Ipswich striker Hirst signs new four-year deal
"We have achieved so much as a team, group and club over the last few years and to be part of that going forward, and hopefully achieving even more, is really exciting for me."Manager Kieran McKenna said: "We're very pleased George has decided to extend his stay at the club."George has had a big impact on the progression of the club over the last two-and-a-half-years."
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Leader Live
27 minutes ago
- Leader Live
England suffer T20 series defeat as India ease to victory at Old Trafford
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, England laboured to 126 for seven, a score padded out by 16 runs off the final over thanks to sixes from Sophie Ecclestone and Issy Wong, on a night when none of the batters truly got going. And the difficulty of defending that total quickly became apparent as India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma hit nine fours off the first four overs – more than England had managed in their entire innings – to lay the foundations for a convincing victory. India take the series in Manchester 😢 To Birmingham for the final T20. — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 9, 2025 The series loss will come as a significant reality check for Charlotte Edwards after her tenure began with a clean sweep of the West Indies in T20s and ODIs. England had given themselves a lifeline in the series with a five-run victory at the Oval on Friday but India reasserted control in Manchester, stifling England with disciplined bowling and some sharp fielding. Danni Wyatt-Hodge had just watched Sophia Dunkley hit a six back down the ground off Shree Charani, but when she tried the same thing herself she was caught by Arundhati Reddy for five. Dunkley followed for 22 three overs later, the victim of a sharp catch from Radha Yadav after spooning a short delivery from Deepti Sharma to leave England on 33 for two. Tammy Beaumont and Alice Capsey were slowly building a partnership but, from the second ball after the drinks break, Beaumont (20) became Reddy's next victim after failing to get enough power on Yadav's delivery. It felt a key moment in the innings as England fell to 68 for three. Capsey soon followed for 18, trapped lbw by Charani and not even sticking around to see the result of the review she asked for. Amanjot Kaur appeared to have hurt herself fielding a shot from Paige Scholfield but after receiving treatment, she bowled out Amy Jones for nine two deliveries later. Scholfield (16) and Charlie Dean (four) both went in the 17th over – the latter run out in a terrible mix up with Ecclestone. The youngest ever English woman to reach 100 T20 caps, enjoy every minute @Sophecc19 😍 Everton legend and Soph's friend, Phil Jagielka presented her with her cap 🤝 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 9, 2025 Openers Verma and Mandhana wasted little time in setting about the run chase, with 50 runs coming off the first five overs. Progress was stalled as Verma was caught by Capsey on the boundary off Dean for 31 before Ecclestone – who became the youngest woman to reach 100 T20 appearances for England – claimed the big scalp of Mandhana for 32, tempting her to slice a shot into the hands of Lauren Filer. The run rate initially slumped, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues at the crease, but India stayed on the right side of the numbers required and then gradually started to turn the screw. Kaur fell for 26, caught by Ecclestone off Wong, before Amanjot Kaur was run out for two, but Rodrigues (24) and Richa Ghosh (seven) brought it home for India with 18 balls to spare.
BBC News
31 minutes ago
- BBC News
'End of an era' - Modric plays last game for Real Madrid
It's all over for Luka Modric at Real 597 appearances, 28 trophies and 13 years, the 39-year-old Croat has played his last game for while Wednesday's thrashing by Paris St-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-final proved an unforgettable finale, Modric's career for the Spanish giants will never be 2018 Ballon d'Or winner's Real Madrid trophies include six Champions Leagues and four domestic titles, since joining Real from Spurs in 2012."The moment has arrived. The moment I never wanted to come, but that's football, and in life everything has a beginning and an end," Modric said on Instagram when his exit was announced."I arrived in 2012 with the hope of wearing the jersey of the best team in the world and the ambition to do great things, but I couldn't have imagined what came next," he said."Playing for Real Madrid changed my life as a footballer and as a person."I'm proud to have been part of one of the most successful eras of the best club in history."Modric, who will play for AC Milan next season, bagged two goals and six assists in 34 appearances in the Spanish top flight this season as Real were pipped to the title by Barcelona. He also featured in every game as Carlo Ancelotti's side reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by signed a one-year contract extension last year, which expired at the end of the Club World Cup. 'Modric's legacy will live on forever' Although he has been largely limited to substitute appearances this season, Modric will leave Real as its most decorated player after 597 appearances, 43 goals and 95 assists."Modric will forever remain in the hearts of all Madridistas as a unique and exemplary footballer who has always embodied the values of Real Madrid," said club president Florentino Perez after his departure was announced in June."His football has captured the imagination of Madridismo and fans all over the world. His legacy will live on forever."Modric captained Real to two trophies in his final season to take his haul to 28 titles, overtaking Nacho Fernandez as the club's most successful addition to the half-dozen Champions League titles, there are six Fifa Club World Cups, five European Super Cups, four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey triumphs and five Spanish Super Cups during his 13 seasons at leading Real to a 2018 Champions League success over Liverpool and then Croatia to the World Cup final in the same year, Modric became the first player other than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or since is also the oldest player to represent Los Blancos in La Liga and their oldest goalscorer, having scored in a 2-1 win over Valencia at the age of 39 years and 116 days, overtaking Ferenc Puskas' is also currently the third longest-serving member of a Spanish top-flight side, behind Oscar de Marcos of Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid midfielder month, the Croatia legend became an "investor and co-owner" with a minority stake in Championship side Swansea City. 'It feels like the end of an era' Although Modric has been playing less than he has done for most of his Real Madrid career, he is the kind of player that can affect things because he becomes a magnet for the may have felt he was being useful at some points, but football is heading in a different direction now - you need to cover a lot of ground for instance. Look at Pedri who is the number one retriever of possession at Barcelona and runs more than anybody else. Modric can't do that has been the one who has been pushing to stay put but Real had doubts. They listened to the player, the fans, read the room and felt it wasn't time yet. But everybody was prepared for his however, has been an exemplary professional. Perhaps his most difficult time was when Carlo Ancelotti told him and Toni Kroos that he was going to change things and the club had decided to go for a more physical and dynamic midfield with Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde and Eduardo managed to turn things around and became a very important part of the team, but Modric had a phase on the the last couple of years, his situation has left him a bit uneasy. He didn't know where he stood. He felt he could play 90 minutes more often. It was a nightmare for him but this season, he has understood his role better and has been their ultimately, this will have been a decision taken by the club. Xabi Alonso would have agreed to it but it's a club decision, first of all. The way Alonso's teams play requires a lot of effort which he cannot ask of also feels like the end of an is a new culture that has to be set for this team. Ancelotti has struggled with the fractions and egos in the team and by getting Modric out, you can build for new leaders - and that might be Real's thinking.
BBC News
32 minutes ago
- BBC News
Chebbak hat-trick helps Morocco avoid DR Congo upset at Wafcon
Ghizlane Chebbak was the hero once again as the Morocco captain scored a fine hat-trick to ensure her team did not slip up against DR Congo, with the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) hosts eventually winning 4-2 after a topsy-turvy game in who turns 35 next month and was named player of the tournament at the previous Wafcon three years ago, had already saved the Atlas Lionesses in their opening match against Zambia, curling home from long range late on to snatch a 2-2 time she struck twice in the space of 19 first-half minutes to settle nerves after Merveille Kanjinga had silenced a packed Olympic Stadium by giving the Congolese a shock lead with just six minutes on the Central Africans, who scored with their only two shots on target, were briefly back level again thanks to Flavine Mawete's goal with 20 minutes Chebbak slid in at the far post to complete her hat-trick just six minutes later, while a Yasmin Mrabet penalty in the closing stages finally broke DR Congo's victory came after Zambia had beaten Senegal 3-2 earlier on Wednesday, with both the North Africans and the Copper Queens now almost certain to qualify from Group A, but the Congolese are on the brink of an early exit after a second successive final round of group fixtures will see Morocco face Senegal and Zambia take on DR Congo on Saturday, with both games kicking off at 19:00 to follow.
