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Ahead of the Oval Test, Gill reflected on his tactical choices, the team’s resilience, and the learning curve of leading in tough conditions

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Jul-20252:40

Gill: Levelling series with a young squad will be a big achievement

A captain who had led in just five first-class matches before taking charge of the Test team. His overseas form a subject of scrutiny. His best bowler available for only three out of five matches. A batting line-up thin on experience after the retirements of two stalwarts. India arrived in England in early June with several questions to answer.Two months on, Shubman Gill’s India enter the final Test of this highly compelling Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series with the chance to finish 2-2.”Very significant,” Gill said about what it would mean to his team to draw the series after losing the first Test in Leeds, then bouncing back to win in Birmingham without Jasprit Bumrah, nearly pulling off a pulling off a miracle at Lord’s, followed by a hard-fought draw in Manchester.Related

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Every Test going deep into the final day is rare in a five-match series. The hot weather and slow pitches have pushed the players’ limits and caused injuries – most significantly ruling Ben Stokes out of the fifth Test at The Oval.”If you look at the kind of cricket we have played, sometimes the scorecard of the series, as in where we are in the series, doesn’t determine that. Every match that we have played, it was very difficult to decide which team is going to win after four days of cricket,” Gill said. “If we are able to do that for every match for four matches coming outside of India with a relatively young team, it is going to be a big achievement for us if we are able to level the series.”This century, India had won the three-Test series in England 1-0 in 2007 and had drawn the series 2-2 in 2021-22. Both those teams went to England with plenty of senior players and leadership experience. That is not true for this side and, and yet, between June and July, Gill has shown he can compartmentalise captaincy and batting, and not let one impact the other.As batter, he is over 200 runs ahead of the next-most prolific scorer this series, and as captain, he has made debatable decisions on the field but has admitted his mistakes and come out wiser. “The series has been a great learning curve for me,” Gill said. “There are some things that you can only learn from experience, and I’ve learned so much from these four matches that we have played and hopefully we’re going to finish on a high.”One of those decisions was on the third morning at Old Trafford, when Gill delayed giving the ball to offspinner Washington Sundar, who had found sumptuous drift at Lord’s and taken a four-wicket haul in England’s first innings. The dry pitch was favourable for Washington but Gill brought him on only after lunch and the offspinner dismissed Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in quick succession.”It’s very difficult when you are playing six bowlers [because] then one or two bowlers are definitely going to be under-bowled,” he said, explaining that passage of play. “In the last match also, people felt that Washington could have come in earlier, which is a valid point, but sometimes when you are out in the middle you see with this ball [Dukes] when there are two spinners bowling early in the innings, it’s very hard to maintain the ball and the fast bowler goes out of the game for about eight-ten overs because then you need to maintain the ball.3:37

What attack should India pick at The Oval?

“So, in hindsight, there would always be opinions and there would always be thoughts, and you could have done this, would have done that. But what matters is when you are out there in the middle, you want to be able to make a decision that you think would suit the best for that moment. And when you are playing with six bowling options, there would definitely be some opinions where one bowler is going to go under-bowled, but it’s good to have more bowling options rather than not having bowling options for sure.”India will stick to the six-bowler strategy at The Oval too, with Akash Deep set to replace Bumrah and Shardul Thakur retained as bowling allrounder. Washington, Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel, who replaces the injured Rishabh Pant, comprise the lower-middle order.While he had not seen the pitch before the media briefing, Gill, perhaps based on the inputs he got from the team management, said it was “good”. By that, he meant it was green and the forecast – overcast conditions – for all five days might bring the fast bowlers into play.Gill, however, did not reveal whether Arshdeep Singh, the solitary left-arm quick in the squad, would make his Test debut, or whether Prasidh Krishna, dropped after the victory at Edgbaston, would make a comeback at The Oval as the third fast bowler in the XI.

The summer transfer window saw Arsenal enjoy one of the most exciting transfer windows in their illustrious history.

Edu had left the club and Andrea Berta had arrived. The job he performed was incredible during his first window in charge of recruitment.

Viktor Gyokeres was the marquee addition but the likes of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have bolstered the forward line and ensured that Mikel Arteta can afford to rest and rotate a little bit more.

The defence was also strengthened, of course it was. Arteta loves a defender. Although, with both William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes currently out injured, it’s probably just as well Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie signed.

So, what could January hold?

Where Arsenal could strengthen in January

Given the mass spending over the summer, it’s quite unlikely that Berta signs anyone throughout the winter.

That being said, with injuries ravaging the squad, it would not be a total surprise to see even more depth added.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It’s in the forward line where another player could arrive. Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz have both been linked, as has someone from Real Madrid.

According to Caught Offside, both Liverpool and Arsenal are ‘preparing their bids’ for Brazilian winger Rodrygo.

The Gunners were linked with the Madrid star right throughout the summer window but he ultimately ended up staying at the Bernabeu.

A few months on and rumours of a Rodrygo move to north London are gathering pace again. Caught Offside state that as a result of the attacker’s limited game time this season, they are willing to sanction his exit if a bid of around £78m is made.

Liverpool and Arsenal both currently lead the race but you would sense a move to Anfield is more likely given the Gunners already have plenty of options in wide areas.

Why Rodrygo would be a good signing for Arsenal

How we judge Rodrygo is a tricky one. This season, the 24-year-old has played 16 games but has only started three times in LaLiga. He’s failed to score and only registered two assists. It’s pretty evident why he’s searching for a way out of Madrid this winter.

Last term was a better one for the Brazilian, scoring 14 and supplying 11 goals for his teammates. That said, he failed to score in his final 13 league outings. Worrying signs.

At his best, however, he is “one of the best wingers in the world” in the words of analyst Spencer Mossman. He’s also a “world-class superstar” in the eyes of former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric. He’s certainly seen a few greats come and go in the Spanish capital.

It was only back in 2022/23 that Rodrygo, still a spring chicken in the world of football, scored 19 goals. He’s a goal threat and a creative outlet too. He’s rather similar to Eze in that regard.

While Rodrygo can play on either flank, it’s on the left, one of Eze’s best positions, where he’s most at home. Both fabulous ball carriers and comfortable in tight spaces, they are particularly alike with regard to their flair and the excitement they offer in the final third.

Goals

0.31

0.37

Assists

0.19

0.21

Expected goals

0.32

0.36

Shots on target

1.18

1.17

Key passes

1.93

1.95

Progressive passes

4.08

3.72

Shot-creating actions

4.64

4.42

Successful take-ons

2.32

2.47

Analysing their numbers over the last two and a half seasons, it’s clear to see just how alike the two dynamic forwards are.

Over several metrics they’ve been registering near identical numbers, specifically when it comes to shots on target, key passes and shot-creating actions.

Eze has been a breath of fresh air since joining Arsenal from Palace. That hat-trick against Spurs will go down in history as one of the most memorable moments from a north London derby. To sign a similar player in Rodrygo, therefore, is sure to delight supporters.

Creative, capable of scoring goals and fleet-footed, another Eze could be on their way to north London.

Arteta must drop Arsenal star who had fewer touches than Raya vs Brentford

It was a game to forget for the Arsenal star on Wednesday night.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 4, 2025

Manchester United and Ruben Amorim could now be without one Red Devils star for their next five Premier League games.

Man Utd injury latest on Martinez, Mainoo, Maguire

The Red Devils have been without Lisandro Martinez for the majority of 2025 due to an ACL injury, however, the Argentine defender appears to be closing in on a return.

Back in full team training, Martinez wanted to travel with the side for the draw against Nottingham Forest and has since been training with his national side during the international break.

Meanwhile, Kobbie Mainoo missed the 2-2 draw with Tottenham last time out, whereas Harry Maguire was replaced with a hamstring issue, however, both could return in time as Man Utd host Everton at Old Trafford on Monday.

Summer signing Benjamin Sesko also joined the injury list prior to the international break after being replaced late on against Spurs. Amorim admitted that he was “concerned” with Sesko’s injury and not his form.

“That [his recent form] is not the biggest concern now. I’m concerned with an injury, because it is in the knee, and I don’t know. We need Ben [Sesko] to be a better team. We have to check. He has something in his knee. Let’s see.”

Now, Amorim has found out how long the Slovenian will be missing for.

Man Utd handed Sesko injury update

As reported by Sky Sports, Sesko has avoided a major knee injury after further scans.

The forward will now undergo a period of rehab running into December and is expected to be sidelined for a month.

Should that prove accurate, Sesko will miss United’s next five Premier League fixtures and could return just before Christmas against Aston Villa on December 21.

Man Utd games Sesko will miss

Date

Man Utd vs Everton

November 24

Crystal Palace vs Man Utd

November 30

Man Utd vs West Ham

December 4

Wolves vs Man Utd

December 8

Man Utd vs Bournemouth

December 15

This will come as a blow to Amorim, who hailed the £160,000-a-week striker following his performance and goal in the 2-0 win over Sunderland.

“He has time, he’s going to stay here for a lot of years. The media puts a lot of pressure on the goals for the striker but for me it’s the effort that is the most important thing. Every time we kick the ball he’s fighting for it, that’s massive for us. To win the second ball and give us time to breathe. I’m really happy with that.”

Now, Amorim will have to find a way to cope without the towering striker, whether that be by bringing back someone like Joshua Zirkzee or using Matheus Cunha as a forward with captain Bruno Fernandes playing in a more advanced midfield role.

Forget Bruno and De Ligt: Man Utd "monster" is looking like a new captain

He made his fourth century of the season, and his second in consecutive Sheffield Shield innings, to all-but guarantee a recall

AAP16-Oct-2025Marnus Labuschagne appears certain to return to Australia’s team for the Ashes, his fourth century in five innings making a compelling case to selectors.Fresh off posting 160 in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield, Labuschagne struck 159 for Queensland at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.His innings helped them to 319 for 6 when bad light forced an early stumps on day two, well ahead of South Australia’s first-innings score of 228.Related

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Dumped from Australia’s Test team back in June after a long run of outs, Labuschagne now has four tons across all formats to start the summer. And while two of those were in 50-over games, his overall returns stand at 556 runs at 111.2.Labuschagne played with ease and control all around the wicket on Thursday, hitting 18 boundaries and one big six off Lloyd Pope in the first two sessions.A week after Australia coach Andrew McDonald declared the 31-year-old was looking back near his best, Labuschagne certainly looked it in Adelaide. He drove the quicks down the ground and through the covers with confidence, and was back hitting spinners to the mid-on and mid-wicket boundaries.There is little doubt this was the Labuschagne whose meteoric rise saw him become the world’s No.1-ranked Test batter for large periods between late 2021 and early 2023.He got off the mark with a thick outside edge from Nathan McAndrew after having dust caught in his eye before he took strike. And while another ball dropped marginally in front of second slip when he was on 31, that was still played with soft hands in an innings where false shots were incredibly rare. Labuschagne brought up his century when he clipped Liam Scott to the boundary on the 129th ball he faced, earning congratulations from Test keeper Alex Carey.Carey eventually had Labuschagne caught behind late in the day, playing at a ball outside off stump from Wes Agar.Labuschagne now appears almost certain to be in Australia’s Test team for the series opener in Perth on November 21. The only question for selectors will be where to bat him.Labuschagne’s preferred position is No. 3, where he is batting for Queensland and has spent most of his Test career. The likes of David Warner and Matthew Hayden have urged against moving Labuschagne to open, but Australia’s options to partner Usman Khawaja are limited.Sam Konstas is yet to fire a shot for NSW, while Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft are also yet to impress. Jake Weatherald did hit 94 for Tasmania against Western Australia on Thursday, with the left-hander the only other opener in real form.If Labuschagne was to open, it would allow Cameron Green to stay at No. 3 and Beau Webster to remain in the side at No. 6 if he overcomes an ankle injury.Putting Labuschagne back in at No. 3 would likely force a squeeze on Webster, who hopes to be fit to return for Tasmania for the next Shield round this month.Khawaja hit a solid 46 on Thursday before he was caught behind off, while youngster Lachlan Hearne was unbeaten on 66 at the close.

Victory by 89 runs sees Brave make it five from five, as Sophie Devine stars again

ECB Media18-Aug-2025

Sophie Devine removed Meg Lanning with a pearler•ECB via Getty Images

Southern Brave 161 for 6 (Wolvaardt 36, Bouchier 34, Franklin 2-28) beat Oval Invincibles 72 (Villiers 3-17) by 89 runs Southern Brave produced a devastating all-round performance to inflict a record-breaking 89-run defeat on Oval Invincibles at Utilita Bowl to maintain their 100 per cent record and move top of the table.Set 162 for victory, the Invincibles could only muster 72, never recovering from a two-wicket burst by Sophie Devine (2 for 15) in her opening set, the Kiwi castling Meg Lanning with a peach before sending Lauren Winfield-Hill on her way three balls later.When Lauren Bell (2 for 11) struck with consecutive deliveries, utilising the short ball to great effect to induce edges from Alice Capsey and Paige Scholfield, the visitors slumped to 28 for 4 and they were eventually skittled in 83 balls, Mady Villiers picking up 3 for 17 with her off-breaks.Earlier, England duo Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on an opening stand of 59 after Brave were asked to bat, Bouchier the main aggressor in her innings of 34 from 23 before picking out Scholfield at deep mid-wicket to give Tash Farrant the breakthrough.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Wyatt-Hodge (26 from 24) was clean bowled by a Phoebe Franklin slower delivery but Laura Wolvaardt kept up the momentum, the South African cruising to a 19-ball 36 including a slog-swept six off Amanda-Jade Wellington but the Aussie leg-spinner had her revenge next ball when Lanning held on to a catch at extra-cover.Freya Kemp was involved in a mix-up which saw Devine run out for 19 but the England starlet made amends with a sparky cameo, smashing two sixes in her 11-ball 24 to post a target which was well beyond the Invincibles’ reach and set up a fifth straight victory for the 2023 champions.Meerkat Match Hero Sophie Devine, who picked up the award for a third game straight at Utilita Bowl, said: “I feel a bit embarrassed because today was a great team performance and there were so many people who should be standing here instead of me. Today was exceptional from this group and I’m really proud of everyone.”The great thing about this group is we’ve spoken at length about different plans and having the ability to be able to execute that is something I’ve found incredibly impressive. That should stand us in good stead come the important part of this tournament.”For us there’s a great focus on each and every game. We’ve got some tough games coming up but we’ll celebrate our success here today. It was a comprehensive win but we certainly know we’ve got a big job to finish off this competition strongly.”

Liverpool's title defence lays in tatters after a woeful run of six defeats in 14 matches leaving them ninth in the Premier League table and Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has taken aim at the club’s senior players, saying none of them can take their place in the starting XI for granted. Mo Salah has had to sit out the start of Liverpool’s last two games and has been warned his performances must improve.

Reds suffer early season struggles

Liverpool have suffered seven defeats in their last ten matches across all competitions, a run that included a demoralising 4-1 Champions League home loss to PSV and a 3-0 League Cup elimination to Crystal Palace. A major focal point of their struggles is the performances of talisman Salah. Last season, he was Player of the Year, with 29 goals and 18 assists in the Premier League, but during this campaign, the 33-year-old has managed just four goals and two assists in 13 league appearances. His dip in form, coupled with a change in his role under boss Arne Slot, has led to him being dropped from the starting line-up for the recent games against West Ham and Sunderland. He looks a shadow of his former self, struggling with his finishing and overall impact, which reflects the team's wider problems and lack of cohesion. 

And while captain Van Dijk believes Salah will remain an important figure for the club, he has urged the Egyptian icon to raise his game. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportVan Dijk: 'I need him around as one of the leaders'

Van Dijk said: "It's not like you have unlimited credit, everyone has to perform. Mo has been doing that but the manager made that decision in the last two games. We all want the best for the club. I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve because he is an amazing player and he has shown it consistently. But we are all trying to find consistency and he needs us to be in our best shape and we need him and that's what we are all trying to find."

He added: "He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. I'm not worried. He's disappointed but that's absolutely normal as if you're not disappointed when you're not playing two games in a row then there is an issue as well."

Positive signs for Salah

While Salah has started on the bench for the Reds' last two fixtures, his Dutch boss has hinted he could be re-introduced for the match against Leeds on Saturday. Speaking to the press, Slot said: "I think for every player in my mind can start and Mo is an exceptional player for us. He is always in my mind to either start or to come (off the bench). The chatter, yes (I understand it) because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me for six or seven years. It's completely normal for people to talk about it when he isn't (playing)."

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Getty Images SportTough test awaits at Elland Road

Liverpool face Leeds on Saturday evening with the hosts buoyed by the performance and 3-1 result against Chelsea in the week. And the Reds’ recent away record is woeful, having lost seven of their last 11 on the road. And, speaking ahead of the match, Slot said: "Leeds went very aggressive in one-v-one (against Chelsea) and then a low block to stop chances. It is difficult for us that style, and many other teams. We saw them coming back from two down to Manchester City, Phil Foden made the difference with a moment of magic there and against Chelsea Leeds were very strong. What to expect is what we have faced in many other games."

They’ve had a few disappointing results, but this season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League, with a chance to cut Arsenal’s gap to three points on Sunday, and have just demolished Barcelona in the Champions League.

The Blues were superb on Tuesday night, and while being a man up certainly helped, they were without a doubt the better side.

One of the most impressive performers for Chelsea was Estevao, who outshone fellow wonderkid Lamine Yamal, and so fans should be excited that they have someone on loan showing shades of the Brazilian in their game.

How Estevao outshone Yamal

While it felt early to be comparing Chelsea’s new wonderkid to someone who just finished second in the Ballon d’Or, that was exactly what was happening before Tuesday night’s game.

However, that added pressure certainly didn’t seem to bother Estevao, as he was sensational throughout the encounter and put in a far better performance than Yamal.

For example, on top of scoring the all-important second goal for the hosts, the 18-year-old didn’t give the visitors’ backline a moment’s rest.

In his 83 minutes of action, he created one big chance, played three key passes, produced an expected assists figure of 0.35 and completed two dribbles, one of which led to the goal.

On the flipside, the Spaniard looked nothing like the superstar winger fans have become so accustomed to seeing.

He was practically anonymous for most of the match, and when he did try to do something, he was more often than not locked down by Marc Cucurella, who was named Man of the Match.

By the time the Barça star was taken off, he had failed to score, lost the ball 21 times, played just two key passes and come out looking second best in the battle of the teenage wonderkids.

In all, it looks like Chelsea have a truly special talent on their hands in Estevao, and in even more good news, they’ve got another stellar prospect out on loan with shades of the Brazilian in his game.

The Chelsea gem with shades of Estevao to him

The scary thing for opposition fans and teams is that Chelsea’s bet on young, up-and-coming talent is starting to pay off, and it could see them really kick on in the coming years.

Chalkboard

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

Estevao is obviously going to be a huge part of that, but another youngster who could be right there with him, and even has shades of the Brazilian to his game, is Kendry Páez.

The Blues signed the Ecuadorian gem over two years ago, but, due to rules on players under 18, he couldn’t join the squad until the summer.

However, instead of keeping him on the bench or in the youth side, the club opted to send him out on loan to Strasbourg for the season, where he has played 531 minutes of first-team football across 14 appearances so far.

Now, it’s important to say that, given Estevao’s extraordinary talent, it’s unlikely that the Guayaquil-born prospect will be as good as him.

However, he certainly shares some traits with him and could still develop into a world-class player.

For example, despite being so young, the “pure quality talent,” as dubbed by Jacek Kulig, racked up a tally of eight goals and five assists in 41 first-team appearances for Independiente del Valle last season.

Appearances

70

Starts

43

Minutes

4062′

Goals

13

Assists

6

Points per Game

1.84

Furthermore, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, the 18-year-old is “a left-footed magician who can play as a 10 or RW and has the intelligence to control and decide games,” which certainly sounds like the former Palmeiras gem.

Likewise, while he is capable of playing a killer pass or recycling possession to help the team, Mattinson also points out that he’s more than happy to “take on a couple players and get off shots.”

Finally, like Brazil’s next great superstar, the Strasbourg ace has already established himself on the international scene, amassing 23 senior caps for Ecuador, in which he’s scored two goals and provided three assists.

Ultimately, while he might not quite reach the level of Estevao, Paez has the potential to get incredibly close, and that would still make him a world-class player for Chelsea.

Liam Delap says Chelsea have a youngster who's "so raw" but "so exciting"

The striker made the comments after the Blues’ 3-0 rout against FC Barcelona in the Champions League.

ByDominic Lund Nov 26, 2025

And how often have three batters made hundreds on the first day of a Test?

Steven Lynch27-May-2025MS Dhoni recently made his 200th dismissal as a wicketkeeper in the IPL. Is he top of this list? asked Abhishek Kapadia from India

Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first wicketkeeper to reach 200 dismissals in the Indian Premier League during Chennai Super Kings’ recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, when he caught Angkrish Raghuvanshi off the Afghanistan left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad.A couple of weeks later, Rishabh Pant made it to 100, during Lucknow Super Giants’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow. Two other keepers, who played what appear to be their final IPL games last year, also made more than 100 dismissals: Dinesh Karthik 174 and Wriddhiman Saha 113. For the full list, which will be updated, click here.Yuzvendra Chahal just took his second IPL hat-trick. Has anyone else got more than one? asked Suresh Moti from India

The Punjab Kings legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal took a hat-trick towards the end of CSK’s innings in Chennai at the end of April. It was his second in the IPL, after a hat-trick for Rajasthan Royals against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in April 2022.Chahal’s recent hat-trick was the 23rd in the IPL, and he’s the third bowler to have taken more than one. The first man to double up is perhaps a bit of a surprise: Yuvraj Singh picked up two hat-tricks with his slow left-armers during the 2009 IPL in South Africa, for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Durban, and against Deccan Chargers in Johannesburg. These were the only six wickets Yuvraj picked up in 14 matches in that tournament.Another legspinner, Amit Mishra, actually took three IPL hat-tricks, all for different teams: for Delhi Daredevils against Deccan Chargers in Delhi in 2008, for Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab in Dharamsala in 2011, and for Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Pune Warriors in Pune in 2013.We were watching Ben Duckett bat against Zimbabwe, and were wondering what the highest Test score by an England batter on his home ground was? asked Giles King from England

Ben Duckett did look in imperious form on the first day of the Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge last week, and it was something of a surprise when he holed out for 140.This particular England record is held by Geoff Boycott, with 246 not out against India on Yorkshire’s home ground of Headingley in 1967 . That was a famous – or possibly infamous – innings, as he batted for 573 minutes in all, and was dropped from the next Test for slow scoring. The only other England batter to score a Test double-century on his county’s home ground was Denis Compton, with 208 against South Africa at Lord’s in 1947.The highest Test score by anyone on their home ground is 374, by Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in 2006 .Geoff Boycott’s infamous crawl to 246 at Headingley in 1967 is the also the highest score by a batter at his home ground•Daily MirrorBefore his hundred against Zimbabwe, Zak Crawley had scored seven half-centuries since his previous three-figure score in Tests. What’s the record for this? asked Gerry Watson from England

Zak Crawley’s 124 against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge last week broke a century drought that stretched back to his superb 189 against Australia at Old Trafford in July 2023.Since then, you’re right that Crawley had reached 50 seven times in Tests without going on to a hundred (all seven scores were between 60 and 79). The record for England is 14 half-centuries between hundreds, by another Kent player in Alan Knott, between July 1971 and January 1975. Alastair Cook had two spells of 11 half-centuries without a hundred, while Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root have both had one.They’re all quite a way short of the overall record: the Australian captain Allan Border had no fewer than 21 half-centuries between Test tons in October 1988 and February 1992, while Temba Bavuma of South Africa collected 19 half-centuries between his first two Test hundreds, in January 2016 and March 2023. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella has so far made 22 half-centuries in Tests – but no hundreds at all.Three England players scored centuries on the first day at Trent Bridge. How often has this happened in a Test? asked Frank Donaldson from England

England’s 498 for 3 against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge was the fourth-highest total by one side on the first day of a Test, and was also only the fourth time three different men had scored centuries on the first day: the same England trio (Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope) also did it against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022.The other instances were both by Australia, against England at The Oval in 1884 (Percy McDonnell, Billy Murdoch and Tup Scott) and South Africa in Adelaide in 2012 (David Warner, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Australia’s captain suffers “acute right foot injury” after seeing Tayla Vlaeminck go down with dislocated shoulder

Valkerie Baynes11-Oct-20243:56

Takeaways: Australia win big, but at what cost?

Alyssa Healy looked shaken and an air of concern descended on her Australia side as Tayla Vlaeminck lay in a crumpled heap on the boundary’s edge, clutching her shoulder. Surely this wasn’t happening.Right-arm quick Vlaeminck had just come into the side to add “impact” to the bowling attack for their first outing in Dubai, Australia having begun their T20 World Cup campaign with two wins on a spin-friendly Sharjah pitch that swing bowler Megan Schutt had managed to master. Now, just four balls into the game, Vlaeminck was out with a right-shoulder dislocation to add to a long list of serious injuries.They clearly felt for her. Two ACL injuries, a twice-dislocated left shoulder and stress fractures to her foot had severely curtailed Vlaeminck’s career and still she’d kept fighting back. But as she received treatment, Australia entered a huddle, Ellyse Perry gave them a pep talk and they picked themselves up – then picked Pakistan apart.Bowled out for 82, the lowest total at this tournament, Pakistan – without captain Fatima Sana, who had flown home to Karachi following the death of her father on Thursday – could mount no resistance agaisnt a side whose depth is the envy of the world and would be tested further…

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Alyssa Healy grimaced and pulled up sharply as she came back for a second run and an air of concern descended on her Australian side. Surely this wasn’t happening.She and Perry were cruising through Australia’s pursuit of 83 after Beth Mooney fell for a run-a-ball 15 and now the captain was hobbling from the field.Healy had to hop up a set of stairs leading to the changeroom and Cricket Australia later confirmed that she had suffered “an acute right foot injury”. She was set to undergo scans on Saturday after which her availability for the rest of the tournament was expected to become clearer.What is clear is Australia’s ability to overcome such setbacks.Schutt, Australia’s standout performer with the ball so far, took 1 for 7 from three miserly overs to overtake Pakistan’s Nida Dar as the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with 144.Then Ashleigh Gardner claimed 4 for 21 – including three in the penultimate over – with her offspin to record her best T20I figures since taking 5 for 12 at the previous edition of the tournament last year in Paarl.

“There were people that were obviously emotional. I think that just shows the care that we have for our team-mates. Tay has worked so hard to get back here and she’s earned it. To see her go down like that, we had to regroup really quickly”Ashleigh Gardner on Tayla Vlaeminck’s injury

Vlaeminck’s injury had hit the team particularly hard given that this was her first World Cup match since 2018 and just the second of her career.”It’s obviously horrible seeing one of your mates go down and knowing Tay’s road to get back to here,” Gardner said. “She’s someone that probably works harder than anyone else I know so to see someone like that go down with another injury, we all really felt for her.”There were people that were obviously emotional and things like that and I think that just shows the care that we have for our team-mates and especially Tay. She’s worked so hard to get back here and she’s earned it, so to see her go down like that, we had to regroup really quickly.”Pez [Perry] just brought us all in and she reverted back to the Mackay incident, where that kind of erupted pretty quickly and just to make sure that everyone was okay and to get on with it. That’s the nature of sport, unlucky things happen and then you’ve just got to get on with it and then wait until after the game to make sure that Tay was okay. She’s in good spirits which is nice to see.”The “Mackay incident” refers to when Gardner herself was withdrawn from Australia’s starting XI right before the toss in last month’s first T20I against New Zealand in Mackay when she collided with team-mate Georgia Wareham during the warm-up and suffered a knock to the jaw.Megan Schutt became the leading wicket-taker in T20Is•ICC/Getty ImagesOn Friday, Gardner conceded seven runs in the second over of the match but in the 19th, she had Tuba Hassan stumped by Healy, then took two wickets in as many deliveries when Syeda Aroob Shah spooned a catch straight to Mooney at midwicket and she pinned Nashra Sandhu lbw with one that spun back in and ripped past the outside edge.It was also Gardner who came in to bat when Healy retired hurt, scoring an unbeaten 7 off five balls while Perry remained not out 22. In mowing down their 83-run target in just 11 overs, Australia’s net run rate now sits at a healthy 2.786. But Gardner expects to face a sterner test in their final group game against India on Sunday.”I wasn’t overly happy with how I bowled that over in the powerplay,” she said. “But then to come back and change that, the bowlers that bowled before me laid a fantastic platform for me to take wickets at the back end and mop up the tail, as some would say, but it was nice to be able to get some wickets.”Certainly going to the next game I know I’m going to be challenged. I’m going to have to bowl two overs probably in the powerplay against someone like Smriti Mandana so the challenge is always there and I relish those environments. Hopefully I’m on the upper end against her.”

Celtic’s interim head coach Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Wednesday night’s clash with Dundee at Parkhead will be his final match in the dugout for the Scottish giants.

The experienced manager stepped in after Brendan Rodgers resigned at the end of October and has won six of his seven matches in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, to date.

Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy will then take over as the permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers and will face a baptism of fire at the weekend against league leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

The French boss will be watching on from afar for the clash this evening and will have one last chance to assess the players who will soon be at his disposal before being tasked with organising them in training.

O’Neill will also be keen for his last game to be a memorable one, leaving Nancy with the team in the best possible position, by claiming all three points against Dundee.

The experienced boss may look to make some changes to his starting line-up from the side that beat Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road on Sunday in order to secure the win this evening.

The Celtic players who could be dropped against Dundee

Football FanCast have already suggested that right-sided winger Luke McCowan should be dropped from the team after he failed to impress against Hibs at the weekend, with no shots on target or ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore.

The former Dundee man has been tasked with filling in out wide in recent games, due to the lack of natural options in that position, but he was ineffective last time out, which could provide Benjamin Nygren with a chance to play in that role.

On the other side of the pitch, Marcelo Saracchi could make way for Kieran Tierney at left-back, as the two defenders have shared the workload so far this season in the Premiership.

Appearances

7

10

Starts

6

6

Minutes

405

609

Big chances created

2

2

Assists

1

2

As you can see in the statistics above, they have both started six league games this term, and it could be Tierney’s time to start this evening after coming off the bench against Hibs.

Another player who could be dropped from the starting line-up, alongside Saracchi and McCowan, is left-sided attacker Hyun-jun Yang, who played a part in Arne Engels’ goal with a deflected cross for the Belgian on Sunday.

Aside from that deflected cross, the South Korean forward offered little to the side in or out of possession on the left flank. Per Sofascore, he played 86 minutes without registering a key pass, a ‘big chance’ created, or a shot on target, as his part in Engels’ goal did not count as an assist.

The 23-year-old star, who scored against Feyenoord last week in the Europa League, also lost 75% (3/4) of his duels throughout the game, per Sofascore, which shows that he was not strong enough in his physical battles.

With this in mind, and the fact that they have Hearts to play on Sunday, O’Neill should ruthlessly ditch Yang from the starting line-up to provide another player with an opportunity to impress.

Chalkboard

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

Dropping the South Korea international could allow the experienced boss to finally unleash rarely-seen winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha on the left flank against Dundee tonight.

Why Celtic should unleash Michel-Ange Balikwisha

The Belgian forward played 59 minutes across three substitute appearances in O’Neill’s first three games in charge, but has been an unused substitute for the last four matches in all competitions.

We are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes, in training and in tactical meetings, and the experienced boss will have his reasons for not giving Balikwisha much game time in recent weeks.

However, in a three-game week, this clash with Dundee ahead of the meeting with Hearts on Sunday provides the manager with a chance to give the summer signing from Royal Antwerp a start for the first time.

In fact, Balikwisha has not started a game for Celtic since the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock away from home in September under Rodgers, per Sofascore, which means that the winger has not had many opportunities to showcase his quality.

Hibernian

0

St Mirren

0

Kilmarnock

0

Falkirk

29

Hearts

30

Dundee

26

Motherwell

12

Hibernian

16

Kilmarnock

58

Rangers

65

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic winger started his first two games in the Premiership against Rangers and Kilmarnock, after signing from Royal Antwerp, but has not gotten a look-in since then.

There is more to come from Balikwisha in a Celtic shirt because his form for Royal Antwerp in Belgium suggests that he does have the potential to carry a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Per Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old wing wizard scored 30 goals and provided 17 assists in 145 matches for Antwerp, yet he has only managed two assists and no goals in 12 outings in all competitions for the Hoops.

The only way he will improve and adapt to Scottish football, though, is by playing matches and getting used to the intensity and physicality of the division, which he cannot do from the bench.

That is why O’Neill should give Balikwisha a rare opportunity to start against Dundee as a parting gift to Nancy, as it would provide the winger with another opportunity to develop as a Celtic player ahead of a fresh page under the next manager.

Therefore, the interim manager should ruthlessly drop and rest Yang from the starting line-up this evening, bringing the rarely-seen Belgian in to give him a chance to stake a claim for a place in the side moving forward.

Nancy could bin Celtic star who's been the biggest winner of O'Neill's reign

Incoming Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy could drop this star who has been the biggest winner of Martin O’Neill’s reign.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025