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One Newcastle United player is now “keen” to stay at St James’ Park and signing a new contract, according to former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown.

Newcastle line up more new deals after Pope extension

Nick Pope recently triggered a contract extension to stay on Tyneside until 2027, revealing in the pre-Benfica press conference this week it was a clause inserted into his original deal in 2023.

Bruno Guimaraes has also been a fantastic servant for the Magpies, adding so much quality and heart to the midfield ever since he joined the club.

Sorting the Brazilian’s future has to be a key area of focus for Newcastle, and a recent update claimed that they have offered him a new five-year deal, in order to ward off interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Bruno isn’t the only player whose future will be looked at, though, with experienced heads Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles out of contract at the end of this season.

Now, a key update has emerged regarding a player who is at the opposite end of his career, with Eddie Howe likely to be buoyed by the news.

Newcastle ace "keen" to sign contract extension

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League executive Mick Brown spoke on the chances of Tino Livramento signing a new deal at Newcastle, saying he is “keen” to stay put.

“Livramento has earned all the plaudits he gets. He’s worked very hard to become part of that Newcastle team despite the injuries he’s had, he plays wherever he’s needed and has always done a very good job. He’s done the same for England as well and has improved his reputation considerably.

“A lot of that progress has been made since he joined Newcastle, where he clearly has the trust and a good relationship with the manager. Of course, when a player is performing at that sort of level consistently, it’s going to attract interest from other clubs who might want to bring him in.

“But from what I hear, Livramento is happy at Newcastle, and I’d expect if there was a new contract on the table for him, he would be keen to stay. It’s something that would be the best outcome for all parties if they could get him tied down. Not only do Newcastle get to keep a fantastic player, but he can continue and build on the progress he has made there, playing regularly at the top level.”

Livramento is currently 19th on the Newcastle wage list at just £50,000-a-week, but has to be seen as a big part of the club’s future, with the England international proving to be a great option in both full-back positions.

The 22-year-old should only grow as a footballer as the years pass, potentially even becoming a regular starter for the Three Lions, and Theo Walcott once even claimed that he possessed an “aura”.

Howe can finally drop Joelinton by unleashing Newcastle's "little diamond"

Eddie Howe could finally axe Joelinton by unleashing this Newcastle United star in his place.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 19, 2025

If Bruno’s new contract takes precedence for Newcastle, Livramento isn’t too far behind, as they look to avoid him moving elsewhere, which would be a huge blow at this point in his career.

It was a gruelling test of patience for England but India eventually fell short of their target by 23 runs

Alagappan Muthu14-Jul-2025

Oh, the agony! Mohammed Siraj watches as the ball trickles onto dislodge his leg bail•Getty Images

Six years ago, Ben Stokes raised his hands in apology. Now he was clenching his fists in triumph. On the anniversary of the day when he made England world champions, he found them a route to victory again. It felt like he couldn’t rest without it.He bowled seven overs with the second new ball on Saturday, and the coach Brendon McCullum dispatched a member of his staff down to the boundary line to remind him that he is still flesh and bone. On Monday, nobody dared to interfere. Stokes pushed through a 9.2-over spell, came back to deliver a 10-over spell and was essentially such a lord and master of proceedings that a member of the opposition felt the need to ask his permission for a bathroom break.Ravindra Jadeja was the one who needed to sprint off. Apparently, nature doesn’t care if you’re the only thing standing between your team and defeat. It comes calling. Just as a whole line-up of Englishmen did, looking for his wicket, or even just a mistake. But nothing was forthcoming. India’s allrounder was every bit as heroic as his red-haired, red-faced, red-hot counterpart, scoring a fourth successive half-century and shepherding the tail towards something legendary. Only it wasn’t to be.Related

Stats – England clinch the narrowest Lord's win

India ponder the what-ifs after Lord's heartbreak

Jadeja, and the curse of being so good

Sledging, swearing, send-offs – Lord's needling promises explosive series ahead

Ben Stokes on final-day bowling efforts: 'Nothing was stopping me'

In the fifth over after tea, a man with a broken finger got the ball to spin off the middle of the No. 11’s bat and onto the stumps. Lord’s. On July 14. It is not a place for the faint-hearted. Mohammed Siraj did not belong on his feet. Sorrow engulfing him. Shoaib Bashir invaded the sky. Joy propelling him. He had just sealed the closest Test-match victory this old place has ever seen.India woke up in London looking for 135 runs. Instead, they ran into 21.5 overs of hell in the morning session. They had dished it out four years ago. England felt compelled to return the favour. And they didn’t need to look as far back as the 2021 game to rouse themselves. There’s been plenty of needle over the past three days, starting with Shubman Gill’s irate response to their delay tactics and peaking with Siraj’s send-off to Ben Duckett.Even the totally chill Jofra Archer couldn’t help but get in Rishabh Pant’s face after knocking back his off stump. It was the third over of the day. He had just been smashed back down the ground, one-handed, and it rubbed him just enough the wrong way that he began to pump his legs harder as he ran in. That extra effort meant the ball bit into the pitch that little bit extra and breezed past the outside edge to make friends with off stump, which couldn’t help but do cartwheels.2:32

Stokes: I was going to decide when I stop bowling

Archer usually celebrates the wickets that mean something to him by running off into the distance. The one he took in his first over of this, his first Test in four years, would have had him leaping into the crowd if not for Bashir’s intervention. Here, he was starting to do so but quickly changed direction and ran up towards the retreating batter to fire off a few words.Stokes had demanded this. He wanted noise. He wanted belief. He wanted energy. He wanted India to feel trapped behind enemy lines. “Bang, bang,” he’d said just a few minutes before the Pant dismissal and turned it into prophecy when he got rid of KL Rahul 18 balls later. He was on the floor appealing for lbw, every bit of him straining to convince umpire Sharfuddoula to lift the finger. He didn’t. Immediately, he poured all of himself into figuring out a reason to review. Really there was only one thing he needed to know. Was height an issue? No, said Joe Root from the slips. He’d seen Rahul was well back in his crease.The review confirmed Stokes’ instincts. The ball was good. The movement down the slope was devilish. The impact was pad first. And HawkEye revealed three reds. Stokes pumped his fists. Many of the 24,281 people at the ground roared with him. Ten of them were right there beside him. His team-mates, who have seen him do impossible things and who believe they can do similar just because he says they can. That was the picture of this Test match. Stokes at the centre surrounded by the rest of England.3:47

Gill: Pant’s run-out was the turning point in the Test

India lost three wickets for 11 runs in four overs. Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy were thrown into the fire and for a while they coped. The ball got soft. The runs came at a trickle. Efforts to rouse the crowd landed on the wrong set of ears as chants of “Indiaaaaaa! Indiaaa!” rang out. The eighth-wicket pair stitched a partnership of 30 runs in 89 balls and through it they resisted not just good bowling but their own base impulses.”Not in the IPL,” Harry Brook chirped at Reddy. “Jaddu’s got to score them all.” Stokes tried to engage him too, adding to his own workloads during that marathon spell by extending his follow through, but the India allrounder just calmly shook his head. “Not saying anything.” It felt like the partnership had survived its biggest test and safety in the form of the lunch break was almost at hand.That’s when Chris Woakes arrived and turned the game on its head. Although his pace had dropped, and England looked elsewhere when the day started, now they were grateful to their wizard for securing a crucial edge through to the keeper. Reddy, so solid when the ball was close to his body, flirting with a wider line and throwing his head back when the mistake led to his undoing. England walked off the field to resounding cheers.1:24

Manjrekar looks back at the moments which cost India the Lord’s Test

Jadeja didn’t lift up the anchor even though he only had the bowlers for company and was nearly made to regret it. He was given out lbw to Woakes in the 48th over, with India still 68 runs away. But though the on-field umpire had thumbs-upped the appeal, DRS had other ideas. Jadeja realised how close he had gotten to disaster and sent the next ball soaring into the stands behind midwicket. That, apparently, was nothing more than a little venting of the nerves. There would be no more boundaries for 11 overs as Jasprit Bumrah showed great resilience and Jadeja, trust in his plan. They were going to do it in singles, particularly off the fourth ball of every over. India’s ninth-wicket partnership held England off for 131 deliveries – 53 of those faced with no trouble by Bumrah but the 54th became a problem.Stokes again, in the sixth over of another Iron Man spell, went short. He had refrained from doing so previously because the pitch had gone to sleep and digging it in didn’t seem to make sense. Now he was desperate enough to ignore the signs and just have a bit of faith. Bumrah invited the plan when he tried to hook a couple and missed, at which point Jadeja at the other end shook his head so disapprovingly, normal people would have just burst into tears. All this effort and you had to go and do that?Bumrah didn’t learn his lesson, though. He still went hooking and a top edge settled England’s nerves and left India on the brink.Stokes closed out the over and finally allowed his aura to fade and show some signs of exhaustion. He straight up forgot to pick up his cap from the umpire. He still continued to bowl though. He was still embedded in the fight, exhorting Archer to attack the ball at long-on, cheering Jamie Smith when he prevented a slower ball from sneaking past him, surging towards Ollie Pope when he thought he’d taken the match-winning catch at short leg, slipping under the lid at bat-pad. When what he had worked for finally happened, he just watched the rest of his team take off. He was too tired to join them. So they all came to him instead.

There is still a possibility that Los Angeles Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani toes the rubber this fall and pitches in the upcoming 2024 MLB playoffs.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is leaving the door open for Ohtani to make his return to the mound as a pitcher this postseason for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery last September.

"I just think like anything—you should always leave some margin, a crack in the door for any possibility," Roberts said Friday in a hit on MLB Network Radio. "If things line up and there's a need, and the game, his body, everything is telling us that it makes sense in that situation, great. It would be storybook.

"But I think to kind of count on that, bet on that—I think that's not a fair way to go about it. But Shohei is on board, which is to continue his rehab process. I wouldn't put it past him to have an eye on that. We'll just see how it plays out."

Ohtani last pitched in a game for the Los Angeles Angels when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Aug. 23, 2023. He joined the Dodgers as a free agent in December and has been playing solely as a designated hitter this season with plans to join his team's rotation in 2025.

However, the Dodgers' rotation has been a weakness this season. Entering Friday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves, the Dodgers' starting staff ranks 17th in ERA (4.14) and has allowed the fifth-most homers (112) in baseball.

Dodgers starters Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone have all missed significant time this season. Glasnow, Kershaw and Stone remain on the injured list heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.

If Ohtani did pitch in the postseason—which, again, still is unlikely—it would probably be out of the bullpen. But then again, he is Shohei Ohtani. Who's to say it won't happen?

Alejandro Garnacho has been told that facets of his game are not at a good enough level for a big club like Chelsea or Manchester United. The 21-year-old swapped Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge this summer and despite showing flashes of quality for Enzo Maresca's team so far, some of his detractors still feel there are some glaring holes in his game.

Garnacho 'not at the level you need'

Former United winger Lee Sharpe believes that the Argentina international's decision-making is just not good enough. While he praised his technical ability, athleticism, and X-factor capabilities, he still needs to improve a great deal to become a more complete player.

He told Adventure Gamers: "It’s always the same with Alejandro Garnacho. His issue is, and has always been, his decision-making in the final third. Skill-wise, pace-wise wise and his ability to excite people is second to none. But sometimes, he tries to shoot when he should pass and vice versa – he can get stuck in little areas, and it’s probably not quite at the level you need at a big club like Manchester United or Chelsea. Whether that is something that improves with age and experience, I don’t know. He has been in the Premier League for several years now and you would expect him to have developed in those areas, but I don’t think he has."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGarnacho's attitude comes into question

Garnacho was once seen as one of Argentina's most exciting rising stars but he has been frozen out of the country's national team for nearly a year. Incidentally, former Argentine international Oscar Ruggeri thinks the youngster needs a bit of a reality check.

He said: "He's no better than anyone else, you're a football player, enjoy it, but you shouldn't be so full of yourself. It's pointless because you miss out on so much. Someone has to bring him down to earth. They're not calling him up to the national team. If he comes back down to earth like he was, they'll call him up again because he's phenomenal on the pitch."

Indeed, former United defender Paul Parker feels the way he left the Red Devils, and the way he carried himself in his final few months there, were unprofessional.

He added: "His conduct on and off the pitch was disrespectful. All he wanted to do was score a goal or have a near miss so he could act like Ronaldo. Now he's gone to a club where there’s a lot more ego. He will alienate himself or it’ll be a battle there. United fans backed him when he was going through things both on and off the field. His brother was tweeting things and they backed him and he said nothing. He’s stuck two fingers up at the club that nursed him."

Maresca comes to Garnacho's aid

This year, Garnacho has come under heavy fire from pundits for his antics but Chelsea head coach Maresca believes in the young winger.

After his goal in the Blues' 2-2 draw with Qarabag in the Champions League in midweek, the Italian said: "Now, when you don't win, I can understand that it's always, but I think Garnacho, he has done well in the second half. We gave him the chance. He's slowly, slowly improving."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Garnacho?

With Garnacho not having to worry about playing for Argentina this month, the ex-United ace will hope to start for Chelsea at home to Premier League basement side Wolves on Saturday night. If results go their way, they could move into the top four by the end of the weekend.

Liverpool bounced back from their 2-1 defeat against Manchester United last Sunday, winning in the Champions League away to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Bundesliga side were no match for Arne Slot’s men, who brushed them aside, winning 5-1 in what was a sensational performance in Germany.

The Reds actually went 1-0 down, thanks to a well-taken goal by Rasmus Kristensen. However, an incisive counter-attack from the Reds, capped off by Hugo Ekitike against his former club, soon got them back on level terms.

Two goals from corners soon put Liverpool into a comfortable lead. Firstly, captain Virgil van Dijk headed home Cody Gakpo’s delivery, with Ibrahima Konate scoring a bullet header minutes before the halftime whistle went.

In the second half, it was very much the Florian Wirtz show. Liverpool’s marquee summer signing grabbed two assists, first setting up Gakpo, who scored from yards out, followed by Domink Szoboszlai, to cap off a five-star performance from the Reds.

There were some excellent showings in Frankfurt from those in a Liverpool shirt.

Liverpool’s standout players vs. Eintracht

It was a much-needed win for Slot’s side in Germany, after four defeats in a row. One of the reasons they secured the three points was due to Gakpo’s excellent performance. The Dutchman has been in stellar form of late, and that continued in the Champions League.

The former PSV Eindhoven star was a creative machine for the Reds. He played four key passes and created three big chances, as per Sofascore, terrorising the Eintracht defence all night.

Of course, that creativity came on top of his goal, Liverpool’s fourth of the game.

Another man who stood out was Curtis Jones. The homegrown Liverpool star was rewarded with a well-deserved start in Frankfurt, and he certainly made the most of it.

Jones was a metronome in the middle of the park and had a whopping 140 touches of the ball.

Someone who noticed the excellent performance from the Liverpool pair was Goal journalist Tom Maston. He gave them both a 7/10 for their efforts, explaining that Gakpo maintained his ‘consistent’ showings and that Jones ‘performed admirably’ in midfield.

As well as the duo played, there was a Liverpool star who outperformed them.

Liverpool’s best player in Frankfurt

The huge win for Liverpool represented not only three points but an important performance to help get them out of a terrible rut. However, in amongst that run of four losses in a row, one player stood out amongst the crowd.

That player was Szoboszlai, who once again shone for Slot’s side. The Hungarian midfielder was absolutely everywhere against Eintracht, working hard defensively and later becoming a threat going forward, getting on the score sheet at the end of the game.

Maston was certainly left impressed with the Liverpool number 8’s performance. He gave the midfielder an 8/10 for his showing and said that Szoboszlai ‘grew in stature as the game wore on’.

Indeed, the midfielder has some real standout stats after his strong night in Frankfurt. He was flawless when it came to duels and dribbles, and managed a 100% success rate for both.

As for passing, he completed 95% and created five chances.

Touches

122

Passes completed

105/110

Opposition half passes completed

76/83

Ball recoveries

7

Key passes

5

Big chances created

3

Duels won

2/2

Dribbles completed

2/2

Jack Sear, the editorial assistant for This Is Anfield, claimed that the Hungarian has been “Liverpool’s player of the season so far.” It is hard to disagree with him, given his performances across the campaign.

The 24-year-old has had a productive season when it comes to goal involvements. He has five to his name this season, including that vital free kick against Arsenal to secure a huge three points for the Reds.

On top of that, Szoboszlai’s versatility has been key. Naturally, of course, he operates in midfield, playing an attacking role and one with more defensive responsibility. But, he’s shone at right-back too this season.

Sear’s claim that the Hungary star has been the Reds’ key man this term is certainly not far-fetched. With Slot’s side now looking to build on this win, Szoboszlai will be key in the coming weeks.

Mac Allister upgrade: Liverpool preparing huge offer to sign £69m "monster"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool midfield is malfunctioning this season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 21, 2025

Clash of North Group’s top two puts Lancashire on the verge of quarter-final berth

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Jul-2025Chris Green starred with bat and ball as Lancashire Lightning won the battle of the top two in the Vitality Blast North group to put themselves on the verge of qualification for the quarter-finals, while defeat leaves Durham fighting it out for one of the remaining top four spots with two games left.Colin Ackermann with 42 and Ollie Robinson (35) were the mainstays in Durham’s 155 for 7 but a vital contribution of 20 off the final two overs from Matthew Potts and Will Rhodes also gave their innings an important late boost.Green, who earlier had taken 3 for 15 for the Lightning, came in with the hosts struggling on 107 for 5 needing 49 runs from 37 balls on a slowish pitch. The Australian all-rounder hit 31 off 16 balls including two sixes and three fours, gaining good support from Tom Hartley (7 not out) that finally turned the game in Lancashire’s favour with the Lightning finishing on 156 for 7, skipper Keaton Jennings making 42, to win a tense encounter with eight balls to spare.Lancashire lost Phil Salt for 2 in the first over, but Jos Buttler and Jennings combined to take 17 runs from Parkinson’s second over, Buttler reverse-sweeping a six, to get the Lightning reply swiftly up and running.Potts hit back with the big wicket of Buttler for 21, in the sixth over with the hosts taking 47 for 2 from the powerplay.Luke Wells hammered Nathan Sowter for consecutive sixes in the eighth over but then perished for 17 when trying to repeat the shot off Parkinson at the start of the ninth.Jennings and Ashton Turner steadied the innings, reaching the ten-over mark on 83 for 3 with Turner taking consecutive fours off Kasey Aldridge, and the pair had progressed nicely adding 42 from 32 balls when off spinner Sowter struck twice in the space of three balls.Jennings was stumped by Robinson for 42, while Michael Jones fell for a second-ball duck to leave Lancashire on 107 for 5 needing 49 off 37 balls.Green hit his second and third balls for four, with 17 runs chipped off the target before Turner skied a return catch to Neesham for 27 who then had Jack Blatherwick lbw for 0 two balls later with 27 required off 21 balls.Green pulled Potts for six, Tom Hartley drove Neesham for four and Green finished the game in style with another pulled six off Neesham.Lancashire enjoyed early success, taking three wickets in the first seven overs after Durham opted to bat.Graham Clark was nicely caught by James Anderson at mid-off diving to his left off Luke Wood for 13, David Bedingham was neatly stumped down the leg side by Jos Buttler for 12 off Chris Green who next took a return catch to send back Alex Lees for 11 leaving the visitors in early difficulties on 46 for 3.Ackermann and Robinson advanced that to 73 for 3 at halfway, Robinson hitting Blatherwick over extra cover for six and Ackermann taking 10 runs from the same 12th over as the pair posted their 50 partnership from 29 balls.But the visitors suffered a double setback losing both well-set batters in quick succession.Having added 68 in seven overs for the fourth wicket, Robinson pulled Hartley to Blatherwick at long-on for 35 (off 22 balls) while Ackermann deflected a Wood delivery onto his stumps attempting a leg side ramp after making 42 from 35 balls, leaving Durham 119-5 midway through the 16th over.Jimmy Neesham (4) and Kasey Aldridge (3) followed before Will Rhodes (11 off 13 balls) and Potts (17 off 7) hit 21 off the final two overs to lift Durham to a much more challenging 155 for 7.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attended Game 1 of the American League championship series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees on Monday night. The world's most famous couple decided to skip a private showing of and instead braved the elements with thousands of fans to see the Yankees take a 1-0 lead with a 5-2 win at Yankee Stadium.

Swift and Kelce sat next to Jerrod Carmichael but still found some alone time for couples stuff like high fives and holding hands.

What a coup for Major League Baseball. After watching the NFL get all the Taylor Swift-related headlines and ratings for the last year Swift decided to show up for some October baseball. And she brought Jason Kelce's brother. Between this and the Guardians dropping the first game of the series Rob Manfred couldn't ask for a better night.

Swift doesn't resume the Eras Tour for another month so there's a chance she could just keep attending baseball games right through the World Series. Kelce might have to miss a few games, but that's his own fault for not asking for the time off work.

The New York Yankees find themselves down 0-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, but they head home to the Bronx for Monday's pivotal Game 3. If they want to get back in the series, Monday night's showdown has to be looked at as a must-win.

If you want to bet on this game, you've come to the right place. I'm going to break down my pick on both the side and total for Monday's Game 3.

World Series Game 3 Best Bets

Yankees -144 vs. DodgersOVER 8.5 (-112)Yankees -144 vs. Dodgers

In my full betting preview for the game, I broke down why I'm backing the Yankees to get their first win of the World Series:

OVER 8.5

If I'm going to bet the Yankees because I think their offense can score plenty of runs against Buehler, I'm also going to bet this game to go OVER the total.

No matter who is pitching, these teams can both stack up runs. They ranked inside the top 3 in OPS this season as two of the best offenses in the Majors. Of course, the Yankees likely need Judge to step up to not only help them win but to help the total go OVER for us bettors as well.

I'll take the Yankees moneyline and the OVER 8.5.

Costa Rica’s World Cup hopes have taken a severe hit. A 1–0 loss to Haiti has left Miguel Herrera’s side on the brink in the CONCACAF qualifiers, with their direct path now hanging by a thread. Pressure around Herrera grew louder after the match as Los Ticos have a difficult path to next year's tournament.

AFPCosta Rica drop to third in Group C

Herrera’s team entered the match with a chance to seize control of the group, especially after Nicaragua stunned Honduras earlier in the day. Instead, slipped to third place, and their fate now depends on a combination of unlikely results.

Haiti struck the decisive blow just before halftime. Josué Casimir slipped a pass into the box for Ruben Providence, whose low cross found Frantzdy Pierrot for the opener. Keylor Navas immediately expressed his frustration, shouting toward a back line that reacted far too slowly. Despite pushing forward in the second half, Costa Rica never found the equalizer.

AdvertisementAFPLos Ticos must beat Honduras

The math is now unforgiving for Herrera. Costa Rica must defeat Honduras in San José next week and hope Haiti fail to beat Nicaragua. Anything less than a victory eliminates them entirely from direct qualification and could even shut the door on the playoff route.

AFPHerrera faces growing pressure

Pressure around Herrera grew louder after the match, including a tense exchange during his arrival to the postgame press conference. Asked whether he still believed he should lead the team for the decisive match, he didn’t hesitate.
“It’s not my decision. If we don’t qualify, then we’ll have to consider what comes next. I’m committed to this project.”

Herrera took full responsibility for the team’s poor return – one win, one loss, and three draws in the final round – but emphasized that decisions about his future lie with federation president Osael Maroto.

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AFPNavas and Costa Rica now need a miracle

Costa Rica will now carry their fading World Cup hopes into a must-win showdown against Honduras – the group leader, but one that also arrives under significant pressure after a 2–0 defeat on the road to Nicaragua.

Zimbabwe hope to end a string of poor Test outings and prove they belong at the top level

Firdose Moonda06-Aug-2025 Big picture – Taylor returns to fragile Zimbabwe battingThat Test cricket is in rude health was confirmed earlier this week with a thrilling end to a breathless series between England and India. A clash between Zimbabwe and New Zealand does not have the same box office value but the hosts in particular will be keen to replicate at least some of that contest. So far, they have not been able to.Zimbabwe have lost their last five Tests and won only one out of the last eight. All those matches have taken place in 2025, a year so full of the format for Zimbabwe that they hoped to make their case for inclusion in the World Test Championship (WTC). Instead, their performances – especially their batting – might have done the opposite and underlined why they are considered outside cricket’s elite.They have been bowled out in all but one of the 16 innings they’ve played this year and have not reached 300 once. With a line-up that contains a good mix of potential and experience, that is the one thing they need to improve if they want to be taken more seriously as a Test team. The return of Brendan Taylor will be a big boost to Zimbabwe’s run-scoring hopes but they will need contributions throughout the line-up to stand up to a New Zealand side that has dominated them.Related

O'Rourke ruled out of second Test with back injury

Smith ruled out of second Zimbabwe Test, Foulkes called up as replacement

'I didn't know how to do life anymore': Brendan Taylor's biggest battle

Though New Zealand came into the series fairly cold after not playing Test cricket for seven months, without several key players and under a new coach, they have found solutions. Even as they lost players through the tour, they’ve found suitable replacements and the test to their depth could prove handy for challenges to come. They have another few months without Tests and will start their 2025-2027 WTC in November, with two home Tests against West Indies. This may be too far out to be an indicator of form but returning from Zimbabwe without losing a match will be the start that coach Rob Walter would have wanted.Form guideZimbabwe LLLLL
New Zealand WWLLW In the spotlight – Brendan Taylor and Matt HenryEveryone loves a redemption story and Brendan Taylor’s is one for the ages. After retiring in mysterious circumstances in Belfast, it took Taylor five months to reveal he was suffering from alcohol and drug addiction and was going to be exposed by a fixer, whose offer he didn’t accept or report. He then admitted himself into rehabilitation and was banned by the ICC for three and a half years for breaching the anti-corruption code. Taylor has spent his time since getting clean and committing to a different life. He was ready to move into coaching but was convinced by Zimbabwe Cricket to return to playing, with the 2027 World Cup in mind. Taylor is Zimbabwe’s fourth-highest Test run-scorer.Spotlight will be on Brendan Taylor•Seb Daly/Getty ImagesMatt Henry has already recorded exceptional returns from this Zimbabwe trip. He was the leading wicket-taker in the T20Is and already has the same number of wickets in the format this year as he did last (and has played two fewer matches), took nine wickets in the first Test and is stepping into his own as a leader of the attack. “He had to bide his time behind Wagner, Southey and Boult a few years ago but now he’s really grasped that leadership role – not only in terms of providing input and experience for others, but his skills,” Jacob Oram, New Zealand’s bowling coach said. “He bowls an immaculate length and line, he’s able to move the ball both ways, and can bowl a bouncer at good pace.” And Zimbabwe have yet to figure out how to play him.Team news – Latham out of second Test as wellTaylor is available and should slot into the batting line-up but the question is where and in place of whom. Taylor spent most of his career at No.4, though Sean Williams had made that role his own, so he could be installed at No. 5, which may push Sikandar Raza, who scored 2 and 5 last week, out of the XI.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Ben Curran, 2 Brian Bennett, 3 Nick Welch, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Brendan Taylor, 6 Craig Ervine (capt), 7 Tafadza Tsiga, 8 Newman Nyamhuri, 8 Vincent Masekesa, 9 Blessing Muzarabani, 11 Tanaka ChivangaRegular captain Tom Latham has been ruled out of the second Test as well due to a left shoulder injury. That means Mitchell Santner will continue to lead the side. In addition, Bevon Jacobs has been added to the squad as fielding and batting cover. “It’s hugely disappointing to lose Tom again,” Walter said. “He’s been working hard and had been tracking well towards the second Test but unfortunately today he couldn’t pass his fitness tests.”New Zealand have also lost two bowlers in the lead-up to this Test: Will O’Rourke due to a back injury and allrounder Nathan Smith with an abdominal tear. That has opened the door for Jacob Duffy, who is set to make his Test debut. Matthew Fisher, Zakary Foulkes or Ben Lister are also in line to get a debut cap. While Fisher was already in the squad and could have the inside lane, Foulkes was part of the T20 playing group and had some recent success against Zimbabwe, while Lister offers the left-arm variation.New Zealand (possible): 1 Will Young, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Henry Nicholls, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner (capt), 8 Zakary Foulkes, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Matthew FisherPitch and conditionsAlthough Bulawayo is known to be slow, low and laborious for all involved, seamers prospered in the first Test, especially those who could move the ball with subtlety (like Henry) or generate extra bounce (like Blessing Muzarabani). There were also signs of variable bounce in that match and run-scoring appeared to have become increasingly difficult. Expect more of the same, in bright conditions that are set to last through the match.Stats and trivia New Zealand have never lost to Zimbabwe in a Test match, and have beaten them 12 times in 18 meetings. They have won the last seven Tests between these two sides, four of them by an innings.Muzarabani is currently fifth on Zimbabwe’s all-time Test wicket-takers’ list, with 60 from 16 Tests. He needs ten more wickets to move up to joint-third and 20 more to move into joint-second place.Since Zimbabwe last won a Test in Bulawayo in 2001, India, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Ireland and South Africa have all had victories at Queens Sports Club.Quotes”A lot of things we talked about beforehand went the way we wanted it to. In particular, the bowling side of things, to get 20 wickets for about 300 runs in total, you’ve always got to be happy. It would be nice to get a few more runs, but the wicket was tricky as well.” New Zealand seek big batting displays in the second Test, says bowling coach Jacob Oram.