Category Uncategorized

The ICC has introduced the stop clock to control over rates in Test cricket as well

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jun-2025The ICC recently approved several changes to its playing conditions for men’s international cricket including the updated Boundary Law and operating with just one ball in ODIs from the 35th over. While some of these new rules have already come into play in the new cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) (2025-27), those pertaining to white-ball cricket will be effective from July 2.Having accessed the playing conditions the ICC shared with the member countries recently, ESPNcricinfo looks at the noteworthy changes across the three formats.Stop clock in Test cricketA year after introducing a stop clock in white-ball formats, the ICC has decided to introduce it in Test cricket as well because slow over rates have been a long-standing problem in the format. According to the rule, the fielding side must be ready to start an over within a minute of the previous one ending. They will receive two warnings from the umpires if they fail to do so. After those warnings, the umpires will impose a five-run penalty on the bowling team. Warnings will be reset to zero after each block of 80 overs. Also, the clock will be counted upwards from 0 to 60. The rule has already been in play since the beginning of the 2025-27 WTC cycle.Related

Nearest ball, not nearest over – ICC tweaks powerplay rules for shortened men's T20Is

ICC changes two-ball rule in men's ODIs and concussion sub protocols in all internationals

MCC changes law to make boundary catches with 'bunny hops' illegal

ICC makes between-overs stop clock a permanent feature in ODIs, T20Is

No mandatory ball change for deliberate use of salivaWhile the ban on the use of saliva on the ball continues, the ICC has said it is no longer mandatory for the umpires to change the ball after a player is found using saliva. This change comes to avoid a scenario where teams trying to force a ball change deliberately apply saliva on it. So going forward, the umpires will only change the ball if its condition has been drastically changed, like if it appears too wet or there is more shine. This has been left entirely to the discretion of the umpires. Also, if the ball starts doing things after the umpires have said the application of saliva has not changed its condition, it cannot be replaced. The batting team, though, will be awarded five runs.DRS protocol for secondary review after an out decisionImagine this – a batter has been given out caught behind and he asks for a review. UltraEdge shows the ball has actually brushed the pads without any contact with the bat. With the catch ruled out, the TV umpire now checks for the second mode of dismissal, and, asks to verify via ball-tracking whether the batter is lbw. So far, the protocol during such a review was, once it was determined the batter was not out caught, the default decision for the second mode of dismissal – lbw – would be not out. That means if ball-tracking led to an “umpire’s call” verdict, the batter would remain not out. But in the updated rule, when the ball-tracking graphic for lbw is displayed, the “original decision” label on it will read “out”. And if the review yields an umpire’s call verdict, then the batter would be ruled out.Combined reviews – decision will be chronologicalThe ICC has also decided to modify the process of adjudication during a combined review involving both umpire and player referrals by conducting them in a chronological order, or their order of occurrence. Till now, during a combined review the process involved the TV umpire taking up the umpire review before moving on to the player’s review. “If the conclusion from the first incident is that a batter is dismissed, then the ball would be deemed to have become dead at that point, rendering investigation of the second incident unnecessary,” rule 3.9 in the revised ICC playing conditions says. So if there is an appeal for an lbw as well as a run out, the TV umpire would now first take up the leg-before review as that occurred first. In case the batter is out, then the ball would be declared dead.There will continue to be a five-run penalty if saliva is applied on the ball•Getty ImagesFairness of catch to be reviewed for no-ballSay there is a case where both on-field officials are not certain if a catch has been taken cleanly, but even as they are deliberating, the TV umpire informs them it was a no-ball. In the previous version of the playing conditions, once the no-ball was signaled, the TV umpire would not need to adjudicate on the fairness of the catch. But in the updated playing conditions, the third umpire will now review the catch and if it is a fair catch then the batting team will only get an extra run for the no-ball. However, if the catch is not clean, the batting team would get the runs the batters have taken.Deliberate short runSo far, in case one of the batters had been caught taking a deliberate short run, the batting team would suffer a five-run penalty. But in the updated rules if one of the batters is found to have not made their ground deliberately in order to steal an extra run, then the umpires will ask the fielding team to decide which batter they want on strike. Also, the five-run penalty will continue to be part of the sanction.”A deliberate short run is an attempt for batters to appear to run more than one run, while at least one batter deliberately does not make good their ground at one end,” Rule 18.5.1 of the playing conditions says. “Batters may choose to abort a run, provided the umpire believes that there was no intention by the batter concerned to deceive the umpires or to score the run in which they didn’t make their ground.”Full-time playing replacement in domestic first-class cricketTo offset the loss of a player who has suffered serious external injury, the ICC has asked boards to trial in their domestic first-class cricket fielding a full-time replacement player who can come in and perform the role of a team participant. The replacement player will have to be like for like, as is the case for a concussion sub. The injury will need to be evident and visible to the match officials before they allow a full-time replacement. This would not apply for players suffering hamstring pulls or niggles.This rule will be on a trial basis and is entirely up to the member countries to implement in their domestic first-class circuit.

Jose Mourinho has admitted that "killer" Newcastle were too strong for Benfica, who could not "compete with their horsepower" during their Champions League mauling on Tuesday evening at St. James' Park. The ‘Special One’ believes Eddie Howe’s men belong to a different league after a 3-0 defeat that left the visitors reeling and without a single point after three matches in Europe.

• Gordon, Barnes, and Murphy led the charge

  Benfica showed flashes of promise in the first half, notably when winger Dodi Lukebakio struck the post, but Mourinho conceded that Newcastle’s pace and physicality simply outgunned his team. The Magpies’ front line was ferocious. Anthony Gordon grabbed the opener, Harvey Barnes came off the bench to score twice, and Jacob Murphy ran riot down the flank, setting up Gordon’s first-half strike with a teasing delivery that split open Benfica’s defence. It was a showcase of pressing, power, and precision.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Mourinho lauds Newcastle's wingers

  In his post-match debrief, Mourinho was composed yet candid. He praised his players’ first-half effort but lamented their loss of structure after conceding.

  "This tells me about the level of Newcastle," Mourinho began. "While the score was open, and I think it was even unfairly open, because in the first half the team played well on the pitch, the players felt comfortable in a stadium with a palpable atmosphere.

  "The danger they posed for us was obviously from set pieces and everything indirect in the box, because it's difficult to compete with a team with this physicality, but we had great chances to score, three or four. Before they scored, we had a beautiful shot from Lukebakio that hit the post, so I reiterate that the first-half result doesn't reflect the game at all."

  The 62-year-old drew attention to the physical contrast between the teams and added: "In the second half, we conceded a goal we couldn't afford, a set piece in our favour, where our initial positioning for the transition was correct, but then we made mistakes in our defensive movement. And when we concede that goal, the differences in characteristics between the teams come to the fore.

  "There's a team with a higher horsepower engine than the other, a team with much more intensity, a team with much more speed. As I said yesterday [the day before yesterday], I think in the press conference—if not in the press conference, it was on TV—they have four lightning-fast wingers. They don't have one or two, they have four. And when you change two who come on in the 50th or 60th minute, when you change one and then later change another, we, losing the compact play we had in the first half, were exposed."

  However, Mourinho feels things could have panned out differently if they had taken the lead when Benfica were on top in the first half. 

  "We score a goal before them, we reach half-time leading, we reach half-time tied, we can continue with the same type of organisation," he said. "Then, the second goal, psychologically, kills us. The players felt the second goal deeply, and then the game took a different turn, which was tough for us."

• Gordon’s record-breaking night

  Gordon continues to grow into one of the Premier League’s most complete wingers. His goal against Benfica made him the first Newcastle player in history to score in three consecutive Champions League games. 

  "It means everything, but we need more, my ambition doesn't stop there," he said. "Because we had so many chances, we had to put one away to calm the nerves. I was glad to see it go in. Playing with [Jacob] Murphy, I knew he was going to play that ball every time. That goal is all about him. We all love [Nick] Pope. He is one of the most popular people in the dressing room he is a top guy and a top keeper. He has kept us in so many game already this season and some of the saves he made were incredible."

  Eddie Howe, visibly delighted on the touchline, hailed the performance of his forwards, and especially Gordon's. 

  "Anthony [Gordon] was outstanding. He looked a real threat all game," the Newcastle boss said. "He was dynamic, aggressive and positive. Jacob [Murphy’s] always been an assist threat and he was absolutely that. Some of the deliveries he put in were very good. I’m pleased for Harvey[Barnes] to come on and get the two that he did on the right side which shows his versatility. It’ll do those three players a world of good."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  A tale of two tables: Champions League joy, domestic frustration

  While Newcastle’s European adventure gathers pace, now seventh in the Champions League league phase, their Premier League campaign tells a more sobering story. The Magpies sit 14th domestically, the lowest position they’ve held under Howe after eight rounds of fixtures. Their next test comes at home against Fulham on Saturday, and Howe's troops will be desperate to get the three points. Meanwhile, Mourinho's Benfica will look to bounce back in a Liga Portugal clash with Arouca on the same day.

Josh Cobb, the only man named player of the match in two T20 Blast finals, has retired from professional cricket to take up a new role as boys academy lead at Warwickshire.Cobb, 34, played 448 professional games across a career which started at Leicestershire in 2007 and has seen him represent two other Midlands counties in Northamptonshire and Worcestershire. He was also a Bangladesh Premier League winner with Dhaka Gladiators in 2013, and has captained Welsh Fire in the Hundred.A powerful top-order batter, Cobb won his first match award in a Blast final for his bowling, taking 4 for 22 as Leicestershire beat Somerset to the title in 2011. Five years later, his innings of 80 off 48 balls secured Northamptonshire’s second T20 title as they beat Durham at Edgbaston – the ground he will now call home in his new role.Cobb spent two weeks working with Australia’s players as a consultant coach during their ODI series in England last September, an opportunity that was the result of his relationship with Andrew McDonald, his former Leicestershire team-mate. He is following his father Russell – who runs the UCCE set-up at Loughborough University – into coaching.”Since making my debut 18 years ago, it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable ride with plenty of ups and downs,” Cobb said in a statement on Tuesday. “I’m immensely thankful for the people I’ve met, places travelled, and memories created over the years. Cricket has given me so much. Scoring my first hundred at Lord’s aged 18 and winning the T20 Blast Finals twice are just some of the memories I’ll cherish.”Recent graduates of the Warwickshire academy include Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley. “My challenge is to keep developing homegrown players that can go on to play for the Bears and England,” Cobb said. “I’m excited at the chance to lead an academy at such a great club like Warwickshire, one that’s had a lot of success over a number of years.”

Juventus coach Igor Tudor expressed his fury after his side conceded a late equaliser to draw 2-2 with Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Croatian coach blamed missed chances and nerves for the draw but came to the defence of his centre-backs amid criticism for their sloppiness in recent matches.

Juventus’ draw with Villareal

An acrobatic finish from Fabio Gatti helped Juventus level early in the second-half after Villarreal had taken the lead in the first through Georges Mikautadze. With the score at 1-1, Francesco Conceicao capitalised on a misplaced pass from Villarreal captain Dani Parejo, ran through on goal and slotted it past goalkeeper Arnau Tenas in the 56th minute. Just when it looked like the Italians would take all three points, former Juventus player Renato Veiga scored in the 90th minute with a header from a corner, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTudor's frustrations and missed chances

In a post-match interview with , Juventus coach Tudor expressed his anger, saying: “I'm angry; you can't throw the game away in the final seconds because of a corner like that. It's disappointing because we had the game in hand.

“During half-time, I gave concrete instructions and asked them to be positive. Then Conceicao made the difference. Where did we go wrong? There's regret for not having closed it out sooner; we had two chances with [Jonathan] David and at 3-1 it would have been over. Too much frenzy and nervousness, too many simple misplaced passes.”

Finally, he accepted the shared point, adding: “We pushed hard in the second half, a great second half, they were better in the first. We'll take this point and move on.”

Tudor's defence of his backline

Juventus have conceded 11 goals in their last five games across all competitions, including seven against Inter and Dortmund. However, Tudor spoke highly of his defenders, believing they have done well and kept things from going worse. 

“The three at the back are all doing well, they keep the team afloat every game,” he added: “We're a bit lacking in ball possession, we're last in this statistic. The team is there, it would be nice to play at a high level for 90 minutes, but it's not easy. We also have our weaknesses and our difficulties.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportJuventus' clash against Milan and Allegri's return

Juventus are set to host Serie A table-toppers AC Milan on Sunday, and Tudor will hope his team can produce their best performance in what will be Massimiliano Allegri’s return to the Allianz Stadium.

Arne Slot has built on the successful era under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool incredibly well, winning the Premier League in his first year in charge.

In the summer of 2025, FSG also splashed the cash, spending more than £400m on the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

The Reds currently have an annual payroll of £154,440,000 and pay out just under £3m per week. We have ranked every Liverpool player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025-26 season, with the help of Capology.

1

Mohamed Salah

£400,000

£20,800,000

2

Virgil Van Dijk

£350,000

£18,200,000

3

Alexander Isak

£280,000

£14,560,000

4

Hugo Ekitike

£200,000

£10,400,000

5

Florian Wirtz

£195,000

£10,140,000

6

Andrew Robertson

£160,000

£8,320,000

=7

Alexis Mac Allister

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Alisson

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Ryan Gravenberch

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Federico Chiesa

£150,000

£7,800,000

=11

Dominik Szoboszlai

£120,000

£6,240,000

=11

Cody Gakpo

£120,000

£6,240,000

13

Jeremie Frimpong

£100,000

£5,200,000

=14

Joe Gomez

£85,000

£4,420,000

=14

Giorgi Mamardashvili

£85,000

£4,420,000

16

Conor Bradley

£75,000

£3,900,000

17

Ibrahima Konate

£70,000

£3,640,000

18

Wataru Endo

£50,000

£2,600,000

19

Stefan Bajcetic

£40,000

£2,080,000

=20

Curtis Jones

£15,000

£780,000

=20

Calvin Ramsay

£15,000

£780,000

22

Rhys Williams

£10,000

£520,000

Here are the top 10 Liverpool earners… 10 Federico Chiesa £150,000 per week

One of four players on £150,000 per week is forward Federico Chiesa. The Italy international arrived in Slot’s first transfer window in charge after being made surplus to requirements at Juventus.

A pacey wide man who can also occupy a central role when required, Chiesa has struggled to break into the starting XI but has become a fan favourite.

9 Ryan Gravenberch £150,000 per week

Ryan Gravenberch arrived at Liverpool from Ajax in 2023 and had to remain patient to find a permanent role in the starting line-up during his first season with the club.

Under Slot, Gravenberch has been transformed into the club’s new No.6 and may well be used there for the foreseeable future, with his Anfield deal expiring in 2028.

8 Alisson £150,000 per week

The arrival of goalkeeper Alisson from AS Roma back in 2018 helped transform the Reds under Klopp, with the Brazilian being an ever-present figure during his six-year stay so far.

In total, Alisson has made more than 300 appearances for Liverpool and has kept more than 125 clean sheets.

7 Alexis Mac Allister £150,000 per week

Liverpool picked up the services of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023 after his impressive three years on the south coast.

The Argentine’s current agreement with the Reds is for another three years.

6 Andrew Robertson £160,000 per week

One of the best value-for-money signings in Liverpool’s recent history has to be Andrew Robertson, who cost the Reds just £8m from Hull City in 2017.

The Scot is now into his 30s, though, and with his contract expiring in 2026, Liverpool may soon be without their iconic left-back.

5 Florian Wirtz £195,000 per week

Costing a whopping £116m from Bayer Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz was Liverpool’s record signing for a matter of months.

The attacking midfielder signed a deal worth more than £10m a season and will look to star at Anfield over the next five years.

4 Hugo Ekitike £200,000 per week

Hugo Ekitike was one of two star strikers to sign for Liverpool in 2025, with the Reds paying Frankfurt an initial £69m for the French forward.

He scored on his debut at Wembley in the Community Shield and also netted the first goal of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Ekitike is on £10.4m per season on Merseyside.

3 Alexander Isak £280,000 per week

In what was the transfer saga of 2025, Liverpool eventually splashed the cash on Alexander Isak for a British record £125m.

The forward went on strike at Newcastle to push through a deadline day move to Anfield, penning a six-year contract where he is set to earn a total of £87m.

2 Virgil Van Dijk £350,000 per week

Centre-back Virgil Van Dijk was signed for an eye-catching £75m fee from Southampton in 2018, a figure which some were shocked by at the time.

However, since then, Van Dijk has comfortably repaid the faith shown in him by the Reds, starring at the back at Anfield and winning numerous trophies. His current deal through until 2027 was signed in 2025.

1 Mohamed Salah £400,000 per week

Like Van Dijk, star attacker Mohamed Salah also signed a new two-year deal in 2025. The Egyptian King has helped turn the Reds into Premier League and Champions League winners, becoming a Liverpool legend in the process.

During his eight-year stay, Salah has made more than 400 appearances, scoring over 240 goals.