Scoring runs in a MLB game is usually quite a challenge for teams. That wasn't true for the Chicago Cubs on Sunday as they plated two runners in a row by not doing anything at all. Instead, they just stood there as San Diego Padres Logan Gillaspie was called for two straight balks with runners on.
Gillaspie entered the game with two outs in the first inning and with the bases loaded. He then told the home plate umpire he was going to work from the windup with a runner on third, which he's allowed to do. But then he made the same mistake twice by stopping during his windup and was called for a balk each time.
If you're going to tell the ump you're going to work from the windup, you should probably know the rules about doing so. Instead, it turned into quite mess for Gillaspie and the Padres.
Here's a good breakdown of what happened:
Not great!
The Cubs scored five times in the opening frame after giving up three runs to the Padres in the top of the first. What a wild day at Wrigley.
Right before the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs were set to start their first of two games in Tokyo to officially open the 2025 MLB season, the Dodgers scratched Freddie Freeman from the lineup.
Freeman experienced rib discomfort during batting practice on Tuesday, causing him to sit out for the game. He told reporters after the game, which the Dodgers won 4–1, that the pain is similar to what he dealt with during last season's playoff run. It was revealed after Los Angeles's World Series win that Freeman played through the postseason with broken cartilage in his ribcage.
The first baseman clarified that the pain he's experiencing now in his ribcage is "less severe" and there's a 75% chance he'll play in Wednesday's game in Tokyo, 's Jack Harris reported. He even wanted to play on Tuesday, but was held out for likely precautionary reasons.
Freeman explained that he received treatment after batting practice in hopes to play on Tuesday. He said as long as he doesn't feel any pain on Wednesday, he should be good to play.
While the ribs are a lingering issue, it doesn't sound like Dodgers fans need to worry about Freeman's ankle. He dealt with a sprain in the postseason, which caused him to miss Game 4 of the NLCS. He still battled through the injury, even winning World Series MVP thanks to his efforts. He underwent surgery on his ankle in the offseason.
Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons felt three dropped catches followed by “bad decisions” from the batters in a 136-run chase against Pakistan upended his team’s chance of reaching the Asia Cup 2025 final. Bangladesh lost by 11 runs in their Super Fours fixture after Pakistan’s lower order bailed them out of a dire situation.Pakistan were 51 for 5 when Nurul Hasan and Mahedi Hasan dropped Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 12th over. Afridi went on to hit two sixes in a 13-ball 19 and hand Pakistan a bit of momentum. After he fell, Parvez Hossain Emon dropped Mohammad Nawaz on zero; Nawaz went on to make 25 off 15 balls with two sixes and a four.Fielders often have a difficult time picking the ball up against Dubai’s unusual “ring of fire” floodlights, but Simmons didn’t think this had been an issue with any of the chances.Related
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“When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that’s where the game changed,” he said. “Before that, we were in control. Some of the catches maybe [had something to do with the lights] but I don’t think the ones we dropped had anything to do with the lights.”Simmons felt Bangladesh’s batters had taken better decisions against Sri Lanka compared to this chase against Pakistan. Bangladesh hit more sixes than Pakistan, but they also lost a number of wickets while trying to play big shots. Simmons also suggested that the team had missed captain Litton Das, who sat out his second straight game with a side strain.Mohammad Nawaz had Mahedi Hasan caught at cover•AFP/Getty Images
“We didn’t have to chase it in any [particular number of] overs. We just had to win the game,” Simmons said. “It was just bad decisions. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn’t make the best shot selections.”We just chased 160 [169 vs Sri Lanka] two games ago. We are not a team that can lose Tanzid [Hasan] and captain [Litton] in one game and just fill [the void] like that. We are getting to that stage, we are not there yet. Losing the captain in such good form is a big thing for us.”We chased 160 [169] on the same wicket, where we made better batting decisions. Batting order doesn’t say we batted well or badly. We made bad decisions today.”Bangladesh have historically struggled to match the most successful T20I sides when it comes to strike rates. Simmons felt they were starting to address this issue, but what cost them in this game was their inability to build partnerships.”The [strike-rate] gap will reduce the more we play at the international level, the guys will know what to do at this level,” he said. “I agree that our strike-rate isn’t up there, but we are up there in six-hitting. I don’t think it is about our ability to score quickly. We have to bat for longer and put on partnerships.”Bangladesh shuffled their batting order in this chase, with Mahedi Hasan promoted to No. 4. Simmons felt this was the right move given Mahedi’s ability to counter pace, even if he only managed 11 off 10 in this game.”You look at it as someone batting at No 4. I look at it as someone taking on the pacers in the powerplay,” Simmons said. “He could have taken on the pacers more than if he went in the lower order against the spinners. I had Jaker [Ali] and Shamim [Hossain] down there, who could take on the spinners.”The defeat against Pakistan ended Bangladesh’s Asia Cup campaign. They beat Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in succession before going down in back-to-back matches against India and Pakistan.All was not lost, though, and Simmons pointed out a couple of positives from the competition..”[Saif Hassan] is definitely the biggest positive from this [campaign],” he said. “The other one is how our bowlers did in the whole tournament. They were spot-on, every game.”
O Ituano recebe o Corinthians nesta quarta-feira (24), pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Paulista. A bola vai rolar a partir das 19h30 (de Brasília), no Estádio Nevelli Júnior, em Itu, com transmissão do Paulistão Play e da CazéTV.
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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA ITUANO X CORINTHIANS – 2ª RODADA – FASE DE GRUPOS – PAULISTÃO
Data e horário: quarta-feira, 24 de janeiro de 2024, às 19h30 (de Brasília) Local: Estádio Novelli Júnior, em Itu-SP Onde assistir: Paulistão Play e CazéTV Arbitragem: Matheus Delgado Candançan (árbitro); Daniel Marques e Miguel Ribeiro da Costa (auxiliares); Rodrigo Paes Domingues (quarto árbitro); Thiago Duarte Peixoto (VAR)
⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES ITUANO (Técnico: Marcinho) Jefferson; Léo Duarte, Vialle, Marcel e Jonathan; José Aldo, Eduardo Person, Yann e Pablo; Salatiel e Matheus Cadorini.
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CORINTHIANS (Técnico: Mano Menezes) Cássio; Fagner, Félix Torres, Caetano e Hugo; Raniele e Maycon, Matías Rojas e Matheus Araújo; Romero e Yuri Alberto.
Struggling Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has been told that Arsenal is the perfect place for him to get his career back on track. Mainoo established himself as a regular starter at Old Trafford under former Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, but he has fallen out of favour since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, and serious questions are being asked of his future.
AFPMainoo linked with January transfer
After clocking only 138 minutes on the pitch in the Premier League this season under Amorim, Mainoo has been strongly linked with a move away from United in the January transfer window. A loan exit has been mooted for Mainoo, which would provide him with an opportunity to impress Thomas Tuchel before the German coach picks his final England squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Several clubs have been linked with a move for the English midfielder, including Serie A champions Napoli and West Ham, however, no concrete offer has been made yet.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMainoo told to join Arsenal
Former Arsenal star Stefan Schwarz has advised Mainoo to join Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta deemed to be the ideal manager to bring the best out of him. Schwarz told : "Arsenal have the best conditions for young players. And they have a manager in Mikel Arteta that is not afraid to give responsibility to them and give them opportunities when he feels they are ready. It's just about preparing them in the best way and that's what Arsenal have done very well the last couple of years."
Getty Images Sport'Rice is a good leader'
One more aspect from the Arsenal transfer that could benefit Mainoo is playing alongside England team-mate Declan Rice in the Gunners' midfield. Rice is a natural leader and his experience and guidance could help Mainoo improve his form.
Lavishing praise on Rice, Schwarz added: "Declan Rice is a very good player. I like him a lot. He's a good leader. He can play in different positions, he's versatile and so solid. You know what you get from him every week. His delivery is unbelievable, and he has a great work rate and ethic. He is one of the leaders at Arsenal. He rarely gets injured, and he's a good character. He looks out for and takes care of his team-mates. He is also very good when talking to the media, which is very important and is an understated skill. He’s so important to Arsenal. If he was to get injured it would be a huge setback, they could cope in the short term thanks to the size of the squad but losing him for a couple of games wouldn't be a problem."
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Getty Images SportWhy isn't Mainoo getting enough game time?
United boss Amorim explained earlier this month why he has not been providing Mainoo with more game time, telling reporters: "We need to go to Europe because of everything. Our club needs to be in Europe, it’s hard to have a very, very good squad. Imagine for me to have Mainoo with that (many) minutes that he’s playing, he needs more games for me to make a rotation because, with one game (a week), it’s really hard. I have to take one of the guys that is playing to put another. When you have more games, you can divide, you can manage the group in a different way. We are trying to use the time that we have to train to be a better team, we need to be prepared in the future to have European games. But the target doesn’t change. We have to go to Europe. To be in the top four is really hard for our moment, but we never know, we just need to focus on winning the next one."
Mainoo will hope to feature when United take on Everton in the Premier League this weekend.
Tottenham Hotspur’s squad in 2025/26 is packed with numerous midfield stars, but it’s apparent that boss Thomas Frank is yet to work out his best combination in such an area.
The Dane has utilised a three-man midfield in the vast majority of his 11 Premier League outings to date, often varying between two deep-lying options with a ten and a flat three.
Joao Palhinha arrived in the summer on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich and has started all but one, with his ball-winning presence a real component to the Lilywhites’ side.
The same can’t be said for £52m addition Xavi Simons, as the Dutchman has struggled to nail down a starting position in his attacking midfield role – subsequently being named in the starting eleven on just six occasions.
However, there’s little denying that one player would have easily walked into the current squad had he still been on the books after his previous spell in North London.
Spurs’ most underrated player in the last decade
When talking about Spurs’ most underrated players in numerous years, many players will be mentioned, but one will always rise to the top – with that man being Mousa Dembélé.
The Belgian midfielder joined the Lilywhites from Fulham for just £15m back in the summer 2012, with very few supporters anticipating the levels he would produce in the capital.
He would go on to rack up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, often catching the eye with his physicality and dazzling feet.
Standing at 6’1, you wouldn’t expect a player to easily get past the opposition, but Dembele used to glide past his men – leading to his tally of 10 goals and 11 assists.
Many of his former teammates have sung his praises in recent years, even labelling him as one of the most underrated players they have played alongside in their careers.
Former right-back Kieran Trippier is just one player to sign his praises, with the Englishman stating: “He was a remarkable player. He was unbelievable, I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for being such an unbelievable player.”
Since his move to Guangzhou City back in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Frank and the supporters undoubtedly wishing they had a player of Dembélé’s talents at present.
The Spurs star who was tipped to be the next Dembele
In the last six years since Dembele’s departure from Spurs, the hierarchy have spent upwards of £300m on the midfield department alone – a simply staggering amount of money.
Numerous of their additions still remain on the books in North London, with the aforementioned Simons just one of the options Frank is still able to call upon.
Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are two other young stars who have been brought to the club in the last few seasons, with both cementing themselves within the first team ranks.
The latter of the duo joined for just £8m from Swedish side Djurgarden last summer, but has already racked up a total of 60 appearances despite being just 19.
However, Yves Bissouma is another midfield addition that remains in North London, but his time at the club has been far from successful in the last few years.
The Malian joined for a reported £25m from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2022, leading to journalist Alasdair Gold claiming he’s just “like Dembele”.
In the three years with the Lilywhites, the 29-year-old has already racked up a century of appearances – even finding the back of the net on two separate occasions.
Yves Bissouma – PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
28
Goals & assists
2
Pass accuracy
89%
Tackles won
2.1
% of tackles won
63%
Duels won
5.2
Interceptions made
1.2
Recoveries made
5.4
Stats via FotMob
However, it’s been a period that has been littered with controversy, with Bissouma being suspended by the club back in August 2024 after being pictured inhaling laughing gas.
Frank’s arrival has seen the downward spiral continue for the Malian, with the Dane leaving him out of the UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG after being consistently late for training.
In the three months since the final, he’s failed to make a single appearance for the Lilywhites, even being left out of the Premier League and Champions League squads for the first half of 2025/26.
Such an omission is a sign that the manager simply doesn’t see the 29-year-old as part of his long-term plans – with the hierarchy desperately needing to offload him in January.
Bissouma currently earns a reported £55k-per-week in North London, with the club paying him a staggering £1.4m since his last competitive outing in the first-team.
Not only has he failed to reach the levels many anticipated upon his move, but he’s also bleeding the club dry of crucial funds that will be needed in January.
His lack of action, current earnings and disciplinary record all point to an exit for the midfielder in the upcoming winter window, with the club needing to make his departure a priority.
Frank will no doubt want to clear him off the books, raising funds for the January market, which is no doubt a crucial point of the season in his quest to secure Champions League football a second successive year in North London.
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Southampton have been one of a number of teams with a managerial vacancy in the Championship during the international break, alongside Norwich, Middlesbrough, and Swansea.
Boro are set to appoint Kim Hellberg from Hammarby and Vitor Matos is in talks to take over at Swansea, but it is Norwich who have made the most eyebrow-raising appointment.
The Canaries have hired Belgian coach Philippe Clement, who has won four domestic cups in Belgium and Scotland and four Belgian top-flight titles in his career, per Transfermarkt, working for Club Brugge, Genk, Monaco, and Rangers.
Norwich are 23rd in the Championship table, with half as many points as Southampton, yet they have attracted a head coach who has won 170 of his 287 league games as a manager, averaging 2.00 points per game, per Transfermarkt.
The latest on Southampton's managerial search
According to Daily Echo reporter Alfie House, as relayed by SaintsExtra, Southampton are set to hand interim head coach Tonda Eckert the next three Championship matches before further assessing the situation.
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The Saints play Charlton, Leicester City, and Millwall in those three games, after Eckert beat QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 in his first two matches in the dugout.
House’s update adds that Southampton have spoken with managerial targets and that they do not have a clear standout candidate at this moment in time, which is why Eckert will be given the next three games to stake his claim for the permanent job.
Instead of appointing the interim on a permanent basis, Sport Republic could hire their answer to Norwich’s ambitious Clement swoop by bringing reported target Brendan Rodgers to St. Mary’s.
Why Southampton should appoint Brendan Rodgers
If the Canaries are able to attract a manager like Clement, who has won eight trophies and managed some big European clubs, whilst second from bottom in the Championship, Southampton should make a statement of their own with a move for the former Celtic boss.
Described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, like the new Norwich manager, Rodgers would come in with an incredible career behind him and a history of winning games and trophies on a consistent basis. In fact, he won the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership title with Celtic ahead of Clement’s Rangers side.
The Northern Irish boss, who was hailed as a “pillar of strength” by Hoops captain Callum McGregor, is an incredibly experienced tactician who has been there and done it in England and Scotland.
League games managed
597
287
League games won
322
170
League games drawn
122
63
League games lost
153
54
Points per league game
1.82
2.00
Trophies won
13
8
League titles won
4
4
As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is even more experienced than Clement and has won five more trophies in his career, with 11 of those coming at Celtic, and the other two with Leicester.
The Saints target also has experience in getting out of the Championship. He won the play-offs in the 2010/11 campaign after a third-placed finish in the second tier with Swansea, which shows that he also has experience for what Southampton need this season.
Therefore, Rodgers could be a brilliant appointment for the club if they can convince him to make the drop down to the Championship, which is what Norwich were able to do with Clement.
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Jude Bellingham's generosity has shone through with the Real Madrid star prepared to give a youth player 'his armour' following a cruel injury blow. Bruno Iglesias recently suffered a serious shoulder injury for the second time in his young career. The 22-year-old slipped and fell awkwardly in training as the Castilla star was preparing for an emotional return to Salamanca.
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Bellingham prepared to help Iglesias
Iglesias had been set for a start under manager Alvaro Arbeloa but injury struck again in front of family and friends. It's the second time the youngster has endured a shoulder injury leaving the Castilla player with a decision to make.
Iglesias must now decide whether to play with a shoulder brace and endure the pain or undergo surgery that would rule him out until March. However, with less than a year left on his current deal, and the option to extend tied to first-team promotion, the Spaniard is eager to keep playing.
And in a huge show of generosity, Bellingham has offered to lend Iglesias the same shoulder brace he used in order to manage his own shoulder injury. The England international played in excess of 100 games with the brace itself before opting for surgery following the Club World Cup.
The 22-year-old played all six Real Madrid matches at the summer competition in the US before their resounding semi-final exit at the hands of Champions League winners PSG, after which he made the decision to go under the knife. Bellingham missed the opening few weeks of the season but has since slotted back into the Real Madrid starting seamlessly.
"I've been waiting for a while and my patience is running out. I want to feel free now; it's exhausting playing with the sling," Bellingham said about playing in the shoulder brace.
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'There were a lot of days alone' in Bellingham's recovery
Earlier this month, Bellingham opened up on his shoulder surgery and has confirmed he is now back to full fitness, stating: "It felt quick, but there were a lot of days alone, working hard, and honestly, pretty boring. I'm back earlier than people expected it was never going to be three or four months, I was always confident I’d return sooner.
"Once I was back with the team and doing contact, I flew through the last few weeks. On the pitch, I feel confident. I had to do gym sessions on a mat, learning how to fall and roll again, making sure I wasn’t putting my shoulder in positions where it might pop out.
"The chances are less than 1%, but it was about feeling no pain. It’s boring stuff you’re basically learning to fall again like a kid. It means a lot to hear people say they miss watching you, teammates miss playing with you, staff miss coaching you even the fans being up in the stand, seeing yourself on the big screen, hearing the claps it’s humbling to know so many people are supporting you.
"It’s easy to get dragged into negativity when you’re injured, especially when you can’t remind people what you do. That support was exactly the reminder I needed of how loved I am in Madrid, which is all that really matters."
Getty Images Sport
Real Madrid seek to return to winning ways at Elche
Bellingham will now hope to help Real Madrid return to winning ways having failed to win their last two competitive games. Xabi Alonso could only watch on as his Real Madrid side fell to a 1-0 loss at Liverpool in the Champions League earlier this month.
Los Blancos then followed up that defeat with a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano and they'll hope to reclaim top spot in La Liga when they take on Elche on Sunday. Real Madrid dropped to second in the table as rivals and defending champions Barcelona secured a 4-0 win over Athletic Club in their first game at Spotify Camp Nou in over 900 days on Saturday afternoon.
Elche are unbeaten at home in La Liga this season, winning three and drawing three of their opening six games in front of their fans as Real Madrid seek to get their season back on track ahead of their Champions League game against Olympiacos next week.
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Real Madrid's no.5 looking to rediscover debut season form
Bellingham, meanwhile, made an impressive return to first team action following his full recovery from surgery, coming in clutch in narrow wins over Juventus and Barcelona in the Champions League and La Liga, respectively.
The Real Madrid no.5 will now hope to put in performances similar to his debut season in Spain, where he inspired the Spanish giants to the league and Champions League double.
AC Milan have been linked with a move for a Manchester United ace who Ruben Amorim rates and now a new update has dropped regarding their pursuit.
Joshua Zirkzee has struggled to fully ignite in a Red Devils shirt to date, with Fabrizio Romano recently talking up his potential exit, even though Amorim values him as a player.
“Yeah, we have to follow the situation closely in the next weeks because the calls have started. First was West Ham, now also Roma have made some calls to understand the situation of Joshua Zirkzee. So the market is moving around the Dutch striker again. Let’s see what happens with Sesko because now with the Sesko injury, again, it’s not a super serious one probably.
“Let’s wait for Manchester United statement. But obviously when you have a player like Sesko injured, there is still the opportunity to have a player like Zirkzee who can cover cover several positions as number nine, as number 10. Ruben Amorim according to my sources never wanted to let Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee leave because he believes that also Zirkzee can cover several positions and can be very important.”
Now, a fresh update has appeared over Zirkzee’s next step in his career, with a move away from United in 2026 still potentially looking on the cards.
AC Milan make contact over Zirkzee signing
According to a report from Corriere dello Sport [via Caught Offside], Milan have held talks with Zirzkee’s representatives over a move from Manchester United.
The January transfer window will be a chance to get a deal over the line, with the Red Devils striker in need of more regular playing time, in order to boost his 2026 World Cup chances with the Netherlands.
Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund pictured with Joshua Zirkzee and Bruno Fernandes.
It has been a tough spell for Zirzkee at United, scoring just seven goals in 54 appearances, so it is only natural that a move away could be best for all parties.
The 24-year-old remains a popular figure among United supporters, always giving his all, but the summer arrival of Benjamin Sesko has pushed him further down the pecking order.
As mentioned, the World Cup is only around the corner, so warming the substitutes’ bench most weeks is going to do little to aid his chances of being a fixture in the Netherlands’ team, as he battles former Red Devils striker Memphis Depay to lead the line for his country.
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If Zirkzee does leave permanently, it will be yet another attacking signing that hasn’t worked out for United, but equally, if a move doesn’t materialise, Amorim will surely be content to have him around until at least the end of this season.
Amorim's "modern-day Berbatov" is now already on borrowed time at Man Utd
Youngest leader keen to “see how I go under pressure” after latest show of faith from management
Matt Roller16-Sep-2025″I like it when things come at a fast pace,” Jacob Bethell said with a grin, as he prepared to become England’s youngest-ever captain on Wednesday. It is just as well.It was a year ago last week that Bethell made his England debut, feeling “very nervous” as he walked out for a T20 international against Australia in Southampton. Twelve months, 34 caps, nine half-centuries and a maiden hundred later, he will break a record that has stood since 1889 when he goes for the toss in Malahide to lead his country against Ireland at the age of 21.It is the latest show of faith in a young man who England’s management clearly view as a future superstar. Bethell’s captaincy experience is limited to “a bit at school”, seven games for England Under-19s and a handful more for Warwickshire’s second team, but he will lead a senior side featuring two double-World Cup winners in Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid this week.Related
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He has long been seen as a leader, dating back to his time in charge of England’s Under-19s. Bethell’s schooling, moving from Barbados to the UK to board at Rugby School, and his early entry into professional cricket have contributed to a sense that he is more mature than most of his peers, the direct result of his accelerated development.England’s logic for giving Bethell the role is simple enough. Harry Brook, their permanent white-ball captain, is among several multi-format linchpins rested for this series, and there is little point handing the reins back to Buttler for a three-match, end-of-season tour. Perhaps only Phil Salt, who led England against Australia last year, could feel hard done by to be overlooked.Bethell has not explicitly been told why he was chosen, but has his suspicions. “It’s maybe just a bit of trust,” he said on Tuesday, in his first captain’s press conference. “Another aspect might be, just chuck me in the deep end and see how I go. It will be nice to see how I go under pressure – I’m sure the guys that have made those decisions would like to see that as well.”He learned of his elevation from Brendon McCullum in a phone call last month. “When I found out, the first emotion was pride,” Bethell said. “The feeling is excitement [with] a few nerves kicking around, both from wanting to lead the boys well, and get a win under our belt.” Asked to describe what type of captain he will be, he joked: “A very young one.”That sense was accentuated on Tuesday when he posed with the series trophy alongside his opposite number, Paul Stirling, who at 35 is a veteran of more than 150 T20 international caps. They are well-acquainted from a season opening the batting for Warwickshire together in the T20 Blast three years ago, and Bethell clearly left an impression despite a lean campaign.”He was a superstar,” Stirling recalled. “You could see the talent there when he must’ve been 18 years old. His ball-striking was so noticeable that it was world-class already. To see where he’s got to already in his career is no surprise to me… I know how talented he is, and I’m not surprised at all that he’s here under a leadership capacity.”Bethell believes that his primary responsibility as a captain will be to “manage people” while working with stand-in head coach Marcus Trescothick. “Not every tactical decision you make is going to work,” he said. “It’s about managing the boys well so they feel you’re backing them. That’s something I’ll look to take forward in however many games I end up captaining in my career.”He has admired Ben Stokes’ leadership of England’s Test team – “he leads by example, with actions and performances” – and intends to follow suit. Bethell’s recent form – including a maiden hundred against South Africa nine days ago – has been timely, removing the simmering disquiet in some quarters around his hasty promotion to the captaincy.Bethell said that he has taken confidence from that innings of 110 off 82, even if he did not see it as a breakthrough moment. “It was a nice feeling, and almost one that feels quite addicting. Hopefully, I can get myself used to raising the bat. Once you do it once, you’ve got the confidence to go on and do it again and again, so I think it’s definitely given me that.”That innings came from No. 4 in England’s ODI team, and he was promoted to No. 3 in last week’s T20Is against South Africa. “It’s kind of moulding two positions into one: you’ve got the back-end of the powerplay, and then what I’m used to in the middle order,” he said, adding with another grin: “I think as high up the order as possible is pretty good.”Further success this week – albeit in a different format – will only prompt more speculation about the prospect of him forcing his way into England’s team for the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21. “My head’s firmly screwed on to this series,” he said. “The squad’s not even selected for that yet, so hopefully I’m going to be there.”There is little doubt that he will be – just as there are few who would predict that his first series as England’s captain will be his last.