The left hander hit 94 off 99 balls in a game where batting has been tough work in Hobart
AAP16-Oct-2025
Jake Weatherald compiled an aggressive 94•Getty Images
Tasmania 171 and 244 for 5 (Weatherald 94, Silk 51*) lead Western Australia 172 (Hope 4-51, Meredith 3-36, Bird 3-38)Jake Weatherald missed his century but landed a fresh blow in his battle for a Test debut in the Ashes series.The Tasmania opener raced to 94 off just 99 balls on day two of the the Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia in Hobart before he was caught in the deep hooking.Related
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He had made 18 in the hosts’ first-innings total of 171, as no other player passed 41 on the tricky Bellerive Oval track until Jordan Silk (51 not out) late on day two.Tasmania were 244 for 5 when rain stopped play slightly before stumps were due to be called.Left-handed Weatherald, 30, topped last year’s Shield run-scorers’ list with 906 at an average of 50.33, and remains in the frame for a call-up for the first Ashes Test.His commanding strokeplay, particularly square of the wicket, was impressive and potentially the perfect complement to the more sedate Usman Khawaja, who is all but assured of one opening spot at Optus Stadium against England next month.Weatherald, a promising emerging talent at South Australia who has reignited his career with a move south, struck 13 fours and a six in his brisk knock on Thursday.It came after the visitors had taken a lead of just one run on the first innings, at one stage losing 3 for 3 to be all out for 172 after beginning the day 107 for 4.Brad Hope ran through the tail, while Riley Meredith and Jackson Bird both finished with three wickets.Matthew Kelly (3-47) was the pick of the WA bowlers in Tasmania’s second innings.
O Palmeiras está em desvantagem no placar agregado da final do Paulistão diante do Santos. A equipe treinada por Abel Ferreira acabou derrotada por 1 a 0 na Vila Belmiro, mas conta com motivos convincentes para apostar na virada e, consequentemente, o tricampeonato seguido do Estadual.
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➡️ Acredita no Verdão?! Aposte R$50 e fature R$260 no Lance! Betting para o Palmeiras fazer 2 a 0 ser campeão no tempo normal
➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras
O clássico acontece a partir das 18h deste domingo (7), no Allianz Parque.
VIRADAS RECENTES
Nos dois últimos títulos estaduais, o Palmeiras saiu em desvantagem. Diante do São Paulo, em 2022, a primeira partida terminou com derrota alviverde por 3 a 1. Contra o Água Santa, ano passado, o clube de Diadema venceu por 2 a 1.
➡️ Palmeiras x Santos: onde assistir e escalações da final do Paulistão
Com cenários semelhantes à final de 2024, o Verdão buscou a virada nas duas ocasiões. Em ambas, goleou os adversários por 4 a 0. Além disso, todos os jogos de volta aconteceram no Allianz Parque, estádio que o Alviverde passou a contar novamente e mandará o clássico com o Santos.
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“LAST DANCE” DO CRAQUE
Endrick, “o cara” do Palmeiras, disputará seu último título pelo clube, diante do Santos. O garoto já se demonstrou decisivo mesmo com a pouca idade e foi grande personagem dos últimos dois títulos brasileiros do Verdão e, inclusive, até em vitórias da Seleção Brasileira principal.
O atacante também revelou que seu último desejo vestindo verde e branco é faturar o Paulistão. Ele se muda para o Real Madrid, da Espanha, na metade deste ano.
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ABEL FERREIRA
Multicampeão pelo Palmeiras, Abel construiu uma equipe sólida e tem ótimo retrospecto contra o Santos. São sete vitórias, dois empates e duas derrotas enfrentando o rival, desde 2020.
Além disso, o Verdão treinado pelo profissional português soma apenas uma derrota no tempo regulamentar em toda a temporada 2024.
A number of Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover candidates are now reportedly considering a fresh move to get the sale of the club over the line.
Sheffield Wednesday dealt fresh point deduction
Despite the fact that Dejphon Chansiri is no longer at the club and Sheffield Wednesday are in administration, they’re still facing the consequences for the actions of their former owner. The EFL confirmed earlier this week that the Owls have been dealt a further six-point deduction on top of the initial 12 points that they had deducted.
It’s frustrating news for Wednesday, who were already destined for League One. Administrators will now be hoping to hand supporters some better news regarding the club’s takeover process.
So far, bids have arrived and been rejected from the likes of Mike Ashley, who is looking to get back into English football for the first time since leaving Newcastle United.
Administrators initially set a soft deadline of December 5, but it remains to be seen whether they can actually stick to that on Thursday. Instead, the Owls’ pain may be prolonged as candidates prepare to take a new approach to takeover attempts.
As reported by City AM, a number of candidates are considering a joint bid to buy Sheffield Wednesday to get the takeover across the line. The Championship club reportedly have six bidders on the table, but could see some of those opt to join forces to match their £30m valuation.
Sheffield-born takeover candidate makes key contact in race to buy Sheffield Wednesday
He could buy his local club.
By
Tom Cunningham
Nov 26, 2025
As things stand, there is no clear favourite to buy the club and Begbies Traynor’s initial deadline is likely to be pushed back until at least next week.
In the meantime, the Owls could continue looking at the free agent market. Although they are yet to welcome new owners, those at Hillsborough have already signed both Nathan Redmond and former Leeds United man Liam Cooper.
Whether it’s joint-bidders or just the one candidate in the coming weeks, Sheffield Wednesday’s new owners will instantly have their eye on success in League One next season following the club’s inevitable relegation.
Earning instant promotion back to the Championship whilst finally adding financial stability to the club should be top of the wishlist of the new owners.
Simon Jordan reveals Sheffield Wednesday "consortium" as next takeover step shared
From reverse to paddle, she used all sorts of sweeps to counter Bangladesh’s spinners and help her team register their first win of the World Cup
Sruthi Ravindranath10-Oct-20253:24
Devine finds support as New Zealand open account
For the third consecutive game in the 2025 Women’s World Cup, New Zealand found themselves in strife. They were 38 for 3 and Bangladesh’s spinners on top when Brooke Halliday walked in. It wasn’t the first time they had relied on her to stabilise things this World Cup. Tentative at first, she scratched her way to 8 off 21 balls, probing forward, going back, trying to find her rhythm.Then came the release.Fahima Khatun floated one wide outside off, and Halliday pounced. A reverse sweep, perfectly placed past short third, for four to break the pressure. From there, she swept with authority – conventional, reverse, paddle – nullifying the threat of Bangladesh’s spinners, who have been excellent all tournament. Her 69 off 104 balls became the backbone of New Zealand’s first win of the competition.Related
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It wasn’t a shot pulled out on instinct. She has been trying to perfect the sweep over the past year. It was pivotal during her tour of India in late 2024, where she posted her career-best 86 in the third ODI in Ahmedabad, collecting 22 runs off 11 sweep shots, including two boundaries and a six. Earlier this week, against South Africa, she again turned to it, sweeping Chloe Tryon twice to the boundary during a 37-ball 45.With New Zealand not playing an ODI in the last six months, Halliday spent the winter at the CSK academy in Chennai, honing the sweep against spin. Ahead of this clash, she worked with net bowlers to sharpen the shot. On Friday, all that prep came good.Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine put on a century stand•Getty Images”That [sweep] is something I did try and practice a lot in Chennai just with the turning ball,” she said during the presentation, after collecting her Player-of-the-Match award. “The perks of the last couple of days is that we’ve had a lot of net bowlers who actually bowled quite similar to what we got today. Being able to figure out how we were going to play certain bowlers and then just today going out there and watching the ball and just having an idea of how things were going to go.”In a batting line-up stacked with right-handers, Halliday’s presence as the lone left-hander was always going to be pivotal, especially against Bangladesh’s spin-heavy attack featuring a left-arm spinner and two legspinners. Her ability to play the sweep and disrupt their rhythm proved invaluable.With Sophie Devine at the other end, Halliday kept the scoreboard ticking. The left-right combination forced field changes and unsettled Bangladesh’s bowlers. While Devine preferred hanging back and playing off the back foot, Halliday played sweeps of all kinds. The two added 112 for the fourth wicket, during which Halliday also passed 1000 career ODI runs.Her third boundary of the day, against offspinner Nishita Akter Nishi, came with a paddle sweep. And when Shorna Akter tossed one into the slot, Halliday got down and slog-swept it for a six over midwicket. In all, according to ESPNcricinfo’s data, she played 15 sweeps, scoring 29 runs off them. No batter at this World Cup has scored more runs via the sweep shots of all types than Halliday. She now has 45 off 21 deliveries with the shot, well ahead of India’s Richa Ghosh, who has 28 off eight.But the sweep remains a double-edged sword, also bringing her downfall. She was dismissed sweeping in Ahmedabad off Deepti Sharma, then again against South Africa off Nonkululeko Mlaba. On Friday, it was the same script: having just swept Fahima for four, she attempted the shot again, only to top-edge to the wicketkeeper.”It wasn’t easy to bat out there”•AFP/Getty Images”I’ve got out to it a couple of times now but I’ve also been able to hit a few runs with it,” she said. “So there’s a lot of perks with being able to expand my game and just get a little bit better.”New Zealand are headed to Colombo, where they play Pakistan and Sri Lanka, two more spin-heavy sides. Halliday hopes to take the learnings from her last two innings into those games.”The biggest thing over the last couple of days after that last match was being okay with getting ones and being quite boring. I went out there again with Sophie, so we kind of knew what the plan was: to just try and bat for a very long time to that 40th over and then from there hopefully we can have a bit of a party time, which I failed to get to but Sophie was able to capitalise a little bit.”It wasn’t just Bangladesh’s spinners that Halliday had to negotiate. The heat and humidity in Guwahati added to the challenge. Dripping with sweat, she dug in for what turned into one of her most important ODI innings.”It wasn’t easy to bat out there,” she said. “I think the mental side of it was very tough and then also the physical side kind of hit us a little bit later on. There was a time when Sophie and I both were going, ‘Oh my goodness, single hitting is actually quite hard.’ There’s always a part of us that actually just wants to hit a boundary or two. Sophie is really clear and keeps it really simple, which kind of works for me.”Since her debut in 2021, Halliday has occupied the middle order quietly, operating under the radar in a side where the spotlight usually falls on Suzie Bates, Devine, or Amelia Kerr. But she has made a habit of standing up when it counts. Her 38 off 28 against South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final was one such occasion. On Friday, she delivered again, batting New Zealand out of trouble to put their campaign back on track.
Four members of RCB’s title-winning side in the XII, but who else make the cut?
Yash Jha05-Jun-202514:45
IPL 2025: Do both Pandya brothers get picked in the team of the tournament?
Sai Sudharsan
Inns 15 | Runs 759 | SR 156.17 | Ave 54.21 | 1×100/6×50Sai Sudharsan was comfortably clear atop the run-scoring charts, with only Suryakumar Yadav coming within 50 runs of his tally. His consistency was second only to Suryakumar – he scored at least 30 in 12 of his 15 innings, seven of them scores of 50 or more – and he did all that while having his fastest-scoring season: Sai Sudharsan’s strike rate of 156.17 was well ahead of his previous best mark of 141.40 in 2023.
Virat Kohli
Inns 15 | Runs 657 | SR 144.71 | Ave 54.75 | 8×50The season where he finally got his hands on the IPL trophy was a quintessentially prolific one for Virat Kohli – he topped 600 runs for the third straight campaign – but it’s the impact on results that saw him tower over the field. Each of Kohli’s eight fifties resulted in RCB wins; no other batter had more than four scores of 50+ in victories. Kohli tallied 584 runs in RCB’s 11 wins; no other batter had 450 runs in victories this season.Related
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Jos Buttler
Inns 13 | Runs 538 | SR 163.03 | Ave 59.77 | 5×50Jos Buttler thrived in his new role as No. 3 to complete Gujarat’s titanic trinity. This was his fastest-scoring IPL campaign, clearing the strike rate of 155.24 he achieved in 2018. Eight of Buttler’s 13 innings came in GT wins, and he crossed 30 in seven of them. Four of his five fifties in IPL 2025 came at a strike above 170 – including a 54-ball 97 not out to close out a 204-run chase versus Delhi Capitals.
Suryakumar Yadav
Inns 16 | Runs 717 | SR 167.91 | Ave 65.18 | 5×50Coming into the season on the back of a rare lean patch in T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav redefined consistency, scoring at least 25 in all 16 innings (a world record in men’s T20s). It’s no stretch to say he carried the Mumbai Indians batting – their second-highest run-getter, Rohit Sharma, was 299 runs behind Suryakumar. He finished with the most impact points for a player in IPL 2025; among 11 batters with 500+ runs this season, only two had a better strike rate.
Shreyas Iyer (c)
Inns 17 | Runs 604 | SR 175.07 | Ave 50.33 | 6×50While Shreyas Iyer the captain transformed Punjab Kings’ fortunes, Shreyas Iyer the batter was a man on a mission, piling on an all-timer campaign – only two batters have scored 600+ runs in a season at a higher strike rate (Chris Gayle in 2011, Suryakumar Yadav in 2023). He was responsible for two of the best knocks of the season, both at Ahmedabad: 97* off 42 against Gujarat Titans to start the season, and 87* off 41 versus Mumbai Indians to take Punjab through to the final.2:28
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Hardik Pandya
Mat 15 | Runs 224 | SR 163.50 | Wkts 14 | Econ 9.77This wasn’t really a season for allrounders: only three players tallied 200+ runs and 10+ wickets, and two of them – Sunil Narine and Ravindra Jadeja – didn’t have many wins to show. Hardik shouldered bowling responsibility early in the season in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, taking 10 wickets in his first four outings. His batting role was limited to being a finisher, and he chipped in with some cameos: 42 off 15 vs RCB, 48* off 23 vs RR and 22* off 9 in the Eliminator vs GT.
Jitesh Sharma (wk)
Mat 15 | Runs 261 | SR 176.35 | Ct/St 19/1Jitesh Sharma may not have been the most destructive finisher in IPL 2025, but when he blew hot, he really caught fire. His 40* off 19 took RCB beyond 200 and set up their first win over Mumbai Indians at Wankhede in a decade; he scripted the heist that ensured RCB’s top-two finish with an 85* off 33 versus LSG; his 10-ball 24 was pivotal in the title clash with Punjab Kings. He also had the most dismissals for any wicketkeeper.
Krunal Pandya
Mat 15 | Wkts 17 | Econ 8.23 | Runs 109 | SR 126.74Krunal Pandya started IPL 2025 with 3 for 29 against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, and ended it with 2 for 17 to clinch the final versus Punjab Kings. He was player of the match on both occasions. He also took 4 for 45 in RCB’s thrilling win over Mumbai Indians. Wickets, economy, impact – Krunal ticked all boxes. And while his batting wasn’t called upon much, he did hit a match-winning 73* against Delhi Capitals.2:13
Moody: Ridiculous how far ahead of the rest Bumrah is
Noor Ahmad
Inns 14 | Wkts 24 | Econ 8.2 | Ave 17.0The specialist spinner’s spot is the only one taken by a player whose team didn’t make it to the playoffs. Noor Ahmad was streets ahead of the competition: five wickets ahead of the next-most prolific spinner, and just one shy of the Purple Cap. Only three bowlers with 10 or more wickets struck more frequently than Noor, who took at least two wickets on six occasions.
Jasprit Bumrah
Inns 12 | Wkts 18 | Econ 6.67 | Ave 17.55Best economy for a bowler with 5+ overs this season. An economy of *7.5* at the death (no bowler with 10+ overs in the phase went at less than 8.8 per over). Seven innings where he went at less than six per over. Five hauls of at least two wickets. It’s no coincidence that MI’s season turned out the moment Jasprit Bumrah was back. If he’d played the entire season, the Purple Cap couldn’t have been too far away.3:15
IPL 2025 review: MI may need to get a good Indian spinner next season
Prasidh Krishna
Inns 15 | Wkts 25 | Econ 8.27 | Ave 19.52The Purple Cap went to Prasidh Krishna, who marked his return to the IPL after three years with a statement season. He had nine hauls of two or more wickets, and eight spells at less than seven per over. He took 11 middle-overs wickets, the most for a pacer. Prasidh also induced a higher percentage of false shots (41%) than any other pacer in IPL 2025. He made the most of the hard lengths but wasn’t a one-trick pony, as KL Rahul found out with one of the deliveries of the tournament.
Josh Hazlewood
Completing our pace attack is the serial winner who was the architect of RCB’s bowling transformation. Josh Hazlewood was one of only two bowlers to take at least five wickets in all three phases; he was metronomic in the powerplay (economy 7.27), probing through the middle (wicket every 10 balls), and delivered at the death (think 19th over of the chase at Wankhede). He exhibited his big-game chops in Qualifier 1, picking up 3 for 21 – in his first game in over a month.
Manchester City are now planning to make a move for Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior if he becomes available, amid tension with manager Xabi Alonso.
Rodri might have something to say about Man City making a move for Vinicius, given what happened back in 2024, with the Real Madrid forward refusing to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony after finding out the Spanish midfielder was set to win the award.
Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele went on to win the prestigious award for the first time this year, with the Brazilian missing out again, but he remains in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or power rankings for 2026, with two City stars also in the top 20.
After the controversy that unfolded, City fans unveiled a banner mocking the Madrid forward using Oasis lyrics ahead of a Champions League tie against the Spanish side last season.
Man City planning to make move for Vinicius Junior
Despite the fallout after the 2024 Ballon d’Or, a report from Spain has now revealed that Man City intend to make a move for Vinicius if he becomes available, amid rumours of tension with Real Madrid manager Alonso.
A number of elite clubs are closely monitoring the situation, including Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, with the winger yet to put pen to paper on a new contract to extend his stay at the La Liga club beyond 2027.
However, it could take a huge bid to get a deal over the line, with reports from elsewhere revealing Madrid are expected to demand €250m (£220m) to sanction a departure.
Lauded as “the best player in the world” by Real Madrid columnist Kiyan Sobhani, the Brazil international has been one of the driving forces behind his side’s fantastic start to the season, having won nine of their opening ten La Liga matches.
Indeed, the 25-year-old has featured in every game, chipping in with nine goal contributions, but he stole the headlines for different reasons in the El Clasico last time out, having engaged in a heated exchange with Alonso after being substituted.
The most recent outburst, coupled with his reaction to being snubbed, suggests the Rio de Janeiro-born forward may cause problems behind-the-scenes for Pep Guardiola, but there can be no denying he is a top player, excelling across several key metrics over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.41 (89th percentile)
Assists
0.29 (83rd percentile)
Progressive carries
7.36 (99th percentile)
Successful take-ons
3.0 (97th percentile)
That said, £220m would be a huge fee to shell out on any player, so it may be worth waiting another year to see if Vinicius’ price-tag drops towards the end of his contract.
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“Eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” says India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-20253:22
Philander: Bavuma ‘a wonderful inspiration’
“I am not a stats man, I am a win man,” Simon Harmer said when asked by Murali Kartik in the post-match presentation about his returns: his 8 for 51 is the best by a South Africa spinner in a Test in India and second only to Dale Steyn’s 10 for 108 back in 2010.The other South Africans at Eden Gardens could say the same. They started the third day staring at a crisis. They fought their way out of it with the bat, led by Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch, and then had Marco Jansen first and then Harmer running through the opposition.All India had in front of them was a target of 124. They only got 93.Related
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“A game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much, because… we should have been able to chase this score, but eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” Rishabh Pant, standing in as captain in Shubman Gill’s absence, said. “Definitely there was help in the wicket, a [target] of 120 can be tricky on these kinds of surfaces, but at the same time, as a team we should be able to soak in the pressure.”He pointed to the morning session when South Africa, resuming on 93 for 7, added 60 more runs. “That was the turning point,” Pant said. “Temba and Bosch had a brilliant partnership in the morning and that got them back in the game and that hurt us too much at the end of the game.”Bavuma isn’t the sort to talk big, so he kept it simple.”It was about awareness. Second innings, I didn’t change too much. Fortunately I have played in India before, so I kind of understand the little bit of adjustment that you need to make, and luck also plays a part,” he said of his innings of 55 not out, the only half-century in a game where no innings touched 200.”The captaincy, you are only as good as the players. That I give it to them. Batting, I am just comfortable with myself. And technique: not to worry about trigger and all those types of things. I stand as still as I can, watch the ball. I have a decent understanding of my game. I have come here to India wanting to do well. Not the greatest of records when it comes to these conditions. There’s a bit of that exuberance from my side to see myself doing well in these conditions and implement all the little things that I’m trying here, and keep contributing for the team.”The partnership with Bosch, I think with Marco as well at the end of the day [yesterday], just gave a little bit of impetus. The wicket played a bit better this morning, wasn’t as extreme. We tried to stay in the game as much as we could. It is not all the time that you score 120-125 and that’s a winning score. I think it was a case of staying in the game and keep believing.”Contribute he did, and then turned to his bowlers.3:40
Did India let South Africa off the hook in the morning?
“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could,” Bavuma said. “It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully. We were able to change our bowlers frequently and that worked for us.”If Harmer is to be believed, the conditions got a bit tougher for him on the third day.”Today, I felt it probably got a little bit flatter as the ball got softer. It wasn’t exploding as much. I was asking myself some really hard questions,” he said. “Nice to contribute. I have been here before and it was a dark place, losing [three out of four Tests in 2015]. So to get here, to be behind the eight-ball again, and for the team to fight the way they did, shows where this group is and what they are capable of and the belief that they have.”I knew I needed to bowl well. I think it was the same when we were batting – it felt like we were one partnership away from getting ourselves into the game. It was the same with ball in hand. We knew we were one partnership away from getting really close. I just needed to try and put as many balls in the right areas and trust that the wicket would do its bit.”
Well, given the circumstances, that was an exceptional result for Chelsea.
Sure, Enzo Maresca’s side would have gone out there looking for a win, but considering Arsenal are the Premier League leaders, a point is not bad and has kept them within touching distance.
Moreover, when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off in the first half, it felt like only a matter of when, not if, the Gunners would take the lead.
There were sensational displays across the pitch for the hosts, including one monster that saved the Ecuadorian international from becoming the talking point.
Chelsea's standout stars
One of Chelsea’s best players this evening, and all season for that matter, was Robert Sanchez.
Chalkboard
The Spanish shot-stopper has come in for some harsh criticism over recent years, but against the Gunners, he was superb.
On top of his passing generally being on point and his collection of crosses being efficient, he also made several top-quality stops, like the one from Gabriel Martinelli’s shot in the first half.
Another hugely important player for the Blues was captain fantastic, Reece James.
The Englishman once again started the game in the middle of the park and was, in the words of presenter Olivia Buzaglo, “gargantuan.”
In his 94 minutes of action, he provided an assist, played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, and completed 100% of his dribbles.
It was just the sort of performance the team needed from their captain after Caicedo was sent off in the first half.
However, there was another starter who was just as vital to the win, and truly saved the Ecuadorian’s blushes.
The Chelsea player who saved Caicedo
Once Caicedo was sent off, there was an expectation that Arsenal would eventually wrestle control back from Chelsea and stamp their authority over proceedings.
However, the Blues clearly had other ideas.
Just three minutes into the second 45, James delivered an incredible corner into the Gunners’ penalty area, and Trevoh Chalobah rose to meet it and head it home.
It was a well-worked set-piece and a brilliant header that seemed to shock the visitors and gave the Stamford Bridge faithful something to cheer about and take their minds off the red card.
However, while that was the most memorable moment of his game, Chalobah did far more than just score, as he was superb at the back and showed some great on-the-ball skill, coming out from the back on multiple occasions.
He unsurprisingly made quite the impression on the watching press as well, with the Standard’s Dom Smith awarding him an 8/10 match rating at full-time.
The 26-year-old’s statistics more than justify such a rating as well.
Minutes
94′
Goals
1
Tackles (Won)
1 (1)
Clearances
6
Recoveries
4
Ground Duels (Won)
2 (1)
Aerial Duels (Won)
5 (4)
Dribbled Past
0
Touches
52
Shots
1
Fouls Won
1
In his 94 minutes of hard-fought action, the academy graduate won 100% of his tackles, made six clearances, recovered the ball four times, won five of seven duels, didn’t get dribbled past, took 52 touches and won one foul.
It was another performance from the Englishman that proves he’s more than just a stopgap until the club splashes the cash on a new defender.
Or, as Gary Cahill said in an interview that came out a few hours before the game, he is “the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.”
Ultimately, they might not have won, but Chelsea put in a sensational performance to claim a point against Arsenal, and alongside the likes of Sanchez and James, Chalobah saved Caicedo from becoming the talking point.
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Very rarely does the international schedule seem to fit together in any logical way, but the next two weeks of bilateral white-ball competition should suit both England and New Zealand down to a tee (and not just because of the plentiful opportunities for golf).It’s true that for England, this tour comes hard on the heels of a long home summer and with a much-anticipated Ashes campaign looming in the background. But having already done their team-bonding thing down in Queenstown, the prospect of easing into the southern summer with some guilt-free tonking around some of world cricket’s more scenic venues should be right up their street – not least because of the local knowhow provided by Brendon McCullum, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee.New Zealand, meanwhile, can look forward to bumper crowds – Saturday’s first T20I at Hagley Oval is already sold out – for what is otherwise an off-peak time of the season; so early in spring that the domestic programme hasn’t even got underway yet. Having made a bit of a false start against Australia earlier in the month, it’s also a good opportunity to try to get back on track with their T20 World Cup preparations.Related
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Switch Hit: Black Caps and Pat's back knack
Quality trumps context as England, New Zealand prepare for early-season showdown
On that front, Mitch Santner returns after abdominal surgery and will retake the reins from Michael Bracewell. New Zealand are unbeaten in bilateral series since Santner was made permanent white-ball captain last December, and have plenty of T20I cricket to come – including five-game match-ups against West Indies (at home) and India (away) as they build into the World Cup.England are also led by a new-ish captain, with Harry Brook back from a mini-break (during which he also got engaged) that saw him miss last month’s trip to Ireland. No one in the touring party can avoid the pre-Ashes rumbling – Brook is fully aware of priorities for the winter – but this series will provide vital game time for a T20I side that is still coming together, with a three-match series in Sri Lanka their only other outing before the World Cup. Never mind whether Jacob Bethell can stake a claim for the Test No. 3 spot, Tom Banton has a T20 finisher role to nail down.Somehow, for the next three games, we have both context aplenty and the sense that this is a bit of a free hit. What’s not to like?
Form guide
New Zealand LLWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first) England WWWLWHarry Brook takes part in a traditional welcoming ceremony•Getty Images
In the spotlight: Jacob Duffy and Phil Salt
Jacob Duffy has had a phenomenal 12 months in T20I cricket for New Zealand, taking 30 wickets at an average of 12.76, and rising to the top of the ICC bowler standings (he currently sits in fifth). A tall right-arm seamer who is fast enough and has all the tools you need, 31-year-old Duffy is the epitome of under-the-radar New Zealand excellence. Alongside Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, he could provide the sort of Test-match examination in seamer-friendly conditions that may start English minds casting ahead to the Ashes (perish the thought).Phil Salt has proven over and again that he is a T20 gun, ending the English summer in record-breaking form (having begun it out of the side while on paternity leave). His fourth T20I hundred underpinned England’s mahoosive 304 for 2 against South Africa last month, and there is every chance that he could cause similar havoc on his first outing in New Zealand, where the boundaries tend to be small and the wind a useful aid to hitting. After all, the man is bound to have done his research.
Team news: Santner and Ravindra fit
New Zealand have confirmed the return of both Santner and Rachin Ravindra to the XI after both missed the Australia series with injury. Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes and Bevon Jacobs are the squad members to sit this one out.New Zealand: 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Tim Robinson, 4 Mark Chapman, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Michael Bracewell, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Jacob DuffyEngland named their team more than 48 hours in advance, with Brook back and Jordan Cox dropping down to take on a finisher role in the absence of Will Jacks. The presence of Sam Curran and Bethell in the top seven means England can call on three seamers and three spinners. Zak Crawley is with the squad but must wait for a T20I debut.England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Tom Banton, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Jordan Cox, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Liam Dawson, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke Wood
Pitch and conditions: Wrap up warm
Conditions are likely to be fresh this early in the New Zealand spring, with extra layers needed for a game under floodlights. Seamers have tended to prosper at Hagley Oval – Santner termed it a “spinners’ graveyard”. As well as a chilly breeze, there might also be some rain around to contend with.
Stats and trivia
England have previously played three bilateral T20I series in New Zealand, and won all of them.
Their last trip came a few months after the 2019 ODI World Cup final and featured a tied game at Eden Park, with England again winning the Super Over.
Since the last T20 World Cup, New Zealand have won 12 and lost five – their only series defeat a 2-0 loss to Australia earlier this month.
Jos Buttler is 164 runs away from becoming the fourth man to score 4000 in T20Is.
Brook is 84 shy of 1000 T20I runs; Jimmy Neesham needs another 20.
Quotes
“Some wins would be nice. It’s the start of a bit of a nice build-up for us: England, West Indies, India away before the World Cup. But first things first we want to win a series in front of our own fans here in Christchurch.” “We’ve got a great opportunity here against a very strong side to go out there and try and capitalise on the momentum we’ve already made. The last game we played together as a full group, we got 300.”
Manchester United edged closer to finally winning five successive games in the Premier League when they won their third in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Bryan Mbeumo scored two of the club’s four goals in the game, whilst Casemiro got on the scoresheet and Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for United since his move from Wolves.
Interestingly, the Red Devils were up against a player they were reportedly willing to smash their club transfer record on, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.
The Premier League giants were reportedly keen on a deal for the defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window, before INEOS decided against a big-money move for him.
Baleba, however, was substituted in the 59th minute of the match, having failed to provide any goals or assists, whilst Casemiro, his direct opponent, scored and provided an assist.
The Brighton midfielder’s performance on Saturday, coupled with his displays throughout this season, may make the club think twice about any potential move for him in a future transfer window.
Why Man Utd may not make a move for Carlos Baleba
The left-footed star’s drop-off in form from last season to the current campaign is cause for concern at Old Trafford, as it shows a lack of consistency in his game.
In the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, Baleba won 55% of his duels and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton.
The 21-year-old midfield talent also scored three goals and provided one assist for his club, with his performances leading to interest from Manchester United in the summer.
Unfortunately, though, Baleba has been unable to kick on and continue his fine form on the pitch in the Premier League this season, after he did not get a move away from Brighton during the transfer window.
The United target’s defensive numbers are down across the board through the opening nine matches of the 2025/26 campaign, which may be a red flag for the Red Devils recruitment department.
Carlos Baleba (Premier League)
24/25
25/26
Appearances
34
9
Goals
3
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.7
2.1
Clearances per game
1.3
0.9
Duels won per game
5.8
3.1
Ground duel success rate
55%
41%
Fouls made per game
1.2
1.4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Baleba’s form has dropped off a cliff this term, from a defensive perspective, as he has gone from being dominant in duels to being dominated by opposition players.
This is why Ruben Amorim and INEOS may be hesitant to make a club-record move, of more than £89m, for the Brighton man in January or next summer, as his current performance level shows that he has not been consistently impressive.
Man Utd preparing move for LaLiga midfielder
According to a report in Spain, via Stretty News, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the upcoming January window.
The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing to make a move for the France international to bolster their options in the middle of the park next year.
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It adds that the Premier League giants have made Camavinga a ‘top priority’ target and that they are prepared to offer around £70m to secure his signature from the Spanish side.
The outlet reveals, though, that Real Madrid are not in any rush to cash in on the former Rennes star, and that it would potentially take more than £70m to convince them to part ways with the midfielder.
It now remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be able to do enough to convince Real Madrid to sell Camavinga, or if they will be able to convince the player to make the move to Old Trafford, with no European football on offer this season.
Why Man Utd should sign Eduardo Camavinga
Manchester United should press ahead with a deal for the French central midfielder because he would be an upgrade on Baleba, as an even better signing for Amorim’s midfield.
The left-footed star, who scored his first goal in the Champions League last month, provided a timely reminder of his quality in the El Clásico at the weekend, winning eight of his 12 duels and completing all three of his attempted dribbles in a 2-1 win over Barcelona, per Sofascore.
Camavinga, who has been utilised at left-back, centre-back, central midfield, and defensive midfield by Real, has shown more consistency and quality in his performances than Baleba over the past 365 days in all competitions.
The chart above shows that the France international has outperformed the Brighton star in a host of key midfield statistics both in and out of possession in the past year.
On top of that, the £70m-rated midfielder, who was described as a “duel-monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, has outperformed Baleba at league level so far in the 2025/26 campaign.
25/26 season
Camavinga (LaLiga)
Baleba (Premier League)
Appearances
6
9
Sofascore rating
6.96
6.53
Tackles made per game
1.8
1.0
Dribbled past per game
0.7x
0.7x
Duels won per game
4.3
3.1
Ground duel success rate
74%
41%
Fouls per game
0.3
1.4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Real Madrid star has been significantly more effective as a defensive presence in the middle of the park at league level this season, winning 1.2 more duels per game and winning a far higher percentage of his ground duels.
Perhaps the most telling statistic is their respective fouls made per game. Camavinga rarely trips up and has to foul opposition players, whilst Baleba is committing over one foul per match on average, which shows that he is losing duels and having to resort to fouls to break up play.
Overall, Camavinga appears to be the better option out of the two, as evidenced by both his form this season and over the past 365 days, as a defensive midfield signing for United in the January transfer window.
This is why INEOS should forget about a move for Baleba and concentrate their efforts on attempting to sign the Real Madrid midfielder next year.
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