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Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla blitzed a century each, became South Africa’s most prolific ODI pair of all-time and scripted their biggest win by 10 wickets in ODI history

The Report by Firdose Moonda15-Oct-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details AFPQuinton de Kock and Hashim Amla blitzed a century each, became South Africa’s most prolific ODI pair of all-time and scripted their biggest win by 10 wickets in ODI history. South Africa’s mockery of a 279-run target followed Bangladesh’s own record-setting after they chose to bat in the first ODI. Mushfiqur Rahim became the first Bangladesh batsman to score a century against South Africa in any format and led his team to their highest total against this opposition. But those efforts barely challenged the hosts.On a flat track in Kimberley, where anything under 300 was considered sub-par, Bangladesh were at least 50 runs short. Mushfiqur did his bit, but found scant assistance. Imrul Kayes was the only other player to score more than 30 against a weakened South African attack.The home pack were already plagued by absentees through injury and lost a further 65 caps when Wayne Parnell could not be considered for selection after picking up a groin strain. Dane Paterson was handed a debut. It was a baptism of fire for Paterson, who conceded at 7.66 to the over and went wicketless after being tasked with sharing the new ball with Kagiso Rabada.As the most experienced quick, Rabada took on the task of leading the attack. He produced an aggressive six-over new-ball spell, in which he took 1 for 11 and then returned to take 3 for 25 in three overs at the end.In between that, South Africa’s second-string seamers operated around Imran Tahir, but did not present much of a challenge. Paterson and Andile Phehlukwayo did not have the pace threaten Bangladesh while Dwaine Pretorius fared decently when replicating Rabada’s short-ball tactics – though he leaned more towards slower bouncers.While Bangladesh cashed in on the scoring opportunities Paterson and Phehlukwayo presented, they had too few substantial partnerships. Only Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur (59 runs) and Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah (69) sharing in stands of over 50. Even though South Africa did not apply sustained pressure, the incisions they made counted.After Shakib became the fastest player to the double of 5000 ODI runs and 200 wickets, he fell to crafty captaincy. Faf du Plessis kept a slip in place when Tahir was bowling and Shakib edged a googly into Hashim Amla’s hands. Tahir was effective in the middle overs and made a nuisance of himself to the Bangladesh batsmen.He had an lbw appeal against Mushfiqur when he was on 41 and tried to run a googly down to third man. Mushfiqur was hit on the back pad flap outside the line and South Africa did not review. In Tahir’s next over, Mahmudullah missed a sweep and was hit on the pad. South Africa reviewed but the impact was outside the line.Mahmudullah provided one of the highlights of the innings when he charged Rabada and tonked him back over his head for six but the bullishness did not last long. He top-edged a pull off Pretorius and David Miller took the catch to put the brakes on Bangladesh.Mushfiqur was on 79 at the time and pushed on with Sabbir Rahman at the other end. A six over square leg off Paterson took him past 80, and twin reverse-sweeps off Tahir into the 90s. His century came up with a push through the covers, off the 108th ball he faced. Cameos from the tail-enders took Bangladesh over 270 but not as far as 300, though even that may not have been enough.De Kock and Amla treated the chase like batting practice and denied their team-mates the chance to experience the same. Bangladesh’s bowlers also seemed to have bought into that mindset, with neither swing nor spin on offer and simply fed deliveries to the opening pair to hit.Rubel Hossain’s first ball was overpitched and swinging in to Quinton de Kock. He clipped it for four and didn’t stop at all from there. De Kock’s runs came mostly through the leg side at first and then shifted all around the wicket. His fifty came up off 56 balls with an inventive flick over his shoulder. He had been scoring at a similar rate to Amla up to that point but then took more of the strike and accelerated past him. His century came up off 100 balls.Amla’s fifty was off 48 balls but he was happy to let de Kock take centrestage thereafter. A hallmark of Amla’s innings was his ability to rotate strike and prevent dot balls from accumulating. Amla only scored four boundaries in his first fifty runs, and eight in his century. By the time Amla got to his hundred, de Kock was eight away from 150, and had already registered his second-highest ODI score. Had Bangladesh set a higher target, de Kock may have gone on to surpass his 178 against Australia.To rub salt in Bangladesh’s wounds, they only created two chances and fluffed both. At the start of the 38th over, when Amla, on 94, drove a ball back to Taskin Ahmed, the bowler could not hold on in his follow-through. Then, with the match all but gone in the 43rd over, de Kock smashed one to Nasir Hossain at long-on. Nasir had to jump to take the catch over his head and could not hold on.South Africa had no problems, other than the fact that the rest of their line-up, which included AB de Villiers on his international comeback and David Miller in his 100th ODI, did not bat.

As new Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou walked in the door earlier this summer, rumours were rife that the ex-Celtic boss was plotting something of a mass squad exodus in order to spark a rapid improvement on last season's collective woes.

Fast forward a few months, however, and the only notable sale has been that of Harry Winks to Championship side Leicester City, with that expected clearout having yet to take shape despite the raft of incomings that have arrived at N17.

One man who does look likely to be on his way before the close of the window is usual everpresent, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with 90min having suggested back in June that the Lilywhites were open to offers for the 27-year-old.

Will Tottenham sell Hojbjerg?

At present, it looks as if the Danish maestro – who has missed just five Premier League games across the last three seasons – is set to be on his way to La Liga side Atletico Madrid, with Football Insider claiming that such a sale could recoup a fee of around £25m.

The belief is, however, that a departure for the former Southampton man – who made the move to the capital on a £15m deal back in 2020 – won't be sanctioned unless a replacement is found, with the likes of Conor Gallagher and Douglas Luiz having been mooted as potential options of late.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Rather than splashing the cash on those figures – with Gallagher, in particular, reportedly set to fetch £50m – Postecoglou could save the club millions by looking to the academy ranks instead, with young Matthew Craig one such talent who could be deserving of a more prominent role in the first team.

Who is Matthew Craig?

It is fair to say that promoting from within was not too high on the agenda during Antonio Conte's time in charge, with reports indicating that staff at Tottenham had been left 'disillusioned' by the Italian's approach with regard to the academy – among other issues.

On current evidence, however, it looks as if Postecoglou could be a different kettle of fish, with football.london's Alasdair Gold writing only recently that the 57-year-old 'likes working with young players', hence bringing in the likes of Micky van de Ven (22) and Alejo Veliz (19).

As far as Craig is concerned, the 20-year-old midfielder will be hoping he can be a real beneficiary of that change in the dugout, with the Scotland youth international having already enjoyed a brief taste of senior action last term after making his top-flight debut on the final day against Leeds United.

Having signed a new deal last month that runs until 2026, the Barnet-born maestro is evidently a player that the north Londoners are excited about, with the aforementioned Gold hailing him for his versatility, as he can feature as a defensive midfielder or at centre-back and full-back if required.

Of course, the loss of an experienced figure like Hojbjerg – who has been described as a 'fantastic leader' by former youth coach John Ranum – would leave something of a void in the centre of the park, although having also dubbed himself a "leader", Craig may be ready to step up to the plate.

One notable strength that the youngster possesses is his creative quality as he recorded five assists in 26 Premier League 2 games last term, with that same number as what Hojbjerg racked up in the top flight from 35 outings.

Equally, while the latter man showcased his ball-winning strength in 2022/23 after averaging 1.5 tackles per game, young Craig recorded the same average from his two EFL Trophy appearances last term, thus illustrating that he is on track to emulate the one-time Bayern Munich man.

Although it would be a gamble for Postecoglou to put his faith in the £900-per-week playmaker, the Greek-Aussie should well be keen to showcase that his tenure will be different to the last, with the academy not merely something of an afterthought…

Former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere has shared a great Instagram post after meeting up with the club's iconic manager Arsene Wenger for the first time in five years.

Did Jack Wilshere recently meet up with Arsene Wenger?

In many ways, the pair are a perfect representation of the latter Wenger days in north London. All the talent and potential to achieve great things, but in the end, things just didn't work out as so many would have hoped.

After all, Wilshere burst onto the scene as a youngster with Arsenal and looked set to reach the top. Indeed, while still a teenager, "Super Jack" made the step up from the Hale End academy to the first team as he made 35 Premier League appearances in 2010/11 and won the division's Young Player of the Year award.

And with Wenger as his guide, many expected glory to follow as the English midfielder developed over the next few years. Sadly, though, as we all know, a number of major injuries prevented Wilshere from fulfilling his potential.

Even so, the pair are still fondly remembered by the Arsenal faithful for both representing the beautiful football played at The Arsenal when each were at their best.

And Wenger has been back at the club of late, as the Gunners recently erected a statue in his honour outside the Emirates. With the Frenchman back in town, Wilshere and his former coach were pictured together as they spoke in person for the first time in years.

The 31-year-old, who now coaches Arsenal's U18s, shared an Instagram post from his official account, saying: "First time seeing the Boss since 2018. His Love and Passion for our club is still just as strong. Also not a bad brain to pick about developing young players."

What has Jack Wilshere said about his injuries?

As alluded to before, fitness struggles were a key reason why Wilshere and Wenger never achieved greater things together in north London, and the midfielder recently detailed just how bad it was for him.

Speaking to Ben Foster on The Fozcast (via Daily Mail), the 31-year-old explained: "My first injury was my worst and I paid a lot for that. It was my right ankle, it was like the talus, which is basically you have your fib and then this little bone that sits on top of your fib and your ankle joint and I fractured that.

"I went to see the specialist surgeon and he was like 'I've never seen that. We've seen it in one person.' It was a snowboarder, you could imagine their ankles are locked in and they can bend it like that.

"So they got in another guy, a specialist to do the surgery, and I didn't know this until a few years later, so I then went back, it must have been about six years later I was 25 and went back to see the surgeon and he was like 'oh, you're still playing?'."

Despite his injury issues, Wilshere still managed to win the FA Cup twice under Wenger, while also scoring one of the most pleasing Premier League goals of all time – you know the one – so it's fair to say he didn't have a bad career while with the club.

Unfortunately, though, it promised so much and ultimately never quite scaled those heights.

Following series defeats in New Zealand and India, and an early Champions Trophy exit, Australia’s domestic tournament presents ample opportunity for players to stake a claim for a place in the national side

Daniel Brettig26-Sep-2017For the 98 players selected across seven squads for Australia’s domestic limited-overs competition, the sight of an underperforming national team being carved up by India in the ongoing ODI series, after an early Champions Trophy elimination in June, preceded by a series defeat in New Zealand earlier in the year, essentially means one thing: opportunity.Though the national selectors have recently shown a bent more developmental than performance-based – see Sam Heazlett in New Zealand and Hilton Cartwright in India – the current trend of poor ODI results demands that those who raise their hands in the tournament, to be played over the next month, must be given due consideration for the matches that follow this summer’s Ashes series.Such selections would lead, in turn, to long-term preparations for the 2019 World Cup, where Australia will be, despite the underwhelming nature of current appearances, the defending champions of a title lifted at home in 2015. Among the players selected in the squads of the six states, no fewer than 20 have played ODI matches for Australia before, and will thus want to return to the national team, with substantial length of time on their hands, to secure a spot ahead of the global tournament.That’s without mentioning plenty of youthful talents who aspire to a first cap, not least the wicketkeepers, who, on Sunday, were subjected to the sight of Peter Handscomb – a decent gloveman but not his state’s first choice – replacing Matthew Wade behind the stumps at Indore.For defending champions New South Wales (NSW), an initial visit west to Perth takes the Blues out of the early season comfort zone they have enjoyed for the most part since the tournament was given a largely Sydney-centric base in 2013. Their captain for the early part of the tournament, at least, will be Moises Henriques, one of many players to have been shuffled into and out of the ODI team over the past 12 months.At the age of 30, Henriques is now vastly experienced and a known and respected personality in the domestic circuit. But his underwhelming international record seems scant reward for the years of investment placed in him by both NSW and Australia since he was first identified as a precocious teenage talent well over a decade ago. Looking towards India from afar, Henriques hoped the touring party was looking as much at process as results.”You should always be concerned with results, but also the process as to why that’s happening,” he said. “It’s not ideal; you always want to be winning, because you’re always a bit happier when you’re winning. The players are going to be happier if they’re winning, but I don’t think it’s going to be a direct correlation to how we’ll go here in the summer.”Especially being back at home and having hopefully all of our quicks available, which will be a huge advantage. But you’ve got to ask questions why results aren’t happening and if they’re related to the process then that’s a bit of a concern, but I’ve only been able to watch the first half of the ODIs, and every time I’ve gone to bed Australia have looked in a really good position, so I don’t know what’s happened after that.”Despite his many feats for Australia in Tests, Nathan Lyon seems unwanted as a limited-overs bowler•Getty ImagesAnother member of the NSW squad who has, thus far, seemed unwanted as a limited-overs bowler is Nathan Lyon, despite his many feats for Australia in Tests. Henriques suggested that the passage of the India series demonstrated the advantages of choosing a genuinely wicket-taking spin bowler or two.”What Gaz [Lyon] can do, and we saw it over there in the [Bangladesh] Test matches, he can take wickets the whole way throughout,” Henriques said. “That’s what you want in a one-day game and that’s what we’ve seen with the attacking Indian spinners: they’ve just taken wickets the whole way through the middle order of their innings, which continually puts pressure on the batting side.”Gaz is a wicket-taker, and in one-day cricket we’ve seen that when he comes back and plays for the Sixers in T20 cricket, he’s won us a few games. Last year, in the [50-over] final, he took 4 for 10 off his 10 overs and just kept taking wickets through those middle overs. He’s such an attacking bowler that you can set more defensive fields and let his aggressive bowling nature take over. I’m sure he wants to play; it’s just a matter of the opportunity for someone like Nathan.”First up on the fixture is South Australia’s meeting with the developmental Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane on Wednesday, where Daniel Worrall and Alex Carey will be among several Redbacks pushing for higher honours. “In Brisbane, it usually swings around a bit and that helps our bowling line-up, myself and Nick Winter, Spencer Johnson is a new kid coming up and then Joe Mennie, of course,” Worrall said. “If we can get the ball talking up front, it’ll give us a huge advantage.”It’s just a matter of bringing all aspects of our game together and putting a good performance in. We’ve got a lot of guys who are a bit more experienced now, a couple of newer guys, but our middle order now has been settled for three or four years, so we’ll be looking for those guys to fire.”I’m as fit as I’ve been for a few years at least. The ball’s coming out nicely but you never really know until the game starts. I can’t wait to play with the Redbacks in one-day cricket again; I only got to play one game last year, so this time around, we’re hopefully going to go into the final and take it out.”

In an open letter, Darren Lehmann called on all stakeholders in Australian cricket – most pointedly past great cricketers – for any advice that would help turn around what has been a disappointing year for the national side

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2017Off-field disputes might have made most of the headlines in Australian cricket over the past ten months, but head coach Darren Lehmann is looking to put that firmly behind him. In an open letter, he called on all stakeholders in Australian cricket – most pointedly past great cricketers – for any advice that would help turn around what has been a disappointing year for the national side, and return to “where we belong”.”We as support staff are always looking for ways to improve and welcome any advice from you, so if you have any ideas however ‘out there’ they might be, please reply below,” Lehmann wrote. “Your advice is always helpful. After all, we as players both past and present don’t have all the answers and as support staff we are always looking for the best way to drive us forward in the game.”Addressing the letter to the “past and current players and members of CA and ACA”, Lehmann did not shirk away from acknowledging results weren’t “as we would have liked” in the past year, but also mounted a staunch defence of his players’ training, work ethic and desire. He sought to dispel “misconceptions” that fast bowlers didn’t bowl enough, saying that their training regimen ensured that was “not the case at the highest level”.While much of the content of the letter reads like a fairly standard case of a coach defending his beleaguered team against what he felt was unwarranted criticism, it is the repeated invitation to past players to get more involved with everyday preparations that stands out.”It was only 12 months ago we were number 1 in Tests and One Dayers and for us to get back there it will only happen with all of us going in the one direction and supporting Australian cricket. If at any point you would like to come into the change rooms or to come along to training and see how we do things and prepare, please let us know and we can facilitate the process. The players and staff love seeing you guys around and taking through the game you played.”The recent pay dispute that brought Australian cricket to a standstill was resolved ahead of a key period for Australian cricket. A two-Test series in Bangladesh begins on August 27, before the side heads off for a limited-overs tour of India. That is followed by an Ashes series and a full tour of South Africa which concludes in March 2018.

Life at Manchester United does not seem to be getting any easier for former skipper, Harry Maguire, with the struggling Englishman seemingly in need of a fresh start amid his mounting woes at Old Trafford.

Having recently been stripped of the captaincy by manager Erik ten Hag, the 30-year-old – who started just eight Premier League games last season – was also on the receiving end of a visible rant from new signing Andre Onana during the recent 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in pre-season.

It would appear that the former Leicester City man – who has been the subject of a £20m offer from West Ham United – has fallen way down the defensive pecking order of late, with rumours rife that he could be on his way before the September deadline.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

If the £80m signing is to find a new home over the coming weeks, Ten Hag will likely be keen to find a suitable replacement to help bolster his centre-back options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Who could replace Maguire at Man United?

The Red Devils had been heavily linked with a move for Monaco star, Axel Disasi, in recent months, although as journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed, despite showing an "interest" in the Frenchman, it would appear that he is on his way to rivals Chelsea on a €45m (£38m) deal.

Amid that potential setback, reports in Spain have indicated in recent days that United are among the clubs to have made an offer for RB Leipzig sensation, Josko Gvardiol, with both Manchester City and Liverpool also keen on signing the exciting 21-year-old.

Although valued at a rather steep €100m (£86m), as per the report, the signing of the Croatian international could allow the Old Trafford outfit to forget all about the Stamford Bridge-bound, Disasi.

Should Man United sign Josko Gvardiol?

A player currently "at the beginning of something very special" in his career – according to talent scout Jacek Kulig – Gvardiol could prove to be a dream fit for Ten Hag due to his ability to feature as a natural, left-sided defender, unlike Disasi, with the former Ajax boss having previously outlined his preference to have a left-footer in that role.

With Lisandro Martinez currently the only other left-footed option at the heart of the defence – excluding usual full-back Luke Shaw – it would make sense to bring Gvardiol into the fold to provide further competition and cover, with Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane to be deployed on the opposite side.

The Leipzig rock's quality on the ball would make him a particularly astute option for United as the youngster regularly looks to play out from the back, notably ranking in the top 1% among his European peers for attempted passes, as well as in the top 4% for successful take-ons.

Disasi, by contrast, ranks in just the top 46% and the top 7% for those same two metrics, respectively, thus indicating that Gvardiol would be a worthy alternative in the search to find a replacement for Maguire.

Also able to offer the benefit of his ability to feature at left-back, the versatile, Zagreb native also showcased his defensive class in the Bundesliga last term after averaging 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game, with Disasi only just ahead after averaging 2.3 in that regard in Ligue 1 – as both men performed better than Maguire (1.3 tackles and interceptions per game in 2022/23).

Those similarities between the pair with regard to their ball-playing and ball-winning quality would suggest that even if United are forced to watch Disasi head to west London, they could forget all about the former Reims ace by snapping up a younger option, like Gvardiol, instead.

Tottenham Hotspur have well and truly kickstarted the Ange Postecoglou reign with a few key deals and a clear shift in style, but there could be one more incoming to cap off a fine summer of revolution…

Is Elye Wahi joining Tottenham Hotspur?

Although having only been linked earlier this week, it remains a hot topic of conversation that the Lilywhites could be set to involve themselves in the race to sign Elye Wahi.

The Montpellier man, who has enjoyed a fine couple of years in his homeland, has come of interest to many top European clubs seeking to add the lethal 20-year-old to their ranks.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

However, his €40m (£34m) price tag remains a stumbling block, capable of putting off many of his suitors. This would not be the case for Spurs though, as the unusually free-spending nature of Daniel Levy thus far in the window suggests there is no telling who he might bring in next.

How good is Elye Wahi?

To snag a French star from Ligue 1, fresh from an outstanding season, would be to repeat the success of old from within north London.

After all, although his powers might have waned more recently, Hugo Lloris was a famous export from that division, having moved from Lyon back in 2012.

The young shot-stopper joined as part of Andre Villas-Boas' transformative summer, and whilst the Portuguese boss would later be dismissed, his signing has remained for the 11 years following, featuring under seven permanent bosses.

He is a true Spurs legend, having made 447 appearances for the club and becoming the club captain more recently, and was once one of the Premier League's paramount keepers.

During the 2018/19 campaign, he would maintain a 7.12 average rating, buoyed by his 12 clean sheets, 3.1 saves per game at a success rate of 71%, via Sofascore. That was the highest rating of any goalkeeper that year in the league.

Should Wahi join and hit the ground running, becoming even half as influential as the 36-year-old titan came to be, Postecoglou and Levy would both be delighted.

Last term saw the youngster find the net 19 times in the league, assisting a further six. He shows steady progress from the year prior, where he would notch just ten times, suggesting that the sky really is the limit for his scoring.

Such fine form and a rise to prominence have led to praise from many, with ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo noting:

"He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

This level of ingenuity and quality could mark a perfect partner or even long-term replacement for Harry Kane, whose future still remains uncertain.

Lloris enjoyed a lengthy stay in north London, and although he remains their player, it is widely accepted that this summer will be his last.

He will likely leave a hero, with former teammate and compatriot Clement Lenglet having suggested so with regard to his national team:

"To all French people, he's a legend because he's a very good person, a very good professional, an amazing goalkeeper. He's one of the best players in the history of the French national team."

Wahi will be hoping to earn that level of fame amongst the Spurs support, who in ten years' time will look back at Lloris' spell with fondness rather than the frustration it ended with.

With five of their first-choice players contracted with CPL franchises, an opportunity arises for the tested USA players to be tried

Peter Della Penna01-Aug-2017Offspinner Muhammad Ghous, who was dropped last year after captaining USA at the 2015 World T20 Qualifier in Ireland, has been recalled in a 14-man squad picked for USA’s T20 matches against St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Jamaica Tallawahs in Lauderhill, Florida on August 2 and 3.The games are being used as preparation for both CPL teams ahead of their season-opening slate in Florida beginning on August 5 while also providing USA’s players with a chance to impress against higher-profile opponents. These matches will be USA’s first games since they failed to gain promotion from WCL Division Three in Uganda this past May.USA squad

Camilus Alexander, Fahad Babar, Davion Davidson (wk), Muhammad Ghous, Elmore Hutchinson, Nosthush Kenjige, Jaskaran Malhotra (wk), Japen Patel, Mrunal Patel, Nisarg Patel, Usman Rafiq, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Abdullah Syed

“These matches are a great opportunity for USA to compete against some of the best in the world,” USA selection chairman Ricardo Powell said. “Initiatives such as these are of critical importance for the development of our playing group and we are grateful to the CPL, St. Kitts [& Nevis] Patriots and Jamaica Tallawahs for arranging these practice matches in the lead up to the USA-leg of the tournament.”The door for Ghous’ return was opened by five of USA’s first-choice players being unavailable due to their involvement with CPL franchises. They include captain Steven Taylor (Guyana Amazon Warriors), allrounder Timroy Allen (Tallawahs), wicketkeeper Akeem Dodson (Barbados Tridents), fast bowler Ali Khan (Warriors) and legspinner Timil Patel (St Lucia Stars).Along with Taylor, the rest of USA’s batting top-four from Division Three – Sagar Patel, Ibrahim Khaleel and Alex Amsterdam – were all omitted due to unavailability on short notice. Sagar and Khaleel are both currently in Europe on previously arranged time away while New York-based Amsterdam was unable to get leave from work, according to sources. Batsman Nicholas Standford, who was part of the squad in Uganda, is also believed to have been unavailable due to work commitments.That presents opportunities to impress for a host of uncapped players including 37-year-old former Sri Lankan first-class batsman Roy Silva, Davion Davidson and Jaskaran Malhotra. Silva and Davidson were both part of USA training squads at trials held in Texas earlier this year but did not make the final cut for the 14-man squad taken to Uganda for Division Three.Former Sri Lankan first-class batsman Roy Silva also has the opportunity to make his USA debut•Peter Della PennaMalhotra, 28, has been on the selection radar due to his high scores in private T20 tournaments held around the country but, like Silva, had not completed the ICC’s four-year residency requirement until recently. The maximum of two four-year resident non-citizen players in a playing XI for ICC tournaments has been relaxed for these games against the CPL teams, which has opened the door for not just Silva, Davidson and Malhotra but also Nisarg Patel and Camilus Alexander to all appear in the same squad.Former USA Under-19 allrounder Nisarg is yet to make his USA senior debut but played for USA against a CPL Invitational XI last year in Lauderhill. The same goes for offspinner Usman Rafiq, also included in this squad.Of the team that went to Uganda, only six players were retained for the two CPL games. Along with Alexander, the others kept in are opener Fahad Babar, who sat on the bench all tournament with a hand injury, allrounder Mrunal Patel and bowlers Elmore Hutchinson, Jessy Singh and Nosthush Kenjige.Apart from Ghous, the two other players who have been recalled are hard-hitting batsman Abdullah Syed and allrounder Japen Patel. Syed was dropped after a run of low scores during USA’s Division Four winning run last year in Los Angeles while Japen has not played for USA since the 2015 World T20 Qualifier.The two games for USA are part of a series of development initiatives organised by the CPL in Florida ahead of twin double-headers on August 5 and 6. The CPL is also working with the ICC Americas staff to run training seminars for USA-based coaches and umpires during the week.”The Hero CPL is firmly committed to spreading the game of cricket in the USA and these matches are just another example of this,” Damien O’Donohoe, CPL chief executive, said. “We see so much potential for growth of cricket in the USA and we want to make sure we are doing all we can to help that cause.”

Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez is suddenly "very close" to joining Russian side Spartak Moscow this summer, according to recent reports.

Who will leave Spurs?

New manager Ange Postecoglou is overseeing an N17 overhaul with a trio of new signings through the door in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon.

Having spent in and around £60 million, not including permanent deals for Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski, Spurs will be focusing on outgoings as well as the signing of a star defender or two.

Reports suggest that the north Londoners want a new centre-back next, with Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer all linked.

However, before moving for a player in that position, it could be important to offload some deadwood. Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier and Ben Davies have all been tipped to potentially leave, while Spurs could also offload Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon (The Telegraph).

Lloris, speaking to Nice-Matin recently, even admitted that he could leave this window and calls this year the "end of an era" at Tottenham.

“We have reached an important moment, whether it be for the club or me,” said Lloris.

“It’s the end of an era. I have a desire for something else. I will carefully study what is possible. However, I haven’t forgotten that I have a year left on my contract at Tottenham, and in football, it’s always hard to predict what will happen."

Harry Winks has already left to join Leicester City, but so far, that has been their only confirmed exit. However, according to Win Sports TV journalist Pipe Sierra, Sanchez could soon follow the Englishman.

Sierra, a Colombian sports reporter, claims that the 27-year-old is "very close" to becoming a new Spartak Moscow player and there is "already an agreement" between the clubs.

Now, Spartak hope to "close" Sanchez's personal terms imminently, with that being the last step in these advanced talks.

"EXCL. Davinson Sánchez (27) is very close to becoming a new #SpartakMoscow player," wrote Sierra on Twitter.

"There is already an agreement with #Tottenham and they hope to close the Colombian's personal terms in the next few hours. The defender does not look badly on his arrival in Russian football."

How good is Davinson Sanchez?

The South American defender has struggled at Spurs over these last 12 months, having come under fierce criticism whilst failing to establish himself as a key member of their starting eleven.

It could well be time for him to move on from Hotspur Way, but club legend and former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has held Sanchez in very high esteem previously.

The ex-Tottenham boss even hailed Sanchez as a "beast" once upon a time, mainly for his efforts playing two games back-to-back in a 48-hour period.

"For me, the surprise was Davinson Sanchez," said Pochettino in 2018.

"He was a beast playing two games in less than 48 hours. He has done very well, he is very strong physically and mentally. Today he was fantastic on the pitch, to praise him isn't enough, the effort was fantastic."

For Australia this is a must-win game; for England, a victory would continue their winning momentum into the semi-finals, but their real incentive must surely be the chance to eliminate their oldest foe

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale 09-Jun-2017Match facts
June 10, 2017
Start time 10.30am local (0930 GMT)2:28

Fleming: England have the resources to finish off innings

Big pictureWhich was the only undefeated team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup? It wasn’t Spain, for although they finished the tournament as champions, they lost a game to Switzerland in the group stage. No, the only side that went through the 2010 World Cup unbeaten was New Zealand, who drew all three of their group matches but failed to progress to the knockouts. It is a piece of trivia that pops up frequently in quizzes, but why is it relevant to the 2017 Champions Trophy? Because it is just possible that Australia could find themselves the answer to a similar question. If their final group match against England is washed out, and should England then fail to win the tournament, Australia would emulate the All Whites in 2010 in achieving an equally underwhelming exit.Such has been the frustration for Australia throughout this competition. Since they secured victory over Sri Lanka in a warm-up game at The Oval, Australia have had three games washed out: one further warm-up, and two matches in the tournament proper. Their third match, against England, is at Edgbaston, where not a single game has yet been played in this tournament without being affected by rain. The forecast for Saturday suggests rain in the morning and in the evening, which could allow enough time during daylight hours to complete a match – if the Met Office knows its stuff. Then again, if the past couple of days in the UK have proven anything, it is that the art of prediction is difficult, even for the experts.The scenario in Group A is simple. England are through to the semi-finals no matter what, and so too will Australia be if they beat England in this game. In the event of Australia losing or the game being washed out, Bangladesh will qualify alongside England. So for Australia this is a must-win game; for England, a victory would continue their winning momentum into the semi-finals, but their real incentive must surely be the chance to eliminate their oldest foe before they’ve even got started in the competition.Form guideEngland WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LLWWW3:10

Fleming: Probably the right time to replace Jason Roy

In the spotlightWho would you say is the leading ODI wicket taker of the past 12 months? Mitchell Starc? Kagiso Rabada? Nope. The answer is Liam Plunkett, the England fast bowler who is enjoying a career renaissance nearly 12 years after he made his debut for England. Plunkett is still only 32, with potentially several years of international cricket ahead of him, and in the one-day format he is peaking. Over the past year Plunkett has taken 43 ODI wickets, more than any other player (although Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, currently in the West Indies, might have overtaken him by the time this game starts). And a pair of four-fors to start the Champions Trophy means Plunkett is in fine form heading towards the business end of the tournament.Despite the wet weather, most of the Australians who have been selected in the first two games have either had a chance to bat or a decent spell with the ball, or in the case of Matthew Wade, kept wicket for nearly 90 overs. The exception is Glenn Maxwell, whose entire contribution so far has been a solitary over that cost nine runs against Bangladesh. If Plunkett has experienced a career renaissance over the past year, Maxwell has found himself at something of a career crossroads in the same period, struggling to hold his place in Australia’s side and in one case even being dropped by Victoria. And yet in the same time he has struck maiden centuries in Test and T20 international cricket. Maxwell has curiously been overtaken by Travis Head in Australia’s spin-bowling plans of late, and thus will be desperately waiting for a chance with the bat to – again – prove his value.Team newsEngland appear unlikely to make any changes, with struggling opener Jason Roy strongly backed to retain his position. Jake Ball, under scrutiny following an expensive outing against Bangladesh, bounced back superbly against New Zealand, stepping into Chris Woakes’ new-ball bowling boots to claim the Man of the Match award.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jake Ball.Having not completed an innings so far in the tournament, Australia have had limited chance to assess their batsmen. Chris Lynn could be in contention for a call-up, but less clear is who would sit out to accommodate him.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Moises Henriques, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Travis Head, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.Pitch and conditionsBig runs have been on offer at Edgbaston in this tournament, and this match should be no different. The pitch is new and will be good – it had been earmarked for Wednesday’s clash between Pakistan and South Africa but was too damp for use at the time – but there will also be rain in Birmingham on Saturday, the question is whether it will come at game time.Stats and trivia Against Bangladesh, David Warner became the fastest Australian to 4000 ODI runs and the equal third among all-comers, behind Hashim Amla and Viv Richards Eoin Morgan in this match will move into equal second on the list of ODIs captained for England; this game will take him to 62, alongside Andrew Strauss, and behind only Alastair Cook (69) Australia could be forgiven for expecting the worst from this game: of their past six ODIs at Edgbaston (a period stretching back to 2005), five have been washed out.Quotes”Our motivation is purely on keeping momentum going and playing well. We think we’re still learning, still trying to be as good as we can be. Who we’re playing on Saturday is irrelevant. It’s case of us continuing to do well.”
Paul Farbrace, England’s assistant coach, hopes his team can focus on performance rather than the identity of their opponents.“You can’t do much about it. You can’t control the weather, so for us it’s simple. We have to win the next game. That’s all we can do”