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Ireland’s crushing innings-and-146-run victory in the Intercontinental Cup against Bermuda brought the curtain on an eventful season for Irish cricket

Andrew McGlashan01-Sep-2007

Ireland’s crushing innings-and-146-run victory in the Intercontinental Cup against Bermuda last week brought the curtain down on an eventful season for Irish cricket. Under new coach Phil Simmons, who replaced Adrian Birrell after the World Cup, they have consolidated their position as the leading Associate nation. It hasn’t, though, quite been the triumphal march that had been hoped for after their heroics in the Caribbean.Many of the players will find it hard to remember the last time they had a significant break. Before the World Cup they spent time in South Africa, at a high-performance camp. They then found themselves in various far-flung destinations such as Mombasa, Nairobi and Abu Dhabi. Welcome to the world of international cricket.A matter of days after returning from the Super Eights, they were back in action, in the Friends Provident Trophy. But after the giant-killing against Pakistan and Bangladesh, they couldn’t manage a single win against the counties. However, there were mitigating circumstances.Key players already had county contracts: Boyd Rankin, Eoin Morgan and Niall O’Brien quickly disappeared after the post-World Cup back-slapping and celebrations had been completed, although Morgan and O’Brien did turn up for Ireland later in the season. Trying to hold on to their top players would become the defining theme of Ireland’s summer.”It was always going to be tough to maintain the momentum from the World Cup,” Simmons told Cricinfo. “Considering we lost three or four of the players who led the team to their glory, it’s been a very good season. We lost the two matches against India and South Africa, but didn’t lose a game against the other Associates.”It’s going to be difficult to keep hold of players with county contracts. But it’s not something I can do anything about, and it has given me a chance to work with new players who have come in this year.”For a few weeks Irish cricket was the centre of the universe, but it wasn’t going to last, especially after the team started losing matches and unfamiliar faces began showing up in the side. To add to the problems there was growing discontent in the ranks when players didn’t see immediate rewards for their success in West Indies.

While some players decided they had to return to a normal life, others voiced their disapproval about how the Irish Cricket Union was conducting affairs. Loudest among them was Jeremy Bray, the left-hand opener, who scored a century against Zimbabwe and another in the Intercontinental Cup final against Canada. He made himself unavailable for the ODIs against South Africa and India, plus subsequent fixtures against fellow Associates.But he wasn’t the only person unhappy. During the quadrangular tournament staged in Belfast and Dublin during July, the players refused to undertake post-match media commitments following the match against Netherlands, in protest over non-payment of World Cup fees.In many ways Ireland’s progress to the Super Eights created problems for the ICU. Despite the additional prize money, and the boost it provided to the game, there were increased outgoings in terms of costs of the team’s stay in the Caribbean and wages for the players. There was hopeful talk of central contracts being introduced to give players some security and encourage them to stay with Ireland, but reality quickly began to sink in.To try and generate some much-needed income, and make the most of the team’s new-found marketability, the ICU dipped its toe into the offshore ODI market, only to experience its first taste of the volatile world of international TV rights when the matches involving South Africa and India nearly fell through. However, although Sachin Tendulkar and Co. did make it to Belfast, the weather was poor and the crowds even more so. In the end the ICU only broke even.”Partly it was down to the crowds,” said the chief executive, Warren Deutrom. “But that, in turn, came because of the fact that Zee TV pulled out three weeks before the event and there was very little time for advertising. Nimbus came on board, but we only had one hand and weren’t able to negotiate. Advertisers wanted to know what channel they would be on and we weren’t able to tell them until a couple of days before the match.”The weather didn’t help, either, with people not enticed to the matches in the cold and damp. We didn’t get any walk-up sales, compared to 2000 when Ireland played England [in 2006].”

When faced with international opposition on the field, Ireland continued to perform admirably without managing a scalp to match Pakistan or Bangladesh. At least the absence of some key players allowed Simmons to explore the depth available to him. Greg Thompson, a legspinner, was handed more opportunities, as was left-arm spinner Gary Kidd. Gary Wilson, who plays for Surrey 2nd XI, covered for O’Brien and Alex Cusack’s Man of the Match display against South Africa was a good-news story.”In many ways it was a good thing that we were without some of the top players,” said Simmons. “It gave other guys a chance and they have done well. There are some good cricketers coming through the Under-19 system and in two or three years I can see a very strong Ireland team.”The side’s Intercontinental Cup form remained impressive when they retained the title against Canada at Grace Road in May. The bowling attack, led by David Langford-Smith and Trent Johnston, was well clear of the next best. William Porterfield remained brilliant in the field and helped form a strong top order. Andre Botha, whose medium pace was key at the World Cup, suddenly found a new lease of life with the bat with back-to-back centuries to end the season. At youth level, too, there was no match for the Irish as they enjoyed success at Under-19, -17 and -15 level. The next major challenge comes for the new generation at the U-19 World Cup in Malaysia next February and March.”Porterfield was excellent throughout the season, right from before the World Cup to the final game [his career-best 166 against Bermuda],” said Simmons. “But many others have done well, and hopefully young players will look at what they’ve achieved and think that it could be them in a few years.”The ICU hopes to organise a pre-season tour in February or March next year, but for most of the players it will be a winter of day jobs and indoor nets. It is a far cry from the year they have experienced and there are many challenges for Irish cricket to face if the success of 2007 is not to be a false dawn.

Australia’s emerging Twenty20 talent D’Arcy Short has declared he wants to keep the opening spot alongside David Warner, and the recent middle-order IPL record of the vastly more experienced Aaron Finch suggests he may well be able to do so.Short has shown plenty of promise in all three of his appearances so far, following on from an explosive Big Bash League for Hobart Hurricanes – where he set a new record for the most runs ever scored in a single edition of the tournament – that vaulted him into the team in the first place. To a degree his role has been affected by the sheer effectiveness of Australia’s bowling attack in restricting England and New Zealand to low totals, but after Saturday’s innings, Short was singled out for praise by the assistant coach Ricky Ponting for his composure – the moment captured by television cameras.”He knows so much about the game, the ins and outs of it, and he was just going through saying it was a good knock and a composed knock, especially at the start where I probably could have tried to blast my way out of it,” Short said of Ponting. “I worked through it and he was just congratulating me on that one.”Definitely [want to open], I think I’m suited there and that’s where I like to bat, and hopefully I can stay there. I didn’t know what to expect until a couple of days ago, just chatting to other guys. I think they wanted to keep me opening because I’d done so well in the Big Bash and throwing me down the order might change it a little bit. Definitely a little bit surprised considering how well he [Finch] has done at the top.””I didn’t feel like I could hit a ball, especially at the start. But I knew that if we didn’t lose wickets and I stayed in with whoever was in and scoring runs then we’d get the total easily. I had to work hard in terms of trying to get my runs early, they bowled well at the start and I had to work a little bit harder. I just tried to keep at a run a ball basically and then go from there.”Before the triangular series, the stand-in leader Warner had spoken about how the preponderance of openers in the Australian squad – Short, Finch, Chris Lynn and Alex Carey have all typically opened for their teams in addition to the captain – needed to be addressed with a measure of flexibility. The combination of Finch’s injury making room for Short and his decent record as a middle-order batsman in the IPL seems to have made up Warner’s mind.Finch has played 36 of his 208 T20 matches as a middle-order batsman, most recently doing the job for Gujarat Lions in the IPL in 17 matches over the past two editions of the tournament. During that time he has made 448 runs at 32 with a strike rate of 150.33, as against career figures of 34.26 and 139.02, and on Saturday night put an explanation mark on Australia’s victory with a pair of mighty sixes after coming in at the fall of the third wicket.At the same time, the team hierarchy will also have reasoned that Short is better off starting against speed than spin, given a wide disparity in his strike rates when given pace on the ball to work with. While agreeing it was something he needed to work on, Short said he was tired of hearing about it – a pair of clean hits worth four and six from Liam Dawson’s second over during the MCG chase were a move in the right direction at any rate.”I went at [Liam] Dawson because I had a look at his first over and felt like I could take him down in the second over and it worked in my favour in the end,” Short said. “I go at a run a ball against spin, I don’t see what the problem is there. I’ll obviously keep trying to work on it and to get my strike rate up against them a bit more would be good, but I’m happy with where it’s at at the moment. A little bit [sick of it] but I can’t do anything about it, that’s people’s opinion.”I think it’s just about keeping your game plan simple and knowing how you’re going to go about the game. Working on things you need to work on and different areas you want to hit the ball, but I think if you’ve got your game plan set and if you go out with your mindset to do that, then I think you should be right. They’re always going to try different things and you’ve got to negate that, work around it and try to work through it.”The innings was all the more noteworthy for the fact that the 27-year-old Short admitted to plenty of nerves about playing an international match at the MCG for the first time, reflecting how quickly he has risen through the ranks after taking some time to mature as a player. He has been aided by an Australian T20 collective functioning impressively under the stand-in leadership of Warner. “A year to two years ago if you asked me was I going to be here I probably would’ve said no,” Short said, “but just being consistent and working hard has got me to where I am now.”I was a bit more nervous than the first two games, just because its a big stadium at the MCG, but I tried not to think about it too much. All the players playing at the moment are playing with freedom, and I think it shows in our batting, bowling and fielding as well. You’re here to go out and do what you love and show off a little bit and see how you go – play with confidence and go from there.”One major factor in the composition of this T20 side has been the looming Test tour of South Africa, for which the likes of Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have been saved. Short expressed hope that the current group could be kept together for future assignments, but also acknowledged the scheduling issues facing the selectors.”If we win this tri-series and go through, if we can try and keep it together, that’d be good,” Short said. “I suppose you always put your best team out, and whether we all fit in the best team, that’s up to the selectors. I think it definitely gives you the opportunity to showcase your skills in front of other people on the international stage and you always try to take it with both hands.”

The Belgian was the architect of a superb turnaround for Pep Guardiola's side, scoring the equaliser before laying on the winner for Oscar Bobb

Everything felt like it was falling into place for Manchester City even before they had kicked a ball at Newcastle due to Kevin De Bruyne's long-awaited return, with the Belgian then inspiring an incredible comeback win after coming off the bench.

It now feels like a case of when rather than if City will win a fourth consecutive Premier League title. Pep Guardiola's side produced one of their best performances of the season in a stunning first-half display at St James' Park and took the lead with an audacious backheeled finish from Bernardo Silva.

But then the champions inexplicably found themselves behind after brilliant goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon in the space of three minutes. So Guardiola turned to De Bruyne and the assist king, making his first Premier League appearance in five months, duly delivered.

De Bruyne stroked the ball into the net to level the match and then in injury time he played an outrageous pass to Oscar Bobb, who calmly danced the ball into the net. City were dancing at full-time and celebrated like they had won the title. It felt like they had.

GOAL rates Man City's players from St James' Park…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (N/A):

  Came off in the eighth minute after an injury caused by the damaging VAR protocol on offside flags.

  Kyle Walker (6/10):

  Excellent going forward and set up Bernardo's goal but easily beaten by Isak.

  Ruben Dias (4/10):

  Run ragged by Isak. Another sloppy display against a top opponent.

  Nathan Ake (6/10):

  Good in possession and out of it.

  Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

  Some good moments but still lacking positional awareness and footballing intelligence.

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  Midfield

  Rodri (6/10):

  Very physical and really put himself about, to the anger of Newcastle's players.

  Mateo Kovacic (6/10):

  Moved the ball about superbly and has taken very little time to assimilate City's style.

  Bernardo Silva (7/10):

  Scored an outrageous backheeled strike and helped City dominate first half but couldn't impose himself after the break and was taken off for De Bruyne

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  Attack

  Phil Foden (8/10):

  Dictated City's play and weaved his usual magic.

  Julian Alvarez (5/10):

  Worked hard but was wasteful in front of goal, missing a real sitter when he skied a shot over the bar with Martin Dubravka down.

  Jeremy Doku (6/10):

  Gave Newcastle a lot to think about but didn't have a cutting edge.

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  Subs & Manager

  Stefan Ortega (5/10):

  Dodgy passing but made fine saves in each half to thwart Isak. Beaten by two brilliant finishes.

  Kevin De Bruyne (9/10):

  City were losing when he came on, they were 3-2 up by the end and it was down to his goal and his assist. Enough said.

  Oscar Bobb (8/10):

  What a time to score his first Premier League goal. Had ice in his veins as he shuffled past Dubravka.

  Pep Guardiola (8/10):

  His substitutions won the game and his team-talk must have helped too as after the break City played like the title was on the line.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in ongoing "negotiations" regarding a summer deal to bring Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez to the Premier League, according to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo.

Who is Guido Rodriguez?

Rodriguez is naturally a defensive midfielder who has played his football at the Benito Villamarin Stadium for the past three years since joining from CF America back in January 2020, and during that time, he’s become a regular feature of Manuel Pellegrini’s side having started 33 out of 38 La Liga matches last season.

However, the 29-year-old’s contract is set to expire in less than a year meaning that there’s a strong chance he could be sold for a decent fee before the end of the current transfer window, and should he depart, he won’t be short of potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

The Argentina international firmly established himself as the Spanish outfit’s both defensive and overall top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.98 during the previous campaign, and it appears that his high standard of displays have caught the eye of Fosun and Julen Lopetegui at Molineux.

Are Wolves signing Guido Rodriguez?

Taking to Twitter, Merlo revealed that Wolves are currently in talks for Rodriguez, though at this stage, it doesn't sound as if a deal is anywhere close to completion between the two parties. He wrote:

"Wolves is interested in signing Guido Rodriguez, a Betis midfielder whose contract ends in June 2024. There are negotiations underway between the clubs, but for now nothing close to being finalised."

Wolves recently lost their talisman in Ruben Neves, who has completed a move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal, so Lopetegui will need to enter the market for a suitable replacement in that defensive midfield position, and having been lauded a “creative” number six by journalist Josh Bunting, Rodriguez could be the perfect heir.

Last season he ranked in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 98th percentile for clearances versus other players in his position, form which saw him receive three man-of-the-match awards, highlighting his desire to get stuck in and clear the danger to protect his backline.

Real Betis’ £28k-per-week earner, however, is also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third having scored seven goals and provided three assists since joining, so the fact that he’s impactful at both ends of the pitch will be yet another attractive attribute to those at Molineux.

Furthermore, the Betis star has the flexibility to operate in four different positions across the pitch, including three roles in the midfield and even at centre-back, so he would be an excellent versatile option for the manager to have at his disposal.

Finally, Rodriguez already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured eight pieces of silverware since the start of his career, the most notable being when he was crowned 2022 World Cup champion with Argentina, so he could instil a much-needed winning mentality into the rest of the squad in the Midlands.

There are times when supporters don’t exactly get what they want in a transfer window, with their teams sometimes signing players they aren’t particularly convinced by for one reason or another. And this usually leads to a few too many comments on social media.In the case of Dusan Vlahovic’s potential move to Paris Saint-Germain, however, ultras have done more than just comment on Twitter. Instead, not doing things by halves, they have presented a banner threatening to cut off three of the striker’s fingers if he makes the move.Something tells us that’ll be enough of a warning for the Serbian, who may opt to stay among the chaos at Juventus with a perfectly intact hand, rather than likely silverware and three fewer fingers in the French capital.The question is, why have PSG ultras reacted to the rumours in such a way?

Why did the PSG ultras threaten Dusas Vlahovic?

Believe it or not, it wasn’t Vlahovic’s poor Juventus form which sparked the threats of the ultras. Instead, it is believed that the uproar came following the discovery of the striker’s activity whilst on international duty with Serbia – as pointed out in the Tweet above.

The striker was seen holding up three fingers whilst wearing a t-shirt that showed Kosovo as part of Serbia. The action is said to refer to “Serbian supremacy over Kosovo” and can be seen as a greeting made by Serbian guerrilla of unification.

Vlahovic wouldn’t be the first summer signing at PSG to receive a frosty reception, either, with Lucas Hernandez not exactly welcomed with open arms in France. Indeed, before that move was complete, fans told the now-former Bayern Munich defender that he is unwanted at the club.

The disapproval of the ultras comes as a result of the fact that Hernandez was born in Marseille, and his father, Jean-Francois played for Olympique Marseille – PSG’s rivals.

So, it’s fair to say that winning over a section of PSG fans can be quite the task, and a dangerous one at that, too.

How much would Dusan Vlahovic cost?

Initially costing Juventus a reported £66.6m back in January 2022, it remains to be seen whether the Serie A giants will suffer a significant loss on their investment.

According to Rudy Galetti, both Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in making a move for the forward this summer. Given the reaction of PSG ultras, however, a move now seems less likely. Meanwhile, Spurs would only make their move if Harry Kane did depart in the current window.

According to Transfermarkt, Vlahovic is currently worth €70m (£60.09m), in what is a hefty fee for a striker who scored just 10 Serie A goals last season.

A fresh start could do the 23-year-old a world of good though. As things stand, things don’t really look like bursting into life for him at Juventus, and given their position as a team without European football next season, perhaps Vlahovic could be tempted by a departure to a club playing in the Champions League.

With a long summer ahead, there could be plenty of twists and turns for the striker yet.

India women’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sushma Verma, who hardly got batting opportunities in the past, cashed in on the chance against Pakistan with a 35-ball 33

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2017Sushma Verma has established herself as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper since making her debut in 2014. However, her contribution as a batsman has been minimal, largely because she has hardly had opportunities to prove herself. Prior to Sunday, she had batted just eight times in 22 ODIs, facing a grand sum of 56 deliveries, off which she scored 13 runs, a strike rate of 23.21.She batted at No. 8 or lower in seven of those eight innings. The last time she batted before Sunday, she was sent in at No. 10, even below Ekta Bisht, no more than a tailender. Until the Pakistan game, India’s third at the World Cup, this hardly mattered thanks to robust contributions from the top order. But on a sticky wicket with the top order having a rare off day, the team needed Verma to overcome her battles, and she did.Promoted to No. 7 ahead of the more-accomplished Jhulan Goswami, who has a reputation of being a big hitter, Verma exhibited tremendous composure and match awareness to make a 35-ball 33 to help India recover from 111 for 6 to 169 for 9. Her 34-run stand with Goswami for the seventh wicket, significant in the context of the game, earned plaudits from her captain Mithali Raj.”At that point in time, when we were losing wickets, it was important to slow down a little,” Raj explained of Verma’s promotion. “On a few occasions in domestic cricket, when our Central Zone side was in similar situation, she bailed us out. We expected her to play that role and she did until the 48th over. Those boundaries were also very crucial.”Her partnership [with Jhulan] got us to 170. We were looking for 170 when we lost the top four. When you play such matches, it’s important to continue the momentum but not every day will the same batters will score runs, so I’m happy someone has stood up to get those runs. It’s important we got this opportunity to reflect on our batting order.”Opportunities have been rare for Verma in domestic cricket too as she started her career with Himachal Pradesh and moved to Railways for better cricketing prospects. But moving to a more-established outfit also brought about a fresh set of challenges. Playing in a team that has a star-studded batting line-up that boasts of Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Punam Raut has largely meant that a berth in the top order, which she may have been guaranteed at Himachal, has been non-existent.In the entire 2016-17 season, she had four opportunities to impress, twice each in the one-dayers and T20 competition. She managed 21 in those four knocks. It’s a role she has taken awhile getting used to, but one she has grown to accept, Verma said. “The team management has been working a lot on the lower-order batting. We have been getting equal attention as the top and middle order. I was waiting for this opportunity.”I’ve understood I will have minimum balls to face, I need to make maximum impact. Today, there was such an opportunity. It’s not that I’m confident only because of wicketkeeping. For me, the main concern and focus is to score as many runs as possible in as little balls as possible.”

Aston Villa could be "able to activate a deal" to land Ferran Torres this summer if they wait for "the back end of the transfer window", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Aston Villa transfer news – What's the latest on Ferran Torres to Aston Villa?

What Unai Emery has achieved at Villa is nothing short of remarkable. Taking the side from a potential relegation scrap to a scrap for European places, he has completely turned the club around, and it looks as if some major players in Europe could be on their way to Villa Park over the summer.

So far, the West Midlands side have already welcomed Belgian international Youri Tielemans through the door from the recently relegated Leicester City, a player that only last year was heavily linked to Arsenal.

However, the player touted with a move to the Claret and Blue that might just excite the most fans is Barcelona and full Spanish international Torres.

The Daily Mail have reported that due to the Catalan club's dire financial situation, the 23-year-old could join the Villains on a season-long loan with an option to buy for just £21.5m.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Ferran Torres to Aston Villa?

Jones was clear that the player himself has been very upfront about his desire to remain at Barcelona, which could make it harder for Villa to get a deal done. However, he points out that a deal could be made easier if he isn't given much playing time come August.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I think the Ferran Torres one could still become interesting. He obviously doesn't want to leave Barcelona, and it seems like he's made that pretty clear. But the deeper we get into this transfer window, the more I wonder if he might actually end up leaving.

"I mean, if we get to a situation whereby the season in Spain begins in August, and he's not in the picture, and you get him towards the back end of the transfer window. I wonder if that's when Villa might be able to activate a deal like that."

Would Ferran Torres be a good signing for Aston Villa?

Torres, who has been hailed as "world-class", would be a brilliant signing for this new-look Aston Villa side and be a true signal of intent that they are here to stay among the big boys of English football.

It would also be the perfect way for the Foios-born dynamo to reignite his career following a tough few years in Catalonia. The former City gem hasn't been bad for the La Liga champions, he just hasn't been able to start as frequently as he may have hoped would be the case back in 2021.

According to WhoScored, he only started 14 La Liga matches last season, coming off the bench 19 times, averaging an overall rating of 6.48 across all his league appearances.

His underlying numbers are still impressive, with FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, placing him in the top 12% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 15% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

He has impressed for the national side as well, with former Spain manager Luis Enrique saying: "He is one of the players whose crosses are the best in LaLiga."

If Villa can get this deal over the line, they might be fighting for more than just Conference League football next year.

South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has been cleared to play the third Test Zealand after being a doubt due to a finger injury

Firdose Moonda in Hamilton24-Mar-2017While New Zealand have been ruling several injured players out of their XI, South Africa have found a way to include one of their wounded. Wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock will play the Hamilton Test after passing a fitness test to determine whether the tendon damage on his right index finger was severe enough to sideline him.De Kock, however, will need at least four weeks to recover from the injury and Cricket South Africa ruled him out of playing the 2017 IPL season for Delhi Daredevils in order to be available for the Champions Trophy and the England Tests that follow.Although in some pain on the eve of the Hamilton Test, de Kock was able to bat and catch with strapping and a finger splint, the brainchild of physiotherapist Brandon Jackson. When asked why South Africa were risking de Kock when they have a reserve gloveman in Heinrich Klaasen, Faf du Plessis explained the occasion was too important to leave de Kock out.”It’s a big game. Quinton is someone who you don’t just replace. From my side, I am trying to have Quinton in my team all the time,” du Plessis said. “He has had problems with his fingers for quite a while. It’s part of being a keeper. It’s never nice to catch balls on the fingertips all the time and it’s been painful for him for a while. Maybe the cold New Zealand conditions make it worse. It’s hurting for him a bit more now but because it’s a big game, resting him for someone else is not an option.”Du Plessis explained that if de Kock was carrying “three or four broken fingers then obviously he won’t play,” but because the issue could be kept at bay for a while, South Africa were willing to take their chances. More so, because three of the top six (Stephen Cook, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy) were out of form and de Kock, who was one half of a match-winning partnership with Temba Bavuma in Wellington, was among the runs.The news that neither Tim Southee nor Trent Boult would be playing for New Zealand also did not influence South Africa’s team composition, as they aimed to assemble the strongest side they could in search for a 2-0 series win.”We are trying to put as much pressure as we can on New Zealand,” du Plessis said.At the start of the series, du Plessis admitted South Africa would target Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who they regarded as New Zealand’s keybatsmen, because they sensed vulnerability in the rest of the line-up.”It’s a huge blow (for New Zealand). I always take reference to our own team – if we lose guys like them in our side, it will be a huge loss. Seamers that have got experience and the numbers behind them – you don’t just replace that in Test cricket,” du Plessis said. “But we know whoever comes in can do a job for the day and we have to respect that and play at our best. If we do that, hopefully it will be easier but it’s never a guarantee.”

Steven Smith passed 5000 Test runs en route to his second hundred of the series, and along with Glenn Maxwell’s composed unbeaten 82, carried Australia into the ascendancy

The Report by Daniel Brettig16-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:41

Manjrekar: Very uncharacteristic innings from Maxwell

Test hundred number 19, nine of them made overseas, was a measure of the quality Australia’s captain Steven Smith has brought to Ranchi to give his team a chance of unseating India at home. Ball number 147, kept out by Glenn Maxwell in the day’s final over, was a measure of the resolve he brought to his first Test innings in nearly three years.Previously, the most deliveries Maxwell had faced in any international innings across all three formats was 98. By stumps, his new personal mark not only showed how much he had steeled himself to contribute alongside Smith, but also put Australia in a very strong position to dictate terms on what is comfortably the best pitch prepared for this Border-Gavaskar Trophy bout.When Maxwell joined Smith, the day had hung rather more in the balance. Umesh Yadav was reversing the ball sharply, and the 28-year-old Victorian’s propensity for batting brainstorms was recalled by many watching. Yet with Smith’s counsel, Maxwell was able to avoid his usual rush, so much so that he waited until his 56th delivery to reach the boundary – this from a man whose most significant moment for Australia had been a World Cup hundred off 51 balls against Sri Lanka at the SCG in 2015.What followed was a certain acceleration, but nothing too outlandish. The day’s viral video moment was instead saved for Wriddhiman Saha’s attempt to glove a Ravindra Jadeja ball lodged between Smith’s padded legs, so desperate had India’s search for a wicket become. The attempt proved fruitless, and Smith was soon toasting his century, and with Maxwell, walked off boasting a wicketless final session, an unbeaten stand of 159, and the promise of more to come.Their concentration and discipline made for a contrast to some of the more wasteful dismissals seen earlier in the day, as the Australian top order failed to make the most of their starts. David Warner and Matt Renshaw would be particularly frustrated to have wasted starts on a surface that played far better than widely predicted.Peter Handscomb also got established at the crease before being defeated by a fine inswinging yorker from Yadav, the most threatening member of India’s bowling attack. Ishant Sharma had a couple of concerted lbw appeals denied, but R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja found far less assistance than they had seen in Pune and Bengaluru. Pointedly they missed Virat Kohli, who left the field for treatment after landing heavily on his right shoulder when trying to stop a boundary.Glenn Maxwell’s fluency grew as his innings progressed, finishing with an unbeaten 82•AFP

Ranchi’s pitch played far better than appearances had suggested, meaning plenty more runs will be required. But at the very least, Smith and Maxwell have ensured something to bowl at for a team featuring another cricketer making a long-delayed return to the Australian Test team – the fast bowler Pat Cummins.Kohli conceded the loss of a key toss before play began, and that seemed more so as Renshaw and Warner rattled to 50 in less than 10 overs by taking advantage of the pitch’s even pace and a scorchingly fast outfield. Jadeja erred on the full side to Warner, but a full toss found the batsman in two minds about hitting square or straight, and the resultant return catch maintained his mediocre overseas record.Renshaw had been finding gaps either side of the wicket and looked in full control, so it was a surprise when he fiddled in undisciplined fashion at Umesh and edged to Kohli at first slip. Umesh had created uncertainty by gaining some movement. Shaun Marsh was unable to get established, well caught at short leg by Cheteshwar Pujara off bat and pad, the decision made after India’s successful DRS referral against Ian Gould’s initial not-out verdict.Handscomb’s cover drive off his first ball to the fence underlined the improved batting conditions, and though Smith edged one reversing ball from Umesh to the fine leg boundary between his pads, shortly before lunch, he was otherwise certain in his methods and safe in his defence. Handscomb also looked capable of going on to something substantial, but for the fifth time in as many innings this series he was dismissed at a frustrating juncture, unable to get his bat to a Umesh yorker that swerved back sharply to strike him in front of the stumps.Maxwell’s likely approach had seemed a mystery to even his team-mates before this match, but he quickly showed an impressive level of composure to build his innings in Smith’s slipstream while taking few risks. His only moment of nervousness came from the first ball of an Ishant spell that swung back into his pads, but India’s decision referral was waved off when replays showed the bowler had overstepped.In the evening session a steady stream of runs came with the occasional boundary, and Maxwell hammered a second six of his innings to go past 50 for the first time in a Test. Nothing affected Smith’s deep concentration, not even a period of more than an hour spent in the 90s. As attentive, mature batting partners do, Maxwell took up much of the scoring slack during this episode. Like so much else in his innings, it came as a pleasant surprise.

Arsenal are set to make a bid for Declan Rice after West Ham United's Europa Conference League final, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Who will Declan Rice sign for?

The Gunners have been making solid progress in their pursuit of Rice, with it recently being reported they have agreed personal terms with the West Ham United captain, meaning agreeing a suitable transfer fee is the last remaining obstacle.Although the Englishman's preference is to move to north London, there could still be competition for his signature, with Manchester United registering their interest, currently "waiting in the wings" to potentially hijack the deal.Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move for the 24-year-old, however talkSPORT's Simon Jordan has claimed the player's preference is to try and win the Premier League with one of the big clubs in England.Arsenal pushed Manchester City all the way last season, before coming up just short, however Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his squad to give them the best possible chance of competing for the title again next season.The West Ham midfielder is a key target, and Romano has now claimed that a bid will be made after the Europa Conference League final, which is set to take place on Wednesday night.Bayern are also name checked as potential suitors, however the transfer expert is keen to stress that "nothing is done or close yet."

Will Rice sign for Arsenal?

As previously highlighted, the England international's preference is to move to north London this summer, while personal terms have allegedly been agreed, meaning the Gunners should be well-placed to win the race for his signature.The central midfielder is deemed unlikely to move to Chelsea, but he wants to remain in London and play in the Champions League, so a move to the Emirates Stadium would make perfect sense.

Hailed as "sensational" by members of the media, the £60k-per-week maestro registered 79 tackles in the Premier League last season, the ninth-highest figure in the top flight, and WhoScored ranked him as West Ham's best-performing player.An average of 1.7 interceptions per game was the most of any Hammers player, and the midfielder also displayed his attacking prowess by averaging one key pass and 0.9 dribbles.The Gunners are in a very strong position to sign Rice, and his range of qualities would make him a fantastic addition to Arteta's squad.