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GUWAHATI: Spinner Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets as India rattled South Africa with late strikes to leave the tourists 247-6 at stumps on the first day of the second Test on Saturday.

Tristan Stubbs, who made 49, and skipper Temba Bavuma (41) put on 84 runs for the third wicket after South Africa elected to bat in their bid for a first Test series win in India in 25 years.

The World Test champions won the first Test of the two-match series by 30 runs at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

Ravindra Jadeja sent back Bavuma with his left-arm spin in the final session before Kuldeep denied Stubbs his fifty to raise the noise of a large weekend crowd in Guwahati.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (3-48) dismissed Wiaan Mulder for 13, and pace bowler Mohammed Siraj ended Tony de Zorzi’s defiance on 28 with the second new ball to further dent South Africa.

Left-hander Senuran Muthusamy, on 25, and wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne, on one, were batting when bad light forced stumps with only 81.5 overs possible, fewer than the usual 90 overs in a day.

Aiden Markram, who scored 38, and Ryan Rickelton (35) fell either side of the first break to Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep after an opening partnership of 82.

Bavuma and Stubbs, promoted to number three in the batting order, then got to the grind and slowly took the attack to the hosts with regular boundaries as the pair used their feet against the Indian spinners.

Jadeja broke through with his left-arm spin to dismiss in-form Bavuma, who scored the only fifty in the opener in Kolkata, after the batter chipped to mid-off.

Stubbs attempted to keep up the tempo as he hit Jadeja for a six, but soon Kuldeep had him caught at slip.

Play started 30 minutes earlier than usual, with the order of the session breaks reversed, meaning tea came before lunch at India’s newest Test venue, which attracted an opening-day crowd of over 15,000 fans.

Bumrah had Markram bowled at the stroke of tea when the batsman inside-edged a delivery on to his stumps.

Kuldeep struck on the third ball after the break to cut short Rickelton’s 82-ball stay.

The openers had started cautiously, and Markram got off the mark on his 17th ball with a crunching cover drive for four off Bumrah.

Bumrah nearly had his revenge next ball, only for KL Rahul to drop a regulation chance at second slip. The bowler covered his face in dismay.

South Africa, who recently drew 1-1 in Pakistan, are chasing a first series win in India since Hansie Cronje’s team triumphed there in 2000.

READ: Head’s 69-ball ton powers Australia to victory in Ashes opener

PERTH: Makeshift opener Travis Head smacked an explosive 69-ball century to power Australia to victory in a high-octane first Ashes Test on Saturday as England meekly surrendered in the Perth Stadium cauldron.

Chasing 205 to win, Head slammed 123 as the hosts romped home on day two by eight wickets in an electric start to the five-match series. Marnus Labuschagne was not out 51, and Steve Smith was on two.

Head’s heroics came on the back of a blistering spell from marauding pace pair Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc after lunch that sparked a stunning England collapse.

The tourists were cruising at 65-1 and building an ominous second-innings lead, but Boland and Starc left them reeling with four wickets in as many overs.

A ruthless Boland accounted for Ben Duckett (28), Ollie Pope (33) and Harry Brook (0) in the space of 11 balls, then two deliveries later, Starc sent Joe Root packing for eight.

When Starc removed skipper Ben Stokes (2), England were flailing at 88-6 and the veteran paceman had bagged a 10-wicket haul for only the third time after his first innings 7-58, a career-best.

England were partially rescued by a crucial 50-run stand between Gus Atkinson (37) and Brydon Carse (20) before being rolled for 164 at tea.

When they returned, Usman Khawaja again failed to show as an opener as he battled back stiffness, with Australia signalling their intent by sending in Head.

Head, who has opened nine times previously in Test cricket, quickly got into his destructive rhythm, crunching some lovely boundaries, including big sixes off Carse and Mark Wood.

He made it look easy, making a mockery of the struggles other batsmen had on the bouncy track, bringing up his half-century in 36 balls, passing 4,000 Test runs in the process.

Looking to emulate him, debutant Jake Weatherald also went on the attack, but it cost him, out for 23 after a mistimed pull shot was taken by Ben Duckett off Carse.

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An unruffled Head kept the pressure on, slamming four boundaries in one Stokes over and sending a six back over the head of Jofra Archer on his way to a 10th Test ton.

He eventually fell to Carse, going for another big hit.

Australia resumed on a paltry 123-9 in their first innings and added just nine before Nathan Lyon was removed by Carse for four to leave England with a 40-run advantage.

Stokes was the star of the show, claiming 5-23 off just 36 balls to give England a golden opportunity to win a Test in Australia for the first time since the 2010-11 series.

They had all been out for 172 at the hands of Starc on day one.

Australia were banking on the 35-year-old to emulate his exploits in the second innings, and he whipped the sold-out Perth Stadium crowd into a frenzy when he removed Zak Crawley in his first over.

The veteran consigned Crawley to a pair, diving to his left in an incredible feat of athleticism for a memorable caught-and-bowled.

Duckett and Pope settled in, safely reaching lunch at 59-1. But Scott Boland began to find his radar when they returned.

Duckett edged to Steve Smith in the slips, then Pope did the same to wicketkeeper Alex Carey before Brook repeated the feat to Khawaja.

After a first innings duck, Joe Root was desperate for runs, but he was no match for the relentless Starc, dragging a thick edge onto his stumps to cap a miserable start to the series.

Brendan Doggett then cleaned up Jamie Smith (15), Carse and Archer (5).

READ: Travis Head smashes second-fastest century in Ashes history

PERTH: Travis Head delivered a record-smashing performance on Saturday, firing a rapid 69-ball century to put Australia on the brink of a thrilling first Ashes Test win against England at Optus Stadium.

Tasked with opening alongside debutant Jake Weatherald due to Usman Khawaja struggling with an injury, Head seized control on a challenging pitch, turning the chase of 205 into a one-sided affair.

Head’s explosive innings featured 12 fours and four sixes, bringing up his century with a single when Australia was at 146.

The knock marked the second-fastest century in Ashes history, surpassing Gilbert Jessop’s 76-ball effort for England back in 1902, and also eclipsed Head’s previous fastest Test ton of 85 balls.

Fastest Hundreds (by balls taken) in Ashes Tests

• 59 – Adam Gilchrist (AUS), Perth 2006
• 69 – Travis Head (AUS), Perth Today
• 78 – Gilbert Jessop (ENG), The Oval 1902
• 85 – Joe Darling (AUS), Sydney 1898
• 85 – Travis Head (AUS), Brisbane 2021

It ranks as the joint-third fastest century by an Australian in Tests, tying David Warner’s 69-ball effort against India in Perth in 2012. Only Adam Gilchrist’s 57-ball hundred in 2006 and Jack Gregory’s 67-ball century in 1921 remain quicker.

Fastest Hundreds for Australia (by balls taken) in Tests:

• 59 – Adam Gilchrist v ENG, Perth 2006
• 67 – Jack Gregory v SA, Johannesburg 1921
• 69 – David Warner v IND, Perth 2012
• 69 – Travis Head v ENG, Perth Today
• 78 – David Warner v PAK, Sydney 2017

Head, however, fell prey to Brydon Carse when Australia needed 13 more runs to win the game. He went back to the pavillion after scoring 123 runs from 83 balls, laced with 16 fours and four sixes.

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Earlier, Australia’s pace duo of Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc ripped through England’s top order, setting the stage for Head’s heroics.

England, cruising at 65-1 in their second innings, collapsed to 88-6 after lunch, with Boland taking out Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook in a devastating spell of 11 balls.

Starc struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Joe Root and Ben Stokes, completing his 10-wicket haul for only the third time in his career, following his first-innings 7-58.

A brief 50-run stand between Gus Atkinson (37) and Brydon Carse (20) offered some resistance before England were bowled out for 164 on the cusp of tea.

Boland finished with 4-33 while Starc claimed 3-55, leaving Australia well-positioned to chase down the target.

READ: New Zealand sweep West Indies ODI series with convincing win

HAMILTON: Matt Henry took 4-43 and Mark Chapman crafted 64 as New Zealand coasted to a four-wicket win over the West Indies in the third ODI here at Seddon Park on Saturday for a series sweep.

The tourists’ top order failed to fire once again, skittled for 161 in Hamilton before New Zealand eased to 162-6 off 30.2 overs.

The chase started poorly, with the home side reduced to 32-3, before Chapman’s steady knock was supplemented by an unbeaten 40 from Michael Bracewell.

The most one-sided match of the series left New Zealand savouring a 3-0 triumph, following their 3-1 win in the T20 series.

The teams will next contest three Tests, starting in Christchurch on December 2.

Henry, expected to be a key figure in the Test series, hoped they could continue their winning momentum into the longer format.

“It’s an exciting little stretch of cricket coming up,” he said.

“We’ve been playing some really good cricket and we’ve been winning some of the key moments, which has got us over the line.

“Everyone’s stepping up in different ways, which is great.”

The West Indies won the toss but their specialist batsmen struggled to establish themselves, a problem evident throughout both white-ball series.

Captain Shai Hope scored a century in game two but he lamented the inability of their top order to build big scores across the series.

He said it was unacceptable for their innings to last just 36.2 overs at Seddon Park.

“Again, we’re just not clicking with the bat unfortunately,” he said.

“We haven’t assessed the conditions and adapted as quickly as we should, that was a big issue in this game in particular.

“We just didn’t get in. We didn’t get that flow, that momentum.”

Henry rocked the visitors early with two wickets in the space of three balls in his third over, removing opener Ackeem Auguste for 17 and Keacy Carty without scoring.

Wickets fell regularly from that point, including that of Hope, caught down the leg side for 16 off the bowling of Zak Foulkes to follow his century in game two.

With his team teetering at 95-7, Roston Chase led a low-order rearguard with 38 before falling to Henry.

Top order trio Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Will Young all departed early for New Zealand but Chapman combined with Bracewell for 75 runs for the fifth wicket to make the outcome safe.

Chapman swatted 19 runs off Matthew Forde in the 27th over to lift the 31-year-old past 50 for a seventh time.

His 63-ball knock featured eight fours and two sixes.

READ: Manchester United forward Benjamin Sesko out ‘for a few weeks’

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko will be out of action “for a few weeks” after hurting his knee before the international break, manager Ruben Amorim said on Friday.

The forward, who joined United from RB Leipzig for £74 million ($97 million) in August, was injured during the 2-2 draw at Tottenham on November 8 and missed Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers.

Amorim was initially “more concerned” about the issue due to the fact it related to a knee, but the United boss is confident the 22-year-old has avoided a lengthy lay-off.

“He is going to stay out for a few weeks, I don’t know how long, but it is not that serious,” Amorim said at his pre-match press conference for Monday’s visit of Everton.

“We have to be careful with him, he is going to recover, he is doing the recovery and is feeling better. So in a few weeks I expect to have Ben (Sesko).”

Amorim said he expected Sesko to return around the time that Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo, Ivory Coast international Amad Diallo and Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui would leave for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in Morocco on December 21.

Discussions are taking place about when they will be released.

“We are doing our job to try to maintain the players a little bit longer but it’s not just in our hands,” said Amorim.

“We need to respect that, but we will try to do everything to protect the club, protect the player and protect the national team.”

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The Portuguese was asked how he felt as he approached the anniversary of his first game as United boss, against Ipswich on November 24 last year.

“Right away, I knew that we would struggle in some things,” he said. “But it was that feeling of, yes, it’s the best league in the world.

“It’s maybe the best club in the world. But at the same time, it’s a big job and it’s going to require a lot of work.”

Amorim said United were showing progress after a tough 2024/25 season, when they finished 15th in the Premier League.

“We suffered a lot last year, so we have to take that into account and play every game like it’s the last one or the first one,” he said.

“But of course, if you ask me, I expect a team with more control, more dominance, playing better football and, the most important thing, more competitive in every way.”

United will also be without Harry Maguire against Everton after the defender picked up an injury in the Spurs draw.

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo could be available to face David Moyes’s side, and Lisandro Martinez is getting closer to a return after being involved in the Argentina camp over the break.

United are seventh in the Premier League after an unbeaten run of five games, although they have drawn their past two, against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

READ: Pakistan Shaheens edge past Sri Lanka A in Asia Cup Rising Stars semi-final

DOHA: Pakistan Shaheens marched into the final of the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship after grinding out a tense five-run win over Sri Lanka A in the second semi-final at West End Park International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

The hard-fought victory sets up a title clash against Bangladesh A at the same venue on Sunday.

Defending a modest 154, Pakistan Shaheens leaned heavily on their spin duo of Sufiyan Muqeem and Saad Masood, who combined to choke Sri Lanka A’s chase and shared six wickets between them.

Despite a late surge from Milan Rathnayake, Sri Lanka A were bundled for 148 on the final ball of their innings.

Sri Lanka A looked dangerous early on, racing to 29 in just two overs as Lasith Croospulle launched a whirlwind assault, smashing 27 off seven balls with three sixes and two fours.

Shahid Aziz dismissed him to stem the momentum, but the visitors maintained a tempo through Vishen Halambage, who scored 29 off 27 before becoming Muqeem’s first victim.

Halambage’s wicket opened the floodgates. Sri Lanka A unravelled in the middle overs, losing wickets in clusters and slipping from a position of control to 99-8 in the 14th over.

With the match seemingly drifting away, Milan Rathnayake engineered a spirited fightback.

He carried the chase deep, lifting his side from the brink and leaving Sri Lanka A needing eight off the final four deliveries.

But the Shaheens’ bowlers held their composure, closing out the final moments to seal a narrow but vital win. Rathnayake finished with a valiant 40 off 32, striking five fours and a six.

For Pakistan, Muqeem and Masood claimed three wickets each, while Ahmed Daniyal, Shahid Aziz and Ubaid Shah contributed one apiece.

Earlier, after being asked to bat, Pakistan Shaheens posted 153-9 in an innings marked by bursts of momentum and an untimely collapse.

Openers Mohammad Naeem (16 off 15) and the in-form Maaz Sadaqat (23 off 11) provided a bright start with a rapid 30-run partnership.

But once the pair fell in quick succession, Pakistan lost their footing, crashing to 62-5 inside eight overs.

A much-needed recovery came through Saad Masood and Ghori, who stitched together 47 runs for the sixth wicket to stabilise the innings.

Masood’s patient 22 off 25 ended in the 16th over, but Daniyal’s explosive cameo, 22 off just eight deliveries, featuring three sixes, gave the Shaheens crucial late runs.

Ghori anchored the innings till the end, remaining unbeaten on 39 off 36 with two fours and a six, guiding the side to a defendable total.

For Sri Lanka A, Madushan starred with the ball, claiming four wickets, while Traveen Mathew picked up three. Rathnayake and Dunith Wellalage added a wicket each.

READ: Bangladesh A edge India in Super Over to reach Asia Cup Rising Stars final

DOHA: Bangladesh A held their nerve in the Super Over to knock India out of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semi-final at West End Park International Cricket Stadium on Friday, sealing their place in the tournament’s title clash.

With both teams locked at 194-6 after two high-octane innings, the contest headed into a Super Over.

Bangladesh’s Ripon Mondol delivered a sensational burst, removing two Indian batters in consecutive balls without conceding a single run, effectively shutting the door on India’s hopes.

In response, Bangladesh A lost Yasir Ali on the very first ball, but the drama didn’t end there. Suyash Sharma sprayed the next delivery wide, handing Bangladesh a victory and a spot in the final.

They will now await the winner of the second semi-final between Pakistan Shaheens and Sri Lanka A.

Earlier, put into bat, Bangladesh A produced a powerful display with the bat to post 194-6.

Opener Habibur Rahman Sohan anchored the innings with a superb 65 off 46 balls, peppered with five sixes and three boundaries.

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The late fireworks came from SM Meherob, who launched a blistering unbeaten 48 off just 18 deliveries, smashing six sixes and a four to propel his side to a formidable total.

In response, India matched Bangladesh blow for blow. Their openers set a scorching pace as Priyansh Arya hammered 44 off 23, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi blasted 38 off 15 to keep the chase on track.

However, India lost wickets at key moments, which left them needing 16 off the final over.

Rakibul Hasan conceded two singles before Ashutosh Sharma swung momentum back with a six and a four.

With four required off two, Ashutosh was bowled for a brisk 13 off 6, leaving India needing four off the last ball.

They managed only three, tying the scores and pushing the clash into a Super Over that ultimately proved decisive.

Nehal Wadhera remained unbeaten on 32 off 29, but his efforts fell short as Bangladesh A marched into the final after a thriller.

READ: Barcelona hoping Camp Nou return can spark La Liga title defence

Finally reopening Camp Nou is cause to celebrate for Barcelona, but coach Hansi Flick will only be happy if they inaugurate their rebuilt stadium by kick-starting their La Liga title defence on Saturday.

The Catalan giants host Athletic Bilbao while trailing Real Madrid by three points after an inconsistent start to the campaign, below the level they were at as they claimed a domestic treble last season.

With three international breaks disrupting the opening months, now Flick has the chance to knuckle down and find solutions to Barca’s problems.

They have shipped 15 goals, more than nine of the 10 teams beneath them, while the attack has also struggled to ignite in the way it did in Flick’s debut year.

Returning to their home is one of several reasons for Barca to believe the coming weeks will be positive.

They last played at Camp Nou in May 2023, with the stadium shut for two-and-a-half years.

Barca had hoped to reopen it in November 2024, but construction problems and other setbacks led to its delay, with the team playing in exile at the Olympic stadium.

“(Playing there) will definitely help us… for the club’s future, it’s very important, I congratulate everyone who has worked on it,” said Flick.

In Barcelona’s prior outing, they beat Celta Vigo 4-2 in Galicia, with a wild first half giving way to a far more controlled second, which might indicate the direction his team need to take.

“The second half gives us confidence for the next matches, and this is what we need,” said the coach.

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Flick hopes that confidence is what the team needs to be able to execute their high-line defence to perfection, as they did for a long period last term.

“I always think to say something about the experts, former players, former coaches, but I will not do it, (it makes) too much noise for us,” said Flick, showing he has heard the criticism regularly aimed at him over Barca’s defensive woes.

The club have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of the nine games they have played across all competitions since goalkeeper Joan Garcia was injured.

The stopper is poised to return against Athletic to help end that run.

Striker Robert Lewandowski netted a hat-trick against Celta, and following a troubled start to the campaign because of injury, his presence is a big boost.

The veteran has a nose for goal, which his stand-in Ferran Torres cannot replicate, as well as offering good build-up connections for Barca’s wingers.

Teen starlet Lamine Yamal is a doubt after he missed Spain’s World Cup qualifiers following treatment on a long-running groin issue, while Raphinha is close to a return on the other flank.

Although Marcus Rashford has impressed during his loan from Manchester United, the Brazilian’s intensity and work rate have been missed in recent weeks.

One problem for Flick against Athletic is Frenkie de Jong’s suspension while Pedri is out injured, denying the coach his first-choice pair of central midfielders. Marc Casado and Dani Olmo are likely to step in.

Whoever Flick selects will become part of the stadium’s new history, 68 years after the previous iteration was opened in 1957.

READ: Mitchell Starc achieves major milestone during first Ashes Test

PERTH: Australia pacer Mitchell Starc marked his name among Ashes greats on a dramatic opening day at Optus Stadium, producing a blistering spell that dismantled England and carried him to a major personal milestone.

The left-arm quick ransacked the visitors with a sensational 7-for, helping bowl England out for 172 in the second session on Friday.

Starc’s haul not only turned the momentum sharply in Australia’s favour but also etched him into Ashes history. With his 100th wicket in the storied rivalry, he became just the 21st bowler, and the 13th Australian, to reach the landmark.

He joins Nathan Lyon as the only active players in either squad with 100-plus Ashes wickets; Lyon currently sits at 110. Starc reached the feat in 23 Tests.

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England’s innings offered flickers of resistance through Harry Brook’s brisk 52 and Ollie Pope’s 46 before they folded after Lunch.

However, the script flipped just as dramatically in the final session.

In a day that turned into a pace-bowling spectacle, Ben Stokes led a fierce English response with a commanding 5-23, dragging his side back into the contest and stunning the Australian top order.

By stumps, Australia were reeling at 123-9, still 49 runs behind, as 19 wickets fell in a single day of gripping, high-octane cricket.

READ: Stokes sparks England comeback on 19-wicket opening day of Ashes

PERTH: Nineteen wickets fell on an opening day of carnage in the first Ashes Test here on Friday, with England’s attack led by skipper Ben Stokes bowling them into a position of strength after Australia dismissed the tourists for 172.

A rampaging Mitchell Starc took 7-58 to put England on the back foot after Stokes won the toss on a fine day at a packed Perth Stadium and chose to bat.

Harry Brook (52) and Ollie Pope (46) offered the only resistance as they crumbled after lunch.

But England’s elite fast bowlers, led by an exceptional Stokes with 5-23, fought back to reduce the hosts to 123-9 at stumps, trailing by 49.

Nathan Lyon was on three with Brendan Doggett yet to score.

There was early drama in Australia’s reply when Usman Khawaja failed to open with Marnus Labuschagne, instead walking out with debutant Jake Weatherald.

In a brutal introduction to Test cricket, Weatherald went for a second-ball duck, left on the floor by a Jofra Archer bullet and given out lbw.

Labuschagne fended off 41 balls for nine before he too succumbed to the sheer speed of Archer, bowled by a fuller delivery.

And when Steve Smith fell for 17 to Brydon Carse in the next over, caught by Brook at slip, it was game on.

Khawaja, who was feeling stiff, came in at four but lasted just six balls, blown away by a Carse bouncer that took a nick to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, leaving Australia reeling at 31-4.

Cameron Green (24), Travis Head (21), Alex Carey (26) and Starc (12) all got starts, but in a reflection of the depth of England’s pace stocks, Stokes removed them when he brought himself on.

Starc bagged three wickets in an intimidating opening spell, including Joe Root for a duck, before returning to send Stokes packing in his first over after the lunch break, then mopping up.

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All five previous Tests at the Perth venue have been won by the side batting first, but England did their best to challenge that, getting off to a horror start.

Veteran strike weapon Starc delivered as he has so many times before, enticing a thick edge from Zak Crawley on his sixth ball that Khawaja did well to collect low at slip, the opener gone for nought.

Starc has now taken a wicket in the first over of an innings 24 times.

At the other end, Ben Duckett settled his nerves with a textbook drive off Scott Boland to bank the first four of the series.

But just as he was getting going, Starc pounced again, trapping him lbw for 21 to leave England tottering on 33-2.

That brought Root to the crease in his latest campaign for an elusive first century in Australia.

He only lasted seven balls, edging a seaming delivery into the safe hands of Labuschagne at third slip.

Pope survived the furnace and was composed before Green came on, and he was out lbw, leaving the visitors on 105-4 at lunch.

Brook hit Scott Boland for a six in the first over after the break before Starc again worked his magic, taking out Stokes’s stumps with an inswinger when the captain was on six.

A fearless Brook raced to his 14th Test half-century before feathering a short ball to Carey, earning Doggett his maiden Test wicket on debut.

Starc then removed Gus Atkinson cheaply to give him the 17th five-wicket haul of his career, and with Doggett, they ruthlessly cleaned up the tail.

READ: Kagiso Rabada ruled out of second India Test