Bryce Harper was forced to leave the Philadelphia Philles' game Tuesday night after getting hit by a pitch.

The 32-year-old was hit on the right elbow by a 95 mph fastball from Atlanta Braves starter Spencer Strider in the bottom of the first inning. Harper immediately dropped his bat and was in a lot of pain. He left the game, with Edmundo Sosa coming in as a pinch runner in his place.

Video is below.

That did not look good. Harper had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in November of 2022. The eight-time All-Star dealt with issues in his right elbow and wrist last season. He also left a spring training game after being hit by a pitch in his right triceps.

So far this season, Harper is slashing .267/.375/.450 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs for the first-place Phillies.

Here's hoping the injury isn't serious.

April’s results can often leave lasting first impressions over the course of a season, but May is when those early outcomes are either crystalized or rebutted by the accumulation of a larger sample size. Let’s examine six instances of the latter as teams prepare to pass the 60-game mark—the length of the entire 2020 regular season.

Three Up

1. Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds SP

Cincinnati’s southpaw has flown under the radar the past couple of years while posting a pair of sub-4.00 ERA campaigns, but he deserves recognition for a dominant May during which he led the majors with a 0.55 ERA by giving up just two runs across six starts spanning 32 2/3 innings. And the 26-year-old saved his best outing for last, limiting the highest-scoring offense in the majors to just one hit across seven innings in a win over the Chicago Cubs. That was actually Abbott’s second straight start against Chicago, and he earned a win in both games. He’ll be a serious contender to start the All-Star Game if he continues to excel over the next month.

2. Toronto Blue Jays offense

Only the Kansas City Royals scored fewer runs than the Blue Jays (81) in April. But Toronto tied for sixth in the majors in runs scored (136) in May, boosting the team’s month-to-month OPS from .634 to .785. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Alejandro Kirk and George Springer all resembled their best selves at the plate last month, and Toronto also got surprisingly robust contributions from utilitymen Addison Barger (.292/.370/.517 slash line) and Ernie Clement (.306/.349/.469). The Jays have ridden a five-game winning streak to within a half-game of the American League’s third wild-card spot, but they sure could use a healthy Max Scherzer to fill out a rotation that’s relied on bullpen games more often than would be preferred early on in the season.

3. San Francisco Giants pitching staff

Thomas Frank has changed the dynamics at Tottenham Hotspur, and though it’s been a tough start to the campaign for the Londoners, we are perhaps seeing shoots of success.

Spurs had only won once across eight matches before Frank challenged his former club, Brentford, and came away with the spoils, thus reviving a fight for European contention. There is much ground still to cover this season, but defeat on home turf against the Bees would have made things tricky indeed.

There was something to be observed about Tottenham’s attacking play, with their xG total against Brentford coming in at 2.18, their highest in the Premier League since the season opener against Burnley in a 3-0 win.

But what about the defending? Tottenham have not been as compact and well-drilled at the rearguard this season as may have been anticipated when Frank was appointed. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, elite centre-backs both, have more to give.

Spurs' defensive record under Thomas Frank

Before keeping his protege, Keith Andrews, out, Frank watched on as Tottenham conceded 15 goals across five Premier League matches, failing to win any of those games.

At times, Spurs have been something of a shambles at the back. Some of the defending against Fulham just over a week ago would be a case in point.

What is the source of this struggle? Structural problems? A taint lingering from the erratic Ange Postecoglou era?

The main thing is that many of the goals Tottenham have shipped this term have been avoidable – though, aren’t they all?

Tottenham put in an improved defensive display, but Romero and Van de Ven and the rest need to work harder still if they are to rival some of the sternest Spurs defences in modern times. Think Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Think Ledley King.

For now, Frank must make do with what he has got, but come next season, he may find he has the north London club’s next version of King ascending to first-team action.

Spurs' new version of Ledley King

King was quite the defender. Rivalling Harry Kane for the crown of Tottenham’s finest academy graduate of the past three decades, he broke into the first team in 1999, playing the sum of his career at White Hart Lane.

Harry Redknapp once hailed King as “an absolute freak”, so powerful and tenacious in the defensive third.

The former England international was sharp-witted and boasted that rare ability to time things to perfection, his defensive skillset operating on some unerring internal stopwatch.

To have a new prospect emerge and emulate the club icon would be a difficult thing indeed, but in Luka Vuskoic, ENIC Group might just have their man.

Tottenham signed Vuskovic in 2023 and have handed him to Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on a one-year loan deal. The 18-year-old is thriving in Germany, showing he has the talent to rival someone like King down the line, perhaps even with a more robust and promising skillset than someone like Van de Ven.

Van de Ven can score goals, alright, but so can Vuskovic, the teenage talent showing in Germany this year that he has something of a penchant for the spectacular.

A rare profile, Vuskovic ranks among the top 3% of central defenders in the Bundesliga this season for goals scored, the top 9% for chances created and the top 1% for aerial duel success rate per 90, as per FBref. He has what it takes to be a superstar.

The Premier League is regarded by many to be the toughest league in the world, but it’s interesting to note that Vuskovic is perhaps playing slicker stuff than Spurs’ athletic centre-back, and that bodes well for his future in London.

Matches (starts)

14 (14)

11 (11)

Goals

3

2

Assists

0

0

Clean sheets

4

2

Touches*

68.1

79.2

Accurate passes*

52.1 (91%)

51.0 (86%)

Chances created*

0.1

0.6

Dribbles*

0.3

0.3

Recoveries*

3.7

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.2

1.5

Clearances*

3.3

8.8

Duels (won)*

3.1 (48%)

7.5 (67%)

Errors

2

1

The fact that Van de Ven has won less than half of his duels in the Premier League this season is an indicator that he needs to do more to stop the rot that has spread.

But such rot is in its early stages, and can be dealt with. Frank has options for the rest of the term, but adding Vuskovic to the mix could inject that King-like presence to help take the project to the next level.

Anylst Ben Mattinson described him as a “freak athlete” and a “freak talent” with a “scary ceiling,” so the echoes between him and King are underscored there.

Whether the Croatian talent adapts to life in the Premier League remains to be seen, but the signs are promising. He could be a centre-half who ends up overtaking two top stars in Van de Ven and Romero, scratching a similar ballpark to someone like King.

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Tottenham have been handed a pitiful Dominic Solanke injury update as a new potential timeline emerges for his return to action.

Dominic Solanke's injury woes as Spurs left short up front

Solanke’s second season at Tottenham has descended into a frustrating saga of persistent ankle problems that have restricted the club-record signing to just three substitute appearances spanning a meagre 49 minutes.

The Englishman has not featured since a 12-minute cameo against Man City in August, with a recurring ankle issue that initially disrupted pre-season now transforming into an agonizing absence exceeding four months.

What Thomas Frank initially described as a small ankle issue requiring ‘minor surgery’ in late September has mysteriously evolved into one of the Premier League’s most perplexing injury situations.

Solanke underwent what was deemed a straightforward procedure in October, sparking optimism that his return was fairly imminent.

However, over two months later, the England international appears no closer to rejoining Frank’s depleted squad despite sporadic updates suggesting he was “weeks away” or “making progress” in training.

Related Thomas Frank confirms injured Tottenham star won't be back for a "long time"

The timeline is unclear.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

The striker’s prolonged absence triggered UEFA regulations permitting Tottenham to temporarily replace him in their Champions League squad with summer signing Mathys Tel, who was originally left out of their 22-man league phase list.

Frank admitted that he would have selected Tel had he anticipated Solanke’s extended rehab, but supporters are increasingly demanding more clarity in regard to the striker’s actual condition.

Questions revolve around why a supposedly minor procedure has morphed into such a protracted recovery.

The forward himself refused to establish a definitive return timeline during a recent interview, acknowledging his frustration whilst expressing eagerness to work under Frank.

Solanke’s unavailability has placed enormous pressure on PSG loanee Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison, who spent most of last term out injured himself, while Tel and youngsters come as inexperienced alternatives.

This has led to suggestions that Spurs could sign a new centre-forward in January, with Frank stating last week that Solanke “is not close to rejoining the squad”.

That said, he did downplay fears that the striker would be out long-term in his post-match press conference on Tuesday when responding to questions about why they replaced him with Mathys Tel in their Champions League squad.

Asked if Solanke has suffered a setback, Frank insisted: “No, it was just an opportunity to get Tel in, which is nice to have that opportunity. And we can change back if we want to do that.”

Tottenham handeda pitiful Dominic Solanke injury update

Despite those words from Frank, reliable Lilywhites insider Paul O’Keefe has suggested that the 28-year-old could be out until as far down the line as February, with Spurs handed a pretty grim estimation on his potential return.

This means that Solanke could be in line to miss crucial games against the likes of Liverpool, Sunderland, Aston Villa, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Man City and potentially Man United — depending on how far into February it is.

The England international finished 24/25 as Spurs’ second-top scorer with 16 goals across 45 appearances in all competitions, trailing only Brennan Johnson.

Nine of those came in the Premier League, including a brace at home to Aston Villa and a strike away to Man United at Old Trafford.

Crucially, Solanke delivered pivotal moments during Tottenham’s Europa League triumph — including a nerveless penalty in the quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt and the opening goal in their semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt.

His energy, physical presence and ability to lead the line are a sore miss for Frank, with a reliable focal point conspicuously absent this campaign.

The Lilywhites need him back for crucial fixtures both domestically and in Europe past the new year, with Kolo Muani and Richarlison tasked to undertake huge responsibility as things stand, unless Spurs decide to enter the market.

West Bromwich Albion are currently competing to climb back up the Championship table in an attempt to join the race to gain promotion to the Premier League this season.

A 3-2 win over Swansea last time out has the Baggies in 12th place in the table, four points off the play-offs, and there is plenty of football left to be played.

Aune Heggebo, who joined the club in the summer, scored twice to take his tally to six goals in the Championship this season, per Sofascore, and he is currently one of the most valuable players in the squad.

West Brom's most valuable players

Per Transfermarkt’s valuation system, West Brom’s current first-team squad has a combined value of roughly £71m, and Heggebo contributes to around £5m of that total.

The most valuable player in the squad, unsurprisingly, is central midfielder Isaac Price, who has scored five goals and provided two assists for the Baggies in the league, per Sofascore.

Transfermarkt value the Northern Ireland international at around £10.5m and there have been no recent reports to suggest how much the club value him at internally, amid reported interest from Leeds and Crystal Palace.

As you can see in the table above, loanees Samuel Iling-Junior and Toby Collyer both rank within the top five most valuable players in the squad, whilst Josh Maja, who has only started four league games this season, ranks in third place.

Whilst the Baggies appear to be lacking in highly valuable players who could be sold for big money in the future, there is a former player who could be sold for more than the combined worth of the current squad in January.

The former West Brom player who is now worth more than the entire squad

In the summer of 2019, 16-year-old forward Morgan Rogers opted to move on from The Hawthorns at the end of his contract to sign for Manchester City.

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The Cityzens reportedly paid a compensation fee of near £4m to sign the England youth international, who had made one first-team appearance for the Baggies in the FA Cup against Brighton.

That outing in the FA Cup made Rogers the fourth-youngest player in the club’s history, and the youngest ever in the FA Cup, per Transfermarkt, and Manchester City clearly took note of that.

Things did not work out for the attacking midfielder at The Etihad, unfortunately, but he has since made his way to Aston Villa, via Middlesbrough, and is now a fully-fledged England international.

Rogers has scored 20 goals and provided 21 assists in 89 appearances for Villa, per Transfermarkt, and has scored one goal in 12 caps for the Three Lions.

Because of his impressive form for club and country, the former Baggies youngster is attracting interest from elsewhere and has been given a mammoth valuation.

TEAMtalk reported in November that Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Tottenham have all registered interest in the attacker and claimed that Villa offered Rogers a new deal with a £100m release clause, shortly before it became official that he had put pen to paper on an improved contract.

Towards the end of November, The Mirror reported that the Villans are said to value the England international at a whopping £100m, although they did not mention it as part of a release clause.

Whether you take it to be a release clause or how much Villa will demand from any interested clubs, Rogers appears to be valued at nine figures by the Premier League club, whilst West Brom’s squad is only worth around £71m between every first-team player.

There is no guarantee that he would have gone on to fulfill his potential at The Hawthorns, but it must be bittersweet for the club to see that one of their former players, who they lost for £4m, is now being valued at a staggering £100m, whilst their most valuable player is valued at just over a tenth of that.

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The Baggies can only hope that they are able to persuade the next Rogers, should such a talent come through the academy again, to stay at the club, rather than pursue a move elsewhere.

Tottenham are facing a difficult decision over the long-term future of a Spurs player who shone last season under Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs look to extend mini winning run against Nottingham Forest

The Lilywhites travel to the City Ground on Sunday afternoon aiming to extend their recent resurgence against Nottingham Forest in a crucial Premier League encounter.

Thomas Frank’s side have finally discovered momentum after enduring a torrid November without a single league victory.

Consecutive triumphs over Brentford and Slavia Prague have injected fresh confidence into the squad, with Tuesday’s emphatic 3-0 Champions League win particularly impressive, even if it was against weaker opposition.

The comprehensive victory over Prague featured goals from Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, who both delivered from the spot to extend the club’s remarkable 23-match unbeaten home European run.

Tottenham handed pitiful Solanke injury update with new timeline shared

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Last Saturday’s 2-0 home win against Brentford represented arguably Tottenham’s finest all-round display of the campaign, barring their win at Man City in August, with Frank describing the performance as “very complete.”

Simons has emerged as a catalyst during this revival, chipping in with three goal involvements across his last two appearances.

The £51m summer signing from RB Leipzig finally appears to be justifying his substantial transfer fee, which could actually cost Spurs a whopping £125 million over a seven-year contract when factoring in wages, agent’s fees and add-ons.

Tottenham’s away form provides genuine encouragement heading into their clash with Forest.

Only Arsenal have defeated them on the road this season, and they’ve averaged the joint-most points per match on average away from home too, level with Crystal Palace.

Tottenham could also climb into the top six with a victory against Sean Dyche’s side, provided other results go their way.

Frank will likely select Kudus on the right and either Randal Kolo Muani or Wilson Odobert on the left, with Richarlison up top again.

Kudus is set to play another key role after being Tottenham’s standout attacker this season, making his £55 million price tag seem like a bargain whilst keeping Brennan Johnson glued to the bench recently.

Speaking of the Wales international, there’s actually been an intriguing update on his future this week.

Brennan Johnson could now leave Tottenham in 2026

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Dean Jones, Johnson’s long-term future at Tottenham is now uncertain after failing to fully convince Frank and his coaching staff.

The 24-year-old arrived from Forest in the summer of 2023 for £47.5 million, amassing over a century of appearances with 27 goals and 18 assists across all competitions.

Despite these numbers, and finishing last season as the club’s top scorer, Johnson isn’t an automatic starter in Frank’s plans.

With his contract running until 2028, next summer represents a crucial juncture for Tottenham. The club will need to decide whether to offer Johnson an extension or cash in while his value remains high, particularly as they plan to strengthen across the next two transfer windows.

As a result, Jones reports that Johnson could leave Spurs in 2026.

The forward actually began this current campaign brightly, scoring in his opening two Premier League games, but his form has stalled dramatically since, failing to register any additional goals or assists in the league.

This inconsistency has raised questions about his suitability for Frank’s system moving forward, despite playing a starring role under Postecoglou and scoring that Europa League final winner against Man United.

If Spurs do sign another winger, like RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, who they’ve reportedly held ‘very advanced talks’ with, Johnson’s place would be under even more threat.

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يستعد منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم لخوض بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية في النسخة المقبلة في المغرب، في الفترة من 21 ديسمبر الجاري حتى شهر يناير 2026.

منتخب مصر يقع في المجموعة الثانية في مجموعات كأس أمم إفريقيا رفقة منتخبات أنجولا وجنوب إفريقيا وزيمبابوي.

وسيخوض منتخب مصر المعسكر الختامي اليوم الأربعاء قبل المشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025 بالمغرب،

طالع|خاص | موقف صلاح ومرموش ومصطفى محمد من خوض ودية مصر ونيجيريا

ومن المقرر أن يلعب منتخب مصر مباراة ودية ضد نيجيريا يوم 14 ديسمبر، ثم السفر إلى المغرب يوم 17 ديسمبر للمشاركة في كأس أمم إفريقيا.

و⁠يبدأ منتخب مصر مبارياته ببطولة أمم إفريقيا يوم 22 ديسمبر بمواجهة زيمبابوي ثم جنوب إفريقيا يوم 26 وأنجولا يوم 29 ديسمبر في دور المجموعات.

وعلم بطولات، أن ترتيب قادة منتخب مصر في أمم إفريقيا سيكون كالتالي، بحسب القائمة المعلنة:

1- محمد صلاح.

2- أحمد الشناوي.

3- رامي ربيعة.

4- محمود تريزيجيه.

5- مصطفى فتحي.

They might not have got the win, but Sunday evening’s game against Arsenal was a success for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side utterly outplayed the Premier League leaders in the first half, and despite losing Moises Caicedo for over half the match, came away with a point.

There were sensational performances across the pitch from the hosts, with the most impressive undoubtedly being Reece James’.

The club captain has been unreal all season for Chelsea, and now it looks like Cobham could already be brewing his heir.

James' performance against Arsenal

Now, James putting in a strong performance for Chelsea is really nothing new; he is the captain after all.

However, against Arsenal, the Englishman truly stepped it up to a whole other level and did so from the middle of the park, not right-back.

In a game that was billed as a midfield showdown between Caicedo and Declan Rice, it was the full-back who came out as comfortably the best player on the whole pitch, let alone the middle of it.

That might sound hyperbolic, but his man-of-the-match award would suggest otherwise.

On top of doing all the defensive work you would expect of him, the “gargantuan” presence, as dubbed by presenter Olivia Buzaglo, was a serious attacking threat and provided the assist for his side’s opener.

Moreover, he completed three of his four crosses, played two key passes, was successful in 100% of his dribbles and generally didn’t let up for the entire encounter.

In all, it was perhaps one of James’ best performances in a Chelsea shirt and a shining example of why so many people rate him so highly.

Therefore, fans should be ecstatic about the fact that Cobham may already be producing another version of the international monster.

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As always seems to be the case, there is another cohort of incredible youngsters coming up at the moment, like Reggie Watson and Shim Mhueka.

However, there is another, perhaps slightly lesser-known prospect fans should start taking more notice of, someone who could be the next James: Lewi Richards.

The 17-year-old has been with the Blues since the under-8s level and became a scholar at the start of the season.

However, the youngster has made such an impression this year that he put pen to paper on his first professional paper just a couple of months later, at the end of October.

With that said, what makes him like James?

Well, the first thing is that, like the club captain, he has shown an impressive level of positional versatility, playing at right-back, left-back and centre-back for the u18 and u21 sides.

Right-Back

9

3

0

Centre-Back

5

0

1

Left-Back

2

0

0

Moreover, he even spent time playing in the middle of the park when he was playing for the lower levels of the academy.

On top of this ability to be deployed all over the pitch, the teen phenom has already shown an ability to marry technical quality with physicality.

For example, respected analyst-turned-Como scout Felix Johnston has described him as a “technically strong” prospect who is “monstrous in the tackle” as well as “fearless in the air” and blessed with “bags of pace.”

Ultimately, Richards still has plenty of development to do, but he looks to be an extraordinary academy prospect and one whose versatility, technical ability, and power mean he could be another James in a few years.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Apesar de ter vencido o Corinthians fora de casa por 2 a 1, o Cruzeiro acabou eliminado da Copa do Brasil nos pênaltis. Os dois jogadores que erraram as cobranças celestes entraram nos minutos finais do confronto.

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Aos 47 minutos da segunda etapa, o técnico Leonardo Jardim promoveu suas últimas três alterações, tirando Arroyo, Kaio Jorge e Matheus Henrique para colocar em campo Walace, Wanderson e Gabigol.

Os três cobraram pênaltis e apenas Wanderson converteu o seu. Gabigol teve a chance de definir a classificação na quinta cobrança, mas bateu fraco no canto esquerdo para defesa de Hugo Souza.

continua após a publicidade

Posteriormente, já nas alternadas, Walace perdeu sua cobrança e em seguida Breno Bidon fechou a classificação corintiana. Após a partida, o técnico Leonardo Jardim explicou a escolha pelos jogadores que cobraram as penalidades.

Segundo o comandante cruzeirense, foram escolhidos os atletas que mostraram mais confiança, não apenas os que são melhores cobradores.

➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro

– Com certeza havíamos feito a escolha dos cinco jogadores. O Gabriel era o último, porque tem experiência, não se incomoda com a torcida adversária. Mas não fez o gol. A responsabilidade não é dele, é minha – explicou o treinador do Cruzeiro.

continua após a publicidadeFracasso total de Jardim no Cruzeiro?

Ainda na entrevista coletiva, o técnico Leonardo Jardim ainda expressou toda sua tristeza, ressaltando que mesmo o terceiro lugar no Brasileirão, a temporada foi um fracasso em sua carreira porque não conquistou títulos.

– Em termos emocionais, foi um fracasso total porque não ganhamos títulos. Um dos maiores fracassos de minha vida. Gosto de ganhar e não ganhei aqui – desabafou Leonardo Jardim.

Sem confirmar sua permanência para 2026, o técnico afirmou que terá uma reunião com os diretores celestes nesta segunda-feira para definir seu futuro.

– Hoje é um dia de luto, muita tristeza para família cruzeirense. Não é o dia de bater esse papo. Amanhã iremos falar sobre tudo o que acontecerá sobre meu futuro – comentou.

Tudo sobre

CruzeiroFutebol Nacional

England’s key batter won’t dwell on Perth dismissals, despite poor head-to-head record

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Nov-2025

England’s first training session at the Gabba on Sunday, ahead of the second Ashes Test, featured a couple of unfamiliar “dog-throwers”.With the Lions taking part in the Prime Ministers’ XI match in Canberra, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue with them, and the bowlers resting up after Saturday’s session at Allan Border Field – only Ben Stokes sent deliveries down – net bowlers and coaches were working overtime. As were two new faces in England stash.They were drafted in from the Sunshine Coast by bowling coach David Saker as reinforcements. And it was no coincidence there was a left-hander in there.After Mitchell Starc blasted through England in the first Test at Perth to put Australia 1-0 up, the extra focus was a no-brainer. The tourists had no answers for Starc’s brilliance as he finished with 10 in the match. They will need to find some ahead of the day-night Test, because no one does it better than the 35-year-old in this novelty off-shoot of the longest format.Related

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Stokes: Calling England arrogant is a step too far

No bowler has anywhere near as many as Starc’s 81 pink-ball wickets at 17.08, nor his experience of 14 Tests with various iterations of the lighter Kookaburra. Like cocktails on a beach, he is a class apart when the sun sets. And with half of each day’s play expected to take place under lights, there is unlikely to be a period not suited to his game.As is England’s way, the onus is on individuals to work out their own ways of combating Starc. And it was noteworthy that one of England’s greatest problem-solvers, Joe Root, hogged a left-handed thrower during the afternoon session, trying to workshop a method against a familiar foe.The pair have played each other 23 times – red and pink – and Starc has the slight upper hand in their ongoing battle.Test cricket’s second-most productive run-scorer averages 34.9 against Starc, who has removed Root 10 times in Tests, including twice last week.”I think the first innings, to be honest, it was a pretty good ball,” Root said of his dismissal for a duck on day one, twisted around and edging to third slip. “Nipped across you from straight in. I wasn’t looking to whip it through square leg or anything like that. It was just one of those things you can get on a lively wicket. In England that probably doesn’t carry, it drops short with soft hands. It’s just one of the things you have to wear.”In the second innings, Root felt he started well “being quite busy and proactive” before edging a drive onto his stumps for 8 from 11 deliveries. The third batter dismissed in a run-less six balls that turned the Test on its head. “I just made a slight error of judgement and it costs you. You could play and miss at that, or it goes between stumps and keeper and goes for four, and you never think about it again.”Joe Root trains at the Gabba•Getty Images

Fine margins? Or, whisper it – does Root have a Starc problem? Both can be true, of course. Likewise, the fact that since adding the wobble seam delivery to his repertoire, Starc has been able to challenge both edges of the bat, regardless of whether he is faced with a right- or left-hander. Supplemented by his pace, angle and swing, he was able to cover for the loss of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the first Test, and may do again in the second.”Clearly the more he’s played, the more experience he’s getting, and the more skills he’s developed,” Root said. “He’s a fine bowler and has been for a long time – and that’s never changed. They’ve had a couple of injuries, and he’s had to step up and he did that very well in the last game. Our challenge will be, can we counter that this week?”Root is optimistic solutions can be found, even in Starc’s day-night domain, and sees no reason why the bowler’s strengths cannot be managed to a degree. It is worth noting, Starc’s average with the pink ball at the Gabba is a solid yet unspectacular 29.00, with 14 dismissals across six innings.”It’s understanding all of the different tools he might have and then how are you going to counter that both in a positive manner and in allowing yourself to do it for a long period of time. Just being clear individually in how you want to go about scoring your runs and readying yourself as best you can is going to be the key.”With two days of practice, and information due to come their way from Canberra, England are fairly happy with the current batch of pink balls, even if Root thinks day-night matches are unnecessary for an Ashes series. Having played in all seven of England’s previous ones, he will need to draw on that experience, and share it with team-mates, if the tourists are to dent Australia’s impressive record in the side-format, which currently reads 13 wins out of 14. That one loss came here at the Gabba, against West Indies in 2024.”It felt pretty good when facing it. I think it’s [the black seam] actually a nice way of really focusing on the ball. Look hard at that seam and give you as many cues as you can from that point of release.”Of course, it’s going to have its different challenges and nuances from the red ball, but that’s all part and parcel of it. Can we be better at it than Australia? That’s the question and the challenge ahead of us.”