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Stoinis: BBL power surge makes it hard to develop middle-order talent
The new Melbourne Stars captain is uniquely qualified on the subject having become an outstanding middle-order T20I batter for Australia and a highly sought-after player for that role in franchise cricket around the world, including the IPL, after making his name as an opener in the BBL.
Stoinis, 35, was a key match-winner at No. 5 and 6 in Australia's 2021 T20 World Cup triumph and was one of the best performed batters at the most recent T20 World Cups for Australia in 2022 and 2024. But Australia's middle-order was a weak-point overall in the 2024 edition, compared to 2021, as they failed in two chases against Afghanistan and India and missed the semi-finals.
On Thursday he was asked if there was a rule within the BBL he would like changed and Stoinis diplomatically suggested the surge should be revisited.
"I usually steer clear from this sort of stuff," Stoinis said. "But I think, personally, if we're building towards our Australian T20 team being as good as it can, I think having the surge and shorter powerplay at the start. I think that sort of makes it hard for middle-order batters in the Big Bash to push a case for international cricket, and to learn the way to play through those middle-overs in international cricket.
"I understand why they've done it, and I understand the entertainment aspect, but I think it's probably a question that needs to be spoken about."
The surge was designed to create a different dynamic in the second half of the innings, with the standard six-over powerplay reduced to four overs at the start and two surge overs, with just two men allowed outside the circle, to be used any time after the 10-over mark of the innings.
It has been a hit with fans, but the issue from an international standpoint is that middle-order/death batting in T20I and IPL cricket has become a power game with specialists needed to score at well in-excess of 10 runs per over with five men out. The surge has allowed less powerful middle-order players to face 12 deliveries against an older ball with just two men out.
Players have been able to find the boundary more freely without needing to clear the men on the fence, like they would in international cricket. International middle-order batting is even harder in Australia compared to overseas because of the size of the grounds. But the surge lessens that challenge in the BBL.
The BBL has been flexible with the rules and open to feedback. The competition leadership was happy to abandon both the X-Factor and Bash Boost as it was felt neither were having the impact they were initially designed to have.
But the surge has remained as it has been a hit with fans and broadcasters. The BBL are adding to the entertainment factor this year both inside the stadium and on the broadcast after success during the WBBL, with young kids involved in hitting a 'Surge button' at the venue to light-up the stadium and announce the surge overs. There has not been a discussion within the BBL to have the surge reviewed at the moment.
Stoinis' sentiment highlights the ongoing push and pull between the 'entertainment' of the BBL and the development of Australia's domestic talent for international cricket.
Australia's selectors and coaching staff are already looking to regenerate the T20I side ahead of the 2026 after long-time No. 7 Matthew Wade and opener David Warner retired at the end of the last World Cup. Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, 36, could well be involved in the 2026 World Cup but will almost certainly not play beyond that.
The middle-order axis of Maxwell, Stoinis, Tim David and Wade, which has been the bedrock of Australia's T20I side at the last two World Cups, will need to be completely reshaped in the near future. In the case of Stoinis and Wade, both men developed their middle-overs and death batting skills at T20I level or in franchise cricket overseas in part because of how they were used by their BBL sides.
But there is a concern the surge isn't helping the next generation of players, like Aaron Hardie, get true middle-over experience at BBL level with five men out, with Hardie scoring 109 runs from 55 balls in the surge for just two dismissals.
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
Gill toasts old Gabba memories as he prepares to make new ones
Gill at his best is comes with a volume warning, because when he hits the ball, it just reverberates around the ground. Sometimes you feel like you could pick out his shots with your eyes closed because the connection is so crisp.
Early in India's chase of 329, he hit Mitchell Starc off the back foot all along the ground through cover and on commentary former England cricketer Isa Guha exclaimed, "Crunched! Sound off the bat. Shubman Gill. Wow!" It is unmissable. The 91 he made at the top of the order set India up for the miracle that followed.
"Definitely very nostalgic when I came here," Gill said on the eve of this year's Gabba Test against Australia. "The whole team was coming and just walking to the stadium again after 2021 win, felt very nostalgic."
Apart from that natural gift, he seems very well attuned to the vagaries of batting. He understands how things can go wrong and spends ages in the nets trying to fix them. He also understands how things can go right. Former India coach Ravi Shastri recently spoke about how Gill had gone up to Rishabh Pant at tea on the final day of the 2021 Gabba Test and pointed out that Australia might resort to Marnus Labuschagne's legspin to tide them through to the second new ball and that was a time to cash in. (Labuschagne bowled only one over though)
"When you are out there one of the challenges is can you play the game how you want to play the game irrespective of what's happening on the other end or what's happening on the scorecard and I think I faltered in the first innings around because of that," Gill said, "Because what happened on the other end I kind of took that on me.
"There was a period where I didn't get to face, maybe I faced one ball in like four overs and then the next ball that I faced I kind of missed a straight ball, a fuller ball [and was lbw]. But these are the challenges that you face while playing a Test match, you might not get the strike for three or four overs, you might get the strike less or you might face like 18 balls on the trot."
Looking good but not going on is part of why Gill's Test average is at 36.45 after 30 Tests. He has crossed 20 in 33 of his 57 innings. So he's good at getting starts but converting them is a problem. More than half of those 33 innings have ended before he could bring up fifty.
In Adelaide, he pointed to the mitigating factor. "Just the dynamics of a pink-ball Test," Gill said, "We don't play [it] as much, and just playing at night, it is a little bit harder to gauge the seam position and the hand position at which the ball is released, so it is a bit more difficult to look as a batsman."
Australia will test him like that too. And in a million other ways. "I think the intensity at which the games are played here, especially Test matches is one of the most difficult things," Gill said, "To be able to maintain that intensity throughout the course of five days is what makes touring Australia so difficult, and I think more than anything it is the mental intensity and the mental fitness that is required here in Australia, especially here [at the Gabba]."
It will be fascinating to see how he comes through an examination like that.
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Richard Gould: Hundred equity sale can future-proof county cricket for '20-25 years'
ECB chief executive Richard Gould is confident the Hundred will generate enough money to future-proof the County game for the next "20 to 25 years" after multiple bids were tabled for each of the eight teams earlier this week, in the second round of the equity sales process.
Having received over 100 bids from 35 parties in the first round, a broad spectrum of interested buyers remains. They are understood to include eight of the 10 IPL team owners and co-owners, plus US-based sports investors and private equity.
Gould confirmed most investors have put in multiple bids. Once it is determined which investors best match the interest of one of the eight host teams, the third and final stage will see clubs and counties decide upon their two preferred partners for a joint venture.
Most of the money raised from those 49 percent stakes is set to be split among the 18 counties and MCC, with 10 percent portioned off for the recreational game. This means that county game is in line for a massive windfall, But Gould insists it will need to be spent wisely.
"My hope is that this will recapitalise the county game for the next 20-25 years, if that money is used really well," he said in Hamilton, on the eve of the third Test between England and New Zealand.
"We're not counting our chickens yet, but the aim of this is to raise significant investment that is going to go into the game. One of the things that has been attracting the investors is the money they'd be putting in is going to develop the game. A very significant chunk is going into the recreational game, even more is going into the professional game and that is split between the hosts and non-hosts.
"The professional counties have been very keen to explain to us that they want guard rails in place. Those are likely to focus on the level of debt a club has, the level of reserves a club should have and also when they are making investments, making sure those are investments for the good of the game - providing financial return or in things like the player pathway."
Herring 'short of minutes' but ready for Bordeaux
With Herring and Tom Stewart out injured, young hooker James McCormick has been given a chance and he scored a try in the hammering against Toulouse.
Herring has been impressed with the performances of the 22-year-old and believes there is good competition for places developing at hooker.
"I've been watching him closely and helping him when I can, but he's had a really good season," Herring added.
"He has had a few injuries in the past which stunted him but it's good to see him going well. We have a really good hooker unit so it's good to see us all challenging."
The 34-year-old is hoping Ulster's return to the Kingspan Stadium can spark a big response against another high-quality opposition and he has called on the crowd to play their part.
Bordeaux opened their European campaign with an impressive 42-28 win over Leicester on Sunday and they currently sit second in France's Top 14.
"It's good to be back home and the challenges don't get any easier but that is Europe so hopefully we can reset and bring new energy into training this week.
"On European nights, the crowd want to get behind you and it's up to us to give them moments in the game where they can do that, whether it's momentum swings, big mauls or scrums, those get the crowd going and that's up to us to deliver."
Preds D Josi (lower body) out Thursday vs. Stars
Aiming to avoid a franchise-record ninth straight loss, the Nashville Predators won't have the services of captain and No. 1 defenseman Roman Josi on Thursday against the host Dallas Stars.
Josi, 34, was injured in the first period in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the visiting Calgary Flames. The three-time All-Star and the 2019-20 Norris Trophy winner is listed as day-to-day.
Josi has a team-leading 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 29 games this season. He has 709 points (188 goals, 521 assists) in 938 games since Nashville selected him in the second round of the 2008 NHL draft.
Predators star forward Ryan O'Reilly and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will return to the lineup on Thursday after missing time with lower-body injuries.
O'Reilly, 33, who missed the past three games, has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 26 games this season.
Lauzon, 27, who has been out for seven games, has one assist in 22 games this season.
The Predators called up defenseman Kevin Gravel from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. In 20 AHL games this season, Gravel, 32, has five points (one goal, four assists).
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras will be out for six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Zegras had surgery Thursday, the team announced.
Zegras was injured last week on a fairly innocent-looking play during the Ducks' 4-1 loss to Vegas in Anaheim. Zegras and William Karlsson only briefly got their skates and stick blades entangled, but Zegras needed help to get off the ice after taking a fall.
Zegras' torn meniscus is his third major injury in just over a year, although a torn meniscus is likely a fortunate outcome for a knee injury that could have been much worse. He was limited to 31 games last season by two injury setbacks, including a broken ankle that required surgery.
Zegras has four goals and six assists in 24 games this season for Anaheim, which had lost four straight heading into its road game against Toronto on Thursday night.
The Ducks surprisingly activated forward Robby Fabbri from injured reserve before they faced the Maple Leafs. Fabbri had arthroscopic knee surgery on Nov. 15 and is progressing much faster than his initial predicted timeline of six to eight weeks.
Laughton ties Flyers record with four-goal game
PHILADELPHIA -- Flyers center Scott Laughton felt a huge sense of pride when his second goal of the game gave him 100 in his career.
Laughton had another major milestone in sight: He added two empty-net goals to tie Philadelphia's team record of four goals in a game in a 4-1 victory over Detroit on Thursday night.
"Kind of get my game going, hopefully," Laughton said. "It was an awesome night."
After scoring just once in his previous 25 games, Laughton had his second career hat trick and became the first Flyers player to score four goals since John LeClair in 2002.
He's the 10th Flyers player to score four goals in a game and it's the 17th time a player scored four goals.
"For Scotty Laughton, you always hope good things happen for him," coach John Tortorella said. "He works so hard. He's the reason we won the game."
Laughton was greeted by a standing ovation by his teammates inside the locker room who then mobbed him in celebration. They then presented him with a pro wrestling championship belt stamped with the Flyers logo.
The 30-year-old Laughton, who made his NHL debut with the Flyers in January 2013, scored the first two goals the hard way.
He opened the scoring in the second period with a breakaway goal on a slap shot from the left circle. He added a short-handed goal in the third, tipping a pass from Travis Konecny as he crashed into the crease.
Laughton has been a steady presence for the Flyers for more than a decade but never scored more than 18 goals in a season. He had just three goals this season for a Flyers team that seems poised to finally emerge from a lengthy rebuild and compete for their first playoff berth since 2020.
His first trick was Feb. 7, 2021, against Washington.
"I think 100 goals, you don't look at it really, but I've been in the league for a long time and it's hard to score goals in this league," Laughton said. "To score 100, it's pretty cool to me, pretty special. I know it's not much compared to some guys, but it feels pretty cool to get that."
His last two goals came on the empty-netters over the final 70 seconds of the game.
"It's pretty cool," Laughton said. "Two empty-netters but I know they all count."
GLASGOW, Scotland -- Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou gave a scathing assessment of Timo Werner's performance in the team's 1-1 Europa League draw with Rangers on Thursday, saying the forward's performance "wasn't acceptable."
Werner, who is playing in his second season on loan at Spurs from RB Leipzig, was replaced by Dejan Kulusevski after enduring a difficult first half at Ibrox.
Asked if the substitution was made for purely tactical reasons, Postecoglou said: "Yeah, he wasn't paying anywhere near the level he should."
Spurs conceded within two minutes of Kulusevski's introduction, but the Sweden international went on to score his team's equaliser.
"I think Rangers played very well. We struggled a bit. 1-1, it is what it is. We didn't play well enough to win the game," Kulusevski said after the match. "It's always important to score, but we've got to start winning games.
"We haven't won in a couple of weeks. Everybody needs to do a little bit more than we're doing right now."
Postecoglou also referenced the performances of two Spurs 18-year-olds -- Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.
In the injury-enforced absence of Spurs' senior defenders -- Cristain Romero, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies -- Gray filled in at centre-back in Glasgow and drew glowing praise from his manager who described him as "outstanding."
Bergvall was introduced as part of a 75th-minute triple substitution that proved pivotal in helping Spurs earn a vital point from their trip to Scotland.
Postecoglou, who has seen his role as Spurs head coach come under serious pressure after a succession of disappointing results in recent weeks, pointed to the impact made by the teenagers when asked if he needed Werner and other senior players to make a bigger contribution to the team.
"I think when you've got 18-year-olds, I think it's not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo, he's a senior international, a Germany international. In the moment we're in right now, it's not like we've got many, kind of, options.
"I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn't acceptable."
Asked what he put Werner's performance down to, Postecoglou said: "I don't really know. It's not really of great concern. Like I said, we just need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don't have the depth to sort of leave people out if they're performing poorly, we need them to play their part.
"And like I said, especially the senior guys, when I'm asking younger guys to do massive jobs, I expect the level of performance from some of the senior guys and today wasn't that."
The draw at Ibrox saw Spurs remain ninth in the Europa League table, one place below Rangers, who occupy the last automatic qualification spot for the knockout rounds.
PLZEN, Czechia -- Ruben Amorim said it was a "good sign" to see Rasmus Højlund and Amad involved in a heated row after the 2-1 win over FC Viktoria Plzen because it shows they care.
Højlund scored twice as United came back from a goal down to record their first away win in Europe since beating Real Betis in March 2023.
But the Denmark striker and Amad had to be separated by Lisandro Martínez after the final whistle with the pair accusing each other of failing to pick the right pass during a number of late breakaways.
"For me it's perfect," Amorim said when asked about the confrontation.
"We need to feel something. In this moment, we need to feel something. If we need to fight each other it's like a family. For me it's a very, very good sign. We need to feel something and that is important."
Asked if he was in favour of the pair thrashing out their differences because it shows they care, Amorim said: "That is clear. When you don't care, you don't do anything. When you care, you fight with your brother, with your father, with your mother. For me it's a very good sign.
"It's a normal thing, it's a positive thing, a healthy thing. I let the players and the captain calm down the things. If I think it's too much I will go inside the dressing room. But it's their space, they have to talk, to fight and for me it's a very important thing."
United needed an 88th-minute winner from Højlund at Doosan Arena after the 21-year-old had cancelled out Viktoria Plzen's opener just six minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.
The hosts went in front thanks to another error from André Onana. The goalkeeper's mis-placed pass to Matthijs de Ligt was easily cut out to allow former Watford, Derby County and Burnley striker Matej Vydra to score.
"I am happy that we win the game and still fight each other, that is a very good thing," Amorim said.
"When you win and you fight with your teammate because you want to score one more, for me it's a very good day for us. The way we give a goal to the opponent, it was important not to give up. That's a great message."
Zendejas nets América's game-winner in first final
United States men's national team winger Alejandro Zendejas scored a 49th minute game-winner for Club América in a 2-1 victory against Monterrey in Thursday's first leg of the Liga MX final.
Held at Puebla's Estadio Cuauhtemoc -- Club América's temporary home for the championship series -- the final first kicked off with an early injury setback for the visitors. Following a run down the left flank, Monterrey's Lucas Ocampos suffered an apparent muscle injury that forced a substitution in the fourth minute.
Despite this, Martin Demichelis' Monterrey held most of the possession in the first half. With Héctor Moreno, Víctor Guzmán and Sergio Canales providing the ball distribution.
Los Rayados eventually found an opportunity for the first goal in the 35th minute after Canales capitalized a rare open space left by a defensive Club América. The Spain midfielder launched a shot from distance, giving Monterrey a 1-0 lead.
In response, Las Aguilas wasted little time. Thanks to a counter that led to a scramble in the 18-yard box for a loose ball, fullback Kevin Álvarez recovered a mishit opportunity from Zendejas, and then slotted the ball into the back of the net in the 39th minute.
Maintaining their pressure, Club América hit the ground running after halftime.
Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images
With a chance to take the lead, midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo ran forward with the ball in the 49th minute, before finding Zendejas through an accurate line-splitting pass. The U.S. winger cleverly shot to the left of the keeper to make it 2-1 in Club America's favor.
To make matters more difficult for Monterrey in the second half, there appeared to be another knock to a key figure when Canales asked to be substituted in the 65th minute. Due to his absence, Los Rayados struggled to regain momentum from the home side that increased their possession of the ball as the clock winded down.
By the final whistle, Las Aguilas secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
With the result in hand, Club América will head into Sunday's away leg in Monterrey with a narrow advantage in the final.
If the Mexico City giants win, they will become the first to earn three consecutive championships in the short-season era of Liga MX.
The title would also further extend their league-leading all-time trophy tally to 16, thereby giving them a four-championship cushion over Chivas' 12.
Monterrey will seek to bounce back and claim their sixth title and their first under Demichelis. The championship would be the second for Los Rayados since 2019.
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