Despite the West Indies' 3-0 series defeat to England, fast bowler Jayden Seales emerged as a standout performer, earning the Player of the Series award for his team. Seales, who recently returned to international cricket after a long injury layoff, expressed his pride in representing the West Indies once more and highlighted the role playing for Sussex played in his successful return.
Seales, who took 13 wickets in the three-match Test series at an average of 27.23, spoke about the significance of his comeback. "I'm proud of being able to represent the West Indies again. Coming back and doing well for the team is rewarding. I'm just looking to improve going forward," he said.
Reflecting on his time with Sussex, Seales noted that it was instrumental in preparing him for the series against England. "Playing for Sussex was great. It allowed me to understand the conditions and how they can help me. The experience was invaluable," he added.
Seales joined Sussex in early April and impressed with his performance, taking 24 wickets in six matches, including two five-wicket hauls, at an average of 24.25. His stint in English county cricket undoubtedly played a role in his readiness for the West Indies tour of England.
"England's attacking approach was tough at times. They take opportunities to score if you give them a chance, so you have to be on it all the time," Seales remarked about the challenges he faced against England's aggressive batting lineup.
Despite the series loss, Seales remains optimistic about the future of the West Indies bowling attack. "I think once we grow and learn, we can be a force to be reckoned with," he said. "The body is not too bad, just trying to get some recovery in and looking forward to the series against South Africa at home."
Seales' journey back to the West Indies squad began after he was sidelined with a knee injury in December 2022. His impressive performance for Sussex earned him a recall, and during the series against England, he reached a personal milestone by picking up his 50th Test wicket.
While the series result was disappointing for the West Indies, Seales' performance provided a bright spot and a glimpse of the potential within the team. His contributions will be crucial as the West Indies prepare for their upcoming series against South Africa, where Seales hopes to continue his upward trajectory and help his team achieve success.
Mark Wood revealed how a "great conversation" with James Anderson helped inspire his blistering wicket haul in England's final Test against West Indies.
The Durham bowler took five wickets in a single spell for the first time in his Test career, as the hosts completed the 3-0 series sweep at Edgbaston.
Wood, who had struggled to break through during the morning on day three of the third Test, was a man on a mission after lunch, dismissing five West Indies batsmen in just 21 balls for the loss of only nine runs.
With the Windies bowled out for 175, Ben Stokes hit the quickest half-century by an England player in Test history to seal a commanding victory.
And Wood said his fortunes in the crease changed following words of wisdom from his recently retired former team-mate.
"I was in a bit of a bad fettle actually at lunch, and I was wondering if it was something I was doing wrong or if I wasn't quite getting the right length," he said.
"I had a great conversation with Jimmy [Anderson], and a couple of the other backroom staff, and he just said, rather than thinking about the outcome, to start thinking about the skill element.
"That first wicket gave me a lot of confidence, and I was able to push on from there."
"I think that's one of the best reverse swing performances I've seen in a long time," Stokes added. "I know bowling at 93 miles per hour is tough, but when it is reverse swinging as well, it's going to be even tougher."
Meanwhile, Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite was left to rue another disappointing Test from his side.
"It was a tough series," he said. "We didn't show a lot of discipline with the ball. We let them off the hook a lot of times, and they were scoring way too fast. We didn't get enough second-innings runs in the last two Test matches."
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite acknowledged that his team's first innings score was below par and pointed out their lack of consistency following their 10-wicket loss to England at Edgbaston on Sunday. This defeat, which occurred inside three days, resulted in a series sweep for England.
In the opening innings, West Indies posted a total of 282, with Brathwaite contributing 61 and Jason Holder 59. However, England responded strongly with a total of 376, bolstered by significant contributions from Ollie Smith (95), Joe Root (87), Chris Woakes (62), and Ben Stokes (54). Alzarri Joseph (4-122) and Jayden Seales (3-79) were the pick of the West Indies bowlers.
Reflecting on the performance, Brathwaite remarked, "For sure, looking back, it wasn't enough runs. It was a better pitch than 280, but we showed good discipline. It's tough to take. We weren't as disciplined with the ball as we should have been to put a batting team under pressure for long periods. We have to improve on that."
Brathwaite further emphasized the need for his team to focus on consistency and execution. "We weren't as consistent as we needed to be, didn't hit the top-of-off area long enough. You give the batsmen momentum. We need to get back to where we were in Australia, hitting the top of off," he said.
Despite their struggles, Brathwaite highlighted the positive aspects of the team's performance. "We never gave up, always came back and fought. Kavem Hodge got his hundred, and we got first-innings totals. Jayden took wickets, and Motie as well. We need more cricket; playing against good players, you will improve. So I'm excited for the series against South Africa. We've got to have the right attitude and consistency."
West Indies' second innings saw a collapse, managing only 175 runs. Mikyle Louis and Kavem Hodge both scored half-centuries, but their efforts were overshadowed by Mark Wood's exceptional post-lunch spell. Wood took five wickets for 40 runs, finishing with figures of 5 for 40 from 14 overs, adding to his 2 for 52 from the first innings. His spell dismantled the West Indies batting lineup, leaving them with a paltry lead of 81 runs.
England's chase was swift and decisive. With Zak Crawley injured, Ben Stokes opened the innings and delivered a blistering 57 off 28 balls, while Ben Duckett contributed 25 off 16. They chased down the target in just 7.2 overs, securing a 3-0 series sweep for England.
Brathwaite expressed optimism for the upcoming series against South Africa, emphasizing the need for growth and improvement. "Looking forward to [SA Tests], because we have to see growth and improvement. Hit the top of off, stayed committed with the bat. Then we'll see improvements."
Rafael Nadal will play Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster men's singles second-round clash at the Paris Olympics, after battling past Marton Fucsovics in three sets.
The winner of 14 French Open titles at Roland-Garros, Nadal prevailed once more on Court Philippe-Chatrier, outlasting his Hungarian opponent 6-1 4-6 6-4.
The Spaniard quickly settled into his stride and wrapped up the opening set in just 31 minutes.
However, Fucsovics responded well with an early break in the second and, though Nadal cancelled it out in game nine, the Hungarian broke again to level.
Nadal appeared in trouble at 2-1 and 40-0 down on serve in the decider, but managed to dig deep and just about hold.
He then gained the crucial break in the following game, before holding out to set up that mouth-watering showdown with Djokovic.
Data Debrief: Nadal and Djokovic set for 'one last dance'
Nadal's victory means a record-extending 60th meeting - and what will likely be the last - meeting with Djokovic.
Once again, they will do battle at Roland-Garros, two years after the Spaniard prevailed in their French Open quarter-final meeting in four sets on his way to a 14th crown.
Nadal demonstrated his quality under pressure once more against Fucsovics, converting four of his eight break-point opportunities, compared to just two of 10 from his opponent.
Max Verstappen says Red Bull "have work to do" if they are to reassert their dominance of Formula One after the mid-season break, while Lando Norris rued some mistakes.
Verstappen finished fifth in the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, having come back from P11.
The Dutchman had qualified in pole, but had to deal with a 10-place penalty that was dealt his way following a collision with Lewis Hamilton last weekend.
While George Russell and Hamilton finished first and second for a Mercedes one-two, Verstappen missed the chance to become the third driver in F1 history to win four races in a row at Spa.
Indeed, he has failed to win the last four races, marking his worst run since 2020, and he knows Red Bull have to get back on track after a shaky few weeks.
He told Sky Sports F1: "If I'd have started P1, of course there's a much better opportunity.
"I was just stuck in the train, saving my tyres so I can't optimise the pace – the race was all about damage limitation. I knew that.
"They're ahead of us. Sometimes McLaren, sometimes Mercedes, I think we were faster than Ferrari but coming from P11, didn't have enough time to pass them.
"We know we have work to do, we want to do better, we're not satisfied, but everyone is doing a great job and you have to take your hat off to that as well."
Verstappen's closest rival in the championship standings, Norris, could not gain ground on the three-time reigning champion, however.
And the McLaren driver lamented his errors over recent races.
"The strategy was good, in the end it seemed whoever undercut more, won the race," he told Sky Sports F1.
"We did what we thought was best. The pace in the car was good. Maybe I could have been more aggressive but I was happy otherwise.
"I felt the pace was good, the few laps I had clean, or behind Carlos [Sainz] when he went long, the car went good, came alive a little bit. The pace felt better, I just couldn't do anything with it.
"From the team side, super happy. I just feel the last few races I’ve messed up a lot, and given away a lot of points."
Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw by Regionalliga West side Duren Merzenich in the second match of their 2024-25 preseason preparations.
The Bundesliga giants, who thumped FC Rottach-Egern 14-1 in Vincent Kompany's first game in charge, were unable to make it two wins from two against their German fourth-tier opponents.
Kompany fielded a starting XI featuring the likes of Leon Goretzka, Kim Min-Jae, Raphael Guerreiro and Eric Dier, but they fell behind to Rafael Garcia's strike five minutes before half-time.
Bayern made eight changes in the 66th minute and, three minutes later, one of them equalised as 18-year-old Nestory Irankunda brought them back on level terms.
Next up for Kompany's side is a trip to the Far East, where they will play Premier League side Tottenham in Seoul on Saturday.
Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw by Regionalliga West side Duren Merzenich in the second match of their 2024-25 preseason preparations.
The Bundesliga giants, who thumped FC Rottach-Egern 14-1 in Vincent Kompany's first game in charge, were unable to make it two wins from two against their German fourth-tier opponents.
Kompany fielded a starting XI featuring the likes of Leon Goretzka, Kim Min-Jae, Raphael Guerreiro and Eric Dier, but they fell behind to Rafael Garcia's strike five minutes before half-time.
Bayern made eight changes in the 66th minute and, three minutes later, one of them equalised as 18-year-old Nestory Irankunda brought them back on level terms.
Next up for Kompany's side is a trip to the Far East, where they will play Premier League side Tottenham in Seoul on Saturday.
Lewis Hamilton admitted Mercedes did not expect to finish one-two at the Belgian Grand Prix after a poor start to the race weekend.
Hamilton finished half a second behind team-mate George Russell despite leading for large portions of the race and was unable to mount enough pressure to pip him over the finish line.
Mercedes had struggled in the practice sessions on Friday, though they improved in rainy conditions on Saturday, with Hamilton finishing fourth in qualifying, getting bumped up to P3 after Max Verstappen's 10-place grid penalty.
In the end, it was the tyre strategy that swayed in Russell's favour on Sunday, as he made just one stop compared to Hamilton’s two.
After a poor start to the season, Mercedes have now won three of the last four races, and Hamilton is proud of how the team have turned things around.
"No, we definitely didn't [expect that]," he said after the race. "First I have to say congratulations to George and to the team.
"We had such a disaster on Friday. The car was really nowhere.
"We made some changes, hard to see what it was going to feel like because of the wet yesterday, but the car was fantastic today, and we really owe it to everyone, both here doing a solid job with pit stops and strategy, and the guys back at the factory.
"I was trying to get closer [at the end] obviously, but George did a great job going long on the tyres. Every stint I had tyres left, but the team brought me in, so unfortunate, but it is one of those days."
Mercedes are fourth in the constructors' championship on 284 points, 56 behind third-place Ferrari.
However, Hamilton believes they still have a long way to go if they want to be considered one of the contenders for it, even with their impressive recent form.
"No. That would be high hopes," he added. "If we can continue these kind of performances, we've had the last few races, which has been fantastic. If we can start our weekends better, hopefully, we can continue.
"I think the McLaren was very strong today, but we were just a bit further ahead early on. We've just got to keep pushing."
George Russell celebrated an "amazing" win at Spa in the Belgian Grand Prix.
Russell edged out Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to triumph in a thrilling battle on Sunday.
It marked Russell's second win of the season, as he became only the second driver – after reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen – to win multiple races in 2024.
And a risky strategy that saw Russell only pit once ultimately paid off in style for Mercedes, who have won three of the last four races.
"Amazing," said Russell, who charged up from sixth on the grid.
"We definitely didn't predict this win this morning in our strategy meeting but the car was feeling really awesome.
"We made a lot of changes from Friday night and the tyres just felt great. I kept saying 'we can do the one stop'.
"[Oscar] Piastri did a really great job and also well done to Lewis – he really controlled that race and if circumstances were slightly different I am sure he would have got the victory but a one-two for the team was such an awesome result and such a great way to go into the break.
"Three wins for us now. I want another race next weekend. The team have been working so hard so well deserved for everybody."
Asked whose idea it was to go with just one pit stop, Russell said: "I was focusing a lot during the race so I will have to listen to the radio commentary back but it was a team effort.
"We rolled the dice but it was only possible because the car was feeling really great."
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff was thrilled the risk paid off.
He told Sky Sports: "It’s incredible. We were nowhere. We changed a few things on the car and today we’ve been clearly ahead of everyone.
"We didn't think it was possible but at a certain stage we said, let's stay out, because we were going to finish fifth anyway, both scenarios. He stayed out and in the end he made it last."
Mark Wood and Ben Stokes played starring roles as England cruised to complete a series sweep of West Indies at Edgbaston.
The Durham bowler took five wickets from just 21 balls as the hosts were bowled out for 175 before Stokes' swift knock of 57 completed his side's routine chase of 82 to wrap up a 3-0 win.
West Indies resumed at 33-2 on day three, and Mikyle Louis (57) and Kavem Hodge (55) both hit half-centuries as the visitors sought a response.
However, Louis, Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze all went to leave them at 151-5 at lunch.
Wood then took centre stage upon the resumption, taking five wickets in a single spell for the first time in his Test career for the loss of just nine runs.
That left England requiring just 82, and Stokes and Ben Duckett (25) wasted no time in sealing a comprehensive victory after just 7.2 overs.
Data Debrief: Speedy Stokes hits historic half-century
Since 1981, Ian Botham has held the distinction of scoring England's fastest half-century in Test cricket, taking just 28 balls to achieve the feat.
Fast-forward 43 years and Stokes snatched that record in spectacular fashion, reaching 50 in just 24 balls.
The skipper led from the front and finished in style with back-to-back sixes.
George Russell edged out team-mate Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes' upturn in form continued at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Like reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen last year, Russell charged up from sixth on the grid to triumph at Spa.
Russell nursed his tyres for over half of Sunday's race but came in around half a second quicker than seven-time world champion Hamilton, who had started in P3.
It marks Russell's second triumph of the season, and Mercedes' third win in the space of four races.
Oscar Piastri, who won the Hungarian Grand Prix last week, finished third, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who was unable to capitalise on pole position.
Indeed, Leclerc was overtaken by Hamilton early on, but the latter could not hold out as Russell's risky one-stop strategy paid off.
Leclerc did manage to hold off Verstappen, at least, who finished fifth as his attempt to become the third driver to win the Belgian Grand Prix on four straight occasions failed, albeit the Dutchman had to come from 11th, having been slapped with a 10-place grid penalty after clashing with Hamilton last week.
Lando Norris, Verstappen's closest challenger in the championship standings, completed the top six, but could not make any ground on the leader.
Data Debrief: Is Hamilton back?
It has been a long and winding, arduous road for Hamilton in recent seasons, but Mercedes have found their gear again, and even if he had to settle for second place this time around, the veteran campaigner appears to be close to his best.
He has now claimed three straight podium finishes for the first time since 2022.
His great rival Verstappen, meanwhile, has not won any of the last four races. That is the Red Bull star's worst run since the 2020 season when he went 11 without a win.
Verstappen needs a win, and quick, though he is 78 points clear at the top of the drivers' standings.
Top 10
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren)
7. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 275
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 197
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 174
Constructors
1. Red Bull - 404
2. McLaren - 361
3. Ferrari - 340
Ederson says he has yet to make a decision about his future at Manchester City amid interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
The Brazilian goalkeeper has been heavily linked with a move away from the Etihad this transfer window, with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr interested in his signature, though the latter reportedly pulled out of the race.
Pep Guardiola is keen to keep his goalkeeper at the club, saying "I wish from the bottom of my heart Eddie will continue with us" when asked about the prospect of him leaving.
Ederson has proved an integral figure for City since arriving from Benfica in 2017, making 332 appearances in all competitions and keeping 155 clean sheets.
The 30-year-old is currently on City's pre-season tour of the United States having missed the Copa America with an eye injury, and started their 3-2 defeat to Milan in New York on Saturday.
Speaking after that game, Ederson admitted he still did not know where his future lies, but welcomed the praise from Guardiola.
"There isn't a decision yet," he said. "To hear Pep saying that was very gratifying.
"It's now my eighth season with him, living many good moments, also some bad ones. He's a guy who is easy to work with, he's a football genius and everyone knows that. So, it's really good to hear that from him.
"I'm happy here, having a good moment with my team-mates. I'm enjoying as well to get my fitness back on track. I'm very calm, whatever happens is in God's hands and he knows the right way to go. Whatever he gives me I'll be happy with."
City's next friendly on their pre-season tour will see them face Guardiola's former side Barcelona in Orlando on Tuesday.
Barbora Krejcikova came from behind to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo and book her place in the women's singles second round at the Paris Olympics.
The reigning Wimbledon champion recovered from losing the opening set at Roland-Garros, where she eventually prevailed 4-6 6-0 7-6 (7-3) in just under three hours.
Krejcikova has fond memories of Court Philippe-Chatrier, lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for her maiden singles slam three years ago, but fell behind after she was broken three times in the opening set.
Nevertheless, the Czech came roaring back with a bagel to set up a deciding set, which came down to a tie-break, before she held her nerve to set up a second-round clash with Wang Xinyu.
Data Debrief: Eight straight wins for Krejcikova
It was not easy, but the reigning Wimbledon champion eventually built on her momentum from SW19, stretching her singles winning streak to eight matches.
Although beaten by eventual gold medallist Belinda Bencic in round three in Tokyo three years ago, Krejcikova did triumph in the women's doubles alongside compatriot Katerina Siniakova.
She will hope that previous podium experience will help drive her towards crowning a memorable year with another gold in Paris.
In the opening round of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Under-19 Boys and Girls Championships in Spanish Town, Jamaica, the Barbadian women’s team and the Jamaican men’s team secured victories on Saturday. Trinidad and Tobago's Under-19 women's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 defeat to Barbados, while hosts Jamaica's men blanked Aruba 25-21, 25-22, 25-20 in their opening match.
The six-time champions, T&T, struggled to find their rhythm early on in their first match of the preliminary rounds in Pool 'A' at the GC Foster College. The Barbadian team capitalized on this, taking the first set 25-17.
In the second set, T&T seemed to regain their footing, building a promising 13-8 lead. However, the Bajans demonstrated resilience, leveling the scores at 13-apiece and then surging ahead to win the set 25-21, thus securing a 2-0 lead in the match.
Determined to stay in the game, T&T mounted a comeback in the third set, winning 25-16 and reviving their hopes of turning the match around. This spirited performance extended the match to a fourth set. However, Barbados delivered a commanding performance in the fourth set, sealing their victory with a 25-13 win.
With this loss, T&T's path to the semifinals now hinges on their next match against host nation Jamaica. A victory is crucial for T&T to advance in the tournament.
Adding to the excitement of the opening round, Jamaica's men’s team delivered a strong performance against Aruba, winning their match in straight sets with scores of 25-21, 25-22, and 25-20. This victory set a positive tone for the host nation in the championships.
In other action on Saturday, the lone boys' match featured host Jamaica facing Curacao, adding to the competitive spirit of the championships. The wins for Barbados Women and Jamaica's Men have set the stage for an exciting tournament ahead.
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