The Guardian

Match referee says pitch ‘too much in favour of bowlers’ Shortened Test could cost Cricket Australia up to $10m The MCG pitch where England beat Australia inside two days in the fourth Ashes Test has been rated ‘unsatisfactory’ by the International Cricket Council. Head curator Matthew Page admitted he was in a “state of shock” at how the penultimate match of the series unfolded on a surface that…

The Guardian sport photographer selects his favourite images he has taken this year and recalls the stories behind them This is a selection of some of my favourite pictures taken at events I’ve covered this year, quite a few of which haven’t been published before. Several have been chosen for their news value, others purely for their aesthetic value, while some are here just because there’s a nic…

Some extraordinary golf was often overshadowed by the Donald, colourful fans, crazy MCs and tempers flaring I was out by the practice green late afternoon on the Monday of the Ryder Cup, and so was Bryson DeChambeau. He was on his own, signing autographs for the handful of people on the other side of the railings, and there was this one woman leaning over towards him, a bottle blonde, late middle…

The Guardian’s fans’ network on 2025-26 at the halfway stage: best games, worst setbacks, and their January window wish lists Story so far It would be pretty churlish to be anything other than super-chuffed, with those displays over Bayern Munich and our neighbours among the highlights. But, as we know, there are no prizes for being top at Christmas. Our success so far has largely been due to our…

Tourists expected to pick fast bowler in XI for series finale at SCG Cricket Australia boss confident of a ‘good wicket’ in Sydney Matthew Potts is poised to play his first Ashes Test in Sydney after England confirmed that Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the series finale. Atkinson limped off with a hamstring issue on the second and final day of England’s rollercoaster four-wicket victory in M…

Australia coach Andrew McDonald guarantees veteran will play at SCG 39-year-old’s future beyond series finale against England still in doubt Australia coach Andrew McDonald has guaranteed Usman Khawaja will play at the SCG, but is unsure if it will be the veteran’s last Test. After turning 39 earlier in December, Khawaja’s future will continue to be a talking point until he announces his retireme…

Ewers hits rookie deep ball as Dolphins edge Bucs Chase, Burrow power Bengals past lowly Cardinals Maye throws five as Patriots rout Jets, clinch mark Zach Charbonnet ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns, and the Seattle Seahawks turned two third-quarter Carolina turnovers into TDs to beat the Panthers 27-10 on Sunday and close in on the No 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Sam Darnold threw an interce…

City second after six straight Premier League wins ‘We have to improve but this mindset is better’ Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have regained the energy that eluded them last season and lifted the “fog” that clouded a disappointing campaign. City finished without a major trophy for the first time since 2016-17, Guardiola’s first in charge, but are hunting a seventh Premier League title …

Manager may have taken club as far as he can while Archie Gray offers hope to Tottenham and Thomas Frank Perhaps it’s appropriate that the last Premier League game of the Christmas weekend shouldn’t be a thriller. You’ve spent four days eating and drinking, the belly is straining at the belt, work is looming on Monday and there’s a dreadful sense that the holiday is over and you’ll soon have to g…

Exeter 24-10 Leicester Chiefs move to within a point of leaders Northampton There is still a long way to go but Exeter would have settled for their current position back in the summer. Second place in the Prem table heading into 2026 with momentum building nicely is a very different story from last season’s grim struggle and, in front of a 15,000 capacity crowd, here was another example of exactl…

United close in on 28-year-old forward Miyazawa extends contract with club Manchester United are set to complete the signing of the Germany striker Lea Schüller on a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich. Schüller, who has six months left on her contract, has been a prolific goalscorer for club and country, scoring more than 100 goals for Bayern and 54 times in 82 games for her country, and she w…

Eighteen months can be a very long time in football – especially if you are still a teenager. After a mixed start to life in north London, Archie Gray could not have picked a better occasion to score his first Tottenham goal since joining from Leeds in the summer of 2024 than his 60th appearance. With Thomas Frank already showing signs of not being the first Spurs manager to have been overwhelmed…

Nick Kyrgios won 6-3, 6-3 against Aryna Sabalenka in an intriguing Dubai contest with celebrity interruptions Nick Kyrgios won the latest Battle of the Sexes against Aryna Sabalenka in a contest that veered between intriguing sporting exhibition and outright circus. It was a more even match than many feared. But the Australian, who had only won one competitive singles match since the end of 2022,…

Shiffrin fastest on deteriorating second run Rast denied by 0.09sec in tight Semmering finish Colturi claims third as season dominance rolls on Mikaela Shiffrin rebounded from a sluggish opening run with a fluid, attacking second to continue her domination of the women’s World Cup slalom under lights in Semmering, Austria, on Sunday. “It did not feel that good,” said Shiffrin. “I didn’t expect to…

While the Melbourne curator had to face the media and say sorry, some of the players owe him an apology in return You know that something has gone wrong when the man in charge of the cricket pitch is giving a post-match press conference. Australian pitches are celebrities in their own right, each with a distinct perceived personality. Perth – gasoline, bounce. Sydney – intrigue, spin. Adelaide – …