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West Ham manager David Moyes likes Brentford defender Rico Henry, journalist Jack Rosser has told Football FanCast.

Currently, Moyes has Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku to choose from when it comes to the left-back position.

However, the latter is sometimes used further forward, while he has also had a few injury problems during his time with West Ham, so the Hammers could perhaps do with a new left-back coming in.

According to Rosser, that is something they have been looking at, with Henry one name in particular that has caught Moyes’ attention.

“It’s somewhere they’ve always liked to strengthen,” the Evening Standard reporter said. “They’ve looked at a few left-backs in the past and Moyes likes Rico Henry at Brentford, but he’s not alone in that.”

Henry played a huge role in Brentford’s promotion-winning campaign last term.

The 24-year-old made 30 league starts as the Bees went on to beat Swansea City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley to earn a place in English football’s top flight.

Given that, Brentford will not want to sell the Englishman this summer. However, West Ham look in need of a left-back, so they should at least try test the water with a bid for Rico.

Mikael Lustig will be remembered fondly for his time at Celtic but it could have ended so differently.

The Swede’s debut for the Hoops didn’t go according to plan as he was blamed for a goal against Aberdeen.

However, in typical Lustig fashion, the defender bounced back and became an imperious, consistent figure.

Injuries often got the better of him but he became a fan favourite on his way to making 276 Celtic appearances and winning eight Premiership titles in a row.

Lustig eventually departed in 2019 as he moved to Gent in Belgium. With a lack of first-team right-backs now in their ranks, you could argue that the Bhoys miss his experience.

Well, fortunately, they could sign a like-minded player this summer in the form of Carl Starfelt.

Celtic have been linked with a £4m switch for the 26-year-old who also hails from Sweden.

Starfelt is a centre-half by trade, an area of the pitch that Lustig has featured in on the odd occasion. Appearing on 67 Hail Hail, journalist Anel Avdic made the following connection: “If he joins Celtic, I see a little bit of potential in him to be a new Mikael Lustig.”

Avdic made that point with a wry smile but it’s hard to ignore the comparisons, especially from a personality viewpoint.

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The reporter hailed his work rate and attitude, commenting: “He’s a fantastic man. I only have positive things to say about Carl.”

Lustig’s work rate was second to none as well but in terms of their defensive duels and distribution, they’re fairly similar.

Starfelt won 1.6 aerial duels per match last term, just 0.1 fewer than Celtic’s former Swede in terms of his career average.

Their reading of the play is also vastly similar with the Rubin Kazan defender registering 1.4 interceptions per game, a number that replicates Lustig’s average.

Both reliable and consistent performers, it was perhaps surprising that the latter made Sweden’s European Championship squad at the age of 34, rather than Starfelt.

Either way, the pair are reliable and consistent. You also have to go a long way to find a Swede that’s disappointed while donning the green and white hoops.

All being well, he should be as big a success as Lustig was in Paradise. Ange Postecoglou must ensure the defender becomes a Celtic player.

AND in other news, Celtic open talks to sign “unbelievable” 13-goal gem, he may end Christie’s Hoops stay…

An update has emerged on Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos, regarding Porto’s attempts to sign him…

What’s the talk?

According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Rangers have turned down a £10m (€12m) offer from Portuguese giants Porto for forward Alfredo Morelos. The Gers have rejected Porto’s opening salvo and are said to be in no rush to cash in on him.

Konor adds that Porto are not the only team interested in signing Morelos, although he has not dropped any specific names in terms of other clubs.

Disaster

Steven Gerrard must avoid a disaster for Rangers with Morelos this summer. The ex-Liverpool man cannot afford to be bullied into selling the attacker for less than he is worth to the club and rejecting this first bid from Porto is a promising first step in the transfer window.

Morelos has been a prolific scorer since joining the Scottish giants and has proven his worth over a number of seasons. The Colombian international has scored an impressive 94 goals, and provided 43 assists, in 182 competitive appearances for the club.

If a club has the finances to come in and blow Rangers away with a very attractive bid, then Ross Wilson and Gerrard will need to hold their hands up and realise that that money could go a long way to improving the squad. They could spend it on several additions and round out the overall strength of the squad to make up for the departure of Morelos.

The £33k-per-week dynamo leaving would be a blow to Gerrard’s squad and that is why they need to hold out for as much money as possible. Not only does he have a fantastic goalscoring record, but his peers are also full of praise for him. Speaking anonymously to The Athletic in 2019, a Scottish Premiership player labelled Morelos as “non-stop” and praised the way his movement made him difficult to defend: “In my experience, he is just non-stop.

“There’s never a time when he’s walking about or not interested in the game. He’s always involved, whether that’s taking you away or dragging you closer to the ball.

“He’s kind of dropping deep now and going out wide. That’s a nightmare for defenders because he’s your player that you’re meant to be man-marking but then you’re dragged out of position and you’ve got midfield runners taking his space. That means you need to start talking to your full-backs and centre-mids to start swapping players, which makes it a lot more difficult.”

Rangers have done well to reject Porto’s opening offer, they must stick to their guns and only allow Morelos to leave if a club makes a significantly larger offer. Selling a proven goalscorer on the cheap would be a disastrous move for the Gers.

AND in other news, “Better for his career” – Exclusive: Pundit drops verdict on £43k-p/w gem who snubbed Rangers…

The Jacques Rudolph run machine kept on running like a well tuned formula one motor as he scored his fifth successive hundred on Saturday

Keith Lane29-Jul-2002The Jacques Rudolph run machine kept on running like a well tuned formula one motor as he scored his fifth successive hundred on Saturday. Looking set to go to his sixth he walked in front of one and was given out lbw for 44 bringing to an end an unmatched record.In an incredible vein of form the youngster from Pretoria has scored 822 runs in his last 8 innings at an average of 205.5. With this kind of form he must be the number one candidate for the South Africa ‘A’ team due to meet Australian ‘A’ in a seven match one day series early in September.Martin van Jaarsveld, the leagues leading professional wicket taker, continues his form and has staked his claim for a place in the SA ‘A’ team. Scoring 86 and 127 over the weekend. He took 3-29 and 2-76 with the ball.Andrew Hall after a failure with the bat and the ball (5 and 0-23) on Saturday turned it around on Sunday scoring 112 and taking 3-51.Andre Seymore was in the runs scoring 64 and 61 but could only manage 1-34 and 0-13 with the ball.Con de Lange who will be returning home later this month to join a youthful South African squad for the Africa Cup in Lusaka made scores of 15 and 63 and took 5-39 and 3-74. Claude Henderson will be replacing De Lange in the East Lancs team.Pierre Joubert also in the squad for Lusaka made 13 and 96 taking 1-19 and 0-25.Paul Adams is already on his way home to join the national squad for the trip to Morocco. In his spell at Rishton this season, Adams took 37 wickets at 18.3 in a season ruined by rain that made pitches alien to the South African left arm spinner.The County Championships held mixed fortunes for the South African connection.Andrew Gait’s helped Derbyshire to a win over Northamptonshire with a career best 175 in the first innings and a five in the second.Sven Koenig made 33 and 53 as Middlesex drew with Gloucestershire.Warwickshire had a big win over Sussex with Shaun Pollock scoring 29 and 19* and taking 2-60. Neil Carter took 3-77 and 0-14 but scored 38. Pollock will soon be leaving the English scene to prepare for the national teams trip to Morocco.Neil Johnson 14 and 28 and 0-11 and 0-29 was together with Nic Pothas, 18 and 9, on the losing side as Lancashire beat Hampshire.Nottinghamshire beat Durham but it was not a good week for the South African trio. Boje scored two and took 1-40, Smith scored 10 and took 4-24 and 2-81 while Kevin Pieterson scored 37.The Norwich Union matches saw an improvement for some of the players with a 85 from Pietersen and a 60 from Boje. The two put on a partnership of 136 but it was not good enough with Durham winning by 44 runs.Carter took 2/67 in a loss for Warwickshire against Glamorgan.Koenig scored a duck but ended on the winning side for Middlesex against Essex.Hampshire lost to Lancashire with Pothas scoring four and Johnson 27. Johnson managed 3-45 with the ball.Gait was also on the losing side scoring 23 in a Derby seven wicket loss against Northamptonshire.

رفض الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” اعتماد ملعب مباراة مصر وإثيوبيا في تصفيات كأس الأمم الإفريقية المُقبلة 2023.

ومن المقرر أن تستضيف كوت ديفوار نهائيات كأس أمم إفريقيا في نسختها الرابعة والثلاثين خلال شهري يونيو ويوليو 2023.

وأوقعت قرعة تصفيات إمم إفريقيا مصر ضمن المجموعة الرابعة رفقة إثيوبيا ومالاوي وغينيا.

طالع أيضا.. عامر حسين: سنطالب بتغيير موعد مباراة مصر وغينيا بسبب نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا

ووفقًا لمصادر لـ “شبكة قنوات بي إن سبورتس”، فإن “كاف” رفض اعتماد ملعب مدينة بحر دار لاستضافة مباراة إثيوبيا ومصر في تصفيات كأس أمم إفريقيا.

يذكر أن منتخب مصر سيحل ضيفًا على إثيوبيا في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات، يوم الإثنين الموافق 6 يونيو.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped a gutting transfer blow for Leeds United on rumoured target Rodrigo De Paul.

What’s the story?

Reports last summer suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were very much interested in bringing the Argentina international to Elland Road, while The Athletic’s Phil Hay recently claimed that the midfielder actually wants to come to the Premier League to join up with the Whites.

In fact, reports from Football Insider even suggested that Leeds were “laying down the groundwork” for a big-money move for De Paul this summer, and that he was one of their “top targets” for the transfer window.

But now, via his official Twitter account, Romano revealed: “Rodrigo de Paul is set to join Atlético Madrid, confirmed. €35m final fee. After opening talks two weeks ago, Atléti now closing on final details to complete the agremeent. Contract until June 2026 to be signed soon.”

Bielsa will be gutted

The news that De Paul is now close to join Atletico Madrid will be a hammer blow to Bielsa, who pursued him last summer and looked as though he wanted him again this time around too.

The Argentine midfielder enjoyed a superb campaign in Serie A last season, scoring nine goals and providing a further 11 assists in all competitions, and Bielsa would surely have loved to have had the box-to-box dynamo at Elland Road – the Leeds boss’ highest-scoring central midfielder was Mateusz Klich with four.

Meanwhile, Udinese coach Luca Gotti, said: “Rodrigo is not the only one we have here who has a bright future but he can play for all the top clubs. Any team in the world. I mean, he starts for Lionel Messi’s Argentina. I’ve been able to watch this metamorphosis from up close, the shift in mentality that turns a good player into a top player, a champion.

“He’s become a leader and is the first person to demand more of himself. Rodrigo is able to pass that work ethic on to his team-mates.”

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The £26m-rated star would have been a perfect fit at Leeds given his superb “mentality” and “work ethic” off the pitch, and the fact that he does the business on it too.

Bielsa will be absolutely devastated to miss out on the midfielder after such a long-running pursuit.

Meanwhile, Bielsa could reunite with this former star at Elland Road…

According to a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport, as also translated by Sport Witness, new Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici could help the club to sign sought-after Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli.

The Lowdown: Paratici and Spurs…

Widely regarded as a capable negotiator and heralded by chairman Daniel Levy as a ‘tough’ one (Tottenham Hotspur), new ‘managing director’ Paratici has been tasked with overseeing the club’s on-field sporting operations.

The 48-year-old was reportedly instrumental in orchestrating big deals at former club Juventus, including the signing of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo in Turin (The Daily Mail).

As such, amid his arrival, there have been no shortage of exciting transfer reports.

The Latest: Paratici could help Spurs to bag Locatelli

Sought after by Champions League finalists Manchester City and Chelsea, the appointment of Paratici has now catapulted Tottenham into contention for Locatelli – according to La Gazzetta.

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Indeed, the Italian newspaper claim that Paratici ‘knows the dynamics of the potential deal’ and it is believed he could ‘raise the bid’ for Spurs as he becomes ‘heavily involved’ in the chase for Locatelli.

La Gazzetta also say he is ‘ready for the big jump’ to a new club as three Premier League giants now eye a summer swoop, but the midfield dynamo is currently waiting calmly to see how his future unfolds.

The 23-year-old started Italy’s first game of Euro 2020 and impressed during their 3-0 win over Turkey – winning all of his aerial duels and completing 87.3% of his passes (Breaking the Lines).

The Verdict: Would be massive…

Sassuolo apparently won’t let him leave for a penny less than €40 million (£34.4m) amid a tough financial climate for Spurs especially.

For this reason we believe it is unlikely Locatelli’s signing can be pulled off, but if Paratici and the Lilywhites can somehow work a deal, it would be pretty massive.

Arguably ne of the most promising Italy internationals at this present moment, Azzurri boss Roberto Mancini has already claimed the player ‘has everything’ after giving him his debut last year against the Netherlands (Planet Football).

ESPN journalist Matteo Bonetti also told Sky Sports that Locatelli is an ‘elegant’ player, arguably what Tottenham need in the middle of the park to provide some cutting edge quality (Football Daily).

Of course, signing him will depend on Tottenham’s ability to shift deadwood this summer, but his acquisition would certainly turn heads.

In other news: ‘Tottenham are now planning’…Fabrizio Romano relays big transfer news coming out of N17, find out more here.

West Ham United midfielder Manuel Lanzini remains a wanted man this summer.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Ligue 1 outfit Marseille are considering a move for the 28-year-old ahead of the upcoming window as Jorge Sampaoli looks to bolster his options in the engine room.

The Argentine was well travelled before this six-year stint in East London, featuring for teams like River Plate, Fluminense and Al-Jazeera but his time is surely coming towards the end at the London Stadium.

He has slipped down the pecking order under David Moyes – for instance, this campaign, he has played just 560 minutes in the Premier League.

Truth be told, the attacking maestro just has not been the same since a serious ACL injury before the 2018 World Cup and it has clearly hindered his performances on the pitch for the Hammers.

So if Marseille were to come forward with a bid for the £9m-rated star, then Moyes and the club’s hierarchy must take what they can for him.

Capped five times by his national side, Lanzini has arguably been stealing a living from the East London club. His minutes on the pitch simply do not justify his reported £75k-per-week wages, a salary that could go towards a vital new signing.

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In fact, the 5 foot 6 dynamo – who can play wide and through the middle – is earning more than the bulk of Moyes’ current squad, including regular and star performers such as Tomas Soucek (£45k-per-week), Declan Rice (£55k-per-week) and Michail Antonio (£70k-per-week).

With the Hammers competing in the Europa League next season, the Scot needs strength in depth right across the pitch. Aside from the permanent arrival of Jesse Lingard, a new striker to lessen the burden on the injury-prone Antonio will be top priority.

But with the prospect of the side facing a 50-plus game campaign, Moyes could also so with central defensive, midfield and full-back additions, and even perhaps a new goalkeeper, too.

Offloading someone who has been struggling to justify his place in the team would certainly be a nice boost to the transfer kitty.

Lanzini, in recent times, has been described as “completely ineffective” by Dave Walker and “too anonymous at times,” by Roshane Thomas, so it’s evident that even when he’s given a chance that he’s not good enough.

The Hammers are on the rise, so there’s no time to pay sentiments to a player like Lanzini. Moyes must be ruthless and offload him should any bid come in this summer.

His time is surely up in the claret and blue.

AND in other news, Moyes could find West Ham’s next Defoe in 18 y/o “special talent” with “undoubted potential”…

The streets of Colombo were awash with English supporters tonight, not drowning their sorrows after being spun to the series defeat that had been widely anticipated by most Sri Lankans and many English four weeks ago, but loudly celebrating England’s

Charlie Austin17-Mar-2001The streets of Colombo were awash with English supporters tonight, not drowning their sorrows after being spun to the series defeat that had been widely anticipated by most Sri Lankans and many English four weeks ago, but loudly celebrating England’s fourth series victory in succession after 22 wickets fell on the frantic third day of this Colombo Test Match.Sri Lanka grasped back the initiative this morning, taking England’s last six wickets for 74 runs, but then capitulated in spineless fashion in the afternoon and were bowled out for a lowly 81, the second lowest total in Sri Lanka’s 19 year Test history.Although Sri Lanka took six wickets in the 74-run chase, there was to be no final twist to a restless series, as Graham Thorpe, such an important factor in all three Test wins this winter and man-of-the-match in this game for his unbeaten 113 in the first innings and 32 in the second, guided them home in the twilight.Ashley Giles finally hit the winning run in the last over of the day, at 12 minutes past six, paving the way for a triumphant charge back to the dressing room and a jubilant victory lap, the kind normally reserved for winning the World Cup, but well deserved nonetheless.England’s hard-fought victory brings to an end an astonishing turnaround in their cricketing fortunes. Twelve months ago it is inconceivable that England could win a series in Sri Lanka, a country where even the mighty Australians floundered two years ago. During the last year, however, the team has been transformed under the stern tutelage of Duncan Fletcher and shrewd leadership of Nasser Hussain and now plays with a vigour, intensity and self-belief hitherto thought to be the exclusive preserve of Antipodeans.Now, when England’s supporters screamed: “bring on the Aussies” from their corrugated iron stands, they did so with confidence and not the wishful optimism that has characterised English supporters of the last two decades.History, too, will remember this team. It is the first time that England have won four series in succession since Mike Brearley’s side in 1978/9 and the first time England have come back to win a three-Test series after losing the first game since 1888.The success of Nasser Hussain’s team is even more remarkable for the fact that it has involved two tours to the sub-continent where the cricket has been played on dusty pitches, in searing heat, against beguiling spinners and richly talented batsmen.Nasser Hussain, who will bid farewell to the side in two days time as he returns to England because of his thigh injury, paid tribute to the efforts of the coach, back room staff and players: “All credit to the team for the way that they stuck at it, every time they have been asked tough questions, they have always come back. In the old days the wheels could have come off when he had gone one-nil down.Like he did here and in Pakistan he preferred to play down the teams’ chances against Australia next summer: “I am not going to give any bold headlines like ‘bring on the Aussies’ and stuff like that although we have had always had one eye on that series. We must think the same way as we did during the last four series.”Although the pitches have been loaded in favour of the spinners, it was once again England’s fast bowlers that cut the belly out of the Sri Lankan batting. Armed with the new ball, Darren Gough, who was adjudged to have been the man-of-the-series, weathered some early blows from Sanath Jayasuriya to dismiss Marvan Atapattu for another duck (there were a record twelve ducks in the game and eight today) with a cleverly disguised slower ball. Andrew Caddick then forced Kumar Sangakkara into an involuntary poke six balls later before Gough trapped the Sri Lanka captain lbw, to leave Sri Lanka teetering on 24 for three.Aravinda de Silva and Mahela Jayawardene added 33 runs and looked to have restored some order, before the second, this time terminal, collapse of the innings, as they lost three wickets for two runs. De Silva looked have the making of Caddick as he clumped two boundaries over square leg, but he too was deceived by a slightly slower delivery and clipped the ball to a diving Graham Thorpe at mid-wicket.Russel Arnold followed soon after, the victim of the latest umpiring blunder. He was given out caught by a tumbling Hussain at slip. The decision had been referred to the television umpire, B.C. Cooray, by David Orchard to see whether the ball had been taken cleanly. Although television replays showed that Arnold may not have hit the ball, B.C. Cooray was powerless to over-rule Orchard and with the catch having been taken cleanly, he was forced to show the red light.Mahela Jayawardene was lbw to Giles for 11 and Sri Lanka were 59 for six. The innings fell away. Chaminda Vaas was caught at backward short leg for six, Tillakaratne Dilshan was bowled by Giles for 10, Dilhara Fernando top edged a hook, and Muttiah Muralitharan had given up well before he played his reverse sweep.England may have ruled the afternoon, but Sri Lanka had dominated the morning, as they took six wickets and dismissed England for 249. Chaminda Vaas was the chief destroyer in his own intelligently steady way. Rolling his fingers over the ball and subtly changing the pace, he ran through the English middle-order to finish with six for 73, his best ever bowling figures and his first five-wicket haul for five-and-a-half years.The English innings was held together by Graham Thorpe’s eighth Test century. He may have been fortunate to survive a bat-pad appeal when he had made 73 and a difficult stumping chance when he had 75, but thereafter he looked at ease, cleverly mixing his sweeps and cuts with careful defence.Sri Lanka left the ground immediately after the game, shocked at the days’ events and uncomfortable in front of the 2000 baying English supporters crowded in front of the pavilion. Dav Whatmore, his face paled by the drama, said afterwards: “This is gut wrenching for the side, but we only have ourselves to blame for our batting today. I thought that the longer the series went on the better they played.”

How many times have basic mistakes cost West Indies dearly in this series

John Polack04-Jan-2001How many times have basic mistakes cost West Indies dearly in this series? Whatever the total by now, another two clearly need adding to it after an absorbing thirdday’s play of the Fifth Test against Australia here at the Sydney Cricket Ground. A dropped catch and a misguided decision to shoulder arms have left the tourists inmassive trouble again today and not even a more determined look about their play nor the comparatively very respectable second innings scoreline of 1/98 bystumps implies that the task of averting a series whitewash will now be anything less than formidable.By the end of the day, Wavell Hinds (46) and Sherwin Campbell (45*) had travelled some distance toward cancelling out their side’s 180 run first innings deficit. ButHinds’ effort in leaving alone a Glenn McGrath (1/26) delivery – which became the very last delivery of the day – and watching it crash into his off stump presents histeam with the prospect of another massive struggle for survival tomorrow. Still eighty-two runs behind overall, and with only nine wickets in tact, it shapes as adifficult equation at the very least.Before Hinds’ fatal error, full marks should have been awarded to each of the West Indian openers. Not least because of their achievement in going within a whiskerof registering successive century partnerships but also because, in the sort of grim position from which the tourists have stumbled so badly so many times already thissummer, they at least forced a temporary reappraisal of exactly how easily an Australian win might be achieved in this match.They weathered a difficult half hour against spinners Stuart MacGill (0/26) and Colin Miller (0/22) deep into the final session. But they believed in their ability, trustedtheir instincts and resisted the Australians’ best efforts to disrupt their concentration with aggressive and rapidly changing field settings. If anything, their batting alsohelped to suggest that the pitch showed fewer signs of yielding to spin than might have been expected. There had certainly been little in the way of devil in thebowling of West Indian slow men Mahendra Nagamootoo (3/119), Jimmy Adams (0/54) and Marlon Samuels (0/37) earlier in the day. And, late in the afternoon,even MacGill and Miller seemed less effective. With lower bounce came less turn.Yet the tourists were always fighting from behind. To a large degree, this was because their bowling and, more particularly, one horrible mistake in their fielding hadlet them down badly. Fifteen minutes into the day, came its most crucial moment. And also its turning point.After Ricky Ponting (51) had been defeated by a delivery of full length from paceman Colin Stuart (2/81) to be trapped lbw, wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist(87) appeared at the crease. He received a wide, short ball outside off stump and he pushed, somewhat strangely for him, nervously at it. It flew at just above headheight and marginally to Adams’ left in the gully. The chance was dropped; the tourists’ hopes of preventing the Australians’ lead swelling to close tounmanageable proportions were all but dashed.”Lucky! I don’t know what happened there. Very very happy that it slipped through,” conceded Gilchrist after play.”When something like that happens, and you’re lucky to get a second chance, I guess you do consciously go through it in the mind … you really work hard and reallyfocus.”Offered the reprieve, Gilchrist typically exploded into action. The Australian wicketkeeper-batsman produced a magnificent flurry and array of attacking shots.Several crashing square cuts stood out, there were powerful cover drives as well, and also one amazing shot off Nagamootoo’s bowling that added six to his totalonce it had slammed into the sightscreen behind the bowler’s arm.That captain Steve Waugh (103) was quietly plodding toward a twenty-fourth Test century all the while only added to the West Indians’ predicament. Theirproblems were also compounded when inspirational fast bowler Courtney Walsh (1/74) was forced to leave the field forty-five minutes before lunch after failing tocompletely overcome the effects of an ankle injury that he sustained in his first over of the day.Waugh eventually fell in rather bizarre style when he attempted to leave alone a Nagamootoo leg break pitching outside the line of leg stump. The result, as the ballspun more ferociously than at virtually any other time of the day, was the unusual sight of the delivery catching his front pad and deflecting off it back into his stumps.Gilchrist, for his part, was then removed shortly after lunch when he failed to steer a full Stuart outswinger any wider than Brian Lara at first slip.But the West Indian attack looked weary by this point and the extent to which their spirits had flagged was underscored by the compilation of a forty-two run standfor the last wicket between the belligerent blue-haired Miller (37*) and an unusually assured McGrath (13).Two glorious sixes over the leg side, one from a pull and the other a slog-sweep, were the highlights of Miller’s innings and he also flayed a succession of shots intothe off side. It was a knock never short on entertainment. For his part, McGrath also enjoyed himself; it was a measure of the state of the match and the series, infact, that he contemptuously clouted successive Nagamootoo deliveries high over the mid wicket region early in his stay.Australian captain Steve Waugh showed some daring in throwing off spinner Miller the new ball when the West Indian second innings began twenty minutes beforetea. But it wasn’t until the scoreboard clock read 5:59pm that the potentially fateful first dismissal finally came.