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أكد ريان جرافنبيرخ، نجم نادي ليفربول، أهمية مواجهة فريقه اليوم السبت أمام تشيلسي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

تشيلسي سوف يستضيف نظيره ليفربول مساء اليوم السبت على ملعب ستامفورد بريدج، وذلك في إطار قمة الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويدخل ليفربول لقاء اليوم بهدف تحقيق الفوز، خصوصًا بعد الهزيمتين المتتاليتين التي منى بهم الريدز أمام كريستال بالاس 2-1 يوم السبت الماضي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ثم أمام جالطة سراي بنتيجة 1-0 في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

أقرأ أيضًا .. فليك يثير الغموض بشأن موقف يامال من اللحاق بالكلاسيكو.. ويوجه رسائل للاعبيه قبل لقاء إشبيلية

وقال جرافنبيرخ في تصريحات لموقع ليفربول الرسمي: “بالطبع خسارة فريق مثل ليفربول مرتين متتاليتين أمر سيء، لكنني أعتقد أننا حللنا الأمر جيدًا والآن تشيلسي بانتظارنا، لذا سنستعد لمواجهة تشيلسي ونبذل قصارى جهدنا للفوز بالمباراة”.

وأضاف جرافنبيرخ في حديثه: ”بالطبع الخسارة مرتين ليست بالأمر الجيد، لكن ما قلته هو أننا سنبذل قصارى جهدنا للفوز وسنستعد جيدًا ونبذل قصارى جهدنا، هذا هو كل ما يمكننا فعله”.

وأوضح: “أحيانًا تسير الأمور في صالحنا وأحيانًا لا، هذه المرة لم تكن كذلك لكننا خلقنا العديد من الفرص ضد جالطة سراي ولم نستغلها، لكنني متأكد من أننا سنفعل في المستقبل وأعلم أننا سنخرج من هذا الموقف بكل تأكيد”.

وأردف الدولي الهولندي عن مستوى تشيلسي: “نعلم أن تشيلسي يمتلك فريقًا جيدًا، ولاعبين أكفاء وأعلم أن المباراة ستكون صعبة، إنها في الواقع أول مباراة لي في ستامفورد بريدج، لم ألعب هناك بعد لذا أتطلع إليها بشوق وسنستعد جيدًا”.

وعن إصابة أليسون بيكر، حارس مرمى ليفربول، واصل جرافنبيرخ: “نعلم أن غياب أليسون خسارة كبيرة فهو بالنسبة لي، أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم”.

وقال: ”لكننا نعلم أن جيورجي أظهر بالفعل جودته وهو جيد جدًا في التدريبات، أعلم أنه سيقدم لنا أداءً رائعًا. أنا سعيد من أجله لأنه سيخوض مباراته الأولى في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وأتطلع إليه بشوق”.

وعن ترشيح هدفه ضد إيفرتون لجائزة أفضل هدف في شهر سبتمبر بالدوري الإنجليزي أضاف جرافنبيرخ: “لم أسجل في الموسم الماضي، والآن سجلت هدفين هذا الموسم، وكان هدفي ضد إيفرتون أيضًا هدفًا رائعًا. من الرائع أن أكون مرشحًا”.

وأردف: “المبادئ لا تزال كما هي كما في الموسم الماضي، الآن لدي بعض الحرية في الملعب وأستطيع التقدم للأمام، لكن يجب أن يشغل لاعب خط الوسط المهاجم لاعبًا آخر، يجب أن يكون هناك لاعب في هذا المركز ثم أستطيع التقدم للأمام”.

واختتم: “من الجيد أن أتمتع بحرية التقدم للأمام قليلًا، ولكن إذا تقدمت للأمام يجب أن يكون هناك لاعب يغطي مكاني، لذا الأمور تغيرت هذا الموسم”.

The PCB’s much-trailed ‘connection camp’ ended on Monday with what officials said was a roadmap to bring the game out of the doldrums it finds itself in at the moment.Officials and the team management, including both head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, described a day of open and robust conversations, including about the lack of unity within the national side, with the two national captains, Shan Masood and Babar Azam, and a group of other players.The camp was organised as Pakistan stutter through one of the bleakest periods in their history, with administrative tumult begetting a succession of disastrous on-field results. Over the last year, Pakistan have lost to Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup, to USA at the T20 World Cup and most recently 2-0 to Bangladesh in a home Test series.Related

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Speculation has been rife throughout of growing differences in the dressing room, building from last year but propelled this year by the appointment and swift removal of Shaheen Shah Afridi as Pakistan’s T20I captain, and the return of Babar Azam as the T20I captain. Kirsten, the white-ball coach, is said to have been surprised by the degree of it when he first took up the job.Salman Naseer, the PCB’s chief operating officer, acknowledged that a lack of unity had been part of the discussions, not just within the team but between the board and players.”The session was about this, that we openly and candidly accept and identify [issues] and ask for a commitment from each other, demand it, on how we can improve our performances and how we work together as a team,” Naseer said at a press conference in Lahore after the camp ended. “Our unanimous view was that we need to resolve this going forward and need to identify how we do it.”Naseer did not go into the details of the discussions, saying that providing a “safe space” was essential in allowing people to open up. But tension between players and the board has also been building, especially after a number of top stars were denied NOCs to participate in leagues over the summer. Afridi, Babar, Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah were all prevented from playing in leagues before the start of Pakistan’s home season, with workload management the primary reason cited by the board.”Where the talk is of unity, it wasn’t only about the team,” Naseer acknowledged. “It was between the team and management and how we can work together to do things more successfully. These were definitely part of the discussions. We talked about planning, we talked about workload management.”Everyone is feeling that the performances of players, and management, can be better. The idea was to sit together, identify issues and what can be better. What our vision is and how do we get there?”The camp is not believed to have brought up the more immediate questions facing the Pakistan side, in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Bangladesh and with England’s imminent arrival for a three-Test series in October. But Kirsten, who has been in Pakistan for the last 12 days watching the Champions Cup, struck a note of optimism in praising the depth of talent in Pakistan – in contrast to the chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s recent observations on the same.”I’ve been here the last 12 days or so watching the Champions Cup and have been really encouraged at the depth of quality of players in this tournament,” Kirsten said. “It’s been fantastic to see. I’ve really enjoyed the tournament. The quality of the competition has been high. Been great to see a lot of young players showcasing what they are capable of.”The discussions will continue, according to Gillespie. “Because we’re new to the job, our job is to listen and learn and look to implement ways where we can be more effective as players, as a team, and as coaches. What was really clear today was the pride the Pakistan players have in playing for Pakistan and how they want to inspire the country. That was really exciting to hear. The players care and are desperate to do well. We’re on this journey together and we’ll do everything we can to help.”

Sheffield United are now on the verge of signing an “electric” £3.5 million attacker who Ruben Selles already knows well.

Like every other team up and down the country, the Blades are currently in the midst of their pre-season preparations as the return of domestic action gets closer and closer. United got another pre-season game under their belt on Tuesday night, as they faced non-league side York City and won 6-2.

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However, the Blades were without a few key players for the fixture, with midfielder Tom Davies one noticeable absentee. Selles has revealed that Davies has picked up a groin injury during their time in Girona, and he could now miss the start of the Championship season.

“With Tom Davies, it is a little bit different. He got an injury in Girona, and so we expect him to be out for some weeks. He will be back in approximately a month.

“He’s unlucky. The way we do things and the way we try to perform demand a lot from the players. And with Tom, the most important thing is that he recovers well, and when he comes back, he stays healthy for the rest of the season.”

Sydie Peck was another United player that missed out on Tuesday night, but Selles has revealed that Peck’s injury isn’t as serious: “Sydie picked up a late injury, so he has not been able to start pre-season with us.He has been training, but it was more about building him up, and hopefully, he will be involved in the next game.”

Sheffield United now close to signing Louie Barry on loan

As the Blades continue their pre-season preparations, they are now closing in on their third signing of the summer. According to Sky Sports, Louie Barry is now expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

The report states that both clubs have agreed the deal, while Barry has also agreed to the switch, and he is now expected to join up with the Blades next week. This comes after Hull City agreed a deal worth £3.5 million with Villa to sign Barry, only for the deal to then fall through as the Tigers were hit with a three-transfer-window embargo.

This transfer will see Barry link up with Selles once again, as the pair worked together in the second half of last season, as Barry joined the Tigers after a successful first half of the campaign on loan at Stockport County.

Divisions

Apps

Goals

Assists

Championship

4

0

0

League One

47

16

6

League Two

53

17

6

Barry, who has been dubbed “electric” by reporter Sam Byrne, struggled to make an impact at Hull as he picked up a serious injury. But during his time at Stockport, the versatile forward scored 25 goals in 46 games across two separate loan spells, and Selles will be hoping he can get that productivity out of the youngster at Bramall Lane.

Australia’s multi-format stars have been handed their best red-ball preparation for a summer in five years, with players to have up to four Sheffield Shield matches to fine tune for the Test series against India.Cricket Australia announced the schedule for the domestic summer on Thursday, which includes the new women’s T20 competition before the WBBL. As has been the case in recent seasons, the Sheffield Shield while the men’s one-day cup sits at seven matches each.Related

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But for the first time in a long time, multi-format players will have a long stretch of Shield games to prepare for the Test team’s bid to win back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Australia’s last overseas white-ball commitment this year is on September 29 in England, giving players a week before the beginning of the Shield season on October 8. Even if the quicks are rested from the first round, each state will play another three fixtures before players enter camp for the first Test against India starting November 22.Pat Cummins is missing the entire limited-overs tour of the UK in September while Mitchell Starc will only feature in the ODI series against England. Josh Hazlewood has been included for both formats.While Starc played matches for NSW during the 2020-21 bubble, Cummins and Hazlewood have not played Shield before the first Test since November 2019. Mitchell Marsh, meanwhile, has only played two Shield matches since 2019.Availability of multi-format players for the Shield will likely be impacted by the limited-overs visit of Pakistan with the ODI series starting on November 4. The proximity of the T20Is (November 14-18) to the start of the India series means only players not featuring in the Test will likely be selected. There are also two Australia A-India A matches from late October which will pull players out of domestic cricket.The glut of Shield matches will also provide an opportunity for the likes of Matt Renshaw, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft a chance to push their selection causes.While Australia’s Test team is largely set for now, they will want to take a reserve batsman into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Chief selector George Bailey said in March there was no longer a front-runner to one day replace Steven Smith or Usman Khawaja at the top of the order, after each of Renshaw, Harris and Bancroft missed out on national contracts.Bailey has indicated that a specialist opener will be the one to eventually replace Smith or Khawaja in the long-term future, after the former was moved into the role to replace David Warner last summer.In total six Shield rounds will be played before the BBL break, before each state plays four more matches in February and March. Shield fixtures will again be interwoven with the one-day cup, which starts on September 22, with Western Australia aiming for a fourth consecutive title in both competitions.The Shield final will take place between March 26-30 while the 50-over finals will take place on consecutive days – the Marsh Cup on March 1 and WNCL on March 2.The 50-over WNCL tournament, where Tasmania are bidding for a hat-trick of titles, again has 12 matches per team, while the newly introduced T20 series for women includes four games each as a result of the shortened WBBL.Each of the eight WBBL teams will feature as well as the ACT Meteors, with the tournament to run while Australia’s big-name players and overseas stars are in Bangladesh for the T20 World Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has his eyes on a title-winning manager who Chelsea are also targeting to potentially replace Enzo Maresca, according to reports, with Ange Postecoglou’s future continuing to be the centre of debate around N17.

Ange Postecoglou comments on Tottenham future

The Australian, ahead of their all-important Europa League final, commented on widespread reports that Spurs’ clash against Man United could be his penultimate game in charge of the club.

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The likes of David Ornstein suggested in the build up to Wednesday night that Postecoglou is likely to leave Tottenham regardless of their success in Europe, with his exit from N17 seeming far more likely than not after a regrettable domestic campaign.

Spurs are on 21 Premier League defeats this season and still counting, meaning Levy could look to part company with the 59-year-old amid intriguing links to a host of alternative top-level coaches.

Postecoglou, speaking ahead of their first European final since their Champions League loss to Liverpool in 2019, said that he is relaxed about his future irrespective of what happens.

“It doesn’t matter because the reality of it is the opportunity is the same, for me and more importantly for the club,” Postecoglou told reporters about his tenuous position as Spurs boss.

“I’ve said before that whatever happens beyond tomorrow is kind of irrelevant when you think about the opportunity that exists right now. That opportunity is to provide something special for the football club and for the supporters and for everyone who has worked so hard, not just this year but for the 15, 16 years, however long it has been without a trophy and also the 41 years without a European trophy.

“If I was worried about my tenure at this football club, it’s fair to say we wouldn’t have been in this position because I would have been distracted long ago. I’m pretty good at just making sure all my focus is on giving this football club the best opportunity that it’s had for a while to do something special. Whatever happens after that, mate, I’m very, very comfortable that I’ll continue on trying to win trophies wherever I am.”

Tottenham shortlist Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi

Spurs could look to Italy in search of Postecoglou’s replacement, with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli being heavily linked with a move to Tottenham in the last few days after a rumoured recommendation from Fabio Paratici.

As per newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi is on Levy’s radar as well.

The outlet states that Tottenham have shortlisted Inzaghi as a manager target, and he’s also wanted by London rivals Chelsea as a potential heir to Maresca.

The £8.8 million-per-year tactician guided Inter to a Scudetto last season and could still pip Antonio Conte’s Napoli to this year’s Serie A crown, with both sides set for a fierce final day battle for the title.

As Inzaghi also prepares Inter for their Champions League final against PSG, noise will continue to surround his future after an impressive few years at the San Siro. If he becomes available, the “phenomenal” manager is arguably the standout name among Levy’s rumoured candidates.

Liverpool owe much to Mohamed Salah, who has devoted the prime years of his illustrious career to Anfield and cemented his status as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.

Having clinched 28 goals and 18 assists in the top flight this term, Salah has been the driving force behind his side’s historic triumph, equalling Manchester United’s record of 20 English first division titles.

However, Salah is not the only star in Liverpool’s team. Virgil van Dijk has been an all-commanding titan in defence, while Alexis Mac Allister has pulled the strings in the centre.

It’s Ryan Gravenberch, though, who deserves recognition for being Liverpool’s secret weapon in this title triumph, refashioned by Arne Slot into one of Europe’s superlative number sixes.

Midfield isn’t the main priority for the Reds, heading into the summer transfer window, but FSG might have identified a shrewd way to make Gravenberch even better.

Liverpool chasing new midfielder

According to Spanish reports, Liverpool are looking to take advantage of Frenkie De Jong’s situation at Barcelona, out of contract in little over a year, and will test the La Liga giant’s resolve with a €40m (£34m) bid this summer.

The piece outlines that there is believed to be a ‘willingness’ at Camp Nou to potentially listen to offers for the former Ajax man, albeit with the Reds set to be joined by Arsenal and Manchester City in the race for his signature.

De Jong has avoided injuries for most of the campaign but hasn’t always found his name on the starting teamsheet under Hansi Flick, and given Liverpool’s pedigree and strong Dutch contingent, could be enticed by making the move to Merseyside.

Why Liverpool want Frenkie De Jong

De Jong, 27, has played 253 games for Barcelona since leaving Amsterdam as an illustrious prodigy in 2019 for a £65m fee.

Fitness problems have been the bane of his career in Spain, but there’s no question De Jong is an elite-standard player, with his former boss Xavi calling him “one of the best midfielders in the world.”

However, his La Blaugrana journey under Flick’s wing has been stunted despite improvements on the injury front, and a move to Liverpool could prove the fresh start he needs at this stage of his career, joining Gravenberch in Slot’s midfield.

Gravenberch’s rise from prospect to superstar has been an extraordinary thing this year, and while De Jong is older than his 22-year-old compatriot, he will feel that Slot’s fluid ball-playing football could have a similar effect on his game.

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

34 (34)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

4

Touches*

28.8

67.3

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.7

Dribbles*

0.9

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

5.3

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.6

Duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.0 (58%)

Looking at how Slot managed to get a melodic tune out of Gravenberch this season, you’d be confident that he could elevate a fully-fit De Jong back to his best at Liverpool too.

The Dutch international might be somewhat on the margins at Barcelona right now, but he’s still managed to showcase his quality to a good degree, especially important in the Champions League.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of centre-midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for passes attempted and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90.

Such passing quality could play perfectly into Gravenberch’s strengths, striking an exciting connection in Liverpool’s engine room next term as Slot looks to go again, defend his Premier League title and challenge across other fronts.

Gravenberch likes to drive the ball forward and covers a lot of ground in the middle of the park, and having a more rooted deep-lying playmaker beside him could prove a confluence of styles to make this Liverpool side even better, easing the workload that Mac Allister has had to carry.

Liverpool already have enough depth in midfield that this could prove an astute piece of business, and Slot’s coaching success on his countrymen this term suggests it might be worthwhile.

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Liverpool are ready to go shopping for new forwards this summer.

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Celtic find themselves on the cusp of another league title and could now look to press ahead in their pursuit of an exciting attacker this summer, according to reports.

Celtic look to finish campaign with a flourish ahead of summer window

Brendan Rodgers has enjoyed another brilliant campaign in the dugout at Parkhead and will look to lead his side to the Scottish Cup final this weekend if they can navigate past St Johnstone at Hampden Park.

Following last weekend’s results, Celtic now only need a point to secure the Scottish Premiership crown for a fourth season in succession. The Bhoys travel to Tannadice next Saturday in their first post-split fixture, which may be where they can finally celebrate with their supporters.

Looking ahead, Rodgers appears to have already set his stall out in advance of the summer window. Danny Ings has emerged as a suggested target at Parkhead as his contract at West Ham United continues to run down.

Mathias Kvistgaarden is on Celtic’s radar after another sparkling season at Brondby, though it remains to be seen if the Bhoys will meet his £13.5 million valuation.

Celtic’s fixture run-in after post-split fixture announcement

St Johnstone (N)

Scottish Cup semi-final

Dundee United (A)

Scottish Premiership

Rangers (A)

Scottish Premiership

Hibernian (H)

Scottish Premiership

Aberdeen (A)

Scottish Premiership

St Mirren (H)

Scottish Premiership

Aberdeen or Heart of Midlothian (N)

*Should Celtic advance to Scottish Cup final

Clearly, there is a desire within the walls at Parkhead to make sure the Scottish champions are equipped for Champions League qualifiers next season.

There is no automatic league phase qualification guarantee, so Celtic need to be proactive as they prepare to enter the final qualifying round.

Either way, the Hoops have now found out how much they will need to pay for a reported summer target, per recent developments.

Celtic find out fee needed to sign Stoke City star Million Manhoef

Over the last few days, information has come to light revealing that Celtic are interested in a move to sign Stoke City winger Million Manhoef and Rodgers has taken a personal interest in bringing the Dutchman to Parkhead.

Now, EFL Analysis report that the Bhoys will need to pay £10 million to land Manhoef. They will also field interest from Championship duo Sheffield United and Burnley alongside Belgian Pro League sides Genk and Club Brugge for his signature.

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Labelled “really exciting” by journalist Dean Jones, the 23-year-old has registered six goals and four assists in 35 appearances this campaign.

Financially, Manhoef’s £12,500 per week pay packet would fit into Celtic’s wage structure, and Rodgers’ men have shown a willingness to shell out sizeable fees for premium talent on the market.

However, it remains to be seen whether they will repeat the trick this summer. Champions League football isn’t a guarantee this year, so any lavish spending may have to wait until their European fate is secured.

England bowler not getting carried away despite startling success in first series at No.8

Matt Roller30-Aug-20240:35

Gus Atkinson proud of century after ‘frustrating’ year with the bat

Joe Root’s grin as he sat on the Lord’s outfield made clear that his outlandish comparison between Gus Atkinson and Jacques Kallis was tongue-in-cheek. But while Atkinson is unlikely to graduate to official allrounder status anytime soon, there was no questioning the talent he showed in making his maiden Test – and first-class – hundred.Atkinson has shown glimpses of his batting abilities in his international career, thrashing 35 off 21 balls in England’s heavy defeat to South Africa at last year’s World Cup and twice belting 21 from down the order against West Indies in his maiden Test series this summer. Even still, he looked a spot high at No. 8 when England reshuffled their side to cover Ben Stokes’ absence.Yet at Lord’s, he lived up to his promotion to reach 74 not out on Thursday evening, twice lofting Prabath Jayasuriya over mid-off and pulling Lahiru Kumara’s tired short ball over midwicket. “Being at the other end when he hit those straight sixes, they were unbelievable,” Root said, laughing, at the close of play. “It’s like watching someone like Jacques Kallis play.”It only took him 22 balls to convert his overnight score into a hundred, though not without a scare. After hitting the first two balls of the morning for four – a flick off the pads and a punch through cover – he was given out lbw by Paul Reiffel, only for a review to save him, with the ball shown to be missing leg. Marcus Trescothick, England’s batting coach, punched the air in relief on the balcony.Atkinson showed no such emotion, characteristically unflappable as he cruised to three figures. He has worked hard on his basics with Surrey’s coaches Gareth Batty and Jade Dernbach, trying to stay as still as possible with his eyes level on release. His practice came to fruition with the shots that took him from 95 to 103, crisp drives either side of mid-off.Finally, Atkinson allowed himself to smile, beaming as he charged towards the pavilion with fists clenched. His father, Ed, watched in disbelief from a hospitality suite in the Grandstand, and his team-mates stood to applaud from the balcony, all grinning as they shared in the unlikely success of a man averaging 6.71 in the County Championship this season.Atkinson had dinner with Zak Crawley and Harry Brook on Thursday night, and was gently ribbed by them about the prospect of reaching three figures. “There was a bit of pressure on from them, but thankfully I got there,” he said. “It was just pure elation. I was so happy, so relieved. It was a pretty surreal moment.Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes applaud Gus Atkinson’s century•Getty Images”I was pretty happy [last night],” Atkinson added. “I’d scored 70-odd already, so I tried to not put too much pressure on myself: if I got out, I got out. I just wanted to continue to play the way that I played yesterday. Thankfully it came off for me today. I feel like I hit quite a few boundaries today, so it was nice just to get there quite quickly this morning.”The innings put Atkinson in esteemed company, making him one of six men to take both a ten-for and hit a hundred at Lord’s, following his 12-wicket debut haul against West Indies last month. This was also the first century from England’s lower order (No. 8-11) for more than a decade, since Matt Prior in 2013; and, excluding innings which involved nightwatchmen, the first since Stuart Broad’s 169 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010.Related

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That Broad averaged 15.64 after that hundred, with eight fifties and no hundreds in his 199 subsequent innings, should be a reminder that Atkinson will not always have things this easy. For all his poise, he was up against a four-man attack with 57 previous Test caps between them: batting may look a little less straightforward next year when he comes up against India and Australia.Atkinson, however, does not seem the type to get ideas above his station, and made clear that he is not looking for a promotion. “I’m happy at eight; eight is good,” he said. “I haven’t thought about it too much… obviously missing Stokesy this series gave me the opportunity to bat No. 8, and thankfully I scored a hundred. Going forward, obviously I’d like to bat as high as possible.”I’ve been frustrated with my batting this year: I haven’t really scored many runs for Surrey at all. But I know how good a player I can be. I feel like I’ve got so much natural ability with the bat and I felt like I was moving really well and hitting the ball really cleanly. It was just one of those days where it comes off for you.”In the long term, his emergence with the bat might enable England to make bold decisions away from home: Atkinson becoming a regular contributor from No. 8 would empower them to leave Chris Woakes out overseas without unduly compromising the balance of their side. More immediately, it has put them on the cusp of a fifth win in a row, and a second series victory of the summer.

Having planned diligently and picked spinners for the tour, they can’t make wholesale changes on the back of one heavy defeat

Alex Malcolm13-Feb-20233:17

Chopra: ‘Australia just couldn’t play against spin’

David Warner took strike on day five at Nagpur’s VCA Stadium. The dust was gathering around the crease line. The rough was prominent outside his off stump. He lunged forward to defend and his defence was breached.But it wasn’t R Ashwin who breached it as it was on day three. Or Mohammed Shami as it was on day one. Or Ravindra Jadeja, or Axar Patel, or Mohammed Siraj.It was Australia’s third choice, now possibly fourth-choice, spinner Ashton Agar. There was no umpire, no crowd, no long walk off. The nets were up around the centre-wicket which was two strips over from the pitch Australia were bundled out for 91 on just two days earlier.Warner and his team-mates were searching in a controlled practice session. Searching to find a method to counter India’s spinners ahead of the second Test in Delhi starting in just four days’ time.There is a serious conversation coming about Warner, although it won’t happen in the next four days. He knows it. Everybody knows it.Related

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This is not the same bullish Warner who vowed on Christmas Eve to play like his old self when the walls were closing in on his Test career. It’s not the same Warner who then delivered an astonishing ‘I told you so’ double-century three days later.This is the Warner that has told us he is exhausted. It is a subdued Warner who looked defeated when he trudged off on the third day in Nagpur for a tortured 41-ball 10.Warner’s struggle epitomises Australia’s problems right now as they sit 1-0 down heading to Delhi trying to avoid the tour running right off the tracks. Warner has likely hit over a thousand balls on this tour already. He spent as long in the centre-wicket net on Monday as anyone trying to shore up his defence. But that’s not the way Warner plays when he is at his best. He also doesn’t hit this many balls when he is at the top of his game. His preference when he’s on song is to relax, remain fresh, play some golf. But those options aren’t available in Nagpur.And so instead he’s searching for a method. Except there is no way to replicate facing Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar in these conditions other than out in the cauldron of a Test match.Australia’s batters, including Warner, had rock-solid plans coming in. But they all got spooked. Warner’s second innings was clear evidence. Having spent hours preparing for the spin threat, he was shell-shocked in the first innings when he was bowled through the gate by Shami in the third over of the match.

Warner is searching for a method. Except there is no way to replicate facing Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar in these conditions other than out in the cauldron of a Test match

That dismissal led to his second innings sit-in. The old Warner, the white-ball wizard Warner, would not sit on Ashwin for 38 balls without playing a shot in anger. But he just wanted to feel his way into the game. To spend some time in the middle. And Ashwin didn’t let him breathe with unrelenting accuracy. He got two slightly overpitched balls that he finally pounced on. But Ashwin twice breached his defence either side of those boundaries, catching his outside edge only to be dropped by Virat Kohli at slip, before beating his inside edge to be trapped lbw.Warner’s ongoing struggles in India are causing Australia’s selectors a headache. A headache of hypocrisy. Warner has just three half-centuries from 18 innings in India and averages 22.16. In 10 Test innings in Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year he made just two half-centuries and averaged 29.12.Those numbers aren’t quite as bad as Travis Head’s in those two series. But Head has been Australia’s most consistent and dominant player at home in the last two summers and yet was victim to a horses-for-courses selection call in Nagpur.Australia’s batter ponder their next move•Getty ImagesHead spent as much time as Warner in the centre-wicket net facing Agar, two net bowlers and the guile of bowling coach Daniel Vettori’s left-arm orthodox throwdowns. He was trying to prove his worth for Delhi, and prove he has the methods to succeed in India.But it’s hard to prove his form in the nets when it counts for nothing against Ashwin and Jadeja in the middle. Marnus Labuschagne played as fluently as any Australian batter in the nets on Monday, flicking balls against the spin wide of mid-on, lofting drives down the ground while working assiduously on picking the right length and line to defend off the back foot.He looked as good as he did in the first innings of the Test, where he looked as good as Rohit Sharma for his 49. But he even he succumbed to the skill of Jadeja in both innings.There are hopes that maybe Cameron Green can return to give Australia much more flexibility in terms of their batting and the attack they can pick. But like Australia’s batting methods, it looks good in theory but it’s hard to know how he will go in the cauldron of a Test match. His bowling loads are up and he’s raring to go after a strong centre-wicket spell bowling on a side wicket.But he is yet to catch proper cricket balls. He caught soft balls on the outfield today as he continues to protect that broken finger. He also didn’t bat in the middle, opting instead for the nets out the back of the VCA Stadium and he faced spin exclusively from local net bowlers as he has done all tour. He is yet to graduate to face fast bowling having jarred his surgically repaired right index finger in the training camp in Bengaluru.Australia are in a bind. They can’t make wholesale changes on the back of one heavy defeat having planned so diligently and picked spin specialists. To do so would be to panic and backflip on all of their planning in one fell swoop. They have been talking about doubling down on their methods and simply executing better under pressure.But if they can’t do that in Delhi, then some difficult conversations are coming.

Fast bowler also talks about the difficulty of having multiple quarantines ahead of the tournament in Dubai

Annesha Ghosh03-Nov-2020India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami is looking forward to playing alongside West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, Bangladesh spinner Salma Khatun and Thailand opener Nattakan Chantam – all first-time overseas participants in the Women’s T20 Challenge – when the three-team tournament begins in Sharjah on November 4.”I’ve never played with Deandra Dottin previously. This is going to be the first time I share the dressing room with her. [I’m] really excited to play with her,” Goswami, who will turn out for the Trailblazers in the four-match series, said to ESPNcricinfo. “She is a specialist in this format – very strong, very tough. She can clear the boundaries [at will], and has a record hundred in this format. She is a very good cricketer and could be a great asset to our side.”While Dottin, one of 12 overseas players in this season’s T20 Challenge, will be expected to open the batting for the Trailblazers alongside captain Smriti Mandhana, Chantam, the 24-year-old Thailand opener who impressed with her quality stroke-making during her side’s maiden T20 World Cup appearance in Australia earlier this year, is also a contender for the role.ALSO READ: Bangladesh trailblazer Salma Khatun ‘feels lucky’ to play in the 2020 Women’s T20 Challenge“A girl coming from Thailand to play in our league, having done so well in the T20 World Cup – it’s a very good addition to the Women’s T20 Challenge,” Goswami said of Chantam, who during the T20 World Cup became the first Thailand player to score a fifty in a global tournament.”Earlier we never quite thought Thailand would go on to play the World Cup, but there they were, playing courageously and playing some good competitive cricket – there’s no doubt about it – it’s been a great journey for Thailand Women. More so because before their men’s team, their women’s team qualified for a cricket World Cup. A good batter from that World Cup team playing for Trailblazers is amazing. I am looking forward to knowing about her culture, her ideas, and bowling to her in the nets.”Goswami has been part of the Trailblazers side since the first year of the tournament, 2018, when her team suffered a last-ball defeat against the Supernovas in the one-off exhibition match in Mumbai.She is also looking forward to catching up with England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, the No. 1 T20I bowler in the world, and offspinner Khatun, the Bangladesh captain.

“The lockdown and quarantine taught me that all of us need to be very patient and value the little things in life that you would otherwise ignore”

“Last year I played alongside Sophie Ecclestone in this competition, and I am glad this time too she is in our squad,” Goswami said. “It’s a very interesting mix and I am looking forward to playing with them, and most importantly, learning about their cultures, their processes, how they prepare, especially for the big matches. I’d be open to incorporating those [new learnings] in my process.”A year shy of completing two decades on the international circuit, Goswami, who turns 38 later this month, last played a competitive match on March 8, in the inter-state senior women’s one-day league. That same day women’s international cricket came to a halt following the Australia vs India T20 World Cup final at the MCG as Covid-19 spread worldwide.India’s withdrawal from the white-ball tour of England in July meant Goswami, who retired from T20Is in 2018, and the rest of the India players were left without any opportunities to regroup until the three squads for the T20 Challenge landed in Dubai on October 21 (after a nine-day quarantine in Mumbai for the Indian players).Goswami said returning to training after the long break was difficult on the body.”I had to start from zero. Absolute zero. Initially my legs were feeling tired, body was a bit stiff, the swiftness of movements was missing slightly. For most of these past eight months, there were hardly any opportunities to bowl with your full, regular run-up, so I could only bowl with short run-ups, which doesn’t quite allow for the natural rhythm of a pacer. The intensity was not there.ALSO READ: Sophie Ecclestone chose WT20C over WBBL over bubble fatigue concerns“I had been trying to manage my training to whatever small degree was possible since August, in both my hometown, Chakdaha, and Kolkata [where she currently lives]. I would go to the ground early morning, around 6:30-7am, do my running at the Jadavpur University ground [in Kolkata]. For the majority of that period, it wasn’t 100% [intensity], but for athletes, something is better than nothing.”Another challenge for the players has been the multiple quarantines before they could meet up to practise in Dubai, forcing a break in physical training and also taxing the mind.”This schedule of quarantining in one’s [home] country and then in another, like we did in Mumbai and then in Dubai for around 14 days in total, can upset players’ rhythm. You resume training, regain some of that swiftness, then go into quarantine – your body has to do a lot of switching on and off. Whatever training you did for a month and a half back home, because of those 14 days, everything comes to a pause again.”You’re cut off from everyone, cooped up in one hotel room. It is really challenging, mentally. Sure, you can do a lot of phone and video calls with your squad members and family, but to remain confined within an unfamiliar space for over a week can certainly ask a lot of questions of you. It’s not easy. One needs a lot of mental courage to get to the other side of it. For cricketers or athletes, who are mostly outdoors, it can be particularly difficult.”ALSO READ: How the next generation of Thai women’s cricket is being shaped in PuneGoswami also pointed out that while the training sessions in Dubai would help all 45 cricketers participating in the T20 Challenge to get back in the groove, players from the subcontinent, South Africa and Thailand were at a disadvantage when compared to those from West Indies and England.”If you look [at the pandemic-affected women’s cricket landscape], most of us didn’t have any matches to play. Australia, England, New Zealand and even the West Indian girls have had some proper game time. We didn’t have any camps [either] in all these months in India because of the [Covid-19] situation. Those girls have some recent [muscle] memory of competitive cricket [to fall back on]. That could be a difference. Adaptability will be key.”As cricket moves into a bio-bubble era, Goswami said players would have to prepare to adapt to unfamiliar situations.”The lockdown and quarantine taught me that all of us need to be very patient and value the little things in life that you would otherwise ignore. That’s been the biggest lesson I’ve learnt. [It’s as] important for experienced players as youngsters to realise that you have no choice but to accept the situation.”We don’t know how long this might last in sport or cricket – quarantine, bubbles, and all these protocols – but the reality is, this is how things are for us for now. If you start cribbing, it’s not going to help. I just kept telling myself that it’s better to look forward to what you love the most: to play cricket. That’s the best motivation you can give yourself.”