If Ben Duckett was looking for an immediate pick-me-up on the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka after his disheartening time in India, he discovered that life can sometimes be less accommodating than that

David Hopps in Dambulla02-Mar-2017
ScorecardDuckett scored a double-hundred in Lions colours last summer, but found his trial by spin to be a tougher proposition•Getty ImagesIf Ben Duckett was looking for an immediate pick-me-up on the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka after his disheartening time in India, he discovered that life can sometimes be less accommodating than that. The teething problems against high-quality spin that abruptly stilled his Test career were again in evidence as Sri Lanka A strolled the first of five one-day matches.Sri Lanka’s 47-run win on a DLS calculation came in mildly farcical circumstances when play was suspended for bad light with England nine-down and still 60 short with five overs remaining. Vikum Sanjaya bowled a bouncer at the Lions’ last man, Josh Poysden, the light meters came out and that was that. It was a predictably unsatisfying end after no overs had been removed when the match had started half-an-hour late after overnight rain.Whether Duckett breaks into the Champions Trophy squad this summer will not entirely depend on his fate over the next 10 days or so – England in June does not bear too much relation to the challenges on subcontinent pitches and he has too much natural talent to be subdued for long – but England will want to see evidence on this tour that he has suffered no lasting effects from his exposure against Ashwin and co.Instead, first up was an uncomfortable reminder of his India issues. This time the off-break bowler was Danushka Gunathilaka, who might not have Ashwin’s reputation – indeed, he has five international wickets in 21 appearances – but who unpicked the Northants’ left-hander efficiently enough. Duckett was 17 when he advanced down the line of leg stump to strike Gunathilaka over the off side only to be stumped by a distance.England have given him every chance to get into one-day mode, omitting him from the four-day leg of the tour as if to stress that they want his rehabilitation to come with a strong one-day bias. They want the Lions players to feel the scrutiny, despite the tiny crowds, and even after one game he will know what they mean.It was Duckett’s prodigious form for the Lions last summer, backed by heavy run-making for Northants, which catapulted him into England reckoning. Four innings brought 448 runs at an average of 224, including an unbeaten 220 against Sri Lanka A in Canterbury. Not that Sri Lanka were likely to suffer any ill effects from those memories with only Thisara Perera, a veteran in A-team terms at 27, surviving from that XI.The presence not just of Thisara Perera, but Kusal Perera too, amplified the difference in experience between the two sides. Sri Lanka had 10 players with international experience, the Perera twosome accounting for more than half of their 400-plus caps. The Lions could point only to a handful of caps for Duckett and the captain, Keaton Jennings, all of them won in recent months.Jennings habitually got out when set in the two four-day matches, so his adept 64 from 70 balls to underpin England’s pursuit of 290 in 48 overs represented an improvement. A top-edged sweep against the round-arm offspin of Shehan Jayasuriya caused his downfall, the first of four Lions wickets to fall for 15 runs in 28 balls and, at 133 for 7, effectively sealed their fate.Sri Lanka’s winning margin was trimmed thanks to a defiant eighth-wicket stand of 73 in 11 overs between Liam Livingstone, who was on the back of two hundreds in a match in Pallekele, and Craig Overton, who had done little else than sit and watch them. Overton’s first match of the tour was an impressive one: an unbeaten 60 from 45 balls – his first List A half-century – plus two top-order wickets in Sri Lanka A’s 278 for 7, an innings ended 11 balls early because of rain. As a youngster, he was a batsman who bowled and to be carded at No 9 here is something that should cause him to aspire to better things.With Sri Lanka A fielding seven left-handers in the top eight, the Lions were grateful not just for Overton’s lead with the ball but also for Livingstone’s sound stint of offspin, only 28 conceded in a spell that allowed little width and, after he dismissed Sandun Weerakkody in his final over, caught at the wicket, rounded off with two legspinners to the incoming right-hander.But the Lions’ seam attack lacked variety, James Fuller had an off-day and Poysden dropped his legspinners repeatedly short and suffered as a consequence. Half-centuries from the openers Kusal Perera and Gunathilaka in an opening stand of 123, plus a hard-hitting unbeaten 56 off 35 balls from Thisara Perera, gave Sri Lanka A dominance they never relinqushed.Outplayed in England last summer, they are a different proposition here. Duckett is not alone in recognising that.

West Ham United are set to make a bid for relegated Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, according to transfer insider Dean Jones, in a move that would potentially deal a huge blow to young midfielder Flynn Downes.

What's the latest on James Ward-Prowse to West Ham?

There was always going to be plenty of interest in Ward-Prowse this summer, given his Premier League quality in a now-relegated Southampton side.

With that said, according to Football Insider, the Hammers and Tottenham Hotspur are the clubs leading the way for his signature, with the former now preparing to make their bid, as per Jones.

The reliable journalist told GiveMeSport:

"I do think they'll make a bid for Ward-Prowse and I'll be surprised actually, if they don't, they definitely like him."

Meanwhile, back in May, The Sun suggested that it would take £40m to take the England international away from St Mary's Stadium this summer.

James Ward-Prowse would be bad news for Flynn Downes

After playing just 753 minutes in the Premier League last season – the equivalent of a little over eight games – the potential arrival of Ward-Prowse should definitely worry Downes.

He arrived at the London Stadium full of hope last summer, though knowing that, still only young, breaking straight into David Moyes' plans was far from a guarantee.

In March, Moyes spoke about the 24-year-old's lack of game time:

“We’re trying to give Flynn the opportunities at the right time.

“We’re pleased with what he’s doing [but] we think there are things he can improve on.

“But it’s not easy breaking into the Premier League from the Championship and if you look at the people who’ve done it, it can take a bit of time. We hope he continues to develop and we’re happy for him.”

Pre-season usually provides that opportunity for young players, and Downes will likely have his chance to shine for the Hammers before the Premier League gets underway. But, can the former Swansea man compete with a player of Ward-Prowse's experience combined with ability?

The Southampton captain was involved in 13 goals in the league from midfield last season. Downes, meanwhile, didn't manage a single contribution in all competitions all campaign.

It all comes down to what Moyes wants from his midfielders, however.

Ward-Prowse – who former teammate Oriol Romeo once hailed as an "unbelievable player" – will certainly offer goals, leadership and the added edge of being one of the best set piece takers in the country. Yet, contradicting that, will he bring defensive stability?

With the pending departure of club captain Declan Rice, can the Hammers afford to go all-out attack in the middle of the park? Their near escape from relegation suggests that the answer to that question is a firm no, which could leave Downes well and truly in the thoughts of Moyes.

Defensively speaking, as per FBref, Downes makes more blocks and tackles, and loses the ball less per 90 than Ward-Prowse.

It's a case of a safe, more conservative option versus a more exciting, more eccentric player, and it all comes down to how much Moyes is willing to risk.

It could even be argued that there's room for both.

After all, West Ham don't just have their top-flight status to worry about next season following their qualification for the Europa League, having won the Europa Conference League.

With the Hammers forced to battle the European front, Downes will feel the pressure to impress with the likely limited opportunities that he does receive, should Ward-Prowse indeed arrive this summer.

Faf du Plessis praised his team for fighting hard through the difficult phases of the second Test, after they overcame a score of 94 for 6 in the first innings to win comprehensively on the third day

Firdose Moonda in Wellington18-Mar-2017

At 1pm on Friday, South Africa were at risk of losing a Test. By 7pm on Saturday, they had won it. It took them just 30 hours to turn things around and they did it the full 360 degrees.”It’s happened a few times this season where we’ve been in impossible situations and then there’s one or two guys putting their hand up and making the impossible very possible,” Faf du Plessis said. “Lunch time yesterday felt like not too long ago, and now we’ve won a Test match so just that shift in pressure was really well handled.”South Africa were 104 for 6 at lunch on day two, with Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock, the last two recognised batsmen, at the crease. In a stand of 160, they took the score over 250 and put South Africa in the lead. Their fightback was underlined by self-assured batting that, even in the trickiest of situations, they stuck with. Bavuma was cautious and rode the bounce, while de Kock was aggressive. Together, they scored at a rate of 4.13 to give South Africa the advantage.”We’ve found this ability to have a lot of faith in our batting line-up, whoever they are, to stand up to pressure situations. Quinton and Temba hadn’t been in massive run-spells these last couple of games, so for both of them to do it at a critical time says a lot about them mentally,” du Plessis said. “And it was the way they played [that was impressive]. To counter-punch and put the pressure on the opposition was remarkable.”An obdurate last-wicket stand of 57 tipped South Africa over 350 and gave them a match-winning lead, but they did not expect things to come so quickly on the third day. With the southerly wind slicing through the city, South Africa expected being on the field to be uncomfortable at best, impossible at worst.”It was a challenge for us. What we asked for this morning was real hard cricketers. Mentally we needed to be very strong, to be ready to be challenged and pushed to extremes because it’s not conditions we are used to. There were no excuses; the wind and the cold were never going to be excuses. Just real, hard Test cricket and that’s what they produced.”Du Plessis lauded his spinners, particularly Keshav Maharaj, who took his second five-for in as many games•Getty Images

The seamers were rotated in short spells and they all seemed to find their rhythms unaffected. Vernon Philander was unlucky not to be rewarded for a probing effort and Kagiso Rabada had his pace up to the mid 140s again, but it was Morne Morkel’s new-ball spell that broke New Zealand. He removed both Tom Latham and Kane Williamson, the man South Africa see as “a big threat in terms of holding that batting unit together,” as du Plessis has consistently explained. “To get him cheaply obviously helps. We knew if we could get a few early ones we could really put them under pressure.”Morkel then had a third, Neil Broom. He completed a comeback that should see him retained as a certainty in the starting XI for the tour of England in July-August.”It was a bit of a punt as he’s been away from the game for so long. But I knew what I saw from him. Every time he’s bowling, he’s getting better. In the second innings he hardly bowled a bad ball. His consistency is there and he’s getting his pace back up. Today with the new ball, [he] was as tough as you could face. I was standing in the slips and it looked nasty. A lot of bounce with good intensity and pace. When he’s on like that, he’s a real handful,” du Plessis said.By the time Morkel was done with New Zealand, he had opened them up for Keshav Maharaj, who surpassed all expectations with a second five-for in as many matches.”It is surprising given the conditions – cold and not a lot of spin,” du Plessis said. “But I thought both spinners bowled incredibly well. Their control and consistency meant the New Zealand batsmen just couldn’t get away. Their run rates were very low. The pressure that created chances for wickets. When spinners are contributing like that, it makes the seamers’ lives much easier, especially with us having to rotate the seamers quite often because we only have three.”The other spinner was JP Duminy, whose low returns with the bat were masked by the career-best 4 for 47 he took in the first innings. Du Plessis still thinks Duminy has an important part to play in South Africa’s Test side, with both bat and ball, and hopes Hamilton will be the place where he proves that.”What was really good for me was the way JP bowled in this match,” du Plessis said. “That confidence from the bowling was something I was looking for. We gave him a little bit more responsibility and he got through it really well. He didn’t score a hundred in the second innings but the way he played looked really good. It’s the way he plays at his best with positive body language.”

Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie have shown on USMNT duty that they boast American football talents to rival their soccer ability.

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• Trio plying their trade in Italy
• Have caught the eye in Serie A
• Ready for international duty

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The American trio have got their NFL groove on after linking up with the United States squad ahead of upcoming friendly dates against Germany and Ghana. They need something to keep them amused outside of training sessions, and they have taken to running different kinds of sporting routes.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  McKennie has filled the role of quarterback, with Weah showing that he boasts the ground speed and catching ability to be a useful wide receiver. Pulisic probably needs to work on his coverage as he is beaten far too easily by balls dropped over his head.

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  McKennie, who is back at Juventus for 2023-24 alongside fellow countryman Weah after spending the second half of last season on loan at Leeds, has also shown that he can rival Odell Beckham Jr in the receiving stakes when it comes to one-handed catches.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Pulisic, Wesh and McKennie have been catching the eye in Serie A this season for AC Milan and Juventus, with three proven performers hoping to see that form transferred onto the international stage while also avoiding any untimely knocks.

The Blues have found the net just five times in four games this season, with echoes of the goal-scoring woes that plagued them throughout 2022-23

There was an alarming sense of deja vu at Stamford Bridge during and after Chelsea's woeful home defeat to Nottingham Forest before the international break; confronted by an inferior opponent and dominating the ball, the Blues were bereft of creativity and blunt in attack. Their profligacy was encapsulated by an inexplicable and inexcusable miss by striker Nicolas Jackson, who ballooned the ball into row Z from all of four yards out with just seven minutes left on the clock.

Chelsea's struggles in front of goal became infamous throughout a nightmarish 2022-23 season. The campaign was characterised by agonising home losses to relatively weaker opposition, and failing to put the ball in the back of the net was as much to blame as a leaky defence.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has a huge job on his hands to get the attacking formula right, with the pressure already mounting after two defeats in just four league games. GOAL assesses his options before domestic action resumes…

GettyTime for a change of shape

Pochettino has built his reputation on playing a fluid, attacking 4-2-3-1 formation throughout his managerial career to date, but since arriving at Chelsea he has discarded that shape in favour of a defensive 3-4-2-1.

Although this Chelsea squad will have grown accustomed to playing three at the back under the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, it's a decision that has almost certainly been motivated by an untimely pre-season knee injury to new signing Christopher Nkunku, who would have been earmarked for the No.10 role behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1.

It's already evident that the west Londoners are sorely missing the Frenchman, who was a goal-contribution machine in his time with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, but the £42.5 million ($53m) capture of Cole Palmer from Manchester City represents a more-than adequate mitigation.

He looked sharp on his debut floating about between the lines, suggesting a change of shape to a 4-2-3-1 with him in the hole could help to unlock the Chelsea attack.

AdvertisementGettyLess caution in the midfield

A defensive set-up and a lack of creativity from the midfield has been a big part of the problem for the Blues, with Pochettino most recently opting to deploy Enzo Fernandez alongside £115m ($143m) signing Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher – none of whom are known for their attacking output.

Enzo has started the season in fine form, but he is perhaps better suited to the role of the midfield orchestrator in Pochettino's fluid system, ahead of a defensive midfielder like Caicedo and behind a would-be goal-scoring No.10 such as Palmer.

A change of personnel would lend itself to that new formation, with Gallagher – who has toiled during Chelsea's early-season struggles – dropping to the bench.

GettyOnus on the wingers

Chelsea rely heavily on their wide players to supply goals and assists, but only Raheem Sterling has looked anything close to his best since the start of the new campaign. Carney Chukwuemeka was getting better with every game, but a knee injury of his own has ruled him out of contention.

Pochettino will require and demand more, then, of both Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk – both of whom have made somewhat understated starts to the season. The former has been eased back in after a busy but successful summer with England at the Under-21 Euros, while Mudryk still looks bereft of confidence in competitive action despite an encouraging pre-season during which he finally registered his first goal.

The best course of action may be to launch them into the deep end and let them play their way into form. Chukwuemeka's injury has freed up space on the left-wing, and a formational tweak could be what it takes to get the best out of the pair of tricky wide men.

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GettyArmando Broja's moment?

Another option for Pochettino is Chelsea's forgotten man: Armando Broja.

The young striker has returned to partial full training as he enters the final stages of his recovery from an ACL injury picked up during the World Cup break in late 2022, before which he was getting regular minutes under Tuchel and Potter.

Although he wasn't prolific in that brief period in and around the first-team, Broja should feel like a new signing when he eventually makes his comeback, and he provides much-needed depth and competition behind Jackson.

The academy product showed that he can cut it in the Premier League on loan at Southampton in 2021-22, and if he can build some confidence and momentum he could become a very useful weapon.

Speaking recently, Pochettino said of the striker: "He’s close but sometimes you are close but still the last step is always difficult after the injury that he suffered. He is training well, we have hope also."

Michael Beale has gone about his transfer business at Glasgow Rangers in a swift and orderly fashion, already signing six new players across the January and summer windows.

The likes of Nicolas Raskin, Todd Cantwell, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell and Sam Lammers are all set to be part of a new era at the Ibrox side heading into 2023/2024, with Premiership title glory the main aim.

Raskin and Cantwell have already strutted their stuff during the second half of last season, with the Englishman, in particular, shining for Beale.

The playmaker had endured a tough run at Norwich City between August and December, where he made 19 appearances without registering a single goal or assist. The 25-year-old looked like a man reborn upon arriving in Glasgow however, eventually finishing the season with six goals and five assists from just 20 games and it’s evident that Cantwell has been a steal, costing only £1.5m.

Could the 42-year-old repeat his masterclass with the former Norwich starlet again this summer? With the Light Blues showing an interest in Sunderland winger Jack Clarke, there is a possibility lightning could strike twice.

Could Rangers sign Jack Clarke this summer?

Football League World reported at the start of the month that the Gers were interested in the player, yet they could face stiff competition, with Premier League outfits Everton, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers all keeping tabs on him too.

Beale could use the allure of Champions League football to bring him to Ibrox and the £15k-per-week gem has the potential to shine in Scotland, no doubt about it.

Across 45 league matches for Sunderland, he scored 11 goals and grabbed nine assists, while he also created seven big chances, made 1.7 key passes per game, and completed two successful dribbles per game.

He ranked in the top three across the whole squad for these metrics, showing how important he was to the team and his attacking qualities on the left wing could give Beale a major boost as he has shown that scoring and creating plenty of chances for others are key facets of his game.

Noel Whelan, a former professional, lauded Clarke when he was starring for Leeds United, saying: “He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

With Cantwell arriving from the Championship and shining in the Premiership, the 22-year-old could follow in the same footsteps should he make a move to Scotland.

Manchester United are in the midst of a potential takeover at Old Trafford and the 'fixation' on a preferred bidder being announced by the Glazer family during the process is 'unhelpful' to the process, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest ownership news involving Manchester United?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United may not enter new ownership before the start of the 2023/24 campaign as the Glazer family haven't identified their preferred bidder to take control at Old Trafford.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and the Nine Two Foundation alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe's petrochemicals are still competing for different variations of control; however, the deadlock will not affect Erik ten Hag's £120 million summer transfer budget.

ESPN detail that several minority investment firms are also waiting to hear whether they have been successful in their bid to plough financial capital into the Premier League giants.

As per The Guardian, Manchester United staff are fearful for their job security due to the uncertainty surrounding the club's impending takeover due to a lack of information about the permutations of a change of hands at Old Trafford.

800-plus staff at the Red Devils are in the dark about their future as the ownership saga drags on at the club and it looks like they may have to wait a while yet to find out the new policies of whoever takes over from the Glazer family.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has dropped some fresh insight into the state of play at Manchester United regarding their ownership situation.

Jacobs told FFC: "Those running the process are working around the clock now with both groups to try and get both offers in shape, which is highly atypical.

"If the Glazers don't, until they pick a winner, provide a period of exclusivity, then they can obviously have maximum competitive tension. Then, if or when a winner is named, we then wait and see whether there is a short period of exclusivity to effectively go through the process of acquisition, but that would still be different to a preferred bidder in a period of exclusivity."

What now for Manchester United?

Manchester United look like they will be in the grips of a takeover stalemate for a while yet. Despite this, other matters will also need to take priority over the next few months, with recruitment likely to be a key focus at Old Trafford.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is a target for Erik ten Hag and the Dutchman has already seen a bid of around £40 million rejected for the England international, though is expected to return with an improved offer in the region of £50 million, as per The Daily Mail.

The Evening Standard also report that Manchester United are now 'favourites' to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer as rival suitors Chelsea have now dropped out of the race to acquire the Cameroon international.

But without a potential takeover, it will be intriguing to see how their transfer plans may be affected this summer.

West Ham United star Declan Rice's "preferred destination remains" Arsenal and he's "settled in London", according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Will Arsenal still sign Declan Rice?

Since the beginning of this summer's domestic window, which officially opened last week, reports surrounding the future of Rice have been ever-present.

It was long thought that Arsenal were in pole position for the England international ahead of other previously linked suitors, like Chelsea, but Man City recently entered the fray in their bid to source an Ilkay Gundogan replacement.

Pep Guardiola's involvement slightly complicates matters for Arsenal, who no longer have a clear-run at signing Rice. Some media sources, like Sky's Gianluca Di Marzio, have even claimed that City's talks for Rice are fairly advanced.

News from The Athletic's David Ornstein came in this morning, detailing that the Premier League champions lodged a formal offer for Rice last night, but their £80 million bid (plus £10 million in add-ons) has been rejected.

Arsenal apparently intend to bite back with an offer of their own, which would be their third after two previously rebuffed bids, so the race for Rice is certainly hotting up.

From the player's side, though, Sheth has some good news for Arsenal supporters which may help their side just edge City in the transfer battle.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the journalist claims that Rice's preferred destination remains north London, even if you can't rule out City entirely.

"One source has told us that Declan Rice's preferred destination remains Arsenal," said Sheth.

"Of course, we know in football that can change, if somebody like Manchester City or Pep Guardiola especially, go in for a player, how difficult would it be for someone like Declan Rice to turn down those advances.

"But then you've got to think of it from a human perspective as well, he's got a young family, he's settled in London, a move from West Ham United to Arsenal might be something that he's been thinking about and thinks 'this is where I want to be'.

"So, plenty to think about if you're Declan Rice."

What's been said about Declan Rice?

Called "world class" by sections of the press, West Ham's star 24-year-old showcased yet again why he is a man in demand this summer.

The Hammers captain marked himself out as their best-performing player by average match rating in the English top flight last season (WhoScored), with former England defender Matthew Upson calling him "very mature" for his age.

Jason Gillespie will join Kent as coach on a short-term basis while Allan Donald continues to gen up on a requisite coaching qualification

David Hopps23-Mar-2017Jason Gillespie will join the Kent coaching staff at the start of the season as cover for Allan Donald, the former South African fast bowler, who is still facing delays on his visa application to enter the United Kingdom because of the lack of the requisite coaching qualification.Kent’s chief executive Jamie Clifford bemoaned the “bureaucratic barriers” that have so far prevented Donald from taking up his post because he does not yet possess a Level 3 coaching certificate that is the minimum entry requirement to coach cricket in England.The fact that he was the first South African to take 300 Test wickets – he took 330 at 22.25 – and is an iconic figure in South African cricket history, has not spared him from the need to go back to school under a long-standing visa stipulation agreed between the immigration department and the ECB.There will be huge relief in Kent that they have plugged the gap at least on a short-term basis as they seek a bowling coach able to unearth enough talent in their crop of young fast bowlers to mount another promotion challenge.Gillespie, all tooled up as far as coaching certificates are concerned, left Yorkshire as the head coach at the end of last season after an agonising period which resulted in him deciding to move back to Adelaide and raise his family in Australia.Now he will join Matt Walker and the first-team squad, in the role of interim assistant coach, ahead of the upcoming Specsavers County Championship season.Gillespie said: “I am really looking forward to joining Kent. Obviously I moved back to Adelaide for family reasons last year but the opportunity to assist Kent on a short-term basis was one that I couldn’t resist and works well with my current situation.”I look forward to helping Matt Walker and Sam Northeast over the next couple of months until I hand over the reins to Allan Donald.”Gillespie has coached at Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League and Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League as well as winning back-to-back County Championships with Yorkshire in 2014 and 2015.Donald was appointed assistant coach in January 2017 but he is still awaiting a visa to work in the UK. Although he played 72 Tests and 164 ODIs, and has a wealth of coaching experience, his lack of a Level 3 qualification caused his initial visa application to be rejected and he will have to gain the required paperwork before being admitted.Clifford, Kent’s chief executive, said: “Jason brings a wealth of experience as a player and coach in England and overseas. It’s unfortunate that a world-class coach Allan is unable to join us as planned due to bureaucratic barriers but Jason will be a fine addition to the staff.”