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Exciting 19-year-old Queensland quick reported soreness after playing in the T20 Max competition and scans revealed a stress fracture

Alex Malcolm08-Sep-2025Back injuries among Australian fast bowlers is nearing epidemic levels, with Queensland teenager Callum Vidler the latest in the list, ruled out of the Australia A white-ball tour of India and the start of the domestic summer with a partial stress fracture.Fresh off the news that Test captain Pat Cummins has a hot spot and Cricket Australia contracted quick Lance Morris is undergoing back surgery, there had been hopes of accelerating Vidler’s progression given the promise he showed in the Sheffield Shield final in March following his performances in Australia’s Under-19 World Cup victory last year.He was set to play in the white-ball portion of Australia A’s tour of India later this month and had been preparing by playing three T20 matches in the T20 Max in Queensland for his club side Valley.Related

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But scans late last week detected a partial fracture in his L3 vertebrae. Queensland general manager of high performance Joe Dawes confirmed that Vidler has to now undergo a rehab process but there is no time frame on his return.”Callum experienced some back pain during training and promptly reported it,” Dawes said. “Unfortunately, the scans came back confirming a stress fracture so he will spend some time recovering and then start a rehab plan. He’s naturally very disappointed but accepts that injuries are part of the game. We’ll work closely with him to ensure he has the best recovery to get him ready for a return to cricket.”Australia A had already lost Morris and his replacement Brody Couch from the red-ball portion of the series with India. Couch had suffered a side strain but is expected to be right for the start of the Shield season with Western Australia while Morris is out for a year.South Australia’s Henry Thornton was called in as Couch’s replacement for the red-ball matches in India and will now remain on for the three white-ball matches as weekVidler, 19, impressed with his performance in the Shield final last March when he bagged 4 for 64 and 1 for 60 while showcasing impressive pace on a sluggish Karen Rolton Oval pitch. He is part of the quartet of quicks from his Under-19 group, which has Tom Straker, who was also selected for the Australia A white-ball team to tour India, Mahli Beardman and Charlie Anderson. Beardman is currently recovering from stress fractures while Anderson has had significant back issues in the recent past and is being carefully managed.The injury leaves Queensland thin in terms of their fast-bowling stocks just a week out from the start of the Dean Jones Trophy.

Liverpool were comprehensively beaten by Manchester City on Sunday. That’s five defeats from six in the Premier League for Arne Slot’s side, and the crisis switch has been flicked back on.

As things stand, there are fears that the eighth-place Reds face an uphill battle to seal a top-four (or top-five, depending on UEFA coefficients), much less challenge against Arsenal and the resurgent Citizens for the throne they so spectacularly won last year.

This is a pale imitation of that title-winning team, and though Pep Guardiola tactically dismantled Slot and his men at the Etihad Stadium, Liverpool continue to come unstuck by their own self-destructive tendencies.

So sluggish and limp against City on Sunday. Liverpool’s press was non-existent, and neither has the stable framework of recent years been in sight since the summer.

But, right at the very epicentre of all this is Ibrahima Konate, who was targeted by the Sky Blues at the weekend and it worked out for them and then some as they sent Liverpool packing, having shipped three.

Why Konate is such a big problem for Liverpool

Against Manchester City, Konate took 88 touches of the ball, whereas captain Virgil van Dijk was in possession 58 times, data via Sofascore.

That tells the tale. Guardiola set his side up to put pressure on Liverpool’s France centre-back and he was unable to respond, having been at fault for the early penalty that Giorgi Mamardashvili saved and then again when Erling Haaland rose and scored soon after.

This is a defender whose form has gone beyond out of sorts. Konate is failing to do the basics, and he is now being preyed upon by opposition coaches. Sky Sports fan voice Lewis Anderson commented after the match that the 26-year-old “needs dropping like a hot stone”, given his consistent inconsistency this season.

But who to replace him? In spite of Liverpool’s thrilling transfer window success this summer, the lateness of their concerted effort to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace ended with FSG empty-handed, for the Eagles played hardball after struggling to find a suitable replacement.

Konate is one of the biggest flashpoints within Slot’s squad right now, and he needs to be dropped. Options are slim, admittedly, but there’s one man who will fancy his chances of taking the powerful defender’s place in the starting line-up in the future, albeit not for a while as he recovers from injury.

The teen who can end Konate's Liverpool career

There was a real buzz around Anfield when sporting director Richard Hughes swept over to Italy and returned with one of the region’s most prodigious talents in Giovanni Leoni.

The 18-year-old joined for a £26m and had also been sought after by the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United.

However, this fairytale move to Liverpool quickly devolved into a nightmare for the Italian centre-back, who ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton in September, the severity of which is so great that Slot said afterwards that he would be sidelined for around a year.

From a wider perspective, this has been a damaging blow for a Liverpool backline lacking depth and balance. Moreover, Konate’s abject performances have left him droppable, save for the threadbare defensive line that is now forcing Slot’s hand.

With Konate out of contract at the end of the season and attracting interest from heavyweights such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, Liverpool chiefs face a decision as they continue to probe in discussions to try and make a breakthrough, extending the £70k-per-week talent’s stay on Merseyside.

However, could Konate’s departure on a free transfer actually be a scenario that would not prove detrimental? After all, Van Dijk is sticking around for a while longer, and when Leoni returns, he could establish himself as the next big thing.

After all, he caught the eye against Saints before that bitter injury.

Minutes played

81′

Touches

102

Accurate passes

88/91 (97%)

Possession lost

3x

Recoveries

3

Tackles won

0/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

6

Ground duels

1/2

Aerial duels

3/3

Hailed as a “Rolls-Royce” of a defender who can “be the leader of that defence” in spite of his youth by one content creator, Leoni’s season-ending injury on his senior debut for Liverpool can only be described as agonisingly unfair.

But it has happened, and nothing can change that. The defender’s road to recovery is long indeed, but there remains every expectation on Merseyside that he will bounce back and realise his potential.

And, with the data analysts sure to be mulling over Konate’s future as the end of his contract edges ever nearer, we might even see that stance on the Les Bleus star slacken.

Crystal Palace’s Guehi remains a top target, and Leoni showed a glimpse of his quality in less than 90 minutes of football this season, proving he has what it takes to slip into his struggling senior peer’s seat.

Van Dijk must rally his Liverpool forces across the remainder of the campaign and ensure that this brutal dip in form does not fester and linger as a wider, more damaging issue.

However, this acclimatisation period of new signings struggling to bed into life under Slot’s wing will not go on forever, however interminable it seems right now.

But there’s no denying more is needed, and if Konate cannot bring himself together over the coming months, it’s hard to envisage Liverpool offering new and improved terms.

And given Leoni took to his Liverpool role like a duck to water before disaster struck, there’s every chance he will respond next season in a more stable tactical set-up, quickly vindicating the potential decision to let Konate leave when his contract expires this summer.

As bad as Salah: Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels must be on borrowed time

This Liverpool star who was as bad as Mo Salah against Manchester City must be on borrowed time in the starting XI.

ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

MLB fans held their collective breath on Wednesday during the Philadelphia Phillies vs. Toronto Blue Jays spring training game after Blue Jays pitcher Richard Lovelady hit Bryce Harper on his right arm with a 92 mph fastball.

Harper underwent medical examination and found out his right bicep is bruised, but otherwise he should be O.K. No X-Rays are needed, which is a huge win for the Phillies star. Phillies manager Rob Thomson wasn't very concerned about the hit after the game, either.

For a player who's been placed on the injured reserve list twice in his career for getting hit by a pitch either on his arm or hand, there was a big sigh of relief that Harper's bruise isn't anything to worry about.

Regardless, Harper was still visibly upset he was hit by the pitch on Wednesday. The pitch knocked his helmet off and made Harper take a step back in shock.

Lovelady was noticeably frustrated with himself for hitting Harper, too. Thomson cut him some slack in his post-game interview.

“I can’t speak for the kid, but maybe he was a little nervous,” Thomson said, via MLB. “It’s Bryce Harper.”

Arsenal have a brimming pipeline of exciting young talent and could be set to add prodigious Montpellier gem Laciné Megnan-Pavé to their ranks if they can fight off competition for his services.

Fighting on all fronts, the Gunners have began to call on the strength of their squad in recent times, evidenced in the fact that Andre Harriman-Annous starred in their victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek.

Clearly, there is room for developing talent to feature under Mikel Arteta should youngsters impress at underage level. With his side top of the Premier League and seeking to go deep into multiple competitions, domestic matches outwith the top-flight may be the breeding ground to blood more of their academy.

However, chances for Hale End prodigies may dry up amid positive injury updates on Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz. Strength in depth is key for the Gunners, and supporters will be delighted that the Spaniard will soon have added flexibility ahead of the festive fixture list.

Adding context, he added: “I see them work every single day, how desperate they are to be part of the team, the huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have those players available again after such a long time. I’m really happy that I think it’s going to be very soon.”

His happiness may be about to multiply, given Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta already appears to have one eye on the next youngster to enter the conveyor belt of bristiling talent at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal fighting Barcelona for Montpellier sensation Laciné Megnan-Pavé

According to Sport.fr, Arsenal are looking to sign Montpellier youngster Laciné Megnan-Pavé and sporting director Berta will look to beat the might of Barcelona to land the services of the exciting goalscorer.

At just 15 years of age, he is already captain of France’s Under-16 squad and has shown a demonstrable track record of hitting the target after notching 15 goals and 12 assists in 24 games last season.

Now under observation due to his ‘explosive’ profile, murmurs insist that Montpellier will offer him a three-year professional contract once he turns 16, albeit the notion of making your name at an elite club like Arsenal may be difficult to turn down.

Physically, he stands at 6ft 1in and is more than a match for defenders despite still having plenty of years to grow, adding another layer of intrigue as the Gunners look to secure his services.

This marks an increase of almost four times the money awarded in the 2022 World Cup, which had an overall pool of USD 3.5 million

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2025The upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup will have a prize pool of USD 13.88 million. This marks almost a fourfold rise from the previous ODI World Cup, held in New Zealand in 2022, which had an overall pool of USD 3.5 million, and also marks a significant increase from the USD 10 million pool for the Men’s ODI World Cup in India two years ago.This World Cup, the 13th edition, will have the highest prize money for the winners of a women’s global tournament: USD 4.48 million, a 239 percent increase from the USD 1.32 million awarded to Australia in 2022. The runners-up will receive USD 2.24 million – an increase of 273 percent in comparison to the USD 600,000 England won three years ago. The losing semi-finalists will receive USD 1.12 million each – up from USD 300,000 in 2022 – while the group-stage participants are guaranteed to earn USD 250,000.For each group-stage win, teams will earn a further USD 34,314. At the end of the group stage, the teams that finish fifth and sixth will be awarded USD 700,000 each, while those who finish seventh and eighth will earn USD 280,000.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Our message is simple, women cricketers must know they will be treated on par with men if they choose this sport professionally,” Jay Shah, the ICC chair, said in a statement. “The uplift [in prize money] underscores our ambition to deliver a world-class ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and to inspire the next generation of players and fans. Women’s cricket is on a remarkable upward trajectory, and with this step we are confident the momentum will accelerate.”This edition of the World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka from September 30. Though the opening match of the tournament, between India and Sri Lanka, is less than a month away, tickets are yet to go on sale. However, the ICC has said that tickets are expected to go on sale online this week.The tickets for the 2022 World Cup were available six months ahead of the tournament.

Ruben Amorim reportedly "canvassed opinion" on Tyrell Malacia's reintegration from several Manchester United first-team players after the Dutch full-back became the only player from the club's 'bomb squad' who failed to secure a move away from Old Trafford during the summer transfer window. Other outcasts like Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony were shipped off as Amorim overhauled the squad.

Lone 'bomb squad' survivor

The last time Malacia played for United was back in January 2025, when he featured in Amorim's starting lineup in a Europa League clash against FCSB, but the defender played only the first half. In February, the Dutchman was shipped off on loan to PSV, where he appeared in eight Eredivisie matches. Malacia, along with other loanees like Sancho, Rashford and Antony returned to Old Trafford in the summer, but those players, along with Garnacho, were then informed that they were no longer needed in the team. While the other four players successfully secured moves away from the Premier League club before the transfer window closed, Malacia failed to do so, and his future seemed uncertain.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAmorim took player poll on Malacia

After deadline day, Amorim "canvassed opinion" on Malacia's reintegration and several players spoke in the Dutch defender's favour, according to . The report adds that the Portuguese coach heeded the feedback and slowly allowed the 26-year-old to return to the squad. He was an unused substitute when United beat Brighton 4-2 at Old Trafford on October 25.

Fitness remains a concern for Malacia

Malacia’s journey in England has been far from smooth. The Dutchman was Erik ten Hag’s first signing at Old Trafford in 2022, as he arrived from Feyenoord for a £13 million ($16m) fee with €2m in add-ons. His debut season at Red Devils was promising as he made 39 appearances across all competitions. However, disaster soon struck as a brutal knee meniscus injury halted his progress in the Premier League and kept him sidelined for a staggering 550 days. He only re-emerged last season, but was nowhere close to the player he used to be and soon fell out of favour under Amorim. 

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AFPHow are other 'bomb squad' members faring?

Antony and Rashford have taken La Liga by storm as they have cemented their places in the starting lineups of Real Betis and Barcelona, respectively, although the latter is only on loan at Camp Nou. Garnacho, meanwhile, has registered four goal contributions in his first 10 games for Chelsea. Sancho is the only former United bomb squad member still struggling in new surroundings, with the winger finding regular minutes hard to come by on loan at Aston Villa.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series on Wednesday night, beating the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 to clinch the franchise's eighth championship. After recording the final out, the Dodgers all poured onto the field to celebrate. Eventually they moved to the locker room to cover the visitor's clubhouse in beer and champagne.

Sometime in between those two traditional baseball celebration moments, the public address system at Yankee Stadium played Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," a song usually played after victories by the home team. Here's video of impending free agent Juan Soto watching the Dodgers while the song plays in the background.

Unsurprisingly, this shocked or bothered some people.

The thing is, who cares? The Yankees play the song after losses, too. At this point it's apparently just used as a way to drive people towards the gates so they no longer have to hear a song so old it was released back in the '70s when the Yankees used to actually win World Series. The only people who should have been bothered by "New York, New York" playing was the Dodgers, because it was a reminder that they had a six-hour flight ahead of them.

Chelsea have now joined the race to sign a “hugely impressive” £70m forward, who recently broke a Champions League record.

Blues' winning streak ended by Sunderland

After winning four games on the spin in all competitions, Chelsea fans could be forgiven for expecting a comfortable victory at home against newly-promoted Sunderland, but their winning streak was brought to an abrupt end.

Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage-time winner secured all three points for the visitors, with the Blues hardly laying a glove on their opponents, recording an xG of just 0.90 throughout the match, which will no doubt be a concern for Enzo Maresca.

It was a very poor performance from the hosts, and perhaps the only slight positive was Alejandro Garnacho’s performance, with the summer signing scoring his first goal since arriving from Manchester United.

It is still early days, but Garnacho will now be hoping he can kick on and silence the doubters, with journalist Ollie Holt not convinced the winger’s move to Stamford Bridge will pan out.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea have also joined the race for another young forward, having sent scouts to watch Bayern Munich forward Lennart Karl in action, but a deal is expected to be on the expensive side.

Indeed, Bayern value their break-out youngster at around €70m – €80m (£61m – £70m), which means the west Londoners may need to shell out a huge fee to tempt the German club into a sale.

Having recently smashed the previous record to become Bayern’s youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer, a number of top clubs have joined the race for Karl, with Arsenal and Manchester City also named as potential suitors.

"Hugely impressive" Karl could be future star

It is a very promising sign that the 17-year-old has managed to force his way into Vincent Kompany’s plans at such a young age, featuring six times in the Bundesliga this season, during which time he has chipped in with two goal contributions.

Having also gotten off the mark in the Champions League, the teenager has proven he could be a future star, but there are doubts over whether he is the type of signing that Chelsea need at this stage.

Worse than João Pedro: Maresca must drop Chelsea flop who lost 100% duels

Chelsea were ignominiously beaten 2-1 by Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and Enzo Maresca must drop a flop who lost 100% of his duels.

ByBen Gray Oct 26, 2025

The Blues added Jamie Gittens and Garnacho to their ranks this summer, so it is questionable whether they need to bring in another young winger, with Paul Merson recently emphasizing that a lack of experience is a real issue.

Merson said: “The team is too young. The oldest player there is 23, 24? When you get a young team, you’re up and down, they have wingers who are very inconsistent.”

As such, rather than signing Karl, who has been described as “hugely impressive” by scout Ben Mattinson, Chelsea could do with bringing in players with more experience, instead of being so hell-bent on only signing young players.

Premier League legend Rory Delap has revealed that his son Liam was reduced to tears as a child as overzealous parents accused him of "ruining the game" with his long throws. The 49-year-old was the long throw-in king during his playing days, and as a result, his offspring appear to find it hard not to be tarred with that same brush. And when Liam was at primary school, one incident stung the Delap family.

Delap a throw-in legend

The 49-year-old became synonymous with long throws during his days at Stoke City, as defences quivered in fear at his javelin-like delivery into opposition boxes. While Delap senior became a cult figure for his howitzer set pieces in the 2000s, there appeared to be a negative knock-on effect for his son. Rory recalled how he agreed to stand in for Liam's coach for one game when he was at primary school – and it left a lasting impression. 

Talking to the Derbyshire FA/DerbyUniFootyJournos podcast On The Grass, Delap recalled: "The coach wasn’t able to be there and the game would have been postponed, so he asked me to take it for him. Unfortunately, in the game, the team was losing. And then there was 30 seconds left or something. Liam took two long throws, I’m talking aged seven or eight. We scored from them. Their parents are going berserk: ‘You’re ruining the game!’ So Liam was in tears even though they’ve won. That’s probably the last time he took a throw in. And that was the end of my grassroots coaching career.”

AdvertisementAFPDelap 'proud' of his son Liam

The 22-year-old has had a bright start to his career, graduating from Manchester City's academy to their first-team, securing a move to Ipswich Town, where he impressed in the Premier League, and then sealing a £30 million ($39.5m) summer move to Chelsea. Naturally, the former Southampton and Derby County man is very proud of what the striker has accomplished thus far.

"I’m immensely proud of Liam, of all three of my sons and my daughter," he said. "People think Liam’s had an easy route, and it’s anything but. He’s had his ups, his downs, but he’s always stayed focused that he could make it. He had to leave home, make a decision to leave home at 16, go to Manchester not knowing really what the situation was, but he’s always backed himself. I’ve always said, ‘if you work as hard as possible so there’s no excuse, you never know where it’s going to get you – treat people with respect, see where it takes you’. He’s not there yet. He’s had a big move in the summer to Chelsea, a big opportunity for him. Liam’s been unfortunate with the (hamstring) injury, he started well in America and then the start of the season, but he’s got a lot to do to force his way into the team now."

Success of long throws a consequence of Guardiola's style

Among many talking points this season, the return of long throw-ins has been a big one. Arsenal, Brentford, and Sunderland have utilised the tactic well as teams look to find other ways to unlock defences. And according to Delap, this trend is partly in response to Pep Guardiola's tactics being so effective in the past 15 years or so.

He added: "If you look over the last 10 years, Pep’s had a big influence on how teams, not just in the Premier League play, but across the board. Pep’s always had the best players in the world to work with, which makes things a lot easier. You can go down to the non-league divisions and see it there as well – where teams are trying to play their way out. It’s the same with academies, the majority of the teams will look to play out and they want technical players. The consequence of that is you end up with the defenders that can’t defend and head the football. That’s become prevalent, that people are putting more long balls in because the lads that have come through the academies don’t understand how to defend that type of situation. So you’re seeing the longer balls, throw-ins, set plays. There’s a correlation in a lot of teams having set play coaches, but it’s a bit disrespectful to say that’s a new thing, because it’s not. It was just that before it was the coach’s or the manager’s job to do it as part of the plan, the programme. So it’s no less or no more important today than it was. Teams are doing it because they’re getting success."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Delap, who has just returned from a hamstring injury, is not on long throw-in duty for Chelsea. However, he will hope to be very effective for Enzo Maresca's team when they host Premier League basement side Wolves on Saturday.

All you need to know about how balls land up in the ball library, and how they are selected for replacement

Sidharth Monga16-Jul-20255:19

Kumble: There can’t be so many ball changes in a Test match

A common theme during the England-India Test series has been the frequently replaced balls because the original ones are losing shape. Ever wondered where the replacement balls come from, how they are sorted and selected? Here is all you need to know.Where do the replacement balls come from?Two or three days before the Test, the host association provides used balls from first-class matches played in its venue. If it is Old Trafford, for example, Lancashire provides these balls to the fourth umpire, New South Wales for SCG, Mumbai Cricket Association for Wankhede, and so on.The fourth umpire then inspects the balls putting them through the gauge. If it goes through one and not through the other, it is considered eligible to go into the “ball library”, which is the box you see coming out when a ball is changed during a Test match. Any ball that goes through both the rings is ineligible to start playing with in the first place. So if it goes through both, it is too small to be in use. If it goes through neither, it is too big. If it goes through one and not the other, it is the right size. The number of these potential replacements depends on venues. Tests in India, England and Australia generally tend to have about 20 replacement balls, but in some countries the number can be as low as 12.Related

India unhappy with replacement ball

Why teams need big nuts for the Test series

If the fourth umpire sees an issue with most of the balls or doesn’t see enough eligible balls, they bring it up with the rest of the officiating team – on-field umpires, third umpire and match referee – and then they collectively ask the association to provide for more. The same process is followed for new balls. Every new ball is put through the rings before the Test.The endeavour is to have the largest possible range available from semi-new to old, but they are not batched according to age. A ball that has been used for 60 overs on a lush outfield could well be a replacement for one used in a Test on a drier outfield for just 30 overs.The umpire puts the ball through the ring•Getty ImagesSo are we covered for all contingencies?No, it is not possible to bring an exact like-for-like replacement. The best they can hope to do is get a replacement ball that is nearest to the original ball in wear and tear. It could be older or it could be newer.This is why the umpires are reluctant to change the ball unless it has gone completely out of shape. To maintain the integrity of the competition, the rule of the thumb is to change it only when there is no other way to continue with the existing ball. The teams of course want a ball that suits them; any change is liable to leave one of them unsatisfied.Also remember that the laws doesn’t provide for a ball change for softness. The ball is changed if there is clear damage, wetness or loss of shape. Even with the shape, nowhere do the laws mention the ball has to be round. The only shape criterion for a ball change is that if it goes through neither or both of the rings on the gauge. If it goes through one and not through the other, and if its seam is in place and the ball is dry, you have no option but to continue with it no matter how soft it feels.Are local first-class matches the only source for replacement balls?No, the match officials have to act on their feet sometimes. If they feel they are running out of replacement balls rapidly, they can ask the teams to provide used balls from their nets. They are run through the same tests before they are sent into the ball library.Another source is match balls from earlier in the series. If an innings in an earlier Test in the series has lasted 45 overs, that ball can sent into the library provided it passes the quality checks and no bowler wants to keep it as a souvenir for a five-for.Umpire Paul Reiffel looks for a replacement from the ball library•Getty ImagesThere have also been cases where the match balls have gone out of shape rapidly and the match referee has had to send for more from the neighbouring county or state association.Hang on, so a good swinging ball that inflicted damage earlier on in the series can come back into play later?Yes, but nobody knows which ball is which. There is no marking done on the ball, and once the balls go into the library it is near impossible to tell them apart.Can umpires change the ball without the involvement of the bowling team?Yes they can, but they do it only when they suspect ball tampering or if they ball is damaged to the extent that just tidying up with a pair of scissors is not enough.The thing with ball tampering is that since it is an accusation of cheating, it needs visual evidence. The umpires avoid making such explicit charges, but do quietly change the ball if they see something is off.Umpire-led changes of the ball are, however, rare. The ball goes to them for a check at every dismissal, during drinks break, if it has hit an LED board or been in the crowd, and during longer intervals. They don’t check it between overs or during overs.5:34

How the Dukes ball is made and why it’s going out of shape

So, the ball change on the second morning at Lord’s – when the ball was clearly out of shape but was also doing a lot for India – would not have eventuated had India not asked for it. As it turned out, the replacement ball did nothing for them and went out of shape in eight overs.Is balls losing shape an issue with a specific brand?Test cricket uses three brands of balls: SG in India, Dukes in England and the West Indies, and Kookaburra elsewhere. Balls losing shape is not limited to any particular brand.There was a time in the late 2010s when SG used to lose shape often, and the Indian players used to bring it to notice despite being sponsored by SG. Kookaburra has often being criticised for the least prominent seam of all three, but its manufacturing process has reinforced the seam in recent years. Dukes just happens to be in the eye of the storm now with frequent complaints from both sides. Even in the concurrent series in the West Indies, especially in the first Test, the players didn’t quite like the ball.However, a lot of it is also gamesmanship. You usually see complaints only when the wickets are not falling. On the last day of Lord’s, when it was in England’s interest to bowl with a softer ball to deny Ravindra Jadeja striking opportunities, the shape of the ball was never brought into question. Often, bowling sides just take a punt when nothing is happening for them in the hope that the library doesn’t have a ball that will be any worse than the one than they have in hand.Dukes has an advantage over the others when it comes to being replaced. The ball has a stamp, the equivalent of a batch number, to identify the year of manufacture. So it is not possible to be playing in 2025 with a Dukes ball that was, say, last used in 2023 or was part of another production batch. SG and Kookaburra don’t have such identification markers.