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Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Can England successfully chase a mammoth total of 374 and claim a 3-1 series win over India at The Oval? Brendon McCullum's side are 7/4 outsiders to do so
The fifth and final Test match at The Oval between England and India remains in the balance - as the hosts have a sizeable task ahead of them over the last two days of play. England are 50-1 in the fourth innings and need 324 runs to win and claim a decisive 3-1 series victory. They aren't tipped to do so however - with Brendon McCullum's side 7/4 outsiders with Sky Bet to achieve a successful run chase. Conversely, India are odds-on favourites at 4/9 to reign supreme, while a draw is valued at 20/1. In addition to the head-to-head odds - there are three Price Boosts on offer for this contest. They include England to score over 0.5 runs on the first ball of Day Four, Mohammed Siraj to take the second England wicket, and Ben Duckett and Joe Root to each score 100+ runs in their second innings. The odds for those three bets have been enhanced to 10/3, 9/4 and 25/1 respectively. Sky Bet odds for England vs India: India 4/9 England 7/4 Draw 25/1 Sky Bet Price Boosts for England vs India: England to score over 0.5 runs on the first ball of Day Four WAS 3/1 NOW 10/3 Mohammed Siraj to take the second England wicket WAS 15/8 NOW 9/4 Ben Duckett and Joe Root to each score 100+ runs in their second innings WAS 20/1 NOW 25/1
Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Lions awards: NIK SIMON picks his top players, tries and laughs from a memorable tour Down Under - and shares his wishes for 2029
The 2025 British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia ended in resounding success, with the tourists clinching a 2-1 series victory. It marked the Lions' first series win over Australia since 2013 and their first tour triumph under Andy Farrell's leadership. The opening Test in Brisbane saw the Lions explode out of the blocks with a commanding display, while the second Test delivered even more drama, as the Lions clawed back from an 18-point deficit to snatch a last-gasp win. While Farrell's side were unable to clinch the first 3-0 clean sweep for a Lions side since 1927, this tour was not short of memories. The Lions next tour is a highly anticipated 2029 visit to New Zealand, where they will contest a series against the All Blacks. Here, Mail Sport's Nik Simon looks at some of the milestones from the Lions' recent trip down under. Best player There is a compelling case for Finn Russell to be recognised as the best No 10 in the world right now. He lit up games with his nonchalant swagger, now underpinned by assured game management. The series win rounds off the best season of his career. Best try Tom Wright's score in the second Test ripped up the entire tour narrative. Attacking from their own 22, the Wallabies turned into the galloping golds of a different era. Joseph Suaalii cut open the midfield and Wright finished a flowing move that left 90,000 fans in a state of shocked delirium. Best atmosphere The MCG was the loudest stadium but it was the walk down Caxton Street to the first Test in Brisbane where the sea of red burst into life. With timber-frame buildings and music pumping out of every bar, it felt like we were on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. Best accessories After the defining victory in Melbourne, Sione Tuipulotu's family decked out the players in celebratory garlands. Rooted in Pacific Island culture, each player's garland had around 25 chocolate bars stitched on to it, ranging from KitKats to Caramel Wallabies. Funniest moment The stadium announcer in Perth kicked off the tour with a bang when he introduced the Lions before kick-off. 'The Aussie at No 14, Mack Hansen. Another Aussie at No 12, Sione Tuipulotu. At No 11, the Kiwi now Irishman, James Lowe. At prop, the former SA schoolboy now Scotsman, Pierre Schoeman.' A rare sprinkling of salt on an otherwise mild-mannered tour. Best opposition player Man-mountain Will Skelton was a colossus for the Wallabies. He changed the narrative with his physicality, with the Wallabies leading the aggregate score when he was on the pitch. If he had been fit to play in the first Test and lasted longer in the second, the series could well have had a different outcome. Best journey As part of the Roar and Uncut video series, we hitched a lift from Newcastle to Canberra with three fans from Long Eaton RFC; Brooky, Daz and Aidy. We broke down and had to crawl down the hard shoulder at a snail's pace but it was full of fun, friendship and laughter. A reminder of the true essence of touring. Most popular tourist Bundee Aki was the man at the heart of the raucous celebrations when the Lions wrapped up the series in Melbourne. He led the team on a two-day party, with some moral support from Mack Hansen. He has been chairman of the fines committee, leading the team's infamous kangaroo courts. In the 2029 series against New Zealand, I want to see less second-half blowouts in the warm-up matches Least like to be stuck in a lift with I was staying in the same hotel as the Pasifika XV when they played the Lions in Melbourne. Taniela Tupou stepped into the same lift as me, heading up to the 18th floor, and it's safe to say there wasn't much breathing space after a few of his team-mates joined. Wish for the 2029 series Let's make sure the provincial teams come out fully loaded so we have jeopardy from start to finish. There were too many second-half blowouts in the warm-up matches. It would also be superb to see a match played in the Pacific Islands, just a short flight from New Zealand.
BBC News
26-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lions fight back to win series against Wallabies in MCG classic
Australia: (23) 26Tries: Slipper, Gordon, Wright Con: Lynagh Pens: Lynagh 3British and Irish Lions (17) 29Tries: Sheehan, Curry, Jones, Beirne, Keenan Cons: Russell 2 Hugo Keenan scored a last-minute try to win a classic Test match and seal a series victory for the British and Irish Lions, in front of a record Lions crowd of more than 90,000 at the Melbourne Cricket was nail-biting tension all evening during a game for the ages. Even when Keenan scored, there was a TMO check that would have had every Lions fan quaking in their try was given and the Lions won. Incredibly, the tourists had trailed 23-5 in the first half after the hosts exploded into the resurgent Wallabies, ferociously driven on by Rob Valetini and Will Skelton, their returning totems, shocked the Lions to their very core in surging into that huge Slipper, Jake Gordon and Tom Wright all scored in a blizzard of a first 40 minutes, adding to Tom Lynagh's early penalties. Gordon and Wright both struck while Lions wing Tommy Freeman was in the sin Lions had scored through Dan Sheehan but they were pulverised for large parts of the half until they launched a dramatic the half was over, Tom Curry and Huw Jones both scored. Six tries in a mesmeric opening period and a six-point lead for the the scoring slowed, the fascination never did. Lynagh made it 26-17 with the boot before Tadhg Beirne scored in the corner. With Finn Russell's conversion, the gap had narrowed to two points, before Keenan's dramatic late to follow. Line-ups Australia: Wright; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Ikitau, Potter; Lynagh, Gordon; Slipper, Porecki, Alaalatoa, Frost, Skelton, Valetini, McReight, Pollard, Bell, Robertson, Williams, Gleeson, Tizzano, McDermott, and Irish Lions: Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Aki, Lowe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Itoje, Chessum, Beirne, Curry, Kelleher, Genge, Stuart, Ryan, Morgan, Mitchell, Farrell, Kinghorn. Match officials Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)Assistant Referee 2: Ben O'Keeffe (NZ)TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)Foul play review officer (FPRO): Marius Jonker (SA)
