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Three years after an ambitious shot had cost her the chance to score her maiden Test hundred, Shafali showed she can bat all day in a ruthless display in Chennai

Sruthi Ravindranath28-Jun-2024″She’s an aggressive batter, we all know that. I think today she just put it down and said she’s going to bat.”This was Delmi Tucker, the South Africa offspinner, speaking at the end of a hard day’s toil dominated by a double-hundred from Shafali Verma.Everyone knows Shafali can take bowling attacks apart with brute force. She can go all out from ball one, irrespective of the format. She’s capable of showing patience too, as she did during the 2021 Bristol Test against England, but she’s not always found the perfect balance.Related

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During WPL 2024, she had spoken about looking to temper her hitting and bat long.In that Bristol Test, she ended up skying one on 96 while trying to get to her hundred with a big hit. In the second ODI against South Africa last week, she had looked settled until she went for a heave across the line and was out for 20.But that wasn’t going to happen on Friday in Chennai.

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South Africa probably wouldn’t have expected India to break numerous batting records on the day, after how their first few overs went. Even if there wasn’t a lot of help from the conditions, their fast bowlers found some early swing, and kept India to 15 for no loss in their first eight overs. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali began circumspectly, despite South Africa’s new-ball bowlers often bowling full and outside off, inviting them to drive.If the pitch used during the first men’s Test between India and England here in 2021 – the last Test played on red soil at Chepauk, as this one was – was anything to go by, batting on the first day wasn’t going to be difficult. The last six men’s Tests at this venue had produced 300-plus first-innings totals, with 450 being passed three times.Shafali’s usual aggression was in full display in Chennai, but only after she had seen out the new ball•BCCIYou wondered how difficult it must have been for Shafali to curb her instincts, and ignore the temptation to drive. She resieted the temptation for her first half an hour at the crease.Then, in the seventh over, Masabata Klaas had just got her to play and miss at one that had shaped away outside off stump, luring her to drive. But the next ball was pitched right up and Shafali got on the front foot, timing her drive perfectly through extra-cover. It was her first boundary of the day.South Africa made their first bowling change in the ninth over, bringing on Nadine de Klerk. She began with a pitched-up delivery angling across Mandhana, and this one was too tempting to leave. Out came the classic cover drive, which she plays with absolute finesse. A punch off the backfoot brought her another boundary in the same over.All those off-side boundaries seemed to rattle de Klerk and Tumi Sekhukhune, who began bowling a lot straighter and sending down full-tosses: five in the six overs they bowled in tandem until the 14th over, all while bowling with a packed off-side field.The runs began to flow, particularly for Mandhana, who began peppering the boundary off both front and back foot, punching, pulling and cutting.It took until the 15th over for Shafali to fully break free. Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba repeatedly tossed the ball up at her, and Shafali looked like she was in the mood to keep resisting. Off the fifth ball, she finally went for it, hitting against the turn, launching the ball over mid-on for her first big hit of the day.”Today, the ball was coming on well and my scores in the last three ODIs pushed me to just think one thing, that I shouldn’t get out and I should play through the day,” Shafali said after the day’s play. “So the idea was to back my strengths, take some time, and find a way to stay at the wicket.”The partnership began to flourish, and Shafali joined in on the fun, if in a calculated way, waiting for loose balls, being a little more selective than even Mandhana was. When Mlaba landed one short in the 17th over, Shafali rocked back and pulled it to the midwicket boundary. Then she clipped a full one from de Klerk in the air, through square-leg.Shafali put on 292 for the first wicket with Smriti Mandhana•BCCIAs her innings progressed she unveiled the nonchalant lofts, the ferocious pulls and even the slog-sweeps. In the 37th over, Shafali overtook Mandhana, going to 89 with her 15th boundary of her innings. Mandhana, at that point, had hit 17 in her 88.A clean hit over long-on, off Tucker, took Shafali to 96, a score with a bit of history to it.”Who forgets getting out for 96?” she asked at her press conference. “When I was on 96 today, it took me back to Bristol 2021. All I thought was to somehow score those four runs and get past 100.”And she did, in the next over, in style, finding the fine-leg boundary off Mlaba with a flick, her most productive shot of the day. A sigh of relief and a big smile followed as she hugged Mandhana to celebrate the hard-earned century, Shafali’s first in Test cricket.From this point on, Shafali batted with even greater freedom, hitting Sekhukhune, Tucker and de Klerk for the third, fourth and fifth sixes of her innings. There was no slowing down even after Mandhana was out for 146, with the openers having put on 292 in 52 overs.In the two-hour session between lunch and tea, India scored 204 in just 32 overs. Shafali took just 36 balls to go from 150 to 200, smacking three fours and three sixes in that period. Two of the sixes came off consecutive balls from Tucker, both hammered over her favourite long-on region.Those shots took her from 187 to 199.”Around my double century, thank god, the offie [Tucker] came on,” Shafali said. “, [Even more fun] as I thought I could get my 200 in a few balls.”Classic Shafali.A single through the covers off the next ball brought out all her emotions. She had more than made up for missing out in Bristol, and she pumped her fist in the air before acknowledging the Chennai crowd who rose to their feet. They had been thoroughly entertained.

Also, what does the series draw mean for Australia, and where do the other teams stand?

Dustin Silgardo12-Jul-2022ESPNcricinfo LtdAre Sri Lanka in with a realistic chance of making the final now?
While Sri Lanka are third, their points percentage of 54.17 needs to improve for them to be contenders. They have four Tests remaining – two at home against Pakistan beginning July 16 and two in New Zealand – the defending champions who are out of the running this time – next year. They need to blank Pakistan 2-0 to be in with a serious chance and would still have to win a Test in New Zealand to take their points percentage to 61.11, which may be enough to qualify if other results go their way. South Africa, currently No. 1, have 71.43, while Australia are on 70.What does the series draw mean for Australia?
The loss in Galle was Australia’s first of this WTC cycle and pushed them to second, behind South Africa. They are still in a strong position. If they win all five of their remaining home Tests – two against West Indies and three against South Africa – they will finish with a points percentage of almost 65 regardless of the result in the four-Test series in India next year. If they lose a Test at home, they will need to win one in India to get to 65 percentage points.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat’s at stake in the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test series?
As mentioned, Sri Lanka need a 2-0 win to stay in the hunt. For Pakistan, currently fourth in the table, a 2-0 win would improve their points percentage to 62.96. They would then need to win three and draw two of their five home Tests – three against England, two against New Zealand – to finish above 65 percentage points. If they draw 1-1 against Sri Lanka, they would need to win four home Tests, while losing 0-2 would leave them with no room for error at home.What’s at stake in the England vs South Africa Test series?
The series, starting August 17, is a big one for table-toppers South Africa, who also travel to Australia in December. A 2-1 victory would leave them on a points percentage of 70, meaning even a 1-2 series loss in Australia would still allow them to finish above 65 percentage points as long as they win both home Tests against West Indies. A series loss for South Africa would leave them needing to win 2-1 in Australia to finish above 65 percentage points.Where do India stand?
While India, runners-up in the last WTC final, have slipped to fifth in the table, they will start favourites in the fixtures left in their cycle – a two-Test series in Bangladesh followed by four home Tests against Australia. Winning all six Tests would give India a points percentage of 68.05, which should be enough to make the final. If they lose one out of six, they would finish on 62.50 and would need other results to go their way.

And what’s the most wickets in a Test by someone who also bagged a pair?

Steven Lynch17-Mar-2020Who was Yabba, apparently the only spectator at the recent ODI between Australia and New Zealand? asked Maurice Evans from New Zealand

“Yabba” was the nickname given to Stephen Harold Gascoigne, a Sydney rabbit-seller who became famous for his raucous pronouncements from the Hill during matches at the SCG. Arguably the best-recalled example of his output was his advice to the England captain Douglas Jardine during the Bodyline tour: “Leave our flies alone Jardine! They’re the only friends you’ve got out here.”A statue of Yabba was unveiled on the Hill in 2008, which is why he was, poetically speaking, the only onlooker at the recent ODI in Sydney, after spectators were excluded for health reasons. The official attendance of zero would appear to be an unbeatable record low: according to the Melbourne statistician Charles Davis, the previous-smallest daily attendance for an international match in Australia was 17, for the final day of the 1967-68 Adelaide Test – India were nine down overnight, and 161 behind; Australia needed six overs on the final morning to pick up the last wicket.Ian Chappell, in a recent ESPNcricinfo article, entertainingly recalled a Sheffield Shield match that started with just one spectator in attendance. I seem to remember a report of a match in Zimbabwe that started with no one watching at all, but I’m not sure when that was!I noticed that Mitchell Starc has bowled 70 of his 178 victims in ODIs, which is almost 40%. Is this a record? asked Rick McDonough from Australia

Mitchell Starc’s percentage of bowled dismissals in one-day internationals – 39.33% – is indeed a record for anyone with more than 100 wickets. Next come Waqar Younis, with 151 out of 416 (36.3%), the West Indian Jerome Taylor, with 45 out of 128 (35.16%) and Wasim Akram, with 176 out of 502 (35.06%). If we drop the qualification to 50 wickets, Starc comes in third, behind another Pakistani – offspinner Tauseef Ahmed, with 23 bowled out of 55 wickets (41.82%) – and another rapid Aussie, Shaun Tait, with 25 out of 62 (40.32%).How many men have scored a Test triple-century in a team’s second innings? asked Ahmed Raza from Pakistan

Only two batsmen have managed a triple-century in their team’s second innings in a Test. For a long time the only one to achieve it was Hanif Mohammad, with his monumental match-saving 337 against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1957-58. With Pakistan trailing by 473 runs after the first innings, Hanif batted for 970 minutes (or 999, by some accounts), and Pakistan escaped with a draw. Nearly 56 years later, in February 2014, Hanif was joined by Brendon McCullum, who made 302 (in 775 minutes) for New Zealand against India in Wellington.The highest score in the fourth innings of a Test is 223, by George Headley for West Indies against England in a timeless Test in Kingston in 1929-30. For the full list of second-innings double-centuries, click here.Sachin Tendulkar has been dismissed in the nineties in ODIs 18 times, and has been out for 99 thrice•Getty ImagesI noticed that Kane Williamson had made seven nineties in ODIs, and Virat Kohli six. Who’s top of this list? asked Anuram Bhatti from India

Kane Williamson’s current tally of seven scores of between 90 and 99 in one-day internationals puts him joint-sixth (with India’s Mohammad Azharuddin) on this particular list. Jacques Kallis made eight, and Nathan Astle, Aravinda de Silva and Grant Flower nine – but way ahead, with twice as many, is Sachin Tendulkar, whose 18 included three 99s.What’s the most wickets in a Test by someone who also bagged a pair? asked Ron Houghton from England

The Surrey and England bowler George Lohmann holds this particular record. He took 15 wickets – 7 for 38 and 8 for 7 – against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in 1895-96, but was also dismissed for ducks in both innings.More recently, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar took 12 for 104 (two 6 for 52s) for India against Australia in Melbourne in 1977-78, and Waqar Younis 12 for 130 (7 for 76 and 5 for 54) for Pakistan against New Zealand in Faisalabad in 1990-91. In all, there have been 11 instances of a bowler combining ten or more wickets in a Test with a pair with the bat.Use our
feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

It's been eight years, but the Houston Astros can't rid themselves from their sign-stealing scandal that swept across baseball.

The Astros mashed the Los Angeles Dodgers 18–1 on Friday at Dodger Stadium, tagging starter Ben Casparius for six runs on nine hits in three innings—and blowing up reliever Noah Davis's ERA with 10 runs in 1 1/3 innings of work.

In the third inning of that offensive masterclass, Astros rookie Cam Smith hammered a double off the wall in center field. At the time, the Astros led 4–1 and had been raking against Casparius all afternoon. SportsNet LA analyst Orel Hershiser couldn't help himself but mention the trash-banging scandal of 2017.

"I don't want to open an old wound," Hershiser said. "But in some ways, they're swinging at these breaking balls like they know what is coming."

Hershiser, of course, is referencing the Astros' scandal during their championship season in 2017 when the team was found to have illegally used video cameras to steal signs from opponents during games. Houston used a camera in center field to view the sign from the opposing catcher, and a player or team staffer would give an audio cue—like banging a trash can—to tell the batter which pitch was coming next.

Only two players remain on the Astros from that '17 squad—Jose Altuve and right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

Since the news story broke in 2019 about Houston's cheating scandal, MLB has cracked down on video usage in dugouts. But the scars from that incident remain, especially among the Dodgers faithful, who watched their team lose the 2017 World Series to the Astros in seven games.

Top-order batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy has returned to the Bangladesh squad that will face Ireland over two Test matches in Sylhet and Dhaka later this month.Joy has played 18 Tests and was seen as a highly promising addition to the team after scoring the first-ever Test match century by a Bangladesh batter in South Africa, in 2022. He lost his place in the side after averaging 14.92 in seven Tests since the start of 2024 but good form in the new season of the National Cricket League, during which he scored 127 and 51 for Chattogram Division against Rajshahi Division, has helped him mount a comeback.Najmul Hossain Shanto leads the 15-member team. He had quit as captain at the end of Bangladesh’s last Test series in June, which they lost 1-0 to Sri Lanka, but the BCB has reinstated him and said he will remain in charge until the end of this World Test Championship cycle in 2027. Anamul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon and Nayeem Hasan, who were part of that Sri Lanka tour, have been left out.Related

• Ashraful named Bangladesh's batting coach

• Ireland name five uncapped players in Test squad for Bangladesh

• Shanto reinstated as Bangladesh Test captain until end of WTC cycle

Mushfiqur Rahim, should he play both matches against Ireland, will become the first Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 Tests. The 38-year-old made his debut back in 2005 and is already their most capped player and their highest scorer in the format. He is also in form having made 115 for Sylhet Division at the same ground where the first Test against Ireland will take place.Bangladesh have picked four fast bowlers in Ebadot Hossain, Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed to complement their three spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Hasan Murad, who is still awaiting his Test debut. Murad picked up a match haul of 9 for 135 for Chattogram in the NCL in October. Taijul, meanwhile, is 10 short of going past Shakib Al Hasan and becoming Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in Tests.The two matches against Ireland are scheduled for November 11-15 in Sylhet and November 19-23 in Dhaka. They are not part of the WTC.

Bangladesh Test squad for Ireland series

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Hasan Murad.

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Criciúma e Juventude se enfrentam neste sábado (13) primeira rodada do Brasileirão 2024. A bola rola a partir das 18h30 (de Brasília), no Estádio Heriberto Hülse, com transmissão do Premiere (pay-per-view). Ambas equipes retornam à primeira divisão do Campeonato Brasileiro após conseguirem o acesso no ano passado.

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Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Criciúma e Juventude (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Criciúma x Juventude
1ª rodada – Brasileirão

Data e horário: sábado, 13 de abril de 2024, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Heriberto Hülse, em Criciúma (SC)
Onde assistir: Premiere
Árbitro: Bruno Pereira Vasconcelos (BA)
Assistentes: Luanderson Lima dos Santos (BA) e Paulo de Tarso Bregalda Gussen (BA)

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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

CRICIÚMA (Técnico: Cláudio Tencati)
Alisson; Claudinho, Rodrigo, Walisson Maia e Marcelo Hermes (Trauco); Barreto, Meritão, Marquinhos Gabriel e Fellipe Mateus; Eder e Renato Kayzer.

JUVENTUDE (Técnico: Artur Jorge)
Gabriel, João Lucas, Danilo Boza, Zé Marcos, Gabriel Inocêncio; Jadson (Mandaca), Caíque, Jean Carlos, Lucas Barbosa, Gilberto, Edson Carioca (Erick Farias)

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Toby Albert gives Hampshire the edge until formidable chase, with Dickson and Gregory key to finale

Alan Gardner13-Sep-2025Somerset came out on top in a clash of the T20 Blast titans, pulling off the highest successful run-chase in the competition’s final to overcome Hampshire and claim a record-equalling third title under the Edgbaston lights. Will Smeed blazed 94 off 58 to get Somerset most of the way there, before Lewis Gregory obliterated the tension in the stands by hammering a four and two sixes in five balls to seal victory with an over to spare.Hampshire, whose total of 194 for 6 had been underpinned by 85 off 48 balls from young opener Toby Albert, seemed to be in control as the requirement for Somerset ticked beyond two runs per ball just past the halfway mark. But Scott Currie’s drop of Sean Dickson was to prove crucial, as a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 off 51 dragged the contest back Somerset’s way.Having been asked to bat, Albert and James Vince made up for the early of loss of Chris Lynn with a stand of 97 in 59 balls to put Hampshire in a formidable position. Albert, in particular, produced some audacious shot-making – including four reverse-hit boundaries in the space of six balls – as Somerset were asked to make the highest-ever score in the final of the competition.Their start was given the required fizz by Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who hit one enormous six over the roof of the Hollies Stand and out of the ground, and although Hampshire frequently seemed one good over from shutting the chase down, Smeed and then Dickson – the linchpin in Somerset’s 2023 Blast success – kept landing timely blows. With both teams making their 11th Finals Day appearances, it was always likely to be a tussle for the ages.Victory for Somerset ended the hoodoo for winners of the first semi-final, as they became the first team since Worcestershire in 2018 to lift the trophy after kicking their heels during the second game. It also marked a fifth consecutive triumph for the South Group – though that was confirmed earlier in the day by the exits of Lancashire and Northamptonshire.Toby Albert played some audacious reverse-ramps in his 85•Getty ImagesTKC lands first blow, Baker hits backBatting second on a surface that was being used for the third time in the day meant Somerset knew they had to get a shuffle on. Smeed picked up boundaries in each of the first two overs – Sonny Baker also contributing with five wides from his first ball – and Kohler-Cadmore then took up the cudgels, hammering his fourth ball, a pull off Chris Wood, over the heads of those in the Hollies and out towards the River Rea.Scott Currie’s first delivery also flew all the way, as Kohler-Cadmore unleashed a scything uppercut over deep third. Baker returned, switching to the Pavilion End, only to be thrashed through the covers. But the Hampshire fast bowler showed why he is on England’s radar by splattering Kohler-Cadmore’s stumps with an 88mph yorker to end the opening stand at 46.Smeed carries the fightSmeed had ticked along to 18 off 15 but responded to the loss of Kohler-Cadmore by twice cracking James Fuller through point at the start of the sixth. Tom Abell departed for a duck in the same over, Somerset finishing the powerplay on 55 for 2, but James Rew picked off early boundaries as Smeed bedded into the middle overs.Currie’s return in the 10th saw the back of Rew, chopping on to his stumps, and Hampshire looked to squeeze through the nous of South Africa spinner Bjorn Fortuin. The required rate was approaching 12 an over, but Smeed kept Somerset in touch with back-to-back fours off Fortuin and then a thump off Howell. Then came the crucial drop of Dickson, with Smeed turning the screw in the following over by taking three more boundaries off Fortuin. That meant Somerset finished the 15th over on 136 for 3 – exactly the same score as Hampshire as the same stage of their innings.Sean Dickson played a key hand for Somerset•Getty ImagesFinisher Dickson does it againWith 59 needed from 30 balls, Dickson produced his first flourish by ramping Baker over the keeper for his first boundary. Another driven four followed, and Smeed then crunched Currie into the Hollies to keep Somerset in touch. With dew becoming a factor, the 18th over was to prove decisive as Dickson – who is leaving Somerset for Glamorgan after not being offered a new contract – twice took Benny Howell for sixes, the first an outrageous reverse-swipe that sailed over deep third.Nineteen runs came off the over, leaving Somerset needing 18 from 12, and although Smeed picked out long-off to fall short of becoming the second man on the day to reach three figures, he walked off with the highest individual score in a final. The jig was up for Hampshire, and in came Gregory to ice the chase with a flurry of boundaries and spark a raucous rendition of “Somerset, la-la-la” in the stands.No Lynn-sanity this timeAfter his semi-final heroics, in which he became the first man to score a hundred on Finals Day, Lynn joked that he would be happy to keep batting, with just a 45-minute turnaround to the final: “Got the pads on, let’s go.” He got his wish, with Somerset opting to chase, and duly smoked his fourth ball back down the ground for his 12th six of the day; but he didn’t last much longer, chipping Craig Overton to cover in the third over.But where Lynn’s top-order colleagues had gone missing against Northants, here they stood up. Albert had got going with back-to-back drives for four, in the process overtaking D’Arcy Short at the Blast’s leading run-scorer for the season. After Vince chimed in with whipped sixes off Overton and Jake Ball, Albert signalled the Hampshire charge was well and truly on by taking Migael Pretorius’ only over of the night for 25 with a sequence of 4-6-6-4-4, only interrupted by a wide.Vince then launched Overton for his third six at the start of the sixth over, followed by consecutive fours – which meant eight legitimate deliveries in a row had disappeared to the rope. Even without the Lynn-sanity, Hampshire had piled up 83 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Albert takes overWith the fielding restrictions relaxed, Hampshire opted for consolidation during the middle of the innings. Albert was the first to fifty, off 29 balls – his sixth of a breakthrough campaign – while Vince also reached the mark in the 12th over, from 32. Three balls later, the partnership was broken when Vince dragged Lewis Goldsworthy to deep midwicket, and Somerset then chipped out another when Ball’s brilliant return catch saw off James Fuller.Hampshire had only scored three boundaries between the start of the seventh over and the midway point of the 16th. Despite the slowdown, Albert decided it was time to jam the gearstick in reverse. Ben Green was twice reverse-swept off the stumps, despite bowling near-yorkers, over and past short third for back-to-back fours, and Albert then did the same to Ball when he went short, slapping another brace of boundaries to move into the 80s.Albert fell at the start of the next over, missing a swipe at Gregory’s change-up to see his off stump rattled. But Howell cleared the ropes twice in a useful cameo at No. 5, as Hampshire equalled Northamptonshire’s total of 194 for 2 (made from 18 overs) in the 2013 final. Somerset needed to set a new benchmark to claim their record-equalling third title. They duly obliged.

Sean Williams takes over as Zimbabwe captain in Craig Ervine’s absence

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2025Craig Ervine, the designated Zimbabwe captain, has been ruled out of the ODI series against Sri Lanka after sustaining a calf injury on the eve of the first match, played at Harare Sports Club on Friday. In his absence, Sean Williams will lead Zimbabwe.The injury took place on Thursday, and an MRI scan confirmed that Ervine had suffered a Grade II strain in his left calf as well as a chronic and resolving Grade I strain in his right calf.Ervine, 40, is one of Zimbabwe’s more experienced players and a key member of the batting unit. He has missed some cricket in recent years, often because of injury, but the most recent absence, in a Test against Ireland in February 2025, was to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Williams, too, had missed that Test with a back injury, but both of them returned to the squad for the Test series in Bangladesh at home in April-May. His last ODI appearance was in that series against Ireland.Ervine’s absence, while a blow for Zimbabwe, comes at a time when Brendan Taylor, one of the country’s best batters of the last decade, makes his comeback to the format as part of his return to international cricket after a three-year ban for corruption-related offences. It’s been Taylor’s best format over the years, one where he has scored 11 centuries in 203 innings over the years.Ervine has played 128 ODIs in his 15-year-long international career, scoring 3600 runs at an average of 33.02 with four centuries and 23 half-centuries, including a best of 130 not out, against New Zealand in Harare back in 2015.

Chelsea’s brilliant run of results, which saw them beat the likes of Benfica, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, came to a screeching halt on Saturday afternoon.

Instead of picking up another Premier League win against the recently promoted Sunderland, Enzo Maresca’s side managed to lose 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Chemsedine Talbi.

What is most frustrating about the game, though, is that while the West Londoners were not anywhere near their best, they still had chances to win, taking seven shots on target to the Black Cats’ four.

Unfortunately, they just didn’t have their shooting boots on, although with the striker situation at the club, that is hardly surprising.

So, there is an argument that Maresca should look to drop Marc Guiu and start one of Cobham’s most exciting prospects, a striker compared to the legendary Didier Drogba.

1

Goals

2

68%

Possession

32%

16

Total Shots

10

7

Shots on Target

4

629

Passes

293

10

Shots in the Box

7

8

Tackles

14

Chelsea's striker situation

In the summer, Chelsea decided to sell Christopher Nkunku to AC Milan and João Félix to Al-Nassr, while also loaning out David Datro Fofana to Karagümrük and Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Now, while these weren’t necessarily bad moves for the club, they did only sign Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to replace the leaving players, and when the latter went down with a hamstring injury earlier this season, they were forced to recall Marc Guiu from his loan with Sunderland.

Moreover, while nobody can question Pedro’s ability, it has become increasingly clear that his best position is just behind another striker, either as an advanced ten or a classic second striker.

In other words, due to their business and the injury to the former Ipswich Town star, Maresca has been forced to either use Pedro out of his best position, start the young Tyrique George up top when he’s a natural winger, or, as he has done recently, play Guiu.

To give the former Barcelona gem his credit, he did score against Ajax in the Champions League, but against the Black Cats on Saturday, he was poor.

In fact, the Spaniard was so underwhelming that the Standard’s Sam Tabuteau gave him just a 4/10 match rating, writing that he showed ‘plenty of energy but not a lot of finesse.’

In short, Chelsea really need another option up top this season, and while it would be a risk, it looks like Cobham might have the player for them – a player compared to Drogba.

Chelsea's future Drogba

Now, it should really go without saying that comparing a youngster to Drogba is not something that should be done lightly.

After all, the Ivorian icon was one of the best strikers to ever play in the Premier League and is most certainly a massive Chelsea legend.

With that said, there is plenty of excitement building around 18-year-old Shim Mheuka, so much so that one analyst has made the bold comparison, calling him “the new Didier Drogba.”

So then, what makes him such an exceptional talent, and one worthy of a proper run in the first team?

Well, simply put, he is starting to look like a real goal machine and potentially one of “Cobham’s finest” prospects, per talent scout Jacek Kulig.

For example, despite being just 16 at the start of last season, he ended the campaign with 11 goals and three assists to his name, 30 appearances across the U18S and U21S.

Moreover, he also got a few run-outs in the first team, making five appearances totalling 118 minutes across the Conference League and Premier League.

Appearances

59

Goals

31

Assists

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

This season, he has taken another leap forward, and as things stand, he has already scored ten goals and provided two assists in just ten appearances, totalling 883 minutes for the U21S and Youth League sides.

That works out to an average of 1.2 goal involvements every game, or one every 73.58 minutes, and if that’s still not enough, he has also racked up a tally of ten goals and three assists in 18 appearances for England’s U19S.

Ultimately, while it is still so early in his career, it is becoming increasingly clear that he is a lethal goalscorer, and while he might not reach the level of a Drogba, he might be able to have a significant impact on the team this season.

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ByDominic Lund Oct 27, 2025

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has instructed his players to adapt to dealing with "long balls" as the Reds aim to end their dismal run of form in the 2025-26 campaign. The reigning champions have lost their last three Premier League games against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Manchester United, as they have dropped to third position in the league table.

• Liverpool look to end Premier League slump after Eintracht win

  Liverpool started their title defence campaign as they won seven matches in a row across all competitions, including five in the Premier League. However, their form suddenly took a dip by the end of September. The Reds went on to lose three back-to-back Premier League matches, including their latest loss 2-1 defeat to rivals Manchester United at Anfield, a feat the Red Devils achieved after nine years.  In between, they had also lost to Galatasaray in the Champions League.

  The English champions, though, have now finally ended their losing streak with a thumping 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. Following the morale-boosting victory, Slot has now urged his players to try and learn to defend against "long balls" and end their misery in the league.   

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  Slot points out difference between this season the last

  Speaking to reporters, the Dutchman said: "The main difference between this season and last season is the playing styles we face. I've looked when we had a few days off at how many long balls we already had to defend – 178 in seven games and then United came and we had to defend 59 long balls. That's different from the first half of last season. The way to unlock it is a moment of magic, which we had in the first half of last season a lot with Mo [Salah], or a set-piece, which we had at Frankfurt as well, because that again was a low block. But two set-pieces unlocked the game for us. 

  "So, this is what I try to explain to them [the players] and what I try to explain to the media. What I try to do after the game, it was actually more of a compliment for the other manager that he found the right answer to our playing style."

  He added: "But at a certain moment, it's so clear, everybody does this. And even now I've heard that when we played Frankfurt, there were talks between their staff and Glasner and he explained to them their way of playing, which is normal that these things happen."

• 'We have to adjust'

  Slot added: "We have to adjust, and that's what we've tried to do. That's also what I've told the players, and I can say this here as well. The last two times we faced a 5-4-1 against Palace and against United, we've created more chances than we did every single time we faced a 5-4-1 last season, with a low block. And the reason for that is that we've tried to adjust a few things in our playing style as well, and against Frankfurt we again faced a 5-4-1, where I adjusted maybe even more.

  "But that's not to say that was the reason that we created so much, because we created already a lot against United and against Palace as well. So, yeah, we have to find answers to that, and we're not the first team that this happens. City experienced this for so many years. They are very, very good at playing in these tight spaces, and this is something we need to do even better than we already do."    

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  Slot had bizareely branded Man Utd a 'long-ball team'

  Slot understandably frustrated after the loss at home against a struggling United side but instead of accepting his team's flaws, the Dutch coach bizarrely labelled the Red Devils as a 'long-ball team'. In a chat with BBC Match of the Day after the game at Anfield, Slot had said: "It is always difficult to play against a team that defends in a low block and mainly plays the long ball. It makes it even more difficult when you go one down after one minute when one of our players are on the floor. If you would have told me before the game that against the low block, against so many long balls, that we would have created as many chances as we did I would have not expected us to lose. But that is what we did. We had enough chances to score more than one goal, but on the other hand, again conceding two and one of the two was the set piece."

  The champions will be back in action in the Premier League on Saturday as they take on Brentford away from home.