The Blues shipped four goals for the second successive game as they slipped into the bottom half of the Premier League table

Matheus Cunha's hat-trick ensured Chelsea conceded four goals for the second straight game as Wolves handed out a thrashing to Mauricio Pochettino's side that heaps more pressure on the former Tottenham manager.

The Blues, who lost 4-1 to Liverpool last time out, took the lead in the 19th minute through Cole Palmer's neat side-footed finish, only for Cunha to equalise three minutes later courtesy of a wicked deflection off Thiago Silva.

Chelsea were short on luck again when Rayan Ait-Nouri's effort ricocheted off Axel Disasi past unfortunate goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, with the strike going down as an own goal for the centre-back. Cunha then swept home a lovely flowing move to make it 3-1 just after the hour mark, before converting a penalty he won eight minutes from time.

Thiago Silva nodded home in the 84th minute to reduce the arrears, but the visitors held on for a deserved 4-2 win to leapfrog the Blues into 10th in the Premier League table.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

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Djordje Petrovic (6/10):

Made some smart stops early on but could do nothing about Wolves' two deflected goals in the first half. Not helped by a poor defence in front of him as a third and then a fourth went in.

Malo Gusto (3/10):

The right-back struggled in the first half as he was suspect in defence, ineffective in attack, repeatedly gave the ball away and was booked, too. He then conceded a penalty late on for bringing down the impressive Cunha.

Axel Disasi (5/10):

Popped up with some important clearances at the back early on but was unlucky to see Ait-Nouri's effort deflect in off his legs for an own goal. Looked more shaky as the game wore on.

Thiago Silva (6/10):

The left side of defence, where he was, looked more secure than the right, but lost the flying Neto for Wolves' third. Took his goal well late on, but his defence was not up to scratch.

Ben Chilwell (5/10):

Was kept busy by the pacey Neto and Semedo, and struggled to handle the former in particular. However, the England international looked good going forward on occasion.

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Moises Caicedo (4/10):

While he got an assist with a lovely threaded pass to Palmer, he was at fault for Wolves' equaliser as he gave away the ball in midfield, and throughout he didn't looked comfortable in possession. Made some clumsy fouls as well and picked up a yellow card before being hooked.

Enzo Fernandez (5/10):

Struggled to impose himself on the game as Wolves' midfield swarmed all over the Blues in the centre of the park. Seems to be going backwards.

Conor Gallagher (6/10):

Looked the midfielder most likely to create something with his driving runs and array of passing. Fought hard, but had a quieter game than usual.

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Cole Palmer (7/10):

Took his goal with aplomb with his weaker right foot, and was one of Chelsea's bigger attacking threats. Needs more creativity from his team-mates.

Christopher Nkunku (5/10):

Missed a great chance early in the first half as Wolves' defence got back at him and looked a little off the pace for much of the match. Perhaps not 100 percent fit yet.

Raheem Sterling (5/10):

Was well contained by Wolves in the first half despite showing good movement, but looked better in the second, though he spurned a big chance after a lovely lay-off by Chilwell.

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Nicolas Jackson (5/10):

The forward had to score from a lovely Gusto cross, but he could only head wide from six yards. A poor miss. Needs to show more up front.

Mykhailo Mudryk (5/10):

Offered very little when he came on.

Carney Chukwuemeka (5/10):

Was quite anonymous when he was introduced in the second half.

Alfie Gilchrist (N/A):

Had no time to make an impact.

Benoit Badiashile (N/A):

Couldn't do much in his short cameo.

Mauricio Pochettino (5/10):

At times it is not clear what the Argentine is trying to do strategy-wise with the west London outfit. Is likely to be under be mounting pressure to keep his job right now.

Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Santos striker Deivid Washington and a new update has provided more details on his imminent move to the Premier League.

Who is Deivid Washington?

Washington is an academy graduate at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to Paulo Turra’s first team back in April, but despite still having another three years remaining on his contract, he’s been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

At the start of August, Fabrizio Romano reported that the Blues had agreed personal terms with the 18 year-old centre-forward and had submitted a bid which was set to be accepted by his club, with the idea being that he would immediately join Todd Boehly’s Strasbourg on loan where he could be closely monitored as part of the owner’s multi-club project.

The Brazilian, however, is yet to have wrapped up his move to SW6 as a result of the Blues focusing all of their attention on big-money deals for the likes of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, though with those players now successfully through the door, it sounds as if the attacker could be the next to follow in their footsteps.

Are Chelsea signing Deivid Washington?

Taking to X, Romano revealed that Chelsea have everything in place regarding the arrival of Washington, whilst sharing the last stages that need to happen in order for him to be announced as the newest member of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. He wrote:

“Deivid Washington already completed medical tests at Chelsea — it’s about final documents, formal steps then the Brazilian striker will be unveiled as new #CFC player. Santos to receive €16m fixed fee plus €4m add-ons [£17m total]."

How many goals has Deivid Washington scored?

Since the start of his career, Washington has scored eight goals in 29 appearances, so there’s no doubt that he’s a real star in the making and has a bright long-term future ahead of him. But, right now, Chelsea would be making the correct decision to send the striker out on loan to aid his development and increase his exposure.

The youngster has recorded a total of 17 shots over the course of the current campaign which is the third-highest tally throughout his squad, via FBRef, not to mention that he has the qualities to become a physical presence up top where he's averaging 1.1 aerial wins per league game.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Santos’ “talented” prospect, as lauded by football scout Jacek Kulig, also has the ability to operate out wide on the left wing alongside his usual role through the middle, so should he return to become a member of the first team when he's matured, he would provide the boss with welcomed versatility.

The Blues are believed to be closing in on the signing of New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who is set to undergo his medical today, but he’s not the only fresh face likely to be introduced to supporters before September 1st.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has given an emphatic answer when asked about the possibility of Mohamed Salah heading to Al-Ittihad this summer.

Is Mo Salah going to Saudi Arabia?

The big news at Anfield this week is that the club's star winger is reportedly the next key target for the ever-growing Saudi Pro League. Indeed, as per Ben Jacobs, the Egyptian has been offered a huge contract.

The trusted journalist explained on Twitter that Salah could be handed a three-year deal with the promise of making him "one of the best-paid players" in the world. The base wage being prepared is £65m with other earning opportunities on top of that – he added that this package could get close to (or even surpass) what Cristiano Ronaldo is earning at Al-Nassr.

Of course, Liverpool do already have a working relationship with Saudi too, having sold Fabinho to Al-Ittihad for £40m this summer, as well as Jordan Henderson to Steven Gerrard's Al Ettifaq for around £12m.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

However, according to Fabrizio Romano's report in The Guardian, the Reds have no intention of selling their prized asset, with Al-Ittihad previously thought to be willing to bid about £52m for the 31-year-old.

Further backing this up, manager Klopp has now publically made his position very clear when speaking to the press this week. As seen in this video shared by Football Daily, he sounded adamant that Salah's wasn't for sale.

In full, he said: "If there is something coming up, well I don't think [there is], or I don't know, then I can think about that. But I said already, if there would be something [from Al-Ittihad] it would be a no."

When asked if he felt Salah was still committed to Liverpool, Klopp insisted he was, saying: "100 per cent."

How many goals has Salah in his career?

It's not a surprise that the winger is being targeted by the Saudi Pro League. After all, having already landed top players like Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Neymar and Aymeric Laporte this summer, Salah would be the next jewel in their crown.

And with 264 goals and 133 assists in 558 games across his entire career (with 187 of those coming for the Reds), he certainly would be a huge coup for Al-Ittihad as they look to bring more European football stars to the Middle East.

One thing that will be a big boost for any concerned Liverpool fans – on top of the evidently strong insistence from their club and manager that Salah is not up for sale – is the fact that the player's agent has already insisted this summer that his client won't be leaving Anfield.

Indeed, Ramy Abbas Issa took to Twitter at the start of the month to say: "If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC."

Still, we all know money talks within the world of football so it will be very interesting to see how this plays out over the coming weeks. It certainly doesn't feel as though this potential saga has quite been put to bed just yet.

The 50-over format has become England’s calling card while New Zealand have a strong record at home but a slow pitch in Hamilton may challenge aggressive batting

Preview by Andrew McGlashan24-Feb-2018Big PictureNeither of these teams hit their straps during the T20 tri-series, clinching a win apiece, with New Zealand edging into the final then underwhelming with the bat. But this series is a meeting between two confident 50-over outfits. England have had a week to dust themselves down from the T20 setbacks – which has included a couple of days off – and readjust their sights back to the format which is becoming their calling card, while New Zealand have eight victories on the bounce this season.Whenever these sides meet the conversation quickly turns to England’s humiliation at the 2015 World Cup – particularly the shredding in Wellington – and the conversation that ensued between Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum, which persuaded the England captain there was only one way to go in 50-over cricket. There was no saving that tournament, but since then England have blazed a trail. It’s a narrative that is likely to be revisited over the next couple of weeks.Thoughts are now turning towards the next World Cup, starting in 15 months in England. There is still time for some tinkering if it’s required, but teams will want to start having a firm idea of the 15 they will use at the tournament. Both teams are probably not far from that position already.There is one notable addition to the England squad from last month with the return of Ben Stokes. Away from the debate about whether he should be on the tour or not, who makes way for his return will be one of the intriguing aspects of the series.West Indies and Pakistan were disappointing opposition earlier in New Zealand’s season, while Australia hit a post-Ashes wall (and picked the wrong side) against England last month. This series promises a more compelling tussle.Ben Stokes bowls in the nets•Getty ImagesForm guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWW
England WLWWWIn the spotlightApart from Ben Stokes, okay? Jason Roy started the one-day series in Australia with a bang, his 180 in Melbourne setting a new record for England, but since then his top score has been 49 including three single-figure scores in the T20 tri-series. Yes, mixing formats when looking at statistics is not really the done thing, but it’s all a little hit-or-miss for Roy at the moment. He appears safe despite Stokes’ return and the top-order rejig required, but a significant score early in the series wouldn’t go amiss.This is an important series for Tom Latham who has yet to nail down the wicketkeeper-batsman role, a position New Zealand are struggling to fill in both white-ball formats since the retirement of Luke Ronchi. This season his top score is 37 in seven ODI innings – off the back of a very productive series in India – but he has been given the backing of selector Gavin Larsen (his wicketkeeping has been tidy) and this New Zealand set-up likes to give players an extended run. Still, they won’t want uncertainty over a key position leading into the World Cup.Team newsQuick bowler Lockie Ferguson has been released from the squad to play in Saturday’s Ford Trophy final for Auckland. Mitchell Santner (knee) and Todd Astle (side) have carried recent injuries with Astle’s still providing the more pressing concern. If he isn’t fit then Ish Sodhi would slot into the side.New Zealand 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Todd Astle, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultBarring a late reaction to his workload, Stokes will return. That means a batsman making way, as England revert to six main bowlers, with Alex Hales seemingly the most vulnerable. Tom Curran and David Willey are likely to contest the final pace-bowling slot with Craig Overton having to wait for his chance.England 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tom Curran, 11 Mark WoodPitch and conditionsIt will be a used surface and is expected to get slower as the match progresses. Seddon Park is a venue where spin can come to the fore, although that can be countered by evening dew making the toss a tricky decision. Last year, Martin Guptill plundered 180 off 138 balls to chase down 280 against South Africa with five overs to spare. The forecast for the afternoon and evening is good.Stats and trivia England have won eight of their last nine bilateral ODI series Ross Taylor needs 37 runs to reach 7000 in ODIs; Kane Williamson needs 23 to reach 5000 – if he does it in this match the New Zealand captain will be joint fourth-fastest to 5000 runs equal with Brian Lara England have lost both their ODIs at this venue: a 10-wicket trouncing in 2008 and a much tighter three-wicket loss in 2013.Quotes”They went a long stretch of winning one-day international cricket so they are a strong side particularly at home and we are going to have reproduce similar performances or better than we produced in Australia to win the series.”
“I think we park the T20 for now and focus on a lot of the good one-day cricket we’ve been playing. The plans are fairly different so it’s important we go back to that. We know it’s a tough challenge in England.”

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna this summer and a significant update has now emerged regarding the situation.

How many times has Marcos Acuna played for Sevilla?

The 31-year-old left-back has enjoyed a strong career for club and country, most notably winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina last December. He made six appearances in the tournament, four of which were starts, putting his experience to good use.

Acuna has also played 125 times for Sevilla since arriving from Sporting CP in 2020, winning the Europa League with them last season, in what has arguably been the most successful period of his career.

The Argentine has emerged as a primary transfer target for Villa this summer, as Unai Emery looks to add more quality and depth to his squad. Lucas Digne has been a disappointing signing from Everton and can be improved upon, and it looks as though the Sevilla man has been identified as the No.1 target in that position.

A move to Villa Park certainly appears as though it is increasingly likely at this point and another update has only further added fuel to the fire.

Will Aston Villa sign Marcos Acuna?

According to Football Insider, talks are continuing over the weekend between Villa and Acuna representatives, as they look to complete another strong signing:

"Aston Villa are continuing talks on Saturday over a deal to sign Sevilla left-back Marcos Acuna.

"Villa have already agreed personal terms with Acuna and are now negotiating a fee with the Spanish club. The Midlands giants are closing to sealing a breakthrough as they look to get a deal over the finish line.

"Unai Emery has made it a priority to sign a new left-back to compete with January signing Alex Moreno, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury."

It really does feel as though it would be a surprise if Acuna didn't complete a move to Villa at this point, considering talks are seemingly progressing at a good speed and Digne looks to be on his way out.

Assuming a deal is agreed in the near future, he could be a great signing at left-back, adding experience, fight and ability to a Villans side that is improving all the time, regardless of last weekend's 5-1 defeat away to Newcastle United.

Pep Guardiola has described Acuna as a "top defender", which speaks volumes about the calibre of footballer he is, while Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas has heaped praise on him in the recent past, saying:

"Acuna is someone who transmits his experience to the young players. He is one of the best wing-backs in the world in a three-man defensive system."

At 31, Acuna is admittedly not getting any younger, but he is such fit player, providing constant energy down the left flank, that he should remain in and around the peak years of his career for the foreseeable future, slotting in seamlessly at Villa and making them an even more formidable outfit under Emery.

Manchester City are reportedly interested in Bayern Munich duo Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala.

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• Man City interested in Bayern duo
• Show interest in Kimmich and Musiala
• Guardiola could be interested in summer move

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Athletic have reported that Pep Guardiola could been keen on a potential reunion with Kimmich who he worked with during his stint at the German club. The report suggests that while a close source to the Premier League refuted the interest in a January transfer, a summer move could very well be a possibility. As for Musiala, the Athletic suggests that City may only try to go for the youngster if he refuses a contract extension with the Bavarians.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kimmich has often been linked with a move away from Bayern due to his expertise as both a right-back and a defensive midfielder. Musiala is also seen as a future superstar, perhaps explaining City's interest.

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Bayern currently sit second in the league five points off Bayer Leverkusen. City on the the other hand also sit five points off league leaders Liverpool. Both will be out to usurp their nearest contenders before the end of the season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  Guardiola's men will next be in action when they take on Brentford away from home on Monday, February 5 as they look to reduce the gap between themselves and Liverpool with the Reds set to face Arsenal later on Sunday.

Fans have slammed Neymar for appearing to be overweight and say that he should "retire" after returning to Al-Hilal training following his ACL injury.

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• Neymar out with ACL injury
• Brazilian back training at Al-Hilal
• Fans criticise his physique again

• AgNews
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 32-year-old hit back at football supporters who criticised his physique last month as he recovers from hisanterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear he suffered while on national duty with Brazilin October. Now the former Barcelona star is doing individual training work at the Saudi Pro League side, his detractors are once again lambasting the Brazilian.

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• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  NBA Memes wrote: "Neymar is on that (basketball player) James Harden diet."

  Agurama JnR commented: "What happened to Neymar??"

  ReecyTM tweeted: "Neymar should just retire from playing football and focus on riding horses."

  UncleKeyz added: "Neymar looks like a blesser now," while Iconic Blanco did a side by side photo of Neymar at 32 versus a ripped Cristiano Ronaldo at 36.

  S.J.O put: "What is happening to all Brazil legends?" and showed a side by side of ex-forward Ronaldo and Neymar.

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  Former Paris Saint-Germain man Neymar, who left the Ligue 1 outfit for Al-Hilal last summer in a £77.2million ($98.3m) move, is in a race against time to play some part in the Saudi Pro League season – with ACL ruptures or tears typically taking eight to 10 months to recover from. The campaign ends in late May and there is no guarantee the ex-Barcelona ace will kick a ball again this term.

Although they couldn’t convert their half-centuries, James Vince and Mark Stoneman have probably done enough to feature in the home Tests against Pakistan

Andrew McGlashan in Christchurch01-Apr-2018England’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere began with the Test match at the Gabba. Mark Stoneman and James Vince gave them an excellent platform with encouraging half-centuries, adding 125 together, before failing to go on. England never had a foothold in the Ashes after that.Fast forward five months and the match situation is somewhat better – they lead by 231 runs and are well placed to push for a series-levelling victory and have something to show for their efforts with the pink and red ball. But for Stoneman and Vince, there is a feeling of deja vu. Half-centuries apiece, a stand of 123, the promise of more, but frustrating dismissals.

New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling is hopeful a Christchurch pitch losing some of its life will keep them in with a chance of saving – or even winning – the second Test and with it taking the series.
The second new ball is 14 overs away and represents New Zealand’s last chance of having a realistic target to chase, but the bounce and carry evident for the quicks over the first half of the day has lessened.
“It’s definitely a lot flatter than over the first few days,” Watling said. “It doesn’t look like it’s breaking up at all, it actually looks like it’s getting a bit deader. I don’t think it will do a hell of a lot on the final day so we just need to get ourselves into a position to hopefully win the game.”

Stoneman had significant fortune in his innings – dropped on 48 and 57 – but couldn’t make it count when he finally paid the price for flashing outside off. Vince played with increasing confidence during his third Test fifty – all of which have come at the No. 3 position – after regaining his place that he had to forego due to the batting reshuffle at Eden Park. As ever, the drives were working well and, almost as inevitably, one brought his downfall when he edged to slip with a spot-sealing maiden Test hundred on offer.”Going forward, I’m sure both would have loved to have got hundreds and gone on for themselves and their confidence,” Graham Thorpe, the England batting coach, said, “but they’ll still get good pat off us in the dressing room because it’s easy to shrink sometimes at this level so it was important they stood up and continued to play in a positive manner.”Stoneman now has five Test fifties – including two in this series – but none higher than this 60 while Vince averages 30.54 at No. 3 from his six Test against Australia and New Zealand. Since Trevor Bayliss took over in 2015, there has been one century from the opener who isn’t Alastair Cook (and his form is heading south) or the No. 3 who isn’t Joe Root – Keaton Jennings’ 112 on debut against India (Adam Lyth’s hundred against New Zealand came while Paul Farbrace was in temporary charge).There are alternative names who will be mentioned in the lead-up to the next series, against Pakistan in May, and a strong start to the domestic season could attract interest despite England Lions being beaten 3-0 by West Indies in the four-day matches. Liam Livingstone has been on this tour – he is not someone for the top three but the batting order is also far from settled – while the likes of Haseeb Hameed, Joe Clarke, Dan Lawrence and Nick Gubbins will be touted. Recently capped players such as Jennings and Tom Westley could also restate their credentials.However, both incumbents have probably done enough to mean they will start against Pakistan, but England will leave this tour without really having a clearer picture about the best way forward for their top order.”They are in the side so they are in charge of their destiny every time they walk to the crease so the more experience they gain they are in a position to go to that next level,” Thorpe said. “Ultimately it’s up to them to take that next step and go towards three figures.”There are areas of the Test side where we aren’t going to say everyone is guaranteed places. We are constantly trying to get more out of players who are in the starting XI. You have to look at your squad and think are there better players out there or do we have to keep working hard. We have to be patient with players, the more you learn you do get over those hurdles in Test cricket and start to feel very settled. We are hoping a few of them are close to that with the Tests they are starting to play.”England arrived in Australia with a batting line-up in a state of flux and will leave New Zealand in the same position. The attacks of Pakistan and India await. They will sense vulnerability.

While the recent early exit from the Carabao Cup will no doubt have stung for Tottenham Hotspur, it has largely been a positive start to life under new boss Ange Postecoglou so far, with two wins and a draw from the club's opening three Premier League games.

Despite that solid opening to the new regime, it looks as if the former Celtic boss is still keen to further strengthen before the end of the window, with Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo a player of particular interest to the Lilywhites.

How much would Tosin Adarabioyo cost?

Following reports linking Spurs with a move for the 25-year-old earlier in the summer, 90min has reported in recent days that the north Londoners still hold a strong interest in the 6 foot 5 titan, with the player 'set to move on' before the close of the window.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

As per the piece, Postecoglou and co are believed to have offered Eric Dier to the Cottagers as a potential sweetener in the deal, albeit with it yet to be seen whether the 29-year-old will move on this summer, after spending the last nine years at Tottenham.

With just a year left to run on his contract, Adarabioyo is likely to be available for something of a bargain fee if he is to depart any time soon, with a €15m (£13m) fee having previously been suggested.

How good is Tosin Adarabioyo?

Previously dubbed "immense" by former boss Tony Mowbray during his time on loan at Blackburn Rovers, it is fair to say that the current Fulham man has particularly blossomed since making the move to Craven Cottage back in 2020, having begun life on the books at Manchester City.

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The towering asset was particularly impressive last term as the then newly-promoted side comfortable mid-table finish, notably averaging a solid 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game from his 25 league outings – a better return than Dier achieved for instance (two tackles and interceptions per game from 33 appearances).

While, as stated above, Dier may be keen to stay put beyond the deadline, the signing of a figure like Adarabioyo could well help to nudge him out the door even if the Englishman does not head in the other direction to Fulham, with Bayern Munich having been touted as a possible option of late.

As per journalist Ryan Taylor, the former Sporting CP man is arguably "nowhere near the required level for what Spurs are trying to achieve", hence why he has found himself out of the picture under Postecoglou thus far.

One particular benefit of bringing Adarabioyo into the fold would be his ability to play out from the back as he notably ranks in the top 18% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes, while Dier ranks in just the bottom 40% in that regard.

With the latter man having potentially outstayed his welcome – as pundit Frank McAvennie previously suggested that "Tottenham will not succeed with Dier in the team" – the signing of a standout replacement could well be what is needed for Postecoglou to finally send him packing.

Before Morne Morkel celebrates a wicket, he looks up at the big screen to double check that he has not overstepped. Before he celebrated his 300th Test wicket, he may have double checked with a little more trepidation.But when Morkel saw that his foot was behind the line and Shaun Marsh had nicked off, he celebrated with more gusto than usual. Animated air punches and screams of delight were followed by a group hug with his team-mates and some personal time to acknowledge the crowd.He had done it. Morkel had reached 300.”It’s a special feeling, especially because I am the world record holder for the most [wickets off] no-balls,” Morkel joked afterwards. “When I got the first one, I had to turn around and see if it was a legal delivery. And then second one and third one. To reach it is something I have worked hard on for a long time and to get it at this amazing venue made it even better. It meant quite a lot to get that wicket. I have really worked hard. I wasn’t blessed with natural talent to run up and hit a length. For me, over the 12 years it’s been a lot of hard work. To get that was an achievement, I was proud of myself to get that milestone.”Morkel could have had 315 Test wickets to his name to date, but the 14 missing from his record were taken off no-balls and he has now found a way to laugh them off. But only now that he has reached the 300 mark in what is his penultimate Test.Before this series began, Morkel announced his retirement at its end and by midway through the contest, he may have thought his career was over already. He was left out of the second Test at St George’s Park after a relatively indifferent performance in the first match at Kingsmead. His replacement, Lungi Ngidi, bowled well and was set to play at Newlands before a toe niggle kept him out and gave Morkel the chance for what could be a final hurrah.”You think about those sorts of things, especially with Lungi and the guys bowling so well. Luckily for me, I got an opportunity with Lungi picking up a small niggle and I knew it was my Test match to do it,” Morkel said. “I put in a lot of hard work over the week, especially in PE. I sat down for hours and analysed my Durban spells and things I needed to improve on and worked hard.”Morne Morkel removed Steven Smith in the third over after lunch•AFP

Morkel’s challenge has always been to get his lengths right because he tends to err on the shorter side, given his height. At Newlands, where he found extra bounce from the Wynberg End, that length worked and for once, Morkel could just be himself. “Of late, the Newlands wicket, there is a little bit of extra bounce.There was a little bit of extra bounce on a fifth stump line. It was my game plan to run in and hit an area quite hard and trying to get some extra bounce and there were one or two cracks as well,” he said.That bounce and those cracks have led Morkel to believe that the strip will become more difficult to bat on as the match goes on and that with a lead of around 60, South Africa can look to apply pressure on Australia. But first they need one more wicket and though Morkel has 301 to celebrate, it’s the scalp he still needs to get that he is most concerned about.”The main thing for me is to stay in the moment. There’s still a second innings, a Test match to be won and still one more in Jo’burg and that’s my focus. I want to be part of this team to beat Australia for the first time in South Africa. That’s my goal,” he said.And it is his last goal as an international cricketer. Winning a World Cup is not something Morkel has given himself the opportunity to experience, because he is leaving the stage before then. Winning a Test Championship is also not something he will do, though his recent form and fitness suggest he could keep playing. “My body is still feeling great. Mentally I am still feeling fantastic. I am still feeling good. I can still play for a coupe of years. But it was a family decision. I’ve made that call, once you’ve made your mind up, you can’t really turn back on your decision. I’d rather go out on a high now than having a few average games and the love is gone.”Right now, the appreciation for Morkel is everywhere, especially on the big screen.On day one, it regularly showed images of Morkel’s long-time team-mate Dale Steyn sitting at Newlands, wearing Morkel’s one-day shirt with the number 65 on it, supporting it. “That’s very special. To see a team-mate that has been beside me for so long supporting me was amazing,” Morkel said.On day two, it showed Morkel’s wife, Roz Kelly, and their two-year old son, Arias, applauding his achievements.For the next three days, it will show many others, sending Morkel off with warm hearts. And it will also show some replays of Morkel and the line, which he will keep double checking if he thinks he can add to his tally.