Browsing: Defeat

India suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of England in the ICC Women’s World Cup in Indore (Images via AP) Indore: What transpired here has to be one of the most heart-breaking defeats ever suffered by the Indian Womenâ€s cricket team, and it puts their qualification to the semifinals of the 2025 Womenâ€s ODI World Cup in real danger.Riding on fine half-centuries by senior batters Smriti Mandhana (88 from 84 deliveries), captain Harmanpreet Kaur (70 runs from as many balls) and Deepti Sharma, who produced a brilliant all-round performance (50 from 57 deliveries and 4-51 in 10 overs), India looked set to chase down 289, which wouldâ€ve been their highest-ever run chase in WODIs, but fell just four runs short on a smoggy night at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.Pulling off a thrilling win by keeping their nerves, England became the third team after Australia and South Africa to qualify for the semifinals, while India, who suffered their third loss in a row, must now defeat New Zealand at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on October 23 to sneak in as the fourth semifinalists. This was also the first time that the Indian women’s team played a WODI at the Holkar Stadium.The star of Englandâ€s victory was their former captain Heather Knight, who was removed as the skipper last year after England exited the semifinals of the Womenâ€s T20 World Cup and lost the Ashes to Australia 16-0. Playing in her landmark 300th international match, Knight indeed proved to be England’s ‘Knight in shining armour’ as she smashed a splendid century (109 off 91 balls, featuring 15 boundaries and a six) which helped her team post a competitive 288 for eight against the hosts. India needed 14 off the last over with allrounders Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana in the middle, but left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who conceded just 1-40 in 10 overs in a high-scoring game, gave away just nine. Chasing 289 under lights, India suffered two early blows when opener Pratika Rawal (6) was caught behind off Lauren Bell in the third over, who returned to action after missing the last match due to illness and number 3 batter Harleen Deol (24 off 31 balls) caught plumb in front while trying to play across to off-spinner Charlie Dean. The duo of Harmanpreet and Mandhana put on 125 in 122 balls for the third wicket to raise visions of an easy win, but India kept losing wickets at the wrong time. Trying to cut the ball repeatedly towards third man, Harmanpreet was caught at short third off England captain Nat-Sciver Brunt in the 31st over. Tiring due to cramps, Mandhana holed out to long off off Smith in the 42nd over. Sciver-Brunt then had Richa Ghosh (eight off 10 balls) caught at cover in the 46th over, and suddenly, India, falling behind the required run rate, had no one to force the pace. Once Deepti slog-swept Sophie Ecclestone to deep mid-wicket in the 47th over, the game was in Englandâ€s hands. Earlier, displaying her amazing prowess at sweeping the spinners, the 34-year-old Knight powered to her third ODI ton and highest-ever score in WODIs. Rotating the strike brilliantly while unleashing boundaries too, she stitched a 113-run stand off 106 deliveries with skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt.Earlier in the competition, against Bangladesh in Guwahati, England had slipped to a precarious 103 for 6, before their former captain took them home with an unbeaten 79.However, it wasn’t just Knight alone who stamped her authority on the game. At a time when India were searching for answers after ‘keeper-bat Amy Jones (56 off 68) and Tammy Beaumont (22 off 43) provided England with a steady 73-run start in 97 balls, Deepti brought India back in the game by scalping both the wickets. Deepti finished with her best-ever figures in ODI World Cups and with 13 sticks in five matches, stands apart as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament.After Knight was finally gone – run out due to a brilliant work at deep square leg by Amanjot Kaur, who recovered quickly after a misfield and fired in a pin-point accurate throw in the 45th over – India bounced back in sensational fashion, taking five wickets for 39 runs. In fact, all that England, with their middle-order frailties exposed once again, managed to score, was 42 runs in their last six overs, losing five wickets, with two of them being run outs. Things wouldâ€ve been worse for England had they not managed to take 11 off the final over of the innings, bowled by Shree Charani.

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Introduced into the attack in the 16th over, Deepti dislodged Beaumont’s leg stump after the batter missed a sweep, thus recording her 150th WODI scalp in her 117th WODI.Making a comeback at the expense of batter Jemimah Rodrigues, seamer Renuka Singh Thakur justified Indiaâ€s decision to play six bowlers by conceding 0-37 in eight overs, though she failed to make an early strike.

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Harshit Rana of India (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) India face mounting pressure following their disappointing loss in the first ODI against Australia at Perth’s Optus Stadium. The match, which was initially anticipated as a celebratory return for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, resulted in India conceding a 1-0 series lead.Australia won the toss and elected to field first. The Indian batting lineup struggled to cope with the challenging conditions in a rain-affected match.India managed to score 136/9 in their allocated 26 overs, with the target being adjusted to 131 for Australia through DRS. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had brief stays at the crease, scoring 8 off 14 balls and 0 off 6 balls respectively.In the bowling department, Arshdeep Singh provided an early breakthrough by dismissing Travis Head. However, the Australian team comfortably achieved the target with seven wickets in hand and 29 balls remaining.The entire Indian bowling attack appeared ineffective, with Harshit Rana receiving particularly harsh criticism from fans. His selection for the series has been a topic of debate, with some suggesting his inclusion was influenced by his association with coach Gautam Gambhir.Rana’s performance in his four-over spell yielded no wickets while conceding 27 runs. This outcome has intensified the scrutiny surrounding his selection and capabilities at the international level.The Indian team now needs to regroup quickly as they prepare for the second match of the three-game series. The upcoming game is scheduled for October 23rd in Adelaide.The pressure will be particularly intense for Harshit Rana, who needs to prove his worth at the international level. A loss in the next match would put India in a difficult position to salvage the series.The match has highlighted concerns about team selection and performance under pressure. The Indian team’s ability to bounce back will be tested in the upcoming Adelaide fixture.The rain-interrupted nature of the first match added to the complexity of the game, but the overall performance has raised questions about the team’s adaptability in challenging conditions.India’s batting collapse in the shortened format and the inability of their bowling unit to defend even a modest target has become a point of concern for the team management.The return of senior players Rohit and Kohli was expected to strengthen the team, but their early dismissals contributed to India’s struggles in the match.The upcoming match in Adelaide presents an opportunity for the team to address these issues and level the series. The focus will be on both individual and collective improvement.Australia’s commanding performance in chasing down the target has put additional pressure on India to respond strongly in the second ODI.The loss has sparked discussions about team selection strategies and the balance between giving opportunities to new players while maintaining team performance at the international level.The team management faces the challenge of making necessary adjustments while maintaining confidence in their selected players ahead of the crucial second match.

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October 19, 2025 | Tony Oswick

Brotherhood A took the honours in this weekâ€s battle of the big guns in Division Oneof the Clacton League, beating reigning champions and title favourites Nomads Panthers 6-4.

Daniel Youngâ€s (pictured above, photo by Gavin Price) hat-trick for Brotherhood included impressive victories over last yearâ€s Closed Championship finalists James Denyer and Greg Green. Gary Young contributed two wins and Gracie Edwards one, while Denyer took two for the Panthers.

Somewhat surprisingly, only four of the individual matches were extended to a fourth set. It was the Panthers†first defeat since January 2024.

Elsewhere, Nomads Lions continued their perfect start to the season with another whitewash win, this time over the unfortunate Windsor Buzzards. Ethan Lloyd, Paul Hume and Martyn Green were this weekâ€s winning combination.

Windsor Eagles took four of the five of the matches which went the distance to run out narrow 6-4 winners against Walton A, Gary Cattermole undefeated for Windsor. Phil Smith won one, a tight 11-9 in the fifth against Paul Meikle, whilst it was an even tighter 12-10 in the fifth for Gavin Price against former team-mate Derek Willis. Crucially, Cattermole and Price took the doubles, 11-8 in the fifth, against Willis and Mark Gale. Gale was Waltonâ€s best player, winning two.

It was somewhat more comfortable in a second Windsor v Walton clash, the Hawks easing past Walton B 9-1. Andy Vincent and Felipe Rodriguez both took trebles and Scott Campbell two, Graham Buxtonâ€s win over Campbell preventing a Hawks†whitewash. Only three individual matches went beyond three sets.

An all-Brotherhood clash ended in an 8-2 victory for the ‘B†team over the ‘C†team. Patrick Cheung won three, and Simon Smith-Daye and Russell Hillier two each. There was a point each for Graham Playle and John Cleasby, Cleasby defying the odds to enjoy an excellent victory over Smith-Daye.

There was another surprise in Division Two where promoted Brotherhood J defeated Lawford 8-2. Joe Sherwin and Ruby Gallagher took hat-tricks, Gallagher defeating Charlie Denholm 11-6 in the decider and Ian Sherwood 11-8 in the decider. The only other match which went the distance saw Sherwin and Gallagher take the doubles 11-6 in the fifth against Denholm and Sherwood.

Brotherhood G notched up their second 7-3 victory in as many weeks, this time defeating club-mates Brotherhood D. John Gallagher remained unbeaten for the winners, with Paul Metcalf taking two and Mark Beckham one.

And there was a third Brotherhood victory in this Division as the ‘F†side enjoyed a convincing 8-2 success over Windsor Harriers, Mark Salter staying unbeaten. Paul Alden and Tricia Salter each won two, Tricia in fine fettle to beat both Isabel Barton and Ferdy Rodriguez, the latter match a nail-biting 11-9 in the fifth. Barry Allen picked up both Harriers†points.

Another maximum for Kelvin Olano-Harper was not enough to prevent Windsor Penguins going down 6-4 to Nomads Jaguars, for whom Andy Hart and Chris Petrou each won two. Paul Woolnough took one for the Penguins but lost 11-5 in the fifth to Hart and 11-8 in the fifth to Petrou.

It was also 6-4 as Windsor Kestrels defeated a Nomads Tigers†side fielding a reserve. Jonathan Foundâ€s treble for the Kestrels included an 11-9 in the decider win over Tom Wilkin. The Tigers†points were shared between Wilkin and Alex Baldock, each winning twice.

In Division Three, Walton C began their campaign with a 6-4 win over Holland Lancasters. Lynette Sparks won three, Maggie Earle two and Adrian Sexton one. Peter Evans notched up two for the Lancasters and Dave Wright one, the pair doing well as they combined to take the doubles against Sparks and Earle.

It was a first match of the season also for Nomads Leopards and they also started with a win, 8-2 against Windsor Falcons. Dominic Joannou and returning super-veteran Doug Green both recorded trebles, as well as sharing a doubles success. Anne Bonny took the eighth Leopards†point, whilst there was a point apiece for Windsorâ€s Gary Barnes and Matt Thomas.

No-one remained unbeaten in the Holland Vulcans v Brotherhood E encounter, the match ending all-square. Bob Keefe and Derek Foxley each won two for the Vulcans, as did Tony Edmonds and Jack Hillier for Brotherhood. Brotherhood will feel grateful to have taken all three five-setters, Edmonds beating Keefe 11-9 in the decider, Joe Hillier beating James Horsler by the same score, with the two Hilliers taking the doubles by an even closer 13-11 in the decider against Keefe and Foxley.

Finally, Holland Hurricanes won 8-2 against a Nomads Ocelots†team forced to field a guest player. Gary Stallwood remained unbeaten for the winners while Mike Wellum took both points for the losers.

* It was with great sadness that the League has learned of the death recently of Arthur Wells-Garrett. Arthur had been playing in the League since 2016 and had become a regular in the Nomads Ocelots side. A quiet, friendly and likeable man, and never one to seek the limelight, he had developed into a reliable and good standard Third Division player. We send our sincere condolences to his family.

RESULTS
Division 1
Windsor Eagles 6 Walton A 4
Brotherhood A 6 Nomads Panthers 4
Walton B 1 Windsor Hawks 9
Brotherhood B 8 Brotherhood C 2
Nomads Lions 10 Windsor Buzzards 0
Division 2
Lawford 2 Brotherhood J 8
Windsor Penguins 4 Nomads Jaguars 6
Brotherhood G 7 Brotherhood D 3
Windsor Kestrels 6 Nomads Tigers 4
Brotherhood F 8 Windsor Harriers 2
Division 3
Holland Vulcans 5 Brotherhood E 5
Holland Lancasters 4 Walton C 6
Nomads Ocelots 2 Holland Hurricanes 8
Nomads Leopards 8 Windsor Falcons 2

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Getting booed off after your first match, and booed off with a fair degree of vituperation to boot, was not how Jack Wilshere intended his managerial career to begin. But that was what he endured as he led his players off the Kenilworth Road pitch past a seething Luton fanbase, who two years ago were loving life in the Premier League.

A 2-0 defeat by Nigel Cloughâ€s Mansfield was no disgrace, a finely balanced contest decided by the chances Luton failed to take and those that Mansfield didnâ€t. It was a loss that left the hosts 14th in League One, eight points off the playoff spots, but Clough was positive about Lutonâ€s prospects of turning things around under Wilshere, and surely that is correct. It would be wrong, though, not to note that there was an eerie note of fatalism in the ground, even as an apparent new era was only just getting under way.

Wilshere said the end of the match would not tarnish his memory of the beginning, when the former Arsenal star was serenaded on to the pitch with chants of “Super Jack†and the crowd were on their feet applauding. “It was probably one of the best moments of my career,†he said. “I felt the love, I heard the noise.†He also put the result down to technical errors, albeit mistakes that allowed a longstanding lack of confidence among his players to come to the surface.

“When you come from the Premier League straight to League One in two seasons, there obviously is something [going on],†he said. “So we knew that, we have to find out what it is, and I think we know what it is. We just have to find ways of being able to give the players more confidence. Iâ€ve said to them before, I want them to really feel the belief I have in them, and that doesnâ€t change.â€

Quick GuideLeague One roundup: Salech on target as Cardiff take top spotShow

Reyes Cleary’s stunning goal for Barnsley from inside his own half was the highlight of a 2-2 draw at Bradford, with the Bantams manager, Graham Alexander, calling the 60-yard strike “world class”. Patrick Kelly earned the visitors a point, cancelling out goals from Antoni Sarcevic and Stephen Humphrys.

Yousef Salech fired Cardiff to the top of the League One table in a 2-1 home win over Reading. Lewis Wing had given the hosts the lead, but after Omari Kellyman had pegged them back, Salech struck to secure the three points. That was enough to ease the Welsh side above Stevenage, who lost 1-0 at Lincoln after Rob Street’s first league goal for the Imps. AFC Wimbledon are level on 25 points with Stevenage and Bradford after a 2-1 win at Plymouth thanks to goals from Omar Bugiel and Marcus Browne, as are Stockport, who beat Exeter 1-0 with Nathan Lowe the scorer.

Jack Wilshere’s first game as Luton manager ended in defeat as his side went down 2-0 at home to Mansfield. Hatters striker Nahki Wells saw a first-half penalty saved before Rhys Oates and, from the spot, Tyler Roberts struck for the visitors. Northampton’s Sam Hoskins was also successful from 12 yards in a 2-1 win at Doncaster, who had taken the lead through Ben Close before Ethan Wheatley levelled.

Archie Collins handed Peterborough a 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Burton despite Tom Lees’ late red card, and Sam Nombe was Rotherham’s match winner as they beat Leyton Orient by the same scoreline.

Maleace Asamoah fired Wigan to a 1-0 home victory over Port Vale despite playing the second half with 10 men after Dara Costelloe’s dismissal, while managerless Blackpool surrendered two points at home to Wycombe when Jack Grimmer cancelled out Ashley Fletcher’s goal in the 12th minute of stoppage time. PA Media

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The link between a team and its fans is almost as crucial to a clubâ€s success as that between players and coach. When one side is at odds with the other, bad results often follow. Increasingly in the modern era, however, fans and players seem to mirror each other. That lack of confidence and belief Wilshere noted in his players, was also clearly detectable among the support.

Luton recorded their biggest crowd of the season, at 11,784, but the atmosphere in the town and around the ground was subdued. Among the crowd was Elk Walsh, from Adelaide, who had followed Luton all of his life because of his parents†affiliations and was now making his first trip to the ground. Walsh described himself as “eternally hopeful†in the manner you would expect from someone who had flown across the world to watch lower league football. But he also described Wilshereâ€s appointment as “spinning the wheel†and was still upset at the clubâ€s decision to dispense with the stalwart midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu in the summer. More frustrating still, he said, was his teamâ€s failure to score goals: “I feel like weâ€re never going to score sometimes, like weâ€re battling against an invisible force and I donâ€t understand why.â€

Luton fans display a welcome message to the new manager, Jack Wilshere, and the assistant, Chris Powell, at the start of the match. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

That invisible force was present on the Kenilworth Road pitch again as Luton emerged from a sticky opening period to take control of the game, but never scored. Their best player, Jordan Clark, who sat in Wilshereâ€s old No 10 position and impressed with some delicate touches, saw a beautiful effort clawed out of a top corner by Mansfieldâ€s Liam Roberts on the half-hour. Almost immediately after he won a penalty with a slaloming run, only for Nahki Wells to strike a tame effort into Robertsâ€s midriff. Seven minutes after that, Wells misplaced a pass awfully in the centre of the field and the Mansfield striker Rhys Oates was able to hit an effort almost identical to Clarkâ€s, albeit with the one key difference that it flew into the back of the net.

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From then on there was no sense that a team who have lost 53 games in the past two and a bit seasons were going to turn things around. An ungainly handball on the hour led to a penalty which Tyler Roberts rolled past Josh Keeley, and Mansfield eased their way to victory. Luton, meanwhile, struggled to make a pass or take a decision that wasnâ€t the wrong one.

How do a club and the town they belong to pull themselves out of a spiral of doom and gloom? For Wilshere it is a case of sticking together, learning lessons and building confidence. For Clough, who had taken charge of a remarkable 1,544th game as a manager and has Mansfield ninth, there is also a question of expectations and perspective. “Weâ€re at Mansfield enjoying life in League One,†he said. “Weâ€ve been in it for a season and a bit now, the first time that the club has stayed in the division for 35 years. So weâ€re enjoying ourselves and if we get anywhere near the top six, itâ€ll be a major bonus. Luton are expected to be in that top six, and itâ€s a different thing to deal with. Completely different.â€

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India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, right, and Chirag Shetty in action (Claus Fisker/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) In a thrilling men’s doubles semifinal at the Denmark Open Super 750, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lost to Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi on Saturday.The Asian Games champions, who had recently reached finals in both Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750, showed resilience after losing the first game but ultimately fell short with scores of 21-23, 21-18, 16-21.The intense 68-minute match featured fast-paced exchanges and sharp rallies, marking the end of India’s campaign at the USD 950,000 tournament.The world No. 7 Indian pair entered the match as favourites with a 4-1 head-to-head advantage and three consecutive wins against the Japanese duo. However, the 2021 world champions Hoki and Kobayashi demonstrated superior coordination and precision at crucial moments.The opening game saw the Indians take an early 4-1 lead, but unforced errors allowed the Japanese pair to move ahead 5-4. Kobayashi’s angled smashes and Hoki’s returns helped them build a lead of 11-6 at the interval.After the break, Satwik and Chirag improved their rhythm, narrowing the gap to 12-13 and eventually levelling at 14-14.The Japanese secured the first game 23-21 after saving two game points, with Chirag’s final serve return hitting the net.In the second game, the Indians showed better form with Chirag’s aggressive net play and strategic placement, maintaining a lead at 16-14.They successfully closed the second game 21-18, with Chirag’s cross return forcing a decisive third game.The final game began as an intense battle of angles and reflexes. Despite good line judgments from Chirag keeping the score level at 5-5, errors gave the Japanese an 8-6 lead.The Indians briefly led 11-10 at the break, but the Japanese pair increased their intensity afterwards, winning a 31-shot rally to take a 13-11 lead. Hoki and Kobayashi maintained their momentum with steep attacks and better anticipation, extending their lead to 17-13.Despite a brief comeback attempt by the Indians reducing the gap to 16-19, a net error from Chirag gave the Japanese four match points.Kobayashi sealed their first final appearance of the year with a precise return, ending the match at 21-16 in the deciding game.

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  Alden GonzalezOct 16, 2025, 09:09 PM ET

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  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.

LOS ANGELES — In the final inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday, a 3-1 victory that put the Los Angeles Dodgers a win away from another pennant, Mookie Betts evoked visions of Derek Jeter.

Betts ranged to his right, backhanded an Andrew Vaughn grounder, leaped and threw to first to complete a play made iconic by the former New York Yankees captain. A converted right fielder, Betts had never practiced that play and had barely ever thought to attempt it. That he dared to in that moment spoke volumes not only of his confidence at the position, but of the conviction his team has carried throughout October.

The Dodgers, coming off an underwhelming 93-win regular season, have played in nine postseason games this year and lost only once. They breezed past the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round, dispatched the star-laden Philadelphia Phillies in four Division Series games and have since held the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Brewers to three runs in 27 innings in this NLCS. With a win in Friday’s Game 4 — with Shohei Ohtani back on the mound — the Dodgers will return to the World Series after a sweep.

These days, everything seems to come easy.

“We just have a lot of guys with experience, and we know what it takes to win the big games,” Dodgers infielder Tommy Edman said. “We have a lot of confident guys in the room, not in a bad way or in an arrogant way or anything like that, but guys are very confident in their ability. And it comes from having gotten it done in the past.”

It was less than 12 months ago that the Dodgers got it done, riding a resilient group of relievers to their first full-season championship in 36 years. Now, behind a starting rotation that is every bit as deep and overwhelming as last year’s bullpen, the Dodgers are one win away from joining the 2009 Phillies as the first team to return to the World Series one year after winning it. Five more wins, and they’ll become the first team to win back-to-back titles in a quarter century.

“We’re up,” Betts said. “But, you know, like [former Lakers great] Kobe [Bryant] said, ‘The job’s not done.’ So, we’ve got to keep going and just keep applying pressure.”

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Tyler Glasnow took the ball three days after Blake Snell shut out the Brewers through eight innings in Game 1 and two days after Yoshinobu Yamamoto twirled nine innings of one-run ball in Game 2, producing baseball’s first postseason complete game in eight years. The Brewers threatened early, as four of their first eight batters reached base, but Glasnow cruised thereafter, striking out six of seven batters in the third and fourth innings and pitching into the sixth with only a run across.

The most encouraging development followed. Glasnow issued a two-out walk to Vaughn in the sixth, his pitch count already at 99, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walked out of the dugout. He sought 10 outs from a bullpen that had been a major problem area all year and got it from Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda and Roki Sasaki, four relievers who combined to allow just one baserunner.

“I think the thing about our guys is they’re battle-tested, and they know that I’ve never lost faith in them,” Roberts said. “They’ve never lost confidence in each other. So, to see what they’re doing right now, I’m not surprised. We knew all along we were going to need these guys. And these guys are delivering, which is huge. We’re doing a great job of preventing runs. And the bullpen deserves a lot of credit.”

So does the Dodgers’ defense, which has been stellar in the playoffs. It was obvious again in Thursday’s second inning, when the Brewers tied the score at 1 and placed a runner on third with one out.

The Dodgers had their infield drawn in when Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz reached out for a curveball and produced a sharp grounder to the left side. Max Muncy, the Dodgers’ third baseman who helped execute the memorable wheel play in Philadelphia during the previous round, made a sliding catch to his left, turned and fired a perfect throw to Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who applied the tag to get the lead runner.

The Brewers placed only one more runner in scoring position the rest of the game.

“It was kind of a big moment,” Muncy said.

Another big moment occurred in the sixth inning. Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers’ hard-throwing sensation, relieved opener Aaron Ashby in the first inning and stifled the Dodgers’ hitters while pitching in the shadows. When Misiorowski caught Betts looking at a 99 mph fastball on the outside corner, it marked his ninth strikeout, the third most in postseason history by a reliever. But Smith followed with a sharp single, Freddie Freeman drew a walk, and Edman produced what became the game-winning hit by lining a low slider into center field.

Misiorowski was 73 pitches in by that point, the most he had thrown in a game since Sept. 19. Abner Uribe, who later allowed a third run to score with an errant pickoff throw, was ready in the bullpen.

“Abner has not been throwing the ball like he normally has,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I had to make a decision on who’s a better matchup. Miz was the best player on the field for us today, and he was fantastic. I knew he was getting to the end because that’s his pitch-count kind of thing, but in a game like this, I wanted to give him a chance to get out of that.”

Before these Dodgers, the 1999 Yankees were the last defending champions to win eight of their first nine postseason games and the last defending champions to take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series, according to ESPN Research. The Dodgers are also the last team since the 1996 Atlanta Braves — headlined by Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz — to allow no more than a run in four consecutive playoff games.

The Dodgers still feel as if they can be better offensively — as evidenced by Ohtani going 3-for-29 since the wild-card round — but they have the look of a team that no longer believes it can be beaten.

“When the postseason rolls around, we all kind of lean on each other a little harder,” Vesia said. “One-hundred and sixty-two games is a long season. Things go our way, things don’t. But it is a breath of fresh air when October rolls around.”

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England avoided a shock defeat by Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup, being saved by heavy rain in Colombo.

An inspired bowling performance from Pakistan saw England slump to 79-7 after 25 overs before the first heavy downpour began.

After a lengthy delay, the rain eased and play resumed at 31 overs per side, with England posting 133-9 after a useful stand of 47 between Charlie Dean, who top-scored with 33, and Em Arlott.

Pakistan were set a revised target of 113 and made a promising start by reaching 34-0 before the rain resumed and denied them a historic victory, which would have been their first one-day international win over England.

It was a fortunate escape for England who suffered their second batting scare of the tournament, after they recovered from 78-5 to beat Bangladesh, and a big wake-up call before their toughest challenges against India and Australia which come next.

Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side were outplayed by Pakistan, who are winless in the tournament so far, as five wickets fell in the powerplay, including another failure for the opening partnership. Tammy Beaumont was the first to fall, bowled after leaving a superb delivery from Diana Baig which nipped back sharply.

Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana then starred with three wickets, bowling Amy Jones for eight, before claiming the two vital scalps of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight, bowled and lbw for four and 18 respectively.

Without their two most experienced players, England were exposed and caught between attack and defence.

Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey were lbw sweeping and Emma Lamb’s struggles at number six continued as she was bowled by spinner Sadia Iqbal for four.

Capsey and Charlie Dean withstood Pakistan’s array of spinners for 70 balls but only added 21 runs before the pressure told on the former, but Dean was proactive once play resumed by adding valuable runs with Arlott.

Pakistan openers Omaima Sohail and Muneeba Ali were confident at the beginning of their reply and England were sloppy with the ball, but it is another heartbreak for them having reduced defending champions Australia to 76-7 before that game also slipped from their grasp.

England now travel to Indore to face India and Australia before they conclude the group stage against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, where flatter pitches are expected at both venues.

They will be hopeful Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, who were left out of the XI in Colombo for Sarah Glenn and Em Arlott, will recover from illness in time.

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Emma Raducanu again struggled physically in a first-round exit at the Ningbo Open to Chinaâ€s Zhu Lin, raising questions over the rest of her season.

The British No1 was back on court a week after retiring from her opening match in Wuhan with dizziness in hot and humid conditions. She posted a picture on social media from a doctorâ€s office and said she felt better but she faded after winning the opening set against Zhu and slumped to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 defeat.

Initially, there did not appear to be any concerns, with temperatures lower than last week, but Raducanu began to look lethargic early in the second set and called the doctor after seven games.

Things got worse in the decider, the 2021 US Open champion seeking medical attention again – this time for her troublesome lower back – and limping to the finish line.

Raducanu was without her coach Francisco Roig, with the Spaniard taking a week off back at home in Barcelona and instead had hitting partner Alexis Canter courtside along with physical trainer Daniel Pohl.

Canter offered plenty of encouragement as Raducanu managed to keep her nose in front during the first set, despite appearing frustrated at how she was playing and dropping serve twice.

The looks turned to concern in the second set as the 22-year-old quickly fell 2-0 behind, moving sluggishly and being outhit by Zhu, who was ranked just outside the top 30 two years ago before injury saw her drop below 200.

Raducanu kept herself in contention in the set, pulling back to 2-2 and then 4-4 following consultation with the doctor, where she had her blood pressure checked, but she netted a forehand on set point in the 10th game.

She walked slowly off court for a bathroom break but things did not improve, with Raducanuâ€s back problem, which has been an issue at times throughout the season, flaring up again.

She doubled over repeatedly early in the decider and then took a medical timeout for treatment after three games. Raducanu opted not to retire again but she was barely able to move and the end came quickly.

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Swedenâ€s faint hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were all-but extinguished as the 2018 quarter-finalists lost 1-0 against Kosovo in Stockholm. Fisnik Asllani fired a first-half effort that allowed the Kosovans to complete a remarkable double over their opponents and boost their own hopes of booking at least a playoff place.

Sweden – who featured £125m man Alexander Isak up front alongside Viktor Gyökeres– remain rooted to the bottom of Group B on one point. Isak, who played another 90 minutes after doing the same in the 2-0 defeat to Switzerland on Friday, failed to find the target as he continues to work his way back to fitness following his summer move from Newcastle to Liverpool. Leaders Switzerland dropped their first points of the campaign as they were held to a goalless draw by Slovenia in Ljubljana.

Group D leaders France dropped their first points of the campaign as they drew 2-2 with Iceland in Reykjavik. Didier Deschamps took his side into the game knowing they could seal their ticket to the finals if they won and second-placed Ukraine failed to beat Azerbaijan in the other match.

But the night did not go to plan as Victor Palsson gave the hosts a 39th-minute lead, and despite two goals in five second-half minutes from Christopher Nkunku and Jean-Philippe Mateta putting France ahead, Kristian Hlynssonâ€s 70th-minute effort gave Iceland a point.

A win would not have been enough anyway for Deschamps†men as Ukraine nudged to a 2-1 win over Azerbaijan in Krakow.

Slovakia stay level on points with Germany at the top of the group after second-half goals from Adam Obert and Ivan Schranz completed an unconvincing 2-0 win over Luxembourg in Trnava.

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In Walesâ€s group, North Macedonia were held to a 1-1 draw by Kazakhstan in Skopje.

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While he was content with their defensive efforts, Hallgrimsson was left to rue the Republic of Ireland’s inability to threaten Portugal at the other end.

The Icelandic boss maintains, however, the positives in Lisbon outweighed the negatives as his side restored some pride following their humbling in Yerevan last month.

“We felt of course [we deserved a point] because we spent a lot of energy,” he added.

“They had more chances than we did, but we had our openings and if we were cleverer on the ball, but when you waste energy defending, the decision-making when you get the chance is not perfect.

“We should be proud, not happy, but there are a lot of good things to take from it. It was a team performance; everyone did their job. There were no passengers in this game.”

Republic of Ireland are still bottom of Group F with one point after three games and now face a must-win game against Armenia at home on Tuesday to keep their slim hopes of reaching next year’s tournament in North America alive through a play-off spot.

Hallgrimsson hoped the diligent display will give them a boost to their belief.

“Confidence is a tricky thing, you never know what gives you confidence or takes away your confidence,” he said. “We should at least be happy with the team performance.

“I’m just wary of what lies ahead of us in that [Armenia] game so now we need to shift focus and try to leave this in Portugal and be ready come Tuesday.”

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