ended 2024 on a high with a 4-2 win over Sevilla on Sunday. After a short winter break, the club will be back in action on January 3 as they take on Valencia in La Liga.

Lance Klusener not to extend contract as Afghanistan head coach

Lance Klusener and the Afghanistan Cricket Board have mutually agreed to part ways, and not extend the former South Africa allrounder’s contract as head coach of the national men’s team. Klusener, who was appointed in the role in September 2019, has a contract that runs till December 31 this year, and will step away from his position after that.”Having spent two years with the team, I will take away some memorable moments with me,” Klusener said in a press statement on Monday. “As I walk away from Afghanistan cricket team and its cricketing structure, I look forward to the next stage in my coaching career and opportunities it brings.”Thanking Klusener for his contributions to Afghanistan cricket, the ACB confirmed in a statement that the hunt for the next head coach had started: “The ACB has launched the recruitment process for hiring a new head coach and is looking forward to have the services of another reasonable option to replace Lance Klusener as the head coach of Afghanistan for the upcoming events.”While they hardly played any cricket in 2020 due to Covid-19, Afghanistan performed fairly well under Klusener, winning one out of the three Tests, three out of the six ODIs and nine out of 14 T20Is. During his first series as the coach, Afghanistan beat West Indies 2-1 in the T20I series in India. They also beat Ireland 3-0 in the ODIs and 2-1 in the T20I series earlier this year. In the recently-concluded T20 World Cup, they crashed out of the group stage after winning just two out of the five matches. He had resorted to online coaching when Covid-19 had struck last year.Klusener had taken over from Andy Moles, who was serving as the team’s interim head coach after the exit of Phil Simmons following the 2019 World Cup. Klusener’s contract was then extended at the end of 2020.Klusener played 49 Tests and 171 ODIs for South Africa from 1996 to 2004. Considered one of the best ODI allrounders of his time, he scored 1906 runs and took 80 wickets in Tests, as well as 3576 runs and 192 wickets in ODIs. He has served in various coaching roles following his retirement, working with international and domestic teams as well as IPL franchises.

England cling on for thrilling final-over draw

Leach, Broad and Anderson resist Australia, England nerves jangle after late Smith strike

Alex Malcolm09-Jan-2022There is no such thing as a dead rubber in Test cricket. Australia, 3-0 up, having dominated the game, had their dreams of a whitewash shattered as England finally salvaged something from the wreck of this Ashes tour with Jack Leach, Stuart Broad and James Anderson surviving 64 balls under floodlights to secure a thrilling draw at the SCG.Leach and Broad faced 52 of them, most of which were against Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc before bad light forced Australia to turn to Steve Smith and he almost became a hero with the ball. He prized out Leach, his first Test scalp since 2016, caught at slip after England’s spinner had battled manfully for 34 balls without error.It left Broad and Anderson to survive six balls each from Nathan Lyon and Smith respectively and England’s veterans held on. It was only the second time in Ashes history a team had saved a game nine-down in the fourth innings, the first being the famous 2005 draw at Manchester.Related

Wounded England stop the rot, but relief could be temporary

Jos Buttler to return home with broken finger

High-quality half-centuries from Zak Crawley and Ben Stokes and a brave 105-ball 41 from Jonny Bairstow had earlier put England in a position to save the Test. However, Australia will rue a raft of errors that have seen a chance at an Ashes whitewash literally slip through their fingers. They dropped three catches and missed a run out on the final day. Scott Boland bowled magnificently to take 3 for 30 while Cummins almost turned the game with two wickets in three balls. But questions will be asked of the delayed declaration yesterday, as Australia failed for the second year in a row to bowl a side out on the final day the SCG wiith Lyon and Starc taking just two wickets between them.Thanks largely to the excellent work of Crawley and Stokes, England were just three down at lunch, four down at tea and 5 for 218 with just 16 overs remaining and Bairstow and Jos Buttler at the crease facing the second new ball before the game took a thrilling twist.Cummins delivered two huge blows in three balls with two extraordinary inswingers to put Australia on the brink of victory. Buttler, batting bravely with a broken finger that will force him out of the final Test, copped a vicious inswinger from Cummins. He over-balanced and hit his boot with his bat. The bat swivelled as a result at the precise moment the ball sneaked through and thundered into the back pad. Umpire Paul Reiffel gave it not out but Cummins reviewed and it was smashing middle and leg. Two balls later, Cummins delivered a searing inswinging yorker that hit Mark Wood flush on the front foot. Reiffel gave it out immediately and Wood knew his fate as he hobbled to his feet after crumpling over when he was struck. He reviewed but it was fruitless.Bairstow then nicked Starc to second slip but the normally reliable Smith grassed the chance low to his right. Smith redeemed himself not long after, insisting Cummins place a silly mid-off for Boland in addition to the short leg. Boland’s belligerent length produced some nip off the seam, caught Bairstow’s inside edge and ricocheted onto pad before ballooning up to Labuschagne leaving Australia just two scalps to take in more than 10 overs.But Leach and Broad were magnificent. As Australia failed to extract any real venom from the pitch, they defended their off stump with their lives. Broad was literally put on his backside by a cracking Cummins bouncer. But he kept his wits about him and his gloves out of the way. Lyon too couldn’t break through having earlier bowled two beauties to dismiss Dawid Malan and Stokes.Smith conjured one final piece of magic to give Australia hope. He pitched in the footmarks outside Leach’s off stump, but it didn’t turn as much as anticipated, the nick brushed Alex Carey’s thigh and David Warner held well at slip.James Anderson and Stuart Broad walk off after the match ended in a draw•Getty Images

Earlier, Crawley played with a freedom that has not been seen on this Ashes tour from any of England’s openers. He struck 13 boundaries and scored at an incredibly brisk rate. His 77 from 100 balls was the fastest Test innings by an Englishman in terms of strike-rate in 17 years. He also had 77 of England’s first 91 runs.Crawley moved his guard almost outside off stump and profited by picking off anything straight from Australia’s quicks. He was also savage on the short ball, pounding several pull shots forward of square. It took a peach to dismiss him. Cameron Green delivered a searing yorker that hit Crawley flush on the toe. He was one of three wickets to fall in the opening session.Haseeb Hameed’s horror tour continued. He registered his sixth single-figure score and nicked off twice in his 9. He survived the first off Cummins when Carey put him down in a similar fashion to the first innings, diving late to his right with one hand. He didn’t survive the second off Boland.Lyon removed Malan for the fifth time in Test cricket eight overs later. Malan paid dearly for his penchant for trying to cut Lyon off the back foot, as a quicker 95kph arm-ball skidded on and crashed into off stump.Australia could have had four before lunch. Marcus Harris dropped a very tough chance at short leg off Cummins. Stokes was only 16 at the time. It proved very costly. Stokes battled through the pain of a side strain to make 60 from 123 balls, his second half-century of the match.He lost skipper Joe Root who was undone by Boland for the third time in three innings and was caught behind the wicket for the eighth time in the series. Boland’s immaculate length and hint of nip away scratched the outside edge as Root tried to defend.Bairstow should have been run out next over trying for a suicidal two to fine leg. Lyon’s throw was a missile that barely missed at the keeper’s end but Carey failed to glove it cleanly thinking it would hit the stumps direct. It took Australia 22 overs to break through again with Lyon producing his best ball of the match. Sharp bounce and turn undid Stokes as he fended to slip. But that was the last wicket Lyon would take on the final day.

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