分类： sports

MELBOURNE, Australia — In a stunning reversal of fortunes, England’s bowling attack staged a remarkable resurgence on Day 2 of the fourth Ashes Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, reducing Australia to a precarious 98-6 in their second innings by lunchtime Saturday.

The dramatic collapse came after Australia had dominated the opening day, skittling England for a mere 110 runs. The match has witnessed an extraordinary 26 wickets falling across just four sessions of play, highlighting the intensely bowler-friendly conditions.

England’s fightback was spearheaded by their pace attack, with Josh Tongue continuing his impressive form from Friday’s performance where he claimed a career-best 5-45. The English bowlers exploited a pitch that has drawn criticism from cricket legends including Michael Vaughan, Stuart Broad, Brett Lee, and Mark Waugh, who collectively described the surface as offering excessive sideways movement.

Australia’s innings began unraveling early Saturday after resuming at 4-0. The hosts suffered two quick losses as Gus Atkinson removed Scott Boland (6) caught behind, while captain Ben Stokes struck in his first over, clean bowling Jake Weatherald (5) who offered no shot.

The pressure intensified as Marnus Labuschagne (8) fell to Tongue’s bowling at 61-3, followed by the crucial dismissal of Travis Head (46) who was bowled by Brydon Carse at 82-4. The collapse continued with Usman Khawaja departing for a duck and Alex Carey (4) caught at second slip.

With Steve Smith (16*) and Cameron Green (6*) at the crease, Australia holds a 140-run overall lead but faces significant challenges in setting a substantial target on this unpredictable pitch. The match situation remains delicately poised as both teams battle not only each other but also the demanding playing conditions.

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo is set to grace Dubai’s ultra-luxury Atlantis The Royal on December 28, 2025, for the exclusive 16th Globe Soccer Awards ceremony. The Portuguese superstar and Al Nassr forward arrives as a finalist for the Best Middle East Player award, a title he previously secured in 2024.

Ronaldo faces formidable competition for this year’s honor from prominent regional players including Salem Al-Dawsari (Al Hilal), Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad), and Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli). The finalists were determined through an extensive global voting process that garnered over 30 million fan votes worldwide.

The awards ceremony, an invitation-only gala, will assemble football’s elite including current stars, legendary figures, key decision-makers, and emerging talents. Beyond the player awards, the event will recognize excellence in categories such as Best Agent, Best Sporting Director, and the prestigious Maradona Award, alongside various career achievement honors.

This visit marks Ronaldo’s return to the UAE following his recent appearance in Abu Dhabi on December 10, where he participated in a friendly match between Al Nassr and Al Wahda FC at Al Nahyan Stadium. The football legend has maintained strong connections with the region, having competed in the Saudi Super Cup in Abu Dhabi in April 2024 and participated in AFC Champions League quarterfinals against Al Ain FC earlier that year.

Ronaldo has previously expressed admiration for the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards’ integrity and organization, noting after last year’s ceremony: ‘This is why I love the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. They do it so well every year here. They do an honest award. So many champions have attended this event over the years because they always do a great event.’ He received the 2024 award from Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Under overcast skies at a capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, England captain Ben Stokes made a bold tactical decision by winning the toss and electing to bowl first in the pivotal fourth Ashes test on Friday. The move came as Australia, having already retained the urn following three consecutive victories, fielded an all-pace attack featuring recalled quicks Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser.

Weather conditions appeared to favor England’s strategy, with a maximum temperature of 18°C (65°F) and considerable cloud cover creating an environment conducive to swing and seam bowling. The pitch itself showed a noticeable green tinge, prompting Stokes to remark at the toss about the “nice coverage of grass” and emphasizing that execution would be paramount.

The match represents England’s final opportunity to salvage pride in the series after suffering defeats in the first three tests within just eleven days of play. The visitors’ campaign suffered a significant setback with the confirmed absence of star bowler Jofra Archer for the remainder of the series, including the fifth test scheduled for Sydney in January.

England’s lineup features two notable changes: 22-year-old Jacob Bethell, capped four times previously, replaces the omitted Ollie Pope, while Gus Atkinson fills the void left by Archer’s injury.

Australia’s lineup remains formidable with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald opening the batting, followed by the prolific middle order of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Usman Khawaja. The hosts’ bowling arsenal, now strengthened by Richardson and Neser joining Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, presents a formidable challenge to England’s batting order.

The tactical decision to bowl first represents a high-risk approach for England, banking on their pace attack to exploit the favorable conditions and finally gain an early advantage against their dominant hosts.

In a decisive display of cricketing prowess, Dubai Capitals clinched their place in the tournament playoffs with a comprehensive six-wicket triumph against Sharjah Warriorz at Dubai International Stadium on Christmas Eve.

The defending champions demonstrated superior all-round capabilities, first restricting Warriorz to a modest 134/8 before chasing down the target with five deliveries remaining. The bowling unit set the tone for victory, with Haider Ali’s remarkably economical spell of 2/13 in four overs and Waqar Salamkheil’s 2/29 effectively containing the opposition batsmen.

Sharjah Warriorz’s innings never gained momentum despite Johnson Charles’ resilient 43 off 46 deliveries. Early setbacks included the run-out of Monank Patel (24 off 13) and the quick dismissals of Tom Abell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the latter smartly stumped by wicketkeeper Shayan Jahangir off Haider Ali’s bowling.

The chase began shakily for Capitals with the early departure of Sediqullah Atal at 17 runs. However, Jahangir and Jordan Cox engineered a match-defining partnership of 76 runs from 63 balls that essentially secured the outcome. Jahangir’s aggressive 51 off 42 deliveries earned him Player of the Match honors, while Cox remained unbeaten on 61 from 50 balls, an innings featuring six boundaries and one maximum that also propelled him to the top of the tournament’s scoring rankings.

Although Sikandar Raza briefly revived Warriorz hopes with two quick wickets in the 14th over, removing both Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi, the Capitals maintained their composure. Cox’s mature innings guided the team across the finish line, cementing their third consecutive victory and playoff qualification.

Post-match reflections highlighted contrasting emotions. Cox praised his partner’s aggressive approach: ‘Jahangir was very impressive. We’ve been encouraging him to be aggressive, and it was great to watch from the other end.’ Warriorz captain Tim Southee remained pragmatic: ‘The nature of the wickets is keeping sides in it for long. Not over for us. One game left, we win that and give ourselves a chance.’