Chloe Kelly embraces main-character role with a laugh and a prancing step
She has just seen three of her team-mates miss, fail, crumble. She knows that if she does the same, England will be out, the headlines will be harsh, the golden era will be over. And in the face of all this, in the face of the impassable Swedish goalkeeper, what does she do? Chloe Kelly laughs. She actually giggles. And then, in the grand tradition of Charlie Chaplin and Monty Python, she sticks out a leg.
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The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
India hit back after Ben Stokes lifts England's hopes of wrapping up Test series
England captain Ben Stokes ended a two-year Test century drought but opposite number Shubman Gill and opener KL Rahul gave India hope of escaping Emirates Old Trafford with a draw. Stokes advancing from an overnight 77 to 141 was his first three-figure Test score since the 2023 Ashes and his 14th overall, helping England to 669 all out – their highest home total in the Bazball era. Chris Woakes' double-wicket maiden when India had not eaten into a 311-run first-innings deficit might have had England dreaming of sealing an unassailable 3-1 series lead in four days but Gill and Rahul had other ideas. Gill survived a tricky period after lunch to reach stumps on 78 not out, with Rahul unbeaten on 87, and the pair have given India, who closed on 174 for two to trail by 137, reason to believe they can see out the final day of this fourth Rothesay Test and set up a Kia Oval decider next week. Gill offered one chance just before getting to 50 as he was put down by Liam Dawson, who offered England control with his left-arm spin but could not make the breakthrough in recording 22-8-36-0. Stokes curiously did not bring himself on in the 63 overs his side sent down, with even Joe Root called upon to bowl five, despite England's talismanic all-rounder claiming five for 72 first time around. Stokes has this week become just the fourth Englishman to record a century and a five-wicket haul in the same Test – after Tony Greig, Ian Botham and Gus Atkinson – and England struggled in his absence. He suffered with cramp in his left leg the previous evening but showed no obvious signs when batting or fielding of the issue lingering. Indeed, he was put through his paces first thing when England resumed on 544 for seven as he had to scamper to complete a single, getting home despite despite Anshul Kamboj's direct hit from mid-on. While Liam Dawson was bowled by a Jasprit Bumrah scuttler for 26, having fended off a lifter from a length the previous ball, Stokes raced to 99 but spent seven balls and a nervy wait to bring up a ton. He did so with a leg-side glance for four off Mohammed Siraj, then removed his helmet and left glove and made a customary crooked finger gesture while staring skywards in tribute to his late father, Ged. Stokes then moved into the 7,000 runs, 200 wickets club in Tests – Jacques Kallis and Sir Garfield Sobers are the other members – in style by belting Washington Sundar back over his head for six. Ravindra Jadeja was twice taken the distance by Stokes as England went beyond 650, but he and Carse, who made a useful 47, holed out to the spinner, leaving India a tricky 15-minute period to bat before lunch. Woakes made the breakthrough with his fourth ball when Yashasvi Jaiswal was squared up and edged to first slip, where Joe Root was unable to cling on at the first attempt but scooped up the rebound. Sai Sudharsan was then surprised by the extra bounce as his attempt to shoulder arms caught the edge to Harry Brook but Gill survived the hat-trick ball, struck on the pads and obviously drifting down leg. He was still on nought when Jofra Archer lobbied Stokes to query a yorker that speared into Gill's pads immediately after lunch. However, third umpire Kumar Dharmasena was unable to discern whether Gill's bat or pad had been struck first so Ahsan Raza's original decision stood and England lost a review. Gill was then struck on the bottom glove in the same over, which he took off to reveal a bandaged hand, but India's number four refused to be cowed and rode out the storm before finding some fluency. There were two eye-catching, back-to-back straight drives for four off Brydon Carse, who drew Gill's edge on 46 only for Dawson to spill a difficult chance diving to his right at backward point. Stokes stayed out of the attack and Rahul came out of his shell, catching up with then overtaking Gill. Rahul continued his record of a 50-plus score in every Test in this series and he and Gill patiently saw India through to stumps in glorious batter-friendly conditions.
The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
Leah Williamson hopes England show they are no ‘flash in the pan' in Euros final
England captain Leah Williamson challenged the defending champions to prove they are no 'flash in the pan' when they take on World Cup holders Spain in Sunday's Euro 2025 final in Basel. The Lionesses forever transformed women's football in England when they lifted their first major trophy at their home European Championship in 2022, and now hope to become the nation's first senior football side to win one away from home. Williamson is adamant everyone in camp is 'connected to what it means', but insisted the Lionesses remain unburdened by the weight of the nation's hopes. 'The landscape keeps changing and we're trying to change with it,' said Williamson, when asked what she hoped their legacy would be after this tournament. 'I think that's a really hard thing to do and I think that proves the investment and the quality of the game in England is continuing to rise. 'You don't just want to be sort of a flash in the pan, like a memory and I think that when we spoke before 2022, we said it was the start of something. 'And I think we're still trying to play our role in that as well. So being here and being on this stage, we know how powerful that is and I hope that just continues to grow. 'The respect for the women's game, the respect for women and women's sport in general continues, and we can try our best to continue to elevate that.' Williamson disagreed with England being branded as underdogs to Spain, who beat them in the 2023 World Cup final – England's first – and have played a flawless campaign so far. The Lionesses, in contrast, suffered an opening defeat to France and required back-to-back late comebacks in the knockouts. Sarina Wiegman's side, who beat Italy on Tuesday night, are coming into the contest with an statistically-favourable extra day's rest and hope to have a full squad at their disposal after Lauren James trained on Saturday morning. Williamson admitted she would never take England's Wembley triumph three summers ago for granted. But, she said: 'I think the beautiful thing about 2022 was that I'm not sure if any of us will ever be part of anything like that again, in terms of the change, in terms of the story, the journey, everything, but being away from home is special in a different way. 'You go out, you represent your country somewhere else and I think the weight of that is important to consider, because it sometimes adds a little extra.' England, Williamson insisted, were staying measured, even under considerable pressure to make more history. 'I think we're very connected to what it means to the nation,' Williamson added. 'In that sense, we are connected as we can be, being away from home. 'I think the opportunity of tomorrow and what is on offer is the best thing in football. We came to the tournament, we wanted to be here, we wanted to be in it until the end and have a chance to fight for that trophy. 'You can't do that until you get in the final. I think we don't necessarily carry the weight of it, how much it means to people, but we're aware of it because it means the same to us. 'You have a squad of excited, focused players. We recognise the opportunity and we will do everything we can to take it.'
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Burnley pick up positive results in pre-season double-header
Burnley manager Scott Parker split up his squad to take on two friendlies at the same time on Saturday afternoon, as the Clarets faced Shrewsbury Town and Huddersfield Town in a pre-season split his squad fairly evenly between the two matches, but goalkeeper James Trafford was a notable absence amid speculation around his future at the newly-promoted Clarets did pick up two positive results though; settling for a 2-2 draw against League Two side Shrewsbury and a dominant 2-0 win over League One side Tommy McDermott and Joe Westley stole the show against the Terriers at Accu Stadium, scoring a header and a close-range shot respectively.
