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Australia’s mission improbable: crack the genius of Jasprit Bumrah in 10 days | Barney Ronay

India’s supreme fast bowler destroyed the top order in Perth and the hosts have little time to avoid a second Test repeat

Test cricket is supposed to be cruel. This is a key aspect of its beauty. This thing hurts. It will seek out your weakest points and then very carefully and skilfully gouge its nails into the wound. But is it meant to be this cruel?

There was something tender, painful and even a little disturbing about what Jasprit Bumrah did to Marnus Labuschagne during the first Border-Gavaskar Test in Perth. In the space of 23 Bumrah deliveries Labuschagne was dropped, hit in the ribs, beaten five times, left completely scoreless, and basically de-cricketed, reduced to a series of strange, formless movements, stabbing at the ball like an under-gardener swatting midges in the dark.

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Pep Guardiola says he did not intend to ‘make light of self-harm’ in cut answer

  • Manchester City manager cut his nose with nail at game
  • Ilkay Gündogan describes team’s form as ‘inexplicable’

Pep Guardiola has said he did not intend to “make light of the very serious issue of self-harm” when he answered a question relating to a cut he made on his nose during Manchester City’s 3-3 draw with Feyenoord.

Guardiola was asked about the cut after City threw away a three-goal lead in Tuesday’s Champions League tie and said: “From my finger … with my nail. I want to harm myself.” He then laughed and got out of his chair to leave the press conference.

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Frank Lampard edges closer to dugout return as Coventry’s next manager

  • Former Derby and Chelsea coach to replace Mark Robins
  • ‘Next appointment is very important,’ says owner King

Frank Lampard is closing on a return to management with Coventry, 18 months after exiting Chelsea. Lampard is expected to succeed Mark Robins, who was sacked after almost eight years in charge, with the club 17th in the Championship, two points above the relegation zone.

Lampard has been out of coaching since leaving his interim role in charge of Chelsea at the end of 2022-23, but the 46-year-old former England midfielder is poised to return to the dugout in a division he knows from his time in charge of Derby, whom he guided to the playoff final in 2019.

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