Cricket governing bodies in Scotland and the Netherlands have strongly criticised the planned restructuring of next year’s 50-over World Cup, claiming that the proposed changes “risk weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket”.

At a board meeting in Edinburgh last month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed that the central phase of the tournament in southern Africa will feature 12 nations split into two groups of six.

Although 14 sides remain involved, the competition will begin with an initial round featuring the three lowest-seeded qualifiers, with just a single team reaching the main group stage.

A preliminary qualifying tournament will run from 22 February until 23 March next year, with the top team advancing directly and those in second, third and fourth entering the opening round.

Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) released a joint statement expressing that they were “deeply disappointed” with the ICC’s move, announced under 18 months before the event begins.

The statement declared: “At a time when cricket is seeking to expand its reach, attract new audiences and strengthen its position on the international sporting landscape, reducing meaningful opportunities for emerging nations sends entirely the wrong message.

“We have significant concerns about both the impact of these changes and the process through which they have been introduced.

“The changes risk weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket, and only highlight the importance of strong governance, transparent decision-making and effective engagement with members.”

In the men’s ODI rankings, Scotland and the Netherlands are currently placed 13th and 14th respectively.

Monday’s statement follows similar concerns raised by the World Cricketers’ Association over the overhaul, though Cricket Scotland and the KNCB stressed they are “fully committed to working constructively with the ICC and fellow members to strengthen the global game”.

The governing bodies added: “Following the announcement of the changes, Cricket Scotland, the KNCB and other associate members met twice with the ICC, seeking official written communication on the changes and greater clarity around the processes involved.

“We also requested positive action to strengthen future operational decision-making and an invitation to bilateral planning meetings with full members.

“Since the second meeting more than two weeks ago, there has been no further response from the ICC, which is disappointing and disrespectful given the significance of the issues raised.”

Morning session

TV: 10:30-13:15 on BBC One

World silver medallist Hunt, Asher-Smith and Success Eduan, the three fastest European women over 200m this year, all have byes to the semi-finals as qualifying gets under way.

Amber Anning, Britain’s 2025 world indoor champion, is hoping to make her comeback from injury to line up in the heats of the 400m.

And the men’s decathlon begins with the 100m, the first of 10 events over the next two days.

Evening session

TV: 19:00-20:00 on BBC Two and 20:00-22:00 on BBC One

Radio: Updates on 5 Live & Sounds

Finals:

21:45: Men’s 110m hurdles

21:08: Women’s 400m hurdles – Britain’s Emily Newnham should be one to watch

20:50: Men’s 400m – Hudson-Smith aims to win the individual title for a third time

19:45: Women’s hammer

Other events:

19:05 Men’s decathlon high jump

19:55 Men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals

20:20 Women’s 200m semi-finals

20:40 Men’s triple jump Qualification

21:22 Men’s decathlon 400m

Tim Bradley anticipates a “hell of a fight” unfolding between Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli, but only sees one man emerging victorious on October 31.

The pair will collide in a super-middleweight contest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Mbilli making a first defence of his WBC world title.

He was upgraded from ‘interim’ to full champion following the retirement of Terence Crawford, who became the undisputed 168lb king by dethroning Canelo with a unanimous decision victory in September.

That same night, Mbilli defended his then-interim belt with a 10-round draw against Lester Martinez, producing a performance that aptly reflected his high-volume style.

But while the Frenchman does, indeed, force a considerable pace in the ring, many doubt that this will be enough to trump the 36-year-old Canelo.

Despite coming to the end of his decorated career, the Mexican hardly disgraced himself against Crawford and, prior to that, had remained unbeaten since his 2022 defeat to Dmitry Bivol.

Not only that, but many feel Alvarez is a more technically savvy operator than Mbilli, who throws punches in bunches but typically comes forward in straight lines.

It is partly because of this that Hall of Famer Bradley, while speaking with FightHype, has predicted a dominant victory for Canelo.

“He going to piece Mbilli’s ass up. I like Mbilli – tough guy, comes to bring the pain. It’s going to be a hell of a fight. But Canelo going to catch and shoot on his ass all night long.

“Uppercuts, hooks … it’s going to be bad. [Canelo’s] going to look like he’s back [to his best].”

By “catch and shoot”, Bradley means he is expecting Canelo to punish Mbilli with his counterpunching prowess, even if the 31-year-old keeps springing back with relentless aggression.

Marcus Rashford is heading back to Manchester United. But this is not simply a returning player reporting for pre-season. It is a reunion between a club, a player and a fanbase whose relationship has become increasingly complicated over the past two years.

Michael Carrick has confirmed that Rashford will join Manchester United’s squad in Dublin for the next stage of their pre-season preparations, alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez.

“We have got a full squad this week in Dublin. We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together. Marcus is part of that, and Kobbie and Lisandro. We look forward to seeing them,” Carrick said.

Rashford could feature against Leeds at Croke Park before potentially making another appearance against AC Milan in Poland.

For Carrick, however, the real test will begin long after the pre-season fixtures are over. The question is not whether Rashford can still play football. He clearly can.

The question is whether he can become the kind of Manchester United player the club and supporters need him to be.

A return that would have seemed unlikely

Not long ago, Rashford’s Manchester United career appeared to be finished.

His relationship with the club had deteriorated dramatically after a series of disciplinary and performance issues, followed by his public declaration that he wanted a “new challenge”. Ruben Amorim responded by taking him out of the first-team picture.

The Portuguese manager made it clear that selection would be based on standards and application rather than reputation.

“When we want to change a lot of things, when people in the club are losing their jobs, they have to fight for their place in the team,” Amorim said after leaving Rashford out against Manchester City. Rashford chose a different route.

Rather than fighting his way back into the team, he eventually left on loan. That decision changed the trajectory of his career but also damaged his relationship with a section of the United fanbase.

Now, after spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona, he is back where it all began.

Carrick has inherited a different United

The biggest reason Rashford’s return is intriguing is that he is not coming back to exactly the same Manchester United environment that he left.

Carrick has taken charge and inherited a squad that has reportedly benefited from a significant change in culture.

That change was partly created by Amorim’s willingness to remove players he believed were not meeting his standards. Rashford was among those players.

So too were Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho. The departures and loans helped United reshape their squad and remove some of the internal tensions that had contributed to the club’s problems.

Amorim ultimately failed to deliver the footballing transformation United wanted, but his decision to establish clear standards appears to have had a longer-lasting effect. That is something Carrick must protect.

The footballing case for Rashford is obvious

There is nevertheless a strong football argument for giving Rashford another opportunity. United still need attacking options.

Rashford can play from the left, operate centrally and provide a different kind of threat from players such as Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. At his best, he gives United pace, direct running and the ability to attack space behind defensive lines.

His best season remains 2022-23, when he scored 30 goals in all competitions. That version of Rashford would immediately improve United. The problem is that United have not consistently seen that version since.

Carrick’s task is therefore to determine whether the player who returns to Manchester is closer to the 30-goal Rashford or the frustrated, inconsistent figure who eventually forced his way out of the club.

Aston Villa showed there is still a player to work with

Rashford’s loan spell at Aston Villa offered evidence that his career was not beyond repair.

He recorded 10 goal involvements in 17 appearances and helped Villa progress in both the FA Cup and Champions League. His form was good enough to earn an England recall.

More importantly, he looked happier. “I missed a lot of football before joining up with them [Villa],” Rashford said at the time. “At the minute, my body feels good and I’m enjoying my football.”

But there was an uncomfortable side to that improvement.

Rashford’s immediate revival after leaving United inevitably raised questions about what had gone wrong at Old Trafford in the first place.

Villa ultimately decided against making his move permanent.

That left Rashford’s future uncertain.

Barcelona proved Rashford can still contribute at the highest level 

His next move was even more significant.

Barcelona took him on loan, giving Rashford the opportunity to play alongside some of Europe’s best attacking players.

He responded with 28 goal contributions in 49 appearances across competitions as Barcelona retained La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup.

There were also moments that reminded everyone why United had once considered him one of the brightest products of their academy.

His free-kick goal against Real Madrid was particularly memorable. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick also spoke positively about the forward.

“I appreciate working with him,” Flick said. “He is a fantastic player and a fantastic person.”

Yet Barcelona did not exercise their option to sign him permanently. That is an important part of the story.

Rashford’s performances were good enough to revive his reputation, but not convincing enough to make Barcelona believe he was indispensable.

His biggest battle will be rebuilding trust 

This is where Rashford’s Manchester United return becomes more complicated.

His footballing ability is not the biggest question. Trust is.  United supporters watched him develop from an academy graduate into one of the club’s most important players. They backed him through difficult periods and celebrated his best moments. His public push for a move therefore hit differently.

The perception among many supporters was that Rashford had chosen to leave rather than fight for his place at a time when United needed senior players to take responsibility.

That perception will not disappear simply because he has returned. Rashford cannot expect supporters to forget what happened. He will have to give them reasons to change their minds.

The dressing room will be watching too The same applies internally.

Carrick has reportedly benefited from greater harmony within the squad, and Rashford’s reintegration must not disrupt that.

The forward will need to accept that he is returning as one member of the squad rather than automatically reclaiming his old status. That could mean competing for his place.

It could mean starting some games from the bench. It could mean accepting a role behind other attackers when the tactical situation demands it.

For Rashford, that may be the most important test of all. A successful comeback will require him to demonstrate that he is prepared to put the team ahead of his own status.

Carrick must avoid making the return about sentiment 

Carrick’s previous relationship with Rashford could be both an advantage and a potential problem.

The pair were teammates at United and Carrick later worked as part of the club’s coaching staff. He knows Rashford better than many managers would.

That should help him understand how to get the best out of the forward. But Carrick must also avoid giving Rashford preferential treatment because of their history.

The easiest way to damage the new culture would be to allow one player to bypass the standards expected of everyone else. Rashford should return because he earns his place, not because he is a famous academy graduate.

What should United expect from him?

The sensible expectation is not 30 goals immediately. It should be consistency.

If Rashford can train properly, accept competition, contribute defensively and maintain his intensity when things are not going his way, his footballing qualities can take care of much of the rest.

He does not suddenly need to become a completely different player. He needs to become a more reliable version of himself. The experience of playing for Aston Villa and Barcelona may help. He has experienced life away from United, worked under different managers and played in different tactical systems.

He has also seen what happens when he loses his place. That could make him a more mature player.

The first few months will tell the story 

Rashford’s return should therefore be judged over time.

A good pre-season will not repair everything. A goal against Leeds will not erase the past. Neither will a strong opening month.

What United need to see is sustained professionalism.

If Rashford responds positively to Carrick’s demands, fights for his position and contributes consistently, supporters may gradually begin to accept him again. If old habits return, the club will have learned a very expensive lesson.

Because United cannot afford another cycle of disappointment in which player frustration becomes a bigger story than football.

A second chance, not a clean slate

Rashford’s return offers something that seemed almost impossible when he left Manchester: another chance at Manchester United. But it should not be confused with a clean slate.

The club has changed. The squad has changed. The standards have changed. Rashford now has to change with them. Carrick has the opportunity to turn one of United’s most complicated recent stories into a redemption arc.

But he cannot do it for Rashford. The forward has to earn it himself.

The first step is already confirmed: he is back with the squad. The much harder part starts when the competitive football begins.

UEFA, ⁠the Asian ​Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, ​which runs football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, issued ​a ‌joint statement ⁠on Monday attacking FIFA President Gianni ‌Infantino over his conduct during ⁠the proposed sale of stake in the commercial ​rights to the ‌World Cup.

The statement said that Infantino had broken trust “through deception” ‌with the now abandoned proposal, ​had “placed himself above the collective” and the three confederations called for ​a fully independent review ​of what had ​happened.

“Football’s strength has always been its ​unity,” the statement concluded. “We call for that unity to be honoured now, for ⁠leadership that serves football, not seeks ⁠to ​command it.”

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held,” they wrote.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the confederations added.

Infantino has been the butt of scathing criticism ever since launching, and then withdrawing within days, a plan to bring in private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cups.

Read moreInfantino denies affair allegation, FIFA slams ‘concerted’ effort to weaken him

FIFA had hit back on Saturday at “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” football’s governing body and Infantino.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP) 

Patterson is a product of Sunderland’s academy and made his senior debut for the Black Cats in a 2-1 EFL Trophy loss to Fleetwood Town in 2020-21.

He made his league bow in the following season and, after joining Notts County on loan for the opening half of the 2021-22 campaign, he helped Sunderland gain promotion into the Championship via the League One play-offs.

In 2024-25, Patterson featured 45 times in the Championship as his side beat Sheffield United in the play-off final at Wembley to gain promotion into the Premier League.

Having featured just once for the top-flight side in the first half of last season after falling behind Robin Roefs in the pecking order, Patterson spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Millwall.

He featured 16 times across all competitions for the Lions.

Patterson – who has made 169 competitive appearances for the Black Cats – featured as a substitute for Sunderland as Regis Le Bris’ side beat Wrexham 1-0 in a pre-season friendly at Philadelphia’s Subaru Park on 2 August.

Wrexham have already added full-back Danny Imray and midfielder Ben Whiteman to their ranks this summer.

But speaking ahead of his side’s 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the first round of the Carabao Cup, Parkinson said there was still work to be done on the squad.

“We feel we’re not where we need to be yet and we know that,” he said.

“We’re working, as ever, to make sure that the squad is as strong as it needs to be in what is going to be an incredibly competitive division.

“We’re under no illusions about that. We’ve got to make this squad so strong and we are working tirelessly to bring those extra players in to give everybody a boost.”

Gianni Infantino’s already perilous position as FIFA president took another blow on Monday, as three continental federations banded together in an apparent attempt to try to force him out.

An “Open Letter to the Football Family” signed by the heads of UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean) and AFC (Asia) appeared to take aim at Infantino – without actually mentioning him by name.

“This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it. Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held,” the statement read.

“It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it. When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”

The letter criticizes Infantino’s now scrapped plan to form a subsidiary arm of FIFA in order to sell off part of its commercial operations to investors. It says that even in withdrawing the plan FIFA “did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong.”

It also labels the plan a “fundamental breach of trust” and lambasted Infantino’s seemingly unilateral actions in bypassing the executive FIFA Council for his initial proposal and then holding a summit in Morocco with only selected senior figures within the organization.

“It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him. There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness,” the letter reads.

The statement comes after media reports that UEFA paid off an alleged mistress of Infantino during his time at the European confederation. FIFA in response criticized “unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims” and said that “it is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its President.” FIFA have not yet replied to a DW request for comment on the open letter.

What does this change?

Were the national federations of the three confederations to fall in line, there would be easily enough votes to oust Infantino at the presidential election next February. FIFA has 211 voting members and thus a presidential candidate in a two-horse race would require 106 votes next March. UEFA (55 members) AFC (46) and CONCACAF (35) would easily have enough if each confederation’s members voted as a bloc.

However, this seems unlikely. While UEFA, who have driven much of the opposition, seem relatively united, the picture in the two other confederations is more mixed. Mexico, one of CONCACAF’s most powerful nations and a World Cup 2026 cohost, have backed Infantino while Qatar, who hosted the 2022 World Cup, is one of several Asian nations to have broken ranks.

The South American federation CONMEBOL (10) does not yet have a clear position on Infantino, but one of its most powerful nations, Argentina, have lent Infantino their support. The Oceania federation (11) has also yet to make its position clear.

Perhaps the best news for Infantino was the backing of the African confederation, CAF (54), last week. A statement from the organization’s executive committee said that CAF: “unanimously reconfirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino and thanked him for his support for African Football, over the years.”

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Is there a candidate to challenge Infantino?

This is the big question. As it stands, no candidate has stepped forward. Infantino won the last presidential election unopposed and looked likely to do so again next March, until a few weeks ago.

Though the clear positioning of several confederations against Infantino suggests that running unopposed again is now unlikely, a candidate that can unite those federations in opposition to the Swiss administrator is the next step.

“There’s such an imperative to get a candidate who could unite the whole world of football, not just Europe in this case,” UEFA vice president, Laura McAllister, recently told DW.

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 “It’s not as easy as people might think. The right candidate has to also have the right level of support, but if we’re talking about the right candidate, then I think that person, that man or woman needs to be somebody who recognizes that we are simply custodians of the sport and that we look after it and hopefully leave it in better health.”

What might happen next?

There will no doubt be plenty of backroom talks about finding a candidate and announcing them at the right time. But given that Infantino retains a reasonable amount of support, football’s powerbrokers will likely want to ensure whoever they might put up can win. UEFA executives will likely discuss this at the Super Cup (between the winners of last season’s Champions League and Europa League) later this week, while other federations will look to do similar.

Looming in early September is the first FIFA tournament since the controversial sell off plan was announced. The U-20 Women’s World Cup is being held in Poland, a UEFA member, and it is not yet clear whether European teams will participate in the tournament with Infantino still in charge.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Golden State (23-9) defeated Los Angeles (12-19), 84-78, on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 15,739 were in attendance for the WNBA contest.

Former Lady Vol Rae Burrell started and played 32 minutes for the Sparks. She also recorded nine points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Burrell and Los Angeles forward Nneka Ogwumike played 32 minutes each to lead all players in the contest.

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Burrell converted 4-of-7 field goal attempts and 1-of-2 three-point attempts. Ogwumike led all scorers with 16 points.

Los Angeles did not have a lead in the game. The Valkyries’ largest lead was 19 points. Golden State also outrebounded the Sparks, 36-28.

More: Rae Burrell leads Sparks in scoring at Minnesota

Burrell played at Tennessee from 2018-22. She appeared in 110 games, including 47 starts, and averaged 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 22.6 minutes per contest. At Tennessee, Burrell was named to the 2021-22 USA TODAY Preseason All-America Third Team.

She was selected by Los Angeles in the first round of the 2022 WNBA draft (No. 9 overall).

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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Former Lady Vol leads Sparks in minutes against Golden State

NEW DELHI: India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak believes the team gained more from its warm-up match against Sri Lanka than it could have from several additional days of conventional training, as the visitors completed a six-wicket win ahead of the Test series.

Team India wrapped up its only practice fixture before the two-match series with a successful 207-run chase, giving players from both departments valuable match time ahead of the opening Test in Galle from August 15.

Kotak was particularly impressed by the intensity on display, saying the competitive nature of the fixture made it more valuable than routine practice sessions.

‘Very good, very productive’

Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI on X, Kotak said: “I think it was very good, very productive because if we practice four more days, I don’t think it will be as good as the practice match because the bowlers bowled with good intensity. I think the batters batted well and we actually tried that everyone, even bowlers, get to bat and all the bowlers get enough loading what is required.”

India’s batting unit had plenty of positives, with Devdutt Padikkal producing the standout performance. He remained unbeaten on 142 off 164 balls as India declared their first innings at 357/6 in response to Sri Lanka XI’s 363/8 declared.

Kotak singled out Padikkal while also praising the contribution of India’s fast bowlers on a pitch that offered little assistance.

“I think Devdutt batted really well, the way Gurnoor also bowled, and our fast bowlers put a lot of effort on the wicket where there was nothing. All the pacers put in a lot of effort. I think it was all in all a very good practice match. But for me, Devdutt’s innings was also really good,” he said.

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Siraj, Gurnoor entertain with sixes

Kotak also highlighted the unexpected power-hitting contributions from India’s lower order, specifically mentioning Gurnoor Singh and Mohammed Siraj.

“It’s been very good. I would say Gurnoor and Siraj hitting sixes, three to four-four sixes,” he added.

Sri Lanka XI declared their second innings at 200/6 to set India 207. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill provided the platform before Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and Siraj completed the chase.

Gill, returning to action on the final day, scored a brisk 44 off 54 balls, while Siraj smashed an unbeaten 32 off just 15 balls, including four sixes.

The result gives India valuable momentum and match practice before the Test series begins in Galle on August 15.

Paul Messara, the trainer, is contemplating another race for his promising mare Avista after her recent successful transition to metropolitan racing with a Randwick victory.

Avista, a four-year-old and the $2.25 favourite for Saturday’s Precise Air Handicap (1400m), had previously won three races in country grade, including an impressive 4-1/2 length win at Muswellbrook. Despite spotting the leaders a start at the top of the straight, she responded well to jockey James McDonald, managing to catch Mind Ya Bizz ($31) by a half-head.

McDonald, riding Avista for the first time, commented that he might have approached the race differently if he had a better understanding of the mare. Pundits comparing the best bonus bets Australia would have noted the favourite’s determined finish, living up to market expectations.

“If I had my time again, she would have won more comfortably,” McDonald said.

“Watching replays of lesser class, she’s had some zip about her. Up in class today, back in trip a little bit, she was a bit flat-footed. It wasn’t ideal.”

Messara will assess Avista’s recovery over the next few days, but he is keen for her to have one more run.

He believes this campaign is about targeting one more race of this calibre before a spell, with the autumn next year being the ideal time for her.

“We’ll see how she comes through this. There are other races coming up for her,” Messara commented.

“I think this preparation, it’s about targeting one more race like this and then giving her a little break, and I’d say the autumn will be the time for her.”

Keep an eye on betting sites for the latest racing odds.