Category Sports News

Thomas Muller, a former Munich, Bayern forward, will remain with the Vancouver Whitecaps until the end of the 2025 season.

The 35-year-old left the German side at the end of last season, putting an end to his 25-year association with the Bundesliga champions.

Each club is permitted three designated players (DPs whose wages are not included in their salary cap, as per Vancouver’s agreement), along with the option to sign Muller as a designated player (DP) for the 2026 MLS season.

When his international transfer certificate (ITC), visa, and work permit are received, he will officially join the club.

Muller, who started his youth career at Bayern in 2000 and won two Champions League and 13 Bundesliga titles, said, “I’m looking forward to coming to Vancouver to help this team win a championship.

“I’ve heard fantastic things about the city, but I’m going to win first. I’ve had some great conversations with head coach Jesper Sorensen and sports director Axel Schuster, and I’m excited to play in front of the fans as the playoffs approach.

Muller also scored 45 goals in 131 games for Germany, earning him the 2014 World Cup title as the top scorer at the South African competition in 2010.

As Somerset, who finished second last year, won the One-Day Cup competition by six wickets against Middlesex, James Rew unbeaten on the year-opening century.

Rew, age 21, led his team in this match by defeating Middlesex 289-7 with 15 balls to go in the final score of 106 off 90 balls at Radlett.

He also had a 107-point partnership with Thomas, his younger brother, who was 51 years old.

In the other game, Surrey was defeated by six wickets at Guildford by Leicestershire Foxes.

As the hosts were dismissed for 174, England Under-19 bowler Alex Green took 5-25 and American international Ian Holland took 4-37.

Given that Surrey have lost so many players to The Hundred, with 16 of them in action this year, they have struggled in this competition.

And as Holland and Green reduced them 43-4, their much-changed side began to struggle.

Ollie Sykes, who scored 50, and Ryan Patel, the One-Day Cup captain, combined for 68 and made 53.

Only two other people, though, managed to achieve double figures. As Surrey ran out with 6 overs left, one of them, Josh Blake, was the last man out for 31 to give 18-year-old Green his fifth wicket.

Leicestershire, who were unconcerned in the chase, won the matchup by hitting the final six six overs in the 30th over to top score with 38 not out. They were flying high at the top of Division Two in the Championship.

After striking a massive six, Pakistan’s Shan Masood even managed to punch a hole in a spectator’s car just beyond the boundary.

In the Group B match, Middlesex’s visitors put a strain on Middlesex, scoring opener Josh de Caires a 71 for his first List A half-century.

Nobody could make a significant contribution to raise the score beyond 300, but Jack Davies made it to 64.

While Jack Leach and Jake Ball both took three wickets each for Somerset to control the run-rate.

James Rew took the opener when Lewis Goldworthy was bowled by Ethan Brookes for 38 to make it 131-3 before Thomas Rew joined him.

Thomas and his brothers both recorded runs-a-balls in their century, with Thomas taking home List A for the first time in a half-century.

His older brother continued to score well in the final over, hitting four consecutive fours to win the match before going for 51.

Groupe A:

Neath: Derbyshire Falcons vs. Glamorgan

Hampshire vs. Essex: Utilita Bowl

Nettleworth: Worcestershire v. Nottinghamshire Outlaws

Groupe B:

The Hundred women’s competition, Old Trafford

Manchester Originals 95-8 (100 balls): Smale 40* (34); Bell 3-28

Southern Brave 96-4 (89 balls): Wolvaardt 42* (37); Gregory 1-11

Southern Brave won by six wickets

England seamer Lauren Bell took 3-28 as Southern Brave cruised to a six-wicket win in their opening fixture against Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

Mady Villiers chipped with in with figures of 2-19, while 17-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman claimed 1-12 in a dismal Originals batting performance.

Only Seren Smale emerged with any credit from the home side’s innings, finishing with an undefeated 40 to take her team to 95-8 from their hundred balls.

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt top-scored in Brave’s chase, striking 42 not out against her former team.

The visiting side never looked in danger of failing to reach their low target, but did see four wickets fall, with Dani Gregory taking 1-11.

After reaching the final of the first three editions of The Hundred, winning in 2023, Southern Brave had a shocking campaign last year – winning just one of their eight matches as they finished bottom.

On this evidence they will fare better this season, with an attack spear-headed by Bell and a supporting cast of impressive spinners.

England’s opening bowler broke the stumps of Kathryn Bryce in her first set and saw New Zealand international Melie Kerr paddle the final ball of the powerplay straight to Chloe Tryon.

Meanwhile Villiers accounted for Originals captain Beth Mooney, with the world’s number one batter cutting to Danni Wyatt-Hodge for just one.

Originals slipped to 66-8 after 74 balls, with 17-year-old Corteen-Coleman bowling the big-hitting Deandra Dottin for eight and Bell catching Fi Morris off her own bowling.

Smale dragged her side towards vague respectability, putting on an unbroken partnership of 29 with Gregory.

Her score of 40 from 34 deliveries was easily the highest of the Originals innings, with Kerr (14) the only other batter to make double figures.

Brave lost opener Maia Bouchier early on, caught by Ecclestone off Dottin for six, bringing Wolvaardt to the crease.

The South African, who was making her first appearance in a Brave shirt after two years at Old Trafford, put on 48 for the second wicket with Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32.

She saw Wyatt-Hodge and Sophie Devine dismissed in the space of five balls and Freya Kemp caught off Kerr with 16 more runs required.

We’re off to Headingley on Thursday as Northern Superchargers take on Welsh Fire in another double-header.