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Aston Villa have a lot of work to do before their Premier League season gets underway next month with a home tie against Newcastle United.

Several summer departures will likely take place, with Emiliano Martinez reportedly keen on a move to Manchester United, while Jacob Ramsey is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest. But, with their PSR concerns now a thing of the past, plenty of new signings could also arrive through the door soon.

In particular, some confidence-boosting attacking additions look to be a priority, particularly if Ollie Watkins ends up joining Martinez as another first-team face to have left the building.

Aston Villa considering move for £60m striker

Watkins does look to have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to who he could pick as his next club after Villa, with it being reported that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keen on adding the England international to their respective sides.

Losing Watkins would be a notable blow, but Villa could begin to repair their depleted attack by adding reported target Alejandro Garnacho to their camp from the aforementioned Red Devils, alongside raiding Enzo Maresca’s men when going after a fresh centre-forward purchase.

An update from journalist Ben Jacobs via X indicates that Villa are in the running to land hot-and-cold Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson this summer, with Villa considering his name as they hunt down some more personnel up top.

It’s revealed that Chelsea won’t be pushing the ex-Villarreal attacker out the door – despite his hit-and-miss finishing ability – but they would consider bids if some are forthcoming, with Jackson reportedly available for around the £60m mark.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

How Jackson could be Villa's next Duran

It would be an almighty gamble on Villa’s end to splash out some significant bucks on such an inconsistent performer but there are similarities, not just in the way they arrived in the country, but in their play styles too.

Indeed, the Villans took a risk when they landed Jhon Duran for £18m back in January of 2023, only to be immediately vindicated when he became a clinical hero for Unai Emery and Co.

After all, Duran didn’t dive into the English game boasting the most mind-blowing numbers for Chicago Fire, with only eight goals coming his way from 28 appearances in the Windy City.

Yet, he instantly became a favourite in the West Midlands for his high-octane performances in attack, culminating in a huge chunk of his 20 goals for Villa coming last season when he bagged 12 strikes from just 29 outings.

Goals

7

3

Assists

0

0

Goal conversion percentage

23%

21%

Goal frequency (minutes)

89

79

Shots per game

1.6

2

Chelsea purchased Jackson for around the £32m mark in the same year the Colombian arrived in England, knowing plenty more could come from the 24-year-old in his new location, with Villa already on the receiving end of Jackson’s lethal bursts when he headed home this effort against them during his debut campaign in West London.

Indeed, Jackson fired home a promising 13 strikes in Spain before embarking on this daunting adventure with the Blues, and whilst there have been plenty of grumbles at Stamford Bridge over his wastefulness, he has shown in spells that he can be a deadly and impactful presence on his day, just as Duran has.

Amazingly, despite squandering a costly 43 big chances across his two top-flight seasons at Chelsea, Jackson does still have more strikes next to his name in the Premier League alone than Duran mustered up across his entire Villa Park stint, with 24 goals in 64 league clashes.

Despite that, there are stylistic similarities between the pair, as the numbers showcase.

Shots

3.08

4.27

Shots on target

1.38

1.93

Completed passes

12.3

16.2

Progressive passes

1.54

1.83

Shot-creating actions

2.97

2.54

Successful take-ons

0.73

0.42

Analysing the data, we get a sense that neither are particularly involved in the play in large spells, registering fewer than 20 passes per game.

Likewise, neither striker particularly grabs the ball and takes a player on, completing fewer than one dribble per 90 minutes. Crucially, they both possess the ability to play on the shoulder of the last man and have a gangly playstyle associated with their height. Duran is 6 foot 1, while Jackson is 6 foot 2.

The 24-year-old Jackson might well welcome a fresh opportunity at Villa, particularly when taking in Emery’s transformative powers that worked wonders on the likes of Marcus Rashford last season. He had experienced an equally challenging time at Manchester United before bouncing back well with the Villans, amassing a blistering four goals and six assists in claret and blue.

Moreover, it’s even clearer from the Spaniard’s track record with Duran that he could be the manager to get even more out of a scapegoated Jackson, with the Senegal international once being labelled as a “special” talent by journalist Rahman Osman.

Of course, this move might well backfire if the 24-year-old’s wasteful displays rear their ugly head once more in the West Midlands. But, much like with Duran, it feels like a shot in the dark worth taking.

Better than Ramsey: Aston Villa register interest in £40m "superstar"

Aston Villa could soon win an attacking superstar who is better than Jacob Ramsey.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 17, 2025

علق أسامة نبيه المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر للشباب، على المباراة التي جمعته اليوم أمام الأهلي وديًا، ضمن الاستعدادات لبطولة كأس العالم تحت 20 عامًا.

وخسر منتخب مصر للشباب أمام الأهلي، في المباراة الودية التي أقيمت مساء الأحد، بهدف دون رد، سجله السلوفيني جراديشار.

طالع | جراديشار يقود الأهلي للفوز على منتخب مصر للشباب وديًا

وقال أسامة نبيه في تصريحات صحفية عقب المباراة: “تجربة كبيرة ومفيدة ورائعة أمام فريق كبير ومنظم، والتجربة أضافت لنا الكثير رغم الهزيمة”.

وأضاف: “النادي الأهلي يمتلك نجومًا، التجربة أكدت أننا نمتلك جيلاً واعدًا من الشباب المتميز، ولم أتردد في خوض المباراة”.

وأكمل: “لدي مجموعة من العناصر أريدهم أن يستفيدوا من اللاعبين الكبار ويتعلمون منهم، بغض النظر أنه كان من الممكن أن تكون النتيجة كبيرة ومحبطة للاعبين، لكني لم أتردد لحظة في مواجهة الأهلي لأنهم في النهاية سيستفيدون فنيًا ومعنويًا”.

وتابع: “قدمنا مباراة جيدة، وصلنا لمرمى النادي الأهلي، لكن قلة خبرات اللاعبين وقلة ثقتهم ورهبتهم في أنهم يواجهون فريقًا كبيرًا مثل النادي الأهلي، كل هذه الأمور كانت لها تأثير نفسي عليهم، ولكنها تجربة كانت مفيدة”.

واستمر: “مصطفى شوبير أخرج كرة صعبة خلال المباراة كان من الممكن أن تسكن الشباك وأتعادل بها”.

وأردف: “وضعت سيناريوهات للمنتخب، واللاعبون سيكتسبون خبرات من هذه المباريات، وأي فريق في الدوري يريد أن يواجهنا نحن سنرحب”.

وأتم: “عمر سيد معوض لاعب مميز ويمتلك خبرات، الإصابات عطلته لكني وضعت برنامجًا يوميًا للاعبين يجعلهم جاهزين وكأننا نلعب كل يوم، وأحضر نفسي لأي شيء في الفترة القادمة”.

ويستعد منتخب مصر للمشاركة في كأس العالم بتشيلي من 27 سبتمبر إلى 19 أكتوبر، والذي يشارك فيه أحفاد الفراعنة ضمن مجموعة تضم: تشيلي، اليابان ونيوزيلندا.

Arsenal chiefs are becoming real fans of a prolific striker, and it is believed the Gunners have been told by intermediaries that they can sign him for a relatively cheap transfer fee.

Arsenal targeting fresh attacking additions for Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta’s side have struggled to score from open play in the Premier League lately, often against sides deploying a resolute low-block, but encouraging cup wins over the likes of AS Monaco and Crystal Palace recently show that they just need to be more clinical.

£20m Leeds United mainstay could join Arsenal in January – journalist

The Gunners are looking at bringing him in next month.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 19, 2024

On their best day, Arsenal are imperious going forward, but can sometimes lack that ruthless cutting edge to put certain teams away.

Gabriel Jesus has been criticised a lot over the first half of 2024/2025, with the Brazil international sealing a much-needed confidence boost by sealing a ruthless hat-trick in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Palace on Wednesday.

Arsenal have been linked with an array of top strikers in recent weeks, most notably Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic, with Jesus bagging just four goals in all competitions this season.

Interim sporting director Jason Ayto and managing director Richard Garlick, following Edu’s resignation last month, are reportedly in the market for a potential new number nine following a barren 24/25 overall for Jesus.

Arsenal have held talks with Vlahovic’s representatives ahead of a potential winter swoop, according to some reports, but it is also claimed that the north Londoners have their sights set on a new winger as well.

Gabriel Martinelli’s performances have failed to hit their previous heights so far this campaign, while Leandro Trossard also hasn’t replicated his stellar 2023/2024 return.

This has led Arsenal to consider a January move for West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, as per reliable media sources like talkSPORT, but the Hammers won’t be letting their star player go on the cheap mid-season.

There is a belief that West Ham could demand as much as £100 million to sell next month, with his £85 million release clause not active until the next summer window.

January is always an extremely tricky window to navigate, and star players often come at a premium. However, Arsenal could now have the chance to bring in a very in-form forward at a pretty reasonable price.

Arsenal told they can sign Manfred Ugalde for just £25 million

Indeed, due to a release clause in his contract, Spartak Moscow striker Manfred Ugalde is available for just £25 million – with Arsenal informed of this by agents who are reaching out to potential suitors.

The Costa Rica international is on an excellent run of form right now, scoring 16 goals in all competitions already, and this has attracted interest from the Emirates Stadium.

That is according to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, who also says Arsenal have been “impressed” by Ugalde and his excellent performances in Russia. However, they are by no means the only Premier League giants keeping an eye on the South American, with both Man City and Chelsea also taking a liking to the 22-year-old.

It is unclear whether Arsenal are set to move forward with any attempt for Ugalde right now, but it could represent a serious opportunity for Arteta and co.

The Ireland captain was struck on the helmet after scoring a century in the first ODI

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jan-2023Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie has been withdrawn from the ODI series against Zimbabwe after getting hit on the helmet in the opening match. Left-hand batter Murray Commins has received his first call-up as Balbirnie’s replacement and Paul Stirling will stand-in as captain.Balbirnie scored his eighth ODI hundred and was on 121 when a low full toss from Brad Evans deflected off his bat onto his helmet. A stretcher brought out but he managed to walk off the field, and Ireland did not use the concussion substitute.”Andrew Balbirnie sustained a suspected mild concussive episode after being struck on the helmet while batting in yesterday’s match against Zimbabwe,” Mark Rausa, head of physiotherapy and medical services for Cricket Ireland, said. “He retired hurt and did not take the field in the second innings in line with concussion protocols. He was reassessed this morning, but the decision has been made to withdraw him from the remaining two matches of this series as a precaution.”Related

Zimbabwe clinch last-ball thriller in rain-hit game against Ireland

When Zimbabwe had toured Ireland in 2021, Commins, playing for the A side, scored a half-century at the top of the order. He had low returns in Ireland’s domestic 50-overs competition last year but struck a century in the T20 competition.”It’s extremely disappointing to lose our skipper in this manner, particularly after his outstanding century in his 200th match for Ireland,” Ireland selector Andrew White said. W”e all hope his recovery is quick and he is back on the park soon.”With Andrew’s withdrawal, we have called up Murray Commins. Murray is a talented top-order batter that we see as a direct replacement – we know he has the stroke play, technique and mindset to build big scores and being left-handed, he will also add a new dimension to the top order. Given the volume of cricket coming up, this is also an opportunity to give Murray exposure to the international arena.”After losing the T20I series 1-2, Ireland lost the opening ODI – a rain-hit contest – by three wickets off the final delivery. The second and third ODIs will be played on January 21 and 23 at Harare Sports Club.

We are halfway through the season, and it already feels like Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League campaign is over.

Ange Postecoglou’s side slipped down to 12th place following their defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday and are currently 12 points off Chelsea in the final guaranteed Champions League spot.

However, the North Londoners have a League Cup semi-final to come tomorrow night, an FA Cup game on the weekend and remain in the Europa League, so there is still plenty to play for.

With that said, to stand any chance in those competitions, the club need to sort out their biggest weakness, which is their defence, and based on recent reports, that could be happening as they’ve been linked to someone who could finally replace Radu Dragusin.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in Udinese centre-back Thomas Kristensen.

In fact, the report claims that it’s currently felt that the most substantial interest is coming from the North Londoners, although the likes of Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen are also noted as keen parties.

While the potential competition isn’t ideal, the good news is that, according to the story, the promising defender will likely be available for around £16.5m, which could leave some funds for more deals this month.

Overall, this seems like it could be a rather straightforward and relatively inexpensive transfer to get done and, considering Kristensen’s ability, one Spurs should be getting done, especially because he’d be a dream Dragusin upgrade.

How Kristensen compares to Dragusin

So, the first thing to say is that, given the importance of both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to Postecoglou’s system, the former for his leadership and experience and the latter for his lightning speed and decision-making, Kristensen would not be signed as genuine competition for them.

Instead, the Danish international would almost certainly be viewed as a rival for Dragusin to be the team’s first-choice backup, and based on their respective campaigns this season, it would be a competition the Udinese ace would win hands down.

Now, given where they play, we can’t show this through goals and assists like we would an attacking player, but instead, we can see the Dane’s superiority by comparing their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.03

0.01

Progressive Passes

3.93

3.07

Progressive Carries

1.15

0.5

Passing Accuracy

84.6%

85.2%

Key Passes

0.33

0.09

Shot-Creating Actions

0.82

0.44

Tackles

1.15

0.79

Tackles Won

0.66

0.44

Interceptions

0.49

1.23

Clearances

3.61

3.33

Errors Leading to Shot

0.00

0.35

Ball Recoveries

2.95

3.95

Aerial Duels Won

3.77

2.28

For example, according to FBref, the Aarhus-born titan comes out ahead in the vast majority of relevant metrics, including but not limited to progressive passes and carries, key passes, tackles, tackles won, clearances, aerial duels, and he makes fewer errors leading to a shot, all per 90.

Moreover, on top of being far more impressive from a statistical perspective, the 22-year-old should be able to add more physical stature to the Lilywhites’ backline.

For example, he stands at a massive 6 foot 6 to the Romanian’s 6 foot 3, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, is “a unit at the back.”

Ultimately, while Dragusin can sometimes be a scapegoat for Spurs, he is clearly not of the level required to cover for Romero and Van de Ven, whereas Kristensen looks like he could be.

Therefore, Daniel Levy and Co should act fast to bring him in this month before someone beats them to it.

An upgrade on Son: Tottenham chasing £29m phenom with "an eye for goal"

The incredible winger would be a brilliant signing for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 6, 2025

Both sides have had their moments, but have reached a stage where they are dependent on other results to figure out their future

Mohammad Isam05-Nov-20223:17

Moody: It will be interesting to see what Pakistan will do with their top order

Big pictureSo competitive has this year’s T20 World Cup been, that heading into the final day of the Super 12s, five out of six teams in Group 2 remain in contention for two semi-final slots. The story in Group 1 was also equally gripping.Bangladesh and Pakistan face off in Adelaide on Sunday with their fate in their own hands, though only to a certain extent – Pakistan are more likely semi-finalists than Bangladesh. Neither of them might eventually make it, but a win will go some distance for two teams that have been inconsistent so far.Related

A journey of labour and love: how Arshdeep Singh became India's match-winner

Litton comes out of his shell and shows the way for Bangladesh

Shadab puts on exhibition of intent – but did it come too late?

Emotion: Bangladesh's superpower as well as kryptonite

Bangladesh might be still smarting from their five-run defeat to India, which was followed by fake-fielding accusations against Virat Kohli. Having started the chase on a blistering note and come agonisingly close to victory, it’s fair for Bangladesh to feel hard done by, though they haven’t thrown excuses around.Irrespective of the result, there was improvement for Bangladesh in that game. Litton Das finally came out of his shell to get a superb half-century, Taskin Ahmed bowled an economical four-over spell with the new ball where he tested India’s top-order batters, and Mustafizur Rahman seemed to be in his groove at the death. Taskin and Nurul Hasan even smashed India’s bowlers around in the dying stages of that game, but ideally, Bangladesh’s middle order needs to do that job.Pakistan will be aware of these gaps in Bangladesh’s make-up. They recently met in Christchurch in a tri-series designed as a build-up for the World Cup; Pakistan beat Bangladesh both times, although they had to fight for the wins on either occasion.For Pakistan, there are worries, especially because of the low returns from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan: across four games in this World Cup, their opening stands have given Pakistan 1, 13, 16 and 4. Babar has been dismissed for single-digit scores each time. Fortunately for them, their middle order – especially Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan – have shown big-hitting abilities in crucial moments.Shadab Khan has shown the ability to adapt to different situations•Getty ImagesAllrounders Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Wasim have contributed regularly, too, and, not to forget, Pakistan have impactful fast bowlers who have the potential to knock over Bangladesh, who often struggle against pace and bounce.It could, however, be all for nothing. Both sides have floundered in crucial moments in the Super 12s stage: Pakistan against India and Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh also against India. While those results cannot be changed now, both Pakistan and Bangladesh have one final opportunity to pull things back their way.Form guide
Bangladesh LWLWL
Pakistan WWLLWIn the spotlightShadab Khan’s maiden T20I fifty couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for Pakistan. His knock of 52 from just 22 balls against South Africa took them from a difficult position to one of safety. Later, his two wickets in one over turned the game around for Pakistan. Shadab has quickly become a high-impact player, with an aggressive approach as a batter and accurate, stump-to-stump lines as a legspinner, apart from being a gun fielder. He has shown the ability to adapt to different situations, too, particularly in the batting order.It has not been a great World Cup so far for Nurul Hasan. He has made only 41 runs in four innings despite coming out to bat with 9 and 9.4 overs remaining in two of those. He has looked like he has pulled the trigger too early in his innings, or premeditating his shots. Nurul has also made errors as wicketkeeper, with the missed stumping against Zimbabwe standing out. He showed signs of class and ability with the bat against India, though, and Bangladesh will hope for more of that.Team newsBabar and Rizwan haven’t fired, but with their other batters, allrounders and fast bowlers all showing good form, they are unlikely to change the side that beat South Africa in Sydney.Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2 Babar Azam (capt), 3 Mohammad Haris, 4 Shan Masood, 5 Iftikhar Ahmed, 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Mohammad Wasim, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Naseem ShahBangladesh could retain the same set of fast bowlers against Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesBangladesh, too, are likely to retain the same side – including the same set of fast bowlers – from the India game for this one.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 2 Litton Das, 3 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 4 Afif Hossain, 5 Nurul Hasan (wk), 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Yasir Ali, 8 Taskin Ahmed, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Hasan MahmudPitch and conditionsThree out of four matches at the Adelaide Oval have been won by the side defending a total, with the average score batting first in those matches being 179. Teams have been helped by the short square boundaries too. A full game is in the offing as no rain has been forecast for Sunday.Stats and trivia Mustafizur needs four wickets to get to 100 T20I wickets, while Shadab is five away from the same milestone. This will be Pakistan’s first T20I in Adelaide, though they have played five Tests and 19 ODIs there. Mohammad Wasim has taken ten wickets against Bangladesh in the last five T20Is between the two sides.Quotes”We believe we can beat Pakistan. Qualifying for the semi-final is not in our hands, unfortunately.”

Liverpool are riding on the crest of a wave right now, and they face Manchester City at precisely the right time.

While the Anfield side are currently on a 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions, City have failed to win any of their previous six games, going through their most difficult period under Pep Guardiola.

The Reds hold an eight point lead at the top of the table and should Arne Slot’s side go on to defeat City this afternoon, it could put another dent in Guardiola’s title ambitions.

Manchester City’s defensive frailties

Since their win over Southampton on October 26, the club have conceded 17 goals in just six games, scoring only seven times during that time period.

Guardiola’s defenders certainly struggled, most notably Kyle Walker, who was helpless against Tottenham Hotspur last week as they ran riot, scoring four without reply to inflict one of the heaviest defeats the former Barcelona manager has endured.

Date

Competition

Result

26/11/2024

Champions League

Drew 3-3 with Feyenoord

23/11/2024

Premier League

Lost 4-0 to Spurs

9/11/2024

Premier League

Lost 2-1 to Brighton

5/11/2024

Champions League

Lost 4-1 to Sporting CP

2/11/2024

Premier League

Lost 2-1 to Bournemouth

30/10/2024

Carabao Cup

Lost 2-1 to Spurs

Walker may have won four of his five total duels contested, yet the right-back made just one tackle and one clearance in the defeat as he was run ragged by Heung-min Son for Spurs, who shone on the left wing.

If Liverpool aim to secure all three points, then targeting the 34-year-old could be one way of piling on more misery for City this weekend, that’s for sure.

Who will Slot unleash on the left flank, however?

The Liverpool star who can terrorise Walker

There is no denying how impressive Luis Diaz has been this term, registering 11 goal contributions – nine goals and two assists – in just 18 matches under Slot.

Against Real Madrid in midweek, Diaz wasn’t quite at his sparkling best, missing two big chances, winning just two of his nine ground duels and losing possession ten times during the clash.

Cody Gakpo entered the game with 20 minutes left, taking over from Darwin Núñez, and he ended up getting on the scoresheet along with succeeding with 100% of his dribbles and making one key pass.

Although he was deployed through the middle against the La Liga side, perhaps Slot could unleash the Dutchman on the left flank so he can terrorise Walker this afternoon.

In the Premier League last season, Gakpo ranked in the top 15% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.69) and in the top 28% for progressive carries per 90 (2.35), clearly indicating that he could be a major threat out wide for the Reds.

During the 2022 World Cup, Statman Dave hailed his performance against Qatar as “unstoppable” and if he can replicate this sort of form, Walker is in for a rough 90 minutes, that’s for sure.

The Anfield side have a wonderful chance to stretch their advantage at the top of the table with a victory against City. If they do, then Slot’s men could be difficult to catch in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool eyeing move for "amazing" ace who stole show in front of scouts

He could become their replacement for Mohamed Salah.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 30, 2024

Since India’s line-up comes with a reputation for piling it on, South Africa want everyone firing, and Faf du Plessis is the batsman who needs igniting

Firdose Moonda in Melbourne20-Feb-2015A South African, an Australian and a cricket pitch. You think you know where this is going, right? Wrong.The protagonists were eye to eye but only for as long as it took for Michael Hussey to adjust the grill of Faf du Plessis’ helmet. The South African No. 3 may not let many Australians get that close to his face but Hussey is different.For much of the tail end of a lengthy training session – South Africa’s third in as many days – Hussey gave du Plessis throwdowns. “Start on a good length and then we can do a bit more,” du Plessis instructed. After a few deliveries, Hussey noticed something. He stopped delivering the ball, approached du Plessis, rearranged the helmet and then seemed to explain something about du Plessis’ head falling away as he stepped into his stroke.Those little things are what Hussey is there for as South Africa prepare for a crunch clash with India where they expect the battle lines to be drawn on batting prowess. Since India’s line-up comes with a reputation for piling it on, South Africa want everyone firing and du Plessis is the batsman who needs igniting.He last scored a century 13 innings ago, in the triangular tournament in Zimbabwe and although he has managed three half-centuries since then, he had a particularly poor tour of Australia last November. He scored just 97 runs across the five matches and was out to short balls three times, a delivery which rose off a length once and a slower ball delivered by Pat Cummins in the final game. His struggles seem to be in shot selection and that was what Hussey appeared to be assisting him with.But there would have been other things Hussey would have been talking to du Plessis about too. The Australian media have dubbed Hussey South Africa’s “anti-choking” coach, whose calm demeanour and patience they hope will rub off on a team which has proved pliable under pressure in the past. Du Plessis is one of the men who have cracked before, notably at the 2011 World Cup where he was involved in the on-filed scuffle and run-out which saw South Africa’s quarter-final chase unravel and even though he has matured much since then, he has not been tested under similar heat.If anyone has the advice which will cool him down, it will be Hussey. The duo are IPL team-mates whose relationship developed from competition for the same spot and has blossomed into a friendship celebrated with wine, appreciative tweets and now, net sessions.When Hussey was unavailable for Chennai Super Kings for the first half of the 2012 season because of international commitments, du Plessis was asked to replace him at the top of the order. He exceeded expectations and struck three fifties in 12 innings which caught the eye of even the South African selectors who saw the sense in deploying du Plessis higher up the order. It took time before the No. 3 spot become permanently available in both Tests and ODIs but in that time, du Plessis established himself, both at the IPL and as international cricketer.He made his Test debut in Adelaide and on the eve of the match, Hussey presented him with a bottle of some of his country’s best. Du Plessis may have thought he’d have to use it for drowning sorrows after Australia posted a towering 550, of which Hussey contributed a century. Instead, du Plessis drank the wine in celebration of his own maiden century and a saved Test.Later that summer, Hussey retired from Test cricket and du Plessis posted this: “Mike Hussey = Mr Cricket. Enough said.” His respect for his IPL team-mate was obvious, especially over the past three days in Melbourne.Hussey spent a lot of the first session he had with the team at St Kilda Cricket Club chatting with du Plessis and a significant part of the third working with him. Should it to translate into a big score come Sunday, South Africa will have another reason to eye a trophy come March 29. And the jibe about the South African, the Australian and the cricket pitch may be made a lot more times.

Stats highlights from another day when Australia were utterly dominant, with both bat and ball

S Rajesh06-Nov-20154.26 Australia’s run rate through their innings of 556 for 4 declared – they got there in 130.2 overs. Among the 105 innings that have lasted at least 100 overs at the Gabba, only one has a higher run rate: last year against India, Australia galloped to 505 off 109.4 overs, a rate of 4.60.4 Instances that Australia have declared their innings, out of the last six times that they have batted first at the Gabba. This innings was similar to their effort against Sri Lanka in 2007, when they declared at 551 for 4; they then bowled Sri Lanka out twice to win by an innings and 40 runs.1993 The last time Australia’s first four wickets added more than 556 runs in a Test innings; that was in the Ashes Test at Lord’s, when the top three all got hundreds, and Nos. 4 and 5 passed 75. Overall, this is only the 12th instance of Australia’s top four wickets combining to score 500-plus runs.174 Usman Khawaja’s score, which is more than twice his previous-best in Tests; in 17 previous innings, he had never made more than 65. This century has lifted his career average from 25.13 to 34.43.5 Instances of a No. 3 batsman scoring more than 174 in a Gabba Test. Three of those innings were by Don Bradman, who also has the highest score here by a No. 3 batsman – 226 against South Africa in 1931. The last time a No. 3 scored more at the Gabba was nine years ago, when Ricky Ponting made 196 against England.1 Fifty-plus scores for Kane Williamson in Tests against Australia. Before this innings, his best in four innings against Australia was 34, and he’d scored 72 at an average of 18.2 Spinners whose economy rates in Test cricket are worse than Mark Craig’s 3.66, among those who have bowled at least 400 overs. The only ones are Moeen Ali (ER 3.90) and Ian Salisbury (3.70). In the Australian innings, Craig’s economy rate was 5.03, which is already the fourth time in his 11-Test career that he has gone at five or more runs an over (when he has bowled 15 or more overs in an innings).31.75 Ross Taylor’s average in 12 Tests since the beginning of 2014: in 22 innings during this period he has only one century. In the two previous years – 2012 and 2013 – he had averaged 62.40 in 20 Tests, with six hundreds in 35 innings.

The start of the third T20I between West Indies and India in St Kitts on Tuesday has been pushed back by 90 minutes. Instead of 10.30am local time [8pm IST], the match will now begin at 12pm local time [9.30pm IST], with the toss to take place at 11.30am.Related

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The match timings have been revised to give the players extra time to recover after the second T20I on Monday began three hours behind schedule following a delay in the arrival of the players’ luggage and kits from Trinidad, the venue of the first T20I on July 29.Due to the logistical hurdles resulting in the delayed arrival of the teams’ kits, three India players ended up wearing team-mates’ shirts: Suryakumar Yadav and Avesh Khan were seen wearing Arshdeep Singh’s No. 2 shirt.After Tuesday’s game, the teams are due to fly to Lauderhill in Florida, where the last two matches of the series are scheduled to take place on August 6 and 7.”Following the delayed start on Monday, the teams have agreed to start the third Goldmedal T20 Cup match at a later time to ensure that the players receive adequate rest and recover time for the back-to-back matches in St Kitts and in consideration of the back-to-back matches to come in Florida,” a CWI release said. “Stadium gates will open at 10:30am. Tickets are still available from the stadium box office for the matches in St Kitts with mounds/grounds tickets at US$15/EC$40 and seats from US$30/EC$80, or can be purchased directly through Windies Tickets, presented by Mastercard at “tickets.windiestickets.com” to save direct to your mobile device.”After two T20Is, the series is level 1-1, with West Indies pulling off a five-wicket win at Warner Park on Monday to come back from a 68-run defeat in the series-opener. Opener Brandon King’s 68 set the platform for West Indies in a chase of 139 after left-arm quick Obed McCoy picked up 6 for 17 – the best figures by a West Indies bowler in T20Is – to help bowl India out with two balls still remaining.