Sean Manaea set for rehab start following injury delay

Mets left-hander Sean Manaea, whose rehab was delayed a bit due to a loose body in his elbow, is set for his next rehab start.

Manaea will take the ball on Tuesday night for Double-A Binghamton, one week after he was shut down for 48-to-72 hours due to the elbow issue.

At the time, president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns said "the goal" was for Manaea to be back pitching in a rehab game either this Tuesday or Wednesday.

"This sets us back a couple of days, but at least right now we don’t anticipate this resetting anything," Stearns noted.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday that Manaea is expected to throw around 45-to-50 pitches during Tuesday's outing.

While the Mets expect Manaea to be able to pitch through the issue after he received a cortisone shot, it's possible he'll need surgery during the offseason.

Manaea has been out all year due to an oblique injury.

The Mets' starting pitching -- which was excellent for the first two months of the season -- has been ravaged by injuries over the last few weeks.

May 13, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) waves to the crowd after getting taken out in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field.
May 13, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) waves to the crowd after getting taken out in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images

In rapid succession, the Mets lost Kodai Senga (hamstring), Tylor Megill (elbow), and Griffin Canning (season-ending Achilles tear).

The rotation has recently featured regular members Clay Holmes and David Peterson and just got Frankie Montas back, but has also been relying on an inefficient and ineffective Paul Blackburn and rookie Blade Tidwell.

Manaea returning the next time through the rotation would be a big help, and Senga -- who could soon start a rehab assignment -- might follow before too long.

The Mets could also possibly turn to prospects Nolan McLean and/or Brandon Sproat at some point this summer.

Regardless of how New York proceeds over the coming weeks, it's expected that they'll explore the starting pitching market ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

JESSE WINKER GETTING CLOSER

Winker will be joining Manaea in Binghamton on Tuesday, as his rehab assignment moves from High-A Brooklyn.

He served as a designated hitter on Sunday for Brooklyn, reaching base three times.

Mendoza said that the plan for Mendoza is for him to play on Tuesday and Wednesday before getting a day off on Thursday. After the day off, Winker could potentially advance to Triple-A Syracuse for the final step of his rehab.

It's possible Winker is used as a designated hitter only while working his way back, which would seemingly mean a relatively quick rehab assignment and return to the Mets.

Islanders Sign Goaltender David Rittich & Defenseman Ethan Bear On Day One Of NHL Free Agency

On Tuesday, the New York Islanders announced that they signed goaltender David Rittich and right-shot defenseman Ethan Bear to one-year deals.

The AAV on Rittich's deal is $1 million annually, per PuckPedia with Bear signing a two-way deal with an NHL AAV of $775,000, with a minor salary of $325,000. 

Rittich, 32, posted a 2.84 GAA and a .887 SV% in 34 games with the Los Angeles Kings last season. The Czech goaltender earned a record of 16-14-2 as backup to Darcy Kuemper.

The signing comes in the wake of Semyon Varlamov’s rehab, which has seen no setbacks since undergoing lower-body surgery.

Rittich will likely fight with goalie Marcus Hogberg, who struggled with consistency towards the end of last season. 

Rittich projects as a strong third string or decent backup option, seeing as the goaltender has experience with 230 NHL games over 10 seasons.

In 2024-25, Bear logged 10 goals with 36 assists for 46 points in 62 games with the Hershey Bears of the AHL.

The 28-year-old defenseman most recently played in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, scoring one goal with three assists for four points in 24 games in 2023-24.

Bear suffered a significant shoulder injury in 2023 and entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program a year later, cutting his 2023-24 season short. Washington then sent Bear down and did not give the defenseman a qualifying offer.

As a right-shot defenseman, Bear will serve as solid depth for the Islanders after losing Noah Dobson.

PHOTO:  Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Kai Russell contributed to this story. 

NHL Free Agency: Flyers Quickly Knock Out 3 Big Needs

Christian Dvorak immediately improves the Flyers' depth at center. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers are on a crusade to start NHL free agency, quickly signing multiple players, including Christian Dvorak, to address some big team needs.

The biggest - literally - and perhaps the most important piece of business from the Flyers Tuesday was signing 6-foot-5 goalie Dan Vladar, who is now the only non-prospect to be contracted beyond the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Vladar, 27, should provide some semblance of stability to a position that has had none for the Flyers in recent years, even if he's not quite good enough to elevate the Flyers as a whole.

On the more surprising side, the Flyers also went out and added versatile forward Christian Dvorak on a one-year deal worth $5.4 million.

This was, for all intents and purposes, and overpayment, even in this free agent market, but this was probably the cost the Flyers needed to pay to pry Dvorak away from Stanley Cup contenders.

The 29-year-old played for new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet during their time together with the Arizona Coyotes and has six 30-point seasons to his name at the NHL level. Oh, and he's won more than 55% of his faceoffs in each of the last two seasons.

The Flyers needed a reliable replacement for the departed Scott Laughton and Ryan Poehling while they wait for Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt to develop, and signing Dvorak buys them another year for that.

Additionally, with the salary retained in the Andrei Kuzmenko trade now off the books, the Flyers have one more salary retention available to use this season.

Ex-Flyers Defenseman Ivan Provorov Signs Absurd Contract Ahead of NHL Free AgencyEx-Flyers Defenseman Ivan Provorov Signs Absurd Contract Ahead of NHL Free AgencyThe Philadelphia Flyers have won the Ivan Provorov trade in more ways than one.

Assuming Dvorak has a good season in Philadelphia, the Flyers can retain half his salary and move him at the NHL trade deadline. Then, if Luchanko's season ends early, he can then replace Dvorak and join the Flyers at the end of the season.

Two moves that made less sense were the additions of journeymen defensemen Noah Juulsen (RHD) and Dennis Gilbert (LHD).

These players could very well be brought in simply to breed competition for NHL roster spots, but fans won't be happy about the possibility two ineffective veterans with limited skillsets block prospects like Emil Andrae and Helge Grans from playing time.

Including Cam York and excluding Grans, the Flyers now have nine defensemen on their NHL roster, so something is going to have to give a few months from now.

It's worth noting that Juulsen was a favorite of Tocchet's on the Vancouver Canucks and is highly regarded for his shot blocking and penalty kill work, but he also didn't record a point in 35 games last season and is coming off a season-ending injury.

If the Flyers really wanted veterans to push for ice time, why not try Adam Ginning, a 25-year-old prospect on an expiring contract running out of time to crack the NHL? Hunter McDonald, Grans, and Louie Belpedio are there, too.

The Flyers also added a depth forward in Lane Pedersen, who briefly played for Tocchet in the past, as well.

With Tuesday's proceedings seemingly coming to a halt with a decision from Maxim Shabanov looming, the Flyers have $5.49 million in cap space with, hopefully, enough room to re-sign York and add Shabanov.

Kraken Sign Ryan Lindgren To A Four-Year Contract

New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) advances the puck while chased by Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle (7) during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Seattle Kraken have signed defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a four-year, $4.5 million AAV contract. 

The 27-year-old is a defensive defenseman who's played 405 games in the NHL, scoring 14 goals and 188 points with the New York Rangers and the Colorado Avalanche. Lindgren was traded from the Rangers to the Avalanche at the trade deadline as a pending unrestricted free agent.

Prior to the trade to the Avalanche, Lindgren was paired with Adam Fox, providing him stability and allowing him to be one of the best defensemen in the NHL.

“Ryan’s a heart-and-soul player who competes every shift,” said general manager Jason Botterill. “He does whatever it takes to win and has been a key fixture on the penalty kill throughout his career. We’re excited to welcome him to the team.”

Lindgren, a left-handed joins a Kraken defence core that consists of Vince Dunn, Ryker Evans, Jamie Oleksiak and Josh Mahura as left-handed defenders. Brandon Montour and Adam Larsson remain the right-handed defensemen. With the addition of Lindgren, the Kraken will likely explore a trade for Oleskiak to free up space on what's becoming a crowded blue line.

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

How Real Madrid experience will help Hugo Gonzalez make transition to Celtics

How Real Madrid experience will help Hugo Gonzalez make transition to Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Playing on a team facing high expectations is nothing new for Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Hugo Gonzalez.

The 19-year-old forward played for Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid over the last three seasons. Whether it’s basketball or soccer, Real Madrid is always expected to be a top team and contend for titles. Seasons that end without any trophies are considered a real disappointment.

Playing in Boston is similar. Expectations, especially for the Celtics, are always pretty high. It’s an environment that not every player handles well.

But for Gonzalez, he’s confident his experience in a pressure-packed situation at Real Madrid will help him make a smooth transition to the NBA.

“The most winning franchise in the whole NBA and that’s a privilege to be part of — a franchise like this,” Gonzalez told reporters Tuesday after his introductory press conference.

“It’s more or less like what I was used to at Real Madrid. They were the most winning club in Europe, too, so having that type of transition and similarities and everything is something that is gonna be easier.”

Gonzalez also added: “For me, playing for the Madrid Academy since I was 10 (years old), I was almost like playing for a team where winning was a must every year, winning every title.

“So (I’m) pretty used to the team success. It’s the first and the main thing for the whole season. It’s nothing that I need to learn. It’s something that I already got in my DNA.”

Gonzalez averaged 5.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game for Real Madrid last season. He’s also a good defensive player and plays with plenty of athleticism. It remains to be seen what kind of role Gonzalez will have as a rookie, but there’s a lot to like about his skill set.

And perhaps most importantly, he’s unlikely to be fazed by the bright lights of playing in Boston for the 18-time world champions.

Blues Sign Center Nick Bjugstad To Two-Year, $3.5 Million Contract

The St. Louis Blues signed center Nick Bjugstad (second from right) to a two-year, $3.5 million contract. (Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The St. Louis Blues dipped into the center pool on the first day of free agency by inking veteran Nick Bjugstad to a two-year contract for $3.5 million ($1.75 million average annual value).

The 32-year-old played in 66 regular-season games with the Utah Mammoth last season and had 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists).

Bjugstad is a big body (6-foot-5,, 205-pounds) and had 330 points (157 goals, 173 assists) in 760 NHL regular-season games that's including stints with the Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Mammoth.

With Bjugstad's signing, it's a fair assumption that the Blues will not be bringing back Radek Faksa, who became an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.

In addition to signing Bjugstad, the Blues made a very interesting trade in a swap of young players when they traded forward Zack Bolduc to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Logan Mailloux.

Orioles at Rangers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 1

It's Tuesday, July 1 and the Orioles (37-47) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (41-44). Brandon Young is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Jacob deGrom for Texas.

The Orioles picked up the win in game one of the series 10-6. That win snapped a two-game losing streak against the Rangers. It was a game where Gunnar Henderson went 2-5 with a home run and four RBI.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Orioles at Rangers

  • Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
  • Time: 8:05PM EST
  • Site: Globe Life Field
  • City: Arlington, TX
  • Network/Streaming: Rangers Sports Network, Victory+, MASN, MASN+

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Orioles at the Rangers

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (+165), Rangers (-200)
  • Spread:  Rangers -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Rangers

  • Pitching matchup for July 1, 2025: Brandon Young vs. Jacob deGrom
    • Orioles: Brandon Young, (0-2, 7.11 ERA)
      Last outing (Texas Rangers, 6/25): 4.0 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Rangers : Jacob deGrom, (8-2, 2.08 ERA)
      Last outing (Baltimore Orioles, 6/25): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries, and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions, and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Rangers

  • Betting the Rangers on the Money Line is up 1.86 units when Jacob deGrom starts at home on the mound
  • In his last 5 starts on the mound the Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom has an ERA of 1.79
  • The Rangers have covered in 5 of their last 7 games with Jacob deGrom on the mound

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Rangers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Orioles and the Rangers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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NHL News: Penguins Sign Former Bruins Defenseman

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Pittsburgh Penguins are signing defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to a two-year, $2 million contract.

Wotherspoon spent this past season with the Boston Bruins. In 55 games with the Original Six club, the 6-foot-1 blueliner recorded one goal, seven points, 75 hits, and a minus-10 rating. This was after he had eight assists and a plus-6 rating in 41 games with Boston during the 2023-24 season.

With the Penguins needing help on the left side of their blueline, it makes sense that they are taking a shot on Wotherspoon. When looking at their roster, he should compete for a spot on their bottom pairing. He also offers versatility, as he can play the right side if needed, too. 

Penguins Should Take Shot On Recently Bought Out ForwardPenguins Should Take Shot On Recently Bought Out ForwardEarlier this month, the Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Joe Veleno to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Andre Burakovsky. However, Veleno's time with the Kraken quickly came to an end, as he was bought out by Seattle a few days after the trade. With this, he is now an unrestricted free agent (UFA).

Photo Credit: © Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Diamondbacks fan who interfered in Giants game banned for rest of 2025 season

Diamondbacks fan who interfered in Giants game banned for rest of 2025 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

PHOENIX — A day after he was kicked out of his seat at Chase Field, and a few hours after he tried to take an ill-advised media tour, an Arizona Diamondbacks fan who interfered with a ball on Monday night was banned from the ballpark. 

The Diamondbacks announced that the fan who reached over the wall in the eighth inning Monday cannot attend another home game this season and has had his season tickets terminated.

The fan can return next season, but only if “he meets certain terms and abides by our Fan Code of Conduct.” Among other things, that Code of Conduct prohibits entering the field of play or interfering. 

“This particular fan has been involved in multiple offenses at Chase Field,” the team said in a statement explaining the decision.

After Monday’s incident, video surfaced of at least three other instances where the same fan reached over the wall. In the eighth inning Monday, he snagged a Christian Koss fly ball that looked headed for the front row or the top of the wall. After a review, the play was ruled a double. 

“He should try out for a team,” manager Bob Melvin joked on Tuesday when informed of the news. 

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Rangers Reportedly Working On Trading K'Andre Miller To Hurricanes

James Guillory-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers are reportedly working on trading K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

This comes shortly after the Rangers signed Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract. 

The details of the trade have still not been revealed as of right now. 

Miller is a restricted free agent and this potential trade stems from the Rangers being unwilling to give the young defenseman a long-term contract extension. 

According to Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today, there may still be some ironing out to do regarding this deal.

Chris Johnston of TSN reports that the Hurricanes are working on a contract extension with Miller. 

This past season, the 25-year-old recorded seven goals, 20 assists, and 27 points in 74 games while averaging 21:57 minutes per game.

Facing knuckleballer in his return, Harper still produces plethora of results

Facing knuckleballer in his return, Harper still produces plethora of results originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Hitting is as much a guessing game as it is skill at times. Guess right on what’s coming – whether heat or off-speed – and success is usually reached. When that happens, balance is sustained, arms and legs move in unison. Guessing is where arms flail, hips fly open (or don’t open at all) and odd movements are made in order to compensate.

When facing a knuckleball pitcher, like the Phillies did Monday night against San Diego Padres starter Matt Waldron, the wonderment at the plate never ends, even when you know the floater is coming.

And as Bryce Harper made his return to the lineup after missing 22 games with a sore right wrist, there no doubt was some concern as to how the wrist would react to trying to hit a dancing baseball.

It seemed as though the first baseman wasn’t too far off in his return as his four at-bats produced a plethora of results.

There was the eight-pitch AB in the first in which Harper saw seven knuckleballs. He hit three foul balls before working a walk. He grounded out on one pitch – a knuckler – his second time up. After fouling off a knuckler his third appearance, Harper laced a missile down to first base where Padres first baseman Luis Arraez made a diving catch and, while on his belly, reached out with his bare hand and doubled off Kyle Schwarber to end the inning. His final at-bat, off reliever Dave Morgan, had Harper look at five pitches without a swing. The last pitch hit him in the foot.

“You just don’t know what a knuckleballer is going to do,” said Phillies instructor Larry Bowa. “We always had a saying back when I played and you were facing a knuckleball pitcher that ‘When it’s high let it fly when it’s low let it go.’

“That’s a tough guy to go up against in your first game back. I’m sure he’d rather come back in a game where a guy is throwing 97, right?”

That luxury wasn’t afforded to Harper, however, and the results, while not spectacular, were good enough for Bowa.

“I thought his bats were alright,” Bowa said. “He is such a perfectionist and that’s why he’s a great player. He could hit three home runs in his next game. I don’t think he’s that far off at all. I’d say a couple to three games and he should be back where he can be. It won’t take long.”

The rainout on Tuesday afforded Harper an extra day off after his comeback game.

No word on how he was feeling the day after his return as manager Rob Thomson was not made available and Harper wasn’t around in the locker room for the short time media was permitted before the game was called.

There will be a day/night doubleheader on Wednesday with Game 1 beginning at 1:05 p.m. and Game 2 at 6:15 p.m. RHP Mick Abel will start the afternoon game and Cristopher Sanchez the evening.

Report: Maple Leafs Sign Former Canadiens Forward Michael Pezzetta To Two-Year, $1.575 Million Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly made their first free-agent signing.

According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the Maple Leafs and forward Michael Pezzetta have agreed to a contract. TSN's Pierre LeBrun added to McKenzie's report, saying it's a two-year deal with an annual average value of $787,500.

The 27-year-old played just 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season, not registering a single point. In 61 games the year prior with Montreal, Pezzetta scored three goals and nine assists. He’s played 200 career NHL games over four seasons, tallying 15 goals, 23 assists, and 241 penalty minutes in that span.

Pezzetta, born in Toronto, Ontario, will likely join the Maple Leafs in a depth role, replacing Alex Steeves and Nick Abruzzese (both Group 6 UFAs), plus unrestricted free agent Alex Nylander, who signed a one-year, $775,000 deal with Toronto in mid-November.

'Leaving Isn't Easy': Mitch Marner Pens Goodbye Message To Maple Leafs Fans After Joining Golden Knights'Leaving Isn't Easy': Mitch Marner Pens Goodbye Message To Maple Leafs Fans After Joining Golden KnightsMitch Marner has officially departed the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs have had a busy last 24 hours, moving a conditional third-round pick to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for Matias Maccelli. Toronto general manager Brad Treliving also locked up Matthew Knies and Steven Lorentz to long-term deals.

Knies' deal came in at six years with a $7.75 million AAV, and Lorentz's contract has a $1.35 million AAV. They also sent Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade and acquired Nicolas Roy, who has two more years at a $3 million AAV.

'I Would Love To Play My Whole Career Here': Inside Steven Lorentz's Three-Year Extension With The Maple Leafs'I Would Love To Play My Whole Career Here': Inside Steven Lorentz's Three-Year Extension With The Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz is staying at home.

According to PuckPedia, the Maple Leafs have $5,008,081 in cap space after the two-year signing of Pezzetta.

More to come...

(Top photo of Pezzetta: David Kirouac / Imagn Images)

Twins bring Royce Lewis back from injured list to start series vs. Marlins

MIAMI — The Minnesota Twins reinstated third baseman Royce Lewis from the injured list after a 15-game absence because of a recurrence of the hamstring strain that delayed his season debut.

Lewis joined the Twins for the start of a three-game series at Miami. He hurt his left hamstring while running out a grounder in the ninth inning of a game on June 13, a less severe strain than the one he suffered late in spring training. That injury sidelined him for seven weeks, costing him the first 35 games of the season.

Lewis went 0 for 8 with one walk on a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul.

Lewis has played in only 182 regular-season games since making his major league debut in 2022, and this year has been the first time the interruption seems to have affected his production. Lewis is batting just .202 with a .585 OPS and two home runs in 30 games this season. He had 32 straight hitless at-bats from May 19 to June 3.

Right before his latest setback, though, he had just gotten in a rhythm by going 9 for 20 with a home run and four RBIs in his last six games. The Twins are 18-12 in games Lewis has played in this season, despite his struggle at the plate, and 22-32 without him.

The first overall pick in the 2017 draft was limited to 82 games last season by a severe quadriceps strain he suffered running the bases in the opener and later by a groin injury. The previous two years for Lewis were limited by recoveries from successive ACL surgeries.

Wayne Larkins obituary

Northamptonshire and England cricketer hailed as a fearless batsman who was nicknamed ‘Ned’

It was some time in the 1980s. The details have gone hazy: it could have been any county cricket ground and any captain being asked by the press why they had lost so badly to Northamptonshire: “What went wrong?” The answer was equally terse: “We got Nedded.”

A “Nedding” meant being on the receiving end of a blistering innings from Wayne “Ned” Larkins, who has died in hospital, while awaiting a heart bypass, aged 71. When he was hot, he could be the most thrilling batsman in the country. But demons of insecurity lurked beneath his cheery countenance and his 13 Test matches were a feeble reward for an exceptional talent.

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India keep England guessing over Jasprit Bumrah before second Test

  • Premier bowler Bumrah could be rested at Edgbaston

  • Captain Gill says decision will be made on Tuesday night

India chose to let speculation swirl around the potential involvement of Jasprit Bumrah in Wednesday’s second Test, insisting that a decision over whether to play their premier bowler would not be taken until late on Tuesday night.

Their fear is that should Edgbaston produce a pitch which favours batting, a prospect made more likely by the dry conditions in which the ground staff have been working, and the rain that is tentatively forecast for the weekend were to fall, a draw would become the most likely result. Playing the 31-year-old might end up doing little more than draining his reserves of energy ahead of a third Test that starts at Lord’s next Thursday. Shubman Gill, the India captain, would say only that Bumrah is “definitely available”.

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