Pakistan thump Bangladesh to clinch T20 series
The Pakistan top order set up a 201 total for the second straight time and seven of the eight bowlers took wickets to dismiss Bangladesh for 144 in 19 overs on Friday.
Pakistan won the first match by 37 runs on Wednesday and will look for a clean sweep in the final game at the same Lahore venue on Sunday.
Tanzid Hasan scored all 32 runs in the first two overs of the chase but was out for 33 to a stunning reflex catch at short fine leg by Abrar Ahmed.
By the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were 3-54 and reeling from some splendid catches.
Abrar trapped Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali leg before wicket off successive sharp googlies.
At the halfway mark, Bangladesh were 7-78 and the inevitable was delayed only by No.9 batter Tanzim Hasan Sakib, whose 50 off 31 was his maiden T20 half-century.
He was the last man out as fast bowler Shoriful Islam could not bat after pulling up with a groin injury in his first over.
Sahibzada Farhan starred with the bat in only his 10th T20 since his debut six years ago. He smashed 74 off 41 balls.
Farhan fell out of favour with the selectors after four consecutive single-digit scores against Australia last year in the T20 series. But he forced his way back by topping the batting chart in the recent Pakistan Super League.
He got an opportunity after first-choice opener Fakhar Zaman was rested for Friday's game. Luck favoured Farhan when he was dropped off the third ball of the match before he scored.
Saim Ayub was run out in the second over after Farhan refused the third run.
Farhan then added 103 runs off 54 balls with Mohammad Haris (41) as both batted with a new licence to be aggressive under new coach, New Zealander Mike Hesson.
Farhan got a second life after his half- century when Mehidy Hasan Miraz could not hold on to a sharp catch in the covers.
Haris was caught at backward point in the 11th over, and Farhan was caught in the next over by Bangladesh captain Litton Das behind the stumps.
Pakistan's middle order didn't hold back, and their latest T20 batting sensation, Hasan Nawaz, blistered 51 off 25 balls with three sixes and two fours.
But Pakistan scored only 40 runs in the final five overs with an excellent comeback by fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, 2-47.
Pakistan have clinched the Twenty20 series against Bangladesh after winning the second match by a comfortable 57 runs in Lahore.
The Pakistan top order set up a 201 total for the second straight time and seven of the eight bowlers took wickets to dismiss Bangladesh for 144 in 19 overs on Friday.
Pakistan won the first match by 37 runs on Wednesday and will look for a clean sweep in the final game at the same Lahore venue on Sunday.
Tanzid Hasan scored all 32 runs in the first two overs of the chase but was out for 33 to a stunning reflex catch at short fine leg by Abrar Ahmed.
By the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were 3-54 and reeling from some splendid catches.
Abrar trapped Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali leg before wicket off successive sharp googlies.
At the halfway mark, Bangladesh were 7-78 and the inevitable was delayed only by No.9 batter Tanzim Hasan Sakib, whose 50 off 31 was his maiden T20 half-century.
He was the last man out as fast bowler Shoriful Islam could not bat after pulling up with a groin injury in his first over.
Sahibzada Farhan starred with the bat in only his 10th T20 since his debut six years ago. He smashed 74 off 41 balls.
Farhan fell out of favour with the selectors after four consecutive single-digit scores against Australia last year in the T20 series. But he forced his way back by topping the batting chart in the recent Pakistan Super League.
He got an opportunity after first-choice opener Fakhar Zaman was rested for Friday's game. Luck favoured Farhan when he was dropped off the third ball of the match before he scored.
Saim Ayub was run out in the second over after Farhan refused the third run.
Farhan then added 103 runs off 54 balls with Mohammad Haris (41) as both batted with a new licence to be aggressive under new coach, New Zealander Mike Hesson.
Farhan got a second life after his half- century when Mehidy Hasan Miraz could not hold on to a sharp catch in the covers.
Haris was caught at backward point in the 11th over, and Farhan was caught in the next over by Bangladesh captain Litton Das behind the stumps.
Pakistan's middle order didn't hold back, and their latest T20 batting sensation, Hasan Nawaz, blistered 51 off 25 balls with three sixes and two fours.
But Pakistan scored only 40 runs in the final five overs with an excellent comeback by fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, 2-47.
Pakistan have clinched the Twenty20 series against Bangladesh after winning the second match by a comfortable 57 runs in Lahore.
The Pakistan top order set up a 201 total for the second straight time and seven of the eight bowlers took wickets to dismiss Bangladesh for 144 in 19 overs on Friday.
Pakistan won the first match by 37 runs on Wednesday and will look for a clean sweep in the final game at the same Lahore venue on Sunday.
Tanzid Hasan scored all 32 runs in the first two overs of the chase but was out for 33 to a stunning reflex catch at short fine leg by Abrar Ahmed.
By the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were 3-54 and reeling from some splendid catches.
Abrar trapped Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali leg before wicket off successive sharp googlies.
At the halfway mark, Bangladesh were 7-78 and the inevitable was delayed only by No.9 batter Tanzim Hasan Sakib, whose 50 off 31 was his maiden T20 half-century.
He was the last man out as fast bowler Shoriful Islam could not bat after pulling up with a groin injury in his first over.
Sahibzada Farhan starred with the bat in only his 10th T20 since his debut six years ago. He smashed 74 off 41 balls.
Farhan fell out of favour with the selectors after four consecutive single-digit scores against Australia last year in the T20 series. But he forced his way back by topping the batting chart in the recent Pakistan Super League.
He got an opportunity after first-choice opener Fakhar Zaman was rested for Friday's game. Luck favoured Farhan when he was dropped off the third ball of the match before he scored.
Saim Ayub was run out in the second over after Farhan refused the third run.
Farhan then added 103 runs off 54 balls with Mohammad Haris (41) as both batted with a new licence to be aggressive under new coach, New Zealander Mike Hesson.
Farhan got a second life after his half- century when Mehidy Hasan Miraz could not hold on to a sharp catch in the covers.
Haris was caught at backward point in the 11th over, and Farhan was caught in the next over by Bangladesh captain Litton Das behind the stumps.
Pakistan's middle order didn't hold back, and their latest T20 batting sensation, Hasan Nawaz, blistered 51 off 25 balls with three sixes and two fours.
But Pakistan scored only 40 runs in the final five overs with an excellent comeback by fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, 2-47.
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They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. 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Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. 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Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench. They were considered the team to beat entering the past two seasons, but how will a new-look Knights squad fare in an expanded 12-team competition in 2025? There is no denying the off-season losses have been big, most notably Dally M Medallist and two-time Karyn Murphy Medallist for player of the grand final Tamika Upton, and a wealth of experience has moved on. Coach Ben Jeffries, in his second year at the helm, looks to have turned to mostly untapped talent and home-grown prospects this campaign. They will be complemented by a core group of exceptional players, which includes prodigious halfback Jesse Southwell. Newcastle launch a new era against newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Friday night. In a short amount of time, the Knights have quickly become one of the competition heavyweights. After collecting the wooden spoon in their maiden campaign, they claimed grand final glory in 2022 with a host of high-profile signings. They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. The Knights also lost premiership-winning prop Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), utility Nita Maynard (Dragons), second-rower Laishon Albert-Jones (New Zealand Warriors) and centre Abigail Roache (Queensland Cowboys). Premiership-winning middle forward and New Zealand international Tiana Davison returns to the Knights, where she played in 2022 and 2023, after winning last year's grand final with the Roosters. A bit-part player in her three NRLW seasons, the 24-year-old is aiming to cement a starting spot this campaign. Fullback Botille Vette-Walsh brings plenty of experience to the Knights. The New Zealand-born 28-year-old has played in NRLW since its inception. She has played at the Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Wests Tigers and is a NSW and Australian representative. Other new faces include NSW under-19 representative lock Sienna Yeo, who was rookie of the year for NSW Women's Rugby League premiers Illawarra, and New Zealander Keighley Simpson, an outside back who played Super Rugby for Matatu. Joeli Morris returns to NRLW after a stand-out season in the Knights' second-tier NSW Premiership team last year and will start against the Bulldogs with Olivia Higgins out through suspension. She is widely regarded as the best second-rower in the women's game, and Cardiff South-raised Yasmin Clydsdale will captain her home-town team this year. The 31-year-old Scone-based school teacher has 39 NRLW appearances, and three premierships to her name, and leads by example. The NSW and Jillaroos forward is super fit, has an incredible work ethic and lifts those around her. Home-grown No.9 Higgins, also a NSW and Australian representative, New Zealand centre Shanice Parker and Gloucester-raised prop Tayla Predebon all have over 30 appearances in NRLW and are proven premiership-winners. Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche is an England international and will again form part of an experienced spine for Newcastle. She is only 20 years of age, but Jesse Southwell has long been earmarked for future greatness. And, the Kotara Bears junior showed why as she led NSW to a State of Origin triumph with stand-out performances throughout the three-match series in May. "We'll play a little bit differently this year, so I'm really happy with how she came back from Origin," Jeffries said. "She played with some real maturity and patience in that Origin space. I thought that was the best football I've ever seen her play." Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. The St Marys junior starts on Friday night following the departure of Albert-Jones, and the club has backed her potential by locking down McEwen until the end of 2027. White, who was the NSW under-19 fullback last year, has also been promoted to the Knights' top squad and has been rewarded for some strong performances on the wing as a development player last season with a starting spot there for round one. Cross-code success stories probably don't come any better than that of Young Matildas captain-turned-NRLW tryscoring machine Sheridan Gallagher. The crossover from rugby union to rugby league seems an easier transition than the jump from soccer. But, Gallagher has proven an exceptional rugby league winger in just two seasons, scoring 16 tries in 19 games to be the Knights' leading tryscorer both campaigns. This year, after spending the NRLW off-season playing A-League with the Newcastle Jets, the 23-year-old is looking to be even more lethal. Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench. They were considered the team to beat entering the past two seasons, but how will a new-look Knights squad fare in an expanded 12-team competition in 2025? There is no denying the off-season losses have been big, most notably Dally M Medallist and two-time Karyn Murphy Medallist for player of the grand final Tamika Upton, and a wealth of experience has moved on. Coach Ben Jeffries, in his second year at the helm, looks to have turned to mostly untapped talent and home-grown prospects this campaign. They will be complemented by a core group of exceptional players, which includes prodigious halfback Jesse Southwell. Newcastle launch a new era against newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Friday night. In a short amount of time, the Knights have quickly become one of the competition heavyweights. After collecting the wooden spoon in their maiden campaign, they claimed grand final glory in 2022 with a host of high-profile signings. They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. The Knights also lost premiership-winning prop Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), utility Nita Maynard (Dragons), second-rower Laishon Albert-Jones (New Zealand Warriors) and centre Abigail Roache (Queensland Cowboys). Premiership-winning middle forward and New Zealand international Tiana Davison returns to the Knights, where she played in 2022 and 2023, after winning last year's grand final with the Roosters. A bit-part player in her three NRLW seasons, the 24-year-old is aiming to cement a starting spot this campaign. Fullback Botille Vette-Walsh brings plenty of experience to the Knights. The New Zealand-born 28-year-old has played in NRLW since its inception. She has played at the Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Wests Tigers and is a NSW and Australian representative. Other new faces include NSW under-19 representative lock Sienna Yeo, who was rookie of the year for NSW Women's Rugby League premiers Illawarra, and New Zealander Keighley Simpson, an outside back who played Super Rugby for Matatu. Joeli Morris returns to NRLW after a stand-out season in the Knights' second-tier NSW Premiership team last year and will start against the Bulldogs with Olivia Higgins out through suspension. She is widely regarded as the best second-rower in the women's game, and Cardiff South-raised Yasmin Clydsdale will captain her home-town team this year. The 31-year-old Scone-based school teacher has 39 NRLW appearances, and three premierships to her name, and leads by example. The NSW and Jillaroos forward is super fit, has an incredible work ethic and lifts those around her. Home-grown No.9 Higgins, also a NSW and Australian representative, New Zealand centre Shanice Parker and Gloucester-raised prop Tayla Predebon all have over 30 appearances in NRLW and are proven premiership-winners. Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche is an England international and will again form part of an experienced spine for Newcastle. She is only 20 years of age, but Jesse Southwell has long been earmarked for future greatness. And, the Kotara Bears junior showed why as she led NSW to a State of Origin triumph with stand-out performances throughout the three-match series in May. "We'll play a little bit differently this year, so I'm really happy with how she came back from Origin," Jeffries said. "She played with some real maturity and patience in that Origin space. I thought that was the best football I've ever seen her play." Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. The St Marys junior starts on Friday night following the departure of Albert-Jones, and the club has backed her potential by locking down McEwen until the end of 2027. White, who was the NSW under-19 fullback last year, has also been promoted to the Knights' top squad and has been rewarded for some strong performances on the wing as a development player last season with a starting spot there for round one. Cross-code success stories probably don't come any better than that of Young Matildas captain-turned-NRLW tryscoring machine Sheridan Gallagher. The crossover from rugby union to rugby league seems an easier transition than the jump from soccer. But, Gallagher has proven an exceptional rugby league winger in just two seasons, scoring 16 tries in 19 games to be the Knights' leading tryscorer both campaigns. This year, after spending the NRLW off-season playing A-League with the Newcastle Jets, the 23-year-old is looking to be even more lethal. Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench.
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Daniel Ricciardo finally speaks on ‘weird' retirement from Formula 1
Daniel Ricciardo has spoken for the first time on life after Formula 1 , saying it still 'sounds weird' to say he is retired. The eight-time grand prix winner was dropped by Red Bull last September to make room for New Zealander Liam Lawson at their second team Racing Bulls. It was an unceremonious end to his revived career even after it initially looked over when McLaren paid him out to clear the path for Aussie young gun Oscar Piastri's 2023 debut. Ricciardo was brought back into the fold by Red Bull but he missed out on his desired return to the top team alongside Max Verstappen. Speaking in England between karting races at the Daniel Ricciardo Series over the weekend, he was adamant there would be no third coming. Asked how he is doing, he simply said: 'All good!' 'I'm just enjoying some life in the slow lane,' Ricciardo added. 'I mean it sounds weird saying like retirement when I'm 35 years old, but retirement from at least the world I was living in so it's cool.' Ricciardo celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday with a day out at Wimbledon alongside his parents Grace and Joe. His emphatic statement on being retired from F1 comes after he faded from view in discussions around who F1's newest team Cadillac should sign for their inaugural season next year. The US outfit has still yet to fill either of its two seats but the likes of honorary Aussie Valtteri Bottas, axed former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and Ferrari reserve driver Zhou Guanyu appear to be in the mix, as well as former F1 driver turned endurance star Mick Schumacher. Ricciardo, meanwhile, has almost entirely detached himself from the sport. He was recently pictured playing padel with Aussie F1 star Oscar Piastri, his friend and Aussie snowboard great Scotty James and Mercedes driver George Russell. But he has not attended an F1 race since being dropped. He was in Melbourne to launch a pop-up shop for his clothing brand ahead of the Australian Grand Prix yet never stepped foot in the paddock. His likeness also appeared to be used in an F1 advertisement earlier this year but nothing came of fan theories that it was a sign of his return. The West Australian said attending the karting races nearly one year on from his final grand prix was a timely reminder. 'To be at the kart track, it's my first time at a race track since I guess Singapore, quite a few months now. But it's cool to see the kids — this is why I started karting,' he said. 'I've had photos with groups of kids and I can tell the friendships they have, and these friendships will last a lifetime a lot of them. 'My best friend to this day was a friend that I raced karts with. It's nice to be back at like the grassroots of it and the most pure form of racing.' Having been locked on F1 since moving to Europe as a teenager, Ricciardo has not shown any public interest in returning to racing in other series. He remains popular in both the US and Australia and would be a welcome addition to the NASCAR or Supercars grids. But for now his karting series is filling the void. 'I think now that I'm a bit removed from it and life is not as chaotic, it's nice to remember what it was like to be at the start of the career,' Ricciardo said. 'We all have idols and heroes — I won't swear, there's a lot of kids — but I'd be very nervous meeting someone who I admired, so I understand sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. 'But everyone seems pretty cool. I guess maybe I'm not the only driver they've met before, there's a lot of F1 fans here. 'I think just to have someone that you want to try and obviously look up to and someone that can inspire you, if I'm able to sprinkle a tiny bit of inspiration or motivation here today by me being here and having a chat to a few kids then that's awesome. 'That's something I know I appreciated when I was eight, nine, 10 years old.' Ricciardo, who spent at least 45 minutes signing hats and taking photos with the young racers after his interview, said he continues to preach what he was taught as a youngster. Have fun and enjoy racing with your friends. 'Racing is scary, you know? I think it helped me at school have a bit more confidence in yourself,' he said. 'Everyone's shy, we all go through things growing up, so I think it kind of gave me confidence in myself as a person, also away from the track and so that's something I took from it. 'But as far as the driving goes it was honestly just about me having fun. 'I'm happy to take on any questions that they have today and if there's any little bits of advice — I might not have all the answers, but I'll try and give as much as I can.'
