تأهل الفريق الأول لكرة اليد سيدات بالنادي الأهلي إلى نصف نهائي بطولة إفريقيا للأندية أبطال الدوري، بعد فوزه المستحق على فريق فلاورز البنيني بنتيجة 40-30، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الخميس ضمن منافسات الدور ربع النهائي.
وأقيمت المباراة على صالة النواصر في المغرب، حيث أنهى الأهلي الشوط الأول متقدمًا بنتيجة 17-16.
طالع.. خاص | مدرب حراس الأهلي الجديد.. ميزة هامة جعلت توروب يضمه إلى جهازه
واستمر الأهلي، في فرض سيطرته في الشوط الثاني ليوسع الفارق بفضل الأداء الجماعي المميز واللياقة العالية للاعباته، ليحسم اللقاء لصالحه ويتأهل بجدارة إلى المربع الذهبي.
ويشارك الأهلي في البطولة بقائمة تضم نوال خليل، نصرة عيد، رحمة محمد، رنا راضي، تقى كامل، ليلى حماد، ملك أحمد، فرح حازم، شهد الشواربي، آلاء صابر، روان سعيد، أمينة عاطف، سهيلة خالد، نوران خالد، كاتالا إيزابيل، ودولوريس روزاريو.
ويضم الجهاز الفني للفريق محمد عادل مديرًا فنيًا، هشام عبد الوهاب مدربًا عامًا، محمد حسن موسى مدربًا، صلاح الدين إبراهيم مدربًا لحراس المرمى، إلى جانب طارق رضوان مديرًا للفريق، وأميرة السيد إداريًا، وآلاء طلبة طبيبة، ومحمد كمال الدين محللًا فنيًا، ومحمود فرج إخصائي إعداد بدني، وتغريد طارق إخصائي تدليك، وندى راشد إخصائي تأهيل نفسي، وهدير أحمد وحبيبة هشام إخصائيتي علاج طبيعي.
ويواصل سيدات الأهلي مشوارهن بثقة في البطولة القارية، حيث يسعين لمواصلة الأداء القوي وبلوغ المباراة النهائية للمنافسة على اللقب الإفريقي.
If not the remaining two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests, then Australia’s visit to Sri Lanka will decide who meets South Africa at Lord’s in June 2025
S Rajesh29-Dec-2024IndiaFor India to be sure of qualifying, they need to win both their remaining Tests in Melbourne and Sydney. Then they would finish on 60.53, which would be more than Australia’s 57.02 even if they were to win their upcoming two-Test series 2-0 in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s points ceiling for this cycle is 53.85 – a tally they would end up with if they were to sweep Australia at home.If India win one Test and draw the other, they’ll finish on 57.02; in such a case, they could lose out on the second spot to Australia, who would finish on 58.77 if they were to also win both Tests in Sri Lanka. For India to qualify with 57.02, Australia would need to get no more than 16 points in Sri Lanka (a win and a draw).A win and a defeat in Australia would put India on 55.26, which would leave them pinning their hopes on Sri Lanka beating Australia by at least a 1-0 margin.Two draws would leave India on 53.51. Sri Lanka can go past that with a 2-0 win, while Australia would need at least one win in Sri Lanka to beat it.If India draw a Test and lose the other they would finish on 51.75 and be out of the race; in such a case Australia would finish ahead of India even if they were to lose 2-0 in Sri Lanka.India still have plenty of work to do in Australia•AFP/Getty ImagesAustraliaIf Australia were to win the Melbourne and Sydney Tests against India, they would be certain of qualifying for the WTC final – in such a case, they would finish on 57.02 even if they were to go on to lose 2-0 in Sri Lanka.A win and a draw against India would leave them ahead of India even if they were to lose both Tests in Sri Lanka, but then Sri Lanka could go past Australia with a clean sweep.If Australia were to win one and lose one against India, they would need at least one win in Sri Lanka to stay ahead in the race. The same applies if both Tests against India are drawn.If they were to draw one and lose the other against India, they would need two wins in Sri Lanka.Defeat in both Tests against India would push Australia out of contention.Sri Lanka cannot afford any more slips, and still need Border-Gavaskar Trophy results to go their way•Associated PressSri LankaThe maximum Sri Lanka can finish on is 53.85, if they beat Australia 2-0. For that to be enough for a second-place finish, one of two scenarios have to play out in the remaining Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests: Both Melbourne and Sydney produce draws Australia win one of the two home Tests, while the other is drawnIn any other scenario, either Australia or India will finish higher than 53.85 and knock Sri Lanka out.
“We spent a bit of money, but what we’re trying to do is rebuild this franchise basically from the ground up,” Ponting says on spending big on Chahal and Arshdeep
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2024Shreyas Iyer was expected to attract big bids at the IPL 2025 mega auction, and he did, going to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for INR 26.75 crore (US$3.18 million approx.) – and he could well be the team’s new captain. “He’ll be a great leader for our team if we decide to go that way, which I’m pretty sure we probably will,” Ricky Ponting, PBKS’ head coach, said soon after the acquisition.It was frenetic stuff from PBKS early on in the auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after they started with the biggest purse of the ten teams, a result of retaining just two uncapped players from their last roster: Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. They spent the biggest bucks on Iyer, Arshdeep Singh (INR 18 crore) and Yuzvendra Chahal (INR 18 crore). Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell also went their way.”I wanted to work with Shreyas,” Ponting told . “I’ve worked with him before and he is a great guy and a great player. He’ll be a great leader for our team if we decide to go that way, which I’m pretty sure we probably will. And obviously, he was the championship-winning captain last year. So there are lots of great things about bringing him to Punjab.”
“Left-arm fast bowler, obviously, with a great skill set with the new ball and the old ball and, you know, one of India’s leading wicket-takers in T20 cricket. So he was a perfect fit for us to come back into the Punjab Kings”Ricky Ponting on Arshdeep Singh
The two had worked together at Delhi Capitals (DC) before Iyer moved to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), whom he led to the title in IPL 2024.Chahal, meanwhile, has a new home after having played for Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). He said he “deserves” the price he was bought for.Speaking to , Chahal said, “I was quite nervous and anxious because this amount is what I got in the last three seasons combined.”I had a hunch and even my friends told me that I’d go to Punjab, but I had no idea it would be for such a high price. I had 12 crore-13 crore in mind, but I do deserve this. Wherever you go, you always have the opportunity to learn and grow, and I’ll make sure to work hard and deliver my best.”2:08
Moody: Chahal will enjoy playing under Ponting
On being able to bring the IPL’s highest wicket-taker (Chahal has 205 wickets) into the fold, Ponting told , “Yuzi is the highest-quality Indian spinner in the auction, so, we wanted to fill certain gaps with the best players we possibly could. And yes, we spent a bit of money to get there, but what we’re trying to do is rebuild this franchise basically from the ground up and you can’t do that without the best players.”So, we felt so far that the auction’s gone exactly the way we wanted. We’ve got a bit of work to do in the back half this afternoon, but that’s the fun of it.”As for Arshdeep, he has been one of the IPL’s great success stories. He has only ever played for PBKS, was released ahead of this auction, and then bought back to continue the relationship and add to the 76 wickets he has.”We had certain targets coming into the auction as every team does. Arshdeep was obviously the first one,” Ponting said. “He’s been in our franchise for a number of years. I was really keen to get him back. Left-arm fast bowler, obviously, with a great skill set with the new ball and the old ball and, you know, one of India’s leading wicket-takers in T20 cricket. So he was a perfect fit for us.”
It’s hardly been a summer transfer window to write home about for West Ham United supporters so far.
The main talking point still hanging in the air is the disappointing £55m sale of Mohammed Kudus to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with the recent free transfer purchase of Kyle Walker-Peters from Southampton at least offering a slight ray of positivity amidst a gloomy window to date.
There will surely be a desire on the part of Graham Potter to push on with more signings, as the list of strikers being linked with a move to the London Stadium increases.
West Ham considering move for £26m forward
Indeed, it does appear as if the Irons are hunting down reinforcements up top.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
One target in this department is FC Metz hotshot Idrissa Gueye, who is a far cry from the other name constantly circling in Callum Wilson – a player who has reportedly even agreed personal terms with the Hammers.
The 18-year-old hotshot is an up-and-coming talent in France, contrasted with the ageing 33-year-old now searching for a fresh club as a declining free agent.
Newcastle United'sCallumWilsonsalutes their fans after the match
West Ham might well meet in the middle, instead, with another centre-forward target in the form of Cagliari star Roberto Piccoli, with Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari taking to X recently to reveal that the Hammers are considering a move for the €30m (£26m) attacker.
He might well be a better option to go after than settling for the ex-AFC Bournemouth veteran, with Piccoli just fresh off a goal-laden season in Serie A, whilst Wilson faded into the background on Tyneside.
Roberto Piccoli celebrates scoring for Cagliari.
How Piccoli compares to Wilson
Wilson hadn’t always found himself stuck on the periphery at St James’ Park, however.
At one point in time, the Coventry-born marksman was Newcastle’s leading man – before Alexander Isak stormed onto the scene – with a hefty 35 of his Premier League collection of 88 strikes coming for the Toon.
Unfortunately for Wilson, only nine of those efforts have fallen across his last two seasons, and whilst the 33-year-old’s game has noticeably waned for Eddie Howe’s Magpies, Piccoli was coming into his own for his employers in Italy.
Last campaign, the Cagliari number 91 would play a key role in his lowly Serie A side beating the drop, with ten goals being powered home from 37 games.
Games played
37
Goals scored
10
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Shots*
2.6
Big chances missed
26
Total duels won*
5.2
In a Hammers environment where he has the likes of Jarrod Bowen to bounce off, he could well live up to his “prolific” billing even more, as he was once labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Of course, Piccoli isn’t the finished article – as seen in his glaring 26 big chances missed last season in Serie A action – but his aggressiveness to throw himself into duels, which saw him 5.2 duels on average across that same span, should stand him in good stead for the challenges ahead, away from just being viewed as a promising, centre-forward figure with room to grow and develop.
Cagliari'sRobertoPiccolicelebrates scoring their first goal
On the flip side, Wilson has been deep in the twilight of his playing days for some time now.
Worryingly, Jamie Carragher way back in 2023 had highlighted that the Premier League regular had just “not been the same” amid concerns about his sluggish displays for the Magpies. Wilson himself has even been critical of his drop-off in form, too, having noted the 2024/25 season as being “one of my worst.”
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson
That has now culminated in him drawing consistent blanks, with West Ham far better placed to go after the services of Piccoli, over hoping that the 33-year-old reaches his peak again.
Perfect Paqueta replacement: West Ham target move for "exquisite" £34m star
With Lucas Paquetá likely to leave West Ham United this summer, the Irons are interested in sign an “exquisite” talent who once cost as much as £32m.
West Bromwich Albion are now in a transfer race with Middlesbrough to sign an experienced defender on a free transfer, according to a recent report.
West Brom chasing multiple transfer targets
It’s been a steady start to the transfer window for the Baggies and new manager Ryan Mason, as they have brought in three new players so far. Defenders George Campbell and Nat Phillips have arrived from Montreal and Liverpool respectively, as well as Aune Heggebo to reinforce the front line.
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The Championship side are looking to remain active however, and have their eye on adding more attacking talent. It was reported earlier this month that West Brom are among the teams interested in signing Mikey Moore on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. The youngster featured for the Premier League side last season but could be set for a spell away given the change in the dugout.
And Moore is not the only attacker Mason has his eye on, as the Express & Star recently revealed that Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is also wanted by West Brom and could be available for around £10 million, as he looks set for a move away from Crystal Palace. However, the Baggies face a tough battle, as rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers are also keen on the exciting winger.
West Brom in race with Middlesbrough to sign Jamal Lewis
Despite already adding defensive reinforcements this summer, Mason appears keen for more options at the back. According to The Belfast Telegraph, West Brom are interested in signing Jamal Lewis on a free transfer.
Jamal Lewis
The left-back was released by Newcastle United in the summer after a tough spell at St James’ Park, where he made just 31 Premier League appearances in three seasons. His availability on a free transfer has now alerted the Baggies but also Middlesbrough and Norwich City, who are keen on the defender.
The 27-year-old, who has earned 39 caps for Northern Ireland, spent the first half of last season on loan at Brazilian side São Paulo, but it was an experience that didn’t go to plan, as he appeared just six times. Lewis returned to Newcastle and didn’t feature in a single game for the remainder of the season.
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Despite his struggles at Newcastle since Eddie Howe arrived, the Englishman has been full of praise for Lewis, dubbing him an “incredible athlete” in the past. Howe said: “Jamal, we hope, can stay fit and show us what he’s capable of.
“I believe in him as a player, but he’s just had really bad luck. He’s got a lot to offer physically; we’ve certainly seen that in pre-season – an incredible athlete. He needs consistency of training at the moment – and hopefully he can get that.”
Interestingly, the Baggies have already dealt with his agency, PLG, this summer, as the group also represent Phillips, as well as current star Jayson Molumby, perhaps smoothing negotiations considering Lewis is a free agent.
Arsenal are now in “very advanced” talks to sign a “magnificent” player, who could be set to join alongside Viktor Gyokeres, reporter David Ornstein has revealed.
Gunners closing in on Gyokeres
The Gunners have now made major progress in their pursuit of Gyokeres, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that positive talks took place on Sunday night.
The Sweden international has been determined to seal a move to the Emirates Stadium for quite some time, with Romano revealing the striker wouldn’t entertain signing for another club, and the deal is now edging closer to completion.
It will be a major relief to finally get a new centre-forward through the door, especially considering Gyokeres’ goal-scoring statistics from the 2024-25 campaign are seriously impressive.
However, Mikel Arteta is also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, given that Gabriel’s injury issues during the 2024-25 campaign left the manager a little light on options at centre-back, although Jakub Kiwior did a stellar job in the Brazilian’s absence.
As such, according to an update from Ornstein on X, Arsenal are now “working to complete” a deal to sign Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, with reports from elsewhere revealing the deal is likely to set them back £17m.
The Gunners are in “very advanced” talks to sign Mosquera, with personal terms already done, indicating the defender is keen on making the move to the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta views the centre-back as ideal cover for Gabriel and William Saliba, and the deal now appears to be very close to completion.
"Magnificent" Mosquera could be perfect signing for Arsenal
At 21 years of age, Mosquera still has plenty of time to develop, but the youngster has already established himself as a first-team regular for Valencia, making a combined 73 La Liga appearances over the course of the past two seasons.
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As such, the Spaniard could be ready to fill in for Gabriel and Saliba when required, with Arteta likely to rotate regularly next season, should he have ambitions of competing for both the Premier League and Champions League.
With Kiwior already on the books, Arsenal are starting to look very well-stocked in the centre-back department, ahead of a season in which nothing but winning a major trophy will be deemed good enough for Arteta’s side.
Chelsea are growing frustrated with a member of Enzo Maresca’s side for one key reason, with their Premier League rivals now weighing up a surprise move for him this summer.
Manager praises "exciting" Chelsea transfer with "excellent deal" sealed
The west Londoners are showcasing major ambition again this window.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 3, 2025
The Blues are expected to part company with a host of players over the coming weeks, following their agreed exit deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli, who brought in around £19 million worth of transfer fees to the Stamford Bridge coffers.
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja and Axel Disasi are all up for sale (The Athletic), given they’re out of Maresca’s long-term plans, while matchday regulars like Christopher Nkunku, Noni Maduke and Nicolas Jackson have also been linked with the exit door in recent weeks.
The latter two players have even been described as almost certain to leave, amid reported interest from Arsenal.
There is also the ongoing matter of Raheem Sterling and his next club. The £50m England international is back from a lacklustre loan spell at Arsenal, and his £325,000-per-week wages are poised to be a major stumbling block in Chelsea’s attempts to offload the ex-Man City star.
Reports last week of Sterling’s advanced talks to join Besiktas appear wide of the mark, but journalist Simon Phillips now reports that west London rivals Fulham could take the 30-year-old off Maresca’s hands instead.
Fulham weigh surprise move to sign Raheem Sterling from Chelsea
Writing via his Substack, Phillips reports that Fulham are weighing up a surprise move for Sterling, with Chelsea growing frustrated by the winger’s exit stance.
“SPTC sources are still hearing that he ideally does not want to move away from his family in London and wants to stay there, vastly reducing his options and making it frustrating for all involved,” said the reporter.
“If Sterling truly does only want to stay in London, then he is going to need to lower his wage demands, which he may well do.
“After having spent last season on loan with Arsenal, Sterling is once again looking for a new club to join. We understand that Fulham have been alerted by his availability this summer and are weighing up whether they can make a move. However, his wages put them off at the moment and will need to go down if they are to land him. But they like the player and there is interest from them this summer.
“Sterling’s agents will reach out to other London clubs as well to offer the player around, but at the moment, we have heard that Sterling is not chasing a pay day in Saudi or even the States. His priority is to stay in London close to all of his family.”
Premier League bound Burnley are now starting to turn their attention towards the transfer window, and they are keen on signing a Liverpool star who could replace the exit-linked Maxime Esteve in a record deal.
Esteve set for possible Burnley exit this summer
The 23-year-old joined the Clarets on a permanent basis last summer after joining on a loan deal six months before. While the Frenchman was unable to stop Burnley from being relegated to the Championship in the 2023/24 season, he was exceptional in this campaign, playing 46 times in the Championship as Scott Parker’s side won automatic promotion to the top flight.
Burnley's MaximeEstevecelebrates after the match
Esteve started every single league game, during which he impressively made five clearances per outing, and not only was he a key player in Burnley keeping 30 clean sheets but he also boasted a 91 per cent pass accuracy, building play from the back.
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His performances throughout the 2024/25 season have not gone unnoticed, as both West Ham and Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for the defender in the last couple of months. Now, a new report from French outlet L’Equipe has revealed that Palace hold a strong interest in Esteve and have made him a priority signing ahead of the new campaign.
However, they face competition from Bayern Munich, who are also interested, as manager Vincent Kompany is the one who brought the defender to Turf Moor.
Burnley keen on signing £25m Liverpool star Gomez
So, as Esteve is heavily linked with a move away from Turf Moor, the Clarets are assessing potential replacements, and according to Empire of the Kop, Burnley are interested in signing Joe Gomez from Liverpool.
The report states that Liverpool are open to letting their defender leave Anfield this summer and wouldn’t stand in his way if he made it clear he wanted to leave. The Premier League champions have set a price tag of £25 million for Gomez, who still has two years left to run on his current contract.
Liverpool’s position on Gomez has now alerted teams from the Premier League, with Burnley among the teams keen on a potential deal. However, the likes of Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton, West Ham, Bournemouth, Leeds United and Sunderland are also informed of his situation.
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Burnley, as well as the other teams, believe they can sign Gomez, who has been dubbed “priceless” by former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman, for less than the £25 million quoted. Even still it would likely be a record deal for the Clarets, surpassing the £15m+ they spent on Zeki Amdouni.
Signing a new defender may become a high priority for the Clarets this summer if Esteve does depart, and the bonus of signing a player like Gomez is that not only does he have a wealth of Premier League experience, but he is someone who is very versatile across the back four, capable of playing both full-back positions to a high level.
The one factor that may go against Burnley is that Gomez, who has the same agent as current Burnley player Marcus Edwards, may prioritise a move to Newcastle or Villa, as they can offer European football next season.
Setting their sights on reinforcements with or without promotion to the Premier League, Sheffield United have now reportedly joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement whose quality they know all about.
Sheffield United set for key play-off battle
With Burnley and Leeds United already promoted and left to battle it out for the Championship title, Sheffield United must turn towards the play-offs and Wembley success if they are to take their place in the Premier League for next season. That is, of course, easier said than done though. The play-offs are rarely routine and have the chance to throw up the kind of shocks that the Blades will be desperate to avoid.
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder reacted to the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion recently, telling reporters: “Congratulations to Daniel (Farke) and Scott (Parker) and their two teams, for those clubs to have the ability to reach 100 points shows you what the division is like, and we’ve finished up the third best team in the division.
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He has a lot of admirers…
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“The season went to the 44th game and I thought we had a right go, created some chance, but the goals have killed us, it was two poor goals, and the penalty hands the initiative back to them, despite us always carrying a threat.
“We’ve had to learn on the job and the season doesn’t end here, we’d have had to get 95+ points, so it is an insane season. The players will learn from this because we’ve fallen short.”
After officially finishing third, Wilder’s side will now square off against sixth place in the Championship play-offs, which will be Coventry City if nothing changes on the final day this weekend. With Millwall, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough all forming the chasing pack, however, Sheffield United will only know their fate at the end of this weekend’s fixtures.
Sheffield United join Ciaron Brown race
Away from the action, the Blades have seemingly commenced their summer plans even without knowing their fate. According to Graeme Bailey for EFL Analysis, Sheffield United are now racing to sign Ciaron Brown from Oxford United this summer but face competition from both Norwich City and Middlesbrough for his signature.
Those at Bramall Lane will be hoping that their place as promotion hopefuls this season and hopefully a top flight club in the coming weeks will tempt the versatile defender.
Ciaron Brown for Northern Ireland.
Brown is a versatile centre-back that Sheffield United know all about too, having witnessed him pocket the talented Ben Brereton Diaz in Oxford’s stunning 1-0 victory over Wilder’s side last month.
As per Fotmob, Brereton Diaz was hooked after 59 minutes, having created just one chance and taken just two touches in the Oxford box. Brown, meanwhile, enjoyed an excellent game and ended the afternoon without being dribbled past once and with 15 clearances to his name as his side kept an impressive clean sheet.
Praised for his “fantastic attitude” by former Oxford boss Liam Manning last season, Brown may now have done enough to earn a big move this summer.
As Starc joins the elite club of fast bowlers with 100 Tests, a look at ten of his most defining performances
Alex Malcolm09-Jul-2025Galle 2016 vs Sri LankaIn conditions where Sri Lanka’s spinners ran roughshod over Australia’s batters, Starc put in a herculean effort to prove unequivocally that he did not need a swinging pink ball or fast bouncy pitches to be a force in Test cricket. He took 5 for 44 in the first innings and 6 for 50 in the second, which were his best Test figures until last season, to single-handedly give Australia a chance in a game they lost by 229 runs.He took wickets in all three phases of each innings, too, knocking over top-order players when the pitch was at its best with the new ball, removing set middle-order players like Kusal Mendis with a 45-over-old ball, before blowing away the tail with reverse swing.Colombo 2016 vs Sri LankaHaving already lost the series, Starc again gave his side a chance in Colombo for a face-saving win with 5 for 63 from 25.1 overs in the first innings after Sri Lanka had won the toss at the normally batter-friendly SSC ground. He stormed through the top order with the new ball, taking three wickets, to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 24 for 4.Mitchell Starc roars after dismissing Kusal Mendis•Associated PressHe later broke a 211-run stand to remove Dinesh Chandimal for 132 with extra pace in the 104th over of the innings before claiming a deserved fifth to finish the innings. It helped Australia claim a first-innings lead. Starc also took two in the second to finish with seven for the match and 23 in the series. Only one other wicket in the match was taken by a seamer on either team, as Rangana Herath took 13 to skittle Australia twice and seal a 3-0 series win.Pune 2017 vs IndiaStarc had made 99 on his first tour of India in Mohali on a very flat pitch but his batting in Pune in 2017 had as much of an impact on Australia’s victory as Steven Smith’s. In the first innings he walked out to bat with Australia 190 for 6 and peeled off 61 from 63 balls, adding 64 with Steve O’Keefe, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood who contributed one run between them to set up a vital first innings total of 260.It will be remembered as O’Keefe’s match with the ball, but before the left-arm spinner broke through, Starc had already removed the two danger men in three balls in the 15th over. He reared one from a length at searing pace to the immovable Cheteshwar Pujara to have him caught behind off the glove. Two balls later, he nicked off Virat Kohli.In the second innings, Starc smacked 30 off 31 including three sixes and added 42 with Smith, who made a stunning 109 to take the game out of India’s reach. Starc’s aggregate of 91 with the bat for the match was only bettered by Smith and Matt Renshaw as Australia won handsomely.Durban 2018 vs South AfricaA few weeks before the Sandpaper storm in Cape Town, Starc’s nine-wicket haul in Durban had handed Australia a 1-0 series lead during a match that set in motion a chain events that would have a seismic impact on global cricket. He took 9 for 109, including 5 for 34 and 4 for 75 and was virtually unplayable. The majority of his success came with the old ball in a masterful display of reverse swing. He blew away South Africa’s tail in both innings as Australia won by 118 runs.Mitchell Starc’s reverse-swing remained the most potent bowling weapon in Port Elizabeth•AFPCanberra 2019 vs Sri LankaStarc’s performance at Manuka Oval won’t be high on many people’s lists of his best in Test cricket but it deserves as much praise as any of his best bowling efforts. On a pitch where Australia racked up 534 for 5 and 196 for 3 and four batters made centuries, Starc took 10 for 100 with a searing display of pace bowling, coming after three Tests where wickets had dried up. Among his ten, he forced Dhananjaya de Silva to hit his own wicket while trying to avoid a brutal bouncer. Most of the wickets were top-order players with the newer ball as there was no reverse swing to speak of.Perth 2019 vs New ZealandStarc’s fitness and durability is one of the most underrated aspects of his career. Never was it more evident than in oppressively hot conditions at Optus Stadium when Australia lost Josh Hazlewood to injury after eight balls of New Zealand’s first innings. Without the aid of an allrounder in the XI to fill the void, Starc took 5 for 52 from 18 overs in the first innings and 4 for 45 from 14 in the second. He also added 30 with the bat in the first innings to complete a Player of the Match performance and help Australia to a thumping win.Lahore 2022 vs PakistanAustralia’s quicks had bowled themselves into the ground across the first two drawn Tests. In the series decider, Starc and Pat Cummins dug deep with a mighty two-man effort to rip the series away from Pakistan. The hosts were 214 for 2 after Australia had posted a potentially under par 391. Starc took 4 for 33 from 20.4, tearing the heart out of the middle order including pinning an in-form Babar Azam lbw, while Cummins took five to bowl Pakistan out for 268 and establish a vital first innings lead that helped win the series 1-0.Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have put in long shifts for Australia•AFP/Getty ImagesLeeds 2023 vs EnglandStarc very nearly stole the third Test and the series from England with a phenomenal performance, having initially been left out of the first Test at Edgbaston due to his middling record in the country. The hosts were chasing 251 for victory and would have cantered home without Starc making life incredibly difficult.He removed Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow at regular intervals to leave England wobbling at 171 for 6. A brilliant partnership between Harry Brook and Chris Woakes steadied the chase before Starc bounced out Brook to create more drama with 21 still needed. But Starc’s five came with minimal support at the other end and England squeezed home by three wickets to change the course of the series.Adelaide 2024 vs IndiaStarc turned Australia’s fortunes around in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series. Having been battered by Yashasvi Jaiswal in Perth, who had accused Starc of bowling too slow, he blew the opener’s pad off with the first ball of the match on his way to a career-best 6 for 48. It was yet another pink-ball masterclass from Starc, but this was done entirely in broad daylight as India lasted just 44.1 overs after opting to bat first. It set up a 10-wicket win and levelled the series at 1-1, with Australia going on to reclaim the trophy for the first time in ten years.Mitchell Starc drives Marco Jansen en route his Test fifty•ICC/Getty ImagesLord’s 2025 vs South AfricaThis was another standout performance from Starc in a losing cause. After Australia posted an underwhelming 212 in the first innings of the WTC final, Starc wrestled back the momentum by knocking over both openers. He also had a straightforward catch dropped by keeper Alex Carey that would have bagged him the top three. Australia still claimed a 75-run first innings lead before they lost 7 for 73 when batting a second time.Starc ground out his first half-century in six years and one of his longest Test innings, making 58 not out off 136 balls and sharing a 59-run last wicket stand with Josh Hazlewood to give Australia 282 to defend. Again, he removed Ryan Rickelton early before ending a 61-run stand between Wiaan Mulder and Aiden Markram.He should have had Temba Bavuma caught at second slip in his next over, but Smith spilled the edge standing very close and injured his finger badly in the process. Instead of having South Africa 75 for 3, with Starc claiming all three, Bavuma and Markram produced a match-winning stand of 147.