da bet esporte： Nicolas Jackson is becoming a hot topic again at Chelsea, having returned recently from injury after missing five Premier League games due to injury.

da casino： Whilst the 23-year-old has scored nine times this season, also providing five assists, he is now without a goal in his last 11 Premier League games, last netting against Brentford in December.

Enzo Maresca has made it clear he is a fan of Jackson and his contribution to the team, making relentless runs in behind, pressing from the front and putting in those extra yards.

However, his lack of goals, paired with the likes of Cole Palmer’s drop in form, has seen Chelsea struggle to find the back of the net in recent months.

It seems almost inevitable Chelsea will sign a striker in the summer as they look to provide Maresca with another centre-forward to compete with Jackson. There is one man in particular who is dominating the links in the media as of late.

The latest on Chelsea's interest in Liam Delap

Liam Delap is being heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, with Manchester United also said to be in the running for the 21-year-old Ipswich Town striker.

The latest on any prospective move is that the Blues have reportedly held talks with Ipswich regarding a possible summer move.

The English forward has made 31 appearances this season in the Premier League, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists.

The 6 foot 1 forward is built perfectly for the Premier League, having the physical capacity to bully defenders with his broad build, whilst having the technical quality to match, having joined the Manchester City academy in 2019 after coming through at Derby.

Liam Delap vs Nicolas Jackson in 24/25

Stats (per 90 mins)

Delap

Jackson

Goals

0.45

0.42

Assists

0.07

0.23

xG

0.35

0.56

Progressive Carries

2.23

1.99

Progressive Passes

1.15

1.48

Shots Total

2.25

3.33

Goals/Shot

0.17

0.13

G-xG

+0.12

-0.14

Shot-Creating Actions

2.31

3.06

Aerial Duels Won

1.92

0.79

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing Delap’s underlying metrics to Jackson’s, you can see how their two profiles differ, with the former offering a higher level of clinical finishing and box presence, winning 1.92 aerial duels per 90.

Both players have the ability to progress via their carrying quality and run the channels, but Jackson has shown a higher level to link and provide for his teammates so far, making more progressive passes and creating more shots.

However, rather than splashing the cash, perhaps Maresca could look towards Cobham to unleash their own Delap.

Chelsea's Cobham "jewel"

Looking back down the ranks at Chelsea and you will quickly notice a cracking young striker coming through the academy by the name of Shumaira Mhueka, often shortened to “Shim”.

Mheuka came over from Brighton’s academy in 2022, spending two years at Cobham before making his first senior breakthrough this season.

The 17-year-old possesses an innate ability to create his own shooting angles, having excellent agility and ball manipulation in and around the box. He has the ball-striking qualities to match and is already showing signs of utilising his body mass to protect the ball and unsettle defenders.

Mheuka has been described as “Cobham’s finest” by Jacek Kulig, who also labelled the young striker an “amazing talent” and it’s clear to see why.

The teenager has made 16 appearances for the U21 side in Premier League 2 this season, scoring four goals and providing two assists. In total he has scored ten goals in 21 appearances at youth level throughout 2024/25.

Last term he was on fire, however, bagging ten in 17 fixtures. His form in the youth ranks has already earned Mheuka four senior appearances, racking up 73 minutes across those four games.

Given the chance, Mheuka could prove to be the striker Chelsea need in years to come, saving the club a lot of money and fixing their goal-scoring woes all in one go. How long that takes and which development path is taken is another story.

Related A better signing than Huijsen: Chelsea preparing bid for £50m defender

Chelsea are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender this summer.

Posts ByDan Emery Apr 14, 2025

This summer is another opportunity for boss Enzo Maresca to make the desired changes he wants to his Chelsea squad to help in their ambitions of edging closer to a Premier League title.

The Italian took the reins last summer and has so far done a commendable job at the helm, still having the opportunity to claim a Champions League place for 2025/26.

He could also secure the club another European title in the coming months, currently in the semi-final of the Europa Conference League, with a clash with Djurgarden on the horizon.

However, regardless of whether they achieve their goals between now and the end of the campaign, the 45-year-old will want new additions to help strengthen his first-team squad.

The hierarchy have already been laying the foundations for the summer transfer window, undoubtedly looking to back the manager in his quest to take the Blues back to their glory days.

An update on Chelsea’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Over the last couple of weeks, endless names have been thrown into the mix over a summer move to Stamford Bridge, but as of yet, no deals have yet been completed.

The likes of Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Benjamin Sesko have all been high up on their shortlist as Maresca desperately craves added quality within the final third.

However, another name has now been linked with a switch to West London in the form of Morgan Rogers, with The Independent reporting the club’s interest in the Aston Villa sensation.

They claim that Unai Emery’s side are reluctant to part ways with the 22-year-old, but could be forced to sell to maintain their current PSR standing and avoid a potential points deduction.

The report goes on to state the club’s keen desire to increase firepower, with Rogers doing just that given his record of 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions in 2024/25.

Why Morgan Rogers would revive Palmer at Chelsea

Cole Palmer has been Chelsea’s go-to attacker in the final over the last couple of seasons, thriving beyond all imagination after the hierarchy forked out £40m for his signature in 2023.

The England international has notched a staggering 62 combined goals and assists in his 85 appearances for the Blues – with no other first-team member getting near such a record.

However, it hasn’t been all plain sailing for the 22-year-old in recent months, certainly enduring his trickiest period since moving to the Bridge, undoubtedly having an effect on the club’s form.

He’s now gone 16 matches without a goal in all competitions, dating back to the middle of January – by far and away his biggest drought since arriving in West London.

A move for Rogers in the summer window could allow the former Manchester City star to recapture his previous form, linking up with one of his former academy teammates.

His stats at Villa Park this campaign have been nothing short of sensational, undoubtedly enabling Palmer to hit the heights he’s previously demonstrated under Maresca.

Rogers, who’s been labelled as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by podcaster and content creator Jamie Kent, has registered 1.5 chances created per 90, along with 3.7 progressive passes per 90 – handing his compatriot the chance to thrive in the final third.

Games played

33

Goals & assists

16

Chances created

1.5

Progressive passes

3.7

Successful take-ons

2

Progressive carries

3.3

Shot-on-target accuracy

37%

Goal per shot-on-target rate

0.5

He’s also completed two successful take-ons per 90, whilst posting a staggering 3.3 progressive carries, showcasing his excellent ball-carrying ability in moving into attacking areas.

However, the Villa star has also thrived in front of goal, getting 37% of his shots on target, along with a 0.5 goal per shot-on target rate, subsequently allowing Palmer to increase his own assist tally.

Palmer’s lack of form in recent weeks will be a concern for many, with their chances of success between now and the end of the season potentially falling onto his shoulders.

If he is to recapture his best form in 2025/26, a move for Rogers would be the perfect solution, with a familiar face allowing the England international to resurrect his recent slump.

It’s unclear how much a deal for Emery’s star man would set the hierarchy back, but given his form this campaign, it’s a deal they have to pursue – having the opportunity to develop further given his tender age.

Big upgrade on Gittens: Chelsea plan to enter talks to sign £55m winger

Chelsea could seriously boost their attacking options with this statement buy.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 29, 2025

Set up by an incisive opening over from senior colleague Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar swung his way to match-winning figures

Hemant Brar07-Aug-20192:37

Deepak Chahar was outstanding with the new ball – Kohli

Not many young India bowlers are spoken of in the same breath as Bhuvneshwar Kumar only after their second T20I. But Deepak Chahar’s performance against West Indies in the third and final T20I prompted India captain Virat Kohli to put the fast bowler’s new-ball skills on par with those of the senior pro’s.”He was really lethal with the new ball,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation of Chahar’s incisive opening spell that fetched him match-winning figures of 3-1-4-3. “The way he swings it and the areas he bowls in, he puts the batsman in a lot of trouble.”With the new ball, his skills are right up there [with Bhuvneshwar’s], swinging it both ways and getting a lot with the new ball in any conditions, and that has been his USP in the IPL as well.”Having burst on to the scene in 2010 with first-innings figures of 8 for 10 on his Ranji Trophy debut for Rajasthan, Chahar lost his way somewhat after that.Starting out as someone who mainly relied on swing and bowled at about 125kph, he ended up injuring himself while trying to increase his pace. Fighting through bad form and a spate of injuries, he eventually got his career back on track at the 2019 IPL. Playing for Chennai Super Kings, Chahar finished the tournament as the third-highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps – 15 of those coming in the Powerplay. Not only was he swinging the new ball, but his pace was also up, consistently hovering around the 135kph mark.Both these qualities were on view again on an overcast morning in Guyana as Chahar ran through the West Indies top order. Consistently pitching the ball up, he swung his way to the Player of the Match award on the eve of his 27th birthday as India clinched the series 3-0.Aside from the conditions, Chahar was also helped by Bhuvneshwar’s experience at the other end. In the opening over of the match, Bhuvneshwar beat the outside edges of both Evin Lewis and Sunil Narine with outswingers, and conceded just one run. Chahar cashed in in the next over as Narine tried to pull a length ball from outside off, only to mistime it towards mid-on where Navdeep Saini took a low catch tumbling forward.Lewis became Chahar’s second victim, dismissed lbw to an inswinger on the first ball of the fourth over. Lewis, who had been pushed on the back foot by Bhuvneshwar till then, was now tested with a pitched-up delivery. But instead of coming forward, he went back and across, tried to play the line with a straight bat, but the ball swung in sharply to trap him in front of the middle stump.Two balls later, Kieron Pollard got lucky as he looked to drive a fuller delivery but the ball did a touch too much to induce an outside edge. Shimron Hetmyer, however, wasn’t that lucky. Unlike Lewis, Hetmyer came forward but ended up cramping himself and had to play across. The ball nipped back in once again to beat the bat and pinged Hetmyer on the pads. The double-wicket over from Chahar meant West Indies were 14 for 3 at the end of four overs, failing to get off to a decent start for the third time in as many games.Speaking to the host broadcaster after the match, Chahar explained his ploy: “The plan was to bowl outside off to the left-handers because they want to play towards midwicket. I tried to first assess how much swing there was. First, I tried a couple of outswingers and noticed the ball was swinging. And when I went for the inswinger, it swung even more, so I focused mainly on the inswingers.”If the ball comes in, then it’s more difficult for batsmen because there are more wicket-taking options like leg before, bowled, or even caught behind, if it goes with the angle.”Of late, it has been observed the white ball doesn’t swing as much as it used to earlier. Therefore, it becomes important for bowlers, especially in T20Is, to find out quickly whether or not it’s going to swing. And, if it does, for how long.”It usually takes me the first two balls to judge whether there is swing or not,” Chahar said. “If my first couple of balls don’t swing, then it means it’s not going to swing; I need to shorten my length and use my variations more. If it’s swinging, I use fewer variations. Since there was moisture in the surface, and the ball was seaming and swinging both, I decided to go fuller.”Generally, the white ball swings only for first the two or three overs but conditions were good today, so it was swinging more. You have to assess on the first ball of each over you bowl if it’s still swinging or not. It’s very rare if it’s swinging in your third over, but today it was doing a bit even then.”Chahar’s exploits in the last IPL had fetched him a spot among India’s nets bowlers for the 2019 ODI World Cup. Given he can contribute with the bat as well, with Tuesday’s match-winning performance, Chahar might have made an early case for a place in the squad for the 2020 T20 World Cup.

Tasmania were bundled out in a session on the fourth day as the hosts cemented their standing as a domestic powerhouse

Tristan Lavalette24-Mar-2024Cameron Gannon and Corey Rocchiccioli tore through Tasmania late on day four as Western Australia clinched a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles with a crushing victory at the WACA.Needing an implausible 538 runs on a tricky surface, Tasmania lasted just 40.5 overs and were bowled out for 160 as they lost 5 for 18.Related

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Live Report: Western Australia vs Tasmania, Sheffield Shield final: WA aiming for hat-trick

Gannon, a fringe bowler for most of his long career, starred with a five-wicket haul, while Rocchiccioli finished with 3 for 55.Tasmania imploded against a withering new-ball spell from Gannon and Joel Paris left them at 26 for 3 after the wickets of Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim and Caleb Jewell.Any chance of a miracle ended when Beau Webster, the Shield’s leading run-scorer, fell late in the day as Tasmania’s forlorn chase ended rather tamely. Needing an outright victory to end an 11-year drought, Tasmania played aggressively but they never really had a realistic shot against WA’s brilliant attack.WA cemented themselves as Australian domestic cricket’s powerhouse after an almost flawless performance. It was only the second three-peat over the past 20 years and WA’s first since the late 1980s. WA are the only team to have won three in a row concurrently in the Shield and Marsh Cup.WA completely dominated all facets of the match, while Tasmania appeared overmatched having missed their chance of hosting the final after a last round loss to South Australia.Resuming at 221 for 3, WA’s blueprint was to bat for the long haul in a bid to totally shut Tasmania out of the contest. Hilton Cartwright and Aaron Hardie appeared to be doing just that as they motored to a century partnership.Matthew Wade walks off after his last first-class innings•Getty ImagesTasmania appeared to be going through the motions until the second new ball, but Webster provided a much-needed tonic with a spectacular diving one-handed catch at leg-slip to dismiss Hardie for 47 off Jarrod Freeman.Webster was in the thick of the action and rode a rollercoaster of emotions. He dropped Cooper Connolly at slip and was left exasperated when the bail did not dislodge after bowling a cracker to Cartwright that hit the top of off stump. The WA players on the team’s balcony could not believe their eyes, with a few of them rushing into the room to watch a replay.Webster made amends by holding on to an edge from Connolly as he threw the ball high in the air in celebration. Tasmania bowled a much better length and produced the type of disciplined effort they lacked for much of WA’s first innings.But Cartwright, who made a half-century in the first innings, defied Tasmania and continued his knack for the big stage having made a match-winning half-century in last month’s Marsh Cup final. Cartwright was hoping to end a lean season with a century, but fell agonisingly short when Webster had the last laugh with a delivery that trapped him lbw on the stroke of lunch.Tasmania had hoped to be batting in the second session, but were left frustrated by WA’s more than capable lower order. Tasmania’s earlier spark eroded as they toiled under the sun as WA’s lead raced past 500.Charlie Stobo added to Western Australia’s inroads•Getty ImagesBut Tasmania were left spooked by the dismissals of Charlie Stobo, who was bowled by a delivery that crept low, and Paris that reared off the surface.Tasmania’s agony was finally over by tea, but they were soon reeling at the crease with Wade nicking off Gannon in the second over. The dismissal ended the red-ball career of Wade, who received a standing ovation from some of the WACA faithful.Gannon and Paris bowled menacingly with the new ball as Jewell and Wakim fell in successive overs. WA sniffed a victory before the close, but Silk and Doran steadied the ship with a 62-run partnership. They managed to blunt the spin of Rocchiccioli and scored relatively quickly with WA boasting an expectedly attacking field.But Silk and Doran succumbed as the sparse sprinkling of fans in the terraces – with many fans having earlier left for the AFL match at nearby Optus Stadium – suddenly were getting excited.They were at fever pitch when Webster and Freemon fell in the same over from the unwavering Gannon as the extra 30 minutes was taken.WA were not to be denied as Paris claimed a spectacular catch to seal a famous triumph.

يرى عصام الحضري، حارس مرمى منتخب مصر السابق، أن محمد الشناوي حارس الأهلي من الحراس الكبار ولا يُوضع تحت التقيم مثل باقي الحراس.

وقال الحضري خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “محمد الشناوي حارس مرمى كبير وحارس مرمى منتخب مصر، يمكن الظروف الحالية في النادي الأهلي، مأثرة عليه وليس هو فقط بل كل اللاعبين”.

وأضاف: “أول شيء، أنا من وجهة نظري كـ عصام الحضري لا أقيم محمد الشناوي، هو حارس مرمى كبير بتاريخه والبطولات التي حصل عليها، حتى إذا لم يكن موفقا في أي مباراة”.

طالع | موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وحرس الحدود اليوم في الدوري المصري

وأكمل: “يوجد في كرة القدم لاعبين وحراس مرمى تخطوا مرحلة التقييم لانهم أصبحوا لاعبين كبار وحراس مرمى على مستوى عال”.

وأتم: “محمد صبحي حارس الزمالك، علي لطفي، من زد، أحمد الشناوي، بيراميدز، عامر عامر، عزل المحلة، حارس الجونة صبحي سليمان، عصام ثروت حارس المصري، هؤلاء ظهروا بمستوى جيد خلال مباريات الدوري الفترة الماضية”.

As a spinner, dew can be your biggest nightmare. And when the opponents are cruising at 107 for 2, needing 62 off 48, the challenges are that much greater.R Sai Kishore had bowled three wicketless overs for 19 up until this point. Rohit Sharma was set on 43, and another few overs of him would have all but closed the door on the Gujarat Titans. It’s at this point that Sai Kishore made his mark.”I was actually expecting dew to play a major role,” he said later. “The ball was wet, but for some strange reason, the ball was still holding on the wicket. Usually it slides on, but I was surprised by the amount of purchase I was getting. So I tried to go into the wicket and mix my pace, and go slower through the air.”Related

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Sai Kishore hadn’t featured for Titans all of last season due to team-combination considerations. Even his five appearances prior to that, in 2022, had been staggered. He needed to conjure something special to keep Titans alive, and he did, by simply pulling his length back a touch, and getting the ball to dip.Rohit fell over attempting a sweep and was trapped plumb in front. Sai Kishore had brought the game back on an even keel. His figures of 1 for 24 played a key part in Mumbai’s slowdown, particularly in the second half of their chase, where Titans varied their lengths and bowled into the pitch to deny the batters.”Because the wicket was two-paced, we tried to go into the wicket a lot more, trust our length a lot more than directly going for yorkers,” Sai Kishore said. “That resulted in getting a lot of wickets. It was attacking bowling even if the situation was otherwise.”At Titans, Sai Kishore has had to adapt to being the second spinner to Rashid Khan. In the TNPL or for Tamil Nadu, he’s used as a trump card in the Powerplay. This change of role can be tough, but for someone longing for opportunities, it was the opening he needed.”In the other teams where play I usually do the lead role. To do the second role makes it even more exciting,” Sai Kishore said. “Most people are going to play off Rashid and come after me. That makes the challenge more exciting.”That sync [with Rashid] is there, we discuss the game very well. One of the strengths of this team is everyone sticks together. Jayant [Yadav, the offspinner] also used to come in [as a reserve player] and say ‘do this, do that, it’s going good.’ The communication is always there, which is superb.”Sai Kishore picked up the all-important wicket of Rohit Sharma•BCCI

Sai Kishore felt Titans were at least 10 short of where they’d hoped to be with the bat. The plan all along was to remain in the game for as long as they could and then seize key moments, like they did in the death overs with Mohit Sharma and Rashid building on Sai Kishore’s work.”We felt we were 10 short, but the thing about this whole team and how it has been run over the last two years is we give a lot of emphasis to competing. Whether we win or lose, we’re proud of the way we play. We competed really well. That was the talk given by [head coach] Ashish Nehra as well.”All credit to the culture he has set up over the last two years. People are not thinking about the result [alone], they’re focusing about competing and staying in the game.”Sai Kishore is coming off a sensational Ranji Trophy season, which he finished as the highest wicket-taker. He left his imprint as a captain too, backing young players who thrived because of role clarity.At Titans, Sai Kishore is relishing any opportunity he gets to play, prepared to do the tough job without fearing the consequences. “When you bowl four overs on the trot, it’s like a one-day game, you can be in rhythm a lot easier.”With the Impact Player rule, we’re playing six bowlers. I’m getting the role where I’m bowling four overs on the trot in the middle. I’m open to bowling one-over spells. In [the Syed] Mushtaq Ali [Trophy] or TNPL, that’s how I use my overs but with the quality of bowlers we have, am getting to bowl four overs which I’m enjoying.”

The result also secured USA’s place in the next T20 World Cup in 2026

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-20243:17

O’Brien: USA deserve to be in the Super Eight

Match abandoned USA have qualified for the Super Eight stage in their maiden T20 World Cup appearance, after their final group game against Ireland was washed out in Florida. The no-result gave USA five points, which was enough for a second-place finish behind India in Group A.There was heavy rain in Florida all week and the outfield in Lauderhill was extremely wet on Friday morning. There wasn’t enough time to get the outfield ready for play before the rain returned to end any chances of the match beginning.USA had begun their campaign with a victory against Canada in Dallas, and then they upset Pakistan in a Super Over to become strong contenders to qualify for the Super Eight. Though they were then beaten by India, USA came to Florida needing only one point from the match against Ireland to qualify.The result also ensured that USA would be among the automatic qualifiers for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.Friday’s washout eliminated Pakistan, Canada and Ireland from Group A, and all three teams are scheduled to play in Florida over the weekend, weather permitting. Canada play India on Saturday, while Ireland take on Pakistan on Sunday. Ireland are the only team in Group A without a win yet, having lost to India and Canada before the abandonment against USA.

Bharath Seervi27-Dec-2017Over in two days, 907 balls
The Port Elizabeth Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe gets registered as one of the shortest completed Tests in history. With a result produced in only 907 balls, this is now the second-shortest Test, in terms of balls, in last 50 years. Among Tests played in South Africa, only once has a Test been completed with fewer deliveries bowled. That was way back in 1889 when the Cape Town Test ended in just 796 balls.The last time a Test got completed within two days was in 2005, which also featured Zimbabwe. They had suffered this fate twice that year – against South Africa in Cape Town in March and by New Zealand in Harare in August. In the last 50 years, this is only the fifth Test to be finished in two days and all those instances have been since 2000. Zimbabwe, however, have been involved in three of them.

Tests completed in two days in last 50 years

Team 1	Team 2	Runs	Wkts	Venue	Year
England	West Indies	505	30	Leeds	2000
Australia	Pakistan	422	30	Sharjah	2002
South Africa	Zimbabwe	659	23	Cape Town	2005
Zimbabwe	New Zealand	610	29	Harare	2005
South Africa	Zimbabwe	498	29	Port Elizabeth	2017

In terms of match aggregates in completed Tests, this match ranks sixth-lowest in the last 50 years with 498 runs: 309 by South Africa and 189 by Zimbabwe. Since South Africa’s readmission, this match has the lowest aggregate in a completed Test in South Africa.South Africa’s comfortable winThe hosts required only 436 balls to dismiss their oppositions twice in this match. This is the least balls they have ever bowled to claim 20 wickets. The previous lowest was 440 balls against India in Durban in the Boxing Day Test of 1996. In the last 50 years, only four times has a team taken all 20 wickets in fewer balls than South Africa’s 436 balls in this match. England had taken only 413 balls against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in 2000, which is the lowest in this case.South Africa’s bowlers conceded only 198 runs and picked 20 wickets, an average of 9.45 runs per wicket in this match: the fourth-best for any team taking all 20 wickets in a Test in last 50 years. New Zealand (thrice) and South Africa (twice) appear in the top-five in this list with Zimbabwe on the receiving end thrice.

Best bowling averages by teams in a Test taking 20 wickets (last 50 years)

Bowling team	Against	Balls	Runs	Ave	Venue	Year
New Zealand	Zimbabwe	477	158	7.90	Harare	2005
South Africa	India	440	166	8.30	Durban	1996
New Zealand	England	608	175	8.75	Christchurch	1984
South Africa	Zimbabwe	436	189	9.44	Port Elizabeth	2017
New Zealand	Zimbabwe	464	194	9.69	Napier	2012

South Africa had never won by an innings after scoring as low as 309 in their first innings. Their lowest score to win by an innings was 326 against Australia in Hobart last year. Also, 309 runs is the second-lowest total for a team to win by an innings in the last 15 years. England had won by an innings after scoring just 298 against Sri Lanka at Leeds in 2016. This is the third time South Africa enforced follow-on this year, the most they have done this in any calendar year. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also lost by an innings to South Africa in 2017.

Former Hampshire captain is in favour of Lord’s taking central role in London Spirit

Matt Roller21-May-2024

Mark Nicholas, the incoming MCC chair, pictured ringing the five-minute bell during a Test at Lord’s•Getty Images

Mark Nicholas has left his role as chair of Southern Brave’s board. His decision to step down comes as he prepares to take over as Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) chair, at a time when the club – who are proprietors of Lord’s – could become majority owners of London Spirit.Nicholas, who captained Hampshire during his playing career, is a close friend of the club’s ex-chair Rod Bransgrove. He was appointed chair of Southern Brave – who are run jointly by Hampshire and Sussex – in 2019 ahead of the Hundred’s launch, but has now stepped down from that role in recognition of his growing involvement with MCC.Southern Brave filed paperwork to Companies House last week stating that Nicholas has resigned as a director of the company. An MCC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo: “We can confirm that Mark has left his role as chair of Southern Brave. There aren’t currently any plans for him to join the board of London Spirit.”Related

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Nicholas has been MCC president since last year, and will take over as chair in October. He has been prominent in the club’s communication with its members around the imminent changes to the ownership model of Hundred teams, which is expected to see the ECB hand 51% stakes to their hosts – in London Spirit’s case, MCC.MCC has discussed the possibility of owning a stake in London Spirit with its members since late last year and Chris Rogers, the club’s treasurer, is chair of a ‘Hundred working group’. Nicholas has expressed his interest in MCC becoming majority owners, telling members he likes the idea of the club coming together to support a single team under its banner.The global profile of Lord’s means that London Spirit is expected to be the most lucrative team when the ECB invites bids later this year. MCC may consider using a potential windfall as an endowment for the MCC Foundation, to invest in the club’s museum, and to continue to improve the facilities at Lord’s, with approval recently granted for a £61.8 million redevelopment of the Allen and Tavern Stands.

Liverpool are reportedly planning to hijack Arsenal's move for Viktor Gyokeres, with the Sporting CP striker seen as a possible replacement for Darwin Nunez.

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Nunez set to swap Anfield for NapoliLiverpool want Gyokeres to fill the voidFace stiff competition from ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After joining Liverpool from Benfica in 2022, Nunez has endured a mixed spell at the club, with flashes of promise overshadowed by inconsistency in front of goal. Although Al-Nassr attempted to sign him during the January transfer window, it is Napoli who now seem poised to secure his signature in a deal that could be worth around €50 million (£43m/$58m).

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Arne Slot is eager to fill that void, and, according to , they are preparing to disrupt Arsenal’s pursuit of Gyokeres, with the Sporting CP striker now being identified as a leading candidate to replace Nunez. The Merseyside club has instructed intermediaries to get them information about the exact asking price for the 26-year-old, who is believed to have a release clause of €80m (£68m/$93m).

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Gyokeres has already made it clear to Sporting that he wants to leave this summer, following a stellar campaign in which he finished as one of the top scorers across Europe. Arsenal have been leading the race for him in recent weeks, but Liverpool are reportedly preparing a serious push to beat their rivals to the striker's signature. The striker has previously rejected a potential reunion with former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim at Manchester United and is carefully weighing his next move.

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In addition to Nunez, Colombian winger Luis Díaz is also being linked with a departure from Liverpool. Barcelona are reportedly monitoring his situation closely and are described as “very interested” in securing his services. If those sales are completed, Liverpool will have the funds necessary to invest further after breaking the British transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz. A move for Gyokeres, with his scoring pedigree, may soon become a priority for the Anfield hierarchy.