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• Pope's exposure to captaincy will help England, says returning Stokes

  Ben Stokes believes Ollie Pope's brief foray into Test captaincy will be beneficial for England in the future ahead of his return to the fold against Pakistan.

  Pope captained England in the absence of Stokes, leading his side to three victories from four matches, which included their 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka last month. 

  The 21-year-old also helped England seal a record-breaking innings and 47-run triumph over Pakistan in the first of their three-match series in Multan. 

  Stokes injured his hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred in August, but replaces Chris Woakes for the second Test after fully recovering. 

  Matthew Potts comes in for Gus Atkinson, though Stokes is confident that Pope's time being a top-order batter alongside the captaincy will stand him in good stead in the future.

  "Authority, just that word in itself, can come across a bit like a dictator. No one in that dressing room certainly is that," Stokes told Sky Sports.

  "I said it before when asked about this, being stand-in captain is harder than being captain because you know you are only doing it for a certain amount of games, and you are trying to still push forward what the current captain is doing.

  "Popey has been involved under my captaincy from day one, so there was a lot of easy and natural ways to continue doing that, but what he also did was put his own stamp on things which were massively encouraged by myself and Baz [McCullum].

  "For such a young player who has got quite a lot of experience now, having that exposure to being a top-order batter, but also captain will be really, really good for him in the long-term and I think he has done a great job.

  "His winning percentage is better than mine. I think - winning three out of four Tests - he has done a great job and should be very proud of what he has achieved while I have been injured."

  While Stokes allowed Pope to take the reins, he was in and around the camp throughout his recovery, ensuring his influence was still heard in the dressing room. 

  He watched on as Joe Root, who overtook Alastair Cook as England's highest Test run-scorer of all time, and Harry Brook led their revival against Pakistan on day four.

  Root's knock of 262 was his sixth double-century, and in the same innings, shared an England record stand of 454 with Brook - breaking Peter May and Colin Cowdrey's 67-year record of 411 at Edgbaston in 1957.

  Despite watching on the sidelines during the home series against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Pakistan, Stokes is sure the England players are buying into the message he and head coach Brendon McCullum are trying to convey.

  "When you are out in the middle, there are a few things you don't get the chance to see or observe because you are thinking about other things," Stokes said.

  "But when you are actually sitting on the sidelines, you realise how committed everyone out on the field is to the very small things that me and Baz ask of everyone.

  "Running after the ball to the boundary, backing the bowlers up, all the small things that in the bigger picture mean a hell of a lot.

  "When the bowlers are bowling in this heat and see the ball hit through the field and someone sprinting chasing after it to stop a boundary, pulling out a dive.

  "They don't always get there, but it is that sense that we are all in it together which is one of the most notable things for me, especially when you are the person trying to deliver those words."

• Fowler-Nembhard to lead strong Sunshine Girls squad for Horizon home and away series against England

  Netball Jamaica has announced a powerful 15-member Sunshine Girls squad for the upcoming Horizon Home and Away Series, set to be contested over four games between Jamaica and England. The series, which will begin in Manchester, England, on November 16 and 17, before shifting to Kingston for the final two matches on November 25 and 26, promises to be an intense showdown between two of the world’s top netball teams.

   Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, Jamaica’s ace shooter and captain, will once again lead the Sunshine Girls as they prepare to take on England, the number 3 ranked team in the world. Fowler-Nembhard, who played a pivotal role in the team’s bronze medal performance at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, will be at the helm of a squad that blends seasoned international stars with emerging talents.

   The 12-member squad traveling to England includes a mix of attacking powerhouses and defensive stalwarts. Alongside Fowler-Nembhard, Shanice Beckford, Mischa Creary, and Rhea Dixon will lead the attack, while the center court will be commanded by Abigale Sutherland, Khadijah Williams, Crystal Plummer, and Theresa Beckford. On the defensive end, Shamera Sterling Humphrey, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Latanya Wilson, and Jody-Ann Ward will provide the backbone for the Sunshine Girls.

   Three members of the current Fast 5 squad—Zaudi Green, Kimone Shaw, and Simone Gordon—will join the team for the Kingston leg of the series, further strengthening the squad as they face England in front of their home crowd.

   Newly appointed head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry expressed confidence in her team’s ability to rise to the occasion. "It will be two weeks of high-intensity, top-quality netball action at home and away. We just want all netball fans to come out and support the girls for the games in Kingston," Henry said. "We are happy that our full senior squad is fit and ready for action, and that the new members of the team will have a chance to be fully integrated."

   The Sunshine Girls, ranked 4th in the world, are looking forward to an exciting series. Captain Fowler-Nembhard shared her enthusiasm, noting the significance of the rivalry between Jamaica and England. "We are always happy to be on court, and England and Jamaica are the number 3 and number 4 ranked teams in the world. We are expecting the usual high-energy support from the Jamaican fans in England and hoping this series will help us to improve our ranking," said Fowler-Nembhard.

   The Horizon Home and Away Series kicks off at the AO Arena in Manchester on November 16 and 17 before concluding at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) in Kingston on November 25 and 26. Tickets for the series will go on sale next week.

  The Sunshine Girls squad will be supported by specialist coach Rob Wright, performance analyst Kyle Hendricks, and team managers Roxan Long and Lydia Wilks. Team doctor Dr. Michelle Holt and physiotherapists Nicole Reid and Orianna Blackwood will also be on hand to ensure the team is in peak condition. Simone Forbes will serve as head of delegation.

   Netball fans can expect an exhilarating series as Jamaica aims to shine on both home and foreign soil against one of their fiercest rivals.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Guardiola has 'not decided anything' amid England job speculation

  Pep Guardiola has played down expectations that he has decided to take over as the next permanent England manager.

  The 53-year-old would be a popular choice for the job, given the success that has followed him at every club since becoming a manager.

  Guardiola has won six Premier League titles at City, including each of the last four, while he won three league titles each with Bayern Munich and Barcelona. He is also a three-time Champions League winner and 10-time domestic cup winner as a manager.

  But when asked about the England job amid reports claiming his next step had been decided, he was not drawn on any speculation.

  "It's not true. I'm Manchester City manager," he told Che Tempo Che Fa, as per transfer football expert Fabrizio Romano.

  But despite his dismissive comments, Guardiola stopped short of shutting down the rumours that he could be considering becoming the next England manager.

  "I've not decided anything, everything can happen. So I don't know," he said.

  "Let's see on my future. I still need to reflect and decide what I want to do."

  Guardiola's contract at City is up at the end of the 2024-25 season, with the Spaniard yet to make a decision on his future at the club.

  Alongside any potential sanctions that City might face in their long-running battle with the Premier League, speculation about their manager's future has been rife in recent months.

  He is far and away City's most successful manager of all time, maintaining a win percentage of over 70% after 483 matches in charge, while he is second to Alex Ferguson as the manager with the most Premier League titles.