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    Man Utd owners the Glazers and Chelsea director in race to buy another team in £650million league

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    MANCHESTER UNITED owners the Glazer family and Chelsea chief Jonathan Goldstein are in the race to buy one of The Hundred cricket teams.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are looking for investors in the league.Bids of over £100m have gone in for London SpiritCredit: GettyThe Glazers are thought to be keen on one of the clubsCredit: GettyJonathan Goldstein, left, appears keen ahead of the second round of biddingCredit: GettyThe Hundred, which is a short-form 100-ball event that started in 2021, has eight clubs that are valued at a combined £650million.With the opening round of bidding slamming shut this week, The Telegraph claim the ECB are “delighted” with the amount of interest.Over 100 offers have supposedly been placed for the eight teams.Capital-based sides London Spirit and Oval Invincibles have attracted proposals worth between £120m and £140m.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLDeloitte and The Raine Group are in charge of the bidding war.The latter played a key role in the sale of Chelsea to Todd Boehly in 2022 and in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Man Utd this year.And with the investment bank involved, chiefs from both clubs have come forward for cricket.Goldstein, who is Boehly’s business partner, has reportedly asked for further information on the second round of bidding. Most read in CricketFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd the Glazers, excluding Joel, have also come to the crease in recent weeks.It is not clear which one of the eight teams the family, who are still hated among Man Utd fans for using massive loans to purchase the club for £790m in 2005, want to buy.Awkward moment BBC legend leaves co-star ‘blushing’ after cheeky ill-timed comment live on air in England cricket clash But they could be competing against India’s richest family, the Ambanis, who have an eye on London Spirit.The valuations from the first round of bidding are for 100 per cent of the teams.ECB chiefs will sell their 49 per cent stake in each, with the cash raised set to be pumped back into the cricket.The other 51 per cent will be given to the host counties.They will then have the choice of what to do with their share.Surrey reportedly wantto keep their 51 per cent stake of the Oval Invincibles.But other counties could be open to selling their entire share.The Hundred teamsBirmingham PheonixLondon SpiritManchester Originals Northern Superchargers Oval InvinciblesSouthern BraveTrent RocketsWelsh Fire More

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      Hated ex-Newcastle owner Mike Ashley set to buy iconic sporting venue and could slap Sports Direct branding on it

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      CONTROVERSIAL ex-Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is tipped to buy Headingley and slap Sports Direct branding on Yorkshire’s iconic cricket stadium.Days after being linked with a bid for League One strugglers Reading, Ashley is expected to purchase the famous Test venue for £23million.
      Headingley has been home to Yorkshire CCC since 1891 and hosting England cricket internationals from 1899Credit: Getty
      Mike Ashley might put in Sports Direct branding if he buys HeadingleyCredit: PA
      The Mail say financially-stricken Yorkshire County Cricket Club have agreed to sell Headingley to the businessman, including naming rights for 10 years.
      Ashley will reportedly fend off interest from the Rajasthan Royals and ex-club chairman Colin Graves to clinch the deal.
      It’s understood he’s close to a sale and lease-back arrangement – meaning Yorkshire could clear their debts.
      The club are still reeling from being accused of of institutional racism by their former spin bowler Azeem Rafiq two years ago.
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      But Ashley’s money would enable the club to pay £15.9m owed to the Colin Graves Trust.
      The Walsall entrepreneur, 59, owned Newcastle from 2007 to 2021, before finally bowing to years of hostility from Toon fans by selling the club to a Saudi consortium.
      Ashley is the chief executive of Frasers Group Pls, formerly Sports Direct International.
      And it’s thought branding from that latter chain could adorn Headingley, which has hosted Yorkshire since 1891 and England Tests from 1899.
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      The Mail believe Yorkshire are thought to have agreed an option to buy back the ground at a fixed price.
      But before then, if the sale goes ahead, the county will play there as tenants – paying rent of around £1m a season. More

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      BBC pundit and ex-England cricketer’s retirement party backfires after prank leaves her with huge bruises on her face

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      ALEX HARTLEY was out legs before wicket at her retirement party – when a prank involving an octopus backfired bruisingly.The BBC pundit and ex-England cricketer, 29, blames herself for “two massive bruises on my forehead” as she celebrated on a night out.
      Popular presenter Alex Hartley thought nothing could go wrong from a cuddly jape with an octopus as she celebrated retiring from playingCredit: Twitter @@bbctms
      Alex reveals her unexpected injuries following her partyCredit: Twitter @@bbctms
      The ex-spinner played ODI and T20 cricket for England from 2016-2019Credit: Getty
      Alex was suckered by her own stunt as she was pictured grinning with her eyes shut in the back of a bus – while a fluffy octopus sat round her neck.
      The former spinner – a hero of England’s 2017 women’s World Cup glory – explained how she made a right tentacle out of herself.
      The one-day star told BBC Sport: “I stuck two octopuses to my head. Pretending it was my hair, I was flicking it around.
      “They were on there for about 20 minutes..
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      And as another photo showed two purple bumps on her head, Alex added: “Then I looked like that. I’ve got two massive bruises on my forehead.”
      But although Alex’s octopus antics cost her a double dent on her head, they left her squids in with fans.
      One posted: “Bet she’s a right laugh on a night out.”
      Another urged: “Please don’t change. You have such a great vibe.”
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      “Love this,” said a third, and “You made me smile so it was worth it,” claimed a fourth.
      Her jape also proved to be a potential hit for sea-life sales as one observer revealed: “I want to buy an octopus now.”
      But another fan warned: “Always be mindful of a sticky wicket, when the octopus is in play.”
      Hartley had earlier announced she was quitting playing on the BBC’s No Balls Podcast, which she hosts with England fast bowler Kate Cross.
      Having already decided to focus on her mental health, she said of her retirement “I can’t believe it – I feel so good.
      “I’m going to really miss it, I’m going to be really sad but it’s so right.
      “I’ve loved it, I’ve hated it, but I am really proud of what I’ve achieved. It’s everything that I’ve ever wanted to do.”
      The pundit says she ‘covered it well’ as she hid her bruising following her unorthodox octopus encounterCredit: Twitter @@bbctms
      The spinner was a star of England’s 2017 World Cup final win vs IndiaCredit: PA
      Hartley quit playing cricket this month after featuring for Welsh Fire in The Hundred, including here at Headingley vs Northern SuperchargersCredit: Getty More

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      ‘Neville can replace Crawley’ – Fans in awe of Man Utd icon’s cricket skills as he and Carragher face Broad in the nets

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      FANS have been left in awe at Gary Neville’s cricket skills as he and fellow pundit Jamie Carragher were put through their paces by England legend Stuart Broad. The bowler is a huge Nottingham Forest fan and was at the City Ground for their friday night clash against Newcastle.
      Stuart Broad gave the football pundits a lesson on cricketCredit: Sky Sports
      It turned out that former youth cricketer Neville had lost very few of his skillsCredit: Sky Sports
      Given his connections to the Tricky Trees, Sky Sports recruited Broad to get Neville and Carragher out of their comfort zone with some top-level cricket.
      The pair took to the indoor crease with Broad sending down some thunderbolts in their direction.
      Decked out in full cricket gear, both Neville and Carragher initially struggled to get to grips with the challenge, with the former Liverpool defender at one point quipping of his rival: “This is worse than his Valencia moment!”
      But the longer the challenge went on, the clearer it became that there was a quality gap between the pundits.
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      And Neville, the former opening batsman for his local cricket club Greenmount, impressed both Broad and Sky Sports viewers.
      One wrote on Twitter: “Think Nev can open in place of [Zak] Crawley.”
      Another viewer went with a similar theme as they said: “Neville can’t be worst then Crawley being honest.”
      While another fan said: “[Neville is] a much better batsman than a manager.”
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      Other tweeters dug out an old newspaper headline from the Bury Times which showed a young Neville alongside Australian opener Matthew Hayden as they clocked up a century apiece for Greenmount.
      The former Manchester United full-back managed to respond impressively to some of Broad’s fierce bowling, smacking the ball back towards the bowler on multiple occasions.
      But Carragher struggle to connect with most of Broad’s balls and even had his wickets taken out on one occasion.
      Broad, 36, declared Neville the winner at the end of the challenge.
      A fun day for England’s cricketer would however finish with a duff note as his beloved Forest side conceded a late penalty to lose against Newcastle.
      Bowler Broad is England’s second highest wicket taker in test cricketCredit: Sky Sports
      Neville was happy with his superior performance compared to CarragherCredit: Sky Sports More

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      ‘I’ve been in his position’ – Kevin Pietersen defends Cristiano Ronaldo claiming Man Utd ace has ‘constant lies written’

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      ENGLAND cricket legend Kevin Pietersen has defended Cristiano Ronaldo over the Manchester United star’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan.The Portuguese star, 37, has caused shockwaves at Old Trafford after a number of bombshells.
      Kevin Pietersen has launched a fierce defence of Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty
      The Portuguese star has been blasted after his bombshell interview with Piers MorganCredit: Reuters
      He hit out at United for “betraying” him and making him feel like a “black sheep” as well as blaming him for everything going wrong at the club.
      The striker revealed he does not respect manager Erik ten Hag and blasted the club’s lack of progress since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013 – the last time they won the title.
      And he also claimed that the club “doubted” him after he informed them that the reason he arrived late of pre-season was because his baby daughter was in hospital through illness.
      Now Pietersen, who infamously had a fallout with both the ECB and his England team-mates following the 2013/14 Ashes series that led to his career prematurely ending, has waded in by stating that he “sympathises” with Ronaldo “having been in a similar position”.
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      Pietersen tweeted: “I’ve watched this CR story and having been in a similar position, I sympathise with him.
      “People have NO IDEA what it’s like to have constant lies and speculation written about them all the time.
      “People having breaking points. Very easy to blame him but before you do, think…”
      Morgan has also revealed that Ronaldo, who missed training for Portugal today ahead of the World Cup, approached him to do the interview.
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      He said: “He’s been thinking about this for a while.
      “I think it’s no secret that he’s felt a build-up of deep frustration about what’s been happening at United over the last year.
      “He felt it was time to speak out. He knows it was going to be incendiary, he knows this is going to rattle some cages, but he also feels that he should be doing this.” More

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      Harry Kane performs the toss for The Hundred clash before he and Tottenham team-mate Matt Doherty have a go

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      TOTTENHAM striker Harry Kane performed the coin toss ahead of The Hundred clash between London Spirit and Manchester Originals.He then joined Spurs team-mate Matt Doherty as the pair showed off their cricket skills.
      Harry Kane alongside Eoin Morgan for the coin tossCredit: PA
      Kane and Tottenham team-mate Matt Doherty then took part in a six hitting challengeCredit: Getty
      Both Kane and Doherty impressed in the challenge, getting significant height and distance on their battingCredit: Getty
      The footie stars attended cricket clash off the back of a barnstorming start to the Premier League campaign.
      Both featured in Spurs’ opening day 4-1 demolition of Southampton.
      However, neither managed to get in among the goals to open their Prem account for the season.
      Instead, Kane and Doherty took part in the coin toss ahead of The Hundred cricket match, before trying to show off their batting skills.
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      The pair took on a six hitting challenge ahead of the big game.
      Doherty in particular was impressive, getting significant height and distance with his batting.
      Kane and Doherty weren’t shy to hide their biases as they sported Spirit uniform.
      Spurs are back in action next weekend against London rivals Chelsea.
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      The table toppers will be hoping to claim the scalp of one of their biggest rivals early on to make a statement of their intent.
      Spurs are on a 15-year trophy drought, with their last cup lift coming in 2008.
      Ledley King was the captain to lift the then Carling Cup.
      Kane is yet to win silverware in his football career. His earliest opportunity will be at the Qatar World Cup in November-December with England. More

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      Man Utd boss Ralf Rangnick watches England play West Indies in Barbados but fans convinced he’s not just on holiday

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      RALF RANGNICK was a surprise guest at England’s cricket match against the West Indies in sunny Barbados. The Manchester United interim boss was pictured in the stands on day four of the Second Test – but some fans reckon the trip could be for business rather than pleasure.
      Rangick pictured in Barbados alongside GreenidgeCredit: Twitter @windiescricket
      Rangnick, 63, was pictured alongside legendary West Indies former opening batsman Sir Gordon Greenidge.
      With Manchester United out of the FA Cup so not in action this weekend, and next week being an international break, the German found himself with some spare time on his hands.
      He was a “special guest” at the Kensington Oval while holidaying in Barbados alongside Greenidge, 70, with United not in action again until April 2.
      Although after the West Indies cricket team posted the picture to their Twitter account, some reckoned Rangnick could have a secret mission on the agenda.
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      United’s owners the Glazer family have been rumoured to be interested in moving into cricket by purchasing a team in the new UAE Twenty20 League.
      Avram Glazer has been snapped speaking to Dubai’s Sport Council chairman Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed in the Middle East.
      And Rangnick’s attendance at a cricket match, albeit an international one, has fuelled further rumours.
      Club legend Gary Neville slammed Avram Glazer last week for jetting to Dubai to discuss cricket soon after United crashed out of the Champions League.
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      However SunSport understands the Glazers are not actively pursuing buying a cricket team at this moment in time.
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      Rangnick was appointed interim boss at Old Trafford in December after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.
      He’s set to move into a consultancy role in the summer when a new permanent manager is set to be hired.
      Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain chief Mauricio Pochettino are the current front runners for the gig.
      But Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has also emerged as a shock candidate amid the sanction chaos at Stamford Bridge. More

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      Chelsea star Ben Chilwell reveals he played cricket until he was 14 and admits he was ‘maybe BETTER’ at it than football

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      BEN CHILWELL revealed he played cricket up until 14 – and admitted he was ‘maybe BETTER’ at it than football. The Chelsea left-back made revelation while hitting a few balls with England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen, courtesy of Three.
      Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell and England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen
      Pietersen, a Blues fan, asked Chilwell about his cricketing past, and was left shocked to learn of the defender’s experience.
      Chilwell, 25, said: “Probably started at six or seven. Played until I was 14. I think at the time I was potentially, maybe better at cricket.”
      Pietersen, 41, responded: “Oh my gosh. I’ve got a problem here today.”
      Chilwell played county cricket at school in Bedfordshire, so it was no surprise he had an answer for Pietersen’s trademark spin bowling.
      KP remarked: “Are you sure you’re not playing often?” But Chilwell responded: “It’s been a while.”
      The full-back signed for Chelsea in 2019 from Leicester, and has since scored seven goals for the club.
      @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Cricket.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
      His attacking ability impressed Pietersen so much, Chilwell was advised to push for a position further afield.
      KP joked: “You might want to just leave left-back. Can you get out of left-back or not?”
      Chilwell replied: “I’ll go into the managers tomorrow and have a word with him.”
      One thing the England international is sure of, is that choosing football over cricket was the right call.
      He said: “I think you’ve just showed me that I made the right decision not picking cricket.”
      Chelsea fan Kevin Pietersen and Ben Chilwell More

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      Raducanu won a stunning US Open, Olympians triumphed in Tokyo and England had everyone on board before Euros turned ugly

      by

      IT was a weird and wonderful sporting year which served up a fairytale in New York, a robbery in Abu Dhabi, the Ghost Games of Tokyo and the familiar agony of penalty shootout defeat for England.The year began with fans being sorely missed, as the behind-closed-doors era dragged on.
      Emma Radacanu stunning the sporting world by claiming the US Open titleCredit: Reuters
      Adam Peaty played a part in Team GB’s gold rush in Tokyo in the summerCredit: PA
      Then football supporters were lauded for their leading role in smashing the hated breakaway European Super League.
      But as stadiums began to fill, England was shamed by a drink-and-drugs-fuelled mob which severely tarnished the national team’s first major tournament final in 55 years.
      The vandalism at Wembley before that Euros final defeat by Italy was as depressing as the breathtaking arrogance of 12 clubs — including the Premier League’s Big Six — threatening to shred the fabric of football with their roped-off Super League.
      The scheme met with revulsion and ridicule, as it was torpedoed in little more than 48 hours — even managing to overshadow Tottenham sacking Jose Mourinho six days before their Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
      That grubby Super League plot laughed in the face of the idea that anything can happen in sport.
      But in September, at Flushing Meadows, the very essence of the impossible dream arrived when an 18-year-old tennis player from Kent became the first qualifier to win a women’s Grand Slam singles event and the first British woman to claim a major title since Virginia Wade in 1977.
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      Emma Raducanu’s extraordinary campaign at the US Open stands alone as a British sporting story — in this, or any other year.
      Ten matches, ten straight-sets victories, culminating in a 6-4 6-3 final triumph against Leylah Fernandez — a nerveless exhibition from a youngster whose first Grand Slam, at Wimbledon, ended with a medical retirement and her mettle being doubted.
      How wrong could they have been?
      Ireland’s Rachael Blackmore became the first woman to win the Grand National at Aintree, aboard Minella Times, having already become the first female to be leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival.
      The only possible contender to Raducanu as Britain’s sportsperson of the year ought to have been Lewis Hamilton, who contested a Formula One title fight for the ages with the young Dutch upstart Max Verstappen, 24.
      Yet Hamilton’s bid for a record eighth world crown was scuppered by the anarchy and farce of a final-lap run-off with Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, as race director Michael Masi fancied himself as a Hollywood director rather than a guardian of the rulebook.
      Raducanu, made an MBE in the New Year Honours list, was not the only English teenager thrust into extreme pressure — Bukayo Saka’s decisive penalty, saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, meant England’s Euros ended with the cruellest shootout defeat.
      The then 19-year-old, along with fellow subs Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, suffered sickening online abuse after failing from the spot — although the Arsenal kid felt the warmth of the vast majority of fans and was even given a standing ovation by Spurs supporters in a pre-season friendly.
      Sir Lewis Hamilton missed out on a record eighth Formula One titleCredit: Splash
      Hamilton was controversially pipped to the F1 title by Max VerstappenCredit: GETTY
      England defeated Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine and Denmark on their glorious march to the final.
      Gareth Southgate proved himself the most successful Three Lions boss since Sir Alf Ramsey, with Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane leading from the front, Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice indomitable in midfield, while John Stones, Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker formed a formidable all-Yorkshire defensive three.
      And Luke Shaw was the surprise feel-good hit of the summer, enjoying an outstanding tournament and opening the scoring inside two minutes of the final.
      The atmosphere had been joyous and raucous as Southgate’s men came from behind to defeat the Danes in the semi-final.
      But that was in contrast to the carnage of the final, which meant the Three Lions were punished by having to face Italy behind closed doors in the Nations League next year.
      Major sport was plunged back into silence at the Olympics in Tokyo — delayed by a year, yet still unable to provide a crowd’s authentic soundtrack.
      Team GB managed 22 golds, down on their tally from Rio and London but still a mighty achievement compared to a generation ago.
      Adam Peaty became the first Brit to retain an Olympic swimming title and, like his team-mate Tom Dean, clinched two golds.
      Jason and Laura Kenny entered the record books by claiming yet more medals in TokyoCredit: PA
      Cycling spouses Jason and Laura Kenny entered the record books. Fifteen Olympic medals now reside in their Cheshire home — a dozen of them gold.
      After 13 years of trying, diver Tom Daley finally topped the podium, alongside Matty Lee, in the ten-metre synchronised.
      The Olympics also brought mental health into sharp focus as its brightest global star, American gymnast Simone Biles, pulled out of the women’s team final, claiming she felt ‘the weight of the world’ on her shoulders.
      That same week, Ben Stokes — perhaps England’s most fiercely-competitive sportsman — took a four-month break from cricket to prioritise his mental health.
      Biles and Stokes were bold with their honesty, proving even the greatest are vulnerable, especially when living under stifling Covid restrictions.
      In football, Thomas Tuchel inherited a mid-table Chelsea side from Frank Lampard, smashed up Pep Guardiola’s hopes of a Quadruple and delivered a second European Cup to Stamford Bridge.
      Manchester City regained their Premier League crown with ease but Tuchel’s team beat Guardiola’s men in three different competitions, climaxing in a Champions League final victory in Porto.
      Bukayo Saka missed the all-important penalty in England’s Euro 2020 final with ItalyCredit: Getty
      The match was marred by trouble before and after the final whistleCredit: AP
      Leicester defeated Chelsea to win a first FA Cup, five years on from their title glory, but for the second successive year a late collapse saw them miss out on the Champions League.
      Manchester United, meanwhile, shambled on — despite pulling off the league’s most eye-catching signing of 2021 with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a caretaker who should never have been a permanent boss, was replaced by a caretaker in Michael Carrick, then an interim in Ralf Rangnick who wants to be the permanent manager.
      Outside of Old Trafford the year’s biggest letdown was the failure of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to get it on and settle the undisputed world heavyweight boxing crown.
      When American judges ordered Fury to complete his trilogy against Deontay Wilder, that much-anticipated all-British contest was toast.
      Joshua was outclassed by Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham — not the only comprehensive away win there during Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign — as he lost his three belts.
      After that, the prospects of Joshua-Fury ever happening were reduced further still.
      Anthony Joshua suffered a lopsided points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in SeptemberCredit: REUTERS
      At least Fury and Wilder served up a third epic, with the Gypsy King stopping the Alabama slugger in the 11th round in Vegas.
      The British and Irish Lions were defeated by world champs South Africa, Europe were thrashed by the United States in the Ryder Cup and England’s cricketers have already lost The Ashes.
      But the greatest disappointment of all were the dark clouds of Covid gathering as the year draws to a close — threatening our lives, our freedom, and that most important of unimportant things, our sport.
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